PICKERING/DURHAM

1. (CTV News Durham) Pickering Man Faces Nearly Two Dozen Charges in Child Sexual Assault Case

A 63-year-old Pickering man is facing nearly two dozen charges after Durham police allege he sexually assaulted two children on multiple occasions. Investigators say the alleged abuse occurred over an extended period. The man remains in custody pending a bail hearing.

2. (CTV News Durham) Whitby Pharmacy Manager Charged With Sexually Assaulting Teen Employee [Better not to touch another person at all, even innocently…FULL STOP]

A pharmacy manager in Whitby has been charged after allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old male employee. Durham Regional Police say the investigation began after the teen came forward to family members. The accused has since been released on conditions ahead of a future court date.

3. (Durham Regional Police Service) Arson Investigation Underway After Fire Guts Oshawa Funeral Home

Durham police are investigating a deliberately set fire that damaged a funeral home in Oshawa on September 15. Fire crews contained the blaze before it could spread to neighbouring businesses. No suspects have been identified, and anyone with information is asked to contact investigators.

4. (Durham Regional Police Service) Port Perry Man Charged in Hate-Motivated Bat-Swinging Incident

A 38-year-old man is facing charges after allegedly swinging a bat and yelling racial slurs at people in a Port Perry park. Witnesses called police, who located and arrested the man nearby. The incident is being investigated as a hate-motivated crime.

5. (INdurham) Pickering Awards Design Contracts for $15-Million City Centre Park

The City of Pickering has awarded design contracts for a new $15-million park at the heart of its developing city centre. The space is expected to include green areas and public gathering spots to anchor the growing downtown. Construction timelines will be finalized once the design work is complete.

CANADA

1. (CTV News) Canada-U.S. Trade Talks Remain Stalled as Import Bans Loom

Prime Minister Mark Carney says negotiations with Washington remain frozen after talks collapsed on August 21, accusing U.S. negotiators of trying to “wipe out Canadian industries or make them subsidiaries.” Carney says Canada will not resume serious talks until the Americans return with a more reasonable offer. Retaliatory Canadian import bans on select U.S. goods are set to take effect September 29.

2. (CBC News) Mail-In Ballot Requests Surge Ahead of Alberta’s October 19 Referendum

More than 500,000 Albertans have applied to vote by mail ahead of the province’s October 19 referendum on whether to begin the legal process toward a future vote on separation from Canada. Elections Alberta says the volume of special ballot requests is unprecedented for a provincial vote. Recent polling continues to show a majority of Albertans favour remaining in Canada.

3. (CBC News) Cost of Living Dominates as Quebec Election Campaign Heats Up [And they can do nothing about it either]

Quebec’s party leaders faced off in their first televised debate this month ahead of the province’s October 5 general election, clashing over the economy and Quebec’s future. Cost of living and immigration have dominated the campaign trail, with the sovereignty-seeking Parti Québécois leading in recent polls. Premier François Legault’s CAQ has been on the defensive over its record.

4. (CBC News) Ontario College Faculty, Including Durham College, Vote for Strike Mandate

Faculty at Ontario’s two dozen public colleges, including Durham College, have voted 79 per cent in favour of a strike mandate as contract talks continue. The union says the vote gives it leverage at the bargaining table but does not mean a strike is imminent. Classes are continuing as negotiations proceed.

5. (CTV News) Final Summer Weekend Gives Way to Autumn Across Ontario

Ontarians enjoyed a milder-than-expected final weekend of summer, as forecasters revised earlier rain predictions after high pressure pushed wet weather south of the Great Lakes. Highs reached the low 20s under mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. Autumn officially begins September 23, with showers expected to return by midweek.

INTERNATIONAL

1. (Al Jazeera) Turkey Pledges Defence Support to Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Escalation

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says Ankara is ready to help meet Saudi Arabia’s military needs as Houthi forces intensify missile and drone strikes on Saudi cities and energy infrastructure. The offer tests the new Mecca Joint Defence Alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, signed in August. The escalation marks the most serious fighting since a UN-brokered truce in 2022.

2. (Al Jazeera) Israeli Strikes Kill Palestinians in Gaza, Including Health Official’s Son

At least three Palestinians, including an 8-year-old girl and the son of Gaza’s health ministry director general, were killed in Israeli strikes across the territory. The deaths bring the toll since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire began to more than 1,300. Gaza’s health ministry says one child on average dies daily from ongoing Israeli military action.

3. (Al Jazeera) Zelenskyy Approves New Long-Range Strikes as Russia Intensifies Attacks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has approved new long-range operations against Russia after meeting with military commanders, though he gave no further details. The move follows renewed Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukrainian targets. Both sides have exchanged escalating threats in recent days as the war grinds on.

4. (Washington Post) Federal Reserve Raises Rates as Chair Warsh Warns Inflation Fight Isn’t Over [“Fight?” What fight? Govts can do nothing about it. So we just….PAY, PAY PAY]

The Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark rate to a range of 3.75 to 4.00 percent, with Chair Kevin Warsh, a Trump appointee, calling it a “sober decision” needed to combat persistent inflation. The move came despite public pressure from President Trump to cut rates. Warsh has signaled the central bank may still have “work to do” to bring inflation under control.

5. (Al Jazeera) White House Bars CNN, MS NOW and Politico Reporters From Press Access [AmeriKa’s dictator will shut off the press completely…soon and AmeriKans won’t even be able to report about it] 

The White House confiscated or deactivated press credentials for reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico after President Trump accused the outlets of publishing “fake news.” All three organizations say they will defend their First Amendment rights, and the White House Correspondents’ Association has condemned the move. Press freedom advocates call the action a direct threat to press access in the United States.

THE LIGHTER SIDE

1. (Global News) Innisfil Plumber Becomes “Friggin’ Millionaire” With $25-Million Lotto Max Win

Stanley J., a 40-year plumber from Innisfil, Ontario, is celebrating after his Lotto Max ticket won a $25-million jackpot. He initially thought his phone alert showed $25,000 before realizing the true amount. Stanley plans to buy a lakefront home, hunt for a classic car and help support his daughter and granddaughter.

2. (CTV News) 12 Years in the Minors, Blue Jays’ Rudy Martin Jr. Finally Gets His Call-Up

After 12 years grinding through the minor leagues, 30-year-old outfielder Rudy Martin Jr. has earned his first call-up to the Toronto Blue Jays. Originally a 25th-round pick by Kansas City in 2014, Martin brings speed and contact hitting rather than power, posting a strong batting line across 91 minor-league games this season. His promotion offers a bright spot for Blue Jays fans in the season’s final stretch.

3. (CTV News) Big Rigs Roll Through Ottawa to Bring Smiles to Kids at CHEO

Construction crews and heavy equipment operators paraded their biggest rigs past CHEO on Saturday for the sixth annual Construction Community Cares event. Families lined the hospital’s ring road to watch cranes, dump trucks and excavators roll by, organized to bring joy to young patients and their families. The event also supports children at the Roger Neilson House children’s hospice.