The Asian Star August 21 2021 by The Asian Star Newspaper

www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 28

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Tel:604-591-5423

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Trudeau’s election gamble for a majority government garners skepticism from expert

Premier Horgan drawing heat for taking vacation while BC burns Premier John Horgan is feeling the heat for going on vacation in another province, while wildfires are raging in B.C. B.C. Liberal MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson, Todd Stone tweeted his outrage. “Leaders don’t take vacations during an escalating crisis. Yet here we are in the middle of a horrific wildfire season in BC’s Interior and @jjhorgan is on vacation, not back until Thursday. How nice for him. What an absolutely disgraceful lack of leadership & compassion.” MLA Jackie Tegart, whose Fraser-Nicola riding is under alerts and evacuation orders, as is Stone’s, called on the premier to act. “Urgent request from Logan Lake Mayor

and Thompson Nicola Regional District Chair for military support in the fight to save Logan Lake. Where is @jjhorgan and his government?” asked Tegart. Protocol dictates the premier would be the person to ask the federal government for such assistance. A statement from the premier’s office confirmed he is on vacation until Thursday, but is still working. It said, “While spending time with his family away from the office, Premier Horgan has been briefed daily — sometimes several times a day — on the important issues and crises facing British Columbians.” Horgan’s office would not confirm where he is vacationing.

A University of B.C. professor of political science said that the upcoming federal election serves no good purpose for Canada – and might not help Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, either. “It’s not as if the Trudeau government was having trouble legislating,” said Richard Johnston, professor emeritus, adding that the Liberal government had a “working majority” on pretty much all policy decisions. “Mostly, the problem of the minority parliament was that the government didn’t control the flow of debate and information… they had they actually had to at least negotiate with the opposition parties, or

even just put up with flak on questions that were uncomfortable, and they would rather not have to continue in that.” While Trudeau is billing this snap election – scheduled for Sept. 20 – as a referendum on who should lead the country out of the pandemic, Johnston said that won’t be enough for a majority – and the Liberals know it. “The additional cards that he will be trying to play are policy cards, right?” Johnston said, noting the eight child care agreements signed with provinces in the weeks before the writ was dropped. “He’s opened the spigot for infrastructure, and he’s done so in very targeted ways.”

South Asian local entrepreneur Amar Doman is new BC Lions owner The new owner of the CFL’s B.C. Lions knows he has work to do. Amar Doman has been a fan of the CFL club since he was 10 years old, and has watched its popularity fade throughout the community. Now the entrepreneur believes he has what it takes to reinvigorate not just

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the Lions but the league as a whole. “I like to rebuild things,” Doman told reporters We d n e s d a y after it was announced he had purchased the team from the estate of previous owner David Braley. “I think this needs a rebuild, a community touch. And the CFL, I believe, needs a bit of a reboot and I think I’m the guy to do it. I think I can pull the community together and also get the community and the team more involved locally.” The Victoria-born businessman is the founder and sole shareholder of the Futura Corporation, an asset management firm. He’s also helmed Doman Building Materials and Tree Island Steel. And he’s long wanted to add owner of the B.C. Lions to his portfolio. Doman said he talked to Braley about potentially buying the club “a few times” over the years but Braley simply wasn’t ready to let the team go. “You can’t time business deals,” he said. “When they come up, you’re either going to move on them or you’re not. And this type of opportunity I’ve been working on for a long time, so it’s something I would have happily closed on years ago, quite frankly.” Kevin Falcon releases public letter, calls on Horgan to come back from vacation to support BC communities impacted by wildfires Press release

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Today, BC Liberal leadership candidate Kevin Falcon sent a letter to Premier John Horgan calling on him to return from his vacation and provide further support for our communities impacted by some of the worst wildfires this province has seen. “Over the past couple months, communities across BC have been devastated by the over 260 wildfires currently raging around our province,” said Falcon. “In this moment of crisis, people need to know that our leaders have their backs. And, disappointingly, you have been missing in action.” Falcon took aim at the NDP’s poor handling of the response to the fires, calling on the provincial government to take action after a lengthy delay in calling a provincial state of emergency. “For weeks, Horgan refused to call a state of emergency even though communities in the impacted regions were asking for that support,” continued Falcon. “And you’ve just informed us that you’ve been silent on these raging wildfires because you’re on vacation while fires burned entire towns to the ground.” “Premier, I implore you to support British Columbians by providing communities with much-needed resources to protect us from more loss of life and allow us to salvage the homes and towns that remain,” concluded Falcon. “That’s what leaders do.” Falcon is running to be the next BC Liberal Leader. The BC Liberal Party will vote for their new leader between February 3rd to 5th, 2022.

www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 28

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Tel:604-591-5423

Federal Elections 2021

Poll indicates NDP and Conservatives better positioned to respond to Canadians’ top concerns The top issue among Canadians in the early days of the federal election is improving affordability and cost of living, cited by 28 per cent of polled Canadians as one of their top

two concerns, according to a new poll from Maru Public Opinion. That was followed by preserving the environment, reducing greenhouse gases, and reversing climate

change, cited by 23 per cent of respondents. Curtailing federal government spending so the deficit doesn’t grow came in at number three, listed by 19 per cent.

BC’s daily Covid-19 cases ‘will soon exceed record levels,’ modelling group reports Covid-19 case counts will soon exceed record levels in B.C. if no action is taken by health authorities, a group of local scientists and researchers is warning. The

South Asian Justin Narayan declared master chef, Australia In a huge finale episode, Justin Narayan was crowned the winner of MasterChef Australia 2021, taking home $250,000 in prize money. Narayan, originally from Fiji beat out fellow finalists Pete Campbell and Kishwar Chowdury to take the top spot in the competition, after completing Peter Gilmore’s intense five and a half hour pressure test in which the contestants had to recreate his intricate squid noodles and golden chocolate crackle dessert. The youth pastor from WA was cheered on by his fiancée and family, including his father who had a health scare during his son’s time on the show. Narayan told the judges and his fellow contestants that it would take him a while to process his epic win. Chatting to the talented chef following his victory, The Latch asked Narayan what he is working on now, how his dad is doing, and whether his best mate Pete made it to his wedding. The Latch: What was it like watching your win back? How long did it take to process it all? Justin Narayan: “I definitely felt all of the pressure and got all of the emotions watching it back! Continued on page 6

BC Covid-19 Modelling Group released new data Wednesday, imploring for more public health measures to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. The report shows unvaccinated

people could propel Covid-19 case numbers to unprecedented levels, spread the virus to kids who can’t be immunized, and overwhelm the health-care system in a matter of months.

BC reports 689 new cases and 2 deaths, hospitalizations climb again BC’s Covid-19 situation continued to deteriorate Thursday, as the province reported 689 new cases and two additional deaths. It lifted the seven-day moving average for new cases to 556. Hospitalizations, a key metric for measuring the pandemic, climbed to 121 — the highest they have

been in nearly two months. Of those patients, 56 were in critical or intensive care, the most since June 8. Active cases also climbed again, reaching 5,982. Travellers experiencing issues with mix and match vaccines Continued on page 7

President Biden argues US troops shouldn’t fight in war that ‘Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves’ President Joe Biden defended his Afghanistan exit strategy in a speech, arguing that American troops shouldn’t fight and die in a war that the U.S.trained Afghan military “is not willing to fight for itself.” He was referring to the fact that Afghanistan’s security forces appeared to put up little resistence against the Taliban’s offensive last week. Over the last couple of days, as the Biden administration has faced

criticism over how the withdrawal has unfolded amid the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, multiple White House officials has repeated that talking point. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, for instance, suggested the Afghan security forces’ “inability” to hold off the insurgents was a primary reason as to why Afghanistan fell so much more quickly than anticipated.

OPINION

By Kris Sims

The interest payments on British Columbia’s provincial debt this year could pay the salaries of 4,600 new paramedics for ten years. But, instead of paying for first responders or providing tax relief to families, a whopping $2. The interest payments on British Columbia’s provincial debt this year could pay the salaries of 4,600

Saturday, August 21, 2021

We need to pull out of the debt spiral new paramedics for ten years. But, instead of paying for first responders or providing tax relief to families, a whopping $2.8 billion is being sent to bond holders on Bay Street and Wall Street every year to pay for our province’s debt. International players such as S&P Global Ratings have noticed our debt dive, knocking

our province’s shiny AAA credit rating down a notch because of this red ink plunge. That $2.8 billion in debt payments could cover the annual provincial income tax bill for every taxpayer in greater Victoria. That’s real money and Premier John Horgan really needs to get the debt under control. If he doesn’t, this kind of spending will eat away at our province’s finances, we could see more downgrades and we could wind up in a financial mess like we see in Ontario and in Ottawa. Politicians in Ontario’s legislature haven’t balanced their budgets for 15 years. We can’t let that happen to B.C. The Canada Day Debt Report released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation shows that B.C.’s debt will be $102.9 billion by the end of 2021. That’s a 58 per cent increase between 2017 to 2022. That’s a big jump in debt and we should be alarmed. The Horgan government is planning to spend at emergency pandemic levels years from now, even when there is no emergency. And that’s a problem because every British Columbian’s average share of the combined federal and provincial government debt now totals $52,000. The key word here is: combined. Before we entered the COVID Tunnel of Hell, we could compare B.C.’s fiscal management to a reasonably well maintained minivan. The debt was going up, but the operating budgets were still balanced and things were rolling along. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s fiscal management, however, is like a ’71 Pinto that’s on fire. The federal debt will be $1.2 trillion by the end of this year. That’s an 84 per cent increase in five years. B.C. pays about $2.8 billion per year in interest charges on the provincial debt and we will pay more than $13 billion in interest over five years. Instead of spending $13 billion on debt interest payments over five years, Horgan could have reduced the PST by two percentage points and saved families money on everything from used cars to new shoes. Kris Sims is the B.C. Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

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LOCAL

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Canada will not recognize ‘terrorist’ Taliban as official Afghan government: Trudeau Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday his government won’t recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan, one day after his foreign minister said it was too early to decide. “Canada has no plans to recognize the Taliban, as the government of Afghanistan, when they were in government 20 years ago, Canada did not recognize them as a government,” Trudeau said at a campaign event in Markham, Ont. The Taliban have taken complete control of Afghanistan after they made a quick advance through the country in the last week, entering Kabul on Sunday and forcing the country’s elected president to flee. Foreign affairs minister Marc Garneau wouldn’t say whether they would recognize the Taliban as the government on Monday, but on Tuesday Trudeau said it was a non-starter. “They have taken over and replaced a duly elected democratic government by force. And, as you point out, they are a recognized terrorist organization under Canadian law,” he said. Trudeau said the government has evacuated nine plane loads of people from the country in the last few weeks and pledged to do more.

That includes all of Canada’s diplomatic staff, because the embassy is now closed. He said the Kabul airport is currently unstable and they are working with allies to stabilize it so they can get more people out.c Women in Afghanistan have made gains over the past few years, but the country remains among the worst places in the world to be a woman. Activists fear the advances many groups have achieved will be erased with any Taliban takeover. Canada to accept 20,000 vulnerable Afghans such as women leaders, human rights workers Ahmad Zia: “The 20 years of war was much better than the peace they’re offering now.” ‘I’m very committed’: AfghanCanadian still plans to return to Kabul even as Taliban seizes control “The challenge right now is the situation on the ground. We are there. We are working with our allies to ensure that we are bringing as many people out of Afghanistan as possible,” he said. “The Taliban has taken control of approaches to the airport, which is making it extremely difficult for people to get to the airport.”

Man injured as Ferrari riddled with bullets at mall’s parking lot in Surrey The RCMP say officers responded to a shots fired call on 152nd Street in Surrey just after midnight on last Sunday. Police say a male with a gunshot wound was found at the scene and rushed to hospital. There was no immediate word on his condition. A white Ferrari, parked in front of an optometry office in The

Boardwalk mall, was riddled with a bullet holes and its driver’s side window was blown out. The area was taped off by police and the vehicle was surrounded by a dozen orange pylons, which usually signify bullet casings. Mounties say the investigation is in its early stages, but they believe the victim was targeted.

Liberals drop three points, fall to near tie with Conservatives in public support, Signal analysis says The gulf in public support between liberals and conservatives has narrowed considerably, jeopardizing Justin Trudeau’s bid to regain majority rule, suggests a new analysis of publicly available polls from Vox Pop Labs. Liberals currently have 33.4 percent support, while Conservatives would get 32.1 percent of the vote if elections were held today, according to an aggregate analysis by The signal, Vox Pop Labs election forecast made for the Star. The New Democrats have 20.1 percent of voter support, and the Green Party has 5.8 percent. The forecast is generated by a model that takes a survey of polls dating back to 2009 and looks at how its predictions compare to actual election results. The model also takes into account the “internal bias” of each political polling company and takes it into account in the projections. “We are at the beginning of a campaign and the general feeling is that Canadians are not excited about the call for elections right

now,” said Clifton van der Linden, founder and CEO of Vox Pop Labs. “My inclination would be that there is some kind of punitive effect to the decision to call an election at this time, (but) that effect may not last.” The Grits still hold an advantage in Ontario, with 36 percent supporting 32.9 percent of the Conservatives. But Vox Pop’s analysis suggests that conservative leader Erin O’Toole is doing better in Canada’s most populous and electorally important province than public polls suggest. Based on that analysis, Liberals are projected to win 62 seats in Ontario compared to 39 for Conservatives and 20 for New Democrats. British Columbia, another important political battleground, is a virtual link between the three main parties: the Liberals with 31.1% support, the Conservatives with 30.1% and the New Democrats with 28.4%. The Greens, who hope to maintain their position in parliament after months of internal turmoil, registered 8.7 percent support.

