Some Albertans celebrate end of the restrictions exemption program

Coronavirus infections appear to be rising in older adults in England, with cases remaining at a high level despite a broad decline since a peak in January, according to a government-commissioned study published Thursday.The REACT COVID-19 monitoring program, which looked at almost 95,000 home swab tests taken in February, showed that around 1 in 35 people in England was infected with the virus during the period and infections were rising among those aged 55 and older. COVID-19 can cause the brain to shrink, memory loss: U.K.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - All seven Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices issued opinions Wednesday regarding their 4-3 vote last month to pick a new map of the state's congressional districts, disclosing the majority relied partially on how fair the various proposals would be to the two major parties."We conclude that consideration of partisan fairness, when selecting a plan among several that meet traditional core criteria, is necessary to ensure that a congressional plan is reflective of and responsive to the partisan preferences of the commonwealth's voters," wrote Chief Justice Max Baer, joined by three fellow Democrats.He said tools that evaluate partisan fairness can help "avoid vote dilution based on political affiliation."The majority also rejected the argument that the 17 districts, each with nearly 765,000 voters, could not vary by as much as two voters apiece, as does the map they picked.After Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the Republican majority state House and Senate deadlocked on drawing new lines for 17 congressional districts, reflecting the loss of a seat in the 2020 census, the job was left to the courts.The state's population increases over the past decade have been concentrated in the southeast, a stronghold for Democrats, while losses have occurred in the more rural and Republican areas of Pennsylvania's northern tier and western counties.A Republican Commonwealth Court judge, Patricia McCullough, recommended the justices go with the GOP-favored map that Wolf had vetoed.

WARSAW, Poland - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday embraced calls for an international war crimes investigation of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, citing the "atrocities" of bombing civilians, including a maternity hospital.Speaking alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda at a press conference in Warsaw, where she is demonstrating U.S.

federal government to remove the pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated international travellers, arguing that the measure is no longer necessary at this point in the pandemic.Representatives from several organizations held a press conference in Toronto Thursday morning, saying that removing the restriction is necessary to allow the tourism and business sectors to fully recover.“Businesses are becoming more confident that we are past the need to rely on restrictive measures like lockdowns to manage the virus,” said Lindsay Broadhead, the senior vice-president of communications and public affairs at the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Feds scrapping pre-arrival COVID PCR test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers “To realize the full opportunity, we must, where it is safe to do so, remove restrictions that are no longer needed.

CCL Container designed a new custom aluminum wine bottles that gives wine lovers an option to enjoy their beverage on the go. (Photo: CCL Container) WASHINGTON - While some enthusiasts are still getting used to the idea of wine in a can or corkless bottle, a new aluminum wine bottle has hit the market to offer yet another way to enjoy, and maybe preserve, their wine. CCL Container designed a custom 500-ml aluminum wine bottle featuring a lock-and-twist screw top, which they say allows the wine to be resealed and saved instead of wasted.The company manufactures recyclable aluminum aerosol cans, custom aluminum bottles, and other aluminum packaging, according to their website. CCL Container said their new aluminum bottle also helps to sustain the temperature of the wine by keeping it colder longer compared to wine in a glass or plastic container, claiming they are ideal for wine drinkers who want to bring their favorite beverage with them on a picnic, hike, or outdoor concert. RELATED: Price of wine could soon skyrocket due to climate change, bottle shortagesTo help promote their aluminum wine bottle launch, CCL Container partnered with Bigsby’s Folly, a Denver-based winery.

File: People walk through Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, December 2021. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) WASHINGTON - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate for public transit next month, according to a U.S.

time may stand still for Geddy Lee and his bandmates, the rest of us will have to rush to our clocks to turn them an hour ahead on Sunday morning.It will mark the shortest day of the year as many Canadians will set their clocks ahead by an hour as most of the country moves to daylight time.The clocks will then fall back on Nov. 6 as we return to standard time.It is a rite of passage that began in Canada in 1908 in two small Ontario towns, Port Arthur and Fort William, which have since merged to form the city of Thunder Bay.

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COVID-19 cases and 260 recoveries in the past 24 hours. While active cases in the country stand at 937, the case positivity rate has reduced to 0.56 per cent. Delhi on Wednesday had reported 208 new Covid-19 cases.Delhi reports 212 fresh #COVID19 cases and 260 recoveries in the last 24 hours.Active cases 937Positivity rate 0.56% pic.twitter.com/V1zOJYNnHZ

COVID-19 pandemic while hospitalizations fell sharply Thursday.A total of 1,162 patients are in hospital with the virus, after 70 people were admitted and 130 left in the last day.The number of intensive care unit cases stood at 68, a decrease of one.The province’s daily tally included 1,267 new novel coronavirus infections. But since PCR testing is limited to certain groups — such as teachers and health-care workers — this isn’t representative of the situation.

