The Asian Star December 9 2017

Vol 16 - Issue 45

Saturday, December 9, 2017

BC Liberal leadership series: Andrew Wilkinson says he is the best option for BC

BC Liberal leadership candidate Andrew Wilkinson visited The Asian Star offices in Surrey last week.

Tel:604-591-5423

Premier Horgan says he is working for all but will not do anything to reduce home prices

By Umendra Singh

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f you are waiting for NDP Premier John Horgan and his NDP cum Green government to help locals purchase homes, forget it. He ain’t doing it.

Premier Horgan is concerned that proceeds from illegal activities being laundered at BC casinos may also be making its way into the real estate market and his government is looking into that aspect of the market. He cited the work being done by Attorney General David Eby in unearthing the fact that “enormous amounts” of money are being laundered at BC casinos and some of that money may also be land red by purchasing of real estate . “We are looking into that,” he

said. But Premier Horgan is not interested in bringing the price of houses down so locals can afford to buy it. He is not going to take any bold initiatives like banning foreign investment or increasing the 20 percent foreign buyers tax introduced by the previous BC Liberal government. Nope, he said at a press conference for South Asian media on Thursday morning. On housing, He is going to do....Nothing except help build low cost housing for renting, provide more housing for homeless and provide a rental subsidy at some point. He made all sorts of noises about how concerned he is about the housing situation and how sad it is that locals can’t afford to buy homes in their Continued on page 6

Metro Vancouver shrouded in heavy fog

By Umendra Singh

Andrew Wilkinson says he has a plan for all British Columbians. All he needs is to be given a chance as the new leader of BC Liberals to put that plan in action. The former BC Liberal Minister and former deputy minister in the BC government is one of the 11 candidates vying to replace Christie Clark as the leader of the BC Liberals. And he is going toe to toe with fellow former Minister Todd Stone in leading the pack. Wilkinson already has the support of 12 sitting MLAs and is hoping to get more support from sitting MLAs soon.

“A NDP government is not good for BC,” Wilkinson said in an exclusive interview with The Asian Star this week, pointing to a $600 million drop in government revenue in the last quarter as a sign that investors and businesses do not have confidence in the NDP government. “Generally people, businesses and investors do not trust NDP to do a good job,” he said. And NDP has not done anything to disprove that notion.

Continued on page 4

All parts of Metro Vancouver shrouded in heavy fog for past few days. See story on page 7

Surrey stops crackdown on secondary suites Surrey has placed a moratorium on a plan to evict renters in illegal secondary suites, just months after letters were sent to 175 homeowners in a single neighbourhood asking them to comply with current regulations.

Council voted on Monday night to support a motion from city staff calling for the current enforcement program to be suspended for a

year while a new compliance program for secondary and multiple suites is created.

Councillors suggested it would be best to have a new plan ready to go before next year’s election. “I’m not going to be cynical here. It takes some time for the process to move through the proper

Continued on page 7

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Saturday, December 9, 2017

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BC Liberal leadership series:

From page 1

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Andrew Wilkinson says he is the best option for BC Liberals

Wilkinson said most of the most of Looking at the impact of the measures implemented by the NDP foreign investments in residential government had either already been housing in BC is important started or promised by the previous BC as well. While not promising Liberal government. a ban on foreign investment Whether it was to do with increasing In Residential housing as welfare rates, decreasing MSP rates and many people are demanding, bridge tolls, it was all Liberal initiatives, Wilkinson said he is aware that he said. wealthy foreign investors are And NDP is working on electoral treating residential housing in BC reforms to kept its coalition partner, BC as commodities to be bought and Greens, happy . sold for profit only. He said he is Wilkinson said to get rid of the NDP also aware of New Zealand and and put BC Liberals in charge again, the Australian government’s ban on party needs a new leader with a new foreigners buying residential real vision. He said the arty had learnt its estate. lessons from the last election loss.

Andrew Wilkinson talking to seniors in Prince Rupart Wilkinson said BC Liberal As BC Liberal leader, Wilkinson said supporters should have complete Townhouses, condos and apartments which are he will focus on a number of issues, faith in him. including affordable housing for people of BC. more affordable and accessible.

“As BC Liberals, we need to stay true to People who will be living in our cities will also He said he knows his own kids can’t afford our core values of free-enterprise and small need affordable and accessible public transit single family homes in Metro Vancouver like government. Unlike the tax and spend NDP, we he and people of his generation could. He and he feels that affordable and accessible will not borrow from our children’s tomorrow housing goes hand in hand with affordable said there were a number of initiatives that He in order to pay for our wants today,”his platform considers important - such as building more and accessible public transit. “We need more says. “People need stable jobs, and the promise developments like the Metrotown,”he said. of even better jobs in their future. There should be a clear path forward for growing our families and communities, and that means government must keep BC’s economy competitive and prepare young people for the jobs of tomorrow.

When we do this well, we all share in the benefits – parents can put dinner on the table and government can support programs to make sure everyone has a good and meaningful life,” Wilkinson promises.

He adds,”We are fortunate to have a long history of accessible, publicly-funded health care in British Columbia. But a variety of challenges and cost-pressures are straining services like never before. These include an unprecedented overdose crisis, an aging population, increased drug and medical costs, shortages of health professionals, and expensive advances in technology. We need to act to ensure all British Columbians have the care they need, when and where they need it.”

www.theasianstar.com # 202 - 7028, 120th Street, Surrey, BC V3W 3M8 Ph: 604-591-5423 Fax: 604-591-8615 E-mail: editor@theasianstar.com Editor: Umendra Singh Associate Editor: Chhavi Disawar Marketing and Sales: Ravinder S. Cheema........604-715-3847 Shamir Doshi....................604-649-7827 Harminder Kaur...............778-708-0481 Parminder Dhillon..........778-859-9234 Layout: Avee J Waseer Pre-Press: Iftikhar Ahmed Contributing writers: Jag Dhatt, Akash Sablok, Kamila Singh, Jay Bains

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Saturday, December 9, 2017

SIMPSON, THOMAS & ASSOCIATES

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From page 1 own cities and In their own province while foreign investors and speculators can. But he is not doing anything about it. He thinks it is unwise to do something to bring house prices down that would “negatively affect the construction industry.” “We do not want to adversely affect the value of investment of those who are already in the housing market by reducing the value of their investments ,” he said, echoing what former BC Liberal Premier Christie Clark said about 12 months ago about not wanting to do anything that would undermine the investments of those who had made “smart investments” in housing.

Horgan said the February budget will also focus on housing affordability. He talked about his election promise to provide rental subsidy

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Premier Horgan says he is working for all but will not do anything to reduce home prices to renters (although the government’s coalition partner - the BC Green Party - is against any such subsidy) but nothing about trying to stabilize house prices or bring house prices down. Premier Horgan says he does not want to interfere in the market. Or maybe it is he does not want his government to lose any of the $2 billion a year income that the BC government reaps from property purchase tax levied each time a property is sold. The only advice he has is that he would like to see more houses built as a away of stabilizing the market. He also mentioned that perhaps some of the “dark” money that was being launched through BC casinos was also ending up in the BC real estate market and being used to buy homes. But he did not elaborate on this and as reporters were

only limited to one question per person, no follow up questions could be asked.

Premier Horgan spent a good bit of time answering questions by phone from Victoria (after he was prevented from flying into Metro Vancouver by heavy fog on Thursday).

He claimed that he and his NDP colleagues were closely studying the pros and cons of cancelling Site C dam but did not disclose much else on this issue.

He proudly mentioned the achievements of his government - reduction of MSP fees by 50 percent, removal of bridge tolls, increasing of welfare rates by $100 per person per month and government paying for yearly bus passes for

those on welfare and disability, etc. He answered that introduction of a $15 an hour minimum wage (another unfulfilled election promise) would take place within his government’s business cycle (meaning within its term).

He proudly mentioned that the bond rating agencies had given his government AAA credit rating. Premier Horgan also happily repeated an earlier announcement that the Province will fund a new, $24-million elementary school in Grandview Heights, along with a 300-seat, $9-million addition at Pacific Heights Elementary school.

Premier Horgan added that his government was also providing funding for hiring of 350 new teachers, most of whom would be stationed in Surrey.

“Kids deserve a positive, healthy learning environment so they can have the opportunity to thrive in their education and succeed in life,” Premier Horgan said.

“We’re investing in our kids and working hard to build the schools and additional spaces that are desperately needed in growing communities around the province.”

Construction is expected to begin at Pacific Heights in May 2018, and the new classrooms will be ready for students in September 2019. The new Grandview Heights elementary school is scheduled to open in the 2020-21 school year.

“My top priority is to focus on improving student outcomes in British Columbia, and learning environments are key to that,” said Minister of Education Rob Fleming. “Getting kids out of portables remains my mission, and these new student spaces are doing just that,”he said.

Best laid plans sabotaged by the fog The best laid plans of Premier John Horgan was undone by the heavy fog which blanketed Metro Vancouver on a Thursday.

Premier Horgan had planned to make a “good news” announcement at a Surrey school at 11 am on Thursday announcing that the Province will fund a new, $24-million elementary school in Grandview Heights, along with a 300-seat, $9-million addition at Pacific Heights Elementary school.

He was then scheduled to attend a lunch with the mostly friendly South Asian media asking friendly and mostly softball questions at a Surrey banquet hall.

But alas the fog prevented the Premier flying to Vancouver from Victoria and he had to improvise by the phone.

Saturday, December 9, 2017 From page 1

Heavy fog

There’s a thick blanket of fog covering Metro Vancouver this morning. And while it’s both surreal and beautiful, it can also cause some problems on the roads. Environment Canada posted a fog advisory early Friday morning, saying near zero visibility is expected in many areas of the region. The federal weather agency says the dense fog is a result of moisture trapped under a temperature inversion. The fog will likely persist through the afternoon and then become patchy Saturday afternoon. The agency is warning drivers to be prepared for areas of near-zero visibility. ICBC is also asking motorists to remember to use headlights when driving in the fog. While the fog may slow the morning commute, it does make for some spectacular photos. Many social media users were posting some beautiful images on Thursday and Friday.

Surrey secondary suites From page 1 proper channels,” David Huntiak, CEO of the non-profit advocacy group Landlord B.C said.

“We’d like to see it happen sooner than later, but it’s a positive that they’re considering this.”

The new program could allow the legalization of basement suites and coach houses that currently aren’t regulated with the city. Surrey group fights crackdown on illegal suites, says housing space trumps parking woes New rentals in Metro Vancouver a long time coming Monday’s vote marks a reversal of council’s decision in July to give homeowners in the East Clayton neighbourhood until the end of the year to comply with the current law.

That plan was suspended in October after criticism. “We were very outspoken about the fact that it would be pretty difficult to understand how the city could justify evicting over 300 people,” said Huntiak.

Staff have recommended a long-term solution on secondary suites for the entire city, which currently has a vacancy rate of 0.6 per cent.

But the issue has been contentious for years in East Clayton, which has seen an explosive growth in population. “As a homeowner in Clayton Heights, this area was built and sold to the homeowners as a family community, as one that would allow for limited secondary accommodations,” said Carmen Mason in a letter to the city. Mason heads up a community Facebook page. She says the extra people have created parking issues in East Clayton and are creating a strain on community resources, and argues the city is delaying a final decision.

“It’s just spinning wheels. It’s not getting anything accomplished. The problems are still there. The problems will compound, and the more you tell people bylaws don’t mean anything, the more they’ll break other bylaws.”

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Saturday, December 9, 2017

Mayor urges weary residents of Toronto, Vancouver to move to Saint John, N.B. The mayor of Saint John, N.B., is getting a flood of responses after issuing a social media plea for people tired of long Toronto and Vancouver commutes to move east.

Don Darling posted his message last week after Statistics Canada released data

Nov 30,

showing New Brunswick commute times are much shorter than in most big cities.

“Hey Toronto and Vancouver, move to Saint John NB, we have jobs, you can buy a house for well under 200k and our commutes are measured in minutes.

Contact me and I will share with you how much I love my city and how much we want you,” he posted. Darling said he suddenly started getting calls and emails this week after the post jumped to the front page of Reddit with more than 100,000 views and nearly 1,000 comments by Thursday afternoon. “This thing has exploded. It’s pretty exciting times for us,” Darling said.

Darling said he’s ready to tell everyone what his city has to offer. “We measure our commutes in minutes. Traffic is several cars, not several thousand cars. We have more than 500 open jobs,” Darling said.

“There are people right now in Toronto, in Vancouver, and other big cities that are not living the quality of life they’d like to have, and we’ve got it here,” he added.

Some of the comments to the Reddit

post came from people interested in a more relaxed lifestyle and lower housing costs.

“The quality of life is so much better, for my family, than it would be if we were stuck living in an apartment in a big smoggy city somewhere. We paid $150k for our 1,200 square foot cottage-style house, and we have a nice-sized front and back yard to go with it,” wrote one person. But there’s a reason the city is affordable. The 2016 census showed its population fell by 3.6 per cent over the previous five years — from 70,063 to 67,575 — and losing its status as the largest city in the province. The onceaffluent city had been depending on the Energy East pipeline for an economic boost, and Darling told reporters in October after it was cancelled that he was disappointed and frustrated.

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Saturday, December 9, 2017

Vancouver fire crew responded to more than 6,000 overdose calls Vancouver firefighters have responded to more than 6,000 overdose calls this year, a 28 per cent increase over last year with a month remaining in 2017. Mayor Gregor Robertson says the numbers highlight the magnitude of the “horrific” opioid crisis that is tearing through the city, province and country. The city says the high volume of calls is putting a continued strain on services and front-line workers.

Last week alone, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services responded to 81 overdose calls, while Vancouver police reported five suspected overdose deaths. Four of the deaths occurred outside the troubled Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, which the city says highlights the need for extended services and supports.

Capt. Jonathan Gormick says the service has begun more frequently rotating staff through the fire hall that has been most affected and has added a second medic unit. He says these strategies have made the workload manageable, but further increases in calls could leave crews searching for new ways to provide care and

keep staff healthy and safe. “Most troubling has been the increase in overdose calls and overdose deaths outside of the Downtown Eastside,” he says. Gormick says people in the community are needlessly dying because they are using alone or don’t have naloxone, a medication that blocks the effects of opioids. “It is critical that anyone who uses any kind of drug that did not come from a pharmacy have a naloxone kit, and notify someone when they use,” he says. “The tragedy of dying a preventable death far outweighs the stigma of speaking openly about drug use.”

Robertson says far too many lives have already been lost to preventable overdoses and too many families are grieving. “While I commend and want to thank our heroic first responders, city staff and community service workers for their extraordinary efforts to save lives, the impact is taking a significant toll on them,” he says in a statement. “We will continue to push hard for significant investments and a co-ordinated national response by all orders of government — including other municipalities.

Surrey woman who vanished 6 months ago may have been killed It’s been just over six months since Surrey woman San Li Liao went missing. Now, an investigation has revealed that she may have been killed. Liao was reported missing to the Surrey RCMP on May 29. She was last seen leaving work in the 14900-block of 54A Avenue in Surrey on May 26. Her van, a green 2000 Toyota Sienna with the licence plate 731XEJ was found near the Guildford Recreation Centre three days later. Missing woman San Li Liao’s green 2000 Toyota Sienna. Missing woman San Li Liao’s green 2000 Toyota Sienna.

RCMP Since then, police have carried out what they called an “extensive investigation”

into her disappearance. Police now believe she may be a homicide victim.

