Illicit drug overdoses are rising in northern British Columbia and health officials warn a new mix of street drugs can make a key life-saving medication less effective. Northern Health and the First Nations Health Authority have issued an overdose alert, warning that benzodiazepines, or benzos, have been found in illicit drugs circulating in the region. The alert says users of drugs contaminated with benzos might be difficult to rouse and could also be slow to respond to naloxone, the drug that reverses opioid overdoses. Health officials say benzos impede brain activity and raise the potentia

Joe Biden has officially become the 46th president of the United States. Biden took the oath of office just before noon Wednesday during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. The presidential oath was administered by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. President Joe Biden says ``democracy has prevailed'' in a country reeling amid a pandemic and a violent melee two weeks ago at the U.S. Capitol. In his first remarks as president, Biden said Wednesday that his swearing-in marks a day of ``history and hope.'' Biden said in his inaugural address that the country has ``learned again that dem

Farmers leaders on Wednesday said they would consider the Centre's proposal to put on hold farm laws for over one year and to form a committee of government and farmer representatives to discuss the laws clause wise and respond at the next meeting on January 22.The tenth round of talks between farmer unions and the Central government over the three farm laws concluded at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The next round of the meeting will take place on January 22.After the talks, farmer leaders said that they will discuss among themselves and will respond to the government's proposal in the next rou

Before he boarded Air Force One this morning for Florida, Donald Trump claimed his administration laid the foundation for the incoming one.He did not mention Joe Biden by name, but told a small crowd of family members and supporters that he thinks the new administration has the foundation to do something really spectacular.He made brief farewell remarks at Maryland's Joint Base Andrews before he boarded Air Force One for a flight to his Florida home.Trump said he'll be watching from a distance and promised he will be back -- quote -- ``in some form.''He did follow one presidential tradition a

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued a joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia."Today, we are reporting 465 new cases, including 13 epi-linked cases, for a total of 61,912 cases in British Columbia."There are 4,331 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 329 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 70 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. "To date, 92,369 doses of COVID-19 vaccine h

British Columbia's health minister says the province will adjust its vaccination plans in light of the news that Pfizer-BioNTech will not send any doses to Canada next week. Adrian Dix says the province had expected to receive about 5,800 Pfizer-BioNTech doses, a relatively small amount compared with the roughly 25,000 it's supposed to receive the week after. But he says the 5,800 doses are still "very significant" to B.C. and any time the province gets news it will receive less vaccine, it is "obviously disappointing." Dix says the province will have to devote more of the Pfizer-BioNTech vac

US president-elect Joe Biden says Delaware gave his family a chance. Before leaving for Washington, DC, Biden spoke at an event at the National Guard headquarters in Delaware named for his late son, Beau, who died of cancer. At one point Biden choked with emotion. Biden will spend the night at the president's official guest house, before moving into the White House after he is sworn in tomorrow. Trump has given one last recorded address before he leaves office tomorrow US President Donald Trump has given one last recorded address before he leaves office tomorrow, but still without actually c

Canadian leaders and health officials are promising that a slowdown in delivery of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine will only be temporary. But Major-General Dany Fortin says Canada will get no doses of vaccine from Pfizer at all next week. Fortin, the vice-president of operations at the Public Health Agency of Canada, says this week's shipment is almost one-fifth smaller than expected. He says Pfizer is still expected to meet its contractual obligation to ship 4 million doses to Canada by the end of March. Pfizer is upgrading its plant in Belgium, which is causing the delay.

The new member of Parliament for the Victoria riding, Laurel Collins, says she's running again in the next federal election, regardless of personal circumstances or when the vote is called. Collins makes the pledge as she announces she and her partner are expecting a baby in April. She has issued a statement saying leaders such as New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern have paved the way for new moms in politics, and there is no reason why women starting a family should be barred from pursuing meaningful roles. Collins won the Victoria riding for the NDP last fall. She replaced Murray Rankin who steppe