It's nothing but zoomies in the snow for this 4-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog named Olly. So much fun!
The Chinese government's top diplomat State Councillor Wang Yi on Sunday said the electoral system in Hong Kong must be improved for long-term stability, saying reform would bring about a "brighter future" for the city. China's plan to dramatically reform Hong Kong's electoral system, unveiled this week during the country's annual parliamentary session, is expected to upend the territory's governance and ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge.
WASHINGTON — Tensions were raw ahead of midnight as Republican leader Mitch McConnell rose in the Senate for the purpose of publicly ridiculing Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over the daylong delay as Democrats argued among themselves over the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package. But 12 hours later, it was Schumer, D-N.Y., reveling in the last word, an unabashedly upbeat “help is on the way” to Americans suffering through the pandemic and lockdowns as the Senate prepared to approve the massive package without a single GOP vote. Senate passage of the sweeping relief bill Saturday puts President Joe Biden’s top priority closer to becoming law, poised to unleash billion for vaccines, $1,400 direct payments and other aid, and shows Schumer, in his first big test as majority leader, can unify the ever-so-slim Democratic majority and deliver the votes. “Lessons learned: If we have unity, we can do big things,” Schumer told The Associated Press in an interview after the vote. The outcome “gives us optimism about doing more big things in the future — because it worked,” he said. Stewardship of the massive pandemic relief package was an inaugural foray of the new power dynamics of Washington, testing Democratic control of the White House and Congress for the first time in a decade, and setting the foundation for what’s possible for Biden’s agenda. So much of Biden's success or failure depends on the Senate, where Democrats are in command of an evenly split chamber, 50-50, a majority so delicate that any one senator can upend the legislative agenda. While Vice-President Kamala Harris is able to break tie votes, Schumer has zero slack if Republicans are opposed, voting lockstep as they did Saturday against the virus aid as bloated and unnecessary. One key centrist, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., wavered over an unemployment provision, throwing the proceedings into chaos before a grueling all-night session. Biden has been telling senators privately their vote on pandemic aid will build momentum for the next priorities. An ambitious infrastructure package is emerging, part of his “Build Back Better” campaign agenda, to bring roads, broadband and green-energy projects nationwide. He and Schumer spoke often as the Senate leader steered the pandemic aid to approval. It's now headed back to the House for a final vote, as soon as Monday. While no senators appeared ready to tank Biden’s top priority, the next votes could prove more difficult. “There’s a whole series of issues that that quite a few of us were discussing,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a Biden ally eager for bipartisanship, who spoke to the president a few minutes after the vote. “This was a reminder yesterday that, in a 50-50 Senate, if any one member changes their mind on an amendment, or vote or an issue, it can change the outcome," Coons said. Voting rights, immigration law changes and other bills will be subject to filibuster rules that require 60 votes for passage, rather than 51, a potentially impossible hurdle in the face of Republican opposition that is stoking calls to change the process to ensure Biden’s priorities don’t flame out. “We’re going to have to have discussions about that,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., a member of leadership. But that tough topic was for another day. On Saturday, Democrats elbow-bumped and cheered in the chamber — Stabenow said some were almost in tears -- as they ushered the massive aid package they had promised voters to approval. With 10 million jobs lost and countless schools and businesses shuttered, it includes $300 a week in extra unemployment benefits, money school reopenings, eviction protections and small business assistance. “Only 45 days after Joe Biden became president of the United States, to be able to do something so big, and so significant, that fundamentally is the glue for us,” she said. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said it was the “best day” he’d ever had in the Senate. That biting speech from McConnell, R-Ky., poking at Democrats' temporary disarray? Brown dismissed it as cynical and unsubstantial. “So what,” Brown said. “Nobody cares about that. What they care about is, did we deliver on unemployment? Did we deliver on vaccines? Did we deliver on pensions? We cut the rate of child poverty in half. Think about that.” McConnell led Republicans to put up a blockade of opposition, reviving a strategy used the last time Democrats held the sweep of power, when Barack Obama was president, against the 2009 financial crisis rescue package. After Donald Trump won the White House, McConnell and Republicans controlling Congress with only a slightly thicker Senate margin used similar procedural tools to pass the $2 trillion GOP tax cuts on a party-line vote in 2017. Their effort to repeal and replace the health care law known as “Obamacare” fizzled when Sen. John McCain and two other Republicans voted with Democrats, and McConnell was unable to hold his party together. From his stately office off the Senate floor, with the lived-in feel of the rumpled New Yorker, Schumer pulled out his not-so-secret weapon, the flat flip-phone, which he uses for his constant calls keeping in touch with senators on their votes. "Every member of our caucus, from Bernie Sanders to Joe Manchin, realize that we had to pull together, that if we failed, we’d all be hurt,” Schumer said, referring to the liberal-most senator from Vermont and the centrist from West Virginia. As Manchin hesitated, Schumer called him, as did other senators, and even Biden. But Manchin also had time — hours dragged on — to make up his mind. “He listens to everybody and then he puts it together,” Brown said of Schumer. “He’s good at it.” When the votes were being tallied Saturday, Schumer spotted the two new senators from Georgia, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, and pointed at them. They had stunned the political world by defeating two Republican incumbents in special elections in January that delivered Democrats the majority. “The people of Georgia deserve a great deal of credit for what happened here today,” Warnock said afterward. “Had they not stood up in such a powerful way, in this historic election that sent Jon Ossoff and myself to the Senate, we simply would not be here.” Schumer urged the presiding officer to announce the vote, 50-49. One Republican senator was absent for a family matter. Harris was not needed to break the tie. Schumer turned to his senators and said, “We are a great team.” Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press
