7.96°C Vancouver

News

trump-calls-zelenskyy-a-dictator-as-tensions-rise-between-the-leaders-over-the-russia-ukraine-war
WorldFeb 19, 2025

Trump calls Zelenskyy a 'dictator' as tensions rise between the leaders over the Russia-Ukraine war

President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections,” lashing out after the Ukrainian president said Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation as he moves to end the Kremlin's war against Ukraine on terms that Kyiv says are too favorable to Moscow. “Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never be able to settle,” Tr
us-cancels-21-million-election-grant-to-india-bjp-leader-raises-concerns
WorldFeb 19, 2025

US Cancels $21 Million Election Grant to India; BJP Leader Raises Concerns

The United States has reportedly canceled $21 million in funding intended to increase voter turnout in India. BJP leader Amit Malviya criticized the funding, calling it external interference in India’s electoral process. Malviya questioned the purpose of the grant and suggested it would not benefit the BJP. He accused the Congress party and businessman George Soros of attempting to influence Indian elections through such funding. The decision to cancel the funding was reportedly made by a department under Elon Musk’s jurisdiction. Speaking to reporters, Musk explained that India has signi
pakistan-wants-to-expel-all-afghan-refugees-from-the-country-says-afghan-embassy
WorldFeb 19, 2025

Pakistan wants to expel all Afghan refugees from the country, says Afghan embassy

Pakistan wants to remove all Afghan refugees from the country and their expulsion is imminent, the Afghan embassy in Islamabad warned Wednesday.The embassy issued a strongly worded statement about Pakistan’s plans, saying Afghan nationals in the capital, Islamabad, and the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi have been subjected to arrests, searches, and orders from the police to leave the twin cities and relocate to other parts of Pakistan. “This process of detaining Afghans, which began without any formal announcement, has not been officially communicated to the Embassy of Afghanistan in
mexican-president-claudia-sheinbaum-warns-google
CanadaFeb 18, 2025

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Warns Google

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned Google that legal action will be taken against the company if it presents the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America on a map for US-based users.Sheinbaum stated that the order issued by former President Trump applies only to the part of the Gulf controlled by the US. She added that Mexico is awaiting a response from Google to ensure that the company fully restores the name "Gulf of Mexico" on its Google Maps before legal action is pursued. The Mexican official emphasized that under no circumstances will Mexico accept the renaming of any geograph
top-russian-and-us-officials-meet-for-talks-on-ukraine-war-without-kyiv
WorldFeb 18, 2025

Top Russian and US officials meet for talks on Ukraine war without Kyiv

Top Russian and American officials met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to begin talks on improving ties and negotiating an end to thewar in Ukraine. The meeting at the Diriyah Palace in Riyadh marks another pivotal step by the Trump administrationto reverse U.S. policyon isolating Russia and is meant to pave the way for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump earlier this month upended U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia by saying he andPutinhad agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war. Ukrainian officials aren’t taking part in the meeting
us-has-deported-332-indians-in-three-batches
IndiaFeb 18, 2025

US has deported 332 Indians in three batches

A plane with 112 Indians, who were deported from the United States for illegally residing in the country, landed in Amritsar on Sunday night, the third such arrival in a span of 10 days as part of the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on such immigrants. The flight C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the US Air Force landed at the Amritsar International Airport at around 10.03 pm, according to sources. Of the total deportees, 31 are from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, two from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The first round of deportation had taken
2nd-batch-of-119-indian-deportees-to-land-in-amritsar-on-saturday
IndiaFeb 14, 2025

2nd batch of 119 Indian deportees to land in Amritsar on Saturday

A special flight from the United States carrying 119 deported Indian nationals is expected to arrive at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Saturday. This is the second US flight carrying the deportees to India following a crackdown on illegal immigrants by the US government. According to sources, the majority of deportees are from Punjab, with 67 individuals returning to the state. Haryana follows with 33 deportees. Gujarat accounts for eight, Uttar Pradesh three, and Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan two each. Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have one returnee each
trump-says-he-will-impose-retaliatory-tariffs-on-us-trading-partners
WorldFeb 13, 2025

Trump says he will impose reciprocal tariffs on US trading partners

US President Donald Trump is expected to announce reciprocal tariffs today. These measures would impose the same tariff rates on goods from countries that levy import duties on US products. Trump had pledged such tariffs during his election campaign. The new tariffs are expected to disproportionately affect developing countries, including India, Brazil, Vietnam, and several Southeast Asian and African nations, where tariff rates on US goods are notably higher than those imposed by the US. For instance, World Bank data from 2022 shows the US average tariff rate on imports from India was 3%, co
foreign-affairs-minister-travelling-to-france-germany-and-belgium
CanadaFeb 13, 2025

Foreign affairs minister Mélanie Joly travelling to France, Germany and Belgium

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is travelling to Europe today. The minister will be in Europe until Feb. 18, traveling to France, Germany and Belgium to take part in conferences, meet with officials to discuss topics like geopolitical conflicts and foreign interference and speak in a roundtable on Arctic security. Joly will start her trip in Paris on Thursday, where she and Canada's newly-appointed Special Envoy for Syria Omar Alghabra will attend the Paris Conference on Syria. While in Paris, the minister will meet with Jean-Noël Barrot, minister for Europe and foreign affairs of Fra

Just In

threat-prompts-brief-lockdown-at-nanaimo-high-school
BCDec 11, 2025

Threat prompts brief lockdown at Nanaimo high school

A Nanaimo high school was placed under a precautionary lockdown Wednesday afternoon after school staff were alerted to a threat directed at a student. The incident at Nanaimo District Secondary School began around 2:30 p.m., prompting administrators to activate established safety procedures. Nanaimo RCMP officers responded immediately and remained on site while classrooms were secured. Police and school officials said the lockdown lasted roughly 30 minutes, and students and staff were released shortly after 3 p.m. once officers determined there was no ongoing risk. The district says students w
vancouver-police-seize-loaded-rifle-and-drugs-during-downtown-eastside-arrest
BCDec 11, 2025

Vancouver Police seize loaded rifle and drugs during Downtown Eastside arrest

Vancouver Police say a loaded rifle and several other weapons were taken off the street this week after officers arrested a man suspected of trafficking drugs in the Downtown Eastside. The incident took place Tuesday afternoon near East Hastings and Columbia Street, an area where frontline police and community workers have long raised concerns about violence linked to the drug trade. According to the Vancouver Police Department, members of the Beat Enforcement Team were on routine patrol around 2:35 p.m. on December 9 when they arrested a 32-year-old Surrey resident outside a residential build
donald-trump-unveils-new-gold-card-immigration-program
WorldDec 11, 2025

Donald Trump unveils new ‘Gold Card’ immigration program

Former United States president Donald Trump announced on Thursday the launch of a new immigration initiative he calls the Gold Card, opening the application process for the program. Under the plan, individuals can apply for the Gold Card at a fee of US$1 million, while companies wishing to secure a card for executives or employees would pay US$2 million. Trump’s campaign says cardholders would receive a U.S. passport, full voting rights and the same benefits enjoyed by other American citizens. Trump framed the Gold Card as part of his broader “America First” policy agenda, asserting the
flooding-prompts-wider-evacuations-and-highway-closures-across-southern-b-c
BCDec 11, 2025

Flooding prompts wider evacuations and highway closures across southern B.C.

Communities across southern British Columbia are facing new evacuation orders and travel disruptions after heavy rainfall triggered flooding and landslides that severed key routes between the Lower Mainland and the Interior. Provincial officials say multiple highways, including the Coquihalla and Highways 1, 3, 5 and 11, remain shut as crews assess washouts and unstable slopes. The closure of Highway 11 has also halted access to the Sumas border crossing. In Abbotsford, 371 properties on the Sumas Prairie were ordered evacuated overnight as waters linked to the overflowing Nooksack River conti
cra-plans-major-hiring-push-to-boost-call-centre-capacity-ahead-of-tax-season
CanadaDec 11, 2025

CRA plans major hiring push to boost call centre capacity ahead of tax season

The Canada Revenue Agency says it plans to bring on roughly 1,700 additional call centre staff in the coming months as it prepares for a surge in taxpayer inquiries during the upcoming filing season. Agency officials say the goal is to expand the workforce to about 4,500 agents, citing internal forecasts that anticipate heavy call volumes. Melanie Serjak, an assistant commissioner with the CRA, told reporters that it is routine for the agency to scale up its operations for tax season, when daily call volumes can exceed 300,000. She said last year’s peak staffing level reached about 3,300 age