Free Press Head Start for Jan. 7

Good morning.

The president of Kazakhstan said in a televised address that he authorized law enforcement to shoot to kill “terrorists” amid a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests that have turned violent.

The Manitoba Museum announced this morning that it will remain closed until Feb. 3 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by the Iranian military shortly after takeoff at 8:42 p.m. CT two years ago today. The 176 people killed included 55 Canadians and 30 permanent residents. Relatives will gather at an outdoor vigil in Toronto on Saturday to mark the official anniversary of the crash, which happened on Jan. 8, 2020 (local time).

Today is Christmas for people who follow the Julian calendar.

The final weekend of the NFL regular season kicks off Saturday afternoon.

— Adam Treusch, assignment editor

What’s happening today

Caine Rudy (left) and Jennifer Franczyk walk out as Jordan Wieler waits to get a rapid test at a COVID-19 testing site Thursday. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

Cases still soaring: The Manitoba government will send a news bulletin revealing the latest COVID-19 numbers, one day after health officials announced a record 2,548 new cases and a record-high test positivity rate of 43.5 per cent. Carol Sanders reports. READ MORE

Set to release stats: Statistics Canada will release its jobs report for December later this morning. The Canadian Press reports. READ MORE

Court to hear cases: The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the Biden administration enforcing a vaccine-or-testing requirement for large employers and a vaccine mandate for most health-care workers. The Associated Press reports. READ MORE

Record inflation in eurozone: Inflation in the 19 countries that use the euro currency increased by five per cent last month compared with December 2020. That is the highest level in the eurozone since record-keeping began in 1997. READ MORE

Bail hearing for parents: Two parents charged in connection with a Michigan school shooting are scheduled to appear in court seeking a lower bail to get out of jail. The Associated Press reports. READ MORE

Weather

Isla Hill, 9, goes over a jump while sledding in Churchill Drive Park on Thursday. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

Your forecast: Snow beginning late this afternoon, with a high of -19 C, wind chill as low as -47 and peak winds from the southeast at 40 km/h gusting to 60 beginning this afternoon. An extreme cold warning is in effect. READ MORE

In case you missed it

Jets winger Pierre-Luc Dubois fights with Colorado Avalanche winger Logan O’Connor. (Jack Dempsey / The Associated Press)

Lopsided loss: The Colorado Avalanche buried the Winnipeg Jets 7-1 last night, ending a three-game winning streak for the visitors. “We didn’t bring it. We weren’t prepared. And it showed on the scoresheet,” centre Mark Scheifele said after the game. Mike McIntyre reports. READ MORE

‘Fun while it lasts’: A Winkler bakery is selling what it calls TimWiebs doughnuts, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Timbiebs collection of Timbits being sold by Tim Hortons in partnership with Canadian singer Justin Bieber. Kevin Rollason reports. READ MORE

Remote learning might last: If COVID-19 cases among students don’t thwart a planned return to in-person schooling, staffing shortages likely will. Maggie Macintosh reports. READ MORE

‘I’m glad you’re alive’: An Indigenous woman was sentenced to one year of supervised probation for her role in the racially motivated stabbing of a Black man in Brandon. READ MORE

No ‘crystal ball’ needed: A comment by deputy chief provincial public health officer Dr. Jazz Atwal on Tuesday riled front-line doctors and infectious disease specialists. “Their response right now is not logical, and it’s not proactive at all,” immunologist Dr. Julie Lajoie said of health officials. Dylan Robertson reports. READ MORE

On this date

On Jan. 7, 1972: The Winnipeg Free Press reported a Brandon cab driver was abducted by two youths who forced him, over six hours, to drive to Toronto. They were stopped and arrested by Ontario Provincial Police east of Kenora. Winnipeg residents using City Hydro faced a potential rate increase of 12 per cent. Manitoba motorists would face prosecution if they failed to pay their premiums to the province’s compulsory auto insurance plan within 90 days.

Today’s front page

Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Winnipeg Free Press READ MORE