Fast-moving wildfire burns through homes in Perth, Australia – Yahoo News Canada

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The Canadian Press

Hundreds deported under Biden, including witness to massacre

HOUSTON — President Joe Biden’s administration has deported hundreds of immigrants in its early days despite his campaign pledge to stop removing most people in the U.S. illegally at the beginning of his term. A federal judge last week ordered the Biden administration not to enforce a 100-day moratorium on deportations, but the ruling did not require the government to schedule them. In recent days, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported immigrants to at least three countries: 15 people to Jamaica on Thursday and 269 people to Guatemala and Honduras on Friday. More deportation flights were scheduled Monday. It’s unclear how many of those people are considered national security or public safety threats or had recently crossed the border illegally, the priority under new guidance that the Department of Homeland Security issued to enforcement agencies and that took effect Monday. Some of the people put on the flights may have been expelled — which is a quicker process than deportation — under a public health order that former President Donald Trump invoked during the coronavirus pandemic and that Biden has kept in place. In the border city of El Paso, Texas, immigration authorities on Friday deported a woman who witnessed the 2019 massacre at a Walmart that left 23 people dead. She had agreed to be a witness against the gunman and has met with the local district attorney’s office, according to her lawyers. Rosa was pulled over Wednesday for a broken brake light, detained based on previous traffic warrants, then transferred to ICE, which deported her before she could reach her attorney, said Melissa Lopez, executive director of the non-profit Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services, which represents her. Rosa is being identified only by her first name because she fears for her safety in Juarez, a city across the U.S.-Mexico border from El Paso that’s known for violence and gang activity. Jail records confirm that Rosa was booked into the El Paso jail on Wednesday for the warrants and left Friday. ICE had issued what’s known as a “detainer,” seeking to hold her on immigration violations the day she was arrested, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. The El Paso district attorney’s office confirmed in a statement Monday that it had given Rosa’s attorneys the documentation needed to request a U.S. visa for crime victims. But the statement also said Rosa “is not a victim of the Walmart shooting case.” The district attorney did not immediately respond to follow-up questions. Her lawyers say Rosa pleaded guilty in 2018 to driving under the influence and ICE later released her, underscoring that authorities under Trump previously found she wasn’t a threat to the public, Lopez said. Both Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris vocally opposed the Trump administration’s immigration priorities during the presidential campaign. “It’s important that President Biden and Vice-President Harris realize that despite their very clear desires about how immigrants are treated, we continue to see on a local level immigrants being mistreated and disregarded,” Lopez said. ICE said Friday that it had deported people to Jamaica and that it was in compliance with last week’s court order. The agency did not respond to several requests for further comment on additional deportation flights or Rosa’s case. Officials in Honduras confirmed that 131 people were on a deportation flight that landed Friday. Another flight that landed in Guatemala on Friday had 138 people, with an additional 30 people expected to arrive Monday, officials there said. The White House referred questions to the Department of Homeland Security, but a spokesman did not return requests for comment. Democratic U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas, whose district includes El Paso, said her office had flagged Rosa’s case to the White House. “My concern is that ICE will continue to move quickly before the Biden administration has an opportunity to make assessments and provide further directives,” Escobar said Monday. Two legal experts say that regardless of the judge’s order on the deportation moratorium, ICE could release immigrants with deportation orders, keep people detained or otherwise delay the deportation process. “Scheduling deportations is still a matter of discretion for the agency,” said Steve Yale-Loehr, an immigration law professor at Cornell University. U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton last week granted a temporary restraining order sought by Texas that bars enforcement of a 100-day deportation moratorium that had gone into effect Jan. 22. Tipton said the Biden administration had violated the federal Administrative Procedure Act in issuing the moratorium and had not proven why a pause in deportations was necessary. Tipton on Friday said he would extend his order through Feb. 23. The Justice Department has not yet asked Tipton or a federal appeals court to block the order. The White House on Friday reissued a statement saying it believed a moratorium was “wholly appropriate,” adding that “President Biden remains committed to taking immediate action to reform our immigration system to ensure it’s upholding American values while keeping our communities safe.” Biden is expected to issue a series of immigration-related executive orders Tuesday amid the expected confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas as Homeland Security secretary. Those orders are expected to include the formation of a task force to reunify families separated during the Trump administration. ___ This version corrects that 23 people died in the El Paso massacre, not 22. ___ Associated Press journalists Will Weissert in Washington, María Verza in Mexico City, and Sonia Pérez D. in Guatemala City contributed to this report. Nomaan Merchant, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press

Novak Djokovic gets it done for Serbia against Canadians Raonic and Shapovalov

MELBOURNE, Australia — World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Serbian teammate Filip Krajinovic came back to beat Canadians Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov in a deciding doubles match at the ATP Cup on Tuesday. The Serbian duo topped Raonic and Shapovalov 7-5, 7-6(4) to win the tie 2-1, with the doubles match going one hour 37 minutes in Melbourne. Raonic took the opening match of the Australian Open tune-up tournament against Dusan Lajovic to give Canada a 1-0 lead. The 30-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., fired 11 aces to beat his opponent 6-3, 6-4 in one hour 19 minutes. But the veteran Djokovic evened it up for the defending champions when he downed Shapovalov 7-5, 7-5, needing one hour 53 minutes to beat the 21-year-old Canadian. Djokovic improved to 6-0 all-time against the Richmond Hill, Ont., native, including a victory last year in the quarterfinals of the ATP Cup. The inaugural event was played last year in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. But because of restrictions in place for the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 edition is being played entirely at Melbourne Park, site of the Australian Open, which starts Feb. 8. The 12 teams have been divided into four pools for group stage, round-robin play. The four group winners will advance to the semifinals. Canada faces Germany Tuesday to conclude group play, and needs a victory to have any chance of advancing. A country’s position within its group is determined by ties won, then matches won, and then sets and games won percentages unless two or more teams are tied, in which case a head-to-head win takes precedence over matches won. Group B consists of Spain, Greece and Australia. France, Austria and Italy make up Group C. And Group D consists of Russia, Argentina, Japan. This report by The Canadian Press was first published February 1, 2021. The Canadian Press
Local Journalism Initiative

Governments commit cash to curb Manitoba’s carbon output

Efficiency Manitoba received a sizable budget boost Friday as the provincial and federal governments announced they were each committing $32.3 million towards heating efficiency programs deployed through the Crown corporation. The funding, totalling $64.6 million, is being invested in programs that will work to lower demand for natural gas, used for heating and industrial purposes. It is part of both the federal and provincial climate plans to lower greenhouse gas emissions produced by the burning of fossil fuels. The funding — which will bolster pre-existing incentive programs for things like home insulation upgrades, the installation of smart thermostats and upgrades to furnaces and boilers — will be split between residential, commercial and industrial efficiency programs. “You can literally go to Efficiency Manitoba’s website and see what we have to offer today. In terms of how much the incentive is, it largely depends on the technology. It varies by technology and by market segment,” said Colleen Kuruluk, CEO of Efficiency Manitoba. Kuruluk said for Manitobans who earn less money, there’s a qualifying assessment, and for those who qualify there is no charge for the efficiency upgrades. Minister of Conservation and Climate Sarah Guillemard said government estimates show that these efficiency programs will avoid emissions to the tune of 488,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030. Annually, if each year generated equal savings, it would result in a 0.1 per cent decrease in total emissions per year, using 2018 as a base year. The burning of natural gas accounts for approximately one-third of greenhouse gas emissions in Winnipeg. Despite efficiency programs previously being available in the province, the City of Winnipeg’s climate change plan forecasts the continued growth in the use of natural gas in the city up to 124 per cent of 2011 levels by 2030. Winnipeg South Centre MP Jim Carr (also the federal government’s Special Representative for the Prairies) said building retrofits will be essential to meeting Canada’s emission-reduction targets. “Climate change is the existential threat of our time, but it’s also our greatest opportunity,” Carr said Friday. Natural gas infrastructure continues to be used in new developments in Winnipeg. When asked if alternative energy for heating was being considered for homes in the province in the future, Guillemard said it is in the works. “I think movement towards the alternative heating of homes is well underway,” Guillemard said. The federal funding for the energy efficiency initiative came from the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund. Last week the Free Press reported Manitoba was the slowest province to tap into these funds made available to the provinces. Before the funding announcement, the province had tapped into 8.8 per cent of Manitoba’s allotted funds. With the addition of $32.3 million, Manitoba has now accessed 57 per cent of allotted funds, moving it past Alberta which has only accessed 31 per cent of its alloted funds. Sarah Lawrynuik, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press
Local Journalism Initiative

