In the eight months since the first COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the U-S, there have been more than 200-thousand deaths linked to the virus. The grim milestone was confirmed today by Johns Hopkins University, which has been keeping a tally on both deaths and cases of COVID-19 recorded around the world. It is by far the highest confirmed death toll from the virus in the world, with Brazil in second place with 137,272, followed by India with 88,935. But experts say the true number is likely even higher, given thatmany COVID-19 deaths were likely recorded as the result of other causes.

Mexican authorities say seizures of the synthetic opioid fentanyl so far this year are 465% higher than in 2019, but progress against the other big Mexican export to the U.S. market, methamphetamines, is slower. The Defence Department said seizures of meth in Mexico rose by only 32.8% between Jan. 1 and Sept. 16, but busts of meth labs dropped 51% compared to the same period of last year. In a similar pattern, Mexico's seizures of cocaine rose by 46%, but seizures of key transport methods like boats and clandestine landing strips were down by 64% and 79%, respectively.

A firefighter has died battling a wildfire in California that officials say was sparked by a device used to reveal a baby's gender. The U.S. Forest Service says the death happened Thursday in the San Bernardino National Forest as crews battled the El Dorado Fire.The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, has said that wildfire was sparked by a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used for a gender reveal party. The identity of the firefighter is being withheld until family members are notified. The cause of the death is under investigation. Wildfires in California

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says the partial closure of the border with the United States is being extended another month, to Oct. 21. Crossings of the border have been largely restricted to trade goods, essential workers and citizens returning home since March, in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19. Blair and his American counterpart, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, each tweeted the latest one-month extension of the closure agreement this morning. The pandemic has raged in the United States throughout the spring and summer, and cases in Canada have recently starte

Japan's Parliament has elected Yoshihide Suga as prime minister, replacing long-serving leader Shinzo Abe with his right-hand man. Suga bowed deeply several times when the results were announced in parliament's powerful lower house. Suga, who was chief Cabinet secretary and the top government spokesman under Abe, selected a Cabinet that is a mix of fresh faces and current or former ministers. He has promised to serve the interests of ordinary people and rural communities. Suga says he will pursue Abe's unfinished policies and that his priorities will be fighting the coronavirus and turning ar

President Donald Trump has issued an emergency declaration for Oregon due to the deadly wildfires that have burned across the state and federal officials have also declared a public health emergency as dangerous, smoky conditions continue. The major disaster declaration, issued late Tuesday, allows a range of federal help for people and public infrastructure affected by the blazes. The public health emergency declaration will give hospitals and other organizations in Oregon more flexibility in meeting the needs of people who are on Medicare and Medicaid. Authorities say more than 1,140 reside

The US National Hurricane Center says parts of Alabama and the Florida panhandle could see historic flooding when hurricane Sally makes landfall near the Alabama-Mississippi state line sometime today or early tomorrow. The Category 1 storm is crawling toward the northern Gulf Coast at just three kilometres per hour. Forecasters say some places could be inundated with almost two metres of water. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is urging residents near Mobile Bay and low-lying areas near rivers to evacuate if conditions still permit a safe escape from Hurricane Sally.

Donald Trump's tenure in the White House and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic have dragged Canadians' view of the United States to its lowest level in nearly 20 years, a new poll suggests.The Pew Research Center report released Tuesday finds a favourable view of the U.S. among only 35 per cent of Canadians surveyed, the lowest level recorded since Pew began polling north of the Canada-U. S. border in 2002. The finding tracks an identical trend among all 13 countries involved in the poll record lows were also recorded in the U.K., France, Germany, Japan and Australia."Overall, what we see

The United States is standing down in its tariff dispute with Canada and lifting a 10 per cent levy on aluminum imported from north of the border. The office of the U.S. Trade Representative says it will lift the tariffs retroactive to Sept. 1 because it expects Canadian exports to "normalize" over the remainder of the year. In a statement, the USTR says it will continue to monitor trade in aluminum and reimpose the tariff if levels spike unexpectedly. The sudden about-face comes just hours before the federal Liberal government was expected to announce a suite of countermeasures in retaliation