Category Archives: Social

US jobless claims hit a pandemic low as hiring strengthens

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week for a fourth straight time to a pandemic low, the latest sign that America's job market is rebounding from the pandemic recession as employers boost hiring to

Trudeau blames Taliban — not bureaucracy — for pace of evacuations from Afghanistan

OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau blamed Taliban checkpoints rather than bureaucratic red tape and delays on Wednesday as his government continued to face questions about the pace of Canada’s effort to evacuate hundreds of Afghans from their country. Yet Trudeau...

Military officer who led vaccine campaign faces sexual assault charge

OTTAWA — The military officer who led Canada's COVID-19 vaccine distribution campaign has been charged with one count of sexual assault. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin presented himself to police in Gatineau, Que., Wednesday after a warrant for his arrest was i...

Trudeau says Canadian diplomats out of Afghanistan as fears mount for interpreters

OTTAWA — A 10th planeload of Afghan refugees arrived Tuesday evening in Canada as Justin Trudeau's Liberal government faced fresh criticism and calls for action to save hundreds of former interpreters and their families still stuck in Afghanistan. A go...

Ontario open to child care deal with federal Liberals, with some flexibility: Lecce

TORONTO — Ontario's education minister says his government is open to striking a deal on affordable child care with the federal Liberals if it accounts for what he described as the province's "unique" circumstances.  Stephen Lecce told a conference on ...

Artist faces off against homophobia with fantasy Queer Newfoundland Hockey League

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A queer artist from western Newfoundland is facing off against homophobia and hyper-masculinity in sports by creating a make-believe hockey league full of "sissies," "pansies" and "flamers." Lucas Morneau spent much of the COVID-19 p...

Quebec premier promises $100 million for affordable housing in province’s north

MONTREAL — Lamenting the "fly in and fly out" culture of workers in Quebec's northern communities, Premier François Legault said Monday his government would build more affordable housing in the north to entice families to settle. Quebec will invest $10...

Poland keeping ambassador at home amid dispute with Israel

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's government said Monday that its ambassador to Israel will remain in Poland until further notice after Israel downgraded diplomatic ties with Warsaw and strongly criticized a new Polish law that restricts the rights of Hol...

Many Bible Belt preachers silent on shots as COVID-19 surges

Dr. Danny Avula, the head of Virginia’s COVID-19 vaccination effort, suspected he might have a problem getting pastors to publicly advocate for the shots when some members of his own church referred to them as “the mark of the beast,”

Editorial Roundup: Texas

Dallas Morning News. Aug. 13, 2021. Editorial: Texas hospitals are facing a COVID-19 disaster. Gov. Abbott must act