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WorldJul 18, 2022

Ukraine's Zelenskyy fires top security chief and prosecutor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired the head of the country’s security service and its prosecutor general on Sunday, citing hundreds of criminal proceedings into treason and collaboration by people within their departments. “In particular, more than 60 employees of the prosecutor’s office and the SBU have remained in the occupied territory and work against our state,” Zelenskyy said. “Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the state’s national security, and the links recorded between Ukrainian security forces and Russian special services raise very serious que
south-east-asia-on-alert-for-monkeypox-who-regional-director
WorldJul 15, 2022

South-East Asia on 'alert' for monkeypox: WHO Regional Director

WHO South-East Asia Regional Director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said that the region has been on alert for monkeypox and that nations have been taking steps to diagnose it quickly and prevent its spread. "The region has been on alert for monkeypox. Countries have been taking measures to rapidly detect and take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of monkeypox," she said. "Monkeypox requires collective attention and coordinated action to stop its further spread. In addition to using public health measures and ensuring health tools are available to at-risk populations and shared fairly, i
WorldJul 15, 2022

Biden lands in Saudi Arabia to meet king, crown prince

President Joe Biden touched down in Saudi Arabia on Friday. It is Biden's first visit to Saudi Arabia since taking office, and his first meeting with the kingdom's crown prince and presumed heir to the throne, Mohammed bin Salman. Biden has refused to speak with Mohammed bin Salman until now. Biden has declined to say whether he would raise the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based journalist and critic of the kingdom. Biden was expected to sit down first with King Salman before participating in a larger meeting that would include Prince Mohammed and other senior Saudi officials, as we
WorldJul 15, 2022

Ivana Trump, first wife of former president, has died

Ivana Trump, the first wife of Donald Trump, has died in New York City, the former president announced on social media Thursday. She was 73. The former president posted on his social media app that she died at her Manhattan home. “I am very saddened to inform all of those that loved her, of which there are many, that Ivana Trump has passed away at her home in New York City,” Trump posted on Truth Social.The couple shared three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric. “She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life,” he wrote on Truth Social. She
WorldJul 14, 2022

Millions of Australians could catch COVID-19 over coming weeks: health minister

Australia's Health Minister Mark Butler has warned that "millions" of people could get infected with coronavirus in the coming weeks amid a winter surge. Butler recently asked the Australians to wear masks and work from home when needed to mitigate the impact of a wave of BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariant infections. There were 316,574 active COVID-19 cases in Australia by Wednesday -- a figure Butler said could increase within weeks. "I think this is a very concerning wave. This is the third wave just this year that Omicron has thrown at Australia," he said on the TV program Sunrise on Wednesd
gotabaya-rajapaksa-steps-down-as-sri-lankas-president
WorldJul 14, 2022

Gotabaya Rajapaksa steps down as Sri Lanka's President

Amid pressure from the public uprising in Sri Lanka, the country's embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday tendered his resignation to the Speaker of the Parliament. Sri Lankan Speaker's office said that the Speaker of Parliament has received the resignation letter of Rajapaksa. Meanwhile, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Rajapaksa has been allowed entry into Singapore on a private visit and he has not asked for asylum nor has he been granted asylum. Rajapaksa, 73, had gone into hiding after crowds of protesters stormed his residence on July 9 and he had announ
WorldJul 14, 2022

Japan PM blames police for death of former leader Shinzo Abe

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday blamed inadequate police security for the death of former leader Shinzo Abe, who was shot while giving an outdoor campaign speech. Abe, one of Japan's most influential politicians, was assassinated last Friday in western Japan, shocking a nation known for its low crime rate. Photos and videos of the shooting show the gunman was able to come close to Abe. A suspect was arrested at the spot and is being detained for questioning. Police and media reports say he told investigators that a rumored link between Abe and a religious group the suspect ha
WorldJul 14, 2022

Iranian gets life in prison in Sweden for 1980s crimes

An Iranian citizen was Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment by a Swedish court after being convicted of committing grave war crimes and murder during the final phase of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The Stockholm District Court that said Hamid Noury took part in severe atrocities in July-August 1988 while working as an assistant to the deputy prosecutor at the Gohardasht prison outside the Iranian city of Karaj. A life sentence in Sweden generally means a minimum of 20 to 25 years in prison, but it could be extended. If he is eventually released, Noury will be expelled from Sweden. Noury
WorldJul 13, 2022

UK rail workers to strike again July 27 over pay dispute

British rail workers will go on strike on July 27 over an ongoing pay dispute, a month after the country's most disruptive railway strike in three decades paralyzed train networks across the U.K. The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers said Wednesday its members will walk out for 24 hours, threatening travel chaos during the busy summer holidays. Union leaders said they have rejected a new pay rise offer from Network Rail to resolve the dispute over jobs, pay and working conditions. The union staged three strikes last month that saw 40,000 workers walk off their jobs, crip

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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