The Asian Star January 22 2022

www.theasianstar.com

Vol 20 - Issue 51

Experts dispute claim Beijing Omicron case from Canadian mail After the city of Beijing announced its first reported case of the Omicron variant, Chinese officials alleged that the virus may have travelled to the city through a piece of mail from Canada—a claim experts say doesn’t add up. Dr. Supriya Sharma, chief medical adviser at Health Canada, calls the allegation “highly improbable.” “You would have to have virus on an object, it would have to survive through all of that transport and all of those circumstances,” Dr. Sharma said. “It would be highly unlikely that that could ever transmit COVID-19.” “I think we know where the science is in terms of the main mode of transmission,” Dr. Howard Njoo, deputy chief public health officer at the Public Health Agency of Canada, said on Power Play.

“Certainly, the experience in Canada, and I think throughout the world, has shown that the main mode of transmission really is through the air as opposed to a transfer from inanimate surfaces.”

In a Monday release, the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) said that the city reported one case of the COVID-19 variant on Saturday in a 26-year-old woman.

After conducting contact tracing, officials said the woman did not travel outside the capital and had not come in contact with anyone else with the virus.

Saturday, January 22, 2022

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Exhausted BC doctors, nurses brace for predicted peak in COVID-19 patients Doctors and nurses in British Columbia are on the verge of possible collapse, their representatives say, with the most challenging days of the COVID-19 pandemic for the province’s healthcare system predicted to be approaching.

Doctors of B.C. president Dr. Ramneek Dosanjh said it has been an overwhelming time for her members.

“I am hearing from some doctors who are

just ready to quit,’’ she said in an interview.

The organization represents 16,000 physicians in the province.

“People have shared their honest feelings with me and they’re feeling so consumed.

They’re emotionally exhausted. They’re feeling depleted,’’ she said. “They’re seeing their patients suffer. They’re also under such constraints.’’

Aman Grewal, president of the B.C. Nurses

Police discuss efforts to fight gun violence after yet another shooting in Surrey Shortly after police staged a presser at Surrey’s E Division headquarters in Green Timbers on Thursday morning on what they’re doing to curb gun violence in the Lower Mainland, the Surrey RCMP issued a press release about yet another shooting that happened overnight, this time in Fleetwood. A man with a gunshot wound was taken to hospital with injuries that weren’t considered to be life-threatening after he was shot inside a residence in the 8700-block of 152 Street. Police responded to the call at 1:44 a.m. “Although the investigation is still in early stages, initial indications are that the shooting Continued on page 6

Union, said nurses are under “incredible pressure’’ to balance family and work responsibilities, which doesn’t leave them with enough downtime to take care of themselves.

“They are facing verbal and physical harassment from some members of the public who are becoming increasingly frustrated with this ongoing public health crisis,’’ she said.

Continued on page 7

South Asian man who failed to show up for court wanted on 17 charges: Surrey RCMP Amardip Singh Rai, 42, (pictured) was arrested in April of 2021.

Surrey RCMP is asking for the public’s help in finding a man wanted on 17 charges. Amardip Singh Rai, 42, is wanted on 17 charges, stemming from an investigation that

started in August of 2019, according to a release from Surrey RCMP Cpl. Vanessa Munn Thursday (Jan. 20).

Rai was arrested on April 28, 2021 by the Surrey RCMP Strike Force Target Team for an outstanding warrant related to the August 2019 investigation. Munn said he was released by the courts on May 7, 2021.

Continued on page 7

Distraught couples face Omicron lays waste to India’s huge wedding season bulk of its money because the weather prospect of cutting guest lists is more temperate. A bride searches from more than 600 people down to just vendors say if I do for her coronavirus vaccination certificate to 20 after coronavirus variant took hold that, they may not show it to a healthcare worker at her wedding Thousands of families are in the same agony be able to do it at venue.Before the latest wave, when cases of uncertainty as Vashisht, with most of the the same price,” were almost absurdly low, pandemic fatigue arrangements paid for, either in full or in part. says Vashisht. In had given rise to “revenge weddings” that Vashisht’s father has paid for the venue at pre-pandemic times, some December weekends were even splashier and more luxurious than Tivoli Farms on the outskirts of the city in full. could see more than 20,000 weddings taking normal. November was packed with destination “I wanted to be prepared for every small thing place in the capital in a single day, choking weddings: after two years of little or no travel, so it has all been decided and advances paid. the roads with traffic. It is in this Novemberpeople wanted to get out to a different city.

When I ask about postponing the date, all the March period that the industry makes the

2

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Save-on-Foods limiting capacity to 50% A major grocery chain in British Columbia says it will be voluntarily reducing its capacity limits to 50 per cent to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Save On Foods said in a statement “as part of our ongoing and increased efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our stores and our communities, we will operate our stores at a maximum 50 per cent occupancy until further notice.”

The email continued, saying, “we have updated the occupancy count with signage at the front of each store and the teams are working to add signage back to areas that typically see congestion like at the front end, or in service departments like our deli or bakery.”

It also said, “this is all part of our efforts to reinforce that social distancing is required whenever possible for both team members and customers.” Save On Foods said in addition to promoting physical distancing, its stores will also be implementing the following measures as well:

Added store-front signage asking customers not to enter if they have any symptoms of COVID-19. To follow all public health orders in every community.

Increased frequency of disinfecting and sanitizing all store areas.

Providing sanitization stations and hand sanitizer for customers and employees. Implementing a symptom checker for all employees, suppliers or business partners prior to entering the store.

Protective plexiglass barriers throughout the store. “Our store clerks and leaders are doing an amazing job in what continues to be a very difficult time,” said Save On Foods, “and we are so proud of their commitment to keeping our communities safe while providing our neighbours with essential food and medicine.”

The Retail Council of Canada said, in a statement, that it was unaware of Save On Foods’ capacity reductions. However, the council did say B.C. had asked retailers in mid-December to reinstitute COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plans.

Mississauga lawyer wanted in real estate fraud worth more than $7.5 million Peel police are searching for a Mississauga lawyer who allegedly defrauded millions from his clients in connection with real estate transactions.

According to a news release issued Friday, 41-year-old Shahid Malik of Shahid Malik Law Office was retained by several people between June 2021 and December 2021 to settle their real estate dealings.

Police said Malik received more than $7.5 million in trust from victims to pay off their outstanding mortgages. However, he allegedly

Truckers call on BC govt to fix and clean dangerous highways A group representing truck drivers is calling on the B.C. government to ensure highways are

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ignored the victims’ requests and did not use the funds to make payments.

“As such, each victim has suffered a significant financial loss,” police said.

Malik is now wanted for defrauding the public and breach of trust and a warrant for his arrest has been issued.

Police believe there may be more victims.

They and anyone who has information about Malik’s whereabouts are being urged to contact investigators at 905-453-2121, ext. 3354.

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cleared of snow and dangerous potholes are fixed or goods will no longer be transported.

Ajay Toor, who speaks for the West Coast Trucking Association, says black ice and large potholes are creating hazardous driving conditions, which have resulted in several accidents over the past few weeks.

He says truckers are encountering black ice, particularly at night, and some are worried they’re putting their lives at risk while on the job.

Toor says truckers who report harsh highway conditions on the government’s DriveBC website are being informed that so many complaints are coming in that they should be emailing highway maintenance contractors instead. But he says it’s impossible for drivers to know which of 28 government contractors are in charge of particular highways across the province.

Toor says the association contacted the Transportation Ministry last month and has also reached out to members of the legislature but has had no response so they’ll be holding a rally from Surrey to Vancouver next Saturday.

“This is really just to make the government wake up,” he says. “If not, then we’re at the breaking point and we’re going to stop our trucks.”

He says it’s challenging for the drivers to put chains on tires in areas with piles of snow and low temperatures so it’s up to the government to take action.

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The City of Surrey has sharpened its teeth when it comes to illegal construction within city limits.

Council endorsed a corporate report from staff at Monday’s regular meeting that will, once all bylaw amendments are approved, drastically increase the city’s firepower when dealing with illegal builds.

Council has yet to approve the amendments, but asked staff to bring them forward in the future approval.

Coun. Laurie Guerra said this is “very timely” given the number of complaints council is receiving. “You know that if people are coming to councillors, it’s kind-of their last resort,” she said. “In my opinion these changes couldn’t have come fast enough.”

Coun. Allison Patton said she especially likes the part where multiple tickets can be issued for the same offence on separate days. “I think that will help with our teeth on the matter.”

Coun. Jack Hundial presented in July 2021 a notice of motion aimed at curbing illegal and unauthorized construction in Surrey, which he said “presents real dangers to life.” Council approved his motion in September and directed city staff to look at “enhanced enforcement, prosecution and public awareness”

3

Saturday, January 22, 2022 Surrey school district says ‘no change’ despite new proof of vaccination order All school staff in B.C. must provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status to school districts when required by a medical health officer, according to a public health order.

But Surrey School Supt. Jordan Tinney says that doesn’t change anything for the district.

“No change, nothing,” Tinney explained in a video Tuesday (Jan. 18). He added the board has made the decision to not pursue proof of vaccination status unless directed to.It was back in November that the school district decided against mandating COVID-19 vaccines for staff, citing high vaccination rates in Surrey and White Rock.However, the Delta school board, during a Jan. 11 in-camera meeting, directed the district to create, implement and amend as necessary a “Proof of Vaccination Regarding COVID-19

Operations Procedure” to help protect the health and safety of both staff and students. The order, dated Monday, was uploaded to the provincial government’s website quietly without any formal announcement. “An employer must request proof of vaccination from each staff member and must keep a record of each staff member’s vaccination status,” the order stated. “A staff member must provide their employer with proof of vaccination on the request of their employer and by the date directed by their employer, and if the vaccination status of the staff member changes the staff member must provide this information and their vaccine card to their employer without delay, and the employer must update the record of the staff member’s vaccination status.”

