Miracle 624-May 31, 2024 edition

Bringing Harmoney To All The Communities...

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Fierce street fighting and Israeli bombardment continue in Rafah a day after tanks rolled into the centre of the southern Gaza city sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians. Israeli strikes kill at least 37 Palestinians, most in tents.

• Israel’s military says it seized control of the entire length of Gaza’s border with Egypt –known as the Philadelphi Corridor – signalling it has deepened its ground invasion despite international condemnation.

• The war on Gaza could last another seven months to achieve

Delhi recorded an all-time high temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.22 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday as extreme heat conditions gripped the north and western parts of India, causing students to faint in schools and drinking water taps to dry up.

A heat wave alert has been in place for large parts of India since last week but on Wednesday the temperature in Mungeshpur, a densely packed corner of Delhi,

@ page 5

OTTAWA - The federal Liberals and NDP say conservative politicians are displaying a pattern of attacks against Speakers’ independence, an allega-

“the destruction of Hamas’s power”, Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi says.

• Israel’s air force bombs and kills two paramedics with the Palestine Red Crescent Society as they attempted to rescue wounded people in Tal as-Sultan, west of Rafah.

• At least 36,171 Palestinians have been killed and 81,420 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s attack is at least 1,139 with dozens of people still held captive in Gaza.

Source: aljazeera.com

tion the Conservatives in Ottawa strongly deny.

The accusation comes a day after the federal Conservatives tried, and failed, for the third time to get House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus to resign over allegations he is too partisan for the role. Their attempts are designed to intimidate and delay House work, government House leader Steven MacKinnon said.

“The fact is that this culture of intimidating the chair is something we have seen in other legislatures

Black voters will help defeat Trump, Biden ‘Pro-people’ budget in the works at Jati Umra Israel says war on Gaza likely to last

OTTAWA - Prime Minister

Justin Trudeau said his government is “horrified” by Israeli strikes that killed civilians in Rafah earlier this week, but walked away from reporters when asked what he will do about it. “Canada in no way supports the military operations by Israel in Rafah,” Trudeau told reporters Tuesday on Parliament Hill. ”Indeed, we have been calling for a ceasefire, including at the (United Nations) since December, and we’ll continue to.” His comment came two days after gruesome images emerged of children injured in airstrikes and fires burning among encampments of displaced

The former Liberal party’s rebrand has been a failure.

On Friday morning news was quickly lighting up the X-verse that efforts to broker merger talks between BC United and the Conservative Party of BC had been scattered like hundreds of sharp tacks.

Conservative Leader John Rustad, riding high on strong Question Period performances for a caucus of two, torpedoed unification talks among BC’s centre-right political parties. The news of the rejection came via a news release at 11:00 AM, sent out by United Leader Kevin Falcon and was rapidly shared by his MLAs who are active on Twitter/X.

people in Rafah.

The city in the Gaza Strip had become a safe haven for more than a million Palestinians fleeing Israeli attacks.Canada supported Israel’s right to defend itself following the brutal Hamas attack last Oct. 7, but

Cont. @ page 5

Despite common ground between Conservative and United representatives, John Rustad had rejected “a reasonable offer aimed at preventing a vote split, risking another four years of Eby’s NDP government that will further jeopardize the well-being of this province.” To hear it from

• NCA adviser Kidwai hints at using emerging technologies to strengthen country’s nuclear programme

• Remarks come against backdrop of assertions about Islamabad’s N-capabilities during Indian elections

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the National Command Authority Lt Gen (retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai has underscored Pakistan’s stance on not committing to the No First Use (NFU) policy regarding nuclear

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Volume 2, Book 26, Number 616:

Narrated ‘Ubaidullah bin ‘Abdullah: Ibn Abbas’ said, “Usama rode behind Allah’s Apostle from ‘Arafat to Al-Muzdalifa; and then Al-Fadl rode behind Allah’s Apostle from Al-Muzdalifa to Mina.” Ibn Abbas added, “Both of them said, ‘The Prophet kept on reciting Talbiya till he did the Rami of Jamrat-al-’Aqaba.’ “

What is Hajj? A step-by-step guide

Here’s how Muslims perform the rituals of Hajj every year, following an ancient example.

Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world gather annually in Mecca to perform Hajj – the sacred Muslim pilgrimage.

Hajj became obligatory for every able-bodied Muslim adult who has the financial means to do after Prophet Mu-

hammad’s “farewell pilgrimage” in 632 AD. According to Islamic tradition, the Kaaba –a black silk-clad stone structure at the heart of the Grand Mosque in Mecca – was built by the Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. Every year, between two and three million people participate in the pilgrimage. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there were only 10,000 pilgrims in 2020. The following year saw 58,700 pilgrims, and last year’s numbers picked up again in millions.

Hajj is a spiritual, emotional and physical challenge that tests the patience and tem-

to the Muslim pilgrimage

perament of the pilgrim. It occurs in DhulHijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, between the eighth and 13th days of the month.

This year, Hajj Rukans are taking place between June 14-19. Here is a step-by-step guide to the rituals on each day:

Day 1

Intent and ihram – The very first rite of Hajj is to make a pure intention and to enter ihram – a pilgrim’s sacred state – when crossing the outer boundaries of Mecca, called Miqat.

Entering ihram entails wearing plain garments – two unstitched pieces of cloth for men, or loose-fitting clothing for women – as well as following certain rules, such as not giving in to anger or engaging in sexual activity. Pilgrims then perform tawaf, which means circling the Kaaba in an anticlockwise direction seven times, and sai, which refers to running between the Safa and Marwa hills. Mina, the tent city – After that, the pilgrims travel by foot on pilgrim paths or take a bus for the 8km (five-mile) journey to Mina, a tent city just outside of Mecca. The pilgrims spend the day in Mina, setting out the next morning at dawn. Most of the time in Mina is spent in prayer, supplications and remembering Allah (God).

Day 2

A day on Arafat – The Day of Arafat is considered one of the most important days, not just of Hajj, but of the Islamic calendar. After making the 15km (nine-mile) journey from Mina, pilgrims spend the day at Mount Mercy in reverent prayer. This is known as wuquf – the act of standing before Allah from noon to sunset. The site is particularly revered as the place where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon.

Around the world, many Muslims choose to fast on this day.

Heading to Muzdalifah – After sunset, it is time to move again, this time to Muzdalifah – a 11km (7-mile) trip – where the pilgrims will spend the night under the stars. Many also begin collecting 49 pebbles here for the next day’s rites, for which they will depart again just before sunrise.

Day 3

Nahr and stoning the devil (rami) –

The 10th of Dhul-Hijjah is Eid alAdha, a day celebrated by Muslims around the world as the greater of the two Muslim holidays. Leaving Muzdalifah, the pilgrims arrive back in Mina before dawn to perform the first rami, throwing seven pebbles at the largest of three columns known as Jamarat al-Aqaba. This act is a symbolic stoning of the devil, based on historical tradition. Muslims believe that God told Abraham to sacrifice his son as proof of his faith. It is believed that at this spot in Mina, the devil appeared and tried to dissuade Abraham from heeding the command. Abraham responded by throwing stones to scare him off.

Muslim pilgrims should also sacrifice an animal, known as nahr. Either a camel or lamb is suitable, and the meat should be distributed to the needy. Pilgrims can either buy sacrifice coupons/vouchers, which state that the sacrifice has been made on their behalf or perform their own sacrifice.

Days 4 and 5

The act of throwing stones is repeated for the next two days, pelting the three pillars using seven pebbles each in order by starting with: Jamarat al-Ula (the small pillar), then Jamarat al-Wusta (the second/middle pillar) and finally, Jamarat al-Aqaba (the third/large pillar).

Day 6

Halq or taqsir – Upon completion of rami, the 12th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the men shave their heads (halq) or trim their hair (taqsir). Women can trim their hair by the length of a fingertip. The farewell tawaf – After that, the pilgrims can remove their ihram clothes. Many will then proceed to Mecca to perform tawaf and sai again.

When that has been done, they return to their campsite in Mina, marking the completion of Hajj.

Many pilgrims also visit Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, before heading home. Medina is not part of the pilgrimage but is regarded as the site where Prophet Muhammad is buried along with his cloest companions.

Source: aljazeera.com

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver

As Brenda Locke’s policing losses mount, mandate argument weakens

Province says people of Surrey want SPS, Locke says she’s looking out for taxpayers

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has upheld provincial legislation to force a police transition in Surrey, and while Mayor Brenda Locke continues to be combative, there are questions about the strength of her mandate to continue to try to keep the RCMP in her city. This week presented the latest loss in Locke’s desire to deliver on the single most important issue upon which she campaigned in 2022: stopping a transition from the RCMP to a municipal force. The city initiated the judicial review to ar-

On Friday, the province revealed the Pattullo Bridge replacement has been delayed for the second time.

This vital crossing for Surrey will not be completed and open to traffic until the fall of 2025. The provincial government has mandated cities to create more housing, yet

Prisoners’ rights advocate called the rising death figures “alarming”.

This story includes mentions of suicide.

Inmate deaths in the province have been increasing, according to the B.C. Coroners Service. The agency says the deaths of 188 people in provincial and federal correctional facilities were reported between Jan. 1, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2023.

It says that while the annual average during

gue that the public safety minister was going against the will of voters who elected Locke on a promise to keep the RCMP.

Locke, who is still not admitting defeat, and hasn’t yet decided on an appeal, continues to maintain she’s in the fight to prevent the cost of policing from increasing in B.C.’s second largest and fastest-growing municipality.

“The tax burden facing Surrey residents is the reason why the majority of the members of this council and I have fought so very hard to put an end to this transition,” she said Thursday at a news conference, wearing a red blazer similar to the Mount-

ies’ red serge. A key tenet of her argument is this is what she was elected to do, but results from the past elections show a city that did not clamber to the polls to vote in a manner that was emphatic about the issue. In both the 2018 election, when Doug McCallum won on a campaign to bring in a municipal force, and in 2022 when Locke defeated him for the opposite, only around 32 per cent of eligible voters cast a vote in Surrey.

