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  • COVID-19 vaccine changes: Why Canada went from 3 weeks to 4 months between doses

    Canada's health officials spoke about the recent change in guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) on the time between two COVID-19 vaccine doses, and how that may contribute to vaccine hesitancy in Canada.

  • Liverpool in crisis after 1-0 loss to Chelsea in EPL

    LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool’s woeful home form is developing into a full-blown crisis after Chelsea’s 1-0 victory on Thursday inflicted a fifth straight league loss at Anfield on the Premier League champions — the worst run in the club’s 128-year history. With Liverpool's title defence already over, this was billed as a battle for a Champions League place and Mason Mount’s 42nd-minute goal lifted Chelsea back into the top four. Chelsea’s previous win at Anfield, in 2014, effectively ended the title hopes of Brendan Rodgers’ side. This one was a blow to Liverpool’s chances of a top-four finish under Jurgen Klopp. Klopp’s side is four points adrift of Chelsea and with Everton and West Ham also ahead. Liverpool has now gone more than 10 hours without a goal from open play at Anfield. The hosts failed to register an effort on target until the 85th minute and Georginio Wijnaldum’s weak header was never going to beat Edouard Mendy. They have taken one point from the last 21 on offer at home since Christmas and scored just two goals, one of which was a penalty. None of Liverpool's established front three — Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino — impressed but the sight of Salah, the Premier League’s leading scorer, being substituted just past the hour mark was baffling. The Egypt international certainly thought so as he sat shaking his head, having been replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Chelsea, by contrast, looked full of threat with Timo Werner — a player Liverpool was interested in but decided it could not afford last summer — a constant problem. Despite one goal in his previous 17 league outings, he caused problems with his movement, drifting out to the left then popping into the middle to give Fabinho a real headache on his return to the side. The Brazil midfielder, replacing Nat Phillips after he became the latest centre back to pick up an injury, was partnering Ozan Kabak in Liverpool’s 15th different central-defensive starting partnership in 27 league matches. Faced with a statistic like that, it is perhaps understandable why there was a lack of cohesion at the back and Werner should really have profited. He fired one early shot over and then failed to lift his effort over Alisson Becker, back in goal after the death of his father in Brazil last week. Even when Werner did beat Alisson, VAR ruled the Germany international’s arm had been offside 20 yards earlier in the build-up. Liverpool’s one chance fell to Mane but Salah’s first-time ball over the top got caught under his feet and Mane missed his shot with only Mendy to beat. Chelsea was still controlling the game and caught Liverpool on the counterattack when N’Golo Kante quickly sent a loose ball out to the left wing, from where Mount cut inside to beat Alisson having been given far too much time to pick his spot. All five of Mount’s league goals have come away from home. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel spent the first five minutes of the second half screaming at his players to press harder and play higher up the pitch but Liverpool’s players were equally vocal when Firmino’s cross hit the raised arm of Kante from close range. No penalty was awarded. Andy Robertson cleared off the line from Hakim Ziyech after Alisson parried Ben Chilwell’s shot as Chelsea continued to look more dangerous. Klopp’s attempt to change the direction of the game saw him send on Diogo Jota for his first appearance in three months, along with Oxlade-Chamberlain. Jota’s first touch was a half-chance from a deep cross but he was not sharp enough to take it. Werner, meanwhile, was doing everything but score as Alisson’s leg saved another shot as he bore down on goal. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press

  • Small-town Sask. grocers stable through pandemic economy

    While Canadian retailers took it on the chin in 2020 from the COVID-19 pandemic, some grocers in small-town Saskatchewan seem to have bucked the economic trend. Managers in Davidson, Lumsden and Maple Creek say restrictions from the pandemic nudged people in their communities to stay close to home and shop local a bit more, likely forgoing trips to Costco or Superstore in the city. “I don't have anything to complain about; I don't have time to sit around and twiddle my thumbs,” said butcher John Sperling in Davidson, about 100 kilometres south of Saskatoon. He has owned JMR Meats since 1983, moving the business from Craik to Davidson in 1999. “Probably May and June were the busiest months of my life I ever had being in the retail business,” he said. Normally Sperling earns most of JMR’s income from custom work, what he called “on-farm slaughter” ordered by specific livestock producers. “Cattle, pork, bison,” he used as examples. The retail side of his business usually makes up just a small portion. But retail surges in May and June were “a shot in the arm,” he said, recalling the fall period into December was somewhat busier than normal, too. But he predicts the short-term jump, retail-wise, won’t last long after the pandemic is over. As the province’s COVID-19 infections slowly decline (excluding Regina), he’s starting to see people in the Davidson area opting again for Saskatoon shopping. Lumsden is just 20 minutes north of Regina and to the city’s north-end Superstore. Yet Lumsden Supermarket owner Angelique Haysom said she too has been consistently busy over the last 12 months, since the pandemic started in mid-March last year. “Our customers are becoming more loyal. Instead of doing shopping trips in the city, now they're becoming regular (shoppers) here,” she said. Haysom has owned the grocery store for the last 13 years. “People used to come and buy their supper everyday and then on the weekends come and buy their supplies. Now what they're doing is reducing the amount of visits … they come get a large amount of supplies (in one trip).” Despite the expanded customer base, she said it didn’t cause a sudden windfall of profits. Among grocers, “every time there’s an increase in sales, you have to increase everything else proportionally,” like staff levels and shifting. “It’s all about that profit margin that you’re looking for in order to say in business,” Haysom said. She lamented and acknowledged COVID has hit the restaurant industry hard, explaining it’s probably one factor in increased local demand for groceries. She hopes Lumsden’s restaurants have the same success her store has. Further west in Maple Creek, just south of the Trans-Canada highway and 30 minutes from the Alberta border, the local Co-op food store is busier than usual. Manager Sherry Sustrate said people who “normally head for the Hat (Medicine Hat) are actually staying down here.” The Alberta city has several big-name grocers and retailers. She noticed over the last 12 months her store saw several new customers who weren’t necessarily from the area; she learned they were staying at nearby Cypress Hills Inter-Provincial Park longer than normal, while using the Co-op for their regular supplies. “I think the smaller towns are busier than the bigger centres, because of the (COVID-19) cases, right?” she said. eradford@postmedia.com Evan Radford, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Regina Leader-Post, The Leader-Post

