Leons Headlines Jan 7: BREAKING WEDNESDAY January 7 10am-US seizes 2 sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in North Atlantic, Caribbean, with one flying the Russian Flag. The White House will update the media in a press briefing set for later this morning.
-Brandon City Council is again considering a double-digit property tax hike for 2026 with an average 10.6–11.3% increase proposed to cover a $6.3M budget shortfall.
-Business update; Ollie’s Schnitzel House will close January 17, Nexgen (formerly Playtime Entertainment) has been sold with new owners taking over at month’s end & East 40 Packers opens a retail location at 700 Grandview Street.
-Pharmacare claims for Ozempic in MB quadruple over the past 4 years as popularity grows.
-Canadian travelers are expressing concern about Caribbean trips following the US strike on Venezuela as experts warn it may not be the best time to travel to the region.
-Trump says Venezuela will supply up to 50M barrels of oil to the US, a move analysts warn could cost Canada about $13B in exports, putting pressure on Canadian crude prices.
-PM announced Wednesday morning he will visit China next week, the first visit by a Canadian PM since 2017.
-Jets defenceman Fleury stretchered off, Vegas rallies to hand the Jets a 10th straight loss 4-3.
-Wheat Kings host the Red Deer Rebels tonight at 7pm.
Update from yesterday. Mickey Rourke is denying claims that he set up a GoFundMe to help pay his rent, saying the fundraiser was created without his involvement. The story went viral before Rourke publicly shut it down.
Double-digit tax hikes in Brandon. Double-digit tax increases are back on the table in Brandon, and public frustration is growing. What would actually make a tax hike feel fair to you?
School pick-up and drop-off by-laws. School pick-up and drop-off zones are becoming daily traffic flashpoints. Should cities bring in by-laws to manage the chaos, or is this just part of parenting life?
WestJet seating backlash. Yesterday it was Middle Eastern luxury airlines being praised, today WestJet is under fire for smaller aircraft seating. Social media is lighting up with complaints about shrinking comfort and value.
Fat-shaming on a WestJet flight. A passenger says he was fat-shamed on a WestJet flight, allegedly by a staff member, sparking backlash online. Have you ever been body-shamed by a stranger, and where should airlines draw the line?
Polymarket crypto gambler. An anonymous crypto gambler reportedly made $436,000 betting on the capture of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro just before it was publicly announced. The timing is raising questions about whether inside information from the U.S. operation was used.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2gn93292do
Butt Plug Bust?! A Toronto sex shop says it received letters from the U.S. Department of Defense asking it to stop sending sex toys to a naval base in Bahrain. The items were found inside returned packages, prompting confusion—and a very unusual warning from the Pentagon. Some find it funny, while others say its not uncommon to have strict rules around the world, with each country deciding what works for it’s citizens and what shouldn’t be allowed.
