Television personalities from across the UK have united behind a renewed public health campaign urging people to test for HIV, as new polling data reveals that just 20 per cent of adults in England say they have ever taken an HIV test. The campaign coincides with the start of National HIV Testing Week, which runs from Feb. 9 to Feb. 15, and comes amid fresh government commitments to eliminate new HIV transmissions by the end of the decade. The awareness drive is being supported by a number of well-known TV figures, including broadcaster Charlene White, TV doctor Dr Ranj, and…
Author: Sam Allcock
Sam Allcock
Sam Allcock is a business correspondent for Wire Service Canada, reporting on corporate developments, market trends, and economic news with clarity and accuracy. With over a decade of experience in journalism, he has covered stories ranging from financial results and trade agreements to emerging innovations, offering readers both local insight and global context. Known for his balanced and engaging reporting style, Sam is committed to delivering reliable, relevant, and timely business news that helps audiences make informed decisions.
PREDAZZO, Italy — Canada’s Olympic ski jumping program opened the 2026 Winter Games with a steady, if unspectacular, performance on Saturday as Abigail Strate finished 11th in the women’s normal hill competition, while teammate Nicole Maurer delivered a confidence-boosting top-20 result in her Olympic debut. Strate, a 24-year-old from Calgary competing in her second Olympic Winter Games, posted a combined score of 240.4 points after two jumps on the HS107 hill in Predazzo. Her distances of 93.5 metres and 95.5 metres placed her just outside the top 10 in an event that marked the official start of Olympic ski jumping…
The Environmental Protection Agency has reapproved the use of dicamba-based herbicides on genetically engineered cotton and soybeans, a move that is drawing renewed criticism from environmental groups and farm advocates who point to years of crop damage, court defeats and concerns over regulatory capture. The decision, announced in Washington on Tuesday, allows continued spraying of dicamba, a herbicide known for drifting far beyond application sites. The reapproval comes despite federal court rulings in 2020 and again in 2024 that struck down previous EPA authorizations for the weedkiller as unlawful. Since dicamba was first approved for over-the-top spraying in 2016, drift…
The federal government has committed $15 million toward the proposed Convention and Cultural Event Centre in Prince Albert, Sask., providing a significant early funding boost for a project city officials say could reshape the region’s cultural and economic landscape. The funding, delivered through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, represents the first major financial commitment toward the planned facility in the city’s Yard District. The City of Prince Albert described the investment as a critical step in advancing the long-planned project, which has been positioned as both an economic development driver and a symbol of partnership with Indigenous communities.…
Toronto-based blues artist Crystal Shawanda has secured a 2026 JUNO Awards nomination for Blues Album of the Year with her latest release, Sing Pretty Blues, marking another milestone in a career that continues to bridge artistic credibility with commercial impact. The nomination places Shawanda among Canada’s top blues performers and underscores her sustained momentum following a series of acclaimed releases over the past decade. The winners will be announced during the JUNO Awards weekend in Hamilton, Ont., with the Gala Presented by Music Canada scheduled for Saturday, March 28, and the televised JUNO Awards Broadcast taking place Sunday, March 29,…
The Ontario government has officially opened the long-awaited Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT), marking a major milestone in Toronto’s transit network and the province’s broader infrastructure agenda aimed at easing congestion, cutting commute times and supporting economic growth. The 19-kilometre line, also known as Line 5 Eglinton, will begin operating under the Toronto Transit Commission on Feb. 8, 2026. To mark the launch, the province is offering free service on opening day. Once fully operational, the line is expected to carry more than 123,000 riders each weekday and reduce travel times between Kennedy Station and Mount Dennis Station by…
Ottawa—As Canada’s largest cities grapple with housing shortages, infrastructure strain and economic uncertainty, Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic joined municipal leaders from across the country this week in Ottawa to press the federal government for faster, more predictable funding to support urban growth. Vrbanovic participated in meetings of the Big City Mayors’ Caucus (BCMC), held under the umbrella of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, where mayors met collectively and individually with Prime Minister Mark Carney and several senior cabinet ministers. The discussions focused on shared priorities that large municipalities say are central to Canada’s long-term economic health, including housing supply, infrastructure…
The Ontario government has announced that a mandatory coroner’s inquest will be held into the death of Ryan Rawson-Keeley, who died while in custody at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre nearly five years ago, reopening scrutiny of custodial care and oversight within the province’s correctional system. Dr. Louise McNaughton-Filion, Regional Supervising Coroner for the East Region in the Ottawa Office, confirmed on Feb. 5 that the inquest will proceed under the requirements of the Coroners Act. Mr. Rawson-Keeley was 38 years old when he died on March 2, 2021, while being held at the provincial correctional facility. Under Ontario law, inquests…
The Ontario government will convene a mandatory coroner’s inquest into the 2021 death of Gedi Ali Gedi, a 45-year-old man who died following an interaction with officers from the Toronto Police Service, the Ministry of the Solicitor General announced Wednesday. The inquest, required under provincial law, will examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Gedi’s death, which occurred on Feb. 23, 2021, the same day as the police interaction. While details about the encounter have not been released as part of the announcement, the inquest process is intended to publicly review the facts of the case and consider whether systemic changes could…
The Ontario government is investing more than $21 million to expand training and career advancement opportunities for frontline workers in the province’s long-term care sector, with a particular focus on rural, remote and northern communities where staffing shortages remain most acute. Announced Wednesday, the $21.5 million commitment will fund two “Learn and Earn” programs over four years, enabling approximately 700 existing long-term care employees to gain new qualifications while continuing to work. The initiative is aimed at strengthening the workforce pipeline, improving retention and ensuring residents receive consistent, high-quality care closer to home. The investment is part of the province’s…