Prince Albert News

OTTAWA — Sofia Hagman's goal in the sixth round of penalty kicks lifted the visiting Vancouver Rise to a thrilling Northern Super League semifinal victory over the Ottawa Rapid on Saturday. With the teams tied 3-3 on aggregate after a pair of 2-1 victories by the home team in the two-leg series, the Rise punched their ticket to next week's NSL Championship game by outscoring the Rapid 5-4 in penalties at TD Place Stadium. Vancouver will meet the winner of Sunday's semifinal between AFC Toronto and the Montreal Roses in the NSL final. Toronto won the first game 2-0 in Montreal. Delaney Baie Pridham — the NSL's Golden Boot winner with 18 regular-season goals — gave Ottawa a 1-0 lead on Saturday with a goal in the 27th minute. The hosts went ahead four minutes into the second half on a goal by Melanie Forbes. But Holly Ward scored for Vancouver in the 84th minute, forcing 30 minutes of overtime and penalty kicks. Rapid coach Katrine Pederson was both proud and sad after the thrilling match. "This is both the best and the worst part of football. We lost in the toughest way possible, but I'm incredibly proud of our players, the team, and everyone around us," said Pederson. "We came in knowing we had to win, and after a slow start we grew stronger as the match went on. Both teams put on a great semifinal … It hurts to lose this way, but we can be proud of how we played and what we achieved this season." Desiree Scott, the Rapid's captain, confirmed her retirement following the match. Attendance was announced as 3,068. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

LOS CABOS, Mexico (AP) — Garrick Higgo matched the El Cardonal at Diamante course record with an 11-under 61 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Carson Young into the final round of the World Wide Technology Championship. Already a winner this season, Higgo chipped in for eagle on the par-5 first, parred the second and followed with five straight birdies in a 7-under 29 on the front nine. The 26-year-old left-hander from South Africa added four birdies on the back, the last on the par-5 18th to get to 22-under 194. “Hit it great, made a lot of good putts and chipped in once,” Higgo said. “Just everything was really solid and took advantage of the opportunities that I had.” Higgo had the lowest score of his PGA Tour career and became the sixth player to shoot 61 on the course. Young had 11 birdies and two bogeys in a 63. The 30-year-old former Clemson player is winless on the PGA Tour. “Just keep doing what I’m doing and just focus on playing my game and not looking at the leaderboard too much or worrying about others,” Young said. “I’m excited about it because last year I finished second here and missed out by one in a playoff. Kind of feels like revenge here to be in the final group again. I’m excited to see if I can break through." Ryder Cup rookie Ben Griffin (66), Trevor Cone (65) and Chad Ramey (67) were two strokes back. Sami Valimaki (69) was 19 under, and second-round leader Matti Schmid (71) was 18 under. On Thursday, Valimaki and Nick Dunlap each shot 61. Only three tournaments, including this one on the southern tip of Baja California, remain this season. The top 100 in the FedEx Cup — down from 125 in previous years — retain full PGA Tour cards for next season. Higgo is 57th, Young 136th, Cone 179th, Ramey 123, Valimaki 103rd and Schmid 70th. Griffin has two victories on the season. Higgo won the Corales Puntacana Championship in April in the Dominican Republic for his second PGA Tour title. That event was played opposite the RBC Heritage. The former UNLV player has three straight top-seven finishes. He tied for seventh at Silverado, was second in Mississippi and tied for fourth in Japan. “Not really anything new,” Higgo said. “Just doing a lot of the same stuff.” Luke List made a mess of the par-4 15th hole with a 12 in a round of 85. It was the second-highest hole score on the PGA Tour this year, behind William Mouw's 13 on the par-5 16th in the second round of The American Express at the PGA West Stadium Course. List was last among the 75 weekend qualifiers at 6 over. ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf The Associated Press

LOS CABOS, Mexico (AP) — Garrick Higgo matched the El Cardonal at Diamante course record with an 11-under 61 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Carson Young into the final round of the World Wide Technology Championship. Already a winner this season, Higgo chipped in for eagle on the par-5 first, parred the second and followed with five straight birdies in a 7-under 29 on the front nine. The 26-year-old South African added four birdies on the back, the last on the par-5 18th to get to 22-under 194. “Hit it great, made a lot of good putts and chipped in once,” Higgo said. “Just everything was really solid and took advantage of the opportunities that I had.” Young had 11 birdies and two bogeys in a 63. The 30-year-old former Clemson player is winless on the PGA Tour. "Just keep doing what I’m doing and just focus on playing my game and not looking at the leaderboard too much or worrying about others,” Young said. “I’m excited about it because last year I finished second here and missed out by one in a playoff. Kind of feels like revenge here to be in the final group again. I’m excited to see if I can break through." Ryder Cup rookie Ben Griffin (66), Trevor Cone (65) and Chad Ramey (67) were two strokes back. Sami Valimaki (69) was 19 under, and second-round leader Matti Schmid (71) was 18 under. On Thursday, Valimaki and Nick Dunlap each shot 61. Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., shot a 64 on Saturday and is in a six-way tie for 10th at 16 under, six shots back of the leader. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., carded a 67 and is in a five-way tie for 36th at 11 under. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., is at 10 under and in a six-way tie for 41st. Only three tournaments, including this one on the southern tip of Baja California, remain this season. The top 100 in the FedEx Cup — down from 125 in previous years — retain full PGA Tour cards for next season. Higgo is 57th, Young 136th, Cone 179th, Ramey 123, Valimaki 103rd and Schmid 70th. Higgo won the Corales Puntacana Championship in April in the Dominican Republic for his second PGA Tour title. That event was played opposite the RBC Heritage. The former UNLV player has three straight top-seven finishes. He tied for seventh at Silverado, was second in Mississippi and tied for fourth in Japan. “Not really anything new,” Higgo said. “Just doing a lot of the same stuff.” Luke List made a mess of the par-4 15th hole with a 12 in a round of 85. It was the second-highest hole score on the PGA Tour this year, behind William Mouw's 13 on the par-5 16th in the second round of The American Express at the PGA West Stadium Course. List was last among the 75 weekend qualifiers at 6 over. ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf The Associated Press

A man and a woman are behind bars after the stolen vehicle they were travelling in ran out of gas. It all happened during the early morning hours of Nov. 5 when a truck was stolen from a home south of Wadena. Wadena RCMP found the truck later that day with help from the public and attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle sped off and later came to a stop when it ran out of fuel. Two people then got out of the truck, and both were arrested at the scene. An RCMP Police Dog was brought to the scene, where they sniffed out a firearm and a quantity of suspected drugs from the truck. As a result, the 36-year-old driver of the vehicle, Calvin Paquachan from Yellowquill First Nation, was handed a list of fleeing and firearms charges, while the passenger, 23-year-old Kaylin Nashacappo from Yellowquill First Nation, was charged with resisting arrest and possession of stolen property. The two appeared in Wadena Provincial Court on Nov. 6. — loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

HAMILTON — Jose Maltos Diaz and the Montreal Alouettes are Grey Cup bound. Diaz's 45-yard field goal on the game's final play gave Montreal an exciting 19-16 East Division final win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. With the victory, Alouettes starter Davis Alexander improved to 13-0 (regular season and playoffs) as a CFL starter. Montreal will meet either the B.C. Lions or Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Grey Cup on Nov. 16 at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg. The Alouettes will chase a second league title after winning it all in 2023. Diaz capped a seven-play, 36-yard final drive for Montreal, much to the dismay of a Hamilton Stadium gathering of 25,399 that was predominately clad in Ticats' black. Maltos Diaz's 17-yard field goal at 5:43 of the fourth put Montreal ahead 16-10. But after connecting from 49 yards out at 7:28, Marc Liegghio tied the score with a 23-yard boot at 13:13. But during Hamilton's drive, Alexander rode a stationary bike and appeared to rub his left hamstring. Alexander spent two stints on the injured list this season — making just seven starts — with a hamstring ailment. Alexander didn't run on Montreal's decisive drive but did complete two-of-three passes for 28 yards. He finished 19-of-26 passing for 210 yards with a TD and interception while rushing seven times for a team-high 64 yards. Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell completed 29-of-36 passes for 269 yards with a TD and interception. Both teams made pre-game roster moves. Montreal listed Canadian guard Pier-Olivier Lestage and American defensive lineman Shawn Lemon as out. First-year American Des Holmes came off the practice roster to start for Lestage at left guard while receiver Hakeem Harris was added to the roster from the practice roster. Hamilton cornerback Jonathan Moxey was listed as out. American rookie Quavian White came off the injured list to replace Moxey. No reasons were given by either team for the moves. Tyler Snead scored Montreal's touchdown. Maltos Diaz kicked four field goals and a convert. Shemar Bridges had Hamilton's touchdown. Liegghio added three field goals and a convert. Mitchell's three-yard touchdown pass to Bridges at 11:19 of the third cut Montreal's lead to 13-10. Mitchell was eight-of-eight passing for 69 yards on the 10-play, 77-yard possession. Alexander hit Snead on a 48-yard strike for the game's first TD at 4:42, ending an eight-play, 63-yard march that opened the second half. Maltos Diaz's 36-yard field goal at 14:56 of the second staked Montreal to a 6-3 halftime lead as the kickers accounted for all of the first-half scoring. Diaz's boot capped a smart five-play, 42-yard march after Liegghio's 29-yard field goal at 14:22 made it 3-3. But Hamilton was its own worst enemy in the half, partly because of five penalties for 81 yards (compared to one for 10 yards for Montreal). Two for a combined 25 yards (unnecessary roughness, objectionable conduct) came against tackle Jordan Murray to erase Greg Bell's 13-yard run to the Montreal 22-yard line as the Ticats ultimately settled for Liegghio's boot. And in the first quarter, Wesley Sutton's interception gave Montreal possession at its four-yard line. In addition, Maltos Diaz's 29-yard field goal to open the scoring at 6:48 was set up by a 41-yard interference call against White. The opening half was definitely a defensive battle as Hamilton managed 167 net yards, 14 more than Montreal. Mitchell was 12-of-15 passing for 119 yards while Alexander completed nine-of-13 attempts for 80 yards but had a half-leading 48 rushing yards on five carries. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER – John Moses says that when his father Russell Moses returned on leave from the Korean War, his battles weren’t over. When the Indigenous residential school survivor came back to Canada in 1952, he was turned away from a bar in Hagersville, Ont., because of his race, his son said. “That was not unique,” said John Moses, a member of the Delaware and Upper Mohawk bands from Six Nations of the Grand River, and himself a third-generation member of the Canadian Armed Forces. His father, who served in the navy during the Korean War and later joined the air force, died in 2013, while his grandfather Ted Moses was a mechanic with the air force in Ontario during the Second World War. “The irony of the situation was never lost on newly returned veterans,” said Moses, a communicator research operator with the Armed Forces in