The first giant panda cub born in Indonesia squeals and squirms in park video

Four Jets clear waivers to join Moose

The Winnipeg Jets organizational depth has yet to take a hit on the waiver wire.

On Saturday afternoon, all four players exposed to waivers — defenceman Isaak Phillips and forwards Nikita Chibrikov, Noah Gregor and Parker Ford — cleared, which means they can be assigned to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.

Owing to injuries to captain Adam Lowry and winger Cole Perfetti, both Chibrikov and Ford started last season on the NHL roster but spent the bulk of last season with the Moose.

Chibrikov, chosen in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, has dealt with multiple lower-body injuries during the prior two seasons and is still working his way back to peak form.

The first giant panda cub born in Indonesia squeals and squirms in park video

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The first giant panda cub born in Indonesia is noisy, nursing well and showing other signs of good health, the conservation park where he was born said Sunday.

Indonesian Safari Park released video and photos showing the fuzzy newborn in an incubator and squirming and squealing while being cuddled by his mother.

The mother, 15-year-old Hu Chun, gave birth to Satrio Wiratama — nicknamed Rio — on Nov. 27 at the park in Cisarua, West Java province.

The name symbolizes the hope, resilience, and shared commitment of Indonesia and China in protecting endangered species, the park said in a statement.

Positive anticipation is growing about major housing developments underway in Winnipeg’s downtown

If traffic is light and the wind is down, Somia Sadiq is able to hear the roar of Winnipeg Jets fans twice: first through her window, then on TV.

From her apartment view high above downtown, she can look out at Graham Avenue’s painted pedestrian landscape, see construction cranes and hear the heavy equipment at work as massive housing projects take shape at The Forks, at what used to be Portage Place shopping centre and at the former Hudson’s Bay building.

Sadiq has lived at 300 Main for 2 1/2 years, a few steps from the city’s famous, windy and reopened-to-pedestrians Portage Avenue intersection. At 42 storeys, it’s the tallest building in Winnipeg.

She is among 18,000 downtown residents who will soon be joined by thousands of others attracted to the city’s core by the new wave of major construction projects.

Is a better Winnipeg on the horizon?

Four Free Press columnists weigh in on the challenges ahead and how the city can become better.

Province invests $3.8M in culinary arts training facility for francophone high school students

A new dedicated culinary arts training facility will give francophone high school students a place to learn the trade in French.

The Manitoba government announced this week that it is providing $3.8 million toward the purchase of a property at 170 Marion St. and beginning design work for its renovation.

The facility will be the first dedicated vocational education site operated by Division scolaire franco-manitobaine, and the first fully French-language culinary arts program for Grade 11 and 12 students, preparing them for work in the restaurant and service sector.

“French-language education is a fundamental part of Manitoba’s identity and strength,” Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said in a news release. “It is an exciting step that will help strengthen both the francophone community and our skilled workforce.”

Jets’ brass warming up to El Nino?

Decisions, decisions.

The Winnipeg Jets held their final dress rehearsal Friday night before the curtain rises next week on the new NHL season.

Unlike their first three exhibitions, this one in Denver featured competitive lineups that looked an awful lot like what we’ll see when the games start counting, with plenty of star power and veteran presence on both sides.

So what are we to make of the Jets’ 5-2 loss to the mighty Colorado Avalanche, who captured the Presidents’ Trophy last year and are once again a legitimate Stanley Cup contender?