News
About 300 Indian Travelers Are Stuck In A French Airport In A Human Trafficking Probe
VATRY, France — Authorities reported that over 300 Indian people on their way to Central America were detained in a French airport for the third day on Saturday after a spectacular police operation spurred by a tip that passengers aboard might be victims of human trafficking.
Children and families were among those on board. According to the local civil protection service, the youngest passenger is a toddler of 21 months, and there are several unaccompanied youngsters among the children.
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, two of the passengers have been detained as part of a special investigation into alleged human trafficking by an organized criminal network. Prosecutors declined to elaborate on the nature of the suspected trafficking or whether the eventual destination was the United States, which has witnessed an increase in Indians crossing the Mexico-U.S. border this year.
About 300 Indian Travelers Are Stuck In A French Airport In A Human Trafficking Probe
French authorities placed white tarps across the soaring bay windows of the modest Vatry Airport in the Champagne area to safeguard the people’s privacy. The unidentified A340 jet, grounded since Thursday, can be parked near the terminal. Other planes were grounded or rerouted as the airport became the focal point of a massive trafficking probe.
According to a lawyer for the Romania-based airline, the 15 crew members of the Legend Airlines charter flight en way from Fujairah airport in the United Arab Emirates to Managua, Nicaragua, were questioned and released.
Since Thursday, a bizarre holiday weekend tableau has been emerging at Vatry Airport. The plane halted for refuelling and was grounded by French authorities after an anonymous warning that it was carrying victims of human trafficking, according to the prosecutor’s office.
According to the administration of the Marne region, the unprecedented and sudden investigation hindered air transport by cordoning off the airport and disrupting flights. The airfield is mostly utilized for charter and cargo flights.
About 300 Indian Travelers Are Stuck In A French Airport In A Human Trafficking Probe
According to a Marne administration official, the passengers were detained at the airport and spent two nights on camp beds while the investigation was ongoing. According to the official, the passengers originally remained on the jet, surrounded by police on the tarmac, but were subsequently taken to the airport’s main hall to sleep.
According to Patrick Jaloux, head of the regional civil protection agency, emergency personnel, a doctor, and local volunteers are on the scene, and passengers are receiving regular meals, medical attention, and access to restrooms and showers. A part of the terminal has been designated for families.
”We are trying to find ways to help them pass the time” and decrease their distress as the ordeal continues,” Jaloux told the Associated Press.
Indian consular officers are stationed at the airport and are collaborating with the French authorities ”for the welfare of the Indians” and an ”early resolution of the crisis,” according to a Saturday post on X by the Indian Embassy in France.
Liliana Bakayoko, a lawyer for Legend Airlines, stated that the firm is collaborating with French authorities, rejects any involvement in alleged human trafficking, and ”has not committed any infraction.”
According to Bakayoko, the “partner” company that rented the jet was in charge of validating each passenger’s identity credentials and communicating their passport information to the airline 48 hours before the flight.
About 300 Indian Travelers Are Stuck In A French Airport In A Human Trafficking Probe
According to her, the customer had chartered many flights on Legend Airlines from Dubai to Nicaragua, and a few previous flights had already completed the route without difficulty. She refused to identify the customer, stating it was not a European corporation.
The crew members, who are from various countries, “are rather traumatized,” she said. “They wrote me messages that they want to see their families for Christmas.”
The United States government has named Nicaragua as one of several countries that have failed to satisfy minimum benchmarks for eradicating human trafficking.
Because of eased or visa-free entrance restrictions for some countries, Nicaragua has also been used as a migratory springboard for people fleeing poverty or conflict in the Caribbean and far-flung countries in Africa or Asia. Charter flights are sometimes employed for travel. Smugglers help the migrants move north by bus from there.
According to the Mexican Immigration Agency, the influx of Indian migrants through Mexico has surged from fewer than 3,000 in 2022 to more than 11,000 from January to November this year. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, Indian people were detained 41,770 times for unlawfully entering the United States from Mexico, more than double the previous year’s total of 18,308 arrests.
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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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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