Canada

The province asked for the criminal code exemption after overdoses claimed more than two thousand lives in BC last year.

This time-limited three-year trial is the first of its kind in Canada.

Adults will be allowed to possess a combined total of 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA.

The latest new cases were reported in France, Italy and Sweden.

It follows the confirmation of cases in the US, Spain and Portugal on Wednesday, as well as the investigation of 13 suspected cases in Canada.

Monkeypox is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa.

Cases of the disease outside of the region are often linked to travel to the area.

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which is usually mild and from which most people recover in a few weeks, according to the UK's National Health Service.

Truckers rallying against Canada's Covid vaccine rules had blocked the Ambassador Bridge on Monday night, forcing vehicles to take long detours.

The bridge over the Detroit River is a vital trade link between it and the US.

More than 40,000 people and $323m (£238m) worth of goods cross it daily.

According to police in Michigan and Windsor, protesters had forced authorities to close it shortly before 9 PM on Monday - just hours after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had accused the demonstrators of attempting to "blockade our economy".

Thousands of flights have been cancelled, and power cuts have been reported in some south-eastern states.

Virginia, Georgia, and North and South Carolina declared states of emergency.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) said the storm would hit much of the eastern third of the country over the next two days, with more than 1ft (30cm) of snow expected in some areas.

The huge storm system is approaching the eastern US from the Midwest.

Snow and ice could result in "dangerous travel, power outages, and tree damage", the NWS warned.

Canada won their first tie 22-21 a week ago but Saturday's drubbing in Valparaiso, Chile, kept the home team's dream alive to compete at the Rugby World Cup 2023.

"This is a hugely disappointing result - although we remain proud of the staff and players and the efforts they made over the past months, we all know the expectations for Canadian rugby are rightfully higher," Rugby Canada CEO Allen Vansen said in a written statement.

Chile will face the United States in a two-legged tie next year to decide which team will feature in France 2023.

Amanda Tidmarsh, 52, from Brynna, was walking her two rescue dogs along the beach in Ogmore-on-Sea when she noticed the bottle mixed up with seaweed.

She said she was "so excited" to find it, having previously joked with her family that she was "always on the hunt for treasure".

She is waiting to hear back from the crab fisherman who threw it overboard.

Canada is more than 3,000 miles (4,800km) from Wales, and the co-ordinates written on the letter show it was thrown in the sea nearby in November 2020.

Canada's federal government said it would send military aircraft to assist emergency services in British Columbia battling to control the fires.

Earlier this week, people had to flee the village of Lytton in the province.

Lytton, which recorded Canada's highest ever temperature of 49.6C on Tuesday, was later destroyed by fire.

The blaze in the village, which is home to some 250 people and located about 260km north-east of Vancouver, forced many residents to leave without their belongings on Wednesday evening.

Brad Vis said the fire had caused extensive damage to Lytton, in British Columbia, and to surrounding critical infrastructure.

Jan Polderman, mayor of Lytton, told the BBC he had been "lucky to get out with my own life".

"There won't be very much left of Lytton," he said. "There was fire everywhere."

Mr Polderman told the BBC's Newshour programme his town was engulfed by a "wall of fire".

He had earlier ordered people to evacuate, saying flames had spread through the village in just 15 minutes.

Police in the Vancouver area have responded to more than 130 sudden deaths since Friday. Most were elderly or had underlying health conditions, with heat often a contributing factor.

Canada broke its temperature record for a third straight day on Tuesday at 49.6C in Lytton, British Columbia.

The US north-west has also seen record highs - and a number of fatalities.

Experts say climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. However, linking any single event to global warming is complicated.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) has issued excessive heat warnings and watches across nearly all of Washington and Oregon state. Parts of California and Idaho are also affected.

Multnomah county, in Oregon, has warned of "life-threatening" heat.

Some cities have opened cooling centres, where residents can escape the heat in air-conditioned buildings.

The soaring temperatures are due to a dome of high pressure hovering over northwestern United States and Canada.