Yahoo MoviesTory MP compares Boris Johnson to Alexander the Great after delivering Brexit
Credit: Parliament Live TV
Credit: Parliament Live TV
Past social media posts included liking comments about hanging Barack Obama, shooting Nancy Pelosi, and executing FBI agents
The SEIU-UHW West & Joint Employer Education Fund (the Education Fund) – a multi-employer benefit trust providing education and training for union-represented healthcare employees – today announced it is launching an updated version of the online course Pandemic Readiness for frontline healthcare workers. The course now reflects information gained about COVID-19 through experiences of the past several months, as well as information related to vaccination.
Securities Litigation Partner James Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $50,000 In SolarWinds To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2021) - If you suffered losses exceeding $50,000 investing in SolarWinds stock or options between February 24, 2020 and December 15, 2020 and would like to discuss your legal rights, click here: www.faruqilaw.com/SWI or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner James Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or ...
BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia will ban flights from Brazil effective Friday over concerns of a variant of the coronavirus that is circulating in that country. Colombia President Ivan Duque on Wednesday announced the 30-day measure. No flights will take off from Colombia to Brazil either. In addition, anyone who arrived from Brazil to Colombia between Jan. 18 and Wednesday will have to quarantine for 14 days. The Brazil P.1 variant was first identified in four travellers who were tested at an airport outside Tokyo. It contains a set of mutations that may affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The emergence of variants is linked to ongoing surges since infections give viruses the chance to mutate and spread. It’s another reason experts stress the importance of mask wearing and social distancing. Colombia has recorded more than 2 million cases and over 52,100 deaths of COVID-19. ___ THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: The Biden administration is projecting as many as 90,000 Americans will die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks. The 27-nation EU is coming under criticism for the slow rollout of its vaccination campaign. AstraZeneca and EU to meet in Brussels to talk over vaccine production delays. U.S. boosting vaccine deliveries amid complaints of shortages. IOC, Tokyo Olympics to unveil rule book for beating pandemic. — Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama health officials said Wednesday that the more highly transmissible COVID-19 variant seen in the United Kingdom has been found in the state. The Alabama Department of Public Health said the variant is thought to be more contagious. It is the first time the variant has been identified in the state, although it has been detected in at least 24 other states, including Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. The variant was first detected in the United Kingdom in late 2020. Health officials said the variant was found in two children and one adult in Alabama. Two cases are in Montgomery County and one is in Jefferson. This variant is associated with increased person-to-person transmission of COVID-19, but state health officials said it “has not definitively been linked to worse outcomes of the disease.” ___ SANTA FE, N.M. -- Health officials in New Mexico said Wednesday that schools may have to make do with aggressive virus testing and limited vaccinations for elderly teachers, if they want to begin reopening soon. New Mexico Health Secretary Tracie Collins said that schools can find some safety assurances by adding rapid-result tests that look for COVID-19 proteins, called antigens. “Regarding schools reopening, you know we’re going to prioritize teachers getting a vaccine who are 75 and older,” Collins told a panel of state legislators Wednesday. “As far as the testing piece, we do have options for rapid antigen testing that we can combine. ... We’ve got some things we can do to reopen these schools with a little more security behind us.” She and Human Services Secretary David Scrase say the vaccine bottleneck is at the federal level in the supply chain, as local hospitals clamour for doses to inject at mass inoculation clinics. “All schools can still open but if you’re in what we’re calling a red county, you would be tested much more often than you would in a yellow or green,” Scrase said, referring to colour codes for infection rates. New Mexico’s governor announced this week that all schools have the option to reopen classroom teaching on Feb. 8. The vast majority of students are confined to online learning currently. ___ TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister says the President of the European Commission has reassured him any vaccine export controls the EU enacts won’t impact shipments of Canada’s doses from Europe. Trudeau says he spoke to EU President Ursula von der Leyen who he says told him transparency measures taken by the EU will not affect Canada’s Pfizer and Moderna vaccine deliveries from Europe. The EU has threatened to impose export controls on vaccines produced within its borders, and warned pharmaceutical companies that have developed coronavirus vaccines with EU aid that it must get its shots on schedule. All of Canada’s Pfizer and Moderna vaccines come from Europe. Canada isn’t getting any deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine made in Europe this week, shipments are set to resume next week. ___ OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma State Department of Health will receive an approximately 16% increase in coronavirus vaccine per week during the next three weeks, deputy state health commissioner Keith Reed said Tuesday. The announcement comes on the same day the health department reported a new one-day record of 65 deaths due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. The increase in vaccines is in line with President Joe Biden’s announcement that the U.S. is ramping up deliveries of the vaccine to provide enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of