As such, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has taken the lead on the investigation. “There have been no other cases like Ms. Liao’s that have been reported to the police and investigators continue to pursue leads that may answer the many questions remaining,” IHIT spokesman Cpl. Frank Jang said in a news release. Anyone who has information about Liao’s disappearance is asked to contact the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or via email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

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Renters’ rebate was a way to win votes not address affordability, says Andrew Weaver B.C.’s Green Leader Andrew There’s a safe program Weaver wants the NDP to drop which assists seniors who its $400 renters’ rebate grant spend more than 30 per cent promised during the campaign. of their income on rent, as “We share the same values well as the overall renters’ about the importance of making assistance program.” rent affordable, however, The government hasn’t their means for doing it was a said when, or if, it’s going gimmick,” said Weaver. to implement the rebate He said the NDP’s plan was but a statement from the a way to win votes instead of Finance Ministry says the creating proper policies to Andrew J. Weaver government is “working on address affordability. a long-term, comprehensive “It is not fiscally prudent, all it does is plan to make housing more affordable for cause rents to go up by $400 a year.” people.” The ministry says it’s also working The renters’ rebate is estimated to cost on closing speculation loopholes and the province around $250 million a year, reducing tax fraud and money laundering which, Weaver says, would be better spent in B.C. on existing programs.

Two Indian-Americans in race for CNN Hero of the Year award Two Indian Americans Samir Lakhani from Pittsburg and Mona Patel from Texas are among the 10 finalists for the prestigious CNN Heroes of the Year award. Samir Lakhani from Pittsburg and Mona Patel from Texas are among the finalists for the annual award to be given on December 17. Lakhani’s non-profit recycles discarded bars of soap from hotels across Cambodia and distributes it to villages in need, CNN reported.

It all started in 2014 when as a college student, Lakhani traveled to Cambodia where he experienced first-hand that for many in Cambodia a bar of soap is a luxury they cannot afford. “I remember quite vividly a mother bathing her newborn in a basin filled with

laundry powder and water. It is an image I’ll never get out of my mind,” Lakhani told the channel. While still attending the University of Pittsburgh, Lakhani started the Eco-Soap Bank, the report said. The organisation now has four recycling centres across the country, providing jobs to 35 local women. The used bars are sanitised and remolded into new bars or melted down into liquid soap. According to Lakhani so far, more than 650,000 people have benefited from the group’s soap and hygiene education. “What I love most is that we are killing three birds with one stone,” Lakhani said. “We are keeping waste out of landfills, employing locals and spreading soap all over the country,” he added.

Vancouver and Surrey Mayors removed as leaders of TransLink mayors council

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he mayors of the Vancouver region’s tweeted after the vote: “TransLink finally has two biggest cities are out as the leaders a provincial government ready to work with of TransLink’s mayors council after Burnaby them; Mayors put the most transit-regressive Mayor Derek Corrigan argued they should Mayor in charge.” But Coquitlam Mayor not be in charge because they are in a conflict Richard Stewart said he does not believe Mr. of interest over the billion-dollar projects Corrigan’s election means any changes to the planned for their municipalities In a surprise support for the 10-year plan. He said it is vote, Mr. Corrigan defeated Vancouver Mayor more a case of suburban mayors wanting to Gregor Robertson on Thursday in his make sure Vancouver does not bid for a third term as the chair of the get preferential treatment over mayors council. the Broadway subway, which Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner chose is what some mayors think not to seek re-election as vice-chair happened with the Canada after Mr. Robertson lost the vote.

Line under Cambie Street.

District of North Vancouver Mayor “There is some leftover Richard Walton was elected the viceresentment about the way the chair over New Westminster Mayor Cambie line was done,” Mr. Jonathan Coté, another mayor who Stewart said. That’s because has a major transportation project Vancouver was successful in looming. The votes were secret arguing the line needed to go ballots. “We need more neutrality in underground, at a higher cost the chair and vice-chair positions,” than an above-ground line said Mr. Corrigan, who has frequently would have been, for almost all been at odds with other mayors over of its route in the city without Vancouver Mayor transit plans. “They have been making having to pay extra itself.

Robertson decisions that directly affect their “There was no reason to go municipalities. [The leaders] need to be able underground there except for the crème de la to reassure other mayors they’re being treated crème arguments,” Mr. Stewart said. Burnaby equitably.” The chair and the vice-chair sit on and Richmond had tried unsuccessfully in the the TransLink board of directors, which makes past to argue for below-ground rapid transit final decisions on projects. Some mayors feel in their cities for some stretches rather than that it is better to have representatives from having large concrete structures dominating municipalities that do not have big transit their major streets. expansions in the works.

In Coquitlam, said Mr. Stewart, his Mr. Corrigan is the only mayor who voted councillors were told that if they wanted the against the current 10-year plan, which Evergreen Line, which opened a year ago, to go envisions a new Broadway subway, a light-rail underground for the one-kilometre section of line in Surrey and a new Pattullo Bridge. That the city’s downtown core, they would have to has some critics in the region worried. New come up with $100-million.

Westminster councillor Patrick Johnstone

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National Energy Board rules in favour of Trans Mountain on Burnaby bylaw impasse The National Energy Board has allowed Kinder Morgan Canada to bypass some bylaws in Burnaby, B.C. that stand in the way of its Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

The decision released on Thursday was met with outrage with those opposed to the project calling it overreach, and welcomed by proponents who said it was for the good of the country.

“We are pleased with the decision we have received from the NEB today, as it reinforces our view this federally approved project is in

the national interest,” Kinder Morgan Canada said in a statement. The company had filed notices with the NEB on Oct. 26, asking the regulator to step in on a constitutional basis because it felt permit delays in Burnaby were hindering a federally approved project.

In releasing its decision, the NEB said the company is not required to comply with two sections of the city’s bylaws, allowing it to start work at its pipeline terminals subject to other permits or authorizations that may be required.

Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan, a staunch opponent to the project, said in a statement that the city was acting in good faith and the NEB’s decision is flawed. “We believe that this is an abuse of federal powers, and city staff are shocked by the NEB’s decision,” said Corrigan.

He said Trans Mountain was going through the same application process as others, and that the NEB had chosen to exempt the project from the important requirement despite potential environmental, social and financial consequences.

B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman said the province was also dismayed, and was looking to appeal the decision. “I’m shocked the NEB has ruled in favour of Kinder Morgan and frankly I’m angry on behalf of British Columbians,” he said. “The NEB placed a condition on this project that Kinder Morgan needed to get all necessary permits from local governments and today’s decision essentially changed their own condition for this project and granted Kinder Morgan a waiver.”

Calgary pharmacist charged after 33,000 opioid tablets stolen from pharmacy A 52-year-old pharmacist from Calgary has been charged in connection with “a significant amount of narcotics [that] had been diverted” from a Safeway pharmacy in Okotoks, the RCMP said in a news release Wednesday night. Police said they got involved when they were contacted by loss prevention officers from the supermarket. An RCMP investigation that looked into pharmacy records uncovered the theft of 33,000 tablets of narcotics. The RCMP said the narcotics, all opioids, were stolen by

an employee over a five-year period.

Leanne Rogalsky has been charged with fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000, breach of trust, 15 counts of trafficking a controlled substance and 15 offences contrary to the Narcotics Control Regulations.

Concerning charges have been laid against Ms. Rogalsky , a Calgary pharmacist. she is accused of stealing opioids from the pharmacy she worked at for her own personal use.

Police alleged she created fake patients and logged fraudulent prescriptions under their name before taking the tablets from the Safeway pharmacy. The offences are alleged to have taken place from Aug. 1, 2012 to Oct. 13, 2017. The Alberta College of Pharmacists (ACP) said it’s investigating

the charges, adding Rogalsky was removed from the clinical pharmacist register on Oct. 20, 2017 and hasn’t been eligible to practice since. According to Alberta Justice, Rogalsky was also charged in 2005 with two counts of theft under $5,000. That case was dismissed in August 2007. The recent suspension is not the first time Rogalsky has faced such sanctions.

“Ms. Rogalsky was previously suspended

by ACP for a period of 48 months on Nov. 9, 2004,” the ACP said in an emailed statement.

2 guilty in Surrey Six killings seek access to secret documents behind stay of Jamie Bacon’s charges Karbovanec sentenced

The lawyers for two drug gang members convicted in the Surrey Six slayings are going after the secret legal documents that led to a stay of murder and conspiracy charges Dec. 1 against Jamie Bacon.

Cody Rae Haevischer and Matthew James Johnston are appealing their 2014 convictions on six counts of first degree murder and one count of conspiracy in the murder of rival gang member Corey Lal. Now, with charges against Bacon stayed, their legal teams are exploring whether the privileged documents that led to the stay could also unravel the evidence used to

Christopher Mohan, 22 (left) and Ed Schellenberg, 55 convict them in what’s been described as B.C.’s worst gang killing. Six people died Oct. 19, 2007, in the Balmoral Tower in Surrey. Two of the victims — Christopher Mohan, 22, and Ed Schellenberg, 55 were innocent bystanders in the wrong place at the wrong time, as described by police.

Christopher Mohan, 22, was one of two innocent victims shot dead in the Surrey Six killings. The other four victims, Ryan Bartolomeo, 19, Michael Lal, 26, Cory Lal, 21, (brothers) and Edward Narong, 22, were described by police as having criminal lifestyles.

The legal team for two of the men convicted in the killings now wonder whether the information that led to the stay of charges against Bacon in the execution-style slayings could also affect their cases.

Bacon is no longer charged with first-degree murder or conspiracy to commit murder because of privileged information that cannot be used in his defence — or divulged to the public or even his defence team.

The reason the charges were stayed, in part, is due to how RCMP investigators handled confidential information, according to a recent B.C. Supreme Court decision but details

Matthew Johnston, (left) and Cody Haevischer (right) as described by the sketch in trial in 2014. of why and how are still unclear. During the investigation, the behaviour of several RCMP officers also came under scrutiny after allegations they’d had inappropriate sexual relationships with protected witnesses.

Ed Schellenberg, 55, was in the apartment building to service fireplaces when he was killed.

Four Mounties who initially investigated the grisly killings — former RCMP Sgt. Derek Brassington, Cpl. Paul Johnston, Sgt. David Attew and Cpl. Danny Michaud — are currently facing various charges ranging from breach of trust and obstruction of justice to fraud.

The BC Prosecution Service said the information involved in the recent stay of Bacon’s charges involved “issues relating to solicitor client privilege, litigation privilege, informer privilege and public interest privilege,” in a statement released on Friday.

The veiled reference seems to suggest that the information involves a confidential informant, said Kim Bolan, who has, for years, covered this and other gang matters for the Vancouver Sun, even facing death threats related to this case.

BC Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Ker has ruled the two men who were convicted in the case have the right to argue for access, in case the information may have affected the outcomes of their murder trials — information that, according to Bolan, now threatens to potentially unravel all the convictions in the controversial murder case.

Jamie Bacon, a leader in the Red Scorpion gang, has been in pretrial custody for more than eight years. “This could have a cascading effect, and we could see other people who have been held responsible for the Surrey Six murders released as well,” she said.

The stay of charges against Bacon drew

anguish from the shooting victims’ families.

Premier John Horgan said that this is a “setback for all of us.” “Whenever the judiciary makes a decision that appears to be discordant with the public — seems to be a bit off base —that diminishes the confidence in our system,” Horgan said Monday. Horgan promised to work “aggressively” to make sure public confidence is restored.

Provincial prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine if they will appeal the decision.

to life in Surrey slayings In the meantime, Bacon remains in custody on a separate charge of counselling the murder of an individual in a case involving another gang member. That matter is expected to go to trial April 3, 2018. So far, he has not applied for bail, and, if he does, the Crown says it will oppose his release. Jamie Bacon in 2013.

Charges of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the Surrey Six slayings were stayed last week.

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Saturday, December 9, 2017

Senior struck by transit bus in Surrey A woman in her 70s was hit by a bus while she was walking in Surrey on Wednesday afternoon, according to TransLink.

The bus was turning left from City Parkway onto 102 Avenue shortly after 3 p.m. when the woman was struck.

TransLink said the driver got out of the vehicle and found the woman bleeding from the head and lying unconscious on the sidewalk. Photos from the scene show discarded clothes lying in the road.

Discarded clothing lies in the street after a woman was struck by a bus in Surrey.

(Shane MacKichan) The driver called 911 and the injured woman was taken to hospital.

There’s no word yet on her condition, but Surrey RCMP said they had part of 102 Avenue blocked off while they investigated.

Just last week, a nine-year-old girl was killed when she was struck by a bus in an Abbotsford crosswalk.

We’re on scene of a serious pedestrian involved collision at 102 Ave and City Parkway. 102 Ave is blocked EB from City Parkway as we investigate.

Richmond man who killed his wife with 250 blows of a cleaver given life sentence with no parole for 12 years A Richmond man who used a cleaver to inflict nearly 250 wounds during a fatal attack on his wife has been sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 12 years.

In November, a B.C. Supreme Court jury found Jian Hua “James” Wu guilty of the May 2014 second-degree murder of Jin “Jenna” Cheng in their apartment building.

It was the second trial of the accused after the first trial ended in November 2016 in a hung jury following 13 days of jury deliberations, one of the longest such deliberations ever in B.C. At the time of the slaying, which occurred on the day of the couple’s second wedding anniversary, the pair were going through a difficult time in their marriage.

Their sleeping arrangements signified an

estrangement as did the decision by each of them not to wear their wedding rings.

Several days before the fatal attack, the level of acrimony was high as Wu came to believe he’d been treated unfairly by his wife after being excluded from a family outing.

After being excluded from a family meal, he took a cleaver-type knife and approached her at the dinner table in their suite in the 7000-block Granville Avenue.

The victim suffered at least 250 stab and chop-type wounds, with her injuries most densely distributed over the left part of her neck and elsewhere over her head and neck and both of her hands.

Court heard that the blood-letting resulted in two injuries that likely caused her death —- the cutting of her jugular vein and the

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Langley farm raided by police was likely used as staging point for gangland hits A Langley farm where police found grenades, assault rifles and bulletproof vests was likely being used as a staging area for gangsters on their way to do hits on rivals, a senior Vancouver police officer said Wednesday.

Supt. Mike Porteous told reporters that the November seizure of several rifles, handguns, ammunition and two explosive devices would definitely disrupt gang violence in the region at least temporarily.

“This would be a staging area where criminals would prepare and get geared up with this kind of gear before they got to commit their crimes,” he said of the farm in the 4000-block 240th Street. “This is a significant seizure. This is some heavy armaments and some heavy firepower …

So I would estimate that this stopped and disrupted numerous shootings and possible murders.” He said ballistic and forensic tests were being done on the seized firearms to see if they can be linked to any past shootings or murders. Project Treachery officers seized ammo, guns, explosives and stolen property linked to Metro Vancouver gangsters But he said logic would dictate

some of the guns had been used given “we are dealing with gangsters and organized crime here actively involved in violent crime.” “The investigation will be ongoing relative to the forensics and other avenues of investigations to link gangsters or whoever owned these guns to other crimes,” he said.

The VPD is working with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) to target a number of gangs linked to dozens of recent shootings and murders across the region.

Porteous said the broader task-force investigation led VPD officers to the Langley farm last month.

“This is directly related to Lower Mainland organized-crime-group conflict actively involved in violent crimes throughout the Greater Vancouver area,” he said, standing between tables covered with firearms and ammunition. “The seizure is part of a combined police effort to target ongoing gang violence in Greater Vancouver, dubbed Project Treachery.” He said seven gangsters were inside the house when police raided it in the early hours of Nov. 13. They were arrested, but released pending further investigation. The search lasted for two days.

Median family net worth was $295.1K last year, Statistics Canada says The median net worth of Canadian families was $295,100 in 2016, a jump of nearly 15 per cent from four years ago and almost double the 1999 level. That’s one of the main takeaways from a new Statistics Canada report published Thursday. The Survey of Financial Security marks the first time since 2012 that the data agency has taken the exhaustive look at the financial lives of Canadians. A person or family’s net worth is how much money they would have if they sold off all their assets and paid off their debts. The lion’s share of the gains in Canadians’ net worth has come from real estate. Statistics Canada notes: “Housing is both the largest asset and the largest debt for Canadians.”

