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B.C. first province to sign individual health deal with feds, worth $1.2 billion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

VANCOUVER — British Columbia is the first province to sign a tailored funding agreement with the federal government as part of the $196-billion health accord the prime minister offered provinces earlier this year.The deal will see Ottawa shift $1.2 billion to B.C. over three years.Health Minister Mark Holland told a news conference at Vancouver General Hospital on Tuesday that the funding also comes with a commitment for federal support for B.C.’s health-care system for the next 10 years.Holland said the support aims to take the Canadian health-care system “from one of the best” in the world to “the best.”In exchange, the province has developed a plan to increase patient access to team-based family health care and mental health and addictions services.The B.C. government has also agreed to work with the First Nations Health Authority to improve access to culturally appropriate and trauma-informed treatment and care. The province will increase access to mental...

Burnout, despair facing workers on front lines of poverty and homelessness in Canada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

Those who work with people facing homelessness and food shortages say employees are carrying a massive emotional burden as demand for services soars beyond what their organizations can provide.Warren Maddox, executive director at Fredericton Homeless Shelters, in New Brunswick, says staff are witnessing more desperation, more violence and more people in extreme states of crisis.He says demand from staff on the organization’s in-house mental health counsellor has increased and that it’s harder to help employees see past what he described as “an unending chain of misery.”Tasha Lackman, executive director at the Depot Community Food Centre, in Montreal, says her group is being forced to make gut-wrenching decisions, including to reduce the amount of food clients get in their baskets. She says demand at the food bank is on track to nearly double this year compared to last year, and that staff are working harder but seeing their efforts have less of an impact.Lack...

The US declares the ousting of Niger’s president a coup and suspends military aid and training

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States on Tuesday formally declared the ousting of Niger’s democratically-elected president a coup d’etat, more than two months after mutinous soldiers seized power.Senior administration officials told reporters that the U.S. was taking action after exhausting all avenues to preserve constitutional order in the West African nation, including urging the military leaders to restore civilian rule within four months in compliance with the constitution. The coup designation comes with the suspension of counterterrorism assistance and military training as well as the pausing of certain foreign assistance programs worth hundreds of millions of dollars.“As time has passed it’s become clear that the (junta) officials that we’ve been dealing with did not want to abide by these constitutional guidelines and in fact they’ve told us that they’ve chosen to repeal that constitution and are in the process of creating a new draft with an uncertain timel...

Independent grocers call for milk price pause amid pressure to keep food costs down

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers is calling on the Crown corporation that manages dairy supply and pricing to hit pause on any further increases to milk prices amid political pressure to keep food prices down. The Canadian Dairy Commission reviews the price dairy farmers are paid for their milk every fall and announces whether that price will increase or decrease the following February. The federation’s senior vice-president Gary Sands wrote in a letter to the commission Friday that the grocery industry is in an exceptional situation this year.The food industry is currently under pressure to keep prices stable, with Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne calling on the major grocers to come up with plans to stabilize prices.Last Thursday, Champagne announced the major grocers have promised to offer discounts, price freezes and price matching. Sands argues that any increase in milk prices at the beginning of the supply chain would go against the government’...

Food industry leaders launch alliance to champion net zero in agri-food sector

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

TORONTO — A group of leaders in the agriculture and food industries is launching a national alliance to work toward achieving net zero in Canada’s agri-food sector by 2050.The Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food includes companies such as RBC, Loblaw and Maple Leaf Foods, as well as organizations like the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute.In a press release, the alliance says if the agri-food sector continues along its current trajectory, its emissions could reach 196 million tonnes by 2050, representing 19 per cent of Canada’s total emissions. The alliance’s first two initiatives are focused on advancing climate-smart agriculture and growing a national network to produce biogas. David Hughes, CEO of non-profit The Natural Step Canada, says in the press release that Canada is primed to become a ‘global beacon of sustainable agriculture.’ The alliance says it’s aiming to advance technology, policy, infrastructure and funding n...

