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The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is calling on all members of Parliament to send a First Nations water bill to the Senate before the holiday break, saying the water crisis demands urgent action. "This legislation reflects years of advocacy by First Nations and marks a milestone in a decades-long fight for adequate water and wastewater in First Nations across Canada," Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak wrote in an open letter to MPs. "We cannot afford further delays to this legislation or missed opportunities while First Nations continue to live without access to safe and clean water. Bill C-61 must advance now, not next year. We urge all members of Parliament, across all party lines, to act." The government legislation known as Bill C-61 recognizes that First Nations have an inherent right to clean drinking water and commits the government to provide adequate and sustainable funding for water services in First Nations. The House of Commons has been gridlocked since late September because of an ongoing privilege debate that centres on a request for the Liberals to hand over to Parliament and the RCMP unredacted documents about misspending at a now-defunct green tech fund. That has taken precedence over nearly all other government business, and the water bill is awaiting a final vote in the House of Commons. Last week, Liberal MP Jaime Battiste, who is Mi'kmaq from Eskasoni First Nation, asked for unanimous consent from MPs to adopt the bill and send it to Senate. But several Conservative MPs said no. The Conservatives then introduced a unanimous consent motion of their own that also asked MPs to condemn the Liberals for their inaction on the file. That, too, was voted down. Chiefs who gathered with Battiste and Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu last week expressed their disappointment with the bill not moving forward, and accused Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer of using the bill as a political tactic. "I'm very disappointed that he used clean drinking water as a tactic in this House in order to say, 'If you do this, then we will do this,' where there's real lives that are being affected," Cowessess First Nation Chief Erica Beaudin told reporters at a news conference. "We're not talking about toys, we're not talking about items that are not essential, but water is essential and you either believe in clean drinking water for everybody or you don't. And if you do, you do everything you possibly can to work toward that happening." There are 31 long-term boil water advisories on First Nations across the country, and 36 short-term advisories, government data shows. In a statement last week, Scheer said the Liberals shut down his motion because they would like to avoid "proper debate" on the legislation. "Liberal MPs should be outraged with themselves. They could properly debate this legislation today if they stopped their cover up of their $400 million green slush fund scandal by providing the documents to the RCMP as ordered by Parliament," Scheer said. Since Bill C-61 was introduced nearly a year ago it has been subject to debate in the House of Commons, studied at committee and had amendments tacked on. At the Assembly of First Nations gathering last week, the AFN executive passed a resolution to continue advocating for the bill's approval. Hajdu and Woodhouse Nepinak stood together in October making a similar push for the bill to move forward, with Hajdu blaming the Conservatives for delays. Scheer, in response, pointed back to that privilege debate and said the House can resume its work once the Liberals hand over the documents. It's unclear whether the Liberals will attempt a unanimous consent motion again before the holidays. They are expected to introduce the fall economic statement on Monday, and the House of Commons is set to rise on Tuesday for a break that last until Jan. 27. In her letter to MPs, Woodhouse Nepinak said advancing the bill before then will demonstrate Canada's commitment to upholding its responsibilities. "Support and prioritize the advancement of Bill C-61, refer it to the Senate, and take this necessary step toward ensuring every First Nation has access to the clean and safe drinking water, as it is their basic human right," she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. With files from David Baxter MORE POLITICS NEWS Trump's strategy is to create economic uncertainty in other countries: Freeland Federal government says 'not to confuse' premiers' differing opinions on Trump tariff retaliation, 'confident' in Canada's response 'They believe in diplomacy, good luck': Doug Ford doubles down on energy threat as some premiers distance themselves Labour minister unveils steps to end Canada Post strike Canadian officials eyed 'new opportunities' no matter who won U.S. election: memos Alberta premier says federal border plan coming Monday Ottawa has sold its stake in Air Canada: sources Premiers disagree on cutting energy to U.S. in response to Trump's tariff threat IN DEPTH Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power. 'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties. 'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it. Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports. 'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday. Opinion opinion | Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election? opinion | Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus. opinion | Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place. opinion | Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point. opinion | Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing. CTVNews.ca Top Stories Labour minister unveils steps to end Canada Post strike Canada Post workers began their strike four weeks ago, halting mail and package deliveries across the country. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said he hopes work will resume as early as next week. Ottawa to remove 30% investment cap for Canadian pension funds Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says the upcoming fall economic statement on Monday will remove the cap that currently restricts Canadian pension funds from owning more than 30 per cent of the voting shares of a Canadian entity. Canada's homicide rate down in most provinces, with 2 exceptions The homicide rate is declining in Canada, and the country’s three largest cities all saw double-digit percentage decreases in homicides per capita, according to data released this week. 'They believe in diplomacy, good luck': Doug Ford doubles down on energy threat as some premiers distance themselves Doug Ford is standing behind his threat to stop providing the U.S. with electricity in response to president-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs, even as several other premiers publicly distance themselves from the stance. Is a white Christmas in the cards? Looking back at Canada's Dec. 25 snow history With fewer than two weeks remaining until Christmas Day, weather forecasts and snowfall projections are starting to take shape but have yet to be finalized for cities across Canada. Top musician forced to cancel Toronto concert after Air Canada refused to give his priceless cello a seat on plane Famed British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who became a household name after performing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has said he had to cancel a concert in Canada after the country’s largest airline denied his pre-booked seat for his cello. Paula Abdul settles lawsuit that alleged sexual assault by 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe Paula Abdul and former 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show. Vader case: What it's like to watch a parole hearing if you're the son of homicide victims On the other side of the planet, Bret McCann, whose parents went missing and died in the 2010s, sat anxiously as the man convicted in their deaths pleaded for parole. Federal government says 'not to confuse' premiers' differing opinions on Trump tariff retaliation, 'confident' in Canada's response As it continues to tout a 'Team Canada' approach, the federal government is downplaying differing opinions from premiers on how Canada should respond to a potential 25 per cent tariff from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. Canada 'Little girl deserves justice': Gallery erupts in anger as charges stayed against driver who killed child In a tense courtroom, a judge stayed the charge against a Saskatoon woman who hit and killed a nine-year-old girl. NEW | 'It changed the City of Moncton': Murdered police officers remembered 50 years later Dozens gathered at a police memorial in Moncton, N.B., Friday morning to remember and honour Const. Michael O’Leary and Cpl. Aurèle Bourgeois on the 50th anniversary of their tragic deaths. Eight people injured after horse-drawn wagon went out of control in eastern Ont. Eight people were injured after horses became out of control while a man was offering a horse-drawn wagon ride Thursday in eastern Ontario, according to the Brockville Police Service. Top musician forced to cancel Toronto concert after Air Canada refused to give his priceless cello a seat on plane Famed British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who became a household name after performing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has said he had to cancel a concert in Canada after the country’s largest airline denied his pre-booked seat for his cello. Vader case: What it's like to watch a parole hearing if you're the son of homicide victims On the other side of the planet, Bret McCann, whose parents went missing and died in the 2010s, sat anxiously as the man convicted in their deaths pleaded for parole. 