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Hundreds of thousands of Quebec public sector workers on strike today

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

MONTREAL — Hundreds of thousands of Quebec public sector workers are off the job today in the first of a series of one-day strikes.Schools, health care facilities and social services will all be disrupted as four unions representing a “common front” of some 420,000 workers go on strike to protest the province’s latest contract offer.The unions are promising a historic fight to preserve their purchasing power during a time of high inflation. The government’s latest offer includes a 10.3 per cent salary increase over five years and a one-time payment of $1,000 to each worker — a proposal the unions have described as “paltry.”The strike will last from midnight until 10:30 a.m. in elementary and secondary schools, and until noon in junior colleges.Some health and social services including mental health, youth protection and medical imagery will operate at between 70 and 85 per cent capacity, depending on the department, while emergency and inten...

Vancouver man’s family in Gaza ponders whether to stay together so they die together

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

Bombs had scarcely started falling on the Gaza Strip last month when Omar Mansour’s family realized they had a crucial question to resolve: would it be better to face death together or apart?One day after Hamas fighters stormed into Israel — slaughtering at least 1,400 people, seizing roughly 240 hostages and triggering a war that rages on to this day — Mansour’s parents, brothers and sisters gathered in one of their homes to discuss the dilemma. After connecting with Mansour in Vancouver on Oct. 8, the relatives passed the phone around the group to debate the merits of moving to cousins’ houses, seeking shelter in United Nations-run schools or simply staying put.They’ve tried both options in the following weeks, but the core question persists as the war intensifies in the besieged enclave where local authorities say at least 9,700 people have died amid a full-blown humanitarian crisis.“So far the discussion is still the same but we are really running o...

Health care, energy costs expected to be focus of premiers meeting in Halifax

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

HALIFAX — Health care and the effect of carbon pricing measures on the rising cost of living across Canada are slated to take centre stage at today’s meeting of the country’s premiers and territorial leaders in Halifax.Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says health care is the main formal agenda item at the latest Council of the Federation meeting and he hopes talks will produce innovative ideas that can help provinces address the problems plaguing the health system.Houston says discussions may also venture into carbon pricing and Alberta’s plan to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan.The focus on the cost of fuel comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last month a three-year pause on carbon pricing for home fuel oil for the 10 jurisdictions where federal fuel charges apply.British Columbia Premier David Eby says the pause on carbon pricing is unfair to jurisdictions like his province, which collects its own fuel tax and is not eligible for the relief.Me...

No information on status of border crossing as Canadians wait to flee Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

Canadians trapped in the Gaza Strip who were previously told they could be allowed out over the weekend will have to wait longer for escape from the besieged Palestinian territory.The Rafah border crossing into Egypt remained closed over the weekend amid escalating attacks from Israel and Global Affairs Canada says it has no information on when it will reopen.The crossing is the only exit point for foreign nationals who wish to leave the Palestinian territory, which has been under constant bombardment since the Israeli army launched retaliatory attacks for the brutal Oct. 7 incursion by Hamas.Global Affairs says the Israeli military has assured Canada that more than 400 of its citizens will be able to cross “in the coming days” and added that three have already escaped with a third party, though they offered no further details.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday for supporting the departure of foreign nationals ...

Aid trickles in to Nepal villages struck by earthquake as survivors salvage belongings from rubble

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Aid trickled in to villages Monday in Nepal’s northwest mountains flattened by a strong earthquake over the weekend as villagers searched through the rubble of their collapsed homes to salvage what was left of their belongings.The magnitude 5.6 temblor struck just minutes before midnight Friday, killing 157 people, injuring scores and leaving thousands homeless. The U.S. Geological Survey said that the quake occurred at a depth of 11 miles (18 kilometers). Nepal’s National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center confirmed that the epicenter was in Jajarkot, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) northeast of the capital, Kathmandu.Authorities on Monday pressed on with efforts to bring food and other supplies, tents and medicines to the remote villages, many only reachable by foot. Roads were also blocked by landslides triggered by the earthquake. Soldiers could be seen trying to clear blocked roads.Rescue and search teams said Monday that the first part of their ...

