Actor Rob Lowe says he's gone "down the rabbit hole" in researching his geneology, and is enjoying deeper conversations on his podcast. (Nov. 25)
Former President Donald Trump considered replacing the acting attorney general with an official willing to pursue unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, and he pushed the Justice Department to ask the Supreme Court to invalidate President Joe Biden’s victory, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said the efforts in the last weeks of Trump's presidency failed because of resistance from his Justice appointees who refused to file what they viewed as a legally baseless lawsuit in the Supreme Court. Other senior department officials later threatened to resign if Trump fired then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, several people familiar with the discussions told the Journal.
Restrictions on in-person social activities have been a critical part of combating the COVID-19 pandemic and are likely to continue in the months ahead. But as the pandemic continues, researchers have also been exploring the impacts of loneliness and social isolation on mental health. Emilie Kossick is a knowledge manager at the Canadian Institute of Public Safety Research and Treatment and holds a master's degree in experimental and applied psychology from the University of Regina. She says while this year has been a dramatic example of social isolation on a large scale, the actual problem is not new. "There are groups like Arctic researchers or astronauts preparing for long-haul missions who have experienced it," she said of isolation. "Inmates or seniors living in long-term care facilities also experience social isolation." Because of this, researchers have already been studying the short and long-term effects of isolation. Kossick said she has come across a number of studies that may help explain what people are going through at this point in the pandemic. "Within three months to a year, [isolation] starts to affect your sleep patterns," she said. "It impairs your immune system and our neurocognitive functions. It's also common to see changes in personality. If you're experiencing loneliness, you can feel depressed or anxious. "And these all appear to be symptoms caused by decreases in brain volume in areas of the brain that control decision-making, social behaviour, emotion, regulation, learning and memory." In the longer term, Kossick said social isolation can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, memory decline and dementia. Kossick said many of our negative reactions to prolonged isolation stem from the fact that humans evolved as social creatures. "Even introverted people who are comfortable on their own usually have a small group of friends and family that they rely on for support and social connection," she said. "So when we're denied that support — like during a pandemic — or when it disappears as we age, it has a great effect on the way our brain works, because it's just not designed to work alone." While she recognized that many of our normal strategies for breaking isolation "just don't work in a pandemic," Kossick said there are strategies people can use to shore up their mental health and feel less lonely this year. "The things you can do … are to create as much structure and predictability as you can with the pieces of your life that you can control," she said. "So try to structure your day. Incorporate activities and hobbies that you enjoy. And embrace technology's ability to keep you in contact with friends and family." Kossick also suggested attending an art event online, whether that's a virtual gallery opening or a live-streamed concert, can help "bring us all together" while we remain at home. While the collective experience of the pandemic won't last forever, Kossick hopes some of what we've learned this year will be able to help people who were already isolated before the pandemic began. She said she hoped that translated to increased research and understanding in the public helps combat social isolation in populations that deal with it on a regular basis outside of a pandemic. "I think this has really shined a light on the causes and effects of loneliness, especially for people in long-term care, who right now are very much alone," she said. "We're trying to do that for their safety and their physical health, but obviously it's impacting their mental health."
Montreal police say they responded this morning to two large gatherings in the city's Outremont neighbourhood, their third such intervention in the area in under 24 hours. Service de Police de la Ville de Montreal spokeswoman Veronique Comtois says all three gatherings were held at places of worship and involved more than 10 people, the limit for indoor religious gatherings. Police responded to the first gathering around 5:15 p.m. Friday, the second around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, and the third around two hours later at 11:45 a.m. Officers took the names of people present at the scenes and will submit reports to Quebec's office of criminal prosecutions, which will decide whether to pursue further penalties. Quebec banned religious gatherings in its latest round of lockdowns earlier this month, but reversed the ban on Thursday after outcry from religious groups. Comtois says police issued three fines for curfew violations in the same area on Friday night, in incidents unrelated to the gathering earlier that evening. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021. The Canadian Press
