16.42°C Vancouver

News

WorldAug 04, 2022

US to declare health emergency over monkeypox outbreak

The U.S. will declare a public health emergency to bolster the federal response to the outbreak of monkeypox that already has infected more than 6,600 Americans, two people familiar with the matter said. The announcement will free up federal funding and resources to fight the virus, which may cause fever, body aches, chills, fatigue and pimple-like bumps on many parts of the body. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement. The declaration comes as the the Biden administration has faced criticism over the pace of vaccine availability for monkeypox. Clinics in maj
WorldAug 04, 2022

Tension escalates as more Chinese military aircraft enter Taiwan's air defence zone

As the tensions escalated in the Taiwan strait in the wake of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the Taiwanese Defence Ministry said that 22 Chinese military aircraft entered the island's air defence zone on Thursday. This is the third such incident since Pelosi's trip to Taipei. "22 PLA aircraft (J-11*8, SU-30*12 and J-16*2) entered the surrounding area of R.O.C. on August 4, 2022," Taiwan Defence Ministry said in a statement. Taiwan today strongly condemned China's "North Korea" style missile firing into waters near the self-governed island after China's People's Liberation Ar
WorldAug 04, 2022

Taliban probing US claim of killing Al-Qaeda chief

The Taliban on Thursday said that they had no information about slain Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri's arrival and stay in Kabul. On August 1, the US announced the killing of the Al-Qaeda chief in a safe house in the heart of the country's capital. Though the Islamic outfit confirmed the US drone strike in Kabul but denied the presence of the Al-Qaeda chief. The Taliban said that they have instructed their investigative and intelligence agencies to probe into the various aspects of the incident. "...an air strike was carried out on a residential house in Kabul city, two days later, US Pres
WorldAug 03, 2022

27 Chinese military aircraft enter Taiwan's air defence zone

China sent 27 aircraft to Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ), the island's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday hours after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taipei following a high-stakes visit that has spiked tensions in the Taiwan Strait. As many as six J-11 fighter jets, five J-16 multirole fighters and 16 SU-30 multirole fighters entered the air defence zone today. "27 PLA aircraft (J-11*6, J-16*5 and SU-30*16) entered the surrounding area of R.O.C. on August 3, 2022," Taiwan Defense Ministry tweeted. This incursion after 21 Chinese military aircraft flew into the southwestern
WorldAug 03, 2022

Pelosi departs Taiwan after visit that fueled US-China rift

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi departed Taiwan on Wednesday after meeting with the president and other officials in a visit that heightened tensions with China. Pelosi and five other members of Congress were headed to South Korea, the next stop on an Asia tour that also includes Singapore, Malaysia and Japan. In Taiwan, she said her delegation was showing their commitment to the self-governing island that China claims and says must come under its control. China staged military drills after her arrival and called her visit a provocation that infringes on its sovereignty.
nancy-pelosis-plane-lands-in-taiwan-amid-china-threat
WorldAug 02, 2022

Nancy Pelosi's plane lands in Taiwan amid China threat

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's plane landed in Taiwan amid a heightened security threat from China, media reports said on Tuesday. China had warned the US that it will "pay the price" if Pelosi visits Taiwan, which is the highest level of US visits in more than two decades. "What I can tell you is, the US will definitely have to bear responsibility and pay the price for harming China's sovereignty and security interests," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press briefing in Beijing adding that China will take "firm and powerful" measures in response. On Monday, US Natio
WorldJul 29, 2022

Ukrainian president observes 1st grain exports leaving

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday visited the Odesa region to observe the loading of grain as exports resume for the first time since the start of the Russian invasion. Zelenskyy observed a Turkish ship loaded with grain. “The first vessel, the first ship is being loaded since the beginning of the war,” Zelenskyy said. He said the export of grain will begin with the departure of several ships that were already loaded but could not depart the Ukrainian ports.
WorldJul 28, 2022

