The Asian Star January 7 2023

43 three-yearold Kabaddi coach from Canada & Punjab’s Moga was shot dead in Manila, Philippines.

Residents of Moga district’s Pakharwad village said that Gurpreet Singh Gindru had gone to Philippines around four years back to earn a living. The report says Gindru was allegedly shot in the

Continued on page 7

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At least 12 cases of XBB 1.5 COVID-19 subvariant now confirmed in BC

The number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 XBB 1.5 subvariant continues to grow in British Columbia, with at least 12 cases documented as of Wednesday, the province’s health minister said.

That’s up from the five cases confirmed last Friday, Adrian Dix said.

And it’s likely a significant undercount.

“There are obviously more cases than that. These are the tested cases that have gone through whole genome sequencing,” Dix said.

“What it tells you is it’s here in B.C. For the moment it’s not the most important subvariant, but it’s just starting here.”

Accurately tracking the true number of

cases of the new variant in the community is currently virtually impossible, as the province stopped doing PCR tests for the majority of the public in December 2021. XBB.1.5 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron subvariant XBB and has been deemed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the “most

Business-woman is Canada’s wealthiest

This year’s Bloomberg Billionaires Index has been revealed, and the richest Canadian on the list is no longer a crypto CEO.

The title for richest Canuck goes to Sherry Brydson this year, claiming the 120th spot on

South Asian doctor who drove Tesla off the cliff with his wife & 2 kids, arrested for attempted murders

The driver of a Tesla that plunged 250 feet off a notorious California cliff Monday has been arrested — after authorities say he intentionally drove over the edge with his wife and two children inside the car. Dharmesh Patel, a 41-year-old physician from Pasadena, will be booked on attempted murder and child abuse charges once he is out of a hospital, the California Highway Patrol said in a statement. CHP investigators worked throughout the night interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence from the scene,” the highway patrol said in a statement.

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the list with a total net worth of $13.6 billion.

You might not have heard of her since she keeps an incredibly low profile, but her family’s name is well-known in the

BC becomes first province to require 3-day contract waiting period for homebuyers

British Columbia has become the first province to require a three-day coolingoff period for buyers after they’ve signed an agreement to purchase a home.

The new homebuyer protection period is designed to give purchasers more time to arrange financing or home inspections after a deal has been accepted, details that the provincial government has said were neglected in past sizzling housing markets.

The government said in a statement that the extra days would also give

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media industry. According to Bloomberg, Brydson is the largest shareholder of Woodbridge, an investment firm that controls Thomson Reuters, the company

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Twin sisters born in diffent years

Two baby girls born minutes apart on New Year’s Eve & New Year Day 2023

Fraternal twins in North Texas will not only be celebrating their birthdays on different days, but in different years.

By being born minutes apart, Kali Jo Scott and Cliff Scott’s daughters each achieved a milestone at their birth, according to Fox station KDFW. The couple welcomed daughter Annie Jo at 11:55 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, making her Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton’s last baby of the year. Minutes later, just after the stroke of midnight, their daughter Effie Rose entered the world at 12:01 a.m.,

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Former Kabbadi coach from Canada shot dead in Philippines

BLACK EXCELLENCE DAY JANUARY 13, 2023

Leading up to Black History Month in February, we celebrate the contributions and recognize the struggles of Black Canadians, past and present.

A message from the Surrey Teachers’ Association

Significant’ number of prosecutions in question over evidence mishandling concerns: Premier

BC Premier has confirmed a “significant” number of criminal prosecutions have been questioned, challenged or overturned in the aftermath of a historic finding that RCMP homicide investigators mishandled evidence in a highprofile murder case in Surrey.

In an exclusive interview, David Eby said adherence to Criminal Code requirements on the treatment of evidence “has the attention of the RCMP” and other law enforcement agencies. Cases impacted by the groundbreaking 2021 finding of “systemic” flouting within the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) are proceeding through the justice system now, he added.

“The laws of Canada apply equally to police, to government, to politicians, to journalists, to the public,” Eby told Global News in December. “It will be up to the judges to make determinations about how this policy may have affected the case in

Palwinder Sidhu plans to purchase a home and start a business with the prize money

. Surrey resident Palwinder Sidhu was one of many impacted by last month’s snowstorm.

He was stuck at work, but for him, it had a “silver lining.” He discovered he had won the Dec. 19 Daily Grand prize worth $250,000.

Eby

front of them.” In April 2021, B.C. Supreme Court Justice David Masuhara ruled that IHIT investigators demonstrated “systemic, flagrant disregard for charter-protected rights” in the case against Samandeep Gill, who was charged with seconddegree murder and attempted murder in the 2011 killing of Manbir Kajla.

Masuhara found the unit’s investigators had a “policy of noncompliance” with a section of the Criminal Code that outlines procedures for handling and retaining evidence seized during investigations, raising questions about compliance in other IHIT investigations conducted over the years.

Gill was acquitted in Kajla’s murder after alleged audio of the April 2011 shooting was deemed inadmissible in court. Masuhara said cellphones had been held by police investigators in the case for almost seven years without a judge’s approval.

Both Surrey Memorial and Peace Arch hospitals welcome male New Year’s babies on Jan. 1

It’s a boy. The first two babies born in 2023 in Surrey and White Rock were both baby boys, with the first being born at 2:45AM on January 1st at Surrey Memorial Hospital.

Parents Simranjit Kaur and Maninder Singh Waraich, along with their fiveyear-old daughter, eagerly welcomed new son and sibling Ruhdav Singh Waraich. “We’re good. Mom is good. They’re fine now,” Maninder said on Monday, while his wife and new son were resting.

“Now it’s time for lots of sleep.”

Weighing in at 3,050 grams, or six pounds, 12 ounces, the boy is healthy and that makes everyone happy, he said.

While he and his wife had planned for a natural birth, during her labour, it was decided a C-section was necessary, but she is recovering well.

While the first baby of 2023 was born at 12:02AM at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, the birth of

Maninder’s son was the first in Surrey in 2023, according to Fraser Health.

Gabriella Louise Camayan – weighing five pounds, 10 ounces – was born at 12:02 AM on Sunday January 1st at Abbotsford Regional Hospital to parents Arben Camayan and Thea Villaneuva.

“Congratulations to the family!” the B.C. government said in a tweet.

B.C.’s New Year’s baby is a little girl born in the Fraser Valley

There was also a New Year’s Day birth at Peace Arch Hospital, with a family welcoming a male son who was born at 3:33 p.m on Jan. 1.

Weighing in at 3,810 grams, or eight pounds, seven ounces, the boy was the Peninsula’s first baby of 2023.

The mother is still in hospital, noted Fraser Health senior public affairs consultant Carrie Stefanson in an email.

BC expanding PharmaCare coverage to include diabetes, heart failure and blood clot drugs

“I didn’t believe it,” he told the BCLC of the moment he discovered his win. “I thought it was $250 or $25,000 and then realized it was a lot more than that!”

He shared the news with his wife, who did not initially believe him. She was so excited after realizing Sidhu had won.

Canada set a new immigration record in 2022 with more than 430,000 permanent residents arriving in the country.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in news release on Tuesday that the federal government has reached its goal of welcoming 431,645 new permanent residents in 2022. Ottawa beat its previous record set in 2021, when Canada welcomed more than 401,000 new permanent residents.

The previous immigration record was set in 1913, when Canada welcomed more than 400,000 newcomers, Statistics

Canada data shows.

“Today marks an important milestone for Canada, setting a new record for newcomers welcomed in a single year. It is a testament to the strength and resilience of our country and its people,” Fraser said in the release. “Newcomers play an essential role in filling labour shortages, bringing new perspectives and talents to our communities, and enriching our society as a whole. I am excited to see what the future holds and look forward to another historic year in 2023 as we continue to welcome newcomers.”

Surrey lotto winner feels ‘excited and amazing’ after winning $250K

OPINION

Trudeau giving Quebec a special deal on carbon taxes

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is highlighting a fundamental unfairness about the federal carbon tax: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is requiring taxpayers in every other province pay a higher carbon tax than in Quebec.

“Trudeau is giving Quebec a special deal on carbon taxes and giving other Canadians higher gas prices and heating bills,” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF. “The solution is simple: Trudeau should scrap his carbon tax and lower gas prices and home heating bills across Canada.”

British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador are all required to raise the carbon tax to 14 cents per litre of gas next year and 37 cents per litre of gas by 2030.

“The federal government is committed to ensuring that carbon pricing is in place across Canada at a similar level of stringency,” according to the government’s backgrounder.

Quebec’s provincial cap and trade carbon tax currently costs about nine cents per litre of gas and must stay above 4.8 cents per litre next year. Quebec’s provincial carbon tax is set to rise to 23 cents per litre of gas by 2030, according to LaPresse.

“Trudeau’s special deal for Quebec shows the carbon tax was always about politics, not the environment,” said Terrazzano.

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COVID-19 Omicron strain dubbed ‘Kraken’ detected in BC

A new strain of COVID-19 that has been spreading throughout the world over the past couple of weeks is in British Columbia.

The XBB 1.5 subvariant of Omicron, dubbed “Kraken,” has been spreading throughout parts of Asia and the United States for the past couple of weeks.

The BC Centre for Disease Control says there have been five reported cases of the latest strain as of Tuesday. Speaking with CityNews, head of the Vancouver Infectious Disease Centre Dr. Brian Conway, says this latest variant is highly contagious.

“It binds to cells more easily and it’s also a bit resistant to the protection offered by vaccines,” he said.

“It is probably going to dominate the endemic of COVID going forward and it already is in many parts of the world.”

Conway says “Kraken” is more transmissible, but says there is no evidence showing it causes more severe

illness. However, he thinks variants like this will continue to pop up. Moving forward, Conway recommends continuing to use rapid antigen tests if you think you’re sick.

“The more symptoms you have, the more sensitive the tests will be,” he explained. “The best approach if you think you’re infected is to do it once, if you still think you’re infected the next day, do it again. That will increase the pickup rate going forward.”

PM Modi’s govt names 27 overseas Indians for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards

A doctor in Brunei, an educationist in Bhutan, and social activists in countries such as Israel, Ethiopia, and Poland were among 17 people who were chosen on Monday (2) by the Indian government for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA), the highest award for non-resident Indians.

