By Canadian Press

In the news today, Sept. 6

Sep 6, 2019 | 4:22 AM

Four stories in the news for Friday, Sept. 6

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CANADA’S ANDREESCU ADVANCES TO US OPEN FINAL

Canada’s Bianca Andreescu will attempt to make Canadian tennis history in the US Open women’s singles final on Saturday. Andreescu’s two set win over Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic Thursday night put her in the final against the 37-year-old Serena Williams, who will be trying to win her 24th Grand Slam title and tie the all-time record held by Australia’s Margaret Court. The 19-year-old Andreescu is looking for the first major title of her career, in her first US Open main-draw appearance. It would also be the first-ever Grand Slam singles title by a Canadian.

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Downtown Business

Downtown business thriving amid concerns

5h ago

IWAU kicks off for its ninth year

6h ago

Wanted Wednesday

Man with ties to Prince George wanted for possession of stolen property in South Okanagan

8h ago

CANNABIS PRODUCER LAYS OFF 180 WORKERS

An Ontario cannabis producer is laying off about 180 people. The cuts come after CannTrust Holdings ran into repeated regulatory problems with both its product and how it was produced.  Ontario’s government cannabis retailer has returned almost three million dollars worth of cannabis and the company is being investigated by Health Canada for growing the crop in unlicenced rooms. The company says it’s moving to address those issues.  The layoffs represent about 20 per cent of the company’s work force.

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B.C. MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO KILLING WIFE, DAUGHTERS

A man wept as he pleaded guilty Thursday to killing his wife and two young daughters days before Christmas in 2017. Jacob Forman entered guilty pleas in B.C. Supreme Court to a second-degree murder charge in the death of his wife Clara Forman and first-degree murder for the deaths of seven-year-old Karina and eight-year-old Yesenia. Their bodies were found in the family’s home in Kelowna, B.C. Crown attorney Murray Kay said he’d seek consecutive sentences, while defence lawyer Raymond Dieno said he would ask the court for concurrent sentences. Outside court, Dieno said Forman killed his family as he was going through an extreme case of alcohol withdrawal.

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WHAT MAKES A CAPTIVATING BIOPIC? TIFF DIRECTORS WEIGH IN

Filmmakers are mining the biographies of movers and shakers for projects presented at the Toronto International Film Festival. This year’s TIFF menu is packed with heavy-hitters in the genre, including “Judy” with Renee Zellweger portraying Hollywood icon Judy Garland in the final year of her life; “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” with Tom Hanks as children’s TV host Fred Rogers and “Dolemite Is My Name” in which Eddie Murphy plays comedian Rudy Ray Moore. Over the past year, biopics have even proven to be Oscar-worthy and stolen the show — “Bohemian Rhapsody,” about Queen frontman Freddie Mercury being a notable example.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS:

— The Canadian Hurricane Centre provides an update on Hurricane Dorian.

— Statistics Canada to release its labour force survey for August.

— Marijuana Business Daily holding its annual MJBizConInt’l cannabis industry conference in Toronto until Sept. 6.

— The International Economic Forum of the Americas hosting the Toronto Global Forum under the theme “Navigating a World of Disruption.”

— Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan in Surrey, B.C., to announce funding in support of multiculturalism and anti-racism initiatives.

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The Canadian Press