News
Copy by Lawrence Zwer
Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for the area beginning this afternoon – we’re expecting steady southwest winds of 60 km/h and gusts up to 100 km/h. I’ll have more in the weather.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canadian Armed Forces veteran David Lavery is “safe” in Qatar — months after a network that supports vets expressed concern that he went missing in Afghanistan and was possibly detained by the Taliban government. In a social media post yesterday, Joly said she “just spoke with David Lavery upon his safe arrival in Qatar from Afghanistan. He is in good spirits.” Since before the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban in 2021, Lavery had been working to provide aid and assistance to eligible Afghan migrants. The Veterans Transition Network noted in November that Lavery repeatedly travelled to Afghanistan for humanitarian work and to lay wreaths at the Canadian monument in Kabul on Remembrance Day.
The nation of Colombia appears to have entered into a trade war with the United States, after Colombian president Gustavo Petro refused landing clearance to two US planes containing allegedly illegal Colombian migrants. U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday he would impose sweeping retaliatory measures on Colombia, including tariffs, sanctions and travel bans, after the South American country turned away U.S. military aircraft with migrants being deported as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown. Colombia, the third-largest trading partner of the U.S. in Latin America, swiftly responded, threatening a 50 percent tariff on U.S. goods. Trump declared illegal immigration a national emergency and imposed a sweeping crackdown since taking office last Monday, directing the U.S. military to help with border security, issuing a broad ban on asylum and taking steps to restrict citizenship for children born on U.S. soil. Colombia’s Petro condemned the U.S. practice of repatriation using military aircraft, suggesting it treated migrants like criminals.
Sticking with the US President – Trump’s new idea to displace a majority of Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan and Egypt has fallen flat with both of those countries, as well as with a key ally at home. Trump told reporters Saturday that moving some 1.5 million Palestinians away from Gaza might mean that “we just clean out that whole thing.” Egypt and Jordan, along with the Palestinians, worry that Israel would never allow them to return to Gaza once they have left. Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said yesterday that his country’s opposition to what Trump floated was “firm and unwavering.”, while Egypt’s foreign minister issued a statement saying that the temporary or long-term transfer of Palestinians “risks expanding the conflict in the region.” Meantime, in the United States, Senator Lindsey Graham responded, “I really don’t know,’’, when asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” what Trump meant by the ”clean out” remark. Graham, who is close to Trump, said the suggestion was not feasible. Graham suggested Trump speak to countries throughout the Middle East, if he wants to pursue an agenda of rehoming the Palestinian citizens of Gaza.
Finally, Millennium Trail users are reminded that ATV and dirt bike use on the trail is not permitted in winter months after grooming operations have started. Grooming is now underway and restrictions will remain in place until the snow has melted and the trail conditions are stable enough for ATV use. During this time, motorized vehicle use of the Millennium Trail is restricted to snowmobiles, farm tractors and other farm vehicles.t your news here
Sports
The Wellington Dukes welcomed the St. Mike’s Buzzers to the Duke dome yesterday afternoon, and while the boys didn’t put up 11 like they did Friday, they did score 6 to win 6-4. Jared McNeil had 2, Sacha Trudel had 2, and Jayden Levesque and Ethan Murray contributed singles.
Conference championship weekend in the NFL as the best in the NFC and AFC battled for the right to go to the Super Bowl on February 9th. In the early game, the NFC’s Philadelphia Eagles relied on great defence and an even better running game to eclipse the Washington Commanders 55-23. The Eagles scored 7 times on the ground to tie an NFL record. In the AFC title game, the Buffalo Bills travelled to Kansas City to face the defending champion Chiefs. It was a tight game, with Kansas City coming out on top 32-29. The win gives the Chiefs the chance to win a third-straight Super Bowl, something no other team has done in the history of the league.
Three Canadian teams in action in the NHL yesterday, the Sens beat Utah 3-1 on goals by Brady Tkchuk, Claude Giroux, and Ridly Greig. The Winnipeg Jets beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 thanks in part to a 4 point effort by Gabriel Vilardi.
