Eagle-eyed fans claim The Simpsons Movie got Covid lockdown prediction spot on

COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announce the next steps in the response to the Omicron outbreak at 12 noon.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 28: Colin Kaepernick attends the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "Colin In Black And White" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic) Colin Kaepernick is launching an initiative through his Know Your Rights Camp that will offer free, secondary autopsies to family members of anyone whose death is "police-related."The initiative collaborates with a panel of board-certified forensic pathologists who perform autopsies, disclose preliminary findings, and issue final reports to requesting families."We know that the prison industrial complex, which includes police and policing, strives to protect and serve its interests at all costs," Kaepernick said.

PERRY, Fla. - The suspect who was wanted for shooting and critically injuring a north Florida deputy -- setting off a statewide Blue Alert -- was killed in a shootout with a homeowner after he broke into the man's house.The Dixie County Sheriff's Office said 33-year-old Gregory Miedema was shot and killed around 7 a.m. Wednesday at a home near Tennille, Florida.

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to investigate reported instances of "abusive gender-transitioning procedures" done on Texas children.Abbott sent a letter to DFPS earlier this week saying the law "imposes a duty on DFPS to investigate the parents of children subjected to gender-transitioning procedures, and on other state agencies to investigate licensed facilities where such procedures may occur."The letter comes after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a formal opinion concluding that "performing certain ‘sex-change' procedures on children, and prescribing puberty-blockers to them, is 'child abuse’ under Texas law."Abbott's letter also states that Texas law imposes reporting requirements on licensed professionals with direct contact with children, including doctors, nurses, and teachers, and criminal penalties for failing to report abuse. In August 2021, Abbott had previously directed DFPS to issue a determination on whether gender reassignment surgery constituted as child abuse.In a letter to the governor, Commissioner Jaime Masters determined that "genital mutation of a child through reassignment surgery" constitutes child abuse because it may cause "a genuine threat of substantial harm from physical injury to the child"."Genital mutilation of a child through reassignment surgery is child abuse," reads Commissioner Masters' letter.

The abolition of covid restrictions in Scotland can't come soon enough, say leaders of Renfrewshire's hard-hit hospitality sector.

J Balvin. The singer is still very worried about the health of his mother, Alba Mery Balvin who has been hospitalized for several days for Covid and related complications. She was recently transferred to Intensive Care and Balvin has never been apart from her, standing by her side.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is rare among 12- to 20-year-olds who have received COVID-19 vaccination, a study yesterday in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health suggests.

Aaron Rodgers is remorseful for his controversial COVID-19 vaccine comments – and how they impacted his loved ones, including (maybe???) ex Shailene Woodley.

Vancouver police officers kept on their toes over this past long weekend responding to an alarming number of assaults. Aaron McArthur reports.

The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to the nation’s capital as it prepares for trucker convoys that are planning protests against pandemic restrictions beginning next week.

FILE - Generic gavel on wooden table. DOVER, Del. - Delaware’s Supreme Court has upheld a judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit filed by conservative political commentator Candace Owens against USA Today and another media organization over fact-checking coronavirus posts she made on Facebook.After oral arguments two weeks ago, the court issued a two-paragraph order Tuesday affirming the July decision by Superior Court Judge Craig Karsnitz.Karsnitz said Owens had failed to state an actionable claim against USA Today or Lead Stories LLC, a Colorado-based entity.

People’s Party Leader Maxime Bernier to plead not guilty to COVID-19 charges: lawyer On the enforcement side, the province handed out nine warnings and six tickets last week, with four of the tickets going to people in Winnipeg.One business has been fined $5,000, while two individuals each face $1,296 fines.

No matter how hard you try to beat around the bush, it’s a fact of life that everybody poos. And yet, other than the odd bit of low-brow humour every so often, it’s one of those things that people, especially women, don’t talk about.

KENT, Wash. - Police rescued a disabled woman who was stuck in a car for nine days after it was towed from a gas station parking lot to a tow yard in Burien. According to Kent Police, the woman was reported missing by her sister after she hadn't been seen since earlier in the month.Officers determined that the last time the woman was seen was on Feb. 5 with her mother, a 45-year-old Kent resident.

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Police in Jenkintown say they have arrested a man for his role in the "road rage"-style assault on a woman that happened on February 10. Police say the incident happened shortly after 8 a.m. that Thursday.According to police, the female victim turned into a parking lot from Old York Road after an enraged motorist began tailgating her. The man that was following her, continued to do so and pulled his car around to block her path of travel. Police say the man then approach the victim's vehicle and when she lowered her window, he punched her in the face, grabbed her cell phone from her lap, and smashed it on the ground before fleeing from the scene. After a thorough investigation, police were able to identify the suspect as 42-year-old Tyree Darnell Lawson.

