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‘A situation that’s unprecedented.’ Quebec confronted with over 150 wildfires

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

MONTREAL — Northern Quebec’s largest city was being evacuated while another that had been threatened by wildfires lifted an evacuation order Tuesday, as authorities turned their attention to communities in the northern and northwestern parts of the province where firefighters worked to beat back threats from out-of-control blazes.“We’re following all of this from hour to hour, obviously,” Premier François Legault told reporters in Sept-Îles, Que. “If we look at the situation in Quebec as a whole, there are several places where it is still worrying.”Late Tuesday, authorities issued an evacuation order for Chibougamau, a city of about 7,500 in the central region of the province. Authorities said the evacuation was underway and promised more details Wednesday. According to the province’s forest fire prevention agency, more than 150 forest fires were burning in the province on Tuesday, including more than 110 deemed out of control.Legault said t...

Fiji reconsiders security ties with China amid Pacific tensions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Fiji’s leader indicated Wednesday his nation is reconsidering its security ties with China at a time that geopolitical tensions in the Pacific are rising. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said Fiji was reviewing a contentious police cooperation agreement it signed with China in 2011 that has allowed Chinese police officers to be stationed in Fiji. At one point during a news conference in Wellington with his New Zealand counterpart Chris Hipkins, Rabuka appeared to go one step further by referring to Fiji’s “discontinuation” of the agreement.“If our systems and our values differ, what cooperation can we get from them?” Rabuka said, referring to China. “We need to look at that again before we decide whether we go back to it, or if we continue the way that we have in the past by cooperating with those who have similar democratic values and systems.”Fiji expanded its policing agreement with China in 2013 to include some military cooperation...

Police seek 4 youth suspects in Woodbine Beach stabbing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

Toronto police are trying to identify four suspects, three females and a male, after a stabbing at Woodbine Beach late last month.Officers were called to the beach on Tuesday, May 30, at around 9:20 p.m. for reports of a stabbing.Investigators say a group of young people got into an altercation that resulted in one person suffering stab wounds.The suspects are described as:Female, white, 16 to 18 years old, straight brown hair with red highlights. Wearing a blue sweater with a Brooklyn Nets logo, beige shorts.Female, white, 16 to 18 years old, straight black hair in a ponytail. Wearing a black sweater red logo on left shoulder, black shortsFemale, white, 16 to 18 years old, straight brown hair. Wearing a light colour sweater, black shorts and white shoesMale, white, 16 to 17 years old. Wearing a back t-shirt, black shorts, black satchel, black shoes and black face covering Police say no images of the suspects are currently available.

Police pursuit ends at River Oaks Shopping Center after suspects flee into mall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

CALUMET CITY, Ill. -- A police chase that started in Chicago ended at River Oaks Shopping Center in Calumet City Tuesday.According to the Calumet City Police Department, officers were notified by another law enforcement agency that a vehicle wanted in connection with incidents that occurred in multiple jurisdictions had been seen near the River Oaks Shopping Center. Body of woman found in car on South Side Skycam9 witnessed police pursuing a minivan that ended at the River Oaks Shopping Center in Calumet City Tuesday evening. The minivan was seen driving south at a high rate of speed on the Bishop Ford Expressway.Three people were seen jumping out of the minivan and ran into the River Oaks Shopping Center.Calumet City police were able to locate the vehicle, but the suspects fled the property. The suspects still remain at large.No further information has been provided at this time.Anyone with information regarding this incident are asked to contact the Calumet City Police Departmen...

Wisconsin teen's body found in SUV 4 days after it was towed to lot following crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The body of a 17-year-old Milwaukee boy was found inside an SUV, four days after the vehicle was towed to a city-owned lot following a crash, authorities said.Milwaukee police officers who were called Monday morning to the lot saw the teen's body on the floor of the SUV's rear portion, police said in a statement.The boy’s cause of death is being investigated by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, while the Milwaukee Police Department and the city’s Department of Public Works will investigate the circumstances that resulted in the youth's body not being initially found in the SUV, police said.The SUV, which police suspected was stolen, was towed to the lot last Thursday after it was severely damaged when it crashed into a tree. That crash injured a 16-year-old boy who had been driving the vehicle and he was taken into custody, police said.The incident marks the third time since 2018 that city personnel left someone in a car that was eventually towed away,...