Daily horoscope for November 6, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

Moon Alert: Caution: Avoid shopping or important decisions from 2:15 a.m. EDT to 3 p.m. EDT today (midnight to 12 noon PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Leo into Virgo.Happy Birthday for Monday, Nov. 6, 2023:You have drive and ambition, and put an amazing amount of energy into your immediate environment. People feel your presence. This year is a time of service for you, especially for family. Therefore, take care of yourself so you can be a resource. Enroll in the arts. Is it time for a makeover?ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★Today your romantic feelings are passionate, and your love for someone feels like it was destiny. Even a bond with a co-worker might feel strong and mutually supportive. Meanwhile, you will see ways to improve your job, your health or how you care for your pet. Tonight: Get organized.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★This is a passionate, romantic day — no question. If you are with someone you care about, do something special to show your affection. Admittedl...

Commission approves €450 million Italian state aid scheme to foster investments in the agricultural sector

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, a €450 million Italian scheme to support the agricultural sector by fostering investments related to primary agricultural production, as well as to the processing and marketing of agricultural products.The scheme will be open to companies active in primary agricultural production and processing and marketing of agricultural products in Italy. Under the measure, which will run until 31 December 2025, the aid will take the form of subsidized loans and cover up to 80% of the eligible costs.The aim of the scheme is to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the agricultural sector, by fostering projects related, among other things, to (i) the construction, acquisition or improvement of immovable property; (ii) the purchase of machinery and equipment; and (iii) the purchase, development or use of IT solutions.The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) TFEU, which allows...

Harriette Cole: She told a lie about me that broke our friendship. How do I deal with this?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently got into a big argument in my friend group that resulted in another friend and I isolating ourselves from one person, “Ruby.”Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: Nobody is doing anything about my abusive boss Advice | Harriette Cole: The trait that got me this far isn’t working anymore Advice | Harriette Cole: I’m seeing a huge red flag in my new marriage Advice | Harriette Cole: I chose this job for the money, but now I dread going to the office Advice | Harriette Cole: All the doors were locked, but there she was in my kitchen Ruby lied to the rest of the group, claiming that “Mary” and I abandoned her one night, when we dropped her off at her apartment after she repeatedly asked to go home.Mary and I were confronted by the group for leaving Ruby, and we were upset that she would create an issue when there was not one to begin with. Rub...

Miss Manners: Should I have done something about this shopper’s bad behavior?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was in the grocery store produce department and witnessed a woman sampling cherries before selecting a bag for purchase.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: How do I keep my wife’s art off our walls without a blowup? Advice | Miss Manners: Three years after disappearing, she sent me a rude email Advice | Miss Manners: Must I tell these nosy people about the tragedy of my fiance? Advice | Miss Manners: They’re demanding we vacation every year in the back of beyond Advice | Miss Manners: You better believe the guests notice when the bride has a different meal I was actually repulsed, because I wondered how many other people sampled without paying.Any other shoppers who followed would not have received the same amount of fruit for the price (the cherries were sold by the bag, not the pound), and they would risk whatever germs that woman was carrying.I didn’t say anyt...

How to protect your personal information when retuning your rental car

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:52 GMT

Have you ever rented a vehicle and found an unfamiliar contact list when trying to connect a phone to the car’s infotainment system? Turns out, the information may belong to an earlier renter of the automobile.This is happening more often as states require drivers to go hands free behind the wheel, but it serves as a reminder that there are steps to take to protect your personal information when renting a vehicle.If you want to connect your phone to any vehicle you intend to use temporarily, if you can, try to choose a car that has Apple Car Play if you are an iPhone user or Android Auto for Android users.Both Apple and Android said their car connection systems do not store phone book and other information on the vehicle’s system, so selecting cars that support Apple Car Play or Android Auto is best.Do remember to keep a charging cable handy, since some vehicles require you to plug your phone into a USB port to use Apple Car Play.The loading of your phone book mostly hap...