News
China Says More Than 10 US Balloons Flew In Its Airspace
BEIJING, China — Washington said that Beijing has a fleet of surveillance balloons that fly all over the world. In response, China said on Monday that over ten US high-altitude balloons have flown in its airspace without permission in the last year. The US has denied operating any surveillance balloons over China.
The United States shot down what was thought to be a Chinese spy balloon that had flown from Alaska to South Carolina. This caused a new crisis in relations between the two countries, which were already at their worst in decades.
Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, provided no information about the alleged US balloons, how they were dealt with, or whether they had government or military ties.
“It is also common for US balloons to enter other countries’ airspace illegally,” Wang said at a daily briefing. “Since last year, US high-altitude balloons have illegally flown over Chinese airspace more than ten times without Chinese authorities’ approval.”
Wang suggested that the United States “first reflect on itself and change course, rather than smear and incite a confrontation.”
According to China, the balloon shot down by the US was an unmanned airship designed for meteorological research that was blown off course. It has said that the US overreacted by shooting it down, and it has threatened retaliation without saying what it would be.
The U.S. Does Not Operate Spy Balloons Over China
According to Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council in Washington, any claim that the US government operates surveillance balloons over China is false.
“China has a high-altitude surveillance balloon intelligence collection program linked to the People’s Liberation Army that it has used to violate the sovereignty of the United States and over 40 countries across five continents,” Watson said.
“This is the latest example of China scrambling to contain the damage. It has repeatedly and incorrectly claimed that the surveillance balloon it sent over the United States was a weather balloon, and it has yet to provide any credible explanation for its intrusion into our and others’ airspace.”
After the balloon incident, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a trip to Beijing that many people hoped would stop the deterioration of relations over Taiwan, trade, and human rights and threaten Chinese actions in the disputed South China Sea.
Also on Monday, the Philippines accused a Chinese coast guard ship of using a military-grade laser to target a Philippine coast guard vessel and temporarily blinding some of its crew in the South China Sea, calling it a “blatant” violation of Manila’s sovereign rights.
Pillaphine Coast Guard Trespasses Into Chinese Water
Wang stated that on February 6, a Philippine coast guard trespassed into Chinese waters without permission, to which Chinese coast guard vessels responded: “professionally and with restraint.” China claims all of the strategic waterway and has been steadily building up its navy and outposts on islands.
“China and the Philippines are maintaining communication in this regard through diplomatic channels,” Wang said. The Chinese Defense Ministry did not respond immediately to a question about the incident.
To ratchet up tensions, a US fighter jet shot down an “unidentified object” over Lake Huron on orders from President Joe Biden on Sunday. It was the fourth such downing in eight days, part of an unusual string of events over US airspace that Pentagon officials believe has no peacetime precedent.
According to imagery from American U-2 spy planes, the Chinese balloon shot down by the US was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a massive, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries.
Heightened Alert Following The First Spy Balloon
A “heightened alert” following the alleged Chinese spy balloon is part of the reason for the repeated shootdowns, according to Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of NORAD and the US Northern Command, during a press conference.
As part of its response to the incident, the US has imposed economic sanctions on six Chinese entities it believes are linked to Beijing’s aerospace programs. The United States House of Representatives also unanimously condemned China for a “brazen violation” of American sovereignty and efforts to “deceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns.”
Wang, China’s spokesperson, reiterated China’s denial of such claims, saying that “the United States’ frequent firing of advanced missiles to shoot down the objects is an overreaction of overexertion.”
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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