  • Les Industries Romy s’installent à Granby

    Les 7000 pi2 du 425, rue Robinson Sud qu’occupait jadis la Lumen, permettent à la compagnie de prendre ses aises et de doubler ses effectifs. Dix personnes travaillent aujourd’hui pour cette entreprise qui se spécialise dans l’usinage, la découpe, le pliage, l’assemblage et la soudure des métaux. Parmi ses clients, Blue Solutions du groupe français Bolloré, les alumineries Alouette et Arcelor Métal, de même qu’Ecotuned laquelle se spécialise dans la conversion de véhicules thermiques en véhicules électriques. Industries Romy vient aussi de lancer sa propre gamme de boîtes sécurisées de réception de colis sous sa nouvelle bannière de RomyTek. L’entreprise souhaite la déployer sur le marché canadien, même si elle est déjà présente aux États-Unis et au Royaume-Uni. «On est en train de développer ces produits pour les grandes surfaces, les quincailleries», ajoute Robin Langlois, président et seul actionnaire des Industries Romy. «Notre plan de match est de continuer à développer nos boîtes sécurisées et des produits connexes. On est en train de négocier avec des partenaires potentiels.» Originaire de Baie-Comeau, Robin Langlois a fait ses études à Sherbrooke. Il s’installe à Granby en 2013 lorsqu’il dégote un poste d’enseignant au département des techniques industrielles et mécaniques du Cégep de Granby. Il lancera les Industries Romy quelques années plus tard. Pour y arriver, une seule manière de faire. «On fonce», affirme M. Langlois. «On travaille très fort. On ne fait jamais ça tout seul.» M. Langlois affirme pouvoir et devoir compter sur son équipe, d’autant qu’il ne travaille pas lui-même à l’usine. «J’ai choisi les bonnes personnes comme Frédérick Gougeon, mon directeur d’opérations, natif de Granby et qui joue un rôle extrêmement important. Et des copains de longue date avec qui j’ai travaillé dans le domaine de l’aéronautique, comme Nancy Pickering et Alain Massé. Ils ont les idées, moi je les soutiens.» Des machinistes et une diversité d’opérateurs ont gonflé les rangs de l’entreprise. Une progression prudente et réfléchie Les Industries Romy souhaitent investir plus avant tout dans la filière des énergies renouvelables et de l’environnement et travailler pour des clients qui ont un effet positif sur la société au niveau du développement durable, espère M. Langlois. «On comble un besoin pour des produits qui étaient souvent fabriqués à l’étranger. On ramène des emplois qui étaient perdus. On voudrait consolider nos acquis et poursuivre notre diversification sur le moyen terme.» Boris Chassagne, Initiative de journalisme local, La Voix du Sud

  • Vaccine panel's call for longer dosage intervals is based on 'real-world' evidence, says health official

