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Polish government warns of disinformation after fake messages are sent out before election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s government warned citizens Thursday to beware of a disinformation campaign after some people got fake messages saying that the ruling party was offering free funerals for pensioners.The country is facing a crucial national election on Sunday, and the fake messages and the warnings come as cyber experts have warned of the risks of disinformation.The fake text message urged recipients to vote for Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party, adding: ’“We will provide funerals for pensioners for free.” The party denied making such a campaign promise, and warned citizens to disregard the messages.The intention of the messages wasn’t clear. The government already offers partial compensation for funeral expenses, but offering to pay fully has not been an issue in the election campaign.Lukasz Olejnik, a cybersecurity expert and co-author of a recent book, “Philosophy of Cybersecurity,” said it wasn’t clear if the messages amounted to disinfor...

An Israeli jewelry designer described as ‘the softest soul’ has been abducted, her family says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

Delicate pearls peek out from silver and stainless steel chains — bits of brightness and optimism among Moran Stela Yanai’s jewelry designs that reflected cultures around the world.Creating art to wear has been Yanai’s joy, but not the only one, her brother-in-law Dan Mor said Thursday in a telephone interview. Yanai, a 40-year-old Israeli who disappeared after a desert rave on Saturday, also fiercely protected people and animals. “Moran is the softest soul,” recalls Dan Mor, whose wife, Lea, is Moran’s sister. “She could almost be annoying with how much she was so kind and sensitive to animals. You couldn’t eat meat next to her because she was so sensitive to animals being harmed — not just pets but farm animals and wild animals.”Mor has a hard time speaking of Yanai in the past tense. But that’s the least of his family’s unknowns in the wake of her disappearance — and the family’s horror at recognizing her in a video on TikTok that surface...

TC Energy names former CEO Hal Kvisle as chair of new liquids pipeline spinoff

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

CALGARY — TC Energy Corp. is bringing back former chief executive Hal Kvisle to serve as chair of the board of the new liquids pipeline company it plans to spin off.Kvisle was president and chief executive of TransCanada Corp., now named TC Energy, from 2001 to 2010.TC Energy announced plans in July to split into two separate companies.The plan will see TC Energy focus on natural gas infrastructure as well as nuclear, pumped hydro energy storage and new energy opportunities, while the new liquids pipeline company will focus on enhancing the value of its existing 4,900 kilometres of crude oil pipelines. The new liquids pipeline business will be publicly traded and will be headquartered in Calgary, with an office in Houston. The split is expected to be complete by the end of 2024.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:TRP)The Canadian Press

Why Russia is engaged in a delicate balancing act in the Israel-Hamas war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

The Israel-Hamas war has forced Russia into a delicate balancing act, with Moscow urging a quick end to the fighting without apportioning blame.The careful stand is due to Russia’s long ties to Israel, the Palestinians and other regional players, and it reflects the Kremlin’s hope to expand its clout in the Middle East by playing peacemaker.Russia also tried to cast the hostilities as a failure of U.S. policy, and it hopes they will be a distraction for Washington and its allies from keeping up military support for Ukraine.A look at the Kremlin’s messaging about the war and its relations with those in the region:WHAT IS RUSSIA SAYING ABOUT THE WAR?President Vladimir Putin said the war was rooted in the inability to create a sovereign Palestinian state in line with U.N. resolutions that he called a “gross injustice.” He noted that Israel’s settlement policies have exacerbated the situation.Putin called it a reflection of what he called a glaring failure of the...

The IRS says Microsoft may owe about $29 billion in back taxes. Microsoft disagrees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service says Microsoft owes the U.S. Treasury $28.9 billion in back taxes, plus penalties and interest, the company revealed Wednesday in a securities filing. That figure, which Microsoft disputes, stems from a long-running IRS probe into how Microsoft allocated its profits among countries and jurisdictions in the years 2004 to 2013. Critics of that practice, known as transfer pricing, argue that companies frequently use it to minimize their tax burden by reporting lower profits in high-tax countries and higher profits in lower-tax jurisdictions. Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Washington, said it followed IRS rules and will appeal the decision within the agency, a process expected to take several years. The company’s shares dropped slightly in aftermarket trading.The IRS began an audit of Microsoft in 2007 that the agency described in federal court documents last year as “one of the largest in the Service’s history.” Microsoft s...

