Police in Paris have ordered all shops and businesses in the busy Jewish commercial district of the city for fear of further attack on them. A Kosher grocery has already been taken over by two terrorist and at least five people are being held. The hostage-takers are said to demanding police stop their siege of the two Kouachi brothers, wanted for the attack on Charlie Hebdo. The Kouchais are holed up in a building near the airport.
France faces 2 hostage takings: Washington Post
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Ongoing coverage of Charlie Hebdo aftermath
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This is a live feed from France 24, an English language service based in Paris
Rolph parents start campaign to fix tennis court
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| Robin Dickie |
Parents of Rolph Road Public School are agreed on a plan to go it alone in the renovation of the tennis court that sits on the school property. The court needs work, maybe as much $16,000 worth, according to an estimate from the Toronto and District School Board (TDSB). There’s very little money at the board so it proposed a private-public arrangement with the Wilmington Tennis Club to build a possible two courts and a club house. Robin Dickie, chair of the school council, took this proposal to the members and found strong opposition. The playground property already accommodates a soccer field and baseball diamond as well as the tennis court. Robin says she felt it was her duty to put the offer on the table. There was, she said, “passionate” opposition to the Wilmington deal for a number of good reasons. The playground is for the Rolph kids and no one knows just how any new tennis facilities might effect that. The tennis court just needs fixing, not enlarging, the parents say. Better to find the necessary money and keep the facility a purely Rolph asset. And finally, the prospect of more traffic on quiet Rolph Road is a concern. The path was clear and the council has now struck a committee made up of Robin, Linda Carte and Stan Flemming to raise money by donation. It seems a cause that Leaside could well get behind. The council is also able to allocate some monies each year to add to the ultimate total. Here’s hoping that businesses and individuals will chip in to help Rolph School reach its goal. Maybe COBs Bread would like to run another matching donations program as they did so successfully for the Cody School Dirt to Turf campaign.
Anchor Leslie Roberts suspended by Global News
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According to the Toronto Star, Mr. Roberts is a part-owner of a small public relations firm whose clients appear on his television programs Metro
WSJ blogger says Canadian homes over-valued
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Commons hero Vickers will be appointed envoy to Ireland
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House of Commons Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers will be named Canada’s ambassador to Ireland. It seems a fitting appointment for the 58-year-old soldier and civil servant for his distinguished career spanning nearly 30 years. It was Vickers who put a decisive end to the rampage of terrorist Michael Zehaf-Bibeau on the morning of Oct. 22, 2014. Mr. Vickers actions that morning were no less than death-defying.
Terror suspect wanted to be a rapper but failed
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The ABC News report contains the information that one of the accused brothers. Cherif Kouachi, aspired to being a rapper. He wasn’t so successful and was persuaded by militant clerics to become a terrorist instead. Such revelations may cause us to pause as we turn ourselves inside out about religion and political ideology. Many psychiatrists will say that the core of a jihadist is the simple human need to be somebody. It may be simple but we see it time and again. What am I to become? How will I make the world pay attention to me?
Craft brewers wary of Beer Store bearing gifts
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Leaside Loblaws (Redway) official open Friday
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Loblaws is making a big thing of its renovations at the “Leaside Loblaws” — the place everyone calls the Redway Road Loblaws. Tomorrow (Friday, January 9, 2015) is the day as headlined in a news release when Carlos Tereceros, store manager, invites the public to the grand re-opening of the large store. The event will last the entire weekend and there will be fun for the whole family including, maple syrup taffy pop rolling, musical entertainment such as an opera-singing chef and gourmet food sampling. The first 100 adult customers to visit the store on opening day will receive one $25 President’s Choice Gift Card. This Loblaws location will continue to offer customers the convenience of a full-service grocery store, with a new distinctive food market-style layout that includes quick and easy grab-and-go meals and new premium and chef inspired food offerings. Okay now — maple syrup taffy pop rolling. Do you need to train for that?
Listings shortage: Toronto home prices higher
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Luxury in Motion or A Day at the Rest Home?
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YouTube may not be the best place to learn about the life-altering experience known as “cars that drive themselves.” On the other hand, the peek we get at this strange new world offered by Mercedes seems a touch boring.