The award will be conferred by Indian president Droupadi Murmu at the 17th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention which will be held in Indore in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh between January 8 and 10. Murmu will hand over the awards in the valedictory session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations.

The 17th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention will be held from January 8-10 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards at the PBD Convention in the valedictory session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations that are held on January 9 to acknowledge contributions made by the overseas Indian community towards the country’s development.

This year, the theme of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is “Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal,” according to a statement released by Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the president of Guyana, will be the chief guest on the occasion. He is also one of the awardees.

The recipients for this year’s awards were chosen by a jury-cum-awards committee which is chaired by India vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is the panel’s vice-chair and its other members are drawn from various walks of life.

The committee considered nominations for the PBSA and unanimously selected the awardees, according to India’s external affairs ministry.

The ministry said in a press release, “The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians. PBSA is

conferred by the Hon’ble President of India as part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention on Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin or an organization / institution organization/ institution established and run by the NonResident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin in recognition of their outstanding achievements both in India and abroad.” The recipients of 2023 awards: Australia in the field of science and technology

Negative COVID-19 test rule for Chinese flights takes effect in Canada

Airline passengers leaving China, Hong Kong and Macau will have to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test when they enter Canada starting Thursday.

The Canadian government announced last week that the travellers would need a negative test administered within 48 hours of their departure as cases soar in China.

Other countries, including the United States and several European nations, imposed similar rules despite protest from China.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized the change

in requirements this week, saying some countries were attempting to manipulate COVID measures for political purposes and it would take countermeasures.

Penny Tao, who arrived in Vancouver on a flight from Hong Kong Wednesday, says she moved up her flight to avoid testing ahead of a busy Chinese New Year schedule later this month.

Jiayuan Jin, a University of B.C. student, will be among the first arrivals under the new testing rules when her flight lands on Saturday, and says she supports the new strategy, especially because testing booths are numerous in China and results are available within 10 hours.

Joginder Singh Nijjar of Croatia in art and Kannan Ambalam of Ethiopia in community

Irfaan Ali of Guyana in politics and community

Sukhumal Daswani of the Republic of Congo

Shivabhai Patel of South Sudan in community

Sharman of Suriname (community welfare)

Siddharth Balachandran of the UAE (business)

Kumar Tiwary of Uzbekistan (business)

Fatal crashes on BC roads spiked in December, say RCMP collision analysts

Collision investigators in B.C.’s Lower Mainland say this past December saw an increase in fatal crashes involving drivers and pedestrians.

Cpl. Dave Noon with the RCMP Integrated Collision Analyst and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) said they are still looking into the reasons behind this increase but weather and a lack of awareness appear to be factors.

ICARS undertakes forensic reconstruction of a scene when there has been a fatal or serious injury involving motor vehicles in southeastern B.C.

Noon said in 2022 they received 237 calls for service, which is not out of the ordinary, but said in December they attended more than 10 fatal collisions in the Fraser Valley, the Lower Mainland, the Sea to Sky Corridor and the Sunshine Coast. He added investigations are still underway into those collisions but the number did increase this past December compared to the same months in previous years.

“When looking at the collisions we did attend, there were a number of factors that seemed to play into it,” Noon said. “Weather, certainly being part of it but also drivers not being aware and pedestrians not being aware.”

Noon said conditions such as low lighting, extended darkness and lack of reflective clothing can all lead to increases in crashes and fatal collisions. There were 11 people who died on highways between the Fraser Valley and the Sea-

to-Sky Corridor in December 2022.

That compares to seven people in December 2021 and five people in December 2019. In all, ICARS responded to 71 fatalities in 2022 and 88 non-fatal collisions out of more than 200 crashes.

A Surrey senior who was seriously injured when he was hit by a stolen car in November told Global News at the time he was fighting with ICBC for compensation.

Kieth Colpitts, 73, suffered six broken ribs, multiple contusions and other injuries when his car was hit by a stolen Mercedes.

He also had severe swelling of his ankles and feet. He said he could not sleep in his bed and had to sleep in a recliner due to his injuries.

He said he is now getting help from ICBC to pay his medical expenses but he doesn’t get any compensation for pain and suffering.

Colpitts told Global News on Jan. 3 that every time he gets in a car now he is very nervous.

“I haven’t been able to do much of my normal activities,” he said Tuesday. “I’ve got a badly swollen leg and ankle and I have to walk but I can’t these days.” Colpitts said the number of crashes last year seems like a huge number to him.

“There’s got to be more defensive driving,” he said. “You’ve got to be as careful as possible, that’s all I can say to that.”

Chronic offender back in jail after Vancouver art theft

There were two fine art thefts, just two days apart, totalling nearly $40,000 from a South Granville art gallery. Luckily, Vancouver police quickly identified a suspect and arrested him at his home. But as Grace Ke reports, he is known to police as a chronic offender with more than a hundred previous convictions.

A chronic offender with more than 115 previous convictions faces more charges after Vancouver Police arrested him for allegedly stealing nearly $40,000 in fine art from a South Granville gallery.

VPD officers made the arrest Saturday, after the art gallery owner called 9-11 to report that a known thief had

walked in and stolen a pricey piece of art.

“Our officers responded quickly, reviewed security video, and immediately recognized the suspect,” says Sergeant Steve Addison. “The thief had fled prior to our arrival, but the officers drove to his home in East Vancouver, waited for him, and arrested him when he arrived home carrying the stolen art.”

Investigators later executed a search warrant and recovered a second piece of art, which had been stolen from the same store the day prior.

Francis Boivin, 50, has been charged with two counts of theft over $5,000 and was due in court today.

At least 12 cases of XBB 1.5 COVID-19 subvariant now confirmed in BC

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transmissible” COVID strain so far. Earlier Wednesday, the national Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) confirmed at least 21 known cases in the country.

The subvariant, which has earned the nickname Kraken on social media, is spreading rapidly in Asia, and is believed to now account for about 70 per cent of cases in the northeastern U.S. according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PHAC has not said yet if it considers XBB 1.5 a variant of concern. Officials in B.C. say they are watching it closely, and Dix urged people to recommit themselves to precautions including wearing masks, staying home when sick and washing hands.

He also urged people to get a COVID-19 booster shot if they have not had one yet.

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“Based on the evidence collected, investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act.”

Patel, his wife, Neha, and their children — a 7-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy — miraculously survived after the electric car careened off the notoriously perilous part of the Pacific Coast Highway known as the “Devil’s Slide” about 10:50 a.m. Monday.

The vehicle apparently flipped several times before coming to rest on its wheels.

Patel is listed as a radiologist at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the Mission Hills area of Los Angeles, KABC reported.

Investigators have not yet determined what driving mode the Tesla was in — including whether it had its Autopilot function on — but don’t believe the mode contributed to the crash, CBS News reported.

“Based on the evidence collected, investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act.”

The vehicle apparently flipped several times before coming to rest on its wheels.

Dharmesh Patel, pictured with his wife and two kids, will be booked on attempted murder and child abuse charges once he is out of a hospital, the California Highway Patrol said.

“Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is deeply saddened to learn of a traffic incident involving one of our physicians and his family. We are extremely grateful there were no serious injuries,” the hospital told the outlet in a statement Tuesday.

Several neighbors of the Patels were shocked to hear of the crash and subsequent arrest.

“They’re like ideal neighbors. It seemed like they had a great holiday, they went to

“The concern about this subvariant … is the likelihood that it may spread more easily, not that it’s more severe,” he said.

“This is the time to be cautious and get vaccinated against COVID-19.”

As of Monday, data from the B.C. Ministry of Health showed that about 63 per cent of British Columbians aged 18 and up had received a third dose of the vaccine, while about 37 per cent had received a fourth dose.

The update comes hours ahead of new COVID-19 travel measures being implemented amid concerns about the new subvariant’s spread.

Staring at 9 p.m. Wednesday, travellers departing from China, Hong Kong and Macau will need to show a negative COVID-19 test before boarding a flight to Canada.

go see both parents. It just seemed very happy and great,” Sarah Walker told KABC.

Next-door neighbor Heather H. told the outlet the couple are “lovely people.”

The family members were initially listed in critical condition but all four were conscious and alert when rescuers arrived. There was no guardrail at the spot when the white Tesla went over the edge.

“We go there all the time for cars over the cliff and they never live. This was an absolute miracle,” Brian Pottenger, a battalion chief for Coastside Fire Protection District/Cal Fire, said Monday.

First responders set up a rope system from the highway to lower firefighters down the cliff, Pottenger said.

At the same time, other firefighters using binoculars suddenly noticed movement from the mangled vehicle — and an incident that appeared to be a recovery of bodies turned to a frantic rescue operation amid rain, heavy winds and crashing waves.

The car’s doors were jammed shut, so firefighters were forced to cut the victims out of the wreckage using so-called “jaws of life” tools.

The children were pulled out of the back window and brought up the cliff by hand in a rescue basket using the rope system.

They were rushed to the hospital by ambulance with musculoskeletal injuries.

Their parents had traumatic injuries and had to be hoisted by a helicopter that flew them to the hospital, the battalion chief said.

In 2018, a woman intentionally drove off another Northern California cliff in an SUV with her wife and their six adopted kid, officials said. Everyone was killed.

South Asian doctor who drove Tesla off the cliff with his wife & 2 kids, arrested for attempted murders

Twin sisters born in diffent years

baby to be born at the hospital in 2023.

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“I love it,” the new mom told the outlet. “I think it is hilarious and just super fun.”

Identical Twins Welcome First Babies on Same Day, Hours Apart: ‘Just Feels Like It Was Supposed to Be’

The parents say they’re excited that the girls will get their own birthdays, something most twins don’t get to have.

“You always still want to make sure they have their own individual personality and know that they are special and unique,” their mom told the outlet. “One will always get the glitter and confetti of New Year’s Eve and one gets to kick it off with a brand-new year on New Year’s Day.”And

Suspect arrested in New Year’s Eve crash

Police are seeking witnesses to a crash and fleeing suspect in North Vancouver on New Year’s Eve. The black Land Rover that eventually struck a tree was first seen swerving near East 19th Street and Grand Boulevard around 7:30 p.m., RCMP said in a Thursday news release. When officers tried to pull it over however, the driver sped off, weaving dangerously. Officers determined it was too dangerous to pursue at the time, police said.

Shortly afterward, witnesses reported a black Land Rover had crashed into a tree by the Westview Drive on-ramp to Highway 1. Police said the driver had already fled by the time they arrived, but canine units and a helicopter helped track him a short distance away. The 61-year-old suspect from West Vancouver is now facing charges including refusal to provide a breath sample, flight from police and dangerous operation of a vehicle.

although Annie and Effie ended up arriving about a week and a half early, she added that “everything went really well.”

Twins Born at 22 Weeks Discharged from Hospital After Over 130 Days: ‘We Really Fought Together’ In a social media post, the mom said the girls “both came out healthy and happy and weighing 5.5 pounds.”

“Cliff and I are so proud to introduce Annie Jo and Effie Rose Scott!” she wrote alongside a series of sweet family photos, adding that they’re “just so excited for this adventure!”

Texas Health Systems also shared a celebratory message to the couple and the newborns. “Congratulations to the happy familyandournewyearsbabies!”theywrote.

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unidentified assailants. They allegedly barged into his home, after he returned from work and shot him dead. Gindru had earlier migrated to Canada while his wife and son were living in Philippines. However, he moved back to Manila a few years ago. His parents and brothers live in Moga’s Pakharwad village.

The attackers had not been identified, nor has the reason been found out why Kabaddi coach Gurpreet was shot dead by the assailants, as per a statement issued by the Manila police to the local media.

Former Kabbadi coach from Canada shot dead in Philippines

one of the world’s largest international news agencies.

She is the granddaughter of media tycoon Roy Thomson and became an heiress to the family fortune when he died.

She is known for her roots in activism, so much so that Bloomberg’s fun fact about her is that she chained herself in the House of Commons to protest Canada’s strict abortion laws in the 70s.

Since then, she opened a Thai restaurant and spa called the Elmwood and has dabbled in real estate, oil and gas, and aviation Woodbridge is based in Ontario and owns two-thirds of the financial data and services provided by Thomson Reuters, which had revenue of $6.3 billion in 2021.

Brydson owns about 23% of Woodbridge’s assets, and her relatives own the rest, according to Bloomberg. million troy ounces of gold and is 192, 234 times the median US household income.

Making the billionaire index is a family affair.

David Thomson, Taylor Thomson and Peter Thomson all made the list, claiming spots 234, 235 and 236, respectively.

Last year, Changpeng Zhao, CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, cracked the top 20, ranking as the 11th richest person on Earth..

Canadians in Mexico advised to take shelter as cartel violence breaks out Canadians in Mexico are being told to limit their movements and shelter in place after violence broke out in the country’s northwest Thursday following the arrest of a notorious alleged cartel leader and drug trafficker.

The federal government’s updated travel notice for the country notes “widespread violence and security operations” in Sinaloa state, particularly in Culiacan, Mazatlan, Los Mochis and Guasave.

The advisory says the Culiacan and Mazatlan airports are closed and all flights have been suspended at the Los Mochis airport until further notice. Burning cars, gunfire and threats to essential infrastructure have been reported in the affected areas, officials added.

In a statement to Global News, Global Affairs Canada said it is “aware of Canadians affected by these events” and is providing consular services.

The violence was unleashed after Mexican security forces arrested Ovidio Guzman, a son of jailed Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, in a pre-dawn raid. Officials said Thursday that Ovidio Guzman was involved in all of the cartel’s activities, especially the production of fentanyl that has flowed into the U.S. The cartel is one of the world’s most powerful narcotics trafficking organizations.

Business-woman is Canada’s wealthiest

Ottawa man charged for terrorist threats against Parliament Hill & embassies

A specialized police team has arrested a 19-year-old Ottawa man, alleging he threatened Parliament Hill, a federal department and two embassies in November.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a Tuesday news release an Integrated National Security Enforcement Team learned of Twitter threats Nov. 8 against the Hill, the Department of Defence and the American and Chinese embassies.

The man has been charged with four counts

each of conveying a terrorist hoax, threatening death or bodily harm to a person and threatening to burn, destroy and damage property.

He has been released on unspecified conditions and is scheduled to appear back in court on Jan. 18.

The team that led the investigation and arrest is made up of RCMP, provincial and local police and federal agencies, with the goal of collecting and analyzing information about extremist and national security threats.

Vancouver police identify homicide victim in early November stabbing

Vancouver police have named 37-yearold Zhuowen Gong as the victim in a fatal stabbing on Nov. 2, 2022.

Officers were called to Renfrew and Gravely streets around 9:45 p.m. after reports a man had been stabbed. Gong was rushed to the hospital but later died from his injuries, police said.

No arrests have been made and police have not provided any information regarding a suspect. “It is unknown at this time what the motive was

for this stabbing, and whether this was a random or targeted incident,” Const. Tania Visintin with the Vancouver police said in a release.

“Until we know more, we’re encouraging people to be extra vigilant.”

Anyone with dashcam footage in the area of Graveley and Renfrew between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 2, or anyone with information that could assist investigators, is asked to call the Vancouver police homicide unit at 604-717-2500.

Mom of Surrey man gunned down in Abbotsford ‘disgusted’ with plea agreements

The mom of a man who was shot to death in Abbotsford in 2017 says she is disgusted with the justice system after the three men responsible recently pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Alex Blanarou, 24, of Surrey was killed Dec. 28, 2017 in the 5300 block of Bates Road, and investigators found his body in a blueberry field.

Edrick Raju and Islam Nagem were initially charged with first-degree murder, while Michael Schweiger was charged with second-degree murder. But Raju and Nagem each recently pleaded

guilty to manslaughter with a firearm, and Raju also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. Schweiger pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to manslaughter. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for January and February.

Blanarou’s mom, Marina Sokolovskaia of South Surrey, said the plea agreements are unacceptable.

“My son was brutally murdered in cold blood. I was preparing his body to put him in a casket, and there were seven bullet holes in his body … That is not manslaughter,” she said.

BC will decriminalize the possession of some drugs later this month

Later this month, the BC government will begin a three-year program to decriminalize the possession of some drugs. The BC government says decriminalizing drugs is a “crucial step” in the fight against the toxic drug crisis in the province, which has led to the loss of countless lives over the last few years.

“It will help reduce the barriers and stigma that prevent people from accessing life-saving supports and services. Substance use is a public health matter, not a criminal justice issue.”

The move makes BC the first province to decriminalize small amounts of controlled drugs. As of January 31, the province will be able to decriminalize certain drugs thanks to an exemption Health Canada has granted from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to the Province of BC. BC calls it a “time-limited exemption,” set to expire on January 31, 2026.

How it will work in practice is anyone 18 or older will not be arrested or charged for possessing small amounts of certain illegal drugs for personal use.

The total amount has to be equal to or less than 2.5 grams. The exemption covers the following drugs: Opioids like heroin, fentanyl and morphine Crack and powder cocaine - Meth MDMA (Ecstasy) Adults who are found with a combination of any of these drugs that add up to reach a combined total of 2.5 grams won’t be subject to criminal charges,

nor will their drugs be seized.

Instead, they’ll be offered information about health and social supports, including treatment and recovery services if requested. Anyone 18 and over caught with more than 2.5 grams of these drugs will not fall under the new decriminalization rules. Furthermore, possessing any amount of drugs not listed in the exemption will still be criminal. “Decriminalization is not legalization. Under this exemption, illegal drugs (including those listed in the exemption) will not be legalized and will not be sold in stores. Drug trafficking will remain illegal, regardless of the amount of drug(s) in possession,” says the BC government.

Other exceptions to this new program include being caught with any amount of these drugs on elementary or secondary school grounds or at licensed child-care facilities, airports, or Canadian Coast Guard vessels.

Illegal drug use will continue to be prohibited on private property or at places like malls, bars and cafes.

“Police will retain legal authority to remove people from these premises under the authority of the Trespass Act if open drug use is occurring against the wishes of the owner.” However, even those who are removed from these locations will not be subject to federal criminal charges as long as they fall within the confines of the exemption, which means possessing only up to 2.5 grams of the illegal drugs mentioned.

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The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says December home sales amounted to almost half those seen a year ago as the area closed out 2022 with a “marked adjustment” away from 2021’s record levels.

The Ontario board revealed Thursday that home sales in the final month of 2022 totalled 3,117 sales, down 48.2 per cent compared with December 2021, when the market moved at a torrid pace as COVID-19 scuttled holiday plans.

Last month’s sales figure was a 31 per cent drop from November 2022 and contributed to the market’s 75,140 sales across the entire year — a 38.2 per cent fall compared with the 2021 record of 121,639.

Housing market decline continues as Toronto home sales drop 49% from year ago

Abbotsford mother Chelsey Lea Gauthier was stabbed to death in 2017 and found in a shallow grave in an isolated wooded area of Mission, B.C., according to the findings in a coroner’s report released Wednesday.

The Oct. 11, 2022 report from coroner Lori Moen said an autopsy determined Chelsey died from a stab wound to the torso, and classified her death as a homicide.

“It’s gut-wrenching,” said Chelsey’s father Ray Gauthier, who raised Chelsey as a single dad and was notified of the coroner’s findings late last year.

“It’s very hard to deal with this right now,” he told Global News in an interview.

year: TRREB

Paul Baron, TRREB’s president, attributed the slump, which began in the spring of 2022, to “aggressive” Bank of Canada interest rate hikes that he said further hampered housing affordability. The country’s interest rate was repeatedly hiked through 2022 and now sits at 4.25 per cent _ the highest it’s been since January 2008.

The hikes, which tend to spur mortgage rate increases, have weighed on buying power and forced many to rethink their housing decisions.

Last month’s new listings totalled 4,074, down 21.3 per cent compared with 5,177 in December 2021.

Potential buyers sat on the sidelines of the market for much of the second half of 2022 awaiting further price declines, while sellers

The report said the 22-year-old, who was a mother to two young girls, was last known to be alive in the evening hours of July 27, 2017 near the area where her body was eventually recovered.

Abbotsford police searched for Chelsey after she was reported missing on July 30, 2017, and the investigation led them to a remote area of Mission near Sylvester Road, where her body was discovered on Aug. 16. Chelsey’s death was reported to the BC Coroners Service, and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) took conduct of the case, working to identify her killer over the next five years.

Canada sets new immigration record

Canada set a new immigration record in 2022 with more than 430,000 permanent residents arriving in the country.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in news release on Tuesday that the federal government has reached its goal of welcoming 431,645 new permanent residents in 2022. Ottawa beat its previous record set in 2021, when Canada welcomed more than 401,000 new permanent residents.

The previous immigration record was set in 1913, when Canada welcomed more than 400,000 newcomers, Statistics Canada data shows.

“Today marks an important milestone for Canada, setting a new record for newcomers welcomed in a single year. It is a testament to the strength and resilience of our country and its people,” Fraser said in the release. “Newcomers play an essential role in filling labour shortages, bringing new perspectives and talents to our communities, and enriching our society as a whole. I am excited to see what the future holds and look forward to another historic year in 2023 as we continue to welcome newcomers.”

BC real estate market not expected to recover until 2024

The depressed housing market trends that emerged in 2022 will continue into 2023 and a recovery is not expected until next year.

According to a new housing market forecast by Central 1, high interest rates are still having a downward effect on housing demand in British Columbia. Slower growth in the economy, higher debt loads, and inflation will continue to reduce the purchasing power of prospective homebuyers.

Home prices are expected to further drop through the first half of 2023, before stabilizing in the middle of the year from the expected easing of mortgage rates and recordbreaking immigration. Employment levels will weaken from the economic slowdown, but remain relatively strong as a result from a slowdown in hiring rather than significant

job cuts. BC’s unemployment rate is currently hovering at 4%. Based on land title transfers, the number of housing resales will fall by 10% in 2023, following a 28% drop in 2022.

The correction is particularly pronounced in the Fraser Valley, where substantial home price gains earlier in the pandemic have largely been erased, returning to levels earlier in 2020. The Fraser Valley’s ascent was driven by low interest rates, comparably lower prices to Metro Vancouver, and the emergence of remote work.

Sales are forecast to increase by 10.7% in 2024 and 12.5% in 2025 from stronger demand, with urban areas expected to lead recovery due to higher immigration. Overall home prices are expected to see a downward trend toward 2020 levels.

Coroner’s report reveals mother of 2 fatally stabbed, found in shallow grave

December home sales down 48% from last

with 430K newcomers in 2022

19 cases in B.C. hospitals fall, test positivity up throughout province

The number of COVID-19 cases in B.C. hospitals has fallen since last week, but test positivity continues to trend upward province-wide, according to the latest B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) data.

As of Jan. 5, there were 356 positive cases in hospital, down from 386 on Friday. The number of cases in critical care also fell from 34 to 25.

The province’s hospitalization model counts all cases in hospitals, regardless of the patient’s initial reason for admission.

At least 12 cases of XBB 1.5 COVID-19 subvariant now confirmed in B.C.

While hospitalizations were down, data up to Dec. 31 showed the percentage of lab tests returning positive results climbing to double-digits in all B.C. health regions.

Throughout the pro ince, the seven-day average for test positivity sat at 14.5 per cent to end December, up from 9.8 per cent on Dec. 3.

The Vancouver Coastal Health region returned the highest percentage of positive cases, at 16.4 per cent, followed by Fraser Health at 14.3 per cent.

Lab testing, however, remains severely restricted in B.C., focusing on the

most high-risk groups. For the week ending Dec. 31, British Columbia performed fewer than 5,900 lab tests.

The BCCDC offered no update on the XBB 1.5 variant Thursday. As of Wednesday, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said 12 cases had been confirmed in the province, but admitted the number was likely significantly higher.

For the week ending Dec. 31, the BCCDC reported 123 hospital admissions.

This figure is preliminary and typically increased by more than 20 per cent the following week. However, BCCDC data shows the seven-day average for new hospital admissions steadily declining across the month of December.

The BCCDC reported just 13 new deaths for the week ending Dec. 31, though this figure, too, comes with multiple caveats.

Like hospital admissions, the number is typically revised upward the following week. However, B.C.’s fatality model counts all deaths that occur within 30 days of

By the end of 2022, work on the $11.2 billion Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline across northern B.C. was 81.2 per cent complete, according to information released by pipeline owner TC Energy.

The construction portion of the overall project was 77.8 per cent as of the December update. As of Nov. 30, roughly 6,120 workers were employed along the 670-km pipeline route from the Wilde Lake Compressor Station, west of Dawson Creek, to LNG Canada’s liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminal under construction in Kitimat.

“To date, our team has installed nearly 490 km of pipe across the 670-kilometer route, and steady progress is made each day,” an update issued by TC Energy in late December said. “This year, we also safely and successfully completed 9 out of 10 major watercourse crossings.”

As of the December update, pipeline installation was complete in two of the project’s eight sections: Section 1 from west of Dawson Creek to South of Chetwynd, and Section 4 from north of Prince George to northwest of Vanderhoof.

On Section 3, from east of McLeod Lake to north of Prince George, 83.2 per cent

of grading and 64.6 per cent of pipeline installation was complete. Roughly 1,164 workers were based at Parsnip Lodge, located northeast of Bear Lake. Construction was least advanced in Section 7 of the project, where only 67.6 per cent of grading and 32.4 per cent of pipeline installation was complete, as of the December update. Section 7 is the 77 km stretch from south of Houston to north of Morice Lake, where a work camp was attacked in February and Wet’suwet’en First Nation hereditary chiefs and their supporters have engaged in blockades.

In November, TC Energy announced that cost pressures had driven the expected pricetag of the project to $11.2 billion, up from earlier estimates of $6.6 billion.

“This year has been full of many milestone achievements, and it’s all thanks to the support of the Indigenous and local communities along the project route,” the TC Energy update said. “We look forward to continuing to build this extraordinary legacy with you as we enter the final year of construction in 2023.”

Construction of phase 1 of LNG Canada’s $40 billion export terminal was 70 per cent complete in late September, and was not expected to start shipping for another two or three years.

Here are a few changes that consumers can expect in 2023. It’s time to ring in a New Year in B.C., and with it some new costs that could affect how people budget. Residents should brace themselves for higher grocery and electricity bills.

Grocery bills expected to continue to climb

It’s frightening to think food prices will go up more than they are now. However, according to the latest Canada’s Food Price report, food prices are expected to rise up to seven per cent more in 2023, with vegetable prices seeing the biggest increases of six to eight per cent. “We were hoping to have better news for Canadians, given the difficulties experienced in 2022, but our models tell us a different story,” said the report, complied by four Canadian universities from Halifax to Vancouver. The report calculates that the annual food expenditure for a family of four will hit $16,288 in 2023, an increase of $1,065 from this year. Canadians will continue to struggle with food security as grocery prices rise, the report said.

Electricity bills likely up, too This year, rates decreased 1.4 per cent, however in 2023 B.C. Hydro has requested a rate increase of two per cent, followed by a rate increase of 2.7 per cent in 2024. B.C. Hydro says the increase will cover important reliability investments, cybersecurity, vegetation management and new projects. While rates will likely jump, B.C. Hydro customers did get a onetime, $100 credit, paid out on their first bill after Dec. 4. Commercial ratepayers, including small and medium businesses, such as restaurants and tourism operators, received a one-time bill credit for an average of $500. The precise amount is based on electricity consumption.

B.C. Ferries fees to go up Every four years, the B.C. Ferries Commissioner sets annual price caps. B.C. Ferries plans to implement the approved tariff increases of 2.3 per cent on average across the fleet on April 1, 2023. Some fare types may be

slightly higher and some lower than the average. Home prices expected to drop A report by TD Bank earlier this year suggested the average price of a home in Canada could fall 20 to 25 per cent in the first quarter of 2023.

TD economist Rishi Sondhi says the projected price drop represents an unprecedented decline at least going as far back as the late 1980s, when the data began, but it follows an unequally unprecedented rise during the pandemic. Rent will likely increase The B.C. government has said the 2023 maximum increase for residential rent will be two per cent. If your landlord is going to increase your rent, he or she must give you no less than three months notice before the fee hike takes effect. File photo: A man walks along the path around Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park on a beautiful sunny morning.

Parking fees to go up at Stanley Park The Vancouver park board has voted in favour of increasing parking fees in Stanley Park by nine per cent per hour, six per cent per day and 10 per cent for special events.

Minimum wage stays the same The minimum wage in B.C. is $15.65 per hour. There are no plans to increase it this year.

Daycare fees will drop Provincial and federal ministers announced last month new subsidies that will apply to 96,000 children across B.C.

The amount parents can expect to save varies based on age and type of child care. The maximum is $550 a month in savings for the care of an infant/toddler under three years old at licensed group daycares; $445 a month for children between three and five years old; and $220 a month for after school care for kids in kindergarten.

Cap on food delivery fees

Canada’s first permanent cap on fees charged to restaurants by food-delivery companies will go into effect in B.C. on Jan. 1.

The owners of a Toronto home, who were out of town on a business trip, discovered that someone had impersonated them and sold their

property without their consent, police allege. Investigators have now released images of a man and a woman they say are involved in the fraudulent sale of the property.

Toronto homeowners who were out of town discover their property was fraudulently sold: police

Here’s what will cost more — or less — in B.C. in 2023

since 2014 and was featured by Forbes Asia in their 30 Under 30 list of 2016.

Pushpa: The Rise

Pushpa: The Rise was released in India. It became a massive success at the box office. Released as a pan-Indian film, the movie became a national phenomenon with its dialogues, songs and Allu Arjun’s signature step from the song Srivalli trending for months. The movie later started streaming on Amazon Prime Video and met with a great reception there as well. But the movie did not just shatter box office records in India, but abroad as well. Reportedly, Pushpa: The Rise has done record-breaking business in Russia.

Pushpa: The Rise was released in Russia on December 8, and is still running on more than 774 screens in the country. The movie has reportedly minted over 10 million Rubles in 25 days at the Russian box office, which amounts to Rs 13 crore in Indian currency. This makes the movie the highest-grossing South Indian movie in Russia, overtaking Baahubali 2.

Pushpa: The Rise – Part 01 is a 2021 Indian Telugu-language action drama filmwritten and directed by Sukumar. It stars Allu Arjun as the titular character alongside Fahadh Faasil (his Telugu debut), and Rashmika Mandanna while Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari, Sunil, Rao Ramesh, Dhananjaya, Anasuya Bharadwaj,

Ajay and Ajay Ghosh play supporting roles. It is produced by Mythri Movie Makers in association with Muttamsetty Media. The first of two cinematic parts, the film depicts the rise of a low wage laborer in the smuggling syndicate of red sandalwood, a rare wood that grows only in the

Seshachalam Hills of Andhra Pradesh state. Devi Sri Prasad composed the film’s score and soundtrack while the cinematography and editing are performed by Miroslaw Kuba Brozek and Karthika Srinivas–Ruben respectively. The film began its production in December 2019 but was halted in March 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming resumed in November 2020 and ended in November 2021, predominantly taking place at the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad and Maredumilli forest in Andhra Pradesh.

Pushpa: The Rise was released on 17 December 2021. The film received generally

I love SRK and intend to watch Pathaan, says Vidya

She came, she smiled and she conquered! Vidya Balan took Kolkata by storm at a conference attended by medical professionals from all over the country. Looking stunning in a magenta silk sari with jhumkas and a bindi, the actress preferred to speak in Bangla as much as possible. “Kemon acho sobai? Ami shobaike bhalobashi. Ekhane eshe ami eto bhalo basha pai tar jonye onek dhonyobad, bhalobasha ar ador,” she said with a big smile about the love and affection she has always received from Kolkata. Conitnued Vidya, “I have a special connection with this warm city and I look forward to any reason to come to Kolkata.” When asked if she would watch SRK and Deepika Padukone’s controversial film, Vidya took a second to say, “Yes, for sure! I love Shah Rukh Khan, I am going to watch the film.” But what does has to say about the controversy? “Sorry, I am not aware of any controversy. I think I live under a cave,” said Vidya. The buzz is Vidya will do a biopic on Usha Uthup. But the Sherni actress denied it. “Na, na,

na! I would be more than happy to do it but I don’t think it is happening as I have not been offered anything yet. But I love Usha Uthup,” said the actress with a smile.

When asked when will the audience get to see her on the big screen the actress shared, “This year two films, Neeyat and Lovers are going to release but I am not sure about the dates.”

Community news

Bingo on the House at Shanti Niketan hall on January 8. 2023 (Sunday) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shant Niketan hall.

In Person Yoga classes on Every

Monday & Every Thursday from 10.00 am to 11.15 am. Pure Vegetarian Lunch on Thursdays after the Yoga session at Dining hall.

For more info call: 604 - 507 - 9945

Shraddha Kapoor was born on March 3, 1987 an actress who primarily works in Hindi films. One of India’s highestpaid actresses, she has been featured in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list

Shraddha Kapoor

Kalyanji - Anandji

Kalyanji–Anandji are great Indian composers of their era. The duo: Kalyanji Virji Shah was born on June 30, 1928 – and died on August 24, 2000) and his brother Anandji Virji Shah was born 2 March 1933. Kalyanji & Ananji are known for their musical work in Hindi cinema and films’ playback song, music and soundtracks, with many evergreen songs composed by them.

Some of their wok from Saraswatichandra, Bairaag, Don, Qurbani, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Laawaris (film), Tridev, Safar, etc. They won the 1975 Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for Kora Kagaz. Working with famou playback singer, such as: Mohammed Rafi:

The duo composed many songs for Mohd Rafi. At their initial stage as music director, Mohd Rafi was their first choice of singer. They made numerous popular song with him. All songs of Jab Jab Phool Khile were a huge hit and catapulted them to fame and there was no looking back after that. Besides Jab Jab Phool Khile, there were many popular song with Mohd Rafi from films like Qurbani (Kya Dekhte Ho), Bluff Master (Govinda Ala Re Ala), Raaz ( Akele Hain Chehle Aao), Sacha Jhutha (Yuhi Tum Mujhse Baat Karti Hoo), Maryada (Tum Bhi Aja Ke), Haat Ki Safai (Vadaa Karle Sajna), Gopi (Sukh Ki Hai Saab Sathie), Qatilon Ka Qatil ( Yeh To Allah Ko Khabar & Oh Mere Chorni), Geet (Aja Tujh Ko Pukare Mere Geet) & Bairaag (Sare Shaher Mein App Sa) to named a few of the popular song. In the film, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar where most song was playbacked by Kishore Kumar, they used Mohd Rafi to sing Kishore Kumar Rote Hua Ate Saab some lines on the sad version of the song. The collaboration of Kalyanji & Anandji with Mohd Rafi created everlasting songs in a very unique style.

Lata Mangeshkar: The duo composed 326 songs for Lata Mangeshkar in their career-24 under the name Kalyanji Veerji Shah and 302 under the name Kalyanji–Anandji-, the 4th highest number songs composed by any composer for Lataji’s career after Laxmikant-Pyarelal (712),Shankar–Jaikishan (453) and Rahul Dev Burman (331).Their association with the singer goes back to 1954, when Kalyanji played the famous ‘been’ tune in Lata Mangeshkar’s numbers like ‘Man Dole Mera Tan Dole’ in the movie Nagin (1954). Lata’s influence on their music in the initial years can be gauged from the fact that in their first musical score Samrat Chandragupt (1958),Lataji was the only female playback singer, having sung 8 out of 8 numbers in the movie. However, since 1979 they started using Lata mangeshkar’s voice very sparingly, even though they kept on offering songs to other senior singers like Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. Since 1980s Lata’s voice could only be heard in their scores like Bombay 405 Miles (1980), Katilon Ke Kaatil (1981),Khoon Ka Rishtaa (1981),Log Kya Kahenge (1982), Raaj Mahal (1982),Vidhaata(1982),Yudh (1985),Pighalta Aasman (1985),Mangal Dada (1986),Kalyug Aur Ramayan (1987),Desh Drohi (1988),Galiyon Ka Baadshah (1989) and Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzilen (1994). Among these,Kalyug Aur Ramayan and Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzilen had been in the making since long, especially the second one which was in the making since 1966, its music having been released in 1968 itself. Kishore Kumar: The duo composed many songs for Kishore Kumar. Their superhit songs with Kishore Kumar

included “Zindagi ka safar” from Safar (1970), “O Saathi Re” from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), “Mera Jeevan Kora Kagaz” from Kora Kagaz (1974), Jeevan Se Bhari Teri Aankhe “ from Safar (1970), “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” from Blackmail (1974), “neele neele ambar par “ from Kalakaar (1985), “samjhauta gamon se kar lo” from Samjhauta (1973), “Apne jeevan ki ulzan ko” from Uljhan (1975) and the chart buster qawwali “Qurbani Qurbani Qurbani” from Qurbani(1980). Asha Bhosle: The duo composed 297 songs for Asha as well. Their well known songs with Asha is led by all-time hit “Yeh Mera Dil” from Don (1978). It earned Asha’s 7th and last Filmfare Award as best singer. It was copied by world’s leading band Black Eyed Peas in 1990 and their song earned Grammy Award.[citation needed] BEP’s song included another K-A Bhosle number, “Aye Naujawan”.[citation needed] Their other hits with Asha includes “Kya Dekhte Ho” from Qurbani (1978) Aaiye aapka tha hamein intzar (Mahal-1969), Husn ke laakhon rang (Johny mera naam-1970) “O Saathi Re” from Muqaddar Ka Siqandar (1978)

Manna Dey: The duo composed the great number “kasme vaade pyar wafa ke “ in Manna Dey’s voice in “Upkar” ( 1968) and the chart buster qawwali “Yari hai imman Mera” from Zanjeer ( 1973) Mukesh: The duo composed many heart touching melodies in the voice of Mukesh like “ chandsi mehboba ho meri aia maine socha tha ha tum bilkul wais ho jaisa maine socha tha “, “ hum chodel hai mehfil ko yaad aa ye kisi ko mat rona “, “koi jab tumhara hriday tod de “ , “ kya khoob lagthi ho , badi sundar dikhthi ho “,”jo tumko ho pasand wohi baat kahenge”.etc. Mahendra Kapoor: They also composed many memorable songs for Mahendra Kapoor, “Mere Desh Ki Dharti sona ugle ugle heere moti” in Upkaar, and the unique song “Ek tara bole to tum kya kahe” “Twinkle Twinkle little star” in Purab Aur Pacham and “O Shanker mere” from Bairaag. Mahendra Kapoor has been the preferred playback singer of Kalyanji Anandji giving numerous hit songs. Filmfare Award – 1974 – Kora Kagaz First Platinum Disc by HMV – Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) Cine Music Directors Award – 1965 – Himalay Ki God Mein First National Award – 1968 – Saraswatichandra 1st Platinum Disc by Polydor – Qurbani (1980) IMPPA Award – 1992 – For Contribution to Films Padma Shri by the Government of India – For Outstanding Contribution IIFA Award (South Africa) – 2003 –Lifetime Achievement Award Sahara Parivar Award (United Kingdom) – 2004 – Lifetime Achievement Award BMI Award (United States) – 2006 – For Grammy Award-winning rap song “Don’t Phunk

Protest against SRK-Deepika Padukone’s film ‘Pathaan’

Disturbance seen at Alpha One Mall in Ahmedabad during a promotional event for SRK’s film “Pathaan.” The protesters, tearing down the pictures of SRK & Deepika, also threatening further demonstrations if the film is released. The protesters demonstrated with their slogans and damaging property as well, including tearing down posters and cut-outs of the film’s cast.

“Pathaan” has already faced controversy about its song “Besharam Rang.” The protesters on Wednesday created a ruckus at a mall in Ahemdabad and tore up posters and other publicity material of the upcoming film “Pathaan” starring Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham and Deepika Padukone. The mall also houses a multiplex. Vastrapur police rushed to the spot and detained five activists, said inspector police. They were released later, he said.

One of Bollywood’s most loved actresses, Deepika Padukone, is currently busy with her highlyanticipated movie Pathaan. The film is said to be an action thriller. It is helmed by Siddharth Anand and stars Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. The film will mark SRK’s return to the silver screen after his 2018. So King Khan’s fans are excited to know every little detail of the movie. The cast’s remuneration for the movie is the most-talked-about topic among movie-goers currently.

Deepika, who is playing the female lead in the movie, reportedly charged over Rs 15 crore for Pathaan. With this, the Om Shanti Om actress becomes the highest-paid Indian actress in 2022, according to IMDb’s latest report, which mentions her remuneration as Rs 15 to 30 crore per movie.

On the other hand, Shah Rukh Khan is also reported to be getting a huge remuneration for the film. For this film, SRK is reportedly

How much Deepika charged for ‘Pathaan’

One of the best music composers of India cimema

Muhammed Rafi singing while Kalyanji, Anandji focus at the composition

Record number of condos to flood Toronto market in 2023

A record number of new condo units will be completed in Toronto in 2023, just as skyrocketing mortgage rates make it harder for investors to close on their properties.

Nearly 32,000 condos will hit the city and surrounding suburbs, according to data from condo research firm Urbanation Inc. That surpasses the previous high in 2020, when 22,473 units were completed.

The raft of units are coming on the market after jumps in interest rates have ramped up borrowing costs and led to a drop in real estate sales and home prices. Now, many buyers are having problems qualifying for a mortgage, with five-year interest rates topping 5 per cent. As well, lenders are appraising units at lower prices, meaning that the buyer has to come up with extra funds to make up the

difference between the smaller mortgage for a unit, based on the lower appraised price, and what the buyer agreed to pay. Preconstruction condos, which have not yet been built, are mostly bought by investors who plan to rent their units and/or profit from a resale. To secure a preconstruction condo, a 20-per-cent down payment is required. After the condo has

been built, the buyer is required to pay the remaining 80 per cent. “Investors could be looking to exit before they have to close on the unit and they may face difficulties qualifying for a mortgage given what’s happening with interest rates,” Urbanation president Shaun Hildebrand said. Where could mortgage ratesfixed and variable - head in 2023?

Firms fined for 30-foot fall risks at two Tri-Cities housing projects

B.C.’s workplace watchdog recently fined two construction companies for exposing significant fall risks at a pair of Tri-Cities housing projects. Both incidents presented a potential fall of 30 feet with no firm protection system in place to keep its employees safe, according to WorkSafeBC. The combined violation total: $7,500. This included a $5,000 ticket against Ace Roofing Ltd. while the business was applying steep slope roofing to a three-storey house in Coquitlam. WorkSafeBC’s report explained the firm had a supervisor and a crew member working

on a second-floor balcony, as well as a third employee was on a 6:12 sloped roof.

6:12 = The roof rises six inches for every foot inward towards the peak.

The agency added the people involved were not connected to lifelines in each location despite wearing fall protection harnesses, causing a high-risk situation.

“The firm failed to ensure fall protection was used, and failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety,” WorkSafeBC stated, noting these were repeated violations.

“The firm also failed to have a written fall protection plan in place for the workplace.”

Ace Roofing was issued the fine on Oct. 13.

Meanwhile, another company dealt with a high-risk violation at a Port Coquitlam home construction site that could’ve seen employees fall nearly 30 feet to the ground.

Dhaliwal Framing Ltd. was fined $2,500 after exposing its workers to the height with no fall protection system in place.

The business was installing trusses and sheathing at a two-storey house when WorkSafeBC inspectors noticed workers on a 4:12 sloped roof.

Its report said did not indicate if any harnesses were in place, but there was no written plan “as required” for fall protection.

The ticket was imposed on Oct. 25 for Dhaliwal Framing

How much is your home worth? BC property assessments updated

The B.C. Assessment Authority has updated its website allowing homeowners to see what the value of their home was as of July 1, 2022. The catch is that the reported value is likely higher than the value today, because the property market has retreated over the past six months due to rising interest rates. he authority will be releasing full details of property value increases across the province on Jan. 4.

To check your home’s value, go to bcassessment.ca and search under the address.

The updated assessments arrive after a big year in real estate between July 2020 and July 2021 in which house prices across Canada jumped 34 per cent.

This growth continued from July 2021 through the start of 2022. But as inflation began to take hold, the government responded by raising interest rates, which has dampened the housing market.

As a result, B.C. Assessment has advised homeowners that the value of their property as of July 2022 could be different from the reality of the current housing market. “Most homeowners around the province can generally

expect about a five to 15 per cent rise in assessment values when they receive their notices in early January,” said assessor Bryan Murao last month. “I want to emphasize that assessments are based on July 1 values of this year, meaning that when similar properties were sold up to and around July 1, those market value sales are used to calculate your assessed value.”

“Since July 1, we know that the real estate market has changed as interest rates continue to rise and overall sales volume has declined,” adds Murao. “As a result, your next property assessment will likely be higher than what the current market value might be, but that will be the same for everyone.”

Jeff Tisdale, the CEO of Landcor Data Corporation, says sales data shows the B.C. real estate market hit a “consensus peak” in March 2022 and has been sliding — both in number of sales and prices — since the assessments were done in July.

Housing market is very slow. For example, according to Zealty.ca, there were only four detached homes sold in Vancouver over the past week and all went for less than asking price.

BC housing minister calls on Ottawa to tie housing funding to immigrant arrivals

B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon is calling on Ottawa to tie housing funding directly to the number of immigrants moving to each province.

On Tuesday, the federal government announced a record 431,645 permanent residents immigrated to Canada last year.

Other than Quebec, the provinces have little control of how many new immigrants arrive in a province and what areas of the province they move to. A significant increase in needed immigration has put additional pressure on housing and healthcare.

“The time has come for the federal government to actually tie immigration numbers to affordable housing targets and as well as new housing starts so we can

ensure the people here have the supports for healthcare and housing, and new immigrants are supported as well,” Kahlon said.

“We know how big a challenge this is in communities across the province.”

The federal government currently does not provide specific financial support to provinces based on how many people arrive in a province.

Ottawa is targeting 465,000 new immigrants in 2023, 485,000 new arrivals in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025.

British Columbia is not just dealing with new immigrants, but a surge in temporary visitors and migration from other provinces.

The temporary visitors include international students and temporary foreign workers.

We all know real estate in Vancouver is expensive, but how expensive can it get – really? BC Assessment just shared its latest numbers, and — spoiler alert — there’s a lot of expensive real estate in the province. The most expensive properties went up in value to the tune of millions, including Chip Wilson‘s infamous property in Kitsilano. In total, there is $2.72 trillion in real estate in the province, according to BC Assessment. Except for one acreage on James Island, all of the most expensive places in BC are in Vancouver. Let’s take a look at the priciest properties in the province:1. 3085 Point Grey Road 2023 value: $74,089,000 2022 value: $73,147,000 Lululemon founder Chip Wilson’s iconic waterfront property continues to be the most expensive house in the province. From 2022 to 2023, he saw a modest increase in home value of $94,200. 2. 4707 Belmont Avenue Google Maps/BC Assessment

The most expensive real estate in the province

2023 value: $66,964,000

2022 value: $64,600,000 On Belmont Avenue, there are multiple homes, often right next door to each other, that all made it on the most-expensive list. 3. James Island 2023 value: $61,239,000

2022 value: $54,716,000 This uniquely shaped island is classified as an average on BC Assessment. There’s apparently one home on it, built in 2008, and the building itself is worth almost $10 million. 4. 4743 Belmont Avenue BC Assessment 2023 value: $42,257,000 2022 value: $40,913,000 Curious to see inside? Read more: Point Grey mansion sells for new record Metro Vancouver price (PHOTOS)

5. 4719 Belmont Avenue 2023 value: $40,716,000 2022 value: $39,912,000 It was a good year for property values on Belmont Avenue to go up, apparently, as this home

saw a decently sized increase. Of course, it’s mostly the land value that makes up this $40 million dollar figure, as the buildings are worth $11,289,000, according to BC Assessment.

6. 2815 Point Grey Road BC Assessment 2023 value: $39,423,00 2022 value: $38,267,000 Located right by a park with breathtaking ocean views, this home was built in 1962. While the house itself is worth not even $1.5 million, the property it’s sitting on is worth nearly $40 million.

7. 4838 Belmont Avenue BC Assessment 2023 value: $38,969,000 2022 value: $18,914,000 Another home on illustrious Belmont Avenue, this one shot up $20 million in value year over year, possibly due to a new build, as BC Assessment’s photo of the property looks like a construction site. 8. 1450 Blanca Street BC Assessment 2023 value: $38,095,000

2022 value: $20,932,000 This property is just around the corner from the other ultra-expensive homes on nearby Belmont Avenue. It must have been rebuilt or had major work done because it shot up in value by nearly $18 million in the last year.

9. 4773 Belmont Avenue

Google Maps/BC Assessment 2023 value: $35,539,000

2022 value: $35,078,000 The value of this home went up almost half a million dollars in the last year. The final Belmont Avenue home on the list has five bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

10. 2999 Point Grey Road

Google Maps/BC Assessment 2023 value: $35,356,000

2022 value: $33,846,000 The final home on our list seems fairly modest from the front, but it opens out to the ocean in Kitsilano. Built in 2011, it has just three bedrooms according to BC Assessment.

Highest assessed value properties found in Thompson, Okanagan

Luxury real estate in the Okanagan got a little more exclusive with the highest assessed properties seeing some significant gains in the annual BC Assessment roll.

In the Thompson Okanagan, the most expensive home can be found at 12990 Pixton Rd. in Lake Country. The nearly palatial estate is assessed at a cool $17.3 million, which is a year-over-year increase of nearly $4 million.

Next up on the list is 4358 Hobson Rd., a home known by locals as the rock house. It’s assessed at $14.6 million, which is up $600,000 from a year earlier, when it was valued at $14 million.

The most expensive homes in the Thompson Okanagan can be found in the Central Okanagan.

The most expensive homes in the Thompson Okanagan can be found in the Central Okanagan.

Courtesy: BC Assessment

In the same neighbourhood, 4364 Hobson Rd. was the third most expensive assessment, coming in at $13,541,000. Rounding out the top five is a home at 4800 Lakeshore Rd. valued at $13.3 million and a property at 18250 Juniper Cove Rd. in Lake Country valued at $12.7 million.

The highest assessed home in the North Okanagan is at 8200 Kalavista Dr. in Coldstream, with a price of $7.5 million, and in the South Okanagan, the

most expensive home is at 903 Dent St. in Summerland. It’s valued at $5.2 million. While the Central Okanagan is where the highest value properties can be found in the Thompson Okanagan, nothing in this market cracks the province’s top 100.

In fact, for B.C., the 12990 Pixton Rd. home is only the 156th most expensive, 4358 Hobson Rd. is the 297th, 4364 Hobson Rd. is the 374th, 4800 Lakeshore Rd. is the 388th and 18250 Juniper Cove Rd. is 445th. In the rest of the Okanagan property, gains are relatively modest, with BC Assessment saying house values are up 10 to 15 per cent, while “condos and townhomes are up a bit higher.”

“Assessments are valued as of July 1, meaning everyone’s annual assessment is a reflection of what your home could have sold for around that time,” said Tracy Wall, deputy assessor for the Okanagan.

BC Assessment says if a property owner disagrees with the assessment, they can speak to an appraiser or submit a notice of complaint by Jan. 31.

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

US-based businessman Darshan Singh Dhaliwal to get Pravasi Bharatiya Samman

Darshan Singh Dhaliwal, a US-based businessman and a philanthropist, has been selected for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest honour given by the Indian government to its settlers in foreign countries. Dhaliwal, who hails from Patiala, will be conferred the award during the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in Indore.

Dhaliwal is known for his philanthropy in India and abroad. An incident had grabbed eye-balls when he was denied permission to enter India during the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed three farm laws. He was running a ‘langar’ at the Delhi border, but had to return to the US.

Dhaliwal had moved to the US as a student of mechanical engineering in 1972. He married and settled there. He

along with his brothers has business in gasoline and real estate sectors in the US. Dhaliwal’s father Subedar Kartar Singh Dhaliwal was also involved in social work. His family said, “Wisconsin University in the US has a chair in the name of our father Subedar Kartar Singh Dhaliwal. Till date, the chair has sponsored education of over 400 to 500 students from Punjab who are working in different sectors in the US.”

He also organised the World Punjabi Conference in the US in 1997, which was attended by individuals from across the globe.

While talking to The Tribune, Dhaliwal said he felt honoured that the Indian government was going to confer an award. Asserting that he felt proud to be an Indian, the businessman said he was invited to the PM’s residence

for a Sadbhavna event organised in 2019.

Dhaliwal has helped over 1,000 people from India get jobs and set up business in the US. He said, “We have contributed millions

for social causes. We are planning to start an initiative on indoor farming which uses 5 per cent water and gives 10 times the result. We plan to start it in Punjab.” —

Centre stays all tourism at Jharkhand’s Parasnathtribal bodies seek ‘freeing’ of area from Jains

Even as the Centre stayed the Jharkhand government’s move to promote tourism at the holy Parasnath hill after protests by Jains, tribals jumped into the fray staking a claim to the land and asking for it to be freed.

The state’s tribal community led by Santhal tribe termed Parasnath hill as ‘Marang Buru’ (hill deity or supreme source of power) and warned of a revolt if their demands were not heeded.

Jains across the country have been demanding the scrapping of a 2019 Jharkhand government notification designating Parasnath Hills as a tourist place, fearing this would lead to an influx of tourists who may consume non-vegetarian food and liquor at their holy site.

“There will be a revolt in five states if the government fails to free Marang Buru from the clutches of Jains.

“We want the government to take step based on documentation...The 1956 gazette mentions it as ‘Marang Buru’... The Jain community had lost a legal battle for Parasnath in the past,” Working President, International Santhal Council, Naresh Kumar Murmu claimed.

Santhal tribe, one of the largest

Scheduled Tribe community in the country, has a sizeable population in Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Assam and West Bengal and are nature worshippers.

Murmu told PTI: “Earlier the issue of Parasnath had gone to the privy council (the highest court in the British Empire) and it was held that Santhals have the rights of hunting on Parasnath Hills...We have record of the rights also.” He claimed that documents show Parasnath as ‘Marang Buru’ or hill deity of Santhals. “Each year we assemble on full moon in Baishakh for a religious hunt for three days...” the tribal leader said.

Murmu claimed that the patron of the Council is President Droupadi Murmu herself and the president is P Manjhi, former MP from Assam.

Another tribal body Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA) too chipped in to allege that Jains have illegally grabbed the highest place of worship of the Santhals.

Its President Salkhan Murmu, former MP warned that if the Centre and the state fail to resolve the issue and restore sanctity of the place in favor of Adivasis, his community would take to the streets across India.

Shri Sammed Shikharji in Parasnath Hills in Giridih district, some 160 km from Ranchi, is among the holiest places of the Jains,

Supreme Court says 2016 demonetisation decision was legal

The Supreme Court of India has upheld the legality of the govt’s decision in 2016 to demonetise 86 percent of the country’s cash in circulation, saying the decision was taken in consultation with the central bank and followed due process.

A five-judge bench of the country’s top court passed the verdict on Monday by a majority on a batch of petitions questioning the move. One out of the five judges wrote a dissenting opinion.

“The … notification dated 8th November 2016 does not suffer from any flaws in the decision-making process,” Justice BR Gavai, one of the four judges who agreed on the decision, said in a written opinion.

Justice BV Nagarathna, however, gave a dissenting judgment, calling the decision “unlawful” and “an exercise of power, contrary to law.” She said the currency ban could have been carried out through an act of parliament, not by the government.

The petitioners included lawyers, a political party, cooperative banks and individuals.

India’s former Finance Minister P Chidambaram was among the lawyers who argued against the note ban measure.

In a surprise TV announcement in November 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the shock move to outlaw all 500-rupee and 1,000-rupee notes – 86 percent of the cash in circulation – to target undeclared “black money” and fight corruption.

But the move, widely known as demonetisation, badly hurt India’s cashdependent economy. It caused losses for small businesses and manufacturers, bringing on an economic slump and months of financial chaos for ordinary, cash-dependent Indians.

Hundreds of thousands of people lined up outside banks and ATMs for days to exchange their cash savings for legal tender as cash ran dry.

Uttarakhand High Court order for eviction of around 50,000 encroachers from railway land

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed an Uttarakhand High Court order for eviction of around 50,000 people who have illegally encroached upon the railway land in Haldwani.

People in Haldwani sit on a dharna ahead of the Supreme Court order. PTI “What is troubling is how do you deal with the situation...human angle is involved... there has to be rehabilitation,” a Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said.

“In the meantime, there shall be stay on the directions passed in the impugned order,” the Bench ordered.

“There should also be restraint on any more construction/development on the land,” it further ordered.

The Bench said, “There can’t be uprooting of 50,000 people overnight. There has to be segregation of people who have no right on the land and the need to rehabilitate while considering the interests of the railways.

India has made a serious bet of over $2 billion on green hydrogen and entered the global race for developing green energy to ensure the country’s energy security, but the devil lies in the details. The industry which made a beeline to enter the sector even before the country announced its policy, now awaits the details of the plan.

On January 4, the Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with a total initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore. The country wants to develop manufacturing capacity for the clean energy source and emerge as a global hub for it.

Industry

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘National Hydrogen Mission’ from the Red Fort on Independence Day in 2021, this is the first concrete commitment towards the ambition to boost the growth of green hydrogen in the country. The ministry had launched a part of the national hydrogen policy on February 17, but that did not include incentives that the industry was vying for.

“The Indian government is among the first few to have put the money on the table for green hydrogen; it is in the top fourfive countries that have committed money.

Drunk man on Paris-Delhi Air India flight urinates on woman’s blanket

Ten days after the shocking November 26 incident on a New York-Delhi Air India flight, another episode of a “drunk” male passenger allegedly “urinating” on a blanket of a female passenger was reported on the Paris-Delhi sector but penal action was not pressed after the passenger gave a written apology, officials said on January 5.

This incident happened on December 6 on Air India flight 142 and the pilot of the aircraft reported the matter to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the Indira Gandhi International

(IGI) Airport about it, following which the male passenger was apprehended. It was not known which class the passengers were travelling. The flight landed around 9:40 a.m. in Delhi and the airport security was informed that the male passenger was “under the influence of alcohol and he was not following the instructions of the cabin crew and he later peed on a blanket of an onboard lady passenger”, airport officials said.

(CISF)

The male passenger was apprehended by the Central Industrial Security Force

India’s big bang $2-billion commitment to green hydrogen needs execution push by govt, India Inc:

Congress MP’s mockery over Dhaliwal’s ‘Samman’

The Congress MP referred to central govt’s decision to award Pravasi Bharatiya Samman to a US-based billionaire, who was once barred from entering India for supporting farmers’ protest. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Wednesday took a subtle jibe at supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Centre’s decision to select USbased businessman Darshan Singh Dhaliwal for the highest honour to foreign-settled Indian – Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA). The Congress MP referred to the farmers’ protest where right-wing party ‘s supporters were terming the protesters ‘Khalistani’ and yet the BJP-led central government favoured Dhaliwal, who was barred from entering India for supporting the protest. “Sometimes I feel pain of the

average BJP supporter. They spent all their time branding Farm Protests & their supporters as Khalistani & the Govt under their Supreme Leader selects Darshan Singh Dhaliwal for pravasi bhartiya samman. Stay strong under masterstroke sarkar,” Singhvi said in a tweet. Earlier, the Centre named Dhaliwal for PBSA along with 26 others for achieving excellence in their respective fields. The award will be conferred to them during an event in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore from January 8 to 10 to mark the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Report of Dhaliwal being named for the award made headlines as he was once not allowed to enter India for supporting farmers’ protest. He was funding ‘langar’ (community kitchen) for protestors at the Singhu border near Delhi.

Chandigarh extends winter break for schools amid ongoing cold wave

The Chandigarh Administration on Thursday extended winter break of government, government aided and private schools of Chandigarh in view of harsh winters prevalent across the area.

For classes up to 8th, winter holidays are extended till January 14 while from classes 9 to 12, the break is extended till January 9.

Normal life has hit following the intense cold wave conditions in the entire north India. Thick layer of fog witnessed in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh etc.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), day temperatures will remain normal. An alert has also been

issued in different parts of the region.

In the national capital, the day temperature settled several notches below normal. Lodhi Road recorded a minimum temperature of 2.8 degrees Celsius today. On Wednesday, the minimum temperature plunges to season’s lowest at 4.4 degrees Celsius, making it colder than Dharamshala, Nainital and Dehradun. The Weather office has issued an orange alert for the next 48 hours.

Forests are connected to nearly every aspect of sustainability. Depleting forest cover accelerates climate change, impacts wildlife, significantly reduces land quality, leads to an increase in soil erosion, and consequent runoffs.

Ram Mandir to be ready by Jan 1 next year ahead of Lok Sabha elections

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will be ready by January 1, 2024, the year the Lok Sabha elections will be held.

