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Southeast Asian nations renew alarm over Myanmar violence. But diplomats can’t settle on a solution

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Southeast Asian foreign ministers renewed their alarm over — and condemnation of — air strikes, artillery shelling, and other acts of deadly violence in Myanmar, but struggled Friday to overcome differences on how to address the prolonged civil strife.The Myanmar crisis was high on the agenda when top diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met Tuesday and Wednesday in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. The 10-nation bloc includes Myanmar, but its foreign minister was again barred from attending this week’s meetings due to the military government’s failure to comply with a five-point emergency plan drafted to ease the violence.ASEAN has been trying to enforce the plan it forged with Myanmar’s top general in 2021, which calls for an immediate end to the violence, the start of talks brokered by a special envoy among contending parties, and the delivery of aid to displaced villagers. But Myanmar’s military government has done little to enforce ...

In the news today: Tornado hits Ottawa suburb, work resumes at B.C. ports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…Tornado hits Ottawa suburban neighbourhood, damaging 125 homesEmergency crews are cleaning up an Ottawa suburb after a tornado touched down with little to no warning.Residents were shocked while looking at the remains of totalled fences, blown-out windows and ripped-off roofs that were scattered across Half Moon Bay, a neighbourhood in the Barrhaven suburb.Environment Canada confirmed that at least one tornado had hit the Ottawa area just after noon, later confirming that a a tornado also touched down in Mirabel, Quebec, north of Montreal.Work resumes at B.C. ports after tentative deal is reached to end strikeCargo is once again flowing into British Columbia as port workers return to the job, after a tentative deal has been struck between the workers union and the Employers association.The strike, that had halted cargo movements for 13 days and prompted fears t...

Putin says Russian mercenary group has no legal basis so ‘doesn’t exist’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Wagner private military company “simply doesn’t exist” as a legal entity, in comments adding to the series of often bizarre twists that have followed the group’s abortive revolt last month — the most serious threat to Putin’s 23-year rule amid the war in Ukraine.“There is no law on private military organizations. It simply doesn’t exist,” Putin told a Russian newspaper late Thursday, referring to the Wagner group.Putin recounted to Kommersant his own version of a Kremlin event attended by 35 Wagner commanders, including the group’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on June 29. That meeting came just five days after Prigozhin and his troops staged a stunning but short-lived rebellion against Moscow authorities.The meeting was revealed earlier this week by a Kremlin official.Putin said that at the talks, Wagner rejected an offer to keep its troops in Ukraine, where they have played key battlefield roles, under the leadership of their ...

Lamar Johnson’s 1st Emmy nod made Toronto mom beam with pride

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

TORONTO — Actor Lamar Johnson says receiving an Emmy nomination is a testament to the hard work he’s put in since starting out as a self-taught dancer on theCanadian TVO kids’series “Pop It!” before landing roles worthy of the highest esteem. “I want to show people that a guy from Scarborough can dream big and have integrity while doing it,” said Johnson who on Wednesday earned his first Emmy nod in the guest actor category for a role in “The Last of Us,” the critically praised HBO horror-drama about a zombie pandemic.“The first person I told was my mother and she was screaming because she knew the time I’ve put in my craft since I was a young dancer…we’re all just seeing what it took to get here and it’s been incredible.”He attended Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts, which led him towards dancing as a professional and the artistic milestones he’s reaching today. He’ll compete for an Emmy against fellow “The Last of Us” cast...

Canadian police, emergency agencies consider adopting Meta’s Threads

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

As tens of millions of people begin using Threads, Meta’s rival to Twitter, police and emergency response agencies across Canada are considering embracing the new text-based app. For years, Twitter has been a go-to source for the media and the broader public to get real-time information from public agencies, especially on situations that impact safety. Threads has launched during a turbulent time for Twitter following its takeover by billionaire Elon Musk, whose leadership has compelled some users to look for alternative platforms.  Some Canadian public agencies are already on Threads, but many others said they were still considering whether to launch an account. The early adopters include police services in Calgary and Edmonton. Edmonton Police Service spokesperson Carolin Maran said the force “has a Threads account and is currently developing a strategy for its ongoing use,” adding that its Twitter accounts “will remain active.”The RCMP also said it w...

