US President Joe Biden says the increasing gun violence in America is a an "epidemic and an international embarrassment." He announced a half-dozen executive actions today aimed at addressing the issue, including tightening regulations on "ghost guns."Biden emphasized the scope of the problem. But there are limitations to Biden's executive power, and he is calling on the Senate to take up House-passed measures closing background check loopholes. He said between the mass killings in Atlanta massage businesses and the Colorado grocery store shooting last month, there were more than 850 additiona

A medical expert says George Floyd died from a lack of oxygen, which damaged his brain and caused his heart to stop. Dr. Martin Tobin is a lung and critical care specialist from Chicago. He testified Thursday at former Officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial that Floyd's breathing was too shallow to take in enough oxygen while he was pinned the facedown with his hands cuffed behind his back for 9 1/2 minutes. Tobin says the pressure on Floyd's handcuffed hand, along with his neck and chest, made it difficult to expand his lungs. His testimony came a day after a use-of-force expert said Chauvin h

The Canadian Medical Association says constantly changing rules to help curb the spread of COVID-19 are confusing and detrimental to their purpose. The national advocacy group representing Canada's doctors, says new lockdowns can't be lifted until there are clear signs the variants are under control. The pace of vaccinations must also increase, particularly in communities where COVID-19 is spreading the most. That association says primary care doctors should be involved to help roll out vaccines, prioritizing vaccinations for essential workers. It says essential workers and their families als

A 12-year-old boy is not physically hurt after what officers say was an unprovoked attack in Esquimalt, B.C. Victoria police say the youth was on his way to school just after 8 a.m. Wednesday when he was grabbed and pulled from his bike by a man he did not know. The police statement says the boy lay on the ground and shielded his face as the man tried to take his backpack. The youngster told police a second person, believed to be a man, stepped in and pushed the attacker away before urging the boy to get back on his bike and leave. The boy continued to school and the incident was not reported

A man has been fatally stabbed in Abbotsford, B.C. A statement from Abbotsford police says officers were called to an area near the Sumas Way overpass just after 10 p.m. Wednesday. A critically injured 35-year-old man was found in a tent and died a short time later in hospital. Police say the investigation is just beginning but the stabbing appears targeted. The statement does not offer a motive or say if any suspects have been identified. Members of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team have taken over the case.

Actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, accused in the case of Republic day violence in Delhi, did not call for the protest, and there is no evidence that he mobilised the crowd to Red Fort, said Sidhu's layer during his bail plea hearing in Delhi court on Thursday. During the bail hearing, Advocate Abhishek Gupta, appearing on behalf of Sidhu, said the call for protest was by farmer leaders, and his client is not a member of any farmers' union."The call for protest was by farmer leaders, I'm not a member of farmer union, no call was given by me to go to Red Fort. There is no evidence that I have mo

Kim Kardashian-West has a new title for her resume, billionaire. The reality star turned businesswoman is on the Forbes magazine billionaire's list for the first time, ranked Number 2,357 on the list of 2,755. Kardashian-West's income from her successful makeup and shapewear lines pushed her into 10-figure milestone. It's Kardashian-West's first appearance on the Forbes' list. Amazon's Jeff Bezos is the world's richest person for the fourth year in a row, with a net worth of 177-billion-dollars.

Almost 20 per cent of those who are eligible for a vaccine in British Columbia have had their shot. A joint statement from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix says 946,096 doses of the three vaccines have been administered, and of those, more than 87,000 were second doses. The province recorded another 997 new cases on Wednesday and two more deaths. There are 330 people in hospital and the number in intensive care has grown to 105. Additional genome sequencing hasn't been completed since the Tuesday report, so the number for variants of concern remains at

Metal fences have been put up around the GraceLife church just west of Edmonton and Alberta Health Services says it will stay closed until it complies with COVID-19 health rules. The church has ignored public health warnings for months, and its pastor spent a month in jail. Churches are allowed to be open at 15 per cent capacity, but officials say hundreds of people have attended GraceLife's services. Several doctors say public-health restrictions introduced by government are not enough Several doctors from Calgary and Edmonton say that with cases involving COVID-19 variants doubling every w