US crosses grim milestone of 200,000 deaths linked to COVID-19

A judge in Edmonton Court of King’s Bench is expected to deliver a verdict Tuesday in the manslaughter trial of Dennis Okeymow, who is accused of selling a rifle later used in the fatal shooting of two Edmonton police officers in 2023. Okeymow, 21, has pleaded not guilty in connection with the deaths of constables Travis Jordan and Brett Ryan. According to court proceedings, the officers were responding to a domestic disturbance call at an apartment building when 16-year-old Roman Shewchuk allegedly opened fire on them. Police said Shewchuk later died by suicide at the scene. During the tria

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada and India are moving to accelerate negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement between the two countries. Carney described the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as a potential “game-changer” for Canadian workers and businesses. The comments came following a meeting in Ottawa with India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who is currently visiting Canada. During the visit, Goyal also met with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Canada’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu. Both countries have set a goal of inc

Peel Regional Police say most of the 17 Punjabi-origin young men charged in connection with an alleged extortion network in Ontario had arrived in Canada from India on student visas or temporary work permits. Police said the accused were allegedly linked to the “For Brothers” gang and that investigators have found no connection between the group and the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Authorities said the investigation began in December 2025 and focused on alleged extortion attempts targeting business owners within the Punjabi community across the Greater Toronto Area. According to police, the inve

Peel Regional Police say 17 people have been arrested following a joint investigation into an alleged extortion network that targeted members of the Punjabi business community in Ontario and British Columbia. Police announced the arrests during a Monday press conference, describing the investigation as a coordinated operation involving Peel Regional Police, Surrey Police Service, the Canada Border Services Agency and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to police, investigators identified a criminal network known as the “Brothers Keepers” gang, which officers allege was link

A home near 94 Avenue and 127 Street in Surrey was struck by gunfire early Sunday morning in what police say may be connected to an ongoing extortion investigation. According to Surrey Police Service, officers responded to reports of shots fired at about 1:40 a.m. Residents were inside the home at the time of the shooting, but no injuries were reported. Police said the same property had previously been targeted in a shooting on April 13. Following that incident, investigators arrested 27-year-old Jaskaran Singh Saroe in connection with the case. The latest investigation remains in its early st