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Smoky conditions help B.C. fire fight, causes Metro Vancouver air quality advisory

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

As Metro Vancouver is being warned about the risk of particulates in the air from wildfire smoke, those battling blazes in the central Okanagan say the smoke is helping their cause.The Metro Vancouver Regional District remains under an air quality advisory as a result of smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning across the province.An estimated 30,000 people are under evacuation orders in the province because the blazes, including the 110-square-kilometre McDougall Creek fire burning on both sides of Lake Okanagan.After crews were able to make progress fighting the fire on Sunday, Kelowna Fire Chief Travis Whiting told a press conference he expects they’ll continue to spend today taking advantage of good weather to go into neighbourhoods and extinguish fires around homes and create a “guard.” Whiting said that while the amount of smoke in the air has been “tough” it is reducing the sun’s intensity, which helps in the fight.The Metro Vancouver Regio...

Another company of soldiers deployed to N.W.T to help with wildfire fight

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

YELLOWKNIFE — Defence Minister Bill Blair says another company of soldiers is being deployed to Hay River in the Northwest Territories, which has been evacuated for more than a week due to a threatening wildfire nearby.Blair announced the deployment to the town located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake in a tweet yesterday afternoon, saying it will bring the number of soldiers who are helping the territory around Hay River and Yellowknife to around 400.N.W.T officials say a fire that’s forced the evacuation of Yellowknife didn’t grow much yesterday and still remains about 15 kilometres away from the capital, but the fight is expected to become more difficult as temperatures rise this week.Fire information officer Mike Westwick says it has been challenging for crews to suppress fires with winds shifting regularly, which means they have to change their attack strategy.Premier Caroline Cochrane says she has spoken with several federal ministers, including Prime Ministe...

Rogers wants option to launch TTC service before deals struck with other carriers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

TORONTO — Rogers Communications Inc. says it should be allowed to add cellular service for its own customers in the Toronto subway network without waiting for an ongoing dispute with its rival carriers to be resolved.In a filing to Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada earlier this month, the telecommunications company said it “strongly opposes” a measure the department is considering that would prevent it from giving its customers first access to the upgraded wireless network. It was among three options floated in July by Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.The minister, whose portfolio includes responsibility for wireless licences, launched a consultation process last month in a bid to speed up negotiations among major carriers after Rogers bought the existing wireless network and signalled plans to further build it out earlier this year.But Rogers remains at loggerheads with Bell Canada and Telus Corp. over the ideal technical approach t...

Recently shuffled Liberal cabinet is meeting in Charlottetown this week

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

CHARLOTTETOWN — The Liberal cabinet is in Prince Edward Island’s capital this week for a retreat as it gets ready for the next sitting of the Parliament. It’s expected the housing crisis will be the central topic for ministers as they sit down to discuss their government’s priorities. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said this summer’s cabinet shuffle was meant to signal a new focus on the economy and affordability. The authors of a recent national report on housing will be in Charlottetown to brief cabinet ministers on their findings and on what needs to be done. Ministers will also hear from the founder of the Generation Squeeze think tank from the University of British Columbia about ways to help young Canadians who are feeling economic despair as prices rise. MPs will be back in the House of Commons on Sept. 18.The cabinet comes after days of wildfires in the Northwest Territories and B.C., with that province having declared a state of emergency.On Sunda...

Daily horoscope for August 21, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT today (1 p.m. to 5 p.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Libra into Scorpio.Happy Birthday for Monday, Aug. 21, 2023:You like to fit in and get along. Nevertheless, you attract attention to yourself. You know that self-belief is the basis for your happiness. This year is the end of a nine-year cycle, which means it’s time to let go of people, places and things that are holding you back.ARIES(March 21-April 19)★★★Be smart and begin this week in a gingerly fashion. For starters, there is a Moon Alert today. (Check out these restrictions.) In addition, power struggles with partners and close friends might take place. Well, almost certainly. Fortunately, you’re good with challenges. Tonight: Secrets.TAURUS(April 20-May 20)★★Tread carefully, because ego battles with co-workers or people related to your job, your health or your pet might happen today. It won’t be pleasant. Try to avoi...

Peer review report on Portugal now online

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

Eurostat is pleased to announce that another peer review report within the third round of European Statistical System (ESS) peer reviews — the peer review report on Portugal — is now publicly available on Eurostat’s dedicated web page and on the web page of Statistics Portugal.The report was produced following the peer review visit to Portugal by a dedicated team of four experts, including one from Eurostat. The visit took place from 19 to 23 September 2022 in a face-to-face format.The peer reviews of national statistical systems are conducted by external experts (from both inside and outside the ESS) and follow the same methodology. This includes the completion of self-assessment questionnaires by several statistical authorities followed by a peer review visit. The results are a peer review report containing expert recommendations for improvement, and an action plan to address these recommendations that is developed by the national statistical institute of the reviewed country.The ...

Enough with the Political Farce of the US “Stopover”

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

This week, Lai Ching-te, the lead candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the 2024 local elections of China’s Taiwan region, had “stopovers” in the US. Under the pretext of “stopover”, Lai Ching-te sneaked a visit to the US to campaign for the election in the Taiwan region, and solicit US support for words and actions of “Taiwan independence”. When in the US, Lai Ching-te clamored about the fallacy of “Taiwan independence”. His claim to maintain “the cross-strait status quo” is in essence to create “one China, one Taiwan”, and seek external support for the separatist agenda.Lai Ching-te has openly described himself as a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence”, attacking the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus and proposing egregiously wrong remarks such as “building up Taiwan’s deterrence”. He is an out-and-out “Taiwan independence” separatist. Driven by selfish gains, Lai has no scruples to betray the greater national interests and Taiwan compatriots, and ...

Bangladesh: The Scars of 21 August 2004

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

Photo courtesy: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Nineteen years after the violent explosions at a political rally that claimed the lives of 22 people and left more than 200 injured, with many maimed for life, it is time to revisit the tragedy. There is a clear need behind such a revisit, given that since the appalling occurrence of 21 August 2004, nothing was done by the then government by way of an investigation of the crime to show that the guilty would be punished - writes Syed Badrul AhsanAt the time the tragedy occurred, a political government dominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its rightwing ally the Jamaat-e-Islami was in power. Strangely enough, the government demonstrated little inclination toward taking the issue seriously and indeed appeared to be creating an entire ground to have crime take a back seat to everything else.Murder of Ivy RahmanWhat became clear in August 2004 is that the grenade explosions that rocked the public rally of the Awami L...

Miss Manners: Our friend doesn’t have a husband but she still wants the big bedroom

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We occasionally travel on vacation with our couple friends. One of our friends lost her husband to an illness. We, of course, still wanted her to join us.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: Shouldn’t I be the one to decide if my kid is being rude? Advice | Miss Manners: The bride told me to lie to her fiance about why I can’t be ‘best woman’ Advice | Miss Manners: How do I tell them I won’t serve the fancy dessert they brought? Advice | Miss Manners: They come to my house and yell at my dog Advice | Miss Manners: Why are parents miffed at me? They’re the ones who spell the kids’ names wrong. We stay in rental houses rather than hotels, because they are located where we want to be, and it’s so much nicer to have a common space where we can visit. We divide the cost of the house per person, so the singleton pays half of what a couple doe...

Dear Abby: I was taken aback by her appearance, and I hope my face didn’t give me away

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:55 GMT

DEAR ABBY: I buy pet food from a small local pet shop. (The store does not sell animals, only food and supplies. I support pet adoption.) I’m a regular customer and have been on a first-name basis with the owner for several years.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My husband justifies his behavior by saying he doesn’t like boys Advice | Dear Abby: I find it obnoxious when my boyfriend preaches that I’m going to hell Advice | Dear Abby: Our neighbors are such narcissists. How do we deal with this? Advice | Dear Abby: My neighbor is too noisy but I’m the one catching flak Advice | Dear Abby: Is it weird that I think this actress could be my sister? When I went to buy my dog’s food the other day, the owner was wearing a scarf to cover her head. She has always had shoulder-length hair. It was obvious that she’s ill. (I suspect breast cancer.)I didn’t know what to do...