Canada PM's wife positive for new coronavirus
Ottawa: Justin Trudeau's wife has tested positive for novel coronavirus, his office has said, while assuring the public that the Canadian prime minister is fine.
Canada's leader and his 44-year-old wife announced on Thursday that they were self-isolating while she was tested for coronavirus after a public event.
"Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau was tested for COVID-19 today. The test came back positive," the Prime Minister's office said in a statement late Thursday, adding she would remain in isolation and her symptoms were mild.
"The Prime Minister is in good health with no symptoms," the statement said, noting he would also be in isolation for two weeks and -- on the advice of his doctors -- will not be tested for the virus.
It follows several provinces in Canada -- which so far has reported nearly 150 cases in six states, and one death -- unveiling stricter measures to combat the spread of the virus while sporting events and entertainment galas were cancelled.
The PM would continue his duties, his office said, and would address the country on Saturday.
Trudeau, 48, held several meetings over the phone on Thursday, including with the special cabinet committee on COVID-19, his office said, and also spoke with the leaders of Italy, the US and Britain.
On Friday he will talk with indigenous leaders, as well as provincial and territorial premiers to coordinate Canada's response to the virus, and "limit the economic impact on the country".
After experiencing some mild symptoms following her return from the UK, according to an earlier statement, Gregoire-Trudeau immediately sought medical advice and testing.
"Although I'm experiencing uncomfortable symptoms of the virus, I will be back on my feet soon," she said in a message via the PM's Office.
"Being in quarantine at home is nothing compared to other Canadian families who might be going through this and for those facing more serious health concerns."
Since the novel coronavirus first emerged in late December 2019, more than 130,000 cases have been recorded in 116 countries and territories, killing at least 4,900 people, according to an AFP tally.
Most of Canada's cases have been traced to China, Iran, Italy or Egypt, but seven people who recently returned from the US also tested positive, public health authorities said.
In Parliament, Health Minister Patty Hajdu urged Canadians to "reconsider going to areas where there are a large number of people, which might include places like churches, community centres, concerts and various sporting events."
Quebec's Premier Francois Legault unveiled the strongest emergency measures yet in Canada, asking all travelers returning from overseas trips or anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms to self-isolate for two weeks.
A ban on indoor gatherings of more than 250 people was also announced, with Montreal's Saint Patrick's Day parade -- held since 1824 -- postponed.
Alberta and British Columbia announced bans on large gatherings too.
Quebec, which has 13 confirmed cases of the virus, is also considering placing the entire island of Montreal -- a population of nearly 2 million -- under quarantine.
In neighbouring Ontario, public health officials announced the public schools would be shut until April 5.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television cancelled this year's Canadian Screen Awards -- scheduled to air on March 29 -- and the country's Juno music awards, planned for Sunday, were also scrapped
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Woman shot dead in Delhi; police suspect link to 2023 murder of her husband
New Delhi (PTI): A 44-year-old woman was shot dead at point-blank range in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on Saturday, with police suspecting the killing to be a fallout of the 2023 murder of her husband, an official said.
The deceased was identified as Rachna Yadav, a resident of Shalimar Bagh and the resident welfare association (RWA) president of her locality. According to police, she was shot in the head and died on the spot.
Police said Rachna was originally from Bhalswa village in north-west Delhi. Investigators suspect that the murder is linked to the killing of her husband, Vijendra Yadav, who was shot dead in 2023. The case concerning that murder is currently under trial.
"In the 2023 case, Vijendra Yadav was allegedly murdered due to previous enmity. Bharat Yadav and five others were named as accused. While five of the accused were arrested and are facing trial, the main accused, Bharat Yadav, is still absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender," a senior police officer said.
Police said Rachna was the main witness in her husband's murder case, and her testimony was considered vital for the prosecution. Investigators believe her killing may have been aimed at weakening the case and intimidating other witnesses.
CCTV footage has surfaced in the Rachna Yadav murder case, clearly capturing the accused who allegedly shot her. Police said the assailant's accomplice was already waiting nearby on a sports bike bearing a Delhi registration number, facilitating a swift escape, according to an official.
Police said a PCR call was received at around 10.59 am at Shalimar Bagh police station, reporting that a woman had been shot.
Local police teams rushed to the spot and found Rachna lying on the road in a pool of blood. An empty cartridge was recovered from the scene, officials said.
According to the investigation, when Rachna was returning after meeting a neighbour, two assailants intercepted her. One of them allegedly stopped her and asked her name. When she identified herself, the attacker pulled out a firearm and shot her in the head before fleeing the spot along with his accomplice, police said.
Preliminary inquiry suggested that the woman was targeted, and the assailants appeared to have prior knowledge about her identity and movements.
"Crime Team and FSL teams were immediately called, and the scene of the crime was thoroughly examined. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being scanned to identify the assailants," Additional Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said.
Prima facie, it appears that the present case is linked to the earlier murder, he said. "We are re-examining all aspects of the 2023 case and the role of the proclaimed offender (Bharat)," Singh said, adding that multiple teams have been formed to trace the shooters and those who may have masterminded the crime.
Speaking to reporters, Kanika Yadav, the deceased's elder daughter, alleged that the murder was planned by Bharat.
"Some of the accused in my father's murder case are lodged in Tihar Jail. Despite that, they are planning such crimes. Bharat Yadav planned and executed my mother's murder," she alleged.
Kanika claimed her mother was killed because she was standing firm as a witness in her father's murder case.
"They were afraid that they would be convicted on the basis of her statement. That is why my mother was killed. My father was murdered in 2023, and the case is still pending before the court," she said.
Police said Rachna is survived by two daughters, one of whom is married, while the younger daughter lived with her. Security has been stepped up in the area, and further investigation is underway, police added.
