Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday clarified that he had been absent from Wednesday’s Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting with the permission of the party high command. Channi said he had an examination at Panjab University, which prevented him from attending the meeting. He said the party high command had granted him permission to remain absent. The meeting, chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, was attended by senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with several other top leaders and special invitees. A

Canada’s largest bank, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), has appointed former Ontario cabinet minister Caroline Mulroney as its new vice-chair. According to a statement issued by RBC, Mulroney will begin her new role on September 14. Her appointment is within the bank’s Capital Markets division. Mulroney is the daughter of the late former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney. She served as an MPP in the Ontario legislature from 2018 to 2026 and held several key positions in Premier Doug Ford’s government, including Attorney General, Minister of Transportation and President of the Treasury Bo

A 33-year-old woman has been charged with six serious offences in connection with two separate grass fires that occurred in Vernon, in B.C.’s Okanagan region, on Aug. 4. According to Vernon North Okanagan RCMP, the first fire was reported on Kammenz Road near Bench Row Road in the afternoon. About 20 minutes later, a second fire was discovered at Carlson Park. Following an investigation, police arrested 33-year-old Maria Benning Bear, a resident of West Kelowna, on Aug. 14. She is facing six serious charges, including arson, mischief causing property damage, possession of incendiary material

A senior man who was seriously injured after being struck by a TransLink bus in Surrey last month has died in hospital. According to the Surrey Police Service, the man, believed to be between 60 and 65 years old, was found seriously injured at the intersection of 128 Street and 96 Avenue at around 9:41 p.m. on July 11. Paramedics rushed him to hospital, where he later died while undergoing treatment. Police believe the incident occurred near a bus stop. The initial investigation has ruled out factors such as excessive speed and impairment as possible causes of the crash. SPS is asking anyone w

Alberta Technology Minister Nate Glubish is set to host the province’s second town hall on its plans for artificial intelligence data centres on Thursday in Redwater, north of Edmonton. The event comes amid growing concerns over the environmental and economic impacts of large-scale AI facilities. Redwater is in Sturgeon County, where tech giant Meta is planning a $13-billion AI data centre project. The proposed facility would be a major investment in the region and is expected to be one of Canada’s largest data centres. The town hall follows a contentious meeting in Lacombe on Wednesday,

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has ordered WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, to eliminate the weight limit it imposes on power wheelchairs carried on its aircraft. The regulator ruled that WestJet’s weight restriction creates an unreasonable barrier for passengers living with disabilities and must be removed before July 2027. The case came to light following a complaint filed by Winnipeg resident and former federal cabinet minister Steven Fletcher, who was prevented from boarding a WestJet flight last year because of the weight of his customized electric wheelchair. WestJ

A 15-year-old youth has been criminally charged after allegedly making threats to burn down a home in Port Coquitlam. According to Coquitlam RCMP, the case relates to an incident that occurred on May 17 this year. Following an investigation by the General Investigation Section and a review of the evidence, the B.C. Prosecution Service approved the charges on August 4. The youth’s identity has not been released because of his age under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police also clarified that he is not a resident of the Port Coquitlam area. The youth is facing three charges, including mischi

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a video conference today with Iran’s exiled former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and invited him to visit Canada. Sharing details of the conversation, Poilievre said they discussed the current regime in Tehran and the mission to establish a free and democratic Iran. He also mentioned the strong support he received from Vancouver’s Iranian community for holding talks with Pahlavi. Poiliev was in the North Vancouver–Capilano riding last week, where a by-election is scheduled for August 31. On Saturday, he attended a meeting organized by the Conservativ

Prime Minister Mark Carney has urged Canada’s provincial premiers to remove restrictions on U.S. alcohol as Ottawa works to finalize an interim trade agreement with the United States. Trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. are continuing after President Donald Trump delayed the implementation of a proposed 50 per cent tariff until Friday. Washington has repeatedly raised concerns over Canada’s restrictions on American alcohol products. Because provincial governments control the sale and distribution of alcohol in Canada, Carney held a virtual meeting with the premiers on Wednesday