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Harry Potter actor Ralph Fiennes finds backlash 'disturbing' over trans comments made by J.K. Rowling
Ralph Fiennes was stunned by the backlash against "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling over her comments on the transgender community.
Ralph Fiennes was stunned by the backlash against "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling over her comments on the transgender community.
Provinces are free to offer the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to all adults, Canada's health minister said Sunday as calls mounted in at least one province hard hit by COVID-19 to lower the age restriction on the shot. While the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has yet to release updated recommendations on the vaccine, Patty Hajdu said provincial officials are not beholden to the group's current advice to only offer the shot to those 55 and older. "NACI provides advice to provinces and territories," Hajdu told a news conference Sunday. "They can adjust their use for AstraZeneca as per their desire and the advice from their own public health authorities and medical expertise."She noted that Health Canada has licensed the AstraZeneca shot for use in people over the age of 18. "NACI continues to review the advice on AstraZeneca use and will have updated guidance in the very near future," Hajdu added. Her comments come as some provinces -- particularly Ontario and Alberta -- grapple with devastating third waves of COVID-19. And while Ontario Premier Doug Ford points the finger at a lack of vaccine supply, the head of the association that represents the province's hospitals argued that AstraZeneca shots were sitting in pharmacy freezers. Anthony Dale, president and CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association, tweeted that there is "'surplus supply at risk of expiring," and the government must act on it. Many Ontario physicians took to social media to express their frustration with the province's lack of action on the issue."Pharmacies, listen up. DO NOT WASTE A SINGLE DOSE OF THE AZ VACCINE. Explain the risk and obtain informed consent to administer to people under age 55," Dr. Brian Goldman said in a tweet Sunday.Steven Del Duca, who heads up the Liberal party in the province, agreed. "Doug Ford must release the AstraZeneca vaccine from pharmacy freezers and get it into the arms of anyone over 18 in a hot spot," he tweeted Sunday. "(Patty Hajdu) was clear: there is nothing stopping him from getting shots into arms."A spokeswoman for Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter, but the provincial government has previously said it will follow NACI's recommendations on the shot.The calls to lower the threshold for the AstraZeneca vaccine extended beyond Ontario's borders."It sounds like Alberta is having trouble using its AstraZeneca. Lower the minimum age; Gen X can help!" Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, tweeted this week.Some have been hesitant to accept the AstraZeneca vaccine due to a very rare blood clotting condition, which has thus far affected two Canadians. More than 700,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered in this country. The global frequency of the blood clot disorder, known as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, or VITT, has been estimated at about one case in 100,000 to 250,000 doses.The risk of developing blood clots due to COVID-19 is much higher, and experts say people should accept the first vaccine they're offered. Meanwhile, the federal government announced Sunday that it was mobilizing its own resources and co-ordinating with lesser-hit provinces to send health-care workers and other support to help Ontario as it battles record-breaking COVID-19 numbers.It wasn't immediately clear how the Ontario government would respond to Ottawa's offer.Hospitalizations and admissions to intensive care units continued to reach record heights in Ontario, which reported 4,250 new COVID-19 infections in the the last 24 hours.Ontario announced a number of new restrictions to quell the skyrocketing numbers, but has faced pressure to roll back limits on outdoor activities, which critics have said will do little to stop the spread.Meanwhile, data released by Canada's chief public health officer shows that the average daily number of hospitalizations and deaths in the country jumped by more than 30 per cent between April 9 and 15 compared to the week before.The latest national-level data found that an average of 3,428 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent seven-day reporting period, representing a 34 per cent increase over the week before.An average of 41 people died each day during the same period, which is 38 per cent higher than the previous week.Dr. Theresa Tam said cases, test positivity rates and intensive care admissions are all rising as Canada battles a wave of COVID-19 that is driven by more contagious variants.Quebec, meanwhile, reported more than 1,300 new infections in the past 24 hours.Prince Edward Island reported three new cases, while Nova Scotia logged seven and New Brunswick added 10. Farther west, Manitoba recorded 170 new cases of the virus and one added death, while Saskatchewan counted 289 new cases and one death. Alberta, which is currently dealing with the highest rate of COVID-19 per capita in Canada, reported 1,516 new cases of the virus on Sunday and three more deaths. As of Saturday night, Ontario's rate of active COVID-19 cases was 276 per 100,000, compared to 391 per 100,000 in Alberta. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2021 Nicole Thompson and Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press
