What is the mu variant of the coronavirus?

‘Women were shortchanged.’ Why bobsledding’s idea of equality doesn’t add up

When female bobsledders pushed for an Olympic four-woman event, they got a solo discipline instead: monobob. Now they’ll race for the same number of medals as men, but with fewer sledders. Not the progress they were looking for.

Russia hits faraway targets; diplomat warns of risk of WWIII

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed a string of attacks Monday against rail and fuel installations deep inside Ukraine, far from the front lines of Moscow’s new eastern offensive, as Russia’s top diplomat warned against provoking World War III and said the threat of a nuclear conflict “should not be underestimated.”

The U.S., meanwhile, moved to rush more weaponry to Ukraine and said the assistance from the Western allies is making a difference in the 2-month-old war.

“Russia is failing. Ukraine is succeeding,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared, a day after he and the U.S. secretary of defense made a bold visit to Kyiv to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Blinken said Washington approved a $165 million sale of ammunition — non-U.S. ammo, mainly if not entirely for Ukraine's Soviet-era weapons — and will also provide more than $300 million in financing to buy more supplies.

Fanning takes aim at Canadian title on home course

Todd Fanning would love to make this a September to remember.

The decorated Manitoba golfer — who added a second straight provincial senior men’s championship to his impressive resumé earlier this summer — is now laser-focused on trying for a national title.

Fanning, 58, is one of the favourites as the Canadian senior men’s championship begins today at Niakwa Country Club, which just so happens to be his home course.

“Anyone who thinks they’re going to come out and see a bunch of old guys just whacking it around (is mistaken),” Fanning recently told the Free Press. “It’s going to be a heck of a week.”

All that glitters … could work here

Sometimes, it’s hard to even suggest a change, because it seems there is always a plethora of people ready to tell you that your idea just won’t work.

But a unique program is working in Portland, Ore. and some version of that program could work in Winnipeg as well. Something that glitters may just be a small nugget of gold.

G.L.I.T.T.E.R. stands for Ground Score Leading Inclusivity Together Through Environmental Recovery.

It’s a long handle for a simple concept. Launched in 2021, the program hires people who are either unhoused or have recently been unhoused to do litter collection and tentside garbage collection for homeless encampments in the Portland region.

Canada urged to create anti-Islamophobia strategy

OTTAWA - The federal government hasn't gone far enough in addressing Islamophobia in Canada despite the rise of anti-Muslim hate in recent years, a Wilfrid Laurier University professor said.

Jasmin Zine said the London, Ont., attack that left four members of a Muslim family dead is another episode in a series of attacks that targeted Muslim Canadians across the country in the last few years amid lack of concerted government action to tackle the rise in Islamophobia.

Zine said she is working with a group of researchers on a study that will come out in the fall to document how a network of associations, groups, activists and donors has been promoting anti-Muslim hate in what she calls an "Islamophobia industry."

"We're inspired to act, to do this kind of work because of tragedies like the Quebec massacre, this horrible terror attack in London, the stabbing of a Muslim caretaker at a (Toronto) mosque (last year) and all of the other incidents and issues of Islamophobia that happen on a daily basis," she said.