Biden pressed for new strategy as COVID-19 surges in U.S.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has held a call with Canada’s premiers, and the Omicron surge was at the top of the agenda. From warnings of vaccine mandates, to pressure over approving COVID-19 antiviral pills, David Akin explains what was discussed, and what it means for Canadians.

After a high-stakes legal battle, Novak Djokovic’s visa has been reinstated, so he can stay in Australia and compete in the Australian Open. But as Eric Sorensen explains, that does not mean the tennis champion is in the clear yet.

As kids head back to the classroom, many students are still missing the protection COVID-19 vaccines provide. What’s keeping those numbers low? Morgan Black explains.

An estimated 30 per cent of Alberta truck drivers are not fully immunized against COVID-19, and industry advocates say losing a soon-to-expire border exemption could harm the economy. Dan Grummett reports.

Despite the surge of Omicron infections and a lack of immunity for kids, British Columbia and Alberta students have resumed in-person learning. It’s a relief for some parents and children.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw updates the COVID-19 situation in the province on Jan. 10.

Alberta is changing the eligibility for COVID-19 PCR tests due to rising demand. Chief medical officer, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, made the announcement on Monday saying the new requirements will focus on those who need them the most.

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says the Omicron variant is so prevalent in the province that if you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should assume you have the disease and are legally required to isolate.

B.C. is reporting 431 individuals are in hospital, and 95 are in intensive care due to COVID-19 related illness on Monday, Jan. 10. Legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey has more on the daily case counts and the trends health officials see.

: After a horrible 2020-2021 season marked by forced COVID-19 closures, Ontario ski operators believe they’re in for a better 2022. As Seán O’Shea reports they’re hoping to be allowed to stay open—and the weather has turned colder.

Nicola Sturgeon has hinted the Scottish Government is planning for a long term shift away from restrictive coronavirus measures.

After the winter break was extended an extra week due to COVID-19, students returned to in-person learning across Alberta on Monday. Kendra Slugoski has more on how parents feel about it.

Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a "gifted, kind and compassionate" Scots university professor after she died following a lengthy battle with coronavirus.

Omicron continues to spread throughout Scotland - with daily Covid infection numbers remaining in the tens of thousands.

Jennifer Lopez's latest film, The Mother, put a pause on production in Spain due to a coronavirus outbreak.The Mother, which is set to be released later this year, had been filming in Vancouver, British Columbia, before production recently moved to Gran Canaria near the Canary Islands.PEOPLEmagazine confirmed that filming overseas had been halted 'due to positive coronavirus cases associated with the production team.' Stopped: Jennifer Lopez's latest film, The Mother, put a pause on production in Spain due to a coronavirus outbreak; seen in OctoberLopez reportedly flew into town last week and had been isolated while awaiting shooting, only to leave on a private plane back to the US just yesterday, according to Page Six. The 52-year-old actress stars alongside Joseph Fiennes, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Omari Hardwick in the Niki Caro-directed film.The local paper, La Provincia, first reported that a 'massive' coronavirus outbreak plagued a Netflix shoot, causing 'weeks-long production suspension.' The 52-year-old actress stars alongside Joseph Fiennes, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Omari Hardwick in the Niki Caro-directed film; seen in December The Spanish outlet reported that Lopez was first spotted in town on Wednesday and was set to film multiple scenes throughout the week.It's unclear when production will resume filming.Spain has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases as the Omicron surges across the globe, with 2,722 cases per 100,000 people reported on Friday, according to Reuters.The percentage of hospital beds occupied by patients with coronavirus was 11.79%, while the number of patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units rose to 22.06%.

A further 11,827 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Scotland – including 903 in Ayrshire and Arran.

The Scottish Government has confirmed NO new coronavirus deaths were reported in Tayside in the last 24 hours.

A mum who says she is terrified of catching Covid is facing prosecution after keeping her daughter off school for two years.

Nicola Sturgeon has been urged to relax covid restrictions in Scotland amid claims the measures brought in to halt the spread of the Omicron variant have "failed to make a difference".

Pregnant women are being urged to get their Covid vaccine after figures show almost all expectant mums admitted to hospital with symptoms had not had the jab.

Scientists have cast doubt over the discovery of the so-called ‘Deltacron’ Covid strain, which is said to combine the Delta and Omicron variants of the virus.

Some of the last messages an unvaccinated dad sent before he died of Covid have been released by his family to encourage others to get the jag.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has ruled out plans to further cut the self-isolation period for those with the virus in Scotland.

Community lets at schools across South Lanarkshire have been suspended until the end of the month with immediate effect.

Dozens of families, education workers and advocates rallied at Queen’s Park Sunday calling on the government to reopen schools no later than Jan. 17th. Brittany Rosen has more.

A new mutation of Covid-19 is reported to have been discovered in Cyprus, and has been entitled the Deltacron variant.

China reported 165 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Jan. 8, up from 159 a day earlier, health authorities said on Sunday.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that three people have died from covid in the last 24 hours.

First identified in Botswana and South Africa, Omicron has now become the dominant strain of Covid in Scotland.

Going out for your weekly shop puts you at the highest risk for catching Covid, according to new data

COLOMBO (News 1st); Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Sunday (9) afternoon.According to the President’s Media Division, the meeting took place to further strengthen the 65 year diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka.Welcoming the visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister, the President recalled the historic close ties between the two countries.The President on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka and her people, thanked the Government of China for the material and financial assistance received to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.Reflecting on the friendship between the two countries, Wang Yi said he was pleased to be back in Sri Lanka and said that China would always support the island nation as a close friend.President Rajapaksa also thanked the Chinese Government for its continued support in providing Sri Lanka with Sinopharm vaccines for the successful implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program.The President requested Wang Yi to assist in attracting Chinese tourists to Sri Lanka by allowing visitation using the bio-bubble program.The President pointed out that it would be a great relief to the country if the focus could be on restructuring the debt repayments as a solution to the economic crisis that has arisen in the face of COVID-19.The President also said that if a concessional trade credit scheme could be obtained for imports from China, it would enable industries to run smoothly.Wang Yi invited the President to visit China and expressed confidence that the visit would take place soon.

It has been a pretty tough start to the year for some who were forced to miss out on festive celebrations because of Covid.

Andy Ryan says Hamilton are disappointed to only come away with a draw from their battling performance against Partick Thistle.

Dean McDermott took to Instagram on Saturday to share his struggle with a Covid-19 infection.Speaking to his 136,000 followers on the app he said, 'My breathing was so compromised I thought I was going to be put on a ventilator.'The 55-year-old actor noted that the first thing he plans to do once he recovers is hit the ice to play hockey. Bad bout with coronavirus: Dean McDermott took to Instagram on Saturday to share his struggle with a Covid-19 infectionUnderneath a picture of him playing the high-intensity sport he wrote, 'This is the first place I’m going once I get over COVID!!' He continued in his post, 'I’ve got to be honest, this scared the s*** out of me.'But the father-of-six noted that he's slowly getting better.

As the return to in-person learning approaches, the province says it will be expanding vaccine clinics for education workers and childcare staff to get their booster shots.

A heartbroken family have urged everyone to get the vaccine after their 'fit and healthy' dad died of Covid-19.

Cases of Covid remain high in Scotland as Omicron takes hold.

Covid may soon resemble a common cold as Omicron could end the pandemic, according to a medical expert.

Scotland has recorded another 12,602 Covid cases as the number of people being treated in hospital with the disease climbed again in the last 24 hours.

Times points out, the set of women using the Natural Cycles app isn’t nationally representative—these users tend to be white, educated, thinner than the average American woman, and are not using hormonal contraception, making it difficult to draw generalizable conclusions. Alison Edelman, M.D., a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University and the lead author of the study, also noted that there’s lots of room for individual variation in the data. For example, a large factor influencing the findings was a group of 380 women who experienced a two-day delay in the start of their period, she told the Times.

Bin collections are among the South Lanarkshire Council services to have been impacted by staff shortages due to coronavirus.

A fourth coronavirus jab may be needed to improve levels of protection, a vaccine boss has said.

Novak Djokovic had a vaccine exemption to enter Australia after contracting Covid-19 last month, his lawyers said in a court filing on Saturday.

There is a mix of excitement and concern among parents in Alberta as students prepare to go back to classrooms on Monday. The priority is to keep them there despite a surge in COVID-19 cases, but Edmonton school boards say staffing levels could make that difficult.

In the latest edition of Health Matters, a look at how pressure on Canada’s health-care system is growing because of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

Breanna Karstens-Smith has reaction from Alberta to the federal health minister’s comments that provinces may eventually consider whether COVID-19 vaccines need to be mandatory.