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Canada’s Wildfires Smoke Deteriorate Air Quality In Northern U.S

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A satellite image of the eastern United States shows swirling clouds of smoke from wildfires and haze enveloping large portions of that region.

 

Smoke moved into portions of northern New York State and Vermont on Tuesday. In the Upper Midwest, air quality alerts were issued in Minnesota.

 

Hundreds of wildfires continued to blaze on Tuesday across Canada, exacerbating an already active wildfire season that was only expected to worsen, and sending smoke into portions of the United States, creating poor air quality levels.

 

In Ontario, a layer of haze enveloped parts of Ottawa and Toronto, where Canadian officials warned residents about the poor air quality, as smoke moved into portions of northern New York State and Vermont. All of New York City was under an air quality alert on Tuesday because of the smoke; by the afternoon, the Manhattan skyline was obscured by hazy skies.

 

There were more than 400 active wildfires in Canada on Tuesday, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, with more than 200 deemed to be “out of control.”

 

In eastern Canada, Quebec was most affected by wildfires as of early afternoon on Tuesday, with more than 150 active blazes across the area, according to the fire agency. Residents in some areas were being encouraged to close their windows and doors, local officials in Quebec said.

 

Videos and images showed some fires blazing for miles, sending dark smoke plumes billowing into the sky.

 

Burned-area boundaries and hotspot locations are estimates based on satellite data, and hotspots indicate likely areas of burning detected within the previous two days. By Martín González Gómez and Madison Dong

 

At a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was in contact with local officials across Canada about the fires.

 

“This is a scary time for a lot of people,” Mr. Trudeau said.

 

As of Monday, an estimated 26,000 people across Canada had been evacuated from their homes because of wildfires, Bill Blair, Canada’s minister of public safety, said at the press conference.

 

“The images that we have seen so far this season are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada,” Mr. Blair said.

 

A woman in an orange hoodie walks her dog along a grassy bank of the Ottawa River, and smoke obscures part of the background on the river’s opposite side.

 

Many Canadians who have had to evacuate in recent days had just a few hours to pack before fleeing their homes, Mr. Trudeau said.

 

“When people lose their homes, they don’t just lose a roof and their possessions,” Mr. Trudeau said. “They lose a special place where they saw their children grow up, where they built a life for themselves. This is incredibly difficult and heartbreaking.”

 

Bands of smoke from the numerous wildfires were expected to shift southward across the border on Tuesday, creating hazy skies and prompting the U.S. National Weather Service to issue air quality alerts for parts of the upper Great Lakes and the Northeast.

 

Large swaths of Minnesota were under air quality alerts through the evening on Tuesday, the Weather Service said. Light winds were expected to push smoke from wildfires in Quebec across Minnesota. Smoke was also predicted to move into the state off Lake Superior.

 

Weather officials warned that people more sensitive to poor air quality, such as people with lung disease and heart disease, children, and older adults, should limit certain activities outdoors.

 

Farther east, air quality alerts were also in place for multiple counties in upstate New York and New York City through midnight. Similar alerts were issued for parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

 

Satellite images of North America on Tuesday showed light brown smoke streaming south from the fires. The smoke appeared to be particularly thick over portions of Quebec, Ontario, and New York. Hazy.

International News

Ukraine Bans Telegram For Officials Over Security Risks

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Ukraine has implemented restrictions on Telegram for government, military, and security personnel, citing national security threats associated with the app, founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov.

The National Security and Defence Council announced in a statement on it’s Facebook page that these limitations will affect all government agencies, military units, and critical infrastructure facilities.

The council emphasized that this measure is essential for protecting national security.

Read Also: Russia Frustrates Ukraine’s Largest Drone Strikes On Moscow

It reads, “The National Security and Defence Council decided to restrict the use of Telegram in government agencies, military formations and critical infrastructure facilities. It is a “matter of national security.”

 

 

 

 

More to follow…………. 

 

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International News

European Parliament Lifts Restrictions On Ukraine’s Use Of Western Weapons Against Russia

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The European Parliament has voted decisively to remove restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weapons against Russian territory.

The resolution, passed by 425 votes to 131, with 63 abstentions, marks a significant escalation in European support for Ukraine’s defense efforts.

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The resolution calls on EU member states to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles and other advanced weaponry against “legitimate military targets” in Russia.

Lawmakers argue that Ukraine needs to fully defend itself, emphasizing that without the ability to strike Russian targets, the country remains vulnerable to continued attacks on its cities and infrastructure.

Additionally, the Parliament urged EU countries to speed up arms deliveries and impose tougher sanctions on Russia, including a full embargo on Russian oil and gas.

The resolution also calls for increased funding for Ukraine’s military and further sanctions on nations assisting Russia, such as Belarus.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that allowing Ukraine to strike inside Russia could be seen as NATO’s direct involvement in the war, raising fears of a broader conflict.

While the vote is non-binding, it sends a strong signal to European governments, many of which have hesitated to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons like Germany’s Taurus missiles due to concerns over escalation.

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International News

Turkey Accuses Israel Of Expanding Gaza War To Lebanon

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Turkey on Thursday accused Israel of seeking to expand the war in Gaza to Lebanon with the “alarming” wave of deadly explosions that swept through Hezbollah strongholds.

“The escalation in the region is alarming,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on state-run TRT television. “We see Israel mounting its attacks towards Lebanon step by step.”

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The blasts have killed 32 people in two days, including two children, wounding more than 3,000 others, according to Lebanese health ministry figures.

Israel has not commented on the unprecedented operation in which Hezbollah operatives’ walkie-talkies and pagers exploded in supermarkets, at funerals and on streets.

But its defence minister Yoav Gallant, referring to Israel’s border with Lebanon, said Wednesday: “The centre of gravity is moving northward.”

Turkey blamed Israel for the blasts.

“We have come to a point where these operations carried out by Israel have become increasingly provocative, and in return, Iran, Hezbollah and elements close to them have no choice but respond,” Fidan said.

Hezbollah is an ally of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has been fighting a war in Gaza since its October 7 attack on Israel.

For nearly a year, the focus of Israel’s firepower has been on Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas.

But its troops have also been engaged in near-daily clashes with Hezbollah militants along its northern border, killing hundreds in Lebanon, most of them fighters, and dozens more in Israel.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday called Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati to offer his condolences over the wave of deadly blasts.

Erdogan is a vocal critic of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

 

Courtesy – AFP

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