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Canada News Advisory for Tuesday, Jan.10, 2023

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Here are the latest Canada News stories from The Canadian Press. All times are Eastern unless otherwise stated. Coverage plans are included when available. Entries are subject to change as news develops.

IF YOU NEED HELP, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO mainslots@thecanadianpress.com and we’ll get back to you right away.

TOP HEADLINES:

U.S. President Joe Biden to visit Canada in March

Canada to buy surface-to-air missiles for Ukraine

Constable killed, officer hurt in B.C. slide named

N.S. Justice Department threatens legal action over disclosure of ER death

Poilievre calls for closure of Roxham Road border crossing

Mendicino open to amending cybersecurity bill

Hospital network says outage not a cyberattack

Parks Canada defends Moraine Lake decision

NEW TOP STORIES SINCE THE LAST ADVISORY:

Canada to buy surface-to-air missiles for Ukraine

Cda-Ukraine

Ottawa, , — Canada is buying a U.S. surface-to-air missile system for Ukraine nearly a year after Russia’s invasion of the country began. By Dylan Robertson. Wire: National. Photos: 1

Poilievre calls for probe into McKinsey contracts

Commons-Probe-McKinsey

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada — Conservative party Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into federal contracts awarded to consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Wire: National. Photos: 1

Parks Canada defends Moraine Lake decision

Banff-Transportation

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada — A decision to restrict personal vehicles at one of the most popular tourist destinations in Banff National Park was required to balance the growing number of visitors with protecting the environment, says a Parks Canada official. Wire: National. Photos: 1

Calgary man rescued from back of garbage truck

Calgary-Garbage-Rescue

Calgary, Alberta, Canada — A man sustained what Calgary fire officials are calling moderate injuries after he was rescued from the back of a garbage truck. Wire: Prairies/BC.

Ontario court overturns HIV murder convictions

Ont-HIV-Manslaughter

Toronto, Ontario, Canada — Ontario’s top court has overturned two first-degree murder convictions in the case of a man who did not disclose his HIV-positive status to sexual partners, though he remains a dangerous offender and sentenced to life. By Allison Jones. Wire: Ontario/Quebec.

Police ID man allegedly killed by teen girls

Ont-Girls-Homicide-Victim

Toronto, , — A homeless man who died after eight teen girls allegedly attacked him in Toronto was remembered as quiet and kind on Tuesday as the case left several in the homeless community worried about their safety. By Fakiha Baig. Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1

Ottawa eyes Indigenous ombudsperson role

MMIW-Ombud

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada — The federal government is appointing a ministerial special representative who will be tasked with providing recommendations for the creation of an Indigenous and human rights ombudsperson role. Wire: National. Photos: 1

RCMP say man tried to smuggle drugs into prison

Mba-Hitchhiker-Drugs

Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada — Mounties say a Manitoba man is in custody after he allegedly ingested a balloon filled with methamphetamine with the purpose of smuggling the drugs into a prison. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1

Views mixed on cannabis consumption spaces in B.C.

Cannabis-Consumption

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada — British Columbia has released results of public engagement on the possible approval of cannabis consumption spaces, such as at special events or businesses where marijuana is available for sale. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1

Environmental group takes Ontario to court

Ont-Hamilton-Greenbelt

Ontario has broken the law by forcing the City of Hamilton to expand its boundary into the protected Greenbelt to build homes, an environmental rights group alleges in legal documents as it takes the province to court in a case being tracked by the mayor. By Liam Casey. Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1

Ont. needs gig economy legislation ‘faster’: Uber

Uber-Labour

Uber’s vice-president and global head of public policy wants Ontario to speed up its efforts to deliver gig economy legislation and act on its pitch to boost gig worker benefits. By Tara Deschamps. Wire: Business. Photos: 1

Via Rail apologizes for holiday travel disruptions

Via-Rail-Apology

Montreal, Quebec, Canada — Via Rail Canada is apologizing to travellers for extensive delays and cancellations over the holiday period as it offers refunds and travel credits. Wire: Business, National.

