News
Copy by Craig Foster
US President Donald Trump postponed 25% tariffs on various imports from northern and southern neighbours Canada and Mexico for a month as fears of an economic fallout from a broader trade war mount. The White House insists that its tariffs aim to combat the smuggling of fentanyl and curb illegal migration into the United States. The taxes proposed by Trump however have caused a gaping wound in the decades-old North American trade partnership. Trump’s tariff plans have also caused the stock market to plummet, alarming US consumers, but the 47th US president says he remains committed to his plans to impose “reciprocal” tariffs starting 2 April. Imports coming into the US from Mexico will be exempt from the 25% tariffs for one month if they comply with the 2020 USMCA (UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA Agreement) trade pact, according to the orders signed by Trump.
A Belleville man has been charged as part of a large online child exploitation investigation. OPP and partnering departments announced the results of Project Steel, a coordinated national operation to identify and apprehend those who prey on children. One hundred fifty-one charges were laid and 40 people were arrested, including a 49-year-old from Belleville. Charges for the unnamed man include luring a person under 16, possession of child porn, transmitting explicit material to a person under 18, and agreement to a sexual offence against a child.
Sentencing arguments have been heard in a case involving a fatal stabbing in Belleville. Arguments were made before Justice Bonn at the Quinte Courthouse on Thursday in the sentencing of Hayden Moreton, who had previously plead guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault. The charges stem from an incident on January 6, 2024, where 23-year-old Christian Williams was fatally stabbed outside the Go-Go Club on North Front Street. The crown asked for a sentence of seven to eight years with credit for pre-trial time served. Time served pre-trial is usually credited at 1.5 days per day served, meaning a total of 21 months for Moreton, as he had been held for 423 days before the trial. The defence requested four years on the manslaughter charge with a one-year concurrent sentence on the aggravated assault charge, minus pre-trial time served. The defence cited several mitigating factors, including Moreton’s young age and the potential for rehabilitation.
Eurostar announced the cancellation of all its high-speed trains connecting Paris to London and Brussels on Friday after the discovery of a Second World War-era bomb near the tracks serving Eurostar’s hub in the French capital, Gare du Nord.France’s national train operator SNCF said in a statement that traffic was stopped at the request of police. The bomb was discovered around 4 a.m. local time by workers doing earth-moving work near the tracks in the Seine-Saint-Denis region. Minesweepers were sent to the site and their operation is still going on. Stranded travellers converged on the station as it opened Friday.
Sports
The New York Islanders traded Brock Nelson and William Dufour to the Colorado Avalanche late Thursday for Calum Ritchie, Oliver Kylington, a first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Entry Draft, and a conditional third-round selection in 2028.
Evan Bouchard scored in overtime and had an assist in regulation as Edmonton earned a key 3-2 victory over the Habs on Thursday. The Oilers had lost six of their previous seven games, while Montreal has been on fire, coming into the contest riding a five-game winning streak.
Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists, Kyle Connor added a goal and an assist and the Winnipeg Jets snapped a three-game skid by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1
The Calgary Flames ended a tough road trip with a tough 3-2 overtime loss to a Dallas Stars team they were leading 2-0 early in the second period. Stars star Jason Robertson scored twice, including the overtime winner.
