Lethbridge news

• Alberta government changing drug coverage for 26,000 patients, expects to save up to $380M

  12-12-2019 23:56 via globalnews.ca
  
  The Alberta government is changing its drug coverage for more than 26,000 patients, including those with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease.
  
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• Dog and her puppies rescued after alerting Sask. farmer

  12-12-2019 23:45
  
  Quick thinking from December the dog saved her five new puppies from freezing after she led a farmer to their location. “They’re doing really well,” said Brent Arstall with We All Need A Rescue (WANAR). “She was very cold, but she kept her puppies warm.” The puppies are around two weeks old and they wouldn’t be alive today without their mother, Arstall said. She showed up at the farmer’s doorstep, near the Battlefords, on Sunday cold and scratching on th
  
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• Unidentified dead cats to now be brought to mass pet burial site: Humane Society

  12-12-2019 23:42
  
  The Winnipeg Humane Society said that from now on dead cats found on Winnipeg streets, with no identification, will be brought to a pet burial site at the Brady Landfill. The organization said so far in 2019 it’s received 201 dead cats, 129 of which were unidentified stray animals. Going forward, cats will be checked for identifiers, such as tattoos or microchips, and if one is found the Humane Society will try to find its caregiver. The cat will then be given back to its caretaker or comm
  
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• Family physicians say health sector cuts will hurt sickest patients

  12-12-2019 23:26
  
  A handful of doctors in the province are raising concerns about how the United Conservative Party’s cuts to healthcare will impact patients who need to see their family physician. The UCP proposed an income reduction to physicians starting in early 2020 and doctors say this would mean they'll have to spend less time with patients in order to sustain their practices. “Some doctors are saying it’s going to be 30 to 40 per cent less time per patient, even up to 50 per cent, and th
  
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• Rare plant grows 15 feet after nearly 40 years in family home

  12-12-2019 23:22 via globalnews.ca
  
  It's not your average houseplant. After growing slowly for decades, it's blooming in a big way.
  
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• Health expert creates greeting cards to help Canadians ‘gently decline’ holiday invites

  12-12-2019 23:01 via globalnews.ca
  
  December is often described as "the most wonderful time of the year," but it can also be the busiest and most stressful, leaving you more susceptible to illness.
  
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• Six arrested as Red Deer RCMP seize cocaine, meth, fentanyl

  12-12-2019 22:54
  
  Police seized a cache of weapons and drugs, including 1.35 kilograms of suspected cocaine, in a massive Red Deer bust that resulted in six arrests. Officers from the Red Deer, Sylvan Lake and Blackfalds detachments executed search warrants at properties in each of the three communities on Nov. 26. Drugs seized included:1351.4 grams (1.35 kg) of suspected cocaine a substance believed to be cocaine 353.2 grams of suspected meth 312.8 grams of suspected fentanylMounties also seized a "large sum" of
  
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• Hidden slip tank used to smuggle drugs from B.C. to Alberta: RCMP

  12-12-2019 22:54
  
  Police seized a cache of weapons and drugs, including 1.35 kilograms of suspected cocaine, in a massive Red Deer bust that resulted in six arrests. Officers from the Red Deer, Sylvan Lake and Blackfalds detachments executed search warrants at properties in each of the three communities on Nov. 26. Drugs seized included:1351.4 grams (1.35 kg) of suspected cocaine a substance believed to be cocaine 353.2 grams of suspected meth 312.8 grams of suspected fentanylMounties also seized a "large sum" of
  
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• Timeline: What happened in the lead up to Scheer's resignation

  12-12-2019 22:40
  
  Andrew Scheer’s decision to resign as leader of the Conservative party on Thursday comes after weeks of criticism from party insiders and repeated calls that he step down from his post. Oct. 22, 2019: Scheer says he won’t withdraw from party leadership after his election night loss. He said he would lead a strong opposition into the next Parliament. Oct. 30, 2019: Speaking on a panel in Washington, former Conservative cabinet minister Peter MacKay tells a crowd that Scheer’s in
  
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• Woman facing 163 charges in counterfeit operation

  12-12-2019 21:58
  
  Four Albertans face a collective 169 charges after police found a "large scale forgery and counterfeiting operation" at a home.   RCMP found personal government ID, cheque books, passports, and other documents and forged items at a rural property near Fairview, Alta., on Dec. 6. All four people face two counts of possessing stolen property:Kailey Peterschein, 30, of Clairemont; Krisi Patricia Summers, 39, of Grande Prairie; Marcus John Moore, 35, of Spirit River; and Peter Josef Mares, 42,
  
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• Stampeders promote Pat DelMonaco to offensive coordinator

  12-12-2019 21:35
  
  After watching all the movement of coaches in the CFL this offseason, Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson knew he'd need to offer more to keep good coaches around.   That’s why Dickenson is stepping aside as the team's offensive coordinator and promoting Pat DelMonaco to that role. Dickenson says it’s the right time for the move. "There’s just a lot going on in the CFL right now. It’s a challenge to keep good people and that’s why I was so excited to keep Pat.
  
