The G7 leaders are meeting in Hiroshima for their annual summit, which will focus heavily on the threat China’s economic coercion poses to the seven countries. The use of that coercion – punitive trade measures – has raised concern throughout Asia-Pacific and Europe, with some countries including Japan, Australia and South Korea having faced trade restrictions following disputes with Beijing over issues related to Taiwan and the origins of Covid-19. The G7 is reportedly preparing a statement of concern over such practices and may suggest ways to co-operate – but members are deeply divided over how to manage their business ties with China.
Under President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is set to receive $80bn over the next 10 years, a move that should aid the agency in auditing high-income taxpayers and securing more tax income for the government. The IRS recently posted new guidelines and has hired a new commissioner, Danny Werfel, who has said a primary objective is to acquire expertise such as accountants and lawyers needed to pursue high-wealth individuals and large corporations that are not paying their taxes. The overhaul will be done in stages over several years.
The New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3, with Aaron Judge hitting a two-run homer in the eighth inning to secure the win. Yankees' starter Domingo German was ejected from the game in the bottom of the fourth inning after he failed a foreign substance check. He faces a 10-game suspension. Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left the game in the eighth inning with right knee discomfort and went for an MRI. The Jays are hopeful it will be a short-term injury.
The Toronto Blue Jays have had a telling off from the Baseball authorities for their recent sign-stealing complaint against the New York Yankees. The Blue Jays complained that Yankees base coaches were positioned outside of the designated areas and had better positioning, but MLB's investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove the accusation. The previous sign-stealing saga inspired by the Houston Astros shook baseball prior to the 2020 season, but this situation was not comparable because there was no breach of the rules. Analysts have argued that even if the Yankees were found to have been stealing signs in their game with the Blue Jays, this would have reflected a significant problem for the Jays themselves who hadn't resolved the issues that allowed the Yankees to take advantage of obvious tells from the pitchers and catcher.
The British government's plan is to fight the next election having successfully delivered on its five pledges to the electorate, according to Inside Politics. However, the government is far from keeping those pledges and, unless something changes, its election argument will be “Hey! Two out of five ain’t bad!” The one thing the Conservatives could do to make the problem worse is add a sixth pledge that they don't plan to meet, according to the platform. Michael Gove has said that the current level of migration to the UK is causing “inevitable pressure” on housing and public services with Suella Braverman arguing for lower immigration and tighter controls. Yet Jeremy Hunt and various spending departments have called for more migration to help fill vacancies and keep the economy running. Labour is also in the news over plans like gradually prohibiting smoking by increasing the age you can start buying cigarettes, which are thought to increase attention on Conservative targets. The Labour party's policy platform will be hammered out at a meeting of the party’s national policy forum in mid-July.
The joke that cost $2 million: China imposes huge fine for comedian’s army-themed quip
CNN
23-05-17 09:00
A Chinese entertainment firm has been fined $2m due to a joke made by a comedian which loosely referenced a slogan used to describe China’s military. The incident highlights how comedians must tread a delicate line given censorship in China. Li Haoshi, known by his stage name House, was performing at the Century Theater in Beijing when he used a phrase associated with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism stated that the company was “seriously insulting” the military and “causing bad social impact”.
Quebec’s popular tabloid, Le Journal de Montréal, has fueled ongoing discussion over immigration in Quebec by running a cover piece showing a fleur-de-lis trapped. The eight-page spread discussed Ottawa’s grand plan, declaring French would be forced to decline and Quebec’s political influence condemned. The publication’s top columnists weighed in, with headlines such as, “All this without any debate” and “Two catastrophic scenarios.” The article, which is believed to be politically motivated, is believed to have resonated with the Conservative Party, who allied themselves with the Bloc Québécois in supporting this fear-mongering rhetoric as they court francophone voters.
Why is this ER in cottage country closing? Doctors, health officials say they’re baffled
The Toronto Star
23-05-17 09:00
Haliburton Highlands Health Services’ decision to shut its Minden Hospital emergency department has been criticised by the community, elected officials, healthcare workers, and was the focus of a human rights complaint. Haliburton Heath Services CEO Carolyn Plummer explained that it was the result of staff shortages. However, those familiar with the situation say the department was due to be fully staffed by September 2023, including via cover from Health Force Ontario. Minden ED doctors were only informed of the decision hours before it was formally made public on April 20.
Wildfires in western Canada aren't just having short-term effects with the blazes devastating the ecology and changing the terrain in the long-term, but are also having "cascading" financial effects. The area from which the wildfires were clearing was home to Canada's larch, the most fire-resistant tree on earth which can also be harvested regularly for lumber. The lack of this lumber could mean higher construction costs for buildings and homes locally. Meanwhile, increased pollution as closer inspections of particulate matter emissions would be likely after a fire as well as the physical power to the fires themselves.
NorthStar Bets has provided a detailed parlay betting pick list for Wednesday's Major League Baseball matchups. Among NorthStar's options is the 'Springer over 0.5 hits' category, where bettors could back Toronto Blue Jays player George Springer to obtain more than half of a hit in his team's game against the New York Yankees. This pick is based on Springer's five hits in 14 at-bats against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, a pitcher that Springer has a history of scoring well against. Additionally, NorthStar predicts that Toronto's Bo Bichette will gain under 1.5 hits in his team's game against the Yankees. Bichette has a previous record of struggling immensely when up against Cole. Finally, the betting service suggests that St Louis Cardinals' hitter Paul Goldschmidt will also obtain over 0.5 hits in his team's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, since Goldschmidt is currently performing very well this season.
