The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has begun preparations for the upcoming Municipal Corporation and Municipal Council elections in Punjab. The party plans to contest on its official election symbol. To oversee the election process, SAD has appointed six observers. Senior leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and N.K. Sharma have also been assigned key responsibilities. This was confirmed by senior leader Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema. In related news, veteran SAD leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has announced his decision to retire from active politics. He stated that now his age is compelling him to step back.

Crossing the Canada-US border could soon become more challenging, as the Trudeau government considers a major investment to enhance border security. This move aims to address incoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s concerns about illegal crossings and mitigate the risk of tariffs on Canadian imports. Sources suggest the government may allocate over $1 billion for increased surveillance at the border. The proposal, which includes various measures, is expected to be presented to the federal cabinet soon. During a press conference in Ottawa, Treasury Board President Anita Anand confirmed the go

Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, has scheduled the release of the Fall Economic Statement for December 16. Commonly referred to as a "mini-budget," it outlines the government's fiscal direction. The statement will detail fiscal priorities for 2025, following recent announcements on GST exemptions, immigration caps, and increased NATO spending outside the 2024 budget framework. These measures are expected to impact the overall budget outlook. Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has accused the government of delaying the statement to hide a potential breach

President Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria to Russia following a rebel takeover, where President Vladimir Putin granted political asylum to Assad and his family. Meanwhile, both the U.S. and Canada have welcomed the fall of the Assad government. In a social media post, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that the collapse of Assad's dictatorship marks the end of decades of brutal oppression. Reports suggest that the rebels had informed Turkey six months in advance of their plans to overthrow Assad. On the other hand, Iran, a key ally of the Assad government, expressed surprise at the

Cancer patients in Canada are facing significant out-of-pocket expenses, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. While hospital costs such as surgery and chemotherapy are covered by the government, the average cancer patient still pays about $33,000 over the course of their lifetime. These costs include out-of-pocket expenses for prescribed medications, transportation to and from the hospital, accommodation, and lost income during treatment. Physicians and health policy experts note that these financial burdens make coping with the disease even more difficult. The report estimates that in 20

Donald Trump revealed his agenda in an interview with a TV channel. He stated that after taking the oath as President of the United States, he plans to end birthright citizenship, a policy that grants U.S. citizenship to children born on American soil, regardless of their parents' nationality. Trump emphasized that he would work to abolish birthright citizenship and reiterated his stance on deporting illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States. Additionally, he mentioned that he would take steps to pardon individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol riot once he becomes Presi

Elections to five municipal corporations, 44 municipal councils, nagar panchayats and bypoll for 49 wards of urban civic bodies in Punjab will be held on December 21. These elections, which will be fought on party symbols, will test the mettle of the Congress, AAP, SAD and the BJP. SAD, which did not contest the recently held four Assembly byelections, would be fielding its candidates in these civic polls, thus making it a four-cornered contest. After the pronouncement of ‘tankhah’ to several Akali leaders, including former party chief Sukhbir Badal, the results would reveal if the public

The Canada Post strike involving more than 55,000 workers has hit 25 days.In a statement Sunday, Canada Post says it is awaiting a formal response from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to the proposal it submitted to the union Friday. In a Friday statement, the union said it was reviewing what Canada Post put forward and questioned when the mediation process will officially resume. The union said it is committed to returning to the bargaining table. The strike began Nov. 14, and federal mediation was put on hold nearly two weeks ago due to the sides being too far apart. Calls for governme

A spokesman for the family of a security guard who police say was murdered while patrolling an Edmonton apartment building last week says the man had only been on the job for three days. Gagandeep Singh Ghuman says Harshandeep Singh was from Haryana state in northern India. He came to Canada a year and a half ago on a student visa and was enrolled at NorQuest College in the city. Ghuman, who is not related to the family, says Singh's aunt and uncle live in Winnipeg, but have travelled to Edmonton because of the tragedy and are dealing with ``an unimaginable loss,'' while his parents both li