In a rare diplomatic development, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Tuesday, marking the first high-level bilateral interaction between the two neighbours in nearly nine years. The two leaders exchanged greetings and shook hands during an informal dinner hosted by Prime Minister Sharif ahead of the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which Pakistan is hosting this year. The visit is being seen as a significant diplomatic step by New Delhi, given th

An Air India flight traveling from New Delhi to Chicago made an emergency landing in Nunavut early Tuesday morning after a security threat was posted online, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Authorities say Flight AI127 landed safely at Iqaluit International Airport at 5:21 a.m., and all 211 passengers and crew members were safely relocated to the terminal for further screening. In a statement, Air India said the emergency diversion was a precautionary measure following the online threat. The airline added that it and other international carriers have recently been the ta

At least 20 miners were killed and seven others wounded when gunmen stormed a coal mine in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, in one of the deadliest recent attacks in the restive region, police confirmed Friday. Police official Hamayun Khan Nasir said the assailants attacked the miners’ living quarters late Thursday night in Duki district, rounding up the workers before opening fire. Most of the victims were from Pashtun-speaking areas of Balochistan, while three of the dead and four injured were Afghan nationals. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Security forces ha

A tornado touched down across Interstate 75 in Florida on Wednesday morning as Hurricane Milton barreled toward the state’s west coast, the U.S. National Weather Service reported. The service shared an image on social media showing the funnel cloud crossing the highway and warned residents to “seek shelter now.” Steady rain and intensifying winds swept across the Tampa Bay area as the massive storm — fluctuating between Category 4 and Category 5 strength — advanced toward landfall. Officials warned that Milton could bring catastrophic winds, flooding and a storm surge of up to 15 fee

U.S. President Joe Biden has postponed his upcoming visits to Germany and Angola as Hurricane Milton advances toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, the White House confirmed Tuesday. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the decision was made so the president could remain in Washington to oversee the federal response to the storm. She noted that the change was necessary “given the projected trajectory and strength” of the hurricane, which forecasters say could bring severe flooding and wind damage to coastal regions. The White House did not specify when the trip will be rescheduled. The visit t

Ceremonies, community gatherings and demonstrations are taking place across Canada today to mark one year since the Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza and deeply affected Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities across the country. The October 7, 2023 assault killed more than 1,200 Israelis, with 250 others taken hostage, sparking an Israeli military offensive that Gaza health officials say has now left over 41,000 people dead. The conflict’s humanitarian and emotional toll has been felt globally - including in Canada, where families mourn victims on both sides and co

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to Pakistan next week to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit scheduled for October 15–16, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Friday. This will mark the first visit by an Indian minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years. Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Jaishankar will represent India at the regional meeting, which brings together foreign ministers and heads of state from member countries to discuss security, economic cooperation, and regional connectivity. Pakistan had formally invited Pr

Singapore’s Indian-origin former Transport Minister S. Iswaran has been sentenced to 12 months in jail after being found guilty in a corruption case involving nearly 400,000 Singapore dollars in gifts and benefits received from businessmen over a seven-year period. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) completed its probe into the case last year. The court found that Iswaran had accepted expensive items - including bottles of whiskey and wine, golf clubs, and a Brompton bicycle - as bribes in exchange for official favours. The presiding judge said Iswaran had betrayed public trus

A 32-year-old Punjabi man from Kapurthala has died under mysterious circumstances in California, just days before his planned wedding in India. The deceased has been identified as Gurjit Singh, who was scheduled to be married on October 18. Family members in Kapurthala say wedding preparations were in full swing when they received the shocking news from the United States. They allege that Gurjit was murdered, while American police have reportedly told them the cause of death was a heart attack. According to relatives, Gurjit had completed packing his belongings and was preparing to fly back to