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Vol 20 - Issue 49
Business owners warned to prepare for mass sickness at work as Omicron takes control B.C. businesses have been warned to prepare for as many as a third of their workforce to be sick on any given day, as the highly transmissible COVID-19 Omicron variant takes over across the province. On Tuesday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said business owners should reactivate their COVID safety plans to prevent business closures due to a lack of staff, but wouldn’t make that an order. “Given the rate of transmission, the short incubation period and the high number of people who are getting ill, we need now all businesses to put contingency plans in place to keep businesses operating when staff are off ill,” said Henry, as she reported 2,542 new cases of the disease over the past day, with 80 per cent of all cases in B.C. now the Omicron variant. “At this point, given the number of people getting sick every day, we need to reactivate those COVID-19 safety plans. We need to anticipate that as many as a third of your workforce at any one time may become ill with COVID-19, and they may not be able to come to work. We need to adapt businesses so we can operate at these reduced numbers. “It’s not about public health orders and us telling you what to do. This is about activating all of those layers of Continued on page 6
Saturday, December 8, 2022 Rising Omicron wave brings a grim sense of Déjà Vu Just months after Delta fueled hospital failures and funeral pyres, India’s leaders again offer a mixed message: Their political rallies are packed even as they order curfews and work closures. When the Omicron coronavirus variant spread through India late in December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the nation to be vigilant and follow medical guidelines. Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of the capital region of Delhi, swiftly introduced night curfews, shut down movie theaters, and slashed restaurants and public transport to half capacity. Continued on page 6
Tel:604-591-5423 This wave could be tough but shorter, says Dr. Bonnie Henry ‘I do think this is the tipping point’ Omicron is presenting as a milder upper respiratory illness and is harder to detect, as it can initially seem more like a cold or flu. The same late-November weekend the World Health Organization declared Omicron a variant of concern, it had already infected members of a University of Victoria men’s rugby team on the pitch of a Kingston, Ont. university campus. At least four players would bring the variant home to Vancouver Island, and for a while, Island Health would find itself in the unusual and unenviable position of leading the province in daily case Continued on page 8
Vancouver experiences coldest weather recorded
Winter storm brings up to 30 cm of snow to South Coast as extreme cold weather grips north
BC is typically known for its mild winters, but December gifted the west coast record-breaking plunge in temperatures. Vancouver experienced a daily low of -15.3°C on December 27. According to The Weather Network, this is the coldest temperature the city has recorded in 52 years. The Weather Network says this is a big departure from seasonal norms,
Weather agency advises postponing non-essential travel in Metro Vancouver; wind chill as low as -45 C in north. Environment Canada has issued a slew of weather alerts for British Columbia as coastal and interior communities brace for heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures continue to create dangerous conditions in central and northern areas of the province.
Continued on page 7
Continued on page 7
The world’s largest trade bloc launched without India The new Asian regional trade pact, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, becomes effective as of today. The RCEP is the world’s biggest free trade agreement, larger than the EU, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the EU, the Mercosur trade bloc in South America, and the recent US-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement. RCEP includes all the ASEAN countries (Thailand, Continued on page 7
Govt ask Starlink to refund its pre-orders prior to start business in India Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet venture has told its members that the Indian govt has asked the company to refund all its pre-orders until it receives licences to operate in the country. “As has always been the case, you can receive a refund at any time,” the company said in an email to one of its customers. Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing a copy of the email which it had seen. Starlink, a division of Musk’s SpaceX aerospace company, has already Continued on page 8
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Saturday, January 8, 2022
Vancouver, Fraser Valley under rare winter storm warning; hazardous conditions expected A rare winter storm warning has been issued for parts of B.C.’s South Coast with snow and freezing rain expected to move through Wednesday and into Thursday. Global BC meteorologist Mark Madryga said the storm will move to the B.C. coast Wednesday afternoon “with snow spreading onto Vancouver Island, and into the inner coast including Metro Vancouver early this evening.” The heaviest snow for the Lower Mainland will be late Wednesday evening and overnight, Madryga added. “Milder air will race in quickly on Thursday morning with snow turning to rain,” he said. “There is a high chance of freezing rain overnight on West Vancouver Island, and on East Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland – especially the Fraser Valley – starting Thursday morning.” Environment Canada is forecasting between 10 and 20
From airlines and restaurants to slaughterhouses, Canada’s worker shortage is spreading rapidly
centimetres for Metro Vancouver and possibly up to 30 centimetres over Howe Sound and the Fraser Valley. The organization said drivers should consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve as rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. The City of Abbotsford has issued a medium-alert level for residents due to the winter storm warning. The freezing rain could also fall on west and east Vancouver Island during the transition to rain. Non-essential travel should be avoided. A car rolled into a ditch on Highway 1 near the Sprott Street exit in Burnaby. Witness Andrew Duckmanton told Global News the driver slipped on the snow, hit the brakes and then went sideways into the ditch and flipped over.
An intensifying labour shortage is rippling through the economy, forcing businesses to curtail operations, reduce hours and in some cases, euthanize livestock. The situation is a result of a chronic worker shortage worsened by the crush of new COVID-19 cases forcing many into isolation. School closures have also left some workers scrambling for child care and unable to go into work. The result is rising worker absences, prompting airlines to cancel flights, drugstores to close early and restaurants to move to takeout only. At a slaughterhouse in Quebec, the worker shortage became so extreme in recent days it opted to euthanize thousands of chickens that couldn’t be processed. Exceldor Cooperative said in a statement that rising COVID-19 infections and a significant
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shortage of personnel have forced the company to resort to “humane euthanasia.” It blamed the protracted worker shortage on federal delays processing temporary foreign worker applications. Meanwhile, some provinces have tried to ease staffing woes by shortening isolation periods, allowing people to return to work sooner. Yet the sheer number of new daily cases caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant continues to leave many confined to their homes and businesses struggling to remain open. Even those that remain open are facing a scheduling nightmare as mounting unplanned absences — on top of shifting public health restrictions — make operating difficult. Labour shortage hampering postpandemic recovery for businesses in Canada, study finds.
Twenty Surrey Mounties and 10 city staffers infected with COVID-19 The Surrey RCMP says it wants to assure residents that despite 21 Mounties and 10 city employees having contracted COVID-19 since Dec. 28 the force has a multi-layered plan to deal with “worst-case” scenarios and the detachment is not presently in a position where public safety is compromised. “Over the duration of the pandemic so far we’ve on average had maybe a couple a month people unfortunately contract COVID, and then just having this huge surge of COVID-positive, or people at least who are showing symptoms and signs of being ill, to have this many, 30 in a week is quite a significant jump in numbers for us,” Sergeant Elenore Sturko said Wednesday. The Winnipeg Police has been in the news for declaring a state of emergency in its department after COVID-19
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has swept through that department. In Surrey, the RCMP’s largest detachment, with 1,145 officers and city staff, has set up system where it’s still able to operate and serve the public without disruption despite an outbreak, Sturko said, “so that there isn’t any disruption in services and that there is no compromising safety here.” “Those people who are sick are not at work, they are off duty,” she said. When the pandemic emerged in 2020, she added, the RCMP set up an emergency operations centre within the detachment to deal with situations like this. “It’s helping us to manage our own resources during this emergency,” Sturko said. “We’re miles away from a crisis. The unfortunate part about being two years into a pandemic is that we have experience. We’ve been through several waves, and although we haven’t seen anything quite like Omicron, the way that we’ve functioned since 2020 is that we’ve always planned for these worst-case scenarios.”
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Saturday, January 8, 2022
Canadians are ‘angry’ with the unvaccinated: Trudeau At this point in the pandemic, with widespread new restrictions and postponed surgeries for tens of thousands, Canadians are “angry” with those in this country who still have not rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday. “People are seeing cancer treatments and elective surgeries put off because beds are filled with people who chose not to get vaccinated; they’re frustrated. When people see that we’re in lockdowns, or serious public health restrictions right now because [of] the risk posed to all of us by unvaccinated people, people get angry,” the prime minister said. Across the country over the last few weeks, new case counts have hit record highs largely due to the rapidly spreading
Woman rushed to hospital with ‘serious injuries’ following Surrey stabbing A woman has been rushed to the hospital in Surrey after a stabbing Thursday morning. RCMP confirmed officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 10400-block of 140B Street around 9 a.m. They arrived to find a woman with what appears to be “serious injuries,” RCMP said. Initially, police said the victim had been shot, but police later confirmed while a shooting had occurred at the home, the woman was actually stabbed. The victim remains in hospital in stable condition. Surrey RCMP General Investigations Unit has assumed control of the investigation and the crime scene has been secured for a search warrant, police said. Multiple people have been detained, police said, and officers believe this was an isolated incident with no threat to public safety. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers, if they wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-2228477 or www.solvecrime.ca.
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and more transmissible Omicron variant, prompting a new wave of restrictions aimed at easing the strain on overburdened health-care sectors and testing facilities. For months politicians and public health officials have been imploring Canadians to get vaccinated, running campaigns meant to educate, encourage, and dispel vaccine misinformation, and implementing proof of vaccination systems that restrict access to certain spaces and activities. According to the latest federal figures, more than 87 per cent of Canadians ages 12 and older are fully vaccinated. However, millions of Canadians have chosen to not receive a single COVID-19 dose. Vaccination tracker: How many people in Canada have received shots?
Woman who posed as fake nurse in Vancouver, Ottawa to plead guilty The woman alleged to have posed as a fake nurse to treat patients in Ottawa and Vancouver intends to plead guilty to related charges later this month. Brigitte Cleroux of Gatineau, Que., remains in custody in Ottawa, but appeared in B.C. Provincial Court by phone on Wednesday. Meanwhile, B.C. Crown prosecutor Kathryn Ford confirmed the Vancouver Police Department has launched a number of new investigations against Cleroux and continues to gather evidence in those cases. The Vancouver and Ottawa police departments collaborated on an investigation against Cleroux, who faces charges related to impersonating a medical professional in both cities. Vancouver police say Cleroux worked at B.C. Women’s Hospital between June 2020 and June 2021
under fraudulent pretenses. In November, she was charged in B.C. with fraud over $5,000 and personation to gain advantage. In Ontario, she faces charges of criminal negligence causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, obtaining by false pretense, uttering forged documents and personation to gain advantage. Last month, one of Cleroux’s alleged patients in B.C. told Global News she felt violated upon learning a perioperative nurse who assisted with her procedure at the B.C. Women’s Hospital last April was not actually licensed. Chaelene Peeren underwent surgery to treat endometriosis and later received a letter signed by the Cheryl Davies, the chief operating officer of the hospital, confirming the nurse was unlicensed.
