Experts say the case of a Nova Scotia woman who had to track down her cancer diagnosis underscores that the province still has work to do to ensure better coordination within the health-care system, with the well-being of the patients it serves at stake.

Gaelic football and hurling are on the upswing in Halifax. Male and female players are preparing to represent the region in two tournaments in Montreal later this year, but the Halifax Gaels team is also hoping to start a league to play more games locally. Gareth Hampshire reports.

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese economy showed signs of improvement in the first two months of the year, though housing market weakness remained a drag on growth, government data showed Monday.

Retail sales were up 4% in January and February compared to last year, and industrial production rose 5.9%, the National Bureau of Statistics reported. The stronger than expected data helped buoy stock markets in Asia.

A spokesperson for the bureau said the economy is moving in the right direction but cautioned that challenges remain at home and abroad. U.S. President Donald Trump has put a 20% tariff on Chinese products, which could set back an economy with a high dependence on exports.

“The external environment has become more complex and grim, domestic effective demand is insufficient, some companies are facing difficulties in production and operation, and the foundation for the continuous recovery of the economy is still unstable,” Fu Linghui said at a news conference.

A long-running real estate crisis is weighing on the overall economy, depressing consumer confidence and spending. Real estate investment fell 9.8% in the first two months of the year, the statistics bureau said.

The good news is that real estate price declines have slowed, though they have yet to bottom out. Prices for both new and existing homes fell in January and February, but at a much slower pace than most of last year.

ING bank said it expects real estate prices to stop falling this year but they likely will not rebound quickly.

“February’s data showed that it would be wise for officials not to take their foot off the pedal in terms of policy support,” Lynn Song, the chief Greater China economist at ING, wrote in a report.

___

Associated Press researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report.

Ken Moritsugu, The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Paris Monday to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking support from one of Canada’s oldest allies as tensions with the Trump administration spike.

This is Carney’s first official foreign trip since he was sworn in on March 14. He will next land in London where he will sit down with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III, the head of state in Canada.

Carney has deliberately chosen the two European capital cities that shaped Canada’s early existence. During his swearing-in ceremony, he noted the country was built on the bedrock of three peoples, French, English and Indigenous, and said Canada is fundamentally different from America and will “never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States.”

Since U.S. President Donald Trump came to office, he has imposed whopping tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and repeatedly commented on turning Canada into the 51st state, infuriating Canadians and sparking a call to boycott U.S. products across the country.

On Monday, a senior Canadian government official briefed reporters on the plane before picking up Carney in Montreal, saying the purpose of the trip is to double down on partnerships with London and Paris. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not allowed to speak publicly, said Canada is a “good friend of the United States but we all know what is going on.”

Carney will visit the Notre-Dame Cathedral before meeting with Macron at the Palais de l’Élysée. However, Macron isn’t expected to hold a joint news conference with Carney, a sign the French president might not want to upset Trump by siding with Canada.

Before returning to Ottawa on Tuesday, Carney will travel to the edge of Canada’s Arctic to “reaffirm Canada’s Arctic security and sovereignty.” There, he is expected to call for a federal election within days. before the Canadian parliament resumes.

“The choice of this itinerary for Prime Minister Carney’s first official trip emphasizes the strong connection of Canada with the arctic as well as with the two former colonial powers Canada remains attached to, through the Commonwealth on the U.K. side and La Francophonie on the France side, said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.

“The fact that Canada never broke away from the U.K. in a violent fashion is a key historical and institutional difference between the United States and Canada, a constitutional monarchy rather than a republic that has adopted and retained a U.K.-style parliamentary system.”

Carney, a former central banker who turned 60 on Sunday, has said he’s ready to meet with Trump if he shows respect for Canadian sovereignty. He said he doesn’t plan to visit Washington at the moment but hopes to have a phone call with the president soon. His government is also reviewing the purchase of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets in light of Trump’s trade war.

Meanwhile, Macron has been ramping up efforts to persuade France’s allies to move away from purchases of American military hardware, which dovetails with Canada’s rethink on F-35s and also coincides with mounting questions and concerns in Europe that European defenses are overly dependent on U.S. weaponry, technical support and goodwill.

Canada’s governing Liberal Party had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared economic war. Now the party and its new leader could come out on top.

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Associated Press writers John Leicester in Paris and Danica Kirka in London contributed this report.

Rob Gillies, The Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares advanced Monday in Asia after U.S. stocks rallied to their best day since November’s election and China reported stronger than expected factory data.

Chinese officials were due later in the day to brief reporters about Beijing’s efforts to get consumers to spend more. Economists say consumers must spend more to get the economy out of its doldrums, although most have advocated broader, more fundamental reforms to foster greater confidence and build their spending power.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng surged 1.3% to 24,276.64, and the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.6% at 3,429.30.

China’s industrial output rose nearly 6% in the first two months of the year from a year earlier and retail sales were up 4%, the government reported Monday. But officials reported continued weakness in the property market, with home prices falling and investment in real estate down nearly 10% from a year earlier.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.3% to 37,539.36, while the Kospi in Seoul leaped 1.7% to 2,608.68.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.6% to 7,838.20 and the Taiex in Taiwan was up 0.9%. Bangkok’s SET bucked the trend, falling 0.7%.

On Friday, Wall Street’s roller coaster shot back upward, but not enough to keep the U.S. market from a fourth straight losing week, its longest such streak since August.

The S&P 500 jumped 2.1% a day after closing more than 10% below its record for its first “ correction ” since 2023. It closed at 5,638.94.

The U.S. stock market has been tumbling quickly since setting a record less than a month ago. The last time the index shot up that much was the day after President Donald Trump’s election, when Wall Street was focusing on the upsides of Trump’s return to the White House.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.7%, to 41,488.19. The Nasdaq composite jumped 2.6% to 17,754.09.

Ulta Beauty jumped 13.7% after the beauty products retailer reported stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Gains for Big Tech stocks and companies in the artificial-intelligence industry also helped support the market. Such stocks have been under the most pressure in the recent sell-off after critics said their prices shot too high in the frenzy around AI.

Nvidia rose 5.3% to trim its loss for 2025 so far below 10%. Apple climbed 1.8% to pare its loss for the week, which at one point had been on pace to be its worst since the 2020 COVID crash.

It helped that the Senate made moves to prevent a possible partial shutdown of the U.S. government.

But the heaviest uncertainty remains with Trump’s escalating trade war. There, the question is how much pain Trump will let the economy endure through tariffs and other policies in order to reshape the country and world as he wants. The president has said he wants manufacturing jobs back in the United States, along with a smaller U.S. government workforce and other fundamental changes.

While stock prices may be close to finishing their reset to account for tariffs set to hit in April, Ma said concerns about how big an impact cutbacks in federal spending will have on the economy are “likely to remain for some time.”

U.S. households and businesses have already reported drops in confidence because of all the uncertainties created by Trump’s barrage of on -again, off -again tariff announcements and other policies. That’s raised fears about a pullback in spending that could sap energy from the economy.

Worries look to be only worsening among U.S. households, according to a preliminary survey released Friday by the University of Michigan. Its measure of consumer sentiment sank for a third straight month, mostly because of concerns about the future rather than complaints about the present. The job market and overall economy look relatively solid at the moment.

In other dealings early Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 48 cents to $67.66 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude, the international standard, added 49 cents to $71.07 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar rose to 148.93 Japanese yen from 148.81 yen. The euro slipped to $1.0880 from $1.0882.

Elaine Kurtenbach, The Associated Press

People near the Bonny Lea Farm in the Municipality of the District of Chester were asked to leave the area immediately on Sunday night just after 10:30 p.m.

This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

The Associated Press

Halifax professor Karen Harper never met her grandfather. But after discovering an unproduced play he wrote in the 1950s in the attic of her parents’ home in Ontario, she’s made it her mission to bring it to stage.

Mooseheads captain Brady Schultz set the record for the most points by a defenceman in the teams history as the Herd defeated the Cape Breton Eagles 5-3 on Sunday.

Cape Breton scored the lone goal of the first period. Sambro native Jacob Newcombe continuing his strong play against the Herd beating Steinman on the powerplay off an assist from Cam Squires.

The two teams traded goals in the second period. The Eagles struck first on the penalty kill as Luke Patterson took advantage of a defensive error from the Mooseheads. Caylen Blake struck back for the Herd ripping a puck past Jakub Milota from top of the left faceoff circle on the powerplay. Cam Squires restored Cape Bretons two goal lead before Liam Kilfoil beat Eagles netminder Milota for his 20th goal of the season with less than a second left in the period, burying a rebound off Shawn Carrier’s shot also assisted by Brady Schultz.

With the assist on Kilfoil’s goal Halifax captain Brady Schultz has set a new all-time points by a defenceman record for the Mooseheads, passing Konrad Abeltshauser’s 150 points during his career with the Herd from 2009 to 2013.

Halifax scored 3 unanswered goals in the third. Caylen Blake and Quinn Kennedy scoring for the Herd and an empty net goal by Shawn Carrier insured the victory for the Mooseheads and punching the teams ticket to the playoffs.

With the win the Herd improve to 19-34-9 while the Eagles fall to 32-23-7

Captain Brady Schultz claimed first star of the game with two assists, during his record breaking game. Second star was awarded to Caylen Blake with two goals in the game while third star went to Eagles captain Jacob Newcombe.

Halifax will be back in action on Friday, Mar 21st as they travel to Moncton take on the Wildcats for the Mooseheads last road game of the regular season. Puck drop will be at 7 p.m., and you can catch all the action here on 95.7 NewsRadio.

This article was supposed to have been about fracking and how it is going to be regulated in Nova Scotia, now that Premier Tim Houston’s government has decided to lift the ban on hydraulic fracturing for onshore fossil gas, often called “natural gas,” because that has a more benign ring that fossil gas or methane, […]

The post The silence of DNR: trying in vain to get answers about fracking from the N.S. Department of Natural Resources appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

A new study from the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) concluded that Halifax Regional Municipality has improved its average timeline for development application approval by 11 months.

In 2022, the average time for approval was 20.8 months. In 2024, it averaged just 9.8 months.

While that leaves Halifax as 13th across the country for fastest development approvals, it is the biggest improvement year-over-year nationwide.

“This study provides a data-driven approach to measuring how land-use planning-related factors influence the supply of housing, including the length of time the municipal approval processes can add to the construction timeline and how government charges on development applications can contribute to the cost of housing,” the introduction to the report reads.

Halifax is also ranked number one with all the studied features combined, awarding an overall score of 94 per cent for planning features.

In terms of residential development, a release from the the Ministry of Growth and Development in January said housing starts were up 25 per cent in the municipality in 2024. Last year, HRM issued 6,057 building permits for new residential units.

In August 2024, the province announced new regulations in an effort to remove barriers for housing in HRM. The regulations, under the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, require the municipality to make increasing housing supply the priority focus in all land-use planning, regulations, decisions and development approvals under the municipal planning strategy.

The original deadline for implementation of the regulations was Dec. 31, 2024 but has since been extended until June 30, 2025.

The Halifax Regional Detachment of the RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a 46-year-old man last seen on March 1.

Bernard Harris was last seen at the Metro Transit bus terminal on Walker Avenue in Lower Sackville.

He is described as 5’6″ with a slim build. He has brown and graying hair and blue eyes. RCMP do not have a clothing description.

Anyone with information on Harris’ whereabouts is asked to contact RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment RCMP at 902-490-5020 or local police. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers.

OTTAWA — Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. says Prime Minister Mark Carney is looking to set up a conversation with President Donald Trump “as soon as possible.”

In an interview with Fox News on Sunday morning, Ambassador Kirsten Hillman said the Canadian side has reached out to the U.S. since Carney was sworn in as prime minister on Friday and was “looking forward” to connecting with Trump.

She says Carney is seeking to “forge a good and solid relationship” with the president and that he “respects” what Trump is trying to do when it comes to enhancing the U.S. economy, but noted the prime minister wants to do the same for Canada.

Hillman sidestepped a question on whether she believes there is anything Canada can do to avoid the reciprocal tariffs Trump is set to impose on other countries, noting a meeting with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last week made clear that Canada will be affected starting April 2.

