Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Serbia's president called on Novak Djokovic to return to his native country on Sunday hours after the top-ranked tennis player lost his court battle to play at the Australian Open and was deported.
Djokovic's final destination was not immediately clear. He left Australia after saying he was "disappointed" with losing his appeal against deportation and adding that he needs "some time to rest and to recuperate" after the 11-day saga.
A masked Djokovic was photographed in an Melbourne airport lounge with two government officials in black uniforms. He left on an Emirates flight to Dubai, the same transit point he used when he flew to Australia on Jan. 6 after departing from Marbella, Spain.
Djokovic released a statement shortly after three Australian Federal Court judges unanimously upheld a decision made on Friday by the country's immigration minister to cancel the 34-year-old Serb's visa on public interest grounds because he is not vaccinated for COVID-19.
Djokovic's visa was initially cancelled on Jan. 6 by a border official who decided he didn't qualify for a medical exemption from Australia's rules for unvaccinated visitors. Djokovic was initially exempted from the tournament's vaccine rules because he had been infected with the virus within the previous six months.
In addition to his native Serbia, where he has an almost iconic status and overwhelming support, Djokovic could go to Marbella or Monaco where he has residences and where he has spent most of his time away from tennis.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused Australian authorities of "harassing" Djokovic and called the court ruling "a farce."
He said he spoke to Djokovic on Sunday.
"We can't wait to see him in Serbia, to return to his country, to come where he is always welcome," Vucic said.
"They think they humiliated Djokovic with this, the best player in the world, by the 10-day harassment, they humiliated themselves and Djokovic can return to his country with his head high up and look everyone in the eye."
He did not say whether Djokovic confirmed he would go to Serbia after his deportation.
Djokovic's Belgrade-based family issued a statement Sunday, indicating Djokovic could be heading to Serbia.
"We will be here to share the blows he received, to help him regain his energy, his faith in this sport, above all in fair play, which was completely absent."
Serbian populist politicians, seizing on a potential opportunity to score popularity points ahead of Serbia's elections in April, as well as the majority of the public were dismayed by Djokovic's "ordeal" in Australia.
"It is very sad that one of the greatest, world, planetary sportsmen has to experience something like that," said Aleksandra Vukojevic, a Belgrade resident.
Other politicians were in tune with the overall reaction.
"I think the decision is scandalous," Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said. "I'm disappointed and I think it showed how the rule of law functions in some other countries, that is how the rule of law does not function. It is incredible to me how we have two totally opposed court decisions within just a few days.
"As the head of the government of the Republic of Serbia I am not happy, but we should not get too emotional," Brnabic said. "In any case, I can't wait to see Novak Djokovic in our country, in Serbia, so we can go through this together and so we can offer support in these difficult moments."
Djokovic has won nine Australian Open titles, including three in a row, and a total of 20 Grand Slam singles trophies, tied with rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most in the history of men's tennis.
The Serbian tennis association expressed "huge disappointment" and described the decision to deport Djokovic as "political."
"This decision has only deprived the world from watching Novak's fight for the tenth Australian Open and 21st Grand Slam title," it said in a statement.
--------
Associated Press writer Jovana Gec contributed.
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.