Here are the latest Top News stories from The Canadian Press. All times are Eastern unless otherwise stated. Coverage plans are included when available. Entries are subject to change as news develops.
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TOP HEADLINES:
Pipeline option for Russia sanctions: German envoy
N.L.'s Memorial University apologizes for racism
B.C. could lift COVID-19 restrictions by Feb. 21
Truck convoy takes up positions around Parliament
Trudeau concerned about potential for violence
One of Trudeau's kids tested positive for COVID-19
COC announces five members in COVID protocol
Indigenous directors tapped to oversee reconciliation fundraising
Neil Young's biggest songs still on Spotify Canada
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NEW TOP STORIES SINCE THE LAST ADVISORY:
Pipeline option for Russia sanctions: German envoy
Cda-Germany-Ukraine
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- A controversial gas pipeline that links to Russia beneath the Baltic Sea could be part of a broader package of sanctions should Russia invade Ukraine, says Germany's ambassador to Canada. By Mike Blanchfield. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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N.L.'s Memorial University apologizes for racism
NL-MUN-Racism
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada -- Delores Mullings says she was not surprised by a video posted to social media this week that appears to show an instructor at Memorial University using the N-word as part of an online lecture. By Sarah Smellie. Wire: Atlantic, National. Photos: 1
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B.C. could lift restrictions by Feb. 21
COVID-BC
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada -- British Columbia's top doctor says some COVID-19 restrictions on social gatherings are expected to be gradually lifted by Feb. 21. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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N.S. directive bans COVID-19 highway protests
COVID-NS
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- Nova Scotia issued a directive Friday aimed at prohibiting those protesting against COVID-19 measures from blocking the Trans-Canada Highway near the New Brunswick boundary. Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1
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Man charged after fellow inmate dies in Alberta
Alta-Prison-Homicide
Drumheller, Alberta, Canada -- RCMP say a man at a medium-security federal prison in southern Alberta has been charged in the death of a fellow inmate. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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B.C. shootings believed to be murder-suicide
Targeted-Shooting-BC
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada -- Homicide investigators say they believe the targeted shooting that left four people dead in a Richmond, B.C., home was a murder-suicide. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Iqaluit lifts boil-water advisory after 10 days
Iqaluit-Water
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada -- Nunavut's Health Department has lifted a precautionary boil-water advisory for the city of Iqaluit. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Central Alberta city to close homeless camp
Alta-Wetaskiwin-Homeless
Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada -- A central Alberta city is closing a homeless encampment with help from Mounties because of safety risks it says will persist if it remains open. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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Concerns about retirement money, B.C. trial hears
Legislature-BC-Trial
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- British Columbia's clerk of the legislative assembly has testified her predecessor was initially "skeptical" of a retirement benefit that he later claimed for himself. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Métis National Council sues former president
Métis-Politics-Lawsuit
The Métis National Council has filed a lawsuit against its former president and the Manitoba Métis Federation alleging financial irregularities and questionable contracts. By Kelly Geraldine Malone. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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UPDATED TRUCKER PROTESTS:
Truck convoy takes up positions around Parliament
Trucker-Protest
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- The Ottawa Police Service has called in reinforcements as the first trucks in a convoy organized to protest the federal government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border big-rig drivers arrive in the capital. By Laura Osman and Marie Woolf. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Trudeau concerned about potential for violence
Trucker-Protest-Trudeau
Ottawa, , -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's concerned about the potential for violence during this weekend's planned protest on Parliament Hill by truckers and others joining the crowd to vent their anger about public health restrictions to combat COVID-19. By Joan Bryden. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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UPDATED OMICRON AND COVID-19:
COVID-19: Nearly 50,000 Quebec students absent
COVID-Que
Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- Nearly 50,000 elementary and high school students were absent from Quebec schools due to COVID-19 less than two weeks after in-person classes resumed. By Jacob Serebrin. Wire: Ontario/Quebec.
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One of Trudeau's kids tested positive for COVID-19
COVID-Trudeau
Ottawa, , -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's isolating because one of his kids tested positive for COVID-19. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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COC announces five members in COVID protocol
OLY-Canada-COVID
Five members of Team Canada's delegation in Beijing for the 2022 Winter Olympics are currently in COVID-19 protocol, the Canadian Olympic Committee said Friday. Wire: Sports. Photos: 1
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NACI now recommends boosters for some teens
COVID-Cda
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is now recommending teenagers with underlying conditions or at high risk of COVID-19 exposure get a booster shot. By Mia Rabson. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Halifax airport lost about $40 million last year
COVID-Halifax-Airport
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- For the second year in a row, passenger traffic at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in 2021 was down 75 per cent from pre-pandemic levels. Wire: Atlantic, Business. Photos: 1
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Skip Fleury to miss start of Scotties due to COVID
CUR-Scotties-COVID
THUNDER BAY - Skip Tracy Fleury will sit out the start of the Canadian women's curling championship in COVID-19 protocol. Fleury, the skip of a wild-card team, was one of two participants at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts who tested positive for the virus before departing for Thunder Bay, Ont. Wire: Spors. Photos: 1.
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Over 1,000 COVID-19 deaths in Ontario this month
COVID-Ont-Deaths
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Ontario has reported the deaths of more than 1,000 people due to COVID-19 so far this month, a grim figure the province's top doctor largely attributes to the previous, more virulent strain of the virus, though he admits the data is murky. By Allison Jones. Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1
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Manitoba extends COVID-19 restrictions
COVID-Mba
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada -- The Manitoba government is extending its COVID-19 public health orders for an additional week in order to let health officials gauge whether the worst of the current pandemic wave has passed. By Steve Lambert. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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The pandemic long-term care crisis never ended
COVID-LTC
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- It's difficult to forget the tragic scenes that played out in long-term care homes across the country in the early days of the pandemic as residents died in the thousands, isolated from their loved ones. By Laura Osman. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Vaccinated Inuit entered into snowmobile draw
COVID-Nunavut-Draw
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada -- Inuit in Nunavut who get a COVID-19 vaccine could end up with a brand new ride. By Emma Tranter. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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COVID workplace claims OK even without PCR: WSIB
COVID-Ont-WSIB
Ontarians who suspect they caught COVID-19 at work can make claims with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board even without a positive result from a PCR test now that the gold-standard assessment tool is no longer available to most residents. By Holly McKenzie-Sutter. Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1
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OTHER TOP NEWS:
Indigenous directors tapped to oversee fundraising
Indigenous-Catholic
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops says it wants to be transparent about fundraising to support reconciliation efforts and has named Indigenous directors to oversee the money. By Kelly Geraldine Malone. Wire: National.
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P.E.I. potato exports to Puerto Rico could resume
PEI-Potato-Wart
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada -- The federal agriculture minister is optimistic the United States could approve the resumption of shipments of Prince Edward Island potatoes to Puerto Rico within weeks. Wire: Atlantic, National. Photos: 1
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Neil Young's biggest songs still on Spotify Canada
MUSIC-Neil-Young-Spotify-Canada
Neil Young severed ties with Spotify this week, but for Canadian listeners many of his classic songs are still streaming on the platform. By David Friend. Wire: Entertainment, Business. Photos: 1
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CN Rail drops contempt case against LNG protesters
LNG-Pipeline-CN
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- Canadian National Railway says it will not pursue criminal charges against protesters accused of defying an injunction and blocking a CN rail line in northwestern British Columbia nearly two years ago. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Sentencing in hit-and-run death of police officer
Calgary-Cop-Killed
Calgary, Alberta, Canada -- A judge says the actions of a passenger in the hit-and-run death of a police officer may have been "moderate to minimal" but he still deserves a sentence of five years in prison. By Bill Graveland. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Yukon parents approve First Nations school board
Indigenous-School-Board
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada -- Preliminary results show parents at seven of eight selected school attendance areas in Yukon have voted in favour of creating a First Nations school board. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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September trial set for Fortin sex assault case
Fortin-Charge
Ottawa, , -- Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin’s sexual assault case will go to trial in September. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Crown, defence seek 3 year sentence in terror case
Terror-Youth
Prosecutors say they are no longer seeking an adult sentence for a teenager who pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges including possession of explosive material and counselling someone to detonate a bomb. By Paola Loriggio. Wire: National.
