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Report: Husband of ex-Scottish leader arrested

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The husband of former Scottish first minister and Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in a party finance probe, British media reported Wednesday.Police in Scotland did not identify Peter Murrell as the 58-year old man arrested Wednesday “in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.” However, Britain’s Press Association, the BBC and others reported it was Murrell.“Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation but the SNP have been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so,” the party said in a statement released after the arrest.Sturgeon, 52, announced her resignation in February after eight years as party leader and first minster of Scotland’s semi-autonomous government. Sturgeon said at that time that serving well was knowing when to make way for someone else. “In my head and in my heart I know that time is...

Outgoing Finnish leader Marin steps down as party leader

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s outgoing prime minister, Sanna Marin, said Wednesday that she will resign as the leader of her Social Democratic Party at the next party congress in the autumn.“Now is the time to get in line again and leave the chairman’s place,” Marin, 37, said during a news conference in Helsinki. She said she would continue as a lawmaker in Parliament.The Social Democratic Party came in third in Sunday’s election, dashing Marin’s hopes of staying on as prime minister. Finland’s main conservative party claimed victory in an extremely tight three-way race in which right-wing populists took second place.Marin, who has been prime minister since 2019, is a highly popular figure internationally and at home, but acknowledged that her premiership had put a strain on her personally.“My endurance has been put to the test,” Marin admitted.She said her Cabinet has gone through some rough periods in the past years and the center-left government has had to resort to some diffic...

US flies nuclear-capable bombers amid tensions with N. Korea

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States flew nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Korean Peninsula again on Wednesday in a show of strength against North Korea amid concerns that the North might conduct a nuclear test. The long-range bombers took part in joint aerial drills with U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the Korean Peninsula, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said. It said it was the first deployment of U.S. B-52 bombers to the peninsula in a month.The drills “show the strong resolve of the (South) Korea-U.S. alliance and its perfect readiness to respond to any provocation by North Korea swiftly and overwhelmingly,” Lt. Gen. Park Ha Sik, commander of the South Korean air force operation command, said in a statement. The South Korean and U.S. militaries have been expanding their combined military drills in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. The allies conducted their biggest field exercises in five years and computer simulations last month. The U.S. ...

Shooting at North York plaza sends two to hospital

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

Two men are in hospital following an overnight shooting outside a plaza in North York.Emergency crews responded to the shooting around 2 a.m. Wednesday on Yonge Street north of Cummer Avenue.Police tell CityNews the shooting occurred in a plaza parking lot. Two victims were located with serious injuries and transported to hospital in non-life threatening condition.The investigation is ongoing.

Global shares mixed after Wall St dips on weak economic data

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were trading mixed Wednesday as Germany reported its factory orders surged in February, posting their third successive increase in another promising sign for Europe’s biggest economy.The German Economy Ministry said orders were up 4.8% compared with January, the biggest rise since mid-2021. That followed gains of 1.9% in December and 0.5% in January, and was supported primarily by stronger demand from Germany itself and other countries in the 20-nation eurozone.Germany’s DAX dipped 0.3% to 15,552.12. France’s CAC 40 shed 0.2% to 7,327.12, while Britain’s FTSE 100 added 0.3% to 7,655.37. The future for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.2%. The contract for the S&P 500 edged 0.1% lower. New Zealand’s benchmark fell 0.3% on Wednesday after the central bank surprised economists by imposing an aggressive half-point rate rise to bring its policy interest rate to 5.25%. It was the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s 11th straight rate hi...

Dutch court nixes plan to reduce flights at Schiphol Airport

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A judge ruled Wednesday that the Dutch government cannot order Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs, to reduce the number of flights from 500,000 per year to 460,000, dealing a blow to efforts to cut emissions and noise pollution.The ruling came in a summary case brought by airlines and civil aviation organizations led by Dutch carrier KLM that sought to halt the planned cuts unveiled last year.The decision by a judge in Haarlem, a city close to Schiphol, came a day after the airport announced plans to phase out all flights between midnight and 5 a.m., ban private jets and the noisiest planes, and abandon a project for an additional runway.The judge ruled that the Dutch government did not follow the correct procedure when it called on Schiphol to reduce flight numbers, a decision that was hailed last year as a breakthrough by environmental groups.Wednesday’s decision means that Schiphol “may not reduce th...

German factory orders up strongly, add to promising signals

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Factory orders in Germany surged in February, posting their third successive increase in another promising sign for Europe’s biggest economy, official figures showed Wednesday.Orders were up 4.8% compared with January, the biggest rise since mid-2021, the Economy Ministry said. That followed gains of 1.9% in December and 0.5% in January, and was supported primarily by rises in demand from Germany itself and other countries in the 20-nation eurozone.The figures came on top of data Tuesday that showed exports rising 4% on the month in February, while imports were up 4.6%.Last week, a closely watched monthly survey of managers by the Ifo institute showed German business confidence rising for the fifth consecutive month to its highest since February 2022, the month Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine — though it remained some way short of that pre-war level.Germany’s economy has generally held up well, despite pressure from high inflation and fears last yea...

Buyers return to Toronto housing market as prices climb after sluggish period: TRREB

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

TORONTO — The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says competition between buyers returned to the market last month as the average home price in the area ticked above the average list price for the first time since May 2022.The Ontario board found Wednesday that the average price of a home hit $1,108,606 last month compared with $1,096,519 the month before.However, the average price was still down almost 15 per cent from $1,298,666 last March, when bidding wars kept the market moving at a frenzied pace.The board took last month’s numbers to mean the market is tightening after several months spent in a sluggish state, where sales paled in comparison to typical years and prices started to drop as interest and mortgage rates soared.“As we moved through the first quarter, Toronto Regional Real Estate Board members were increasingly reporting that competition between buyers was heating up in many GTA neighbourhoods,”Paul Baron, the organization’s president, said in...

North Adams man faces 10 to life for attempting to coerce minor

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. (NEWS10) -- A North Adams man pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. In doing so, James Macko, 23, faces at least 10 years up to life in prison when he is sentenced. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Macko admitted that between November 16, 2022, and December 9, 2022, he texted an undercover cop posing as an 11-year-old trying to coerce the assumed child into sexual contact with him. The DOJ says Macko planned to meet the assumed child in a state park in Western Massachusetts, where he intended to perform sexual acts on the child in a cave. The DOJ says that on December 9, 2022, Macko left his North Adams home to meet the assumed child and was arrested shortly after. He allegedly was carrying candy, liquor, and rope.Macko will be sentenced on July 28. On top of a prison sentence, he faces a maximum fine of $250,000 and a term of post-im...

Niskayuna boys lax shows out at Shen for massive, 16-7 win

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:51 GMT

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Tuesday's Sec. II boys lacrosse slate featured an early-season premier matchup between a pair of perennial powerhouses: Niskayuna and Shenendehowa - two squads coming off sectional titles a season ago. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Plainsmen claimed last year's regular season meeting, but the Silver Warriors enacted their revenge Tuesday night in Clifton Park, dominating the final three quarters to emerge with a 16-7 victory.Shen got off to a hot start that was fueled by junior attacker Mason Carroll, whose first-quarter hat trick provided the Plainsmen with a 3-2 edge after the first 12 minutes of action.But the final three quarters belonged to Nisky. Nearly midway through the second frame, junior midfielder Tanner Williams rifled a shot from the perimeter to tie the game at three. The Silver Warriors tacked on another five unanswered goals from there, and maintained an 8-4 lead at half...