Daily News Digest — 2026-01-20

Brooks RCMP charged 46-year-old Chad Jensen with human trafficking and other offences after a woman reported five years of being forced into paid sexual encounters; a March 25, 2025 search seized electronics and illegal substances, Jensen was arrested Jan. 8, 2025, faces eight charges and next appears in court Feb. 11, 2026, and police say there may be more victims (tips: 403-362-5535 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477).

Nenshi accuses Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP of playing a political blame game over the Bearspaw South feeder main, which supplies 60% of treated water to Calgary (population 1.6 million) after a second rupture in under two years; the province has launched a review dating back two decades and both parties are gearing up for an Oct. 2027 election.

Oilers winger Zach Hyman (33) is 31 games into the 2025-26 season after returning Dec. 1 from wrist surgery, scoring 19 goals and 31 points since his return with a +10 rating and eight goals in his last 10 games heading into the Devils game, as the team has improved markedly during his scoring tear.

Calgary police arrested 62-year-old Muhammad Zia-Ur Rahman and charged him with parental child abduction after he allegedly fled Canada on Dec. 3, 2023 with his then-five-year-old son using forged documents and multiple passports, was located and detained in Mauritius Dec. 16, 2025, the child reunited with his mother Dec. 20 and they returned to Calgary Dec. 21; Rahman was escorted back to Calgary Jan. 17, 2026 and remanded until a Jan. 21, 2026 court date.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada reports 2025 insured severe-weather losses exceeded $2.4 billion (making 2025 the 10th-highest year on record), with major events including a $490M Quebec–Ontario ice storm, ~$300M wildfires in Flin Flon/La Ronge, $160M Calgary hailstorm and $235M Prairies storms; IBC warns losses have tripled versus the prior decade and calls for stronger building codes and siting away from flood hazards.

NDP leader Naheed Nenshi urges Premier Danielle Smith to reconvene the Alberta legislature five weeks early and declare a state of emergency amid hospital overcrowding (major hospitals at about 102% capacity), after a recent death following an almost eight-hour ED wait; the province says it has tools in place, will launch a triage liaison physician program Feb. 1, and questions remain about capacity planning and cancelled hospital projects.