Latest news with #Martin
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Chamber of Commerce GM shares findings from recent Washington visit
Before heading to Washington, D.C. for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce's U.S. mission, Stratford and District Chamber of Commerce general manager Aaron Martin shared with the Times that he was focused on getting perspective. Gratefully, over the two-day trip on June 10-11, Martin got just what he was looking for. After the chamber's annual general meeting on June 19, Martin shared what happened over the course of the mission to the chamber's membership. Because most events were held under Chatham House rules (a governing set of rules that dictates that members can talk about what was discussed but couldn't attribute what as said to specific people), most of what he said was in generality. Still, the mission provided answers to some of the questions Martin and the wider local business community had. One startling fact was that most of the U.S. proponents were quite open about the fact that economically the trade measures the current U.S. administration has implemented (like across the board tariffs) are not helpful for either the U.S. or its partners, though it played well with U.S. President Donald Trump's base and that was the main driver for why they were implemented. 'The Americans want a sacrificial lamb,' Martin said. 'And the two things that kept coming up was timber and dairy … If they did attack either timber or the dairy bit, they wouldn't economically benefit from it, but the political basis that they get from it – they want to make sure they're getting a win for their loggers, they're getting a win for their farmers. And that's where they're really going for this. 'The American public also hasn't felt the impacts of tariffs yet,' Martin went on to say. 'So when this was all started … a lot of companies started doing front loading, where essentially they would buy everything they could and stock up their warehouses. A lot of people estimate that'll last for around a year, after which point you'll start to see issues in pricing. Prices will rise because the tariffs will actually come into effect. 'This can be an opportunity for the Canadian government to get a better negotiation with this. As the American consumer feels the squeeze more and more with the tariffs, they'll have more political pressure pushing the other way … If the Canadian government can hold out to then there's a real chance that (Republicans) will lose the House (of Representatives).' One point that Martin said was agreed upon across the table was China's abuse of the current trade system, using it to pit countries against each other. China, while not necessarily a boogeyman of the mission, was prevalent in every discussion that was had. Martin also said that there was more than one representative from Alberta in Washington during the mission that openly expressed support for secession. This was aside from the purpose of the chamber's mission, but Martin felt it was something worth sharing with the group. 'I think that's something that's been brought up in the media, that this is a non-issue. Nothing's ever going to happen. We have to ensure that Albertans, the average Albertan, doesn't feel they're getting the raw deal that they are feeling, that Confederation is to their benefit and that they want to be a part of it. We need to be unified here. And I think belittling the way they're feeling isn't the way to go forward.' Overall, Martin called the experience very eye-opening and encouraged anyone with further questions to reach out to him and the chamber, which continues to monitor the international situation and its local impacts in Perth County and area. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Rangers officially miss out on major summer transfer target as deal ‘100% done'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RUSSELL MARTIN is moving quickly to kickstart his Rangers revolution ahead of the club's crucial Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos next month. The former Southampton and Swansea boss has already brought his old Norwich pal Max Aarons to Rangers on loan for the season, while Lyall Cameron has linked up with his new manager and team-mates after penning his pre-contract from Dundee earlier this year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Russell Martin has several targets already lined up Credit: PA 2 First summer signing Lyall Cameron arriving at Auchenhowie for his first training session Credit: Kenny Ramsay Martin still wants at least a couple of more bodies in the door before the season officially gets underway in just a matter of weeks. One area he's looking at is a new winger to replace Vaclav Cerny who has returned to his parent club Wolfsburg after spending last season in Glasgow. Martin did have a promising player lined up to take the Czechia international's place in the Gers first team. However, the manager will need to change his plans after seemingly losing out on the race to sign him. The player Martin wanted to sign was Kwame Poku, who was Peterborough United's Player of the Year last term following a standout campaign in EFL League One. He was also named in the division's Team of the Season after he scored 12 goals and provided eight assists in 27 league outings. The 23-year-old is out of contract this summer and Rangers were one of the many clubs that expressed interest in signing him. At one stage it looked like Poku had all-but sealed a stunning move north of the border to become one of Martin's firs recruits in Scotland. The ship has since sailed, though, as we told you last week how he was closing in on a switch to Queen's Park Rangers instead. Now transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed the deal is now official and he's set to be unveiled as Julian Stephan's first signing after taking over as boss at Loftus Road this week. Sir Sean Connery's secret £1 MILLION investment in Rangers revealed Delivering the major update on social media, Romano wrote: "🔵⚪️✍🏻 Kwame Poku has signed in as new Queens Park Rangers player right now. All sealed. Deal 100% done. Excellent addition for QPR." It's a major blow for the Light Blues as Martin now has less than a month to land another target before the first Champions League showdown against the Greek giants. Rangers will host the first tie on July 22 and the return leg has been scheduled for the following week on July 30. They face Club Brugge in their first pre-season friendly on Sunday, July 6. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Martin Lewis issues urgent ATM alert to all Brits on holiday
