Missing B.C. teen safe after 2-day search in provincial park - CTV News Vancouver

Mounties and search and rescue workers are relieved and "elated" that 16-year-old missing hiker Esther Wang walked out of Golden Ears Provincial Park on her own Thursday night, roughly 54 hours after becoming separated from her hiking group earlier this week.

A news conference on Wang's return Friday morning left many questions unanswered, however, with officials unable to explain how the teen got lost in the first place and what she did to survive more than two days in the bush.

"Today, the most important thing is just she safely returned to her family," said Supt. Wendy Mehat, officer in charge of the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment, at the news conference.

Mehat added that Mounties expected to speak to Wang later in the day Friday and answer some of the outstanding questions about the incident.

TEEN WENT MISSING TUESDAY

A search effort had been launched for Wang on Tuesday afternoon after she went missing during a hike Tuesday with a group of four as part of a “youth activity,” police say.

In a news conference Wednesday, Ridge Meadows RCMP said the group hiked the East Canyon Trail to Steve’s Lookout, and left the viewpoint at around 2:45 p.m. to return to their campground. About 15 minutes into the walk back to the campsite, the group’s leader realized Wang had become separated from the group.

Police say the hikers went back to the lookout to search for Wang, but couldn’t find her. Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue (SAR) were called in and searched through the night. Neighbouring SAR volunteers joined the effort, which included helicopter support, police dogs and a police drone.

At Friday's news conference, RMSAR search manager Ryan Smith said a total of 16 search and rescue teams were involved in the search, and additional teams from Vancouver Island had volunteered to come over on Friday to assist if Wang had remained missing.

That turned out to be unnecessary, as Wang walked out of the park on her own around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Mehat.

The RCMP superintendent said Wang exited the provincial park on the East Canyon Trail, the same trail she was on when she became separated from her group. Police believe the first people she saw when she got out of the forest were her parents.

Aside from some mosquito bites, Wang was unharmed after her ordeal. After an assessment by paramedics at the scene, she returned home with her parents Thursday night, police said.

"Her family has expressed sincere gratitude to all the first responders and search and rescue groups," Mehat said. "They're very thankful for this outcome, and they've requested privacy at this time."

WHAT TO DO IF SEPARATED WHILE HIKING

Smith said search and rescue efforts were inhibited by the difficult terrain of Golden Ears Provincial Park, and suggested that the thick tree canopy may have prevented drones and helicopters from spotting Wang sooner.

"It's very steep and it's very thick forestation, which did obviously hamper the search efforts," he said.

At the same time, he emphasized that people who find themselves lost in the backcountry should stay put if it's safe to do so.

"The messaging that we do have is, 'Stop where you are,'" Smith said. "In this case, she was with a group, and if she'd remained where she was, the group did return to that area. Obviously, Esther, we're still waiting – like the superintendent says – to find out exactly what happened."

Even without knowing all the details, Smith said Wang's survival and successful self-rescue is a testament to her "excellent" preparation, fitness and determination.

Police say Wang was well-prepared for the hike and had food and water with her. She also had a cell phone, but there was no reception in the remote area.

"Obviously, we're elated with the outcome of the search," said Smith.

WANG LEARNED SURVIVAL SKILLS THROUGH CADETS

Wang is an air cadet with her local Langley squadron, 746 Lightning Hawk.

Capt. Jacquelin Zweng, a spokesperson for the Regional Cadet Support Unit, told CTV News that Wang was with two other air cadets and an adult supervisor on the hike Tuesday.

“Everybody was very concerned and I think the greater cadet community is certainly breathing a sigh of relief when we found out that she was safe,” Zweng said.

As a cadet, Zweng said, Wang would’ve learned some survival skills. She added, however, that she could not speculate about whether that contributed to the positive outcome.

“The air cadet program covers the learning of forest survival skills,” she said, explaining Wang would’ve already completed four levels.

“Cadets participate in aircrew survival exercise and they learn a variety of skills, such as assembling an emergency kit, operating a stove and lantern, tying knots and lashing, and navigating.”

She explained this week’s hike was not part of a cadet-related activity but was one of the requirements for the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, for which Wang was trying to achieve the bronze level. The award encourages young people to accomplish tasks outside the formal education system.

On its website, the organization wrote it is delighted to hear Wang is now safe. 

“We thank all the members of search and rescue who worked diligently over the past few days to locate her whereabouts,” the website reads.

“At the time of the incident, Esther Wang was engaged in an outdoor activity while completing her bronze award through a local air cadet group.”

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No more slobbing around: men ditch sliders for smart sandals - The Guardian

Sporty sliders may be the shoe of choice on Love Island but outside the villa, men are smartening up.

Retailers report that men are shunning their once-loved casual sliders, and even Birkenstocks with their supportive footbed, for flat leather strappy sandals instead.

“Men are getting dressed up again,” says Tim Little, a shoe designer and owner of Grenson footwear.

“There’s a big swing away from loungewear and sportswear. Men now want to look sharp, especially younger customers.”

A spokesperson for John Lewis says sales of smart sandals are up 67%. A £70 coffee-coloured pair from Dune with double straps, and Kin’s £22.50 chestnut pair featuring crossover straps are the retailer’s bestsellers.

Elsewhere, the luxury e-tailer Mytheresa says leather sandals have overtaken sport sliders as a top performer, with bestselling brands including Gucci, Tom Ford and Brunello Cucinelli.

It coincides with a boom in sales of soft tailoring, in which some retailers are reporting triple-figure growth.

“Fashion is finally growing up again,” says Grazia’s Henrik Lischke. “We’re moving on from the Y2K trend. This look is more elegant and elevated so it needs a shoe that isn’t naff.”

Earlier this week David Beckham, who previously wore a parka with white socks and black sliders to watch a fashion show by his wife, Victoria, was pictured at the Jacquemus show in France.

However, for his front row appearance this time around he wore a beige linen suit with Loro Piana’s £795 brown leather sandals featuring straps that wrap around the foot.

It’s a look that featured on many of the spring/summer 2023 catwalks, including Paul Smith and Hermès.

Little says the Grenson men’s sandal category used to be “very small”.

“In summer, men used to wear sneakers and sometimes flip-flops. Sandals weren’t a huge business.”

He credits lockdown and the boom in Birkenstocks with giving men the confidence to widen their footwear choices.

“It opened up the idea of sandals to them. However, now they want something dressier.”

Grenson’s best performer is the Quincy, a fisher-inspired style with interlocking straps.

Due to demand Little says it is launching another version with a springy rubber sole and a third with an in-built footbed.

Lischke, who has a four-year-old strappy pair from Grenson, says they offer a polished alternative to the gorpcore trend, which champions wearing outdoorsy gear such as trekking sandals in an urban environment.

“I like to wear them instead of a closed shoe with a suit. It breaks it up,” Lischke says, comparing it to the on-screen style of The Talented Mr Ripley and 80s advertisements from Giorgio Armani.

And while Birkenstocks and other “dad” sandals, such as Tevas, may have been revered for their comfort, wearers of modern “mandals” say they are just as agreeable.

“Leather is the best material in the heat because it’s breathable,” says Little. “Shoes like sliders are usually made from plastic which make your feet sweat.”

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LeBrun rumblings: Buzz from the NHL Draft on Killorn Nylander Hanifin Karlsson and more - The Athletic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It is a dance the Lightning are used to by now, but this summer the salary cap is particularly suffocating for the perennial Stanley Cup contenders.

They won’t be a big player in free agency Saturday, nor will they likely be able to partake in some of the big trades going down around the league this summer.

“I knew this was going to be the season where our cap crunch was to be the crunchiest,’’ Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois quipped Thursday as the second round of the NHL draft wound down.

Not that he’s whining. Not at all. That’s life for all the elite teams. No cap room and tough decisions.

It’s about keeping as much of the team together as possible — and already that goal has taken a hit with the losses this week of Ross Colton and Corey Perry.

Now it’s about one last shot at trying to keep pending unrestricted free agent Alex Killorn in the fold before the market opens Saturday.

“I’m still holding hope that we’ll be able to bring him back,” BriseBois said. “He’s an important member of our team. He’s been a huge contributor to us. He’s a homegrown talent. More importantly, I think he can still help us for the future and help us compete for more championships. That’s all the more reason we’d really like to keep him. Our financial constraints are what they are. We’re going to find out soon enough if we’re able to come to an agreement.

“I do know Alex wants to stay as badly as we want to keep him. Now it’s just a matter of whether we’re able to come up with a concept that works for both parties.’’

If he leaves, that’s an impactful hit to the Lightning’s leadership group, too. Tampa Bay could be staring at losing Killorn, Perry and Colton a year after parting ways with Ondrej Palat and Ryan McDonagh.

“That’s the reality when the cap goes up $4 million over six years and you have a lot of good players and they all deserve to get paid,” BriseBois said. “You’re not going to be able to keep everyone.’’

Core pieces such as Mikhail Sergagev, Erik Cernak and Anthony Cirelli all have new eight-year extensions kicking in next season — raises that were deserved, BriseBois said, and allow the team to have a core that should continue to be competitive.

And that’s for sure. The Bolts will be contenders again, especially after finally having a full offseason for their players to rest after three consecutive trips to the Cup Final.

But first, it’s another tough summer with the cap, filling out the roster below that core as best they can. If they lose Killorn, they’ll use whatever was earmarked for him and see what’s out there on the UFA market. But he’s a tough guy to replace for what he means to the fabric of that team.

Rumblings elsewhere:

• The first thing that’s important to know on the William Nylander front is that Saturday isn’t any kind of real deadline for the Maple Leafs. The fact he has a modified no-trade clause (10-team list) kicking in isn’t seen by GM Brad Treliving as a moment when he must be signed or traded. There’s some leeway there.

But there’s still some urgency to find a resolution as soon as possible so the Leafs can continue to address other roster decisions. The problem, in my understanding of the situation as of Thursday, is that Nylander’s ask so far in contract talks is certainly above what the Leafs can live with in an extension. There appears to be a sizeable gap. But my sense is the Leafs will just keep hammering away at it hoping to find a path to an extension.

The other reality is that though it sounds good on paper to simply trade Nylander if they can’t sign him, look at what’s transpiring around the NHL right now, as far as teams’ not being able to move money. As talented a player as Nylander is, what the Leafs have found out this week is that his trade market isn’t nearly as robust as we might have predicted. There’s just no cap room out there, and any team trading for Nylander would want him extended.

If the Leafs do trade Nylander, they also have to have a plan for how they replace his offense. This is still a fluid situation, but it’s one that’s put the Leafs in a tough spot. They want to sign him — but at a deal that makes sense for them. Let’s see what the next week brings on that front.

• Several teams, including Florida and Boston, have shown interest in Noah Hanifin, but the Flames have not been presented with anything close to what they believe is fair value. My understanding of the situation, as of Thursday, is that first-time GM Craig Conroy has let teams know he’s not going to sell low on Hanifin — he will be patient and wants to see a proper trade play out. If that acceptable trade doesn’t pan out this summer, then so be it. The Flames are prepared to have Hanifin come back to training camp still part of the team.

The opening of free agency Saturday could help move things along as far as other teams who have interest in Hanifin. Perhaps they take a swing at UFA Dmitry Orlov, strike out and then circle back with more serious trade offers. That’s a distinct possibility. But whatever the case, Conroy is prepared to be patient.

• The Erik Karlsson trade talks seem to have quieted down. My sense is that after teams found out the landscape from the Sharks, some decided to retreat for now to ponder what they are prepared to do. And it’s a situation, frankly, that could play out all summer. There’s no deadline.

There are two key factors at play here: How much money is San Jose willing to retain on Karlsson’s $11.5 million AAV over the next four seasons, and what is the return for the Sharks? Because again, Sharks GM Mike Grier is adamant he’s not giving away Karlsson for nothing, despite the recent trades of players like Taylor Hall, Ryan Johansen and Kevin Hayes when that was indeed the case.

As one team executive told me Thursday — from a team that’s not involved in the Karlsson discussions — the Sharks’ return or level of return will be greatly influenced by how much they’re willing to eat.

If Karlsson is traded as a $9.5 million player, there’s probably very little return. If he’s at $8 million, there should be some return there for the Norris Trophy winner. If you can get Karlsson all the way down to a $7 million player, then San Jose can really look at a return.

But that’s a lot of money for Sharks ownership to swallow.

Not an easy situation, which is again why there’s no guarantee Karlsson will be traded in the end.

(Photo of Erik Karlsson and William Nylander: Kavin Mistry / NHLI via Getty Images)

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Theres so much anger: France braces for more rioting over police shooting - The Guardian

Amid the twisted and smouldering carcasses of burned-out cars, the stench of melted tarmac and smoke-blackened buildings, French housing estates were braced for more nights of rioting and soul-searching on fractured race relations and deep distrust of the police.

“There’s so much anger,” said Chakir, a 21-year-old youth worker, who had been awake until 5am on the streets of his housing estate in Roubaix, northern France, where more than 100 young people had lit firework rockets with cigarette lighters and thrown them at lines of riot police. They were protesting after the death of a 17-year-old boy, Nahel, of Algerian background, who was shot dead at close range by police at a traffic stop in Nanterre, west of Paris, on Tuesday.

The killing, captured in a video that went viral online, has sparked successive nights of clashes with police on estates across France and politicians feared that rioting would spread. “The police are supposed to protect us,” Chakir said. “But there’s a feeling nothing is protecting us any more. I fear the clashes will continue. Young people are trying to be heard in anyway they can. Violence sparks more violence.”

As more than 6,000 people gathered for a peaceful march for justice in Nanterre on Thursday, crowds chanted “No justice, no peace!” and “Everyone hates the police!” Nahel’s mother, Mounia, looked down at the crowd from an open-topped truck, trying to fight back tears. At the end of the march, near the police headquarters, officers fired teargas and clashed with some protesters on the edge of the crowd. By late afternoon, several cars in Nanterre had been torched.

“We’re marching peacefully against police racism,” said Radia, a student in her 20s, who had travelled from Versailles. “We’re constantly seeing Black and Arab people targeted by police. This is one death too many.”

After 14 deaths at police traffic stops in the past 18 months – most of Black and Arab men – the case of Nahel had particular resonance because it was filmed. Police initially reported that one officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving at him. But the video footage instead showed two police officers standing by a stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver. A voice is heard saying: “You are going to get a bullet in the head.”

The officer then appears to fire at point-blank range as the car abruptly drives off. “They lied,” said a 57-year-old mother from Nahel’s estate.

The officer involved has been put under formal investigation for voluntary homicide. Many on the estate said that without the video footage, the case would not have been taken seriously.

Assa Traoré, a well-known activist against police violence whose brother died after being arrested in 2016, told the crowd: “The whole world must see that when we walk for Nahel, we walk for all those who were not filmed.”

Hamid, whose brother Lahoucine was shot dead by police fire during an arrest in northern France in 2013, when officers said they were acting in legitimate self-defence and were not prosecuted, said: “The police is deeply racist to its core. The problem is that officers are ready to kill people from estates. There are too many of these cases. I’ve been to marches everywhere in France. Nothing has changed.”

Forty-thousand police were deployed across France on Thursday evening and night-time public transport was stopped early in the greater Paris area for fear of buses and trams being set alight.

Politicians feared echoes of 2005, when the death of two young boys hiding from police in an electricity substation in Clichy-sous-Bois outside Paris triggered weeks of unrest, with France declaring a state of national emergency as more than 9,000 vehicles and dozens of public buildings and businesses were set on fire.

In the early morning on the Pablo Picasso housing estate in Nanterre, where Nahel grew up, burned-out cars lined the main streets and shards of glass were spread across pavements from smashed bus stops, which children on scooters tried to dodge. After hours of clashes between young people and police until after 3am, fresh graffiti on buildings read: “Justice for Nahel. Fuck the state, fuck the police.”

Cherin, 36, who lives in a tower block not far from Nahel’s grandmother, said she had watched from her window as the sky was lit up by fireworks thrown at police. “It was like some kind of Bastille Day fireworks display gone wrong – chaotic, angry and frightening,” she said. “The noise of bangs and explosions was deafening. The teargas rose to our windows and stung our eyes. We were really afraid that a fire would break out below the building and we’d be trapped, unable to escape. It’s us, the people who live here, who are suffering from this. We’re really afraid.”

Kendra, 40, was looking at the ash-white burned-out car of her father, a retired public transport worker from Cameroon. “For hours last night, there were young people everywhere, in groups on lots of different roads,” she said. “The police and even the fire officers were pushed back because they were being attacked. It was war. I really think young people here consider themselves at war. They see it as war against the system. It is not just against the police, it goes further than that, otherwise we wouldn’t be seeing it all across France. It’s not just the police under attack but town halls and buildings being targeted. The death of this teenager has set something off. There’s a lot of anger but it goes deeper, there’s a political dimension, a sense of the system not working. Young people feel discriminated against and ignored.”

She added: “Young people are angry but there has to be another way of expressing that. As residents of this estate, we’re powerless as our cars are burned. We’re the ones who are being affected.”

Sarah, 30, who lives on the estate, said: “The mood here can be compared to the issues of police shootings and racism in US. People are saying it is not right for the police to kill a young person of colour at close range for a traffic offence. Young people are fed up with racism in general. I have four sons, I’m worried for all of them. But I’m afraid that this reaction, where young people are clashing with police at night on the estates, will just make things worse. Far-right politicians will say: ‘Oh look, it’s them again,’ and they will use it against people who live on estates. We really hope things will calm down. We really hope we can sleep tonight.”

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Koch network raises more than $70 million launches new anti-Trump ads in early voting states - CNN

CNN  — 

The influential network associated with conservative billionaire Charles Koch has collected more than $70 million for political races, the group announced Thursday, as it gears up to help shape the outcome of next year’s contests up and down the ballot and encourage Republican voters to bypass former President Donald Trump in the White House nomination fight.

Americans for Prosperity Action has pledged to back a single contender in the GOP presidential primary for the first time in its history. It has not yet announced whom it will support, but the group could dramatically reshape the Republican field by deploying its vast resources and standing army of conservative activists on behalf of a single candidate.

The sums raised by the group will help advance those efforts. The lion’s share of the total announced Thursday came from two organizations affiliated with Koch: $25 million from his Kansas-based industrial conglomerate Koch Industries, and another $25 million from Stand Together, a nonprofit he founded, AFP Action spokesman Bill Riggs confirmed.

The New York Times first reported the fundraising total.

FILE - In this June 29, 2019, file photo, Charles Koch, chief executive officer of Koch Industries, at The Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Supreme Court has ordered California to stop collecting the names and addresses of top donors to charities. The justices voted 6-3 along ideological lines to side with two nonprofit groups, including one with links to billionaire Charles Koch, that argued California's policy violates the First Amendment. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

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Koch network plans to back a Republican -- other than Donald Trump -- in the 2024 presidential primary

The group is also launching new digital spots, shared first with CNN, that cast Trump as a candidate Republicans can’t risk supporting in 2024.

“Instead of making (President Joe) Biden answer for his reckless progressive agenda, Trump makes the debate about indictments, personal grievances and the election he lost,” one 30-second spot, titled “The Choice,” says.

The second, called “Unelectable,” describes Trump as a serial loser who caused Republicans to lose the House, Senate and the White House. “If Donald Trump is the GOP nominee, we could lose everything,” the narrator says.

The ads will run in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, officials said.

“President Trump continues to fight against the swampy D.C. insiders who would love nothing more than to have an establishment puppet they can control in the White House,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in an email. “No amount of dirty money from shady lobbyists and mysterious donors will ever stop the America First movement, and that’s why President Trump continues to dominate poll after poll — both nationally and statewide. We welcome this fight.”

AFP Action on Thursday also announced its first US House endorsements of the cycle, saying it will back Republican Reps. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, Young Kim of California, Zach Nunn of Iowa and John James of Michigan, along with former GOP Rep. Yvette Herrell of New Mexico.

In addition to attempting to stir doubts about Trump among the GOP faithful, network officials have said part of their 2024 strategy is to bring more general election voters into the GOP primary process to alter the outcome of early contests.

Americans for Prosperity already has reached out to 1.4 million potential new Republican and swing voters in nearly a dozen states, officials said.

In a statement to CNN earlier this month, Americans for Prosperity CEO Emily Seidel said the group’s voter interactions have demonstrated to it that many Trump supporters are “receptive to arguments that he is a weak candidate, his focus on 2020 is a liability, and his lack of appeal with independent voters is a problem.”

“That tells us that many Republicans are ready to move on, they just need to see another candidate step up and show they can lead and win,” she added.

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Microscopic Louis Vuitton bag sells for more than $60000 - The Guardian

If you’ve even a mild interest in luxury handbags, you’ve likely heard of the Chanel classic flap bag or the Hermes Birkin. But you’ve perhaps not heard of the Microscopic Handbag by MSCHF.

At less than 0.03 inches wide, the teensy, tiny “Microscopic Handbag” by New York-based art collective MSCHF is so small that the human eye can hardly see it when it’s atop a fingertip. And, yet, it still sold for more than $60,000 at an auction this week.

Neon green and made via 3D printer using 2-photon polymerization printing methods, the bag – which is modeled after Louis Vuitton’s famed OnTheGo tote – is viewable through a microscope. Upon closer inspection via microscope, one can see the “LV” monogram clearly on the bag’s face.

MSCHF’s small ware, which more technically is 657 by 222 by 700 microns, was put up for auction by Joopiter, an online auction house founded by Pharrell Williams. According to Joopiter, the item sold for $63,750.

Notably, the producer, rapper and Happy singer is currently Louis Vuitton’s creative director of menswear, but was reportedly not contacted by MSCHF when they created the bag in the brand’s likeness, according to the New York Times.

Kevin Wiesner, the chief creative officer of MSCHF, told the publication that because Williams “loves big hats”, “we made him an incredibly small bag”.

Wiesner also claimed that he believed the “bag” to be “a funny object because it derives from something rigorously functional”.

“But it has basically become jewelry,” he explained.

MSCHF did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on the sale or if they have plans to make more microscopic accessories.

In the auction post for the tiny tote, MSCHF dubbed their creation as both “smaller than a grain of salt” and “the final word in bag miniaturization”.

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“As a once-functional object like a handbag becomes smaller and smaller its object status becomes steadily more abstracted until it is purely a brand signifier. Previous small leather handbags have still required a hand to carry them – they become dysfunctional, inconveniences to their ‘wearer’. Microscopic Handbag takes this to its full logical conclusion. A practical object is boiled down into jewelry, all of its putative function evaporated; for luxury objects, useability is the angels’ share,” the brand wrote.

Begun in 2016, MSCHF has become best known for its inventive projects that double as both cultural commentary and exclusive collector’s items. Arguably, one of their more famous “drops” in recent months include their Big Red Boot, which can best be described as cartoon costumery come to life.

