4 new cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, total cases-23

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab government to take a decision within seven days on a parole petition filed by Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament Amritpal Singh, who is seeking permission to attend Parliament’s upcoming budget session. The order was passed on Friday during a hearing on Singh’s petition, in which he requested temporary release to participate in the budget session scheduled to begin on January 28. The court instructed the state government to make a timely decision and disposed of the petition after issuing the direction. The case has drawn attention

Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wadding has been arrested in connection with an international drug trafficking operation, U.S. authorities say. Wadding had been living under the protection of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel prior to his capture. According to reports, the 44-year-old is accused of running a large-scale drug smuggling network in the United States, moving an estimated 60 metric tons of cocaine annually from Mexico to the Los Angeles area using semi-trucks. The FBI added Wadding to its 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list in March last year. A $15 million reward was offered for inform

The British Columbia government is committing $600,000 to expand its forensic firearms laboratory, saying the investment is aimed at strengthening police efforts as extortion-related violence escalates in parts of the province. The Ministry of Public Safety says the funding will improve the lab’s capacity and speed in processing firearms evidence tied to gun crime, allowing investigators to prioritize high-risk files and move extortion-related charges through the justice system more quickly. The expanded lab is also expected to generate data that can better support coordinated policing strat

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has been called in to investigate a fatal shooting in Burnaby that left one man dead Wednesday evening. Burnaby RCMP say frontline officers responded to reports of gunfire near the 3700 block of Canada Way just before 5:30 p.m. on January 22. Police located an adult male suffering from life-threatening injuries. Despite emergency medical efforts at the scene, the victim was pronounced dead. A short time later, officers also found a vehicle engulfed in flames in the 5000 block of Buxton Street. Investigators are working to determine whether the burned

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has dissolved the country’s lower house of Parliament, triggering a snap federal election scheduled for Feb. 8, just three months after she took office. The decision is widely seen as an effort to take advantage of early public support for Takaichi and to help the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party recover from significant electoral losses suffered in recent years. Analysts say the move carries political risk but could strengthen the government’s mandate if voters respond positively. The snap election, however, will delay parliamentary debate on