3 Canadian national team players among the Whitecaps stricken by illness

Three Canadian national team players were among those who fell ill following the Vancouver Whitecaps' appearance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final last weekend in Mexico City.
The Whitecaps said a 'significant number' of players and staff had a gastrointestinal illness. Three of them — Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe and Jayden Nelson — were ill when they arrived at Canada's training camp in Halifax ahead of Saturday's Canadian Shield match against Ukraine, coach Jesse Marsch said Friday.

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Canada Standard

16 minutes ago

• Canada Standard

Hainan free trade port moves to forefront of China's opening-up drive

HAIKOU, June 21 (Xinhua) -- For Canadian visitor Stephanie Wing See Yau, the therapy experience at a care center in Bo'ao, a coastal city in China's southernmost island province of Hainan, felt more like "a vacation." "This place is top-notch. They cater to so many aspects of wellness, not just physical, but mental too," she told Xinhua during her stay in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, which hosts over 30 top-tier domestic and international medical institutions. Thanks to special policy support, the pilot zone has introduced 485 cutting-edge medicines and medical devices that are licensed abroad but not yet available in the domestic market. The policy has benefited more than 130,000 patients, including individuals like Yau. Her four-day experience -- blending advanced health screenings, traditional therapies, tea ceremonies, and cultural immersion -- offers much more than just a chance to relax. It showcases a tangible outcome of a key move in China's opening-up strategy: the transformation of Hainan into a Free Trade Port (FTP). As the Hainan FTP is set to begin independent customs operations by the end of the year, it is poised to become not only a tourist haven but also a pivotal gateway for China's opening-up drive. FRONTIER FOR FREE-FLOWING FACTORS A central component of this transformation is the Lecheng medical tourism pilot zone. A total of 25 medical tourism routes have been rolled out to cater to a wide range of needs, including traditional Chinese medicine, chronic disease care, luxury diagnostics and cosmetic rehab, garnering popularity among visitors from countries such as Indonesia, Russia, Spain, and beyond. In 2024, the medical special zone attracted over 410,000 medical visitors, up 36.76 percent year on year. Lecheng is only one part of Hainan's wider push for opening up. Beyond the medical sector, the province has been fast-tracking foreign access across sectors ranging from finance and education to communication and high-tech industries, as China aims to build an FTP with global top-tier trade standards. Hainan, supported by the country's vast domestic market and its strategic positioning, stands as a vital hub that connects the world's second-largest economy with global markets. The FTP is gearing up to be "a pivotal gateway leading China's new era of opening-up," said Chi Fulin, head of the China Institute for Reform and Development. With independent customs operations imminent, the FTP's policy framework, underpinned by features like zero tariffs, low tax rates, simplified tax systems and facilitated factor flows, has taken shape. For firms in Lecheng, a zero-tariff policy on medical imports has saved nearly 8.2 million yuan (about 1.14 million U.S. dollars) in duties since December 2024. The start of independent customs operations will represent a concrete step toward building a major gateway for China's high-level opening-up, Chi said. INSTITUTIONAL OPENING-UP LURING FOREIGN CAPITAL As Hainan FTP has prioritized institutional integration and coordination across trade, finance and regulatory systems, experts believe this will create a powerful driving force for the development of the FTP and contribute to China's high-standard opening up strategy. Official data showed that so far, the province has rolled out a total of 158 institutional innovation cases. These reform measures include technology-empowered public tendering, one-stop business licensing, and a specialized IP zone to support the seed industry. Hainan FTP serves not only as a testing ground for free-flowing goods, services and data, but as a frontier for the innovation of regulations and mechanisms, said Zhou Xiaochuan, vice chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA). With its optimized business environment, Hainan has emerged as a premier foreign investment destination, ranking among China's top performers. In 2024, the number of foreign-invested enterprises in Hainan rose 19.2 percent year on year, while its foreign direct investment volume climbed to the tenth spot nationally. To date, Hainan has attracted investment from 158 countries and regions, while its economic openness ratio -- the ratio of total trade to GDP -- more than doubled from 17.3 percent in 2018 to 35 percent in 2024. High-profile events held in the province like the BFA, a premier platform advocating openness and multilateral cooperation, and the China International Consumer Products Expo, the largest consumer expo in the Asia-Pacific region, offer global investors dynamic gateways to observe the country's evolving openness agenda. DFS, the travel retail company of the luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, in 2024 sealed its largest single investment in 60 years to launch a landmark complex in Yalong Bay of Sanya, the well-known tropical resort city in Hainan. The project will merge luxury retail, hotels and entertainment, with the goal of building a top destination for luxury shopping and tourism. "Hainan FTP embodies China's commitment to high-standard openness," said Nancy Liu, president of DFS China. China's special economic zones, like Hainan FTP and the 21 pilot free trade zones, serve as pivotal engines for industrial transformation and opening up, Chi noted, highlighting their role as "growth accelerators for both regional and global economies." When the independent customs operations begin, Hainan FTP will create key opportunities for international enterprises to access China's domestic market more efficiently, and play a greater role in enhancing market connectivity with global markets through service trade-focused regulatory alignment, he added.