Air passenger protection rights under spotlight

Passenger-Rights

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada — An advocate for air passengers says Canada should make it so travellers are automatically entitled to compensation from airlines when their flights are disrupted, rather than having to make claims on their own. Wire: National. Photos: 1

Icelandic budget airline launches in Canada

Icelandic-Airline-Canada

An Icelandic airline is the latest in an increasingly crowded field of startup carriers vying for the hard-earned travel dollars of budget-conscious Canadians. By Amanda Stephenson. Wire: Business. Photos: 1

PREVIOUS TOP NEWS STORIES (Updated):

U.S. President Joe Biden to visit Canada in March

US-Cda-Three-Amigos

U.S. President Joe Biden will make his first official visit to Canada in March, the White House has confirmed. By James McCarten.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

Constable killed, officer hurt in B.C. slide named

Avalanche-Police-Death

Nelson, British Columbia, Canada — A group of nearby skiers came to the aid of two Nelson, B.C., police officers swept up in a deadly avalanche Monday, while dozens of trained search and rescue volunteers scrambled to get them off the mountain before dark, a rescue official said. Wire: National.

N.S. Justice Department threatens legal action over disclosure of ER death

NS-ER-Death

HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s Justice Department has threatened a provincial politician with possible legal action because she publicly posted a letter with information identifying a woman who died in hospital after a seven-hour wait for a doctor. Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, the Independent member of the legislature for Cumberland North, says she was advised to take down a letter to Health Minister Michelle Thompson that was posted to her Facebook page on Friday. By Keith Doucette

Poilievre calls for closure of Roxham Road border crossing

Conservatives-Immigration

OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre sidestepped questions today about so-called illegal immigrants who came into Canada via the Roxham Road crossing, as one of his caucus members faces criticism for refusing to help with a family’s immigration case. By Stephanie Taylor.

Mendicino open to amending cybersecurity bill

Cybersecurity

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada — The federal public safety minister says he is prepared to work with parliamentarians to revise the Liberal government’s cybersecurity bill after civil society groups and opposition MPs raised transparency and accountability concerns.  Wire: National.

Hospital network says outage not a cyberattack

Ont-UHN

Toronto, Ontario, Canada — A major Toronto hospital network said it had restored “virtually all” its digital systems Tuesday morning, attributing the outage to internal issues, not an outside cyberattack. By Liam Casey and Jordan Omstead.  Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1

Hamlin injury gives CFL chance to review protocols

FBO-CFL-Winter-Meeting

It’s a story that’s now trending in a positive direction, but Damar Hamlin’s horrific injury is providing the CFL, its executives and its head coaches with a talking point at the league’s winter meetings. By Dan Ralph.  Wire: Sports.

Canada and the F-35: What are we buying?

Fighter-Jets-Explainer

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada — After more than a decade of partisan politics and government mismanagement, Canada is officially buying the F-35 fighter jet. But while the announcement has been welcomed by some, questions still remain. Here’s what you need to know: By Lee Berthiaume.  Wire: National.

Hamilton uncovers another decades-old sewage leak

Ont-Hamilton-Sewer

Hamilton, ,  — The City of Hamilton says it has uncovered another sewage leak that has been dumping waste into Lake Ontario for more than two decades.  Wire: Ontario/Quebec.

N.S. non-profits call for higher income assistance

NS-Income-Assistance

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada — Nova Scotia food banks and other community groups are calling for an immediate increase in income assistance for the growing number of residents who cannot afford housing or food.  Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1

RCMP investigating woman’s death in central N.S.

NS-Suspicious-Death

Five Islands, Nova Scotia, Canada — The RCMP are investigating a woman’s death in central Nova Scotia after officers responded Monday to a report of shots fired.  Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1

Hydro-Québec president Sophie Brochu steps down

Hydro-Quebec-Brochu

Montreal, Quebec, Canada — Sophie Brochu, the president and CEO of Hydro-Québec, announced today she will step down on April 11.  Wire: National, Business. Photos: 1

Magic mushoom regulation needed, say patients

Psilocybin-Therapy

A recreational magic mushroom industry is popping up in Canada as advocates mount legal challenges arguing the federal government should regulate psilocybin so it can be more readily available to patients who need it.  Wire: National.