• This article was amended on 29 June 2023 to correct a typo on the auction price for the Microscopic Handbag.

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More than a third of the US population from the Midwest to the East Coast under air quality alerts from Canadian wildfire smoke - CNN

CNN  — 

More than third of the US population is under air quality alerts, covering more than a dozen states from the Midwest to the East Coast, as smoke from Canadian wildfires sweeps across parts of the United States, prompting officials to call on the public to take safety precautions just weeks after similar wildfire smoke blanketed the Northeast.

Over 120 million people are under the alerts and some of the worst air quality, which is classified as “very unhealthy,” is centered over the Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Indianapolis metro areas. Some improvement in the air quality is expected on Thursday, particularly over the Great Lakes area, where rain and storms will help cleanse the air.

Canada is seeing its worst fire season on record as hundreds of blazes rage across the country – with more than 250 burning “out of control,” according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Several Canadian cities also recorded unhealthy air quality index readings Wednesday, according to IQAir.

People walk in Central Park as smoke from wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023. Smoke from Canada's wildfires has engulfed the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the US, raising concerns over the harms of persistent poor air quality. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Wildfires -- and their toxic smoke -- are affecting us more often. What can we do about it?

As massive clouds of smoke cross into the US, air quality alerts have been issued for the entire states of New York, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Delaware and Maryland as well are parts of Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina, the National Weather Service said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul expanded an air quality health advisory in New York to include the entire state on Wednesday. Air quality levels in parts of the state are now unhealthy for all people, while the New York City area remains unhealthy for sensitive groups. Hundreds of thousands of N95 masks are available to New Yorkers, with some being distributed at transit hubs and parks, Hochul said in a news release.

Live updates: US air quality impacted by wildfire smoke

Residents are being advised to stay indoors with their air conditioning running or, in some areas, wear N95 masks if they have to be outside.

Places from Pennsylvania to Iowa are experiencing very unhealthy air, which means the risk of detrimental health effects is increased for everyone, not just sensitive groups. A small area east and north of Detroit reached hazardous levels Wednesday morning – that’s considered a “health warning of emergency conditions,” according to the federal government’s Air Quality Index.

Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Davenport, Iowa, all saw readings in the very unhealthy range Wednesday morning. The smoke is causing unhealthy air quality readings stretching south as far as St. Louis, Cincinnati and Louisville, Kentucky.

A Code Red alert – warning of unhealthy air quality – was issued for much of the Midwest and Ohio Valley on Wednesday, according to AirNow.gov.

Locations under the Code Red warning include Chicago, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Erie in Pennsylvania, Columbus, Ohio, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Madison and Milwaukee in Wisconsin.

The wildfire smoke has prompted closures and event cancellations in the Northeast and the Midwest. The zoo in Eerie, Pennsylvania, was closed for the day; the band Garbage canceled their show in Madison, Wisconsin; and in Ohio, concerts, some sports events and pools were closed. In Minneapolis, the Parks and Recreation Board canceled all Wednesday outdoor programs in the parks, according to a Facebook post.

Smoke from Canada's record-breaking fire season has crossed the northern Atlantic and is now impacting portions of western Europe, according to the UK Met Office.

NASA MODIS

Canadian wildfire smoke reaches Europe as Canada reports its worst fire season on record

Chicago and Detroit had the worst air quality in the world Tuesday night, with Detroit’s air at one point reaching a “very unhealthy” Air Quality Index of 205, according to IQAir. Chicago registered an Air Quality Index of 174 late Tuesday. The Air Quality Index runs from 0 to 500, where levels of 50 or below are considered healthy. The higher the index level, the more dangerous the air quality.

City skylines were blurred by smoke Tuesday and Wednesday, with a white haze lingering over roads and neighborhoods.

“I can feel like a burning in my throat,” Dalyca Khuder, who was visiting Detroit, told CNN affiliate WXYZ. “The air quality is just really bad and I don’t want that stuff in my lungs.”

A thick haze blankets Pittsburgh on Wednesday morning.

Chrissy Suttles/Beaver County Times/USA Today Network

Chicago asked all residents – especially those with heart or lung disease, older adults, pregnant people and young children – to avoid outdoor activities and protect themselves from exposure. Chicago Public Schools and camps are also moving activities indoors, city officials said in a news release.

“Within five steps of walking outside in the morning yesterday I could smell the smoke and see the haze—it looks like if you were looking through clingfilm,” Brent Rappaport, a Chicago resident, told CNN, referring to the air quality in the city on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“I usually bike to work in the summer months but with this air that’s really not possible.”

About 11 miles away, Evanston, Illinois, closed all swimming beaches and canceled a concert Tuesday due to the poor air quality, the city said on Facebook, asking residents to limit outdoor exposure through Wednesday.

In Michigan, the Mackinac Bridge was shrouded in smoke Tuesday. Motorists were asked to drive slowly and with caution due to the reduced visibility on the bridge.

Smoke from Canadian fires covers the Mackinac Bridge connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan.

The Mackinac Bridge Authority

High levels of fine particulate in the air in Michigan could become unhealthy or hazardous for all residents at some point – not just sensitive groups, the state’s health department warned.

“The most protective option when air is unhealthy for you is to stay indoors with air conditioning, reduce strenuous activities and limit outdoor activities. If you must be outside, N95 masks offer enhanced protection when used according to product instructions,” the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.

Wildfire smoke carries particulate matter, or PM2.5 – a tiny but dangerous pollutant that, when inhaled, can travel deep into lung tissue and enter the bloodstream, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The particulate matter has been linked to a number of health problems including asthma, heart disease and other respiratory illnesses.

American cities under air quality alerts are mostly in “Code Orange” – with the air deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups – or “Code Red,” which is when the air is believed to be unhealthy for the public.

Hazy skies could return to New York

Officials in New York warned that air quality levels could spike to hazardous levels this week – about three weeks after New York City topped the list of the world’s worst air pollution as smoke from the Canadian wildfires wafted south, turning skies orange.

