Honouring Flight PS752 victims and officer dies after riots: In The News for Jan. 8

Voices of loved ones speaking Farsi — some wishing to talk to those who died, others wanting to know their last thoughts — played over videos and photos of faces young and old.

A few hours later, biographies of the 176 victims, many of them with ties to Canada, were read throughout the night.

The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims group organized the services.

Later today, outdoor rallies are to take place in various cities, including Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton.

On Jan. 8, 2020, the plane bound for Kyiv was shot out of the sky shortly after takeoff from Imam Khomeini International Airport. More than 100 of the victims had ties to Canada, and at least 55 were Canadian citizens.

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Also this …

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada is expected to release its snapshot of the Canadian job market for December this morning.

Expectations are for it to show a loss of jobs in what would be the first decline since April.

A loss would end a streak of monthly job gains that began in May as restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the pandemic began to ease.

The gain in jobs had been slowing in the fall and a fresh round of restrictions to slow a resurgence of the pandemic have been also been put in place.

Financial data firm Refinitiv says economists on average expect the labour force survey to show a loss of 27,500 jobs for December.

The unemployment rate is expected to rise to 8.6 per cent compared with 8.5 per cent in November.

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What we are watching in the U.S. …

WASHINGTON — A police officer has died from injuries sustained as President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol, a violent siege that is forcing hard questions about the defeated president’s remaining days in office and the ability of the Capitol Police to secure the area.

The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that Officer Brian D. Sicknick was injured “while physically engaging with protesters” during the Wednesday riot.

He is the fifth person to die because of the melee.

The rampage that has shocked the world and left the country on edge forced the resignations of three top Capitol security officials over the failure to stop the breach.

It led lawmakers to demand a review of operations and an FBI briefing over what they called a “terrorist attack.” And it is prompting a broader reckoning over Trump’s tenure in office and what comes next for a torn nation.

Protesters were urged by Trump during a rally near the White House earlier Wednesday to head to Capitol Hill, where lawmakers were scheduled to confirm the presidential victory of Joe Biden.

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On this day in 1982 …

Statistics Canada announced that Canada’s jobless rate at the end of 1981 was 8.6 per cent — matching a post-war record.

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In entertainment …

Cineplex is calling time on TimePlay.

The country’s largest theatre chain says after nearly a decade it has parted ways with the technology company that operates the movie trivia app. The changes took effect at the end of 2020.

TimePlay gave Cineplex moviegoers an opportunity to test their cinematic knowledge while earning Scene points and interacting with advertisements on the big screen.

The concept was novel when TimePlay launched beta tests in 2011. For years, audiences had been encouraged to keep their phones stored away.

Sarah Van Lange, a representative for Cineplex, says ending the business partnership with TimePlay came as the exhibitor made “some really tough decisions since the pandemic began to stabilize our financial position.”

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ICYMI …

Don’t count out “Caillou.”

Though the Canadian children’s animated series is ending its 21-year run on PBS Kids, its Toronto-based production company says the four-year-old protagonist’s adventures aren’t over.

The U.S. Public Broadcasting Service said on social media this week it’s “saying farewell” to the polarizing preschool show, which was inspired by a Quebec children’s book series.

“Caillou” has aired in some 70 countries and clearly appeals to kids, but it’s also been bashed on social media by some parents, who often deride the titular moon-faced character as “whiny.”

News of the show ending on PBS had some parents celebrating on social media.

But Canadian media company WildBrain says it owns the “Caillou” brand and is “committed to ensuring that kids in the U.S. can enjoy the show in the future.”

WildBrain also notes “Caillou” continues to be available on its Family Jr. channel for Canadian audiences, and is also available in numerous other countries around the world.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2021

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Honouring Flight PS752 victims and officer dies after riots: In The News for Jan. 8

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