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Humanitarian Aid on Trial in Greece

  File photo: Migrants from Afghanistan is towed by rescuers of the Refugee Rescue NGO, on the island of Lesbos, Greece. Twenty-four humanitarian aid workers have gone on trial in Greece, facing felony charges of migrant smuggling, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization . The case, unfolding on the island of Lesbos, targets former volunteers of the now-defunct NGO Emergency Response Centre International (ERCI) , which operated search-and-rescue missions between 2016 and 2018. Among the defendants are Sarah Mardini , a Syrian refugee and professional swimmer whose story inspired the Netflix film The Swimmers , and Seán Binder , a German-Irish rescue diver. Both were arrested in 2018 for their involvement in helping migrants and refugees arriving by sea from Turkey. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison . Greek prosecutors allege that the group facilitated illegal entry into the country by monitoring coastguard communications and relaying ...

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Ontario PCs Unveil $40-Billion Platform, Promise to Eliminate Alcohol Floor Price

Ontario's Progressive Conservatives, led by Doug Ford, have unveiled a campaign platform promising up to $40 billion in new spending. This announcement comes just three days before the provincial election. The platform includes several previously unannounced measures, such as a $5-billion Protect Ontario Account to counter potential U.S. tariffs, $705 million to expand STEM and skilled trades training at post-secondary institutions, and $50 million to support modular housing technology.

One of the most notable promises is the proposal to eliminate the minimum retail price for liquor. Currently, the minimum price for a 750-millilitre bottle of vodka is set to rise to $31.15 this weekend. Ford argues that removing the floor price will save consumers money and put more money back into their pockets, likening it to a tax break.

The platform, however, does not include a full costing breakdown of how these promises will be funded. Ford defended the absence of detailed cost estimates by citing his government's track record of fiscal responsibility over the past seven years.

As the election day approaches, voters will have to weigh these ambitious promises against the potential impact on the province's budget and economic stability.


: [Source 1](https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/ontario-pcs-make-40b-in-platform-promises-pledge-to-axe-floor-price-for-alcohol/ar-AA1zEG0C)

: [Source 2](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/doug-fords-pcs-promise-40b-174158783.html)

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