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Massive Russian Strikes Cripple Ukraine’s Power Grid Ahead of Peace Talks

An employee works at a thermal power plant damaged by multiple Russian missile strikes, in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Russian forces launched a sweeping overnight assault on Ukraine’s energy network, striking multiple regions just hours before planned peace discussions. The barrage targeted major cities including Kyiv and Kharkiv, damaging power stations and transmission lines that millions rely on for heat and electricity during freezing winter conditions. Ukrainian officials reported widespread outages, with emergency crews working through the night to stabilize the grid. Residential areas were also hit, leaving civilians injured and prompting renewed concerns about the humanitarian toll of the conflict. The timing of the strikes has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian leaders, who argue the attacks are intended to undermine the upcoming negotiations and pressure Kyiv at the bargaining table. Despite the escalation, both sides are still expected to attend the talks, thou...

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Canada's Job Market Soars in December: 91,000 Jobs Added, Surpassing Expectations

 

Canada's economy experienced a remarkable surge in job growth in December 2024, adding an impressive 91,000 jobs, far exceeding economists' expectations of 25,000. This significant increase brought the unemployment rate down to 6.7% from 6.8% in November.

The job gains were primarily in full-time positions, with notable increases in educational services, health care and social assistance, finance, and transportation. The public sector saw the addition of 40,000 jobs, while the private sector added 27,000 jobs. Additionally, the number of self-employed individuals rose by 24,000, marking the first increase since February.

Despite the positive job growth, the average hourly wage rose by 3.8% year-over-year, a slight decline from previous months. Economists have noted that while the job market's performance was better than anticipated, there is still room for improvement, and further interest rate cuts may be necessary to reduce excess capacity in the economy.

Overall, the strong job market performance in December 2024 signals a positive end to the year and raises questions about the Bank of Canada's future interest rate decisions.



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