Britain has authorized an easy-to-handle coronavirus vaccine and decided to stretch out the time between doses to allow more people to get some level of protection faster as infections surge.The first greenlight Wednesday for the shot dubbed the ``vaccine for the world'' brought a measure of hope that the pandemic could be brought under control.The vaccine developed by Oxford University and drugmaker AstraZeneca is expected to be relied on in many countries because of its low cost and the fact that it can be kept in refrigerators rather than at the ultra-cold or freezer temperatures some othe

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke on being asked about farmers being termed as 'naxals' and 'khalistanis' ,said, "These allegations should not be made by anyone against farmers. We express our deepest respect towards them. Our heads bow in respect towards our farmers. They are our 'annadatas'." "Our Sikh brothers have always protected the culture of India. Their contribution will be remembered for protecting the country's self-respect. There is no question on their integrity," Defence Minister added.

British Columbia health officials are urging people to avoid gatherings in celebration of New Year's Eve. The request comes as the province released five days of COVID-19 figures over the holiday season, showing 2,206 new cases for a total of 50,815 infections since the pandemic began. The province also reported 74 deaths from the virus, largely among those living in long-term care or assisted-living facilities. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says people need to follow public health orders forbidding social gatherings ahead of New Year's Eve. Dr. Henry says there were lower COVID-

A 66 year old man has been found dead following a fire at a home in Abbotsford, B.C. Police say in a news release the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service responded to a 911 call about a fire in a trailer on Monday. When crews arrived to the property they found the trailer engulfed in flames. Once firefighters were able to access the home, police say they found the man's body inside. The fire service, police and the BC Coroners Service are investigating the death. Police say the cause of the fire doesn't appear suspicious.

Avalanche Canada has lifted a recent warning about the extreme potential for slides on eastern British Columbia mountains, but backcountry users are urged to remain cautious because of weak snowpack layers across the province. Areas of avalanche concern include the Purcell range in the southeast, Cariboo Mountains in central B.C., and slopes around the Sea-to-Sky region north of Vancouver. The forecaster reported large, human-triggered avalanches Sunday along sections of the Cariboo Mountains near Valemount, and Monday on Rainbow Mountain, near Whistler. In the Rainbow Mountain event, Avalanc

Governor General Julie Payette is paying tribute to essential workers, front-line health workers and the military in her New Year's message. Governor General Julie Payette says Canadians owe a debt of gratitude to front-line workers for their efforts to save lives and care for others during the COVID-19 pandemic. In her year-end message, Payette says while the pandemic has made for a challenging year, Canadians can respond, and have responded, positively to hardship. In a departure from previous annual messages, Payette rallies Lieutenant Governors and Territorial Commissioners from across th

Retired general Rick Hillier says the call to close Ontario's COVID-19 vaccination clinics over Christmas Day and Boxing Day was the wrong decision. Medical experts were sharply critical of the move, pointing out on social media that the virus doesn't take a holiday. That's been borne out in the latest stats, which show Ontario recorded 2,553 new cases of COVID-19 today and 1,939 yesterday. Hillier says all of the province's clinics are open today and that Ontario expects to receive its first doses of the Moderna vaccine tomorrow, which will be sent to long-term care and retirement homes. Ont

Canada's industry minister says the country faces mounting mental health concerns that the government will have to address in 2021.Navdeep Bains says he has heard more stories about the mental health of workers and entrepreneurs alongside needs for financial help to individuals and businesses.He says it is particularly the case in his Toronto-area riding that is home to Pearson International Airport, where local hotels and restaurants are also suffering from a drop in travel.Bains tells The Canadian Press that he has seen the issue in his own home.A father of two, Bains says the toll the pande

Quebec has become the fourth province to confirm its first case of a more contagious COVID-19 variant. Health Minister Christian Dube says the person who tested positive is a family member of someone who returned from the United Kingdom on Dec. 11. Three other provinces have confirmed cases of the new variant in recent days, with three cases in Ontario, one in Alberta and one in British Columbia. The variant was first identified in the U.K. and has since spread to several other countries. The latest case in Canada comes as Yukon Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost says the terri