World News – CA – Dramatic time-lapse shows snow storm over northern Colorado

A snow storm swept on 22. December through northern Colorado when a cold front was moving through the region.

This time-lapse, captured by Linda Hunter of Steamboat Springs, shows the storm rolling over her hometown with lightning bolts visible at times. Photo credit: Linda Hunter via Storyful

WASHINGTON – Republican Senators on Wednesday further confirmed President Donald Trump’s baseless allegations of widespread electoral fraud, two days after Democrat Joe Biden’s victory was sealed by the Electoral College. Legislators argued at times during a committee hearing when Democrats defended the baseless allegations and a former federal cybersecurity officer who oversaw electoral security said continued attempts to undermine confidence in the process are undermining democracy. The session, held by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on Democratic Protests, heightened unsubstantiated fraud claims at the highest levels of government and provided another public opportunity for two of Trump’s lawyers to make the false allegations after repeatedly losing in court. The hearing mimicked those held in some battlefield states with local lawmakers, where Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani induced some Republicans to voice their election complaints without evidence. These hearings took place after consistent legal defeats. GOP Sen. . Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, the chairman of the committee and one of Trump’s toughest defenders, said his goal is a bipartisan hearing to consider the election. But he reiterated Trump’s claims with no evidence and focused heavily on the allegations made by the presidential team. There was no evidence from state or local election officials that extensive checks were carried out to ensure the accuracy of the elections prior to confirming the results. These officials said there was no evidence of widespread fraud. Democrats asked for the testimony of Christopher Krebs, who ran the U.. S.. . Cyber ​​security and infrastructure security agency until he was fired by Trump in November. 17 tweet. Under Cancer, the agency ran a « rumor control » website that exposed some of the conspiracy theories that Trump and his allies uphold. When polled, Krebs admitted that some of his employees had been approached about changes to the website but none had been made, and he said the voting systems were secure in the 2020 election. « I see that these reports, which are factually imprecise, are still being advertised, » said Krebs. “We have to stop. It undermines trust in democracy. Attorney General William Barr also looked into the unsubstantiated allegations of criminal fraud, telling The Associated Press earlier this month that there was no evidence of any level of fraud that could alter the election result. On Tuesday, Trump announced that Barr would be leaving his post for the Christmas break after the president publicly expressed his frustration over the comments. During the session, Trump tweeted that Krebs was « utterly upset and proven wrong at the Senate hearing over the fraudulent 2020 election, » and the president insisted that « massive fraud has occurred ». Trump and his allies have fueled conspiracies with voting machines manipulated by dead foreign leaders, arguing that tens of thousands of fraudulent postal ballot papers somehow escaped the security and control layers of election workers. The president and his supporters have filed the lawsuits with no evidence, tried to pressure the state legislature to hold their own presidential elections, and sought to influence low-ranking party members who sit on state and local bodies and validate the election results. At one point during the hearing, Johnson and the committee’s top Democrat, Michigan Sen. . Gary Peters yelled at himself after Johnson made old, unrelated Democratic claims that he spread disinformation about the work of Hunter Biden, the president-elect’s son, in Ukraine earlier this year. Johnson said Peters « lied » about the Republican role. Peters replied that Johnson « was radiating old complaints. « Peters said the hearing » provides a platform for conspiracy theories and lies « and is destructive. “These claims are wrong. And giving them more oxygen is a serious threat to the future of our democracy, « said Peters. Johnson said Trump’s electoral claims, many of which the GOP believe, « raised legitimate concerns and that they must be taken seriously. Jesse Binnall, a Trump campaign attorney, testified that “our evidence was never disproved, it was just ignored. “Voting fraud does occur, but studies have shown that it is exceptionally rare. Election officials say that if fraud occurs it will be caught and prosecuted, and that there are numerous safeguards in place to ensure that only eligible voters cast a vote. The Trump campaign and its allies have filed around 50 election fraud lawsuits, and nearly all of them have been dropped or dismissed by Conservative and Liberal judges who found the legal claims lacking evidence. The Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-nominated judges, has also denied requests to hear two cases aimed at invalidating election results in key states. ___Cassidy reports from Atlanta. Christina A.. . Cassidy and Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press

