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In the wake of Donald Trump’s election, after a campaign in which Trump threatened the press, the left and “the enemy within,” 204 Republicans and 15 Democrats in the House of Representatives decided to hand a gift to his incoming administration — one that could be used to squash any kind of dissent. The dangerous gift, HR 9495, is known as the “nonprofit killer bill” because it would unilaterally give the Treasury secretary the power to strip the tax-exempt status from any nonprofit they decide is a “terrorist-supporting organization,” all without due process for the organization in question. Truthout has been covering this legislation in its many iterations since last spring , when its predecessor, HR 6408, passed the House with overwhelming support but stalled in the Senate. We’ve also covered the landscape from which this bill emerged . While the threat of its use under a Donald Trump presidency is particularly alarming for a broad range of groups, this bill has to be understood as part of a bipartisan (and transnational) push to stifle the Palestine solidarity movement. The newer version that the House passed on November 21 includes an add-on that might help move it more quickly through the Senate, postponing tax deadlines for American citizens detained abroad. While a separate bill to do just that has already cleared the Senate, a spokesperson for the body’s majority leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer, told The New York Times that he’s opposed to the nonprofit portion of the bill. While it likely won’t come up in this legislative session, Republicans may raise the bill again next year when they hold both bodies of Congress. A wide coalition of nonprofits was able to persuade some House Democrats who previously supported the legislation to vote against it this time around. That coalition will continue to advocate against the bill as it goes forward. Regardless of what happens with this particular piece of legislation, nonprofits, including independent media, can’t rest easy. The Trump administration, and the right more broadly, still have plenty of tools at their disposal to attack organizers. And while Palestine solidarity activists may have a wider target on their backs, organizers for any causes even remotely associated with the left should be paying attention. We already know what will come next: we can expect to see more racketeering charges, otherwise known as RICO charges , thrown at organizers — charges historically used to attack fraudulent money-making schemes from groups like the Mafia. Immigrants who engage in any kind of activism may be more likely to see their legal immigration status threatened. Corporations could work with right-wing interest groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to target protesters at “critical infrastructure” sites like weapons manufacturers. Groups doing any kind of meaningful work, ranging from investigative journalism to campus protests, may get tied up with frivolous lawsuits from right-wing actors. We can anticipate these alarming steps because we have been watching the slow drip of repression for years now. These tactics are already being used on members of the left, whether on the dozens of Stop Cop City organizers indicted under RICO laws, or on the pro-Palestine protester who had to fight to keep his student visa, or on the members of the environmental movement who are charged under ALEC-orchestrated laws for their anti-pipeline protests. We also know this because the right is openly telegraphing its next moves for all of us to see. Members of the Heritage Foundation, notably the authors of Project 2025, have another playbook in their back pockets meant to crack down on the movement for Palestinian liberation. Known as Project Esther, their plan is to create “a national strategy to combat antisemitism.” Project Esther alleges that the pro-Palestine movement is part of a global “Hamas Support Network” with branches that operate as “Hamas Support Organizations,” which puts everyone from groups like Students for Justice in Palestine to the Open Society Foundations in their crosshairs. “Whether in the halls of academia or in the halls of power, HSN supporters and influence targets must be made to feel extreme discomfort,” the Project Esther authors write. “We will generate that discomfort.” They go on to suggest public relations campaigns against such groups, as well as legal attacks that draw on RICO and counterterrorism laws to take out the movement. The goal is to “organize and focus a broad coalition of willing and able partners to leverage existing — and, if required, work to establish additional — authorities, resources, capabilities, and activities.” As Dima Khalidi writes in Jewish Voice for Peace’s anthology, On Antisemitism , “The most prevalent tactic to intimidate advocates for Palestinian rights into silence is still to falsely accuse individuals, groups, and the movement for Palestinian rights as a whole of being motivated by antisemitism and support for terrorism. It’s no coincidence that the tactics overlap, and go hand in hand. It is, after all, much easier to sow the idea that those who promote Palestinian rights are antisemitic if they are also depicted as pro-terrorist.” In yet another blueprint for repression, another right-wing think tank, the Capital Research Center — whose founder also had ties to The Heritage Foundation — goes even further in depicting a wide variety of progressive activists, organizers and the groups that support them as “pro-terrorist.” The think tank’s 150-page document, titled “Marching Toward Violence: The Domestic Anti-Israeli Protest Movement” lays out a multistep plan for targeting a wide variety of progressive and left groups – including, everything from Black Lives Matter to the Democratic Socialists of America; legal defense organizations like the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Lawyers Guild; along with Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and many others. While the plan purports to focus narrowly on pro-Palestine organizing, it effectively lays out a method by which the right could attempt to use statements made on Palestine by a broad swath of groups to forcibly halt progressive organizing and resistance in the U.S. The fact that the Capital Research Center sprinkles a few white supremacist right-wing actors within