Body of missing Nova Scotia fisherman located

Searchers have found the body of a crew member from a scallop vessel that went missing off the coast of southwestern Nova Scotia, as teams combed the waters and shores for five other missing

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  • Trump administration had no coronavirus vaccine distribution plan: White House

    There was no distribution plan for the coronavirus vaccine set up by the Trump administration as the virus raged in its last months in office, new President Joe Biden's chief of staff, Ron Klain, said on Sunday. "The process to distribute the vaccine, particularly outside of nursing homes and hospitals out into the community as a whole, did not really exist when we came into the White House," Klain said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Biden, a Democrat who took over from Republican President Donald Trump on Wednesday, has promised a fierce fight against the pandemic that killed 400,000 people in the United States under Trump’s watch.

  • Guyana says Venezuela detained two fishing vessels in its waters

    Guyana said late on Saturday that a Venezuelan navy vessel detained two vessels that were fishing in Guyana's exclusive economic zone, the latest dispute in a long-running border conflict between the two South American nations. Caracas says much of eastern Guyana is its own territory, a claim that is rejected by Georgetown. The conflict has flared up in recent years as Guyana has started developing oil reserves near the disputed area.

  • Sarnia police investigating 3rd homocide this month

    Sarnia Police Service, Sarnia Fire and Lambton Paramedics responded to a call related to a deceased woman on Saturday evening, according to a Sunday media release. Emergency responders arrived at a residence in the 200 block of Essex Street at around 6:20 p.m. where they found a dead woman — now identified as Sue Elin Lumsden, a 66-year-old Sarnia resident. "Members of the Sarnia Police Service Criminal Investigations Branch have since taken over the investigation and are treating it as a homicide," the statement reads, making it the third death treated as a homicide in the city this month. The investigation is still preliminary and the residence is currently being held as a crime scene. Police urge residents to keep their windows and doors locked and secured. Residents in the area who have video surveillance are asked to contact Sarnia Police Service. Anyone with information is asked to call the Criminal Investigations Branch Information Line at 519-344-8861, ext. 5300, or Sarnia Lambton Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

  • Twenty new COVID cases in New Brunswick as Edmundston region enters lockdown

    FREDERICTON — Public Health officials in New Brunswick reported another 20 cases of COVID-19 in the province Sunday, just hours after one of the province's hardest-hit areas began a 14-day lockdown. Nine of the new cases are in the newly locked-down Edmundston region which now has 144 of the province's 334 active cases. Ten of the new cases are in the Moncton region and there is one new case in the Miramichi area. Health officials say the Edmundston lockdown is needed to curb a rise in daily infections that they fear is about to get out of control. As of now, non-essential travel is prohibited in and out of the area, which borders Maine and Quebec's Bas-St-Laurent region. The order also forces non-essential businesses, schools and public spaces to close, including outdoor ice rinks and ski hills. Provincial officials say they will evaluate the situation in the region every seven days, and cabinet may extend the lockdown if necessary. New Brunswick has had 1,124 COVID-19 cases and 13 related deaths since the pandemic began. Five people are in hospital, including two in intensive care. "We will be more confident in our decision making, and zone restrictions are more likely to be eased, if more New Brunswickers, in all health zones, who have symptoms get tested," Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said Sunday in a statement. The Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton regions are in the red level of the province's pandemic recovery plan, with the rest of the province at the orange level. A handful of schools in the province are also poised to make the move to remote learning amid the surge in local infections. Monday will be an operational response day at Andover Elementary School, Perth-Andover Middle School and Southern Victoria High School in Perth-Andover, as well as Donald Fraser Memorial School and Tobique Valley High School in Plaster Rock. Students in those schools will learn from home starting Tuesday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • B.C. south coast still under snowfall warnings despite many waking up to rain

    VANCOUVER — Many residents of British Columbia's south coast woke up to rain on Sunday after expecting an overnight snow dump, but Environment Canada warns snow is still in the forecast. The federal weather agency updated its snowfall warnings for the region early Sunday morning, saying that between two to 15 centimetres are expected by Monday morning. It says communities near the water such as Comox, Parksville, Nanaimo and lower elevations of Metro Vancouver could see up to five centimetres of snow, while rain or wet snow is also possible in these areas with no accumulations. Higher elevations and inland sections of Metro Vancouver, the western Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast are expected to see greater accumulations. Environment Canada says precipitation is expected to ease Sunday afternoon and then return in the evening, with snowfall at night and on Monday mainly accumulating over higher elevations. The agency is asking residents to be prepared to adjust their driving with changing road conditions, as rapidly falling snow could make travel difficult in some locations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • US police weigh officer discipline after rally, Capitol riot

