The Asian Star December 18 2021

www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 44

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Miss Universe 2021 is Bollywood actress working on master’s degree Despite the threat posed by COVID-19 and calls for a boycott in support of Palestinians, the 70th edition of the Miss Universe pageant pushed through as scheduled in Israel on Monday, with Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu besting 79 other contestants to win the crown.

The Bollywood actress who is also working on her master’s degree in public administration impressed the judges with her confidence in the final round of questions. Asked what advice she would give young women, Sandhu said, Continued on page 8

2,000 Covid-19 cases a day predicted as Omicron spreads in community As B.C. health officials confirm the first cases of Omicron transmitted within the community instead of via travel, they are warning the public the variant could cause the virus to spread rapidly. The province has 44 confirmed Omicron cases up to Dec. 12. This includes 24 in Fraser Health, 11 in Coastal Health, five on Vancouver Island, three in the Interior, and one

in Northern Health. A case has been detected in a five-year-old and, currently, no one is in hospital. A vast majority of the cases — 37 — are vaccinated people. “Although vaccinations are not 100-per-cent effective in preventing transmission, we do see they are incredibly effective in preventive hospitalizations,”

provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday. “This is to give us a sense of what may happen. “What the challenge is right now is (that) so much is unknown. Omicron can break through in people who have had COVID. What is not known is how much immune evasion there is for those who are vaccinated.”

Continued on page 7

City of Surrey will cover mayor’s legal costs following public mischief charge The taxpayers of Surrey, B.C., will foot the bill for legal costs incurred by Mayor Doug McCallum after he was charged with one count of public mischief in relation to a police complaint he made earlier this year.

In September, McCallum claimed his foot had been run over in a grocery store parking lot in the south of the city.

It happened during an altercation with a group gathering signatures to keep the

Freeland pledges billions in new COVID-19 supports as omicron cases rise inance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled a fiscal and economic update today that commits billions of dollars in new spending to help Canada ride out a relentless health crisis.

While the government made a number of big-ticket promises during the last election campaign,

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this relatively short 96-page document is focused on the fight against COVID-19 — something Freeland described as “our most important national project.” Major Liberal campaign commitments — such as new housing supports, health transfer hikes and climate change initiatives — have been Continued on page 7

RCMP in Surrey, a contentious issue while the city is in the process of creating a new municipal police force. A B.C. Prosecution Service spokesperson said special prosecutor Richard Fowler had approved the charge of public mischief, which relates to allegedly making false statements with the intention of misleading police officers. According to a city bylaw, all municipal officials, including employees, Continued on page 8

Defence Minister tenders appology for sexual harassment in Canadian armed forces Defence Minister Anita Anand and the top military commander have tendered a long-awaited apology to current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces who suffered sexual assault, sexual harassment or discrimination.

The Canadian military had

been facing intense public and political pressure to change its culture and create better systems for both preventing and handling sexual misconduct allegations at the time of Anand’s appointment as the country’s new Defence Minister in October. The Continued on page 6

Leena Nair named CEO of French fashion house Chanel Nair’s career at Unilever spanned 30 years, most recently as the chief of human resources and a member of the company’s executive committee. French fashion house Chanel named Leena Nair, an executive from Unilever, as its new global CEO on Tuesday, picking a

consumer goods veteran to run one of the world’s biggest luxury goods groups. Nair’s career at Unilever spanned 30 years, most recently as the chief of human resources and a member of the company’s executive committee. A British national, born in India, Nair is Continued on page 6

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Saturday, December 18, 2021

Immigration processing delays leave many Canadian NRI’s in limbo The immigration process for Canada has been hampered by the Covid pandemic and has left many Canadian Punjabis in limbo.

Parminder Kaur is tired of waiting for her permanent residency (PR) application to make its way through Canada’s immigration system.

Parminder, who is living in Canada, said: “It’s been three years that I haven’t met my family. I applied for PR in 2019 but my file is still under processing.”

Similarly, Deepak Talwar left his wellestablished business, sold his house in India, and immigrated to Saskatoon in Canada in 2017. Talwar submitted PR applications for his family and himself, but no progress has been made on it since January 29 last year. He now regrets immersing his family in uncertainty.

Canadian MP Jasraj Singh Hallan had raised the issue in the Canadian Parliament and tweeted: “Immigration backlogs are at 1.8 million. These aren’t just numbers; these are families that remain separated.” Appreciating Hallan for raising the issue, Anchal tweeted:

“I had applied for PR in July 2020 and so far, eligibility review has not been done. There is no response to any messages, tweets or calls.”

Another immigrant, Kanwaljeet Singh, had tweeted on Hallan’s wall: “My wife is alone in Canada and is going under depression. She is emotionally weak. I request Canadian immigration authorities to look into spouse visas and clear all backlog as many spouses are waiting to meet their loved ones for long time.” Similarly, Ravneet Kaur tweeted: “I am waiting for spousal visa since last 2.5 years and have not got any response even after medical and biometrics have been done.”

Amanpreet Singh of Charlottetown said he had applied for PR in November last year but had yet not received it. Singh had come to Canada on study permit on August 14, 2017. When his father died soon after, Singh was not in a position to return home and now his grandfather is ill and wants Singh to visit home. “The thought of not being able to do so is heart breaking,” he said, adding that he knew some 25 other applicants

Worst-case Omicron scenario for BC forecasts 1,500 daily cases by Christmas BC health officials have released the latest epidemiological modelling on COVID-19, including some new numbers on the Omicron variant. As of December 12, there have been 44 cases of Omicron reported in the province.

Seven cases were among those who were not vaccinated, including two children under 11.

Twenty of the cases had recent travel histories.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. Broken down by health authority, 24 cases of Omicron were identified in Fraser Health, 11 in Vancouver Coastal Health, five in Island Health, three in Interior Health, and one in Northern Health. Henry addressed the transmission of Omicron at UVic, and suggested that most of the transmission occurred during house parties. None of the identified Omicron cases needed hospitalization. The median age for those who have contracted Omicron is 33. As there is still much to be learned about

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the Omicron variant, BC health officials have outlined three different scenarios and outcomes.

Transmission is increased between 1.5 to 3 times that of Delt. Immune evasion to transmission is 30-60%. While case numbers currently remain relatively low across all health jurisdictions, the worst-case scenario could have BC seeing around 1,500 daily cases near Christmas, with close to 75 daily hospitalizations. “This is to give us a sense of what may happen or what could happen,” said Henry. She went on to say these scenarios could play out if we don’t continue doing the things that are working. “We need to be paying attention to the next few weeks.” Henry also mentioned that BC’s high immunization rates, along with programs like the BC Vaccine Card, should go a long way to mitigate the risk of increased transmission.

“The message right now is we are in a very challenging and uncertain time again. We know what we need to do. We need to keep our gatherings small, especially with people who we don’t know,” Henry warned, adding that big gatherings could become super-spreader events.

BC considering new restrictions amid rising COVID cases It appears B.C. is considering new restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise and concerns about the Omicron variant remain high.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said Wednesday that provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has been speaking with regional health officers this week to discuss B.C.’s next move.

U.K. banking on COVID-19 pills to get through winter amid Omicron surge.

Dix said they are looking at possible restrictions such as capacity limits at sporting events and changes to the vaccine card program.

“The issue of capacity limits, the issue of the vaccine card, the issue, for example, of whether the vaccine card will apply under 50, as well as over 50, in terms of capacity, so smaller events as well,” Dix said. “Those issues are all under consideration by public health and we’ll have more to say about that soon.”

Continued on page 9

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RCMP officer jumps into pool to save two people from vehicle crash A Surrey RCMP officer is being applauded after leaping into a pool to save two older occupants of a vehicle that was partially submerged after a collision.

Police believe the driver of the vehicle lost control, went off the road, crashed through a fence and ended up in the swimming pool of a private residence on Wednesday afternoon.

The homeowners called 911 right away, the Mounties said Thursday, and when Const.

Gonpo arrived he jumped into the pool, opened the doors and rescued the older couple inside.

Both vehicle occupants were taken to the hospital, but no obvious injuries were detected.

Crash into South Surrey ditch leaves one person dead “The heroic actions of Cst. Gonpo speaks volumes to one of the many ways police officers put their lives on the line every day without hesitation to ensure public safety,” said Sgt. Brad Essex in a release. “We’re also incredibly thankful for the citizens who immediately called for emergency services and provided invaluable assistance to police and first responders.”

The vehicle has since been removed from the pool, but RCMP are still asking anyone with more information about the collision to come forward.

The incident took place around 12:12 p.m. in the 16500 block of Glenwood Crescent South.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021 Trudeau eyes foreign buyers ban on non-recreational properties, end to blind bidding Justin Trudeau has handed his housing minister a series of tasks _ including some targeting foreign buyers _ in an attempt to make home ownership a reality for more Canadians.

In a mandate letter sent to Ahmed Hussen on Thursday, the prime minister asked for measures that include a temporary ban on non-recreational residential sales to foreign buyers. He says that will help ensure that housing does not sit vacant and unavailable to Canadians wanting to buy homes. The ban is a cornerstone of Trudeau’s plan to address Canada’s frenzied housing market that has become synonymous with limited supply leading to bidding wars, extreme buyers’ anxiety

and skyrocketing costs. The instructions came the day after the Canadian Real Estate Association said the national average home price was $720,850 in November and is projected to reach $739,500 in 2022. Housing prices in the country’s most heated regions, Vancouver and Toronto, will be even higher, the association said. Single-family detached homes regularly sell for more than $1 million in both cities.

Trudeau hopes he can reverse these trends by investing in a new housing accelerator fund intended to boost inventory with measures such as inclusionary zoning, increased densification, reductions in construction approval timelines and the rapid development of vacant or underused lands.

Continued on page 5

BC reports reports 753 cases, more than double last Thursday British Columbia reported three deaths and 753 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, more than doubling the number of new cases reported one week ago. The update pushed the province’s seven-day average for new cases to 489, and left B.C. with 3,878 active cases. The spike in cases was largely driven by transmission in the Lower Mainland, where there were 232 new cases in the Fraser Health region and 240 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region. Another 137 cases were reported in the Island Health region, while 99 were in the Interior Health region and 45 were in the Northern Health region.