A new ad by Starbucks celebrating inclusivity and gender identity has attracted five million views on Twitter. The Indian ad shows a young transwoman called Arpita reuniting with estranged parents in a Starbucks café, where a barista announces, “Three cold coffees for Arpita”, her new name being the only difference from her birth name, which began with A. The ad has made a star of its star, 25-year-old trans model Siya, and has been praised on Twitter, including by one user who called it “one of the best and most touching ads I’ve seen in my life”.
Canadian author, Naomi Klein, is set to release her next book, "Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World" in September. Klein’s book will delve into the effects of artificial intelligence on the human identity by investigating far-right groups who “play-act” solidarity with the working class, AI-generated content which blurs the line between what is genuine and spurious, anti-vaxxers scrambling political allegiances, and much more. Klein uses analysis from Jordan Peele's movies, Freud, and other intellectuals to understand the world of AI colliding with the human’s identity. The books are releasing simultaneously in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K.
The Canadian province of Alberta has asked public servants with any firefighting experience to assist on the front line as wildfires continue to sweep across large parts of the region. The appeal to up to 20,000 staff reflects the annual challenge of wildfires in the province. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes due to the fires. Almost 500 fires have been sparked since the start of 2021 in Alberta, almost double the year-to-date average of the preceding five years. More than 1,600 people are already employed to fight fires in the region.
Linda Yaccarino, a veteran media executive and former chairman of NBC Universal Advertising and Partnerships, has been named CEO of Twitter, replacing Elon Musk. Musk, who is still executive chair and owner, will retain the CTO role, where he will oversee product technology and system operations. The move is expected to help Twitter recover from a period of turmoil during Musk's six-month tenure, when many of the company's top advertisers left because of concerns about offensive or toxic content, as well as layoffs within the company's ad and safety teams. Yaccarino's extensive advertising experience means she is expected to attract more top advertisers to the platform, but she may struggle with Musk's outspoken opinions as Twitter's most followed user. Yaccarino's remit is unclear, and top talent in tech may be reluctant to join the company, given Musk's history of upending Twitter's culture and cutting staff.
Jonny Bairstow has marked 11 years since his Test cricket debut, commenting on a roller coaster of highs and lows throughout his career. Last year was a new peak, with Bairstow beginning England’s new era with a powerful run of form before a freak golfing accident resulted in a broken leg and fractured ankle causing him to miss the entire winter. Bairstow has now been recalled to the team for the first time since the 2019 Ashes, a much-needed win for him after eight months of mental rehabilitation. His family’s cricket legacy has seen many happy returns to the field, though Bairstow recently deleted his Twitter account under the weight of controversy over his selection. In the meantime, his focus is to prepare for the first test after a series of warmup games in the Vitality Blast and against Ireland.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has accused historian David Starkey of seeking to “drive a wedge between communities” following comments he made at the National Conservatism Conference. Speaking on the final day of the conference, Starkey claimed that left-wing activists wanted to “replace” the Holocaust with slavery and that the Black Lives Matter campaign, which he described as an effort “to do exactly what was done to German culture because of Nazism and the Holocaust”, represented a threat to the Western “political and cultural tradition”.
Toronto police are searching for a suspect involved in an apartment rental scam. A man allegedly advertised rental apartments he did not have permission to lease and used multiple aliases and company names to carry out the scam. The police are asking anyone with information about the suspect or anyone who has fallen victim to the scam to come forward. The police also urge renters to be wary of "too good to be true" rent rates, not to pay any deposits or rent before signing a lease, and to double-check the property's listing.
El Salvador sends troops to surround town after police officer killed
The Toronto Star
23-05-17 17:02
The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, has deployed 5,000 soldiers and 500 police to the northern town of Nueva Concepción after a member of the national police was killed by gang members. The town has been encircled and searched for those responsible for the murder and other gang members still hiding there. Last week, the Congress extended emergency powers, granted to the president to tackle the country’s street gangs, for the 14th time. The powers include the suspension of fundamental rights and have allowed authorities to arrest more than 68,500 alleged gang members or supporters.
Paris Olympics vows to carry torch for LGBTQ rights after watershed of Tokyo
CBC
23-05-17 17:00
Organizers of the Paris Olympics have pledged to use the event to push for greater LGBTQ rights worldwide, as part of their inclusive ethos. Paris 2024 intends to create a Pride House to celebrate LGBTQ people, and will give competitors and campaigners the opportunity to speak out about LGBTQ rights. Athletes will also be “free to speak and share their messages” outside of competing, according to organizing committee president Tony Estanguet. The move appears to buck previous conventions, with activists having their voices silenced and some being arrested at previous Olympics.
Actor and Wrexham club co-owner Ryan Reynolds has told BBC presenter Mark Chapman about his embarrassment when player Ollie Palmer habitually greets his wife, Blake Lively, shirtless. Palmer is “one of the best guys we know,” Reynolds said, reminding him that there is a time and a place for shirtlessness. Reynolds purchased Wrexham AFC in 2020 with actor Rob McElhenney.
