The Asian Star March 6 2021 by The Asian Star Newspaper

www.theasianstar.com Vol 20 - Issue 5

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Canada’s chief science adviser issues warning about BC’s ‘experiment’ with vaccine timing British Columbia’s decision to extend to four months the interval between first and second doses of three different vaccines amounts to a “population level experiment,” said Mona Nemer, Canada’s chief science adviser. “I think that it’s possible to do it. But it amounts right now to a basically population level experiment. And I think it needs to be done as we expect clinical trials to be carried out,” Nemer said. Nemer told host Vassy Kapelos that the data provided so far by Moderna and Pfizer on their vaccines were gathered when the first and second doses of the vaccines were being spaced three to four weeks apart, not three to four months apart. Continued on page 7

Indian students discover 18 new Asteroids as part of Global Science Programme The International Astronomical Union (IAU), an organisation that assigns official names and designations to celestial bodies, has recently confirmed the discovery of 18 new asteroids by Indian students as part of a global science programme. The International Asteroid Discovery Project was conducted by STEM and Space, an organisation working

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BC reports 564 new cases of Covid-19 as variant cases climb again British Columbia health officials reported 564 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, along with four additional deaths. At a live briefing, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said it left B.C. with 4,743 active cases. Another 8,659 people were isolating due to potential exposure. Of the new cases, 168 were in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 279 were in the Fraser Health region, 35 were in the Island Health region, 36 were in the Interior Health region and 46 were in the Northern Health region. Continued on page 3

Meena Harris rejects criticism of comments on farmers’ protest When American author Meena Harris tweeted criticism of the Indian state’s clampdown on farmers protesting agricultural reforms, nationalist counterprotesters responded by burning her portrait. Hundreds of Indians barraged her with abuse on Twitter, telling her to stay out of their country’s affairs. Harris -- who is the niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris and is also of Indian descent -- rejected the idea that the 18 million people who make up the Indian diaspora had no place in expressing opinions

on the country. In the US alone, 4.8 million people are either Indian migrants or report Indian heritage. “Don’t tell me to stay out of your affairs,” Harris wrote earlier this month on Twitter. “These are all of our issues.” Harris also tweeted a photo of counterprotesters setting her image ablaze. “Weird to see a photo of yourself burned by an extremist mob but imagine what they would do if we lived in India,” she wrote. Crowds burn portraits of Meena Harris, niece of US Continued on page 8

The US is beating Canada in the Covid-19 vaccine race and Canadians are jealous

towards the learning of astronomy and space science in India, along with the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) as part of a NASA citizen science project. Over the last two years, 150 students from all around India participated in this two-monthlong campaign to find asteroids, making this the largest asteroid discovery project in India, Mila Mitra, Co-founder and Academic Head of STEM and Space, told PTI. In the project, the students from India, and across the globe analysed the high-quality astronomical data provided by IASC — an online scientific program for kids to discover Asteroids and NearEarth Objects (NEO).

We Canadians love to compare ourselves to the United States. Whether it’s mocking their cable news networks, celebrating our healthcare system or just generally feeling high and mighty during the age of Donald Trump, saying “at least we’re not like the U.S.” is basically a part of our national identity by now. But sometimes when you build your entire national identity based on comparing yourself favourably to you southern neighbours, the tables take a turn and you find yourself on the negative side of the

evaluation. Most recently, Canadians fed up with the glacial pace of our national COVID-19 vaccination campaign have had to watch the American campaign continue to ramp up and expand. Suddenly, the same America we slammed for its pandemic response is doing something better than us. And Canadians hate to see it. This week, U.S. President Joe Biden announced the U.S. is expected to fully vaccinate all adults by May, and the U.S. Continued on page 6

Pakistan agreed to ceasefire because General Bajwa had a Musharraf moment In the subcontinent, one could never complain of a dull moment. India and Pakistan seem to have surprised their own citizens again by initiating some conversation, all when we thought the prospects were dead. However, the army of India-Pakistan observers and ordinary folk are left speculating about the hand behind the initiative. From Pakistan’s end, it doesn’t look like the initiative of the

Foreign Office. The civilian government is too absorbed in domestic politics, barely keeping its head above water, to even imagine making a bold move — of opening a channel with the prime enemy. The political opposition would be at Prime Minister Imran Khan’s throat, accusing him of compromise and not taking parliament into confidence.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

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Vol 20 - Issue 5

Saturday, March 6, 2021

BC extends deadline for tourism, small business Covid-19 grants The B.C. NDP government has announced a second overhaul of its struggling small business and tourism COVID-19 recovery grant program, and extended the deadline five months for a $300 million relief fund that is still less than half subscribed. Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon has been under pressure to fix the program since he was appointed to cabinet after last October’s election. After the first overhaul in December, Kahlon reported Thursday that $55 million or more than one sixth of the fund has been granted, with a March 31 application deadline approaching. The program was launched during the election campaign, with few small and medium businesses qualified or able to apply for emergency funds of $30,000, with an extra $15,000 for qualified tourism businesses. “From day one we’ve been really nimble with this program,” Kahlon told reporters March 4. “More than 50 per cent of the applications have been tourist-based businesses, so that shows it’s getting to the people who need it most.”

B.C. Liberal jobs critic Todd Stone said months of delays make the changes too late for some businesses. “I’m glad the NDP government is making these changes which the B.C. Liberals have been advocating for since last year,” Stone said. “Unfortunately, this has taken so long that many small businesses have already closed down, and it might be too late for many others.” The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade applauded the latest changes, lowering the bar for qualifying to demonstrated revenue loss of 30 per cent at some point in the year-long pandemic. Previously, businesses had to show that they experienced at least a 70 per cent loss, and the program now includes funds to hire accountants to do the application paperwork. Kahlon said the latest change to revenue loss requirements has allowed assistance for some businesses that have already applied and failed to qualify.

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BC reports 564 new cases of Covid-19 as variant cases climb again From page 1

B.C. reported 46 new cases of the COVID-19 variants of concern, bringing the total so far to 246: 218 of those were the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the U.K., while 28 were the B.1.351 first identified in South Africa. The province says it still does not know the origin of about 25 per cent of those cases. B.C. has administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 212,105 people, about 4.1 per cent of the population, while 86,746 people have had both a first and second dose. The province announced Monday it would wait up to four months to administer second doses, allowing everyone who wants a shot to have one by the end of July. “We were coming up to a time this week where there was tens of thousands of doses of vaccine being scheduled for people to receive their second dose, and that would have left us with very little vaccine to be able to continue to protect more people

and more communities around the province,” Henry said. “I regret and I apologize to those communities, to the long-term care homes, to individuals who had a second dose scheduled … I know that came as a shock to many people and I regret that our communications were not able to keep up as fast as the decision making. Please know this was made in the spirit of understanding data and maximizing the benefit to all of us.”The first doses of the third vaccine approved in Canada, the Oxford-AstraZeneca product, will begin to arrive in B.C. “some time next week,” she added. The initial shipments will be used to address ongoing clusters and outbreaks of COVID-19. The province will then develop a plan to distribute future shipments to first responders and potentially other front-line workers. There were 248 people in hospital, 63 of whom were in critical or intensive care. About 92 per cent of B.C.’s 82,473 cases have recovered, while 1,376 people have died.

