Ottawa convoy supporters dismiss authority of Emergencies Act, no plans to leave

COVID-19 as hospital numbers continued to fall Friday.There was a total of 1,021 pandemic-related hospitalizations, a decrease of 13. This comes after 76 patients were admitted in the past day, while 89 were discharged.There were 45 intensive care unit cases, a drop of five.The province added 1,170 new novel coronavirus cases, though health authorities say the daily tally doesn’t represent the current situation since access to government-run screening sites remains limited.

Scientists have sounded the alarm on Long Covid's impact on concentration and memory.

COVID on Friday, with 193 in intensive care units, as figures continue to trend downward.This is down by 29 for hospitalizations and a decrease of six in ICUs since the previous day. Last Friday, there were 717 hospitalizations with 238 in ICU.The province recently began distinguishing between those who were admitted to hospital directly because of COVID, and those who were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for the virus.Of the 615 people in hospital with COVID-19, 44.5 per cent of them were admitted because of the virus, while 55.5 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19.Of the 193 people in ICUs with the virus, 79 per cent were admitted because of COVID, while 21 per cent were admitted for other reasons.

Photo shows the condition of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of the Australian state of Queensland. - The Great Barrier Reef has been hit with "widespread" bleaching.

GENEVA :

COVID-19 health restrictions lifting, many Canadians are finally able to envision a return to normal life. But, as they face burnout, staff shortages and daunting procedural backlogs, some health workers say it isn’t so easy to move on.

After nearly a month of decline, COVID-19 infections around the world have started to creep up again. New cases have shot up by eight per cent globally compared to the previous week, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, experts are not sure Canada will see another wave even with loosened public health measures.

Coronavirus infections have continued to increase in England, Wales and Scotland, though the trend is “uncertain” in Northern Ireland, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In England, around one in 20 people in private households are estimated to have had the virus in the week to March 12, or 2.7 million people – up from one in 25, or 2.1 million people, in the week to March 5.

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden and China's Xi Jinping are set to speak on Friday as the White House warns Beijing that providing military or economic assistance for Russia's invasion of Ukraine will trigger severe consequences from Washington and beyond.Planning for the call has been in the works since Biden and Xi held a virtual summit in November, but differences between Washington and Beijing over Russian President Vladimir Putin's prosecution of his three-week-old war against Ukraine are expected to be at the center of the call.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden would question Xi about Beijing's "rhetorical support" of Putin and an "absence of denunciation" of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine."This is an opportunity to assess where President Xi stands," Psaki said.China on Friday again sought to highlight its calls for negotiations and donations of humanitarian aid, while accusing the U.S. of provoking Russia and fueling the conflict by shipping arms to Ukraine."China has called for every effort to avoid civilian casualties all the time," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing.

COLOMBO (News 1st); No conditions have been underlined for the USD 1 billion loan given by India, however, the amount will have to be paid back in installments after three years, said Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.The President is acting on a very prudent and a long-term plan, says Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa on repaying the country’s loans after his entourage returned from India this afternoon. The Finance Minister returned to the country after signing agreements for a US $ 1 billion financial assistance from India. In addition to this $ 1 billion, India has already provided a $ 400 million loan, a $ 500 million loan to purchase petroleum and another $ 500 million via the Asian Clearing Union.Accordingly, the value of loans and relief facilities provided by India to overcome the current economic crisis is about US $ 2.4 billion in total. The Minister of Finance, speaking to media stated that Sri Lanka’s neighbor India has proven that it stands by Sri Lanka with this action, especially with Prime Minister Modi mentioning that all the support that Sri Lanka needs is being provided directly, both economically and socially.The Finance Minister said that Prime Minister Modi has learned of the organic farming and the interest shown by the President with regard to it, and although a shortage of nano fertilizer exists in India, they agreed to provide Sri Lanka with the required quantity.Rajapaksa also stated that India gave Sri Lanka a loan of US $ 1 billion to purchase food and other necessities for the people, especially for the upcoming Sinhala Tanil New Year, and the relevant loan has been in operation since yesterday (17).I urge all business communities to make it very transparent, giving priority to things which

Tom Parker beamed with joy after his bandmates shared some positive news with fans on the final night of their Greatest Hits tour.It comes as the five-piece group celebrated their chart-topping career on a nationwide tour, despite Tom's devastating inoperable brain tumour diagnosis in October 2020.The group consisting of Max George, 33, Tom, 33, Nathan Sykes, 28, Siva Kaneswaren, 33, and Jay McGuiness, 31, took to the stage performing hits including All Time Low and Walks Like Rihanna, much to the delight of fans.Despite his ongoing health struggles, Tom made the decision to join his pals for their closing numbers, Glad You Came and Gold Forever.A source told us: "Max told fans that this wouldn't be the last we would see of The Wanted, the group were really positive about their future and seemed optimistic about it."They performed as a four-piece until the final two songs when Tom appeared, sitting on a throne wearing sunglasses, a wardrobe change that his bandmates also joined in with."They added: "Despite his condition, he was in such high spirits and seemed overjoyed to be on stage but became rather emotional which is totally understandable."When Max was telling fans this isn't the last, Siva piped up adding that the heart vacancy girls might be the last of the tour but there'll be many more to come."This was echoed by Jay who told fans they need to "keep their eyes peeled" for future news, who later confirmed this on social media. Performing to a packed crowd at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena, the group went one step further and brought out EastEnders actress, Maisie Smith, as Max's heart vacancy girl.

HOLLY Willoughby has broken her silence after being forced off air with Covid. The ITV host, 40, usually presents This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield, but has had to isolate after testing positive to the virus over the weekend.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russian forces struck Ukrainian cities from a distance again on Friday, hitting sites in the capital Kyiv and the country’s west as their ground offensive inched forward under fierce Ukrainian resistance.The war launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin ground into its fourth week as his troops have failed to take Kyiv — a major objective in their hopes of forcing a settlement or dictating the country’s future political alignments.Missiles and shelling struck the edges of Kyiv as well as Lviv, close to Ukraine’s western border with NATO countries such as Poland.LVIV, UKRAINE - MARCH 18: Smoke is seen above buildings close to the airport on March 18, 2022, in Lviv, Ukraine. (Photo by Getty Images) Late Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nighttime video address to the nation that he is thankful to U.S.

Joshua Macias PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia prosecutors are again asking a judge to jail a Virginia man arrested in November 2020 on weapons charges after he traveled to the Pennsylvania Convention Center where votes were being counted.The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office on Wednesday filed a motion asking a judge to revoke the $850,000 bail of Joshua Macias, saying he violated the conditions of his bail by attending political events and posting on social media.A hearing is scheduled for next week on the motion. It centers on complaints that Macias allegedly can be heard narrating a live video from behind the camera during a recent "trucker protest" in Washington and that he attended at least one political rally for a Virginia candidate who has called for the execution of everyone involved in President Joe Biden’s election.William J.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Final Term Examinations of schools in the Western Province are to be delayed, announced the Director of Education for the Western Province.This is due to a shortage in sourcing paper and other material to prepare the examination papers.Due to the shortage of paper and other material, the final term examination timetable for Grades 6, 7, and 8 will be amended, and the final term examinations for Grades 4, 9, 10, and 11 will be moved to a date after the April 2022 holidays.

“He understands that he won’t necessarily be able to understand it himself but he’s trying to help.“I think that’s something that a lot of people can do.”The radio DJ also shared that he has been seeing a therapist throughout the pandemic.He said: “I think therapy is something that I would hope everyone at some point in their life tries.”Roman was speaking as part of the launch of Boots.com new mental health services launching.Among these is an online consultation service called Boots Online Doctor.The idea is it will allow patients to have a consultation with a medical professional if they’re suffering from anxiety or depression.They’ll then draw up a treatment plan, including prescribing any necessary medication.Other services launched include an online Support Room, virtual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and a Mood and Symptom Checker.

FILE IMAGES - (L) Pete Davidson attends The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on Sept. 13, 2021, in New York City.

UN News, “So, the idea that ‘we are through with it’ in the northern hemisphere and now we have to wait until next winter, I think (for example) when we look at increasing rates in the UK, we need to be very vigilant and cautious with this."

FILE IMAGE - American Airlines planes parked at their gates in the Miami International Airport on Dec. 10, 2021 in Miami, Florida.

Canadian police are making possibly the final push to clear the capital city of demonstrators who have paralysed it by parking and camping on the streets for more than three weeks to protest against Covid pandemic restrictions.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney tweeted Saturday the province will file a court challenge of the federal government’s Emergencies Act in the wake of convoy protests in Ottawa.

Police in Ottawa are continuing a crackdown to end the so-called “Freedom Convoy” that has been encamped for 23 days in the nation’s capital as of Saturday.

House of Commons debate on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s use of the Emergencies Act to handle the so-called “freedom convoy” demonstrations has been cancelled on Friday.There is no indication at this time that the additional debate on Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be cancelled, and a vote is still expected to be held “early next week,” according to the government.A note from Speaker Anthony Rota noted the cancellation is spurred on by an impending police operation set to take place by Parliament Hill and around Ottawa’s downtown core.“The #HoC will not sit today, Friday, February 18. A police operation is expected in the downtown core of Ottawa.

Canadian police lastnight began arresting leaders of the trucker-led protest that has choked the capital's streets for three weeks and provoked the government into calling on rarely used emergency powers.

Jason Kenney plans to table a motion opposing the invocation of the Emergencies Act when the Alberta Legislature resumes next week.In a video posted to Twitter on Thursday, Kenney said the federal government’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act “disturbs (him) greatly.” He also said the Act sets a dangerous precedent because it allows the federal government to freeze people’s bank accounts without a court order.“This is outside of our democratic norms and it’s disproportionate. Yes, the law must be enforced, but we can do that in Canada without resorting to these kinds of extreme measures,” said Kenney in the video.1/ Blockades must end and order must be restored, but invocation of the federal Emergencies Act is disproportionate and unjustified.Freezing people’s bank accounts without due process violates natural justice.This overreach creates a dangerous precedent.

Elon Musk compared Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with Adolf Hitler in a tweet that appeared to support truckers protesting vaccine mandates – and which immediately triggered a storm on Twitter.Musk, the chief executive of Tesla Inc TSLA.O, in late January tweeted support for the Canadian truckers, who have shut down roads and bridges, drawing international attention to their opposition to health policies pushed by Trudeau’s government.Canadian truckers rule— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2022Responding to a tweet describing how Trudeau’s government had ordered banks to help cut funding to the protesters, Musk posted a meme of a photo of Hitler, with “Stop comparing me to Justin Trudeau” written above his head and “I had a budget” below it.Tesla did not respond to an email requesting further comment.The tweet came as Musk and Tesla on Thursday accused the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of an “endless” investigation to punish Musk for criticism of the U.S.

Windsor, Ont., is calling for residents to treat one another as human beings after police charged a woman for allegedly threatening to bomb his home over COVID-19 mandates.Windsor police said they arrested the 31-year-old woman Thursday for a social media post on a thread about COVID-19 and pandemic mandates. They allege she made the comments Monday, a day after a protest was cleared at the Ambassador Bridge.“Regardless of your opinion on vaccinations or Justin Trudeau or myself or Doug Ford, we all just have to step back and take a breath and realize that we’re dealing with human beings and that we all have more in common than differences,” Mayor Drew Dilkens said in a phone interview.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to invoke the Emergencies Act and give the government never-before-used powers to quash the ongoing convoy blockades.MPs will eventually — though not necessarily on Thursday — vote on the motion. If a vote on the motion fails, the state of emergency will be revoked.

