India's central bank has cut interest rates by 0.25% amid a spate of downgrades to growth following Donald Trump's tariff announcements.
cuts rates as Trump's tariffs put growth at risk Pakistani Canadian & 26/11 terror plotter extradited to India from US
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced repo rates from 6.25% to 6%, a second cut since February when rates were brought down after nearly five years.
The repo rate is the level at which the central bank lends to commercial banks, influencing borrowing costs.
The RBI also brought down its growth projections for this year from 6.7% to 6.5%. It said India's gross domestic product (GDP) will grow at 6.5% next year as well. Crucially, the RBI shifted its monetary policy stance to "accommodative" from "neutral", which means that the central bank would be more open to cutting rates in the future to stimulate a slowing economy.
"Concerns on trade frictions are coming true" and unsettling the global community, RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra said in his speech, adding that headwinds from disruptions to trade would continue to pose challenges for the economy.
Most economists who had previously expected only one more rate cut this year are now predicting more softening as Trump's tariff war puts growth in the world's fastest growing major economy at risk.
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After massive surge on Wednesday, stock markets fall as trade war continues
U.S. stocks were diving on Thursday, surrendering much of their historic gains from the day before, as President Donald Trump's trade war continues to confuse and threaten the economy — even if its temperature has cooled a bit. The S&P 500 was down 3.5 per cent at close, slicing into Wednesday's surge of 9.5 per cent following Trump's decision to pause many of his tariffs worldwide. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.5 per cent, and the Nasdaq composite sank 4.3 per cent. On the Canadian
market, the S&P/TSX composite index was down more than three per cent as markets closed.
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and brought back to India on Thursday via a special chartered plane by a joint team of investigators.
The 64-year-old Canadian national of Pakistani origin is alleged to have provided logistical support, including a visa through his Chicagobased immigration firm, to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley (also known as Daood Gilani) ahead of the 2008 attacks. According to officials, Rana conspired with operatives of designated terrorist organisations LeT and Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI), along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to execute the devastating attacks that killed 166 persons and injured over 238. Rana landed in Delhi around 2:50 pm, where he was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and underwent a medical examination at the airport.
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India and Canada plan to re-set relations under Carney
On March 16, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) chief Daniel Rogers was in New Delhi to attend a meeting of intelligence chiefs chaired by India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The meeting came amidst speculations that New Delhi is planning to restore its High Commissioner to Canada, with Dinesh Patnaik, currently India’s ambassador to Spain, reportedly being considered for this position. These developments come
as Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed interest in rebuilding ties with India — part of Ottawa’s bid to diversify its trade relationships with “like-minded countries.”
Meanwhile, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has also expressed interest in rebuilding ties with Canada based on “mutual trust and sensitivity.”
Both rhetoric and action are pointing toward a potential rapprochement.
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Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana was extradited from the US
Prime Minister Mark Carney is pausing his federal election campaign for a third time to tackle U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating global trade war.
Carney, who is campaigning as the Liberal Party leader but retains caretaker authorities as the current prime minister during a federal election, said he will return to Ottawa to convene a meeting of the cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations and national security officials on Friday.
This comes after Trump paused his so-called “reciprocal” tariffs for 90 days on dozens of countries facing rates higher than his 10 per cent baseline. Canada was not included in that list of countries to face “reciprocal” tariffs but does face three other sets of tariffs imposed over the last six weeks: 25 per cent general U.S. export tariffs on non-CUSMA compliant goods, 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum exports to the U.S. and 25
per cent auto sector tariffs.
Trump has said his pause, announced hours after his global tariff policy took effect at midnight Wednesday, will bring the tariff rate down to 10 per cent for all countries facing “reciprocal” tariffs except China, which as of Wednesday faces a staggering 125 per cent levy on all goods exported to the U.S. after retaliating further in the everevolving trade war.
A White House official told Global News on background Wednesday that Canada and Mexico remain exempt from the 10 per cent baseline for “reciprocal” tariffs. The White House has previously said the two countries will face a 12 per cent “reciprocal” tariff if the fentanyl-related tariffs are removed.
On Thursday, Carney said he has agreed to begin negotiations with Trump “immediately following the election” if his party forms government.
Federal Liberal Leader Mark Carney may have left B.C. after a two-day swing, including a stop in Richmond Monday night, but a poll released Tuesday points to solidifying strength in Canada's most western province not seen since the Trudeau-mania of the late 1960s.
The Research Co. poll shows the federal Liberals (44 per cent) leading the federal Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre by six points in B.C. Nationally, the federal Liberals are leading the Conservatives 44 per cent to 36 per cent.
"We have to go back to 1968 to have a level of support for the Liberals similar to what they have right now," Mario Canseco, president of Research Co., said. "In the first Trudeau-mania election, they got 42 per cent of the vote in B.C. They are at 44 per cent, so it's historic." Canseco added that the current support for the federal Liberals puts them ahead of their 2015 showing when they won 35 per cent of the popular vote and picked up seats in areas that had not voted for the federal Liberals in decades, such as Kelowna. "(The) explanation
is essentially the collapse of the NDP vote across the country and that includes British Columbia," Canseco said. "They are in the single digits everywhere."
Nationally, the federal New Democrats are polling at eight per cent, equal to their level of support in British Columbia. That means that New Democrats are on pace to win less than half of their popular vote (17 per cent) in 2021. Canseco said some New Democratic voters are going to the Conservatives. "But many of them are going to the Liberals and it raises the question about the viability of some long-term incumbents," he said. New Democrats held 24 seats at dissolution, with 12 of those in British Columbia, including five seats on Vancouver Island. A sixth New Democrat MP -- Randall Garrison -- retired before dissolution. Four incumbents (Lisa Marie Barron, Laurel Collins, Gord Johns and Alistair MacGregor) are running again in their Vancouver Island ridings, while Rachel Blaney won't be running in North Island-Powell River.
A new U.S. rule that will require foreign nationals, including Canadian snowbirds, visiting for 30 days or more to register is set to take effect Friday after a lawsuit aimed at stopping it was denied.
U.S. judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, denied the motion for a stay or preliminary injunction made in a lawsuit filed by the American Immigration Council in the District of Columbia.
“In sum, Plaintiffs are not likely to succeed on the merits of their claim because they have failed to demonstrate that they have a ‘substantial likelihood’ of standing,” McFadden wrote in his ruling.
The organization, joined by several other advocacy groups, had argued that the rule was “confusingly written and implementing it will cause chaos.”
The judge’s order effectively ensures the rule will take effect April 11 as scheduled.
The interim final rule was posted to the U.S. Federal Register last month and said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) were amending regulations
Metro Vancouver’s transit and transportation agency has revealed a plan to prevent major service cuts, at least until 2028.
TransLink is facing an annual $600 million operating deficit starting in 2026, which it has warned could lead to massive cuts in bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus service if not resolved.
On Thursday, it revealed a suite of fare and tax measures along with a three-year $312 million infusion of cash from the provincial government that will keep it from hitting the “fiscal cliff” — at least for now. “This proposed plan allows us to get back to what we do best, which is delivering transit services that Metro Vancouver residents want and expect,” TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn said in a media release.
“This investment plan proposal will not only fully fund TransLink services for two years, but will expand transit with the largest increase to
to “designate a new registration for aliens to comply with statutory alien registration and fingerprinting provisions.”
The rule notes that under current regulations, “Many Canadian nonimmigrants for business or pleasure are not issued a Form I-94 even though they have not been registered through the visa process.”
It goes on to say the unregistered population covered by this registration rule, estimated to be between 2.2 million and 3.2 million people, includes “Canadian visitors who entered the United States at land ports of entry and were not issued evidence of registration (eg. Form I-94).”