South Asian woman calls for accountability after TikTok humiliations almost drove her to suicide Sharan Preet has been a TikTok user for a year and a half. For the Surrey, B.C., mom, the app is a source of entertainment, and a place where she can express herself and her Indian heritage.

“My song collection, my makeup, I like this,” Sharan Preet said. But being on the platform almost cost Preet her life.

At the end of 2021, Preet became a victim of video manipulation. A small number of her videos were stolen by other users, who then replaced the sound with incredibly offensive songs.

The altered videos were then re-posted with a tag so Preet could see them.

“My heart, totally damaged,” she said, explaining the videos left her embarrassed and humiliated. On Christmas Day, Preet attempted to take her own life. Her teenage daughter saw what was happening and stopped her, and when Preet’s husband arrived home they called the RCMP. Preet was then taken to hospital to be monitored. Sandy Chatha is a former RCMP officer and currently works in law enforcement. She also uses TikTok, in part to help spread information, such as telling young people how to get a career in policing. “It was a platform for sharing and also entertainment. Of course, that makes you feel good,” Chatha said.

In late December, Chatha started hearing from women whose videos had been stolen and manipulated. She’s since been in contact with 48 women around the world. In most of those instances, the women have South Asian heritage, and many of the videos are in Punjabi.

In Preet’s case, Chatha said the words in the altered video were “very explicit, humiliating, degrading.”

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China blames lone Beijing Omicron case on mail from Canada, US China on Monday blamed the lone Omicron case in Beijing to an international mail delivered from Canada to Beijing via the US and Hong Kong, as the Chinese capital was on alert ahead of next month’s Winter Olympics.

The single Omicron case detected in Beijing was traced back to an international document from Canada, and it was found to have similar strains from those in North America and Singapore, official media here reported.

The detection ahead of February 4 Beijing Winter Olympics sent officials on a leather hunt to prevent it from spreading. Few days ago, the Omicron variant was found in the nearby Tianjin city.

The Beijing patient received an item of mail on January 11 delivered from Canada via the United States and Hong

Kong, Special Administrative Region, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing centre for disease control and prevention, said at a press conference.

The patient said she touched the outside of the package and the first page of the document inside, Pang said.

Officials collected 22 environmental samples from the piece of international mail, and the nucleic acid tests all came back positive, she said.

The patient had no travel history in other provinces or cities within 14 days before the onset of symptoms, nor did she have contact with risk groups.

So far, the results of nucleic acid tests of 69 close contacts and more than 810 environmental samples have come back negative except for those collected from her home and workplace, Pang said.

4

OPINION

By Maria Lily Shaw, Economist Montreal Economic Institute

The need to reform Canada’s health-care systems has long been a hot topic of debate.

After all, Canada is an easy target: It has one of the highest price tags among countries with universal health systems in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, but its performance has lagged for years.

The effect of the poor performance of Canada’s health-care systems on the lives of patients

Saturday, January 22, 2022 Time to cure what ails Canada’s health-care systems is bad enough, but now the lack of capacity is interfering with the daily lives of all Canadians.

Indeed, the (re-)re-introduction of strict public health measures in several provinces in response to the Omicron wave has been repeatedly justified by our health systems’ lack of capacity.

So how do we fix them? On one side of the debate, there are those who believe throwing more money at the problem would be a miraculous

cure. Unfortunately, several provincial premiers seem to be of this opinion, with their plea to substantially increase the Canadian health transfer.

And yet, health-care spending in Canada has increased at an average yearly pace of over seven per cent since 1975, without delivering better results for patients. In fact, 55 per cent of Canadians believe the additional amounts of money injected over the past decade have either had no effect at all or actually worsened their health-care system. At this point, spending even more taxpayer dollars would simply be placing our health systems on an artificial respirator.

On the flip side, there are those who want to give the country’s health systems room to breathe by expanding the role of entrepreneurs in the delivery of care. Such a structural reform could involve encouraging provinces to form more partnerships between public and private institutions, or even letting entrepreneurs run publicly funded hospitals.

Now, adopting a greater mix of public and private care would not equate to an Americanization of our health care. Allowing and even encouraging entrepreneurs to pick up the slack is no danger to the universality of Canada’s health-care systems. Rather, as many European countries know well, such a change would increase the accessibility of services families already pay for through their taxes and offer greater choice within the public system. As an added bonus, expanding the role of entrepreneurs would enable health authorities to make better use of the billions of dollars spent on health care every year.

Involving entrepreneurs in the delivery of health services is the next step toward more efficient systems that Canadians can truly be proud of – ones that encourage innovation and prioritize public-private partnerships rather than always resorting to the mechanisms of a single-payer system. Taking this step will require political courage and co-operation from all levels of governance, including unions, professional orders, and colleges.

In fact, the management of a health-care system should not revolve around politics at all. It’s a matter of doing everything possible to guarantee the high quality of care that Canadians are right to expect, given that 33 per cent of federal and provincial government budgets are directly funnelled into their health systems.

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5

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Peace Arch Hospital maternity ward to stay open in last-minute reversal In a last-minute reversal, the Fraser Health Authority says it will no longer be closing the maternity department at White Rock’s Peace Arch Hospital.

Fraser Health president and CEO Dr. Victoria Lee said Thursday that “significant new scheduling commitments” from the hospital’s pediatric group and other “provider partners” had averted a staffing crisis that would have forced the ward to divert patients to Langley.

Last week, the health authority said it would be indefinitely diverting expecting parents-to-be to Langley Memorial Hospital, effective Jan. 28, due to an “unexpected leave.”

The health authority said on Thursday that there could still be “sporadic singleday” diversions when necessary.

Thursday’s reversal came after the health authority, doctors and the provincial Ministry of Health agreed to an alternative payment model for pediatricians at the hospital that acknowledges its lower

volume.

“Sometimes the payment models that are based on each of the encounters or services, what’s called a fee for service model, in a lower birth community isn’t as attractive or it’s more difficult to attract pediatricians to those areas,” she said. “So there’s payment per hour, for example, rather than volume.”

Diversions at the hospital, which does not have a pediatric unit or outpatient clinic, have been a recurring problem. Most recently, new parents were diverted to Langley in July due to a staffing shortage.

Dr. Darren Lazare, co-program medical director for the maternal infant child youth program, said to operate properly, the maternity ward needs five full-time equivalent (FTE) pediatricians.

There are currently seven pediatricians servicing the department, but they are not all full-time and do not add up to the equivalent of five FTEs, he said.

Fraser Health said it is continuing to “aggressively” recruit a full complement of pediatricians for the hospital to prevent future diversions.

BC Centre for Disease Control apologizes for isolation guidance flip flops The BC Centre of Disease Control is apologizing after making multiple changes to COVID-19 isolation guidelines over the past few days. On Tuesday, the BC CDC posted guidance reducing the isolation requirement for all COVID-19 test positive cases to five days no matter the vaccination status.

Then, less than 24 hours later, it updated the guidance to require unvaccinated adults to isolate for ten days following a COVIDpositive test. But at the same time the guidelines changed for any one 17 years old and younger. That demographic only needs to isolate for five days, no matter vaccine status, following a positive test.

In all of these cases, the isolation time will be longer if there are still COVID symptoms.

The BC CDC also waived all isolation requirements for close contacts. None of this information was included in a press release or public briefing. “We apologize for the web posting and changes that occurred yesterday,” a statement from the BC CDC said.

“We understand the significant interest in these testing and isolation guidelines, which is why we updated the website immediately with clarifications made yesterday. We recognize this approach led to confusion.

The BC CDC said it acknowledges the frustration people are feeling about the pandemic and the need people have for clear communication on changes impacting their lives.

“We will strive to ensure there is a better change management process for future changes,” the statement reads.

“These changes are a step toward enabling British Columbians to self-manage their illness and will help guide their actions to limit the spread of illness in our communities.”

On the issue of the new guidelines, the CDC said public health guidance always strives to strike a balance between preventing infection and limiting the harms caused by preventing people from participation in societal activities like working, going to school and socializing.

The province has struggled with providing access to COVID testing and the contact tracing has entirely broken down amid the arrival of the Omicron variant. “The guidance and how we manage the situation is changing rapidly and we always intend to provide the public with the most up-to-date information as quickly as possible,” the CDC said in the statement.

“We expect further changes to the guidance in the weeks to come and commit to keeping British Columbians informed.” Here is a summary of the key changes from the CDC: If you have mild symptoms and do not need a COVID-19 test, stay home until you feel well enough to return to your regular activities.

If you test positive for COVID-19 and you are under 18 or a fully vaccinated adult you must self-isolate at home for five days AND until your symptoms improve and you no longer have a fever. In this case avoid non-essential visits to high-risk settings for an additional five days.

Health Canada approves Pfizer anti-viral pill for treatment of COVID-19 Health Canada has approved Pfizer’s drug Paxlovid as the first take-home treatment for COVID-19. The drug, which is a treatment involving a total of six pills taken daily for five days, has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization by almost 90 per cent. The course of treatment includes two pills of nirmatrelvir taken twice a day and one pill of ritonavir taken twice a day. The drug prevents the virus from replicating, which helps people recover faster. It can’t be taken by people under 18 years of age. There are also several drugs that can’t be taken alongside Paxlovid, including drugs for cancer, high blood pressure and some antianxiety and depression medications.

To be effective, the drug requires people to start treatment within five days of having symptoms and while they can take it at

home, it must be prescribed to them and they must have a positive COVID-19 test to begin treatment. As the Omicron wave has driven cases skyrocketing, testing centres have been overwhelmed and most provinces now limit who can get a PCR test. Even people who can receive tests are often waiting several days for results. Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said in the interim, physicians can use rapid antigen tests to prescribe the pills.