The top doctor for the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit is tightening restrictions for the area's eastern municipalities following a rise in COVID-19 cases. The order was implemented Saturday by the area's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Paula Stewart, with the goal of limiting opportunities for people to gather in the municipalities of Mississippi Mills, Carleton Place and Beckwith, Ont. Under the new order, sports facilities, including curling rinks, and privately owned arenas and indoor facilities for soccer, lacrosse, tennis, squash or pickleball, must close. As well, clubs must halt rentals for private social gatherings. Places of worship can still operate, but there are greater restrictions in place for social events. Banquet halls and wedding venues may also continue to operate, but only events hosted, organized and managed by the venue are permitted, with additional restrictions. Anyone dining indoors at a restaurant or bar can only sit at the same table with members of their own household. Restaurants and bars must also collect contact information as people enter, and staff must wear a medical face mask. "Everything that each and every one of us does makes a difference in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in households and the community," Stewart wrote in a notice Saturday morning. "This Class Order will reduce opportunities for people to gather and have close unprotected contact with others outside their household in public and private facilities." Restrictions in place for 14 days The order will be in place for the next two weeks, but could be shortened or extended if need be, the health unit said. Anyone failing to comply with the order could be fined $5,000 per day. As of Saturday morning, the region had 49 active cases, 48 of which were reported in the last week. On Wednesday, health officials reported 20 people had tested positive for the virus and warned customers of The Thirsty Moose may have been exposed on multiple days near the end of February. Health officials said the restaurant isn't to blame, and the cases could be traced back to a private gathering last month where people didn't wear masks or take proper precautions. The news of the surge in cases came the same day the health unit announced its first case involving one of the COVID-19 variants of concern.
DUNEDIN — Cullen Large belted a three-run home run to lead the Toronto Blue Jays past the Philadelphia Phillies 7-1 in exhibition baseball action Saturday.Large's blast anchored a five-run inning for Toronto, which finished with 10 hits in a contest that was halted in the seventh.Kirby Snead (1-0) took the win, allowing no hits and no runs over a 1 1/3 innings. He had a strikeout while issuing two walks.Toronto used six pitchers in the game. The Blue Jays, who've won two straight, face the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2021. The Canadian Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska Native leader and former state lawmaker John Sackett has died. He was 76. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered all flags to fly at half-staff on Monday in tribute. “John Sackett was a valuable and effective advocate for Alaska Natives and our rural communities throughout his nearly 20-year tenure in the Legislature, as well as his extensive professional and community involvement. His legacy of service will forever be an integral piece of Alaska’s history,” Dunleavy said. “Rose and I offer our sympathies to the Sackett family as they honour his memory.” His cause of death was not immediately released. Sackett was born in 1944 in the remote village of Cutoff, 35 miles (56 kilometres) up the Huslia River in Interior Alaska, Anchorage Daily News reported. He began his political career in 1967 in the state House of Representatives, when he was in his 20s. Sackett then spent 14 years in the state Senate, and four in the House representing Interior and Southwest Alaska, according to a profile by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He also served as chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Sam Kito, former president of the Alaska Federation of Natives, said on Friday that Sackett's work in the Legislature was only part of his legacy. He also helped establish Doyon Ltd., the Alaska Native regional corporation, in the 1970s. Sackett was the first president of Doyon and Kito served as executive vice-president, he said. Sackett was also former president of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, providing services to dozens of tribes. Kito also said Sackett was an influential leader in the fight for the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which established Alaska Natives claims to land in the state. Doyon, Ltd. said on its Facebook page in 2019 that Sackett continued to attend meetings until late in life. The Associated Press
A man who police say intentionally crashed his vehicle into a police cruiser on Saturday morning has been charged with attempted murder. Police were called to the area of Ellesmere Road and Gander Drive, just east of Markham Road, shortly before 8 a.m. In a news release on Saturday afternoon, police said an officer was stopped at an intersection in a marked vehicle when the driver of another vehicle allegedly hit it. In a tweet, Toronto police chief James Ramer said the driver hit the police cruiser twice before getting out of the car armed with a knife. "The officer attempted to de-escalate but the man refused to drop the knife," Ramer said in the tweet. Ramer said other officers attended the scene and used de-escalation tactics to arrest the driver safely. In addition to the attempted murder charge, the 47-year-old man of Toronto faces the following: one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle, two counts of assault of a peace officer with a weapon, one count of weapons dangerous, and one count of failing to comply with a release order. The man is expected to appear in court on Sunday.
Carolyn Barnes lost her uncles, Clarence LaPlante, to COVID-19 on Oct. 23.
A highly anticipated Oprah Winfrey interview with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan airs on U.S. television later on Sunday, amid what one royal watcher called a "toxic" atmosphere between the couple and the British monarchy. Not since the late Princess Diana appeared on television to share intimate details of her failed marriage to Harry's father, Prince Charles, has an interview with members of the royal family attracted so much attention. Having severed their official royal ties, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will explain why they abandoned Britain to move to California and start new lives.
A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared in one unit of the Kelowna General Hospital after a staff member and patient tested positive for the virus. In a statement, Interior Health said the outbreak affects unit 5B at the hospital and there is no evidence the virus has transmitted to other areas of the hospital. This outbreak is not linked to an ongoing outbreak on unit 4B, which was declared on Feb. 22, Interior Health said. Outbreak control measures are in place and the hospital remains safe to visit for appointments and emergency care, the health authority added. Patients and visitors are not required to get tested or self-isolate after visiting the hospital. B.C. health officials announced a spike in new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, adding 634 to the tally over the last 24 hours. Another four people have died of the disease. Interior Health to open call centre for vaccinations Monday Interior Health says it will open its call centre on Monday for seniors looking to book COVID-19 vaccinations. People aged 90 and up, as well as Indigenous people aged 65 and up, can call 1-877-740-7747 to book an appointment. The call centre is open seven days per week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Vaccinations will start as early as March 15. B.C.'s largest ever vaccination campaign aims to vaccinate more than four million British Columbians against COVID-19 by September 2021. In the past week, several factor have changed to quickly accelerate that timeline, including the province's decision to delay second doses of the vaccine until more first doses are administered. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said everyone in the province could receive a first shot by early July, or even late June. Click here to read more about the vaccines and how they will be distributed. CBC British Columbia is hosting a town hall on March 10 to put your COVID-19 vaccine questions to expert guests, including Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. You can find the details at cbc.ca/ourshot. Have a question about the vaccine, or the rollout plan in B.C.? Email us: bcasks@cbc.ca
PARIS — Star striker Kylian Mbappe scored twice as French Cup holder Paris Saint-Germain won 3-0 at Brest to join Lyon in the last 16 on Saturday. Brest coach Olivier Dall’Oglio made the surprising decision to rotate key players and paid the price as Mbappe netted his first after only nine minutes. Pablo Sarabia drilled a shot into the bottom corner one minute before the break, after a fine run from Julian Draxler prompted Brest's defence to make a mistake. Marco Verratti then set up Mbappe for his second goal in the 74th. Earlier, Lyon beat second-tier Sochaux 5-2 with 17-year-old attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki scoring twice and creating a goal for central defender Jason Denayer. Defender Djamel Benlamri and winger Maxwel Cornet scored Lyon's other goals for a 2-0 lead after just 10 minutes. Sochaux striker Chris Bedia netted twice either side of Cherki's first goal to make it 3-2 to Lyon after 56 minutes. RISING STAR Cherki is touted as the next big star of French soccer and he almost scored an outstanding goal with a David Beckham-style shot from just inside the halfway line, but the goalkeeper scrambled back to save it. Cherki's corner from the right was headed powerfully in by Denayer in the 77th and Cherki netted with a cool and emphatic finish 10 minutes later. CUP UPSETS Fourth-tier Le Puy and third-tier Red Star caused Cup upsets by beating first-division sides. After Red Star won 3-2 at home to Lens, tiny Le Puy followed up by handing Lorient a 1-0 loss to add to its relegation problems. Northern side Lens is fifth in the top flight, and led 2-1 with seven minutes left only for two substitutes to send Parisian-based Red Star through. Midfielder Diego Michel equalized in the 83rd minute before Alan Dzabana scored a timely first goal for the club with a last-minute winner. “Bravo to Red Star. We need to accept this defeat and focus on the league. Maybe we thought we had done the hard work (at 2-1 up),” Lens coach Franck Haise said. “They stayed in the game, they kept believing.” Dzabana joined Red Star this season on loan from Le Havre. Lenny Joseph, a 20-year-old midfielder, netted in the 61st for semi-professional side Le Puy, which is in south-central France's Auvergne region, more famed for its hearty cuisine than its soccer. OTHER MATCHES Montpellier squeezed through 2-1 away to third-tier Ales, thanks to a late winner from striker Gaetan Laborde. But Metz, which is sixth in Ligue 1, had a comfortable afternoon winning 4-0 at second-tier Valenciennes. Fourth-tier Rumilly Vallieres, which plays against Marseille, Monaco and Lyon's reserve sides in its division, knocked out third-tier Annecy on penalties after a 1-1 draw. SUNDAY'S GAMES Lille is at fourth-tier Corsican side GFC Ajaccio, while Marseille visits another fourth-tier side in Canet-en-Roussillon. Marseille's veteran goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and its goal-scoring winger Florian Thauvin have been rested for the match. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
