Physical Education/Health Education

Please review each article prior to use: grade-level applicability and curricular alignment might not be obvious from the headline alone.

Brandon man taking on punishing 3,500-km cycling route for cancer research

Aaron Epp 8 minute read Preview

Brandon man taking on punishing 3,500-km cycling route for cancer research

Aaron Epp 8 minute read Monday, Jun. 23, 2025

A Brandon cyclist is gearing up for the ride of a lifetime in support of cancer research.

Grant Hamilton is heading to Europe this week to join Tour 21, an annual event that sees a team of amateur cyclists ride the full Tour de France route, one week ahead of the professionals.

The team will pedal more than 3,500 km in 21 days, including climbs and summits in the Pyrenees mountains and the French Alps. It’s part of an effort to raise nearly $2 million for Cure Leukaemia, the official charity partner of the Tour de France.

Cure Leukaemia funds clinical trials, driving global advancements in blood cancer treatment and impacting those affected by the disease.

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Monday, Jun. 23, 2025

Grant Hamilton of Brandon is cycling in this weekend’s Manitoba championships, the Tour de Riding Mountain. The event will begin at the Northgate Trailhead before venturing south through the national park on Highway 10. (Matt Packwood / The Brandon Sun)

Grant Hamilton of Brandon is cycling in this weekend’s Manitoba championships, the Tour de Riding Mountain. The event will begin at the Northgate Trailhead before venturing south through the national park on Highway 10. (Matt Packwood / The Brandon Sun)

Graham Avenue stretch to get pedestrian, bike-only trial when buses vanish

Joyanne Pursaga 5 minute read Preview

Graham Avenue stretch to get pedestrian, bike-only trial when buses vanish

Joyanne Pursaga 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 20, 2025

The city will turn a four-block stretch of Graham Avenue into a living lab when Winnipeg Transit’s network overhaul pulls buses off the downtown street.

It will be cyclists and pedestrians only between Carlton and Garry streets in an indefinite pilot project scheduled to begin after June 29.

“In July 2025, buses will be removed from four blocks, creating a rare opportunity to transform the street into a safer, pedestrian-first space. With a focus on recreation, public gathering areas, and cultural programming, Graham Avenue can become a dynamic hub of activity in the heart of downtown,” a city document states.

Without changes, the area risks becoming a neglected corridor with minimal foot traffic once buses leave, it warns.

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Friday, Jun. 20, 2025

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A rendering of Graham Avenue between Donald and Smith Streets.

SUPPLIED
                                A rendering of Graham Avenue between Donald and Smith Streets.

Hockey hero coming home: Jonathan Toews to make comeback with Jets

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Preview

Hockey hero coming home: Jonathan Toews to make comeback with Jets

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Friday, Jun. 20, 2025

The homecoming is happening for Jonathan Toews. The St. Vital product has decided to make his NHL comeback with the Winnipeg Jets, agreeing to terms on a one-year contract as he returns to the league after a two-year absence related to his health.

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Friday, Jun. 20, 2025

Jonathan Toews (Jeffrey T. Barnes / The Associated Press files)

Jonathan Toews (Jeffrey T. Barnes / The Associated Press files)

Racing in her blood: Rookie rider knows she has ‘big shoes to fill’ as she follows in jockey dad’s footsteps

Mike McIntyre 24 minute read Preview

Racing in her blood: Rookie rider knows she has ‘big shoes to fill’ as she follows in jockey dad’s footsteps

Mike McIntyre 24 minute read Friday, Jun. 20, 2025

Ciera Pruitt had pictured the scene since she was a little girl running wild on the grounds of Assiniboia Downs — her backyard, really — while her parents were hard at work nearby. Back then, she was the wide-eyed Winnipeg kid peering over the paddock railing, watching the colourful parade of jockeys from faraway places like Bermuda, Venezuela and Mexico leading majestic thoroughbreds toward the track while the bugle call to the post played over the loudspeakers.

