A U.S. federal court has sentenced a 27-year-old Kelowna man to 18 months in prison for using false identities to purchase firearms in Montana with the intent to smuggle them into Canada. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Montana says Haptei John Kozak pleaded guilty earlier this year to four counts of making false statements during firearm transactions. District Court Judge Donald Molloy also imposed a $10,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and ordered Kozak to forfeit 12 firearms seized during the investigation. Prosecutors said Kozak used a fake Montana driver’s licence and falsif

One of Premier Danielle Smith’s closest advisers and a key figure in shaping Alberta’s addiction recovery model is leaving the provincial government. The premier confirmed that her chief of staff, Marshall Smith, will retire from public service at the end of October. Marshall Smith has played a central role in developing Alberta’s recovery-oriented approach to the drug crisis, which emphasizes treatment and rehabilitation over harm-reduction measures such as supervised consumption sites. The strategy has been both praised for expanding treatment capacity and criticized by public health e

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has put a temporary halt on panchayat elections in nearly 300 villages across Punjab following multiple complaints of irregularities and alleged bullying during the nomination process. The order was issued on Wednesday while hearing a series of petitions filed by affected candidates and villagers. According to court records, more than 250 petitions were submitted challenging the conduct of the election process in several villages. Petitioners alleged that administrative lapses, denial of No Objection Certificates (NOCs), and discrepancies in nomination papers

Canadian border officers in British Columbia have intercepted large quantities of methamphetamine intended for export to Australia, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirmed this week. Between March and August, officers made 60 separate seizures totalling nearly 400 kilograms of crystal meth and about 1,300 litres of liquid methamphetamine. The CBSA says the largest single seizure occurred in June at the Fraser Surrey Dock, southeast of Vancouver, when officers discovered the liquid form of the drug during a one-day inspection operation. Other seizures of crystal meth took place at se

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Laos this week to attend the ASEAN Summit, marking the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister to the Southeast Asian nation. The gathering brings together leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations to discuss regional cooperation and global trade. While Canada is not a member of ASEAN, the two sides have maintained a strategic partnership since 2022. Ottawa is working toward finalizing a free trade agreement with the bloc by the end of next year, as part of its broader Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at strengthening economic an

Leaders of British Columbia’s three main political parties will meet tonight for the province’s only televised debate before voters head to the polls on October 19. The 90-minute debate, airing from 6:30 to 8 p.m., will provide a final opportunity for candidates to make their case directly to the public as advance voting begins Friday. Early voting will take place from October 10 to 13 and again from October 15 to 16 across the province. The leaders previously clashed in a radio debate last week, exchanging sharp words over affordability, health care, and the opioid crisis — three of the

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has suffered a major electoral setback in Haryana, failing to win a single seat in the assembly elections. This marks the third unsuccessful attempt by party leader Arvind Kejriwal to establish a foothold in the state’s politics. According to Election Commission figures, AAP secured only 1.76 percent of the total vote share, and most of its candidates lost their security deposits. Senior party leader and state vice-president Anurag Dhanda, who contested from the Kalayat constituency, finished in seventh place. In several constituencies, including Ambala Cantt, AAP c

U.S. President Joe Biden has postponed his upcoming visits to Germany and Angola as Hurricane Milton advances toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, the White House confirmed Tuesday. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the decision was made so the president could remain in Washington to oversee the federal response to the storm. She noted that the change was necessary “given the projected trajectory and strength” of the hurricane, which forecasters say could bring severe flooding and wind damage to coastal regions. The White House did not specify when the trip will be rescheduled. The visit t

Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, has sharply criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following its victory in the Haryana assembly elections, alleging that the ruling party used “every possible tactic” to secure power. Without directly naming the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Badal suggested that individuals convicted of serious crimes had been granted parole and mobilized for political gain. “Those serving ten-year sentences for murder were given parole and used for votes,” she said. Commenting on the poor performance of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Haryana, B