WATCH LIVE: President Biden addresses the conflict between Israel and Hamas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

President Biden's planned remarks today will be livestreamed within this story beginning at approximately 1 p.m. ET.WASHINGTON (AP) — Less than three weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat beside President Joe Biden and marveled that a "historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia" seemed within reach — a diplomatic advance that he predicted could lead to lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.Biden was equally optimistic, telling Netanyahu during their meeting in New York, "If you and I — 10 years ago — were talking about normalization with Saudi Arabia, I think we'd look at each other like, 'Who's been drinking what?'"Now, the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinians after a devastating Hamas attack on Israeli soil is threatening to delay or derail the yearslong, country-by-country diplomatic push by the United States to improve relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Iran sends deadly message to Biden with Hamas attack on Isr...

NASA, SpaceX prepare for launch: Psyche mission aims to land on a metal-rich asteroid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — The launch of NASA's first mission to study an asteroid that has more metal than rock or ice is in its final countdown.The space agency is targeting Thursday, Oct. 12 to send its Psyche spacecraft up toward the stars aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. If all goes well, the van-sized craft will spend nearly six years traveling to one of the largest asteroids in the solar system, also named Psyche, according to NASA.Nexstar Media also plans to livestream Thursday's launch. Watch your local site for live coverage.The current mission timeline aims to put NASA's craft into orbit around the asteroid in late July 2029. At that point the actual mission will begin: two years of photo taking, surface mapping, and data collection to determine Psyche's composition. Russia reports coolant leak in backup line at space station and says crew not in danger The asteroid is about 173 miles in diameter at its widest point and spends its time orbiting the sun in the main asteroid belt be...

'I'm so excited': The Connor Bedard era of the Blackhawks starts Tuesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

PITTSBURGH — This is a day that some people have been dreaming about since the Blackhawks made the decision to do a full rebuild in March 2022. Connor Bedard is that good of a prospect, and thanks to circumstances inside and outside of their control, he's on Chicago's NHL team and ready to start a new chapter of the franchise. That begins on Tuesday when the team takes the ice for the first of 82 games against the Penguins in Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena at 7 p.m. Central Time. It's the regular season debut of the most heralded young talent in the game in a decade. "I'm so excited," said Bedard ahead of his debut on Monday. "It's hard to kinda think about and realize that it's true, but it's really exciting."Expect the center to see plenty of action as he's expected to be on the team's top line with wingers Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato. It's one of the most anticipated debuts for the Blackhawks since Patrick Kane (Oct. 4, 2007 at Wild) and Jonathan Toews (Oct. 10, 2007 vs. Sharks) ...

WATCH: Here's what can happen if you drive too fast on a spare tire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

CHESHUNT, England (KFOR/Storyful) - Whether you call it a "donut" or a "space saver," police are sending out a warning about what can happen if you drive too fast on a smaller spare tire.Police in Hertfordshire, England released the video at the top of this story, showing driver Jack Doolan, 22, losing control of his vehicle along the M25 Motorway before slamming into another car, then into the concrete barrier, before leading police on a chase - all with a compact spare tire on his car.Police say Doolan was driving 75 mph, which is 25 mph over the recommended speed for smaller spare tires.Doolan was eventually arrested and later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop. "It was a miracle that no one was seriously hurt as a result of Doolan’s dangerous and reckless behavior," police stated. Doolan's driving privileges have been revoked for two years and he will have to serve 200 hours of community service.

Police: Ohio man travels to suburbs after chatting with officer posed as underage girl

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:30 GMT

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. — An Ohio man was arrested Monday after traveling to the northern suburbs to allegedly meet a 14-year-old girl, who was really an undercover detective, after chatting online.Zachary Clemens, 38, of Dublin, Ohio, is facing five charges after chatting with the detective online for several weeks, police said.Police said the detective was posing as a 14-year-old girl and Clemens allegedly sent nude photos of himself.He additionally created a plan to drive over 300 miles to the area for sex with the "girl," police allege.On Monday, police allege he drove to Lake County to meet the "girl."Clemens was arrested and transported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. When arrested, detectives discovered he allegedly possessed a small amount of cocaine. Northwest Indiana Hardee’s employees accused of stealing credit card numbers to bond inmates out He has been charged with attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse, indecent solicitation of a child, traveling to meet a minor,...