Pakistan has announced a state of open hostilities with Afghanistan following reported cross-border attacks late Thursday night that sharply escalated tensions along the frontier. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the government would respond decisively after Afghan-based Taliban fighters allegedly targeted Pakistani military checkpoints near the border. Taliban officials claimed they launched attacks around 8 p.m., capturing 19 Pakistani military posts and two bases, and said 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed. Those figures have not been independently verified. Pakistan

The Vancouver Police Department says it will open a new in-house training facility in the Woodward’s building in Gastown, aiming to strengthen officer preparation and expand its training capacity amid ongoing concerns about the provincial police academy model. Chief Constable Steve Rai said discussions about municipal police training reform in British Columbia date back to 2017, but key challenges remain. He noted that while the Justice Institute of British Columbia has increased class sizes at its Police Academy, the model does not fully meet Vancouver’s operational needs. The province pr

Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner is in Calgary today to outline the province’s newly tabled budget and discuss the economic outlook with business leaders, including a scheduled appearance at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Budget 2026 projects a $9.4 billion deficit for 2026–27 as the province increases spending in key areas while forecasting lower resource revenues tied to weaker oil prices and ongoing population growth pressures. The government says the budget increases funding for major public services and includes new education spending aimed at enrolment growth, teacher compens

Prime Minister Mark Carney has begun a visit to India as part of a broader Indo-Pacific trip aimed at expanding Canada’s trade and investment partnerships. In a statement issued ahead of the trip, the Prime Minister’s Office said Carney will travel to India, Australia and Japan from Feb. 26 to March 7, 2026 to deepen partnerships across sectors including trade, energy, technology and defence.India’s Ministry of External Affairs published the official schedule for the visit, stating Carney arrives in Mumbai on Feb. 27 and then travels to New Delhi on March 1, with delegation-level talks

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says Canada still has work ahead to ensure individuals acting on behalf of India are not intimidating or coercing people on Canadian soil. Speaking to reporters during Mark Carney’s visit to India, Anandasangaree said there remain unresolved concerns related to the safety and security of Canadians. His comments follow questions about whether agents connected to the Indian government are currently involved in extortion or threats of violence in Canada. A senior federal official, speaking on background during the same briefing, said Ottawa believes su

Alberta RCMP say human remains discovered earlier this month near a historic site south of Eden Valley have been identified as a 24 year old man from Calgary. Officers were called on February 4 after emergency crews responded to a grass fire in the rural area. Once the flames were extinguished, first responders located a burned out vehicle at the scene. A body was later found inside the vehicle. Mounties have not publicly released the man’s name, citing the ongoing investigation and the need to notify family members. Police also have not confirmed the cause of death. RCMP say the circumstanc

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will temporarily suspend part of Minnesota’s Medicaid funding while federal officials investigate suspected fraud, Vice-President JD Vance said on Wednesday. Vance described the step as part of a broader effort by the administration to address what it calls “waste, fraud and abuse” in federally supported programs. The funding pause affects certain federal matching dollars that help the state deliver Medicaid services to eligible residents. Medicaid is the principal public health insurance program for low-income Americans. According to fede

The British Columbia government is calling on federal lawmakers to move quickly on proposed legislation aimed at preventing organized crime groups from exploiting Canada’s immigration system while involved in extortion and other serious offences. Public Safety and Solicitor General Nina Krieger has written to federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and to the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs, urging the Senate to advance Bill C-12 without delay. The province says the proposed reforms would address legal gaps that have been used by some i

Iran and the United States are preparing to begin a third round of negotiations in Switzerland aimed at reviving discussions around Tehran’s nuclear program, even as tensions between the two countries continue to rise. Officials from both sides say they prefer a political and diplomatic resolution to the long running dispute. The talks are scheduled to begin in Geneva, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a meeting Wednesday with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi. Oman has previously played a mediating role between Washington and Tehran. Iranian officials described the m