Alberta reported 1,516 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths Sunday, as the province continues to combat sluggish uptake of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Sunday's new case count was slightly higher than Saturday's count of 1,486 new cases. The total number of active cases increased to 17,935 across the province, from 17,307 active cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. There were 800 new variant cases identified, bringing the percentage of active variant cases to 54.5 per cent of active cases. Provincial labs completed 15,343 tests for COVID-19 on Saturday, with a positivity rate of 9.8 per cent. Hospitalizations increased to 451, up from 445 on Saturday, including 103 people who are being treated for COVID-19 in intensive care units. Of the three reported deaths Sunday, two occurred in the South zone and one in the Edmonton zone. Since the outset of the pandemic, 2,040 people have died from COVID-19 in Alberta. Here is the breakdown of active cases by health zone: Calgary zone: 7,879 Edmonton zone: 4,788 Central zone: 1,849 South zone: 905 North zone:2,441 Unknown: 73 Low vaccine uptake As of Sunday, 1,147,048 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered across the province, an increase of 25,147 from the previous day. Of the 270,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine received by the province, 97,690 doses had been administered as of Friday, and 170,646 doses still remained, according to Alberta Health. After reports of sluggish uptake at mass vaccination sites in Edmonton and Calgary — tied to hesitancy around receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine — an Alberta Health spokesperson said Sunday that traffic is increasing at the rapid flow clinics. "We are continuing to raise awareness that AstraZeneca and other vaccines are safe and effective, and are our way out of the pandemic," said spokesperson Sherene Khaw. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, is working with her counterparts and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), to consider options to expand eligibility for the shots, Khaw added. Eligibility is still limited to those over 55. Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu said Sunday that provinces are free to use AstraZeneca for any age above 18, as it's approved by Health Canada, and that nothing is stopping provinces from expanding eligibililty.
Welcome to our live coverage of the huge news that 12 top clubs will form a breakway European Super League. Late on Sunday night, 12 teams confirmed they intend to join the Super League as founders. The Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Manchester United and Tottenham - will be joined by Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan in founding the new competition.
The world of football looks set for a potentially huge change at the highest level
Alex Bowman passed Denny Hamlin on a restart with 10 laps to go and drove away at Richmond Raceway for his third career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series. Bowman produced a stunning conclusion to a race that Hamlin had dominated along with Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano.
Minnesota-based advocacy groups gathered outside the governor’s residence in St Paul on April 18 to protest the police shooting of Daunte Wright.Protesters demanded justice for Dante Wright, George Floyd, and “all stolen lives”, according to the Facebook event’s description.“The police have responded to protests of police murder with police violence,” the organizers wrote. “While giving a weak charge to Kim Potter for executing Daunte Wright and releasing her immediately on bail, authorities have brutalized and arrested protesters demanding justice.”Footage filmed by local non-profit organization Women’s March MN shows a crowd chanting “black lives matter” while holding signs saying “Stop causing trauma, police reform now” and “Am I next.” Credit: Women’s March MN via Storyful
Twelve of Europe’s leading clubs, including the Premier League’s Big Six, have announced controversial plans to form a breakaway European Super League. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham join three Spanish clubs - Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid - and three Italian sides - Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan - in making the proposal, which could change the face of European club football.
The Canadian province of Ontario will begin offering AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to people turning 40 or older this year on Tuesday, according to a government source. The change will broaden access to vaccines as a third wave of infections threatens to overwhelm hospitals in Canada's most populous province, and should make it easier to use doses that in some cases have been accumulating at pharmacies. The vaccine has already been distributed to pharmacies, but currently can only be given to people turning 55 or older this year.
Alex Bowman led the final 10 laps of the race following a late caution and strong restart to put him out front for the flag.
Twelve top European soccer clubs on Sunday announced their plans to create a new league that could end the sport's global structure as we know it.
