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:
Governments pledge $228M for B.C. farms after floods
Wanda Robson, sister of Viola Desmond, dies at 95
Interim injunction against Ottawa honking granted
Police arson unit probes Ottawa fire allegation in heat of anti-mandate protest
GoFundMe trucker saga fuelling ire on U.S. right
Airlines cancel flights, call for travel restriction rollbacks
Timing and rules key in Conservative leadership race
Snowboarder Parrot's slopestyle gold caps four-medal day for Canada
Canada surprises with bronze medal in mixed team ski jump
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NEW TOP STORIES SINCE THE LAST ADVISORY:
Governments pledge $228M for B.C. farms
Flooding-BC
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada -- Agricultural producers affected by devastating flooding in British Columbia last November can apply for recovery funds through a $228-million package announced Monday by the provincial and federal governments. The total losses for the agricultural sector as a result of the flooding that stretched across the Fraser Valley into the southern Interior are believed to amount to about $285 million, B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham told a news conference. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Wanda Robson, sister of Viola Desmond, dies at 95
OBIT-Wanda-Robson
North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada -- Wanda Robson, the youngest sister of the late civil rights activist Viola Desmond, has died at the age of 95. Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1
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Falcon plans to run for house seat in Vancouver
Liberal-Leader-BC 20220128
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada -- The new leader of the B.C. Liberal party says his predecessor is resigning his seat in Vancouver to give him a chance to run in a byelection. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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CONVOY PROTESTS:
Interim injunction against Ottawa honking granted
Trucker-Protest
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- An Ontario judge has granted a 10-day injunction to prevent protesting truckers in downtown Ottawa from honking their horns incessantly as the national capital's mayor asked for a near doubling of his police force. By Mike Blanchfield and Laura Osman. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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See also:
The latest on protests in Ottawa and beyond
Trucker-Protest-The-Latest
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- The latest developments on ongoing protests against COVID-19 restrictions and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, both in Ottawa and various cities across Canada. All times Eastern: Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Police arson unit probes Ottawa fire allegation in heat of anti-mandate protest
Ottawa-Fire
OTTAWA - Police are investigating what appears to be attempt to start a fire in the lobby of a downtown Ottawa apartment building, where tenants say they have been besieged by anti-vaccine mandate protesters raging in the national capital for more than a week. By Laura Osman and Lee Berthiaume. Moves National.
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Police forces learn from Ottawa in dealing with protests
Trucker-Protest-Police
Police across Canada took different approaches to protests against COVID-19 measures over the weekend, learning from the situation in Ottawa, where demonstrators and their trucks remain entrenched in the capital’s core more than a week later.
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GoFundMe trucker saga fuelling ire on U.S. right
US-Cda-Trucker-Protest
Washington D. C., Washington, D.C., United States -- Right-wing politicians and media personalities in the United States aren't letting the crowdfunding website GoFundMe off the hook just yet. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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COVID-19 and OMICRON:
Airlines cancel flights, call for travel restriction rollbacks
Flight-Cancellations
Canada's two main airlines continue to slash their flight schedules, demanding that Ottawa roll back COVID-19 travel restrictions to staunch the cash bleed — though experts see glimmers of hope on the horizon. By Christopher Reynolds. Moves Business. PHOTO
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Ontario slowly loosens LTC restrictions
COVID-Ont
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Ontario's long-term care minister says the province wants to take a cautious approach to easing social restrictions in the sector, while stressing that the COVID-19 situation is improving. By Holly McKenzie-Sutter. Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1
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Quebec COVID-19 hospitalizations rise by 14
COVID-Que
Montreal, , -- Quebec is reporting the first increase in the number of hospitalizations linked to COVID-19 since Jan. 23. By Jacob Serebrin. Wire: Ontario/Quebec.
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P.E.I. reports slight drop in COVID-19 patients
COVID-PEI
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada -- Prince Edward Island is reporting a one-patient drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations, for a total of 11. Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1
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OTHER TOP NEWS:
Timing and rules key in Conservative leadership race
Conservative-Leadership
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- With one candidate in, how many others choose to take a run at the Conservative leadership will depend on two factors: The timing of the race and its rules. By Stephanie Taylor. Wire: National.