The Money Saving Expert has warned holidaymakers to be wary of a certain charge if they are planning on withdrawing cash while abroad A finance guru has urged holidaying Brits to be vigilant of superfluous charges that could leave them out of pocket. MoneySavingExpert, Martin Lewis, has highlighted that withdrawing cash abroad might set you back as much as €7 per transaction. In an age where plastic and smartphone payments are soaring in popularity, many opt to travel light, sans cash. Yet, there remain situations abroad where hard currency proves essential. Accessing funds via foreign ATMs is usually straightforward, but here's the catch – hidden fees can accriliate on each withdrawal. On his highly acclaimed website Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis has shed light on these crafty extra costs. These fees are levied not for the currency exchange but merely for the service of obtaining your money. And these costs can fluctuate wildly between different machines. Martin cautioned: "Beware overseas ATM charges. Don't think they're all the same, and watch for scare tactics.", reports the Express. He notes the troubling trend of being charged by the machines themselves on foreign soil. "It's becoming more common for the actual cash machine to charge you when abroad. There's no way around this, but don't assume all ATMs charge the same." Martin recounted personal encounters with highly variable ATM fees from his travels. "A couple of years ago, I did a cash machine experiment when I was filming abroad, and as part of it, often found ATMs within 200m of each other with withdrawal fees ranging from €2 to €7," he declared. "While the €7 fee machines did sometimes offer better exchange rates, that's irrelevant, as you should SAY NO to the foreign bank doing the conversion - you want your UK card to do it (especially if you've a specialist card)." Do not heed the ATM's attempts to persuade you otherwise. Martin explained: "Foreign ATMs don't like that. They'll push and try to scare you to let them convert for you, with an 'are you sure?', or 'are you really sure?' if you select the option they don't want (as they make less money). "Yet still say no to currency conversion. Do that and the only thing that matters is the fee, so go for the cheapest one of those." However, his overall advice is to procure any necessary foreign currency before your trip. "In general, it's a safer bet to get cash beforehand, as you can research the very cheapest rates, but you're blind to what's out there, and especially in tourist resorts, you may find poor rates and limited competition," he concluded. "I'm not saying overseas bureaux can't undercut UK ones, but they'd need be very cheap to beat the UK's cheapest, and it'd be rare to randomly stumble on that. The exception is if you know of a specific super-cheap bureau, for example, you go to the same place every year. Then absolutely, if you know what you're doing, wait."
Business Insider
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Parents will do anything for their kids — even tracking down a Labubu
She first noticed the plush monsters with toothy grins dangling from kids' belt loops. Carly Anderson, 45, had discovered the Labubu craze. She was truly initiated into the obsessed fandom when she was gently laughed out of the Pop Mart store at her local mall for trying to buy one of the coveted toys in person. While she stood morosely by a Pop Mart vending machine, a "nice gentleman" gave her tips and a list of third-party stores where she might find a monster, she said. After 20 hours of legwork and around $180, she tracked down three of the little monsters at third-party sellers and local stores. What drove the obsession? Love. "Everybody jokes, 'Oh my gosh, who spends all this time looking for a Labubu?' But for me, this is much more about my daughter — seeing that she's excited about something, and I want to get excited about that thing with her," Anderson said. They've bonded and brainstormed over places they can try to acquire a Labubu, and have more time to devote to the hunt now that school is out for the summer. Anderson has also experienced a strange side effect afflicting other parents: She's grown to find the monsters endearing. "I have to say, at first I did not understand them at all and I thought they were so ugly, but somehow now I want one too," Anderson said. "I don't know what happened." Anderson is part of a new class of Labubu seekers: The parents, grandparents, and guardians conscripted into the hunt and became endeared to the little monsters along the way. Labubus first skyrocketed to popularity in Asia, where consumers clamored to get the snaggle-toothed monsters and adorn their bags with them. Their popularity has reached all corners of the globe, with Americans, Brits, and South Koreans all fiending to get their hands on the collectible. That's led to a feeding frenzy on the Pop Mart website, app, and reseller groups. To get a Labubu is no easy feat; it requires knowing when they'll drop on the app, on TikTok live, or — in very rare cases — if and when they'll