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Alberta Separation Referendum Shakes Canadian Politics

  Alberta — the oil-rich western province now at the heart of a historic political showdown.  Canada is facing one of its most significant constitutional crossroads in decades. The Alberta separation movement, long dismissed by many as fringe politics, has reached a formal milestone that is now forcing the entire country — and every Canadian's wallet — to pay close attention. 🗳️ The Signatures Are In — And They Exceeded the Target On May 4, 2026, the separatist group Stay Free Alberta delivered nearly 302,000 signed petitions to Elections Alberta in Edmonton — well above the 178,000 required to trigger a provincial referendum. Supporters carrying boxes of signatures were met with cheers from over 300 flag-waving Albertans gathered outside. The group's leader, Mitch Sylvestre, described the submission as a democratic mandate that the provincial government must respect. The petition asks Albertans: "Do you agree that the Province of Alberta shall become a sovereign countr...

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Stocks close mixed as tech pares losses


On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, the US stock market closed with mixed results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) slipped 0.4% or about 150 points. The benchmark S&P 500 ( ^GSPC) fell by nearly 0.2%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( ^IXIC) crawled above the flatline, in a reversal of earlier losses. The tech rally wavered after a Samsung profit warning took the shine off the sector. Samsung’s update weighed on hopes for a rebound in the PC and mobile sector, a key market for its memory chips. The Korean company said it expects a 35% drop in fourth-quarter operating income, far short of estimates, as demand continues to lag.

Investors are focusing on the December consumer inflation reading due Thursday and what it could mean for the chances of easing interest rates. Two Federal Reserve officials on Monday poured cold water on Wall Street’s already fading expectations that a cut could come in the next few months. The idea that inflation is cooling underpins investors’ belief that the US economy will skirt recession. That conviction faces a crucial test on Friday, when big banks kick off the fourth-quarter earnings season.

Oil prices ( CL=F) ( BZ=F) rose just under 2%, recouping some of Monday’s near 4% fall as investors weighed the impact of tensions in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia’s decision to cut crude prices.


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