The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has expanded its organisational structure ahead of the next Punjab Assembly election, appointing Tajinder Singh Bittu as a state vice-president. According to the party's organisational announcement, Bittu's appointment is part of a broader restructuring aimed at strengthening the BJP's leadership team across the state. The party has been assigning experienced leaders to key organisational roles as it prepares for the upcoming election. Bittu, a former Congress leader, has previously been active in Punjab politics before taking on responsibili

Vancouver Police say two men have been arrested and charged in connection with the violent robbery of a 75-year-old man that occurred last week in the city's Downtown Eastside. Police had earlier released surveillance video as part of the investigation. According to the Vancouver Police Department, officers on patrol near East Hastings Street and Jackson Avenue arrested the first suspect without incident on July 30 after recognizing him in the area. A second suspect was taken into custody on Aug. 2 after officers responded to a report of an unknown person inside a residence. Police identified

Canadian and U.S. trade negotiators are expected to resume discussions on a proposal that would place a cap on Canadian steel and aluminum exports to the United States in exchange for reduced U.S. tariffs, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. The proposal is being considered as both countries seek to resolve a trade dispute before Aug. 19, when U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to impose a new 50 per cent tariff on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian steel and aluminum exports. The two sides also discussed the proposal last October. Those talks were suspended aft

New Westminster Police Department officers helped rescue 15 residents from a burning apartment building Thursday evening after spotting smoke while working nearby, according to the police department. Police said officers were in the 800 block of 5th Avenue at about 6 p.m. when they became aware of the fire. As they approached the building, they saw several older adults leaning out of windows to avoid the smoke. According to a New Westminster Police Department news release, officers entered the building alongside crews from New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service and assisted 15 residents to sa

A 35-year-old Coquitlam man is facing six firearms-related charges after a joint investigation by B.C.'s anti-gang police and the Surrey RCMP Provincial Operations Support Unit. According to the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC), the investigation began in June. On July 16, officers executed search warrants at two residences in the 11500 block of 141A Street in Surrey and the 4300 block of Quarry Road in Coquitlam. Police said investigators seized several firearms during the searches, including two Beretta handguns. Officers arrested Sadiq Azimali Daya at

A man died after being struck by a vehicle while fleeing on foot following a traffic stop in Surrey late Thursday night, according to the Surrey Police Service. Police said an officer stopped a westbound vehicle for a traffic enforcement check at about 11 p.m. in the 15600 block of 56 Avenue, along Highway 10. The driver then exited the vehicle and fled on foot. According to the Surrey Police Service, the man was crossing the roadway when he was struck by an eastbound vehicle. Surrey police officers, Surrey Fire Service crews and BC Emergency Health Services paramedics attempted life-saving me

A suspect is facing potential charges after allegedly brandishing a firearm at a patron outside a coffee shop in New Westminster on Wednesday morning, according to the New Westminster Police Department. Police said officers responded to a 9-1-1 call at about 6 a.m. on July 30 after receiving reports that a person had pointed a firearm at someone seated on the patio of a business in the Columbia Square shopping centre. Investigators determined the suspect fled across Columbia Street, passed through a hole in a fence and crossed nearby railway tracks. Officers searched the area with assistance f

The B.C. Supreme Court has ruled that portions of the province's Mental Health Act that allow patients to receive psychiatric treatment without their consent are unconstitutional, giving the provincial government six months to amend the legislation. Justice Lauren Blake found that British Columbia was the only province in Canada where patients could be subjected to psychiatric treatment without an assessment of their decision-making capacity. The court concluded that the provisions violate constitutional protections. The ruling comes as the B.C. government is pursuing plans to expand involunta

The Government of India has said the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor will remain closed, citing the current security situation despite requests from Sikh religious organizations to reopen the cross-border pilgrimage route. The Ministry of External Affairs said it has received representations from Sikh religious groups seeking the reopening of the corridor. However, the ministry stated that prevailing security conditions have necessitated keeping the corridor closed. The issue was raised during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament by Members of Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Gurmeet Sing