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Canada silent on Polish democratic backslide as prime minister visits Ottawa

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is welcoming Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to Canada Friday as the federal Liberals keep quiet about a democratic backslide in his country. “There is too much silence, and I think we are on the edge in Poland,” said Marcin Gabrys, a political scientist with Jagiellonian University in Krakow.“How can you have a shared commitment to democracy when there is a clear threat to the electoral process?”Gabrys, who specializes in Canadian studies, said Canada and Poland have been undertaking an unprecedented amount of collaboration since the ruling Law and Justice party, locally known as PiS, took power in 2015.Yet the party has “a strong discrepancy” with the values held by the Trudeau government, he said.For example, a new law in Poland will create a commission to probe alleged Russian interference in the country. Academics and civil-rights groups say the mandate is so vague that the panel of mostly gover...

‘All about the campfire’: Campers adjust their plans with fire bans in place

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

EDMONTON — Jade Najam was getting excited about camping during the May long weekend, sitting around the campfire late into the night with his family and sipping hot chocolate.“Camping is all about the campfire. Just surfing the fire and sitting around the fire,” said Najam. “Sitting around the campfire is the most important part of our evening.”But Alberta’s fire ban, which was put in place in early May, still hadn’t been lifted. Najam called off the plans to go camping in the wilderness, deciding it was better to stay home instead.Fire bans began rolling in after hot, dry weather took over much of Canada early in the season — starting in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, now expanding to the Maritimes. While Saskatchewan and Alberta have lifted the bans in some regions, people in the Prairies have been monitoring the wildfire season closely.Companies that supply camping enthusiasts have been seeing trends change.Najam, who is the managi...

Urban sprawl on wooded lands presents unique challenges when fires spread: experts

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

As more people build houses on the fringes of wooded areas, the approach to firefighting is getting more complex — and the out-of-control wildfire near Halifax is one stark example, experts say.The fast-moving wildfire that broke out Sunday destroyed an estimated 150 homes and forced about 16,000 people from their homes in subdivisions northwest of Halifax.Roger Collet, wildfire management officer with the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, said such “interface” fires require teams from municipal fire departments to work alongside wildland firefighters.“Where the forest meets the urban area — the subdivisions where people are living in there — it’s still quite wooded, so we have to work together,” he said in an interview.Robert Gray, a wildland fire ecologist in British Columbia, said whether a fire is in an urban or wildland setting, one of the first things firefighters do is establish a containment zone.In forested areas, he said, fi...

Barrington Lake blaze largest ever in recorded in provincial history at 200 square km

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

Four out-of-control wildfires continue to burn throughout Nova Scotia, including the largest wildfire ever recorded in provincial history.Despite the best efforts of firefighters, the Barrington Lake fire in Shelburne County now covers more than 200 square kilometres.Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton says six more water bombers are flying in from the United States on Friday and over the weekend, and an unspecified number of firefighters from the U.S. and Costa Rica are on their way to help battle the blaze.Fire officials say a fast-moving wildfire burning in suburban Halifax since Sunday is 50 per cent contained, but add that while it has not grown since Wednesday, it remains out of control.Halifax Mayor Mike Savage says at least two people in the city have been fined for violating a provincewide burn ban after one was caught lighting leaves on fire with a propane torch and another decided to have a bonfire.Ottawa announced Thursday it is establishing a donation matching progr...

Poilievre tries to head off PPC vote as Bernier bets on social conservatives

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

OTTAWA — Pierre Poilievre is off to Manitoba to rally Conservative supporters ahead of a byelection that Maxime Bernier is hoping will send him back to Parliament.The far-right People’s Party of Canada leader lost his Quebec seat in the 2019 federal vote and lost again in the 2021 election. The riding of Portage—Lisgar came up for grabs after longtime Conservative MP Candice Bergen, who served as the party’s interim leader before Poilievre took over, decided to resign. Bernier will test his luck in the rural Manitoba riding that delivered his fledging party its best result in 2021, with slightly more than 20 per cent of the vote. Numbers like that spooked Conservative MPs, especially those in the West who saw their typically rock-solid support slipping to a more populist party. Bernier stood vehemently against COVID-19 health restrictions, while then-Tory leader Erin O’Toole struggled to strike a position on vaccine mandates that satisfied anyone the party’s ...

Daily horoscope for June 2, 2023

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or important decisions from after 8:30 p.m. EDT today (5:30 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Scorpio into Sagittarius.Happy Birthday for Friday, June 2, 2023:You are eloquent and understanding, which makes you an excellent mediator. You are thoughtful and kind — a good friend. This is a year of service for you, which means it will be personally rewarding. Take care of yourself so that you can help family and loved ones.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★This is a lovely day to entertain at home. Because there are strong romantic vibes in the air, it’s an excellent day to entertain romantic interests at home. Is it time for that special dinner? With those oversized Pinot Noir glasses? You love to set the scene. Tonight: Explore!TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★You are a tactile, sensuous sign, which is one reason you’ll welcome the delicious, romantic vibes that are in the air today. However, this same influence will also enha...

As the European Political Community meets again, its role starts to take shape

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

The European Political Community has held its second-ever meeting, this time in Moldova. Launched last year at the suggestion of France’s President Macron, it’s open to all European nations; although Russia and Belarus are not currently invited and Türkiye chose not to attend. So what’s the EPC for -and what might it achieve, asks Political Editor Nick Powell.In a very real sense, the European Political Community is defined by what it is not. Countries do not have to be members of the European Union to take part, whether they’re outside by choice or are trying to join. It is not a body that can bind its members to a particular course of action, it is a twice-yearly opportunity to meet and discuss and perhaps agree. A talking shop in other words.It doesn’t have a high authority, as the European Coal and Steel Community did, to implement its decisions. It certainly doesn’t have a commission to run it, like the European Economic Community. Indeed, the British government would have pref...

Miss Manners: How can I make a guest commit to her RSVP?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have hosted several teas for five to eight friends, most of them around my age (mid-20s) or a little younger.My difficulty is with RSVPs. Each time, I’ve had multiple guests tell me the day of the tea that they’re no longer able to attend — for reasons such as being tired, having work to get done or needing to go grocery shopping.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: How am I supposed to plan a shower with all these gay friends? Advice | Miss Manners: We are stung that the ‘cool’ neighbors didn’t clue us in Advice | Miss Manners: Her sheepish greeting always makes me feel awkward Advice | Miss Manners: Must I order sheep’s brains if I don’t want to share my food? Advice | Miss Manners: My former co-workers made snide comments about my presence I’ve gone to increasing lengths to formalize the event in the hope that that would buil...

Dear Abby: He learned things in kindergarten that made him cry

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My grandson is 6 and very sensitive, maybe too sensitive.He’s also lovable, super scientific-minded, good-hearted and generous with his little sister. However, he still uses a diaper at night and has CVS (cyclical vomiting syndrome). It’s heartbreaking. For that reason, he’s on a special gluten-free, no-flour, no-chocolate diet.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My husband is upset that I find his new look mortifying Advice | Dear Abby: I have news about my co-worker that his girlfriend should know Advice | Dear Abby: What the bridesmaid told me sent my wedding stress off the charts Advice | Dear Abby: I walked into the bedroom and I can’t forget what I saw Advice | Dear Abby: My friends’ comments about my wedding are hurting my feelings The other day at school (he is in kindergarten), they had a presentation with a magician about the danger of drugs and alcohol....

National Eating Disorders Association takes its AI chatbot offline after complaints of ‘harmful’ advice

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:25:42 GMT

New York (CNN) — An eating disorder prevention organization said it had to take its AI-powered chatbot offline after some complained the tool began offering “harmful” and “unrelated” advice to those coming to it for support.The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), a nonprofit organization aimed at supporting people impacted by eating disorders, said on Tuesday that it took down its chatbot, dubbed “Tessa,” after some users reported negative experiences with it.“It came to our attention last night that the current version of the Tessa Chatbot, running the Body Positive program, may have given information that was harmful and unrelated to the program,” the organization said in a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday. “We are investigating this immediately and have taken down that program until further notice for a complete investigation.”Liz Thompson, NEDA’s CEO, said in an email to CNN that the Tessa chatbot had a “quiet” launch in February 2022, ahead of a more recent cr...