Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Chinese economic officials expressed confidence Monday they can meet this year's growth target of "around 5%" by generating 12 million new jobs and encouraging consumer spending following the end of anti-virus controls that kept millions of people at home.
The Cabinet planning officials announced no details of spending or other initiatives to revive growth that slumped to 3% last year, the second-lowest in decades. But they said they plan an array of measures to meet goals announced Sunday by Premier Li Keqiang by raising incomes and encouraging innovation.
Efforts to revive the Chinese economy have global implications after weak retail, auto and housing sales depressed demand for imports. The country is the biggest export market for its Asian neighbors and an important revenue source for Western companies.
"There are many policy tools in our toolbox," the deputy chairman of the National Reform and Development Commission, Li Chunlin, said at a news conference held during the meeting of China's ceremonial legislature.
The premier's work report Sunday was unusually brief and gave few details, suggesting the ruling Communist Party will wait until a new premier and Cabinet ministers are appointed this month in a once-a-decade handover to announce tax, regulatory, subsidy and other changes.
This year's job creation target is 12 million, up from last year's goal of 11 million and below the 12.1 million that was achieved, according to Li.
The NDRC chairman, Zhao Chenxin, said the priority is to "release consumption potential" and promote an "innovation-driven development strategy."
That is in line with ruling party plans to nurture self-sustaining growth based on consumer spending instead of exports and investment and to generate prosperity and global influence by making China a creator of valuable technologies.
The NDRC's Li warned that the global environment "is becoming more complex and severe," a reference to weak export demand due to Western interest rate increases to cool inflation and strained relations with Washington and other trading partners over technology, security and territorial disputes.
That will add to pressure on Chinese export industries that support millions of jobs, increasing the importance of self-sustaining business activity at home.
"Ability to consume comes from employment and income," so the government must "increase the income of urban and rural residents," Li said.
Li gave no details, but the ruling party has previously pressured e-commerce and other big companies to share more of their wealth with the public by raising wages and cutting charges for small vendors and other entrepreneurs.
The growth target is the lowest on record except for 2020, when the government dropped its goal at the start of the COVID pandemic.
"We view it as a relatively conservative but pragmatic proposal for delivering a healthy and organic economic recovery," said Nomura economists in a report. "China's economy is still set to face with multiple headwinds over the course of the year."
The higher unemployment might be harder to achieve, so "job creation is likely to be a focus of work this year," they wrote.
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
A Mennonite father who killed his one-year-old son with an axe may be allowed to travel to parts of southern Ontario in the coming months
Few people can say they accidentally purchased a nude beach — but Shelley can. When she saw a piece of land she could fondly remember camping on was up for sale, she inquired about it and ended up purchasing it. She soon found that there were already inhabitants on it.
On a tiny island off Panama's Caribbean coast, about 300 families are packing their belongings in preparation for a dramatic change. Generations of Gunas who have grown up on Gardi Sugdub in a life dedicated to the sea and tourism will trade that next week for the mainland’s solid ground.
Former FBI director James Comey says while he believes former U.S. president Donald Trump "will be defeated" in the upcoming presidential election, he doesn’t think it’s a given.
Canada is getting not one – but two – celestial shows over the next few days. Keep an eye on the sky for the northern lights and parade of planets!
A B.C. traveller will receive more than $1,300 in compensation from WestJet for a missed flight connection following a decision from the province's small claims tribunal.
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
More than 500 workers are on strike at the Gibraltar copper mine in central British Columbia, about 200 kilometres south of Prince George.
A hefty donation by a renowned local activist to the University of Winnipeg has created what is believed to be the most comprehensive two-spirit archives in all of Canada.
Leanne Van Bergen discovered a skulk of 10 baby foxes, and two mothers, had made themselves at home on her property in Beausejour.
An 81-year-old Waterloo, Ont. woman thought she’d never ride a horse again after a brain bleed led to severe physical complications.
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.
Prince Edward Island is celebrating its first-ever International Day of Potato on Thursday.
The president of Covered Bridge Chips in New Brunswick is hoping to have his factory rebuilt for late 2025 following a devastating fire last year.
Students and staff at Winnipeg’s Westwood Collegiate had a unique problem to solve this month; how do you lead ducks to water from the school’s courtyard when 12 of them can’t fly yet?
Debby Lorinczy remembers her father as an amazing person and as a man who also made an amazing discovery.
Abigail Strate is a member of the Canadian national ski jumping team and an Olympic bronze medallist. She's also a certified beekeeper.