CAMPUS:
-The Western Undergraduate Summer Research Internship program is a new initiative to help undergraduate students get experience and secure summer employment during the pandemic. 

-A team of researchers at Western University’s Brain and Mind Institute found that being bilingual does not improve general mental ability.
-The study was published in the journal, Psychological Science. 

LOCAL AND NATIONAL:
-London, Ontario-based young entrepreneur Ryan Kelly has launched a new project last week called The Atrium Project to connect vulnerable populations to local volunteers who can help deliver supplies and groceries to their doorsteps.

-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced yesterday during his daily news conference that a $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund will assist charities and non-profit organizations that are helping vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19.

-Two cargo planes which were reserved by Canadian governments to deliver medical gear from China, were forced to return home empty amid traffic jams at an airport in Shanghai. 

WEATHER:
-Today we’re expecting to reach a high of 5 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds. 
-On Thursday, expect a temperature of 6 degrees with some light rain. ---On Friday, expect a temperature of around 13 degrees with mainly sunny skies.

NEWSCAST - Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020

CAMPUS:
-The Times Higher Education has ranked Western among the world’s best Universities. 
-In the second year of these ratings, Western ranked 5th in Canada and 26th overall in the world against 765 other universities from 85 countries. Western also ranked highly on several of the organization’s Sustainable Development Goals rankings.

LOCAL:
-Several downtown London businesses had to be evacuated yesterday after a natural gas leak. 
-London Wonderland South Toys R Us store has been closed temporarily due to unpaid rents. 

NATIONAL:
-Canada Post has warned about delays due to Christmas-like conditions in their supply chain. 
-Canadians are isolating at home and shopping online more, which has ramped up parcel volumes seen by Canada Post. The essential service has indicated that Canadians should expect delays.

-Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer is calling for a federal plan to get the country restarted. 
-With the announcement of Saskatchewan’s five-phase reopening guidelines yesterday, the interim leader of the federal conservatives called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to deliver a rollout for re-establishing the Canadian economy yesterday.

WEATHER:
-Today, expect a high of 13 degrees with clouds.
-Tonight, the temperature drops to minus 1 degrees with more clouds.
-Tomorrow, we get back to 13 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds.

NEWSCAST - Friday, April 24th, 2020

CAMPUS:
-Internationally recognized academic leader Lesley Rigg will join Western as Vice-President (Research) on Aug. 1.
-Western’s Board of Governors approved a five-year term for Professor Rigg at its meeting on Apr. 23. 

-Using machine learning, a team of Western computer scientists and biologists have identified an underlying genomic signature for 29 different COVID-19 DNA sequences.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL:
-Ontario has unveiled its three-phase plan to reopen following weeks of shutdown due to the spread of COVID-19.
-While no specific dates have been offered up by provincial officials, the plan, dubbed “A Framework for Reopening our Province,” states the parameters of each “gradual stage.”

-Last week, provincial health officials presented updated modelling and potential scenarios in the fight against COVID-19. 

-Several major local festivals have been postponed until next summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WEATHER:
-Today, we're expecting to reach a temperature of 17 degrees with light showers in the morning, and partly sunny skies heading into the afternoon. 
-On Wednesday, expect a temperature of 15 degrees with light rain.
-On Thursday, expect a temperature of 15 degrees with clouds and more showers.

NEWSCAST - Tuesday, April 28th, 2020

CAMPUS:
-Researchers at Western and Suncor are teaming up to ramp up COVID-19 test kit production using algae. 
-Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry PhD candidates Daniel Giguere and Sam Slattery are using algae as a production factory to make the necessary proteins for the test kits. 

LOCAL AND NATIONAL:
-The minority government controlled by the Liberals made several concessions to Bill C-15 before it was approved Wednesday afternoon.
-The Senate will sit on Friday to give final approval on the bill. If approved, this bill will provide $1,250/month for eligible students this summer. 

-The London Transit Commission has once again extended free rides, but at the cost of expansion plans. 
-The Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to extend free bus funding until the end of May.