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Maritimers bracing for another major winter storm
WEA-Maritime-Storm
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- Environment Canada is warning residents of the Maritimes to prepare for power outages as a major winter storm — the fourth this month — is expected to lash the region Saturday with blowing snow, freezing rain and howling winds. Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1
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Saudi Arabia, Cirque du Soleil reach deal on shows
Cirque-Saudi-Arabia
Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- Saudi Arabia says it has reached a deal with Cirque du Soleil that could see the struggling circus company perform a slew of shows in the kingdom. Wire: Business. Photos: 1
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Top Alberta court denies coal mine appeal
Alta-Coal-Appeal
Alberta's top court has rejected a request to appeal a regulatory decision that denied permits for the Grassy Mountain coal mine in the province's Rocky Mountains. By Bob Weber. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Fifth anniversary of Quebec's deadly mosque attack
Que-Mosque-Shooting-Anniversary
Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- Five years after a gunman killed six men inside a Quebec City mosque, survivors of the attack and members of the community will gather Saturday to mark the tragedy, but they are also using the anniversary to highlight ongoing discrimination faced by Muslims and issue a call for gun control. By Sidhartha Banerjee. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Cineplex seeking other damages in Cineworld case
Cineplex-Court
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Cineplex Inc. has filed a cross appeal asking for even higher alternative damages, if a court overturns a ruling that forced the theatre company's once-suitor Cineworld Group PLC to pay $1.24 billion. By Tara Deschamps. Wire: Business, Entertainment. Photos: 1
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N.S. utility criticized for proposed fee for solar
NS-Power-Solar
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- A Nova Scotia Power proposal to charge fees for customers who sell power back to the grid has drawn heated criticism from solar installers who say it will damage the emerging industry. Wire: Atlantic, Business. Photos: 1
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Drake producer Murda Beatz sells publishing rights
MUSIC-Kilometre-Murda-Beatz
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Drake and Migos producer Murda Beatz is selling off publishing rights to hundreds of his songs to an upstart Canadian music investment fund. By David Friend. Wire: Entertainment, Business. Photos: 1
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LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE STORIES:
The LJI is a federally funded program to add coverage in under-covered areas or on under-covered issues. This content is delivered on the CP wire in the "Y" or spare news category, or you can register to access it at https://lji-ijl.ca. This content is created and submitted by participating publishers and is not edited by The Canadian Press. Please credit stories to the reporter, their media outlet and the Local Journalism Initiative. Questions should be directed to LJI supervising editor Amy Logan at amy.logan@thecanadianpress.com. Below is a sample of the dozens of stories moved daily:
‘Nobody knows for sure’ how Iqaluit’s water became recontaminated, chief public health officer says
LJI-NU-SEARCH-IQALIUT-FUEL-CONTAMINATION
Officials are still trying to figure out why fuel keeps showing up in the Iqaluit’s treated water system, even after the suspected source of last fall’s fuel contamination is now clean. 1,100 words. PHOTO. David Venn/Nunatsiaq News
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Economic impact of Scotties ‘a lot less,’ organizers of 2022 event say
LJI-ON-TBAY-Scotties-Economy
Organizers of the 2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts remain optimistic about the economic impact that the minimized national curling event will have on Thunder Bay, despite provincial restrictions banning spectators from the event, causing an almost $5-million pinch in profits. 750 words. Sandi Krasowski/The Chronicle-Journal
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Fort McMurray man charged with second degree murder of Sherri Lynn Flett
lji-alta-sherri-lynn-flett
Wood Buffalo RCMP have charged a Fort McMurray man with second degree murder following the death of Sherry Lynn Flett, 43. Flett, a member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, was reported missing on Jan. 16. Close to 100 volunteers began a search on Jan. 22. 400 words. PHOTO. Jenna Hamilton/Fort McMurray Today
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FROM AP:
The latest AP News Digest is unavailable. This is a previous version.
