Delhi: India has opposed the sending of Indians deported from the US to the US naval base Guantanamo. India has decided to ask not to send migrants to Guantanamo. Countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have said they will accept those from other countries. The US move to send them to Guantanamo detention centers is to increase the number of repatriates

The central government has said that military aircraft can be allowed and Indians should be brought directly to India as much as possible. India is in talks with some airline companies. 200 Venezuelans who were detained in Guantanamo recently returned home. Government officials said it was not right to send immigrants to Guantanamo, where the United States had been holding terrorists, including from Afghanistan.

 

 

An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale has struck British Columbia's Vancouver region. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The quake struck across the Lower Mainland on Friday afternoon, northwest of the Sunshine Coast. Authorities said the quake struck less than 20 kilometres northwest of Sechelt. The US National Tsunami Warning Centre has confirmed there is no tsunami threat. No damage was reported, Emergency Info BC said.

 

 

 

PP Cherian Dallas

Texas: The number of measles cases linked to an outbreak in West Texas has risen to 90, according to new data released Friday.

A DSHS spokesman said it was the largest measles outbreak in the state in more than 30 years

MORE: Measles cases in the U.S. are on the rise as the Texas measles outbreak continues. Children and teens accounted for the majority of the 51 cases, followed by children ages 4 and younger with 26 cases.

Gaines County is the epicenter of the outbreak, with 57 confirmed cases among residents, according to DSHS. State health data shows the number of vaccine exemptions in the county has increased significantly.

About 7.5% of kindergarteners had a parent or guardian who requested an exemption for at least one vaccine in 2013. Ten years later, that number had risen to more than 17.5% -- one of the highest rates in Texas, according to state health data.

Similar to local outbreaks, all confirmed cases nationally are in people who were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to man. According to the CDC, measles can be spread to nine out of 10 people in close contact with an infected person.

Health officials have urged anyone who has not been vaccinated to get the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The CDC currently recommends that people get two doses of the vaccine, the first between 12 and 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years of age. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective.

In the decade before the measles vaccine became available, the federal health agency estimates that 3 to 4 million people were infected each year.

 

 

Loblaw plans to open about 80 new grocery and pharmacy stores this year. The company said 50 of them will be discount grocers. The new stores are part of an investment of about $10 billion over five years, including $2.2 billion this year. The plan through 2025 includes renovating more than 300 grocery and pharmacy locations.

 

 

Doctors welcome BC government’s decision to improve primary care. The government announced the other day that it would provide treatment facilities to more people.
However, they also demanded that the steps, including the appointment of doctors, be expedited.

There is still a shortage of family doctors in line with the population. Doctors are demanding that it be filled. Dr. Ana Boskovic, a family doctor and board member of the BC College of Family Physicians, said that things need to change to ensure the services of a family doctor for every Columbian, and the provincial government has a lot to do in this regard.

In 2023, the BC government revised the salary for family doctors. This attracted 835 new doctors to the field and provided primary care to more than a quarter of a million people, the provincial government said. BC Family Doctors says the number of British Columbians without a family doctor has dropped from 1 million to about 700,000

 

 

Gatineau police are seeking public help in identifying those who violate the license plate laws. Gatineau police are taking legal action against those who drive with license plates from outside the province of Quebec.

The public is being asked to help identify those who violate the laws. The action is against those who have lived in the province for more than 90 days but are using out-of-province license plates. Police are asking people to call 311 to report such incidents. They are happy to welcome new residents. But they should also be prepared to pay for Quebec license plates, said Gatineau Mayor Maude Marquis Bissonnette. Police will issue a $200 fine to violators. If found guilty, their information will be passed on to Revenue Quebec for further investigation

 

A Canadian woman was seriously injured in a shark attack while on vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a small island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean near Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. The shark bit off both of her wrists while she was taking a photo in the sea. The tragic incident occurred on Friday, February 7, on a beach in Central Providenciales, a few meters from the shore. The island government said that an investigation has revealed that the woman is 55 years old and that she was taking a photo while standing in the sea and interacting with the shark.