BRANTFORD, Ont. — Walter Gretzky's family thought the end was coming quickly in the middle of February. The father of hockey's greatest player had recently suffered a serious hip injury, and after battling Parkinson's disease and other health issues in recent years, his time — something Walter was always willing to give both friends and strangers — appeared to be running short. "But he had a love for life and he didn't want to leave," Wayne Gretzky said during an emotional eulogy Saturday. "We were 21 days sitting with him and just enjoying life. "We got a chance and opportunity to tell stories." And Walter Gretzky's life was full of them. Known as Canada's hockey dad, Walter Gretzky died Thursday at age 82. His passing prompted an avalanche of tributes for a genuine, authentic person who nurtured Wayne's incredible talents on the family's famed backyard rink in Brantford, but also never forgot where he came from. "He was a remarkable man who loved life, loved family," Wayne Gretzky said. "We'd be a way better world if there was so many more people like my dad. "Very special, we're all hurting." Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the funeral service was limited to family. But hundreds of people — including many kids wearing Gretzky jerseys — gathered outside St. Mark's Anglican Church in this city about 100 kilometres west of Toronto. "A tough time," said Wayne, his voice beginning to crack and tears welling in his eyes. "I'm so proud of the fact that so many people have reached out and given him such great tributes, because he deserves it. "He has the heart of gold." Walter was there every step of the way as Wayne ascended to a greatness that included four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and becoming the NHL's all-time leader in goals, assists and points. An employee with Bell for more than three decades — and long after his son became the sport's biggest star — Walter remained a loving, blue-caller symbol of devotion. "A deeply humble man," said Rev. Dr. Tim Dobbin, who officiated the funeral broadcast live on TSN and streamed on Sportsnet.ca. "He spoke the truth. Wally's word was his bond." The elder Gretzky stayed out of the limelight at first during Wayne's rise, but especially after suffering a brain aneurysm in 1991 that cost him much of his memory. Still, Walter became a household name on par with the Great One. "(His) grandchildren had never seen my dad before his brain aneurysm," Wayne said before adding playfully: "We were telling them all we were thankful you didn't know him before his brain aneurysm because he was a lot tougher." The son of a Polish mother and Russian father, Walter played minor hockey and junior B, but said later in life he was never good enough to make it professionally. "He came here, his family, as an immigrant," Wayne said. "They came here because they wanted a better life. "I don't think I've ever met a prouder Canadian than my dad." Walter Gretzky is survived by his five children — Wayne, Kim, Keith, Glen and Brent — as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Phyliss, his wife of 45 years, died of lung cancer in 2005 at age 64. "My sister (Kim) was a champ," Wayne, who stressed his father's death wasn't related to the coronavirus, said of Walter's final weeks. "She was beside him each and every minute of the day. The grandkids were wonderful. "My dad and mom, I know, are so proud." Wayne told a couple of stories during his remarks, including how Walter would have his grandchildren collect stray golf balls at a local course for him to autograph for kids. "You guys have to stop grabbing golf balls," Wayne recounted telling them. They were confused. It was under Walter's orders. "I know he wants them for the kids," Wayne said he replied. "But I've got to sign them!" The eldest Gretzky child also shared another family tale about how Walter missed the birth of his youngest, Brent, for one of Wayne's hockey tournaments. "My mom said, 'Walter, we're going to have this baby this weekend,'" Wayne recalled. "And he said, 'It's OK, you can wait until we get back.'" Wayne then added with a smirk: "So, Brent was born on the Saturday." Once father and son arrived home in Brantford, family and neighbours were wondering what Walter had been thinking before one final comment pushed him over the edge. "He was so mad," Wayne said. "He stood and he grabbed the trophy and he goes, 'Yes, but we got the trophy!'" A video tribute towards the end of Saturday's service included pictures from the early days on the backyard rink, Wayne's triumphs, Walter on the ice teaching kids, the Gretzky memorabilia in the family home, and highlights from his son's final games in the NHL. As the casket was about to be led out of the church and into the sunshine, "The Hockey Theme" song made famous on "Hockey Night In Canada" was played. And the moment Walter's funeral procession pulled away from the church — the building's sign read "We Will Miss You Wally" — some of the jersey-clad kids waiting outside tapped their hockey sticks on the pavement in unison. A perfect send off for Canada's hockey dad. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2021. ___ Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter The Canadian Press
TTC operators are demanding more government help for unhoused people who are riding streetcars, buses and subways to stay warm during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an online petition, the operators say they are having to deal with the problems of homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse and addiction on their vehicles every day. The operators say they have seen people using drugs, people turning rows of seats into "makeshift bedrooms" and people becoming violent due to mental health issues. The problem is now acute, they say. "As public transit workers, we are compassionate individuals, but at the end of the day, we are not social workers, and we can not solve society's problems by ourselves alone. We demand that all levels of government mobilize the resources to solve this crisis immediately," the operators say. When these problems are brought to their attention, the operators say they have no choice but to investigate, and on occasion, they have been threatened and assaulted for simply investigating. "To be abundantly clear, we are not trying to vilify or disparage any of these individuals. We recognize many are suffering from these situations due to little or no fault of their own," the operators added. In the petition, the operators demand the following: Harm reduction and overdose prevention and response teams who would visit streetcars to talk to and educate people who need help. Street outreach workers who would patrol TTC vehicles to make referrals to shelters and provide education. Teams of crisis workers who would visit transit vehicles to offer help when required or give advice to a driver about a particular person and situation. A "mass program of high-quality social housing" to address homelessness, along with all the necessary tools and services to help people cope with problems and get back on their feet. In an online petition, the operators are calling for harm reduction and overdose prevention response teams, street outreach workers, teams of crisis workers and a program of high-quality social housing.