An effort to shake off some homesickness led Adam DuBourdieu to mix pop culture and provincial politics — namely, taking politicians involved in this election and matching them with their visual counterparts on "The Simpsons." Originally from Kippens on the province’s west coast, DuBourdieu, 30, moved to Edmonton, Alta., just before the COVID-19 pandemic set in. As with many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, he experienced homesickness in the months that followed the move. A keen follower of local politics when living in the province, DuBourdieu set about combatting his traveller’s lament by having some fun with the upcoming provincial election. Combining his love for "The Simpsons" and politics, he matched the politicians running in the election with the Simpsons character he saw as their cartoon counterparts. “I always loved watching 'The Simpsons,'” DuBourdieu. “I watched it with my dad.” Some matchups were tough, while others were easy fits, such as the NDP’s Jim Dinn, a former schoolteacher, and his match with Principal Skinner. "You can't take yourself too seriously. Being a teacher, that's par for the course," Dinn said of that character match. Dinn has seen the rather large social media thread containing the pictures. He said that as a teacher, he learned long ago that you have to have a sense of humour, and it's a lesson he's taken with him to politics. Seeing the thread, he took it in good fun. He said it could be worse. It could turn into a meme like a recent picture of United States Senator Bernie Sanders. "Let's have a laugh with it," said Dinn. "It's a good thing. It's a bit of good fun." The result was a 47-part thread on Twitter filled with pictures of the politicians and their characters side by side. It is a mixture of retiring MHAs, incumbents and party leaders of all political stripes. "The Simpsons" and politics have a bit of history. Across its 32 seasons, the show has mixed humour and politics. The show seemingly predicted the start of the United States presidency of Donald J. Trump, and the Lisa Simpson presidency that followed him. Coincidentally, Torngat Mountains MHA Lela Evans is paired with the presidential Lisa. The relationship, however, between "The Simpsons" and the political arena doesn’t stop at a coincidental presidential prediction. The show has often tackled topics of the day, such as same-sex marriage and gun control, and it has often been accused of having a liberal bias. Springfield’s Mayor Quimby is a regularly appearing character, and DuBourdieu saw him as a perfect match for Conception Bay East-Bell Island incumbent David Brazil. Homer Simpson — coupled with Topsail-Paradise MHA Paul Dinn — once fought former U.S. president George H.W. Bush after the two became neighbours. Former U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Gerald Ford have also made cameo appearances on the show. DuBourdieu tabbed Ford as the right match with Mount Pearl North MHA Jim Lester. “Politics has always been in 'The Simpsons,' and Newfoundland politics has some characters,” said DuBourdieu. Harbour Grace-Port de Grave MHA Pam Parsons knew at once who voiced Bart Simpsons’ former babysitter, Laura Powers. “That’s the one where Darlene from Roseanne voiced the character. Sara Gilbert,” she said. Like other children of the ’80s and early ’90s, Parsons grew up in the early years of "The Simpsons." She saw the show move from animated shorts on "The Tracy Ullman Show" to a pop culture phenomenon on Fox. “Growing up as a child, I certainly watched 'The Simpsons.' I loved Bart Simpson. I think we all did,” said Parsons. “I even had the little toys that McDonald’s was putting out.” Parsons is one of 10 women featured in the long Twitter thread. Of the 10, nine are incumbent MHAs and their animated doppelgangers. The remaining one is Newfoundland and Labrador Lt.-Gov. Judy Foote. She was paired with Springfield Elementary second-grade teacher Mrs. Hoover. “I like that (Dubourdieu) was non-partisan,” said Parsons, who appreciated the comedic break it offered. “I got a good chuckle out of it.” The response to the sizeable thread has been favourable online. It was something that surprised DuBourdieu at first. Since it went online, there have been dozens of interactions between politicians and the public. People have marvelled at how perfect some of the comparisons are, such as independent MHA Eddie Joyce being matched with oil tycoon Rich Texan. “It is something people are familiar with,” DuBourdieu said about why he chose to use "The Simpsons" as a reference point. Liberal candidate George Murphy tweeted that he thought of himself as the lovable barfly Barney Gumble instead of Police Chief Wiggum, the character he is attached to. Other candidates, such as Progressive Conservative candidate Kristina Ennis and the NDP’s Jenn Deon, have expressed interest in being connected to their Simpsons doubles. Lake Melville NDP candidate Amy Hogan even went ahead and did her own. It was Jerri Mackleberry, the mother of notable twins Sherri and Terri. “I think I’m probably the twins, Sherri and Terri’s mom, Jerri. It’s is the purple hair and the glasses,” Hogan tweeted. DuBourdieu pledged to do a third part of the thread if there is enough interest. In the days since it was posted, a link to the thread made its way around the Progressive Conservative email chain. “We got a good kick out of it,” said Conservative MHA Barry Petten. "You can’t help but laugh.” The Conception Bay South representative readily admitted he wasn’t much of a Simpsons watcher and had little background on Superintendent Chalmers or why he was paired with him. Still, Petten said he appreciated the work and the humour it brought to the election. “It’s all good humour,” he said. Looking back on the process and the result of his humourous entry into the Newfoundland and Labrador political scene, DuBourdieu has no regrets about piecing everything together. Some comparisons were easy, while others required a bit more thought, he said, and he learned a little along the way, namely, how male-dominated this province’s legislature is. As the province rolls toward the election on Feb. 13, DuBourdieu will watch from his home in Alberta. In the meantime, he is glad he got to contribute to the run-up in some way. “I’m glad I did it and I hope people get a good chuckle out of it,” said DuBourdieu. Nicholas Mercer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Central Voice
La Septîlienne Émilie Maïsterrena est auteure et éditrice de ses propres romans d’horreur-fiction. Grâce à Cauchemars Airlines, l’auteure propose aux gens d’embarquer à bord de vols au cœur de son imagination, avec elle comme commandant. Déjà à la maternelle, son enseignante de l’époque avait remarqué qu’Émilie se passionnait pour l’écriture. Elle a quelque peu perdu la flamme à l’adolescence, mais s’y est remise depuis 3 ans. À présent, elle revient en force avec un concept soutenu, tournant autour des voyages, de l’horreur et d’histoires dignes des pires cauchemars. Dans son roman Oslav, Émilie propose aux lecteurs d’embarquer à bord du vol 218, à destination de la Côte-Nord, afin de découvrir ce territoire d’une toute autre manière. Il respecte son univers, tout comme ses autres créations, toutes autant surprenantes les unes que les autres. Le vol 513, sa prochaine parution, sera sorti tout droit de son côté obscur, qu’elle dit ne pas avoir montré complètement dans Oslav, œuvre qu’elle juge plus douce. Le site web et la page Facebook de l’auteure contiennent et des informations inédites sur les personnages, à travers de courtes nouvelles. De plus, Émilie Maïsterenna s’y entretiens en direct à ses lecteurs. Son roman est disponible en s’adressant directement à la dame, via ces plateformes. Il est actuellement en réimpression, les premières copies ayant toutes été vendues. Voici le lien de la page Facebook de l’auteure :https://www.facebook.com/emiliemaisterrenaauteureKarine Lachance, Initiative de journalisme local, Ma Côte-Nord
PARIS — Improving Monaco beat Marseille 3-1 in the French league on Saturday for a fifth win in six games, while the struggling visitors slipped to a fourth straight defeat despite taking an early lead. After defender Guillermo Maripan equalized for Monaco, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni headed in the second goal and forward Stevan Jovetic thumped in a superb angled free kick in the last minute to complete what ended up as a comfortable win. Fourth-place Monaco moved one point behind third-place Lyon, which plays on Sunday, while Marseille remains in sixth spot. Arkadiusz Milik started on the bench for Marseille after joining on loan from Italian club Napoli. The Poland striker, who signed an 18-month deal late Thursday night, scored 48 goals in four seasons for Napoli but had not featured for the Italian club during this campaign. Marseille took a deserved lead in the 11th minute when winger Nemanja Radonjic chased a long ball out of defence, sprinted clear down the left flank and finished confidently from close range. For much of the first half Marseille looked the better side, but familiar frailties resurfaced. Maripan headed in the equalizer from a corner just after the break, with Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda rooted to the spot as the ball sailed into the top corner. Milik replaced the ineffective Dario Benedetto on the hour mark, and Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas brought on playmaker Dimitri Payet and forward Valere Germain shortly after. But Villas-Boas may have been better off securing things at the back. Terrible defending cost Marseille again, this time as Tchouameni was completely unmarked when heading Aleksandr Golovin's corner from the left past the stranded Mandanda in the 74th. SCORER LIMPS OFF Youcef Atal paid the price for scoring for Nice in a 1-0 win at Lens, limping off injured with a hamstring injury moments after his goal. The speedy winger netted in the 49th minute when he cut inside the penalty area from the right and finished smartly with his left foot. The win moved Nice one place up to 13th, while Lens was in seventh spot ahead of Sunday's games. SUNDAY'S ACTION Second-place Lille needs to win at fifth-place Rennes on Sunday to move level on points with leader Paris Saint-Germain, which has a much better goal difference. Lyon travels to local rival Saint-Etienne, which is missing several players because of the coronavirus. Also, Raymond Domenech looks for his first win as Nantes coach away to midtable Metz. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
Alberta reported 573 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, and 13 more deaths. Active cases continue to drop, with 9,727 total cases of the illness in Alberta reported Saturday, a decrease of 260 from Friday. Hospitalizations also saw a slight decrease, with 676 people in hospital with the illness on Saturday — down 15 from Friday — including 114 in intensive care unit beds. On Friday, there were 691 people in hospital, with 115 in intensive care unit beds. Provincial labs completed 10,894 tests for the disease on Friday, for a positivity rate of about 5.3 per cent, down fromabout 13,000 tests completed on Thursday. The positivity rate remained about the same from the previous day, which had a positivity rate of five per cent. Of the 13 deaths reported Saturday, two involved people in their 20s: a man and a woman, both in the Calgary zone. Three deaths in total were in the Calgary zone, four in the Edmonton zone, four in the North zone, and two in the Central zone. The deaths occurred between Dec. 16 and Jan. 22. Since the pandemic began last March, there have been 120,330 cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, including 1,525 deaths from the disease. Here's a regional breakdown of active cases: Calgary zone: 3,786 Edmonton zone: 3,407 North zone: 1,325 Central zone: 799 South zone: 396 Unknown: 14 An additional 1,022 doses of vaccine had been administered by the end of the day on Friday, bringing the total number of doses administered to 98,807. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, will provide her next in-person COVID-19 update on Monday.
TORONTO — The federal government has approved an Ottawa company's made-in-Canada rapid COVID-19 test, Health Canada confirmed Saturday as the nation's top doctor warned the virus's impact on the health-care system showed no signs of abating. The test developed by Spartan Bioscience is performed by a doctor and provides on-site results within an hour, a spokeswoman for the federal agency said. Spartan bills the test as the first "truly mobile, rapid PCR test for COVID-19 for the Canadian market." "The Spartan system will be able to provide quality results to remote communities, industries and settings with limited lab access, helping relieve the burden on overwhelmed healthcare facilities," the company said in a news release Saturday. The company originally unveiled a rapid test for COVID-19 last spring but had to voluntarily recall it and perform additional studies after Health Canada expressed some reservations. At the time, Spartan said Health Canada was concerned about the "efficacy of the proprietary swab" for the testing product. The new version uses "any nasopharyngeal swab" rather than one of the company's own design, Health Canada said, and meets the agency's requirements for both safety and effectiveness. The Spartan COVID-19 System was developed through clinical evaluation completed in Canada and the U.S., with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute as one of the testing locations. The company said it has already started production on the rapid tests. The news comes as Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, warned that COVID-19 continues to strain the health-care system even as daily case counts decline in several long-standing hot spots. "As severe outcomes lag behind increased disease activity, we can expect to see ongoing heavy impacts on our healthcare system and health workforce for weeks to come," she said in a written statement. Surging new infection rates continued to show signs of easing in multiple provinces, though one jurisdiction was poised to impose new restrictions in a bid to stem the ongoing spread. Public health officials in New Brunswick reported 17 new cases across the province, 10 of which were in the Edmundston region, which was set to go into a lockdown first thing Sunday morning. Starting at midnight, non-essential travel is prohibited in and out of the area, which borders northern Maine and Quebec's Bas-St-Laurent region. The health order forces the closure of all non-essential businesses as well as schools and public spaces, including outdoor ice rinks and ski hills. All indoor and outdoor gatherings among people of different households are prohibited. Saskatchewan, meanwhile, logged 274 new cases of the virus and three new deaths, while Manitoba counted three more deaths and 216 new diagnoses. Alberta logged 573 new cases and 13 virus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, while both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new infections on Saturday. Both Quebec and Ontario reported fewer cases Saturday — 1,685 and 2,359 respectively. But officials in Ontario expressed concern about a highly contagious U.K. variant of the virus that was detected at a long-term care facility north of Toronto. Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed the variant was behind the outbreak at Roberta Place Retirement Lodge in Barrie, Ont., where 32 residents have died of COVID-19 and dozens of others have tested positive. "Stringent and consistent efforts are needed to sustain a downward trend in case counts and strongly suppress COVID-19 activity across Canada," Tam said. "This will not only prevent more tragic outcomes, but will help to ensure that new virus variants of concern do not have the opportunity to spread." Fears of variants that can circulate quickly come as the federal government considers a mandatory quarantine in hotels for travellers returning to Canada. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021. Victoria Ahearn and Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
Germany's motor vehicle authority (KBA) is looking into safety risks related to touchscreen displays in Tesla cars and has asked the U.S. auto maker to provide information following a similar request by U.S. authorities, a KBA spokesman was quoted as saying. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Wednesday asked Tesla to recall 158,000 Model S and Model X vehicles over media control unit (MCU) failures that could pose safety risks by leading to touchscreen displays not working.
MOSCOW — Russian police arrested more than 3,000 people Saturday in nationwide protests demanding the release of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the Kremlin's most prominent foe, according to a group that counts political detentions. The protests in scores of cities in temperatures as low as minus-50 C (minus-58 F) highlighted how Navalny has built influence far beyond the political and cultural centres of Moscow and St. Petersburg. In Moscow, an estimated 15,000 demonstrators gathered in and around Pushkin Square in the city centre, where clashes with police broke out and demonstrators were roughly dragged off by helmeted riot officers to police buses and detention trucks. Some were beaten with batons. Navalny’s wife Yulia was among those arrested. Police eventually pushed demonstrators out of the square. Thousands then regrouped along a wide boulevard about a kilometre (half-mile) away, many of them throwing snowballs at the police before dispersing. Some later went to protest near the jail where Navalny is held. Police made an undetermined number of arrests there. The protests stretched across Russia’s vast territory, from the island city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk north of Japan and the eastern Siberian city of Yakutsk, where temperatures plunged to minus-50 Celsius, to Russia’s more populous European cities. Navalny and his anti-corruption campaign have built an extensive network of support despite official government repression and being routinely ignored by state media. “The situation is getting worse and worse, it’s total lawlessness," said Andrei Gorkyov, a protester in Moscow. "And if we stay silent, it will go on forever.” The OVD-Info group, which monitors political arrests, said at least 1,167 people were detained in Moscow and more than 460 at another large demonstration in St. Petersburg. Overall, it said 3,068 people had been arrested in some 90 cities, revising the count downward from its earlier report of 3,445. The group did not give an explanation for its revision. Russian police did not provide arrest figures. Undeterred, Navalny's supporters called for protests again next weekend. Navalny was arrested on Jan. 17 when he returned to Moscow from Germany, where he had spent five months recovering from a severe nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin and which Russian authorities deny. Authorities say his stay in Germany violated terms of a suspended sentence in a 2014 criminal conviction, while Navalny says the conviction was for made-up charges. The 44-year-old activist is well known nationally for his reports on the corruption that has flourished under President Vladimir Putin's government. His wide support puts the Kremlin in a strategic bind — officials are apparently unwilling to back down by letting him go free, but keeping him in custody risks more protests and criticism from the West. In a statement, the U.S. State Department condemned “the use of harsh tactics against protesters and journalists this weekend in cities throughout Russia” and called on Russian authorities to immediately release Navalny and all those detained at protests. Navalny faces a court hearing in early February to determine whether his sentence in the criminal case for fraud and money-laundering — which Navalny says was politically motivated — is converted to 3 1/2 years behind bars. Moscow police on Thursday arrested three top Navalny associates, two of whom were later jailed for periods of nine and 10 days. Navalny fell into a coma while aboard a domestic flight from Siberia to Moscow on Aug. 20. He was transferred from a hospital in Siberia to a Berlin hospital two days later. Labs in Germany, France and Sweden, and tests by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, established that he was exposed to the Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent. Russian authorities insisted that the doctors who treated Navalny in Siberia before he was airlifted to Germany found no traces of poison and have challenged German officials to provide proof of his poisoning. Russia refused to open a full-fledged criminal inquiry, citing a lack of evidence that Navalny was poisoned. Last month, Navalny released the recording of a phone call he said he made to a man he described as an alleged member of a group of officers of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, who purportedly poisoned him in August and then tried to cover it up. The FSB dismissed the recording as fake. Navalny has been a thorn in the Kremlin’s side for a decade, unusually durable in an opposition movement often demoralized by repressions. He has been jailed repeatedly in connection with protests and twice was convicted of financial misdeeds in cases that he said were politically motivated. He suffered significant eye damage when an assailant threw disinfectant into his face. He was taken from jail to a hospital in 2019 with an illness that authorities said was an allergic reaction but which many suspected was a poisoning. Daria Litvinova And Jim Heintz, The Associated Press
The federal government is providing Ontario with some much-needed support in the fight against COVID-19. Ottawa is deploying two mobile health units – an additional 200 beds – to the Greater Toronto Area. The assistance comes as the province grapples with the growing strain on its hospital system. Morganne Campbell has more in this report.
A COVID-19 scare caused Canada's planned scrimmage with the U.S. to be called off Saturday in Bradenton, Fla.The Canadian men had been scheduled to play two 70-minute soccer scrimmages against the Americans. Both teams are in camp, in separate bubbles, at the IMG Center.But four inconclusive tests from players/staff in the Canadian camp Friday caused the teams to cancel the match as a precaution. With both camps coming to an end on the weekend, there was no opportunity to reschedule."This is part of the learning we were hoping to be exposed to when we're down here, to understand how to adapt on the fly to a new COVID reality," Canada coach John Herdman said in an interview. "And again right at the core of everyone's decision are the health and safety of players. It's difficult times but we have to experience it to know how to adapt and then come out of it stronger."The inconclusive Canadian tests eventually came back negative and the Canadians played an intrasquad game instead.The match was billed as Red versus White with more veteran players at the core of the Red team. The youngsters won 1-0, however, with Vancouver Whitecaps defender Derek Cornelius knocking in a rebound."It's unfortunate the timing," Herdman said if the cancelled U.S. scrimmage. "But at the end of the day we got out of today what we hoped, which was another opportunity to assess all the players and get a sense of how our young players are tracking for the men's national team or the Olympic squad. And there were some real good learnings today."World Cup and CONCACAF Olympic qualifying are scheduled to begin in March. The Gold Cup follows in July.Herdman called the replacement intrasquad contest "an intense match.""These players when they compete against each other they tend to ramp it up another level," he said."It was a close game and a tough match for both teams," he added.The youngsters also won the first intrasquad scrimmage last Sunday, with Whitecaps forward Theo Bair scoring the lone goal after Toronto FC winger Jacob Shaffelburg was taken down by CF Montreal defender Kama Miller. Vancouver 'keeper Maxime Crepeau saved Pacific FC's Marco Bustos' penalty but Bair headed the rebound in.The Canada camp did not fall in a FIFA international window so top players like Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich). Jonathan David (Lille), Scott Arfield (Rangers), Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City), Milan Borjan (Red Star Belgrade) and Atba Hutchinson and Cyle Larin (both Besiktas) were not called in.But Herdman likes what he saw from those on hand, knowing depth could be crucial in a busy 2021. Because of COVID, a sore throat or case of the sniffles carry different implications and consequences these days, he noted."We're going to have to take bigger squads into our environments," Herdman said. "That's going to create a lot more opportunities."And I think a lot of these young players, particularly the guys that have broken through in MLS (last) year — Tajon Buchanan (New England), Alistair Johnston (Nashville SC), Ralph Priso (Toronto FC), Derek Cornelius (Vancouver) — there was a lot of the younger core players that showed that they could potentially push into that MNT (men's national team) environment."Herdman said with the uncertainty over the start of the 2021 MLS season, he may try for another camp for the North American players in advance of March. ---Follow @NeilMDavidson on TwitterThis report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021 Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
Avec les 580 000 onces d’or récemment inférées, la valeur potentielle de la propriété de Troilus, au nord-est de Chibougamau, s’évalue provisoirement à environ huit millions d’onces. Avec ces quantités, assure le géologue en chef de Troilus, Bertrand Brassard, la firme s’élève au niveau des jours majeurs au Québec et à un niveau important au Canada. Il faudra tout de même attendre pour avoir un constat plus juste du potentiel de la propriété. « Il y a eu d’autres forages entre septembre et décembre 2020, dont on attend les résultats, explique Bertrand Brassard. Les laboratoires au Québec sont submergés. Il y a beaucoup de forages actuellement. » Plus de 100 000 hectares D’une part, la compagnie basée à Toronto,mais bénéficiant d’investissements québécois, notamment du Fonds de solidarité de la FTQ, n’a pas encore ausculté l’ensemble de sa propriété. Par des transactions avec le gouvernement québécois et d’autres minières, la propriété de Troilus est passée de 16 000 hectares à plus de 100 000hectares, qui n’ont pas encore été pleinement prospectés. De surcroit,il faut préciser qu’une quantité inférée possède un certain degré de certitude,mais n’est pas une quantité garantie à 100%. Il s’agit du stade précédant indiqué, puis avéré. « Nous aurions besoin de forages supplémentaires pour transférer dans la catégorie indiqué », explique Bertrand Brassard. Des consultations avec les Cris Avec la pandémie de COVID-19,Troilus a perdu six mois d’exploration et d’études géotechniques.En 2021, la compagnie veut continuer les forages et faire différentes études, dont une de faisabilité. « Ça nous dira le financement qui sera nécessaire, explique M. Brassard. Jusqu’à quelle profondeur forer, etc. » Troilus compte poursuivre les consultations avec le Grand Conseil des Cris et la Première Nation de Mistissini. L’eau s’est accumulée au fil des ans dans les mines à ciel ouvert,mais le dénoyage a déjà commencé et devrait se poursuivre, préalable à de probables travaux d’agrandissements. Vendre ou exploiter En fait, la propriété Troilus pourrait être miseen exploitation d’ici quelques années, mais le géologue en chef ne peut pas dire pour l’instant si la compagnie le fera elle-même. « Troilus est une compagnie junior, précise-t-il. Habituellement, les compagnies junior font de la prospection, de la mise en valeur. On peut vendre ou exploiter, nous ne savons pas encore. Ça dépendra comment évoluent les marchés. » Selon les estimations, la mine a un cycle de vie de 22 ans avec 246 000 onces d’or durant les 14 