It's Wednesday and CTV News has gathered the day's top stories. Here are the five things you need to know: Pregnant women who have travelled to areas hit by the Zika virus are being urged to get tested; New Hampshire was full of victories for previous runners up; Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan meets with NATO counterparts in Brussels today; More Canadians are holding off on making big purchases; and Quebec is exploring limiting where you can scatter the ashes of loved ones.
1. Pregnant women warned: Canada’s Chief Public Health officer has released guidelines suggesting all pregnant women who have travelled to countries affected by the Zika virus to be tested. The move comes as the virus spreads and fears about its connection to possible growth defects grows.
2. New Hampshire: It was a big night in New Hampshire for those who had finished as runners-up in the Iowa primaries. Both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump claimed victory in New Hampshire on Tuesday, leading experts to think the nomination process will be a long, drawn out battle.
3. At a tipping point: As Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan begins the first of two days of meetings with NATO counterparts in Brussels today, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion says Canada will increase its military and diplomatic presence in Lebanon and Jordan. The move would come as both countries are struggling to deal with an influx of fleeing Syrian refugees.
4. Holding off: More than 60 per cent of Canadians are either delaying or outright cancelling big purchases, according to a CTV News/Nanos Survey on consumer confidence. A quarter said they would be spending less this year on vacations while 12 per cent would outright cancel their trips.
5. No ashes here: Quebec is exploring the creation of a new law that would limit the areas where people are allowed to scatter the ashes of their loved ones. Some religious groups and funeral institutions argue that ashes should only be kept in a cemetery or columbarium.
