TORONTO -- Canada has had more than 102,600 total cases of COVID-19, with more than 8,500 associated deaths. Here's what else you need to know to start your day.
1. No trades: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is resisting calls to free Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in order to secure the release of two Canadians detained in China, saying doing so would put Canadians who travel around the world in danger.
2. Student grant: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday that the Canada Student Service Grant program has launched, providing a grant of up to $5,000 to post-secondary students and recent graduates who volunteer in pandemic-related programs.
3. U.S. cases surge: As the three most populous U.S. states set new daily records for coronavirus cases, there are fears of "apocalyptic" surges in major Texas cities if the trend continues.
4. Battling two fronts: While provinces have been keeping track of their daily COVID-19 cases, another insidious crisis has been taking an increasingly deadly toll throughout the pandemic: opioid overdoses.
5. Flight refunds: Passenger rights advocates are encouraging Canadians to refuse travel vouchers for cancelled flights, warning that consumers are entitled to refunds by law in Canada -- a rule they say is not enforced.
One more thing…
Name change: Grammy-winning country group The Dixie Chicks have dropped the word “Dixie” from their name, now going by The Chicks, because of the word’s ties to Confederacy.
