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earthquake with a magnitude of 3.6 struck Standard, Illinois, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Standard, located approximately 100 miles southwest of Chicago in Putnam County, became the epicenter of the seismic activity that unfolded at 4:42 a.m. The quake's effects rippled across the region, reaching as far as Ottawa, Streator, Pontiac, and Springfield, with reports of residents in Aurora and DeKalb County also feeling the impact, according to the USGS. While a 3.6 magnitude earthquake is classified as «light» on the USGS intensity scale, indicating that residents might have experienced a «light» shaking, it is not anticipated to cause significant damage. On the USGS scale, «light» ranks as level three out of nine. The Associated Press quoted administrative Lt. Doug Bernabei from the Peru Police Department several miles north of Standard, who described the immediate aftermath. «It shook my house. It wasn’t a rattle, I thought something hit the house. A lot of people were waking up,» he said, emphasizing the surge of 911 calls received by the dispatch center.

NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will hold talks with India this week that officials say will focus on security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and concerns over China, rather than the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The talks in New Delhi on Friday with India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh are part of the so-called "2 2 Dialogue", launched in 2018 to boost defence cooperation and align policy objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.

India-Canada row: The ties between India and Canada have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September alleged the involvement of "agents of the Indian government" in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this year. India on the other hand has rejected the claims and called the allegations as "absurd and motivated." Since then Ottawa and New Delhi announced tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats in the wake of Trudeau's allegation of Indian involvement in Nijjar's killing. India also temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity.

Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma reiterated New Delhi's stand on the diplomatic standoff with Canada, and urged Ottawa to release evidence backing up its allegation regarding the killing of Khalistterrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Indian envoy made the remarks in an interview with the Canadian platform, The Globe and Mail on Friday. This came after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the involvement of «agents of the Indian government» in the killing of Nijjar in June. India had rejected the allegations as «absurd and motivated» and expelled a Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move over Canada's decision. Verma stressed that India has not been shown concrete evidence by Canada or its allies about India's alleged involvement in Nijjar's killing. He further suggested that the continuing Canadian police probe into the killing had been «damaged» by PM Trudeau's public statements. «There is no specific or relevant information provided in this case for us to assist them in the investigation,» Verma said. «Where is the evidence? Where is the conclusion of the investigation? I would go a step further and say now the investigation has already been tainted.

Freedom Convoy” protest organizers has ordered access to internal police documents so that she can determine whether they should be admitted as evidence.Justice Heather Perkins-McVey said she must review unredacted copies of police communications to determine whether they are protected by solicitor-client privilege, and also whether they are relevant to assessing the credibility of police liaison witnesses.Defence lawyers for Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, who are on trial for their role in the massive demonstration against COVID-19 public-health measures in early 2022, have asked to see emails that show what evidence police officers were asked to hand over as part of the case.They also want to see any instructions given to officers about updating the software on their cellphones when the protest ended, as the judge said that update deleted messages between Barber and Ottawa police Const. Nicole Bach, considered a primary contact of Barber.Const.

Canada also claimed that had held numerous ‘meetings’ to make India aware of the ‘credible allegations’ which state India and its intelligence agency was involved in Nijjar's killing. Since then, Ottawa and New Delhi announced tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats in the wake of Trudeau's allegation of Indian involvement in Nijjar's killing. India also suspended visa services for Canadian citizens amid the festering diplomatic fallout of Trudeau's charge.

Eyes partner Canada in urging India not to insist on a reduction in Canada's diplomatic presence and have expressed concern over Ottawa's withdrawal of 41 diplomats amid the dispute over the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. «We are concerned by the departure of Canadian diplomats from India, in response to the Indian government's demand of Canada to significantly reduce its diplomatic presence in India,» US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Friday. In a near simultaneous statement, a spokesperson for Britain's Foreign Office said, «We do not agree with the decisions taken by the Indian government that have resulted in a number of Canadian diplomats departing India.» Washington has said it took Canada's allegations seriously and, along with London, urged India to cooperate with Ottawa in the murder probe even as Western powers have been reluctant to openly condemn India given their growing strategic ties with New Delhi. However, Friday's statements from the US State Department and Britain's Foreign Office have been the most direct criticism by Washington and London of New Delhi thus far in this case. «Resolving differences requires diplomats on the ground.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement on Sept. 18 that, “Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, (Sikh separatist leader) Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” has blown up Canada’s relationship with India.

Sikh group gathered outside the Indian diplomatic mission in Toronto on Monday, a week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the prospect of New Delhi's involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia. The protests, which are also planned in Ottawa and Vancouver, are aimed at increasing public awareness about India's alleged role in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple on June 18 in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a high Sikh population, one organizer told Reuters. Between 100 and 150 members were expected to join the protests, Jatinder Singh Grewal, a director of the group Sikh for Justice in Canada, said, but only a dozen people had gathered in front of the Indian consulate in Toronto around noon when the demonstration was set to begin. Protesters began chanting «Khalistan live forever» in the Punjabi language. Trudeau said last week Canada was pursuing «credible allegations» that Indian government agents may have been involved in Nijjar's murder. India swiftly denied any role in the killing and described the allegations as «absurd». The accusations have sparked tit-for-tat retaliation from both countries, with each nation expelling diplomats and New Delhi suspending visas for Canadians. «We are asking Canada to expel the India ambassador, Grewal told Reuters on Sunday. The Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, said concerned authorities have been informed of the protests. »Ensuring security of diplomatic premises and personnel is responsibility of the host country.

Sikh group has called on its members to protest outside the Indian diplomatic missions of main Canadian cities on Monday, a week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the prospect of New Delhi’s involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia.Trudeau said last week Canada was pursuing “credible allegations” that Indian government agents may be linked to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple on June 18 in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a high Sikh population.India swiftly denied any role in the killing and described the allegations as “absurd.” The accusations have sparked tensions between the two countries, with each nation expelling diplomats, and New Delhi suspending visas for Canadians.Jatinder Singh Grewal, a director for Sikh for Justice in Canada, told Reuters on Sunday that his organization will lead the demonstrations outside the Indian embassies and consulates in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver to increase public awareness about Nijjar’s killing.“We are asking Canada to expel the India ambassador,” Grewal said. Representatives for India’s diplomatic missions in Ottawa and Toronto were not immediately available for comment.The Toronto Police Department said it was aware of the planned demonstrations on Monday but declined to disclose details of the security preparations or potential response to any violent situations that may arise during the protest.Nijjar, who worked as a plumber, left the north Indian state of Punjab a quarter-century ago and became a Canadian citizen.

Reuters. A week ago, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged had New Delhi's “potential link" to the murder of a Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June. Reuters quoted Jatinder Singh Grewal, a director for Sikh for Justice in Canada, as saying on Sunday that his organisation will lead the protests outside the Indian embassies and consulates in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver over Nijjar's killing.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, it is perhaps time for Canada to implement a 'foreign policy reset', shedding off its 'middle-power approach' and focussing more on 'Indo-Pacific diplomacy', Japan Times reported. Prime Minister Trudeau's allegation of an Indian role in the assassination of Khalistleader Nijjar on Canadian soil, triggered a broader deterioration in relations between Ottawa and New Delhi, the report noted. Notably, a similar episode also led to a deteriorating trend in China-Canada relations, the report stated, adding that Michael Spavor, a businessman, and Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, were arrested by Beijing on espionage charges.

Canadian authorities have not stopped issuing visas to Indian nationals looking to enter the north American country. This comes even though India's foreign ministry has suspended issuing visa to any Canadian citizen, irrespective of their domicile. India and Canada have found themselves at diplomatic logger heads, as Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau levied ‘credible allegations’ that Indian government and India's intelligentsia was involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia's Surrey in June, 2023.

Justin Trudeau's allegations of Indian involvement in the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada is contemplating a shift in its foreign policy approach, as reported by the Japan Times. Trudeau's accusation concerning Nijjar's assassination on Canadian soil has strained relations between Ottawa and New Delhi, with repercussions echoing in Canada's relations with other nations, particularly China. The arrests of businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig by Beijing on espionage charges, in retaliation for the detainment of Huawei executive Meng Wangzhou in 2018 at the request of the United States, have added to the diplomatic tensions. China-Canada relations further soured due to allegations of Chinese electoral interference and threats against Canadian lawmaker Michael Chong, resulting in record-low favorability ratings for China in Canada. Discussing engagement between the two nations has become a sensitive issue. Canada's relations with Russia are also strained due to its staunch support for Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. Canada now finds itself in a precarious position, having alienated India, China, and Russia—three significant global players. Additionally, the looming possibility of Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency in 2024 poses another challenge, potentially misaligning Canada's goals with its most important economic, security, and political partner.

PTI. The United States has made clear that it expects the Indian government to work with Canada on efforts to investigate the possible involvement of New Delhi.

₹68,000 crore for education in just Canada itself. While the firestorm between Ottawa and New Delhi emerged owing to contradicting approach to extremists of a particular religion, it seems followers of the same have contributed to the large influx of immigrant student pool in the North American country.

Justin Trudeau's allegations have led to «greater danger» for Canada than India, former Pentagon official Michael Rubin said that if the United States has to choose between Ottawa and New Delhi, it will surely choose the latter as the relationship is «too important». He said that India is far more important strategically than Canada is and Ottawa picking up a fight with India is like «an ant picking up a fight against an elephant». While referring to the poor approval ratings of Justin Trudeau, Rubin added that he is not long for the premiership, and the US can rebuild the relationship after he is gone. «I suspect that the United States doesn't want to be painted a corner to choose between two friends. But if we have to choose between two friends, increasingly we're going to choose India on this matter, simply because Nijjar was a terrorist, and India is too important.

India has advised its citizens to be careful when traveling to Canada as a rift between the two nations widens further in the wake of Ottawa’s allegations that India may have been involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in suburban Vancouver

Indian officials said on Tuesday that at least nine separatist organisations supporting terror groups currently have bases in Canada. The remarks came amid a brewing diplomatic crisis between the two countries over the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday linked Indian authorities to the July killing, prompting a furious rejoinder from New Delhi.

There has long existed a liberal elite across the world for whom Canada could do no wrong, especially under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. It was partly on account of his leadership, for example, that Americans put off by Donald Trump began talking about what Indians had been doing for decades: moving to Canada.

Canada has triggered new diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi, withCanada saying it suspects India's involvement in the killing and India calling the allegations «absurd». Here is what is known about Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the man at the centre of the row. — Nijjar was born in 1977 in Jalandhar district in India's northern state of Punjab and moved to Canada in 1997, where he worked as a plumber, according to the Khalistan Extremism Monitor of the New Delhi-based independent Institute for Conflict Management. — He was initially associated with the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) Sikh separatist group, according to India's counter-terrorist, National Investigation Agency.