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BCAug 16, 2021

268 wildfires burning in B.C.

The wildfire situation is continually evolving, and the information below is current as of 7 p.m. (Pacific time) on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021.Fires:Since April 1, 2021:1,511 wildfires766,709 hectaresCurrently burning: 268Active fires by fire centre:Cariboo: 32Coastal: 21Kamloops: 86Northwest: 5Prince George: 60Southeast: 64Resources:Total personnel: 3,701Contract firefighters: 1,236Out-of-province personnel: 480Aircraft (rotary and fixed-wing): 213Evacuations:Evacuation orders: 74 (+13)Evacuation alerts: 119 (-1)Properties:Number of properties on order: 6,607 (+717)Number of properties on alert: 1
toll-from-earthquake-in-haiti-rises-to-1-297
WorldAug 16, 2021

Toll from earthquake in Haiti rises to 1,297

Haitians are searching for survivors and the dead in collapsed buildings following the powerful earthquake over the weekend as hospitals overflow with patients. Thousands of people in the quake zone have slept outside, clutching small transistor radios tuned to the news. Officials have raised the death toll from Saturday's earthquake to at least 1,297. And the devastation could soon worsen. Tropical Depression Grace is predicted to reach Haiti on Monday night and it will bring the potential for heavy rain, flooding and landslides. The country's Civil Protection Agency says the magnitude 7.2 e
CanadaAug 16, 2021

First full day of Canada's election campaign begins with economic pledges

The federal parties are beginning to lay out their plans to revive the country's economy after months of pain from the COVID-19 pandemic.The Liberals are promising to extend a hiring credit first unveiled in their recent budget, aimed at boosting payrolls.Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole laid out his party's full platform, which similarly aims to create jobs, but also unwinds the Trudeau government's child-care system.Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is promising to pry money out of the pockets of CEOs who saw their compensation rise even as their companies received federal business aid.The
us-officials-say-7-killed-in-kabul-airport-evacuation-chaos
WorldAug 16, 2021

US officials say 7 killed in Kabul airport evacuation chaos

Senior U.S. military officials say the chaos at the Kabul airport this morning left seven people dead, including some who fell from a departing American military transport jet. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss ongoing operations. Afghans rushed onto the tarmac of the capital's airport on Monday as thousands tried to flee the country after the Taliban seized power with stunning speed. Some clung to the side of a U.S. military plane before takeoff, in a widely shared video that captured the sense of desperation as America's 20-yea
indias-cumulative-covid-19-vaccination-coverage-exceeds-54-58-cr
IndiaAug 16, 2021

India's cumulative Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeds 54.58 cr

India's cumulative Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 54.58 crores, said the Central government on Monday. As per the data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 54,58,57,108 vaccine doses have been administered through 61,54,235 sessions out of which 17,43,114 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours. The country's recovery rate stands at 97.48 per cent and out of the people infected since the beginning of the pandemic, 3,14,11,924 have already recovered from COVID-19, and 35,909 patients recovered in the last 24 hours. The data revealed that 32,937 new cas
navjot-singh-sidhu-appoints-pargat-singh-as-ppcc-general-secretary
IndiaAug 16, 2021

Navjot Singh Sidhu appoints Pargat Singh as PPCC general secretary

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has appointed Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) general secretary (Organisation).A circular issued by Sidhu stated, "With the approval of Hon'ble Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi, AICC General Secretary (Organisation) Sh. K.C. Venugopal and Punjab Congress in-charge Sh. Harish Rawat, I hereby appoint S. Pargat Singh as PPCC General Secretary (Organisation) with immediate effect."Former hockey captain-turned-politician Singh is considered a close confidant of Sidhu. Singh was earlier with S
CanadaAug 14, 2021

COVID-19 vaccine to be mandatory for federal employees

Ottawa is requiring that federal employees be vaccinated against COVID-19. Dominic LeBlanc, president of the Privy Council, says the government expects employers in federally regulated industries to do the same. There are close to half a million people who work directly for the federal government, a Crown corporation, the military or the RCMP.Nearly a million more work in federally regulated industries, which includes banks and airlines.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a week ago that he had asked the clerk of the Privy Council, the nation's top bureaucrat, to consider the mandate. Tran
b-c-reports-717-new-covid-19-cases
BCAug 13, 2021

B.C. reports 717 new COVID-19 cases

B.C. is reporting 717 new cases of COVID-19, including 11 epi-linked cases, for a total of 155,079 cases in the province.There are 4,277 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 148,964 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 82 individuals are in hospital and 39 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.The new/active cases include:140 new cases in Fraser HealthTotal active cases: 821101 new cases in Vancouver Coastal HealthTotal active cases: 593376 new cases in Interior HealthTotal active cases: 2,44660 new cases in Nort
police-remind-public-open-alcohol-not-permitted
BCAug 13, 2021

Police remind public open alcohol not permitted

As we head into a warm and sunny weekend, Vancouver Police are reminding everyone that open alcohol in public places is prohibited."Generally speaking, we have seen a substantial increase in open consumption of alcohol in the downtown core, despite there being designated spaces set out by the City of Vancouver," says Constable Tania Visintin, VPD.Along the Granville Entertainment District, officers report a 607 per cent increase in liquor pour outs since June 1, compared to the same period last year, and an 84 per cent increase since 2019."The Granville Mall is a place people are congregating

Just In

surrey-driver-loses-lamborghini-after-alleged-197-km-h-speed-on-alex-fraser-bridge
BCFeb 06, 2026

Surrey driver loses Lamborghini after alleged 197 km/h speed on Alex Fraser Bridge

A Surrey man is facing steep fines, a vehicle impound, and long-term insurance penalties after police allege he was travelling at nearly three times the posted speed limit on the Alex Fraser Bridge earlier this week. BC Highway Patrol says officers observed a Lamborghini SUV moving significantly faster than surrounding traffic just after 8:00 p.m. on February 4. Using a laser speed reader, police clocked the vehicle at 197 kilometres per hour in a 70 kilometre per hour zone while it was heading northbound over the Delta span. Police say the 51-year-old driver was issued multiple violation tick
federal-government-tightens-return-to-office-rules-for-public-servants
CanadaFeb 06, 2026

Federal government tightens return-to-office rules for public servants

The federal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has issued updated return-to-office requirements that will see most public servants spending more time working on-site each week. According to a notice from the Treasury Board, the changes will be introduced in phases. Executives will be required to work from the office five days a week starting May 4, while all other federal employees must report to the workplace at least four days per week beginning July 6. At present, most federal workers are required to be in the office three days a week under a hybrid work policy that came into effec
canada-records-job-losses-in-january-as-labour-market-shows-new-signs-of-strain
CanadaFeb 06, 2026

Canada records job losses in January as labour market shows new signs of strain

Canada’s economy took a step backward in January as the country recorded a net loss of about 25,000 jobs, according to the latest Labour Force Survey released by Statistics Canada. The decline marks the first monthly drop in employment since late summer and signals renewed pressure in key sectors tied to trade and construction. The manufacturing and construction industries experienced the sharpest losses, with economists pointing to ongoing trade uncertainty and U.S. tariff pressures as contributing factors. Private-sector employment and part-time work were particularly affected, while women
AlbertaFeb 06, 2026

TSB sending investigators after CN train derailment west of Edmonton

Federal transportation investigators are heading to central Alberta to examine a Canadian National Railway derailment that sent dozens of rail cars off the tracks west of Edmonton. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirmed it is deploying a team after 37 loaded train cars derailed Thursday near the hamlet of Wildwood, roughly 110 kilometres west of the provincial capital. The site is along a CN main line that carries a mix of freight through rural communities in the region. CN spokesperson Ashley Michnowski said preliminary information indicates the cars were loaded, but the company
AlbertaFeb 06, 2026

Airdrie youth hockey team honours junior players killed in Alberta highway crash

A youth hockey team from Airdrie is paying tribute to three junior players who died in a highway collision in southern Alberta by wearing and sharing memorial stickers during an upcoming tournament. The under-13 AA Airdrie Lightning team will place the stickers on their helmets and hand them out to opposing teams while competing in Regina this week. The stickers feature the jersey numbers of the players and the logo of the Southern Alberta Mustangs, the junior team the victims played for. The initiative was organized by a Lightning parent who ordered close to 100 stickers with the goal of keep