White House details ‘extreme heat strategy’ amid blistering temperatures in U.S.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

WASHINGTON — Crippling heat waves are an annual fixture in the United States — but it’s not every day the White House announces a detailed strategy to confront them. So far, it’s been an extreme-weather summer across the continent: brutal heat, a barrage of tornadoes, flooding in the U.S. northeast and an unprecedented wildfire season in Canada.This weekend in the U.S. promises to be no different, with temperatures in California’s record-setting Death Valley predicted to reach a scorching 52 C. That’s why the Biden administration is introducing what it calls an “all-of-society response” to help manage a challenge it says is only getting worse. In Ottawa, the federal government is also getting ready with a strategy geared towards helping the most vulnerable, including older Canadians, Indigenous communities, inner-city residents and people who work outside.  The U.S. plan includes new research centres to help underserved communities prepare for fut...

Emergency visa applications for Ukrainians fleeing war to end Saturday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada is expected to close applications for temporary emergency visas offered to Ukrainians fleeing Russian aggression Saturday — but hasn’t announced whether it plans to offer long-term refuge.Canada launched the emergency visa after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year as millions of people fled the embattled country. The visa is available to an unlimited number of Ukrainians and allows them to work and study in Canada for three years while they figure out their next steps. Those who’ve come to Canada using the emergency visa aren’t given refugee status in Canada, and instead are considered temporary residents. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser extended the program in March as the war stretched into its second year. The extended application period ends July 15.More than 1.1 million people have applied and more 800,000 visas have been approved as of July 1, though only about 21 per cent of the visa holders have actually come to Canada.Ukrainians who ...

Aspartame a ‘possible’ carcinogen but evidence limited, WHO says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

TORONTO — The Canadian Cancer Society and Health Canada are reviewing the World Health Organization’s classification of aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic.”The WHO released findings on Thursday evening from two expert panels saying there is limited evidence that the artificial sweetener could be associated with liver cancer. But they also said that aspartame is still considered safe to consume at the current recommended daily limit. Health Canada and the WHO recommend the same daily limit of 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of body weight.Dr. David Ma, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Guelph, says a person weighing 70 kilograms would have to drink about 15 cans of diet pop a day to exceed that daily limit. The WHO is recommending further research on aspartame to determine more definitively whether or not it causes cancer. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2023.Canadian Press health coverage receives suppo...

Work resumes at British Columbia ports after 13-day strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

VANCOUVER — British Columbia port workers are back on the job after a tentative agreement was reached between the employers association and the workers union, ending a 13-day-old strike.A B.C. Maritime Employers Association spokesman says work at the Port of Vancouver began yesterday at 4:30 p.m. with 120 workers to be dispatched overnight, ramping up to 500 by 8 a.m. today.The association says it reached a four-year agreement with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada.The union, which represents 7,400 workers in the job action that began July 1, has not yet commented on the pact. The agreement is subject to ratification by members of both the union and the maritime employers, and no additional details on the deal have been released.Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan said Thursday that the strike that had snarled trade worth billions was over and thanked both sides.But he and Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in a statement that the extent of the disru...

Black Restaurant Week aims to showcase diverse cuisines, uplift Black business owners

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:52 GMT

TORONTO — It’s the authentic Jamaican jerk chicken, curry goat and oxtail dishes that restaurant owner Stacy Porter hopes will get you in the door of her Scarborough eatery.After some struggles coming out of the pandemic, she’s optimistic she can win over people’s support for years to come through the tastes of Caribbean cuisine. Porter’s restaurant, Stacy’s Island Flavor, is one of around 20 participating in the third edition of Black Restaurant Week in the Toronto area, which kicked off July 7 and runs through Sunday.The event aims to promote Black-owned culinary businesses and food professionals unable to afford costly marketing campaigns on their own through complimentary public relationsservices. It’s also meant to educate consumers on the abundance of cultural cuisines within their neighbourhoods and the disparities faced by racialized business owners.Porter said it can be challenging to promote the type of dishes she offers. Despite rave reviews ...