California bill would allow private citizens to enforce weapons ban

About three dozen would-be asylum seekers from Russia found themselves blocked from entering the U.S. on Friday while a group of Ukrainians flashed passports and were escorted across the border.

Many have been calling on the province to provide some relief at the pumps as gas prices reach record highs. Our neighbours in Alberta have paused the provincial fuel tax, and Premier John Horgan is hinting at some kind of benefit coming to B.C.

Millions of innocent lives are suffering from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including children. Mike Drolet reports on the hardships the youngest Ukrainian refugees face, and how their resilience is also inspiring hope.

On the March 18, 2022, episode of Focus BC, host Richard Zussman speaks with Premier John Horgan from The Local in Victoria to discuss a range of issues — from changes to COVID restrictions, addressing affordability, and his political future.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Chinese Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong met with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Prof. G.L.

home prices continue to soar alongside inflation and a higher cost of borrowing.Among frustrated prospective buyers is Mac Ross, an assistant professor at Western University’s School of Kinesiology in London, Ont. He tells Global News that he’s struggling to find a home big enough for his growing family, even on a professor’s salary.The family of four has been renting a two-bedroom home for the past few years, but the addition of a new baby pushed Ross and his wife to put together a down payment in search of a three-bedroom home five months ago.

One person was injured Friday after officials say Russian missiles targeted Lviv airport, in western Ukraine, and hit an aircraft repair facility. The person was reportedly taken to hospital in moderate condition. Mercedes Stephenson reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday called for comprehensive peace talks with Moscow, saying Russia would otherwise need generations to recover from losses suffered during the war.Zelenskyy said Ukraine had always offered solutions for peace and wanted meaningful and honest negotiations on peace and security, without delay.“I want everyone to hear me now, especially in Moscow. The time has come for a meeting, it is time to talk,” he said in a video address released in the early hours of Saturday.“The time has come to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine.

active cases shrink to 1,379. So far, 4.24 crore people have recovered from Covid -19 in the country since March 2020 while 5,16,352 have died due to respiratory infection. As many as 3,383 people got recovered from Covid-19 in the past day.

omicron -- few of those infected had been seriously sick since mid-2021. Many who developed severe symptoms survived, even patients above the age of 60 and those with other underlying diseases.

PHILADELPHIA - A Ukrainian-American educator from Philadelphia flew to Romania a week ago to help refugees fleeing from their war torn homeland. FOX 29's Jennifer Joyce first spoke to Svetlana Tikhonov a week ago, on the eve of her flight to Romania to travel to the country's border to help Ukrainian refugees. Tikhonov is the founder of Quadrat Academy, a Montessori middle and high school in Northern Liberties. In the days leading up to her trip, school collected supplies for her humanitarian journey. Tikhonov personally collected monetary donations through givebutter.com with a plan to use the funding on the front lines.A local Ukraine-American boarded a flight to Romania with a goal of reaching Ukraine to help those fleeing the ongoing war."We’re bringing the money there, and I’m going to hopefully provide supplies: medical aid, housing, anything we need to do not he ground," Tikhonov said. A week later, Tikhonov described the emotionally distressing moments she has witnessed in her short time on the Romania-Ukraine border. "A baby so scared because the house was bombed baby would not let go of her mother," Tikhonov said.

PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say two teenage girls were shot when they tried to drive away from a group of young men Friday night in North Philadelphia. Philadelphia Police Captain John Walker told reporters that four teenage girls between ages of 16 and 17 were driving in a car near the intersection of Cecil B. Moore Avenue and North Broad Street around 10 p.m. As they slowly drove down the street, Walker said the girls became engaged in a conversation with a group of young men standing on the corner.

