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Freeland touts home savings account, notes limits to addressing housing crisis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

TORONTO — Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the uptake of a new savings account for first-time homebuyers is exceeding expectation, though she acknowledged the limits of what it can do to address affordability.Speaking after meeting with constituents in Toronto who want to buy a home, Freeland said the First Home Savings Account is just one tool to help people get into the market.“It is not going to solve all of their problems, I am not claiming that, but it’s a little bit of help.”The tax-free First Home Savings Account, which launched in April with a $8,000 per year and total contribution limit of $40,000, is currently available at seven financial institutions.  Questrade Inc. had its account ready for the April 1 launch, while Wealthsimple also recently began offering the option, including to the nearly 20,000 Canadians who were on their wait-list. RBC, which launched its program in April, says clients have opened “tens of thousands” of accounts since then, with just o...

Yemeni military commander and 3 others killed in suspected Al-Qaida attack in southern Yemen

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A suspected Al-Qaida attack in southern Yemen killed a military commander and three soldiers from a secessionist group Thursday, according to the group’s leader, security officials, and an eyewitness.Commander Abd Al-Latif al-Sayyid and the three soldiers from the Security Belt Forces, a fighting group loyal to Yemen’s secessionist Southern Transitional Council, were killed in an explosion while traveling in a convoy through southern Abyan province, the three officials and witness said. The four said they believed the Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula group was responsible for the attack but provided no further details. All spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal.In a obituary statement issued late Thursday by the head of the council, Aydarous al-Zubaidi, he said the separatist force was mourning the loss of Al-Sayyid and the three fighters “who were touched by the hands of treachery and terrorism.” The Southern Transitional Council is...

Air Canada ranks last in on-time performance among 10 biggest North American airlines

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

MONTREAL — A new report says Air Canada ranked last in on-time performance among the 10 largest airlines in North America, as some carriers north of the border struggle to find their post-pandemic footing despite much better outcomes than the travel chaos of 2022.Canada’s biggest carrier landed 51 per cent of its flights on time last month, according to figures from aviation data firm Cirium.WestJet, which placed seventh, saw 62 per cent of its trips make it to the gate on time — defined as within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival.The two outcomes paled in comparison to top performers Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines, which notched 82 per cent and 79 per cent, respectively.North American airlines’ average on-time performance stood at 66 per cent, the worst by far of any of the regions tracked in the report, including Europe, Latin America and the Middle East and Africa.On top of a shortage of air traffic controllers, Air Canada has pointed to thunderstorms and a network...

Tunisia and Libya take 276 migrants stranded in desert border region, bring them to shelters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia and Libya took back 276 sub-Saharan migrants stranded in a desert region along the border between the two countries and brought them to shelters on Thursday. Tunisia has been blamed for dumping the migrants in the sizzling heat in the no-man’s land near the border post of Ras Jedir. Libya said Wednesday that 27 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were found dead by Libyan authorities in the western desert near the Tunisian border. Tunisia’s coast — and specifically the eastern port city of Sfax — has recently taken over from Libya as the main jumping off point for African migrants setting off in fragile boats for Europe across the Mediterranean Sea.“We took charge of a group that was sheltered by the Tunisian Red Crescent and the Libyan side did the same so that the migrants were evacuated from the zone,” Tunisian Interior Ministry spokesman Faker Bouzghaya told The Associated Press. “A consensual solution was … reached to end the problem...

A look at known Iranian-Americans held by Iran as the US seeks a prisoner release deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

Iran has transferred five Iranian-Americans from prison to house arrest, part of a possible deal over billions of dollars of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea. Three of the five prisoners have been previously identified while two others have not been named publicly. Those identified include:SIAMAK NAMAZISiamak Namazi, an energy executive, was arrested in 2015. He had been an advocate of closer ties between Iran and the West.Iran sentenced both Namazi and his father, Baquer Namazi, to 10 years in the country’s notorious Evin Prison on what the U.S. and U.N. say are trumped-up spying charges.Baquer was placed under house arrest for medical reasons in 2018 but prevented from leaving Iran despite his family’s pleas that he travel to receive emergency heart surgery after suffering multiple hospitalizations. He ultimately left Iran in October 2022. Siamak is the longest-held Iranian-American held in Tehran. He appealed to President Joe Biden in an essay in The New York Times in June 20...