    One of Canada's top public health officials sought to reassure Canadians today that a recommendation from a federal vaccine advisory committee to stretch out the time between COVID-19 vaccine doses is a sound one. Yesterday, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommended that the maximum interval between the first and second doses of all three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada should increase to four months due to limited supplies. Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo said the advice is based on real-world data that shows doing so would lead to more people being protected from COVID-19 in a shorter time period. "This recommendation is based on clinical trial reports and emerging real-world evidence from around the world. Data shows that several weeks after being administered, first doses of vaccines provide highly effective protection against symptomatic disease, hospitalization and death," Njoo told a technical briefing today. Confusion over conflicting advice Njoo's comments appeared to be addressing the confusion created by the fact that NACI's recommendation conflicts with those issued by Health Canada when it granted regulatory approvals for the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines. Regulatory documents provided by Health Canada upon approval of each vaccine state that the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech should be taken three weeks after the first, the second Moderna shot should come four weeks after the first, and the second AstraZeneca dose should be delivered between four and 12 weeks after the first. All of those recommendations are in line with the product monograph provided by the manufacturers. Adding to the confusion, NACI recommended on Monday against giving the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine to people 65 and older, although Health Canada has authorized it for use in adults of all ages. But Njoo said the discrepancies can be explained by the fact that Health Canada is a regulator and NACI is an advisory body made up of medical experts. "You have likely noticed that NACI's recommendations are sometimes different, possibly broader or narrower than the conditions of vaccine use that Health Canada has authorized. As the regulator, Health Canada authorizes each vaccine for use in Canada according to factors based on clinical trial evidence, whereas NACI bases its guidance on the available and evolving evidence in a real-world context, including the availability of other vaccines," Njoo said. "What we expect is that NACI recommendations will complement — not mirror — those of Health Canada." WATCH: Njoo comments on NACI recommendation to delay second COVID-19 vaccine doses The issue burst into the open on Monday when B.C.'s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that the province would be extending the interval between doses of the Moderna, Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to 16 weeks. Some medical experts questioned that decision. Canada's chief science adviser, Mona Nemer, said doing so without proper clinical trials amounts to a "population level experiment." Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the U.S., told the Washington Post that the science doesn't support delaying a second dose for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. He said there isn't enough evidence to determine how much protection is provided by one dose of those vaccines, and how long it lasts. Despite those warnings, several provinces followed Henry's lead and even more have indicated they intend to stretch the dosage interval. While it appeared to some at the time that Henry was moving faster than the science, Njoo said that NACI's experts briefed provincial medical officers of health over the weekend on the results of their analysis before releasing their recommendations publicly. NACI concluded that stretching the dosing interval to four months would allow up to 80 per cent of Canadians over the age of 16 to receive a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June, without compromising vaccine effectiveness. "While studies have not yet collected four months of data on vaccine effectiveness after the first dose, the first two months of real world effectiveness are showing sustained high levels of protection," NACI said. As for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, Njoo said it is safe and that evidence shows it provides protection against very serious disease and death in people of all ages. He said Health Canada has a rigorous scientific review process and only approves vaccines that meet high standards for safety, efficacy and quality. Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada's chief medical adviser, said expert advice will continue to change as more data becomes available from ongoing mass vaccination campaigns, and she urged provinces and territories to consider recommendations and evidence from both bodies when making decisions about their vaccine strategies. "The messaging would be simpler if we had one set of data and we had one message and it never changed, but that's not what science does," said Sharma. Decision on Johnson and Johnson imminent At today's briefing, health officials also indicated that a regulatory decision on whether to approve Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine is expected soon. "The review of the Johnson & Johnson submission is going very well, it's progressing, and we're expecting to have that completed and a decision in the next few days. I would say in the next seven days or so," said Sharma. The company has said its vaccine is 66 per cent effective at preventing moderate to severe illness in a global clinical trial, and much more effective — 85 per cent — against the most serious symptoms. Canada has agreed to purchase up to 38 million doses if it is approved. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it for use in that country last Saturday. The approval of a fourth vaccine would give a significant boost to Canada's vaccine rollout. Johnson and Johnson's vaccine is widely seen as one of the easiest to administer because it requires only one dose and can be stored for long periods of time at regular refrigerator temperatures. Njoo said additional vaccines, coupled with the NACI recommendation on dosage intervals, could allow Canada to meet the goal of inoculating all adults who want a vaccine "several weeks" before the current target date of the end of September. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military commander leading Canada's COVID-19 vaccine logistics, said that while more vaccines would be good news, the current target remains the end of September.

  • Elusive artist Banksy confirms he's behind prison artwork

    LONDON — Banksy appears to have thrown his support behind a campaign to turn a former prison in the English town of Reading into an arts venue, a town spokesman said on Thursday, after the street artist confirmed that artwork that appeared on a red brick wall of the prison was of his making. The elusive artist confirmed the picture was his when he posted a video of him creating it on his Instagram account. The monochrome picture shows a man escaping using a rope made of paper from a typewriter. It appeared Monday outside Reading Prison, famous as the location where writer Oscar Wilde served two years for “gross indecency” in the 1890s. The prison closed in 2013, and campaigners want it turned into an arts venue. Britain’s Ministry of Justice, which owns the building, is due to decide mid-March on its future. In his Instagram video, Banksy is shown stealthily stenciling and spraying paint to create the artwork, titled “Create Escape.” The footage is juxtaposed with an episode of a traditional art instruction video called “The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross.” The campaign to turn the former prison into an arts venue has won the backing of actors including Judi Dench, Stephen Fry and Kenneth Branagh. A spokesman for Reading Borough Council said it was “thrilled that Banksy appears to have thrown his support behind the council’s desire to transform the vacant Reading Gaol into a beacon of arts, heritage and culture with this piece of artwork he has aptly called ‘Create Escape’.” “The Council is pushing the Ministry of Justice, who own the site, to make suitable arrangements to protect the image,” the authority said. The Associated Press

  • Oliver-born fabricator makes TV debut

    The third season of Rust Valley Restorers features yet another connection to the South Okanagan as an Oliver born-and-raised fabricator is hitting TV screens for the first time. Rachel Bohnet runs her home-based business Country Custom Fabricating out of Kamloops making custom fabrication out of any metal she can get her hands on. Bohnet received a request for some assistance from a college friend who worked on Rust Valley Restorers, a History series following Mike Hall as he searches the B.C. Interior to find rust buckets and restore them into sweet rides. Bohnet’s friend reached out seeking a fabricator to assist him with some car builds on the show and Bohnet was on her way to her TV debut. “I checked it out as soon as he messaged me. Car building wasn’t something that was my main focus in my line of the trade. I do a lot of custom work, but it wasn’t really car building,” Bohnet said. Car building was a learning experience for Bohnet, as was being on TV. She usually works on custom hand railings, racks, boats and any form of custom fabrication possible. “Car building was a new place for me but I was super pumped to learn something new and take a little jump forward in what it is that I do,” Bohnet said. She appears in about six episodes this season, her first time in front of the camera. “I’ve never been on a TV show, or even on TV, and being on camera was super duper awkward. It probably took the camera guys a little while to get used to me getting used to them,” she said with a laugh. Bohnet can be seen in the series working on revamping old hot rods into custom-style cars, helping with welding and fabrication work. “We had a couple fun builds that we did that was more in my element. A lot of welding, a lot of fabricating. There were a lot of new tools involved,” Bohnet said. “It’s so crazy to think I’m doing anything that will be on TV. I was so out of my element. I run my business at home, by myself, not around a lot of people. Now jumping into something like this, especially doing it through COVID and having to make sure all those precautions are in place.” However nervous she was, the cast and crew made the experience an easygoing one. “It was a lot to handle in the beginning of it. The guys were so easy to work with and everybody was so helpful, making me feel comfortable and telling me what I needed to do in order to not look so awkward,” Bohnet said with a laugh. She grew up in Oliver and started taking shop classes in high school, crediting teacher Harold Lang with helping her on the path towards her career in fabrication. “He was just something else in my life and he really pushed me to think outside the box and that I had something within that field, so he’s the reason that I really jumped into doing my trade,” Bohnet said. After becoming a mom she wanted to run her own business, and initially starting working on smaller projects. “I started my business really slowly by making art out of horseshoes and then dipped into piles of scrapped steel that I would recreate into something cool. I just realized how much I love envisioning that a pile of junk to someone could become something beautiful or useful,” Bohnet said. Dale Boyd, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Times-Chronicle

  • Alien 'super-Earth' may offer clues about atmospheres on distant worlds

    Scientists have spotted a planet orbiting a star relatively near our solar system that may offer a prime opportunity to study the atmosphere of a rocky Earth-like alien world - the type of research that could aid the hunt for extraterrestrial life. The researchers said on Thursday the planet, called Gliese 486 b and classified as a 'super-Earth,' is not itself a promising candidate as a refuge for life. But its proximity to Earth and its physical traits make it well suited for a study of its atmosphere with the next generation of space-borne and ground-based telescopes, starting with the James Webb Space Telescope that NASA has slated for an October launch.

  • Two-vehicle crash on Highway 35 near Tisdale kills 65-year-old

    One person is dead after an early morning crash near Tisdale, Sask. Tisdale RCMP say a northbound SUV collided with a westbound truck coming off a grid road that crosses highway 35 about four kilometres north of Tisdale at around 6:30 a.m. CST on Thursday. Tisdale is about 195 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. A 65-year-old man was declared dead at the scene and a woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries. The highway was closed Thursday morning, with traffic being diverted around the area for the rest of the day while officers conduct an investigation.

  • N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Higgs holds out hope of faster vaccine rollout, then pulls back

