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Colombia investigates the killing of a Hmong American comedian and activist in Medellin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian authorities on Wednesday were investigating the alleged kidnapping and murder of a Hmong American comedian and activist who was found dead Monday in a wooded area of the northern city Medellín.Prosecutors told reporters that Tou Ger Xiong, 50, arrived in Medellín on Nov. 29. He went to meet a friend in the city on Dec. 10. Hours later he called a friend in the United States to tell him that he was kidnapped and his captors demanded a $2,000 ransom to free him, according to prosecutors.Yiri Amado Sánchez, sectional director of Medellín prosecutor’s office, indicated that another friend of the activist reported the kidnapping for ransom — a common occurrence in the city. The office did not identify the friend by name.“The man was the victim of a kidnapping,” Sánchez said, adding that the alleged kidnappers didn’t collect the money.Xiong, who lived in the St. Paul, Minnesota, suburb of Woodbury, was a comedian, entertainer, storyteller and ...

Drop in Canadian maple syrup production not expected to affect access

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

Pancake and waffle loves can breathe a sigh of relief as a five-year low in maple syrup productions is not expected to affect Canadians’ access to the sugary topping, according to the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association (OMSPA).Numbers from of Statistics Canada found maple syrup production dropped from a record high of 79 million litres in 2022 to just over 47 million litres of syrup this year. However, Executive Director of OMSPA John Williams said the strategic reserve in Quebec will ensure the global supply will stay stable.Across Canada, production dipped down from 40 per cent in Quebec, 35 per cent in New Brunswick to 15 per cent in Ontario.“It’s like millions of dollars in bulk sale really. And, it creates a stress for the industry, because if you don’t have those dollars, then you can’t really invest or expand in your company,” said Louise Poitras, Executive Director of the New Brunswick Maple Syrup AssociationHowever, suppliers, lik...

Beer and wine coming to Ontario convenience stores, gas stations in January 2026: sources

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

Premier Doug Ford will announce on Thursday that beer, wine and canned cocktail drinks will be sold in Ontario convenience stores and gas stations starting in January 2026, sources confirm with CityNews.The cap on the number of grocery stores allowed to sell beer will be also removed, and any retailer selling beer will be allowed to sell 12 and 24 packs, which currently are restricted to The Beer Store.Ford teased the announcement on Wednesday — the same day that his government announced a reversal of its previous plan to dissolve Peel Region.“We made a promise to you to bring beer and wine to convenience stores and grocery stores across the province of Ontario. Get ready, we’ve got big news coming tomorrow,” Ford said in the brief clip posted to social media.Tune in tomorrow for some very exciting news Ontario! ???? ???? pic.twitter.com/jTchNPoCQk— Doug Ford (@fordnation) December 13, 2023Under the new plan, The Beer Store will continue to handle distr...

Wisconsin Supreme Court refuses to hear lawsuit challenging voucher school program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to hear a lawsuit brought by Democrats seeking to end the state’s taxpayer-funded private school voucher program. The lawsuit could be refiled in county circuit court, as both Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration and Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos had argued. The Supreme Court rejected it without comment in an unsigned, unanimous order.Democrats who brought the lawsuit asked the state Supreme Court to take the case directly, which would have resulted in a much faster final ruling than having the case start in lower courts.Brian Potts, attorney for those challenging the voucher programs, did not reply to a message seeking comment.Supporters of the voucher programs hailed the court’s rejection of the lawsuit.The lawsuit “was plagued with misleading, misinformed, and nonsensical legal arguments,” said Rick Esenberg, president of the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. That group r...

Aimed at safety, Atlantic City road narrowing accelerates fears of worse traffic in gambling resort

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Even with two lanes in each direction, the main road through Atlantic City can be choked with traffic, particularly on days when one or more big concerts are in town.Now, to access federal and state highway safety money to repair the decrepit condition of Atlantic Avenue, the city is acceding to the main demand of both governments by narrowing the roadway from four lanes to two, in the name of protecting pedestrians. Skeptics warn of even worse traffic jams to come in the gambling mecca. But the city dismisses their concerns about the changes, particularly in light of the free improvements it says it is getting.Atlantic Avenue spans the length of the resort, but it is not the road on which six of the city’s nine casinos front. They are located along Pacific Avenue, a block to the east, which is and will remain one lane in each direction.Mayor Marty Small called the combined $24 million in federal and state funding that will pay for newly paved roads ...

