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Competition Ltd.: Why major players dominate Canada’s business landscape

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

Runaway food prices. A massive day-long telecom outage that knocked out internet and phone service across the country. Flight delays, cancellations and stranded air travellers.What do all of these things have in common, in addition to being the causes of headaches for Canadians in the last 12 months? Some would say the answer is competition — or, to be more precise, a lack thereof.From grocery and banking to aviation and the wireless and cable industry, many of the services that Canadians rely on every day are dominated by just a handful of major players. And in the last year, critics have pointed to many of the biggest challenges that consumers have faced — from spiking food prices to last summer’s Rogers outage to air travel chaos — as proof that this country’s competitive environment is broken. There are many reasons why Canada’s biggest industries are dominated by just a few companies. Some say a large geography and small population make it more difficult for C...

Daily horoscope for April 5, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Libra.Happy Birthday for Wednesday, April 5, 2023:You are highly principled and always working. You shoot for success and excellence in everything you do. You want security and stability. This is a year of learning for you. Explore philosophies and belief systems that will give you better self-awareness and a better understanding of what is important.ARIES(March 21-April 19)★★Be patient with others, as today’s Full Moon begins to peak opposite your sign. This happens only once a year, and when it does, it creates tension with those who are closest to you. Hey, with the Sun and Jupiter in your sign, you can remain positive. Tonight: Listen.TAURUS(April 20-May 20)★★★Tension with co-workers as well as people dealing with your health, or even your pet, might arise today, as the Full Moon peaks tonight. This means something might come to a head. You might want to speak up about something;...

One killed in train accident near The Hague, 30 injured

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

A passenger train carrying 50 people was unable to keep its wheels on Tuesday (4 April) morning in the Netherlands after it struck construction equipment.Rescue teams were seen transporting the injured to the scene at Voorschoten (a village near The Hague), in the pre-dawn darkness. According to emergency services, the accident occurred at 3:25 AM (0125 GMT).Dutch radio heard that 19 people had been taken to hospital by a spokesperson from the fire department. The emergency services reported that other people were being treated right away.According to ANP news agency, the front carriage of the night train between Leiden and The Hague was derailled and ploughed into the ground. It said that the second carriage was on its sides and that a fire started in the rear carriage, but it was soon extinguished.There were conflicting reports on the cause of the accident.An earlier report stated that the passenger train collided with a freight railroad. Erik Kroeze, spokesperson for Dutch Railwa...

Miss Manners: Our landlady took dozens of our beloved plants. How do we get them back?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When the pandemic started, we had to leave the country we were living in with just a few days’ notice, thinking we’d be back in a few months.The woman who acts as our landlord took about 45 of our plants to her apartment to care for while we were gone. This was an amazing collection we cultivated over about five years, at significant expense.Due to COVID and immigration restrictions, it has actually taken us 15 months to return. We were just recently offered our old jobs back with a work permit, and it looks like we will be here for at least two years.The woman who has our plants has not mentioned them once. Is it too late to ask for them back, assuming they’re not all dead? Or do we just start over?GENTLE READER: It’s not too late to ask, but it is too late to expect much.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: I was embarrassed when everyone in the post office focused on me Advice | Miss Manners: I’m embarr...

Dear Abby: My dad is going to go berserk when he sees how my wife altered his photo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

DEAR ABBY: Every year, my wife makes a photo book of the family and sends it to everyone.This year, she included a picture taken during a nephew’s birthday party. In it, my father is wearing a politically charged T-shirt; my wife photoshopped out the offending (to us) message.When I asked her to not do that, but instead to remove the entire photo, she refused. She said there were no other good photos from the party, so her only option was to remove the message on the shirt.I’m opposed because my father will be angry when he realizes his shirt has been altered in the photo. He will then bring it up at every opportunity and berate me, my wife and even my mother about how terrible it was to do that, and for us not to bother ever sending him another photo book again, despite my mother looking forward to it every year.What is your advice for us?OUT OF FOCUS IN FLORIDARelated ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My mother-in-law told me her secret, and then died. Should I re...