'They believe in diplomacy, good luck': Doug Ford doubles down on energy threat as some premiers distance themselves Doug Ford is standing behind his threat to stop providing the U.S. with electricity in response to president-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs, even as several other premiers publicly distance themselves from the stance. World Drones, planes or UFOs? Americans abuzz over mysterious New Jersey sightings It's unclear if it's drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time U.S. president-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. Oklahoma panel rejects man's plea for mercy, paves the way for final US execution of 2024 An Oklahoma panel on Friday rejected a plea for clemency for a man convicted of torturing and killing a 10-year-old girl as part of a cannibalistic fantasy, paving the way for him to become the 25th and final person executed in the U.S. this year. Assad's final hours in Syria: Deception, despair and flight Bashar al-Assad confided in almost no one about his plans to flee Syria as his reign collapsed. Instead, aides, officials and even relatives were deceived or kept in the dark, more than a dozen people with knowledge of the events told Reuters. A man has pleaded guilty to the death of a 5-year-old girl living in their Kansas homeless camp A man who lived in a makeshift camp with a homeless 5-year-old Kansas girl and her father pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree murder and rape in connection with the child’s death. UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in New York tried to improve 'patchwork' system, exec says The leader of UnitedHealth Group conceded that the patchwork U.S. health system 'does not work as well as it should' but said Friday that the insurance executive gunned down on a Manhattan sidewalk cared about customers and was working to make it better. Politics Trump's strategy is to create economic uncertainty in other countries: Freeland With Donald Trump as president, the U.S. has an open strategy of creating economic uncertainty in other countries to discourage investment "anywhere other than the United States," Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said. Federal government says 'not to confuse' premiers' differing opinions on Trump tariff retaliation, 'confident' in Canada's response As it continues to tout a 'Team Canada' approach, the federal government is downplaying differing opinions from premiers on how Canada should respond to a potential 25 per cent tariff from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. 'They believe in diplomacy, good luck': Doug Ford doubles down on energy threat as some premiers distance themselves Doug Ford is standing behind his threat to stop providing the U.S. with electricity in response to president-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs, even as several other premiers publicly distance themselves from the stance. Health School warns parents of possible scarlet fever case in Waterloo, Ont. There are new concerns surrounding a highly contagious infection after a suspected case of scarlet fever was reported at a school in Waterloo, Ont. U.S. study links Canadian wildfire smoke to doctor visit spike in Baltimore Raging Canadian wildfires that choked North America under clouds of smoke last year may have contributed to a spike in doctor visits for lung and heart problems thousands of kilometres away. Stanley cups recalled over 'burn hazard' A recall notice is in effect for a selection of Stanley travel mugs, warning consumers to 'immediately stop using' them. Sci-Tech OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship' A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence "dictatorship" is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker's ongoing shift into a for-profit company. Oldest human DNA helps pinpoint when early humans interbred with Neanderthals Human DNA recovered from remains found in Europe is revealing our species' shared history with Neanderthals. The trove is the oldest Homo sapiens DNA ever documented, scientists say. Musk says U.S. is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases Elon Musk says the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission wants him to pay a penalty or face charges involving what he disclosed -- or failed to disclose -- about his purchases of Twitter stock before he bought the social media platform in 2022. Entertainment Paula Abdul settles lawsuit that alleged sexual assault by 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe Paula Abdul and former 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show. Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' concerts cost Toronto Police about $1.9 million Remember Taylor Swift's police motorcades while she performed her six-show series in Toronto last month? Toronto police revealed on Thursday that the popstar's sold-out performances, including her motorcade, cost them about 1.9 million. 'Vanderpump Rules' star James Kennedy arrested on suspicion of domestic violence Reality TV star James Kennedy was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence, according to the Burbank Police Department. Business Hard to keep public support for striking Canada Post workers, experts say Public support has been key for Canada Post workers as they halted mail delivery across the country, but maintaining that support had been getting harder as the strike dragged on, experts say. Airline execs testify on baggage fees; say reforms needed to lower travel costs Canadian airline executives in the hot seat over carry-on bag fees say the federal government needs to reform this country's aviation system if it wants travel to become more affordable. Court approves The Body Shop Canada sale, about 100 to lose jobs as some stores close An Ontario court has given The Body Shop Canada the approval it needs to sell the majority of its business to a private equity firm. Lifestyle 'Signing Santa' brings Christmas magic to Deaf and hard-of-hearing community The holiday magic has arrived for Oklahoma's Deaf and hard-of-hearing community as Signing Santa made his way to the Shoppes at Northpark on Thursday to check his list twice and bring the Christmas spirit to all. Women's fiction among most-borrowed books at some Canadian libraries The year's most borrowed books at some of Canada's biggest libraries include "The Women" by Kristin Hannah and "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros. Her flight was delayed and she missed her train home for Christmas. Then she met her future husband on the platform When American twentysomething Jennea bumped into Dutchman Arthur on a London train station platform in 2013, their lives changed forever. Sports Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss says he's being treated for cancer in his bile duct Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss said Friday he is being treated for cancer in his bile duct between his pancreas and liver. Vancouver Whitecaps owners put Major League Soccer club up for sale The owners of the Vancouver Whitecaps are putting the Major League Soccer team up for sale. Lindsey Vonn to enter World Cup ski races next weekend in Switzerland in her comeback at age 40 Lindsey Vonn will return to World Cup ski racing next weekend for a pair of super-G events in St. Moritz, Switzerland, as she continues her comeback at 40 years old. Autos 'Baseball-sized hail': Toronto man owes car rental company $18K after hailstorm A Toronto man is on the hook for about $18,000 after a car he rented over the summer was pelted by baseball-sized hail. GM is pulling the plug on its robotaxi efforts General Motors is pulling the plug on its efforts to develop a fleet of driverless taxis and will focus on driver-assistance features that require a driver to be ready to take control of the car, the company said Tuesday. 80-year-old driver with expired licence accused of going nearly double the speed limit in eastern Ontario Ontario Provincial Police say a man caught stunt driving on Highway 37 near Tweed, Ont. Thursday was 80 years old, and his licence was expired. Local Spotlight 140-pound dog strolls solo into Giant Tiger store in Stratford, Ont. A furry, four-legged shopper was spotted in the aisles of a Giant Tiger store in Stratford, Ont. on Sunday morning. North Pole post: N.S. firefighters collect letters to Santa, return them by hand during postal strike Fire departments across Nova Scotia are doing their part to ensure children’s letters to Santa make their way to the North Pole while Canada Post workers are on strike. 'Creatively incredible': Regina raised talent featured in 'Wicked' film A professional dancer from Saskatchewan was featured in the movie adaptation of Wicked, which has seen significant success at the box office. Montreal man retiring early after winning half of the $80 million Lotto-Max jackpot Factor worker Jean Lamontagne, 63, will retire earlier than planned after he won $40 million on Dec. 3 in the Lotto-Max draw. Man, 99, still at work 7 decades after opening eastern Ontario Christmas tree farm This weekend is one of the busiest of the year for Christmas tree farms all over the region as the holidays approach and people start looking for a fresh smell of pine in their homes. Saskatoon honours Bella Brave with birthday celebration It has been five months since Bella Thompson, widely known as Bella Brave to her millions of TikTok followers, passed away after a long battle with Hirschsprung’s disease and an auto-immune disorder. Major Manitoba fossil milestones highlight the potential for future discoveries in the province A trio of fossil finds through the years helped put Manitoba on the mosasaur map, and the milestone of those finds have all been marked in 2024. The 61st annual Christmas Daddies Telethon raises more than $559,000 for children in need The 61st annual Christmas Daddies Telethon continued its proud Maritime tradition, raising more than $559,000 for children in need on Saturday. Calgary company steps up to help grieving family with free furnace after fatal carbon monoxide poisoning A Calgary furnace company stepped up big time Friday to help a Calgary family grieving the loss of a loved one. Vancouver Sneaky sketch artist to leave surprises in free libraries throughout Vancouver Sneaky by name, sneaky by nature - you probably wouldn’t recognize the face of Nishant Jain if it passed you on the street. B.C. police seek help finding man wanted on child pornography charges Port Moody police are appealing for the public’s help to locate a man wanted Canada-wide. 20-year-old pedestrian suffers life-threatening injuries in Abbotsford crash A 20-year-old pedestrian is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Abbotsford Friday morning. Toronto 'They believe in diplomacy, good luck': Doug Ford doubles down on energy threat as some premiers distance themselves Doug Ford is standing behind his threat to stop providing the U.S. with electricity in response to president-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs, even as several other premiers publicly distance themselves from the stance. Top musician forced to cancel Toronto concert after Air Canada refused to give his priceless cello a seat on plane Famed British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who became a household name after performing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has said he had to cancel a concert in Canada after the country’s largest airline denied his pre-booked seat for his cello. Transit woes continue into the weekend for GTA commuters Following the service disruptions on Monday and Wednesday, Line 1 (Yonge-University) will be closed between York Mills and St Clair stations though this weekend due to planned track work. Calgary Widow of pedestrian hit and killed on Elbow Drive supports crosswalk changes The wife of a Calgary man killed while crossing the road in a marked intersection is pushing for flashing lights to be installed. Alberta's new CTrain Green Line plan includes elevated downtown tracks, more stops The province has released a “reimagined” plan for the Green Line CTrain track that it says is longer and less expensive than what the City of Calgary had planned. Calgary's striking Canada Post workers disappointed in Ottawa's intervention The Canada Post workers strike that has halted mail and parcel delivery before the holidays could be coming to an end as the federal government looks to intervene. Ottawa Ontario Premier standing firm on retaliatory measures to Trump tariffs Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he will use every tool at his disposal to manage the threat of tariffs from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump. More than 1,500 vehicles reported stolen in Ottawa in 2024: Here are the hotspots for thefts Statistics on the Ottawa Police Service's Crime Map show 1,559 vehicles have been reported stolen in Ottawa between Jan. 1 and Dec. 12. Vehicle thefts include joy rides, opportunistic thefts, and "single-use crimes," according to police. Eight people injured after horse-drawn wagon went out of control in eastern Ont. Eight people were injured after horses became out of control while a man was offering a horse-drawn wagon ride Thursday in eastern Ontario, according to the Brockville Police Service. Montreal Quebec, Ottawa announce $100-million deal to fight homelessness, add shelter spaces Ottawa and Quebec announced an agreement Friday to help unhoused Quebecers as homeless encampments continue to multiply in the province and frigid weather sets in. Two Montreal anesthesiologists suspended for questionable practices: College of Physicians Two anesthesiologists at Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital were brought before the Quebec College of Physicians disciplinary board for questionable practices and were suspended. Quarry fire in St-Lazare still burning five days later You won’t see flames, but there’s still smoke emanating from a burning pile of debris at the Chevrier et Fils Sand Quarry in Saint-Lazare from a fire that started Sunday. Edmonton Sentencing delayed in 'unprovoked' 3-day crime spree after man fires lawyer A man responsible for a series of violent crashes and carjackings in 2023 fired his lawyer during his sentencing hearing on Friday. Labour minister unveils steps to end Canada Post strike Canada Post workers began their strike four weeks ago, halting mail and package deliveries across the country. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said he hopes work will resume as early as next week. Section of QEII highway northbound closed because of 'serious' crash: RCMP The QEII is closed northbound near Lacombe because of a serious crash as of 10:50 a.m. on Friday, RCMP say. Atlantic P.E.I. RCMP looking for man who reportedly jumped from Confederation Bridge Multiple police and search and rescue teams are looking for a man who reportedly jumped from the Confederation Bridge Friday morning. Nova Scotia non-profit groups trying to save huge Acadian church now facing lawsuit The Roman Catholic Church in southwestern Nova Scotia has filed a lawsuit against two non-profit groups trying to save a historic deconsecrated Acadian church. Man charged with manslaughter in death of missing Cape Breton man A man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the disappearance and homicide of a man in Cape Breton this past summer. Winnipeg School holidays to be covered under $10-a-day program for child care: Manitoba government The Manitoba government is extending $10-a-day costs for daycare, so families are covered on school holidays. Saying goodbye to a Winnipeg restaurant owner with a legacy of kindness Shirley Eng, the charismatic, down-to-earth owner of the famous chicken finger restaurant Mitzi’s, unexpectedly passed away at the beginning of December at age 78, according to her family. Geminids meteor shower set to soar over Manitoba skies this weekend Manitobans can gaze their eyes to the sky this weekend to watch “the best meteor shower” of the year. Regina 'Lifeblood of this campus': University non-profits face uncertainty following students' union proposal The future of three non-profit organizations at the University of Regina (U of R) is uncertain following a proposal by the students’ union (URSU). Second suspect wanted in Sask. serious assaults investigation arrested The second suspect wanted in connection to serious assaults in Swift Current has been arrested. Sask. RCMP say woman's death in weekend crash now considered suspicious Saskatchewan RCMP say they are now investigating a fatal motor vehicle incident and woman’s death on Dec. 5 as suspicious. Kitchener School warns parents of possible scarlet fever case in Waterloo, Ont. There are new concerns surrounding a highly contagious infection after a suspected case of scarlet fever was reported at a school in Waterloo, Ont. This little piggy went to the Humane Society The Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth Humane Society has an unusual animal up for adoption after it was found wandering the streets. Labour minister unveils steps to end Canada Post strike Canada Post workers began their strike four weeks ago, halting mail and package deliveries across the country. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said he hopes work will resume as early as next week. Saskatoon 'Little girl deserves justice': Gallery erupts in anger as charges stayed against driver who killed child In a tense courtroom, a judge stayed the charge against a Saskatoon woman who hit and killed a nine-year-old girl. 'Gong show': Emergency patients overflow into ambulatory unit at St. Paul's Hospital The emergency department at St. Paul's Hospital is so full its turning to the ambulatory unit. Sask. RCMP say woman's death in weekend crash now considered suspicious Saskatchewan RCMP say they are now investigating a fatal motor vehicle incident and woman’s death on Dec. 5 as suspicious. Northern Ontario Northern Ont. bank employee taken to hospital with serious injuries after shooting An employee at Northern Credit Union in Wawa, Ont., was taken to hospital with serious injuries after a shooter entered the branch and opened fire Thursday morning, the financial institution said in a statement. One dead after single vehicle rollover in northern Ontario A 65-year-old man from northern Ontario has died after a single-vehicle rollover Thursday evening near Temiskaming Shores. Buckingham Palace maid arrested after drunken brawl at work Christmas party Buckingham Palace is investigating after a member of staff was arrested at the end of a rowdy Christmas party. London Lumber mill levelled by mid-morning blaze A lumber mill is in ruins following a fire east of Wingham, Ont. 'Where are we supposed to go?': Emotional reaction to Ford government’s hard line on encampments There was no shortage of reaction to Premier Doug Ford’s plan to take a hard line on homeless encampments and public drug use. A call for more people to volunteer at the Salvation Army Christmas Kettles Officials with the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas Kettle Campaign say they need more volunteers to reach their holiday goal. Barrie South Simcoe police mourn death of officer facing discreditable conduct charges The South Simcoe Police Service is mourning the passing of one of its officers. Student charged with explosives-related offence in Kawartha Lakes Provincial police in Kawartha Lakes charged a student following a report that someone brought an unknown substance into a school. What police want you to know about a new sophisticated scam It’s no longer just phone calls or emails — fraudsters could now show up at your front door. Windsor 11 dogs dead, 8 more under Animal Welfare care following canine parvovirus outbreak in Windsor Ontario's Animal Welfare Service is investigating a deadly outbreak of canine parvovirus after several dogs became ill earlier this month. Fentanyl and Psilocybin seized in Leamington Essex County OPP have charged two people with drug-related offences following the execution of a warrant in Leamington. CUPW Local 630 leader 'disappointed' by government’s plan amid strike Windsor-Essex union leaders for Canada Post workers aren’t happy with the latest plans from Canada’s labour minister about the ongoing strike. Vancouver Island B.C. Greens to support NDP on confidence votes, work together on shared priorities The B.C. New Democratic and Green parties have reached an "agreement in principle" on a "co-operation and responsible government accord" that will see the smaller party support the government on confidence matters. Nanaimo liquor store robbed at knifepoint, RCMP seek suspect Nanaimo RCMP have released a photograph of a suspect who allegedly robbed a liquor store in the city in an effort to garner new information from the public. B.C. girl inspired by Hollywood star to donate turkeys to local families in need When Maria-Clara Patrick first watched that video of Arnold Schwarzenegger, she assumed they had nothing in common. Kelowna Study of 2023 Okanagan wildfires recommends limiting development in high-risk areas A study into the devastating wildfires that struck British Columbia's Okanagan region in 2023 has recommended that government and industry limit development in high-fire-risk areas. Kelowna, B.C., to host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026 The Western Hockey League's Kelowna Rockets will host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026, the Canadian Hockey League said Wednesday. 545 vehicles impounded in 332 days: BC Highway Patrol pleads for drivers to slow down Mounties with the BC Highway Patrol in Kelowna say they've impounded more than 545 vehicles for excessive speed and aggressive driving so far this year. That works out to more than 1.6 per day. Lethbridge Lethbridge charities begin final push for Christmas Hope donations With Christmas a week and a half away, the final push for donations for Lethbridge’s Christmas Hope Campaign has begun. Lethbridge man wins lottery for a third time A Lethbridge man won big earlier this year, but now he's won even more. Eight people facing charges after crackdown on fentanyl dealers in Lethbridge Eight people are facing charges after a drug bust in Lethbridge targeting fentanyl dealers in the downtown core. Sault Ste. Marie 'A lot at stake': Fedeli says Canada needs to unite against Trump’s tariffs threat Returning from a trip to the U.S. capital, Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade says Canada must unite against looming tariff threats that could be imposed by President-elect Donald Trump. Elliot Lake fire crews continue to battle massive apartment fire Fire crews continue to battle an apartment building fire on Hirshhorn Avenue in Elliot Lake. Damage is extensive. First group of internationally trained family doctors already making a difference in northern Ontario With doctor shortages across the country, Ontario is tapping into the availability of internationally trained family physicians to solve part of the health care crisis. N.L. 'Breaking of gridlock' between Quebec, N.L. is the envy of former premiers Former Newfoundland and Labrador premiers say a draft energy agreement signed Thursday with Quebec marks a historic break in a long-standing political standoff. Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador announce energy deal worth billions Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador have signed a sweeping new deal to build new energy projects and throw out a decades-old contract that has long been a source of strife and bitterness for Canada's easternmost province. Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador expected to sign Churchill Falls energy deal Quebec Premier François Legault and Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey are scheduled to announce an energy agreement Thursday that could end decades of friction between the two provinces. Stay Connected

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs acquired All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros on Friday, paying a big price for one of baseball's best hitters. The Cubs sent third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith, one of their top infield prospects, to the Astros for Tucker, who is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. Tucker was limited to 78 games this year because of a fractured right shin, but he hit .289 with 23 homers and 49 RBIs for the AL West champions. He batted .284 with 29 homers, an AL-best 112 RBIs and 30 steals for Houston in 2023. Tucker, who turns 28 on Jan. 17, joins a crowded situation in Chicago's outfield, but the Cubs are reportedly looking to trade Cody Bellinger, who also can play first base. They also have talked to Seiya Suzuki's agent about the outfielder's no-trade clause. The Cubs have finished second in the NL Central with an 83-79 record in each of the past two years, and there is increased pressure on president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to get the team back into the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The New York Yankees also were in the mix for Tucker before the trade was completed. “We certainly had many conversations with the Astros.” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “At the end of the day I’m glad that Mr. Tucker is not in the American League East or the American League at all. But it’s a big get for the Chicago Cubs.” Paredes is an option for Houston at third base if Alex Bregman departs in free agency. The 25-year-old Paredes hit .238 with 19 homers and 80 RBIs in 153 games this year. He made the AL All-Star team with Tampa Bay and then was traded to Chicago in July. Wesneski, a Houston native who played college ball for Sam Houston State, likely will compete for a spot in the Astros’ rotation. The right-hander, who turned 27 on Dec. 5, went 3-6 with a 3.86 ERA over 21 relief appearances and seven starts this year. He was on the injured list from July 20 to Sept. 20 with a right forearm strain. Houston is hoping the addition of Paredes and Wesneski will help the team continue its impressive run as one of baseball's best teams. It has made the playoffs for eight straight years, winning the World Series in 2017 and 2022. It was swept by Detroit in the wild-card round this year. While Paredes and Wesneski could have an immediate impact, Smith also was a key component of the deal. Smith, 21, was selected by Chicago with the No. 14 pick in this year's draft out of Florida State University. He hit .313 with seven homers and 24 RBIs in 32 games over three minor league stops, finishing the year with Double-A Knoxville. Tucker was Houston's first-round pick in 2015, taken No. 5 overall. He made his big league debut with the Astros in 2018. Tucker had a breakout performance three years after his debut, hitting a career-best .294 with 30 homers and 92 RBIs in 140 games in 2021. He won a Gold Glove the following year. The Tampa, Florida, native is a .274 hitter with 125 homers, 417 RBIs and an .869 OPS in 633 career games — all with Houston. He also has appeared in 64 postseason games, batting .229 with eight homers and 28 RBIs. AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbTo play Maria Callas, Angelina Jolie had to learn how to breathe again

Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw one short pass in the open portion of practice for the San Francisco 49ers as he remains slowed by an injury to his throwing shoulder that has already forced him to miss a game. Purdy spent the bulk of the session of Wednesday's practice open to reporters as either a spectator or executing handoffs outside of one short pass to Jordan Mason. Purdy hurt his shoulder during a loss to Seattle on Nov. 17. He tried to throw at practice last Thursday but had soreness in his right shoulder and shut it down. He missed a loss to Green Bay but was able to do some light throwing on Monday. His status for this week remains in doubt as the Niners (5-6) prepare to visit Buffalo on Sunday night. Purdy isn't the only key player for San Francisco dealing with injuries. Left tackle Trent Williams and defensive end Nick Bosa remain sidelined at practice Wednesday after missing last week's game. Williams was using a scooter to get around the locker room as he deals with a left ankle injury. Bosa has been out with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Bosa said the week off helped him make progress and that he hopes to be able to take part in individual drills later in the week. Bosa wouldn't rule out being able to play on Sunday. "It’s feeling a lot better,” Bosa said. “Still need to get better before I’m ready to go. This week will be big and I’ll know a lot more in the next couple of days.” Running back Christian McCaffrey has been able to play, but isn't back to the form that helped him win AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 after missing the first eight games this season with Achilles tendinitis. McCaffrey has 149 yards rushing in three games back with his 3.5 yards per carry down significantly from last season's mark of 5.4. But he is confident he will be able to get back to his usual level of play. “When you lose and maybe you don’t jump out on the stat sheet, your failures are highlighted,” he said. “I’m happy I’m out here playing football and I just know with time it will come.” Coach Kyle Shanahan said he has liked what he has seen from McCaffrey, adding that there hasn't been much room to run in recent weeks. But Shanahan said it takes time to get back to speed after McCaffrey had almost no practice time for nine months. “Guys who miss offseasons and miss training camp, usually it takes them a little bit of time at the beginning of the year to get back into how they were the year before, let alone missing half the season also on top of that,” Shanahan said. “I think Christian’s doing a hell of a job. But to just think him coming back in Week 8 with not being able to do anything for the last nine months or whatever it is, and to think he’s just going to be in MVP form is a very unrealistic expectation.” NOTES: LB Dre Greenlaw took part in his first practice since tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl. Greenlaw will likely need a couple of weeks of practice before being able to play. ... LB Fred Warner said he has been dealing with a fracture in his ankle since Week 4 and is doing his best to manage the pain as he plays through it. ... CB Deommodore Lenoir didn't practice after banging knees on Sunday. His status for this week remains in question. ... DT Jordan Elliott (concussion), OL Aaron Banks (concussion) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) also didn't practice. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLAlia To Establish Benue Varsity Satellite Campuses In Two Senatorial Districts

Jennison Associates LLC bought a new stake in shares of BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. ( NASDAQ:BBIO – Free Report ) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 30,119 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $767,000. Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Bfsg LLC lifted its holdings in BridgeBio Pharma by 175.6% in the 2nd quarter. Bfsg LLC now owns 1,240 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 790 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of BridgeBio Pharma in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $48,000. Values First Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of BridgeBio Pharma in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $57,000. CWM LLC lifted its stake in BridgeBio Pharma by 132.9% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 3,442 shares of the company’s stock valued at $88,000 after purchasing an additional 1,964 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Amalgamated Bank boosted its holdings in BridgeBio Pharma by 24.7% during the second quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 4,863 shares of the company’s stock worth $123,000 after buying an additional 962 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.85% of the company’s stock. BridgeBio Pharma Stock Performance BridgeBio Pharma stock opened at $23.42 on Friday. BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. has a twelve month low of $21.62 and a twelve month high of $44.32. The firm has a market cap of $4.43 billion, a PE ratio of -9.72 and a beta of 1.09. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $24.96 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $26.25. Analysts Set New Price Targets Get Our Latest Analysis on BridgeBio Pharma Insider Activity In related news, CEO Neil Kumar sold 27,389 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.41, for a total value of $613,787.49. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 4,897,443 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $109,751,697.63. The trade was a 0.56 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Also, major shareholder Genetic Disorder L.P. Kkr sold 5,800,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.75, for a total transaction of $149,350,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 25,260,971 shares in the company, valued at approximately $650,470,003.25. The trade was a 18.67 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders have sold a total of 5,831,545 shares of company stock worth $150,056,923 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 24.66% of the company’s stock. About BridgeBio Pharma ( Free Report ) BridgeBio Pharma, Inc, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, discovers, creates, tests, and delivers transformative medicines to treat patients who suffer from genetic diseases and cancers. Its products in development programs include AG10, a next-generation oral small molecule near-complete TTR stabilizer that is in Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of TTR amyloidosis, or transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM); low-dose infigratinib, an oral FGFR1-3 selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which is in Phase 3 double-blinded, placebo-controlled pivotal study for the treatment option for children with achondroplasia; and BBP-631, an AAV5 gene transfer product candidate that is in Phase 1/2 clinical trial for the treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or CAH, driven by 21-hydroxylase deficiency, or 21OHD. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for BridgeBio Pharma Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BridgeBio Pharma and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

