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Displaced Palestinians flood a southern Gaza town as Israel expands its offensive in the center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have streamed into the overwhelmed town of Rafah in the southernmost end of Gaza in recent days, according to the United Nations, as Israeli forces on Friday continued to blast through dense areas in the center of the strip, killing dozens of people.Israel’s unprecedented air and ground offensive against Hamas has displaced some 85% of the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million residents, sending swells of people seeking shelter in Israeli-designated safe areas that the military has nevertheless also bombed. That has left Palestinians with a harrowing sense that nowhere is safe in the tiny enclave.Israel’s widening campaign, which has already flattened much of northern Gaza, is now focused on built-up areas in central Gaza, where Israeli warplanes and artillery pounded the urban refugee camps of Bureij, Nuseirat and Maghazi, leveling buildings, residents said.But fighting is raging across many areas of Gaza. It has not abated in...

Ottawa agrees climate adaptation saves money, but experts ask: where’s the funding?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

Canada’s first-ever climate adaptation strategy was little more than six weeks old when fast-moving wildfires swept through communities in British Columbia’s southern Interior, forcing thousands to flee and destroying hundreds of homes.It was part of Canada’s record-breaking summer of fire — more than 19,000 Yellowknife residents were ordered to escape a threatening blaze, fire ripped into suburban Halifax and smoke from fires in Quebec blanketed New York City and Washington, D.C. Some 200,000 people were evacuated from their homes across Canada.There was also flooding in Nova Scotia that killed four people.The disastrous events provided a taste of the worsening impacts of climate change, and recovering from such events costs many times more than adaptation, says the federal government. Supporters of the preventive approach worry there’s a lack of will and funding to implement the national adaptation strategy. And the longerit takes to both mitigate climate c...

Electric pickup trucks are reliable, save environment: experts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

Michael Laroche replaced his Ford F-150 pickup truck with its electric twin, the F-150 Lightning, about a year-and-a-half ago. A Sherbrooke, Que., resident who installs electric vehicle chargers for a living, Laroche says he drives somewhere between 300 and 400 kilometres a day, three to four times a week. After he replaced the combustion-engine pickup with the electric alternative, he says the cost of his operations has dropped significantly.“I’m charging the truck during the night, for something like 14 to 15 hours to fully charge the truck, and I’m ready to go,” Laroche said in an interview.He said his monthly electric bill, which includes both household consumption and vehicle charging, is now at $350 on average for the last 15 months. The bill may be costly, but a better alternative when compared with Laroche’s $450 a week on gasoline – saving him $1,400 a month in fuel costs.The federal government has set sales targets for new vehicle sales, shift...

Banking changes to look out for in 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

The federal government approved RBC’s $13.5-billion takeover of HSBC Canada in the waning days of 2023, despite concerns from critics that it will stifle competition. Banking customers will start to see next year how the acquisition, expected to close in the first quarter, shakes out.Here’s a look at some of the other changes expected in Canadian banking in 2024:Open banking The federal government said in its fall economic statement that it would introduce legislation in its 2024 budget to establish an open banking framework. Open banking, or what the government calls ‘consumer-driven banking’, would make it easier for Canadians and small businesses to safely share their financial data between services, including options like budgeting apps. For example, a customer could pool all of their various bank accounts into a single interface, making it easier to add and manage no-cost accounts or other products. Many in the financial tech community have been pushing for the adoption of open...

Warm weather wreaks havoc on some B.C. ski hills as lack of snow leaves trails barren

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s abnormally warm winter has left local ski resorts grappling with a lack of snow during the holiday tourism season, as resorts struggle to keep runs open.Fewer than half of Whistler Blackcomb’s trails are open, while Vancouver’s Mount Seymour is closed entirely while it waits for better conditions.Warmth related to the El Niño climate phenomenon this week has pushed temperatures to record highs in regions including Metro Vancouver, Greater Victoria, the Sunshine Coast and the Okanagan.In Whistler, 120 kilometres north of Vancouver, Environment Canada was reporting no snow on the ground on Christmas Day, compared to 40 centimetres last Christmas.On Thursday, the Whistler Blackcomb resort reported 117 of its 275 trails were open, as well as only 42 per cent of its terrain.Warm weather has hit Metro Vancouver’s three main ski hills even harder, with Cypress and Grouse mountains operating only one or two runs each. Mount Seymour clos...