As of the end of 2016, 61.7 per cent of Canadian families owned their residence, although most of them held some sort of mortgage. Still, nearly 30 per cent of

Canadians were debt free last year. Seniors were the most likely to have no debt, at 58 per cent of older Canadians last year. But that ratio is down sharply — on the eve of the 21st century, nearly threequarters of Canadian seniors had no debt.

In comparison, 15 per cent of Canadians aged 35 to 44 reported being debt free last year. ‘We used to be savers’ : Why Canadians ignore debt warnings now All in all, Canadians held $12 trillion in assets at the end of 2016, with family homes making up a third of that value.

The next biggest chunk of wealth was private pensions, which made up 29.2 per cent of Canadians’ net worth. Aside from the their principal residences, about a fifth of Canadian families owned some sort of secondary property, such as a family cottage, time share or other income property.

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Surrey to get 295 new licensed childcare spots Surrey families will soon have access to 295 new licensed childcare spots resulting from a $1.1 million investment through B.C.’s child care major capital funding program, the NDP provincial government announced Monday.

There are nine provincial ridings in Surrey — six held by the NDP and three, by the

Liberals.

Surrey-Guildford (NDP) will get 97 of the spaces, Surrey-Fleetwood (NDP), 92, SurreyCloverdale (Liberal), 53, Surrey-Panorama (NDP), will get 37, and Surrey-Green Timbers (NDP), 16. Meantime, Surrey-Whalley (NDP), Surrey-Newton (NDP), Surrey-White Rock

Man in serious condition after targeted shooting in South Surrey Mounties are investigating after a man was shot and seriously wounded in South Surrey. RCMP say on Friday, at around 9:30 a.m., shots were fired in the 17000-block of 21st Avenue.

A man with from gunshot injuries was taken to hospital in serious condition.

Investigators say the attacker or attackers fled in a vehicle before police arrived.

Officers are canvassing the neighbourhood and speaking with witnesses. The investigation is in its early stages but police believe the shooting was not random.

They say it is too early to determine if the shooting was related to drugs or gangs.

Meanwhile Surrey RCMP are also asking anyone with information to come forward after a shooting in the Newton area of Surrey Tuesday night. Police responded to shots being fired near the intersection of 148th Street and 64th Avenue around 8 p.m. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-5990502.

(Liberal) and Surrey South (Liberal) will receive none of the 295.

The investment will enable childcare providers in Surrey to build new facilities, buy and assemble a modular building and develop a site, renovate an existing building and buy playground equipment.

“I’m thrilled that our government is creating 37 new childcare spaces in Surrey-Panorama,

12 of which will be specialized for children under 36 months — the most vulnerable age,” said SurreyPanorama NDP MLA Jinny Sims. “This is an important step towards our commitment to implementing universal, affordable childcare.”

1 man dead in Langley shooting The Integrated Homicide Investigation Teamarenowconfirmingtheyareinvestigating a fatal shooting in Langley overnight.

It is believed to be targeted.

It happened at around 11 p.m. Thursday at a home near 204th Street and 82nd Avenue.

IHIT on scene in 8100 block 204 St #langleybc for overnight shooting that left 1 dead. Believed to be

targeted. More info to follow later.

Have info? Contact @HomicideTeam — IHIT (@HomicideTeam) December 8, 2017 A young mother who lives in the complex is claiming to have seen the situation in the backyard behind her home says a man suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died.

Man charged with assault following alleged attack against Muslim woman on SkyTrain Transit police have arrested a 46-year-old man in connection with an alleged attack on an 18-year-old Muslim woman that, she says, was preceded by a racist rant. Charged with one count of threatening to cause death or bodily harm and one count of assault is Pierre Belzan of no fixed address.

Police say they have also recommended a charge of sexual assault. The arrest and charges follow a complaint made by Noor Fadel. Fadel was heading home to Richmond after work on Monday night and got on the SkyTrain at Waterfront station around 10 p.m ‘He was yelling’ Fadel, who was wearing a hijab, claims she was approached by a man who began yelling at her in a mix of Arabic and another language she says she did not recognize. “He had a very aggressive look on his face and he was yelling,” Fadel said.

“I stood there in shock completely, my body

Noor Fadel standing with Jake Taylor.

was not wanting to move.” She estimated there were more than 25 other people on the train car. The man, Fadel said, told her to go back to her country and that he would kill her and all Muslims. He then attacked her, she said. “He tried to grab my head and force it onto his crotch,” she said. “He tried to grab me by my headscarf.” Fadel said she attempted to move out of the way and put her hands up to defend herself. She couldn’t reach the emergency help button and none of the passengers helped, she said. “Everyone was aware of what he just tried to do, they saw him yelling at me and continuing to yell at me but everyone stayed seated, there was not a person who got up at that point,” she added. The man then hit her across the face, she said. No one intervened until she was struck, Fadel said. That’s when Jake Taylor, a fellow passenger, stepped in. He stood between Fadel and the assailant until the man got off at the next station. Taylor then got off with her at the Yaletown stop, and stayed with her until first responders arrived. Fadel’s brother, Abdul Fadel, says, from the details of the encounter, he believes the assailant may suffer from mental illness.

Abdul says the incident was, “a very sudden and traumatic experience,” for his sister.

Both he and his sister also say they were surprised that more people on the train at the time did not take action to intervene. “The most shocking thing is that in a train full of people at 10 p.m. on a Monday night, not a single person flinched until she got smacked,” he said. Abdul says his sister suffered only minor injuries, but she said she is shaken from the experience. “I am Canadian, I was born and raised here,” Noor Fadel said. “What does it really mean to be Canadian?

It’s not just by how you look.”

Police say Belzan doesn’t have a criminal record.

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Richmond Gurdwara selects new executive India Cultural Centre of Canada’s Gurdwara Nanak Niwas is managed by an executive committee which is elected every three years by the members. The latest executive committee was elected for a term of three years running from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020 recently. The new executive comprises of: Chairman: Asa Singh Johal, President: Balbir Singh Jawanda, Vice President: Sohan Singh Basi, General Secretary: Chain Singh Batth,

South Asian community activist, Jas Cheema, (seated left) was among those honoured with the Canada 150 community award. The event was hosted by Cloverdale-Langley City MP John Aldag, Member of Parliament. He honoured twenty residents with a special Canada 150 award that included a framed certificate, a letter of congratulations, and a pin made from copper that once capped the roof of the House of Commons.

RCMP find wanted man mistakenly released A man who was inadvertently released from A few minutes later, Metro Vancouver Transit custody late last week has been arrested. Surrey Police arrested Zastowny at a nearby SkyTrain RCMP appealed to the public for help finding station. “A quick response and coordination Dean Richard Zastowny, 47, who between partner agencies they said was unlawfully at large played a significant role in and believed to be armed and affecting this arrest. Prolific dangerous. Man pulls knife on offenders often move between bank teller in ‘disturbing’ midday multiple jurisdictions and robbery in Abbotsford, B.C. $10k therefore sharing information reward offered for information is essential,” said RCMP on alleged B.C. bank robber spokesperson, Daniela According to RCMP, Burnaby Panesar. Zastowny was the police received a report late subject of a police search Tuesday of a robbery in the 4100 in November following his block of North Road. When police suspected involvement in Dean Richard Zastowny arrived at the scene, the suspect several violent robberies wanted by police in connection had already fled, so they shared a throughout the Lower with a number of violent robberies. description with partner agencies.

Mainland.

Public and private liquor stores to sell recreational marijuana in BC Recreational pot sold in British Columbia will be sold at both public and privately run stores, the provincial government says.

Solicitor General Mike Farnworth made several announcements Tuesday morning about what the future of recreational pot would be in B.C. ahead of the federal government’s anticipated legalization of the drug in July 2018.

He also announced the minimum age to purchase pot would be 19.

The provincial Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) will handle wholesale distribution.

Pot black market isn’t expected to disappear even as marijuana becomes legal Farnworth said the decisions announced Tuesday were shaped by input from over 48,000 British Columbians received by the province over recent months.

“It’s clear that British Columbians support the priorities of protecting young people, health and safety, keeping the criminal element out of cannabis and keeping roads safe, which will guide the province in developing B.C.’s regulatory framework for non-medical cannabis,” he said in a release.

He said the province also solicited input from local governments before crafting the rules.

B.C. Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said government revenues from cannabis sales won’t be immediate. Farnworth said a distribution involving both the private and public sectors has been embraced by all provinces which have unveiled plans for cannabis legalization.

When asked if the province stood to profit from being involved in distribution, he said he believed it eventually would. He added there would be significant up-front costs at the outset though and said the 2018 budget would not anticipate any revenue from cannabis.

Joint agreement: Delta 9 to grow pot for Canada’s largest marijuana producer He said more details on what retail sales would look like would be revealed at the end of January or beginning of February.

He said no details were available yet about pricing.

Union applauds move Stephanie Smith, president of the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union, which represents LDB employees, said it makes sense for her union’s members to handle cannabis distribution because of their experience dealing with alcohol.

“It’s already a very and secure and efficient distribution system,” she said. “We believe it’s a fiscally responsible choice rather than setting up a very costly parallel system.”

Secretary: Balwant Singh Sanghera, Assistant Secretary: Kanwarjit Singh Sihota, Treasurer: Mohan Singh Sandhu, Vice Treasurer: Ubed Singh Sidhu, Assistant Treasurer: Amrik Singh Jawanda. The Directors are: Rana Singh Dulay, Surjit Singh Gill, Gurcharan Singh Grewal, Kashmir Kaur Johal, Manjit Kaur Johal and Anant Pal Singh. Honorary Directors are: Darshan (Donny) Singh Basran and Satpal Singh Johal

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Sri Lankan failed refugee family facing deportation Time is running out for this immigrant family. On Sunday, they are set to be deported back to their country of origin and they say they’re scared for their lives. “We are taking a risk and it’s like the government is making us take that risk,” said Leon Sujith Lawrence.

The Lawrences have been living in Montreal for the last five years.

Robert Rajaratnam Lawrence, his wife and their son work full-time, while their daughters go to school. Their 21-year-old daughter Leony is an exemplary student.

She is set to begin her studies at Ahuntsic College in January — she’s hoping to one day become a doctor. The family says they

have applied for refugee status but their application has been denied. “The case got rejected because the war is over in Sri Lanka,” said Leon. “The war is over, there is no war, so you can go back. That’s their only argument.”

Global News was not able to see their documents, but the family and their lawyer say the government rejected their application because there is not a credible threat towards the family. Their father, Robert, says he worked for the United Nations in Sri Lanka when he and his family began receiving death threats. They say, after several scary incidences, they fled to Canada, and if they go back now, they don’t know what will

happen.

“I really don’t want to get arrested in the airport,” said Leony. “And these days, everyone knows we’re getting deported.”

Their lawyer, Stéphane Handfield, says the family recently received a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ), an immigration document given to them by the province that shows Quebec wants them to stay.

But Handfield says the decision to suspend or delay the family’s deportation is in the hands of the federal government. “This is not something I expected from a Canadian government,” said Leon. “This is not what Canada’s known for.”

Global News has reached out to Prime

Minister Justin Trudeau — who is also the family’s MP — for comment on the case, but the government says they are not able to speak about individual cases.

However, Global News has learned from senior government sources that the prime minister has had his staff provide considerable support to the family, but they say, at the end of the day, there is a process in place to adjudicate these matters and a decision has been rendered.

A decision the family hopes can still be reversed.

Their flight back to Sri Lanka is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

How BC became a gangster’s paradise In his first briefing about the degree to which organized crime had infiltrated British Columbia’s casinos, AttorneyGeneral David Eby was warned: “Get ready … we are going to blow your mind.”

A while later, it was mission accomplished: Mind blown. Of all the files on Mr. Eby’s desk, nothing has jarred him like this one.

Imagine, hockey bags stuffed with $100,000 in $20 bills being dropped off at casinos late at night to be laundered at blackjack and poker tables. That has, until now, been a regular occurrence on the West Coast and an offshoot of what appears to

be a sophisticated and substantial moneylaundering operation that, in turn, has links to an international underground banking network. It is the stuff of a James Bond movie. B.C. requiring casinos to track high-roller spending in bid to crack down on money laundering It’s been so easy to play the game in B.C., it’s become notorious around the world, a gangsters’ paradise with little to no oversight. Mr. Eby was told that it’s even known in international crime circuits as “the Vancouver model.” Come one, come all, and get your proceeds of crime cleaned up by B.C.’s gambling palaces.

While it may not be the image the province is trying to cultivate, it’s the reputation it has built. The fact is, there has for years been suspicions that Vancouver has been a prime money-laundering destination and that a lot of that cash has been used to fuel the insane rise in house prices. In fact, court documents uncovered by Postmedia’s Sam Cooper, whose seminal reporting has exposed the degree to which money laundering has become a massive undertaking in B.C., show that some of those suspected of having prime roles in this shady business own mansions and penthouses around the city.

Many are Chinese nationals wanting to get money out of the reach of their government and the tight capital controls it has imposed.

And this has been happening for a number of years. Mr. Eby recently released a preliminary report on the situation, along with some first steps to address the problem – ones that should have occurred a long time ago under the former Liberal government.

There have been accusations hurled by the government that the Liberals turned a blind

eye to the problem, given the importance gaming revenue represents to the provincial treasury. The Liberals insist that’s not true.

Regardless, provincial regulators will now start staffing casinos around the clock, on the lookout for those arriving with large

sacks of cash. Also, operators will now have to file a “source of funds declaration” for cash or cash equivalents over $10,000 – this is to help ensure money entering a casino came from a legitimate source. There is still a broader investigation under way, one which will hopefully show the extent to which money being laundered through B.C. casinos has made its way into the broader economy, such as the real estate sector.

In 2015, the RCMP raided a number of small, money-transfer operations in Richmond, B.C. Computers and cellphones seized at the time have provided a trove of information that is still being mined today by authorities. What we haven’t seen much of, however, is consequences.

Given the scope of what has been occurring, right under our noses, why haven’t there been some high-profile convictions? Authorities need to soon show that B.C. is no longer the backwater rube that hasn’t a clue what’s going on.

That it’s no longer a luxurious mountainsand-water playground for international crime syndicates to do business. It would also be nice to know if anyone in these casinos has been fired. There has been the heavy implication that there has been some collusion involved, inside co-operation that has allowed criminal elements to flourish.

At the very least, it’s safe to say there have been people asleep at the craps table and that can’t be tolerated. How can the public have any faith in these operations if there is no evidence that inappropriate and possibly criminal behaviour by casino employees is being addressed? There have been countless red flags from regulators over the years that something was amiss in B.C.’s casinos.

We are now beginning to see the extent to which their suspicions were right.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

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Conservatives see opportunity for momentum in BC by-election

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erry-Lynne Findlay says she sees a bigger dynamic at play in the outcome of next week’s South Surrey-White Rock by-election than who voters send to Ottawa.

With a general election coming in 2019, the Conservative candidate says a win could bode well for her party, which is looking to regain seats it lost in British Columbia and elsewhere in Canada in the previous federal election.

“One could see that winning here could help build momentum towards that 2019 run,” the former national revenue minister said in an interview.

Conservative Dianne Watts prompted Monday’s by-election by quitting the seat to seek the leadership of the BC Liberals, an informal coalition of federal Liberals and

Conservatives – the two parties fighting for the riding. Ms. Watts won South Surrey-White Rock, southeast of Vancouver, in the 2015 election by such a narrow margin over her Liberal opponent – 1,439 votes or about 3 per cent of the vote – that both parties believe they have a chance of winning the seat now.

Voters are also going to the polls Monday for by-elections in the Newfoundland riding of Bonavista-Burin Trinity, Saskatchewan’s Battlefords-Lloydminster and east Toronto’s Scarborough-Agincourt. But, distinct among them, South Surrey-White Rock is too close to call. “We’re going to have to work our butts off right until the end,” said former BC Liberal cabinet minister Gordon Hogg, acclaimed as the federal Liberal candidate in the riding created by redistribution ahead of the 2015

election. In previous configurations, the riding has tended to support conservative parties.

The close Tory-Liberal record in the riding has Liberals and Tories rolling in their biggest political guns. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal Tory Leader Andrew Scheer have each visited twice. But there has been no sign of federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. The NDP won about 10 per cent of the vote in 2015.

During a party fundraiser last month at a downtown hotel, Mr. Trudeau gave a shoutout to Mr. Hogg, 71, alluding to his 20-year record as a member of the B.C. legislature and 10 years as mayor of White Rock, a seaside community in the riding. “Gordie? Where are you, Gordie?” Mr. Trudeau said. “Come Dec. 11, he will make an excellent MP.” Mr. Trudeau noted that British Columbia

elected 17 Liberal MPs – the most in Canadian history – in the 2015 federal election. “Let’s break our own record and make sure, we have 18.” Mr. Trudeau said the path ahead includes taking care of Dec. 11 and then gearing up for 2019. In his riding visits, Mr. Trudeau drew hundreds of spectators. However, Ms. Findlay shrugged off the attention. “He’s the Prime Minister so there’s always going to be interest,” she said. “It’s not very often that the Prime Minister comes to town.” In a statement, Mr. Scheer said Mr. Hogg, as an MP, would have voted with Liberals against such measures as seeking transparency from Finance Minister Bill Morneau on questions around his personal finances and the 2016 Conservative motion to condemn violence by the Islamic State as genocide (the Liberal government instead referred the issue to the United Nations for a determination).

“What South Surrey-White Rock needs is a representative that will stand up against poor decisions from the Ottawa Liberals, not stand with them, and Kerry-Lynne Findlay will be that strong representative.”

Responding to a survey in the Peace Arch News newspaper, Ms. Findlay said key issues in the riding include affordability for seniors, taxes on “working families” and local businesses and concerns about eligibility criteria for the federal disability tax credit, affecting those with diabetes. Among the issues Mr. Hogg cited were affordable housing, transit and crime reduction. Mr. Hogg said he could best serve the community by joining them in government.

Flu cases showing up earlier than usual, could signal bad season: experts The influenza season in Canada could be shaping up to be a potentially nasty one, with a mixed bag of viruses already circulating in much of the country, say infectious diseases experts.

There are also concerns that this year’s flu shot may not be all that effective in preventing the respiratory illness.

“There’s all kinds of speculation going on because of the experience in the Southern Hemisphere,” said Dr. Danuta Skowronski of the BC Centre for Disease Control, referring in particular to Australia. “They had quite a substantial epidemic due to H3N2, so there’s a lot of speculation that that’s foreboding a severe season for us also,” she said from Vancouver. H3N2 is a subtype of influenza A, viruses which tend to cause more severe disease in some segments of the population, specifically the elderly and young children. At the end of its flu season in mid-August, Australia had more than 93,000 laboratory-confirmed cases – almost 2.5 times the number of infections and double the number of hospitalizations and deaths compared to the previous year, the country’s disease surveillance system reported.

“But we cannot say we will go on to experience the kind of severe season Australia had, in part because we ourselves had a fairly severe epidemic due to H3N2 in 2016-17,” Skowronski said. “And that may dampen down the contribution of H3N2 this season, which would be a good thing.”

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Alberta threatens legal action after Saskatchewan bans Alberta licence plates on job sites REGINA—Alberta says Saskatchewan has one week to revoke its ban on Alberta licence plates at Saskatchewan job sites or face court action under free trade rules.

And Alberta Economic Development Minister Deron Bilous says Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall needs to “smarten up.”

Bilous made the comments just hours after the Saskatchewan government announced that any new contracts for government work on buildings and highways require any and all worker vehicles to not have Alberta plates.

Saskatchewan Infrastructure Minister David Marit says it’s in response to complaints from its workers that Alberta has already put in similar restrictions.

Ministry staff will enforce the provision through job-site monitoring.

Bilous says there is no such restriction on Saskatchewan plates, and he says Wall is desperately trying to deflect attention from a sagging provincial economy.

The cockpit of an Airbus A318 at the

Asian Aerospace Show in Hong Kong in 2011. The pilot of an Air Canada jet had his vision blurred when the plane’s cockpit was hit by a laser during a landing at Pearson airport last month.

The reforms, introduced Tuesday under the province’s Fair Auto Insurance Plan, will include the creation of “independent examination centres,” according to Finance Minister Charles Sousa, where accident victims of more serious collisions can get neutral assessments of their injuries.

‘Auto insurance fraud has become an industry and it’s time to stop it’ After the disappearances of Selim Esen, left, and Andrew Kinsman from the ChurchWellesley neighbourhood, investigators say there are concerns regarding the use of online dating applications.

Police warn residents about dating apps after disappearances in Church-Wellesley neighbourhood

MLA Jagrup Brar arranged holiday open house at his office in Surrey on Friday, December 1, 2017. Pictured above MLA Brar (second from right) with guests.

Toronto man charged with posing as police officer on social media A Toronto man accused of misrepresenting himself as a cop on social media and asking people for money has been charged with impersonating a police officer.

York Regional Police allege that Di (Jason) Yu, 32, was posting pictures of himself in a police uniform, as well as images of police equipment.

The investigation began after police received a report on Nov. 18, about a man posing as a YRP officer and asking people he had befriended on social media for money.

Yu was arrested on Wednesday and a search warrant was executed at his Scarborough residence. He was charged with two counts of “personating a peace officer,” according to a police news release. The charges have not been proven in court.

Investigators have released an image that the accused allegedly sent to people on social media and are asking anyone who may have had contact with him to contact 1-866-8765423, ext. 7541, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-TIPS.

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Somalian man found guilty of kidnapping Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout The man charged with holding Amanda Lindhout hostage in Somalia for 460 days has been found guilty, nearly nine years after the Canadian journalist was kidnapped.

Ali Omar Ader, a 40-year-old Somali national, was found guilty on one charge of hostage-taking for his role as a negotiator.

In a 24-page ruling, Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Smith found Ader’s defence — that he was forced to act as main negotiator and translator in the hostage-taking — was “completely u n b e l i e v a b l e” and concocted, rejecting virtually Ali Omar Ader, 40 all of the arguments by Ader’s lawyers, Trevor Brown and Samir Adam.

The judgment took nearly three hours to read aloud owing to the time it took to simultaneously translate it into Ader’s native tongue, Somali. Ader wiped away a couple of tears while seated in the prisoner’s box as a packed courtroom looked on.

Lindhout, a freelance journalist from Red Deer, Alta., and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan were grabbed by masked gunmen near strife-ridden Mogadishu in August 2008. Lindhout was 28 at the time.

Lindhout and Brennan were

released on Nov. 25, 2009.

During his testimony in the witness box in October, Ader said he himself was taken hostage by the same group that held Lindhout, and pushed into service as a Somali-English translator under duress.

Smith said there is little reason to Amanda Lindhout believe much of what Ader said owing to a number of glaring inconsistences in the man’s story, adding he believed the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ader was not acting under duress but rather served as a ringleader who was party to Lindhout’s captivity and resulting torture.

“He had many opportunities to contact the police as he was free to go when and where he pleased, and he had a safe avenue of escape,” Smith said in his judgment.

“I think that justice was well served today … Justice Smith, in a very lengthy decision, completely rejected Mr. Ader’s story that he had acted under duress, so he’s been convicted, it’s been put over to early January to set a date for sentencing,” he told reporters on the steps of the courthouse Wednesday.

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69% of Canadians support ban on guns in urban areas: poll The vast majority of Canadians favours a total ban on guns in urban areas, a new poll suggests.

According to the poll, conducted by Ekos Research Associates for The Canadian Press, 69 per cent of those surveyed agreed with the statement “I think that there should be a strict ban on guns in urban areas.”

Support was highest in Quebec at 76 per cent and lowest in Alberta at 48 per cent.

Liberals lag in gun control promises, mass shooting survivors say

The federal Liberals are currently at work on legislation to follow through on campaign commitments to tighten up restrictions on guns, though an earlier suggestion a new bill could be introduced before the end of the year now seems unlikely.

The Liberal plans don’t involve any kind of total ban and, indeed, no political party has

ever suggested the idea, noted Ekos president Frank Graves.

But widespread support for the concept suggests there’s room to simply stop tinkering with existing gun laws and put in place something more ambitious, he said.

“I’m not saying the operationalization wouldn’t be complex but this isn’t a moon shot and it’s been done in other jurisdictions,” Graves said.

“I think Canadians would settle for something close – it wouldn’t have to be a strict ban, but anything to move the needle here.”

Guns are not involved in the vast majority of crimes in Canada but there have been increases in gun-related violence.

Statistics released last month showed that 2016 was the first time since 2012 that shootings were the most common method of homicide in Canada. Statistics Canada also reported that 2016 was the third year in a row that the number of firearm-related homicides rose.

Cellphone unlocking charges and unreadable contracts are now banned Teens can no longer say ‘Yes’ to data overage, and contracts must include 15-day trial Wireless code changes now in effect in Canada are meant to head off unpleasant

surprises on your cell phone bill.

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission announced new terms to the Wireless Code

of Conduct in June, after hearings in February in which consumers complained about unexpected charges and unclear terms of service. Those changes took effect Dec. 1.

One of the most significant changes in the new rules is elimination of the unpopular charge for unlocking the phone.

That means new phones that come with a wireless package should come to you unlocked, and you can take your phone easily to a competitor’s network if you want to change carriers. This is particularly helpful when travelling in other countries, so you can swap out your SIM card and use one from a local carrier without an unlocking fee.

The other big breakthrough involves new rules about consenting to data overage. On shared family plans, only the wireless account holder, not just any device holder, can consent to extra data or roaming charges.

This should end parents’ pain of a teenage son or daughter agreeing to extra data for streaming or remote use of the cellphone without regard to the cost. Who clicked ‘Yes’? The Wireless Code of Conduct already set a cap of $100 per account per month for data roaming and $50

for data overage, regardless of the number of devices attached to the account. Those caps include the cost of any roaming or overage packages the customer has chosen. 76446066 Under rules that took effect on Dec. 1, your cellphone contract should be clear and understandable, the CRTC says.

But many users have gotten “bill shock” when they were faced with thousands of dollars in overage charges because someone clicked “Yes” when the carrier asked if they wanted more data. About one-third of complaints about wireless bills involved data charges, the CRTC found in a 2016 survey, and another 23 per cent of people who complained believed their cellphone contract was misleading. In hearings earlier this year, John Lawford, executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, said the code is toothless unless it can be enforced.

That remains a problem, as the consumer complaints watchdog, the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services, remains understaffed and has no powers to enforce the code, he said.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

New mortgage rules set to take effect from January 1, but over a third of Canadians have no idea about new rules The Bank of Canada reported that new mortgage rules, set to take effect on January 1, could disqualify almost 10 per cent of prospective homebuyers. But, according to a new survey, it seems many Canadians have never heard of the rule change at all.

Polling from RE/MAX has found that 37 per cent of Canadians aren’t aware of the new rules at all. “[The survey] demonstrates there remains a gap in awareness and understanding amongst Canadians of how the new OSFI stress test regulation changes may impact them moving forward,” writes RE/MAX INTEGRA regional director Christopher Alexander, in a statement.

While roughly a third of Canadians surveyed hadn’t heard of the new regulations, 48 per cent said that they were considering purchasing a home in the next five years.

SEE ALSO: Will new mortgage rules help protect the Canadian financial system? The Bank of Canada isn’t so sure Alexander says that it is vital that would-be homeowners educate themselves on how the new rules could affect their purchasing power. “For the nearly half of Canadians that plan to buy a home in the next five years, it’s important that they take the time to learn about the new

rules and make an informed decision before looking to enter the market,” he writes.

Last month, the Office of Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) announced a new stress test which will require all uninsured mortgage borrowers to qualify against the Bank of Canada’s five-year benchmark rate, or at their contract mortgage rate plus an additional 2 per cent.

The test is intended to ensure that uninsured borrowers can withstand higher interest rates. The overnight rate — which influences mortgage rates and sat at a historically low 0.5 per cent earlier this year — has been raised 50 basis points since July, with further hikes predicted in 2018. Of Canadians who were aware of the rule changes, 18 per cent reported that it would impact the type of property they purchase in the future. Other industry players have noted that the rules could be bad news for would-be homeowners and the real estate market as a whole. “This change will certainly slow down demand and with it the market,” CIBC Senior Economist Benjamin Tal told BuzzBuzzNews. “The question is not if it will affect the market, but how much.”

Trudeau fails to come back from China with the trade talks he wanted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plunged into the comforts of campaign mode as he returned Thursday from a challenging visit to China that had started with sky-high expectations, only to end in failure to get much-wanted trade talks off the ground.

As he disembarked from his government Airbus in the Saskatchewan evening to help out in a local byelection, Trudeau had little to show from his blitz of high-level meetings in Beijing and a two-day sojourn to hobnob with some of the world’s wealthiest business leaders in the southeast Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou. The Liberal government fell short of its stated goal of steering Canada to become the first Group of Seven country to launch formal trade talks with China.

The trade horizon from Ottawa now appears clouded, as progress toward the Trans Pacific Partnership falters, and a North American Free Trade Agreement remains endangered by the protectionist impulses of the U.S. president. China, thought by some to be the next best hope to diversify Canada’s trading destinations after its free trade agreement with the European Union, now seems an elusive and obstinate partner.

Trudeau, to be sure, hailed the trip’s “substantial progress” in deepening Canada’s relationship with China, a key goal of the Liberal administration’s foreign policy, which includes a push to double bilateral trade of $85 billion last year.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang at the 2017 Fortune Global Forum, in Guangzhou, in China’s Guangdong Province.

In a press conference at the end of the trip, the prime minister enumerated the side deals that his Canadian delegation inked while in Beijing this week. These included a pact to cooperate on the implementation of the Paris Agreement to curb global warming, some two-way tourism boosterism, and deals to ease restrictions on the sale of Canadian pork and beef to China. “We’ve had a very constructive and positive visit, strengthening our relationship with China, and we’re going to continue to work on that because it’s

something that matters to Canadians and to Chinese citizens and to our governments,” Trudeau said Thursday before leaving Guangzhou for home.

The Jays finished 76-86 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014, but the club still posted the fourth-best attendance in the major leagues, averaging 39,554 spectators per game. Selling Blue Jays would produce changes in on-field product B-1Bs flyovers by the U.S. and South Korea have become an increasingly familiar show of force to North Korea, which after three intercontinental ballistic missile tests has clearly moved closer toward building a nuclear arsenal that could viably target the U.S. mainland. North Korea says war is inevitable as U.S., South continue military exercises U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order to declare formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017 during a statement in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will lead to ‘endless religious war,’ Palestinian president says There was no sign of anything beyond those side deals, despite expectations that snowballed in the days before the foray across the Pacific, when officials from Trudeau’s office framed the main purpose of the trip as a way to ramp up trade and investment with the authoritarian powerhouse, and Canada’s industry minister told Global News that launching trade talks with China was the government’s “objective.”

Paul Evans, a keen observer of Chinese politics and a professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, called the trip “successful in the minimalist sense,” in that Trudeau fulfilled his agreement with China to hold annual meetings with Premier Li Keqiang, the country’s No. 2 leader and his counterpart in the Communist Party hierarchy. Yet it was at that meeting where prospects for the expected launch of trade talks.

FINANCE

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SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, December 9, 2017

US lawmakers slam China for ‘repression, rights violations’ in Tibet Top American lawmakers, across the aisle, joined by eminent experts on Thursday slammed China for the “continued repression and human rights violations” in Tibet, even as they praised India for accommodating Tibetan refugees.

“Tibetans inside Tibet continue to live in very, very challenging times indeed,” top Hollywood star Richard Gere, chair of the International Campaign for Tibet, said in his testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.

During the hearing, lawmakers and experts testifying before the subcommittee called for reciprocal access, religious freedom and human rights in Tibet.

Congressman Ted Yoho, who chaired the hearing, supported the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017 which proposes to deny US visas to Chinese government officials involved in restricting access to Tibet.

