BCJan 21, 2021
Police watching a church after alleged Sunday morning services
Mounties in 100 Mile House are watching a church that's alleged to have held Sunday morning services in violation of rules on public gatherings. RCMP say they were called to the 100 Mile House Baptist Church after receiving a complaint and watched people leaving the building with no visible face coverings. In a recording of the service posted online, the pastor thanks people for coming and asks them to open their Bibles to a specific passage. Police say they took down licence plate numbers and owner registration information and while no fines were handed out, they say potential action could b
IndiaJan 21, 2021
Farmer unions reject government's proposal to put new farm laws on hold for about 18 months
A day after the government proposed that it is ready to put new farm laws on hold for about 18 months, the protesting farmer unions rejected the proposal and insisted on their demand for the repeal of the three laws. A press release issued by Samyukta Kisan Morcha after a full general body meeting on Thursday said that "the proposal put forth by the Government yesterday was rejected". "A full repeal of three central farm laws and enacting legislation for remunerative minimum support price (MSP) for all farmers were reiterated as the pending demands of the movement," said the release signed by
CanadaJan 21, 2021
Trudeau will be first foreign leader to speak with Biden on Friday: White House
The White House says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will speak with newly inaugurated U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday.Press secretary Jen Psaki says Trudeau will be the first foreign leader to speak with Biden since his inauguration.The two have a lot to talk about: hours after his inauguration, Biden signed an executive order effectively cancelling the US$8-billion Keystone XL pipeline expansion.In a statement, Trudeau says he's disappointed in the decision, but appreciates Biden's commitment to climate change — a sign Ottawa isn't going to push hard on trying to reverse the decision.He
BCJan 21, 2021
98,125 COVID-19 vaccine administered in B.C.; 500 new cases and 14 deaths reported
British Columbia's provincial health officer and health minister say the province's COVID-19 case count is ``trending in the right direction.'' Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say public restrictions will ease if the number of COVID-19 cases continue to drop. The province reported 500 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. There have been a total of 62,412 cases since the pandemic began and there are 4,345 active cases. There have also been 14 new deaths, bringing to 1,104 the number of COVID-19 related fatalities since March. Dr. Henry and Dix say in a joint statement that 98,12
CanadaJan 21, 2021
Conservative MP Derek Sloan ejected from party caucus
Controversial MP Derek Sloan has been kicked out of the Conservative caucus in a move party leader Erin O'Toole said was due to a "pattern of destructive behaviour" that had become a distraction. But Sloan is not going quietly. On Facebook, he urged so-called "blue" Tories to keep their party memberships and make their voices heard at an upcoming policy convention. Party leader Erin O'Toole initiated the caucus removal process late Monday after news of the donation surfaced. Sloan did not dispute he received the money from Paul Fromm, but has said he was unaware of it. Sloan has been in hot wa
WorldJan 21, 2021
President Joe Biden signed a series of executive orders after his inauguration
President Joe Biden has signed a series of executive orders from the Oval Office hours after his inauguration. Biden wore a mask while seated behind the Resolute Desk with a stack of orders early Wednesday evening. He said there was "no time to start like today." The first order Biden signed was related to the coronavirus pandemic. He also signed an order reentering the U.S. into the Paris climate accord. While his predecessor Donald Trump broke long-standing practice by skipping Biden's inauguration, he did follow through on one tradition and left behind a letter for Biden. The new Democrati
BCJan 21, 2021
Residents of Old Fort, B.C., suing province, others over slow-moving slide
Residents of a tiny community in northeastern British Columbia are suing the local and provincial governments over two slow-moving landslides they claim caused their property values to plummet. In a notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court this week, 35 residents in Old Fort., B.C., allege negligence and breach of their charter right to security of the person. Evacuation orders and alerts were issued in September 2018 and June 2020 after a slope above the community of about 50 homes slumped, damaging the only road in and out. The claim alleges that the first slide was caused by activ
IndiaJan 21, 2021
Indian village cheers for Harris before swearing-in as US Vice President
People in a tiny Indian village surrounded by rice paddies have flocked to a Hindu temple, burst crackers and uttered prayers in celebration. Locals lit diyas at native village of Kamala Harris' mother in Thulasendrapuram on the day of her swearing-in ceremony for US Vice Presidential post. They watched on television as village descendant Kamala Harris took the oath to become US vice president. Harris' maternal grandfather was born in the village near the southern coastal city of Chennai. Harris, who is also Black, has often talked about her South Asian roots. Harris entered her new office bui
BCJan 20, 2021
Vancouver-based West Fraser Timber and Toronto-based Norbord join forces
Shareholders of Vancouver-based West Fraser Timber and Toronto-based Norbord have voted to join forces. The move unites two of Canada's largest producers of wood products, creating a single Vancouver-based firm which keeps the West Fraser name. It now boasts 10,000 employees. Officials behind the merger say the new company, which will be owned 56% by West Fraser shareholders and 44% by Norbord investors, aims to be a "one-stop shop" for construction customers. West Fraser has 45 mills and other facilities across BC, Alberta, and the southern US, while Norbord has an oriented strand board mill