CF Montreal fires coach after political backlash

SOC-MLS-CF-Montreal-Hire

Montreal, Quebec, Canada — CF Montreal has terminated the contract of its reserve squad coach after political backlash over years-old comments on his Twitter account suggesting the former premier of Quebec should be assassinated.  Wire: Sports. Photos: 1

Murder trial begins for former Halifax med student

NS-Sandeson-Trial

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada — A retrial started today for a former Nova Scotia medical student accused of fatally shooting a fellow Dalhousie University student and disposing of his body after a drug deal in downtown Halifax.  Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1

Sarah Polley, James Cameron up for Golden Globes

Cda-Golden-Globes

Toronto, Ontario, Canada — Several big Canadian names are competing at tonight’s Golden Globes, as the film and TV awards show attempts a comeback after a year off the air. By Noel Ransome.  Wire: Entertainment. Photos: 1

Couples opt for micro-weddings amid inflation

Your-Money

Danielle Woodcock was planning her wedding when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, delaying and eventually cancelling her big day. By the time she revisited it in 2021, she had decided to go in a different direction – a micro-wedding. By Rosa Saba.  Wire: Business, Lifestyle. Photos: 1

P.E.I. Indigenous leader John Joe Sark dies

OBIT-PEI-Sark

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada — Prince Edward Island’s premier is remembering Mi’kmaq spiritual leader John Joe Sark as a passionate defender of Indigenous culture.  Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1

OC Transpo says LRT will be back on tracks today

Ottawa-Transit

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada — OC Transpo says the trains should be running as usual across Ottawa’s light rail transit system by the end of the day.  Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1

Canada sanctions Sri Lanka ex-presidents Rajapaksa

Cda-Sri-Lanka

Ottawa, ,  — Canada is imposing sanctions on four senior leaders of Sri Lanka, including two recent presidents, accusing them of human rights violations during that country’s civil war.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

Silver reflects on six years as Yukon’s Premier

Yukon-Silver-Exits

Dawson City, Yukon, Canada — Ask Sandy Silver about his path from being the only Liberal in the Yukon’s legislature to the territory’s premier and he will often pivot back to the community he represents, Dawson City, about 500 kilometres north of Whitehorse.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

Report details growing housing challenges in North

North-Renters

Yellowknife, ,  — Aurora Rose Gellenbeck has been living out of a hotel in Yellowknife for the past month because she hasn’t been able to find anywhere suitable to rent. By Emily Blake.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

Tips on shady finances ‘may not get investigated’

RCMP-Money-Laundering

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada — The RCMP says many tips from Canada’s financial intelligence agency about possible crimes “may not get investigated” due to a lack of policing resources and conflicting priorities. By Jim Bronskill.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE STORIES:

The LJI is a federally funded program to add coverage in under-covered areas or on under-covered issues. This content is delivered on the CP wire in the “Y” or spare news category, or you can register to access it at https://lji-ijl.ca. This content is created and submitted by participating publishers and is not edited by The Canadian Press. Please credit stories to the reporter, their media outlet and the Local Journalism Initiative. Questions should be directed to LJI supervising editor Amy Logan at amy.logan@thecanadianpress.com. Below is a sample of the dozens of stories moved daily:

N.W.T. residents may not be eligible for boarding home compensation

LJI-NT-BOARDING-HOME-COMPENSATION

Not for the first time, there are questions over whether a technicality will keep compensation from N.W.T. residents – this time regarding federal boarding homes. 600 words. Caitrin Pilkington/Cabin Radio

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Most Mud Lake residents will stay put, despite N.L. government’s relocation offer

LJI-NL-09012023-mud-lake

The cause of the 2017 flood in Mud Lake, N.L., is the subject of a class-action lawsuit against Nalcor Energy, the former Crown agency behind the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric development. Most residents seem willing to live with the uncertainty of whether another flood is likely, rather than have power permanently cut off from their homes. But even a small exodus will mean the community of about 50 won’t be the same. 1,100 words. PHOTO. Peter Jackson/The Telegram

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Who gets to fish for B.C. salmon in the future?

LJI-BC-FutureSalmonFishery-Equity

Ottawa has shuttered about 60 per cent of B.C.’s commercial fisheries since 2021 and last month launched a licence buyback program to lure fish harvesters to exit the industry to protect plummeting salmon stocks. It is not yet clear who will remain on the water, but many suspect large corporations and investors will continue to prosper while independent harvesters and coastal communities languish. 1,000 words. PHOTO. Rochelle Baker/Canada’s National Observer

FROM AP:

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TOP STORIES

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CALIFORNIA STORMS — The latest in a relentless string of California storms is swamping roads, battering coastlines with high surf, turning rivers into gushing flood zones and forcing the evacuation of thousands in towns with histories of deadly mudslides. The storms are even prompting tornado warnings. At least 14 people have died since the storms began last week, including two people killed by falling trees. By Christopher Weber and Stefanie Dazio. SENT: 1,010 words, photos, videos. Developing.

