LONDON (AP) — It may be winter and there may be a biting chill in the air, but the dozen men and women who have packed this small sauna room in east London are happily sweating away in their swimwear.

It’s more than 90 degrees Celcius (194 Fahrenheit) in here — and it’s about to get even hotter.

As ice blocks infused with lavender oil melt over sizzling hot stones, releasing fragrant steam, “sauna master” Oliver Beryl turns on some ambient music and starts to vigorously wave a towel in a circular motion above his head to spread overpowering waves of dry heat around the room.

“Now try finding someone and sit back to back with them,” Beryl suggests. “Or, if you want, maintain eye contact with the person sitting next to you.” A brief hesitation, but most gamely oblige for a few minutes.

Sauna-bathing has taken London and the rest of the U.K. by storm, particularly among trendy 20- and 30-somethings interested in trying a new pastime that’s healthier than nights out in pubs and bars.

Sweating it out in communal spaces for relaxation, physical or mental therapy and socializing has long been a staple of many cultures around the world, from Scandinavia’s saunas and Native American sweat lodges to Japan’s onsens and Turkish baths.

But the most popular saunas now are those that emphasize community and “connectedness,” or offer something novel alongside sitting in a heated box. Think sauna club nights featuring DJs, saunas combined with a poetry workshop, or “aufguss” (meaning “infusion” in German) rituals like the one hosted by Beryl — an intense session blending heat therapy, music and scent.

Many sites also offer open-air ice baths next to the saunas so people can cycle between hot and cold.

‘It’s exhilarating’

“I loved the feeling of losing yourself. It’s a 15-minute detachment from normal life,” said Jess Carmichael as she emerged from her first “aufguss” at Community Sauna Baths in Stratford, east London.

She likened the exhilaration she felt to the experience of running into the freezing sea with hundreds of others on New Year’s Day.

“I think people need this right now — this warmth coming from the outside and feeling that you’re sharing an experience with others,” she added.

Charlie Duckworth, a co-founder of Community Sauna Baths, said it all started in 2022 when he and fellow “sauna nutters” installed two small saunas — including one in a horse box — in a disused parking lot in the trendy neighborhood of Hackney.

The not-for-profit social enterprise proved so popular that it has since expanded to four sites across the capital, with two more opening soon.

A large part of the appeal for many fans is that saunas serve as “a place of communion,” much like a pub or a church, Duckworth said.

“Sauna lowers inhibitions and also gives you a feeling of mild euphoria,” not unlike the effects of social drinking, he said. “I think it’s an excellent place to socialize.”

Around the U.K., the number of public sauna sites has jumped from 45 in 2023 to 147 so far this year, according to the British Sauna Society.

‘Have a bit more fun with it’

Compared to countries where the practice is steeped in tradition, one benefit of the U.K.’s sauna culture being so new is that providers can “have a bit more fun with it and be more creative,” Duckworth said.

At Peckham Sauna Social in south London, weekends feature relaxed ambient sauna nights with resident DJs and a non-alcoholic cocktail bar. One of its most popular monthly sessions is the “creative writing sauna”: a short poetry reading followed by a chai tea and writing workshop afterward in the lounge.

“Reading in the sauna was something I’d never done before — just being hot and sweaty and dripping onto the page was challenging at first,” said Caroline Druitt, a writer who leads the workshops.

Something about sharing a chat with other semi-clothed strangers in the sauna seemed to encourage participants to be more open about sharing their ideas and writings, Druitt said. “Besides, I know that many of my best ideas have come out of the bath,” she added.

Reported health benefits

Besides reducing stress and getting ideas flowing, some swear by saunas and cold plunges for soothing joint inflammation and improving heart health and sleep.

Some studies go further, with one suggesting a link between going to the sauna at least four times a week and a reduction in the risk of psychosis among middle-aged Finnish men.

“Authentic sauna done well should be as regular as the gym, and doing it regularly is what offers the reported health benefits,” said Gabrielle Reason, secretary at the British Sauna Society.

While those health benefits aren’t yet well established — and those with high blood pressure or heart conditions should check with their doctors before going to a sauna and ice bath — many converts return regularly for the mood boost.

“It just resets your brain in a really lovely way,” said Callum Heinrich, submerged in a barrel of frigid water, his skin still steaming from the sauna. He says he attends twice a week when he can. “For your mental health, it is the best thing in the world.”

Sylvia Hui, The Associated Press

A strong third period gave the Charlottetown Islanders a 5-3 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads, Halifax missing out on a crucial two points as they still battle for a spot in the playoffs.

The first period ended tied as Charlottetown appeared to take an early lead, Anthony Flanagan capitalizing on a turnover and beating Steinman but the goal was called back for being offside. Jude Herron gave the Islanders the lead halfway through the period. The Herd responded two minutes later as Will Bent Scored from the front of the Charlottetown net, scoring his 4th of the season and ending the period tied.

Will Bent scored his second of the game four minutes into the second period, deflecting a shot from Caylen Blake into the Islanders net on the powerplay. This time it was Charlottetowns turn to respond as Flanagan scored after having his first goal called back, snapping a shot past Jacob Steinman off the right hand side.

Caylen Blake restored the lead for the Mooseheads one minute into the third period, Kilfoil sending the puck to the front of the Charlottetown net for Quinn Kennedy who fired a shot at the Islanders netminder before Blake buried his rebound. The Islanders then scored three unanswered to secure the win. Flanagan scoring his second of the game before Ethan Montroy threw a puck past Steinman to give Charlottetown the lead. Jonathan Lanza added an empty netter with less than a minute left in the game.

With the loss the Herd fall to 18-33-9 while the Islanders improve to 28-27-5

Charlottetown claimed the first two stars, Anthony Flanagan earning first star while Jonathan Lanza was awarded second star. Mooseheads Forward Will Bent recieved third star with two goals in the loss.

Halifax will have a day off before they return to action Friday, March 14th, as the travel to Cape Breton to take on the Eagles at Centre 200. Puck drop is at 7 p.m., and you can tune in to all the action here on 95.7 NewsRadio.

The area surrounding the leak is closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Six men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the U.S., and 12 other people are scheduled to be put to death in six states during the remainder of 2025.

Through March 20, three men are set to be executed in Arizona, Florida and Oklahoma. The other states with scheduled executions this year are Ohio, Tennessee and Texas, though Ohio’s governor has been routinely postponing the actions as their dates near.

The most recent U.S. execution took place Friday, when Brad Sigmon, 67, died by firing squad in South Carolina. Sigmon, who killed his ex-girlfriend’s parents with a baseball bat in 2001, was the first U.S. prisoner in 15 years to die by that method. Sigmon chose it; he saw it as preferable to the electric chair or lethal injection.

Sigmon was the second man to be executed in South Carolina this year. Alabama, Florida and Texas also have carried out executions this year.

If all executions scheduled through March 20 take place, nine people will have been executed in the first three months of the year. That’s the most in a three-month period since 10 people were executed from August 2024 through October 2024, according to records compiled by the Death Penalty Information Center.

Louisiana had been scheduled to execute a man by nitrogen gas on March 18, but a federal judge issued an order Tuesday halting the execution. An appeals court issued a stay of execution Tuesday for a Texas man who was scheduled to die by lethal injection on Thursday.

A look at the executions scheduled for the rest of the year, by state:

Texas

Texas uses lethal injection to execute its death row inmates.

Moises Sandoval Mendoza, 41, is scheduled to be executed on April 23. Mendoza strangled a 20-year-old woman in Collin County in 2004. He took her body to a field behind his house and kept her there for several days until questioned by police, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Mendoza then drove the body to a dirt pit in Collin County, set her body on fire and buried her under a brush pile.

Matthew Johnson’s execution is set for May 20. In 2012, Johnson walked into a gas station with a plastic bottle filled with bleach and continued behind the sales counter where a woman was working. He took cigarettes, lighters and cash before pouring the bleach on her and setting her on fire before walking out. The worker died later at a hospital as a result of her injuries. Johnson is 49.

Richard Lee Tabler, 46, was executed on Feb. 13 for killing a strip club manager and another man near Killeen in central Texas in 2004.

Steven Lawayne Nelson, 37, was executed on Feb. 5. He was convicted of the 2011 killing of the Rev. Clint Dobson, a 28-year-old pastor who was beaten, strangled and suffocated with a plastic bag inside a Baptist church in Arlington.

Arizona

Aaron Gunches, 53, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on March 19 in what would be Arizona’s first use of the death penalty in over two years. Gunches was convicted in the 2002 shooting death of Ted Price, his girlfriend’s ex-husband, near the Phoenix suburb of Mesa.

Earlier this month, Gunches passed up a chance to ask for a reprieve from his death sentence. He did not participate in a hearing before the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency, which noted on the record that he has waived his right to ask for a sentence commutation or a reprieve.

Gunches would be the first person to be executed in a state with a Democrat serving as governor since Virginia did so in 2017, when Terry McAuliffe was in charge. Arizona’s current governor is Katie Hobbs.

Oklahoma

Wendell Grissom, 56, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on March 20. Grissom and a co-defendant were convicted of killing Amber Matthews, 23, and wounding her friend at the friend’s home in Blaine County.

Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board voted in February to deny recommending clemency for Grissom. Grissom’s attorneys did not dispute Grissom’s guilt, but argued that he suffered from brain damage that was never presented to a jury. They also told the board Grissom has always accepted responsibility and expressed remorse for Matthews’ killing, even writing an apology to the woman’s family during his first interview with police.

Florida

Edward Thomas James, 63, is scheduled to be executed on March 20. James was convicted of killing a woman and raping and killing her 8-year-old-granddaughter in Seminole County in 1993.

Michael Tanzi, 48, is scheduled to be executed April 8. He was convicted of kidnapping a woman in Miami and later strangling her and leaving her body in the Florida Keys.

James Dennis Ford was put to death in February after being convicted of murdering a couple in 1997 in Charlotte County.

Tennessee

Earlier this month, Tennessee’s Supreme Court set execution dates for four inmates this year.

Oscar Smith, 74, is scheduled to be executed May 22. Smith was convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting his estranged wife and her teenage sons at their Nashville home in 1989.

Smith was within minutes of being executed in 2022, when Gov. Bill Lee issued a sudden reprieve. The stay came after Smith’s attorney requested the results of required purity and potency tests for the lethal injection drugs that were to be used on him. It turned out a required test was never done.

An independent review later found that none of the drugs prepared for the seven inmates executed in Tennessee since 2018 had been fully tested.

The Tennessee Department of Correction issued a new execution protocol in late December that will utilize the single drug pentobarbital.

Byron Black, 68, is scheduled to be executed on Aug. 5. Black was convicted in 1989 of three counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of his girlfriend, Angela Clay, and her two daughters.

Donald Middlebrooks, 62, is set for execution on Sept. 24. Middlebrooks was convicted of torture and murder in the slaying of 14-year-old Kerrick Majors in Nashville in 1987.

Harold Nichols, 64, is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 11. Nichols was convicted of rape and first-degree felony murder in the 1988 death of Karen Pulley in Hamilton County.

Ohio

Ohio has two executions set for later this year, with Timothy Coleman scheduled to die on Oct. 30 and Kareem Jackson scheduled to be executed on Dec. 10.

However, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has been routinely postponing the actions as their dates approach. He most recently did so in February, when he postponed into 2028 three executions scheduled for June, July and August of this year. DeWine has said publicly that he does not anticipate any further executions will happen on his watch as governor, which runs through 2026.

____

Associated Press reporter Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

Adrian Sainz, The Associated Press

Halifax Fire and Rescue are on the scene of a gas leak in the west end of Halifax.

HRFE crews were called to an area near Bayers Road and Windsor Street around 10:30 this morning.

Fire crews, along with Eastward Energy, are on-site and working to secure the leak.

People are asked to avoid the area.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. will not seek reelection next year, a decision that will end the longtime senator’s historic political career and deals a significant blow to Democrats who were already facing a difficult path to reclaiming the Senate majority.

Shaheen was the first woman elected to serve as both governor and senator in the United States. She turned 78 in January.

A spokesperson confirmed her decision through email.

Even before Shaheen’s move, Democrats were facing a challenging political map in next year’s midterm elections — especially in the Senate, where Republicans now hold 53 Senate seats compared to the Democrats’ 47, including two independents who caucus with Democrats.

The party that controls the Senate majority also controls President Donald Trump’s most important political and judicial nominations — and his legislative agenda.

At least for now, Maine represents the Democrats’ best pickup opportunity in 2026. Republican Sen. Susan Collins, the sole GOP senator remaining in New England, is the only Republican serving in a state Trump lost who’s up for reelection.

But with a four-seat advantage in Congress’ upper chamber already, Republicans have legitimate pickup opportunities in Georgia, Michigan and now New Hampshire.

Shaheen has been a political force in New Hampshire for decades and climbed through the ranks of Senate leadership to serve as the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

She likely would have been easily reelected had she sought another term.

Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who served as ambassador to New Zealand in the first Trump administration, was considering a New Hampshire Senate bid even before Shaheen’s announcement. Brown challenged Shaheen unsuccessfully in 2014.

New Hampshire has narrowly favored Democrats in recent presidential elections, but the state has a long history of electing leaders from both parties. Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte was elected last fall, when Trump lost the state by less than 3 percentage points.

Shaheen became the first woman elected New Hampshire governor in 1996. She served for three terms and was later elected to the Senate in 2008.

Steve Peoples, The Associated Press

French publishers and authors said Wednesday they’re taking Meta to court, accusing the social media company of using their works without permission to train its artificial intelligence model.

Three trade groups said they were launching legal action against Meta in a Paris court over what they said was the company’s “massive use of copyrighted works without authorization” to train its generative AI model.

The National Publishing Union, which represents book publishers, has noted that “numerous works” from its members are turning up in Meta’s data pool, the group’s president, Vincent Montagne, said in a joint statement.

Meta didn’t respond to a request for comment. The company has rolled out generative-AI powered chatbot assistants to users of its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms.

Montagne accused Meta of “noncompliance with copyright and parasitism.”

Another group, the National Union of Authors and Composers, which represents 700 writers, playwrights and composers, said the lawsuit was necessary to protect members from “AI which plunders their works and cultural heritage to train itself.”

The union is also worried about AI that “produces ‘fake books’ which compete with real books,” the union’s president, Francois Peyrony, said.

The third group involved in the lawsuit, the Societe des Gens de Lettres, represents authors. They all demand the “complete removal” of data directories Meta created without authorization to to train its AI model.

Under the European Union’s sweeping Artificial Intelligence Act, generative AI systems must comply with the 27-nation bloc’s copyright law and be transparent about the material they used for training.

It’s the latest example of the clash between the creative and publishing industries and tech companies over data and copyright.

British musicians released a silent album last month to protest the U.K. government’s proposed changes to artificial intelligence laws that artists fear will erode their creative control.

Media and technology company Thomson Reuters recently won a legal battle against a now-defunct legal research firm over the question of fair use in AI-related copyright cases, while other cases involving visual artists, news organizations and others are still working through U.S. courts.

Kelvin Chan, The Associated Press

We are coming up on five years since the day when everything shut down. An experience so traumatic for some, apparently, that the only response is to elect fascists who will never, ever limit our freedom by forcing us to wear masks again.

The post ‘I’m a necessary sacrifice for life to go back to normal’: COVID-19, five years in appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Isaac Ukwu’s sights were solely set on just playing in the NFL — until two season-ending knee injuries in college served as a harsh reality of football’s fragility.

The setbacks reshaped Ukwu’s perspective, showing him that football was part of him, but not all of him. Even after signing with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent last year, the defensive end knew he needed more than just the game.

So, when the NFL introduced a program for players exploring careers in film and television, he seized the chance to build his off-the-field legacy.

“You can’t let your entire identity be football,” said Ukwu, an aspiring actor, who was one of 20-plus former and active NFL players selected to join film training sessions at the NFL Career Tour hosted by Hidden Empire and Skydance Sports. During the three-day sessions, athletes explored the nuances of filmmaking — learning behind-the-camera roles like directing, producing and other essential elements of bringing a project to life — while also sharpening their skills as actors.

The sessions recently concluded with the creation of short films at the Hidden Empire studios in Santa Monica, California. The company is led by independent filmmaker Deon Taylor, best known for “Black and Blue” and “The Intruder,” and his wife Roxanne Avent Taylor.

“This experience is really invaluable,” said Ukwu, who hopes to break into acting before eventually exploring directing and producing.

Some of the players featured in the sessions included Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, Cincinnati Bengals lineman Orlando Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward, Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins and Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley.

It’s the third year of program — which has featured panelists including entertainers Tyrese Gibson and Master P and retired NFL player Vernon Davis.

“They let you know there’s a way to enter that door,” said Heyward, a seven-time Pro Bowler, who’s interested in becoming a director or producer. “It’s not like you have to come from a film background. But if you appreciate films and you’re a fan of it, there’s a space for you.”

Reshaping the future for athletes’ storytelling

Taylor’s vision is to redefine storytelling and build a pipeline for authentic, culture-driven narratives straight from the world’s top athletes.

He sees the Hidden Empire Sports Collective — launched last month — as a key step in helping athletes prepare for life beyond the game. This new entertainment division focuses on amplifying athletes’ voices through content creation and intellectual property development.

“We should be educating athletes on how to actually create content, make IP themselves,” said Taylor, who played basketball in East Germany before he ultimately directed other notable titles such as “Meet the Blacks” and “Fatale.” He’s become a major player in the independent filmmaking space.

“But then more importantly, it’s being a sound information highway for them to understand how they could take something that was great in their life or something that was painful in their lives, tweak it and make it become something that could be content,” he said.

The sports collective has partnered with several athletes, landing developmental deals with stars like boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., NBA champion Scottie Pippen and Los Angeles Clippers star James Harden. One upcoming project is a four-part docuseries on Mayweather’s life.

With the training sessions, Taylor believes athletes can find inspiration through the sports collective and Ephraim Salaam, who successfully transitioned from the NFL to Hollywood. After playing 13 seasons in the league, he has built a career as a screenwriter.

Salaam stressed to pro athletes the importance of owning their stories. He noted that they can offer a deeper perspective on their lives that might captivate the masses.

“The No. 1 thing I always tell them is ‘You’re one of one,’” said Salaam, who is the collective’s president of talent strategy and creative executive. “You’ve been able to look and see life through a lens very few people have. That information is valuable in a writers room.”

Taking notes from Hollywood industry leaders

In just a few days, athletes dove into filmmaking with the same intensity they bring to studying playbooks.

Players broke into different groups to film scenes for their own movie using iPhones. They went through career and educational panels along with interactive workshops that included a tour of Paramount Studios.

Many assumed acting was their standout skill — until they realized every role on a project is just as crucial to the final score.

For Okwu, he learned that a film producer wears many hats, much like an NFL general manager, overseeing everything from reading scripts to securing directors and funding projects. He credits Taylor for guiding him and his peers through their early filmmaking journey.

“It’s like if I was in high school and I had access to Dan Campbell just to talk and coach me up on some things that can lead my success in the future,” said Okwu.

The project took shape after an NFL Career Tour stop, an initiative designed to provide insight into the entertainment industry. This tour is part of Skydance Sports, a joint NFL-Skydance venture offering athletes a behind-the-scenes look at sports programming and storytelling.

The collaboration aims to equip players with the tools to transition into media, content creation and production to share their own narratives with the world.

“Without the players, there is no game,” said Tracy Perlman, senior vice president of player operation for the NFL. “We don’t want to build athletes. We want to build people.”

Dion Dawkins said the opportunities are ripe for the taking.