This is being seen as an indication that Ram Mandir, a plank raked up by the saffron camp since 1990 when BJP leader L K Advani started out on a Rath Yatra to focus on the issue, may again be one of the cornerstones of BJP’s campaign in the next General Election.

“Rahul baba, listen from Sabroom that a mammoth Ram Mandir will be ready on January 1, 2024,” he said attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is in the midst of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a 3500 km long

march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

Secretary of Ram Mandir Trust Champat Rai and chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi temple Acharya Satyendra Das had come out with separate statements appreciating Gandhi for the Bharat Jodo Yatra earlier this week.

Advani’s Rath Yatra was believed a major factor in the rise of the BJP in the 1990s which had been politically hit by both the advent of Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 and the Mandal Commission award in the late 1980s which saw regional parties espousing the cause of OBCs gaining strength.

A day after Punjab and Haryana failed to reach an agreement on the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said water should be an issue of cooperation and coordination between the states. Addressing the first national conference of state water ministers convened by the Centre to discuss and prepare for the looming water crisis, the prime minister urged governments to ensure people’s participation in the water conservation movement along the lines of Swachh Bharat campaign.

“Public ownership of a campaign is the true sign of its success…it raises people’s consciousness and appreciation about the scale of the effort, the monies involved, the nuances at hand,” said

the prime minister, asking states to innovate better for water use efficiency and rainwater-harvesting.

He said 70 lakh hectares of land in the country had been brought under micro irrigation saving large quantum of water, adding, ‘Per drop more crop’ programme is also gaining momentum. The PM said although rainwater harvest campaign had created the muchneeded buzz “a lot remained to be done to intensify if for desired outcomes”.

The PM also urged gram panchayats to prepare an action plan for the next five years where a roadmap ranging from water supply to cleanliness and waste management should be considered.

He said panchayats should take the leadership of Jal Jeevan Mission which aims to provide clean tap drinking water to all rural households.

Uttarakhand’s holy town Joshimath ‘sinking’; cracks develop in over 500 houses; 66 families migrate

Cracks have reportedly developed in as many as 561 houses in Joshimath as a result of continued land subsidence in the town, stated the District Disaster Management Department.

Huge cracks have appeared in the houses of the area due to thr vertical sinking of land in Joshimath. Following the appearance of cracks in the houses, a total of 66 families are reported to have migrated from Joshimath as of now.

“Now the process of increasing cracks in Singhdhar and Marwadi has started. Badrinath NH near Singhdhar Jain locality

and JP Company Gate in Marwadi, near the forest department check post, is continuously cracking. This crack is increasing every hour which is worrying,” said Joshimath Municipal Chairman Shailendra Pawar.

As many as nine houses in Marwadi have reported cracks and at the same time cracks have started appearing in most public roads of the ward, stated the City Board Chairman, Joshimath. District Disaster Management Department has also reported cases of water seepage from underground in JP Colony, Marwadi ward of Joshimath.

Former minister, IAS officer Neelima & 10 others arrested in plot transfer case

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Thursday registered a case against former minister Sunder Sham Arora, IAS officer Neelima, besides 10 government officers/officials for the transfer/bifurcation of an industrial plot to a real estate company and allowing it to establish township by carving out plots.

In this case, three owners/partners of Gulmohar Township Private Limited have also been booked. The VB has registered a case under Sections 13 (1) (a), 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the IPC

at the VB police station in Mohali, Punjab, against all mentioned accused officers/ officials of committee members of the PSIDC, Neelima and former minister, besides three directors of Gulmohar Township. The VB has arrested seven officials of the PSIDC, which includes Ankur Chaudhary, Estate Officer; Davinderpal Singh, GM, Personnel; JS Bhatia, Chief General Manager (Planning); Ashima Aggarwal, ATP (Planning); Parminder Singh, Executive Engineer; Rajat Kumar, DA; and Sandeep Singh, SDE; for conniving with each other to provide undue benefit to the firm.

Water should be an issue of cooperation, coordination between states, PM Modi

Don’t have a drop of water to share with Haryana: CM Mann

Presenting the case of Punjab before the Centre on the SutlejYamuna Link (SYL) canal, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today said the state does not have a drop of water to share with Haryana. “More than 78 per cent of our 150 blocks are in the ‘extreme dark zone’ due to

Darshan Singh Dhaliwal, a US-based businessman and a philanthropist, has been selected for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest honour given by the Indian government to its settlers in foreign countries.

Dhaliwal, who hails from Patiala, will be conferred the award during the

the depletion of the groundwater table. As a result, Punjab can’t afford to share its water with any other state,” said the CM after a meeting with his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in Indore.

Dhaliwal is known for his philanthropy in India and abroad. An incident had grabbed eye-balls when he was denied permission to enter India during the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed three farm laws. He was running a ‘langar’ at Delhi

Fog to stay till Jan. 9 in Chandigarh areas

The city’s weather department has now forecast dense fog over a longer period, saying the conditions are likely to persist till January 9. It had yesterday stated dense fog would continue at least till January 6.

“A fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect western Himalayan region from

January 7. Dense to very dense fog is very likely at many places during the next three days and at isolated places thereafter in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh,” said the weather department.

“Cold to severe cold day conditions are likely at a few places on January 5 in Punjab,

SIT to handle rape case against AIG Punjab

On the directions of the State Police Complaints Authority, DGP Gaurav Yadav has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe custodial rape charges against Assistant Inspector General of Police Ashish Kapoor.

Kapoor is already under arrest in

a corruption case lodged against him by the Vigilance Bureau.

The SIT has been formed as a followup of an FIR lodged against Kapoor under Section 376, IPC, for raping and extorting money from a Kurukshetra-based woman when she was lodged in Amritsar Jail.

Pakistan

Pakistan’s record on Human Rights remained depressing through 2022

A culture of impunity and repression remained prevalent in Pakistan through 2022. Religious minorities were subject to persecution, citizens forcibly disappeared, transgenders were killed and millions continued to live without protection from the active threat of militancy in Pakistan. Climate crisis induced floods and heat waves made citizens even more vulnerable to human rights violations. The ruling elite’s focus on amassing power exacerbated the political instability, with

severe impacts on the common Pakistani. Despite the change in regime and the formation of a fragile government by the ruling coalition of the PDM in early April, the status of the marginalized did not improve, and reprisals for defending human rights did not come to a halt, including Use of force to target peaceful gatherings, Religious persecution, Enforced disappearances, Extrajudicial killings, Reprisals for defending human rights, Housing Crisis, oppressed Gender equality.

Taliban threatens top political leadership including PM Shehbaz

Armed group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has warned the country’s main ruling parties of “concrete action” against their top leadership in the government for “declaring war” against it. A statement released by the TTP – also known as Pakistani Taliban for its ideological affinity with the Taliban in neighbouring

Afghanistan – on Wednesday explicitly named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Sitting PM Shehbaz Sharif is alo president of his own faction of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) which along with Bilawwal Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) are the coalition in the government.

China exports ‘non functional’ railway bogies to Pakistan

The rail-cars imported from China at a cost of $149 million are unable to run on Pakistani tracks, raising questions about the efficiency and competence of officers who inspected them in China. Sources told The Express Tribune that they needed to spend hundreds of thousands of rupees just to make the said bogies operational. They also said that the maintenance work was being conducted at the

Ski Line of Pakistan Railways.

However, they pointed out that due to improper pressure pipes, there was a risk of accidents since the brakes would not work properly.

Keeping in view all of these problems, the administration started the installation of two to two-and-a-half inches of thick pipes in the bogies here in Pakistan. These bogies were previously fitted with a 20-inch pipe.

Police commissioner has not resignedsays Minister of Home Affairs

Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua has confirmed that the Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho has not resigned.

He says he has not resigned and he has not heard from him saying that at all.

Tikoduadua says he had invited him to resign.

The Minister says he understands

that he has no right to terminate Qiliho’s employment and such he had invited him to resign which Qiliho respectfully declined.

He adds that the matter is with the Constitutional Offices Commission.

Meanwhile, Qiliho will meet the Minister tomorrow to brief him on their preparation in response to flooding situation in the western division.

PSC Chairman ran the show from Canada

Unbelievable! This is how Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga described the final years of Vishnu Mohan’s tenure as Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman.

Mr Mohan, who tendered his resignation last week, was appointed to the role in 2015, and held the position while residing in Canada.

Mr Turaga said the resignation letter had been forwarded to the President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere.

He also confirmed that a new chair would be appointed soon. “Of course we

need the PSC chair to be appointed so the machinery of the Government service can be facilitated by the new Government,” he said.

“It’s so critical that the PSC must sit so that the machinery of the public service can be administered smoothly in line with the new policies of the coalition Government.”

He also assured all workers in the public service that everything would operate as normal. When asked if Government will look into the salary and working conditions of Mr Mohan, he replied “yes”.

Fiji back to three school terms, teachers to retire at 60

School terms for the academic year 2023 will now be retained at three, instead of four terms as advised by the Ministry of Education under the previous government.

In a statement, Education Minister Aseri Radrodro said the decision was made following various consultations.

“The ministry is in the process of advising Cabinet for teachers to report to their various schools on January 30 for resumption of their official duties,” Mr Radrodro said.

“Students, however, will begin school

proper on Monday, February 6 (2023).”

The ministry also advised all school administrations that teachers who have turned 55 or will turn 55 this year will now remain in employment until they reach 60 years of age.

Mr Radrodro assured all parents that government would continue to provide free education and transport assistance to all eligible students as had been the practice, and the transports would be available to take students to school when school begins.

US-based businessman to get Pravasi Bharatiya Samman

HP Singh Chatr Mobile Payal Business Centre celebrated the grand opening of its third location at 7500 Scott Rd., Surrey BC. On this special day, On Dec.22, 2022, NDP MLA and minister for education & child care, Rachna Singh, Rogers officials-Jason Huh (Dealer Business Manager-Rogers & Fido-BC), Ms Nimi Daula (Delta School Trustee), Arjun Tyagi (Senior Manager Marketing-Rogers) attended the grand opening event. Apart from this, we at chatr mobile got an opportunity to distribute free phone on prepaid plans with no contract. HP Singh would like to thank everyone who became the part of our grand opening event, all the best & happy new year.

HP Singh Chatr Mobile Payal Business Centre celebrate 3rd location at Scott @ 75th Ave.