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Canadian governments, charities and citizens send aid to earthquake-stricken Morocco

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

MONTREAL — Hassaan Sheikh says that as his team distributes blankets and mattresses in Moroccan villages, they are told about bodies being discovered under the rubble of homes flattened by last week’s earthquake.Sheikh, a Vancouver-based aid worker with Islamic Relief Canada, says the “complete destruction” from the 6.8-magnitude earthquake makes clear how much help the country will need to recover.Federal and provincial governments, charities and Moroccan Canadians are mobilizing to help the North African country, which has reported more than 2,900 deaths and several thousand injuries after the earthquake struck south of the city of Marrakech last Friday.On Wednesday, federal International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen said the government would match donations — up to $3 million — made to the Canadian Red Cross’s earthquake relief fund over the next two weeks. The money will help the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement distribute life-savin...

Powerful explosion kills 4 Palestinians in Gaza. Israel says the blast was caused by mishandled bomb

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — At least four Palestinians were killed and 20 others wounded Wednesday in an explosion next to the separation fence along the Israeli frontier with Gaza, Palestinian health officials said.The cause of the blast wasn’t immediately known.The explosion took place during a demonstration along the fence marking the anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The event on Gaza’s eastern border was organized by Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has governed the territory since 2007.The Israeli army, which has fought four wars against Hamas, denied involvement. It said that demonstrators were trying to throw a bomb over the fence when the device detonated. It released an aerial video showing a blast along the fence. Debris flew into the air, and several people could be seen running away.Earlier in the day, participants held Palestinian flags and burned tires to celebrate the anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal. Suh...

Ontario education minister asks Peel board to halt library collection book removals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

Ontario’s education minister has told the Peel District School Board to immediately stop its so-called “weeding” of school libraries after concerns were raised about how the board is carrying out the process of assessing and removing older books. The move comes after critics say Peel school libraries have been removing books simply because they were published before 2008, based on board guidelines. Education Minister Stephen Lecce says it is “offensive, illogical and counterintuitive” to remove books from years past that educate students on history, antisemitism or are celebrated literary classics. The Peel District School Board did not respond to repeated requests for comment. An advocacy group made up of teachers, parents, students and school staff who are against the board’s weeding process says it appears the board asked its libraries earlier this year to remove fiction and non-fiction books published before 2008 while assessing collections through an equity le...

British soldier charged with 2nd-degree murder in Toronto

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

The British army says one of its soldiers has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Toronto.Toronto police said earlier this week that they charged Craig Gibson, of the United Kingdom, with second-degree murder in the death of a 38-year-old man in downtown Toronto.In response to questions about the suspect, a British army spokesman confirmed that a British soldier was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Toronto.Toronto police say they responded to calls of an assault a little before 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 28 in the Portland Street and King Street West area and performed life-saving measures on a man who had been assaulted.They say the victim, identified as Brett Sheffield of Manitoba, died in hospital the next day.The British army spokesperson would not comment further, citing the investigation by Canadian authorities.Police say Brett Sheffield, 38, died in hospital two days after the assault. Toronto police.

University of North Carolina lifts lockdown after reports of armed person on campus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has given the “all clear” after campus was locked down on Wednesday over reports of an armed and dangerous person on or near campus.The lockdown was in place for more than an hour. Students were told to “go inside now” and avoid windows. UNC’s media relations department did not immediately respond to email and phone messages seeking comment.UNC Health didn’t know of anyone brought to the hospital in connection with the lockdown, said spokesperson Phil Bridges.Students are still recovering from the fatal shooting of a faculty member in a science building about two weeks prior.UNC graduate student Tailei Qi, 34, is being held without bond on charges of first-degree murder and having a gun on educational property in connection with the shooting death of associate professor Zijie Yan. The state’s flagship public university was locked down for about three hours during the Aug. 28 police manhunt that resulted i...

Rebels kill 3 Indian soldiers and police officer in separate gunfights in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Three Indian soldiers and a police officer were killed in separate gunfights with rebels over the past two days in the mountainous Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, officials said Wednesday.Indian government forces launched a joint operation against the militants late on Tuesday in the Kokernag area of Kashmir’s Anantnag district. After a lull overnight, fighting resumed there on Wednesday, an army statement said. Two soldiers — a colonel and a major — and the police officer were killed, police said. Officials did not comment on any militant casualties in Kokernag. The second gunfight erupted in the district of Rajouri, a highly militarized area close to the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. It left a soldier and two militants dead, the army said in a statement Wednesday. Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety.Rebel groups have been fighting sinc...

CTA to host career fair for bus operators, mechanics this Friday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

CHICAGO — For the second time in as many months, Chicagoland residents seeking jobs are invited to attend a Chicago Transit Authority career fair this Friday at the company's headquarters. CTA is again looking to hire bus operators and bus mechanics – with a starting hourly wage of $28.65 for bus operators and $41.90 for bus mechanics – at their career fair at 567 W. Lake St. Fallen CFD Lt. Kevin Ward laid to rest Wednesday New hires will receive paid training, benefits and a $1,000 bonus.“Now is a fantastic time to join us at the CTA, and move our city forward,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “With CTA's financial incentives for new hires, our positions are highly competitive and even more attractive to prospective employees, especially those who are interested in career growth.”  Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesClick here to register.The September 15 career fair runs from 1-4 p.m.

Free tablets, internet access offered to Gary students

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

GARY, Ind. — The Gary Community School Corporation on Wednesday announced that all students within the district are eligible to receive a tablet with free internet service.GCSC's participation in a student technology program, Community Eligibility Provision, spearheaded the opportunity. Students can use the tablets for homework and other classroom applications to improve learning.Read more: Latest Northwest Indiana news headlines“We support one-to-one devices for all our students in the district inside the classrooms,” said Darrell Riddell, Director of IT for the Gary Community School Corporation. “This program allows families to keep the devices and have access to the internet 24-7 even through the summer.”GCSC serves most students who reside in the Gary area. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesClick here to apply.

What are the side effects of the new COVID booster?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have approved new COVID-19 vaccines for nearly all Americans as virus-related hospitalizations have been on the rise. While it has been recommended for everyone 6 months old and older, the side effects you experienced with the first COVID vaccines may have you on your heels about getting another dose. Unfortunately, there isn’t much hope of that changing this time around. The main mix of ingredients remains the same in these new COVID vaccines, according to the Food and Drug Administration, but they have been updated to better target an omicron descendant, XBB.1.5. Though that mutant isn’t as prominent now, experts believe the vaccine will still prove effective against current mutations. The lack of major changes to the vaccine also means your body’s reaction to it likely won’t change. “The updated vaccines are made in the same manner as the original vaccines; however, they are tweaked to target curr...

Who shouldn't get the new COVID booster?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:36 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended new COVID-19 boosters for nearly all Americans. The new COVID boosters are expected to be made available to everyone 6 months old and older this week. Despite the broad recommendation, there are some people who may want to think twice about getting the shot. Among those who should not get the vaccine are, most obviously, those younger than 6 months old. The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved a vaccine dose for the youngest Americans. CDC panel recommends new COVID booster: When can you get it? If you were unable to receive an early COVID vaccine because of an allergy to a component of the shot, you should do the same with this booster, according to Dr. Kristin Englund, an infectious disease physician at Cleveland Clinic. The same is true if you experienced a severe allergic reaction like anaphylaxis after a previous dose. "However, some people may still be able to receive a different ...