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OPINION
By Sylvain Charlebois, Professor Dalhousie University
Since 2022 is almost here, it’s time to reflect on what has happened the past year and anticipate what lies ahead. Food inflation obviously affected most food categories this year, which is why the last 12 months have been challenging for Canadians, at the grocery store and at restaurants. Canada’s Food Price Report 2022 was released recently by Dalhousie University, the University
Saturday, January 8, 2022 How to combat rising food prices of Guelph, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of British Columbia. It forecasts that the average Canadian family could spend up to $966 more on groceries in 2022, compared to 2021. And a recent report by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, in partnership with Caddle, looked at what Canadians intend to do in the new year, with food and with other
aspects of their lives related to food. Almost 10,000 Canadians were surveyed on what they expect in food retail and service over the coming 12 months. The report looked at new year’s resolutions and how Canadians intend to cope with higher food prices, or if they plan to do different things with food. The survey first asked Canadians how they think food prices are increasing compared to their household income. A total of 89.8 per cent of respondents said food prices are increasing faster than their income. That’s a high percentage. Over three surveys, this is the highest percentage of Canadians believing food prices are rising faster than their income. Regarding Canada’s Food Price Report 2022 and its forecast that food prices will go up by as much as seven per cent in the new year, most Canadians surveyed believe it’s too modest. A total of 60.2 per cent expect food prices to go even higher. Some food categories are more concerning than others for those surveyed. Unsurprisingly, meat prices are a great source of concern. Two years ago, a similar survey showed that vegetables were the one category most Canadians were concerned about. For 2022, 49.3 per cent of Canadians are concerned about meat prices and 22.8 per cent are concerned about vegetables. Fruits are at 12.8 per cent and dairy products are at 6.4 per cent. Fish and seafood, and bakery products are the categories about which Canadians are least concerned. But perceptions don’t reflect what’s really happening in the grocery stores. For example, even if produce prices barely moved this year, Canadians are still concerned about fluctuating prices for vegetables and fruits, as they were two years ago when prices did go up. Many remember the infamous “cauliflower crisis.” When consumers are spooked, it leaves a mark mentally. Many still believe a head of cauliflower costs $8, but most cauliflower sold for less than $2 a head this year. Consumers should remember that food prices change almost daily. According to the survey, 2022 will bring some changes. A total of 63 per cent of Canadians intend to alter food habits in some way. The most popular intention for 2022 appears to be to use coupons more often – 52.8 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they intend to do so. Given that menu prices will spike, not eating out as much is the second most popular habit change on the survey.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022 Properties valued up to $1.975M now eligible for homeowner grant in BC Homeowners in British Columbia whose property is valued at just under $2 million will still be eligible for the annual homeowner grant. The provincial government announced Wednesday it has raised the grant threshold to $1.975 million for this year. B.C. ups homeowner grant to $1.6M as assessment values jump. The government says in a news release that the new cap will ensure 92 per cent of residential properties are covered, lowering the amount of taxes people pay on their principal residence.
Those who own and live in their homes in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Capital Regional districts are eligible for the $570 basic grant, or up to $845 for those with a disability or who are 65 and older. BC NDP’s $400 yearly renters’ grant will come in next four years, premier pledges. The basic grant for those in northern and rural areas is $770, or $1,045 for those who are disabled or over 65. The B.C. assessment authority released property valuations this week, showing increases in almost every part of the province.
95-year-old waits six hours for ambulance on the apartment floor in Vancouver A concerned neighbour is speaking out about 911 delays after his 95-year-old neighbour spent nearly six hours on the floor of his Vancouver apartment building, waiting for an ambulance. Walter Muller said he heard Bob Reid’s cries for help on Tuesday afternoon, as did several others in Sunset Towers on Haro Street. They called for an ambulance multiple times, he added, but “there was no response.” The neighbours were able to move Reid into the hallway, but Muller said it was close to six hours before an ambulance could take Reid to St. Paul’s Hospital, just two kilometres away. “He
was lucid, he was angry a little bit,” he said, describing Reid’s spirits during the wait. “I don’t think he was able to go to the washroom, so it was a very degrading terrible situation to be in at any age.” In a written statement, BC Emergency Health Services confirmed it received a 911 call for Reid at 3:28 p.m. on Tuesday. Paramedics arrived at 9:16 p.m. and “transported the patient in stable condition to the hospital.” Last year, BCEHS said it was hiring more than 600 additional full-time paramedics across the province, along with new dispatchers, to help improve services across the province.
Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley home sales hit record in 2021: real estate boards Real estate boards for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley say both areas smashed their local home sales records in 2021. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says home sales in Metro Vancouver rose 42.2 per cent to 43,999 in 2021 compared with 30,944 in 2020. The previous record was 42,326 set in 2015. The record year came as home sales in the region in December totalled 2,688, down from 3,093 sales recorded in December 2020 and 3,428 homes sold in November 2021. The benchmark price for all residential properties increased 17.3 per cent from the prior year to $1.23 million. The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) says it processed 27,692 sales in its Multiple Listing Service in 2021 — an increase of 39 per cent compared to 19,926 sales in 2020. The 2021 numbers are 15 per cent higher than the previous record of 23,974 sales in 2016.
“No one could have predicted how the pandemic would impact the real estate market,” said FVREB president Larry Anderson in a Wednesday news release. “Our region’s relative affordability, combined with a newfound ability to work from home and the value for housing dollar in the Fraser Valley attracted buyers in numbers like we’ve never seen.” Sales of detached homes soared by 31.8 per cent in in 2021 compared to 2020, while townhome sales increased by 33.7 per cent and apartments increased by 68.9 per cent, said the board. The benchmark price for a singe family detached home increased 39 per cent from December 2020 to $1.5 million, it added, and 32.9 per cent for townhomes, whose benchmark price is now $765,800. With files from Global News’ Elizabeth McSheffrey
Omicron variant sparks rise in hospitalizations across countr Unprecedented levels of COVID-19 across Canada are driving hospitalizations as well and once again threatening many provincial health-care systems. Yet experts say it’s too soon to say how much hospitalizations could grow in the days and weeks to come. With testing capacity at its breaking point and data still coming in on Omicron’s severity, they say modelling this latest wave will require updating their methodology. “We’re flying blind,” said Caroline Colijn, a mathematics professor at Simon Fraser University who has been modelling the pandemic in British Columbia. “There’s a good chance that by the time we have a clearer picture of where we are and where we might be going, we could be in the middle of a major situation for the health-
care system.” Hospitalizations have always been a lagging indicator in the pandemic, with a rise in patient intakes usually coming weeks after cases start to climb. This latest, Omicron-fuelled wave has been no different. While cases began to notably increase at the beginning of December, the number of cases in hospital began trending upward two weeks later. There are now over 2,700 patients in hospital with COVID-19, including nearly 500 in intensive care, a level last seen this past October. The surge has largely been driven by Ontario and Quebec, where case counts have surpassed 10,000 per day. In Quebec alone, hospitalizations have doubled in just one week, with 939 patients receiving care as of Thursday.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022 From page 1
Rising Omicron wave brings a grim sense of Déjà Vu
Then, both men hit the campaign trail, often appearing without masks in packed rallies of thousands. “When it is our bread and butter at stake, they force restrictions and lockdowns,” said Ajay Tiwari, a 41-year-old taxi driver in New Delhi. “There are much bigger crowds at political rallies, but they don’t impose any lockdown in those areas. It really pains us deep in the heart.” As Omicron fuels a rapid spread of new infections through India’s major urban hubs, the country’s pandemic fatigue has been intensified by a sense of déjà vu and the frustration of mixed signals. It has been just a few months since the deadly Delta variant ravaged the country, when government leaders vastly underestimated its threat and publicly
flouted their own advice. The memories of overwhelmed hospitals and funeral pyres working around the clock are still all too fresh here. The metropolis of Mumbai on Wednesday reported more than 15,000 new infections in 24 hours — the highest daily caseload since the pandemic began, beating the city’s previous record of about 11,000 cases during the second wave in the spring. In New Delhi, the number of daily infections increased by nearly 100 percent overnight. The sheer size of India’s population, at 1.4 billion, has always kept experts wary about the prospects of a new coronavirus variant. In few places around world was the toll of Delta as stark as in India. The country’s official figures show about half a million pandemic deaths — a number that
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experts say vastly undercounts the real toll. Omicron’s high transmissibility is such that cases are multiplying at a dangerously rapid pace, and it appears to be ignoring India’s main line of defense: a vaccination drive that has covered about half of the population. Initial studies show that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, a locally manufactured version of which has been used for about 90 percent of India’s vaccinations, does not protect against Omicron infections, though it appears to help reduce the severity of the illness. Sitabhra Sinha, a professor of physics and computational biology at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Chennai, said his research into the reproduction rate of the virus — an indicator of how fast it is spreading that is called the “R value” — in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai shows “insanely high” numbers for cities that had built decent immunity. Both had a large number of infections in the spring, and a majority of their adult populations have been vaccinated. “Given this high R value, one is looking at incredibly large numbers unless something is done to stop the spread,” he said. But officials appear to be latching onto the
optimism of the early indications from places like South Africa, where a fast spread of the variant did not cause devastating damage, rather than drawing lessons from the botched response to the Delta wave in the spring that ravaged India. Dr. Anand Krishnan, a professor of epidemiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, said India’s messaging of the new variant as “a mild illness” has led to complacency. “The health system has stopped being complacent. But the population is complacent. People are not wearing masks or changing their behavior,” Dr. Krishnan said. “They think it is a mild illness, and whatever restrictions are being imposed are seen more as a nuisance than necessary.”Scientists say any optimism about Omicron is premature simply because of how many people the variant could infect. “Even if it is a microscopic percentage who require hospitalization,” Dr. Sinha said, “the fact is that the total population we’re talking about is huge.” A vaccination center in Bangalore. India’s vaccination drive has covered about half of the population. A vaccination center in Bangalore. The vaccination drive has covered about half of the population.
Business owners warned to prepare for mass sickness at work as Omicron takes control From page 1 available for your business in your situation to keep you from having to shut down because you don’t have enough people to operate.” Jonathan Walker, owner of Vancouver-based painting company Lincor Enterprises, said that when COVID hit it became substantially harder to find workers. He said this had improved since September 2021, when federal and provincial assistance programs ended. However, the appearance of Omicron was adding a fresh coat of problems for his business that employs 25. One of Walker’s foremen was expected to test positive Tuesday after their wife had fallen ill over the weekend and tested positive. This means the foreman couldn’t work for at least five days if they had no symptoms. “We haven’t seen the full front of what Omicron is going to do,” Walker said. He said Lincor would follow Henry’s recommendation to reactive his business’s COVID-19 Safety Plan. In July 2021, Henry advised businesses to downgrade their COVID safety plans to a more general and less stringent Communicable Disease Plan. Walker said that for his business this would lead to a more stringent use of QR codes for workers to prove that they’re not sick with COVID. Painters working for Lincor Enterprises
inside 161 East 4th ave in Vancouver, BC. Jan. 4, 2022. Painters working for Lincor Enterprises inside 161 East 4th ave in Vancouver, BC. Jan. 4, 2022. Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG Henry wouldn’t commit to providing COVID rapid tests for businesses. “It’s not about a rapid test; it’s not about a mask that keeps one safe. It’s about doing everything we can, all of us taking these measures to protect employees, our customers, and our family and friends,” Henry said. She recommended business owners stagger shifts, limit customers and make sure that staff aren’t all eating lunch in a small unventilated lunch room. There are 27,106 active cases of COVID in B.C., of which 298 are being treated in hospital, including 86 in intensive care. These numbers are rising as Omicron sweeps across the province. Henry estimates the true numbers of cases is three or four times higher than those being reported due to limits on testing and many rapid test results not being reported. On Tuesday, there were 12,876 tests performed (about 7,000 fewer than capacity), with around 20 per cent of those tests being positive. Henry said she was hopeful the current fifth wave of COVID in B.C. would peak within the next four to six weeks.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022
The world’s largest trade bloc launched without India From page 1 Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, Philippines and Cambodia), plus Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. And China. India pulled out of negotiations last year because of concerns it would not be able to protect its domestic industry as well as its agricultural sector. India’s exclusion from the bloc reduces its size by some 1.4 billion people. But the statement from the signatories said “the door is still open for India to join in and it would be welcome”. RCEP’s inclusion of China could help steer regional politics throughout 2022, and is the first agreement of its type between China and Japan, as well as Japan and South Korea. The pact was signed on November 15, 2020. The world’s largest trade bloc launches today - January 1, 2022 | News by ThaigerRCEP’s 15 participants account for approximately 2.3 billion people, around 30% of the world’s population, and a total GDP of US$28.5 trillion. The new regional trade bloc will remove tariffs on 91% of traded goods in the region, encourage a unified market, codify intellectual property and e-commerce, and standardise rules on investment. Thailand’s Commerce Ministry estimates that 29,891 goods would enjoy zero tariffs from today’s launch of the RCEP.
Winter storm brings up to 30 cm of snow as extreme cold weather grips north
Vancouver experiences coldest weather recorded From page 1
From page 1
province. Winter storm warnings are in effect Wednesday for several regions including Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, the Central Coast, Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast, the Okanagan Valley and the West Kootenay. A low-pressure system is forecast to spread heavy snow across the South Coast starting Wednesday night, with up to 20 centimetres of snow predicted for Metro Vancouver by Thursday and up to 30 centimetres possible over Howe Sound and the Fraser Valley. On Thursday, the snow will begin to transition to rain across Metro Vancouver as the system brings in milder air and temperatures begin to rise. Environment Canada is recommending people only travel in Metro Vancouver for essential reasons until conditions improve as rapidly accumulating snow could make road conditions treacherous.
normally languish around the freezing mark when it comes to daytime lows.” Along with the biting Canadian winter usually felt in the east came major snowfall that made for a white Christmas. The rest of southern BC also saw below-seasonal temperatures on Boxing Day, with some regions seeing their coldest daily temperatures since the 1930s. It’s part of a temperature anomaly that covered Western Canada beneath an area of high pressure, explained The Weather Network. Arctic flow funnels cold air down into southern BC, which is then prevented from escaping. The Weather Network forecasts that parts of BC will continue to experience extreme cold at the beginning of 2022.
Winter storm closes schools in Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley A strong winter storm has forced some closures in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Thursday. UBC, SFU, BCIT, Langara College and Vancouver Community College are all closed. All public schools in Surrey, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Burnaby, Vancouver, Richmond, Langley, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Qualicum on Vancouver Island, and all Francophone schools in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley are closed. In addition, Corpus Christie Elementary School in Vancouver, St. Francis Xavier Elementary School in Vancouver, Lionsgate Christian Academy K-12 in North Vancouver, Ecole des Pionniers in Port Coquitlam, Sacred Heart Elementary School in Ladner and Khalsa School of the Fraser Valley are also closed. Everyone is advised to check their school’s website before heading out the door. In addition, Vancouver Coastal Health has shut down its COVID-19 testing site in Squamish Thursday.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022 This wave could be tough but shorter, says Dr. Bonnie Henry ‘I do think this is the tipping point’
counts for the mutation that has driven a tsunami of cases in a fourth wave. The virus has such a rapid transmission rate and short incubation period that it was inevitable it would find its way here, said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. Henry, who has become the face of the province’s effort to beat back a near-two year pandemic in B.C., said the highly transmissible variant is so dramatically different that some in the scientific community are calling it COVID-21. It has blown the roof off the worstcase modelling projections of 2,000 new cases a day — 3,798 were reported in the province Wednesday, including 566 in Island Health. Hospitalizations, which lag weeks behind infections, have not reached worst-case modelling scenarios, but they are creeping up. On Wednesday, the province reported 317 people are in hospital with COVID-19, including 83 in intensive care — up from 220 in hospital and 73 in ICUs just five days earlier. If doctors have learned anything over the past two years, it’s to “never underestimate the ability of a virus to take advantage of any weakness or lack of protection —
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where the virus gets an opportunity to spread, it changes and mutates,” said Henry. In an interview with the Times Colonist on Wednesday, looking ahead to a third year plagued by a global pandemic, the provincial health officer sounded an optimistic note, saying the newest strain of the virus appears to cause milder illness in vaccinated people, and while increasing hospitalizations are worrisome, she believes this is the last year COVID-19 will dominate our lives. She acknowledges, however, that that’s what she and other health officials thought about Delta before Omicron emerged. “We were in a really good place,” said Henry, a former navy physician. Vaccinations were high, cases in the summer had fallen, and the province was able to take a phased-in approach to reopening. An epidemiologist who served on the front lines of Ebola outbreaks in Uganda in 2001, as the operational lead on the SARS outbreak in Toronto in 2003, and on a national committee responding to H1N1 in 2009, Henry said she had the playbook on Delta — and then Omicron hit. Whereas Delta took several months to surpass previous variants of concern, Omicron took just three weeks to pass Delta — about 50 to 60 per cent faster, she said.
Govt ask Starlink to refund its pre-orders prior to start business in India
received more than 5,000 pre-orders for its devices in India but is struggling to receive commercial licences without which it cannot offer services in the country. “Unfortunately, the timeline for receiving licences to operate is currently unknown, and there are several issues that must be resolved with the licensing framework to allow us to operate Starlink in India,” the company said in the email. “The Starlink team is looking forward to making Starlink available in India as soon as possible,” it said. Starlink is one of a growing number of companies launching small satellites as part of a low-Earth orbit network to provide lowlatency broadband internet services around the world, with a particular focus on remote areas that terrestrial internet infrastructure struggles to reach. SpaceX has told investors that Starlink is angling for a piece of a $1 trillion market made up of in-flight internet, maritime services, demand in China and India – and rural customers But the Indian government has advised people against subscribing to Starlink without a licence and ordered the company to refrain from taking bookings and rendering services. Starlink is planning to apply for a commercial licence in India by the end of January, its country head Sanjay Bhargava had
said in a social media post last month, and a presentation showed that with an April rollout it targeted 200,000 devices in India by December 2022. However, in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday Bhargava said he has stepped down as country director and board chairman due to “personal reasons”. According to his profile on the platform, he had taken up the role in October. In India, Starlink had planned to “carry on the business of telecommunication services” including satellite broadband internet services, content storage and streaming, multimedia communication, among others. It also aimed to deal in devices such as satellite phones, network equipment, wired and wireless communication devices, as well as data transmission and reception equipment. The company also said it will focus on “catalyzing rural development” in India through its broadband services, according to a company presentation shared by Bhargava on LinkedIn over the weekend. Once it was allowed to provide services, the company had planned in the first phase to give 100 devices for free to schools in Delhi and nearby rural districts and then target 12 rural districts across India. Starlink’s rivals include Amazon. com’s Kuiper and OneWeb – a collapsed satellite operator rescued by the British government and India’s Bharti Group.
Upcoming Legislative Changes Taking Effect in January 2022 As we ring in the new year, there are a number of legislative changes that will take effect, impacting workplaces across Canada. Below are the significant changes taking effect by January 1, 2022. Increase to the Federal Minimum Wage Effective December 29, 2021, the minimum wage for the federally regulated private sector increased to $15.00 per hour. The Government of Canada announced this wage increase on April 19, 2021. According to the government, the wages of approximately 26,000 employees have increased as a result of this change. Some of the sectors impacted include: banks; postal and courier services; telecommunications; and most federal agencies. The government will adjust the federal minimum wage every April to address inflation. Employers in these industry groups
may want to keep in mind that impacted employees earning a provincial or territorial minimum wage greater than $15.00 per hour are entitled to the higher wage rate. British Columbia: Introduction of Five Paid Sick Days Effective January 1, 2022, employees in British Columbia will have access to five paid sick days per year. To be eligible, employees must be covered by British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act, and they must have worked for their employers for a minimum of 90 days. Employees will now have up to eight days of sick leave per year in total: five paid days and three unpaid days to be used for illness or injury. These days will not carry over to future years, and employers may request “reasonably sufficient proof of illness.” Though employers are entitled to request proof of illness, in some circumstances the request may not be reasonable.
Why COVID-19 hospitalizations of Canadian kids and infants could keep rising as Omicron spreads Kids and teens — and even newborns — are now among the rising number of Canadians being hospitalized with COVID-19 as Omicron infections keep surging across the country to unprecedented levels. Multiple hospitals recently began seeing an uptick in young patients infected with the coronavirus, CBC News has learned, including some of the country’s largest pediatric facilities in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. And on Wednesday, several Ontario hospitals issued a public service announcement stating that between two pediatric sites in Ottawa and Hamilton, six infants had been hospitalized for COVID-19 infections since midDecember, despite the previous rarity of infant admissions. To be clear, medical experts still stress that COVID-19 remains a mild illness for the vast majority of children; the rise in hospitalizations among youth is likely tied, at least in part, to this variant’s uncanny ability to simply infect more people. However, some physicians are also seeing early signals that Omicron’s infection pattern — often impacting the airways more than the lungs — may hit some kids harder than adults. “The biggest difference is that Omicron is much more respiratory, so kids are presenting with cold-like symptoms, where before it was
fever and maybe some gastrointestinal in the earlier waves,” pediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr. Fatima Kakkar, of Montreal’s Sainte-Justine Hospital, told CBC News. “Now we’re seeing kids, for example, with asthma. Their asthma is getting worse and bringing them into hospital.” Kakkar’s hospital, the largest mother-andchild healthcare centre in Canada, reopened its pediatric COVID-19 ward a few weeks back. The team is now seeing admissions on a daily basis, with double the number of patients as the same time last year, she said. “We’re way higher than we were previously. Part of that is because there are so many cases in the community that kids are coming in — some with COVID, some for other reasons — and we’re screening COVID on admission,” Kakkar explained. “In previous waves, babies were essentially unaffected by COVID,” she continued. “But now we’re seeing newborns. So in that first 30 days of life, significant disease.” The trend of Omicron targeting the airways of both adults and children is evident both in the real world and in laboratory studies, noted Dr. Syra Madad, senior director of special pathogens for the New York City Health System.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022 BC woman ticketed for talking on phone in drive-through COVID-19 testing lineup A BC woman received a ticket while in line for a drive-through COVID-19 test during the holiday season, and a Vancouver traffic lawyer says it’s an inappropriate application of distracted driving laws. Kaytlin Quinn was using speakerphone to talk with her brother during a 2.5-hour wait for a PCR test on December 22 in Burnaby. She had the phone in her hand when she noticed a police officer pull up next to her. The officer asked her to get out of line so he could issue her a ticket for distracted driving. “It just seemed ridiculous … like catching fish in a barrel,” Quinn told Daily Hive. “On one hand, I understand you’re doing your job. And on the other hand, it just seems like it’s taking advantage of a situation.” Quinn’s fine was more than $300, and the ticket included points on her
insurance that could increase her premiums. After the interaction, the officer allowed Quinn to re-enter the line. Kyla Lee, a Vancouver lawyer who’s offered to represent Quinn pro bono, said she was surprised and disappointed to learn the officer enforced the law in this way. “It shocks me that an officer would have voluntarily decided to interact with somebody who might have COVID-19 and get close enough to them to get their driver’s licence, identify them, and serve them a ticket. It’s just not common sense,” she said. Lee added that the officer must have known that the drivers were trapped at a very stressful time — because of the holidays and because they might have COVID-19. Quinn’s ticket is also not in the spirit of BC’s distracted driving laws, which are meant to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on the road, Lee said.
Metro Vancouver gas prices could set new all-time record Friday, analyst forecasts Metro Vancouver gas prices could set an all-time record this week, according to a veteran Canadian petroleum analyst. Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, forecast the price at the pump would climb to 176.9 cents per litre on Friday. The previous record, set on July 1, 2021, was 173.9 cents per litre. Gas prices in Metro Vancouver could reach $1.75 a litre by Friday: analyst McTeague said the recent high prices are due to a combination of transportation issues and conditions at facilities in the U.S. “It is a reflection of the acute shortage of gasoline now south of the border in Washington state and Oregon, caused by
both the shutdown of the HollyFrontier refinery and the two storage terminals NuStar and Kinder Morgan in Oregon,” McTeague said. “It looks like a unique shortage in the Pacific Northwest, (the) gasoline market is very much behind this and it really is a symptom of the bigger problem and that’s why we’re likely to see much higher prices sustained throughout the year. ‘The new normal’: Metro Vancouver recordhigh gas prices here to stay, analyst says The price hike would see the cost of premium gasoline climb north of $2 per litre, McTeague added. Drivers may want to fill up Wednesday evening if they can, as McTeague projected prices will begin to climb on Thursday morning, reaching at at least 171.9 cents per litre.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022
‘It’s making people really sick in a different way’: How Omicron affects hospital patients Some Canadian emergency rooms are being walloped by “ridiculous” numbers of people with suspected or confirmed COVID, with symptoms ranging from what essentially resembles a mild cold to, in the unvaccinated and vulnerable, severe COVID pneumonias, frontline doctors are reporting. “We are still catastrophizing COVID,” said Dr. Martha Fulford, an infectious diseases specialist and chief of medicine at the McMaster University Medical Center. “We have somehow made when you have a positive result equal disaster in a lot of people’s minds.” “The emotion and fear are so overwhelming. It’s very difficult to try to break through this,” Fulford said. Omicron is propagating rapidly, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday. In Ontario, the contagious variant has led to “explosive growth in hospitalizations,” though not ICU admissions, a spokeswoman for the province’s health minister said in an emailed statement Tuesday. The province has directed its hospitals to call-off non-emergency surgeries and brace for a potential “tsunami” of infections in the coming days and weeks. But doctors stress this isn’t March 2020, when people arrived in hospital extremely sick with gastro symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, or dangerously short of breath. In New York City, where doctors and healthcare workers served as trailblazers in the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 and where hospitalizations surpassed 10,000 this week for the first time in 20 months , “we aren’t seeing as many patients gasping for air,” Dr. Craig Spencer, a NYC emergency doctor tweeted this week. “Thankfully the COVID patients aren’t as sick. BUT there are SO many of them.” Unlike March 2020, when there were no vaccines, “We’re not seeing a lot of admissions for respiratory failure, we’re not seeing a lot of patients being put on high-flow oxygen, being intubated” and ventilated, or put on BiPAP machines that deliver oxygen under pressure through a mask, said Dr. Eric Legome, who runs two Mount Sinai Health
System emergency sites in New York City. “What we are seeing is people who are being admitted because they are extremely weak, dizzy, a fall risk.” Severe lung inflammation was a major issue in wave one, with people suffering respiratory distress and respiratory failure. “That’s not so much an issue this time,” Legome said. “We’re not seeing a huge number of COVID pneumonia and people requiring intensive respiratory support. We’re not seeing that very much at all.” The unvaccinated make up a disproportionate share of the sickest COVID patients, Spencer said. Like earlier waves, some people are short of breath and require supplemental oxygen. “But for most, COVID seemed to topple a delicate balance of an underlying illness,” he said — diabetics in whom a COVID infection triggered ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal complication. “It’s making people really sick in a different way,” Spencer said. Emerging research suggests Omicron infects and lodges in the bronchi, and less so deep in the lungs, like Delta does, which could explain why it’s spreading so quickly but causing less severe disease. “Of all the patients we have with Omicron, the vast, vast majority are going home,” Legome said. Of those hospitalized, “It tends to be the patients who would be admitted otherwise: You’re 90 years old, you have underlying pulmonary disease, heart failure, you have a hip replacement, you don’t get along well at baseline and then you have Omicron on top of that and you just can’t get out of bed. It’s that type that we’re seeing more of,” he said. “It does clearly feel like the ones that seem to be more symptomatic tend to be the ones that are not fully vaccinated or boosted, or vaccinated at all.” Canadian doctors are also seeing lots of COVID in emergency departments. “And it’s all Omicron,” radiologist Dr. David Jacobs tweeted Wednesday morning in the final hours of a long overnight shift at Humber River Hospital in Toronto.
Federal Reserve’s James Bullard says first interest rate hike could come as soon as March The Federal Reserve could raise interest rates as soon as March and is now in a “good position” to take even more aggressive steps against inflation, as needed, after a policy reset last month, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said on Thursday. The U.S. central bank in December agreed to end its asset purchases in March and laid the groundwork for the start of rate increases that all policymakers, even the most dovish, now feel will be appropriate in 2022. The Fed “is in good position to take additional steps as necessary to control inflation, including allowing passive balance sheet runoff, increasing the policy rate, and adjusting the timing and pace of subsequent policy rate increases,” Bullard said in prepared remarks to the CFA Society of St. Louis. An initial rate increase could be approved “as early as the March meeting … Subsequent rate increases during 2022 could be pulled forward or pushed back depending on inflation developments,” Bullard said. Projections issued in December showed half of the Fed policymakers expect three quarterpercentage-point rate increases will be needed
this year. Inflation is now running at more than twice the Fed’s 2% target, and Bullard said that the inflation “shock” experienced by the country means the central bank should be able to satisfy its inflation targeting goals now for several years to come. The December policy shift came just as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was
beginning to raise daily infection rates. But Bullard said he did not think the current wave of cases would throw the U.S. economy or the Fed off course. Infections in the United States “are projected to follow the pattern where the variant was first identified,” in South Africa, Bullard said, citing projections that daily case counts may peak late this month.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022 The Lower Mainland’s 2022 property assessments soared the highest the farther away from Vancouver you go, figures from B.C. Assessment show, painting another picture of how property markets are being reshaped by COVID-19. Hope, at the eastern end of the Fraser Valley, saw the typical assessment on a detached home rise 45 per cent to $620,000 on its 2022 valuation, compared with the University Endowment Lands where assessments rose 11 per cent. The value on that typical endowment lands property, however, hit an eye-popping $5.5 million, but the prospect of remoteworking urbanites priced out of Vancouver or Burnaby buying in farther-flung municipalities is distributing the stress of housing inequality
Property values in Abbotsford are significantly up year-to-year, with a single-family home’s assessed value rising 38 per cent, according to BC Assessment. The 2022 typical assessed value for an Abbotsford single-family home rose from $778,000 in 2021 to $1,077,000, an increase of 38 per cent. The notices reflect market value as of July 1, 2021. The Abbotsford increase was significant and trailed only Hope (45 per cent), Chilliwack (40 per cent) and city of Langley (39
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BC Assessment records illustrate housing stress being pushed out across province across the region. “One of the biggest challenges, is the fact that with COVID, you’ve seen a certain part of the regional workforce be liberated in terms of (housing) choices,” said demographer Andy Yan, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University. Potential buyers who were once discouraged from considering suburbs such as Langley and Abbotsford by the prospect of long commutes can now choose to buy a detached home or bigger townhouse with more space for children,
Yan said. So typical property assessments on detached homes soared some 39 per cent to $1.16 million in the City of Langley, 34 per cent to $1.32 million in the Township of Langley and 34 per cent to $1.42 million in Surrey. Maple Ridge saw its typical detached assessment rise 37 per cent to cross the $1.12 million mark and Chilliwack saw detached assessments rise 40 per cent to $877,000. Squamish saw a 35 per cent increase
Abbotsford single-family home property value increases by 38 per cent per cent) for properties in the Lower Mainland region for BC Assessment A strata home (condo/townhouse) in Abbotsford saw value rise from $342,000 in 2021 to $412,000 in 2022, an increase of 21 per cent. Abbotsford’s increase was behind Squamish (29 per cent), Whistler (24 per cent), township of Langley (24 per cent) and Maple Ridge (23 per cent). “British Columbia’s
real estate market remains highly active and that means most property owners can expect higher assessment values for 2022,” stated BC Assessment Deputy Assessor Bryan Murao. “City of Vancouver condos, however, are on the lower end of the changes, generally with single digit increases, whereas homes in the Fraser Valley suburbs are changing higher compared
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in the assessment on a typical detached home to hit $1.39 million, which is likely driven by price appreciation in the more popular neighbourhoods, but does add to housing stress. “I wouldn’t say my house is up 35 per cent by any means,” said Jaye Russell, executive director of Sea to Sky Community Services in Squamish. Over the last seven or eight years, however, Russell said Squamish has seen its population increase along with housing prices. “Our market-rental rates are on par with Vancouver in Squamish, and that’s concerning,” Russell said, “because the cost of living hasn’t gone down and (this trend) is displacing and causing more people to have housing insecurity in our community.” to most of Metro Vancouver.” For the Lower Mainland region, the overall total assessments have increased from about $1.46 trillion in 2021 to about $1.75 trillion this year. Over $23.7 billion of the region’s updated assessments is from new construction, subdivisions and the rezoning of properties. BC Assessment’s Lower Mainland region includes all of Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley as well as the Sea to Sky area and the Sunshine Coast.
