The Dominican Republic’s minister of the environment and natural resources was shot and killed in his office on Monday, according to officials. Authorities said Orlando Jorge Mera was shot by an unknown person. No further details were immediately available. “We are troubled by the situation,” Mera's ministry said in a brief statement. Bartolomé Pujals, executive director of the government’s Cabinet of Innovation, wrote that he lamented the killing. “His death is a tragedy,” he said. “We Dominican have to come together to achieve a pact for peace and peaceful coexistence. No more

Former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, lodged in Patiala central jail, was admitted to Chandigarh's PGIMER on Monday afternoon. Sidhu underwent a medical examination at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research's Hepatology department, an official statement said. In the afternoon, Sidhu was admitted to the PGIMER where he had been brought under heavy security from Patiala prison. More tests were expected to be conducted, sources said. Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has been admitted in the Heptology ward, Nehru Hospital Extension of PGIMER, Chandigar

Police say there could be criminal charges after an 83-year-old woman died following an attack by three dogs in northwest Calgary. Paramedics responded to a call yesterday from the Capitol Hill community. The senior was found withevery serious injuries and died on her way to hospital. Police say she was doing yard work in the back alley when a neighbour's dogs attacked her. According to police, depending on the outcome of the investigation, criminal charges or fines could be laid while the dogs could be euthanized. Officers are not revealing what breed the dogs are.

A two-week trial scheduled to begin in the tax evasion case of Rob Anders, a former Conservative member of Parliament, has been cancelled after the Crown stayed all charges. Anders, who is now 50, faced five charges, some of which dated back to his time in politics. He was elected as a Reform MP in 1997 and went on to to represent his Calgary riding until 2015. A Crown prosecutor told reporters that he received new evidence last week that would have made it difficult to secure a conviction. Anders' lawyer said his client was very relieved. The former MP was not in court today.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a cliff-hanger vote of no confidence but a rebellion by 148 of his 359 Conservative Party lawmakers signifies that his job security remains in peril. The vote saw 211 votes in favour and 148 votes against him, according to the chairman of the party committee, Graham Brady. The opposition and the members of his own party demanded his resignation over the "Partygate" scandal as they raised concerns over his regime and termed Johnson a liability. Johnson has been facing accusations over lockdown parties at his home and offices. He broke his own govern

The Alberta government is warning that the wildfire risk in the province's north is climbing, and fire advisories have been issued for the Slave Lake Forest Area and the High Level Forest Area. The province says those areas are experiencing warm, dry weather which is expected to continue for the next several days. A blaze 30 kilometres west of Chipewyan Lakes was spotted Saturday afternoon, which the province says was slowed by airtankers, but it was still 270 hectares in size yesterday and was classed as out of control. No communities were under threat.

A two-week trial is scheduled to begin in the tax evasion case of former Conservative member of parliament Rob Anders. Anders, who is now 50, faces five charges, some of which date back to his time in politics. He was elected as a Reform MP in 1997 and went on to represent his Calgary riding until 2015. Court documents show that tax authorities allege Anders failed to report more than $750,000 in net income over five years. He has entered not guilty pleas to all of the charges.The government alleges that Anders under-reported his income in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Prosecutors further allege that

Alberta's former finance minister officially launched his campaign to succeed Premier Jason Kenney as leader of the United Conservative Party on Saturday by stressing the need for unity and warning against the dangers of division. Travis Toews, who resigned from cabinet Tuesday to run for his party's top job, told an audience of supporters that he was extending a call home to those who felt ``wrongly categorized'' and ``disregarded.'' Kenney announced he would step down as UCP leader as soon as a new one is chosen after he received lukewarm support of 51.4 per cent in a leadership review last

Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday fielded former Congress leader Kewal Singh Dhillon as its candidate for Lok Sabha by-elections in Punjab's Sangrur. AAP has fielded Gurmail Singh from the seat. The seat fell vacant after Bhagwant Mann won the assembly election from the Dhuri constituency in the Sangrur district. Dhillon was a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (2012-17) for the constituency of Barnala. Notably, Dhillon was among the eight leaders the security cover of whom was revoked by the Aam Admi Party government on May 11, citing "no specific threat". Dhillon joined the BJP on Ju