Lorna Klefsaas paid her teen son, Sivert, $1,800 to stay off social media for six years.  (Lorna Klefsaas)MOTLEY, Minn. - A mother had a unique idea to get her son to enjoy his teenage years without the added pressure of Instagram, Facebook, or any other apps.She paid him $1,800 to stay off social media for six years. Lorna Klefsaas of Motley, Minnesota, said she heard about a similar challenge before propositioning her then 12-year-old son, Sivert, the youngest of four children. "I was already a little sensitive to social media since his siblings had struggled with it a bit," Lorna told FOX Television Stations. "I watched social media cause stress, anxiety and hurt feelings in my other kids and I loved the idea of coming up with a way to spare Sivert from that."She came up with the monetary amount to reflect the age at which he could re-join social media.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said Wednesday that the province should look at easing masking requirements in schools. Brown highlighted a recent decision by Quebec officials to lift masking requirements in that province’s classrooms starting on March 7.

food prices, a new national survey has found.According to the Angus Reid Institute, 46 per cent of Canadian consumers are switching to cheaper brands at the grocery store, one-third are cutting back on meat, and one in five are buying less fresh fruit and fewer vegetables.Sixty-two per cent of survey respondents also reported eating out less and a quarter said they’re drinking less alcohol. Milk prices soar across Canada as record price increases for farmers kick in The Angus Reid Institute polled a randomized sample of 5,002 Canadian adults across the country between Jan.

Schools have been told that they may resume normal school routines and normal school teaching and learning activities from this coming Monday.

Jenna Jameson is getting closer to understanding what caused her to lose her ability to walk in recent months. The former porn star, 47, has been open about her struggle with a mystery illness, prompting her to seek medical treatment and become hospitalized for weeks. In an Instagram story filmed from what appears to be her home on Tuesday, the model explained that she is "resting" and still using a wheelchair to get around.

Middlesex-London Health Unit reported eight deaths and 37 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, though case counts are considered an under-estimate due to testing restrictions and widespread transmission.The total number of deaths reported so far this February stands at 49.London Health Sciences Centre, meanwhile, is caring for 51 inpatients with COVID-19, eight of whom are in adult critical care.As noted, LHSC is caring for 51 COVID-19 inpatients, with eight inpatients in adult critical care. Last Wednesday, there were 71 COVID-19 inpatients, with 16 in adult critical care.Of the 51, there were six patients in Children’s Hospital, with five or fewer in pediatric critical care.

Two people were rescued from a trench in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday afternoon.  LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Firefighters in Montgomery County rescued two people from a trench on Wednesday afternoon.SKYFOX was over the scene of the incident at 1221 Mt. Pleasant Road and captured the moments one person, who was conscious, was pulled out. Authorities confirmed both people were rescued from the trench. Their conditions are unknown at this time. This is a developing story.

Ontario should “strongly” look at easing masking requirements in schools, Brampton’s mayor said Wednesday.During his weekly COVID-19 update, Patrick Brown highlighted Quebec’s recent announcement that masking requirements in that province’s classrooms would be lifted starting on March 7.Quebec students will still be required to wear masks in common areas and on school buses. Quebec to lift classroom mask requirements for COVID-19 after March break “I’m very encouraged that the Quebec public health is going (in) this direction,” Brown said.“I think it’s appropriate to get children back to normal where they can learn in an environment that is easier and more comfortable….

COVID-19 on Wednesday afternoon.Copping will hold a news conference at 3:15 p.m. The news conference will be streamed live in this post.

Coronation Street, after she tries to convince Joseph to live with her.How will this affect their relationship? And how will Joseph react? Viewers will have to wait and see.Since joining Coronation Street in 2010, Izzy has become one of Weatherfield's most popular characters, becoming involved in huge storylines such as the birth of her son Jake.Fans were also delighted to see actress Cherylee Houston back on our TV screens, after she was absent from the soap due to the Coronavirus pandemic.Since then, Cherylee has spoken openly about her life away from the soap, including acting alongside her famous husband and filming scenes from home.Long before Cherylee Houston played Izzy Armstrong in Coronation Street, she also had roles in other rival soaps.In 2005, the actress played Jemma Fairbank in Holby City, before going on to appear in Doctors as Belle Hutchinson and ITV soap Emmerdale as Maureen Smith.Cherylee has also appeared in TV series including Little Britain, The Bill and radio drama Tinsel Girl on BBC Radio 4.However, she most fondly known for playing Izzy Armstrong in Coronation Street since 2010.She also formed the Disabled Artists Networking Community, which runs webinars and masterclasses for disabled artists and connects them with those working in the media industries.Talking about the community to Digital Spy, Cherylee said: "Over the last 12 months, as a society as a whole, our attitude towards diversity and change is really shifting."Being a disabled actor for 20 odd years, I know what people feel the blocks are, so we bring the solutions in a friendly way and we're beginning to see the changes already."Cherylee has spoken openly about her health battle, after first suffering joint pain when she was 11

omicron leading us closer to herd immunity against COVID-19?Experts say it's not likely that the highly transmissible variant — or any other variant — will lead to herd immunity."Herd immunity is an elusive concept and doesn’t apply to coronavirus," says Dr. Don Milton at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.Herd immunity is when enough of a population is immune to a virus that it’s hard for the germ to spread to those who aren’t protected by vaccination or a prior infection.RELATED: Omicron variant may be less dangerous than delta, US health officials sayFor example, herd immunity against measles requires about 95% of a community to be immune.

BRENTWOOD, Calif. - A woman had her scalp torn off by a Brentwood police dog after she shoplifted some perfume and makeup from a nearby mall, video obtained by KTVU shows, raising serious questions about when and why K-9 units are deployed. Talmika Bates, then 24, is seen in the video provided by her lawyers screaming and wailing in pain. The skin on top of her head was ripped off exposing blood and bone. "Help me! The dog is biting me," she screams.

SAN FRANCISCO - Calling all doughnut lovers! A California bakery known for its high-quality treats is looking to hire a "doughnut enthusiast content intern" — which includes sampling and photographing the thousands of doughnuts it makes each day. Johnny Doughnuts, a San Francisco-based chain named one of the Food Network’s top five doughnut shops in the U.S., is on the hunt for a content creator and "social media savant." The person will create weekly photo and video content for the shop’s Instagram and other social media accounts — as well as help brainstorm new ideas. "While Instagram has been our bread-and-butter platform (pun intended), TikTok enthusiasts are welcome and we value your insights as active creators," the job description reads, noting how the selected candidate must have a keen understanding of cross-promotional opportunities within the growing #FoodTok community. The selected candidate will photograph in-store displays, as well as new and seasonal flavors."They might even get a chance to taste some of Johnny's newest creations in the kitchen," Craig Blum, the founder of Johnny Doughnuts told Business Insider, which noted how the shop hand makes 3,500 doughnuts each day.FILE - Chocolate glazed doughnuts with colorful sprinkles and icing on top are shown in a file image. (Photo by Dünzlullstein bild via Getty Images) The job pays $17.50 per hour and can be used as college credit if needed. The applicant must have one to two years of photography experience and be familiar with editing software and design tools like Photoshop, Lightroom and Canva.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania's highest court broke a partisan deadlock Wednesday over a new map of congressional districts by selecting new boundaries that broadly adhere to the outlines of current districts, even as the state loses one seat because of sluggish population growth.The Democratic-majority state Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision picked a 17-district map that had been proposed by a group of Democratic-aligned voters who sued last year in an effort to get the court involved.It is unlikely to create a big shift in the makeup of the congressional delegation, as the state loses a seat, going from 18 to 17, to account for relatively stagnant population growth in census findings over the past decade, particularly in rural white areas predominantly represented by Republicans.The map provides eight Republican-leaning districts, six Democratic-leaning districts and three closely divided districts, according to an analysis by FiveThirtyEight, a website that focuses on opinion poll analysis, politics and other topics.Pennsylvania's delegation is currently split evenly, nine Republicans and nine Democrats, in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 4 million to 3.4 million.It lumps two Republican incumbents — U.S. Reps.

Residents will get the chance to shape new Covid-19 memorial gardens in Dumbarton and Alexandria.

The World Health Organization said on Wednesday it has set up a new hub in South Korea to train low- and middle-income countries to produce their own COVID-19 vaccines and therapies.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A micro-preemie is celebrating his first birthday after a four-and-a-half-month stay in the neonatal intensive care unit and surpassing doctors’ expectations.Doctors said baby Jari Lopez had a 30% survival rate after concerns of fetal growth restriction combined with mom Amber Higgins’ preeclampsia diagnosis. Preeclampsia is described by Mayo Clinic as a potentially dangerous pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure. It occurs one in 25 pregnancies, according to the CDC.Higgins told Fox News Digital it was at her 20-week ultrasound when she learned Jari had been measuring small.

TRE - Come Monday, the next time New Jersey’s Legislature meets, the requirement to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be no more. The State Capitol Joint Management Commission voted 8-0 Tuesday to rescind orders it instituted in late November requiring a negative test or vaccination proof to enter the statehouse or adjacent buildings. The decision comes as New Jersey’s COVID-19 trends fall from highs during the holidays. ___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

The Department of Health has been notified of 8,058 new cases of Covid-19.

bloomberg.com

Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and host of the podcast ‘Follow the Science’.Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!

City of Edmonton has its own face-covering bylaw in effect for people two years and older in indoor public spaces and public vehicles. The bylaw does not apply to schools, however. Estimated COVID-19 data shows decline in Alberta hospitalizations over Family Day long weekend The city’s bylaw has two triggers that require council to review masking.

The World Health Organization (WHO), the Republic of Korea and the WHO Academy today announced the establishment of a global biomanufacturing training hub that will serve all low- and middle-income countries wishing to produce biologicals, such as vaccines, insulin, monoclonal antibodies and cancer treatments. The move comes after the successful establishment of a global mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in South Africa.

It was a special day on Abemama Island when community leaders gathered in the ‘maneaba’, the meeting house at the heart of every community in Kiribati. Tekinano Karereiti, a primary health care worker, was facilitating a discussion about mental health. Community dialogue, the practice of listening and talking to each other on important issues, is deeply grounded in the history and culture of the Pacific Islands and this was a good opportunity to raise awareness of an increasingly important issue for islanders.

COVID-19.The daily tally accounted for a total of 1,672 pandemic-related hospitalizations, a decline of 70 from the previous day. This includes 102 patients in intensive care units, a fall of five.In the past 24-hour period, 106 Quebecers entered hospitals while 176 were discharged.The province reported 1,861 new novel coronavirus cases, though the number isn’t representative of the current situation since PCR testing is limited to certain groups, including health-care workers and teachers.

Officers with the Philadelphia Police Department are searching for this suspect they say stole a bag from an unlocked car containing a gun.  (Philadelphia Police Department )PHILADELPHIA - Officers with the Philadelphia Police Department are searching for a man who allegedly stole a gun and other items from a car in North Philadelphia. According to police, the suspect was caught on camera checking car doors on the 2400 block of North 17th Street in North Philadelphia on Sunday. After finding several cars locked, police say the suspect reached a car that was unlocked and took a bag from inside. RELATED: DA: Bucks County man sentenced for selling guns he stole from unlocked carsThe bag contained a black Mossberg 9mm handgun, police say. Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to call the police at 215-686-8477 or submit an anonymous tip here. ____MORE LOCAL HEADLINES ___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

MacKenzie Scott attends the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) WASHINGTON - MacKenzie Scott is continuing to pay it forward by helping communities and groups through her philanthropy.

The damage from the explosion and subsequent flooding is shown in provided images. (Credit: Brigham Young University Police) PROVO, Utah - Authorities at Utah’s Brigham Young University said 22 college students had to be relocated after someone attempted to make rocket fuel on the stove in their dorm, which led to a "fireball" explosion.Campus police subsequently reminded students to "keep your experiments in the lab."Firefighters first responded to the incident around 4:30 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police now say a body that was found burned near Kelly Drive has been identified as an unknown male. A police source tells FOX 29 that the victim is estimated to be between the ages of 10 and 20. The source added that the incident is now being investigated as a homicide. Investigators say someone found the human remains near Brewery Hill and Kelly Drive Sunday, around noon.The remains were taken to the medical examiner’s office for evaluation. More information on the victim’s cause of death has not yet been released.___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

(Photo by Nick Tre.

LAKEWOOD, Calif. - A mother in Lakewood is sharing her story after she and her child were followed home Sunday night, and the entire thing was caught on doorbell video. "Everyone please stay vigilant and lock your doors," homeowner Ali Porath posted on Facebook alongside a video of the incident. According to Porath, she was in the process of unloading the car after she and her child got home. "Luckily, we were at the tail end of unloading everything and had locked the door upon entering," she said. In the video, you can see Porath carrying her child into the house. Seconds later, a man appears in the driveway and approaches the door.

a statement posted on Twitter.Mickelson, who last year became the oldest major champion in history when he won the PGA Championship at age 50, received criticism for comments he previously made to author and golf writer Alan Shipnuck writing a biography on him that is due out in May. In the remarks, Mickelson told Shipnuck that the Saudis behind a proposed breakaway rival league were "scary mother (expletive)s to get involved with." He also told Shipnuck that it was worth getting in bed with the Saudis, despite their history of human rights abuses, if it meant a chance to change the PGA Tour."We know they killed (Washington Post columnist Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay," he said.