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WorldJul 26, 2022

"We believe Monkeypox outbreak can be stopped": WHO

A high-level World Health Organization (WHO) official on Tuesday said the rapidly spreading Monkeypox outbreak can be stopped with the right strategies. "We do at this moment still believe that this outbreak of Monkeypox can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups," said Dr Rosamund Lewis, WHO Technical Lead on Monkeypox at a press briefing in Geneva. However, she added that time was going by and all need to get together to combat the malady. On Saturday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the spread of the virus to be a public health emergency of intern
WorldJul 26, 2022

Russia to opt out of International Space Station after 2024

Russia will opt out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost, the country's newly appointed space chief said Tuesday. Yuri Borisov, who was appointed earlier this month to lead the state-controlled space corporation Roscosmos, said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia will fulfill its obligations to other partners at the International Space Station before it leaves the project. “The decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made,” Borisov said. Borisov's statement reaffirmed previous declarations by R
turkey-forcefully-deports-afghan-migrants-back-to-kabul
WorldJul 25, 2022

Turkey forcefully deports Afghan migrants back to Kabul

Following Turkey's forced deportations, 215 undocumented Afghan migrants will be sent back to Kabul from Istanbul today on several flights. The illegal migrants who are now waiting to be deported back to Afghan soil were transferred from Edirne to Istanbul, in northwestern Turkey, Khaama Press reported, citing the Turkish state-run Anatolian Agency. As per the reports by the Turkish Migration Management Directorate, almost 28,000 undocumented migrants have been deported from Turkey by Turkish authorities since the start of 2022, which showcases a 70 per cent rise in the number since 2021. Tur
WorldJul 22, 2022

Ukraine, Russia sign UN deal to export grain on Black Sea

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
WorldJul 21, 2022

Biden tests positive for COVID-19, has 'mild symptoms'

President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, underscoring the persistence of the highly contagious virus as new variants challenge the nation's efforts to resume normalcy after two and a half years of pandemic disruptions. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Biden was experiencing “mild symptoms" and has begun taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug designed to reduce the severity of the disease. She said Biden “will isolate at the White House and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. He has been in contact with members of the
WorldJul 20, 2022

Sunak and Truss will face runoff to become UK's next leader

Britain’s Conservative Party has chosen Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss as the two finalists in an election to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The pair came first and second in a vote of Conservative lawmakers on Wednesday. Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt came third and was eliminated. The race pits Sunak, a former Treasury chief who steered Britain’s economy through the pandemic, against Truss, who has led the U.K.’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as foreign secretary. The two contenders will spend the next few weeks campaigning for the votes of about 180,000 Conservative Part
WorldJul 20, 2022

Turkish strikes in north Iraq kill 8 tourists, wound over 20

Iraqi Kurdish officials and Iraq's military say eight tourists have been killed and over 20 wounded after Turkish airstrikes struck northern Iraq. The Wednesday attack hit a resort area in the northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region. All casualties in the attack were Iraqis. Turkey regularly carries out airstrikes into northern Iraq and has sent commandos to support its offensives targeting elements of the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party or PKK. Wednesday's attack marked the first time that tourists had been killed in the frequent attacks by Turkey in the area, the officials said. Ankara ha
WorldJul 19, 2022

UK shatters its record for highest temperature

The U.K. weather office says Britain has shattered its record for highest temperature ever registered, with a provisional reading of 39.1 degree Celsius (102.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in Charlwood, England. The highest temperature previously recorded in Britain was 38.7 C (101.7 F), a record set in 2019. The high Tuesday came as the country sweltered in heat wave that also scorched mainland Europe for the past week. Travel, health care and schools were disrupted in a country not prepared for such extremes. Parts of England are under a “red” alert, a warning for extreme heat that poses a risk
WorldJul 18, 2022

France, United Arab Emirates sign deal on energy cooperation

France and the United Arab Emirates have signed an agreement on energy cooperation to ensure oil and gas supplies from the Gulf country. The deal announced by the French economy ministry Monday comes as Europe prepares for the possibility of a total cutoff of Russian natural gas in retaliation for sanctions over the war in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Paris. Oil and gas supplies to France and the European Union are top of the agenda as the 27-member bloc scrambles to prepare for winter. France has been in discussions wi

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BCJul 15, 2026

Elderly woman distracted and robbed of gold necklace in Vancouver, police seek suspects

A 76-year-old woman was allegedly robbed of her gold necklace after being distracted by an unknown woman in Vancouver's East 11th Avenue and Victoria Drive area on Tuesday, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Police said the incident occurred at about 12:30 p.m. while the senior was waiting for family members. An unidentified woman approached her and claimed she looked like her mother, whose birthday she said it was. The suspect then hugged the victim and, during the interaction, allegedly removed the woman's gold necklace and replaced it with a fake one. The victim reportedly discov
AlbertaJul 15, 2026

Alberta launches online bike lane complaint form ahead of planned legislation

The Alberta government has launched an online public feedback form inviting residents to report concerns about bike lanes as it prepares legislation expected this fall. According to the Alberta government, Albertans can use the online form to share concerns about bike lanes in their communities, including whether they believe a lane is underused, has reduced on-street parking, contributed to traffic congestion, affected local businesses, or delayed emergency response times. The province says the feedback will help inform future transportation policy decisions. Transportation Minister Devin Dre
canada-pauses-new-parent-and-grandparent-sponsorship-applications-for-2026
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Canada pauses new parent and grandparent sponsorship applications for 2026

The federal government says it will not accept any new applications this year under Canada's Parents and Grandparents Program as it works to reduce processing times and manage a large backlog of existing files. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), approximately 60,500 sponsorship applications are currently being processed. The department said it expects to approve about 15,000 parents and grandparents each year over the next two years from applications already in the system. IRCC said the temporary pause is intended to improve processing efficiency. The department
federal-government-names-new-members-to-independent-senate-appointments-advisory-board
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Federal government names new members to independent Senate appointments advisory board

The federal government has announced new appointments to the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, one week after Prime Minister Mark Carney named four new senators to the upper chamber. According to a federal government news release, the advisory board will continue to provide non-binding recommendations to the prime minister on Senate appointments. The board was established in 2016 to support a merit-based and independent appointments process. The government said the board will continue to include three federal members, including a chair, along with two additional members from
BCJul 15, 2026

Surrey man sentenced to nearly five years in prison in extortion-related shooting and arson case

A Surrey Provincial Court judge has sentenced Abhijeet Kingra to nearly five years in prison for his role in a 2024 extortion-related shooting and arson targeting a Surrey home. According to court records, Kingra pleaded guilty on July 6 to charges of discharging a firearm at a residence and committing arson. The offences stem from an Aug. 10, 2024 incident in which a home belonging to a person who had reportedly received extortion threats was shot at and set on fire. The court imposed a two-year sentence for arson and a sentence of four years, 10 months and 19 days for the shooting offence. T