Carney was set to depart for his first foreign trip today, visiting France and the U.K., where he is expected to talk about security and economic and trade ties, before an additional stop in Iqaluit, Nvt., to reaffirm Canada’s Arctic sovereignty.

Carney has said he does not yet plan to visit the U.S. but looks forward to speaking with Trump at the appropriate moment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2025.

The Canadian Press

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Along an industrial stretch of roadway in New Jersey’s biggest city, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka appeared with immigrants rights activists last week to protest the Trump administration’s deal with a private company to open the first new immigration detention center of the president’s second term.

Voters, he said, “don’t believe that people should be rounded up simply because they try to become citizens of the United States.”

In pushing back against construction of the 1,000-bed detention facility, Baraka, one of six Democrats running for governor in New Jersey this year, has staked out an aggressive approach on an issue that his party has struggled with recently. Other candidates have either moved closer to President Donald Trump, partly embracing his get-tough approach to immigration, or spent most of their time talking about the economy and the high cost of living.

That range makes this year’s June primary for New Jersey governor something of a testing ground for Democrats as they struggle to find their footing on an issue that has long bedeviled them. If the get-tough policy wins in liberal-leaning New Jersey, Democrats running elsewhere may have to rethink how best to appeal to their most loyal supporters.

The fight over the detention center represents the second time since Trump’s inauguration this year that Newark has surfaced in immigration headlines — the first came after ICE arrests in January— with the mayor capturing the spotlight and working to chart his own path forward.

Baraka rejects the notion that most voters support cracking down on immigrants without documentation. He calls openly for defending constitutional rights against searches and seizures without due process and a viable pathway to citizenship.

“If you ask people, are they opposed to criminals? They’re going to say yes,” he told reporters after the demonstration. “If you’re opposed to the murderers and rapists and all this other stuff? Yes. The reality is people want to be secure in their person and papers.”

In his mind, that doesn’t lead to mass detention and deportation of people looking for a better life. Whether his calculus resonates with Democratic primary voters in the June election and into the general is a question a lot of Democrats want answered.

‘Boldness counts’

The Democratic field of six candidates features two sitting members of Congress, the mayors of the state’s two largest cities, the head of the state’s biggest teachers union and a former top legislator who touts his background as a blue collar ironworker.

Not all of them are talking much about immigration, and what works with voters in a blue state’s primary won’t automatically translate as a blueprint for Democrats elsewhere.

But immigration was top-of-mind for voters in 2024 and is a centerpiece of the president’s agenda, according to Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, which means Democrats willing to take a stand may benefit politically.

“There is a penalty for seeming lost and not knowing what to say about something because the Democrats haven’t found their way yet,” he said. “Voters are not rewarding hesitation. They want boldness.”

The field in New Jersey

Not every Democrat in the contest to succeed term-limited Democrat Phil Murphy as governor is jockeying to the left of the president. Former state Senate President Steve Sweeney has called on the party to disavow sanctuary state policies supported by Baraka and others and “get back to listening to regular people.”

Other candidates are concentrating on the economy, especially New Jersey’s sky-high property taxes. (The average property tax bill recently topped $10,000 a year) Rep. Josh Gottheimer says he’s running to be the “lower taxes” governor. On immigration, Gottheimer backed the border deal Republicans rejected last year and voted for the Laken Riley Act requiring detention of unauthorized immigrants accused of theft and violent crimes.

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop points to the progressive-backed victories his city led on, such as raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour before the state and distancing himself from local political party bosses. On immigration, Fulop called the Laken Riley Act “dangerous” and said it undermines the authority of the governor and state attorney general.

New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, backed by his influential union, says making the economy better for working class people is his priority, though he also has said the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants is “unacceptable.”

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a former prosecutor and Navy pilot, has highlighted her biography. She’s emphasized both stronger border security to stop the flow of fentanyl but also called for a pathway to citizenship for immigrants “who are working hard, who are paying taxes.”

The broader campaign

New to this governor’s race is the dissolution of the so-called county line, a ballot design unique to New Jersey in which local party leaders could give preferred candidates prime positioning. The preferential placement was seen as giving party bosses undue influence, but it’s gone thanks in large part to a lawsuit filed by Sen. Andy Kim last year while he was running for his seat.

Republicans are also locked in a primary, largely contested over who most favors the president’s agenda. One exception is state Sen. Jon Bramnick, who has said many of the president’s policies won’t help the GOP win a general election in a state with nearly 1 million more Democrats than Republicans.

Also competing are former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who nearly defeated Murphy in 2021, along with one-time state Sen. Ed Durr, radio host Bill Spadea and former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac.

There’s a sense among Republicans that Democrats may be vulnerable on immigration. Even Trump skeptics have rejected sanctuary policies like the so-called immigrant trust policy that prohibits local police from working with federal officials to enforce immigration laws.

The GOP has not won a single U.S. Senate race in New Jersey over the last five decades but has fared better in gubernatorial campaigns. Former governors Chris Christie, Christine Todd Whitman and Tom Kean Sr. each won two terms for the party over the last few decades.

Mike Catalini, The Associated Press

OTTAWA — Mark Carney is set to depart for his first foreign trip today, visiting France and the U.K., with an additional stop in Iqaluit, Nvt.

Carney will leave today and return Tuesday.

The aim of the trip is to strengthen ties with France and the U.K. and reaffirm Canada’s Arctic sovereignty.

Carney is expected to talk about security and economic and trade ties while in Europe, where he will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Carney will also meet with King Charles while in the U.K.

Carney has no plan yet to visit the United States, though he said he looks forward to speaking with U.S. President Donald Trump at the appropriate moment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2024.

The Canadian Press

For the first time in a long time, there are at least a half-dozen teams across the country that could legitimately win the women’s NCAA Tournament.

Defending champion South Carolina leads the way once again in March Madness. Unlike last season, when the Gamecocks finished off an undefeated season with a national title, this group has three losses heading into the NCAAs. One came early in the year to UCLA, which only lost twice this season — both to crosstown rival Southern California and star guard JuJu Watkins in the regular season. UCLA topped the Trojans for the Big Ten title.

Notre Dame, Texas and UConn also have a good shot at winning the national championship. South Carolina is a slight favorite over UConn to repeat, according to BetMGM Sportsbook going into the weekend.

