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Brazil Deluge Kills 36; Search Continues For Dozens Missing

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Brazil

SAO SEBASTIAO, Brazil – Hundreds of rescuers searched for survivors Monday of landslides and flooding that killed at least 36 people along the coast of Brazil’s southern Sao Paulo after a massive weekend downpour.

Sao Sebastiao was the hardest hit, with at least 35 people killed. A 7-year-old girl was killed in nearby Ubatuba. The disaster, which occurred in an area known for its beaches flanked by mountains, caused many cities to cancel Carnival celebrations, which were already underway elsewhere in the country.

Governor Tarcisio de Freitas told the Globo television network that 40 more people were missing. According to his state government, nearly 800 people were homeless, and 1,730 were displaced.

Flooded homes were shown on television with only their roofs visible. Residents used small boats to transport items and people to higher ground.

Mailsa, a woman who only gave her first name, said she and her husband, daughter, and grandson barely escaped when a landslide destroyed her house in Sao Sebastiao’s Juquehy municipality. The house had been partially submerged, parts had fallen away, and the rest was precariously on the edge of a hill.

“It was lightning fast. “You either run or you die,” she said. “There is nothing you can take, only your life, which is the most important thing.”

Brazil

After Flooding Caused Deadly Landslides In Brazil

Armed forces personnel assisted in the search and rescue efforts, hampered by poor access to many areas due to landslides in the region’s highlands and floods that washed away chunks of pavement in low-lying and oceanfront areas.

“Our rescue teams are unable to reach several locations. “It’s a chaotic situation,” Sao Sebastiao Mayor Felipe Augusto said late Sunday night on social media.

According to Augusto, approximately 50 houses in the city collapsed due to the landslides, and he posted several videos of destruction and search efforts, including one of a baby being rescued by locals lined up on a flooded street.

Landslides and floodwaters blocked the highway connecting Rio de Janeiro state to Sao Paulo’s port city of Santos. According to Gov. de Freitas, the damage was so severe that the highway may no longer exist.

Precipitation in Sao Sebastiao exceeded 600 millimeters (23.6 inches) Brazil in 24 hours over the weekend, one of the largest downpours in Brazil in such a short period.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited the region on Monday. He observed the damage in Sao Sebastiao from a helicopter and met with Gov. de Freitas at the theatre, where search operations were being coordinated.

brazil

600 Millimeters Of Rain In 24 Hours

According to Lula, people living on the hillside should be relocated to safer areas. “Now and then, nature surprises us, but many times, we defy nature,” Lula told reporters in Sao Sebastiao.

De Freitas declared a state of emergency for the worst-affected cities, including Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Ilhabela, and Bertioga, allowing for the expedited allocation of relief funds. He stated that 7 million reais ($1.35 million) had already been released. The governor also declared three days of official mourning throughout Sao Paulo on Monday.

According to a state government statement, the heavy rain disrupted water, electricity, and phone services, and a video of 30,000 liters of water being transported to Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, was posted on Twitter. In addition, hygiene kits, blankets, sleeping bags, mattresses, and medical supplies have been delivered.

Waldez Góes, Minister of Integration and Regional Development, stated on Twitter that experts are already looking into reconstruction plans. “In the coming days, we will work on rebuilding bridges, public buildings, housing units, and all affected public infrastructure,” Góes said.

The affected area, on the northern coast of Sao Paulo, is a popular Carnival destination for wealthy tourists who prefer to avoid the massive street parties of big cities.

SOURCE – (AP)

 

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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

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Trudeau, Montreal

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, Canada

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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