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Both union, government warn of major service disruptions as a result of strike

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s largest federal public-service union and Ottawa are both warning of likely service disruptions as nearly one-third of all federal workers remain on strike.The job action taken by members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada could amount to a complete halt of the tax season, slowdowns at the border and pauses to new EI, immigration and passport applications.In one of the largest strikes in Canada history, government workers walked off the job as of 12:01 a.m. ET Wednesday, hitting the picket lines at some 250-plus locations across the country.The bargaining groups involve some 155,000 federal public servants, including 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency staffers and about 46,000 essential workers who are not part of the strike action.The union is asking for a 13.5 per cent raise over the next three years, saying the increases are necessary to keep pace with inflation and the cost of living.The Treasury Board and the CRA both say they have offered the union a nin...

MPs tout supply management as fix for poor countries, aim to shelter from trade deals

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

OTTAWA — Members of Parliament are rallying to bolster Canada’s system of protecting dairy and poultry prices amid trade deals, and suggest developing countries do the same.The House of Commons trade committee is set to undertake its final, detailed review Thursday of a Bloc Québécois bill aimed at tying trade negotiators’ hands so that new deals don’t chip away at the system that controls quotas and prices for certain industries.Since 1972, Ottawa and the provinces have regulated the supply and cost of eggs, dairy and poultry through steep tariffs on imports, with slight tweaks for trade deals in the last decade that have drawn the ire of Canada’s powerful agriculture lobby.The legislation would make it harder for negotiators to give ground on a system that proponents argue keeps a stable supply of goods and protects farms, but which detractors say drives up the cost of grocery bills and leads to farmers dumping millions of litres of perfectly good milk.In a...

Some U.S. cities may offer model to ease Canada transit violence: experts

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

TORONTO — As Canadian cities look for ways to combat violence on public transit, experts say strategies south of the border that combine law enforcement, social supports and community engagement could offer new solutions. Violence on transit has captured national attention in recent weeks – a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed on a Vancouver-area bus last week, a man had life-threatening injuries after his throat was slashed on a Surrey, B.C., bus earlier this month, and a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack at a Toronto subway station in March.Those high-profile cases were among many other instances of aggression on transit in several cities. Transit agencies and police have been working to understand what’s driving the violence, with some pointing to the pandemic as a factor. Experts say some American cities have taken a multi-pronged approach to violence on transit, addressing issues like housing, mental health and substance abuse in parallel with ...

Study: Climate change causing more ‘heat stress’ in Europe

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Europeans, particularly in the south of the continent, are being subjected to more heat stress during the summer months as climate change causes longer periods of extreme weather, a study published Thursday shows.The European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said comparisons of data going back over decades show record heat last year resulted in hazardous conditions for human health.“Southern Europe experienced a record number of days with ‘very strong heat stress,’” defined as temperatures from 38 to 46 degrees Celsius (100 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit), it said.The number of summer days with “strong” (32 to 38 Celsius) or “very strong” heat stress is rising across the continent, while in southern Europe this is also the case for “extreme heat stress” days above 46 Celsius, Copernicus said.“There is also a decreasing trend in the number of days with ‘no heat stress’,” it added.Heat stress is increasingly viewed as a significant issue ...

K-pop star Moon Bin found dead at home

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

Seoul, South Korea (AP) — Moon Bin, a singer from South Korean boyband Astro, was found dead at his home in Seoul, his management agency said Thursday.The 25-year-old was reportedly found by his manager who went to the singer’s home Wednesday evening because he wasn’t responding to contacts. Police are investigating his death but have so far found no signs of foul play, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. Officials at Seoul’s Gangnam district police station did not respond to calls for comment. Moon Bin’s management agency, Fantagio, confirmed his death in a statement, saying that he “suddenly left us and became a star in the sky” and that fellow artists and company officials were mourning him with “very deep sadness and shock.”Fantagio said Moon Bin’s funeral will be held “as quietly as possible,” with the attendance mostly limited to family, close friends and colleagues, based on the wishes of his relatives.Moon Bin debuted in 2016 with the six-member boyband Astr...

RRPD: 2nd bomb threat in 2 days ends; device not explosive

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) – Round Rock Police said late Wednesday night a second bomb threat in two days at the same residence ended. Police said at 11:30 p.m. that "the object has been determined to not be an explosive device" and there was no danger to the public. Round Rock PD asked anyone with information to call them at 512-218-5500 or submit anonymous tips online. Round Rock Police Department said at approximately 9:24 p.m., officers were responding to the residence. On Tuesday, officers responded to the same residence at approximately 8:30 p.m., the tweet said.RRPD said Tuesday's incident turned out to be a hoax. However, for the safety of everyone involved, officers treat every threat as credible until proven otherwise, according to RRPD.

The Wizards’ basketball boss job is now open. Expect to hear Timberwolves’ Tim Connelly linked to it

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

The Timberwolves are in the midst of a first-round playoff series at the moment, but their basketball boss’ name popped up in the news for different reasons Tuesday.The Wizards announced the firing of president and general manager Tommy Sheppard after the team failed to reach the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.“A search for new leadership will begin immediately for an executive from outside the organization,” Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said in a statement.What does that have to do with Timberwolves’ president of basketball operations Tim Connelly? Well, his name was immediately linked to the gig as soon as news broke of its availability by a number of national outlets Tuesday. And it’s easy to see why. The Wizards’ top basketball position was last available in 2019.Connelly, then the basketball boss in Denver, met with Leonsis to discuss the opening back then, and was reportedly offered the job before ultimately deciding to stay with the ...

Daily horoscope for April 20, 2023

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Taurus.Happy Birthday for Thursday, April 20, 2023:Once inspired by a goal, you will follow it. You are charismatic, which allows you to influence others. You like to work with your hands. Simplicity is the key to life this year for you. Take charge of your health. Stay grounded and levelheaded. Build or construct something.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★This might be a tough day, because you are dealing with friends and members of groups who might challenge you. Or perhaps you are the person challenging them. This clash might concern money or possessions and who controls what. It’s not casual. Tonight: Money decisions.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★Today you might find yourself at odds with parents, bosses or even the police. It might be a clash of wills or a power struggle. Or possibly you are confronted in such a way that you see that you have to give up something or stop doing something ...

Copernicus: European State of the Climate 2022

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

Unprecedented extreme heat and widespread drought mark European climate in 2022. The Copernicus Climate Change Service today releases its annual European State of the Climate (ESOTC) report, detailing the significant climate events of 2022 in Europe and across the globe. These data-driven insights show rising temperatures and intensifying extreme events, and give an overview of 2022’s climate in a long-term context.Key findings for Europe:Europe experienced its second warmest year ever recorded Europe saw its hottest summer on record Much of Europe suffered intense and prolonged heatwavesSouthern Europe experienced the highest number of days with ’very strong heat stress’ on recordLow rainfall and high temperatures led to widespread droughtCarbon emissions from summer wildfires were the highest in 15 years, with some countries seeing the highest emissions in 20 yearsThe European Alps saw a record loss of ice from glaciers There was a record number of sunshine hours for EuropeKey fin...

Miss Manners: People say unpleasant things when we bring our kids to adult parties

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:52:31 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My wife and I got married five years ago and have two children. One is 3 and the other is 1½. We have many older friends whose children have grown up and moved out.We have been invited to parties at some of those friends’ houses, and, as we cannot really afford a sitter, we have brought our kids with us. This is usually received with comments such as, “I see you brought the little terrors with you.”I feel that this is a very rude thing to say. I do not know a polite way to respond that also clearly says that I love my children and do not appreciate them being insulted. How should I respond?GENTLE READER: Insulting your children is certainly rude, although Miss Manners notices you conveniently skipped over your own rudeness in bringing them where they were not invited. (Otherwise, why offer the justification of exorbitant child care costs?)There would be no need to respond had the original conversation gone something like: “I’m so sorr...