BIDEN-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS — The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee has requested that the U.S. intelligence community conduct a “damage assessment” of potentially classified documents found in the Washington office space of President Joe Biden’s former institute, Rep. Mike Turner sent the request Tuesday to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, saying that Biden’s retention of the documents puts him in “potential violation of laws protecting national security, including the Espionage Act and Presidential Records Act.” By Zeke Miller. SENT: 1,040 words, photos. Developing. With: BIDEN-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS-EXPLAINER (upcoming); BIDEN-TRUMP-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS (upcoming).

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Ukrainian officials say Russian forces are escalating their onslaught against Ukrainian positions around the wrecked eastern city of Bakhmut. The officials say the intense attack is bringing new levels of death and devastation in the grinding, monthslong battle for control of eastern Ukraine that is part of Moscow’s wider war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there is “almost no life left” around Bakhmut and the nearby Donetsk province city of Soledar. By Andrew Meldrum. SENT: 1,055 words, photos. With: RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-HOUSE — The ruined kitchen of his family’s Kyiv home stands at the center of a 42-year-old carpenter’s traumatic experience of Russia’s war in Ukraine. SENT: 300 words, photos.

BRAZIL-CAPITAL UPRISING — Thousands of protesters in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo demanded “No amnesty!” following a riot that invaded the heart of Brazil’s capital Sunday in an effort to reinstall former President Jair Bolsonaro. The words evoke memories of an amnesty law that for decades has protected military members accused of abuse and murder during the country’s 1964-85 dictatorship. By David Biller and Felipe Mello. SENT: 1,050 words, photos, videos. With BRAZIL-UPRISING-EXPLAINER — Roots of the Brazilian capital’s chaotic uprising.

NORTH AMERICA SUMMIT — President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday pledged their resolve to promote prosperity for people throughout the hemisphere as they opened wide-ranging talks about the fragile security situation in Haiti, North American trade, political unrest in Brazil and more on the sidelines of the North American Leaders Summit. By Colleen Long and Christopher Sherman. SENT: 1,015 words, photos. Developing from 4:45 p.m. news conference.

TRUMP-LEGAL-TROUBLES — A longtime Donald Trump lieutenant who became a star prosecution witness and helped convict the former president’s company of tax fraud is set to be sentenced for dodging taxes on $1.7 million in company-paid perks. Allen Weisselberg is expected to be sentenced Tuesday to five months in jail, in keeping with a plea agreement the senior Trump Organization adviser and former chief financial officer reached in August. By Michael R. Sisack. Developing from sentencing scheduled for 2:15 p.m. EST.

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TRENDING

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BRITAIN-PRINCE HARRY — After weeks of hype and days of leaks, readers got a chance to judge Prince Harry’s book for themselves when it went on sale around the world on Tuesday. SENT: 470 words, photos.

MEGA MILLIONS-JACKPOT — After nearly three months of lottery losing, will someone break the trend Tuesday night and win a $1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot? SENT: 140 words, photos.

SCHOOL-LAWSUIT-BLACK LIVES MATTER — A Georgia school district is being sued by students who say they were barred from wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts to school events while white peers got to wear shirts with Confederate flags. SENT: 230 words.

TEEN-CATFISHED-TRIPLE-KILLING — A background investigator erroneously failed to check a would-be trooper’s mental health history, allowing him to be hired for the Virginia State Police the year before he kidnapped a 15-year-old girl and killed three members of her family in California. SENT: 410 words, photos.

POLICE-DEPARTMENT-INVESTIGATION — Officials in a Tennessee city have fired five officers and suspended three others following a sex scandal at the police department. SENT: 175 words.

ITALY-POMPEII-RESTORED HOUSE — The newly restored remains of an opulent ancient house in Pompeii offer visitors an exceptional peek at details of domestic life in the doomed Roman city. SENT: 700 words, photos.

OBIT-DIAMOND AND SILK — Lynette “Diamond” Hardaway of the conservative political commentary duo “Diamond and Silk” has died, according to former President Donald Trump and the pair’s official Twitter account. SENT: 340 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON

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CONGRESS-HOUSE INVESTIGATIONS — House Republicans are moving swiftly Tuesday to establish the marquee investigations of their new majority, voting to create panels focused on China and what they characterize as abuse of power in the federal government. Votes expected around 4 p.m. EST. UPCOMING: developing from 4 p.m. vote. With: CONGRESS-SANTOS-ETHICS — House Democrats are formally requesting an ethics investigation into Rep. George Santos of New York, the freshman Republican facing mounting scrutiny for lying about his background, work history and accomplishments (upcoming).