premières années. Outre ses claims, Troilus posséderait pour 350 M$ USd’infrastructures : garages, routes, une station et des lignes électriques, une usine de traitement d’eau,etc. « Il faudrait rebâtir l’usine », concède le géologue. Il faudrait aussi rebâtir un camp, le précédent ayant été démantelé. En août 2020, Troilus a été la première société au Canada à recevoir la certificationECOLOGO visant les entreprises d'exploration minière démontrant un engagement envers les pratiques exemplaires sur les plans environnemental et social. La zone sud-ouest C’est dans la zone sud-ouestque sesituent les 580 000 onces d’or inférées; cette zone est incluse dans les anciens dépôts de First Quantum, où deux mines à ciel ouvert ont déjà donné deux millions d’once d’or. « Nous avons creusé plus profondément et de manière latérale dans ce secteur, explique Bertrand Brassard. Il y avait plus d’or qu’anticipé. » « En seulement 12 mois », affirme le directeur général de Troilus, Justin Reid, « notre équipe de géologues a découvert et analysé […] ce qui pourrait être les résultats les plus signifiants de nouveaux forages dans la ceinture de roches vertes de Frôtet-Evans depuis la découverte de la mine Troilus, il y a 35 ans. »Denis Lord, Initiative de journalisme local, La Sentinelle
The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern): 6:25 p.m. Alberta's chief medical officer of health is reporting 13 new COVID-19 deaths. Dr. Deena Hinshaw says in a series of tweets that the province has seen 573 new cases of the novel coronavirus over the previous 24 hours. That's out of a total of 10,894 tests, for a test-positivity rate of 5.3 per cent. Hinshaw says there are 676 people in Alberta hospitals with COVID-19, 114 of whom are in intensive care. --- 5:00 p.m. Saskatchewan is reporting three new deaths of people with COVID-19, as well as 274 new cases. The province's daily pandemic update says 1,110 vaccine doses were given out Friday, and that 96 per cent of the doses Saskatchewan has received have now been administered. Saskatchewan currently has 3,161 active COVID-19 cases. --- 3:10 p.m. Manitoba is reporting three additional deaths of people with COVID-19 as well as 216 new cases of the virus. The province says a rapid testing centre is now taking appointments for all teachers and other school staff who work with students. The Fast Pass centre is in Winnipeg and promises same-day results. Eligible clients must be either symptomatic or live with someone who is symptomatic, or be identified as a close contact through an exposure at school. Manitoba officials report there are 272 people with COVID-19 in hospital, including 40 in intensive care. --- 1:50 p.m. Nunavut health officials are announcing a second active COVID-19 case in the Hudson Bay community of Arviat. The territory had gone weeks without any new cases, but then reported one new case in Arviat on Friday. Officials say in a news release that the second person is asymptomatic, doing well and isolating, noting contact tracing is underway. Arviat, a community of about 2,800, had been the centre of Nunavut's largest COVID-19 outbreak and at one point had 222 cases. Nunavut's chief public health officer says in the news release that there is no evidence of community transmission, and that the risk of the virus spreading is lower now than it was in November when the territory reported its first COVID-19 case. --- 1 p.m. Public health officials in New Brunswick are reporting 17 new cases of COVID-19 in the province today. Ten of the new cases are in the Edmundston region, which will go into a lockdown first thing tomorrow. There are now 328 active cases in the province with five patients in hospital, including three in intensive care. New Brunswick has had 1,104 positive cases and 13 deaths since the pandemic began. --- 12:40 p.m. Public health officials in Newfoundland and Labrador say there are no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 to report today. The province has five active cases and one person is in hospital. There have been 398 positive cases and four deaths since the pandemic began. --- 12:30 p.m. Public health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting no new cases of COVID-19 in the province today. Nova Scotia currently has 20 active cases of the virus. Premier Stephen McNeil says Nova Scotians can be proud of the work they're doing to keep the case numbers low. The province has had 1,570 positive cases and 65 deaths since the start of the pandemic. --- 11:15 a.m. Quebec is reporting 1,685 new COVID-19 cases Saturday as daily counts continue to decline. The province is also reporting 76 new deaths attributed to COVID-19, for a total of 9,437 since the onset of the pandemic. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 dropped by 43, to 1,383. --- 11 a.m. Ontario is reporting 2,359 new cases of COVID-19 today and 52 more deaths related to the virus. The numbers mark a slight decline from the 2,662 cases recorded a day ago. Meanwhile the province says it plans to expand an inspection blitz of big-box stores to ensure they're complying with protocols meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Ministry of Labour says inspection efforts focused on the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas last weekend, but will concentrate on Ottawa, Windsor, Niagara and Durham Regions over the next two days. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021. The Canadian Press
WASHINGTON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made clear to President Joe Biden on Saturday that he's eager to forge a new U.S.-U.K. trade deal. The push for a new deal came in a broad-ranging call between the two leaders that touched on the global response to the coronavirus pandemic as well as the Biden administration announcing this week that the U.S. would rejoin the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization, according to a statement from Downing Street. A new trade agreement between the allies is a higher priority for Johnson than it is for Biden. The U.K. regained control over its national trade policy at the start of the month following the end of a post-Brexit transition period. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that the administration had no timeline for forging a new trade deal as Biden's attention is largely focused on getting the coronavirus pandemic under control and pressing Congress to pass the president's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan. Janet Yellen, Biden's Treasury secretary nominee, also signalled during her confirmation hearing earlier this week that Biden wasn't eager to negotiate new trade deals. “President Biden has been clear that he will not sign any new free trade agreements before the U.S. makes major investments in American workers and our infrastructure,” Yellen said. Downing Street said Saturday that Biden and Johnson discussed “the benefits of a potential free trade deal between our two countries," and Johnson “reiterated his intention to resolve existing trade issues as soon as possible." The call with Johnson was at least Biden's third call with a foreign counterpart since Friday. The president spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Friday evening. Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press
VANCOUVER — A burned body, believed to be of a homeless person, has been found in a forested area of North Vancouver, B.C. RCMP Sgt. Peter DeVries says no foul play is suspected at this time and instead this appears to be a tragic accident. He says a resident of a nearby home called police around 5 p.m. Friday about a fire in the bushes behind the Phibbs Exchange bus loop near Orwell Street. Police found the body along with items that suggested the person had set up shelter in the area. DeVries says the cause of the fire is under investigation but the temperature has dropped significantly in North Vancouver and the person might have been trying to warm themselves up. He says the coroners service is working to identify the person and it is not currently known if the individual was a woman or a man. He says it's not clear whether anyone other than the deceased person was camping there and no one else was at the scene when police arrived. DeVries is urging everyone to do what they can to help the homeless, especially as winter weather hits Metro Vancouver. "If you see homeless people, help them out," he said. He points to a program started by a fellow North Vancouver RCMP officer, Cpl. Randy Wong, called Warming the Homeless, which delivers socks, toques, mittens and other items to people living on the streets. When the weather gets cold, police proactively go out and find people who may be homeless and help them find shelter, DeVries added. "I know that police agencies throughout the Lower Mainland do the same things. It's a sad reality of society that this is the case." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021. The Canadian Press
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions hired Aaron Glenn to be their defensive co-ordinator. The Lions announced the move Saturday. Glenn joins new coach Dan Campbell's staff after spending the past five seasons as the secondary coach for the New Orleans Saints. Before his tenure in New Orleans, Glenn was an assistant defensive backs coach for the Cleveland Browns. He also worked as a personnel scout for the New York Jets for two seasons. Glenn was a three-time Pro Bowler as a player and played in 205 games in 15 years for the Jets, Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars and Saints. ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL The Associated Press
OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says he was once willing to give his former leadership rival Derek Sloan the benefit of the doubt, but no longer. And he dismissed the idea that kicking Sloan out of caucus this week has pitted him against one of the party's most powerful wings, social conservatives, whose support O'Toole courted directly during the leadership race last year in part by backing Sloan at the time. In an interview with The Canadian Press, O'Toole said he didn't believe Sloan meant to be racist last year in his characterization of chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam. That's why he opposed efforts then to kick him out of caucus, O'Toole said. "I always will give a colleague, or anyone in Parliament, in public life, the benefit of the doubt or, you know, listen to them the first time," O'Toole said. "And that was the case early on with Derek, when he said he did not mean to malign the intentions of Dr. Tam." But O'Toole said a "pattern developed" since then, and frustrations mounted that Sloan's extreme views posed an ever-present danger to the party's goal of forming government. It all appeared to come to a head last week. In the aftermath of riots in the U.S. led by extreme right wing supporters of now-former U.S. president Donald Trump. O'Toole faced pressure from caucus, conservative supporters and his rivals to firmly disavow any elements of extremism in his party's ranks. Last Sunday, O'Toole issued a statement doing just that. The next day, media organization PressProgress reported O'Toole's outrage over Sloan's leadership campaign accepting a donation from a known white nationalist. While O'Toole moved swiftly to start the process of kicking Sloan out — getting 20 per cent of MPs on side as required by law — he insisted the demand was driven by caucus, as evidenced in the majority vote to remove him. "The caucus was ready to make that decision and send a strong message that we are a welcoming party, we respect one another, and we respect Canadians," he said. O'Toole disputed accusations from Sloan and anti-abortion groups that the decision to kick him out had nothing to do with the Ontario MP's previous statements. In recent weeks, Sloan has been pushing to get as many socially conservative delegates as possible registered for the party's policy convention in March. Sloan, as well as the Campaign Life Coalition and RightNow, want enough delegates in their camp so motions they support will pass, including one that would remove the existing policy stating a Conservative government would never regulate abortion. They also want to elect a slate of directors to the party's national council to entrench their strength. Sloan said the decision to kick him out was a kneejerk reaction to what happened in the U.S. But he also contends the move was driven by anger from his fellow MP's unhappy to se him actively courting money and support in their ridings. He's pledged to name them so social conservatives know who is trying to silence their voices, he said. "They think they are little petty princes ruling these fiefdoms and no one else can have a say," Sloan said. O'Toole rejected the idea that Sloan's efforts amount to an attempt to take over the party, and O'Toole's own move was a bid to stop it. "There is no such effort to the extent that Mr. Sloan is suggesting," he said. Sloan had little national profile when he entered the Conservative leadership race just a few months after becoming an MP. But early on, he garnered attention for suggesting he wasn't certain of the scientific basis for a person being LGBTQ. From there, he quickly became well known for his often extreme social conservative views. His comments about Tam, in which he suggested her loyalty lay with China rather than Canada, sparked outrage and took criticism against him to the next level. Last spring, in discussing the Liberal government's pandemic response and Tam's use of suspect World Health Organization data from China, Sloan provocatively asked whether Tam was working for Canada or China. Tam was born in Hong Kong. Questioning someone's loyalty is considered a racist trope. Sloan denied he was being racist. Still, a number of Ontario MPs — some who were supporters of leadership contender and longtime Conservative Peter MacKay — began an effort to have him removed from caucus. O'Toole shut it down, for reasons he wouldn't divulge then, but to observers, it smacked of politics. MacKay was running a progressive campaign. O'Toole's was aimed at the more centre right, while Sloan and Leslyn Lewis were targeting the socially conservative right. With Sloan gone, his backers would have more likely gone to Lewis, splitting the vote on the right between her and O'Toole, giving MacKay a path to victory. Except O'Toole backed Sloan, and would later take out social media ads hyping his decision. It was one of several steps he took to directly court Sloan's supporters, and when it came to voting time, they would ultimately help put O'Toole over the top to beat MacKay. The way the race played out has led to questions for O'Toole ever since about how he'd balance the demands of the social conservative wing of the party with his stated intent to broaden its overall appeal. O'Toole said he's aware people have "trust issues" with his party, suggesting social media contributes to the issue and noting he must break that online bubble if he hopes to see his party win. "The Prime Minister has to try and bring the country together: the diversity of its people, its geography, its industries, and the points of view and backgrounds of everyone," he said of the office he hopes to hold. "No one ever said it's easy." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021. Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press
A snowmobiler has died after colliding with a vehicle in the town of Ingleside, Ont., Saturday afternoon, police say. The 44-year-old from South Stormont, Ont., had driven his snowmobile onto County Road 2 when he was struck by an eastbound vehicle at around 2 p.m., Ontario Provincial Police said in a media release. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, OPP said. His name has not yet been released. No one in the other vehicle was injured, police said. As of 5:20 p.m. detours were in place on County Road 2 between Dickinson Drive and Killarney Road. The crash happened about 25 kilometres west of Cornwall, Ont.
DALLAS — A 34-year-old Texas man has been arrested for allegedly taking part in the storming of the U.S. Capitol this month and posting violent threats, including a call to assassinate Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Garret Miller, who is from the Dallas suburb of Richardson, was arrested Friday after being named in a five-count federal complaint. Authorities allege that Miller posted photos and videos on his social media accounts that show him inside the Capitol during the Jan. 6 storming of the building by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. They also say he called for violence in online posts, including a tweet that simply read “Assassinate AOC,” a reference to the liberal Ocasio-Cortez. In another tweet, Miller posted: “They are right next time we bring the guns," an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit. Miller also threatened a U.S. Capitol police officer during an exchange on Instagram, writing that he planned to “hug his neck with a nice rope," the affidavit states. After posting a photo on Facebook showing him inside the Capitol, Miller responded to a comment on the picture with: “just want to incriminate myself a little lol," according to an FBI affidavit. Ocasio-Cortez on Friday posted Miller's charging documents on Twitter and then tweeted: “On one hand you have to laugh, and on the other know that the reason they were this brazen is because they thought they were going to succeed." Miller's attorney, Clint Broden, said in an email to The Associated Press that Miller regrets the actions he took “in a misguided effort to show his support for former President Trump." “His social media comments reflect very ill-considered political hyperbole in very divided times and will certainly not be repeated in the future," Broden said. “He looks forward to putting all of this behind him." Miller is scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday. “We are hopeful that, given his family support and regret for his actions, he will be released so that he can resolve the charges against him in a timely fashion," Broden said. The Associated Press
