www.theasianstar.com
Vol 19 - Issue 15
Saturday, May 9, 2020
COVID-19 cases to peak in June-July in India All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Thursday said India may witness the peak of COVID-19 cases in June or July. “The answer of when will be the peak of cases of COVID-19 in India depends upon modelling data. National and international both experts are analysing the data. Most of them have guessed that India will most likely see the peak in June or July,” he said. Dr Guleria added, earlier it was analysed that the peak will be in May but due to extended lockdown the peak has also been extended. “It is a dynamic process that depends upon various factors. It is a long-lasting battle. Cases will come even after the peak is passed. People’s lifestyle in terms of travelling and socialising will change,” he said. The AIIMS Director also said only with time the quantum of effect of the lockdown in the country will be known. The cases are increasing with the tally on Thursday at 52,952, including 1,783 deaths according to the Union Health Ministry data. The total tally includes 35,902 active cases while 15,266 patients have recovered from COVID-19.
10 taxi & limo drivers died working out of Toronto airport amid COVID-19 At least 10 taxi and limo drivers working out of Pearson International Airport have died since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, including three more since Friday, the drivers’ union says. Those drivers include Karam Singh Punian, who died Monday, and Akashdip Grewal, who died Friday, said Rajinder Aujla, president of the Airport Taxi Association, which represents about 700 drivers operating about 350 vehicles licenced to pick up passengers at Pearson. “It’s very much scary,” Aujla said, adding he’s angry that more had not been done to protect drivers working at the airport “when people have been travelling from all over the world.” Punian, who ran twice for Mississauga council and appeared on local radio, leaves behind his wife, two sons, a niece under his care and a grand-daughter, his brother-in-law Sohan Gill said. Continued on page 7
Tel:604-591-5423
BC hopes that people don’t need govt handholding in next phase of COVID-19 fight Can five million people collectively make decisions that keep an entire province safe from a global virus? The govt of BC is counting on it. Premier John Horgan announced the government’s “go-forward strategy” in containing COVID-19 for the long-term on Wednesday, and like the previous containment strategy, it will be unique. First, British Columbia locked down the province without having an official lockdown. Now, it will reopen without having an official reopen date. Instead, it will be a phased-in approach, with guidelines focusing on educating people and companies on how to keep people safe in different contexts, rather than a detailed set of regulations for individuals and specific businesses. That isn’t to say there won’t be rules: different industries will have to work with WorkSafeBC to come up with specialized reopening plans that meet requirements set out by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Continued on page 6
Drug overdose deaths surpass COVID-19 deaths in BC There has been two COVID-19 deaths in B.C. over the past day, bringing the total to 126, according to provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry. This comes as the B.C. Coroners Service reported 113 people had died in March alone from drug overdoses. COVID-19: Drug overdose deaths surpass COVID-19 deaths in B.C., as 33 new cases reported While the majority of COVID-19 deaths are among seniors with preexisting health conditions, most overdose deaths were among men aged between 19-49. Henry has declared public health emergencies for both the COVID-19 and drug overdose crises. Henry said 33 new COVID-19 cases were reported between noon Wednesday and noon Thursday, bringing the total number of reported cases to 2,288. There are now 600 active COVID-19 cases in B.C., of which 76 are in hospital (with 20 in intensive care).
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Sikh doctor chooses to shave ‘in this time of need’ The COVID-19 crisis has compelled people around the planet to grapple with all manner of moral dilemmas. For Montreal physician Sanjeet Singh-Saluja, it has forced him into the difficult position of having to reconcile his medical oath with his religious values. Singh-Saluja, associate chief of the department of emergency medicine at the MUHC’s Montreal General and Royal Victoria hospitals, had already been dealing with the COVID-19 battle. He wanted to become even more involved, but the mandatory N95 mask could not fully cover his beard, thus preventing him from getting closer to infected patients. Brownstein: Sikh doctor chooses to shave ‘in this time of need’ So the question became: to shave or not to shave. This is hardly a vanity issue. Singh-Saluja is a deeply religious Sikh, and according to the tenets of his religion, one of the pillars of his faith, “kesh,” is the practice of “allowing one’s hair to grow naturally out of respect for the perfection of God’s creation.” This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. However, another of the pillars of his faith is “seva,” which relates to service toward mankind. Continued on page 7
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www.theasianstar.com
Vol 19 - Issue 15
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Vancouver police seize massive drug haul and firearms in ongoing investigation Organized criminals and drug gangs have adapted their illicit operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the Vancouver Police Department’s organized crime section says. Insp. Bill Spearn pointed to a major VPD drug seizure with a wholesale value of $3 million as proof that the B.C. drug trade is alive and well, despite social distancing, closures and other measures to limit the spread of the virus. VPD seize massive drug haul and firearms in ongoing investigation “Organized crime groups and gangs are very good at adapting, coming up with new methods to smuggle this stuff into the country, produce it, distribute it,” Spearn said on Wednesday, surrounded by large plastic bags filled with fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and cannabis and a table full of firearms. “Judging by the amount of drugs we have in front of us today, they’ve adapted pretty well.” He said the size of the VPD seizure demonstrates “there are a lot of street drugs still available.”
“And groups are changing the way they do business in order to get around what’s happening in our current pandemic crisis and still provide the supply that the people need on the streets.” Vancouver police have seized nearly $3 million worth of street drugs and eight handguns after a four-month investigation into the flow of illicit opioids into Metro Vancouver. VPD handout The VPD’s four-month investigation into the flow of illicit opioids into the region, dubbed Project Transit, resulted in five search warrants being executed April 29 in Vancouver and Richmond. Officers found most of the items seized at a house in Vancouver’s southeast. But some drugs were also seized at the other locations — an apartment in the River District, two Vancouver commercial units, and a warehouse in Richmond, Spearn said. “This was a collaborative effort involving officers from the Organized Crime Section, Emergency Response Team, and patrol officers leading to this substantial seizure of drugs. We believe this will have a significant
effect on the drug trade and will impact the health and safety of the local community.” Eight people were arrested, but have been released as the investigation continues. Police are awaiting the results of Health
Tel:604-591-5423 Canada lab tests on the drugs seized. The labs have been backlogged because of COVID-19. Spearn said only some of those arrested were previously known to police.
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OPINION
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Will home education be a post-pandemic policy? Hats off to teachers, support staff and leaders who have quickly led an historic transition from bricks-and-mortar programming to online and home-school learning for Canadian students. Considering the short timeline, adhering to the protocols set forth by political leaders, and the limited teaching resources, the educational community, students and families
came together in the most professional and efficient manner. Kudos also needs to be extended to provincial education ministers for giving school districts the autonomy and latitude to implement learning programs that best suit the diverse and unique needs of the students in their jurisdictions. The one-sizefits-all approach rarely works, which is the
whole premise behind school choice in a multicultural and pluralistic society. Social freedoms and liberties are best preserved when we acknowledge that parents are the first educators of their children. We must also acknowledge that they have the right – and the duty – to seek out an education that best suits the individual needs of their children. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees with this premise. Some beliefs are rooted in the idea that society’s freedoms and liberties are best preserved only when all children attend state-funded public schools, commonly dubbed as a great equalizer. The COVID-19 pandemic, through the measures taken by our elected officials, has eliminated all choices except one: home education using online learning. The recent abrupt transition to home and online learning wasn’t a choice made by many Canadian families. But under the dire circumstances, it has been accepted. Once we’re through this pandemic, will home and online learning platforms become a desirable educational choice by students and families? Or will this type of learning be preferred only by governments and governing authorities? Home education and online learning isn’t a new frontier in education. It’s a growing trend among students and parents who seek high-quality personalized learning with flexible schedules. It’s a school choice that works well for some students, families and educators. People who choose this delivery method escape the traditional workday hours, allowing students and teachers to pursue other interests while receiving an education or earning an income. Home education and online learning programs also have fiscal advantages. Obviously transportation, infrastructure and maintenance costs will be minimized, but so will human resources expenses. Educators employed by school authorities with titles such as lead teacher, curriculum co-ordinators and learning specialists are tasked with providing support and guidance to classroom teachers in traditional settings. They could be viewed as redundant with the growth of online learning.