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Star & Style
Saturday, January 8, 2022
Dharmendra still tweets late night Hot man Dharmendra is still hot, an avid Twitter user and often shares precious memories on the micro-blogging platform. On Thursday, the veteran actor shared a clip from one of his songs. Replying to Dharmendra, a fan wrote, “Itni raat ko jaagna sehat ke liye theek nahi hai sir (It is not good for health to stay up so late)”, responding to the user, Dharmendra wrote, “Neend ke bhi….apne hi nakhare hote hain . Akshay, kabhi kabhi bardasht karne padte hai….. (Sleep has its tantrums, at times we have to bear with them. I will go to sleep now).” At 85, Dharmendra has been busy
shooting for ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’. Directed by Karan Johar, this entertainer also features Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi in pivotal roles. Speaking about the film, Dharmendra said in an interview, “Well, at this point, I can’t talk about it. I am just excited to work with a director like Karan Johar, who’s directed such lovely movies.
Prem Chopra released from hospital Veteran actor Prem Chopra admitted to Lilavati Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, discharged along with his wife. The couple was admitted in Lilavati hospital for treatment, received the monoclonal antibody cocktail. At the age of 86 he is doing quite well.” On the work front, Prem Chopra is best-known for playing iconic roles in films like Do Raaste, Upkaar, Purab Aur Pashchim, Kati Patang, Phool Bane Angaarey, Bobby and many more. In terms of work, Prem Chopra was recently seen sharing screen space with Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji in Bunty Aur Babli 2. Besides Prem Chopra and his wife Uma, other Bollywood and TV celebs who have tested positive for COVID-19 recently, include John Abraham and his wife Priya Runchal, producer Ekta Kapoor, actors
Mrunal Thakur, Nora Fatehi, Alaya F, veteran filmmaker Rahul Rawail, producer Rhea Kapoor and her filmmakerhusband Karan Boolani. TV actors Shumona Chakravarti, Erica Fernandez and Drashti Dhami have also contracted the virus recently. Meanwhile, a member of the staff at Amitabh Bachchan’s bungalow has also tested positive and is asymptomatic. According to Mumbai civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC, one member of the staff at Big B’s bungalow has tested positive, reports news agency PTI. “The staff has been quarantined at CCC-2 (COVID Care Center-2) of the BMC,” The BMC official was quoted by PTI as saying.
Sunny Leone trolled for not holding daughter Nisha’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, while my daughter is six and she knows how to walk. She is the princess of my house.
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No matter how to modern one becomes, but we love to follow our traditional same goes with our Bollywood divas who love to flaunt their mangalsutras married getting married. Let’s take a look at the expensive mangalsutras that are Bollywood actresses have been donning, right from Katrina Kaif to Deepika Padukone. Katrina Kaif dropped her gorgeous pictures on Instagram yesterday flaunting her Sabyasachi designed mangalsutra that gave the major vibe of a new bride. The mangalsutra costs around 7 lakh, while her engagement ring was inspired by Princess Diana’s ring that almost cost the same amount. Patralekhaa Patralekhaa Paul who got married to her long time beau Rajkummar Rao wore a Bengali designer Sabyasachi mangalsutra, which made her look every ethereal. The cost of the mangalsutra is around 1, 65000. Deepika Padukone Everything about Deepika Padukone nd Ranveer Singh ‘s wedding was expensive. She donned a glittering solitaire diamond mangalsutra that costs around 20 lakh. Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra’s wedding with Nick Jonas was every bit dreamy. The desi girl had two mangalsutras. One is same that Yami has the Bvlgari piece. An the other one is a neo traditional by Sabyasachi jewellery that has four uncut diamond and a large teardrop shaped diamond in the centre. Yami Gautam Yami Gautam may have got married in the most simple way but her mangalsutra cost is 3,49000. She wore a Bvlgari piece with black onyx and tiny pave diamonds crafted from 18 carat gold and it is right now the most favourite for every girl out there. Sonam Kapoor Sonam Kapoor is known to do something different and for her wedding too she chose her zodiac sign and her husband’s zodiac symbol deigned mangalsutra with a diamond at the centre. The price of this design is yet to disclosed. She designed it herself along with designer Ushita Rawtani.
Star & Style
Saturday, January 8, 2022 Kareena busy with her kids Kareena Kapoor often shares adorable pictures of her two kids, Taimur and Jehangir. After posting an unseen picture of her younger son Jeh on New Year, the actor has now shared a cute picture of the five-year-old Taimur. On Thursday, Kareena wished Taimur’s friend a happy birthday on his behalf on social media. She shared a picture of Tim (as Taimur is fondly addressed by his family) with his friend on a swing. In the picture, we see an adorable Taimur in a purple T-shirt and black
pants. He has a naughty expression on his face. taimur A new photo of Taimur. (Photo: Kareena Kapoor Khan/Instagram) More on Taimur |When grandma Sharmila Tagore said ‘he’s more famous than I am’ Taimur is the first child of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan. Born on December 20, 2016, he became a paparazzi favourite, and was photographed on an almost daily basis.
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Amitabh Bachchan reveals ‘dealing with domestic Covid-19 situations Amitabh Bachchan has talked about “dealing with some domestic Covid situations” in his latest blog. The actor had tested positive for the virus last year and was in the hospital for a few weeks. A staff member at one of his bungalows has tested positive for Covid-19, a BMC official said Wednesday. The BMC official said that out of 31 staff members of both of the veteran star’s bungalows, Pratiksha and Jalsa, one tested
positive during the routine Covid-19 tests. “The staff has been quarantined at CCC-2 (COVID Care Center-2) of the BMC,” he said. He further added that the positive staff is asymptomatic. The 79-year old actor shared a motivational poem on his blog and wrote, “Fight .. fighting .. and with the prayers of all .. no further .. no more description .. just that the show goes on ..”
A sensational and exciting episode ‘Kapil Sharma show’ to go on air The upcoming episode of The Kapil Sharma Show will see Sunny Leone in it. In a promo released by the makers, it looks like this is going to be a hilarious episode. Sunny will be joined by singers Mika Singh, Shaarib Sabri and Toshi Sabri. As Sunny and singer Mika take the stage, Kapil tells her that he hasn’t seen her in a long time to which Sunny said, “I know, aap mujhe call nahi karte. Hi bhi nahi bolte. Kuch nahi (I know, you don’t call me. Don’t even say Hi to me),” and while this stuns Kapil, Archana Puran Singh and Mika are left in splits. Kapil had an even more hilarious comeback to this as he said, “Maine
Ranveer Singh wishes Deepika in quirky way
Ranveer Singh showers love on lady luck Deepika Padukone, stars making an appearance! Padukone is an active endorser for several brands and products, including Tissot, Maybelline, Coca-Cola, and L’Oreal Paris, among others. In 2014, Business Standard reported that Padukone earned ₹50 million (US$660,000) to ₹60 million (US$800,000) per endorsement deal and TAM AdEX named Padukone the most visible face on television in India that year.
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Deepika Padukone turned 36-yearold on Wednesday. Many celebrities like Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Prabhas, Sara Ali Khan and many more wished the actress on their social media accounts. Katrina Kaif shared a picture and extended her wishes. Sharing the image, Katrina wrote: “Happy birthday to u Deepika Padukone. May this year be only full of only health, peace and happiness.” Anushka Sharma also shared a photo of Deepika and wrote: “Happy birthday Deepika Padukone. Wishing you love and light always.” Taking to his Instagram handle, Deepika Padukone’s Project K co-star Prabhas also wished the actress.” Happy birthday to you girl with a gorgeous smile, the one who lights up the #ProjectK on sets with her energy and talent. Wish you the best, always!,” wrote Prabhas in his Instagram story. Sara Ali Khan also wished Deepika Padukone and wrote: “Happy Birthday Deepika Padukone, hope you have the best day and a wonderful year ahead, wishing you all the luck, love, laughter, joy and abundance. Continue shinning, dazzling and ruling,” along with many emojis. Shilpa Shetty also wished Deepika Padukone in a video. The two can be seen talking on a set of a show. Sharing the video, Shilpa Shetty wrote: “Happy Birthday, sending loads of love and great vibes your way my dear! Bigg Hug!.
tumhare phone number ka wait karte karte shaadi ki (I got married waiting for your phone number).” On Tuesday, Kapil’s show member Sumona Chakravarti shared on her social media that she has tested positive for Covid-19. “I have tested positive for covid with moderate symptoms. Quarantined at home. Would request anyone who has come in contact with me in the
last week to please get yourself tested. Thank you,” she shared on her Instagram story. This episode, which was likely shot before Sumona’s diagnosis, features her in the promo with Sudesh Lehri. Earlier, actors like Drashti Dhami, Delnaaz Irani, John Abraham and wife Priya Runchal, Prem Chopra and producer Ekta Kapoor also tested positive for the coronavirus.
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LOCAL / NATIONAL BC enters new stage of Covid-19 says Dr Henry
“We are in a different race, in a different storm now,” Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said. In the first COVID-19 update of 2022, Henry had a message for British Columbians — everyone has to take responsibility to keep everyone safe. It’s not just about following the health orders. She said the Omicron variant is now responsible for 80 per cent of the cases in the province. “It means we need to respond slightly differently to what we’ve been doing,” Henry added. Henry said what happened in the past and what happens now is key to all of us. “A lot of people will get sick. We are seeing this now,” Henry said. “Your vaccine will protect most people from serious illness and hospitalization.”
She said in the next few weeks, B.C. will likely be dealing with a lot of people who will need to stay home because they are sick and need to isolate themselves. “We need to anticipate that as many as a third of your workforce at any one time may become ill (from) COVID-19 and they may not be able to come to work,” Henry said. “We need to adapt businesses so we can operate at these reduced numbers.” She wants all businesses and schools to put contingency plans in place to deal with a lot of people getting sick and staff needing to stay home. “This is about actively putting in all those protective layers available,” Henry added.
Name change I, Ameek Singh, holder of Indian Passport No. K0320161 issued at Chandigarh on 19 / 04 / 2012, resident of H. No. 54 C, Udham Singh Nagar, Ludhiana-141001, Punjab, India and presently residing at 11511 - 71A Ave. , Delta, BC, V4E 2E2 Canada, do hereby change my name from Ameek Singh to Ameek Singh Sikand, with immediate effect.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022
City of Vancouver appoints first integrity commissioner Lisa Southern Vancouver city council appoints Lisa Southern as City’s first Integrity Commissioner, effective January 1, 2022. Following the enactment of the City of Vancouver Code of Conduct By-law PDF file (225 KB), Council set out to appoint the Integrity Commissioner making Vancouver the second municipality in British Columbia to voluntarily establish an independent ethics position. This was in response to a City-led
review that recommended a new code of conduct be drafted for Council and Advisory Committees, separate from the code of conduct that applies to City staff PDF file (248 KB). Southern brings 25 years of legal experience, focused in conducting investigations in all areas of workplace conflict, including those involving privacy issues, human rights, harassment, and workplace health and safety.
Passengers on Sunwing party plane could face jail time, thousands in fines A group of Quebec influencers and reality show stars could be facing thousands of dollars in fines after videos surfaced showing them partying without masks on board a Sunwing flight from Montreal to Cancun. Images from the Dec. 30 flight showed passengers ignoring public health measures, jumping and dancing in the aisle, vaping and openly passing around a bottle of hard liquor on the plane. In one video, a person could be seen crowd-surfing while the plane was in the air.
The federal government released a statement Tuesday, saying the departments of Transport, Public Safety and Health have all launched investigations into the incident. There could be fines of up to $5,000 from Transport Canada for each offence on board, it said. Additional fines and even jail time could follow if passengers were found to be endangering others, or if they provide falsified information upon their return to Canada.
BC school districts prepare for ‘functional closures,’ online classes amid COVID-19 surge With teachers and staff expected back in the classroom Tuesday, school districts are preparing for the likelihood of functional closures in the K to 12 system.Jordan Tinney, superintendent of Surrey Schools, confirmed district staff will be working with schools to prepare for an online shift. “It is completely foreseeable that we are going to have situations where there is insufficient staff to provide instruction,” he said in an interview.“The way Omicron is going, as early as next week, the first week — we could be telling parents we don’t have enough staff to operate and we need to move entirely online.” Widespread
staff illness and an unsafe school environment due to the spread of the virus would be the only scenarios that prompt a shift to online learning, he said. The province, meanwhile, has committed to keeping schools up and running through the latest wave of COVID-19. Last month, it pushed back of the start of the school year for most students until Jan. 10 to allow more time for health and safety planning. In a Dec. 31, 2021 memo to all school staff, the Ministry of Education said the “phased return” will allow districts time to complete a workforce assessment.
LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, January 8, 2022 Trudeau, Horgan discuss Omicron response, BC flooding rebuilding efforts Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will hold a call with all of the country’s premiers next week to discuss how governments are keeping citizens safe as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 rapidly spreads. Trudeau’s comments came during a call with B.C. Premier John Horgan, who is the chair of the Council of the Federation. The Prime Minister’s Office says in a readout that Trudeau and Horgan also discussed the Canada Health Transfer, and agreed to continue discussions with all provincial and territorial governments to ensure Canadians are supported by effective
health-care systems. COVID-19 cases have spiked across the country as the easily transmittable Omicron variant has forced the cancellation of in-class learning, and prompted the the return of other pandemic restrictions in some regions. The office says Trudeau and Horgan also discussed B.C.’s rebuilding efforts after historic flooding in late November forced thousands from their homes and destroyed highways.
Govt announces $40-billion settlement over Indigenous child-welfare system The federal government has reached a $40-billion settlement with First Nations groups over the systemic underfunding of child welfare services that led to Indigenous children being removed from their families. Half of the money will going toward compensating an estimated 200,000 children who were either taken from their homes or denied medical services over the past three decades. The other half of the settlement will attempt to address the chronic underfunding of the system, with $20 billion over five years earmarked to improve services in Indigenous communities so children will no longer be removed from their homes. Indigenous Crown Relations Minister Marc MIller said at a press conference Tuesday the
money doesn’t reverse the damage, but is an acknowledgement that successive governments have failed Indigenous children. “This is the largest settlement in Canadian history, but no amount of money can reverse the harms experienced by First Nations children,” he said. “Historic injustices require historic reparations.” The settlement was reached after a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal awarded $40,000 to childrenwhohadbeenremovedfromtheirfamilies through the Indigenous child welfare system. The government initially appealed the ruling, arguing that the tribunal was operating beyond its mandate and that a one-size fits all approach, treating children the same if they were separated from their family for a night or for a decade, was unfair.
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Toronto terminates 461 city employees who failed to comply with COVID-19 vaccine policy The City of Toronto says that it has terminated 461 employees who failed to comply with its vaccination policy. The policy came into effect on Sept. 7 this past year. Employees originally had until Oct. 30 to be fully vaccinated, but the deadline for compliance was extended to Jan. 2. “As of the deadline, a total of 461 employees had either not received any doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or had not reported their vaccination status and have had their employment with the City of Toronto terminated,” the city said in a release Wednesday. The city said that current staffing levels are not affected because those employees who were terminated had already been suspended without pay for missing earlier deadlines. According to city figures, approximately 98.6 per cent of the active
workforce have complied with the policy and reported being fully vaccinated. There are 37 employees currently on temporary leave awaiting a decision about their requests for accommodation and 248 employees who have reported receiving just one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine so far. Starting this week, those who reported having had just one shot will have a meeting with their manager and could face termination if they have not had a second. The city said “consideration will be given” to those who have an appointment for a second shot. In its release, the city said that it has “offered various supports to staff “ since its vaccine policy came into effect, including education opportunities, paid time off to get vaccinated and some workplace vaccination clinics.
Sunwing plane party organizer slams airlines, some passengers catch COVID The organizer of a Sunwing flight to Mexico that saw reality TV stars and influencers vape, sing and dance on board says the group’s return flight was cancelled based on “presumptions.” James William Awad, who operates 111 Private Club, made the comment in a statement he released on his personal blog on Thursday. He said that Sunwing agreed to offer his group a return flight — only to backtrack when they couldn’t agree on the flight’s terms.Air Canada and Air Transat have both said they would not allow the group to fly home using their airlines, either.“They cancelled our flight based on presumptions, and thus other companies followed their
steps,” said Awad. “At this time, the 111 Private Club is working tirelessly to get everyone back home safely as quickly as we can … This was my first travel event. I have significantly learned, and I am still learning from this experience. Learning from them is what makes the difference.” Social media posts suggest some of the passengers were cast members from Quebec reality television shows, including the Quebec adaptation of the popular British dating series “Love Island.” In a statement released on their Instagram story on Wednesday, Sunwing said that during “a recent private charter flight from Montreal to Cancun,” the behaviour of a group of passengers was “unruly,”
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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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Truly delightful huge basement entry app. 7200 sqft. home sits on rectangular 9965 sqft. lot. House features 11 bedrooms & 10 washrooms build by good reputation builders. Main floor has 5 bedrooms & 4 bath with huge family room,living room,kitchen,& spice kitchen.Ground level basement has 27'x15' media room with bar & washroom for upstairs use.House has 3 spacious ground level basement suites (3 bed.+3 bed & bachelor suite).Total rent of the suites is $3500/month.Very nice tenants.Easy access to Pattulo bridge, Port Mann bridge & shopping center.Motivated sellers.Easy to show.
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Truly delightful fully renovated 6 bedroom basement entry home sits on rectangular 7920 sf flat lot in most demanding area Aldergrove Langley.Main floor features 3 bed ,2 bath with new kitchen /island ,new flooring,new tiles , new woodwork,new fixtures,splash back,granite counters,new tiles,new cabinet, new windows,new zebra drapes,4 new washrooms & much more .Newly built 3 bedroom unauthorized basement suite with rear separate entry.Excellent renovated covered 333 sf Patio & deck.Landscape front & fully fenced back yard. Storage shed.Walking distance to both schools,shopping,community center with pools,water Park,ice arena,playing fields& to all major routes. A must see to appreciate.
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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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.
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Saturday, January 8, 2022
Rapid RT-PCR test must at Mumbai airport only for passengers coming from at-risk, high-risk countries and UAE: BMC
British Sikh Army officer makes history with solo climb to South Pole Captain Harpreet Chandi, a 32-year-old Indian-origin British Sikh Army officer and physiotherapist also known as Polar Preet, has created history by becoming the first woman of colour to complete a solo unsupported trek to the South Pole. Chandi announced her historymaking feat on her live blog on Monday at the end of Day 40 after travelling 700 miles (1,127 kilometres) while pulling a pulk or sledge with all of her kit and battling temperatures of minus 50 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of around 60mph. “I made it to the South Pole where it’s snowing. Feeling so many emotions right now. I knew nothing about the polar world three years ago and it feels so surreal to finally be here. It was tough getting here and I want to thank everybody for their support,” she wrote. “This expedition was always about so much
more than me. I want to encourage people to push their boundaries and to believe in themselves, and I want you to be able to do it without being labelled a rebel. I have been told no on many occasions and told to ‘just do the normal thing’, but we create our own normal,” Chandi said. She uploaded a live tracking map of her trek and also posted regular blogs of her journey to the snow-capped region. “Day 40 – Finished. Preet has just made history becoming the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition in Antarctica,” reads the final entry of her blog. “You are capable of anything you want. No matter where you are from or where your start line is, everybody starts somewhere. I don’t want to just break the glass ceiling; I want to smash it into a million pieces,” she said.
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Mumbai civic body has made rapid RT-PCR test mandatory for the passengers coming from atrisk and high-risk countries and the UAE at the international airport here, a senior civic official said on Wednesday. A day earlier confusion was created due to misinterpretation of revised guidelines by a civic official who had said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)
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The number of daily COVID-19 cases continued to rise in India as the country recorded 58,097 new infections in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Wednesday (January 5, 2022) morning. While the daily positivity rate has now increased to 4.18%, the weekly positivity rate has mounted to 2.60%. With this, the country’s active coronavirus caseload has jumped to 2,14,004.
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India’s death toll also rose by 534 in the last 24 hours and currently stands at 4,82,551. India’s Omicron tally has crossed 2,000 on Tuesday and the new COVID-19 variant has now been detected in 24 states and UTs. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, out of the total 2,135 Omicron infections across the country, 828 have been discharged, recovered or migrated.
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India sees 58,097 new COVID cases, highest in 199 days; 20,000 more than yesterday
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PM Modi cancels Ferozepur rally as farmers block flyover; Centre claims security breach In what is being termed as a major security breach, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to cut short his Punjab visit today after he remained stranded on a flyover near Piareana village on the Ferozepur-Moga road for about 20 minutes due to a blockade by farmers. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a detailed report from the state government and asked for fixing accountability and taking strict action against those responsible for it. Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, “Today’s Congress-made happening in Punjab is a trailer of how this party thinks and functions. Repeated rejections by the people have taken them to the path of insanity. The topmost echelons of the Congress owe an apology to the people of India.” “Such dereliction of security procedure during the PM’s visit is totally unacceptable and accountability will be fixed,” he added. The PM reportedly landed in Bathinda this morning from where he had to go to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala by helicopter. As his helicopter could not take off due to inclement weather, he started his journey to Ferozepur by road. When the PM’s convoy reached near Piareana village, where Ferozepur DIG Inderbir Singh and SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans were present to receive him, around 200 protesters blocked the road following which the PM’s cavalcade remained halted there for 15-20 minutes.
A group of farmers owing allegiance to the BKU (Krantikari) claimed it had blocked elevated road near Piareana village to protest PM’s visit Meanwhile, announcements were made from a nearby gurdwara due to which more farmers reached the spot and the situation turned tense. SPG sleuths then decided to take the PM back to Bathinda as they feared he might get trapped if the protesters blocked the other side of flyover also. Later, the Prime Minister went back to Bathinda and from there to Delhi. Talking to The Tribune, DIG Inderbir Singh said it was like a flashmob of around 100 farmers that suddenly arrived at the spot and blocked the road. Demanding CM Channi’s resignation over the issue, state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma said, “Buses carrying BJP workers were halted at Harike Pattan, Moga, Tarn Taran, Abohar, Malout, Kotkapura. Party workers were also attacked at some places in the presence of police officials.” The Ministry of Home Affairs said the PM’s schedule and travel plan were communicated well in advance to the Punjab Government and as per procedure, they had to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready. According to the laid-down procedure, an alternative route was to be kept ready for which clearance of roads and deployment of security personnel needed to be ensured by the state government, an official said. The real reason for Modi ji’s absence from the Ferozepur rally was total boycott by people. — Pargat Singh, Punjab minister
INDIA
Saturday, January 8, 2022 The country’s Covid R naught value that indicates the spread of the infection is 2.69, higher than the 1.69 recorded during the peak of the pandemic’s second wave, said the Centre. India is seeing an exponential rise in the number of coronavirus cases, which is believed to be driven by its Omicron variant, the Centre said on Wednesday, while highlighting that
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COVID-19 R-value has risen to 2.69, higher than peak of 2nd wave: Govt the country’s R naught value that indicates the spread of the infection is 2.69, higher than the 1.69 recorded during the peak of the pandemic’s second wave. Addressing a press conference, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said a spike in the number of Covid cases is being
witnessed in cities and “the Omicron variant is the predominant circulating strain”. Mass gatherings need to be avoided to lower the speed of the infection spread, he stressed. “We are now facing an exponential rise in (the number of) COVID-19 cases and we believe that largely, it is being driven by Omicron,
particularly so in the western parts of our country and even particularly so in larger cities from where we have more data,” NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said. On December 30, the case positivity rate was 1.1 per cent and the next day, it was 1.3 per cent and now, the country is reporting a positivity rate of five per cent, he said.
The more Omicron spreads, the more likely it is to give rise to new variant: WHO Britain on Tuesday faced warnings of an impending hospital crisis due to staff shortages caused by a wave of Omicron infections, as the country’s daily Covid caseload breached 200,000 for the first time. Europe has registered more than 100 million Covid cases since the start of the pandemic, and more than five million new cases in the last week of 2021, WHO said. (REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo) Europe has registered more than 100
overcome and life return to more normality. But WHO senior emergencies officer Catherine Smallwood sounded an ominous note of caution, telling AFP that the soaring infection rates could have the opposite effect. “The more Omicron spreads, the more it transmits and the more it replicates, the more likely it is to throw out a new variant. Now, Omicron is lethal, it can cause death ... maybe a little bit less than Delta, but who’s to say what the next variant might throw out,” Smallwood said.
million Covid cases since the start of the pandemic, and more than five million new cases in the last week of 2021, WHO said. Soaring Omicron cases around the globe could increase the risk of a newer, more dangerous variant emerging, the World Health Organization in Europe warned on Tuesday. While the variant is spreading like wildfire around the world, it appears to be far less severe than initially feared and has raised hopes that the pandemic could be
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Curfew in Delhi as India Covid cases surge India’s new COVID-19 cases have soared by 90,928 in the past 24 hours, up nearly four-fold since the start of the year, mostly from cities where health officials say the Omicron variant has overtaken Delta. But fears are growing about a spread to rural areas in coming days in the country now facing a third wave of the pandemic. Local media reports on Thursday said nearly 500 Omicron infections were found in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of new variant cases in the country to 2,630. On Wednesday, the federal health ministry confirmed the country’s first death linked to the variant, in an elderly man in Rajasthan state who was suffering from diabetes. Meanwhile, daily deaths on Thursday rose by 325, taking the total to 482,876, as total infections hit 35.11 million Government officials privately say daily cases in the third wave could surpass the record of more than 414,000 reached last May. They also warn that many people are taking the Omicron variant lightly and are not wearing masks as most cases have been mild.
Top health official Vinod Kumar Paul declined to estimate a new peak but said even mild cases could put pressure on the country’s health systems. “There is no room for complacency,” he told a weekly media briefing, adding Omicron was driving surges in the cities. “Don’t take it for granted. We don’t know, the system can get overwhelmed, your household can get overwhelmed.” Nevertheless, the government reduced the number of home quarantine days for mild and asymptomatic patients to a week, from 10 or 14 days previously. Another official at the briefing said the elderly man from Rajasthan, whom he did not identify by name, died of a heart attack a few days ago. Genetic tests later showed he had been infected by the Omicron variant. Despite an increase in cases and restrictions on movement announced in several regions, political parties have continued to hold mass rallies ahead of state elections due in the next weeks and months. Health authorities plan to meet election commission officials on Thursday over the matter, officials said, as private health experts raise concerns that the rallies would again lead to a big spike in
New Covid norms: Isolation for 7 days, no testing for asymptomatic contacts Do not rush for self-medication, blood tests or chest X-rays or CT scans without a doctor’s advice, the government’s revised advisory for mild and asymptomatic Covid patients said today. Isolation period has been cut from 10 to at least seven days after testing positive and no fever for three days. Also, there is no need for retesting after home isolation. Asymptomatic contacts needn’t undergo Covid testing and could simply monitor their health in home quarantine, the advisory said.
Keeping in mind mass hoarding of essential drugs and steroids during the second wave, the revised Health Ministry advisory warned mild patients against using steroids. It said such unprescribed use could lead to fungal infection as seen in the past in black fungus cases. “Clinically assigned mild cases are patients with upper respiratory tract symptoms with or without fever, without shortness of breath and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93,”
Hong Kong bans flights from India, 7 other countries until January 21 due to Omicron Hong Kong on Wednesday reimposed some of its toughest Covid-19 restrictions, banning flights from eight countries including India until January 21, in a bid to arrest the rising number of Omicron cases. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced that travellers from eight countries – Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UK and the US, including via transit – are banned from returning to the city for two weeks starting Saturday, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. Also Read |Hong Kong news outlet to close amid crackdown on dissent Hong Kong is reimposing some of its toughest
Covid-19 restrictions across the board covering social activities and international travel, setting a 6pm curfew on all dine-in services and banning flights from eight countries as it braces for a fifth wave of infections amid Omicron fears, the Post report said. Hong Kong, a major aviation hub and financial centre, is a Special Administrative Region of China. Lam said that the tougher rules were necessary with the city on the verge of a wider coronavirus outbreak following the community detection of an unlinked Omicron case. “There has been rapid change in the pandemic situation which has caused us to be worried. We will announce today fast, decisive
Fake degrees: Solan varsity chairman’s kin declared POs A court here today declared as proclaimed offenders the wife and daughter of Solan’s Manav Bharti University chairman and trustee Rajkumar Rana, the main accused in a fake degree scam. The orders were pronounced on a petition filed by the Himachal police CID’s special investigation team (SIT) probing the scam, said Inspector General Atul Fulzale. The SIT had issued two non-bailable warrants, which remained unserved as Rana’s wife Ashoni Kanwar and daughter Aaina Rana were unavailable at their residential addresses.
Both were booked in March 2020. Notices directing them to present themselves for the probe were affixed at four addresses, including their residence at Madhav University on Abu Road in Rajasthan and their houses in Karnal and Una district. Ashoni, who hails from Una, allegedly obtained fake degrees from her own university and on its basis was shown as a faculty member and drew a handsome salary. They were university trustees and allegedly purchased properties by siphoning off money from the institute’s accounts.
Deliberate bid to physically harm PM, alleges BJP A political slugfest has begun over PM Modi’s “breach of security” at Piareana village in Ferozepur, with the BJP accusing the Punjab Government of “deliberately trying to cause physical harm to the PM” and slamming Indian Youth Congress chief ’s “josh” remark, calling it a “proof of the plot” to harm the PM. Union Minister Smriti Irani asked: “Who in the Punjab Government gave information about the PM’s security details to individuals who planted themselves on the flyover?” Amit Malviya, BJP’s IT cell chief, called it an attempt to “eliminate/assassinate” the PM.
“Just because the Congress can’t defeat the PM, they are resorting to unconstitutional means to eliminate him…,” he claimed. JP Nadda, BJP president, claimed that fearing a resounding defeat in the Assembly elections, the Congress government in Punjab had resorted to all possible tricks to “scuttle” Modi’s programme in the state. He accused CM Channi of “refusing to come on the phone to address the matter”. He also accused the Punjab Government of using the police to prevent people from attending the PM’s Ferozepur rally.
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Punjab Former CM Amarinder Singh seeks Presidential rule in Punjab Holding the Charanjit Singh Channi government responsible for the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab, which eventually led to the cancellation of all his programmes today, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has demanded the dismissal of the government and imposition of the President’s rule in the state.