All six teams’ chances could come down to where they fall in the bracket that the NCAA will reveal Sunday night.

The path for all won’t be easy: This year there’s more parity in the sport. This NCAA Tournament will be only the second one in the past 19 years to have no teams entering March Madness with zero or one loss. The other time was in 2022.

Payout time

For the first time in NCAA history, there will be a financial incentive for women’s teams. They will finally paid for playing games in the NCAA Tournament just like the men have for years.

So-called performance units, which represent revenue, will be given to women’s teams for each win they get. A team that reaches the Final Four could bring its conference roughly $1.26 million over the next three years in financial performance rewards.

This comes a year after the women’s championship game that saw South Carolina beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa do better TV ratings then the men’s title game.

Tournament sites

The top 16 seeds in the 68-team field will host first- and second-round games, with the regional rounds being played at two neutral sites for the third straight year. Spokane, Washington, will host half of the Sweet 16 and Birmingham, Alabama, will host the other eight teams.

The Final Four will be played in Tampa, Florida, on April 4, and the championship game is two days later.

Tournament tidbits

One team that wasn’t expected to make the field is Stanford, which would end the Cardinal’s 36-year streak of playing in the NCAA Tournament. It would be the first time since 1987 that Stanford hasn’t played in the NCAAs.

While that streak is likely to end, Tennessee will continue its NCAA Tournament run of appearing every year in the field since the first NCAA Tournament in 1982.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A Chinese shipyard has completed a second submarine for the Pakistan navy, further strengthening military ties between the two countries.

The diesel-electric Hangor class craft was launched on Thursday at China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s shipworks in the central city of Wuhan on the Yangtze River, Chinese state media reported Sunday.

Pakistan contracted to buy eight of the submarines, the final four of which are to be built by the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works in the Pakistani port city of the same name.

The Hangor class is believed to be an export version of China’s 039A submarine, with a crew of 38 plus eight spaces for special forces troops and equipped with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.

Pakistan has used submarines in the past to confront India as part of their land wars over disputed territory in the north. Prohibitions on dual military and civilian use of technology by European nations that make diesel submarines has left China Pakistan’s best option for modern military equipment.

According to a Swedish military think tank, China has accounted for more than 81% of Pakistan’s weapons imports over the past five years. Joint venture projects include the Hangor as well as the JF-17 fighter jet.

Meanwhile, China and India have agreed to work toward a solution to their long-running border dispute in the Himalayas after a military standoff that flared with a deadly clash in 2020 but dates back decades.

The Associated Press

For bubble teams North Carolina and Texas, Selection Sunday will feel like the longest day of the year.

For top seeds in waiting like Duke and Auburn, making it into the NCAA Tournament isn’t a matter of if, only when and where.

The March Madness bracket will be revealed Sunday evening, setting the schedule for more than two weeks of competition in a season that saw the Southeastern Conference dominate the rankings. The tournament opens Tuesday and Wednesday with play-in games and the first round opens Thursday and Friday, featuring 32 games at eight sites around the country. The Final Four is in San Antonio on April 5 and 7.

Auburn is a slight favorite over Duke to win the national championship, with Florida and Houston not far behind, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. UConn will make the tournament and try for a threepeat as national champ, something that hasn’t been done since the early 1970s, while Big East champion St. John’s is back as one of the top teams in the country under veteran coach Rick Pitino.

Bubble watch

Beyond the matchups, most of the drama will revolve around the Tar Heels and Longhorns, who are on the bubble and saw their chances of making the field of 68 shrink thanks to Colorado State’s run through the Mountain West Conference tournament.

The Rams’ win positions the Mountain West to grab at least three, and possibly four bids if runner-up Boise State makes it.

North Carolina and Texas each won two games in their conference tournaments, and for about a day, they looked securely in. Now, though, they wait. What the NCAA selection committee decides with those teams will play a role on the history their respective conferences are making — or trying to avoid — this season.

If the Longhorns make it, the Southeastern Conference could place 14 teams in the bracket — which would account for about 1 in 5 of all the March Madness spots and set a record. The old one for a single conference was 11, set by the Big East in 2011.

If the Tar Heels get left out, the 18-team Atlantic Coast Conference would likely only place three teams in the tournament. The last time the ACC put that few teams in was 2000, back when it was a nine-team league.

Texas and North Carolina will be paying attention to Sunday’s games between Memphis and UAB for the American Athletic Conference title and VCU vs. UAB in the Atlantic 10. If Memphis or VCU lose, another at-large spot could get gobbled up.

Who will be the overall No. 1 seed?

One of the ACC’s tourney teams will be Duke, which on Saturday reassured the NCAA that its best player, Cooper Flagg, would be available for the tournament after sitting out the last two games of the ACC Tournament with an injured ankle. Even without Flagg, Duke defeated Louisville 73-62 to win the title.

In picking the top overall seed, the selection committee will have to choose between Duke, with the uncertainty surrounding Flagg and its weaker strength of schedule, and Auburn, a semifinal loser in the SEC Tournament that, nevertheless, is helped by playing in the nation’s toughest conference.

Big 12 champion Houston could also squeeze into the very top spot. The winner of the SEC title game Sunday between Florida and Tennessee was a good bet to get the final No. 1 seed.

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AP March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Eddie Pells, The Associated Press

The government agency that determined how old you had to be to rent a film or watch it in a Nova Scotia theatre is shutting down. The Maritime Film Classification Board sometimes found itself at the centre of controversy over censorship and morality.

Michael Schwinghamer has a passion for shipwrecks and is on a mission to capture them in their watery graves — leaning on his background in surveying and diving. His 3D renderings of ships lying on the sea floor could be the last glimpse before they’re gone forever. CBC’s Dave Irish explains.

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — A roadside bomb exploded near a bus carrying security forces in restive southwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing at least five officers and wounding 10 others, police said.

The attack occurred in Naushki, a district in Balochistan, said Zafar Zamanani, a local police chief. He said the the blast also badly damaged another nearby bus. The dead and wounded were transported to a nearby hospital.

Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister of Balochistan, condemned the attack.

No one immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, which days ago ambushed a train, took about 400 people on board hostage and killed 26 hostages before security forces launched an operation and killed all the 33 attackers.

Oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest and least populated province. Ethnic Baloch residents have long accused the central government of discrimination — a charge Islamabad denies. Baloch Liberation Army has been demanding independence from the central government.

The Associated Press

HALIFAX — After placing a framed photo of U.S. President Donald Trump on a table, Matthew Burke steps back and takes a mighty swing with a baseball bat. Glass shatters as the frame explodes. The obliterated image vanishes.

Satisfied with his effort, the 14-year-old — dressed in dark coveralls, a paintball mask and body armour — high-fives his older sister and mother.

Welcome to the Rage Room in Halifax, where clients have been lining up to take part in the “SMASH The Tariffs Special Event.”

With the purchase of a regular smash room package, such as “Anger Management,” or “Parental Leave,” every patron gets a free Trump picture to destroy at will. Framed photos of Vice-President JD Vance and Tesla CEO Elon Musk cost an extra $5, with proceeds going to local food banks.

When asked why he wanted to take a swing at the president’s picture, Burke said: “It’s about how he’s treating this country,” the lanky boy said as he shuffled across the windowless room, its wooden floor covered in glass shards, broken dishes and smashed pottery.

His 17-year-old sister, Lillian, used a golf club to thrash her photo of the U.S. commander-in-chief with 13 direct hits.

“I came here to safely get some frustration and anger out,” she said, her voice muffled by the plastic mask. “He is not a very smart man and he is currently doing some not very smart things.”

Terry LeBlanc, owner of Rage Room Halifax, says he’s been hearing how people are feeling anxious and upset in the wake of Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs and his threats to annex Canada through economic force.

“It’s actually been a bit overwhelming, the response,” LeBlanc said in an interview Friday. “But it’s been great. It really shows that Canadians don’t want to be the 51st state.”

LeBlanc, CEO of the Rage Room for almost seven years, said the rooms allow people to relieve stress in a safe, healthy way — and his customers don’t have to clean up the mess.

Typically, the items offered up for destruction include dishes, glassware, home appliances, big-screen TVs and various electronics, all of them discarded from local thrift stores. Much of the battered waste left after the mayhem is shipped off for recycling.

A basic bashing session — “Smash It 101” — costs $49.

Rage rooms, also known as anger rooms or smash rooms, have been around for several years. While their use is often described as a recreational, self-help activity, some research has suggested they may do more harm than good.

“Studies have found that physical outbursts of aggression teach your body to respond to feelings of stress, anger and frustration with violence,” according to an article posted earlier this month on website Verywell Mind, which is overseen by a board comprised of mental health professionals.

The article cites the work of three researchers whose 2019 paper, “Explosive matters: does venting anger reduce or increase aggression?” was published in the “Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma.”

Still, LeBlanc says there’s no disputing how his clients are feeling when they leave the rage rooms.

“Most people who walk out of here have a big smile on their face,” said LeBlanc, a burly man with a long, salt-and-pepper beard, who used to work in the glass business. “We always like to ask what was their favourite thing to do. Lately, smashing Donald Trump has been number 1.”

Still, LeBlanc says he’s not terribly interested in politics or psychoanalyzing why people are keen to bash Trump’s image.

“We’re entertainment first,” he said. “We’re not therapists. We’re not doctors. People come here to have some fun and blow off some steam …. Everybody wins.”

Over the years, people from all walks of life have entered one of his small, battered rooms to let loose. He recalled a chief executive from a major insurance firm showing up one day in a tailored, pinstriped suite.

“He wanted to smash a teacup and teapots,” LeBlanc said with a snicker. “He was British …. There’s something about breaking something that, at one time, grandma would have said, ‘No, don’t touch that.'”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2025.

Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press

When the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge reopens to traffic on Monday, there will be no tolls for the first time in its 70-year history.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago River is once again glowing kelly green as the city opens its annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Thousands lined the river and packed bridges Saturday and erupted in cheers as members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union Local 130 sprayed dye into the water from boats, carrying on a tradition they began some 63 years ago.

The dyeing immediately precedes the annual downtown St. Patrick’s Day parade. The day — which falls on Monday this year — celebrates Irish culture. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is credited with having brought Christianity there in the fifth century.

The dye is nontoxic. While the river stays bright for several hours, some trace of color can remain for days.

A second St. Patrick’s Day parade was scheduled for Sunday on Chicago’s South Side.

The Associated Press

A federal judge on Saturday blocked the Trump administration from using an 18th century law known as the Alien Enemies Act to deport five Venezuelans, kicking off a blizzard of litigation over the controversial move even before the president has announced it.

President Donald Trump has widely signaled he would invoke the 1798 Act, last used to justify the internment of Japanese-American civilians during World War 2.

On Saturday, the American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward filed an extraordinary lawsuit in federal court in Washington contending the order would identify a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, as a “predatory incursion” by a foreign government and seek to deport any Venezuelan in the country as a member of that gang, regardless of the facts.

James E. Boasberg, chief judge of the D.C. Circuit, agreed to implement a temporary restraining order preventing the deportation for 14 days under the act of the five Venezuelans who are already in immigration custody and who filed the suit “to preserve the status quo.” Boasberg scheduled a hearing for later in the afternoon to see if his order should be expanded to protect all Venezuelans in the United States.

Hours later, the Trump administration appealed the initial restraining order.

The unusual flurry of litigation highlights the controversy around the Alien Enemies Act, which could give Trump vast power to deport people in the country illegally. It could let him bypass some protections of normal criminal and immigration law. But it would face immediate challenges along the lines of Saturday’s litigation because it has previously only been used during wartime.

The law requires a formal declaration of war before it can be used. But immigration lawyers were alarmed by a flurry of activity Friday night.

“Last night, it appears the government was preparing to deport a number of Venezuelans they had no legal authority to deport,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, an immigration lawyer in Los Angeles who filed two petitions to block deportations that night.

Nicholas Riccardi, The Associated Press

MONTREAL — Canada and Greece have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote tourism between the two countries.

The government of Canada says the agreement signed Thursday will boost institutional co-operation and recreational travel between the two nations.

The memorandum of understanding means that data and best practices on climate action related to tourism will be also shared, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada says in a press release.

Mary Ng, Canadian minister of export promotion, international trade and economic development, says the agreement will facilitate mutual travel between Canada and Greece and benefit both economies.

