Ontario police are investigating a string of extortion cases targeting local businesses, including a Caledon auto dealer who says he was ordered to pay $200,000 in December under threats of violence. The dealer told investigators he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number demanding payment in either a Canadian or Indian account. Initially dismissing the threat, he later arrived at his lot on December 6 to find bullets scattered and 11 vehicles damaged by gunfire. A Brampton restaurant owner reported a similar case on January 19, saying threats escalated into a ransom demand backed by v

B2Gold Corp. says three employees have died after an attack on a bus transporting workers in Mali. The company says the bus, which was travelling under Malian gendarme escort, was going from its Fekola mine to Bamako, the capital of Mali. It says initial reports indicate several other employees travelling on the bus were also wounded. B2Gold says the attack occurred over 300 kilometers northeast of the Fekola mine, along a route that has been the focus of an increased security presence by the Malian armed forces. The company says it has been engaged with the Malian government on further improv

Construction of new homes in Canada fell 10 percent in January compared to December, according to the National Housing Agency, with 223,589 units started last month, down 25,379 from December, while many economists had An increase was expected. TD Bank economist Mark Arcolao said Canada needs to accelerate the pace of homebuilding to prevent a continued decline in housing affordability. He said that the prospect of interest rate cuts by the Bank of Canada could boost existing home sales in the coming months, potentially resulting in an increase in new home construction. New home construction

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party has declared it a black day for 2024, alleging rigging in the election results. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Information Secretary Rauf Hassan said that the year 2024 will be remembered as the biggest voter fraud in the history of Pakistan. During a press conference in Islamabad, he said that according to our estimates, out of 177 seats that were supposed to be ours, only 92 were given to us, the remaining 85 seats were tampered with. He said that the party is taking constitutional and legal steps in this regard. On the other hand, in view of t

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has strongly objected to the case of Haryana Police firing tear gas shells on farmers through drones inside the border of Punjab. The Chief Minister raised this matter in the meeting of Union Ministers in Chandigarh on Thursday night. He said that farmers are protesting in their area, it is absolutely wrong to throw tear gas shells on them from across the border with drones. In the meeting, empty tear gas shells thrown by the farmers from the drone were also shown. Bhagwant Mann said that the Union Ministers have assured him that such action will not take

Quebec provincial police continue to investigate after a stabbing attack west of Montreal that left two women dead and a third critically injured. Police have not released the ages of the women who were killed on Thursday in a condo tower in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. Sgt. Catherine Bernard says a 70-year-old woman was sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Bernard says a 44-year-old man was arrested and sent to hospital. She says the suspect is known to police, but wouldn't say if he was connected to the victims. Bernard says investigators will speak with the suspect when his condition

British Columbia's Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon is pitching a housing plan that aims to get more first-time buyers into homes, and it comes just days after Premier David Eby promised to build more affordable rental units for the middle class. Falcon says the BC United's "Fix Housing" plan includes four initiatives to reduce the high cost of housing and increase supply, which he pledges to introduce if his party takes power in this fall's election. He says he'll drop the province's property transfer tax for first-time homebuyers who purchase for less than $1 million, eliminate the provincial

Russia’s prison agency says that imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died. He was 47. The Federal Prison Service said in a statement that Navalny felt unwell after a walk on Friday and lost consciousness. An ambulance arrived to try to rehabilitate him, but he died. There was no immediate confirmation of Navalny’s death from his team.

The situation regarding the formation of a new government in Pakistan is still not completely clear. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is in jail, has nominated Umar Ayub as the candidate for the post of Prime Minister amid the efforts of Pakistan-Muslim League Nawaz to form the government. Ayub is the general secretary of Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and grandson of former president Ayub Khan. Ayub Khan is the only president during whose tenure the 1965 war between India and Pakistan took place. Barrister Gohar Khan, the leader of Imran's party, said on Thursday that form