BALTIMORE — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has seen progress with the state’s expansive Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education initiative and is now looking to refine key parts of the program, addressing the teacher shortage in Maryland and scaling back collaborative time in schools. At this week’s Maryland Association of Counties Conference in Cambridge, Moore announced plans to introduce an education bill during the 2025 Maryland legislative session that ideally will address an ongoing teacher shortage in the state. The governor’s office reports that 4% of the state’s teacher positions are unfilled, meaning nearly 1,600 classrooms don’t have an experienced educator leading students . In addition, approximately 6,000 educators are teaching under provisional certification and are not fully trained and licensed . “This piece of legislation will take aim at the single biggest challenge that we face in education, and that’s the ongoing Maryland teacher shortage,” Moore said at the conference “If we don’t get a high-quality, high-trained and dedicated teacher in every classroom, the Blueprint itself is bound to fail.” Moore said his legislation will address the teacher shortage by building off the foundation of the Educator Shortage Act that is geared toward strengthening the teacher training pipeline. The governor also plans to issue another reform to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future that includes increased time for educators to engage in curriculum planning, grading and professional development outside of the classroom. However, Moore said the state needs to scale back this part of the program to keep instructors in the classroom and further strengthen the teacher pipeline. The state needs an estimated 15,000 more teachers to implement collaborative time successfully. “This year, I will propose a pause in the implementation of the collaborative time provisions in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future,” Moore said. “Our goal is to give school districts time – time and space – to recruit and retain enough teachers to make this plan actually work. And while we pause collaborative time, I will also be proposing new short-term grants to schools and districts that want to experiment with collaborative time models to make sure that it works for your own, individual jurisdictions.” “It ensures that our educators have additional breathing room to work together to sharpen their skills and better support our students,” he said. “Let’s be clear: Teachers should be treated like professionals and be empowered to work together outside of class.” Diamonté Brown, president of the Baltimore Teachers Union, said her group is adamantly against the pause. She said the governor should be more focused on decreasing the workload because of the staff shortage. “We do agree that there is a teacher shortage,” Brown said. “We believe a way to address the teacher shortage is to retain the teachers you currently have by decreasing the workload, improving working conditions, and making certain that teachers are being compensated and other school staff members are being compensated properly. And continue to keep competitive wages and desirable working conditions so you can attract not just teachers but other staff members to our school districts.” Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, who is a member of the Senate Education, Energy, and Environment Committee, understands Moore’s reasoning with the pause in collaboration. “I have been working with local school superintendents, boards of education and county officials on their recommendations to address the many challenges that they are facing with the implementation of the Blueprint education policies,” Carozza said. “I am interested in understanding the fiscal and classroom implications of the Governor’s announcement to pause the teacher collaboration program. “My understanding is that the pause in the teacher collaboration program would give teachers more time in the classroom with their students, and I appreciate the Governor’s focus on the teacher shortage.” Moore said the state will implement the parts of the Blueprint that work, including investments in preschool and early education and a focus on early literacy and tutoring. The state will put a pause on the elements of the Blueprint that need a closer look or require laying a stronger foundation for full implementation. Moore said lawmakers will continue to craft and pass legislation to elevate education and make necessary adjustments as we see fit. “To win the decade, we need to provide a world-class education to every student,” Moore said. “That will continue to be our pledge and our push.” However, funds for Blueprint could be an ongoing challenge. Last month, Maryland lawmakers were warned about an impending $2.7 billion deficit they’ll need to resolve for the next budget year, which could prompt a debate over whether they should make deep budget cuts or raise taxes. Some transportation-related fees were part of the $63 billion final budget agreement in order to stave off some cuts to the transportation budget and to secure additional funding for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The education plan is by far the biggest driver of the state’s long-term budget problems. Starting in the 2028 fiscal year, about $2 billion for Blueprint needs are unfunded , a figure that grows to $3.2 billion in the 2030 fiscal year. Kalman R. Hettleman, an education policy analyst and advocate, agrees that a teacher shortage is a challenge in Maryland and across the nation. However, Hettleman sees more pressing challenges with the Blueprint for Maryland, mainly with funding. “The Blueprint was underfunded from the start because of politics and taxes,” said Hettleman, a former member of Maryland’s Kirwan Commission on education reform and the Baltimore City school board. “The major areas of underfunding, for example, are the basic necessities of effective schools – class size, interventions for struggling learners, and support services, including mental health and behavior.” Hettleman said the urgent first step in the next session of the General Assembly is to add to and/or reprioritize existing funding to provide more adequate and equitable funding over the next several years. This can occur without any overhaul of the structure of the Blueprint, he said. However, according to Hettleman, the phase-in priorities in the Blueprint funding must be re-examined and revised so more funding will be available in the early years of the transition for students of color, students who struggle financially or are at an academic disadvantage. ©2024 Baltimore Sun. Visit baltimoresun.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.New Delhi: The issue of lateral entry to fill key posts in government departments, which triggered a political row earlier this year over lack of reservation for these positions, will be examined by a parliamentary panel. According to details put out by the Lok Sabha secretariat, lateral entry in civil services is among the subjects selected by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice for examination in 2024-25. In August this year, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had advertised 45 posts — 10 of joint secretaries and 35 of directors and deputy secretaries — to be filled through the lateral entry mode on contract basis. The advertisement triggered protests from the Opposition as well as NDA allies like the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Janata Dal (United). Many leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, and Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav slammed the government’s policy for not having reservations for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates. The government then asked the UPSC to cancel its advertisement. Bureaucrats are usually recruited through the civil services exam process but lateral entrants, typically experts in a particular field, are inducted directly for a limited term. No quota is currently applicable to these appointments. So far, 63 appointments have been made through lateral entry out of which 35 appointments were from the private sector. At present, 57 officers are in positions in ministries/departments, according to the latest data. The lateral recruitment in the central government, has been undertaken since 2018 to appoint persons for specific assignments, keeping in view their specialised knowledge and expertise in the domain area.Hurricanes’ Bobby and Robby Washington reportedly enter transfer portal

A video is going viral on social media which shows a woman, seemingly dead in a coffin, coming back from the dead. The video was shared over a million times on social media, with users expressing shock at the way the woman supposedly suddenly becomes alive in the coffin. However, behind-the-scene footage of the video shared later on social media shows that the woman did not actually come back from the dead. After the original video went viral on social media, a video was released seemingly showing how the entire event transpired. It showed that the scene was staged and in the BTS video, the woman can be seen lying in the coffin and getting ready for the video. Here's the original viral video: Here's the BTS video shared later: The video has been described as creepy because of the way in which the woman suddenly opens her eyes, shocking the viewer invested in the narrative. Some people initially suspected that it was a case of a dead body's eyes opening suddenly due to a loss of muscle caused after death. Usually, embalmers, stitches or glue is used to sew or paste the eyes so that they don't open up and create an uncanny situation for mourners. However, that was not the case, as the later video revealed that the video was staged and created in such a way that the viral element, coming from the shock value, is emphasized. After knowing the truth, social media hit out at the video for its allegedly misleading character. "Sounds like a classic case of internet drama spinning tales...," one user wrote. "Always question the source and look for context." "They probably think we stupid 😭 that bitch not dead," wrote another. "Viral doesn’t equal truth. Too many are fooled by the spectacle. Let’s focus on what’s real, not what’s trending," said another. "Looks like the internet loves a good mystery, But the truth behind the scenes is always more intriguing," said one.''' Rare cases of people coming back to life after being declared dead, known as the "Lazarus phenomenon," include: Janina Kolkiewicz, 91, who awoke 11 hours after being declared dead, craving tea and pancakes; a 66-year-old revived 10 minutes post-resuscitation during surgery; and a 78-year-old Mississippi man who woke up in a morgue body bag the next day. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US Buzz, World and around the world.Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Twilio TWLO . And retail traders should know. We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga. Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with TWLO, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen. Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for Twilio . This isn't normal. The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 37% bullish and 25%, bearish. Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $28,604, and 7, calls, for a total amount of $311,820. Projected Price Targets Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $75.0 to $140.0 for Twilio during the past quarter. Analyzing Volume & Open Interest Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Twilio's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Twilio's whale activity within a strike price range from $75.0 to $140.0 in the last 30 days. Twilio Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days Largest Options Trades Observed: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume TWLO CALL TRADE NEUTRAL 09/19/25 $5.9 $5.7 $5.8 $140.00 $87.0K 0 150 TWLO CALL SWEEP BULLISH 02/21/25 $6.95 $5.75 $7.0 $110.00 $70.0K 1.5K 12 TWLO CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/17/25 $2.02 $2.01 $2.02 $115.00 $40.4K 3.1K 414 TWLO CALL TRADE BEARISH 01/15/27 $39.75 $39.15 $39.15 $75.00 $31.3K 20 8 TWLO PUT SWEEP NEUTRAL 01/17/25 $7.3 $7.15 $7.15 $105.00 $28.6K 1.1K 1.1K About Twilio Twilio is a cloud-based communications platform-as-a-service company offering communication building blocks that allow for a fully customized customer engagement experience spanning voice, video, chat, and SMS messaging. It does this through various application programming interfaces and prebuilt solution applications aimed at improving customer engagement. The company leverages its Super Network, a global network of carrier relationships, to facilitate high-speed, cost-effective communication. In light of the recent options history for Twilio, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance. Where Is Twilio Standing Right Now? Trading volume stands at 2,724,508, with TWLO's price up by 0.68%, positioned at $99.11. RSI indicators show the stock to be may be overbought. Earnings announcement expected in 83 days. Expert Opinions on Twilio In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $95.8. Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days? 20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. Click here for access .* Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Piper Sandler continues to hold a Overweight rating for Twilio, targeting a price of $94. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Baird keeps a Neutral rating on Twilio with a target price of $80. * An analyst from Wells Fargo persists with their Equal-Weight rating on Twilio, maintaining a target price of $80. * An analyst from Oppenheimer has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Twilio, which currently sits at a price target of $90. * In a positive move, an analyst from Monness, Crespi, Hardt has upgraded their rating to Buy and adjusted the price target to $135. Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Twilio options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro . © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Winless at home, Cowboys shoot for eighth consecutive victory over Giants

It's been a long road back to the highest levels of motorsport for Canadian driver Robert Wickens. Six years after he was paralyzed in a violent wreck, Wickens will again be behind the wheel against some of the best drivers in North America. Wickens, from Guelph, Ont., was named the newest driver for DXDT Racing earlier this week, moving the 35-year-old up to IMSA GTD competition for 2025, the highest class on the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series. His promotion was made possible by a new hand control braking system created by Bosch Electronics, with help from GM Motorsports and Corvette Racing/Pratt Miller. "It's not going to be easy but I wanted to get to the highest levels of motorsport again because, frankly, that's where I was when I was injured," said Wickens, who crashed at Pocono Raceway in 2018 during IndyCar's ABC Supply 500. "But not only that, I want to prove to myself and other generations of people with disabilities that you can really do anything. "Maybe you're having a hard time getting back to your place of work after a life-altering accident and — whatever your discipline, it doesn't even have to be athletics — but I know it's possible as long as you align yourself with a strong support system." For Wickens, that's been his wife Karli Wickens, his family and, in his professional life, organizations like Bosch and GM. Wickens's crash left him with a thoracic spinal fracture, a neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs, fractures in both hands, a fractured right forearm, a fractured elbow, four fractured ribs, a pulmonary contusion, and an indeterminate spinal injury that combined to make him a paraplegic. As he has slowly recovered some movement in his legs, Wickens has eased back into motor racing. He drove the parade lap of the 2019 Honda Indy Toronto, competed in the IndyCar iRacing Challenge during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then in January 2022 it was announced he would drive in the Michelin Pilot Challenge for Bryan Herta Autosport. He and co-driver Mark Wilkins won twice in the Michelin Pilot Challenge's TCR category with three podiums in 2022. In 2023 the pairing didn't win, but they reached the podium seven times to earn the TCR championship. All of Wickens's post-accident cars have been fitted with hand controls. Those conventional systems rely on paddles around the steering wheel that activate pneumatics that then press the foot pedals. Hand controls like that are acceptable for regular road vehicles and even lower levels of motorsports but in the highest classes, like IMSA GTD where cars top out at more than 280 kilometres, the lag between the driver toggling the paddle and the car responding is unacceptably slow. That's where the Bosch electronic system comes in, with the controls linked directly to the car's braking system, removing the pneumatics as an intermediary. "When you hit the brakes to slow the car down for each corner that was always a big challenge for me where (with) the Bosch electronic system, the latency is milliseconds not tenths of a second," said Wickens. "It's basically as accurate as I would be if I was an able-bodied driver wanting to apply the brake. "Honestly, it's just better in every facet imaginable. It's just been a true blessing." Advances in physical rehabilitation from spinal cord injuries as well as the ongoing development of vehicle technology has made Wickens's return to competitive motorsport possible. "I'm very fortunate in the timing of my paralysis and my career," Wickens said Wednesday from Tampa, Fla. "If this was even a decade ago we'd be having a very different conversation today." The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has four classes of vehicles: two sports prototype categories and two grand tourer classes. GTD is considered the highest of the four classes because each team must have at least a silver or bronze driver and more than one platinum-rated driver on a team is prohibited. "I want to win," said Wickens. "I think the big thing for me on this journey back was I wanted to race again because I truly felt like I could still win. "I want to raise awareness for spinal cord injury and disability, not by just being a participant, but by being the guy. I want to win races, fight for podiums, win championships, every time I'm sitting in the car." Wickens said he won't just be a role model for people living with paralysis or other mobility disabilities, but the technology his car will employ in 2025 will likely become commercially available for use in road vehicles. "Motorsports and the automotive racing industry were founded to be a proving ground for everyday automotive vehicles," he said. "From there you make road cars and road safety better. "Hopefully we can provide the technology and have regularly available components that can make any race car accessible for anyone that needs hand controls or any other form of disability." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Follow jchidleyhill.bsky.social on Bluesky. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

