The government announced on Wednesday that citizens above 18 years of age will be given booster doses free of cost from July 15 for the next 75 days as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations and Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal. The facility will be available at all government centres. "India is celebrating 75 years of independence. On the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Kaal, it has been decided that from 15th July 2022 till the next 75 days, citizens above 18 years of age will be given booster doses free of cost," Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur told the media here. India's COVID-19

Data released by Statistics Canada shows people living in Edmonton and Calgary brought home less money in 2020 than they did five years prior. They were the only two cities among Canada's 10 largest urban centres to experience a decline in median after-tax income of households. Despite the decline, those living in Edmonton and Calgary continue to bring home some of the highest wages in Canada, taking in over $10,000 more than the average Canadian household. Out of the 10 cities, Calgary has the highest household income with the average after tax being 87-thousand dollars in 2020 --down from 92

The Bank of Canada raised its key interest rate by a full percentage point on Wednesday, marking the largest single rate hike since August 1998.The central bank’s decision signalled a more aggressive approach to bringing skyrocketing inflation, which hit a 39-year-high of 7.7 per cent in May, back down to its target of two per cent.Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said the "Inflation is too high, and more people are getting more worried that high inflation is here to stay. We cannot let that happen."In its latest monetary policy report, the Bank of Canada said inflation in Canada is “l

British rail workers will go on strike on July 27 over an ongoing pay dispute, a month after the country's most disruptive railway strike in three decades paralyzed train networks across the U.K. The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers said Wednesday its members will walk out for 24 hours, threatening travel chaos during the busy summer holidays. Union leaders said they have rejected a new pay rise offer from Network Rail to resolve the dispute over jobs, pay and working conditions. The union staged three strikes last month that saw 40,000 workers walk off their jobs, crip

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday announced a comprehensive enquiry into the irregularities in the post-matric scholarship scheme. "My government is committed for ensuring that oil and truth comes out in this scheme so that embezzlers are punished as per the law," said the Chief Minister. According to Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Mann assured the people of Punjab that this enquiry will be a bear thread analysis to ascertain every lapse and embezzlement of the public money under the post-matric scholarship scheme. He said that these discrepancies are an intolerable crime again

The federal government will spend more than $1 million to fight opioid poisoning in Edmonton. Carolyn Bennett, minister of mental health and addictions and Edmonton MP and Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault have announced funding for an outreach program to provide overdose response training and trauma support at a community level. The program, based at the city's Royal Alexandra Hospital, will also direct at-risk people to resources on treatment and recovery. In a release, the government says the program will support those disproportionately affected by substance use. ``This tragic loss of li

The Alberta government says it is changing how it tests people for COVID-19. Starting next week, Albertans who need a PCR test to inform their medical treatment must have a referral from a health-care professional. Clinicians are to determine the best testing option for their patients. Self-referrals will still be available to people with symptoms who live or work in isolated Indigenous communities and workers in certain high-risk settings, such as health care, continuing care and correctional facilities. Health Minister Jason Copping says in a statement that the changes would allow the provi

A VPD investigation has led to charges against a man. The man allegedly confined and sexually assaulted a stranger in her East Van home. Incident happened on Saturday night. Howard Lethbridge, 32, was arrested by VPD after the officers responded to a 9-1-1 call from a woman asking for help.

The head of the Council of the Federation gathering in Victoria says the federal government needs to stop splitting hairs and work with provinces and territories on health care. BC Premier John Horgan wants to sit down with the feds to work out how to restore Canada's ``crumbling'' system. Horgan says the provinces can sit down and solve the problems for Canadians, not for provinces and the federal government, but for the people. The premiers have called on the federal government to boost its share of health-care funding to 35 per cent from what they have said amounts to 22 per cent currently