Both elections were defined by a three-candidate race where one was able to come up the middle and snatch victory.

McCallum, who called on Locke to resign

in 2022, barely topping McCallum’s 27 per cent...

Source: cbc.ca/news

Surrey City Mayor: we need a six-lane Pattullo Bridge today.

the province is falling far short on delivering the necessary infrastructure to support that growth. On top of the acute shortage of schools and healthcare facilities in Surrey, the continued delay of the Pattullo crossing is yet another example of the lack of foresight in the housing plan the province has imposed on municipalities.

Furthermore, it was a shortsighted decision to replace a 4-lane bridge with a 4-lane bridge. This was done despite Surrey’s rapidly growing population and increased traffic demands. The province should be investing in modern infrastructure that will

support only the needs of the present but also of the future. This lack of foresight in infrastructure investment will not only worsen congestion, but also threatens to stifle the economic growth and development of Surrey. The Pattullo Bridge was completed in 1937. At that time the population of Surrey was approximately 12,500. With the latest delay announced by the province to the fall of 2025, Surrey’s population is projected to be approximately 700,000. Similarly, with our neighbours to the north in New Westminster, their population has grown from approximately 20,200 in 1937

to 94,000 in 2025. This delay is only going to compound congestion and frustration for users of this important transportation route in our city. But what is more concerning is that the Ministry is continuing to replace this 4-lane bridge with a 4-lane bridge. The Ministry of Transportation claims that “the bridge will be built to allow for potential future expansion to six lanes.” Well, the future is now, and we need a six-lane Pattullo Bridge today.

Mayor Brenda Locke City of Surrey

Source:cbssports.com/

Inmate deaths trending upward, B.C. Coroners Service says

that time period was 17 deaths, 25 inmates died in 2023. By comparison, 11 inmate deaths were reported in 2013.

The coroners service says 60 per cent of deaths during the 10-year time frame were classified as natural, 18 per cent as accidental and 15 per cent as suicides.

The agency notes that its data is preliminary and excludes deaths at halfway houses, in police custody and at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital. It says 60 per cent of the deaths occurred at federal facilities, with the Pacific Institution in Abbotsford, B.C., recording the most by far, at 64 deaths, followed by the Mission Institution with 15.

Among provincial facilities, it says the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam saw the highest total with 23 deaths,

while the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre had 20. The coroners service says about 72 per cent of the 188 people who died were aged 30-69, and all but three of them were male.

‘Heartbreaking’ suicide rate

Jennifer Metcalfe, the executive director of Prisoners’ Legal Services, called these figures “alarming.” For her, they are an indication that inmates — many of who are already marginalized people with high physical and mental care needs — are receiving inadequate healthcare.

Metcalfe also noted the general issue of suicide deaths in prisons as a big concern, because they happen at disproportionate rates compared to the general population.

According to her, they reflect “a lack of

2 people dead in plane crash near Squamish, B.C.

Police had said that they had received an automatic plane crash notification from a smartphone on Friday.

RCMP confirmed two people have been killed in a plane crash south of Squamish, B.C., on Friday evening. Squamish RCMP said in a statement that they received an automatic plane crash notification, sent from a smartphone, in a remote area on the outskirts of the municipality. They said that due to challenges in accessing the remote loca-

A Courtenay, B.C., senior is downsizing and packing to move as she comes to accept she can no longer afford to stay in her home, after falling victim to a scam that robbed her of her life savings worth more than $100,000. “I have to get rid of some excess furniture because I won’t have the space,” says Peggy Christian. “We’re doing okay with it. I think it’ll be a good thing for me.”

The 76-year-old needs the win.

tion, they could not confirm many details of the crash. RCMP said that they were able to access the crash site — located south of Squamish, on the west side of Howe Sound — via air, and confirmed that the two occupants of the plane did not survive the crash. Police did not say what type of plane crashed in the area, and also did not say what could have caused the crash. ”The RCMP would like to thank Squamish Search and Rescue, Blackcomb Helicopters and several mem-

bers of the public who were integral in locating and accessing the site of the crash,” a police statement read.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) said in a statement it was aware of the “accident,” but had not yet deployed investigators to the scene.

The TSB says that it is working with the Squamish RCMP and the B.C. Coroners’ Service to investigate the crash. Squamish is in the Sea-to-Sky region of the

movement” on the use of lockdowns similar to solitary confinement in prisons — which could amount to torture under the United Nations’ definition, depending on the length of isolation — and a lack of mental healthcare to support those who have gone through them. “It’s heartbreaking, but not surprising, that the rates of suicide are so high,” she said.

To help prevent deaths, Metcalfe called for health care services in prisons to be provided independently through health agencies. And pointing to Canada’s colonial history and its long-lasting damage, she also advocated for the collection of more race-based data and a redistribution of funds from correctional services to Indigenous communities. Source: cbc.ca/news

Source: cbc.ca/news

B.C. senior prepares to move due to devastating effects of fraud

Christian went public with her story in February 2024 – claiming fraudsters told her they could fix her computer for $200. The scam progressed over months where she was paying with gift cards and withdrew her investments to send wire transfers abroad.

Since then, Christian and her family say her health continues to suffer.

“The trust that we may have had years ago for people is not there anymore,” says Christian.“She hasn’t been sleeping, and very anxious, and some depression. It’s really hard to see this happen to my sister,” says Christian’s sister, Judy Huska.

The Vancouver Island woman is becoming versed in the banking industry, trying to advocate for change where it could help others.

“It’s not just about the compensation and helping my sister get some of the money

back. But also: What’s the responsibility and the accountability of the bank? And can we bring that to the forefront so that they don’t let this happen to somebody else,” says Huska. Coast Capital is the financial institution where Christian withdrew her funds.

The member-owned financial co-operative issued a statement to CTV News, in part, saying it cannot speak to individual situations, members or their accounts for privacy reasons...A spokesperson for OBSI says it cannot comment on individual complaints where it might be involved in the case.

A general information bulletin on OBSI’s website reminds people financial services firms don’t automatically reimburse money when someone becomes a victim of fraud. It suggests it can happen though depending on how the loss or fraud occurred, such as

the firm having reason to suspect a person might be exposed to fraud but did not act. The site says customers may be held responsible in cases where they unknowingly sent funds to a fraudster or authorized a firm to transfer money from their account to someone else – among other common scenarios. Christian and her family have also been in touch with their local MP to explore potential avenues for regulatory changes at the federal level. And they say they’re grateful to the Office of the Seniors Advocate in B.C. for helping Christian arrange more affordable housing and income support.

A GoFund Me is also raising money on her behalf since her budget has been cut by 50 per cent.

“This shouldn’t happen to anybody at all,” says Christian. Source: bc.ctvnews.ca/

on Thursday after the judicial review was released, won 41 per cent of the vote in 2018, while Locke won with only 28 per cent of the vote

South Coast, and is located just around 50 km north of Vancouver.

SUSTAINING hegemony over the masses has been a key aim and challenge for our elitist state. This exercise has caused endless political instability and insecurity, given the fightback by the people and the power tussles among elite ethnicities, classes and institutions.

The top gun position shifted often in the first decade: institutionally from the Muslim League to the bureaucracy, to the military; ethnically from Mohajirs to Punjabis; and from a mixed class clique to the middle class. The coordinates of raw power soon became conservative, older, male, military, elitist, Sunni, upper class and Punjab.

Since 1958, the unelected clique has kept its hegemony via close ties with global patrons, coopting political and state elites, rigging politics and demolishing mass dissent, with religion and Kashmir as rallying narratives. It ruled unelected via large one-window but odious US aid: money, arms, veto cover, markets, technology, and multilateral loans. Linked to US security aims, it helped keep politicians out but caused violence too.

As US aid ebbed, it courted politicians to quell dissent and ruled covertly. The elected eras kept growing given the growing internal and external binds against

More difficult now

autocracy. The first was from 1972 to 1977 with one (free) election. The second was from 1985 to 1999 with only one of five elections deemed fair (1988) and each assembly nixed early. The third is from 2002 to now, with two free elections (2008 and 2013) out of five. Four assemblies reached term but not the prime ministers, reflecting minor democratic gains. The early dismissals were due to civilian forays into what the establishment considered its own affairs, policy tiffs and claimed misrule. They were carried out via coups, notrust votes, presidential powers, and forced exits. The mode and strength of covert rule varied, focusing on security and external policy from 2008-18 but more intrusively politics and economics as well after 2018, erasing all democratic gains. Both eras saw big tiffs with out-of-sync civilians, with Nawaz Sharif to the establishment’s left and Imran Khan to its right on the US, India, Taliban, etc.

State elements now face a unique challenge in sustaining their hegemony. State elements now face a unique challenge in sustaining their hegemony. Cosy ties with the US

are over and other powers (China and Saudi Arabia) can’t provide large, one-window aid. Arch-enemy India is now a global power and dwarfs our geo-economic powers. Global sanctions have cut the ability to deploy jihadis. State elements have partially lost their narrative as the custodians of national piety and patriotism as Imran Khan acts as a stauncher custodian. There are hostile extremist states on three sides matching our insurgencies in KP and Balochistan. The economy is unusually bad. Yet its residual powers are formidable — arms, agents, businesses — and keep all parties subservient.

The divorce with the PTI has created an elite middle-class alliance against older parties: middleclass parties (led by the PTI), media anchors, professional classes, expats and sections of the judiciary, bureaucracy, and reportedly even the ranks. Moreover, the insurgents are largely middle class. Smaller middle-class parties had existed for long, like religious ones and the MQM. But the advent of social media has aided the rise of a pan-Pakistan middle-class party popular in all core regions: upper Punjab, Peshawar valley and Karachi and even beyond. But this party’s governance

and democratic records are poor too, like the older elite parties. These trends are forcing elements of the state to resort to desperate ways of retaining its hegemony as its options dwindle: mutually conflicting ties with multiple global patrons to scavenge various bits of key aid, new docile elected allies, cruder rigging and gagging, not too covert co-governance in more domains and using force even in core regions against dissident ex-middle-class allies. Even so, this hybrid set-up remains divided and inept and may not survive, let alone thrive. What options will unelected forces use if they fail? More force, overt rule or technocracy? But these won’t succeed and will, in fact, upend critical Western support. So, good governance eludes all elite factions. Governance can only improve by nixing elite politics for organic pro-poor politics. Can society tame this unelected being? It may need a joint effort to overpower the flailing behemoth. So, we enter a new phase of high turbulence: economic volatility, political instability, and high insecurity. Passengers must fasten their seat belts, if they have one, as the captain won’t turn on the signs.

Courtesy by:Dr Niaz Murtaza

The writer is a political economist with a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.

Trudeau ‘in no way’ supports Israeli offensive in Rafah, but is mum on taking action

News Continued from Pg 1

Trudeau says Canada urged Israel not to proceed with an offensive in the southern city.

Israel says Rafah has become a Hamas stronghold and is crucial to routing the militant group that killed 1,200 people in Israel last

October. It described Sunday’s carnage as a mistake.

Humanitarian groups including the Mennonite Central Committee say the area is far too crowded for any safe military operation, pointing to the scenes that occurred Sunday.

“Israel’s military operations in Rafah have created a catastrophic humanitarian situation, in line

with the repeated predictions and warnings of the humanitarian community in the build up to the offensive,” reads a joint statement issued Monday. Trudeau said he’s concerned about the plight of the Palestinians in the territory. The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza reports 36,000 people have been killed in the war, including

BC Conservatives have zero reason

than splitting the vote and electing a BC NDP government. To hear it from Falcon and his MLAs, Rustad cares more

Continued from Pg 1

crossed the 50 C mark, the weather office said. The Indian capital has had temperatures of over 45 C in previous years but never gone as high as 52.9 C. Streets in Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi were deserted and most shops were shut as people stayed indoors to avoid the searing heat, while residents hand-

about his ambitions for the premier’s chair than splitting the vote and electing a BC NDP government. The response from Rustad was far more visceral.

“I can say with certainty that the Conservative Party of BC and the

ed out free cold drinks in Narela after temperatures went up to 49.9 C on Tuesday. “When we go outside it seems like someone is slapping our faces. It has become difficult to live in Delhi,” said resident Akash Nirmal. India Meteorological Department (IMD) said it is examining the data and sensors to look into Mungeshpur’s temperature which was an outlier compared to other

BC United Party will not be merging before the upcoming provincial election this fall” started the letter, sent out 50 minutes after Falcon’s.

combatants. “We need to see much more humanitarian aid flow into Gaza, and we need to see all hostages released,” Trudeau said.

But when pressed for information on what Canada might do, he walked away from the scrum.

Source: ctvnews.ca

“Kevin Falcon declined our offers in December 2023 to discuss a possible merger — with a single message stating, and I quote, ‘F#ck Off.’

stations. “There is so much heat in Delhi that students are fainting, some are falling sick, some are facing dehydration. The students are facing a lot of trouble in this heat. The fans don’t work in our institutions,” said Nidhi, a student, who gave only their first name. An unusual transition from El Nino to La Nina and the lack of winds bringing moisture has resulted in prolonged

The anger in Rustad’s comments jumps off the page. Oh to have been a fly on the wall for some of the conversations between the two over the years.

Source: nationalpost.com

heating, leading to record temperatures, Gufran Beig, chair professor at the Indian Institute of Science told Reuters. El Nino is the warming of Pacific waters that is typically accompanied by drier conditions over the Indian subcontinent while La Nina is characterized by unusually cold temperatures in the Pacific Ocean...Source: globalnews.ca/

Conservative attacks on Speakers in Ottawa, Regina a pattern, say Liberals and NDP

and I think Canadians are rightly horrified by it,” he said. His NDP counterpart Peter Julian said there’s a “disturbing undercurrent” in Ottawa and in Saskatchewan by conservatives who are attacking independent institutions, with their latest target being Speakers. Julian drew a connection to Sas-

katchewan by linking Jeremy Harrison, former Saskatchewan Party House leader to federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Both were elected to Parliament in 2004 as Conservatives. Harrison served one term in Ottawa before being defeated in 2006. He was elected provincially in 2007.

While Poilievre is undermining the Speaker in Ottawa, Harrison is doing the same in Regina, Julian charged. “It’s a pattern now,” he said to The Canadian Press. On May 16, Saskatchewan’s Speaker Randy Weekes accused several Saskatchewan Party members and staff, including Harrison, of intimidation,

including sending him harassing text messages about his rulings. Weekes is also an elected Saskatchewan Party MLA and served briefly in cabinet, but speakers by custom do not sit with their party caucuses after assuming the Speakers’s chair. Source: ctvnews.ca/

Falcon and his MLAs, Rustad cares more about his ambitions for the premier’s chair

Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing

Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country’s largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing(opens in a new tab).

Fifty per cent of respondents in the greater regions of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver said they would consider buying a property in cheaper cities if they were able to find a job or work remotely, according to a new Royal LePage survey released Wednesday. Of renters surveyed, 60 per cent said they

would be willing to relocate. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of homeowners polled said they would consider it. “(Housing) affordability has become one of the major social issues of our time,” said Phil Soper, president and CEO of Royal LePage, in a video interview with CTV’s News Channel on Wednesday. “The pandemic ushered in a new era of mobility, virtual technology and business practices, opening people’s eyes to the fact that we had some great and much more affordable -- call it mid-sized -- cities...“I would caution people though that people saying ‘I’d consider moving’ is not the same as people moving,” he said. ”I know after the 2016 election, we had a huge rise in Americans saying they would move to Canada but the actual number who did was quite small.”

Source:ctvnews.ca/

Jury in Donald Trump’s hush-money trial ends 1st day of deliberations without verdict

Jurors weighing evidence in 1st criminal trial for American president.

Twelve jurors weighing the evidence in former U.S. president Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial ended the first round of deliberations without a verdict on Wednesday, meaning there will be at least one more day in the first criminal trial for an American president. Two and a half hours after jurors began closed-door deliberations, the group asked the judge for transcripts of some witness testimony. It was unclear how long they would take to reach a verdict. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, charges that are punishable by up to four years in prison, though the judge would have discretion to issue a probationary sentence in the event of a conviction. At the heart of the charges are reim-

bursements paid to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen for a $130,000 hush-money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for not going public with her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. Trump had pleaded not guilty to the offences. After jurors left the courtroom to begin deliberations, Judge Juan M. Merchan told Trump and his lawyers that they were required to remain in the courthouse...

Source: .cbc.ca/

North Korea fires volley of short-range ballistic missiles

South Korea and US condemn launch and urge Pyongyang to ‘refrain from further unlawful and destabilising acts’.

North Korea has launched multiple shortrange ballistic missiles, South Korea’s military said, as it continues to develop its military weaponry in breach of international sanctions.The 10 missiles were launched from the Sunan area at about 6:14am on

Thursday (21:14 GMT on Wednesday) to-

wards the east, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said in a statement. The statement said the missiles travelled about 350 kilometres (217 miles) before ditching into the sea.

The military said the launch was a “clear provocation” on the part of Pyongyang and “seriously threatens the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula”. The missile launch comes three days after North Korea’s attempt to put a second spy satellite into orbit ended in failure when the rocket carrying the equipment exploded in midair.

Leader Kim Jong Un has made developing more sophisticated weaponry and military equipment a cornerstone of his efforts to modernise North Korea’s armed forces.

Source:aljazeera.com/

Black voters will help defeat Trump, Biden says in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - U.S. President Joe Biden began a new push in Philadelphia on Wednesday to court Black voters, a critical voting bloc that is showing signs of weakness for Democrats ahead of the November election, as he attacked his Republican opponent. ”With your vote in 2024, we’re gonna make Donald Trump a loser again,” Biden, accompanied by Vice-President Kamala Harris, told a cheering crowd at Girard College, a historic boarding school founded to serve poor, white orphan boys that desegregated in 1968. Black voters have historically turned out for Biden and Democrats, and were a key reason he beat Trump in 2020, but polls show they could be less supportive of him this year as the pair face each other again on Nov. 5. Biden ran through a list of his policy achieve-

ments, including removing lead pipes, a diverse administration, the first Black woman Supreme Court justice and pardons for people sentenced for marijuana possession.

“Promises made, promises kept,” Biden repeated frequently.“I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let Donald Trump turn America into a place filled with anger, resentment and hate,” Biden told the crowd, his voice getting stronger as he closed his speech.

Source:bc.ctvnews.ca/

‘Pro-people’ budget in the works at Jati Umra huddle

• Special meeting floats proposals for ‘drastic cut’ in govt expenditures

• Officials in Islamabad await nod to finalise targets, prepare summaries

• Budget may be delayed to second week of

NEW YORK - Black passengers who were briefly ordered off an American Airlines plane in January sued the airline Wednesday, alleging that they were victims of racial discrimination.

Three of the men filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York. They said they were told to leave a plane waiting to take off in Phoenix and noticed five other black men who also had been ordered off the flight.

The three, who did not know each other and had been sitting in different parts of the plane, said an airline employee told them they were removed because a flight attendant had complained about a passenger’s body odour. The men said they responded that it appeared they were targeted for removal solely because of their race.

American offered to rebook them, but when it became clear after about an hour that there

June due to PM’s China visit

The ruling PML-N on Wednesday held a special meeting at the Sharifs’ estate in Jati Umra to review budget preparations for the upcoming fiscal year, where it decided to prepare the financial plan in line with the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and also discussed proposals for “drastic” cuts in government expenditure. The ‘people-friendly’ budget envisaged by the ruling party, however, might be delayed to the second week of June as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be visiting China on June 4-8, making the presentation of the federal budget on the scheduled date of June 7 unfeasible. The federal budget has to be presented in parliament immediately after its formal approval by the federal cabinet, led by the prime minister...

Source: Dawnnews

were no other available flights to New York that evening, they were allowed to reboard the plane, according to the lawsuit filed by Public Citizen, a consumer-advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader. ”If American Airlines received a complaint about a Black male passenger with offensive body odour but could not verify the complaint, the solution should not have been to eject eight separate Black men from the plane,”

Source:https:ctvnews.ca/

Israel says war on Gaza likely to last another seven months

National security adviser says he expects another ‘seven months of fighting’ as Israel expands Rafah offensive.

Israel’s national security adviser says the continuing war on Gaza is likely to last through the end of the year.

In an interview with Israel’s Kan public broadcaster on Wednesday, Tzachi Hanegbi said “we are expecting another seven months of fighting” to destroy the military and governing capabilities of Hamas and the smaller Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group. His

The Coalition Government cannot carry out as much development as it would like because of debts it’s paying off, says Rural and Maritime Development Minister Sakiasi Ditoka. However, despite this, Mr Ditoka says there is still development going on around Fiji. “I believe communities around Fiji can be a witness to this,” he said during a recent trip to Vanua Levu. Mr Ditoka said there was a need for the Government to extend its reach to rural dwellers. “We are committed to ensuring that every citizen, especially those in our rural and maritime communities, have access to proper infrastructure,” he said. As a minister, Mr Ditoka said it was his duty to ensure the villagers do so.“This is why you voted us into Government.”Mr

remarks came as Israel finds itself increasingly isolated on the world stage nearly eight months into the assault, with even the United States and other close allies expressing outrage over the civilian death toll.

Hanegbi defended Israel’s ongoing operations in Rafah, on Gaza’s border with Egypt, saying the frontier had become a “smuggling kingdom” since 2007, when Hamas began governing Gaza. “Every rocket, every explosive device, every shot fired at Israel is because that border was breached,” he said. Later on Wednesday, an Israeli military spokesman said the army had gained “operational control” over the narrow Philadeplhi Corridor, a buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza that was created as part of the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.

“In recent days, our forces have taken operational control of the Philadelphi Corridor,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a televised address.

Source:aljazeera.com/

the same as those living in rural settings,” he said. In the next financial year, the minister said they would continue to ensure that people have proper access to safe drinking water and good roads.

Source:fijitimes.com.fj/

Ditoka said having talanoa sessions with villagers was important to understanding their needs. “How we perceive things in Suva may not be

CURRENT A FFAIR

Ebrahim Raisi: What we know about deadly Iran helicopter crash

President Ebrahim Raisi (3rd L) was in north-western Iran for the inauguration of a dam, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (2nd R), East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati (2nd L) and Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem (5th R)

President Ebrahim Raisi and seven other people were killed on Sunday when the helicopter they were travelling in came down near the border with Azerbaijan, Iranian authorities have confirmed.

This is what we know so far about the crash. Why was the president flying in a helicopter?

Raisi flew to the far north-western province of East Azerbaijan on Sunday morning for the inauguration of the Qiz Qalasi and Khoda Afarin dams, a joint hydroelectric power project with neighbouring Azerbaijan on the Aras river. He was joined at the ceremony by Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, who said he had bid a “friendly farewell” before the helicopter departed the dam area and flew towards the city of Tabriz, about 130km (80 miles) to the south.

Raisi had been scheduled to inaugurate a project at the Tabriz oil refinery. Who else was on board the aircraft?

There were seven people accompanying the president who also died in the crash, according to the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami.

They included Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, as well as the governor of East Azerbaijan province, Malek Rahmati, and Tabriz’s Friday prayer leader, Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, a senior Shia cleric who was also Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s official representative in East Azerbaijan.

Gen Salami identified the others as IRGC Brig-Gen Mohammad Mehdi Mousavi, the head of the president’s security team, pilots

Authorities

Col Mohsen Daryanush and Col Seyyed Taher Mostafavi, and technician Maj Behrouz Qadimi.

Where did the helicopter crash?

The incident occurred at around 13:30 local time (10:00 GMT) in a remote, mountainous area about 58km (36 miles) south of the QizQalasi Dam and 2km

south-west of the village of Uzi, according to Iranian officials and photographs published by state media.

But it was not until after 16:00 local time (12:45 GMT) that Iranian state TV reported that the helicopter carrying the president had experienced what it called a “hard landing” while flying to Tabriz in heavy fog and rain.

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi later confirmed that the president’s delegation had been travelling in a convoy of three helicopters and that his aircraft was “forced to make a hard landing due to bad weather conditions and fog in the area”.

He said multiple rescue teams were heading to the area but that fog, snow and rain and the local terrain were hampering the search operation.

As for the other two helicopters that were flying alongside the president’s helicopter, they had initiated a search for 15 to 20 minutes after communication was lost. They were then forced to make emergency landings, an official told state TV as the operation continued into the night.

Vice President for Executive Affairs Mohsen Mansouri also said contacts had been made with two people on the president’s helicopter - a flight crew member and one other individual.

“This indicates that the severity of the incident was not very high, as two of the individuals inside the helicopter managed to communicate with our team multiple times,” he added, without providing further details. However, any hopes that Raisi and his entourage had survived were dashed after daybreak on Monday.

What was found at the scene?

At about 05:00 (01:30 GMT), rescuers spotted the wreckage from a distance from about 2km (1.2 miles) and then took about an hour to reach it, according to the head of the

Iranian Red Crescent, Pirhossein Kolivand.

Once at the crash site, which was at an altitude of around 2,200m (7,200ft), they found “no signs of life”, Mr Kolivand told state TV. State TV also broadcast grainy footage of the crash site on a mountainside, as seen from across a valley. It appeared to show the blueand-white tail of a helicopter next to a number of burnt shrubs.

Later, after the death of President Raisi and the others on board had been announced, state TV broadcast footage showing a correspondent standing in front of the tail and what appeared to be other parts of the wreckage.

State news agency Irna also posted video showing rescuers carrying a body wrapped in a blanket in a stretcher.

The bodies were recovered and transferred to a cemetery in Tabriz, state TV said.

The head of Iran’s crisis management agency, Mohammad Nami, told the semi-official Tasnim news agency that all of the bodies were identifiable, with “no need for DNA examinations”.

He also said Ayatollah Al-e Hashem was alive for an hour after the crash and that he made contact with the head of the president’s office before he died.

What was the cause of the crash?

Iranian authorities have so far not given a cause.

However, government ministers have described how the helicopter crashed after getting into difficulties in heavy fog and rain.

What do we know about the helicopter?

State media identified it as Bell 212, a model which was developed by a US company for the Canadian military in the 1960s.

Iran’s navy and air force have a total of 10, according to FlightGlobal’s 2024 World Air Forces directory, but it is unclear how many the Iranian government operates.

State-run IRNA news agency says the helicopter carrying the president could carry six passengers and two crew.

According to the Flight Safety Foundation, the last fatal incident in Iran involving a Bell 212 before Sunday happened during a medical evacuation in April 2018.

What has been the reaction in Iran?

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - who has ultimate authority in the Islamic Republic - expressed his condolences over what he called the “bitter tragedy” and declared five days of public mourning.

“With deep sorrow and regret, I have received the bitter news of the martyrdom of

the people’s president, the competent, hardworking Hajj Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi, and his esteemed entourage,” he said.

A statement issued by Iran’s cabinet said the president had “made the ultimate sacrifice on the path of serving his nation”.

Ministers also promised Iranians that they would follow Raisi’s path and there would “be no problem with management of the country”.

Raisi’s moderate rival and predecessor, Hassan Rouhani, expressed his condolences and said “a bitter page has turned in the Islamic Revolution’s book”.

Former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told state TV that the US was indirectly to blame for the crash because it had maintained years of sanctions that prevented Iran from buying new aircraft.

Who has succeeded Raisi as president? Ayatollah Khamenei confirmed that VicePresident Mohammad Mokhber had been appointed acting president, in line with Article 131 of Iran’s constitution.

The constitution states that the acting president will then jointly with the heads of parliament and the judiciary oversee an election for a new president within a maximum of 50 days.

Iran’s veteran nuclear negotiator and deputy foreign minister, Ali Baqeri Kani, was also named as the acting foreign minister, a government spokesman said.

He can serve in the post for a maximum of three months before a permanent replacement must be nominated and approved by parliament. Source:bbc.com

arrest man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’

WASHINGTON - An international law enforcement team

national and disrupted a major botnet that officials said he ran for nearly a decade, amassing at least US$99 million in profits by reselling access to criminals who used it for identity theft, child exploitation, and financial fraud, including pandemic relief scams.

The U.S. Department of Justice quoted FBI Director Christopher Wray as saying Wednesday that the “911 S5” botnet -- a network of malware-infected computers in nearly 200 countries -- was likely the world’s largest. Justice said in a news release

that Yunhe Wang, 35, was arrested May 24. Wang was arrested in Singapore, and search warrants were executed there and in Thailand, the FBI’s deputy assistant director for cyber operations, Brett Leatherman, said in a LinkedIn post. Authorities also seized $29 million in cryptocurrency, Leatherman said. Cybercriminals used Wang’s network of zombie residential computers to steal “billions of dollars from financial institutions, credit card issuers and accountholders, and federal lending programs since 2014,” ac-

cording to an indictment filed in Texas’ eastern district.

The administrator, Wang, sold access to the 19 million Windows computers he hijacked -- more than 613,000 in the United States -to criminals who “used that access to commit a staggering array of crimes that victimized children, threatened people’s safety and defrauded financial institutions and federal lending programs,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in announcing the takedown... Source:ctvnews.ca/

The trustee appointed to manage the bankruptcies of a Victoria mortgage company and its owner has concluded that they committed “numerous offences” and operated as a “massive Ponzi scheme.”

PricewaterhouseCoopers shared these conclusions in a document(opens in a new tab) submitted to the B.C. Supreme Court and the federal Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy this week. The document, known as

a “Section 170 Report,” details the trustee’s reasons for opposing the discharge of Greg Martel from bankruptcy. It also indicates that more than 930 creditors have come forward to claim Martel and his company My Mortgage Auction Corp. owe them a total of more than $317 million.