BIDEN-STUDENT LOANS — The White House is moving forward with a proposal that would lower student debt payments for millions of Americans now and in the future, offering a new route to repay federal loans under far more generous terms. President Joe Biden announced the repayment plan in August, but it was overshadowed by his sweeping plan to slash or eliminate student debt for 40 million Americans. SENT: 900 words, photo.

CAPITOL RIOT-INTERNET PERSONALITY — A far-right internet personality who streamed live video while he stormed the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Tuesday to two months of imprisonment for joining the mob’s attack on the building. Anthime Gionet, known as “Baked Alaska” to his social media followers, declined to address the court before U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden sentenced him to 60 days behind bars followed by two years of probation. Gionet had faced a maximum of six months of imprisonment. SENT: 815 words, photos.

ELECTION-2024-CALIFORNIA-SENATE — Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of California says she’ll seek the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat and the oldest member of the chamber. Porter said Tuesday in a video posted on Twitter that “California needs a warrior in Washington.” Porter says that’s exactly why she’s announcing her candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2024. SENT: 485 words, photo.

FLORIDA DEMOCRATS — The head of the Florida Democratic Party has resigned after a disastrous midterm election in the onetime battleground state. Florida Democratic Party chair Manny Diaz, chair of the Florida Democrats, sent a long letter Monday to the state’s executive committee members complaining about a lack of resources, a lack of volunteers to knock on doors, and a failure to present unified messaging. SENT: 580 words, photo.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-PATRIOT-MISSILES — About 100 Ukrainians will head to Oklahoma’s Fort Sill soon to begin training on the Patriot missile defense system the U.S. and Germany have pledged to help protect its from Russia’s ongoing barrage of its civilian population and infrastructure. Ukraine has long sought the Patriot surface-to-air guided missile defense system because it can target aircraft, cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic missiles. SENT: 285 words, photos.

CAPITOL-RIOT-PROUD-BOYS — A jury has been chosen for the seditious conspiracy trial of former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four other members of the far-right extremist group. The defendants are charged with conspiring to stop the transfer of presidential power by attacking the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Jurors are expected to hear attorneys’ opening statements in Washington’s federal court on Wednesday. SENT: 490 words, photo.

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NATIONAL

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TEXAS-LEGISLATURE-ABORTION — Texas lawmakers are returning to the Capitol for the first legislative session since a statewide abortion ban took effect, and access to birth control for minors is likely to command fresh attention. A December court ruling took away the ability of minors in Texas to receive contraceptive healthcare without parental consent through a federal program. SENT: 690 words, photos.

CALIFORNIA-BUDGET — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has projected a $22.5 billion budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. That’s a sharp turnaround from the $98 billion surplus Newsom had to work with last year. Newsom announced the deficit Tuesday as he lays out his spending priorities for the fiscal year that starts in July. SENT: 940 words, photo.

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS-INAUGURATION — Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was sworn in as Arkansas governor Tuesday, becoming the first woman to hold the office in the state and portraying herself as part of a new generation of leaders. SENT: 450 words, photos.

TEXAS EXECUTION — A former suburban Houston police officer was set to be executed for hiring two hit men to kill his estranged wife nearly 30 years ago. SENT: 640 words, photos. UPCOMING: Execution scheduled for after 7 p.m.

SQUEEGEE KIDS-ENFORCEMENT — Baltimore officials are rolling out a new plan to address squeegee kids that combines enforcing anti-panhandling at certain busy intersections with robust outreach aimed at connecting disadvantaged youth with jobs and other resources. SENT: 960 words, photos.

MARIJUANA-CONNECTICUT — Connecticut’s first round of recreational cannabis sales for adults 21 and older have begun. Sales were allowed to start at 10 a.m. Tuesday at seven existing medical marijuana establishments. The new availability comes less than two years after Gov. Ned Lamont signed legislation making Connecticut the latest state to legalize recreational sales. SENT: 950 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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EUROPE-COCAINE — Cocaine is spreading at an alarming rate through Europe, much of it through the world ports of Antwerp in Belgium and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. And Tuesday’s announcement of record seizures is also obscuring a bigger truth — that South American cartels are throwing ever more cocaine at the European market. With it comes not only addiction, decay and death, but also violence and gang warfare pushing neighborhoods to the brink and some of the highest ranking people in Belgium and the Netherlands into forced seclusion. SENT: 925 words, photos.