14-year-old girl dies in north Austin overnight shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department is investigating after a 14-year-old girl died after being shot in north Austin overnight.Police are investigating the incident as a homicide. This is Austin's 31st homicide of 2023, APD said. MAP: Where have Austin’s homicides occurred in 2023? Police said they responded to a shots fired call around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Bridge at Harris Ridge Apartment Complex on East Howard Lane. According to APD, officers and EMS arrived on scene and found the girl with head trauma and then began life-saving measures. The girl was transported by ambulance to a Dell Children's Hospital where she later died.No one is in custody at this time.Anyone with any information should call APD's Homicide unit at 512-974-TIPS. You can submit a tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. There could be a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.Witnesses...

Would the Barton Springs Road Safety Pilot work?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN)-- There's a concern that Austin's proposal to change a stretch of Barton Springs Road could make it even more crowded. The city is considering cutting down the number of lanes to one in each direction between South Lamar Boulevard and Azie Morton Road. "I just think it's going to become so congested that people will no longer come by," said Jason Crouch, who works at Green Mesquite BBQ, located along the stretch of Barton Springs Road that would see the lane reduction. Austin could limit Barton Springs Road vehicle traffic in 1-year safety pilot Crouch said he wouldn't mind the lane reductions during big events, like the ACL Festival, but said a permanent change would hurt business. "I've seen changes down here, a lot considerable changes, but none as drastic is what they're proposing right now," said Crouch, who's been working at Green Mesquite BBQ since the 1990s. Austin Transportation Department officials said because they'll add lanes to the intersections, traffi...

Pflugerville Police say no injuries reported after shots fired call

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) -- Pflugerville Police said no injuries were reported after it responded to a shots fired call Tuesday evening, the agency said on Twitter.Police said no injuries were reported.A tweet from police said officers responded to the 1200 block of Town Center Drive. An emergency text alert went out to residents in the area, though police told KXAN no shelter in place was in effect.PPD said anyone with information about this incident should call the Crime Tip Line at (512) 990-6731 or email [email protected] before 10 p.m., another emergency text alert said the area was concluded and the community could return to normal activity.Members of the public can text PfPD to 888777 to receive emergency text alerts from Pflugerville Police.

St. Paul Public Schools plans $1 billion budget for 2023-24 school year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

St. Paul Public Schools plans to spend more than $1 billion to fund its operations in the coming academic year.A draft budget outlined Tuesday would see the district draw $34 million from its general fund reserves to bridge a deficit that has grown by about $11 million since an initial overview was presented to the school board late last month.Board members will review the district’s budget proposal over the next week as they hold a series of small group meetings with SPPS officials. Members will receive a finalized budget book on June 16 and are scheduled to vote on it at their June 20 board meeting.Under the proposed budget, the district would increase its spending in four of five expenditure categories.The district’s general fund — which goes to teacher salaries and other instructional expenses — would grow by more than $73 million to to nearly $793 million, while food service, community service and construction would also see increases. Only spending on d...

Lawmakers discuss cancer biomarker legislation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:45:52 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- With only a few days left in the legislative session, advocates are hoping a bill that would help cancer patients passes in the assembly before lawmakers leave Albany.In the state senate, a bill passed unanimously to require health insurance policies and Medicaid to cover biomarker testing for people who've been diagnosed with diseases such as cancer.Over in the assembly, Assemblymember Pamela Hunter, who sponsors the bill, said targeted treatment based on biomarker testing has worked wonders for patients. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "This is something we need conversations about and getting it right now," she said. "If we prevent and take care of it now, we get the great treatment now that is right for the illness now, it really saves money and has great quality of life later in life."Officials with the American Cancer Society Action Network said, while many insurance policies cover some biomar...