the 1980s before working at the Canadian Museum of History as director for repatriation and Indigenous relations. “After having fought abroad for the sovereignty of small nations overseas, they come back to a country within which we still, at that point, did not enjoy the same range of civil and political rights as other Canadians.” Canada marks Indigenous Veteran’s Day on Saturday, shining a spotlight on wartime experiences that historian Scott Sheffield says was a place where some would find a sense of belonging, away from racism at home. Indigenous Veterans Day began as a grassroots movement in Winnipeg in 1993, but has since grown to be nationally recognized, with Sheffield calling it a “logical precursor to Remembrance Day” on Nov. 11. Sheffield, an associate professor in history at the University of the Fraser Valley in B.C., said many ask why Indigenous people would choose to fight for a country that marginalized them. He said the reasons varied according to the individual and the war, and in many cases, Indigenous fighters volunteered for the same reasons as others, such as adventure or economic reasons. But, for some, he said it was a political statement. “By enlisting, they were sort of declaring their right to belong, to be part of Canadian society,” he said. One example was Tommy Prince, one of Canada’s the most decorated Second World War veterans, who “famously went to war to prove that an Indian was as good as any white man.” “He served his whole career with that kind of chip on his shoulder to prove himself a superb soldier, which he did in spades, but it was partly to make that statement,” Sheffield said. He said the “most consistent thread” to emerge from the Indigenous wartime experience was that serving “stripped away a lot of the prejudice” Indigenous soldiers faced in Canadian daily life. “If you were sharing a foxhole with the guy, you only cared about his character, if you had confidence that he’d have your back, and that was something I think, that Indigenous men really came to prize — that they garnered respect for their character and their ability as soldiers, and that was really the main thing they took away from that experience,” he said. But stories also echoed Russell Moses’ experience — the camaraderie seemed to vanish back home. “They expected that acceptance to continue after the war, to be honest, and that was more disillusioning, because they returned home to a Canada where, in many ways, with their uniform off, they were still — in their words — ‘just an Indian again,'” said Sheffield. He said many Indigenous veterans of the Second World War signed up to again serve the Korean War, “maybe to recapture some of that sense of acceptance and purpose again.” The federal government says on its veterans website that more than 4,000 Indigenous people served in uniform during the First World War, in a “remarkable response,” that saw one in three able-bodied men volunteer. Communities including the Head of the Lake Band in B.C. saw every man aged between 20 and 35 enlist. The veterans site says more than 3,000 First Nations people served in the Second World War. But Sheffield said that may be understated. “There was nowhere in the records where they recorded a person’s ethnicity or race,” said Sheffield, who believes as many as 4,300 Indigenous soldiers served in the Second World War. The government acknowledges unfair treatment of Indigenous soldiers, noting many thought their sacrifice would “improve rights and standing in Canada.” That, it concedes, did not happen and “has had lasting physical and social effects for Indigenous veterans and their communities.” As reconciliation efforts have gained momentum in recent years, so has a push to recognize Indigenous veterans, both on Nov. 8 but also through an initiative called the Last Post Fund Indigenous Initiative. The fund has been in existence since 1909 with the mission of ensuring no veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial, and a military gravestone. The Indigenous Veterans Initiative began in March 2019, and to date, it says more than 265 grave markers have been ordered and placed, while 24 Indigenous community researchers across the country search for more unrecognized veterans’ graves. Among the researchers is Floyd Powder, who spent 32 years in the Canadian Armed Forces before retiring in 2013. He identifies graves of Indigenous veterans who lack a headstone. He said each marker should include an Indigenous symbol or language. “It shows the family that Veterans Affairs Canada and the Last Post Fund recognizes their service and honours them by having those considerations of symbol and language on their headstone,” he said in an interview. Veterans Affairs Canada, which helps to fund the project, said in a statement that celebrating Indigenous Veterans Day took nothing away from Remembrance Day. “It does not replace or supersede Remembrance Day in any way — it instead enhances Veterans’ Week commemorations by shining a spotlight on the tremendous history of Indigenous service,” it said in a statement. Sheffield said Nov. 8 serves as a reminder of the mutual respect and camaraderie felt by soldiers, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, as they served alongside one another long before reconciliation efforts began. “I think those are things maybe we should also take to heart, and that might help us as we’re walking a path of reconciliation and trying to find a way to successfully and respectfully coexist in our country going forward.”

With the flock of several hundred ostriches on the British Columbia farm co-owned by her mother shot dead in a cull ordered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Katie Pasitney said she is focused on creating change for other farmers. Standing on the highway overlooking the field where the cull took place Thursday night, Pasitney said the CFIA’s so-called stamping-out policy is “broken” as it fails to prevent mounting outbreaks of avian influenza in B.C. and other parts of Canada. She said the farm near Edgewood in southeastern B.C. is “ground zero for change” in outbreak response, but added her family will “never recover from this.” “The gunfire all last night was overwhelming,” she said in an interview Friday. “Our hearts are empty.” The owners of Universal Ostrich Farms had been fighting the cull order issued during an avian flu outbreak last New Year’s Eve, but their hopes were dashed Thursday as the Supreme Court of Canada said it would not hear their case. The cull went ahead that night in cold, drenching rain, with sounds of gunfire starting at about 6 p.m. from inside a large hay-bale pen built when CFIA officials arrived to take control of the ostriches and their enclosure in September. The shooting continued into the night, a method Pasitney describes as inhumane. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a chicken or a 35-year-old ostrich, no animal should have to die inhumanely, neglected, tortured,” she said. A statement from the CFIA said using “professional marksmen” was the “most appropriate and humane option” to kill the flock of about 300 to 330 birds. A CFIA manual on culling procedures, which the agency had previously said contained “best practices,” describes shooting as a method of “last resort.” The agency has said its stamping-out policy for avian flu is necessary to protect human and animal health, as well as access to international trade, pointing to Canada’s $6.8 billion domestic poultry industry and $1.75 billion in exports. “This supports Canadian families and poultry farmers whose livelihoods depend on maintaining international market access,” the CFIA said in a statement. Some of the workers who could be seen near the hay-bale enclosure where the cull took place did not appear to be wearing protective clothing, Pasitney noted, saying it showed there was “no rhyme (or) reason” to the CFIA’s operation. Her voice filled with emotion as she described her father, who uses a wheelchair, crying because he felt he couldn’t protect his family and their ostriches. “In a way I feel like I failed ’cause I couldn’t protect my mum,” she said through tears as dead ostriches were loaded into metal containers in the field behind her. Pasitney said her mother, Karen Espersen, used to walk out the front door every morning to care for the flock, but with the cull, she has “lost everything.” Workers in white protective suits had begun disposing of the birds’ carcasses on Friday, though the view was largely obstructed by the hay-bale enclosure. Still, a machine with a front shovel could be seen dumping the ostriches into containers that were taken by truck to a staging area a short distance away. On Friday night, a handful of the farm’s supporters gathered at the area, where RCMP officers were stationed to protect the CFIA operation. But by 7:30 a.m. Saturday, the trucks hauling the unmarked blue containers carrying the ostriches were gone and just a handful of RCMP vehicles remained. RCMP officers continue to be stationed at the farm, called in for weeklong stints from all over B.C. The hay-bale enclosure appeared empty and just one supporter of the farm stood at the side of the highway livestreaming the scene on social media. “Our land that had so much life 24 hours ago is a cold, empty shell,” Pasitney said. “We’re going to use that as motivation and we’re going to change Canada.” CFIA did not immediately respond to say where it would take the ostriches or how it would dispose of them.

VANCOUVER — Goaltender Thatcher Demko will not dress Saturday night, meaning backup Kevin Lankinen will start when the Vancouver Canucks play the Columbus Blue Jackets in an NHL game. Demko’s status is unclear for when the Canucks host the Colorado Avalanche Sunday night. “Demmer won’t be playing tonight,” Canucks coach Adam Foote said after Saturday’s morning skate. “He won’t be backing up tonight. “He went out this morning, and he's still doing his thing, preparing for next time he plays." Jiri Patera, a call-up from American Hockey League affiliate Abbotsford Canucks, will backup Lankinen against the Blue Jackets. In six games this year, Lankinen has a 2-4-0 record, a 3.62 goals-against average and .880 save percentage. Demko, 29, skated Saturday morning but missed Friday’s practice. He played in Vancouver’s 5-4 overtime win against Nashville Monday but not in a 5-4 loss to Chicago on Wednesday. In nine games this year, Demko has a 5-4-0 record, a 2.57 goal-against average and a .912 save percentage. A knee injury limited Demko to just 23 games last season. He had a 10-8-3 record with one shutout. He had a 2.90 goals-against average and 889 save percentage. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

Former NHLer and Ottawa Senators general manager Mel Bridgman has died. He was 70. The NHL Alumni Association announced his death on Saturday. The cause of death was not disclosed. Bridgman was the first overall pick in the 1975 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, where he spent his first six-plus seasons. He was traded to the Calgary Flames in 1981-82 and finished that season with a career-best 33 goals and 54 assists across 72 games. He went to the New Jersey Devils in 1983-84 and played three-plus years before getting traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1986-87. Bridgman played his final season for the Vancouver Canucks in 1988-89. The Trenton, Ont., native finished his career with 701 points (252 goals, 449 assists) across 977 regular-season games. In 1991, he was named the first general manager of the expansion Senators -- a post he held until 1993. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Ottawa Senators tried and failed to play keep-away with a one-goal lead and had to go to overtime to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Saturday. While the Senators neglected to post a shot on goal in the third period until only 1:26 remained, the Flyers got a game-tying goal from Jamie Drysdale to send the game into overtime. Then Tim Stutzle reached a loose puck and scored with 1:41 left in OT. Ottawa (7-5-3) went without a shot from 2:43 remaining in the second period until Dylan Cozens’ attempt with 1:26 left, his team up 2-1 at the time. They started fast with 37-year-old David Perron passing to a wide-open Stutzle, and he had an easy time snapping a shot past Flyers goalie Sam Ersson 5:14 into the game. Only 1:05 later, former Flyers captain Claude Giroux, also 37, fed winger Michael Amadio, and he went right down an unprotected slot to slip the puck past Ersson for a 2-0 Senators lead. The Flyers (8-5-2) got on the board when Matvei Michkov spun away from Ottawa defender Jake Sanderson, then cut through the slot and put one home at 11:23 of the second to bring the Flyers to within 2-1. It was Michkov’s second goal in two games, after he’d gone the previous nine without one. While goalie Linus Ullmark (20 saves) worked to keep that score intact into the third, his club switched to a pure defensive effort in the third period. That worked only until Drysdale found a loose puck in the slot and rebounded it home with 10:05 left in regulation to tie the game. Up next Senators: Get right back into action Sunday night, hosting the Utah Mammoth for the first of a four-game Ottawa homestand. Philadelphia: Will host the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl Rob Parent, The Associated Press

Those who have undergone successful corrective procedures for irregular heart beats may no longer need to commit to long-term blood thinning therapy, an international study co-led by Canadian researchers suggests. Researchers behind the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine say the discovery could potentially alter the clinical care of millions of people around the world. The randomized study involved more than 1,200 patients who had undergone an ablation for atrial fibrillation, a procedure that involves altering the electrical signals in the heart through the use of a catheter. The randomized trial then compared how one group reacted to taking rivaroxaban, a commonly prescribed anticoagulant, with another prescribed low doses of aspirin. “The guidelines have said that even if your doctor does an ablation and feels it's successful, you should continue your blood thinners for life,” said Dr. Atul Verma, a senior cardiovascular scientist based at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal who co-led the trial. “We decided to do this trial to see if this was actually necessary.” Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia and affects one per cent of all Canadians, and five per cent of those above the age of 65, he said. After following the patients over the course of three years, researchers found there was no significant difference in the rates of stroke and embolism, the obstruction or blockage of blood vessels, between the two groups. “We were a little surprised by the results,” Verma said. “It appears that atrial fibrillation ablation, when successful, not only lowers the amount of atrial fibrillation, but also seems to drastically lower the risk of stroke.” Brain MRIs were also conducted on patients at the beginning of the study and the end three years later to look for signs of silent strokes, he said, which revealed low rates between both groups. "The rate of stroke or silent stroke in these patients was really, really low," Verma said. "It was so low that we could not detect any difference between continuing blood thinners or going on aspirin." That brain imaging revealed that after three years, 96 per cent of patients showed no signs of silent strokes, he highlighted. Anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners, work to prevent blood clots from forming, but have been known to cause bleeding. That could include excessive bleeding from cuts, blood in the urine, or heavy menstrual bleeding. Verma said many patients are eager to get off them, since the bleeding they can cause, say in the instance of an accident, can be life-threatening. "The first thing they ask is, can I stop this blood thinner? I like to go skiing, I like to work in my garage, I'm at risk of bleeding by taking these things," Verma said. "And now for a certain substantial portion of those patients, I think we can say, yes you can." Dr. David Birnie, a professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, and the head of its Ottawa Heart Institute, which was involved in the study, called the findings a "game-changer." "Our results show that one year after a successful ablation, the risk of stroke is so low that the downsides of continuing blood thinners outweigh the benefits, meaning many patients can safely stop," Birnie, who also co-led the trial, said through a press release. Over 50 cardiovascular research centres across Canada, Europe, China and Australia were involved, a collaboration coordinated by Dr. George Wells, the director of cardiovascular research at the Ottawa Heart Institute. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Jean-Benoit Legault, The Canadian Press

