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B.C. woman faces multiple charges for under-18 sex trafficking, say Langley RCMP

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

LANGLEY, B.C. — Police in British Columbia say a woman faces more than a dozen charges related to an alleged human trafficking scheme involving sexual exploitation of people under 18. Langley RCMP say Jennifer Lynn Stephens faces 14 criminal charges for her alleged role in a human trafficking and pimping operation, including forcible confinement, assault with a weapon, uttering threats, and benefiting and advertising sexual services.Police say they were called to a gas station in Langley in early March 2023 where they found a “distressed adult female,” and an investigation led them to a hotel nearby before Stephens was first charged with assault. They say she failed to appear in court in July, leading to a Canada-wide warrant for her arrest. Police say they arrested Stephens on Dec. 7 after a complex investigation involving multiple agencies including Surrey RCMP, Vancouver police, and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit. Insp. Erica Moir with Langley RCMP says ...

Harris to kick off 2024 with stops in Nevada, South Carolina, home to some of Democrats’ first votes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting Nevada and South Carolina next month, two of the earliest states on the Democratic presidential calendar, where she’ll court voters she and President Joe Biden hope to win over.Harris will meet with members of the powerful casino workers’ Culinary Union in Las Vegas on Jan. 3, which offers one of the most powerful endorsements in Nevada Democratic politics, the White House said Thursday.Three days later, she plans to head to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, home of the Democrats’ leadoff primary, to address an annual women’s retreat of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest historically Black denomination in the U.S.Harris has been touring the country to tout the administration’s accomplishments, most recently angling to energize younger voters during a multi-stop college tour. Next month she plans to embark on a nationwide series of events to rally voters to give Biden a second term an...

Colombia will try to raise objects from a 1708 shipwreck believed to have a cargo worth billions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The Colombian government said Thursday it will try to raise objects from the 1708 shipwreck of the galleon San Jose, which is believed to contain a cargo worth billions of dollars. The 300-year-old wreck, often called the “holy grail of shipwrecks,” has been controversial, because it is both an archaeological and economic treasure. Culture Minister Juan David Correa said the first attempts will be made between April and May, depending on ocean conditions in the Caribbean. Correa pledged it would be a scientific expedition. “This is an archaeological wreck, not a treasure,” Correa said following a meeting with President Gustavo Petro. “This is an opportunity for us to become a country at the forefront of underwater archaeological research.”But the ship is believed to hold 11 million gold and silver coins, emeralds and other precious cargo from Spanish-controlled colonies, which could be worth billions of dollars if ever recovered. Correa said the materia...

Comedian Jo Koy is picked to host the Golden Globes as award season kicks off

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Comedian and actor Jo Koy has been tapped to host the Golden Globes, picked by producers for his “infectious energy and relatable humor.”Koy last year saw his “Easter Sunday” become the first big studio movie with an all-Filipino ensemble. He has released five stand-up specials on Comedy Central and Netflix, including his most recent Netflix special, “Live From The Los Angeles Forum.” The Globes are recovering after scandal and several troubled years, including one without a broadcast. The show will take place on Jan. 7 and will mark Koy’s first major award show hosting gig.“We are thrilled to have Jo host the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards and bring his infectious energy and relatable humor to kick off Hollywood’s award season,” said Helen Hoehne, Golden Globes president, in a statement Thursday. “We know Jo is bringing his A-game.”“I’ve stepped onto a lot of stages around the world in my career, but this one is going to be extra special. I’m so excited to be...

Homebuilders step up construction of single-family homes as 30-year mortgage rate eases below 7%

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Homebuilders are stepping up construction of single-family homes following a steady decline in mortgage rates and broad expectations among economists that home loan borrowing costs will ease further next year.Builders broke ground on single-family homes in November at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of about 1.14 million units, the Commerce Department reported this week. That’s an 18% jump from October and a 42.2% increase from November last year. It also marks the fastest pace for single-family housing starts since April 2022.Single-family housing starts have now risen three months in a row and are outpacing home completions for the first time since the spring of last year.Even with November’s ramp-up, construction of single-family homes remains on pace for its second straight annual decline, with starts down 7.2% through the first 11 months of this year versus the same period in 2022.Still, if mortgage rates continue to fall, that should spur more homebuyers t...

Alberta third province to sign health-care funding deal with Ottawa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

CALGARY — Alberta has signed a $1.06 billion, three-year deal with the federal government to help fund improvements to the province’s health-care system.It’s the third province to come to an agreement with Ottawa after British Columbia signed a similar one in October and Prince Edward Island inked its deal on Tuesday.The bilateral deals are part of a $196-billion, 10-year national health accord Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered to premiers in February.Provinces and territories are expected to commit to massive upgrades to digital medical records and the collection of health-care data, as well as being held to account for meeting targets and timelines.Alberta says it will use the money to increase access to primary care providers, improve diagnostic imaging capacity, enhance Albertans’ ability to access digital health services and expand integrated services for youth mental health.Quebec remains the only province that hasn’t agreed in principle to the acco...

Quebec introducing new rule to reduce bat deaths linked to wind farms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

Quebec’s Environment Department says it is introducing a new measure to mitigate the impact of wind farms on bats native to the province.The government will require all future wind farm projects to increase turbine cut-in speeds — when the blades start rotating and generating power — to 5.5 metres per second at night between June 1 and Oct. 15.Those months coincide with the period of the year when bats are most active in North America — and when they are most often killed by turbines.The department says the measure has proven effective elsewhere and should significantly reduce the risk of bats colliding with turbines in Quebec, the second-largest wind energy market in Canada, after Ontario.In June, the province designated four of eight bat species in Quebec as threatened or vulnerable, and said that three of the four others are likely to meet the criteria in the future to be designated as threatened of vulnerable.The province says the new rule is part of a series of protection...

Ecuador investigates the kidnapping of a British businessman and former honorary consul

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuadorian authorities said Thursday they are investigating the kidnapping of a British businessman and former honorary consul, who was rescued by police after being abducted over the weekend.The prosecutors’ press office said that several units are following some leads after police arrested nine suspects linked to the kidnapping of Colin Armstrong, but it didn’t provide further details.Armstrong, 78, is an agricultural businessman who lives in the Ecuadorian city of Baba, more than 100 kilometers southwest of the capital, Quito. He was honorary consul in the port city of Guayaquil until 2016.Armed people entered Armstrong home on Saturday and took him along with a woman, identified as his partner. They took them in the businessman’s own car, which was later abandoned and located near the area.The commander of the National Police, Gen. César Zapata, said Wednesday that Armstrong was freed Tuesday night by police agents in the coastal province ...

Liberals echo Hamas condemnation after militant leader hails Canada ceasefire stance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

OTTAWA — The Liberals are stressing that Hamas needs to surrender to Israel, after the militant group praised Ottawa for calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the group can no longer have a role in governing Gaza or in creating a Palestinian state living in peace alongside Israel.This week, Hamas released a video message from one of its top officials, Ghazi Hamad, who thanked Canada, Australia and New Zealand for a statement that called on Israel to end its bombardment of Gaza.Hamad did not mention that the statement also demanded that his group surrender, release all hostages and stop using Palestinians as human shields.The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs says the video is the result of a “failure to hold Hamas accountable,” and notes that Ottawa deems the group to be a terrorist organization.Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly released a statement late Wednesday on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, noting that the ...

Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago sets up toy shop to help make the holidays special for families

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:41 GMT

CHICAGO — It's the time of year when many people are frantically running around trying to pick up gifts. But families who have children in the hospital may not be able to do that. That's why Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is hosting its annual Winter Wonderland Toy Shop in the hospital's 11th-floor conference center.Parents can come in and pick out all kinds of donated holiday gifts — from baby dolls to race cars, books and pajamas — for patients and their siblings.  And if parents can’t leave the hospital room, there are volunteers who can do the shopping for them. The best part? It’s all free.The shopping started Wednesday and wraps up Thursday afternoon. Lurie estimates about 700 patients and their siblings will receive holiday gifts. One Rockford family, which has 3-month-old Leilani in Lurie's neonatal intensive care unit and two toddlers back at home, said the generosity was a huge relief."I just thought maybe, like, two gifts," Leilani's mom, mom Mariah Culvey said. ".....