OPINION

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Horgan’s runaway costs on Site C: Enough is enough The cost to build B.C. Hydro’s Site C has ballooned to $16 billion, making it the most expensive dam in Canadian history. With costs out of control and no upper limit in sight, Premier John Horgan dismissed the notion that Site C should be stopped. Horgan relied on a

false narrative in order to do so. He said that if Site C construction was terminated, $10.2 billion in costs would be subject to an immediate writedown, and this writedown would cause a 26 per cent increase in electricity rates. The premier is relying on a fairy tale — replete

with a monster dressed up as a rate increase — to market the irresponsible continuation of Site C. Expensing project costs in one year and increasing rates to cover it is not how the accounting for costs would be treated in the real world — not by B.C. Hydro and not by the B.C. Utilities Commission. This is not the first time Horgan has resorted to fantasy in an effort to sell the project. When the premier announced the continuation of Site C in December 2017, he claimed that “to cancel [Site C] would add billions to the province’s debt — putting at risk our ability to deliver housing, child care, schools and hospitals for families across B.C. And that’s a price we’re not willing to pay.” At that time the estimated cost to halt the project and remediate the site was $4 billion. Horgan’s own press release contradicts his fear-mongering rhetoric. The press release explains that costs could be recovered over 70 years with no short-term rate impact. The same accounting logic — amortize the costs over decades — holds true with the $10.2-billion cost Horgan says would be incurred if the project were cancelled. As a former chair and CEO of Ontario Hydro, chair of Manitoba Hydro and president and CEO of B.C. Hydro, I am aware of how potential rate shocks are treated by Canadian utilities and the commissions or boards that regulate them. Amortizing these costs over many years is the standard of practice. For example, the 1,600-megawatt Conawapa Generating Station and Dam in Manitoba was cancelled in 2017, causing a writeoff of $379 million. The Manitoba Public Utility Commission approved the transfer of construction costs to a regulatory deferral account with amortization of the amount over 30 years. When Site C was first proposed, the budget was $3.3 billion, it rose to $6.6 billion, then $7.9 billion, to $8.8 billion, then $10.7 billion and now $16 billion. At his press conference, Horgan could not guarantee that $16 billion represents a final cost estimate. Horgan didn’t talk about the geotechnical instability at the site, or the risks and cost that portends.

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Saturday, March 6, 2021 Canada’s economy worst on record since 1961 Canada’s gross domestic product shrank 5.4 per cent in 2020, the worst year for the country’s economy since record keeping began in 1961, according to authorities. In a statement on Tuesday, Statistics Canada said the country’s worst economic output was due to the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic which shut down businesses and caused millions of people out of work in March and April of 2020, reports Xinhua news agency. Canada’s gross domestic product, including the total value of all goods and services it produced, grew by 2.3 per cent in the last quarter of 2020, but that was nowhere near enough to offset the record-setting plunge it experienced during the first wave. Since early summer last year, Canadian economic activity has slowly recovered. The economy grew at an annualized rate

of 9.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, down from an annualised growth rate of 40.6 per cent in the third quarter. H o w e v e r, despite the betterthan-expected result for the quarter as a whole, Statistics Canada said total economic activity in December 2020 was about 3 per cent below the pre-pandemic level in February 2020. For comparison purposes, Canada’s economy contracted almost twice as much as the US did during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the latter seeing far more cases per capita. For January 2021, Statistics Canada said its early estimate was for growth in the economy of 0.5 per cent, adding that wholesale trade, manufacturing and construction sectors led the increase while retail trade fell to start the year.

Tsunami risk being evaluated for BC after earthquakes recorded in New Zealand The possibility of a tsunami along B.C.’s coast is being evaluated after multiple strong earthquakes hit New Zealand. Three earthquakes have so far been recorded in New Zealand on Friday, local time. The latest was a magnitude 8.0 quake that hit the Kermadec Islands, northeast of New Zealand’s North Island.

That came shortly after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in the same region and a 7.2 magnitude earthquake about 900 kilometres away. At about noon in B.C., the province tweeted it was evaluating any potential related risk locally. “Stand by for B.C. specific info,” the post said.

Canada receives 500,000 doses of Covidshield vaccine made in India The first Canada-bound shipment of Covid-19 vaccines manufactured in India arrived in Toronto on Wednesday morning. A consignment of 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine under the brand Covishield was sent by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). It was received by its Canadian partner, Verity Pharmaceuticals, located in the Greater Toronto Area town of Mississauga. Delivery of the first tranche of a total of two million doses scheduled by mid-May was announced by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. During a media interaction, he said, “Very early this morning, our first half a million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine from the Serum Institute arrived in Canada. Already, the national operations centre has worked with provinces and territories to coordinate

shipments of these vaccines across the country. Our priority is to get doses into arms as soon as possible.” The shipment has an expiry date of about a month from now and Canadian public health authorities are accelerating the process of getting the doses distributed and administered across the country. Health Canada had given authorisation to the SII product last week. Canada is the first Western nation and the only G7 country to receive vaccines from India under the government’s Vaccine Maitri initiative. The AstraZeneca vaccine is the third shot to have been cleared by Canada after those made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Canada will receive a total of 22 million doses of the AstraZeneca inoculation, which includes the consignment from India.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

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The US is beating Canada in the Covid-19 vaccine race and Canadians are jealous From page 1

Centers for Disease Control is expected to announce Americans can return to indoor group socializing soon, as long as everyone is vaccinated. “That’s progress,” Biden said Tuesday. Meanwhile, Canada’s biggest provinces are entering yet another month of lockdown restrictions including business closures, social gathering restrictions and travel advisories. In British Columbia, health officials have formally delayed second doses of the vaccine by up to four months with the hope of getting

adults at least partially vaccinated by July. And provinces tentatively looking to loosen some restrictions are quick to offer the caveat that they could snap right back. As for the vaccine campaign, Canada has fully vaccinated 1.46 per cent of its population. The U.S. is swiftly approaching one in 10 Americans with both jabs. The total number of Americans vaccinated as we enter March is nearly equal to the population of Canada. Canadians took to social media this week to share their frustrations — and FOMO — with how we compare to our southern cousins.

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Saturday, March 6, 2021 Canada’s chief science adviser issues warning about BC’s ‘experiment’ with vaccine timing From page 1

“I think it’s really important that we stick with the data and with the great science that give us these fantastic vaccines, and not tinker with it,” she said. If provinces want to find out if the interval between the first and second doses can be extended to 16 weeks, she said, those provinces should conduct proper clinical trials by registering participants and explaining to them the possible advantages and disadvantages of taking part. B.C. accelerates timeline for first vaccine doses, rolls out appointment system for seniors over 80 AstraZeneca-Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine not recommended for seniors, Canadian committee says COVID-19 vaccine deliveries back on track following weeks of delay, says Public Health Agency She said that while such trials might show that it’s safe to extend the interval to four months, Canada is not there yet. “For now, we simply don’t have enough data that tells us this is an effective strategy, particularly when we think that we have variants of the virus that are emerging that are not as well recognized by the vaccine,” Nemer said. “Partial immunity is something that people need to be very wary of. And it’s probably best to just vaccinate as recommended and as studied for now.” B.C. extends the interval Earlier today, B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that the province would be extending the interval between doses of the Moderna, Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to 16 weeks. “From the very early days, we made sure that every single dose is recorded and we knew who got what vaccine when, and part of this feeds into our evaluation of vaccine effectiveness,” Henry said. “We have seen that the vaccines we have here in B.C. are safe and they provide a very high level of real world protection with the initial dose.” Henry said data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, and countries around the world, shows “miraculous” protection of at least 90 per cent from the first dose of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. NACI guidance Henry said the B.C. CDC has been

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exchanging data with colleagues across the country and similar results are coming from Quebec, as well as from the U.K., Israel and other countries. She also said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has been looking at the issue and will be issuing a statement on the matter in the near future. As of March 1, however, the advice NACI is providing on its website says that the interval between the first and second shots of the Moderna vaccine should be four weeks, the interval for Pfizer should be three weeks and the interval for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine should be 12 weeks.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Pandemic spurs Canada to offer path to Citizenship to more temporary residents

anada’s recent move to offer permanent residency to more foreigners living and working in the country is a short-term solution to the economic problems spurred by a pandemicrelated immigration slowdown, analysts say, while critics argue the strategy excludes too many vulnerable people. With travel restrictions in place, visa offices closed and immigration applications stalled, the Canadian government finds itself on the back foot as it attempts to reach its target of attracting a record 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021. The country, which admitted 184,370 people in that category last year, the lowest number since 1998, is turning its attention to the more than 1 million temporary residents within its borders to boost the numbers, inviting some to apply for permanent residency. Economists, however, say the move will not have a noticeable impact on Canada’s economic growth and is not a fix to the country’s long-term demographic challenges, including an aging population. From page 1

US Vice President Kamala Harris (right image), and Greta Thunberg in New Delhi, India, on February 4. Crowds burn portraits of Meena Harris, niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris (right image), and Greta Thunberg in New Delhi, India, on February 4. Tens of thousands of Indian farmers have been protesting in and around the capital, New Delhi, over new rules and regulations that they say could impoverish them. The government has responded with internet shutdowns in some areas, while security forces have arrested protesters and tried to block demonstrations.

