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Slovak lawmakers loyal to populist premier Fico approve law critics claim will harm civil groups
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s parliament on Wednesday passed legislation that critics claim will be detrimental for many nongovernmental organizations. It was drafted by coalition lawmakers and approved by the government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has frequently attacked NGOs. The organizers of a protest rally this month in Bratislava against the legislation…
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Housing task force progress kept secret
It is unclear what the provincial task force addressing homelessness and mental health problems has achieved so far. The Graphic received documents through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP), which were supposed to contain meeting minutes from a task force put together last June, however most of the minutes were redacted…
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Ousted Caritas chief denounces Vatican ‘power grab’
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican’s main charitable organization, Caritas Internationalis, is hoping to open a new chapter this week after Pope Francis fired top managers over bullying complaints. But the recently ousted head is fighting back, claiming the Vatican engaged in a “brutal power grab” fueled by a “colonialist” attitude. The drama is playing…
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Alaskans poaching Canadian salmon top concern for federal fisheries minister
American fishing boats catching threatened Canadian salmon was flagged as a top concern for federal Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray before meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Canada in March. Briefing notes, which Canada’s National Observer obtained through an access-to-information request, identify the issue as a key point for Murray to raise with U.S. Ambassador David…
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Firefighters question Alberta cuts to aerial attack teams as province battles blazes
EDMONTON — Former members of an elite Alberta wildfire-fighting crew say government budget cuts have left the province battling its current blazes short-handed. “We could have been difference-makers,” said Jordan Erlandson, a former member of Alberta’s Rapattack team. Those firefighters were trained to rappel from helicopters to get at wildfires while they still only covered…
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In global rush to regulate AI, Europe set to be trailblazer
LONDON (AP) — The breathtaking development of artificial intelligence has dazzled users by composing music, creating images and writing essays, while also raising fears about its implications. Even European Union officials working on groundbreaking rules to govern the emerging technology were caught off guard by AI’s rapid rise. The 27-nation bloc proposed the Western world’s…
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South Carolina Republicans advance new abortion restrictions
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Republicans are pushing new abortion restrictions in a late attempt to curtail access after a near-total ban failed last month. A Senate bill that would ban abortion except in the earliest weeks of pregnancy is moving quickly through the South Carolina House in the first sign that Republican leaders…
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Transgender youth sue over Montana gender affirming care ban
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Two transgender children, their parents and two health care providers filed a lawsuit Tuesday arguing that a Montana law that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth is unconstitutional. The ban on puberty blockers, hormone treatment and surgical procedures applies only to transgender youth being treated for gender dysphoria, but that…
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US law passed to stop doping nets its 1st guilty plea
A man charged with providing banned substances to Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare and another athlete pleaded guilty Monday, marking the first conviction under a landmark U.S. law designed to target wide-ranging doping schemes across the globe. Eric Lira pleaded guilty for his role in helping Olympic athletes obtain performance-enhancing substances before the Tokyo Olympics in…
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Paramedic shortages still plague rural areas, but some remedies may be in the works
Quadra Island resident Carol Woolsey had the misfortune to experience a medical emergency in her rural community last month after the last ferry had sailed for the night. After developing searing pain in her lower abdomen, the 77-year-old and her cousin called 911 around 10 p.m. on April 2. Disoriented by pain and vomiting constantly…