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Inflation is easing but Ottawa faces pressure to help those who have fallen behind

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s inflation rate likely took another dip last month, but with many Canadians still struggling with the cost of living, the federal government is facing pressure to deliver more help in the upcoming budget.Statistics Canada is set to release its February consumer price index report on Tuesday, giving its most up-to-date reading on inflation ahead of the federal government’s budget on March 28. Desjardins and RBC are both forecasting the inflation rate fell to 5.4 per cent last month, down from 5.9 per cent in January.But even as inflation eases, the federal government has signalled the budget will include affordability measures to help Canadians still challenged by the cost-of-living.Desjardins’ chief economist Jimmy Jean said all eyes are on Ottawa to balance affordability priorities with fiscal restraint.“One of the things we obviously are going to watch is what governments put forward to help with cost of living, all with the constraint that...

P.E.I. housing pinch major issue as parties campaign ahead of April 3 vote

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

CHARLOTTETOWN — A lack of affordable housing on Prince Edward Island has some questioning whether the province is running out of room for those who want to call it home, making dwindling real estate one of the major issues in the upcoming election.Party leaders campaigning ahead of the April 3 vote have promised to tackle the lack of housing if they form the next government.A December news release from Statistics Canada said P.E.I.’s rate of retaining immigrants five years after they arrive had jumped to 28 per cent in 2015 from 15.6 per cent in 2010, but it was still the worst among the provinces.The population began to ramp up in 2015 but there was a dip in housing construction just before that, said Jim Sentance, an economics professor at the University of Prince Edward Island.“New housing starts just dwindled down to a few hundred a year,” he said.A doctor coming into the province might not find it hard to find a house but someone in the lower- or middle-income...

Daily horoscope for March 17, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or major decisions from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT today (7 a.m. to 8 a.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Capricorn into Aquarius.Happy Birthday for Friday, March 17, 2023:You are charismatic, friendly and charming. People immediately like you. You are hardworking and have many interests. This year is the last year of a nine-year cycle for you, which means it’s time to take inventory of your life. Let go of people, places and things that have held you back.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★You might be in the right place, at the right time, talking to the right person to make money through art or something beautiful today. You are an artisan, and you enjoy the work of others. Moneymaking ideas that are practical and long-lasting might occur to you today. Tonight: Financial deals.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★This is an excellent day to sit down with someone older or more experienced to get their advice. It will please you to seek the counsel of others, e...

Commission publishes the General Report 2022: EU's solidarity in action at the time of geopolitical challenges

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

On 15 March, the Commission published the 2022 edition of the EU General Report, in line with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The report presents the key activities of the EU in 2022, with a strong focus on EU's response to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the unwavering solidarity with Ukraine.In particular, the EU adopted more than 200 measures to help the Ukrainian state and people, and support the member states in dealing with consequences especially on Europe's economy and energy security. Around 4 million people fleeing the war received temporary protection in the member states. The EU adopted nine packages of harsh sanctions to curtail Russia's ability to wage war and mobilised close to €50 billion in support for Ukraine.The EU also acted decisively to phase out its dependency on Russian fossil fuels, support citizens facing high energy bills and accelerate the EU's clean-energy transition. Thanks to its REPowerEU plan, it progressively dive...

Miss Manners: You’re married to my son, but I am not ‘Mom’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My son is getting married soon to a lady I’ve not yet met, although we have spoken on the phone several times. My issue is that I do not want my new daughter-in-law to call me “Mom.”My son was very briefly married once before, and that daughter-in-law called me “Mom” without an invitation to do so — at least not from me. I believe my son may have instructed her to do so. When we met, I said, “Hello, I’m Mabel Jo” so that she would understand I did not want her to have to address me formally as “Mrs. X.”How can I tactfully request that his new wife not call me “Mom”? It has nothing to do with her, I just don’t like the practice.GENTLE READER: Talk to your son. It sounds to Miss Manners as if he may have been the one who planted the “Mom” idea with the first wife.Explain that you would like the honor of asking his prospective wife to call you by your first name. Surely he...

Dear Abby: She upset her grandmother with this out-of-line fashion choice

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My 20-year-old niece, “Andrea,” went to visit her grandmother wearing a nose stud.Andrea is quiet, is polite to her grandparents and aunt and is in her third year of college.Her grandmother is livid at her daughter for “allowing” the girl to do this. (It appears Andrea may be trying to rebel at this age.)Her grandmother is footing the bill for her college.Who can help the grandmother to get her granddaughter to stop this behavior, and how?Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: His family doesn’t know we’ve been sneaking around Advice | Dear Abby: Is it cheating on my husband to kiss the men that I date? Advice | Dear Abby: I was appalled to see this side of my longtime friend Advice | Dear Abby: These hotshots have spoiled our small-town bowling league Advice | Dear Abby: I regret giving this gift. After all these years, can I ask for it back? Andrea has never ...

Vieira fired by relegation-threatened Crystal Palace

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Patrick Vieira was fired by Crystal Palace on Friday with the team having been dragged into the Premier League’s relegation fight.Palace is in 12th place in the 20-team league but is only five points from last-place Southampton.The team has lost three straight league games and has no wins in any competition in 2023. Vieira, the former Arsenal midfielder, was in the role for 20 months.___More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Teen facing multiple charges after allegedly attacking postal worker with a machete

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

A teenage boy is facing multiple charges after allegedly attacking a USPS letter carrier with a machete, according to Lowell police. Deputy Superintendent Mark LeBlanc said the incident happened around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the area of Porter Street, where police found a postal worker who had suffered injuries to his “right hand and wrist area.”Speaking with officers, the adult male victim said he was assaulted after he found the alleged suspect in his mail truck while returning from a delivery.Before being assaulted, the carrier alleged the suspect pointed an airsoft rifle at the him. The carrier alleged that when he attempted to defend himself, the suspect allegedly took a machete from his waistband and slashed at the carrier before fleeing.LeBlanc said the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment as officers canvassed the area.According to the deputy superintendent, police located the juvenile a short distance away and took him into custody after a foot pursuit.The suspect ...

Howie Carr: MassGOP nightmare needs to end

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

Have you ever had a check bounce, or had one of your credit cards declined?The answer is probably yes. But I’m guessing that you didn’t then file a lawsuit demanding $5-6 million in damages because of the “torture” that you suffered from this “most outrageous” and “unbelievable” atrocity that ever happened to you.But then, you’re not Jim “Jones” Lyons, the 69-year-old crackpot former chairman of the Massachusetts GOP state committee.In statewide elections, Lyons went zero for both 2020 and 2022, losing every single major race and referendum. He made the GOP into a political death cult, turning a $700,000 surplus when he took over in 2019 into a $600,000 deficit as he was ejected in ignominy six weeks ago.Now he’s filed one of the most frivolous lawsuits of all time – Jim Jones Lyons vs. his own committee treasurer, Patrick Crowley, a CPA from Worcester.The lawsuit is worth mentioning today because it will soon be dismissed. The same state committee that ousted Lyons for his singleha...

Clarke Schmidt throws five perfect innings, Jasson Dominguez sent down to minors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:22 GMT

Clarke Schmidt bounced back from two rough Grapefruit League appearances by throwing five perfect innings in Thursday’s start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. His outing was wasted as the Yankees lost the matchup, 9-6, but Schmidt cruised through his third start of the spring.The right-hander pounded the strike zone, getting 36 strikes out of 50 total pitches thrown. He struck out seven and recorded seven groundball outs.Schmidt entered camp competing with right-hander Domingo German for a rotation spot. German may have been viewed as the frontrunner for the Yankees’ fifth and final rotation spot due to him having more experience and a better start in the first two Grapefruit League appearances — allowing just one run in 5.1 innings. Schmidt’s most recent outing was clearly better than German’s last start — allowing three hits and two earned runs in 2.1 innings — but the two may both start the season in the rotation due to their teammates dea...