ALZANO LOMBARDO, Italy – Emotions are high at the Martino Zanchi Foundation nursing home in northern Italy near Bergamo this holiday season after residents were almost completely isolated for months.
Long-time resident Celestina Comotti was in disbelief when a staff member read a Christmas greeting to a family who watched her expectantly over a video call.
“Damn it!” Exclaimed Comotti as the nursing home staff confirmed that her well-wishers – 9-year-old Simon, his sister Marta and mother Alessia – were people she had never met before. The 81-year-old woman broke into tears.
« I’m shaking, » she said, adjusting her glasses.
Despite a gloomy year marked by death and loneliness, the holiday spirit is rising at the Zanchi nursing home, one of the first in Italy to close its doors to visitors after a COVID-19 case was confirmed at the nearby hospital in February. 23.
The bearers of the good news were so-called « Santa’s grandchildren, » people who responded to a charity’s call to cheer older nursing home residents, many of whom are far from their families or have no family members.
The “Santa’s Grandchildren” program is already in its third year. Last year 2. 550 “grandchildren” brought together with residents of 91 nursing homes. This year 5. 800 gifts sent to 228 nursing homes across the country – an outpouring that is in part a response to the devastating number that the coronavirus has caused in the elderly, which the majority of Italy’s 70 confirmed. 000 deaths from COVID-19.
This was the first year that the Zanchi Nursing Home participated in Santa’s Grandchildren program. The town of Alzano Lombardo, where the house is located, has been one of the hardest hit in the Bergamo province, where Italy’s first domestically transmitted cases of coronavirus infection were discovered and the country’s deadly spring wave was discovered.
Michela Valle, the house’s activity coordinator, said her goal is not so much to satisfy older Italians’ Christmas presents as she wants, but « to create bonds. The program brought together benefactors with 43 Zanchi residents this season. Valle hopes that one day, when the pandemic subsides significantly, face-to-face meetings can take place.
The recipients wore Christmas hats during the virtual visits with their volunteer grandchildren. They were also given unwrapping gifts during the calls. Comotti’s adoptive family sent her a scarf just as she had requested.
« Blue, like your eyes, » said the director of the nursing home, Maria Giulia Madaschi. Comotti laughed happily as the workers wrapped the scarf around her.
Tami « Mario » Palmiro was delighted with his baseball cap called Bergamos Atalanta Serie A professional football team, which made the 81-year-old cheer in the stadium before he also burst into tears.
Palmiro arrived at the nursing home in August and was going through a transition that was more difficult than usual due to virus control procedures that severely restrict family visits, Madaschi said.
One of the « grandchildren, » Ilaria Sacco, said she signed up because she couldn’t travel home from California to Italy for Christmas this year and wanted to feel connected. Another, Caterina Damiano, stated that she lost both grandparents this year “but I still want to be a grandson. ”
Madaschi said that she was often moved to tears by the interactions when the « Nipoti » and « Nonni » found common ground. Many are already making connections, sometimes to real relatives, who make contact with the new « Nipoti » easier. «  »
« The guests were able to experience the Christmas spirit and the joy of the holiday – to be able to unpack and give away such a normal event at this unusual time in which we live, » she said. “It was a wonderful experience. To repeat. ”
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Barry reported from Milan. Charlene Pele contributed from Alzano Lombardo and Alberto Pellaschiar of Rome.
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A good thing at AP: https: // apnews. com / hub / one-good-thing

Colleen Barry and Luca Bruno, The Associated Press

NEW YORK – The COVID-19 pandemic has helped revive the autopsy.
When the virus first arrived in U.. S.. . In hospitals, doctors could only guess what caused the strange constellation of symptoms: What could explain why patients lost their sense of smell and taste, developed rashes, had difficulty breathing, and reported memory loss in addition to flu-like coughs and pain?
In morgues in hospitals that have steadily declined in importance and funding over several decades, pathologists eagerly dissected the first victims of the disease – and found some answers.
« We got emails from clinicians who were kind of desperate and asked, ‘What are you seeing? « Said Dr. . Amy Rapkiewicz. « Autopsy, » she emphasized, means to see for yourself. « That’s exactly what we had to do. ”
Early autopsies of deceased patients confirmed that the coronavirus not only causes respiratory disease, but can also attack other vital organs. They also prompted doctors to try blood thinners on some COVID-19 patients and rethink how long other ventilators should be on.
« You can’t handle what you don’t know, » said Dr. . Alex Williamson, a pathologist at Northwell Health in New York. « Many lives have been saved by looking closely at someone’s death. ”
Autopsies have informed medicine for centuries – most recently helping uncover the scale of the opioid epidemic, improving cancer treatment, and demystifying AIDS and anthrax. Hospitals were judged once by how many autopsies they performed.
But they have lost stature over the years as the medical world turned to laboratory testing and imaging scans instead. In 1950 the practice was carried out on about half of the hospital patients who died. Today those rates have dropped to 5% to 11%. .
« It’s really kind of a lost tool, » said Louisiana State University pathologist Dr. . Richard Vander Heath.
Some hospitals found it even more difficult this year. Safety concerns about the transmission forced many hospital administrators to stop or seriously contain autopsies in 2020. The pandemic also resulted in an overall decline in the total number of patients in many hospitals, which in some places led to a decrease in autopsy rates. Large hospitals across the country have reported having fewer autopsies in 2020.
« Overall, our numbers have gone down quite a bit, » said Dr. from 270 autopsies in recent years to about 200 this year. Allecia Wilson, director of autopsies and forensic services at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor.
At the University of Washington in Seattle, the pathologist Dr. . Desiree Marshall was unable to perform COVID-19 autopsies in her usual suite due to the lack of adequate ventilation as one of the hospital’s oldest facilities to safely perform the procedure. Marshall early borrowed the County Medical Examiner’s offices on a few occasions and has been working in the school’s animal research facilities since April.
Other hospitals have gone the opposite way, performing far more autopsies even in difficult circumstances, to better understand the pandemic and to keep pace with an increase in deaths to at least 400. 000 more U has led. S.. . Deaths than normal.
At New Orleans University Medical Center, where Vander Heide works, pathologists have performed about 50% more autopsies than in recent years. Other hospitals in Alabama, California, Tennessee, New York, and Virginia say they will also top their usual annual numbers for the procedure.
Your results have shaped our understanding of what COVID-19 does to the body and how we could fight it.
In spring and early summer, for example, some seriously ill coronavirus patients were ventilated for weeks. Pathologists later discovered that such expanded ventilation can lead to extensive lung injuries, which prompted doctors to reconsider ventilator use during the pandemic.
Doctors are currently investigating whether blood thinners can prevent microscopic blood clots, which were discovered in patients at the beginning of the pandemic.
Autopsy studies also showed that the virus can travel through the bloodstream or dock a ride on infected cells and spread to and affect a person’s blood vessels, heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and colon. This finding helped explain the wide range of symptoms associated with the virus.
More insights are sure to come: Pathologists have filled freezers with coronavirus-infected organs and tissues removed during autopsies to help researchers study the disease, as well as possible cures and treatments. Future autopsies will also help them understand the consequences of the disease for long-distance drivers who experience symptoms weeks or months after the infection.
Despite these life-saving discoveries made during the pandemic, given financial realities and the dwindling workforce, it is unlikely that old medical practice will fully recover once the outbreak subsides.
Hospitals are not required to provide autopsy services, and those who do the procedure are not directly covered by most private insurance companies or Medicare.
« Given this is non-reimbursable, this is almost an altruistic practice, » said Rutgers University pathologist Dr. . Billie Fyfe-Kirschner. « It is vital, but we don’t have to fund it. ”
In addition, the number of experts who can actually perform autopsies is critically small. It is estimated that the U. . S.. . only has a few hundred forensic pathologists, but it could use several thousand – and less than one in 100 medical students joins the profession each year.
Some in this area are hoping the 2020 pandemic could boost recruitment in this area – just like the « CSI boom » in the early 2000s, said Northwell’s Williamson.
Wilson of Michigan Medicine is more skeptical, but she can’t imagine her work being completely out of date. Learning from the dead to treat the living is a pillar of medicine, she said.
It helped doctors understand the secrets of the 1918 pandemic influenza and is now helping them understand the secrets of COVID-19 more than a century later.
« They were in the same situation, » said Vander Heide of the doctors who tried to save lives in 1918. “The only way to learn what was going on was to open the body and see. ”
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The Associated Press Department of Health and Science is supported by the Department of Science Education of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Marion Renault, The Associated Press

At the beginning of 2020, Elisa Dossena had turned 23 and was looking forward to a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from one of the most prestigious universities in Italy. Suddenly classes went online and her modest income from creating social media messages to help students stay healthy evaporated.

From Meghan Trainor to Dolly Parton, these artists have all released albums for the 2020 holiday season.

