An explosion at an armament factory in northwest Turkey left at least 12 dead and four injured Tuesday morning. The blast occurred in the capsule production facility of the factory located in the province of Balikesir, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said the explosion collapsed the capsule production building and that the surrounding buildings sustained minor damage. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc wrote on social media platform X that four public prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the cause of the explosion.

British Columbia's forests ministry says more than 280 million trees were planted in the province this year. It says 13 different native tree species were chosen in its effort to preserve ecosystems and prioritize characteristics including resilience to climate change. The province says the reforestation efforts were focused on fire-damaged areas. It says that work was in addition to the work undertaken by forest tenure holders as part of their legal requirements to regenerate harvested areas. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says in a news release that 2024 has been "a banner year" for tree plant

Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a hunger strike at the Khanauri border area of Punjab-Haryana over farmers' demands, is in critical condition. He has been fasting for the past 27 days. Meanwhile, Dr. Swaiman's team has raised concerns over the health report submitted by the Punjab government to the Supreme Court regarding Dallewal's condition. According to Dr. Swaiman, the Punjab government described Dallewal as completely healthy in its report to the Supreme Court. He questioned how someone who has not eaten for 27 days could be considered healthy, stating that even a child can understand t

The home flipping tax in British Columbia will come into effect on January 1, 2025. This tax targets individuals profiting from real estate speculation. The primary goal is to discourage investors from buying properties solely to resell them for a quick profit. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey stated that real estate speculators drive up housing prices, making it harder for others to afford homes, and this new measure aims to address that issue. Real estate speculators are defined as those who purchase property or land with the intent to sell it for a profit. According to the provincial governm

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will chair a meeting of the cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations today, amid increasing calls for his resignation. A mid-day adjustment to Trudeau's itinerary was issued by the Prime Minister's Office and notes he will take part in the meeting virtually, though a specific time wasn't listed. It's been a chaotic week for the governing Liberals, starting with Chrystia Freeland's cabinet resignation just hours after she was set to table the fall economic statement. Freeland and new Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc have previously spoken with the media at the co

Ontario is experiencing a surge in measles cases, with the province's health officials reporting 37 cases, all linked to an outbreak in New Brunswick. Public Health Ontario has confirmed 11 of these cases, while 26 are considered probable. The agency stated that the outbreak began in October, and 28 of those affected are children or young adults. According to Public Health Ontario, all but two of the cases involve individuals who were not vaccinated. In a statement, Public Health Ontario noted that between 2013 and 2023, the province recorded 101 measles cases. No single year during this peri

The Canadian economy experienced its first contraction of the year in November, despite the central bank implementing sharp interest rate cuts. Statistics Canada reported on Monday that preliminary data indicated GDP fell by 0.1 percent in November, following a 0.3 percent growth in October. If the November forecast holds in the final figure and December GDP growth remains stable, the fourth-quarter GDP will fall short of the Bank of Canada's 2 percent growth forecast. It is worth noting that the central bank has reduced interest rates by 175 basis points since June, including two major cuts o

Mounties in Squamish, B.C., say they have recovered BC Parks and search-and-rescue equipment that was stolen this fall. They say in a news release that police received a report on Oct. 18 that a BC Parks storage unit had been broken into overnight and "large items" stolen. Then, on Nov. 21, they received a report of a theft from a vehicle in Whistler, B.C., with the value of stolen items in both incidents totalling more than $20,000. Police say about a week later officers attending an unrelated call saw some of the stolen gear in the Squamish Valley area. The Sea to Sky RCMP say a search warra

In connection with the bomb blast outside the police post in Bakshiwal, Gurdaspur district, the Punjab Police, in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Police, killed three militants in an encounter in Pilibhit early on Monday. The slain individuals were identified as Gurvinder Singh, Varinder Singh, and Jashanpreet Singh, all from Gurdaspur. They were residents of villages in the Dera Baba Nanak constituency, and their ages ranged from 18 to 25. According to the police, they recovered two AK-47 rifles, two Glock pistols, and a large quantity of ammunition from the suspects. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yada