Here are the latest Top News stories from The Canadian Press. All times are Eastern unless otherwise stated. Coverage plans are included when available. Entries are subject to change as news develops.
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TOP HEADLINES:
-- Churches, highways close amid pandemic protest
-- New stamp issued to mark Queen's platinum jubilee
-- Hundreds of Veterans Affairs staff poised to leave
-- Long road back for Quebec's cultural sector
-- New B.C. Liberal leader embarks on party rebuild
-- Medal hopefuls come up short for Canada
TOP NEWS STORIES:
Churches, highways close amid pandemic protest
Trucker-Protest
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- It was just before Christmas that the Christ Church Cathedral closed in-person services amid the rise in COVID-19 cases so congregants didn't have to choose between going to church or seeing their families. By Jordan Press. Words: 843, Photos: 1
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New stamp issued to mark Queen's platinum jubilee
Queen-Platinum-Jubilee
The Queen has begun her platinum jubilee year, marking a 70-year reign that now makes her the longest-ruling monarch in British and Commonwealth history. By Kevin Bissett. Words: 561, Photos: 1
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Hundreds of Veterans Affairs staff poised to leave
Veterans-Backlog
Ottawa, , -- Veterans Affairs Canada says the Liberal government has agreed to extend the contracts of only about one-third of the temporary staff hired to deal with a backlog of disability claims from ill and injured ex-soldiers. By Lee Berthiaume. Words: 1024, Photos: 1
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New B.C. Liberal leader embarks on party rebuild
Liberal-Leadership-BC
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- The new leader of the British Columbia Liberals says he's on his way to Victoria with promises that will rebuild the party and attract voters while he also seeks his own seat in the legislature. By Dirk Meissner. Words: 770, Photos: 1
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Toronto police say anti-mandate protest a success
Trucker-Protest-Police
With anti-mandate protesters and their trucks firmly entrenched in Ottawa, Toronto police took a different approach, which they deemed a success. By Liam Casey. Words: 764
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Crews work to restore power across Nova Scotia
NS-Storm-Power
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- Officials with Nova Scotia Power said Sunday they expected to have most electricity restored across the province by the end of the day following a nasty winter storm that brought more than 20 hours of freezing rain earlier in the weekend. Words: 273, Photos: 1
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Jazz legend Big Miller left legacy in Alberta
Black-History-Big-Miller
Edmonton, , -- "They call me Big," he said. And in almost every way, he was. By Bob Weber. Words: 1082, Photos: 1
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Workplace vaccine mandates being upheld: Experts
Workplace-Vaccine-Mandates
Legal challenges of employer vaccine mandates and health measures are being tossed out as arbitrators in Canada largely side with the need to maintain safe workplaces during a pandemic, legal experts say. By Brett Bundale. Words: 731, Photos: 1
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From 'stay home' to 'learn to live with COVID'
COVID-Ont-Messaging
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Ontarians have recently started hearing their top health and government officials speak of "learning to live with COVID-19," but it doesn't mean immediately returning to life as it was in 2019 and authorities should be refining their message, experts say. By Allison Jones. Words: 934, Photos: 1
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Five things to watch for in Canadian business
Cda-Business-5-Things
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week: Words: 234, Photos: 1
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Queen has personal affection for Canada: experts
Queen-Jubilee-Legacy
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- The Queen has adapted to the expansion of liberal democracies while respecting ancient royal customs to create a magic dust that has left an enduring influence on Canada as she marks her Platinum Jubilee, experts say. By Hina Alam. Words: 971, Photos: 2
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Long road back for Quebec's cultural sector
COVID-Que-Culture
Montreal, , -- Quebec's theatres and concert halls are preparing to reopen to the public on Monday, but leaders in the industry say it will be a long road back to normalcy for a sector that is grappling with successive COVID-19 closures and rising mental health concerns. By Morgan Lowrie. Words: 813, Photos: 1
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B.C. researchers race to study bat probiotic
Bat-Probiotic
Vancouver, , -- Researchers say a deadly fungus that has nearly wiped out a North American bat species hasn't yet spread to British Columbia, giving them valuable time to study whether probiotics prevent the disease. By Brieanna Charlebois. Words: 647, Photos: 1
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Medal hopefuls come up short for Canada
OLY-Canada-Roundup
Beijing, Beijing, China -- Two of Canada's medal hopefuls at the Beijing Olympics finished off the podium Sunday, with one coming agonizingly close and another nowhere near. Words: 972, Photos: 1
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Einarson, Team Canada advance to Scotties final
CUR-Scotties
Kerri Einarson will have a chance to win a third consecutive Scotties Tournament of Champions. By Jim Morris. Words: 301
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FROM AP:
Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EST. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan at https://newsroom.ap.org.