its suggested list of targets should not distract us from the reality of its overwhelming focus on shutting down organs of the left. The plan proposes to target the groups in its crosshairs with a wide array of attacks, ranging from stripping organizations of their nonprofit status, to filing RICO charges, to deporting immigrants who protest, to filing class-action lawsuits against groups like Students for Justice in Palestine. The document creates a list of 159 organizations to target by explicitly naming them as “pro-terrorism” based on bunk “documentable evidence.” This kind of language is likely not too surprising for anyone familiar with the tactics used, both by the right and by the state, under the so-called “War on Terror.” Indeed, its author, Ryan Mauro, is a known figure in the anti-Muslim movement and formerly worked at the Clarion Project, a right-wing initiative fueling wildly Islamophobic conspiracy theories, including an infamous debunked one on Muslim “no-go zones” so extreme that the Southern Poverty Law Center took note . The organization itself features members on its staff and board that came from the George W. Bush administration as well as the Reagan one, and a former Heritage Foundation fellow as well. While these playbooks certainly are scarier in the hands of a Trump administration, it’s important to contextualize them in the larger movement from the right that spans back decades – one that has had its sights on Muslim and Arab communities in particular. Even for those familiar with these types of threats, there are still some points in the document from the Capital Research Center that might be helpful to think on as we prepare for the years ahead. One thing to consider is the breadth of “research”: the document has more than 700 footnotes documenting everything from action alerts to articles to a truly disturbing number of social media posts. It also boxes its targets into two categories — one is the “Islamists, communists/Marxists, and anarchists” — which we might take to mean the left. But interestingly enough, it also mentions white supremacists as potential targets — putting Nick Fuentes and the hate group Patriot Front side by side with organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace, which draws quite a bit of the author’s ire, along with Students for Justice in Palestine and American Muslims for Palestine. This kind of calculation on the part of the author is useful for us to note when some liberal groups suggest switching the focus of terrorism laws and rhetoric to include the amorphous right-wing “ domestic terrorism ” in their scope, a tactic that can only boomerang back to hurt the left. What might be most concerning is how this document tries to ensnare a broad range of actors. The document makes connections with groups centered around abolition, racial justice and the environment, in addition to the Palestine liberation movement. In what could be considered laughable if it weren’t so scary, the author has come up with four overlapping circles of the “pro-terrorism, anti-Israel movement,” which range from “political warfare” at the widest to “domestic terrorists” at the narrowest, with “supporters” and “inciters” in between. To give a more concrete sense of how these are applied, the think tank outrageously lists the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center (also known as Indybay ) under the header of “domestic terrorists,” accuses Black Lives Matter Grassroots of being “inciters,” lists the Center for Constitutional Rights under “supporters” and charges the Democratic Socialists of America with “political warfare.” The blueprint for repression takes aim at everyone from fiscal sponsors to, crucially, the legal support organizations that usually come in to provide support once activists are targeted. It is clear that the authors of these types of playbooks are trying to take down the entire ecosystem of the left. We must acknowledge the stakes of these attacks: Most progressive and leftist nonprofit organizations are overwhelmingly supported by foundations and large donors who require tax-deductibility as a precursor to granting funds. For most, losing nonprofit status could easily mean a quick death. As problematic and imperfect as the nonprofit apparatus is — we deeply appreciate critiques of the nonprofit industrial complex — the difficult truth is that most medium-to-large left and progressive organizations rely on it. So, how can we resist, in the face of this existential threat amid widening repression? First of all, self-education is key. Right-wingers are drawing upon history to formulate their playbook, which carries echoes of prior fascist movements, as well as, in the case of organizational targeting, the PATRIOT Act era and the Red Scare. We must read up, too! Let’s form study groups and involve our nonprofit organizations in conversations about past instances of institutional targeting and histories of resistance. For example, during the anti-communist fervor of the 1950s, the McCarran Internal Security Act allowed the attorney general to petition a “control board” to designate organizations as Communist and then require them to register with the Justice Department. The organizations resisted straightforwardly: None of the 25 groups labeled as Communist actually submitted to register with the Justice Department. During the post-9/11 Patriot Act period, the federal government targeted several Muslim nonprofits, including the Holy Land Foundation, the largest Muslim charity in the U.S. It accused these nonprofits of providing “material support” for terrorism and froze their assets, leading to shutdowns. Several of the organizations’ leaders were targeted and imprisoned. In response, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the asset freezes in court, and a wide range of human rights groups protested, issued statements, and launched campaigns and petitions. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression was formed to push back on the targeting of activists accused of links to “terrorist” organizations. These asset freezes and shutdowns, as well as resistance efforts, are reminders of the importance of building connections with aligned advocacy groups and legal aid organizations in the current moment (although, frighteningly, the right currently seems intent on targeting legal defense groups alongside grassroots activist efforts). The looming threats to left and progressive nonprofits may also pose a stark challenge to philanthropy in the coming months and years. That sector may need to shift its standard modes of operation to forestall mass chaos among left and progressive organizations. Will foundations and major donors, which have relied on tax-deductible 501(c)(3) status as a condition for funding, rise to the moment by breaking with their long-held set of rules? Will they forego the 501(c)(3) requirement in cases where that requirement is weaponized by fascist powers? Or will organizations stripped of their status be simply left to die? In the weeks prior to inauguration, will foundations help grassroots organizations build financial reserves to allow for flexibility in the face of legal and economic threats? Moreover, how will funders respond if nonprofit organizations’ assets are frozen and they’re suddenly left without the cash flow to pay out staff severance, let alone operate? These are all questions that philanthropic organizations and individual philanthropists might consider contending with now, before the worst consequences descend. The material survival of the grassroots and nonprofit groups being targeted will also hinge on the degree to which masses of individuals can rally grassroots support to buoy organizations that are targeted by baseless right-wing smear campaigns under the guise of “antiterrorism.” If a host of nonprofit organizations – including both smaller local groups and major mainstays of the national progressive activism infrastructure – suddenly lose their nonprofit status or face legal attack, will masses of supporters be able to mobilize sufficient grassroots support to sustain them? Going forward, our next steps must include a recognition that liberation movements are often impacted by periods of significant repression, which often includes extreme surveillance, dismantlement of core institutions, and criminalization of individual activists. We’ve witnessed this over the past half-century with the movements for labor and economic justice, Black, Puerto Rican, Chicanx and Indigenous liberation; peace and anti-imperialism; environmental justice and animal liberation; civil liberties; racial justice and police abolition; and of course, Palestinian liberation. Such repression requires us to build strong links with other targeted groups — recognizing repression as a common denominator that can unite us in the struggle against authoritarianism. As historian Dan Berger writes in The Struggle Within, “The ubiquity of state repression affords an opportunity to forge solidarity among multiple revolutionary movements. Seizing this opportunity does not mean ignoring contradictions. ... Instead, it offers a chance for people committed to radical social change to work with one another, addressing differences in ways that build alliances and strengthen the potential for revolutionary possibilities.” How can nonprofits from across multiple issue areas and multiple ends of the left/progressive tent find common ground in our real fears that our organizations will be shut down, our assets frozen, our bank access curtailed, and our work cut short at a time when it’s needed most? Working toward broader and deeper coalitions with similarly threatened organizations will be vital. In the movement journalism world, we’ve been laying that groundwork over the past year with our recently launched Movement Media Alliance , a coalition of 18 social justice-driven media organizations committed to supporting each other’s sustainability and defending each other in the face of existential threats. Many progressive and left organizations, more broadly, have been working to find common purpose since the election of Trump; for example, two days after the election, the Working Families Party hosted a mass call sponsored by 200 organizations — a rare coming-together moment that could form a seed for emerging solidarities as groups’ organizational infrastructure is endangered. Real efforts at coalition-building — resisting competition in favor of mutual uplift efforts — could serve to mitigate the secondary impacts of organizations being baselessly and instrumentally designated as “terrorist-supporting.” For example, if an organization is federally designated as “terrorist-supporting,” peer organizations could sound the alarm about the false allegations and affirm the accused group’s positive impact and importance to the social justice ecosystem so that donors and allies are less likely to back away. Meanwhile, all of us in — and proximate to — the nonprofit world would do well to wrestle with the potential implications of a mounting direct attack on our organizations and our people. How can we be nimble? How can we lean on each other? How can we fight back? Let’s get together and talk about it.Two students wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California elementary schoolAfter half a decade of testing and an investment of nearly $300 million, the federal government is still years away from fully implementing its next-generation pay and human resource cloud platform to replace the problem-plagued Phoenix payroll system. Moving more than 360,000 federal workers onto a cloud-based system will require hiring more contractors and re-opening union agreements to streamline pay categories. The government is also considering building a new data hub to clean and standardize employment information from departments before it's transferred to the new Dayforce platform. Alex Benay, the associate deputy minister at Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) acknowledged to CTV News that the government may have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more on building its NextGen-PayHR platform before it even starts operating. PSPC says it will outline its implementation strategy and provide a final cost estimate by 2026. The Government of Canada’s commitment to increasing accessibility in the public service and its selection of a third-place vendor may also be contributing to prolonged timelines and escalating costs. Alex Benay, associate deputy minister of Public Service and Procurement Canada. Benay stands in front of the inspiration wall with words written by his pay transformation team. Why did Canada choose a third-place bid? Dayforce’s software needs to be redesigned and re-tooled to meet the complex requirements of the federal government. The