Inflation rate jumps to 3.7% in July on rising housing costs, supply chain issues Canadian inflation surged in July with consumer prices rising at the fastest pace in a decade driven by increasing shelter costs and continuing supply chain problems. The consumer price index rose 3.7 per cent in July from a year earlier, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday. That beat analyst forecasts of 3.4 per cent and surpassed the previous high this year of 3.6 per cent in May. On a seasonally adjusted monthto-month basis, the CPI rose 0.5 per cent. The inflation figure, the fourth consecutive monthly reading exceeding the top of the Bank of Canada’s 1 to 3 per cent target range, creates a headache for the Liberal re-election bid. The

cost of living is emerging as a key campaign issue, and Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, at a Wednesday campaign stop in Quebec City, was quick to blame Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s “economic approach” for boosting consumer prices. Despite the overshoot, the Bank of Canada is likely to continue to regard inflationary pressures as transitory, several economists said. The three “core” measures of inflation looked at by the Bank of Canada rose by an average of 2.47 per cent, the highest level since 2009. However, the “common-CPI” favoured by the central bank remained steady at 1.7 per cent.

Saturday, August 21, 2021 South Asian Justin Narayan “And now, having watched it back, I’m going to need another minute to process it all again because it is just such a surreal feeling!.” TL: Obviously, people enter the competition because they think there is a chance they could win, but at what point did you truly start believing in yourself that it was a possibility?

JN: “Um, I chose not to sort of think about it too much. I just took the competition one cook at a time and tried to do my best with whatever cook I had in front of me, and then just went from there. And that kind of landed me where I am now. So I thought that was a good approach.”

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BC reports 689 new cases and 2 deaths, hospitalizations climb again From page 1 Of the new cases, 219 were in the Fraser Health region, 123 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 278 were in the Interior Health region, 27 were in the Northern Health region and 42 were in the Island Health region. It was not immediately clear how many of the new cases or hospitalizations were fully vaccinated people. The most recent information the government has released about cases by vaccination status was on Aug. 10, for a period ending Aug. 5.More than 3.84 million British Columbians — 82.9 per cent of those eligible and 74.6 per cent of B.C.’s population — have had

at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Of them, more than 3.43 million people — 74 per cent of those eligible and 66.6 per cent of B.C.’s population — have been fully imunized. On Wednesday the BC COVID-19 modelling group, and independent group of scientists and data experts, warned that urgent action was needed to curb virus transmission. It warned that the current trendline would see B.C. eclipse records set at the peak of the third wave both for new cases and hospitalizations by September. Since the start of the pandemic, B.C. has reported 158,256 cases, while 1,784 people have died.

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Saturday, August 21, 2021

Wanzhou extradition case wraps up but verdict will take months

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Judicial hearings in Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou’s extradition case wrapped up on Wednesday and British Columbia Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes said she would announce the date of her ruling on Oct. 21. read moreMeng, 49, was detained in December 2018 at Vancouver International Airport on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings (HSBA.L)

about Huawei’s business dealings in Iran. China detained two Canadians shortly afterward, sentencing one this month to 11 years in prison for espionage, in a move widely seen as retaliation. read more Beijing has denied any connection between the arrests and Meng’s case. Normally extradition hearings take place in a single day, but Meng’s hearings have been spread out over several years.

Canada could soon produce a ‘quarter of free-world oil,’ but oilpatch remains wary of future The White House’s call for more oil from Saudi Arabia and Russia last week raised some hackles in Alberta, the Canadian province that is home to the world’s third biggest oil deposit. The request came just two months after U.S. president Joe Biden’s decision to revoke a critical permit led to the demise of the Keystone XL pipeline. The

US$8-billion project, meant to carry heavy crude from Alberta’s oilsands to Texas, faced years of fierce environmental opposition. “Why is the U.S. government blocking energy imports from friendly Canada, while pressing for more imports from OPEC dictatorships & Putin’s Russian regime?”

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Richmond man faces three charges related to drug lab A Richmond man is facing three charges under the federal Cannabis Act in connection with an alleged drug lab police say was discovered during a structure fire investigation last month. The RCMP stumbled on the lab while assisting the Richmond Fire Department at a residential fire in the 5000-block of Calder Court on July 17. How a Shark Tank investment helped a prebiotic soft drink go viral Richmond RCMP obtained a

search warrant and police collected evidence they say was consistent with a cannabis extraction lab. Tieng Wei Tsao, who was born in 1994, has been charged with possession for the purpose of selling, altering cannabis by use of an organic solvent and possession for the purpose of distribution. Tsao is scheduled to appear in Richmond provincial court Sept. 8.

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Saturday, August 21, 2021 Massey Tunnel to be replaced by $4-billion, eight-lane tunnel by 2030 An eight-lane tunnel under the Fraser River will replace an obsolete crossing that has been an increasing source of frustration for Metro Vancouver drivers. The B.C. government says the new tunnel will connect the cities of Delta and Richmond on Highway 99 and cost $4.15 billion but won’t be complete until 2030. “A new crossing to replace the George Massey Tunnel will improve traffic flow and make travel by transit, walking and cycling more convenient and attractive without

costing commuters hundreds of dollars a year in unfair tolls,” said Rob Fleming, the minister of transportation and infrastructure. Two of the eight lanes will be dedicated to transit and there will be separated pathways for cyclists and pedestrians. Meantime, Fleming says the other projects have been launched along the Highway 99 corridor and the Steveston Interchange to help reduce congestion and traffic flow.

Active cases in BC worse than when mass vaccination began five months ago Exactly five months after B.C. began its COVID-19 mass vaccination rollout the number of active cases of the disease is actually higher, and new cases around the same, latest data shows. On Monday, the B.C. Ministry of Health reported 1,434 new cases of the disease across B.C. over the past three days with 5,090 active cases. Of those active cases, 104 are being treated in hospital including 47 in intensive care. One person died during the same time period – in Fraser Health – bringing that total to 1,780.

As of Sunday, 73.2 per cent of British Columbians 12 and older have been fully vaccinated (3,393,049). On March 15, 2021, the day B.C.’s mass rollout of vaccine began (starting initially by age group) there were 1,506 new cases reported over the previous three days and 4,987 active cases. Of those cases, 269 were being treated in hospital including 76 in intensive care. At that time the seven-day average of daily deaths was 2.29 compared to 0.43 now. There were around 87,000 people fully vaccinated.

3 girls groped by stranger on Vancouver’s seawall, police say Vancouver police are trying to track down a suspect or suspects after three girls were groped by a stranger on a bike in separate incidents near the seawall in False Creek. The assaults were all reported on Tuesday beginning at about 4:30 p.m., and police are still trying to determine if they’re connected to a single attacker. Two 11-year-olds were walking near the seawall at Granville Island when a man on a bike passed them and groped one of the girls from

behind, according to a police press release. Investigators believe the man then followed them to West 6th Avenue and Birch Street, where he groped the second girl. Not long after, a 15-year-old who was running on the seawall near Science World was also groped by an unknown man. “These girls were all near the seawall when a stranger on a bike grabbed them from behind and sexually assaulted them,” Sgt. Steve Addison said in a press release.

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Elections Canada aims to ensure BC voters cast ballots despite wildfires Elections Canada has started a task force meant to ensure voters affected by wildfires in British Columbia will not face obstacles voting in this year’s federal election. Spokesperson Andrea Marantz said the agency is working with other government bodies to keep track of the situation on the ground in B.C. to ensure residents who have been evacuated from fire-ravaged areas will be able to cast their ballots. “We’re trying to be flexible but we also need to consult and see what’s the best way to serve these communities,” Marantz said. “You know, what is it that they need?” But one mayor of a town in B.C.’s interior said he fears the agency won’t be able to overcome the strength of this year’s wildfire season. It has been a devastating summer in

the province as fires continue to smoke out the skies, torch homes and cause evacuation orders for thousands of residents. Thousands more are on evacuation alert. In some cases people have been evacuated more than once. Earlier this week the main route through the province, the Coquihalla Highway, was closed because of a wildfire burning on its edges. There is still no end in sight for the destruction in the province, with Sept. 20 slated as election day in Canada. Currently, workers are putting up posters in some areas where evacuees are now waiting out fires, to inform them of their voting options, Marantz said. She said there are a number of steps the agency can take to ensure evacuees don’t miss their chance to vote, including the possibility of establishing special polling locations, or reassigning people to other polling locations in the same ridings.

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Star & Style

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Priyanka on English version of Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna Singer-songwriter Jay Sean had actor Priyanka Chopra in splits after he sang the popular track from Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna. Why, you ask? It’s because the singer sang the Bollywood hit with a twist i.e. by singing the English translations of the Hindi lyrics with the original tune. Hence, instead of singing “Ye kudiyaan nashe di pudiyaan, ye munde gali de gunde”, Jay Sean sang the literal translation which went: “These girls are packets of intoxication, these guys are the alley’s gangsters.” When it

came to “Mehndi laga ke rakhna, doli saja ke rakhna, lene tujhe o gori, aayenge tere sajna”, the English translation went: “Apply henna on your hands, decorate your doli (palanquin). To take away ‘O beautiful’, Your lover will come.” The singer wrote in the caption: “Not quite the same innit.ï¸Â I deeply apologize if I have ruined this song for ur forever. However I will continue to do these coz they give me jokes.” Priyanka Chopra took to the comments

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Star & Style

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Sunny Leone reveals how she ‘keeps the spark alive’

unny Leone, who celebrated ten years of being married to Daniel Weber, shared the secret behind how they ‘(keep) the spark alive’. She posted a goofy dance video with him and listed out how they made their love last for a decade. “10 years together, 5 ways of keeping the spark alive,” the text on the screen read, as Sunny and Daniel broke into a jig. The advice was to ‘always communicate, plan date nights, cook together,

make each other laugh, appreciate each other’. Posting the video on Instagram, Sunny wrote, “Together till grey. @ dirrty99 PS: This was shot in safety of my home and with covid-19 safety measures. Share your tips to keep the spark alive with #MyMTVReel and tag @mtvindia & @mtvsplitsvilla.”

This clip was shot in safety of my home and with covid-19 safety measures.

Alia gets kiss from Ranbir in this unseen picture Alia Bhatt’s stylist Lakshmi Lehr shared a new picture of the actor on Instagram on Thursday. In the photo, Alia is posing at her home in a printed, co-ordinated set. However, as many compliments as she must have got for her look, her fans were more focussed on another detail in the picture. Behind Alia, one can spot two framed pictures on the wall. While one is a more abstract piece of art, another seems to be an unseen picture of Alia and her boyfriend, actor Ranbir Kapoor. It shows Alia in a thick jacket, shorts and kneehigh boots, getting a kiss on her head from Ranbir. Both of them are sitting on stairs and while Alia is looking at the camera, Ranbir

is busy showering her with affection. The picture was most likely clicked at the couple’s trip to the Ranthambore National Park earlier this year, where they celebrated New Years. Alia wore a similar outfit in one of her pictures from the trip, which was shared on social media as well. For the trip, they were joined by her mother Soni Razdan, sister Shaheen Bhatt and his family--mother Neetu Kapoor, sister Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, niece Samara and brother-in-law Bharat Sahni. Ranbir and Alia have been dating for more than three years. They planned to get married last year but have decided to wait until the coronavirus situation gets better.

Anushka believes in humanity Anushka Sharma has shared a video on Instagram which shows a street vendor in Mexico feeding a few stray dogs the last bits of food he has. Anushka Sharma, who is an avid animal lover, has shared a video on her Instagram Stories. She believes it could restore people’s faith in humanity. In the video, a street vendor in Mexico walks down a lonely street during the day. He is carrying food in a large basket on his back. Two stray dogs follow him. The man stops in his tracks, pulls out some food from his basket and feeds the dogs. When another dog approaches him, he feeds the animal too. Sharing the video, Anushka wrote, “Faith in humanity post.” She also added a hug

emoji. Instagram users also praised the man. “People with a kind heart are sometimes the poorest souls, and yet they won’t their life circumstances change the way they treat others. God bless this man,” wrote one. “The people who have the least have the biggest hearts,” said another user.Anushka has long been an advocate for animal rights. Recently, her husband Virat Kohli started two animal shelters near Mumbai. He thanked Anushka for inspiring him to take the step. In a statement, Virat had said, “Looking after the welfare of animals is a cause very close to my heart now as Anushka is very passionate about this issue. Her vision to help stray animals across India is truly inspiring.

LOCAL / NATIONAL Schools could become COVID’s playground if BC doesn’t act, says researchers

In just under three weeks, it’s back to school. But as B.C. battles its fourth wave, researchers are predicting kids may become the majority of cases. That has some calling for immediate action including the leader of the B.C. Green Party. “There is a government responsibility to be proactive at a time like this when we are seeing an exponential rise in cases again,” said Sonia Furstenau. “We cannot rely entirely on vaccinations when we have a whole segment of the population that cannot be vaccinated.” Right now kids under twelve don’t have access to an approved vaccine. And with the delta variant driving up cases in the unvaccinated, teachers are concerned

schools will become COVID’s playground. “There’s no other level of increased safety right now for elementary schools and that’s quite concerning,” said Winona Waldron, president of the Greater Victoria Teachers Association. “If we’re talking about children’s long-term health I think it’s worth addressing those challenges.” The union representing teachers is calling for a mask mandate, better ventilation in schools, and more emphasis on vaccinating 12 to 19-year-olds to make September, safer. “Until vaccinations are approved for students for kindergarten to grade 12, and while we have these high case counts, we think schools need thosesafetymeasuresinplace,”saidTeriMooring, president of the BC Teachers Federation.

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Surrey RCMP issue 41 speed tickets in 2 hours Surrey RCMP is reminding the public to slow down and obey speed limits after issuing 41 tickets in two hours last week. On Aug. 12, traffic services worked with ICBC on speed enforcement in a 30-km/h zone near Port Kells Park, which Surrey RCMP Corporal Vanessa Munn says is an area frequented by families and children. Munn said police issued tickets to one impaired driver, who was taken off the streets through a 90-day immediate roadside prohibition and a 30-day vehicle impound.

“Our ultimate goal is to keep members of our community safe,” said Sergeant David Chu of Surrey RCMP Traffic Services. “Surrey RCMP and ICBC work in partnership to educate the public on road safety and conduct enforcement, in order to change unsafe driving behaviors.” Munn added if anyone has concerns about speeding or other dangerous driving activity in their neighbourhood, to call non emergency at 604-599-0502 or visit Surrey RCMP’s website https://ocre-sielc.rcmp-grc. gc.ca/surrey/en.

Canada to require all air, rail, and cruise passengers be vaccinated The Canadian government is mandating all air, rail, and cruise ship passengers and employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The new rules will be implemented as soon as feasible, but no later than October, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in announcing the nation’s latest steps to slow the spread of the pandemic. “Canadians deserve to feel confident when traveling that the environment around them

is safe,” Alghabra said in a video posted to Twitter announcing the plan. “We need to regain public confidence in travel.” Canada has reported more than 1.4 million cases since the pandemic began and close to 27,000 deaths. “This is the right thing to do and will ensure Canada continues to build back better from the global COVID-19 pandemic,” Alghabra said in a statement.

Over 3,000 active cases in Interior Health; public exposure at fitness facility; and more There’s also one new public exposure event that took place at a fitness facility. B.C. update: August 17 =The B.C. Health Ministry is reporting 501 new COVID-19 cases (including nine epi-linked cases). Currently there are 5,296 active cases in the province, which is 206 more cases since yesterday. -The new and active cases include: 205 new cases in Interior Health, with 3,084 total active cases (102 more cases than yesterday); 139 new cases in Fraser Health, with 932 total active cases (50 more cases);

92 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, with 758 total active cases (43 more cases); 35 new cases in Northern Health, with 206 total active cases (nine more cases); 28 new cases in Island Health, with 307 total active cases (same number as yesterday); two new cases of people who reside outside of Canada, with nine total active cases (two more cases than yesterday). With seven more people in hospitals, 111 individuals are now hospitalized, and 51 of those patients are in intensive care units (four more than yesterday).

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Candidates for Metro Vancouver for the federal elections 2021 Cloverdale–Langley City Conservatives: Tamara Jansen Liberal: John Aldag NDP: Rajesh Jayaprakash PPC: Ian Kennedy ------------------------------------Fleetwood–Port Kells Conservatives: Dave Hayer Liberal: Ken Hardie NDP: TBA PPC: TBA ------------------------------------South Surrey–White Rock Conservatives: Kerry-Lynne Findlay Liberal: Gordie Hogg NDP: TBA PPC: Gary Jensen -------------------------------------Surrey Centre Conservatives: Tina Bains Liberal: Randeep Sarai NDP: Sonia Andhi PPC: Joe Kennedy Surrey–Newton Conservatives: TBA Liberal: Sukh Dhaliwal

NDP: TBA PPC: TBA ----------------------------------Abbotsford Conservatives: Ed Fast Green: Stephen Fowler Liberal: Navreen Gill NDP: Madeleine Sauvé PPC: Kevin Sinclair --------------------------------Burnaby South Conservatives: Likky Lavji Liberal: Brea Sami NDP: Jagmeet Singh PPC: TBA -----------------------------------Burnaby North–Seymour Conservatives: Kelsey Sheen Liberal: Terry Beech NDP: Jim Hanson PPC: Bradley Nickerson --------------------------------------Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam Conservatives: Katerina Anastasiadis

Liberal: Ron McKinnon NDP: Laura Dupont

PPC: Kimberly Brundell -------------------------------------------Chilliwack–Hope Conservative: Mark Strahl Liberal: TBA NDP: DJ Pohl PPC: Rob Bogunovic Delta Conservatives: Garry Shearer Green: Jeremy Smith Liberal: Carla Qualtrough NDP: TBA PPC: TBA --------------------------------------------

Diplomats, troops and refugees arrive in Canada as flights resume from Afghanistan Flights from Afghanistan to Canada have resumed as two more planes have arrived carrying diplomats and special forces troops as well as an unknown number of refugees fleeing the Taliban. The flights come after order was restored to the Kabul airport following a chaotic two days that saw thousands of desperate Afghans rushing onto the tarmac on Sunday as the Taliban took control of the city and country. The Department of National Defence said one plane carrying diplomats and “elite

operatives” arrived in Ottawa late Monday night as part of the government’s evacuation of all Canadian personnel from Afghanistan. A second plane carrying Afghans who previously helped Canada during its 20-year involvement in the country as well as their families arrived in Toronto, Defence Department spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande said in an email. That represents the fifth such flight from Afghanistan since the government announced in late July that it would rescue former interpreters, drivers, cleaners

Conservatives would match Liberal commitment to resettle at least 20,000 Afghans, Erin O’Toole A Conservative government would match commitments by the Liberals to resettle not only Afghan citizens who worked alongside Canadian forces, but also thousands more who fear for their lives as the Taliban retake control of Afghanistan, Erin O’Toole said Wednesday. Just before the election campaign began, the Liberal government committed to resettling at least 20,000 Afghans as the Taliban appeared set to regain power after a bloody 20-year battle.

That commitment includes both refugees and those who worked with soldiers and diplomats during Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan. On Tuesday, O’Toole did not directly answer the question when he was asked whether a Conservative government would match the Liberals’ pledge. His campaign later said the Conservatives would resettle 20,000 people from Afghanistan in addition to the contractors. On Wednesday, during a campaign stop in Quebec, O’Toole was asked whether a Conservative government would be open to receiving even more than 20,000 Afghans.

Experts advise being ‘super safe’ as Canada enters the 4th wave of Covid-19 We spoke to two experts about what makes the fourth wave of COVID different, who is at risk and how Canadians can stay protected. Despite a summer of soaring vaccination rates and plummeting COVID-19 case counts, public health officials are now warning that the fourth wave of COVID-19 has hit Canada. “The latest national surveillance data indicate that a fourth wave is underway in Canada and that cases are plotting along a strong resurgence trajectory,” said chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam at an August 12 press conference. With public health measures lifting, people are starting to return to the office, restaurants and gatherings. At the same time, the highly infectious Delta

variant is spreading throughout Canada. In addition, there’s concern about kids going back to school—especially as COVID-19 cases rise within the younger populations. So what does the fourth wave mean for Canadians who are vaccinated? What about school children who aren’t yet eligible to be vaccinated? Will we have to go back into lockdown? How do I stay protected from COVID-19? We spoke to Dr. Anna Banerji, an infectious disease specialist at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and Dr. Anthony Chow, a professor emeritus at the Division of Infection Diseases at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Medicine to learn more about the fourth wave in Canada.

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Rancher with a Detached Double Garage. Substantially updated home, ready to move in. The home features 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, all on one level. Recent updates includes, fresh paint throughout and newer flooring. Nice home with 2 gas fireplaces, stainless steel appliances, quartz counter tops, white shaker cabinets, tile back splash. Spacious rooms, great floor plan with a south facing private back yard. Large, fenced yard with privacy and lots of parking for vehicles and RV on a lane access. Close to all amenities including schools, parks, recreation, shopping and transit. You won't be disappointed, set up your viewing today.

Welcome home! Situated in a family-friendly area of Grandview Heights in South Surrey. This 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom home features mountain views, offering a fully finished walk out basement with 2 bedroom suite and separate entry. The main floor has high ceilings, open concept layout, office, natural light, and sundeck out back with mountain views. Custom closet organizers, air conditioning, pantry. Upstairs has 3 generously sized bedrooms that include a Master ensuite with mountain views, walk in closet. Fenced yard, double garage and extra parking space. Excellent location on a quiet street, easily walkable to shopping, recreation, parks, schools and quick HWY access. Down the street Sunnyside Elementary, New Grandview Heights Secondary school catchment.

Nicely maintained and updated, split entry home on large fully fenced, lot with lane access. Excellent location with walking distance to everything. Upstairs features traditional layout with good sized living room, great kitchen with new appliances, dining room with walkout to southern exposed sundeck with n/g hookup for barbeques and 3 good sized bedrooms. Downstairs features large recroom and flexroom areas with 2 more bedrooms, 3 piece bath and separate entry. Suite potential. Sunny southern facing backyard has RV parking and enough space to build a detached shop. Great family home. A must see to appreciate.

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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.

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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. A must see to appreciate.

Absolutely gorgeous family-home with TWO mortgage helper suites and plenty of room on the main floor with 4 large bedrooms, master bedroom with a walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom, multiple living areas with 2 fireplaces, and a spacious kitchen. Kitchen lets out to a large covered sun-deck to enjoy a cup of coffee in the summer or host a BBQ. Large backyard with a brand new fully-surrounded fence with plenty of room for children or pets. Entire property is beautifully landscaped with a large decorative palm tree and multiple fruit trees including fig, apple, pear and cherry trees.

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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

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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 2level 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 hold 3 cars, an RV or boat, and meet all of your storage needs.

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Taliban : Pakistan’s first and only choice After 20 years of being willfully mislead by Pakistan, the Western world led by the US has still not come to terms with the fact that it has been taken for a ride Afghanistan. Even at this late stage when the Taliban is rapidly advancing towards Kabul and sweeping aside all resistance and nearly 14 provincial capitals have fallen to the Taliban and the Kunduz based Army Corps has surrendered, the US and its allies are still indulging in pointless ‘peace talks’, issuing unconvincing statements, and making utterly unrealistic threats to the Taliban who had many years ago been correctly labeled as the ‘wrong enemy’. Meanwhile, the ‘real enemy’ – Pakistan – is continuing to play its games of deception with the West by pretending to be behind a dialogue and negotiated settlement though on the ground it is doubling down behind the Taliban war effort. Significantly it is getting away with it. For Pakistan, the Taliban have always been their first and only choice in Afghanistan. Right from the time the Taliban erupted on the scene in Afghanistan, the Pakistanis have backed them with men, material, money, and military advice and assistance. The Taliban were armed by the ISI which gave them the keys to a huge arms dump in Spin Boldak. Later, they directed and planned the Taliban military offensive against the Mujahideen regime that came into power in 1992. After the Taliban captured Kabul, Pakistan was the first government to recognize their rule. Throughout the five year long regime, the Pakistanis backed the Taliban diplomatically and even financially, not to mention militarily. After 9/11, the Pakistanis not only rescued the Taliban by opening up their border and giving them sanctuary but also airlifting them from Kunduz, within the knowledge of the powers of the day. The Pakistanis then rebuilt the movement and kept a tight control over it. After investing in them for over 20 years, only someone completely devoid of rational thought process will think that the Pakistanis will do anything to stall or steal victory from the Taliban. In short, the Pakistanis see Taliban victory in Afghanistan as their own victory. Everything else – the spin that Pakistan is concerned about the Taliban monopolizing power, Pakistan is pushing the Taliban to the dialogue table and pressuring them to accept a power sharing agreement, that Pakistan has lost its leverage and is frustrated over the obduracy of the Taliban – is just so much pretence and hype. If anything, it is all classic Pakistani doublespeak to mislead the West, string it along until the objective reality is changed on the battlefield, and to ensure there is no untoward reaction against Pakistan’s involvement on the side of the Taliban. The Pakistanis have manufactured a dual narrative : internally, it is gloating and triumphal that it has defeated another superpower, that it has scored a huge strategic win, that it has ousted all its enemies (read India and US) from Afghanistan, that it has proved “Allah is the only superpower, it has dealt another blow for Islam and so on and so forth. This narrative is to cement the public opinion behind the Taliban. Pushing

this narrative is the government and the ruling party which was also behind the twitter trend #TalibanOurGuardians. Government ministers and even the President have been lauding the Taliban. Externally, Pakistan is wringing

its hands in fake despair, pretending that a Taliban victory will despoil Pakistan’s strategic environment, preaching the virtues of peace, dialogue and political solution and so on and so forth. Shockingly, the Americans have either

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Saturday, August 21, 2021

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India’s 75th Independence day was celebrated in Vancouver’s Fraserview hall last week. The event was organised by KVP entertainers and KVP heritage. Pictured above Mr Manish, Consul General of India with KVP’S Kamal Sharma (second from right). Photos by: Aziz Ladha Photography

