Mali's Ministry of Health says a Malian woman has given birth to nine babies after only expecting seven. It appeared to be the first time on record that a woman gave birth to nine surviving babies at once. The 25-year-old mother gave birth by cesarean section on Tuesday in Morocco. Mali's health minister confirmed that the five girls, four boys and the mother are all doing well. Associated Press reporters saw the babies in incubators in the neonatal ward, some wiggling their hands and feet. The Guinness Book of World Records said in an email to The AP that its current record for most living b

Abbotsford Police Major Crime Detectives are seeking help from the public who may have dashcam footage of an alleged sexual assault in Abbotsford early Friday morning. Detectives are in the preliminary states of this investigation and details are limited, however, we can advise that the Major Crime Unit is investigating a sexual assault that occurred at approximately 1:00 am in the area of Peardonville Road and Livingstone Ave. The female victim was out for a walk, met the male suspect and they began to engage in conversation. They walked to the northeast area of the Peardonville overpass; a s

Health Canada's chief medical adviser says her advice is still to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as you can, with whatever vaccine you can. Dr. Supriya Sharma says the risk of a new blood clotting syndrome from the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot is extremely low. A third Canadian has now died of the syndrome, a New Brunswick resident in their 60s. This morning, Canada became the first country in the world to authorize the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for kids as young as 12, effective immediately. Dr. Sharma says that as early as next week, Health Canada could begin examining whether people who

An Alberta woman in her 50s is the country's second reported death from a rare blood clot disorder linked to the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The province's chief medical officer of health says the woman's death is tragic. But Dr. Deena Hinshaw says it's important to remember the risks of dying or suffering other severe outcomes from COVID-19 are far greater than the risks associated with the drug. Alberta continues to battle the highest case rate of COVID-19 infections in all of North America. Premier Jason Kenney held a news conference today to provide more details about new public

The Pacific National Exhibition says ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have forced the cancellation of the annual fair for a second year in a row. A statement from PNE management says even a scaled back in-person event will not be possible this summer. The exhibition, which is owned by the City of Vancouver and operating for more than a century, runs for the two weeks leading up to Labour Day, pumping $200 million into the Metro Vancouver region annually. The statement says the PNE creates 4,300 direct jobs, more than twice as many direct or indirect positions, and is the largest employe

Homicide investigators have now taken over the case after the death of a woman injured Tuesday night in a shooting in Surrey, B.C. A social media message from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed the unnamed victim died in hospital. Surrey RCMP say officers responded to reports of shots fired in a residential neighbourhood of northeast Surrey just before 9 p.m. Tuesday. Officers located the victim and arrested a man a short distance away. Police have not confirmed a motive for the attack. It's the latest in a string of targeted shootings in Metro Vancouver in recent days, incl

Health Canada says the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can now be given to kids as young as 12.The vaccine was previously authorized for anyone at least 16 years of age or older.A trial of more than 2,200 youth in that age group in the United States recorded no cases of COVID-19 among vaccinated kids.Health Canada's chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma says the evidence is there that the vaccine is safe and effective in that age group.It is the first vaccine approved for children in Canada, and Sharma says it is a significant step forward in Canada's fight against COVID-19.The trial used the same

Those who are pregnant in British Columbia have now been designated a priority population to receive COVID-19 vaccine. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says data shows pregnant people experience severe illness from COVID-19 at a rate similar to those who are in their 50s. She says prioritizing people who are pregnant and 16 years and older for vaccination will help protect them, their babies and the wider community. B.C. has recorded 697 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 132,353, along with one new death. There are 7,161 active COVID-19 cases, with 486 people hospitalized. More

The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service says a woman has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after being attacked by a cougar. The service posted on Twitter that the attack happened Tuesday morning at the woman's remote property west of Agassiz in the Fraser Valley, about 110 kilometres east of Vancouver. It says the conservation service's predator attack team responded to the scene, as did paramedics and the RCMP. B.C. Emergency Health Services says in a statement it received a call just before 8:15 a.m. about the attack along a forest service road and deployed an air a