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Jeet Singh Vol 22 - Issue 43
Saturday, November 25, 2023
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India’s GDP crosses $4 trillion for the first time: Report 2014, $3 trillion in 2019, and $4 trillion in 2023. At present, USA is the world’s largest economy with a GDP of $26.70 trillion, while China is at second place with GDP of $19.24 trillion, Japan is at third place with GDP of $4.39 trillion and Germany is at fourth place with GDP of $4.28 trillion.
According to media reports, on November 19, for the first time, India’s gross domestic product (GDP) crossed the $4 trillion (4 trillion) mark. However, this has not been confirmed yet by the Finance Ministry or the National Statistics Office. India’s GDP was $1 trillion in 2007, increasing to $2 trillion in
India’s anti-terror agency files case against Sikh separatist for Air India threat India’s anti-terrorism agency threats by Gurpatwant Singh has filed a case against a Sikh Pannun, who acts as general separatist leader for warning Air counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a India passengers that their lives group campaigning to establish an were in danger and threatening independent Sikh homeland called not to let the flag carrier Khalistan carved out of India The operate anywhere in the world. case against Pannun has been The agency said security registered under provisions of the forces were on alert after the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Continued on page 6
Canada’s grocery giants reveal new plans to stabilize food prices Almost two months ago Canada’s grocery chain giants promised Ottawa they would roll out plans to lower food prices under threat of new taxes. But for weeks, almost no one would say what those plans were or what they would mean for consumers around the country. Now, the major chains are starting to reveal plans for steeper discounts on staples and price freezes on thousands of packaged goods. But according to some industry observers, it’s not clear if those moves will make a serious dent in inflation.
Former Canucks player charged with fraud A former Vancouver Canucks draft pick has been accused by police of conning a victim out of millions of dollars in realestate investment schemes. Prabhraj Rai, a junior hockey star from Surrey who signed a contract with the Canucks in 2010, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with fraud over $5,000, says RCMP.
The charges come nearly two years after Surrey RCMP’s financial crime unit launched an investigation into Rai after a person complained of losing several million dollars in fraudulent realestate investment opportunities. Police believe that Rai committed large-scale financial fraud between Oct. Continued on page 7
Trudeau to run deeper deficits as Canada tackles housing crunch Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government revealed billions in new spending on housing programs and industrial subsidies, expanding Canada’s budget deficit amid the dual pressures of higher borrowing costs and a slowing economy. The total cost of the new tax and spending measures is $20.8 billion (US$15.2 billion) over six years, according to a fiscal update by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who’s planning to borrow more at a time when many economists are concerned with rising interest costs and the risk of a recession. Tuesday’s economic statement doesn’t include a timeline for a return to a balanced budget. It also forecasts a slower decline in Canada’s debt-to-gross domestic product ratio.
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Saturday, November 25, 2023
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One hurt in daytime armed robbery in busy Surrey business centre Police in Surrey, B.C., say they are looking for suspects after an armed robbery in the city’s Newton neighbourhood on Wednesday. RCMP say they a received a report just after 11 a.m. of an armed robbery at a business in the 8100-block of 128 Street. That address corresponds to the Payal Business Centre, a large shopping centre in Newton.
Police say a person suffered nonlife-threatening injuries in the robbery and was taken to hospital. Police say they arrived “within minutes of the call,” but were unable to find the suspects. They believe the suspects fled in a dark-coloured pickup truck.
10-year jail for man who shot up RCMP detachment
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A man who fired 19 shots into the Vanderhoof RCMP detachment and at surrounding police vehicles, narrowly missing several officers, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. According to Supreme Court of B.C. Justice Francesca Marzari, Paul Nicholas Russell drove into the parking lot at the back of the detachment on Nov. 25, 2021 and fired at two unoccupied RCMP cruisers while sitting in his truck. Russell then drove past the detachment building and fired twice into a detachment window, after which he pulled up to the front of the building and fired again. Russell left, but returned five minutes later and rammed his vehicle into an RCMP cruiser parked at the side of the detachment. He then got out of his truck and shot several times into the cruiser, before again firing inside the detachment through another window. His actions set off alarms at the Fraser Lake and Prince George detachments and
led to a lockdown at two local schools. Court heard that Russell took off in his vehicle and at one point crashed into an RCMP vehicle that was blocking his path. He was arrested after eventually pulling over. “Russell chose midday on a work day to take these actions,” Marzari wrote. “Three of the four bullets that he shot into windows of the RCMP detachment entered into office areas where staff and RCMP members were working. One of these bullets entered the west side window, proceeded through the top of the office manager’s computer monitor, across the office manager’s desk and office area, through the divider at the back of the office manager’s cubicle, past the doorway of the commanding officer (where it narrowly missed that officer), and became lodged into the side of a fax machine in the common area of the RCMP detachment.