Alleging that human rights and personal

freedoms in Tibet were “already in a poor and worsening state”, Yoho said the government of China engages in “severe repression” of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic heritage by and “strictly curtailing” the civil rights of the Tibetan population, including the freedom of speech, religion, association, assembly and movement.

The authorities have used “heavyhanded and violent tactics” to maintain control in Tibet, especially in response to unrest, including “extra-judicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial detentions and house arrest”, he said, he said.

“Tibet remains extremely isolated.

The flow of information in and out of Tibet is tightly restricted.

Tibetans are prevented from obtaining passports and moving freely, and foreigners, especially journalists and officials are frequently denied access,” he said.

Myanmar forces may be guilty of genocide against Rohingya refugees: UN Myanmar’s security forces may be guilty from the text and denounced what he of genocide against the Rohingya Muslim called “politicisation and partiality”.

Zeid, who has described the campaign minority and more of them are fleeing despite a deal between Myanmar and Bangladesh in the past as a “textbook case of ethnic to send them home, the cleansing”, said that none of top UN human rights the 6,26,000 official said on Tuesday.

The United Nations Rohingya who have fled defines genocide as violence to acts meant to destroy a national, ethnic, racial Bangladesh since August or religious group in should be whole or in part. Such repatriated a designation is rare to Myanmar under international Rohingya refugees unless there law, but has been used in contexts including Bosnia, Sudan and was robust monitoring on the ground.

He described reports of “acts of appalling an Islamic State campaign against the Yazidi communities in Iraq and Syria. barbarity committed against the Rohingya, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, UN High including deliberately burning people to Commissioner for Human Rights, was death inside their homes, murders of children addressing a special session of the Human and adults; indiscriminate shooting of fleeing Rights Council which later adopted a civilians; widespread rapes of women and resolution condemning “the very likely girls, and the burning and destruction of commission of crimes against humanity” by houses, schools, markets and mosques”.

“Can anyone - can anyone - rule out that security forces and others against Rohingya.

Myanmar’s ambassador Htin Lynn elements of genocide may be present?” said his government “dissociated” itself he told the 47-member state forum.

UK foils terror plot to blow up 10 Downing Street gates, and to kill PM An Islamist terror plot to assassinate British Prime Minister Theresa May by detonating an explosive device to storm into her Downing Street office has been foiled after the arrest of a Pakistaniorigin man and a BritishBangladeshi, authorities said today.

Two men, 20-year-old Na a’ i mu r Zakariyah Rahman and 21yearold Mohammed Aqib Imran, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London today charged with terror offences following their arrest by counterterrorism officers on November 28.

They have been remanded in custody to appear before the Old Bailey

court in the city on December 20.

At a brief hearing, the court was told that British Bangladeshi Rahman had “planned to detonate” a bomb at Downing Street gates and in the ensuing chaos try to kill May with a knife.

He is charged with the preparation of terrorist acts and is also charged with assisting another man, his co-defendant Imran, to prepare separate acts of terrorism. He was allegedly carrying two potential improvised explosive devices(IEDs)atthetimeofhisarrestinLondon.

His terror plot reportedly involved rushing into 10 Downing Street armed with a suicide vest, pepper spray and knife.

Polling opens for Nepal’s second phase of election Polling opened on Thursday in 45 districts of Nepal for the last phase of the historic provincial and parliamentary elections that many hope will bring the much-needed political stability to the Himalayan nation.

More than 12.2 million voters are eligible to exercise their voting rights in the second phase of the polls.

The voting is taking place for 128 constituencies of Parliament’s House of Representatives and 256 seats of Provincial Assemblies in 45 districts.

In total 4,482 candidates, including Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, will be trying their fate in the final phase.

For the House of Representatives, 1,663 candidates are contesting and 2,819 candidates are trying for the Provincial Assemblies.

As many as 15,344 polling centres have been set out for the polling that started early today amid tight security and will continue till 5 pm.

The first phase of the polls in the land-locked country was successfully held in 32 districts on November 26.

Around 200,000 security personnel, including the Army, have been deployed for the polls in an attempt to step up security in the wake of explosions at various parts of the country ahead of the elections.

Cyclone death toll more than doubles to 41 in Indonesia Indonesia is prone to natural disasters and is often hit by floods and landslides.

A tropical cyclone that pounded Indonesia’s main island of Java has killed 41 people, the country’s disaster agency said on Tuesday, more than double the initial toll, with tens of thousands displaced by severe flooding and landslides.

Among the victims of Cyclone Cempaka were 25 people killed by a single landslide in east Java last week, the agency said.

The initial cyclone death toll was 19.

Some 28,000 people have been displaced by the storm, which hit Indonesia’s most populous island last week.

“Almost five thousand homes have been damaged and more than three thousand others were inundated by flooding,” said agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

The destruction from the cyclone came as the rumbling Mount Agung volcano on the neighbouring resort island of Bali threatened to erupt, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Cempaka has moved away from Indonesia, but Nugroho warned that more flooding and landslides still could happen.

Sad and unfortunate.

Pray, the needy gets timely help and assistance.

PUNJAB

Saturday, December 9, 2017

High Court asks AG to explain why gov’t can’t pay bills Taking cognisance of petitions by firms, societies and individuals flooding the courts for release of dues, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Advocate-General to explain whether Punjab was facing a “deep financial crunch”.

Justice Rajan Gupta’s Bench also set six-week deadline for AdvocateGeneral Atul Nanda to come out with his response on the issue after holding a meeting with the Finance Department officers.

The development took place on a petition filed by “The Shajrana Coop L&C Society Ltd” against Punjab and other respondents.

As the petition on release of payment for work done under government came up for resumed hearing, Nanda was present in the court.

Justice Gupta asserted that the High Court in the recent past had been flooded

with cases where firms, societies and individuals sought directions for release of dues for discharge of liabilities admitted on completion of contractual work.

Several such petitions were disposed of with a direction to the authorities concerned to consider the claim before passing a speaking order and release payment if found due.

In certain cases, the payment was, indeed, found to be due. Yet, it was not released.

Justice Gupta added: “As a result, a number of contempt petitions have emanated and listed before this Bench today. Hundreds of such cases have been disposed of in the recent months.”

During the course of hearing, Justice Gupta put a query to Nanda whether the state was confronted with a grave fiscal crisis.

AAP MLA surrenders over molestation allegations Aam Aadmi Party leader and local MLA Amarjit Singh Sandoa, who is facing a case of molestation, surrendered before Chief Judicial Magistrate Pooja Andotra and furnished bail bond.

He furnished personal bond of Rs 25,000 and a surety of the same amount.

The police had presented charge sheet against Sandoa in the court on November 21, following which the court had summoned the MLA on December 12. Sandoa had sought anticipatory bail, but his plea was rejected.

He was told that if he surrendered before the court in seven days, he might be given bail.

CBI court denies bail to ex-minister Phillaur, son In a multi-crore drug racket case, the CBI court today denied the anticipatory bail to seven accused here.

The court denied the anticipatory bail to Punjab former minister Swaran Phillaur, his son Damanvir Singh Phillaur, former chief parliamentary secretary Avinash Chander, Sachin Sardana

and his wife Rashmi Sardana, Sushil Sardana and his wife Kailash Sardana.

Special Public Prosecutor Jagjit Singh Sarao said, “With denial of anticipatory bails, all seven accused, who are still at large, will now have to surrender on or before December 12, the next date of hearing.”

The accused can also move the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s special double bench, constituted by the apex court to deal with bail applications in drug cases, said sources.

The Enforcement Directorate had registered a case against 12 persons on March 25, 2013, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in this connection.

Earlier on July 12, the ED had submitted its final chargesheet against 12 accused, including former Phillaur, his son and the former CPS, besides eight companies under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The prosecution has sought imprisonment of up to 10 years for all 12 accused.

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Rs 7,000-cr plan to douse stubble fires Facingflakforpollutingairbecauseofstubbleburning, the state government has prepared a detailed action plan to check the menace.

Seeking Rs 7,091 crore from the Union Government, the state plans to incentivise farmers to the tune of Rs 5,220 crore, besides buying straw management equipment and setting up farm machinery banks for another Rs 1,109 crore. The plan is to buy self propelled combine harvester, paddy straw choppers, shredder, munchers and happy seeders to retain residue on soil surface as mulch; buy sub soilers, choppers, reversible plough and rotavators for incorporating residue in the soil; and buying rakes and balers for industrial use of stubble.

All equipment is to be bought over a period of three years, and entrusted with cooperatives or farm machinery banks, which will rent these out to farmers.

With its coffers running dry, the only monetary contribution that the state government will make for the implementation

of this plan is towards creating awareness and publicising stubble management, creating a mobile app for renting/sharing agriculture machinery and reporting incidents of crop residue burning, if any.

Other than buying machinery for “on-field” management of stubble and incentivising farmers (at the rate of Rs 100 per quintal), the state is seeking money for demonstration and training farmers in stubble management techniques, crop diversification and giving monetary incentives to panchayats to promote new technology.

The action plan will be presented by Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh and Financial Commissioner (Development) Vishwajit Khanna to the Union Government.

On an average, Punjab generates 20 million tonnes of paddy straw after each kharif marketing season. “While 1 million tonnes is used by seven biomass-based power plants, 3 million tonnes is used as animal fodder.

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INDIA

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Supreme Court appoints two-judge panel to probe 1984 riot cases A Supreme Court-appointed two-judge supervisory panel, which scrutinised 241 cases relating to 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi closed by a Special Investigation Team formed by the NDA government for re-investigation, submitted its report to the court on Wednesday. The report of the supervisory committee comprising Justice JM Panchal and Justice KSP Radhakrishnan, which started its work on September 5, was submitted before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in a bag, instead of a sealed cover envelope that has been a

routine practice. The court had assigned the task of examining the said 241 cases closed

by SIT to the panel which is supposed to have made recommendations as to whether the cases were rightly closed or not. It had asked the panel to give its report in three months.

Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand and petitioner’s counsel Amarjit Singh Bedi said they didn’t know what was there in the report and they needed access to the bulky report. The Bench said the parties could have access to the report on December 11, the next date of hearing.

HC seeks JD(U) MP’s response on Yadav faction plea for symbol The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the response of Janata Dal (United) leader Ramachandra Prasad Singh on a plea by K Rajasekaran, the newly-appointed President of Sharad Yadav faction of the party, against the poll panel’s order on the allotment of the ‘Arrow’ symbol. Justice Indermeet Kaur issued notice in the matter to the Election Commission (EC) and Singh, JD(U) MP in Rajya Sabha, on Rajasekaran’s plea which also challenges the Election Commission’s finding that the faction led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was the real JD(U).

The EC counsel said since it has passed a reasoned order on November 25 supporting its decision, it would not be filing a reply in the matter, which the court listed for hearing on February 19. The lawyers for Singh argued that Rajasekaran was not a

party in the case when it was before the EC. They also said that the Yadav faction had on November 23 withdrawn their earlier plea on the same issue. To this, senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Nizam Pasha, appearing for Rajasekaran, said the earlier plea was withdrawn as the poll panel had not given reasons for its decision in its earlier order of November 17. Kumar and Yadav had parted ways after the former had decided to join hands with the BJP in July, triggering a battle for the control of the party.

The Sharad Yadav faction had earlier moved the high court against the EC’s November 17 order, which had ruled in favour of Kumar’s faction with regard to which group was the real JD(U), but the poll panel had not given reasons for arriving at the decision. The poll panel gave a reasoned order on November 25.

Cab sharing a ‘good idea’: Kejriwal Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister termed cab sharing a “good idea” and invited suggestions on how to allow it, keeping in mind the safety of women.

His support for cab sharing, which, at present, is being provided by app-based cab aggregators has come amid the Delhi government firming up the City Taxi Scheme 2017.

“I agree that ride sharing is a good idea. This is being discussed within the govt.

Our concern is women safety.Sharing a ride wid strangers may not be safe for women,” Kejriwal tweeted.

He also invited suggestions on how to allow ride sharing and simultaneously ensure women safety.

However, the opinion on whether to allow cab sharing or ban it is divided in the absence of any enabling law supporting either.

According to sources, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot is against banning

cab ride sharing and a final decision over it is expected to be taken on Thursday.

“The file related to the proposed City Taxi Scheme is pending with the minister’s office for his approval. Once the minister takes a decision, the draft will be sent to the Lt Governor and thereafter, it will be made public for general suggestion,” an official said on the condition of anonymity.

Cab aggregators operate with contract carriage permits that allow point-to-point transportation with no stopovers between the origin and the final destination of a ride.

In contrast, the stage carriage permit, given for public service transport, allows pick and drop at different stops on a route.

The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, does not allow shared rides by cabs that operate under contract carriage permits. It can be done only after an amending the Act.

Fake 2,000-rupee note was out within 53 days of demonetisation!

It didn’t take long for fake notes of 2,000 (8), Rajasthan (6) and Andhra Pradesh, rupees to start circulating after Prime Arunachal Pradesh and Haryana (3 each).

Minister Narendra Modi announced Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala accounted demonetisation in November 2016, with for two fake notes each. One such note was one of its stated aims being to kill counterfeit seized in Manipur as well as in Odisha. The currency, official data show.

Rs 2,000 notes were part of the 281,839 fake According to the National Crime Records notes of various denominations recovered Bureau’s (NCRB) from different latest report released locations across on November 30, a India.

When total of 2,272 fake Modi announced notes of Rs 2,000 the note ban, he denomination were said it was being seized in 2016. Since done to end black the Rs 2,000 note — money, counter along with the new terror financing Rs 500 currency — and do away was introduced only with counterfeit A total of 2,272 fake notes of Rs 2,000 after November 8, currency. Among denomination were seized in 2016.

2016, it means that other fakes, those counterfeiting the notes got into the 82,494 notes of Rs 1,000 and 132,227 of Rs act very quickly. In just 53 days between 500 denomination were also seized last year November 8 and December 31 last year, along with 59,713 notes of Rs 100 and 2,137 police and other government agencies seized notes of Rs 50, said the annual publication 2,272 fake Rs 2,000 notes — at a time when of NCRB released by Union Home Minister people across the country were struggling to Rajnath Singh. In a number of raids across get hold of the new currency. The maximum the country, police forces, the Income Tax number of these Rs 2,000 fake notes were department and other government agencies seized in Gujarat (1,300), followed by also recovered 184 fake notes of Rs 20, at least Punjab (548), Karnataka (254), Telangana 615 notes and coins of Rs 10 and 2,001 notes (114), Maharashtra (27), Madhya Pradesh of Rs 5.

INDIA

Saturday, December 9, 2017

PM Modi attacks Congress over Ram Mandir

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lambasted the Congress for linking Ayodhya temple issue with elections and congratulated the Sunni Wakf Board for taking a nationalistic stand on the issue.

Addressing election rallies at Dhandhuka, near Ahmedabad, and the tribal-dominated Dahod and Netrang towns today, Modi expressed his strong displeasure over Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi calling him and his government “friend of rich industrialists”.

Referring to Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal’s plea in the Supreme Court to

India emerging as major driving force in global energy trends: IEA official India is emerging as a “major driving force” in global energy trends, with all modern fuels and technologies playing a part, a senior official of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said.

The World Energy Outlook Report, 2017, launched by the IEA, was relaunched here in association with Delhi-based think tank The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Highlighting the key findings, Tim Gould, Head of Division, World Energy Outlook, IEA, said, “Our analysis in the World Energy Outlook confirms that India is emerging as a major driving force in global energy trends, with all modern fuels and technologies playing a part.”

The IEA attaches great importance to close ties with India and we were very pleased to welcome India into the IEA family earlier this year after it joined as an association member.