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• 'Armed and dangerous' man wanted in connection with Edmonton homicide

  12-12-2019 21:32
  
  Police are searching for Michael Tyrel Arnold, 31, in the Dec. 3 death of Arthur Charles Beauchamp, 45, in the Oliver neighbourhood. Arnold is considered to be armed and dangerous. Beauchamp was fatally shot at an apartment complex in the area of 103 Avenue and 115 Street. Arnold is described as white, about 5’9” tall, 166 pounds with red hair and green eyes. He has a broken front tooth and a scar on his chin. Anyone with information about Arnold’s whereabouts is asked to call
  
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• Leafs great Paul Henderson celebrated for bringing smiles to kids

  12-12-2019 21:27
  
  Paul Henderson was recognized in Goderich on Thursday for his storied hockey career and his contribution to the Smilezones at Goderich Hospital. The event at the Goderich-Huron YMCA featured Henderson himself, Hockey Night in Canada Host Ron MacLean, Goderich Mayor John Grace, as well as representatives from Alexandra Marine and General Hospital and the Smilezone Foundation. A ceremonial ribbon cutting was held for the grand opening of several Smilezone spaces for children at the hospital. The z
  
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• 3 deaths linked to influenza reported in Alberta in recent days

  12-12-2019 21:26
  
  Three people with lab confirmed influenza have died in the last week, according to the latest numbers released by Alberta Health Services. Of the three deaths, one was in the Calgary Zone, one in the Edmonton Zone and one in the North Zone. A total of 911 lab confirmed cases have been reported since the start of flu season, with 181 being admitted to hospital.   Influenza B continues to be a concern in the Calgary Zone with 251 cases reported so far this season, compared to 33 for all of la
  
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• Alberta spends more per student than B.C., Ontario and Quebec, study says

  12-12-2019 21:06
  
  A new report on education spending in Alberta shows the amount spent per student exceeds that of our western neighbour B.C. as well as Ontario and Quebec. The study, published by the Fraser Institute, says per-student spending in the province's public schools reached $14,456 in 2016/17, which is the most recent data available from Statistics Canada.'Caught off guard': Parents react to surprise school bus fee increases Kenney responds to budget criticism at UCP conference Education Minister order
  
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• 3 flu deaths in Alberta so far this season: AHS

  12-12-2019 20:38 via globalnews.ca
  
  AHS doesn’t provide any details on the deaths (other than where they occurred) due to privacy concerns.
  
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• Two elementary school students charged with conspiracy to commit murder

  12-12-2019 20:31
  
  Two elementary school students have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder after death threats were made against a school in Newfoundland and Labrador. Burin Peninsula RCMP was notified about death threats being made against students and staff at Sacred Heart Academy in Marystown at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Sacred Heart Academy has 433 students enrolled in Kindergarten to Grade 7, according to its website. The school’s secretary said they had “no commen
  
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• 'There's no logic': OCAD student dies after shooting in North York

  12-12-2019 20:17
  
  A family is searching for answers after a 22-year-old student was fatally shot in North York Wednesday night, just steps outside his home. Emergency crews were called to an address on Field Sparroway, located in the area of Leslie Street and Finch Avenue East, for reports of shots fired shortly after 8 p.m. After arriving at the scene, officers said they located a man on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead shortly after. The victim has been identified as Jeremy Vincen
  
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• Tofino algae bloom killed more than 200K farmed salmon, says company

  12-12-2019 20:13
  
  A toxic algae bloom off the west coast of Vancouver Island killed more than 200,000 farmed salmon last month. That's according to Cermaq Canada, the owner of the three Tofino-area salmon farms where the algae bloom wreaked havoc in the company's fish pens. "I can confirm that we lost approximately 205,000 fish in total at three of our farms in the Tofino region," said Cermaq spokesperson Amy Jonsson in an email to CTV News Vancouver Island. The company has partially blamed the growth in algae to
  
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• Andrew Scheer resigns as leader of the Conservative Party

  12-12-2019 20:09 via globalnews.ca
  
  Andrew Scheer’s resignation comes as a direct result of new revelations that he was using Conservative Party money to pay for his children’s private schooling, according to Conservative sources who spoke with Global News. Merecedes Stephenson has the story.
  
