Pope Francis plans to visit the former Ermineskin Indian Residential School in the community of Maskwacis, south of Edmonton,today. That is where Francis is to deliver his first public statement in Canada and is expected to apologize to Indigenous Peoples for abuses they have suffered. He arrived in Edmonton yesterday to an honour drum song ahead of what he describes as a ``penitential'' trip aimed at reconciliation with Indigenous people for the Catholic Church's role in residential schools. Francis is set to speak in the afternoon with Indigenous Peoples and parish members at the Church of

Two patients have tested positive for Omicron sub-variant BA.5 in Maharashtra, informed the state health department. The samples of both the patients were sent to NIV, Pune. Both patients hail from outside Maharashtra but are residing in rural parts of Pune for professional reasons. They have been found COVID-19 positive at the routine screening of Pune airport (Period July 3-9) while they were returning from Dubai. They were asymptomatic and recovered fully at home isolation. These additions have taken the overall tally of BA.4 and BA.5 cases in Maharashtra to 160, the health department furt

The mayor of Airdrie is furious after Alberta Health Services announced that the city's urgent care centre is to be closed from 10 p-m to 7 a-m for the next eight weekends. A-H-S says the temporary closure is due to a lack of available doctors to cover shifts. Those seeking emergency treatment during those hours are asked to head to other nearby hospitals. Airdrie is about half an hour north of Calgary. Airdrie is home to 80,000 people but Mayor Brown said 150,000 from the surrounding area rely on the urgent care centre. Area residents said it's worrying to not have emergency health care close

Russian and Ukrainian officials have signed deals to end a standoff over grain exports brought on by the war in Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the world's key breadbaskets but a Russian blockade of its ports has threatened food security around the world. The two countries signed separate agreements Friday with Turkey and the United Nations so that Ukraine could export 22 million tons of grain and other agricultural products stuck in Black Sea ports by the war. The secretary-general of the U.N. and Turkey's president joined the signing ceremony in Istanbul. The U.N. chief called the deal ``a beaco

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable properties worth Rs 253.62 crore of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's group of companies in Hong Kong. The attached assets included gems and jewellery and bank balances amounting to USD 30.98 million and HKD 5.75 million, equivalent to Rs 253.62 crore (as of Friday), an ED statement said. On the basis of FIR under Section 420, 467, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Section 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), ED had initiated an investigation by recording Enforcemen

Police say they believe a Calgary woman who disappeared more than five years ago was a victim of a homicide. Tammie Doreen Howard, who was 49 when she vanished, was last heard from on Dec. 24, 2016, and reported missing by her family four months later. Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta says investigators initially believed it was a missing person case but have followed many leads and determined Howard was killed. Police are hoping the public can provide information on a light-coloured Jeep Wrangler that is believed to be connected to Howard's death. Schiavetta says some cases are solved within hour

An Alberta legislature member who left the Opposition NDP caucus over a computer hacking investigation says he will remain in the house as an Independent and not seek re-election in 2023. Thomas Dang says in a statement that Albertans are facing a number of crucial issues, including inflation and climate change, and his predicament is distracting the NDP on those problems. Dang is a second-term member representing Edmonton-South. He left caucus in December 2021 when the RCMP began investigating a hack of Alberta's COVID-19 vaccine website.

A man wanted B.C. wide for allegedly assaulting a mom and her toddler is back in custody, after VPD officers arrested him in Chinatown earlier today. Shakwan Kelly, 27, was arrested shortly before 8 a.m. on Keefer Street, after a witness recognized him from media reports and flagged over a VPD officer who was patrolling the neighbourhood.Kelly, who was wanted for failing to attend court following the alleged July 9 assault, was returned to jail.Vancouver Police continue to investigate Kelly’s alleged involvement in a number of criminal offences that occurred the morning of July 9 in the Down

Vancouver councillors have unanimously passed a motion to install sideguards on city-owned trucks and advocate for the requirement of the guards on all other large trucks. The guards would prevent cyclists or pedestrians from being swept under the back wheels of a big rig if the truck suddenly turns in front of them. The motion followed a collision in Vancouver last month that killed cyclist Augustin Beltran. In addition to upgrading city vehicles with sideguards, council will also send a letter to Transport Canada asking it to make the guards necessary on all large trucks.