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Tech weakness weighs on S&P/TSX composite, while U.S. stock markets rise

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

TORONTO — Losses in the technology stocks helped lead Canada’s main stock index lower in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were higher to start the week.The S&P/TSX composite index was down 32.10 points at 19,792.75.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 34.37 points at 34,095.69. The S&P 500 index was up 6.88 points at 4,365.22, while the Nasdaq composite was up 47.89 points at 13,526.17.The Canadian dollar traded for 73.11 cents US compared with 73.08 cents US on Friday.The December crude oil contract was up US$1.03 at US$81.54 per barrel and the December natural gas contract was down 23 cents at US$3.29 per mmBTU.The December gold contract was down US$10.00 at US$1,989.20 an ounce and the December copper contract was up three cents at US$3.71 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) The Canadian Press

Baltimore Catholic church to close after longtime pastor suspended over sexual harassment settlement

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Archdiocese of Baltimore will close one of the city’s Catholic churches after its longtime pastor was recently suspended from ministry because he admitted to making a payment several years ago to settle sexual harassment allegations.Last month, Father Paschal Morlino was dismissed from his position at St. Benedict Church in southwest Baltimore, where he served for nearly 40 years and became known for his efforts to help residents of poor neighborhoods surrounding the church.Few details about the 2018 complaint against Morlino have been released. Church officials have said they regarded “alleged sexual harassment of an adult man.” The complainant died in 2020 and a lawyer representing him in the case has declined to comment citing a non-disclosure agreement.St. Benedict is owned and operated by Saint Vincent Archabbey in Pennsylvania, the oldest Benedictine monastery in the country. In a joint statement with the archdiocese on Saturday, monastery leaders said the...

Trudeau confirms appointment of Alberta judge Mary Moreau to Supreme Court of Canada

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the appointment of Mary Moreau to the Supreme Court of Canada after nominating her for the post last month.Moreau, who was chief justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Russell Brown. Before her appointment to the Alberta court 29 years ago, the bilingual Moreau practised law in her native Edmonton, handling civil, criminal and constitutional cases.Moreau was also named a deputy judge of the Supreme Court of Yukon in 1996, and of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories in 2005. She has long been involved in the legal profession at home and overseas through participation in educational efforts, judicial ethics initiatives and court modernization. A majority of the judges on the nine-member Supreme Court of Canada are women for the first time in its 148-year history.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2023.The Canadian Press

August trial date set for officers charged in Tyre Nichols killing

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A judge has set an August trial date for four former Memphis police officers charged in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop in January.During a short hearing on Monday, Shelby County Criminal Court Judge James Jones Jr. announced the Aug. 12 trial date in the cases of Emmitt Martin, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith. Each has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in state court. A fifth officer charged in the case, Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty last week to federal charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice. The plea is part of a larger deal in which prosecutors said he had also agreed to plead guilty later to state charges. Mills is the only officer to admit guilt in the criminal case. Prosecutors are recommending a 15-year prison sentence for Mills, but the final sentencing hearing rests with the federal judge. Caught on police video, the beating of Nichols in January was one in a string ...

Morale down, cronyism up after DeSantis takeover of Disney World government, ex-employees say

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Morale and trust within the Walt Disney World government has deteriorated since allies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took it over earlier this year, according to many employees who have departed in recent months saying the governing district has been politicized and cronyism now permeates the organization.More than 30 out of about 390 employees have left the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District since it was taken over in February, raising concerns that decades of institutional knowledge is departing with them, along with a reputation for a well-run government. “When I first joined the District, I found an organization that strived to be the very best at serving our community, sought the very best employees and valued those employees above all else,” a former facilities manager with three years of experience said in an employee exit survey last week. “I find myself leaving a completely different District. A District that prioritizes politics above all else a...

Oldest black hole discovered dating back to 470 million years after the Big Bang

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Scientists have discovered the oldest black hole yet, formed a mere 470 million years after the Big Bang. The findings, published Monday, confirm what until now were theories that supermassive black holes existed at the dawn of the universe. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory teamed up to make the observations. Given the universe is 13.7 billion years old, that puts the age of this black hole at 13.2 billion years. Even more astounding to scientists, this black hole is a whopper — 10 times bigger than the black hole in our own Milky Way. It’s believed to weigh anywhere from 10% to 100% the mass of all the stars in its galaxy. That is nowhere near the miniscule ratio of the black holes in our Milky Way and other nearby galaxies, scientists said.“It’s just really early on in the universe to be such a behemoth,” said Yale University’s Priyamvada Natarajan, who took part in the study published in Nature Ast...

A new survey of wealthy nations finds favorable views rising for the US while declining for China

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Public opinions in 24 countries — mostly rich nations — have grown more favorable of the United States than of China, according to the latest survey by the Washington-based Pew Research Center.The gap in favorability of the world’s two largest economies widened after views of the U.S. rebounded since President Joe Biden took office in 2021, the report found. Favorable views of both countries fell in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, but the ratings for China remained low during the latest survey, the Pew center said, “leading to some of the largest gaps in these views we have seen in our polling.”The report, released Monday, comes as the two countries are intensely competing for global influence. President Xi Jinping wants China to be respected and trusted around the world, while Biden has made it a priority to mend relationships with U.S. allies.“This year, overall views of the United States are much more positive than views of China in most places sur...

Father of Highland Park parade shooting suspect receives jail time, probation in guilty plea agreement

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

CHICAGO — The father of the accused Highland Park parade shooting suspect pleads guilty to helping his son get a FOID card, according to prosecutors. The seven counts of reckless conduct will be reduced to seven misdemeanor of reckless conduct charges with two years probation and 60 days in the Lake County Jail.The judge must consider what did the father know, when did he know it and what would a reasonable person done in that situation. Highland Park mass shooting suspect says attack staged by federal agents: Sheriff’s office The trial comes 16 months after the July 4th Highland Park parade shooting that claimed seven lives.Prosecutors will try to prove Crimo Jr. knew his son was unstable years earlier They say three years earlier, Crimo III threatened his family and said he was going to kill everyone. Prosecutors originally wanted to show video of Crimo III's seven-hour police interrogation during the trial, but the judge will only allow reading o...

Jury selection underway in Ed Burke corruption trial

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

CHICAGO — Jury selection is underway Monday in the federal corruption trial of Chicago's longest-serving former alderman — Ed Burke.Among the questions jurors will decide is whether Burke, 79, allegedly used his power amassed during his 54-year career representing the 14th Ward to illegally steer business toward his own law firm.Burke arrived to the Dirksen Federal Building just before 8:45 a.m. Monday and went to a courtroom on the 25th floor where jury selection is taking place.He is facing charges of racketeering, bribery and extortion. Burke's co-defendants are Peter Andrews, a longtime political aide, and Charles Cui, a real estate developer.Potential jurors are answering questions from the judge and attorneys Monday and 12 will be selected.Burke is specifically accused of withholding city permits to strong arm developers and businesses into using his private law firm — which handled tax appeals. The career of Ed Burke: Power personified It's been nearly five years since the...

Trump clashes with New York judge as fraud trial devolves into chaos: Live updates

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:20:05 GMT

Former President Trump clashed frequently with the judge overseeing his New York fraud trial as the former president took the witness stand earlier Monday.Trump's highly-anticipated testimony grew chaotic, with the judge asking Trump's attorney to take control of his client. The former president also ticked off his political grievances from the witness stand, to which the judge responded that the court hearing was "not a political rally."The trial puts Trump's long storied career as a real estate mogul and business executive in major jeopardy. At stake are Trump's business licenses and the potential for him to lose control of some of his most famed properties. Follow below for live updates from The Hill's Ella Lee in New York.