CanadaJul 13, 2020
Trudeau apologizes for not recusing himself from WE decision
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's very sorry he didn't recuse himself from the government's decision to award a contract to WE Charity to manage a major student-volunteering program.He says his and his family's longtime involvement with the WE organization should have kept him out of the discussions.And he says he's particularly sorry that the delay in the program caused by WE's eventual decision to withdraw will harm students looking for ways to help in the COVID-19 pandemic.Trudeau has faced accusations of cronyism and allegations of a conflict of interest over his past connections wit
CanadaJul 13, 2020
Quebec man facing genocide charge linked to alleged threats against Trudeau, Muslims
A Quebec man charged last December in connection with alleged online threats against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Muslims is facing two new charges.The RCMP said 62-year-old Andre Audet of Boucherville, Que., will appear in court south of Montreal today to face charges of intimidating a justice system participant and advocating genocide.Cpl. Charles Poirier says the justice system participant Audet is accused of intimidating the prime minister.The RCMP says the investigation that began last year found about 100 online posts containing hate, threats or incitement to violence, allegedly ma
IndiaJul 11, 2020
Amitabh Bachchan, 3 family members test positive
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, his son and two other family members have tested positive for the coronavirus in Mumbai.
In a tweet on Saturday, the 77-year-old Bachchan said his family and staff have also undergone tests. His 44-year-old son and fellow actor, Abhishek Bachchan, tweeted Saturday night that he also has tested positive for the virus and is hospitalized. He described their symptoms as mild.
Maharashtra state Health Minister Rajesh Tope tweeted on Sunday that Abhishek Bachchan's wife, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and their eight-year-old daughter too have tested coronavirus posit
BCJul 10, 2020
25 new COVID-19 cases in B.C., health officials are reminding people to continue taking precautions
BC health officials are reporting 25 new cases of COVID-19 today, as well as one new death. That brings the death toll to 187 among 3,053 people who have tested positive for the disease so far. In a joint statement, Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say 187 cases are active, with 16 people in hospital. There are ongoing outbreaks at two long-term care or assisted living facilities and one acute care facility. And while there are no active community outbreaks, Dix and Henry say exposure is still happening. The health officials are reminding people to con
CanadaJul 10, 2020
Conservatives say police should be called into investigate WE charity scandal
The Conservatives say they want a criminal investigation into the Liberal government's decision to have the WE organization run a $900-million program for student volunteers.Their call for police to step in comes after it was revealed that the group has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's family.Trudeau is already under investigation by the ethics commissioner for potential conflict of interest with regard to the contract, as his long-standing family ties to the group are well known.But that review was launched prior to revelati
BCJul 10, 2020
20 more cases of COVID-19 reported in B.C.
Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, have issued the a joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia. "Today, we are announcing 20 new cases, for a total of 3,028 cases in British Columbia. "There are 175 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 2,667 people who tested positive have recovered. "Of the total COVID-19 cases, 17 individuals are hospitalized, four of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. "There have been no
CanadaJul 09, 2020
Canada not ready for second wave of COVID-19, Senate committee says
A new report from a committee of senators says the country is ill-prepared to handle a second wave of COVID-19.
The Senate's social affairs committee says the federal government needs to pay urgent attention to seniors in long-term care homes where outbreaks and deaths in the pandemic have been concentrated.
There are also concerns in the report about the vulnerability of low-income seniors should there be a second wave of the novel coronavirus later this year.
The document made public this morning is the committee's first set of observations on the government's response to the pandemic, with
WorldJul 09, 2020
U.S. Supreme Court says Congress can't get Trump records, for now
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday kept a hold on President Donald Trump’s financial records that Congress has been seeking for more than a year. The ruling returns the case to lower courts, with no clear prospect for when the case might ultimately be resolved. The 7-2 outcome is at least a short-term victory for Trump, who has strenuously sought to keep his financial records private. The decision came after the court upheld a prosecutor’s demand for Trump’s tax returns as part of a criminal investigation that includes hush-money payments to women who claim they had affairs with Trump.
BCJul 09, 2020
B.C. crosses 3,000 mark for COVID-19 cases; records three more deaths
British Columbia crossed the 3,000 mark for cases of COVID-19 as health officials reported 18 new infections and three more deaths on Wednesday. The total number of cases stood at 3,008. There have been a total of 186 deaths. Health officials said in a statement that B.C. has 162 active cases of COVID-19 and 2,660 people who tested positive have recovered. The government says while there are no active outbreaks, new cases and community exposure to the virus continue.