No sign of terrorism in Rainbow Bridge blast that killed two It is not yet known why the car exploded, but New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news conference Wednesday that at this time “there is no sign of terrorist involvement” in the “horrific” explosion. FBI Buffalo on Wednesday night said it had
concluded its investigation of the incident and found no explosive materials or “terrorism nexus.” “The matter has been turned over to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic investigation,” the FBI said in a statement.
Local / National
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Second-degree murder charge laid in fatal stabbing outside Surrey school last year An 18-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in relation to the killing of a youth outside a Surrey high school in November 2022. Mehakpreet Sethi, 18, was the victim of the fatal stabbing outside Tamanawis Secondary School in the city’s Newton neighbourhood just after 12 p.m. PT on Nov. 22, 2022.
The stabbing provoked a heavy police response at the school, located at 12600 66 Avenue, because it happened on school grounds during school hours. A year after the stabbing, an 18-yearold who police say knew the victim was charged with the crime. He cannot be named as he was a minor at the time.
Surrey mayor says province’s suspension of police board is unconstitutional - will sue The British Columbia government’s “roughshod’’ treatment of the City of Surrey over the transition of its police force has set off a constitutional challenge after the province suspended the police board, Mayor Brenda Locke said on Monday. It’s a new front in legal action taken by the city after the province said the city must continue its transfer from the RCMP to the independent Surrey Police Service. Locke announced the city will amend its original B.C. Supreme Court petition to challenge the constitutionality of the provincial government’s recent
amendments to the Police Act. There has been a series of back-andforth manoeuvres between the province and Surrey over the city’s fight to retain the RCMP and the provincial government’s edict to transition to the independent force. “This government does not have the right to run roughshod on every local government that doesn’t bend to their will,’’ Locke said at a news conference at Surrey City Hall announcing the escalation in the policing dispute. Locke said she sees an “easy’’ solution to end the dispute.
Canadian judges increasingly make ‘governmental’ decisions: Supreme Court justice Judges in Canada have been “hard-wired” by four decades of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to wield “enormous authority,” and they are making decisions that are “increasingly governmental in nature,” according to a sitting Supreme Court judge. Justice Malcolm Rowe argues that these governmental-type decisions include court rulings that regulate conduct, including in the operation of the economy; allocate public resources; and determine patterns of decision-making by institutions of the state. He does not criticize any particular ruling, but said this pattern calls for a reminder of the virtue of judicial restraint.
India restarts suspended tourism and business visas for Canadians India resumed issuing e-visas for Canadian tourists and business travellers on Wednesday two months after it suspended such services following a row over Ottawa’s accusation of possible Indian government involvement in the murder of a Canadian Sikh separatist leader. Though the move is likely to ease tensions slightly, relations between the two countries
leader Jagmeet Singh for repeating what it calls “the unverified accusation that Palestinians were guilty of sexual violence.” Israeli authorities have said they’re investigating several cases of sexual assault and rape that took place during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, which sparked Israel’s ongoing invasion of the Gaza Strip.
are not expected to significantly improve in the near future. “E-visa services to Canadian nationals have resumed,” an Indian government official aware of the decision said on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak on the subject. The official did not say if the decision will lead to a significant thaw in the relationship with Ottawa.
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Victoria city councillor under fire for signing letter questioning alleged Hamas rapes A Victoria city councillor facing backlash for signing a controversial open letter on the Israel-Hamas war has said she regrets that the matter has caused “polarization” in her community. Coun. Susan Kim was one of two Canadian politicians whose names appear on the letter, which calls for a ceasefire in the conflict but also criticizes NDP
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Saturday, November 25, 2023
OPINION
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Bloc calls for abolition of Governor General’s Office as expenses soar 11% Financial statements from the secretary to Governor General Mary Simon said spending at Rideau Hall increased 11% last year, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “An honourary and colonialist position is costing a fortune to citizens struggling to make ends meet,” said the Bloc Quebecois in a report. “Therefore, the Bloc proposes addressing
the root cause by making the following recommendation:Thatthefederalgovernment abolish the position of Governor General.” Statements tabled in the House of Commons indicated Rideau Hall expenses per year grew from $33.9 million to $37.6 million — an 11% gain. Costs included salaries, travel and employee benefits.
This tabling came after an October 4 recommendation from the House of Commons Government Operations Committee that Simon cut spending. The Commons Government Operations Committee demanded Rideau Hall “publish an annual report on its activities on its website including its financial statements with itemized trip expenses.” It said Simon must economize by reducing the size of her delegations, flying by commercial aircraft instead of government jets, limiting menu choices on catering, abolishing the use of silverware and sticking to strict budgets on trip. The Conservatives noted in a report Rideau Hall spending included egregious costs such as $71,000 for limousine rides in Iceland and “hundreds of dollars spent on limes and lemons to be used as garnishes for drinks.” “This type of lavish spending erodes the trust of Canadians in the Office of the Governor General,” said the Conservatives. “We are in dire need of more transparency and better stewardship of taxpayers’ money.” The Commons Government Operations Committee rejected a Conservative motion to cut Simon’s budget by $136,986 in 2022 — the equivalent to her charges for a new wardrobe, including silk jackets and $380 shoes. “That’s our job — to hold department’s accountable — and this is one way we can do it.” Simon’s swearing-in ceremony cost Canadians more per attendee than the one for former governor general Julie Payette, according to documents obtained by the CanadianTaxpayersFederation(CTF)in2022. “At first glance, it looks like Simon’s swearing-in ceremony is saving taxpayers’ money, but once you look closer, you find Simon spent thousands of dollars more per guest than Payette did,” said CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano. “Despite the event taking place during the pandemic, Simon still managed to rack up a six-figure tab that cost thousands of dollars per guest.”
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From page 1
India’s anti-terror agency files case against Sikh separatist for Air India threat
Act 1967 and sections of the Indian Penal Code, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said in a statement on Monday. “Pannun threatened that Air India would not be allowed to operate in
the world ... in his video messages, released on Nov. 4,” it said, adding that he had urged Sikhs not to travel on Air India flights from Sunday, “claiming a threat to their lives”.
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Former Canucks player charged with fraud From page 1 July 20, 2018. He has been released by the courts on conditions pending his next court appearance. Rai is also facing a civil lawsuit filed against him by a realtor who alleges Rai purported to be a successful businessman with connections to retired hockey players and prominent business people and induced him to transfer more than $2.8 million for real estate developments and other investments. Harpreet Singh Khela alleges Rai’s schemes included the purchase of the Sutton Hotel in Vancouver, a Tim Hortons franchise, and a San Diego development property. He alleged Rai told him their
ventures were profitable, then concealed the fraud by telling him a false story that the profits were frozen by the U.S. government and were unavailable. Later, in October 2020, Khela alleged, Rai told him a “fantastical” tale about getting kidnapped and having his hard drive, which contained his bank account information, stolen, and that the money was gone. In his response, Rai alleged Khela had been trying to ingratiate himself with Rai for many years, and that he made the “sweeping, unfounded allegations” against him and his family members when Rai tried to limit his involvement with him.
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Australian judge sentenced BC man 18-year jail for drug smuggling A Canadian man was sentenced in Australia to 18 and a half years in prison for trying to smuggle $15 million worth of crystal meth, while his Australian co-accused was found not guilty and released. Alexandre Francoise Gerard Forcade, 29, who grew up in Kelowna, B.C., and worked in Grande Prairie, Alta., before moving to Malaysia for university, was arrested in 2020 in a suburb of Melbourne, one of Australia’s largest cities, after 154 kilograms of methamphetamine was found hidden inside a huge shipment of
silver concentrate sent from Mexico. His stiff sentence came despite a guilty plea. Forcade was roasted by the judge at his sentencing, who said the Canadian told a “cock and bull story” to try to cover up his crime. The judge called him “a complete liar” whose excuses were “absurd” and “empty nonsense,” according to Australian news accounts of his trial. At the time of Forcade’s arrest the Australian Federal Police, a national agency similar to the RCMP, said the investigation succeeded in “dismantling and disrupting the work of an organized crime syndicate.”
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Saturday, November 25, 2023
TD doubles forecast for housing price drop amid ‘sudden surge in supply’
Draft Vancouver budget proposes 7.6% property tax hike A 2024 draft budget made public by the City of Vancouver says property taxes will increase 7.6 per cent next year. The operating budget, which will be presented at a special council on Dec. 5, is worth $2.15 billion, an increase from the $1.97-billion 2023 budget passed by Mayor Ken Sim and his majority ABC party council that required a 10.7 per cent property tax increase. The draft budget, if approved in December or early next year, will cost the median residential strata unit owner
an extra $100, the median single-family home owner an extra $263 and the median business property owner an extra $478, according to a summary in the draft budget. ABC Councillor Lisa Dominato said the draft budget, despite its more than nine per cent increase over 2023’s, could still be further reduced. “We want to bring that property tax down over the next year, recognizing that families and small businesses and others are facing really difficult times,” she said.
reasons for the change: its upgraded bond-yield forecast and a “largerthan-anticipated” loosening in British Columbia and Ontario’s housing markets. “Ontario’s sales-to-new listings ratio has plunged to 39 per cent in October from 63 per cent in May. A sudden surge in supply is largely behind the deterioration in the ratio, abetted by a more prolonged drop in sales,” they said.
Federal govt will tackle illegal short-term rentals
Mayors’ Council approves first phase of TransLink’s expansion plan The massive first phase of TransLink’s AccessforEveryoneplanhasbeenapprovedby the TransLink Mayors’ Council on Thursday. The council will be sending a submission to the federal minister of finance calling for Canada to join the region and the province in developing a funding model. “(Thursday) the Mayors’ Council has agreed on a plan for the new and expanded transit services we will need to accommodate
One of Canada’s major banks is forecasting a steeper drop in home prices amid a “sudden surge” of supply in some real estate markets. TD Bank updated its forecast Wednesday, calling for a 10 per cent drop in home prices from their third-quarter level through the early part of next year. In September, it pegged that drop at five per cent. Its economists said there are two
population growth and put affordable housing within reach for everyone in our communities,” said Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, TransLink Mayors’ Council’s chair. “Transit-oriented development is a key component of the province’s and region’s plan to respond to the housing affordability crisis, but without federal financial support and a sustainable funding model to help deliver additional transit
The federal government is throwing its weight around to help address illegal shortterm rental properties listed on platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo and their impact on housing affordability and supply, particularly for the rental housing market. After media reports earlier this week that suggested such a move was forthcoming, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland outlined the strategy today in her fall economic statement. The federal policies centre on supporting the initiatives
and strategies set forth by individual municipal and provincial governments. Moving forward, the federal government will deny income-tax deductions for expenses incurred on short-term rental income, including interest expenses, within provinces and municipalities that have banned short-term rentals. Furthermore, income-tax deductions will be denied when short-term rental operators are not compliant with the applicable provincial or municipal
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Saturday, November 25, 2023
Speculation, vacancy tax added to more cities in BC The B.C. government says more than a dozen additional communities will be subject to the province’s speculation and vacancy tax. Finance Minister Katrine Conroy and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon announced Wednesday that the tax is being expanded to 13 more communities; Vernon, Coldstream, Penticton, Summerland, Lake Country, Peachland, Courtney, Comox, Cumberland, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Salmon Arm, and Kamloops. “There is a housing crisis across the country and it is creating economic challenges, including people feeling pushed out of their communities and labour shortages,” said Conroy. “With so many people struggling
to find secure housing, we have to keep taking action. The speculation tax is one of the ways we can help increase affordable housing options for people and communities.” The province says it will be giving owners a year to plan. Residential property owners in the communities affected by the tax will need to declare in January 2025 based on how they used their property in 2024. This coming January, six other communities, including Lions Bay and Squamish, will be subject to the tax. Owners do not have to pay tax on primary residences, homes with long-term tenants, and in the event of life events like divorce. The province adds “more than 99 per cent of people living in B.C.
Community news Celebration of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 554th Parkash Purab on 27th Nov. 2023 from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm. Vedic Senior Parivar Centre is going to celebrate Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 554th Parkash Purab on 27th Nov. 2023 (Monday) at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Temple 8321 - 140th streetSurreyBCfrom10.00amto1.00pm. Dr. Kala Singh the well known Sikh Scholar has kindly accepted our request to come & speak on Preachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Tea, snacks & Mithai will be served before the Preaching
Lecture and pure vegetarian food will be served at the in Shanti Niketan hall. -------------------------In person yoga session on 30th Nov. 2023 from 10.00 am to 11.15 am. Pure vege. food will be served in the dining hall to all seniors who attend yoga on Thursdays. -------------------------Lakshmi Narayan Temple, 8321 140th St., Surrey, BC, V3W 5K9 Tel: 604 - 507 - 9945
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INDIA Jersey celebrates first public Diwali festival
More than 40 members of the island’s Indian and Hindu community worked to host The Jersey Diwali Festival. It was held at the Jersey Library and the Jersey Central Market to showcase Indian culture to the wider public with
traditional food, music, art, and dancing. Diwali is a major festival celebrating the triumph of light over darkness and the start of new beginnings for millions of people of the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain faiths.
Delhi teen brutally stabs 18-year-old man An 18-year-old boy was brutally murdered in Delhi’. The accused, a 16-yearold minor, confronted the victim in a narrow alleyway and demanded money. When the victim resisted, the assailant overpowered him, choked him into unconsciousness, and then proceeded to stab him over 60 times with a knife. The heinous crime, which occurred on Tuesdaynight,wascapturedonCCTVfootage. The gruesome attack targeted the victim’s head and neck, leaving him in a pool of blood.
In a macabre twist, the accused paused during his savage assault to perform a bizarre dance next to the lifeless body of the 18-year-old. The motive behind this brutal murder was robbery, with the killer fleeing the scene with just Rs 350 from the victim’s pocket. The victim was rushed to GTB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The police have since apprehended the accused, who had a previous record of involvement in a murder case in 2022.
41 workders still trapped in tunnel The tunnel had collapsed in Silkyara trapping the labourers working inside. 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara are expected to be rescued by 8 am today, a rescue official told reporters. Only 12 metres of rock and
debris separate them, officials said earlier on Wednesday. The under-construction tunnel had collapsed on November 12, trapping the labourers working inside. Advanced drilling machines were flown in as rescue officials raced against time to save the trapped workers.
Vietnam offers visa-free entry to Indians After Sri Lanka and Thailand, Vietnam is likely to be the next destination to offer visa-free entry to Indians. According to local media, Vietnam Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung suggested it allow Indians and Chinese to visit without a visa for a short period. As of now, only nationals of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland can enter Vietnam without a visa. Recently, both Thailand and Sri Lanka announced visa waivers for India. As of November 10, Thailand has eliminated
the visa requirement for Indian travelers. This visa exemption permits Indian tourists to stay for 30 days and will remain in effect until May 10 of the following year. The Thai government has also indicated the potential for extending the program if there is an increase in demand. In October, Sri Lanka also launched a program allowing visa-free entry for visitors from seven countries, such as India, China, and Russia, as part of a trial period. The pilot project will remain active until March 31, 2024.
Supreme Court to consider open-court hearing on petitions seeking review of same-sex marriage verdict The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to look into a request for an open court hearing of a petition seeking a review of its majority judgment in October
refusing to legalise same-sex marriage. LGBTQ+ rights activists at the premises of Supreme Court after verdict on same-sex marriages
Rs 78 Lakh extorted from woman by threating her with black magic Seven people were arrested for extorting ₹ 78.73 lakh from a woman by threatening her with black magic that could cause harm to her and and her kin, a Navi Mumbai police official.
As per the FIR, the seven accused, on the pretext of performing rituals between January and November this year, took 105 tolas of gold worth ₹ 42.08 lakh and ₹ 36.65 lakh cash from the victim, the Vashi police station official
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Saturday, November 25, 2023
India to become world’s second-largest solar module producer by 2025 India is aiming to become the world’s second-largest producer of solar modules, by 2025 surpassing Southeast Asia, with a focus on meeting the growing demand from the United States, according to a report by Wood Mackenzie. This development occurs as China is projected to maintain over 80% of the global capacity in the solar module supply chain by 2024. The report highlights India’s ambition to boost module exports to the lucrative US
market while facing challenges due to high production costs, attributed in part to a 25% basic customs duty on imported solar cells. There is speculation that the Indian government may consider reducing the duty on Chinese modules, which currently face a 40% tax, to support its export goals. The United States, guided by the Inflation Reduction Act, is working to establish its photovoltaic manufacturing capabilities.
Indian skilled workers, medics, students dominate UK visa tally Indian skilled workers, medical professionals and students held on to their domination in the UK’s visa tally over the past year, according to official immigration statistics released here on Thursday. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data collated by the UK Home Office for the year ending September 2023 shows that Indian nationals topped not only the Skilled Worker visa route but also the Health and Care Visa route. In the students’ visa category, Indian nationals continued to represent the largest group of students granted leave to remain on the relatively new post-study Graduate visa route, representing 43 per cent of grants.
“While ‘Skilled Worker’ visas have only seen a modest rise in the past year ( 9 per cent), ‘Skilled Worker – Health and Care’ visa grants have more than doubled ( 135 per cent) to 143,990. Indian (38,866), Nigerian (26,715), and Zimbabwean (21,130) nationals saw the largest increases on this visa compared with the previous year,” the Home Office analysis notes. While the Health and Care visa figures mark a 76 per cent rise in Indian applicants, the Skilled Worker route saw a small decline of 11 per cent to drop from 20,360 visas in the year ending September 2022 to 18,107 in the year ending this September.
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Saturday, November 25, 2023
FIJI
PAKISTAN
Parliament passes Bill to reinstate the Great Council of Chiefs Parliament has passed the iTaukei Affairs (Amendment) Bill 2023 which allows the reinstatement of the Great Council of Chiefs. 28 MPs voted for the Bill, 22 voted against it, 3 did not vote and 1 MP abstained. While tabling the Bill, Attorney General, Siromi Turaga said the Great Council of Chiefs
was established under the iTaukei Affairs Act 1944 however in 2012 the establishing provision of the Council was repealed through the iTaukei Affairs (Amendment) Decree 2012 which also removed or amended various provisions under the Act that made reference to the Council.
Roy Krishna makes history by reaching first to 50 Caps for Fiji In a monumental chapter for Fijian football, Roy Krishna is on the brink of making history by earning his 50th national cap as he captains the team against Tahiti in the Pacific Games tonight. Since his debut
for the senior men’s team shortly before turning 20 in 2007, the Fijian striker has emerged as a trailblazer, and this milestone cements his legendary status in the sport.
57% increase in drug cases reported in October compared to last year The increased momentum of Police operations in targeting the cultivators, manufacturers and distributors of green and white drugs has resulted in a 57 percent increase in drug cases
recorded during the month of October. All five policing divisions recorded increases, where approximately 2 percent of the cases were related to methamphetamine and the remaining 157 cases were related
Parliament approves motion to review benefits for MPs, President & Speaker Parliament approved that the Emoluments Committee reviews the salaries, allowances and benefits of the Members of Parliament, President and Speaker as
provided for under the Parliamentary Remunerations Act 2014; review the Parliamentary Retirement Allowances Act 1989; and must report back to the Parliament.
Federal housing minister floats Airbnb crackdown to boost long-term rental supply Housing Minister Sean Fraser said Monday the federal government is considering a series of measures to curb the number of Airbnb and other short-term rental units on offer to boost the supply of homes available to rent for a longer stretch. Fraser said a crackdown on the
Highest civilian award for Dawoodi Bohra chief Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, head of the Mumbai-based Dawoodi Bohra sect of Islam, will be conferred ‘Nishan-ePakistan’, making him the fourth Indian to be honoured with Pakistan’s highest
Court rules jail trial of former PM Imran Khan is illegal A Pakistani court ruled that the closeddoor trial of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on charges of revealing state secrets is illegal, his lawyer said. The ruling by
Islamabad High Court came on a petition filed by Khan, who has demanded an open trial, the court ordered Imran Khan and former FM Shah Qureshi to appear in court.
The silence of Pakistanis on departure of Afghan refugees shows hypocrisy They were a common sight across major cities, performing low-paying wage work, loading goods at markets, pushing carts on streets to sell fruits and vegetables, or picking trash.
But since the beginning of the month, those Afghans have been missing from public view after the Pakistan government ordered a crackdown on undocumented refugees and migrants.
Two religious school teachers arrested for raping male students The scandal unfolded when the father of one victim visited the seminary and learned about the traumatic experiences endured by his son and other classmates. In a disturbing incident
reported from Pakistan’s Punjab province, two teachers from a seminary in Chakwal district have been apprehended for allegedly sexually assaulting at least 15 minor male students,
Pakistan supplies 155mm shells to Israel - claims report Pakistan is said to be supplying 155mm shells to Israel amid its war with Hamas despite Islamabad’s longstanding support to Palestinian cause and specific opposition
Real Estate
proliferation of these units is part of a broader Liberal government plan to help build and finance more housing units to deal with an acute shortage of affordable homes. The fall economic statement, set to be tabled tomorrow, is expected to include billions of dollars worth of new measures to help Canada
civilian award.The announcement of the award comes as an acknowledgement of Dr Saiduddin’s services, according to a statement by President Arif Alvi.
to the existence of the state of Israel. An account on X, formerly Twitter, cited flighttracker data to claim that a British Air Force plane flew to Nur Khan base in Rawalpindi.
2,200-home development in south Nanaimo gets go-ahead
Nanaimo council has given qualified support to a mixed-use development at the south end of the city described by the mayor as the “single biggest project of its kind in the history of the community.” The Sandstone project is expected to
#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005
require $2 billion in investment during a 20year phased build-out that includes plans for more than 2,000 new homes on 726 acres. Council members voted 7-2 Thursday in favour of a zoning bylaw to permit residential, industrial and mixed-use development in
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Cop killed in Kapurthala as two groups of Nihangs clash over gurdwara takeover A Punjab Police cop died after being hit by a bullet on Thursday morning as he was on duty to check the ongoing tension between two groups of Nihangs over taking possession of Gurdwara Akal Bunga. The gurdwara is located in front of the historical Gurdwara Ber Sahib. A Nihang, who had positioned himself on top of a tree, is learnt to have fired shots, one of which hit havildar Jaspal Singh, who was on duty there. Several other cops also got injured. Senior police officials reached the spot after the incident. ajya Sabha MP Balbir Seechewal met the six policemen who were admitted to the Civil Hospital. The incident occurred between 4 am and 5 am, four days ahead of Gurpurab, the celebrations for which were on. The gurdwara was under the control of Baba Budha Dal led by Nihang Balbir Singh for the past few years. His two sewadars, Nirwair Singh and Jagjit Singh, were deputed here. On November 21 morning, Nihang Maan Singh, who leads a splinter group of the same jatha of Nihangs, entered the gurdwara premises, took both sewadars captive, and tried to take over the control of the gurdwara. On a complaint by Jagjit Singh, a case was lodged against Nihang Maan Singh and 15-20 of his accomplices. The group of Nihang Maan Singh that attacked the police is still inside the premises. The other group of Balbir Singh had moved out. Nihang Maan Singh’s jatha being placated to move out from the premises. Arrests are yet to be made.
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Saturday, November 25, 2023