OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took aim at the mayors of Quebec’s two largest cities on Thursday, calling the local leaders “incompetent” and accusing them of blocking construction projects.

In a post to social-media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the Tory leader pointed to what he called a “massive drop in construction in Quebec” despite what he said were billions of dollars in federal funds for Montreal and Quebec City.

Poilievre also shared a quote from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. analyst Francis Cortellino

VANCOUVER — Four children under the age of 10 who had streptococcal infections have died since mid-December, in what the BC Centre for Disease Control says is part of a surge in such infections.

A bulletin released by the centre, the Provincial Health Services Authority and BC Children’s Hospital said data from 2023 showed a threefold increase in invasive group A streptococcal infections in people under 20.

It said there were 60 cases last year, three times as many as the year before, when

SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Two men recently acquitted of a 1983 murder for which they served lengthy prison terms say they appreciate the prime minister taking an interest in their case.

Robert Mailman, 76, and his friend, Walter Gillespie, 80, now hope Justin Trudeau’s words translate into action — and that they can get compensated to spend the rest of their lives in peace and financial security. The matter is especially pressing for Mailman, who has terminal liver cancer.

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UVALDE, Texas (AP) — A scathing into law enforcement failures during the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, includes a minute-by-minute account of at the scene.

Heavily armed officers did not kill the 18-year-old gunman until about 77 minutes after the first officers arrived at the school. During that time, terrified students in the classrooms called 911 and parents begged officers to go in. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the May 24, 2

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — In his second state of the state address to Nebraska lawmakers, Gov. Jim Pillen on Thursday covered everything from praising the state’s response to recent to supporting a divisive bill that would participation in high school sports and limit trans students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms.

But it was the Republican’s plan to slash local government property taxes and possibly raise the state’s 5.5% sales tax that drew the most criticism across the political spectrum.

Pillen is

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico and Chile have asked the International Criminal Court to investigate possible crimes against civilians in Gaza and the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel.

Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said in a statement that it filed the request “because of a growing concern about the recent escalation in violence, especially against civilians.”

There have been widespread claims of breaches of international law by Hamas and Israeli forces since erupted.

Israel launched a military operation in the Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7 attack,

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire man who pleaded guilty to making a was sentenced in federal court to three years of probation on Thursday.

Allan Poller was a Keene State College student when he was accused of calling the office of a U.S. House member last March and leaving a message with his name and phone number saying, “If you keep on coming for the gays, we’re gonna strike back,” and “We will kill you if that’s what

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross has been losing influence, funding and staff, and disparaging remarks from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are just the latest headache for the Geneva-based humanitarian group.

Netanyahu said he intentionally bypassed the Red Cross in helping arrange a shipment into Gaza of medicines for dozens of Israeli hostages with chronic illnesses who have been held by the militant group Hamas for months. There was no immediate word Thursday whether the medicines had gotten to the hostages.

The Red Cross

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Between 9 and 12 months old, babies learn to stand, say their first word, maybe take their first steps. As the family of , the youngest Israeli held in captivity , celebrated his first birthday without him, they wondered which, if any, of the typical milestones they missed during those three months of his life.

“They’re supposed to see a lot of colors, but instead he’s seeing just darkness,” said Yosi Shnaider, a cousin