Showing posts with label Ebola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ebola. Show all posts

Thursday, May 21, 2026

News roundup, 21 May 2026

- An Air France flight from Paris to Detroit was forced to divert to Montreal after American authorities found that a person from the Democratic Republic of Congo was aboard. The US has prohibited non-citizens who have been to the DRC as well as Uganda and South Sudan in the last 21 days from entering their country. The hapless passenger, who did not have any symptoms of the disease, was removed from the flight and sent back to Europe; the flight was then allowed to continue on its way.

- Mark Carney is pressuring BC on pipelines, warning that if they keep delaying new pipeline plans, "we're going to be spending more time elsewhere in the country because we need to move forward". That sounds suspiciously similar to "Nice federal funding you've got, it would be a shame if something happened to it".

- The Manitoba government is conducting a survey on the biannual time changes. It's a voluntary survey, so it will be skewed in favour of those with strong opinions, which likely means either that we'll be adopting permanent daylight savings time or, if sleep experts succeed in convincing the government that it's a bad idea, that we'll stick with time changes. Those who wish to fill it out can do so here.

- Toronto is looking at the possibility of deploying automated cameras equipped with microphones in order to catch violators of the city's bylaw on vehicle noise. Unfortunately they have yet to receive permission from the province to do so, and given the Ford government's track record on these matters I doubt it will happen any time soon.

- Shots were fired at the Surrey, BC home of Cricket Canada's newly elected president, Arvinder Khosa. Nobody was hurt; police believe the attack was extortion-related.

- Police had to be summoned to an elementary school in Brandon, Manitoba after an 11 year old boy threw a temper tantrum so severe that he not only punched the principal but put a hole in a classroom wall clear through to the next room. Being under 12 he cannot be held criminally responsible; his mother was briefly taken into custody after interfering with police but was released without charges. Police arranged for him to meet with mental health professionals before releasing him into the custody of his father.

- In other western Manitoba news, a 46 year old man from the community of Russell has been convicted of uttering threats after repeatedly threatening police; the prosecution is not only calling for a two year jail term but for him to be banned from the community following his release. His defense lawyer argues that this would be harmful to his rehabilitation, as he has spent most of his life there and has no connections elsewhere.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

News roundup, 19 May 2026

- Two armed teenagers attacked a mosque in San Diego on Monday, killing three people before turning their weapons on themselves. This is being investigated as a hate crime; the mother of one of the shooters found a note that he had left behind, though the content of the note has not been made public.

- Global Affairs Canada is warning Canadians to be wary about travelling overseas this summer, due to the possibility of flight cancellations as a result of skyrocketing prices of jet fuel due to the war in Iran. They also warn that fuel shortages could disrupt access to products and services at some popular destinations. 

- A Canadian who was a passenger on the plague ship MV Hondius has tested positive for hantavirus. Three others are in isolation after showing symptoms consistent with the virus.

-  An outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 131 people and may be spreading faster than originally thought.

- Manitoba is temporarily suspending the ban on sale of certain American alcoholic beverages, in order to sell off stock that expires in the fall.

- Keir Starmer is facing a direct challenge of his leadership of the Labour Party from Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester. Burnham is running in a byelection in the constituency of Makerfield, which was vacated by incumbent Josh Simons in order to make way for him.

- Thomas Massie, a Republican member of Congress from Kentucky, is facing a tough primary today as Donald Trump has aggressively endorsed his opponent. Massie drew the ire of Trump after pushing a bill to force the release of the Epstein files.

- A car crashed into a fireworks store in Toronto on Monday, starting what became a five-alarm fire. Nobody was in the vehicle by the time fire crews arrived.