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Pakistani traders strike countrywide against high inflation and utility bills

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani traders on Saturday went on strike against the soaring cost of living, including higher fuel and utility bills and record depreciation of the rupee against the dollar, which has led to widespread discontent among the public.The traders pulled their shutters down across the country, while protesters burned tires on roads to express their ange.The strike was called by ex-senator Sirajul Haq, who heads the religious political party Jamaat-e-Islami, and it was largely endorsed by trade and business bodies, market associations, lawyers associations and transporters. The country’s commercial and economic hub, Karachi, was almost completely closed and vehicle traffic was thin on roads, with all markets and shopping centers closed.“We have shut our shops in protest so that our message reaches the ruling class. If they don’t consider our problems, we will devise further strategies, said Fahad Ahmed, a trader in Karachi, adding “If you pay Rs100,000 (330 dollars) in...

18 people have been killed in Iraq after a bus carrying Shiite pilgrims to Karbala overturned

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — A bus carrying pilgrims to the Iraqi city of Karbala overturned north of Baghdad on Saturday, killing 18 people, medical officials said.Millions of believers converge on the city each year for the Shiite pilgrimage of Arbaeen, regarded as the largest annual public gathering in the world. Pilgrims come from various parts of Iraq as well as from Iran and the Gulf countries, with many making their way to Karbala on foot.Two Iraqi medical officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to the media said that the bus overturned near the town of Balad, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) north of Baghdad.The victims were 15 men and three women. Among them were 10 Iranians, two Iraqis — the bus driver and his son — and six people of unknown nationality, the officials said.Arbaeen marks the anniversary of the 40th day of mourning following the seventh-century death of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein at the hands of the Muslim Um...

A 2nd Tommy John surgery could be tougher for Shohei Ohtani to return from. But it’s not a given

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — If Shohei Ohtani has a second Tommy John surgery, it’s possible his recovery might be more difficult than the first — but not a given.“My first one, my rehab was pretty tough and I never felt 100%,” Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Tallion said. “People would come up to me and ask me, ‘Hey, dude, what should I expect after getting Tommy John?’ I’d be like: to never feel good ever again.“My second one was just like a new arm.”Ohtani tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow while pitching against Cincinnati on Aug. 26. The unprecedented two-way star is continuing to bat as a designated hitter but won’t pitch again this year while considering his medical options.Now 29, Ohtani had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, performed by Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. He returned to the Angels as a batter the following May 7 and to the mound on July 26, 2020, in a season delayed by the pandemic. He didn’t retire a batter i...

Canada’s envoy to Ukraine says Canadian support will outlast Russian invasion

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s new ambassador to Ukraine had an eerie sense of déjà vu when she reached Kyiv last month.Natalka Cmok saw so many locals with missing limbs that it reminded her of working in Ukraine in the 1990s, when the newly independent country had thousands of soldiers returning from the Soviet Union’s war in Afghanistan.“Ukraine is really close to my heart, and I want Ukraine to succeed,” Cmok said in a Friday interview from Canada’s embassy in Kyiv.She arrived in the city Aug. 15, starting a one-year term in a country she has lived in multiple times since its 1991 independence.In just two weeks, she’s already familiar with the rhythm of air-raid sirens, warning in a videoconference call that she might need to suddenly hunker down. “The last few nights, it’s been more like 4 or 5 in the morning.”Her assignment is two-pronged, with a short-term focus on supporting Ukraine’s immediate defence and security needs while c...

CSIS disinformation campaign leans on Soviet imagery, as Ottawa tracks ‘grey media’

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s spy agency is leaning on Soviet imagery to help prime the public against disinformation but experts say Moscow is more likely to use images that make readers think the messaging is coming from North American sources.Last month, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service started posting on social media about its efforts to counteract deliberately misleading information online.The posts feature a font that resembles the Cyrillic alphabet, featuring stars instead of dots and the letter N appearing backwards. One posting features a Russian nesting doll, known as a matryoshka, with the words “Do you know who is behind it? Disinformation is here and hides well.”Another advises Canadians to “be aware of what you share” on social media, citing the risk of trolls.Aaron Erlich, a McGill University political science professor, said it’s important to make people aware of misleading information online. But he said the wording in the CSIS camp...

