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From hoses and shovels to water bombers: how wildfires are being fought across Canada

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

MONTREAL — The techniques used to put out the wildfires that are burning across Canada vary somewhat depending on geography, but ultimately they depend on people on the ground with hoses and shovels digging out hot spots one by one, experts say.As of midday Thursday, there were 430 fires burning across Canada, including 235 that were out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.Regardless of how many fires there are, the tactics to put them out remain largely the same, involving a combination of air attacks and firefighters working on the ground, said a longtime firefighter and former member of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ fire program.Dave Cowan, who now trains new recruits with the private company Fire 1, said that while aircraft can help stop a fire’s advance, the hard work of putting it out is always done at ground level.“The water bombers are a great support system, but they’re not going to put the fire out,” he ...

Canada sought use of European Union compound in Kabul for fingerprinting, reneged

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada requested use of the European Union’s compound in Kabul to help with tasks such as fingerprinting for those fleeing Afghanistan, according to documents obtained by The Canadian Press.Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly made the request on Jan. 20, 2022, according to documents obtained through an access-to-information request.“Minister Joly asked EU High Representative (Josep) Borrell about the possibility for Canada to co-locate with the EU in Kabul, in order to conduct biometric screening from their premises,” reads a July 2022 briefing note.The document says the EU replied in early April 2022, offering space for two Canadian officials in the compound “on the condition that biometric screening be performed in a third location managed by the Government of Canada.”It notes that one month later, senior bureaucrats for Global Affairs Canada “determined that it would be very difficulty to proceed with the EU offer.”That may be ...

Poor air quality from fires expected to continue for at least a couple days

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

Smoke and flames continue to engulf much of Canada, with Alberta imposing new evacuation orders, Manitoba bracing for heavy, lightning-generating thunderstorms and high wildfire risks and poor air quality from coast to coast.Air pollution from wildfires remained well above healthy levels across much of southern and northern Ontario and several communities in British Columbia and Alberta.Forecasters expect moderately bad air quality on Friday and Saturday throughout most of Ontario.Meanwhile, Alberta issued two evacuation orders for Yellowhead County in the province’s northwest and an evacuation alert for Grande Prairie County. The worst air in that province is near Fort Chipewyan, which remains on an evacuation order as a fire burns out of control. Wood Buffalo and Grande Prairie also have high risk air quality forecasts.Moderately bad air quality is forecast for Edmonton and Calgary on Friday.In British Columbia, air quality was expected to improve almost everywhere in the pr...

Ottawa girl set to become the youngest university graduate in Canadian history

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

OTTAWA — Anthaea-Grace Patricia Dennis is not your typical 12-year-old. She is a child prodigy who’s about to become the youngest Canadian to ever graduate from university. On Saturday, Patricia Dennis will walk across the University of Ottawa stage in her cap and gown and accept a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science.She started the program when she was nine, at a time when most of her peers were playing games at recess. So how is this wunderkind feeling about the big day?“I’m going to be proud. I’m going to hope I don’t fall off the stage,” Patricia Dennis said in an interview. “I’m going to be happy for myself too, not just for other people. I am proud of myself for getting to this point, despite all the hurdles and blocks that there have been for a person like me.” Perhaps no one will be more proud or excited than her biggest supporter, her mom Johanna Dennis. Dennis said she realized her daughter was special when she was around two-and-a-half ye...