    For two Virginia police officers who posed for a photo during the deadly U.S. Capitol insurrection, the reckoning has been swift and public: They were identified, charged with crimes and arrested. But for five Seattle officers the outcome is less clear. Their identities still secret, two are on leave and three continue to work while a police watchdog investigates whether their actions in the nation's capital on Jan. 6 crossed the line from protected political speech to lawbreaking. The contrasting cases highlight the dilemma faced by police departments nationwide as they review the behaviour of dozens of officers who were in Washington the day of the riot by supporters of President Donald Trump. Officials and experts agree that officers who were involved in the melee should be fired and charged for their role. But what about those officers who attended only the Trump rally before the riot? How does a department balance an officer's free speech rights with the blow to public trust that comes from the attendance of law enforcement at an event with far-right militants and white nationalists who went on to assault the seat of American democracy? An Associated Press survey of law enforcement agencies nationwide found that at least 31 officers in 12 states are being scrutinized by their supervisors for their behaviour in the District of Columbia or face criminal charges for participating in the riot. Officials are looking into whether the officers violated any laws or policies or participated in the violence while in Washington. A Capitol Police officer died after he was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher as rioters descended on the building and many other officers were injured. A woman was shot to death by Capitol Police and three other people died after medical emergencies during the chaos. Most of the officers have not been publicly identified; only a few have been charged. Some were identified by online sleuths. Others were reported by their colleagues or turned themselves in. They come from some of the country’s largest cities — three Los Angeles officers and a sheriff’s deputy, for instance — as well as state agencies and a Pennsylvania police department with nine officers. Among them are an Oklahoma sheriff and New Hampshire police chief who have acknowledged being at the rally, but denied entering the Capitol or breaking the law. “If they were off-duty, it’s totally free speech,” said Will Aitchison, a lawyer in Portland, Oregon, who represents law enforcement officers. “People have the right to express their political views regardless of who’s standing next to them. You just don’t get guilt by association.” But Ayesha Bell Hardaway, a professor at Case Western Reserve University law school, said an officer’s presence at the rally creates a credibility issue as law enforcement agencies work to repair community trust, especially after last summer's of protests against police brutality sparked by the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Communities will question the integrity of officers who attended the rally along with “individuals who proudly profess racist and divisive viewpoints,” she said. “It calls into question whether those officers are interested in engaging in policing in a way that builds trust and legitimacy in all communities, including communities of colour.” In Rocky Mount, a Virginia town of about 1,000, Sgt. Thomas Robertson and Officer Jacob Fracker were suspended without pay and face criminal charges after posting a photo of themselves inside the Capitol during the riot. According to court records, Robertson wrote on social media that the “Left are just mad because we actually attacked the government who is the problem … The right IN ONE DAY took the f(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk) U.S. Capitol. Keep poking us.” Attempts to contact the pair were unsuccessful and court records do not list lawyers. Leaders in Rocky Mount declined to be interviewed. In a statement, they said the events at the Capitol were tragic. “We stand with and add our support to those who have denounced the violence and illegal activity that took place that day,” said Police Chief Ken Criner, Capt. Mark Lovern and Town Manager James Ervin. “Our town and our police department absolutely does not condone illegal or unethical behaviour by anyone, including our officers and staff.” On the other side of the county, five Seattle officers are under investigation by the city’s Office of Police Accountability. Two officers posted photos of themselves on social media while in the district and officials are investigating to determine where they were and what they were doing. Three others told supervisors that they went to Washington for the events and are being investigated for what they did while there. Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said his department supports officers’ freedom of speech and that those who were in the nation's capital will be fired if they “were directly involved in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.” But police leaders need to evaluate more than just clear criminal behaviour, according to Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a policing research and policy group. They must also consider how their actions affect the department credibility, he said. Officers' First Amendment rights “don’t extend to expressing words that may be violent or maybe express some prejudice,” Wexler said, “because that’s going to reflect on what they do when they’re working, when they’re testifying in court.” Through the summer and fall, Seattle police — along with officers elsewhere — came under criticism for their handling of mass protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd. The city received more than 19,000 complaints against officers, most for excessive use of force and improper use of pepper spray. Andrew Myerberg, director of the Seattle Office of Police Accountability, said none of the officers now under investigation were involved in those cases. But Sakara Remmu, cofounder of Black Lives Matter Seattle/King County, said the officers should be fired regardless. Their public declarations of solidarity with Trump fosters not just community distrust, but terror of the entire department, she said. “It absolutely does matter when the decorum of racial peace cracks and racial hatred comes through, because we already have a documented history and legacy of what that means in this country,” Remmu said. In Houston, the police chief decried an officer who resigned and was later charged in the riot. A lawyer for Officer Tam Pham said the 18-year veteran of the force "very much regrets” being at the rally and was “deeply remorseful.” But many chiefs have said their officers committed no crimes. “The Arkansas State Police respects the rights and freedom of an employee to use their leave time as the employee may choose,” department spokesman Bill Sadler said of two officers who attended the Trump rally. Malik Aziz, the former chair and executive director of the National Black Police Association, compared condemning all officers who were in Washington to tarring all the protesters who took to streets after the killing of George Floyd with the violent and destructive acts of some. A major with the Dallas Police Department, Aziz said police acting privately have the same rights as other Americans, but that knowingly going to a bigoted event should be disqualifying for an officer. “There’s no place in law enforcement for that individual,” Aziz said. Martha Bellisle And Jake Bleiberg, The Associated Press