-In a press conference Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford announced the expansion of those eligible for free child care due to COVID-19.
-The expansion now includes grocery store and pharmacy workers, some truck drivers, food supply chain workers and more. 

WEATHER:
-Today, the high will be 14 degrees with a 60 percent chance of showers. -Tomorrow, more weather for ducks with a chance of rain and a high of 15 degrees.

NEWSCAST - Thursday, April 30th, 2020

CAMPUS:
-Western students Betty Wang and Amy Wang have joined the Find the Masks Canada national outreach team.
-The initiative looks to increase awareness about PPE shortages. Their roles will be focused on using social media to connect PPE donors/suppliers with those in need.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL:
-A food handler at a London Real Canadian Superstore has tested positive for COVID-19. 

-The Ford Government has provided their guidelines on how businesses should eventually reopen safely. 
-Thursday afternoon, the Ford government released a set of new posters and guidance documents for many different industries to be used when they reopen.

INTERNATIONAL:
-The U.S. government will not extend COVID-19 social distancing measures after they expire at midnight last night. 
-With the expiry of federal guidelines, individual U.S. states will need to be in control of their guidelines.

WEATHER:
-Today, expect rain with a high of 16 degrees.
-Tomorrow, expect even more rain with a high of 17 degrees.

NEWSCAST - Friday, May 1st, 2020

CAMPUS:
-Summer school started Monday at Western University and student enrolment for online courses is higher than last summer when classes were held on campus.
-John Doerksen, Western's vice president of academic programs, told CBC's London Morning on Monday that more students might be enrolling now because people tend to go back to school when times are tough and jobs are scarce.

-Western’s president said he is optimistic classes will resume in-person come fall — at least partially.
-In an interview with the Gazette, Western University’s president Alan Shepard said that while administration is very much in “emergency mode” right now, they’re planning ahead for different scenarios next term.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL:
-Jay Stanford, London’s director of environment, fleet and solid waste, says statistics suggest Londoners have been heeding the city’s call to limit the amount of waste being left at the curb.

-Ontario will start tiptoeing back to normalcy Monday, allowing a small list of mostly seasonal businesses to reopen as the spread of COVID-19 slows.

-Voisin’s Maple Syrup near Formosa, Ont. would normally still be bottling maple syrup at this time of year, but instead they’re bottling hand sanitizer.

INTERNATIONAL:
-In a massive move, India will start special evacuation measures starting from May 7th to evacuate Indian nationals stranded across the globe.
-The government is arranging for non-schedule flights and naval ships for the safe return of Indian nationals. 

-Meanwhile in the U.S., anxious to spur an economic recovery without risking lives, President Donald Trump insisted that “you can satisfy both”

WEATHER:
-Today, we're expecting to reach a high of 11 degrees with partly cloudy skies. 
-On Wednesday, expect a temperature of 13 degrees with partly cloudy skies.
-Moving onto Thursday, expect a temperature of 11 degrees with a chance of showers.

NEWSCAST - Tuesday, May 5th, 2020

Four neuroscientists from Western University brought out their guitars, microphones, and drum kits to encourage physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adrian Owen, Tim Bussey, Conor Wild, and Hooman Ganjavi have performed in a band called BÄM! for almost 10 years. The band can’t physically play together due to social distancing efforts, so they decided to record a song, albeit virtually, that shares an important message during these trying times: stay at home, so we can save more lives.  

The song is a cover version of the Rolling Stones hit ‘Start Me Up’, and the band reworked the catchy chorus with the lyrics, “stay at home.” Radio Western caught up with bandmates Adrian Owen and Tim Bussey to hear more about how the song came together.

Neuroscientists at Western University sing, #StayAtHome

CAMPUS:
-John Yoo, dean of Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University, said the COVID-19 pandemic will have an enduring effect on the way medicine is taught. 