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ONLY ON AP
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LOUISIANA POLICE DEATH-FEDERAL PROBE — Text messages obtained by The Associated Press show Louisiana’s governor was informed within hours of the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene that troopers engaged in “a violent, lengthy struggle” that ended with the Black motorist’s death. Yet Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards remained publicly quiet as police clung to a much different story: that Greene died from a crash following a high-speed chase. What the governor knew and when have become questions in the federal investigation of Greene’s death. The governor’s spokesperson says he’s not under investigation and that he’s been tight-lipped to avoid impeding the probe. By Jim Mustian and Jake Bleiberg. SENT: 1,575 words, photos.
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TOP STORIES
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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-GOVERNMENT-AID — State and local governments reported more than $117 billion of revenue losses in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. That’s according to an Associated Press analysis of newly available data. But those shortfalls proved less severe than originally feared. Many of those same governments are now awash in record amounts of money. In response to the dramatic turnaround, governors, lawmakers and local officials have proposed a surge in spending as well as a new wave of tax cuts. The AP calculated the estimated revenue loss figures for 2020 by reviewing thousands of reports filed with the Treasury Department by states, counties and larger cities. By David A. Lieb and Camille Fassett. SENT: 1,175 words, photos.
BIDEN -- Arriving just hours after a serious bridge collapse, President Joe Biden stared into the cratered muddy earth where the aging span fell early Friday, striking evidence supporting the $1 trillion infrastructure law he already had planned to tout on his trip to Pittsburgh. By Colleen Long, Steve Peoples and Marc Levy. SENT: 900 words, photos. Developing. WITH: BRIDGE-COLLAPSE-PITTSBURGH -- A bridge spanning a ravine collapsed in Pittsburgh, requiring rescuers to rappel nearly 150 feet while others formed a human chain to help rescue multiple people from a bus. SENT: 895 words, photos.
UKRAINE-TENSIONS — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says Russia has arrayed enough military forces along Ukraine’s borders to provide Moscow with a complete range of options, including moves short of a full-scale invasion. Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided their most extensive comments on the Ukraine crisis. By Lolita C. Baldor, Vladimir Isachenkov and Yuras Karmanau. SENT: 1,170 words, photos. WITH: UKRAINE-TENSIONS-THINGS-TO-KNOW —High-stakes diplomacy continues to try to avert a war in Eastern Europe. SENT: 1,055 words, photos.
UNITED STATES-UKRAINE-INTELLIGENCE — The Biden administration and its allies are taking an unusually proactive approach to publicizing intelligence findings and trying to defuse influence campaigns by Russia as they raise alarms about a possible new Russian invasion of Ukraine. By Nomaan Merchant. SENT: 990 words, photos.
For full coverage of Ukraine.
REL-KENTUCKY-TORNADO-REBUILDING-CHURCHES — The century-old Mayfield First United Methodist Church has long been an anchor in its Western Kentucky town, home to countless worship services, weddings, funerals and baptisms. But that was before a deadly tornado swept through in December, tearing off the church’s roof and covering the front entrance in rubble. It’s one of a half-dozen historic churches in Mayfield’s downtown that were destroyed or heavily damaged, all with roots dating to the 1800s. While the rubble is still being cleared, it’s already apparent that the historic congregations are unlikely to rebuild in anything resembling their previous architectural glory, and their leaders say they must instead adapt for the 21st century. By Bobby Ross Jr. SENT: 1,205 words, photos.
CONSUMER SPENDING — A measure of prices that is closely tracked by the Federal Reserve rose 5.8% last year, the sharpest increase since 1982, as brisk consumer spending collided with snarled supply chains to raise the costs of food, furniture, appliances and other goods. The report from the Commerce Department also said that consumer spending fell 0.6% in December, with purchases of cars, electronics, and clothes declining. By Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber. SENT: 790 words, photos.
