The Punjab and Haryana High Court has overturned the Centre’s decision to deny political clearance for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s proposed visit to France. According to reports, Mann may now leave for France tomorrow. The Union Ministry of External Affairs had refused permission, citing security concerns and the absence of a formal invitation from the French government. The Punjab government challenged the Centre’s decision in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court’s ruling today has provided relief to the state government. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is scheduled to

A 22-year-old man from Burnaby has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for online sextortion involving underage girls. The accused, Anwar Jelassi, obtained nude images from eight or nine girls aged 15 to 18 whom he met on social media between October 2022 and December 2023. The victims were from Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. He threatened to expose their images to extort money from them. According to reports, Jelassi sent an online message to a 17-year-old victim from Ontario who refused to pay him, threatening to ruin her life until her entire family had seen her nude images

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby has launched a sharp attack on the B.C. Conservative Party during an election rally in Coquitlam, as the provincial election campaign enters its final stretch. Eby accused B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson of making promises that could create a massive $5 billion hole in the provincial budget, claiming the party has no clear roadmap to cover the shortfall. According to Eby, the consequences of the Conservatives’ proposals would be particularly damaging to the province’s education and health-care sectors. Outlining his own party’s plans, Eby said his govern

Canada has introduced changes to its Express Entry system for permanent residency (PR), giving additional points to candidates with Canadian work experience or job offers in high-wage sectors such as engineering. According to an announcement made by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab on Friday, candidates with Canadian work experience or qualifying high-wage job offers will receive additional points under the updated system. The government will define a high-wage job as one that pays at least 1.3 times the national median wage. Candidates with higher-paying job offers will be eligible for

An interesting contest is expected between the BC Conservatives and the BC NDP in several Surrey ridings ahead of British Columbia’s October 24 provincial election. Both major parties have fielded prominent candidates from the Punjabi community. In Surrey-Fleetwood, former minister Jagrup Brar is running for the BC NDP against BC Conservative candidate Gary Purewal. In Surrey-Serpentine River, Conservative candidate Jessie Sahota will face BC NDP candidate Sikander Kang, a physiotherapist by profession. In Surrey-Newton, BC NDP candidate Jessie Sunner is contesting against Conservative candi

Russian drone attacks in Ukraine early Friday killed around three people and injured several others. Two shopping centres were also targeted, while strikes on the energy grid disrupted electricity supplies to approximately 370,000 people in the country’s northwestern region. Two people were killed and 12 others injured in attacks on three districts of Kharkiv, according to local reports. In the Volyn region, near the Polish border, a drone strike on a food-processing factory killed one person and injured eight others. Authorities began restoration work on the damaged power infrastructure, an

The market share of U.S.-made vehicles in Canada fell by 20% in the first half of 2026, following Canada's imposition of 25% retaliatory tariffs on American cars and trucks in response to tariffs introduced by Washington. As a result, major automakers, including Volvo, Tesla, Subaru and Mazda, have stopped supplying certain U.S.-built models to Canada or shifted some production to other countries to avoid Canadian tariffs. Vehicles manufactured in Mexico, Japan and South Korea can enter Canada without these tariffs. Meanwhile, Canadian-made vehicles have also suffered from the trade war, with

Calgary police have seized drugs worth $6.8 million and arrested four suspects in one of the largest drug busts in the city’s history. The investigation began in June 2026, when police identified a residence allegedly linked to drug trafficking. According to Calgary Police Acting Chief Asif Rahid, the seizure ranks among the largest drug busts in the department’s history. Investigators allege that the suspects were operating a drug trafficking network in Calgary and Edmonton. Police executed search warrants at five residences, including four in Calgary and one in Cochrane. During the raids

Prime Minister Mark Carney is continuing to push his pro-Canada campaign in Alberta. He will visit Red Deer today with Premier Danielle Smith before addressing a major rally in Edmonton organized by federalist group Forever Canadian. Speaking at a rally organized by the group in Calgary on Thursday, Carney urged nearly 5,000 people to stand firmly with Canada and vote against separation in the referendum. The Prime Minister stressed that the federal government is working with Alberta and will continue to do so in the future. Carney also warned against external forces, saying the world is alrea