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes both made roster moves Saturday ahead of the East Division final. Montreal listed Canadian guard Pier-Olivier Lestage and American defensive lineman Shawn Lemon both as out for the game. No reasons were given for the moves but Lestage was a limited participant in practice this week with a neck ailment. First-year American Des Holmes comes off the practice roster to start for Lestage at right guard. Canadian Philippe Lemieux-Cardinal shifts to take Lemon's spot behind Canadian defensive lineman Lwal Uguak. Receiver Hakeem Harris also comes into Montreal's lineup from the practice roster. Hamilton also changed its secondary as American cornerback Jonathan Moxey was listed as out. Quavian White, a first-year American, comes off the injured list to start in Moxey's spot on the field side. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian drone slammed into an apartment building in eastern Ukraine early Saturday while many were sleeping, killing three people and wounding 12 others, Ukrainian authorities reported. The attack in Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, was part of a large Russian missile and drone barrage across the country that targeted power infrastructure and also killed a worker at an energy company in Kharkiv, farther north, a local official said. A fire broke out and several apartments were destroyed in the nine-story building in Dnipro, the emergency services said. Rescuers recovered the bodies of three people, while two children were among the wounded. Russia fired a total of 458 drones and 45 missiles, including 32 ballistic missiles. Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralized 406 drones and nine missiles, the air force said, adding that 25 locations were struck. Authorities switched off power in several regions because of the attacks, Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk said in a post on Facebook. In eastern Ukraine, fighting for the strategic city of Pokrovsk has reached a key stage, with both Kyiv and Moscow vying to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump that they can win on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Saturday that work has begun on President Vladimir Putin’s order to prepare plans for a possible Russian nuclear test, according to state news agency Tass. Putin’s order on Wednesday followed statements by Trump, which appeared to suggest that Washington would restart its own atomic tests for the first time in three decades. During a news briefing Saturday, Lavrov said that Russia had received no clarification from the U.S. regarding its intentions. In this image made from video provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, a Russian army soldier fires a Fagot anti-tank missile system towards an Ukrainian position at an undisclosed location. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) Energy sites attacked Russia has been pummeling Ukraine with near-daily drone and missile strikes, killing and wounding civilians. The Kremlin says its only targets are linked to Kyiv’s war effort. Russia’s Defense Ministry asserted Saturday that the nighttime strikes hit military and energy sites supplying Ukrainian forces. Moscow and Kyiv have traded almost daily assaults on each other’s energy targets as U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the nearly four-year war had no impact on the battlefield. Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries aim to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue the war. Russia wants to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water in what Kyiv officials say is an attempt to “weaponize winter.” Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in an X post that the strikes damaged “several major energy facilities” around Kharkiv and Kyiv, as well as in the central Poltava region. An energy company worker was killed in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said in a post on Telegram. “We are working to eliminate the consequences of the attacks across the country. The focus is on the rapid restoration of heating, electricity and water supply,” Svyrydenko added. Thermal power plants operated by Ukraine’s state energy company Centrenergo were again knocked offline by the nighttime strikes, the company said in a statement Saturday. Centrenergo’s three plants in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Donetsk were damaged by Russian attacks last year and subsequently restored. The very same plants that were targeted last year and restored were struck again “each minute” by Russian drones, the company said. Russian forces, meanwhile, repelled a “massive” nighttime strike on energy facilities in the southern Volgograd region, Gov. Andrei Bocharov said Saturday, two days after Ukraine said that it hit a key oil refinery there with long-range drones. Bocharov added that the strike knocked out power in parts of the region’s northwest, but caused no casualties. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv. Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday that its forces shot down 82 Ukrainian drones during the night, including eight over the Volgograd region. Two people were wounded in the neighboring Saratov region after a Ukrainian drone strike blew out windows in an apartment building, according to regional Gov. Roman Busarin. Vow to stop Russian oil in Europe Following weeks of long-range strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure that Ukraine says both funds and directly fuels the Kremlin’s war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed on Friday to “find a way to ensure there is no Russian oil in Europe.” Zelenskyy spoke to reporters shortly after Hungary secured an exemption from recent U.S. sanctions targeting major Russian oil producers. “We will not allow it. We will not let the Russians sell oil there. It’s a matter of time,” he said at a news briefing after meeting with senior Ukrainian military leaders, without elaborating how Kyiv might seek to stanch the oil flows. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a Trump ally who has long urged the European Union to repair ties with Moscow, argues that landlocked Hungary has no viable alternatives to Russian crude, and that replacing those supplies would trigger an economic collapse. Critics dispute that claim. The Trump administration unveiled sanctions against Russia’s major state-affiliated oil firms Rosneft and Lukoil last month, a move that could expose their foreign buyers — including customers in Central Europe, India and China — to secondary sanctions. While most of the EU’s 27 member states sharply reduced or halted imports of Russian fossil fuels after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Hungary and Slovakia have maintained their pipeline deliveries. Hungary has even increased the share of Russian oil in its energy mix. Fighting for city of Pokrovsk The city of Pokrovsk sits along the eastern front line, part of what has been dubbed the “fortress belt” of Donetsk, a line of heavily fortified cities crucial to Ukraine’s defence of the region. It could also be a key point in influencing Washington’s stance and sway the course of peace negotiations, analysts say. Putin says his forces are on the cusp of winning. As a prerequisite for peace, he demands that Ukraine cede the Donbas, made up of Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk. Russia troops advanced near Pokrovsk and the nearby town of Myrnohrad, according to the Russian Defense Ministry on Saturday, saying both were encircled. It also said Russian forces surrounded Ukrainian defenders in Kupiansk, a key railway hub in the northeastern Kharkiv region. Kyiv didn’t immediately respond to Moscow’s statements, which couldn’t be independently verified. Ukrainian officials have previously acknowledged that the situation in Pokrovsk is dire. But they said there was no blockade either there or in Kupiansk, and that fighting continued.

OSAKA, Japan (AP) — Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto performed a near-flawless free skate on Saturday to defend her title in what she says will be her final NHK Trophy. Sakamoto said in June she will retire from competition after next year’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and was determined to put in a stirring performance at her home Grand Prix. Skating to a selection of music from Edith Piaf, Sakamoto landed seven triple jumps to score a Grand Prix season-high score among all competitors of 227.18. “It was a great experience for me to be able to perform in my home town,” said Sakamoto. “This was an international competition close to my local fans and I feel great I was able to put in such a strong performance.” Combined with her second place finish at the Grand Prix de France, Sakamoto secured a slot in the Dec. 4-7 Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan. Teenager Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan, making her Grand Prix debut, was second with 200 points followed by Loena Hendrickx of Belgium. Ottawa's Katherine Medland Spence, competing in her first Grand Prix, finished 11th (146.63). Skating to “La Alegria,” 2024 European Champion Loena Hendrickx landed six triple jumps cleanly to earn a total of 198.97 points. Hendrickx returned to the Grand Prix series after sitting out the past season due to surgery to repair her right ankle in February. Hendrickx qualified for the Olympics by finishing third at the ISU Skate to Milano Figure Skating qualifier in September. After winning three consecutive world championships through 2024, Sakamoto finished second at this year’s worlds in Boston in March. The 25-year-old won the women’s singles bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. Sakamoto finished second behind 17-year-old compatriot Ami Nakai at the season-opening Grand Prix de France last month and came to her home Grand Prix aiming to regain her dominance. Japan’s best hope for a medal at the Olympics, Sakamoto will have to contend with Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian in Italy. The International Skating Union has decided to allow Russians to compete in Milan-Cortina as neutrals but only in the men’s and women’s competitions. The 18-year-old Petrosian has won two straight national titles and is unbeaten over the past two seasons, winning eight straight domestic events. Petrosian has landed triple axels and quads in competition while no other woman has done so consistently this year. Kagiyama overcomes early mistake In the men’s singles, 2022 Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama overcame an early mistake to win his third straight NHK Trophy. First after the short program, Kagiyama fell on his quadruple toe loop but landed all his other jumps to finish with an overall score of 287.24 Kagiyama’s Japanese compatriot Shun Sato, who won the Cup of China last month, landed three flawless quad jumps on his way to a personal-best of 189.04 in the free skate for a total of 285.71. With Saturday’s result, Sato confirmed a spot in next month’s GP Final in Nagoya, Japan. Lukas Britschgi of Switzerland took the bronze medal with 246.94 points. Kagiyama was skating in his first Grand Prix of the season and is hoping to carry the momentum to the Grand Prix final in December and the Winter Olympics next year. “I had a mistake early on but was able to recover after that. This was far from perfect but I did the best I was able to do today,” said Kagiyama, who will take part in the Nov. 21-23 Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy. British duo take ice dance gold World bronze medalists Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Great Britain won the ice dance gold medal with an overall score of 205.88 to qualify for the Grand Prix Final. Three-time European Champions Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbari of Italy earned the silver medal while 2022 Four Continents champions Caroline Green and Michael Parsons of the United States took the bronze. Fear and Gibson impressed the judges and the Japanese fans with their Scottish dance routine in tartan costumes that featured spectacular lifts and intricate footwork. “We’re just very proud of our performances because we put a lot of work in a short amount of time between France and here, and it really showed up in competition, which is one of the most gratifying feelings,” Fear said. Alicia Fabbri of Terrebonne, Que., and Paul Ayer of Brossard, Que., posted the best Canadian result, finishing in ninth place with a season-best score of 174.71. In pairs, the Italian duo of Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii upstaged 2022 Olympic champions Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China to take the gold medal. Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko of Hungary earned the silver medal while Sui and Han, who were first after the short program, had to settle for bronze. Shibutani siblings finish sixth in return After a disappointing result in their comeback bid, US ice dancers Alex and Maia Shibutani said qualifying for next year’s Winter Olympics was not the main reason for their return to competitive skating. In their return to the ice after a seven-year hiatus, the sibling duo finished in sixth place in ice dancing at the NHK Trophy. “We’re disappointed with the scores, for sure,” Alex said. “We’ve been in this sport for a long time so we’ll have to look at the protocols but we know what we did and what we came here to do.” Once the dominant US ice dancers, the Shibutanis last competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang where they won bronze medals in both ice dancing and the team event. They are three-time World medalists and two-time US champions. They announced in May they are making a comeback before a video of Alex berating his sister in practice was leaked on social media in the build up to their return to the ice last month, which the siblings played down on Friday. While they would love nothing more than to represent their country at the Milan-Cortina Games, the Shibutanis said it wasn’t the main motivating factor for their return. “Our timing in our return is separate from what the timeline of the sport is,” Maia Shibutani said. “It’s truly about where we thought we were at in our lives, our ability to show up as athletes and people, that’s what inspired our return.” “We’ve competed at two Olympics before, we loved those experiences, we know what it takes to compete at the highest level and we are fortunate to have done so,” Alex said. “When we ventured out on this journey there were goals but the goals and the instincts to return were less about the results, placement or any particular competition.” The 34-year-old Alex and the 31-year-old Maia have skated together most of their lives. The Shibutanis stepped away from skating after Pyeongchang to focus on school and other interests. They extended their hiatus when Maia was diagnosed with a malignant tumor on her kidney in 2019. She underwent surgery to remove the mass, and additional treatment resulted in a successful but long and painful recovery. The Shibutanis are next scheduled to compete at the Nov. 21-23 Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy. ___ AP Winter Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics Jim Armstrong, The Associated Press

Canada's Félix Auger-Aliassime is the eighth and final qualifier for the ATP Finals. The Montreal native's spot was to be determined by the winner of the Hellenic Championship tennis final between Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Italy's Lorenzo Musetti on Saturday. Djokovic, who had already qualified for the eight-player event, defeated Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 for his 101st career ATP title and a record 72nd title on hard courts. A win would have earned Musetti the title and qualified him for the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. The ATP Finals run from Sunday to Nov. 16. Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Italy's Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton of the United States, Australia's Alex de Minaur and Germany's Alexander Zverev make up the rest of the field for the upcoming event. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

Former Philadelphia Eagles centre Jason Kelce says he didn’t mean to insult Canada when he questioned why he was supposed to care about the World Series in a podcast episode earlier this week. Kelce issued the clarification on social media Friday after a clip of his “New Heights” podcast, which he hosts with his younger brother Travis, showed him questioning why he would get excited about a “Canadian baseball team” going to the World Series against “a team that spends more money than everybody else.” His comments drew criticism from several Canadian baseball fans, calling his take disappointing. The Toronto Blue Jays went to Game 7 of a tumultuous World Series last weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the highest payroll of all MLB teams. Travis Kelce, a Kansas City Chiefs tight-end, praised both teams for pushing the World Series into seven games of “absolutely epic” baseball. On Friday, the elder Kelce said on social media he was “bamboozled” that the podcast’s social media team “failed to show the whole story.” “How could I not love poutine, maple syrup, and beavers!!” Kelce wrote, adding he was simply “talking s--- about not being personally invested of caring that the team that spent the most money and built a super team won the World Series.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

Former Philadelphia Eagles centre Jason Kelce says he didn’t mean to insult Canada when he questioned why he was supposed to care about the World Series in a podcast episode earlier this week. Kelce issued the clarification on social media Friday after a clip of his “New Heights” podcast, which he hosts with his younger brother Travis, showed him questioning why he would get excited about a “Canadian baseball team” going to the World Series against “a team that spends more money than everybody else.” His comments drew criticism from several Canadian baseball fans, calling his take disappointing. The Toronto Blue Jays went to Game 7 of a tumultuous World Series last weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the highest payroll of all MLB teams. Travis Kelce, a Kansas City Chiefs tight-end, praised both teams for pushing the World Series into seven games of “absolutely epic” baseball. On Friday, the elder Kelce said on social media he was “bamboozled” that the podcast’s social media team “failed to show the whole story.” “How could I not love poutine, maple syrup, and beavers!!” Kelce wrote, adding he was simply “talking s--- about not being personally invested of caring that the team that spent the most money and built a super team won the World Series.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press

SASKATOON — Premier Scott Moe says he takes responsibility for his Saskatchewan Party's losses in the province's two major cities. Moe had made the comments at the party's convention, where he is facing a leadership vote. Moe says he needs the support of his members so he can run again as the party leader in the next election. The premier says he didn't always get it right in last year's election campaign, but says he offers a stable choice to voters who want the economy to grow. Last year's election saw Moe's government win a fifth-straight majority but lose significant ground in the province's two major cities. Moe received an approval rating of 97 per cent at the last convention in 2023. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2025. Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Elena Rybakina won the WTA Finals after beating No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 (0) on Saturday. The sixth-ranked Rybakina struck eight aces and converted the sole break of the match on the indoor hardcourt in Riyadh. It was a second loss in the final of the season-ending tournament for Sablenka after the four-time Grand Slam winner lost to Carlone Garcia in the 2022 title match. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion from Kazakhstan, was playing her first title match in her third consecutive WTA Finals appearance. She collected $5.23 million after going 5-0 at the event featuring the top eight women. The WTA said that was the largest payout in the history of women’s sports. Sabalenka earned $2.7 million as runner-up. Sabalenka entered the match with an 8-5 head-to-head edge over her opponent and a 22–2 record in tiebreakers this year. Rybakina recorded her tour-best 45th hardcourt win of the season. The 26-year-old Kazakhstani became the 10th straight first-time winner of the WTA Finals. ___ AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis The Associated Press

Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris believes there’s one major difference when it comes to the team’s mindset for the CFL West Final. “We’re the big dogs,” Harris said. The Riders proved they were the top dog throughout the CFL regular season, finishing with a league-high 12 wins. Finishing at the top of the standings gave the team the right to have the divisional final at home at Mosaic Stadium. This is the first time the Riders have hosted the West Final since 2019 and only the fourth time since 1972. Kickoff for the game against the B.C. Lions is set for 5:30 p.m. Harris knows it’s important to take advantage of these opportunities. “I think early on in your career, you believe you will do this a bunch of times,” Harris said. “Eventually, you realize it’s difficult. When you get these opportunities, you relish them. I remember growing up, I used to watch press conferences and go to games and watch players, and I was like, ‘I would love to be that guy someday,’ … I’m grateful for these moments. “It’s not something where I sit here and put pressure on myself. I get to live this moment. I get to go out there in front of a packed house in the West Final in the CFL, playing professional football, and I am 39 years old. It’s pretty stinking awesome and I am grateful.” Harris had one of the best seasons in his lengthy CFL career, throwing for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. On the other side will be the B.C. Lions, who have rattled off seven wins in a row to get to this point, including defeating the Calgary Stampeders in the West semifinal. The Lions, who boast the number one scoring offence in the CFL, are led by CFL West Division Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian in quarterback Nathan Rourke. Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns and 16 interceptions to go along with 564 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Linebacker Jameer Thurman knows it’s a challenge to keep Rourke contained as a rusher. “It’s a challenge because a lot of their big plays come when he gets out of the pocket. We understand what’s at stake when we go against someone like him, but as long as guys do their job, we will be fine,” Thurman said. The Riders’ defence has been one of the best in multiple categories this season, especially when it comes to stopping the run. Saskatchewan only surrendered 76 yards per game — the next lowest was the Ottawa Redblacks at 91.4 yards per game. B.C. running back James Butler was among the best in the league with his 1,213 yards being good enough to be the third-highest in the CFL. With the weather expected to be cold, Thurman said it’s important they continue to focus on their identity. “We talk about all season, stopping the run. That’s a key to victory. We have done that throughout the year and we continue to look forward to doing that. It’s not about who is coming in or anything like that. As long as you continue to be yourself and what you have been doing all season long, we will come away with the win,” Thurman said. Meanwhile, the Riders could lean heavily on running back AJ Ouellette in the game. He finished with 1,222 yards. “Everybody is fired up. We know we have the team that has what it takes to go all the way. Just go out there and show what we are made of,” Ouellette said. Both defences in the game have had success getting to the quarterback this season. The Lions finished the season tied at the top of the CFL with 45 sacks, but right behind them were the Riders with 43. The same can be said for the offensive lines as well as the Lions surrendered the least amount of sacks (20), while the Riders were tied with the Montreal Alouettes in second (25). The Riders did win two of the three showdowns between the two clubs, but the Lions did win in Week 21. In that game, the Riders rested their starters in the second half while also giving some other players the game off. Head coach Corey Mace this is the type of showdown you want to be a part of. “I think for the fan base, it’s excellent. This is what you want. From the players’ standpoint, I think this is what they want as well,” Mace said. “At this point in the season, where everyone is trying to go, you have to show up and you have to be the best. It’s a tall task, no doubt. We’ve talked about two really good football teams. It should be excellent for the league and CFL fans.”