We have more details on just what the Emergencies Act, invoked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, will allow officials to do about truckers protests. Aaron McArthur has the latest.

Bringing children to the antigovernment blockades that have immobilized downtown Ottawa and shuttered border crossings is among the activities that could net protesters a $5,000 fine or five years in prison while Canada is under the national Emergencies Act.

COVID-19 measures that are being held across the country.The Canadian Civil Liberties Association says it does not believe the “high and clear” threshold needed to invoke the act has been met, noting the law states it can only be used when a situation cannot be dealt with using any other law in the country.Executive director Noa Mendelsohn Aviv warns that normalizing emergency legislation “threatens our democracy and our civil liberties.”This is the first time the Emergencies Act has been invoked since it came into force in 1988, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday it is necessary to protect critical infrastructure such as borders and airports from the blockades, and create time-limited powers that do not already exist.

Ford says he supports Feds decision after Trudeau invokes Emergencies Act over protests Participants in the so-called “Freedom Convoy” set up last Wednesday along the westbound lanes of the highway at Nauvoo Road, prompting police to close a section of the highway and implement a detour.“The OPP respects the right of everyone to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” police said at the time. “The OPP asks everyone to be patient and respectful of each other despite potential inconvenience.”The closure was approximately 45 km away from the Blue Water Bridge crossing between Canada and the United States in Sarnia, Ont.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the never-before-used Emergencies Act on Monday, amid ongoing protests against COVID-19 restrictions.

Interim Conservative Party Leader Candice Bergen reacted Monday evening to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoking the Emergencies Act to help put an end to the anti-COVID-19 mandates protests. “Conservatives want to see the end of the blockades, we want them ended peacefully and quickly and in a way that Canadians feel that they’ve been listened to, heard and respected by their prime minister.

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has decided to invoke emergency powers across all of Canada to quell the protests by demonstrators who have paralyzed Ottawa and blocked border crossings in anger over the country's COVID-19 restrictions, a senior government official said Monday.READ: Ambassador Bridge officially reopened after weekThe prime minister met virtually with the leaders of Canada's provinces and planned to address the nation late in the afternoon.In recent days, Trudeau rejected calls to use the military but otherwise said "all options are on the table" to end the protests, including invoking the Emergencies Act, which gives the government broad powers to restore order.The government official who confirmed Trudeau's plans gave no immediate details on precisely how Trudeau intends to use his emergency authority.

Justin Trudeau consulted premiers about using the Emergencies Act Monday, while an Ontario judge granted an injunction to enforce noise and idling bylaws related to the ongoing anti-vaccine mandate protests in Ottawa.City solicitor David White requested the injunction Friday, saying the protesters were flagrantly violating bylaws against relentless noise, idling of trucks, setting off fireworks, and open air fires.The injunction, which does not have an end date, was designed to give the police and bylaw officers an extra tool to enforce city bylaws, lawyers acting for the city of Ottawa said Monday. Trudeau expected to invoke Emergencies Act to aid convoy blockade response: sources The Attorney General’s office intervened in the court hearing to make it clear that the injunction would also apply to federal property in Canada’s capital city.The protest by antigovernment demonstrators blockading city streets around Parliament Hill is now in its third week and has spread to several Canada-U.S.

Justin Trudeau is expected to announce Monday he will invoke emergency powers to support provinces in ending the blockades and public disorder that have gripped Ottawa for 18 days, Global News has confirmed.One national security source and one source that participated in a Monday morning Liberal national caucus meeting said the government is poised to invoke the act and that senior officials are preparing for an imminent announcement.Multiple sources have also told Global News federal officials are weighing options for the military to help law enforcement with logistics. But there is no plan at this time, according to the sources, to have the military help police in dealing with civilians or deploying into the streets.What exactly are the powers coming into play? Let’s take a look.First, a quick history recap: the Emergencies Act is not the War Measures Act.The War Measures Act was the controversial piece of legislation that Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, used back in 1970 during the October Crisis, which saw a series of terrorist attacks by a Quebec separatist group.The law allowed the federal government to suspend civil liberties, and it was in response to questions over how far Trudeau senior would go in suspending these liberties that he offered the infamous phrase: “Just watch me.”That law, however, was repealed and replaced in 1988.

