U.S. political turmoil
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., displays the signed article of impeachment against President Donald Trump in an engrossment ceremony before transmission to the Senate for trial on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump impeached, again: For the first time in U.S. history, a president has been impeached twice. The House of Representatives voted Wednesday on an article of impeachment introduced by the Democrats, charging Trump with “incitement of insurrection” following last week’s deadly mob attack on Congress last week. The House voted 232-197, which included 10 Republicans voting in favour, making it the most bipartisan impeachment vote in modern times, even more so than the vote against president Bill Clinton in 1998. The Associated Press reports. READ MORE
Increasing security in Washington: In the wake of the riot by Trump supporters that culminated in an attack of the Capitol Building last week and resulted in at least five deaths, National Guard troops have been deployed in the city to forestall further violence. Law enforcement is on high alert as the FBI has warned that armed protests by violent Trump supporters were being planned in all 50 state capitals as well as in Washington for the days leading up to the inauguration of president-elect Joe Biden. The Associated Press reports. READ MORE
Weather
Your forecast: The temperature will be mild today with an expected high of 0 C. Light snow is forecast beginning this morning, with blowing snow this afternoon due to winds from the northwest at 40 km/h gusting to 60 km/h.
What’s happening today
John Woods / The Canadian Press files
Jets hit the ice: The Winnipeg Jets kick off their tenth season in Winnipeg tonight at 7 p.m. at Bell MTS Place, facing the Calgary Flames. Mike McIntyre looks at the high expectations for the Jets this year, and the consequences for the team should they fall short. READ MORE
COVID-19 crisis
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES“With a substantial expansion, and with the existing applications we’ve received, we could expand to the point of reaching all Manitobans by the end of April,” Dr. Joss Reimer said Wednesday.
More people can get the shot: Manitoba is expanding the eligibility for who can get vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition to front-line health care workers and personal care home residents, front-line staff who work in disability group homes, Child and Family Services facilities, homeless shelters and women’s shelters are eligible to receive the vaccine. Danielle Da Silva and Larry Kusch report. READ MORE
Getting restart right: Columnist Dan Lett looks at the loopholes in current provincial pandemic restrictions, and argues that officials need to stop trying to draw arbitrary lines between “essential” and “non-essential,” and instead focus on restricting those places and activities known to pose the greatest risk of transmission.
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In case you missed it
The Guess Who
Missing from museum: You might think that given the band’s enduring popularity and musical influence, Winnipeg’s the Guess Who would be a fixture of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Not so, as Alan Small reports; but a recently launched campaign aims to change that. READ MORE
Battling racism: Michelle Lam, a researcher at Brandon University, hopes to open more eyes and generate discussion about racism in Manitoba. She is collecting real-life stories of discrimination and using them to create social media videos aimed at education and awareness. Julia-Simone Rutgers has the story. READ MORE
On this date
On Jan. 14, 1949: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that two young men leapt from the second storey of a burning boarding house on Tache Avenue to escape the fire; the 10 occupants of the building were left homeless and three were sent to hospital. Winnipeg received just under $11 million in realty and business taxes over the previous year, which was nearly a $1-million increase over the year before. The United States said Russia’s obstructionist policies had undermined the United Nations and had forced free nations into entering a North Atlantic security alliance.
Today’s front page
Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Winnipeg Free Press READ MORE
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