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Israel’s Netanyahu delays judicial reform after mass protests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday he would postpone a controversial reform that would give parliament more control over the country’s judiciary, after weeks of mass protests against the legislation.“When there’s an option to avoid civil war through dialogue, I take a time off for dialogue,” he said in a press statement delivered shortly after 8 p.m. local time amid ongoing protests involving supporters from both sides. He added that “out of national responsibility,” he is delaying the final readings of the divisive judicial appointments bill until the next session of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, which starts in early May.Netanyahu sparked weeks of chaos with proposals to rein in Israel’s top court, while he is currently on trial for corruption himself and could benefit from the overhaul. The proposed reform consists of a series of bills that would grant the Knesset more oversight over the country’s judiciary — including how j...

Panel exploring changes to state seal ready to resume work

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — The stalled effort to come up with alternatives to the Massachusetts state motto and seal, condemned as racist by many for its depiction of the state’s Indigenous peoples, is regaining momentum.The panel that was established in 2021 by the state Legislature to review and suggest changes missed its deadline at the end of last year and sought an extension. Lawmakers on Thursday gave it until Nov. 15 to finish its work and forward its recommendations to the Legislature, which would have to approve any changes.“We’re grateful for the Legislature’s support and ready to get back to work,” said Brian Boyles, co-chair of the 19-member Special Commission on the Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth.The extension was included in a $1.1 billion supplemental budget approved by the Legislature, which still awaits Democratic Gov. Maura Healey’s signature. A spokesperson for the governor’s office says it is under review.The current seal, which dates to the late 19th...

Julius Randle addresses slew of outbursts, says they’re not reflection of leadership: ‘Name a perfect leader?’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

A refreshed Julius Randle acknowledged there’s a fine line between passion and frustration gone too far, but the Knicks All-Star doesn’t believe his latest outbursts should reflect negatively on his ability to lead.“I don’t think it has to do with (that),” Randle said when asked if the slew of technical fouls make him  “Name a perfect leader? Name a perfect human being?”Ahead of Monday’s pivotal matchup against the Rockets, Randle had been whistled for techs in three consecutive games. The latest in Orlando looked the worst. As the half was ending – and the Knicks were careening toward a third straight loss –  Randle followed referee Leon Wood with complaints until the tech whistle blew. Then teammate Immanuel Quickley tried to intervene and was angrily shouted down by Randle.Four days later, Randle finally spoke about the incident and claimed the referee acknowledged his own mistake.“I can’t put it in...

Adebayo says Heat season has ‘flown by’ with goal of not getting grounded over final seven

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo said this is no time to dwell.So from the ashes of Saturday’s disheartening home loss to the Brooklyn Nets comes what the Miami Heat hope will be a road to redemption.“I feel like you don’t let it go,” Adebayo said. “I mean, a loss is still a loss, you still think about it, and you feel like you could have done something different throughout the game, or how we could have done something different.“You get through that by getting to the next game and winning. It changes the outlook, changes the feeling, changes how you approach the day.”With 75 down and seven remaining on the Heat’s regular-season schedule, pacing has become a factor. Sunday the team had the day off to participate in the team’s Family Festival charity event, with only a video session Monday.“It’s flown by for me,” Adebayo said of a schedule that began Oct. 19. “It...

Man charged in Richmond Hill house fire that led to explosion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

A man that had been missing for several days has been arrested and charged in a fire and explosion that ultimately destroyed a home in Richmond Hill last week.Fire crews in York Region were called to the home on Deerwood Crescent near Bloomington Road and Bathurst Street just before 1 p.m. on March 20.Police initially reported no injuries, but the house sustained extensive damage and had to be demolished due to the fire spreading to an adjoining property.York Regional Police said Daniel Popov was seen leaving his home at 12:50 p.m., around the same time the explosion and subsequent fire occurred. Investigators said Popov was observed in a white vehicle and was not seen again for several days.Police believe he was the only person at the residence when the fire broke out.On March 23, officers conducted a search warrant at the site of the house fire, which took several days. On Friday, police said Popov was located in the Town of Georgina and was taken to a local hospital. It’s u...

Harris pledges aid to Ghana amid security, economic concerns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — With fears of terrorism and Russian mercenaries rippling through West Africa, Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday opened her weeklong trip to the continent by vowing support for Ghana, a democratic pillar in the region that’s being squeezed by an economic crisis and security concerns.The visit was a high-profile show of support for Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who faces rising discontent over inflation after previously overseeing one of the world’s fast-growing economies.“Under your leadership, Ghana has been a beacon of democracy and a contributor to global peace and security,” Harris said during a joint press conference at the Jubilee House, the presidential palace in Accra.Harris announced $100 million in assistance for the region and pledged that the United States would be “strengthening our partnerships across the continent of Africa.” The administration also is requesting another $139 million from Congress to help Ghana reduce child labor, improve...

At least 10 injured after explosion destroys Calgary home: fire department

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

CALGARY — Officials say at least 10 people have been seriously injured after an explosion destroyed a home in Calgary. The Calgary Fire Department says the force of the explosion created a large debris field, several fires and damage to surrounding houses in a northeastern neighbourhood.It says many of the injured were believed to have been inside the home when it blew up.Adam Loria, a spokesman for Calgary Emergency Medical Services, says all the people sent to hospital are adults. He says six people were in life-threatening condition and four received serious injuries. Loria said there were no children involved and the explosion involved a single-family home.Crews have been unable to search the site and look for other victims due to structural problems with the home.Loria said EMS crews will remain at the scene for now.“It was quite the group effort, not only with EMS, to ensure all patients were cared for and transported in a timely fashion, but as well with our first respo...

Whooping cough cases spiking in southwestern Ontario

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

Several public health units in southwestern Ontario say they’ve seen a spike in cases of whooping cough and are urging residents to get vaccinated against the respiratory illness that can be particularly severe in young children.Southwestern Public Health, Huron Perth Public Health, Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health are among the health authorities reporting notable increases in the disease.Whooping cough, or pertussis, can see a person’s cough intensify to the point where a “whooping” sound is heard when they try to catch their breath.Dr. Ninh Tran, the medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health, says the number of whooping cough cases in the health unit was in the single digits in previous years.But from the beginning of January 2022 to February 2023, the number of cases jumped to 82 — which was 40 per cent of the provincial total from that time period.Huron Perth Public Health — which se...

StatsCan finds 98% of Canadians have COVID-19 antibodies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

Nearly all Canadian adults have acquired antibodies against COVID-19, whether through previous infection or through vaccination, Statistics Canada has found.Releasing results from the second round of its Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCASH), StatsCan says between April and August 2022, more than 54 per cent, or 16.4 million people, had antibodies indicating that they had been infected with SARS-CoV-2.StatsCan says this is more than 20 times higher than the 2.6 per cent of people it found in 2021 who had been infected with the virus.About 40 per cent of those who had been infected with the virus didn’t know they had ever had COVID-19, the national data organization found.Related Articles:Canadian surgery wait times still lagging amid COVID-19 backlogWill we ever know Covid-19’s origin story?More than 100,000 Canadians aged 18 or older across the country were randomly selected for the survey, StatsCan explained, and along with completing a questionnaire, responde...

Officials: No sign of contamination in Philadelphia water

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:45 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia water officials say they are monitoring water quality closely and have seen no sign of contamination following a chemical spill into the Delaware River in a neighboring county.Bucks County health officials said Sunday that a leak late Friday evening at the Trinseo Altuglas chemical facility in Bristol Township spilled between 8,100 and 12,000 gallons of a water-based latex finishing solution. Officials said it is non-toxic to humans, and no known adverse health effects have been reported in the county.The Philadelphia water department “has analyzed a variety of samples from the river and raw water basin using infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography,” city officials said.“Contaminants related to the Bristol Township discharge have not been found” in the city water system, officials said.Officials said they will continue to track the spill closely and vowed to notify the public immediately if water quality sampling indicates a po...