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Written by Hanna Lee Copy Editor, Digital News
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Good morning. A woman's identity was stolen in a CRA hack — and she says the agency has shown little interest in pursuing the hacker. We'll get into that below, and then look at how the U.S. blockade is starting to hurt Iran's economy, and why call centre agents are worried that AI will soon replace their jobs.
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FEATURED STORIES
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(Jon Castell/CBC)
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This woman’s identity was stolen in a CRA hack. Why hasn’t the imposter been charged in her case?
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B.C. nurse Leslie Warner has been seeking justice for years against the impostor who stole her identity in 2020. But she says the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) seems uninterested in pursuing the fraudster.
What's happening: The hacker claimed Warner had moved to Alberta and then hacked into her CRA account, receiving a bogus refund in her name. Though she was able to prove she was a victim of identity theft, Warner says the agency's criminal investigations branch has never contacted her about tracking down the guilty party. Meanwhile, she's learned that the impostor could be known to authorities in Alberta, after an Edmonton-area woman named Christina Cherpak was recently charged with using Warner's identity in an unrelated alleged fraud.
Why it matters: Warner believes the CRA has all the information it needs to begin its investigation into her case, but she has seen no signs of it happening. (In a statement, the agency said it wouldn't discuss which cases its criminal investigations branch would be taking on. Cherpak's lawyer didn't respond to a request for comment.)
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How the U.S. blockade is starting to hurt Iran's economy
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The U.S. naval blockade on Iran, effectively cutting transport in and out of Iranian ports, is starting to hurt the country's economy.
What's happening: Oil production in Iran has slowed, while its currency has hit record lows against the U.S. dollar, and mass layoffs have been reported. But the big question is whether those effects will be enough to force the regime to give into the Trump administration's terms for a peace deal, which would include previous dealbreakers like ending its nuclear enrichment program.
Why it matters: The blockade has been effective because the Iranian regime is highly reliant on revenues from oil exports, said Edward Fishman of the Center for Geoeconomics at the Council on Foreign Relations. But analysts don't agree on how long it will take for the economic damage to peak. It mainly depends on how much crude oil the country managed to get out to sea before the blockade began, and how much oil it can store before it runs out of room and has to start shutting down wells.
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As AI creeps into telecoms, call centre agents worry they'll be replaced
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Some call centre agents at Telus fear for their jobs, as AI takes on an increasing presence in their workplace.
What's happening: Telus has a suite of internal AI tools, including a "co-pilot" that one B.C. employee says they are required to use on phone calls. The employee, who has worked for the company for more than a decade and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said she is concerned she's training a system that will eventually take her job.
Why it matters: Michael Phillips, head of the Local Steelworkers 1944 which represents 3,200 Telus workers, says he frequently hears similar concerns from call centre employees. It comes as concerns about AI agents taking jobs grow globally, with major tech companies investing heavily in the technology.
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