(Evan Mitsui/CBC) Jason Watts, a TTC bus driver with 12 years experience, said the problem is worse on any route near a shelter because people seek refuge on TTC vehicles if shelters are full. Watts wrote the petition with the help of another operator and 23 streetcar operators have endorsed the petition, he said. More than 230 people have now signed it. "Downtown does have its inherent problems. These problems have always existed. With this pandemic, they have been escalated. They have been put out into the open. I had seen people sleeping in the vehicles in stations, outside the stations, on the streets, for years. But with this pandemic, I am seeing more of it and it seems more prevalent," Watts said on Saturday. "It doesn't have to be like this. This doesn't need to happen. We have so much abundance in the way of money available to address these situations. We need help from all levels of government." Watts said TTC operators are sympathetic to the plight of people who do not have homes. Jason Watts, a TTC bus driver with 12 years experience, said the problem is worse on any route near a shelter because people seek refuge on TTC vehicles if shelters are full. (Submitted by Jason Watts) Charlotte Smith, an outreach volunteer with the Encampment Support Network who visits encampments at Trinity Bellwoods Park and Scadding Court, said many unhoused people are seeking shelter in the transit system because they are trying to get warm where they can. The city's warming shelters only open when the temperature drops to –15 C, she noted. "The city needs to provide more permanent rent-geared-to-income housing in the downtown core for people who are living outside and also put a moratorium on encampment evictions," she said. "The city hasn't provided adequate options that meet people's needs." TTC 'not appropriate' homeless shelter, union says Carlos Santos, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, said the union supports the petition and he pointed out that the pandemic has created new problems for unhoused people. He said the city must take action. "While we're sympathetic to those using the TTC for shelter, it's important for the TTC to ensure safety for workers and riders at all times," Santos said. "The TTC is not an appropriate shelter for homeless people and the City of Toronto must do more to help homeless people find suitable shelter, especially during this pandemic," Santos said. 'The TTC is not an appropriate shelter for homeless people and the City of Toronto must do more to help homeless people find suitable shelter, especially during this pandemic,' says Carlos Santos, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113.(Evan Mitsui/CBC) 'Homeless individuals are not inherently a threat' TTC spokesperson Stuart Green noted that the transit agency has seen an increase in calls for service involving vulnerable people in the past year. Green attributes that increase to the colder weather, unhoused people on the TTC being more visible because ridership is down 70 to 75 per cent compared to before the pandemic, and places such as public libraries, malls and coffee shops being closed while Toronto has been locked down. He said more unhoused people are using stations and facilities for shelter than in a typical winter. "Homeless individuals are not inherently a threat. Our experience is that many are just looking for a warm place to escape the cold weather," he said. Green said individual drivers are exercising discretion where they notice a minor offence, such as a person loitering on a train or sleeping on a bench, and there is no risk to public safety. But he added: "We want everyone to not only feel safe, but actually be safe on the TTC." The TTC special constable community engagement unit has been working since last April with the city's Streets to Homes outreach workers and both teams have been patrolling the TTC system to help unhoused people find shelter space and get food vouchers.(Muriel Draaisma/CBC) The TTC special constable community engagement unit has been working since last April with the city's Streets to Homes outreach workers and both teams have been patrolling the TTC system to help unhoused people find shelter space and get food vouchers, he said. City creating spaces through winter services plan The city's Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, for its part, said in an email on Saturday that it has been working hard to help unhoused people in Toronto. As part of the city's response to COVID-19, Toronto has opened more than 40 temporary facilities to ensure there is physical distancing in its shelter system and to provide spaces for people to move indoors from encampments. The city is also opening another 680 spaces, through a combination of shelter and 24-hour respite beds, hotel rooms and supporting housing units. "The ultimate goal to help those experiencing homelessness to be safe and to get them the support they need. This includes permanent housing," the city said in an email. The city said, in 2020 to the end of January, it moved more than 3,220 people in shelters into permanent housing through a combination of housing allowances and rent-gear-to-income units. With the help of agencies, the city said it secured permanent housing for 473 living in encampments last year. More than 1,300 people have also accepted indoor space since the start of the pandemic, it added.