Edmonton Journal

an hour ago

• Edmonton Journal

Former FC Edmonton executive and local soccer legend Joe Petrone passes away

Article content For decades, Joe Petrone's name was synonymous with soccer in Edmonton, whether he was coaching a high school team or managing a professional franchise. Petrone lost his battle with cancer on Thursday. He was 78. Petrone was 12 when his family arrived in Edmonton from Italy. A young soccer phenom, he made it to the Canadian national team, playing at the 1967 Pan Am Games. Article content He then distinguished himself as a coach, mentor and booster of a game that had always trailed the so-called 'Big Four' in North America. He was an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois University, the same school were Sorrentino's restaurant chain founder Carmelo Rago played his college soccer. He coached the Edmonton Drillers of the North American Soccer League. He was director of soccer operations for the Edmonton Brickmen of the Canadian Soccer League, and the director of soccer operations for FC Edmonton when the team made its debut in the second iteration of the North American Soccer League. 'Joe was the driving force behind professional soccer in this city. He always believed it would work here,' said Jeff Paulus, who served as assistant coach, academy coach and finally head coach of FC Edmonton. 'He knew everything about everybody when it came to soccer in this city. Article content 'So many young players got their chances because of him. So many coaches got their chances because of him. And that includes me. Joe gave me a chance.' Antonio Rago played for FC Edmonton from 2011-13. His dad, Carmelo, and Petrone were friends for 50 years, since they played together for Edmonton's famed Ital Canadians club. 'Joe had four daughters and a son. But my brothers and I were like four sons to him, too.' said Rago. 'I know that when I made my professional debut, it was a proud moment for him.' Petrone also loved the other type of football. In fact, in 1971, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys. Legend has it that Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry flew to Edmonton to get the deal done. It was time when NFL teams were starting to seek out soccer-style kickers. Still, it was a big deal that an Edmontonian was getting a shot in the Big D. But after the preseason, Petrone returned to Edmonton and bought a house with the signing bonus. Rago recounted what has become family legend: When he was in Cowboys' camp, his teammates made him sing 'O Canada' in front of them. Petrone didn't like being the outcast, the butt of the joke, so he came home. Article content Latest National Stories

Winnipeg Free Press

2 hours ago

• Winnipeg Free Press

Bowlers on target as Canada defeats the Bahamas at T20 Americas qualifier

KING CITY – Kaleem Sana and Shivam Sharma each took three wickets as Canada defeated the Bahamas by seven wickets Saturday at the Americas Qualifier for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Canada won the toss and elected to field at the Maple Leaf Cricket Ground, dismissing the Bahamas for 57 runs with one ball remaining in their allotted 20 overs. The Bahamas were 19 for six before Jonathan Barry (10 runs) and Jevelle Gallimore (14 not out) offered some resistance. In response, Dilpreet Bajwa was 38 not out as Canada reached the victory target in just 5 1/3 overs, finishing at 61 for three. Bajwa hit five fours and one six in his 14-ball knock. Canada, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Cayman Islands are competing in an eight-day double round-robin format that will see the group winner advance to next year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Saturday's win improved Canada's record to 5-0-0 atop the standings. The Canadian men finish Sunday against Bermuda. Canada made its T20 World Cup debut last year, failing to advance out of the group stage after beating No. 11 Ireland and losing to No. 8 Pakistan and co-host United States, ranked 17th. A match against No. 1 India was abandoned due to inclement weather. The Cayman Islands and Bahamas were recently promoted from the Subregional Qualifier. Canada is ranked 19th in T20 play by the International Cricket Council, compared to No. 27 for Bermuda, No. 41 for the Cayman Islands and No. 52 for the Bahamas. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2025.