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Ethiopian Airstrike On A Town Square In The Restive Amhara Region Kills 26, Health Official Says

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NAIROBI, Amhara Kenya — At least 26 people were murdered, and more than 55 others were injured in an attack on a busy town square in Ethiopia’s unrest-plagued Amhara region, a top health official said on Monday, days after the government claimed that peace had returned to the region.

Local militia members and Ethiopia’s military have been fighting over attempts to disband them, and this week the military used force to retake important Amhara cities.

According to the health professional, who, like other residents, spoke on the record anonymously out of fear of retaliation, the attack on Sunday struck the heart of the Finote Selam community. The official reported that 22 persons passed away at the spot and that several injured required amputations.

According to two locals, the truck carrying citizens returning after giving food to militia members known as Fano’s fighters was the target of the airstrike. There was no way to confirm their story.

A federal government official did not immediately answer an inquiry for comment.

A local instructor reported, “We heard a heavy sound coming from the sky.” “Many people were killed and hurt when it fell.”

amhara

At least 26 people were murdered, and more than 55 others were injured in an attack on a busy town square in Ethiopia’s unrest-plagued Amhara region.

On Monday, the state-established Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported “credible reports of strikes and shelling” in Finote Selam and other Amhara towns, “resulting in many civilian casualties.” Additionally, it stated that attacks were directed towards Amhara regional officials, with some of them dying as a result, “resulting in the temporary collapse of local state structure in many areas.”

This month, the Amhara region received a state of emergency declaration from Ethiopia’s Cabinet. A peace agreement was reached in November following a two-year struggle involving the Fano militia and Ethiopian troops in the neighboring Tigray area.

Attorneys and witnesses claim that amid the disturbance in the Amhara region, officials are currently making mass arrests of hundreds or perhaps thousands of people.

The emergency measures allow law enforcement to make warrantless arrests of suspects, perform searches, and impose curfews. Tens of thousands of members of the ethnic Tigray community were apprehended nationwide during a prior state of emergency proclaimed during the Tigray conflict.

This time, “there has been widespread arrest of civilians who are of ethnic Amhara origin,” the rights commission claimed.

amhara

At least 26 people were murdered, and over 55 others were injured in an attack on a busy town square in Ethiopia’s unrest-plagued Amhara region.

In the capital, Addis Abeba, where suspects are being kept at police stations, schools, and other improvised detention facilities after being swept off the streets, two lawyers claimed the emergency measures also appear to be in place. For fear of retaliation, the attorneys spoke on the condition of anonymity.

One attorney claimed that he visited seven schools last week, and “hundreds” of people were being held in police stations. According to the other attorney, 3,000 persons had been detained in Addis Abeba, according to police sources.

A third attorney reported meeting numerous young people detained and charged with having connections to the Fano militia last week at Addis Abeba’s police stations and courts.

One man of Amhara descent claimed that plainclothes police officers hauled him off the street last week after overhearing him discussing the recent turmoil on the phone. He claimed that before being taken to a police station, he was held at a school among hundreds of other people. On Thursday, he was let go without being charged.

amhara

At least 26 people were murdered, and more than 55 others were injured in an attack on a busy town square in Ethiopia’s unrest-plagued Amhara region.

Another individual claimed that his brother was jailed at a school with several hundred other people after being arrested in Addis Ababa the day before the state of emergency was imposed. The man, who has visited his brother there twice, claimed that most prisoners are young boys.

According to the federal administration, just 23 persons have been detained in Addis Ababa due to the emergency declaration. Among them is Christian Tadele, a vocal opposition politician who, as a parliamentarian, should be exempt from arrest under Ethiopia’s Constitution.

On Friday, the federal government’s communication office stated, “(N)o suspect has been arrested aside from these 23 individuals and the information circulating that there are mass arrests is wrong.”

The state of emergency should only be in effect for one month, according to the rights commission, and should only be applied “to the specific place where the special danger is said to have occurred, rather than applying it throughout the entire country.”

SOURCE – (AP)

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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

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Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

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Baby Gorilla, Calgary Zoo
The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

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Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M

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Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

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