Deliveroo said shares worth 50 million pounds ($69 million) would be earmarked for customers in its upcoming flotation, with the offer branded "Great food with a side of shares". The Amazon-backed food delivery firm announced plans on Thursday to list in London, with a potential value of $7 billion making it the biggest market debut in Britain for three years. Founder and chief executive Will Shu said Deliveroo's customers had supported the firm's growth and he wanted to give them the chance to share in the next stage of its journey.
The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern): 7:30 p.m. Alberta's chief medical health officer says there are 341 new COVID-19 cases in the province in the previous 24 hours, and one additional death. Dr. Deena Hinshaw says in a series of tweets that the new cases include 36 which are tied to virus variant of concern. She says there are 4,649 active COVID-19 cases in Alberta, with the number of those hospitalized falling to 247. She says 42 of those patients are in intensive care. Hinshaw says today's test positivity rate is 4.1 per cent. --- 3:10 p.m. Saskatchewan is reporting three new COVID-19 deaths among residents who tested positive for COVID-19. The province's daily pandemic update says all three were from the Saskatoon zone and ranged in age from their 50s to their 80s. The update also notes there 163 new COVID-19 cases in the province today. Saskatchewan has 1,613 cases that are considered active, and 142 people currently in hospital with the virus. --- 2:55 p.m. Nunavut is reporting another four new cases of COVID-19 today. All are in Arviat, bringing the total number of active cases there to 21. The community is the only one in Nunavut with active cases. Officials also reported four additional cases in Arviat on Friday, plus 10 the day before. Nunavut's chief public health officer, Dr. Michael Patterson, said Friday that despite the new cases, the outbreak in the community is contained. --- 2 p.m. Manitoba is reporting one new COVID-19 death today -- a woman in her 20s in the Winnipeg health region. The daily pandemic update from the province notes there were 66 new COVID-19 cases as of 9:30 this morning, six of which are the variant originally found in the United Kingdom and three of which are a variant first detected in South Africa. The update says Manitoba's five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 3.1 per cent provincially and 2.2 per cent in Winnipeg. There are 1,114 active COVID-19 cases in Manitoba, with 158 patients in hospital. --- 1:15 p.m. New Brunswick health authorities are reporting six new cases of COVID-19. Officials say all six patients are self-isolating and contact tracing is underway. There are now 35 reported active COVID-19 infections in New Brunswick with three people in hospital, including two in intensive care. Public health has confirmed 1,453 cases in the province since the onset of the pandemic, including 28 deaths. --- 12:50 p.m. Newfoundland and Labrador health authorities are reporting two new cases of COVID-19. Officials say both cases are close contacts of previously identified patients. Authorities say there are now 87 active reported COVID-19 cases across the province. All but two of those infections are in the eastern health region, where an outbreak spread rapidly through the St. John’s metro area last month. --- 11:25 a.m. Nova Scotia health officials are reporting six new cases of COVID-19 today. Authorities say all six infections are connected to travel or to previously identified cases. Public health says there are now 29 active reported cases of COVID-19 across the province, with two people in hospital with the disease. There have been 1,657 infections reported in the province since the onset of the pandemic. --- 11:15 a.m. Quebec is reporting 749 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, along with 10 new deaths linked to the virus. The province also says it administered 19,865 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, marking a new single-day high for Quebec's immunization drive. Hospitalizations in the province declined by 16 to 601 today, while the number of patients in intensive care decreased by two to 109. --- 10:30 a.m. Ontario is reporting comparatively low COVID-19 case figures today, logging 990 new infections and six virus-related deaths over the past 24 hours. Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 284 new cases in Toronto, 173 in Peel Region, and 82 in York Region. Two of those long-standing hotspots, Toronto and Peel, are due to rejoin the province's COVID-19 response framework at the grey lockdown level starting on Monday. The province is also reporting a single-day high of 39,698 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered since Friday's update. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2021. The Canadian Press
TURIN, Italy — Cristiano Ronaldo got some much-needed rest and Alvaro Morata scored twice for Juventus in a 3-1 comeback win over Lazio in Serie A on Saturday. Morata finished off a counterattack and then converted a penalty in a three-minute span of the second half. Joaquin Correa had put Lazio ahead early before Adrien Rabiot equalized for Juventus before the break. Ronaldo came on only for the final 20 minutes, which should leave him fresh for a Champions League game against Porto on Tuesday, when Juventus needs to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit, The victory moved Juventus within one point of second-place AC Milan, which visits Hellas Verona on Sunday, and within seven points of Italian leader Inter Milan, which hosts Atalanta on Monday. Juventus had won only one of its last four meetings with Lazio, including a 1-1 draw in November. Lazio remained seventh. UDINESE 10TH Udinese moved into the top half of the table with a 2-0 win over Sassuolo, which is now one spot above the Friuli team. Fernando Llorente scored his first goal since joining from Napoli in January and Roberto Pereyra added another. Also, Spezia and Benevento drew 1-1 in a matchup of two promoted clubs -- helping both to stay clear of the drop zone. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press