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Friday, Jun. 20, 2025

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
The jockeys and their horses walk out to the gate for the last race of the evening.
Ciera Pruitt, 23, is currently the only female rider at Assiniboia Downs (ASD) and just won in the 7th race of her career. Her parents Jerry and Lise both have long ties to the ASD.
Reporter: Mike McIntyre
250611 - Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
The jockeys and their horses walk out to the gate for the last race of the evening. 
Ciera Pruitt, 23, is currently the only female rider at Assiniboia Downs (ASD) and just won in the 7th race of her career. Her parents Jerry and Lise both have long ties to the ASD.
Reporter: Mike McIntyre
250611 - Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

Growing up Bombers: Football increasingly a family affair in Winnipeg

Taylor Allen 8 minute read Preview

Growing up Bombers: Football increasingly a family affair in Winnipeg

Taylor Allen 8 minute read Wednesday, Jun. 18, 2025

Nine months after a serious knee injury put his career in jeopardy, an emotional Chris Streveler stood before reporters, searching for words to describe what it meant to lead the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a season-opening victory last week.

He could’ve started with what it felt like to suit up in front of 32,343 Blue and Gold supporters again after a gruelling rehab, or spoken about his three touchdown passes and how they helped his team prevail 34-20 over the B.C. Lions.

Instead, the first place the quarterback went was his daughter, Sunny, and how much it meant to him to play in front of her for the first time.

“I think it’s just really different having a daughter now, and after the injury, I just think my perspective is really different on the game, and life in general, and I have more appreciation for these moments,” Streveler told the Free Press earlier this week as the Bombers prepare to meet the Lions in a rematch on Saturday at BC Place.

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Wednesday, Jun. 18, 2025

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Winnipeg Blue Bomber Chris Streveler with fiance Taylor and their daughter Sunny.

SUPPLIED

Winnipeg Blue Bomber Chris Streveler with fiance Taylor and their daughter Sunny.
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‘Elio’ is an intergalactic tale — but for Toronto’s Domee Shi, it hits close to home

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview
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‘Elio’ is an intergalactic tale — but for Toronto’s Domee Shi, it hits close to home

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

TORONTO - For Domee Shi, making a movie about an introverted kid getting abducted by aliens felt oddly familiar.

Not because she’s had any close encounters, but because she remembers being a teenager longing to be taken away to a world where her weirdness was understood.

The Toronto native co-directs “Elio,” a Pixar animated sci-fi film about an 11-year-old orphan who yearns to be snatched by extraterrestrials to escape his loneliness — and gets his wish when an interplanetary organization mistakes him for Earth’s ambassador.

“He's this lonely artsy kid who just wants to belong somewhere. I definitely felt that way growing up,” says the Oscar-winning animator behind 2022’s coming-of-age Toronto-set hit “Turning Red.”

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Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

A scene from “Elio,” a Pixar animated sci-fi film about an 11-year-old orphan who yearns to be snatched by extraterrestrials to escape his loneliness — and gets his wish when an interplanetary organization mistakes him for Earth’s ambassador, is shown in this handout image. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Disney/Pixar *MANDATORY CREDIT*

A scene from “Elio,” a Pixar animated sci-fi film about an 11-year-old orphan who yearns to be snatched by extraterrestrials to escape his loneliness — and gets his wish when an interplanetary organization mistakes him for Earth’s ambassador, is shown in this handout image. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Disney/Pixar *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Graduates far from home ‘grateful’ for honour at school powwow

Scott Billeck 4 minute read Preview

Graduates far from home ‘grateful’ for honour at school powwow

Scott Billeck 4 minute read Monday, Jun. 16, 2025

Grade 12 Tataskweyak Cree Nation student Jonah Wavey was among several wildfire evacuees honoured Monday during a special celebration of Indigenous graduates at the University of Winnipeg’s Duckworth Centre.

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Monday, Jun. 16, 2025

Ruth Bonneville / Free Press

Jonah Wavey, a grade 12 graduate from Tataskweyak Cree Nation, with his mom, Abbie Garson-Wavey, at the special graduation ceremony held by Winnipeg School Division in partnership with Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, for graduates from northern Manitoba communities evacuated due to wildfires.

Ruth Bonneville / Free Press
                                Jonah Wavey, a grade 12 graduate from Tataskweyak Cree Nation, with his mom, Abbie Garson-Wavey, at the special graduation ceremony held by Winnipeg School Division in partnership with Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, for graduates from northern Manitoba communities evacuated due to wildfires.

Community groups join forces to help the hungry

Aaron Epp 8 minute read Preview

Community groups join forces to help the hungry

Aaron Epp 8 minute read Monday, Jun. 16, 2025

A handful of community groups are coming together this week for a campaign to benefit hungry Manitobans.

The food drive in south Winnipeg kicks off Monday and runs until Saturday. People are invited to drop off donations of non-perishable food items at Align, a student housing building at 2537 Pembina Hwy.

All donations will go to Harvest Manitoba, the non-profit charitable organization committed to ensuring no one in the province goes hungry.

Participating in the food drive is a way for the Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association to turn its values into action, says Songyan Liu.

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Monday, Jun. 16, 2025

Participating in the food drive is a way for the Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association to turn its values into action, says Songyan Liu. (Mike Deal / Free Press)

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
                                Songyan Liu (he/him, 67), co-founder and executive vice president of the Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association. The WCSA is one of a handful of faith groups organizing a food drive June 16-21 that will benefit Harvest Manitoba. Reporter: Aaron Epp 250613 - Friday, June 13, 2025.

Like mother, like daughter: Sunshine Fund camp experience runs in the family

Kevin Rollason 3 minute read Preview

Like mother, like daughter: Sunshine Fund camp experience runs in the family

Kevin Rollason 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 13, 2025

Peyton Toth is weeks away from graduating from Grade 3 and heading to summer camp for the first time.

And the bubbly outgoing eight-year-old will soon be on her way to Camp Arnes, on the western shore of Lake Winnipeg north of Gimli, thanks to the Sunshine Fund.

Peyton’s mom, Lindsay, said she knows firsthand the type of experience her daughter will get. Three decades ago, when she was eight years old, she went to camp for the first time — at Camp Arnes.

“I wanted her to go to camp so I began looking at the camps out there,” she said. “But I didn’t realize (camping fees) would be that much. It costs $800 for the week.

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Friday, Jun. 13, 2025

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Peyton Toth (left) is heading off to the same summer camp her mother Lindsay went to three decades ago.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Peyton Toth (left) is heading off to the same summer camp her mother Lindsay went to three decades ago.

The bully is a person in our neighbourhood

Editorial 4 minute read Preview

The bully is a person in our neighbourhood

Editorial 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 13, 2025

A new kid moves into your neighbourhood. A loudmouth, pretty darned full of himself; “I’m the best, the bigly-est, the smartest person ever,” but you’re used to all sorts, even windbags, so you don’t pay him much mind.

And then one day as you’re walking by, he punches you in the face.

Later, he’s all smiles, and says “Let’s let bygones be bygones, we could be the bestest of friends.” And things get better for a bit, though he’s still insufferable.

Not long after, as you’re walking by, he comes up and punches you in the face, saying that you were mean to him.

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Friday, Jun. 13, 2025

Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post

U.S. President Donald Trump

Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post
                                U.S. President Donald Trump

Your generosity can make a kid’s summer

Kevin Rollason 3 minute read Preview

Your generosity can make a kid’s summer

Kevin Rollason 3 minute read Saturday, Jun. 7, 2025

In a few short weeks, children will be able to trade school books and assignments for the possibility of jumping in a kayak, getting on a horse, or racing down a zip line.

That means it’s also time to help needy families give their kids a camping experience they will never forget.

For the 45th summer, the annual Free Press Sunshine Fund is kicking off with the hope that thousands of generous readers will help children who deserve a break from their studies in an outing that normally would be out of reach financially for their families.

“The Free Press is again counting on our readers to help make the Sunshine Fund a reality for as many children in our province as possible,” Free Press editor Paul Samyn said.

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Saturday, Jun. 7, 2025

SUPPLIED

L to R: Audrey Hicks (manager, training & risk management True North Youth Fdn), Kim Scherger (executive director MCA), Kayla Yakielashek (community outreach coordinator, MCA), Nancy Paschke (Standards & Accreditation Coordinator, MCA), Lexi (RRBC staff) and Duane Goertzen (executive director RRBC)

SUPPLIED 
                                L to R: Audrey Hicks (manager, training & risk management True North Youth Fdn), Kim Scherger (executive director MCA), Kayla Yakielashek (community outreach coordinator, MCA), Nancy Paschke (Standards & Accreditation Coordinator, MCA), Lexi (RRBC staff) and Duane Goertzen (executive director RRBC)

Pragmatic — not political — Dynacare decision benefits Manitobans

Tom Brodbeck 5 minute read Preview

Pragmatic — not political — Dynacare decision benefits Manitobans

Tom Brodbeck 5 minute read Friday, May. 30, 2025

The Manitoba NDP government did something this week that will surprise a few people — and probably frustrate some of its more ideological supporters.

It renewed a contract with Dynacare — a private, for-profit company — to provide lab services in the province.

This is the same Dynacare the NDP vocally criticized when it was in opposition. The same private provider it said would erode public health care when the former Progressive Conservative government outsourced community lab services.

But here we are in 2025, with the NDP now in charge, and instead of ripping up the contract or scrambling to repatriate services into the public system, the government has chosen to renew the deal.

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Friday, May. 30, 2025

This week the provincial government signed a new, five-year contact with Dynacare to provide lab services in Manitoba. (Winnipeg Free Press files)

This week the provincial government signed a new, five-year contact with Dynacare to provide lab services in Manitoba. (Winnipeg Free Press files)

Every Floridian should have a plan for this year’s hurricane season, DeSantis says

Mike Schneider, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Every Floridian should have a plan for this year’s hurricane season, DeSantis says

Mike Schneider, The Associated Press 3 minute read Saturday, Sep. 20, 2025

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Two days away from the start of hurricane season, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s top emergency manager joked Friday that they didn't want to encounter each other again until the storm season ends in late November. Forecasts suggest that’s unlikely.

While the upcoming season, which starts Sunday, isn't expected to be as topsy-turvy as last season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there's a 60% chance it will be above normal, a 30% chance near normal and just a 10% chance it will be quieter than average. Relentless storms, including Debby, Helene and Milton, which landed in Florida last year, made for the third-costliest hurricane season on record last year.

“You just have to prepare and plan that we are going to have impacts,” DeSantis said at a news conference in front of shelves of generators at a Home Depot store in Jupiter, Florida. “If you plan and it doesn't happen, you're never going to have regrets. If you don't plan and it happens, you're going to immediately be saying, ‘Why didn’t I do this?'”

Ahead of any hurricanes headed toward the peninsula, Floridians should be prepared to have seven days of food, water and supplies for their households, including pets. If they need to evacuate, they don't have to travel hundreds of miles when traveling just a few miles inland to a hotel or shelter works, officials said.

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Saturday, Sep. 20, 2025

FILE - Debris from destroyed homes and structures floats in a canal in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Aug. 31, 2023, one day after the passage of Hurricane Idalia. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

FILE - Debris from destroyed homes and structures floats in a canal in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., Aug. 31, 2023, one day after the passage of Hurricane Idalia. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

Shiffrin says in essay she feels ‘like myself again’ after recovering from ski racing crash, PTSD

Pat Graham, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Shiffrin says in essay she feels ‘like myself again’ after recovering from ski racing crash, PTSD

Pat Graham, The Associated Press 4 minute read Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

Two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin finally feels “like myself again” after recovering from a ski racing crash last season and lingering post-traumatic stress disorder.

Shiffrin described in an essay for The Players’ Tribune released Friday the physical and mental hurdles she needed to clear after her serious spill during a giant slalom race in Killington, Vermont, on Nov. 30. In the crash, something punctured Shiffrin’s side and caused severe damage to her oblique muscles.

“Everyone knows what it feels like to have a bad cough. But PTSD … it’s not like that,” the 30-year-old from Edwards, Colorado, wrote. “It comes in all shapes and sizes. Everyone experiences it in their own way, and no two cases are exactly alike.”

Shiffrin was leading after the first run of the GS that day in Killington. With the finish line in sight on her final run, she lost an edge and slid into a gate, flipping over her skis. The all-time winningest Alpine World Cup ski racer then slammed into another gate before coming to a stop in the protective fencing. To this day, she doesn’t know what led to the puncture wound, only that it was "a millimeter from pretty catastrophic,” she told The Associated Press.

