A series of explosions shook Afghanistan on Wednesday, the Taliban said, including a blast inside a mosque in the capital of Kabul that killed at least five worshippers and three bombings of minivans in the country's north that killed nine passengers. The Kabul Emergency Hospital said it received 22 victims of the mosque bombing, including five dead. There were no further details on the blast that struck the Hazrat Zakaria Mosque in the city’s central Police District 4, according to Khalid Zadran, a Taliban police spokesman in Kabul. “The blast took place while people were inside the mosqu

An Ontario judge has ruled that an Alberta woman who helped organize protests that gridlocked Ottawa streets for weeks can remain on bail until her trial. The judge says Tamara Lich (LEECH) of Medicine Hat has followed her bail conditions and has had a ``taste of jail'' which has lowered her risk of reoffending. The judge says Lich did not breach her bail conditions when she agreed to receive an award. Lich faces charges of mischief, obstructing police, intimidation and counselling others to commit mischief. She was released in March with a long list of conditions, including a ban from all so

A southern Alberta town has endorsed a community-developed policy that bans new coal exploration and coal mines in the Rocky Mountains. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society says in a news release that High River has joined 30 organizations to endorse the document called ``A Coal Policy for Alberta _ 2022 and Beyond.' The society says the document provides details on how to address concerns Albertans have related to coal development. Two years ago, the provincial government revoked a policy that had protected areas from coal mining, but a public outcry forced the government to reverse cour

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday took responsibility for drinking parties at Downing Street during the COVID-19 lockdown. Earlier in the day, the prime minister's office released a new report on the results of an internal investigation into lockdown parties, led cabinet official Sue Gray. The document confirmed the findings of the January 31 report, in particular, that some of the gatherings in Downing Street violated the lockdown rules and should not have been held. "I want to begin today by renewing my apology to the House [the parliament], to the whole country, for the short lu

Former union minister Kapil Sibal, who has resigned from Congress in another blow to the party, is keen to bring together opposition parties against the BJP in the next general elections. Sibal is the fifth high-profile leader who has left Congress in the last four months. RPN Singh, Ashwani Kumar, Sunil Jakhar and Hardik Patel have also resigned from the Congress. Sibal had sent his resignation earlier this month to Sonia Gandhi and this became known as he filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections as an independent candidate backed by the Samajwadi Party. A member of Cong

Police in Edmonton say they're going to be highly visible as part of a strategy to deal with increasing violence in areas like the downtown, Chinatown and the city's light-rail stations. They say Phase 1 of Project Connection will begin with a high saturation of police resources in key areas, using members from various beats. A 36-year-old man faces two counts of second-degree murder following the deaths of two men in their 60s in Edmonton's Chinatown last week. A 20-year-old man, meanwhile, faces a charge of aggravated assault after a 78-year-old woman was pushed from a platform onto light-ra

Alberta's cabinet ministers are delivering a range of answers -- from maybe to a hard no -- on whether they will run to replace Jason Kenney as United Conservative leader and premier. The ministers were quizzed on their way into the house on the first day back since Kenney announced last week he was stepping down. Environment Minister Jason Nixon and Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney (rah-ZHAWN' SAW'-nee) say they're thinking about it. Finance Minister Travis Toews (TAVES) won't say whether he's even considering it or has ruled it out. Justice Minister Tyler Shandro says he won't run. Adva

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said he has sacked Health Minister Vijay Singla from the state Cabinet for demanding a bribe from an official. In the FIR which was filed on Tuesday, the sacked minister Singla was accused of taking bribes through his OSD Pradeep Kumar. A case was registered at Phase-8 police station of Mohali against Singla for demanding a bribe from Superintending Engineer (SE) Rajinder Singh posted in Mohali. According to the FIR, on May 20, Rs 10 lakh was demanded from SE Rajinder Singh and he was asked to pay a commission of 1 per cent of further allotment

The sentencing of former Canadian Football League wide receiver Joshua Boden for the murder of a woman in 2009 has been rescheduled to June 16. Justice Arne Silverman read a memorandum in B.C. Supreme Court from Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes, saying Justice Barry Davies was unable to continue with the matter and Silverman has been tasked with the proceedings. Silverman says he will hear submissions from both counsel on June 16 and then ``may or may not'' be ready to deliver the decision the same day. Boden was found guilty of second-degree murder in B.C. Supreme Court last fall for t