Om Prakash Chautala, a close associate of the late Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and a former Chief Minister of Haryana, has passed away at the age of 89, just 10 days shy of his 90th birthday. The Haryana government has announced three days of official mourning in the state following the demise of Om Prakash Chautala. His last rites will be performed with state honours on December 21. Leaders from across the country, including Punjab, have expressed their grief over his passing. Sukhbir Badal described OP Chautala as a leader who fought for the welfare of farmers and the underpri

A speedboat carrying migrants capsized Friday morning off the eastern Greek island of Rhodes, leaving eight dead and 18 rescued, Greek authorities said. The coast guard said the incident occurred while the speedboat was carrying out “dangerous maneuvers” to try and evade a patrol vessel, causing migrants to fall into the sea. A rescue effort is underway involving coast guard vessels and a helicopter as it was unclear whether other passengers were missing, authorities said. Rhodes, one of several large Greek islands located near the coast of Turkey, is on a busy illegal smuggling route in t

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says New Democrats will bring forward a non-confidence motion in an effort to bring the government down in the next sitting of the House of Commons. The House rose Tuesday for the Christmas break and won't return until Jan. 27.

A 7-year-old girl died and a teacher and five other students were wounded in a knife attack at a school in the Croatian capital, Zagreb, authorities said Friday. Police said the attack happened at 9:50 a.m. at the Precko Elementary School in the neighborhood of the same name. They described the attacker as a “young male” and said he had been detained. Health Minister Irena Hristic said the attacker was over 18, while media reported he was 19. Video footage published by Croatian media showed children running away from the school building.

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday criticized the Punjab government for failing to conduct a medical examination of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, despite doctors indicating his deteriorating health. The court has directed the state government to admit Dallewal to a hospital immediately. A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuiyan questioned the apparent neglect, asking why the issue was being ignored. The court has also sought Dallewal's medical report. Addressing Advocate General Gurminder Singh, the bench stated that while the government claims he is fine, t

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who is taking on the new role of Canada's finance minister, says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has the full support of the cabinet to remain in his position. LeBlanc, speaking at a press conference in New Brunswick today, was asked by reporters whether Trudeau retains cabinet support despite recent political turmoil following Chrystia Freeland's sudden resignation. LeBlanc responded affirmatively. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Arif Virani, speaking at a press conference in Toronto, declined to directly comment on Trudeau's support as prime minister. Notab

The Business Council of British Columbia has launched an awareness campaign to counter the province's rising outward migration to Alberta. The business advocacy group says its "Stay with B.C." campaign is placing advertisements on billboards and transit stops, as well as online, in cities such as Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna and Prince George, urging residents to think twice before moving to Alberta for economic or other reasons. Council president Laura Jones says the campaign is inspired by the "Alberta is Calling" campaign launched in 2022, targeting skilled workers in other provinces with f

The US has confirmed its first serious human case of bird flu in a patient from Louisiana. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stated that the Louisiana patient was hospitalized after testing positive for bird flu on December 13. Meanwhile, California has declared a state of emergency to address the growing outbreak. The CDC also confirmed that this is the first serious human case of H5N1 bird flu in the US. However, a total of 61 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the US since April. The virus has spread to 16 states, primarily affecting poultry, since it was first detected i

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing significant backlash within his own party. The number of Liberal MPs publicly calling for his resignation has risen to 16, with the first MP to do so in June now urging his colleagues to join him. Wayne Long, the Liberal MP for New Brunswick, sent a letter to fellow MPs on Wednesday morning, which he also posted on his Facebook page. In the letter, Long stated that Chrystia Freeland’s sudden resignation is not only embarrassing for the party, but also reflects poorly on the Prime Minister’s Office, which he holds responsible. He further called on his