A new public photography exhibition that shines a light on mental health awareness has opened in London. From March 9 until April 6, ‘Art of London presents Take a Moment 2022’ at Piccadilly Circus is encouraging people to take time out of their day to check in on their mental health.The exhibition, which was opened by TV doctor Dr Ranj Singh, is made of over 100 celebrity portraits and has been projected onto the Piccadilly Lights - an attraction which is seen by around 56 million people per year.

COVID-19 case as the province continues to loosen restrictions.Dr. Luc Boileau, interim director of public health, said Thursday that within the “new context,” they are comfortable with easing more measures.Anyone who is in close contact with a person who has COVID-19 no longer has to isolate at home for five days — but only if they are not sick or do not test positive for the virus.“They still have to watch for symptoms and have to wear a mask for 10 days and remain prudent, especially with those at risk,” Boileau said.They should also avoid places where they have to remove their mask, such as restaurants.“They do not need to stay at home,” Boileau said.

Janey Godley has revealed that she can't see how she'll "make it through the year" in a very honest social media post.

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COVID on Thursday, with 244 in intensive care units.This is down by nine hospitalizations but an increase of three in ICUs since the previous day. Last Thursday, there were 834 hospitalizations with 267 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 742 people in hospital with COVID-19, 46 per cent of them were admitted because of the virus, while 54 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19.Of the 244 people in ICUs with the virus, 79 per cent were admitted because of COVID, while 21 per cent were admitted for other reasons.

CHICAGO - More than three years after Jussie Smollett told police he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack on a dark, cold Chicago street, all of the questions swirling around the actor — from whether he staged a fake attack to why he would do such a thing — now boil down to two: Will he admit he lied to police and will he be sent to prison?On Thursday, three months after a jury found him guilty of lying to police, those questions will be answered when Smollett, a onetime star of the television show "Empire," returns for sentencing to the courtroom where he was found guilty of lying to police about an attack prosecutors contended he orchestrated himself.JoJo Smollett, brother of actor Jussie Smollett, joins Good Day Chicago ahead of the former Empire star's sentencing in court. JoJo says he will read a statement before the judge Thursday afternoon.Smollett was convicted of five of six felony counts of disorderly conduct — for lying to police.

in the phase 2 study of Omicron-specific bivalent booster candidate, which combines the company’s current Covid-19 vaccine. 

The Saskatchewan government has now dropped all restrictions, but what does living with COVID-19 really mean?

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police have released new video of a shooting that left a man injured in North Philadelphia earlier this week. The shooting occurred on the 2200 block of West Berks Street around 1:20 p.m.

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allergies are driven by the pollen in the air.The AAFA released its annual list of so-called "allergy capitals" in the U.S. for 2022.

ELSMERE, Del. - Police in Delaware have arrested three juveniles in connection with a stolen car, including a 12-year-old boy they believe is connected to two other incidents.On Tuesday, police in Elsmere, Delaware received a report of a vehicle theft. Officers later located the vehicle in New Castle. When officers attempted to make contact the occupants, the driver fled.

Patti LuPone got a very Broadway reception with her return to the stage.

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COLOMBO (News 1st); The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has approved power cuts for Friday (10).Groups PQRSTUVW:1 hour from 5 PM to 9 PMGroups ABCDEFGHIJKL:2 1/2 hours from 8 AM to 6 PM1 hour & 15 min from 6 PM to 11 PM

airstrike that hit a maternity and children's hospital there killed three people, including one child, city officials said Thursday.The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia met Thursday in Turkey in their highest-level talks thus far, but it appeared little progress was made at the meeting. The two-week-long war has forced 2 million people to flee the country, half of them children.Ukrainian officials say a Russian strike has hit a children’s hospital and maternity facility in the besieged southeastern port city of Mariupol.

PHILADELPHIA - A man is in critical condition after an apparent shootout between two men in Kingsessing late Wednesday night. The incident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. on the 5500 block of Greenway Avenue. Police say a 37-year-old man was arriving home when he spotted a suspicious 44-year-old man walking down the steps of his property. The two men were then engaged in a confrontation that escalated to gunfire, with both men firing shots at each other. MORE HEADLINES: The 44-year-old man later showed up at Frankford Hospital with gunshot wounds to the shoulder and foot.

PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Philadelphia recently seized hundreds of slimy bloodsucking leeches that were destined for address in three states. Officials say a total of about 300 leeches were found in nine plastic jars that arrived in a combined six air cargo shipments from Bulgaria between Feb.

PHILADELPHIA - A suspect is in custody after police say a man was shot and killed inside an apartment in West Philadelphia. The incident occurred on the 4800 block of Springfield Avenue shortly after 11:10 p.m. Wednesday night. Officers responded to the scene for a report of gunshots and found an unresponsive 62-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the neck in a second-floor bedroom. Paramedics rushed him to Presbyterian Hospital where he died a short time later. MORE HEADLINES: Police say the suspect, a 26-year-old man, remained on the scene and was cooperating with investigators.

The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust said on March 9 that its Endurance22 Expedition had located the wreck of Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance, which has not been seen since it was crushed by the ice and sank in the Weddell Sea in 1915.

An expert has issued a warning over the pandemic amid the spread of 'Stealth Omicron'.

