A powerful explosion at a fireworks retail shop in central China has left 12 people dead, according to local authorities. The blast occurred Wednesday in the city of Xiangyang, located in Hubei province. Officials said the explosion triggered a large fire that destroyed an area of roughly 50 square metres around the store. Emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene shortly after the blast was reported. Firefighters brought the flames under control after several hours of rescue efforts. Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the explosion and an investigation is ongoing. Ind

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she will address Albertans in a televised speech on Thursday, one week before the province’s 2026 budget is tabled in the legislature. Smith made the announcement during an unrelated news conference in Calgary but did not provide details on what topics she intends to cover. A spokesperson for the Premier’s Office said further information about the address would be released at a later time. The speech comes ahead of Finance Minister Nate Horner’s scheduled budget presentation on Feb. 26. The government has already signalled that the fiscal plan will ref

The Alberta government says it will spend 400 million dollars to strengthen its aging fleet of water bombers, part of a long term strategy to address increasingly severe wildfire seasons across the province. Premier Danielle Smith announced the agreement with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, which is expected to deliver the first of five new aircraft in 2031. The remaining planes will be phased in over subsequent years. Smith said the investment is separate from the roughly 160 million dollars Alberta allocates annually for wildfire response operations. The province has faced longer and more d

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit British Columbia today, with stops in Richmond and Vancouver focused on community engagement and Liberal Party activities. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Carney will join members of the local community in Richmond to take part in Lunar New Year celebrations, an event that draws significant participation from the region’s large Chinese Canadian population. Richmond is home to one of the largest Asian communities in Canada, and Lunar New Year events are considered an important cultural and civic gathering across Metro Vancouver. Lat

B.C. Conservative MLA John Rustad says he will not enter the party’s leadership race, ending speculation about a possible return bid. Rustad’s statement was posted on X on Feb. 15, 2026. He said the decision followed “a lot of reflection,” thanked his wife for her support, and expressed gratitude to supporters who had indicated they were prepared to back him in a leadership campaign. Rustad said stepping aside was a decision made in the interest of party unity, and pledged to support the next leader chosen by party members. Connect Newsroom has contacted the B.C. Conservative Party for

Canada Border Services Agency officers have seized more than 266 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine at the Blue Water Bridge border crossing in Sarnia, marking one of the larger drug interceptions in the region this year. According to the CBSA, a commercial truck arriving from the United States on February 4 was referred for a secondary inspection at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry. During a search of the trailer, officers, assisted by a detector dog, discovered 16 duffle bags containing suspected methamphetamine. The total weight of the seized narcotics was reported at 266.4 kilograms

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a $6.6 billion defence industrial strategy aimed at expanding military production within Canada and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly the United States. The federal government says the initiative is designed to strengthen national security while building long term economic capacity. The plan outlines a 10 year framework to prioritize Canadian based manufacturers in defence procurement. According to the Prime Minister, companies that build and assemble equipment in Canada will receive preference in federal purchasing decisions. The str

Former Punjab Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu has publicly criticized senior Congress figure Rahul Gandhi, alleging that his leadership approach is contributing to the party’s decline in Punjab. In recent remarks, Sidhu claimed that Gandhi is disconnected from ground realities in the state and has failed to address what she described as internal corruption within the Punjab unit of the Indian National Congress. She further alleged that members of his close circle are involved in the sale of party tickets, and suggested that Gandhi is either unaware of or not acting on the issue. Sidhu’s

A young child has died following a collision at a Calgary intersection over the weekend, according to the Calgary Police Service. Police say the toddler was in a stroller being pushed by two adults in a marked crosswalk on Sunday when a Jeep SUV turned into the intersection and hit the stroller. Emergency crews transported the child to hospital, where the toddler was later pronounced dead. The adults pushing the stroller were not physically injured in the incident. Investigators say the driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with authorities. Police have indicated that neither speed n