Russia fires 122 missiles and 36 drones in what Ukraine calls the biggest aerial barrage of the war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched 122 missiles and 36 drones against Ukrainian targets, officials said Friday, killing at least 13 civilians in what an air force official said was the biggest aerial barrage of the 22-month war.The Ukrainian air force intercepted 87 of the missiles and 27 of the Shahed-type drones overnight, Ukraine’s military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said.Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his official Telegram channel: “The most massive aerial attack” since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.According to the Ukrainian air force, the previous biggest assault was in November 2022 when Russia launched 96 missiles against Ukraine. This year, the biggest was 81 missiles on March 9, air force records show.Fighting along the front line is largely bogged down by winter weather after Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive failed to make a significant breakthrough along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) line of contact.Ukrainian officials have u...

Stock market today: World stocks are mixed in muted holiday trading as 2023 draws to a close

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — European shares opened higher on Friday after a mixed session in Asia on the last trading day of the year for most markets. Germany’s DAX rose 0.3% to 16,745.67 and the CAC 40 in Paris climbed 0.4% to 7,566.11. Britain’s FTSE 100 edged 0.2% higher to 7,736.52. The futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.1%. Some world markets logged solid gains in 2023 while many have sagged. Benchmarks in France and Germany made double-digit advances while Britain’s has climbed just under 3%. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gave up 0.2% to 33,464.17. It gained 27% in 2023, its best year in a decade as the Japanese central bank inched toward ending its longstanding ultra-lax monetary policy after inflation finally exceeded its target of about 2%. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong ended flat at 17,047.39, while the Shanghai Composite index gained 0.7% to 2,974.93. The Shanghai index lost about 3% this year and the Hang Seng fell nearly 14%. ...

Daily horoscope for December 29, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Leo.Happy Birthday for Friday, Dec. 29, 2023:You are confident, and although you appear laid-back, you are a hard-worker with high standards. This has been a playful, fun-loving year. In 2024, it will be the time to work, take charge of your health, explore physical exercise and stay grounded and levelheaded.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★It’s easy to overdo things, especially if you’re socializing and having a good time today. You might eat too much, drink too much or spend too much. (“But we’re having fun!”) You also might make travel plans. Sandy beaches and sunny climes are calling your name! Tonight: Play!TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★It’s so easy to be a couch potato today, watching daytime TV, eating your favorite salty snacks. Relax. Tell yourself that you’re taking a mental-health day. In discussions with family members, don’t promise mor...

Harriette Cole: College got weird, and I’m not sure I want to go back

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve taken a break from college for the past year due to lots of things, including how weird everything was during the pandemic.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: How do I get my wife’s friend to stop with the divorce talk? Advice | Harriette Cole: I feel like I ruin the vibe at parties Advice | Harriette Cole: My husband comes home late, and I think I know why Advice | Harriette Cole: A guide to making the most of the season, Christian or not Advice | Harriette Cole: My girlfriend cries easily, and I’m wondering if it’s a tactic to shut me down My family and friends are asking about my plans to return since it has been some time now. I’m uncertain about my decision.College is a significant investment of time and money, and I’m questioning if the potential rewards justify it. I’m currently in a career that offers a comfortable salary and gro...

Miss Manners: What can I do when people refuse to hear my needs?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:26 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I feel like my words are not heard when I communicate with others, especially customer service exchanges and with persons such as social workers and medical case managers.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: She’s playing the victim, but it was her rudeness that set me off Advice | Miss Manners: A teen went missing at the mall and it ruined our evening Advice | Miss Manners: Why would they put a sign like this in their home’s bathroom? Advice | Miss Manners: I find it rude that the TV stays on when I enter. Am I overreacting? Advice | Miss Manners: Maybe these new neighbors think their mock pity is cute. I find it annoying. I repeat myself over and over. No matter how I rephrase my need, it’s casually brushed off or flat-out ignored. I am not in a position to change providers in these circumstances.What do you say, that is still polite and kind, when you’re no...