Statistics Canada to release its latest labour force survey today

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada will release its latest snapshot of how the job market is doing in the country.The agency will release its labour force survey for May this morning.The labour market has remained resilient this year, despite higher interest rates.The unemployment rate held steady at 5.0 per cent in April when the economy surprised economists and added 41,000 jobs for the month.The job report this morning comes after the Bank of Canada’s decision this week to raise its key interest rate target by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.75 per cent.In raising its key rate, the central bank said the labour market remains tight, reflecting continued strong demand for workers.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2023.The Canadian Press

Wildfires, smoke having ‘huge impact’ on some tourism operators across Canada

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

Raging wildfires and smoky skies across much of Canada have put a damper on travel this summer, resulting in cancelled plans and closed businesses. “We have had a few conversations with our members and we’re already seeing domestic and international visitors cancelling trips,” said Madison Simmons with the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario.Simmons pointed to a 2018 study by Visit California, which found that during the state’s most destructive wildfire season on record, 11 per cent of potential travellers cancelled their trips to the state, representing a loss of about $20 million that July.The Ontario tourism group released a study last month suggesting leisure travel in the province was set to grow after being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis.Simmons said businesses in the northern part of the province, particularly outfitters and outdoor tours, are most affected.The wildfires are adding to challenges posed by high gas prices and...

Vatican: Pope doing well after surgery, has another good night

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis had a second good night in the hospital recovering from surgery to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the Vatican said.The Holy See press office said early Friday that further medical updates were expected later in the day. The Vatican has said Francis’ condition is stable and his post-operative recovery deemed normal.The 86-year-old Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital on Wednesday for his second major abdominal operation in two years, following a 2021 procedure to remove part of his colon. During the procedure, doctors removed adhesions, or internal scarring, on the intestine that had caused a partial blockage. They also repaired a hernia that had formed over a previous scar, placing a prosthetic mesh in the abdominal wall. Francis is expected to remain at Gemelli for several days.The Associated Press

Daily horoscope for June 9, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

Moon Alert: After 6:30 a.m. EDT today (3:30 a.m. PDT), there are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The Moon is in Pisces.Happy Birthday for Friday, June 9, 2023:You have a great zest for life. You are passionate and charismatic. You are also gentle. This year, simplicity will be the key for you. Work to create solid foundations in your life. Explore martial arts or yoga. Stay grounded and levelheaded.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★This is an excellent day, especially financially speaking. You might see ways to boost your income, especially when working behind the scenes. Meanwhile, research of some kind or the advice of someone older or more experienced also might help you to boost your wealth. Listen to what others have to say. Tonight: Seclusion.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★This is a great day to schmooze with friends and members of groups. Listen to the advice of someone older or more experienced. What they say might influence you into changing your future goals. G...

UK housing market improves but slowdown seen as rates rise

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

Britain's housing market showed some improvement in May but further interest rates increases by the Bank of England are expected to put more pressure on demand and on prices in the coming months, an industry survey showed on Thursday (8 June).The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' (RICS) measure of new buyer enquiries rose to a net balance of -18, the least negative figure since -14 in May 2022 and up from -34 in April.A gauge of agreed sales rose to -7 in May, up from April's -18.RICS' house price balance, which measures the difference between the percentage of surveyors seeing rises and falls in house prices, increased to -30 last month from -39 in April. A Reuters poll of analysts had pointed to a reading of -38.However, analysts are forecasting another slowdown for the housing market with markets largely expecting the BoE's Bank Rate to peak at 5.5% later this year, up from 4.5% now."It seems storm clouds are gathered, with the UK's stubbornly high inflation likely underm...

Azerbaijan and the EU strengthen bilateral ties

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:46 GMT

The Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted natural gas supplies to European energy markets and caused greater volatility in energy markets. Europe was not prepared for being cut off from raw materials from Russia, especially natural gas, making last winter and the upcoming one a challenge for citizens and political systems. According to a March 2022 analysis conducted by the Polish Economic Institute, the European Union (EU) was 25 per cent dependent on oil, solid fuel and natural gas supplies from Russia - writes Shahmar Hajiyev, Senior advisor at the Center of Analysis of International Relations and Liliana Śmiech, Vice President of Warsaw Institute.The ongoing war has also sparked a renewed debate regarding the European Union's ability to be self-reliant when it comes to energy imports from Kremlin. One of the results of these talks was the development of the REPower EU strategy. It not only highlights the process of diversifying natural gas supply sources and routes but also includes...