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Analysis: Canada’s lagging productivity affects us all — and will take years to remedy

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

By: Barry Cross, Queen’s University, OntarioVolkswagen executives and federal, provincial and local government officials recently celebrated their partnership in the next Canadian giga-factory in St. Thomas, Ont., to produce automotive batteries. The announcement promises up to 3,000 new jobs and to revitalize Canada’s automotive sector.It’s good news for Canada. We need more global firms willing to invest in the country. But the $13-billion government investment doesn’t add up.Matching and even beating competitive bids is common enough, especially in the automotive industry, but the amount involved could likely pay for not only all necessary capital expenditures to establish the plant and all its equipment, but also any related operating expenses for several years.So why the massive subsidies?They’re necessary when a country has little else to bring to the table.Productivity laggingEconomic productivity is a measure of the rate at which the output of goods and services are pr...

Nuggets bounce back for Game 3 win in Miami

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The Denver Nuggets bounced back with a 109-94 win over the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, bringing the series lead to 2-1.The Nuggets were up by 5 at halftime but took command in the second half in Miami. Nikola Jokic became the first player ever to have a 30-20-10 game in the NBA Finals. And Jokic and Jamal Murray became the first pair of teammates in NBA history to each record 30+ points and 10+ assists in a finals game.Rookie Christian Braun made his mark in the game. "I could just feel the confidence oozing out of him," coach Michael Malone said during postgame interviews. Tix for trade: Nuggets fans get creative to get to the NBA Finals The Nuggets were looking to come back after a 111-108 loss in Denver for Game 2, breaking momentum for the team that swept the Los Angeles Lakers for the Western Conference championship and dominated the Heat in Game 1 of the finals.Full recap of the game to come. Meanwhile, check out these game photos from the Associa...

Jokic and Murray both have triple-doubles, Nuggets beat Heat 109-94 for 2-1 lead

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Never had two players from the same team had 30-point triple-doubles in the same game. Never in the regular season. Never in the playoffs. Certainly never in the NBA Finals.Until now.Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray made history Wednesday night — and have the Denver Nuggets two wins away from making some real history as well.Jokic and Murray became the first teammates in NBA Finals history to both record triple-doubles, and the Nuggets reclaimed the lead in the series by beating the Miami Heat 109-94 in Game 3.“By far, their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, after his team moved two wins away from Denver’s first title.Jokic finished with 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists — the first such game in NBA Finals history, or at least the first since assists were tracked. Murray had 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, getting the rebound he needed with 9 seconds remaining.The Nuggets outrebounded the Heat ...

Wednesday’s high school roundup/scores: Matt Burt tosses shutout for Bishop Stang

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

BASEBALLMatt Burt (4-1, 0.40 ERA) stayed on form with a complete-game shutout, striking out three and walking two while allowing six hits as third-seeded Bishop Stang (15-5) defeated No. 19 North Reading 2-0 in a Div. 3 Round of 16 tilt. … Chris Bialzik went the distance for No. 8 Ashland (13-9) in a 3-1 win over No. 9 Fairhaven.Tommy Falasca struck out six and scattered four hits over another seven innings of shutout baseball, while Josh Doney (single, two RBI), Jaiden Driscoll (single, RBI) and Michael DeMaino (2-for-3, run) paced the offense for No. 10 St. Mary’s (Lynn) (15-7) in a 4-0 Div. 2 second round victory over No. 26 Reading. … Cody Quinn fired a two-hitter with seven strikeouts, zero walks and zero earned runs, and Connor Mackenzie and George Slauson went 2-for-4 with an RBI single each as No. 9 Plymouth North (18-7) topped No. 8 Holliston, 4-1. … Matt Kelley had two hits and an RBI and scored the deciding run for No. 3 King Philip (15-7) in extras in a hard-fought 4-3 w...

American poet Roger Reeves wins Griffin Poetry Prize for ‘Best Barbarian’

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

TORONTO — When Roger Reeves was named the winner of this year’s Griffin Poetry Prize on Wednesday night, his head fell to his hands and his mind went blank. The Austin, Texas-based writer was awarded the $130,000 honour at a ceremony in Toronto for his collection “Best Barbarian,” which jurors praised for charting “ruptures and violences enacted across time and space — particularly against Black humanity.”It took a beat for thoughts to return to Reeves after he heard his book’s name called out, he said. But when they did, he thought of his people.“This is for my people. For my people, and for my people over the centuries, people that have fought, that have bled, that have worked, and people that have danced, that have enjoyed,” he said in a brief interview after the ceremony. “I think the first thing that I would say is this is always for our people: for our people that had helped us get here.”Reeves is also the recipient o...

