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Patrice Runner, 57, of Canada was convicted in June of multiple counts of defrauding ‘millions of older and vulnerable Americans’A Canadian conman, who swindled more than US$175m (C$241m) from his North American victims through “a massive psychic mass-mailing fraud scheme” has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.Patrice Runner, 57, who holds citizenship with both Canada and France, was convicted by a jury in...

This live blog is now closed. You can read our latest stories on the total eclipse below:If you missed today’s total solar eclipse just wait … until 2044Millions across US, Mexico and Canada witness rare total solar eclipseFirst contact is when the moon’s outer edge first appears to touch the sun, creating the beginnings of a partial eclipse and a crescent sun reducing in...

Almost 32 million people in the path of totality as moon’s shadow crossed the Mexico-Texas border and then traversed 15 statesIf you missed the total solar eclipse just wait … until 2044Total solar eclipse over Mexico, US and Canada – in picturesThe ethereal spectacle of a total solar eclipse swept across North America on Monday afternoon, giving tens millions of people in Mexico, the...

‘If the United States threatened to suspend aid, maybe my son would be alive today,’ John Flickinger told the US secretary of stateWhen the US’s top diplomat called with condolences over the killing of John Flickinger’s son in the Israeli airstrikes on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza, Flickinger knew what he wanted to say.The grieving father told Antony Blinken, the US...

Rare celestial event on Monday will see the moon block out the sun for a few minutes and day turn to night, with fans hoping the clouds don’t spoil the viewAcross the US, Mexico and Canada, people have rushed to stake out spots to witness a rare total solar eclipse, while forecasts for cloudy skies worry some hopeful spectators.The phenomenon happens when the moon...

Total solar eclipse on 8 April will be first to touch province since 1979, and Niagara Falls is declared one of the best places to viewThe region of Canada surrounding the city that contains a side of – and shares a name with – Niagara Falls has declared a state of emergency as it prepares to welcome up to a million visitors for the...

Washington hopes more countries will join US, UK and Canada in signing agreement to define, identify and label such operationsA global coalition of democracies is being formed to protect their societies from disinformation campaigns by foreign governments, the US special envoy on the issue has said.James Rubin, the special envoy for non-state propaganda and disinformation efforts at the US state department’s global engagement centre...

Weather system brings heavy rainfall, strong winds and mudslides. Elsewhere, Nova Scotia declares state of emergencyDuring the first week of February two storms hit California in quick succession, both featuring intense precipitation thanks to the “pineapple express” atmospheric river.Atmospheric rivers are long narrow channels of very moist air that flow through the atmosphere, transporting impressive amounts of water vapour that eventually fall as heavy...

Private equity firm Onex Corp partly owns company that makes mask for use in untested nitrogen hypoxia execution methodA Canadian company is facing criticism for allegedly supplying the equipment for a state execution in the United States, in a case that has drawn outrage for the reliance on a seemingly untested method of execution.On Thursday, Alabama plans to kill inmate Kenneth Smith by suffocating...

At least 24 reports of adverse events related to products recalled in December but no illnesses confirmed linked to foods, FDA saysThe Quaker Oats Company has added two dozen additional types of granola bars, cereals and snack foods to a December recall over possible salmonella contamination.The company, which is owned by PepsiCo, announced the additional recall in the US and Canada on Thursday. Continue...

Extreme cold warning issued in Canada as US forecasters warn of wind chills in Texas and major snow in midwest and east coastA “bitter” blast of cold Arctic air is set to bring dangerously frigid temperatures to swaths of North America, forecasters have warned.In Canada, frigid Arctic air is being pushed from the Northwest Territories down into the province of Alberta, where Environment Canada...

Temperatures could be 10-15C below seasonal average in some areas, with Calgary and Edmonton experiencing low of -30CArctic air will sweep across western Canada and parts of the US early this week, leading to a cold snap that will probably last through the rest of this week and possibly beyond.By Wednesday, temperatures in western Canada could be as much as 10-15C below the seasonal...

State will be first to import drugs under federal program that Florida governor says could save consumers $150m in first yearA public health policy that won rare backing from both the Biden and Trump administrations looks ready to open a flow of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada to Florida, ending a decades-long block on the importation of certain pharmaceuticals to the US.The federal Food...