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Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

Mikaela Shiffrin, U.S. World Cup alpine skier, is interviewed at a NBCUniversal and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee press preview event to promote the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Mikaela Shiffrin, U.S. World Cup alpine skier, is interviewed at a NBCUniversal and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee press preview event to promote the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Olympic boxing champ Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to fight for new governing body

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Olympic boxing champ Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to fight for new governing body

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press 4 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to participate in upcoming events with the sport's new governing body.

World Boxing announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes Friday. The governing body specifically mentioned Khelif when announcing the policy, saying the Algerian gold medal winner must be screened before she will be approved to fight at any upcoming events, including the Eindhoven Box Cup next month in the Netherlands.

“The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on ‘Sex, Age and Weight’ to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women,” World Boxing wrote in a statement. The fighters' national federations will be responsible for administering the tests and providing the results to World Boxing.

Khelif won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer amid international scrutiny on her and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, another gold medal winner. The previous governing body for Olympic boxing, the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association, disqualified both fighters from its 2023 world championships after claiming they had failed an unspecified eligibility test.

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

Algeria's Imane Khelif poses after defeating China's Yang Liu to win gold in their women's 66 kg final boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

Algeria's Imane Khelif poses after defeating China's Yang Liu to win gold in their women's 66 kg final boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

Winds push smoke from Canadian wildfires south into US and worsen air quality

Corey Williams And Sarah Raza, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Winds push smoke from Canadian wildfires south into US and worsen air quality

Corey Williams And Sarah Raza, The Associated Press 5 minute read Monday, Oct. 6, 2025

Air quality in some parts of the United States is worsening as smoke from dozens of wildfires in Canada travels south, pushed by winds high in the atmosphere.

Through parts of Minnesota and into Wisconsin, the air quality is deemed unhealthy for people and animals sensitive to pollution and other airborne particles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's AirNow page.

As of Friday afternoon, the interactive air quality map showed a strip of orange moving northwest to southeast across Wisconsin. Most of the state showed moderate air quality as did all of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois also showed moderate air quality on the AirNow map.

Over the next day or so, particulates from the burning trees, leaves and other vegetation could reach further south into Oklahoma, Tennessee and Arkansas, said Patrick Ayd, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth, Minnesota.

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Monday, Oct. 6, 2025

This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows wildfires in Flin Flon, Man., on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Manitoba government via AP)

This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows wildfires in Flin Flon, Man., on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Manitoba government via AP)
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A show inside a cathedral featured raw chickens in diapers. The German president was in the audience

Stefanie Dazio, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview
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A show inside a cathedral featured raw chickens in diapers. The German president was in the audience

Stefanie Dazio, The Associated Press 3 minute read Saturday, Sep. 20, 2025

BERLIN (AP) — A performance inside a Catholic cathedral in Germany earlier this month that featured raw, plucked chickens wrapped in diapers onstage — and the country's president and the local archbishop in the audience — has prompted the church and municipal leaders to apologize that the show “hurt religious feelings."

The show, "Westphalia Side Story,” was part of a May 15 celebration to mark the 1,250th anniversary of Westphalia, a region in northwestern Germany.

Video footage shows one woman and two shirtless men singing “Fleisch ist Fleisch” (“Meat is meat”) — apparently spoofing Austrian band Opus' 1984 pop song “Live is Life” — with scythes and dancing with the dead chickens on a stage in front of Paderborn Cathedral's altar.

Performance company bodytalk said in a statement Friday that the show featured work-in-progress excerpts from “Westphalia Side Story" — which references the American musical "West Side Story."

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Saturday, Sep. 20, 2025

This grab taken from video shows performers dancing as they hold raw, plucked chickens wrapped in diapers, inside Paderborn's cathedral, Germany, Friday May 16, 2025. (RTL via AP)

This grab taken from video shows performers dancing as they hold raw, plucked chickens wrapped in diapers, inside Paderborn's cathedral, Germany, Friday May 16, 2025. (RTL via AP)

Canada international Achini Perera takes to the street for Cricket to Conquer Cancer

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Canada international Achini Perera takes to the street for Cricket to Conquer Cancer

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

TORONTO - Achini Perera gets to tick a few boxes Saturday, playing cricket and helping raise money for a good cause.

The Canadian international cricketer is taking part in the inaugural Cricket to Conquer Cancer, a street cricket fundraiser for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

More than 40 teams will be participating at Celebration Square in suburban Mississauga, Ont., with celebrities including singer Jully Black, former soccer star Dwayne De Rosario and former Raptor Jamaal Magloire and West Indies cricketer Carlos Brathwaite.

Like many taking part, Brathwaite has a personal connection to the cause. His mother is a cancer survivor.

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Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

Canadian cricketer Achini Perera (26) is shown in action at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier, which ran March 10-17, 2025, in Buenos Aires, where the Canadian women finished runner-up to the U.S. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO — International Cricket Council (ICC) *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Canadian cricketer Achini Perera (26) is shown in action at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier, which ran March 10-17, 2025, in Buenos Aires, where the Canadian women finished runner-up to the U.S. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO — International Cricket Council (ICC) *MANDATORY CREDIT*

CFL, nine member clubs donate over $4.5 million to grassroots football programs

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

CFL, nine member clubs donate over $4.5 million to grassroots football programs

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

TORONTO - The CFL and its nine member clubs invested over $4.5 million into amateur football last year.

The league announced Friday that it and the nine franchises combined to donate $4,518,900 to grassroots football initiatives, projects and programs throughout Canada in 2024.

"The community involvement of the CFL, its clubs and players is something that sets us apart from other leagues," said CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston. "To be able, among all of the clubs in the league, to donate over $4.5 million is encouraging participation and exposure to the game and ultimately having kids fall in love with the sport.

"That's wonderful for a number of reasons, one of which is the game of football teaches such great skills that can be applied to life."

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Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

Canadian Football League logo seen on a football during CFL training camp at Alumni Stadium in Guelph, Ont., Sunday, May 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

Canadian Football League logo seen on a football during CFL training camp at Alumni Stadium in Guelph, Ont., Sunday, May 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

Lance McCullers gets 24-hour security after online death threats, some aimed at 5-year-old daughter

Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press 8 minute read Preview

Lance McCullers gets 24-hour security after online death threats, some aimed at 5-year-old daughter

Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press 8 minute read Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

HOUSTON (AP) — Soon after Lance McCullers Jr.’s family received online death threats following a tough start by the Houston Astros’ pitcher, his 5-year-old daughter, Ava, overheard wife Kara talking on the phone about it.

What followed was a painful conversation between McCullers and his little girl.

“She asked me when I came home: ‘Daddy like what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?’” McCullers told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “So, those conversations are tough to deal with.”

McCullers is one of two MLB pitchers whose families have received online death threats this month as internet abuse of players and their families is on the rise. Boston reliever Liam Hendriks took to social media soon after the incident with McCullers to call out people who were threatening his wife’s life and directing “vile” comments at him.

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Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. reacts after a throw during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. reacts after a throw during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Tony Hawk, Mark McMorris help open skateboard park expansion in Smithers, B.C.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Tony Hawk, Mark McMorris help open skateboard park expansion in Smithers, B.C.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Monday, Oct. 6, 2025

Tony Hawk and Mark McMorris wanted their presence at the Smithers Skate Park expansion unveiling to amplify skateboarding's importance in the remote, northern B.C. community.

Skateboarding icon Hawk and Canadian snowboarding star McMorris travelled to the town of 5,000 people for Thursday's opening. They lauded the community's pluck in raising $1.8 million to increase the size of the street park and build a bowl for skateboarders next to the Yellowhead Highway that runs from Winnipeg to the West Coast.

"I don't go to many grand openings, to be honest, but this seemed like a really unique situation," Hawk said. "I don't want to say it's the most remote area, but in remote areas, skateboarding is still a valid option for kids to choose, and they want to do it. We need to provide facilities for them."

McMorris, a three-time Olympic slopestyle bronze medallist whose 24 X Games medals is the most among snowboarders, has a special place in his heart for skateboarding.

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Monday, Oct. 6, 2025

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk high-fives young fans during the grand opening of the expanded Smithers Skate Park in Smithers, B.C., in this Thursday, May 29, 2025 handout photo. Hawk and Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris visited the northern B.C. town of 5,000 to celebrate the community’s $1.8-million effort to grow the park. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Erica Chan *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk high-fives young fans during the grand opening of the expanded Smithers Skate Park in Smithers, B.C., in this Thursday, May 29, 2025 handout photo. Hawk and Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris visited the northern B.C. town of 5,000 to celebrate the community’s $1.8-million effort to grow the park. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Erica Chan *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Crown questions one of five hockey players accused of sexual assault about consent

Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press 8 minute read Preview

Crown questions one of five hockey players accused of sexual assault about consent

Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press 8 minute read Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

LONDON - A hockey player believed a woman's offer to have sex with him and his teammates in a London, Ont., hotel room meant she consented to any sexual act with any of the men, prosecutors suggested Friday at a sexual-assault trial for him and four other players.

Carter Hart faced a series of questions from prosecutors on whether he took any steps to confirm that a "mystery woman" who was in a hotel room with him and several other members of Canada's world junior hockey team consented to sexual activity.

Hart agreed earlier in his cross-examination that he came to the hotel room hoping for and expecting a sexual encounter after teammate Michael McLeod texted a team group chat asking if anyone wanted a "three-way."

That message was followed up by a phone call in which McLeod indicated he was with a woman who "wanted to have sex with some of the boys" – the boys being their teammates, he previously testified.

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Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

Carter Hart is shown in this courtroom sketch in London, Ont., on Thursday, May 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alexandra Newbould

Carter Hart is shown in this courtroom sketch in London, Ont., on Thursday, May 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alexandra Newbould

French Open tennis players say nasal strips aren’t just for snoring

Tom Nouvian, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

French Open tennis players say nasal strips aren’t just for snoring

Tom Nouvian, The Associated Press 4 minute read Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

PARIS (AP) — If more tennis players find themselves breathing easier, it might just be thanks to Carlos Alcaraz.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, whose bid for a second consecutive French Open title was scheduled to continue with a third-round match Friday night, has often worn a nasal strip in matches since last season — although not during his first two contests at Roland-Garros this week — and the sport's other athletes took note.

After all, if Alcaraz finds something useful on the court, their thinking goes, maybe it makes sense to give the adhesive bands a shot.

“I saw Carlos playing in it,” said 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, a semifinalist in Paris last year and the No. 6 women's seed this time. “I’d be pretty interested to try and see if there is really a difference. If he plays matches in it, then probably there is.”

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Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

FILE - Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, wearing a nasal strip, reacts after scoring a point against Italy's Jannik Sinner in the final of the Italian Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

FILE - Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, wearing a nasal strip, reacts after scoring a point against Italy's Jannik Sinner in the final of the Italian Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

Oilers defenceman Stecher understands Scheifele’s pain: ‘Still affects me day to day’

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

Oilers defenceman Stecher understands Scheifele’s pain: ‘Still affects me day to day’

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

DALLAS - Edmonton Oilers defenceman Troy Stecher felt for bereaved Mark Scheifele when the Winnipeg Jets centre suited up for an NHL playoff game with the knowledge his father had just died.

Stecher's father Peter died of diabetes complications at age 65 in 2020, shortly before the defenceman entered the NHL's summer playoff bubble with the Vancouver Canucks.

Scheifele scored Winnipeg's lone goal in Saturday's Game 6 loss to the Dallas Stars — Edmonton's opponent in the Western Conference final — after learning his father, Brad, had just died at age 68.

"A lot of respect for him," Stecher said Friday before Game 2 of the conference final.

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Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

Vegas Golden Knights' Brett Howden (21) is checked by Edmonton Oilers' Troy Stecher (51) during third period round 2, game 4 NHL Stanley Cup playoff action in Edmonton, Monday, May 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Vegas Golden Knights' Brett Howden (21) is checked by Edmonton Oilers' Troy Stecher (51) during third period round 2, game 4 NHL Stanley Cup playoff action in Edmonton, Monday, May 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson