News roundup, 12 March 2026

- Israel bombed a residential neighbourhood in Beiruit, claiming that an apartment building they hit was "used" by an organization called Jama’a Islamiye (Islamic Group). The organization says none of its members were impacted by the attack. Israeli ground troops are also pushing into border areas in Lebanon, and there are fears that a wider invasion is planned. Meanwhile Iran has announced a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz (except for China apparently), causing a dramatic increase in oil prices. Air New Zealand is cancelling around 1,100 flights as the price of jet fuel spikes due to the war. Oil barons in Canada are salivating of course, as are those in Russia.

- The Manitoba government has announced that their proposed supervised consumption site, planned for a former industrial site on Henry Avenue, may open sooner than expected. This has led nearby homeowners to argue for reduced assessed values for their properties. In other provincial government news, Mintu Sandhu, the minister responsible for consumer protection, has introduced a "right to repair" bill modeled after similar legislation recently passed in Quebec.

- A Swiss man in his 60s set him self on fire on a bus in the town of Kerzers, killing himself and five other people. Police have ruled out a terrorist motive, describing the perpetrator as a "marginalised and disturbed individual" who had recently been reported missing by his family.

- Matthew Chorney, a paramedic in West St. Paul, Manitoba, received a call about an emergency in his immediate vicinity ten minutes before the end of his shift. He declined the call and left it to another paramedic who was almost 20 minutes away. Fortunately the patient did not die, but Chorney has been convicted of multiple charges by a disciplinary panel of the College of Paramedics of Manitoba. The charges include professional misconduct; his registration has been suspended for three months and he is being ordered to pay the college for the $25,000 cost of the investigation.

- Kenyan authorities arrested a man who they say was attempting to smuggle over 2,000 queen ants back to his native China. The ants are sold for the pet trade in that country; there are fears that they are being harvested at a rate that could have significant impacts on ecosystems.

News roundup, 10 July 2024

- Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado has said publicly what many people have been thinking for some time - that Joe Biden cannot beat Donald Trump. And even Nancy Pelosi, who is no spring chicken herself, is hinting that Biden should reconsider his decision to stay in the race. Even longtime supporter George Clooney is calling for him to withdraw.

- Some jurisdictions in the US are looking at introducing mask bans, blaming masks for "emboldening" protesters to commit acts of vandalism or violence. Notably, this includes some relatively progressive cities such as New York and Los Angeles, which seems strange until you consider that it's largely a measure against pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The fact that COVID-19 infections seem to be on the rise ought to make them reconsider, but since no politician seems to want to admit that...

- The Israelis bombed a crowd of people watching a soccer game at a school playground, killing at least 31 people. No doubt they'll claim to have prevented a terrorist attack or something.

- The Manitoba government is extending funding for the remainder of the summer for the crackdown on retail crime. Justice Minister Matt Wiebe acknowledges, however, that simple crackdowns aren't enough; you also need to address the root causes.

- The City of Winnipeg is looking to tighten boarding standards for vacant buildings to prevent break-ins and resulting fires, as well increasing the related fees. They are also looking at speeding up the process to seize such buildings so that they (or at least the land they're on) can be put to good use actually housing people.

- A pastor whose wife had her seat upgraded when he didn't reportedly lost his temper and hit her in the head. He has been charged with assault.

- Chinese authorities have arrested a man who allegedly tried to smuggle 100 live snakes in his pants.