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• Reaction after Andrew Scheer resigns amid school tuition revelations

  12-12-2019 20:01 via globalnews.ca
  
  Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer has resigned as leader, and it comes as a direct result of new revelations he was using Conservative Party money to pay for his children’s private schooling, Mercedes Stephenson and Kendra Slugoski have reaction to the stunning news.
  
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• Alberta Premier Jason Kenney wishes departing Conservative leader Scheer 'all good things'

  12-12-2019 19:41
  
  Premier Jason Kenney has bid farewell on Twitter to outgoing Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, who announced his resignation in the House of Commons Thursday. "Thank you to my friend @AndrewScheer for his service to Canada in the tough job of Leader of the Opposition," said Kenney. "I know this was a difficult decision, and wish Andrew all good things in the future."Thank-you to my friend @AndrewScheer for his service to Canada in the tough job of Leader of the Opposition.I know this was a diff
  
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• Alberta to transition patients from biological prescriptions to biosimilar medications

  12-12-2019 19:29
  
  A move to force people taking biological drugs to other clinically appropriate but cheaper alternatives will save tens of millions of dollars each year, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said Thursday. The switch, which will happen by July 1, 2020, means thousands of people on government-sponsored drug plans will have to start taking biosimilar medications. In May, British Columbia announced an annual savings of $96 million dollars by forcing its residents from biologic prescriptions to biosimilar m
  
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• Alberta to expand use of biosimilar medication

  12-12-2019 19:29
  
  Health Minister Tyler Shandro will unveil the province's plan to expand the use of biosimilar prescription drugs. According to Health Canada, biosimilar drugs are nearly identical to existing drugs and have no meaningful clinical differences. The biosimilar drugs are permitted to enter the market once the patent on the original drug expires. Shandro has scheduled the announcement for noon at the McDougall Centre in downtown Calgary. A livestream of the availability will be available here. This i
  
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• Murdered billionaire couple posed like 'creepy' life-sized figurines found in home: report

  12-12-2019 19:06
  
  The bodies of Barry and Honey Sherman were in a similar pose to a pair of life-sized statues displayed in the billionaire couple’s basement, according to a report by Toronto Star chief investigative reporter Kevin Donovan. According to a story published Thursday, Donovan discovered photos, taken three weeks before the couple’s murder, of two colourful, human-shaped figurines sitting on speakers in the basement of the Shermans’ Toronto mansion. “They’re life-sized sc
  
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• Home prices in Alberta expected to rise in 2020: Royal LePage Market Survey Forecast

  12-12-2019 18:50
  
  Home prices in Alberta's two major cities are expected to increase slightly in 2020, according to the Royal LePage Market Survey Forecast released Thursday. The aggregate price of a home in Calgary is projected to increase 1.5 per cent year-over-year to $477,000, while the median price of a condominium is forecasted to increase 0.75 per cent year-over-year to $267,500, and the median price of a two-storey detached home is forecasted to rise 1.75 per cent year-over-year to $523,100, says the stud
  
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• Lethbridge man charged with child luring, child pornography offences

  12-12-2019 18:41 via globalnews.ca
  
  The suspect is accusing of participating in sexually explicit conversations with children online and coercing them into sending him nude photos.
  
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• Medical neglect of pets on the rise in economically ailing Calgary: Humane Society

  12-12-2019 18:28 via globalnews.ca
  
  Peace officer Brad Nichols says more animals are being seized because their owners did not get them treatment for fractured limbs, infections, dental diseases and other ailments.
  
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• Alberta NDP wants new ethics review of government over election watchdog firing

  12-12-2019 18:25
  
  Alberta's Opposition is renewing its attempt to have the ethics commissioner investigate whether the government was in a conflict of interest when it passed legislation firing an elections official investigating Premier Jason Kenney's United Conservative Party. “The passing of this bill ... is a gross violation of the rule of law,” NDP Leader Rachel Notley told a news conference Wednesday after filing a 22-page letter with ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler. “What is more,
  
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• Lethbridge man faces child luring, child pornography charges

  12-12-2019 18:22
  
  A 27-year-old Lethbridge man faces several charges following an investigation into sexually explicit online exchanges with children. The investigation into Darcy Heitman's online activity began in September 2019 after the RCMP's National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre became aware of child pornography being uploaded to social media. Investigators with the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams believe Heitman had been conversing with children online, engaging them in sexually explicit ch
  
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• 1.5M litres of crude oil spilled in Sask. train derailment, investigation finds

  12-12-2019 18:19
  
  About 1.5 million litres of crude oil spilled during a train derailment in rural Saskatchewan, according to early findings by the Transportation Safety Board (TSB). That’s more than the 2016 Husky Energy spill, in which 225,000 litres of diluted heavy oil spilled from Husky's pipeline near Maidstone. On Monday at midnight, 33 CP train cars went off the track near Guernsey. About 20 tank cars were breached, released product and sparked a “large pool of fire which burned for approximat
  
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• Kindersley residents asked to stay in their homes after report of gunshot in home: RCMP

  12-12-2019 18:10
  
  Kindersley RCMP say they are dealing with an active emergency after a report of a gunshot. “We are asking all residents in the area to stay inside their homes and stay away from the area,” RCMP said in a news release. Shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday, RCMP received a report of a gunshot in a home on First Street West, north of the hospital. One person fled and called police and officers immediately deployed to the scene, RCMP say. Officers have set up a perimeter in the area of Highwa
  
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• 2 people found dead in Kindersley home: RCMP

  12-12-2019 18:10
  
  Saskatchewan RCMP found a man and a woman dead in a home in the 1000 block of First Street West in Kindersley on Thursday afternoon. No one else was in the home and there is no risk to public safety, RCMP say. The Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes Unit will be taking over the investigation. Shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday, RCMP received a report of a gunshot in a home on First Street West. One person fled and called police and officers were immediately deployed to the scene, RCMP say. A perimeter su
  
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• Andrew Scheer stepping down as Conservative leader, staying on until replacement chosen

  12-12-2019 17:48
  
  Andrew Scheer is resigning as the leader of the Conservative party after rejecting calls to do so for weeks, but is planning to stay on until a replacement is named. In announcing his decision in the House of Commons after meeting with the Conservative caucus on Parliament Hill on Thursday morning, Scheer said he will be asking the party’s National Council to “immediately begin the process of organizing a leadership election.”Who is Andrew Scheer? Read our profile “As our
  
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• Andrew Scheer is resigning as Conservative leader

  12-12-2019 17:48
  
  Andrew Scheer is resigning as the Conservative leader. He was meeting with his caucus on Parliament Hill on Thursday and is expected to stay on until a replacement is named. Scheer had faced weeks of criticism from high profile party members after a disappointing election result. More to come.
  
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• Anderw Scheer stepping down as Conservative leader, staying on until replacement chosen

  12-12-2019 17:48
  
  Andrew Scheer is resigning as the leader of the Conservative party after rejecting calls to do so for weeks, but is planning to stay on until a replacement is named. In announcing his decision in the House of Commons after meeting with the Conservative caucus on Parliament Hill on Thursday morning, Scheer said he will be asking the party’s National Council to “immediately begin the process of organizing a leadership election.”Who is Andrew Scheer? Read our profile “As our
  
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• Likelihood of white Christmases in Calgary expected to decrease in coming decades: study

  12-12-2019 15:57
  
  With less than two weeks remaining ahead of Christmas Day 2019, it's a near certainty that the snow blanketing Calgary will remain in place through the holiday season. But, according to research compiled by Nestpick, December snowfall is expected to diminish in Calgary in the decades leading to 2050. The study found Calgary had an average of seven days where more than 0.25 cm of snowfell in December between 2009 and 2013, and an average of six days of more than 0.25 cm of snowfall in December be
  
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• FedEx delivery driver meltdown caught on camera

  12-12-2019 15:37
  
  A Mayville, Wis. homeowner is asking for an apology after a FedEx driver dropped her package twice and swore multiple times about her and the parcel. Andrea Wendorf's Ring doorbell footage from Monday shows the driver tip the 144-pound package over, and let it crash to the ground next to her porch. The video shows him drag the package through the snow in her yard, while talking on the phone with one hand. The driver then tries lifting the package into the truck, swearing on the phone the entire
  
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• Sentencing hearing for man who tried to kill Edmonton officer, pedestrians in U-Haul attack

  12-12-2019 15:23 via globalnews.ca
  
  A jury found Abdulahi Sharif guilty of trying to kill an Edmonton police officer and four pedestrians in a series of attacks involving a U-Haul van in 2017.
  
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• Crown seeks life sentence for man who tried to kill Edmonton officer, pedestrians in U-Haul attack

  12-12-2019 15:23 via globalnews.ca
  
  A jury found Abdulahi Sharif guilty of trying to kill an Edmonton police officer and four pedestrians in a series of attacks involving a U-Haul van in 2017.
  
