The Asian Star January 20 2018

www.theasianstar.com Vol 16 - Issue 51

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Tel:604-591-5423

CST will help your kids get a university education - & a brighter future Umendra Singh Our kids are our future.

And educated kids could are a very brighter future for our families and our society. Canadian Scholarship Trust (CST) plan can provide that opportunity to make that future very bright for you, your family and your children by providing you wth the very best Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). It has been doing so for 58 years since when it became the very first provider of the forerunner of RESP funds in Canada were back in 1960, Recently, the CST consultants Inc’s Vice President of Sales and Stakeholder Engagement, Peter Lewis , and Sales Director, Lisa Silanpaa, were in Surrey to meet their sales representatives, including Surrey branch Surjit S. Madhopuri, branch manager, Peter Lewis,VP of Sales, and Lisa Silkaapaa, director of sales of CST.

Continued on page 8

Body of missing Surrey teen found in car trunk in Vancouver Vancouver police have identified 18-yearold Sachdeep Singh Dhoot of Surrey as the city’s third homicide victim of 2018. Dhoot’s body was found Thursday afternoon inside the trunk of a stolen vehicle that had been dumped in the area of Fairmont Street and Vanness Avenue. Dhoot had been reported missing to the Surrey RCMP last week. He was last seen alive on Jan. 9 in Newton.

Continued on page 6

Foreign home buyer showdown: Weaver says yes, Horgan says no The leader of the B.C. Green Party announced earlier this week it’s time the province followed New Zealand’s example and restricted foreign real estate ownership. On Jan. 1, New Zealand limited the purchase of existing homes to New Zealanders, Australians and permanent residents , arguing foreign speculation was distorting the real estate market. Premier John Horgan says he rejects recent calls

by Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver to implement a New Zealandstyle law that restricts the purchase of existing homes to residents of New Zealand and Australia. The government’s February budget

Continued on page 6

Fears of gang war renewed after innocent teen killed in shootout on Vancouver street rate is rising to levels not

The Vancouver shooting death of an innocent teenage boy, Alfred Wong caught in the crossfire of a drug gang shootout has revived fears of gang war in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland. “We are targeting gangs as we speak,” said Adam Palmer, Chief of the Vancouver Police Department, as he announced the death of two people, including one of the gunmen, in a wild shootout just after 9 p.m. on a busy city street last Saturday. The deaths come as Vancouver’s annual homicide

seen in the nearly ten years since the major gang war that pitted the Red Scorpions gang, in alliance with the arch-criminal Bacon brothers, against the established United Nations gang, in a fight for the drug trade. As an organized crime conflict that spilled out onto public streets and threatened the lives of innocent Canadians, that war was rivalled only Continued on page 7

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Loved ones mourn gifted Coquitlam student killed by stray bullet The teenage bystander who died after being caught in an exchange of gunfire in Vancouver on Saturday has been identified as Alfred Wong. Friends of the 15-year-old boy, who attended Pinetree Secondary School in nearby Coquitlam, expressed grief and loss outside area schools on Tuesday, while school officials rushed to comfort them. One friend, who identified himself only as Kevin, posted a goodbye on the social media site Reddit.

“My friend was a strong, smart, and loyal person. If you took a glance or had a quick conversation with him, you would instantly be able to tell he’d been disciplined well. He was very trustworthy, and would always be on time when it mattered, but he was also very soft spoken,” wrote Kevin.

“I loved him as a friend, not because of his achievements, but because of his personality himself.” Friends said Wong was part of a program for gifted students.

Pastor Caleb Choi of Coquitlam Christ Church told CBC News that the Wong family is grieving and totally exhausted. They declined comment at this time.

Wong was shot while riding in a vehicle with his parents, headed back to their suburban community, when gunfire broke out near Broadway and Ontario Street, a busy intersection south of the city’s downtown, around 9:15 p.m. PT. Two Vancouver men were also hit, including the man police believe was the intended victim, 23-year-old Kevin Whiteside, who later died.

Police say he exchanged gunfire with his assailant. Whiteside’s mother told CBC News he was struck in the head.

Whiteside was known to police — he was found guilty of assault with a weapon and breach of probation in 2016 — but family members say he was so much more than his criminal history. “Kevin was a young man with an enormous heart, he loved his family he loved his friends. He would give you his last $20 if you needed it,” his mother, Kyra Clark, said in a statement issued to CBC through a friend.

“A true kind soul to friends always there for them, he would give you his shirt off his back if you asked. He was kind and funny and always one you could count on.” She said her family is struggling and feels great sorrow for Wong’s family. “We are a good family who also can not comprehend this type of activity,” she said.

Kevin Whiteside, 23, seen here in a photo submitted by his family, is thought to have been the intended victim.

Vancouver police and school board officials are urging people to give families privacy to grieve.

At the same time investigators are appealing to witnesses for any video of the incident.

Whiteside’s death was the city’s first homicide of 2018, making Wong’s the second.

“What a tragic, terrible event this is. We can’t recall something like this happening in our city in a very long time,” Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer said on Monday.

“It’s heartbreaking.”

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OPINION

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Trudeau is asking religious Canadians to betray their conscience for federal funding Thousands of years ago, before Christians could practice their faith legally, they often faced persecution from the Roman government. If captured, however, a suspected Christian could avoid punishment by performing a simple sacrifice dedicated to the emperor.

To stay on the authority’s good side, some Christians crossed their fingers (a concealed symbol of their true allegiance to Jesus) and complied with the government’s request. They rationalized that a coerced physical action didn’t compromise their true belief.

Most early Christians disagreed with that position. They felt “truth” had “set them free.”

They would not betray the truth.

Today Christians in Canada, especially those ascribing to a more traditional faith, are being asked to cross their fingers and comply with a government decree. In this contemporary case, though, it’s a bit of money — not their lives — hanging in the balance.

Youth summer jobs It sounds innocuous enough: Trudeau’s Liberals have made

changes to the youth summer jobs program, which provides grant money to various employers to hire students. The changes, announced in December, got little media attention until now.

Under the new rules, applicants must agree — by marking a box on an electronic form — that they respect charter rights, including “women’s rights and women’s reproductive rights.” The office of the employment minister has said without the confirmation, an organization will not receive funding.

Religious organizations — churches, youth camps, aid groups and so forth — that hire students to assist them over the summer are frustrated. That’s because many, especially conservative Protestant and Catholic organizations, believe a child in the womb is as valuable as a child born, and they see abortion as immoral. To give assent to abortion, even via a check mark on a government form, betrays their values and conscience.

Employment Minister Patty Hajdu has said without the online confirmation, an

organization will not receive funding.Late last week, in an effort to suppress a burgeoning controversy, both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Employment Minister Patty Hajdu said that the changes were not meant to affect all Christian organizations, but rather, only those whose “core mandate” was one of suppression of abortion rights. The implication was thus that other religious groups should simply check the box, knowing it was not meant to target them.

This “solution,” however, shows a complete lack of awareness of what it means to be ethical. Here, the Liberals are advocating regular Canadians mimic their practice of equivocation and mutable morality, which we’ve seen in their about-face on electoral reform, as well as the prime minister’s own ethical breaches.

That Trudeau and his team are apparently so at ease encouraging conservative Christians and other religious Canadians to betray their conscience should cause many across the country great unease. Even those who are solidly pro-choice will appreciate the dangers inherent in that precedent. Churches upset by new abortion clause in jobs program Liberals ‘imposing’ values on groups seeking summer job grants, Andrew Scheer says Another aspect of the Liberals’ reasoning should give the public even greater cause for concern. When asked to justify holding back grant money from organizations they deem too dedicated to a pro-life position, the Liberals have implied that to give such groups funding would violate the charter and, thus, Canadian law. Hajdu explained: “Our ministry believes in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and these are fundamental expectations of Canadians, and we stand up for those rights — and we [will] ensure that the money that we disperse on behalf of Canadians is not used in a way that violates those hard-won rights.” But here’s the thing: there are no rights being violated here.

www.theasianstar.com # 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2 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, January 20, 2018

SIMPSON, THOMAS & ASSOCIATES

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LOCAL

Saturday, January 20, 2018

RCMP seek Surrey man wanted for impersonating police officer Langley Mounties are asking for the public’s help in locating a man charged with impersonating a police officer. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Bryce Telford, 21, of Surrey. Police said in a news release that on Dec. 2, 2017, they received a call from a woman who was a passenger in a vehicle being followed. The woman told officers that a black Chevrolet Tahoe had pulled her vehicle over in the Brookswood area using what appeared to be police emergency lights in the windshield. The Tahoe also had a police front grill, the woman said. But after pulling the vehicle over, the Tahoe pulled in front of it in an apparent attempt to block the vehicle’s

path, police said. When the woman and the driver realized the Tahoe occupants weren’t real police officers, they sped away, and the Tahoe gave chase. They pulled into a parking lot and contacted police. When they told the driver of the Tahoe, whom police believe to be Telford, that they had done so, he sped away.

The black Tahoe has since been located and seized by investigators, but Telford remains at large.

Anyone with information that could allow police to locate and arrest Telford has been asked to contact Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200.

From page 1

Foreign home buyer showdown: Weaver says yes, Horgan says no

include measures to dampen speculation and increase housing supply, but not a prohibition on foreign buyers, he said. David Parker, New Zealand’s Minister of Trade and Export Growth, introduced the bill in December. “The underlying point for us is that we think the New Zealand market for homes should be for people who live in them,” he said, Early Edition host Stephen Quinn. The ban doesn’t apply to Australians because of previous agreements and because New Zealanders are

exempt from home ownership restrictions there. Under the new rules, non-residents can buy undeveloped land for the purpose of building property, but it then has to be sold to a resident. New Zealand minister defends foreign ownership ban as B.C. Greens call for similar policy In the past few years, Parker said, money was flowing in from overseas — particularly from mainland China — and the property market in cities like Auckland was red hot. He said it’s difficult to know exactly to what extent the market was being influenced by foreign buyers or the number of homes they owned but that didn’t stop the policy from being implemented. In Vancouver, non-Canadian residents are estimated to own less than five per cent of properties. Nonresidents of Canada own less than 5% of housing in Toronto, Vancouver areas Over 20% of new condos in Vancouver and Richmond owned by non-residents Some argue, however, the number is actually much higher and masked behind shell companies, nominees and trusts, In nearly half of Vancouver’s 100 most expensive property deals, the beneficial owners are unknown, according to a 2016 report by Transparency International Canada. B.C. election 2017 Andrew Weaver Parker is adamant the foreign ownership ban is fair and dismissed accusations of racism.

“I used to oppose America, Canadian or French purchases of land and was never accused of racism but when other ethnicities were involved and I raised the same issue, I was accused of xenophobia,” Parker said.

Andrew Weaver, the leader of the B.C. Green Party, said he plans to push the issue forward.

“This is not about what passport you own, it’s about where you live,” Weaver told CBC in an earlier interview. “We don’t have to rediscover the wheel because they are already doing it in New Zealand.”

Body of missing Surrey teen found in car trunk in Vancouver From page 1

Police have not released the cause of death. “Based on the information collected so far, this does not appear to be a random murder,” Vancouver police Const. Jason Doucette said in a release.

Anyone with information about the murder can contact investigators at 604-717-2500 or phone Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.

LOCAL

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Innocent teen killed in shootout on Vancouver street From page 1 rivalled only by the Montreal biker turf wars of the late 1990s between the Hells Angels and the Rock Machine, and the more recent conflict between the Malvern Crew and Galloway Boys in Toronto.

Teen fatally shot after gunfight erupts near parent’s vehicle on Vancouver street Eerie surveillance video shows hour before B.C. gang member killed in hail of bullets outside restaurant Man shot, killed in broad daylight near busy Toronto intersection is a former gangster from Vancouver As ever, the battleground shifts just as much as the players. In Vancouver, those players include established gangs like the Independent Soldiers, as well as outlaw motorcycle gangs like the Hells Angels, and other ethnic based crime syndicates. But they also increasingly include other actors, sometimes with far greater criminal scope. There is, for example, increasingly interplay with Mexican cartels, some of which have even sent representatives to Canada to monitor their interests, including money laundering and drugs. There are also allegiances and feuds with various Alberta gangs. It is not clear how the Saturday night shootout might fit into those broader gangland dynamics, but that is a focus of investigators. The Vancouver Police Department has put more than 50 officers on the case, supported by the anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit.

Notorious Bacon brothers: Jarrod (L) and Jonathan Bacon drive away from a Surrey, B.C. court in April 2009.

One of the people killed Saturday night was a gangster, Kevin Whiteside, 23, who was known to police. He participated in the shootout at a busy intersection, Palmer said, and died after being shot. The other shooter or shooters managed to escape.

The Vancouver Sun reported Whiteside was under a lifetime firearms ban with convictions for assault with a weapon, possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, break and enter. It cited sources identifying him as a “fairly low-level” drug dealer in the notorious Downtown Eastside.

The other, “a young, innocent, 15-yearold boy from Coquitlam,” as Palmer described him, was identified as Alfred Wong, a member of a Christian church, and a student at Pinetree Secondary School, who swam and worked as a lifeguard. A friend remembered him in a web posting as a “strong, smart, and loyal person.” A third man was also injured and treated at the scene. His face was grazed by a bullet that left a hole in the headrest of the car in which he was a passenger. The driver’s side rear window also had a bullet hole through it. Ralph, as he identified himself to media, said he saw a shooter on one side of the car, and there were holes in the other, meaning he had been directly in

www.theasianstar.com

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Developers brace for NDP policy, changes on municipal councils

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fter years of record-breaking sales, developers are bracing for action from the new NDP provincial government, shifts expected in fall elections in the makeup of some municipal councils, and the need to respond to public scrutiny of development projects. “Change is in the wind,” said Ward McAllister, president of Ledingham McAllister Properties, at a downtown Vancouver luncheon hosted by the Urban Development Institute on Thursday for some 1,200 members of the local development sector.

It’s an annual event billed as an unveiling of the forecast for the year ahead. In 2017, the focus was on deflecting criticism by calling on the three levels of government to together address housing affordability.

This week, there was relief in the sector when

B.C. Premier John Horgan, on the eve of a trade trip to Asia, ruled out banning foreign buyers from B.C. real estate.

Developers are still worried, though, that the province’s February budget may contain policies that could dampen their outlook.

But, said McAllister, there is hope that “the NDP is more moderate and learned from its (Liberal) predecessors (who brought in a foreign buyers tax). … We hope and pray they don’t get silly. … We hope they are responsible.”

It’s expected there will be taxes aimed at property speculators and a registry for tracking condo pre-sale contracts and assignment of those contracts, said McAllister. But, he added, there will likely be more money for building subsidized housing units.

Time is money and Todd Yuen, who heads the industrial development arm of Beedie Development Group, called on municipalities to invest in attracting more staff, including “the best and brightest,” to more quickly and better process development applications.

An informal poll of those at the luncheon showed 54 per cent believe no one party will win a majority in the next Vancouver election.

Around 35 per cent picked the NPA to win with only eight per cent predicting a victory for Vision.

“There might be more volatility in council with members crossing back and forth as opposed to them voting following the party line,” said Jon Stovell, president of Reliance Properties, who moderated the discussion.

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LOCAL From page 1

Saturday, January 20, 2018

CST will help your kids get a university education - & a brighter future

branch manager, Surjit Singh Madhopuri, and spoke to The Asian Star to explain the importance of university education in our society and the importance of CST in our community.

“CST helps parents save funds to pay for the. post secondary education of their children,” Lewis said.

“Seventy percent of all jobs require post secondary education and not going to university means giving up on 70 percent of jobs in the job market,” he said.

University education is very expensive and that is where CST comes in to help out parents save a little each month to pay for their kids’ education. CST has paid out well over a billion dollars to beneficiaries so far - it paid out at least $151 million last year alone. “We have very happy and satisfied customers and we have many 3rd generation customers among the 250,000 families signed up with CST,”Lewis said.

And CST is not only the first start to the RESP business but it is also the best, leaving competitors way behind.

“I call them imitators because they came much later, and copied us,”Lewis said.

He said parents have to take advantage of the incentives offered by the federal government in form of putting up 20 percent of what parents save, and provincial government funding through the BC Training and Education Savings fund, which provides $1,200 in funds to each child born after 2006.

“There is no reason not to take advantage of these incentives and save money for your children to go to university,”Lewis said. He said CST has well over 500 agents throughout Canada helping out parents save money for their kids’ university

education. “You start early and start with us and we will ensure that you complete the savings program sand save money for your kids education,”Lewis said.

He said people interested in the program should contact Madhopuri and his sales team for more information. Just in case you are wondering, CST is no fly by night operation. It has been around for longer than a lot of us.

The Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation has been dedicated to bringing higher education within reach for Canadian families for over 58 years.

Founded as a non-profit foundation in 1960, it has evolved in tandem with the education savings sector and helped shape it into what it

is today—through innovation, advocacy and by sponsoring the Canadian Scholarship Trust Plans that families use to save for their children’s postsecondary education.

The Foundation’s mission is both derived from and reinforces our roots in advocacy and education savings.

The Foundation began as a group of six likeminded individuals in 1960 who shared one common vision—that all Canadian children should have the financial resources to pursue post-secondary education. Their vision was a reflection of their deepest and most cherished belief; that education and knowledge enrich the human experience. And today you and your family members can be part of that vision.

For more information, call CST branch manager Madhopuri at 604-377-4171 or customer care at 1-877-333-RESP.

Vancouver ranked North America’s #2 film city by MovieMaker magazine

soon

Vancouver is the second best city in North America for filmmakers to live and work, according to MovieMaker magazine.

The magazine, which scored each city based on film activity, film infrastructure in place, population size, ease of transportation, tax credits, and architectural and geographical distinctiveness, ranked Vancouver just behind Atlanta, Georgia.

“Vancouver’s neo-Hollywood reputation is well-earned, with its blossoming infrastructure of 2.5 million square feet of stage space on over 100 stages, the world’s largest VFX/animation cluster, 17 educational institutions with motion picture production as a discipline, and 3,000 graduates per year entering media from B.C.’s post-secondary programs, as well as abundant woodsy-green shooting locations,” MovieMaker said about Vancouver.

Hollywood North ranked ahead of the real Hollywood, Los Angeles, which finished third on the 15-city MovieMaker list followed by Chicago (fourth) and New York City (fifth).

Toronto (eighth) and Montreal (10th) also made the top 10. “It’s great to hear that Vancouver is once again being recognized as one of the top places to live and work as a movie maker,” Mayor Gregor Robertson said in a release. Robertson says the film industry, with 400 local productions per year, provides approximately 19,000 jobs per year and pays over $409 million in salaries to Vancouver residents. “With over 42,000 jobs in film and television located right here in B.C. — 80 per cent of which are in the Metro Vancouver area —we look forward to supporting the continued growth of the industry, attracting new productions and welcoming more movie makers to Vancouver,” Robertson said.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Fire crews fighting fire at sawmill in south Vancouver

Fire crews are battling a massive blaze at a sawmill in south Vancouver.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue says the fire broke out early Friday morning at Mainland Sawmills on Yukon Street.

Witnesses are posting photos on social media showing heavy smoke filling the air.

A fire spokesman heading to the scene did not have any details about what happened, but said it is a three-alarm fire.

TransLink buses wrapped in Chinese language ads cause a stir in Richmond Some TransLink buses in the Lower Mainland have been singled out because they carry Chinese language ads. Some Richmond residents are upset with TransLink for not requiring the advertisements to be in English or French. One resident, Kerry Starchuk, says she has spotted buses in Vancouver, Richmond and Ladner with ads that are mostly in Chinese. “Our demographics in

Richmond are Chinese, but what about the remainder of the people that live here?” said Starchuk. “I would like to see the ad in English first then any other language that they desire,” said Richmond resident, Michelle Mitchell.

But according to a TransLink spokesperson, there are no provincial or municipal laws in B.C. that require advertisements to be in either of Canada’s two official languages.

On that basis, they say TransLink has no authority to deny advertising in any language as long as it meets its advertising guidelines, which have no restrictions on which language is used. Starchuk has been petitioning TransLink and Richmond city council to require at least 50 per cent of bus advertisements to be in one of Canada’s official languages. “Doing this kind of stuff, it creates tension. It creates divide,” said Starchuk. “We

have to be able to share a common language with one another,” said Starchuk.

TransLink has changed its advertising policy in the past. In 2009, the company’s previous advertising policy was challenged when it refused to post a political advertisement on the sides of buses.TransLink Israel-Palestine ads cause controversy The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that part of the policy, which prohibited a d v o c a c y advertising, violated the c o m p l a i n a n t ’s right to freedom of expression.

A TransLink spokesperson says due to this legal precedent, the company expects it would encounter a similar challenge and outcome if it were to change its advertising policy to limit what languages can be placed on signs.

TransLInk says that unless the province or a municipality passes a law that directs this kind of change, it will continue to allow Chinese language ads on its buses. According to a background paper from the Library of Parliament, B.C. is the only province or territory not to have a legislative policy or regulatory framework in place to recognize official languages.

Chinese-only bus shelter ads in Richmond being phased out Meanwhile, the City of Richmond says that although it requires — by contract — advertisements on bus shelters to feature at least 50 per cent English, buses and transit stations are within TransLink’s jurisdiction. A spokesperson for the province said no provincial legislation exists that would govern language policy for TransLink.

LOCAL

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Why BC might actually get proportional representation this time On a recent winter evening, Shane Simpson, B.C.’s social development and poverty reduction minister, was working a modest crowd at an East Vancouver refugee assistance fundraiser, where he was in distinctly friendly company. Simpson is an NDP veteran who holds East Van seat of Vancouver-Hastings, one of the party’s safest. Some in the riding

hadn’t seen him since the election—a nail-biter which ended in a minority NDP government surviving by virtue of an agreement with three Green Party MLAs. When asked how the relationship with the Greens was going, he flashed an impish grin.

“It’s solid,” he said.

“Even with Site C?” he was asked, a reference to the partially completed hydro-electric megaproject started by the defeated Liberals and vehemently opposed by the Greens. “How can you be so sure?”

Simpson shot back a two-word answer.

“Proportional representation,” he said. “It’s going to happen.”

A few weeks later, the NDP announced plans to carry on with the divisive Site C build.

The Greens publicly fumed, but as Simpson p re d i c t e d , continued to prop up the government. They appear to be holding out for their grand prize: electoral reform. If a referendum on proportional representation passes next year, B.C. will set a course to become the only province in Canada without a firstpast-the-post voting system. A yes vote would accelerate the Greens’ rise in B.C. politics. And political observers and academics predict a win in the province could trigger a domino effect among others. It’s a calculated risk for the NDP. The promise of a referendum on electoral reform is key to the party’s current governing arrangement with the Greens and without it, the New Democrats will not complete their full term as government. However, enacting proportional representation, where parties are awarded at least some seats according to percentage of the popular vote, arguably sinks the NDP’s chances of ever again forming a majority government. So those within the party who support electoral reform are banking on a long-term relationship with the Greens. Premier John Horgan, who promises to hold a referendum by November, started by appointing a panel to guide public engagement

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Jagmeet Singh finally admits he is engaged to fashion designer Gurkiran Kaur Federal New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh pulled back the curtain on his closely guarded private life, letting Canadians know this week that he is engaged.

Singh, 38, proposed to girlfriend Gurkiran Kaur, 27, at a private party just blocks away from the Ontario legislature in Toronto where he served as a provincial legislator for six years.

When the news first borke five weeks ago of Singh about to be engaged he is his office brushed it off as a rumor. But now the truth is out. Singh surprised Kaur, an entrepreneur and fashion designer, with the proposal in front of several dozen friends and family members at a vegetarian restaurant where they had their first date.

Singh was elected federal NDP leader last fall and had been guarded about his personal life, but social media posts in December made headlines after it was reported he and Kaur were engaged.

The couple shot down the rumours, saying it was instead a “rokha” – a traditional Punjabi ceremony held ahead of a wedding and usually attended by close family.

Until December, Singh had declined to confirm or deny that he was in a relationship.

Along with friends and family, Singh invited several members of the media, including The Canadian Press, to witness

the surprise proposal Tuesday night.

Friends cheered as Singh and Kaur arrived. Singh pulled a ring out of his jacket pocket and got down on one knee to propose to Kaur, who accepted.

A few moments later, the couple waded into the crowd and Kaur shouted, raising one

hand in the air, “Every one, I’m engaged!”

Asked why he decided to make this news public and what he wants Canadians to know about it, Singh said he was excited about the engagement.

“I’m super excited to take this step forward – to have a life and future together with my partner,” he said.

Group opposed to Surrey light rail plan says SkyTrain option better A grassroots group of Surrey and Langley residents opposed to the plan for a light rail (LRT) system in Surrey says it has delivered a petition to the Mayors’ Council chair with 3,500 signatures from likeminded residents.

The group, called SkyTrain for Surrey, says Surrey should pursue an extension of the Expo SkyTrain along Fraser highway into Langley instead of light rail. It’s also calling for a bus rapid transit system (BRT) along King George Boulevard and 104 Avenue. Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner promises LRT under construction by 2018 “A street-level LRT is not the system that will serve Surrey best in the future. With its total costs now topping $2.6 billion, it will be the most expensive mistake in our region’s history,” the petition states. The first phase of Surrey’s planned light trail system

includes a 10.5-kilometre, 11-stop Surrey — Newton — Guildford line that will run west from 152nd Street in Guildford to the Newton terminus near 71 Avenue and 136b Street, according to the city. Among the reasons listed for its opposition to light rail, the group cites a 2012 Translink report evaluating Surrey rapid transit alternatives.

The report looked at 12 alternatives, including bus rapid transit, light rail and the SkyTrain proposal, which it favoured. Top marks were awarded to the SkyTrain plan, while the light rail plan received some of the lowest marks.

“In a cost-benefit analysis, the LRT would not save significant costs and it would also generate much lower ridership, you’d have much lower benefits in terms of travel time savings, among other things,” said group chair, Daryl Dela Cruz .

Bogus cop stole cash, credit cards from homes, says RCMP Surrey RCMP are warning the public about thieves posing as police officers to gain access to homes after cash and credit cards were stolen in two incidents in December. In both cases, RCMP were called after a man was allowed to enter a home by a resident who believed he was an officer.

When the opportunity arose, the suspect took cash and credit cards from the home and fled.

The first theft, on Dec. 2, took place at a home near 140th Street and 100A Avenue, The second theft happened on Dec. 19 at a residence near 160th Street and 89th Avenue.

The suspect in both incidents is described as a South Asian man, aged 20-40 years old, six-feet or 1.8-metres tall, clean shaven and wearing black clothing. Police are unable to say if the suspect in

the two incidents is the same person. RCMP are advising the public to check the credentials of people claiming to be police officers who are not wearing a full uniform. “It is perfectly acceptable to ask someone identifying themselves as a police officer for their credentials, like a badge and photo ID card,” said Cpl. Scotty Schumann.

“If you’re not satisfied with the information provided, you can contact the police of jurisdiction to confirm the officer’s attendance.

Dispatchers will be able to tell you if an officer is at your door.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or solvecrime.ca.

Minister Bains uses profanity as he criticizes companies’ excuses not to hire diverse leaders Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains used profanity as he criticized the lack of diversity in corporate leadership positions to a group of Windsor, Ont., law students on Wednesday.

“One of the issues I hear from people is ‘Well, we just don’t have the people. We don’t have the talent. We don’t have the women. We don’t have the diversity in our corporation. We would love to promote diversity but we just can’t find the people,’” Bains told the group of about 100 people at the University of Windsor.

“There is an enormously talented pipeline.… The problem is they aren’t part of the golf network, they’re not part of the club network, the social networks that a lot of these boards exist and operate under. So I think that’s the cultural change we were talking about before.”

The minister was also in Windsor to announce $1 million in federal government funding that will add 60 new jobs at Lakeside Plastics Ltd. in Tecumseh.

The tour also comes as the government’s Bill C-25 is in the Senate. The bill is designed to boost diversity among corporate directors and members of senior management by amending the Canada Business Corporations Act. “It’s a ‘comply or explain’ model, so corporations must have a diversity strategy.

What’s in that diversity strategy is up to the corporation ... they should also have targets,” Bains explained to reporters after the event. “If they don’t have a strategy, they need to explain to the shareholders why not.”

‘You need somebody that embraces diversity’ The university had just announced it is extending the deadline to fill a hole at the top

of its organization — it’s looking for the school’s next president. “I think they should look for the most qualified individual that represents Windsor,” Bains said about the decision. “I think you need somebody that embraces diversity, that has a vision for diversity when it comes to Windsor.”

Bains, right, talks with Alan Wildeman, president of the University of Windsor who is stepping down. On his replacement, the minister said, ‘I think you need somebody that embraces diversity, that has a vision for diversity when it comes to Windsor.’ (Dale Molnar/CBC) Last January, current president Dr. Alan Wildeman, announced his plans to step down by June 2018. The university was supposed to have found a replacement by February.

“I think when you’re talking about diversity it’s an extremely important part of the university,” said John Coleman, director of public affairs at the university. “When any type of hiring is going on, diversity plays an important part of decision-making.”

While he fills the top spot for the international parent company, FCA is one of Canada’s biggest auto manufacturers. (Marchionne is himself an alumnus from the University of Windsor.)

Candidates to replace him include Reid Bigland, president and CEO of FCA Canada.

“It is a ‘he’ unfortunately. I don’t have any female candidates that are available to succeed me,” Marchionne said during a news conference at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday.

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Trial starts of South Asian man accused of killing his son and mother-in-law in Richmond arson Opening statements began in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver on Monday in the trial of Surjit Dosanjh, a man accused of setting fire to a home and killing his mother-in-law and his teenage son.

In the early morning hours of April 13, 2015, neighbours called 911 after flames tore through a duplex house on Cornerbrook Crescent in Richmond. Sixty-six-year-old Elaine Leznoff and 13-year-old Kalvin Dosanjh-Leznoff were found inside. Crews tried to resuscitate them, but both died.

Dosanjh was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. On Monday he appeared in court, dressed in red sweats and wearing black eyeglasses and a black turban.

He stood up in court and entered a plea of not guilty to both counts.

In her opening arguments, Crown attorney Andrea Spence said the house that went up in flames was once the family home where Dosanjh lived with his three children, his wife Liane and his mother-in-law. She said that testimony will show that the month before the fire, his wife ended the relationship and asked him to move out of the house.

Spence said the Crown intends to prove that Dosanjh reacted in a hostile way, showing signs of jealousy and anger by repeatedly calling his wife and threatening to harm her or any new boyfriends. She said evidence will be presented that more than a week before the fire, Dosanjh threw a 7 Up bottle full of gasoline through the window of Elaine Leznoff ’s vehicle. The night before the fire, Dosanjh’s wife went to police and took their then-two-year-old son to a safe house. A courtroom sketch of Surjit Dosanjh from 2015. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of his 13-year-old son and his mother-in-law On the night in question, the Crown argues that Dosanjh went to the home to pick up clothing and photographs with his then-15year-old son Gavin. Both were seen leaving the home, according to the crown, but Dosanjh was seen re-entering, and the fire broke out shortly after. On Monday, a neighbour who lived in the same duplex, Victor Vedernikov, testified that he often interacted with Dosanjh.

Speaking through a Russian interpreter, he said he noticed a change in dynamics after Dosanjh’s mother-in-law moved in, adding that

Canada has almost 20 per cent fewer doctors per capita than OECD average The number of doctors in Canada (per person) lags far behind other developed countries, and if current trends continue, Canada likely won’t close the gap in the coming years, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Physicians play a crucial role in Canada’s health-care system, but compared to other developed countries, Canada has a low ratio of physicians to people,” said Steven Globerman, international business professor at Western

Washington University, Fraser Institute senior fellow and co-author of The Supply of Physicians in Canada: Projections and Assessment.

The study finds that in 2015, Canada had just 2.7 doctors per 1,000 people. That’s almost 20 per cent lower than the 3.4 per 1,000 person average for the other developed countries in the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), a group of developed high-income countries like Canada.

Vegas marriage could cost Chinese businessman $17 million They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But not — apparently — when it comes to B.C. Supreme Court cases. A judge has ruled against a Chinese businessman who failed to mention in court documents that he was actually married to a woman he went on to sue for more than $17 million. Wang vs Wang: B.C.’s wild real estate market in a nutshell Judge breaks up with couple in high conflict divorce Lu Hu Rao has now been ordered to hold off from taking any further steps to force his sort-of spouse and business partner Peipei Li to appear before a Chinese arbitration commission he was hoping might give him back his money. First came love, then came Vegas Justice Gordon Funt’s ruling is the latest twist in a saga that has been unravelling ever since Rao and Li tied the knot in April 2016. Rao is in his 50s, described by Li as an “experienced, successful and sophisticated businessman, owning several companies and investing in hundreds more — thereby acquiring a great deal of wealth — in the People’s Republic of China.”

Li, also known as Zoe, is in her early 30s and works as an office administrator. Wedding rings Peipei Li and Lu Hua Rao tied the knot in April 2016.

The relationship started to unravel when Li found about Rao’s other wife. “Ms Li says she fell in love with Mr. Rao and that they discussed having children. She says that Mr. Rao told her he was divorced,” Funt’s ruling said.

“On April 8, 2016, Ms. Li says that Mr. Rao came to Vancouver and asked her to marry him as soon as possible. Ms Li says she agreed. They went to Las Vegas to get married.”

But just seven months later Funt says their relationship became one of “animosity” as new

facts about Rao’s domestic situation came to light. “Ms. Li says she had become suspicious as to whether Mr. Rao was, in fact, divorced,” Funt wrote. “She says that she then learned from a lawyer in China that Mr. Rao was not divorced.”

Li filed for divorce in family court last January. That might have been the end of it, but for a business arrangement the two hatched during happier days. The pair started a corporation together to invest in real estate.

They struck a deal whereby Rao agreed to contribute $20 million and Li agreed to invest $1,000, but the two would be considered equal shareholders. Rao put $17.6 million into the company before the relationship soured. About $7 million was used to purchase a home on Vancouver’s west side.

In his initial notice of civil claim against Li, Rao asked to get all his money back. He referred to her as a friend of a friend who “encouraged” him to invest in commercial real estate.

But, as Funt points out, he didn’t mention their Sin City marriage. Lu Hu Rao never denied the Vegas nuptials. But he described the relationship as “brief and intermittent.”

“Mr. Rao says that Ms. Li ‘talked about getting married in Vegas,’” Funt writes. “He swears: ‘I specifically told her that I was already married in China. However, she told me that a Las Vegas marriage had hardly any effect.’” Li wants to keep 100 per cent of whatever a court decides is family property in B.C. Rao went on to withdraw his original civil claim, hoping to try the case before the Beijing-based China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission instead. Funt’s ruling concerns Li’s request that Rao be forced to withdraw from the overseas process. In his ruling, Funt wouldn’t go that far.

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Overdose deaths reached record high in Vancouver last year The city of Vancouver lost nearly one person a day to an illicit drug overdoses in 2017. The city says there were estimated 335 overdose deaths last year, compared with 234 the year before — a 43 per cent jump. Vancouver fire chief Darrell Reid, who presented the figures to Vancouver city council on Wednesday, said first responders answered 6,234 overdose calls in 2017, compared to 4,709 in 2016. Toxicology reports on the most recent deaths are not yet complete and final overdose death numbers need to be confirmed by the B.C. Coroners Service. The coroners service says there were 300 illicit drug overdose deaths in Vancouver between January and October, 2017. The opioid crisis claimed a total of 1,208 lives in B.C. during the same period with the synthetic opioid fentanyl being involved in 999 of those deaths. “Last year saw an unprecedented overdose death toll in Vancouver,” Mayor Gregor Robertson said. “The magnitude of tragic deaths

due to the opioid crisis is horrific and is putting an unbearable strain on our emergency responders, front-line workers and community volunteers, who are working around the clock to save lives.”

Robertson noted positive trends did emerge in the second half of 2017 with a significant drop in the number of deaths from earlier in the year.

“The city of Vancouver has been pouring in resources and has established itself as a national leader with its municipal overdose response, and we appreciate that the new B.C. government has taken significant steps to address this crisis. While the number of deaths is far too high, we are seeing some positive trends emerge with a significant drop in the second half of the year compared to the first,” he said. “We will continue to tackle the opioid epidemic head-on, and hope that all three levels of government can turn the tide and end these preventable deaths.”

Half of British Columbians anxious about housing, poverty: poll issues, the majority are aged 18 to 34, The number of British Columbians and residents of Metro Vancouver. who think poverty and affordable When it comes to the NDP government, housing is the main issue in the province the poll shows more than a third think the is on the rise, according to a new poll. provincial government has done a “very The Insights West surveyed 829 B.C. adults good” or “good” job handling education (41 from Jan. 15 to Jan.17 for its annual B.C. per cent), government accountability (39 government report card, released Friday. per cent), the Of those economy and respondents, jobs (38 per 50 per cent say cent) and the housing, poverty environment and homelessness (36 per cent.) are the most H o w e v e r, important issues only 28 per in the province. cent think the Just five years government ago that number is tackling was only 16 crime even per cent for the fewer — 24 per A homeless camp in lower mainland. same question, cent — think and has steadily they are doing enough to address climbed over the years up to half of residents. housing, poverty and homelessness.

This Insights West graph shows how A slim majority are pleased with the decision the number of British Columbians who to ban the grizzly bear hunt and end political cite homelessness, poverty, and housing donations from corporations and unions. as the main issues in the province has Nearly half of residents (46 per cent) think steadily increased over five years. [PNG the government did a “very good” or “good” job Merlin Archive] Insights West / PNG in approving the proposed Site C dam in Peace Twelve per cent of respondents River. Support for this particular decision cited healthcare as their top concern, is more popular among people who voted while the same number identified the for the BC Liberals in last year’s provincial economy as the most pressing issue. election than those who voted for the BC NDP. Other main issues included the Thelowestrankeddecisionsfortheprovincial environment (six per cent,) crime (four gvernment are related to managing BC per cent) and education (four per cent.)

Ferries, managing TransLink and dealing with Of those who say housing, poverty the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline. and homelessness are the main

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

ticrawford@postmedia.com BC

Government homelessness housing Poverty

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Man facing criminal charges after two Vancouver police officers injured A man has been arrested after two Vancouver police officers were injured during a violent confrontation early Monday in downtown Vancouver.

One of the officers remains in hospital.

Police say shortly before 2 a.m., two officers were parked on Granville Street near Helmcken Street when they were confronted by a man in an agitated state. Police allege the man caused multiple injuries to the officers. One officer sustained a compound leg fracture and the other sprained several fingers. Police say Paul Eddison, a 44-year-old from Penticton, was arrested and is facing charges of aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm, assaulting a police

officer and uttering threats.

The officer with the broken leg required emergency surgery and is recovering in hospital. The second injured officer was treated at hospital and released.

“Our frontline patrol officers deal with challenging situations on a daily basis. They are required to continually get in harm’s way to protect the citizens they serve,” VPD spokesman Sgt. Jason Robillard said in a statement Wednesday.

Lender forecloses on two rental properties owned by Vancouver’s Sahota family A lender has foreclosed on two rental properties owned by a Vancouver family renowned as problem landlords, putting more pressure on a group of aging siblings who are already facing hundreds of charges from the city over the decrepit state of their buildings.

The buildings are owned by companies controlled by members of the Sahota family.

The foreclosures also indicate potential financial strain in the Sahota family’s property empire, which was built over the past four decades by family members – including Parkash Sahota and her brothers, Pal and Gurdyal Sahota – and includes apartments as well as single-room occupancy hotels in the city’s Downtown Eastside.

Pal Sahota did not immediately return a request for comment.

Tenants at the rental buildings – two, threestorey apartment complexes on the city’s east side, one at 2178 Triumph St. and the other at 525 East 5th Ave. – received notices last week that mortgages on the buildings were in default and that their rents should be paid to management companies for the lenders.

“The mortgage is in default and a foreclosure proceeding has been commenced,” the notice to tenants for the East 5th Ave. property says, adding that rents are being collected by an agent “effective immediately.”

Peoples Trust Company is the lender for both buildings, documents state.

According to property records, the Triumph Street building is owned by a numbered company that lists its directors as Gurdyal Sahota and Pal Sahota.

The three-storey apartment building at East 5th is owned by Prang Holdings, which lists its director as Gurdyal Sahota, and was bought by the family in 1997 for $1.77-million. The building, which has more than a dozen units, was recently assessed at $9.65-million.

The family bought the block-long complex on East 5th in 1976. At the time, with the apartments bordering a gritty industrial area to the east of False Creek, the property cost $810,000.

Now, it neighbours the gleaming new campus of the Emily Carr University of Art and Design and was recently assessed at

Judge was wrong to throw out guilty findings against BC couple accused of terror crimes: Crown A British Columbia judge was wrong to throw out findings of guilt against a pair of accused terrorist sympathizers who planted what they thought were pressurecooker bombs on the lawn of the provincial legislature, the Crown says. In documents filed in B.C.’s Court of Appeal, the Crown says Justice Catherine Bruce of the B.C. Supreme Court had no basis to conclude the RCMP manipulated John Nuttall and Amanda Korody into plotting to kill dozens of innocent people and first responders on Canada Day in 2013. A months-long jury trial ended in June 2015 when Nuttall and Korody were found guilty of conspiring to commit murder, possessing an explosive substance and placing an explosive in a public place, all on behalf of a terrorist group.

The convictions were put on hold until a year later, when Bruce ruled the pair had been entrapped by police, who she said used trickery, deceit and veiled threats to engineer the bomb plot The Crown is appealing the ruling and proceedings are scheduled to begin Monday.

The Crown says in arguments filed with the court that Nuttall and Korody were completely responsible for crafting and carrying out the plan and the undercover RCMP operation did not qualify as either manipulative or an abuse of process.

“Mr. Nuttall and Ms. Korody eagerly conspired to build improvised explosive devices and detonate them in a public space during a national holiday ... as an act of ‘jihad,’ to ‘strike terror’ in the hearts of Canadian ‘infidels,’ “ the document says.

“An average person, standing in their shoes, would never have done so.”

Lawyers for Nuttall and Korody say in their arguments that there is no reason to reverse the stays of proceedings.

They say in a court document that the couple feared they would be killed by the shadowy terrorist group they believed they were involved with if they didn’t follow through with the bomb plot. The document also says police provided Nuttall, who had converted to Islam alongside his wife, with improper spiritual advice that deflected his qualms about whether terrorism was compatible with his new faith. “The targets were confused recent converts to Islam, were unemployed, survived on social assistance, and were methadone-dependent, recovering heroin addicts with very few people in their lives, either friends or family,” the respondents’ argument says. The Crown’s appeal also alleges Bruce inappropriately dismissed two of four criminal charges.

In one allegation, Bruce found the charge of facilitating a terrorist activity did not apply because the defendants were already accused of being the alleged masterminds, so to be tried for both organizing and helping with the plot could result in double punishment. A British Columbia judge was wrong to throw out findings of guilt against a pair of accused terrorist sympathizers who planted what they thought were pressure-cooker bombs on the lawn of the provincial legislature, the Crown says. In documents filed in B.C.’s Court of Appeal, the Crown says Justice Catherine Bruce of the B.C. Supreme Court had no basis to conclude the RCMP manipulated John Nuttall and Amanda Korody into plotting to kill dozens of innocent people and first responders on Canada Day in 2013. A months-long jury trial ended in June 2015 when Nuttall and Korody were found guilty of conspiring to commit murder, possessing an explosive substance and placing an explosive in a public place, all on behalf of a terrorist group.

B.C. post secondary institutions add 2,900 spaces in technology programs B.C. post secondary institutions are adding 2,900 spaces in technology related programs after the provincial government announced $4.4 million in new funding.

The additional spaces are allocated for new and expanded tech programs at BCIT, SFU, UBC and Kwantlen campuses in the Lower Mainland.

In a news release, the University of British Columbia said the funding will create 624 undergraduate spaces for domestic students at its Vancouver campus for biomedical engineering, computer science and manufacturing engineering programs.

“We’re grateful for this investment, which enables UBC to educate more students from B.C. and across Canada to deepen the talent pool for data scientists, software developers, biomedical researchers, and manufacturing innovators in B.C. companies,” said a statement from UBC President Santa J. Ono. At SFU Surrey, the funding will be used to create an additional 320 undergraduate and 120 graduate spaces.

“The support provided to SFU, specifically, will create a program that will help position B.C. as a global leader in clean-tech and sustainable energy,” stated SFU President Andrew Petter.

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Prosecutor tells hearing ‘quick wins’ plan to get ethnic votes backfired for B.C. Liberals A plan to win ethnic votes in British Columbia involved a “cynical purpose” with no aim to legitimately engage minority groups, says a special prosecutor at a sentencing hearing for a former Liberal party communications director.

David Butcher told provincial court Tuesday that Brian Bonney should serve a community sentence of 12 to 23 months

after pleading guilty to breach of trust last October for his part in the partisan use of taxpayer resources to garner support of multicultural communities. Butcher said Bonney provided confidential information to seven people he supervised as they worked to woo ethnic communities ahead of the 2013 election, which was won by then-premier Christy Clark’s Liberals.

No arrests six months after death of Burnaby teen Marrisa Shen Marrisa Shen walked into Tim Hortons on Central Blvd. near McKay Ave. in Burnaby’s busy Metrotown area at 6:09 p.m. on July 18.

She was wearing typical teenage garb — black T-shirt, denim shorts, black runners, ear phones — and held the door open for a man in a reflective vest leaving the coffee shop.

The 13-year-old stayed at the Tim Hortons for an hour and a half. She was seen heading for the exit at 7:37 p.m., carefully sorting her trash into the proper receptacles before reaching for the door handle. “This video is the last known time we believe Marrisa was seen,” said Cpl. Frank Jang of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team at a news conference Thursday at RCMP headquarters in Surrey.

Police say Shen did not speak with anyone while she was at the coffee shop. She was last seen a minute after she left, at 7:38 p.m., walking westbound on Central Blvd. in the direction of Central Park. Her family called Burnaby Mounties just after 11:30 p.m. that night when she didn’t arrive at home. At 1:10 a.m., her body was found in the southeast side of the park, a short walk away from the Tim Hortons. Police believe the attack was random.

Six months after Shen was reported missing, with no arrests made or charges laid, IHIT released a video on the website marrisashen. org where the public can access information and updates on the case, which police described as a “priority investigation” in B.C. “Marrisa was a 13-year-old teenager just about to enter high school just prior to her tragic death,” said Jang. “We are all invested in this case.” Investigators continue to conduct door-to-door canvasses around the busy commercial and residential Metrotown and Central Park area, he said. Police have identified more than 1,000 people for “further follow-up,” received over 200 tips, and collected over 1,000 hours of video footage from 60 locations. One of the videos, which has been released previously, shows Shen leaving her apartment building at 6:02 p.m. on July 18. She had on the same clothes she was wearing when she entered Tim Hortons seven minutes later.

Jang said police had the Tim Hortons video “for a while” but said he could not go into specifics about the investigation. IHIT had previously said they had identified 90 persons of interest.

BC government taking wait-and-see approach on road pricing recommendations Premier John Horgan wouldn’t speculate on whether his government would approve or reject any proposal by Metro Vancouver mayors for road-pricing tolls around the region to reduce congestion and pay for transportation upgrades.

“I’ll await their requests for action by the government before I take any speculative action,” said Horgan, hours after the Mobility Pricing Independent Commission said it was studying “congestion point charges” as a possibility for its final report.

“We’ll wait to see what they come up with, but I haven’t formed an opinion on what those outcomes would be,” he said.

The independent commission said congestion point charges is “an umbrella term that includes a system of point charges (which involves levying fees on vehicles when passing a defined point or location, such as a busy section of road, a bridge or tunnel), and cordon charges (which involves levying fees on vehicles when passing through entries and/ or exits to and from a defined area).”

Such a system could promote equal charges throughout the Lower Mainland, while also reducing congestion at key choke points.

Can road pricing in Metro Vancouver succeed where transit referendum failed?

Drivers should pay more to drive more, report tells TransLink

But Horgan, who campaigned and delivered on a promise to remove tolls from the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges, expressed some concern on the costs of such a plan.

“I want to see what they come back with

“The court should send a strong and clear message to those involved in politics that breach of trust will be treated in a serious manner,” Butcher said after outlining Bonney’s decades of political involvement.

Company owned by former B.C. government director pleads guilty to Elections Act violation

Targeted voters in 18 ridings Bonney was charged in May 2016 for what was outlined as a “quick wins” strategy in a document Butcher presented in court. He said it shows the plan went beyond simply reaching out to involve visible minorities in the political process and targeted them in about 18 swing ridings.

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Green Party leader promises NDP govt will fall if it pursues ‘LNG folly’ Green Party leader Andrew that negotiations with the Weaver took to Twitter NDP would be initiated Wednesday, promising the NDP before moving to a nonwill lose its ability to govern confidence vote. if it continues to pursue the Northern mayors development of the province’s demand support for gas liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry industry. “Lest there be any Weaver’s Twitter doubt, let me be perfectly clear: comments came at the same NDP government will fall in time a group of municipal non confidence if after all that and First Nations leaders has happened it continues were meeting in Prince Andrew J. Weaver to pursue LNG folly #bcpoli George to draft a letter #lineinthesand,” Weaver wrote demanding government on Twitter, linking to an opinion piece in the support for LNG. Dawson Creek Mayor Vancouver Sun. Dale Bumstead speaks about why he believes Premier John Horgan told the Sun writer the government must support the natural that while in Asia later this month, he will gas industry while supporters of his message confirm his openness to a proposed LNG join him on stage at the Natural Resources export terminal in Kitimat, B.C., proposed Forum in Prince George. On Thursday

by Royal Dutch Shell in partnership with morning, the four stood on the stage of the Chinese, Japanese and Korean investors. Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, Shell says it will proceed with B.C. energy and invited everyone who supports the LNG plans despite political uncertainty. industry to join them while they spoke in The Greens agreed to support the NDP favour of the industry. Stewart said it had because of their “supposed commitment” to been a “steep learning curve,” but he believes greenhouse gas reduction, Weaver said. “A LNG development will “make lives better” by push for LNG means they are not serious.” creating jobs and economic development for A spokesperson for the B.C. Green Party youth in his community. Fort St. John mayor said the party is concerned about keeping claims ‘silent majority’ in Lower Mainland the province within emissions targets, and support Trans Mountain

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Double-decker buses to hit the streets of Metro Vancouver by 2019 TransLink has been testing two doubledecker buses on longer routes since November, and is now looking to purchase 32 of them by 2019. The buses will cost around $1 million per vehicle, which TransLink admits is more expensive than a typical diesel bus, however says the cost is more comparable to a Vancouver trolley.

“This is adding twice the capacity of our typical highway coach and it adds about 83 per cent more seating,” said TransLink’s Chris Bryan. “Not only are you getting on the bus, you’re actually going to usually find a seat as well.” TransLink plans to purchase 32 of these double-decker buses by 2019 Bryan says TransLink plans to use the double-decker buses for any long haul routes into Vancouver that last more than 40 minutes, such as South Surrey, White Rock, Tsawwassen ferry terminal, and Langley. The Township of

Langley hopes to have the double-decker buses running through their routes as its population is growing by approximately 3,000 people per year. “Not only does the Township of Langley use this service, but BC Transit connects here from Abbotsford and Chilliwack,” Township of Langley Mayor Jack Froese said.

“We need the capacity and these double-decker buses fit that need.

The fleet is aging, it needs to be replaced, and this is an alternative that I think will have a lot of merit.” Froese says LRT expansion into the Township of Langley is part of the 10Year Vision transportation plan, but for now buses will drive on the Fraser Highway.

Froese also says there’s a commission looking into road pricing and how to fund extra transit needs.

Police arrest woman after stabbing at mall in Abbotsford A 71-year-old man is in hospital and a 36-year-old woman is in police custody following a stabbing on Monday afternoon at a mall in Abbotsford.

According to a release from Abbotsford police, officers responded just before 12:30 p.m. to a report of a woman uttering threats to stab people at the Sevenoaks Shopping Centre on South Fraser Way. When officers arrived, witnesses directed them to the mall’s food court, where they found the woman stabbing the man. They were able to stop the woman and arrest her.

The man was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators are hoping to speak with

anyone who has information about the attack or who may have made video recordings of the incident; contact the Abbotsford Police at 604-859-5225, or to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or report online at solvecrime.ca.

NDP breaking rate freeze promise The NDP made an explicit promise to freeze hydro rates, announced it was happening before getting approval from the BCUC and now John Horgan is pouring cold water on the whole idea.

“People want straight answers and they expect the BC NDP will actually keep the promises they make,” says BC Hydro critic Tracy Redies. “Instead, the premier has thrown another promise out the window, something we’ve seen time and time again from the NDP. The BCUC is currently examining the freeze asked for by the NDP but the premier is now saying ‘don’t bother’. This is a government that doesn’t seem to know what it wants to do.”

Horgan seems to be drifting towards a plan started under the BC Liberals to help lowincome consumers - the BCUC Customer Emergency Fund Pilot Program - appearing to continue the trend of borrowing BC Liberal ideas and taking credit for them.

“We know that no British Columbian should be left in the cold because of high hydro bills,” says Redies. “But by making extravagant promises to fix affordability without understanding long-term implications is the very definition of incompetence and helps no one. We’ve seen this with tolls, renters’ rebates and now we’re seeing this again with rate freezes.”

Saturday, January 20, 2018

DREAM CARPET

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White Rock plans to effectively ban legal pot dispensaries Medicinal-marijuana advocates were quick this week to criticize the City of White Rock after council made public a proposal to effectively ban cannabis dispensaries from opening shop in the city, ahead of the federal government impending legalization of the weed. The city is to host a public hearing Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. on the matter, where residents will be given an official forum to voice their stance on the planned civic legislation.

Medicinal-cannabis advocate David Hutchinson told Peace Arch News he will “absolutely” be attending the public hearing, and said there are two camps when it comes to legalization: medicinal and recreational.

“I guess my question is… when they say

dispensaries, are they talking about locations for medical access or are they looking at just adult use?” he asked. Hutchinson became a public supporter for medicinal cannabis after he saw the difference it made to his late daughter, Beth, during her struggle with brain cancer. Beth died in 2013 at the age of 20.

Four years before that, Hutchinson’s wife Kay succumbed to the same disease. Hutchinson said the city should be investigating legislation that’s “more inclusive” than an outright ban.

“They should be more educated on this. I don’t know where they get their advice. I’ve spoken to council in the past and offered my support, but they don’t want to listen. They continually just do their own thing,” he said

Four months after bridge tolls removed, drivers owe millions in unpaid bills Just over four months have passed since the provincial government made it free to cross the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges, but drivers still owe more than $40 million in unpaid tolls.

Following through on an election promise, tolls were removed from the bridges on Sept. 1 with the goal of promoting fairness for people living south of the Fraser River.

Although tolls were no longer charged after midnight that day, Transportation Investment Corp. (TI Corp.), which oversees the Port

Mann, and TransLink, which owns the Golden Ears, were left to collect about $75 million in outstanding bills.

The Port Mann Bridge has generated more than $500 million in toll revenue since it opened in 2012, with a recovery rate of 98 per cent. At the beginning of September, about $45 million was outstanding, and TI Corp. had collected about half of that by the end of December. “Since the start of tolling, the vast majority of drivers have always paid their tolls, and they continued to pay their tolls,” said Greg Johnson, spokesman for TI Corp. Since the Golden Ears Bridge opened in June 2009, TransLink has collected $308 million in tolls and its collection rate is more than 96 per cent.

When tolls were removed, about $30 million was owed to the transit authority. Over the last four months, it has collected more than $10 million of what is owed. TI Corp. has reduced its operations significantly since tolls were removed. When tolling was in place, there were two walk-in centres in Coquitlam and Surrey, and a full call centre.

Surrey Hospice Society – Announces new project to support conversations about values, beliefs and types of care wanted at end of life The BC Centre for Palliative Care is excited to be partnering with the Surrey Hospice Society to promote conversations about advance care planningto Surrey’s South Asian population. The Surrey Hospice Society has received a grant to encourage discussions on such a difficult topic. The City of Surrey in 2011 suggests 37.6% of Surrey’s immigrant population was born in India; it is a growing community with diverse needs.

Community advocate and Leader Jas Cheema will be facilitating the discussions on advance care planning with cultural adaptations to permit open and honest discussions.

Jas Cheema – Lead Facilitator for Project I am pleased to be leading this work within the community, just as we plan for everything else in life; from the birth of a child, their education, our careers to many other milestones, time has come to have conversations about our values, beliefs and the type of care we would like to receive if we are not able to speak for ourselves.

Patients can rest assured that their wishes will be honored if there comes a time that they are not able to advocate for themselves.

The first workshop to launch the conversations is set for Saturday, January 27th as part of a free community forum for all Surrey residents. The Community Forum 2018: Beginning of a Conversation will take place at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. To register or for further information contact 604584-7006 or visit www.surreyhospice.com.

Surrey Hospice Society provides dignity and compassionate support for those living with a terminal illness. With both hospice and community programs, we provide lifeaffirming care for patients and their families.

As the end of life approaches, our services are here to provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support. Our specialized counsellors offer ongoing grief and bereavement programs for children, youth and adults. Regardless of their cultural or economic background we are here to support and comfort people facing an end of life experience.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Hijab-cutting incident never happened, investigation is closed - Toronto police Toronto police say an 11-year-old girl’s report of having her hijab cut by a scissors-wielding man as she walked to school last week did not happen.

Police had been investigating the alleged incident as a hate crime and now say their investigation is concluded.

The alleged incident captured national attention after it was reported Khawlah Noman (left) a Grade 6 student with her mother Friday and drew public condemnation from Prime a short time later and once again started Minister Justin Trudeau cutting her hijab from behind. The girl and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. said that when she turned to confront Khawlah Noman, a Grade 6 student, him, the man smiled and ran away. had said she was walking to Pauline A spokesman for the Toronto Johnson Junior Public School with her District School Board said Monday younger brother when a man came up they are “very thankful” that the behind her, pulled off her jacket hood, and alleged assault did not happen. started cutting the bottom of her hijab.

She had said the man ran off but returned

Judge approves $90M settlement for flooded Manitoba First Nations A judge has approved a $90 million payout to residents of four Manitoba Indigenous communities that were flooded almost seven years ago.

The settlement resolves a classaction lawsuit filed by members of the Lake St Martin, Dauphin River, Little Saskatchewan and Pinaymootang First Nations.

In the lawsuit, the four First Nations alleged their members were forced to leave their homes in 2011 when the Manitoba government diverted water from the Assiniboine River to reduce the risk of flooding in Winnipeg.

The surge in water levels resulted in considerable damage to homes, cottages and farmland, and about 4,000 people from the four First Nations were affected. The lawsuit claimed the government was negligent in its operation of a number of water-control structures, including the Shellmouth Dam and the Portage Diversion. Fairford control structure During the floods, the Manitoba government diverted water from the Assiniboine River into Lake Manitoba. The Fairford River Water Control

Structure, pictured, controls outflows. The surge in water levels resulted in considerable damage to homes, cottages and farmland. The federal and Manitoba governments had agreed to pay the $90 million to as many as 7,000 potential recipients, but the offer still needed a judge’s approval.

Justice James Edmond told the Court of Queen’s Bench in Winnipeg on Friday afternoon that the settlement is reasonable and offers a faster resolution than proceeding to trial. “A settlement need not be perfect,” he said, adding any negotiated deal requires some form of compromise.

NATIONAL

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Inspectors found foreign workers sleeping in a Burger King basement: Alberta Health Services A Burger King franchise was issued remove all mattresses and furniture and a public health order because Alberta ensure people were no longer living or Health Services said its inspectors found sleeping there. It was also ordered to clean foreign workers were sleeping in the up a basement room flooded by a busted basement of the Lethbridge restaurant. pipe, as well as a storage room full of unused Burger King said in an emailed statement equipment Alberta Health Services said that it had spoken with the independent Wednesday afternoon that the restaurant had owner of the location.

“He has confirmed that the accusations regarding accommodations are not true,” said the company.

“However, we will continue to ensure compliance with our high operational standards.”

The Alberta Health Services order, dated Jan. 10, said the inspection found evidence of The Burger King location was open for business as usual on “s l e e p i n g / l i v i n g Wednesday in Lethbridge, Alberta after it was issued a health order accommodations for foreign workers.”

It said allowing sleeping or living done the work and the order was rescinded.

A spokesperson with Lethbridge police said accommodations in a restaurant is a health code violation. Food-handling services officers were not investigating possible charges.

Last year, the owners of an Econo Lodge in must be separated from living quarters and other areas that may be “incompatible with Red Deer, Alta., were sentenced and fined for the safe and sanitary handling of food.” exploiting foreign workers. Court heard they The restaurant had until Wednesday to housed up to four workers in the same room and charged each $400 per month in rent.

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NATIONAL

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Electric cars will cost less than gasoline, soon Battery powered cars will soon be cheaper to buy than conventional gasoline ones, offering immediate savings to drivers, new research shows. Automakers from Renault SA to Tesla Inc. have long touted the cheaper fuel and running costs of electric cars that helps to displace the higher upfront prices that drivers pay when they buy the zero-emission vehicles.

Now research from Bloomberg New Energy Finance indicates that falling battery costs will mean electric vehicles will also be cheaper to buy in the U.S. and Europe as soon as 2025.

Batteries currently account for about half the cost of EVs, and their prices will fall by about 77 percent between 2016 and 2030, the

London-based researcher said. “On an upfront basis, these things will start to get cheaper and people will start to adopt them more as price parity gets closer,” said Colin Mc Ke r r a c h e r, analyst at the London-based researcher. “After that it gets even more compelling.”

Renault, maker of the Zoe electric car, predicts total ownership costs of EVs will by the early 2020s equal conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (known in the trade as ICE), according to Gilles Normand, the French company’s senior vice president for electric vehicles. “We have two curves,” Normand said in an interview earlier this month in London.

Staggering share of Canadians fear bankruptcy if interest rates rise much more Over 30 per cent of Canadians say they’re concerned that rising interest rates could push them close to bankruptcy, according to a nationwide survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of MNP, one of the largest personal insolvency practices in the country.

The result is just one of a number of findings signalling that household budgets have become significantly tighter since the Bank of Canada (BoC) started raising interest rates in July. Even though rates have risen by only half a percentage point since the summer, several measures of financial distress in MNP’s Consumer Debt Index went up considerably in the last three months of 2017, compared to the June-to-September period.

One-third of Canadians say they’re now unable to cover their monthly bills while keeping up with their debt repayments, up eight points on the index since September.

Households that are still making ends meet have around $630 left at the end of the month, down nearly 30 per cent from over $890 in July.

And overall, almost half of Canadians (48 per cent), say they are within $200 of not being able to meet their financial obligations, up six points since September. Over 40 per cent are worried they’ll be in financial trouble if interest rates keep rising, with one in three afraid they may face bankruptcy.

“The results highlight just how financially vulnerable Canadians are. Even small interest rate increases result in escalating financial strain and anxiety,” MNP’s Grant Bazian said in a statement.

The central bank is widely expected to hike rates by another 0.25 per cent on Wednesday, Jan. 17, after a December jobs report that revealed unemployment has now fallen to the

lowest level recorded since the 1970s.

But if the prospect of climbing rates is feeding Canadians’ anxieties, it still isn’t doing much to change households’ financial behaviour, the survey suggests. Nearly half of those who took the poll said they expect to get deeper into debt this year to cover their expenses.

“While Canadians say they are heeding rate increase warnings, they are still reliant on credit to make their household budgets work.

The result may be a dangerous debt trap that will be impossible for some to ever get out of,” said Bazian. Millennials and gen-Xers are particularly vulnerable to rising debt-servicing costs, the survey suggests, with 50 per cent of respondents in both age groups saying they’ll face financial difficulty if interest rates go up much more. That’s almost 10 percentage points higher than the share of those who said across all age groups. “We have a whole generation of Canadian consumers who have never experienced anything but rock-bottom interest rates, and many of them have financed everything in their lives — from education to houses to cars, and even everyday purchases — without really putting much thought into debt servicing costs. On top of that, low returns for savers has undermined the notion that saving is a worthwhile activity so most young people don’t have a cushion to handle any kind of unexpected expenses,” said Bazian.

A separate survey released Monday also puts the spotlight on the money struggles of younger Canadian households. A Leger poll conducted on behalf of Credit Canada and the Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) found that those between the ages of 18 and 44 are especially likely to feel blue about their financial situation.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

30% of Canadians fear bankruptcy if interest rates rise much more

O

ver 30 per cent of Canadians say they’re concerned that rising interest rates could push them close to bankruptcy, according to a nationwide survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of MNP, one of the largest personal insolvency practices in the country.

The result is just one of a number of findings signalling that household budgets have become significantly tighter since the Bank of Canada (BoC) started raising interest rates in July. Even though rates have risen by only half a percentage point since the summer, several measures of financial distress in MNP’s Consumer Debt Index went up considerably in the last three months of 2017, compared to the June-to-September period.

One-third of Canadians say they’re now unable to cover their monthly bills while keeping up with their debt repayments, up eight points on the index since September.

Households that are still making ends meet have around $630 left at the end of the month, down nearly 30 per cent from over $890 in July.

And overall, almost half of Canadians (48 per cent), say they are within $200 of not being able to meet their financial obligations, up six points since September.

Over 40 per cent are worried they’ll be in financial trouble if interest rates keep rising, with one in three afraid they may face bankruptcy. “The results highlight just how financially vulnerable Canadians are.

Even small interest rate increases result in escalating financial strain and anxiety,” MNP’s Grant Bazian said in a statement.

The central bank is widely expected to hike

rates by another 0.25 per cent on Wednesday, Jan. 17, after a December jobs report that revealed unemployment has now fallen to the lowest level recorded since the 1970s.

But if the prospect of climbing rates is feeding Canadians’ anxieties, it still isn’t doing much to change households’ financial behaviour, the survey suggests. Nearly half of those who took the poll said they expect to get deeper into debt this year to cover their expenses. “While Canadians say they are heeding rate increase warnings, they are still reliant on credit to make their household budgets work. The result may be a dangerous debt trap that will be impossible for some to ever get out of,” said Bazian.

Millennials and genXers are particularly vulnerable to rising debtservicing costs, the survey suggests, with 50 per cent of respondents in both age groups saying they’ll face financial difficulty if interest rates go up much more. That’s almost 10 percentage points higher than the share of those who said across all age groups.

“We have a whole generation of Canadian consumers who have never experienced anything but rock-bottom interest rates, and many of them have financed everything in their lives — from education to houses to cars, and even everyday purchases —without really putting much thought into debt servicing costs. On top of that, low returns for savers has undermined the notion that saving is a worthwhile activity so most young people don’t have a cushion to handle any kind of unexpected expenses,” said Bazian.

A separate survey released Monday also puts the spotlight on the money struggles of

Migrants fleeing to Canada learn even a liberal nation has limits After fleeing to Montreal from Long Island, Marlise Beauville felt, she said, as if she had reached the Promised Land.

She entered the country last summer without immigration papers, yet received a work permit, a monthly stipend of 600 Canadian dollars, or $480, free health care and free French lessons.

The weather has become bone-cold chilly but her Canadian neighbors are warm. Though it is not clear that she will be able to stay, she is hunkering down, adamant that limbo in Canada is better than returning to Haiti, where she fears that the family of her dead husband will kill her. “I won’t — I can’t — go back to Haiti,” said Ms. Beauville, a caregiver from Anse-à-Veau, Haiti, who was

visiting a Haitian community center here the other day.

Ms. Beauville was one of a surge of thousands of Haitian migrants who crossed over the border from the United States to Quebec last summer, spurred by a May announcement by the Trump administration that Haitians could lose their temporary protected status in the United States, granted after the 2010 earthquake that devastated their country. The migrants were hoping to benefit from a loophole in a United StatesCanada treaty that allowed them to make refugee claims in Canada if they did not arrive at legal ports of entry, but crossed the border illegally.

After 65 years, Sears Canada, a longtime staple of our retail landscape, closes its last store The few remaining Sears Canada stores closed their doors for good on Sunday. The longtime staple of Canada’s retail landscape declared bankruptcy last year and announced in the fall that it would liquidate its remaining stores, leaving 15,000 people out of work.

Sales began in October, and only a fraction of the retailer’s locations across Canada remained open to the bitter end. The chain’s closure sparked a number of controversies.

Sears Canada planned to dole out millions of dollars in retention bonuses to head office staff, while grappling with a more than $260-million shortfall in its pension plan.

The company originally wanted to pay a total $7.6 million to 43 top employees, but revised that to a total of $6.5 million to 36 employees after a backlash. An Ontario judge approved the reduction, but some employees argued it was still too much money given the company was also facing a 19 per cent pension plan funding shortfall, meaning employees would likely see a similar cut to their benefits.As stores close, Canada’s mall owners turn prime land into condos‘They are now way behind Amazon and Walmart’: Challenges mount at Hudson’s Bay as losses almost double

FINANCE

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INDIA

Saturday, January 20, 2018

FBI releases images of 4 wanted suspects in Neerja’s killing Over 31 years after the hijacking of a Pan Am plane in Pakistan, the FBI has released new ageprogressed images of four wanted suspects in the deadly incident that left 20 people, including Indian flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, dead.

Chandigarh-born Neerja Bhanot was the senior flight purser on Pan Am Flight 73 hijacked in Karachi in 1986. She was killed while helping passengers to escape through emergency exits when hijackers opened fire and set off explosives during the 16-hour ordeal.

Using new age-progression technology, FBI technicians created new photos of four alleged Pan Am Flight 73 hijackers.

The bureau hopes the updated images — rendered using Adobe’s Photoshop programme to show what the men might look like now — will generate new leads and encourage anyone with information to contact the FBI directly or submit a tip online.

The four suspects, listed on the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted Terrorists’ page, include Wadoud Muhammad Hafiz al-Turki, Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, Muhammad Abdullah Khalil Hussain ar- Rahayyal and Muhammad Ahmed al-Munawar.

AAP MLAs disqualified: This will happen if other ruling gov’ts lose 20 MLAs

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The Election Commission of India on Friday recommended the suspension of 20 sitting Aam Aadmi Party MLAs for holding offices of profit. The Commission has recommended the same to the President of India. The decision creates a ripple in the Delhi politics as the ruling party will have to let go of 20 constituencies in one stroke. But, the party will still continue to enjoy a majority in the Assembly thanks to its brute mandate, winning 67 seats in the 2015 elections.

While the BJP holds power in 19 states of the country, Congress rules four states and regional parties are at the helm of affair in five others. Ever imagined what will happen if 20 MLAs are disqualified in each of these states. Here is a comparative list of state governments and the new scenario that will emerge if 20 ruling party MLAs are disqualified from each state government:

PUNJAB

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Former SGPC chief secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta passes away at 79 Former SGPC chief based politics.

He secretary Manjit Singh worked relentlessly Calcutta (79), who was for the propagation considered an authority of Sikh tenets.”— on Panthic matters, Capt Amarinder died here this morning Singh, Chief Minister after a brief illness.

“The Sikh community He is survived by has lost an intellectual. wife Santokh Kaur, son His contribution to the Gurpreet Singh and SGPC and the AISSF can daughters Sarbpreet never be forgotten.”— Kaur and Harkirat Kaur.

Gobind Singh Longowal, The former SAD leader SGPC president Manjit Singh Calcutta (left) with Capt was a staunch critics of “He played a long Amarinder Singh. (file photo, 2012) the Badals. He repeatedly Panthic innings accused them of interfering in SGPC affairs with grace and intellect. His death has and failing to confront the BJP and the RSS. left a void in Akali polity which can’t Elected MLA from Amritsar South be filled by the present leadership.” — constituency in 1997, Calcutta was appointed Kanwarpal Singh, Dal Khalsa spokesperson Minister for Higher Education by then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. A loyalist of Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who headed the SGPC for a record 27 years, Calcutta was among the five ministers who resigned in protest against Tohra’s expulsion from the SAD in 1999. The others were Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Harmail Singh Tohra, Inderjit Singh Zira and Surjit Singh Koli.

They all had formed a party, Sarv Hind Shiromani Akal Dal. In 2012, Calcutta had extended support to the Congress when Capt Amarinder Singh was the PPCC chief.

“He was a staunch believer of value-

Khattar slammed for rapes, murders in Haryana On the second day of his visit, Chief Minister ML Khattar witnessed effigy burning and a wave of resentment. Twelve Left women organisations sought the Chief Minister’s resignation for his failure to check crime against women and protect them.

The reason for the agitation was rapes and murders in Kurukshetra, Jind, Panipat, Faridabad and Pinjore, the protesters said.

Khattar said he was hurt by the recent incidents against women and urged the Opposition not to politicise those.

“Anxiety of the people is natural,” he said, adding that the government had transferred three police officials, including three IG-level officials, and personnel in Panipat district had been sent to the Police Lines. He said the government was in the process of putting in place “Dial 100”, apart form other measures to check crime. Carrying placards, the protesting women raised slogans against Khattar and his government before burning his effigy outside the main gate of Haryana Bhawan. Although there were a handful of protesters, police personnel were deployed around the complex.

The CPM-affiliated All-India Democratic Women Association, All-India Mahila Sanskriti Sangathan, Dalit Soshit Mukti Manch, and Rashtriya Dalit Mahila Aandolan were among the organisatons that took part in the agitation.

Man arrested in Ludhiana with 5 kg heroin A man was arrested on the KoharaMachhiwara link road on Thursday morning for carrying 5 kg heroin. The Ludhiana Special Task Force (STF) arrested the man early in the morning. The identity of the accused is yet to be ascertained. A case has been registered and further investigation is on.

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High Court sets aside Punjab officer’s post In a major embarrassment for the Punjab Government, the Punjab and Haryana High Court set aside the appointment of retired IAS officer Suresh Kumar as the Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister (CPSCM) after ruling that he was holding a “public office” without authority of law.

Holding the appointment to be “void”, Justice Rajan Gupta ruled that it was in clear violation of the constitutional scheme, particularly the procedure and rules of business envisaged

by Article 166(3) of the Constitution.

Referring to his appointment record, Justice Gupta held that overriding powers had been vested in CPSCM’s post. Even consultation with the ministers and administrative secretaries was not necessary in view of powers

bestowed by virtue of a standing order.

Justice Gupta observed that it was not difficult to envision a situation where the state was plunged into crisis following a decision by “such an appointee” because he could not be expected to have the same vision for the state’s development as the Chief Minister.

Any intentional or unintentional lapse on his part could not be questioned by any disciplinary authority. He was also not bound by the oath of secrecy, having superannuated from regular service.

It was also not clear why in the CM’s absence, the next senior-most minister or the minister in-charge would not assume command and authorised to take important decisions.

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INDIA

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Modi will be 1st Indian PM to visit Palestine After having hosted Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, PM Modi will land in Ramallah on February 10 for what will be the first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister to Palestine.

Modi’s visit to Israel last year+ was also the first by an Indian PM and the one to Palestine follows the government’s decision to “dehypenate” relations with the two entities+ as a departure from past practice of seeing visits to the region as balancing acts. While India and Palestine have been discussing the proposed visit for a while, this is the first confirmation of its date and it comes in the middle of Netanyahu’s visit to India.

The visit will be significant for India as the government believes it will help dispel the notion that there has been any change in its Palestine policy since Modi assumed office in 2014. India’s recent vote against

the US recognition of Jerusalem+ as Israel’s capital in the UN was intended to iterate its longstanding diplomatic position.

While the modalities for the visit are still being worked out, government sources here said Modi was likely to travel to Ramallah in a chopper from Amman in Jordan. The West Bank city of Ramallah is the de facto administrative capital of Palestine. The route which Modi will take to Ramallah, which is located only 8km from Jerusalem, is important in the context of the government’s policy of de-hyphenating its relations with Israel and Palestine. It will help Modi skip Israel, the way he skipped Palestine last year during his visit to Israel.

There was tremendous disappointment in Palestine last year when Modi visited Israel but chose not to travel to Ramallah.

Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea to restrict media from reporting judges’ row The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea seeking to restrain the media from publishing, discussing and politicising issues raised by four senior-most judges in the January 12 press conference.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will look into the matter only after the apex court Registry takes the petition on record and lists it for hearing.

The plea, which mentioned urgent listing and hearing, sought to restrain “the printing, discussion, politicisation and debate

on the subject matter of the press conference dated January 12 with immediate effect to control further damage to the institution”.

Four senior-most judges—Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph—had in an unprecedented presser on January 12 raised a litany of problems, including the assigning of cases in the apex court, and said there were certain issues afflicting the country’s highest court.

30 children fall sick after consuming food at Maharashtra madrassa Around 30 students of a madrassa in the Bhiwandi township here suffered from suspected food poisoning after having a meal at a function, an official said on Thursday.

The children were served food at a feast organised by a person at the madrassa on Tuesday afternoon, Bhiwandi’s tehsildar Shashikant Gaikwad said.

The students, all boys aged from 12 to 15, complained of vomiting, nausea, stomachache and giddiness on

Wednesday following which they were rushed to the government-run IGM hospital in Bhiwandi, he said.

Later, as the health of some of the children started deteriorating, all of them were shifted to the Nair Hospital in the neighbouring Mumbai, he said.

Gaikwad visited the children at the hospital on Wednesday night and said they all were out of danger.

Maharashtra madrassa cleric arrested for raping minor student A cleric in Nanded city, southwest of Pune, madrassa allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl and molested another minor, police said.

Shockingly, three local politicians from Majalgaon village, from where the girl who was allegedly raped hailed, tried to press her mother not to file a case against the cleric, identified as Maulavi Saber Farooqui, who is at large, a Nanded police official said.

On the complaint of the girl’s mother filed at the Itwara police station in Nanded, the three leaders were arrested from Majalgaon on Wednesday, he said.

They have been identified as Khalil Patel, Nawab Patel and Ibrish Bagwan.

While Nawab Patel is reportedly a former Nanded city unit president of the NCP, Bagwan is Majalgaon taluka president of the AIMIM. Khalil Patel is a former councillor.

The alleged incident occurred at Islamia Arabia seminary in the Deglur Naka area of Nanded a few days ago, according to police.

Many girl students from the

Marathwada region pursue Islamic studies at the madrassa.

According to the police official, Farooqui allegedly raped the 12-year-old girl after showing her a porn clip on his mobile phone and molested another girl (8).

A Special Investigative Team (SIT) has been set up to probe the incident.

SIT head S u n i t a B orgaon kar said more complaints could be filed against the accused.

“Police have seized documents from the madrassa and teams have been fanned out to trace the cleric,” she said.

According to unconfirmed reports, Farooqui had approached the girl’s mother in Majalgaon to settle the matter, but was allegedly thrashed by local youths.

Police have registered a case against the cleric on charges of rape and molestation of the IPC and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. However, it is not known which sections were slapped on the three leaders.

INDIA

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Chief Justice meets 4 senior-most apex court judges to resolve issues Around 30 students of a madrassa in the Bhiwandi township here suffered from suspected food poisoning after having a meal at a function, an official said on Thursday. The children were served food at a feast organised by a person at the madrassa on Tuesday afternoon, Bhiwandi’s tehsildar Shashikant Gaikwad said. The students, all boys aged from 12 to 15, complained of vomiting, nausea, stomachache and

giddiness on Wednesday following which they were rushed to the government-run IGM hospital in Bhiwandi, he said. Later, as the health of some of the children started deteriorating, all of them were shifted to the Nair Hospital in the neighbouring Mumbai, he said. Gaikwad visited the children at the hospital on Wednesday night and said they all were out of danger. An investigation was on into the incident, he added.

Modi conspiring against me, says Togadia Vishwa Hindu Parishad international president Pravin Togadia, who was admitted to a private hospital on Monday in an “unconscious state,” today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of conspiring against him with the help of Gujarat police.

Togadia was discharged this evening, but not before he mounted the attack on his one-time “friend” Modi.

The duo fell apart after the then Chief Minister refused to protect VHP workers who were hunted by central forces for their alleged involvement in the 2002 riots in Gujarat, particularly after the Congress returned to power in Delhi.

The VHP leader, who had yesterday hinted about some “conspiracy” to kill him under the garb of “police encounter,” today named Ahmedabad Joint Police Commissioner and in-charge of crime branch JK Bhatt to be the police officer “taking orders” from Modi to “hatch the conspiracy” against him.

“JK Bhatt has begun hatching conspiracy against me and is harassing our nationalist workers at the behest of political bosses in Delhi.

In the last 15 days, how many times has Bhatt

spoken with the PM? Their call details must be made public,” Togadia told mediapersons just before leaving the Chandra-Mani hospital where he was treated for the last two days.

Bhatt had yesterday made public certain details involving Togadia’s movements before he was traced to the hospital on Monday evening to puncture his alleged “disappearance drama” and claim that he had “fallen unconscious while on way to airport and did not know how he landed at the hospital”.

Togadia was learnt to be perturbed over a VHP leader, Ghanshyambhai, being picked up by the police for interrogation and being “pressurised” to go against him.

Togadia, who referred to Modi as his “old friend,” urged the PM not to take steps that would eventually lead to killing of democracy.

“Is this a crime branch or conspiracy branch?

I have called my lawyer and shall initiate legal action against Crime Branch,” he said. He also alleged that the crime branch had partnered in many conspiracies in the past at Modi’s behest.

Army keeps close watch on Chinese troops, infra build-up in Doklam India is keeping a hawk eye on the continuing presence of Chinese troops and their construction activities in north Doklam near the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet trijunction, even as Army chief General Bipin Rawat said bilateral bonhomie had returned to the same level+ that existed before the 73day troop faceoff in the region last year.

The Indian security establishment believes People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers may return in “greater numbers” to the Doklam area (the Dolam Plateau), which is disputed between China and Bhutan, for some muscle-flexing after the harsh winter is over.

“They have built infrastructure for it in north Doklam (separated from south Doklam by the Torsa Nala rivulet). But our

troops, atop the watershed that dominates Doklam, are much better placed in terms of terrain. We are in a wait-and-watch mode, prepared for any eventuality,” an official said.

Indian troops will step in again if the PLA tries to disrupt the status quo, like it did in June last year by trying to extend its existing road southwards towards the Jampheri Ridge in south Doklam. The Indian Doka La military post, incidentally, is just about 100150 metres from the original face-off site at Doklam. India considers the Jampheri Ridge, which overlooks India’s militarily-vulnerable Siliguri Corridor, “a strategic no-go area” for Chinese troops and their roads, say officials.

There are around 1,600 Chinese troops stationed in the north Doklam area.

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Virat Kohli named ICC Cricketer of the Year Indian captain Virat Kohli had something to cheer about after the second Test debacle against South Africa when he was named the ICC Cricketer of the Year at the ICC Awards on Thursday. Kohli was also named the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year and captain of both ICC Test and ODI teams.

In the qualification period from September 21, 2016 to the end of 2017, Kohli scored 2,203 Test runs at an average of 77.80 including eight centuries and 1,818 ODI runs including seven centuries at 82.63. Kohli went past former Australian captain Ricky Ponting to second place in the alltime ODI centurion list with his 31st hundred that came against New Zealand in Mumbai in October last year. During the course of his 32nd ODI century, again against New Zealand

in Kanpur, Kohli became the fastest batsman to 9,000 ODI runs and the most successful captain in an ODI year, surpassing Ponting.

Kohli regained the No 1 spot on the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen with 889 rating points, the best ever by an Indian cricketer. In the nominations for ODIs, Kohli was placed nominated alongside Pakistan paceman Hasan Ali, Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan and his own teammate Rohit Sharma. Australian captain Steve Smith claimed the Test Player of the Year honour after scoring 1875 runs in 16 matches at an average of 78.12, with eight hundreds and five 50s.t

India test-fires nuclear-capable ICBM Agni-V India on Thursday morning successfully conducted the “first pre-induction trial” of its over 5,000-km range Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile, which brings the whole of Asia and China as well parts of Europe and Africa within its nuclear strike envelope.

Sources said the country’s most formidable missile will undergo one more such pre-induction trial “within this year” before it is inducted into the Agni-V regiment already raised by the tri-Service Strategic Forces Command (SFC) with the requisite command and control structures.

Once that happens, India will gate-crash into the super-exclusive club of countries with ICBMs (missiles with a range of over 5,000-5,500km) like the US, Russia, China, France and the UK. While a belligerent North Korea over the last six-seven month has rattled the US with tests of its two new ICBMs, Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15, expert opinion is still divided whether they are fully-operational and deployed as of now.

India, of course, wants a credible strategic deterrent against an aggressive and expansionist China, which has a large arsenal of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. The SFC already has regiments of the Prithvi-II (350-km), Agni-I (700-km), Agni-II (2,000km) & Agni-III (3,000-km) missiles, which are mainly meant to deter Pakistan from any misadventure. The Agni-IV (4,000km) and Agni-V (over 5,000-km), in turn, have been developed with China in mind.

The over 50-tonne Agni-V, designed to carry a 1.5-tonne nuclear warhead, has been tested

four times in “developmental or experimental trials” earlier. The missile was tested in an “open configuration” in April 2012 and September 2013, while it was test-fired from hermetically sealed canisters mounted on transportcum-tilting launcher trucks in January 2015 and December 2016.

On Thursday, in its first preinduction trial conducted by the SFC, the 17-metre Agni-V was launched from a canister atop the road-mobile launcher from the Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast at 9.53 am. The three-stage missile zoomed to a height of over 600-km in its parabolic trajectory and then splashed down around 4,900-km away towards Australia in the Indian Ocean barely 19 minutes later.

“The missile’s flight performance was tracked and monitored by radars, range stations and tracking systems all through the mission. All mission objectives were successfully met. This successful test of Agni-V reaffirms the country’s indigenous missile capabilities and further strengthens our credible deterrence,” said a defence ministry official.

The missile’s canister-launch version makes it deadlier because it gives the armed forces the requisite operational flexibility to swiftly transport and fire the missile from anywhere they want. “Since the missile is already mated with its nuclear warhead before being sealed in the canister, it drastically cuts down the response or reaction time for a retaliatory strike...only the authorized electronic codes have to be fed to unlock and prime it for launch,” said a source.

26

SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, January 20, 2018

USA and UN for safe and voluntary return of Rohingyas to Myanmar The United States and the United Nations on Wednesday insisted on safe and voluntary return of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar.

Over 6,55,000 Muslim minority of Myanmar fled across the border to Bangladesh since the Myanmar army launched a crackdown on Rohingya rebels in northern Rakhine state on August 25.

Though Myanmar authorities said that the campaign was aimed at rooting out Rohingya militants who attacked police posts on August 25 but the UN and the US have said the violence amounts to ethnic cleansing.

According to the Red Cross estimates there are only about 3,00,000 Rohingya in the entire state.

“The timeline is less important to us than the ability for people to safely and voluntarily go home when it is safe to do so,” state department spokesperson Heather Nauert told media at a news conference.

She said that the US does not want people to be pushed back into their homes or their communities when they do not feel that it is safe.

“That’s completely counterproductive,” Nauert said while responding to a question on the agreement reached between Bangladesh and Myanmar on the repatriation of the Rohingyas.

Myanmar and Bangladesh have reached a deal on the return of hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingyas that sidelined the UN refugee agency.

Sri Lanka revokes ban on women buying alcohol, reimposes it days later 1. A 1979 Sri Lankan law that banned the sale of alcohol to women was last week overturned in a bid to strike sexist bills from the statute books. The country also repealed a ban on women working in places where alcoholic drinks are made or sold, including bars.

“The idea was to restore gender neutrality,” a spokesman for the country’s finance ministry told AFP. 2. However, the move generated backlash,

with the country’s National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection going so far as to accuse finance minister Mangala Samaraweera of encouraging d r i n k i n g .

3. Fazed by the criticism, the islandnation’s president Maithripala S i r i s e n a reimposed the ban.

“From January 15 , the minister’s order will be rescinded,” his office said in a statement.

Court upholds ban on Rohingya marriage in Bangladesh A Bangladesh court today upheld a “The court rejected the petition and has government ruling banning marriage between upheld the administrative order, which its citizens and refugees from Myanmar’s bans marriage between Bangladeshi citizens persecuted Rohingya minority, who have fled and Rohingya people,” deputy attorney ethnic violence in the neighbouring country. general Motaher Hossain Saju told AFP. Hossain’s request that the court protect his The High Court in Dhaka dismissed a legal challenge from son from a father whose son arrest was also rejected, married a Rohingya teenager in a Saju added.

Muslim ceremony About 655,000 in September despite Rohingya laws forbidding such unions. h a v e escaped to Marriages with Rohingya were Bangladesh banned in 2014 since August to try to prevent after the Rohingya refugees Myanmar hundreds of thousands of refugees living in Bangladesh army began a campaign of rape from seeking a back door to citizenship. and murder in Rakhine state.

Babul Hossain, whose 26-year-old son ran They joined the more than 200,000 away with his new wife after they married, refugees already living in Bangladesh who questioned the legality of the ruling that had fled previous violence in Rakhine. threatens a seven-year jail term for any Aid groups have reported cases of Bangladeshi who weds a Rohingya refugee. Bangladeshis offering young women marriage But the court rejected his plea and ordered as a way of escaping the overcrowded he pay 100,000 taka (USD 1,200) in legal costs. refugee camps along Bangladesh’s

Bangladesh says it has over a million Rohingya refugees Bangladesh has counted more than a million Rohingya refugees living in camps near the border with Myanmar, higher than previous estimates, the head of its registration project said as preparations for their return got under way.

The Bangladesh army began biometric registering of the refugees last year after the latest mass influx of Rohingya from Myanmar, where the Muslim minority have faced decades of persecution.

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FIJI

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Police investigates another case of sacrilege at a Hindu temple in Nausori Police are men is unknown at investigating another this stage.

This is third temple case of sacrilege at a Hindu temple in break-in in the last Nausori. few weeks as people also broke into Tirath Four men broke into Vishnu Bhavan Temple Dham Temple in in Sasawira early Votualevu, Nadi and a temple in Waila late Tuesday morning.

Police spokesperson last month.

Ana Naisoro says they In the other cases, acrilege of Vishnu Bhavan Temple in Sasawira, Nausori swear words were have received initial information that four men were seen breaking written and idols were also damaged. into the temple. It is understood that they were looking for money. The identities of the four

Man charged with rape of his daughter makes bail application A 48-year-old man charged with the rape of his daughter has made a bail application to the Suva High Court today.

The man’s defence counsel Talei Kean informed the court that if the accused is granted bail he will be staying with his older daughter who is not communicating with the victim.

However, state counsel Taitusi Tuenuku says that there is no guarantee that the accused will not contact the victim. It is alleged that the accused raped his 17-yearold daughter between 1st of August 2015 and 31st of August 2016 in Levuka.

Judge Justice Riyaz Hamza has adjourned the case to 22nd January for bail ruling.

National strike if no resolution, says FTUC The Fiji Trades Union Congress says it is prepared to hold a national strike if the Air Terminal Services issue is not resolved soon.

Speaking to thousands of people at a rally held at Nadi District School grounds yesterday after a march through Nadi Town, national secretary Felix Anthony said the onus was on Government to take immediate steps to end the impasse which has entered the 28th day. “If we don’t see a resolution, as I have said before, we are going to seriously consider further action,” he said.

“We have applied for another march in Suva on February 24. “We are going to go to the

Capital and show them that the crowd’s going to be bigger. “And we will be asking all our unions to start thinking about a national strike.

“Let’s shut this country down if we have to.

“Today (yesterday) we just shut down Nadi Town and we are going to shut down bigger things if we don’t get a resolution to this.

“We are prepared to go as long as it takes us.”

Questions sent to Air Terminal Services, the Prime Minister’s Office, ATS chairperson and Attorney-General were not answered when this edition went to press last night.

Man charged with rape of his daughter makes bail application A 48-year-old man charged with the rape of his daughter has made a bail application to the Suva High Court today.

The man’s defence counsel Talei Kean informed the court that if the accused is granted bail he will be staying with his older daughter who is not communicating with the victim.

However, state counsel Taitusi Tuenuku says

that there is no guarantee that the accused will not contact the victim. It is alleged that the accused raped his 17-year-old daughter between 1st of August 2015 and 31st of August 2016 in Levuka.

Judge Justice Riyaz Hamza has adjourned the case to 22nd January for bail ruling.

Ministry of Health launces 24-hour health centre The first 24-hour health centre was launched yesterday by the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Rosy Akbar.

Members of the public living along the SuvaNausori corridor have been encouraged to make use of the services offered at the Valelevu Health Centre as the ministry works on boosting its manpower and also improve the status and look of the facility.

The health centre which will open 24 hours and seven days a week is expected to serve about 200,000 people who reside along the SuvaNausori corridor.

Ms Akbar said the reception area of the health centre would be renovated to ensure a more

spacious and suitable waiting area for patients.

She also revealed that a modern and much improved emergency department would also be built on the current existing wooden building of the health centre.

“The Fijian Government has committed a lot of resources towards the realisation of this 24hour service,” Ms Akbar said.

“The number of doctors and nurses was increased to cater for this additional service.

A 24-hour ambulance services will be based at this health centre for rapid response and transfer of acutely ill patients.”

She said this change would bring about better service, better care leading to better health.

FLP searches for party leader THE Fiji Labour Party has started discussions on the search for a new party leader. According to the party, the new leader who would lead the party into this year’s general election would be known in the next few months. FLP leader Mahendra Chaudhry was earlier convicted of violation of Sections of the Exchange Control Act and cannot contest this year’s election. Meanwhile, in an earlier interview with this newspaper, Mr Chaudhry confirmed the party’s candidate line-up for this year’s poll would comprise a mixture of

youths and experienced people who would form the core of the party’s team. He said the party was in a rebuilding and reviving phase and they would have to start with new candidates. “People have gone, some people are no longer with us, they have passed on so there will have to be a new slate,” he said. Mr Chaudhry had said the party faced issues in the past with recruiting women candidates.

“Even now, it will be difficult for political parties to get good qualified candidates.”

Fiji ranks 125 in global gender gap index FIJI is currently ranked 125 out of 144 countries on the 2017 Global gender gap index report that was published by the World Economic Forum.

The rankings are based in terms of women’s economic participation, education, health and political empowerment from a scale of zero to one. This was a result of Fiji’s improved population and data count in the 2017 Population

and Housing Census, which had allowed the country to be re-entered into the Global gender gap index. UN Women Fiji Multi-Country office deputy representative Nicolas Burniat said it was good for Fiji to be counted on this index.

He reasoned there was a need for wellinformed data to monitor progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially its fifth goal on gender equality.

I trust Fijian people to make right decision in next elections, PM Bainimarama “I trust their judgement”. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama made the comment in Parliament during his response to the 2017-2018 Budget. He reaffirmed that in the next general election; he trusts the Fijian people to make the right decision. “I’ve said it before and I say it again Unlike my political opponents, I have a fundamental respect for the intelligence and common sense of the Fijian people. I don’t lie to them. I don’t spread false rumours or prey on their fears,” Mr Bainimarama said. “I don’t seek to divide and rule. I trust their judgement. And I know that when it comes to choosing who is best to govern them next year, they will exercise that

judgement and make the right choice. “When they read the details of this Budget or have it explained to them honestly, they can form their own opinion. But the one thing I respectfully ask them to ask themselves: Am I better off now than I was 10 years ago? Do I have more opportunity now than I had 10 years ago? “Do my children have more opportunity now than 10 years ago?

Is Fiji in a better position than 10 years ago? Are we all being treated equally and with dignity?