    Premier Blaine Higgs raised the possibility of a faster rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations and a quicker reopening of provincial borders on Thursday. The premier said with a new federal recommendation that second doses can be delayed by up to four months, New Brunswick could get everyone their first shot by the end of June. He also raised the possibility during a news conference with fellow premiers of re-establishing the Atlantic bubble and even getting borders to the rest of Canada "opened up" and "getting ourselves back to normal this spring." But speaking to New Brunswick journalists later, Higgs qualified that statement, saying it would depend on vaccination levels and other factors. He said talks with other Atlantic premiers on reopening borders within the bubble will probably happen in April. Factors that will determine reopening Higgs said it could be a reality "for this summer, but I'd like to get beyond that, and that'll depend on how many vaccines we have access to" as well as whether vulnerable groups and people who cross the borders regularly are vaccinated. "The move to the rest of Canada will be very dependent on the condition in the rest of Canada, in the big major centres, and what the vulnerability is for our province and the Atlantic region. That won't change unless we see a substantial change in those regions." The National Advisory Committee on Immunization told provinces this week that second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines can all be delayed by four months. Several provinces have said they'll take that advice. Higgs says the all-party COVID-19 committee will discuss soon whether to delay second vaccination doses by four months.(Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press) Higgs said New Brunswick's all-party COVID-19 committee will make a decision on it next Tuesday, "but I would suggest we will be moving in that direction as well." That would allow the province to stretch its expected vaccine deliveries enough to provide more people their first dose sooner, possibly reaching everyone by the end of June, Higgs said. "That's what I'm focused on," he said. Given one dose reduces the risk of transmission significantly, Higgs said, that could see New Brunswick get "back to normal" by the end of June rather than the end of September, the target Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has set for immunization of all willing Canadians. "The potential of moving that forward is real," Higgs said. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island both said Thursday they believe everyone who wants to be vaccinated can get a first dose by the end of June. There are currently 36 active cases in New Brunswick.(CBC News) 5 new cases in three zones Public Health reported five new cases in three zones on Thursday and said a presumptive case of a variant has been confirmed as the B117 variant strain. That previously reported case, which had been sent to Winnipeg's National Microbiology Laboratory for sequencing, was in the Miramichi region, Zone 7. The new cases break down in this way: Moncton region, Zone 1, one case: an individual 20 to 29 years old. The case is travel-related. Edmundston region, Zone 4, three cases: two people 20 to 29 an individual 70 to 79 Miramichi region, Zone 7, one case: an individual 20 to 29. The case is under investigation. All of these people are self-isolating. The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,443, and there are now 36 active cases. Since Wednesday, six people have recovered for a total of 1,378 recoveries. There have been 28 deaths. Three patients are in hospital, and two are in intensive care. A total of 231,307 tests have been conducted, including 767 since Wednesday's report. Two days of mass testing are underway at Miramichi's Dr. Losier Middle School. The clinics, for asymptomatic residents, continue Friday.(Horizon Health Network/Twitter) Mass testing underway in Zone 7 Mass testing clinics have been set up to help determine if there has been any further spread in the Miramichi region following several new cases and the confirmation of the variant's presence this week. The tests are available on a walk-in basis — no appointment necessary — for people who do not have any symptoms of COVID-19. Testing is being held Thursday until 7 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the gymnasium of the Dr. Losier Middle School, 124 Henderson St. No time to let up precautions, epidemiologist says More people are being vaccinated each day and the number of COVID-19 cases has been dwindling for the most part, but there is still a chance Canada could face a third wave of the disease, an epidemiologist says. "We have learned from the past just as quickly as they go in the right direction they can go in the wrong direction," Cynthia Carr, an epidemiologist in Winnipeg, told Information Morning Fredericton on Thursday. A third wave of COVID-19 in Canada is still hard to predict, she said. Germany and the Czech Republic are already experiencing third waves of the respiratory virus. Carr said a third wave of COVID-19 in Canada would mean something has changed, including the virus itself. It would also mean an increase in cases, although with vaccine rollouts underway, the virus could be milder. A combination of personal vigilance and Public Health measures is still needed. "The virus cannot spread and thrive if we don't give it a chance to pass from one person to another." Public exposure notifications Public Health has identified a positive case in a traveller who may have been infectious while on the following flight: Air Canada flight 8906 on Feb. 20, from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:10 p.m. Anyone who took this flight should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days after the flight. people who develop COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate and take the self-assessment online or call 811 to get tested. On Wednesday, Public Health issued a list of potential public exposures to the virus at the following locations in Zone 7. Individuals who tested positive were in these establishments. The department does not have the exact times these people were in the businesses on the list, "but it is believed it was for a short duration on these dates." Sobeys, 273 Pleasant St., Feb. 15, Feb. 19, Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 Atlantic Superstore, 408 King George Hwy, Feb. 15, Feb. 23 and Feb. 28 Shoppers Drug Mart, 397 King George Hwy, Feb. 15, Feb. 17 and Feb. 26 Dollarama, 100 Douglastown Blvd., Feb. 20 Winners, 2441 King George Hwy, Feb. 22 and Feb. 24 Giant Tiger, 2441 King George Hwy, Feb. 24 Walmart, 200 Douglastown Blvd., Feb. 24 Bulk Barn, 100-99 Douglastown Blvd. on Feb. 27 NB Liquor, 221 Pleasant St., Feb. 27. What to do if you have a symptom People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online. Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: A fever above 38 C. A new cough or worsening chronic cough. Sore throat. Runny nose. Headache. New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell. Difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes. People with one of those symptoms should: Stay at home. Call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor. Describe symptoms and travel history. Follow instructions.

  • NASA’s Perseverance Rover Captures Stunning Image of Sun From Mars

    NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has continued to send stunning images of the red planet back to Earth. In this moment, an incredible shot of the Sun from the Martian surface was captured. Credit to "NASA/JPL-Caltech".

  • Olympic champion Kingsbury calls for urgent action to allow sport in Quebec schools

    Quebec mogul king Mikaël Kingsbury is calling for the return of sport in schools. In an open letter on Wednesday to Quebec Premier François Legault, the reigning Olympic and world moguls champion says urgent action is needed amid the COVID-19 restrictions. "I am worried about the situation of young athletes," wrote the 28-year-old freestyle skiing star. "The health of thousands of young people is at risk." Inspired in part by his own experiences growing up, Kingsbury is lending his voice to the efforts of a 16-year-old high school student, Isaac Pépin, who has been urging the provincial government to show flexibility in its approach to sport in schools. WATCH | Kingsbury writes open letter to Quebec Premier François Legault: Kingsbury told CBC Sports in an exclusive interview on Thursday that the plea is something he understands all too well. "Having grown up skiing and playing baseball with my friends, sport is a motivator. A source of meaning," he said, adding that sport was a big part of what helped keep him coming back to class. For the 28-year-old native of Deux-Montagnes, Que., it's also a question of mental as well as physical health. "I am worried that young people are lost. That they are abandoning sport in favour of screens," Kingsbury wrote in his letter to Legault. This is why Kingsbury supports Pépin's calls for the resumption of supervised sport. 'I got dizzy' "I stopped this week and wondered what I would do if I was this young man deprived of sport for a year in a period of a pandemic," Kingsbury wrote. "I got dizzy! I wouldn't have had the capacity to survive a full year without my passion. I tell you very simply: I would be adrift. I am convinced that sports clubs, sports organizations and federations have the capacities, the means, but above all the determination necessary to protect young people and their families. Before, during and after sports practice." And Kingsbury feels the time to act is now. "It's been a year where people across Canada, but especially in Quebec, have not been able to play collective sports," he told CBC Sports. "It's like a year the kids are losing and will never get back again." WATCH | Kingsbury reflects on consecutive World Cup victories: Legault said he understands the frustration, but also the importance of sport on mental health during a COVID-19 update on Wednesday. "People who know me know that I do a lot of sports," Legault said. "Sports is important. There's nothing better to decrease stress levels, and it's important for mental heath. But we all agree that certain sports, at the very least, we might get too close and bring about contagion." While discussions with sports federations are still ongoing, Legault will offer more of an update next week and acknowledged that "as of March 15th, everywhere in Quebec will be able to start outside school activities." Meanwhile, Kingsbury — who only recently returned to action in February after fracturing his T4 and T5 vertebrate in November prior to the opening of the freestyle ski season — is in Kazakhstan gearing up for freestyle skiing world championships in Almaty. He says the passion that Pépin and fellow organizers have exhibited for sport has given him extra motivation to win. "[They] are only asking for one thing: to breathe new life into young people by allowing them to reconnect with their passion." Kingsbury won't be able to stand with protestors at a planned rally in front of the provincial parliament on Sunday, but remains hopeful activities will open up when he returns to his home province. "On behalf of all athletes in Quebec, amateurs and professionals, I hope that when I return home in mid-March, sport will find its rightful place."

  • Que deviennent les déchets plastiques rejetés dans l’océan depuis les côtes et les rivières  ?

    Des chercheurs ont modélisé le devenir des particules plastiques dans l’océan sur 23 ans.

  • Chief and council celebrate multi-million-dollar gas bar opening at Tl’etinqox First Nation

    Tl’etinqox First Nation burst with excitement following the grand opening Wednesday, March 3, of its newly built, $4.5-million gas bar — Chilcotin River Trading. “We don’t do ribbons,” Tl'etinqox Chief Joe Alphonse said prior to Tl’etinqox elder Melanie Bobby cutting a string made of deer hide and dream catchers in recognition of the opening. “We do hide—it’s the Indigenous way.” Alphonse said had they not had to keep the grand opening small due to the pandemic, they would have invited all of Tl’etinqox and surrounding communities to celebrate. The project’s completion west of Williams Lake had been years in the making. “We had hoped we would get it up and running in 2017, and then the fires hit, and it seemed like we had to start all over again, but it’s here,” Alphonse said. Coun. and manager of Chilcotin River Trading, Alana Bobby told Black Press Media she was excited about the “bigger, better building,” which has a kitchen and allows for more product, including Spirit Bear Coffee and Mr. Bannock. She had been promoted to manager after starting as a gas jockey at the nearby Tl’etinqox Trading many years ago. Tl’etinqox Trading, which Bobby said was in need of extensive upgrades, will remain open until the remaining inventory is sold. “Everyone is excited for the new store,” she said. Alphonse praised gas bar staff for their hard work and dedication, noting they are always trying to bring on new employees. He also thanked Tl'etinqox Government staff, including finance manager Dawn Bursey, for ensuring the completion of Chilcotin River Trading. “For the first time in Canada Esso delivered fuel to Tl’etinqox tax-free,” he added. Rebecca Dyok, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Williams Lake Tribune

  • Vancouver residents told to avoid feeding Canada geese, report nests as flocks grow

    Vancouver's parks board is taking action to control the increasing numbers of messy and aggressive Canada geese. A statement from the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation says it is developing a management plan to reduce the number of geese in city parks, beaches and on the seawall. The board is particularly concerned about humans feeding the birds, saying it brings flocks of geese to high-traffic areas such as Stanley Park and the beaches of English Bay and Sunset Beach. A key part of the management plan asks residents to identify Canada goose nests on private property so they can be removed or the eggs can be addled, and left in the nest so adults continue to brood, rather than lay again. The board estimates Vancouver's population of more than 3,500 Canada geese grows every year because the habitat is ideal and the birds have no natural predators. Several Okanagan cities are asking permission to cull growing flocks of Canada geese that foul area beaches and parks, but Vancouver's board says egg addling, a measure supported by the SPCA, is its only control measure. In addition to calling for public help in identifying nests, which can be on roofs, balconies or in tall, topped trees, the park board is urging people not to feed Canada geese. “Supplemental feeding by humans can also contribute to geese being able to lay more than one clutch of eight eggs per season; meaning that if one clutch does not hatch, they can replace it," the statement says. "In nature, without food from humans, this wouldn’t happen." Canada geese have inefficient digestive systems and the parks board says the birds produce more excrement for their size than most other species. The park board says it hopes to step up egg addling, saying wildlife specialists believe the practice must be tripled in order to cut Vancouver's goose populations. A web page has been created on the City of Vancouver website to report the location of nests so they can be removed or the eggs can be addled. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Newfoundland and Labrador reports five new cases of COVID-19

    ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting five new COVID-19 cases today, four of which are in the eastern health region that includes St. John's. Health officials say the four cases in the eastern region involve people between the ages of 40 and 69; three involve close contacts of prior cases while the fourth is related to domestic travel. Officials say the fifth case is located in the western health region, involves a person between the ages of 20 and 39 and is related to international travel. Eight people are in hospital with the disease, including two in intensive care. Officials say they are still investigating the source of an infection involving a health-care worker at a hospital in the rural town of St. Anthony, located on the Northern Peninsula. Newfoundland and Labrador has 121 active reported COVID-19 infections. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • FCSS kicks off Saturday Driveway initiative

    Hinton’s Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) is encouraging Hintonites to get outside in the spring air and visit a neighbour as part of the new Saturday Driveway initiative. For those who want to participate, all they have to do is set up some lawn chairs and maybe a propane campfire in their front yard and wait for a neighbour to come by for a visit. People can freely decide if they’d like to go walking around their neighbourhood on a Saturday afternoon or evening with a curiosity if they’ll encounter a host. “The number one goal is always going to be social connection. We recognize that we’re having less in-person conversations than we probably did prior to the pandemic. We just appreciate how important it is to talk to other people,” said Lisa Brett, FCSS community connections coordinator. Secondly, the initiative is about building neighbourhoods, Brett added. FCSS hopes this neighbourhood project will help strengthen trusting relationships between neighbours. “A lot of us don’t know our neighbours. So this is an opportunity to introduce ourselves and if we do know our neighbours then this is an opportunity to build on that,” Brett said. The Saturday Driveway initiative kicks off this Saturday, March 6, and FCSS hopes to promote it for the next three months. Brett hopes the initiative will help individuals get used to the idea of hanging out in their front yard on Saturday afternoons and evenings, being neighbourly, and respecting COVID-19 restrictions. Hinton’s FCSS reached out to St. Albert who had a similar project early in the pandemic, and they shared their positive experience and resources. Brett noted the initiative can play an important role in combating isolation that has become more prevalent the past year. “I recognize you can be isolated and not feel lonely. In other scenarios people feel lonely where they’re feeling more empty and separated and that emotion can be quite powerful,” Brett said. Positive interactions among neighbours can also help individuals feel safer in their neighbourhood and realize they can rely on a neighbour in an emergency, she added. She hopes the idea will help the community stave off loneliness, foster connection, and boost happiness in a time where everybody is pulling back due to government mandated COVID-19 restrictions. People can now gather with a group up to 10 while social distancing and wearing masks. “It’s just really about sparking an idea in people rather than telling them what to do. This might only attract certain people or certain personalities but the outcomes are unknown. It’s a hopeful project, it’s about kindness and being welcoming to all people,” Brett said. The Town offers posters to promote the initiative and also one that individuals could hang on their door or mailbox to let others know when they will be hosting a Saturday Driveway event. Hintonites can participate on their own and self-manage their driveway event. “There’s a lot of freedom and liberty involved as long as they recognize that we’re still under COVID-19 [restrictions],” Brett said. RCMP and Fire Department are aware of the project and COVID-19 restrictions were also considered when putting the concept together. A portable fire pit is permissible but if someone chooses to have a real fire, they must read the fire bylaw link on hinton.ca/fcss and adhere to its fire safety precautions. Posters to participate are available at the FCSS office to pick up or for print from the Town of Hinton website. The principle way to know if someone is hosting a Saturday Driveway is that a participant is visibly set up in their driveway or front yard welcoming neighbours to stroll by and have a chat. Being masked and remaining six feet apart must be part of the interactions. Currently, outdoor gatherings allow up to 10 people. Masha Scheele, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hinton Voice

  • Boston Marathon plan to hand out 70,000 medals roils runners

    BOSTON — Distance running, traditionally one of the world's most genteel sports, has been roiled by an ugly mid-pandemic squabble over who should get a shot at a coveted Boston Marathon medal. Rival camps in the running world began snapping at each other's heels this week. It began after the Boston Athletic Association, which still hopes to hold a truncated in-person edition of the planet's most prestigious footrace in October, said it will award medals to up to 70,000 athletes if they go the distance wherever they are. Practically within minutes of the BAA's announcement greatly expanding its virtual version of the race, a boisterous social media maelstrom ensued. On one side: Runners who've spent years training to qualify to run the real thing, including some who complain that mailing medals to people who run the 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometres) in Dallas or Denver will cheapen the iconic Boston experience. “A dagger through the heart to someone who has worked hard to finally earn the qualifying standard,” one runner, Mark Howard of Salisbury, North Carolina, groused on Twitter. On the other: Pretty much everyone else, including the plodding masses and runners who raise millions for charities, who counter that anything that helps the 125-year-old marathon survive the COVID-19 crisis is worthwhile. “A virtual Boston race that invites everyone is a reason to celebrate,” said Maria Arana, a marathoner and coach in Phoenix. “It in no way takes away from my personal Boston Marathon experience or anyone else’s.” The bickering seems to have caught many off-guard, if only because road racing has long had a reputation as a kind and egalitarian sport. It's one of the few disciplines where ordinary amateurs compete in real time on the same course as elite professionals, and where trash-talking is rare. As four-time Boston champion Bill Rodgers famously said: “Running is a sport where everyone gets along.” A notable exception to that gentility was the 1967 race, when race director Jock Semple ran after Kathrine Switzer — the first woman to run with an official bib number — and tried unsuccessfully to pull her off the course. It also comes as the Boston Marathon and other big-city races are struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic and looking for creative ways to keep runners engaged online. The BAA put on a virtual version of the marathon last year, after the coronavirus pandemic forced it to first postpone its usual April running to September, and then cancel in-person racing altogether. But that was limited to athletes who had already qualified to race or had registered as charity runners. This time, the first 70,000 people aged 18 or older who sign up and pay a fee will be able to earn a finisher's medal simply by covering the classic distance wherever they happen to be. They don't even need to run — they can walk. “For the first time in our history, most everyone will have the opportunity to earn a Unicorn finisher’s medal,” BAA president and CEO Tom Grilk said in a statement. Grilk said the in-person race, if it comes off as scheduled on Oct. 11, will have a reduced field to help keep athletes and spectators safe. Typically the Boston field is capped at around 30,000; the BAA hasn't said how much smaller it will be this autumn. Josh Sitzer, a San Francisco runner who's qualified for the Boston Marathon three times, initially was among those who trashed the idea of giving out 70,000 medals as “a blatant money grab.” “Respect yourself and the game. Don’t do Boston unless you earn it,” he tweeted. Then he had a change of heart, tweeting: “I was wrong. It's not the same as the actual Boston Marathon, and it doesn't devalue” the experience of those who meet strict qualifying standards for a chance to line up in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. It's been a bad look, acknowledges Erin Strout, who covers the sport for WomensRunning.com. “If there ever was a time to put our elitism and cynicism aside, it’s now,” she wrote in an opinion piece. “Let’s welcome each other in, cheer each other on, and seize the opportunity to bring back running bigger, better, and more inclusive than it was before.” ___ This story has been corrected to delete a reference to a $70 entry fee for the virtual marathon; organizers say they haven't yet decided on entry fees. ___ Follow AP New England editor Bill Kole on Twitter at http://twitter.com/billkole. William J. Kole, The Associated Press

  • UK police won't probe journalist over 1995 Diana interview

    LONDON — British police said Thursday that they will not launch a criminal investigation into the journalist Martin Bashir over his 1995 interview with Princess Diana. The Metropolitan Police force said “no further action will be taken” over allegations Bashir used illegal subterfuge to get the interview. Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, has alleged that Bashir used false documents, including fake bank statements, and other dishonest tactics to convince Diana to agree to the interview. Police Commander Alex Murray said detectives had “carefully assessed” the allegations and sought advice from lawyers. “Following this detailed assessment and in view of the advice we received, we have determined that it is not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into these allegations,” he said. “No further action will be taken. “In this matter, as in any other, should any significant new evidence come to light we will assess it," he added. The BBC has begun its own investigation, led by a retired judge, into the circumstances surrounding the program. The interview, in which Diana famously said “there were three of us in this marriage” — referring to Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles — was watched by millions of people and sent shockwaves through the monarchy. Diana divorced from Charles in 1996 and died in a Paris car crash in 1997 as she was pursued by paparazzi. Charles married Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005. The Associated Press

  • Bestsellers-Books-USAToday

    1. “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy (HarperOne) 2. “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s Press) 3. “Believe IT” by Jamie Kem Lima (Gallery Books) 4. “Firefly Lane” by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s Griffin) 5. “I Love You to the Moon and Back” by Amelia Hepworth (Tiger Tales) 6. “A Court of Silver Flames” by Sarah J. Maas (Bloomsbury) 7. “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss (Random House) 8. “The Kaiser's Web” by Steve Berry (Minotaur) 9. “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney (Candlewick) 10. “Kingdom of Shadow and Light” by Karen Marie Moning (Dell) 11. “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish” by Dr. Seuss (Random House) 12. “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster” by Bill Gates (Knopf) 13. “Bridgerton: The Duke and I” by Julia Quinn (Avon) 14. “Fox in Socks” by Dr. Seuss (Random House Books for Young Readers) 15. “Dr. Seuss's ABC” by Dr. Seuss (Random House Books for Young Readers) 16. “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch (Firefly Books) 17. “The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss (Random House) 18. “Bridgerton: The Viscount Who Loved Me” by Julia Quinn (Avon) 19. “Are You My Mother?” by P.D. Eastman (Random House Books for Young Readers) 20. “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig (Viking) 21. “The Pegan Diet” by Mark Hyman (Little, Brown Spark) 22. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear (Avery) 23. “Keep Sharp” by Sanjay Gupta (Simon & Schuster) 24. “Think Again” by Adam Grant (Viking) 25. “Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder” by Joanne Fluke (Kensington) The Associated Press