Martel operated MMAC under the name “Shop Your Own Mortgage.” Last year, he and the company be-

came the subject of multiple lawsuits from parties claiming millions of dollars owed to them. MMAC was placed in receivership last May, and PwC was appointed its bankruptcy trustee in June. An MMAC investor obtained a bankruptcy order against Martel on Aug. 31, 2023, and PwC was appointed trustee of the personal bankruptcy as well.Martel’s personal bankruptcy stems from the fact that he personally guaranteed investments and loans

made to MMAC. While bankrupt individuals are often eligible for automatic discharge from bankruptcy after nine months, PwC filed its report to oppose discharge in Martel’s case. According to PwC’s report, Martel has failed to perform “specific duties” required of him as part of the bankruptcy proceeding, including turning over documents and property and communicating with the trustee.

Source:bc.ctvnews.ca/

has arrested a Chinese

Common Sense Conservatives Introduce Safe Hospitals Act

.Ottawa, ON – Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Chief Opposition Whip and Conservative Member of Parliament for South SurreyWhite Rock, introduced Bill C-391, The Safe Hospitals Act:

Bill C-391 will keep doctors, nurses, and patients safe by toughening penalties for criminals who bring dangerous weapons into hospitals. It will also ban Health Ministers from allowing open, unsupervised and unprescribed hard drug use in hospitals.

“After nine years of this radical NDP-Liberal government, Canadians no longer feel safe in our hospitals. Doctors and nurses in

British Columbia are being exposed to fentanyl smoke in their workplace, and patients are concerned about the presence of dangerous weapons while they receive treatment,” said Findlay. “Before Justin Trudeau, hospitals were sanctuaries of care and safety.

His reckless hard drug legalization experiment, coupled with the Liberals’ reckless catch-and-release legislation, have wreaked havoc on our hospitals and put our healthcare workers and patients in danger.”

Under Justin Trudeau’s watch, violence against first responders and healthcare workers continues to increase.

The British Columbia Nurses Union has confirmed that nurses are being exposed to fentanyl and meth smoke in their workplace, and a leaked memo from British Columbia’s Northern Health has revealed instructions that nurses are not to confiscate weapons under 4” long. Bill C-391 is aimed at addressing these growing and serious threats to safety in our hospitals.

“Justin Trudeau’s wacko drug legalization experiment has been a demonstrable failure. There is no sensible reason to permit dangerous weapons in our hospitals, putting sick patients and healthcare staff in harm’s

way,” said Findlay. “Only Common Sense Conservatives will stop the crime, end the chaos and ensure that doctors, nurses and patients are always protected in our hospitals.”

House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster

but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament. By a vote of 168 to 142 – with the Liberals, New Democrats, and Greens backing him by voting “nay” and the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois voting “yea” for him to go – Fergus held on to his role as the esteemed arbiter of House business despite renewed concern over his “alleged lack of impartiality.”

The vote was on a motion asking for the House(opens in a new tab) to state the Speaker’s “ongoing and repetitive partisan conduct outside of the Chamber is a be-

trayal of the traditions and expectations of his office and a breach of trust required to discharge his duties and responsibilities, all of which this House judges to be a serious contempt.” Had the motion passed, Fergus would have been forced to vacate the office by next Monday, giving way for the third election of a House of Commons Speaker since the last election.

Fergus, who seven months into his tenure as MPs’ adjudicator has been no stranger to controversy and accusations of inappropriate partisan conduct, faced the fresh calls to resign after language attacking Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was used to pro-

mote an upcoming event in his riding.

The posting for “a summer evening with the honourable Greg Fergus” was quickly pulled by the party and replaced with a version promising a “fun-filled summer kickoff BBQ,” as Fergus’ office has said was initially intended, after what the Liberal Party of Canada called a “miscommunication” that it later apologized for.

While the Speaker’s office said the event was cleared by the Clerk of the House of Commons, it hasn’t quelled concerns from some MPs that Fergus is failing to live up to his duty to remain a fair arbiter in the chamber. Source: ctvnews.ca/

Suspended Vancouver lawyer ordered to pay neighbour $30K for time spent dealing with pseudo-legal lawsuit

Naomi Arbabi ordered to pay special costs to neighbour for ‘frivolous and vexatious’ claim. A suspended Vancouver lawyer who lost a “frivolous” lawsuit against her neighbour over a glass deck divider has been ordered to pay the woman nearly $30,000 in costs, likely ending a case that legal experts had described as highly unusual.

Naomi Arbabi had claimed trespass against her neighbour, Colleen McLelland. McLelland declined an interview, but her lawyer spoke to CBC News on Tuesday.

“She’s feeling both pleased and somewhat vindicated by the fact that she obtained a reasonable amount of compensation for be-

ing dragged through the proceedings she was dragged through,” said Greg Palm, managing partner at Hamilton Duncan Law Corporation.

One expert on pseudo-legal arguments described the case as “magical gibberish,” while another said it was “extraordinarily rare” to see such a claim from a practising lawyer. The judge who dismissed the case said it bore the hallmarks of claims made by OPCA [Organized Pseudolegal Commercial Arguments] litigants” — legal theories favoured by fringe groups like Sovereign Citizens and Freemen on the Land. Settlement offer for $14k

In her original claim filed in October, Arbabi accused McLelland of trespassing upon her by obstructing her mountain view when the strata of their Fairview condo building installed a 1.7-metre-high opaque glass privacy divider on McLelland’s rooftop deck.

A judge dismissed the case in January and ordered Arbabi to pay special costs — money “generally awarded as a punishment for conduct that the court determines to be reprehensi-

Source:

Mortgage debt is growing at its slowest pace in 23 years — but that could be short-lived, says CMHC

costs and reservations related to the Bank of Canada’s key interest rate — but the slowdown likely won’t last, according to Canada’s housing agency.

Canadian mortgage debt totalled $2.16 trillion that month, up 3.4 per cent from the same period last year — a historically low growth rate, according to a report from Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). High interest rates and uncertainty over the central bank’s plan to lower its key interest rate led to fewer home sales and softer prices across many regions.

Tu Nguyen, an economist with RSM Canada, says it’s not surprising that housing market activity has slowed down.

“Households are really being squeezed by high inflation and high interest rates. It’s also a waiting game, as prospective homebuyers are waiting on the sideline for the Bank of Canada to cut rates,” she told CBC News. However, she agrees with the agency’s expectation that the slowdown in mortgage growth could be short-lived, with higher home sales and prices forecast in the coming years.“Once the Bank of Canada begins cutting rates, which is as early as next week, we will see mortgages growing again,” she said. The Bank of Canada’s next interest rate announcement is on June 5. According to the CMHC’s report, that anticipated decline in mortgage rates, along with population

City council greenlights major redevelopment of Richmond Night Market site

The redevelopment of the Richmond Night Market site into a massive entertainment district has been unanimously approved by city council. The 3.4-million-square-foot space will be solely used for commercial uses, including hotels, office spaces, entertainment, retail and restaurants. Richmond city council says they believe the 12-storey development will produce large economic growth for the city and boost tourism. The project will also include over 10 acres of public parks, including a riverfront promenade. “To see the transformation plans they have and the amenities including green space and its accessibility to transit and the

community and region, we are pretty excited,” said Nancy Small, CEO of Tourism Richmond. Small adds the development is “groundbreaking” for the city and will attract many tourists to the area.

The location, known as Duck Island, is minutes from the Vancouver International Airport and central to two Canada Line stations.

The site is currently home to the Richmond Night Market. The night market first moved to Duck Island in 2012 and its lease on the site expires in 2026.

“There is going to be ample space … for the night market to happen as it is now,” said Richmond Coun. Michael Wolfe. “During

the three phases, it will occur outdoors as we are familiar with now.”

Wolfe adds that in the long term, the market will likely move indoors, with some outdoor areas, but that won’t happen for 10 to 15 years, when the construction is complete.

“The developers are working very closely with the market organizers and they have submitted a letter of proposal for the project,” he said. Wolfe compares the development to when Vancouver International Airport was built in the city. He says it will have the same economic benefits and tourism growth for Richmond.

Developers Jignon International purchased

growth and increases in disposable income after tax and inflation, will likely fuel the turnaround.

“In a context where debt levels have never been so elevated and households are showing increasing warning signs of financial struggle, household debt vulnerability is becoming a primary area of concern,” said CMHC deputy chief economist Tania Bourassa-Ochoa in a news release.

“As homeowners find it more difficult to manage their monthly budgets, policymakers and the financial sector are on high alert when considering risks to the financial industry and the economy.”

Source:cbc.ca/news

the

Source:bc.ctvnews.ca/

ble,” Palm said. The only issue left to sort out was the amount Arbabi needed to pay.

cbc.ca/news/

Higher home sales and prices forecast in the coming years.

Mortgage debt grew at its slowest pace in 23 years in February, amid high borrowing

site back in 2011. They have since partnered with Middle-Eastern developer Cayan Group, and they have together formed Cayan Pacific Management as co-developers of the Duck Island project.

Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday,

The increase in e-cigarette use, particularly among young people, is a dangerous trend with real health risks. For many reasons, e-cigarettes should not be promoted as a safe alternative to smoking. While fewer people are smoking or starting to smoke than ever before, many are using other forms of tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems. The increase in e-cigarette use (also called vaping) by kids and young people in recent years is a serious public health threat.

The battery-operated devices come in many forms and can look like conventional cigarettes, pens or even sleek tech gadgets. Users inhale and exhale a vapor-like aerosol. This way of taking in nicotine poses health risks to both users and non-users. Many downsides and few potential upsides E-cigarette promoters claim the devices can help people quit smoking. But much more evidence is needed to determine if they are an effective way to quit. Research suggests that users are more likely to continue smok-

Continued from Pg 1

weapons.Speaking at a seminar held at the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS) to commemorate Youm-i-Takbeer, the anniversary of the 1998 nuclear tests, Gen Kidwai, who has served as the director general of Strategic Plans Division (SPD), said: “Pakistan does not have a No First Use policy, and I’ll repeat that for emphasis. Pa-

Is Vaping Better Than Smoking?

ing along with vaping, which is referred to as “dual use.”

The American Heart Association recommends proven methods to successfully quit smoking. Many people think vaping is less harmful than smoking. While it’s true that e-cigarette aerosol doesn’t include all the contaminants in tobacco smoke, it still isn’t safe. Here are just a few of the reasons why: Most e-cigarettes deliver nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm the developing brains of teens, kids and fetuses in women who vape while pregnant. Some types expose users to even more nicotine than traditional cigarettes.

In addition to nicotine, e-cigarette vapor includes potentially harmful substances such as diacetyl (a chemical linked to a serious lung disease), cancer-causing chemicals, volatile organic compounds and heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead. Users breathe in these toxic contaminants, and non-users nearby risk secondhand exposure. The liquid used in e-cigarettes can be dangerous, even apart from its intended use. Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing or absorbing the liquid through their skin or eyes.s E-cigarettes have been linked to thousands of cases of serious lung injury, some resulting in death. While the exact cause is still not confirmed, the CDC recommends that people not use e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes’ biggest threat to public health may be this: The increasing popularity of vaping may “re-normalize” smoking, which has declined for years. Reversing the hardwon gains in the global effort to curb smoking would be catastrophic. Smoking is still the leading preventable cause of death and is responsible for over 480,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.

A threat to kids and young people

Tobacco companies want to hook a new generation on nicotine and smoking. They spent more than $8.2 billion on aggressive marketing in 2019 alone. That’s more than $22 million each day and almost $1 million every hour!

Nearly 76% of middle and high school students — that’s 3 out of 4 kids — were exposed to tobacco product advertising in 2021. And about 74% of students had seen e-cigarette-related posts and content through social media.

E-cigarettes are the most common form of tobacco use by kids and teens. Over 2.1 million youth are currently using e-cigarettes, with a decline in use by high school students in the U.S. in 2022-2023.

Many young people say they’ve tried ecigarettes in part because of the appealing flavors. Among youth currently using e-cigarettes, almost 9 out of 10 use flavored ones. More effort and research are needed

The U.S. Surgeon General called e-cigarette

‘Pakistan doesn’t have No First Use

kistan does not have a No First Use policy.” Islamabad has traditionally maintained ambiguity regarding the NFU policy due to New Delhi’s declared stance on the same, though Pakistani strategists were always sceptical, viewing India’s policy as more rhetorical than genuine. The scepticism to-

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policy’

wards Indian intentions stems from ambiguities in India’s NFU doctrine. This policy includes provisions that permitted nuclear strikes against nuclear-armed states or their allies under perceived threats. Such exceptions implied a willingness to pre-emptively use nuclear weapons in specific scenarios,

use among young people a “public health concern.” The American Heart Association shares that view. That’s why we advocate for stronger regulations that: Include e-cigarettes in smokefree laws.

Regulate and tax e-cigarettes in the same way as all other tobacco products. Remove all flavors, including menthol, which make these products more appealing to kids and young adults.

Enforce the federal law that raised the minimum age for sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years. The AHA supports maintaining the Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory authority over e-cigarettes along with other tobacco products.

What’s the bottom line?

Kids, young adults and pregnant women should not use or be exposed to e-cigarettes. People trying to quit smoking or using tobacco products should try proven tobacco cessation therapies before considering using e-cigarettes, which have not been proven an effective method. People who do not currently smoke or use tobacco products should not use e-cigarettes.

The long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are not well understood yet. But the science clearly indicates vaping is not a safe or healthy alternative to smoking. We’ll continue to support research into the health consequences of this and other tobacco product trends that aim to appeal to a new generation of users.Source: heart.org/en/healthy

undermining the fundamental principle of NFU. Recently, there has been a noticeable shift in India’s nuclear policy from a traditional NFU stance towards a more assertive nuclear posture. This internal debate in India regarding the revision of its NFU policy has compelled Pakistan’s military leadership to implement countermeasures, aiming to diminish any ‘perceived incentive’... Source: dawn.com/news

By: Asma Ayyaz

Eating healthy, nutritious food doesn’t have to be expensive.

When we think about healthy food, it’s easy to imagine that it has to be expensive and that we can’t maintain healthy eating on a budget. Well, that’s not exactly true – so we’ve shared our favourite tips to help you shop smarter and eat smarter.

It’s all about the planning Plan meals before you shop and write a shopping list! We’re less likely to be tempted into buying unnecessary items and it helps us cut down on waste and save money. Also, remember to check the foods you already have at home and use them in your meal planning.

Look for special offers

Eating well on an budget

We have so many choices nowadays for which supermarkets to use so use them all! Stock up on long-shelf-life products like dried pasta, rice, noodles, canned vegetables, and cereals when they are on offer. You may also find foods reduced in the supermarket later in the day (usually labelled with a yellow sticker). These foods are close to their sell-by date, but you can still put them in the freezer to defrost at a later date.

Is it really good value?

It can be hard to compare the prices of foods in different pack sizes to work out if the food on offer is good value. You can sometimes find the cost per 100g or 100ml in small print on the shelf label that will help you quickly check – use your phone’s calculator to help. Remember, sometimes the shelf label may not be updated to reflect special offers or promotions.

Try supermarket own-brand or value-brand products

Generally, these will be cheaper

than branded products, but if you prefer branded products and they can be stored in a cupboard or freezer, try to stock up on these when they are on offer. Also, consider local, independent sellers in your area like greengrocers, butchers, markets, and fishmongers, where you may find some foods cheaper and you can buy the exact amount you need. Specialist food shops like Asian stores can have spices and chillies at a good value. Don’t forget, you can also grow your own herbs with very little space – like on a windowsill! Make your meat go further – add beans and vegetables to dishes Try adding chickpeas to a chicken curry, lentils to a meat-based pasta sauce, or tofu to a stir fry. A whole chicken can be good value, especially if you use it for more than one meal. There are many ways you can use up your leftovers. Frozen meat tends to be cheaper if you have storage space in your freezer. The government advises us to keep the amount of red and processed

meat we eat to no more than 500g (cooked weight) per week as eating a lot of these can increase our risk of bowel cancer.

Choose canned oily fish in oil or water

Canned fish like sardines and tuna is normally cheaper than buying fresh fish, it’s easy to prepare and has a long shelf-life. Canned oily fish, such as mackerel, sardines or salmon, is high in omega-3 fats, which can help to keep the heart healthy and is a source of vitamin D, an important nutrient for our bones and muscles. Frozen fish is also a good value choice and can be used in many dishes including fish pie. If there are special offers on fresh fish, you could also take advantage of these and freeze any for a later date.

Check the frozen and canned fruit and vegetable section

Frozen vegetables tend to be cheaper than fresh, and they still count towards your 5 A DAY. Freezing preserves nutrients, so some frozen vegetables can even give you more of certain nutrients than

fresh versions. Using frozen fruit and vegetables also can help you reduce food waste as you can use the exact amount you want when you want it, avoiding wasting fruit and vegetables that are past their best. Canned fruit and vegetables are also good choices but watch out for canned fruits and vegetables that have added sugar (syrup) or salt and opt for those in fruit juice or water instead.

Cook smart

There are changes we can make when cooking to reduce energy costs. For example, cooking in bulk, keeping the lid on pots when boiling food and cooking several dishes at once and then keeping them in the fridge or freezer.

Email: asmashums@gmail.com

B.C. had 126 children and youth deaths from toxic drugs in five years: report

The report says fentanyl or related drugs were detected in 83 per cent of the deaths, either alone or in combination with other substances.

VICTORIA — A report from the BC Coroners Service says 126 children and youth younger than 19 died from toxic drugs between 2019 and 2023. That makes unregulated drug toxicity the leading cause of un-

By: Farkhanda Shamim,

Miracle’s new contributor from Pakistan

Sofia loaded the tray with a variety of fruits and other edibles and arranged them all swiftly with an admirable skill. Though highly educated, she was equally well trained in household life which she enjoyed and relished with her husband and children. She exited the cooking area and was about to step into the dining hall to serve it to the guest, an old acquaintance of her motherin-law visiting from the old neighborhood, when she heard her mother in law’s grim voice. “ She needs to go now. Twelve years of marriage and what have we got, three girls. Just weak and sniffling girls. That’s what she gave to my son. No male heir, no, sir. So she must go. My son will marry again. We got a family lineage to think of.”

Like melted fire, the words struck the ears and heart of Sofia, burning them inside out, turning her mind and soul into charred remains. Her mother-in-law was too deep in the conversation to notice her grief stricken face turning pale and dead but her old acquaintance did notice how those damning words had transformed the whole persona of the young daughter-in-law into a ghost already disappearing into the fog of unappreciated, unwanted nothingness and non-existence as if she was no more than a passing traveler who was stepping away and away with every beat, already vanishing into the darkening gloom far way behind the pines, hills and mountains. Yes, dear readers, a house of peace and harmony was about to be struck with lightning. A loving family was about to come face to face with the tornado of social destruction.

It’s a common happening, seen and heard as a normal routine but can its common occurrence validates its existence. As an educated and responsible social members, should we not take notice of such matters and turn to certain measures to end these atrocities.

natural death for the age group over those five years. The report says fentanyl or related drugs were detected in 83 per cent of the deaths, either alone or in combination with other substances. It says about two-thirds of those who died were receiving services offered through the Ministry of Children and Family Development, or had previously received them.

Murderers at large! ...... Who will stop them?

Dear readers, have we not heard the voice of Lord, “Whoever kills a person—unless it is for murder or corruption on earth—it is as if he killed the whole of mankind.” (Surah Maida: 32)

Can we in our clear conscience believe that the above verse refer merely to the physical extermination?

