B.C. Conservative Party leader John Rustad has criticized Premier David Eby's government for the state of health care in the province. Rustad highlighted a recent incident at a Victoria hospital where a mother waited 14 hours in the emergency room for her sick child, who had a high fever. He called the situation unacceptable and accused Eby's government of prioritizing its own interests over addressing the public's needs. Rustad claimed that B.C.'s health services have deteriorated to an alarming level and emphasized the need for urgent, major reforms to improve the system.

In India, children under 18 will soon need parental consent to create social media accounts. On Friday, PM Narendra Modi's government unveiled a draft of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, which includes this provision. The draft also mandates that companies obtain government approval before transferring personal data outside India. However, it does not specify penalties for non-compliance with the rules. The government has invited public feedback on the proposed regulations. A final decision will be made after February 18, incorporating the views of citizens.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended a virtual meeting of the cabinet committee on Canada-US relations, as the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president approaches. Trump, set to be sworn in on January 20, has threatened to impose tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico. Meanwhile, Trudeau faces mounting challenges, including managing government operations effectively while mitigating potential trade disputes. Pressure on Trudeau to resign has intensified, both within and outside the Liberal caucus, especially after Chrystia Freeland stepped down from the cabinet last month.

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says he's seeking the party's nomination to run as a candidate in Edmonton. The Edmonton-Strathcona seat became vacant after former NDP leader and premier Rachel Notley resigned her seat effective Dec. 30. Before taking the helm of the Opposition NDP, Nenshi served as mayor of Calgary for more than a decade. He says he's still a proud Calgarian but already splits his time between his home city and the provincial capital and is looking forward to learning more about Edmonton. Nenshi has been criticized by Premier Danielle Smith and many of her U

The Punjab BJP is set to elect a new president, with the party initiating the preliminary process for the selection. Sunil Jakhar has resigned from the post, though his resignation has not been officially accepted. However, Jakhar has been consistently absent from party meetings. Jakhar did not campaign for the BJP in recent by-elections, as well as in the Panchayat and Municipal Council elections. Reports suggest that three names are being considered for the position of Punjab BJP president: Manpreet Singh Badal, former MLA Kewal Dhillon, and former minister Rana Gurmeet Sodhi. Additionally,

Canada is opening its first pre-clearance facility in the United States as part of a plan to strengthen border security amid increasing pressure from President Trump.The Canada Border Services Agency announced Thursday that the initiative will be a two-year pilot project. It will result in the closure of Quebec's Covey Hill Port of Entry, with travelers instead entering Canada through a joint facility at the Cannon Corners Port of Entry on the New York side. Travelers will undergo thorough vetting to ensure no one enters illegally.Additionally, travelers will not be able to submit asylum claim

Police say a woman was allegedly robbed at gunpoint at an A-T-M at Lansdowne Centre Mall just after 9 p-m on December 10th. R-C-M-P say a man entered the vestibule, approached them woman from behind, pointed a gun at her, and robbed her of 250 dollars before fleeing the scene. Mounties say the suspect was gone when they arrived and theynare appealing for witnesses to contact them.

Police in a community north of Edmonton say they have recovered millions of dollars in stolen property after dismantling a chop shop. Athabasca R-C-M-P say a G-P-S tracking system in a vehicle that was reported stolen on Sunday led police to a rural property, where they say stolen items were being dismantled and repurposed for illegal resale. Police say they found multiple stolen vehicles including semi-trucks and trailers, off-road vehicles, and heavy equipment and parts. A 36-year-old man from Athabasca is facing charges.

Toronto MP Marco Mendicino, a former high-ranking cabinet minister in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, says he will not run in the next federal election. Mendicino says in a statement posted on social media that he has disagreed with the direction of the federal government, particularly when it comes to Canada's foreign policy on the Israel-Hamas war.