“With India, the IEA family now accounts for over 70 per cent of the world’s total energy consumption, compared to less than 40 per cent just two years ago,” Gould was quoted as saying in a statement by the TERI. “Showing remarkable growth, half a billion people have gained access to electricity in India since 2000, almost doubling the country’s electrification rate.

defer hearing on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue till the 2019 parliamentary elections as he appeared on behalf of the Sunni Wakf Board, Modi said, “I congratulate the Sunni Wakf Board. They have done a great job. They have taken a stand for the unity of the country.”

His reference was to the statement made by Haji Mehboob from the Sunni Wakf Board distancing the board from Sibal’s request to the Supreme Court to defer the case till July 2019. Mehboob said while Sibal was the lawyer for the board “he is also related to a political

25

party”. He also stated that Sibal’s statement in the apex court was wrong and that the board wanted a solution to the issue at the earliest.

Modi, however, was not ready to accept the Congress’ plea that demand for deferring the hearing on the Ayodhya temple issue was Sibal’s personal stand and that the Congress did not share that.

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Saturday, December 9, 2017

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FIJI

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Fiji’s agriculture industry receives approximately $2,172,5763.35 million in aid from India The Indian government has provided approximately $2,172,5763.35 million in aid to the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama which will assist the agriculture industry in the country. While presenting the cheque to Bainimarama today, Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Vishvas Sapkal said that the aid is for the continuous recognition of the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries. He says that India has partnered with Fiji in development and they are also ready Indian High Commissioner Vishvas Sapkal (left) presenting to provide support in the railway cheque to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama network development. utilized to purchase machines and equipment that Sapkal also congratulated the Prime Minister are needed by farmers to carry out their everyday for Fiji’s successful presidency at the COP23. work. He says this will also cut down the cost of Bainimarama says the money received will be operations.

Prime Minister to attend One Planet Summit Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama leaves for Paris this weekend to attend the One Planet Summit. This was confirmed by permanent secretary Yogesh Karan. A release from the Prime Minister’s office said that on December 12, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, the president of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, would address the ecological emergency for our planet by calling together in Paris international leaders and committed citizens from around the world.

“Two years to the day after the historic Paris Agreement, it is time for concrete action,” the release said. The three aims of the One Planet Summit are: 1. Take tangible and collective action. There are solutions, let’s roll them out globally and locally as swiftly as possible.

2. Innovate. Let’s be creative and resourceful in adapting our systems to the inevitable changes and step up our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 3. Support one another. We are all affected by climate change, but some of us are more vulnerable than others. Let’s work

Royal New Zealand Army & Air Force band to join Military Tattoo The five-member team from the Royal New Zealand Army and Air Force band will join some 400 Royal Fiji Military Forces in the much-awaited Military Tattoo. The event which starts at 3pm tomorrow at the ANZ Stadium is expected to showcase the best the RFMF band has ever offered.

Organising committee chairperson Commander (Navy) Lepani Vaniqi says the public does not want to miss out this once-in a life event.

This year the band commemorated its Centennial celebrations in August and the show tomorrow is culminating the band’s journey.

Programme Commander (Navy) Vaniqi said: “The first segment will commence from 3pm to 7:20pm where the public will be entertained by local artists like- Voqa ni Delai Dokidoki, Wai Koula Kei Tavua, Leba Boi Yawa and Laisa Vulakoro” “The second segment of the programme is the military tattoo and the chief guest will be the Commander in Chief, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Fiji.”

The final rehearsal where children from orphanages have been invited.

FICAC appeals against former Education Minister’s acquittal AN appeal against the judgment of Chief Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili in acquitting former Education Minister Mahendra Reddy has been lodged at the High Court in Suva by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). Mr Reddy who was charged with one count of bribery and one count of undue influence was found not guilty by the

Suva Magistrates Court and was acquitted last week by Mr Ratuvili.

FICAC confirmed in a statement today that it had appealed on eight grounds. It now awaits the notice from the high court for the matter to be heard.

Former school teacher sentenced to 14yrs jail for raping student 35-year-old former school teacher has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment after he was convicted of four counts of rape and nine counts of sexual assault.

The non-parole period is 13 years. Judge Justice Salesi Temo stated that the rape of children is a serious matter. He adds that there was a serious breach of trust.

Justice Temo said that the former teacher

hadreyed on the victims and he should not complain when his liberty is taken away from him.

The former teacher had committed these offences on nine students between 1st January 2010 to 31st October 2013 while serving as a teacher in a school in Nasinu.

Fire at Lautoka Hospital Several services had been temporarily currently carrying out investigations to determine suspended as a fire broke out to the parts of the cause of the fire,” the statement. The Ministry Lautoka Hospital, the Ministry of Health and of Health and Medical Services is taking steps to Medical Services announce, and advise that “The ensure that essential services are maintained but General Outpatient Department (GOPD), Special is asking for the public to understand that there will be some disruptions.

Outpatient Department (SOPD) Members of the public are and X-ray department at the requested to avoid visiting hospital have been temporarily Lautoka Hospital for nonsuspended,” the Ministry of emergency cases and to use Health and Medical Services said other local health clinics in a press statement. “No patients wherever possible. Lautoka or staff were injured and no Hospital staff will give treatment was adversely affected priority to emergency cases by the fire.”

Fire at Lautoka Hospital and, as a result, patients The fire is believed to have whose condition is assessed started in the hospital’s old operating theatre. Lautoka Hospital staff, with the as being less urgent may experience delays. support of staff from the National Fire Authority, Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Police, military and local residents worked Services Philip Davies yesterday thanked Lautoka promptly and effectively to move all patients to Hospital management and staff for their work in safety. The press release said the fire was contained ensuring the safety of patients and also expressed after two hours and following the completion appreciation for the support provided by other of safety checks, patients have moved back into agencies and the local community. the hospital. “The National Fire Authority is

157 patients evacuated safely Two Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) personnel gave an account of Tuesday morning’s fire when they helped evacuate some 157 Lautoka Hospital patients to safety. Private Lorima Tabaka said that he could still smell that faint odour from patients as he carried them to the parking lot after a fire broke out in the

operating theatre. He was part of the RFMF team, Police, Fiji Corrections Service and the public who assisted hospital staff members evacuate. Private Tabaka said that they were at their Waiyavi base. They received a call from the hospital operator about the fire and they rushed to the scene within minutes.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Pakistan must do more to finish terror bases: US Defence Secretary James Mattis US Defence secretary James Mattis asked Pakistan to do more to eliminate safe havens on its soil that terrorists use as bases to carry out terror attacks during his official visit to Islamabad on Monday. James Mattis discussed with Pakistan’s US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis called on civilian and military leadership General Bajwa (right) in Islamabad last week. the situation in Afghanistan and followed a warning from Pompeo who persuaded them to support the new US said that secretary Mattis was travelling to strategy that the Trump administration Pakistan to make clear President Trump’s announced for Afghanistan in August. intent, and “will deliver the message that New strategy aims at defeating the Taliban we would love you to do that. And that the before forcing them to reconcile with the safe haven inside of Pakistan has worked Afghan government, and seeks Pakistan’s to the detriment of our capacity to do what support for this endgame. The visit we needed to do in Afghanistan”.

China stuns Pakistan by stopping funding of CPEC road projects over graft issue China has decided to temporarily stop funding at least three major road projects in Pakistan, being built as part of the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, following reports of corruption, a decision that has left officials in Islamabad “stunned”, a media report said on Tuesday.

The decision by the Chinese government is likely hit over Rs 1 trillion-worth road projects of the Pakistan’s National Highway Authority (NHA), and initially, may delay at least three such ventures, Dawn newspaper reported.

According to a senior government official, the funds would be released after Beijing issues ‘new guidelines’.

The nearly $60 billion CPEC, a flagship project of China’s prestigious One Belt One Road, passes through Pakistan -occupied Kashmir (PoK). It links China’s restive

Xinjiang region with Pakistan’s Balochistan province. The road projects that are likely to be affected include 210-km-long Dera Ismail Khan-Zhob Road, being built at an estimated cost of Rs 81 billion. Of this, Rs 66 billion would be spent on construction of road while Rs 15 billion on land acquisition.

The other project which is going to be hit is 110-km-long Khuzdar-Basima Road, having an estimated cost of Rs 19.76 billion.

The third project is Rs 8.5 billion worth, the remaining 136-km of Karakarom Highway (KKH) from Raikot to Thakot. Originally, all the three projects were part of the Pakistan government’s own development programme, but in December 2016, the NHA spokesperson had announced that they would be included under the CPEC umbrella so as to become eligible for concessionary finance from China.

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Musharraf open to a political alliance with Hafiz Saeed Former President and military ruler General Pervez Musharraf said he was open to forming a political alliance with Hafiz Saeed’s JuD and the LeT for general elections to be held in summer 2018, calling them NGOs working for the welfare of the country.

Musharraf ’s remarks came days after he declared himself the “biggest supporter” of the outlawed Lashkare-Taiba (LeT). “So far, there has be no talks with them but if they want to be part of the alliance, I would welcome them,” Musharraf, currently living in self-exile in Dubai, told Aaj News Musharraf while responding to a question about forming an alliance with Jammat-ud-Dawah chief Saeed.

74-yearold former military ruler had announced the formation of a grand political alliance after a consultative meeting between representatives of around two dozen political parties.

However, several parties dissociated

themselves from Musharraf ’s Awami Ittehad alliance. “No one has made as many sacrifices in Kashmir as the LeT, yet the international community called its activities terrorism, but ignored the political situation in Kashmir,” he said. “No matter what other people say, what is happening in Kashmir should not be termed as terrorism. At least we should not call it that.

These organisations are NGOs working for the welfare of Pakistan.

These are not in favour of Taliban and al-Qaida, why are we branding them as ‘terror groups’?”

India wants to blacklist them as they are dong Hafiz Saeed good work in Kashmir, he said. Hafiz Saeed last week unveiled his political ambitions by formally announcing that his JuD will contest the general elections iin 2018 under the banner of the Milli Muslim League, which is yet to be registered with the Election Commission.

Activist supporting Pak-India friendship ‘abducted’ Peace and civil society activist Raza Khan has been abducted by unknown persons from his residence in Lahore, his brother revealed on Tuesday. Khan, an active member of Lahore’s civil society and an activist of Aaghaz-e-Dosti, an organisation that promotes friendly relations between the people of India and Pakistan, went missing since Sunday. His brother Hamid Nasir Mehmood told reporters that he has filed an application in a local police station and appealed to the law enforcers to “take note” of his brother’s disappearance.

“My brother’s phone was switched off on December 2, after which I visited his home

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but he was not in his room,” Mehmood wrote in his application. “My brother has been abducted by an unidentified man, for unknown reasons,” he said. As soon as news of Khan’s disappearance surfaced, many activists and human rights groups got active on social media demanding his safe release.

People who know Raza reportedly said that he was last seen in a heated public debate about extremism and the recent Faizabad sit-in by religious protesters. His abduction was revealed a day after the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances told the Supreme Court that 1,498 cases of missing persons were still pending with it.

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NRI

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Trump’s Jerusalem decision is “historic”: Haley US President Donald Trump has taken a “courageous” and “historic” step by recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, America’s Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has said.

Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital yesterday, reversing decades of US and international policy on the holy city, in a major announcement which many Arab leaders warned could trigger an upheaval in the already volatile Middle East.

Indian-American Haley said that for 22 years, there had been an overwhelming bipartisan consensus in favour of moving the

US embassy in Israel to its rightful place in the Israeli capital city of Jerusalem.

“On Thursday, the President took a courageous and historic step that was long overdue.

Across the globe, America has its embassy in the capital city of the host country. Israel will now be no different. It is the just and right thing to do,” she said yesterday. Noting that the Trump Administration was committed to seeing Israelis and Palestinians come together at peace, Haley said but at the same time it will do what it does in every other country and put the embassy in the capital.

New law to protect NRI property With the increase in number of NRI properties being sold by forgery, the state government is contemplating a new legislation during the forthcoming assembly session, commencing December 13, to stop illegal sale of NRI land.

Speaking to reporters, town and country planning minister Vijai Sardesai said he has spoken to chief minister Manohar Parrikar about the new law. The economic offence cell of Goa police has registered many cases in which NRI properties have been sold by forging documents. This is one of the reasons why many NRIs sell their properties in the state, for the fear of being cheated, a senior government official said. Sardesai said that properties of NRIs have been taken over in their absence and sold to third parties through

fake documents.

“The state government will introduce a legislation at the next assembly session through which NRIs and expatriate properties are being protected,” Sardesai said.

Sardesai said that sometimes the NRI’s power of attorney executes a sale deed without the knowledge of the owner of the land.

“Through this legislation, we will try to make it compulsory that the NRI should be present at the sub-registrar’s office to execute the sale deed instead of the sale deed being executed by the power of attorney holder,” Sardesai said Why only now? was this new to the politicians? did they ever think of Goans abroad? They only think during voting. Have they done anything for NRIs so far?

New York financier fatally mauled by tiger shark while scuba diving off Costa Rica An American tourist was fatally mauled by a tiger shark while scuba diving on an island off the coast of Costa Rica, local authorities said Friday. The woman, identified by her friends as 49-year-old Rohina Bhandari, a director at a New York City private equity firm, died after an early morning attack Thursday on Cocos Island National Park, more than 340 miles off the Costa Rican coast. Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment and Energy identified her in a news release only by her last name. Bhandari was ascending to the surface at the Manuelita dive site when her 26-yearold diving guide noticed the shark, which he described as a female tiger shark. The guide, identified only by his last name Jiménez, tried to scare the shark off, but it was too late. The shark mauled Bhandari, leaving severe bites on both of her legs, the ministry said in the news release. A boater at the surface helped repel the shark as it attacked Bhandari’s

diving instructor. The guide sustained a shark bite on one of his legs, but survived. A team of doctors on site treated Jiménez and confirmed the death of Bhandari, the ministry said.

Bhandari, a senior director at the Manhattan firm WL Ross & Co. LLC, was part of a group of 18 tourists visiting the island on a trip led by Undersea Hunter Group, a tourism company that organizes tours to Cocos Island National Park, according to Costa Rican newspaper La Nación.

Alan Steenstrup, the company’s sales manager, told the newspaper they are “in shock” about what happened and are communicating with Bhandari’s family and authorities.According to officials at the Cocos Marine Conservation Area, the attack was an isolated one. In 2012, researchers visiting the island tagged five tiger sharks – two males and three females. The females were the longest, measuring at more than 13 feet.

107 NRI medical admissions in MP illegal Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday informed high court that it has terminated 107 MBBS students, who had taken admission under NRI quota in violation of norms. This is a virtual admission that a shocking 94% of all NRI quota admissions were not above board.

The director of medical education (DME) told the court that 114 students were given admission in NRI quota in 2017-18, and as many as 107 were found to be illegal and orders have been issued to cancel all of them. The next hearing is on December 11.

It is mandatory for NRI students to submit details of their passport in NEET forms. Out of the 114 students selected, only one had given his passport details, says social activist

Vinayak Parihar, a whistleblower on the ‘NRI’ admission irregularities. Parihar had written to the vice-chancellor of Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University (MPMSU) , DME and DGP seeking an inquiry into the matter.

It’s alleged that many of them have never seen a foreign shore but were classified as NRI. On November 10, an HC division bench comprising Justice Ravi Shankar Jha and Justice Nandita Dubey asked the director of medical education to seize records related to MBBS admissions made in NRI quota and the mop-up round in response to a petition that alleged “sale” of MBBS seats under NRI quota to ineligible candidates.

31

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FRUITICANA

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Battling it out ovr queen

Sushant Singh, Kriti Sanon to make a big annoucement about their relationship?

For film industry that popularised the phrase, naam mein kya rakha hai, Bollywood has seen a fair share of quarrels over film names recently. The

S

ushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rumoured affair has been a hot topic of discussion in gossip columns for over a year now. Even though the Raabta co-stars have vehemently denied that they are anything more than â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;good friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, their actions seem to suggest otherwise.

If a report in Deccan Chronicle is anything to go by, Kriti is done being hushhush about their relationship, and wants to shout from the rooftops that they are in love. A big announcement about their relationship status in the near future is quite likely.

