News of the day: Senators say new arena project is making progress; Why did executives pepper public servants with invitations to retire?; Abandoned 14 years ago, Syrian embassy now falling into disrepair

Three Ontario byelections delivered status quo results on Thursday night, with the Progressive Conservatives holding two ridings and the NDP retaining the third. The victories in York-Simcoe and Hamilton East-Stoney Creek were a bounce-back of sorts for Premier Doug Ford, who suffered a string of dismal poll results in the spring after the ill-fated purchase of a private jet for his travels and an MPP expense scandal. Ford’s popularity has jumped recently after he took a leading role in a very public fight with U.S. President Donald Trump over tariffs and trade. Jeff Beattie, a...