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OLYMPICS
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OLY--SBD-STILL SECOND FIDDLE — More than 20 years after their sport was brought into the Olympics to give the Games a more vibrant feel, snowboarders still feel like second-class citizens. The Associated Press interviewed a number of gold medalists and industry executives, all of whom say they haven’t seen much improvement in the way their sport is treated once it gets to the biggest stage in sports. SENT: 1,675 words, photos.
BEIJING-WINTER SPORTS — Villagers in Yanqing, a sleepy farm area in rural Beijing that will host the downhill and other skiing events at the Winter Olympics, are riding an emerging winter sports wave in China, from becoming a ski coach to opening hostels for winter sports enthusiasts. SENT: 860 words, photos.
CHINA-WINTER OLYMPICS-HUMAN RIGHTS — Human rights activists issued a call to action against the Beijing Olympics, imploring athletes and sponsors to speak out against what they call the “genocide games.” SENT: 490 words, photos.
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TRENDING NEWS
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TIGER KING-SENTENCE — A federal judge has resentenced “Tiger King” Joe Exotic to 21 years in prison. The former zookeeper — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — was convicted in a murder-for-hire case involving his chief rival, Carole Baskin. SENT: 365 words, photos.
WEST-VIRGINIA-GOVERNOR-MIDLER — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice tells Bette Midler to kiss dog’s ‘hiney’ -- and shows it. SENT: 340 words, photos.
BRITAIN-PRINCE-ANDREW -- Britain’s Prince Andrew has given up his honorary membership of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, considered one of the world’s most prestigious golf clubs. SENT: 280 words, photos.
GREECE-WHALE -- Divers, vets and the coast guard have mounted a rescue operation to help a whale calf that has become trapped in shallow water in a seaside area of the Greek capital. SENT: 350 words, photos.
BIDEN-NEW-CAT — President Biden and first lady Jill Biden have added a cat to their pet family. SENT: 290 words, photos, video.
ODD-CITY LOGO BACKLASH — Some residents think a northern Alabama city’s new logo might be sending the wrong message. It's a capital F followed by an L and an O arranged as an exclamation point. SENT: 290 words, photo.
TAYLOR-SWIFT-BUILDING-COLLAPSE — Police say a Virginia man has been arrested for drunkenly crashing a car into Taylor Swift’s New York City apartment building and trying to gain entry. SENT: 180 words.
GERMANY-JEWELRY-HEIST — Six men have gone on trial in Germany over a spectacular theft of 18th-century treasures from Dresden’s Green Vault Museum in 2019. SENT: 225 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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WHO-TURMOIL-IN-ASIA — Japan’s government says it will watch the World Health Organization’s investigation into staff complaints over racism and abuse by a top Japanese official at the agency but denied it inappropriately received sensitive vaccine information from him. SENT: 720 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-INDIA — Indian health officials say there were signs of COVID-19 infections plateauing in some parts of the country but cautioned that cases were still surging in other states, linked to a new, stealthier version of the omicron variant. SENT: 460 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VACCINE TRANSPARENCY — The European Union’s executive arm is responsible of “maladministration” for mishandling a request for access to text messages between its president and the CEO of pharmaceutical company Pfizer regarding COVID-19 vaccine purchases, the bloc’s ombudsman said. SENT: 475 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-RUSSIA — Russian authorities report over 98,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases, but according to the Kremlin, the actual number is likely to be much higher as the highly contagious omicron variant continues to rage through the vast country. SENT: 510 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOUTH KOREA — South Korea plans next month to add hundreds of small neighborhood hospitals and clinics to treat the thousands more people expected to get COVID-19 during a developing omicron surge. SENT: 500 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THAILAND — Thai health authorities approved new guidelines outlining the parameters for declaring the coronavirus pandemic an endemic disease. SENT: 360 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-HONG KONG — Hong Kong is cutting the length of mandatory quarantine for people arriving from overseas from 21 to 14 days, even as the southern Chinese city battles a new surge in COVID-19 cases. SENT: 360 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GERMANY — Germany’s coronavirus surge fueled by the omicron variant remains “under control” despite a string of new infection records, the country’s health minister said. SENT: 290 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-N95 — Experts say how often you can safely wear an N95 or KN95 mask will vary depending on how it’s used. SENT: 290 words, illustration.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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SUPREME COURT-BLACK LAW STUDENTS — Students from the law schools of two Historical Black Colleges and Universities weigh in on the historic opportunity before President Biden. One thing they agree on: even in the minority, having a voice on the court for Black women is significant and overdue. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 4 p.m.
BIDEN-OIL LEASING — A federal court has rejected a plan to lease millions of acres in the Gulf of Mexico for offshore oil drilling, saying the Biden administration did not adequately take into account the lease sale’s effect on planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, violating a bedrock environmental law. SENT: 680 words, photo.
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NATIONAL
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WINTER-WEATHER — Residents and officials across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. are bracing for a powerful winter storm expected to produce blizzard conditions Friday and Saturday. Heavy snow and strong winds were forecasted to begin in parts of the Carolinas and Appalachia on Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service. SENT: 675 words, photos.
KENOSHA PROTEST-SHOOTINGS — A Wisconsin judge approved an agreement by lawyers to destroy the assault-style rifle that Kyle Rittenhouse used to shoot three people during a 2020 street protest. Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said the state crime lab would destroy the gun, probably in April. SENT: 690 words, photos.
GEORGE-FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS — Minneapolis police officers are trained that they have a duty to intervene to stop unreasonable force, the commander of the department’s training division testified Friday at the trial of three former officers for allegedly violating George Floyd’s civil rights when he was killed under the knee of fellow Officer Derek Chauvin. SENT: 760 words, photos.
BREONNA TAYLOR-EX-OFFICER’S TRIAL — When hundreds of potential jurors gather at a Louisville courthouse, they’ll find out for the first time that they could be chosen to preside over the only criminal trial to arise from the botched police raid that left Breonna Taylor dead. SENT: 960 words, photos.
MICHAEL AVENATTI-STORMY DANIELS — Michael Avenatti sought to portray his former client Stormy Daniels as someone who might be delusional — or at least someone who believes in ghosts — at his fraud trial on Friday. SENT: 430 words, photos.
FARM-WORKER-OVERTIME — New York state is now looking at lowering the farm worker overtime threshold from 60 hours a week. Some workers and their advocates say the change would bring long-delayed justice to agricultural workers in New York, many of whom are Latino. But the prospect is alarming farmers. They warn the extra costs would wipe out marginal farms, hobble others and actually reduce workers’ earnings if farmers cap hours to manage expenses. SENT: 870 words, photos.
CAPSIZED BOAT-FLORIDA-EXPLAINER — Little is known about the 40 people believed to have been aboard a boat that capsized and was found this week near the Florida coast with just one survivor. But the travelers were on a route often used by migrants trying to enter the country clandestinely, and authorities suspect the trip was organized by smugglers. SENT: 730 words, photos.
HOMELESS-THREE KILLINGS — Three random killings — a woman pushed in front of a train, another punched at a bus stop and a third stabbed to death while working alone in a store, all allegedly committed by homeless men — have reignited anger, fear and frustration with the intractable issue of homelessness in New York and Los Angeles. SENT: 1,300 words, photos.
POLICE OFFICERS SHOT — Police arrived by the thousands in their finest dress blues, as a light snow drifted under an overcast sky, to honor a fallen brother — during the first of two funerals that again brought sorrow to the New York Police Department. SENT: 525 words, photos.
MUSTANG ROUNDUPS-LEGAL CHALLENGES — A federal judge says she may temporarily halt the capture of wild horses in Nevada where their advocates say the government is “needlessly and recklessly” killing free-roaming mustangs in violation of U.S. laws. SENT: 330 words, photos.
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INTERNATIONAL
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IRAQ-CHINA — In north Iraq, a Chinese language school projects soft power. Anchored in energy, China’s interest in Iraq is expanding. Beijing is building power plants, factories, water treatment facilities, as well as badly needed schools across the country. Dozens of contracts signed in recent years ensure China’s growing footprint in Iraq, right as major western companies, including the U.S., plot their exit. SENT: 1,130 words, photos.
BRITAIN-POLITICS — Doubt about the timing of a key report into lockdown-breaching parties within the British government deepened when police said they wanted parts of it to remain unpublished until they finish a criminal investigation. SENT: 490 words, photos.
PORTUGAL-ELECTION — Sunday’s election for a new parliament and government in Portugal is providing a stage for voters to air old grievances. SENT: 710 words, photos.
ETHIOPIA-TIGRAY CRISIS — More than a third of the people in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region “are suffering an extreme lack of food,” the United Nations World Food Program said in a new assessment of a region under a months-long government blockade. SENT: 645 words, photo.
JAPAN-SOUTH-KOREA-WORLD-HERITAGE — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says that Japan will recommend a former gold mine on Sado Island for a UNESCO World Heritage list, despite protests from South Korea that the site is inappropriate because of its wartime abuse of Korean laborers — a sensitive issue that still strains ties between the neighbors. SENT: 530 words, photo.
VATICAN-FAKE NEWS — Pope Francis denounced fake news about COVID-19 and vaccines, blasting the “distortion of reality based on fear” but also urging that people who believe such lies are helped to understand true scientific facts. SENT: 340 words, photos.
BURKINA-FASO — West African neighbor states suspended Burkina Faso in the aftermath of this week’s coup, making it the third nation in the regional bloc to be punished for a military takeover in only 18 months, officials said. SENT: 245 words, photos. WITH-BURKINA-FASO-EXPLAINER — Burkina Faso at risk for more unrest after coup. SENT: 865 words, photos.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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AUSTRALIA-BARRIER REEF — The Australian government pledges to spend another $704 million over nine years on improving the health of the Great Barrier Reef after stalling a UNESCO decision on downgrading the natural wonder’s World Heritage status. SENT: 390 words, photos.
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BUSINESS/ECONOMY
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FINANCIAL MARKETS — Stocks were higher on Wall Street, potentially trimming losses for some of the major indexes this week. SENT: 535 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FILM-PROCESSION — Filmmaker Robert Greene discussing his unconventional approach to making a documentary about six men who suffered abuse by priests and the impact “Procession” has had since debuting on Netflix. By Film Writer Lindsey Bahr. SENT: 730 words, photos.
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SPORTS
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FBN-NFC-CHAMPIONSHIP — The Los Angeles Rams will host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game on Sunday. The matchup is the resumption of an NFC West rivalry that has been tilted heavily in the 49ers’ favor for the past six meetings, all won by San Francisco. The Rams made several bold moves this season to build a team capable of winning it all, and now they’re one step away from playing in a Super Bowl in their home stadium. SENT: 990 words, photos.
FBN-AFC-CHAMPIONSHIP — The Kansas City Chiefs are ready to host their record fourth consecutive AFC championship game. As for the Bengals, who visit Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday with a Super Bowl berth on the line, this will be a whole new experience. Only a couple of special teams players were even alive the last time Cincinnati played in a conference championship game. Both teams are coming off dramatic wins in the divisional round. SENT: 930 words, photos.
TEN-AUSTRALIAN-OPEN — Top-ranked Ash Barty is aiming to be the first Australian woman to win her home Grand Slam singles title since 1978 when she takes on Danielle Collins in the final of the Australian Open. Barty has won majors on grass at Wimbledon and on clay at Roland Garros. She’s aiming for her first on a hard court. Collins, a 28-year-old American, is in a Grand Slam final for the first time. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 8:30 p.m.
The Canadian Press