Their first film together, Raabta , fizzled out at the box office faster than you could say its name, but the same cannot be said about Sushant and Kritiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship, which is going strong. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The complement each other really well and look good together too. Close friends are convincing them to make the relationship official, as it will reduce the

insecurity in it for both of them, and will also get others to stay away from them.

But Sushant is yet to agree to an idea like this,â&#x20AC;? a source revealed.

On the work front, Sushant has been busy shooting for Kedarnath, which marks Sara Ali Khanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut in Bollywood. Apart from this, he will be seen in Tarun Mansukhaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Drive opposite Jacqueline Fernandez. Sushant also has Chanda Mama Door Ke and Sone Chidaiya in the pipeline.

newest entrants on this list are Vishal Bhardwaj and Ketan Mehta, who find themselves at loggerheads over the name Rani. Bhardwaj has his heart

pinned on the title for his upcoming Deepika Padukone and Irrfan Khan-starrer. However, with the ownership rights of the name resting with Mehta, Bhardwaj finds himself in a tight spot. A source says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vishal has been asking Ketan for the title since the past six months.

But, Ketan is not budging. This is precisely why Vishal is taking so long to announce the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name.â&#x20AC;? Bhardwaj confirmed the developments to mid-day. Buzz is, Mehta had purchased the titles, Rani and 1hansi Ki Rani, for his Rani Lakshmibai biopic with Kangana Ranaut.

However, even though Ranaut parted ways with him over creative differences, Mehta still intends to make the film. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is why Ketan doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to give up the title. In fact, he had initially hoped torope in Deepika for the role,but since she was busy filmingPadmavati, things didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mate-rialise.â&#x20AC;? Marking the return of thecelebrated jodi after their suc-cessful act in Piku , Bhardwajâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film is apparently afictional account.

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Bollywood

Saturday, December 9, 2017

HOROSCOPE Aries

Libra

March 21 - April 20

Sept. 24 - Oct 22

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made any decisions recently, it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprising if you had second thoughts now. With interactive Mercury presently retrograde and linking with sobering Saturn, other factors could come into play that encourage you to think again. This might not be a bad thing if it allows you to explore new options, because these might work out better over the long term. On another note, your focus

well as making key changes in your life.

Taurus April 21 - May 20 Issues associated with shared

your attention over this week. However, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rush to make any big decisions or sign anything important. With interactive Mercury presently in its retrograde phase, it might be wise to hold back for now, because things could change over coming weeks. On another note, relationships come into focus as energetic Mars enters Scorpio, starting

Negotiations can be fruitful if entered carefully.

Gemini

- Warm, tender feelings are enlivened this week, encouraging you to reach out to friends or family members you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen or heard from in a while. A very lively focus brings opportunities to convene with neighbors or support charities or other organizations in your neighborhood. Even though lively Mercury hints that you could encounter a few delays, an optimistic

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 22 Finances get a boost this week, but not before you might have to scramble to tackle one or two problems. Delays to money coming in or going out might be a cause of frustration, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t resolve.

As Mars hikes into your sign on Saturday, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be motivated to get moving on key ideas, which could include earning extra cash. More than this, though, you could feel energized and eager to move ahead with a personal project that moves you deeply.

Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22

May 20 - June 21 Someone may have made a promise, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible they might have to break it. If so, try not to take it personally, because it can be linked with interactive Mercuryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retrograde phase. The best way to handle this might be

Energizing Mars moves into your wellness sector on December 9, which can encourage you to work out or walk and enjoy doing so.

Cancer

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friends and associates are likely to be in touch.

Enjoy the company of a special partner or love interest, as the opportunities for romance are yours for the taking. Since chatty Mercury continues retrograde, try not have too many &

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you can. With dynamic Mars entering a more

your dreams are more vivid and perhaps worth noting.

Dec 23 - Jan 20

With lively Mercury aligning with prudent Saturn, the coming days could be a little trying, especially with Mercury presently retrograde. If you have any deals or contracts in the pipeline, it might be just as well to hold

out. When it comes to leisure time, dynamic Mars enters Scorpio on December 9, and this could inspire you to organize fun events and get involved in holiday and creative projects.

The focus on your spiritual sector could encourage you to take a short break to relax and recharge. If you can spare an hour or two to enjoy a massage or beauty treatment, you could

#

a pampering session and a chance to nurture yourself with a little tender, loving care. Stirring Mars heads into your social sector on Saturday, enhancing your involvement in all kinds of fun

!

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June 24 - August 23

with a delightful blend of energies showing up, it will be worthwhile to make the most of any available opportunities. As inquisitive Mercury continues retrograde, a romantic bond could seem promising but might not be smooth sailing for a while yet. But there is lots of fun to be had at home. As feisty Mars enters this zone on Saturday, you might feel ready to remove clutter and get your place shipshape.

Virgo August 24 - Sept 24 This weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blend of energies encourages you to get your house in order, both literally

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carefully. Entertaining could be a lot of fun, despite one or two obstacles to contend with.

Once energizing Mars enters your sector of communication on December 9, you may be ready to focus on a project that brings a lot of satisfaction. In addition, learning and study can

One of the most versatile actresses she would love to do a mature love of Bollywood, Vidya Balan has not been seen in a full-fledged role opposite any of the three Khans all through her film career. However, the star has admitted that a future collaboration might be on the cards if the right kind of film comes along. she considers Shah Rukh Khan as her favourite among them.

On picking Shah Rukh Khan as her favourite Bollywood Khan, Vidya was asked about what kind of project could bring them together on-screen. According to reports, the actress said that the characters need to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;perfectly suitedâ&#x20AC;? for them to come together. Taking the film â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ijaazatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as a reference, she said

story which features the two in a relationship. She also said it would be fantastic if â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ijaazatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; can be made in a contemporary setting.

On the work front, the actress was last seen in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tumhari Suluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, for which she garnered a lot of appreciation from all quarters for her performance.

Capricorn

June 22 - July 23

Leo

Vidya Balan would like to work with SRK

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19 Friends are in touch and want to have fun. Romantic opportunities continue

% commitments. The more willing you are to network and interact, the more options youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to take life to new and exciting levels. When Mars zips into your sector of career and goals on Saturday, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be

( even become a tad competitive about

Pisces Feb 20 - March 20 Travel and educational pursuits could hold a lot of appeal, particularly as you may be itching to expand your horizons. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good time to let your curiosity lead you on to new and exciting

contend with, too, causing you to hold back.

This is likely due to inquisitive Mercuryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retrograde phase. The words of a wise friend might be helpful here, inspiring you to have a go anyway.

Hema Malini wishes happiness, good health on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dharamjiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 82nd birthday One of the most celebrated actors of Bollywood â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dharam Paajiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; turned 82 on December 8. To commemorate the special day, his birthday wife and veteran star Hema Malini prayed for legendary actor Dharmendraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happiness and good health. I like spending time with my grandchildren: Hema Malini The 69-year-old also took a trip down memory lane and shared some vintage pictures of them on social media. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On Dharamjiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday, I pray for his happiness & good health.

God bless him always. Nostalgia time! One of our early fotos together,â&#x20AC;? she wrote alongside a black and white photo of the two. After various controversies, Dharmendra and Hema Malini got married in 1979. The couple has two daughters, Esha and Ahana Deol. They have worked

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Raja Janiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Seeta Aur Geetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sharafatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Naya Zamanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Patthar Aur Payalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tum Haseen Main Jawaanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jugnuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Charasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Maaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Chacha Bhatijaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Azaadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sholayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Bollywood Personalitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Birthdays

DHARMENDRA DECEMBER 8

RATI AGNIHOTRI DECEMBER 10

DILIP KUMAR DECEMBER 11

SANJAY GUPTA DECEMBER 7

Bollywood

Saturday, December 9, 2017

%R[ RIÀ FH XSGDWH Tumhari Sulu Tumhari Sulu continues to remain rocksteady, collects Rs 33.79 crore Vidya Balan’s slice-of-life film Tumhari Sulu continues its magical run at the box office. Despite entering into its third week, the film has refused to slow down at the ticket windows. In fact, the Wednesday collections of the film are higher than Monday and Tuesday. Tumhari Sulu raked in Rs 49 lakhs

yesterday and now stands with the grand total of Rs 33.79 crore. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the collections on his twitter account, “#TumhariSulu [Week 3] Fri 52 lakhs, Sat 1.30 cr, Sun 1.40 cr, Mon 40 lakhs, Tue 41 lakhs, Wed 49 lakhs… Wed biz is higher than Mon and Tue… Almost at par with Fri biz… Total: ₹ 33.79 cr. India biz.

HIT.” Due to the poor performance of Firangi and Tera Intezaar, Tumhari Sulu remained the first choice for the moviegoers. Looking at the current scenario, the film is expected to go past the Rs 35 crore mark by the end of its fourth weekend at the box office. The performances of Vidya Balan and Manav Kaul was lauded by the moviegoers. In fact, Manav had revealed that he had to go through an audition to bag this meaty role.

The actor said, “Firstly, I loved the story. The script was really interesting. And I wanted to be a part of it, but then I went through an audition.” (Also Read: Tiger Zinda Hai’s Swag Se Swagat, Tumhari Sulu’s Ban Ja Rani; check out the best songs of 2017 ) Tumhari Sulu has not only won hearts at the box office but also accolades at the awards ceremony. The slice-of-life won three Star Screen awards which include, Best actress to Vidya Balan, best-supporting actress to Neha Dhupia and best debut director to Suresh Triveni. Tumhari Sulu will face a screen crunch in the coming week as Fukrey Returns and Monsoon Shootout are hitting the screens.

Dec

08

SALLU KI SHADI *ing: Zeenat Aman, Kiran Kumar, Asrani

Dec

08

GST Sirf Tumhari *ing: Poonam Pandey, Navi Bhangu

New Released Bollywood Films Dec

08

Brij Mohan Amar Rahe *ing: Arjun Mathur, Nidhi SinghKishan

Dec

08

GAME OVER *ing: Umesh Bajpai, Arham Abbasi

Dec

08

Fukrey Returns *ing: Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma

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Saturday, December 9, 2017

Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor passes away at 79

S

hashi Kapoor died on December 4, 2017 at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai due to kidney and liver failure.

The embodiment of romance and charm who wooed the top leading ladies of the ‘70s and ‘80s on the silver screen and captivated millions of fans.

The actor-producer took his last breath at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai.

According to Randhir Kapoor “Yes, he has passed away. He had a kidney problem and was on dialysis for several years,” his nephew Randhir Kapoor, the son of the late Raj Kapoor (Shashi’s brother), told media.

Randhir Kapoor said the funeral would be held on December 5.

“Shashi Kapoor expired at 5.20pm on December 4 at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai,” Dr Ram Narain from the hospital told media.

Bollywood reacts to the sudden demise of veteran actor Shashi Kapoor President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of the popular actor.

Sorry to hear of the demise of Shashi Kapoor, well-known actor, with a repertoire of Indian and international films.

“Sorry to hear of the demise of Shashi Kapoor, well-known actor, with a repertoire of Indian and international films. His support for meaningful cinema as a producer and

pivotal role in the theatre movement in India too are cherished. Condolences to his family,” said Kovind in a message on Twitter.

Prime Minister Modi said he was saddened by the news and recalled Kapoor’s contribution to cinema and theatre.

“Shashi Kapoor’s versatility could be seen

in his movies as well as in theatre, which he promoted with great passion. His brilliant acting will be remembered for generations to come. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and admirers,” Modi tweeted.

Union minister of information and broadcasting Smriti Irani said Kapoor’s death was “the end of an era”.

Saddened by the demise of legendary actor Shashi Kapoor ji. His contribution to Indian Cinema is monumental. Shashi.

A legend has passed away. Shashi Kapoor will remain in our hearts forever.

My condolences to his loved ones and all..

Continued on page 7

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Saturday, December 9, 2017

Dia Mirza appointed UNEP Goodwill Ambassador Dia Mirza has been appointed UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India. Dia, who is also the brand ambassador for the Wildlife Trust of India, will take up the role to add more weight to her work on raising awareness and seeking solutions for environmental issues that the world, and India in particular, faces, read a statement on Thursday.

“I feel honoured and inspired by this opportunity to work with UN Environment to protect the environment and promote sustainable development. “Environmental issues will be the defining challenge of this era, and I am committed to helping the UN as a Goodwill Ambassador to do everything I can to provide a better future,” said Dia. She added:

“Together, we will continue working towards conservation of nature, tackling climate change and inspiring people to live more sustainably.” As a Goodwill Ambassador, Dia will work with the UN to further spread the message on priority areas, including clean air, clean seas, wildlife protection and climate change.

“I am delighted to have Dia join UN Environment as a Goodwill A m b a s s a d o r.

India faces many challenges, in particular the air pollution that is choking many of its cities.

“Dia’s influence can help to turn the situation around and create a healthy future for Indians and their environment,” said Erik Solheim, UN Environment head.

Salman Khan celebrates mother’s birthday ahead of shooting for Bigg Boss 11 We are very close to the weekend and ardent fans of Bigg Boss 11 know that Salman Khan will return with yet another Weekend Ka Vaar. The superstar will shoot for the weekend episodes in Lonavala, where the Bigg Boss house is situated.

I n c i d e n t a l l y, Salman’s mother, Sushila Charak, is celebrating her birthday today.

Since Salman will be busy all day shooting for the show all day, the family decided to have a dinner right now and bring in her birthday. Yep! The entire Khan family has come together for a low key party, which is happening right now. Salman didn’t want to miss his mom’s special day, which is why

this plan was put together so that all the family members are together to celebrate. Talking about this dinner, it’s a very private affair with only family members being a part of it. The three brothers – Salman, Sohail and Arbaaz are obviously there, and so is their father Salim Khan. Salim and Sushila’s d au g ht e r, Arpita Khan, her husband A y u s h Sharma and their son, Ahil too have joined the celebrations. Salman’s other sister, Alvira Agnihotri and her husband Atul Agnihotri too are a part of this dinner. We don’t know if Arbaaz’s ex-wife Malaika Arora has joined the celebrations or not.

Anushka spotted without Virat at the airport ?

Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli are ready to take their relationship to the next level. Well, we aren’t saying that, but the gossip mills have been churning out rumours about Virat and Anushka’s wedding that is going to take place on December 12. And pictures of Anushka leaving the city with a lot of luggage are just adding more stock to

the tale.

Yep! We have got our hands at some airport pictures in which we see Anushka leaving the city.

Although Virat can’t be seen with her, but there is Anushka’s brother, who is accompanying her. So are the rumours indeed true then? Are Anushka and Virat really getting married?

Bollywood

5

6

Sports

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Ballon dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo beats Lionel Messi to win fifth award every year,â&#x20AC;? he said, after receiving the award on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thanks to my Real Madrid teammates. And I want to thank the rest of the people who helped me reach this level.â&#x20AC;?

The 2016-17 campaign was a stellar season for the former Manchester United player.

After helping Portugal win Euro 2016, he scored 42 goals for Real in all competitions as they won their 33rd La Liga title and 12th European Cup. He scored twice in a 4-1 Champions League final win over Juventus and netted 25 times in 29 league games as Los Blancos finished three points ahead of Barcelona. t

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo beat Barcelonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lionel Messi to win the Ballon dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or award for the fifth time - and the second year in a row.

Victory took the 32-year-old Portugal international level with 30-year-old Argentine Messi, who won the most recent of his five awards in 2015.

Messiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ex-Barcelona team-mate Neymar, now at Paris St-Germain, was third.

Last season, Ronaldo helped Real Madrid win the Champions League and their first La Liga title since 2012.

Ronaldo added the 2017 Ballon dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or to those he won in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016, and Messi is the only other recipient of the award since 2009. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is something I look forward to Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured) and Lionel Messi have both won the award five times

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Battling it out over queen Bhardwaj keen to name his Deepika-Irrfan ďŹ lm Rani, Ketan refuses to part with title UPALA KBR hitlist@mid-day.com

and Irrfan Khan-starrer. However, with the ownership rights of the name resting with FOR an industry that popu- Mehta, Bhardwaj finds himself larised the phrase, naam mein in a tight spot.

A source says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vishal has kya rakha hai, Bollywood has seen a fair share of quarrels been asking Ketan for the title over film names recently. The since the past six months. But, newest entrants on this list are Ketan is not budging. This is Vishal Bhardwaj and Ketan precisely why Vishal is taking Mehta, who find themselves at so long to announce the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loggerheads over the name name.â&#x20AC;? Bhardwaj confirmed Rani. Bhardwaj has his heart the developments to mid-day. pinned on the title for his up- Buzz is, Mehta had purchased coming Deepika Padukone the titles, Rani and Jhansi Ki

fact, he had initially hoped to rope in Deepika for the role, but since she was busy filming Padmavati, things didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t materialise.â&#x20AC;?

Marking the return of the Ketan Mehta, Vishal Bhardwaj celebrated jodi after their sucRani, for his Rani Lakshmibai cessful act in Piku (2015), biopic with Kangana Ranaut. Bhardwajâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film is apparently a However, even though Ranaut fictional account. The venture, parted ways with him over currently referred to as Sapna creative differences, Mehta Didi, is not a biopic, as had still intends to make the film. been previously reported. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is why Ketan doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t There were suggestions that want to give up the title. In the film is an adaptation of j li t t d th H

Film pushed?

Shooting for Vishal Bhardwajâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Deepika Padukone and Irrfan Khanstarrer, directed by Honey Trehan, has been apparently deferred amidst concerns surrounding Padmavatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s release. mid-day has learnt that the cast and crew has been asked to reschedule the dates that they had allotted for the January 2018 shooting leg.

Sources say Padukone is â&#x20AC;&#x153;emotionally affectedâ&#x20AC;? by the political climate that has led to her receiving death threats. Bhardwajâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

7

Saturday, December 9, 2017

From page 5

S

hashi Kapoor was on March 18, 1938 in Calcutta to the illustrious and formidable theatre and film actor Prithviraj Kapoor, Shashi hit the spotlight at the age of four, acting in plays directed and produced by his father.

He made his debut as a leading man in the 1961 film “Dharmputra” and went on to appear in more than 116 films during the ‘70s and until the mid ‘80s. The veteran actor wellknown for his roles in films like Benazir, Mohabbat Isko Kehte Hain, Dil Ne Pukara, Haseena Maan Jayegi, Kanyadaan, Pyar Ka Mausam, Raja Saab, Sharmilee, Patanga, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Chor Machaye Shor, Deewaar , Salaakhen, Prem Kahani Chori Mera Kaam Bhoalnath , Kabhi Kabhie, Lakshman , Shankar Dada Fakira , Deewaangee, Shekhar Naach Uthe Sansaar, Doosra Aadmi, 78 Trishul, Suhaag, Kaala Patthar, Kalyug, Krodhi Kranti, Silsila, ‘Deewaar’ (1975), ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ (1978), ‘Junoon’ (1978), ‘Shaan’ (1980), and ‘Namak Halaal’ (1982).

With his impressive talent and inimitable mannerism actor Shashi Kapoor charmed a generation of Indians. Shashi

Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor passes away at 79 Kapoor’s fatehr Prithvi Raj Kapoor was born in Samundari, (District Lyallpur, Punjab, British India), now in Pakistan. Shashi Kapoor was born as Balbir Raj Kapoor March, 18 1938 An actor par excellence of Indian cimema, and actor and producer, a screen idol. He appeared in a large number of Hindi films as well as in various Englishlanguage films, notably the films produced by Merchant-Ivory. He was also a film director and assistant director in the Hindi film industry.

Shashi Kapoor was a member of the Kapoor family, a film dynasty in India’s Bollywood cinema. Kapoor was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) during the British Raj. He was the third and youngest son of Prithviraj Kapoor, the younger brother of Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, the widower of Jennifer Kendal (sister of actress Felicity Kendal), and the father of Karan Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor, and Sanjana Kapoor.

In 2011, Shashi Kapoor was honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India for his contributions to Art-Cinema. In 2015, he was awarded the 2014 Dadasaheb Phalke Award, making him the third member of his family to

Shashi Kapoor with his daughter Sanjana Kapoor (right) in 2015 receive the highest award in Indian Cinema after Prithviraj Kapoor and Raj Kapoor.[5] He was admitted for a reported chest infectionat Kokilaben Hospital, Mumbai on 3 December 2017and died on 4 December 2017 due to prolonged kidney problem and liver cirrhosis.

His best performances as solo lead hero in Hindi films were in Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare , Jab Jab Phool Khile, Haseena Maan Jayegi , Pyar

Ka Mausam, Raja Saab (1969), Jaanwar Aur Insaan, Mr.Romeo, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Chori Mera Kaam, Phaansi, Junoon, Kalyug , Pighalta Aasman, New Delhi Times and among the English films he did, were ShakespeareWallah, A Matter of Innocence (1967), Heat and Dust (1983), In Custody (1994), Jinnah (1998).

Among the multi star films his memorable films were Pyar Kiye Jaa, Prem Kahani, Deewar, Mukti, Trishna, Basera, Heeralal Pannalal, Bezubaan, Alag Alag.

8

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Indo-Pak stars to share stage Several actors from India and Pakistan will be attending an awards event in Bollywood Parks, Dubai, on December 13. The starry line-up includes Boman Irani, Govinda, Ankita Lokhande, Arjun Rampal, Daisy Shah. From across the border will be Mahira Khan, Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar and singer Bilal Saeed. Considering the political climate, the Masala Awards will be a rare occasion where celebrities from the two countries will come under one roof.

Let’s get catty

Tiger will roar on schedule After recent releases like Firangi and Tera Intezaar were affected due to the Censor Board’s diktat that films need to be submitted 68 days before the film’s release date, rumours suggest that Tiger Zinda Hai too will be hit. But director Ali Abbas Zafar says that his Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif-starrer will hit screens on December 22, as planned. “We have submitted the film [for certification] a long time ago. We should get it soon. The only work that’s pending is the addition of a few finishing touches to the final edit. The fine-tuning of the product goes on till the last day,” he informs. So Sallu fans need not worry, Tiger will keep its date.

Rana takes the short cut It’s been a while since we saw Ashutosh Rana in action. The actor is back on the scene with Sameer Chand’s Test Drive.

The short film encapsulates the life of a struggling actor. Best remembered for Dushman (1998), Rana has showcased the emotions with finesse. He has simply put his own struggle in Bollywood into the character.

Shamita Shetty dotes on her three pet cats — Mishka, Munna and Queenie. Her social media handle is filled with pictures of them. Being a feline lover, the actor has now helmed an initiative to protect strays. She has collaborated with an NGO and also started a Facebook page dedicated to the cause of providing care for stray and abandoned cats.

New Year’s jig under fire What a guy!

Patralekhaa, who will be seen in Faraz Haider’s Nanu Ki Jaanu opposite Abhay Deol, says it was a fun ride working with the actor. Abhay is known to be a recluse and prefers being low-profile. But she discovered a different side to him — a far cry from the image he has.

She also found him to be a thorough gentleman.

We are seeing Abhay in new light.

Yesterday, a proKannada organisation took out a march in Bengaluru to protest against Sunny Leone’s scheduled visit for a New Year’s Eve show, saying it would be an assault on the garden city’s culture. The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike also staged a demonstration and burnt pictures of the actor, demanding the cancellation of the programme at a five-star hotel.

Cause talk Sonakshi Sinha now considers herself a crusader for women’s issues. She is part of the US Consulate’s programme to highlight the United Nation’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign, which ends on Human Rights Day (December 10). The actor will talk abou women’s safety and empowerment at the event, which will als showcase films on women’s issues

TELLY TATTLE

Hina jealous of Mona There is no stopping Hina Khan. The Bigg Boss contestant has had another foot-in-the-mouth moment yet again. Yesterday, a clipping from the Salman Khan-hosted reality show went viral. It had the telly actor saying that she can’t stand Mona Singh as she is considered one of the leading faces of the tube. The Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata actor further says that when she met the Jassi star, she told her that she had been jealous of her since the past eight years, ever since a TV producer told her Mona is a bigger name than Hina.

9

Saturday, December 9, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT AND PROMOTIONAL FEATUR

PICS/DATTA KUMBHAR, YOGEN SHAH

TRESS TALK

Malaika Arora keeps her weekly appointment with the salon. Those lustrous tresses don’t come easy

YEH KYA HUA? Is Anurag Kashyap crying on Aanand L Rai’s shoulder over the politicisation of movies?

Bhumi Pednekar

JUST IN

p ling her makeu ai h ty et h S a ilp Is Sh -up before the man for a touch go click happy? photographers

Farhan

DADDY DEAREST

Shahid Kapoor joins daughter Misha on a play date. Do we hear a collective ‘aww’?

Taapsee Pannu

B-Town stars shine at fashion house launch THE treasure house of fashion, Neeru’s launched its flagship store in Santacruz, Mumbai. Hosted by owner Avnish Kumar, the launch party saw the who’s who of Tinsel town in attendance.

Karisma Kapoor looked ravishing in a grey ensemble while new mommy Soha Ali Khan looked resplendent as ever. Neil Nitin Mukesh, Dino Morea, Gauahar Khan, Amrita Arora, Aftab Shivdasani, Sophie Choudry, Priya Banerjee, Neeta and Nishka Lulla added to the glamour quotient of the evening.

Others at the do included investment bankers Gaurav Deepak, Abha Aggarwal, Amit Dhingra, Swati Kulkarni and brand owners like Rakesh Biyani, Hitesh Ruparelia and Vijay Sampath.

Priya Banerjee

Soha Ali Khan

Dino Morea

Kumar (director, Neeru’s) says, “We are delighted to open our first store in Mumbai. Our collection rejoices the finest craftsmanship and grandeur of luxurious fabrics, with the perfect blend of traditional Indian finery with contemporary styles.”

Since its launch in 1971, Neeru’s has set a new benchmark for ethnic fashion in India. Built on the foundation of superior quality, the brand is popular for its exquisite designs, rich colours and elegant silhouettes. It boasts of over 40 stores in more than 20 cities in India, including their first international store in Dubai. The couture brand recently signed on actorfashionista Sonam Kapoor as its ambassador.

Gauahar Khan

Ashish Makani

Soph Choud Avnish Kumar and Rakesh Biyani

Amrita Arora and Aftab Shivdasani

Neeta Lulla

Neil Nitin Mukesh

Karisma Kapoor

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New mortgage rules will block 50,000 people from buying: mortgage group New rules aimed at cracking down on the mortgage market will result in 100,000 people failing a stress test of their finances, and about half of them will be blocked from buying a home.

That’s one of the major takeaways of a new report published Tuesday from Mortgage Professionals Canada, an industry group that represents 11,500 mortgage brokers, lenders and insurers.

Average Canadian home worth $506,000 in October, up 5% in past year Mortgage carrying costs to increase 8% in 2018, Scotiabank warns The federal government has moved seven times since 2008 to tighten rules surrounding the real

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estate market, and practically every time, the market has shrugged off tighter rules around areas like maximum debt loads and amortization periods. But new rules implemented in October could be different.

Starting January, uninsured borrowers from federally regulated lenders must have their finances “stress tested” to ensure they would be able to pay off their mortgages if rates were higher than they are today.

To do that, the lender must run a test assuming rates were two percentage points higher than they are right now, and see if borrowers would be able to pay off the loan.

By the group’s estimates based on the market today, “18 per cent of mortgage borrowers who are stress tested, would fail the stress test.”

Since there’s roughly 700,000 homes sold every year in Canada, and most of them involve some sort of mortgage. That means up to 100,000 buyers would fail the new stress test and be forbidden from buying the home they want at the price they want.

Big 5 banks follow suit as Bank of Canada raises interest rate Continued on page 13

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14

Real Estate

Saturday, December 9, 2017

New mortgage rules will block 50,000 people from buying: mortgage group “Perhaps 50,000 to 60,000 per year will be able to make a different purchase, albeit one that is less attractive to them,” the group said.

But “perhaps 40,000 to 50,000 per year will be entirely removed from homeownership.”

The group says it doesn’t object to the idea of a stress test in general, just that the current parameters are too rigid.

Essentially, the mortgage group says running the numbers with rates that are two percentage points higher than they are today isn’t realistic or helpful..

For starters, the majority of new buyers get a fiveyear fixed rate mortgage, which means if they lock in now. they would be immune from rate hikes until 2022.

Currently, the average mortgage rate in Canada is 2.96 per cent, the report found.

Even assuming rates are higher when they have to renew, the current stress test rules ignore two things: On average, borrowers will have paid off 15 per cent of their principal, five years into their first mortgage, even if they do nothing more than make their monthly payments with no prepayments. Having more equity in their homes makes them better able to handle debt, even at a higher rate. The stress

test rules also ignore that people generally tend to see their incomes increase over time too. “Based on trends over the past five years, mortgage borrowers will typically have seen their incomes rise by 10 per cent” by the time they renew, the group says.

Interest rates are going up: Here’s how that

will affect you A better level for the stress test, the group says, would be testing borrowers’ finances at an interest rate that’s three-quarters of a percentage point higher, not two. “Using the posted mortgage interest rate today in mortgage stress tests is excessively stringent, and will unnecessarily impair the housing market and therefore the broader economy,” the report found. “And it will unnecessarily [and therefore unfairly] prevent large numbers of Canadians from achieving their reasonable housing goals.”

Real Estate

Saturday, December 9, 2017

15

Vancouver, where an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;affordableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 3-bedroom unit rents for $3,333, if you ask the city

T

he City of Vancouver has embarked on a 10-year mission to create more affordable homes for its taxpayers to live in. However, city hall may find it tough to argue that a new development, planned for the Olympic Village area, will do anything to reach that goal. The development, a 10-storey residential building with 104 market rental housing units, is being planned for 1715 Cook Street. The proposal is contained in a rezoning application filed by Chris Dikeakos Architects on behalf of Cressey Wilkinson Holdings Ltd. City staff have recommended that the site be rezoned, with conditions. One of those conditions is that the proponent enter a housing agreement, in which all of the units be secured

as â&#x20AC;&#x153;for-profit rental housing.â&#x20AC;? But whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affordable, according to this application? A three-bedroom must rent for no more than an average starting rate of $3,333 per month, and a two-bedroom for no more than $2,539.

These figures are â&#x20AC;&#x153;subject to adjustment.â&#x20AC;?

But youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have to make a fair bit of money in Vancouver to call them affordable.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affordable?

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) considers shelter affordable if it takes up less than 30 per cent of pre-tax household income.

At $3,333 per month, a household would need to bring in about $133,320 per year in

order for that rent to be considered â&#x20AC;&#x153;affordable.â&#x20AC;?

That income that would put you in approximately the top four per cent of earners in Metro Vancouver, according to the most recent Census.

As for the two-bedroom units, a household would need to make about $101,560 per year for them to be affordable.

This income would qualify you for approximately the top 10 per cent of earners.

Two women on Kits Point stop to admire the Vancouver skyline; one captures the scene on her smartphone, Jan. 5, 2014.

Two women on Kits Point stop to admire the Vancouver skyline; one captures the scene on her smartphone, Jan. 5, 2014.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;What the development is proposing is basically small units at very expensive rates that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to be affordable to the average renter in Vancouver,â&#x20AC;? said municipal lawyer Nathalie Baker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you look at even a two-bedroom for $2,500 a monthâ&#x20AC;Ś thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be $30,000 a year in rent.â&#x20AC;?

The city noted in a staff report that renting at this development would still cost less than buying on Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s west side.

There, the monthly cost of owning a medianpriced three-bedroom unit would be $8,092, while for a two-bedroom home, it would be $4,494.

16

Garry Grewal

Saturday, December 9, 2017

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