Toronto-based company, formally known as Ceridian, has dedicated 250 employees to the NextGen project. They work in collaboration with a team of 126 federal public servants. The number of people on the project is expected to grow over the next two-and-a-half years. CTV News has learned that Dayforce had placed last out of three competing vendors when it was awarded the NextGen-PayHR contract in 2021. The top bid was SAP, followed by Workday, then Dayforce. Benay says the contract was awarded before he took over responsibility for NextGen PayHR, but says it’s his understanding that government selected Dayforce because it was “the most flexible.” “After the RFP, what happened is we started throwing more things at all three of the companies (like) accessibility legislation, official languages legislation - and (Dayforce) was most willing to play,” said Benay in an interview with CTV National News. Just over six per cent of federal public servants have disabilities, which is lower than the national average of 9.1 per cent. The government’s accessibility strategy aims to increase the number of employees with disabilities to 5,000 people by 2025. “Accessibility is a core principle of our country. It's based in law and so is official languages. We think it’s extremely serious that suppliers that come and bid on projects for the Government of Canada can meet our basic national values. So, for us, that’s not a negotiation point,” said Benay. Accessibility criteria SAP was the frontrunner to win the bid because it had previously been awarded the 2019 NextGen pilot project. According to four separate government and private sector sources, SAP withdrew in the summer of 2021 after being selected for the massive project. Sources say federal officials made additional accessibility and language demands that were not specified in the government’s original request for proposal (RFP). In an email to CTV News, SAP said it met all the requirements of the RFP and resulting contract, and that its software and web-applications are tested against the European Union EN301 549 standard as well as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Level 2.2. Those are the same requirements that were outlined in the government’s RFP. Documents seen by CTV News indicate that the federal government then offered the contract to Workday, requesting that the company confirm its willingness to honour its technical and financial bid without “any changes to the terms and conditions stipulated.” Workday responded that it agreed to honour the terms of the original RFP and requested a meeting to discuss new caveats. Federal negotiators responded that Canada was “not in a position to negotiate any terms and conditions.” No meeting was scheduled, and less than a week later, the contract was awarded to Dayforce. Workday is currently providing NextGen HR services to a handful of smaller and highly secure departments such as CSIS, CSE and FINTRAC. In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson said that this work includes “Workday agreeing to and meeting a set of accessibility and Official Language requirements which we are proud to support in line with our commitment to providing an inclusive single user experience and accessibility in design.” Neither SAP nor Workday filed complaints about the procurement process. Viable but not ready Dayforce’s founder David Ossip is Canadian and its vice president of public sector revenue enablement and strategy, Gianluca Cairo, previously worked for a minister in Justin Trudeau’s government. Cairo was the chief of staff to former innovation minister Navdeep Bains before he was hired by Dayforce in 2019. Of the $289 million dollars the government has invested in the NextGen initiative, the bulk $171 million has been used to pay Dayforce to build a customized platform for the federal government. According to the NextGen HR and Pay Final Findings Report released in February, after two years of analysis, the government of Canada will need to develop “critical” tools and infrastructure and “significant resource investment” before 130 departments can start using Dayforce. According to the report, Dayforce was deemed “viable” but not ready to be rolled out. Its software solution met 85 per cent of the government's 582 requirements. But there were 90 gaps. These technological holes were related to complex scheduling and pay brackets across roles ranging from ships’ officers to nurses to correctional officers. Factors such as 24-hour scheduling and temporary acting roles posed problems for Dayforce. According to the report, 18 of these shortcomings were gaps that Dayforce “cannot meet now... and that planned future product development will not address.” “These gaps exist mainly because of a lack of alignment between unique GC rules and industry best practices for some HR processes, which are critical to producing accurate and timely pay,” the report found. Patching these critical holes will require re-opening nearly 150 labour agreements with 18 unions to simplify pay processes so they can be imputed into Dayforce. Bargaining required Benay says PSPC plans to meet with union representatives next week to explain what’s needed. Some fixes could be as simple as getting every department to agree to start new employees on the same day of the week, but others may involve renegotiating contracts to change terms to align with Dayforce. Jennifer Carr, the president of the Professional Institute of Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), says PIPSC wants the government to pay its workforce on time, but it won’t agree to simplifications which will result in “rollbacks” for its 70,000 scientists, IT workers and professionals. “We’re not interested in losing any of our rights. We have collectively bargained these rights and it is our entitlement,” says Carr. She’s also concerned about escalating costs and stretched timelines. “We could have helped them build something in house and the government chose to go with a contracted-out solution which in our mind is just more costly for taxpayers,” said Carr. Benay says they’re currently at the “design and build stage” and that the Dayforce solution will not go “LIVE” until all the gaps are addressed. The government has put out a request for information from contractors for cost estimates to build a data hub to bridge the transition to the Dayforce solution. The federal government is aiming to roll out Dayforce NextGen in 2027, one department at a time. But before that, it must test every cloud extension and run a parallel pay system to Phoenix for at least six months to ensure there are no glitches. The Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), which represents 25,000 public servants, appreciates PSPC’s cautious approach. “This is about restoring trust with Canadian taxpayers that you’re not going to create another boondoggle,” said Nathan Prier, CAPE’s president. Prier says CAPE’s members are still facing financial pressures stemming from the Phoenix debacle which has cost taxpayers $3.5 billion. “We’re glad they’re taking their time to do pilots and implement things slowly here. We need to be at the table discussing every step of the way...We’re still dealing with the Phoenix disaster. 