Lawsuit alleges ex-Harvard Medical School professor used own sperm to secretly impregnate patient

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — A former professor at Harvard Medical School and founder of one of the nation’s largest fertility clinics is being accused of secretly impregnating a patient in 1980 after promising the sperm would come from an anonymous donor, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday.Sarah Depoian, 73, said she and her husband first went to Dr. Merle Berger, now-retired professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology, in 1979 to discuss an intrauterine insemination. Depoian said Berger told her the sperm would come from an anonymous donor “who resembled her husband, who did not know her, and whom she did not know,” according to the lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.The artificial insemination that Berger performed resulted in a successful pregnancy, and Depoian’s daughter, Carolyn Bester, was born in January 1981. Earlier this year, Bester conducted a home DNA test and discovered Berger was her biological father, according t...

New report highlighting impact of social isolation on aging Canadian population

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

A new report is highlighting the risk of social isolation and the impact loneliness has on the aging population in Canada.The study finds that as many as 41 per cent of Canadians aged 50 years and older are at risk of social isolation and up to 58 per cent have experienced loneliness before.One of the author’s of the report, Dr. Samir Sinha said these findings were concerning as loneliness itself has been considered the equivalent of smoking upwards of 15 cigarettes a day.“So when you start realizing that it’s so prevalent amongst the majority of older Canadians and that there are significant health consequences that can occur as a result, it is an opportunity to kind of of raise awareness of how common this actually is, break down the stigma so that we can better address it as well,” said Dr. Sinha.There are multiple factors that lead to this isolation, Dr. Sinha explained including such as a major life change, or outliving friends and family members.“We als...

Toronto police warn of fraud scheme targeting Chinese community

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

Toronto police have issued a public service announcement warning of an ongoing fraud scheme primarily targeting the Chinese community. In most cases, police said the complainant will receive an unsolicited phone call from a Mandarin-speaking person. The caller often identifies as a telephone operator with a major cellular company.Authorities said the caller informs the victim that a cell phone account was opened in China under the complainant’s name and is being used to commit fraud. The victim is then transferred to someone posing as a police officer in China. The fake officer advises the complainant they are being investigated for fraud and then threatens them with extradition unless funds are provided.In another possible case, the “police officer” requests funds be sent for the complainant’s name to be cleared in China. Red flags to watch out forA police spokesperson said the Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes Unit wants the public to be aware of this...

Man allegedly involved in shootout that left him, 2 Philadelphia cops wounded now facing charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A man who authorities say engaged in a shootout with Philadelphia police that left him and two officers wounded is now facing numerous charges including two counts of attempted murder, prosecutors announced Wednesday.Dioul Devaughn, 40, also faces four counts each of aggravated assault and assault on a law enforcement officer stemming from the shootout. He remained hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday, and prosecutors did not know if he has retained an attorney.The shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. Sunday after officers responded to reports of gunfire and saw a pickup truck that was occupied by a man believed to have been involved. The man initially stopped the truck after an officer activated his emergency lights, but he then drove off as the officer approached the vehicle on foot.Officers soon spotted the truck again, and the pursuit ended when the driver rammed a police car. He then got out and started shooting at police, prosecutors said.Four city of...

Tesla recall will affect roughly 193,000 cars in Canada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:29 GMT

Tesla’s recall over its autopilot function will affect about 193,000 vehicles in Canada.Transport Canada says Tesla will provide an over-the-air software update to fix the advanced driver assistance features.Transport Canada says the recall will be added to its database of vehicles with safety recalls.Tesla has recalled more than two million cars across its model lineup, which were produced between Oct. 5, 2012 and Dec. 7 of this year, after a lengthy investigation by the U.S. National Highway Safety Administration.U.S. safety regulators had investigated a series of crashes involving Tesla’s autopilot feature, some of which were fatal.Documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators say the company will send out a software update to fix the problems.Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.In May, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said Tesla shouldn’t be calling ...