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Thousands allowed back home, but officials say wildfires still leaving many displaced

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

People in parts of Alberta and British Columbia are returning home after wildfire evacuation orders were lifted Thursday.Thanks to recent rain and favourable winds, roughly 2,000 residents from Tumbler Ridge, B.C., were allowed to return home.An evacuation order was also lifted for the town of Edson, Alta., and surrounding area, allowing more than 8,000 to return. The ending of the order in Alberta comes six days after flames jumped fireguards outside the town 200 kilometres west of Edmonton and forced residents to get out.A statement on Edson’s website says residents should remain ready to leave with four hours’ notice, and an evacuation alert status will remain in place.Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says many people in Alberta, B.C. and Quebec have been able to return home, but thousands remain displaced due to fires across the country. Blair says rain and cooler weather have helped improve the fire situation significantly in the Maritimes and parts of Q...

RCMP working to confirm identities of 15 killed on bus heading to Manitoba casino

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

CARBERRY, Man. — Residents in Dauphin, Man., are anxiously waiting for word on the identities of 15 people killed in a fiery bus crash.Mounties say the group of mostly seniors was heading to a casino when the bus they were on crashed with a semi-trailer near the town of Carberry, west of Winnipeg.Ten people were also sent to various hospitals.RCMP say they are working as fast as possible to identify the victims and get information to their families.They say those on the bus were from Dauphin and the nearby area.Dauphin Mayor David Bosiak says everyone in the city of about 8,600 knows someone who was on the bus, and there’s a collective feeling of shock.The drivers of the bus and truck are among the survivors.RCMP Supt. Rob Lasson says it appears the bus was crossing the Trans-Canada Highway, heading south on Highway 5, when it was struck Thursday morning.He declined to speculate on the cause or circumstances of the crash, but said the investigation continues and criminal charg...

Supreme Court to rule on constitutionality of Safe Third Country Agreement

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s top court will deliver the final word Friday on whether the pact between Canada and the United States to control the flow of asylum seekers violates their fundamental rights.The Safe Third Country Agreement, which came into effect in 2004, recognizes Canada and the U.S. as safe places for potential refugees to seek protection.Under the agreement, refugees must seek asylum in the first of the two countries they land in, making it illegal to cross the border and seek asylum in the other country.Opponents of the treaty asked the top court to declare that the legislation underpinning the pact violates the right to life, liberty and security of the person, saying the U.S. is not actually safe for many asylum seekers.The Canadian government argued to Supreme Court justices that returnees have access to fair asylum and detention processes south of the border.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to expand the treaty in March so that it wo...

Temporary foreign workers need more paths to immigration, experts say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

TORONTO — As hotel and restaurant owners increasingly turn to temporary foreign workers to fill labour gaps, there are growing calls to give those workers more paths to permanent residency.“If there are particular occupations where there’s a real need and we’ve become dependent on temporary foreign workers … we should include them in a permanent system,” said Naomi Alboim, a senior policy fellow at Toronto Metropolitan University.While the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the labour picture for the accommodation and food service industry, the use of temporary foreign workers in the sector has been rising for years. According to Statistics Canada, their share of the workforce more than doubled from 4.4 per cent in 2010 to 10.9 per cent in 2020.That share is expected to keep rising as companies struggle to fill tens of thousands of jobs amid record low unemployment, pandemic-accelerated early retirements and workers leaving for other sectors, said Adrienne Foster, vice-presi...

Bulgarian authorities dismiss chief prosecutor amid anger over failure to tackle corruption

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has dismissed the country’s chief prosecutor amid public anger over his failure to tackle high-level corruption, the presidential press office said Friday.Radev signed a decree to remove Ivan Geshev from his post after the Supreme Judicial Council earlier this week voted to oust him for “undermining the prestige of the judiciary.” The decision referred to his remark during a news conference demanding the removal of “political trash” from Parliament.Geshev, 52, who was halfway into his seven-year term, had sweeping powers to oversee the work of all prosecutors. But since his appointment, he has faced protests by people accusing him of shielding corrupt politicians and businessmen instead of bringing them to justice.His appointment in 2019, when he was the sole candidate for the job, was believed to be the result of political backing by the then ruling GERB party. His dismissal now comes after a deal between GERB and its main poli...