The wife of Quebec native Ralph Chevari was injured in the attack. The family has started a GoFoundMe page for the woman who lost both arms. The page says that the six-foot shark attacked her. The species of shark has not been confirmed. Authorities say it may have been a bull shark, which is common in the area.

Ralph managed to scare the shark away during the attack, allowing his wife to escape. However, she lost both arms. Tourists on the beach helped her stop the shark from bleeding profusely. After receiving first aid on the island, she was taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Center for specialist treatment, government officials said. They reportedly decided to return to Canada for further treatment.

 

 

A person was stabbed in a home invasion in Northeast Calgary. The attack took place around 5 a.m. Tuesday at a home on Saddlehorn Drive. The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition but is said to be improving, hospital sources said.

No further details about the attack have been released. Police said they have not received any leads on the suspect and that an investigation is ongoing.

 

 

A newborn has died after a dog attack in Edmonton. The incident took place on Sunday at a home in Entwistle, west of Edmonton. The child was attacked by a pet dog. The 14-day-old baby was seriously injured in the attack, Evansburg RCMP said. The baby was taken to STARS Edmonton's Stollery Children's Hospital, but died.

Authorities have not said what breed of dog attacked the baby. The dog was reportedly handed over to police by its owners. Police are investigating whether the dog had rabies. They are also investigating its health. A similar incident was reported in Alta in 2012. A two-day-old baby died after being attacked by a pet dog.

 

 

A giant Canadian flag was made of snow on a lake in BC in a show of pride amid threats from US President Donald Trump. Senior citizens of BC spent more than three hours creating the flag on a frozen lake as a symbol of patriotism.

The flag was made by arranging snow in the shape of the Canadian flag. The group is behind it, residents of a holiday park resort in Kelowna. The flag was made on Saturday to coincide with Flag Day. The flag was 320 feet long and 120 feet wide. The snow flag was large enough to be visible even to planes landing and taking off at the nearby Kelowna airport. The group members say the US president's tariff threats and threats to annex Canada have all increased a sense of patriotism and unity among Canadians

 

 

Canada's weather bureau warns of another winter storm over the weekend. A storm warning has been issued for the Toronto and Hamilton areas. The warning also says that there will be 15 to 25 centimetres of snow per hour.

The winter storm is also expected to bring heavy snow to the area on Sunday. Some parts of the Niagara Peninsula may receive a small amount of freezing rain on Sunday morning. At the same time, there is some uncertainty about which areas will receive the most snow, says meteorologist Bill Coulter. Downtown Toronto received more than 20 centimetres of snow in the 24 hours from Wednesday to Thursday morning. This is the heaviest snowfall recorded in the city since January 2022

 

 

York Region Police are warning of a scam involving fake dollars for high-value items sold through online sites. Police say they have received 14 complaints of such fraud so far as of October 2024. The scammers, who meet with victims in person, offer them 100 Canadian dollars. The victims later realize they are fake, police said. In most of the incidents, the serial numbers GJR6710018 and GJR710022 are printed on the dollars, investigators say. The words "prop money" were also printed on the window of the dollars. This will be apparent upon closer inspection.

Police warned customers to make sure that the dollar bill they receive is not fake. Each dollar bill has its own serial number. If multiple dollars are given, check the serial numbers to make sure. Police suggested that there are several ways to spot fake dollars, including checking the window to make sure the small numbers are not the denomination, and making sure the portrait in the window matches the main portrait.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is planning to remove Elon Musk’s Tesla from the city’s zero-emissions grant program in response to the Canada-U.S. tariffs. Chow said at a budget meeting on Tuesday that she would introduce a motion to ban Tesla from the list of vehicles eligible for a licensing fee grant that encourages ride-sharing drivers to buy electric vehicles. The move would take effect on March 1, Chow said. Taxi drivers with Tesla vehicles who are seeking to obtain or renew their licenses will not receive the grant.

