Canada’s former prime minister Stephen Harper will have his official portrait unveiled today during a formal ceremony in downtown Ottawa, marking nearly two decades since his first Conservative government was elected. The unveiling is scheduled to take place at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building and comes ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 2006 federal election that brought Harper to power. The portrait was painted by Canadian artist Phil Richards, whose previous work includes the Diamond Jubilee Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Harper served as prime minister from February 2006 until Novem

Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia was released from jail on Tuesday, a day after being granted bail in a disproportionate assets case. His release has once again brought political tensions in Punjab into sharp focus. Speaking to reporters after walking out of jail, Majithia strongly criticized the Aam Aadmi Party led Punjab government, alleging that it had targeted him for political reasons. He claimed the government did not want him to come out alive and said he would continue his political fight without fear or compromise. Majithia also thanke

The junior hockey community across western Canada is mourning the loss of three young players who were killed in a vehicle collision in southern Alberta while travelling to practice. RCMP say the crash happened Monday in the community of Stavely, about an hour south of Calgary, involving a passenger vehicle and a semi truck. Police have confirmed that JJ Wright, Cameron Casorso and Caden Fine, members of the Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey program, died as a result of the collision. The investigation remains ongoing. Tributes poured in from teams and hockey organizations across the cou

More than 2,000 homes in British Columbia are now protected under the province’s Rental Protection Fund, giving thousands of renters greater housing stability and access to affordable rents. Launched in 2023 with a $500-million provincial investment, the fund works with non-profit housing providers to purchase rental buildings at risk of being sold to the private market. This approach helps ensure tenants can remain in their homes and communities without facing sudden rent increases or evictions. The fund originally aimed to secure 2,000 homes over three years. That target has been exceeded

Nanaimo RCMP have arrested an adult man after a series of incidents that began with an attempted theft at a Port Place Mall grocery store and ended with an alleged break‑and‑enter on a privately owned vessel along the city’s waterfront. Police say the situation began around 2:45 PM at Thrifty Foods, where staff reported a man tried to leave the store with unpaid items. When confronted by store security, the suspect allegedly threatened a Loss Prevention Officer. Shortly afterward, the same individual was observed boarding a tugboat moored nearby. Officers who responded reported that he b

Prince George RCMP are investigating a shooting that took place shortly before 3:00 a.m. on Friday, January 30, on the 600-block of Ahbau Street. Officers responding to the scene confirmed that no residents were injured during the incident. The early stages of the investigation suggest the shooting was targeted, and authorities say there is no ongoing risk to the public. Ahbau Street was temporarily closed while officers conducted their initial work but has since been reopened. Cst. Jenna Moore, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP, urged anyone who witnessed the incident or noti

U.S. President Donald Trump says his administration plans to lower tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent, down from the current 25 per cent, after India agreed to stop purchasing oil from Russia. The announcement follows months of pressure from Washington urging New Delhi to reduce its reliance on discounted Russian crude amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. India has been one of the world’s largest buyers of Russian oil since Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, taking advantage of lower prices as many Western countries moved to restrict energy trade with Russia. The issue has been a

Pakistan’s security forces say they have killed about 145 militants in a series of counter-operations across the southwestern province of Balochistan, following coordinated attacks that left around 50 people dead. The provincial government says the operations were launched shortly after the assaults, which targeted multiple locations early Saturday. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said the army and police responded swiftly after the attacks, which were later claimed by the banned separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army. He stated that those killed in the security operation were

The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has reopened for limited movement, according to Egyptian and Israeli security officials, marking an early practical step following the implementation of a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas conflict. An Egyptian official involved in ceasefire coordination said around 50 Palestinians were expected to cross in each direction on the first day of operations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions surrounding the ceasefire arrangements remain confidential. Egypt’s state-run media also reported that the crossing had resume