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TOKYO -- Official election campaigning started Friday for the next head of Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party. The winner will almost certainly become leader of the world's No. 3 economy, shaping key political, military and security roles in the region. Source

WASHINGTON -- The architect of a Washington protest planned for Saturday that aims to rewrite history about the violent January assault on the U.S. Capitol is hardly a household name. Matt Braynard worked as an analyst for the Republican Party, crunched data for a small election firm and later started a consulting business that attracted few federal clients, records show. Source

MADISON, WIS. -- A judge was set to decide Friday whether jurors at the trial of a man accused of killing two men and wounding a third during a police brutality protest in Wisconsin last year will see video that prosecutors say shows him talking about wanting to shoot people. Source

The Providence Crosstown Clinic in Vancouver is pioneering a new step in harm reduction by enabling some of its patients to take home medical-grade heroin. The program is the first of its kind in North America. Dr. Source

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Thursday that voters in Minneapolis may decide on abolishing the police department in the upcoming municipal elections. The measure, if approved, would amend the city charter to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety. Source

B.C. says it won't be able to take any of Alberta's extra intensive care unit patients at a time when that province's hospitals are buckling under the weight of patients who are critically ill with COVID-19. Dr. Verna Yiu, president and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS) said Wednesday it will ask other provinces if they can take ICU patients who need care, or spare staff that can work in intensive care units. Source

HAVANA -- Sitting on her mother's lap, 2-year-old Lucia looked at the illustrations in her book while around her several children watched the doctors in white coats and nurses with thermometers in amazement. In an adjoining room, Danielito, also 2, sniffled while getting a shot as a clown tried to distract him. Source

PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI -- The office of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry issued its first public statement Thursday about evidence authorities say they have of phone calls between him and a key suspect in the presidential assassination, saying he received countless calls from people concerned for his safety following the slaying. Source

WASHINGTON -- Travellers arriving at the airport nearest Washington, D.C., will face increased security in the run-up to a planned Saturday rally supporting people charged with taking part in the deadly Jan. 6 riot, the U.S. Source

WASHINGTON -- The prosecutor tasked with examining the U.S. government's investigation into Russian election interference charged a prominent cybersecurity lawyer on Thursday with making a false statement to the FBI. The case against the attorney, Michael Sussmann, is just the second prosecution brought by special counsel John Durham in two-and-a-half years of work. Source