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Canadians reassured to see military helping during local emergencies, Blair says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

OTTAWA — Defence Minister Bill Blair says Canadians want to see the military come to their aid during natural disasters, and the Armed Forces will remain a key part of the government’s response. “There is just something, I think, incredibly reassuring to Canadians when the Canadian Armed Forces show up and men and women in uniform are out in their communities and they’re sandbagging and helping people evacuate and get to safety,” he said in a recent interview. Blair, who was moved from the Emergency Preparedness portfolio to head up Defence in last month’s cabinet shuffle, has been involved in co-ordinating the federal government’s response to various disasters. Those included floods caused by an atmospheric river in British Columbia in 2021, wildfires that have raged across the country each summer and the devastation caused by Hurricane Fiona in Atlantic Canada last year. And the number of calls for help is rising.There used to be between five an...

Quebec court authorizes class action against new isolation system in federal prisons

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

MONTREAL — A Quebec Superior Court judge has authorized a class-action lawsuit on behalf of federal prisoners in Quebec who were held in segregation units for more than 15 days after November 2019.Lawyers for Daniel Fournier, the representative plaintiff, say he was subject to cruel and unusual punishment when he was held in segregation units for 40 consecutive days in 2019 and 2020, never knowing when he would be released back into the general population.The transfer “caused the plaintiff to experience symptoms of depression and increased anxiety attacks; he now requires psychological counselling,” Fournier’s lawyers Justin Wee, Justine Monty and Alain Arsenault wrote in their request for a class action.“Detainees placed in solitary confinement can suffer psychological and physical disorders that can be long-lasting and irreversible from the very first day of isolation,” they write. “Prolonged isolation has negative consequences on the detainee&#...

Provinces may have to agree to Ottawa’s 2035 clean power target to access funding

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal government is considering restricting billions of dollars in tax credits and grants for electricity projects to provinces that commit to the 2035 target for an emissions-free electricity grid.The federal budget already made clear the restriction would be in place for the new refundable 15 per cent clean electricity investment tax credit, which is for investments in non-emitting electricity production, storage and interprovincial transmission.But there are several other new investment tax credits for hydrogen production, clean technology and carbon capture and storage systems, worth tens of billions over the next 12 years. There is also at least $3 billion in grants for renewable electricity projects and technology upgrades to make the grid more efficient, and the federal government has promised to consider helping fund transmission lines inside provinces in certain situations.A new document released Tuesday by Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Environment M...

India’s opposition targets Modi in their no-confidence motion over ethnic violence in Manipur state

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s opposition accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of choosing silence while a northeastern state governed by his party convulsed in ethnic violence as Parliament began debate Tuesday on a no-confidence motion against his government that’s certain to be defeated.“If Manipur is burning, India is burning. If Manipur is divided, India is divided,” Congress party lawmaker Gaurav Gogoi said as he opened debate on the motion.For three months, Modi has been largely silent on the bloodshed in the remote state, which teeters on the brink of a civil war, and the opposition moved the no-confidence motion to force Modi to address the Manipur conflict from the floor of Parliament.He is expected to speak Thursday when the motion will be put to a vote. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled government holds a clear majority in Parliament, meaning the motion is certain to be defeated.Gogoi said the no-confidence motion was never about numbers, but about seeking justic...

Daily horoscope for August 8, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Taurus.Happy Birthday for Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023:You are versatile, multitalented and a perfectionist. You’re extremely disciplined. It’s important to stay flexible this year, because change is happening all around you. Let go of whatever impedes your progress. Be ready to act fast on new opportunities. Travel is likely.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★Today you feel confident, even assertive, about financial matters. You might decide to ask for a raise or figure out a way to boost your income. Or perhaps you will be proactive about buying something that is important to you. (Don’t go overboard.) Tonight: Protect your assets.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★You feel more courageous than usual today, which is why you will take the initiative, especially in making emotional contact with others. You know what is needed to make something happen. You also have the energy to start project...

House sales down in 2022 after increase in 2021

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

In 2022, the number of housing transactions, when compared with 2021, decreased in the majority of the 16 EU countries for which data are available. This decrease comes after an increase in nearly all countries in 2021 compared with 2020. The largest decreases in the number of transactions in 2022 were recorded in Denmark (-31.6%), Finland (-16.6%), the Netherlands (-16.2%) and Luxembourg (-15.1%), while the highest increases were registered in Cyprus (+27.4%), Ireland (+7.7%) and Spain (+6.0%).Since COVID-19 started, the housing market has been volatile. In 2020, there was a general drop in housing transactions due to lockdown measures, with only four (Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Austria) of the EU countries covered registering an increase in sales. This was followed by a period of growth in 2021, with sales going up in the 16 EU countries covered, except for the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The market was so hot in 2021 that 11 out of 16 countries with available data...

Miss Manners: My summer dresses make my boyfriend uncomfortable

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am extremely heat-intolerant, and I live in an area where I am reasonably comfortable 10 months of the year.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: My fiancee says she must have a diamond, despite my objection Advice | Miss Manners: Should we warn our guests about our house’s acoustic anomaly? Advice | Miss Manners: My co-worker said what I did was insulting, but I’ve never heard of this rule Advice | Miss Manners: We accidentally invited them to the wedding. How do we undo it? Advice | Miss Manners: Should I report my mother-in-law for her workplace crime? In July and August, however, I am basically housebound, as anything over 75 degrees can induce loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and extreme lethargy. I am essentially limited to A/C and swimming for those two months.My issue relates to my summertime clothing and my gentleman friend (I am a woman). The only ...

CHP finds $229,000 in stolen paint at Stockton warehouse

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

STOCKTON – The California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division on Monday announced the recovery of $229,000 in stolen paint.On July 31, members of the CHP’s Cargo Theft Interdiction Program found 48 pallets of Sherwin-Williams paint at a warehouse in Stockton, the CHP said in a social media post.The paint was originally stolen in Nevada and traced to Stockton, according to the CHP.The California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division’s Cargo Theft Interdiction Program recovered $229,000 worth of stolen Sherwin-Williams paint at a warehouse in Stockton on July 31, 2023. The merchandise was originally stolen in Nevada. (California Highway Patrol) “The successful recovery of this stolen cargo was due in large part to the excellent communication between CHP, allied agencies, and the private industry,” the CHP said.The CHP did not announce any arrests, but said the investigation remains ongoing.Check back for updates.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Attorney calls An...

Murals around DC mark anniversary of nuclear bombings in Japan

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

Murals of a manga-style comic strip popped up around the District over the weekend, with a heartfelt message to bring awareness to nuclear disarmament.The murals are part of the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s #CranesForOurFuture campaign that takes place each August, to remember the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on Aug. 6 and 9 in 1945.Mimi Hall, vice president of communications at NTI, told WTOP that those anniversaries are incredibly important to remember.“We’ve been very, very lucky that it’s been 78 years, and we have not seen an another nuclear detonation,” Hall said. “But our concern is that we’re on very thin ice right now that we were seeing threats from Russia, obviously, with respect to the war in Ukraine, we have nine countries with nuclear weapons, 13,000 nuclear weapons around the world.”The D.C.-based global security nonprofit worked with the Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace and the Hiroshima and Nagasak...

Man United manager Ten Hag has spent big and now the pressure is on to challenge Man City

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:37:27 GMT

The stakes are higher for Erik ten Hag in his second season at Manchester United. A year into one of the most daunting jobs in world soccer, the Dutch coach has spent big and made some even bigger calls. As a result, he is now expected to bring the good times back to United. While Ten Hag’s first season was a success on many levels, there were also blunt reminders of the work needed to be done to turn his team into a genuine Premier League title contender.He delivered his first trophy by winning the League Cup and also secured a return to the Champions League. There were notable wins against Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Barcelona, as well as a feel-good factor among supporters after a decade of decline since the retirement of United great Alex Ferguson. Under Ten Hag’s guidance, Marcus Rashford scored a career-best 30 goals. Those were the highs. At the other end of the scale there were humbling losses. United was routed 4-0 by Brentford, 6-3 by City and 7-0 b...