BEIJING SNAPSHOT: Olympic press can grab high-tech naps

Flash, bang … oops: police raid leads to lawsuit

A couple suing the city allege Winnipeg Police Service officers trying to execute a search warrant at their condominium complex rappelled down the side of the building, broke in their glass patio door and fired off a stun grenade before realizing they were in the wrong unit.

Saeid Ghavami and Shahla Shojaei, a married couple who are academics and scientific researchers at the University of Manitoba, filed the lawsuit in Court of King’s Bench last month over the Jan. 31, 2025 incident.

The claim names the City of Winnipeg and several officers involved in the operation, whose identities are, at this point, unknown to the couple, and are referred to as “John Does.”

Officers were attempting to execute the warrant on the third floor of the eight-storey Pembina Highway building, the court filing says. The couple lives on the fourth floor.

Cancelling court erodes access to justice — just ask Matt Wiebe

Back in May 2023, when the NDP was in opposition and Matt Wiebe was just an earnest justice critic, he had harsh words for the Progressive Conservative government when provincial circuit court sessions were being cancelled.

Kinew strikes conciliatory tone toward U.S. on eve of 9/11

Premier Wab Kinew encouraged Manitobans not to allow the trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada to get in the way of commemorations on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks Friday.

Kinew said Canadians supported the U.S. in multiple ways in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, while Canadian military personnel “laid down their lives in huge numbers” in Afghanistan during the ensuing “global war on terror.”

“Given everything that’s going on right now between the Untied States of America and Canada on the trade front, I think this anniversary has a poignant timing because it does remind us that the Maple Leaf and the Stars and Stripes will always be neighbours, will always be allies,” Kinew said Thursday.

“While we may have our differences from time to time, those are probably more like the differences you see between siblings than between foes.”

The plane truth about a dangerous president

U.S. President Donald Trump has crossed firmly into cutting-off-your-nose-to-spite-your-face territory.

Ottawa to spend $5M on HIV self-testing kits

Manitoba, which has the country’s highest HIV rate, will receive a significant share of $5 million in federal funding for HIV testing and supports.

The province declared a public health emergency over rising HIV rates in May. Manitoba’s HIV rate is more than three times the national average. In 2024, the province had 19.5 cases per 100,000 people, compared with 5.5 nationally.

Dr. Joss Reimer, Canada’s chief public health officer, said Thursday at the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network in Winnipeg, said one in 10 Canadians who have HIV do not know their status.

“Knowing one’s HIV status enables access to prevention options, or for those who test positive, early treatment to improve outcomes and prevent transmission,” Reimer said.

‘Dynacare sucks’: premier muses about bringing lab services back into public system

Premier Wab Kinew says Manitoba may bring Dynacare’s diagnostic lab services back into the public system rather than continue to sign contracts with the for-profit company.

“Dynacare sucks. They’ve made an absolute mess of this situation,” the premier said Wednesday, the day the company’s 350 employees reported back to work after the labour board halted their strike after just one day.

Kinew first made the remark about Dynacare in a CBC radio interview Wednesday morning and added he is “not happy with them.”

Dynacare performs the majority of non-emergency blood and urine tests in the province.