A network of YouTube accounts is promoting U.S. annexation to Albertans, researchers say. It has 40M views Flagged as a "potential covert influence operation" in a new report, those behind the network are tough to trace.

A network of Youtube accounts amassed 40 million views for videos that promote the U.S. annexation of Alberta, according to a new report. 👀

“These slopaganda-type channels really ratchet up the emotional language and the polarization,” an analyst told the Star. 

New from @alexboyd.bsky.social:

In Article About Horrific Shooting That Killed Eight Children, Forbes Lets Readers Place Bets About Gun Control In a story about a mass shooting that left eight children dead, Forbes is encouraging readers to bet on the news with fake money.

Forbes is gamifying news about the horrific mass shooting in Shreveport, LA this weekend, encouraging readers to bet on the likelihood of gun regulation with fake money via its "ForbesPredict" feature.

Eight children were murdered in the shooting.

futurism.com/future-socie...

Doug Ford flip-flops, plans to sell recently-purchased $28.9M jet amid public fury Two days after the Star revealed Queen’s Park had bought a used Bombardier Challenger jet for the premier’s use, a chastened Ford said the aircraft would be sold.

NEW: Premier Doug Ford’s $28.9M “gravy plane” has crashed and burned. Ford is selling the executive jet two days after the ⁦‪@TorontoStar revealed he had bought it. (h/t @l_stone who was first with the U-turn.)

www.thestar.com/politics/pro...

Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Tim Curry in Clue

Tim Curry in The Three Musketeers

Tim Curry in Muppet Treasure Island

Happy 80th birthday to Tim Curry who has always, *always* understood the assignment.

Why Union Station may not be a stop on Canada’s new high-speed rail line Some of the biggest questions surrounding Canada’s proposed high-speed passenger rail line remain unanswered.

The $90 billion megaproject will have at least one stop in Toronto's downtown core. But where? And how bad is the construction going to be?

Here's the latest from @andytakagi.bsky.social and Anastasia Blosser:

Confidential Metrolinx report reveals why UP Express had to be suddenly shut down for a day in March The UP Express was shut down for nearly 11 hours on March 5 for what the provincial transit agency said was “unexpected track work.”

Star Exclusive: Confidential Metrolinx report reveals why UP Express had to be suddenly shut down for a day in March

Stephen Bede Scharper: There’s more than one brutal theocracy the free world should worry about The Iranian regime is deplorable, but that's no excuse for the U.S. to commit war crimes against an oppressed population.

Opinion: America is an emerging theocracy with nuclear weapons — and Trump appears to believe he has a God-given right to use them against his enemies, writes Stephen Bede Scharper.

Avi Lewis wants to ban ‘creepy’ surveillance pricing. Here’s how companies could use your data to hike your bills Some companies can track a consumer’s online activity, including search history, location, type of device, age and other personal data points that help estimate how much someone is willing to pay.

NDP Leader Avi Lewis wants to ban the “unfair” and “downright creepy” practice of surveillance pricing.

Here’s how companies could use your data to hike your bills:

The same week the NYTimes was devoting its significant resources to producing this ridiculous piece about Lauren Sanchez Bezos's call for rich people to not worry and be happy, Ryan Hass, an independent journalist in Oregon, was investigating this horrifying story about a death in an Amazon plant.

Please Enjoy These Photos Of Damp And Drunk People At An English Horse Race | Defector Despite threats—by an editor who shall go unnamed, but who does not have my best interests in mind—to ship me off to Aintree Racecourse to cover the event in person, I am once again conducting an ethn...

You wouldn't want to generalize but these guys sure love to get loaded and sit on the ground. defector.com/please-enjoy...

They left Toronto to escape Ontario Line construction. Now, one of the world’s biggest nuclear projects is coming to their neighbourhood Premier Doug Ford's government is planning one of the world's largest nuclear power stations on the outskirts to meet the province's long-term need for electricity.

They left Toronto to escape Ontario Line construction. Now, one of the world’s biggest nuclear projects is coming to their neighbourhood

I hope more people focus on the import of this turnout last year. Not least bc standing up to bigotry can itself be a rallying cry.

Canada byelection results live: See how Canadians voted in past elections in three ridings; Liberal wins could hand Carney a majority Races in Scarborough Southwest, University—Rosedale and Terrebonne will decide whether Prime Minister Mark Carney gets a mandate to govern until 2029.

Races in Scarborough Southwest, University—Rosedale and Terrebonne will decide whether Prime Minister Mark Carney gets a mandate to govern until 2029.

Follow Canadian byelection results live here:

Canadians Visiting U.S. By Car Down 35% In 2 Years Now 14 months in, Canada’s rejection of the U.S. is the most successful tourism boycott in memory.

Now 14 months in, Canada’s rejection of the U.S. is the most successful tourism boycott in memory.

The U.S. Has Killed More than 160 People in Boat Strikes. We’re Tracking Them All. The Intercept is keeping count of all publicly declared U.S. attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean and the number of civilians killed.

The U.S. killed five more people in two strikes on April 11. The total number of people killed by strikes in the Pacific and Caribbean is now 168.

theintercept.com/2025/11/17/t...

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán concedes defeat after ‘painful’ election result Partial official results show opposition leader Peter Magyar's party dominating the vote, in a bombshell election result with repercussions around Europe and beyond.

Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán concedes defeat in a European electoral earthquake

Toronto Raptors clinch playoff spot The Toronto Raptors have clinched a spot in the NBA playoffs for the first time in four years.

#Breaking: Toronto Raptors clinch playoff spot for the first time in four years

Matt Gurney: Donald Trump has backed himself into a corner on Iran. He now has three choices The art of the deal is proving of little help when it comes to war.

#Opinion: Donald Trump has backed himself into a corner on Iran. He now has three choices

Self-injected peptides are touted as a miracle cure by biohackers and RFK Jr. But are they safe? Here's how — and why people are so intrigued by these experimental drugs.

Peptides are touted as a miracle cure online. It’s illegal to sell them for human use, but we bought a vial easily

a mass of green anemones mostly closed and red sea stars

there's still so much fecundity and enduring beauty in the nonhuman world. let's preserve and treasure it.

Anger around the corner: How 75 weeks of protest in this Toronto neighbourhood have frayed nerves and fuelled a raging debate A closer look at the clashes between Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters of Israel at Bathurst and Sheppard.

Anger around the corner: How 75 weeks of protest in this Toronto neighbourhood have frayed nerves and fuelled a raging debate www.thestar.com/news/gta/ang...

A ‘bowl of Earth’ for breakfast in the sky: Jeremy Hansen discusses his view and the journey ahead aboard Artemis II For the second time, Hansen joined the Canadian Space Agency from orbit to answer questions early Sunday morning.

While travelling among the stars, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen described his morning view as “a bowl of Earth just sitting there for breakfast in the sky.”

“Casualty Cover-Up”: The Pentagon Is Hiding U.S. Losses Under Trump in the Middle East The Pentagon has sent outdated statements on the number of U.S. troops killed or wounded during the Iran War, resulting in undercounts.

“Casualty Cover-Up”: The Pentagon Is Hiding U.S. Losses Under Trump in the Middle East via @nickturse.bsky.social

theintercept.com/2026/04/01/i...

The great care home cash grab: how private equity turned vulnerable elderly people into human ATMs When did care homes come to be seen as recession-proof investments? And who pays the price?

When private equity takes over a care home, deaths at the home rise by an average of 11%. When the private equity company is leveraged more than 75% in debt, the deaths double

www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Justin Ling: Danielle Smith says she wants unity but can’t seem to stop stoking division The Alberta premier did little to contradict some outlandish claims.

Opinion: If you want to know what Alberta Premier Danielle Smith really believes, you have to listen to her when she’s amongst her fellow travellers, writes Justin Ling.

A Toronto cop mistook this man for a suspect. The violent encounter left him with broken ribs and ruptured spleen Det. Const. Christopher Merritt pleaded guilty to the 2024 assault and will serve no jail time — a sentence his victim feels is insufficient.

A Toronto cop mistook this man for a suspect. The violent encounter left him with broken ribs and ruptured spleen

Artemis II launch live: How to watch the launch; moon rocket now fuelled up; why astronauts are taking a plush toy aboard Artemis II is the opening shot of NASA’s grand plans for a permanent moon base. Plus, we answer a burning question: how do astronauts use the bathroom?

Follow Artemis II launch live: How to watch the launch; moon rocket now fuelled up; why astronauts are taking a plush toy aboard

You wouldn’t ask a psychopath for advice. Why on earth would you ask ChatGPT? There can be no shared understanding of anything you and a psychopath do together. The same goes for you and AI.

You wouldn’t ask a psychopath for advice. Why on earth would you ask ChatGPT? #Opinion

Why I Got Out Of The Gambling Business | Defector There are broadly speaking two types of gamblers: valuable and not valuable. All are referred to as customers. The latter group are dilettantes. These people deposit maybe once or twice, usually to…

"These companies have identified a group of people with a monetizable compulsion, and we have legalized the tools needed to industrially harvest money from them."

They were promised two-way, all-day GO train service. Confidential Metrolinx documents show these lines may actually get slower Internal Metrolinx report show the provincial transit agency is considering a delayed timeline for its promise of two-way, all-day, 15-minute service on the core GO network.

They were promised two-way, all-day GO train service. Confidential Metrolinx documents show these lines may actually get slower