“In the short-term, it’s nice that they’re targeting these sorts of people. It’s really just a change of status,” said Andrew Agopsowicz, a senior economist at the Royal Bank of Canada. Without any immigration, Canada’s average annual rate of economic growth by 2034 would shrink by 0.6 percentage points, the Conference Board of Canada said in 2018. Canadian Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino told Reuters in an interview last week that the limitations posed by the pandemic mean “we need to look at the talent pool that is already within our borders.” In January, Canada welcomed 26,600 new permanent residents, most of whom were already in the country. That was 10% more than in the same period a year ago. Last month, the Canadian government invited 27,000 temporary workers who met certain conditions to apply for permanent residency.

‘NOT A BOTTOMLESS WELL’ Mendicino said January’s numbers indicate the country can meet its 2021 target, but others disagree. “We might still end up seeing a slowdown heading into the spring and summer. ... There is a large temporary pool and it’s something Canada can draw from, but it’s not a bottomless well,” Agopsowicz said. Canada has relied for decades on temporary workers to help meet the needs of its labor market. There have been pathways for these people to remain in the country, but they have tended to be narrow. Mendicino argues the push to boost the numbers of permanent residents by drawing on temporary ones is more than cosmetic. “The real benefits are derived once they put roots down and become more established in

Meena Harris rejects criticism of comments on farmers’ protest The protests have exposed a gulf between the nationalist sentiment cultivated by the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at home and the deeply felt concern among some of those of Indian heritage elsewhere. And at the heart of this war of words lies the complex question of who can legitimately claim to be Indian and who has the right to challenge perceived injustices in the country. Harris is joined by a plethora of other celebrities of Indian descent in her condemnations of Modi’s government and India’s security forces. Several Indian-Canadians

-- including the politician Jagmeet Singh, the poet Rupi Kaur and the comedian Lilly Singh -have voiced their support for the farmers, as has the Indian-British singer Jay Sean and IndianAmerican comedian Hasan Minhaj. Like Harris, many of these Indians abroad are being put in the basket of Western celebrities who are also stoking anger in India. Singer Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg put a global spotlight on the farmers’ movement when they tweeted a CNN story on the issue to their millions of followers. Mia Khalifa, a Lebanese-American former celebrity and former

these jobs.”The emergence of COVID-19 revealed gaps in Canada’s immigration system when it came to temporary residents who are uniquely exploitable but also essential, said Harald Bauder, a professor at Ryerson University in Toronto. Mendicino said Canada may offer such a path for agricultural workers, who are frequently marginalized or excluded from such routes to immigration.Some critics argue the government’s actions don’t safeguard vulnerable workers who are often employed in high-risk, low-wage jobs with little protection from such things as a pandemic and who tend not to qualify for permanent residency programs.“The actual system, or the path to PR (permanent residency), hasn’t changed,” said Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.Canada will rely on its current strategy “certainly” through 2021 and 2022, said Mendicino, adding that the focus on turning temporary residents into permanent members of Canadian society could signal a long-term shift.

adult film star, has also been vocally supportive of the farmers. Images of all three were burned alongside that of Harris on a four-headed effigy. Members of the nationalist United Hindu Front hold an image of singer Rihanna during a demonstration in New Delhi on February 4. Members of the nationalist United Hindu Front hold an image of singer Rihanna during a demonstration in New Delhi on February 4. Soon after Rihanna and Thunberg’s remarks, Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar tweeted: “India’s sovereignty cannot be compromised,” adding, “External forces can be spectators but not participants. Indians know India and should decide for India. Let’s remain united as a nation.”

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Saturday, March 6, 2021

Man in critical condition following afternoon attack outside Richmond mall: RCMP RCMP are asking witnesses to a violent incident to come forward, after a man was discovered seriously injured outside Richmond shopping mall on Wednesday afternoon. Police were called around 2:40 p.m. PT to the parking area on the north side of the Lansdowne Centre, where the 40-year-old man was found lying injured on the ground, according to an RCMP statement Thursday. The Vancouver resident was taken to a local hospital where he

remains in critical condition, police said. RCMP say the incident does not appear to have any criminal connections, and there doesn’t appear to be any risk to the public. Anyone who might have witnessed Wednesday’s incident is asked to contact the Richmond RCMP at 604-278-1212, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 if they want to remain anonymous.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

UBC accounting class told to re-do midterm exam after students accused of cheating online Over 600 students in a second-year accounting class at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business have been told they will have to retake a midterm exam after some students were accused of cheating online when their professor said they could use Google during the test. Many of the students have complained about being forced to retake the exam on social media, saying those who completed the exam without cheating are being punished during an already stressful term of online learning. “I put in hard work. I’ve spent the money. I took extra time, hours actually, preparing for the midterm and now everything is gone,” said a second-year student who CBC has agreed not to name out of concern for academic repercussions. “I think that’s not fair at all.” Allegations of academic misconduct Students had two hours to complete the Feb. 10 midterm, which is worth

30 per cent of their final grade, using an online platform called Wiley. In an email a couple of weeks before the midterm, the professor described the exam as “open book” and said students were free to “use [their] textbook, notes, Google, anything.” A week after the midterm, the professor for the class, Kyla Gunderson, emailed students informing them that a number of incidents of academic misconduct had been found and that a formal investigation was underway. “Anyone caught using external websites to solicit answers or those working together on the midterm will be disciplined accordingly,” she wrote. One of the external websites she alleges some students used is Chegg. com, a paid study website that provides step-by-step textbook solutions.

South Asian doctor warned after complaints about COVID-19 tweets The regulatory body for doctors in Ontario has issued three separate cautions to a pediatrician following a series of complaints about her tweets on COVID-19 and the pandemic. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario posted the findings from its Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee overnight Wednesday on its public listing for Dr. Kulvinder Kaur Gill. The complaints related to a series of tweets from Gill’s account last summer that challenged accepted public health advice and regulations. The tweets that prompted the complaints included: “There is absolutely no medical or scientific reason for this prolonged, harmful and illogical lockdown.” Another tweet read: “If you have not yet figured out that we don’t need a vaccine, you are not paying attention.” The CPSO complaints committee noted that while there is a range of views about lockdowns and even some drawbacks, Gill didn’t raise those points in the tweets. It found that her statements lacked evidence, didn’t align with public health and were not accurate. The committee pointed to

lockdowns in China and South Korea, which did appear to have a mitigating impact on the spread of the virus. “For the respondent to state otherwise is misinformed and misleading and furthermore an irresponsible statement to make on social media during a pandemic,” the committee wrote. It also evaluated her claim that a vaccine was not needed. It noted that a herd immunity strategy “would involve a significant death rate,” and that Gill did not provide any evidence for her claim. It concluded that the tweet was “irresponsible” and a “potential risk to public health.” According to the documents, Gill claimed that her tweets were taken out of context and argued they came from a personal Twitter account that is not affiliated with her practice. The CPSO committee did not agree with her. It noted that her Twitter biography made it clear that she is a physician and identifies her as the leader of the group Concerned Ontario Doctors.

Two 16-year-olds arrested in Surrey drug cache and dial-a-dope bust Two 16-year-old males have been arrested in Surrey, B.C., in connection with a drug cache site and dial-adope operation running out of a condo tower in the 10700-block of University Drive. Surrey RCMP say they began investigating suspected drug trafficking in the underground parkade of the Whalley building early last month and quickly became aware of a unit associated with the dealing. A search warrant was executed on Feb. 25, leading to the discovery of a drug cache and packaging site, along with the two teens. One of the teens is reported to have been carrying a loaded handgun at the time of arrest. Bulk and pre-packaged quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine,

fentanyl and MDMA were seized, along with $11,000 in cash, the handgun and a loaded pistol grip shot gun. Father of 14-year-old Metro Vancouver homicide victim says his son was set up Police say neither of the suspects have any known connections to the Lower Mainland gang conflict, which has resulted in the death of a number of youth and young men in past months, including a 14-year-old boy. Both teens have been released from police custody and charges have yet to be laid. Anyone with information on drug trafficking in Surrey is asked to contact RCMP at 604-599-0502

One dead after camper van fire in Victoria park; major crimes investigating One person has died after a camper van caught fire at a park in Victoria early Thursday. Victoria police were called to Beacon Hill Park downtown shortly after 8 a.m. PT. Firefighters were already on scene trying to put out the flames in a camper van with red and silver stripes.

The vehicle was engulfed by the fire, with flames shooting out of the roof and rear door. One person was found dead, according to a statement from police. The force’s major crime unit is now investigating. No further information was released.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Most Canadians believe the greater threat is from extremists here than from elsewhere: poll A strong majority of Canadians believe the threat of extremists and terrorists within Canada is more worrisome than external threats, according to recent polling. The poll, done by the Conference of Defence Associations and Maru Public Opinion asked Canadians for their views on a variety of national security issues. It comes just days before the 89th Annual Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence, March 10-12, which will feature a variety of speakers discussing security issues. Seventy per cent of Canadians said they thought internal threats from extremists were greater than external, the polling found. “It gives you a sense of how much we’ve come along the past 20 years,” said Youri Cormier, executive director of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute, an Ottawabased defence and security think-tank. “There’s a greater sense that there are more than one type of extremism.” The perceptions of security

risk vary somewhat based on geography and demographics. In Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 77 per cent of people polled said there is a higher risk from internal threats, followed by Quebecers at 73 per cent, Atlantic Canada at 70 per cent, Ontario at 69 per cent, and British Columbia and Alberta, each at 68 per cent. Women, at 71 per cent, are slightly more likely to believe internal threats are a greater risk than men, at 69 per cent. Younger Canadians, aged 18 to 34 are less likely — 67 per cent — to believe this, while older Canadians, ages 55 plus, are the most concerned about internal threats, at 75 per cent. Those who have a college or technical school education are strong believers in internal threats, at 75 per cent. There was little variance between the least educated, at 69 per cent, and the most educated, with university degrees, at 67 per cent.

‘Self-disinfecting’ copper coming to more of TransLink’s fleet to fight against COVID-19 Adding copper to high-touch surfaces in buses and SkyTrain cars has proven so effective TransLink plans to add the bacteria-killing metal to more of its fleet. The transit authority’s fiveweek pilot program launched this November – as COVID-19 fears were heightened and ridership was down – using two buses and two SkyTrain cars on busy routes. Surfaces including poles frequently touched by rider’s hands were coated in copper, known to be durable and kill bacteria, according to Vancouver medical microbiologist Dr. Marthe Charles. Swab samples were collected twice a week and examined by teams at Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of British Columbia. In the first phase, more than 1,140 samples were analyzed. Results showed, “select copper products on transit are durable and kill

up to 99.9 per cent of all bacteria within one hour of a bacteria’s contact with the surface,” stated TransLink in a news release Thursday (March 4). This includes COVID-19 germs. Products that performed best on transit were copper decals and coppernickel plasma sprays, of several other substances tested during the pilot project. “Self-disinfecting surfaces containing copper would become a valuable addition to cleaning hands and cleaning surfaces,” Charles attested. The $90,000 trial was paid for by Teck Resources Limited. The next phase gets underway in the coming months and the company plans to continue providing financial support. In the second phase, TransLink plans to test the material on more SkyTrain cars and buses over a longer amount of time to examine varied conditions.

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, March 6, 2021 Real estate lawyers may have helped high rollers buy Vancouver homes like casino chips: inquiry B.C. casino investigators probed real estate lawyers whom they had connected to private mortgages, organized crime and an alleged transnational money-laundering scheme, the province’s inquiry has heard. In testimony Tuesday at the Cullen Commission, Brad Rudnicki, a BC Lottery Corporation anti-money laundering intelligence specialist, said his investigations suggested foreign high rollers could have been buying Metro Vancouver homes through loan sharks in

the same way they were buying casino chips. This is the so-called “Vancouver Model” of money laundering, in which transnational organized crime suspects Kwok Chung Tam and Paul King Jin are accused of laundering drug cash by lending it to wealthy visitors from China, according to previous testimony. A day earlier, the inquiry heard from an RCMP investigator who has alleged Jin and a Richmond currency exchange were operating as a drug trafficking organization by laundering cash for drug dealers in China, Latin America and Canada.

Novavax filings give first glimpse of deal Canada made for COVID-19 vaccines Novavax has made public some of the details of its January contract with the Canadian government to supply millions of doses of its coronavirus vaccine candidate if approved by the country’s regulator. Though key details such as price per dose and penalties for missing delivery targets are redacted, the company’s filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission marks the first time a vaccine supplier’s deal with the Canadian government has been released in even a redacted form. The Canadian government has repeatedly refused to release those contracts. Procurement Minister Anita Anand says the seven contracts the government has signed for coveted vaccine doses include confidentiality clauses and breaking those could jeopardize the deals. She has also refused to say whether any of the contracts signed by the government waived the right to sue in the event delivery targets are missed, as the European Union

did in its contract with AstraZeneca. The contract states that the company will provide 52 million doses of its vaccine candidate with an option to purchase 24 million more, and that deliveries will take place monthly to fulfill quarterly allotments. “Customer acknowledges that the delivery schedule may change due to the impact of several variables including, but not limited to, speed of clinical trial enrollment and accrual of events, manufacturing delays and/or timing of regulatory approval,” the contract reads. “Novavax will use commercially reasonable efforts to deliver the product to customer in accordance with the delivery schedule and will, on at least on a (redacted) basis, communicate any anticipated changes to the delivery schedule to customer.” If the company gets regulatory approval but then fails to meet quarterly deliveries, they will provide to the Canadian government what the contract describes as “the cause of the inability to supply” as well as a “good faith remedial plan.”

Canadian banks, insurance firms owe $1.2B in employee vacation pay, class actions allege When Leigh Cunningham of Winnipeg left her 26-year career as an investment adviser with RBC Dominion Securities, she did some math and realized that for decades she hadn’t been receiving six per cent vacation pay on her full income. Cunningham has launched a proposed $800-million class-action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of advisers. She alleges that RBC, which last week reported soaring profits, has systematically short-changed workers by failing to provide proper vacation pay to advisers whose compensation is based mostly on commissions and bonuses. “It’s just wrong,” Cunningham told CBC News. “We are helping as employees to create that profit.”