AUDUBON, N.J. - A local food pantry is feeling the impact of higher food prices as donations for those in need have dipped as people struggle to put food on their own tables. "Two weeks ago we hit critical where I mean these shelves were almost completely bare," President of the Audubon Peer to Peer Aid Steve Radie said. Peer to Peer relies on donations from the Camden County community and does not have corporate sponsorships. Still, many large organizations like the Red Cross send families to Peer to Peer in search of weeks worth of food.Radie said baby formula and diapers have been hard to come by recently and their pet food section is nearly empty.

RADNOR, Pa. - Authorities in Pennsylvania say a new social media challenge that involves a gel pellet gun lead to a police response at a school and resulted in four teens being arrested. In a letter to families, the Radnor Township School District said 25 students were working outside Radnor Middle School last week when a car pulled up and fired a gel pellets towards the school. Three students and a faculty member were hit, but did not require medical treatment. Officers from the Radnor Township Police Department later arrested four teens who they say were in a car capture on surveillance video that fired the gel gun. Authorities are warning of the dangers of the Orbeez Challenge that involves shooting a gel pellet gun at unsuspecting people. Police say the attack was part of the "Orbeez Challenge," a new TikTok challenge that encourages users to sneak attack unsuspecting people with a gel pellet gun. "And that they have seen this on a TikTok type of source where it was a challenge and others go video yourself doing that or have some fun with that very unfortunately that was a very bad decision," Radnor Police Superintendent Christopher Flanagan said. According to officials, the teens arrested in the attack have been charged with possessing instruments of a crime, disorderly conduct, harassment and recklessly endangerment.Police in cities throughout the U.S.

COVID-19 in Alberta, the province’s chief medical officer of health tweeted on Friday afternoon.“My sympathy goes out to all who have lost a loved one,” Dr. Deena Hinshaw tweeted.The total number of COVID-19 fatalities since the virus arrived in the province a little over two years ago is now 4,023.Despite the latest deaths, the number of people with COVID-19 in Alberta hospitals continues to trend downwards.As of Friday afternoon, Alberta Health said there were 966 people with COVID-19 in hospitals, down one from a day earlier.

SEATTLE - Food truck vendors who cover their own gas are desperately trying to stay afloat amid record prices.Zaytoona Food Truck owner Muhammad Al Deri has started setting up in down Seattle a lot more over the past couple of months. Gas prices are making it harder to travel across Washington state like he used to do. "I have to change my prices to cover the gas," Al Deri said.

Three Russian cosmonauts have arrived at the International Space Station wearing flight suits in yellow and blue colors that match the Ukrainian flag. NEW YORK (AP) - Three Russian cosmonauts have arrived at the International Space Station wearing flight suits in yellow and blue colors that match the Ukrainian flag.The men were the first new arrivals on the space station since the start of the Russian war in Ukraine last month.RELATED: Russia-Ukraine war: Expert expects humanitarian crisis to worsen as Russia digs inVideo of one of the cosmonauts taken as the capsule prepared to dock with the space station showed him wearing a blue flight suit.

UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 30: Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, is seen in the Capitol Visitor Center on Thursday, September 30, 2021.

The clock is ticking for supporters and opponents of Premier Jason Kenney to sign up members in time for the leadership review. They have until Saturday at midnight to purchase a UCP membership so they can vote on April 9 in Red Deer.

PHILADELPHIA - In the dense urban landscape of Kensington lies a modest, but inspired urban city farm and plant oasis. "We grow so many things in such a small amount of space," Olivia Gamber said. She is the farm manager at Greensgrow and responsible for all aspects of growing produce. "We’re growing lettuce, greens, spinach, we’ll have corn here, we’re going to do a three sisters garden, corn, squash and beans," Gamber said. They're adding four new growing categories and they've hired additional staff to keep up with demand from customers.

They’ve overcome adversity and inspired Canadians from coast to coast. As Canada’s Paralympians return from Beijing, the athletes are looking for equality and recognition for their efforts. Nicole Stillger explains.