Officials also declared new outbreaks at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, where five patients tested positive, and the Khalsa School Old Yale Road in Surrey, where 23 students tested positive. There were 184 active cases in hospital, including 70 people in critical or intensive care. Hospitalizations are considered a “lagging indicator,” meaning they tend to reflect transmissions that occurred weeks ago.

Thursday’s spike in new cases followed two consecutive days in which the province reported more than 500 new infections, after weeks of holding steady in the 300-450 range.

It also came amid growing concern over the spread of the Omicron variant, believed to be the most transmissible variant yet. On Thursday, the province said it had confirmed 135 cases of the new variant more than three times the number it reported on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix confirmed that health officials were considering the possibility of new restrictions amid rapidly climbing case numbers. More than 4.3 million British Columbians, 86.8 per cent of those eligible and 84 per cent of B.C.’s population, has had one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Of them, more than 4.1 million people, 82.5 per cent of those eligible and 79.8 per cent of B.C.’s population, has had two doses. More than 660,000 people, 12.8 per cent of British Columbians, have had a third booster dose.

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Watchful farmers in Abbotsford help police arrest two property thieves A group of farmers in Abbotsford, B.C. are being applauded by local police for their support in the arrest of two alleged property thieves. On Wednesday afternoon, a single farmer noticed two suspicious men trying to steal equipment from a property on Tolmie Road, police said in a Thursday news release.

When the suspects noticed the farmer watching, they fled on foot, leaving their stolen vehicle behind.

Surrey RCMP officer jumps into pool to save two people from vehicle crash.

Abbotsford police, who were already patrolling the Sumas Prairie as part of local flood response, were dispatched to the area in addition to police dogs and extra patrol

officers. A group of local farmers kept police call takers in the loop as first responders set up a containment area and eventually caught the suspects. Patrick Schryver and Kusone Robinson have now been charged with theft under $5,000. Schryver faces additional charges of possession of stolen property and breach of a release order. “The AbbyPD continues to make the safety and security of the Sumas Prairie residents a top priority,” the service said in a Thursday news release. “Members of the AbbyPD Crime Reduction Unit, along with our front-line officers, are out patrolling and making every effort to hold those involved in property crime offences responsible.”

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OPINION

By Franco Terrazzano Federal Director Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Saturday, December 18, 2021 missed that target by $20 billion while his government added more than $100 billion to the debt between the end of 2015 and 2019.

Despite failing to balance the budget, the Throne Speech claims the government is “prudently managing spending.” But it’s tough to square that circle when the government’s inflation-adjusted per-person spending was higher in 2018 – before the pandemic – than during any single year of World War II. While the pandemic is partly to blame for the surge in borrowing, nearly two thirds of everything the government spent last year was not related to COVID-19, according to the Fraser Institute.

What’s most concerning is where the federal government’s finances are heading. That’s because the feds are using the cloud of COVID-19 to embark on a debt-fueled spending binge. Through budget 2021, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland plans to increase permanent spending by more than $100 billion by 2026.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer’s data projects the feds running deficits until 2070. Interest charges on the debt would cost about $3.8 trillion over those five decades. That’s trillions of dollars that can’t hire more nurses or lower taxes because it’s going to the bond fund managers on Bay Street.

Nothing technically stops politicians from reining in spending and balancing the budget far before 2070. But Trudeau wants to continue borrowing. The Liberal Party promised to spend an extra $78 billion during the election. And the only time the budget was mentioned in the Throne Speech was to signal “increasing Canada’s foreign assistance budget each year.”

With the government already spending alltime highs, maybe it’s time to cut the waste flowing overseas before promising new money.

For example, Global Affair Canada dished out $8,800 for a sex-toy art show in Germany.

Taxpayers also paid $15,799 so successful artist Lynn Johnston could show off her cartoons in America and nearly $10,000 so famous author Margaret Atwood could promote her book in Australia. The Kenyan company, M-Kopa, laid off 150 of its employees only two days after the federal government announced it was giving the business $12.8 million. There’s also government waste at home. Maybe former governors general don’t need a lifetime expense account to bill taxpayers $206,000 every year?

Trudeau needs to make government debt a priority

Sometimes it’s what people don’t say that reveals the most. And the federal government’s failure to mention the deficit or debt in the Throne Speech is all too revealing for taxpayers worried about the erosion of Canada’s national finances.

For a government that is nearly doubling its

entire pre-pandemic debt in six years, deficits should be a top priority. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s apathy towards reining in government borrowing reveals how his government got into this mess. In 2014, Trudeau said “the budget will balance itself.” When he ran for prime minister in 2015, Trudeau said he would have a few “modest” deficits before returning to balance in 2019. He

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Saturday, December 18, 2021 Trudeau eyes foreign buyers ban on non-recreational properties, end to blind bidding “Your overarching goal is to help ensure Canadians can get a home of their own, through work to improve housing affordability and end chronic homelessness,” Trudeau wrote to Hussen.

Trudeau also wants to review down payment requirements for investment properties, create a fund to develop rent-to-own projects and an an “anti-flipping tax” on residences that would require properties to be held for at least 12 months before they can be sold. He also asked Hussen to ban blind bidding, a widely-used practice, where homebuyers submit offers to sellers who don’t disclose the details of competing bids.

But realtors and housing experts have criticized Trudeau’s plan, large parts of which were first revealed when his Liberal party was campaigning during the federal election earlier this year.

“We are in a crisis in Canada with affordability,” said Adil Dinani, a broker with Royal LePage

West in B.C. “We’ve entered a heightened stage of ‘fear of missing out’ and we haven’t seen this type of buying activity since 2016, which (was) the previous peak in our marketplace.” While Dinani feels Canadians will become more informed with the end of blind bidding, he fears their bank accounts won’t get any relief. “If there’s more transparency on the bidding process, does that mean prices go down and that creates more affordability? I would probably argue not,” he said.

“I would argue that the only way to really address affordability is for the government … to bring more meaningful inventory to the market.”

Dinani also took issue with the foreign buyer ban, which some realtors have deemed unnecessary because they say foreign buyers make up a small fraction of purchasers in the country.

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BC welcomes federal government’s ‘initial’ $5 billion in flood disaster relief British Columbia’s finance minister says the federal government’s $5 billion contribution to flood disaster recovery efforts in the province is a historic amount of cash that reflects the extreme nature of the disaster. However, Selina Robinson said Tuesday in a statement the funding is an initial provision of federal dollars and assessing the full costs of rebuilding remains an ongoing process. “As the province continues the work of assessing the impacts of the recent natural disaster, it is reassuring to know we have a commitment from our federal partners that their support will continue as we move from response to recovery and rebuilding,” said Robinson. The dollar figure was revealed in federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s fiscal update released Tuesday.

Freeland’s update showed that the federal

budget deficit for this year is on track to hit $144.5 billion, below the government’s previous forecast of a $154.7 billion deficit.

Record amounts of rainfall last month caused widespread floods and slides in southern B.C. that crippled transportation routes, flooded farmland and forced thousands to leave their homes and communities. The Insurance Bureau of Canada has called the floods and slides the most costly weather event in B.C.’s history and estimated insured damage at $450 million, but said the bill will be much higher because much of the damage occurred in high-risk areas where flood insurance was not available.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier John Horgan announced the creation of a joint committee of cabinet ministers to deal with the flood repair and recovery earlier this month.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021

Canadian Armed Forces are trying to turn over a new leaf and win back the trust of current and former members who suffered sexual assault, sexual harassment or discrimination based on sex, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation, the Georgia Straight newspaper reported.

The long-awaited and history-making apology to the women and men whose lives were scarred by sexual assault, misconduct and discrimination in the military was delivered by Defence Minister Anand, Chief of Staff General Wayne Eyre and deputy defence minister Jody Thomas on the government’s behalf, CBC News reported.

The official apology was live-streamed within the Department of National Defence and on Facebook.

Defence Minister Anand, at the beginning of

From page 1

Defence Minister tenders appology

her speech, said: “The members of our Canadian Armed Forces have always put service before self by stepping up to serve Canada.”

She also said that the military had “always had Canadians’ backs and we should always have yours”.The “very institution charged with protecting and defending our country has not always protected and defended its own members”.“As minister of national defence, I am apologising to you on behalf of the government of Canada,” Anand said as she also expressed this apology on behalf of elected officials who, in the past, failed to take action in response to sexual assault, sexual harassment and discrimination.

“I apologise to the thousands of Canadians who were harmed because your government did not protect you, nor did we ensure the

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Cars, couches, propane and fuel tanks among debris from record flooding in BC Unprecedented flooding in southwestern British Columbia has left hard-hit communities dealing with the disposal of debris like drywall, insulation, silt-soaked mattresses, couches and kitchen cupboards damaged by water that gutted homes and businesses. Lia Bergen, who lives in the Sumas Prairie area of Abbotsford, returned to her home nearly two weeks after an evacuation order from a trio of powerful storms last month to discover the destruction of furniture, two freezers, a fridge, two cars, and her husband’s heavy-duty work tools. Some of the items have been carted away by volunteers, including members of the University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball team, which showed up at her door and helped retrieve keepsakes from a crawl space, she said.

The list of belongings stored there included letters

from Bergen’s grandmother and a crib her father made for her now 29-year-old son, later used by two younger children. It’s too damaged to be passed on to her soon-to-be born grandchild.

“In the barn, we have a tractor and three riding lawn mowers, so I’m not exactly sure how we’re going to dispose of that,” she said. Engineers say better forecasting, warnings could protect B.C. from disasters. Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun said a second waste transfer station is expected to open for “mountains” of trash left outside homes after record rainfall killed thousands of livestock and devastated a prime agricultural area of the province. “There’s just a monumental amount of debris that we have to collect and dispose of in order for people to get back into their homes and their businesses, their barns,” Braun said.

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right systems were in place to ensure justice and accountability,” she said, adding that for far too long, the government failed to dedicate enough time, money, personnel and resources to addressing these problems.“Countless lives have been harmed because of inaction and systemic failure. This is a failure that our Canadian Armed Forces, our department and the government of Canada will always carry with us. These institutions failed you and for that we are sorry.

I am sorry.“Successive governments have not done nearly enough to stamp out this scourge.