“Freedom Convoy” protests, started by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccinate-or-quarantine mandate for cross-border drivers, have turned into a rallying point for people opposing the policies of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s government, covering everything from pandemic restrictions to a carbon tax.Meanwhile a social media outcry has been triggered by images of police mingling with a sea of protesters in Ottawa, helping some put a fallen tent back up, and one video showing an Ontario Provincial Police officer telling demonstrators “I support you guys 100%.”The police department said the officer’s comments were “not in line with the OPP’s values” and they were investigating.At least two members of Canada’s Special Operations Forces are also under investigation for allegedly supporting the protests, the military said. Windsor’s Ambassador Bridge border crossing reopens following COVID-19 protest Hundreds of counter-protesters on Sunday blocked vehicles trying to join the protest in downtown Ottawa, frustrated by what they said was police inaction.“We need to come together as people and say this will not stand,” said one demonstrator in front of the city’s police headquarters who said he was an Ottawa resident, but declined to give his name, fearing reprisals.

Two members of a Canadian counter-terrorism unit are under investigation for allegedly participating in thetrucker convoy protest in Ottawa, Ont., against COVID-19 restrictions, Global News has confirmed.

Canadian demonstrators led by truckers angry over Covid-19 restrictions defied police and kept occupying a key bridge yesterday, while thousands more rallied in the capital as a two-week-old protest showed no signs of abating.

trucker convoy protesters who break the law will be “increasingly severe” as an occupation in Ottawa extends past two weeks and blockades spring up across the country.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened a meeting Saturday with ministers and senior officials to see how protests, occupations and blockades can be brought “under control.”“I convened the Incident Response Group again today – we went over the efforts underway to address the illegal blockades and occupations,” Trudeau said on Twitter.

Justin Trudeau says “everything” is on the table when it comes to ending the blockades paralyzing cross-border trade at multiple locations, and which remain encamped outside Parliament Hill.And he urged anyone still participating in the convoys, which are demanding an end to COVID-19 public health measures, to go home or face “severe” consequences.“Unfortunately, we are concerned about violence, so we’re taking every precaution,” he said.“It’s time to go home – especially if you have kids with you.”Make no mistake: The border cannot, and will not, remain closed. Every option is on the table.

TORONTO - Canadian authorities Friday turned up the legal and public pressure on protesters to lift their blockades in Ottawa and at the U.S. border, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warning: "This unlawful activity has to end and it will end."Federal, provincial and local officials moved simultaneously on different fronts to break the standoff, which began with truckers and others angry over the country's COVID-19 restrictions and has morphed into a broader attack from the right on Trudeau and his Liberal government, cheered on by conservatives in the U.S."We heard you.

Despite key party figures expressing support and posing for pictures with protesters, the Conservative Party is joining pleas to end disruptive blockades against COVID restrictions.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a meeting with leaders of opposition parties Thursday evening, where he said he briefed them on the latest developments of the trucker convoy protests and blockades.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday during question period blasted the Conservatives for their support of the trucker protests in Ottawa and at Canada-U.S. border crossings in Coutts, Alta.

Canadian police have threatened to arrest trucker-led protesters who have shut down central Ottawa and disrupted cross-border trade in anger at Covid health rules, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lambasted the movement as "unacceptable."

During Tuesday’s session of question period, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau what concrete steps the government has taken to help people grapple with the Coutts, Alta. trucker convoy and Ottawa anti-mandate protests.