Home sales and prices are on the rise in BC. The British Columbia Real Estate Association reported 7,119 residential unit sales in October, a 33.5 percent increase compared to the same month last year. Although it took longer than expected, home sales have now returned to normal levels, according to BCREA chief economist Brendan Ogmundson. He noted that buyers had been waiting for high interest rates to ease, and this shift is now encouraging their return to the housing market. The association also reported a 0.3 percent increase in home prices across the province in October, bringing the aver

Supporters have flooded the streets in a show of solidarity for former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Punjab, Pakistan. Protesters are marching towards the capital, Islamabad, with security forces deployed at every major intersection to prevent their progress. So far, reports indicate that more than 4,000 Imran Khan supporters have been arrested. Among those detained are five Members of Parliament (MPs) from Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Bushra Bibi, the wife of Imran Khan, has called on supporters to continue their march toward Islama

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending his government's record on supporting national defence, following fresh criticism that Canada is failing to live up to its NATO defence-spending commitments. Speaking at the 70th annual session of the NATO parliamentary assembly in Montreal, Trudeau said his government stepped up "big time" after it came to power. He said the country is now on a "clear path" to spend the equivalent of two per cent of GDP on defence by 2032, something Canada committed to spend annually at the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Trudeau government is coming unde

The Canada Post workers' strike, now in its ninth day, is costing the organization dearly, with the loss of more than 8 million parcels. The department said that since November 15, when more than 55,000 of its workers across Canada began striking, customers have been turning to Canada Post's competitors for their deliveries. Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have been negotiating over wages, contract work, job security, pension benefits, and working conditions. However, the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement, despite the appointment of a special mediat

The Supreme Court Monday adjourned by four weeks the hearing on the plea by Balwant Singh Rajoana seeking commutation of his death sentence for the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. A Special Bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan adjourned it after the Centre sought more time to process a mercy plea filed for him. Terming it a sensitive matter, Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj appearing for the Centre said it had been receiving inputs on the matter but more is needed. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said other agencies will have to be consu

At least 17 people are missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea, Egyptian officials said Monday.The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafy, said rescuers saved 28 people from the vessel south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam, and some were airlifted to receive medical treatment. Hanafy said 31 tourists of various nationalities were on board along with 14 crew. The governorate received a report shortly before dawn Monday of a distress call made from the yacht, which had left Marsa Alam for a five-day journey. It was not immediately clear what caused the four-desk, wooden-hulled m

There won't be a sitting of the British Columbia legislature this fall as originally planned. The Office of the Premier issued a brief statement Friday saying that Raj Chouhan has been confirmed to serve again as the Speaker of the legislature, so there is no need to hold a sitting. Premier David Eby previously said there would be a brief sitting to elect a speaker before the end of the year. But the new statement says the legislature will instead return in February, starting with a speech from the throne. Eby's government was elected with 47 seats, giving it a one-seat majority

In a boost to Punjab's ruling AAP, the party won the Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, and Chabbewal Assembly segments while the Congress won the Barnala seat in the bypolls, the results of which were declared on Saturday. The BJP failed to win any seat as its candidates remained at a distant third spot in the four seats. Three of its candidates in Dera Baba Nanak, Gidderbaha and Chabbewal lost their security deposits. However, its candidate in Barnala put up a good fight. The Shiromani Akali Dal had stayed away from the bypolls.

The Punjab Government has issued a formal notification for the implementation of the NOC Act. According to information, the government has issued a formal notification for implementation of the Act passed for abolishing the condition of NOC for registration of plots in unauthorized colonies. The Act will come into effect from 1st December 2024, meaning that from that date, registrations of this category will not require NOC.