Woman faces fraud charges over claim to $70M lottery ticket

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

Ontario Provincial Police say they have arrested a women who allegedly made a fake claim for a $70-million Lotto Max ticket.Police say they cannot confirm that the woman was seeking the prize for a $70-million unclaimed lottery ticket sold in Toronto’s east-end in June 2022.The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation say that ticket was officially declared unclaimed today, making it the largest unclaimed prize in Canadian lottery history.OLG says nearly 2,700 people made claims for the prize, but none were identified as the legitimate holder of the winning ticket.OPP say its investigation into the 33-year-old woman was initiated by information provided by OLG, ultimately leading to her being charged with attempting fraud over $5,000, forgery and uttering a forged document.Police say she is scheduled to appear before a North Bay court at a later date, but could not comment further on her alleged offences.

'Continuing his legacy': Mother of slain 9-year-old hosting 4th annual back-to-school drive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

CHICAGO — To honor the life of her 9-year-old boy, a Chicago mother has been busy collecting donations for her foundation's annual back-to-school drive.Jalisa Ford started the 1 Jar Foundation shortly after her son Janari Ricks was shot and killed on July 31, 2020 while playing outside in Cabrini Green."He was outgoing and played basketball, loved the Golden State Warriors," Ford told WGN News. "He loved school and friends — if he had a dollar he was trying to figure out how to split it with friends."A 39-year-old man was charged with his murder the following week.Since then, Ford has made it her mission to honor Janari by giving back to others, especially families impacted by gun violence."It's a must that I continue that legacy in honor of him," Ford said. "He was my only child."The 1 Jar Foundation, which recently established an office at 542 W. Hobbie Street, hopes to expand in the coming years to provide mental health resources and gun violence prevention.In the meantime, Ford ...

Bruce Springsteen returns to Wrigley Field for 2-show run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band kicked off their two-show run in Chicago Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.The concert was a three-hour mix of newer songs, along with some classics.The band has one more performance at Wrigley on Friday, Aug. 11. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as the concert is scheduled to begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.After Chicago, which is the first stop of their 2023 North American tour, Springsteen will head to Philadelphia. The tour will end in December in San Francisco. This is the second stop for Springsteen and the E Street Band at Wrigley Field as they performed at the stadium on September of 2012 as part of the “Wrecking Ball” tour.

Underserved woman to get access to free mammograms and Pap smears

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

MAYWOOD, Ill. -- Uninsured and underinsured women will have the opportunity to receive free cervical and breast cancer screenings. Loyola Medicine is hosting their eighth annual 'See, Test and Treat' event August 19 to provide preventative care for women who may not have access to it. A Loyola Medicine spokesperson said underinsured and uninsured women between the ages of 30 and 64 can receive free cervical cancer screenings with same day results. After a rain delay, Elmhurst Youth Baseball looks to clinch Little League World Series spot Thursday All uninsured and underinsured women between 40 and 64 are eligible to receive free mammograms with results within three to five days. At last year's event, 59 uninsured women received screenings -- some for the first time. “It is so important that women get screened early for breast and cervical cancer because catching these cancers in their early stages can literally save their lives — both of these cancers are easier to treat earlier o...

'Crush-type injuries:' Body of man found under trailer ramp in Vernon Hills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:00 GMT

UNINCORPORATED VERNON HILLS, Ill. -- The body of a 53-year-old man was found underneath a trailer ramp with 'crush-like injuries' in Unincorporated Vernon Hills Thursday morning.Officers were dispatched to the 24800 block of North Milwaukee venue for a report of a person down.According to Lake County Sheriff's Office, the man, from Unincorporated Libertyville, was found underneath the trailer ramp, deceased. Man, 21, found beaten to death in Gage Park home ID’d Police investigation states that the man arrived earlier in the day to remove an excavator from a trailer so the trailer can be taken to a worksite. He likely used the bucket on the excavator and chains to raise the trailer ramps which weighs about 300 pounds, police said. Police state that while walking to latch the ramps to the trailer, the chain likely slipped, causing the chain to free from the ramps, causing it to fall and landing on top of the man. Police said foul play does not seem to be a factor in the incident an...