EUROPE-ENERGY-CRISIS-EXPLAINER — Warm weather is helping Europe keep the lights and heat on this winter despite Russia cutting off most of its natural gas supply to the continent. Record highs have left Europe’s gas reserves practically untouched well into the winter heating season. SENT: 1,180 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-CHINA — Chinese embassies have suspended issuing new visas for South Koreans and Japanese in apparent retaliation for COVID-19 testing requirements recently imposed by those countries on travelers from China. The embassies in Tokyo and Seoul announced the suspensions on Tuesday in brief online notices. SENT: 950 words, photos.

ROMANIA-ANDREW-TATE — The divisive social media personality Andrew Tate appeared in court in Romania’s capital Tuesday to appeal a judge’s decision to extend his arrest on charges of being part of an organized crime group, human trafficking and rape to 30 days. SENT: 510 words, photos.

REL-VATICAN-ITALY — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has made her first official visit to see Pope Francis, fulfilling what she has said is a hoped-for opportunity to better understand the Argentine pontiff. Meloni spent 35 minutes with Francis alone before she met with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister. SENT: 475 words, photos.

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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SCI-2022-US WEATHER-DISASTERS — America’s onslaught of mega costly weather disasters remains stuck in high gear. Federal climate scientists on Tuesday say that 2022 had 18 climate extremes that caused at least $1 billion in damage, costing more than $165 billion in damage. This is part of a big jump in US billion dollar disasters has been going on since 2016. SENT: 1,155 words, photos.

MED-MPOX-DECLINE — Mpox is no longer the exploding health crisis that it appeared to be less than six months ago. So who deserves the credit for controlling the U.S. outbreak? It’s an unsettled question, but experts cite a combination of factors. Some commend public health officials. SENT: 1,065 words, photo.

MENTAL HEALTH-988 — The 988 mental health and suicide helpline has quickly expanded its reach in the six months since it launched. It has received just over 2 million calls, texts and chat message since July. SENT: 910 words, photos.

PUERTO RICO-MORPHING LIZARDS — U.S. scientists in Puerto Rico have found that forest-dwelling lizards have genetically morphed to survive life in the city. The study focused on the Puerto Rican crested anole, a small brown lizard with a bright orange throat fan. SENT: 510 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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FINANCIAL MARKETS — Stocks wavered in uncertain trading on Wall Street ahead of key updates this week on inflation and company earnings. The S&P 500 rose 0.1%. SENT: 515 words, photo.

WORLD-BANK-GLOBAL-ECONOMY — The World Bank warns the global economy will come “perilously close” to a recession this year, led by weaker growth in the world’s top economies — the United States, Europe and China. The World Bank lends money to poorer countries for development projects. SENT: 715 words, photo.

CENTRAL-BANKERS-POWELL — The Federal Reserve has only a limited role to play in combating climate change, Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday, a stance that puts him at odds with environmental activists who have pushed central banks worldwide to take steps to restrict lending to energy companies. SENT: 660 words, photos.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS — After going dark for a year, the Golden Globes return to the air Tuesday on a one-year audition to try to win back their awards-season perch and relevancy to a Hollywood that shunned the awards after an ethics and diversity scandal. Stars and studios boycotted last year’s ceremony, which NBC opted not to televise saying the Hollywood Foreign Press Association needed to make “meaningful reform.” By Film Writer Jake Coyle. SENT: 815 words, photos, video. UPCOMING: Ceremony begins at 8 p.m. With GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS-LIST — Running list of winners.

BOOKS-PHILIP-ROTH-TRIBUTE — Authors Ottessa Moshfegh and Susan Choi and actors John Turturro and Mary-Louise Parker will be among dozens of featured guests at a Philip Roth tribute taking place mid-March in the late novelist’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey. SENT: 255 words, photo.

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SPORTS

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WCUP-WOMEN’S SLALOM — Mikaela Shiffrin had the second-best time behind Olympic champion Petra Vlhova in the first run of a night slalom as the American goes for a record 83rd win on the women’s World Cup circuit. Shiffrin entered the race tied with fellow American Lindsey Vonn for the record with 82 wins each. SENT: 210 words, photos.

BBA-TWINS-CORREA — A person familiar with the negotiations says Carlos Correa has agreed to a $200 million, six-year contract that keeps him with the Minnesota Twins after failing to complete deals with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. SENT: 540 words, photos. Developing.

TEN-AUSTRALIAN-OPEN-TENNIS-AFTER-SERENA — The 2023 Australian Open will be the first Grand Slam tournament to be held since Serena Williams walked away from tennis with a farewell at the U.S. Open shortly before her 41st birthday. And so the sport will will get a real taste of what a post-Serena world looks like on a big stage. SENT: 785 words, photos.

CFP-CHAMPIONSHIP —Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores in the first half as No. 1 Georgia demolished No. 3 TCU 65-7 to become the first team to win consecutive College Football Playoff national championships. SENT: 1,075 words, photos. With T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL — Georgia becomes 12th back-to-back champ in AP Top 25 history.

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Brampton, Ont., reaches tentative agreement with union representing city workers

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BRAMPTON, Ont. – The City of Brampton says it reached a tentative agreement with the union representing 1,200 municipal employees on Tuesday after workers went on strike last Thursday.

The city says members of CUPE 831, a local unit of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, will hold a ratification vote on Friday.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown says in a statement that the city has offered a “fair, multi-year agreement” similar to that of neighbouring municipality Mississauga.

The union has previously said it had been trying to negotiate a deal with the city for close to nine months.

The strike had caused significant disruptions, including public transit delays, and reduced services across the city.

The union represents workers responsible for transit, road maintenance and administration, among other city services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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‘No yellow brick road’: Atwood weighs in on U.S. election at Calgary forum

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CALGARY – Margaret Atwood has been called prescient — particularly when it comes to her famous 1985 dystopia “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the recent rollback of reproductive rights in the United States — but the renowned Canadian author says her predictive powers failed her ahead of last week’s U.S. election, which delivered Donald Trump another White House win.

“I searched. I invoked, ‘Oh God, let it be sun.’ But it was darkness all around,” she said to laughter Tuesday night at a forum hosted by the Alberta Teachers’ Association, Calgary Catholic Local 55 and Calgary Public Local 38.

Calgary’s Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, with more than 2,500 seats, was nearly full for the discussion with Atwood about “democracy, public education and the common good.” She is to speak Wednesday at an event hosted by the Edmonton Public Library about “the importance of freedom of expression.”

Atwood said she hesitates to make blanket statements about what drives the American people because there are starkly different histories and sensibilities in every region.

“You have to get your mind around how other people think,” she said. “I think some people would shoot themselves rather than having a woman leader.”

But she said the populace is also less polarized than many would think.

The presidential race was like a “multiple choice questionnaire with only two choices,” when most people have “mix-and-match sets of values.” The Republicans were victorious in clinching the presidency, but at the same time ballot initiatives affirming abortion rights passed in several states.

Atwood may have drawn a blank on predicting the election’s outcome, but she said she does have some prognostications now that it’s been decided.

“Watch what goes on inside the White House … We have several people with quite large egos backed by two billionaires who also have large egos and who don’t like each other,” she said.

“I think bookies are going to start making book on how long Donald Trump is going to last because is he really necessary for these billionaires anymore? On the other hand, are they necessary for him? Who shall win?”

She also predicts “You’re going to hear a lot more talk about class than we’ve been having since the 1940s.”

Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 2022, undoing a half-century of federally protected abortion rights, Atwood wrote in “The Atlantic” magazine that she did not mean for Gilead, the totalitarian state in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” to become a reality.

“The Handmaid’s Tale,” since adapted into a Hulu television series starring Elisabeth Moss, takes place in the near future in what is now the United States. It is governed by religious fundamentalists, and beset by environmental calamity and plummeting birthrates.

Women are treated as property and some are forced to be “handmaids” — their sole purpose is to bear the children for wealthy, infertile, couples. Handmaids are marked by ultra-modest red garments and white conical bonnets that obscure their peripheral vision.

She told Tuesday’s forum that her ideas for “The Handmaid’s Tale” didn’t come from her own mind, but were inspired by discussions the religious right had been having.

“Not the outfits, but the core principles,” she quipped.

“Everything in the book has either happened or was happening somewhere, sometime. Because otherwise, people would say, ‘She’s really weird.'”

Atwood was asked by the event’s moderator whether people should be afraid.

“I don’t think we should be afraid at all, by which I don’t mean that there isn’t something horrible happening,” she replied.

“I mean that fear makes you feeble.”

She was also asked whether there is any comfort to be found in the famous Martin Luther King Jr. quote: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Atwood replied: “This is what makes people give up on vigilance — ‘It’s all going to be fine, I don’t have to do anything because it’s bending toward justice all on its own.”

“That’s not real. There is no yellow brick road.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.



