Around the world Tuesday, Apple has announced a March 25 media event and is hinting at a widely expected plan to unveil its own Netflix-style streaming service with original video. The event at Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters is expected to reveal details of its efforts in original video and its reported investment of at least US$1 billion. Elsewhere in consumer land, Honda is recalling about 1.2 million vehicles in North and Central America because their Takata air bag inflators can explode and send shrapnel into the passenger compartment. The recall covers many Honda and Acura models from 2001 through 2016. In Britain, a critical Brexit vote is due. Agreement from Parliament on exiting the EU hung in the balance after the government’s lawyer said last-minute “legally binding” assurances won by Prime Minister Theresa May left the Irish backstop “unchanged.” And the last Canadian victim of the Ethiopian  plane crash has been identified.

Toronto Zoo has named a new zebra foal Obi in keeping with a pattern it has established of naming baby zebras after ‘Star Wars’ characters. Other zebras born at the zoo have been named Luke, Leia and Rey. See video at Toronto Zoo announces male zebra foal born February 13

Cellphones will be banned in Ontario classrooms during instructional time, starting in September. Education Minister Lisa Thompson said in a statement Tuesday that a formal announcement is coming soon. “Ontario’s students need to be able to focus on their learning — not their cellphones,” she wrote. “By banning cellphone use that distracts from learning, we are helping students to focus on acquiring the foundational skills they need like reading, writing and math.” Some schools already have similar policies, but the province will issue a directive to all public schools for the 2019-20 school year, government sources told The Canadian Press. How to enforce the ban would be up to individual boards and schools. Exceptions would be made for when teachers want to use cellphones as part of their lesson, for medical reasons and students with special needs.

A slight redesign of engine positions and landing gear shape to save fuel on the Boeing 737 Max fortold a slight tendency for the new model to stall during climbs, according to this fascinating analysis by Air Current. To make that chance less likely, according to the website, Boeing added a previously unknown feature to the aircraft. It’s called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). MCAS apparently overrides pilot commands and suspicion is arising it that may cause confusion. Will a pilot fight back against the automatic stabilizer and either cause a stall or otherwise lose control? Read on.

Police are warning of drugs stolen from a home near Davenport and Avenue Rds. Saturday morning about 8 a.m. The pills and capsules could be harmful or fatal if ingested especially to children. The stolen pills are Oxy Neo, Percocet and Temazepam. Used syringes were also taken.

At a news conference Monday the new OPP Commissioner, Thomas Carrique, said he had never met the Premier. He revealed how he was hired. Previous

York Regional Police Deputy Chief Thomas Carrique/Toronto Sun

The Ontario government has appointed Thomas Carrique, deputy chief for York Regional Police, as the new commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police. “Deputy Chief Carrique will help bring an outside vision to the OPP and work with talented officers and civilian staff to bring forward positive change,” Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones said in a statement.

Bantam AA Wildcats

It seems possible Mya Reyes will go down in history after she scored the shootout goal that gave the Bantam AA Wildcats a 1-0 win over the Clarington Flames Sunday in March Madness play. This endurance match saw the Wildcats and Flames (ages 13 and 14) battle through regular play and overtime without scoring a single marker. Few coaches prefer to see a game settled by shootout but that’s what it came to at Malvern Recreation Centre on Sewells Rd. where the playoff game was held. The first round of shootout went scoreless before Mya tucked home the winner. Well done Bantam AA Wildcats. And thanks to Kate Henn for her tip on this nail biter.

A thread at Leaside Community is growing longer as a motorist complains about a ticket issued at 9.14 p.m. Saturday night on Bayview Ave. nearly a quarter of an hour after enforcement is stated to end. Substantive comments include concerns that this is about a mix up over Daylight Saving Time (seems like a long shot) to simple zealotry by the Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO). The City totally denies a quota but it doesn’t matter. PEOs are paid and trained to ticket as hard as they can without regard to matters of judgement, or real parking control for that matter. This is a City Council state-of-mind that breeds deep resentment and seems little understood in the frenzied search for money. PEOs are tax collectors. One alarming post says a man was ticketed even though he had paid by app (and could show the receipt) because the PEO’s “system wasn’t working.”  Many members responded that this cannot be a cause for a ticket. But parking ticket horror stories are written fresh daily in Toronto. 

Atom BB Wildcats took silver Sunday at March Madness Tourney/Bulldog

Family games night March 19

Kate Wheeler post

LUC mission to El Hogar home in Honduras/LUC

Dr. James Corell Fallis/Fallis family

Blockbuster in 2011

Upper left in this March Madness weekend summary of local news are the gallant Atom BB Leaside Wildcats after their Silver win against the Orillia Hawks. The Hawks and their parents drove home with gold. Hats off to all teams. Scores and results are seen here. Upper right, the friendly Davisville Public School Dragon wants to remind parents of Family Games Night March 19. Then some pups posted by Lawrence Park friend Kate Wheeler. She is Network Managing Editor of Global News. Centre left are the selfless workers from Leaside United Church as they leave for a supportive visit to the church’s principal work at El Hogar (The Home) in Honduras. Centre right is the late Dr. James Corell Fallis, father of award-winning Moore Park humorist Terry Falls. Mr. Fallis has written a touching recollection of his dad in Leaside Life. At bottom, the world has been reminded that there is but one functioning Blockbuster store remaining out of some 9,000. It’s in Bend, Oregon. Thought you might like to reflect on the Bayview Ave. video cassette emporium as seen in 2011 when people still owned VCRs.

Voting for the dear leader

Fatu Sillah

Barbie Virtue

It’s election day in the people’s paradise of North Korea, an occasion of dark despair and amusing delusion all at once. The pleasant woman at the left is revelling in her freedom to vote for the single candidate on her ballot. He (or she) will be one of great leader Kim’s pals. Then at centre, Fatu Sillah speaks with brutal candor about FGM. The horrifying practice continues in as many as 30 countries in Africa and Asia, even though it is technically illegal in some. Finally, what  woman would not ponder a life like that of Tessa Virtue, Canadian skating legend and now a Mattel Barbie. Believe it .

An Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Ethiopia’s capital on Sunday morning, killing all 157 people thought to be on board, the airline and state broadcaster said, as anxious families rushed to airports in Addis Ababa and the destination, Nairobi. Ethiopian Airlines CEO and Kenya’s transport minister say 18 Canadians are among the victims of Sunday morning’s deadly plane crash after takeoff from Addis Ababa.

CAPTAIN “HAVING DIFFICULTIES”

The airline said the captain of the flight had radioed that he was “having difficulties” without indicating what that could mean. He requested permission to return to Addis Ababa and that was given. DW News said the aircraft was delivered new to the airline about four months ago.