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Who's in, who's out to lead the Conservatives
Conservative-Leadership-Quicklist
Ottawa, , -- As the race to replace Erin O'Toole as the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada gets underway, here's a look at the contest so far: By Stephanie Taylor. Wire: National.
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StatCan set to release COVID-tinged census
Census
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- For the past 40 years, Doug Norris has pored over detailed demographic data gleaned from every census, but even he admits what's coming will be unlike anything he has seen before. By Jordan Press. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Health Canada must reassess pesticide call: court
Pesticides-Court-Ruling
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Month Date, 20XX. By Mia Rabson. Wire: National.
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N.B. maple syrup producers seek land to expand
NB-Maple-Syrup
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada -- Maple syrup producers in New Brunswick are pushing the provincial government to respond to their request for more Crown land on which to expand production and meet a growing global demand for their products. By Kevin Bissett. Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1
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Three dead after blaze in Siksika First Nation
Alta-Siksika-Fire
Siksika, Alberta, Canada -- Three people are dead after a house fire in a First Nation community in southern Alberta. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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Retired Halifax professor facing sex charges dies
NS-Hankey-Death
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- A retired University of King's College professor who was facing a series of sex-assault charges in connection with alleged incidents in the 1970s and 1980s has died. Wire: Atlantic.
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B.C. forecasts 1M more jobs over next decade
Labour-Market-BC
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada -- The latest labour market outlook for British Columbia shows nearly 80 per cent of job openings over the next decade will require some level of post-secondary education, reflecting the changing nature of the economy. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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More than 7,000 without power in N.S. after storm
NS-Storm-Power
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- More than 7,000 customers in Nova Scotia are still without power after a weekend storm that brought freezing rain across the province damaged power lines. Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1
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New Holocaust museum in Montreal in 2025
Montreal-Holocaust-Museum
Montreal, , -- A bigger, more interactive and more modern Holocaust museum will be opening its doors in Montreal's Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood in 2025. By Jean-Benoit Legault. Wire: National.
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Pandemic highlights mental health access barriers
Psychology-Access
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- As a registered psychologist who specializes in stress and anxiety, Dr. Melanie Badali says it's been difficult to watch some of her wait lists grow over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. By Amy Smart. Wire: Lifestyle. Photos: 1
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Q&A: Tanya Tagaq on the power of 'Tongues'
MUSIC-Tanya-Tagaq
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Tanya Tagaq is finally catching her breath. By David Friend. Wire: Entertainment. Photos: 1
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Snowboarder Parrot's slopestyle gold caps four-medal day for Canada
OLY-Canada-Roundup
Snowboarder Max Parrot led the way with a golden performance as Canada rebounded from a disappointing Sunday to collect four medals at the Beijing Olympics on Monday. 1,000 words. MOVED sports. PHOTO
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Canada surprises with bronze medal in mixed team ski jump
OLY-SKI-JUMP-CANADA
Canada won a surprise bronze medal in the mixed team ski jumping competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics. 586 words. MOVED Olympic premium. PHOTO.
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Winter Olympic Games compete for TV viewers anew
OLY-TV-Coverage-Review
Brampton, Ontario, Canada -- The Olympics used to be something that happened every four years. Just six months after the delayed Summer Games from Tokyo, however, some viewers may not be ready to let the Games begin again. By Bill Brioux. Wire: Entertainment. 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:
Alberta doctors say they fear false sense of COVID security
LJI-ALTA-COVIDFALSESECURITY
Doctors across Alberta – including doctor and president of the section of emergency medicine with the AMA, Paul Parks – believe Premier Jason Kenney is sending the wrong message to Albertans. 1,000 words. Kendall King/Medicine Hat News
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‘We’re left behind’: Inuit mine worker blasts COVID-19 rules keeping him from job
LJI-NU-INUIT-WORKER-COVID-JOB
For the better portion of the last two years, Rankin Inlet resident Kumanaa Autut has been at home instead of working at the Meadowbank mine. In his place are rotational workers from the south, while the Government of Nunavut keeps territorial residents away from the mines due to COVID-19. 650 words. David Venn/Nunatsiaq News
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Where will Canada’s electric vehicle batteries go when they die?
