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Toronto Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Letters to the Editor, June 1, 2025
Sunday letters Photo by Illustration / Toronto Sun FEVER PITCH Re 'T.O. still sorting out World Cup funding' (The Canadian Press, May 23): Just wondered why it costs $380 million to have six soccer games in Toronto. As far as I know, Blue Jays and Maple Leafs games don't cost taxpayers over $60 million a game, so why do soccer matches? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Gregg W. Collins Oro-Medonte, Ont. (World Cup of Suckers) COLOUR OF MONEY Re ''Black mandated' homeless shelter on way, City Hall says' (Justin Holmes, May 29): There is so much wrong with this idea. Firstly, those 'who self-identify as Black' — what does that even mean? So, someone who is not Black could decide to identify as Black? This proposal is being developed to start by 2033 — really? How many mayors will we have had by then? To apply to run one of these shelters, experience is not a prerequisite. Guess I qualify as soon as I identify as Black. And one other minor issue: The $800-million budget. I am almost speechless. Arnold de la Courneuve Mississauga (We identify as miffed) SLEEP ON IT You know, I have never claimed to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but projects like this, to represent our diversity in Toronto by employing and servicing only the Black community, make me feel like a genius! Let's review. Our great city of Toronto is multicultural and that is good. To focus on our diversity, we limit these much-needed jobs and beds to Black people only. On this same rock-solid platform, perhaps we can branch out to shelters limited only to Asian persons. The next one limited to Muslims. Nothing says diversity or inclusiveness like separating people based on colour or race. I think that was called 'segregation.' This strikes me as the antithesis of diversity. Does anyone at City Hall actually listen as these ideas are presented? Ideas like this make me want to punch myself in the face. Monique Simandl (You were expecting a less-woke Toronto under Olivia Chow?) Toronto & GTA Columnists Sunshine Girls Columnists Toronto & GTA
eNCA
16-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Chad's ex-prime minister arrested for 'inciting hatred'
Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succes Masra was arrested early Friday accused of inciting hatred in connection with deadly clashes in the southwest, the public prosecutor said. Masra, who served as premier from January to May last year, faced off against President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's fiercest opponents, he won 18.5 percent of the vote against Deby's 61.3 percent, but claimed victory. Earlier Friday, his party said Masra had been abducted from his home in the early morning. A post by The Transformers party featured an unverified video showing him leaving his residence surrounded by around a dozen armed men in military uniform. Prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye later said Masra had been detained after inquiries into a clash in the southwestern region of Logone-Occidental on Wednesday. "The investigations carried out by the judicial police revealed the involvement" of Masra, Mahamat Kedelaye told reporters. "Messages were disseminated particularly on social media calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens," the prosecutor said. He gave no details on the content or if Masra had been behind the messages. The clashes killed 42 people mostly women and children, the prosecutor said, raising a previously reported toll of 35. A local source said Thursday that the cause of the violence was thought to be a dispute between ethnic Fulani nomadic herders and local Ngambaye farmers over the demarcation of grazing and farming areas. Conflicts between pastoralists and sedentary farmers are estimated by the International Crisis Group to have caused more than 1,000 deaths and 2,000 injuries between 2021 and 2024. Masra, who comes from the south, is ethnic Ngambaye and enjoys wide support in the region, whose people are mostly Christian and animist and complain of being marginalised by the mostly Muslim central government. - Deadly protests - Masra, 41, an economist who trained in France and Cameroon, was a fierce opponent of the ruling authorities before they named him prime minister five months before the presidential election. He contested the results and his party then boycotted parliamentary elections in December. The elections cemented Deby's rule and ended a three-year transition period. He had promised an 18-month transition to democracy but extended it by another two years. Deby had been proclaimed transitional president by fellow army generals in 2021 after his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled Chad for 30 years, was killed in a gun battle with rebels. Opposition figures have fled, been silenced or joined with Deby. Since 2018, Masra has been the only opposition figure able to mobilise crowds of supporters in the capital at rallies that were systematically and violently repressed. Like other opposition figures, Masra fled into exile after the army and police opened fire on demonstrators protesting the transition extension in October 2022, known as Black Thursday. Up to 300 young people died according to international NGOs -- 50, according to the regime. Masra returned from exile and signed a reconciliation deal with Deby but faced critics who denounced his decision to ally with the then junta.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chad's ex-prime minister arrested for 'inciting hatred'
Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succes Masra was arrested early Friday accused of inciting hatred in connection with deadly clashes in the southwest, the public prosecutor said. Masra, who served as premier from January to May last year, faced off against President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's fiercest opponents, he won 18.5 percent of the vote against Deby's 61.3 percent, but claimed victory. Earlier Friday, his party said Masra had been abducted from his home in the early morning. A post by The Transformers party featured an unverified video showing him leaving his residence surrounded by around a dozen armed men in military uniform. Prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye later said Masra had been detained after inquiries into a clash in the southwestern region of Logone-Occidental on Wednesday. "The investigations carried out by the judicial police revealed the involvement" of Masra, Mahamat Kedelaye told reporters. "Messages were disseminated particularly on social media calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens," the prosecutor said. He gave no details on the content or if Masra had been behind the messages. The clashes killed 42 people mostly women and children, the prosecutor said, raising a previously reported toll of 35. A local source said Thursday that the cause of the violence was thought to be a dispute between ethnic Fulani nomadic herders and local Ngambaye farmers over the demarcation of grazing and farming areas. Conflicts between pastoralists and sedentary farmers are estimated by the International Crisis Group to have caused more than 1,000 deaths and 2,000 injuries between 2021 and 2024. Masra, who comes from the south, is ethnic Ngambaye and enjoys wide support in the region, whose people are mostly Christian and animist and complain of being marginalised by the mostly Muslim central government. - Deadly protests - Masra, 41, an economist who trained in France and Cameroon, was a fierce opponent of the ruling authorities before they named him prime minister five months before the presidential election. He contested the results and his party then boycotted parliamentary elections in December. The elections cemented Deby's rule and ended a three-year transition period. He had promised an 18-month transition to democracy but extended it by another two years. Deby had been proclaimed transitional president by fellow army generals in 2021 after his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled Chad for 30 years, was killed in a gun battle with rebels. Opposition figures have fled, been silenced or joined with Deby. Since 2018, Masra has been the only opposition figure able to mobilise crowds of supporters in the capital at rallies that were systematically and violently repressed. Like other opposition figures, Masra fled into exile after the army and police opened fire on demonstrators protesting the transition extension in October 2022, known as Black Thursday. Up to 300 young people died according to international NGOs -- 50, according to the regime. Masra returned from exile and signed a reconciliation deal with Deby but faced critics who denounced his decision to ally with the then junta. dwi-hpn/yad-kjm/jj
NBC News
15-03-2025
- Health
- NBC News
This sheet mask is trending on TikTok and Amazon — is it worth it?
Using cortisone cream as a spot treatment. Snail slime as a serum. A spray that cures eczema. Social media is full of beauty tips and product recommendations. And while some are totally bunk, others legitimately work. So, we were intrigued when we saw a new gel sheet mask making the rounds on TikTok and noticed that the same mask was trending on Amazon (sales were up 50%). Lovers of the Biodance Hydro Cera-nol Real Deep Face Mask swear it gives them glass-like skin that is glowy and hydrated. But does it work? We looked into it. BioDance Hydro Cera-nol Real Deep Mask Biodance's mask is actually a sheet mask. Experts have previously told us sheet masks are particularly good for hydration because the occlusive nature traps moisture. However, just because they can hydrate your skin doesn't mean they can replace other steps in your skin care routine. Meaning, using a sheet mask doesn't mean you don't need to apply your daily moisturizer. These masks (there are four in a pack) are gel sheet masks, which means rather than a thin piece of paper or fibers, they're made from a gel that feels cooling on your skin. Because of this, many reviewers note that they feel soothing and can calm minor irritations. Which skin care ingredients are in the Biodance mask? The gel masks are soaked in a serum that is made up of three ingredients. The first ingredient is ceramides. Your skin naturally has ceramides in it, but if those natural levels drop, it can cause skin to get dry and rough. Experts have previously told us that skin care containing this ingredient can add moisture back into your skin barrier. Another of the ingredients in the serum is panthenol, which is another name for vitamin B5, which is known to be anti-inflammatory, according to Biodance. It also contains hyaluronic acid, which experts have told us acts like a magnet to draw more water into the skin. Finally, the serum contains glacier water — which is hydrating but also naturally contains minerals that the brand says can nourish skin. The mask is intended to be worn as you sleep to allow the serum to soak into the skin for as long as possible. It comes in two parts — a piece for everything above your nose and below. This allows you to get a better, smoother fit. Is the Biodance mask worth it? As for whether or not Biodance Hydro Cera-nol Real Deep Face Mask is worth it, you get four masks for just under $20 — so each mask comes out to about $5. The mask set has a 4.3-star average rating from 12,996 reviews on Amazon and reviewers say they have noticed increased hydration and glow after using the mask. In addition to Biodance Hydro Cera-nol Real Deep Face Mask, the brand's Collagen Real Deep mask is popular and has had its own viral moment on TikTok. According to the brand, that mask can help with skin elasticity and firmness. Why trust NBC Select? I'm a writer at NBC Select who covers various topics, including home, tech and beauty. I have covered major shopping events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday for over a decade.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
An 'impossible task': Brevard Schools mulls doing away with alternative learning centers
