Woman arrested as Thailand rocked by Buddhist monk sex and blackmail scandal

Police in Thailand arrested a woman on Tuesday who allegedly enticed a string of Buddhist monks into sexual relationships and then pressured them into making large payments to cover up their intimacy. The possible violation of the celibacy rule for monks has rocked Buddhist institutions and gripped public attention in Thailand in recent weeks. At…

Manitoba woman files proposed class action against Loblaw over alleged underweighted meat sales

A Manitoba woman, who blew the whistle on a case in which Loblaw sold underweighted meat across 80 stores in Western Canada, has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the grocery chain over allegations it consistently overcharges for meat and seafood by including the packaging weight in the final price tag. Plaintiff Iris Griffin’s claim,…

At least 19 killed in stampede at Gaza food distribution site

At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), in what the U.S.-backed group said was a crowd surge instigated by armed agitators. The GHF, which is supported by Israel, said 19 people were trampled and another fatally stabbed during the crush at one…

‘She thought she was safe here’: Ghanaian woman killed in Hamilton shooting remembered as honest and kind

Belinda Sarkodie left Ghana in 2024 to seek refuge in Canada. On Friday, she was killed in Hamilton while she was with a friend and they were waiting for a bus. “That’s not fair…. She thought she was safe here,” said Evelyn Aidoo. Although not a blood relative, Aidoo was regarded as 26-year-old’s aunt — someone Sarkodie considered family away…

Native Women’s Association of Canada sells off assets, promises transparency

The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) says its current management has “discovered serious and significant financial irregularities” that its board was unaware of, as it shutters businesses and sells off property worth millions of dollars. The prominent national advocacy group has been engulfed in turmoil over the last year, but it now says it…

Baseball’s midsummer All-Star classic wraps up in Atlanta with historic swing-off

Kyle Schwarber went three for three in the first All-Star Game home run swing-off as the National League (NL) won the game on a tiebreaker following a 6-6 tie, in which the American League (AL) rallied from a six-run deficit on Tuesday night. In baseball’s equivalent of soccer’s penalty-kicks shootout, the game was decided by having three batters from…

Alleged ‘hijacking’ of small plane grounds flights at Vancouver airport, RCMP say

One person has been arrested after a small passenger aircraft was allegedly “hijacked” and landed at Vancouver International Airport Tuesday, according to Richmond RCMP. At about 1:10 p.m. PT on July 15, RCMP say they received reports of a Cessna 172 that had been “hijacked” from Vancouver Island and was entering YVR airspace. Police, along with…

Calgary police officer charged with 2 counts of 2nd-degree murder

A Calgary police officer has been charged with murder following a 2023 police shooting that left two men dead. Const. Craig Stothard faces two charges of second-degree murder stemming from a shooting that took place on May 29, 2023. Court documents identify Wesley Davidson and Levon Boyce Fox as the two victims killed in the shooting. …

1st look at HBO’s new Harry Potter as TV adaptation of books gets underway

HBO has officially started production on the highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series adaption, the network announced Monday, also revealing a first look at the titular character. The photo released by HBO shows Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, donning the signature Hogwarts uniform paired with round-rim glasses and a lightning bolt scar, not unlike the iconic…