Exchange Sessions Featuring Sierra Noble

U.S. court denies man’s appeal in human smuggling case where family died near Emerson

A United States court of appeal has upheld the conviction and sentence for a man found guilty of smuggling Indian nationals into Minnesota from Manitoba, which resulted in the deaths of a family in 2022.

The frozen bodies of parents Jagdish Patel, 39, and Vaishaliben Patel, 37, their three-year-old son Dharmik, and their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi, were found frozen to death in a field east of Emerson in January 2022.

Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 30, was one of two men convicted by jurors of four charges in November 2024 for their roles in the large-scale human smuggling ring tied to the family’s death.

Patel, who is not related to the victims, was sentenced to just over 10 years in prison in May 2025.

With a bang, B.C. applauds health-care workers

VANCOUVER - At the same time each night, Rev. Gary Paterson and about half a dozen other neighbours have begun gathering at least two metres apart on the rooftop patio of their building in Vancouver's west end.

They don't know who will signal the beginning, and everyone's clocks are slightly different, but just before 7 p.m., they hear clapping in the distance.

"It's usually at about two minutes to seven, like people can't restrain their enthusiasm, and then it starts to move like a wave," he said on Wednesday.

The applause is for health-care workers and other essential service providers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tokyo Olympic aftermath still being untangled a year later

TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympics survived the COVID-19 postponement, soaring expenses and some public opposition. A year later, the costs and benefits remain as difficult to untangle as the Games were to pull off.

In his speech at the closing ceremony, IOC President Thomas Bach said a major accomplishment of the Games was simply reaching the end.

“We did it,” Bach said. “We did it together," he repeated, crediting the athletes, Japanese government officials, and deep-pocketed broadcasters for refashioning the Games despite no fans, disappointed sponsors, and no buzz around the city.

Organizers said the Games would drive tourism, showcase Japan's technological prowess, and create memories similar to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The pandemic erased that.

The women’s 100 metres in Tokyo ended with Elaine Thompson-Herah’s celebration. It might have cost her a world record

Thompson-Herah beats compatriot Fraser-Pryce and leads a Jamaican sweep of the podium.

Manitoba tourism reached new heights in 2025

Despite a devastating wildfire season, tourism in Manitoba hit record highs in 2025.

The province welcomed more than 11 million visitors who spent a total of $2.4 billion, generating nearly $450 million in provincial tax revenues, Travel Manitoba announced on Tuesday.

“Manitoba is a bit of a hidden secret, so it’s really exciting to see more and more people from across the country and internationally discovering everything that we have to offer,” said Angela Cassie, interim president and CEO of the Crown corporation.

Manitobans accounted for the bulk of tourism, with 9.37 million of the total 11.1 million visits. Spending grew 6.6 per cent year-over-year to $1.27 billion.

Khan’s abrupt departure presents desperate Tories with a valuable opportunity

If the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives are serious about getting out of the political wilderness, they should start by electing a progressive conservative leader.

Not a louder conservative and not a more combative conservative — a genuinely progressive conservative.

Obby Khan’s abrupt departure as party leader last week has given the PCs something they desperately need: an opportunity to reset.

The party has become increasingly divided between its far-right conservatives and those who still believe the “progressive” in the party’s name actually means something.