Cunningham’s lawsuit was served to RBC in December but not made public until now. It is one of five proposed class actions launched against banks and insurance companies since early 2019 seeking a total of $1.2 billion for vacation pay that’s allegedly owed current and former employees. The allegations include that employers would calculate vacation pay based only on an employee’s base salary, without including commissions and bonuses that can make up a large portion of a worker’s compensation. If successful, experts say these suits could open the floodgates on major employers that fail to pay salespeople and commissioned staff in accordance with various provincial and territorial employment standards laws across Canada.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, March 6, 2021

7 additional deaths and 542 new COVID-19 cases in BC BC announced 542 new Covid-19 cases and seven deaths as of Wednesday (March 3), said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. It breaks down to 131 new cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health authority region, 292 in Fraser Health, 31 in Island Health, 43 in Interior Health and 44 in Northern Health. There are now a total of 4,654 active cases in the province, this includes three more people are being treated in hospital for the virus, for a total of 246. Of them, 64 are in intensive care. In a joint statement, Henry and health minister Adrian Dix reported 18 new COVID-19 cases linked to variants of concern for a total of 200 in the province: “Our goal is to protect as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, through the available COVID-19 vaccines.

2021 vrcuAl d`Kx eySIAweI ishq Porm dI pySkwrI: Presenting the 2021 Virtual South Asian Health Forum:

lMmy smyN dIAW sm`isAwvW nwl cMgI qrHW ijauxw: gTIAw (AwrQrweIts) Aqy h`fIAW dI kmzorI (austIauporoiss) Living Well with Chronic Conditions: Arthritis and Osteoporosis

NDP admits significant gaps in its school COVID safety plan

h`fIAW dI kmzorI | Osteoporosis

gTIAw | Arthritis

SnIvwr, 13 mwrc, 2021 Saturday, March 13, 2021 12:00-2:00 PM PST

SnIvwr, 20 mwrc, 2021 Saturday, March 20, 2021 12:00-2:00 PM PDT

c`l iPr skx dIAW sm`isAwvW dy pRbMDn dI mh`qqw The Importance of Managing Mobility Conditions Dr. Gulzar Cheema, Family Physician

gTIey ƒ smJxw Understanding Arthritis Dr. Navjot Dhindsa, Rheumatologist

h`fIAW dI kmzorI (Osteoporosis) ƒ smJxw Understanding Osteoporosis Dr. Leena Jain, Geriatrician

ishqmMd joVW leI ksrqW Exercises for Healthy Joints Gurdeep Sakkarwal, Physiotherapist

if`gx dI rokQwm Aqy ksrq Fall Prevention and Exercise Gurdeep Sakkarwal, Physiotherapist

gTIey leI ishqmMd Kwx-pIx Aqy poSx sbMDI phuMcW Healthy Eating and Nutritional Approaches for Arthritis Priti Suri, Registered Dietitian

h`fIAW dI ishq leI shI poSx Proper Nutrition for Bone Health Priti Suri, Registered Dietitian

mwnsk qMdrusqI leI rxnIqIAW Strategies for Mental Wellness Dr. Kausar Suhail, Registered Psychologist

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Press release BC Liberal Education Critic Jackie Tegart is asking Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside why her government has continued to ignore calls from parents, teachers, and support staff for additional health and safety measures in schools, despite publicly admitting that her ministry has identified significant gaps in its COVID-19 safety plan for schools. Yesterday, the minister announced the deployment of six specialized COVID-19 teams to B.C. schools. So far more than 100 schools across B.C. have reported COVID exposure events, including the more infectious U.K. and South African variants. “For months, we have been echoing the concerns of parents, teachers and students who have been asking for additional health and safety measures to protect against rising COVID-19 exposures — who have been rebuffed by this government which claims the plan in place is more than adequate,” said Tegart. “Now, we are learning that the Education Minister is deploying rapid response teams to classrooms facing exposures to COVID variants. It’s good to hear that steps are being taken as the NDP finally admits there are significant gaps in our school safety plan — yet it continues to ignore calls from educators and families for a mandatory mask policy, more widespread use of COVID rapid testing in schools, and more flexibility to allow school boards to implement additional layers of protection to protect against the rise in COVID variants.” Tegart says no staff or child should ever fear for their safety when they step into a classroom. It’s time for John Horgan and the NDP to admit their mistakes, implement the additional safety recommendations of staff and educators, and completely reevaluate the current school safety plan.

NATIONAL

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Air Canada promising to refund passengers whose flights were cancelled due to COVID-19 Unifor president Jerry Dias says Air Canada is promising to refund passengers whose flights were cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dias says the airline has made the commitment repeatedly during negotiations with the federal government over an aid package for the battered sector. He says he spoke with Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau last night, confirming the pledge. Dias says roughly 4,000 of the union’s

15,000 aviation workers remain fully employed a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, lending urgency to discussions in Ottawa. Air Canada and the Finance Department did not respond immediately to questions about the refund commitment. Ottawa has put reimbursement of travellers on the table as a key demand in exchange for financial relief for airlines, on top of asking carriers to maintain regional routes.

Chief medical adviser says Health Canada preparing for quick approval of boosters Canada’s chief medical adviser says her department is constantly rceiving and reviewing any data on vaccines and COVID-19 variants and will be ready to quickly authorize needed boosters when they’re available. But Dr. Supriya Sharma said the three vaccines authorized in Canada so far offer excellent protection and, along with public health measures, can help slow the spread of the virus and potentially help stop it from mutating even further. “We knew this was going to happen, that we would have variants,” she said, in an interview with The Canadian Press. Coronaviruses don’t mutate as quickly as the flu, but do change as they spread among people and the more they spread, the more they change. To that end, Sharma said the slower

the spread, the fewer variants we will see. “So a virus is not going to mutate as much when it can’t replicate,” she said. There are three variants of concern now identified in Canada, including B.1.1.7, first identified in the United Kingdom, B. 1.351, identified in South Africa, and P. 1, identified in Brazil. Canada’s authorized vaccines, PfizerBioNTech, Moderna and OxfordAstraZeneca, all appear to have very good results against B.1.1.7, which is the most common variant so far found in Canada. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Wednesday 1,324 cases of B.1.1.7, 103 B. 1.351 and 3 of P. 1 have been identified across Canada. In Israel, where more than half the population has received at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, studies have shown

Premiers call on Ottawa to increase health care funding in coming budget As the federal government puts together its budget, Canada’s premiers called on Ottawa again today to shoulder a larger share of health care costs. Québec Premier François Legault, chair of the Council of the Federation, is hosting a news conference at 1 p.m. ET to outline the premiers’ case and will take questions. Other premiers will join virtually. A spokesperson for Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the group will call on the prime minister to increase health care funding in the upcoming federal budget. The Canada Health Transfer is the federal government’s primary contribution to covering the delivery of health services in the provinces and territories.

Trudeau promises more long-term health care funding for provinces — but not right away Right now, the provinces spend about $188 billion on health care and the federal government covers $42 billion — roughly 22 per cent of total costs. The premiers have asked for a permanent increase in the federal share to 35 per cent cent, which works out to an additional $28 billion. The health transfer was the focus of a meeting between the premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau late last year. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, right, speaks as Quebec Premier François Legault, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney look on during a press conference in Ottawa on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. The premiers will meet virtually today.

BC’s overdose crisis takes record 165 lives in January Photos shared by Annie Storey show her son Alex with his arms wrapped around his young daughter, as the little girl smiles from ear to ear. “She was in love with him. Absolutely,” Storey said. “He was starting to be a dad, which he really wanted to be.” She said Alex was a kind soul, loyal, and fun. In childhood, he spent a lot of time in the outdoors, hiking and camping. “He was always smiling,” Storey recalled. “He was a happy, happy kid.” Storey said Alex’s birth motivated her to go back to school as a single mom, eventually becoming an accountant. In high school, he excelled at football, and Storey was at every game. “He was a fantastic football player,”

she said, and added he attended St. Thomas Moore, a private Catholic school, and played for on their team. “He was scholarship material, without question.” Storey said in Grade 10, Alex was diagnosed with a learning disability, and switched schools. “He had an injury, he wasn’t able to play as much, and so he quit school,” Storey said. Alex eventually began working two jobs, but then suffered a devastating and traumatic loss. “His best friend was murdered in 2011,” said Storey. “His childhood friend that he grew up with. We just saw him start to spiral at that point, downwards.” Storey said when her son was about 20 years old, he was prescribed oxycodone after a car accident.

7832 120 132 ST St. #106 - 7565 SURREY BC Surrey, BC BUS: 604-572-3005 604.572.3005

14103 110 AVE., N.SURREY

26964 28 AVE., LANGLEY

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.

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.

$1,779,000

$920,000

#125 32850 GEORGE FERGUSON WAY, ABBOTSFORD

Hot deal! First Time Buyers or Investors, great investment property with reliable tenants, centrally located in a great neighbourhood. 2 bedroom and 1 bath spacious ground level apartment. Well maintained complex, with many updates on the complex over the last couple of years including, roof, windows, balconies, boilers, security cameras, fob access systems and landscaping. There is shared laundry on every floor. Wheelchair access, elevators secure underground parking. Close to Bus stop, walking distance to shopping, restaurants, banks and

$210,000

9420 119 ST., N.DELTA

10520 128 ST., SURREY

NORTH DELTA! - Starter family home or holding property - 2 level 4 bedroom home has been was been well maintained - 3 bedroom up and 1 bedroom down. Fully finished basement with great suite potential - separate entry. Lots of parking for cars and RV - private yard with large covered deck - great patio area. Quiet family friendly street in central/high demand N. DELTA neighbourhood. NEED 24 NOTICE TO VIEW.

Absolutely gorgeous family-home with TWO mortgage helper suites and plenty of room on the main floor with 4 large bedrooms, master bedroom with a walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom, multiple living areas with 2 fireplaces, and a spacious kitchen. Kitchen lets out to a large covered sun-deck to enjoy a cup of coffee in the summer or host a BBQ. Large backyard with a brand new fully-surrounded fence with plenty of room for children or pets. Entire property is beautifully landscaped with a large decorative palm tree and multiple fruit trees including fig, apple, pear and cherry trees.

$1,070,000

$1,448,880

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

$912,500

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

$955,000

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

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Looking Up

18 Advertorial

5G is here—it’s happening, but what’s the big deal? Well, we’ve come a long way from that once familiar sound of dial-up internet (if you know, you know). Today, mobile network technology has integrated into almost every facet of our lives, and even though it might be hard to imagine, 5G networks will take our relationship with technology further than we’ve ever thought possible. 5G is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything with mind-blowing speed, reliability, and nearendless data capacity. TELUS has launched its initial 5G network in 26 cities and towns across Canada, including Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. With nearly 50 communities set to experience the amazing speed and connectivity of 5G by the end of this year, buzz around the fifth generation of cellular network technology is at an all time high—and for good reason! Here are five ways 5G will change your life forever. 1. More powerful devices We’ve all been there—crowded arenas, concert halls, one too many friends asking for your wifi password. With 5G blazing download speeds reaching up to 1.7 Gbps, spotty service and network congestion are a thing of the past. The buzzword is bandwidth, and with this much more of it, 5G will give your thumbs a workout as you scroll through media and web pages downloaded

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Five ways 5G will change your life forever Wearable tech and 30-second movie downloads are just the start! at lightning speeds. So, go ahead, upload that Insta Live of your favourite concert and check into your next workplace Zoom meeting on the go— with no delays. The power of that chocolate barsized device in your pocket just got a serious upgrade. 2. The Internet of Things...like, all things. With great power comes great responsibility—and apps! The Internet of Things holds the promise of a new wave of app development and capability, while integrating other technologies. Imagine catching up on some reading using only smart glasses and eye movement. Or receiving a notification from your fridge that’s detected you’re low on milk — and then it plans a new order for you and has it delivered to your doorstep...by drone. From connected devices to wearable tech, the next generation of apps will revolutionize our everyday interactions. The same way earlier generations of cellular networks made our phones smart, 5G will make everything else smart too 3. Leveled-up gaming 5G is game-changing—literally. The strength of this network connection will take online gaming to levels your 4G avatar could never reach. For a sense of perspective—Fortnite currently lets 100 players compete at once in the same virtual

world. With 5G, that number could grow to as high as 1000, all without the need for gamers to download anything to their devices, relying

entirely on cloud storage. The gaming market as a whole will explode as 5G immerses gamers into AR and mixed-reality experiences by visually transforming the world around them. Take Nintendo’s recently-announced Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, the mixed-reality game set to turn living rooms across the world into reallife-ish rainbow roads. And with virtually zero lag time, you can enjoy these upgrades with friends across the world—bringing the global gaming community closer than ever before. 4. Food made smarter Everybody’s gotta eat, and as one of the largest agricultural exporters in the world, Canada is doing its part to make that happen. Canadian farmers and ranchers can more easily produce food that is sustainable and secure with the use of remote sensors that precisely monitor field

conditions—detecting when crops need watering or are ready for harvest. Imagine how efficient your quarantine gardening could have been with technology like this? While using AI, they can also collect data to improve the accuracy of food traceability, sharing greater insight into your food’s journey from farm to fork. Late night eats and grocery shopping online will be an enhanced experience with the efficiency of real-time trackers, quality checks, and precise delivery with the use of smart cars and drones—all powered by 5G. 5. Handheld healthcare Nearly five million Canadians report difficulty in regularly accessing a family doctor. But with 5G-enabled devices, doctors will be able to care for more patients with fewer limitations. Remotely, virtual care teams will be able to monitor cohorts of patients and gather real-time data on a high-speed network that is reliable and safe. 5G will also enable innovative wearable tech that will vastly expand the capabilities of healthcare professionals to accurately monitor patients’ health in real-time. In fact, the first remote surgery operated on a human recently took place using 5G-enabled robotics while the patient and surgeon were nearly 3,200 kilometres apart. The possibilities are endless, and this is just the beginning.

Learn more about 5G at telus.com

Saturday, March 6, 2021 As India commits to peace along LoC, onus on Modi-Shah to resist Pakistan bashing temptation A fresh commitment to the ceasefire agreement puts pressure on Islamabad to respect and uphold this understanding with New Delhi, but on our side of the border, for the pact to succeed, a great deal of responsibility also lies with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. Their refrain from resorting to belligerent rhetoric against Pakistan in the election season could go a long way in promoting peace. ‘Pakistan bashing’ ahead of polls in a bid to whip up communal and nationalistic frenzy is the favourite trick of the BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah —. A selling point that finds takers across states and social divides. However, diplomatic and strategic relations cannot be sacrificed for domestic politics and election thrills. But the BJP seems adept at doing that — whether it is by coupling Bangladesh with CAA-NRC or its leaders passing facetious comments like the one by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb that upset Nepal. With the political season now heating up and crucial states like West Bengal and Assam going to polls this month, and Uttar Pradesh early next year, the temptation among the BJP leaders and workers to rake up the ‘enemy’ narrative would be strong. It is this urge, however, that the party has to resist and the onus is on Modi to lead by example and keep his flock in check.

IT dept raids Taapsee Pannu, Anurag Kashyap, others in tax evasion probe The Income Tax Department on Wednesday raided the homes and offices of Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap as well as his partners who launched the now shuttered production house Phantom Films, officials said. The searches, part of a tax evasion probe against Phantom Films and carried out across 30 locations in Mumbai and Pune, also covered Reliance Entertainment group CEO Shibhasish Sarkar and some executives of celebrity and talent management companies KWAN and Exceed, they said. The raids began in the morning and are expected to be continue till late night. Documents and computer peripherals have been recovered from various premises, officials said. Pannu and Kashyap, both known to be outspoken in their views on a range of issues, are shooting in Pune and are understood to have been questioned by the tax sleuths as part of the preliminary questioning that takes place during raids.

INDIA

Saturday, March 6, 2021 Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab continue to see surge in Covid cases

Amidst border tension, Chinese hackers targeted India’s power through malware: US firm Amidst the tense border situation between India and China, a Chinese government-linked group of hackers targeted India’s critical power grid system through malware, a US company has said in its latest study, raising suspicion whether last year’s massive power outage in Mumbai was a result of the online intrusion. Recorded Future, a Massachusettsbased company which studies the use of the internet by state actors, in its recent report details the campaign conducted by a China-linked threat activity group RedEcho targeting the Indian power sector. The activity was identified through a combination of large-scale automated network traffic analytics and expert analysis. Data sources include the Recorded

Future Platform, SecurityTrails, Spur, Farsight and common open-source tools and techniques, the report said. The Ministry of Power said there is no impact on operations of Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO) due to any malware attack and that prompt actions are taken on advisories issued against such threats. Responding on the findings of the study, the ministry said, “There is no impact on any of the functionalities carried out by POSOCO due to the referred threat. No data breach/ data loss has been detected due to these incidents.” It further said, “Prompt actions are being taken by the CISOs (chief information security officers) at all these control centres under operation.

India adds 40 billionaires in 2020; Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani see wealth jump Forty Indians entered the billionaires’ club in the pandemic-stricken 2020 to take the number of those in the coveted list to 177 people, a report said on Tuesday. Mukesh Ambani continued to be the wealthiest Indian with a net worth of USD 83 billion. The head of Reliance Industries witnessed a 24 per cent jump in fortunes and climbed up one spot

to be the eighth richest globally, as per the Hurun Global Rich List. Gautam Adani from Gujarat, who has had a spectacular rise in fortunes in the last few years, saw his wealth almost doubling to USD 32 billion in 2020 and climbed 20 places to be the 48th richest person globally and the second wealthiest Indian. His brother Vinod’s wealth grew 128 per cent to USD 9.8 billion.

Thousands demand top judge resign over rape remarks India’s top judge is facing calls to resign after asking an accused rapist whether he would marry his schoolgirl victim to avoid jail. Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde told an accused rapist at a hearing: “If you want to marry (her), we can help you. If not, you lose your job and go to jail.” Bobde’s comments sparked a furore and prompted women’s rights activists to circulate an open letter calling for his resignation, which has secured more than 5,200 signatures, campaigner

Vani Subramanian said on Wednesday. According to the letter, the man is accused of stalking, tying up, gagging and repeatedly raping the girl four years ago before threatening to douse her in petrol, set her alight and have her brother killed. “By suggesting that this rapist marry the victim-survivor, you, the Chief Justice of India, sought to condemn the victim-survivor to a lifetime of rape at the hands of the tormentor who drove her to attempt suicide,” the letter said.

Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka continue to report a surge in fresh COVID-19 cases, and they account for 85.95 per cent of the cases reported in a span of 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry said that 14,989 new cases were registered in a span of 24 hours.

Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 7,863. It is followed by Kerala with 2,938, while Punjab reported 729 new cases. “Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Karnataka have shown the maximum increase in new cases on a week on week basis,” the ministry said.

Steel tycoon Jindal keen to acquire bankrupt Indian shipyard Jindal Steel & Power Ltd., India’s third-largest producer of the alloy by market value, and two other groups were the latest to express interest in bidding for Reliance Naval & Engineering Ltd., according to people familiar with the matter. For Jindal Steel, controlled by Naveen Jindal, Reliance Naval can be a captive client for the company’s shipbuilding plates, said Vidya Rattan Sharma, managing director at the steelmaker, who confirmed Jindal’s interest. Dubai-based shipping firm GMS and Kotak

Special Situations Fund were among the others that registered to bid as of the Feb. 28 deadline, according to the people, who asked not to be identified as the matter is private. The process to find a buyer for the indebted shipyard, once controlled by former billionaire Anil Ambani, began in May with deadlines being extended four times already. A successful sale of Reliance Naval will help creditors including IDBI Bank Ltd. and State Bank of India recoup part of the company’s 108 billion rupees ($1.5 billion) of debt.

Sri Lanka offers to develop new port terminal with India, Japan Sri Lanka on Tuesday offered India and Japan to develop a strategic deep-sea port in the island country, The Colombo Times reported. This came a month after the Mahindra Rajapaksa government abruptly pulled out of a 2019 tripartite agreement to jointly develop the East Container Terminal. Addressing the media on the decisions taken at a Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Keheliya Rambukwella said approval had been granted to develop the West Container Terminal at the Colombo Port with investors nominated by India and Japan. “The discussions

to develop the WCT will be only with India and Japan,” said Rambukwella, according to AFP. The Sri Lankan government said the Indian High Commission in Colombo has approved the offer with Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited as its investors. For the ECT project earlier, India had nominated Adani Ports. Japan has not named an investor yet, said Rambukwella. However, neither India nor Japan have officially commented about this yet. For the WCT project, the Rajapaksa government will offer India and Japan higher stakes. In the ECT project, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority was to hold majority 51%.

Modi’s ministers choose ‘Made in India’ vaccine over AstraZeneca Government ministers and officials were following Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead by opting on Tuesday for an Indianmade COVID-19 vaccine approved without latestage efficacy data, instead of the AstraZeneca one. India’s health, foreign and law ministers, and state governors, all flocked to Twitter to express support for the much-criticised Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN vaccine, after it was administered to Modi on Monday. “Made-in-India vaccines are 100% safe,” Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said after being inoculated with COVAXIN.

Many state officials and doctors have refused to take COVAXIN before its effectiveness could be proved. Bharat Biotech says it has completed the latestage trial and results will be out this month. The company said the endorsement by Modi and other ministers would set an example for other Indians and reduce “vaccine hesitancy”. It is seeking to sell COVAXIN to countries including Brazil and the Philippines. COVAXIN and the AstraZeneca vaccines were approved by India’s regulator in January.

Ireland to Malta, UAE to Belgium — all want Indian nurses, offer better pay and perks The demand for Indian nurses has risen across the globe since the outbreak of Covid-19, and has now hit record levels as countries begin vaccination drives and prepare their healthcare systems for possible future waves or pandemics. Before the pandemic, the Kerala government-run Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants

(ODEPC) was sending around 40 nurses abroad every month. But in the first 23 days of February, it had sent 253 nurses — more than a six-fold increase. Anoop K.A., managing director of the ODEPC, told ThePrint that 153 nurses have been sent to the UAE, specifically Dubai, 50 to the United Kingdom, and the other 50 to Saudi Arabia and some European countries.

Aging dams in India pose a growing threat, says UN A glacier burst in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand last month that has claimed more than 70 lives revealed the vulnerability of some of the country’s development projects. And, now a UN report has claimed that an old, large dam in the southern state of Kerala could be a risk to the lives of 3.5 million people who live near it. Government officials, however, have dismissed the report and claimed all necessary precautions have been taken to prevent a disaster. The 126-year-old Mullaperiyar dam, which stands across the Periyar river,

was constructed during 1887-1895. It was supposed to have a lifespan of 50 years, but it continues to be operational. The Kerala state government has demanded that the dam be demolished since 1979 when the local media reported that it had developed cracks after an earthquake. The Central Water Commission, a Government of India body that oversees the management of water resources, then lowered the water level of the dam from 142 feet to 136 feet. More cracks appeared after another earthquake in 2011.

FIJI

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Punjab Australia threatens deportations after attacks on Sikhs The Australian govt has threatened deportations following four attacks on the Sikh community ahead of March 15 round table in the Australian Federal Parliament to highlight concerns about New Delhi’s heavy handedness and suppression of dissent in dealing with the legitimate demands of farmers.

It all started with a pro-farm Bill rally billed as “Tiranga Yatra” followed by another such rally that provocatively stopped in front of a gurdwara. In both cases, the rally organisers and members of the Sikh community have traded charges of intimidation. In the next two incidents, there was no doubt about the targeted community.

Navjot Sidhu corners Amarinder govt Days after upping his ante against his own government over alleged squandering of public money my mafias, former Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday again cornered the ruling party on the need to bring new legislations to ensure minimum d lentils l til to t support price on oilseeds and encourage farmers to get out of the wheatrice cycle that get MSP from the Centre. Avoiding replies on his recent statement

questioning performance of his own government, Sidhu, addressing the media almost two years after he resigned from the Cabinet, said he had come to talk only on the central agriculture laws and the ways to bail out farmers of the farm crisis. Asked why such laws were not being brought by his own government, he said he would raise the issue in the CLP meeting whenever it was called.

Punjab & 5 other states account for over 85% of fresh Covid-19 cases Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka continue to report a surge in daily new Covid cases, accounting for 85.51 per cent of fresh cases, the Union Health ministry said on Thursday. A total of 17,407 new infections have been registered in a day. Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 9,855. This is the highest

number recorded in the state since October 18 when 10,259 new cases were reported. It is followed by Kerala with 2,765 while Punjab reported 772 new cases. The total number of cases with the UK, South Africa and Brazil variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the country as on date has reached 242, the ministry said. India’s total Covid active caseload has reached 1,73,413 comprising 1.55 per cent of India’s total cases.

Pakistan Prime Minister lashes out at the Opposition for making mockery of Democracy Prime Minister Imran Khan lashed out at The opposition parites for “making mockery of democracy” and said that he will never let the corrupt off the hook. Imran Khan made remarks during his address to the nation ahead after the seante elections. He said I will be seeking a vote of confidence in the Parliament on Friday, bid to restore

legitimacy of his government in the wake of Senate election’s wrong doings on Wednesday. Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidate and former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani defeated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Shaikh, giving a major blow to Prime Minister Khan who had personally campaigned for his Cabinet colleague.

Gurdeep Singh becomes first Sikh elected to Pakistan Senate Gurdeep Singh of ruling P.T.I (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) party became first turbanclad Sikh representative from K.P.K province in Senate the upper House of the Parliament. Senator Gurdeep Singh secured 103 votes in the House of 145 whereas Fazlu Rehman’s candidate secured just 25 votes and A.N.P (Awami National Party) received 12 votes. The election authorities informed that five votes were rejected . Gurdeep Singh is from Swat, He is the first turban-clad Sikh representative in the Senate.

Hindu community leader Haroon Sarabdiyal hailed election of Gurdeep Singh as Senator saying it’s good for the minority community. The total of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party led by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly is 94 members. More votes were polled by the members of parliamentary parties supporting Prime Minister Imran Khan in K.P.K. The members of the Senate upper house of parliament are elected for six-years in Pakistan.

Sindh reports 260 new ovid-19 cases, 17 more deaths Sindh has reported 260 new cases of the novel coronavirus, raising the provincial tally to 259,163. Moreover, the daily situation report issued by the Chief Minister’s Office confirmed the deaths of 17 more patients. The death toll now stands at 4,405.

The statement added that 9,689 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, returning a positivity rate of 2.6 per cent. Pakistan’s Covid-19 recoveries cross 555,000, over 585,000 people have been infected by the virus so far, of whom more than 13,000 died.

PCB is incompetent, says Shoaib Akhtar One of the fastest bowlers in the history of International Cricket, Shoaib Akhtar demanded inquiry against medical panel and lashing out at PCB for failing to ensure the sanctity of the bio-secure Covid-19 bubble. The former speedster minced no words as he raised

questions over the competency of cricket board and the chairman Ehsan Mani. Shoaib Akhtar remarked that the board was using former all-rounder Wasim Khan as scapegoat after domestic Super Leaque had to be postponed due to rise in number of Covid-19 cases.

Canterbury farmer fined for under-paying exploited workers; some workers from Fiji A Canterbury asparagus grower has been fined for under-paying exploited workers, many of whom are from Fiji. The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) set the penalty for the owner of Motukarara Asparagus Christopher Gray at $26,000, after ordering in October that he repay 13 staff about $54,000. The New Zealand Herald reported that many of the workers who were from Fiji were vulnerable because they did not know their entitlements, and

English was their second language. According to the NZ Herald report, the ERA had heard that Gray did not cooperate much with the labour inspector during an investigation. Workers were paid a piece rate based on the amount of asparagus that they picked, and weren’t paid minimum wages and holiday entitlements, it reported. It also reported that it was found that some of the employee’s wages were being calculated based on how much asparagus they picked at $2.50 a kilo.

7.3 magnitude quake strikes New Zealand An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 struck New Zealand early on Friday, the United States Geological Survey said, triggering warnings of a possible hazardous tsunami

from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Tsunami waves were possible within 300 km (180 miles) of the quake’s epicenter, the PTWC said.

Record remittances in 2020 as $652.75 million was sent through to families in Fiji by Fijians abroad Fiji’s total remittances received from January to December last year was the highest ever standing at $652.75 million, which is an annual increase of 11%. International remittances refer to the transfer of money to domestic households from family and friends working or living abroad.

The Reserve Bank of Fiji says in December 2020, remittances rose by 44.9% to $75 million. That is also a record monthly high. November 2020 also exceeded expectations, surpassing 2019’s highest monthly remittance inflow of $60.5 million.

Draft Police Bill says police can search crime scene without warrant A draft Police Bill is proposing that a police officer or special constable will be able to search a crime scene and seize potential evidence without a warrant. The proposed law says a police officer or special constable may search any person, animal, vehicle or vessel at the crime scene or in the immediate vicinity of such crime scene. Any person who fails to comply with this could be sent to prison

for up to five years. It also says that it will be lawful for any police officer to use reasonable force on any person who fails to comply. The draft Police Bill also says any police officer or any other authorized police employee may seize, without warrant, any electronic storage device which is found in any crime scene or in the possession of any person detained or arrested or anywhere in any public place.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

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#Limited time lease offer is from Honda Canada Finance Inc. (HCFI), on approved credit. Lease examples: New 2021 Civic 4D Touring CVT (FC1F9MKN)/2021 CR-V Touring 4WD (RW2H9MKS) for a 48-month period/36-month period, for a total of 208/156 weekly payments of $90/$135, leased at 0.99%/0.99% APR. 20,000-kilometre annual allowance (12 cents/km excess charge). Total lease obligation is $18,724/$21,049. Lease payments include freight and PDI of $1,670/$1,840 and applicable fees, but do not include lien registration fee (up to $85 in certain regions) and lien registering agent fee (up to $6), which are due at time of delivery. No down-payment required. Taxes, insurance, license, and registration fees (all of which may vary by region) are extra. β "Honda Bonus" lease or finance cash of $750 on select in-stock 2021 CR-V models available on lease or finance transactions from HCFI on approved credit only, deducted from the negotiated selling price after taxes. Offer ends March 31, 2021 and is subject to change or cancellation without notice. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Offer available only at participating Honda dealers in Western Canada. Offers valid on select new in-stock 2021 vehicles. Models may not be equipped as shown and are for illustration purposes only. Visit Honda.ca or your Honda dealer for details. Visit Hondacanada.ca to learn more about Made-in-Canada.

Saturday, March 6, 2021