After nearly a week of disruption, paddy procurement in Punjab will resume on Friday following a decisive meeting between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and representatives of Aarti associations on Thursday. The commission agents, known as Aartis, had been on strike demanding clearance of pending payments and simplification of procurement procedures. Their protest had brought grain market operations to a standstill and raised concerns among farmers as the harvest season peaked. In Thursday’s meeting, the state government assured the Aarti unions that payment delays and procedural bottlenecks w

Surrey RCMP say a 33-year-old man has died after a pickup truck collided with a bus stop bench, injuring another pedestrian and causing significant property damage on Saturday afternoon. Police say the crash happened when a Ford F-350 truck crossed into oncoming traffic and slammed into a bus stop bench, where two people were waiting. The impact killed one man instantly and left another man, also in his 30s, with minor injuries. The driver of the truck was arrested at the scene, and investigators say speed and drug use have not been ruled out as possible factors. RCMP confirmed that the Major

One person has died and four others were seriously injured after a single-vehicle rollover on Highway 5 north of Juliet Road near Merritt, British Columbia. RCMP say they were called to the crash site around 3:50 p.m. Saturday, after reports that a four-door sedan carrying five people veered off the road at high speed before overturning and coming to a stop. Emergency crews pronounced one person dead at the scene, despite efforts to save their life. The remaining four passengers were taken to hospital with varying injuries. The crash led to a temporary closure of Highway 5, halting traffic for

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP from Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, has hinted that party president Sukhbir Singh Badal may contest the upcoming Giddarbaha by-election, calling it an opportunity for voters to continue the legacy of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. Speaking to reporters, Harsimrat said that the people of Giddarbaha “will once again stand with the successor of Parkash Singh Badal,” expressing confidence that Sukhbir Badal would “transform the constituency like Bathinda and Lambi.” The remarks are being viewed as a strong political signal of the Akali Dal’s atte

Vancouver police say a man with a lengthy criminal record - including more than 50 prior convictions - is back in custody after allegedly stealing a police car and driving it dangerously through a park filled with families on Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 10:45 a.m. in East Vancouver, when officers stopped to assist a woman in distress. While police were helping the woman, the 41-year-old suspect allegedly jumped into the unattended patrol vehicle and sped off, driving toward a group of families gathered at Templeton Park. Police say the man, described as a “prolific offender,

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby says a re-elected New Democrat government will strengthen police resources to fight illegal guns and gang-linked violence, pledging continued support for federal gun control laws and provincial anti-gang programs. Speaking at a news conference in Surrey, flanked by four NDP candidates with law enforcement backgrounds, Eby said his government would ensure police have the tools, training, and technology needed to keep weapons out of the hands of criminal organizations and prevent domestic violence tragedies. Eby highlighted Surrey as a community that has “felt the rea

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make a historic visit to Laos later this week to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, marking the first-ever official trip by a Canadian prime minister to the Southeast Asian nation. The summit will take place in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on Thursday and Friday, where Trudeau will participate in the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit. His office says he will emphasize Canada’s leadership in tackling global security challenges, including cybercrime, and reinforce ongoing efforts toward a Canada-ASEAN free trade agreement targeted

Ceremonies, community gatherings and demonstrations are taking place across Canada today to mark one year since the Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza and deeply affected Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities across the country. The October 7, 2023 assault killed more than 1,200 Israelis, with 250 others taken hostage, sparking an Israeli military offensive that Gaza health officials say has now left over 41,000 people dead. The conflict’s humanitarian and emotional toll has been felt globally - including in Canada, where families mourn victims on both sides and co

A Canadian citizen stranded in Lebanon with his family is pleading for evacuation as Israeli airstrikes continue to hit areas near Beirut, deepening fears among thousands of Canadians with roots in the region. Jalal Tabaja, a father of four Canadian children, said he has relocated his family to a hotel in a quieter area north of Beirut, but nowhere feels safe as explosions echo across the capital. Tabaja, who lost both parents last week when their car was struck by an Israeli bomb, said he has been told that his family could get seats on a government-arranged evacuation flight on Sunday but is