Greek army helps remove vehicles on snow-plagued road
Greek army and municipal crews removed hundreds of vehicles Wednesday that had been stranded in snow for three days along a road linking Athens to its international airport, as authorities struggled to clear blocked thoroughfares and restore power to blacked out parts of the capital.
In Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, road and air traffic was returning to normal, but snow still covered large swathes of the metropolis of 16 million people.
Heavy snowfall has caused major disruptions this week in Greece and neighboring Turkey, halting flights, blocking highways and causing power outages.
Snow blanketed Athens and much of the country on Monday, leaving thousands of drivers trapped on major roads in the Greek capital for hours, with many forced to spend the night in their cars.
Countless motorists were also stranded for several hours on highways around Istanbul while flights in and out of Istanbul Airport, one of Europe's busiest travel hubs, were suspended. The airport said Wednesday that it was slowly returning to its normal operations with a total of 681 landings and takeoffs scheduled.
The snowstorm however, rekindled debate over the location of Istanbul Airport -- one of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's megaprojects -- that replaced Ataturk International Airport as the city's main airport when it opened in 2019.
Critics say the new airport's location near Black Sea is not suitable for an airfield. It also has no metro service, making access difficult, and no nearby hotels to accommodate stranded passengers. On Tuesday, hundreds of stranded passengers staged a protest at the airport chanting: "We need (a) hotel!"
In Greece, many city streets were still impassable on Wednesday. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis offered a "personal and sincere apology" to the stranded drivers during a Cabinet meeting, but he blamed the road's private operators for mishandling the reaction to the storm.
In Turkey, the snowstorm led to recriminations, with members of Erdogan's government and the opposition-run municipality trading blame for the chaos while praising their own disaster management efforts.
Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a popular opposition politician touted as a possible rival to Erdogan in elections slated for 2023, offered an apology on Wednesday to the thousands of people for their "suffering" on Istanbul's roads. He rejected criticism, however, for meeting the British ambassador for dinner during the crisis.
RISKIN REPORTS
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada banning Chinese telecom giant Huawei, ZTE from 5G networks
Canada is banning China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE, another Chinese company, from participating in the country's 5G wireless networks, citing national security and cybersecurity concerns. Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino made the announcement about prohibiting products and services from these 'high-risk vendors,' in Ottawa on Thursday.
N.B. coroner jury says use-of-force policy needs review after officer kills woman
An independent group should review the use-of-force policy that guides New Brunswick police to ensure it is concise and understood by all officers in the province, a coroner's jury recommended Thursday.
Abortion accessibility in Canada: The Catholic hospital conflict
A leaked draft showing that the U.S Supreme Court justices are preparing to overturn the Roe v. Wade abortion-rights ruling has sparked debate in Canada, including whether Catholic hospitals can impede your access to abortion.
Monkeypox: What is it and how does it spread?
A growing number of countries, including Canada, the U.S., Spain, Portugal, and the U.K, are reporting an unusual outbreak of monkeypox. Here is what we know about this rare virus.
Parents with allergic babies struggling amid formula shortage, Sask. mother says
Saskatchewan’s Nakaylia Tudway-Cains is one of many mothers in Canada feeling the strain of the ongoing baby formula shortage, and she says she's now paying $400 a month for special over-the-counter formula she needs for her allergic son.
911 dispatcher who took Buffalo shooting call put on leave
A 911 dispatcher has been placed on leave and may lose her job after allegedly hanging up on an supermarket employee hiding during this weekend's shooting rampage in Buffalo, New York.
Canada inflation: How we compare to other G7 nations
With a meeting of G7 finance ministers underway this week, a CTVNews.ca analysis found that while Canadians are feeling the pain of record-high inflation, among G7 nations we are surpassed by Germany, the U.S., and the U.K.
Service Canada increases staffing at passport counters, but long waits persist
With lengthy delays for Canadians seeking to get a new or renewed passport, Service Canada says it’s upped staffing at passport service counters to expedite processing ahead of the summer travel season. Yet, travellers say they’re still facing long wait times.
Conservatives want Canada to revert to pre-pandemic travel rules
The Conservative Party is doubling down on its call for the federal government to do away with travel restrictions and revert back to 'pre-pandemic rules' in light of recent airport delays.
Canada
-
Service Canada increases staffing at passport counters, but long waits persist
With lengthy delays for Canadians seeking to get a new or renewed passport, Service Canada says it’s upped staffing at passport service counters to expedite processing ahead of the summer travel season. Yet, travellers say they’re still facing long wait times.
-
N.B. coroner jury says use-of-force policy needs review after officer kills woman
An independent group should review the use-of-force policy that guides New Brunswick police to ensure it is concise and understood by all officers in the province, a coroner's jury recommended Thursday.
-
Jason Kenney has quit as UCP leader. What happens to the party and government now?
With Jason Kenney having stepped down as leader of Alberta's United Conservative Party, who is now leader of the province?
-
Manitoba parents want changes to allow traditional Indigenous names on birth certificates
A new bill brought forward by Manitoba’s NDP would allow parents to give their children traditional Indigenous names.
-
Montreal has 17 suspected monkeypox cases; officials say it's 'not highly contagious' or severe
Montreal Public Health said they're asking health workers to be alert for monkeypox cases but said the illness is also not extremely contagious and is the milder of two strains. There are 17 suspected cases in the Montreal area.
-
Russian troops planted mines in Ukraine's fields to ruin harvest: Sajjan
Russian troops have planted mines in Ukrainian fields to prevent farmers from cultivating their crops, International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan has been told.
World
-
'The world is falling apart, too many countries are falling apart,' new report warns
In a world beset by conflicts and natural disasters, the number of people who fled their homes and sought shelter within their own countries hit a record high of close to 60 million by the end of last year, according to new data.
-
U.S. President Biden has an eye on China as he heads to South Korea, Japan
U.S. President Joe Biden embarked Thursday on a six-day trip to South Korea and Japan aiming to build rapport with the two nations' leaders while also sending an unmistakable message to China: Russia's faltering invasion of Ukraine should give Beijing pause about its own sabre-rattling in the Pacific.
-
Germany: 1 person wounded, 1 detained in school attack
A school employee was seriously wounded by an assailant wielding a crossbow in an attack Thursday at a high school in the northern German city of Bremerhaven and a suspect was detained, investigators said.
-
911 dispatcher who took Buffalo shooting call put on leave
A 911 dispatcher has been placed on leave and may lose her job after allegedly hanging up on an supermarket employee hiding during this weekend's shooting rampage in Buffalo, New York.
-
Blowback as Bush gaffes Iraq war, not Ukraine, 'unjustified'
Former U.S. President George W. Bush is facing criticism after mistakenly describing the invasion of Iraq - which he led as commander in chief - as 'brutal' and 'wholly unjustified,' before correcting himself to say he meant to refer to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
-
U.K.'s Johnson faces no further fines over 'partygate' scandal
Britain's Metropolitan Police told Prime Minister Boris Johnson he faced no further action over lockdown-breaching gatherings at his official residence and other government sites, after the force said Thursday it has concluded its investigation into politicians' parties that violated the country's coronavirus restrictions.
Politics
-
Canada banning Chinese telecom giant Huawei, ZTE from 5G networks
Canada is banning China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE, another Chinese company, from participating in the country's 5G wireless networks, citing national security and cybersecurity concerns. Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino made the announcement about prohibiting products and services from these 'high-risk vendors,' in Ottawa on Thursday.
-
Liberals revive bill to create watchdog for Canada Border Services Agency
The federal Liberals are rekindling a plan to allow travellers, immigration detainees and others who feel they have been mistreated by Canada's border agency to complain to an independent body.
-
Prince Charles and Camilla wrap up Platinum Jubilee visit in Northwest Territories
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, landed Thursday in Yellowknife, where they were to speak with First Nations chiefs on the final day of their royal visit that has focused on Indigenous issues and climate change.
Health
-
First case of rare monkeypox in the U.S. was someone who recently travelled to Canada
A rare case of monkeypox has been confirmed in a man in Massachusetts who recently travelled to Canada, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
-
Health Canada recalls more than 256,000 packs of smokes for fire hazard concerns
Health Canada is recalling more than 256,000 packages of cigarettes over 'increased fire hazard' concerns.
-
Parents with allergic babies struggling amid formula shortage, Sask. mother says
Saskatchewan’s Nakaylia Tudway-Cains is one of many mothers in Canada feeling the strain of the ongoing baby formula shortage, and she says she's now paying $400 a month for special over-the-counter formula she needs for her allergic son.
Sci-Tech
-
Pro-Russia online operatives falsely claimed Zelenskyy committed suicide, cybersecurity firm says
Pro-Russia online operatives falsely claimed weeks into Moscow's war against Ukraine that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had committed suicide, as part of an aggressive effort to dent public morale and undermine the Ukrainian government, U.S. cybersecurity firm Mandiant says.
-
Google's Russian subsidiary to file for bankruptcy after bank account seized
Google's Russian subsidiary plans to file for bankruptcy after authorities seized its bank account, making it impossible to pay staff and vendors, but free services including search and YouTube will keep operating, a Google spokesperson said on Wednesday.
-
Boeing tries to catch up to SpaceX after plenty of drama
Boeing is hoping for success in it second attempt at an uncrewed test flight of its commercial space craft Starliner, hoping a flawless performance will mend its image as the fallen star of human spaceflight.
Entertainment
-
Johnny Depp was a controlling lover, ex-girlfriend testifies
Actor Ellen Barkin recalled her 'controlling' relationship with Johnny Depp during a previously taped deposition that was played in a Virginia courtroom Thursday by lawyers for Depp's ex-wife, Amber Heard.
-
Harry Styles thanks fans for reuniting him with lost ring
The musician thanked fans on Wednesday for reuniting him with a beloved accessory that went missing during his second weekend of headlining Coachella last month.
-
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcome first child
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have welcomed their first child, a source close to the couple confirmed to CNN.
Business
-
McDonald's era in Russia coming to a close, restaurants sold
McDonald's is selling all of its restaurants in Russia 30 years after the burger chain became a powerful symbol of easing Cold War tensions between the United States and Soviet Union.
-
Indonesia lifts ban on cooking oil export as supply improves
Indonesia said Thursday it will lift a monthlong ban on palm oil export, citing improvements in the supply and domestic price of bulk cooking oil.
-
Canada inflation: How we compare to other G7 nations
With a meeting of G7 finance ministers underway this week, a CTVNews.ca analysis found that while Canadians are feeling the pain of record-high inflation, among G7 nations we are surpassed by Germany, the U.S., and the U.K.
Lifestyle
-
Happy is an Asian elephant. But is she also a person?
She has four limbs, expressive eyes and likes to stroll through greenery in New York City. Happy, by species, is an Asian elephant. But is she also a person? That's the question before New York's highest court Wednesday.
-
B.C. winner of $2M lottery jackpot buying motorhome to travel around U.S.
B.C.'s latest lottery millionaire is planning to buy his dream motorhome then travel around the U.S. with his wife.
-
100-year-old veteran to walk 100km for homeless heroes
A soon-to-be centenarian and veteran of the Second World War is about to walk 100 kilometres to raise funds for homeless veterans.
Sports
-
Battle of Alberta starts with a bang as Flames down Oilers 9-6 to open playoff series
Matthew Tkachuk scored a hat trick for the Calgary Flames in Wednesday's 9-6 win over the Edmonton Oilers to open their NHL playoff series.
-
CFL, CFL Players' Association reach tentative collective agreement
The second strike in CFL history is over. The CFL confirmed Wednesday night that it and the CFL Players' Association reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement.
-
U.S. soccer equalizes pay in milestone with women, men
The U.S. Soccer Federation reached milestone agreements to pay its men's and women's teams equally, making the American national governing body the first in the sport to promise both sexes matching money.
Autos
-
Women are almost twice as likely to be trapped in a car after a crash: study
A new study out of the United Kingdom has found that women are almost twice as likely as men to be trapped in a vehicle after a crash.
-
Nearly 43,000 people died on U.S. roads last year, agency says
Nearly 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads last year, the highest number in 16 years as Americans returned to the highways after the pandemic forced many to stay at home.
-
N.S. gas prices jump by 9.5 cents; price of diesel to be adjusted at midnight
Tuesday was another record-breaking day for gas prices in Nova Scotia after they jumped by 9.5 cents overnight -- just four days after they had reached $2 per litre in some parts of the province.