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Saturday, May 9, 2020
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Saturday, May 9, 2020 From page 1
BC hopes that people don’t need govt hand-holding in next phase of COVID-19 fight
But the onus will be on British Columbians to collectively make choices that will limit regular interactions to below 60 per cent of normal — thereby preventing a resurgence of the virus. Gatherings of up to 6 people to be endorsed by B.C. health officials, just in time for the long weekend It fits in with the province’s strategy ever since its first case was announced 100 days ago. “People will have to make choices,� said Horgan at one point, in regards to how people will have to choose how large to expand their social circles (two to six guests now officially endorsed at any one time) or how many family
members to hug. But people will be making those choices because the government made its own choice: giving British Columbians lots of leeway, for better or worse. Phased-in approach The province is confident in its strategy because, essentially, it has so far worked. There are now fewer than 20 people occupying an ICU bed in B.C. because of Covid 19. The number of active confirmed cases in northern B.C. is in single-digits, and Vancouver Island and Interior Health are not far behind. And while there have been outbreaks in
recent weeks — including a prison in Mission and poultry processing plants — the province has been able to quickly trace cases and prevent community transmission. All that — and the lowest deaths per capita of any province or U.S. state with more than five million people — came without issuing a shelter-in-place order or the widespread closure of industries. However, a very large number of companies and contractors shut down voluntarily. Some teachers returning to classrooms as early as May 11, as B.C. schools plan gradual
reopening By not having set start dates, it will inevitably create a scattershot phased-in approach, with some confusion and frustration as some sectors ramp up quickly, and some sectors take longer (to say nothing of industries like nightclubs and large concerts, which are delayed indefinitely). “It won’t be the flipping of a switch. We’ll be proceeding carefully bit by bit. One step at a time,� said Horgan. “The only way [businesses] will survive is when people walk through their doors, they are confident they will be well.�
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Saturday, May 9, 2020
10 taxi & limo drivers died “He was a wonderful man,” Gill said. “He was a person that would think of other people ahead of himself.” Punian, 59, first got sick at the end of March and isolated himself at home after receiving a diagnosis — but his symptoms worsened and he was eventually put on a ventilator at Toronto General Hospital, where he died, Gill said. Both Punian and Grewal drove for the airport limo company Aerofleet, said dispatcher Manpreet Khushdil, who played soccer with Grewal, who also died at Toronto General. “Whenever we had troubles at the office, he would call and help the dispatchers,” Khushdil said. “Everybody liked him. He was
a funny and jovial guy.” They hunted and destroyed a nest of ‘murder hornets.’ This B.C. couple says the buzz — and the threat — is real Including Punian and Grewal, Khushdil said three Aerofleet drivers have now died in the pandemic. According to Aujla, at least six of the 10 dead ATA drivers were diagnosed outright with COVID-19 and the others had suspected cases. It is not clear if the drivers picked up the virus on the job. Still, Aujla said: “If precautionary measures had been taken on time, then this might not have happened.” The Greater Toronto Airports Authority governs which taxis and limousines can pick up passengers at Pearson.
Wilkinson hears from small businesses ahead of NDP re-opening plan Press release BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson held a successful telephone townhall this afternoon with small business owners across the province, listening to questions and concerns about where British Columbia is headed in terms of its COVID-19 economic recovery. “Dr. Bonnie Henry and her team have done a very good job in fighting COVID-19 and saving lives, now government needs to make sure we have a plan in place to save livelihoods as well,” said Wilkinson. “Hearing from small business owners, who make up 98 per cent of B.C. businesses, it is clear that we need bold action to get our economy back on track so British Columbians have jobs to return to. Hundreds of small business owners joined Wilkinson’s telephone townhall this afternoon sharing how they are struggling to pay rent, find solutions for employees who were laid off, managing expenses with dwindling savings, and navigating the massive amounts of information regarding temporary benefits and supports.
“The effort to combat this virus has truly been an all-in effort by British Columbians, who deserve our gratitude for the sacrifices they have made to help flatten the curve. As government prepares to introduce their reopening plan tomorrow, it is critical that the plan clearly defines a comprehensive path to economic recovery,” added Wilkinson. “Keeping British Columbians safe remains the top priority, but effectively communicating how government will lead the economic recovery is as critically important. We’re now in a deep recession with hundreds of thousands of people out of work and businesses in peril. British Columbians deserve a government that will be bold and brave.” Today, Wilkinson sent a letter to Premier Horgan with ideas of what can be done to help B.C.’s economy get back on track. It includes temporary tax breaks, a short-term commercial rent relief plan and a freeze on any further additional costs that would hurt small businesses in the coming months.
Sikh doctor chooses to shave ‘in this time of need’ From page 1 Dr. Sanjeet Singh-Saluja, associate chief of emergency medicine at MUHC, before shaving his beard. courtesy of Sanjeev Singh-Saluja Singh-Saluja, 44, also an assistant professor of medicine at McGill University and the team physician of the Montreal Impact, was thrust into an existential crisis. He could have chosen to avoid getting too close, but at a time when health-care workers are falling ill by the score and are being quarantined, he felt it would go against his oath as a physician and the principles of seva not to serve the greater good. After consulting with religious advisers, family and friends and much soul-searching, Singh-Saluja, along with his MUHC neurosurgeon brother Rajeet, decided to shave. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but
your article continues below. “It was an extremely difficult decision for us, but one that we felt was absolutely necessary in this time of need,” Singh-Saluja says. “It’s a decision that has left me with much sadness. This was something that had been so much part of my identity. I look at myself in the mirror very differently now. Every morning when I see myself, it’s a bit of a shock.” The Impact was so moved by his stand that it produced two videos, one in which Singh-Saluja outlined his position and another in which team members and president Kevin Gilmore showcased their beardlesssolidarity.
More details needed in BC’s restart plan Press release BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson is calling on government to expand the scope of their COVID-19 restart plan announced today, which does not offer British Columbians the clarity and guidelines they had hoped for. “People all across the province have stepped up and made sacrifices to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and we owe everyone a debt of gratitude for those continued efforts. But at the same time, people have been waiting patiently for a detailed economic recovery plan, which didn’t happen today,” said Wilkinson. “Parents still have no details about school or summer camps and small businesses across the province have no information about criteria for reopening or increased supports until then.” Yesterday, Wilkinson sent a letter to Premier Horgan with ideas of what can be done to help B.C.’s economy get back on track. It included temporary tax breaks, a short-term commercial rent relief plan and a freeze on any further additional costs that would hurt small businesses in the coming months. Unfortunately, today’s vague plan did not reflect those suggestions. “Hundreds of thousands of people are out of work
in this province and countless businesses are at risk of closing their doors for good. What we saw from government today provided very few specifics and is leaving people with more questions than answers,” added Wilkinson. “Every day we hear from people struggling to make ends meet throughout our province. The plan announced today offered no new supports to help people struggling right now or provide them with the direction and guidelines they need to be confident in British Columbia’s economic recovery.” The BC government’s four-phase plan laid out a timeline for recovery without any details of how the province will recover from the damage done to British Columbia’s economy by COVID-19. “Government needs to be focused on getting businesses safely functioning again and rebuilding employment,” concluded Wilkinson. “Now is the time for government leaders at all levels to put aside ideology and act together to support both people and our local businesses. At stake is the future prosperity of British Columbia. This will not be easy, but I believe we have the people, the ideas, and the ‘know-how’ to get it done.”
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Saturday, May 9, 2020
BC government announces $250 million plan to resume surgeries BC patients who had their elective surgeries postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic will hear from health officials starting this week to find out if they are still willing to go ahead with their procedures. Officials made that announcement Thursday as they outlined a $250-million plan to deal with a backlog of surgeries, including hiring more nurses and surgeons, and extending surgery hours. Private clinics will be enlisted the help clear the backlog. COVID-19: B.C. government announces $250 million plan to resume surgeries Priority will be given to urgent cases, people who need to have their surgeries in less than four weeks, and to those who had surgery postponed because of the pandemic. From March 16 to May 18, an estimated 30,000 surgeries were put on hold, including 14,000 people who had surgeries postponed, and 16,000 who would have normally been scheduled from
the waiting list. Premier John Horgan acknowledged that thousands of people have been in discomfort or pain while waiting for these surgeries. While patients can opt to wait for their surgeries, he said safety and screening protocols for COVID-19 will be in place at hospitals and clinics. “British Columbians have stepped up to the challenge of COVID-19 by making sacrifices, including thousands of people who have waited for postponed elective surgeries. This has been very difficult for people and their families,” he said. In addition to the 30,000, a further 24,000 cases have not been added to the waiting list because of a slowdown in surgeon
referrals. Health officials estimate it will take 17 to 24 months to catch up. Under the plan, many of the 1,131 nurses who were re-instated for the pandemic will continue working, and all of this year’s 1,550 graduating nurses will be hired, according to the government.To help with the demand, the province also plans to recruit surgeons and anesthesiologists. Health Minister Adrian Dix estimated this plan will cost $250 million in the first year, with the bulk of the money going into hiring more staff, buying supplies, and overtime costs. Dix said patients can expect calls from health care providers, beginning Thursday, to find out how they are doing, and whether they are comfortable having their surgery done in the COVID-19 pandemic environment.
“There will be some people who are naturally reluctant … so we have to prepare for that and talk to patients about that,” said Dix. The government outlined several other steps that must be taken to ensure returning to surgeries in the COVID-19 environment is a success. Hospitals and clinics must implement clinical protocols for assessing and treating patients, confirm they have enough personal protective equipment, and continue to support both the needs of surgical patients and handle a possible surge of COVID-19 patients. B.C.’s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, said there will be a screening protocol for everyone who is having surgery. Those who are scheduled to have surgery should be careful, and make sure to follow physical distancing protocols to avoid more delays, said Henry. Dix defended decision to halt elective surgeries because it prevented COVID-19 outbreaks in hospitals and the “extraordinary anxiety” that has happened in countries like Italy and in the U.S. The government had pledged that elective surgeries would be one of the first sectors to reopen when COVID-a9 cases slowed. On Wednesday, the provincial government outlined its plan to slowly lift pandemic restrictions in four phases. Phase 1 is underway, and Phase 2 will commence after the Victoria Day long weekend, and will include the restoration of health services that include elective surgeries, dentists, physiotherapists, registered massage therapists, chiropractors and speech therapy.
