The Asian Star December 26 2020 by The Asian Star Newspaper

www.theasianstar.com Vol 19 - Issue 47 Meet the woman who runs the 5,500acre Jullundur Farms in Australia Gurjit Sondhu, the owneroperator of 5,500-acre Jullundur Farms in Western Victoria, came to Australia from India in 1976. 62-year-old Gurjit Sondhu is a passionate farmer who has been involved in different types of agribusiness at Wombelano, in the Wimmera region of western Victoria. She is the owner-operator of the 5500-acre Jullundur Farms [after the name of Jalandhar – a city in Punjab] where she manages various crops including canola, wheat and barley, in addition to trading in sheep and cattle. Ms Sondhu moved to Continued on page 7

Trump presents Legion of Merit to Indian PM Modi India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, accepted the award on behalf of the prime minister from the US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien at the White House. President Trump “presented the Legion of Merit to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in elevating the US-India strategic partnership,” O’Brien said in a tweet. Modi was presented with the highest degree Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit which is given only to the Head of State or Government. Continued on page 7

444 new cases of Covid-19 BC reporting 444 new cases of COVID-19, including five epi-linked cases, for a total of 47,510 cases in British Columbia. “There are 9,481 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 357 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 84 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. “A total of 36,094 people who tested positive have recovered, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Healthfollowing joint statement.

Saturday, December 26, 2020

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Canada halts flights from UK and South Africa as fast-spreading variants of COVID-19 emerge Highly contagious variants of COVID-19 have emerged in Britain, parts of Europe and South Africa, prompting a surge in infections and a wave of travel bans, including in Canada. On Sunday, several European countries, including France, Italy and Ireland, suspended all flights to and from Britain for up to two weeks. Germany also put restrictions on travellers from Britain and South Africa while Israel banned travellers from Britain, South Africa and Denmark. Further steps

could come on Monday when European Union leaders hold an emergency meeting to discuss an EU-wide response to new variants of the virus. “There are a great many questions about this new mutation,” said Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Also on Sunday, Ottawa announced a 72-hour suspension of flights from Britain beginning at midnight, Eastern time, on Sunday night. The suspension does not affect cargo flights or overflights where passengers are not disembarking in Canada. Continued on page 8

Pakistani human rights activist ‘murdered’ in Toronto A Pakistani human rights activist living in Canada who went missing over the weekend has been found dead, Toronto Police said on Tuesday, adding they believed her death to be a non-criminal matter. Karima Mehrab, (pictured) a refugee from Pakistan’s south western province of Balochistan, She was also known as Karima Baloch, went missing on Sunday in Toronto’s downtown waterfront area. Police said her body was found on Monday. Mehrab was a prominent student organizer who campaigned for Balochistan’s separation from Pakistan,

and later fled to Canada amid threats. She was named one of the BBC’s 100 inspirational and influential women of 2016. Toronto police offered few details about her death. Mike Butt, a detective, said by phone: “It has been deemed a non-criminal incident.” Amnesty International South Asia tweeted that her death was shocking and should be “effectively investigated,” while the Human Rights Council of Balochistan called for the Canadian government to look into the matter. Continued on page 8

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Amin Mawani

Almost 8.9 million Canadians, or nearly 24 per cent of the population, applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Of those, 441,000 or almost 5 per cent of CERB recipients have been sent warning letters suggesting that they may need to repay some or all of their CERB benefits because their earned incomes in the 12 months prior to the application date may not have exceeded $5,000.

Saturday, December 26, 2020 Forgiving ineligible CERB recipients would be unfair to Canadians who followed the rules CERB was designed for working Canadians whose livelihoods were interrupted by the lockdown brought about by COVID-19. It was not designed for students, the retired or the unemployed, nor for those who live off their investment incomes. As the CRA letter states, “To be eligible for CERB, you must

have earned employment or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months before the date of your application.” Such earned income specifically excludes passive income such as interest on savings and dividends from public corporations, as well as capital gains and pension income since such incomes would not be curtailed by a lockdown. For earned income to reflect self-employed taxpayers’ abilities to pay income taxes, it logically has to be net income and not gross income. An Uber driver does not pay income taxes on her gross income since she has to pay for costs such as gas and insurance that are necessary to earn income. Income taxes are imposed on net incomes for the self-employed. Making a selfemployed Uber driver pay taxes on her gross income would be inequitable compared with taxing a waiter on his wages and tips when he does not have to incur any expenses to earn them. The letters from the CRA were not sent randomly – it possesses information about taxpayers’ historical earnings during 2019 and could extrapolate the earned incomes for the first few months of 2020. The program was poorly designed by the CRA because taxpayers can unethically claim that they earned more in income during the first few months of 2020 to reach the minimum threshold of $5,000 for the 12 months ending on the dates they started to apply for CERB. Incomes of up to $13,229 in 2020 will not attract any income taxes, so overreporting income to avoid repaying CERB may not trigger any additional income taxes (assuming this was the only source of income). Applicants who are being asked to repay some or all of their CERB benefits because they may have incorrectly interpreted the $5,000 minimum threshold to be applicable to their gross selfemployed earnings could underreport their selfemployment expenses in order to overstate net self-employment earnings. Doing so would be illegal and unethical. While overstating incomes at such levels does not trigger additional taxes, the Income Tax Act requires taxpayers to attest that any information disclosed in the tax return is “correct and complete.” Failure to report Continued on page 5

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Saturday, December 26, 2020 Premier wants law allowing detaining of youth who overdosed It’s hard to understand how keeping a youth in hospital for a few days after an overdose is harmful, B.C. Premier John Horgan said in a year-end interview, expressing hope proposed legislation on the matter will return in the new year. “I think that I have difficulty as a parent,” said Horgan, “understanding how it could lead to further deaths if we keep someone who is admitted to a hospital because of an overdose, to observe them for a few more days to potentially provide them with treatment and therapies and get them into a place where they could potentially recover — how that was an egregious affront to civil liberties.”

On Monday the B.C. Coroners Service announced 153 suspected overdose deaths in the province in November, down from 164 last month, equaling about 5.1 deaths a day. There have been 1,548 illicit-drug toxicity deaths so far in 2020 in B.C. “Tragically, as we reach the end of 2020, our province is facing a record-breaking year for lives lost due to a toxic illicit-drug supply,” said B.C. chief coroner Lisa Lapointe. The opioid crisis, declared a public health emergency on April 14, 2016, worsened this year amid the pandemic.

Chinese state-owned companies among recipients of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Canadian government published a database detailing the various companies that received government financial support under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program, with several companies owned by the Chinese government being among the recipients, and one of them having connections to the ongoing genocide of Uyghur Muslims in the northwestern region of China. Under the program, any company which has a payroll account registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and has experienced a drop in revenue can apply to have up to 75% of their employee’s wages subsidized by the government. Since the companies do not need to

be based in Canada so long as they operate in the country, multiple foreign companies, including a number owned by the Chinese government, were able to receive subsidies under the program. Air China, a subsidiary of the state-owned China National Aviation Holdings, received wage subsidies. Air China experienced a substantial revenue drop in the first half of 2020, making them eligible for the CEWS. Air China also collaborates with Huawei. Another Chinese state-owned airline, China Southern Airlines, received subsidies under the program. Another major company which received subsidies under the program is a Toronto branch of the Bank of China.

BJP MP questions to Justin Trudeau about murder of Karima Baloch Political activist Karima Baloch, who campaigned extensively against disappearances and human rights violations in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, was found dead in Toronto on Tuesday. Reacting to it, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi questioned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the protection of lives and liberty of people in the country. Taking to Twitter, she asked, “Is it asking for a lot from Justin Trudeau to protect freedom of life and liberty of victimised people seeking democratic values?” Meanwhile, the Police in Toronto on Tuesday said that they are not treating the death of Karima Baloch as suspicious. According to an Associated Press report, authorities said the body of the 37-year-old Balochi activist was found near Toronto’s downtown waterfront Monday, a day after she had been reported missing. “It is currently being investigated as a noncriminal death and there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances,” Toronto police spokeswoman Caroline de Kloet said. ‘She has enemies that are the state’: Karima’s friend

Police said she was known to frequent Toronto’s waterfront and island areas. Lateef Johar, a close friend and fellow activist, said he did not believe it was suicide or an accident. “Her husband showed me some messages that he got a few days ago. It was a message they will send a Christmas gift to Karima that she will never forget, and other related messages, too,” Johar said. He said police told them they found her body in the water close to Toronto Centre Island. “Her family and I can’t believe that it was an accident or something else as we know she was threatened; her friends and family members were previously were abducted and killed,” Johar said. He said he didn’t think she suffered from depression but was prescribed sleeping pills recently. He said she was very strong. “She has enemies that are the state,” he said. Pakistan’ High Commission in Canada said in a statement it approached the Canadian government to find out the cause of death. In 2016, she was named on BBC’s list of 100 inspirational women. At 30, Baloch was the first woman to become the leader of the Balochistan Student Organisation.

Forgiving ineligible CERB recipients would be unfair to Canadians who followed the rules From page 4

truthfully could require repayments of CERB benefits plus penalties and interest. CRA officials and the Prime Minister have been eager to assure Canadians that such repayments do not have to be made by the end of this year. CRA does offer letter recipients that “if you are unable to immediately repay the amount, we can make an arrangement to give you more time and flexibility based on your ability to pay.” For Canadians earning in the vicinity of $5,000 annually, repayments of $12,000 to $16,000 based on ability to pay could take a long time if the claimants have spent their CERB benefits. News commentators have been

speculating whether the CRA would consider forgiving such repayments if the misinterpretation of CERB eligibility rules were made in good faith. However, overlooking such repayments would be tantamount to penalizing those who took the trouble to read and understand the CERB rules correctly. Repayments are clearly material to Canadians earning in the vicinity of $5,000 annually. However, forgiving CERB repayments could be inequitable to taxpayers who refrained from applying for the benefit because they understood the CERB rules or sought proper tax advice. The government and the CRA find themselves in a quandary that may not be easy to exit.

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Trump presents Legion of Merit award to Indian PM Modi He was given the award in recognition of his steadfast leadership and vision that has accelerated India’s emergence as a global power and elevated the strategic partnership between the United States and India to address global challenges. O’Brien in another tweet said that Trump also presented the Legion of Merit to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The awards were received by their respective ambassadors in Washington DC. President Trump “awarded the Legion of Merit to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for his leadership and vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he said. Trump awarded the Legion of Merit to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his leadership in addressing global challenges and promoting collective security, O’Brien tweeted. The United States is the latest country to confer its highest award to the Indian prime minister.

Meet the woman who runs the 5,500acre Jullundur Farms in Australia From page 1 Australia from Punjab, India in 1976 after getting married to Avtar Singh ‘Tari’, who had been farming in rural Victoria since 1938. A view of sheep grazing near canola fields at Jullundur Farms in western Victoria. A view of sheep grazing near canola fields at Jullundur Farms in western Victoria. Mr Tari’s granduncle Indar Singh Sondhu had migrated to Australia in 1898. He was an Indian hawker who used to sell goods on horse-drawn carriages and owned a grocery store at Coleraine in western Victoria. Ms Sondhu said the family’s history of farming dates back to 1938 when they purchased the 5000-acre Mullagh Station in Harrow. “There were no Indian migrants in this area who could buy farmlands during the White Australia policy. At auctions, Indar Singh Sondhu had to face people who would look at him differently or even with a bit of jealousy sometimes,” she said. “But he was a very skilled and resourceful businessman. After a brief encounter, he developed a friendship with ex-prime minister Malcolm Fraser’s father, who was a known figure in the community at that time.” Mr and Mrs Sondhu got married in 1976 in Punjab, India While discussing her own migration story, Ms Sondhu explained how she came to Australia. “My husband was seven years old when he came to Australia.

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Canada halts flights from UK and South Africa as fast-spreading variants of COVID-19 emerge Ontario to impose province-wide lockdown, media reports say, as Nunavut sees first COVID-19 deathsAuthorities did not say Sunday night whether they believe the new variant of COVID-19 has reached Canada from Britain. However, flight-tracking websites indicate that in recent weeks there have been three to four daily flights to Canada from that country. “While early data suggest that the United Kingdom variant may be more transmissible, to date there is no evidence that the mutations have any impact on symptom severity, antibody response or vaccine efficacy,” the Public Health Agency of Canada said in a statement. “Evidence is, however, limited at this time and more research is needed in Canada

and around the world,” PHAC said. The travel bans come a day after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a lockdown in London and other parts of England in a bid to stop an alarming jump in infections that’s believed to be linked to the mutation. New lockdown measures also went into effect in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Britain has been gripped by a fierce second wave of the pandemic and infections have started climbing despite two lockdowns and months of tight restrictions across most of the country. In London, COVID-19 infections have jumped by more than 50 per cent in the past two weeks.

Pakistani activist ‘murdered’ in Toronto From page 1

Earlier this year Sajid Hussain, a Balochistan journalist and activist living in

exile in Sweden, was found drowned there, according to media reports.

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Saturday, December 26, 2020 10-year-old North Vancouver girl diagnosed with rare post COVID-19 syndrome Jillian Rondeau is one of only four kids in BC with a confirmed case of multi-symptom inflammatory syndrome or MIS-C, a rare post COVID-19 complication. But when she originally contracted the virus after a school exposure in early November, the 10-year-old had few symptoms and seemed to recover quickly. “We thought we were on the path to recovery and leaving it in the past,” said her father Jean-Marc Rondeau. But on December 10th, Jillian developed a high fever, began vomiting and losing consciousness. She was tentatively diagnosed with MIS-C at Lions Gate Hospital. Symptoms start about a month after a COVID-19 diagnosis in children, and include fever, rashes, and gastrointestinal issues. “It can affect other organ systems including the heart, and those are the most serious cases,” said B.C. Children’s Hospital pediatric cardiologist Dr. Kevin Harris. “Some children they may require

hospitalization, they get over it relatively quickly and in others in can be a very serious infection with children sometimes needing to go to the intensive care unit.” After her initial diagnosis, Jillian Rondeau was transferred to B.C. Children’s Hospital for treatment. “It was extremely frightening, especially on that Saturday when we could see the machines just beeping, going off with her blood pressure being so low and her heart rate so high,” said Rondeau. Jillian’s mother remained at her side while she remained hospitalized for 10 days, before being discharged on Monday, “If she had had any fever or symptoms come up over the weekend, we would have definitely been staying in hospital for the holidays,” said Rondeau. The family is speaking out as a reminder of how serious a COVID infection can be even in children, and so parents who’ve had a child who tested positive weeks ago remain on alert.

Saturday, December 26, 2020 Expert bashes BC govt for Covid-19 data gaps

British Columbia is lagging in providing detailed information on COVID-19 cases, and its failures are undermining efforts to protect the public, says an expert in data-based modelling. From Delta to Pemberton, six producers who rose to The Tyee’s 100-Mile Beer Challenge.Jens von Bergmann is owner of MountainMath, a Vancouver data analytics company modelling work largely focused on housing and transit. But since the pandemic hit, von Bergmann has increasingly turned his attention to analyzing COVID-19 data and

preparing models to help understand the spread. But the big gaps in available data in B.C. — even compared to other provinces — have forced him to do a lot of extra work. And the lack of data has made crucial modelling work difficult, imprecise or impossible, he says. Von Bergmann isn’t alone in his criticism. Mario Possamai, a former senior advisor to the Ontario government’s SARS Commission, recently prepared the report A Time of Fear that found key lessons from that outbreak are being ignored by Canadian jurisdictions.

Health Canada warns against company selling unlicensed PPE online Health Canada is warning that unauthorized personal protective equipment and medical devices are being sold online, and they may not provide the level of protection advertised. Health Canada said in a release Tuesday that the company Maskopia, formerly known as Medkem Canada Inc., in Brampton, Ont., has been selling unlicensed supplies, including isolation gowns, cloth masks advertised as surgical masks, gloves and other PPE, through social media and on websites like Kijiji. The agency is urging people to stop using supplies purchased from the company and dispose of them. Health Canada says Maskopia does not hold a Medical Device Establishment

Licence (MDEL), which is required to import or sell medical devices in Canada. Health Canada says it also refused to authorize an application from the company to sell its gowns because they did not meet all of the agency’s requirements for COVID-19 medical devices. Maskopia continued to sell isolation gowns to various health care practitioners and consumers and also falsely advertised and sold non-medical masks as medical masks, Health Canada says. The agency says it has seized many medical products from the company, including N95 masks, isolation gowns, face shields, cloth masks advertised as surgical masks, disposable surgical masks and latex and vinyl gloves.

Health minister apologizes for problems with BC Recovery Benefit applications Health Minister Adrian Dix is apologizing for problems that have plagued the the B.C. Recovery Benefit application process. Dix said Monday that there have been challenges, but the province is working to get the money sent out to people to help ease the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people who applied over the weekend said they were then asked to provide more documentation, including recent bills or bank statements. The applicants said they were also told it may take up to 30 days to process the information, after the province initially said hundreds of thousands of people would receive the money soon after applications opened last Friday.

“I understand their frustration,” Dix said. “It’s something that is new to government.” “And like everything else, when things … don’t work exactly right, I’ll be there and (provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry) will be there and Premier (John) Horgan will take responsibility when things don’t go well.” The tax-free benefit provides up to $1,000 for eligible families earning $125,000 dollars or less per year, with a sliding scale up to $175,000. A $500 payout is also available for single people earning up to $62,500. A call centre is also open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding statutory holidays, at 1-833-882-0020

Growing support in BC for farmers in India, amid continued censorship concerns Some of B.C.’s most powerful unions are throwing their support behind protesters in India amid growing concerns about censorship of the social media movement in solidarity with those farmers. The B.C. Federation of Labour (BCFED) has planned a car rally and protest for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Surrey at Nordel Way and Scott Road.“Everyone’s physical distancing and we’re asking people to drive by, honk, whatever people feel comfortable with to show these workers some solidarity,” BCFED secretary-treasurer Sussane Skidmore said. “Without farmers, there is no food and part of the work we do in the labour movement is we support workers when they are dealing with negotiations and having trouble dealing with negotiations and of course international solidarity is incredibly important and worker solidarity doesn’t just stop at our borders.” Skidmore said there are some parallels to be drawn between the farmers’ movement in India and the labour movement in B.C. “We have ongoing issues with migrant workers here in British Columbia and across the country… we know there’s pay rate issues, we know that there

are issues around safety for them in… housing situations… with access to health care and… there is a lot of work to do here and this is just another way for us to show solidarity with those workers,” she said. The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union has also expressed support for protesting farmers in India. “We echo the calls to stop the corporate takeover of India’s agricultural sector and to immediately release all political prisoners, including union members, arrested for protesting these draconian laws,” the BCGEU said in a statement. Tuesday’s rally comes two days after hundreds of people took part in a socially distant car caravan and protest outside Facebook offices in downtown Vancouver. Our Avaaz is one of several groups speaking out against online censorship, called shadow banning, which has impacted other major movements including Black Lives Matter. In multiple cases, during key moments during the farmers’ solidarity movement, hashtags like #Sikh and #tiktok have been flooded with pornographic material, which is flagged and then restricted, hindering the ability to get the message about the farmers’

Saturday, December 26, 2020 BC health regionsr eceived shipment of COVID-19 vaccine: top doctor British Columbia’s top doctor says every regional health authority has received doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Bonnie Henry said vaccine deliveries last week were concentrated in the Lower Mainland, where case counts and transmission rates are highest. But she said B.C.’s immunization campaign is now rolling out on Vancouver Island, and in the Northern and Interior health regions. “The Interior and the North are having quite large transmission events relative to the population,” Henry told a news conference on Monday. The curve of the outbreak is starting

to level off amid ongoing public health rules, she said, but hundreds of new cases are being confirmed each day. B.C. announced 1,667 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday over a three-day period, as well as 41 more deaths, pushing the death toll to 765. The vaccine must be stored at ultra-low temperatures and so far, Pfizer requires doses to be administered at points of arrival, said Henry, so people receiving it in coming days will have to travel to a central location. Henry said she’s looking forward to approval from the company to allow 975-dose trays of the vaccine to be broken up and delivered more widely.

Lawsuit by Sikh independence group alleges defamation by think tank and former CBC reporter Independence advocates Sikhs for Justice has filed a lawsuit against the MacdonaldLaurier Institute, an Ottawa-based think tank, and Terry Milewski, a former CBC reporter, alleging “an untrue and misleading report” Milewski authored for the policy group on Khalistan has damaged the reputation of the Sikh organization. Sikhs for Justice describes itself as a nonprofit that promotes the rights of Sikhs to seek self-determination and, in particular, was the driving force behind Referendum 2020, which sought a worldwide referendum on the creation of an independent Sikh state in India, known as Khalistan. The referendum was to gauge support worldwide for the independent state. “Without any basis, (Milewski and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute) paint the referendum as a covert attempt to foment extremist ideologies,” the lawsuit says. “The

authors also characterize (Sikhs for Justice) as the puppet of the Government of Pakistan.” No formal defence has been filed in court, but in a statement, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute said they and Milewski stand behind the report. “The civil claim against MLI and Mr. Milewski is a meritless attempt to silence public debate,” the statement said. “MLI and Mr. Milewski stand by the article, and have every confidence that they will be successful in the litigation.” The report, published in September 2020, is entitled “Khalistan: A Project of Pakistan.” The lawsuit, filed in Ontario court on Dec. 1, says the report made several defamatory allegations, including that Sikhs for Justice “supports violent activities or causes within India,” that it is an “extremist organization,” and is working “on behalf ” of Pakistan.

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LOCAL

Saturday, December 26, 2020 Large meat recall at Sobeys and FreshCo grocery stores continues to grow over Listeria fears, triggering warning from Health Canada The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has once again expanded its list of recalled products sold at Sobeys and FreshCo and other grocery stores over Listeria concerns. The “food recall warning” issued on Dec. 15 has been updated this evening (Dec. 22) to include additional product information and multiple new products. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) food safety investigation. Levitts Foods (Canada) Inc. is recalling

certain Assala, Compliments, The DeliShop, and Levitts brands deli meat products from the marketplace due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, The CFIA and Health Canada said. “Consumers should not consume the recalled products,” The CFIA said in its warning. “If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor.” Both the CFIA and Health Canada are advising residents to check to see if you have the recalled products in your home.

Feeling uncertain about vaccination this Christmas? By Vibhooti Vaishnav

anta has been very kind to all of us. This Christmas he brings us a ray of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. Vaccination against COVID-19 approved is being distributed and will be made available for everyone in due course. It took nine months of endurance for us North Americans and now we are still at the fork of making decision once again. To get vaccinated or not is the question. During this entire ordeal of COVID-19, we have seen how divided people are in believing, accepting and behaving around coronavirus. Simple asking of the medical world was to be vigilant to not be infected and not to spread the infection simply by wearing mask, keeping distance, washing hands and sanitizing Touchpoints and surfaces until the vaccine could be developed. How difficult is that to understand? Yet people opposed it and behaved very irresponsibly and deliberately and illogically in many areas. This behavioural pattern is beyond the realm of understanding. Being on the edge of our fear for existence would definitely feel uncomfortable. Frustration and stress and agony will make us take decisions that we might regret later. Now that vaccines are made available, there will again be a split, more than ever, as we don’t have the answers to many questions. What should one do in this case? If I am not an expert and I do not have any in-depth knowledge about viruses, how they behave, how vaccinations work, what should I do in this case? What options am I left with? I can either trust the experts who have dedicated their entire life into this and take that leap of faith and

get the vaccination made available to us or I can do some research, find out through actual sources and genuinely understand the science behind what the entire vaccination process is all about, logically and intelligently rationalize the risks versus benefits and make my own informed decision and own it. Do I have patience and time for this? I could just come to an understanding of all this but there is no time to fight for your own ideology. Consolidation of thoughts and vision is of prime importance now and sometimes there are situations beyond our control that call for surrendering to shared values, to move on in life, as we have integrated life, globally. So please make an educated and informed decision without getting stressed out without being influenced by social media, without being misled by conspiracy theory. If you are still a bit sceptical about being vaccinated, you can always wait it out and not rush into it. Healthcare providers, Frontline workers of other fields, elderly and high-risk populations would have put that trust into the system and you will reap the fruits of their actions ahead of you. So let us all hope for the best, be supportive of each other and until it’s your time to get poked, do not let your guard down. Continue to wear masks and keep distance, wash hands, sanitized touch points and surfaces and do not meet up and go out until necessary. Can we do this much to be on Santa’s list of good ? Merry Christmas and a very happy healthy and safe NewYear. Have a wonderful time with your family in the comfort of your own home.

BC mother wants justice after her daughter dies from undiagnosed infection, despite multiple hospital visits A grieving Vancouver mother wants to know why her 29-yearold daughter was sent home from hospital repeatedly when she had a deadly infection. “It’s truly heartbreaking. I’m still in shock,” Ann Forry said. “The loss of my only child at 29 – it shouldn’t happen.” Forry alleges Lions Gate Hospital failed to properly diagnose and treat her daughter Natasha’s worsening symptoms, caused by a staph infection that ultimately killed her. The family’s tragic story began on Oct. 2, when Natasha went to hospital with concerns about a cyst on her leg that had become enlarged and needed draining. For a few days after the visit, everything seemed normal. But on Oct. 9, Natasha was experiencing some pain in her abdomen and went to a walk-in clinic, which told her to head to the emergency room. Forry said the hospital took some blood work, a CT scan and an X-ray and determined Natasha had some swollen

lymph nodes in her stomach. She was sent home with some pain killers. The next day, Natasha experienced “excruciating pain” and returned to Lions Gate Hospital. This time, they doubled her pain medication, according to her mother. Forry couldn’t accompany her daughter in the hospital because of COVID-19 protocols.“They ultimately failed Natasha from her only hope of turning this around,” alleged Forry. On Oct. 11, Natasha was having difficulty breathing and was taken to the hospital via an ambulance. Forry said doctors initially thought her daughter had COVID, but she had doubts. “I said to him, ‘Well, could it have anything to do with a cyst that she had on Oct. 2?’ And that was the first that he heard of it, which was really a big concern for us,” she said. Forry was able to see her daughter through a glass window. It would be one of their last interactions.

COVID-19 outbreak declared at Abbotsford senior care home A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at a long term care home in Abbotsford, according to a news statement from Fraser Health. The Mayfair Senior Living + Care home has seen four residents test positive for the novel coronavirus, reads the statement released late Sunday afternoon. “Fraser Health has declared an outbreak and a Fraser Health rapid response team is at the site. Communication with residents and families is underway,” it says. Residents who’ve been infected are currently in self-isolation at

the home, which is owned by The Care Group. The health authority says it has extra staff on site to help support the facility, and that it is working with the site to implement increased cleaning and infection control measures. Fraser Health also said the outbreak at Royal City Manor, declared on Dec. 2, has been declared over. The facility is a longterm care home in New Westminster. Fraser Health did not specify in its news statement whether any residents at Royal City died from COVID-19.

Saturday, December 26, 2020 ‘New’ cabinets and woodwork are as easy as 1,2,3! Advertorial

When Donna and Larry Schooler’s friends ask how they keep their home’s cabinetry and woodwork looking so good for so long, they’re happy to share their secret: “We had Gleam Guard refinish most of our woodwork several years ago and we’re just loving the work they did. Our friends are always so amazed how good they look. We let them know about Gleam Guard.” Homeowner Mike Lapolla agrees: “We couldn’t be more pleased with the workmanship and result. Our tired cabinets now look refreshed and ready for another 30 years of service.” Better yet? The whole process takes just a day or two, and the preparation? Less time than it takes to enjoy your morning coffee! “We regularly hear from clients how thrilled they are not only with the result, which really restores their cabinets to the look they love, but how affordable, quick and simple the process is,” says Tracy Booth, owner of Gleam Guard Cabinet Refinishing, serving Nanaimo and the Vancouver Island region. Here’s a look at the process these families, and thousands others, are happily sharing: 1. If your cabinets have grown tired over time, perhaps the finish has worn off with years of use, a Gleam Guard trained professional will tint and make them look like new – and that means a “new” kitchen can cost just $2,000 instead of up to $30,000 for all-new cabinets. While cabinets can go slightly lighter or darker, the aim is to restore cabinets to their original

appearance, not change their appearance as you would with painting or staining. 2. To ensure that long-lasting finish will offer decades more use, preparation is key, notes Booth, whose Gleam Guard is BBB-accredited with an A+ rating. While your prep simply involves clearing off your counters – you don’t even have to empty your cabinets! – your Gleam Guard technician will give the wood surface a vigorous clean, then professionally match and apply the new colour. A wood floor finish is then applied for a long-wearing, easy-clean result, protecting your cabinets from hazards such as water damage, grease and dust. 3. With no demolition or construction to worry about, the entire dust-free process takes only a day or two. Beyond cabinets, the process is wellsuited to all interior millwork, including bookshelves, doors, windowsills, furniture and more. And if your cabinets are laminate, they can help those too! “We can clean it and put a fresh finish on it,” Booth says. As John and Sally McAlear shared, when “Gleam Guard technology brought our dull cabinets back to life, they looked so good we had all of our moulding, doors and frames treated too!” If your kitchen cabinets or millwork could use a little love, visit Gleam Guard at gleamguardcabinetrefinishing.ca. Book your consultation today at info@ gleamguard.com or 1-250-800-5770.

University of Ottawa student told to repay $12K from CERB says he was given bad info A University of Ottawa student who owes the federal government $12,000 is blaming the big bill on bad information he received when applying for Canada’s emergency pandemic benefits. Alex Coucopoulos, a third-year student, lost both his part-time job and a summer co-op position with Global Affairs Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When he inquired about applying for the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB), he was told by a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) agent that as long as he’d made more than $5,000 in 2019, he would qualify. Later, when the Canadian emergency student benefit (CESB) became available, Coucopoulos said he checked back in with the CRA to see if he should switch streams and was told CERB remained the better option. Based application on gross income, not net Now Coucopoulos is among the tens of thousands of Canadians who’ve received letters from the CRA stating they may never have been

eligible for the CERB benefits they received. CRA sent 441,000 ‘education letters’ to Canadians who may have to repay CERB benefits Some students still confused about emergency benefits, groups say He told CBC News he figured he met the threshold since his gross income for 2019, including student bursaries, was above $5,000, an interpretation the CRA agent said was correct. However, the CRA’s letter says student loans and bursaries do not count toward employment income.

South Surrey drive-thru COVID-19 testing centre opens A new COVID-19 testing centre has opened in south Surrey. The drive-thru site is located at 3800 King George Blvd. More specifically, the site is in the South Surrey Park and Ride, at the junction of Highway 99 and King George Highway. he site, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. is one of four testing sites in Surrey, according to the list on Fraser Health’s website.

their

Walk-in testing is not available at this site, but is available at Peace Arch Hospital. Those seeking tests are asked to register online through Fraser Health and book appointment before coming.

Time for rapid testing in long-term care homes Press release

As the number of exposures and deaths in long-term care homes across the province continues to grow, the NDP government needs to expand the COVID-19 rapid testing pilot project to cover all long-term homes. “The vaccine offers a glimmer of hope but it won’t immediately impact the devastating impact COVID-19 is having on our seniors,” said Interim BC Liberal Leader and Critic for Seniors Services & Long Term Care, Shirley Bond. “We already have a pilot project for rapid testing, so let’s use this added layer of protection in all long-term care homes. We need to do absolutely everything we can to protect our seniors and the incredible staff who are working so hard to care for them.” The use of rapid testing in long-term care homes is supported by the province’s Seniors’ Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie, and the BC Care Providers. Rapid tests can help identify staff members with COVID-19

who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic and can produce results in 15 minutes. “With new outbreaks in long-term care homes still happening every other day, staff in these care facilities need to be given a rapid way to test themselves to provide another layer of protection for the vulnerable residents they work with,” added BC Liberal Health critic Renee Merrifield. “The government is already using rapid tests on First Nations and rural B.C. populations and rapid tests are being administered to asymptomatic subjects at the airport and on film sets. It’s time to start using rapid tests broadly in long-term care homes to provide seniors with an added layer of protection.” As of December 17, there were 55 active outbreaks in long-term care and assisted living facilities, which includes 1,374 residents and 735 staff with COVID-19 currently.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Canada has ‘significant’ concerns about China’s ‘unpredicability’: Harijit Sajjan Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is taking aim at what he describes as China’s unpredictability, refusal to play by the rules and expanding footprint around the world, saying those are among the “significant” concerns Canada and its allies have with Beijing. The comments come amid growing alarm over China’s increasingly assertive foreign policy, which has led Canadian military commanders and others to increasingly focus on what is being described as the next great power competition. The last great power competition saw Canada and its NATO allies

face off against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Sajjan declined in an interview with The Canadian Press to describe China as an adversary even as he emphasized the importance of talk and diplomacy in dealing

with the Chinese government. Yet the defence minister was also quick to list the many ways in which China’s recent actions have set off red flags in Ottawa and other western capitals, underscoring the importance of possessing a credible military response should it be required. Those actions include the continued detention of two Canadians in apparent retaliation for Canada’s

arrest in 2018 of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who is wanted in the United States on fraud charges. While the dispute has had a serious impact on Canada-China relations, Sajjan suggested the arrest and detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor also spoke to broader concerns about China flaunting international rules, norms and treaties. “The unpredictability that China has been showing the world — not just to Canada — is giving all of us significant concern,” he said.

Large crowds turn out for 2nd BC convoy supporting Indian farmers Hundreds of people turned out on Saturday for a second protest in solidarity with farmers in India. Demonstrators are supporting farmers, mostly from India’s Punjab region, who are furious about a trio of proposed new agricultural laws. Farmers and their supporters say the legislation will end guaranteed grain prices from the government, opening them up to exploitation by large corporations. Organizer Rob Kanwal estimated at least 300 vehicles were a part of

the procession, and stressed that peaceful protest and social distancing were priorities. “We have lands over there, we have families and relatives over there. We have the same feeling,” he said. “We want to tell them we are all with them.” Protesters have camped out on highways in the Indian capital of Delhi for days. Last weekend, police used tear gas, water cannons and baton charges on protesters as tensions escalated.

Name change I Pankhuri Punkhuri changed my name to Pankhuri Bhullar with immediate effect. I am changing my last name which was Punkhuri in the papers.

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14103 110 AVE., N.SURREY

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Truly delightful huge basement entry app. 7200 sqft. home sits on rectangular 9965 sqft. lot. House features 11 bedrooms & 10 washrooms build by good reputation builders. Main floor has 5 bedrooms & 4 bath with huge family room,living room,kitchen,& spice kitchen.Ground level basement has 27'x15' media room with bar & washroom for upstairs use.House has 3 spacious ground level basement suites (3 bed.+3 bed & bachelor suite).Total rent of the suites is $3500/month.Very nice tenants.Easy access to Pattulo bridge, Port Mann bridge & shopping center.Motivated sellers.Easy to show.

Truly delightful fully renovated 6 bedroom basement entry home sits on rectangular 7920 sf flat lot in most demanding area Aldergrove Langley.Main floor features 3 bed ,2 bath with new kitchen /island ,new flooring,new tiles , new woodwork,new fixtures,splash back,granite counters,new tiles,new cabinet, new windows,new zebra drapes,4 new washrooms & much more .Newly built 3 bedroom unauthorized basement suite with rear separate entry.Excellent renovated covered 333 sf Patio & deck.Landscape front & fully fenced back yard. Storage shed.Walking distance to both schools,shopping,community center with pools,water Park,ice arena,playing fields& to all major routes.

$1,779,000

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14030 GROSVENOR RD., NORTH SURREY

Hot deal! First Time Buyers or Investors, great investment property with reliable tenants, centrally located in a great neighbourhood. 2 bedroom and 1 bath spacious ground level apartment. Well maintained complex, with many updates on the complex over the last couple of years including, roof, windows, balconies, boilers, security cameras, fob access systems and landscaping. There is shared laundry on every floor. Wheelchair access, elevators secure underground parking. Close to Bus stop, walking distance to shopping, restaurants, banks and

This well-maintained family home w/3-beds up, suite-potential down and a detached workshop/garage has everything you and your family needs, all located centrally. It's a 5 -10min drive to Guildford Town Centre & Hwy 1; only a 3min drive to Gateway Skytrain Station. The 2-level home has a brand-new furnace, dishwasher & washing machine +plenty of other extras including a mobile accessible alarm system and a cozy living room gas fireplace for winter nights. The back deck located off the dining room is perfect for summer barbecues! In addition to the carport and the driveway that fits up to 4-5 vehicles, the 10,200sf lot (60x170) has a massive 1100sf detached workshop that will

$210,000

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5843 180 STREET, CLOVERDALE 6559 CLAYTONHILL PLACE, CLOVERDALE

$912,500

Solid family home on almost 10,000 square foot rectangular lot in Cloverdale with loads of potential. Large open lot offers plenty of space for a pool, playground & trampoline; or use the extra space to build your dream home. Great central location close to shopping, transit & schools. Same owners since 1987. Three bedrooms up, one down in partially finished basement (just needs a closet). Walkout basement with its own entrance offers potential for two bedroom suite. Large covered patio off the living area overlooks the private, sunny backyard. Transform it into a modern, functional family home

$1,695,238

Welcome to CLOVERDALE'S NEW MASTERPIECE with beautiful VIEWS which is built in the prestigious and quiet Claytonhill neighbourhood. With almost 6000 sq. ft. of spacious living, this family home features 9 BEDROOMS & 9 BATHROOMS and is situated on a 6875 sq. ft. lot. Open concept main floor with decks offering views of BC's mountains, A/C, HRV, security system & more! Beautiful tile floors and engineered wood is carefully placed throughout the home. 9ft ceilings showcased throughout the home with an exquisite chef's kitchen, wok kitchen and bedroom that can be used for all your different needs. This AMAZING home has left no expenses spared with EVERY bedroom on main and upper floor offering a WALK-IN CLOSET and EN-SUITE. 2 BASEMENTS each having 2 beds (2+2),

Saturday, December 26, 2020

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Health Canada Authorizes Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine

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Canada is set to start receiving a second COVID-19 vaccine in the coming days after Health Canada on Wednesday declared the new inoculation from U.S. biotech firm Moderna safe for use. Health Canada’s chief medical officer Dr. Supriya Sharma told a news conference in Ottawa that up to 168,000 doses will be delivered by the end of December, with more arriving next year. “After assessing all the data, we concluded that there was strong evidence that showed the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the potential risks,” Sharma said. “Today’s authorization is one more tool in our toolbox to bring COVID-19 under control,” she later added.

Moderna is the second COVID-19 vaccine to be approved by Health Canada after regulators greenlit the Pfizer-BioNtech inoculation on Dec. 9. Moderna anticipates starting shipments to Canada within 48 hours. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to provide an update this afternoon, while government and publichealth officials are scheduled to provide details on their plans to distribute the shots. The Moderna approval comes amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases across Canada, with a record number of infections in Quebec even as Ontario was preparing for a provincewide lockdown on Boxing Day. Quebec reported 2,247 new infections – one day after it posted 2,183 new cases, which was a record at the time.

Neighbours ‘appalled’ that Chilliwack and Langley churches continue in-person services despite health order Congregations gathered on Sunday at two churches in the Fraser Valley for the fourth week in a row since the order to suspend church services due to COVID-19 came down. The Riverside Calvary Chapel in Langley and Free Grace Baptist Church

in Chilliwack held in-person services, in contravention of B.C.’s public health order. “We’re called to come together as a congregation,” said Mac Cross outside the Free Grace Baptist church, “we as a people are the church.” Cross said

Starlight Development to build Metro’s largest rental development in Burnaby *See website for Price Match terms and conditions.

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The development arm of a large, Torontobased real estate investment fund that has been expanding its BC holdings, is proposing to build one of the largest rental housing communities in Metro Vancouver near Lougheed Mall in Burnaby. Starlight Developments is asking to add 1,200 new rental homes to a 7.4 acre site where it has been renovating 528 existing,

older ones. “When I look at Burnaby, I don’t see anything of this size,” for purposebuilt rental, said Josh Kaufman, head of development and construction at Starlight. It bought the Lougheed Village site in 2015 for a reported $160 million in one of the largest deals of that year. It was an amount based on the potential to add more to the site.

INDIA

Saturday, December 26, 2020

CBI chargesheets principal of NDA Khadakwasla for ‘cheating’ defence ministry The CBI has chargesheeted the Principal of the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Om Prakash Shukla for allegedly making false claims about his teaching experience in his application to the Union Public Service Commission 12 years ago, officials said Wednesday. The CBI had booked Shukla in 2018 in a case of alleged fraudulent appointments in the NDA’s civilian faculty on the basis of exaggerated claims in research and teaching experience and API scores. The central probe agency carried out

searches on June 6, 2018 on the premises of the accused which had led to the recovery of incriminating documents, the officials said. In its chargesheet filed before a special court in Pune, the CBI has alleged Shukla made false claims about his teaching and research experience to the UPSC on the basis of which he was appointed as Economics Professor in NDA in 2007-08. He was later appointed as Principal of the NDA in 2011 on the basis of the claims, thereby allegedly cheating the Defence Ministry, CBI Spokesperson RK Gaur said.

National Investigation Agency arrests absconding Khalistani terrorist The anti-terror probe agency NIA on Wednesday said it had arrested absconding Khalistani terrorist Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, who was hiding in Cyprus (Europe), upon his arrival at IGI Airport here Tuesday night. According to NIA official, Nijjar, a resident of Pandori Sukha Singh village in Ajnala tehsil of Amritsar district, was wanted in a case registered on January 10, 2019 against one accused Harpal Singh under various

Under Modi govt, top bosses of PSU banks have stopped getting extensions What is common to P. Ramana Murthy, Rajesh Kumar Yaduvanshi, Rajeev Rishi, P.S. Jayakumar, Arun Kaul and K.R. Kamath, apart from the fact they were all public sector bankers? All their careers in public banks ended prematurely, even before they hit the retirement age of 60 — despite being eligible for extension, none of them received it. The trend is not limited to these six individuals — since the Narendra Modi government came into power in 2014, several top public sector bankers have not been given extensions, something that was previously unheard of. Murthy and Yaduvanshi were executive directors in public sector banks, while the other four were chief executives — both ranks to which officials are appointed by the government. Earlier, the top post in public sector banks was chairman and managing director (CMD), which was later bifurcated into MD and CEO, and non-executive chairman.

Priest and nun get life sentence in Sister Abhaya murder case A CBI special court on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment the catholic priest and nun, who were found guilty of the murder of Sister Abhaya in Kottayam 28 years ago. Special CBI Judge K Sanal Kumar pronounced the sentence against two accused - Father Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sephy - and slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on each of them. The court had on Tuesday found the two guilty of the murder of Sister Abhaya, who was found dead in a well in St Pius convent in Kottayam in 1992. The duo was also sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for tampering with evidence. The sentences will run concurrently. While pronouncing the verdict on Tuesday, the court had said the murder charges against the two accused would stand. The special court had said the accused were guilty of murder in the case under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (tampering of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code.

sections of the Arms Act, 1959; the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951; and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

COVAXIN produces immunity, no serious side effects in phase-2 trials Data from phase 2 trials of COVAXIN, India’s first indigenous COVID vaccine candidate, has shown the jab was well tolerated across all ages groups, produced cell mediated immune response and did not show any serious adverse event. Bharat Biotech and ICMR, collaborators for the COVAXIN candidate, have now published the results for phase 1 and phase 2 trials with the late stage phase 3 trials progressing well. The results are still to be peer reviewed though. “In phase 1 trial, the vaccine (BBV152) produced high levels of neutralising antibodies that remained elevated in all participants

three months after the second vaccination. In the phase 2 trial, BBV152 led to tolerable safety outcomes and enhanced cell-mediated immune responses,” the latest data show. The researchers are going with the 6 μg formulation for phase 3 efficacy trial after trying the 3 ug formulation in the first two stages. The phase 2 trial of COVAXIN was a doubleblind, randomised, multi-centre, clinical trial involving 380 healthy children and adults who received two vaccine formulations -- 3 μg and 6 μg.

INDIA

Saturday, December 26, 2020

US financial body to invest $54 Million in India An American financial corporation has announced to invest USD 54 million in India to support the development of critical infrastructure projects in the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. India is one of the fastest-growing countries in the previous three decades, but it suffers from a significant infrastructure deficit, holding back further growth for the country especially in the wake of COVID-19, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) said on Tuesday.

The DFC said it will invest USD 54 million in equity for the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) in India to support the development of critical infrastructure projects. The financing is part of NIIF’s final round of fund-raising for the fund. NIIF will work to mobilise capital to support economic growth and address critical development challenges in the country, according to a statement.

Passenger from London Tests Covid-19 Positive in TN, Result Awaited to A few hours after the Centre and Tamil Nadu government banned all flights from UK due a new coronavirus strain being found in the country, a passenger who landed in Chennai from London via Delhi has tested positive for Covid-19. “A passenger who arrived in Chennai from the UK via Delhi has tested positive for Covid19. Samples taken from him have been sent to NIV Pune to identify if it’s the new strain of the virus. The patient was already

under quarantine and has now been moved to Kings Institute. No reason to panic,” said state health secretary J Radhakrishanan. Radhakrishnan along with other officials visited Chennai airport and inspected the steps taken to check passengers landing in the airport from abroad. The secretary advised all citizens to wear masks and follow social distancing and also use sanitizers frequently.

Chinese spy racket linked to ISI busted in Afghanistan The Afghan National Directorate of Security recently discovered a dense network of Chinese spies, who were trying to influence the geopolitical dynamics in the region. The NDS had on December 10 cracked down on the network and arrested a Chinese intelligence operative Li Yangyang. He had been operating in the country since July. He was arrested from his Kabul residence and the NDS recovered arms, ammunition and explosives including Ketamine powder. Big Chinese spy racket linked to Pakistan’s ISI

busted in Afghanistan File Photo On the same day, the NDS arrested another Chinese spy Sha Hung from her Shirpur residence in Kabul. The NDS recovered explosives and highly objectionable material from here residence. Chinese soldiers in civilian clothes pushed back by ITBP personnel, civilians Primis Player Placeholder Both were kingpins of the espionage network and they were meeting with members of the Haqqani Network that is backed by the ISI. Officials tell OneIndia that both China and Pakistan are working to

Modi visits Sikh temple amid farmers’ protests ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to a Sikh temple in New Delhi on Sunday, kneeling down in respect and having pictures taken with visitors, at a time when the community is leading massive protests against his farm reforms. Sikhs in India and abroad have rallied against recent measures to deregulate agriculture markets that they fear would erode farm incomes by giving a greater say to profit-chasing private companies, instead of assuring a minimum price like in government-regulated wholesale markets. Protesting farmers, mainly from Sikhdominated Punjab and neighbouring Haryana, have blocked highways into New Delhi for the past three weeks demanding a repeal of

the laws, which the government says widen the agriculture market and are crucial to boost storage and other infrastructure. The protesters have repeatedly rebuffed Modi and his ministers’ attempts to reach a compromise, in what has become the biggest challenge from the country’s farmers in his six-year rule. On Wednesday, a 65-year-old Sikh priest committed suicide at one of the protest sites. The farmers have called for a 24hour rotating hunger strike from Monday among protesters at home and abroad. Modi, whose security detail often keeps him far away from the general public, prayed at the Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib.

Why experts believe the new agricultural laws are beneficial – but farmers don’t On a recent discussion on the media about controversial new farm laws, activist Yogendra Yadav noted that some wellmeaning agricultural experts who supported the new legislations were reading them “somewhat innocently”. But farmers and their leaders could “smell the political intent of the laws”, which they fear will leave them at the mercy of corporations, he said. For the “innocent experts” and others who share their ideology, a dominant theme within their view of development is that capital investment, privatesector participation, scientific expertise, technological futurism (and saviourism) need to come together as a formulaic package to catalyse rural and agrarian development. In this formulation, politics is viewed with suspicion. Experts consider the role of “facts” in decision-making as being superior to

values related to democracy, e c o l o g y and equity. To them, politics is messy and must be left to politicians while experts work with sincerity to bring growth, progress and prosperity to the people. This view was reflected most recently when NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant declared guilelessly during an online discussion that India was “too much of a democracy” to be able to effect “tough reforms”. This separation of facts from values leads to the role of experts being depoliticised and simultaneously allow them to take a narrow technical view of the problems at hand. This reductionism enables them to ride roughshod over a complicated welter of issues and to narrow them down to a set of problems that could easily be fixed by employing tools from their disciplines.

Air India’s new owner may be allowed to trim fleet size, lay off staff The central govt is likely to make it easier for the new owner of Air India (AI) to trim the national carrier’s fleet size by hiving off surplus aircraft lying grounded, even as the aviation sector waits for the pandemic’s vise-like grip to loosen.

Since the skies are far from clear, the new owner will also be allowed to lay off employees, given their requirement will shrink with the reduction in the fleet size, said officials in the know.

No one can interfere if an adult marries as per her choice: Court Hearing a petition by man claiming that his daughter has been unduly influenced to marry a man of a different religion, the Calcutta High Court has observed that there can be no interference if an adult marries as per her choice and decides to convert. After a 19-year old woman married a person of her choice, her father petitioned the high court, complaining that his daughter’s statement before a magistrate may not have been recorded in an atmosphere where she felt comfortable. On an FIR filed by the father, the police had produced the woman before a judicial

magistrate, before whom she made a statement that she had married of her own will. “If an adult marries as per her choice and decides to convert and not return to her paternal house, there can be no interference in the matter,” a division bench comprising Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee observed. Upon the father’s complaint, the high court had directed that the woman would meet the senior-most additional district judge in Tehatta and that sufficient care was to be taken so that she was not under any coercion or undue influence.

When will India’s turn come, Rahul Gandhi asks Modi on Covid-19 vaccination ongress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said 23 lakh people in the world had already received the COVID-19 vaccine and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi when India’s turn would come. In a Twitter post, the former Congress president also shared a ‘Covid vaccinations’ chart showing China, followed by the United States, United Kingdom and Russia. He tweeted that 23-lakh people have

already received COVID-19 vaccinations and added, “China, US, UK, Russia have started... India ka number kab ayegaa, Modi ji?” India is yet to approve a vaccine for COVID-19. Pfizer, Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India have applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for a licence for emergency use authorisation of their vaccines in India.

FIJI

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Punjab 8 passengers from UK found Covid-19 positive Eight passengers, who arrived from London (UK), tested positive for Covid at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport here on Tuesday. The Health Department teams conducted the RT-PCR tests of all 264 passengers who arrived on a flight from London to Amritsar that landed here at 12.30 am. Of the eight passengers who tested positive, six are male and two female. They have been sent for the institutional quarantine as per the government instructions.

On Monday, the government had decided to suspend all inbound flights from the UK following the emergence of new virus strain but the aircraft had already taken off from London by the time of announcement. In view of the Centre’s instructions, the district administration made the required arrangements at the airport to conduct the RT-PCR tests. Four teams of the Health Department led by Ajnala SDM Deepak Bhatia were deployed at the airport, which carried

49 new cases of Covid-19, three more deaths Three more deaths and 49 new cases were reported in Distt Mohali. As many as 90 more patients recovered from Covid-19 virus in past 24 hours. Among the new cases, 44 were reported from Mohali (urban). The district has so far seen 17,621 cases, while 15,617 patients have been cured. —

Chandigarh records 56 cases, two fatalities The city on Tuesday reported 56 fresh cases of Covid and two deaths, taking the UT tally to 19,184 and toll to 312. A total of 79 more patients recovered from the disease in the past 24 hours. The tally of recoveries is 18,508.

Police files case against former officer Saini The police on Tuesday filed a more than 500-page challan in a Mohali court against former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in the Balwant Singh Multani case. The court issued a notice to Saini, asking him to appear before it on January 22.

Multani, a junior engineer with Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation, was allegedly picked up by the police in December 1991 after a terror attack on Saini that left three policemen killed. Saini was injured in the attack.

7,587 evacuees sheltering in 165 centres 7,587 in 165 Northern

evacuees are now evacuation centres and Eastern

sheltering in the Divisions.

Punjab Arhtiyas Association president Vijay Kalra, whose premises were also raided by I-T sleuths, said: “Our working system has been totally transparent since 2013. We have been paying farmers through cheques and now the online payments have also started.” Condemning the I-T raids on arhtiyas, Sham Lal Dalwa, president of the Arhtiyas’ Association, Budhlada, claimed the new farm laws would not only ‘destroy the farming community’, but also impact those connected with agriculture directly or indirectly.

Pakistan Why is Pakistan fencing Gawadar port? According to Pakistan’s ‘The News’ media, Gwadar Fencing Project kicked off last week under supervision of Pak army and provincial authorities. Chairman of Gwadar Port Authority, Naseer Khan Kashani said, the fencing project will change security dynamics in the port city. Balochistan’s provincial government

plans to fence 24 square kilometers of the city, which is at the center of the $50 billion (€41 billion) China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. According to local media, there will be two entry points to the fenced part of the city, and more than 500 surveillance cameras will be installed.

Govt sacks 50 pilots flying with fake documents & credentials The Govt of Pakistan cancelled fake licences of 50 pilots for flying with wrong credentials and authorities will probe how they obtained the certificates through unfair means, the country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has informed a top court here. The issue of fake licences surfaced in the wake of the tragic crash of a Pakistan International Airlines plane in Karachi on May 22, killing 97 people, when Minister of Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan told the media that 260

of the country’s 860 active pilots had either fake licences or had cheated in their exams. Their names were made public to avoid any negative impression about other pilots, including those working outside Pakistan. Dawn newspaper reported that authorities told the Islamabad high court that under the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, they have reviewed licences of 860 commercial pilots and cancelled 50 of them after a thorough scrutiny.

1,704 new Covid-19 cases, 82 fatalities 1,704 new Covid-19 cases during past 24 hours and Covid-19 claimed 82 more lives across the country. According to National Control & Operation Centre (NCOC), 1,704 Covid-19 cases were reported on Tuesday, with 82 new deaths. The second wave of Covid-19 s hitting

the glove and Pakistan people have been asked to adopt Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to avoid the spread. As the virus mutating, the federal govt appeal to the people just stay home, but the opposition parties insist public rallies across the country.

Pakistan anti-rape ordinance signed into law by president President Arif Alvi signed a law aiming to speed up convictions and toughen sentences for the rapists. The ordinance will create a national sex offenders register, protect the identity of victims and allow the chemical castration of some offenders. Special fast-track courts will hear rape cases and will be expected to reach a verdict within four months.

It comes after a public outcry against sexual violence following the gang-rape of a woman outside the city of Lahore. The woman was assaulted on the side of a motorway leading into the city in front of her two children. Lahore’s most senior police official implied the following day that the victim had been partially at fault for the assault.

The National Disaster Management Office says six evacuation centres remain active in the Eastern Division while the rest are in the North.

500 affected families in the North to be assisted by Sai Prema Foundation Sai Prema Foundation has pledged to assist about 500 families in the Northern Division who have been severely affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasa. Foundation Director Sumeet Tappoo says they felt deeply for those affected by the Cyclone and although there is great resilience and strength shown by individuals and families affected, they still need our help. Tappoo says in these times the country

needed to show solidarity and offer assistance to anyone affected. He adds the Foundation, through the support of individuals and organizations from Fiji and abroad they have prepared a “Bucket of Love” which contains basic food items including rice, flour, split peas, milk powder, breakfast crackers, tea bags and powdered juice.

Shipping Tycoon says Levuka and Rakiraki are place to visit George Goundar has been a familiar face in the shipping industry. He is now the biggest shipping tycoons in the industry. He is the managing director of Goundar Shipping Limited owning 10 passenger vessels that service the local waters, mainly to Levuka, Kadavu and Vanua Levu from Suva and Rakiraki.

Farm goods traders support farmers Arhtiya (traders) Association Bathinda president Satish Kumar Babbu said: “Arhtiyas across the state are supporting farmers in their agitation against the farm laws. We are sending 50 persons every day to protest sites on a rotational basis.” “To discourage us from lending support to the farmers’ agitation, the Union Government is conducting I-T raids on us. We have gone on a four-day strike across the state from today to protest such repressive actions,” said Babbu, adding “we will keep our shops closed and there will be no purchase”.

What’s one place you’d take every visitor to Fiji and why? Definitely Levuka Im not biased being from that part of the country but people tend to overlook the old capital. Not only is the place rich in history for sites to visit, food is delicious, it is a more relaxing environment because of the locals there.

7 to 8 cases of substance abuse in schools per day Substance abuse including marijuana cases are on the rise amongst students in schools during the COVID-19 period, and urgent action is required. While speaking during the Leadership Fiji Virtual National Dialogue on Substance Abuse, National Substance Abuse Advisory Council’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor, Vilisimani Rakikau says sometimes they receive 7 to 8 cases per day in schools. Rakikau says this is too much for the

National Substance Abuse Advisory Council. He says the cases are coming from primary and secondary schools and this includes marijuana and cigarette smoking. The counsellor says sometimes they seek clinical supervision however he is also making a call for help from other government organisations and NGOs. Rakikau says they have identified after COVID-19 that substance abuse is on the rise amongst students.

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Saturday, December 26, 2020