A powerful bomb exploded at a mosque within a pro-Taliban seminary in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing at least five worshippers and wounding dozens of others ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan, according to local police. The blast occurred in Akkora Khattak, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Abdul Rashid, a district police chief said. He said officers are investigating, and the dead and wounded are being transported to hospitals. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack inside Jamia Haqqania, a seminary which is known for links with the Afghan Taliban

Alberta’s finances, tied for generations to the steep peaks and sharp valleys of oil and gas prices, are once again plunging deep into deficit, with no immediate relief in sight. Finance Minister Nate Horner has introduced a budget that projects a $5.2-billion deficit this fiscal year on total spending of $79 billion. That represents an $11-billion swing from the current budget, which is on track to register a surplus close to $6 billion. It’s the first deficit under Premier Danielle Smith and the first since the COVID-19-era budget of 2020, and the province expects the deficits will remai

A 35-year-old Indian student in America is admitted to a California hospital after being seriously injured in a road accident. Neelam Shinde from Maharashtra's Satara was critically injured in the accident on February 14 and has been in a coma at a hospital since then. Ms. Shinde reportedly suffered severe injuries to her head, hand and chest. The United States embassy on Friday finally granted an emergency visa to the father of Neelam Shinde. According to the family, Neelam is in the ICU. The hospital has sought permission from the family for her brain surgery, for which it is very importan

Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives chugged to a third majority government Thursday, propelled by his visible crusade against economic uncertainty emanating from the U.S., though falling short of the increased majority he urged. Critics said this $189-million snap Ontario election was unnecessary, dangerously timed as President Donald Trump's tariff knife dangles over Canada's head and called only to capitalize on good polling numbers, but voters did not appear too keen to punish Ford for it. However, they also didn't appear too keen to reward him for it. Despite Ford kicking off the campai

Despite being the hosts of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan has been eliminated from the tournament without securing a single win. The Pakistani team was defeated by New Zealand in their opening match and by India in their second. This marks a disappointing result for Pakistan, which had hoped for a better performance while hosting the ICC tournament for the first time in 29 years. Following the loss to India on Sunday, captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted that Pakistan's journey in the ICC Champions Trophy had come to an end. The team's underperformance has led to criticism at home, with questions

Health Canada has issued a recall for several LG free-standing electric stoves due to an issue with their front knobs. The agency reports that there have been incidents of fires caused by the knobs accidentally being activated. The recall advisory from Health Canada warns that the knobs could be triggered if they are accidentally touched by a person or pet, presenting a fire hazard. As of February 12, Health Canada said the company had received eight reports of such incidents in Canada, along with two reports of injuries, including one minor cut and one minor burn. According to Health Canada,

Vancouver's city council has decided to halt the development of new supportive housing projects. The proposal, introduced by Mayor Ken Sim, was approved with a 6-3 vote on Wednesday evening. The mayor expressed concerns that other cities in Metro Vancouver are not doing enough to support their homeless populations. Mayor Sim pointed out that Vancouver provides 77 percent of the region's support services, including assisted living and shelters, despite the city representing only 25 percent of the region's population. He stated that the halt on new supportive housing units will remain in place

Measles is making a concerning return to Canada this year. According to the latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada, as of February 21, 95 cases of measles have been reported. British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec are the provinces most affected by the outbreak. By this time last year, only four cases had been reported, and a total of 146 cases were recorded throughout 2024. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital, noted that in Ontario, the number of measles cases in February is already nearly as high as the total number recorded i

The Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to contest the by-election for the Ludhiana West assembly constituency. In addition, the party will also participate in the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections. This decision was made during a meeting of the party's parliamentary board held in Chandigarh on Thursday. Senior party leader Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema stated that the party has decided to contest the Ludhiana West by-election with full preparation. It is worth noting that the Election Commission has yet to announce the date for the by-election. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already ann