Former Punjab chief minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amarinder Singh says the BJP will likely need to rebuild its ties with the Shiromani Akali Dal if it hopes to return to power in the state. Speaking about the party’s prospects, he suggested that forming a government without an alliance would be difficult in Punjab’s current political landscape. Singh said discussions on seat sharing between the BJP and the Akali Dal had nearly been finalized ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election but fell apart late in the process. He cautioned that if the two parties do not realign, the

Canada’s Defence Minister Anita Anand is travelling to Brussels this week for a series of high-level engagements with European Union and NATO officials, the federal government confirmed Monday. The trip marks a significant step in Ottawa’s ongoing efforts to deepen transatlantic cooperation on security, economic resilience and Arctic strategy. During her visit, Minister Anand is set to meet senior EU leaders on Tuesday. The agenda is expected to include discussions on strengthening supply chains, advancing shared economic-security objectives and coordinating further sanctions and measures

B.C. Premier David Eby and the federal government have committed 500,000 dollars each to support people affected by a rising number of extortion cases in the province. The announcement followed a roundtable meeting in Surrey on Friday, where officials discussed ongoing threats that have targeted residents and business owners in several communities. The meeting brought together Premier Eby, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, along with senior law enforcement representatives. Participants reviewed current investigations and explored ways to improve

Punjab has scheduled elections for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti bodies for December 14, introducing several procedural changes aimed at improving participation and oversight. The State Election Commission confirmed that ballots will be cast using paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines, marking a shift from recent local elections. Half of all seats will be reserved for women, a measure officials say is intended to strengthen representation and broaden community involvement in local governance. Vote counting is set for December 17. For the first time, each district will have a

Provincial conservation officers have captured two additional grizzly bears on British Columbia’s central coast as the search continues for the animal responsible for last week’s attack on a group of schoolchildren and their teachers near Bella Coola. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says the bears are being held for assessment while forensic evidence from the attack site undergoes analysis. The incident left three students and a teacher with serious injuries during a field trip involving about 20 participants. Authorities believe a grizzly sow and two cubs may have been involved, and

Alberta is now forecasting a $6.4-billion deficit for the current fiscal year as softer oil prices and ongoing trade uncertainty continue to weigh on the province’s finances. The updated number represents only a modest improvement from the $6.5-billion shortfall estimated in the summer fiscal outlook. The new projection marks a significant reversal from last year’s $8.3-billion surplus, underscoring how quickly Alberta’s resource-driven revenues can shift. According to the province, non-renewable resource income has fallen by roughly 30 per cent compared with last year, a decline driven

Canada's economy regained momentum over the summer months, with new federal data showing a 2.6 per cent annualized increase in real gross domestic product during the third quarter. Statistics Canada’s latest release indicates the rebound was considerably stronger than forecasts from the Bank of Canada and private sector economists, many of whom expected only modest growth. The agency reports that a sharp drop in imports combined with slightly higher exports helped strengthen the country’s trade position. Federal capital spending – including major procurement of new military equipment –

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to travel to New Delhi on December 4 and 5 for a two-day state visit, marking his first trip to India since the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine conflict in 2022. The visit will take place at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will coincide with the 23rd India–Russia annual summit. Indian officials say the leaders are preparing to review defence and energy cooperation, areas that have remained active despite Western pressure on countries to reduce ties with Moscow. India has continued purchasing discounted Russian crude and is movi

A deadly fire in a dense Hong Kong housing complex has claimed at least 128 lives, after emergency crews located additional victims while searching the upper floors of seven interconnected residential towers. Local officials say dozens of people are still unaccounted for as firefighters work through badly damaged units. Authorities in Hong Kong have now arrested eight more individuals linked to renovation activity in the buildings, including scaffolding subcontractors and project managers. Investigators are examining whether construction materials – including bamboo scaffolding and foam insu