Things can change. They must change. And I say it to you they will change. This is our most basic responsibility, our most important task, and my top and absolute priority,” defence minister

Anand said.The apologies from the defence minister and the Chief of Staff came as 11 senior military leaders are facing allegations or were investigated for sexual misconduct, including former chief of staff and retired general Jonathan Vance, former chief of staff Admiral Art McDonald, and Major-General Dany Fortin, who previously oversaw the distribution of Covid vaccines, the Georgia Straight reported.

As of Friday, 18,943 serving and retired members of the military, along with civilian defence workers, have submitted settlement claims as part of a class-action lawsuit against the federal government over sexual misconduct, according to CBC. Roughly 60 per cent of the survivors are women. Claims have been approved in 5,355 cases and some initial payments have been made, it added.

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Leena Nair named CEO of French fashion house Chanel

Indian-origin Leena Nair has been named as the global Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of French fashion house Chanel. Nair, who was born in India’s Maharashtra state and is a British national, will join Chanel by the end of January next year and will be based in London, the group said. It added that the new appointments would ensure its “longterm success as a private company”. After being appointed as the CEO, Nair in a tweet said that she was honoured to be the global CEO of the French group. The 52-yearold would replace US businesswoman Maureen Chiquet, who came from a fashion background and was CEO of Chanel for nine years until early 2016.Nair, who at Unilever oversaw 150,000 people, started out as a trainee on the factory floor. The appointment

of Nair comes as the fashion industry is under pressure to show a more inclusive approach.

Nair serves as a non-executive board member at BT and has previously served as non-executive director of the British government’s business, energy and industrial strategy department. Nair, an alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur, had joined HUL, Unilever’s Indian subsidiary in 1992 and worked for 30 years. In the early years of her career, she began working at different factories of HUL in West Bengal’s Kolkata, Tamil Nadu’s Ambattur and Maharashtra’s Taloja.

In 1996, she was appointed as Employee Relations Manager by HUL, and elevated as HR manager of Hindustan Lever India by 2000.

In 2004, Nair was appointed as general manager HR of ‘home and personal care India’ by the company and was further elevated as general manager HR in 2006.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021

2,000 Covid-19 cases a day predicted as Omicron spreads in community From page 1 Omicron is seen as 1.5 to three times more transmissible than the Delta variant.Only 20 of the Omicron cases are linked to travel, including arrivals from countries such as Nigeria, South Africa/Zimbabwe, Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Germany, Portugal, and the United States.

According to the latest modelling data, B.C.’s worst-case scenario involving Omicron would be 2,000 new cases per day by Dec. 29. The bestcase scenario would be around 1,000 new cases per day by the middle of January.

B.C.’s running seven-day average of daily new cases is 373 as of Dec. 13.

The province provided the various scenarios on Tuesday “for illustrative purposes,” noting they are likely to change quickly as more information is collected.

Prime minister meets with premiers over Omicron variant B.C. reports five deaths and 1,129 new COVID-19 cases over three days In the worst-case scenario, hospitalizations could reach a provincial high of 75 people a day admitted due to COVID by mid-January. In the best-case scenario, hospitalizations would remain at around 25 new admissions per day.

Scenarios do not account for vaccine boosters, which will affect the virus’ severity and transmission.

The province also announced Tuesday booster shots will soon be offered at pharmacies.

About 500 pharmacies have signed up so far, although boosters will not be administered sooner than six months after a person’s second dose.

Officials reported Monday that 185 people were in hospital, with 72 of them in intensive or acute care.

Five more people died, pushing the total to 2,386 since the start of the pandemic.

There are 2,949 active cases of COVID-19 throughout the province.

The Fraser Health region continues to have the highest active caseload at 850. One hundred five new cases were reported there in the last

24 hours alone, for a total of 342 new cases over three days.

Another 200 new cases are in the Interior Health region for a total of 529 there, and 202 new cases were reported in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, for a total of 565.

Vancouver Island saw 307 new cases for a total of 764, while Northern Health detected 78 new cases for a total of 240.

Omicron variant of COVID-19 detected

at University of Victoria, in-person exams cancelled COVID-19: UVic rugby players involved in Omicron outbreak’ UVic rugby players involved in Omicron outbreak The University of Victoria has cancelled all in-person exams for the remainder of the month due to a rise in COVID-19 cases on campus that include the Omicron variant.

Four cases of the variant were confirmed on Monday in a joint release from the university and Island Health, among a cluster of 124 cases associated with people who attended offcampus events.

More cases of the variant are expected on campus, officials said.

Henry said Tuesday the majority of the new cases on campus, which are mostly the Delta variant at this time, were connected to a rugby tournament off campus.

Overall, unvaccinated individuals accounted for 68 per cent of hospitalizations and 78 per cent of critical care admissions in the past month, the province said.

“The majority of deaths continue to be in those (who) are not immunized, but the impact of breakthrough cases are felt the most in those who are older,” Henry said.

“We focused our booster program on older people because that is where we saw breakthrough and people going to hospital. It is still rare for those under 70 to go to hospital after vaccination.”

Click to play video: ‘COVD-19: Holiday safety tips amid rapidly spreading Omicron variant’ 2:20 COVD-19: Holiday safety tips amid rapidly spreading Omicron variant COVD-19: Holiday safety tips amid rapidly spreading Omicron variant B.C. recorded more than 1,100 new cases of COVID over the weekend.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021 City of Surrey will cover mayor’s legal costs following public mischief charge Social Sharing From page 1

officers and members of council will be compensated for costs relating to any incident that occurred while acting on behalf of the city.

John Alexander, a Victoria lawyer who has practiced municipal law for 30 years, says that although there have been charges, McCallum may not end up going to trial.

“There’s inevitably discussions between Crown and defence as to whether or not the matter can be resolved by something other than a trial,” he told The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn.

“This is going to spin down the road for a number of months, depending on the decisions made on both sides.”

From page 1

Regardless of how the matter moves forward, Coun.

Linda Annis said she believes McCallum should be paying his own legal fees.

“If you do something wrong on your own personal time, such as going to the grocery store, the residents of Surrey shouldn’t be paying your legal bills,” Annis said.

“This could be a long lengthy process, and he’s hired a very high-profile lawyer, you can expect these charges to be very significant, and residents should not be on the hook for it. He made a mistake on his personal time, he needs to pay the bill.”

Miss Universe 2021 is Bollywood actress working on master’s degree

“Stop comparing yourselves with others and let’s talk about more important things happening worldwide. Come out, speak for yourself, because you are the leader of your life. You are the voice of your own.”

Another heavy favorite, Paraguay’s Nadia Ferreira, settled for first runner-up while South Africa’s Lalena Mswane, who advanced to the semifinals by garnering the most online votes, was named second runner-up.

Mswane, who holds a law degree, found herself in a quandary before departing for the global tilt when the South African government withdrew support for her participation to protest Israel’s apartheid and show support for Palestinians.

The global health crisis posed another threat to the international competition yet again, with the discovery of the Omicron variant in some countries, including Israel.

This prompted the Israeli government to shut its borders to all international travelers in November although it granted special access to those involved in the pageant. She brought joy to the people and honor to the country, and inspired many. “A member of our Armed Forces, an athlete, and a youth advocate, Ms Gomez is an inspiring figure whose participation in Miss Universe allowed the world to see what we in the country witness every day: the strength,

grace, and beauty of the Filipino woman,” he said in a statement.

Many Cebuanos watched the pageant on television while some gathered in hotels to cheer for Gomez. Her mother, Ping Gallarde Gomez, said in a media interview that she was so happy over her daughter’s achievement.

“Win or lose, we love her very much,” she said.

“She did everything she could for our country. I believe that if the crown was really for her, then she would get it. If not, it’s all right. She already achieved a lot in her life,” she added.

Gomez’s creative team leapt for joy when she made it to the Top 5. Her stylist, Edward James Castro, said they were so proud of the beauty queen. For Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, “the important thing is Bea made it to the Top 5. That is already an accomplishment.”

During the pageant, Gomez was asked by Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere on her opinion of mandating a universal vaccine passport given the ever-changing COVID-19 situation.

“I believe that public health is everyone’s responsibility, and to mandate vaccine inoculation is necessary. If mandating vaccine passports would help us in regulating the rollouts of the vaccine, and mitigate the situation of the pandemic today, then I would agree on mandating the necessary passport of vaccination,” she replied.

Saturday, December 18, 2021 BC considering new restrictions amid rising COVID cases The Ontario government said Wednesday it is reintroducing capacity limits for some indoor venues amid concerns around the Omicron variant. Ontario reintroducing capacity limits for large indoor venues amid Omicron concerns The government said capacity limits of 50 per cent will be applied to indoor areas of venues with a normal capacity of 1,000 or more.“This measure is being taken to reduce opportunities for close contact in high-risk indoor settings with large crowds and when masks are not always worn,” a news release from the Province of Ontario said.

Dix did warn British Columbians that the holiday season is a “time to exercise caution” and avoid non-essential international travel, as advised by the federal government.

“I think that’s good advice to take,” Dix said.

“There will be other trips.”

COVID-19: B.C. reports 584 new cases and 7 deaths, says new restrictions possible The province saw a spike in new cases for a second day and reported seven new deaths on Wednesday.

Officials reported 584 new cases, the most since Nov. 4, bringing the seven-day rolling average for B.C. to 430 and leaving the province with 3,458 active cases.

The higher case counts come after B.C. had managed to keep new cases in the 300-450 range for the better part of three weeks.

Of the new cases, 173 were in the Fraser Health region, 180 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 92 were in the Interior Health region, 31 were in the Northern Health region and 109 were in the Island Health region.

There were 193 active cases in hospital, including 77 COVID patients in critical or intensive care.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021

Canadians urged not to travel abroad amid Omicron Canada’s government implored residents on Wednesday not to leave the country as provinces ramp up vaccinations to combat the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant, even as efforts to head off a COVID-19 wave are complicated by public fatigue over the pandemic.

COVID-19 case numbers are increasing, with the national sevenday average of new cases at its highest point since Oct. 1, as Canadian hospitals struggle to clear backlogs from months of postponed procedures. Many exhausted staff members appear ill-equipped for another surge in infections. “I say very clearly: Now is not the time to travel,” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told a news conference, adding it is clear there is community transmission of Omicron in Canada. “I understand this sucks,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters as he urged Canadians to follow public health advice and “be careful during this holiday season. Get your kids their shots.” Children aged 5 to 11 had the highest infection rate of any age group in Ontario for the two weeks ended Tuesday.

Ontario will start offering a third shot of the vaccine to everyone over age 18 this week, while shortening the required gap between second and third doses to three months from six.

The province, Canada’s most-populous, is also reducing capacity by half at indoor events with a capacity of at least 1,000, including sports activities, concerts and commercial film and television production. Canada has banned travel from 10 African countries because of concerns about the new variant. The federal government advised residents in March 2020 not to travel abroad unless necessary. It withdrew the notice this past October - before the first Omicron cases were reported - citing the success of vaccination

campaigns.

Peter Juni, director of Ontario’s COVID-19 science advisory table, urged people to take precautions, get vaccinated and not take Omicron lightly.

“What really worries me is that people are asleep at the steering wheel, internationally,” he said. “They have wishful thinking it will be mild. ... This is not a realistic attitude.”

Scientists suspect Omicron is more transmissible given its rapid spread, although they caution it is too early to draw conclusions about its severity. read more There is “massive vulnerability” in Canada’s healthcare systems, said Andrew Morris, an infectious disease doctor in Toronto, who added it is “highly likely” they will be overwhelmed.

In Alberta, a western Canadian province that experienced a punishing fourth wave, Dr. Christopher Doig’s ICU in Calgary still has COVID-19 patients, some of whom have been there for weeks. It is still operating at about 110% capacity, he said. Shifting staff from other areas lets them “surge up” if needed, Doig said. “The downside of those surges is it pulls staff from other areas,” and the pandemic backlog of surgeries grows. Health officials are trying to persuade the public to get third doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Amid fears of asymptomatic COVID-19 transmission, provinces that were given millions of rapid antigen tests by the federal government have come under fire for not distributing them more widely. Ontario promised to make 2 million tests available in “high-traffic” areas and to allot five per student to school children this week. Quebec will hand out five tests per person starting next week. Alberta promised to give out 500,000 starting on Friday.

Governments in Canada preparing for Omicron COVID-19 variant Governments across Canada are bracing for the possible effects of the Omicron variant as COVID-19 case numbers rise sharply in some provinces and around the world.

As Ontario reported 1,808 new cases Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford announced that starting Monday all adults will be eligible for booster shots, provided it has been at least three months since their second dose.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault said his government may reconsider easing indoor gathering limits next Thursday to 20 people from 10 because of rising COVID-19 cases, as another 2,386 infections were reported in his province. Omicron has now reached all four Atlantic provinces, as Newfoundland and Labrador confirmed its first case of the highly contagious variant.

In Alberta, more than 500,000 rapid antigen test kits will be made available for free at select health-care sites and pharmacies starting Friday, while anyone 50 and older and all health-care

workers who had their second COVID-19 shot six months ago or more can book a booster.

Early data suggests Omicron is more transmissible than the currently dominant Delta variant, with a doubling time of about two days.

British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix says the province is considering further public health orders on public and private gatherings, with an announcement expected next week.

Saskatchewan and Manitoba said they plan to maintain current public health restrictions for now.

Hours after the federal government reinstated a travel advisory against non-essential travel outside the country, Defence Minister Anita Anand tweeted she postponed a trip to Washington, D.C. after one of her staff tested positive for COVID 19.

Anand said she has received two negative test results since then, but is self-isolating and met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin virtually out of an abundance of caution.

Four numbers that outline why Omicron is causing so much concern Cases are climbing and officials across Canada are rushing to announce new restrictions and recommendations, spurred on by fear of the new COVID-19 variant of concern, Omicron.

It’s been only three weeks since scientists in South Africa first alerted the world that they had identified a new variant of the novel coronavirus. Since then, cases have cropped up in multiple countries, including Canada, which

has 276 cases of Omicron as of Wednesday. So, why is this variant causing so much fear? THE MUTATIONS Previous variants have had around 10-12 spike protein mutations, while Omicron has around 26-32 spike protein mutations, according to the World Health Organization.

These mutations could make it more capable of infecting those who have been vaccinated, the agency warned.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021 Nearly 200 trucks have been pulled off the roads in B.C. after a trucker was spotted “dangerously passing” other vehicles.

A video posted by trucker Jim Beckett shows another driver crossing double yellow lines to pass his truck as the road bends to the right on Highway 5A between Princeton to Merritt.

Now, after an investigation by both B.C. Highway Patrol and Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement, the company that owns the truck in the video has had its licence suspended.

In a press conference on Monday,

171 trucks belong to one company pulled off BC’s roads after video captures ‘dangerous’ manoeuvre Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said, “That evidence has directly led to a suspension and let me be clear, the vast majority of truck drivers are doing the right thing. They are safe and responsible. They are professionals and we depend on them to deliver the products we need.”

Cpl. Mike Halskov, spokesperson for B.C. Highway Patrol, told CTV News the company is based in Ontario, with a large fleet operating 171 vehicles.

Home prices shatter record in November: CREA Homeownership slipped further out of reach in November as Canada’s real estate market had its best 12-month period ever.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) says prices were up 2.7 per cent monthover-month nationally and a record 25.3 per cent year-over-year. Low interest rates and a lack of available homes for sale helped push prices higher. Prices were up more than 30 per cent in New Brunswick. Greater Moncton was stronger than Lower Fredericton and Saint John.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Ontario continued its march higher with a 30 per cent year-over-year increase. After lagging earlier in the year, the Greater Toronto Area surged.

British Columbia is up 25 per cent, led by areas outside of Vancouver.

Montreal was up around 20 per cent, Manitoba gained about 13 per cent, while Alberta and Saskatchewan rose mid-to-single digits. The sales record was already broken

by October, with 581,275 homes changing hands in 2021. Months of inventory was 1.8, which is tied for the tightest market ever. The

Fleming said that the province has “zero tolerance” for unsafe driving and that 116 speeding tickets have been issued along Highway 3 near Princeton, close to Highway 5A, so far in December.

He added, “No one is more safety conscious than the BC Trucking Association who has been an absolutely invaluable partner in helping us to reestablish supply chains that keep British Columbians stores, shelves

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stocked and keep small and medium-sized businesses and every community operational.

“Instead of having layoff notices at Christmas time for interrupted supply chains, those tens of thousands of trucks that have been able to use Highway 3 have kept people employed and working and being able to enjoy the holidays with their families.”

On December 2, another video of a trucker overtaking another truck on Highway 5A was described as “reckless driving” and left Cpl. Halskov “speechless.”

Home prices expected to rise by 10.5 per cent in 2022: Royal LePage Canadian home prices are expected to rise by 10.5 per cent in 2022, with Toronto, Vancouver and Halifax projected to see the largest increases.

According to the new survey from real estate firm Royal LePage, next year’s forecast follows a record-breaking year in 2021, when housing prices jumped by 21.4 per cent.

“While some believe that housing is now overvalued, signals point to a level of demand that will continue to outpace inventory, keeping prices rising on a steep upward trajectory,” Royal LePage president and CEO Phil Soper said in a statement.

“That said, I do expect to see price appreciation ease from the unhealthy levels that we have been grappling with over the last 18 months.”

Published Wednesday, the 2022 Royal LePage Market Survey Forecast predicts the aggregate price of a home in Canada will increase by 10.5 per cent to $859,700 by late 2022. Aggregate price refers to the “weighted average of the median values” of single-family homes and condominiums in a given area.

Royal LePage also anticipates the median price of a single-family detached home in Canada to climb by 11 per cent to $918,000 in 2022, while condominium prices are projected to grow by eight per cent to $594,000.

Coquihalla Highway set to reopen December 20 for commercial travel & buses The Coquihalla Highway is set to reopen on December 20, well ahead of the previously announced timeline. The reopening, which will be by the end of that day, will be for commercial vehicles only and inter-city buses and will have areas of reduced speeds to ensure driver safety. It is not known when

it will open to all traffic. The reopening of the Coquihalla, Highway 5, will allow the province to remove the essential designation from Highway 3. The goal is to have Highway 3 reopen for all travel 24 hours after reopening the Coquihalla. But the province

will also be advising people against travel as normal, citing road conditions and rising COVID-19 cases. The Coquihalla Highway, B.C.’s main link between the Lower Mainland and the Interior, has been shut down between Merritt and Hope since the first atmospheric river hit the province in mid-November

Repairs are underway as the highway suffered extensive damage with sections of roads and bridges washed away.

When it re-opens to essential traffic, it will not be the same highway as before and travel will take longer, Paula Cousins with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said.

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Star & Style

Saturday, December 18, 2021

When SRK did some hilarious pranks SRKs wit & humour have always been topic of discussion amongst his fans. He often pulls off fun and dramatic sketches at award functions and lives shows, most of which have even gone viral. Shah Rukh Khan pulled off a massive prank on his crew along with a bunch of other celebrities like Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, and Arjun Rampal, amongst others.

It was year 2004, SRK went on tour with a bunch of other celebrities including Arjun Rampal, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji, amongst

others. It was called The Temptation Tour of 2004 and was a successful event at that time. n a fun video released then, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, and Rani Mukerji can be seen grilling the tour crew over a technical error.

Shah Rukh Khan starts off the discussion yelling on top of his voice, asking the team why the song Chaiyya Chaiyya played at the wrong time when he was performing. He also points out an AV glitch and asks a man named Mazar for a proper explanation.

Sunny Leonne topping the Google charts she was born in Ontario, Canada. Before stepping into the adult industry, she was studying to and simultaneously working as an exotic dancer with the name ‘Sunny’.

She took up modelling on a friend’s suggestion before she was named the Penthouse Pet of the Year in 2003. Moved to India and made her debut in Pooja Bhatt’s ‘Jism 2’, .

Sunny, the starlet was working at German bakery in USA. She also sold lemonade at stands and shovelled ice.

It has been a decade since Sunny Leone made her foray into the Indian film industry with films like ‘Jism 2’ and ‘Ragini MMS 2’. Over the years, the Indian audience continues to be fascinated, thanks to her screen presence, dancing and beauty.

A Netflix documentary and a biopic have only brought the ‘One Night Stand’ star closer to home. Sunny remains beyond the headlines, but to many, she still remains an enigma.

Sunny Leone’s real name is Karenjit Kaur Vohra,

Kareena & Amrita: Did they break the norms?

