Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday she is stepping down as New Zealand's leader and will not contest this year's general elections. Fighting back tears, Ardern told reporters in Napier that Feb. 7 will be her last day in office. ``I am entering now my sixth year in office, and for each of those years, I have given my absolute all,'' she said. Ardern described her job as among the most privileged but challenging jobs and said doing it required having a reserve to face the unexpected. She said she no longer had that reserve to face another term in office.

Defence Minister Anita Anand has sidestepped questions about whether Canada is prepared to donate modern battle tanks to Ukraine. The issue came up repeatedly as Anand paid a surprise visit to the capital Kyiv, where her Ukrainian counterpart stressed the need for tanks to help in his country's war with Russia. Earlier today, Anand announced that Ottawa is sending another 200 armoured vehicles to help the Ukrainian military. Ottawa is buying the vehicles from an Ontario company at a cost of 90-million dollars.

The North Vancouver RCMP have made an arrest after a report was made by a business owner claiming they were defrauded by an employee of $80,000. On January 11th 2023, a West Vancouver woman in her 30s was arrested by investigators for Fraud over $5000. Its is alleged the employee was hired by a local business in North Vancouver. During her employment from June to September 2021, it is alleged she made several large refunds to her personal credit cards.The business owner was away on a trip during the period when the refunds occurred. When the owner returned, he discovered the refunds and immedi

Wauzhushk Onigum Nation in northern Ontario says it has uncovered 171 ``plausible burials'' in studies of cemetery grounds at a former residential school site. The First Nation says with the exception of five grave markers, the rest are unmarked. In a news release Tuesday afternoon, the First Nation says the site linked to the former St. Mary's Residential School in Kenora, Ont., has been secured in accordance with Anishinaabe protocols. The First Nation says the anomalies, which it also calls ``plausible burials,'' were found during studies conducted by its technical, archeological and ground

Following an 18-month long investigation in the disappearance of 26-year-old Amy WATTS, a charge of Manslaughter has been approved against her former boyfriend, 38-year-old Kyle Gordon ORDWAY. On January 16, 2023, Nanaimo Crown Counsel, in close consultation with the Nanaimo RCMP Serious Crime Unit, approved the charge against ORDWAY. Amy WATTS was originally from Prince Edward Island and had moved to Vancouver Island several years prior. She was in a relationship with ORDWAY up until her disappearance in May of 2021.ORDWAY is currently in custody on an unrelated matter. His next court appeara

A former Uber driver has been convicted and sentenced for sexual assault following a Vancouver Police investigation that began in 2021, after a then-21-year-old woman came forward to police. Mohammed Abu Sayed, 69, was given a six-month conditional sentence that includes two months house arrest, followed by 18 months of probation. During that time, he is banned from operating any ride-share vehicle, taxi, limousine or any other mode of transportation for remuneration. He is also banned from liquor stores, bars, pubs, nightclubs, beer gardens, and any other place where minors are prohibited by

Vancouver Police are investigating a homicide in the Downtown Eastside. Officers were called to an SRO hotel near East Hastings and Carrall Street shortly before 7 a.m. today and discovered a man who was deceased. The victim has not been identified. There is no ongoing risk to the public. Anyone with information is asked to call VPD’s Homicide Unit at 604-717-2500.

3 BC men have been charged following the dismantling of a drug super lab by the BC RCMP Federal Policing Clandestine Laboratories Enforcement and Response team (CLEAR). On January 14, 2022, the BC RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime (FSOC) program’s CLEAR team executed two search warrants on properties located in the cities of Abbotsford, and Surrey, BC, and arrested three men for their alleged involvement in the operation of a sophisticated clandestine drug lab.The search of the sites uncovered a drug super lab at the Abbotsford location, with evidence of a synthetic drug operation tha

Road safety is a top priority every year all over the Lower Mainland. In 2022, Burnaby RCMP, along with 11 partner agencies, conducted 43 planned commercial vehicle enforcement operations throughout the Lower Mainland. These collaborative and proactive enforcement initiatives aim to make the region safer by focusing on safety issues related to commercial vehicles, including mechanical inspections and unsafe driving behaviours. In 2022, the integrated team was able to accomplish the following across the Lower Mainland:Planned enforcement operations: 43Truck inspections: 1,706Trucks placed "Out