Meghan Markle's powerful message of thanks to 'quiet heroes' of coronavirus pandemic

A new study comparing excess years of life lost (YLL) during the first year of COVID-19 in parts of England and Wales shows that economically deprived areas suffered three times as many deaths as affluent regions, and young adults (15 to 44 years old) were 11 times more likely to die from the virus in poorer parts of the United Kingdom. The study is published in PLOS Medicine.Though excess deaths have been used as a metric during the pandemi

COVID-19 testing clinic on Holiday Inn Drive was forced to close on Wednesday afternoon after its phones and internet access went down.A spokesperson for the hospitals says all of the tests and assessments for the afternoon have been cancelled.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR on Wednesday named FOX CEO Lachlan Murdoch the honorary starter of the season-opening Daytona 500.Murdoch, the executive chair and chief executive officer of FOX Corp., will wave the green flag Sunday to start "The Great American Race." Murdoch served as Executive Chairman of 21st Century FOX prior to the closing of the merger of 21st Century FOX and The Walt Disney Company in March 2019. RELATED: 64th annual Daytona 500 is sold out(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic) The 64th running will be aired live on FOX, which is in contract negotiations with NASCAR on the current television deal that expires at the end of the 2024 season.RELATED: Country music star Trace Adkins to sing national anthem at Daytona 500The Daytona 500 will have a heavy Fox presence: Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, a Fox Sports analyst, will give the "Drivers, Start Your Engines" command as grand marshal for the Great American Race at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Feb.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 30: A boxed AirTag on display at the Apple Store George Street on April 30, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. Apple's latest accessory, the AirTag is a small device that helps people keep track of belongings, using Apple's Find My PHILADELPHIA - Attorney General Josh Shapiro is issuing a consumer alert Wednesday in regards to Apple AirTags. The consumer alert is an effort to share safety recommendations with Pennsylvanians that  "will protect them from the malicious misuse of Apple AirTags." Apple AirTags have recently been used to track people in many situations, which has raised an alarm for authorities. According to the AG Shapiro, some individuals have reported finding unknown AirTags attached to their cars, in their purses, coat pockets, and other personal property while others have reported receiving alerts on their phones that their location information is being shared.

Ontario fund a new model for outpatient health-care centres to help tackle a growing backlog of surgeries and other procedures.A new report from the Ontario Medical Association outlines a proposal to create Integrated Ambulatory Centres across the province, which would work with local hospitals to perform medical services insured by the province.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR on Wednesday named FOX CEO Lachlan Murdoch the honorary starter of the season-opening Daytona 500.Murdoch, the executive chair and chief executive officer of FOX Corp., will wave the green flag Sunday to start "The Great American Race." Murdoch served as Executive Chairman of 21st Century FOX prior to the closing of the merger of 21st Century FOX and The Walt Disney Company in March 2019. RELATED: 64th annual Daytona 500 is sold out(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic) The 64th running will be aired live on FOX, which is in contract negotiations with NASCAR on the current television deal that expires at the end of the 2024 season.RELATED: Country music star Trace Adkins to sing national anthem at Daytona 500The Daytona 500 will have a heavy Fox presence: Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, a Fox Sports analyst, will give the "Drivers, Start Your Engines" command as grand marshal for the Great American Race at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Feb.

RELATED: Remote schooling means snow days could become optional in NJIn Washington Township, New Jersey, Superintendent Jeffrey Mohre said remote learning or not, he’ll still call snow days."Easiest decision I’ve had to make all year," Mohre said in 2020.Young lions at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, made the most of recent snowy weather on Jan. 19, running around and playing in the powder.

City of Toronto workers will start heading back to the office next week.In a statement issued Wednesday, City officials said that workers will begin returning to the office on Tuesday under a “hybrid model.”Office spaces will be opened to allow for maximum capacity based on health guidelines, the statement said. City of Toronto delays return to office after province issues new public health advice Office workers make up about 20 per cent of the City of Toronto’s total workforce.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia health officials on Wednesday announced new COVID-19 response levels that will now tie the city’s mask and vaccine mandates to specific metrics. Under the new multi-tiered systems, city and health officials say they will stop enforcing certain mandates as COVID-19 metrics improve. Should the numbers worsen, officials say they will use the same system to determine when those mandates should be enforced again. Based on current metrics, officials announced on Wednesday that Philadelphia had reached a Masks Precautions Only level - meaning that the requirement to show proof of vaccination at indoor dining establishments that serve food for onsite consumption was dropped, effective immediately. Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health will focus on four key metrics to guide decisions on mandates and restrictions. The metrics include average new cases per day, number of hospitalizations, percent of tests reported as positive, and the rate of change of new cases. City officials say tying their response to these metrics will help the public understand why the city is enforcing specific mandates, as well as what needs to happen in order the enforcement to stop. Philadelphia’s COVID-19 website will be updated to included detailed breakdowns of the four key metrics.On Wednesday, Philadelphia health Commissioner Dr.

COVID-19 patients in the hospital are dropping, he still figures it could be months before the facility will be able to return to pre-pandemic surgical volumes.Dr. Craig Ainsworth, director of the cardiac care unit at Hamilton General Hospital, told 900 CHML’s Hamilton Today that Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) is still only operating at 50 to 60 per cent of surgical activity levels which will delay some non-urgent and non-emergent services.“It would be silly for me to say we’ll be back at 100 per cent by tomorrow or next week, but we’re trying very hard to get to get there as fast as we can, but it’s likely going to be months,” said Ainsworth.

Queen Elizabeth was photographed for the first time since the public was concerned for her safety.

Other symptoms to look out for

Covid-19 outbreak in the US are pointing sharply downward.

Ottawa blockade that has kept the capital at a standstill for nearly three full weeks are calling the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act a scare tactic.Trucks, RVs and other vehicles with Canadian flags or banners with the word “freedom” in giant letters along their front grilles remain on Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill, with drivers saying they will stay put until all COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions are lifted.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the act on Monday for the first time in Canadian history, with details of the regulations contained in cabinet orders published Tuesday night.Under the act, bringing children to the antigovernment blockades, participating in the protests directly, or bringing aid such as food or fuel to those involved could result in a fine of up to $5,000 or five years in prison Bringing children, food or fuel to convoy blockades prohibited under Emergencies Act Blockades are not allowed on Parliament Hill and surrounding streets, official residences, war monuments, airports, harbours, border crossings, piers, lighthouses, canals, interprovincial and international bridges, hospitals and COVID-19 vaccine clinics, trade corridors and infrastructure needed for the supply of utilities including power generation and transmission.The cabinet orders are now in effect but must all be confirmed by motions to be put to both the House of Commons and the Senate for a vote.The government could take until next week to table the motion invoking the act itself, but has only until Thursday to do so for the motions on the specific powers being enacted, which will remain in place for 30 days unless the government revokes them sooner.

Freedom Convoy” blockade of downtown Ottawa are being warned by police to “leave the area now” as questions heat up about when police will act to remove the demonstrators who have paralyzed the nation’s capital for 20 days.“You must leave the area now. Anyone blocking streets, or assisting others in the blocking streets, are committing a criminal offence and you may be arrested.

As the Emergencies Act is invoked to stop the convoy protests in Ottawa, the federal government is aiming to cut off the movement’s financial resources.

PHILADELPHIA - The Wells Fargo Center says fans will no longer be required to show proof of vaccination when attending events at the arena.The announcement comes as Philadelphia announced on Wednesday that it was immediately ending the vaccine requirement for establishments that serve food for onsite consumption. The arena fell under the city’s criteria for establishments that were required to ask for proof of vaccination from customers and staff.The vaccine requirement had gone into place on Jan. 3.

Renfrewshire children between the ages of five and 11 are to be offered a Covid-19 vaccine.

The Department of Health has been notified of a further 5,268 PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19.

SAN FRANCISCO - Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has agreed to pay $90 million to settle a decade-old, class-action lawsuit over the social media giant’s use of "cookies" in 2010 and 2011 that tracked people online — even after they logged off of Facebook.The company, which posted profits of $39.37 billion in 2021, will pay the $90 million settlement to users who previously submitted verified claims, after lawyer fees are deducted. Meta has also agreed to delete all the data it "wrongfully collected" during that period. The proposed settlement was filed late Monday in the U.S.

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Authorities in Bucks County say they are looking to identify and locate a person of interest in a homicide that occurred on Tuesday. Bristol Township police responded to the 700 block of Winder Drive at 7:15 p.m. and found a deceased 78-year-old man inside of a home. After a preliminary investigation, authorities say they identified Brian Joseph Carey, 41, as a person of interest. The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office identified Carey as the victim’s stepson.Carey is believed to be driving a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer that belonged to the victim.

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COVID-19 as the province began phasing out its vaccine passport system Wednesday.The daily tally showed pandemic-related hospitalizations stood at 1,995, a drop of 57 compared with the previous day. This includes 129 patients in intensive care units, a decrease of three.Officials say 130 people were admitted to hospitals in the past 24-hour period, while 187 were discharged.The province reported 2,328 new novel coronavirus cases, but the number isn’t representative of the situation since only high-risk groups can access government-run screening clinics.On that note, 23,053 tests were administered Monday.

Manitoba COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions down while no new deaths reported Global News will stream the press conference on this page.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The bicycle ride was hard enough already.And then add in getting charged by a bull.At least two videos have surfaced showing a bull in Bakersfield, Calif., charging a bicyclist, participating in the Rock Cobbler, an 80-mile course described as a "stupidly hard (bike) ride bordering on a race," according to the website.Richard Pepper, who shot one of the videos on Feb. 12, captured the moment a bull charged at a bicyclist, who didn't slow down or swerve on his path, but kept moving in the direction of the large animal, which butted its head twice at the rider, who fell off his bike. SEE ALSO: Video captures flock of birds suddenly falling from the sky in MexicoPepper told Storyful when he got to this part of the trail, there were already about 15 riders stopped because of the bull."More racers were coming in from behind.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia has dropped its vaccine mandate in indoor dining establishments and unveiled a new, multi-tiered system they say will guide decisions on easing - or implementing - restrictions in the future. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole announced the news during Wednesday, amid a recent drop in new cases and positivity rates in the city.Bettigole says the new system, made up of four tiers, will allow officials to use metrics to drive their decisions on COVID-19 restrictions.

Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative caseload to 78,50,494, said the state health department on Wednesday. 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have chosen to invite their friends over for Christmas, and it'll be the second year running they haven't spent December 25 with Prince Charles. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex invited pals David Foster, 71, and singer Katharine McPHee, 36, to their LA home.Ms McPhee married Mr Foster in 2019, with the American idol star saying Harry and her husband have "a really, really beautiful relationship."She added they are "like father and son".

Royal photographer Samir Hussein revealed his personal three favorite photos of Duchess Meghan Markle and Prince Harry that were taken in the year 2019.

I somehow found myself with a ringside view. I can remember standing in the 1844 room (which is decorated with many colors but I only recall that day as a mass of pale blue and gold) next to two other journalists when Meghan entered to meet Commonwealth scholars.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are on the move, at least when it comes to getting out of their wealthy Santa Barbara enclave of Montecito, CA. They traded one upscale community for another as the pair was photographed out and about in Beverly Hills on Sunday, Dec. 20, apparently getting in some last minute Christmas shopping. While temps were in the warm upper 70’s, Meghan donned a heavy yet stylish winter parka as they ran errands. The 39-year-old sported a smart J. Crew Chateau wool parka with a faux-fur hood that retails for $375. You can see the pics of Harry and Megan’s outing here.

Archewell has a new partnership. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's foundation is partnering with Chef José Andrés's World Central Kitchen, the non-profit announced on Sunday. World Central Kitchen helps to feed communities negatively impacted by natural disasters, and in this new partnership, Archewell will build four Community Relief Centers.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have launched their first initiative through their Archewell Foundation.

royal family usually gathers at the Queen's estate in Sandringham to celebrate the Christmas holidays, but this year, they'll be celebrating separately from different locations because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Queen and Prince Philip announced earlier this month that they will be celebrating the holidays quietly from Windsor Castle, for example.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced their charity's first major project.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have announced the first project for their charitable foundation Archewell, as they pledged around $200,000 (£147,000) for four relief centres.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s multi-million dollar Netflix deal could produce content that is the “stuff of nightmares” for the Royal Family, an expert has claimed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a deal with U.S.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have won one of their privacy cases. ET has learned, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex won against Splash U.K., the paparazzi agency that took photographs of their son, Archie, in January.

Prince Harry and Prince William, along with their wives, Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, are doing something special for the holidays even though they won’t be spending it together this year.

For some people, the global health pandemic has turned their entire lives upside down, and made the jobs they love dearly disappear.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, this was supposed to be the year they found their freedom. After officially stepping down from their royal duties in March, the Sussexes and their son Archie moved to California, and seemed to have got what they’d always wanted.But after a year of turmoil, both globally and personally, they may be breathing a sigh of relief that 2020 is on its way out.

The year 2011 and 2018 saw all eyes across the world turn towards the royal family as Prince William and Prince Harry got married respectively. While Prince William married Kate Middleton, Prince Harry walked down the aisle with Meghan Markle in 2018.

Noel Gallagher is not a fan of the British royal family.

Chloe Savage, the embroiderer who helped create Duchess Kate Middleton and Duchess Meghan Markle‘s wedding dresses, has revealed she’s struggling to make ends meat during the Coronavirus pandemic.

After a quiet couple weeks, Meghan Markle returned to the spotlight last night to make a surprise appearance on CNN's Heroes special. The Duchess, wearing a tan blouse and berry lip, made a heartfelt speech thanking those assisting with food delivery during the coronavirus pandemic.The speech came hours before Meghan announced her first investment in a startup called Clevr Blends this morning.

Just a few weeks after announcing to the world that she had suffered a miscarriage, Meghan Markle, 39, made her first public appearance during the CNN Heroes special on July 14. She praised the “quiet heroes” who have made a difference in 2020. “In a year that has been universally challenging for everyone, I am inspired by stories of compassion in our communities,” the Duchess of Sussex said. “Across the country, people have put their own needs aside to come together to support the collective well being of those around them.”

Meghan Markle has made her first appearance since announcing her miscarriage and has praised key workers for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.The Duchess of Sussex, who previously shared an emotional message to mark Caroline Flack's birthday, appeared in a clip on CNN to commend those who have worked hard during the difficult time. In the video, Meghan, 39, can be seen sat on a bench in the grounds of her California mansion which she shares with husband Prince Harry and son Archie.

CNN’s annual Heroes TV special Sunday to pay homage to the people who’ve made a difference in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.The Duchess of Sussex thanked the “individuals (who) stood up and made sure the most basic needs of our communities were met” in the past year, which she described as being “universally challenging for everyone.”The 39-year-old added: “They made sure those around them did not have to suffer in isolation.”Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, announced earlier this year that they were abandoning their roles as “senior” royals and relocated to California while the deadly bug was spreading across the globe.The couple has been volunteering with several charities in the Los Angeles area.