In Brevard Public Schools, expelled doesn't really mean expelled — at least, not in the traditional sense. The terminology the district uses to describe the punishment handed down to students for certain offenses has caused debate among board members and staff since January, with board members asking for clearer language and questioning if the current disciplinary process even works. Right now, students who are expelled are given the option to attend alternative learning centers or learning facilities outside their normal home campuses for the duration of their expulsion. An expulsion — typically — does not mean that a student is kicked out of BPS entirely. But during a recent work session, Chief of Schools James Rehmer and Alternative Sites Director Misty Bland presented the board with a plan to potentially replace the alternative learning centers and revamp how expulsions are handled. The move came after a January work session when the board expressed concerns that the ALCs weren't helping improve student behavior and were placing a heavy burden on teachers. Board member Megan Wright said the district owes the ALC staff an apology for giving them an "impossible task." "I've had a teacher reach out to me, and my heart broke for her because I'm like, 'What we've asked you to do is an impossible task,'" Wright said. The students at the ALCs, Wright said, need more support than those on typical campuses due to emotional and behavior issues, and too many students of different ages are combined in the same space. "We're asking a teacher to look at a class range of seventh through 12th grade, which the curriculum is drastically different in all of those, and we're asking our bus drivers to make sure that we have students on buses that are from kindergarten to 12th grade," she said. "There (are) a lot of things there that are just not right. They are not right." While final details are still being hashed out, the district moved closer to a solution for how expulsions might be handled in the 2025-2026 school year. Here's what that could look like. Students who would otherwise be expelled from Brevard Public Schools are given the option to attend the ALCs for the duration of their expulsions. As of Feb. 13, there were 209 students in both centers, according to data presented by Rehmer and Bland at the work session. Of the 209 students, 22 were in grades kindergarten through grade six, 92 were in grades seven and eight and 96 were in grades nine through 12. Kids in the elementary classes attend five days a week, while those at the secondary level do hybrid virtual/in-person learning. The presentation didn't include a breakdown of race, though that's been a part of numerous discipline-related discussions. During the 2023-2024 school year, a total of 658 students attended the alternative learning centers, according to a presentation given to the school board by student services in June 2024. Of those students, the majority — 274, or about 41.64% — were Black. Black students make up about 15% of the district's overall population. The second largest group at the ALCs for that school year was white students, with 235 placed at the centers. There were also two Native American, three Asian or Pacific Islander, 70 Hispanic and 74 students of two or more races placed at the centers during the 2023-2024 school year. During a January work session, board members expressed concerns that the ALCs were overburdening teachers and not working as a disciplinary method. "These students are being rewarded for bad behavior," Wright said at the time. "They are going to school for two days a week, they are not necessarily on track with their classes and (when) they go back into their traditional classroom setting, it is now the teacher's responsibility to find out, "Did they do their work? Is everything graded? Are they up to par?" The ALCs employ 38 staff members, according to the most recent presentation. Between the two locations, there are 16 teachers and two social workers to oversee 209 students, as well as one school counselor, one guidance service professional, six instructional assistants, two school resource officers, two assistant principals and other school staff such as secretaries and custodians. If the district swapped from using the ALCs to the proposed diversion program, they could reallocate 31 staff members from the ALC back into other schools, while seven staff members would work in various capacities in the diversion program. The details of exactly what the diversion program — an alternative to the alternative learning centers — would entail are being explored. But board members agreed the goal would be to keep kids at their home campuses rather than sending them to another site. The program would likely involve having students placed on a stipulation agreement that would require certain things like their attendance at weekly counseling; participation in online coursework; no participation in things like sports, clubs and other campus activities; supervision at all times; and engaging in a Saturday behavioral modification program. They would be eligible to participate in the program once in elementary school and once during middle/high school. It's a similar approach to what the district has used with their drug diversion program, which is an option available for students who have engaged in substance-related offenses. Offenses are ranked on levels from one to five, with five being the most severe. While the details of the diversion program are still being decided, as it stands now, the diversion program would be available for students who were expelled for committing offenses at the one through three level, as well as some level four offenses. The district would decide on a case-by-case basis if a level four offense would result in an automatic expulsion, while level five offenses mean a student is expelled. What does this mean? The district is still deciding, and they're still working to hammer out more precise language regarding expulsions. Board member Katye Campbell argued for students expelled for more serious offenses to be allowed to complete coursework online so that they could graduate and BPS' graduation rates and school grades would not be impacted, which Rehmer said is currently an option. Wright didn't necessarily disagree with giving kids the chance to complete online work, but said she wants to set a "hard line" on what the district expects in terms of acceptable behavior. She compared the district's policies to Georgia's policies on speeding, an analogy that's been made during work sessions multiple times in reference to student discipline over the past year or so. "You know where you don't speed is Georgia, because Georgia set the precedent that if you speed in Georgia, you're getting pulled over and you're getting a big old ticket," Wright said. "I kind of want that same precedent set here for Brevard County Public Schools, that they understand if you do these offenses, we will not tolerate it." Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Expelled students may remain at school with new Brevard Schools program
