B.C. election recounts won't start until Sunday afternoon

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says efforts to maintain a ceasefire in the Middle East are continuing, crediting Islamabad’s diplomatic engagement with helping keep the truce in place. According to statements attributed to Sharif, Pakistan is working to ensure the ceasefire holds and that peace initiatives do not lose momentum. He said there would be no relaxation in efforts aimed at stabilizing the situation. Officials familiar with the discussions indicate that Pakistan is again attempting to bring United States and Iran back to the negotiating table. Reports suggest a new roun

The Bank of Canada kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25 per cent on Wednesday, marking the fourth consecutive decision to hold rates, according to its latest monetary policy report. The central bank also maintained its deposit rate at 2.20 per cent. Governor Tiff Macklem said ongoing conflict in the Middle East and evolving U.S. trade policies are reshaping global trade patterns and adding uncertainty to the economic outlook. According to the bank’s report, the Iran-related tensions have reduced growth prospects in oil-importing countries while contributing to higher inflation

Canada’s Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne tabled the federal government’s 2026 spring mini-budget in the House of Commons, outlining measures aimed at strengthening the national economy and addressing labour shortages in key sectors. According to the government’s budget statement, a new initiative branded “Team Canada Strong” will focus on expanding the skilled trades workforce. The plan sets a target of training 100,000 new skilled trades workers by the 2030–31 fiscal year to help meet demand in housing construction, infrastructure projects and major resource developm

The Israeli military has ordered residents in more than a dozen villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately, citing safety concerns during an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. According to a statement posted on the social media platform X by Israeli Defence Forces spokesperson Avichay Adraee, civilians in the affected areas were urged to leave without delay. The military said the warning was issued for public safety, alleging that Hezbollah had violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The evacuation order comes despite the ceasefire remaining formally in effect. Isra

British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma says federal plans to set a minimum age for social media use should explicitly include artificial intelligence chatbots, arguing the rules would be ineffective if such platforms are excluded. In a letter to the federal government, Sharma said tools such as ChatGPT should fall within any regulatory framework aimed at protecting children online. According to her office, the letter cites recent incidents, including a shooting in Tumbler Ridge, and references cases where AI tools were reportedly linked to harmful online behaviour. Sharma said AI system