All countries 'dangerously unprepared' for future pandemics: report
GENEVA -
The world is "dangerously unprepared" for future pandemics, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) say in a report published on Monday, calling on countries to update their preparedness plans by year-end.
In its World Disasters Report 2022, the IFRC said "all countries remain dangerously unprepared for future outbreaks" despite COVID-19 killing more people than any earthquake, drought or hurricane in history.
"The next pandemic could be just around the corner. If the experience of COVID-19 won't quicken our steps toward preparedness, what will?" said Jagan Chapagain, secretary general of the IFRC, the world's largest disaster response network.
"There will be no excuse for a continued lack of preparedness after having gone through three terrible years."
The report said that countries should review their legislation to ensure it is in line with their pandemic preparedness plans by the end of 2023 and adopt a new treaty and revised International Health Regulations by next year that would invest more in the readiness of local communities.
It also recommended that countries increase domestic health finance by 1% of gross domestic product and global health finance by at least US$15 billion per year, which Chapagain described as a "good investment to make."
"The important thing is there has to be a political will to commit to that," he said. "If it is there, it's possible."
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; editing by Sharon Singleton)
COVID-19 COVERAGE
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Federal minimum wage, taxes on alcohol: Here's what's changing in Canada April 1
The federal minimum wage is increasing from $15.55 per hour to $16.65, and taxes are going up on gas and alcohol nationwide starting April 1.
WATCH LIVE AT 4 P.M.
WATCH LIVE AT 4 P.M. | Deceased found in St. Lawrence River were trying to cross U.S. border: police
The six people whose bodies were recovered from the St. Lawrence River Thursday consisted of two families of Romanian and Indian origins who were likely trying to enter the U.S. illegally, police said Friday.
Trudeau defends appointment of cabinet minister's sister-in-law as interim ethics commissioner
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending the appointment of senior Liberal cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc's sister-in-law as Canada's interim ethics commissioner.
Gwyneth Paltrow scores court win that means more than her $1 countersuit
Gwyneth Paltrow 's motivation to go to trial to fight a lawsuit accusing her of sending a fellow skier “absolutely flying” at a posh Utah ski resort in 2016 was about vindication. She got it when a jury found her not at fault in the collision, granting her exactly the $1 she sought in her countersuit
A 106-year-old from the Philippines is Vogue's oldest ever cover model
Vogue Philippines has revealed Apo Whang-Od as the cover star of its April issue, a move that makes the 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines the oldest person ever to appear on the front of Vogue.
'Rust' set manager convicted in death of cinematographer
Dave Halls, first assistant director on Western "Rust, was sentenced on Friday for the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, marking the first conviction for the 2021 fatality which shook Hollywood.
Andrew Tate to leave Romanian jail, put under house arrest
Andrew Tate, the divisive internet personality who has spent months in a Romanian jail on suspicion of organized crime and human trafficking, has won an appeal to replace his detention with house arrest, an official said Friday.
Trump to be arraigned Tuesday to face New York indictment
Former U.S. President Donald Trump will be arraigned Tuesday after his indictment in New York City, court officials said Friday, his formal surrender and arrest presenting the historic, shocking scene of a former U.S. commander in chief forced to stand before a judge.
N.S. doctor denies alleged negligence in case of woman who died after long ER wait
A doctor named in a lawsuit after a Nova Scotia woman died in hospital following a long wait to see a physician has denied allegations from the family that he failed in his duties.
Canada
-
Federal minimum wage, taxes on alcohol: Here's what's changing in Canada April 1
The federal minimum wage is increasing from $15.55 per hour to $16.65, and taxes are going up on gas and alcohol nationwide starting April 1.
-
Police find 6 bodies, including 1 child, in St. Lawrence River
The bodies of six people, including one child, were found in the St. Lawrence River Thursday afternoon after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police said.
-
Lack of data on transit violence amounts to 'blanket of ignorance': Researcher
Canada needs standardized data on violence on transit systems to help tackle issues ranging from a lack of mental health supports to eroding public trust, say researchers, citing the recent stabbing death of a 16-year-old boy at a Toronto station as the latest example of random attacks on commuters.
