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If Ottawa wants tighten its purse, spending rules and more taxes could help: experts

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

OTTAWA — As the Liberal government drafts its spring budget, fiscal experts say it should consider stricter spending rules and higher taxes to improve federal finances.The budget comes at a time when the government is facing pressure to rein in spending so as to not work against the Bank of Canada’s inflation-fighting efforts. The central bank has aggressively raised interest rates over the last year to dampen spending by consumers and businesses. Excessive fiscal stimulus could reverse some of that work. Canada could also experience a recession this year that would affect government revenues. Faced with these challenges, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has stressed that her government is committed to fiscal responsibility.“Fiscal responsibility is really important and I’m very conscious we’re putting this budget together at a time of meaningful fiscal constraint,” Freeland said last week, days before announcing the budget will be tabled on March 28....

Lawmakers fear spill on Keystone system in southern Kansas

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State lawmakers worried Tuesday that southern Kansas is vulnerable to oil spills from the Keystone pipeline system because earthquakes have become more frequent there, as they questioned an executive for the pipeline’s operator about a massive spill in northeastern Kansas in December.Gary Salsman, a vice president for field operations for Canada-based TC Energy, was briefing three Kansas legislative committees about the Dec. 7 rupture on the Keystone pipeline in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. It was the largest U.S. onshore spill in nearly nine years, and the company expects to spend $480 million cleaning it up, with those efforts lasting at least into the summer. Salsman told a joint meeting of the Kansas House energy committee and its water committee that safety is TC Energy’s top priority and that the company will stay in Washington County until the cleanup is complete. He was also expected to ...

Italian government limits parental rights of gay couples

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Gay rights activists on Tuesday denounced as homophobic moves by Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s far-right-led government to limit recognition of parental rights to the biological parent only in the case of same-sex parents.The city of Milan has been told to stop officially recording both parents in same-sex couples on city registers. It was the last major city to continue the practice that had been briefly adopted in Rome, Turin, Naples and elsewhere after Italy’s high court in 2016 made it easier for gays to adopt a partner’s biological child.The piece of bureaucracy is key to recognizing parental rights for a range of everyday situations like authorizing medical treatment or participation in class outings. The president of Rainbow Families, Alessia Crocini, charged that Rome’s move ordering Milan to stop automatically registering both parents in same-sex households exposed the government’s homophobia.“This government is the maximum expression of homophob...

Macron launches 500-day countdown to Paris Olympics

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron launched the 500-day countdown to the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics on Tuesday, bringing the public up to date with his government’s hopes for the Games, including the ambitious use of the Seine.Macron addressed hundreds of officials at a “speech of thanks” in the Paris police headquarters, saying that though plans are advancing “nothing should be taken as a guarantee.”“All that remains for us are 500 short days that separate us from the extraordinary events that are the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games, (where) we are going to host the world,” Macron said.In the speech and on Twitter, Macron thanked the 45,000 volunteers mobilizing to make the Games “a success” and again trumpeted the 5,000 new sports grounds that are in the works. Officials are pushing to get infrastructure and sites ready in time, with projects pockmarking many of Paris’ boulevards.Macron also made reference to the ambitious 1.4-billion-euro ($1.5 bi...

Polish Church defends John Paul sainthood after abuse claims

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The leaders of Poland’s Catholic Church on Tuesday defended the late John Paul II’s sainthood and fast-track canonization process in response to a Polish TV report alleging that he covered up clergy sex abuses while archbishop in Poland.The Polish Church figures also said that a commission of experts in various fields — lawyers, doctors, psychologists and historians — will be formed soon to investigate cases of past abuse of minors by the clergy.A report last week on TVN24, which is owned by the U.S. company Warner Bros. Discovery, named three priests whom John Paul allegedly moved around during the 1970s after they were accused of abusing minors. The report cited communist secret security documents but also included interviews with abuse survivors.Speaking after a two-day meeting of the entire Episcopate, the leaders stressed that — although unusually quick — the process that led to announcing Polish-born John Paul a saint was done with utmost care and honesty...