LJI-NWBC-EV-battery-recycling
What happens when an electric vehicle battery the size of a small dinner table reaches the end of its life? That’s the question jurisdictions across Canada and the world are grappling with as more and more electric vehicles hit the roads in the coming decades. 2,900 words. Matt Simmons/The Narwhal
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FROM AP:
The latest AP news advisory is unavailable. This is the previous version.
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TOP STORIES
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UKRAINE TENSIONS — International efforts to defuse the standoff over Ukraine have intensified, with French President Emmanuel Macron in Moscow for talks and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visiting Washington to coordinate policies. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” triggering a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.” By Sylvie Corbet and Vladimir Isachenkov. SENT: 1,200 words, photos, video. With UKRAINE-TENSIONS-THINGS-TO-KNOW (sent).
For full coverage of Ukraine.
BLACK INSTITUTIONS-BOMB THREATS — Nearly six decades after the church bombing that killed four young Black girls in Birmingham, Alabama, at least 17 historically Black colleges and universities temporarily locked down last week in response to threats of bombs and gun violence on campuses. Researchers and university and civil rights organization leaders say it is not at all surprising to see threats aimed at spaces where Black people frequent. Threats against Black institutions are deeply rooted in U.S. history, and they say the history of violence against people of color should be passed on to new generations so the lessons of the past can be applied to the present. By Cheyanne Mumphrey and Jeff Martin. 960 words, with photos and video.
VIRUS OUTBREAK — New Jersey’s governor plans to lift the statewide COVID-19 mask requirement in schools early next month in a major step toward getting back to normal as the omicron surge drops off. That’s according to his office. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is scheduled to announce Monday that the mandate will end March 7. By Mike Catalini. SENT: 480 words, photos.
BIDEN-SCIENCE ADVISOR — A White House review found credible evidence that top scientist Dr. Eric Lander violated its “Safe and Respectful Workplace Policy,” but the administration plans to keep him on the job after giving him counseling. Lander is the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and science adviser to President Joe Biden. By Zeke Miller. SENT: 460 words, photos.
MUSIC-SPOTIFY — Spotify, like other digital companies, is faced with questions about how it polices its content and what it will do next after sticking by Joe Rogan, who’s spouted vaccine skepticism and used racial slurs. But unlike social media like Facebook, there are few rules about policing podcasts and Spotify paid $100 million Rogan to share his viewpoints. Unless there’s a groundswell from musicians and listeners to leave the streaming platform, will Rogan’s popularity and profitability be the bottom line? By David Bauder. UPCOMING: 1,000 words by 5 p.m.
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MORE ON THE OLYMPICS
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INSIDE THE BUBBLE — Officially, the Beijing Olympics are taking place inside what organizers are calling “the enclosed compound activity area.” That’s the fancy way of saying “the bubble.” With hotels surrounded by chain-link fences, entrances and exits blocked off and no way of mingling with non-Olympic personnel, these games are taking place inside their own little world. SENT: 970 words, photos. With BEIJING-LUNAR NEW YEAR — A muted Lunar New Year, inside and outside Olympic bubble; BEIJING-OLYMPICS-THE LATEST.
PENG SHUAI-SPEAKS — Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai has given a controlled interview to French newspaper about the social media posting that sparked a storm of international concern over her well-being. Peng told L’Equipe she never accused a Chinese official of sexual assault. SENT: 970 words, photos. PENG-SHUAI-DISAPPEARANCES — Peng Shuai saga hews to familiar script in China; PENG-SHUAI-SPEAKS-TRANSLATION — Translation of Peng Shuai’s original social media post.
FIG-MEN'S SHORT — Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu and three-time world champion Nathan Chen begin pursuit of the men’s gold medal in figure skating with their short programs at the Beijing Games. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Competition starts 8:15 p.m. EST.
WOMEN’S GIANT SLALOM — Two-time Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin missed a gate early in the first run of the giant slalom at the Beijing Games, the first time she failed to finish a giant slalom since just before she won that race at the 2018 Olympics. SENT: 930 words, photos.
OLY-SBD-MEN’S SLOPESTYLE — Canadian snowboarder Max Parrot took home the Olympic gold medal in men’s slopestyle just over three years removed from being diagnosed with cancer. Parrot was technically superior on his second of three runs and scored a 90.96 to hold off the field. SENT: 520 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIA — Many Asian countries are facing a spike in COVID-19 infections after the widely-celebrated Lunar New Year holidays, as health officials grapple with the highly-transmissible omicron variant and expectations that numbers will continue to rise in coming weeks. The Lunar New Year, which is China’s biggest holiday, was celebrated across Asia on Feb. 1 even as pandemic restrictions in many countries kept crowds and family outings to a minimum. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GERMANY — Germany is working on plans to relax coronavirus restrictions after the peak in new cases has passed, likely by the end of February. SENT: 175 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOUTH KOREA — South Korea will no longer use GPS monitoring to enforce quarantines and will also end daily checkup calls to low-risk coronavirus patients as a fast-developing omicron surge overwhelms health and government workers. SENT: 540 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-IRAN — State TV reports that Iran has registered more than 100 new deaths from COVID-19 over a 24-hour period as the aggressive omicron variant spreads in the country. SENT: 350 words.
AUSTRALIA-BORDER — Australia will open its borders to all vaccinated tourists and business travelers from Feb. 21 in a further relaxation of pandemic restrictions. SENT: 420 words, photos.
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TRENDING NEWS
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POLICE SHOOTING-MINNEAPOLIS — A caravan of vehicles drove through Minneapolis demanding justice in the death of Amir Locke, the 22-year old Black man who was fatally shot by Minneapolis police as officers served a no-knock search warrant. SENT: 275 words, photos.
FRONTIER-SPIRIT — Frontier Airlines’ parent company is buying Spirit Airlines in a $2.9 billion cash-and-stock deal that will allow the combined airline to be more competitive against its larger rivals. SENT: 415 words, photo.
POWERBALL WINNERS — A couple from northeastern Wisconsin have claimed $316 million won in a Powerball drawing last month. SENT: 230 words.
ICELAND-PLACE-CRASH — American skateboarder and social media influencer Josh Neuman was one of four men killed when a sightseeing plane crashed into a lake in Iceland. SENT: 330 words.
MOROCCO-DEAD-BOY — Morocco has buried 5-year-old Rayan, a boy who was trapped in a well for days and whose plight drew worldwide attention. SENT: 320 words, photos.
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WASHINGTON
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CAPITOL RIOT-INVESTIGATION-IVANKA TRUMP — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol wants to know what White House adviser and presidential daughter Ivanka Trump heard and saw that day as they try to stitch together the narrative of the riots and Donald Trump’s role in instigating them. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.
JILL BIDEN — Jill Biden is expressing frustration with a political process that she says treats legislation like a football to “pass or pivot.” The first lady says real people often are caught in the middle. She spoke Monday in Washington about a now-stalled proposal for tuition-free community college. It’s something she’s advocated for for a long time as a community college professor. SENT: 690 words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS — A lung specialist says George Floyd died because his breathing was restricted as he was restrained handcuffed and facedown. Dr. David Systrom testified Monday at the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating Floyd’s rights. He says Floyd’s upper airway was compressed by Officer Derek Chauvin’s knee, while his position on the hard asphalt with his hands cuffed behind his back didn’t let his lungs expand. SENT: 400 words, photos.
AHMAUD ARBERY-HATE CRIMES — Jury selection has started in the federal hate crimes trial of the three men already convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery. The judge ordered the first 50 potential jurors to report Monday to the courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia. They’ll be questioned to see if they can serve as fair and unbiased. SENT: 500 words, photos.
ATLANTA-NATIVE AMERICAN STATUE — A bronze statue recently unveiled on a prominent street corner in Atlanta is supposed to show Chief Tomochichi, a Muscogee Indian who helped British colonists settle Georgia in 1733. The city plans to install it high on a pedestal in a “peace park” alongside statues of Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights heroes. But the Muscogee Nation wasn’t consulted, and historians are wondering why, in 2022, Atlanta would venerate a man who was banished by his own people after making his living trading Native American captives into slavery. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
DREW PETERSON-EXPLAINER — A decade after a jury convicted Drew Peterson in the slaying of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, the former suburban Chicago police sergeant has been given another day in court. SENT: 800 words, photo. Developing.