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• Concerning increase in medical neglect of pets during Calgary's economic downturn: Humane Society

  12-12-2019 14:41
  
  The Calgary Humane Society says there's been a steady increase in animals not getting needed medical attention in the last five years. The society's peace officer in charge of cruelty investigations says the main reason is people being unable to afford care for their pets. Brad Nichols says a lot of pet owners assume their furry family members won't get sick and aren't prepared for hefty bills when they do. The number of cases in Calgary is more than 40 per cent higher this year than in 2014. Th
  
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• Alberta’s high court upholds Travis Vader’s life sentence for killing Lyle and Marie McCann

  12-12-2019 14:38 via globalnews.ca
  
  Travis Vader was convicted of manslaughter in the deaths of St. Albert couple Lyle and Marie McCann, who vanished west of Edmonton on a camping trip.
  
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• Alberta’s high court to rule on Travis Vader’s life sentence for killing Lyle and Marie McCann

  12-12-2019 14:38 via globalnews.ca
  
  Travis Vader was convicted of manslaughter in the deaths of St. Albert couple Lyle and Marie McCann, who vanished east of Edmonton on a camping trip.
  
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• Military to attempt retrieval of remaining bodies from New Zealand volcano

  12-12-2019 14:37
  
  Military personnel will attempt to recover bodies of the remaining victims of New Zealand's White Island volcano tragedy at first light Friday local time -- four days after it erupted. A total of 47 people were on the island, which is 50 kilometres off the coast of Whakatane on the country's North Island, when the eruption occurred on Monday. Eight people have been confirmed dead, with eight others missing and presumed dead. Another 21 people are in specialist burns units in hospitals across New
  
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• Sentencing hearing for man who tried to kill Edmonton officer, pedestrians

  12-12-2019 13:12
  
  A sentencing hearing starts today for a man who struck a police officer with a car before stabbing him multiple times outside an Edmonton football game. Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, who is 32, was also found guilty of running down four pedestrians with a U-Haul van in September 2017. A jury convicted Sharif in October of attempted murder, aggravated assault, criminal flight causing bodily harm and dangerous driving. He was not represented by a lawyer. The three-week trial heard from abo
  
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• Passenger bill of rights: The air travel rules coming into effect in December

  12-12-2019 13:00
  
  TORONTO – With the holiday season fast approaching and Canadians finalizing their travel plans, the federal government’s second wave of air passenger protections will come into effect. By Dec. 15, airlines will have to abide by the Canadian Transportation Agency’s (CTA) second set of rules intended to protect travellers when their trips don’t go as planned. This round of regulations outlines what compensation passengers are entitled to when their flights are delayed or ca
  
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• Chilean Air Force finds debris, human remains in search for missing plane

  12-12-2019 10:56
  
  Rescuers have found human remains during the search for a Chilean air force plane that went missing en route to Antarctica with 38 people aboard, a provincial government leader said Wednesday. Search teams are combing waters off the southern tip of South America for any sign of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, which disappeared late Monday. Chile's military have yet to publicly announce the discovery but said earlier that search and rescue teams had recovered floating debris and personal i
  
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• U.K. voters decide who they want to resolve Brexit impasse

  12-12-2019 08:24
  
  Britons who have endured three years of wrangling over their country's messy divorce from the European Union cast ballots Thursday in an election billed as a way out of the Brexit stalemate and one of the deeply divided country's most important votes since Second World War. The contest pits Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who says he will take Britain out of the EU by Jan. 31, against opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, who promises another referendum on Brexit. All 650 seats in the House of Commons
  
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• U.K. election exit poll suggests Conservatives will win majority

  12-12-2019 08:24
  
  An exit poll in Britain's election projects that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party likely will win a majority of seats in Parliament, an outcome that would allow Johnson to fulfil his plan to take the U.K. out of the European Union next month. The survey predicts the Conservatives will get 368 of the 650 House of Commons seats and the Labour Party 191. It projects 55 for the Scottish National Party and 13 for the Liberal Democrats. Based on interviews with voters leaving 144 poll
  
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• U.K. Conservatives secure historic Parliamentary majority

  12-12-2019 08:24
  
  Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party has won a solid majority of seats in Britain’s Parliament — a decisive outcome to a Brexit-dominated election that should allow Johnson to fulfill his plan to take the U.K. out of the European Union next month. With just over 600 of the 650 seats declared, the Conservatives reached the 326 mark, guaranteeing their majority. Johnson said it looked like the Conservatives had “a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done.”
  
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