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COVID-19, war in Ukraine ‘derailed’ progress in global AIDS fight, UN official says

UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima, centre, releases the 2022 update on the global AIDS situation, as International AIDS Society president Adeeba Kamarulzaman, left, and U.S. Global AIDS Co-ordinator John Nkengasong look on at a news conference in Montreal on July 27.Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian PressAhead of a major international AIDS conference in Montreal, researchers and officials on Wednesday promoted the progress toward finding a cure for HIV, but lamented how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the global fight against the disease.A report released Wednesday by UNAIDS – the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS – said about 1.5 million people were infected...

Better supports will help people get trained for high-demand careers

People looking to advance their skills training will receive a boost through a new program that will help them more smoothly transition from academic upgrading to high-demand career programs.People will be able to access 26 new pathway programs at 11 public post-secondary institutions throughout B.C. this coming school year. The pathway programs are a new Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning initiative that will help address labour shortages by better supporting students in completing the pre-requisites they need to transition directly into high-demand post-secondary programs of their choice. “We’re committed to making it easier for British Columbians to get ahead,”...

‘Today’ Takes Readers of Vogue, People, Cosmopolitan

The people who oversee “Today” want to lure new audiences from a decidedly different competitor set. After years spent battling “Good Morning America,” the venerable NBC A.M. news franchise is now eyeing the crowds that flock to consumer publications like People, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and Vogue. On Tuesday, the morning-news mainstay will unveil its first digital cover story, an in-depth look at creator and actor Issa Rae that will get exposure not only on its digital site, but on the linear TV show and across its social channels. The belief is that a series of deep-dive stories on newsmakers and...

New Omicron variant raises COVID-19 concerns in India and beyond

A nurse prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccine at a private vaccination centre in Gauhati, India, on April 10.Anupam Nath/The Associated PressThe quickly changing coronavirus has spawned yet another super contagious Omicron mutant that’s worrying scientists as it gains ground in India and pops up in numerous other countries, including the United States.Scientists say the variant – called BA.2.75 – may be able to spread rapidly and get around immunity from vaccines and previous infection. It’s unclear whether it could cause more serious disease than other Omicron variants, including the globally prominent BA.5.“It’s still really early on for us to...

Health officials urge people to get up-to-date with COVID vaccines

With COVID continuing to circulate, health officials in Canada are urging people to get up-to-date on their vaccines and warn two doses aren’t enough to protect against the Omicron variant. Dr. Brian Conway, the medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre and assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia says B.C. is behind in uptake on third doses. “About half of eligible British Columbians have not received a third dose, and to benefit from a fourth dose, you have to have three doses. A couple of 100,000 doses of vaccine are...