Mainland China reported 402 locally transmitted Covid-19 infections with confirmed symptoms, official data showed, nearly doubling from the daily count on Tuesday.

WATERFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 28-year-old man from Waterford, Michigan, will spend the next 50 years of his life in a federal prison after pleading guilty to making child pornography.Jostin Desco was sentenced in a U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - Conditions will stabilize as the workweek draws to a close before an incoming system of rain and snow spoils the first half of the weekend. Following a wet and dreary Wednesday, temperatures across the region will fall near freezing overnight. Areas north and west of Philadelphia will drop into the 20s from a blast of cold northern air. Sunshine will return on Thursday with a mix of spotty colds. Forecasters expect temperatures to rise into the 50s in most areas, which is above-average for this time of year.

Kate Garraway treated her daughter Darcey to a special night out at the theatre after a “tough week” amid her husband Derek’s health battle.Kate and her daughter Darcey celebrated her 16th birthday at the theatre and shared a selfie to mark the occasion. The 54 year old took her to London’s Dominion Theatre to see the stage production of 80s classic, Dirty Dancing.

Young people everywhere have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their education has been disrupted. Many have lost jobs. Their mental health has suffered and too many have experienced gender-based violence.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Tensions erupted at the Sri Lankan Parliament on Thursday (10) over the absence of the country’s Finance Minister to address the crises affecting the island nation.Lakshman Kiriella, the Chief Opposition Whip representing the Samagi Jana Balavegaya stressed that it is the Parliament that decides on the finances, and yet, the Finance Minister has not made any comment to the house since the 10th of December 2021.He said almost all the sectors in Sri Lanka have been financially affected, and the absence of the Finance Minister to address these concerns can only mean that the country is bankrupt.Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, the Leader of the House demanded the MP withdraw these comments noting that the Finance Minister had in fact visited Parliament after the 2021 Budget debate.Responding to requests to summon the Finance Minister, the Speaker said he as the Chair of Parliament has no right to summon an MP or Ministers, adding that if an MP is absent from Parliament for more than three months, disciplinary action will be taken.Dr. Harsha De Silva, from the Samagi Jana Balavegaya, pointed out that the country’s foreign obligations are far greater than the foreign reserves maintained by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, and this in fact means the country is bankrupt.“We warned you to restructure the debt before servicing 500 Million Dollars.

A record number of people attended hospital emergency departments in the last week, according to the Health Service Executive's Chief Clinical Officer.

Humboldt Broncos bus crash on April 6, 2018, that killed 16 people and injured 13 others has lost his first bid to remain in Canada following his sentence.Jaskirat Singh Sidhu pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm and was sentenced to eight years.At the time of the crash, Sidhu was a permanent resident. A criminal conviction that carries a sentence of more than six months makes a permanent resident ineligible to stay in the country.Sidhu’s lawyer sent paperwork to the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) in 2021 arguing why he should be allowed to stay in Canada once his sentence has been served.

bombing of a children’s hospital in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol is further proof of the need for increased NATO intervention, including a no-fly zone to prevent further Russian airstrikes, a Ukrainian MP says.Dmytro Gurin says closing the skies over Ukraine will prevent the further targeting of civilians, warning that “World War III is already here” and will continue to escalate until the West intervenes.“They came here to kill us all,” Gurin told Global News, speaking of the Russians.“They (came to understand) during the first week (of the invasion) that we will resist. They thought we would not, but we did.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka will again impose power cuts on Thursday (10), and the schedule announced by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka is as follows:Groups P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W:1 hour from 5 PM to 9 PMGroups A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L:2 1/2 hours from 8 AM to 6 PM1 hour & 15 min from 6 PM to 11 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st); Lohan Ratwatte was sworn in as the State Minister of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Ports Supply Facilities, and Boats and Shipping Industry Development on Thursday (10).The position was left vacant following the resignation of Jayantha Samaraweera from the National Freedom Front.

PHILADELPHIA - A viewing was held Wednesday night for a 12-year-old boy who investigators say was shot and killed by a Philadelphia police officer after their car was fired on. Family and loved ones of Thomas Siderio gathered at Lighthouse Baptist Church on South Broad Street to mourn his death that happened a week ago in South Philadelphia.Investigators say four plain-clothed officers assigned to the South Task Force were in the area in an unmarked car as part of an ongoing investigation.Authorities have said the officers saw Siderio and a 17-year-old boy on the corner of 18th and Barbara and recognized one of them as someone wanted for questioning in another investigation.Police say the officers were approaching the boys and activated their emergency lights when they heard gunfire and a bullet shattered the rear passenger window and came to a stop in the passenger headrest. An officer in the back seat suffered injuries from the shattered glass to his face and eyes.

Premier Jason Kenney says Alberta’s vaccine passport will end almost Tuesday at midnight and most other big COVID-19 health rules will be gone in three weeks from now. Dan Grummett, Tom Vernon and Morgan Black have team coverage on what is happening, how the health-care system is doing and how Albertans feel about the changes.