Here's when the Lollapalooza 2023 lineup is expected to drop

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

* The video above originally aired on July 28, 2022 when Lollapalooza Founder Perry Farrell announced a ten year contract extension with the City of Chicago.CHICAGO — Lollapalooza has announced the date when the 2023 lineup will be revealed. According to the music festival, this year's summer concert lineup will drop on March 21 at 10 a.m. on the Lollapalooza website. A presale code for first access tickets is also available through the site.The annual event will be held at Grant Park in downtown Chicago from Thursday, Aug. 3 to Sunday, Aug. 6. Lollapalooza extends Chicago contract 10 more years, founder Perry Farrell says Last year's headliners included Metallica, Dua Lipa, J. Cole, Green Day, Doja Cat, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Baby and Kygo.For more information, go to: Lollapalooza.com

The longest-tenured player on the Bears is back for 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

LAKE FOREST - One example of the incredible amount of turnover in the Bears' organization over the past few years is a look at their longest-tenured player.It's the team's long snapper, who has been one of the few consistent things in an era of much change for the franchise.Patrick Scales will continue to hold that title after the Bears gave him another contract for this upcoming season.A couple of internal moves for the Bears today:.FB Khari Blasingame gets a 2-year contract extension..Long snapper Patrick Scales & offensive lineman Dieter Eiselen get one-year contracts..@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/zBs8crm1c9— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) March 14, 2023The team is bringing back the long snapper on a one-year deal, which is one of three moves they announced with their current players on Tuesday. It comes ahead of the start of the new NFL year on Wednesday.Fullback Khari Blasingame got a two-year contract extension through 2025 while offensive lineman Dieter Eiselen got a one-...

Jury selection begins in ComEd bribery trial

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

CHICAGO — Jury selection began Tuesday in the ComEd bribery trial.The four defendants, charged in November 2020, are former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore; former ComEd Vice President and lobbyist John Hooker; Jay Doherty, a former ComEd contractor and President of the City Club of Chicago; and Michael McClain, a former ComEd lobbyist and consultant who, for decades, has been a close confidant of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.Federal prosecutors allege the four defendants “conspired with outside consultants to corruptly influence and reward” Madigan, who, as House Speaker, exerted heavy influence on legislation at the state capitol. Four plead not guilty in ComEd bribery scheme It is alleged that, in exchange for legislation favorable to the utility, the four defendants arranged for jobs and contracts for Madigan’s allies, “even in instances where those people performed little or no work that ComEd purportedly hired them to perform.”The trial is expected to last two mo...

Youth hockey team from Ukraine in Chicago area to play, raise funds

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — A youth hockey team from Ukraine arrived in the Chicago area this week to raise money to rebuild their ice rink that was destroyed by Russian bombs.Most of the players on the team are 12 and 13-years-old. One is young as 7 and one is celebrated his 18th birthday Tuesday.The team arrived in Chicago Monday after three days traveling from Ukraine.It is the first time they’ve been outside of their country since the Russian invasion a year ago.Their home ice rink in Kharkiv was destroyed early on in the war, so many of these players have not been able to practice the way they normally would.Tuesday, they practiced ahead of a three day tournament that begins on Friday in Romeoville. They’ll be playing against teams from the United States, Canada and some others from other parts of the world.The main focus is not only the playing but also the fundraising.The entry fee for the tournaments will go toward rebuilding that ice rink in Kharkiv. They will also be taking do...

Henry Winkler spotted in Central Illinois

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:40 GMT

UPTOWN NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) -- There's been another celebrity sighting in Central Illinois. Actor Henry Winkler was spotted in Uptown Normal on Monday. According to the Uptown Normal Facebook page, Winkler was in town for a speaking engagement, then he grabbed some refreshments at The Coffeehouse in Uptown after he shopped at the Children's Discovery Museum's store in Normal. Will Ferrell spotted in Central Illinois This Central Illinois celebrity sighting comes one week after actor-comedian Will Ferrell was spotted in Pekin.