BOSTON — Megan Keller scored two goals in the third period, Susanna Tapani added a goal and an assist and the Boston Fleet beat the New York Sirens 4-2 on Sunday night. Keller picked up a loose puck and flicked a wrist-shot into the net to make it 3-2 and give Boston (1-0-0-2) the lead for good 1:07 into the third period. The 28-year-old added a long-range goal to cap the scoring with 2:01 to play. Aerin Frankel made 25 saves for Boston. Tapani scored 7:31 into the game, Paetyn Levis answered with her first career goal with 5:59 left in the first period and Sydney Bard's power-play goal with 43 seconds remaining gave Boston a 2-1 lead going into the second. Abby Roque scored at 4:50 of the second period for New York to tie it at 2. Takeaways Sirens: New York must find some scoring pop behind Alex Carpenter and 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Sarah Fillier, who were each held in check. Fleet: Boston, which lost to Minnesota in the PWHL Finals, was opportunistic offensively to spark what had been a sputtering unit. Key moment After a scrum in the corner early in the third period, the puck squirted out from a pack of players and slid to a wide-open Keller, who calmly netted the go-ahead goal for the Fleet. Key stat Carpenter and Fillier, who combined to score five goals with four assists in back-to-back wins to open the season for the Sirens, were goalless with an assist apiece. Up next Boston hosts the Ottawa Charge on Dec. 18. New York plays its home opener on Dec. 18 against the Toronto Sceptres.Fresh off the back of a humiliating 7-0 defeat against Benfica in the Taca de Portugal, Estrela Amadora journey to the Estadio de Sao Luis to face SC Farense on Friday. The Leoes de Faro side head into the midweek clash unbeaten in their last five games against the visiting side since August 2021 and will be looking to extend this dominant three-year streak. © Imago Farense booked their spot in the fifth round of the Taca de Portugal as they picked up a 2-1 victory over Arouca when the two sides squared off at the Estadio Municipal de Arouca last Saturday. Dario Poveda and Elves Balde scored either side of Alfonso Trezza 's 16th-minute equaliser to hand the visitors a first-half lead before they turned in a solid defensive display in the second half to see out the win. Farense now turn their focus to the Primeira Liga, where they have gone three straight games without a win, losing twice and claiming one draw, and have managed just one win in their last 14 matches, losing 10 and claiming two draws since mid May. Off the back of a 10th-placed finish last season, Toze Marreco 's men have stumbled into the 2024-25 campaign and find themselves rooted to the bottom of the league standings , having picked up just five points from their 11 league matches so far. Farense's slow start to the campaign has been owing to their struggles at the attacking end of the pitch, where they have scored the fewest number of goals so far (5) — one fewer than any other side in the division. © Imago Estrela Amadora, on the other hand, were condemned to their biggest defeat of the season last time out when they were thrashed 7-0 by Benfica in their Taca de Portugal fourth-round clash. Veteran forward Angel Di Maria turned in a clinic at the Estadio da Luz as he netted a hat-trick, including a fifth-minute overhead kick, while setting up one goal to inspire As Aguias to an emphatic victory. Prior to that, Farense moved out of the bottom three in the Primeira Liga on November 10, when they picked up a 2-0 victory over Nacional at the Estadio Jose Gomes courtesy of late goals from Paulo Moreira and Kikas . Jose Faria 's men have managed just two wins from their 11 league matches this season while losing six and claiming three draws to collect nine points and sit 15th in the table, level on points with 14th-placed Boavista and one point above 16th-placed Arouca. While Farense will be looking to bounce back from Saturday's humbling against Benfica, results away from home offer little optimism as they have failed to win any of their 15 games on the road since the turn of the year. Next up is the challenge of an opposing side whom they have failed to get the better of in any of their last five encounters, losing twice and claiming two draws since a 3-1 victory in August 2021. © Imago Farense remain without the services of veteran forward Tomane , who has missed each of the last eight matches since picking up an injury back in September. He is joined on the club's injury table by 25-year-old midfielder Filipe Soares , who is set to sit out his seventh consecutive game after coming off injured against AVS on September 30. With his strike against Arouca, Poveda now has a goal contribution in each of his last three games and the former Getafe man will be looking to deliver the goods once again. Meanwhile, Estrala Amadora remain without first-choice goalkeeper Bruno Brigido , who was forced off injured midway through the game against Nacional on November 10. Off the back of shipping seven against Benfica, former Porto man Francisco Meixedo should start between the stick, with Danilo Veiga , Ferro , Ruben Lima and skipper Miguel Lopes teaming up at the defensive end of the pitch. SC Farense possible starting lineup: Velho; Africo, Jorge, Moreno; Pastor, Falcao, Menino, Victor; Merghem, Poveda, Balde Estrela Amadora possible starting lineup: Meixedo; Veiga, Ferro, Lopes, Lima; Bucca, Jesus, Cordeiro, Nilton; Pinho, Cabral Off the back of a 7-0 hammering at the hands of Benfica, Estrela will head into Friday's clash looking to retire some pride and push clear of the danger zone. However, we predict Farense will do just enough to force a share of the spoils and extend their unbeaten run against Faria's men to six games. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .

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OTTAWA — Canada didn't live up to its values on immigration over the last few years as it allowed more people into the country than it could absorb, said former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney. Carney, who is a special adviser to the Liberal party, made the comments at an event on Wednesday in Ottawa held by Cardus, a Christian think tank. "I think what happened in the last few years is we didn't live up to our values on immigration," Carney said. "We had much higher levels of foreign workers, students and new Canadians coming in than we could absorb, that we have housing for, that we have health care for, that we have social services for, that we have opportunities for. And so we're letting down the people that we let in, quite frankly." Earlier this fall, the Liberal government announced a plan to significantly reduce its immigration target for permanent residents and to dramatically scale back the number of temporary residents in Canada. Those changes came about after a period of strong population growth and mounting criticism of the government's immigration policies. Statistics Canada recently reported that the population on July 1 was three per cent higher than a year earlier. Between 1998 and 2018, annual population growth was less than 1.5 per cent. With the planned changes to immigration targets, the federal government now estimates Canada's population will decline slightly by 0.2 per cent in 2025 and 2026, before returning to growth of 0.8 per cent in 2027. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged that his government did not get the balance right on immigration after the COVID-19 pandemic. Carney also pointed to the pandemic as he dug into what went wrong on immigration policy. He said Canada chose to loosen its rules in response to pressure from businesses facing a labour shortage to allow more temporary foreign workers into the country, but he said the government ended up "losing track" in the process. He also blamed provinces for underfunding higher education, which pushed institutions to turn to foreign students to make money. "Do we value higher education in this country or not? Well, if we value higher education, maybe we should start funding our universities," he said. "On the foreign student side, it's more on provincial policy, on squeezing universities, in a sense." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press