TORONTO — Calls for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to undo new wide-ranging COVID-19 restrictions on outdoor recreational activities grew louder Sunday amid pledges of federal help to ease the toll on the province's strained health-care system. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several cabinet ministers promised to comb federal departments for available personnel who could be redeployed to the hard-hit province, as well as to cover the cost of flying in additional supports from other provinces. There was no immediate word from Ford on Trudeau's promise, but a spokeswoman for the province's health minister issued a statement expressing gratitude for the offer. The proposed federal aid comes two days after Ford issued a nationwide appeal for support for Ontario's strained hospitals and other health-care resources. Ford's office did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday. The federal aid offer, as well as mounting questions about the point of restrictions shuttering most outdoor recreational spaces across the province came as Ontario set more hospital admission records and intensive care units struggled to save a growing number of patients. Health authorities reported 741 people in intensive care with COVID-19, with more than 500 needing ventilators to breathe. In all, 2,107 infected patients were in hospital. The province also logged 4,250 new infections on Sunday, along with 18 new virus-related deaths. Ford has already walked back some broader police powers enacted Friday as part of a suite of new measures meant to curb the surging third wave. He also said playgrounds could stay open, reversing another Friday-afternoon announcement. Other outdoor recreational areas, such as soccer fields, picnic tables and golf courses, are still ordered to remain closed. Critics of the measures seized on the lack of scientific evidence to denounce the emergency measures. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease expert with the University Health Network, called the outdoor restrictions misguided and said people should be encouraged to be outside. "We know there's very little risk of catching COVID-19 in outdoor settings," Bogoch said. "We may as well focus on areas where the virus is actually being transmitted, which is indoor venues, predominantly among essential workers that don't have the luxury of locking down or staying at home." One fast-growing online petition that called on Ford to reopen golf courses and allow pickleball blew through its 10,000-signature target Sunday. It's a question of health, both physical and mental, said Mark Kalbfleisch, of Oshawa, Ont., who started the petition. "The government proved by opening golf last year, and pickle ball and rowing and things you can do to get outside, that it can be done safely," Kalbfleisch, himself an avid golfer, said in an interview. "I don't recall any cases of COVID being transmitted through golf." Amid a barrage of criticism and after police said they would not use their new powers to stop drivers or pedestrians at random and ask why they weren't at home, Ford changed the rules again on Saturday. Officers must now have grounds to suspect a violation of stay-at-home orders before being able to demand information. One lawyer, however, said the change was not much of an improvement because police officers could broaden their inquiries of people suspected of a breach. "Based on responses to these questions, the police may take the position that they now have grounds to conduct a further investigation into that individual," Nader Hasan said Sunday. "This power is ripe for abuse, pretext searches, and racial profiling." Meanwhile, a political battle appeared to be brewing amid word the province had proposed to shut the legislature down as early as Wednesday. Opposition parties accused Ford of trying to hide from the anger caused by the latest round of restrictions, as well as his unwillingness to legislate paid sick days for workers. Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath said her New Democrats would not agree to any legislature shutdown until the Progressive Conservative government had reversed what she described as its "dangerous police-state orders" and replaced them with public health measures. "We are not prepared to help Doug Ford go home, leaving a police state in place while he allows COVID-19 to run rampant," Horwath said in a statement. In response, government House leader Paul Calandra said the proposed closure was to protect legislature support staff from COVID-19, something he said could not be accomplished by a virtual sitting. "The government presented options to adjourn the legislature to keep those who support elected officials safe," Calandra said in a statement. The legislature is currently scheduled to sit until June. Calandra said only that it would be in session this week. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2021. Colin Perkel and Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) is moving past a legal dispute it got into with one of its former engineers. The company settled a lawsuit it brought in 2019 against Cao Guangzhi, accusing him of copying the source code of its Autopilot assisted driving software platform. Tesla had alleged Cao had done so before joining XMotors, the U.S. business of China-based autonomous-driving company Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV).
Canada's first budget in two years, to be presented to parliament on Monday, proposes a sales tax for online platforms and e-commerce warehouses, a digital services tax for Web giants and a luxury tax on items like yachts, government sources familiar with the document said. It will not include a wealth tax, a levy sought by the opposition New Democrats. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's budget will need the support of at least one opposition group to pass.
The Academy of Country Music Awards show is airing Sunday night. Come back here for a complete list of winners as the telecast proceeds. To watch the show live, tune in to CBS at 8 p.m. on the east coast or 7 in the central time zone, including Nashville, host city for the telecast. On […]
Twelve of Europes’s leading soccer clubs have just confirmed their agreement to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League. The highly controversial plans have dominated European news services this evening on the continent, with most leading on the plan, which involves the game’s biggest clubs such as Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus. […]
MADRID — After seeing rivals gradually cut into its lead, Atlético Madrid finally got some breathing room at the top of the Spanish league on Sunday. Atlético ended its winless run by routing last-place Eibar 5-0, then saw city rival Real Madrid held 0-0 by Getafe. Those results gave Atlético a three-point lead over second-place Madrid, and a five-point cushion over third-place Barcelona, which has a game in hand after winning the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. “When you win, everything becomes easier, you gain some tranquility,” Atlético coach Diego Simeone said. “It has become a very exciting finish to the league and hopefully we can keep improving so it's not a competition in which only Real Madrid or Barcelona can win it.” Madrid had moved within a point of the lead after beating Barcelona in the previous round. Atlético was coming off a loss to Sevilla and a 1-1 draw against Real Betis. “We will keep fighting," Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “We know that we will need to be at our best. There's still a lot left and we will keep trying. This league is very difficult for everyone.” ATLÉTICO ROUT Ángel Correa and Marcos Llorente scored two goals each and Yannick Carrasco added another as Atlético routed Eibar at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. Simeone's team easily won despite playing without Luis Suárez and João Félix because of injuries. Correa, one of the players who came in to replace the injured regular starters, broke the deadlock with a goal from close range in the 42nd minute, then quickly added to the lead after a nice turn to clear a defender inside the area in the 44th. Carrasco scored the third goal in a breakaway in the 49th, then Llorente got the fourth from inside the box in the 53rd and the fifth from close range in the 68th. Eibar's winless streak in the league reached 14 consecutive matches. The Basque Country club, which had no shots on target, is four points from safety. Atlético’s next match is on Thursday against Huesca, another team fighting relegation. Huesca lost 1-0 at Alavés on Sunday after conceding in the 85th. Madrid visits Cádiz on Wednesday. MADRID HELD Missing some of its top players, Real Madrid struggled against Madrid rival Getafe and needed a good performance by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to avoid an even more disappointing result. After difficult games against Liverpool in the Champions League and against Barcelona in the Spanish league, Zidane rested some of his regular starters, including Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema, the team’s leading scorer this season. Zidane again had to deal with a depleted defence because of injuries and suspensions, having to use reserve-team player Víctor Chust in central defence. Madrid had a goal by forward Mariano Díaz disallowed for offside less than 10 minutes into the match, and shortly after the Spanish powerhouse nearly conceded when Jaime Mata’s header hit the post for hosts Getafe, which sit four points from the relegation zone. SEVILLA RISES Sevilla won 2-1 at Real Sociedad to move within a point of third-place Barcelona, practically securing the final Champions League spot. Sevilla has a 15-point gap over fifth-place Villarreal. Sociedad, which won the postponed 2020 Copa del Rey final two weeks ago, took the lead through Carlos Fernández in the fifth minute, but Sevilla rallied with goals by Fernando in the 22nd and Youssef En-Nesyri in the 24th. OTHER RESULTS Villarreal routed regional rival Levante 5-1, with Nigerian midfielder Samu Chukwueze scoring a pair of second-half goals for the visitors. Betis drew 2-2 at home against Valencia, while Cádiz and Celta Vigo played to a 0-0 draw. Midtable Osasuna beat relegation-threatened Elche 2-0. There were no league matches on Saturday because of the Copa del Rey final. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports ___ Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press
Volkswagen's electric line-up is expanding in multiple ways with the new VW ID.6 electric crossover. It's based on the same MEB platform that underpins the ID.3 hatchback, as well as the ID.4 crossover that we get in America. The addition of three usable rows puts the ID.6 in rarified company, as the Tesla Model X is the only game in town.