The Zero Emissions Grant Program, which aims to phase out gasoline taxis and ride-sharing vehicles over the next seven years and encourage drivers to buy electric vehicles, was launched in 2023. Chau said drivers should continue to buy other electric cars, not Teslas. Meanwhile, officials said the city's new plan would not affect taxi drivers who own Teslas and have these vehicles under the program.

 

 

Imagine that you can treat and cure cancer by taking a pill every day. A group of researchers at the University of Alberta is trying to make this a reality. Professor Luc Berthieu and his team have been trying to find a cure for cancer for decades. Berthieu said that they are trying to find a new way to kill cancer cells with minimal side effects. He said that clinical trials are underway.

The drug that has now been discovered blocks the metabolism of the cell. It was first tested in cells, then in mice, and then in cancer patients who only have a few months to live. The pill, called zelenirstat, can be taken at home like a regular medicine. There are no hospital visits, no injections, and it's a very easy treatment, says Berthieu.

It's water-soluble, so it goes straight into the bloodstream and tries to kill tumors. The pill was first tested at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. It was then given to cancer hospitals across Canada for testing, including the Beesey Cancer Care Centre, Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital, and the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal.

 

 

A new ride-hailing service is launching in Canada to compete with Uber and Lyft. Estonian company Bolt announced Tuesday that it has launched its Hop ride-hailing service in the Greater Toronto Area. Hop operates in 600 cities in 50 countries. Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill will also be added to the list of cities. Observers say Hop will have to overcome many challenges in Canada at the beginning. It is believed that Hop will have to work hard to make the service popular.

Hop faces stiff competition from Uber, which has been around since 2012, Lyft, which has been in service since 2017, and several other local companies. Hop has high hopes for Canada, says David Riggs, general manager of Canada. He said he believes Hop can succeed in Canada given the current lack of ride-hailing services in the country and the choice of convenient travel options for passengers.

He said the affordable fares will attract more passengers. Hop also offers higher earnings for drivers.

 

 

An inspection by Alberta Health Services at the food court at Calgary’s Sunridge Mall found three restaurants to be closed after finding a large number of cockroaches and unsanitary conditions. The restaurants are Edo Japan, Famous Work and Opa! of Greece. The closures were ordered after health inspectors found numerous live and dead cockroaches on pest control glue boards during an inspection conducted by AHS on Feb. 6.

Food debris was found under tables and chairs, on floors and walls in the restaurants. Officials warned that operating restaurants in unsanitary conditions could pose a health risk to the public. The AHS report states that all three restaurants must implement pest control measures. The AHS said that they will reopen after the restaurants are cleaned and disinfected and a report on a future pest management plan is submitted.

 

 

Statistics Canada reports that the city of Red Deer, Alberta, has the highest unemployment rate in Canada. The city's unemployment rate was 9.7 per cent in January, the report said. This was down slightly from 10 per cent in December. But Red Deer has the highest unemployment rate compared to the other 41 cities surveyed. Meanwhile, Edmonton, one of the province's largest cities, has an unemployment rate of 7.2 per cent and Calgary has 7.7 per cent. Calgary's unemployment rate was 8.1 per cent in December. All three cities are above the national average of 6.6 per cent.

Alberta had the second-highest unemployment rate among Canadian provinces last month. The report also shows that Alberta's unemployment rate is 6.7 percent this time around.

 

 

Flu cases are on the rise across Canada. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is reporting an increase in the number of people infected with the flu in the past few weeks. As of February 1, the positivity rate is 21.2 per cent. The previous week, it was 16.91 per cent.

The flu season in Canada usually runs from November to April. The PHAC says that there has been an increase in flu cases this season compared to last year. Influenza A cases have been the most reported this season. 95 percent of influenza cases are caused by influenza A. The highest number of influenza cases have been reported in Toronto, Vancouver Island, Vancouver Coastal, Fraser Valley, Western and Middle Quebec.