ThreeSixty Journalism: DHS prioritizes teen mental health 

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

Depression, anxiety, fear: these emotional issues have become commonplace among today’s high school students.   Mental health problems among students have steadily climbed  over the past few years. According to a 2022 statewide survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Education, almost one third of Minnesota high schoolers are battling mental health issues, an increase of nearly 10 percentage points since 2016. Although many factors play into this mental health crisis – such as lack of family support and the stigma surrounding mental illness – one of the most significant is the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused intense social isolation because of widespread school shutdowns and the many challenges of remote learning. Depression, anxiety, fear of getting sick, loss of family members and disconnection from the community weighed heavily on young people.   Because they had never experienced a situation like that before, many students did not recognize the signs of mental hea...

ThreeSixty Journalism: Esperanza United engages metro youth through domestic violence education

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

Many nonprofit organizations are facing a critical question — in an era of desensitized teens in a complex world, how do you make kids care about the issues that matter, like domestic violence?  St. Paul’s Esperanza United, a Latinx-led organization that focuses on ending gender-based violence, fostering community and empowering Latinx leadership, has found a way to get teens to care about gender-based violence.   “We talked about identity and self-esteem, and then we kind of started getting deeper into relationships,” said Beverly Martinez, a youth coordinator for Esperanza United.  Gender-based violence is an epidemic that continues to affect Minnesotans. On average, nearly 35% of law enforcement calls are related to domestic disputes, with 1 in 3 Minnesota women and 1 in 4 men facing some form of abuse from their partner, according to the Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center.  For Nallely Castro Montoya, a prevention and social change manager at the organization, Esperanza Unit...

ThreeSixty Journalism: Reducing mental health stigma in rural Minnesota

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

Minnesota’s rural communities face increased rates of suicide compared to their urban counterparts. Mental health professionals don’t know why but say the startling statistic shows the need for mental health care services in the state’s rural reaches.  “There is very little empirical evidence to suggest why there is a disparity,” said Thad Shunkwiler, founding director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health. A primary problem is the shortage of mental health care resources for rural Minnesotans. Even though the state’s rural and urban residents experience similar life stressors, Shunkwiler said, there are more resources in urban areas.  The state’s urban centers contain 54% of the state’s population but have 80% of all the practicing mental health providers, Shunkwiler said. That means nearly half of Minnesotans share about one-fifth of the state’s mental health providers.   There also aren’t many clinics near rural communities. A men...

ThreeSixty Journalism: Indian Health Board offers valuable support

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

Families torn apart. People losing their will to live. These are crushing feelings many people are conscious of, but one thing people may not know are the obstacles that stand in the way of Native American communities getting access to health care.   There are several root causes that lead to instability in mental health for members of the Native American community, including assault, domestic violence and generational trauma.   Many health care services that try to support Native American communities are often underfunded. According to the American Public Health Association, “between 1993 and 1998, IHS (Indian Health Services) appropriations increased by 8%, while medical inflation increased by 20.6%.” The current funding situation seems to be better, based on the Indian Health Services receiving north of $5 billion in advance appropriations.   When thinking of reservations, the health care services tend to be scarce, forcing people to drive for hours to reach a nearby hospital or ...

ThreeSixty Journalism: Extending gender care services is a mission for two Minnesota advocates

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:47 GMT

“There was a need, and I followed the need,” said Dr. Angela Kade Goepferd, the chief education officer and medical director of the Gender Health Program at Children’s Minnesota.   Goepferd identifies as nonbinary and dedicates their career to providing health care for transgender youth. The lack of resources for the community was obvious to Goepferd while growing up and going through college. And so, they became what they had needed in their youth.  “The need was very tied to my identity and community,” they said.  In college, Goepferd realized there were no LGBTQ+ teachings in the curriculum. They wanted change. Going into pediatrics, they knew there were other youth that needed resources, the same as they did growing up, and Goepferd wanted to be the person to provide that care.   “It feels really important to represent my community,” they said.  Like Goepferd, Ani Koch is a nonbinary health care professional, but is working more behind the scenes. Their focus is insurance and re...