BC restaurants aim to resume dine-in service from June 1 Dine-in services at B.C. restaurants could resume at the start of next month as the province begins the next phase of its slow return to pre-pandemic normal. Premier John Horgan said on Wednesday that the process — and how dining can be done safely to avoid spreading the virus — will be guided by the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, and will have to be approved by WorkSafeBC. The association’s CEO, Ian Tostenson, said the target is to reopen dining rooms to customers by June 1, with a slight possibility that patio service could start before then, depending on municipal input. But the date on which restaurants resume serving seated patrons is up to the province’s 13,000 establishments and how quickly they can make the required changes to comply with new guidelines, and get staff and supplies ready to go. “It’s going to take us a little bit to start up here,” said Tostenson. “If we said June 1, we would be pushing it really hard.” Different dining experience Tostenson said some things will feel quite different in the restart — there won’t be lineups, physical distancing will mean reduced capacity in most cases, and some restaurants may install physical barriers like plexiglass to separate booths or other tables that are close. “It’s going to be a lot more orderly. It’s still going to be fun, but it’s going to be a little less, I guess the word might be ‘spontaneous,’ as we were in the past,” he said. Gatherings of up to 6 people to be endorsed by B.C. health officials, just in time for the long weekend “You might see some situations where staff are wearing masks and gloves,” said Tostenson, adding that would likely be more common for staff doing cleaning.
Saturday, May 9, 2020 Trudeau issues warning to vandals after fourth cellphone tower torched in Quebec Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said vandals setting fire to cellphone towers can face serious criminal charges. “Vandalizing cellphone towers does nothing but threaten emergency services and impact the daily lives of Canadians across the country,” he wrote on Twitter. “These recent acts are serious criminal offences and carry severe penalties.” It comes after at least four cellphone towers were set on fire in Quebec over the span of a few days. A spokeswoman for the Town of Prevost, Que., where a Rogers-operated tower was hit Monday, said many residents have brought up unfounded conspiracy theories
linking 5G technology to COVID-19 in recent weeks. The fifth-generation technology standard has been offered by cellphone companies since 2019. A spokesperson for Quebec provincial police said they are investigating whether the fires are linked to the 5G conspiracy theories. The four towers that were targeted didn’t have 5G capabilities. Similar fires have been spotted in Europe. Some 50 fires targeting cell towers and other equipment have been recently reported in Britain, leading to three arrests. About 16 have been torched in the Netherlands, with attacks also reported in Ireland, Cyprus,
LOCAL
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Some teachers returning to classrooms as early as May 11, as BC schools plan gradual reopening School districts across BC are drafting plans to reopen, with teachers returning to classrooms as early as next week in some parts of the province. The Vancouver School Board has sent out a workforce availability survey to its staff, according to a note sent out by the Vancouver Elementary School Teachers Association. The information gathered will be used for a broader plan to gradually reopen schools. The association said no decisions have been made about the timelines or the format for returning to school, and no decisions will be made without further input from Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. While outlining plans to ease restrictions provincewide, Premier John Horgan said B.C. is preparing for a full resumption by
September. In the meantime, Horgan said classrooms would open their doors to more students by next month. “We want to make sure we can do a dry run from the beginning of June to the end of June. We’re not anticipating a big increase in in-class learning until after the long weekend,” said Horgan, noting that the province will unveil further details in the coming weeks. B.C. schools were closed March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The province has said it will prioritize classroom space for children of essential workers. “We want to make sure we can safely get kids back into classrooms. It’s not just about reading, writing and arithmetic,” said Horgan. “School is a place of joy for many people ... but we want to make sure that’s done safely.”
The Vancouver School Board has already begun the process of welcoming students back to schools, opening in-person instruction for students with “exceptionally high learning needs” who depend on face-toface interaction. According to the Education Ministry, there are currently 5,000 students in physical classrooms, including the children of essential workers and students who need extra support. “We know there is no substitute for in-class instruction and as we continue to take steps toward recovery, it’s important that we get kids back into the classroom,” a ministry spokesperson said in an email. “We will gradually increase in-class learning for some students before the end of the school year. This will not be mandatory, and parents continue to have a choice to send
their children to school.” In Prince George, teachers in School District 57 are expected to be back in classrooms Monday, according to a letter sent to staff. Gatherings of up to 6 people to be endorsed by B.C. health officials, just in time for the long weekend In the letter from superintendent Anita Richardson, staff are told all workfrom-home agreements are expiring as of May 11, and anyone who is able to work on-site is expected to do so. “We have been working under a philosophy that if someone was able to complete meaningful work from home, they should,” the letter states. “Starting on Monday, May 11, we are transitioning to an evolved way of thinking where everyone capable of working on-site should be doing so.”
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Saturday, May 9, 2020
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Summer-like weather for South Coast this weekend raises flood risk and fire danger Temperatures to soar to 5-10 C above normal by Mother’s Day, potentially breaking records ThecalendarsaysMay,butit’llbefeelingmorelike July this weekend across B.C.’s South Coast — and that’s raising concern over flooding and wildfires. Temperatures in Metro Vancouver are forecast to climb well above 20 C by Saturday, while the Fraser Valley could see temperatures approaching 30 C by Sunday, making for an unusually balmy Mother’s Day. The early taste of summer is thanks to a very strong ridge of high pressure that began building across the South Coast of B.C. on Thursday, bringing with it mostly clear skies and calm winds. As the weekend begins, this same ridge will begin to bring up very warm air from Washington state, putting a few daily high temperature records in jeopardy. Abbotsford, for example, is forecast to reach 28 C on both Saturday and Sunday, which would smash the previous daily temperature records for May 9 (26.7 C, set in 1946) and May 10 (25.3 C, in 1993). On Saturday, Vancouver International
Airport is likely to reach the 20 C mark for the first time since Sept. 11, 2019. While the warm spell coincides perfectly with the weekend, the sudden spike in temperature will bring with it some challenges as well. When temperatures increase sharply in spring, so, too, does the risk for flooding, as rapid melt of the mountain snowpack causes a surge of water to flow into rivers and streams. The consequences of this have already been seen in the Cariboo and Chilcotin regions last month, as flood warnings and local states of emergency were declared. Based on measurements taken in April, the mountain snowpack across the South Coast is slightly above average (103 per cent of normal) while the Lower Fraser is near average (97 per cent of normal). However, the overall snow basin index for the entire Fraser River basin, upstream of the Lower Mainland, is at 116 per cent of normal, with the snowpack in watersheds not regulated by dams currently among the highest on record.
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No reopen dates yet for City of Vancouver services in next phase of COVID-19 recovery The City of Vancouver is taking a go-slow approach to reopening some services and facilities that were closed as a result of COVID-19. “We’re going to have to gauge this,” said Mayor Kennedy Stewart. “The province has said things are going to open in phases. We’ll probably have phases in the city as well. Our goal is to get things open as quickly as we can, while having safety as the top priority.” Libraries, non-essential community centres, playgrounds and outdoor recreation facilities like tennis courts have been shut down for more than six weeks in Vancouver and similar closures have taken place across B.C. communities. But because there was no lockdown order in the province, all municipalities proactively closed their services, meaning places like Vancouver will have to set their own timelines for reopening, following the province’s announcement of its reopening strategy. Several Metro Vancouver cities, including Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam, have already announced the reopening of non-playground outdoor facilities.
But Stewart said it could take a little longer for Vancouver to reopen all of its services, given its size and popularity as a hub city. “I know people are missing their city services, but we have to be cautious,” he said. “It’s going to be an ongoing process … where we’re checking with staff and the public and looking at the economics of things before opening things up.” Stewart said the city would be conducting a poll to get a better sense of what level of physical and economic activity residents are planning to resume. “If we open an indoor swimming pool and nobody wants to come, that would be a mistake,” he said. Next week, city council will be considering a raft of measures to help fast-track an economic recovery, including removing the mandatory feedback stage for rezoning applications and exploring expanded patio and street space for restaurants and breweries.
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BC overdose deaths jumped to over 100 in March: coroner Overdose deaths in British Columbia jumped in March compared with February, and marked the first time the monthly death toll exceeded 100 in the past year. The BC Coroners Service says 113 people died in March of suspected illicit drug toxicity, which is a three per cent dip from March of last year but represents a 61 per cent increase from February.
It says the last time there were more than 100 deaths in a month was in March 2019. The service says 76 per cent of those who have died from illicit overdose deaths this year were men, and the Northern Health authority has the highest rate of overdose deaths. The B.C. government declared a public health emergency in 2016 when deaths began to spike. Since then more than 5,000 people have died of illicit overdoses.
BC unveils ‘ambitious’ plan to renew regular surgery capacity by mid-June B.C. is gearing up to go under the knife as it unveils an “ambitious” plan to renew regular surgery capacity by mid-June in the province. On Thursday, Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a detailed plan that is expected to allow B.C. to resume its normal surgery capacity by June 15. “British Columbians have stepped up to the challenge of COVID-19 by making sacrifices, including thousands of people who have waited for postponed elective surgeries. This has been very difficult for people and their families,” said Premier John Horgan. “But these sacrifices have helped flatten the curve in B.C., and now we can move forward, safely, getting people the surgeries they’ve been waiting for.” Adrian Dix said this plan is extremely susceptible to change and can easily be affected by outside factors, like a second wave of COVID-19. Not only is the province planning on getting surgery numbers back to normal, but the new plan includes steps to boost the number of
surgeries performed to help catch up on those cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19. From March 16 to May 18, an estimated 30,000 surgeries were lost – 14,000 patients saw a surgery postponement while an additional 16,000 cases that normally would have been scheduled, were passed over. surgeries as a result of COVID-19 “That’s 30,000 people who have been having to endure pain and other sufferings as we’ve worked together to address COVID-19,” said Horgan, “But because of those sacrifices we’ve been able to move forward.” In addition to the estimated 30,000 surgeries lost, the province expects 24,000 more cases would have normally been put on the list from surgery referrals. For the surgeries that were still being performed, health authorities reported a 30 per cent loss in productivity. This means for every 10 surgeries that would normally be completed, only seven were done as a result of fear instilled by COVID-19 and additional safety precautions.
Dr. Bonnie Henry believes BC will avoid a second wave of COVID-19 as economy starts to reopen Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, says she believes B.C. can avoid a second wave of COVID-19 as the province gears up to reopen sectors of the economy. On Wednesday, Premier John Horgan announced the BC Restart Plan to start reopening the economy amid the pandemic. Starting mid-May, businesses previously ordered to close as per the doctor’s orders be allowed to reopen, with new precautions. “We do not want to be starting and stopping, starting and stopping,” said B.C.’s top doctor on Wednesday. “I believe this plan and the way we’ve put it together gives us the tools so that we can increase our contact, our numbers and our safe contacts in a way that keeps us on a steady-state for at least the coming months.” Dr. Henry says the province will continue to have vigilance in the public health system, testing, contact tracing and careful monitoring of the situation. The BC Premier says they are moving forward with the Restart Plan cautiously and based on science, but that it could change if COVID-19 surges again in the province. “If we see a spike, we’ll respond, but Dr. Henry will give us advice on that,” explained Horgan. Dr. Henry says this new plan should be able
to get B.C. through the next couple of months without a resurgence of the virus, but she worries about other illnesses coming in the fall. “We don’t know what’s going to happen in the fall. We don’t know if there will be a resurgence once influenza and other respiratory virus come back,” said the PHO. “We’ll be monitoring things very carefully, but the plan and the thoughtfulness and the purpose that we have is that we can get through at least until the fall and we see what happens.” Ho r g a n added that B.C. is already further along than other provinces and is ready for the next phase of the reopening plan. “Minister Dix and Bonnie Henry rang the alarm bells about COVID-19 long before anyone else was doing so, and we are benefited from that as a community and that’s why we’re where we are today,” explained British Columbia’s Premier. Since B.C. did not completely shut down, the province is now on phase two of the plan. Although, health officials are hinting that social circles can begin to expand in the coming weeks, they are still urging British Columbians to have immediate patience and proceed with caution.
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Saturday, May 9, 2020
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Winnipeg beauty salon fined over $2,500 for defying public health orders amid COVID-19 A Winnipeg beauty salon is facing a fine of over $2,500 for not complying with the public health orders issued by the chief public health officer. According to the Manitoba government Beauty Infinity, located on Corydon Avenue, was given a ticket for $2,542. On its Facebook page the business described
itself as a day spa, skin care service and cosmetics store. It closed on May 4. It also said Thi Bui, categorized as a personal services establishment and located on Union Avenue East, was
World-first COVID-19 dialysis treatment comes from Canadian research team, doctors say A team of researchers based in London, Ont. is the first in the world to attempt treating critical COVID-19 patients with a modified form of dialysis, doctors say. The team at the Lawson Health Research Institute is led by Dr. Chris McIntyre, who while working in the intensive care unit at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), determined more treatment options were needed to fight COVID-19 in the hardest hit patients. “This led to the idea of treating a patient’s blood outside of the body. We could reprogram
white blood cells associated with inflammation to alter the immune response,” said McIntyre. The inflammation he refers to is related to something called a “cytokine storm,” a heightened immune response as a result of the virus. The team treated its first patient with this form of dialysis last week at LHSC. McIntyre says the patient was in critical condition and suffering from multiple organ failure. “When we started they had a 98 per cent chance of dying.
As Canada begins to flatten the curve, Montreal’s high COVID-19 rates make the city a tragic anomaly As the spread of coronavirus slows across Canada, and the much-desired flattening of the curve begins, there is one notable, glaring exception: Montreal. “We are not lowering the epidemic curve,” says Mylène Drouin, Montreal’s director of public health. On Tuesday, the city recorded 385 new cases of COVID-19, as many as the entire province of Ontario, and 78 deaths, more than the rest of the country combined, and there is no sign of a slowdown. May 7 on Instagram Live: Reopening society after COVID-19 The infection rate in the city is 822 per 100,000 population, five times the national average of 164 per 100,000. Montreal
has, from the get-go, been the epicentre of Canada’s coronavirus outbreak. The reasons for this unenviable distinction have been well documented. Coronavirus hit Montreal early and hard, in large part due to bad luck. Spring break began on Feb. 28, right around the time politicians and public-health officials were just starting to take the threat of coronavirus seriously. Quebec long-term care workers share horror stories of pandemic working conditions International borders were still wide open. Quebeckers are big travellers, and their favourite destinations include New York, Florida, France and Italy, all of which became hot spots for the virus. By the time the World
Missing boy found Surrey Mounties are asking people to be on the lookout for a 14-year-old boy who has been reported missing. Arnav Naphar was last seen at 6:15 p.m. on Monday, May 4 in the 6500-block of 138th Street. He is South Asian, five feet nine inches tall, 110 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a blue and white jacket, black pajamas pants and was riding a grey bicycle with no helmet.
“Police and family are concerned for his health and well-being,” said Sergeant Joe Johal. “It’s out of character for this person to be out of touch with his family for this long.” Police ask anyone with information to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
ticketed $486 for breaking public health measures. The province said it closed on April 25. Other businesses that have been fined, include JT’s
Club, California Nails, and Ruby Nail Bar. The province has said that under legislation, penalties for violations for individuals or corporations can range from fines up to $50,000, or $500,000 and/or six months or up to a year in jail. Tickets can also be issued in the amount of $486 for individuals and $2, 542 for corporations.
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BC on road to recovery amid COVID-19 No Lions roar. No high-fins from Fin. No Southsiders songs. No foot-longs at the Nat. There is zero indication that watching professional sports live in Vancouver will be possible by year’s end. And if, or when, local teams can entertain us on TV before 2021, they are likely to do so outside of the province in central league locations. In speaking to the Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Vancouver Canadians, Glacier Media (TSX:GVC) found that Vancouver’s most popular sports teams are all awaiting direction from their respective league headquarters in New York or Toronto. The most significant and common pandemic hurdles they face include: border restrictions for player travel; dealing with inter-country and interstate/provincial public health orders; finding central locations to host games; and addressing decimated revenue streams without ticket sales. “The guys in New York are providing us with models and ideas every
week. The only thing no one can provide us with is a real timeline when things are in place,” said Axel Schuster, sporting director for the Whitecaps. Major League Soccer, said Schuster, is considering central locations to play games. This idea is in a more advanced stage with Major League Baseball (MLB) (the Canadians’ parent league), and more recently the National Hockey League has indicated it is looking at up to four host cities to complete its 2020 season. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told media April 22 the league would avoid any “hot spots” for the virus.A central location for the MLB likely means the Canadians’ season would be cancelled, said Rob Fai, the team’s spokesman and play-by-play broadcaster. “I would be really surprised to see a baseball season in Vancouver, based on the hurdles we would have to jump,” said Fai. The MLB is considering playing all its games in about a dozen small stadiums in Florida or Arizona, without fans. Players would be housed in closely monitored quarters and subjected to frequent testing.
By VIBHOOTI VAISHNAV
Happy Mothers Day
“First there was word”-what word was that? I wonder! It must be the sound M that got defined as Mother because word “mother” in any language always starts with the letter “M” be it Mama, mom, mata, Oma, Mère, Maman, muqin. This sound must be used by a newly born child observing and learning to express some acknowledgement towards that one soothing touch, that heartfelt hug and kiss , that genuine smiling face, that sweet voice of lullaby, that one person giving extra care and attention and meeting the needs more than anyone else around. This care, attention and love provides warmth and security to the child and when that child grows to be an adult, it is undoubtedly the reflection of his or her mother. Hence is the saying – hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. Motherhood is a unique phenomenon. So much has been said and written about Mother that there is nothing more glorifying attribute left to say. Yet there is so much you can add to the saga
of motherhood. Child is her best creation and at the forefront of her life, so we put mother on highest pedestal, revere her, love her. We can never be grateful enough for her unconditional love beyond the looks, talents, intelligence, success, money. In fact lesser the kid more she loves,more she cares, more she worries. Many times this mother who is right in front of us, with us all the time, we miss out on having her with us, we take her presence for granted. All of our daily needs are met silently with her silenced ambitions so that we can aspire. All her dreams are transferred to us so that we can dream big. Multi-tasking ten chores at a time, her work never ends. All she wants from us is for us to be happy, successful, comfortable and once we are there, all she wants is a bit of respect and time. I think we can at least do that much, we must. But do we? Hence the tradition of “Mother’s Day” that culturally binds us to spend quality time with her and create memories. Second Sunday of May is dedicated to celebrate, to recognize, to revere, to acknowledge, to show our love and gratitude to the person who gave up her dreams to fulfil ours. What a wonderful thought! Because when a girl overflowing with ambition, with desires, with wanting to find herself, trying to connect with the world, becomes mother, her life changes, her priority changes. Her dreams, her ambitions, her aspirations now focusses on her child. Motherhood is an experience that cannot be described in its entirety. Mother is not just a word but pilgrimage of words. If you take out M from “mother” what remains is “other” hence we say “mother is a mother is a mother”. No one can take her place. Her selfless love and compassion puts her in a very pious and a sacred space. Mother is no less than a miracle. To shape a soul into a human body within herself and let it out of birth canal as a separate life is a miracle. So anything that can conceive or create and nurture another life or important for life, we attribute a motherly respect, for example, we refer “Motherland” to the place where we are born, we belong. We say “Mother Earth” “Mother Nature ”that harbours everything that gives rise to everything, we say “mother tongue”not because father has no opportunity to use his tongue in the presence of mother but because child is passed on all that mother speaks, thinks, feels and behaves and has a life lasting effect on child. It is not an easy role to play. It’s a tremendous responsibility , how the future generation is going to be, how the future society is going to be, how the future world is going to be depends on how today’s mother is. She is the source of love but she is responsible and accountable and has to be a teacher, a disciplinarian as well. She has to be protective but she has to teach how to be independent. She has to let go of her possessiveness and fear and trust her upbringing in letting the child grow, expand the horizons and find himself. Well, couple generations back kids were brought up with many siblings and extended families and communities lived together. Children would grow up without too much attention. In current times people have one or maximum two children and there’s no one else in the family, sometimes even single mother. Entire attention and control is imparted on child and all that mother could not achieve in her own life is then expected from child almost as if she gave birth to achieve through him. It may turn her into overly ambitious beyond reality for her child. We also need to look at the perspective of a child. Does today’s child see a mother more as a disciplinarian, a police, a lawmaker of the house that child has to obey to, bow down to, say yes mom in order to get her love and be a puppet in eating, sleeping, paying, playing time. Does this child have no existence of its own? Does today’s child feel the suffocation, while seeking her love, her approval, her attention? As he also wants to thrive and grow and discover himself, instead he is burdened with all the rules and dos and don’ts of the household, so everything is precut for the child and there are innumerable examples where these children become rebels by the time they are teenagers. Mother’s job is very crucial because mothers are more influential in a persons life.
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TELUS Health expands digital home health monitoring to virtually support BC patients with or at risk of COVID-19 TELUS Health announced the expansion of its Home Health Monitoring (HHM) solution so that nurses and other healthcare providers in British Columbia can digitally monitor more patients remotely while they recover from COVID-19. Launched in partnership with the B.C. Ministry of Health and local health authorities, this digital health dashboard enables healthcare providers to track the symptoms and provide medical help for more patients as they recover outside of hospitals in the comfort of their own homes. “As we face the immense challenge of COVID-19, TELUS Health is committed to working alongside BC’s healthcare leaders to expand the use of technology solutions like Home Health Monitoring to support more British Columbians while recovering at home,” said Darren Entwistle, president and CEO, TELUS. “By enabling clinicians to remotely observe the vitals of patients with COVID-19, as well as those who are vulnerable to the virus, and provide necessary interventions early, we can reduce exposure and also help to alleviate the pressure in hospital emergency rooms and clinics.” Easily accessible through a mobile device, the program sends daily prompts to the patient to report their biometrics such as temperature, physical symptoms and overall health condition. This provides crucial information on the status of a patient’s health to their clinicians who are regularly and remotely monitoring their well-being through a digital dashboard. HHM allows healthcare providers to view information for multiple patients simultaneously, enabling them to more effectively manage the vitals of a larger number of patients so they can quickly identify those patients in need of urgent care. Depending on the escalation of their symptoms, some patients may be advised to contact their doctor, or visit their nearest hospital emergency room, while others with improving symptoms may be told to continue recovering and isolating at home.
“Home monitoring is a significant part of our response to the ongoing pandemic. We are grateful for the technology and partnership with TELUS Health enabling our efforts,” said Lisa Saffarek, Clinical Director Virtual Care and Home Health Monitoring lead at Island Health. “With the Home Health Monitoring solution, we are able to stay connected with our patients, provide symptom support and ensure our patients who are quarantined or isolated at home are provided with safe and effective care. The monitoring solution has also improved clinical capacity for our Public Health team, the front line of our pandemic response.” Home Health Monitoring by TELUS Health has been in use in B.C, since 2013 to remotely monitor thousands of patients in the province living with chronic conditions such as heart failure, diabetes and respiratory diseases. The TELUS Home Health Monitoring system is aligned with the Canadian Centre for Disease Control’s COVID-19 protocols for the monitoring of patients recovering from COVID-19 outside of hospitals. “The B.C. Ministry of Health has partnered with TELUS since 2013 to implement and evolve a provincial remote patient monitoring service for patients with chronic conditions,” said Corrie Barclay, Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Sector Information Management/ Information Technology with the B.C. Ministry of Health. “Our investment has enabled us to act quickly to monitor our patients in isolation while also providing them with peace of mind, knowing that they are being monitored daily by their healthcare teams. As well, our clinicians are given the assurance that we are keeping track of our vulnerable citizens.” As healthcare professionals risk their lives every day, TELUS Health is working hard to provide the technology solutions needed to keep them safe. Building off of this successful initiative in B.C., discussions with other provincial health ministries are underway to provide HHM technology to even more Canadians during these unprecedented times.
Man charged after 6,000 face masks and hand sanitizer stolen from Vancouver seniors home Two men have been arrested and one has been charged in connection with the theft of thousands of personal protective items from a seniors’ home in Vancouver, say police. Vancouver police have identified Jesse Coutlee, 28, as one of two men who allegedly broke into the Terraces on 7th seniors residence on the evening of April 29. Coutlee, and one other unidentified man, are believed to have stolen several cases of hand sanitizer and more than 6,000 face masks intended for use at the seniors home, located in the 1500-block of West 7th Avenue. “Healthcare workers are on the frontline of this pandemic and they are putting
their lives at risk every day. Having this vital equipment taken from them is very upsetting and frustrating,” said Const. Tania Visintin. Images captured on surveillance cameras at the facility show a man loading the cases into a black sedan before driving away. Police say Coutlee and the second man were selling the items through social media. Coutlee is facing several charges including break and enter and possession of property obtained by crime. Police have recommended charges against the unidentified man, but those charges are still pending.
BC announces 33 new COVID-19 cases and 2 more deaths B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced Thursday 33 new COVID-19 cases in the province and said two people have died in the last 24 hours. There have been a total of 2,288 cases in B.C.and 126 people have died; 1,512 people have recovered from the disease. A total of 76 people are in hospital, 20 of them in the intensive care unit. There are no new outbreaks in long-term care homes, and 18 previous outbreaks have now been declared over, Henry said. There are still 21 active outbreaks in long-term care home in the province. Outbreaks remain at three poultry plants in B.C. A total of 56 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 at Superior Poultry Plant in Coquitlam, 35 at United Poultry Plant in Vancouver, and seven at Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry.
“We must continue what we are doing for a bit longer. We must continue the measures we are taking to bend our curve down,” Henry said. “The future is in our hands and we must continue to wash them.” On Wednesday, Premier John Horgan
announced plans to gradually reopen the province, saying small gatherings with up to six people will be OK by next weekend. Henry said Thursday that people should still continue to stay home as much as possible and be cautious when they go out. Physical distancing, avoiding non-essential travel and regular handwashing remain important, she said. For businesses preparing to reopen, Henry said a template and checklist for reopening safely is currently being prepared in collaboration with WorkSafeBC. Although restrictions are set to lessen somewhat, Henry said people should remain mindful of the most vulnerable in our communities. The risk remains, particularly for people caring for elders, seniors or anyone with a health condition, Henry said, and those people should continue the measures they are taking now. Health Minister Adrian Dix said restrictions on visits to long-term care homes will remain in place and acknowledged the impact this will have for many families ahead of Mother’s Day. “We know how difficult it is. Personally, I know how difficult it is,” he said. “The primary goal is ensuring the safety and health of people in long-term care.” What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. on May 7, 2020 On Thursday, the province said it could take up to two years and at least $250 million in extra funding to address the extensive backlog of elective surgeries postponed in B.C. since the peak of the pandemic. Meanwhile, schools across B.C. are drafting plans to reopen, with teachers returning to classrooms as early as next week in some parts of the province, like Prince George. British Columbians could be dining-in at restaurants starting June 1, but reduced capacity and physical barriers mean it’ll be a different experience than what we’re used to.
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‘Hate has no place in British Columbia,’ says premier on rise in anti-Asian crimes Saying he was angry after hearing about recent incidents of hate crimes directed against people of Asian descent, Premier John Horgan implored British Columbians to stand together against racism on Wednesday. “Hate has no place in British Columbia. Period,” the premier stated during a news conference to announce the province’s next moves in the pandemic. “If we’re going to get through this, we have to stop finger pointing. Put our differences aside and work together to get it done.” The Vancouver Police Department said 20 anti-Asian hate crimes have been reported to police so far this year. In comparison, there were 12 anti-Asian hate crimes reported in all of 2019.
Some of the incidents include offensive graffiti on the Chinese Cultural Centre, a verbal and physical assault on an elderly man in a convenience store and another assault on an Asian woman on Granville Street. Doris Chow, a longtime volunteer in Vancouver’s Chinatown, says she’s experienced four or five racist incidents since January. In one case, she was walking with a friend and a passerby directed racial slurs and derogatory remarks at them. “It was very obvious that it was directed at us, and very obvious that it was because we were Asian,” Chow said.
Housing prices could fall 14% in Canada’s biggest city by 2022 — and that’s the ‘moderate’ scenario DBRS Morningstar is looking at pandemic scenarios that include a housing price correction of between 10 and 15 per cent by 2022. The credit ratings agency’s scenarios anticipate some people with mortgages falling behind on payments, particularly in oil-producing provinces where the economic shock including fallout from efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 would be greater. However, house price declines are expected to be sharper in cities — such as Toronto — where there has been a “significant run-up in prices in recent years.” Even in a “moderate” scenario envisioned by DBRS, home prices in Canada’s largest city would fall by 14 per cent. Toronto housing market remains in deep freeze during coronavirus lockdown Pandemic’s economic hangover will hit home prices by 2021, CIBC economists predict Real estate will be in upheaval until 2022, one of Canada’s biggest landlords says The ratings agency said it was not forecasting, but rather establishing benchmarks of moderate and “adverse” scenarios on which to base its debt-rating analysis. The scenarios are to be reviewed and updated by the end of May, according to Michael Heydt, a senior vice president at DBRS Morningstar. “It is certainly possible that the outcomes end up being better than the moderate scenario or worse than the adverse,” Heydt said in an email. All 10 Canadian provinces would experience sharp recessions in 2020 even in the moderate scenario. Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador are projected to suffer the largest declines in GDP due to the added impact of low oil prices. In crafting the scenarios, DBRS analysts looked at home sales in March, which fell 14 per cent from the previous month as more than three million Canadians — representing five per cent of the workforce — either lost their jobs or worked fewer hours. Their report notes that April’s figures will be “substantially worse” since the March employment report was based on the week before most large provinces closed all non-essential businesses. It is certainly possible that the
outcomes end up being better than the moderate scenario or worse than the adverse Michael Heydt The ratings agency also considered mortgage arrears when building its scenarios, noting that d e bt - t o - d i s p o s ab l e income in Canada is already “elevated by international standards” at 176 per cent. “Notwithstanding income support programs from the federal government and mortgage deferral options from the banks, the rise in unemployment will inevitably lead more households to fall behind, and potentially default, on their mortgage payments,” the report said. In the moderate scenario envisioned by
South Asian woman found not criminally responsible for fatal stabbing can now be allowed to live in community The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) can now allow Rohinie Bisesar, the woman found not criminally responsible for the 2015 deadly stabbing in Toronto’s underground PATH system, to live in the community in “supervised accommodation.” In November 2018, Bisesar was found not criminally responsible for stabbing 28-year-old Rosemarie Junor to death inside a Shoppers Drug Mart, located beneath Bay and Wellington streets, on Dec. 11, 2015. At the time, Justice John McMahon told a packed courtroom full of the victim’s family and friends that he was satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Bisesar “suffered from a mental dis order, schizophrenia, when she took this woman’s life.” “She was incapable of knowing the killing was morally and legally wrong,” he said. The verdict came after B i s e s a r pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder. During the one-day judge-only trial, the courtroom heard from a forensic psychiatrist that Bisesar had experienced a psychiatric breakdown due to untreated schizophrenia at the time of the incident. It was also noted in an agreed statement of facts presented in court that Bisesar and Junor had never met each other. A not criminally responsible verdict sent Bisesar back to a secure wing of CAMH, where she was receiving treatment following her diagnosis and responding well to medication, the psychiatrist said. The Ontario Review Board, which decides if and how not criminally responsible patients should be detained, then held a hearing at CAMH regarding the matter on May 1. In a decision released on May 5, the board
ordered the person in charge of CAMH to “create a program for the detention in custody and rehabilitation of the accused” within the unit Bisesar is being held, in which they can decide under their own discretion if she may be permitted to do the following: Attend within or outside of the hospital for necessary medical, dental, legal or compassionate purposes Have hospital and ground privileges escorted by staff, accompanied by staff or person approved by the person in charge or “indirectly supervised” To enter the community of Toronto escorted by staff, accompanied by staff or person approved by the person in charge or “indirectly supervised”
To live in the community in supervised accommodation approved by the person in charge The board also ordered the person in charge of CAMH to notify local police if they exercise their discretion to permit Bisesar to enter the community. Bisesar has been ordered by the board to refrain from having any firearm, ammunition or other offensive weapon in her possession or be in the company of any person possessing a firearm other than a peace officer. As well, she has been ordered to report to the person in charge of CAMH or another designated person “not less than once per week” when living in the community. Following the not criminally responsible verdict, Junor’s family continued to insist Bisesar should serve time in a correctional facility despite her diagnosis.
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Hundreds of people seriously ill after deadly gas leak Hundreds of people have been taken to hospital after a styrene gas leak at a chemical factory in southeast India. At least 11 people have died after the leak took place in the middle of the night in the city of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh state, although the death toll is expected to rise. More than 1,000 people are thought to be ill as a result of the incident. Operations at the South Korean–owned LG Polymers factory were only just resuming due to coronavirus-related restrictions in place since March. A spokesperson confirmed from Seoul that a security guard discovered the leak overnight. Rescuers evacuate people following the gas leak.
Styrene is a gas that is used to make plastics and rubber. Extremely distressing pictures and videos of people struggling to breathe and collapsing on sidewalks have been posted online. Several showed limp bodies of adults and children being loaded into cars and ambulances. The director-general of India’s National Disaster Response Force told broadcaster NDTV that people admitted to the hospital were semiconscious, showing signs of nausea and skin irritation. According to the AP, an 8-year-old girl was among those who died, as well as a person who died falling into a well while trying to escape the gas.
Virus outbreak in Chennai market could cause COVID-19 cases to snowball Health officials are rushing to contain Coronavirus outbreak in one of Asia’s largest fruit and vegetable markets in southern Indian city of Chennai. So far, the market has been linked to more than 500 cases in several districts of Tamil Nadu state and adjacent Kerala state. Over 7,000 people with connections to the Koyambedu market are being traced and quarantined, said J. Radhakrishnan, the leader of Chennai’s response to the coronavirus. The market, which had remained open during India’s six-week virus lockdown, is central to the region’s food supply chain. The challenge for public health officials is to track the many traders, workers and shoppers who visited the market. Experts said the virus cluster has exposed India’s poor surveillance during the pandemic. They said the country’s
long denial of how prevalent the virus was resulted in people not taking precautions, and warned that the market cluster could result in cases in India snowballing. Crucially, public health experts fear that many who visited the market will not inform authorities, fearing stigma or quarantines, and that some workers weren’t registered. Radhakrishnan said the state government is aggressively testing in response and has conducted over 170,000 tests so far. Dr. T. Sundararaman, a community medicine expert, said such large gatherings are exactly where virus clusters are likely to emerge. “If you don’t look until it’s too late ... it is a reasonable thing to suspect that clusters will emerge,” he said. With 2,008 cases, including 545 detected in the past two days, Chennai now accounts for half of Tamil Nadu’s total of 4,058 cases.
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Govt suspends all visas, bars travel by OCI card holders The govt suspended all existing visas, barring a few exceptions, granted to foreign nationals till international air travel to and from India remains shut due to the coronavirus pandemic, an order said. In a separate order, the Union Home Ministry said it has extended on ‘gratis’ basis the visas of foreigners stranded in India due the lockdown. The extension will be for a period of 30 days beyond opening of international travel. The Home Ministry also said it has kept in abeyance multipleentry life-long visas given to Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card holders till international travel remains suspended.
How e v e r, the OCI card holders who are already in India can stay in the country for “any length of time”, it said. All existing visas granted to foreigners—except those belonging to diplomatic, official, UN international organisations, employment and project categories—shall remain suspended till prohibition on international air travel of passengers from and to India is lifted by the government, the order said.
Mumbai allows reopening of electronics, hardware shops during lockdown The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday night amended its previous order and allowed reopening of standalone electronics and hardware shops in the city during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. Civic commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent. Coronavirus Outbreak: Mumbai civic administration allows reopening of standalone electronics, hardware shops during lockdown “It has been observed that many essential and life- saving medical equipment, IT systems related to health systems and machines, vehicles are in a state of disrepair due to closing
down of electronics and hardware shops. “Hence, there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent,” read the BMC’s amended order signed by Pardeshi. Pardeshi directed all assistant commissioners of wards to permit one standalone electronic and hardware shop on each road to remain open during the lockdown. According to BMC officials, in view of the order some electronics and hardware shops could be opened from Thursday. On Tuesday night, Pardeshi, in an order, had directed the closure of all non-essential services, including liquor shops, in the city.
22
PUNJAB
Saturday, May 9, 2020 Terrorist Naikoo shot dead
Riyaz Naikoo, the top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist who had never been caught, has been gunned down by security forces in a joint operation in his south Kashmir’s village on Wednesday. Naikoo had come to meet his family on Tuesday and stayed overnight at a hideout in Awantipora’s Beighbora village. This was home turf.
The 32-year-old, also known by his alias Zubair ul Islam and Bin Qasim, was counted among Kashmir’s most-experienced terrorists. On 5 June, Riyaz Naikoo would have completed eight years in the Hizbul Mujahideen, a rarity in a career where many don’t last for more than a few years. Security forces had come close to cornering him on several occasions; he managed to dodge them every time.
2 aides of slain terrorist Naikoo’s accomplice arrested in Punjab In a major breakthrough, the Punjab Police have traced the inter-state links of slain Hizbul Mujhahideen commander Riaz Ahmed Naikoo with the arrest of two accomplices of his close associate, Hilal Ahmed Wagay, from Amritsar on Wednesday, 6 May. Given the gravity of the offences and the cross-border ramifications of the case beyond Punjab, the Centre has directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over further investigations
into the case to unravel the entire conspiracy, which has footprints leading across the border via J&K. Naikoo, the commander of banned terror outfit Hizbul Muzahideen (HM), was gunned down by security forces in south Kashmir on Wednesday. Wagay, who was arrested on 25 April by the Punjab Police, had subsequently shared the details of his disclosures with the Centre as well as the Jammu and Kashmir government.
Punjab reports one more death, 118 COVID-19 cases in 24 hrs Punjab on Thursday reported a coronavirus deathand118newcasesofthedeadlydisease,taking the state’s death toll to 28 and case tally to 1,644. The death was reported from Hoshiarpur district. The new cases were reported from Amritsar (46), Sangrur (1), Bathinda (2), Ludhiana (1), Gurdaspur (6), Jalandhar (12), Tarn Taran (43) and Fatehgarh Sahib (1) districts. Bathinda reported two new cases of the deadly disease, taking the total in the district to 39. Among those who tested positive is a policeman,
who had gone to Kota in Rajasthan, to bring back students stranded there amid the lockdown. Besides, Faridkot also reported a new case of the deadly disease, taking the total in the district to 46. The patient is under treatment at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot. Three patients have already been cured and discharged from the hospital in the district. The district health department had received the reports of 347 suspected patients and only one turned out to be coronavirus-positive.
No question of political interference in case against ex-DGP Saini: Capt Amarinder There was no question of political interference, said Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, asserting that the law would take its own course in the matter. A police spokesperson said the case against Saini, in the matter of disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani, was filed purely on the basis of a fresh application by the victim’s brother, Palwinder Singh Multani, a resident of Jalandhar. Based on Multani’s complaint, the case was registered under Sections 364 (Kidnapping or abduction in order to murder), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence), 344 (Wrongful confinement), 330 (Voluntarily causing hurt to exhort confession) and 120 (B) (Criminal conspiracy), in Mohali on Wednesday. The fresh complaint was received by the police on Tuesday. The spokesperson disclosed that the complainant had cited Para 80 of the Supreme Court order of December 7, 2011, that it was “open to the applicants who had filed the petitions under Section 482 of the CRPC to take recourse
to fresh proceedings, if permissible in law”. The complainant, in his complaint, said the illegal acts of the accused persons “clearly disclose the commission of cognisable offences, as has also been established by the CBI during the preliminary enquiry and therefore it is the solemn duty of the police to lodge an FIR for the ghastly acts of the accused in terms of the specific directions of the Supreme Court in the case of ‘Lalitha Kumari v/s State of UP and others’.” In his complaint, Palwinder said Balwant was picked up from his then residence in Mohali on December 11, 1991, and was taken to the police station in Sector 17, Chandigarh, under the orders of the then SSP Chandigarh, Sumedh Singh Saini, son of Romesh Chander Saini. Despite all efforts to secure his release, the family failed to get him back, due to the “terror and influence of Sumedh Singh Saini,” said the complainant, adding that it was after Saini’s retirement that they gathered the courage to resume their efforts to fight for justice.
25% migrants cancelled travel plan Even as 1,288 people left for their home town Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh around 25 per cent people who had earlier registered themselves with on the online portal of the Punjab government later changed their mind and are staying back. DeputyCommissionerGirishDayalansaid35per cent less than those who had registered themselves on the government portal turned up for departure. He said 1,188 people were contacted a day before for confirmation of departure plan but 25 per cent declined to go while another 10 per cent did not turn up at the railway station even after confirmation. Therefore, the administration mobilised the ones in reserved/waiting list and facilitated their departure, he added. Dayalan said, “It is a good omen as refusal of people to go back is an indication
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that we are limping towards normalcy; permission to resume labour-intensive construction work and industrial operations has reduced the threat of losing an earning opportunity and will check mass exodus.” Dayalan appealed to the migrant workers that since normalcy is being restored gradually, any migrant except those in acute distress, who don’t want to go back, are welcome to stay back in the district. He said the registration on the portal doesn’t imply that they have to compulsorily leave and added that they can always choose to stay back and work. Meanwhile, 1,288 workers who had come from Hardoi district of UP, for working in Mohali district, headed for their native district in the non-stop train with no intermittent stoppage before Hardoi.
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Saturday, May 9, 2020
SOUTH ASIA
NRI ‘Stay home, reflect & be part of something bigger’ Sunita Williams advises Indian students stuck in USA Indian-American NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has advised Indian students stranded in the USA due to Coronaviruslinked global travel restrictions to use the occasion to think how they could be a productive and positive addition to the society. During a virtual interaction, she compared the Indian students’ experience to her being in space in a spacecraft “where you don’t get to go, see your family and friends and give them a real hug.” Organised by the Embassy of India Student Hub on Friday, the interaction was watched by 84,000 people on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the first 24 hours. Williams drew on her 322 days of orbiting in space to encourage a move from “I” to “We”, saying “Isolation also provides a time to reflect and think about... how you can be a productive,
active, positive addition to the society”. She joined the live session virtually from her kitchen in Houston, where she is undergoing training for another human spaceflight in 2021. “Even just staying home and being responsible and not infecting others or getting infected gives you the opportunity to be a part of something much bigger than yourself,” she said. She said that the COVID-19 crisis was making them stronger as it was teaching them to “push through and finish what is important.” The Indian students praised Williams for sharing her thoughts. “Suni (Williams) has been my inspiration since I was in school. She gave me the impetus to follow my fascination with aircraft and spacecraft and take up Aerospace Engineering in undergrad. I was really glad to have a dialogue with a global icon!” said 2020 graduate and India Student Hub volunteer Cherie Singh.
Taliban not living up to the commitments, US says U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said the Taliban is not living up to its commitments as militant violence is increasingly threatening a fragile deal signed with Washington this year. After extended talks in Qatar, the Taliban and the United States signed an agreement on February 29 for reduced violence and a move toward talks with the Afghan government aimed at ending the 18-year conflict, but attacks by the militants have increased since then.
“I don’t think they are,” Esper told reporters on May 5 when asked if the Taliban were living up to their commitment. Esper said he believed the Afghan government was also not living up to its commitment. The Afghan government was not part of an agreement between the United States and the Taliban, but the deal called for Kabul to release 5,000 Taliban fighters as a confidencebuilding measure ahead of intra-Afghan talks.
India to lure firms fleeing China with land offering India is planning to set aside 461,589 hectares of land across the country to entice foreign firms looking to exit China, sources say A number of mulitnationals are seeking to reduce their reliance on Chinese manufacturing in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak India is developing a land pool nearly double the size of Luxembourg to lure businesses moving out of China, according
to people with the knowledge of the matter. A total area of 461,589 hectares has been identified across the country for the purpose, the people said, asking not to be identified because they are not authorised to speak to the media. That includes 115,131 hectares of existing industrial land in states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, they said. Luxembourg is spread across 243,000 hectares, according to the World Bank.
This is why Bangladesh wants to shift Rohingya refugees to an offshore island After repeated delays due to objections raised by UN agencies, Bangladesh may finally succeed in shifting the one lakh-odd Rohingya refugees staying in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char, a silt islet 59.5 kilometers off its coastline in the Bay Of Bengal. Bangladesh transported the first batch of 28 Rohingyas it had rescued from a boat adrift in the Bay of Bengal to the island which has brand new and adequate facilities to house over one lakh Rohingyas. A few hundred more Rohigyas are said to be in boats and small ships that are
adrift in the Bay Of Bengal after Malaysia refused to allow them into that country. Bangladesh is likely to rescue them and lodge them at Bhasan Char. That, say Bangladeshi authorities, will pave the way for shifting all the one lakh-odd Rohigyas staying in densely congested camps, the biggest one being Kutupalong —the largest refugee camp in the world — in Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char. The Rohingyas in the camps at Cox’s Bazar are opposed to being shifted to Bhasan Char since that would mean staying far away from
Eid Mubarak! New stamp heralds coming of two Islamic festivals Canada Post issued a new commemorative stamp to mark Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, the two most important festivals in the
Islamic calendar. The events, which begin this year on May 23 and July 30, respectively, are celebrated by more than one million Muslims in Canada. About the Festivals Eid alFitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, brings a joyful end to the holy month of R amadan, during which many Muslims fast through the day. Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, plans for which could change this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both celebrations can last several days and include congregational prayers, communal feasts, visits with family, the giving of gifts, and acts of charity. About the Stamp Designed by Context Creative, the stamp features Arabic calligraphy that reads Eid Mubarak – a common greeting that means “Have a blessed Eid.” Printed by Lowe-Martin, the domestic-rate Permanent™ stamps are available in a booklet of 10 stamps and an Official First Day Cover. Stamps and collectibles are available at
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24
PAKISTAN
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Lockdown to be eased, phase 1 starting May 9: PM Khan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that National Coordination Committee (NCC) has decided to lift lockdown across the country from May 9 (Saturday) in phases. The premier made the announcement after chairing the NCC meeting in Islamabad where recommendations made by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) regarding reopening of small businesses and educational institutions by easing lockdown curbs in the wake coronavirus pandemic were discussed. “We have decided to lift the lockdown … I must make it clear that lockdown will be lifted from Saturday … not from tomorrow but from Saturday,” the prime minister said in a televised briefing after the NCC meeting. “We are doing it because the people are in extreme difficulty. Small business owners, daily-wagers, labourers are facing difficulties. We fear that small and medium industries may completely vanish if we do not lift the lockdown,” the premier said. During his speech, the prime minister added that the government had earlier opened the
construction sector and now it has decided to open industries connected with it in different phases. Throughout his speech, he emphasised on the need of maintaining social distancing and following the SOPs earlier prepared. “Though the curve is going up, but we can’t say when we would witness the peak. Even countries that have flat curves can not surely say anything about it,” he said, adding that Pakistan did not witness a peak in the coronavirus cases and deaths as was witnessed in the European countries. “We did not face the kind of pressure that European countries or the rest of the world had to face,” he said. Reiterating that Pakistan’s situation was different from the rest of the world, the premier said, the government has decided to make things easier for people. Expressing that he himself was in favour of opening public transport, the premier said the provinces could not agree on the opening of public transport at this moment.
Trains gears up for resumption as lockdown phase 1 to be eased According to Pakistan Railways notification, “Seven trains will resume operations soon. The first train, Pakistan Expresswill start from Rawalpindi for Karachi. Later other trains such as Tezgam, Sir Syed Express & Mehr Express will start from Rawalpind for Karachi. One of them is expected to be seen off by Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. “Of the three railcars, the first one will
leave at 7am, the second in the evening at 6:30pm and the third at 12:30am for Lahore.” Pakistan Railways cancelled holidays of all of its employees given in the wake of COVID-19 induced lockdown in the country. and called them in to make the necessary arrangements for resumption of train services from May 10.
COVID-19 deaths double in 10 days Covid-19 death toll has registered over double increased over the past 10 days — from April 28 till today (May 7) — while the number of cases reported by each province are also rising, data collected by Dawn.com shows. Since the disease emerged in the country on February 26, the highest number of deaths reported in Pakistan emerged today (May 7), with 48 fatalities being reported. From April 28 to May 7, 299 coronavirus deaths have been reported in the country; these account for more than 50.4 per cent of the total number of deaths till today (May 7), which stand at 591. Despite this worrying trend, the federal government announced on Thursday that the lockdown measures imposed to curb the spread of the disease will be eased, starting Saturday. Moreover, markets will also be allowed to open for five days a week. But while the provinces move towards easing the lockdown, the number of cases reported on a daily basis are also increasing. From April 27 to May 6, 10,365 cases have been reported in the country, nearly one third
of the total number of cases.The largest daily increase in the total number of cases was on May 6, as the tally rose by an astonishing 1,430. Health experts in the country have repeatedly warned that the virus is expected to peak in the country during the month of May. Speaking to Dawn at the end of April, Dr Sunil Dodani, head of the infectious diseases department at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) had said: “There has been an increase in the number of positive cases. More patients are now [also] reporting with severe illness. This pattern suggests that the next two to three weeks are crucial when the epidemic peaks.” A day earlier, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that countries needed to ensure they had adequate measures to control the spread of the Covid-19 respiratory disease like tracking systems and quarantine provision. “The risk of returning to lockdown remains very real if countries do not manage the transition extremely carefully and in a phased approach,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
174 news COVID-19 cases in Balochistan Balochistan reported highest number of Covid-19 cases in single day as with the new 174 cases the province’s tally of Covid-19 cases reached 1,495. According to the daily situation report of the Health Directorate of Balochistan, 89 per cent of total Covid-19 cases in the province are now locally transmitted. The locally transmitted cases reported in the province so far are from city of Quetta 1,156; Pishin 57; Jaffarabad 22; Chagai 17; Mastung 14; Qila Abdullah 23; Sibi 9; Loralai 7; Panjgur 4; Kharan 3; Ziarat 8; Nushki 3; Khuzdar 1; Harnai 2; and Lasbela 9. According to the report, 206 patients of Covid-19 in Balochistan have recovered.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani on Tuesday visited the Command and Operation Centre for Pandemic and assured its officials that the government would provide all facilities to the institution. The head of the Imran Gichki Command and Operation Centre briefed the chief minister on operational activities and effectiveness of the centre. He informed him about the required equipment and other requirements for the centre. “Unfortunately, not a single previous government bothered to utilise the creative and working abilities of officers and staff and nobody attempted to provide conducive working environment at work places,” CM Alyani said.
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FIJI
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Fiji wants access to Australia,New Zealand travel bubble Fiji govt is in talks with New Zealand and Australia to be included in a ‘travel bubble’. This will see a relaxation of travel restrictions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. After having expressed an interest in joining the trans-Tasman arrangement, the government is in negotiations to be part of an expanded arrangement. Article continues after advertisement Civil Aviation Minister Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum says they’ve been in touch with
respective ministers from Australia and New Zealand on the matter and are waiting for a formal response. “ W e understand that there need to be various ways of being able to deal with
the travel bubble. There need to be legal regime requirements as we know and what would be the obligations and duties to allow people to be able to ensure they have that level of comfort and indeed we have that level of comfort
too cause we’ll also be vulnerable too”. With their borders closed to outsiders, Ministers from Australia and New Zealand are discussing the possibility of allowing travel between the two countries as both countries believe they have the Coronavirus pandemic under control. Sayed-Khaiyum says they’re also taking extra precautions to ensure that if Fiji is included in the travel bubble, there is no threat of COVID-19 being imported into the country.
19-year-old Zuher Deam and 40-year-old Samimu Dean charged with four counts of murder and one count of arson The four
The two men who allegedly started the fire which destroyed a house and killed four elderly women in Benau, Labasa last Thursday morning have been remanded in custody by the Labasa Magistrates Court.
19-year-old Zuher Dean and 40-yearold Samimu Din who are from the same neighbourhood are charged with one
women killed in the fire were all in their 70s. Defence lawyer, Ami Kohli requested for bail.
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A Sydney nurse is behind bars, accused of poisoning his wife with a powerful sedative allegedly stolen from a hospital. Ugendra Singh, 45, allegedly stole 15 vials of Propofol from the intensive care ward at Liverpool Hospital and used it to drug his wife Joytika Lata. I t ’ s alleged S i n g h gave Lata, who is also a nurse, the drug, claiming it was a saline d r i p , when she became dehydrated on Tuesday morning. “Because I was dehydrated and I wanted to go to the hospital, I said I wanted to go to the hospital, and he said because of the COVID thing it’s not safe,” Lata told 7NEWS. Lata woke up eight hours after being the drip, realised something was wrong and called emergency services. “I told them this is what happened… that I was drugged by my husband,” she said. “It could have taken my life.” Lata was treated by paramedics at her home in Hebersham before being taken to Blacktown Hospital. She was released on Wednesday morning. Singh was charged with use poison so as to endanger life (domestic violence), larceny, possess/attempt to, prescribed restricted substance, and common assault (domestic violence).
count of arson, four counts of murder, and one count of attempted murder.
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