Coronavirus crisis
Two women take a selfie with the Olympic rings in the background in the Odaiba section of Tokyo, Thursday, March 12, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jae C. Hong
No-go on Tokyo: Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, said postponing the Tokyo Olympics is unavoidable if the games cannot be held in a complete way. He spoke in his country’s Parliament after Team Canada announced it won’t be sending athletes this summer. READ MORE
‘Essential’ exemption: Some health-care workers who return from international travel are being told to forgo the 14-day self-isolation period. Manitoba Nurses Union president Darlene Jackson said its members should be treated the same as anyone else. The province’s chief nursing officer, Lanette Siragusa, says some workers “deemed operationally required” can work if they have cleared an assessment, are asymptomatic, avoid high-risk patients and wear a mask. Maggie Macintosh reports. READ MORE
‘Don’t be shy’: A small business owner has created a Facebook page to connect people in need with people who can help. Doug Speirs reports. READ MORE
Toll hits 20: The Manitoba government will give its daily update on the province’s COVID-19 cases later this morning. There have been 20 probable and confirmed cases so far. Starting today, only one pool television camera will be allowed into the news briefing, but reporters can ask questions on a conference call. Maggie Macintosh and Ben Waldman report. READ MORE
Congressional cash: In Washington, D.C. the U.S. Senate will reconvene at 11 a.m. CDT in hopes of passing an economic rescue package worth nearly US$2 trillion. READ MORE
Weather
Your forecast: Mainly sunny with a high of 1 C, wind from the south at 15 km/h increasing to 30 km/h and gusting to 50 this afternoon, and wind chill as low as -14 this morning.
More on the virus
JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSJanna Ingeberg, who rents a home in the North End, is photographed at her house in Winnipeg. The provincial government has not implemented relief for renters during the Covid-19 crisis.
Renters seek relief: Manitobans are being encouraged to stay home, but many renters might soon be unable to afford that. The provincial government has yet to announce any substantive plans to help renters. Ben Waldman reports. READ MORE
Marathon mentality: How long we have to live in isolation depends on us, our latest editorial states. READ MORE
‘Just calm down’: Craig Alexander, the chief economist for Deloitte Canada, tells the Free Press that, “In this current environment, fear is our biggest enemy.” Martin Cash reports. READ MORE
Sign on the times: Carol Sanders has a story on Mar Koskie, the sign language interpreter who can be seen at daily news briefings on the virus. “It’s so important — so crucial — that this information is getting out to the community,” Koskie said through a hearing interpreter. READ MORE
In other news
Joyce Milgaard and her son David walk outside the Supreme Court in Ottawa on Jan.22, 1999. Joyce Milgaard died at the age of 89 onSaturday. Fred Chartrand / The Canadian Press files
Dogged determination: In his latest column, Dan Lett recounts his favourite story about Joyce Milgaard, who spent much of her life working to free her wrongfully convicted son. She was a woman of “indefatigable faith,” Lett writes. READ MORE
On this date
On March 23, 1927: The Manitoba Free Press reported that Cantonese troops were restoring order in Shanghai; “death and destruction” had reigned for the previous 36 hours during fighting between retreating Shangtunese of the Northern Army and nationalist Kuomintang guerillas. In Toronto, a royal commission heard that two customs officers who had been suspended for the misappropriation funds and were later found guilty of the offence were nevertheless reinstated to their positions by Ottawa.
Today’s front page
Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Winnipeg Free Press READ MORE
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