A person talks on his phone as he looks through the haze at the George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee, N.J., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. Intense Canadian wildfires are blanketing the northeastern U.S. in a dystopian haze, turning the air acrid, the sky yellowish gray and prompting warnings for vulnerable populations to stay inside. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Seth Wenig/AP

Poor air quality on the East Coast is putting vulnerable neighborhoods at higher risk, activists say

“With smoke from the Canadian wildfires once again impacting air quality throughout our state this week, we’re urging New Yorkers to remain vigilant,” Hochul said in a statement.

“We’re activating emergency cell phone alerts to ensure New Yorkers have the latest information and are continuing to coordinate with local counties to monitor conditions and distribute masks. I encourage all New Yorkers to stay informed about the latest updates and take the necessary precautions to protect yourselves and your loved ones.”

In Ohio, a spokesperson for the Cleveland’s mayor’s office said, “what happened in NY a few weeks ago and Chicago today may happen here in Cleveland tomorrow.”

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency issued an air quality advisory, forecasting fine particulate levels in the “Unhealthy” Air Quality Index range.

Indianapolis drivers were also warned about reduced visibility, with the National Weather Service saying to “be prepared for haze that could suddenly reduce visibilities” in some areas Tuesday and Wednesday.

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More than a third of the US population, from the Midwest to the East Coast, under air quality alerts from Canadian wildfire smoke - CNN
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Trudeau announces child-care infrastructure funding to build more spaces - CTV News

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced $625 million of funding to help provinces and territories build child-care infrastructure.

Trudeau says the money will be rolled out over four years and will help providers renovate, retrofit and build new not-for-profit and public child-care facilities.

The announcement follows through on the child-care infrastructure fund promised by the Liberal government in the 2022 budget.

It's meant to complement the national child-care program, which aims to deliver child care for $10 a day, on average, by 2026.

Parents have already seen fees reduced by an average of at least 50 per cent across the country.

Advocates and experts have raised concerns about a lack of spaces to accommodate the growing demand for subsidized child care.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2023.

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Smoky conditions continue in Toronto today - CP24

A special air quality statement remains in effect this morning for the Greater Toronto Area as smoke from forest fires continue to cause high levels of air pollution across the province.

Environment Canada said smoke plumes from forest fires in northeastern Ontario and Quebec have migrated to other parts of the province, including the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, resulting in “deteriorating air quality.”

“Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour,” the air quality advisory read.

Smoky conditions earlier this month prompted a number of closures and cancellations in Toronto due to poor air quality.

“We do have an air quality index at seven, which is a high risk… (there is) some poor air quality out there today as those winds out of the north and northwest continue to draw down that smoke from northeastern Ontario and central western Quebec,” CP24 Meteorologist Bill Coulter said on Wednesday morning.

“If you have any sort of respiratory issues, you definitely want to take it easy today.”

Toronto's air quality was ranked the sixth worst in the world on Wednesday morning. 

Environment Canada said the conditions are expected to improve in some areas on Thursday night.

WATCH: CP24’s Steve Ryan speaks with Torontonians at Woodbine Beach about the wildfire smoke that has now enveloped Toronto. The city remains under a special air quality statement.https://t.co/9xLTBCMueR pic.twitter.com/KKdgwGyban

— CP24 (@CP24) June 28, 2023

Jeffrey Brook, an associate professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said when it comes to the smoke, medical experts are predominantly concerned for people with pre-existing respiratory conditions and those who are very young.

“That is the first thing we worry about is the vulnerable people,” Brook said. “It can lead to much worsening symptoms and needing more medication.”

Precautions need to be taken to protect children, he noted.

“Kids are more vulnerable because they are active and particles deposit in their lungs differently than adults,” he said. “Their lungs are even developing because lungs grow well into our teens.”

Brook said people should be cautious not to over-exert themselves on days with poor air quality.

“If you are really feeling that things aren’t right, make sure you are approaching a medical person right away to let them know,” he said. “Don’t try to tough it out. Go for help.”

He said wearing a high quality mask can help reduce the particles that are inhaled when outdoors.

“Every little bit helps with respect to preventing what we get exposed to,” he added.

“N95s offer the best protection if they are fit well. Thanks to COVID I think there are more options for good masks that are also easier to breathe in. Definitely don’t be shy to wear your mask. Every little bit of reduction of inhalation of smoke is a benefit.”

Brook said while poor air quality is not common in Toronto, it is not surprising that we are seeing more and more days like this.

“As anyone looks at what are the health implications here in North America of climate change, one of the things that is at the top always… are more wildfires and more smoke exposure. So it is not a surprise,” he said.

“We’ve also been seeing these types of events happen all around the world with increasing frequency. It happens to be now closer to us.” 

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Donald Trump says more indictments are possible at 2024 campaign stop - USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday disputed the latest development in the federal classified documents case against him − an audio recording in which he discusses classified information he wasn't entitled to have − and warned supporters that additional indictments may be coming soon.

"There could be others coming," Trump told members of the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women, predicting that future charges will drive up his poll numbers among GOP voters.

Trump already faces trials over hush money allegations in New York state and claims he mishandled classified documents in Florida.

He is still under investigation in Atlanta over allegations he pressured state officials to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 race for the White House. There is another ongoing investigation in Washington, D.C., over efforts to block Congress from certifying Biden's election in the Electoral College.

In his New Hampshire speech, Trump denied wrongdoing and accused prosecutors of engaging in "election interference."

The classified documents tape

Trump did not discuss the newly surfaced tape in his speech on Tuesday, but did on social media and in an interview.

"I don’t know of any recordings that we should be concerned with because I don’t do things wrong. I do things right," Trump told Fox News Digital. "I’m a legitimate person."

The tape obtained by CNN reflected the indictment allegation that Trump shared classified information with others.