In its argument to the court in response to the lawsuit, the Trump administration said they were simply enforcing an already existing requirement for everyone in the country who wasn’t an American citizen to register with the government. Under the new rule, Canadians planning to cross the border for an extended stay of a month or more will have to register by filling out the new G-325R form if they fall under those not registered — a status that can be checked on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) I-94 website.
bus service since 2018,” added TransLink Mayors’ Council chair Kevin Quinn. The provincial funding is contingent on the TransLink board approving the funding plan. That plan includes a five per cent fare increase in July 2026, followed by two per cent annual increases, along with a $1.50 increase in the Vancouver airport surcharge. It also includes a 0.5 per cent 2025 property tax hike (estimated at about $20 per household) and a five per cent increase in off-street parking taxes. Advocacy group Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders said the plan took “political courage.” “Many are predicting a recession, which means people will be looking for ways to save money,” executive director Denis Agar said.
“Transportation is the second largest household expense after housing, and an investment in transit during a recession means more Metro Vancouverites have the option of saving money.”
BC cancels $1,000 grocery rebate and pauses hiring over Trump's tariff threats
The British Columbia government is cancelling a promised $1,000 grocery rebate and will freeze hiring of some public service positions to "find dollars" in its budget as it prepares for "four years of unpredictability" from the United States, Finance Minister Brenda Bailey says.
Bailey said Thursday that the impacts of the "reckless" and "destabilizing" tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump are impossible to predict.
The moves come as B.C.'s budget is set to be tabled on March 4, the same day a month-long pause on Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods is set to expire and just over a week before tariffs on all foreign aluminum and steel could also begin.
The province is already seeing economic effects, even though tariffs aren't in place yet, and it would be "wrong to underestimate" their potential impact, Bailey said in a news briefing. In the campaign for the October election, the governing NDP had promised the $1,000 grocery rebate to be delivered to all households this fiscal year ending March 31. Premier David Eby had touted the pledge as offering immediate relief, in contrast to Opposition B.C. Conservative tax-relief pledges that he said would not deliver until 2026.
protect education, that we protect social services, that we protect safety in our streets."
Peter Milobar, finance critic for the Opposition B.C. Conservatives, said the NDP government is looking for a scapegoat for its fiscal mismanagement.
"You only have to go back to the election where David Eby was routinely mocking what the B.C. Conservatives were saying in terms of bringing in slowly tax cuts and tax relief for British Columbians as we could afford it," Milobar told.
"Instead, he tried to make it sound like they had a plan to put money immediately in your pocket. The second the election was over, he was looking for ways to renege on those types of promises." Bailey said the hiring freeze affects the province's public service, which includes people who work within the government ministries and directly for the ministries.
Jobs like health-care workers, which are part of the broader public sector, as well as specific "core" public service jobs like correctional and social workers, would not be affected, she said.
Jagmeet Singh changes messaging less than 3 weeks before Canadians elect new Prime Minister
With the federal election less than three weeks away, it seems NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has changed his messaging.
When launching his campaign in March, Singh used the phrase “I’m running for Prime Minister.”
Now he’s asking Canadians to re-elect their NDP incumbents so they can hold whoever wins the election to account.
If a federal election were held today, just 11 per cent of the population would vote NDP, according to Abacus Data’s latest polling.
Hamish Telford, a professor of political science at the University of the Fraser Valley, tells 1130 NewsRadio that it’s about time Singh’s sights changed. “The only thing
that’s surprising is that he’s pivoted to this point now rather than got to that point at the beginning of the campaign, and I think he has to follow the playbook of the Ontario NDP in its election,” he says. Telford says the federal NDP got a lot done with just 25 MPs over the last four years. He says it would be better to campaign on that record rather than convince people they have a shot at forming government. He says it’s a do-or-die moment for the NDP leader, who is at risk of losing his own seat in Burnaby Central. “If this spells the end of his leadership of the federal NDP,” he said. “I would think that his future in elected politics is probably over.”
Bailey said she's disappointed the government can't keep its election promise on the rebate, but it would be a $2-billion expense when economic circumstances are incredibly difficult.
"This was a commitment that we very much wanted to make. We made it with the intention of doing it, but the world has changed," she said.
"It is our responsibility to make sure that we protect the core services for people in British Columbia, that we protect health care, that we
"It's our objective to find dollars that haven't perhaps landed exactly as we hoped they would. That's our first approach and most hopeful piece," she said.
"We'll also be looking at things like travel and consultancy costs and places where we might be able to find efficiencies across government."
Paul Finch, president of the B.C. General Employees' Union, said in an interview with The Canadian Press that the union was not told about the freeze ahead of time and has not seen the list of "core" jobs that will be protected.
Trump reverses course on some tariffs but won't change duties on Canada
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump partially reversed course Wednesday on his global trade war following days of market turmoil — but he's not offering any changes to the tariffs hitting Canada.
Trump announced an immediate 90-day pause on the levies on nations slapped with the highest duties under his "reciprocal" tariff regime. A White House official later clarified that a 10-per-cent baseline tariff will remain in place for all countries. The president has held fast to his plan to rapidly realign global trade through a benchmark "reciprocal" tariff since his return to the White House in January, but his tariffs have spread chaos throughout global markets. The 10-per-cent baseline tariffs on all imports to the U.S. from most countries, and higher duties on dozens of nations, came into force just
after midnight Wednesday. Those higher tariffs included a 20 per cent levy on imports from the European Union, a 25 per cent tariff on South Korea and a 32 per cent levy on Taiwan.
Trump also increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 104 per cent. Beijing responded with additional duties on U.S. imports, pushing its total tariffs on U.S. goods to 84 per cent.
Trump posted on social media that Americans should "BE COOL!" and "Everything is going to work out" a few hours before changing course and pulling back some of the most devastating duties.
On social media, Trump said he made the decision after more than 75 countries called his administration "to negotiate a solution."
Later at the White House, the president said he lowered the levies because "people were jumping a little bit out of line."
Increasing Canada’s population growth could be the response to US tariffs: expert
U.S. President Donald Trump has taken over Canada’s federal election, as party leaders introduce policies to provide relief for Canadians in the face of tariffs. Though immigration is no longer a ballot box issue like it was projected to be before Trump’s policies, one expert says, it could possibly be the answer. “Maybe immigration is the answer, not the problem,” said Myer Siemiatycki, a professor emeritus in the department of politics and public administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. “Suddenly, we’re afraid that we’re not going to have access to the American market, that Canada’s in trouble because it doesn’t have a large enough domestic market to maintain its current standard of living. Maybe immigration and increasing our population is the way to create a stronger, self-sufficient Canada.” Siemiatycki suggests a population increase can provide
economic relief, coming at a time when Canada can no longer rely on the U.S. “The second largest geographic country in land mass in the world, which is Canada, could probably stand to have more than 40 to 41, 42 million people in it. If it did have more population in it, it would have a larger domestic market,” Siemiatycki said. Immigration is no longer a ballot box issue, he said, but that’s not a bad thing. “Canada’s preoccupation with immigration, I think, had been coming from a very negative kind of space.”
“Immigrants suddenly were being blamed for all kinds of issues, challenges, problems, that were perceived to be playing out in this country. Whether it was the affordability issue, the housing issue, whether it was the availability of medical care. Suddenly, the culprit in all of this was immigrants,” Siemiatycki said.
Liberals have ‘real chance’ to win seats in Calgary: political analyst
“You don’t need to tell me what Alberta is like, I’m from Alberta, I know this province,” said Mark Carney during his campaign stop this week in Calgary. The Liberal leader made his first campaign visit to Alberta this week, holding an event in Calgary on Tuesday evening followed by another Wednesday morning.
With Carney spending more time in a traditionally conservative city, one political analyst says the Liberal Party has a very real shot at picking up seats in Alberta and in Calgary.
they set recently was about 25 per cent in the 2015 election, and that netted them four seats in Alberta, two of which were in Calgary.”
“Most aggregators have the Liberals at about 28 per cent here in the province,” says political analyst John Santos. “The previous high watermark that
Carney speaking directly to his Alberta audience, said this week he believes Canada and Alberta can be an energy superpower in both clean and conventional energy, adding the federal government’s system of investment tax credits will help with that.
“They will unlock more solar, more wind, more nuclear— both large scale and small modular,” Carney said. “More geothermal, more hydrogen and more biofuels. More projects that will create good careers for tens of thousands of Canadians.”
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How ASEAN can Outmaneuver US tariffs in 2025
By Simon Hutagalung
Under the leadership of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as Chair of ASEAN, ASEAN faces a critical juncture in its economic and geopolitical relations with the United States as the Trump administration’s sweeping continue tariffs to reshape global trade in 2025.
The imposition of these tariffs—ranging from 10 percent universally to as high as 49 percent for some ASEAN members—has created uncertainty in significant international markets. ASEAN’s response, therefore, must be both unified and strategic. This essay argues that by adopting non-stance retaliatory engaging in high-level diplomatic negotiations and accelerating intra-regional integration and diversification, ASEAN can mitigate the impacts adverse of the tariffs, preserve its economic interests, and ultimately rebalance its trade relations with the United States.
The 2025 economic data reveals that ASEAN state members, particularly those in the Indo-Chinese region such as Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, have been hit the hardest by Trump’s tariffs. For example, Singapore and the Philippines are only subject to a baseline tariff of 10 percent, while countries like Cambodia and Laos face much higher tariffs of 49 and 48 percent, respectively. Vietnam’s exports to the United States make up nearly 30 percent of its GDP, and its trade surplus with Washington reached a record level of over $123 billion in 2024, despite being burdened with a 46 percent tariff. These figures highlight the disproportionate economic burden placed on nations with trade surpluses with the U.S. and strong ties to China, as the Trump administration seeks to level the playing field. The data suggests that this selective tariff regime is not just an economic instrument but also a political tool designed to realign global trade relationships in favor of U.S. interests, potentially pushing ASEAN countries toward alternative trading partners. The economic challenges arising from these tariffs are multifaceted. In the short term, the immediate effect is a surge in import costs, forcing businesses to pass higher prices onto consumers. Inflationary pressure is already evident in the U.S. and is starting to affect economies in ASEAN.
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The NIA confirmed Rana’s extradition after years of sustained efforts to bring the key conspirator to justice.
“Rana was being held in judicial custody in the US under proceedings initiated under the India-US Extradition Treaty. The extradition was finalised after Rana exhausted all legal avenues to challenge the move,” the agency stated. From Palam Airport, Rana was transported in an armoured vehicle under heavy security to Patiala House Courts Complex. The route was sanitised by the Delhi Police.
He was produced before a special NIA court, which reserved order on a plea by the probe agency seeking his 20-day custody.
Rana had been under supervised detention at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles after completing a 14-year sentence in 2023. His extradition to India was announced by US
President Donald Trump on February 14 during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington.
The District Court for the Central District of California had ordered Rana’s extradition on May 16, 2023, but he filed multiple appeals, including petitions before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the US Supreme Court, all of which were rejected. India secured a surrender warrant for Rana through coordinated efforts involving the NIA, US Department of Justice, US Sky Marshal and other Indian intelligence agencies with support from the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs.
Before the Mumbai attacks, Rana had served in the Pakistan Army medical corps before emigrating to Canada in the late 1990s.
Officials believe Rana’s extradition could help uncover further details about the involvement of Pakistani state actors in the 26/11 attacks.
Vancouver has been dethroned in a new Rentals. ca report that also shows other Metro Vancouver cities in the running for the title of the most expensive place to rent in Canada.
Rentals.ca’s April report, which analyzed average asking rental rates around Canada for March, shows North Vancouver is now the most expensive place to rent on its platform. Vancouver dropped into the number two spot, while Burnaby and Coquitlam rounded out the top four. In North Vancouver, the average asking rent for a one-bedroom apartment reached $2,667. That marks a 1.6 per cent increase compared to the month prior but a 1.4 percent decrease compared to March 2024. North Vancouver was also the most expensive city to rent a two-bedroom unit, with the average asking rent reaching $3,471 in March. That was a decrease both month-over-month and year-overyear. “The improvement in rents during March can be related to a seasonal increase in demand
following a slowdown in lease activity during the winter months. As well, renters may have become more active due to the recent improvement in affordability,” Rentals.ca says in the report. How does Vancouver compare? While the city saw some notable drops, it’s still likely not what most average-income earners would consider affordable. Vancouver saw a slight increase of 0.5 per cent for a one-bedroom unit in March compared to February, reaching $2,531, a 3.9 per cent decrease year over year. The average asking rent for a two-bedroom saw both monthly and yearly decreases, reaching $3,430. According to the Rentals report, Coquitlam ranks as the third most expensive Metro Vancouver city to rent in. Average asking rates for a one-bedroom unit reached $2,438 in March. Two-bedroom units are way cheaper in Coquitlam than in North Vancouver and Vancouver. The average asking rent for a twobedroom unit in March was $2,932.
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Canada-India bilateral ties have been on a downward spiral since 2018, beginning with the controversy surrounding the presence of Jaspal Atwal — an Indian-origin businessman with alleged ties to the Khalistan movement, who was once on the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs’ black list — at an event organized by the Canadian High Commissioner during then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s India visit.
The Khalistan issue resurfaced in 2023, when Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a temple in Vancouver, resulting in Canada suspending trade negotiations and recalling its diplomats from India. In a significant diplomatic escalation, in October 2024, Canada even expelled six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, following accusations
that they were involved in Nijjar’s killing. India strongly rejected these allegations, and responded by expelling six Canadian diplomats, including the country’s acting high commissioner. While both sides reportedly resumed communications through diplomatic and security channels in December 2024, Rogers’ visit is the first publicly acknowledged meeting of Canadian and Indian security officials since the rupture. The meeting comes as both sides are struggling to navigate the global trade turmoil unleashed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. According to David McKinnon, a former senior Canadian diplomat, the “upending by President Trump of Canada’s relationship with the U.S. and the international order” would be the most “compelling driver” of a reset in Canada-India ties.
Vancouver police are investigating the death of a 92-year-old man who was found injured in a Downtown Eastside alley on March 18.
Police said the victim, a Chinatown resident, was found in medical distress that afternoon in a lane behind the Carnegie Community Centre, near Main and East Hastings. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance for medical treatment and died in the hospital on March 31.
Police said the 92-year-old victim told his family he was going to use the washroom at the Carnegie Centre. When he didn’t return after 20 minutes, they went looking for him, unaware he had ended up in the alley.
Two hours later, they received a call from the hospital. “We have confirmed the victim in this case was assaulted by multiple people prior to his death,” Const. Tania Visintin with the Vancouver police said in a statement.
“Our investigation is focused on if those assaults contributed to his death.” Investigators have identified several suspects, but no one has been arrested.
Anyone with information that may assist in this investigation is asked to call the Vancouver police homicide unit at 604-717-2500.
Doug Ford’s campaign manager accuses Poilievre camp of ‘campaign malpractice’
Leading Conservative campaign strategist Kory Teneycke is taking aim at his own party, accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his team of squandering a big lead.
“I know it’s uncomfortable for people to hear that said out loud, but it’s in every poll and every poll aggregator, the numbers are the numbers, and saying that you don’t believe in polls, if you’re managing a campaign, it’s delusional,” Teneycke told CTV Power Play host Vassy Kapelos in an interview on Tuesday. At a rally for Poilievre on Wednesday, some Conservative supporters were spotted wearing shirts and waving signs that read: “Do you believe the polls?”
The Conservative campaign says the signs and shirts are not party or campaign products.
Teneycke, meanwhile, appearing on the Curse of Politics podcast Thursday morning, made waves among political watchers when he said: “Blowing a 25-point lead and being like 10 points down is campaign malpractice at the highest level.”
Teneycke has served as Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s campaign manager and successfully led the Ontario Progressive Conservatives to three successive majority governments. He also served as director of communications to prime minister Stephen Harper.
Despite nearly two years of a Conservative
Mounties
double-digit lead in public opinion polling, the Liberals surged in the polls after former leader and prime minister Justin Trudeau announced he would resign, and as U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
Now, halfway through the election campaign, Nanos Research polling data puts the Liberals a handful of points ahead of the Conservatives.
“So when I talk about campaign malpractice, blowing a lead that big, and your response being,
‘I don’t believe in the polls,’ I don’t know. I think it’s kind of weak sauce,” said Teneycke, who is also a regular commentator for the Sunday Strategy Session panel on CTV’s Question Period.
According to Teneycke, a back-and-forth between Poilievre and Globe and Mail reporter Laura Stone this week also isn’t helping.
On Tuesday, Stone asked Poilievre whether he feels he should broaden his message beyond certain talking points to increase his support among Liberals and undecided voters.
“I think it’s pretty broad,” Poilievre said, when asked whether his focus on the “woke mob,” “century initiative,” and getting rid of the CBC headquarters are creating an echo chamber.
“How many people do you think we had last night?” he then asked, referencing his rally in Edmonton Monday night.
shut down BC fentanyl labs, vow to 'take it all down'
Numerous B.C. fentanyl production labs have been dismantled and a chemist has been arrested, the Pacific Region RCMP federal policing program confirmed on Thursday. The chemist told police they have an advanced degree in organic chemistry.
A second person was also arrested.
Between March 26 and 29, RCMP Federal Policing investigators, with assistance from local RCMP detachments and other units, executed numerous search warrants in Pitt Meadows, Mission, Aldergrove, Langley, and Richmond.
Police said these searches led to the discovery of three separate illicit fentanyl production labs and the two people who were arrested at one of the locations.
The fentanyl production labs located in the cities of Pitt Meadows, Mission, and Aldergrove were equipped with specialized chemical processing equipment often found in academic and professional research facilities, police confirmed at a press conference on Thursday.
“This enforcement action is an example of how we counter fentanyl production at its source, and continue to aggressively combat organized crime groups that are becoming increasingly more sophisticated in their scientific, and technical abilities,” Ass. Comm. David Teboul, Commander of the Federal Policing program in the Pacific Region said.
“The RCMP continues to disrupt the production of fentanyl that is impacting Canadian communities. There continues to be no evidence, in this case and others, that these labs are producing fentanyl for exportation into the United States.” Numerous enforcement actions and search warrants related to the drug superlab were executed in Falkland, B.C., and other locations in Surrey.
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"Trump blinks," UBS Investment Bank chief strategist Bhanu Baweja wrote in a report about the president's decision on tariffs, "but the damage isn't all undone."
Trump has focused more on China, raising the total tariffs on its products to 145 per cent. Even if that were to get negotiated down to something like 50 per cent, and even if only 10 per cent tariffs remained on other countries, Baweja said the hit to the U.S. economy could still be large enough to hurt expected growth for upcoming U.S. corporate profits. The losses for U.S. stocks accelerated on Thursday after the White House clarified that Chinese imports will be tariffed at 145 per cent once other previously announced tariffs were included, not the 125 per cent rate that Trump had
written about in his social media post on Truth Social Wednesday. The drop for the S&P 500 reached 6.3 per cent at one point.
Many on Wall Street are preparing for more swings to hit markets, after the S&P 500 nearly dropped into a "bear market" at one point by almost closing 20 per cent below its record.
Often, the whipsaw moves have come not just day-to-day, but also hour-to-hour. The S&P 500 still remains below where it was when Trump announced his sweeping set of tariffs last week on "Liberation Day."
Several reasons could have been behind the sharp, sudden rise, including hedge funds having to sell their Treasury bonds in order to raise cash or investors outside the United States dumping their U.S. investments because of the trade war.
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Landlords who evicted tenants and bought 'dream home' dispute $30,000 fine
A pair of landlords went to the BC Supreme Court to ask it to reverse a $30,000 fine that they were hit with for evicting tenants and then selling the property to buy their “dream home.”
Tajinder Lalli and Salveen Lalli, a married couple, used to rent out a Surrey, B.C. home to tenants for $2,450 per month. The rental house was next door to another property they owned and lived in.In November 2022, the landlords issued an eviction notice saying they would be occupying the rental unit in two months’ time. But the tenants went to the Residential Tenancy Branch afterwards arguing their old landlords failed to move in and occupy the unit for six months as is required when evicting for landlord use. The landlords argued they needed to clean and renovate the unit — and then had to sell the property to purchase another home that caught their eye.In the midst of getting
the previous rental ready to move in, the landlords said their realtor showed them a listing for their “dream home.” They ended up selling their previous rental unit and purchasing the dream home before the six-month mark from when they evicted the tenants They tried to argue this was an extenuating circumstance, but neither the RTB nor the judge agreed.
“I find the decision to purchase and occupy a dream home was within the landlords’ control and is not an extenuating circumstance,”
the original RTB arbitrator wrote.
The RTB awarded the tenants just under $30,000 because the landlords didn’t occupy their former home for six months. The landlords asked the Supreme Court to review that decision, but the judge found there was no reason that the original RTB award was unreasonable or unfair.
Vancouver police investigating assault, death of 92-year-old senior
Homicide investigators with the Vancouver Police Department say they have identified three suspects in an assault that may have led to the death of a 92-year-old senior.
Police say the victim was a Chinatown resident. He was found in medical distress in an alley behind the Carnegie Community Centre, at the corner of Main and East Hastings streets, on the afternoon of March 18, by someone who works in the neighbourhood. The senior was taken to hospital by ambulance and died on March 31.
"Police were called after he passed away as medical staff determined that his injuries should be investigated," said Const. Tania Visintin, VPD's
media relations officer.
"Right now, our homicide detectives are focused on if the man's injuries from the assault caused him to die." Visintin said while three suspects have been identified, no one has been arrested.
"We share the community's grief over this loss of life and we understand there are many questions," she said.
"Information about this death will undoubtedly impact peoples' sense of safety and community in Chinatown. Although it will take time, we are committed to finding all of the answers."
Police are asking anyone with information to call the VPD Homicide Unit.
Jail for attack reduced to house arrest for BC Indigenous offender
The B.C. Appeal Court has sentenced an Indigenous offender to house arrest instead of jail for an unprovoked attack that left his victim permanently injured, citing the goal of reducing the disproportionate number of Indigenous offenders in Canadian jails.
Isaac Davis had been sentenced to 21 months in jail by a Courtenay provincial court judge in November after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault against the victim, identified only as Mr. Stone, in January 2023.
Davis had been on the phone with his mother after she was in a car crash with Stone and he thought he heard Stone yelling at his mother, according to court documents. Davis, then 20, thinking his mother was in danger, raced to the scene in two minutes and spoke to her before he confronted Stone, who was hurrying toward Davis’s mother, having just returned from the store where he had bought cigarettes, according to the judgment.
It was an “act of kindness” because she was upset and wanted a cigarette, it said.
Davis’s mother tried to stop him, but he walked up to Stone and without warning knocked him out with a single punch to the forehead, leaving him bleeding and vomiting. Stone needed multiple surgeries for two bleeds on the brain, was in a coma for three weeks, was paralyzed for two weeks, and he could have died, it said.
After he realized what he had done, Davis immediately tried to help Stone, rolling him on to his side, apologizing profusely, and he waited for paramedics and police to arrive, and immediately accepted responsibility for the injury, it said.
Reports filed in court emphasized Davis’s remorse and said he became suicidal and has been haunted by the attack. Jail “rates for Indigenous offenders will not be reduced significantly if sentencing judges simply reduce the term of imprisonment they would otherwise have imposed in order to account for Gladue factors,” she wrote.
BC man arrested in hockey arena attack that sent 1 to hospital
RCMP say a Grand Forks, B.C., man is facing an aggravated assault charge after a fight broke out among fans at a junior hockey game last month.
They say the 57-year-old suspect turned himself in at the Trail RCMP detachment on Feb. 8, where he was arrested and released under a promise to appear in court in June.
The arrest stems from an incident at a Junior
A Tier 2 hockey game at Fruitvale's Beaver Valley Arena last month, when police say the use of an air horn began a dispute.
Ali Grieve is a director with the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary who knows the victim. She says he sustained a concussion and underwent surgery on both his legs to repair torn tendons.
Things escalated and a man was violently thrown to the ground, suffering serious injuries that sent him to hospital for more than a week, according to police.
Grieve, who is also the chair of Beaver Valley Recreation, says although the victim is now back at home, the impact of the assault on him is ongoing.
"The whole family is still in rough shape and, most importantly, he is focused on how he is going to provide for his family," she said.
Meanwhile, Grieve says board members with the district have voted unanimously in favour of developing a policy to ban noise makers, like air horns, in district arenas.
BC billionaire interested in buying Hudson’s Bay stores
B.C. billionaire Weihong Liu recently took to Chinese social media platform RedNote saying she wants to “make the Bay great again.”
She has expressed interest in purchasing dozens of department stores that have gone into creditor protection.
Liu is the chair of Central Walk, a retail investment company which owns Woodgrove Mall in Nanaimo, Mayfair Mall in Victoria and Tsawwassen Mills in Metro Vancouver.
In the post to RedNote, she said she doesn’t want to see hundreds of years of retail history in Canada collapse. And seeing people upset about the Bay closing inspired her to fight to keep the brand alive. “It just has too much heritage and it’s tied too much to our history. So, I applaud her efforts if she can find a way to salvage even part
of the chain and keep the brand existing,” retail analyst Bruce Winder told CTV News.
Winder added that whoever purchases the Bay has an uphill battle to make it great again. But he believes there is a chance if someone can get it for the right price and restructure the Bay’s retail philosophy by scrapping the department store model – using successful brand Roots and Canada Goose as examples of a possible way forward.
“(If you) look at how they’ve went to retail, their go-to-market strategy – much smaller footprint, much more focused assortment – the Bay may do well in that regard,” Winder said.
April 30 is the deadline for anyone with internal or external interest in Hudson Bay assets to make a binding bid.
'An attack on
tenants': Advocacy group says BC rule changes favour landlords
A tenant advocacy group says it’s worried that new provincial regulations announced this week could make it easier for landlords to get rid of tenants to increase rents.
The measures announced by the Housing Ministry include shortening from four to three months the notice period a landlord has to give a tenant when taking back a property for their own use. They also include shortening from 60 to 30 days the period that landlords have to store a tenant’s abandoned items after they leave. And that storage requirement will now apply to items with a minimum dollar value of $1,000 instead of $500.
In making the announcement, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the new measures are intended to improve support for landlords and renters, and that shortening the window for giving notice is “consistent with the recent change requiring homebuyers to give renters three months’ notice of eviction.” The province added that waiting times for hearings by the Residential Tenancy Branch, which resolves disputes between renters and landlords, have been reduced by an average of 70 per cent since November 2022. The Vancouver Tenants Union said it was “appalled” by the new measures.
“The decision to reduce the notice period for a landlord use eviction from four to three months is a backward step and an attack on tenants in crisis,” it said in a statement.“Yesterday’s announcement is a clear signal to tenants across Vancouver: The provincial government is working with landlords
to accelerate our displacement from homes and communities,” it added.
David Hutniak, CEO of Landlord B.C., which represents landlords and building owners, said that when a landlord takes back a unit for personal use, they have to occupy it for 12 months for personal use.
“So, who the heck knows what the market will look like then, especially with the geopolitical turmoil,” he said.
He added that the 12-month occupancy requirement and related penalty for noncompliance — equivalent to 12 months rent — have “largely ended bad-faith personal-use evictions.”
The changes come at a time when the most expensive rental markets continue to see a firm trend of falling rents and an increasing supply of units.
Vancouver saw its 16th-straight month of falling average rents and there is much more supply of rental units about to come onto the market due to restrictions on vacation rentals, a drop in international students, plus hundreds of new units at major developments, such as the development in Kitsilano. It will later this year begin leasing some 1,400 units in the first three towers of a development that will have 11 towers.
“Vacancy rates are up and rents are dropping, so renters will have more options to find new homes in short order so they shouldn’t be concerned,” said Hutniak.
India cuts rates as Trump's tariffs put growth at risk
Continued from Page 1...
"The magnitude of rate cuts in the cycle now could be as high as 100bps (1%)," ICICI Bank said in a note, a view echoed by many other analysts.
Moderating inflation will give the RBI further elbow room to slash borrowing costs, according to several brokerages, as growth momentum further loses steam due to Trump's global trade war.
HSBC calculates GDP could take a direct hit of as much as half a percent this financial year due to slower export volumes around the world and weaker inflows of foreign funds.
The government's capacity to stimulate the economy to counter the impact of Trump's tariffs is also limited because "spending and tax revenues have lost steam in recent months", according to HSBC.
Starting Wednesday, Indian goods being exported to the US will face additional tariffs of up to 27%.
Tariffs on India are lower than 104% on China and 46% and 49% respectively on Vietnam and Cambodia. The final impact on India's trade will depend on "how long the announced tariff structure lasts", ratings agency Crisil said. "The
outcome will also be influenced by how other countries retaliate or negotiate with the US on tariffs."
China has already retaliated by imposing 34% reciprocal tariffs on US imports, while Europe is considering counter-measures.
India on the other hand has assumed a more restrained stance and is working towards concluding a trade deal with the US.
India has "agreed on the importance of the early conclusion of the Bilateral Trade Agreement", Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on X (formerly Twitter) this week after his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
But even with a trade deal in place, India's economy is unlikely to be immune to a slowdown in other parts of the world with demand for its exports potentially reducing in the event of global growth falling off a cliff.
Wall Street bank JP Morgan has put the chance of a global recession at 60%, while ratings agency Moody's said the odds had risen from 15% to 35% due to tariffs. At 6.5%, India continues to remain the world's fastest growing major economy, but its growth has sharply come off the 9.2% high recorded in financial year 2023-24.
‘High level’ people carrying firearms on flights – CAAF
The Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji says it has received reports of “high level” people and politicians carrying firearms into international flights, but it has only one reported incident of carriage.
A sitting of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence in Nadi yesterday was told the other reports remain unsubstantiated because people do not like “putting it on paper”.
“When I say unsubstantiated, people do not put it on paper and send it to us on such and such a time and such and such a date, and this is what happened, and that is something that we find often,” CAAF’s executive manager aviation security and facilitation, Rigamoto Aisake, said.
carriage,” Mr Rigamoto said.
“As for the incidents that were unreported, I am unaware how many unreported incidences there are. “Based on the information that we have, there was only one reported mandatory occurrence report for the carriage of firearms.
“That is the reported incidence.
“Incidences can also go unreported and we would not be able to know unless someone raised it with us.”
Mr Rigamoto was responding to questions raised by committee deputy chairperson Rinesh Sharma, who pressed the executive management team about the number of politicians that may have bypassed security checks to carry firearms on board international flights.
The others, he said, were unsubstantiated because informants do not like giving written reports. “There was one reported incident of
“Were there cases of high level people or politicians bypassing security checks when exiting and entering aircraft?” Mr Kumar asked.
Fiji steps up efforts to combat AI-generated child abuse material and online exploitation
Child abuse and exploitation materials generated by AI are becoming an increasing concern, with Fiji stepping up its efforts to tackle the issue through international cooperation.
Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran raised the alarm during the Pacific Technical Cooperation Session of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women today.
She says the Online Safety Commission is also conducting community awareness through schools and communities using deeply rooted traditional values of Veidokai and Veilomani to promote respectful, compassionate and safe conduct in the online space.
She further says Fiji is committed to addressing these threats by participating in global initiatives like the Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention
Committee and the AI Working Group. The Minister says Fiji’s involvement in international frameworks, such as the Council of Europe Budapest Convention, is crucial for tackling transborder cybercrimes.
Kiran says Fiji’s participation in such international treaties would help enhance the country's capacity to address AI-generated child abuse and exploitation materials, while also combating technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The Minister says Fiji’s active contribution to the UN Open-Ended Working Group on ICT and its participation in the UN-OEWG Women in Cyber Fellowship, advocates for the leadership and meaningful involvement of women in ICT.
She says Fiji played an essential role in negotiating the UN Convention against Cybercrime, which was adopted in 2024.
Bainimarama and Qiliho’s Constitution motion hearing adjourned to 22nd April
The constitutional motion hearing for former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho, has been adjourned to the 22nd of this month.
This is the case where Bainimarama and Qiliho allegedly made unwarranted demands to thenacting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu to terminate the employment of two police officers from the Fiji Police Force. The two appeared before Magistrate Jeremaia Savou today. It is alleged that Bainimarama, between the 21st of May 2021 to
FICAC will reevaluate charges against former Fijian Broadcasting Corporation CEO, Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Vimlesh Sagar. Both appeared before Magistrates Sufia Hamza this morning. This is the matter where both are charged in relation to purchasing 3.0L Volkswagon Touareg for $207,240. Sagar’s lawyer, Ritesh Singh filed for withdrawal of charges and Sayed-Khaiyum’s lawyer Gul Fatima filed for amendment of charges. Singh says Sagar had only followed the directive of his CEO and therefore filed the withdrawal application on 24th of October last year and for FICAC to reconsider the charges. Meanwhile, State Counsel, Lilian Mausio also requested for this matter and another matter where both are charged in relation to initiating 5 legal proceedings
the 18th of August 2021 in Suva, being employed as a public official, gave an unwarranted demand to Rusiate Tudravu, to terminate the employment of Sergeant Penieli Ratei and Police Constable Tomasi Naulu from the Fiji Police Force, and if he did not terminate the officers, he was to hand in his resignation. His alleged demand was directly related to Bainimarama’s official capacity as the Prime Minister of Fiji and was done to influence Tudravu, a public official, in the exercise of his official duty as the Acting Commissioner of Police.
without the approval of the Board to be heard in Magistrates Court 4.
Magistrate Hamza says matters should be heard separately until a proper application is made.
In today’s case, SayedKhaiyum is charged with abuse of office and general dishonesty causing a loss while Sagar is charged with general dishonesty causing a loss and is also accused of approving the payments to purchase the vehicle. Sayed-Khaiyum is accused of circumventing the tender process in FBC’s finance manual in purchasing his 3.0L Volkswagon Touareg for $207,240. It is also alleged that obtaining that vehicle caused FBC a total loss of $84,470. The trial will is from the 2nd to 12th of September this year. The case has been adjourned to the 15th of May.
Baloch community in Scotland protests against Pakistan's crackdown on BYC
Edinburgh [Scotland], April 10 (ANI): Members of the Baloch community staged a protest outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, condemning Pakistan's continued actions against the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), as reported by the Balochistan Post.
The protest drew attention to what the organizers called "enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial killings" carried out by Pakistani security forces in Balochistan.
the immediate release of detained BYC leaders and activists, such as Dr Mahrang Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Gullzadi Baloch, Sibghatullah Shah Ji, and Bebarg Baloch.
According to Balochistan Post, protesters carried placards and shouted slogans calling for
Members of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) also participated in the protest to express their solidarity, the Balochistan Post reported.
The organizers called on the international community to pay attention to the situation in Balochistan and to pressure the Pakistani government to halt what they referred to as "a campaign of political repression."
Nepal indulge in Biska celebration to mark arriving Nepali new year
Bhaktapur [Nepal], April 10 (ANI): The ancient Taumadhi Square of Bhaktapur was lively on Thursday, with revelers and devotees congregating to watch the Biska Jatra, which, according to folklore, signals the arrival of the Nepali New Year.
One of the popular religious festivals of the Kathmandu Valley, the festival starts with the ascension of Lord Bhairab onto a chariot built in front of the Nayatapola temple, the tallest temple in Nepal. The threestorey chariot made of wood in the pagoda style is pushed and pulled around the settlements with the statues of Bhairavnath and Betal as a part of this festival. Two groups of locals struggle to pull on the chariot to either side. This festival of cultural and historical importance is celebrated for nine
days and eight nights. "Lord Bhairab is ascended on the chariot. Goddess Bhadrakali's chariot has already been pulled. After the ascension of Lord Bhairab on the chariot, two groups pull the chariot to take it to either of their sides. Whosoever is able to pull onto their sides, the chariot will tour from that place. The chariot makes a stopover at various places, finally reaching its destination," Ganeshlal, one of the devotees in Bhaktapur, told ANI. On the first day, Lord Bhairab (Bhaila Kha:) ascends on a chariot and tours the city. It is pulled by two groups, one on the upper side of Nyatapola Temple and the other on the lower side. The tug-of-war continues for hours and days. It finally rests in front of a temple near the Nyatapola and is worshipped by all.
Bangladesh’s Yunus Turns To China: A Desperate Diplomatic Gamble? – Analysis
The visit of Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, to China from 26 March to 29 March 2025 marks a significant diplomatic shift. Traditionally, the leaders of South Asian nations—except for Pakistan—prefer to prioritise India for their first foreign visits as a gesture of goodwill and strategic alignment. However, Yunus, facing mounting domestic challenges and strained relations with India due to his perceived anti-India stance and failure to protect minorities in Bangladesh, chose to engage with China instead.
A Diplomatic Outreach amid Economic Turmoil
Chinese government from 27 March to 29 March 2025.[1]
The economic downturn has resulted in factory closures, rising unemployment and growing instability. Initially, it was believed that Western countries, particularly the United States, played a role in Yunus’s rise to power. However, with diminishing support from the West, he turned to Beijing in a bid to salvage Bangladesh’s economic situation. Strengthening Bangladesh–China Economic Ties
Yunus commenced his China visit by participating in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan on 26 March 2025. Following the forum, he continued his official trip to mainland China at the invitation of the
During his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Yunus secured nine agreements aimed at enhancing economic and technical cooperation. These agreements covered a range of areas, including development projects, cultural exchanges, and the translation and publication of classical literary works.
Jaishankar participates in Asia Business Council
Spring
Forum, highlights changes underway in international system
New Delhi [India], April 10 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated in the Asia Business Council Spring Forum 2025 on Thursday. He spoke about the profound changes being made in the international system, the implications for Global South and India's role in furthering its voice. In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "An engaging conversation today at the Asia Business Council Spring Forum 2025.
Spoke about the profound changes underway in the international system, the implications for
Global South and India's role in furthering its voice."
Earlier in March, Jaishankar emphasised the need to build reliable and resilient supply chains, as the world is passing through an uncertain and volatile period. In his address at the 10th CII IndiaLAC Business Conclave, Jaishankar said, "We are passing through an uncertain and volatile period... We are all developing countries and, therefore, among those most impacted by the long-term consequences of the COVID pandemic."
India's subdued response to US bullying
Sucha Singh Gill
Former
Director General CRRID, Chandigarh
In the post second world war period global trading framework evovled as a part of international economic order established after Bretton Woods conference in 1944. This led to establishment of IMF for international monetary system, the World Bank for reconstruction of war torn economies of Europe and development of underdeveloped countries. The proposal to set up International Trade Organisation could not be agreed upon and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) came into existence. The GATT was replaced by World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1995 after a decade long negotiations among the countries. Most of the countries are now members of WTO and their number stands at 166.
The scope of WTO was much enlarged compared to the GATT. The new organisation gave a big push to globalisation by including several new areas within its scope. Along with trade of manufactured commodities; services, agriculture and investment were brought under the framework of new organisation. It was also decided to have equal treatment to foreign and domestic companies within countries, removed restrictions on movement of capital, fixed the level of subsidies to agriculture, abolished quantitative barriers to trade and substantial reduction of tariff rates was introduced. A machanism of dispute settlement among countries/contracting parties was also set up. In order to facilitate development of rule based interdependence of countries and efficient location of production in the world, a set of rules and principles were laid down. The ocassional ministrial meetings of member countries were supposed to further promote the agenda of globalisation. One of the important features of both GATT and WTO has been differential treatment of rich and poor counties in fixing tariff rates and subsidies for domestic producers. The poor countries were permitted to impose higher tariff rates and provide higher rate of subsidies to local producers compared to the rich countries. It further created safeguards against sudden escalation of imports into a country upsetting its balance of payment and consequent fear/ threat to public order/emergency. The thrust to globalisation and formation of WTO was led by the US and UK.This system proved to be beneficial to the emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil, South Africa and other countries of the South.
The UK abandoned its committment to globalisation after quiting European Union in 2020 known as Brexit. Now the US under Donald Trump has started a frontal attack on the rules based world trading system. This is being done by unilateral raising of Tariff rates on imports from other countries without bothering the WTO rules. In this effort it started with the US announcement of imposition of 25% tariffs on imports from the Canada, and Maxico, partners in United States, Maxico Agreement (USMCA) reached in 2016. This list has been extended to include China, India, European Union and rest of the world. It is important to note that those who are incharge of WTO as an organisation have chosen to remain silent. The US has announced imposition of tariffs on imports from other countries on reciprocal basis. The custom duties announced on imports from India is 26%.This means that the US has completely abandoned the policy of differential treatment of the poor countries to help them overcome historic handicap of backwardness caused by colonialism of the West. Under the policy of 'America First' the US is also not sparing its
allies, where it suites her. Beyond trade the US has withdrawn from Paris Accord on climate change, International Court of Justice, World Health Organization and does not want to comply with resolutions of UN bodies. BRICS countries are being threatened who intend to move away from trading in the US dollar. This is being done to maintain dollar superimacy in global trading which provides siegnorage to the US Government. Above all the US President has expressed his desire to annex Canada, Greenland, Panama canal and Gaza strip.This smells notorious imperialism like that of old imperial powers of Europe which subjugated the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. There is a rise of forces in advanced countries which are against immigration and multiculturalism. At some places voices closer to aparthied are also being heard.
In such a situation countries like Canada, Mexico, China and some other countries of the South are taking open position against arbitrary action of the US Government and making preparations to take appropriate actions. Indian response appears to be subdued and does not match either with our history or with economic strength the country has acquired. Indian response displays a position of fear stricken nation. We have reduced on our own customs duties on Tesla car and HarleyDavidson motorcycle recently under threat from the US and have shown willingness to restructure customs duties on imports. We are also exchanging high level trade delegations to sign free trade agreements. It needs to be remembered that the US and EU have been pressurising India during Doha Round of the WTO to open our market for agricultural imports and restrict our procurement of food grains for public distribution only for the poor. But India did not yield to such pressures. It is now feared that the US will achieve it now through signing of free trade agreement with India. At the same it will adversely affect our industrial development under 'Make in India' initiative.
Any free trade agreement with the US or EU which does not recognise our right to the differential treatment will harm trajectory of Indian growth strategy. At the same time it will bring disaster for micro small and medium enterprises and lead to ruination of peasantry already under deep crisis. Our tiny and small farmers can't compete with very large farmers of the US and EU who are provided substantial subsidies by their respective governments. It is also important to know that our small scale industrial and service units cannot compete with multinational corporations. In a situation of massive unemployment of the youth and poverty in the counry, signing of free trade agreement without recognition of our right to differential treatment and protection will harm the country and derail our development process.
India has a glorious history of freedom struggle against British imperialism and adopted independent stance in world affairs after independence when we belonged to the group of low income countries and faced host of problems including serious food shortages. Now the country has moved up to low middle income group of countries and is self sufficient in food. The country has become fifth largest economy in the world. With such a strength the country should be able to stand up to bullying pressure and assert its position which saves our trajectory of development and ensures better employment opportunities and lift the poor out of the poverty. Sovereignty of the country means that we can chose a path of development which is suitable to our people and synchronises with our resource endowment.
Sikh pilgrims head to Pakistan for Baisakhi and Khalsa Sajna Diwas celebrations
To celebrate Baisakhi festival and Khalsa Sajna Diwas, a Jatha (religious group) of around 1,942 Sikh pilgrims left for Pakistan from the office of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee here on Thursday.
The Pakistan high commission has granted visas to as many as 6,700 Sikh pilgrims for visiting various Sikh shrines in the neighbouring nation. They would leave for Pakistan via the AttariWagah land route here.
The Jatha would return on April 19.
The Jatha was led by SGPC member Jang Bahadur Singh, Deputy leader Bibi Joginder Kaur from Bathinda. SGPC Secretary Partap Singh said the Jatha would participate in the events related to Khalsa Sajna Diwas and Baisakhi in Pakistan.
It would visit Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib Hassan Abdal, Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sri Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Sacha Sauda Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Sri Kartarpur Sahib, Gurdwara Dehra Sahib Lahore, Gurdwara Rori Sahib Eminabad and would return to India on April 19.
DRI inspector among eight nabbed for drug trafficking
The CIA wing of the Amritsar police commissionerate has arrested a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Inspector and seven other persons in connection with cross-border drug trafficking. Over 4 kg heroin was seized from their possession. Four separate cases have been registered against them at the Ranjit Avenue and Chheharta police stations here.
Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the DRI Inspector, identified as Manjit Singh (24) of Rohtak in Haryana, and Ravi Kumar (35) of Gandhi Nagar in Ferozepur were helping the drug cartel for easy money. The police also seized a motorcycle used by the accused for the transportation of drugs.
“They were sourcing drug consignments from across the border. Ravi was in contact with foreignbased smugglers,” said the Police Commissioner. Further investigations led to the arrest of six more
persons involved in drug smuggling and hawala financing, he added. Other persons arrested in connection with the case were: Palwinder Singh (34), alias Tindu, of Dhanoa Khurd village; Rohit Sharma (34) of Harkrishan Nagar; Abhishek Singh (19) of Chogawan; Arshdeep Singh (19) of Baba Deep Singh Colony, Chheharta; Amit Kumar (34), alias Sonu, of Sunder Nagar; and Satnam Singh (26) of Chhidan village in the Lopoke area. They were part of the second module involved in the racket. Bhullar said a preliminary probe revealed that Amit was operating a cross-border hawala network to facilitate drug trade in the area. He said the police had also identified another person involved in drug smuggling. Efforts were being made to uncover the entire network of suppliers, dealers and buyers, as well as to ascertain the total quantity of drugs purchased by the arrested individuals so far, he added.
- 12:00pm - 9:30pm & Saturday-Sunday - 12:00pm
Bollywood duo to have statue in Leicester Square
A statue of the "King of Bollywood" Shah Rukh Khan and one of his co-stars Kajol will be unveiled in London's Leicester Square later this year.
The statue marks 30 years of the longestrunning film in Indian cinema, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, starring both actors.
It will join sculptures of Harry Potter, Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain, Mary Poppins and Batman as part of Leicester Square's Scenes in the Square trail.
Mark Williams, deputy chief executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, said it was "fantastic" to add the "titans of international cinema" to the trail.
'International appeal'
"Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is one of the most successful and important Bollywood films of all time," Mr Williams said.
He added that it was the first film featuring Leicester Square to be added to the trail.
The film, often dubbed the Romeo and Juliet of
Bollywood cinema, follows Raj and Simran's love story across Europe and India, beginning on a train from King's Cross station. Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films, which produced the
1995 film, said: "This statue will be a great way to express the international appeal of Indian movies and build bridges amongst communities through cinema."
Leicester Square's Scenes in the Square trail is run by Heart of London Business Alliance, supported by Westminster City Council.
Are 10-minute online deliveries killing the Indian corner shop?
The corner shop Ramji Dharod has manned for over six decades is now on the brink of closure.
The store sits in a bylane in the central Indian city of Mumbai's busy shopping precinct, and has served the community for 75 years.
Dharod began coming to the shop with his father when he was just 10. These days, he mostly sits idle, waiting for an occasional customer to
walk in. Behind him, cardboard boxes of unsold biscuit packets and snacks show a "stock clearance sale" sign posted on them. "I wouldn't get a minute to breathe a few years ago, but now I rarely get
anyone coming," says the septuagenarian wryly. "They are all shopping online. I've decided to retire and down the shutters." As 10-minute online deliveries by "quick commerce" apps like Zomato, BlinkIt and Zepto pervade urban India, hundreds of thousands of neighbourhood stores across cities have closed down. A lobby group of consumer product distributors estimated that number to be 200,000 last October, while the municipal body of the southern city of Chennai estimated 20% of small grocers and 30% of larger departmental stores had shut down in the city in the past 5 years.
Sunil Kenia who runs a provision store right beside Dharod's shop says he's still in business only because his family owns the shop. Those on rent are no longer able to stay afloat, he says. "It started going downhill after the Covid lockdowns. Business is at 50% of what we did before the pandemic," Kenia told the BBC. Most of his revenue now comes from wholesale customers – hawkers or those selling street-side snacks. The retail customer has all but "vanished", he says, because of the convenience of mobile deliveries.
CJI-led Bench to hear petitions challenging Waqf Act on April 16
The Supreme Court will take up on April 16 as many as 10 petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act-2025 that came into force on April 8.
The cause-list for cases listed for hearing on April 16 uploaded on the Supreme Court’s website showed 10 petitions, including those filed by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Arshad Madani.
The other petitioners were RJD MP Manoj Jha and another, AAP MLA in Delhi Amanatullah Khan, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama and another, Taiyyab Khan Salmani, Anjum Kadari, Mohammad Shafi and another, and Mohammad Fazalurrahim and another. The petitions are listed before a Bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice KV Viswanathan.
Madni has urged the top court to stay the operation of the Waqf (Amendment) Act. As several opposition leaders and Muslim organisations challenged the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act and sought a stay on the operation of the amendment, the Centre has already filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to pre-empt the possibility of any ex parte order staying the operation of the amended law.
By filing a caveat in a court, a litigant urges the court to be heard before an order is passed on the
petition filed by the other side.
Passed by the Rajya Sabha during the wee hours of April 4 with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it, the Waqf Bill received President Droupadi Murmu’s assent on April 5.
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on April 3, with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.
The Centre notified it on April 8.
Under the amended law, only self-owned resources can be declared as Waqf after ensuring the inheritance rights of women and children and the DC will determine that land being donated by a Muslim is actually in his ownership. It also empowers state governments to nominate members, including representatives from backward classes and both Shia and Sunni communities, to Waqf boards.
Alleging that the “bill is a dangerous conspiracy to strip Muslims of their religious freedom”, Jamiat urged the top court to prevent the law from coming into effect. “It’s a direct attack on the country’s Constitution, which not only provides equal rights to its citizens but also grants them complete religious freedom”, Jamiat contended.
The DMK has also filed a petition against the amendment through its party deputy general secretary and Lok Sabha MP A Raja, who was also a member of the joint parliamentary committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill.
India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's recent comments about the country's start-up ecosystem have sparked a massive debate on social media and evoked strong reactions from some entrepreneurs.
At the second edition of Startup Mahakumbh, a government-led start-up conclave last week, Goyal seemed to take a hard look at India's consumer start-ups as he urged entrepreneurs to explore more innovations in technology in order to help the country progress.
Poking fun at the rise of food delivery apps, artisanal brands and online betting apps in the country, he compared them with the innovations being made by the "other side", which many took to mean China.
He said that while "they" were making leaps in
machine learning, robotics and building "nextgen factories that can compete with the rest of the world", India's start-ups were still largely focussed on lifestyle products like gluten-free ice creams.
His comments sparked a flurry of reactions from India's top innovators, with some arguing that he was only encouraging creators to be more ambitious and others calling it an unfair criticism of the start-up ecosystem, a major contributor to the country's economy. To be sure, Goyal also praised the pace at which new businesses were popping up in the country, hailing India as the third-largest start-up ecosystem in the world. He also urged Indian investors to do more to support Indian creators.
But he seemed to want to see more happen, and faster.
"We have to be willing to evolve and learn. [If] we want to be bigger and better, then we have to be bolder and we should not fight shy of the competition," the minister said.
At one point, he asked the audience - brimming with entrepreneurs and investors - "Do we want to make ice creams or [semiconductor] chips?"
Aadit Palicha, co-founder of the quickcommerce app Zepto, was quick to call out the minister.
Police in India have arrested a man, who is accused of impersonating a British doctor, for performing surgeries that allegedly led to the death of seven patients.
Narendra Vikramaditya Yadav - also known as Dr N John Camm - worked as a cardiologist at a missionary hospital in Madhya Pradesh state.
Police accuse him of fraud, cheating and forgery and allege that the 53-year-old, who has worked as a doctor for almost two decades, faked his medical degrees. They are also investigating allegations that he added the name of Prof John Camm, a leading cardiologist at UK's St George Hospital, to his own to gain credibility. Mr Yadav has denied the allegations against him. On Monday, just hours before he was arrested, he sent a legal notice of 50m rupees ($580,000; £455,000) to two dozen individuals and publishers for claiming he impersonated "some other cardiologist".
He was good at his job and acted like a big-time professor," a hospital official told The Indian Express newspaper. The case first came to light in February, when a child welfare committee in Damoh flagged the deaths to district officials. "We got suspicious about his expertise and checked his credentials online and found that he had cases against him in at least three states," claimed Deepak Tiwari, president of the district Child Welfare Committee.
An investigation found that Mr Yadav had quit his job at the hospital earlier that month and "gone missing" without explanation.
He was arrested in the city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh state on Monday evening.
"The accused doctor had worked on a total of 64 cases, including 45 cases of angioplasty, which led to seven patient deaths," the district's police chief Shrut Kirti Somvanshi told BBC Hindi.
The Mission Hospital in Damoh city, where Mr Yadav worked for a few weeks, has denied having any knowledge of his alleged fake credentials.
"Nobody suspected him of being a fake doctor.
It's not yet clear whether his degrees are genuine or fake, but police believe they were likely to be forged as the documents lack key details, such as a unique registration number given to each student.
An Indian national living in Europe has triggered a debate online after sharing his opinions on life abroad as compared to India. In an Instagram post, the man shared the upside of living in Vienna, Austria, while stressing on the "chaos" that has been normalised in India.
Lakshay Arora shared that European countries prioritise work-life balance while offering a better quality of life. Arora wrote Europe offers "efficient, clean, and punctual public transit system, lower pollution levels and greener urban spaces, higher sense of personal safety, even at night, better healthcare, unemployment benefits and social systems and more privacy and independence in social interactions." In contrast, he listed the hectic life in India coupled with poor services and terrible pollution levels. According to Arora,
people in India have "longer working hours and often unrealistic job expectations" and they have to face "overcrowded and less efficient public transport in major cities, higher air and noise pollution, especially in urban areas and concerns around street harassment and crime in some areas." His opinion drew many reactions from his followers, as many agreed to his argument.
"I agree. It's unfortunate. Safety is another major concern in India," one user wrote. "Only transportation and health care appears to be good. Technological advancement is lagging," commented another. "Europe? Just go to Bhutan and you will see how messed up our nation is."
But there were also some who said there are places in India that offer a better lifestyle.