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will deliver the Liberal government's first budget in two years on Monday, laying out more than $2 billion for a national child-care program while keeping the federal deficit for the past year under the $400 billion mark, CBC News has learned. A senior government source that spoke to CBC News Sunday — on the condition they not be named because they are not permitted to speak on the subject — said unlike the way some programs have been announced in past budgets, the forthcoming child-care announcement will not be about striking expert panels, undertaking further study or be entirely subject to negotiations with the provinces. The initial investment will be in excess of the $2 billion a report by the federal finance committee recently said should be the starting point of any national child-care program, and will be enough to lay the foundations of a full-scale national system that puts both affordability and quality at its start. The source said the program will be the centrepiece of the budget and will be crafted to help women quickly, which means Canadians should expect to see something tangible in the next year to 18 months. The child-care investment plays into the federal government's three key budget components, which include introducing measures that address critical needs in the short, medium and long term. To deal with immediate concerns, the source said, the federal budget will acknowledge that pandemic financial supports are still needed and will not be cut off as the crisis drags on with the worsening third wave. That information is roughly in line with reporting by the Toronto Star earlier Sunday that said Freeland will roll out a $12 billion extension to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) as well as the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and lockdown support — key programs that have helped keep small businesses afloat over the last year. The Star also said that all of the "main pandemic support programs" will be extended until the fall. Targeted supports coming, source says The second component of the budget, the senior government source said, will include efforts targeted at supporting women, low-wage workers, students and those in essential jobs as the economy comes back. Child care will be a big part of that, the source said, as will assistance targeted at small businesses. As federal pandemic-related financial supports eventually begin winding down, they will be transitioned into something that is more targeted, the source told CBC News. That information dovetails with reporting from The Toronto Star, which said Sunday the federal government intends to introduce a new program called the Canada Recovery Hiring Program. It's important for us to invest in rebuilding an economy that's still 300,000 jobs short of where we were before the pandemic. - Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson Under the program, the Star reported, companies that have relied on the CEWS would instead be able to access up to $1,100 for each four-week period of a new employee's term. The third component of the budget will be focused on longer-term efforts that help reduce the deficit and set the stage for a sustainable recovery that addresses both climate change and the social inequalities laid bare by the pandemic. "We want to give people the confidence that they can make decisions now so that they're ready when the economy comes back," the government source said. The size of the deficit The $70 to $100 billion the federal government said it will use to help stimulate the economy will not all be allocated in Monday's budget but general direction of where that money is going will be included. The federal government has faced criticism for the stimulus program it outlined in the fall economic update unveiled in November as being unnecessary in the face of what many expect to be a strong economic rebound as pent-up Canadians prepare to splash out once the pandemic peters away. "While temporary stimulus of this magnitude would likely provide a significant boost to the Canadian economy, it would result in materially larger budgetary deficits and higher federal debt in the medium term," a recent report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) said. That opinion was also expressed by the shadow budget put out by the C.D. Howe Institute, which said "fiscal stability" would be "jeopardized" by spending up to $100 billion on stimulus. Despite that criticism, Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton on Sunday that financial supports rolled out in 2008-09 were rolled back too quickly and that organizations such as the International Monetary Fund have warned Canada not to move away from investing in jobs and growth if it wants to get the economy fully firing again. "Our view is aligned with our European colleagues which is; it's important for us to invest in rebuilding an economy that's still 300,000 jobs short of where we were before the pandemic," he said on Rosemary Barton Live. "Our intention is to move forward, to invest for jobs and growth, to rebuild this economy and ensure that Canada will be strong and prosperous as we move forward." The senior government source also said that the expected deficit for the past year will not exceed $400 billion and may be slightly lower than expected but refused to provide an exact figure. The PBO estimated the deficit for the 2020-21 fiscal year stands at $363.4 million, without including any of the stimulus spending. The C.D. Howe Institute, which also does not include stimulus spending, puts that number at $388.7 million. The fall economic statement put the deficit for the preceding year at $381.6 million. Regardless of the exact spending totals for the past year, bringing the federal government's books back into balance will take time, and the source said Canadians should not expect to see major changes to the tax code — including the introduction of a wealth tax — geared toward paying that money back just yet. You can watch full episodes of Rosemary Barton Live on CBC Gem, the CBC's streaming service.