‘Cautious’ capacity limits confusing

As public-health orders are loosened to allow the sale of non-essential items per “cautious” capacity limits, it appears the pandemic regulations remain muddy — or, at the very least, do not apply equally — for Manitoba retailers. While the province says in-store occupancy has been limited to “25 per cent only or a maximum of 250 people, whichever is lower,” the Free Press has learned some large malls in Winnipeg can host up to 25,000 customers and others are allowing 650 patrons at any given time. On top of that, some shopping centres — like CF Polo Park, St. Vital and Grant Park — have outright denied sharing their maximum head count, stating that is not a figure they need to publicly disclose and one which they have internally worked out with the province. Perhaps that explains why long lines of shoppers continue to snake around certain retailers like IKEA and hordes of cars fill up shopping centre parking lots weekend after weekend, which epidemiologists believe is a result of those discrepancies and lack of transparency. “If this goes on, we will see more COVID-19 outbreaks within the next incubation period,” said Tim Sly, occupational and public health professor at Ryerson University. “No questions about it.” “The real concern is, do we have enough knowledge about this virus to allow this the way it stands?” said Jason Kindrachuk, Canada Research Chair in emerging pathogens, based in Winnipeg. “Frankly, it’s still very novel.” But on Monday, chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin told reporters he believes Manitoba has “taken the most cautious reopening approach with very, very restricted capacity” limits. “It’s early as far as numbers go,” said Roussin. “We’re watching this very closely. But any time we loosen the restrictions, we prepare to see an increase in cases. “I think the people that have been waiting in lines are following the fundamentals.” According to the updated public-health orders, there are three different clauses that apply to retail businesses. While they all mandate 25 per cent occupancy with appropriate physical distancing, that looks different for a mall than it does for a store independent of a plaza — even though the order restricts them all to keep under 250 people. This isn’t a loophole, said Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president Loren Remillard. “It’s businesses simply following what they’ve been told.” “My general understanding was also that it is 25 per cent or 250 people, you know, whatever’s lower,” he said. “But if they’ve been told something by the province and are complying with it, then that’s just businesses doing what businesses can do during this time.” In statements to the Free Press on Monday, mall managers and administrators explained how their occupancy limits work. Almost all of them have differing limits and a varied approach about who exactly holds the onus to ensure limits are being met. At Kildonan Place, general manager Sandra Hagenaars said their capacity of 650 shoppers at a time is “well under 25 per cent of our total gross leasable area” and something they have “worked with our local health inspector to establish.” “We do not have traffic counters to tally up overall traffic during the course of the day, but we do know that we reached our capacity a number of times over the past weekends, and that customers waited outside patiently for their opportunity to come in and shop,” she said. “Yes, the onus is on the stores themselves to enforce their own capacity limits and lineups.” Meanwhile, property manager Graham Bialek at Grant Park would not disclose their occupancy limit. Neither did Polo Park’s general manager Peter Havens. “We have been in close contact with both the local public health inspector and fire commissioner to determine an appropriate occupancy level for Grant Park while the latest public health orders are in place,” said Bialek, assuring that “all counts have been well within our occupancy limits. “Information provided to shopping centre admin is passed down to tenants and tenants are reminded to look into and understand the health orders,” added Bialek. “As we navigate these challenging times, we continue to follow provincial guidelines and remain committed to supporting our retail clients while meeting the safety needs of our guests,” said Havens. Remillard said this isn’t an issue of transparency from businesses. “I want to be clear, it’s not like there is no openness,” he said. “That’s a question for the government or the regulatory body to answer. To what extent do they share that information with the public?” Dr. Roussin said enforcement of these orders continue and more information will be relayed “in the coming” days and weeks. “But public health provides the recommendation on what sort of restrictions should be in place and for how long,” Roussin said Monday. “Exactly how they’re enforced isn’t necessarily public health’s area.” Temur Durrani, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press
The Canadian Press

Does wearing two masks provide more protection?

Does wearing two masks provide more protection? It depends, but it’s possible that doubling up could help in some situations. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a cloth mask made with two or more layers, and ensuring it covers your nose and mouth. The agency says it should fit snugly so there aren’t any gaps at the sides of your face. Wearing just one mask should be enough for most situations, as long as it fits well and isn’t loose, said Dr. David Hamer, an infectious disease expert at Boston University. “Starting out with a good mask to begin with is going to be key,” Hamer said. Still, some people might want extra protection if they’re at risk for severe illness if infected or will be in situations where they expect to be around others for extended periods, such as on a plane. One option in scenarios when you want extra protection is to wear a cloth mask as well as a regular surgical mask, said Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco. Gandhi said that combination — with either mask on top — could help achieve a similar effect as the N95 mask. She recommended the added protection for people who will be indoors in areas where transmission rates are high — which could reflect the circulation of more contagious variants. Another option Gandhi and a colleague recommend for situations where you want “maximum” protection: A two-layer cloth mask that has a filter material in between. With single cloth masks for everyday use, Gandhi noted it’s important that they’re made of tightly woven material and have at least two layers, which creates “an obstacle course” that makes it harder for virus-carrying particles to break through. ___ The AP is answering your questions about the coronavirus in this series. Submit them at: [email protected] Read previous Viral Questions: Can I use a face shield instead of a mask? Does wearing a mask pose any health risks? Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I’ve had the virus? The Associated Press
The Canadian Press

Top Chinese diplomat urges closer ties with US under Biden

BEIJING — China’s top foreign policy adviser is urging closer ties with the U.S. under the Biden administration, while saying Washington must “effectively respect China’s position and concerns on the Taiwan issue.” The head of the ruling Communist Party’s office on foreign affairs, Yang Jiechi, said the sides will have their differences but should not allow them to derail relations. In remarks Tuesday to the influential U.S. National Committee on United States-China Relations, Yang continued the positive tone China is taking toward the new U.S. administration following heightened tensions under former President Donald Trump. Ties sunk to a new low over differences on trade, human rights and Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that China claims as its own territory and threatens to bring under its control by military force. “China and the United States are two large countries with different histories, cultures and systems, and thus have differences on some issues. It is crucial to properly control them and not allow them to interfere with the overall development of bilateral relations,” Yang said in the videotaped conversation. The U.S. should fulfil its commitments to Beijing “abide by the one-China principle, and effectively respect China’s position and concerns on the Taiwan issue,” Yang said. The positive tone fuels perceptions that China’s leaders are hoping for a fresh start in relations and a more civil discourse with Washington, even while deep divisions remain. The U.S. is pressing China over trade, allegations of intellectual property theft and policies toward Tibet, Muslim minorities in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. China resents U.S. support for Taiwan along with the U.S. military presence in the South China Sea and what it sees as a broad-based U.S. campaign to restrain its growth. Biden’s nominee for United Nations ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, last week called China “a strategic adversary” that threatens the world and expressed regret for a speech she gave in 2019 that praised China’s initiatives in Africa and made no mention of its human rights abuses. The Associated Press
Reuters