-
'Learn to live with this': Humboldt focuses on future 5 years after bus crash
Kevin Garinger says it feels like the passage of time is inexplicable. The five years since a deadly bus crash changed his city, his hockey team and his life sometimes feel like a lifetime. Other times it feels like yesterday.
-
Ontario minimum wage to increase to $16.55 per hour on Oct. 1
Ontario's minimum wage is set to rise to $16.55 an hour on Oct. 1.
-
Police officers allege union told them not to keep notes after B.C. man's death
Four of the Vancouver police officers involved in the violent 2015 arrest of Myles Gray – which ended with the 33-year-old dying in handcuffs – claim they were directed by their union not to keep notes about what happened, in violation of department policy.
World
-
36 bodies found inside well after collapse at Indian temple
Thirty-six bodies have been found inside a well at a Hindu temple in central India after dozens of people attending a festival fell into the muddy water when its cover collapsed, officials said Friday.
-
Probe of deadly U.S. Army Black Hawk crash underway in Kentucky; 9 killed
A special military investigative team is on the scene of a deadly crash involving two Black Hawk helicopters that killed nine people in southwestern Kentucky, but weather conditions have slowed the early work, Army officials said.
-
Andrew Tate to leave Romanian jail, put under house arrest
Andrew Tate, the divisive internet personality who has spent months in a Romanian jail on suspicion of organized crime and human trafficking, has won an appeal to replace his detention with house arrest, an official said Friday.
-
Death scene in burned ferry moves Filipino rescuers to tears
A Philippine coast guard commander said Friday that the tragic scenes of death his team saw aboard a gutted ferry, including bodies of adults clutching children, had moved them to tears and sparked fears other passengers could be found dead in the still-smouldering ship.
-
Three years since George Floyd died Minneapolis leaders approve revamp to policing
The Minneapolis City Council on Friday approved an agreement with the state to revamp policing, nearly three years after a city officer killed George Floyd. The state Department of Human Rights issued a blistering report last year that said the police department had engaged in a pattern of race discrimination for at least a decade.
-
Trump to be arraigned Tuesday to face New York indictment
Former U.S. President Donald Trump will be arraigned Tuesday after his indictment in New York City, court officials said Friday, his formal surrender and arrest presenting the historic, shocking scene of a former U.S. commander in chief forced to stand before a judge.
Politics
-
Trudeau defends appointment of cabinet minister's sister-in-law as interim ethics commissioner
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending the appointment of senior Liberal cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc's sister-in-law as Canada's interim ethics commissioner.
-
Online-streaming bill closer to passing after House OKs most Senate amendments
A Liberal government bill that would require online streaming services to contribute to Canadian content is one step closer to passing after the House of Commons approved most of the Senate's amendments to the proposed legislation.
-
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole not seeking re-election, leaving this spring
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole says he will not seek re-election and plans to resign his seat this spring. The Ontario MP led the Conservatives and served as official Opposition leader from August 2020 until February 2022, when a majority of his caucus voted to remove him from the post.
Health
-
More people with greater needs driving $7B increase to dental-care cost
The federal government now expects far more Canadians with long-overdue dental needs to sign up for its insurance plan, and the health minister says that's why the estimated cost has risen by $7 billion.
-
Rush for diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic puts cross-border sales in spotlight
The B.C. government's bid to restrict the sale of diabetes drug Ozempic to prevent non-Canadian residents draining supplies was the right move and a long time coming, says Brett Skinner, founder and CEO of the Canadian Health Policy Institute.
-
Syphilis cases in babies skyrocket in Canada amid health-care failures
The numbers of babies born with syphilis in Canada are rising at a far faster rate than recorded in the United States or Europe, an increase public health experts said is driven by increased methamphetamine use and lack of access to the public health system for Indigenous people.
Sci-Tech
-
AI in modelling: Here's how the industry is changing
Artificial intelligence is changing many industries, with one Canadian model saying it could eventually take away her source of income.
-
Italy privacy watchdog blocks ChatGPT, citing data breach
Italy is temporarily blocking the artificial intelligence software ChatGPT in the wake of a data breach as it investigates a possible violation of stringent European Union data protection rules, the government's privacy watchdog said Friday.
-
Classic image of Tyrannosaurus rex with massive teeth may be wrong, study says
New research suggests the classic image of a Tyrannosaurus rex with massive, sharp teeth might be wrong. A study in the journal Science suggests the teeth on a T. rex was likely covered by scaly lips and didn't stick out when its mouth was closed.
Entertainment
-
Gwyneth Paltrow scores court win that means more than her $1 countersuit
Gwyneth Paltrow 's motivation to go to trial to fight a lawsuit accusing her of sending a fellow skier “absolutely flying” at a posh Utah ski resort in 2016 was about vindication. She got it when a jury found her not at fault in the collision, granting her exactly the $1 she sought in her countersuit
-
Carole Baskin's Florida animal sanctuary, Big Cat Rescue, to close and move big cats to Arkansas, husband says
Most of the big cats at Carole Baskin's Florida animal sanctuary profiled in Netflix's 'Tiger King' series will be moving to a sanctuary in Arkansas and Big Cat Rescue's land will eventually be sold.
-
'Rust' set manager convicted in death of cinematographer
Dave Halls, first assistant director on Western "Rust, was sentenced on Friday for the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, marking the first conviction for the 2021 fatality which shook Hollywood.
Business
-
Economy grew 0.5 per cent in January, Statistics Canada reports
Economic growth resumed in January and came in better than first expected following a small contraction in December, Statistics Canada said Friday.
-
WestJet pilots to launch strike authorization vote as negotiations fizzle
The union representing WestJet pilots will launch a strike authorization vote Monday as contract talks with management drag on, the Air Line Pilots Association said Friday.
-
Tech sector helps lead S&P/TSX composite higher, U.S. stock markets also rise
Canada's main stock index was up nearly 200 points in late-morning trading as strength in the technology sector helped lead stocks higher, while U.S. stock markets also gained ground.
Lifestyle
-
A 106-year-old from the Philippines is Vogue's oldest ever cover model
Vogue Philippines has revealed Apo Whang-Od as the cover star of its April issue, a move that makes the 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines the oldest person ever to appear on the front of Vogue.
-
U.K. ceramic maker rolls out souvenirs for King's May coronation
With just five weeks before King Charles III's coronation, a British manufacturer of fine bone china is busy making 'God Save The King' commemorative plates and mugs for the historic occasion.
-
Chronic stress can affect your health. One activity can help
About half of Americans said they experienced stress within the past day, according to a Gallup Poll survey from last October, a finding that was consistent for most of 2022.
Sports
-
Canada Soccer, CONCACAF officials defend controversial Canadian Soccer Business deal
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani and former Canada Soccer president Nick Bontis defended Canada Soccer's controversial deal with Canadian Soccer Business on Thursday, telling a parliamentary committee that the contract provided the governing body with more guaranteed revenue that it had received previously.
-
F1 clarifies pitstop penalties after Alonso confusion
Formula One officials confirmed on Friday that teams can no longer touch their cars with jacks during penalty pitstops in the wake of the Fernando Alonso controversy at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
-
Wimbledon drops ban on Russians, lets them play as neutrals
Russian and Belarusian players will be able to compete at Wimbledon as neutral athletes after the All England Club on Friday reversed its ban from last year.
Autos
-
'Ludicrous' to stage sprint race in Baku: Red Bull's Horner
Holding a sprint race on a street circuit at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a "ludicrous" proposition which will cost Formula One teams when they "trash" their cars, Red Bull boss Christian Horner said.
-
F1 clarifies pitstop penalties after Alonso confusion
Formula One officials confirmed on Friday that teams can no longer touch their cars with jacks during penalty pitstops in the wake of the Fernando Alonso controversy at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
-
Red Bull chief criticizes new Formula One rule of 'iconic' pit celebration
Red Bull principal Christian Horner has criticized the stricter interpretation of a rule that bans Formula One team employees from climbing pit wall for victory celebrations.