Kareena and Amrita Arora have tested positive for Covid-19.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a statement, “Actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora tested positive for Covid-19. Both of them had violated Covid norms and attended several parties. BMC has ordered people, who came in contact with the two actors, to undergo RT-PCR tests.”

Watch: Actors Kareena Kapoor, Amrita Arora test positive for covid after attending several parties

Actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora shared official statements on Monday confirming that they have tested positive for COVID-19. Both the actors took to social media to confirm that they have contracted the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sealed the residence of Kareena. BMC had also instructed the people who came in contact with either Kareena...

Film review

Shershaah

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Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani starrer Shershaah received an immense amount of love and appreciation from the audiences as well as critics. The film, produced under the banner of Dharma Productions and Kaash Entertainment, revolved around the life story of Param Vir Chakra-awardee Captain Vikram Batra, from his first posting in the army to the time when he lost his life fighting for the nation during the Kargil War. The film also turned out to be a major turning point in Sidharth Malhotra’s career.

The film got Amazon Prime Video release owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier this year on 31st August 2021, Amazon stated that Shershaah had become the mostwatched Indian film on the platform.

Now, the film has set another record to its name as it has beaten Salman Khan’s Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai and Akshay Kumar’s Bell Bottom. According to the year-end report from Google, Shershaah is the second

most searched movie on Google for the year 2021 in India.

Following Shershaah is Salman Khan’s Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai has bagged the third position while Bell Bottom has managed to make his position at the fourth spot.

Jai Bhim and Shershaah are the most searched films of 2021; Aryan Khan among the top trends.

Announced in May 2019, principal photography began in the same month and concluded in January 2020.

Initially slated to be released on 3 July 2020, the film was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film then premiered on 12 August 2021 on Amazon Prime Video.The film received mixed reviews from the critics, who praised Malhotra’s performance and the action sequences but criticised the writing of the film. On 31 August 2021, Amazon stated that Shershaah had become the most watched Indian film on the platform.

Star & Style

Saturday, December 18, 2021 Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal get best wedding wishes Deepika wishes Katrina-Vicky ‘love, laughter, loyalty’, Alia says ‘beautiful’.

Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal got best wedding wishes from their Bollywood colleagues as they shared photos from their wedding.

Vicky and Katrina shared the first pictures of their wedding at Rajasthan fort on Thursday. “Only love and gratitude in our hearts for everything that brought us to this moment. Seeking all your love and blessings as we begin this new journey together,” they wrote in their posts. Taking to Instagram, Vicky and Katrina shared candid pictures from the wedding, including the jaimala ritual and pheras. They were also captured gazing lovingly at each other during the ceremony.

Congratulatory messages poured in from many of their colleagues in Bollywood.

“Oh my god you guys look so so so so beautiful,” Alia Bhatt wrote.

Priyanka wrote, “So happy for you! Mere yaar ki shaadi hai (It’s my friend’s wedding)!

Congratulations, both of you!

You are perfect t o g e t h e r .”

“Wishing you both a lifetime of love, laughter, loyalty, respect and companionship!”

Deepika wrote.

Kareena seemed to be welcoming Katrina into the married actors’ club. “You diddddd ittttt, God bless youuuuuu both,” she wrote.

“KATYYYYY - only love and more happiness to youuuuu!” Parineeti Chopra said.

Hrithik sent Vicky and Katrina his love.

“So amazing. Sending you both all my love! Have to dance together soon!” he wrote. Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan reacted with heart emojis, while Tiger Shroff wrote, “Congratulationsss.” Vikrant Massey commented on Vicky’s post, “Bahut bahut shubhkamnaein mere Bhai (Many congratulations, my brother). Wishing you both years of happiness and togetherness!

Rab Rakha (May God bless you).”

Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Varun Dhawan, Ananya Panday, Kartik Aaryan and others ‘liked’ Katrina’s post.

Vicky and Katrina had kept their relationship under wraps until now. The

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two have been rumoured to be dating since 2019. after pictures of them exiting a Diwali party together surfaced online.

Last month, during an episode of Into The Wild With Bear Grylls, Vicky described the kind of woman he would like to marry. “Whoever makes you feel at home all the time, you just know that connect.

Also, where there is that understanding, where you love each other for your pluses and minuses both, and we make each other a better version of each other,” he had said.

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The blockbuster ‘Bobby’ It was year 1973 Bollywood’s Dimple dresses in fewer items of clothing than ever seen on-screen ever before. And then She kisses Rishi Kapoor in the blockbuster ‘Bobby’.

From bikini by a pool, to lounging around the house with bare midriff and miniskirt, Dimple was careful to leave nothing to the imagination. Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia-starrer film ‘Bobby’ complets almost 50 years of its release. The two debutants redefined romance as they portrayed the concept of young and rebellious love for the first time

on Indian celluloid. Rishi Kapoor established himself as a young romantic hero, and later often expressed pride in setting the tone of romantic films to come.

In interviews held after the film became a cult classic, the late Rishi Kapoor revealed the film was reportedly a gamble - a desperate measure to recover the losses incurred by legendary Raj Kapoor’s previous films, Mera Naam Joker and Kal, Aaj Aur Kal. He added Raj Kapoor couldn’t afford Rajesh Khanna, and so he launched his 20-year-old son, Rishi Kapoor, alongside hot Dimple Kapadia.

Sonu Sood, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan become most tweeted-about Bollywood actors in 2021 One of the main reasons people come to Twitter is to keep informed about their interests and be entertained. Over the years, Twitter has become an essential part of people’s entertainment journey and experience, connecting them to their favourite artists and people who care about the same things. Entertainment conversations on the service aren’t limited to just films and television, but also cover cultural topics like fandom, fashion, and so much more. Actor Sonu Sood won praise for his humanity and kindness in the midst of the pandemic.

The actor’s contribution to COVID-19 relief in India inspired millions across the country, with people showering him with gratitude. People also connected on Twitter to talk about the exciting slate of released

Alia Bhatt Alia Bhatt will next be seen in the panIndian magnum opus RRR directed by SS Rajamouli. The film is all set to release in theatres on January 7, 2022. Towards the end of September, when the Maharashtra government had announced the reopening of theaters, the makers of the Alia Bhatt starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi revealed that their film would be releasing on January 6, 2022. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Gangubai Kathiawadi is headlined by Alia Bhatt. However, by mid-November, the makers of Gangubai Kathiawadi averted a clash with RRR by postponing the release of their film.

At the trailer launch event of RRR on Thursday, Alia spoke about her thoughts when both her films were about to clash at the box office. “SS Rajamouli is who he is because of his mind. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is who he is because of his mind and his understanding of cinema. It’s nothing for me to worry about. Even at that moment, I was like ‘kya hi hoga’ (What will happen?).

It will be Alia vs Alia, Ajay vs Ajay because he is there in Gangubai as well. Eventually, it is not happening that way. Gangubai Kathiawadi is releasing on the 18th of Feb. Jayantilal (Gada) is also part of both,” she said.Interrupting her, producer Jayantilal Gada teasingly said, “Can we also say that she has done a great job in the film and asked to shift the date of the film?”

Responding to it, Alia said, “I have not done anything. Dates are handled by producers and directors. I just follow. I am just an actor.”

and upcoming movies this year. He become the most-tweeted-about actor in 2021.

Sonu Sood, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan become most tweetedabout Bollywood actors in 2021 KiaraAdvani,SonuSoodandAayushSharma spotted at Le Meridien hotel in New Delhi Spotted: Daisy Shah, Karan Deol, Karisma Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha and Sonu Sood at Mumbai Airport

Spotted: Tiger Shroff, Katrina Kaif, Tara Sutaria, Suniel Shetty and Sonu Sood at Mumbai Airport Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi, Bell Bottom, among other films, drove conversations making him the second-most tweeted-about actor in Bollywood in 2021.

People tweeted about Shah Rukh Khan as he battled turmoils in his personal life amid Aryan Khan’s arrest. While he continue to stay in the headlines.

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LOCAL / NATIONAL Crash into South Surrey ditch leaves one person dead

RCMP is investigating after one person was found dead in a vehicle submerged in South Surrey.

Police were called to 168 Street near 32 Avenue shortly after 1 p.m. on Wednesday to reports of a vehicle partially submerged in the ditch.

Overnight crash claims life of Surrey pedestrian

Mounties and firefighters arrived and found the body in the driver’s seat.

Police said it was too early to determine what caused the crash. Aerial footage of the scene showed a vehicle in the ditch with tire tracks skidding from the road.

Anyone with information or dash camera video shot in the area is asked to contact Surrey RCMP.

More than $13M worth of drugs seized after online drug trafficking investigation with ties to Alberta and BC Calgary police have seized more than $13-million worth of marijuana and magic mushrooms from an online business called The ChronFather. According to an archive of the company’s website, The ChronFather billed itself as an online dispensary for “bulk/craft” marijuana and “zoomer” products. The Calgary Police Service (CPS) says its investigation began in April after a tip about the online sales of psilocybin and cannabis products operating out of a Calgary home. Investigators found several properties in British Columbia that police allege were being used in the trafficking operation to produce, distribute and store the drugs.

Dealers collected $11M since January. Police

say the website’s operators collected more than $11 million since January. Last week, CPS and RCMP executed five search warrants at properties in Calgary, Kelowna and Beaverdell, B.C., resulting in the seizure of about $13 million in cannabis products and $85,000 in dried and gummy magic mushrooms. Police also seized cash, four rifles and a truck. Forfeiture offices in Alberta and B.C. are going after funds in several bank accounts and four properties.

Last week, Calgary police and RCMP executed five search warrants in Alberta and B.C., interrupting the production, processing and distribution and sale of millions of dollars of drugs online.

Matrimonial Seeking a match for Canadian citizen, 29year,beautiful girl, slim, 5’6”, professionally working in beauty salon, Ramgarhia sikh family. Boy must be in Canada, working, non veg, caste no bar.