  • Perea among 16 young US players added for game vs Trinidad

    CHICAGO — Midfielder Andrés Perea was among 16 young players added Sunday to the United States roster for the Jan. 31 exhibition against Trinidad and Tobago at Orlando, Florida, after he was approved for a switch of affiliation from Colombia by FIFA. Perea had played for Colombia’s under-17 and under-20 teams. The added players had been training with U.S. under-23 coach Jason Kreis ahead of the delayed Olympic qualifiers for the North and Central American and Caribbean region, which will be played from March 18-30 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Added to the roster along with Perea were goalkeepers Matt Freese and JT Marcinkowski; defenders Julian Araujo, George Bello, Kyle Duncan, Aaron Herrera, Mauricio Pineda, Miles Robinson and Sam Vines; midfielders Benji Michel, Tanner Tessmann and Jackson Yueill; and forwards Daryl Dike, Jesús Ferreira and Jonathan Lewis. Ten players could make their senior national team debuts, including all three goalkeepers, a group that includes Matt Turner. Other possible debuts include Bello, Herrera, Pineda, Michel, Tessmann and Dike, plus Perea. Fifty-seven players have debuted since the October 2017 loss at Trinidad and Tobago that prevented the Americans from playing in the 2018 World Cup, including 34 since Gregg Berhalter became coach ahead of 2019. From the original group that started training in Bradenton on Jan. 9, goalkeeper Sean Johnson left because of a knee strain and forward Jordan Morris departed when he went on loan from Seattle of Major League Soccer to Swansea of England’s League Championship. Los Angeles defender Tristan Blackmon suffered a concussion during training Saturday and was to return to California on Sunday. Jozy Altidore, a 31-year-old forward, could make his first international appearance since the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. At 115 international appearances, Altidore is the senior player on a youthful roster that averages 10 appearances and will average 23 years, 302 days on the day of the game. The full roster is expected to be available for a pair of March exhibitions and the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against Honduras in June, followed by a game against Mexico or Costa Rico in either the championship or third-place match. Qualifying for the 2022 World Cup is scheduled to start in September. The roster: Goalkeepers: Matt Freese (Philadelphia), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose), Matt Turner (New England) Defenders: Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy), George Bello (Atlanta), Kyle Duncan (New York Red Bulls), Aaron Herrera (Salt Lake), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago), Miles Robinson (Atlanta), Sam Vines (Colorado), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville) Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Colorado), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Benji Michel (Orlando), Andrés Perea (Orlando), Cristian Roldan (Seattle), Tanner Tessmann (Dallas), Jackson Yueill (San Jose) Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto), Paul Arriola (D.C.), Daryl Dike (Orlando), Jesús Ferreira (Dallas), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado), Chris Mueller (Orlando City) ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press

  • Dentists, teachers disappointed they won't be prioritized for vaccine in B.C.

    VANCOUVER — Dentists and teachers are among the groups that are disappointed they won't be given priority to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in British Columbia. B.C. rolled out its vaccination plan on Friday, revealing that after the most vulnerable groups have been immunized, shots will be given out according to age, with the oldest residents first in line. That means many people who have not been able to work from home during the pandemic, including grocery store workers, police officers and bus drivers, will have to wait to get the vaccine along with others in their age group. The British Columbia Dental Association has written a letter to Premier John Horgan strongly urging him to include dentists in stage two of the vaccination plan, alongside family doctors and medical specialists. The B.C. Teachers' Federation says it's disappointed there is no prioritization for frontline workers who have kept schools open, but it acknowledges the vaccine supply is beyond its control and those who are most vulnerable must be immunized first. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said that scientific evidence supports an age-based approach because older populations are at much higher risk of infection and death from COVID-19. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Coronavirus: Spain's top military chief steps down after jumping queue for COVID vaccine

    Spain's top military chief has resigned after it was revealed he and other senior officers jumped the queue for a coronavirus vaccine.View on euronews

  • Egypt begins COVID-19 vaccination drive with frontline medical staff

    Egypt began vaccinating frontline medical staff against COVID-19 on Sunday using the jab developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm). The vaccine will be provided free of charge first to all doctors and frontline workers treating coronavirus patients, then to other medical workers, senior citizens and people with chronic illnesses, Health Minister Hala Zayed said.

  • 4 skaters have fallen through ice in Banff over past 2 days

    Parks Canada is warning skaters who take to frozen lakes to monitor lake thickness very carefully after four skaters fell through the ice at Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park over a two-day period. According to the government agency, three of the skaters were able to self-rescue, while one required a rescue response. Russ Geyer, deputy chief of the Banff Fire Department, said the department responded on Saturday to a report of two people who had fallen through the ice at Lake Minnewanka. Geyer said a female in her 20s fell through the ice while skating. "She was trapped out on the thin ice, was probably there for 30 minutes in the water, or partially in the water," he said. "Then, a male that was with her in his 20s tried to rescue her, and he ended up breaking through thin ice." People have been skating on areas near shore on Lake Minnewanka for a month, Geyer said. "Unfortunately, further out in the lake, some of that water is open," Geyer said. "People are venturing further and further out and that ice is definitely not safe enough further out. And that's unfortunately what the consequence was when they skated out there." The female was taken to Banff Mineral Springs Hospital with hypothermia and the male was examined and released on scene. No information on the other skaters was immediately available. Parks Canada said skaters should understand that ice thickness varies considerably over short distances. The recommended minimum thickness for ice skating is 15 centimetres, or six inches of solid ice. Skaters should have equipment like ropes, PFDs or ice picks available for self-rescue, the agency said.

  • 'We can't wait:' Biden administration fights for $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan

    Officials in President Joe Biden's administration tried to head off Republican concerns that his $1.9 trillion pandemic relief proposal was too expensive on a Sunday call with Republican and Democratic lawmakers, some of whom pushed for a smaller plan targeting vaccine distribution. "It seems premature to be considering a package of this size and scope," said Republican Senator Susan Collins, who was on the call with Brian Deese, director of the White House's National Economic Council, and other top Biden aides.

  • Need a lift? SpaceX launches record spacecraft in cosmic rideshare program

    A veteran rocket from billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX aerospace company launched 143 spacecraft into space on Sunday, a new record for the most spaceships deployed on a single mission, according to the company. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 10 a.m. EST from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It flew south along the eastern coast of Florida on its way to space, the company said.

  • Church near Waterloo, Ont., opens for Sunday service in defiance of court order

    A church north of Waterloo, Ont., opened for Sunday service in defiance of a Superior Court of Justice order. The order, obtained by the Attorney General, tells Trinity Bible Chapel to follow the requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act. If they opened for in-person services, church officials could be held in contempt of court. A statement by senior pastor Jacob Reaume was posted to the church's website on Friday informing people the church would be open for in-person services on Sunday. The statement argued the church is providing an essential service to its members and community. Under the Reopening Ontario Act, just 10 people are permitted inside a building for a religious ceremony or service. Church officials were issued tickets on two separate occasions for in-person services held Dec. 27 and Jan. 3 for exceeding gathering limits. These tickets were issued after the province implemented a provincewide lockdown on Dec. 26. The church held a drive-in service on Jan. 10, which is permitted under provincial rules. On Sunday, independent MPP Randy Hillier, who has likened COVID-19 to a bad flu in the past, tweeted he was at the church for one of two services. The Waterloo Regional Police Service tweeted that officers are working with regional bylaw and public health officials "to ensure appropriate action is taken." "We ask for your patience, as these are complex issues that require proper engagement of the judicial process. We urge members of the public to abide by public health guidelines and the current Stay-At-Home order," the service tweeted. The Region of Waterloo said in a statement on Sunday that bylaw officers were "on location to observe activities and we continue to work closely with and support our provincial enforcement partners." There was no mention from the region on whether the church will be issued any additional tickets, although the region noted there is a "minimum fine of $10,000 and a maximum fine of $100,000 (individual) / $10 million (corporation) upon a conviction for hosting or organizing an in person gathering that exceeds the 10-person limit and prescribes a maximum fine of $100,000 if convicted for attending such a gathering." The region did "thank the many places of worship that continue to comply with the Reopening Ontario Act. These actions help protect our community's health."

  • Calgary grocer gives back with pay-what-you-can promotion

    A family-owned grocer in Calgary is giving back to support neighbouring businesses hurting from the pandemic. Darren Hollman, owner of the European Deli and Produce Market, says because his business is essential, he hasn't faced the same struggles a restaurant or retailer might. "We're an essential business and people have to eat, [so] we haven't been affected nearly as bad as some of the other places have been. We've been operating at 15 per cent [capacity] but we feel we can give back so that's why we're doing it," he said. This weekend, the store is offering some staples like apples, potatoes and carrots at "pay-what-you-can" prices — customers decide what the want to pay, and 100 per cent of the proceeds will go toward supporting Platoon Fitness, Crolux Tailoring and Marco's Kitchen, all businesses impacted by public health restrictions. "The customers have been very receptive to it and have done a lot to help — like giving over and above which is nice to see," he said. Shopper Elena Khomiak said she was picking up apples, even though she doesn't need any, as a chance to support local. "We'll pay, I don't know, $50 or $100, the most expensive apples I've ever had," she said with a laugh. The fundraiser will run until 6 p.m. Sunday.

  • Chelsea, Leicester beat second-tier clubs in FA Cup

    LONDON — Tammy Abraham scored three times as Chelsea beat Luton 3-1 while Leicester had to rally against another second-tier club before ousting Brentford by the same score to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday. Abraham scored twice in a seven-minute span in the first half. Jordan Clark profited from the struggling Kepa Arrizabalaga’s latest goalkeeping error to reduce the deficit to 2-1 on the half-hour before Abraham struck again in the 74th minute, his 11th of the season. Timo Werner missed a late penalty in a frustrating end to his afternoon. Chelsea will play another lower-league club, Barnsley, in the round of 16. This victory was crucial for under-pressure manager Frank Lampard after five losses in the past eight Premier League games. LEICESTER COMEBACK Brentford, which beat four Premier League teams on its way to this season’s League Cup semifinals, threatened another shock when it took the lead through Mads Bech Sorensen’s sixth-minute goal against Leicester. But Leicester turned it around within six minutes at the start of the second half. James Maddison weaved through the Brentford defence to the edge of the area before teeing up Cengiz Under, who powerfully fired in the equalizer. Youri Tielemans was tripped in the area by Tariqe Fosu and the Belgium midfielder netted from the penalty spot. Maddison killed it off in the 71st minute when he tapped in the rebound after Harvey Barnes’ shot was saved. BURNLEY ADVANCES Jay Rodriguez struck twice for Burnley in a 3-0 win at Fulham — the 31-year-old striker's first goals since July. With just under 10 minutes left on the clock, Rodriguez turned provider for Kevin Long for the third. A week after they drew in the Premier League, Manchester United and Liverpool meet again in the FA Cup with Jürgen Klopp’s side struggling in its Premier League title defence. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press

  • House sending Trump impeachment to Senate, GOP opposes trial

    WASHINGTON — As the House prepares to bring the impeachment charge against Donald Trump to the Senate for trial, a growing number of Republican senators say they are opposed to the proceeding, dimming the chances that former president will be convicted on the charge that he incited a siege of the U.S. Capitol. House Democrats will carry the sole impeachment charge of “incitement of insurrection” across the Capitol late Monday evening, a rare and ceremonial walk to the Senate by the prosecutors who will argue their case. They are hoping that strong Republican denunciations of Trump after the Jan. 6 riot will translate into a conviction and a separate vote to bar Trump from holding office again. But instead, GOP passions appear to have cooled since the insurrection. Now that Trump's presidency is over, Republican senators who will serve as jurors in the trial are rallying to his legal defence, as they did during his first impeachment trial last year. “I think the trial is stupid, I think it’s counterproductive,” said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.. He said that "the first chance I get to vote to end this trial, I’ll do it” because he believes it would be bad for the country and further inflame partisan divisions. Trump is the first former president to face impeachment trial, and it will test his grip on the Republican Party as well as the legacy of his tenure, which came to a close as a mob of loyal supporters heeded his rally cry by storming the Capitol and trying to overturn Joe Biden's election. The proceedings will also force Democrats, who have a full sweep of party control of the White House and Congress, to balance their promise to hold the former president accountable while also rushing to deliver on Biden's priorities. Arguments in the Senate trial will begin the week of Feb. 8. Leaders in both parties agreed to the short delay to give Trump's team and House prosecutors time to prepare and the Senate the chance to confirm some of Biden’s Cabinet nominees. Democrats say the extra days will allow for more evidence to come out about the rioting by Trump supporters, while Republicans hope to craft a unified defence for Trump. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said in an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday that he hopes that evolving clarity on the details of what happened Jan. 6 “will make it clearer to my colleagues and the American people that we need some accountability.” Coons questioned how his colleagues who were in the Capitol that day could see the insurrection as anything other than a “stunning violation” of tradition of peaceful transfers of power. “It is a critical moment in American history and we have to look at it and look at it hard,” Coons said. An early vote to dismiss the trial probably would not succeed, given that Democrats now control the Senate. Still, the mounting Republican opposition indicates that many GOP senators would eventually vote to acquit Trump. Democrats would need the support of 17 Republicans — a high bar — to convict him. When the House impeached Trump on Jan. 13, exactly one week after the siege, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said he didn’t believe the Senate had the constitutional authority to convict Trump after he had left office. On Sunday, Cotton said “the more I talk to other Republican senators, the more they’re beginning to line up” behind that argument. “I think a lot of Americans are going to think it’s strange that the Senate is spending its time trying to convict and remove from office a man who left office a week ago,” Cotton said. Democrats reject that argument, pointing to a 1876 impeachment of a secretary of war who had already resigned and to opinions by many legal scholars. Democrats also say that a reckoning of the first invasion of the Capitol since the War of 1812, perpetrated by rioters egged on by a president who told them to “fight like hell” against election results that were being counted at the time, is necessary so the country can move forward and ensure such a siege never happens again. A few GOP senators have agreed with Democrats, though not close to the number that will be needed to convict Trump. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said he believes there is a “preponderance of opinion” that an impeachment trial is appropriate after someone leaves office. “I believe that what is being alleged and what we saw, which is incitement to insurrection, is an impeachable offence,” Romney said. “If not, what is?” But Romney, the lone Republican to vote to convict Trump when the Senate acquitted the then-president in last year’s trial, appears to be an outlier. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, said he believes a trial is a “moot point” after a president's term is over, “and I think it’s one that they would have a very difficult time in trying to get done within the Senate.” On Friday, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally who has been helping him build a legal team, urged the Senate to reject the idea of a post-presidency trial — potentially with a vote to dismiss the charge — and suggested Republicans will scrutinize whether Trump’s words on Jan. 6 were legally “incitement.” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who said last week that Trump “provoked” his supporters before the riot, has not said how he will vote or argued any legal strategies. The Kentucky senator has told his GOP colleagues that it will be a vote of conscience. One of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s nine impeachment managers said Trump’s encouragement of his loyalists before the riot was "an extraordinarily heinous presidential crime." Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pennsylvania., said "I mean, think back. It was just two-and-a-half weeks ago that the president assembled a mob on the Ellipse of the White House. He incited them with his words. And then he lit the match.” Trump’s supporters invaded the Capitol and interrupted the electoral count as he falsely claimed there was massive fraud in the election and that it was stolen by Biden. Trump’s claims were roundly rejected in the courts, including by judges appointed by Trump, and by state election officials. Rubio and Romney were on “Fox News Sunday,” Cotton appeared on Fox News Channel's “Sunday Morning Futures” and Romney also was on CNN's “State of the Union,” as was Dean. Rounds was interviewed on NBC's “Meet the Press.” ___ Associated Press writer Hope Yen contributed to this report. Mary Clare Jalonick And Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press

  • Windsor-Essex reports decrease in COVID-19 cases, 77 new cases, no additional deaths

    The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is reporting a decrease in cases with 77 new cases and no additional deaths in the region on Sunday. Since the pandemic began, there have been 11,739 COVID-19 cases recorded in Windsor-Essex and 290 deaths, according to WECHU. Right now, there are 1,567 known active cases in the region. Among today's cases, 24 are outbreak-related, three are close contacts of confirmed cases, two are community acquired and 48 are still being investigated. There are 101 people in hospital in the region, with 14 in the ICU. There are 46 active outbreaks spread across all sectors. Six are at hospitals. There were four outbreaks active at Windsor Regional Hospital and two at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. Two outbreaks are in community settings, both in Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario locations. Outbreaks ware active at 25 workplaces: Seven in Leamington's agricultural sector. Five in Kingsville's agricultural sector. Six in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector. One in Lakeshore's health care and social assistance sector. One in Kingsville's health care and social assistance sector. One in Windsor's manufacturing sector. One in a retail setting in Windsor. One in a retail setting in Essex. One in a retail setting in Lakeshore. One in a transportation and warehousing setting in Windsor. There are 19 active outbreaks at long-term care and retirement facilities: Heron Terrace in Windsor with one resident case and one staff case. Chartwell Leamington in Leamington with two resident cases and one staff case. Regency Park in Windsor with seven resident cases and seven staff cases. Chartwell Royal Marquis, with one resident case and one staff case. Harrowood Senior Community Living in Harrow, with six resident cases and two staff cases. Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 44 resident cases and six staff cases. Chartwell Royal Oak in Kingsville, with two staff cases. Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington, with 38 resident cases and seven staff cases. Leamington Mennonite Home with seven staff cases. Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 64 resident and 18 staff cases. Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 15 resident cases and eight staff cases. Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 47 resident cases and 25 staff cases. Sun Parlor Home in Leamington with two resident cases and 13 staff cases. Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor, with 115 resident cases and 64 staff cases. The Shoreview at Riverside in Windsor, with 34 resident cases and 16 staff cases. Extendicare Tecumseh, with 90 resident cases and 57 staff cases. Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor, with 99 resident and 61 staff cases. The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 163 resident cases and 136 staff cases. Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh, with 64 resident cases and 32 staff cases.

  • Box Office: 'The Marksman' captures top spot with $2 million, bleak times for movie theaters

    Pray for movie theaters. That performance allows the movie to retain its box office crown, but that kind of distinction isn't worth what it was in pre-pandemic times, particularly with movie theaters closed indefinitely in major markets like New York City and Los Angeles.

  • Alberta man charged with failing to self-isolate after traffic stop in Corner Brook

    CORNER BROOK, N.L. — A 24-year-old man from Fort McMurray, Alta., is facing numerous charges including failing to self-isolate, following a traffic stop early this morning in Corner Brook, N.L. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says they stopped a vehicle shortly before 4 a.m. and the driver fled on foot. In a release, they say the driver was quickly apprehended and now faces charges of impaired operation of a motor vehicle, refusal, and obstructing a peace officer. He is also charged with failing to self-isolate after arriving in the province on Jan. 22. He has been ordered to appear in court on on February 9. Police say the driver was also given a 90 day driving suspension and the vehicle was impounded. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press