Explainer: How a GameStop share pullback could hurt some investors

Any pullback in GameStop Corp’s shares potentially exposes some investors to losses. Shares of GameStop, which had seen a spectacular rally, fell 31% on Monday to close at $225, 53% lower than their Jan 28 peak of $483. Analysts worry some new or inexperienced investors could face losses if they bought in as the stock was peaking.
Reuters

Hal Holbrook, award-winning actor acclaimed for his portrayal of Mark Twain, dies at 95 – NYT

Holbrook died on Jan. 23 at his home in Beverly Hills, California, the New York Times reported. In 2008, at age 82, Holbrook became the oldest male performer ever nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting role in “Into the Wild.” But it was his recreation of the revered American novelist, humorist and social critic in “Mark Twain Tonight” that brought Holbrook his greatest fame.
Reuters

Panasonic says Tesla business to be profitable, boosts profit outlook

Panasonic Corp said on Tuesday it expects its battery business supplying Tesla Inc to be profitable this fiscal year, and raised its full-year operating profit forecast by more than half. After several years of production troubles and delays at Tesla, Panasonic is beginning to see its decade-old partnership with the U.S. company become a profit driver. Panasonic announced in October that it was developing a new battery cell designed by Tesla, one that would help Tesla halve battery costs and ramp up battery production 100-fold by 2030.
Reuters

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny jailed, declares Putin ‘the Underwear Poisoner’

A Russian court jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Tuesday, ignoring the West in a ruling the opposition politician blamed on President Vladimir Putin’s personal hatred and fear of him. The Moscow court handed Navalny a three-and-a-half-year sentence, but his lawyer said the anti-corruption blogger would actually serve two years and eight months in jail because of time already spent under house arrest. The decision, which followed nationwide protests calling for Navalny’s release, will further strain relations with the West, which is considering imposing sanctions on Russia over its handling of the case.
Canadian Press Videos

B.C. reports 18 COVID-19 variant cases

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says B.C. has four confirmed cases of the South African COVID-19 variant and 14 cases of the U.K. variant. She says increased testing for the variant is underway, including among school-age children after a contact of a student at a Maple Ridge high school tested positive for one of the variants. Henry reported 1,158 COVID-19 cases today and 21 deaths.
The Canadian Press

West Virginia GOP fractured by political appointment feud

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — On a beach vacation in South Carolina with his family, Jay Marcum was awaiting a call from the governor of West Virginia. He was a finalist for the vacant seat of a state legislator who resigned after being charged with illegally entering the U.S. Capitol in the Jan. 6 riot. Instead, state Republican leaders ordered a redo on candidate applications and insisted Marcum return home for an in-person interview. “I don’t really understand why we can’t do a Zoom,” he told them. Nevertheless, the 51-year-old small-business owner packed up his disappointed children and left Myrtle Beach at 6 a.m. for the nine-hour trip home. Ultimately, his journey was for naught: Republican Gov. Jim Justice ended up appointing neither Marcum nor either of the two other candidates who had been placed on a shortlist by GOP party leaders in Wayne County, where the delegate seat is located. Justice instead appointed a political neophyte, enraging Republicans in the rural county and unleashing accusations of subterfuge and backdoor politics in the Mountain State. The fracas comes on the heels of a triumphant red wave in the November elections that gave West Virginia’s Republican party a legislative supermajority. For the first time in generations, a Republican won in Wayne County, long dominated by Democrats. But Del. Derrick Evans soon resigned under pressure after he recorded himself joining the violent pro-Trump mob that breached the Capitol. County Republicans claim the West Virginia GOP — which created its own shortlist for the seat — intervened to anoint a political favourite, a charge the governor denies. County Republican Committee chairman Jeffrey Maynard has gotten the state Supreme Court to temporarily block Justice’s appointment while judges hear a complaint challenging its legality. State law requires that the governor fill a vacant delegate seat with one of three candidates recommended by party leaders in the seat’s district. But on Jan. 22, a day after Marcum and the two other candidates on the county’s shortlist were interviewed at the Wayne County courthouse, Justice filled the vacancy with Joshua Booth, 41, an executive at a family-run road contractor who had never run for office. Booth’s name appeared in place of Marcum’s on the list that state GOP officials submitted to Justice. Marcum says the selection process reminded him of a television sitcom or a third world country, “where the dictator comes in and says, ‘Well, that’s not really the names you choose. … We think you choose these names.’ And everybody knows, you better be quiet.” The Justice administration, which declined interview requests, has forcefully rejected allegations that Booth was added as a candidate at his behest. “The governor’s office at no time intervened in this case,” the governor’s chief of staff, Brian Abraham, told MetroNews radio on Friday. Abraham said Maynard even signed off on the second list. But Maynard said acting state GOP chairman Roman Stauffer — who interviewed applicants one by one as they sat on the witness stand at the courthouse — handed him a blank page to sign. He said he didn’t see it filled out with names until his attorney later sent him a copy. “My immediate reaction was disgust,” he said. Stauffer said the party’s legal response will speak for itself. He declined further comment. In a filing on Monday, Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said the first list of candidates from the county was canned because it was on the wrong letterhead. But it remained unclear why, a day after county Republicans sent their list to the governor, the state GOP ran an ad in a local newspaper seeking candidates. The tiny notice appeared in the classifieds, between rental home listings and a now-hiring ad for a restaurant called Jim’s Spaghetti. “NEW TODAY!” it announced, adding that Republicans interested in joining the legislature should email the state GOP chairman. Marcum was bewildered at the posting for the $20,000-a-year position. “We’re not talking about a job at 7-Eleven,” he said. Booth, whom Stauffer interviewed on Jan. 21 along with the county-recommended candidates, declined interview requests, citing the court case. “I believe I am as Wayne County as they come, and as such, I think that I share the viewpoints and experiences of my fellow residents,” he said in a statement last week. The dispute has left the two other Republicans recommended by county officials fuming. “Some of the Republican people throughout the country were talking about how the election was stolen at a national level,” said candidate finalist and teacher Mark Ross, 60. “And then they turn around, and Mr. Stauffer does the same thing in Wayne County. He steals the people’s choice by not taking that first list.” Chad Shaffer, a 68-year-old former state trooper also on the county’s list, said parts of Stauffer’s questioning disturbed him. One of the questions was, “If the Republican Party asked me to do something that would violate my conscience, would I go along with what they wanted?” Shaffer recalled. “I looked at him, and I said, ‘No.’ I don’t think they liked that answer.” Shaffer and Ross both said Stauffer should resign. “Shame on the Republican Party,” Shaffer said. “I guess the swamp has made its way down to West Virginia.” Cuneyt Dil, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press

Gaudreau extends point streak to 8 games, adds shootout winner as Flames down Jets

WINNIPEG — Johnny Gaudreau put in a little extra work to keep his hot start going. The winger scored in regulation to extend a season-opening point streak to eight games before sealing Calgary’s shootout victory as the Flames beat Winnipeg 4-3 on Monday night. After Sean Monahan buried one for Calgary and Kyle Connor responded for the Jets, Gaudreau wove into the offensive zone and performed a series of dekes that tied Connor Hellebuyck in knots to seal the victory in the fourth round. On the heels of the worst offensive output of his career in 2019-20 — 58 points in 70 games — the 27-year-old Gaudreau already has six goals and four assists in this pandemic-shortened campaign. “I feel really comfortable,” he said. “Me and (Monahan) are playing really good in our defensive zone. We’re being smart. I don’t think we’ve been out on the ice for a 5-on-5 goal (against). “And we’re getting our chances offensively.” Flames head coach Geoff Ward said Gaudreau’s details in his own zone and Calgary’s success on the power play, which runs though the diminutive forward, have been crucial to the early success. “He’s having fun, he’s smiling coming to the rink,” Ward said. “When he gets time and space with the puck he can usually do good things. “It’s been a great start.” Andrew Mangiapane and Christopher Tanev — on a fluke goal from inside his own blue line — scored in regulation for Calgary (4-3-1). Jacob Markstrom turned aside 25 shots, while Elias Lindholm had two assists. Markstrom, who left the Vancouver Canucks for the Flames in free agency, made a couple big stops in overtime before denying three Jets in the shootout, including a desperation toe save on Blake Wheeler that had the big netminder grinning under his mask. “He’s been our best player by far this season, hands down,” Gaudreau said of Markstrom. “Great signing for us, huge pickup for us. He’s crazy back there.” Connor, with two on the power play, and Mark Scheifele, with a goal and an assist, replied for Winnipeg (5-3-1), which got 25 saves from Hellebuyck. Wheeler added three assists as the Jets blew a 2-0 lead before battling back to tie things late in the third period to at least grab a point. “We’ve got to be better,” Scheifele said. “We’ve got to stick to our game. We can’t sit back. We’ve got to keep being aggressive.” But it was the Flames on the front foot down 2-1 in the third as Gaudreau tied things at 6: 54 when he redirected a feed from Juuso Valimaki past Hellebucyk after the Jets turned the puck over. The Winnipeg netminder made a great stick save on Lindholm midway through the period to keep thing level on a play that resulted in a Flames man advantage the Jets would kill off. Hellebuyck then stoned Mangiapane before Tanev hit the post as Calgary came in waves. “You could tell the ice kind of tilted,” Gaudreau said. “We had four, five, six really good chances to make it 3-2.” Then after hitting the crossbar off the rush, Mangiapane banged home a rebound with 6: 15 left in regulation for his first to give the Flames a 3-2 lead. “The puck was just sitting in front of the net,” said Mangiapane, who had a career-high 17 goals in 2019-20. “Happy to tap it home.” But the Jets tied things with 1: 50 remaining when Scheifele tipped Neal Pionk’s point shot beyond Markstrom’s glove for his fourth with Hellebuyck on the ice for an extra attacker. The game marked the first of three straight meetings between the North Division rivals at Bell MTS Place this week, with the next two set for Tuesday and Thursday. The Jets will actually play four in a row against the Flames over a nine-day stretch, while Calgary hosts the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday before resuming hostilities with Winnipeg at Scotiabank Saddledome two nights later. Coming off Saturday’s 4-1 home loss against Vancouver, the Jets shuffled their top-6 forward group, with Scheifele centring Andrew Copp and Nikolaj Ehlers, while Paul Stastny skated between Connor and Wheeler. The Flames, meanwhile, secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory in Montreal over the Canadiens on Saturday that snapped a three-game slide thanks to Markstrom’s second shutout since. Winnipeg, which lost 3-1 to Calgary during the summer restart’s qualifying round, took the season opener for both clubs 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 14 courtesy of Patrik Laine’s winner — the sniper’s last action with the team before he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets along with Jack Roslovic for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round pick nine days later. The Jets opened the scoring at 4: 31 of Monday’s first period on a man advantage when Connor, who entered without a point in his last three games, wired his fifth upstairs on Markstrom. Winnipeg carried the bulk of the play throughout the opening 20 minutes, and doubled the lead on another man advantage at 13: 46 when Connor one-timed his seventh from almost the exact same spot. The visitors settled down in the intermission and got a lucky break to cut the deficit in half seven seconds into the second when Tanev’s attempted breakaway pass from inside his own zone skipped in front of Hellebucyk and fooled the reigning Vezina Trophy winner for the shutdown defenceman’s first with Calgary. “It went through a few legs and sticks, and obviously took a fortunate bounce,” said Tanev, who also signed with Calgary after leaving Vancouver. “I will take any goal I can get.” Winnipeg had a great chance early in the third, but Markstrom robbed Scheifele with the glove. The Jets sniper the came close a second time later in the period on a power play only to see his shot chime off the post before Gaudreau equalized moments later. “We were a little slow coming out,” Ward. “There’s a saying that after an emotional win, which we had in Montreal, the next game is often hard to get into. “But I give our guys a lot of credit for the way that they regrouped.” With Gaudreau once again leading the way. Notes: Jets centre Adam Lowry saw a six-game point streak (four goals, four assists) come to an end. … Dubois remains unavailable for Winnipeg as he continues to serve a two-week quarantine after crossing the Canada-U.S. border shortly after the deal with Columbus was finalized. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2021. ___ Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter The Canadian Press
Initiative de journalisme local

COVID-19 : Le bilan du Bas-Saint-Laurent augmente de deux cas

Le Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux du Bas-Saint-Laurent rapporte deux nouveaux cas COVID-19 dans la région, portant le total à 1470 cas. Sur les 1470 cas, la santé publique dénombre désormais 1425 guérisons, ou huit de plus que vendredi dernier. Actuellement, le Bas-Saint-Laurent cumule 15 cas actifs de COVID-19. Cas par MRC : Kamouraska164Rivière-du-Loup259Témiscouata85Les Basques28Rimouski-Neigette582 (+1)La Mitis82La Matanie206La Matapédia50 (+1)Indéterminés14Bas-Saint-Laurent1470Le nombre de décès demeure à 30 décès, le dernier décès remontant à mercredi passé. Deux personnes sont à l’instant hospitalisées en lien avec la COVID-19. Dans les dernières 24 heures, 379 tests de dépistage ont été réalisés à travers le territoire. Le CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent a enlevé le statut d’éclosion du CHSLD de Chauffailles. Le seul milieu en éclosion restant en région est l’Unité transitoire de réadaptation fonctionnelle (UTRF). Depuis le début de la pandémie, il y a eu 40 cas, dont 26 usagers et 14 employés. Claudie Arseneault, Initiative de journalisme local, Mon Matane
Reuters

Wuhan or Wu-Tang? Canadian diplomat’s T-shirt logo angers China

Canada said it regretted a “misunderstanding” after China lodged a formal complaint over a diplomat’s order of a custom T-shirt displaying the word Wuhan, the city where the COVID-19 pandemic first emerged, over the emblem of hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. Reports of the T-shirt order circulating on China’s Twitter-like Weibo described it as depicting a bat, without mentioning Wu-Tang Clan. “We are very shocked by this and have lodged representations with Canada, asking for a thorough investigation and a clear explanation,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in response to a question at a daily briefing on Monday, adding that the virus should not be linked to specific countries or regions.
Reuters

Pakistan court orders release from prison of mastermind in Daniel Pearl case

Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered the release from prison on Tuesday of a British-born militant who had been convicted in the kidnapping and murder of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl by al Qaeda and Pakistani Islamist militants in 2002. In a decision that is expected to draw criticism from the United States, the court recommended that Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh be transferred to a government safe house as a stepping stone to his full release after spending 18 years on death row. “He should be moved to a comfortable residential environment, something like a rest house where he can live a normal life,” said Justice Omar Ata Bandyal.
The Canadian Press

Biden tries to show US as democracy beacon post-Capitol riot

WASHINGTON — Less than two weeks in office, President Joe Biden is facing two critical tests of whether the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol has damaged America’s standing as a beacon for democracy. Protests in Russia and a military coup in Myanmar come as American credibility on the world stage has plummeted after last month’s storming of the Capitol by a pro-Donald Trump mob looking to stop the certification of Biden’s election victory. That adds to the weight on Biden as he seeks to fulfil a campaign pledge to dramatically reposition the U.S. as a global leader following four years of a Trump foreign policy driven by an “America First” mantra. That policy was marked by the frequent disparagement of democratic allies and the occasional embrace of authoritarian leaders. Biden’s top diplomat, Antony Blinken, acknowledged the difficulty. “I think there’s no doubt that the attack on our own democracy on Jan. 6 creates an even greater challenge for us to be carrying the banner of democracy and freedom and human rights around the world because, for sure, people in other countries are saying to us, ‘Well, why don’t you look at yourselves first?’” the secretary of state said in an interview with NBC News. Blinken added, “The difference, though, between us and so many other countries is that when we are challenged, including when we challenge ourselves — we’re doing it in full daylight with full transparency.” Biden, in the early days of his presidency, has sought to send the message in a series of calls with foreign leaders that America is back. He’s reassured Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga that the U.S. has its support in an ongoing territorial dispute with China over islets in the East China Sea. He’s sought to reset the relationship with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was belittled by Trump as “dishonest & weak.” And he’s told Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador that the U.S. would send $4 billion to help development in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala — nations whose hardships have spawned tides of migration through Mexico toward the United States. “The United States remains a country in the world that is looked to for leadership,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. “It’s going to take some time, but he’s certainly committed to doing that.” But the crises in Myanmar and Russia present Biden with difficult tests of his promise to reestablish global leadership that are likely to be far more complicated than mending fences with traditional allies. Biden on Monday threatened to slap new sanctions on Myanmar after a coup that saw the military arrest the civilian leaders of its government, calling the episode “a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the rule of law.” In his first call with Russian President Vladimir Putin as counterparts last week, Biden raised concerns about the detention of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the crackdown on supporters backing his arrest. The mass arrests have only accelerated in the days since the two leaders spoke as protests have continued across the country. “For Putin, he looks at the Capitol riot and sees it as more evidence of his worldview, a continuation of the degradation of liberalism in the world,” said Michael McFaul, who served as U.S. ambassador to Russia in the Obama administration. “The Biden election doesn’t mean much to him about his theory about liberal democracy. Whereas Putin’s opponents are very encouraged by the election of President Biden because it shows that American democratic institutions were resilient.” To that end, Navalny’s supporters wrote to Biden over the weekend urging him to take meaningful action with sanctions against members of Putin’s inner circle to demonstrate that he’s serious about reclaiming the U.S. role as a champion of democracy. “Their argument is, If you just sanction a bunch of no-name, low-level colonels … that’s exactly who Putin is expecting,” McFaul said. “They want the Biden administration to sanction the economic actors in the Putin regime, and they’ve made it easy for the Biden administration in they’ve named them all in their seven-page letter.” Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat and chair of the House Intelligence Committee, drew a line from Trump to the coup in Myanmar. Trump had made baseless accusations of widespread voter fraud that were rejected by multiple courts as well as Trump’s own Justice Department. An announcement read on Myanmar’s military-owned Myawaddy TV explained that the seizure was necessary because the government had not acted on the military’s unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the Southeast Asian nation’s recent elections and because it allowed the election to go ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic. “When America speaks and acts, the world watches, and when our leaders propagate conspiracy theories and subvert democracy here at home, it sets a dangerous example for the rest of the world,” Schiff said. Adversaries such as China, Iran and Venezuela pointed to the Capitol riot as evidence of the fragility of U.S. democracy. Even some allies said the scene was unsettling and has caused them to reconsider the United States’ position as the self-proclaimed beacon of democracy. “After something like this, I believe it would be very difficult for the world to see the United States as a symbol of democracy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy said in an interview with “Axios on HBO.” ___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report. Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press
CBC

Parents, teachers renew calls for mandatory masks in B.C. schools as COVID-19 variants spread

Teachers and parents are again calling for a provincewide mandatory mask mandate in schools, as 18 cases of new COVID-19 variants have now been confirmed in B.C. On Monday, health officials began testing staff and students to determine whether they may have been exposed to a variant at Garibaldi Secondary School in Maple Ridge. For some B.C. parents, it’s a scenario that’s reinforced their decision to keep kids out of in-class learning. Tessa Russell, a mother of three in Kelowna, says she struggled with the decision to send her children back to in-class learning this semester. She says the fact the province doesn’t mandate masks in schools was a deciding factor in keeping them at home to continue online learning. According to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, data so far suggests COVID-19 transmission is generally low in schools, but Russell is wary. “We knew that there were several cases among people that we were aware of, and yet we were hearing there was no in-school transmission,” Russell told CBC’s BC Today. “It just doesn’t match up with what we know.” On Monday, Henry said the rise in cases associated with the variants first found in the U.K. and South Africa is one of the most concerning issues facing the province right now. While rapid testing is a useful tool for detecting potential transmission in cases like Garibaldi secondary, she said it is not the “highest priority” or most effective measure to prevent COVID-19 transmission in all school settings. ‘People in the grocery store have more protection than teachers’ The B.C. Teachers’ Federation has been calling for a stronger mask mandate in schools since the summer. President Teri Mooring says she’s glad to hear staff and students at Garibaldi secondary will be tested, but worries not all schools in B.C. have access to the same safety measures. “This is something we’ve been calling for across the province,” Mooring said. “The concern for us of course is these safety measures are in place for some students and education workers including teachers, and not others.” Carmen Secotte, who lives in Langley, says she has six friends who are teachers who are “terrified” that masks aren’t mandated in all classrooms in B.C. Given the new variants, she believes the province has a duty to implement stricter masking measures in schools. “People in the grocery store have much, much more protection than teachers do,” Secotte said. Gregory Russell, who works for a school district on Vancouver Island, agrees. He has a health condition and his partner is immunocompromised. He said he was among the first to wear a mask at school and doesn’t always feel safe at work. Russell worries if he gets sick, he will be on “the losing end” of the disease. “I would appreciate it from the top down, the government down, if a mask mandate was put in place, because at least it wouldn’t be just me and just those people who are really pushing it,” he said. “You’d see a lot of relief from the rest of us.”
Reuters

Canada house prices to build up this year, outpace inflation: Reuters poll

Canadian house prices will continue their upwards march this year, outpacing inflation after hitting record highs in 2020, according to a Reuters poll of property market analysts who said the risk of a COVID-19 resurgence derailing activity was low. Yet the Canadian housing market showed resilience, helped by record low mortgage rates and massive fiscal spending. The Jan. 12-29 poll of 15 property market analysts showed house prices would rise 5% on average this year nationally.
Local Journalism Initiative

School curriculum needs more Black history: academics

Black people have a strong history in New Brunswick stretching back over 250 years, but the public school curriculum does not do a good job recognizing many of their significant contributions, said Alicia Noreiga-Mundaroy, a PhD candidate in the University of New Brunswick’s education department. This “erasure of Black people” is a problem that academics at UNB, St. Thomas University, and members of Black Lives Matter Fredericton and others are working to address, said Noreiga-Mundaroy. The groups began talking following protests and rallies last summer over the death of George Floyd, an American man killed in police custody, Noreiga-Mundaroy said. They also spoke to Dominic Cardy, the province’s education minister, who offered support for their request to integrate more Black content into the curriculum, she said. That work is ongoing, but curriculum modifications can take years. Noreiga-Mundaroy said they want to see changes sooner rather than later. So they created a website; the “Black Lives Matter in New Brunswick Education” project went online Monday. Husoni Raymond, an organizer with Black Lives Matter Fredericton, a collaborator on the project, called the website “a short-term solution,” while noting they had it ready for Black History Month, which began Monday, and for teachers to use in classrooms right now. Educating people about contributions by Black people allows stereotypes to diminish, he said, while diverse education creates meaningful solutions for the future. It is also important to Black students to see Black New Brunswickers, Maritimers and Canadians reflected in the history they are learning, said Noreiga-Mundaroy, while white and non-Black students also need to learn and appreciate these contributions and challenges. “Black awareness,” the understanding that there are challenges that Blacks face, and being proactive in tackling these challenges is also included in the lessons, she said, as is accepting that racism exists here, sometimes covertly. “The website is nowhere close to finished, but it is a step in the right direction,” she said. So far, there are 20 lessons designed to weave naturally into pre-existing curriculum elements. Clinton Davis of Moncton, a co-host of the podcast Black in the Maritimes, said their group is focusing on Black history education with a Maritime focus for Black History Month. “Black history is Canadian history,” he said, noting there are stories of trauma, but also of beauty and accomplishments. Davis said he has had many interactions with high school students who have asked for more Black content in their curriculum. While not involved with the website launched Monday, he said he is excited to see it. One of his children has experienced racism in a Moncton school, he said, but he believes educating all children about Black experiences and history helps everyone. “We say we aren’t as bad as the U.S., but we hide our history,” said Fidel Franco, a Black in the Maritimes co-founder. Black people were not protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act until 1977, he said, adding more education on topics like this is needed. But the quest to educate the public at large about Black history and experiences is not always an easy one, said Davis. “We get a lot of hate.” There are moments when he feels he’s helped someone change their way of thinking, Davis said, while noting there are still people in this province who tell Black people to “Go back to Africa,” when their families have been Canadians for hundreds of years. Davis believes the tragic death of George Floyd, and the resulting protests, marches and conversations that followed did move the needle. “The progress is slow, but we’ve definitely made progress this year,” he said. Clara Pasieka, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Telegraph-Journal