make an appearance in a physical storefront. There's a whole online world of tricks for trying to get a Labubu. Behind those computer screens, Discord chats, Reddit posts, and Facebook groups are parents and grandparents desperate to get their hands on one of the fuzzy creatures. Some parents are now in the Labubu game for themselves: Lora Martin, 41, has been trying her best to get an authentic Labubu, but, in the meantime, acquired a knockoff, called a " Lafufu," that she's named Lil Debbie. "They're strictly for me. These collectibles are for me. I'm not ashamed to say it," Martin said. "It may sound selfish and weird, but I'm 42. I've worked hard and I love these kinds of things. I've been a collector my whole life; this is nothing new." She said that her kid, who also enjoys collecting things, isn't interested in Labubus; after all, as she noted, Labubus are explicitly marketed to adults. Her son, 5, is more interested in things like Bluey. Martin now has a Labubu from a reseller on the way. 'It's the crazy things we do for our kids' On the other end is Mia Ponzo, who used to hate Labubus. Then she found herself waking up at 4:30 a.m. every day for a week to get one. Ponzo is a grandmother based in Kuwait. She first became aware of the cultlike following that has sprung up around the fuzzy monster dolls through Hermes Facebook groups. She noticed that her fellow Hermes fanatics were posting about dangling the trendy creatures, which come adorned with a key ring, on their bags. "I initially thought they were the most disgusting things on earth, and I was like, 'who the hell would put this stuff on their bag, why would you ruin a beautiful Hermes bag with a Labubu?'" Ponzo said of the Hermes-to-Labubu pipeline. But then, "I don't know, the whole thing started to grow on me." Ponzo had been on the Labubu hunt for her granddaughter, who would only settle for a pink one. She woke up early to try to snag one when China-based Pop Mart drops a select few on its website; by chance, she ended up being able to order a full set of Labubus off of Pop Mart's Thailand website, but hasn't had success on the US-based site. In the meantime, she's gotten hooked on the thrill of the chase. She's now deep into everything Pop Mart and has three Labubus of her own, although she's drawn a line in the sand: "I would never put one on a bag. I don't think so. I don't even wear regular Hermes charms anymore." Meanwhile, Kellie Crawford, a 49-year-old mother in Pennsylvania, recently found herself conscripted into what she's deemed the great Labubu hunt. Her daughter went down a rabbit hole after encountering the monsters on TikTok, even going so far as to create an Excel spreadsheet and index cards on how best to acquire one. While her daughter was trying to game the system, Crawford found herself Labubu backchanneling: She posted on Facebook groups, tried to meet people locally, and did all that she could to secure a Labubu for her daughter's 16th birthday. "It was crazy. I think several parts of my life are just gone because of the time spent sitting trying to tap on a box and watching a clock tick down," Crawford said, referring to the Pop Mart virtual game that is often one of the easier routes to get a Labubu in a cart. She added: "It's the things we do for our kids. It's the crazy things we do for our kids." Finally, she found one on eBay for not too high of a markup, and bought it as a surprise. Before it arrived, her daughter finally purchased the exact same one through Pop Mart. Crawford had to come clean: The same one was already en route. "I was excited for her, but I felt like I burst her bubble a little bit," Crawford said. Then, they suddenly realized what this means: Now Crawford and her daughter could have twin "Labuskis" — the nickname her daughter has coined for the toys. "We have it dressed, and mine — I guess it's now my Labubu — is named Tilly Snack Pac Labuski," Crawford said. "She's the cutest thing, to be quite honest." jkaplan@
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Triple killer's alarm went off at 1:10am as he had grim job to do
Christian "Kit" Martin was a decorated military veteran and commercial pilot who murdered three of his neighbours - his sickening early morning plans shocked loved ones Wearing his PSA Airlines uniform, pilot Christian "Kit" Martin certainly made an impression as he marched towards the departure gate at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky on 11 May 2019. The ex- army major, boasting a distinguished 30-year military career, was all set to captain a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, for PSA, an affiliate of American Airlines. However, upon reaching the security checkpoint to board the early morning service, Martin's day took a dramatic turn – he was halted by police officers. Onlookers were shocked as Martin was handcuffed, arrested, and escorted away in full view of the public. His days in the cockpit were abruptly over. READ MORE: Disturbing text sent by former Olympic athlete before he strangled wife and hid body underwater He was accused of a horrific crime: the triple homicide of three neighbours. This marked a staggering descent from honour to infamy, and for Martin, things were about to get even grimmer as his history loomed large. Rewind four years, and Martin found himself in Pembroke, Kentucky, amidst personal chaos. Despite a celebrated career piloting helicopters for the army, his life was unravelling. His marriage to wife Joan had crumbled, leading to a venomous split. To add insult to injury, Martin uncovered that Joan had been legally tied to another man when they exchanged vows in 2004. Joan would later face charges of bigamy, resulting in a five-year "pretrial diversion" sentence, essentially a probationary period. In retaliation, Joan levelled accusations against Martin, painting him as domineering and