Thursday, March 19

Blog

French government toppled in no-confidence vote, deepening political crisis
World News

French government toppled in no-confidence vote, deepening political crisis

By Elizabeth Pineau and Michel Rose, Reuters Prime Minister Michel Barnier was expected to tender his resignation. Photo: AFP / Hans Lucas / Amaury Cornu French opposition lawmakers have brought the government down, throwing the European Union's second-biggest economic power deeper into a political crisis that threatens its capacity to legislate and rein in a massive budget deficit. Far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined forces to back a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his government, with a majority 331 votes in support of the motion. Barnier was expected to tender his resignation and that of his government to President Emmanuel Macron shortly. No French government had lost a confidence vote since Georges Pompidou's in 1962. This time, Macron had us...
Auditor general to probe Indigenous procurement over concerns of ‘front’ companies – National
Politics

Auditor general to probe Indigenous procurement over concerns of ‘front’ companies – National

Canada’s auditor general is set to probe the Ottawa’s multi-billion-dollar Indigenous procurement program after a Global News investigation revealed concerns about abuse and “front” companies accessing federal contracts. Savanna McGregor, the grand chief of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council, told Global News Wednesday that Auditor General Karen Hogan’s office confirmed it will investigate the federal government’s Indigenous Business Directory (IBD).Hogan’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.The IBD is where federal departments and agencies go to find Indigenous companies to purchase products and services from, with an eye to meeting Ottawa’s policy of at least five per cent of its procurement going to First Nations, Métis and Inuit companies.A months-long...
French government toppled in no-confidence vote brought by opposition
Business

French government toppled in no-confidence vote brought by opposition

France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier (C) looks on during a session of questions to the government at The National Assembly in Paris, on December 3, 2024. Julien De Rosa | Afp | Getty ImagesThe French government has been toppled in a vote of no confidence Wednesday, plunging the euro zone's second-largest economy into a period of deep political uncertainty.A total of 331 lawmakers from both the leftwing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance and the far-right National Rally (RN) supported a no-confidence motion in the country's lower house, far exceeding the 288 votes needed to pass the motion.Motions had been tabled by both the left and rightwing blocs on Monday after Prime Minister Michel Barnier used special constitutional powers to force a social security budget bill through Parliament with...
South Korean parliament introduces motion to impeach President Yoon
World News

South Korean parliament introduces motion to impeach President Yoon

Yoon Suk Yeol faces impeachment after briefly declaring martial law on Wednesday. Photo: ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP South Korea's parliament has formally introduced a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over a botched attempt to impose martial law, but his party vowed to oppose the move, throwing the process into doubt. Lawmakers could vote for the bill as early as Friday, but Yoon's ruling People Power Party said they would oppose it. The opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in parliament, needs at least eight ruling party lawmakers to back the bill in order for it to pass. "The Yoon Suk Yeol regime's declaration of emergency martial law caused great confusion and fear among our people," Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won told a late night session of South Korea's Nat...
Donald Trump wants Gaza ceasefire deal by the time he takes power, says Qatari PM | World News
Business

Donald Trump wants Gaza ceasefire deal by the time he takes power, says Qatari PM | World News

The man at the centre of negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire has told Sky News Donald Trump wants a deal done before he takes power in January. Speaking exclusively to Sky's The World with Yalda Hakim, the prime minister of Qatar expressed cautious optimism but said it required "maximum pressure" on all parties to end the fighting. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al Thani said Mr Trump's advisers and the incoming administration have said they want the situation resolved by his 20 January inauguration."We are trying to coordinate with them our efforts, and all of us, we agree, and we are hoping to get over this situation before the president comes to the office," he said.The prime minister said the Trump team "want this to be resolved now - today even". Mr al Thani also defended Hamas be...
Global study links 1.5 million deaths every year to air pollution from wildfires
Health

Global study links 1.5 million deaths every year to air pollution from wildfires

An Australian-led international research has found that over 1.5 million deaths globally every year were linked to the health impacts of air pollution caused by landscape fires.  According to the research published on Thursday by Monash University in Melbourne, 1.53 million deaths per year between 2000 and 2019 were attributable to wildfire-sourced air pollution, Xinhua news agency reported. The study found that over 90 per cent of all deaths attributable to landscape fire-sourced air pollution occurred in low and middle-income countries -- particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, southeast, south and east Asia. It was a comprehensive assessment of the health risks associated with air pollution from landscape fires, involving researchers from universities around the world. Of the 1.53 milli...
UnitedHealthcare executive fatally shot in Manhattan before investor meeting
World News

UnitedHealthcare executive fatally shot in Manhattan before investor meeting

By Kyoko Gasha and Luc Cohen, Reuters Brian Thompson was the CEO of the largest US health insurer, UnitedHealthcare. Photo: LinkedIn / Supplied Police search for masked suspect in targeted attack UnitedHealth investor conference canceled after shooting Minnesota Governor Walz calls incident a terrible loss UnitedHealthcare is the largest U.S. health insurer Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth's insurance unit, was fatally shot on Wednesday morning outside a midtown Manhattan hotel in what appears to have been a targeted attack, New York City police officials said. The shooting occurred around 6:40 am outside the Hilton on Sixth Avenue, just before a scheduled company investor conference at that hotel. Thompson was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. "This ...
Salesforce stock up on earnings beat and strong AI deals pipeline
Business

Salesforce stock up on earnings beat and strong AI deals pipeline

Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, appears on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 18, 2024.Stefan Wermuth | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesShares of Salesforce popped more than 8% Wednesday, a day after the company reported third-quarter results that exceeded analysts' estimates for revenue and guidance and showed strong promise for its artificial intelligence offerings.Salesforce's revenue grew 8% year over year to $9.44 billion in its third quarter, up from the $9.34 billion expected by LSEG. The company's net income was $1.5 billion in the quarter, up 25% from $1.2 billion a year ago.Salesforce raised revenue guidance to between $37.8 billion and $38 billion for its fiscal 2025, up slightly from $37.7 billion to $38 billion it had previously reported. The new range...
Decision time in France as lawmakers look set to oust Michel Barnier’s government
World News

Decision time in France as lawmakers look set to oust Michel Barnier’s government

By Elizabeth Pineau and Michel Rose, Reuters Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government is expected to be France's first to be forced out by a no-confidence vote in more than 60 years. Photo: AFP / Hans Lucas / Amaury Cornu French lawmakers are all but certain to oust the government with a no-confidence motion on Wednesday, plunging the euro zone's second-biggest economic power deeper into political turmoil. Barring a last-minute surprise, Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government will be France's first to be forced out by a no-confidence vote in more than 60 years, at a time when the country is struggling to tame a massive budget deficit. If the vote does indeed pass, President Emmanuel Macron plans to name a new prime minister very quickly, possibly even before the grand reopening...
Canada Post strike is ‘highly disrespectful of Canadians’: minister – National
Politics

Canada Post strike is ‘highly disrespectful of Canadians’: minister – National

As the Canada Post strike nears the three-week mark, the federal labour minister called the nationwide mail stoppage “highly disrespectful” of Canadians. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday, Steven MacKinnon said he has been in regular contact with special mediator, Peter Simpson, to see where both parties stand after mediated talks were temporarily suspended last week.“I’ve been in daily discussions with … the mediator who is shuttling between the parties to see if there is a reasonable prospect that mediation, if it resumes, it will succeed. He has not yet given me that advice,” MacKinnon said.“The parties are still very far apart, and that is in my view, among other things, highly disrespectful of Canadian who are suffering through this work stoppage, small businesses, people i...