PUERTO-RICO-TEACHER SALARIES — Puerto Rico’s governor has announced that all public school teachers will receive a temporary $1,000 monthly salary increase starting in July and promised to make it permanent. SENT: 440 words.
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INTERNATIONAL
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ISRAEL PALESTINIANS CONFEDERATION PLAN — Israeli and Palestinian public figures have drawn up a new proposal for a two-state confederation that they hope will offer a way forward after a decade-long stalemate in Mideast peace efforts. The plan includes several controversial proposals, and it’s unclear if it has any support among leaders on either side. But it could help shape the debate over the conflict and will be presented to a senior U.S. official and the U.N. secretary general this week. SENT: 990 words, photos.
BRITAIN POLITICS — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has brought in new senior staffers as he tries to restore his flagging authority after weeks of turmoil. The appointments include a communications chief who has called lockdown-breaching government parties “unforgivable.” But some in his governing Conservative Party are seeking to oust him after revelations that he and his staff held parties while Britain was in lockdown in 2020 and 2021. SENT: 680 words, photos.
QUEEN-JUBILEE — Gun salutes have rung out in London and Edinburgh to mark the official start of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee year. Elizabeth is Britain’s longest-serving monarch. She became queen on the death of her father King George VI from lung cancer at age 56 on Feb 6, 1952. SENT: 390 words, photos.
COSTA RICA-ELECTIONS — A former Costa Rican president took an early lead in national election in what had been a wide-open field of 25 candidates. José María Figueres, who was the country’s president from 1994 to 1998, had 27.3% of the vote in preliminary results released by the Supreme Elections Tribunal Monday with 80% of the votes counted. SENT: 580 words, photos.
HAITI-POLITICAL INSTABILITY — Schools and businesses across Haiti have shuttered their doors and large numbers of police are patrolling the streets as the country braced for a grim anniversary. Monday marked not only seven months since President Jovenel Moïse was slain at his private residence but also the end of his term, with opponents demanding that Prime Minister Ariel Henry step down, arguing that his administration is unconstitutional. SENT: 650 words.
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BUSINESS/ECONOMY
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BIDEN-UNIONS — A Biden administration task force has issued a set of recommendations that could make it easier for federal workers and contractors to unionize. The report released Monday includes 70 recommendations. SENT: 360 words, photo.
CHINESE COMPANIES-RED FLAG LIST — The Biden administration is raising red flags about 33 Chinese companies whose legitimacy it cannot verify. It’s imposing new restrictions on the Chinese companies’ ability to receive goods from U.S. exporters and requiring extra diligence from American companies that want to do business with them. SENT: 500 words, photo.
FINANCIAL MARKETS — Stocks turned mixed in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday as investors prepare for another busy week of corporate earnings. The S&P 500 fell 0.3%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq fell 0.3%. SENT: 500 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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SOC-2030-WORLD CUP BIDDING — Doubts and disputes over FIFA’s future program for the World Cup have contributed to Britain and Ireland dropping plans for a joint bid to host the 2030 edition, opting instead to try to stage the 2028 European Championship. SENT: 700 words, photos.
BKW—T25 WOMEN'S BKB POLL — Florida has jumped into The Associated Press women’s basketball poll at No. 19. The Gators have beaten four ranked teams in their past five games, losing only to top-ranked South Carolina. Florida is ranked for the first time since 2016. South Carolina remains the No. 1 team in the poll this week and was a unanimous choice from the 30-member national media panel. The Gamecocks are followed by Stanford, Louisville, Michigan and North Carolina State. Michigan’s No. 4 ranking is the best in school history. SENT: 550 words, photos.
SUPER BOWL-4TH DOWNS — The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals got to the Super Bowl with help from a couple of coaching decisions by their conference title game opponents that backfired — specifically fourth-down tries. SENT: 780 words, photos.
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The Canadian Press