Vancouver’s first overdose prevention website started as a tent in an alley in downtown Eastside. Just before Christmas 2016, a construction company donated a trailer so that the employees could warm up. A year later, the Overdose Prevention Society moved into a shop next door. Now the location is moving back to a location across the street at 360 Columbia St. . because BC Housing plans to demolish the building they are currently in and build new apartments. Sarah Blyth, co-founder of the Overdose Prevention Society, said she was delighted with the newly renovated space on the ground floor of the Irving Hotel in Columbia and East Hastings. She expects the new site to be up and running by January. 1. The outdoor area of ​​the OPS, which is operated on a vacant lot next to its current location at 58 E.. Hastings will stay until an alternative outdoor area can be found. The location of this outdoor area is important as many people use drugs in this alley. This is one of the few places that offers overdose prevention services to people who smoke their drugs. BC Coroners Service data shows that by 2019, 40 percent of people who died of toxic drugs had smoked the substance, compared with 24 percent who injected and 19 percent who snorted drugs. « If they didn’t find us elsewhere, everyone in charge would surely realize that people are going to die, » said Blyth. “And I want to be pretty serious. The move comes in the middle of a dire year for overdose deaths in British Columbia. With the borders closed due to COVID-19, the illicit drug supply is more toxic than ever. With an average of 140 deaths in the first 11 months of 2020, B. . C.. . is well on its way to reaching the end of this year 1. There were 688 deaths from toxic drugs. The trend is a reverse of what happened in 2019, when drug poisoning deaths fell for the first time in four years. The Overdose Prevention Society was founded in the fall of 2016 with just one tent and volunteers who could administer first aid and naloxone – a drug used to reverse the overdose – if customers overdosed. The service offered was technically illegal, but with deaths the B rose. . C.. . The government quickly stepped in to support the model. Two supervised injection sites had been in operation in Vancouver since the early 2000s, but the process of opening new sites was arduous and operators had to jump through many bureaucratic frameworks. The OPS showed how quickly more locations can open to meet demand as drug use becomes more dangerous across Canada. Blyth stood in the bright L-shaped room at 360 Columbia and said 2020 was difficult. The overdoses the staff saw were more complicated due to the addition of benzodiazepines, a type of drug that often drives people deeply into deep unconsciousness and cannot be combated with naloxone. Drugs are often contaminated with both benzos and fentanyl, Blyth said. « The overdose doesn’t just end with Narcan, » said Blyth, using the brand name for naloxone. « You will be completely in a coma with the Benzos. That adds all day care to people. “Policies to limit the spread of COVID-19 have also reduced the number of shelters and contact points for people who are unhoused or precariously housed. The Overdose Prevention website, which remained open to offer life saving services, has closed some loopholes. This includes distributing food, helping with finding accommodation and distributing tents, blankets and sleeping bags. The new space is also filled with works by the many artists who call downtown Eastside at home – from city scenes by Ken Foster to graffiti art by Smokey D and BOY to landscapes by Stephen Saulnier (see the Downtown Eastside Artists Facebook page) Collectively to find out more). According to Blyth, overdose prevention websites can serve as a gateway to connect people with health and housing services, and there should be more of them. The B. C.. . The government promised to open more overdose prevention sites in August, but few new sites will open four months later. Vancouver Coastal Health said a new location is slated to open in Squamish in early 2021, while several existing locations have been expanded, including offering inhalation services at some locations. A new location for 1101 Seymour St. . will have a location in St. . Paul’s Hospital. Blyth called overdose prevention agencies “the front line for the people who use drugs. « People feel safe when they walk in – it’s a great way to first bond with people, to earn their trust when they haven’t had a lot of trust in the systems, » said Blyth. « You can meet people where they are and then connect them to services. We get people shelters, we get people food, we get people clothes. If you can get safe supplies [prescription drugs to replace illegal drugs] and get them up and running, these places can become safe supply centers. . . or help people get into rehabilitation. Jen St. . Denis, reporter for the Local Journalism Initiative, The Tyee

Beirut was thrown back into the vigil of its 1975-1990 civil war. As a reporter for Reuters, I covered the civil war, the invasion and occupation of Lebanon by Israel and Syria – and the assassinations, air strikes, kidnappings, kidnappings and suicide bombings that marked all of these conflicts. It took 15 years of sectarian bloodshed to destroy Beirut during the civil war.

EDMONTON – Jamie Drysdale scored the only goal of the game when Canada beat Russia 1-0 on Wednesday in a pre-tournament match ahead of the Junior Ice Hockey World Championship. It could be a costly win for the hosts. Canada’s captain Kirby Dach left the game in the third half after apparently injuring his right wrist. Drysdale defeated Russian goalkeeper Artur Akhtyamov 3:52 in the third half. Cole Perfetti and Bowen Byram had templates. The Canadian netminder Devon Levi scored 23 saves for the shutout. « He made our team play with confidence, » said Canada coach Andre Tourigny. « He was solid. « Tourigny had no details about Badger’s injury after the game. He said an update will be provided as soon as the X-ray results are available. The Chicago Blackhawks chose Dach with their third overall win in last year’s NHL Entry Draft. Dach was injured in a seemingly harmless body check in the neutral zone. After the hit, he took off his glove, ran off the ice and went straight to the locker room. Akhtyamov, who played the third period, made six saves. Yaroslav Askarov saved all 22 shots he faced in the first 40 minutes. It was the first and only pre-competition warm-up game for Canada. « For a group of people who haven’t played against real opponents in nine months, I was very happy with the way we played, » said Tourigny. « There was a lot to like about our offensive zone play and puck possession, and our offensive zone foreplay was very good. « Levi shook off some early nervousness and settled down. « I always introduced myself as a kid playing in this tournament, » he said. « I never thought it would come true, but here I am. There was definitely a bit of nerve, got my feet under me quickly and played a good game, but the team played great in front of me. Canada and Russia met in June 2016 in the Junior World Final 2020 in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Canada won gold with a 4-3 win. The Czech Republic beat Slovakia 6-0 in the late game at Rogers Place. The 2021 event is modeled on the NHL « bubble » that was successfully deployed in the same arena earlier this year. The preliminary round starts on Friday. Canada is in a pool with Finland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Germany. Canada opened against Germany on Saturday. The United States, Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Austria are in Pool B.. . The championship game is scheduled for January. 5. This report from The Canadian Press was first published in December. 23, 2020. The Canadian press

Facebook Inc said Thursday it removed the page of Australian celebrity chef who became conspiracy theorist Pete Evans for spreading misinformation about COVID-19, the tech giant’s latest move to monitor false content about the pandemic. Evans, a former prime-time Australian cooking shows judge with a large catalog of cookbooks, has become one of the country’s most prominent spreaders of unsubstantiated claims challenging COVID-19, calling it a « joke » to his millions of Facebook followers and « BS ». « We do not allow anyone to pass on misinformation about COVID-19 that could result in imminent physical harm or (over) COVID-19 vaccines that have been exposed by public health experts, » a statement from Facebook said.

BANGKOK (Reuters) – « Wherever you see people in Myanmar, shoot them down, » read a Thai comment on YouTube following a spate of coronavirus cases among Myanmar workers. The outbreak, first spotted at a fish market near Bangkok, has sparked a flare-up of such online hate speech, as well as questions about the treatment of millions of migrant workers in traditionally tolerant Thailand. « People in Myanmar are marked for transmission of COVID-19, but the virus does not discriminate, » said Sompong Srakaew of the Labor Protection Network, a Thai group that helps migrant workers.

Environment Canada issued a special weather report for Toronto and the surrounding area, with rain followed by up to six inches of snow by Christmas morning. The federal agency expects up to 15 millimeters of rain on Thursday, which will turn into snow by early evening, with possible freezing rain and poor driving conditions. It could rain heavier in the York, Durham and Peel regions. « The road could be in a pretty tricky state. Tonight is a good night, « Crawford advised Luke, Environment Canada meteorologist. With four to six inches of snow by mid-morning, it’s likely a white Christmas. Temperatures were positive on Thursday, but will stay at -4 ° C on Friday and feel more like -10. A snowfall warning also applies to Niagara Falls, Welland, Grimsby and St. . Katharinen with up to 20 centimeters of snow until Thursday evening.

The Ethiopian military killed 42 armed men accused of attacking a village in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region, state-run Fana TV reported Thursday, as the government dispatched more troops to contain ethnic tensions. Government forces seized bows and arrows and other weapons from the armed men, Fana said in her report, which cited unnamed regional officials. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Thursday he was sending forces to Benishangul-Gumuz, which borders Sudan, a day after unidentified attackers set houses on fire and killed more than 100 people in a village.

As health care workers continue to treat people with COVID-19, a Saskatoon doctor says many workers are currently fed up with the difficult hospital situation. DR. Susan Shaw works on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and is also the chief medical officer of the Saskatchewan Health Authority. She recently did a seven day stay in intensive care and said it was different from before. “What I’ve really noticed in my last seven days is that this is the sickest group of people I’ve ever had to care for,” Shaw said. « The strain on the team is obvious, » she said. « You all work so hard and it has a negative or difficult effect on all of us because the work is exhausting. And at this point there really is no end in sight. « Shaw said there were challenges as hospital stays increased in December, including trying not to burn out medical staff who specialize in intensive training. Shaw said she worked with incredibly strong people and was proud of them in a difficult situation. « Morals are tired if that’s the right word. People are so determined to do the best they can, but it’s a very difficult situation for all of us, « she said. « The biggest burden was the challenge of making sure we have the right people, the right number of people, and that we don’t work so hard that they get tired and can’t do their job. « The introduction of vaccines gives health care workers a boost: ShawShaw said the news of the vaccine and the fact that the first health care workers in Saskatoon were vaccinated on Tuesday had helped health workers. Shaw was one of the first to get the vaccine, saying the vaccine was only part of how the province is getting through the pandemic, but it was a huge boost. « It absolutely lifted my mood and gave me a boost of energy, and I can feel it in the intensive care unit too, » she said. « It is absolutely amazing to believe that in less than a year we will have a safe and effective vaccine in our province, and indeed now in the arms of [health workers]. . However, Shaw said she gets a strong internal emotional reaction when she sees people openly violating public health rules. « I know what happens when people sign COVID. I know so many people are doing their best to protect themselves and we can’t do it alone, « she said. « When I see people who choose not to obey the law and not to follow the recommendations, it puts everyone at risk. It’s absolutely drained and makes me really sad, « Shaw said. « Sad, angry and frustrated. « Shaw said she was concerned about a spike after Christmas and New Years Eve from people gathering illegally because of the spike after Mother’s Day and after Thanksgiving, she said. « I appeal to all of you to please stay home and protect yourself and follow all guidelines, » Shaw said. « I don’t want to meet you in the intensive care unit. « Shaw said she knows this year has been different and encourages people to make sure they are following the guidelines, not meeting with people outside of their household, and connecting virtually. « It’s an important time of year for many of us. There are many celebrations and anniversaries and special dates for all of us around this time and it’s a chance to do it differently and maybe create new memories. « 

Kevin the cat got his name after being left alone like Kevin McCallister. He was not left alone at home like the fictional eight-year-old, but abandoned in freezing temperatures on a grid street outside the city. He was found huddled in the corner of a box under a pile of snow with a dog nibble to eat. He was taken to the Regina Humane Society where they helped him recover from severe frostbite. The organization nursed him back to health after removing part of his tail and ears and tending to his matted fur. The Regina Humane Society posted Kevin’s story on social media and asked for donations to aid Kevin’s recovery. Then Mason Gardiner saw him. « I’ve been looking for a cat for about a year and it just seemed like it didn’t suit me. And the moment I saw him, without reading my story, I just felt like it was my cat, « said Gardiner. Gardiner was moved to help Kevin and followed his journey until he was up for adoption. Just in time for the holidays, he was able to adopt the cat and said it had changed life. « It’s a Christmas miracle, » said Gardiner. Six years ago, Gardiner’s father was diagnosed with terminal cancer two days before Christmas Eve. « Since then it’s been a pretty triggering time for me. We lost him only 34 days later. So it’s been a sad time for me the last few years, « said Gardiner. He said Kevin arrived in his life when the weight of his father’s death day, seasonal depression, and the effects of COVID-19 felt insurmountable. « He’s a rescued cat, but he certainly saved me too, » said Gardiner. Gardiner said staff queued to say goodbye to Kevin when he left the Regina Humane Society. « I’ve seen life change the services they offer. Not just lifesaving, it’s life changing, « said Gardiner. « They really care what they do. And I was so touched by how much they really care about their jobs and the pets they save. « When Kevin got to Gardiner, he immediately wanted to cuddle. Gardiner said Kevin never lived by his side and wanted to cuddle and purr around the clock all the time. He said Kevin follows him around the house and meows until he gets pets. « It’s just the perfect game and I’m just so happy. « 

After her mother was diagnosed with celiac disease and struggled with constant stomach ache after struggling on her own, Montreal blogger Jen Udashkin cut gluten and dairy products out of her diet. But that doesn’t mean she eats raw carrots and plain rice every evening. « I never want to eat something that doesn’t taste good, » she said. “What’s the point?” Udashkin has been running the Clean Eating Goddess blog since 2014, but her experiments with gluten-free recipes started earlier. « My mom was diagnosed with celiac disease before gluten free was ever a thing. They couldn’t buy anything that was gluten free which sounds crazy now, ”she said. So Udashkin started figuring out ways to do things that her mother could enjoy. « It was my mission to help her. « On her blog, she also describes her own health issues, stating that she has been lactose intolerant since birth and has dealt with long-term stomach problems. Eventually her doctor determined that she had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the diagnosis did not agree with her. Trying to cut things out of her diet on her own, Udashkin found that dairy products and wheat were the root of her problems. Since the change, she has said she has no more stomach problems. As a young mother with 10-month-old twins, Udashkin said her approach to cooking is about highlighting quality ingredients in a simple way. « Now that I have the babies, the point is to be home cooking and make it as easy and accessible as possible, » she said. For the first Christmas season with the twins, Udashkin – the Jewish woman – said she wanted to find ways to prepare pampering, special food that was still healthy. « I want to start new traditions with my new family that I will do every year, » she said. Because of this, she came up with a grain-free latkes recipe that she thought was a huge hit for her household. « Hanukkah is all about the oil, so I wanted to keep that but add fresh vegetables, » she said. That means adding zucchini and carrots to the classic potato dish. Ingredients Makes approx. 30 latkes • 4 rust-red potatoes (approx. 1. 5 lb) • 1/2 cup white onion • 2 carrots (I used colored carrots) • 1 large zucchini • 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste • 2 tablespoons tapioca starch (can with potato starch) • 4 tablespoons manioc flour (can sub with flour ) • 2 eggs • 1 cup of avocado oil • Chives and applesauce for servingDirections1. Start preparing your setup. Line a baking pan or tray with a paper towel for hot latkes to drain. If you want to keep your latkes warm, keep your oven on a low temperature and transfer drained latkes onto a rack over a baking sheet. 2. Using either your food processor’s shredding disc or a box grater, grate potatoes, onions, carrots, and zucchini. 3. Place the chopped vegetables in a cheesecloth or nut milk bag and drain well. Squeeze as much excess liquid out of the mixture as possible. You may need to do this in a few small batches. 4th. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and let it rest for a few minutes so that any excess liquid can dissolve. Drain again. 5. Add your starch, flour and eggs. Mix well. 6th. In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat (latkes should sizzle immediately). 7th. Form latkes with a cookie scoop or measure with 1/4 cup. Squeeze the latke well over a large bowl or sink to form a small pancake and drain any excess liquid. 8th. Fry the latkes until golden brown on each side. Transfer to a prepared baking pan to drain off excess oil. Top with chopped chives and serve with applesauce!