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Sports Sumo wrestlers bring 1,500 years of tradition to London as the sport has an international moment London's Royal Albert Hall, the gilded concert venue known for an annual 'Rule Britannia' singalong, is preparing to host a different kind of spectacle: Sumo wrestling. Flames re-establish winning ways at home in an emotional Gaudreau tribute game An emotional and symbolic game now behind them on the NHL calendar, the Calgary Flames want to continue the kind of play at the Saddledome that once had them flirting with the division lead. B.C. Lions name former quarterback Buck Pierce as head coach The B.C. Lions have named Buck Pierce as their new head coach. Autos Jaguar reveals first concept car after controversial rebrand British luxury automaker Jaguar has revealed its Type 00 concept car, the first glimpse of a new electric vehicle following a controversial rebrand that has divided opinion. Auto sales in November up 8.8 per cent: DesRosiers DesRosiers Automotive Consultants says November auto sales were the best for the month since record-breaking sales in 2017. The best tips to prepare your car for the winter Slippery or snow-covered roads, reduced visibility and bitter cold are all conditions that can make driving difficult and even dangerous during cold weather months. CAA spoke with CTV Morning Live this week on some of the best ways you can winterize your car. Local Spotlight Alberta photographer braves frigid storms to capture the beauty of Canadian winters Most people want to stay indoors when temperatures drop to -30, but that’s the picture-perfect condition, literally, for Angela Boehm. N.S. teacher, students help families in need at Christmas for more than 25 years For more than a quarter-century, Lisa Roach's middle school students have been playing the role of Santa Claus to strangers during the holidays. N.S. girl battling rare disease surprised with Taylor Swift-themed salon day A Nova Scotia girl battling a rare disease recently had her 'Wildest Dreams' fulfilled when she was pampered with a Swiftie salon day. Winnipeg city councillor a seven-time provincial arm wrestling champ A Winnipeg city councillor doesn’t just have a strong grip on municipal politics. Watch: Noisy throng of sea lions frolic near Jericho Beach A large swarm of California sea lions have converged in the waters near Vancouver’s Jericho and Locarno beaches. Auburn Bay residents brave the cold to hold Parade of Lights It was pretty cold Saturday night, but the hearts of those in a southeast Calgary neighbourhood warmed right up during a big annual celebration. Three million grams of cereal collected to feed students in annual Cereal Box Challenge The food collected will help support 33 breakfast and snack programs in the Greater Essex County District School Board. Regina's LED volume wall leaving Sask. months after opening Less than a year after an LED volume wall was introduced to the film world in Saskatchewan, the equipment is making its exit from the province. Temperature records broken, tied following latest snowfall in Saskatchewan Saskatchewan received yet more snow as winter continues to ramp up on the prairies. With the increased precipitation, communities have recorded dipping temperatures – with a handful breaking or tying longstanding records. Vancouver LIVE @ 4:30 P.M. PT | Downtown Vancouver stabbing suspect dead after being shot by police A suspect is dead after being shot by police in a Vancouver convenience store after two people were injured in a stabbing Wednesday morning, according to authorities. Suspect arrested after stabbing sends man to hospital in Surrey, B.C. Police say one man is in custody and another is in hospital after a stabbing Wednesday morning in Surrey, B.C. Early-rising Taylor Swift fans wait for hours in Vancouver for concert gear Taylor Swift fans were up before the sun in Vancouver to snag some coveted shirts, bags and sweaters to mark her record-breaking Eras Tour. Toronto WATCH: Suspects armed with hammers hit Markham jewelry store Six suspects are in custody in connection with a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in a Markham mall that was captured on video. 5 individuals wanted for GTA murders added to Canada’s most-wanted fugitives list Five individuals being sought by police in the GTA have been added to a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives. LIVE UPDATES | Toronto under winter weather travel advisory Toronto is getting its first taste of winter weather Wednesday as a low-pressure system brings snow to the city. Environment Canada issued a winter weather travel advisory on Tuesday night, warning of potentially hazardous driving conditions throughout the day. Calgary Former Calgary police officer wanted on Canada-wide warrant Calgary police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a former officer they say used police resources to contact women he met while on duty. Alberta cattle producers express optimism in wake of Trump's tariff threat Cattle producers in Alberta don't appear to be overly concerned by the threat of tariffs by United States president-elect Donald Trump. Calgary could consider banning retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits A Calgary committee will consider asking city officials to ban all sales of dogs, cats and rabbits in retail stores. Ottawa Protester disrupts City of Ottawa information session about Sprung structure A man wearing a t-shirt that said "No tent in Ottawa" disrupted a City of Ottawa info session about the proposed Sprung structure that is set to be built along Woodroffe Avenue near the Nepean Sportsplex. WINTER WEATHER TRAVEL ADVISORY | 10 cm of snow in the forecast, OPP urging drivers to drive safely in Ottawa and eastern Ontario Cold temperatures and snow amounting to 10 centimetres are in the forecast for Ottawa this Wednesday. A winter weather travel advisory is in effect and police are asking people to drive safely. Ottawa's chief medical officer Dr. Vera Etches to become head of CHEO Ottawa’s medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches has been appointed as the president and CEO of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). Montreal Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre owes nearly $400K to tax agencies The Canada Revenue Agency is seeking more than $260,000 from former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre in a mortgage recovery filing. Drivers zig-zagging and posting videos in white-lining trend: Quebec prosecutors A Montreal man is facing a criminal charge of dangerous driving after he allegedly posted a video of himself zig-zagging through cars. It's a trend called 'white lining.' Ex-Sutton Quebec president sentenced to 5 years in prison for ordering arson attacks on competitors The co-founder and former president of real estate company Sutton Quebec was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty on Wednesday to ordering a series of arson attacks on his competitors over several years. Edmonton Lucy the elephant in good health, but should remain in Edmonton: experts Lucy the elephant is in good health and able to travel – though experts recommend she stays put. Collectors believe stamp hobby will endure despite unclear future of strike-embroiled Canada Post Even with the future of Canada Post in question, given the Crown corporation's mounting financial losses and loss of business due to a strike by postal workers, stamp collectors say they feel their hobby will ride out the uncertainty. Man convicted in 2021 extremism case found guilty of possessing child sex abuse materials A Parkland County man currently in prison has been found guilty of possessing child pornography, which police found on his devices during an unrelated investigation. Atlantic Body found in burned vehicle in Pictou County identified as missing N.S. woman Nova Scotia RCMP has identified the bodies found in a burned vehicle in Pictou County last month as a missing Truro woman and a man from Alberta. A province-by-province look at what to expect from Thursday's storm An early December storm moving across northern New Brunswick Thursday will bring the Maritime provinces a mix of snow, rain, and high wind. Traffic tensions: Halifax Transit patrons and drivers frustrated by delays Halifax Transit patrons and drivers are expressing frustration about long waits and delays. Winnipeg Proposed site for Winnipeg supervised consumption site in the city's core The province’s first supervised consumption site could soon be located along the Disraeli Freeway in Winnipeg. Canadian appears in U.S. court in decades-old cold case Robert Creter made his first court appearance since his extradition to the United States from Winnipeg. He's the prime suspect in the murder of 23-year-old Tami Tignor – a cold case dating back to 1997. 'We want you to enjoy shopping': Winnipeg police stepping up presence at busy retail locations for the holidays When you are doing your holiday shopping this month, you may notice more police officers out and about at some of the biggest shopping areas in Winnipeg. Regina 'It's all about tradition': Bushwakker marking 30 years of blackberry mead The ancient art of meadmaking has become a holiday tradition for Regina's Bushwakker Brewpub, marking 30 years of its signature blackberry mead on Saturday. Sask. auditor releases findings on social services’ hotel spending An audit stemming from concerns over government practices of securing hotel rooms for those on social assistance has been released. Residents in Regina, Moose Jaw may notice changes in taste and colour of water Residents in Regina and Moose Jaw may notice some changes in their water as construction continues at the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant. Kitchener Waterloo Regional Police recover 52 vehicles from chop shop in North Dumfries, Ont. A chop shop in North Dumfries, Ont. has been dismantled after police found 52 stolen vehicles. Rescue of three boys from Cambridge pond prompts safety plea from officials Three 13-year-old boys fell through the ice at a Cambridge pond on Tuesday. We spoke to the Lifesaving Society of Ontario about how to stay safe on and in the water this winter. Transport Minister to summon airline CEOs as Air Canada set to charge carry-on fees for some passengers Transport Minister Anita Anand says she will be calling Canadian airline CEOs to a meeting in mid-December after Air Canada says it will charge some passengers for carry-on bags in the new year. Saskatoon Saskatoon boy, 16, faces first-degree murder charge in death of woman found outside the Copper Mug A 16-year-old boy faces a first-degree murder charge in the case of a woman found dead in an 8th Street parking lot last month. Saskatchewan maintains dismal status as leader in spread of HIV, with no provincial strategy in place Advocates for Saskatchewan’s HIV-positive residents are calling for a provincial strategy to support those living with the virus, and to help stop its spread. 'Acts of aggression' increase on Saskatoon Transit, violence against drivers drop Mike Moellenbeck, director of Saskatoon Transit, said "acts of aggression" can be classified as an intent to do harm, but physical violence hasn't happened. Northern Ontario Family reeling as victim of Sudbury stabbing left paralyzed A GoFundMe has been set up to help support Josee Rouleau, the victim of a stabbing that happened in Chelmsford in Greater Sudbury on Nov. 22. Warm, wet winter expected in much of Canada, say forecasters Federal forecasters expect a warmer-than-normal start to winter in most of Canada, with more precipitation than usual in parts of the country. Transport Minister to summon airline CEOs as Air Canada set to charge carry-on fees for some passengers Transport Minister Anita Anand says she will be calling Canadian airline CEOs to a meeting in mid-December after Air Canada says it will charge some passengers for carry-on bags in the new year. London Another blast of snow is expected to roll through on Thursday Environment Canada has issued a blowing snow advisory for the London region Wednesday, which is expected to be followed with more snow in the forecast on Thursday. Pedestrian struck in northeast London London police say that one person has been transported to hospital with serious injuries as the result of a collision this afternoon. Interest rate cut fuels increase in home sales: London-St. Thomas Association of Realtors “Little bit of pent-up demand. People were waiting to see the sign that the rates were going to stay stable and probably continue to go down a little bit,” said association CEO Bill Madder. Barrie Winter travel advisory issued as Muskoka braces for more snow Muskoka is in for more snow after a major dumping over the weekend that caused power outages, downed trees and road closures. 