In a 2021 meeting with people working on a book by White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Trump discussed what he called "highly confidential" documents.

"This is secret information," Trump said in the audio clip.

"See, as president I could have declassified it," Trump added. "Now I can't, you now, but this is still a secret."

'Numbers will keep going up'

In bracing supporters for the prospect of more indictments, Trump also joked that his "numbers will keep going up," which has happened in polls following his first two indictments.

That includes polls in New Hampshire, which will host the first primary of the 2024 campaign cycle.

A new poll from the St. Anselm College Survey Center said 47% of registered voters in New Hampshire would back Trump if the primary were held now. That is far ahead of challengers like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 19% and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at 6%.

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More grocery competition needed in Canada: Competition Bureau - CTV News

Canada's grocery sector needs more competition to help keep food prices down, give shoppers more choice and encourage new entrants, the country's competition watchdog says.

In a highly anticipated study released Tuesday, the Competition Bureau said concentration in the grocery industry has increased in recent years and the largest grocers have increased the amount they make on food sales.

Most Canadians buy groceries in stores owned by a handful of grocery giants, with Canada's three largest grocers -- Loblaws, Sobeys, and Metro -- collectively reporting more than $100 billion in sales and $3.6 billion in profits last year, the study found.

Food gross margins have generally increased over the last five years by a "modest yet meaningful" amount of one or two percentage points, the Competition Bureau said.

"This longer-term trend predates the supply chain disruptions faced during the pandemic and the current inflationary period," it said.

That's roughly equivalent to $1 to $2 on each $100 that Canadians spend on groceries, the study found.

The regulator said this signals the need for more competition in Canada's grocery industry.

"Canada needs solutions to help bring grocery prices in check," the study said. "More competition is a key part of the answer."

The competition watchdog proposed four recommendations to improve competition and lower prices, including an innovation strategy to support new grocery businesses and expand consumer choice.

It also recommends governments encourage the growth of independent grocers and the entry of international grocers into the Canadian market, standardize unit pricing to help Canadians easily compare prices, and curb real estate practices in the industry that limit competition, such as putting covenants on sold land that prevents any new grocer from operating there.

Gary Sands, senior vice-president of public policy with the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, said the study recognizes that more needs to be done to support independent grocers in Canada.

"They've drawn attention to some of the challenges that are faced by independent grocers," he said. "There are a lot of barriers to entry that make it hard to compete with the chains and this will hopefully lead to some changes."

Karl Littler, senior vice-president of public affairs with the Retail Council of Canada, said the study proves that major grocery chains have not made an excessive profit on food.

"We see this as another nail in the coffin of the greedflation hysteria," he said, referring to allegations that higher prices during the pandemic have been due to grocery chains engaged in price gouging and so-called greedflation -- raising prices by more than the rate of inflation.

However, the Bureau said its inability to compel information as part of the study limited its access to some details and highlighted the need for more formal information-gathering powers.

It said it also needs to approach its work in the grocery industry with "heightened vigilance and scrutiny" to ensure Canadians benefit from greater choice and more affordable groceries.

"We need to thoroughly and quickly investigate allegations of wrongdoing, and we need the power to act when issues arise," the study said.

In a survey of consumer attitudes and opinions about the grocery sector, some Canadians said the country's laws don't go far enough to stop deals that are bad for competition, while others felt the Competition Bureau has just not done a good enough job enforcing those laws, the study said.

When the Competition Act was introduced in 1986, there were at least eight large grocery chains across Canada, the study said. Each was owned by a different company.

Today there are five large chains that operate in Canada: Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro, Costco and Walmart.

The competition watchdog committed to taking steps to better promote competition in the Canadian grocery industry, including providing a pro-competitive perspective to support the implementation of Canada's grocery code of conduct.

It also committed to revisiting the findings of its study in three years to assess the progress on recommendations it has made to government.

The concentrated nature of Canada's grocery's sector has come under intense scrutiny in recent years.

The big three grocery chains have been embroiled in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme, which observers say has triggered distrust of the grocery industry.

The large grocers have also been accused of wage fixing after simultaneously scrapping pandemic bonuses for front-line workers.

It's behaviour the House of Commons industry committee likened to "cartel-like practices" in a June 2021 report.

Yet Canada's grocers have argued that consolidation increases efficiencies and provides consumers with more value, even as their profits have climbed.

The House of Commons agriculture committee has floated the idea of a windfall tax on those profits to "disincentivize excess hikes in their profit margins for these items."

Meanwhile, a grocery industry committee is continuing to hammer out a new code of conduct that would help level the playing field between large grocers, independents and suppliers.

Food prices have recorded a massive spike in Canada since November 2021 -- the last month for which grocery inflation was under five per cent.

Since then, grocery prices have consistently risen by close to double digits, peaking at an 11.4 per cent year-over-year price hike last September and again in November before easing somewhat in recent months.

Statistics Canada said Tuesday grocery prices rose nine per cent year over year in May.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2023.

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More competition can help keep grocery prices in check report argues - Global News

Governments must act to bring more grocers into the Canadian market, argues a new Competition Bureau report examining concentration in the sector.

The investigation, which arose in response to surging inflation at the grocery store last fall, ties higher prices to a lack of competition in the Canadian grocery industry. But it stops short of alleging any wrongdoing or profiteering from grocers amid high price pressures.

Most Canadians buy food in stores owned by a handful of grocery giants, with Canada’s three largest grocers — Loblaws, Sobeys and Metro — collectively reporting more than $100 billion in sales and $3.6 billion in profits last year, the study found.

The Competition Bureau’s investigation sought to find out to what extent high levels of concentration in Canada’s grocery industry was contributing to soaring levels of food inflation — a trend that continues to cause pain on Canadian household budgets.

6:12 Money Matters: Inflation, gas prices and summer travel

The latest annual inflation reading from Statistics Canada Tuesday showed that while overall inflation had cooled to 3.4 per cent in May, grocery prices remain elevated at 9.0 per cent last month.

“Canada needs solutions to help bring grocery prices in check,” the Competition Bureau study said. “More competition is a key part of the answer.”

Report offers new insight on food profit margins

While some critics have accused Canada’s grocers of profiteering off of higher food prices during the current inflationary period, a lack of detailed disclosures about how much of the grocery giants’ profits are derived from food compared to pharmacy and cosmetic sales, for example, has made analysis difficult in the past.

The Competition Bureau report offered new insights into grocers’ food margins, showing “modest yet meaningful” growth since 2017.

The average one to two percentage points added to grocers’ margins works out to an extra $1-2 per $100 spent by Canadians at the grocery store, according to the report.

The agency noted that the growth trend in grocers’ food margins had been underway since before the pandemic and the latest bout of high inflation, which many economists have tied to supply chain disruptions and severe weather impacts.

The grocery sector is typically a low-margin industry, the Bureau noted, which gives even small increases in a company’s food margins an outsized impact on overall profits.

A highly competitive grocery industry would not see margins rise easily, the report argues, as stores would find incentives to trim their margins to compete with other grocers.

“Additional grocery competition would help cap grocery price inflation,” the report read.

0:48 Canada Bread fined $50 million after pleading guilty to price-fixing wholesale bread

Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, which contributed to the Competition Bureau report, says the study states the “obvious” when it comes to Canada’s concentrated grocery sector.

“We need more competition,” he tells Global News.

Canadian grocers’ profit margins are typically double those of their U.S. counterparts, according to Charlebois, suggesting that big players in Canada’s grocery sector face less pressure than those south of the border.

“Grocers are in a cozy environment in Canada,” he says.

While the Competition Bureau based its analysis on willing disclosures from grocers themselves, the agency did not provide those breakdowns in its report, citing confidentiality requirements.

It also noted that grocers’ levels of cooperation with the probe “varied significantly, and was not fulsome.”

The Competition Bureau cannot compel corporations to provide financial data under current legislation — a power the agency said in the report it would like to see added in revisions to the Competition Act.

Global News reached out to Loblaw, Metro and Empire for comment on the report. Loblaw and Metro responded but deferred questions to the Retail Council of Canada.

The non-profit association, which represents retailers including Canadian grocers, said in a statement Tuesday that with the Bureau’s report finding profit margins growing at a “modest” clip, the “greedflation smear is officially dead.”

Did the Competition Bureau find signs of 'greedflation'?

A similar report looking into the causes of food inflation from the House of Commons’ agriculture committee released earlier this month proposed implementing a windfall tax on corporate profits if the Competition Bureau’s probe found evidence that grocers were profiteering amid higher inflation.

While the Bureau’s report shows profit margins on food were indeed rising over the past five years, it does not lay any charges of wrongdoing or collusion at the feet of Canada’s biggest grocers.

Asked about whether the proposed windfall tax could help level the playing field in the grocery sector, senior officials at the Competition Bureau told reporters on Tuesday that taxation issues “fall outside (its) mandate.”

4:26 Supermarket inflation or ‘greedflation’?

Retail Council of Canada spokesperson Michelle Wasylyshen said in the statement that established grocers in Canada have never been inhospitable to external competitors.

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She pointed to the report’s painting of Canada’s grocery industry as difficult for foreign players to break into as proof that prices are already competitive across the sector.

“The conclusion that we draw from the report is something of a paradox: more competition could result in lower prices, but foreign grocers aren’t raising their hands to enter our market because Canadian grocers already compete fiercely on price,” said Wasylyshen.

Michael von Massow, food economics professor at the University of Guelph, agrees that the Competition Bureau report fails to find any “wrongdoing” on the part of grocers.

He tells Global News that the Bureau had its work cut out for itself with a short timeframe to conduct the probe and a set of grocers who seemed unwilling to play ball.

What can governments do?

The independent consumer watchdog recommends all levels of government encourage the entry of new homegrown grocers into the market and seek ways to lure international brands to the country.

The report also includes recommendations to standardize packaging units and to limit property controls used to prevent new grocers from opening up shop.

But von Massow says the recommendations made in the report are largely done so “in principle” — that more competition will be good for prices as a rule of thumb rather than a specific solution to a problem.

Some of these recommendations could backfire, von Massow argues, if followed blindly.

While he agrees that Canada’s grocery giants do have a degree of pricing power, they also have buying power with the scale of their distribution networks. Expanding the number of smaller players in the industry could bake higher prices into the market, he argues, if their supply chains aren’t as efficient.

“If we break them up or we bring new competitors in to split the market a bit more, we may actually put more cost into the system,” von Massow says. And that could actually be somewhat inflationary.”

Von Massow says he’d also like to see more study done on the prospect of bringing in more international retailers before governments start rolling out subsidies, for example, to see if such a move would actually directly improve prices for consumers.

Foreign players might not see the high overhead costs needed to set up shop in the market as worth the risk, but he notes incentivizing them to come here might not be worth Canada’s dime, either.

“If competitors are telling us they don’t want to come in, perhaps it means we have an already relatively competitive marketplace.”

0:40 Inflation rate dropped to 3.4% in May, lowest in over 2 years: Statistics Canada

The Bureau said it also needs to approach its work in the grocery industry with “heightened vigilance and scrutiny” to ensure Canadians benefit from greater choice and more affordable groceries.

“We need to thoroughly and quickly investigate allegations of wrongdoing, and we need the power to act when issues arise,” the study said.

The watchdog committed to taking steps to better promote competition in the Canadian grocery industry, including providing a pro-competitive perspective to support the implementation of Canada’s grocery code of conduct.

It also committed to revisiting the findings of its study in three years to assess the progress on recommendations it has made to government.

— with files from Global News’s Anne Gaviola and The Canadian Press

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