She admitted in the short term it will have a limited benefit, but said it will help some people and could be an important tool in the future.

“For the Omicron wave itself, it may contribute, but it won’t be a key contributor to the current wave,” she said. “We think everybody really just needs to give it a good try because it will be, I think, an important tool going forward.”

6

Saturday, January 22, 2022 From page 1

Police discuss efforts to fight gun violence after yet another shooting in Surrey

the shooting was targeted,” said Cpl. Vanessa Munn of the Surrey RCMP. This was the third shooting in Surrey in less than three days. A suspect was arrested at the scene after a 31-year-old man was shot in the 13400-block of 66A Avenue in Newton at about 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18. On Wednesday, Jan. 19, a 24-year-old man and 57-year-old were shot inside a warming centre in the 10600-block of King George Boulevard in Whalley, shortly after 3 a.m. The victims in these two cases also received injuries not considered to be life-threatening.

Meantime, at Thursday’s press conference Chief Supt. Ghalib Bhayani, RCMP operations officer for the Lower Mainland, told a handful of reporters that the RCMP and B.C.’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-BC) developed initiates “that have

resulted in a slowing down of the gun violence” on local streets in the latter part of 2021.

“Unfortunately, what we are experiencing now is an evolution, in that we are seeing streetlevel criminals in what looks like interpersonal conflicts creating violence on our streets,” he said.

Bhayani noted that since the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) was launched in 2003, about 33 per cent of all homicides it has investigated have been connected to organized crime.

Supt. Duncan Pound, deputy operations officer for CFSEU-BC, said “early indications” are that three recent shootings in Surrey, Langley and Coquitlam in which one victim was killed and innocent bystanders were injured, appear to be connected to street-level drug trafficking, and are not believed to be connected to one another.

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Saturday, January 22, 2022 Exhausted BC doctors, nurses brace for predicted peak in COVID-19 patients From page 1 organization represents 48,000 nurses.

“This, you know, has been an ongoing issue — violence toward nurses — and it’s very morally distressing to know that our members are having to face that all while they are trying to care for their patients.’’

On Friday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the latest wave of the pandemic fuelled by the Omicron variant may have peaked in parts of B.C., but there’s a lag between infections and those who end up in hospital. That means difficult days are ahead for hospital staff, Henry said.

Health officials said there were 819 COVID-positive cases in B.C. hospitals Monday, compared with 646 on Friday.

Henry issued an order Monday extending restrictions imposed last month on gatherings and closures of fitness centres and bars.

Her order said she took into account “the stress under which the public-health and health-care systems are currently operating, and the impact this is having on the provision of health care to the population,’’ due to the rising presence of Omicron.

Dr. Lindsay McCaffrey wears PPE to avoid COVID-19 infection at the Burnaby COVID-19 primary care site in April 2020. (Rafferty Baker/CBC) The representatives said health-care workers are also facing a shortage of personal protective equipment, including masks.

Dosanjh said doctors need more support

on the ground, like more family physicians who can share the burden, less paperwork and better infrastructure support such as universal health records so tests are not repeated.

“A lot of people are seeing patients from 8 a.m. till 8 at night and then doing the paperwork. The days are usually very long for most physicians, Dosanjh said.

B.C. Emergency Health Services, which employs 4,000 paramedics and dispatchers in B.C., said on some recent days staff absences had more than doubled over last year.

In 2021, staff absences over the period of Jan. 4-9 were as follows, the service said:

South Asian man who failed to show up for court wanted on 17 charges Munn said it is alleged that Rai “failed to appear for a subsequent court date and therefore a warrant was issued for his arrest. Despite police efforts, he has not yet been located.”

Rai, according to police, has an outstanding warrant with charges that include: sexual assault; confining a person without lawful authority; administer noxious thing with the intent to endanger the life or cause bodily harm; two counts of assault with a weapon; nine firearm-related charges, some of which include possession of a firearm without licence and/or registration; and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Rai is described as South Asian, fivefoot-11, with a slim build. He has brown eyes, black hair and often has facial hair. He has tattoos that include roses on his hands, scroll with words on his neck, a cancer ribbon on his neck and a tiger on his chest.

Police say that if you see Rai to not approach him, and instead call police immediately.

Anyone with information about Rai is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604599-0502 or Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous at 1-800-222-8477 or solvecrime.ca.

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Saturday, January 22, 2022 96 charges, 54 arrests made with help from 4,741 tips to Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers last year

Police have made 54 arrests, seized 32 weapons and recovered more than $2 million in property and illicit drugs with help from anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers. The organization received 4,741 tips in 2021, including 215 tips related to gang activity and 403 tips related to illegal guns, according to its annual impact report published this week. “Collectively, these anonymous tips led to arrests and the recovery of property, guns and illegal drugs, all of which might never have happened otherwise,” Linda Annis, Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers director, said in a news release. “With the spike last year in gang-related activity in the Lower Mainland, plus a recent trend toward crimes like robbery and vandalism, Crime Stoppers is urging local

residents to continue submitting information anonymously to help police investigate, make more arrests and even save lives.”

In 2021, tips contributed to the seizure of $2.29 million in drugs and property, including eight vehicles.

Ninety-six charges were laid against suspects in relation to all tips received and 12 were laid in relation to tips about gangs activity.

Crime Stoppers is a non-profit organization and registered charity that offers rewards for anonymous tips about criminal activity and relays that information to local police services.

The number of tips reported to Crime Stoppers decreased slightly in 2021 from 2020, which saw 5,017 tips submitted altogether.

Pay parking to return to all BC hospitals & treatment centres The pay parking will resume on March

program 4, 2022.

The B.C. Ministry of Health issued a statement on Thursday saying pay parking will be reinstated at all BC health authority sites.

Parking fees have been waived at hospitals and other treatment centres since April 1, 2020, but the ministry said people are abusing the system.

“Maintaining across-the-board free hospital parking is making it hard for patients, staff, volunteers and visitors to find a spot, as non-hospital users are taking advantage of the situation to park for free while conducting business

that’s not hospital-related,” Minister of Health Adrian Dix said in a statement.

“These hospital parking spots must be available for those who need them most.”

The ministry said waiving hospital pay parking requirements has cost the government $78 million in lost fees.

The free parking program will continue for patients receiving dialysis treatment or undergoing cancer treatment in acute-care programs, and for parents or caregivers of children staying in the hospital overnight, the ministry said in a release.

Volunteers will still be able to park for free, and financial hardship provisions will continue to be managed on a caseby-case basis by health authorities.

9

Saturday, January 22, 2022 Canada has enough supply of COVID-19 vaccines to offer booster doses to all who are eligible, though so far just 35 per cent of Canadians have received their third shot, according to the federal health minister.

“We must continue to accelerate our vaccination efforts to trend towards universal coverage,” Health Minister JeanYves Duclos said Wednesday, alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during an update on the federal government’s COVID-19 response.

Health Canada has authorized booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines to be offered to anyone 18 and older, at least six months after the primary vaccine course. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, decisions about the rollout and who has been given priority access to boosters is up to the provinces and territories.

Across the country, booster doses are

35 per cent of Canadians boosted, despite having enough doses for all being offered to adults aged 18 and above, after initial priority was given to certain high-risk groups in most provinces, though in some regions appointments have been harder to come by.

While the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has suggested boosters be given at least six months after the second dose, some provinces have opted to shorten the interval between second and third shots.

Certain regions have also started offering fourth doses to certain people who are immunocompromised.

Pfizer or Moderna: Which COVID-19 booster shot should you get?

During the press conference the prime minister also made note of a lagging uptake so far in COVID-19 vaccines among children ages five to 12. According to the government, 48 per cent of children in this age group have received at least their first dose.

“We know as we get back to school, as kids are re-engaging, parents are worried about the health of their kids. Therefore, get them vaccinated. The vaccination rate for kids five to 12 is too low in Canada,” he said.

“Which means not only are kids more vulnerable, but all of society. Whether it’s teachers, whether it’s grandparents, whether its frontline health workers risking getting overwhelmed when those people start to get sick. We need to do what’s right… That means getting our kids vaccinated, it is safe and effective

and the right way to get through this pandemic,” Trudeau said.

He also once again sought to appeal to the approximately 6.5 million Canadians who remain unvaccinated, saying that it’s “better late than never,” to get vaccinated.

“We now have enough doses so that everyone can be vaccinated and even receive a booster dose, so there is no excuse. People must be vaccinated,” Trudeau said in French.

Coronavirus vaccination tracker: How many people in Canada have received shots?

The press conference was held as provinces are waiting for more deliveries of the promised 140 million rapid tests this month, and are sorting out the distribution of the still limited supply of newly authorized at-home antiviral prescription drug treatment for COVID-19.

On Wednesday, Trudeau and Duclos spoke about their outstanding commitments to deliver these tests and treatment courses, but offered no update on accelerated or increased future shipments.

10

Saturday, January 22, 2022

inflation rate rises to new 30-year high of 4.8% The Consumer Price Index increased at an annual pace of 4.8 per cent in December, as sharply higher prices for food led to the cost of living going up at its fastest rate since 1991.

Statistics Canada reported Wednesday that grocery prices increased by 5.7 per cent, the biggest annual gain since 2011.

The price of fresh produce is being walloped by two things, the data agency said: “Unfavourable weather conditions in growing regions, as well as supply chain disruptions.”

The price of apples has increased by 6.7 per cent in the past year, and oranges by almost as much — 6.6 per cent.

The U.S. is the major supplier of oranges to Canada, and because of bad weather and a plant disease called citrus greening, the major growing region of Florida is on track to produce the smallest number of oranges since 1945.

That’s causing the price of frozen concentrated orange juice to skyrocket on commodities markets.

“If you’re an orange juice drinker, it means your prices are going to be going up at the store,” analyst Phil Flynn, with Chicagobased commodity trading firm Price Group, told CBC News. “The cost of orange juice has almost doubled here in the last few months, and that’s going to be passed down to the consumers.”

Other types of food are going up quickly, too. The price of frozen beef has gone up by almost 12 per cent in the past year, while ham and bacon are up by about 15 per cent.

Kendra Sozinho, a manager at the Fiesta Farms grocery store in Toronto, says costs from suppliers are going up faster than she’s ever seen “We’re seeing almost every single supplier increasing their pricing which then

increases our pricing,” she told CBC News in an interview. “I’ve been here for 20 years and I’ve never seen a jump like this.”

Economist Tu Nguyen with consultancy RSM says food price increases could be set to get even worse in the coming weeks and months because of new rules forbidding unvaccinated truckers from entering the country.

“The current bout of inflation is driven by supply chain disruptions, pent-up demand and inflation expectations,” she said. “While pentup demand is expected to ease as pandemic spending winds down, supply chain and inflation expectations remain paramount challenges.”

Food is far from the only thing becoming more expensive.

Shelter costs have risen by 5.4 per cent in the past year, faster than the overall inflation rate.

And unlike the global forces at play pushing up food prices, the factors driving up shelter costs are all Canadian-made, TD Bank economist James Marple said.

We’ll all be paying a lot more for food next year, says Canada’s Food Price Report “The one exception to the global nature of the current inflationary environment, is housing inflation, which is both domestically driven and, outside of increased incidents of extreme weather driving up insurance prices, directly related to the Bank of Canada’s policy stance,” he said.

Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre placed the blame for high inflation squarely at the foot of the federal government, noting that as a country with abundant energy and food resources, Canada should have a built-in advantage when it comes to keeping a lid on prices.

“The biggest increases for consumer products have been those that we source right here at home, not those that depend on foreign supply chains,” he told reporters in Ottawa.

All school staff in BC must disclose COVID-19 vaccine status The B.C. government announced on Monday that all school staff must disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status.

Vaccinations are not required to work in schools, and school districts have been given the ability to implement a vaccine mandate if needed.

The latest order, quietly posted online, states an employer must request proof of vaccination from each employee and keep a record each person’s status. In turn, an employee must provide the district with vaccine proof upon request, and promptly notify them if that status should change. “The rapid rise in infection rates in British Columbia and the experience in other places have led me to conclude that additional measures are necessary in order to permit the school and public health systems to plan for and respond to clusters and outbreaks of Omicron in schools,” wrote provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

“A lack of information on the part of boards of education … and the medical health officer about the vaccination status of staff members in school settings interferes with the suppression of (COVID-19) a n d constitutes a health hazard.” The Delta School District announced last week that unvaccinated staff must produce a negative C OV I D - 1 9 rapid test before entering a school.

Monday’s order also states an employer must report the vaccination status of its staff on an aggregate, non-individually identifying basis by school as required by the medical health officer. And if an employee does not disclose their status as requested, the school district “must proceed on the basis” that the person is unvaccinated.

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, January 22, 2022 Bank of Canada warns people not to buy houses at this time You’re about to go into a Tonne of Debt, Notwithstanding the inflated prices of homes, many Canadian homebuyers seem undeterred in their mission to buy a house.

But the Bank of Canada, along with many of Canada’s top banks, are clear: if you buy a house now, you’re taking a big risk. That’s partly because houses are absurdly expensive right now. And it’s partly because an expected rise in interest rates may leave Canadians more indebted than they thought.

If you’re thinking about buying a house, let’s look at two stern warnings issued by the Bank of Canada at the end of last year, suggesting why now is not the best time to buy a home.

In his speech to Ontario, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada Paul Beaudry gave a stern warning to homebuyers: certain regions of Canada, he said, could experience a market correction sometime in the near future.

Though he didn’t give any dates, he did point to a concerning phenomenon: the extrapolative expectations of homebuyers.

Recall that “extrapolative expectations” means that a consumer or investor uses an asset’s recent past to predict its performance in the future. In the context of home buying, this means that homebuyers believe the last two years of real estate appreciation will continue into 2022. As Beaudry points out, this leads homebuyers to fear they’re “missing out” if they don’t jump into the real estate market today. Prices could go up indefinitely, they think. By not buying today, they could curse themselves for waiting. Though some surveys do suggest prices will go up this year, it’s not guaranteed that they will grow at the same rate they did last year.

In fact, research suggests that the rate at which prices are growing will no longer accelerate in 2022 but rather decelerate: prices may climb, but they’ll climb at a slower rate. And then there’s the crediting agencies, Fitch and Moody, that have long warned Canada’s hottest market are severely overvalued. Could homes really

climb to higher levels, becoming even more overvalued? Beaudry seems to think no.

Beaudry issued a second warning, one that was perhaps more stern than the first.

Canadian homebuyers, he warned, risk going into deeper into debt. Canadians who stretched their budgets to buy a house in 2020 and 2021 may now be exposed to rising interest costs. “The debt that households accumulated at unusually low interest rates will stay with them well into the future,” Beaudry said. “In the meantime, interest rates can be expected to rise as the effects of the pandemic dissipate and excess capacity in the economy is fully absorbed.”

Beaudry is also worried that Canadians will have little to fall back on should an unexpected event derail their finances. He cites a “job loss” as a primary concern.

If you bought a house under the expectation — extrapolative, perhaps — that you will have the same income in the future, what happens if you don’t? The same could be said for Canadians who rely on a second job, passive income, or investment earnings to supplement their primary pay. Any kind of disruption in the market could leave cashstrapped Canadians in a precarious position, at least with that massive mortgage attached to their ankle.

These warnings were issued in 2021: Are they still relevant?

Though, yes, Beaudry gave these warnings in a speech at the end of 2021, they are still relevant in 2022 — even more so, in fact, than they were before.

Most of Canada’s top banks have warned homebuyers now is not the best time to buy a house. Let that sink in for a second. The people who are making money off your decision to buy a home are telling you not to do it.

Imagine if you went to a car dealer, and the dealer told you the car you wanted to buy was going to depreciate by 25% the moment you drove it off the lot. It’s not a good decision, they tell you, but if you want it, you’ll have to pay the full price. Contrary to what we might hope for ourselves, if we really wanted that car, we’d probably pay more than the asking price.

Real estate market begins with record-low number of home listings With sustained high demand, available home listings in British Columbia at the beginning of 2022 started at an all-time record low of 12,179 units, representing a 41% drop over the previous year.

BC Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports all major housing markets in the province saw dwindling supply reach new lows in December 2021, with the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver recording 5,588 available listings (-39% yearover-year), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board at 1,404 (-55.5%), the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board at 1,451 (-47.4%), and the Victoria Real Estate Board at 421 (-53%).

BCREA states supply concerns are problematic, particularly for the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack, and Vancouver

Island markets, where there is one month or less of supply at the current pace of sales.

Based on compiling the data from real estate boards across the province, BCREA states there were 124,854 home sales throughout 2021, representing a 32.8% increase from the 94,001 units in 2020.

The average home price in BC was $928,000 in 2021, which is an 18.7% increase from $781,572 in 2020.

Residential sales totalled $115.8 billion last year — a 57.7% increase from 2020.

For the month of December 2021, a total of 6,871 home sales were recorded across BC, down 17.6% from the record levels in December 2020. Moreover, the average home price in BC exceeded $1 million for the first time, as the average price in three of the largest markets was over $1 million last month.

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Investors make up nearly 20% of all home purchases in Canada: report Investors account for nearly 20% of all home purchases made in Canada over the past seven years, according to a new report from the Bank of Canada.

The report looked at mortgages given out in Canada since 2014 and found that investors accounted for 19% of mortgaged home purchases. But as the report points out, this is largely domestic buyers and would only include foreign buyers if they obtained a mortgage in Canada, which means the percentage could be even larger.

The investors fell into one of two categories: those purchasing an investment property while maintaining their primary residence or those purchasing a new residence to live in, while converting their existing residence into an investment property.

The remainder of home purchases were split between first-time homebuyers, who accounted for 50% and repeat homebuyers, who accounted for 31%.

Although all three groups of buyers bought more homes during the COVID-19 pandemic,

this growth was most prominent with investors. According to the report, growth in the investor category has not outpaced first-time or repeat homebuyers since 2017.

As to be expected, investor activity varies across Canada’s major cities.

In Winnipeg, for example, investors account for just 14% of all home purchases.

Meanwhile, in Toronto, 21% of home purchases are made by investors.

You might also like: Canadian estate where Adele filmed “Easy On Me” listed for $5.5 million Feds to reexamine down payments required for investment properties Upon first glance, it may seem like Canada’s first-time homebuyers have the highest loanto-income ratio when they obtain a mortgage, but as the report points out, investors overall have a much largest debt load and “could face difficulty servicing their debt following a loss of income (either employment or rental) or an increase in interest rates.”

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12

Star & Style

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Sunny Leone trolled for not holding daughter’s hand Sunny Leone is a mother of three. She has twins Asher Singh Weber, Noah Singh Weber and daughter Nisha Kaur Weber with husband Daniel Weber. In a new interview, Daniel responded to criticism thrown Sunny’s way for allegedly not holding Nisha’s hand in public.

Sunny and her husband were spotted in Mumbai on Wednesday with the three kids. After the photos were shared by the paparazzi online, a few brutally trolled Sunny for not holding Nisha’s hand despite making sure to hold the hands of her two sons, who were

born via surrogacy. A few even said that he the actor has adopted Nisha ‘for publicity’.

Also read |Sunny Leone recalls being ‘bashed’ in infamous TV interview, says no one in the room tried to stopping it: ‘No one helped’ Daniel, in a recent interview, was asked about these trolls and the judgement around his and Sunny’s parenting. “Oh my god, this is absurd, I don’t even want to talk about it. I really don’t care about what people think. My sons are three years old and they run around as wild animals do in the park.

Kareena remembers Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj Legendary Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj passed away at his home in the early hours of Monday. His grandson Swaransh Mishra shared the news of his demise on social media and wrote, “Very sad to announce...

Pt birju maharaj ji.. my nana ji is no more.

With profound grief and sorrow we inform the sad and untimely demise of our most beloved member of the family Pt Birju Maharaj ji. The noble soul left for his heavenly abode on 17th January 2022.”

Bollywood celebrities have taken to their social media handle to remember the Kathak icon. Recently, Kareena shared a post for the legend.

She wrote, ‘’Rest in Peace #PanditBirjuMaharaj’’ Madhuri Dixit also shared a post for Guruji. She wrote, ‘’He was a legend but had a child like innocence. He

was my guru but also my friend. He taught me the intricacies of dance and Abhinay but never failed to make me laugh at his funny anecdotes. He has left behind grieving fans and many students.

Dharmendra still young at heart Dharmendra, Dharam Singh Deol, for him, it can be said that ‘Age is just a number’.

The fitness and vivacity of Bollywood’s Veteran actor remains intact even at this young age of 86. Dharam pa ji is still young at heart. Dharmendra takes care of his health and he is very active at social media as well.

He does not let his fans miss any chance to get entertained.

By sharing the news on social media, Dharmendra fulfilled the proverb of ‘Ek Panth Do Kaaj’.

ThevideoofDharamPajishared on Instagram in which He is seen cycling and grinding wheat at the same time.

The fans are once stunned by the act of this actor.

Cycling, wearing tracksuit and

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a cap, Dharmendra has reminded the fans of the past movies such as Sholay. The caption with the video read ‘Cycling, cycling, cycling and grinding mill…and grinding… and grinding.. haha’.

Seeing Dharmendra doing workouts as well as grinding wheat, the fans once again came down in praise of him. One wrote ’86 years old young boy… Yeh hai garam dharam’ and the other wrote ‘You are very down to earth’. May God give you a long life and keep inspiring us like this every day.

Star & Style

Saturday, January 22, 2022 Kathak Maharaj Pandit Birju Maharaj died at his home in Delhi late Sunday after suffering a heart attack. He was 83. A recipient of the country’s second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, he was fondly called Pandit-ji or Maharaj-ji by his disciples and legions of followers, and was one of India’s best known artistes.

According to reports, Birju Maharaj was playing with his grandsons late on Sunday night when his health deteriorated and he became unconscious. He was taken to hospital where he was declared dead.

“He was with us when this happened.

He had his dinner and we were playing ‘antakshari’ because he loved old music.

He was lying down... and suddenly his breathing became uneven. We think it was cardiac arrest as he was also a heart patient.

“This happened between 12.15 and When Lara Dutta made a comeback with film ‘Bell Bottom’ and went on to be part of multiple projects.

Talking about her journey, she recently opened up about the kind of roles she is getting to play currently and said that the ‘cohort of women’ between the age of 35-55 was never talked about as nothing was made on them.

Highlighting how age has helped her to liberate herself in the 40s, Lara is happy for doing ‘age appropriate’ roles which she always wanted to potray as an actor. Asserting that the actress never entered the film industry to become a leading lady or a hero essentially, she said that all she wanted to be was an actor and went on to relate her current roles written for her. “I honestly believe

Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj passes away at 83 12.30 am. It must have been just a minute or so.

We rushed to the hospital but unfortunately, we could not save him. He died before reaching the hospital,” Birju Maharaj’s granddaughter Ragini, a Kathak dancer herself said.

“Two of his disciples and his two granddaughters, my younger sister Yasyashashwini and me, were with him when this happened. He was laughing and smiling in his last moments,” she said.

Lara Dutta shares her journey the cohort of women between the ages of 35 and 55 years was never addressed.

Nothing was made on them” she said.

Recalling typical roles of females in films previously, Lara said that one gets tired of such roles easily, much like how it happened with her once she reached her 30s. She said “And so that sabbatical when my daughter was born … was a blessing in disguise.”

She signed out by saying that she feels ‘incredibly lucky’ because only a decade ago the kind of roles she has now, didn’t exist for her predecessor.

Read Also Lara Dutta says film industry is not kind to actresses above 40; rude audience calls them ‘buddhi’

Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi working together for ‘Driving License’ Selfiee is the Hindi remake of the 2019 Malayalam-language comedy-drama Driving Licence, which featured Prithviraj Sukumaran and Suraj Venjaramoodu.

Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi collaborate for 'Driving License'

Hindi

remake

titled

'Selfiee!

Karan Johar announced his next home production “Selfiee”, starring Akshay and Emraan.

The film is Hindi remake of 2019’s Malayalam-comedy

The Kathak exponent had been suffering from a kidney ailment and was under dialysis treatment.

Birju Maharaj was a descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, which includes his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj.

The Kathak legend was also a superb drummer, playing nearly all drums with ease and precision; he was especially fond of playing the Tabla and

Driving Licence, which featured Prithviraj Sukumaran and Suraj Venjaramoodu.

In a social media post on Twitter, KaranJohar shared a sneakpeek into the world of “Selfiee” via the title track which features Kumar and Hashmi dancing in the streets.

“P re s e nt i n g # S e l f i e e starring two absolutely smashing actors - Akshay Kumar & Emraan Hashmi, directed by Raj Mehta.

Hop into the frame and pose because shooting begins soon!” the 49-year-old producer wrote tagging Sukumaran, besides the star cast.

Lara is quite vocal about the topic of ageism in Bollywood. Earlier she had opened up about the plight of female actors of her age in the industry.

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Naal, according to his official website.

Birju Maharaj was also a singer par excellence, having command over Thumri, Dadra, Bhajan and Ghazal.

A master storyteller, he interlaced his performances with incidents from his life, narrated to captivate the audience. Also being keenly observant, he always had something to say about day-to-day incidents, keeping people around him entertained with realistic imitations and vivid descriptions.

Madhuri Dixit shared post for her Guruji.

She wrote, ‘’He was a legend but had a child like innocence. He was my guru but also my friend. He taught me the intricacies of dance and Abhinay but never failed to make me laugh at his funny anecdotes. He has left behind grieving fans and many students.

According to Lara, the industry is not kind to actresses of her age and they don’t allow them to age gracefully. Although there are some credible actors like Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Madhuri Dixit and herself.

14

LOCAL / NATIONAL BC to allow gyms to reopen from January 20, but extends other restrictions

The BC government announced on Tuesday a gradual reopening for gyms and fitness centres on January 20.

The reopening will be based on strict COVID-19 safety plans, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a media briefing.

These plans include occupancy limits based on seven metres squared per person, up to a maximum of 25 people per space, Henry added. The vaccine card will still be required to enter gyms or fitness centres. The province considers those with two COVID-19 shots (or one Johnson & Johnson shot) as fully vaccinated.

Masks must be worn at all times with the exception of when someone is exercising, Henry said but if people can keep their masks on when exercising, that is best.

There will be no changes for the B.C. vaccine card program, Henry said on Tuesday.

The province has extended all other restrictions, including the 50-per-cent capacity

limit for all venues, and keeping bars and clubs closed, until they are reviewed Feb. 16.

On Monday, the B.C. government quietly ordered the closure of gyms, fitness centres, bars and other facilities until further notice.

The restriction had been set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

It was not clear at the time whether the order would be reinstated in some form at the Tuesday afternoon briefing, creating confusion for business owners. Dr Henry apologized for that confusion at the top of the media briefing on Tuesday. Local gym owner, Courtney Dickson, general manager of Richmond Sports and Fitness said she is elated with the province’s announcement Tuesday.

She said she won’t have to implement too many changes in her gym going forward to comply with the new measures.

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Saturday, January 22, 2022

Fraser Health now distributing rapid COVID-19 tests at Bear Creek Park in Surrey Fraser Health is opening a daily COVID-19 rapid test distribution centre at Surrey’s Bear Creek Park.

The health authority says the “recent increase in COVID-19 transmission in our region has resulted in wait times for tests.”

The distribution centre, located at 13750 88 Ave., will be an appointment-only, drive-thru service that will “help ensure people who require testing, and those who have been sent for testing by a health care provider or Public Health, are able to book and receive a test more efficiently.”

Fraser Health says people with

appointments will be given a take-home rapid test kit, while people without appointments “will be turned away and asked to go online or call to book an appointment.”

S t a r t i n g Tuesday (Jan. 18), it will be open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

People can book a testing appointment online or call our central intake number at 604-587-3936.

Fraser Health adds the distribution centre is “anticipated” to provide 750 tests daily. Currently, the health authority delivers about 8,600 PCR and rapid

It’s now illegal to intimidate healthcare workers, patients in Canada A new law has now come into effect across the country, making it illegal to intimidate doctors, nurses, and patients.

A motion to make amendments to the Criminal Code, among other things, was brought forward late last year and included the following: Create an offence of intimidating a person in order to impede them from obtaining health services, intimidating a health professional in order to impede them in the performance of their duties or intimidating a person who assists a health professional in order to impede the person in providing that assistance; Create an offence of

obstructing or interfering with a person’s lawful access to a place at which health services are provided, subject to a defence of attending at the place for the purpose only of obtaining or communicating information; and Add the commission of an offence against a person who was providing health services and the commission of an offence that had the effect of impeding another person from obtaining health services as aggravating sentencing factors for any offence.

You might also like: BC healthcare workers are being harassed at COVID-19 testing centres. Health Canada authorizes Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral pills

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Antivirals could be a pandemic game-changer and they are already in Canada Canada has placed orders with Pfizer, Merck for therapeutics that can be administered at home. As a pandemic-weary country confronts another wave of COVID-19 cases with a strained health care system, Health Canada is looking at new products that could offer some relief: antivirals. Two such drugs are making their way through the labyrinthine Health Canada approvals process: Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s molnupiravir. These antiviral treatments, which are prescribed by a doctor and administered in pill form, are designed to help the body fight off the SARS-CoV-2 virus, reduce symptoms from an infection and shorten the period of illness. While Merck has grappled with questions about the efficacy of its product — molnupiravir is said to reduce hospitalization or death by 30 per

cent — Paxlovid earned especially high marks in testing. After a months-long study, Pfizer reported in November that Paxlovid reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by an impressive 89 per cent compared to a placebo in non-hospitalized high-risk adults with COVID-19. Health care professionals here are now scrambling to get their hands on this product to help ease the pressure on hospitals and save lives. While Canada has some of the highest vaccination rates in the world — a development that has dramatically reduced cases of severe illness — infections among the unvaccinated and breakthrough cases in those with two doses are still testing a health care system that is on the ropes after two years of the pandemic.

BC man accused in Nova Scotia jail attack is terminally ill, unlikely to be tried A man linked to the 2007 Surrey Six gang killings in BC will likely never go to trial on the charges he faces related to a brutal beating two years ago at a Nova Scotia jail. Sephon Sek, 42, is one of 15 men accused of attacking another inmate, Stephen Anderson, at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Centre on Dec. 2, 2019. Sek is accused of being part of a human wall of inmates who prevented guards from intervening while others assaulted the victim.

A decision released Monday by the Nova Scotia Supreme Court said Sek has terminal cancer and is not expected to live another year.

Justice Kevin Coady said he was prepared to release Sek to immigration authorities, who would then decide whether he is free to spend his final days with his three children in B.C., should remain in custody

or be deported to his native Cambodia.

Sek was in the Nova Scotia jail, located in the Halifax-area Burnside business park, on an immigration hold. The federal government plans to deport him due to his violent criminal past in B.C. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to break and enter related to the Surrey Six gang murders, where six people, including two innocent bystanders, were shot by two Red Scorpion gang members. Sek was paid $25,000 to knock on the door of the Surrey, B.C., apartment of a rival gang member, under the premise he was there to do a drug deal.

Sophon Sek won more than $364,000 in a poker championship on the day before he was arrested in relation to the Surrey Six killings.

15

Canada still deciding whether to supply military hardware to Ukraine forces: Joly Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada has not decided whether it will help arm Ukraine’s forces with military hardware after NATO ally Britain said Monday it would supply anti-tank weapons to the eastern European country.

Joly wrapped her two-day trip to Ukraine, the first leg of a threecountry continental tour that will include stops in France and meetings with European Union and NATO leaders in Brussels. Her talks with Canada’s allies come as fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine are running high in Europe.

“The goal is to make sure that we con tribute to their increased capacities, capabilities in light of the Russian threat, and also a further invasion of Russia,” Joly told a joint press conference in Kyiv with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

“We’ve heard loud and clear the demands on the part of the Ukrainian government,”

she added. “We know that it is important to play our part and therefore we’re looking at options and we’ll take a decision in a timely manner.” Canada’s Ukrainian diaspora — an influential constituency in domestic political affairs numbering 1.4 million — has asked Ottawa to supply arms to Ukraine to help it defend against a possible Russian invasion. “It is very important that Minister Joly was in Kyiv these last days to hear first-hand from Ukrainians on the urgency of the need to provide Ukraine with more defensive weapons,” Ihor Michalchyshyn, the executive director of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, said Tuesday. “Canada should be providing defensive weapons to Ukraine immediately, as a deterrent to the increasing threat of a further Russian invasion of Ukraine, rather than in response to a further invasion, should one come.

Quebec girl, 4, dies of ‘circumstances related to COVID-19 - hospital centre says The University Hospital Centre (CHU) of Quebec said Monday that a four-yearold girl had died “due to circumstances related to COVID-19.” “The CHU wishes to offer its most sincere condolences to the parents and family of the young girl,” the hospital centre said in a statement provided to Noovo Info. “For aspects of confidentiality and out of respect for the bereaved family, no interview will be granted and no other comments will be disclosed by the CHU.” Quebec’s health

minister, Christian Dubé, called the news “incredibly sad” and offered his condolences to the family in a tweet Monday afternoon.

Overall, deaths of children from COVID-19 are extremely rare.

On Dec. 17, the CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal announced the death of a baby less than two months old who contracted COVID-19 and had no pre-existing health conditions.

According to Quebec Health Department data, the infant was the first child under age 10 to die of the disease in the province.

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Excellent 3 level 1700SF home sits on 7900SF rectangular flat lot in the most demanding Panorama Ridge area of Surrey. Frontage 60'.House has total 4 bedrooms,2 bath, spacious living room, dining room & kitchen with new roof,24'X12' Patio,24'X19' detached garage. Lots of Parking. Easy access to all major routes. Live, rent or build your dream home.

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Welcome home! Situated in a family-friendly area of Grandview Heights in South Surrey. This 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom home features mountain views, offering a fully finished walk out basement with 2 bedroom suite and separate entry. The main floor has high ceilings, open concept layout, office, natural light, and sundeck out back with mountain views. Custom closet organizers, air conditioning, pantry.

Upstairs has 3 generously sized bedrooms that include a Master ensuite with mountain views, walk in closet. Fenced yard, double garage and extra parking space. Excellent location on a quiet street, easily walkable to shopping, recreation, parks, schools and quick HWY access. Down the street Sunnyside Elementary, New Grandview Heights Secondary school catchment.

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

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14103 110 AVE., N.SURREY

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12556 62A AVENUE W NE ING T LIS

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

$1,779,000

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

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This 4 bed / 4 bath executive style home on the bluff has outstanding 2nd floor views all the way to the North Shore. Above garage reno added in 2001 and larger reno in 2014 including solarium, upstairs bathroom, master bedroom with spa like ensuite. No expense spared with 2 way see through fireplace with jetted Chromotherapy/ Aromatherapy tub. Large walk in shower with rain head and body sprays. Enjoy the outdoor view in a private back yard with mature Palm and bamboo trees while you lounge around the concrete pool with attached hot tub. Pool is solar heated as well as gas and the yard is

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5843 180 STREET, CLOVERDALE 14030 GROSVENOR RD., NORTH SURREY

$912,500

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

$955,000

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

16

Saturday, January 22, 2022

17

INDIA

Saturday, January 22, 2022

India successfully test-fires new version of BrahMos missile India on Thursday successfully test-fired a new version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile off the coast of Odisha in Balasore, news agency ANI reported. According to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile was equipped with new technological developments which were successfully proven, according to ANI.

More than a week ago, on January 11, the DRDO had successfully test-fired a naval variant of the BrahMos from a stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy.

‘To deter external forces from...’ Rajnath Singh on BrahMos manufacturing in India | Watch Defence Minister Rajnath Singh issued a veiled warning to Pakistan on Sunday. Singh said India

is manufacturing BarhMos missiles so that no country could dare to attack India. The defence minister stressed the need for maintaining nuclear deterrents. He said BrahMos and other weapons are only to defend India against ‘any nation with hostile intentions’. Watch full video.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh had congratulated DRDO officials for successful

launch and said that it “reconfirmed the robustnessoftheIndianNavy’smissionreadiness”.

BrahMos is a joint India-Russia venture, between the DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, which, together, formed the Brahmos Aerospace. The missile derives its name from two rivers: the Brahmaputra in India and the Moskva of Russia.

Nepal’s Province 2 bordering India re-named ‘Madhes Pradesh’ Nepal’s south-eastern Province 2 bordering India has been named Madhes Pradesh with Janakpur retained as its capital, settling a long-standing debate on the region’s official reference after it was made a province in 2015.

The Provincial Assembly on Monday voted in two-thirds majority for both decisions. Of the 99 voting members, 78 voted for Janakpur as capital and 80 voted for the provincial name Madhes.

Madhes is Nepal’s smallest province in terms of area but second largest in terms of population. It borders India (Bihar) in the south and has eight districts -- Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha and Saptari.

Majority of the population in the region is of Indian descent and Maithili is the most widely spoken language.

Senior Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Mahato said the new province name is a milestone in Nepal moving towards complete federalism, with the identity of Madhesis.

Colloquially Madhesi means people from the southern plains. In Hindu religious text, Madesh refers to Lord Shiva.

Province 2, or Madhes Pradesh now, was formed after Nepal’s new Constitution came

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Before attaining provincial status, Madhesi parties had extensively campaigned for greater rights, representation and autonomy.

Nearly 50 people had died in agitations between September 2015 and February 2016.

The provincial government declared a public holiday on Tuesday to mark the occasion.

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Saturday, January 22, 2022

India Mallya can be evicted from London home over unpaid loan, UK court orders Embattled businessman Vijay Mallya on Tuesday lost a legal battle to hold on to his plush London home after a British court refused to grant him a stay of enforcement in a long-running dispute with Swiss bank UBS. The 18/19 Cornwall Terrace luxury apartment overlooking Regent’s Park in London, described in court as an “extraordinarily valuable property worth many tens of millions of pounds”, is currently being occupied by Mallya’s 95-year-old mother Lalitha.

Delivering his judgment virtually for the Chancery Division of the High Court, Deputy Master Matthew Marsh concluded there were no grounds for him to grant further time for the Mallya family to repay a GBP 20.4-million loan to UBS – the claimant in the case.

“The claimant’s position was a reasonable

one… further time is not likely to make any material difference,” Deputy Master Marsh ruled.

“I would also add from my review of the correspondence, I can see no basis whatever for the suggestion that has been made that the claimant has misled the first defendant [Vijay Mallya]… in conclusion, I dismiss the first defendant’s application,” he said.

The judge also declined permission to appeal against his order or to grant a temporary stay of enforcement, which means UBS can proceed with the possession process to realise its unpaid dues.

“I will refuse permission to appeal and therefore it follows that I will not be granting a stay,” said Marsh.

Mallya’s barrister, Daniel Margolin QC, indicated that the 65-year-old businessman plans to pursue an appeal before a High Court Chancery Division Judge.

Daughters to inherit fathers’ self acquired, inherited properties, to get preference over others: SC

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In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Thursday said the daughters of a male Hindu, dying intestate, would be entitled to inherit the self-acquired and other properties obtained in the partition by the father and get preference over other collateral members of the family.

The judgement, which came on an appeal against the Madras High Court verdict, dealt with the property rights of Hindu women and widows under the Hindu Succession Act. “If a property of a male Hindu dying intestate (without a will) is a self-acquired property or obtained in the partition of a coparcenary or a family property, the

same would devolve by inheritance and not by survivorship, and a daughter of such a male Hindu would be entitled to inherit such property in preference to other collaterals (such as sons/daughters of brothers of deceased father),” a bench of justices S Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari said.

The bench was dealing with the legal issue concerning the right of the daughter to inherit the self-acquired property of her father, in the absence of any other legal heir.

Justice Murari, writing the 51-page judgment for the bench, also dealt with the question of whether such property will devolve on to the daughter upon the death of her father.

INDIA

Saturday, January 22, 2022 Nearly a year after being granted emergency use authorisation, Covid vaccines Covaxin and Covishield were on Wednesday approved for full and regular market authorisation by subject experts of the Drug Controller General of India.

The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Covid-19, which reviewed Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech’s applications, has recommended regular market approval to Covishield and Covaxin subject to certain conditions, sources said.

Covaxin, Covishield okayed for regular market approval Move will address concerns of people hesitant to get vaccinated due to only emergency use nod. With India keen on ramping up vaccinations, full approvals will aid the drive. This was the second review of the applications submitted by Pune-based SII and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech. Of the 158.54 crore doses of Covid-19

administered in India till date, the majority are Covishield. SII told experts that the administration of nearly 100 crore shots to Indians and others worldwide was a testimony to population-based efficacy and safety of the vaccine.

Fresh cases 2,82,970 Total deaths 4,87,202

BJP announces poll pact with Apna Dal & Nishad Party in UP The BJP today formally announced an alliance with Apna Dal and Nishad Party for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll, terming “social justice and overall development” as chief guiding principles of the coalition.

Though the alliance leadership said seatsharing formula was ready, they didn’t divulge details. While the alliance was being considered

a done deal, sources said the aim behind today’s press conference by BJP chief JP Nadda, Apna Dal’s Anupriya Patel and Nishad Party’s Sanjay Nishad was to send across a message to various backward classes in poll-bound UP. Several top leaders from the community, including a few ministers, had recently switched from the BJP to the Samajwadi Party (SP Both Apna Dal and Nishad Party

draw support from sections of backward castes. The Akhilesh Yadav-led SP too has stitched pacts with several caste-based parties.

Flanked by Anupriya Patel, a Union Minister, and Sanjay Nishad, Nadda said the NDA would “contest and win” the elections under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas’. Nadda also lauded the Yogi Adityanath government for its “good

Active cases 18,31,000 441 deaths in 24 hours In the past many months, accelerated vaccine development to prevent or reduce the severity of Covid has resulted in rapid global emergency regulatory approvals, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use authorisation (EUA) approvals and similar approvals worldwide, including in India.

On August 23, 2021, the US FDA gave the first full regulatory approval for a Covid vaccine to Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty for individuals 16 years and older.

performance” in terms of law and order, industrial investment and social welfare. “Development, social justice, pro-women and pro-backward class policies are the key achievements of the BJP’s double-engine government in UP,” he said.

Patel and Nishad hailed the Modi regime for granting constitutional status to the OBC commission and giving the community reservation in education, including the NEET.

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Saturday, January 22, 2022

Indian Army seeks assistance from PLA to locate and return missing Arunachal youth The Indian Army has sought assistance of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to locate missing boy Miram Taron on their side and return him as per established protocol, sources in defence establishment said on Thursday.

Arunachal Pradesh’s MP Tapir Gao said on Wednesday that PLA on Tuesday kidnapped a 17-yearold boy from inside the Indian territory in state’s Upper Siang district.

Sources in defence establishment said on Thursday that when the Indian Army received the information about Taron, it immediately contacted the PLA through established mechanism

of hotline saying an individual, who was collecting herbs and hunting, had lost his way and could not be found.

Assistance from PLA had been sought to locate the individual on their side and return him as per established protocol, sources noted.

Gao said on Wednesday that the incident took place near the place where the Tsangpo river enters India in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Tsangpo is called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and the Brahmaputra in Assam.

The MP said he had informed Union Minister of State for Home Nisith Pramanik about the incident and requested him to take action

Air India cancels 8 US flights over 5G fears Air India cancelled eight flights on India-US routes from Wednesday onwards due to deployment of 5G internet in North America which could interfere with aircraft’s navigation systems.

Meanwhile, DGCA chief Arun Kumar told PTI that the Indian aviation regulator was working “in close coordination with our carriers to overcome the situation” that has arisen due to 5G internet’s deployment in the US. US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had on January 14 said that “5G interference with the

aircraft’s radio altimeter could prevent engine and braking systems from transitioning to landing mode, which could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway”.

Altimeter measures height of the aircraft above the ground. The band on which altimeter works is close to that on which 5G system works.

Total three carriers—American Airlines, Delta Airlines and Air India—currently operate direct flights between India and the US.

PM Modi to host India-Central Asia Summit on Jan 27 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the first meeting of the India-Central Asia Summit with the participation of the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in a virtual format on January 27.

This will be the first engagement of its kind between India and Central Asian countries at the level of leaders, said a MEA news release. The five Central Asian Presidents were to attend the Republic Day celebrations as chief guests, but rising Omicron cases led to them opting

for a virtual summit with PM Modi.

“The summit is a “reflection of India’s growing engagement with the Central Asian countries, which are a part of India’s extended neighbourhood,” it added.

The PM has visited all Central Asian countries in 2015.

JOINT INAUGURATION OF projects in Mauritius PM Narendra Modi and Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth will jointly inaugurate the India-assisted social housing unit project in Mauritius virtually on Thursday

Daily rise in Covid cases highest in 8 months, at 3.18 lakh India logged 3,17,532 new coronavirus infections, the highest in 249 days, taking the total tally of Covid cases to 3,82,18,773, which includes 9,287 cases of the omicron variant, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The active cases rose to 19,24,051, the highest in 234 days, while the death toll climbed to 4,87,693 with 491 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

There has been a 3.63 per cent increase in omicron cases since Wednesday, the ministry said.

The active cases comprised 5.03 per cent of the total infections, while the

national recovery rate had decreased to 93.09 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 93,051 cases has been recorded in the active caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The country had reported 3,11,170 cases in a single day on May 15 last year.

The 491 new fatalities include 134 from Kerala and 49 from Maharashtra.

A total of 4,87,693 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,41,934 from Maharashtra, 51,160 from Kerala, 38,486 from Karnataka, 37,073 from Tamil Nadu, 25,460 from Delhi, 22,990 from Uttar Pradesh and 20,193 from West Bengal

HAL to export another copter to Mauritius Public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a contract with the Government of Mauritius for export of one more Advanced Light Helicopter.

This one is for the Mauritius Police Force.

Mauritius already operates HAL built ALH and Do-228 aircraft. The contract further strengthens the long-standing business relations spanning over three decades.

The HAL will supply the “Mark III” version of the ALH to the island country. It is capable of being used in multiple roles and has proven its mettle in numerous lifesaving missions during natural calamities in India and abroad. More than 335 ALHs have been produced till date.

The HAL will ensure technical assistance and product support to ensure serviceability of the helicopter. —

21

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Punjab Rs 10 cr, Rolex watch & gold worth 21 lakh seized from Chief Minister’s nephew After completing raids related to an illegal mining case early this morning, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) declared a net recovery of Rs 10 crore, gold worth Rs 21 lakh and a Rolex watch worth Rs 12 lakh from the premises of Bhupinder Singh Honey, a nephew of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, and his business associates.

ED officials said Rs 8 crore was recovered from premises linked to Honey in Mohali and Ludhiana and Rs 2

crore from his partner Sandeep. The raids, which started on Tuesday morning, were conducted at 10 locations in Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Pathankot, among others.

The officials said they completed questioning of all persons, including Honey, linked to the raids early this morning.

Business and residential premises of several persons were searched.

They included Kudratdeep Singh, Pinjore Royalty Company and its partners Kanwarmahip Singh and Manpreet Singh,

Parkash Singh Badal tests positive for Covid -19 Former CM Parkash Singh Badal was admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) after he tested positive for Covid-19.

According to information, he was having cough and cold for past couple of days after which a Covid test was conducted. While his one test came positive, another came negative after which he was brought to the DMCH today.

Dr Bishav Mohan, senior cardiologist of Hero DMC Heart Institute, said: “Badal is stable. We will be keeping him in the hospital for a couple of days as he is an elderly person and also has comorbidities. If all goes well, he will be discharged after two days,” said Dr Mohan. Later, Sukhbir came to meet his father at the hospital. He said Badal had been admitted as a precautionary measure

Free ride for transport mafia in Punjab As Punjab goes to the Assembly elections next month, reining in the transport mafia, revising the bus timetables and giving minibus permits to unemployed youths remain raging issues.

One of the key components in the 2017 transport policy — ending the illegal extension of bus permits to private operators, who are mostly politically influential persons — is caught in a legal battle.

The government has also focused on the

modernisation and upgrade of transportation services. The Transport Department has initiated a process to induct 800 new buses in the fleet of PRTC and Punbus. Contrary to his predecessors, Raja Warring was seen more on the ground to know the problems faced by commuters and transporters.

The minister got encroachments removed in and around bus stands and initiated the construction of the new bus stands.

Pakistan EC orders declassification of key documents in Imran Khan’s party’s foreign funding case The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered the declassification of key documents linked to the foreign funding case against the ruling Pakistan Tehreeki-Insaf, a move that could potentially spell more trouble for Prime Minister Imran Khan, a media report said on Wednesday.

According to a damning report released earlier this month by the ECP’s Scrutiny Committee, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had

grossly under-reported funds received from foreign nationals, firms and also concealed bank accounts. The ruling party had under-reported an amount of Rs PKR 312 million over a fouryear period, between FY 2009-10 and FY 201213, the report said. The year-wise details reveal that an amount in excess of PKR 145 million was under-reported in FY 2012-13 alone, it said.

Govt bans indoor gatherings in areas with over 10% positivity of Covid-19 cases Pakistan banned indoor gatherings in areas with over 10 per cent positivity of Covid-19 cases as part of fresh measures to curb the spread of the virus after the country recorded more than 5,000 new cases for the second straight day on Wednesday.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) announced the various non-

pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) after a senior-level meeting. The new curbs were announced as Pakistan reported 5,472 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, which is the highest per-day cases since August 4 last year when 5,661 infections were recorded.

The positivity rate was recorded at 9.48 per cent, a gigantic jump from just 1 per cent at the

Activist Sarah Gill becomes Pakistan’s first transgender doctor Leading activist Sarah Gill has become Pakistan’s first transgender doctor after clearing the MBBS (Final) examination from Karachi’s Jinnah Medical and Dental College.

Gill, 23, is also associated with an NGO working for the welfare of the transgender community in Pakistan.

“I am proud to be Pakistan’s first [transgender] doctor. I will work for the welfare of my community,” Gill told The News International newspaper.

“No one can stop you from achieving something

if you’re passionate about it. There are difficulties in life. I wanted to make Pakistan famous and my parents have also accepted me after I became a doctor,” Dunya News quoted Gill as saying.

The activist also talked about how parents in Pakistan throw their transgender children out of their houses because of the pressure from society.

“Stop throwing your children out of the houses because of the pressure of society. It’s just the start, things will get better in the future,” Gill said.

Pakistan in recent years has taken steps to empower its transgender population, including allowing them to get registered

FIJI Fiji man living in NZ convicted of murdering family of 7 A Fiji-born New Zealand resident has been found guilty of multiple murders in Fiji.

Mohammed Raheesh Isoof of Christchurch was convicted of five counts of murder and one attempted murder.

In the Lautoka High Court, Justice Thushara Rajasinghe ruled the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Isoof had killed the family of five in August 2019.

Police officers escort the murder suspect Muhammed Raheesh Isoof to the remand centre from Nadi Magistrates Court on September 18.

The judge said it was evident the accused had lied in his evidence before the court.

Isoof will be sentenced on Friday.

Isoof had murdered three adults and two children and attempted to murder an 11-month old by abandoning her in the Nausori Highlands, Nadi.

The bodies of a 63-year-old carpenter, Nirmal Kumar, his 54-year-old wife, Usha Devi, their 34-year-old daughter, Nileshni Kajal and her two daughters Sana aged 11, and Samara, 8 were all found near a cliff.

Fiji rebuilds after tsunami damage Rebuilding has started on islands in Fiji affected by last week’s volcanic eruptions in neighbouring Tonga and the tsunami that followed.

Fijian disaster management experts, military and civil servants today began assessment and repair works on six islands in the Lau Group, which are closer to Tonga than the main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.

In Suva, emergency supplies bound for the Lau Group in Fiji are prepped and loaded for transport.

2022 In Suva, emergency supplies bound for the

Lau Group in Fiji are prepped and loaded for transport.

2022 Photo: Fiji Government A separate team of experts and military will join the Australian Defence Force’s deployment to Tonga to aid in the relief efforts there.

Minister for Rural, Maritime Development and Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu said two Fiji government teams would leave Suva today to assess and repair damage in Ono I Lau, Vatoa, Moce, Moala,

Sydney family stranded in Fiji after contracting COVID-19 A Sydney family is stranded in Fiji after catching COVID-19 while on holiday.

Ivan Kules, his niece, and his mother-inlaw are stuck in the country and unable to board a plane due to being COVID-positive.

“I call it a prison in paradise, I look out the window and I see a beautiful view but I can’t enjoy it,” Mr Kules said. For the Kules

family, a family holiday turned sour as a COVID-19 outbreak began at their resort.

“We were told when we arrived there were six cases, the next morning there were 15 cases, by day five it was 50 per cent of the resort,” Lynn Glohe, Mr Kules’ mother-in-law, said.

Ms Glohe stayed to look after her COVID-positive granddaughter.

22

Saturday, January 22, 2022 Canada welcomes over 200 Afghan refugees to Vancouver Press release

Sanjha Vehra Womens Association raise $12,100 to donate Surrey Hospitals Foundation for new interventional radiology facility for cancer treatments.

Vancouver — Canada is responding as quickly as possible to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan by helping bring Afghan citizens and their families safely to their new home. We remain firm in our commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghan nationals, and our partnerships with provinces, territories and settlement service providers across the country are key to achieving this goal.

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that over 200 Afghan refugees landed in Vancouver last night. This marks the largest flight to date of Afghan nationals arriving in BC. Approximately 161 of them will start their new lives in Vancouver, while the other 48 will settle elsewhere in the country, where they have family ties. This brings the total number of Afghan refugees who have arrived in Canada to over 7,000.

Passengers on the charter flight, which departed from Islamabad, Pakistan, are primarily individuals whose employment involved a significant or enduring relationship with the Government of Canada, as well as their families.

Throughout this major venture, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has relied on the tremendous support of IRCC-funded Resettlement Assistance Program service provider organizations (RAP SPOs), which have delivered essential services for newcomers and refugees.

The new arrivals were greeted at the Vancouver International Airport by Community Airport Newcomers Network, a RAP SPO program provided by S.U.C.C.E.S.S, a non-profit organization. This program provides winter clothing, arranges transportation and offers initial orientation to newcomers and their families.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Saturday, January 22, 2022

NRI

WHO counts 18 million Covid-19 cases last week as omicron slows he number of new coronavirus cases globally rose by 20 per cent last week to more than 18 million, marking a slowdown in the surge caused by the omicron variant’s spread, according to the World Health Organisation.

In its weekly report on the pandemic, the UN health agency said the number of new COVID-19 infections increased in every world region except for Africa, where cases fell by nearly a third. The number of deaths globally remained similar to the previous week, at about 45,000.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped by about 50 per cent the week before last, and earlier this month, WHO reported the biggest single-week increase in cases of the pandemic.

WHO said in its report issued late Tuesday that Southeast Asia had the biggest rise in coronavirus cases last week, with the number of newly infected people spiking

Non-residents will now have to pay in foreign currency for services in Sri Lanka, says central bank Tourists travelling to Sri Lanka will now have to pay for their goods and services in foreign currency, the Central Bank announced on Thursday, as part of its efforts to inject more liquidity in the economy and build up the country’s depleted foreign exchange reserves.

The directives were taken by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka with a view to strengthening macroeconomic stability.

Consequently, the apex bank has instructed registered tourists’ establishments to accept foreign exchange only in respect of services rendered to persons residing outside Sri Lanka.

“All registered tourist establishments must accept foreign exchange only in respect of services rendered to persons residing outside Sri Lanka,” said the monetary policy review for the month of January, released by Sri Lanka’s Central Bank.

This comes in the backdrop of the Central Bank hiking the standing deposit facility rate and the standing lending facility rate by 50 basis points each to 5.50 per cent and 6.50 per cent respectively to control inflation rates, curb imports, and avoid a potential default later in the year.

In its statement, it said the “measures will curtail the possible build-up of underlying demand pressures in the economy, which would also help ease pressures in the external sector, thus promoting greater macroeconomic stability”.

The pandemic has also dealt a blow to the economy dependent hugely on tourism, with the government estimating losses to the tune of USD 14 billion over the last two years.

The economy is also estimated to have contracted by 1.5 per cent in July-September 2021.

Sri Lanka has underlined its commitment to repaying the USD 4 billion owed to investors in this year, even though analysts reckon it could face its first-ever default unless it increases dollar inflows.

“We want to give a very clear message that we want to see inflation being dealt with,” Central Bank governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.

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by 145 per cent.

The Middle East saw a 68 per cent weekly rise.

The smallest increases were noted in the Americas and Europe, at 17 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.

Scientists said last week there were early signs in the US and Britain that omicron-driven

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outbreaks may have peaked in those countries and that cases could soon fall off sharply.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday that that the highly infectious variant “continues to sweep the world.” He said it was ”misleading” to consider it as causing mild disease, although studies have shown omicron is less likely to result in severe illness or hospitalisation than its predecessors.

“We are concerned about the impact omicron is having on already exhausted health workers and overburdened health systems,” Tedros said.

He acknowledged that some regions appear to be out of the worst of the latest omicron wave but warned that “not all countries are out of the woods yet.”