abusive. Joan, leaving the family home with her son from a previous relationship, was assisted by neighbour Calvin Phillips, who lived opposite. Despite no evidence of an affair, Martin suspected Joan and Calvin were romantically involved, leading to heated accusations. During the move, Calvin and Joan stumbled upon a military computer and discs they believed held classified information, which they handed over to the police. Martin faced a court martial and potential army discharge, accused of mishandling classified data and sexual abuse charges. Calvin, aged 59, was set to testify at the court martial. Martin, vehemently denying all allegations, claimed his ex-wife fabricated the charges to "ruin him" following their split. On November 18, 2015, a burnt-out car was discovered in a Pembroke cornfield. The intense fire initially concealed the two bodies inside. The victims were identified as Calvin's wife Pamela, 58, and Edward Dansereau, 63, another neighbour. Their deaths were ruled homicides, with both suffering multiple gunshot wounds. The vehicle was traced back to Pamela's residence, where police were horrified to discover another gruesome crime scene. Pamela's husband Calvin was found dead in the basement, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The murderer had attempted to incinerate his body without success and had closed the cellar doors in an attempt to conceal the crime. A triple murder investigation was subsequently launched. Who could possibly want to kill these three neighbours? Investigators quickly unearthed that Calvin was scheduled to testify at Martin's court martial just a few weeks after his death. Was Calvin murdered to prevent him from testifying, and were the others killed to obscure the real target? By placing Pamela and Edward's bodies together, it could appear as though they were engaged in an affair. Did the murderer plan to move Calvin's body before it was found to frame him for the murders? However, despite thorough investigations, there was no evidence linking Martin to the murders and the case went cold. Martin faced his court martial as scheduled but without Calvin as a witness. Martin was found guilty of mishandling classified information and child assault. He received a 90-day prison sentence and was discharged from the army. Martin relocated to North Carolina and started anew. In early 2018, he secured employment with PSA Airlines. However, back in Pembroke, Calvin and Pamela's family remained resolute in their quest for justice for them and for Edward. The case was reopened after investigators were urged to do so and new evidence was presented. The Phillips family discovered a spent bullet shell casing near the cellar door on the back porch of Pamela and Calvin's home. They were puzzled as to how it had been overlooked years earlier when the police had thoroughly searched the crime scene, but they also found a set of Martin's dog tags on a shelf in the house. BULLET CASING The bullet casing was found to match a gun owned by Martin. Investigators could also now place Martin's mobile in the area where Pamela and Edward's bodies were discovered. Finally, there was sufficient evidence to charge him. In May 2019, Martin was apprehended at Louisville Airport, just moments before he was due to board a flight. Following his arrest, Martin was still dressed in his uniform when his mugshots were taken. Immediately, Martin denied any involvement in the deaths of his neighbours. He maintained that he was at home with his girlfriend - who is now his fiancée - at the time of the murders. She supported him and would testify that they were together at the time of the killings. As the trial neared, Martin's ex-wife Joan invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid giving testimony. In court this year, the prosecution alleged that Martin shot Calvin in his home on the morning of 18 November 2015, to prevent Calvin from testifying at his court martial. He disposed of the body in the cellar and attempted to burn it. When Pamela returned from her job at a bank, he also killed her by shooting her in the head. He also shot Edward in the head. Was Edward simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was his death a cover-up for the real target? Martin denied any involvement in the murders, leaving the question unanswered. Regardless, both Pamela and Edward became unintended victims. Following the murders, Martin set his alarm for 1.10am to transport Pamela and Edward's bodies to a field three miles away, where he torched their car. A neighbour heard the explosion, and the fire nearly reduced the car to ashes. In June 2021, following a two-week trial, Martin was convicted on all charges. He was found guilty of three counts of murder, along with charges of burglary, arson, and tampering with evidence. During the sentencing, the victims' family shared their memories. Matt Phillips, son of Calvin and Pamela, described his mum as warm-hearted and kind, while his dad was outgoing and full of energy. He referred to them as "direct opposites" but perfectly suited for each other. "They're just gone," he expressed. "And the concept of home, where you go for Thanksgiving or for Christmas, or just to go home, this concept of home has been taken. It's gone." Edward's daughter, Erin, informed the court that her father was a professional jazz pianist and a "passionate lover of life". "His spirit was infectious, and his spirit made everyone feel like they were loved," she said about her father. "If you were lucky enough to form any kind of relationship with him, it meant he loved you. There were no grey areas. You had a loyal friend for the rest of your life." The judge agreed with the jury's recommendation of life imprisonment without parole. Martin's legal team announced they would appeal. Despite his efforts, Martin couldn't salvage his reputation. And three innocent lives were lost.