the summer or early fall. Oklahoma expects to receive just more than 103,000 doses per week from the federal government, an increase from just under 85,000 last week, Reed said. “This allows us to take a look at what’s going to happen the next three weeks, it helps us to understand how much vaccine supply we have that we can support bringing on some other pandemic providers,” such as local pharmacies, to provide vaccinations, Reed said. The record increase of 65 deaths is three more than the previous one-day record reported on Jan. 6, according to health department records. The health department also reported 2,686 new virus cases Wednesday for totals of 3,388 deaths and 379,110 cases since the pandemic began. ___ RALEIGH, N.C. --- Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday extended a trio of executive orders allowing for curbside alcohol sales, a halt to evictions and a requirement for people to remain at home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. North Carolina’s modified stay-at-home directive that was set to expire on Friday will now remain in place until Feb. 28, while the eviction moratorium and allowance for the sale of “to-go” or delivery of mixed beverages remains in place through March 31. The Democratic governor’s extensions come as prominent state Republicans expressed their frustrations over a new coronavirus vaccine distribution strategy from Cooper’s administration that critics argue has prioritized speed over equity. During a news conference, Cooper reiterated his desire to distribute the doses received by President Joe Biden’s administration quickly and equitably. “The top priority in our state is getting vaccines to people as quickly and as equitably as possible,” Cooper said. “As of today, North Carolina has administered 99.8% of all the first doses that we have received from the federal government.” Top Republican lawmakers on Wednesday signalled more scrutiny of the vaccine rollout. Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters it makes no sense why state officials couldn’t distribute doses to ensure vaccine appointments occur as scheduled. Instead, Berger said, some older residents whose appointments were cancelled may have to wait a month longer to obtain a shot. ___ ANN Arbour, Mich. -- The University of Michigan and the Washtenaw County Health Department asked students Wednesday to avoid leaving their residences to slow the spread of COVID-19 and a more contagious variant. There have been 175 COVID-19 cases in the student population since the new semester started on Jan. 19 and 14 of those cases have been a variant, according to a news release from the Washtenaw County Health Department. The stay-in-place recommendation is effective immediately and will run through Feb. 7. The university and county health department are asking students to limit leaving their residence to going to classes, getting food, work and other necessary in-person activities. The health department said in the news release that if the case counts continues to rise, stricter measures will have to be applied. The recommendation came just days after the state health department recommended the university pause all athletics after several individuals linked to athletics tested positive for COVID-19 and the university complied. ___ MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin will become one of only 10 states without statewide mask mandates if the Assembly votes as scheduled Thursday to overturn Gov. Tony Evers’ order, but masks will still be required in some of its largest cities thanks to local ordinances. More than two dozen public health organizations, as well as state and local health officials, have urged the Republican-controlled Legislature to reconsider the scheduled vote. Wearing masks is one of the pillars of recommendations from health experts worldwide to slow the spread of the coronavirus, along with physically distancing and avoiding crowds. The move comes as Wisconsin lags in distribution of coronavirus vaccines, health officials warn about the spread of contagious new variants and total deaths due to COVID-19 near 6,000. Republican lawmakers contend that Evers exceeded his authority by issuing multiple health emergencies, and mask orders, rather than coming to the Legislature for approval every 60 days. TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the President of the European Commission has reassured him any vaccine export controls the EU enacts won’t impact shipments of Canada’s doses from Europe. Trudeau says he spoke to EU President Ursula von der Leyen who he says told him transparency measures taken by the EU will not affect Canada’s Pfizer and Moderna vaccine deliveries from Europe. The EU has threatened to impose export controls on vaccines produced within its borders, and warned pharmaceutical companies that have developed coronavirus vaccines with EU aid that it must get its shots on schedule. All of Canada’s Pfizer and Moderna vaccines come from Europe. Canada isn’t getting any deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine made in Europe this week, shipments are set to resume next week. ___ O’FALLON, Mo. — Republican Gov. Mike Parson's spokeswoman said Wednesday that the state plans to divert thousands of unused doses of coronavirus vaccine from CVS and Walgreens pharmacies to other state-enrolled vaccinators in Missouri to help the slower-than-expected vaccination process. Spokeswoman Kelli Jones said the administration has requested the return of 25,000 doses from CVS and Walgreens, which would then be re-routed to county health departments, medical hospitals and clinics and hundreds of other state-approved vaccinators. CVS and Walgreens were tasked with providing vaccinations at long-term care facilities under a Trump administration plan unveiled in December. Jones said Missouri’s new plan won’t affect shots for workers and residents at those facilities that have been ravaged by COVID-19. ___ WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is projecting as many as 90,000 Americans will die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks. That warning came Wednesday as the administration held its first televised science briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic. In the briefing, experts outlined efforts to improve the delivery and injection of vaccines. The administration is examining additional ways of speeding vaccine production, a day after President Joe Biden announced the U.S. plans to have delivered enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of summer. Top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says there’s concern about virus variants. But he says vaccines provide a “cushion” of effectiveness, adding the government was working with pharmaceutical companies on potential “booster” shots for the new variants. The Biden administration is asking citizens to recommit to social distancing measures and mask-wearing, pointing to scientific models that suggest those practices could save 50,000 lives over the coming months. ___ LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has indicated that the coronavirus lockdown in England will remain in place until at least March 8. In a statement to lawmakers, Johnson also confirmed new restrictions for travellers arriving in England from countries deemed to be high-risk. He says the U.K. remains in a “perilous situation” with more than 37,000 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, nearly double the number during the previous peak in April. While dashing any hopes that students would return to classrooms after a mid-February school break, Johnson says the March 8 aspiration is based on progress on the vaccination front. On Tuesday, the U.K. became the fifth country to record more than 100,000 coronavirus-related deaths. ___ JOHANNESBURG — South Africa is preparing to roll out its first vaccines to the country’s frontline health care workers. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says a delivery of 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to arrive at Johannesburg’s international airport on Monday. There are plans for shots to be given to doctors and nurses starting in mid-February. Mkhize says South Africa intends to vaccinate 67% of its 60 million people in 2021, starting with the most vulnerable health care workers. South Africa has 1.4 million confirmed cases and 41,797 deaths, representing about 40% of the cases reported by all of Africa’s 54 countries. ___ OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma has reported a new one-day record of 65 deaths from COVID-19. The previous one-day record of 62 was reported Jan. 6, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. The department also reported 2,686 new cases Wednesday for totals of 3,388 confirmed deaths and 379,110 cases since the start of the pandemic. ___ NEW ORLEANS — Coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings are easing a bit in New Orleans, but bars in the city will stay closed through the Mardi Gras season. City officials say a ban on public events will be eased Friday. Indoor gatherings of up to 10 people and outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed. Capacity limits on restaurants -- and bars that provide restaurant food service -- will go from 25% to 50%. Also, New Orleans education officials said students in kindergarten through eighth grade will begin returning to class on Monday. Most high school students will continue online learning until later in February. The easing of restrictions comes as local authorities report that the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests has dropped below 5%. Statewide hospitalization numbers also have been falling in recent weeks. ___ WASHINGTON — White House coronavirus response co-ordinator Jeff Zients says it’s essential that Congress pass President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill to keep the momentum on vaccinations and more testing capacity to contain the virus. Zients says the administration is committed to delivering on Biden’s goal of 100 million shots in 100 days, and more if doable. But his top aide, Andy Slavitt, also says 500 million shots would be needed to vaccinate all Americans 16 and older. Biden’s “American Rescue Plan” has a total price tag of $1.9 trillion, which is making some Republicans in Congress balk. But most of the cost is to shore up the economy. About $400 billion is for measures specifically aimed at controlling the virus, including dramatically increasing the pace of vaccinations and building out an infrastructure for widespread testing. ___ WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says there’s reason to be concerned about the impact of some coronavirus mutations on vaccines, but scientists have plenty of options for adjustments to maintain the effectiveness of vaccines and treatments. The government’s top infectious disease expert says there’s particular concern about the so-called South African variant, because lab tests have shown that it can diminish the protective power of the vaccines approved to date. However, Fauci stressed the level of protection provided was still well within what he called the “cushion” of vaccine effectiveness. Fauci says one vaccine that’s still in testing is being measured for effectiveness against the South African variant and another strain that has emerged in Brazil. He called that a promising development. The Associated Press
Australia's most populous state of New South Wales recorded its 11th day of zero local coronavirus cases on Thursday, allowing neighbouring Queensland state to lift border restrictions while Victoria state also hinted at relaxing travel with Sydney. Australian states imposed quarantine or hard border restrictions for travellers from New South Wales (NSW) after an outbreak in Sydney in late December, throwing Christmas holiday plans of thousands of Australians into chaos. The Sydney clusters have now been curbed, giving other states the confidence to reopen borders.
Securities Litigation Partner James Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $300,000 In Decision Diagnostics Corp. To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2021) - If you suffered losses exceeding $300,000 investing in Decision Diagnostics stock or options between March 3, 2020 and December 17, 2020 and would like to discuss your legal rights, click here: www.faruqilaw.com/DECN or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner James Wilson directly ...