In a statement issued here today, the former Chief Minister said, “This government has lost all moral and constitutional authority to continue in office as it has failed in its constitutional duty to provide security to the Prime Minister.” He said, “By trying to deflect the issue and claim that it was a spontaneous protest by some people that blocked PM’s route,
Haryana home minister suspends police officer after surprise visit Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij today ordered the suspension of Shahabad SHO Prem Singh, SubInspector Ramesh Kumar and Assistant Sub-Inspector Sudesh Kumar over alleged inaction on pending FIRs. Vij was on a surprise visit to the police station when he issued the suspension orders. The minister
checked the attendance register and enquired about pending FIRs. The action against the trio is learnt to have been taken in a nearly year-old case in which no arrests were made. The officials failed to give a satisfactory reply for alleged laxity, said sources.
No security lapse, PM Modi’s route was changed at last minute: CM Denying any security lapse or attempt to attack PM Narendra Modi, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi today said it was wrong to give a political colour to the incident by linking a peaceful protest by farmers with threat to PM’s security. It was unfortunate that PM’s convoy was stuck on a
flyover for nearly 20 minutes after some protesters (yet to be identified) suddenly blocked road leading to Ferozepur, he said during a press conference. “Still, if anyone feels there is a security lapse, we are ready for any probe,” he said while rushing to add that the road on which the protesters were sitting was not on the route plan of the PM’s convoy.
292 more found infected in Mohali district The district on Wednesday witnessed a steep hike in Covid-19 cases with 292 positive cases, taking the active case tally to 603. One patient recovered from the virus in the past 24 hours. Of the 69,705 positive cases reported from the district so far, 68,027
patients have recovered. The death toll in the district stands at 1,075. Among the new cases, 133 were reported from Mohali (urban), 62 from Dhakoli, 44 from Kharar, 18 from Boothgarh, 14 from Dera Bassi, 11 from Gharuan and five each from Kurali and Lalru.
Pakistan Recognition for Taliban behind Pakistan’s push for SAARC summit Pakistan’s rediscovered enthusiasm for holding a SAARC summit in Islamabad is likely aimed at shoehorning the Taliban as the representative of Afghanistan. Reacting to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s desire for a SAARC summit and advising India to attend it virtually if its leadership did not want to visit Pakistan, sources here pointed
out that even before such an interaction is considered, the eight-member grouping would need to reach a consensus on who will represent Afghanistan. With the Taliban not yet recognised by a single country, it is unlikely that any of the other SAARC members, barring Pakistan, will be comfortable with sharing the round table with the insurgent group’s representatives, they added.
India shouldn’t obstruct SAARC meet: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan ready to host long-delayed SAARC Summit, which India can join virtually if its leadership was unwilling to visit Islamabad.“I reiterate the invitation for the 19th SAARC summit. If India is not ready to come to Islamabad, it can join virtually… but it should not stop others from attending the event,” he said
while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. Pakistan was scheduled to host the SAARC summit in November 2016, but India boycotted the conference because of tensions between the two countries. Since then the summit could not take place because the SAARC charter states that the meeting of the heads of governments cannot be held if a member refuses to participate.
Highest numbers of Covid-19 cases recorded since last October With Covid-19 positivity rate climbing to 1.8 per cent, Pakistan on Wednesday reported the highest number of Covid-19 cases since Oct 14. Warning of the possibility that the public health system may come under considerable stress, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said that provinces had been advised to make arrangements such as ensuring the availability of ample oxygen to deal with any such situation.
Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar also warned about the rise in the number of Omicron cases and urged the public to take precautions. Giving the example of the US, UK and South Africa, where Omicron cases had resulted in a significant increase in hospitalisation rates, he said that people should get vaccinated to reduce the possible impact of Omicron.
Rainfall in Karachi made commuters’ life uneasy The ongoing unusual spell of rains in Janaury entered its second day in Karachi, as Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasting the rains would continue till January 7. According to the Met office, the highest amount of rainfall during the last 24 hours — 35.7mm —was recorded in Karachi’s suburban areas of Surjani Town, followed
by Gulshan-i-Hadeed (32.0mm) and Quaidabad (28.0mm). Meanwhile, two rain-related deaths were reported in the city. Meanwhile, two rain-related deaths were reported. Meanwhile, the city traffic police issued list of areas where traffic was slow because of rainwater accumulation.
FIJI Navua widow heartbroken after wrong body cremated A grieving family in Navua is in more pain today after discovering that the body of their loved one was mistakenly switched at the Suva morgue. Former Navua and national midfielder, Rajnil Chand passed away at his home in Rovadrau in Navua over the weekend. The family held the funeral yesterday only to find out today that they had conducted the funeral rites with someone else’s body. The deceased’s wife, Ranjana Chand
says her brother-in-law was at the CWM hospital when the post mortem was conducted and he had seen the body. When they received the body, the family claimed they were told not to unwrap it due to the chance of possible COVID contamination. The widow says she is shattered as according to customary funeral rites, she offered her wedding costume and Chand’s soccer jersey to be cremated with the body of a stranger.
7 deaths since confirmation of 3rd wave of Covid-19 Since confirmation of Fiji’s third wave of COVID-19 on the 29th of last month, there have been seven COVID-19 deaths reported by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services. Two new COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the latest update by Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong yesterday. The first COVID- 19 death is a 75-year-old man fromSuvawhodiedathomeonthe31stoflastmonth.
He had significant pre-existing medical conditions that also contributed to his death. This man was fully vaccinated. He received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in July and second dose in September. The second COVID-19 death is a 56-yearold woman from Korovou who died at home last Saturday in respiratory distress.
Flash flood warning for low lying areas of Vanua Levu A flash flood warning remains in force for all low lying and flood prone areas in Vanua Levu. The Nadi Weather Office says as of 9 o’clock this morning, significant rainfall has been recorded over most parts of Vanua Levu. They say rain is continuing and more rainfall is forecasted over the next 24 hours.
It further adds a heavy rain warning remains in force for Vanua Levu, Taveuni and nearby smaller islands and Lau and Lomaiviti group. AheavyrainalertremainsinforcefortherestofFiji. The Nadi Weather Office says a trough of low pressure lies slow moving over the northern and eastern parts of the country
Four found dead in homicide Four people were found dead in Volivoli, Rakiraki area. It is alleged that the suspect attacked his family members. Police Spokesperson, Wame Bautolu confirms that this is allegedly a case of homicide. According to some media reports, the
suspect is one of the deceased while one of the victims is currently admitted in a critical condition at the Rakiraki Hospital. Director CID and his team are at the scene. Bautolu says the circumstances surrounding the incident are now under investigation.
22 Press release
Saturday, January 8, 2022 Properties Restoration Project by Sikh Motorcycle Club
Sikh Motorcycle Club Canada is a group of passionate riders who while enjoing the perks of riding, love to volunteer for community needs. We would like to express our sympathy with the Canadian brothers and sisters, who suffered a significant loss financially and emotionally due to the recent flooding. We know many generous fellow Canadians offered unconditional help with food and shelter. We as a group also would like to help people who financially couldn’t afford to make their properties liveable again. Our members arranged excavating equipment & dump trucks and are supporting the flood victims to clean their properties, specially where creeks and flood waters left silt, mud, debris. Any one who needs materials to regain access to their
properties, we along with the help of our Ontario chapter Sikh Motorcycle Club of Ontario and Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar New West, provide the services free of cost. We just want to help out! We have started this service on Dec 4th and will continue to help on every weekend until the affected people are settled down peacefully at their properties. We have already worked on properties in Yarrow, Columbia valley, Harrison Hot Springs and 5 families in Princeton 1200 block HWY 3 and have updated on our social media handles as well. If you or anyone you know needs a hand, feel free to call or send us a message and we will set up a date and time to come help you out! Please help us share this message with the victims.
Essential visitors guarantee needed in B.C. long-term care homes Press release
The BC Liberals are calling on the government to ensure that every long termcare (LTC) resident in B.C. is permitted to have at least one essential visitor, as visitation restrictions are reintroduced in light of the Omicron variant surge. “Advocates and families across the province, including Dr. Bonnie Henry, have spoken about the importance of LTC residents having designated essential visitors — they can be critical to residents’ mental and physical health,” said Shirley Bond, Interim Leader of the Official Opposition. “However, over the past two years, the approval of these essential visitors has been left to individual care homes, rather than being guaranteed through government mandate. As a result, many families have struggled to obtain essential visitor status and have been
unable to visit and care for their loved ones.” According to BC Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie, about 20 per cent of LTC residents have designated essential visitors. A survey from Mackenzie’s office reportedly found that some LTC residents said they would have preferred COVID-19 to the isolation they experienced not being able have visitors, demonstrating the profound impact isolation has had on seniors’ mental health and emotional well-being. “Now that visiting restrictions are once again in place, it is absolutely vital the NDP makes it clear that every resident can have at least one essential visitor, regardless of the care home in which they reside. We are calling on the Minister of Health to make this decision as soon as possible and ensure the well-being of our vulnerable seniors as we continue to fight COVID-19.”
INDIA
Saturday, January 8, 2022
Home Ministry constitutes 3-member panel to probe PM’s ‘security breach’ Taking a serious note of the “security breach” during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur in Punjab on Wednesday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday constituted a threemember committee, headed by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, to enquire into the “serious lapses” that led to the exposure of the VVIP to “grave risk”. Announcing this, a spokesperson
Indians to soon get e-passports: Ministry of External Affairs The government of India will soon start issuing e-passports for all citizens, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday, January 6. Ministry of External Affairs Secretary Sanjay Bhatttacharyya, in a tweet, emphasised that the passport would be secured with biometric data and will enable smooth passage through immigration posts globally. Till now, passports were issued in the form of personalised printed booklets. The Indian government has previously issued 20,000 official and diplomatic e-passports. The passport was embedded with a microchip, which held all vital information related to the passport holder’s biometric data. The e-passport was also enabled security features that will disallow unauthorized data transfer through radiofrequency identification, also known as RFID. While announcing the e-passport last year, the Ministry of External Affairs had mentioned that the e-passport would be harder to destroy and be compliant with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards. The government had previously decided to start issuing e-passport in 2021, but it was delayed. It is important to note that the process of applying for the passport would continue to be the same. Users would still have to file out an application form on the government website and select a date of appointment for document verification. The issuance time too will also not be affected by the new system.
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of the MHA said, “The MHA has constituted a committee, which will be led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena and will comprise Balbir Singh, Joint Director, IB, and S Suresh, IG, Special Protection Group (SPG).” The committee is advised to submit its report at the
earliest, he added In what the MHA had on Wednesday described as a “‘major security lapse’’, the Prime Minister’s cavalcade was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by farm protesters in Ferozepur
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on Wednesday. He returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally, and the Centre blamed the Congress government in Punjab for the security breach. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, however, claimed that a last-minute change of travel plans by the Prime Minister led to the situation. Today, the Channi Government too constituted a two-member committee to conduct a “‘thorough enquiry” into the incident.