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Middle East is ‘on the verge of the abyss,’ says UN chief

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres late Sunday urged restraint as Israel gets ready for a ground invasion of Gaza, amid increasing concerns the Israel-Hamas conflict will turn into a regional war.“We are on the verge of the abyss in the Middle East,” Guterres warned. He called on Hamas, the Palestinian militant group and political party, to “immediately” release the people it is holding hostage in the Gaza Strip, and asked Israel to allow for “rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid” in Gaza.At least one million people have fled their homes in Gaza over the past week ahead of an expected Israeli invasion in retaliation for Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, which killed more than 1,300 Israelis and during which the militants kidnapped 150 people who are currently being held hostage in the Gaza Strip. In response, Israel has declared a siege of Gaza, restricting access to energy, food and water, and launched thousands...

Indonesia’s top court rules against lowering age limit of presidential, vice presidential candidates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s top court on Monday ruled against lowering the minimum age of presidential and vice presidential candidates as the country gears up for election in 2024.The court’s decision is final and can’t be appealed. In August, seven politicians — including from the Indonesian Solidarity Party chaired by the youngest son of current President Joko Widodo — filed a petition against the current age limit for candidates, asking it to be lowered to 35 instead of 40, arguing it was discriminatory. The 7-to-2 decision by the nine-judge panel of the Constitutional Court rejected the arguments, saying it wasn’t the court’s role to change the age limit for candidates and that it was up to the parliament to set such laws.Two judges argued that while the court should uphold the age limit as is, it could add a special exception to those who “served or been elected as regional leaders.”Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, currently serves...

A top EU official convenes a summit to deal with a fallout in Europe from the Israel-Hamas war

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit on Tuesday as concerns grow that the war between Israel and Hamas could fuel inter-communal tensions in Europe and bring more refugees in search of sanctuary. “This conflict has many consequences, including for us in the European Union,” EU Council President Charles Michel said in a video statement announcing that he had convened the virtual meeting. “The conflict could have major security consequences for our societies.”Since the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked southern on Oct. 7, triggering the latest Gaza war, France has ordered a ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations and the number of antisemitic acts has risen. Low-level rallies have been held in other EU countries. Both the the 27-nation bloc and the United States consider Hamas as a terrorist organization. The Louvre Museum in Paris and Versailles Palace evacuated visitors and staff after receiving bomb threats over the weekend, and the French gove...

Stock market today: Asian shares sink, oil slips as investors brace for Israeli invasion of Gaza

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — World shares fell and oil prices edged lower as investors braced Monday for an expected invasion by Israel in the Gaza Strip.The futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials edged 0.1% higher. Germany’s DAX shed 0.5% to 15,104.87 and the CAC 40 in Paris declined 0.5%, to 6,965.51. Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 0.1% at 7,589.92. Israeli forces, supported by a growing deployment of U.S. warships in the region and the call-up of some 360,000 reservists, have positioned themselves along Gaza’s border and drilled for what Israel said would be a broad campaign to dismantle the militant group Hamas. More than a million people have fled their homes in the besieged enclave in the past week, ahead of the expected invasion meant to eliminate Hamas’ leadership after its deadly Oct. 7 attack. “Who can blame markets for being jittery,” RaboResearch Global Economics and Markets said in a commentary. “The world now holds its breath as Israel prepares for a full...

French schools hold a moment of silence in an homage to a teacher killed in a knife attack

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Schoolchildren and educators will hold a moment of silence in French schools on Monday after a teacher was fatally stabbed and three other people wounded last week in an attack by a former student suspected of Islamic radicalization.The homage on Monday afternoon will also pay tribute to another teacher, Samuel Paty, killed exactly three years ago near his Paris area school. He was beheaded by a radicalized Chechen later killed by police.In a message to teachers and other school workers posted on X, formerly Twitter, French President Emmanuel Macron said “we took action, we are taking action and we will continue to take action to ensure that school remains a sanctuary for our students and for all those who work there.” “To blind hatred, we will always oppose the inextinguishable thirst for teaching. The thirst for knowledge. The thirst for living free,” he added.The French government heightened the national threat alert and ordered up to 7,000 soldiers to be...

In the news today: Fifth Canadian dies in Israel after Hamas attacks

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…Global Affairs confirms death of fifth Canadian in Israel after Hamas attacksGlobal Affairs Canada has confirmed the death of a fifth Canadian in Israel after a series of attacks by Hamas militants, while Canadians in the besieged Gaza Strip still have no way to get out.Three other Canadians who were in Israel when the attacks happened Oct. 7 are still missing, officials said Sunday. Global Affairs did not provide details of the fifth person who died or those who are missing, citing privacy reasons.More than 6,800 Canadians are registered in Israel, and more than 450 in the West Bank and Gaza. Canada is currently assisting about 3,300 permanent residents, Canadians and their families.Zexi Li to testify in ‘Freedom Convoy’ trialThe woman who went to court to get an injunction against the “Freedom Convoy” last year is set to testify today ...

Citytv touts all-Canadian cast for spinoff ‘Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

TORONTO — The Canadian cop show spinoff “Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent” has its cast.Citytv says Aden Young of “Rectify” and Kathleen Munroe of “City on Fire” will play elite detectives who investigate “high-profile crimes and homicides in metro Toronto.”“Schitt’s Creek” and “Pretty Hard Cases” alumnus Karen Robinson plays Insp. Vivienne Holness.The network touts its cast as all-Canadian. The show is currently in production amid an ongoing Hollywood actors strike.Also in the leading cast is K.C. Collins of “The Cleaning Lady” as a deputy Crown attorney, Nicola Correia-Damude of “Shadowhunters” as a forensic pathologist and Araya Mengesha of “Anne with an E” as a tech expert. Citytv says 10 one-hour episodes are slated for a spring 2024 launch and will deliver “original Canadian stories written, produced by and starring Canadians.”Earlier this year,...

Russia’s foreign minister will visit North Korea amid claims of weapons supplied to Moscow

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s foreign minister will visit North Korea this week, the Foreign Ministry said Monday, days after the United States claimed Pyongyang had delivered munitions and military equipment to Russia for use in the fighting in Ukraine.Sergey Lavrov will be in North Korea on Wednesday and Thursday, the ministry said in a brief statement that did not specify whom he would meet or the aims of the trip.The White House said Friday that more than 1,000 containers of equipment and ammunition have been sent to Russia from North Korea.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia last month to meet President Vladimir Putin and visit key military sites, triggering speculation about a possible North Korean plan to refill Russia’s munition stores that have been drained by the protracted conflict with Ukraine. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. believes Kim is seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return for the mu...

Government review of Cannabis Act drags despite ‘sense of urgency’ from pot industry

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

TORONTO — When Canada legalized recreational cannabis in 2018, there were still many unknown implications for healthcare, industry and the country at large. So the government made a promise: after three years, it would review the law to ensure its policies worked. But by the time the three-year mark arrived, the COVID-19 pandemic had diverted attention to more pressing public health concerns and a wave of cannabis companies desperate for changes to the legislation had already cut staff, consolidated or folded.The government review was finally launched in September 2022, and an initial report was released last week that summarizes what the panel heard from industry, health care and community groups. It did not offer any recommendations and the deadline for the final report is not until March.Passing legislation based on its suggestions could take even longer, say cannabis stakeholders. They are preparing to mark the fifth anniversary of recreational pot legalization Tuesday and worry...

Suncor CEO appearing today at Commons committee to explain comments on sustainability

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:35 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s ongoing political battle between climate action and the economic benefits of the oil and gas industry will be on full display today as the CEO of oilsands giant Suncor appears at a House of Commons committee.Rich Kruger was invited to the natural resources committee after he spoke to shareholders in August about refocusing the company on its oil business and reducing the emphasis on the transition to lower-emitting energy sources.Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Kruger’s comments prove why Ottawa needed to regulate climate action and set emissions caps for oil and gas production since companies like Suncor weren’t going to do it on their own. Kruger said in an op-ed published in the Calgary Herald in September that his comments were taken out of context and that the company was still committed to decarbonizing its core oil business.Suncor is part of the Pathways Alliance, a consortium of oilsands companies investing in carbon capture an...