17-year-olds arrested with loaded gun, drugs in Barrie, police say Police in Barrie say two teens were arrested for having a loaded gun and drugs in their possession. Midland man accused of violent sexual assaults denied bail after 2nd arrest A Midland man accused of violent sexual assaults who was granted bail last month has been arrested again, but this time, he will remain behind bars. Windsor Rising profits or closing brick and mortar stores: the impact of the ongoing Canada Post strike Most local businesses have found alternative ways to ship their products to customers during the Canada Post Strike. Mourning the loss of dramatic arts program, UWindsor students turn grief into performing arts piece Following budget cuts resulting in no theatre company like the University Players to rely on anymore, dramatic arts students were devastated. 'Hollywood Holidays' celebrates Christmas flicks at the Chrysler Theatre St. Clair College student-performers are spreading Christmas cheer as they prep for opening night of their upcoming Hollywood Holidays production. Vancouver Island LIVE @ 4:30 P.M. PT | Downtown Vancouver stabbing suspect dead after being shot by police A suspect is dead after being shot by police in a Vancouver convenience store after two people were injured in a stabbing Wednesday morning, according to authorities. Federal minister Harjit Sajjan to attend Taylor Swift concert with taxpayer-funded ticket Harjit Sajjan, the federal minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, will be going to the Eras Tour on taxpayer dollars. Environment Canada warns fog causing near-zero visibility in southwest B.C. Environment Canada is warning travellers that dense fog is creating near-zero visibility in parts of southwestern British Columbia on Wednesday. Kelowna Study of 2023 Okanagan wildfires recommends limiting development in high-risk areas A study into the devastating wildfires that struck British Columbia's Okanagan region in 2023 has recommended that government and industry limit development in high-fire-risk areas. Kelowna, B.C., to host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026 The Western Hockey League's Kelowna Rockets will host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026, the Canadian Hockey League said Wednesday. 545 vehicles impounded in 332 days: BC Highway Patrol pleads for drivers to slow down Mounties with the BC Highway Patrol in Kelowna say they've impounded more than 545 vehicles for excessive speed and aggressive driving so far this year. That works out to more than 1.6 per day. Lethbridge Southern Alberta man sentenced in 2021 killing A southern Alberta man has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years, less time served, in connection with a fatal attack on Linden Grier more than three years ago. Lethbridge charities worry Canada Post strike is impacting donations The Canada Post strike has come at a difficult time of year for most Canadians, but for Lethbridge charities it's the worst-case scenario. Residents debate Grassy Mountain coal mining project applications at public hearing Residents in favour and against coal mining in the Eastern Slopes had the chance to have their voices heard as a public hearing for three applications by Northback got underway in Pincher Creek Tuesday. Sault Ste. Marie New addition to the CTV Northern Ontario family The CTV Northern Ontario family got a little bigger Tuesday when longtime anchor Marina Moore and her husband welcomed their second baby into the world. Some Ontario food banks are making cuts, Timmins is not A new report from Feed Ontario indicates food banks in the province have reduced the amount of food they provide, but the situation is not as bleak in Timmins. Northern Ont. MPP calls for increased winter training for truckers A Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) from northern Ontario presented a bill at Queen’s Park calling for increased winter driving training for truckers. N.L. 'They're sitting ducks:' More women with disabilities unhoused due to abuse, violence New data show women with disabilities are more likely to be forced into homelessness because of violence or abuse. GivingTuesday: Food banks need help, but charity won't end hunger, advocates say It's GivingTuesday, and some directors of food banks and anti-poverty groups say the day underlines a conundrum for their organizations. N.L. man not guilty of sex charges, judge cites inadequate police investigation A Newfoundland and Labrador judge has acquitted a man of six crimes, including sexual assault and sexual interference, citing inadequacies in the investigation by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Stay Connected
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson seemingly made their relationship official during Christmas at Mar-a-Lago. The new celebrity couple celebrated the holiday with Donald and Melania Trump and the rest of the presidential family , looking elegant for the occasion. Donald Trump Jr. holds hands with Bettina Anderson amid split from Kimberly Guilfoyle: What happened? Ivanka Trump celebrates Christmas with family at Mar-a-Lago: Her special gesture to Donald and Melania Ivanka Trump is all smiles in stylish white dress for Christmas Eve: Her holiday looks Love was in the air for the pair, as Bettina took to social media to show off her festive ensemble, which consisted of a red dress and black pointed-toe heels. She completed the look with gold jewelry and added a red heart to her Instagram Stories. The couple sat alongside Melania and Barron Trump, with Ivanka and her family also in attendance. Earlier this month news about the new romance was revealed, after Donald Trump Jr's split from Kimberly Guilfoyle. The pair attended a dinner at Mar-a-Lago and Bettina was briefly greeted by the future president. “The couple didn’t try to hide their love as they laughed and whispered to each other in the buffet line,” a source detailed to Page Six at the time, adding that they “mingled and greeted other guests like a sophisticated political couple.” “Bettina and Don have been together for a few months, and are super cute and happy together. It’s just a natural fit — everyone is happy for them!” another insider said. “Kimberly and I will never stop caring for each other and will always keep a special bond," Don Jr. told Page Six in a statement after the former couple called off their engagement. “Since the very beginning, no one on Team Trump has worked harder than Kimberly to help elect and reelect my father — and no one deserves this ambassadorship more than she does," he added.Home Depot Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors
Joe Tagoe’s confession
None{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-12-04T22:12:21+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-12-04T22:12:21+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-12-04T22:13:14+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22354/news/featured/featured-sonarwa-pledges-school-feeding-support-environmental-conservation-at-gs-rushubi", "headline": "FEATURED: SONARWA pledges school feeding support, environmental conservation at GS Rushubi", "description": "In an effort to bolster education and environmental conservation, SONARWA Life Assurance Company Ltd and SONARWA General Insurance Company Ltd, have...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22354/news/featured/featured-sonarwa-pledges-school-feeding-support-environmental-conservation-at-gs-rushubi" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/04/65608.jpeg", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/04/65608.jpeg" }, "articleBody": "In an effort to bolster education and environmental conservation, SONARWA Life Assurance Company Ltd and SONARWA General Insurance Company Ltd, have pledged to sponsor school feeding for all the students at Groupe Scolaire Rushubi Catholique in Bugesera District during the 2024-2025 academic year. The pledge, announced during a ceremony on November 28, also included planting of over 2,000 trees within the school premises as part of the companies' environmental sustainability initiatives. The school feeding fund aligns with the Ministry of Education’s ‘Dusangire Lunch’ programme, which aims to ensure that students have access to meals during school hours. This initiative, according to Liberatha Mukantwari, the school’s Headmistress, will relieve financial pressure on parents and help create a conducive learning environment. “We appreciate this partnership. It will alleviate the worries of parents struggling to accommodate school feeding expenses, ensuring their children can focus on their education without distractions,” said Mukantwari. Rose Baguma, Director General of Education Policy and Analysis at the Ministry of Education, hailed SONARWA’s commitment to the programme, calling it a proof to the power of collaboration in addressing student welfare. “This programme not only supports parents and students but also encourages organizations and individuals to contribute to the well-being of young Rwandans. Such initiatives are critical for enhancing educational outcomes,” Baguma said. The dual focus on feeding and tree planting reflects SONARWA’s holistic approach to supporting the community. Among the over 2,000 tree species planted, there were avocado trees planted within the school compound, which Mukantwarinoted will supplement the students' diets with fresh fruit. The trees will also serve multiple purposes, including soil conservation, timber production, firewood supply, and protection against the strong winds that frequently affect the area. Charlotte Kamanzi, CEO of SONARWA General Insurance, emphasized the initiative’s dual benefits: “By involving students and community members in these activities, we aim to instill a sense of shared responsibility for environmental conservation while fostering unity and collaboration.” Dianah Mukundwa, CEO of SONARWA Life highlighted that these efforts underline SONARWA’s commitment to fostering a brighter future for Rwanda’s youth and environment, setting an example for corporate social responsibility in action. “Our commitment to safeguarding lives extends beyond the company’s financial performance—it includes supporting our communities and nurturing the environment and. By planting trees and sharing a meal with the students of Bugesera, we reaffirm our dedication to creating a sustainable, inclusive future for all.” - She said. The over 2,000 trees planted at GS Rushubi in Bugesera District are part of SONARWA’s broader goal to plant trees across the country. Bugesera Mayor, Richard Mutabazi, highlighted the importance of the initiative, particularly for a school vulnerable to wind damage due to its limited tree cover. “We are grateful for this support. However, planting trees is just the first step. Their growth and survival depend on the care provided by the school administration and students. We hope to return next year and see these trees thriving,” Mutabazi said. Beyond its environmental and educational initiatives, both SONARWA companies also provide affordable student insurance services to mitigate financial burdens caused by unforeseen events. For SONARWA General, these packages cover risks such as property damage, injuries, and death helping them impro. While for SONARWA Life their education endowment plan enables the parents to save for their children by paying monthly premiums that accumulate interest to cover the school fees when the time agreed upon is reached. In case of loss of life of the parent, SONARWA Life will start giving financial support to the family and pay for the child’s school fees when the time comes.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jesca Mutamba" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }
Two students wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California elementary schoolWhite House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign
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