The village of Westport is crafting a zoning amendment to allow model homes to be built before the final approval and registration of a plan of subdivision. The need for a zoning amendment has come up as the village entertains a pre-servicing agreement with Land Ark Homes for the Watercolour development on what are known as the Derbyshire lands or Harvest Creek Development in the village. "One of the things I've noticed in working with the village is that the zoning bylaw does not currently include zoning provisions for model homes, and that unfortunately would prevent model homes from being built, notwithstanding a pre-servicing agreement," said Steve Pentz, a consulting planner with Novatech. In early January, Westport council passed a bylaw allowing the mayor and chief executive officer to sign a pre-servicing agreement with Land Ark Homes. Chief executive officer Paul Snider said that agreement hasn't yet been finalized as the village is still waiting for the deposit and documents pertaining to insurance requirements and signs. "We expect these items shortly and then the agreement can be finalized and in the Land Ark Construction development the model home agreement is a part of the pre-servicing agreement," said Snider. According to Pentz it's not unusual for municipal bylaws to include zoning provisions for model homes. "The pre-servicing agreement allows developers to get underway with construction in advance of registration. The model home provision allows model homes to be constructed prior to registration," said Pentz. Model homes, explained Pentz, have to be built to Ontario building code standards and can only be used as a sales office or showroom and are not hooked up to municipal services until the developer's plan of subdivision is fully registered. As such model homes cannot be occupied until full approvals and registration is complete. Before model homes can be built, all the engineering plans have to have been approved, and the developer has to have submitted their plans to the Ministry of the Environment for environmental compliance approvals, Pentz told Westport council in a presentation. "The whole idea of model homes, then, is to speed things up, and at some point they'll be sold and they'll be ready to be connected to infrastructure," said Coun. Barry Card. At a public zoning meeting held on Jan. 19, one resident expressed concerns that the amendment allowing model homes would be putting the "cart before the horse" by allowing homes to be built before stormwater management plans are in place. The objection voiced by a resident neighbouring the proposed Land Ark Development was particularly concerned over potential flooding in the village as a result. Another resident questioned whether a developer could deviate from their proposed subdivision design and then sell the model homes for immediate occupancy prior to final approvals and registration. "The way the bylaw amendment has been structured, it does put measures in place to ensure that certain things happen in advance of getting a model home building permit," said Pentz. These include a measure to ensure that model homes are sited in accordance with zoning and compared with what has been approved through the draft plan of subdivision, and that includes street profiles, grading, drainage design, and service connections. All those things have to be approved first, said Pentz. While the pre-servicing agreement and zoning amendment do benefit the developer in allowing them to get a head start on construction and therefore a head start on sales, they are not a free pass. As far as how many model homes can be constructed in a proposed subdivision, each case is different. "The number of model homes allowed under the bylaw will be determined on a case-by-case basis," said Snider. In all cases, when a developer applies to build a number of model homes the village engineer has to confirm and approve the subdivision design plans and a model home agreement has to be approved by council, said Snider. Heddy Sorour, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brockville Recorder and Times
The municipality of Mont-Tremblant is ramping up its effort to get rid of its police force, calling on the province's public security minister to bring in the Sûreté du Québec instead. "The situation is unbearable," said Mayor Luc Brisebois. "We do not want to wait until there is an unfortunate incident." Brisebois says the relationship between police and town officials has deteriorated to the point where he fears for the safety of his citizens. Some elected officials have felt intimidated by police, he says. Brisebois has even joined an SQ service aimed at protecting elected officials from bullying. The mayor says the municipality has even transferred its dispatch service to Blainville, about 100 kilometres away, because the dispatchers no longer wanted to work at night for fear of intimidation. Brisebois has been asking the government to abolish the local force since 2017. In December 2019, Mont-Tremblant officials sent a letter to the Quebec government demanding action. The letter argued the decision would standardize regional service by joining some 18 other municipalities in the Laurentians that rely on the SQ. The letter also pointed out that switching to provincial police would save the municipality nearly $2 million per year That 2019 request was rejected and, Brisebois says, the situation has deteriorated. But Serge Alexandre Bouchard, head of the police union, says the mayor is lying. He says the claims are "completely false and in bad faith." He says Brisebois is trying to shut down the local force to avoid settling a labour-relations dispute. "The problem is that, because of a labour dispute between the brotherhood and the city administration, the citizens risk losing the unparalleled service they have had for years," said Bouchard. The union has appealed to Quebec's Labour Court to invalidate the council's resolution that calls for the SQ to replace the local force. Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault met with both parties last fall but has yet to make a decision. Guilbault's office issued a statement Wednesday saying the decision-making process is taking its course. The statement says the province's Police Act does not set a time limit on responding to requests to abolish a police force.
The Saint John building where multimillionaire Richard Oland was killed is for sale. The red brick commercial building at 52 Canterbury St. in the city's uptown core is listed for $550,000. "Three storey heritage acclaimed building," the MLS description states. Oland, of the prominent Moosehead Breweries family, was found dead in his second-floor office, Far End Corporation, on July 7, 2011. The 69-year-old had suffered 45 sharp- and blunt-force injuries to his head, neck and hands. No weapon was ever found and the only known item that went missing from the office was his cellphone. His son, Dennis Oland, who was the last known person to have seen him alive during a visit to his office the night before, was acquitted last year of second-degree murder following a retrial by judge alone. During the retrial, the judge, accused, lawyers and court stenographer all visited the crime scene at the unusual request of the defence. The Far End Corporation office underwent extensive renovations after the bloody killing. It's still listed as being located in the building. Dennis Oland became co-director of the company following his father's death. Robert (Bob) McFadden, his father's longtime business associate, became co-director and president. "This is one of Saint John's showcase, Italianate style, brick building with the grandeur of post and beam construction combined with many upgrades," the real estate listing states. It was built in 1900. "Good solid building, ready to be developed to suit your requirements."
Sarnia police are probing a possible link between the deaths of two seniors in a matter of days, as a January with four homicides has sparked concern in the city. The city's fourth homicide victim of 2021 was identified Wednesday as 62-year-old Allen Schairer of Sarnia. Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley told CBC News that Schairer was a retired parks and recreation city worker. The man was found dead Tuesday at a home in the 500 block of Devine Street. Schairer's death is the second killing in the region in less than a week and fourth since the start of the year. On Saturday, police found 66-year-old Sue Elin Lumsden of Sarnia dead at a home in the 200 block of Essex Street. "I would say the public here is more than anxious," Bradley said. "They're very concerned about their personal safety and their families, it's a legitimate concern to have." Linda Mills, who lives in the area where the latest homicide took place, says she feels "nervous." "Last night, was hard sleeping," she said. In a news release Wednesday, police are asking people to search their properties for any piece of identification belonging to Lumsden. If anything is found, police say residents should not touch the item but immediately call police. Officers of Sarnia Police's Criminal Investigations branch are also asking the public to help in their ongoing investigation of the deaths by providing any video surveillance within the following boundaries: Exmouth Street to the north. Christina Street to the west. LaSalle Line to the south. Highway 40 to the east. Police are looking for footage captured between 5 p.m. on Jan. 22 to 8 a.m. on Jan. 23 and 7 p.m. Jan. 25 to 7 a.m. Jan. 26. Officers ask that video footage be placed onto a memory stick and dropped off in an envelope, with contact information, to Sarnia Police Service Headquarters at 555 North Christina St. Police said residents can expect to see more officers around as they will be going door to door to see if they have any information or video surveillance. Two other homicides believed to not be related These deaths follow two others that occurred in the first two weeks of January. On Jan. 14, police arrested and charged a 45-year-old Sarnia man with first degree murder following the death of 39-year-old Natalie Bartlett. And just days before, a 32-year-old man was arrested and charged with second degree murder after 26-year-old Luis Enrique Hernandez was found injured and died in hospital. Police told CBC News they don't believe these deaths are connected to the most recent ones. Bradley said local police had asked the OPP for assistance and Const. Giovanni Sottosanti of Sarnia police said they have brought in officers from other parts of the local service to help investigators. "Our officers are working around the clock. We've drawn in resources from our own department. So, officers that have worked in criminal investigations in the past have been brought in again to assist in this investigation," he said. In a news release yesterday police asked locals to secure their doors and windows and check in on elderly family or friends. Sarnia's mayor also said he is offering additional resources to the police department as they are "stretched" following the four deaths.
BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia will ban flights from Brazil effective Friday over concerns of a variant of the coronavirus that is circulating in that country. Colombia President Ivan Duque on Wednesday announced the 30-day measure. No flights will take off from Colombia to Brazil either. In addition, anyone who arrived from Brazil to Colombia between Jan. 18 and Wednesday will have to quarantine for 14 days. The Brazil P.1 variant was first identified in four travellers who were tested at an airport outside Tokyo. It contains a set of mutations that may affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The emergence of variants is linked to ongoing surges since infections give viruses the chance to mutate and spread. It’s another reason experts stress the importance of mask wearing and social distancing. Colombia has recorded more than 2 million cases and over 52,100 deaths of COVID-19. ___ THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: The Biden administration is projecting as many as 90,000 Americans will die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks. The 27-nation EU is coming under criticism for the slow rollout of its vaccination campaign. AstraZeneca and EU to meet in Brussels to talk over vaccine production delays. U.S. boosting vaccine deliveries amid complaints of shortages. IOC, Tokyo Olympics to unveil rule book for beating pandemic. — Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama health officials said Wednesday that the more highly transmissible COVID-19 variant seen in the United Kingdom has been found in the state. The Alabama Department of Public Health said the variant is thought to be more contagious. It is the first time the variant has been identified in the state, although it has been detected in at least 24 other states, including Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. The variant was first detected in the United Kingdom in late 2020. Health officials said the variant was found in two children and one adult in Alabama. Two cases are in Montgomery County and one is in Jefferson. This variant is associated with increased person-to-person transmission of COVID-19, but state health officials said it “has not definitively been linked to worse outcomes of the disease.” ___ SANTA FE, N.M. -- Health officials in New Mexico said Wednesday that schools may have to make do with aggressive virus testing and limited vaccinations for elderly teachers, if they want to begin reopening soon. New Mexico Health Secretary Tracie Collins said that schools can find some safety assurances by adding rapid-result tests that look for COVID-19 proteins, called antigens. “Regarding schools reopening, you know we’re going to prioritize teachers getting a vaccine who are 75 and older,” Collins told a panel of state legislators Wednesday. “As far as the testing piece, we do have options for rapid antigen testing that we can combine. ... We’ve got some things we can do to reopen these schools with a little more security behind us.” She and Human Services Secretary David Scrase say the vaccine bottleneck is at the federal level in the supply chain, as local hospitals clamour for doses to inject at mass inoculation clinics. “All schools can still open but if you’re in what we’re calling a red county, you would be tested much more often than you would in a yellow or green,” Scrase said, referring to colour codes for infection rates. New Mexico’s governor announced this week that all schools have the option to reopen classroom teaching on Feb. 8. The vast majority of students are confined to online learning currently. ___ TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister says the President of the European Commission has reassured him any vaccine export controls the EU enacts won’t impact shipments of Canada’s doses from Europe. Trudeau says he spoke to EU President Ursula von der Leyen who he says told him transparency measures taken by the EU will not affect Canada’s Pfizer and Moderna vaccine deliveries from Europe. The EU has threatened to impose export controls on vaccines produced within its borders, and warned pharmaceutical companies that have developed coronavirus vaccines with EU aid that it must get its shots on schedule. All of Canada’s Pfizer and Moderna vaccines come from Europe. Canada isn’t getting any deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine made in Europe this week, shipments are set to resume next week. ___ OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma State Department of Health will receive an approximately 16% increase in coronavirus vaccine per week during the next three weeks, deputy state health commissioner Keith Reed said Tuesday. The announcement comes on the same day the health department reported a new one-day record of 65 deaths due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. The increase in vaccines is in line with President Joe Biden’s announcement that the U.S. is ramping up deliveries of the vaccine to provide enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of the summer or early fall. Oklahoma expects to receive just more than 103,000 doses per week from the federal government, an increase from just under 85,000 last week, Reed said. “This allows us to take a look at what’s going to happen the next three weeks, it helps us to understand how much vaccine supply we have that we can support bringing on some other pandemic providers,” such as local pharmacies, to provide vaccinations, Reed said. The record increase of 65 deaths is three more than the previous one-day record reported on Jan. 6, according to health department records. The health department also reported 2,686 new virus cases Wednesday for totals of 3,388 deaths and 379,110 cases since the pandemic began. ___ RALEIGH, N.C. --- Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday extended a trio of executive orders allowing for curbside alcohol sales, a halt to evictions and a requirement for people to remain at home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. North Carolina’s modified stay-at-home directive that was set to expire on Friday will now remain in place until Feb. 28, while the eviction moratorium and allowance for the sale of “to-go” or delivery of mixed beverages remains in place through March 31. The Democratic governor’s extensions come as prominent state Republicans expressed their frustrations over a new coronavirus vaccine distribution strategy from Cooper’s administration that critics argue has prioritized speed over equity. During a news conference, Cooper reiterated his desire to distribute the doses received by President Joe Biden’s administration quickly and equitably. “The top priority in our state is getting vaccines to people as quickly and as equitably as possible,” Cooper said. “As of today, North Carolina has administered 99.8% of all the first doses that we have received from the federal government.” Top Republican lawmakers on Wednesday signalled more scrutiny of the vaccine rollout. Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters it makes no sense why state officials couldn’t distribute doses to ensure vaccine appointments occur as scheduled. Instead, Berger said, some older residents whose appointments were cancelled may have to wait a month longer to obtain a shot. ___ ANN Arbour, Mich. -- The University of Michigan and the Washtenaw County Health Department asked students Wednesday to avoid leaving their residences to slow the spread of COVID-19 and a more contagious variant. There have been 175 COVID-19 cases in the student population since the new semester started on Jan. 19 and 14 of those cases have been a variant, according to a news release from the Washtenaw County Health Department. The stay-in-place recommendation is effective immediately and will run through Feb. 7. The university and county health department are asking students to limit leaving their residence to going to classes, getting food, work and other necessary in-person activities. The health department said in the news release that if the case counts continues to rise, stricter measures will have to be applied. The recommendation came just days after the state health department recommended the university pause all athletics after several individuals linked to athletics tested positive for COVID-19 and the university complied. ___ MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin will become one of only 10 states without statewide mask mandates if the Assembly votes as scheduled Thursday to overturn Gov. Tony Evers’ order, but masks will still be required in some of its largest cities thanks to local ordinances. More than two dozen public health organizations, as well as state and local health officials, have urged the Republican-controlled Legislature to reconsider the scheduled vote. Wearing masks is one of the pillars of recommendations from health experts worldwide to slow the spread of the coronavirus, along with physically distancing and avoiding crowds. The move comes as Wisconsin lags in distribution of coronavirus vaccines, health officials warn about the spread of contagious new variants and total deaths due to COVID-19 near 6,000. Republican lawmakers contend that Evers exceeded his authority by issuing multiple health emergencies, and mask orders, rather than coming to the Legislature for approval every 60 days. TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the President of the European Commission has reassured him any vaccine export controls the EU enacts won’t impact shipments of Canada’s doses from Europe. Trudeau says he spoke to EU President Ursula von der Leyen who he says told him transparency measures taken by the EU will not affect Canada’s Pfizer and Moderna vaccine deliveries from Europe. The EU has threatened to impose export controls on vaccines produced within its borders, and warned pharmaceutical companies that have developed coronavirus vaccines with EU aid that it must get its shots on schedule. All of Canada’s Pfizer and Moderna vaccines come from Europe. Canada isn’t getting any deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine made in Europe this week, shipments are set to resume next week. ___ O’FALLON, Mo. — Republican Gov. Mike Parson's spokeswoman said Wednesday that the state plans to divert thousands of unused doses of coronavirus vaccine from CVS and Walgreens pharmacies to other state-enrolled vaccinators in Missouri to help the slower-than-expected vaccination process. Spokeswoman Kelli Jones said the administration has requested the return of 25,000 doses from CVS and Walgreens, which would then be re-routed to county health departments, medical hospitals and clinics and hundreds of other state-approved vaccinators. CVS and Walgreens were tasked with providing vaccinations at long-term care facilities under a Trump administration plan unveiled in December. Jones said Missouri’s new plan won’t affect shots for workers and residents at those facilities that have been ravaged by COVID-19. ___ WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is projecting as many as 90,000 Americans will die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks. That warning came Wednesday as the administration held its first televised science briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic. In the briefing, experts outlined efforts to improve the delivery and injection of vaccines. The administration is examining additional ways of speeding vaccine production, a day after President Joe Biden announced the U.S. plans to have delivered enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of summer. Top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says there’s concern about virus variants. But he says vaccines provide a “cushion” of effectiveness, adding the government was working with pharmaceutical companies on potential “booster” shots for the new variants. The Biden administration is asking citizens to recommit to social distancing measures and mask-wearing, pointing to scientific models that suggest those practices could save 50,000 lives over the coming months. ___ LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has indicated that the coronavirus lockdown in England will remain in place until at least March 8. In a statement to lawmakers, Johnson also confirmed new restrictions for travellers arriving in England from countries deemed to be high-risk. He says the U.K. remains in a “perilous situation” with more than 37,000 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, nearly double the number during the previous peak in April. While dashing any hopes that students would return to classrooms after a mid-February school break, Johnson says the March 8 aspiration is based on progress on the vaccination front. On Tuesday, the U.K. became the fifth country to record more than 100,000 coronavirus-related deaths. ___ JOHANNESBURG — South Africa is preparing to roll out its first vaccines to the country’s frontline health care workers. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says a delivery of 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to arrive at Johannesburg’s international airport on Monday. There are plans for shots to be given to doctors and nurses starting in mid-February. Mkhize says South Africa intends to vaccinate 67% of its 60 million people in 2021, starting with the most vulnerable health care workers. South Africa has 1.4 million confirmed cases and 41,797 deaths, representing about 40% of the cases reported by all of Africa’s 54 countries. ___ OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma has reported a new one-day record of 65 deaths from COVID-19. The previous one-day record of 62 was reported Jan. 6, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. The department also reported 2,686 new cases Wednesday for totals of 3,388 confirmed deaths and 379,110 cases since the start of the pandemic. ___ NEW ORLEANS — Coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings are easing a bit in New Orleans, but bars in the city will stay closed through the Mardi Gras season. City officials say a ban on public events will be eased Friday. Indoor gatherings of up to 10 people and outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed. Capacity limits on restaurants -- and bars that provide restaurant food service -- will go from 25% to 50%. Also, New Orleans education officials said students in kindergarten through eighth grade will begin returning to class on Monday. Most high school students will continue online learning until later in February. The easing of restrictions comes as local authorities report that the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests has dropped below 5%. Statewide hospitalization numbers also have been falling in recent weeks. ___ WASHINGTON — White House coronavirus response co-ordinator Jeff Zients says it’s essential that Congress pass President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill to keep the momentum on vaccinations and more testing capacity to contain the virus. Zients says the administration is committed to delivering on Biden’s goal of 100 million shots in 100 days, and more if doable. But his top aide, Andy Slavitt, also says 500 million shots would be needed to vaccinate all Americans 16 and older. Biden’s “American Rescue Plan” has a total price tag of $1.9 trillion, which is making some Republicans in Congress balk. But most of the cost is to shore up the economy. About $400 billion is for measures specifically aimed at controlling the virus, including dramatically increasing the pace of vaccinations and building out an infrastructure for widespread testing. ___ WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says there’s reason to be concerned about the impact of some coronavirus mutations on vaccines, but scientists have plenty of options for adjustments to maintain the effectiveness of vaccines and treatments. The government’s top infectious disease expert says there’s particular concern about the so-called South African variant, because lab tests have shown that it can diminish the protective power of the vaccines approved to date. However, Fauci stressed the level of protection provided was still well within what he called the “cushion” of vaccine effectiveness. Fauci says one vaccine that’s still in testing is being measured for effectiveness against the South African variant and another strain that has emerged in Brazil. He called that a promising development. The Associated Press
Bvlgari and Tribeca Studios have recruited Oscar-nominee Cynthia Erivo to host its Female Trailblazers Series focused on highlighting resilient and extraordinary women through short films. On Monday, the singer-actress will host virtual panels for two films, Lot 448 and Ezinma. The series, which starts at 6 p.m. EST, will kick off with Bella Monticelli’s Lot […]
The hit "Game of Thrones" fantasy franchise may be expanded to animation in a new series for streaming service HBO Max, The Hollywood Reporter said on Wednesday. Executives at HBO Max, owned by AT&T Inc's WarnerMedia, have started holding meetings with writers about a possible animated drama series for an adult audience, the publication said. An HBO spokesperson had no comment on the report.
How to protect your dog from canine ehrlichiosis, a new deadly disease spread through ticksInfected ticks carrying deadly bacteria have been detected in WA, NT and SA, and experts says it’s vital you take precautions to protect your dog A disease called canine ehrlichiosis is spreading throughout Australia via the bite of a bacterium-carrying parasite called the ‘brown dog tick’. Photograph: Charmian Perkins/Getty Images
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VICTORIA — Most people in British Columbia are doing their best to follow public health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some are acting badly, Premier John Horgan said Wednesday. Horgan also highlighted the case of a B.C. couple who travelled to Yukon, where they're alleged to have jumped the queue to get an early COVID-19 vaccine shot. "I believe there's nothing more un-Canadian than going to another jurisdiction to jump the line because you have the means to do so," Horgan said at a news conference. "Those are the types of examples we want to put in our rear-view mirror." Horgan said it's disconcerting that some people are holding large gatherings in Vancouver penthouses and others are looking for parties in Whistler despite health restrictions. He expressed his concern as well over incidents of racist behaviour towards Indigenous people who are fighting COVID-19 outbreaks in their communities. But Horgan said most people are sticking to the rules and helping keep everybody safe during the pandemic. "The examples we can all point to as British Columbians of people acting appropriately as they would want someone to act towards them far exceed the numbers of cases of people acting badly," he said. Horgan urged people to find that "extra gear" to battle COVID-19 over the coming weeks. "You, too, have an obligation," he said. "The vast majority of British Columbians have stepped up to that obligation." Horgan said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry's recent call for people to do more to fight COVID-19 was her plea to get everybody to adhere to public health restrictions. "Dr. Henry was speaking earlier this week to the small group of British Columbians who think they're above everyone else," he said. "Dr. Henry was talking to those who were not listening." Horgan said B.C. has no immediate plans to follow Manitoba's decision to impose travel restrictions that will require anyone entering the province to self-isolate for 14 days. B.C. has considered its own travel restrictions, but evidence to support such measures "is not there at this time," he said. The province reported 485 new cases of COVID-19 today, and four additional deaths for a total of 1,172 fatalities. A joint statement from Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix says there are new clusters and outbreaks, including at the Fraser Regional Correctional Centre in Maple Ridge, where nine inmates and two staff members have tested positive. It says there are COVID-19 "hot spots" in Fernie and Williams Lake where the virus is spreading quickly. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 27, 2021. Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press
Some recent news reports suggest that BlackBerry (TSX:BB)(NYSE:BB) stock’s recent rally has nothing to do with its fundamentals, and instead, it’s completely fueled by some Reddit users. But I still find it worth buying for the long term. Let’s find out why. The post Don’t Blame Reddit Users: BlackBerry (TSX:BB) Stock Is Still Worth Buying appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.