Call: 604- 723- 0284

Saturday, December 18, 2021 No jail time for drunk driver behind trail of destruction caught by his own dashcam A drunk driver whose road assault through Richmond, Vancouver and Burnaby caused nearly $35,000 in damage, will not serve time in jail for the Jan. 8 crime spree captured by his own dashcam. Siu Wei Leung, 62, was charged with dangerous driving, impaired driving, and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

The damning video was released by Burnaby RCMP last week in an effort to warn against driving impaired over the holidays. “We definitely thought he’d get a bit of jail time,” said Mark Bailey, whose Burnaby property suffered water damage after the driver slammed into a fire hydrant, “thinking of what could have happened if he hadn’t been stopped.” Leung received a one-year driving ban, a $1,000 fine and six months’ probation after pleading guilty to impaired driving on Aug. 23. The two other

charges were stayed. “It just seems so much lower than he should have gotten because of the amount of damage he did that night,” Bailey said.

Jail time is not the norm on a first conviction for an impaired driving offence, according to criminal lawyer Kyla Lee, who said a oneyear driving ban, $1,000 fine and an automatic criminal record is the mandatory minimum sentence. “In this case, the sentence is tough because it includes the addition of a six-month period of probation,” Lee said.

Leung must abide by a number of courtordered conditions, including completing 50 hours of community work service.

The dashcam evidence from his Cadillac Escalade was “overwhelming,” said Lee. “It’s probably among the worst dashcam that I’ve seen.”

BC grants $100,500 to help keep Delta kids out of gangs The Delta School District has been granted more than $100,000 by the B.C. government to help keep local kids out of gangs.

On December 7, B.C.’s public safety ministry announced it was distributing $486,000 through the School District Mentorship Grant Program, allowing 24 school districts to create programming for students who are in danger of being recruited by gangs. Students will receive coaching and mentoring with a focus on

building stronger and positive connections to community, culture and relationships, the ministry said in a press release.

“We need to work together to make sure young people are knowledgeable and resilient,” Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said in a press release. “By supporting our schools and investing in early intervention and prevention programs, we’re addressing the root of the issue and diverting vulnerable youth from joining gangs in the first place.”

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Canada has vaccinated more than 725,000 children under 12 More than 725,000 five- to 11-year-olds across Canada have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with tens of thousands more appointments booked, a heartening start, say those leading vaccination efforts, just two weeks into the rollout of shots for some of the country’s youngest kids. The enthusiasm varies across the provinces, the differences following some of the same patterns initially seen with adults, with 34 per cent of eligible children vaccinated in Quebec as of Thursday, versus 19 per cent in Alberta.

It’s also too soon to know whether demand will hold and reach or exceed the “aspirational”

goals of some provinces of having at least half of eligible children vaccinated by the new year.

In the U.S., daily doses of Pfizer’s shots given to five- to 11-year-olds have slowed after a first short burst of high demand, “a drop that preceded the Thanksgiving holiday and has continued since,” the Kaiser Family Foundation reported this week, suggesting eager parents have already come forward. As of Dec. 5, nearly 4.8 million of the 28 million eligible kids in the U.S. had received at least one dose of the two-dose Pfizer regimen. Fewer than half of American children are expected to be fully vaccinated in the coming months, Reuters

Tam admits Canada wasn’t ready for COVID, needs an overhaul for next pandemic Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam is admitting the public health system wasn’t prepared for COVID and is proposing a new course to ensure Canada will be ready for the next pandemic.

In a lengthy report, Tam says many of the issues are long-standing and in need of serious overhaul. She said the pandemic should serve as an alarm for what needs to be done. “The COVID-19

pandemic has served as an important wake up call. Simply put, we were not prepared to face a public health emergency of the magnitude of COVID-19,” she said.

Tam’s report, entitled “A Vision to Transform Canada’s Public Health System,” highlights four key areas to improve, starting with the need to expand and develop a stronger workforce.

“Our public health system has been

Ontario reports 2,421 new COVID cases, nearly double from a week ago Ontario is reporting 2,421 new COVID cases on Thursday, as positive infections continue to surge daily amid the highly contagious Omicron variant. The provincial case total now stands at 639,341. For comparison, last Thursday saw 1,290 new cases and the previous Thursday saw 780. Over the last three days, there were 1,808 new cases reported Wednesday, 1,429 on

Tuesday, and 1,536 on Monday. Thursday’s count is the highest one-day total since May 15 when 2,584 new cases were recorded. However, as infections surge, patients with COVID in ICUs (intensive care units) have remained relatively stable but are overall on a slow rise. Of the 2,421 new cases recorded, the data showed 686 were unvaccinated people.

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NDP & Bloc Quebek support Liberal minority govt in first vote of confidence Prime Justin Trudeau’s minority Liberal govt survived its first confidence test of the new parliamentary session with NDP & Bloc support Liberals in first vote of confidence in the Parliament.

A Conservative amendment to last month’s throne speech was defeated by a vote of 215117. Had the amendment passed, it would have been considered a defeat of the government and could have triggered another election, less than three months after the last election handed Trudeau a second consecutive minority.

There was little suspense over Monday evening’s vote; Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet had signalled immediately after the throne speech that his party would support what he called “24 pages of completely empty words.”

The brief speech basically recapped the Liberals’ election promises for finishing the fight against COVID-19 and rebuilding a more resilient, greener and more inclusive economy. While NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has panned the throne speech, New Democrats could not support the proposed Conservative amendment, which criticized the government for failing “to adequately address critical issues that threaten the prosperity of Canadians.” The Conservative amendment specified that those issues include inflation, a “stagnant” economy, a housing affordability crisis, an “acute” labour shortage and a “national unity crisis.”

The House of Commons must still decide whether to accept the throne speech as written, which will be another confidence vote.

8.5 million of the two billion trees promised by PM Trudeau have been planted so far The federal government has planted less than half a per cent of the two billion trees it pledged to put in the ground across Canada by 2030, The Canadian Press has learned.

Figures obtained through an access to information request show 8.5 million trees had been planted as of mid-November, representing just over 0.4 per cent of what the Liberals have repeatedly promised.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the pledge during the 2019 election campaign, and the goal was repeated during the government’s 2 “There will be about 30 million trees planted by the end of this year. Tree planting as part of this program will continue to ramp up,” said Joanna Sivasankaran of Natural Resources Canada.

Partners have pledged to grow those 30 million trees, according to

the department, which has not yet received or validated all the figures.

Green MP Mike Morrice said the disclosure that only 8.5 million trees have so far been planted was “incredibly disappointing” but “not a complete surprise.”

“We’ve seen a pattern from this government of making grandiose promises around elections, but not following through, this being the most recent example,” Morrice said. “Planting trees is one of the cheapest forms of climate action, while regenerating forests can also reduce erosion.”

The government said it’s planning a big tree-planting push by the end of December, with a call to register new partners to plant an extra 250 to 350 million trees annually.

It blamed the slow start on sourcing seedlings, which can take between two and three years to grow.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 18, 2021

17

How risky are holiday travels and gatherings amid Omicron?

Tourism and travel industries have been once again disrupted by the discovery of the newest COVID-19 Omicron variant. With uncertainty running high, some political decision-makers implemented travel restrictions such as the redlisting of Southern African countries, while scientists are working tirelessly to understand what we do and don’t know about Omicron and how to navigate it.

With the holiday season approaching, air travel in the US was expected to triple compared to 2020, but the Omicron variant could impact that number.

What we know about the COVID-19 Omicron variant so far.

Transmissibility and severity of disease A study by Discovery Health shows: 1. Vaccine’s effectiveness against infection can be dropped down to about 30% for the Omicron variant, compared with about 80% against the variants before Omicron.

2. But, there was a 70% protection against

hospital admission because of COVID-19 in the population examined (a decrease from 90% observed during the previous surge of delta in South Africa), indicating the vaccine is still working well to keep people out of the hospital.

3. Yet, none of us are safe until all of us are safe – the vaccine needs to be administered to as many people as possible globally. Without vaccine equity, the risk of mutations and a continuing of the pandemic remain a very real threat. According to the WHO, 41 countries have still not managed to vaccinate 10 percent of their population and 98 countries have not reached the 40 percent mark.

COVID-19 case counts shot to new highs in two Atlantic provinces on Thursday, while one New Brunswick minister warned the highly contagious Omicron variant will soon cause “many more” infections.

Nova Scotia reported 287 new cases on Thursday, topping a previous record set in May. The province has identified 40 cases involving

Omicron.

In New Brunswick, 177 new cases were recorded, up from the previous high of 174 set

last week. None of the new cases reported in that province Thursday were caused by Omicron, public health authorities said. But the province has identified 14 cases of the variant, and the health minister has said she expects to see many more.

Elsewhere in the country, case numbers are reaching levels not seen for months.

Manitoba recorded 218 new cases Thursday,

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by January because of the transmissibility of omicron. He urged Manitobans to decrease the number of people they have contact with and be “very, very careful” about their holiday plans.

Understanding a new coronavirus variant: What are scientists learning about Omicron?

How does Omicron spread so fast? Virus may now be multiplying 70 times quicker in airways Saskatchewan’s premier expanded eligibility for booster shots, calling Omicron the “most significant challenge” of the pandemic so far.

All residents over the age of 18 will be able to book a third vaccine shot as of December 20, as long as they received their second shot three months before. Quebec’s premier promised new measures to deal with rising case numbers and the Omicron variant, which will be announced later. “The situation is critical,” Premier François Legault wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021 UK & India natural partners, working on fantastic projects - PM Boris Johnson British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday described the UK and India as “natural partners” who are working together on many “fantastic projects” from partnership on 5G and telecom to startups that will transform people’s lives and promote the principles of freedom, openness and peace.

In his special address to the 2021 Global Technology Summit via video link, Johnson said over the coming decade, India and the UK would continue to deepen their bonds on technology and other areas as they have set out in the 2030 India-UK road map.

The 2030 road map for stronger UK-India strategic ties was signed by Johnson and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a virtual summit in May.

“With our shared culture of innovation and our entrepreneurial spirit, the UK and India are natural partners. We’re working together on many fantastic projects,” the PM said.

“Working side-by-side, we will not only make breakthroughs that will transform people’s lives, but we’ll help shape a new technology based on the principles of freedom, openness and peace,” Johnson said in his special address to the 6th annual Global Technology Summit.

The summit was co-hosted by the nongovernmental organisation Carnegie India along with the Ministry of External Affairs on the theme of Global Meets Local.

Addressing the summit via video link, UK foreign secretary Liz Truss said hostile forces use technology to gain the upper hand.

Cabinet clears push to raise marriage age of women from 18 to 21 More than a year after PM Modi announced the plan during his Independence Day address of 2020, the cabinet on Wednesday passed proposal to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years the same as for men.

Following the Cabinet’s approval, the Government will introduce an amendment to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, and consequently bring amendments to the Special Marriage Act and personal laws such as the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

Wednesday’s clearance is based on recommendations submitted to Niti Aayog in December 2020 by the Centre’s task force, headed by Jaya Jaitly, which was constituted to examine “matters pertaining to age of motherhood, imperatives of lowering MMR (Maternal Mortality Rate), improvement

of nutritional levels and related issues”.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Jaitly said: “I want to make clear that our reasoning behind the recommendation was never one of population control. Recent data released

by NFHS 5 (National Family Health Survey) have already shown that the Total Fertility Rate is decreasing and the population is under control. The idea behind it (the recommendation) is the empowerment of women According to data from NFHS 5, India attained a Total Fertility Rate of 2.0 for the first time, below the replacement level of TFR at 2.1, indicating that a population explosion in the coming years is unlikely.

The data also revealed that child marriage has come down marginally from 27 per cent in 2015-16 to 23 per cent in 2019-21.

INDIA

Saturday, December 18, 2021

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PM Modi could meet Chinese president Xi Jinping in near future: Kremlin Prime Minister Narendra Modi could meet Chinese President Xi Jinping along with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the “near future”, a Kremlin official has suggested.

The summit of Russia, India and China can be held in the near future, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov was quoted by Russian

news agency Tass as saying. Significantly, his observations came less than a fortnight after Putin made a rare overseas trip during the pandemic to hold consultations with PM Modi.

“The topic of cooperation in the Russia-IndiaChina format was addressed,” the Kremlin’s

India voted against draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) linking climate to security, saying it was an attempt to shift climate talks from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to the Security Council and a “step backward” for collective action on the issue.

The resolution was sponsored by Ireland and Niger, and it did not pass, with 12 UNSC members voting for it, India and Russia voting against it and China abstaining.

Niger, which holds the UNSC presidency for December, organised a debate on December 9 titled ‘Maintenance of international peace and security: security in the context of terrorism and climate change.’

One of the objectives of the debate was to examine how terrorism and security risks could be linked to climate change, as per a concept note circulated by Niger.

“What is it that we can collectively do under this draft resolution that we cannot

spokesperson said while speaking on the virtual meeting between Putin and Xi. The leaders “agreed to continue exchanging opinions in this regard and to endeavour to hold the next summit within the RIC framework in the near future,” Ushakov added.

“Putin informed Xi Jinping about the visit to New Delhi on December 6 in this context,” he said.

The last meeting of the three leaders under the RIC format was in June 2019 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka.

India votes against UN draft resolution on climate change achieve under the UNFCCC process?” India’s Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the U.N. T.S. Tirumurti said, positing that the reason countries were attempting to bring climate talks to the Security Council was that decisions could be taken without consensus or the involvement of most developing countries.

“If the Security Council indeed takes over the responsibility on this issue, a few states will then have a free hand in deciding on all climate-related issues. This is clearly neither desirable nor acceptable,” he said.

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INDIA

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Cabinet approves electoral reform proposals The Union Cabinet on Wednesday is learnt to have cleared a bill on electoral reforms, including the one to link electoral roll with Aadhaar on a voluntary basis to root out multiple enrolments.

According to the bill, the electoral law will also be made “gender neutral” for service voters.

An army man’s wife is entitled to be enrolled as a service voter, but a woman army officer’s husband is not, according to provisions in the electoral law. But this may change once the bill gets Parliament’s nod.

The poll panel had asked the law ministry to replace the term ‘wife’ with ‘spouse’ in the provision in the Representation of the People Act related to service voters.

Another provision of the proposed bill will allow the youth to enrol as voters on four different dates every year. As of now, those

turning 18 on or before January 1 of every year are only allowed to register as voters.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had been pushing for multiple cut-off dates to allow more eligible people to register as voters.

Currently, for an election to be held in a particular year, only an individual who has attained the age of 18 years as on January 1 of that year or before is eligible to be enrolled in the voters’ list.

The EC had told the government that the January 1 cut-off date set for the purpose deprives several youngsters from participating in the electoral exercise held in a particular year.

Due to only one qualifying or cut-off date, a person attaining the age of 18 years on January 2 cannot be registered. Therefore, a person who turns 18 after January 1 will have to wait for the next year to get registered.

Cabinet approves Rs 76,000-crore policy push for semiconductor, display manufacturing The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 76,000 crore policy boost for semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country in a bid to position India as a global hub for hi-tech production.

Announcing the decision of the Cabinet, IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw observed that electronics plays an important role in everyday life, and semiconductor chips forms a crucial part of electronics.

Outlining the details of the scheme, he said the Rs 76,000 crore programme has been approved for the development of semiconductors and

display manufacturing ecosystem.

The scheme is expected to usher in a new era in electronics manufacturing by providing a globally competitive incentive package to companies in semiconductors and display manufacturing as well as design. It will strengthen India’s technological prowess in these areas of strategic importance and economic self-reliance.

The programme will give an impetus to semiconductor and display manufacturing by facilitating capital support and technological collaborations.

Lone survivor of helicopter crash Group Captain Varun Singh dies Decorated air warrior Group Captain Varun Singh died at military hospital in Bengaluru, a week after he was seriously injured in helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu that killed CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 armed forces personnel.

The Indian Air Force said the ‘braveheart’ Group Captain succumbed to his injuries in the morning.

“IAF is deeply saddened to inform the passing of braveheart Group Captain Varun Singh.

Rahul demands removal of MoS Ajay Mishra over Lakhimpur Kheri incident Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday renewed his attack on junior Home Minister Ajay Mishra - whose son Ashish is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri farmers killing case - and demanded he either be sacked or resign.

“The minister must resign,” Mr Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha, as Mr Mishra clocked in to his offices in Delhi’s North Block this morning, which is less than a kilometre away. Another and significantly more forceful comment by Mr

Gandhi was later expunged from the record.

“We should be allowed to speak about the murder that was committed in Lakhimpur Kheri... where there was an involvement of the Minister and about which it has been said that it was a conspiracy,” he was quoted as saying, inside Parliament.

Opposition MPs served notices in both Houses calling for debates on the investigating police team’s “planned conspiracy” remark.

Congress steps up attack on govt over SIT report on Lakhimpur Kheri violence A day after the SIT probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence said it was a “pre-planned conspiracy”, the Congress stepped up its attack on the government on Wednesday, demanding the dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the government would have to sack the minister in order to provide justice to the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

“He should resign,” Gandhi told reporters when asked whether Mishra should put in his papers.

Parliament adjourns for the day amid uproar Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Thursday amid continuous protests

by Opposition members led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanding sacking of Union Minister Ajay Mishra from the government in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Gandhi, who had a question on MSME sector

listed on Thursday, dubbed Mishra a “criminal” and demanded his ouster when Speaker Om Birla called his name during the Question Hour.

It was trouble from the word go, as Opposition members trooped into the Well raising slogans and waving placards demanding removal of Mishra, whose son has been arrested in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in October.

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Saturday, December 18, 2021 .

FIJI

Punjab Will address problems of industry: CM Channi

Chief Minister Charanjit Channi assured representatives of various industrial associations that their genuine grievances would be addressed in the fast-track mode.

Addressing the members of various industrial associations who called on him in the presence of Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra,

the Chief Minister said most of their demands had already been met as promised by him during the Punjab Investors’ Summit and the remaining would also be resolved amicably soon after getting these thoroughly examined from the quarters concerned.

8 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Chandigarh Chandigarh reported eight cases of Covid-19. There was no death due to the virus, while seven patients were cured of the disease. TNS 4 new Covid cases surface in Mohali Mohali: Four new Covid-19 cases were

detected in the district on Wednesday. Eight persons were cured of the disease in the past 24 hours. Among the new cases, two were reported from Mohali and one each from Dera Bassi and Dhakoli. Of the 69,039 positive cases reported so far, 67,908 patients have recovered. There are now 58 active cases. The toll stands at 1,073.

Punjab to set up Punjabi Film Development Council, says CM In order to promote Punjabi language and culture, the Punjab government will soon bring in a proposal in the forthcoming cabinet meeting for setting up Punjabi Film Development Council in the state.

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced this during an award function organised at Chandigarh University, Gharuan, to honour Punjabi actors, singers and musicians

their contribution to Punjabi culture.

Channi said a proposal in this regard would be cleared in the coming cabinet meeting. He said it is the need of the hour to promote the glorious cultural heritage of the state through films, which are the latest and most effective way of communication nowadays.

He said it would go a long way in showcasing rich cultural heritage of Punjab across the globe.

outfits on Wednesday lifted their protests going on at other places for more than a year.

Meanwhile, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) regional officer R P Singh (Chandigarh) said out of total 30 toll plazas in Punjab, five opened till Wednesday evening.

Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan claimed that the toll rates had almost been “doubled”.

Pakistan Pakistan makes risky move to push recognition of Taliban govt A high-level meeting was attended by top civil and military leadership to mull over the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

The meeting is holding consultations on the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, the sources said and added that the Pak-Afghanistan border situation will also come under discussion. .

Pakistan has decided to move from subtle nudging and pleading to openly coaxing the international community into exploring ways to recognize the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. On Sunday, Islamabad will host a grand jamboree around the 17th extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).

Irrespective of its outcome, three things already make this meeting – formally convened by the current OIC chair, Saudi Arabia – historic. Yet it is very unlikely to break any ice between the Taliban and the international community that refuses to recognize their government.

First, this will be the largest international gathering ever convened on Afghanistan, ostensibly to mobilize resources to avert an impending humanitarian crisis of gigantic proportions.

Govt issues visas for pilgrims to visit Katas Raj Temple Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued 112 visas to Hindu pilgrims to visit Shree Katas Raj Temple in Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan.

The group will be visiting Katas Raj Temples, also known as Qila Katas or the complex of Katas Temples from December 17 to 23, 2021.

Katas Raj temples surround a pond

which is considered sacred by Hindus.

In addition to visas for Hindu religious places covered under the framework of the bilateral protocol, a large number of Indian Hindus are issued visas by Pakistan govt.

HighCommission,NewDelhi,onaregularbasis for visits to their families and friends in Pakistan.

Govt introduces health insurance programme Prime Minister Imran Khan launched programme to provide health insurance to all residents of Punjab, announcing that by the end of March, all families in the province will get the ‘Naya Pakistan Health Card’. Under the scheme, families can avail free medical treatment of up

to Rs1 million per year.

After Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which began offering all its residents health insurance under the same scheme in February, Punjab is set to become the second province to offer its residents universal coverage.

Pakistan beat West Indies in T-20 series Pakistan achieved the mountain-like target of 208 runs given by West Indies at a loss of three wickets. The third match the match was played at National Stadium Karachi, Skiper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the opening pair of the national team, set a record for the sixth time by setting up a partnership of over 100 runs.

Babar Azam 73 and Mohammad Rizwan 87 runs were out. Asif Ali played an aggressive innings of 21 runs off 7 balls at the end of the innings.

Pakistan beat West Indies by seven wickets in third and

A young Tavua man who travelled to Suva for the first time to pursue his university education in 2018 has won three gold medals at the University of the South Pacific.

Shivneel Chandra who is a National Toppers Scholarship recipient says he came to Suva for the first time three years ago for USP’s orientation programme and experienced a major culture shock because he comes from a farming

background and everything was different in Suva compared to the rural lifestyle in Tavua.

The 22-year-old man won three gold medals for the most outstanding graduate with a major in Accounting, most outstanding graduate with a major in Information Systems and for the best combined academic performance and record service to the community.

State to rely on witness statements and DNA results in murder trial The State will rely on witness statements and DNA results after Mohammed Raheesh Isoof ’s DNA was found at the scene where the dead bodies of a family of five was discovered in the Nausori Highlands two years ago.

In his opening address in the High Court in Lautoka yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions senior counsel Semi Babitu said DNA and the statements of about 64 witnesses would be used during the trial.

Mr Isoof has been charged with the murder of Nirmal Kumar, 63, his wife Usha Devi, 54, their daughter Nileshni Kajal and her two children Sanah, 11, and Samarah, 8, and attempted murder of an 11-month-old baby.

Mr Babitu said there was no direct evidence in the case involving Mr Isoof, and he informed Justice Thushara Rajasinghe that the State would rely entirely on circumstantial evidence during the course of the trial.

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Farmer bodies refuse to lift sit-ins from toll plazas in Punjab Several farmer bodies in Punjab on Wednesday refused to lift sit-ins at toll plazas in protest against “unreasonable” hike in toll fee.

Farmer bodies had earlier announced to lift the ‘dharnas’ at various places, including toll plazas, petrol pumps, shopping malls, and residences of BJP leaders, from December 15.

However, except toll plazas, the farmers’

Tavua man who travelled to Suva for the first time in 2018 to pursue his university education wins three USP gold medals

final T-20 international winning the series by 3-0.

Rizwan scored 87 and skipper Babar Azam hit 79 as Pakistan achieved their highest run-chase in all T-20 internationals by reaching the 208-run target in 18.5 overs.

Babar and Rizwan, who put on 158 for the opening wicket, registered their sixth century stand in T20 internationals -- all this year. It is the most by any pair in the shortest format.

West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran struck a rapid 37-ball 64 to lead the tourists to 207-3 in their 20 overs after they won the toss and opted to bat.

Korean retail giant put on notice in Fiji A South Korean retail giant - praised by the Fijian prime minister for its commitment to expand their enterprises in the Pacific island nation - is now facing intense scrutiny by the government for alleged breach of Fiji’s laws

The Grace Road Group, whose founder was jailed in 2019 for imprisoning hundreds of followers at one of its churches in Fiji, has been put on notice by the Fijian Government over unauthorised construction work in Nadi.

University of Fiji hit by corruption allegations RNZ Pacific has received a four-page document titled ‘The Nexus of Corruption at the University of Fiji’ which lists up to 10 allegations of professional misconduct including the mismanagement of tens-of-thousands of dollars in university finances and favouritism and nepotism in staff appointment processes.

RNZ Pacific put the allegations via email to the newly appointed vice chancellor of the university, Shaista Shameem, who has been acting in the role since April 2020.

Professor Shameem replied saying a comprehensive response against the allegations will be provided “at the earliest”.

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NRI

Saturday, December 18, 2021

NRIs interested to invest in India, but keen to settle abroad post retirement: Survey A majority of Indians living abroad are keen to invest in India, even though they are more likely to settle down in their current country of residence after retirement for better quality of life, a survey said. The survey by foreign lender HSBC, which covered 4,152 people of Indian origin across generations now living in other countries, said 80 per cent of the people are investing in India and 59 per cent are likely to increase their bets on India in the next three years.

COVID-19 was the most common reason for a minority of the respondents to have decreased their levels of investment in India in the past three years, the survey said.

Friends and family remaining back in India is the biggest motivation for the investments, followed by it being the most effective use

of investments and a desire to promote positive change in their ancestral homeland.

However, when it comes to settling down post-retirement, 71 per cent of those surveyed said they will prefer to be in their country of residence and not look at coming to India. Quality of life was the top reason for the decision to settle abroad post-retirement, with 47 per cent of the respondents preferring it, followed by safety, healthcare coverage and economic security. It can be noted that in the past, concerns have been expressed about law and order for senior citizens, social security in India. The diaspora Indians living in Australia, Canada, Malaysia and the US are more likely to plan to retire there, while those in Hong Kong, Singapore and the UAE are less likely, the survey said.

Flooded-out farmers deserve answers, reassurance from NDP Press release

Four weeks after floods devastated farms in various communities across B.C., farmers are still unclear about what sort of help they can expect from government, and when.

“We know that existing disaster financial assistance is nowhere near enough to cover crop losses and damage to homes and farm equipment. Farmers on the ground are telling us they remain confused about what sort of additional resources or financial compensation they will be eligible for, to help them recover from their tremendous losses,” says Delta South MLA Ian Paton, Opposition Critic for Agriculture. “It’s been four weeks, and farmers want to get back to work. The Province and the federal government need to bring forward a recovery package much faster, to provide these farmers with the support and reassurance they need right now.”

As they wait, questions are mounting — and

a lack of clear information has farmers worried.

“Will berry growers receive compensation for production losses due to plants that take years to re-grow? Will there be compensation for soil contamination? Will farmers have choice in the programs or grants they can apply for? These are the questions they need answers to, as soon as possible,” says Bruce Banman, MLA for Abbotsford South. “These farmers were let down by government. They lost 48 hours to move equipment, livestock, and keepsakes because they weren’t warned about the impending flood of the Nooksack River, and the government was also slow to declare a state of emergency. Now, farmers deserve a better response from this government and from Agriculture Minister Lana Popham in particular, in the form of adequate recovery and rebuilding help.”

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Saturday, December 18, 2021 The recent increase in number of incidents of hate, racism and violence especially against people of Asian heritage is very disturbing.

During the past year such incidents have increased exponentially. This is a result of ignorance, prejudice and fear. Such criminal acts must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Here in Canada, racism was already on the rise before the pandemic.

However, since the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic the situation in this regard has gotten worse. People who engage in such despicable behaviour must be brought to justice. There is no place for such individuals in this country. As Canadians, we need to stand solidly with the victims of hate and racism. At the same time, we need to create more awareness about respecting and appreciating different cultures, languages, customs and traditions. In this context, Richmond Multicultural Services Society (RMCS) has started a very productive dialogue in the community.

In this regard, Alan Hill, Co-ordinator of Inclusive Communities of RMCS has been meeting with a variety of stakeholders and citizens for their input. The main purpose of this worthwhile project is starting a dialogue in the community on this subject.

Incidentally, RMCS has been working to empower new immigrants and promoting intercultural harmony in the community for more than 35 years. In this context, this initiative is very timely and appropriate.

India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas on Richmond’s Highway to Heaven has always been very supportive of such initiatives. Around fifteen interested persons gathered at the # 5 Road Gurdwara on Thursday, December 9 to discuss the issue of racism and make suggestions to counter it.

NDP affordability promises now ancient history as cost of living continues to increase Press release

Affordability has continued to worsen by nearly every measure this month, with British Columbians facing rising prices for shelter, fuel and food, as the NDP government fails to take steps to help address the rising cost of living.

“After two incredibly difficult years filled with extreme weather events, a global pandemic, and growing uncertainty, now people have to deal with rising inflation that is dramatically increasing the cost of living,” said Mike Bernier, BC Liberal Critic for Finance.

“The NDP government came to power on the promise of improving affordability and has failed miserably at living up to this commitment. People should not have to worry about necessities like food, housing and gas getting increasingly expensive, even out of reach, while a government that promised to deliver affordability stands idly by — especially during the holidays.”

Figures released by Statistics Canada show that in 2021, B.C. saw year-overyear inflation of 3.6 percent. Increases were headlined by the rising costs of housing, gasoline, and groceries.

December marks the fifth month in a row that B.C. has seen elevated inflation, while government has taken no steps nor laid out a plan on how to help address these rising costs. The impacts of catastrophic flooding and landslides in B.C. were not included in November’s statistics release.

Fighting Racism in our Communities The discussion was very productive, enjoyable and helpful. It was great to see my friend Rajinder Singh Pandher, a long time Burnaby resident, one of the founders of the Burnaby Multicultural Society and a very active member of our community join us.

Each one of the participants recited their own experiences and made excellent suggestions to address the scourge of racism and hatred in our communities. It was suggested that racism is more subtle now. COVID 19 and the growth of anti vax movement have provided more oxygen to racist elements in our society.

Usually, the people who engage in racist

behaviour are acting that way to hide their ignorance, fear of the unknown and low self-esteem. The discussion group came up with a number of practical suggestions to counter racism and hatred in our society.

In this regard it is important for each one of us to stand up not only for ourselves but also for those who are unable to do so. Participation in more shared activities like walking in groups, have more shared activities and interfaith events should go a long way in addressing the issues of racism and hate

crimes .We need more public dialogue to build mutual trust and understanding. Enlisting, encouraging, training and supporting capable individuals in each community to act as anti-racism champions should be a great asset for all of us. Also, involving the broader community in this process should be a worthwhile initiative. Overall, it was a very helpful discussion and a good start towards addressing the curse of racism and hatred in our communities.

Balwant Sanghera (Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist)