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Quebec to improve forest fire adaptation after record-beating wildfire season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

Quebec’s forest fire prevention agency says the area burned by wildfires this year was greater than the previous 20 years combined. SOPFEU director general Éric Rousseau told reporters today that some 4.5 million hectares of land burned during this year’s record-breaking fire season, including more than 1.1 million in the bottom half of the province, where most people live.Rousseau says that while the province’s resources were strained, there were no deaths, primary residences lost or critical infrastructure destroyed. Forest Minister Maïté Blanchette Vézina says the province’s recent economic update included an additional $16 million for the fire prevention agency.She says the money will go toward the purchase of new equipment, fire prevention initiatives and ways to make communities more resilient to extreme weather events.Rousseau says about 20 of the agency’s employees needed to take leave because of the strain from this year’s historic wildfi...

Trial rescheduled for April for former N.D. lawmaker accused of traveling for sex with minor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge has rescheduled the trial for a former North Dakota lawmaker accused of traveling to Prague with the intent of paying for sex with a minor.Former Republican state senator Ray Holmberg, 79, of Grand Forks, was indicted last month and set for trial on Dec. 5. His attorney on Monday asked to hold off for time to review documents and prepare Holmberg’s defense. Federal prosecutors did not object, according to his motion.On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland rescheduled Holmberg’s jury trial to begin April 29 in Fargo, expected to last five days. All parties expected the postponement, defense attorney Mark Friese told The Associated Press. The trial was initially scheduled to begin a little over a month after Holmberg’s initial appearance, following a two-year investigation, he said.“It’s very common. … He’s entitled to be able to take a look at what they’ve been looking at,” Friese said.Holmberg also is a...

Truck driver performs Heimlich on choking woman along Chicago-area highway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (AP) — A truck driver who saved a choking woman after she pulled over along a Chicago-area highway says he acted on instinct when he saw her in distress.Jeff Hanus was working at a job site on Nov. 4 pouring concrete for the company Ozinga when the woman drove up to his truck parked near Interstate 55 in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook. She exited her car, leaving two children inside, and approached Hanus.“She raises her hands up towards her throat, and that’s the international sign for choking, so I asked, ‘Are you choking?’ and she clearly said yes,” Hanus, a retired Army sergeant from Hazel Crest, told WLS-TV.He performed the Heimlich maneuver on the woman, twice thrusting his fists into her abdomen before whatever was choking her dislodged.“Instinct took over. I try to live my life both from my heart and my gut, and that’s what was in control,” Hanus said.Video from Hanus’ truck shows the woman leave her car and then approach Han...

Sun Life increasing focus on partnerships as part of expansion efforts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

TORONTO — Sun Life Financial Inc. is increasing its focus on partnerships as it looks to further its expansion in Asian markets.The insurance giant says it has created the new role of vice-chair of strategic partnerships, and named Ingrid Johnson, current president of Sun Life Asia, to the role.Sun Life chief executive Kevin Strain says the company is seeing more opportunities to leverage partnerships globally, whether it’s with a regional bank or a digital startup.In the third quarter, the company launched its 15-year partnership with Dah Sing Bank in Hong Kong that helped lead to a boost in sales.The reopening of the border with China also helped boost its Asia division with a big boost in individual insurance sales in Hong Kong .Overall, Sun Life reported a net income of $871 million, up from $111 million a year earlier thanks in part to favourable market-related impacts from interest rates.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2023.Companies in thi...

The creators of CBC’s ‘Sort Of’ on wrapping the show on their terms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

TORONTO — CBC’s millennial dramedy “Sort Of” may revel in life’s grey areas but its creators Bilal Baig and Fab Filippo know one thing for certain – now is the right time to end it.The critically acclaimed series about a gender-expansive Torontonian begins its third and final season Friday with Baig’s lead character Sabi reeling from Season 2’s bombshells, and the complicated emotions that result. Baig says the storyline seemed to move organically towards a natural conclusion, and that got Baig and Filippo contemplating a finale for the entire series. “It feels really right, where we ended it and that feels good,” Filippo says of the final eight episodes.“It feels like there’s a completion and that it didn’t get torn away from us. There’s a bittersweetness because I genuinely love the people that I’ve been working with for the past two years but I’m excited for people to see it.”Baig says the duo was also wary of “Sort Of” overstaying its welcome, and wanted the end of the CBC Gem s...

Paris mayor says her city has too many SUVs, so she’s asking voters to decide on a parking fee hike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Does Paris have too many SUVs? The mayor is putting that question to voters in the runup to next year’s Olympic Games, the latest salvo in her long-running campaign to make the city more friendly to pedestrians and the planet, and less friendly to cars.Voters will be asked on Feb. 4 whether to impose a “very significant” hike in parking fees for SUVs visiting the city, Mayor Anne Hidalgo said Tuesday in a video posted online.“Many of you complain that there are still too many big polluting SUVs taking up more space on our streets and on our sidewalks,’’ she said. She hopes the vote will send a message to carmakers to stop “pushing to buy ever-bigger, more expensive, more resource-guzzling, more polluting’’ vehicles.City Hall wouldn’t specify the size of the “very significant” hike or when it would take effect if approved. It is also not clear which vehicles would be specifically targeted. It would not apply to Parisians with parking permits.While city policies – i...

A day after Britain’s prime minister fired her, Suella Braverman accuses him of being a weak leader

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman lashed out at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak a day after he fired her, calling his approach “uncertain, weak” and a betrayal of his promises.In a resignation letter she published on Tuesday, Braverman said Sunak had “manifestly and repeatedly failed to deliver” on key pledges and alleged that he “never had any intention” of keeping them.Sunak sacked Braverman on Monday after she made a series of intemperate statements that deviated from the government line. In recent weeks she called homelessness a “lifestyle choice” and accused police of being too lenient with pro-Palestinian protests, which she called “hate marches.”On Saturday, far-right protesters scuffled with police and tried to confront a pro-Palestinian march by hundreds of thousands through the streets of London. Critics accused Braverman’s language of helping to inflame tensions.In her letter, she said Sunak had rejected her calls to ban pro-Palestinian demonstration...

2 juveniles in custody after student injured during altercation at Proviso West High School

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

HILLSIDE, Ill. — Two juveniles are in custody after an altercation involving a sharp object in the parking lot of Proviso West High School.According to the village spokesperson, the incident happened Tuesday morning when three students got into an altercation. One of them produced a sharp object and cut the other student in the arm. Police were called to the scene and Proviso West High School was place on soft lockdown. Two juveniles were taken into custody, one of them being the student with the sharp object.The spokesperson said the injured student was transported to Loyola Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Suspect charged in August shooting of girl, 14, on South Side At this time, ages and gender of the students involved are not being shared. The high school's principal released the following statement regarding the incident:We want to inform you of a recent incident that took place today on our school grounds, involving an altercation between two students that ...

Historic Café Selmarie Closing After 40 Years In Lincoln Square

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

The beloved and historic Cafe Selmarie will be closing after four decades in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. Here in our Studio 41 Kitchen to share one of the desserts that helped start cafe Selmarie is Owner Birgit Kobayashi.Closing early 20244729 N. Lincoln AveFacebook @cafe_selmarieInstagram @cafe_selmariecafeselmarie.comDaytime Chicago airs weekdays on WGN from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Matt LeBlanc pays tribute to Matthew Perry in heartfelt post: 'I'll never forget you'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:28 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Matt LeBlanc has shared a statement on the passing of longtime friend and former "Friends" castmate Matthew Perry.In an Instagram post shared Tuesday, LeBlanc said it was an “honor” to consider Perry a friend.“It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life,” LeBlanc wrote. “It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you and I’ll never forget you. Never.”LeBlanc ended his tribute with a joke. ‘Friends’ cast reacts to Matthew Perry’s death “Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love. And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.”LeBlanc's post also included several photos of himself and Perry on the set of "Friends." Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc attend the Stars Party at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood on August 10, 2015. (Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images)Perry, 54, died at his Los Angeles home i...