The government of Canada says the trade relationship between the countries has grown in recent years because of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

Canada’s Tourism Minister Pascale St-Onge says the agreement will bolster cultural ties between the countries.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2025.

The Canadian Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Adam Boehler, President Donald Trump’s choice to become special envoy for hostage affairs, has withdrawn his nomination in order to avoid a requirement that he divest from his investment business. But even absent Senate confirmation, he will continue working on hostage issues.

Boehler, whose efforts were key in the release of Marc Fogel, an American history teacher who was deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, will still work for the Trump administration focusing on hostage negotiations despite withdrawing his nomination Friday, according to a senior White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Boehler drew some controversy for having direct talks with Hamas last month as the Trump administration works to extend the Gaza ceasefire for a few more weeks and see some hostage-for-prisoner exchanges.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a brusque statement about the U.S.-Hamas discussions,, saying “Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas.”

Trump is still confident in Boehler, according to the official, and will continue working on hostage affairs as a special government employee. That designation subjects him to less stringent rules on ethics and financial disclosures than other workers.

Boehler is the founder and managing partner of a health-care investment firm, Rubicon Founders. He served in the first Trump administration, for a time as director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and was a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team back then.

Special government employees are usually appointed to their position for up to 130 days.

He becomes the fourth Trump administration nominee who didn’t make it to a confirmation hearing.

On Thursday, Dr. David Weldon’s nomination to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was withdrawn because the former Florida congressman wasn’t assured of getting enough Republican support to be confirmed.

Previously, former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration for attorney general and Chad Chronister for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — An airstrike by Myanmar’s military on a central village under the control of a pro-democracy resistance group has killed at least 27 civilians and injured 30 others, an opposition group and Myanmar’s online media said Saturday.

The attack occurred Friday at 3 p.m. in Let Pan Hla village in Singu township, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, a spokesperson for the Mandalay People’s Defence Force said.

The military did not comment on Saturday.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021, triggering widespread popular opposition. After peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict.

The military government has stepped up airstrikes against the armed pro-democracy People’s Defense Force and ethnic minority guerrilla groups that have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades. The two groups sometimes carry out joint operations against the army. The resistance forces have no defense against air attacks.

The town of Singu was seized by the Mandalay People’s Defence Force (MDY-PDF), which supports Myanmar’s main opposition, in July last year.

The group’s statement released Saturday on its Telegram social media channel said six children were among the 27 killed in the airstrike that targeted crowded market stalls in Let Pan Hla village.

Osmond, the group’s spokesperson, told The Associated Press that about 10 houses near the village market were destroyed by bombs.

“This airstrike was not aimed at a military target, but rather at the market area, where civilians visit daily,” Osmond said in a message.

The situation in the village could not be independently confirmed, with access to the internet and cellphone service in the area mostly cut off.

The independent Myanmar Now online media reported that the death toll from the airstrike that hit a tea shop near the village market had reached 30 and seven were in critical condition.

A report issued last month by Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica, a Myanmar research and advocacy organization, said that since the military’s 2021 takeover, 2,224 civilian had been killed and 3,466 wounded in 4,157 airstrikes.

The Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — An Israeli drone strike hit a car in south Lebanon on Saturday, killing one person who the Israeli military said was a member of Hezbollah.

State-run National News Agency did not give further details about the strike in the village of Bourj el-Mlouk.

The airstrike was the latest in a wave of such attacks since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late November ending the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war.

The Israeli military said the Hezbollah member who was killed was active in the border village of Kfar Kila.

The strike came a day after Lebanon’s military court sentenced two people to prison terms for giving digital information to Israel.

Four judicial officials told The Associated Press Saturday that one of those sentenced received a 15-year prison term while the other was sentenced to 10 years in jail. A third was set free for lack of evidence against him, the officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share information with the media.

The officials said the two scanned the cellular telephones network in wide areas of Beirut and its southern suburbs that is home to Hezbollah’s headquarters using sophisticated equipment.

The officials said the two, who were detained last year, also supplied Israel with about 1,500 photographs from Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Bassem Mroue, The Associated Press

This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

The Associated Press

A large industrial building in Lower West Pubnico, N.S., was destroyed after it caught fire Friday night. Devin d'Entremont, chief of the West Pubnico Fire Department, said they were called to Silver Roe Seafoods Ltd. at 7:40 p.m. AT.

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s populist prime minister on Saturday vowed to rid his country of those he claims work for the interests of foreign powers, saying his right-wing government will eliminate a global “shadow army” serving the European Union and a “liberal American empire.”

In a conspiracy theory-laden address, which coincided with a national holiday commemorating Hungary’s 1848 revolution against Habsburg rule, Viktor Orbán told a group of several thousand select supporters that Hungary in the coming weeks will uproot media outlets and other organizations that have received funding from abroad, comparing such groups to insects.

“After today’s festive gathering comes the Easter cleaning. The bugs have overwintered,” Orbán said. “We will dismantle the financial machine that has used corrupt dollars to buy politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs and political activists. We will eliminate the entire shadow army.”

Orbán, in power since 2010, has used the March 15 celebration in recent years as a podium from which to launch increasingly hostile harangues against the EU, to which Hungary has belonged since 2004. He has often compared the bloc to the Soviet Union, which occupied and repressed Hungary for nearly five decades in the 20th century, and pledged to “occupy” the halls of power in Europe.

Now, after the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the Hungarian leader has accelerated his longstanding efforts to crack down on critics such as media outlets, civil rights and anti-corruption groups, which he says have undermined Hungary’s sovereignty by receiving financial assistance from international donors.

Orbán, a Trump ally, has applauded the U.S. administration’s actions to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, claiming, with no evidence, that it was used to fund liberal causes in Hungary aimed at toppling his government.

He has promised a reckoning for groups that have benefited from funding by USAID, saying they would be eliminated in Hungary and face “legal consequences.”

This week, Orbán’s Fidesz party proposed amendments to Hungary’s constitution that would allow for Hungarian dual citizens to have their citizenship suspended and be deported from the country if they are deemed to threaten Hungary’s sovereignty or national security.

Another amendment appeared to target the LGBTQ+ community. Orbán’s party has said the annual Budapest Pride event would be banned in public starting this year.

On Saturday, Orbán, a firm opponent of immigration, echoed the conspiratorial “great replacement theory,” which suggests there is a global plot to diminish the influence of white people.

“The battle today is actually being fought for the soul of the Western world,” Orbán said. “The empire wants to mix and then replace the indigenous people of Europe with invading masses arriving from foreign civilizations.”

He also claimed “the empire” that has provided economic and military assistance to Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s invasion in fact seeks to “colonize” the embattled country.

“The instrument of colonization is war. The rulers of Europe decided that Ukraine should continue the war, whatever it costs,” he said.

He repeated his call for the EU to abandon the process of eventually bringing Ukraine into the bloc, and said he would issue a poll for Hungarians on decide whether they think Kyiv should gain EU membership.

Later on Saturday, Hungary’s upstart Tisza party planned to hold a mass demonstration in Budapest, rallying around its leader and potential Orbán challenger Péter Magyar.

Magyar, a former Fidesz insider that has split with Orbán, has in the last year built an opposition movement that aims to defeat the Hungarian leader in national elections scheduled for next year, and has focused on Hungary’s cost-of-living crisis and what he says is deep-seated corruption among ruling party elites.

Recent polls show Tisza neck and neck or even several points ahead of Fidesz with around a year to go before elections.

Justin Spike, The Associated Press

Five years ago Saturday, Nova Scotia announced its first COVID-19 cases. Former premier Stephen McNeil and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang reflect on how the province responded to the pandemic, and what they might have done differently.

Halifax Harbour Bridges is in the process of removing the toll plaza at the bridge.

BANGKOK (AP) — An elevated road being built in Thailand’s capital Bangkok collapsed, killing at least five people, officials said.

The collapse, which happened in the early morning in southwestern Bangkok, also injured 24 other people at the construction site, said Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit.

Suriya offered his condolences and said victims would be compensated by contractors and relevant agencies. He said four workers and an engineer were killed, and no road users were affected as traffic lanes near the construction were closed at the time.

Bangkok police commander Siam Boonsom said authorities were still investigating to determine the cause of the collapse and that they would pursue legal actions against those found responsible.

Photos from the site showed that large metal and concrete structures fell on the ground and completely blocked the road.

The construction of the 5-kilometer (3-mile) elevated road started in 2022, according to project information published on the website of the Expressway Authority of Thailand.

Surachet Laophulsuk, governor of the agency, said they were working to clear the debris as quickly as they could, but he said it might take a week. He added that the contractors working on the project were ordered suspended for 14 days pending the investigation.

Road and construction safety is a major problem in Thailand. The site of Saturday’s collapse is a part of a major road connecting Bangkok to Thailand’s south, which has been a subject of controversy over its prolonged construction and frequent fatal accidents.

Suriya said the transportation ministry is in the process of issuing new regulations that would suspend contractors found liable for construction accidents and blacklist them from bidding on future government projects.

The Associated Press

Canada’s oldest company Hudson’s Bay says it will begin liquidating its entire business as soon as next week unless it finds a more viable path forward.

The department store chain with 80 stores says it has been forced toward a full liquidation because exhaustive efforts haven’t turned up the financing the company needs to restructure.

More coming.

Strong nights by Nova Scotians Jacob Newcombe and Joseph Henneberry led the Cape Breton Eagles to a 6-3 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads.

The Herd struck first, as Quinn Kennedy intercepted a clear attempt by the Cape Breton defence and fired a laser past Eagles goalie Alexis Cournoyer from the left faceoff circle on the powerplay for his 23rd of the season. Cape Breton scored two late in the period to end the first with the lead, Sambro native Jacob Newcombe scoring both for the Eagles.

The Eagles kept the momentum in the second period as Joseph Henneberry lit the lamp less than a minute into the frame. Liam Kilfoil responded for the Herd, tipping a shot from Shawn Carrier into the Cape Breton net. Mooseheads captain Brady Schultz assisting on that play. Thomas Lavoie restored the Eagles two goal lead less than 30 seconds after Kilfoils goal beating Steinman up close off a pass from Andrew Brown.

The Herd’s bench shortened halfway through the second period as the team announced defenceman Eddy Doyle would miss the remainder of the game with an upper body injury.

Mooseheads captain Brady Schultz tied Konrad Abeltshauser for most points by a Mooseheads defender after scoring his 7th of the season off a faceoff in the third period. MacPhee winning a faceoff and finding Kilfoil who sent the puck to Schultz who fired from the point, beating Cournoyer on the powerplay. Cape Breton retained their two goal lead as Henneberry added his second of the night for the Eagles. An empty netter from Alexandre Guy put the game out of the reach of the Mooseheads.

With the loss the Herd fall to 18-34-9 while the Eagles improve to 32-22-7

The Cape Breton Eagles secured the three stars of the game. Jacob Newcombe earned first star with three points, Joseph Henneberry was awarded second star also with three points and third star went to Thomas Lavoie who scored the game winner for the Eagles.

Halifax will be back in action on Sunday, March 16th as they host the Cape Breton Eagles at the Scotiabank Centre for the last battle of Nova Scotia this regular season. Puck drop is at 3 p.m., and you can catch all the action here on 95.7 NewsRadio

Since 2020, the waterfront building that once served as the town's creamery and later a performing arts centre has welcomed the NSCC Nautical Institute. Today, it's seeking new tenants to develop a marine hub for education, research and development, and jobs.

OTTAWA — Mark Carney has been sworn in as Canada’s new prime minister, succeeding Justin Trudeau.

Here’s how some leaders and politicians are reacting to his appointment.

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“I’d like to begin by … wishing Mr. Trudeau a happy retirement and all the best to his family and congratulating Mr. Trudeau’s economic adviser, Mark Carney, on becoming prime minister only three months after he moved his headquarters out of Canada to New York, moving jobs away from Canada.” — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre

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“Congratulations to @MarkJCarney on assuming office as the Prime Minister of Canada … Throughout history, Ukraine and Canada have stood together as steadfast partners, united by shared values of freedom, democracy, and justice. I am grateful to Canada for its unwavering support in deterring Russia’s military aggression.” — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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“Congratulations to Mark Carney for his appointment as prime minister. Mexico and Canada share a relationship of friendship, trade and co-operation based in respect and shared prosperity in the region. Let us work together to strengthen our ties for the benefit of both our countries.” — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum

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“Our countries and our people have shared values and a bright future. I look forward to working with you to build Australia-Canada relations.” — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2025.

Canadian Press Staff, The Canadian Press

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

LONDON (AP) — British police said Friday the Russian captain of a cargo ship that collided with a U.S. tanker has been charged over the death of a crew member, who is missing and presumed dead.

Vladimir Motin, who was the master of the Portugal-flagged cargo vessel Solong, will appear in Hull Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with what English legal authorities term “gross negligence manslaughter,” Humberside Police said.

It wasn’t immediately clear where Motin was being held or whether he has approved legal representation.

Motin, 59, who is from Primorsky, St. Petersburg, was arrested in northeast England on Tuesday, a day after the collision with the MV Stena Immaculate, a tanker transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military in the North Sea.

Humberside Police confirmed that the missing crew member is “now presumed dead” after extensive searches. It said the family are being supported by specialist trained officers.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, has been named as the crew member who is presumed to have died in the collision.

“We have authorized Humberside Police to charge a Russian national in relation to a collision involving two vessels in the North Sea off the east coast of England,” said Frank Ferguson, head of the prosecutor’s office special crime and counter terrorism division.

Shipping company Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong, has said previously that the ship’s 14 crew were a mix of Russian and Filipino nationals.

U.K. authorities have said there is nothing so far to indicate that it’s connected to national security.

The U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also involved in investigating what caused the Solong, bound from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, to hit the stationary tanker, which was anchored about 10 miles (16 kilometers) off the English coast.

The investigation is being led by the U.S. and Portugal, the countries where the vessels are flagged.

Port inspection documents show the Solong failed steering-related safety checks in Dublin, Ireland, in July, with the vessel’s “emergency steering position communications/compass reading” unreadable. Inspectors found a total of 10 deficiencies, including “inadequate” alarms, survival craft “not properly maintained” and fire doors “not as required.”

An inspection in Scotland in October found two other deficiencies. The ship wasn’t detained after either inspection.

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — If it’s March, and it’s green, it must be St. Patrick’s Day.

The day honoring the patron saint of Ireland is a global celebration of Irish heritage. And nowhere is that more so than in the United States, where parades take place in cities around the country and all kinds of foods and drinks are given an emerald hue.

In fact, it was among Irish American communities that the day became the celebration it is, from its roots as a more solemn day with a religious observance in Ireland.

But even in America, it was about more than a chance to dye a river green (looking at you, Chicago) or just bust out a favorite piece of green clothing, it was about putting down roots and claiming a piece of the country’s calendar.

Who is St. Patrick and why does he even have a day?

Patrick was not actually Irish, according to experts. Born in the late fourth century, he was captured as an adolescent and ended up enslaved in Ireland. He escaped to another part of Europe where he was trained as a priest and returned to Ireland in the fifth century to promote the spread of Christianity.

Several centuries later, he was made a saint by the Catholic Church and like other saints had a day dedicated to him, which was March 17. He became Ireland’s patron saint, and even when religious strife broke out between Catholics and Protestants, was claimed by both, says Mike Cronin, historian and academic director of Boston College Dublin.

How did an Irish saint’s day become an American thing?

The short answer: Irish people came to America and brought their culture with them. St. Patrick’s Day observances date back to before the founding of the U.S., in places like Boston and New York City. The first parade was held in Manhattan in 1762.

While the day was marked with more of a religious framing and solemnity in Ireland until well into the 20th century, in America it became the cultural and boisterous celebration it is today, marked by plenty of people without a trace of Irish heritage.

It was because people in Ireland started seeing how the day was marked in the U.S. that it became more of a festival in the country of its origin rather than strictly a religious observance, Cronin says, pointing to the parades, parties and other festivities that are held.

Oh, and by the way, for those who like to shorten names: Use St. Paddy’s Day, not St. Patty’s Day. Paddy is a nickname for Pádraig, which is the Irish spelling of Patrick.

Why is it such a big deal?

Holidays aren’t simply days to watch bands go by, or wear a specific outfit or costume.

Being able to mark a holiday, and have others mark it, is a way of “putting down roots, showing that you’ve made it in American culture,” says Leigh Schmidt, professor in the Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. “You’ve made your claim on that American calendar, in American civic life, by having these holidays widely recognized.”

The spread of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S. was a way for Irish immigrant communities, who in the 19th century faced discrimination and opposition, to stake that ground, he says: “It’s a kind of immigrant Irish way of combating nativist antagonism against them.”

What’s with four-leaf clovers, anyway?

A popular sight around the holiday is the shamrock, or three-leaf clover, linked to Ireland and St. Patrick.

The lucky ones, though, come across something that’s harder to find: a four-leaf clover. That’s because it takes a recessive trait or traits in the clover’s genetics for there to be more than the normal 3 leaves, says Vincent Pennetti, a doctoral student at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He has been fascinated by the plants since high school.

Four-leaf clovers “are real. They are rare,” he says.

That doesn’t mean they can’t be found. People just have to keep their eyes open and “get really good at noticing patterns and breaks in the patterns, and they just start jumping out at you,” he says.

Katie Glerum finds them. The 35-year-old New York City resident says it’s not unheard of for her to be somewhere like Central Park and see one. She usually scoops it up and often gives it to someone else, to a positive response.

“If it happened every day, then I probably would be less excited about it,” she says. “But yeah, when it happens, it is exciting.”

Deepti Hajela, The Associated Press

SSN Tourville arrived in Halifax harbour this week after its first sail across the Atlantic. Hannah Veinot has the story.

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal says a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge improperly used habeas corpus in rulings related to inmate lockdowns at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility.

Friday's hearing in Nova Scotia youth court included testimony from psychologists and others who have prepared a treatment plan for the girl.

The public can share their thoughts on five proposed offshore wind areas over the next month.

A series of contentious Nova Scotia government bills — including one that would lift a ban on fracking and uranium mining — come before a legislature committee next week, and the province's Opposition leader is urging the public to make its voice heard.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston took to American cable TV on Thursday to make the case for resolving the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada.