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Indian troops kill 5 suspected rebels in Kashmir fighting, police say

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Government forces in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir killed five suspected militants in a gunbattle, police said Friday.Indian forces launched a joint operation on Thursday evening following a tip that rebels were hiding in a village in southern Kulgam district. The siege led to a gunbattle that continued until Friday, police said.Five militants were killed in the fighting, a police statement said. It said they had been involved in several attacks on government forces and civilian killings.There was no independent confirmation of the police claims.Residents said troops destroyed two civilian houses with explosives during the fighting, a common anti-militancy tactic employed by Indian troops in Kashmir. Another home was partially damaged.At least two of the people killed were in their teens and three had joined the rebel ranks last year, according to police.The counterinsurgency operation came two months after major fighting in nearby Anantnag killed t...

Rogers expands cell service to all TTC subway stations, including Vaughan extension tunnel

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

Rogers Communications has expanded 5G wireless services to all TTC subway stations, as well as along the tunnel in the Vaughan extension.In an update on Friday, the company said 5G service will be available to Rogers customers in the Vaughan extension tunnel between Sheppard West and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre stations.Rogers said it also added more reliable 911 access for all riders at these new locations.The next step will be to roll out cellphone service across all remaining tunnels.“I’m thrilled that our team has completed the upgrade of the legacy network well ahead of schedule,” said Ron McKenzie, Rogers Chief Technology and Information Officer. “We’re now transitioning to the next critical phase of the project, expanding 5G coverage to connect the remaining 36 kilometers of track.”Back in August, Rogers launched the first phase of its 5G wireless services in parts of the TTC subway system, bringing with it improved 911 access for riders.Pr...

Weekend need-to-know: Grey Cup fever, film festivals, and the holiday season gets into full swing

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

Movie buffs will have their pick of the litter as several film festivals are happening this weekend across the city and pet owners will have a chance to get a photo with Santa at the Toronto Christmas Pet Show as the holiday season gets into full swing.The jolly old elf will also arrive at the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto on Friday afternoon. The Distillery District Winter Village kicked off on Thursday and runs until Jan. 7, and WinterFest begins at Canada’s Wonderland.There is also a full weekend closure on the TTC to keep in mind as you travel through the city.Here’s what’s going on this weekend.EventsGrey Cup at Tim Hortons Field in HamiltonThe Grey Cup happens this weekend at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, featuring an electrifying performance from Green Day. The match-up will see the Winnipeg Bluebombers take on the Montreal Alouettes to find out who will hoist the Grey Cup. Sadly, the Toronto Argonauts did not have a chance to defend their 2022 title after their sem...

AI-generated TikToks, YouTube videos push websites that turn photos into AI nudes

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

(NewsNation) — Artificial intelligence tools that can be used to generate AI nudity are easy to find online and sometimes even boosted by accounts on social media sites like YouTube and TikTok.A TikTok search by NewsNation revealed dozens of videos pushing websites that allow users to "remove clothes from any picture," including those of their "crush.""Do you have any picture of your crush?" a man, who appears to be AI-generated, said in a TikTok dated Sept. 18. "I've discovered an incredible AI website that I'm sure you'll find interesting because no girl wants you to know about this tool. You can remove the clothes from any picture."NewsNation reviewed other similar videos that have been posted on TikTok in recent months, all of which appear to be AI-generated. Each follows a nearly identical script with the same robotic cadence.Last week, a TikTok search for AI nudity delivered several results but a day later the platform had blocked the search. Instead, a message read: "This phr...

Measles deaths around the world jumped 40% last year

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

ONDON (AP) — Measles deaths globally spiked by more than 40% last year and cases rose after vaccination levels dramatically dropped during the pandemic, leading health agencies said Thursday.The highly infectious disease triggered epidemics in 37 countries last year, versus 22 countries in 2021. It sickened 9 million children and killed 136,000, mostly in poorer countries, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a new report.The number of measles cases also rose by nearly 20% after immunization levels dropped to their lowest in 15 years during the pandemic, the agencies said.A vial of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is seen in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Friday, May 17, 2019. The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023 that measles deaths globally spiked by more than 40% last year. The number of cases also rose by nearly 20% after immunization levels dropped to t...

School voucher bill to reach Texas House floor Friday for potentially pivotal vote

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) – After years of work from advocates and months of arm-twisting in the state Capitol, the Texas House appears poised to vote on the creation of a school voucher program Friday.House Bill 1, authored by Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, is the lower chamber's $7 billion wide-ranging education proposal that would create education savings accounts, a voucher-like program that would allow parents access to taxpayer money to pay for private schools. The House is set to convene at 10 a.m. Friday and will take up the bill at some point. Time running short to approve TX school voucher plan The bill passed a House committee on Nov. 10 and its initial approval marked the furthest a school voucher program has reached in the Texas House in recent history. In fact, it’s possible a school voucher bill has never made it to a floor vote in the House, according to legislative records — though an exact determination is difficult given that the Legislature has considered differen...

Austin ISD posts superintendent position; signals possible inside choice

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – In a sign that it is ready to move forward with choosing a new leader for the district, the Board of Trustees for the Austin Independent School District unanimously voted Thursday night to post the job of superintendent. It also unanimously voted to add the following to the superintendent job profile: prioritization of special education, with specific references to inclusive practicesa focus placed on multilingual educationmore emphasis on staff morale an equality statement on gender identity and sexual orientationThe board voted to post the position from Friday, Nov. 17 until 5 p.m., Dec. 7.AISD Board President Arati Singh said the board faced two options: a months-long national search or an immediate posting if they felt that a search was not necessary. According to the district, school boards generally choose the latter option when they have a strong candidate in mind. The Board of Trustees paused the current superintendent search Mar. 30 and extended the contract...

Albany man menaces victim with gun, violates parole

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An Albany man was arrested Thursday after menacing a victim with a gun while on parole. Kareem Abdulbaqi, 44, faces several new charges. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! On Wednesday, around 4:30 a.m., officers responded to a home around Third Avenue and S. Hawk Street after a weapon call. After they arrived, police met a woman who told them the suspect, later identified as Abdulbaqi, banged on her door demanding to be let in, then showed a handgun to intimidate her to let her in. Police say Abdulbaqi was not at the scene when they arrived. He was taken into custody later that day due to violating his parole. No one was injured in this incident. No injuries in Glens Falls house fire Charges:Second-degree criminal possession of a weaponThird-degree criminal possession of a weaponSecond-degree menacingAggravated criminal contemptAbdulbaqi was arraigned in Albany City Criminal Court. He was remanded to th...

Ask Amy: Ankle injury trumps cancer diagnosis

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

Dear Amy: My wife was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer that has metastasized.Our friends (a couple) volunteered to stay at our house and watch our elderly dog so that I could take my wife out of town for a nice weekend before she started a 12-week course of chemotherapy. We thought this was incredibly kind and beautiful.Only the wife showed up (the husband did not come).On the last morning the wife texted me at 7 a.m. to call her.I feared our dog had died. I called her and she said she had fallen in our house and wanted our help.I asked if she needed EMS and she said no, but she reiterated that she wanted us to come home right away.We were five hours away but immediately packed up and started driving.Her husband, who was nearby, did not go to the house to help his wife.When we got back, the wife made a big production of showing us her ankle, which was slightly swollen and bruised.She had me drive her to an urgent care facility nearby. Her husband still had not come, but called us and ...

EU economy greenhouse gas emissions: -5.3% in Q2 2023

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:25:46 GMT

In the second quarter of 2023, EU economy greenhouse gas emissions totalled 821 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq), a -5.3% decrease compared with the same quarter of 2022 (867 million tonnes of CO2-eq). In the same period, the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) remained stable registering just a very small variation (+0.05% in the second quarter of 2023, compared with the same quarter of 2022). This information comes from data on quarterly estimates for greenhouse gas emissions by economic activity published by Eurostat today. Quarterly estimates of greenhouse gas emissions complement quarterly socio-economic data, such as GDP or employment. This article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on quarterly greenhouse gas emissions.Source dataset: env_ac_aigg_q and namq_10_gdpIn the second quarter of 2023, the economic sectors responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions were ‘manufacturing’ (23.5%), ‘households’ (17.9%), ‘electrici...