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What do you do when a goose dies in your backyard, amid concerns about avian flu?

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Carolyn Law didn’t think much of it when a snow goose landed in her Richmond, B.C., backyard, on Halloween.

But hours later it had barely moved. Then it started bobbing its head repeatedly. About eight hours after she first saw the bird, it rolled over, began convulsing and died.

“It was quite a sad thing to see, actually — really frightening,” Law said.

Law said she called a wildlife rescue group and was told the symptoms suggested avian flu rather than a physical injury, but without testing it couldn’t be confirmed.

Encounters like Law’s are under new scrutiny after a B.C. teenager tested positive for bird flu in the first presumptive case of human infection occurring in Canada. The patient is in critical condition.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said in a news conference on Tuesday that the source of infection wasn’t clear.

Experts and health authorities say that while the risk of human infection with the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza remains low, people should avoid contact with sick or dead birds.

“People who work with animals or in environments contaminated by animals should take precautions, including using other personal protective measures to reduce the risk of getting or spreading respiratory infectious diseases,” Health Canada said in a statement.

Concerns around bird flu have heightened in recent years, with the virus resulting in millions of poultry across North America being culled.

Infections among commercial flocks have jumped to more than 20 in B.C. in recent weeks as migratory birds fly south for winter.

Brian Ward, an infectious diseases microbiologist at McGill University, said he couldn’t speculate whether the goose in Law’s backyard had influenza, but “it’s possible if there are some increasing number of ducks and geese found dead, then they’re very likely to have been infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza.”

Ward said it was concerning that authorities were unsure how the sick B.C. teenager caught H5N1, with Henry saying the teen had no known contacts with poultry farms.

But Ward said a human infection in Canada was “almost inevitable,” given the spread of the disease in recent years in North America and Europe. The U.S. Centres for Disease Control says there have been 46 human cases of avian flu in the U.S., although there has been no known human-to-human spread.

Health Canada said in a statement that current evidence domestically shows that “risk to the general public remains low.”

“To date, there has been no evidence of sustained person-to-person spread of the virus in any of the cases identified globally,” the department said. “Human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) is rare and usually occurs after close contact with infected birds or highly contaminated environments.”

The agency’s website says humans are unable to get infected by eating thoroughly cooked poultry, eggs or meat.

Henry said the only other case in Canada was recorded in Alberta in 2014, in a person who likely contracted the virus while travelling in China.

But Henry acknowledged the risk posed by wild birds.

“One of the important things that we need to do right now, recognizing that this virus is circulating in wild foul, geese and ducks primarily, (is) be sure that if you’re in contact with sick birds or dead birds, that you don’t touch them directly (and) keep pets away from them,” she said, noting that in Ontario a dog was infected after biting a dead bird.

Henry said that humans may be infected by “inhaling the virus in aerosols, in droplets that get into the eyes, back of the throat, nose or deep into the lungs.”

“There’s been very few that might have been transmitted from person to person, so in some ways this is reassuring, in that this virus doesn’t seem to spread easily between people if they get infections, but it also causes very severe illness, particularly in young people,” she said.

Henry said it’s very likely that the B.C. teen’s infection took place due to an exposure to either a sick animal or something in the environment, but it is a “real possibility” that they may never determine the source.

Her office said Tuesday that people should report dead or sick poultry or livestock to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency animal health office and that encounters involving wild birds should be reported to the BC Wild Bird Mortality Line.

It said anyone exposed to sick or dead birds, or who had been in contact with farms where avian flu was confirmed, should watch for flu-like symptoms.

“If you get symptoms within 10 days after exposure to sick or dead animals, tell your health-care provider that you have been in contact with sick animals and are concerned about avian influenza,” it said. “This will help them give you appropriate advice on testing and treatment. Stay home and away from others while you have symptoms.”

Ward also advised people who encountered a dead bird to call authorities instead of disposing of it themselves.

“But, if it’s on your property and you want to dispose of it, then certainly wearing a mask and gloves, getting it into a plastic bag as soon as possible, and doing everything you can to avoid aerosols, makes a great deal of sense,” he said, noting that H5N1 is a respiratory virus.

Law said her biggest concern was about her dog that came within a few feet of the dying goose.

“We didn’t want to approach it,” she said.

But later that night, her husband took matters into his own hands.

Wearing gloves and a mask, he double bagged the dead bird, and put it in the garbage bin, “which I felt was kind of unceremonious, but I guess that’s what you would do,” Law said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.



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