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Saturday, August 21, 2021

Jaishankar takes up Afghanistan crisis with UN chief External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York and discussed the prevailing situation in Afghanistan. “Our discussions focused on Afghanistan, following upon the UNSC meeting yesterday,” tweeted Jaishankar. The minister had arrived in New York on Monday as the UNSC held an emergency meeting on Afghanistan, the second time under Indian Presidency of the UNSC for August. The first was addressed by PM Narendra Modi, while the third will be held on Thursday

after which Jaishankar will return to the country, curtailing his overseas programme in view of the Afghanistan situation. Sources said the minister was required for strategising on the new situation after the Taliban takeover as well as ensuring evacuation of every Indian and as many loyal Afghans as possible from the war-torn nation. Several Indians are reported to be stuck in remote areas and are fearful of travelling by road due to Taliban checkpoints on the way. Several Afghans, including former

Fake Covishield vaccines found in India & Uganda: WHO The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday said fake Covishield vaccines were in circulation in India and Uganda and asked governments of both countries to urgently notify the discovery of false batches to the world body. The WHO asked people who may have used fake doses to report adverse events, if any, to the national drug regulators and pharmacovigilance bodies and other countries to enhance vigilance in their Covid vaccine supply chains. Issuing a medical product alert on falsified Covishield vaccines identified in its African and South-East Asia Regions, the WHO today said, “The falsified products

were reported in July and August 2021. The genuine manufacturer of Covishield (Serum Institute of India) has confirmed that the products listed in this alert are falsified. These falsified products have been reported at the patient level in Uganda and India.” The WHO said only genuine Covishield vaccine was indicated for active immunisation of individuals 18 years or older for the prevention of Covid-19 disease. “Falsified Covid-19 vaccines pose a serious risk to global public health and place an additional burden on vulnerable populations and health systems,” it said, calling for urgent detection and removal of falsified product batches in India and Uganda to prevent harm to patients.

Detainee says China has secret jail in Dubai, holds Uyghurs A young Chinese woman says she was held for eight days at Chinese-run secret detention facility in Dubai along with at least two Uyghurs, in what may be the first evidence that China is operating a so-called “black site” beyond its borders. The woman, 26-year-old Wu Huan, was on the run to avoid extradition back to China because her fiancé was considered a Chinese dissident. Wu told The Associated Press she was abducted from a hotel in Dubai and detained by Chinese officials at a villa converted into a jail, where she saw or heard two other prisoners, both Uyghurs. She was questioned and threatened in Chinese and forced to sign legal documents

incriminating her fiancé for harassing her, she said. She was finally released on June 8 and is now seeking asylum in the Netherlands. While “black sites” are common in China, Wu’s account is the only testimony known to experts that Beijing has set one up in another country. Such a site would reflect how China is increasingly using its international clout to detain or bring back citizens it wants from overseas, whether they are dissidents, corruption suspects or ethnic minorities like the Uyghurs. The AP was unable to confirm or disprove Wu’s account independently, and she could not pinpoint the exact location of the black site.

Missing Covid-19 vaccine doses found at hair transplant clinic in Thane The Thane Municipal Corporation has found 40 COVID-19 vaccine doses, which allegedly went missing from a vaccination centre in Mumbra on Saturday, in a hair transplant clinic. The civic body has sealed

the clinic for illegally storing vaccine doses and is inquiring if the incidents are connected, officials said. This comes amid a shortage of vaccine doses in the city.

Chief Justice of India slams media speculation on selection process Ending a two-year-long deadlock, the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended nine names, including those of three woman high court judges for elevation to the top court, it was officially announced on Wednesday. As the news about the Collegium’s decision became public in a section of the media even before official announcement, the CJI took strong exception to it, saying, “Media must respect the sanctity of the selection process.” The process of appointment of judges is “sacrosanct” and the media must recognise its sanctity, the CJI said on Wednesday while expressing anguish and terming “very unfortunate” certain speculative

news reports about the Collegium meeting. The recommendations of the fivemember Collegium headed by the CJI, if accepted, are likely to give the country its first woman CJI in 2027 — Justice BV Nagarathna of the Karnataka High Court. Other eight names recommended for elevation are: Karnataka Chief Justice AS Oka, Gujarat Chief Justice Vikram Nath, Sikkim Chief Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari, Telangana Chief Justice Hima Kohli, Kerala judge CT Ravi Kumar, Madras HC judge MM Sundersh, Gujarat HC judge Bela M Trivedi and senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha.

Opposition attack govt over liquefied petroleum gas price hike The cost of subsidised LPG was raised by Rs 25 per cylinder, marking enhanced prices for a second month in a row. The prices of subsidised LPG were raised by Rs 25.5 a cylinder on July 1 also. With the latest notification by oil companies today, one subsidised LPG cylinder will now cost Rs 859 (14.2 kg) in the national capital. The latest price rise takes the total rise in subsidised LPG cylinder cost

Rs 165 since January this year. Attacking the government for rise in LPG prices, the Congress today asked why the government was not doing anything about the steep hikes. “If you go by Saudi Aramco, which decides our prices, our gas cylinder should cost only Rs 600. Then why are we paying Rs 260 more?” Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said.

Over 270 Sikhs, 50 Hindus took refuge in Gurdwara in Kabul Many Hindus and Sikhs have taken refuge in Kabul’s Karte Parwan gurdwara after Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban, DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed on Monday. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief said he was in touch with the president of the Gurdwara Committee of Kabul regarding the safety of minorities, including Hindus and Sikhs in that country. “I am in constant touch with the president of Gurdwara Committee of Kabul and the Sangat who have told me that 320 plus people, including 50 Hindus and 270 plus Sikhs, have taken refuge in Karte Parwan gurdwara in Kabul in wake of recent developments.

“Taliban leaders have met them and assured them of their safety. We are hopeful that Hindus and Sikhs would be able to live a safe and secure life despite political and military changes happening in Afghanistan,” Sirsa said. Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday for an unknown destination, paving way for a bloodless takeover of the capital city but triggering fear, chaos and uncertainty among its residents. On Monday, thousands of desperate people converged at the Kabul International Airport in hopes of getting on an evacuation flight and leaving the country.

Taliban ask women to join government, saying ‘don’t want women to become victims’ The Taliban vowed Tuesday to respect women’s rights, forgive those who fought them and ensure Afghanistan does not become a haven for terrorists as part of a publicity blitz aimed at reassuring world powers and a fearful population. Following a lightning offensive across Afghanistan that saw many cities fall to the insurgents without a fight, the Taliban have sought to portray themselves as more moderate than when they imposed

a strict form of Islamic rule in the late 1990s. But many Afghans remain skeptical — and thousands have raced to the airport, desperate to flee the country. Older generations remember the Taliban’s previous rule, when they largely confined women to their homes, banned television and music, and held public executions. A U.S.-led invasion drove them from power months after the 9/11 attacks, which alQaida had orchestrated from Afghanistan

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Punjab Former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini arrested in corruption case Punjab Vigilance Bureau sleuths today arrested former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in connection with an ongoing case of corruption against him and an undisclosed case. Saini, who faced allegations of human rights abuse during terrorism in Punjab, is also facing two murder cases. Despite immense pressure on the Capt Amarinder Singh government from public and within his party to deal with Saini strictly, he was never arrested.He managed to give the slip to teams of the Vigilance

Bureau on several occasions. Saini’s name also figures in the Behbal Kalan/Kotkapura police firing cases. His arrest is likely to trigger a political flurry in the state as he was considered close to the Shiromani Akali Dal. A Vigilance official said Saini reached the VB office around 8 pm to join probe in the corruption case He had not informed officials about his visit.

Covid-19 fatality rate in Punjab at all-time high Even as the number of daily Covid cases as well as active cases has come down significantly in Punjab, the case fatality rate has remained at all-time high over the past one month. The world body has asked drug regulators of the two nations to notify fake batches As per the state Health Department, in the past one month (July 18 onwards), 1,674 new cases were reported, lowest in the span of 30 days since the virus outbreak in March last year. But the number of deaths did not decline in the same proportion. In the same

period, the state reported 112 Covid deaths, registering the case fatality rate of 6.69 per cent against 1.6 per cent nationally. This has led to a slight increase in the overall case fatality rate of the state, which is now 2.7%. The same had come down to 2.4% in April. The state’s fatality rate has remained above 6% since mid June. Health officials say there is nothing to worry as the number of cases is at the lowest level. “The number of cases and deaths is low. Some of the deaths reported in the past 30 days were from the second wave,”

Chandigarh, Himachal, Rajasthan lead 1st national ranking on quality of life for elderly Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Chandigarh lead the first national rankings on the Quality of Life for Elderly Index. This was released on Wednesday by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. The Index has been created by the Institute for Competitiveness to assess

the challenge of ageing in India and determine the preparedness of states to deal with a rising elderly population. India is currently enjoying the demographic dividend but will be growing older, with persons above the age of 65 becoming the fastest-growing age group by 2050. Greying is not very rapid in India,

Pakistan Prime Minister Khan urges international community to stay engaged, support Afghan people economically Asserting that Pakistan is reaching out to all Afghan leaders for a peaceful settlement of the current crisis in the neighbouring nation, Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the international community to stay engaged, particularly to support the people of the war-ravaged nation economically. The Prime Minister’s Office in a late night statement on Tuesday said Khan received a telephone call from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the two leaders exchanged views on the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan. “Pakistan is reaching out to all Afghan leaders,” Khan told Merkel and urged that “the international

community must also stay engaged, particularly to support the people of Afghanistan economically”. Khan also underscored the immense importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for Pakistan and the region, stressing that safety and security as well as protection of the rights of all Afghans was critically important, the statement said. Khan underlined that an inclusive political settlement was the best way forward to resolve the Afghan crisis. He said that Pakistan is facilitating evacuation of diplomatic personnel and staff of international organisations from Afghanistan.

Govt of Pakistan issue visas for foreigners & diplomats who want to leave Afghanistan 900 foreigners have arrived in Pakistan from Kabul. Pakistan is issuing visas upon arrival to all diplomats, foreigners and journalists who want to leave Kabul over security concerns. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Wednesday that since Sunday, 900 foreigners, including diplomats and staff working

for international organisations, have arrived in Pakistan from Kabul by air. He said transit visas upon arrival also being issued to foreigners coming from Afghanistan so that they could travel to their home countries. He said all Pakistanis who want to leave Afghanistan will be brought back over the coming days

400 people arrested for harassing, molesting YouTuber girl Punjab police arrested 400 people who harassed and molested a YouTuber girl Independence Day of Pakistan at Minar-i-Pakistan, in Lahore, officials said. The police got into action following the videos of her harassment and molestation that went viral on social media, with calls to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to take action against the culprits. The incident took place on August 14 when hundreds of youngsters were celebrating Independence Day at Azadi

Chowk near Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore. In the videos, hundreds of young men can be seen throwing the girl in the air for fun, dragging her, tearing her clothes and molesting her. They also took off her shalwar (trouser) and molested her. “After the videos went viral on Tuesday, the police approached the girl on the order of the highups and persuaded her to register FIR,” a senior police official told PTI. He said the girl was still traumatised and broke into tears while narrating what had happened to her on Independence Day.

FIJI 590 new Covid-19 cases & 11 deaths confirmed 310 people fined for breach of restrictions Fiji has reported 590 new cases of Covid-19 for the last 24 hours to 8am yesterday as police issued more than 300 public health infringement notices. The government also confirmed 11 deaths over three days, taking the toll to 405. 23 people had died and 350 cases were recorded in the previous 24-hour period. Health Secretary Doctor James Fong said the patients died between 1315 August, aged between 57 and 88. Fiji now has over 21-thousand active cases in isolation, with three quarters of them at home. Meanwhile, 310 Public Health Infringement Notices have been issued since 13 August. Of these cases, 162 were fined for failing

to wear a mask or face covering in public and they were all reported in the southern (99) and western divisions (63). Police said curfew breaches accounted for 78 of the notices, social gatherings 25, breach of Public Service Vehicle 50 percent capacity - seven, failure to comply with liquor and kava consumption - four, failure to wear face covering in a PSV 12 and one notice for failure to comply with the order in relation to entering a containment zone. Police said 21 people were also fined for failure to comply with orders in relation to being twometres away from any other person in a queue while 14 bookings were made in the Western Division and seven in the Northern Division.

Three Covid-19 cases in Vanua Levu confirmed Vanua Levu now has three COVID positive cases. As a result, Labasa Hospital’s Medical Superintendent Doctor Jaoji Vulibeci said more restricted movements will be

discussed today for COVID affected areas. The expected restrictions follows reports of two quarantine cases in Labasa. Dr Jaoji confirmed the two cases were part of the domestic repatriation that came from Suva.

Saneem caused embarrassment to the Speaker, Opposition MP says Opposition MP Niko Nawaikula says Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem “caused great embarrassment to the Office of the Speaker” when he unlawfully removed his name from the Register of Voters, and caused the Speaker to declare his seat in Parliament vacant. “The concern there is as Supervisor of Elections, he should know what laws applies,” Mr Nawaikula told Parliament yesterday. He said the court found that

Mr Saneem had the discretion to deal with the matter and not take it to court. “He took advantage of the office of the Speaker and in acting unlawfully. “It allowed the Speaker to terminate my seat unnecessarily. “But in any event, a good thing came out of it. “The decision was a win for democracy because in any democracy, we need a very strong judiciary and court process.”

Saturday, August 21, 2021

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Saturday, August 21, 2021