Bible translation experiencing boom amidst pandemic in southern Africa

Growth of Bible translation efforts in Zambia is experiencing an explosion of activity due to the partnership between Wycliffe Associates and local churches.

The Wycliffe Associates initiative, Church Owned Bible Translation, began in 2014 to equip and train Bible translators. Now 20 of the more than 70 languages spoken in Zambia have active Bible translation efforts underway.

Red River peaks at Ste Agathe, St Adolphe and Floodway Inlet

A flood warning continues for the Winnipeg River and Whiteshell areas.

Flooding continues in parts of the Interlake, Red River Valley and many other portions of central and southern Manitoba, impacting communities and properties and resulting in damages to infrastructure, loss of road access and evacuations.

The Red River peaked at Ste. Agathe, St. Adolphe and the Red River Floodway inlet on May 13, and is stable or declining at all locations upstream of Winnipeg. The river is expected to remain high for an extended duration, likely into June.

Pembina Valley RCMP respond to fatal collision

One person is dead following an early-morning collision over the weekend.

The Manitoba RCMP says that officers from the Pembina Valley detachment responded to a report of a single-vehicle collision just after 3 a.m. on Saturday. Police say that the collision occurred on Provincial Road 432, located approximately five kilometres south of Highway 23, in the RM of Thompson.

The investigation has determined that a vehicle was travelling southbound on PR 432 when it collided with a guard rail. The vehicle then entered the ditch where it was partially submerged in water.

“We need to be on guard this weekend,” says weathercaster as rainfall warning issued

It’s exactly the forecast we didn’t want heading into the weekend. For the third time in April, a Colorado low is targeting the region with yet another round of significant rainfall.

“We need to be on guard this weekend for overland flooding, and rapid rises in creeks and streams,” said CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner. “The ground is saturated, and in many areas is still relatively frozen. It simply doesn’t have the capacity to absorb any additional moisture.”

Paxlovid treatment expands; AstraZeneca supply expiring

The province has expanded the availability of Paxlovid treatment to everyone who tests positive (via PCR or rapid test) with mild or moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are immunocompromised or at least 70 years old with designated risk factors, regardless of vaccination status.

People between 18 and 54 years of age that are not fully vaccinated but have a medical condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes are still eligible. The same goes for everyone between 55 and 69 who is not fully vaccinated.

Drops in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in Saskatchewan

The number of people with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan hospitals decreased in Thursday's weekly update from the province.

And the number of deaths over the most recent week's data was lower than the previous week's.

Hospitalizations fell from 417 to 409 from April 20 to April 27. There were 14 new deaths, compared to 20 the previous week.

The positivity rate in lab-confirmed cases stayed at 11.7 per cent.

Omicron accounted BA.2 accounted for 69.7 per cent of variants of concern.

Eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots expands in Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan government has expanded eligibility for fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccinations to all residents that are 50 or older.

The fourth dose - or second booster - is recommended, as long as four months or longer have passed since receiving the third dose.

The fourth dose had been limited to people 70 or older, those 50 years and older living in First Nations and Métis communities or in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District, all residents in long-term and personal care homes, and those with designated health conditions.

Rushing water forces officials to close portion of Highway 32 south of Winkler

A detour is in place on a section of Highway 32 just south of Winkler this morning.

The Winkler Fire Department posted on its social media last evening that a portion of the highway at Winkler's south dike, south of the Village of Schanzenfeld is blocked.

Rushing water in the city's south spillway is causing a potential for a washout of the highway in that area.

Crews have been on the scene monitoring the situation closely.

Overland Flood Warning issued for most of Southern Manitoba

An overland flood warning has been issued for much of southern Manitoba as a Colorado low prepares to bring plenty of moisture to the region this weekend.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre has issued an overland flood warning for southern Manitoba from the Saskatchewan border eastward to Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 12 and from the United States border northwards to PTH 1. The warning could extend north of PTH 1 between PTH 5 and PTH 16, and north of PTH 1 between Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg.