The Asian Star December 25 2021

Season’s Greetings www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 45

Heavy rains, snow and freezing temperatures to hit many parts of BC BC govt is warning British Columbians to prepare for extremely cold temperatures, power outages and slick streets between now and beginning of new year. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, a series of strong storms will clash with cold Arctic air, likely bringing periods of heavy and blowing snow, freezing rain and frigid temperatures to many parts of B.C. until January 1st.

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

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Canada should copy NZ to ban foreign home buyers, rezone cities - Housing Minister Municipalities should rezone broadly to allow more density and Canada should temporarily ban foreign buyers to help alleviate the housing affordability crunch faced by residents, the country’s housing minister said on Tuesday. Ahmed Hussen told Reuters in an interview that housing should be for Canadians to live in, not passive

South Asian man faces child porn charges after 20-month police investigation Sant Mangat was released from custody with ‘strict conditions,’ according to BC ICE news release. A 70-year-old Surrey man has been arrested and charged with child pornography-related crimes following a 20-month police investigation. Sant Mangat was subject of an online investigation by the BC Integrated Child Exploitation Unit (BC ICE), dating back to March 2020. He was Continued on page 8

BC brings in more rules to fight the COVID-19 variant Omicron, plans surgery delays The rapid growth rate of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in British Columbia has led the province to tighten public health restrictions to limit its spread, says provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. The province also has plans to introduce enhanced rapid testing and booster shot programs to fight the highly contagious variant. “It’s about buying us time to understand and prepare,” Henry said Tuesday at a news conference. “We need to protect our health care system for everybody who needs care.” Exploding numbers of Omicron cases in Ontario, Quebec and the United Kingdom persuaded officials to take stronger action to block the variant’s path, she said.

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foreign investment, and that he backs Canadian cities implementing density measures like those recently rolled out in New Zealand, which allow up to three homes to be built on most single-family lots. “I support that,” he said.

“That’s one of the ways to easily increase housing supply by using the same land for single-family dwelling and creating more units.”

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Pfizer pill becomes first US-authorized home Covid-19 treatment US health regulators on Wednesday authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans will be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus. The long-awaited milestone comes as U.S. cases, hospitalizations

and deaths are all rising and health officials warn of a tsunami of new infections from the omicron variant that could overwhelm hospitals. The drug, Paxlovid, is a faster, cheaper way to treat early COVID-19 infections, Continued on page 7

South Asian Business association of BC (SABA) donates $4050 to Surrey Food Bank South Asian B u s i n e s s association of BC (SABA) in the spirit of supporting others donated $4050 to the Surrey Food Bank.

SABA’s objective is to give back, share their cooperative values, inspire people to give back and make

a season to celebrate for those in need.

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

Delta property taxes, utility fees increasing $108 next year Delta residents will pay on average $108 more in property taxes and utility fees next year.

Delta council approved the city’s 2022 to 2026 financial plan and 2022 utility user rates, which included an average property tax rate increase of 2.99 per cent and a 2.94 per cent increase to residents’ flat rate utility bills.

Based on the average residential property value in Delta in 2021 — $939,000 — and assuming an increase next year in line with the average, homeowners will pay $2,561 in property taxes, or about $74 more than last year. The 2.99 per cent increase breaks down to 1.65 per cent to pay for city services and 1.34 per cent to enhance community infrastructure.

The 2022 plan includes a general operating budget of $197.2 million (a $9.7-million increase over 2021); a utilities operating budget of $47 million (a $2.5-million increase over 2021), new capital projects worth $58.7 million and capital projects carried forward worth an estimated $55 million for total capital program budget of

$113.7 million ($2.1 million less than in 2021).

Emerging priorities included in the city’s 2022 financial plan include social action planning, accessibility enhancements, cycling improvements, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, place-making, Ladner Waterfront redevelopment, sport field upgrades, playground and sport court renewals, off-leash dog parks, boat launch replacements, facility renewal, and neighborhood livability and safety improvements.

According to a staff report to council, the 2022 capital program provides for increased investment in parks infrastructure, with funding directed towards drainage improvements at North Delta Community Park and enclosing existing off-leash areas at the North Delta Recreation Centre and Huff Hydro Park Reserve greenway, among other projects.

A list of significant 2022 capital projects includes construction of the North Delta Track Fieldhouse, as well as various climate action and green initiatives.

In Surrey, ‘patients arriving in morning with cancerous tumours are leaving tumour-free hours later’ A new interventional radiology suite has opened at Surrey Memorial Hospital.

As a result, health officials say “revolutionary cancer treatments and other innovative therapies” are now available in the city.

The facility, along with the cancer treatment centre planned for the new Surrey Hospital, means “people will get the compassionate care they need,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a news release. The B.C. government, Fraser Health and the Surrey Hospitals Foundation collaborated on the $4.1 million project.

Dr. Behrang Homayoon, lead for the hospital’s interventional radiology program, said Surrey Memorial Hospital now has “stateof-the-art equipment to perform minimallyinvasive procedures with greater precision

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and less exposure to radiation for our patients and staff. “Patients arriving in the morning with cancerous tumours are leaving tumour-free a few hours later, thanks to new technology and our skilled staff and medical staff, including interventional radiologists, technologists and nurses. This is also made possible by our partners the BC Cancer Agency and donors to the Surrey Hospitals Foundation.” An anonymous donor contributed $2 million for a Philips Azurion image-guided therapy platform – the “technical brains” of the suite, according to Fraser Health. Additional donors helped kick-start the oncology program with microwave ablation and cryoablation machines. “Microwave ablation uses high heat to destroy tumours while cryoablation freezes tumours with an ‘ice ball’ inserted through a tiny needle,” explains the health authority’s news release.

Fraser Health says people of all ages, particularly seniors at risk of complications from conventional surgery, are benefitting from interventional radiology. More than 19,000 interventional radiology procedures were done in the region last year, and demand appears to be growing, the health authority says.

“Interventional radiology is a rapidly-evolving area of medicine that uses imaging technology including X-Ray, CT scans and ultrasound guidance to steer needles, wires and catheters into small incisions in the skin and through blood vessels to treat an array of conditions including vascular, urologic, gynecologic and musculoskeletal. Minimally invasive procedures are used in emergency settings, as well, to treat life-threatening embolisms and internal bleeding. The benefits include less discomfort and pain, shorter recovery times and reduced radiation exposure for both patients and staff.”

Police arrest man suspected of stealing from abandoned homes in rain affected Sumas Prairie

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Police in Abbotsford B.C. say a 29-yearold man from Chilliwack has been arrested and charged with break and enter in a series of property thefts from homes abandoned during the flooding in the Sumas Prairie.

According to a release from the Abbotsford Police Department, officers arrested Andrew Charpentier on Wednesday in the 45900 block of Wellington Avenue in Chilliwack after investigating thefts reported weeks earlier.

Constable Paul Walker said Charpentier is accused of taking personal property like power tools and toys from abandoned homes in four separate incidents.

“An individual like this is preying on these individuals that are already victimized in the sense that their home is being devastated and working through that especially through the holiday season,” he said.

“I’m not sure what their intent is other than to solely profit themselves.”

Abbotsford winery urges people not to take items lost in floods, after costly wine barrels disappear. Grassroots disaster relief fund raises more than $1.5M for people affected by Abbotsford floods Walker says Abbotsford police officers recovered a large amount of the stolen property and returned it to its original owners.

Abbotsford police previously said in a statement to CBC News that it had received reports of theft following flooding in the region and was monitoring the situation.

Walker says the investigation is ongoing.

Police hope to recover more property and possibly identify more suspects.

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

Two in hospital after crash in South Surrey Highway 99 in South Surrey is closed southbound at 32 Avenue as a result of what police are calling a “serious collision” on Thursday (Dec. 23).

Shortly after 1 p.m., Thursday, twovehicle crash occurred in the south-bound lanes of the highway, in the 3100-block, according to Surrey RCMP news release issued few hours later.

According to police, one male driver was transported to hospital in critical condition and a second driver was also taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Surrey RCMP’s Criminal Collision Investigation Team has been called to the

scene to investigate the cause of the collision, the release adds.

Currently, Highway 99 southbound is closed at the 32 Avenue exit, and all traffic is being rerouted onto 32 Avenue.

Police are advising that drivers avoid the entire if possible, “As there will be heavy congestion.”

The road closure will be in effect for an undetermined length of time, police say.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has dash-cam footage that could assist police with the investigation is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.

British Columbians urged to check in on seniors as arctic air mass approaches With plunging temperatures and significant snowfall forecast for much of British Columbia in the coming days, advocates are urging people to reach out to vulnerable seniors in their lives.

Environment Canada has issued a slew of weather alerts for southern British Columbia, and temperatures could fall as much as 15 C below the seasonal average on the coast and 20 C below average in the Interior, starting this weekend and running to the new year. B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the province had learned from the deadly extreme heat this summer, and had issued early warnings and was actively communicating with local governments in preparation. “This government and your First Nation or local government are all doing our part given the forecast conditions, however it is vital that all of us step up to prepare Continued on page 7

One found dead in partiallysubmerged vehicle in South Surrey The Surrey RCMP is investigating after a driver was found deceased in a vehicle partially submerged in a South Surrey ditch.

According to a news release, police received a report about a vehicle in a ditch in the 3700-block of 168 St. at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 15).

“Police and Surrey Fire Service attended the scene and located the vehicle with a deceased driver inside,” the release states. “The investigation is in the early stages and the cause of the collision has not yet been determined.”

Further details regarding the driver were not disclosed. Police are advising motorists that 168 Street is closed to traffic in both directions between 32 and 40 Avenues, and will remain closed for an undetermined amount of time.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or with dash-camera footage, is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.

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Feds warn that Canadians who decide to travel could be ‘forced to remain outside of Canada’ The federal government is doubling down on its travel advice for Canadians ahead of the holidays, warning that restrictions could result in travel plans being “severely disrupted.” On December 15, the feds announced that Canada’s international travel advisory would be shifting to Level 3 — which means that Canadians should “avoid non-essential travel.” The advisory is guidance, rather than a set rule, which means Canadians are still permitted to take discretionary trips abroad if they want to. In addition to this, officials reinstated pre-arrival PCR testing for all incoming travellers, regardless of their vaccination status or the length of their trip. n a statement announcing these stricter measures, the

government warned that those who do decide to travel should “expect delays, which are likely to become worse during the holiday period.” They also said that travel restrictions continue to change quickly and with little notice in some cases, which means Canadians could face unexpected lockdowns or quarantine periods overseas.

“Should Canadians choose to travel outside Canada, they need to recognize travel plans may be severely disrupted and they may be forced to remain outside of Canada longer than expected,” read the notice. It added, “Canadians should not depend on the Government of Canada for assistance related to changes to travel plans.”

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By Councillor Linda Annis

OPINION

Saturday, December 25, 2021 a combination of “smoke and mirrors” as the mayor plays fast-and-loose with Surrey’s financial future. “This is the reason I proposed an independent auditor general for our city, just as every other big city has in Canada, and why Doug McCallum opposed it,” said Annis. Annis says the complete lack of proper consultation, and a rushed Christmas Eve budget vote means Surrey taxpayers will “not have time to go through the budget in detail” which is exactly what Doug McCallum wants. Annis said while the 2022 budget keeps police transition costs at $63.7 million, she estimates the real number is $200 million, or more.

“For instance, the transition budget was based on a faster deployment of officers than is happening now, this alone could represent a budget shortfall of nearly $9 million,” explained Annis.

Other budget highlights that are chipping away at the city’s financial stability include: City is in debt $150.6 million to pay for new capital projects, because police transition costs have syphoned off every available dollar.

The budget recommends borrowing another $20.6 million and taking more than $17 million from city reserves. These will all have to be paid later, it is not free money.

Significant new fees to developers, all of which will be passed along to new home buyers, making Surrey less affordable for families.

The Newton Community Centre budget has grown from $90 million to $100 million.

The Cloverdale Ice Arena was to cost $29 million when it was cancelled by the mayor. The new budget is now $55 million, almost double the price.

A proposed police training facility is budgeted at $4 million and being charged to the city’s general capital program, not to police transition.

Annis said out-of-control police transition costs have siphoned off every available dollar at city hall, making good financial management impossible.

“For anyone who lived through Doug McCallum’s previous terms in office this is déjà vu,” added Annis. “We’ve seen this movie before, and it doesn’t end well for Surrey or its taxpayers. At the same time, his promise last year that taxes would only go up 2.9 per cent was complete financial fantasy. “Frankly, this new budget is designed to hide and paper over the financial pain and mismanagement of the city in the short term, but it’s definitely coming.

Surrey’s finances will be worse by the end of Doug McCallum’s four-year term

New charges, more borrowing, draining city reserves.

Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis says when everything is added up, Doug McCallum’s term as mayor, which ends in October 2022, is going to leave the city in tough financial shape. “If we pass the 2022 budget, we will be borrowing millions of dollars, draining our financial reserves, and

charging more to developers that will be passed on as increased costs for homeowners, making Surrey less and less affordable,” said Annis. “Doug McCallum’s election year budget is going to put our city in tough financial shape going forward.

Now we know why the budget is late this year, because it just doesn’t add up for Surrey taxpayers.”

Annis says the city’s proposed 2022 budget is

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Saturday, December 25, 2021 BC to accelerate vaccine booster plan in January as Omicron variant spreads The provincial government has committed to increasing its COVID-19 vaccination capacity and accelerating its booster shot campaign next year. B.C. aims to complete its booster program

by March 31, with a targeted 62-per-cent increase in clinic capacity across all health authorities in January. The wait time for a booster, officials hope, will average between one and three weeks, according to public health documents.

“We won’t be offering them to everyone all at once, we’re going to go age category by age category, based on risk, based on the medical evidence that supports this program,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said Tuesday. The rollout plan was announced Tuesday as public health officials ordered new restrictions aimed at

curbing the spread of the new, highly-contagious Omicron variant. The province has observed a spike in COVID-19 cases in the 18- to 35-yearold demographic in recent weeks. The Vancouver Convention Centre has once again been secured to start delivering boosters in two weeks, which could get 130,000 doses into arms in January alone. The Fraser Health Authority will launch a new clinic at the Guildford site in Surrey, with more sites anticipated. All other health authorities are also in the process of confirming new clinic spaces. The provincial modelling documents, released Tuesday, estimate these measures could increase B.C.’s vaccination capacity to roughly 325,000 doses delivered by the end of January — Continued on page 10

Canada surpasses 20,000 daily COVID-19 cases For the first time ever, Canada surpassed 20,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, setting yet another daily record.

Of the 20,699 cases reported on Thursday, the vast majority are in Ontario and Quebec.

It took 694 days from the first reported case of the novel coronavirus in Canada to reach 10,000 daily cases, a bar set on Dec. 19. It only took four days after that to reach 20,000 daily cases.

The figure, compiled by CTVNews.ca, is recent as of 7 p.m. EST. Northwest Territories have yet to report.

The seven-day rolling average for new daily cases climbed to 12,459.6, also a new high. As it stands, 54.62 new cases are being reported for every 100,000 people.

Cases have risen swiftly this month as more people spend time indoors and gather for the holidays, and as the new Omicron variant continues to spread. Provinces also have attempted to make vaccine booster shots and rapid tests more accessible over the holiday season.

On Wednesday, 14,987 new cases were reported, along with 11,692 on Tuesday and 10,665 on Monday.

Nearly all of the new cases reported Thursday are from Ontario and Quebec.

Ontario logged a record 5,790 new infections on Thursday, surpassing a previous high of 4,812 on April 16.

The province’s positivity rate rose to 16 per cent, the highest it’s ever been.

Most of the new cases, or 4,392, involved people who are fully vaccinated, while the rest, 1,398, involved people who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

Although the gap has narrowed in recent weeks, a greater proportion of Ontarians who

are unvaccinated are still contracting COVID-19 at a rate of 27.8 per 100,000 people, compared to those who are fully vaccinated at 25.71.

Currently, 81 per cent of Ontarians eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine are fully vaccinated.

Unvaccinated residents also continue to be disproportionately admitted into intensive care.

The province reported seven new deaths.

But the largest surge came in Quebec where 9,397 new cases were reported, a nearly 50 per cent increase over the previous record of 6,361 set just the day before. Six more people died in the province due to COVID-19.

Prince Edward Island also set a new daily high with 35 new infections on Thursday, while one new case was reported in Nunavut.

Manitoba reported 556 new cases, one death and 239 recoveries, while Newfoundland and Labrador logged 100 new cases and nine recoveries.

New Brunswick reported a new daily high of 257 cases, with two new deaths and Nova Scotia recorded 689 new COVID-19 cases, with 3,844 active cases in total.

Saskatchewan announced 194 new cases, one death and 35 recoveries.

In Alberta, the provincial government reported 1,625 new infections from 11,800 tests, which translates to a positivity rate of 13.6 per cent.

There were no deaths within the previous 24 hours.

There were 2,046 new cases reported in British Columbia as well as one new death.

Surrey City Council rejects motion to extend public consultation on Budget 2022 Safe Surrey Coalition rejected the motion that would have given Surrey residents 10 business days to review the city’s Five-Year (2022-2026) Financial Plan before its expected approval.

The budget was released late Friday (Dec. 17), and council will be holding a finance committee meeting on Wednesday (Dec. 22) at 11 a.m. to discuss it.

Coun. Brenda Locke, who brought forward the motion to extend the consultation period to 10 business days, told council the quick turnaround is unfair to businesses and residents that are impacted by the budget. “I think that it is highly disrespectful that we only gave two working days for the public to take a look at the budget this year,” Locke said to council. “I think that the public would like more time to consider the budget, especially this year… It’s

a big election budget and it matters to people.

I think we need to, and we should be, holding steadfast with what we’ve done in the past years.”

Couns. Jack Hundial, Linda Annis and Steven Pettigrew echoed Locke in that they wanted to give residents more time to digest the budget.

Speaking to Locke’s motion, SSC Coun.

Allison Patton said she was “offended.”

“I find it highly offensive that two of the councillors complaining about this issue were, in my opinion, the cause of us not necessarily as cohesively arranging our time-frame as we like to have our standard for our A+ rating,” Patton said to council. “And personally, I find it offensive that they called into question the process that we have been running the last three years in order to be ready strategically for our budget. And I still am offended at that.

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

From page 1

Heavy rains, snow and freezing temperatures to hit many parts of BC

Winter storm, freezing rain and snowfall warnings issued early Wednesday by the weather agency. The weather office says high elevation sections of numerous highways could also see significant snowfall by Thursday. That includes up 60 centimetres of snow on the flood-damaged Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt, up to 55 centimetres on Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton and 15 to 25 centimetres on Highway 97 between Clinton and 100 Mile House.

The Sea to Sky Highway, between Squamish and Whistler, could get up to 25 centimetres

by Wednesday night. Highway 3 reopens to all traffic amid forecast for winter storms. The weather arriving this week is the first of a batch

of unstable conditions expected to pelt the province until New Year’s Day. “We are once again facing the potential for extreme weather in our province,” said Mike Farnworth, minister of Public Safety, in a statement. “It is imperative that we all watch the weather carefully and look out for those who are most vulnerable.”

The province says all shelters, including extreme-weather response shelters, are open throughout B.C. to make sure people experiencing homelessness have a warm place to sleep and can get out of the cold and rain.

Drivers are reminded to plan ahead and drive according to weather and road conditions

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if they must travel during the upcoming holiday season. Rob Fleming, minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, said in a statement that people should drive only if absolutely necessary in order to stay safe and keep essential goods moving in the wake of horrific flooding in mid-November that severely hampered highway travel.

Cold winds, snow and possible freezing rain forecast for parts of B.C. On Monday, the Coquihalla Highway reopened for commercial traffic only after flood damage took out bridges along the route. Travel restrictions have been lifted from Highway 3 and Highway 99, both of which

are mountainous routes with steep grades and winding curves where weather and road conditions can change quickly.

People who are not experienced with winter driving in the mountains are being asked by the province to use extreme caution on both routes and to consider alternatives for travel between the Lower Mainland and Interior.

During this precarious period, people are also being reminded to keep emergency supplies on hand at home and in their vehicles and to prepare for possible power outages and downed lines. Coquihalla Highway reopens to commercial traffic.

Here’s a rundown of highway closures and conditions in B.C.

BC brings in more rules to fight the COVID-19 variant Omicron, plans surgery delays From page 1

B.C. reported 1,308 COVID-19 cases Tuesday and one death, bringing the total number of fatalities to 2,403. The province has identified a total of 756 cases of the Omicron variant.

Henry said starting at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, bars, nightclubs, gyms, fitness centres and dance studios will have to close, and all seated events will be reduced to 50 per cent capacity.

Indoor gatherings including weddings are being cancelled.

The risk posed by Omicron is “fundamentally different” than other variants and it more easily infects those who are vaccinated or have had COVID-19, she said.

“It is inevitable now that most of us in the province will be exposed at some point,” said Henry, adding Omicron has replaced Delta as the dominant COVID-19 variant in B.C. “The way this strain of the virus is being transmitted through communities across the province, it is very likely that all of us will have exposure to it over time.”

Health Minister Adrian Dix said scheduled surgeries will be postponed starting Jan. 4 to manage hospital capacity, but urgent and emergency duties will continue. He said all surgeries will be rescheduled.

Henry said data show Omicron cases are rising among younger people between the ages of 18 to 35, with most severe outcomes, including hospitalization, occurring in those who

are not vaccinated.

Despite the rapid rise of the Omicron variant, it could also signal a shift in the pandemic where increasing vaccine rates and continued physical distancing along with hand washing will protect more people, she said.

“This may be the turning point as we get to learn to live with the virus,” Henry said.

“I think there is optimism that this is a wave that is changing things as long as we can support immunization across the world.”

The new health orders allow restaurants, cafes and other businesses that serve food to stay open, but seating will be limited to a maximum of six people at a table, and physical distancing must be followed.

The new measures will remain in effect until Jan. 18.

Henry also announced an expansion of its vaccine booster program starting in January when large venues, such as the Vancouver Convention Centre, will become mass immunization sites for booster shots. The government said booster doses will buy time to learn more about the variant.

“They say adversity introduces us to ourselves,” said Henry. “Our storm with COVID-19 is not over.”

COVID-19 rapid testing will be expanded next month with the expected arrival of 11 million tests from the federal government.

The tests that are currently available will be distributed at long-term care facilities, among health-care workers and to rural, remote, Indigenous and vulnerable communities.

Continued on page 8

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Saturday, December 25, 2021 From page 1

though initial supplies will be extremely limited. All of the previously authorized drugs against the disease require an IV or an injection. An antiviral pill from Merck

also is expected to soon win authorization.

But Pfizer’s drug is all but certain to be the preferred option because of its mild side effects and superior effectiveness, including a nearly 90% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths among patients most likely to get severe disease.

“The efficacy is high, the side effects are low and it’s oral. It checks all the boxes,” said Dr. Gregory Poland of the Mayo Clinic. “You’re looking at a 90% decreased risk of hospitalization and death in a highrisk group — that’s stunning.” The Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s drug for adults and children ages 12 and older with a positive COVID-19 test and early symptoms who face the

Pfizer pill becomes first US-authorized home Covid-19 treatment highest risks of hospitalization.

That includes older people and those with conditions like obesity and heart disease. Children eligible for the drug must weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kilograms).

The pills from both Pfizer and Merck are expected to be effective against omicron because they don’t target the spike protein where most of the variant’s

worrisome mutations reside.

Pfizer currently has 180,000 treatment courses available worldwide, with roughly 60,000 to 70,000 allocated to the U.S. Federal health officials are expected to ration early shipments to the hardest hit parts of the country. Pfizer said the small supply is due to the manufacturing time — currently about

nine months. The company says it can halve production time next year.

The U.S. government has agreed to purchase enough Paxlovid to treat 10 million people.

Pfizer says it’s on track to produce 80 million courses globally next year, under contracts with the U.K., Australia and other nations.

Health experts agree that vaccination remains the best way to protect against COVID-19. But with roughly 40 million American adults still unvaccinated, effective drugs will be critical to blunting the current and future waves of infection.

The U.S. is now reporting more than 140,000 new cases.

From page 3

British Columbians urged to check in on seniors as arctic air mass approaches what is necessary to protect themselves, their families and vulnerable friends or neighbours,” Farnworth said.

The summer heat dome, which the BC Coroners Service has determined led to nearly 600 deaths, disproportionately affected vulnerable seniors.

With a different extreme now on the way, advocates for seniors said being prepared can help ensure the province doesn’t see a repeat of that tragedy.

“In the heat wave (the guidance) was get out of your hot house, and in the cold it’s stay in your warm house. But the message is the same is check on your elderly relatives, friends and neighbors,” BC Seniors Advocate Isobel MacKenzie said.

“Stay home, stay warm, stay well fed, stay hydrated, take your medications. And make sure you call and check on your mom, your dad, your neighbour and that they’re OK. Don’t assume they’re ok. And that’s the other thing from the heat wave, don’t assume.”

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

From page 1

Canada should copy NZ to ban foreign home buyers, rezone cities - Housing Minister

“Any measure that increases the housing supply, that intensifies the use of land, that builds more housing and that frees up more housing on the same amount of land, is a good thing,” he added.

Canada is grappling with a national housing crisis, as surging demand tied to the COVID-19 pandemic has sprawled beyond big cities and into smaller centers, which are unable to keep up with supply.

A typical home in Canada now costs C$780,400 ($603,791), up 25.3% this year and by 81.4% since November 2015, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals took power. Home price gains in smaller centers have outpaced those in large cities during the pandemic.

Trudeau, who won his third term in September, has promised new measures to improve housing affordability, including a temporary ban on foreign buyers and 1.4 million new or refurbished homes over four years.

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Hussen said he supports the foreign buyer ban, but did not provide any details on how and when it would be implemented, deferring to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Hussen noted a 1% tax on foreign-owned vacant or underused real estate would take effect on Jan. 1 and said the Liberal government is working hard to get other taxes, like an anti-flipping tax, in place as soon as possible.

“This will enable us to reduce the speculative demand in the marketplace. It’ll help cool excessive price growth,” he said.

Canada has limited statistics on foreign

ownership of housing. In 2019, 4.3% of homes in Vancouver were owned by non-residents of Canada, jumping to 13.6% for newer condos, official data shows. In Toronto, 7.7% of newer condos are owned by non-residents.

South Asian man faces child porn charges after 20-month police investigation

arrested “without incident” on Dec. 15, and has since been released from custody with “strict conditions” detailed in a news release posted by BC ICE on Tuesday (Dec. 21).

“The results of that investigation have been submitted to BC Prosecution Service for consideration of appropriate charges,” the news release says. Charged on Dec. 13 and due in Surrey Provincial court Jan. 4, Mangat is charged with one count of telecommunicate to lure a child under 16, and one count of possessing child pornography.

“If anyone has any information regarding this or any other case involving online Child Sexual Exploitation, we encourage them to contact the police of their jurisdiction to report their concerns,” said Cpl. Sharen Leung, of BC ICE. “If you have questions about how to talk to you own children about online safety, please visit the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.”

Wishing everyone in our community

and best wishes for the new year!

A message from the Surrey Teachers' Association

Mangat’s conditions include not entering into or continuing “any dating relationship, or marriage, or common-law relationship with any person who has children under the age of 16 years old, or who has the care of or access to children under that age.”

He is not to access any computer network including the internet or possess any device capable of accessing the internet – “with some

Hussen said consultation work has already begun on designing a rent-to-own program, which will help renters buy their first home. The Liberals also promised a tax-free down-payment savings program for first-time buyers.

Those two measures alone will cost taxpayers C$4.2 billion over four years, according to Trudeau’s election platform. They have not been officially budgeted as yet.

But critics worry first-time buyer supports will drive up home prices, unless coupled with measures to tamp down demand. Hussen will study measures like larger down payments for investor owners, but gave no timeline for completing that work.

“This has been dealt with by other countries,” he said. “And it’ll be interesting to see what are some of these measures that they implemented and what results have they had.”

New Zealand tightened mortgage lending requirements for investors this year in an attempt to slow rapid price escalation. In October, the country moved to rezone broadly to allow more housing density.

exceptions,” police say.

He is not to attend any public park, public swimming area, daycare centre, school ground, playground, community centre, or theatre “where persons under the age of 16 years are known by you to be present or can reasonably be expected to be present.”

Also, Mangat is not to have any contact or communication, directly or indirectly, or be alone in the immediate presence of any person under the age of 16 except while in the immediate presence of another adult.

Given that this case is now before the court, “we cannot provide any further specifics with respect to this investigation,” the news release adds.

BC brings in more rules to fight the COVID-19 variant Omicron, plans surgery delays The new measures are in addition to others announced last week, when Henry capped audience numbers in large

venues, prohibited New Year’s Eve parties and limited indoor family gatherings to one household plus 10 vaccinated guests.

Saturday, December 25, 2021 BC doctor warns about getting COVID-19 test unnecessarily Huge lineups have once again formed at COVID-19 testing sites around the province — putting capacity limits to the test.

It’s believed many are still wanting to test negative to see friends and family over the holidays, despite public health officials urging those who aren’t sick to step out of line. “People are in line, I believe, to get tested just to make sure they don’t have it,” Global BC medical contributor Dr. Birinder Narang said Wednesday.

“We know that the test pickup yield is not great if you’re not symptomatic so all you’re really doing is giving yourself a false sense of reassurance.

You could go get that test, 10 hours later you might start feeling symptoms and then what has that test really shown you? Not much.”

B.C. health officials said Tuesday that they will expand access to rapid COVID-19 tests, but take-home kits will not be available in the

province until the new year.

The province is currently using around 35,000 tests per week, officials said. This is expected to climb as the program expands.

One of the priority areas will be to make athome rapid tests available at sample collection sites for people who are showing symptoms.

About 700,000 tests will be available at the collection sites and will help ease some of the pressure on the current testing system, officials said. Another 100,000 tests will go to staff, residents and visitors in long-term care, while an additional 100,000 tests will be made available at acute care sites for symptomatic staff and/or close contacts. Narang said that going forward, case counts will become “unreliable” due to the limited testing capacity and that’s why health officials are keeping a close eye on what is happening around the world and in hospitals in other countries.

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Saturday, December 25, 2021 BC to accelerate vaccine booster plan in January as Omicron variant spreads

up from 250,000 under the booster regime that was first announced in October.

The new booster plan would be completed two months earlier than first anticipated.

The immunization rollout prioritize those deemed clinically extremely vulnerable, seniors, long-term care residents, Indigenous peoples, health-care workers, and those who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The province will also expand its rapidtesting initiative with an expected available inventory of up to 11 million tests. Some seven million of those will be reserved for public health and health authorities working to manage

community transmission of COVID-19. The rest will go to schools, universities, and other groups in need.

New public health restrictions, e f f e c t i v e Wednesday, include the closure of bars, nightclubs and fitness facilities, and a maximum of six people per table at restaurants.Organized indoor gatherings are not allowed, and seated events must reduce their capacity by 50 per cent, regardless of venue size. The restrictions remain in place until at least Jan. 18.

Covid-19 cases in Delta climb again as numbers double across the region COVID-19 cases in Delta continued to climb last week as the number of cases in the region more than doubled. The latest weekly map released by the BC Centre for Disease Control showing the geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases by local health area (LHA) of residence shows Delta had 82 cases for the week of Dec. 12 to 18, 25 more than the week before and the third week in a row that cases in the city rose by 20 or more.

The overall number of active cases in the Fraser Health region more than doubled last week — 1,411 compared to 700 the week before.

All 13 local health areas (LHAs) in the region saw increases from the previous week, with significant spikes in Tri-Cities (193, up 139), Burnaby (179, up 110), Langley (153, up 88) and Surrey (298, up 76). Eight of the LHAs saw their COVID numbers at least double last week.

Data shared on the BC CDC’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard shows Delta had an overall daily average of 13 new cases per 100,000 people for the week of Dec. 19, up from seven the week before, representing 100 new cases Dec. 13-19. Broken down by community health service areas (CHSAs), that’s a rate of 11 cases per 100,000 people in North Delta (up from eight the week before, representing 49 new cases), 12 in Ladner (up from four the week before, representing 23 new cases) and 16 in Tsawwassen (up from 10 the week before, representing 28 new cases). The CHSA of Tsawwassen is comprised of both the Delta community and the Tsawwassen First Nation.

Delta’s total case count over that time frame represented two per cent of cases in B.C. that week, unchanged from the week before.

Continued on page 18

Liberal MP censured for traveling outside Canada amid Covid-19 A Liberal MP has been censured by his party’s chief whip for defying advice not to travel out of the country unless the trip is essential.

Chief government whip Steven MacKinnon issued a statement Wednesday saying he is “profoundly disappointed” that Liberal MP Yves Robillard travelled outside Canada, in contravention of party instructions.

The whip says Liberal MPs were told to avoid non-essential international travel as the COVID-19 Omicron variant increases its grip.

The instruction mirrors government advice to members of the public to try to curb the

spread of the highly contagious COVID variant.

MacKinnon said although Robillard is fully vaccinated, the MP’s trip during Parliament’s holiday break was not considered essential, and he will be removed from his duties as member of the standing committee on national defence as a result. MacKinnon, who did not mention Robillard’s destination or reasons for travel, intends to talk to the MP about his decision to leave Canada when Parliament returns.

Robillard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

BC businesses get a max $10,000 boost from province to battle Omicron restrictions The B.C. government has announced a onetime support program offering up to $10,000 to businesses ordered closed as a result of the Omicron shutdown.

Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon said Thursday the supports are aimed at complementing what was announced by the federal government yesterday, while acknowledging the closure orders come “at a very challenging time of year” for many businesses. B.C.’s top doctor Bonnie Henry announced earlier in the week that gyms, fitness studios, dance studios, yoga centres, bars and nightclubs will be ordered closed until at least Jan. 18 because of the swift rise of cases sparked by the infectious Omicron variant. The federal government followed up with a support program as B.C., Ontario and

several other provinces announced lockdown orders or capacity limits at certain types of businesses. Kahlon said there is no added support directly to workers on top of what is being offered by Ottawa. But he said B.C. businesses can apply for the new COVID-19 closure relief grant of between $1,000 and $10,000 based on their number of employees to help with expenses like rent, insurance and maintenance. He noted that the maximum relief is half of what the March circuit break grant offered because that was a two-month lockdown, while this time it is only a month.

Any business that has received a similar grant in the past, such as that circuit breaker grant, will have their applications streamlined, said Kahlon.

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

LOCAL / NATIONAL

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Judge denies bail for retired Mexican general arrested in gas theft corruption case A Vancouver judge has denied bail for a retired Mexican general who was arrested in B.C. last week on charges of masterminding organized thefts of fuel from Mexico’s stateowned oil and gas monopoly. In her ruling, Justice Veronica Jackson stated that Eduardo Leon Trauwitz, who was arrested in Canada as part of an extradition agreement with Mexico, would remain in detention while extradition proceedings are underway.Trauwitz faces up to

Canada reported 14,995 new COVID-19 infections Wednesday, setting a new record for daily cases since the start of the pandemic. The record number comes amid a steady increase in infections after the country logged a total of 11,690 new cases on Tuesday and 10,665 on Monday, according to data collected by CTVNews.ca. According to the data, the country’s seven-day average is also the highest it has ever been during the course of the pandemic at 10,487.7 cases. The new record marks a grim milestone as provinces across Canada impose new restrictions and speed up

60 years in a Mexican prison for a scheme he allegedly orchestrated during his seven years as head of security for Petroleos Mexicanos, commonly known as Pemex. The lawyer for the attorney general of Canada alleges the retired army general forced his subordinates to facilitate and cover up illegal taps of Pemex’s pipelines by violent criminal organizations.

Retired Mexican general arrested in B.C.

claims he’s the ‘fall guy’ in gas theft corruption case On Thursday, Justice Jackson ruled that the bail plan proposed by Trauwitz’s lawyers was “inadequate” to ensure he appears at future court dates. She noted his history of missing court dates in Mexico, his lack of strong ties to Canada, and the long prison sentence he faces if convicted as reasons for denying bail. Trauwitz’s defence counsel had previously argued that the

Canada sets new single-day record for COVID-19 infections rollouts of booster shots to help curb the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Omicron is now the dominant variant in several provinces, according to chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam, prompting the closure of businesses and tight restrictions on capacity limits ahead of the holidays. “Modelling shows that by the beginning of January we could have very high number of cases, which underscores the need to act urgently now to reduce the

acceleration,” Tam said during a press briefing Wednesday. Health officials stress that severe illness trends are also on the rise in Canada, but note it is unclear if those more serious cases are linked to the lagging effect of the Delta variant or Omicron. However, Tam says a fast-spreading wave of Omicron could make the problem in Canadian hospitals worse even if the variant turns out to be less severe. To avoid a sudden rush on the health-care system, Tam urged all

Mexican expat was not a flight risk due to his ties to Canada including that he has been residing in B.C. without incident for 30 months, has submitted a refugee status application and lives with his daughter who studies at the University of British Columbia. But Justice Jackson pointed out that most of Trauwitz’s family still lives in Mexico and that he has no employment history or property in Canada.

Canadians to do what they can to lessen the spread of the virus, including changing their Christmas plans.“This variant spreads extremely quickly and the situation can rapidly get out of hand anywhere,” she said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also present at the press conference on Wednesday, said he plans to adjust his own festivities.

“There have been lots of conversations about not seeing friends, not gathering for New Year’s, not gathering outside immediate family for Christmas in our household like in a lot of households,” he said.

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Star & Style

Saturday, December 25, 2021 ‘Madhuban’ Sunny Leone stands out in latest dance track

Evergreen Rekha Bhanurekha Ganesan was born in Madras on October 10, 1954.

Rekha married to Delhibased industrialist Mukesh Aggarwal.

He proposed marriage to her on March 4, 1990, and a few months later—while she was in London—he committed suicide, after several previous attempts, leaving a note, “Don’t blame anyone”.

She was pilloried by the press at that time, a period which one journalist termed as “the deepest trough in her life.”

Bhawana Somaaya observed the period

speaking of “a strong antiwave against the actress — some called her a witch, some a murderess,” but added that soon “Rekha came out of the eclipse once again unblemished!”

She was rumoured to have been married to actor Vinod Mehra in 1973, but in a 2004 television interview with Simi Garewal she denied being married to Mehra referring to him as a “well-wisher”. Rekha currently lives in her Bandra home in Mumbai.

notch. Madhuban has got immense love from the fans on social media. It’s great to be a part of a song that will bid adieu to 2021 in style and welcome 2022 with a bang.”

“Sunny has made the song look so beautiful. Singing this song was so much fun. It’s high on energy and a super dance number. I am so glad with the response the song has already received,” Kanika Kapoor said.

ALSO READ |The Matrix Resurrections movie review: Keanu Reeves, Carie-Ann Moss’ Neo

If a song has been crooned

by Kanika Kapoor and its music video features Sunny Leone, it is sure to become a hit.

The singer-actor duo launched their latest track “Madhuban”, which unfortunately fails live up to the expectations. The song has been composed

by Shaarib and Toshi.

Talking about the song, Sunny Leone said in a statement, “I have been lucky that the audience has loved all my songs in which I have also showcased my dancing and this one kicks it up a

Bigg Boss 15:

Rakhi Sawant accuses Shamita Shetty during their physical fight Bigg Boss 15 saw a spat between Rakhi Sawant and Shamita Shetty. This happened after she said that Devoleena Bhattacharjee had won the task. Shamita Shetty said she was the person who put in the egg in the dragon pit. The two started abusing one another. Rakhi Sawant got flared after she referred to her as an idiot. Rakhi Sawant came charging at home. Shamita Shetty kept on telling Rakhi Sawant not to come close. Finally, she ended up pushing

Rakhi Sawant. After that, she started crying. The lady said that Shamita Shetty had touched Rakhi Sawant’s breasts.

She revealed that she had implants and they hurt. Also Read - Bigg Boss 15: Karan K u n d r r a - Te j a s s w i Prakash’s fight and patch-up annoy viewers; fans say, ‘Ghatiya actors’ — read tweets Later, Rakhi Sawant told Tejasswi Prakash that the silicone implants pose health issues.

Press release Nobby Singh’s 4th song ‘Harkheya Jatt’ under Zikki Media’s banner

NOW ORDER ONLINE:

Mon-Fri - 12:00 - 9:30 Sat-Sun - 12:00 - 10:00

Punjabi singer Nobby Singh and Gurlez Akhtar knock the door of people’s playlists with another song ‘Harkheya Jatt’ featuring Sruishty Mann. This is Nobby’s third project under the banner of Zikki Media. As of now, the audio song has been released while the video will soon be uploaded.

Nobby Singh and Gurlez Akhtar have sung ‘Harkheya Jatt’ while it is penned

by Ranbir Grewal.

Helmed by Sumit Kumar, the music for song is blessed by none other than ‘Desi Crew’.

Renowned artiste Sruishty Mann is looking absolutely gorgeous along with Nobby Singh. The duo will definitely attract the audience with their appearance in the song. However, the fans will have to wait a bit for the video.

Meanwhile, Nobby Singh said that he was very excited to join hands with Zikki Media again. He has recieved an overwhelming response so far and hopes the same for ‘Harkheya Jatt’. Working with Gurlez Akhtar has always been amazing, he

said, adding it was a wonderful experience to work with Sruishty Mann.

The emerging Punjabi artist has been proving his existence with his voice and his back to back hit numbers. Besides, ‘Harkheya Jatt’ is a reunion for Nobby Singh and Gurlez Akhtar as the duo had, last, done Revolver song together.

Under the banner of Zikki Media, Nobby Singh has given several hit songs, including Fikar, Dream Girl and Revolver.

Fikar created a buzz among the audience garnering over 2 million views. The song Dream Girl bagged around 4 million views and still counting.

Even the song Dream Girl was in Trending for a few days with so many people making Instagram reels on the song.

Star & Style

Saturday, December 25, 2021 Kareena shares another glimpse from her quarantine life Kareena Kapoor, who is currently in isolation for Covid-19, shared new update from her quarantine life on her Instagram story. Kareena shared a picture with excitement that features a plate of food along with some butter. Sharing the story, Kareena wrote: “Can’t stop eating Makhann.”

Kareena Kapoor and her friends, Amrita Arora, Seema Khan and Maheep Kapoor, came in contact with COVID-19 last week after attending a get-together at Karan Johar’s house. The actress has been under quarantine since Sunday. This is what Kareena Kapoor posted on her Instagram story here:

Kareena shared a note on her Instagram, “I am still trying to figure out if we are in COVID times or not... anyway, day 12...two days to go...stay safe all” wrote Kareena Kapoor. In her first Instagram story, the actress could be seen pouting.

Sharing the story, Kareena wrote: “Pyjama, lipstick and a pout... quite the combination... try it!!”

Last week, Kareena announced that she has been infected with Covid’19.” I have tested positive for Covid. I immediately isolated myself while following all medical protocols. I request anyone who has come in contact with me to please get tested,” wrote Kareena Kapoor on her Instagram.

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“We began as friends, we remain as friends” says Sushmita Rumours about Sushmita Sen and boyfriend Rohman Shawl’s break-up had been doing the rounds for quite some time. On Thursday, the actress decided to clarify for once and for all.

Posting a picture with Rohman Shawl, Sushmita wrote that the relationship ended long ago and that the two “remain friends.”

She wrote in her post: “We began as friends, we remain friends! The relationship was long over... The love remains.” She accompanied the post with the hashtags #nomorespeculations, #liveandletlive, #cherishedmemories, #gratitude, #love and #friendship.”

Sushmita Sen’s post arrived after several media reports stated that she and Rohman Shawl have broken up. She signed off the note with

these words: “I love you guys.”

Rohman Shawl and Sushmita Sen reportedly started dating in 2018. Rohman, a model, has walked the ramp for many top designers.

He and Sushmita Sen were frequently pictured together.

Sushmita Sen, Who Recently Underwent Surgery, Has Been “Counting Days” To Resume Training: “My True Healing Begins Then”Sushmita Sen, Who Recently Underwent Surgery, Has Been “Counting Days” To Resume Training: “My True Healing Begins Then” Sushmita Sen Knows What She Wants And She’s Ready To “Wait” For ItSushmita Sen Knows What She Wants And She’s Ready To “Wait” For It “You Are Amazing Baba”: Sushmita Sen Writes A Birthday Post For Father Shubeer

Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Sonu Sood, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan become most tweeted-about actors of the year!

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 in short dress

Ranveer Singh showers love on lady luck Deepika Padukone, stars making an appearance!

Padukone is an active endorser for several brands and products, including Tissot, Maybelline, Coca-Cola, and L’Oreal Paris, among others.

In 2014, Business Standard reported that Padukone earned ₹50 million (US$660,000) to ₹60 million (US$800,000) per endorsement deal and TAM AdEX named Padukone the most visible face on television in India that year.

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Alia Bhatt was voice seen on the sets of The Kapil Sharma Show to promote RRR. She was seen wearing a short yellow dress.

But it was her footwear fashion that caught the fans’ eyes. “Eisa lag raha hai iski heels mein polythene fass gayi hai,” wrote her fan. She did a mini ramp walk f sorts for the paps.

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

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

Omicron impact less severe than previous Covid variants: South African study “Likely this is generalisable to other countries in the region in sub-Saharan Africa, which have similar very high levels of previous infections,” Cohen said, adding that the picture might not be similar in countries where there are high levels of vaccination with very low levels of previous infections. NICD Public Health Specialist Waasila Jassat highlighted how the current fourth wave, largely driven by the omicron virus, was not as severe as the previous waves. “In wave four, we had a huge number of cases in the first four weeks, over 366,000 compared to (the previous waves).”

Jassat said only six per cent of the cases in wave four were admitted to hospitals, while

previous waves had seen up to 16 per cent of cases being admitted. “In terms of the number of (hospital) admissions, in wave four, it was around 21,000, whereas in wave two, about 19,000 and in wave three, about 16,000. So that huge increase in cases did not really translate into a huge increase in admissions. The percentage of cases that are admitted is much lower than in previous waves,” Jassat said. The percentage of patients with serious infections had also halved from previous admissions. Six per cent of patients in the current wave had died of Covid complications, while around 22 per cent had died in the preceding wave which was largely driven by the delta variant.

Saturday, December 25, 2021 630,000 Canadians surprised by big cheques – it’s not a scam The holidays came early for 630,000 Canadians this month. Cheques worth thousands of dollars have started showing up in mailboxes across the country.

Understandably, many folks have been skeptical, but it’s the real deal.

One of Canada’s leading insurance companies has gone public. The change to the corporate structure means policyholders with Economical Mutual Insurance Company come out on the winning end.

“It is an early Christmas present,” said Bel Bishop of North Vancouver, who received a $1,285 cheque last week.

Claire Wilson and her husband in Victoria got one too. “Who sends an $1,800 cheque?” she asked. And Beverly McKenzie in Burnaby got one for $1,413. “It was kind of a shock at first,” McKenzie said. They

Name change I, Ameek Singh, holder of Indian Passport No. K0320161 issued at Chandigarh on 19 / 04 / 2012, resident of H. No. 54 C, Udham Singh Nagar, Ludhiana-141001, Punjab, India and presently residing at 11511 - 71A Ave. , Delta, BC, V4E 2E2 Canada, do hereby change my name from Ameek Singh to Ameek Singh Sikand, with immediate effect.

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.

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started calling their financial planner, who then called McLaughlin On Your Side. We looked into it and yes, folks, it all adds up.

It’s called demutualization. As Economical Mutual Insurance celebrates 150 years in Canada, it has gone public, completing initial public share offering on November 23. The new parent company is called Definity and policyholders of Economical are not only customers, they are beneficial owners in the old mutual company. That means they get a slice of the profits. CTV News received an email statement from Economical Insurance confirming that the cheques that have gone out are authentic. The company states: “We recently issued payments of financial benefits as part of the conclusion of a government-regulated demutualization process for Economical Mutual Insurance.

BC extends food-delivery fee cap as new Covid-19 restrictions take effect As new public health restrictions take effect in B.C., the provincial government has extended a key support for the ailing restaurant industry.

A cap on food delivery service fees, first implemented in December 2020, has been extended to Dec. 31, 2022. It was set to expire at the end of this month.

“The fee cap leaves more hard-earned money in the hands of people working in the restaurant industry,” said Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon on Monday.

“The order also ensures that delivery drivers are fairly compensated and stops delivery companies from

shifting their delivery costs to other fees.”

Under the cap, food delivery companies like Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats can charge restaurants a maximum of 15 per cent for delivery Another cap of five per cent has been added to other fees associated with using their services, such as ordering and processing fees.

The rules also state that delivery companies can’t reduce compensation for their drivers or retain staff gratuities.

Click to play video: ‘British Columbians reconsidering holiday trips as Omicron variant spreads’

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Federal government expands aid to workers, businesses hit by Omicron restrictions The federal government has temporarily expanded eligibility for two COVID-19 benefit programs to aid those affected by measures imposed in response to the spread of the Omicron variant.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement Wednesday as provinces tighten restrictions on businesses in response to a countrywide surge of COVID-19 cases. “We’re going to be there for the hardest hit regions, for specific sectors like art and culture, hospitality and tourism,” Trudeau said during a virtual news conference.

“We will be there to keep you and your family safe.”

Last week Parliament passed the new Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, a program that grants $300 a week to anyone who can’t work because of a COVID-19 lockdown.

The law also includes targeted aid for businesses that are ordered close as part of a local lockdown.

The government defined a lockdown to be when a health authority orders nonessential businesses closed and non-essential workers to stay home. As a result, no part of the country was officially in lockdown.

Not every case of ‘rapidly escalating’ COVID-19 variant Omicron is being detected, Dr. Tam reveals At a press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that three of his staff members and three members of his security detail have tested positive for COVID-19.

Trudeau confirmed that he has taken multiple COVID-19 rapid tests, which have all come back negative for the virus.

“So far the recommendation is that I self-monitor, that I do rapid tests, that I do

testing regularly, so far it’s all been negative,” the prime minister said, adding that he has been advised to reduce contacts, but he does not need to go into a full isolation at this point.

This information came during a press conference where federal officials announced the expansion of COVID-19 financial relief benefits, with Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, stressing that Canadians need to focus on reducing the

Ottawa eyes changes to business supports as Omicron variant wreaks havoc On November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization classified B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern called Omicron. Since then it has been found in a number of countries and regions, including the confirmation of several travel-related cases in Canada.

That is why today, the Minister of Health, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, and the Honourable

Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, announced additional border measures to reduce the risk of the importation and transmission of COVID-19 and its variants in Canada related to international travel.

Based on data from ongoing surveillance efforts and the latest public health advice, the Government of Canada is expanding the list of countries with entry prohibitions originally announced on November 26, 2021.

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Quebec ‘will not hesitate’ to make vaccinations mandatory: Dubé At a news conference to announce new measures to combat the Omicron variant on Wednesday, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé left open the possibility that Quebec will make COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory.

“If we have to go there, we will,” Dubé said, adding, “We will not hesitate to do so.”

To limit contagion, Quebec’s government has already shut down places where people gather, including bars, gyms, and cinemas. It’s also urging people to resume working from home, and has ordered that hockey and other sports be played without spectators present.

Premier François Legault announced Wednesday that indoor gatherings in the province will be limited to six people, or two family bubbles, starting Boxing Day, and asked Quebecers to limit their Christmas celebrations.

Quebec had earlier proposed a limit of 20

people per gathering, but with the spread of Omicron, that number was rolled back to 10.

Legault noted that about 10 per cent of adult Quebecers are unvaccinated, but 50 per cent of patients being treated for COVID-19 in hospital haven’t been inoculated.

If they were, about half the hospital beds now occupied would be free, he said.

With Omicron continuing to spread, the premier said he expects about 9,000 new daily infections by Thursday.

Dubé said most of the hospitalized have the Delta variant, and the severity of Omicron isn’t known yet.

He also said Quebec has reserved 800 hospital beds for COVID patients, which are now about 55 per cent full — though more could be added if necessary.

In mandate letters, Trudeau tells ministers to focus on goal of creating more diverse, inclusive Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his cabinet ministers need to focus on tangible results and not lose sight of the government’s broader goal of creating a more diverse and inclusive Canada, even as Omicron is threatening to push the transition from pandemic to recovery down the road yet again. Trudeau sat down Thursday for an interview with The Canadian Press, a few hours after the mandate letters for his latest cabinet were finally published. The letters, 38 in all, indicate while ending the pandemic remains the top priority, the government needs to get back to focusing on the rest of its agenda.

Climate change, ending systemic discrimination and inequality, and reconciliation are efforts that cross government departments, and are

among the problems he said can only be solved by delivering results Canadians can actually feel.

“As we move forward to continue to work to apply the lessons of how quickly a government can respond and help people in time of crisis we have to make sure we’re actually delivering in ways that are tangible,” he said. As such, he is directing each minister to come back to him with a plan showing how they intend to meet each directive given to them, such as bringing in an external oversight process for handling sexual misconduct investigations in the Canadian Armed Forces, bolstering national resilience and readiness for future pandemics and other emergencies, and developing the government’s latest plan to combat

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A TRUE STUNNER! Rarely offered, this spectacularly landscaped home offers tons of privacy & tranquility. Located in the coveted subdivision of Chimney Hills, this 3 bed / 2.5 bath home is located on a HUGE 13,982 sq. foot lot. Highlights include NEWLY painted exterior, HARDWOOD floor & carpet on main, lots of NATURAL LIGHT, traditional layout with sunken living & family room, renovated kitchen with granite countertops & a nook overlooking the backyard, ONE YEAR OLD FURNACE & A/C plus Hotwater On Demand. Upstairs offers 3 bedrooms including a large master with a WI closet & ensuite fitted with a soaker tub. The beauty of this home is ac

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

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

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Saturday, December 25, 2021 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that the increase in global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) is primarily due to fossil fuel use and, in a smaller but still significant level, to land-use change.

Global warming can result in many serious alterations to the environment, eventually impacting human health. It can also cause a rise in sea level, leading to the loss of coastal land, a change in precipitation patterns, increased risks of droughts and floods, and threats to biodiversity. The effects are already evident in areas like Nunavut, Canada, where Inuit hunters are facing survival challenges due to the thinning of the ice. Explorer Will Steger gives an account of hunters in the Baffin Island, who are faced with the dilemma of unsafe hunting due to ice loss, risking their lives to get in contact with sea animals. Besides the visible effects on people’s livelihoods, global warming is predicted to have a strong and adverse impact on human health. The populations of countries that have contributed the least to global warming are the

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The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that climate change is responsible for at least 150,000 deaths per year, a number that is expected to double by 2030. The effects of global warming will cause dire health consequences: Infectious diseases.

IPCC predicts that global warming will worsen human health conditions, especially in tropical regions. In places like Africa, an increase in temperature signifies an increase in mosquito populations, thus escalating the risk of malaria, dengue and other insect-borne infections. Other

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

Local Meet Naseeb, the 7-foot-tall South Asian nutcracker A Pitt Meadows artist is showcasing her take on a classic Christmas decoration.

Standing at seven feet tall is artist Jag Nagra’s South Asian nutcracker, called Naseeb.

Nagra says she was inspired to put her cultural touch on the character because she hadn’t seen an Indian-inspired one before.

Naseeb dons bright-coloured clothing, wears a turban, and is playing a dholki, a South Asian double-ended barrel drum.

“I wanted him to look as Indian as possible,” said Nagra, standing next to the statue, which started out as a drawing before she brought it to life.

She says it took her and her wife around three and a half weeks to make Naseeb.

He’s made out of cardboard tubes called sonotubes, PVC pipe, ornaments, a little bit of wood, a plastic garbage bin and some plates.

Nagra says Naseeb is made out of concrete tubs, PVC pipe, ornaments, wood, a plastic

garbagebinandsomeplates.(BenNelms/CBC) Nagra infuses her culture in many aspects of her work. In November, she collaborated with the Vancouver Canucks to create a special warm-up jersey in honour of Diwali, the festival of lights annually celebrated by millions of South Asians across the world. Nagra decided to stick with a traditional name for her nutcracker so her kids can feel proud of their own names.

“They both have Indian names, so the more we can surround them with Indian art and Indian culture, I think hopefully the more confident they’ll feel,” she said.

The family has had a few people reach out to offer to buy Naseeb, but Nagra says they’re keeping him.

And for the record, Naseeb doesn’t yet crack nuts — but Nagra is contemplating adding that feature next year.

Covid-19 cases in Delta climb again as numbers double across the region Delta is home to two per cent of the province’s population. The positivity rate in Delta based on public tests performed the week of Dec. 19 was six per cent, up from four the week before.

Broken down by CHSA, rates were six per cent in North Delta (up from five), four per cent in Ladner (up from three) and six per cent in Tsawwassen (up from five).

The dashboard also shows breakdowns of vaccine coverage across the CHSAs by age (5-11, 12+, 12-17, 18+, 18-49 and 50+) and by whether people have received their first or second dose, or in the case of those 70+, their third dose.

As of Dec. 19, Delta continued to lead other LHAs in Fraser Health with 96 per cent of adults aged 12 and over having received at least their first does of vaccine, unchanged from the week

before. Delta also led in second doses among residents 12 and over — 94 per cent, up one per cent from the week before.

Broken down by CHSA, that’s 96 per cent first dose coverage in North Delta (unchanged from the week before), 96 per cent in Ladner (unchanged), and 94 per cent in Tsawwassen (unchanged). In terms of second dose rates, that’s 94 per cent in North Delta (up one per cent), 94 per cent in Ladner (unchanged) and 93 per cent in Tsawwassen (up one per cent).

First dose rates were virtually identical when limited to adults 18 and over: 96 per cent for Delta as a whole (unchanged from the week before), 96 for North Delta (unchanged), 96 for Ladner (unchanged) and 94 for Tsawwassen (unchanged).

INDIA

Saturday, December 25, 2021 Chhattisgarh: The Congress party registered victory in polls held in 15 urban bodies of Chhattisgarh, winning 174 of 300 wards for which counting has been completed, leaving behind the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 89, poll official said on Thursday. The counting of votes polled in 15 urban bodies and for bypolls in 15 wards began at 9 am at 29 counting centres on Thursday, he

Latest on Chhattisgarh urban body polls said. Reacting to the results declared so far, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said they indicate the success of welfare schemes launched by his government. The results declared by the State Election Commission (SEC) for 300 of the total 370 wards in 15 urban bodies, showed Congress candidates emerging victorious in 174 wards, the

BJP in 89, the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) in 6 and independents in 31.

The outcome for the remaining 70 wards, which fall in the prominent Bhilai Municipal Corporation of Durg district, was yet to be officially declared as the counting was underway, the official said.

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However, trends available for 70 wards indicate the ruling party had an edge over the BJP. Of these 70 wards, the Congress was leading in 24, the BJP in 37, others in 8 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 1.

Congress MLA Devendra Yadav is the incumbent Mayor of the Bhilai Municipal Corporation.

More than 96% new COVID-19 cases recorded in Delhi over last 14 days Delhi has recorded over 96 per cent increase in COVID-19 cases in the last fortnight ending Wednesday, official data showed.

The total number of cases was 362 in the week spanning December 9-15 that rose to 712 in the next seven days from December 16 to December 22, it showed.

The number of average daily COVID cases jumped from 51 to 101 in the past two weeks ending December 22, with four districts contributing to over 66 per cent of the total

the districts having fewer numbers of cases during December 9-15 registered faster rise in cases in the next seven days (December 16-22).

The total cases recorded during December 9-15 were 88 in New Delhi, 76 in South, 47 in South East and 35 in South West. These figures rose to 153 in New Delhi, 131 in South, 109 in South East and and 82 in South West districts during December 16-22.

The total cases rose 362 to 712 between the two weeks and daily average cases increased from 51.7 per cent to 101.7 per cent, figures showed.

caseload of the city, official data showed.

In a high-level review meeting earlier in the day, the Chief Minister discussed the COVID situation and Omicron threat faced by Delhi along with his ministers and senior officials.

Delhi government figures showed that New Delhi, South, Southeast and Southwest together contributed 66.7 per cent of the total case load in Delhi, in the December 16-22 period. It came down from 68 per cent in the previous seven day period of December 9-15.However,

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Saturday, December 25, 2021

Confidential statement of CBI chief on Deshmukh probe leaked by agency officer, says chargesheet A confidential statement of CBI chief Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, recorded during his previous tenure in connection with bribery allegations against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, was recovered by the CBI from devices of an arrested agency official and a lawyer of the politician, officials said on Thursday.

Both the agency official and the lawyer have been charge-sheeted by the agency for allegedly subverting the case against the former minister.

According to the charge sheet filed before a special court here, the CBI recovered the statement, recorded by the investigation officer of the case against Deshmukh, from a pen drive seized from its sub-inspector Abhishek Tiwari and the phone of lawyer Anand Daga.

Tiwari was part of the team probing Deshmukh.

The CBI has accused Tiwari of hatching a conspiracy with Daga and leaking sensitive and secret documents to subvert the investigation pertaining to the case that was handed over to the agency by the Bombay High Court to probe corruption allegations against Deshmukh.

The CBI had arrested Tiwari and Daga and both are now in judicial custody.

A forensic analysis of digital devices recovered from Tiwari and Daga revealed the statement of CBI Director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, when he was Director General, CISF, telephonically recorded by the investigating officer of Deshmukh case and CBI Deputy SP Mukesh Kumar on May 6, 2021.

Kumar had saved this statement on an external hard drive and no other members of the investigation team were aware of this fact, they said.

New rules for domestic & international passengers visiting Delhi Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has issued fresh guidelines for domestic and international passengers travelling to Delhi in view of the rising cases of COVID-19.

“Attention travellers! Travelling to Delhi?

Take a look at the latest State-wise Quarantine Guidelines. Take all the necessary measures and be a #COVID_Hero #TravelSafeTravelMindfully,” said the ministry in a tweet.

As per the guidelines, thermal screening of all passengers will be done on arrival. Random sample

collection will be done for passengers arriving from states witnessing a spurt in COVID-19 cases. People will only be allowed to exit after the sample collection.

“If you are travelling on a connecting flight and not leaving the airport in transit station then please refer to the detailed guidelines of the respective final destination arrival state,” added the ministry.

Passengers who test positive for the virus will be quarantined at home/Covid care centres/ community health centres/hospital for 10 days.

PM Modi launches 27 development projects in his Varanasi constituency Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated or laid the foundation stones of 27 development projects worth Rs 2,095 crore in his Varanasi parliamentary constituency ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

This is Modi’s second visit to the holy city in 10 days.

After arriving here in the morning, he laid the foundation stone of the ‘Banas Dairy Sankul’ at the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority Food Park, Karkhiyaon.

Spread across 30 acres, the dairy will be built at a cost of Rs 475 crore and would process about 5 lakh litre milk per day, according to officials.

This will strengthen the rural economy

and help the farmers of the region by creating new opportunities for them, they said.

The prime minister also digitally transferred a bonus of about Rs 35 crore to the bank accounts of more than 1.7 lakh milk producers associated with the Banas Dairy. He also laid the foundation stone for a biogas-based electricity generation plant for a Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union plant in Varanasi’s Ramnagar.

Modi also launched a portal and a logo dedicated to the Conformity Assessment Scheme of milk products developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) with the help of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

UP orders probe after reports on kin of BJP leaders, officials grabbing land in Ayodhya The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a probe into reports of relatives of BJP leaders and government officials allegedly “usurping” land near the upcoming Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

A news report has claimed that MLAs, mayors, relatives of the commissioner, SDM and DIG bought land in Ayodhya after the Supreme Court announced the verdict in the RamjanmabhoomiBabri Masjid dispute, clearing the way for construction of the Ram temple.

Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal, told PTI on Wednesday, “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the revenue department to probe the matter thoroughly.” Congress leaders have attacked the government on the matter with Rahul Gandhi charging that “Hindutva robs under the guise of religion.” “Hindu follows the path of truth. Hindutva robs under the guise of religion,” he had said in a tweet in Hindi,

Two police men suspended for fraud & threatening female colleague Constable Praveen Godara and Constable Motilal Vyas, posted in special branch, were terminated under Rajasthan civil services rules 1958 with immediate effect for “tarnishing the image of a sensitive branch like the state special branch”.

Director General (DG) Intelligence Umesh Mishra said. Head Constable ‘Praveen Godara was involved in criminal cases including one for sending obscene messages and threatening one female police personnel in 2019.

Indian-origin couple convicted for Covid loan fraud in UK An Indian-origin former politician and his wife have been convicted of fraud by false representation after they were found guilty of falsifying information to acquire a COVID-19 support loan offered by the UK government.

Harman Banger, 40, and wife Neena Kumari, 38, were convicted at Wolverhampton Magistrates’

Court last week and will be sentenced at the same court in central England on January 14, 2022.

The court heard that Banger, a former local councillor, used knowledge from having cabinet responsibility at Wolverhampton City Council for overseeing the implementation of the Covid-19 Bounce Back Loans to cheat the system.

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Saturday, December 25, 2021 .

Punjab Man killed, 5 injured in blast at Ludhiana court

man was killed and five others injured in a blast at the district courts complex here on Thursday.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said no one shall be allowed to disturb the hard earned peace of Punjab.

He has announced free treatment for all five persons injured in a blast that took place

in gents toilet on second floor of District Courts Complex. esides, the CM has also ordered a high level probe to crack the case.

The injured have been identified as: Sandeep Kaur (31), a resident of Raikot (Ludhiana), Sharanjit Kaur (25), resident of Jamalpur Ludhiana. Both are undergoing treatment at Civil Hospital Ludhiana.

Navjot Singh Sidhu reacts to case against Majithia Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said his earlier move to submit his ‘resignation’ against top judicial, police and bureaucratic appointments in the state had been justified.

Sidhu was reacting to the case registered against SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia under the NDPS Act. Launching an attack on former CM Capt Amarinder Singh and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal,

Sidhu said, “Amarinder as CM, in connivance with the NDA government, shielded Majithia. He befooled the people of Punjab by wrongly saying that the drug investigation report was with the high court in a sealed cover; whereas in 2018, the high court had handed over the report to him and asked him to take action as per the law, but in vain. His actions were evident of him being in connivance with the NDA government

‘Unidentified’ man who was ‘beaten to death for sacrilege bid’ at Golden Temple cremated The man who was ‘beaten to death’ allegedly for attempting sacrilege at the Golden Temple on December 18 evening was cremated after the post mortem was conducted at the Civil Hospital dead house here on Wednesday.

Nonetheless, the DNA of the accused was preserved so that if anyone from the deceased’s family approaches, the genetic

instructions could be matched. Similarly, the viscera has been collected which would be sent to the Kharar forensic lab.

The hospital management had constituted a five-member doctors’ board which conducted the autopsy, the report of which would be sent to Government Medical College, Amritsar and Kharar lab for further investigation.

The whole process was videographed.

No vaccine, no salary, Punjab govt tells its employees Punjab government said its employees must produce vaccine certificates to get their salaries—a development that comes sees a new rise across the country.

The state government has asked the employees to register their full or provisional vaccination certificate number with the state government’s human resources portal iHRMS. If they fail to do so, they will not be able to get

their salaries, the government said in an order.

The move is being seen as the state government’s attempt to encourage more and more employees to get themselves vaccinated against Covid as concerns escalate over the new variant of coronavirus, Omicron.

In the order issued on Tuesday, the state finance department asked all senior officers, head of the departments, divisional

Pakistan Train linking Iran, Turkey and Pakistan begins after 10-year hiatus A freight train service linking Pakistan, Iran and Turkey, which was suspended for more than 10 years, has been relaunched to improve regional connectivity and unlock trade potential between the three countries, media reports said on Wednesday.

The three countries also plan to launch a passenger train service on the same route in the future.

Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati, along with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, inaugurated the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train at Margalla railway station here on Tuesday.

Ambassadors of Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were also present on the occasion.

The ITI freight train, which will operate every Tuesday, began its journey from Margalla railway station in Islamabad towards its first destination in Zahedan, Iran, from where it will proceed towards Istanbul, a senior railway official said.

More than 100 MPs not paying income tax More than 100 MPs in the parliament are either not paying income tax or not registered with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), according to the media reports.

As many as 161 of MPs have not paid tax on their income nor have filed any tax returns.

These MPs are in violation of tax laws while collectively owning assets worth Rs 35 billion. Official records show that some are not even registered with the tax authorities.

Official documents examined by Geo News have disclosed that more than 103 MPs have collective assets of Rs 8 billion but are

not active taxpayers. A few dozen are not even registered with the FBR as taxpayers.

As many as 76 of these 103 MPs represent major political parties; two are ministers in Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet.

Official records show that these MPs are in the ‘in-active taxpayers’ list’. Four MPs, who are not active taxpayers, have purchased properties collectively worth millions of dollars in Dubai, Norway and London in the last decade. Around a dozen among them have had declared businesses namely construction companies, petrol pumps, etc in the country, the report said.

Sindh High Court allows underage girl, who converted to Islam, to go home with her parents The court allowed an underage Christian girl who converted to Islam and contracted “free-will marriage”, to go home with her parents after she spent one year in shelter home protecting women.

The two member Bench of the Sindh High Court had in November 2020 sent Arzoo to the shelter home after it was

confirmed by a medical board that she was 14.

The court had then ruled that Arzoo, who claimed that she contracted the marriage on her own accord, was a minor and could not enter into a legally valid marriage as her consent had no legal value and directed the police to proceed against her husband.

Factory hires another Sri Lankan man to replace slain compatriot In a bold move, Sialkot factory hired another Sri Lankan man in place of his slain compatriot who was lynched earlier by the mob of radical Islamist on the allegations of blasphemy. Tahir Ashrafi, representative of thePrime Minister on

Religious Harmony said on Wednesday during his visit to the Lankan High Commission along with world renowned scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil Sahib to express condolence over the Sialkot factory incident.

FIJI Rabuka questions need to transition to Walesi platform The move to transition all television broadcasters to the Walesi digital platform is an attempt to control TV transmission for the 2022 General Election, claims The Peoples Alliance party leader Sitiveni Rabuka.

In light of this, Mr Rabuka has demanded the Government come clean on the issue.

He also called for a public inquiry into Walesi to shed light on its operations.

Mr Rabuka claimed that Walesi had not

tabled audited financial reports in Parliament and yet received millions of dollars in grants apart from the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.

He questioned those behind Walesi’s operations and whether a tender had been done for all services related to Walesi.

“Were there instances where any party awarded acontractfromWalesihadtosubcontractandwhy?

“How stable is the digital platform? I am hearing stories that people that used

Witness makes ‘black magic’ claim in multiple murder trial Sangeeta Devi, the mother of 11-month-old Samaira Kumar, the lone survivor of the Nausori highland murders told the High Court in Lautoka yesterday that the accused, Mohammed Raheesh Isoof, told her parents not to tell anyone about the “black magic” he was going to perform.

While giving evidence in the murder trial, she also claimed her mother, Usha Devi, had said Mr Isoof was helping them with immigration papers for New Zealand.

MrIsoofisapermanentresidentofNewZealand.

She said she last spoke with her mother on August 24 where she was told the family would be accompanied by “Kamal uncle” to some mountains the next day and they would return by midday.

Ms Devi said she called her sister Nileshni on the morning of August 25 to check on the family and the last Viber message she received from her sister about 10.19am read, “talk later”.

Businessman charged under Online Safety Act A 43-year-old businessman of Lautoka appeared in the Suva Magistrate’s Court this afternoon for alleged breaches of the Online Safety Act. Faizal Parvez Ali is alleged to have exploited a 37-year-old victim by posting electronic

communication to cause harm and posting intimate visual recordings without her consent.

Ali opted to represent himself in court and asked for bail, saying his business was under mortgagee sale and he had

Farmer makes almost $20k in two days selling goats & chicken A livestock farmer in Nadi has made almost $20,000 in just two days from selling goats and chickens for Christmas.

Navo resident Satish Kumar says he has been overwhelmed with sales as he thought it would be slow.

Kumar, who is based opposite the Nadi Market,

says that yesterday he brought a total of 70 chickens and 40 goats, which were all sold out by midday.

He says the other surprising part is that many who are buying are not even trying to bargain.

The 59-year-old says today he brought 30 goats and only 4 are left.

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NRI / INDIA

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Rajnath Singh interacts with students at Harvard University Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday met and interacted with the Indian college students of Harvard Enterprise Faculty and Harvard Kennedy Faculty right here, the Defence Ministry mentioned.

“Expressing happiness over the assembly with the scholars, Rajnath Singh termed them because the mushy energy of the nation, who’s being uncovered to best-in-class administration and governance practices from the 2 top-class institutes,” the ministry’s assertion famous. Singh urged them to make use of their revolutionary concepts and play their half in nation-building, it talked about.

“He hoped that the scholars will work because the ambassadors of Indian worth system all around the world not simply of their scholar part however in future as nicely,” it mentioned. Through the

interplay, the scholars shared their views on India’s modified notion on the planet, particularly after the roll out of the most important vaccination drive within the battle in opposition to the COVID-19 pandemic and schemes like ‘Make in India’, it talked about.

“They (college students) expressed their willingness to return to India, saying that the ambiance created as a result of insurance policies of the federal government in the previous few years, resembling ease of doing enterprise and offering alternatives to startups, will assist them to contribute within the holistic growth of the nation,” it mentioned.

Extra Secretary (Defence Manufacturing) Sanjay Jaju was amongst these current throughout the interplay, it talked about.

H-1B visa approvals surge to 97% in fiscal 2021 The H-1B visa approval rate for fiscal 2021 was the highest in a decade, even as pandemic-related travel restrictions meant that the American immigration agency had to conduct a second visa lottery in order to meet its quota of 85,000 visas for the year.

According to data released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services

Press release

(USCIS), the approval rate for H-1B visas in fiscal 2021 — from October 2020 to September this year — was 97.3%. The agency received 398,267 petitions for initial and continuing employment, or renewals, during the period. Immigration watchers attributed this to the high demand for tech talent in the USA.

Chartwell Imperial Place Retirement Residence Meals On Wheels drive

“Chartwell Imperial Place Retirement Residence in Surrey with the support of the local business community and Imperial Place volunteers has been spreading cheer all year to Surrey / North Delta Meals On Wheels.

Imperial Place partnered with like-minded community business partner Surrey Hearing Cares Inc., for this final gift. Imperial Place

is looking forward to a prosperous 2022 supporting the Surrey North Delta Meals on Wheels. For more information on how you can support Seniors in the Surrey / North Delta Community and partner with Imperial Place, please contact Nicola Romaniuk, Retirement Living Consultant Chartwell Imperial Place e:nromaniuk@chartwell.com

NRI

Saturday, December 25, 2021 Some 119,789 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, a day after figures exceeded 100,000 for the first time at 106,122. The UK on Thursday set another daily Covid-19 daily infections record, fuelled by the Omicron variant.

Some 119,789 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, a day after figures exceeded 100,000 for the first time at 106,122.

The UK is among the worst hit countries in Europe with a virus death toll of 147,720.

The Office for National Statistics estimated that nearly 1.4 million people in UK households had Covid in the week ending December 16, the highest figure yet of the pandemic that began in early 2020.

Hospital admissions are also growing, albeit more slowly than during previous waves, particularly in London.

There was nevertheless some “encouraging news,” Health Minister Sajid Javid said, since “early reports suggest the risk of

Omicron variant and your plans to study abroad

Omicron, a highly mutated new variant of concern of COVID-19, is currently impacting overseas education severely, especially in terms of student mobility. The Ministry of External Affairs in India had observed that in 2020 only 2.6 lakh learners opted for overseas education compared to 5.9 lakh learners in 2019. This showed a decline of 55% in international learners.

Now, due to the new Omicron variant, the Indian government has announced that there would not be any regular commercial international flights until January 31, 2022. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration stated that 16% fewer passengers are going through their airports. Due to travel restrictions, campus closures are imminent, therefore, international learners have canceled and changed their overseas education plans. Which means higher education institutions of major destination countries like Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. anticipate a significant decrease in international learners for the upcoming semesters.

However, governments worldwide and in India are organizing robust vaccination drives to deal with the new variant and its effect efficiently.

India has administered over a billion Coronavirus vaccinations since its vaccination drive in the year beginning.

Besides being vaccinated with two jabs in India, learners can also opt for booster shots when they go abroad.

UK reports over 1.19 lakh new Covid-19 cases hospitalisation is lower than (with) Delta”.

Two preliminary studies from Britain have indicated this.

“They’re not very clear though on by how much that risk is reduced,” Javid cautioned, warning that if case numbers are very high, there “could still be significant hospitalisations”.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has opted not to introduce tougher restrictions in England ahead of Christmas, focusing instead on a campaign to increase vaccine protection through a booster programme.

More than 30 million people in the UK have received booster jabs as Johnson has

set the ambitious goal of offering one to everyone over 18 by the end of the year.

Other UK regions have tightened antivirus measures, however, and Scotland announced Thursday that it would close nightclubs from next week including on New Year’s Eve, due the case surge.

The Scottish government said clubs would have to close from 5 am on Monday “to tackle the transmission of Omicron, which continues to spread rapidly”.

Edinburgh had already cancelled its usual spectacular firework display for New

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Year’s Eve, known in Scotland as Hogmanay.

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the closure of nightclubs would come along with financial support to help them “weather what we hope will be a short period until they are able to operate normally again”.

He added that nightclubs could remain open if they only provided table service and had social distancing measures.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned Scotland could face a “tsunami of infections” and announced measures including a limit of 500 people at outdoor events from December 26, hitting sports fixtures

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Saturday, December 25, 2021