10 year-old Border Terrier dog, Jess, enjoys the sunshine in a country garden, England. (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images) Every year the Animal Poison Control Center with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals compiles its data from the calls received about pets exposed to toxins and releases the top 10 categories of potential poisons.One-tenth of those calls were related to indoor and outdoor plant ingestion.

DEARBORN, Mich. - The Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup will be hitting the streets soon, and now we have an idea of how much it will cost to go cruising in one.The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is rated to tow a maximum of 10,000 pounds. (Credit: Ford) A window sticker for an entry-level $41,669 F-150 Lightning 4x4 with a standard range battery that provides 230 miles of driving per charge that was posted to an F-150 fan forum shows the EPA figures for energy efficiency and the annual cost of electricity a typical owner will use.Production on 2020 Ford F-150 Lightning (Credit: Ford) Ford hasn't confirmed the finality of the figures on the sticker, but it says the full-size truck has an efficiency rating equivalent to 68 mpg and a $950 annual fuel cost, which is calculated using an average home electricity price of $.14 per kilowatt-hour.RELATED: ‘This sucker’s quick’: Biden test drives electric Ford F-150 pickup truckThat's significantly less than it costs to drive the most efficient gasoline powered version of a 4x4 F-150, which is the PowerBoost hybrid model that requires $2,750 worth of gasoline at $4.25 gallon.

We are reporting 18,514 community cases of COVID-19 today.

UKRAINE - A group of European leaders is fighting to allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the people of Ukraine to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, despite the Nobel Committee’s expired deadline.In a letter, dated March 11, the politicians called on the committee to re-open and reconsider the 2022 nomination rules for the honor."Brave Ukrainian men and women are fighting to preserve democracy and self-government," the letter read. "From the defiance democratically elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the man with tears in his eyes saying goodbye to his family to fight for his country, people all over Ukraine are rising up to resist the forces of authoritarianism.

B.C. health officials have released a written report with daily COVID-19 numbers on Friday, March 18. Legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey has analysis of the numbers and has details of the BA.2 subvariant associated with Omicron

ATLANTA - A young woman was who killed in an Atlanta shooting after a fight over a bowling ball late Thursday evening has been identified as the Lakevia Jackson who has a son with well-known rapper Young Thug.Jackson's family called the shooting senseless and said they are having a hard time coming to grips with her death during an outing that was meant to be a celebration of life. "She was celebrating a birthday at the bowling alley with a very close family friend," said mother Sherina Jackson.LaKevia Jackson with friends (Family photo)The 31-year-old mother was at out at the Metro Fun Center in a shopping center located 1900 block of Metropolitan Parkway in southwest Atlanta. Her mother said they were bowling when a second group came in and started taking over their space, leading to an argument shortly after 11:30 p.m.

The fossil remains of a Basilosaurus' skull found in Ocucaje, Peru, are displayed by paleontologists at a museum in Lima, on March 17, 2022.  Paleontologists recently discovered the origins of fossils from a fearsome aquatic predator that would make the terrifying shark from "Jaws" look adorable. The skull was dug up last year but scientists announced on Thursday the 36-million-year-old creature once lived in a prehistoric ocean that once covered what is now Peru, Reuters reported. The recovered skull may look like it came from a fire-breathing dragon, but scientists believe the mammal to be a basilosaurus, part of the aquatic cetacean family. Modern descendants of this animal include whales and dolphins. Scientists confirmed the ancient whale measured in at roughly 39 feet offering relief to readers of the creature’s extinction. "It was a marine monster," said Rodolfo Salas, chief of paleontology at Peru's National University of San Marcos, told reporters at a news conference.

PHOENIX - Officials with the Phoenix Police Department say a woman has been arrested in connection with a stabbing incident that left her mother seriously hurt.In a statement released March 18, officials announced the arrest of 27-year-old Brenda Villela, one day after they asked for the public's help in finding her.The stabbing that allegedly involved Villela, according to officials, happened at around 5:20 a.m. on March 16 in the area north of 7th Avenue and Broadway Road."Ms.

PHILADELPHIA - A decision is expected very soon on who will be the next Superintendent of Philadelphia Public Schools, but one decision is already clear: it will be a man.The School District of Philadelphia named John L. Davis Jr., Krish Mohip, and Tony B. Watlington Sr.

David Tennant opened the 2022 Red Nose Day fundraiser by giving a special tribute to Zoe Ball who is missing the show due to getting Covid.

Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans reacts to a touchdown during a game against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) Deshaun Watson changed his mind.

Then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to members of the press outside the West Wing of the White House on August 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina state investigators are probing the voter registration of Mark Meadows, a former chief of staff to President Donald Trump, amid questions about him listing a home he never owned on voter records, the state attorney general’s office said Thursday.Attorney General Josh Stein's office asked the State Bureau of Investigation to look into Meadows' voter registration after a local prosecutor requested that state authorities oversee any probe of the matter, N.C.

A pair of new studies that sized up how COVID-19 vaccines affected hospitalizations, including during the Omicron variant surge, found that mRNA vaccines were highly effective against severe illness and that unvaccinated people were 12 times more likely to be hospitalized compared with those who had received a booster, with the risk especially high in Black patients.

SKIPPACK TWP, Pa. - Authorities say a child suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by an ambulance while riding his bike Friday afternoon.Emergency crews responded to 4046 Skippack Pike around 3:30 p.m.

Russian state television suddenly cut away from President Vladimir Putin speaking at a packed Moscow stadium to mark the eighth anniversary of Crimea’s annexation on Friday, showing patriotic songs being performed at the event instead.

Karin Luttinen THERESA, Wis. - The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday, March 18 a significant update in the Baby Theresa death investigation case. Officials have identified mother of the newborn as Karin Luttinen of Milwaukee – and she has been charged with concealing the death of a child, a felony.On April 29, 2009, the body of a newborn girl was found in a garbage bag in the woods in the Town of Theresa.

Authorities say the suspect got into a silver Jeep Wrangler with a hardtop, tinted windows and either a Delaware or Maryland temporary license plate.  NEW CASTLE, Del. - Authorities in Delaware are searching for a man who they say tased and assaulted a woman as she was walking to a bus stop last week. Officers from the New Castle County Division of Police were called to the intersection of Buena Vista Drive and Liborio Lane on Tuesday for reports of an assault. A 31-year-old woman said she was walking to the bus stop when a man approached her and asked if her name is Alicia, according to police. When she said no, investigators say the man pushed a taser into her neck and forced her to the ground.

More than a third of local and state public health officials who resigned or were fired in the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic reported incidents of workplace violence such as threats, harassment, and intimidation, according to a mixed-methods US study yesterday in the American Journal of Managed Care.

Jean Boulet to ask the workers’ health and safety board to investigate.Christine Orain of Le Tremplin, a community organization that works with immigrants in the city just south of Quebec City, says the organization decided to go public after being unable to get any help for the workers.An initial complaint came in January 2021 when one employee came to her organization to say the residence was denying access to his pay stub, and it was discovered employees were not receiving their COVID-19 bonuses.Five others came forward afterwards, including some who didn’t have valid work permits and were allegedly told they would be helped to get one while “volunteering” at the residence in exchange for prepaid cards of between $50 and $70 per week, a situation that lasted for up to 11 months in some cases.Orain says all six workers have since left the residence after receiving their work documents.Boulet said in a statement Friday he was appalled by the report, noting that temporary foreign workers have the same rights and obligations as Quebec workers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the invasion of Ukraine before a packed soccer stadium on Friday, but coverage of his speech on state television was unexpectedly interrupted by what the Kremlin said was a technical problem with a server.Speaking on a stage at the centre of Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, Putin promised to tens of thousands of people waving Russian flags and chanting “Russia, Russia, Russia” that all of the Kremlin’s aims would be achieved.“We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans,” Putin, 69, told the rally from a stage decked out with slogans such as “For a world without Nazism” and “For our president.”Many of the Russian slogans used at the rally incorporated the “Z” symbol that Russian forces have used as a motif in Ukraine.

Justin Bieber addressed his wife’s health scare in his most recent concert. The singer took a moment to talk to the crowd, assuring them that Hailey was healthy and feeling good. Hailey Bieber released from hospital following a health scareJustin Bieber dedicates song to Hailey, crowd loses itA post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber)The video, which was shared on his Instagram, shows Bieber emotionally speaking to his audience and addressing the things that have been going on in his life.

The U.S. Capitol is shown June 5, 2003 in Washington, DC. Both houses of the U.S.

SAN FRANCISCO - A woman is dead and three others are in critical condition Wednesday morning after a fire in an overpass at a homeless encampment in San Francisco. The fire broke out in a confined space at around 1:15 a.m. inside an onramp at Bosworth Street and southbound Interstate 280.Initially three adults were rescued – all of them in critical condition.

Read more information on COVID-19 in Alabama here.There is currently no statewide mask mandate in "The Last Frontier" state, but the state’s Department of Health and Social Services "strongly encourages the wearing of masks in public."Residents and visitors in Junea, Alaska’s capital, are required to wear a facial covering indoors following an ordinance enacted in January after health officials raised the city’s COVID-19 risk level to "modified high" amid a rise in cases. On Dec.

LOS ANGELES - California will soon move on from the indoor mask mandate.This comes as California Governor Gavin Newsom's office announced earlier in February that the state's indoor mask mandate will expire after Tuesday, February 15. But before you start to consider ditching the masks, a major caveat Californians must take into account is that local governments can continue to continue their own version of the indoor mask mandates. Here are notable counties that announced it will not align with the state's decision to ditch the indoor mask mandate:As for Southern California counties, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties are aligning with the state's decision to part with the indoor mask mandate starting Wednesday, February, 16. In Los Angeles County, all indoor public settings are still required to have everyone mask up, regardless of their vaccination status.Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr.

Music fans attend day two of 2015 Stagecoach, California's Country Music Festival, at The Empire Polo Club on April 25, 2015 in Indio, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Stagecoach) INDIO, Calif. - Goldenvoice, the company behind the Coachella and Stagecoach Music festivals on Tuesday announced it will be dropping its masking, vaccination, and COVID-19 testing requirements in accordance with new state guidelines that take effect Wednesday ending the vaccination requirement and mask mandate for outdoor mega-events."As we prepare to spend an incredible weekend in the desert together we are announcing that there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Stagecoach 2022, in accordance with local guidelines," festival officials announced on Twitter.RELATED: Stagecoach country music festival announces 2022 lineupA short time later, Goldenvoice announced the new regulations will also apply to Coachella. "The event shall be presented in accordance with applicable public health conditions as of the date of the event and which may change at any time as determined by federal, state or local government agencies or instrumentalities, artists or the promoter; such requirements may include, without limitation, changes to capacity, attendance procedures and entry requirements, such as proof of vaccination and/or negative COVID-19 test, and other protective measures such as requiring attendees to wear face coverings," according to an announcement on websites for both events Tuesday.California will end its statewide indoor mask mandate on Feb.

Leslie Van Houten, a former follower of Charles Manson, listens as former Deputy District Attorney Stephen Kay (not seen) describes the 1969 killing scene during a parole hearing on June 28, 2002, at the California Institution for Women in Corona, Ca SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court has denied a potential bid for freedom by Leslie Van Houten, a Charles Manson follower serving a life sentence for her role in the murder of a Los Angeles grocer and his wife in 1969.The high court on Wednesday refused to hear Van Houten’s appeal of a lower court ruling last December that denied her petition for a review. That petition had challenged what it deemed as denial of due process by Gov.