-A new Western study suggests that individuals facing homelessness, or individuals who have been recently housed, can be adversely affected by boredom, which can lead to mental health issues, potential drug use, or suicide. 

LOCAL AND NATIONAL:
-Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that $77-million in funding will be given to help food processors provide workers with personal protective equipment and adapt their plants and facilities to allow for proper physical distancing.

-Ontario announced new measures to support licensed restaurants, bars, and cideries amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
-In an effort to help hospitality sector workers and businesses impacted by the outbreak, the province of Ontario is permitting licensed restaurants and bars to sell spirits with a food order at a lower price, and they are also making it easier for cideries to sell directly to consumers. 

INTERNATIONAL:
-Britain has now surpassed Italy as the European nation with the highest official death toll from COVID-19.

WEATHER:
-Today, we’re expecting a high of 14 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds.
-On Thursday, expect a temperature of 12 degrees with mainly sunny skies and a chance of showers.
-Moving onto Friday, the temperature drops to 4 degrees with partly cloudy skies.

NEWSCAST - Wednesday, May 6th, 2020

CAMPUS:
-Western has partnered with General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada to produce face shields. 
-The London-based aerospace company has taken a concept and design from Western’s Advanced Manufacturing Team to make around 500 face shields per week for frontline health care workers.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL:
-A local restaurateur has launched a new online grocery pickup service. 
-Mike Smith, the owner of Joe Kool’s, Toboggan Brewing and two other establishments downtown has launched Kool Group Groceries. 

-The province has extended the State of Emergency by a week until May 19th. 
-This declaration from the Ford Government extends the state of emergency past the Victoria Day weekend. Despite this extension, some businesses will be able to reopen starting Friday including garden centres and nurseries. 

-British Columbia is loosening social distancing guidelines in the province. 
-Starting as early as mid-May, B.C. will begin loosening restrictions to allow for the restoration of several sectors including elective health services, retail, personal services and food establishments following appropriate social distancing measures. 

WEATHER:
-Today, the temperature hits 11 degrees with a 40% chance of showers.
-Tomorrow, it stays cool at 4 degrees with a chance of flurries or rain.

NEWSCAST - Thursday, May 7th, 2020

CAMPUS:

-Western University is calling on the people of London and the area to help document the local history of the coronavirus pandemic as it happens.
-The university  hopes will show future generations what life was like during the COVID-19 lockdown

- Jacqueline Keuper, MSC’17, is pursuing a doctorate in Epi-demi-ology & Biostatistics and Computer Science – the first Western student to study two different fields for one Ph.D.

LOCAL:
- The provincial government of London allowed retail stores to open Monday for curbside pickup, only if there is street access to the store. But in London, there is very little sign of that happening in the first few days.

-Out of a total of 456 COVID-19 cases in London, 299 people have recovered but people have to maintain social distancing and all necessary precautions, say MLHU experts.

-Actor, Ryan Reynolds bought pizza for every graduate from his old school
The actor, who’s proud of the fact he was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, delivered an at-home commencement speech for students graduating from his former high school, Kitsilano Secondary School last Friday. In addition to the speech, he offered to buy pizza for the school’s 385 grads.

SPORTS:

-The NBA will open practice facilities to players on May 8 in cities and states where local governments have eased stay-at-home orders according to their official website. This decision, according to previous reports, does not mean the league is closer to resuming the season.

-The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour plans to resume its schedule in the second week of June, with the first four events, beginning with the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 11, to be played without fans in attendance.

INTERNATIONAL:

-Musicians in Nigeria are maintaining physical distance as they play outdoor shows for healthcare workers and patients. 
-A 101-year-old woman who survived the Spanish flu just recovered from the coronavirus

WEATHER:

-Expect the maximum temperature to be 11’C and the minimum around 3’C today. It will be a sunny day with a cool breeze in the evening.

NEWSCAST: Tuesday, May 12th, 2020

94.9-FM Radio Western is Western University's campus radio station.

Neuroscientists at Western University sing, #StayAtHome

Radio Western

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