US Bank workers opened fake accounts for sales goals

NEW YORK : For more than a decade, US Bank pressured its employees to open fake accounts in their customers' names in order to meet unrealistic sales goals, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Thursday, in a case that is deeply similar to the sales practices scandal uncovered at Wells Fargo last decade. The CFPB alleged that US Bank accessed consumers credit reports to open checking and savings accounts, credit cards and lines of credit without their permission. Employees were encouraged to do so, in order to meet the bank's goals of selling multiple products to each customer with t
WorldJul 27, 2022

Strong earthquake hits northern Philippines, kills 5

A strong earthquake set off landslides and damaged buildings in the northern Philippines on Wednesday, killing at least five people and injuring dozens. In the capital, hospital patients were evacuated and terrified people rushed outdoors. The 7-magnitude quake was centered in a mountainous area of Abra province, said Renato Solidum, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, who described the midmorning shaking as a major earthquake. “The ground shook like I was on a swing and the lights suddenly went out. We rushed out of the office, and I heard screams and some of

Just In

CanadaNov 10, 2026

Call to Ease Mortgage Rules for First-Time Homebuyers

Canada’s major banks and real estate developers are urging the federal government to ease mortgage rules and introduce down payment assistance programs for young, first-time homebuyers purchasing newly built homes. The group includes major financial institutions such as the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), BMO, TD, CIBC and Scotiabank, along with 10 major homebuilders, including Minto and Brookfield. They are recommending that the government make the mortgage stress test less restrictive and lower down payment requirements for young first-time buyers. The group says the ongoing slowdown in Canada
AlbertaNov 10, 2026

Calgary Proposes 15% Property Tax Hike for 2027, Homeowners to Pay Extra $37 Monthly

Calgary City Council has proposed a 15 per cent property tax increase for 2027, which is expected to cost the average homeowner approximately $37 more per month. Under the newly released four-year budget proposal, property taxes are also projected to increase by 10 per cent in 2028, 7.7 per cent in 2029 and six per cent in 2030. However, the proposed budget figures are not final. City Council is expected to hold final debates and vote on the proposal later this month. The proposal also includes a 3.8 per cent increase in Calgary Transit fares. Meanwhile, the city's debt is projected to rise fr
four-grizzly-bears-confirmed-in-fatal-attack-that-killed-mother-and-daughter-near-bella-coola
BCNov 10, 2026

Four Grizzly Bears Confirmed In Fatal Attack That Killed Mother And Daughter Near Bella Coola

Conservation officials in British Columbia have confirmed that four grizzly bears were involved in the fatal attack that killed a mother and her daughter near Bella Coola earlier this month. Officials said forensic and DNA testing confirmed that the four grizzly bears captured over the past several days were directly involved in the deadly incident. The bears included a female grizzly and her three cubs. All four bears have been euthanized to ensure public safety, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said. The victims were identified as 48-year-old Jennifer Balcarras and her 20-year-old daugh
BCNov 10, 2026

B.C. Records 133 Suspected Drug Toxicity Deaths in September, 2026 Total Reaches 1,143

British Columbia recorded 133 suspected deaths linked to illicit drug toxicity in September, meaning nearly four people died every day across the province. The latest figures bring the total number of suspected drug-related deaths in 2026 so far to 1,143. According to a report from the BC Coroners Service, 76 per cent of those who died were men, while 70 per cent were between the ages of 30 and 59. By health authority, Fraser Health recorded the highest number of deaths this year at 311, followed by Vancouver Coastal Health with 298. Together, the two regions accounted for 53 per cent of all s
waris-punjab-de-seeks-amit-shahs-intervention-to-allow-amritpal-singh-to-attend-grandmothers-funeral
IndiaNov 10, 2026

Waris Punjab De Seeks Amit Shah’s Intervention to Allow Amritpal Singh to Attend Grandmother’s Funeral

Waris Punjab De has sought the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to facilitate the participation of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh in the last rites of his grandmother, Charan Kaur. In a letter addressed to Amit Shah, the party urged him to coordinate with the governments of Punjab and Assam, along with the concerned authorities, to ensure that the necessary legal and administrative steps are taken without delay to allow Amritpal Singh to attend the funeral. The party has also written a similar letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann,