LOCAL
Toronto Public Health officials have confirmed that 34 people have fallen ill after eating at the Canadian National Exhibition. A spokeswoman from Mount Sinai Hospital, where at least five people went, confirmed that some of those ate the Cronut burger, and EPIC burger, the vendor that sells them, remains voluntarily closed while awaiting results confirm what caused the illness. [Globe and Mail]
West Toronto residents are calling on Metrolinx to revise their plan for a sound wall 5 metres tall along the Union Pearson train corridor, unveiling their own “green wall” proposal. Unhappy with what’s being called a huge wall for graffiti, members of a local group called on award-winning landscape architects to draft an alternative plan. [Toronto Star]
The Toronto Maple Leafs are joining other NHL teams by beginning a”dynamic pricing point” policy, where the price of tickets changes depending on the opponent and when it’s being played. The Leafs have already increased the price of tickets by 2.5% across the board for next season. [Toronto Star]
NATIONAL
An American researcher says that Native American women from Thunder Bay Ontario have been sold on ships on harbour in Minnesota. Christine Stark said the port at Duluth is notorious among First Nations people for trafficking women. [CBC]
The Quebec government is preparing to introduce its long-awaited legislation that would restrict religious symbols in numerous places. The Parti Quebecois’ “Charter of Quebec Values” will prohibit public employees from donning Jewish, Sikh, or Muslim headwear in the workplace. [CBC]
Mike Holmes has called for mold-ridden homes damaged in the flood that devastated Alberta to be torn down. Two months after the flood, many are growing more frustrated and desperate, stretched thin financially as they pay rent on temporary homes and pay mortgages on now-worthless homes. [National Post]
INTERNATIONAL
Former US soldier Bradley Manning was sentenced to 35 years in jail for revealing hundreds of thousands of state secrets to WikiLeaks. In a statement on Thursday, Manning said he is female and wants to live as a woman named Chelsea. [Globe and Mail]
An alleged chemical attack by the Syrian government has killed over 500 people, including scores of children. The use of chemicals in an attack comes at an unexpected time, just days after UN inspectors came to investigate previous reports of the use of chemical weapons. [National Post]
Hosni Mubarak, the former Egyptian President, is to be freed from prison, even as early as Thursday. He will be under house arrest and will not be allowed to leave the country. [The Guardian]
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