The death toll has risen to 28 after a passenger ferry sank near Indonesia 10 days ago, with rescue teams expanding their underwater search area as more bodies are feared to be found. The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was carrying 243 people, including 30 crew members, when it capsized and sank on Sept. 13 while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in bad weather. As of Wednesday, 28 deaths had been confirmed, while 107 people remain missing and 108 have been rescued. Rescue teams recovered 16 bodies from the ferry over the past three days, including nine on Wednesday. The search and rescue opera

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration over its trade and tariff policies, saying they are not working in the best interests of the American people. Speaking Tuesday at Brown University in Rhode Island, Trudeau described the United States under the Trump administration as an increasingly unreliable partner. He argued that the administration’s “win-lose” approach to trade, including tariffs on Canadian aluminum and softwood lumber, is ultimately hurting American consumers and businesses. Trudeau said tariffs on Canadian

Calgary has approved amendments to its Fire Operations and Fees Bylaw, increasing fines for the illegal sale and use of fireworks. Under the new rules, the fine for illegally selling fireworks has increased from $750 to $3,000, while using fireworks without a permit will now result in a $1,000 fine, up from $500. A new $1,000 fine has also been introduced for carrying fireworks in a public place or setting them up for use without authorization. According to the report, Calgary receives the highest number of fireworks-related complaints through 311 around Diwali, Canada Day, the Calgary Stamped

Prime Minister Mark Carney has dismissed criticism of the Liberal government’s proposed Bill C-39, which aims to fast-track federal project approvals and make changes to the Labour Code, saying the government will move ahead with the legislation. Speaking to reporters in New York, Carney said Canadians had given his government a clear mandate to “Build Canada Strong” and that he would not back down from advancing economic reforms. Carney said Canada is facing economic pressure from the United States and that accelerating growth is a top priority to keep the economy moving and protect job

BC Conservative interim leader Lorne Doerksen has criticized David Eby’s decision to call an early provincial election, describing it as a “cheap and opportunistic” political move. Speaking to the media in Vancouver on Tuesday, Doerksen said the unnecessary election was neither requested by the public nor wanted by British Columbians. Party leader Peter Milobar and MLA Carolyn Elliott were also present at the news conference. The opposition group also criticized the BC NDP’s economic policies. Doerksen accused the NDP government of blaming external factors for its failures and weak eco

Canada and India are expected to complete negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement by November, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to visit Canada in December, according to India’s High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Patnaik. Patnaik said the ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement are expected to conclude by November, potentially paving the way for Prime Minister Mark Carney and Modi to sign the agreement in December. Carney has said Modi is expected to visit Canada around Dec. 14-15. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the United N

The Alberta government is suspending the province’s fuel tax for the rest of the year. Premier Danielle Smith made the announcement Tuesday while addressing business leaders in Calgary. Smith said the average price of Western Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was $90.54 per barrel last month, triggering a full suspension of the 13-cent-per-litre provincial fuel tax for the quarter beginning October 1. The province had previously suspended its fuel relief program during the last quarter. However, Smith said Albertans had told the government they would prefer to receive the savings directly at th

B.C. Premier David Eby has formally called a provincial election after meeting with Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia and requesting the dissolution of the legislature. The election is being held two years ahead of schedule. The next provincial election had originally been set for October 21, 2028. The announcement also cancels the Abbotsford-Mission byelection scheduled for September 26, as the riding will now be contested as part of the provincewide general election. The seat had been vacated by B.C. Conservative MLA Rian Gaspar to allow former party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay to run in the

Party-switching intensifies in B.C. as Surrey South MLA Brent Chapman leaves the B.C. Conservatives and joins the OneBC Party. Chapman, who is the husband of former B.C. Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, had been facing continued pressure within the party over controversial social media comments from his past. In a statement, Chapman said he had been a loyal party member for the past 15 years, but recent internal divisions, publicly exposed disagreements and what he described as a decline in the party’s principles had made it difficult for him to remain with the B.C. Conservatives. On