As Quebec's COVID-19 vaccination campaign continues to ramp up, a union representing intervention workers says the government has neglected to include one segment of the population in its plans. In a protest outside Montreal's Bordeaux jail Saturday, intervention workers with the Syndicat des travailleuses et travailleurs en intervention communautaire (STTIC-CSN) called for prison inmates to be placed on the province's COVID-19 priority list. "People sleep there. There are common areas. They should be prioritized," said STTIC-CSN spokesperson Kevin Doiron. "They could be shouting in there and no one would hear them so we're here to shout on their behalf." The calls come after more than 100 Bordeaux prison inmates and staff members tested positive for COVID-19 last month. "There's too much people and not enough space so distancing isn't possible," said union president Alexandra Pontbriand. "The guards are going in and out of the prisons and it's really risky to the inmates." According to Quebec Health Ministry data, there are currently only 20 active COVID-19 cases in the province's detention centres, but the community workers say that doesn't mean inmates should not be prioritized. "We're not saying they're the only ones that need to be prioritized for the vaccination. There are other people that need priority, too," said Doiron. "But what we're here to say is they should be part of the people that need priority because their condition is different. They're locked in a cage." Doiron says he understands all too well how the prisoners must be feeling, as he was an inmate in a detention centre for eight years — nine months of which were spent in solitary confinement. With tensions already high between a lot of prisoners, Doiron says many inmates are afraid to come forward and admit when they have symptoms of COVID-19 because their entire prison section would then be forced to lock down for two weeks. Inmates categorized with general population in current vaccination plan As it stands, Quebec's Health Ministry says inmates would be included in the last category of the COVID-19 priority list, along with the rest of the general population. "Work is underway to identify people who will be able to benefit from the vaccination, as workers providing essential services, particularly in prisons and detention centres," the health ministry said in a statement. "Vaccines in detention centres are included in the logistics of the campaign and more details will be provided in due time, for both detainees and guards." The ministry added that all plans depend on how many doses of the vaccine the province receives in the coming months.
Manitoba First Nation leaders are calling out the Province of Manitoba’s tabling of Bill 56 that removes the exemption for First Nations reserves, and certain federal jurisdiction areas, from the provincial tobacco control legislation. Once Bill 56 passes, legislative provisions on smoke-free places, retail display bans, and sales to minors will not be exempted from applying on reserves or in other areas. “In a time of reconciliation, this is not a positive step. Bill 56 is the Province proceeding with further steps to usurp First Nations jurisdiction,” said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Arlen Dumas in a press release. “This issue goes far beyond smoking bans as it holds ill-considered constitutional ramifications and sets negative precedence of provinces overstepping and interfering with constitutionally recognized and protected rights of First Nations.” Dumas added that First Nations in Manitoba were not consulted about the proposed legislation beforehand. If passed, he noted that First Nations will not hesitate to take this to court. “AMC and its members will continue to bring jurisdictional challenges through the court systems and fight as long as it takes for First Nations to receive autonomy,” said Dumas. “The Premier continues to refuse all First Nations attempts to resolve jurisdictional conflicts and appears content to continue his government’s thinly veiled practices of systemic racism.” The province stated Bill 56 will provide equitable access to healthy, smoke-free and vapour-free spaces across Manitoba and reduce smoking rates among children and youth. Current legislation which allows for the exceptions for the ceremonial or traditional use of tobacco will remain unchanged. “Now we see the province taking its own direction to decide that they are not going to recognize our jurisdiction. In fact, this is a direct attack on First Nations,” said Southern Chiefs' Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels on Friday. “We will continue to fight it vigorously, and many of our First Nation communities will step up to challenge the constitutionality of such policy and legislation.” Manitoba’s tobacco legislation was originally adopted in 1990 and came into force April 22, 1991. Between 1991 and 2004, there was no exemption for First Nation reserves. The ban on tobacco sales to minors under age 18 came into force in Manitoba in 1991. By 1994, there were provisions restricting smoking in public places, including banning smoking in retail stores, elementary and secondary schools, daycares, nursery schools, elevators, public transportation, and restaurants. Many other provincial laws of general application apply on reserves in Manitoba including highway traffic legislation, occupational health and safety legislation, elevator safety laws, environmental legislation. A lawyer for the Canadian Cancer Society said that Bill 56 is fully constitutional as exemplified by the fact that between 1991 and 2004 the Act did not have an exemption for reserves. “No other province has the exemption that Manitoba has,” said Rob Cunningham, who supports the legislation. “The tobacco control legislation is important public health. Everyone in Manitoba deserves first-class public health protection, and there should not be weaker health standards in part of the province.” Nicole Wong is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Nicole Wong, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said on Saturday he would step down as the leader of Reform UK, the rebranded Brexit Party he launched two years ago to campaign for what was commonly known as "no deal Brexit". Farage, who as leader of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP) applied pressure on the government to hold the 2016 EU referendum, said the Brexit Party had helped the Conservatives "come to their senses" and chose Boris Johnson as their leader with a pro-Brexit agenda.
Fire crews quickly extinguished a fire that had ignited a residential home in northeast Calgary on Saturday. According to Jim Wilson, acting battalion chief with Calgary's fire department, multiple calls reported a fire at a home on the 100 block of 44th Avenue N.E. around 4 p.m. on Saturday. On arrival, crews found a single family home with large volumes of smoke and flame coming from the front main floor of the house. "Crews performed an aggressive interior attack, and were able to confine the fire to the main floor of the house and do all necessary searches," Wilson said. "We have no occupants at this time." Wilson said crews weren't met by anyone at the scene, and subsequent searches of the home determined that no one was in the home at the time of the fire. No pets were injured as a result of the fire. "So we'll be ongoing, trying to ascertain owners and occupants," he said. "The investigation will be ongoing." Wilson said the first fire crew arrived on scene at 4:08 p.m. and had the fire under control by 4:21 p.m.
LAS VEGAS — Kyle Larson was out of NASCAR long enough to wonder if he'd still feel comfortable in a Cup car. He raced in nearly 100 events last year, just not in 3,400-pound stock cars. Would it feel the same as he remembered? Had his familiarity with the interior faded? His instincts slipped? Larson, who won 42 of 83 open-wheel races during his NASCAR suspension for using a racial slur, has fallen right back into the old routine. “I thought there would be cobwebs and rust. But maybe because I raced so much last year in sprint cars and open wheel cars ... I felt as fresh as ever," Larson said. "When I got in the car and put my head-and-neck restraint on and buckled up, everything just felt normal. It didn’t feel like I had been out of the car a long time. “Even shifting gears and coming down pit road and stopping on my pit sign and stuff like that, like it’s all come natural so far." Larson, fired by Chip Ganassi Racing after using a racial slur during an iRacing event in April, was hired by Hendrick Motorsports when his ban was lifted at the end of last season. His official return was last month at Daytona International Speedway, where he opened his second chance in NASCAR with a 10th-place finish in the Daytona 500. He was running in the top three with seven laps remaining a week later on the Daytona road course when Larson, in a moment of admitted over-aggressiveness, spun his Chevrolet and fell to a 30th-place finish. Last week at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Larson led five laps and finished fourth, marking back-to-back weeks he believed he had a shot to win. Next up is Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It's the fourth race of the season and falls one day short of his fourth and final Cup race a year ago. The season was paused for the pandemic, Larson was suspended during the shutdown and missed the final 32 races of the year. Despite his layoff and the move to a new organization, he's already fitting in well at Hendrick Motorsports. The team got its first win of the season last week from William Byron, a playoff driver who typically hovers around the cutoff mark but is now automatically qualified. Alex Bowman had one of the fastest cars at the Daytona 500, and reigning series champion Chase Elliott could have won both the Daytona 500 and the road course race a week later. Chad Knaus, vice-president of competition, believes Hendrick drivers could have swept the first three races of the season and Larson could get a victory soon. Coming off the suspension, Larson has made a strong off-track impression on Hendrick, too. He has been a welcome addition to the driver debriefs, which no longer include seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson downloading information for the first time in nearly two decades. “I've been really impressed with Kyle. Having him here, he's been very open, very forthcoming with information from what he's feeling,” Knaus said. “He's an open book. He's been great and we could not be more pleased with his performance.” He's also noticed a patience in Larson, particularly at Homestead last week when Larson could have been too aggressive with his preferred style of riding up against the wall. “Everybody also had the thought of Kyle, fast but he crashes. Or fast but he hits the wall, fast but does a lot of those things,” Knaus said. "Homestead would have been a great opportunity to compromise the car and he didn't do it. He ran top-five all day long, didn't think he had more than that and didn't want to push it. “That's a high level of maturity that I did not know he had.” NEW WINNERS Las Vegas should be the track that returns some normalcy to victory lane after three surprise winners through the first three races. Michael McDowell and Christopher Bell scored the first wins of their careers to open the season and Byron earned his second-ever Cup victory. But the 1.5-mile traditional intermediate Las Vegas track represents the type of track the Cup cars frequent most and the top teams really pull away from the pack. Six of the drivers in Sunday's field are previous Las Vegas winners, including two-time defending race winner Joey Logano. Denny Hamlin, the current Cup points leader, has never won in 18 starts at Las Vegas. ODDS AND ENDS Harvick is the 5-1 favourite to win Las Vegas, where he won in 2016 and 2018. Martin Truex Jr. is 13-2, while Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin are both 8-1. Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano are 9-1 and Logano is the defending race winner. ... Chase Briscoe is leading the rookie of the year standings by nine points over Anthony Alfredo. Briscoe last season was the first Xfinity Series driver in history to sweep the Las Vegas races. ... Raiders quarterback David Carr is the grand marshal. ... Spectators returned to the speedway for the first time since last February's race. The speedway was permitted to host approximately 12,500 fans and tickets sold out for all three days of racing. Infield camping was not permitted. "This is the first time I can ever remember being disappointed to announce a sellout,” said Chris Powell, track president. Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
