News
Typhoon Saola Churns Toward South China, Suspending Transport And Delaying The School Year
BEIJING, China: According to Chinese official media, at least 121 passenger trains have been suspended in preparation for the arrival of Typhoon Saola. People in southern China were cautioned to avoid the seaside, and several cities postponed the start of the school year.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, the suspension of important lines running north to south, as well as regional networks, will begin Thursday and last until September 6.
Saola was traveling towards the coast at around 15 kph (9 mph) and was expected to make landfall Friday afternoon in the southern province of Guangzhou with sustained winds of 119 kph (74 mph) and gusts of up to 220 kph (137 mph).
The storm will then move west down the coast towards Guangxi before veering south to sea between Saturday night and Sunday morning, gradually weakening as it travels.
Classes, transport and most commercial activity have been halted in Shanwei, Guangdong, the city closest to where Saola is likely to make landfall. Other cities, including Shantou, Shanwei, Jieyang, and Chaozhou, have delayed the start of the school year until Monday. Flights have also been canceled at regional airports until the storm passes.
At least 121 passenger trains have been suspended in preparation for the arrival of Typhoon Saola.
The meteorological service has already issued a red warning for potentially damaging gusts and flooding, with some places expecting up to 200 millimeters (8 inches) of rain.
Other common safety steps include returning fishing boats to port and relocating workers working on coastal fish and shrimp farms inland, but data on evacuations still need to be published.
As the storm approached Hong Kong, the city’s leader, John Lee, stated in a Facebook post that he had asked several government departments to prepare and advised citizens to take precautions.
The Hong Kong Observatory plans to issue a No. 8 typhoon signal, the city’s third-highest warning level, for early Friday, and schools will be closed, Chief Secretary Eric Chan said during a news conference.
The observatory warned of squally showers, strong gusts, and a probable storm surge in the city’s low-lying sections. It advised locals to avoid water sports and to avoid coastal locations.
On Wednesday, Saola passed just south of Taiwan before heading to mainland China, with the storm’s outer bands dumping heavy rain and strong winds on the island’s southern cities.
The typhoon also hit the Philippines earlier this week, although there have been no reports of injuries so far. However, low-lying settlements in the northern half of the islands were inundated, displacing roughly 50,000 people, including 35,000 peasants who evacuated to government-run evacuation centers. Due to strong seas, seaports ceased inter-island ferry services, and more than a hundred residences were damaged.
Meanwhile, a second storm, Haikui, is forming near Japan’s Ryukyu islands and will strengthen into a typhoon as it advances towards the Chinese coast, where it is anticipated to make landfall south of Shanghai on Sunday morning with sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (102 miles per hour).
The storms come on the heels of some of the heaviest rains and deadliest flooding in years across a vast expanse of China, killing many, including in outlying mountainous areas of the capital, Beijing.
The US Embassy in Beijing and consulates across the country urged residents to take care and avoid locations that were likely to be affected.
“Damaging winds, heavy rains, potential flooding, mudslides, and difficult travel conditions, including potential transportation disruptions in coastal and inland areas, are expected in Southern and Eastern China, with severe weather forecasted from September 1 to September 4,” according to the statement.
SOURCE – (AP)
News
Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns
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 protestors run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest.
The Prime Minister dances.
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. pic.twitter.com/PVJvR6gtmf
— Don Stewart (@donstewartmp) November 23, 2024
“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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News
Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of 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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News
Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M
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:
- Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
- Numbers cannot be repeated
- Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
- Each play buys 3 lines
- 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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