Daily horoscope for June 16, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Gemini.Happy Birthday for Friday, June 16, 2023:You are both adventurous and cautious, as well as innovative and imaginative. You are often cutting-edge when it comes to life trends. It’s important to stay flexible. This year is slower-paced. It’s an opportunity to rejuvenate yourself and focus on personal relationships with extra kindness and concern.ARIES(March 21-April 19)★★★★★Today begins with a few challenges because you might feel critical of others this morning. “What’s wrong with this picture?” Fortunately, as the day wears on, your desire to socialize and have fun with others, especially kids, will increase. Accept invitations to party! Tonight: Busy conversations.TAURUS(April 20-May 20)★★★Financial issues might look dim this morning. You’re not happy. However, as the day wears on, you see interesting ways to improve your home and make it look m...

Putin says Russia thinking of ditching grain deal due to West's 'perfidy'

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday (13 June) that Russia was considering withdrawing from the Black Sea grain deal because the West had cheated Moscow by implementing none of the promises to get Russian agricultural goods to world markets.The deal, allowing Ukraine to resume seaborne grain exports, was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July last year to help tackle a global food crisis the UN said had been worsened by Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two.To convince Moscow to approve the pact, known by diplomats as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a three-year accord was struck at the same time under which UN officials agreed to help Russia with its own food and fertilizer exports.But Putin said that had not been implemented due to the perfidy of the West."We are thinking about getting out of this grain deal now," Putin told a meeting of Russian war correspondents and military bloggers."Unfortunately, we were once again cheated - nothing was done i...

Best of Portugal takes to Parc du Cinquentenaire for 9th edition

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

The 9th edition of the Best of Portugal will take place at the Cinquentenaire Park in Brussels this weekend (17/18 June).This year, more than 70 stands, 50 companies from Portugal, and 10 restaurants will welcome visitors.One of the main goals of the event is to promote the best that is produced in Portugal, especially its quality products, such as wines, olive oils, fruits and vegetables, honeys, cheeses, and sausages among other products in the agri-food chain.It is also intended to bring together the Portuguese community in Belgium as well as officials of the 27 Member States working in European institutions.It will be attended by representatives of the European agri-food sector, the Portuguese government and European institutions. The Douro Intermunicipal Community is guest of honour.Organized by the Confederation of Portuguese Farmers (CAP),the event also hopes to promote the Portuguese agri-food sector to Benelux exporters, mainly in the Belgian market.“Brussels is the do...

Miss Manners: I was hurt that her caffeine fix was more important than my child’s party

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was hosting my mother-in-law for the weekend for my daughter’s first birthday party, which I held at my house on a Saturday.I am a working mom who does a fair amount of overtime, both in and out of the home, but I still decorated extensively for the party and made all the food from scratch, in addition to planning homemade meals for my houseguests.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: A neighbor was inexcusably rude to our new acquaintance Advice | Miss Manners: Am I wrong to reply sarcastically to their terse texts? Advice | Miss Manners: The way this man sits bothers me no end Advice | Miss Manners: Is it just a verbal tic or is she insulting me? Advice | Miss Manners: I’m insulted when they imply my profession makes me a monster My mother-in-law told me in advance that all she needs to be happy is a steady supply of coffee. I tried to accommodate this to the best of ...

Dear Abby: I try to help my boyfriend meet people, but he’s resistant

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My partner, “Josh,” and I (we’re both male) have been together for two years. We met while living in LA and were fortunate to be accepted to grad schools in NYC.We’re not living together now as our schools are in different boroughs, but we see each other most weekends.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My husband’s only response is screaming or a death stare Advice | Dear Abby: He gets mad if I say his driving scares me Advice | Dear Abby: My wife is secretive about her meals out, and it makes me suspicious Advice | Dear Abby: This shoplifting incident may be the last straw for my marriage Advice | Dear Abby: How do I tell her I’ve been secretly cleaning her house? Recently, Josh has been trying to make more friends, as our social network seems more heavily skewed toward people from my circles (school, past work, etc.).I have the benefit of living on a grad...