 

 

 

Alberta health contracts have been suspended after corruption allegations surfaced. The NDP and provincial health care advocates are calling for the RCMP to investigate the corruption allegations. The NDP is demanding that the premier resign if corruption is proven. The Alberta Auditor General is investigating the health contracts.

Alberta Health Services is reviewing contracts with several companies following allegations by former CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos. AHS has said it will not award contracts to the companies involved. There were reports that Mentzelopoulos was fired after she investigated how some companies were winning government contracts. NDP Leader Nahid Nenshi expressed anger at this. Mentzelopoulos’ lawyer alleges that UCP government officials pressured him to sign new deals for chartered surgical facilities and fired him days before he was scheduled to meet with the auditor general. The NDP is calling for four types of investigations: by the RCMP, the auditor general, the ethics commissioner and a judicially-led public inquiry.

The opposition is demanding that all those accused, including Premier Daniel Smith, Health Minister Adriana LaGrange and interim AHS president and CEO Andre Tremblay, step down during the investigation.

 

 

Housing construction is booming in Calgary. Calgary leads the country in the number of homes built each year, with more than 18,000 residential building permits issued in 2024.

Officials say housing construction is not slowing down, and per capita housing construction is outpacing other major Canadian provinces. Officials said last year was the highest number of permits ever issued for townhouses, rowhouses and semi-detached units. The city also issued the most single-detached home permits since 2006, Ulrik Seward, the city’s chief building officer, said in a news release. The easing of the housing process has increased the overall supply and made housing more affordable for Calgarians, said Chief Housing Officer Reed Henry. The Chief Housing Officer also stated that other projects implemented with the participation of representatives from the construction sector have also helped improve the number of houses being built in the city.

 

 

Canada has been named among the world's most beautiful countries. From the sandy beaches in the east to the majestic mountains in the west, Canada's natural beauty and charm are many. Canada is included in the list of 40 countries released by the famous luxury travel and lifestyle magazine Conde Nast Traveler. Conde Nast Traveler says that the most beautiful places in Canada are what make the country the best.

The magazine says that Canada's natural beauty includes national parks, snow-capped mountains, lakes, etc. The country has more than 48 national parks that are worth visiting. Here you can find a quiet place to enjoy the beauty of nature and get away from the hustle and bustle of life. From the serene Banff National Park in Alberta to Kluane on the edge of the Yukon, various parks and forests attract tourists, the magazine says.

Countries such as Mexico, India, Spain, and Thailand also made it to the top of the list.

 

 

Ontario Provincial Police warns against trusting caller IDs. The Ontario Provincial Police has come out with the warning after it was noticed that online scams were being carried out using the names of various police departments.

According to a news release issued by the Ontario Provincial Police, fraudsters are now committing fraud in the names of policing agencies and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre across the country. The news release says that many people commit such fraud as a way to gain people's trust. The fraud is often committed by calling in the names of investigative agencies, saying that there are problems with their bank accounts. They also pressure people to hand over money to avoid being prosecuted. Investigators say that many people fall victim to fraud by taking the calls as trust. Ontario Provincial Police says that if you receive such calls, do not respond immediately and call the police to ensure their credibility. A warning has also been issued not to share the OTP received on phones.

 

 

The provincial government has announced a new relief decision on daycare fees for children in Alberta. Starting in April, children up to kindergarten will only need to pay a monthly fee of $326.25. This benefit is available to parents with children up to kindergarten who attend full-time licensed daycares and family day home programs.

Parents who need part-time care for their children will have to pay $230 per month.
Preschools will receive reimbursement from the government at the rate of $100 per child per month. It was previously $75. The new system replaces the previous child care subsidy program for children up to kindergarten. However, the subsidy for children in grades one to six who need care outside of school hours will not change. Provincial officials say 85 per cent of licensed daycare providers will receive more funding when the new fee structure takes effect April 1. The funding is part of a $3.8 billion Learning and Childcare Agreement between Alberta and the federal government.

 

Alberta Premier Daniel Smith is calling on the federal government to create a border czar position and appoint a high-powered official to work with the United States after Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canada. The Canadian border czar should work with U.S. official Tom Homan to crack down on fentanyl and illegal immigration, Smith said Wednesday.

In addition to the $1.3 billion border security plan promised by the federal government, Smith said a border czar could help avoid the tariffs Trump is set to impose on Saturday. Smith said he could consider the position of top Alberta official Paul Winnick. Winnick is a long-time bureaucrat who has served from a 38-year career in the armed forces to Alberta's deputy minister of health and municipal affairs.

 

 

Amid concerns that the United States may impose tariffs on Canada, the Bank of Canada has cut key interest rates. The interest rate has been reduced by 25 basis points. With this, the interest rate has been reduced from 3.25 percent to 3 percent.

US President Donald Trump had stated that a 25 percent blanket tariff will be imposed on goods from Canada and Mexico on February 1. If such tariffs are imposed on all products from Canada, it could have a major impact on the country's economy. If that happens, the Canadian economy is likely to move into recession by the end of the year and inflation will rise. The Bank of Canada has reduced interest rates taking this into account. This is the sixth consecutive time that the Bank of Canada has cut interest rates.

 

 

A Toronto native loses son and wife to food poisoning during a foreign trip. Toronto native Stiefel Gogan's eight-year-old son and wife died of food poisoning while visiting Dominion Republic. He has since initiated proceedings against the resort where he was staying, seeking compensation.

He said that he is preparing for a legal battle because he believes that such a situation should not happen to anyone else. He added that this is also to make the common people aware of such incidents. The incident occurred during the holidays related to Christmas 2023. After eating food at the resort at night, he fell ill the next day. He then asked for medical help but was not allowed to do so and advised him to go to the hospital himself. Later, although he was forced to take him to the hospital, the delay worsened his health condition. The court has been approached seeking $10 million in damages for this.

 

Ontario will hold a general election on February 27. The election was previously announced with one year left in the term. The election was originally scheduled for June 2026.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said last week that a new mandate was necessary after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canada. If Trump's threat is carried out, it will have a negative impact on Ontario's auto industry. It will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to resolve the problems, including job losses. He said that he is seeking a new mandate in this context. He said that he has a clear plan to deal with Trump's actions, no matter what, and that he will make these matters clear during the election campaign.

 

 

When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided to step down as Prime Minister, his eldest son is making a move into music. Xavier James Trudeau, 17, is about to make a name for himself in the music industry, instead of choosing politics like his father.

Xavier James Trudeau is releasing his first original R&B song on February 21. James Trudeau also gave fans a little hint in an Instagram post about what to expect from his music.

 

 

Brampton has surpassed Mississauga in population, making it the third largest city in Ontario. With this, Brampton has added about 100,000 people to its population since 2020, bringing the city's current population to 791,486, according to Statistics Canada. Mississauga's population is 780,747.

Brampton is growing faster than ever and is the fastest-growing major city in the country, Premier Dougford said at a news conference in Brampton last week. He also discussed plans to build an underground tunnel between Mississauga and Brampton.

Among Ontario cities, the Peel Region city is the second-largest by population, behind Ottawa (1.15 million) and Toronto (3.27 million). Statistics Canada ranked Brampton as the fastest-growing city among the country's 25 most populous municipalities, with a population growth of 10.6 per cent from 2016 to 2021.

 

Nurses led by the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) have staged protests across cities demanding better working conditions and respect in the workplace. Hundreds of nurses took part in the rallies in Calgary and Edmonton.

They also protested low wages, staff shortages and cuts to health services. The nurses held the rallies as negotiations between the nurses' union and Alberta Health Services continue.

More than 30,000 UNA members have been working without a contract since last April. The offer was made late last year, but the nurses rejected it. Mediation talks resumed this week. Association president Marie-Therese Magou said securing a fair contract is essential to encourage more nurses to come to Alberta.