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ONLY ON AP
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FEDERAL PRISONS-SEXUAL ABUSE — Inside one of the only federal women’s prisons in the United States, inmates say they’ve been subjected to rampant sexual abuse by correctional officers and even the warden, and were often threatened or punished when they tried to speak up. An Associated Press investigation has found a permissive and toxic culture at the Bay Area lockup, enabling not only years of sexual misconduct by predatory employees but a coverup that has largely kept the abuse out of the public eye. By Michael Balsamo and Michael R. Sisak. SENT: 2,100 words, photos. A 1,040-word version also is available.
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TOP STORIES
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US-UKRAINE-TENSIONS — White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan says Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” launching a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.” The senior adviser to President Joe Biden offered the stark warning Sunday, the day after U.S. officials confirmed that Russia has assembled at least 70% of the military firepower it likely intends to have in place by mid-month to give President Vladimir Putin the option of launching a full-scale invasion. By Aamer Madhani. SENT: 880 words, photos. With: UKRAINE-TENSIONS POLAND — A few dozen elite troops and equipment from the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division have landed in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine. Hundreds more troops are still expected. President Joe Biden has ordered the deployment of 1,700 soldiers to Poland amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. SENT: 435 words, photos.
TRUMP-INVESTIGATIONS-RACISM — Former President Donald Trump recently told a mostly white crowd at a rally in Texas that his legal troubles are the fault of Black prosecutors he called racists. Trump repeated his charges of racism to underscore his contention that he couldn’t possibly be treated fairly by Black officials who are leading Trump investigations in New York and Georgia. By Bobby Caina Calvan. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
SUPREME-COURT-JACKSON — The last time there was a Supreme Court vacancy and a Democratic president, an 11-year-old girl wrote the White House to offer up her federal judge mom for the seat. Ketanji Brown Jackson didn’t get the nod from President Barack Obama in 2016, when Republican senators ended up refusing to even consider his nominee. Today, Jackson is among the leading prospects to succeed retiring Justice Stephen Breyer as President Joe Biden seeks to fulfill his pledge to put a Black woman on the court. By Jessica Gresko and Mark Sherman. SENT: 1,290 words, photos.
OLY-CHINA-IN-THE-BUBBLE — The Olympics are usually an opportunity for the host country to showcase its culture. That’s a challenge when the athletes, coaches and others traveling to this year’s Winter Games are entirely sequestered in a bubble so complete it even has its own intercity trains. This is all part of an elaborate effort to control the spread of COVID-19. Nothing is supposed to leave this alternative universe. Still, here and there there are glimmers of China that seep in. By Sarah DiLorenzo. SENT: 1,110 words, photos.
UNITED NATIONS-NORTH KOREA-REPORT — U.N. experts say North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs including its capability to produce nuclear fissile materials in violation of U.N Security Council resolutions. The panel of experts said in the executive summary of the report obtained Saturday night by AP that there was “a marked acceleration” of Pyongyang’s testing and demonstration of new short-range and possibly medium-range missiles through January, “incorporating both ballistic and guidance technologies and using both solid and liquid propellants.” By Edith M. Lederer. SENT: 520 words, photos
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MORE ON THE OLYMPICS
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OLY-FIG-TEAM COMPETITION — World champion Kamila Valieva cemented her status as the gold medal-favorite at the Beijing Games by putting forward a winning short program to help the Russians take the lead in the team event. Mark Kondratiuk took second in the men’s free skate to send the Russians into the final day of competition with a two-point lead over the U.S. SENT: 822 words, photos.
OLY-CUR-CURLING-IN-COVID — Curling is a sport built around closeness. It starts with the pre-game handshakes between opponents and goes to the traditional post-game drinking sessions where the winners typically buy the losers a round. That tradition all but vanished after the coronavirus emerged and curlers at the socially distanced Beijing Olympics are unlikely to be sharing beers. The necessity of distance imposed by COVID-19 has caused particular angst throughout the curling community. SENT: 959 words, photos.
OLY-ATHLETES IN ISOLATION — Olympic organizers say they’re addressing complaints about isolation conditions for athletes who test positive for the coronavirus. They say they are working to ensure they have clean rooms, better food and access to training equipment and the internet. SENT: 300 words, photos. WITH: OLY-BEIJING-OLYMPICS-THE-LATEST.
OLY-BEIJING-PENG SHUAI — The whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai remain a pressing question at the Beijing Olympics. Peng’s accusations of sexual assault three months ago against former vice premier Zhang Gaoli were scrubbed almost immediately from the internet in China. SENT: 320 words, photos.
BEIJING-OLYMPICS-A-GLIMPSE-PHOTO-GALLERY — Judging by a series of images captured by Associated Press photographers over the first few days of the Games, the pandemic measures don’t appear to have dimmed the enthusiasm of the most faithful fans. SENT: 200 words, photos.
OLY-SKI-WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM — Defending champion Mikaela Shiffrin makes her Beijing Olympics debut in the giant slalom, the first women’s event in Alpine skiing. First run scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m.; second run scheduled to start at 1:30 a.m. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 8:30 p.m.
OLY-HKW-US-CANADA-RIVALRY — Hate is not too strong of a word for former United States Olympian Cammi Granato to describe the tensions which have developed between the American and Canadian women’s hockey teams. One of the world’s fiercest rivalries are set to resume with the defending Olympic champion U.S. to play Canada in a Group A preliminary round game at the Beijing Games on Tuesday. SENT: 986 words, photos. WITH: OLY-OLYMPIC RIVALRIES — With the U.S. preparing to face Canada in women’s hockey for the first time in these Olympics, here’s a look at some of the other big rivalries that will be contested at the 2022 Games. SENT: 650 words, photos.
OLY--SKI-THE WAITING GAME — Bryce Bennett was supposed to be the first racer in the men’s downhill at the Beijing Olympics. Like everyone else, he was stuck hanging around until the race was postponed for a day because of wind. He killed time by checking in with friends at a “Beer Olympics” watch party back home in California. Alpine skiers find different ways of dealing with delays at an Olympics. SENT: 600 words, photos.
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TRENDING NEWS
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BRITAIN-QUEEN-PLATINUM JUBILEE — Queen Elizabeth II remembered the past and sought to cement the future of the monarchy as the United Kingdom marked the 70th anniversary of her rule. The monarch expressed a “sincere wish’’ that Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla, should be known as “Queen Consort” when her son succeeds her as expected. SENT: 1060 words, photos.
WORKPLACE-RELATIONSHIPS — For all the potential peril of a workplace romance, the most common source of trouble, experts say, is allowing it to remain a secret, as was shown by the abrupt ouster of CNN chief executive Jeff Zucker this week. SENT: 760 words, photos.
OBIT-INDIA-LATA MANGESHKAR — Lata Mangeshkar, a legendary Indian singer with a prolific, groundbreaking catalog and a voice recognized by a billion people in South Asia, has died. She was 92. SENT: 715 words, photos.
MOROCCO-BOY-TRAPPED — The community of Ighran, a village in a mountainous area in northern Morocco, is mourning the death of a five year old boy who died after being trapped in a well for four days. SENT: 475 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEPAL — Schools in Nepal are demanding the government open up physical classes that were shut down for weeks as the number of COVID-19 cases began to decline. Teachers say online education was limited to only a small part of the population living in the urban parts of the Himalayan country while a majority of students are being deprived of their chance to learn. SENT: 450 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CANADA-PROTESTS — A former U.S. ambassador to Canada says groups in the U.S. need to cease interfering in what some call an occupation in Canada’s capital as protesters opposed to vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions held rallies in cities across Canada in a show of solidarity with a week-long demonstration in the national capital. SENT: 550 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-RUSSIA — Russia is reporting a record daily count of new coronavirus infections, a tenfold spike from a month ago as the highly contagious omicron variant spreads through the country. SENT: 350 words, photos.
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WASHINGTON/POLITCS
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ELECTION 2022-ATTORNEYS GENERAL — Races for state attorneys general are emerging as important battlegrounds this year as Republicans seek to expand their reach in the office sometimes referred to as “the people’s lawyer.” Democrats are concerned about the emergence of far-right candidates running for attorney general and what that could mean for election challenges related to the 2024 presidential election. SENT: 1200 words, photos.
GERMANY-US — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has set off for Washington to reassure Americans that his country stands alongside the United States and other NATO partners in opposing any Russian aggression against Ukraine. Scholz has said that Moscow would pay a “high price” in the event of an attack. SENT: 975 words, photos.
MANCHIN-MURKOWSKI-ENDORSEMENT — Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin endorses Republican colleague Lisa Murkowski for reelection, crossing party lines to back the incumbent from Alaska who faces a primary challenger supported by former President Donald Trump. SENT: 500 words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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BLACK-TOUR-GUIDE-CONFEDERATE-WHITE HOUSE — Visitors to Alabama’s state Capitol often stop next door at “the First White House of the Confederacy,” where Confederate President Jefferson Davis lived at the start of the Civil War. Many have been met by the receptionist, Evelyn England. The 62-year-old Black woman retired this week after 12 years on the job. She told The Associated Press that she wishes the museum would spell out how slavery was a catalyst for the Civil War. SENT: 960 words, photos.
CUBAN MIGRANTS RESCUED — Ten Cuban migrants in a sinking vessel were rescued off the Florida coast. A Coast Guard boat spotted the vessel Thursday about 40 miles off Key Largo. SENT: 120 words, photo.
MISSISSIPPI-SOLDIER-REMAINS — A south Mississippi family has finally found answers to an eight-decade mystery. The fate of Private Andrew Ladner, a soldier from Harrison County, has been unknown since he disappeared during World War II, during the Battle of Buna-Gona. SENT: 300 words.
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INTERNATIONAL
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UKRAINE-TENSIONS-EUROPE — The Kremlin has become a top destination for European leaders spooked at the prospect of war in Ukraine. SENT: 870 words, photos.
UKRAINE-TENSIONS-ENERGY EXPLAINER -- Fears are rising about what would happen to Europe’s energy supply if Russia were to invade Ukraine and then shut off its natural gas in retaliation for U.S. and European sanctions. The tensions show the risk of Europe’s reliance on Russia for energy. It supplies about a third of Europe’s natural gas, which is already low. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
For full coverage of Ukraine.
CHINA-DIPLOMACY — Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with leaders from Poland and Pakistan in a flurry of diplomacy on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. SENT: 520 words, photos.
WEST AFRICA-COUPS — West Africa is grappling with a wave of military coups over the past 18 months that has some wondering which country could be next. Mutinous soldiers already had overthrown the presidents of Mali and Guinea when a coup took place late last month in Burkina Faso. SENT: 780 words, photos.
ISRAEL-SPYWARE — Israeli media reports say police have used sophisticated spyware against a key witness in the corruption trial of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The revelations have jolted the trial and shine a light on a contentious Israeli-developed surveillance tool. SENT: 505 words, photo.
ROMANIA-HOLOCAUST BOOK — Maksim Goldenshteyn’s book, “So They Remember,” tells the story of his Holocaust survivor grandparents who languished in Jewish death camps and ghettos in Transnistria during World War II — a chapter of the Holocaust which some say is largely forgotten. SENT: 1035 words, photos.
COSTA RICA-ELECTIONS — Costa Ricans are voting for a new president and all seats of the National Assembly in elections that have yet to see a clear favorite emerge among 25 candidates to lead the Central American nation. SENT: 380 words, photos.
TUNISIA — Tunisia’s president has announced a plan to dissolve the country’s main judiciary body. SENT: 520 words, photos.
MIDEAST-ISLAMIC STATE — The U.N. children’s agency says children held in a prison in northeast Syria that witnessed 10 days of fighting between U.S.-backed fighters and Islamic State group militants are living in “incredibly precarious” conditions and they should not have been there in the first place. SENT: 570 words, photo.
PAKISTAN-SEPARATIST ATTACKS — Pakistan’s military says security forces have cleared two areas in a southwestern province of separatist militants after they attacked two army camps. The attacks left nine soldiers dead and six others wounded. It says 20 militants were killed in intense, hourslong firefights and follow-up operations. SENT: 560 words, photo.
CANADA POLITICS — A populist lawmaker declared his intention to head the Conservative party of Canada just days after the party ousted its leader. Pierre Poilievre tweeted a video in which he said “governments have gotten big and bossy" and wants to make “Canadians the freest people on earth.″ SENT: 350 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FILM-BOX OFFICE — “Jackass Forever,” the fourth movie in the anarchic stunt and prank series, earned $23.5 million in ticket sales in its first weekend in theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. It not only exceeded expectations but also easily bested its other main competitors, the big budget sci-fi spectacle “Moonfall” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which has 6 of its 8 weeks in theaters at No. 1. SENT: 640 words, photos.
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SPORTS
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TEN-DEL POTRO — Juan Martín del Potro, who won the 2009 U.S. Open, says he is likely to retire from professional tennis after playing tournaments in Buenos Aires this week and then in Rio de Janeiro. Del Potro’s career has been marred by injury and he has been off the circuit since 2019. SENT: 170 words.
SOC—ENGLISH ROUNDUP — Leicester continues its defense of the FA Cup away to Nottingham Forest, Liverpool hosts Cardiff and fifth-tier Boreham Wood is at Bournemouth to complete the fourth round. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos by 3:30 p.m.
FBN—REICH'S MISSION — Frank Reich is heading to Los Angeles this week for an important mission. A year after he became head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Reich and his wife, Linda, formed kNot Today, a nonprofit that works to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation. Their foundation is among five organizations working together at the Super Bowl to combat sex trafficking, which is often heightened around major events. UPCOMING: 900 words by 4 p.m.
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HOW TO REACH US
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At the Nerve Center, Elise Ryan can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from http://newsroom.ap.org. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006.
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