A record number of candidates of Indian and Punjabi origin are contesting in the ongoing Canadian parliamentary elections, reflecting the growing political influence of the South Asian community. This time, candidates from this background are contesting in around 65 constituencies across the country. In the 2021 elections, 45 Punjabi-origin candidates stood for election, with 17 securing seats in the House of Commons. In 2019, 47 contested, and 22 were elected. The current elections feature Punjabi candidates not only from major parties such as the Liberal Party, Conservative Party, and the Ne

Sukhbir Singh Badal has been re-elected as the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. In his victory speech, Badal alleged that a conspiracy had been orchestrated over the past six months to weaken the Akali Dal and eliminate the leadership of the Panth. He claimed that this conspiracy began after the Shiromani Akali Dal parted ways with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Badal further asserted that unlike other political parties, which he said have no real concern for Punjab, only the Shiromani Akali Dal is capable of leading the state toward progress. Speaking at a rally in Ta

Canada's central bank is set to announce its interest rate decision on Wednesday. The Bank of Canada's meeting comes at a time when the federal election and economic uncertainty exacerbated by U.S. President Donald Trump's shifting tariff policies, have made it difficult to forecast the economic outlook. Financial markets and analysts remain divided on the likely outcome. Some expect the bank to cut interest rates by another 0.25 percentage points on April 16, which would bring its key policy rate down to 2.5%. However, others believe that after seven consecutive rate cuts, the Bank of Canada

Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, is facing legal trouble over his controversial statement about bombs during a news channel interview. The State Cyber Crime Police in Mohali has registered an FIR against Bajwa and summoned him for questioning. During the interview with a private TV channel, Bajwa claimed, citing unnamed sources, that 50 grenades had entered Punjab, with 18 allegedly detonated and 32 still undiscovered. The teaser of this interview, aired before the full show on Sunday, sparked political turmoil in the state. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann dir

Fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi has been arrested in Belgium following an extradition request by Indian investigative agencies. Choksi is a key suspect in the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, alongside his nephew, Nirav Modi. Indian authorities have initiated the process to extradite Choksi from Belgium. However, Choksi has sought bail in court, citing ill health and claiming he was in Belgium for medical treatment. According to reports, Choksi was allegedly attempting to flee Belgium to Switzerland before his arrest. Meanwhile, his nephew Nirav Modi, also implica

Police in Surrey are investigating a hit-and-run collision that killed one child and sent two other children to hospital. Police say the incident happened at about 4:11 p-m on Sunday in the Fraser Heights neighbourhood where three children had been hit by a vehicle. A six-year-old girl died, and a seven-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy were both taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police say the driver of the vehicle was arrested and remains in custody as the investigation continues. Police say the cause of the collision remains unknown, but they believe alcohol may b

More than 30 people have been killed in a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, the city’s acting mayor said Sunday. Two ballistic missiles struck the heart of the city as local people gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday. “On this bright Palm Sunday, our community has suffered a terrible tragedy,” Artem Kobzar said in a statement on social media. “Unfortunately, we already know of more than 20 deaths.” The strike comes less than a day after Russia and Ukraine’s top diplomats accused each other of violating a tentative U.S.-brokered deal to pause strikes on energy infr

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has criticized Mark Carney over the ties of Brookfield, the company Carney once headed, to offshore tax havens. Singh expressed concern that Carney may be unwilling to address the issue of offshore tax havens, given that Brookfield has registered entities in tax havens like the Cayman Islands. While acknowledging that such practices are legal, Singh argued that they represent a form of fraud against Canadian investments. He contended that this situation indicates Carney’s decision not to contribute to Canada while managing these funds, leading him to conclude that C

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has expressed concern over the layoffs at General Motors Canada’s Ontario assembly plant and criticized President Donald Trump. Poilievre stated that Trump is betraying America’s closest ally and damaging the Canadian economy. Poilievre emphasized that it is time to reduce Canada’s dependence on the United States and focus on rebuilding the Canadian economy. He mentioned that he had spoken with the president of the union representing workers at the Ingersoll plant and assured him that a Conservative government would protect Canadian auto workers. Poi