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France burns in overnight protests

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Tense protests against a hot-button reform of the French pension system escalated overnight as demonstrators threw objects at public buildings and set fires in the streets.“There were many protests, which sometimes lasted until very late last night, turning violent notably in Paris,” Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said Friday on TV channel CNews.According to the minister, 903 fires of “street furniture or garbage” were identified in Paris — where close to 9,600 tons of trash lie on the street because garbage workers are on strike — and 457 individuals were arrested overnight across France. Some 441 policemen were injured in the protests.An estimate on how many demonstrators were injured is difficult to obtain. One woman suffered from a “serious thumb injury” in Rouen, local daily La Voix du Nord reported.The protestors targeted public buildings in several cities across the country, notably Nantes, Rennes and Bordeaux — where the city hall’...

Carob drink recalled because it could permit growth of botulism bacteria

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

A recall has been issued for Nuba brand Carob drink due to a potential bacteria contamination.The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the product could permit the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that creates the botulism toxin.The affected drink was sold in 750 ml bottles with a best before date of Sept. 30, 2023.It was sold in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec and may have been distributed in other provinces or territories. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the drink.Food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum toxin may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick or cause death in severe cases.Symptoms in adults can include facial paralysis or loss of facial expression, unreactive or fixed pupils, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking, including slurred speech, and a change in sound of voice, including hoarseness. Symptoms of food-borne botulism in children can include difficulty swallowing, s...

In The News for March 24 : Will higher alcohol prices prompt Canadians to go dry?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of March 24 …What we are watching in Canada …Canada’s restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country’s alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.“Any increase at this very vulnerable time for our industry is just another blow while we’re down,” said Brenda O’Reilly, the owner of multiple restaurants and a brewery in St. John’s, N.L. “It’s like death by a thousand cuts.”Bar and eatery operators across Canada have endured lockdowns, labour shortages, supply chain mayhem and soaring costs for everything from payroll to cooking oil. Rising inflation has also softened demand as some consumers stay home to save money. “Many of us haven’t recovered from t...

Hong Kong traffic accident leaves some 70 people injured

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Four passenger buses and a truck collided near a Hong Kong road tunnel Friday and about 70 people were injured, including children. Most of the injuries were minor.The accident occurred after midday near a tunnel entrance on Tseung Kwan O Road in Lam Tin, a residential area in Kowloon. Some 60 people sustained light injuries and around nine others suffered more serious injuries, police said.It was unclear what caused the collision.Scores of firefighters, paramedics and police rushed to the scene. Several people lay on stretchers and at least one passenger was seen being helped out of a vehicle. A window on the side of a bus was shattered. Some of the injured, including elderly people, were treated by paramedics at the scene. A group of primary school students was seen sitting on the road and some of them sustained hand injuries.Kanis Leung, The Associated Press

Trudeau hopes to advance policy as pomp surrounds Biden’s whirlwind visit to Ottawa

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

OTTAWA — The pomp and circumstance of a presidential visit will give way today to a series of talks about green energy, migration and Haiti, as U.S. President Joe Biden heads to Parliament Hill.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to greet Biden late Friday morning for a welcoming ceremony at West Block.Dignitaries from the House of Commons and Senate, including the Speakers from each chamber and the leaders of each elected party and most Senate groups, are set to join them.Biden and Trudeau plan to then have a bilateral meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office.That is to be followed by an extended chat between Biden and senior Trudeau cabinet ministers in the room where they typically craft major policy decisions. It is possible that some of Biden’s own cabinet ministers will join the discussion.The presidential flight included at least 18 officials and aides, including State Secretary Antony Blinken, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and national security adviser ...

Changing salmon hatchery release practices can improve survival rates: B.C. study

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

A first-of-its kind study in British Columbia suggests salmon hatcheries could improve survival rates by optimizing the weight of the juvenile fish and the timing of their release.More than five billion juvenile salmon are released from hatcheries into the North Pacific Ocean each year, with about six per cent coming from B.C. and Yukon.The hatcheries are aimed at stabilizing declining populations of wild salmon while keeping fisheries afloat, but the study says there’s a lack of robust scientific assessment of their overall efficacy for conservation purposes.The study published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences analyzed data from 21 chinook and 16 coho hatcheries in B.C. over the last two decades, finding higher survival rates were linked to heavier weights upon release.For ocean-type chinook, it found the average maximum survival stemmed from releases six to 27 days earlier than historical averages for most of the hatcheries.Meanwhile, coho survival rates c...

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau to introduce FLOTUS to curling during first lady’s visit

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

OTTAWA — The United States’ first lady will be given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Grégoire Trudeau takes Jill Biden to the curling rink. President Joe Biden and his wife arrived in Ottawa Thursday evening for their first official visit to Canada since the president took office two years ago.He is expected to spend most of today close to Parliament Hill in meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while their wives take to the ice at the nearby Rideau Curling Club.The official itinerary says Jill Biden will be given an “introduction to the sport of curling” before chatting with a local youth team about wellness and mental health. Afterward, the two women will travel to the National Gallery of Canada, where they’ll take in an exhibit by Canadian women artists and have lunch before joining the president for his address to Parliament. The pair met a few months ago at the North American Leaders Summit in Mexico, wh...

Cosmetic brands will have to disclose fragrance ingredients — a welcome change for those with allergies

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Alisha Minielly was mystified as rashes suddenly started appearing all over her body, including one that persisted on her left leg for six months. She figured something in her makeup or shampoo could be the culprit and began switching to personal products labelled as having “natural” ingredients but that did not help. Neither did a steroid cream prescribed by a doctor at one of the walk-in clinics she visited because she didn’t have a general practitioner.A patch test, which had a dermatologist placing small amounts of various fragrance mixes on her back and covering them with patches for five “very itchy” days, revealed she was allergic to a long list of common fragrances used in products ranging from face wash and moisturizer to shampoo, conditioner and hair dye.The allergens included propolis, which smells like beeswax, as well as nickel, geraniol, limonene, linalool and anise alcohol. The fragrances add floral, citrus, woodsy and other scents, which...

Dinner fit for a president: Friday’s menu showcases Canadian ingredients

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

OTTAWA — United States President Joe Biden is staying in Ottawa on his short trip north of the border, but the catering team from the National Arts Centre plans to take him on a cross-country culinary tour Friday evening. The president and first lady Jill Biden are set to be the guests of honour at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the Aviation Museum. The meal, put together by executive chef Kenton Leier, features ingredients such as East Coast yellowfin tuna, Alberta beef, flaxseed, Quebec maple syrup and Yukon gold potatoes. The three courses also include a cabernet sauvignon jus made with wine from Pelee Island Winery in Kingsville, Ont., and a rum caramel made of Newfoundland’s famous Screech rum.Because this isn’t an official state dinner, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and her husband, Whit Fraser, are relieved of hosting duties — though both will be in attendance. The guest list also includes various cabinet ministers ...

Restaurants and bars brace for biggest alcohol tax jump in 40 years

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Canada’s restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country’s alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.“Any increase at this very vulnerable time for our industry is just another blow while we’re down,” said Brenda O’Reilly, the owner of multiple restaurants and a brewery in St. John’s, N.L. “It’s like death by a thousand cuts.”Bar and eatery operators across Canada have endured lockdowns, labour shortages, supply chain mayhem and soaring costs for everything from payroll to cooking oil. Rising inflation has also softened demand as some consumers stay home to save money. “Many of us haven’t recovered from the pandemic and now they want to raise this tax,” she said. “It’s hard to get blood out of a turnip. We’ll see more restaurant closures if this goes ahead.”The federal beverage alcohol...