U.S. tech workers make 46 per cent more than Canadian counterparts: TMU study

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

TORONTO — A new study says U.S. tech workers are paid 46 per cent more on average than their Canadian counterparts.The research, released Thursday from The Dais public policy institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, found a typical tech employee in Canada makes $83,700 a year compared with $122,600 for workers in the U.S. sector.The report, which took into account the exchange rate and cost of living, quantifies a stark reality the sector has long known — American tech workers are better compensated.But its authors, Vivian Li, Mahmehr Hamza and Anusha Arif, stress “to revel in lower wages and celebrate a downturn that would facilitate them would be the wrong focus.”Instead, they say the report should be taken as a call to action.“This essentially sounds the alarm that we need renewed efforts to scale Canadian tech companies, to invest more to attract startups and scale ups and attract foreign investment and venture capital into the Canadian tech sector in order for firms to be ...

Man wanted in sexual assault of male teen in Vaughan park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

A man is wanted in the alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old male teenager in a Vaughan park last month.York Regional Police said the teen was walking in Agostino Park, in the Rutherford Road and Confederation Parkway area, around 9:30 p.m. on September 22. It’s alleged the young man was approached by the suspect, who engaged him in conversation. The male suspect told the victim he had been in Canada for a month and spoke Russian and Georgian.Police said the suspect then touched the 15-year-old in what was described as a sexual manner. As the victim started to leave, police said the teen noticed the suspect follow him briefly but quickly lost sight of him and contacted the authorities.The suspect is described as a white male, between 30 and 40 years old, standing approximately six-foot-one to six-foot-two with a slim to medium build.He has blue eyes, a large nose, black and grey hair with a side parting and was last seen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, slim black sweatpant...

5 officers shot in Minnesota, suspect not in custody

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Five officers were shot and wounded Thursday near Princeton, Minnesota, authorities say, and the suspect was not in custody.None of the officers' injuries appeared to be life-threatening, the Associated Press reported. Robbinsdale Police Capt. John Elder told the outlet the officers were from several agencies, but didn't specify which. Princeton is in east-central Minnesota, about 50 miles north of Minneapolis. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

SAG-AFTRA slams 'bullying tactics' as Hollywood studios break off strike talks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Talks bitterly broke off between Hollywood actors and studios late Wednesday, killing any hopes that the three-month strike by performers would come to an end anytime soon.The studios announced that they had suspended contract negotiations, saying the gap between the two sides was too great to make continuing worth it, despite an offer as good as the one that recently ended the writers strike. The actors union decried their opponents' “bullying tactics” and said they were wildly mischaracterizing their offers.On Oct. 2, for the first time since the strike began July 14, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists had resumed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios, streaming services and production companies in strike talks. Union workers go on strike at Mack Trucks When negotiations resumed with writers last month, their strike ended five days later, but similar progress...

Josh Duggar to stay in prison until 2032 after appeal rejected

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:26:55 GMT

(WJW) - Josh Duggar will remain behind bars until 2032 after the appeal of his child pornography case was officially denied, according to reports. As reported by People and other news outlets, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit stated in court documents last week that the former reality TV star will continue serving more than 12 and a half years in prison.Duggar, who appeared with his family on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography back in 2021. His lawyer filed an appeal last October, asking the court to overturn the ruling, according to The Associated Press.His sentencing was extended earlier this year, meaning he won't be up for release until Oct. 2, 2032. Is America’s childcare crisis about to get worse? According to jail records, Duggar is serving his sentence at FCI Seagoville Federal Prison in Texas.“19 Kids and Counting” was canceled in 2015 due to resurfaced allegations that Duggar molested four of...