Best Online Slots for Real Money in 2023: Top 10 Slot Games With Big Real Money Payouts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

 Sponsored ContentIf you’re looking to play online slots for real money – you’ve come to the right place.Our team of iGaming experts has reviewed a mix of established and new online casinos and created this hand-picked list of the top 10 real money slot games you can play today. Each online casino has been rated for its slot selection, payouts, jackpots, and bonus offers. And while SlotsNinja got to the top of our list with its epic 350% welcome bonus and slot machines that pay out over $1M in jackpots – we feel sure there’s something here for everyone.Let’s check out all the online casinos we’ve ranked and their stand-out real money online slots.Best Real Money Online SlotsSlotsNinja (Aztec’s Millions): Best overallIgnition (Shopping Spree): Best for must-win jackpotsBitStarz (Royal Chip): Top pick for free spinsSlots.LV (Santa’s Way): Best for hourly jackpotsMetaSpins (Buffalo Rampage): Top pick for provably fair slotsSlots of Vegas (Bubble Bubble 3): ...

Youngkin to meet with Taiwan’s leader during trade mission

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will lead his first international trade mission later this month, a trip to Asia that will include a meeting with the president of Taiwan, his office said Tuesday.From April 24 through April 29, Youngkin and the Virginia delegation accompanying him will visit Taipei, Taiwan; Tokyo; and Seoul, South Korea. In addition to meeting President Tsai Ing-wen, Youngkin will meet government officials, strategic business associations, company executives and industry leaders, his office said.“I’m excited to represent the Commonwealth in my first trade mission to Asia that will focus on economic development opportunities, our shared priorities and national security,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea represent critical markets that will advance economic growth and prosperity in Virginia. In strengthening these relationships, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to our allies but also strengthening the ...

Billy Porter reflects on ‘Pose,’ ‘Kinky Boots’ ahead of ‘Black Mona Lisa’ tour at DC’s Warner Theatre

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

(new Image()).src = "https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=9be9c680-c459-4acb-af21-654a2ccca384&cid=c2ffed0c-3624-46c0-b10f-97c976d290a3";cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "9be9c680-c459-4acb-af21-654a2ccca384",mediaId: "0d69380c-0ffa-4db4-9e65-a81ab5a15108"}).render("13437e7975f14d5fb7b302a736dba9c3"); });Hear our full conversation on my podcast “Beyond the Fame.” toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews Billy Porter at Warner Theatre (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('sen...

OPINIÓN | Las imágenes del histórico día de Trump cuentan una historia sorprendente

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

(CNN) — Los helicópteros de los medios de comunicación planeaban mientras una hilera de vehículos todoterreno recorría a toda velocidad la FDR Drive de Manhattan. Una multitud de periodistas, simpatizantes y curiosos esperaban en el Tribunal Penal de Manhattan, rodeados de agentes de policía. Todos esperaban la llegada del acusado.Puede que el ambiente fuera inusual –los miles de neoyorquinos que pasan por el tribunal cada año rara vez llaman mucho la atención–, pero lo que ocurrió dentro fue un proceso ordinario: un acusado se entregó, fue detenido y se le tomaron las huellas dactilares y compareció ante un juez para escuchar los cargos y presentar una declaración de culpabilidad.El espectáculo exterior –y el que seguramente evolucionará a medida que el expresidente Donald Trump intente hacerse con el control de la historia de su acusación– podría tentar a los observadores a ver la detención de Trump como un acontecimiento extraordinario. Y es histórico: ningún expresidente h...

Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell arrested amid SNP finances probe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:00 GMT

LONDON — Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party and husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been arrested in connection with an investigation into the party’s finances. In a statement released Wednesday, Police Scotland said a “58-year-old man has today, Wednesday, 5 April 2023, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.”It added: “The man is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives.” Multiple Scottish media outlets, including the BBC, confirmed the man was Murrell, who ran the internal machinery of SNP for almost 24 years until he quit during the recent SNP leadership contest. Police officers have been investigating the SNP’s finances for several months. Sturgeon shocked Scotland when she announced her departure as First Minister in February. Several police officers were seen outside th...