Replacement plane for diverted Air India flight leaves Russia for San Francisco with all aboard

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — A replacement plane for an Air India flight diverted to Russia because of an engine problem has left for San Francisco, carrying all passengers and crew.The original Boeing 777, which left New Delhi carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members, landed at Magadan airport in Siberia in Russia’s far east on Tuesday. The plane had “developed a technical issue with one of its engines,” Air India said.The replacement plane is expected to arrive in San Francisco at 12:15 a.m. Thursday local time, the airline said in a statement.In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said fewer than 50 American citizens were on the plane and the department was not aware of any of them reaching out to the U.S. Embassy in Russia or other diplomatic posts.Passenger Girvaan Singh Kahma, 16, who was traveling with his uncle and brother, said they were barred from leaving the hostel in Magadan and were unable to use their credit cards because of sanctions over Russia’...

Portland bans daytime camping, imposes other restrictions

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland’s city council voted Wednesday to pass an ordinance prohibiting camping during daytime hours in most public places as it, like other places in the U.S., struggles to address a longtime homelessness crisis.The 3-1 vote changes city code to say that people may camp in nonrestricted areas from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., but after that they must dismantle the site until the permitted overnight hours begin again. The ordinance also bans camping entirely near schools, parks and busy streets among other locations. Business and property owners were among those who backed the ordinance, saying campsites are causing them to lose customers and creating safety issues. Advocates for homeless people said it will further burden them, heightening mental and physical distress. Portland has already prohibited camping on city property at all hours. But that measure has rarely been enforced and could be found to violate a state law that takes effect July 1. The new law codif...

In ‘The Blue Caftan,’ Moroccan film director tackles LGBTQ+ love and celebrates embroidery craft

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

As Mina gets increasingly sick, her body withering away, her husband dotes on her: He washes her hair, helps her change, brings the sweetness of a fruit to her lips. But underneath the genuinely tender moments shared by this on-screen Moroccan couple simmers a longing — of a forbidden kind.In her latest film, “The Blue Caftan,” Moroccan director Maryam Touzani delicately weaves intricate, overlapping tales of love, both traditional and largely taboo for many in her country and its region as she tells the story of a woman and her secretly gay husband who together run a shop making caftans. The marriage grows more complicated when the couple hires a male apprentice.Wading into socially sensitive subjects is not unfamiliar terrain for Touzani who has won accolades at international film festivals and, just recently, was a jury member at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. “The Blue Caftan,” which had been shortlisted in the international feature film category for the 95th Academy Awards, ...

Company withdraws petition to build industrial park in Deerfield

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

DEERFIELD, Ill. — A controversial plan to develop a large industrial park in the northern suburbs has been withdrawn.The plan to turn Baxter International's 101-acre site into an industrial park will not be moving forward as planned. The Village announced Bridge Industrial withdrew its petition Wednesday, just one day before a scheduled hearing on the matter.Hundreds of Deerfield and nearby residents protested the proposed development by Bridge Industrial back in April. The company lobbied the village to annex Baxter International's headquarters and rezone it for industrial use. But at the public meeting, neighbors to the large property near the Tri-State Tollway were outraged over the idea. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Thousands sign petition to prevent industrial development in Deerfield "None of us knew that an industrial warehouse equaling 17 football fields would be built across the street from us, sharing the same stoplight that we use," said Barbara Raff, President of the Thorngate H...

Man arrested after allegedly getting into argument with ex-wife, firing gun at McHenry County bar

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:58 GMT

MARENGO, Ill. — A man has been arrested after police in Marengo said he allegedly started shooting into the air at a bar after an argument and finding his ex-wife inside.Marengo Police Department officers were called to the bar around 11 p.m. Friday in the 200 block of South State Street. Bears CEO Kevin Warren, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson release statement after meeting During an investigation, officers determined the man found his ex-wife at the bar, got into an argument, went outside, pulled a firearm from his waistband, fired several shots into the air and left, according to a news release.No injuries were reported. Carpentersville structure fire destroys 2 homes, 2 garages A warrant was issued for armed violence, felon in possession of a firearm, violation of an order of protection, unlawful use of a weapon - possession in a liquor establishment and reckless discharge of a firearm, according to the release.Elgin Police Department officers arrested the man on Wednesday.