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chargesheet-filed-against-bikram-singh-majithia
IndiaAug 22, 2025

Chargesheet filed against Bikram Singh Majithia

The Vigilance Bureau today filed a chargesheet against Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia from Punjab in a Mohali court. The Vigilance has produced more than 200 witnesses in this case and has examined more than 400 bank accounts. According to the information, the chargesheet is more than 40 thousand pages, which was brought to the court in four trunks. The Akali Dal says that the challan will be studied only after appearing in the court. It is worth mentioning that Bikram Majithia was arrested from Amritsar on June 25 and is currently lodged in the new Nab
governments-big-gst-plan-centre-proposes-to-remove-12-and-28-slabs
IndiaAug 15, 2025

Government's big GST plan, Centre proposes to remove 12% and 28% slabs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Independence Day to reduce GST slabs from 4 to 2 by Diwali and launch a new scheme for 3.5 crore jobs. Currently, there are 4 slabs of GST in India of 5 percent, 12 percent, 18 percent and 28 percent. The Centre has now proposed to reduce it to only 5 and 18 percent slabs. This change is expected to bring big relief to the people. The Prime Minister said that the new reforms are part of the Centre's Diwali gift. According to the report, about 90 percent of taxable items in India, which are currently in the highest GST bracket of 28 percent, are prop
pm-modi-hoists-tricolor-for-12th-time-at-red-fort
IndiaAug 15, 2025

PM Modi hoists tricolor for 12th time at Red Fort

On the occasion of India's 79th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the tricolor for the 12th time at Red Fort and later addressed the people of the country. He gave a 103-minute speech, which is the longest speech ever given by any Prime Minister from Red Fort. The Prime Minister began his speech by mentioning Operation Sindoor. Prime Minister Modi clarified that the Indus Treaty is no longer acceptable to India. He also responded to Trump's tariffs without taking names. PM Modi said that India's farmers are our biggest priority and Modi stands like a wall against any h
punjab-cabinet-approves-withdrawal-of-land-pooling-policy
IndiaAug 14, 2025

Punjab Cabinet approves withdrawal of land pooling policy

The Punjab Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today approved the formal withdrawal of the land pooling policy. The state government had announced the withdrawal of this policy a few days ago amid protests by farmers. Under this, 65,533 acres of land were to be acquired in 164 villages of the state. The state’s farmers’ organizations had announced to continue the struggle until the notification was cancelled in the cabinet meeting. This policy was brought by the Bhagwant Mann government in May. The government had claimed that this policy would make farmers partners
death-toll-in-kashmir-flash-floods-rises-to-at-least-32-indian-officials-say
IndiaAug 14, 2025

Death toll in Kashmir flash floods rises to at least 32, Indian officials say

At least 32 people are dead in flash floods caused by torrential rains in a remote, mountainous village in Indian-controlled Kashmir, a top disaster management official said Thursday. Mohammed Irshad said rescue teams scouring the devastated Himalayan village of Chositi brought at least 100 people to safety. He said initial estimations suggested at least 50 others were still missing. India’s deputy minister for science and technology, Jitendra Singh, said the floods were triggered by a cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Chositi area and “could result in substantial casualty.” Chositi is
punjab-government-withdraws-land-pooling-policy
IndiaAug 11, 2025

Punjab government withdraws land pooling policy

The Punjab government has withdrawn the controversial land pooling policy. In this regard, the Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of the Punjab government issued a letter today. It has been said that the Punjab Land Policy and its related amendments brought on May 14, 2025 are being withdrawn. It is noteworthy that the farmers of Punjab were continuously opposing this policy. The farmers said that through this policy, the government wants to grab their land. When the matter reached the High Court, the court stayed it till September 10, seeing the flaws in this policy. Th
surrey-shots-fired-for-the-second-time-on-kaps-cafe
BCAug 07, 2025

Surrey: Shots fired for the second time on Kap's Cafe

Gunfire struck Kap’s Café early Tuesday morning, less than a month after the same Surrey business was first attacked in July. Police say shots were fired at about 4:40 a.m. at the café near 85 Avenue and 120 Street. No one was injured, but windows were shattered and bullet holes were visible near the entrance. The café, which reopened just 10 days after the July 10 shooting, has now closed again. Connect FM spoke with Staff Sergeant Lindsey Houghton, who confirmed investigators are looking into whether extortion may be a factor. “We are pursuing all leads, including the possibility of o
IndiaAug 05, 2025

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik passes away

Known for speaking out in favour of Punjab farmers, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik passed away today at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after a long illness. He had been suffering from kidney disease for a long time. Malik belonged to the Kirsani community of Hiswara village in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district. He had been speaking out on the farmers' issue for a long time and had even offered to mediate between the farmers and the government. Malik, who belonged to the Jat community of Uttar Pradesh, became a crisis solution for the BJP when the Modi government rev
kangana-ranaut-gets-a-big-setback-from-the-high-court-refuses-to-dismiss-defamation-complaint
IndiaAug 01, 2025

Kangana Ranaut gets a setback from the High Court, refuses to dismiss defamation complaint

The Punjab-Haryana High Court has paved the way for a defamation case filed in the Bathinda court in the case of Kangana Ranaut's controversial remarks against an elderly woman during the farmers' agitation. Kangana had filed a petition to dismiss the case, which the High Court today dismissed and lifted the stay. It is noteworthy that in the year 2021, when the agitation against the central government against three agricultural laws was going on on the streets of Delhi, Kangana Ranaut had tweeted, describing 87-year-old farmer Mahinder Kaur of Bahadurgarh Jandia village in Bathinda as a wo

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BCJul 15, 2026

Elderly woman distracted and robbed of gold necklace in Vancouver, police seek suspects

A 76-year-old woman was allegedly robbed of her gold necklace after being distracted by an unknown woman in Vancouver's East 11th Avenue and Victoria Drive area on Tuesday, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Police said the incident occurred at about 12:30 p.m. while the senior was waiting for family members. An unidentified woman approached her and claimed she looked like her mother, whose birthday she said it was. The suspect then hugged the victim and, during the interaction, allegedly removed the woman's gold necklace and replaced it with a fake one. The victim reportedly discov
AlbertaJul 15, 2026

Alberta launches online bike lane complaint form ahead of planned legislation

The Alberta government has launched an online public feedback form inviting residents to report concerns about bike lanes as it prepares legislation expected this fall. According to the Alberta government, Albertans can use the online form to share concerns about bike lanes in their communities, including whether they believe a lane is underused, has reduced on-street parking, contributed to traffic congestion, affected local businesses, or delayed emergency response times. The province says the feedback will help inform future transportation policy decisions. Transportation Minister Devin Dre
canada-pauses-new-parent-and-grandparent-sponsorship-applications-for-2026
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Canada pauses new parent and grandparent sponsorship applications for 2026

The federal government says it will not accept any new applications this year under Canada's Parents and Grandparents Program as it works to reduce processing times and manage a large backlog of existing files. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), approximately 60,500 sponsorship applications are currently being processed. The department said it expects to approve about 15,000 parents and grandparents each year over the next two years from applications already in the system. IRCC said the temporary pause is intended to improve processing efficiency. The department
federal-government-names-new-members-to-independent-senate-appointments-advisory-board
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Federal government names new members to independent Senate appointments advisory board

The federal government has announced new appointments to the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, one week after Prime Minister Mark Carney named four new senators to the upper chamber. According to a federal government news release, the advisory board will continue to provide non-binding recommendations to the prime minister on Senate appointments. The board was established in 2016 to support a merit-based and independent appointments process. The government said the board will continue to include three federal members, including a chair, along with two additional members from
BCJul 15, 2026

Surrey man sentenced to nearly five years in prison in extortion-related shooting and arson case

A Surrey Provincial Court judge has sentenced Abhijeet Kingra to nearly five years in prison for his role in a 2024 extortion-related shooting and arson targeting a Surrey home. According to court records, Kingra pleaded guilty on July 6 to charges of discharging a firearm at a residence and committing arson. The offences stem from an Aug. 10, 2024 incident in which a home belonging to a person who had reportedly received extortion threats was shot at and set on fire. The court imposed a two-year sentence for arson and a sentence of four years, 10 months and 19 days for the shooting offence. T