PresidentVladimir Putinon Thursday hailed Russian national unity amid the fighting in Ukraine in a state-of-the-nation address ahead of next month’selectionhe’s all but certain to win. Speaking to an audience of lawmakers and top officials televised live nationwide, Putin said that Russia was “defending its sovereignty and security and protecting our compatriots” in Ukraine. He hailed Russian soldiers and honored those who were killed in fighting with a moment of silence.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Canada will bring back visa requirements for people from Mexico because of a spike in asylum claims in recent years. Miller says Mexicans accounted for 17 per cent of all asylum claimants in 2023, and most of their claims are either rejected or withdrawn by the applicants. Quebec Premier François Legault has been urging Ottawa to make the change, telling the federal government his province is reaching a breaking point because of the number of claims. Mexican citizens flying to Canada will be able to apply for an electronic travel authorization if they h

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and head of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Nawaz Sharif has once again clarified that his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif will be the next Wazir-e-Azam i.e. Prime Minister of the country. Nawaz Sharif said that only Shahbaz Sharif can take care of Pakistan in the current situation. Shahbaz Sharif was the Prime Minister in the previous government as well and held the post for 16 months. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has formed an alliance with Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan People's Party for the new government. Talking to the media on Wednesday, Nawaz said that Sh

Pope Francis, who has beensuffering from the flu, was brought to a hospital in central Rome after the papal audience on Wednesday, arriving at the Gemelli Hospital on Tiber Island in a small white Fiat 500 and leaving again under escort in the same car after a short period. The Vatican had no immediate comment. The 86-year-old pope was pushed in a wheelchair into the audience hall at the Vatican earlier in the day, appearing weary as he dropped heavily into his seat. In recent weeks he has walked the short distance to his chair, but he has been struggling with mild flu symptoms the past week.

The Canadian government is going to present the pharmacare bill in a day or two. Health Minister Mark Holland has listed it on the notice paper of the House of Commons. The government's House Leader Steve MacKinnon said on his way to the Liberal meeting this morning that he expects it to be tabled on Thursday because the deadline under the agreement with the NDP is Friday. Initially, diabetes and birth control drugs are being covered. In return for supporting the minority government of the Liberals, the NDP had placed several conditions, including the pharmacare condition. The NDP had previ

British MP Preet Kaur Gill has alleged that Indian agents are targeting Sikhs living in the UK. She has raised this issue in the British Parliament. Preet Kaur Gill claimed that Sikhs living in Britain are on the hit list of agents associated with India. She has mentioned the alleged assassination conspiracies against Sikhs abroad. She also asked Minister for Security Tom Tugendhat what the government is doing to protect British Sikhs. In response, Tugendhat said that if there is any threat to any British citizen from abroad, they will take immediate action. He said that Sikhs have the right

Farmers Rescue Tractor March was taken out by Congress today in Punjab in favor of Kisan Andolan. Slogans against the central government were also raised by putting Kisani and Congress flags on tractors. Punjab Congress president Raja Warring said that we want to send a message to the BJP government at the center that we are all together. Warring led a tractor rally at Ajnala in Amritsar. Talking to reporters, Warring filed an FIR in the case of Shubkaran Singh's death at Khanuri border. Bhagwant Mann also criticized the government for not registering an FIR in this case.

The Alberta legislature's spring session is set to start today, with health care expected to be a main focus. Premier Danielle Smith's government is planning to dismantle Alberta Health Services and has indicated legislation is coming to begin the process. AHS is to be replaced by four agencies while being reduced to the role of service provider in acute care. Thursday will see the release of the 2024 provincial budget.Smith said in a recent televised provincewide address that it will be balanced but fiscal belt-tightening is needed. She says softening oil prices means provincial funding won't

The funeral of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died earlier this month in a remote Arctic penal colony, will take place on Friday in Moscow, his spokesperson said. His funeral will be held at a church in Moscow’s southeast Maryino district on Friday afternoon, Kira Yarmysh said Tuesday. The burial is to be at a nearby cemetery. Navalny died in mid-February in one of Russia’s harshest penal facilities. Russian authorities said the cause of his death at age 47 is still unknown, and the results of any investigation are likely to be questioned abroad. Many Western leaders have al