Does it not include the psychological, mental, emotional murder? Doesn’t it expound the murder of minds, hearts, and emotions? Doesn’t it talk about the murder of a happy family ties? Doesn’t it include the murder of the joys of the young children who would ultimately be the victim of a broken family?

Can we not have proper solutions to such matters that are based on justice and safety for all the parties included?

The situation is more tragic in South Eastern countries where such acts of murders are validated and condoned by certain belief systems. People may pretend to mind but only on superficial level. Deep down, they accept those ideas, actions, and decisions as a necessary consequence unless of course it is their own coffee table whereby the bomb ultimately blasts. Oh yes! Only then they scream against injustice and tyranny. Sadly, only a few brave souls have their conscience intact. Those who dare to uphold the values of truth, equality and justice. But societies can thrive only on collective strive so we all need to see the act of murder in multi-facet dimensions. A murder can be physical annihilation or a spiritual extermination, a mental demolition, or emotional destruction. Though a physical extinction remains the ultimate departure from this world to the other, the spiritual, mental, emotional and psychological health hazards or gradual deaths should be as grave a matter of concern as the physical death itself. A society full of ghosts who are hurt, broken and damaged can not add to the quality or

productivity of the nation.

But we have to rise above the social concern. Our foremost goal should be to pay a close mind to the respect and value that each individual self carry. We all remember the story of Adam (AS). Allah SWT had ordered His elite angels to prostrate before Adam(AS) to show the importance of a human existence. What does it show? It shows how much a human existence values to the Creator. How much respect and love it holds for the Maker. Then how dare we humans disregard the matter of such high magnitude. We care nothing whilst tearing down the emotional safe house of others. We fear no one while douching the emotional retreat of others with gasoline and igniting it with fire sticks with no care in the world. ‘You’re dark.’

‘You’re poor’ ‘You’re ugly.’ ‘You own nothing.’

‘Your family is....’ ‘Your grades are....’ Your country, society, traditions, norms are...’

These are just words but how those words are employed as blades to cut the life vein by which the life seeps out not with one clean blow but gradually and slowly get tormented, keep getting tortured finding no exit from this high walled fort of existence.

Yes, dear readers, death comes in all shapes, colors and sizes. Sometimes it’s us or other common folk who drag the innocent to the hangman’s noose, declaring punishment for the undone crimes. In fact, they are not even crimes. In many cases, they are just nature’s natural course. Not having children, having only baby girls, being not able to reach a certain educational or marital goal. Bearing not the beauty or economic standards of this so called society. Encountering the trials and tribulations in form of the unforeseen events or accidents. There is no end to this. Ridiculing, insulting, belittling, bullying all are different forms of a same heinous crime, ‘Murder.’ To commit such murders from personal

About 60 per cent of those who died were aged 17 or 18, while just over half of those who died were females, in contrast to the general population where about eight in every 10 people killed by toxic drugs is male. Since B.C. declared a public-health emergency in April 2016, at least 14,400 people in the province have died from toxic drugs.

Source: nationalpost.com/

appearance to ancestry, origin, language, personal weakness to social standing and economic growth the real hard core murderers will find something to weaponize the word swords against you attacking and murdering you mercilessly.

So yes, there are so many murderers in and around our lives in guise of humans, and relations, so many of them. The narcissist, psychopaths, sociopaths, sadist all the humanity haters whose hearts are filled with the lava of hatred and anger and whose tongues were somewhere forged with hell fire that spew fire to their right and left whenever they open their mouths. Let us agree on one critical fact that such individuals and their likes are actually all murderers. These murderers are at large moving freely among us, killing the sense of positivity, productivity, smiles, joys, unity, brotherhood, family unity, association, friendship, even the very basic desire to thrive, grow and even live. Following are some very simple and logical steps we can pay mind to if we wish to maintain our status as a Muslim and by that l clearly mean the status of a respectful and dutiful human being.

For to be a Muslim we have to bear the traits of humanity, that is how Islam had initiated its existence.

Look closely and you will find that Islam and humanity are interchangeable.

To be a human actually refer to be a

BUSINESS COMMUNITY

What to do for new immigrants to start Insurance business? Syed Asif Iqbal

Miracle Media occasionally publishes their advertisers and active Community member’s interviews in their editions. Today we have a chance to get information on the Insurance business (Auto, Home, Commercial, Group, and many types of Health insurance.

For this my visit to Syed Asif Iqbal’s (InsuranceAdvisor)officeinSurrey.

The Miracle (TM): First, I want to congratulate you on your office, now let’s start with your profile, from where you qualified and where you went after you left Pakistan Syed Asif Iqbal (Syed): Welcome to Mr. Pirzada to visit my office, as per your first attack question regarding my profile, my first journey was to Dubai from Pakistan. I went there in 2006, I worked for the insurance company, and stayed in Dubai until 2015.

(TM): You directly came to Vancouver, BC, have you faced difficulty getting into your professional field?

(Syed): Yes, and you know that whenever you come to Canada you are highly qualified for any Engineer, Doctor, Professor, etc but when you landed here you feel yourself zero because in this country you must go through as per their requirements and upgrade your qualifications and qualified for certain field degrees and licenses. In the beginning, I did a security job for a few months after that, I started my work as an insurance advisor and till that time I work in the insurance field.

(TM): Good, now let’s talk about Insurance, what is the difference between a title insurance broker, insurance agent, and you are an insurance advisor how are these titles related to each other?

(Syed): The Insurance Advisor is you can say a person is working individually as an insurance consultant with a license, and if you say the Insurance Broker, it means you establish your brokerage or your company, if you must get the permit in both scenar-

io Broker and Agent.

(TM):What types of common Insurances?

(Syed): There are two types of insurance, General and Life insurance. The general insurance covers auto, home, commercial, and travel insurance. Life insurance covers life, critical illness, and disability insurance.

(TM): To become an insurance agent, what to do, what is the time frame of these courses/ licenses, and what are the attractions for the new immigrant in this Insurance business?

(Syed): For licensing, you must get level 1 license 2, and level 3, level 1 is considerably basic once you get in then you can get the license, but you can work under the supervision of level 2. You can work individually after getting level 2 qualification. You need to pass level 3 exam and complete 5 years of working experience to qualify for level 3 designation. For the period, it depends on person to person, if you do it in a normal routine, it will take 1 to 2 years to complete all exams. If you have a level 2 license and experience of at least a year with knowledge of personal lines and commercial lines insurance, then you can find a good package in any insurance brokerage.

(TM): Would you like to tell us what type of Auto, Property, Commercial, Health, and Life insurance you are selling?

(Syed): Suppose for a new vehicle, if anyone buys a brand-new vehicle, then he needs a new vehicle replacement policy or gap insurance. I must sort out good options for my policyholder and regarding for the General insurance, I have many options for the Home, Condo, Commercial, and Business liability insurance policies.

(TM): Okay, now we talked about life insurance and visitor Insurance why it is essential for the visitor if some families are coming as visitor or some parents are coming on a super visa, what is the importance of this insurance to them?

(Syed): For the visitors, you must buy health insurance for them, because they do not have any MSP coverage, the new immigrants cannot get any MSP benefits in the first 90 days after arriving in Canada. In this scenario, you must pay the bills of your hospital or your doctor, even the government also recommends if anyone comes here on a visit or new immigrant, they must

buy travel/emergency medical insurance and the premium depends on the insured’s age, health conditions and duration of stay

(TM): What is your responsibility for selling any policy how you take care of your client?

(Syed): It depends on the client, whether he/she wants to buy all the coverage or not, but as an advisor it is my responsibility to recommend and explain in detail all the coverages and to ensure that they have enough coverage to protect their risk in case of any unexpected events.

(TM): The common man does not know about the liability of what is covered and what is not, so what are the major things covered in this liability insurance?

(Syed): Liability insurance typically covers legal costs and payouts if the Insured is found legally liable for claims of harm or wrongdoing against a third party, including injuries or property damage. Unlike other types of insurance, liability insurance pays third parties, not the insured.

(TM): As we know, If somebody hits his vehicle or someone hits him, then first he will call ICBC to register his/ her claim, in this case how you can help him/her as an insurance advisor?

(Syed): If someone calls me about the accident, then I guide them as per his/her purchased policy cover or not covered benefits.

(TM):If anyone has a condo, home, or any property and any miss happening by fire, short circuit or flood comes due to plumbing bursts or any theft, then what do you advise?

(Syed): So, I will recommend you buy a comprehensive policy that covers your fire and water damage also options to add earthquake damages. As a landlord, you must buy your rental property policy, but in case of any misshapen then the claim of your property is covered, but your tenant’s belongings and liability are not covered, in this scenario, you have to tell every tenant to get the Tenant insurance.

(TM): What you do in commercial insurance for commercial property and what is the difference between commercial and home property insurance? What is the main thing to secure if you are opening any business and talk about a group benefits plan?

(Syed): I do commercial insurance for businesses, for instance, if anyone starts a Daycare business from their home or does any business activity from home, then they should buy additional commercial liability insurance to protect in case of any event of loss. Regarding business insurance, recommended to cover business property, equip-

ment, stock and extremely important to get enough commercial general liability to protect in case of third-party claim. Regarding group benefits, it attracts to retains employees. Generally, the goal of the group benefits package is to help cover prescription drugs, dental expenses, paramedical expenses, and vision care that are not covered by MSP. It also a tax-deductible business expenses.

(TM):I know that you are very active in the Muslim Community and other communities too. Is it only due to your smiling face or you are a very good sponsor?

(Syed): I feel myself, so blessed and lucky that I got an exceptionally good Community here. You know when I started my business, everyone helped me a lot in my business and still supporting like Miracle. So, this is a time to pay back to the community and always support all the noble causes.

(TM): What did you feel in your past 8 to 9 years of experience over here, what is the setback in the kid’s education, community, and National politics level?

(Syed): Lack of bridges between each other and the community, we should connect our kids with the mosque. In politics, we should be united and helping hand for others, and should do volunteer work too.

(TM): In the end, have you any message for Miracle Media about its 23-year community-dedicated services through print media?

(Syed): I would like to congratulate you on reaching this impressive milestone. 23 years of dedicated journalism and community building is a remarkable achievement. May your next chapter be filled with even more existing stories. Insightful reporting and dedication to truth and integrity. Well, thank you for all you do.

(TM):Thanks for your time, Br, Syed Asif Iqbal

Muslim with only difference that being a Muslim we attribute our traits of humanity to Allah SWT professing His existence as one and only Lord whose guidance in all walks of life will be accepted and followed freely and consciously. Let us then remember dear readers that no one in the whole universe is more Merciful, loving and appreciating of His creation than the mighty Creator Himself. Just as He cares for every one of His creation, we need to be careful too.

1. Self analysis:

We need to constantly put our intentions, conversations and behaviour patterns under

Murderers at large! ...... Who will stop them?

the microscope of scrutiny. It should be done constantly, and as minutely as we analyze others. Finding faults with others is an easy game but self analysis that can unveil before our eyes our own moral degradation can be so much difficult but just as the patient needs to go under the surgeon’s knife so should our behaviour go under speculation and study.

2. The ‘Why’ stage?

Focus on the ‘Why’ stage. Why did l think in that way? Why did l act or react in a certain manner? Do l always do that or were there specific external circumstances compelling me to a particular direction?

3. Pinpointing the real issues:

A natural course of an honest self analysis and asking why questions should of course bear some productive results and that is detection of the serious issues in our thought and behaviour pattern. Now find the cause that triggers an impolite and fire-spewing speech and actions. There may be some abnormality in our mental make up or some past traumas and we need to find them faster to resolve the whole serious matter.

4. Love for your brother what you love for yourself.

We can consciously opt to act upon a uni-

versally accepted high parameter of action that is just and beautiful. Our dear Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad PBUH said, “None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

What a great thing to do. Say and do unto others what we like for ourselves. We don’t wish to be hurt, disrespected, dealt in or with injustice, tyranny and cruelly so we shouldn’t do it to others. Life is already full of challenges. Let us be a supporting member not the one belonging to the hell-fire as is mention in the Holy Quran, “Whoever has done an atom’s weight of good will see. And whoever has done an atom’s weight of evil will see.

During the 1990s, Pakistan prepared for possible testing. Project officials selected the Ras Koh Hills in the southwestern Baluchistan province as a test site. Engineers drilled test shafts deep into the ground in preparation. Pakistan also vastly improved its missile technology, developing the Ghauri medium-range bal-

Pakistani Nuclear Program -Nuclear Tests

listic missile, a derivate of the North Korean Nodong.

Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif faced enormous pressure to authorize nuclear tests after India conducted its own tests in May 1998. “We in Pakistan will maintain a balance with India in all fields,” said Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan, a proponent of testing. “We are in a headlong arms race on the subcontinent.” International leaders, however, called on Sharif not to respond to the Indian tests. The United States even offered a repeal of the Pressler Amendment and additional military aid should Pakistan refrain from testing.

n the end, however, Pakistani officials went ahead with preparations for the test—codenamed Chagai-I—when Sharif gave the order “Dhamaka kar dein” (conduct the explosion). A military escort flew the bomb parts to Ras Koh, where they were assembled and placed in the test shafts along with diagnostic cables. On May 28, 1998—less than three

weeks after India’s nuclear tests—Pakistan exploded its first devices at the Ras Koh test site. “Today, we have settled a score and have carried out five successful nuclear tests,” announced Sharif. With a total yield of 9 kilotons, however, there is some debate about how many bombs were actually tested (Reed and Stillman 257). Two days later, Pakistan conducted an additional test, Chagai-II.

Pakistan Today

Ghauri missiles on display in Karachi, 2008. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/SyedNaqui90Unlike India, Pakistan does not have a no first use doctrine regarding its nuclear arsenal. In the aftermath of the 1998 tests, Prime Minister Sharif affirmed that the Pakistani bomb was “in the interest of national self-defense…to deter aggression, whether nuclear or conventional.” In 2002, President Pervez Musharraf declared that Pakistan would “respond with full might” if attacked. After 9/11, the United States grew very concerned that political instability and

religious radicalism in Pakistan could give non-state actors such as the Taliban access to nuclear materials. With help from the West, the Pakistani government took steps to improve its nuclear security, although concerns remain today. The civilian National Command Authority (NCA) maintains command and control of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. As of 2016, the Nuclear Threat Initiative estimates the Pakistani arsenal at 100120 warheads, but with materials for more than 200. Source:ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah visits Supreme Court of Canada

Senior Puisne Justice of the Supreme court of Pakistan Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah called on the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Honorable Richard Wagner, here today in Ottawa. They held a landmark meeting to discuss judicial collaboration, enhance mutual understanding, and explore opportunities for sharing best practices between their respective judicial systems, and avenues for the strengthening of bilateral relations. This meeting marks a significant step towards fostering greater collaboration between the judicial branches of the two countries. Stéphanie Bachand, Executive

Legal Officer and Chief of Staff of Chambers of Chief Justice were also present on this occasion.

The Chief Justices underscored the importance of continuous judicial education and training. They agreed to initiate exchange programs for judges and judicial officers, aimed at sharing knowledge and expertise in areas such as case management, development of curriculum modules, digitalization of courts, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Both parties recognized the growing role of technology in the judiciary. They explored the potential for collaboration between the Federal Judicial Academy of Pakistan and National Judicial Institute of Canada in developing and implementing advanced judicial technologies, including electronic filing systems, virtual courtrooms, and AIdriven legal research tools.

Emphasizing the significance of judicial independence and ethics, the Chief Justices exchanged views on best practices for maintaining impartiality and integrity within their judicial systems. They agreed to organ-

ize joint seminars and workshops to further this cause.

These initiatives aim to build a deeper understanding of each other legal systems and foster goodwill between the two nations, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah further added while visiting the National Judicial Institute (NJI).

This meeting signifies a new chapter in our judicial relationship. By working together, we can enhance the efficiency and fairness of our judicial systems for the benefit of our citizens, said by the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Canada Mr. Zaheer A. Janjua.

The meetings concluded with both Chief Justices expressing optimism about the future of judicial collaboration between both the countries. They pledged to continue these dialogues and implement the initiatives discussed.

It is highlighted over here that these meet-

ings not only enhance bilateral judicial relations but also contribute to the global dialogue on justice and the rule of law. They provide a platform for mutual learning and the sharing of experiences, which can lead to improvements in the judicial systems of both countries involved.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah also held meetings with Honourable Andromache Karakatanis, Justice Karakatsanis Chamber and the Honourable Mahmud Jamal, Justice Jamal Chamber.

Sent by: Sayyidah Nighat Aamer Press Counsellor High Commission for Pakistan, Ottawa

Malik Riaz reacts to NAB raids at Bahria Town’s Rawalpindi office

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Bahria Town chairman Malik Riaz on Tuesday strongly reacted to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) raids at the Bahria Town’s Rawalpindi office.

In response to the raid, Malik Riaz, the owner of Bahria Town, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), declaring that he would not become an approver regardless of

the injustices he perceives.

It is pertinent to mention here that a 16-member National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team executed the raid at the corporate head office, with police cordoning off the entire area to facilitate the operation.

NAB officials stated that the raid aimed to obtain records related to the Al-Qadir Trust University. This follows the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) allocation of land for a zoo, which has become a point of investigation.

A report submitted to the Supreme Court revealed that Bahria Town Karachi has occupied 3,031 acres of land, significantly more than what was agreed upon. This report is part of an ongoing case concerning the recovery of Rs460 billion from Bahria Town Karachi, showing that the housing society holds more land than stipulated in the contract. Source: dawnnews.com

I will never become approver: Malik Riaz

Riaz claimed that the vandalism of NAB team caused damages of Rs5 million to Bahria Town buildings

Islamabad: Pakistan business tycoon Malik Riaz turned to social media website X and wrote: “Malik Riaz will never become the approver, do whatever oppression you want to do”. Malik Riaz called the raid of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team cruelty and injustice. He stated that NAB team took away cash, 23 computer systems and 500 important files with them, adding that nine employees of his housing society Bahria Town are also missing.

Riaz claimed that the vandalism of NAB team caused damages of Rs5 million to Bahria Town buildings. He also demanded the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and official authorities for the release of Bahria

IHC to take up ‘offloaded’ Bahria Town officials’ plea today

the government in a case that is expected to be taken up for hearing today (Thursday). The question was posed in connection with three separate petitions, filed by retired brigadiers Tahir Butt and Zafar Iqbal Shah, and

Manzoor Hussain Mughal before the IHC, with each being fixed for hearing before a separate bench. Butt is head of ‘Land Security’ for Bahria Town, Shah also looks after land-related matters, while Mughal holds the key position of chief surveyor for all real estate projects belonging to the controversial property developer, Malik Riaz. Both Bahria Town and Malik Riaz have been

in the headlines recently after the influential property tycoon made some uncharacteristic posts on social media, claiming that he was under pressure to take a political side. This was followed on Tuesday by a raid on the real estate firm’s Rawalpindi offices — ostensibly carried out by the National Accountability Bureau and local law enforcement. Source: dawnnews.com

Town staff. It is pertinent to note that NAB has started the investigation against irregularities in the housing society Bahria Town owned by Malik Riaz for which the team raided the Bahria Town office in Rawalpindi. According to sources, 16-member NAB team raided Bahria Town Corporate Office in Rawalpindi and Bahria Enclave and carried out search operations.

Malik said that he makes the public of Pakistan his judge. Sources said that the NAB team started probing land of Bahria Enclave Islamabad also. The irregularities in all lands of Bahria town will be probed. The raid was conducted to get the record of Al-Qadir Trust University.

Capital District Authority (CDA) had reserved the land for zoo. Malik Riaz is accused in 190 Million Pound scandal filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi.

Source: gnnhd.tv/news

ISLAMABAD: Why were three Bahria Town officials off-loaded from a Saudi Arabiabound flight? This is the question the Islamabad High Court has placed before

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