Many Prince Edward Island shops and services close on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which are Canadian public holidays. Due to the bank holidays on a weekend, some may also have a day off on Monday. Restaurants and bars may stay open over the holidays, but it’s a good idea to check with your favorite spot before dinner, especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is leading to shorter hours and capacity. As well as on Dec. . 25 and 26, some businesses are also closed or have reduced hours on December. 24. And something to remember if you experience respiratory problems: Islanders looking for a COVID-19 test may not get one on Christmas Day. COVID-19 testing clinics across the island are closed on Christmas Day. The O’Leary and Montague testing clinics are closed on Christmas Eve, and the Summerside and Charlottetown sites close at 12. 00 o’clock. Further details on the test operating times can be found here. Here is a list of opening and closing options for some of the island’s key businesses and public services: * Provincial offices, including Access PEI locations, will be open on Thursday, May 12th. December, at 12. Closed at midnight. 24 and not open again until Tuesday, December. 29. * The federal offices are closed on Christmas Day, which falls this Friday, and reopen on December. 29. * Charlottetown community offices close on December 12th. 00 o’clock. 24 and reopen on December. 29. * The Summerside community offices will open on December 12th. Closed at midnight. 24 to Dec. . 29. * Sobeys, Atlantic Superstores, Foodland in Charlottetown and Co-ops in O’Leary and Tignish all close at 5pm. m. on dec. . 24 and open again on Sunday, December. 27. * The Wellington Cooperative closes at 4pm. m. on dec. . 24 and open again 27. December. * The cooperative in Morell closes at 2 p.m.. m. on dec. . 24 and open again Dec.. . 27. * The cooperative in Souris ends at 3:30 p.m.. m. on dec. . 24 and open again Dec.. . 27. * Murphy’s Queen Street Pharmacy and Grocery Market closes at 5pm. m. on dec. . 24 and opens again Dec.. . 26 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.. m. * All shops of the PEI Liquor Control Commission and PEI Cannabis are open from 9 a.m.. m. – 5 p. m. on Christmas eve. Liquor and cannabis stores are closed on Boxing Day and Boxing Day and reopen on Sunday December. 27. * The Confederation Court Mall closes at 4 p.m.. m. on dec. . 24 and opens on Dec.. . 28, but Shoppers Drug Mart in the mall is open until 6 p.m.. m. on dec. . 24 and from 10 a. m. to 6 p. m. on boxing day. * The County Fair Mall in Summerside closes at 4pm. m. on dec. . 24 and opens on Dec.. . 27, but Lawton’s Drug Store is open until 5pm. m. on dec. . 24 and from 12 a.m. to 5 p.m.. m. on boxing day. * Walmart closes at 6pm. m. on dec. . 24 and opens again on Sunday, December. 27. * Island Waste Management does not collect roadside rubbish on Christmas Day. It will be picked up on Boxing Day. 26 instead. * T3 Transit, Summerside Transit, and County Line Express will not operate in December. 25 or Dec. . 26th. * P. . E.. . I. The public libraries close on December 12th. 00 o’clock. 24 and open again Dec.. . 27. * Canada Post does not offer delivery services on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, or December. 28. More from CBC P. . E.. . I.

The Iranian foreign minister dismissed U on Thursday. S.. . President Donald Trump’s claims that Tehran was behind the recent missile attack on the U.. . S.. . Embassy in Baghdad. « If you endanger your own citizens abroad, attention will not be diverted by catastrophic domestic failures, » tweeted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Trump said on Wednesday the rockets that landed in Baghdad’s heavily fortified green zone on Sunday and fired at the U.. S.. . Message, were from Iran and « we hear gossip of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq ».

A Saskatoon police officer shot and killed a man Wednesday while responding to a report of a domestic fight. Police said two officers responded to an apartment on the 1100 block of Avenue W N. . around. 5:50 p. m. CST, according to a report that a man in one of the apartment suites was armed with a knife. Acting Police Chief Randy Huisman said the incident had spilled over to a parking lot and the 27-year-old man was shot dead in front of the building. Husiman said the man was being treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and no injuries had been reported to officers. Regina Police Investigated The Regina Police Department was asked to investigate the response and Saskatoon Police said they had asked the province to also appoint an independent investigative observer. Huisman said the Saskatoon Police Service asked the RPS to intervene in the spirit of the Police Amendment Act 2020, which was announced in June but has not yet come into effect. Police said this was the first time they had asked an independent police service to run a larger criminal investigation department, but they had had independent observers on other police incidents in the past. Huisman said he could not comment on why force should be used, but said officers are trained in « verbal judo » when given their weapons training. He said the man who was shot would be charged. He also said there might be viewers who witnessed the incident but have not yet come forward. He encouraged anyone with information about the incident to call the police or CrimeStoppers.

In a normal year, my favorite films would be an eclectic mix of blockbusters and indie favorites, maybe a few Oscar contenders. But in 2020 most blockbusters went broke, theaters closed, and the year turned into a marathon of streaming premieres, virtual press conferences, and battling your family’s WiFi to see the latest version. But through the pandemic of the pandemic, filmmakers found a way to speak to the moment. As I watched from my couch, I found assistance from shape-shifting wolf girls, deaf drummers, wandering ghosts, and indigenous samurai warriors. Here are the best movies of 2020 that helped me get through the year we’d love to forget. 10 birds of prey I know January seems like a century ago. But let’s not forget what a revelation Harley Quinn’s wild movie ride was. With director Cathy Yan behind the camera, Margot Robbie delivered a Looney Toons frenzy worthy of Daffy Duck herself. Come for Rosie Perez’s simmering scowl and stay for the delightfully depraved Ewan McGregor as the vicious Roman. (On Video on Demand) 9 Blood Quantum The pandemic may have prevented Canadian Mi’kmaq filmmaker Jeff Barnaby from opening his zombie movie in theaters, but COVID-19 only compounded that squeamish survival story. Barnaby says he’d like to do sci-fi next. I can not wait any longer. (On Video on Demand) 8 The Painter and the Thief The Painter and the Thief is a documentary that dares you to imagine what will come next and then constantly surprises you. It begins with a painter who tracked down the thief in Oslo, Norway, and stole her work. What follows is a lesson on how to allow your subject to reveal itself. (On Video on Demand) 7 MinariIn a troubled vegetable farm in Arkansas, Minari plants the seeds of a Korean immigrant family who are shopping their way into the American dream. What follows is an epic story of strife and sacrifice in the great American tradition and a film that asks: Why doesn’t everyone use Steven Yeun? (Coming to Canada in early 2021) 6 Palm Springs If you feel like every day bleeds into the next, why not spend it with Andy Samberg stuck in a wedding reception that never ends? It’s great to see Samberg go deeper, but the real revelation is Cristin Milioti as the big-eyed woman determined to get off the loop. (On Amazon Prime Video) 5 NomadlandNomadland is a film about listening and watching. It’s about the attentive eye of director Chloé Zhao and the use of Frances McDormand as a soundboard. McDormand plays Fern, a widow who joins a modern tribe of nomads who have left the rat race behind. This is a film with characters as distinctive as the eye-catching landscape that frames them. (Coming to Canada in early 2021) 4 WolfwalkersCartoon Saloon is an Irish animation studio with a distinctive brand of imaginative fantasy films such as The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea. Wolfwalkers continues the winning streak with a wild and woolly story of empathy for your enemies. The wonderfully chaotic art style compliments the developing furry friendship. (On Apple TV) 3 Sound of Metal Sound of Metal isn’t just the best Riz Ahmed has ever done, it’s a master class in terms of the benefits of inclusion. Working with a cast of mostly deaf actors, Ahmed tells us the story of someone who loses his hearing but gains so much more. (On Video on Demand) 2 Dick Johnson’s Dead Director Kristen Johnson was concerned that she would lose her father. So she killed him. Well, she staged his death on camera. Repeated. This is a documentary about dementia and memory, loss and love. It’s about celebrating who we have while we have them. Absurd and surprisingly wonderful. (On Netflix) 1 Mangrove You may have heard of Chicago 7, but what about Mangrove 9? Mangrove is the film about the real-life case of parishioners charged with rioting after they marched to protect a West Indian restaurant in London from ongoing police attacks. It is also the first in Widows director Steve McQueen’s five-part Small Ax series that explores the Black experience in the UK. Some of my critical brothers spend time debating whether Small Ax is television or film. But this year I tend to bend the rules. Some view this as television, but this two-hour episode that culminates in a courtroom showdown is cinema in its purest and most urgent form. In Mangrove, we watch citizens find their voice and oppose the police and the judicial system. The place and time, the community and the accents are incredibly specific. But the idea of ​​telling the truth to power is universal and undeniable. (On Amazon Prime Video)

KINGSTON, Ont. – Queen’s University in Eastern Ontario is urging students not to return to Kingston while a month-long nationwide lockdown is in place. According to Queen’s, students should avoid returning to the university town until the lockdown to contain COVID-19 cases is opened on Jan.. January ends. 23, “unless absolutely necessary. « A release from the university on Wednesday said it was giving the advice after Prime Minister Doug Ford said people should not travel outside of their regions during the 28-day embargo that begins in December. 26th. International students and those wishing to live on campus are « strongly encouraged » to postpone travel if they can. In-person tuition is being postponed, with the exception of programs such as medicine, nursing, and other government-approved health training programs. Researchers are also asked to work from home and not come to campus. This report from The Canadian Press was first published in December. 24, 2020. The Canadian press

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