“You have to create your lane without that helmet on,” said Dawkins, a four-time Pro Bowler who’s an aspiring actor with a big personality. He gets inspired watching former NFL players who transitioned into the TV and film industry such as Salaam, Terry Crews, Laith Wallschleger and Vernon Davis.

“If you think you’re bigger than a football player, you have avenues that can show it,” he said. “Because we have OGs that have done it, and doing it currently, it gives you that bit of … I’m not an outsider, I’m an insider. As long as I conduct and control myself in the right manner, I’ll have a chance.”

Some former NFL players who broke into the film and TV industry

Terry Bradshaw, quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers

Jim Brown, running back, Cleveland Browns

Terry Crews, defensive end, Los Angeles Rams; Green Bay Packers; San Diego Chargers; Philadelphia Eagles; Washington

Vernon Davis, tight end, San Francisco 49ers; Denver Broncos and Washington

Tony Gonzalez, tight end, Kansas City Chiefs; Atlanta Falcons

Ed Marinaro, running back, Minnesota Vikings; New York Jets; Seattle Seahawks

Ephraim Salaam, offensive tackle, Atlanta Falcons; Denver Broncos; Jacksonville Jaguars; Houston Texans; Detroit Lions

O.J. Simpson, running back, Buffalo Bills; San Francisco 49ers

Bubba Smith, defensive end, Baltimore Colts; Oakland Raiders; Houston Oilers

John David Washington, running back, St. Louis Rams (practice squad)

Carl Weathers, linebacker, Oakland Raiders

Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press

Meteorologists and scientists in Atlantic Canada are concerned about cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, saying they rely on the U.S. agency's data and expertise.

LONDON (AP) — The British government on Wednesday called the Trump administration’s tariffs on global steel and aluminum imports “disappointing,” but said that it won’t impose retaliatory measures.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, however, did not rule out future tariffs on U.S. imports and said he would “continue to engage closely and productively with the U.S. to press the case for U.K. business interests.”

“We will keep all options on the table and won’t hesitate to respond in the national interest,” Reynolds said.

Treasury Minister James Murray echoed that, telling Times Radio: “We reserve our right to retaliate.”

Britain is not part of the European Union, which Wednesday announced import taxes on American goods, ranging from steel and aluminum to bourbon, peanut butter and jeans in response to Trump’s move.

Center-left U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has worked to build strong ties with President Donald Trump, in hope of avoiding the tariffs levied on many other U.S. trading partners.

After a meeting last month at the White House, Trump and Starmer said their governments would work on sealing a long-elusive U.S.-U.K. trade deal.

Reynolds said the government remains “focused on a pragmatic approach and are rapidly negotiating a wider economic agreement with the U.S. to eliminate additional tariffs and to benefit U.K. businesses and our economy.”

The tariffs are a new blow for Britain’s once-mighty steel industry, which has shrunk dramatically from its 1970s peak and now accounts for 0.1% of the economy. Thousands of jobs are due to be lost at the country’s biggest steelworks, at Port Talbot in Wales, as owner Tata Steel tries to make the unprofitable plant leaner and greener.

Trade body UK Steel said that in 2024, Britain exported 180,000 metric tons (198,000 U.S. tons) of steel to the United States, about 7% of the U.K.’s total steel exports by volume and 9% by value. The aluminum industry says the U.S. market accounts for 10% of U.K. exports.

Jill Lawless, The Associated Press

Common Roots Urban Farm, which operates community and market gardens in Halifax and Dartmouth, says its assets were seized as a result of financial troubles with MetroWorks, its parent organization.

TORONTO — The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan says it delivered a return of 9.7 per cent for its 2024 fiscal year.

HOOPP says its net assets totalled $123 billion for the year ended Dec. 31, up from $112.6 billion in 2023.

It says its results for the year included a 17.9 per cent gain for its public equities portfolio, along with returns of 12.7 per cent for its private equity assets and 12.3 per cent for infrastructure assets.

The plan highlighted initiatives in 2024 that it says improved members’ pensions, including a benefit formula change for eligible active members who had service in the plan in 2023, along with a full cost of living adjustment for retired and deferred members.

HOOPP says it also raised its pension liabilities to reflect that Canadians are expected to live and draw from their retirement savings for a longer period in the future.

HOOPP says it had more than $40 billion in total government bond holdings as of Dec. 31.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2025.

The Canadian Press

Post-secondary students from various universities living in the dorm at the Atlantic School of Theology were shocked by a recent letter telling them room rates will increase by 25 per cent in September. The university says even with the increase, it will have the cheapest residence rooms in the city.

A 79-year-old man has been charged after a standoff with police at a home in Tangier.

RCMP say officers responded to a residence on Highway 7 around 1:56 p.m. on March 10 after reports that a man inside had made threats involving weapons. Police determined he was alone in the home and refused to leave.

The RCMP Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services and a crisis negotiator were called to the scene. After several hours, the man exited the home and was taken into custody.

Guy Murphy, of Tangier, is charged with one count of uttering threats. He was remanded into custody and appeared in Dartmouth provincial court on March 11.

RCMP thanked the public and neighbours for their cooperation during the incident.

This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

The Associated Press

High-security prisons across California have tightly restricted movement, calls and visits while officials probe a surge in violence this year.

The restrictions started Saturday and affect the top-security sections of nearly a dozen lockups including the California Correctional Institution, California State Prison-Los Angeles County and California State Prison-Sacramento.

Under the protocols, meals must be delivered directly to housing units and showers and any other movements must be done in a “controlled manner,” the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement.

Calls by telephone and ViaPath tablet are also restricted, as are visitations.

Prisoners still have access to medical care, legal proceedings and other “critical appointments,” corrections officials said.

“It is important to note this modified program is distinct from a lockdown and applies exclusively to Level IV housing units,” the statement said.

Asked for more information about the restrictions, CDCR spokesperson Terri Hardy said only that officials are conducting a “comprehensive investigation into underlying causes of violent incidents at Level IV facilities throughout the state. The investigation continues.”

Corrections officials are investigating seven deaths since the beginning of the year as homicides. Three of those happened the day before the restrictions were announced by the Corrections department.

Joshua L. Peppers, 39, was attacked by another prisoner at the Los Angeles County institution March 7 and died at a medical facility, corrections officials said in a statement. He was serving a sentence for second-degree robbery.

That same morning Jake T. Kennedy, 32, was found stabbed multiple times in his cell at the Sacramento prison, according to corrections officials. He died at a triage and treatment area, and an improvised weapon was found. He was serving time for carrying a concealed bladed weapon and for a subsequent prison assault.

And hours later German M. Merino, 37, died after he was attacked by two inmates in Kern Valley State Prison, authorities said. He was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder.

Prison violence is a longstanding problem as people serving life sentences have little to lose.

In January, for example, Mario Campbell, 36, was attacked on the main exercise yard at the Sacramento prison by two inmates serving live with the possibility of parole, according to corrections officials. He died at a medical facility about an hour and a half later, and officers found three improvised weapons.

The restrictions will stay in place until the investigation is completed. It’s unclear how long that could take.

Last year there were 32 homicides in state lockups, according to the California Correctional Health Care Services.

Hallie Golden, The Associated Press

This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

The Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A Louisiana woman pleads not guilty Tuesday to a felony, after allegedly getting abortion pills from a New York doctor and giving them to her teenage daughter to terminate a pregnancy.

The woman’s arraignment is part of a cross-state legal battle that involves what may be the first instance of criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills to another state, putting Louisiana’s near-total abortion ban in tension with New York’s shield laws.

In January, a West Baton Rouge grand jury unanimously issued an indictment against the 39-year-old Louisiana woman for criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs, which is a felony. The woman has not been publicly identified by The Associated Press to protect the identity of the minor.

The indictment in Louisiana came months after the state became the first to reclassify mifepristone and misoprostol — a two-drug regimen that can be used to end pregnancies through the 10th week — as “controlled dangerous substances.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says there is decades of evidence that mifepristone and misoprostol are safe and effective.

Pills have become the most common method of abortion in the U.S. and are at the center of political and legal fights over abortion access following the overturning of Roe. Such prescriptions, made online and over the phone, are a key reason that the number of abortions has increased across the U.S. since state bans started taking effect.

According to District Attorney Tony Clayton, last year the woman requested abortion medication online from New York-based Dr. Margaret Carpenter, for her daughter. Clayton said the request was made through a questionnaire only and no consultation with the teen.

A “cocktail of pills” was mailed to the woman who directed her daughter to take them, Clayton said.

After taking the drug, the girl experienced a medical emergency, called 911 and was transported to the hospital where she was treated. While responding to the emergency, a police officer learned about the pills and under further investigation found that an out-of-state doctor had supplied the drugs and turned their findings over to Clayton’s office.

The Baton Rouge jury also indicted Carpenter, who is facing the same felony charge as the Louisiana woman. The indictment triggered Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry to send a formal extradition order to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Under Louisiana law, physicians convicted of performing an illegal abortion, including one with pills, face up to 15 years in prison, $200,000 in fines and the loss of their medical license.

Landry demanded that Carpenter be turned over to Louisiana and face the state’s justice system. Hochul refused, saying she would not sign the order: “Not now, not ever.”

Meanwhile, Texas State District Judge Bryan Gantt ordered Carpenter to pay a $100,000 penalty as well as attorneys fees for allegedly breaking a Texas law by prescribing abortion medication via telemedicine.

Sara Cline, The Associated Press

For Women's History Month, we are profiling inspiring women in Nova Scotia who have overcome significant challenges to carve out their careers.

The post Tabinda Sheikh on resilience, perseverance, determination, and flexibility appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

The only daily TV news package to focus on Nova Scotians and their stories

The money will be used to start building three new destroyers for the Royal Canadian Navy. Watch Tom Murphy's interview with Patrick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods had a less invasive surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon on Tuesday, which will keep him out of the Masters and leaves in question whether he can play in any other major championship the rest of the year.

Woods posted the development on his social media accounts without saying how long he expected to be out or any other details except that the surgery went well.

“As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured,” Woods said.

He said he had a minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair for a ruptured tendon that the doctor said went smoothly. Such surgeries involve smaller incisions, and the recovery time is quicker. But most recoveries take at least a month before someone can even put weight on their foot.

Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer had a tear in his Achilles tendon last year that kept him out for three months.

Dr. Charlton Stucken of the Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach performed the surgery and said in the post, “The surgery went smoothly, and we expect a full recovery.”

The Masters is April 10-13.

Woods set the tournament record last year by making the cut for the 24th time in a row. He missed the cut in the other three majors in 2024. The British Open in July was the last time he played against top competition. He played with his son in the 36-hole PNC Championship in December. Woods also has played his TGL indoor circuit, the 18-hole Seminole Pro-Member last week and a round with President Donald Trump a month ago.

Woods entered the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines until withdrawing because he was still processing the Feb. 4 death of his mother, Kultida.

Woods had a sixth back surgery last September. He had issues with the Achilles tendon before, injuring the left one from hitting a shot at the Masters with an awkward stance. He also cited the left Achilles tendon in withdrawing from The Players Championship in 2011, when he was out for two months.

Woods badly damaged his right leg and ankle in a February 2021 car crash outside Los Angeles.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press

The province is asking the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal for an opinion on who is in charge of infrastructure on the narrow strip of land that connects it to New Brunswick. Taryn Grant has the story.

The new exhibit at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History replaces one from the 1970s. The museum consulted with Mi'kmaw elders for the update. Sis'moqon has the story.

Gals and Guys Hairworks will close for good Friday. During its more than 60 years in business, the shop has cut, permed or dyed the hair of thousands of clients. Erin Pottie has the story.

The Trump administration said Tuesday that it would immediately lift its suspension of military aid to Ukraine and its intelligence sharing with Kyiv, more than a week after imposing the measures to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to enter talks to end the war with invading Russian forces.

The announcement came at talks between Ukraine and the United States in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine also said it was open to a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia, subject to Kremlin agreement.

Here’s the latest:

Ukraine is ready to negotiate for a broader peace, Rubio says

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Ukraine agreed to enter immediate negotiations for an “enduring and sustainable” end to the war with Russia.

“Ukrainians are ready to stop the fighting, they’re ready to stop the shooting, they’re ready to get to the table,” Rubio told reporters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The secretary had just finished several hours of talks that included U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and a Ukrainian delegation. The U.S. now takes the offer to Russia, Rubio said.

Trump administration to resume military aid to Ukraine and intelligence sharing

The Trump administration said Tuesday that it would immediately lift its suspension of military aid to Ukraine and its intelligence sharing with Kyiv, more than a week after imposing the measures to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to enter talks to end the war with invading Russian forces.

The announcement came at talks between Ukraine and the United States in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine also said it was open to a 30-day cease-fire in the war with Russia, subject to Kremlin agreement.

Read more about the Russia-Ukraine war

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stops short of calling Canada a close ally of the US

“I think Canada is a neighbor. They are a partner. They have always been an ally,” Leavitt told the White House press corps during a briefing.

“Perhaps they are becoming a competitor now,” she said, especially in light of Trump’s announcement Tuesday to double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum for Canada in an escalation of the trade war with the U.S.’s northern neighbor.

Leavitt continued to press Trump’s suggestion that Canada would be well served becoming the 51st state in the United States.

“He believes Canadians would benefit greatly from becoming the 51st state of the United States of America,” she said.

White House press secretary calls market volatility a ‘snapshot’

“We are in a period of economic transition … from the mess that was created by Joe Biden,” Leavitt said while speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room.

She was touting increases in the automotive industry while pointing to the high inflation that occurred during the early part of Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.

“When it comes to the stock market, the numbers we see today, the numbers we saw yesterday, the numbers we will see tomorrow, are a snapshot in a moment in time,” she said, repeating Trump’s claim that the U.S. is entering “a golden age in American manufacturing.”

Leavitt did not mention that markets were higher in September, when Biden was nearing the end of his term in office.

University of Maine says USDA has paused funding during investigation into Title IX compliance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said last month it initiated the compliance review in the wake of a disagreement between President Trump and Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills over the role of transgender girls in sports.

Trump signed an executive order designed to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. Trump characterized Maine as out of line with the order and told Mills “you’re not getting any federal funding” during a meeting with governors during the disagreement.

University of Maine officials said in a statement that federal funding is critical to its work supporting farmers, fishermen and foresters in the state. They said the university has complied with the USDA investigation and has been informed the funding pause is temporary until further notice.

Judge blocks federal cuts to a teacher training program

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun sided with eight states that sued to keep federal funding in place for a pair of teacher-training grants the Trump administration wants to slash.

The grants largely help bring teachers to rural districts, but California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin had argued that cutting the programs was illegal.

The Education Department had said the grants supported divisive ideologies.

Trump answers backlash against Musk by buying a Tesla

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said a Tesla is being brought to the White House for Trump.

The president announced in an overnight social media post that he was going to buy a car from Elon Musk’s company, which has faced sagging sales and declining stock prices as Musk slashes government jobs, programs and funding throughout the federal bureaucracy.

Leavitt said getting the new vehicle would be a “very exciting moment,” and that Trump would pay full market price.

House Speaker Mike Johnson says to give Trump’s economic policies ‘a chance’

Johnson suggested President Trump’s economic policies amounted to a “shake-up” in the short term that would eventually result in “repairing and restoring the American economy.”

Johnson was fielding reporters’ questions at the U.S. Capitol.

“Give the president a chance to have these policies play out,” he said.

Wall Street scrapes 10% below its record after Trump’s latest tariff threat worsens its sell-off

The S&P 500 earlier sank as much as 1.5% Tuesday before paring its loss to 1.4%, which put it 9.9% below its record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 711 points, or 1.7%, as of 1:32 p.m. ET, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.2% lower.

The drops came after Trump said he would raise tariffs on steel and aluminum coming from Canada, doubling their planned increase to 50%. The president said it was a response to moves a Canadian province made after Trump began threatening tariffs on one of the United States’ most important trading partners.

Canada incoming PM says he’ll keep tariffs in place until US shows respect and commit to free trade

Incoming Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday his government will keep tariffs in place until Americans show respect and commit to free trade after President Trump threatened historic financial devastation for Canada.

Carney, who’ll be sworn in as Justin Trudeau’s replacement in the coming days, said Trump’s latest tariffs are an attack on Canadian workers, families, and businesses.

“My government will ensure our response has maximum impact in the US and minimal impact here in Canada, while supporting the workers impacted,” Carney said.

Trump said Tuesday that he’ll double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada, escalating a trade war with the United States’ northern neighbor and showing an indifference to recent stock market turmoil and rising recession risks.

Read more about tariffs between the U.S. and Canada

Trump says a TikTok deal is in the works

In less than a month, TikTok could have one or a few new owners, be banned again, or simply receive another reprieve to continue operating in the United States.

Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring its China-based parent company to divest or face a ban took effect Jan. 19. After taking office, President Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.

As he returned to Washington from his Florida home Sunday, Trump told reporters a deal could come soon. He didn’t offer any details on the interested buyers, but said the administration was in talks with “four different groups” about TikTok.

“A lot of people want it and it’s up to me,” Trump said aboard Air Force One.

A TikTok spokesperson declined to comment.

Read more about a possible deal on TikTok

Johnson is pleased with Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest

House Speaker Mike Johnson is making his views clear about the arrest of the Palestinian activist, a former Columbia University graduate student who helped lead last spring’s protests against Israel.

Johnson said he was glad the United States has a president “who’s strong enough to lay down the law.”

“We’re going to arrest your tail,” Johnson said, referring to deporting certain international students in the U.S. on visas. “This is just getting started.”

More than 1.1 million people have unclaimed tax refunds from 2021

The Internal Revenue Service says more than $1 billion in refunds remain unclaimed by taxpayers who haven’t filed their 1040 forms for the 2021 tax year.

The IRS estimates the median refund amount to be about $781. In all, it estimates about 1.1 million people may have money owed to them.

Taxpayers who haven’t claimed their refunds for 2021 have until April 15 to submit their returns, the service says.

The EU says it will keep supporting Ukraine against Russia’s illegal invasion

The European Union plans to step up humanitarian aid to Ukraine when others pull back.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’ speech at the U.N. on Tuesday was clearly aimed at Trump’s dismissive language about Europe, his massive cutbacks in aid to poor and conflict-torn countries, and his refusal to acknowledge that Russia invaded Ukraine.

“The EU will remain the U.N.’s reliable partner of choice,” Kallas said in defending the U.N.’s commitment to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.

While the Trump administration is eliminating 83% of the programs of its former aid agency — including to the U.N. — she said the EU will always support rising humanitarian needs, with almost 2 billion euros (about $2.16 billion) this year.

A White House official says they plan to appeal ruling that DOGE is subject to FOIA

The official says the Monday ruling finding DOGE is likely subject to public record law was based on a misunderstanding of DOGE’s placement in the federal government.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the case.

— Chris Megerian

A judge finds DOGE is subject to FOIA requests

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is likely covered by public records law and must begin complying with requests from a watchdog group, a federal judge found.

Judge Christopher Cooper rejected the Trump administration’s assertion that DOGE isn’t an agency subject to public-records requests because it’s part of the White House.

In his ruling late Monday, Cooper cited social-media statements from Musk and President Trump as he found that DOGE likely does wield independent authority that makes it legally subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Judge Cooper ordered DOGE to start responding to requests about the team’s role in mass firings and disruptions to federal programs filed by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

US hasn’t determined who was behind attack that caused outage on Trump adviser Musk’s social site X

That’s according to a Trump administration official familiar with the ongoing investigation into the matter.

Monday’s outage was described as a cyberattack by the official, who wasn’t authorized to comment publicly on the matter and spoke Tuesday on the condition of anonymity. The official added that the Republican administration takes all cyberattacks against American companies seriously but underscored that the U.S. government had not gleaned any specific intelligence about who might have been behind the attack.

The comments came after Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X and a top adviser to Trump, claimed in an appearance on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow” show that the cyberattackers had “IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area” without going into detail on what that might mean.

Cybersecurity experts quickly pointed out, however, that this doesn’t necessarily mean the attack originated in Ukraine.

Read more about the apparent cyber attack against X

— Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller

Trump doubles planned tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50% as trade war intensifies

Trump says the increase of the tariffs set to take effect Wednesday is a response to the price increases the provincial government of Ontario put on electricity sold to the United States.

“I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,” Trump posted Tuesday on Truth Social.

The U.S. stock market promptly fell following the social media post.

Trump slump: Can the president restore trust in his economic plans after his tariffs create fear?

After a brutal stock market selloff because of his tariff threats, President Trump faces pressure Tuesday to show he has a legitimate plan to grow the economy instead of perhaps pushing it into a recession.

Trump was set to deliver an afternoon address to the Business Roundtable, a trade association of CEOs that during the 2024 campaign he wooed with the promise of lower corporate tax rates for domestic manufacturers. But his plans for tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, steel and aluminum — with more to possibly come on Europe, Brazil, South Korea, pharmaceutical drugs, copper, lumber and computer chips — would amount to a massive tax hike.

The stock market’s vote of no confidence over the past two weeks puts the president in a bind between his enthusiasm for taxing imports and his brand as a politician who understands business based on his own experiences in real estate, media and marketing.

Read more about Trump’s effect on the economy

Wall Street’s sell-off is slowing, for now at least

That follows a scary stretch where worries about the economy and tariffs sent it close to 9% below its all-time high.

The S&P 500 was down 0.3% in early trading. While still a loss, such a modest move would be a respite after the main measure of Wall Street’s health swung by at least 1%, up or down, seven times in the last eight days.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 202 points, or 0.5%, as of 9:35 a.m. ET. A day earlier, it had been down more than 1,100 points at one point. The Nasdaq composite was virtually unchanged.

Several Big Tech stocks held steadier after getting walloped in recent months. Elon Musk’s Tesla rose 1.1%, for example. President Trump even said he would buy a Tesla in a show of support for “Elon’s ‘baby.’ ”

Read more about the financial markets

Polls open in Greenland for parliamentary elections as Trump seeks control of the strategic island

The self-governing region of Denmark is home to 56,000 people, most from Indigenous Inuit backgrounds, and occupies a strategic North Atlantic location. It also contains rare earth minerals key to driving the global economy.

Unofficial election results should be available soon after polls close at 2200 GMT Tuesday, but they won’t be certified for weeks as ballot papers make their way to the capital from remote settlements by boat, plane and helicopter.

While the Arctic island has been on a path toward independence since at least 2009, a break from Denmark isn’t on the ballot even though it’s on everyone’s mind. Voters on Tuesday will instead elect 31 lawmakers who’ll shape the island’s debate on when and if to declare independence in the future.

Read more about Greenland’s elections

White House cautious about what’s ahead in Syria after clashes

The White House is circumspect about the prospects for a peaceful Syria after clashes erupted last week that left hundreds dead.

Monitoring groups say hundreds of civilians were killed in the clashes that broke out last week. Revenge attacks primarily targeted members of the Alawite religious minority to which the ousted Syrian leader Basher Assad belongs.

White House National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt said Tuesday that the attacks on religious minorities has raised concerns in the administration “about whether Syria’s interim governing authorities are ready to include a religiously and ethnically diverse population, and whether the interim authorities even have the legitimacy to do so.”

Syria’s interim government signed a deal Monday with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast, including a ceasefire and the merging of the main U.S.-backed force there into the Syrian army.

Republicans are marching ahead with a government funding bill despite Democratic opposition

Republicans will face a critical test of their unity when the spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September comes up for a vote.

Speaker Mike Johnson is teeing up the bill for a vote as soon as Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to oppose it and risk a shutdown that would begin Saturday if lawmakers fail to act.

Republicans will need overwhelming support from their members in both chambers — and some help from Senate Democrats — to get the bill to President Trump’s desk. It’s one of the biggest legislative tests so far of the Republican president’s second term.

“The CR will pass,” Johnson told reporters Monday, using Washington shorthand to describe the continuing resolution. “No one wants to shut the government down. We are governing, doing the responsible thing as Republicans. It’s going to be up to Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats to do the right thing.”

Read more about the spending bill in Congress

Trump to speak to business leaders amid market turmoil over tariffs

The president stayed away from the cameras during Mondays sell-off on Wall Street, driven by concerns over his trade war and the reverberations it will cause the global economy.

Trump will get a chance to say his piece when he visits with the Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs from leading American companies, later Tuesday.

Homeland Security overhauls its asylum phone app. Now it’s for ‘self-deportation’

The Trump administration has unveiled an overhauled cellphone app once used to let migrants apply for asylum, turning it into a system that allows people living illegally in the U.S. to say they want to leave the country voluntarily.

The renamed app, announced Monday and now called CBP Home, is part of the administration’s campaign to encourage “self-deportations, ” touted as an easy and cost-effective way to nudge along Trump’s push to deport millions of immigrants without legal status.

Moments after Trump took office, the earlier version of the app, CBP One, stopped allowing migrants to apply for asylum, and tens of thousands of border appointments were canceled.

More than 900,000 people were allowed in the country on immigration parole under CBP One, generally for two years, starting in January 2023.

The Trump administration has repeatedly urged migrants in the country illegally to leave.

Read more about the new CPB app

Trump calls on Republicans to primary Rep. Thomas Massie

Massie, the hardline conservative from Kentucky, has raised Trump’s ire by opposing a Republican push for a spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September.

Trump went after Massie on social media, calling him a “GRANDSTANDER, who’s too much trouble.”

“HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him,” Trump says.

Massie said he opposes the short-term spending bill because it maintains federal funding without considering budget cuts that reflect the “waste fraud and abuse” in government spending DOGE has uncovered.

“Someone thinks they can control my voting card by threatening my re-election,” Massie added on X. “Guess what? Doesn’t work on me.”

Trump says he’ll buy a Tesla to show support for Elon Musk

President Donald Trump says Musk, who’s effectively running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been “putting it on the line” for America and he’s going to show his support for the Tesla CEO by buying one of his electric vehicles.

Shares of Tesla slid again Monday as confidence in Musk’s electric car company continues to disintegrate following a post-election “Trump bump.”

Trump said on his social media platform that he was “going to buy a brand new Tesla” on Tuesday “as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American. Why should he be punished for putting his tremendous skills to work in order to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN???”

Musk has become the face of the Trump administration’s government downsizing efforts.

Analysts have said Musk’s shift to right-wing politics doesn’t appear to sit well with potential Tesla buyers, generally perceived to be wealthy, environmentally-conscious liberals.

Kentucky bourbon makers fear becoming ‘collateral damage’ in Trump’s trade war

The trade wars pose an immediate threat to an American-made success story, built on the growing worldwide taste for bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and other products.

Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said the president’s zig-zagging tariff policy is hurting the American economy and will lead to higher consumer prices while disrupting business.

Trump on Thursday postponed 25% tariffs on some imports from Canada for a month amid fears of the economic fallout from a broader trade war. Yarbrough said his company’s expansion plans are still in limbo.

For an industry that has to plan well into the future, based on aging its whiskey products, such angst is widespread in Kentucky, which produces 95% of the world’s bourbon supply. At this point even a delay in tariffs wouldn’t alleviate the practical problems confronting U.S. whiskey makers.

Read more about how Kentucky bourbon makers are being impacted

Ukraine-US talks on ending war with Russia start in Saudi Arabia as Kyiv launches huge drone attack

Senior officials from Ukraine and the United States opened talks Tuesday on how to end Moscow’s three-year war against Kyiv, hours after Russian air defenses shot down more than 300 Ukrainian drones in the biggest such attack since the Kremlin ordered the full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Two people were killed and 18 were injured, including three children, in the massive drone attack that spanned 10 Russian regions, officials said. No large-scale damage was reported.

Meanwhile, Russia launched 126 Shahed and other drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine on Tuesday, the Ukrainian air force said, as part of Moscow’s relentless pounding of civilian areas during the war.

In the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, journalists briefly entered a room where a senior Ukrainian delegation met with America’s top diplomat for talks on ending Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II.

Read more about the talks in Saudi Arabia

Rubio says purge of USAID programs complete, with 83% of agency’s programs gone

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the Trump administration had finished its six-week purge of programs of the six-decade-old U.S. Agency for International Development, cutting 83% of them, and said he would move the remaining aid programs under the State Department.

Hours later, a federal judge said Trump had overstepped his authority in shutting down most foreign assistance, saying the administration could no longer simply sit on the billions of dollars that Congress had provided for foreign aid. But Judge Amir H. Ali stopped short of ordering Trump officials to use the money to revive the thousands of terminated program contracts.

Rubio made his announcement Monday in a post on X, in one of his few public comments on what has been a historic shift away from U.S. foreign aid and development, executed by Trump political appointees at State and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency teams.

Rubio in the post thanked DOGE and “our hardworking staff who worked very long hours to achieve this overdue and historic reform” in foreign aid.

Read more about the dismantling of USAID

The Associated Press

Owners of farm culled 64 domestic birds after outbreak.

The post Case of avian flu confirmed at Shelburne farm; province working with feds on response appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

The Associated Press

Letter to the Editor

Do you know of any government official who may be able to help with this problem? None of the people I emailed have responded.

I am sending this to Lieutenant Governor Joan Marie Aylward, Premier Andrew Furey, Opposition Leader Tony Wakeman, NDP Leader James Dinn, the Clerk of the House of Assembly, Peter Cowan of CBC, and NTV legislative reporter Ben Cleary.

The Town of CBS development regulations 2011-2021 state as follows:

Pg 45 #5.28

           #1 Removal or placement of soil or other material, or alteration to the natural grade or drainage of a property which adversely affects a watercourse or adjacent property shall not be permitted.

           #5.32. 1 Land shall be used and graded in a manner that does not alter the natural flow of water or result in run-off from land or development causing damage to other property.

In September 2018 I notified the Town of CBS concerning a contractor working for the Town dumping re-construction waste on a natural surface water course on private property.

On Sept. 20, 2018, the Town sent an inspector and notified the property owner with a report (a stop work order I was told) to cease backfilling and get a proper permit. Dumping did not cease and on Oct. 8^th, 2018, my wife and I went to the Town engineering department and complained again but there was no follow up to stop the dumping and it continued for another two years. Within that two years I still complained but was just ignored.

My Daughter moved into her new home in February 2017 and for five years everything was fine. In February 2022 her home got flooded out with water coming up under the floor, and hasn’t gone down since, with the sump pump just keeping ahead of it.

I went to ATIPP and results proved that:

#1 no permit issued to property owner.

#2 no permit issued to the contractor working for the Town.

#3 no stop work order issued to the contractor.

#4 Town did nothing to stop the backfilling. Why? They wouldn’t tell me.

Thousands of tons of re-construction waste and asphalt was dumped and as a result I believe the ground water table has been altered. I had two meetings with the Town and they refused to do anything to correct the problem.

I then contacted Municipal Affairs in 2022. I got nowhere, only to be told to hire a lawyer.

Towns have to go to Municipal Affairs to get permission to make by-laws, yet when they ignore enforcing them, Municipal Affairs says they can’t do anything about it, yet article #103 of the Municipal Planning Act 2000 says they can, yet they will not do anything to make the Town enforce it.

I believe legislation needs to change to stop towns like CBS being above the law and no government department can stop them. Minister John Haggie is giving towns full control over handling by-laws. Please don’t let this happen. I agree with towns handling their own regulations and by-laws obtained through the Municipalities Act, but when they ignore them and turn a blind eye as to what is going on, they should be held accountable. Minister Haggie already knows what went on with the Town of CBS not enforcing their by-law. Why is he now dropping all responsibility?

All I wanted was for the Town to have the property owner install a proper drain to handle the water flow before it was diverted to our and others property. If they had listened when I first complained this wouldn’t have happened, but now that the damage is done, they don’t care.

The public should not be subject to stress and anxiety created by this town. One recent Saturday just before 11 p.m., until Sunday 4 a.m., we had a power outage in our area. Luckily we were home. My daughter, my wife, and I managed to set up my portable generator and kept the flooding at bay. The last time my daughter got flooded out I sent a video to my ward councillor. To this day he has not responded. There again, who cares?

Can you help make us a Happy New Year?

Harry Tucker

CBS

The post CBS resident picks bone with council, Municipal Affairs appeared first on The Shoreline News.

Letter to the Editor

My name is Winnie Myers from Avondale. My family and I were at Jungle Jim’s in CBS for a celebratory birthday party for my daughter on Feb. 11. Unfortunately, I was only inside for about 10 minutes when I became very ill suffering from one of the worst episodes of Ménière’s disease that I have ever experienced. I was unable to raise my head or move and was suffering from terrible vertigo. Almost immediately I was approached by two male first responders and a lady paramedic who just happened to be there to enjoy a nice evening. None were on duty but were absolute angels to me. I don’t know who they were, but they helped me out of a very tense, uncomfortable, debilitating situation. You have my deepest gratitude. Also thank you to the Firemen and the Ambulance attendants who arrived asap. Thankfully I’m much better now and want to say a ‘Sincere Thank You’ to all who helped me and my family through such an uncomfortable situation. There definitely are some wonderful caring people around and although I wasn’t able to focus on your faces and I don’t know your names, thank you a thousand times.

My deepest gratitude is yours.

Winnie Myers,

Avondale

The post Avondale woman grateful for help from off duty paramedics appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Mark Squibb

Paradise Mayor Dan Bobbett spoke before a large crowd of businesspeople last week at the annual Mount Pearl – Paradise Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Mayor’s Outlook Luncheon.’

Bobbett noted 2025 is an election year, and that election years cause one to reflect on their time in office.

Bobbett is serving his twentieth year on council, having been elected in 2005.  Twelve of those years he has served as mayor.

“When I was first elected, the population of Paradise was 12,500, and Topsail Road was two lanes,” said Bobbett. “We were in the old town hall by Octagon Pond, the community centre and soccer fields were down by where Sobeys is now, and the Paradise Double Ice Complex was a dream we hoped would become a reality. Fast forward to today and our population is over 23,000. We are the third largest municipality in the province, and a strong economic player in the region.”

Bobbett reminisced on the refurbishment of the building that became the new town hall, as well as the construction of Paradise Park, Double Ice Complex, Paradise Plaza, and the St. Thomas Line Community Centre, along with the expansion of public works services, the opening of Paradise fire station, widening of Topsail Road, completion of the multisport turf at Diane Whalen Park, and more.

Bobbett also reminisced on the construction of the roundabout at Karwood Drive and Kenmount Road back in 2014. While roundabouts are a dime-a-dozen nowadays, that was not always the case, and if you did not already know, the Karwood Drive roundabout, aside from roundabouts constructed at the Robin Hood Bay garbage facility to better improve onsite traffic circulation, was the first roundabout built in the province.

“Critics at the time questioned council’s decision, yet we held fast,” said Bobbett. “The data, and the research, and the benefits are clear. Traffic flows easily in that area.”

Looking ahead to the future, Bobbett spoke of The town’s commitment to leak detection, upcoming participation in the 2025 Canada Summer Games, continuation of water and sewer work, commissioning of the new St. Thomas Line lift station this summer, further development of Paradise Park, and development of a new baseball field.

“Paradise is not the same town it was when I first stepped into the council chambers,” concluded Bobbett. “We’ve grown, we’ve adapted, and we’ve pushed forward, always with an eye to the future. A lot can happen in two decades, and it’s an honour to be a part of shaping our town. And the work is just starting. Through careful planning, evidence-based decisions, and strategic investments, we are poised to continue to be a strong municipality that residents and businesses are proud to call home. As I like to say, it’s a great day in Paradise, and those great days have tuned into great years.”

The post Bobbett reflects on two decades of growth in Paradise appeared first on The Shoreline News.

Officials with the CB Senior Blues Hockey team took a moment prior to the start of their semi-final series against the Clarenville Caribous to present a donation to the Sammy’s Climb High Foundation. That’s the charity dedicated to the memory of six-year-old sportsman Sammy Porter who drowned several years at a local swimming hole. The foundation raises money to help children meet the cost of sports registrations and equipment. It was started by Sammy’s family because the young hockey and softball player was known to remark that he felt it was unfair that some of his friends and classmates couldn’t afford to play sports. Blues president Pat Rose noted this is the third year that the senior hockey team has been able to make a donation. As in previous years, the funds were raised at a Superheroes game at CBS Arena featuring the Blues players clad in uniforms depicting Sammy’s cartoon superheroes and playing against one of the Avalon East League rivals, in this year’s case, the St. John’s Capitals. This year’s donation amounted to $15,300. That’s on top of the $11,000 donated the first year, and $13,000 donated last year, bringing the grand total so far to over $39,000. On hand for the presentation were, from left: Sammy’s uncle Adam Gear, his brother Aiden Porter, his great uncle Paul Connors, Blues Vice President Aaron Perry and Blues President Pat Rose. Craig Westcott photo

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By Craig Westcott

Developers who need to tear up a street or do any other kind of work that necessitates a disruption in water services anywhere in Conception Bay South this summer will find themselves governed by a new by-law that sets some rules about how the work will be conducted.

Anyone needing to close off the water will have to make a written request to the Town’s Department of Engineering at least seven days prior to the planned disruption date. The request will have to outline why the disruption is necessary, the estimated time it will take, and give some details about the work to be carried out.

Staff will then assess the application to see if the water disruption is necessary, if the proposed disruption date is okay, and if there are any other factors that should be considered.

“A water disruption will only be granted if it is deemed absolutely necessary in order to complete the task,” the by-law reads. 

Such requests will be approved at the discretion of the Director of Engineering, or an assigned representative. The applicant must also follow all occupational health and safety regulations with respect to construction activities and traffic management.

“I believe this is a new policy,” said Deputy Mayor Andrea Gosse, who made the motion to adopt the by-law at the February 18 meeting of council.

Contractors and developers will also have to hand deliver notices to properties on streets that will be affected by a disruption at least 72 hours before the disruption is to start. A detailed notice will also have to be posted on the Town’s website and social media pages. 

The person responsible for the work will also have to purchase radio ads to be played three times daily giving notice of the disruption. “This item may have some discretion if the work is four hours or less and the disruption impacts are considered minimal,” the by-law states.

All costs associated with the public notices will be the responsibility of the applicant.

All schools in the area affected by the water disruption, along with medical or long-term care facilities, and childcare centres will also have to be notified.

“So, residents will know what to expect if there’s going to be a water disruption,” said Gosse.

“And we provide it (the policy) to developers or others who might be causing some sort of interruption, so they know what to do and how to notify people,” added Mayor Darrin Bent.

On a related note, the Town has also adopted a Traffic Disruption Policy, which may come into effect in the case of a water disruption.

The post CBS adopts water disruption policy appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Bay Roberts councillors gave a formal welcome to the Town’s new director of protective services, Gregory Squires, at the February 18 public council meeting, and also discussed the possibility of participating with other towns in the sharing of a regional by-law enforcement officer.

In the meantime, Squires will also serve as the by-law enforcement officer for the Town of Bay Roberts.

Chief Administrative Officer Dave Tibbo noted the role previously known as “municipal enforcement officer” will now be called “by-law enforcement officer” under the new Towns and Local Service District Act. A motion was made and passed to appoint Squires the by-law enforcement officer.

Following this, Squires asked council for a motion to purchase a truck for the Conception Bay North by-law enforcement officer.

That’s a regional position in the process of being created. The regional officer will serve the towns of Bay Roberts, Harbour Grace, Spaniard’s Bay, and North River, and will report to Squires.  

Funding for the officer’s vehicle is being provided through a Provincial government grant.

A motion was made to purchase a grey 2024 Chevrolet Colorado from Woodward Motors in the amount of $50,000, the lowest of three quotes that the Town received. Once again, all members voted in favour, and the motion passed.

Councillor Dean Franey asked when the towns will advertise the position.

CAO Tibbo said the job description has been completed and needs to be approved by the regional partners, but he expected to see it posted that week and remain up for 10 business days.

Tibbo said their goal is for the officer to start by March 1. The position is on a one-year trial basis.

“Let’s hope it’s a doorway to bigger projects,” said Deputy Mayor Geoff Seymour.

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By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

He’s already made history as the youngest elected councillor in the Town of Heart’s Content

Now twenty-eight-year-old Riley Balsom, only child of Rick and Petrina Balsom, is running to become the MHA for Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde district.

He’ll be up against political veteran and Liberal Party stalwart Steve Crocker, if the Province’s current Tourism Minister seeks re-election.

Balsom attended Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador where he majored in history and minored in French, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 2018. Most recently he worked as the e-commerce operations department manager at Walmart in Carbonear, a job he gave up to pursue a political career.

That was several weeks ago, when a provincial election was widely expected to be called any day. The unexpected news of Premier Andrew Furey’s resignation last week means the governing Liberals will have to put off a provincial vote at least until the party chooses a new leader.

Politics, meanwhile, has long been a passion of Balsom. Starting when he was 18, Balsom served on the executive of the PC District Association for Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde for a decade. For the first five years he was secretary, and for the last five he served as president. He resigned from the presidency in October and announced his bid for the party’s nomination in the district.

 “I’ve been involved in campaigns for a long time,” said Balsom. “I can remember back in 2014 when we had a byelection here in the district. I’d leave class on Friday afternoon and I’d head out and meet up with the team wherever we were to and just start knocking doors.”

In 2021, he was elected to the Heart’s Content council. “It’s a position I thoroughly enjoy,” said Balsom. He is taking a leave of absence from council to focus on the provincial campaign.

“I want to give back to the residents of the district through positive, dedicated service,” said Balsom. “This is my first time putting my name forward to run provincially, and I’m a firm believer that, if I’m successful in my bid, that I work for the people, not the other way around. Being able to be afforded the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the residents of Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde no matter the community and no matter your political stripe is the reason I want to run.”

Balsom said he supports the direction that PC Party Leader Tony Wakeham, is taking. “His ideas, his vision for the province I believe is exactly what we need after these last few hard years we’ve all had to endure,” saif the candidate. “It’s time for positive, forward-thinking ideas to bring us back to our full potential.”

Balsom said Wakeham has attracted many young people to the party.

“In the nomination vote for my district, almost a thousand people came out to vote on a Saturday, and that tells me that people want change, and I am excited to be a part of that change,” said Balsom

As the district’s PC candidate, road safety and infrastructure, fixing the healthcare system, increasing support for seniors, and addressing rising crime rates are some of the issues he intends to focus on, Balsom said.

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By Mark Squibb

Members of the Holy Spirit High improvisational theatre team— improv for short— will represent the province at a national improv competition in Ottawa this April.

Improve is theatre – but without a script. Participants are given a prompt – such as ‘Going to the Dentist’ –and must develop a skit on the spot, working off one another to develop characters and tell an interesting story. Skits are usually a few minutes long and are usually comedic in nature.

Participants don’t have to worry about forgetting their lines — there are none— but they do have to be quick on their feet and be able to bounce lines off one other.

Holy Spirit student and improv club member Jess Hynes said the key to improv is “trusting your gut, submitting yourself to the moment, and having fun.”

‘Public Speaking’ is often touted as the most common of fears, and while students admit that performing in front of an audience can be nerve wracking, they say improv has helped them overcome some of their fears.

“When it comes to performing in front of people, I think it really helps to be doing it with your friends, and not afraid of being embarrassed,” said improv member Danika Hodder. “For me, I was afraid of making a fool of myself, and I overthought a lot of things, when I really didn’t need to. It’s all about having good time, and spending time with friends and making art. It’s really helped me overcome my fear of speaking in front of people. That’s what I love about improve.”

Teacher Michelle King said Holy Spirit High has a rich history of improv, having sent teams to national competitions in the past, but COVID-19 waylaid the schools improv program.

This year’s team is the school’s first since the pandemic.

“The team came together in October and it’s been amazing to see them grow together and build these really strong friendships,” said King. “They have such a love for the game.”

King said improv teaches skills that they can take with them beyond the theatre.

“Students learn how to collaborate with each other, they learn how to use their creativity, they learn public speaking skills, and problem-solving skills,” said Michelle King.

Students agree that practising improv comes with many benefits.

“This has helped me talk to people better and speak in front of an audience, which is something that I used to struggle with in the past,” said Hynes.

To earn a spot at nationals, the team first competed successfully against other high schools from across the Avalon in a regional competition, and then in the provincial finals.

The Holy Spirit High improv team are heading to nationals this spring. In the back, from left, are Meadow Baker, Jaxson Ferrie, Jess Hynes, Liam Forristall, and Logan Savory. In the front, from left, are Olivia Schaab, Danika Hodder, Emma Neubert, and Keeley Brien. Holy Spirit High photo

The post This crowd is never stuck for words appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Mark Squibb

Paradise staff are working to mitigate the impact on operations following a fire on February 9 that has rendered the town hall and adjoining depot inaccessible for months to come.

Equipment stored outside the depot used for snow clearing and garbage collection can be accessed. However, equipment inside the depot at the time of the blaze remains off limits until the insurance investigation has been completed.

“The fire has resulted in limited access to some essential equipment and tools, which may affect service delivery temporarily,” said councillor Glen Carew, who brought forward a public works status report during council’s February 25 committee of the whole meeting.

Carew said snow clearing staff are acting at reduced capacity, while garbage collection is continuing as usual.

Director Nelson Whalen said crews are currently working out of the municipal salt shed, but despite the shortcomings, the town remains “in fine shape for now” regarding snow clearing.

CBS and St. Johns have each provided Paradise with a sidewalk snowblower, while Mount Pearl has allowed the Town space in its depot to complete maintenance work.

As for street repairs, sandbags have been put in place where necessary and full repairs will resume once tools and equipment become available. The Town is addressing water and sewer concerns as they arise. Staff are conducting maintenance on essential equipment only just to be prepared for winter storms.

Meanwhile, recruitment efforts for six vacant public works positions remain ongoing.

Carew added staff have been doing excellent work despite the situation and deserve to be commended.

Councillor Tommy Maher also expressed his appreciation for the Town’s public works crew.

“We had significant snowfall over the weekend, and the cleanup went really smooth, and I was very much impressed with the timely manner it was cleaned up,” said Maher. “I’ve been 25 years in snow removal and it’s not an easy task.”

Earlier in the meeting, council discussed the purchase of a new sidewalk snow blower priced at $248,578 plus HST.

Carew argued that seeing as only one of the five potential bidders who are registered with the Town submitted a bid, and that once taxes and rebates were calculated, the purchase was a couple thousand dollars overbudget, and, finally, as the Town was still uncertain as to what equipment can be salvaged from the depot fire, it would be better to hold off on buying the side walk snow blower and instead make a bulk equipment order at a later time.

“Once we know what our needs are, after the evaluation of the fire, would it be more beneficial to the Town and residents, in terms of cost, if we need more equipment, to capture that all under one tender?” asked Carew.

CAO Lisa Niblock said there was no timeframe for when items in the depot will be assessed, and the sidewalk clearer was a planned purchase that staff would like to move ahead with. Delaying the purchase, she allowed, could be a matter of delaying the inevitable.

Niblock noted that of the two recently borrowed snow blowers, one had to be returned.

Council, during the meeting, also extended the deadline for tax payments as taxpayers have not been able to pay their taxes in person with the town hall having been closed since the February 9 fire.

“While there are other options to pay, there are many taxpayers who prefer to make payments in person at the town hall for many reasons,” said councillor Larry Vaters. “The town hall will remain closed for several months, and in-person services for tax-payments at the arena will not commence until later this week.”

The current deadline was February 28, and staff recommended council extend the tax due date to March 28. Because of the change, interest will not be applied until that date.

Vaters said the move will have a minimal impact on the Town’s finances, although some interest revenue will be lost be extending the date.

Carew said several residents had approached him asking if the tax deadline would be extended. Carew said that of those residents, many didn’t realize they could pay their tax bills through their banks.

Accounting staff, meanwhile, are working from the community centre, with accounting services to be set up at the Double Ice Complex in the coming days, once certain equipment becomes available.

Meanwhile, the town hall phone line is being answered by Telelink, and staff remain available by email.

The post Depot fire leaves Paradise Town Hall shuttered for months to come appeared first on The Shoreline News.

Frank Palermo says it’s past time for light rail across Nova Scotia.

The former Dalhousie University professor is now the president of Rail Connects Nova Scotia, a not-for-profit organization looking to raise awareness on the idea of connecting the province by rail.

“We really want to change how people get around in Nova Scotia and make light rail public transit the first and best choice,” Palermo told CityNews Halifax in an interview.

On Monday, Rail Connects released a promotional video highlighting its vision for light rail, featuring images of trains connecting Halifax to Truro and Lunenburg, and trains following Nova Scotia’s scenic coastline.

Palermo says the goal of the video is to let people know what’s possible in this province.

“In terms of improving the quality of life that exists in Nova Scotia, connecting different parts of the province together through HRM as well as doing something about climate change which is kind of an existential thing,” Palermo said.

The idea of commuter rail has been talked about in the Halifax area in years past but never got off the ground.

Palermo says problems like traffic jams and environmental damage will only get worse if we do not move away from the current “car culture”.

“We haven’t had a kind of inspiring image or vision of what this province can be and we think public transit has to be central to that vision because it brings together so many parts of the potential we have to really lead the country in terms of the quality of environment we have here, the quality of life we have here and the possibility for people to live in different parts of the province,” Palermo explained.

Palermo pointed to places like the UK, Europe and elsewhere where trains are far more common, pointing out the benefit to communities and to tourism, a large part of Nova Scotia economy.

“We just want to find ways of reaching more people, we’d like to be much more effective in letting people know the advantages of doing this and to really value the benefits so that politically it starts to make much more sense.”

A pair of University of Dalhousie scientists are aboard the HMCS Margaret Brooke in the Southern Ocean, the first-ever Canadian-led research mission to the Antarctic.

Jennifer Tolman, manager of the LaRoche Lab in Dal’s Department of Biology, and Jeshua Becker, an oceanographic research technician with the CERC.OCEAN lab in the Oceanography Department, are part of a group conducting research in the area to further understand climate change at “the bottom of the earth.”

The team is being led by Tom James, from Natural Resources Canada, and co-chief scientist, Brent Else from the University of Calgary. It includes more than a dozen experts from multiple universities and government departments, the press release from Dal reads.

“The polar regions are changing more rapidly than anywhere else on earth, and studies here in Antarctica will be interesting to compare to what is happening in our own Canadian Arctic,” Tolman said.

Researchers are using cutting-edge technology designed and built in Nova Scotia that will allow them to sample biogeochemistry and environmental DNA, helping the world understand more on how the warming of the planet is impacting the global ocean.

“This unique mission uniting government, military and academia in an expedition to a very distant and challenging environment came together relatively quickly, and serves as a great example of what can happen when the will to collaborate around great science exists,” she said.

After setting sail in early March, the team reached Admiralty Bay, off the coast of Antarctica, by March 6, where they collected water and sediment samples. Tolman said she is working to filter water using a Nova Scotia-made system. Becker is using an eDNA system that helps filter and preserves samples, built by Dartmouth Ocean Technologies.

Once the mission is complete the samples will be taken back to the university to understand what is living in the seawater.

“We’re interested in microbial communities — the little engines that drive many key reactions in the ocean — but we’ll also get information about larger organisms, such as fish and penguins,” Tolman said in the press release. “We’ve seen SO many penguins here! They’ve been swimming around the boat as we sample sometimes!”

This is a false confession. The RCMP concocted a fantastical story, but one so convoluted and with so many internal contradictions that it is impossible.

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The Nova Scotia government has granted a five-week extension to Northern Pulp as the company works on plans to build a new paper mill on the province's southwestern shore four years after it was granted protection from creditors.

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union countries must purchase military equipment made in Europe under a new loan program meant to help the continent provide for its own security, a top EU official said Tuesday, even though most of its defense materiel currently comes from U.S. suppliers.

At a summit last week, the EU’s 27 leaders weighed a European Commission proposal for a new loan plan worth 150 billion euros ($163 billion). It would be used to buy air defense systems, drones and “strategic enablers” like air transport, as well as to boost cybersecurity.

“These loans should finance purchases from European producers, to help boost our own defense industry,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers.

Von der Leyen said the “contracts should be multiannual, to give the industry the predictability they need” and that the priority should be for countries to buy equipment together in groups “because we have seen how powerful this can be.”

European NATO members have placed about two-thirds of their orders with U.S. companies in recent years, but they are being spurred into action by the Trump administration’s warnings that they will have to provide for their own security, and Ukraine’s, in future.

France wants the commission to put more money into the loan plan and has also insisted that it should only be spent in Europe. Spain, one of five countries using the euro single currency with a debt level of over 100%, wants free grants rather than loans.

EU leaders are due to endorse the loan plan, which the commission believes would benefit around 20 countries whose borrowing costs would be higher than that of the executive branch, at another summit late next week.

It’s part of a package of measures – including an easing of budget rules for defense spending and a reshuffling of EU money – that the commission hopes could generate up to 800 billion euros ($874 billion) for security priorities.

The Associated Press

The modern police force was created precisely to enforce the government monopoly on booze sales. And then, 80 years later, cannabis sales were shoehorned into the same arrangement: government monopoly, and enforcing that monopoly with the violence of the state, i.e., the RCMP.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — In only two decades, China has grown to be the dominant player in shipbuilding, claiming more than half of the world’s commercial shipbuilding market, while the U.S. share has fallen to just 0.1%, posing serious economic and national security challenges for the U.S. and its allies, according to a report released Tuesday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

In 2024 alone, one Chinese shipbuilder constructed more commercial vessels by tonnage than the entire U.S. shipbuilding industry has built since the end of World War II. China already has the world’s largest naval fleet, the Washington-based bipartisan think tank said in its 75-page report.

“The erosion of U.S. and allied shipbuilding capabilities poses an urgent threat to military readiness, reduces economic opportunities, and contributes to China’s global power-projection ambitions,” the report said.

Concerns about the poor state of U.S. shipbuilding have been growing in recent years, as the country faces rising challenges from China, which has the world’s second largest economy and has ambitions to reshape the world order. At a congressional hearing in December, senior officials and lawmakers urged action.

Last week, President Donald Trump told Congress that his Republican administration would “resurrect” the American shipbuilding industry, for commercial and military vessels, and he would create “a new office of shipbuilding in the White House.”

“We used to make so many ships,” Trump said. “We don’t make them anymore very much, but we’re going to make them very fast, very soon. It will have a huge impact.”

In February, the heads of four major labor unions called on Trump to boost American shipbuilding and enforce tariffs and other “strong penalties” against China for its increasing dominance in that sector.

“What we are seeing now is a recognition of the strategic significance of shipbuilding and port security, and the related challenges posed by China,” said Matthew Funaiole, a senior fellow in the China Power Project at CSIS and a co-author of the report. Funaiole said concerns over shipbuilding are “a fairly bipartisan issue.”

The report said that China’s shipbuilding sector went through “a striking metamorphosis” in the past two decades, transforming from a “peripheral player” to the dominant player on the global market, with efforts centered on one state-owned enterprise: China State Shipbuilding Corporation, or CSSC.

At the same time, China has greatly expanded its navy. Last year, a CSIS assessment found that China was operating 234 warships, compared with the U.S. Navy’s 219, although the U.S. continued to hold an advantage in guided missile cruisers and destroyers.

In developing recommendations for the U.S. to compete with China, the researchers zoomed in on the Chinese company’s use of Beijing’s “military-civil fusion” strategy, which blurs the lines between the country’s defense and commercial sectors.

They found that CSSC, which builds both commercial and military ships, sells three-quarters of its commercial production to buyers outside China, including to the U.S.-allied Denmark, France, Greece, Japan and South Korea. These foreign firms are thus funneling billions of dollars to Chinese shipyards that also make warships, advancing China’s modernization of its navy and providing Chinese defense contractors with key dual-use technology, the report said.

The CSIS researchers suggested that, as a long-term fix, the U.S. should invest in rebuilding its shipbuilding industry and work with allies to expand shipbuilding capacities outside China. For the near term, they recommended actions to level the playing field and “disrupt China’s murky dual-use ecosystem,” such as by charging docking fees on Chinese-made vessels and cutting U.S. financial and business ties with CSSC and its subsidiaries.

The Trump administration has proposed new fees on China-linked vessels calling on U.S. ports. A BlackRock-led consortium last week agreed to acquire stakes in 43 ports across the globe, including the two ports on either side of the Panama Canal, from a Hong Kong-based conglomerate.

Didi Tang, The Associated Press

Nathan MacKinnon reached the 1,000-point milestone in Colorado's game against Chicago on Monday, recording an assist in the third period.

WASHINGTON (AP) — After a brutal stock market selloff because of his tariff threats, President Donald Trump faces pressure on Tuesday to show he has a legitimate plan to grow the economy instead of perhaps pushing it into a recession.

Trump was set to deliver an afternoon address to the Business Roundtable, a trade association of CEOs that during the 2024 campaign he wooed with the promise of lower corporate tax rates for domestic manufacturers. But his plans for tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, steel, aluminum — with more to possibly come on Europe, Brazil, South Korea, pharmaceutical drugs, copper, lumber and computer chips — would amount to a massive tax hike.

The stock market’s vote of no confidence over the past two weeks puts the president in a bind between his enthusiasm for taxing imports and his brand as a politician who understands business based on his own experiences in real estate, media and marketing.

Harvard University economist Larry Summers, a former treasury secretary for the Clinton administration, on Monday put the odds of a recession at 50-50.

“All the emphasis on tariffs and all the ambiguity and uncertainty has both chilled demand and caused prices to go up,” Summers posted on X. “We are getting the worst of both worlds – concerns about inflation and an economic downturn and more uncertainty about the future and that slows everything.”

Trump has tried to assure the public that his tariffs would cause a bit of a “transition” to the economy, with the taxes prodding more companies to begin the years-long process of relocating factories to the United States to avoid the tariffs. But he set off alarms in an interview broadcast on Sunday in which he didn’t rule out a possible recession.

“I hate to predict things like that,” Trump said on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” ”There is a period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing. And there are always periods of — it takes a little time. It takes a little time. But I don’t — I think it should be great for us. I mean, I think it should be great.”

The promise of great things ahead did not eliminate anxiety, with the S&P 500 stock index tumbling 2.7% on Monday in an unmistakable Trump slump that has erased the market gains that greeted his victory in November 2024.

S&P 500 futures pointed to a slight rebound on Tuesday, though not nearly enough to pare back Monday’s losses.

Josh Boak, The Associated Press

For anyone trying to keep track, that makes 14 extensions since Northern Pulp first filed for creditor protection in the B.C. Supreme Court in June 2020.

The post Northern Pulp looking for money and more time to decide whether to build a mill in Nova Scotia; Natural Resources minister responds appeared first on Halifax Examiner.