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5 go on trial in Germany over far-right extremist plot to kidnap health minister, topple government

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Five people go on trial in Germany on Wednesday accused of planning a far-right coup and plotting to kidnap the country’s health minister.The four men, aged 44 to 56, and a 75-year-old woman are accused of founding or being members of a terrorist organization and treason. Federal prosecutors say the group is linked to the Reich Citizens scene that rejects the legitimacy of Germany’s postwar constitution and has similarities to the Sovereign Citizens and QAnon movements in the United States.Prosecutors say they intended to create “conditions similar to civil war” by using explosives to cause nationwide blackouts, then kidnapping Health Minister Karl Lauterbach — a prominent advocate of strict coronavirus measures.There were no indications the group, which called itself United Patriots, was close to launching a coup. But prosecutors said the group’s procurement of weapons and money showed they were “dangerous criminals who wanted to implement their plans.”The...

Liberals downgrade Africa strategy to framework, but insist continent is a priority

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has downgraded its long-delayed plan for relations with Africa from a strategy to a framework, saying this better reflects the original intent of the policy — despite criticism the Liberals are not taking the region seriously.For at least a year, the Liberals have promised an Africa strategy that would outline Canada’s relationship with dozens of countries and seize on opportunities to engage with a new intercontinental trade bloc.Rob Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, said in interviews last summer and fall that he was working on an “emerging Africa strategy” and “a strategy document for our engagement diplomatically.”Yet in an interview with The Canadian Press earlier this month, Joly said the plan is not a full-blown strategy.“Regarding the Africa strategy, well, this is a term that was used by my colleague, Rob Oliphant. I would say it’...

Authoritarianism gaining ground, Trudeau tells South Korea’s National Assembly

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says authoritarianism is gaining ground in an address to South Korean National Assembly Wednesday morning.The prime minister is in Seoul for his first official visit to South Korea and as Canada vies to strengthen ties between the two countries, and become “the best of friends.”In his address, he says “antagonistic countries” are taking advantage of economic interdependence to their own geopolitical advantage.Trudeau’s visit to South Korea follows on commitments from both countries to strengthen economic and military ties to counterbalance the influence of China.Trudeau goes on to tell parliamentarians the “world is facing a moment of uncertainty” as countries recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, while economic anxiety and climate change add stress to people’s lives.He argues Canada and South Korea can be partners in addressing climate change, which he says is also a way to safeg...

Air quality statements remain in place across Western Canada as wildfires rage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

Air quality statements continue to blanket much of British Columbia and the Prairie provinces as scores of wildfires rage.As of Tuesday evening, more than 19,500 people in Alberta have been forced out of their homes with 91 active wildfires burning in the province, 27 of which are considered out of control.Meanwhile, the northeast British Columbia city of Fort St. John, with a population of about 21,000, remains under an evacuation alert in response to a wildfire that’s more than 130 square kilometres in size.The BC Wildfire Service says hotter conditions could arrive today, along with a potentially problematic wind shift.In the Northwest Territories, the K’atl’odeeche First Nation and town of Hay River, about 120 kilometres from the Alberta boundary, remain under evacuation orders.There were 27 active wildfires in Saskatchewan as of late Tuesday.This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2023.The Canadian Press

‘Massive gap’ between WestJet, pilots’ union as strike looms and bookings fall: CEO

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

TORONTO — WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech says a massive gap remains between the airline’s offer to pilots and the union’s counter-proposal for a new contract as job action looms.Round-the-clock negotiations between WestJet and the Air Line Pilots Association continue to intensify as the clock ticks down toward a Friday strike deadline.Around 1,800 pilots at the carrier and its Swoop subsidiary are poised to walk off the job as of 3 a.m. eastern daylight time Friday after the union issued a strike notice Monday night.The standoff leaves thousands of passengers with travel plans for the May long weekend and beyond hanging in limbo — and has already affected bookings, the CEO says.With more than 16,700 flights slated for this month, WestJet carries nearly a third of Canada’s domestic market, while Air Canada has half of it.Bernard Lewall, who heads the pilot union’s WestJet contingent, says pay, scheduling and job security remain the sticking points.“T...

New Zealand police say hostel fire that killed 6 was arson, launch homicide investigation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand police said Wednesday they believe a fire that killed at least six people in a Wellington hostel was arson and launched a homicide investigation.Police Inspector Dion Bennett said they haven’t yet arrested anybody but they have a list of people they want to speak to and hope to quickly identify any suspects or persons of interest. He declined to say if they had found accelerant or other evidence of criminal behavior at the scene.Police said there had been a couch fire at the Loafers Lodge hostel about two hours before the large, fatal fire on Tuesday. They said the couch fire was not reported to emergency services at the time, and they were investigating to see if there was any link between the two fires. Bennett also told reporters there was more reconnaissance and examination to be done in some unstable parts of the four-story hostel building and his “gut feeling” was the death toll could rise.The homicide investigation represents a...

Daily horoscope for May 17, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or important decisions from 5 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. EDT today (2 a.m. to 5:45 a.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Aries into Taurus.Happy Birthday for Wednesday, May 17, 2023:You will radiate positive energy. You like to be helpful, but you can be stubborn. Many of you are passionately involved with music. This is a slower-paced year. Take time to rejuvenate yourself and concentrate on the relationships that make will you happy.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★This is an excellent day to make plans concerning your earnings or your job, because you are fortunate right now with moneybags Jupiter entering your Money House. In addition, you’re in a practical, grounded frame of mind. This is a valuable combination. Tonight: Positive finances.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★Today the Moon is in your sign lined up with Jupiter and Mercury. It’s also doing a two-step with Saturn. The result is you can trust your ideas today. Furthermore, you can trust your a...

France to send dozens of armoured vehicles and light tanks to Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

France will send to Ukraine in the coming weeks dozens of armoured vehicles and light tanks, including the AMX-10RCs fighting vehicles, according to a joint statement issued after President Emmanuel Macron's talks with Ukraine's president.After a working dinner that lasted more than three hours between Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the French presidency indicated that Paris was also concentrating its efforts on supporting Kyiv's air defence capabilities against Russian strikes.The visit to Paris formed part of Zelenskiy's whirlwind weekend tour of several key European allies to drum up military and financial support ahead of an expected major Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian forces.After securing a bumper $3 billion new military package from Germany over the weekend, Zelenskiy said in Berlin on Sunday that Kyiv and its allies could make a Russian defeat "irreversible" as early as this year.Macron reaffirmed to Zelenskiy that Paris will continue to provide political, fin...

Do Muslims and Sikhs have an image problem?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

In the past few years there seems have great increase in presentation of violence related information about religion and followers of religion via social media and messaging services. Social media has expedited the pace with which a particular event almost immediately take religious undertones. For instance, recent extreme demonstrations in UK, Canada, and the US related to Sikh Khalistan movement and attacks on Hindu temples by Muslim mobs in Bangladaesh, Taliban banning education for women have been directly presented as rooted in religion by media reports. More recently, assassination of Atiq Ahmed, lawless turned politician while in Police custody in India has been immediately linked to religion and religion based ideologies. Therefore, it is important to examine what people think of various religions. A survey was conducted by Indian Institute of Management-Rohtak research team across India 4012 respondents in age group of 18 to 65 years having at least high school level qualif...

The Afghan questions: What do Afghans think about past, present, and future?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

Recent reports indicate that Afghanistan is confronting its vilest humanitarian predicament since the Taliban captured power last year. Several recent reports indicate that poverty and unemployment are at unprecedentedly high level. Furthermore, The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has recently stated that more than fifty percent of Afghanistan's population is reliant on humanitarian aid. Natural calamities have further accentuated the situation. In addition, the rights of women are being further taken away. The Taliban were reasserting that women will have virtually no rights. Also, the humanitarian aid provided finds it difficult to reach the needy thereby exacerbating the already critical situation, write Professor Dheeraj Sharma, Director, Indian Institute of Management-Rohtak, India, Nargis Nehan, former minister of Mines, Petroleum and Industries, Afghanistan and Shahmahmood Miakhel, Former Governor of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. Hence, in order to gain...