And I believe the resounding answer to that is a big “Yes”. “We are not fixated on short-term political gain like those opposite, except those on the opposite right corner.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, January 20, 2018

UN must step up pressure on Pakistan: US Returning from a UN Security Council visit to Afghanistan, US Ambassador Nikki Haley on Wednesday stressed the Kabul government wants world powers to step up pressure on Pakistan. Haley joined the 14 other council envoys for talks with top Afghan leaders in Kabul at the weekend as the government considers holding peace talks with the Taliban to end decades of insurgency. “They feel confident that the Taliban will be coming to the table,” Haley told reporters at UN headquarters.

While the peace talks will be Afghan-led, the Kabul government did request that the Security Council weigh in to bring Pakistan onboard. “They did ask us for consensus to put further pressure on Pakistan to come to the table and change their behavior,” Haley said. The Afghan government is making strides towards stability, she said, and

“continue to make ten steps forward and with Pakistan they feel like they continue to take steps backward.” “As long as they are supporting terrorism in Pakistan, the Afghan community is continuing to feel it is not safe,” she said. Haley did not specify what measures could be taken to pressure Pakistan, but the council does have the power to impose sanctions. Pakistan has long been accused of supporting the Taliban and various militant groups in Afghanistan -- charges it denies. President Donald Trump has frozen US payments of military aid to Pakistan, worth $900 million, saying Pakistan is not doing enough to target Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani guerilla group. A question mark also hangs over a further $1 billion of US military equipment for Pakistan.

Pakistan denies any proposal of DGMO-level talks with India Despite the rising number of unprovoked ceasefire violations at the border by both sides, India and Pakistan most noticeable is in the form of the ongoing engagement between Pakistan’s National Security Advisor, Lieutenant General (R) Nasir Janjua and his India coutnerpart NSA Ajit Doval have remained in touch with each other. Pakistan on Wednesday refuted media reports of a possible Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) level talks with India, reported ANI. “No meeting of DGMOs of Pakistan and India is being considered as of now as reported by a section of media. The news is baseless and misleading,” read a statement from Pakistan Ministry of Defence, Office of Assistant Director Media.

This clarification from Pakistan’s defence ministry comes in the backdrop of several media reports that Pakistan was examining a proposal for a DGMO-level meeting with India after a gap of four years to reduce tensions along the Line of Control. The last telephonic conversation between the two DGMOs took place in November last year, following a request by the Pakistani side. Pakistan-India DGMOs have a frequent hotline contact, but they last met face-to-face four years ago at Wagah, a village which serves as a transit terminal between Lahore and Amritsar.

The December 24, 2013 Wagah meeting had taken place after a break of 14 years. That meeting too was held to discuss ways to ensure peace along the LoC and the Working Boundary.

No action can be taken against Hafiz Saeed: PM Abbasi Granting total immunity to the Mumbai to end his home detention. Incidentally, terror attacks mastermind, Pakistan Prime in one of his early interviews, Abbasi had Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told media asked India to prosecute Saeed on an on Tuesday night that no action can be taken international forum if it thinks there was against Hafiz Saeed since no case has been substance in its allegations. “Prosecute him internationally if there registered against him. “Action is taken when there is a case is substance in charges registered against someone. There against him.

These are accusations only. is no case against Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan, if there were a case, No evidence has been action would have been taken,” provided by India,” he Abbasi said in a TV interview, had said. India, however, has claimed a number of referring to Saeed as ‘sahib’, a form of address or title placed Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan times that it had provided after a man’s name or designation enough evidence to as a mark of respect. The Lashkar-e-Taiba Pakistan against the LeT chief. Islamabad (LeT) and Jammatud Dawa (JuD) chief, came under harsh criticism following who has a $10 million bounty on him by a court decision to release Hafiz Saeed, the US state department since 2012 for his underscoring the difficulties faced by role in several acts of terror, was set free Abbasi’s government in dealing with last year on November 24 after the Lahore extremist elements in Pakistan. high court directed Pakistan government

Pakistan-based IT firm sold thousands of fake degrees to UK citizens A BBC investigation has revealed that “Axact”, which claims to be the world’s largest Information Technology (IT) firm, sold bogus professional degrees to thousands of UK nationals. Following a raid and sealing of Axact offices after The New York Times had unearthed the fake degrees scam in May 2015, it was believed that the bogus degrees racket in Pakistan had been busted. But BBC’s latest investigation - broadcast in the UK on Radio 4 on Tuesday night - revealed that the lucrative fake degrees business was still flourishing with the Axact operating a network of hundreds of fake online universities run by agents from call centres in the southern port city of Karachi.

Another alarming aspect of the fraudulent money-minting enterprise, according to the investigation, was the extortion and blackmailing tactics adopted by the Axact agents to extract more money from victims.

With names such as Brooklyn Park University and Nixon University, Axact, according to media reports, was maintaining over 300 websites of universities and high schools, featuring stock images of smiling students and professors in eye-catching campuses. The BBC Radio 4’s ‘File on Four’ programme claimed that more than 3,000 fake Axact qualifications were sold to UKbased buyers in 2013 and 2014.

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NRI

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Indian-American educator to run for US Congress Deep Saran, a democrat and an IndianAmerican educator will run for the US House of Representatives from a district in Virginia.

Saran, 45, is one of almost a dozen Democrats in the fray for the primary to earn the right to challenge the two- term Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock from the 10th Congressional District of Virginia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a teacher, school founder, technology entrepreneur, lawyer, and child of immigrants from India,â&#x20AC;? Saran said on his campaign .. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a teacher, school founder, technology entrepreneur, lawyer, and child of immigrants from India,â&#x20AC;? Saran said on his campaign website. Saran said he would champion a national commitment for improved quality

of public education -- both in terms of accessibility and affordability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the child of immigrants, I would push back against intolerance and hatred,â&#x20AC;? Saran said.

Saranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents emigrated from India over 50 years ago. His father was a refugee from Pakistan during Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partition. Saran holds a degree in political science from University of Maryland and attended law school at Georgetown University. He was previously a corporate attorney for large firms in Baltimore and Chicago but left private legal practise to study how children learn and to work on a PhD in Human Development at University of Maryland.

CM Punjab wants help desk for NRI investors Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today directed officials to explore setting up a designated help desk to facilitate Indians settled abroad, especially those in Canada, who want to invest in the state.

The directive to Secretary, Industries and Commerce and CEO Invest Punjab, Rakesh Verma, came during an interaction with members of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce who called on the chief minister at his official residence here today, an official release said. Urging the delegation, comprising the Indian diaspora, to suggest ways to further strengthen business ties between the two countries, the chief minister suggested they explore investment opportunities in sectors of mutual interest, such as education, skill development, agro-based industry and information technology. He called upon the delegation to harness the positive industrial environment prevailing in the state and assured them of his governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complete

support in this regard. Citing the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Connect with Your Rootsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; programme, which he launched during his UK visit in September last year, Singh said this would go a long way to help connect youngsters, especially the third generation, who had roots in Punjab.

He said a similar programme should be initiated for the youth whose parents/ grandparents had migrated to Canada from Punjab.

Assuring the chief minister of their support, the visiting Canadian delegation led by Kanwar Dhanjal said as the sons and daughters of the Indian soil, it was their moral duty to contribute towards the growth of Punjab.

Dhanjal apprised the chief minister of the Canadian technology for converting paddy straw into plywood, which would not only help the state tackle stubble burning but also help supplement farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; income.

VSD ABM

Why this NRI was stuck at Indira Gandhi International airport for 3 days A Bahrain-bound NRI was stranded at Delhiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Indira Gandhi International airport for three days after the handbag, which contained his passport, was taken away by a passenger to Canada in a mix-up. The passenger eventually departed for his destination on Monday evening after camping at the airport for three days. The fare difference was, however, waived off by the airline company. The passenger, Satyendra Singh, was in transit to Bahrain after arriving from Lucknow, when he reportedly misplaced his bag. Singh said the bag, which he had kept on the scanner while checking, could not be found later on.

After security personnel analysed the CCTV footage, it was revealed that the bag had been taken by a passenger on an Air Canada flight, which was headed for Canada. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was a long queue and a lot of rush. By the time I went to check my bag, it was nowhere to be seen. Footage later revealed that some other passenger had taken my bag,â&#x20AC;? said Singh.

There is problem at security checks at Indian

airports particulary Mumbai and Delhi. The security guys let the travellers keep there belongings on the security belt without maning that area and then... Read MoreSharad Mohite An Air India official confirmed the incident and said that the passenger was shifted to the lounge at the airport after he complained that his passport had gone missing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was shifted to the lounge six hours after the incident.

His hand baggage had been exchanged with another passenger, who had flown to Canada.

The baggage was finally returned to him on Monday evening. With his passport, Singh was able to depart for his destination,â&#x20AC;? the official added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The differential fee of the passenger was waived off by the airlines.â&#x20AC;? Singh had come to India to meet his parents in Lucknow. He was, however, not allowed to return to Lucknow as he had cleared his immigration at Lucknow airport and did not possess a valid passport at the airport, said a senior CISF official.

Tech industry urges Trump administration to keep work permits for H-1B spouses US technology trade groups representing Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and Google have urged the Trump administration to retain an Obama-era rule that allows some spouses of of H-1B visa holders, including Indians, to also work legally in America. Groups including the

Information Technology Industry Council, the US Chamber of Commerce and BSA-The Software Alliance wrote to Citizenship and Immigration Services to urge the government to keep the H-4 programme.

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FRUITICANA

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Kareenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s walk on the ramp sure to take your breath away

K

areena Kapoor Khan is all set to make her presence felt on the silver screen once again with her film â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Veere Di Weddingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

But before the big wedding of the year, she turned showstopper for her designer friend and walked the ramp in Doha.

Kareena, looked nothing less than a beautiful bride as she walked down the ramp in an elaborate creation that she accessorised with heavy jewellery. Her exquisite outfit which had golden embroidery detailing went perfectly well with smokey eye make-up and those heavy ornaments.

Kareena will soon be seen in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Veere Di Weddingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which also stars Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania in

Katrina recalls â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Amazing Memoriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from Tiger Zinda Hai, and co-star Salman Khan

pivotal roles. The film is slated to release on June 1, 2018.

Married to actor Saif Ali Khan, with whom she has a son, Kapoorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s off-screen life is the subject of widespread coverage in India. She has a reputation for being outspoken and assertive, and is recognised for her contributions to the film industry through her fashion style and film roles.

A

ctress Katrina K a i f is basking in the success of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tiger Zinda Hai, which has collected over Rs. 327 crore in four weeks. The film has set several records and gave the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cast and crew â&#x20AC;&#x153;amazing memories,â&#x20AC;? Katrina said in a statement, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tiger Zinda Hai has given all of us so many amazing memories to cherish. From it being Salmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (lead star Salman Khan) biggest hit, Aliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (director Ali Abbas Zafar) biggest film, to it also becoming my highest ever grosser - we are extremely happy as a team that the film has done so well,â&#x20AC;? Katrina said. Even after release of other films, Salman and Katrinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tiger Zinda Hai, is ruling the box office. It is evident from the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth week box office report:

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iger Zinda H a i opened to mixed reviews on December 22. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The entire team had pushed themselves to make a quality film that entertains audiences and gives them a product that they have never seen before.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad the film is getting incredible love from audiences that it totally deserves,â&#x20AC;?

Katrina Kaif said. iger Zinda Hai, made on a budget of Rs. 150 crore is Salman Khanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third film, which has crossed the Rs. 300-crore mark. It beat Sultan and Bajrangi Bhaijaanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record too.

Tiger Zinda Hai is a sequel to Salman and Katrinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ek Tha Tiger (2012) - both films have been produced by Yash Raj Films.

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

HOROSCOPE Aries March 21 - April 20 Things seem to be progressing well for you, and this trend continues over

aiding your journey to success. Now can be an opportunity to make that big push youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been dreaming of, especially as the new moon is perfectly placed to aid you in your quest and help your plans blossom. There is a shift to a lighter and more easygoing zone

Kajol to begin shooting her next â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Elaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Libra Sept. 24 - Oct 22

The coming week could see you forging ahead with a major plan on the home front.

The new moon in Capricorn can be a great asset in this regard, so it would certainly

time, it would be helpful to keep your feet on the ground and be mindful of costs. As the focus shifts to your sector of leisure on January 17, you can get great enjoyment

Scorpio Taurus April 21 - May 20 You seem to be able to accomplish so much when you join forces with others. This week, a very dynamic aspect involving upbeat Jupiter and intense Pluto could see you taking a step forward that has positive consequences for the future. And with a sizzling new moon encouraging you to leave your comfort zone, things are certainly looking good.

Oct 23 - Nov 22 Your mind may be working overtime, but this could be the reason that so many opportunities are now showing up for you.

One could become a priority when benevolent Jupiter aligns with potent Pluto in your sector of communication this week. The new moon in this same zone encourages you to share your plans with others to get the support you need.

However, the focus shifts to home and family

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some self-care and pampering.

Sagitarius Gemini May 20 - June 21 Something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve desired for a long time could come to fruition this week. Or you might have an opportunity to get moving on a plan or business idea that could be very lucrative.

Still, it would help to keep your feet on the ground and not have too many expectations.

With lovely Venus entering your sector of far horizons on January 17, followed by the sun on January 19, you could feel moved to research travel options or anything else that lets you unwind.

Cancer June 22 - July 23 Connecting with or working alongside others can be a very positive and lucrative experience. With a sparkling aspect between lively Jupiter and intense Pluto, much can be accomplished when you team up with others on your wavelength. And the new moon in your sector of relating can help any endeavor

progresses, your attention could shift to

you might be ready to sort out any key issues.

Leo June 24 - August 23 This week, you might be ready to take a step forward toward a health or work goal that you have been researching for some time. The willingness to do so will certainly be there, and combined with a new moon, you can get

be an especially busy time, but there is a shift in focus from January 17, when luscious Venus enters your sector of relating,

Virgo August 24 - Sept 24 Romance, creativity, and leisure activities seem to be a major focus. This week, though, a very special aspect could see you acting on an idea whose time has come. This might be a creative opportunity that takes your business or work to a new level, and so it could be very important to you. With a new moon urging you on, this could be one of the best times to make your !

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also be a priority.

Nov 23 - Dec 22 An idea that may have come to you in a dream or as an intuitive nudge seems to take on greater importance this week. With expansive Jupiter, your guide planet, aligning with powerful Pluto, this can be an opportunity to take things to the next level by thinking about how you can make it a reality. The new moon "

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" kick-start this process. Communication and interaction become important from January 17, with some sterling encounters opening new doors for you.

Kajol is back to work and as per the reports, the actress is all set to begin shooting her next film reportedly titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Elaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, on January 24. The actress who played a mean corporate in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;VIP 2â&#x20AC;&#x2122; starring opposite Dhanush, will now be seen as an aspiring singer in the film being produced by hubby Ajay Devgn. According to the reports, she plays a single mother in the film that will trace her journey from a divorcee to a successful singer.

We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to see how this one turns out.

After making her acting debut in the 1992 romance Bekhudi, with her mother, Kajol had her first commercial success with the 1993 thriller Baazigar. She rose to prominence by featuring as the female lead in five of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annually top-grossing romancesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Yeh Dillagi (1994), Ishq (1997), Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998), Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998) and Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (1999)â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and received wide critical recognition for playing against type in the 1997 mystery film Gupt: The

Hidden Truth, that earned her a Filmfare Award for Best Villain, and the 1998 psychological thriller Dushman.

Her acclaimed portrayal of a conservative NRI in the blockbuster romance Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), a tomboy in the blockbuster romance Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), a lower middle class Punjabi woman in the blockbuster melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

(2001), a blind Kashmiri woman in the romantic thriller Fanaa (2006) and a divorced, single mother in the drama My Name Is Khan (2010) garnered her five Filmfare Awards for Best Actress. Following a five-year sabbatical from full-time acting in 2001, Kajol received praise for portraying the lead female roles in the dramas U Me Aur Hum (2008) and We Are Family (2010), and the comedy Dilwale (2015).

Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20 The week ahead could be a turning point for you, with a wonderful aspect between adventurous Jupiter and intense Pluto paving the way for positive developments. There is also a new moon in your sign encouraging you to step out and act. As itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best moon " " "

dream can bring the rewards youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hoping for, especially at this auspicious time. From January #$ "

a priority.

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19 Listening to your gut feelings can be the way ahead this week, particularly if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re about to launch a major project. As positive Jupiter aligns with fervent Pluto, your instincts could play a big part in how matters unfold.

Also, there is a very positive focus as luscious Venus and the sun move into your sign on January 17 and January 19, respectively. This can feel like a rebirth and a chance to get going on other projects that have been on the back burner.

Pisces Feb 20 - March 20 Your social life continues to be busy, and you seem to be deriving so much enjoyment from it.

This week brings a golden opportunity to bring a dream to life, especially if you collaborate with friends or others on your wavelength. A new moon in your sector of friendship means this could be the perfect time to kick-start such a project. The focus shifts to a more secluded sector of your chart on January 17. The coming

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Taapsee to play a professional shooter in her next?

Taapsee Pannu has carved a niche for herself in Bollywood, besides maintaining a notable presence in the

industries. The diva who impressed us all with her glamorous role in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Judwaa 2â&#x20AC;&#x2122; has her kitty full with several roles an actor would be envious of. As per the latest reports, the actress will be seen playing the part of a professional shooter in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Womaniyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, that is said to be produced by Anurag Kashyap and directed by a new talent.

The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; star will reportedly need to get trained

Bollywood Personalitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Birthdays

KAIFI AZMI JANUARY 19

SAKSHI TANWAR JANUARY 12

HRITHIK ROSHAN JANUARY 10

BIPASHA BASU JANUARY 7

Bollywood

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Film: John Abraham’s ‘Parmanu’

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f reports are to be believed, the release date of John Abraham’s ‘Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran’ has been pushed behind yet again, owing to its clash with Rani Mukerji’s upcoming film and Sonakshi Sinha and Diljit Dosanjh’s ‘Boom Boom In New York.’ The original release date of the film December 8, 2017, was earlier changed to February 23, 2018, to avoid a clash with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmaavat’ which itself is yet to release on January 25, 2018. The Abhishek Sharma directed film which has been co-

produced by John himself not only lost out on the December date but has now again been postponed due to the upcoming inevitable clash. ‘Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran’ stars Diana Penty as the leading lady opposite John. ctor, producer and a former model who appears in Hindi films. After modelling for numerous advertisements and companies, he made his film debut with Jism (2003), which earned him a Filmfare Best Debut Award nomination.[3] This was followed by his first commercial success, Dhoom (2004). He received two Filmfare Award nominations, for his negative roles in Dhoom, and in Zinda (2006). He later appeared in the major critical success Water (2005).[4] He was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film Baabul (2006). Since then, Abraham has starred in many critically and commercially successful films including Kaal (2005), Garam Masala (2005), Taxi No. 9211 (2006), Dostana (2008), New York (2009), Force (2011), Desi Boyz (2011), Housefull 2 (2012), Race 2 (2013), Shootout at Wadala (2013), Madras Cafe (2013), Welcome Back (2015), Dishoom (2016), and the latest, Force 2, thus establishing himself as a commercially successful actor of Indian cinema.

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Jan

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KAALAKAANDI *ing: Saif Ali Khan and Sobhita Dhulipala

Jan

19

Wo India Ka Shakespeare

*ing: Raza Murad, Raj Aryan

New Released Bollywood Films Jan

19

Nirdosh

*ing: Arbaaz Khan, Manjari Fadnis

Jan

19

Union Leader

*ing: Rahul Bhat, Tillotama Shome

Jan

12

Downup The Exit 796 *ing:Yatin, Vinayak Mishra, Kirti Swaly

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Aditi to play ‘Priya in Sanjay Dutt’s latest project Rajkumar Hirani’s biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt has been hitting headlines ever since the time of its announcement.

While reports of actors essaying some of the key characters are already out, it wasn’t clear as to who will play the role of Dutt’s sister Priya Dutt.

According to latest reports, southern star Aditi Seiya has been roped in to play the role of Priya by Hirani.

Versatile actors Paresh Rawal and Manisha Koirala will be seen essaying the role of Sanjay’s parents Sunil Dutt and Nargis respectively. Starring Ranbir Kapoor in titular role, the film will also see

actors like Anushka Sharma and Sonam Kapoor making special appearances in the film.

Sushant Singh Rajput begins ‘shooting for ‘Chambal’ Sushant Singh Rajput will be seen next in Abhishek Chaubey’s fictional film, said to be inspired by the tales of dacoits of Chambal.

The actor took to his social media handle to announce the commencement of the film.

Sushant posted a picture of himself with his back facing the camera as he overlooks the landscape. The actor captioned the image, “Really excited !! Shoot for one of my favourites, #AbhishekChaubey’s Film starts today in Chambal. #RonnieScrewvala #BajpayeeManoj #bhumipednekar #RanvirShorey #AshutoshRana #MaheshBalraj.” It is being said that Sushant will be portraying the character of a dacoit in the film, for which he prepared by spending some time with former dacoits in the region. He also reportedly took up rifle shooting to get into

the skin of the character. The film also stars Bhumi Pednekar, who will also be seen playing a dacoit and Sushant’s love interest.

The film also features Manoj Bajpayee, Ranvir Shorey, Ashutosh Rana and MaheshBalraj.

Diljit Dosanjh, fan of Sanjay Dutt and Ranbir Kapoor Diljit Dosanjh, whose Hindi film ‘Soorma’ will lock horns at the box office with Dutt biopic, said he is looking forward to see the movie as he is a huge fan of both Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt.

‘Soorma’ and Dutt biopic are scheduled to be released on June 29.

Diljit’s ‘Soorma’ makes way for Dutt biopic “The film is based on my favourite superstar Sanjay Dutt sir and my favourite actor Ranbir is playing his role and it is directed by my favourite director (Rajkumar Hirani).” “All my favourite people are in a one film so I am very excited to see it. I will definitely go and watch the film,” Diljit told .

When asked about the clash, the 34-year-old star said, “I don’t know if it is clashing or not. The producers are ideally the best people to talk about it. They are the owners they will talk about it.” Diljit, who will be seen as former Indian hockey captain Sandeep Singh in ‘Soorma’, said it was a difficult film to make.

“I have not played any games so far. I feel hockey is a tough game. I am very happy that

in the second year of my acting career in Bollywood I got to do a biopic. We all have worked really hard.” ‘Soorma’ tells the story of Singh, an Indian professional field hockey player and an ex-captain of the national team.

He was grievously injured after he was hit in an accidental gunshot in a train in 2006 but he did not give up and continued playing.

The ‘Udta Punjab’ actor said despite the doctors giving up and losing all hope, the hockey player bounced back. According to Diljit, the makers of ‘Soorma’ have tried their best to present an authentic story of Singh on screen.

The actor-singer was trained for almost two months by Singh, who used to be present on the sets most of the time.

Talking about the film’s title, Diljit said, “’Soorma’ means someone who does something that is impossible. It’s the perfect title.”

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

NDP breaking rate freeze promise The NDP made an explicit promise to freeze hydro rates, announced it was happening before getting approval from the BCUC and now John Horgan is pouring cold water on the whole idea.

“People want straight answers and they expect the BC NDP will actually keep the promises they make,” says BC Hydro critic Tracy Redies. “Instead, the premier has thrown another promise out the window, something we’ve seen time and time again from the NDP. The BCUC is currently examining the freeze asked for by the NDP but the premier is now saying ‘don’t bother’. This is a government that doesn’t seem to know what it wants to do.”

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister denies banning ‘Padmavati’ song

The Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh Bhupendra Singh said on Thursday that he never opposed Ghoomar song from Padmaavat and media has misconstructed his remarks on the film’s issue. “My statement was misconstrued by the media. I was saying that nobody should take law in their hands even if they have objections about any song. I never meant to say that as the state government has banned ‘Padmaavat’ the song should not be played.” He further added, “Playing of the song is an individual’s choice and nothing can be done in that regard. If someone has an objection about anything, the issue should be reported to the authorities concerned. Nobody is allowed to take law in their hands.”

The Supreme court has cleared for the nationwide release on January 25, though Rajput Karni Sena continues to create hurdles

Minister Bruce Ralston visits SFU venture labs

Horgan seems to be drifting towards a plan started under the BC Liberals to help lowincome consumers - the BCUC Customer Emergency Fund Pilot Program - appearing to continue the trend of borrowing BC Liberal ideas and taking credit for them.

“We know that no British Columbian should be left in the cold because of high hydro bills,” says Redies. “But by making extravagant promises to fix affordability without understanding long-term implications is the very definition of incompetence and helps no one. We’ve seen this with tolls, renters’ rebates and now we’re seeing this again with rate freezes.”

against its smooth theatrical release. “Around 40 activists of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena attacked Jyoti cinema hall in Muzaffarpur town, tore posters of ‘Padmaavat’, shouted slogans against its release and threatened to set ablaze the theatre if the film is screened,” a district police official said. (Also Read: Padmaavat, Jodhaa Akbar, Aarakshan, Udta Punjab; When Supreme Court came to the rescue of filmmakers) The police was, however, yet to act against the Sena activists. According to the district officials, the police would scan the CCTV footage to take action in this case. “Police have started an investigation into the incident,” said an official. The National Democratic Alliance government in the state, led by Nitish Kumar, has so far not decided whether the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-helmed film would be released in the state.

Roundtable with Minister Ralston and healthcare innovators and entrepreneurs who operate out of SFU VentureLabs

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

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reportedly slapped a 250 crore defamation suit against the star for “mental agony, harassment and loss of face” after Khan dragged him to the film association for non-payment of dues.

The association had also banned Galani from filmmaking, who claimed he owed nothing to Khan. Eight years down the line things may have changed, but Khan has surely not forgotten the bitter aftertaste of Veer.

Last seen in the Tamil film VIP 2 (2017), Kajol begins shooting for her next Bollywood outing, Pradeep Sarkar’s directorial, tentatively titled Ela, on January 24. The actor is essaying the role of an aspiring singer in the film, which has hubby Ajay Devgn as coproducer.

Her last BTown outing was Dilwale (2015).

KJo suggests tweaks to Sanjay Dutt biopic?

Rajkumar Hirani is said to have showcased his upcoming Sanjay Dutt biopic to filmmaker Karan Johar. The request, we hear, came from the film’s leading man, Ranbir Kapoor, who believes that KJo’s understanding of cinema will aid in enhancing the project. Hirani wants to ensure that his admiration for Dutt doesn’t translate into an outing that appears like an “image-clearing exercise” for the actor. Johar has apparently recommended a few tweaks to the film. Will Hirani pay heed to the suggestions? Wonder what Dutt has to say.

Bitten by the acting bug?

Though she has not yet signed a film, Miss World 2017 Manushi Chillar finds herself gracing Dabboo Ratnani’s 2018 calendar, which has the who’s who of B-Town.

The Haryana girl was the stellar attraction at the calendar launch. Buzz is Karan Johar will launch her in one of his productions. Those in the know say it is likely to be Student Of The Year 2.

Bewitching Bebo Kareena Kapoor Khan may not be on social media, but her team members keep fans up-to-date with her snapshots and whereabouts. Yesterday, the actor’s hairstylist Pompy Hans posted an image of her in bridal wear. The picture, which went viral yesterday, was taken during her recent trip to Qatar for a fashion gala.

Netizens could not take their eyes off her.

TELLY TATTLE

No-show

Bigg Boss finalist Hina Khan did not turn up for the shoot of Entertainment Ki Raat. Several of the housemates are making an appearance on the comedy show, which airs on the same channel as Bigg Boss. The actor apparently said she wanted to spend time with her mother. She’s said to be still hurting that she did not win Bigg Boss.

Work mode Suhani Dhanki, who plays Laachi in Porus, is back on the set of the historical in Umargaon after a break. The actor tied the knot with longtime beau Prathamesh Mody last month. It was a big fat wedding.

The actor took time off, initially for her nuptials, and later for the honeymoon in Maldives.

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Yesterday, Arjun Kapoor announced on social media that it’s a wrap for his 10th film, Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, with his first heroine, Parineeti Chopra. Their debut film was Ishaqzaade (2012)

The past and the present Filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala will be launching producer Vijay Galani’s daughter, Hitika, in Bollywood. Nadiadwala is known to give a break to several newcomers. But what caught our attention was the history that Galani shares with Nadiadwala’s best buddy Salman Khan.

The two had a bitter fallout after the debacle of their 2010 film, Veer, over monetary issues. Galani had

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London wedding Ashmit Patel and Maheck Chahal are all set to tie the knot in London. The wedding will take place in September. The couple, who had been dating for over two years, got engaged in September last year.

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT AND PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

‘Five films old’ actor on Rohit, Karan’s newbies only show!

As reality drama receives flak for allowing Angela as contestant, those involved say it’s ‘about making it big’ SONIL DEDHIA AND MOHAR BASU hitlist@mid-day.com WHILE it was meant to pave the way for better roles, a supporting act in the recently released 1921 has turned out to be a thorn for Angela Krislinzki. Cinephiles heading to watch the Vikram Bhatt venture, featuring Zareen Khan and Karan Kundra, were quick to notice Krislinzki’s familiar face. The Polish model, they realised, is also a participant on the reality show, India’s Next Superstar, supposedly judging “newcomers”. It is now learnt that Krislinzki has several gigs to her credit, with her debut dating to 2008.

Portals were quick to slam the talent hunt show for promoting an existing Bollywood artiste on a platform that was supposed to give “fresh faces” an opportunity.

However, casting director Mukesh Chhabra, who ap-

parently scouted for the participants across 20 cities following auditions, finds little merit in the criticism.

Talking about the format of the show, judged by Karan Johar and Rohit Shetty, he says, “We have shortlisted people on talent showcased in auditions. Krislinzki was brought aboard after we found merit in her craft.”

Asserting that an artiste playing smaller roles has the authority to better her prospects in the industry, Chhabra adds, “The concept of the show is to launch people in lead roles, so I don’t see an issue here,” he says, his statements strongly contradicting that of Shetty, who had reportedly said that the show was indeed for “newcomers.” “I think the channel would be in a better position to answer this,” Chhabra says dismissingly.

Krislinzki reiterated Chhabra’s claim, stating, “The show isn’t for debutantes alone. I don’t want to do small roles and will work hard to enter the big league.

This is a brilliant platform, one that allows me to hone my skills.”

Channel Star India refused to comment.

Who is Angela Krislinzki?

Polish-Indian model Krislinzki was seen in the first season of the reality show, MTV Splitsvilla. This was followed by turns in Telugu and Tamil cinema, where she was seen in item numbers and smaller roles.

More recently, she featured in the acclaimed 2017 Telugu/Kannada film, Rogue. In the Bollywood

film, 1921, Krislinzki appears as the antagonist.

In April last year, Krislinzki had also courted attention

for her statements about Hrithik Roshan, who she featured with in at least two commercials. When she referred to him as a mentor friend, Roshan took to Twitter to question: “My dear lady, who are you and why are u lying (sic).”

Krislinzki later apologised asserting that she merely implied he inspires her.

Back-to-back innings for Richa, Vivek Second and third seasons of web series Inside Edge to be shot simultaneously in May SONIL DEDHIA sonil.dedhia@mid-day.com

“While the original cast is expected to be retained, auditions for new characters are FARHAN Akhtar and Ritesh already underway. In the first Sidhwani have struck gold season, a character, merely rewith their debut web series, ferred to as ‘bhai sahaab’, Inside Edge, with the positive didn’t have a face. So, the proresponse encouraging them to duction house is looking to greenlight two more seasons. put a prominent face to this While cast member Richa name,” the source says.

Chadha had revealed a month In previous interviews to after the show’s July 2017 mid-day, both Akhtar and launch that a second instal- Chadha had spoken about the ment would be created, mid- success of the series, even day has learnt that the makers confirming that work on the will also film for part three, second part was simultaneously. underway.

The Chadha and Vivek Oberoi starrer shed light on the murky underbelly of the cricket administration in India. An insider tells mid-day that director Karan Anshuman is returning to helm the forthcoming seasons.

“This was Amazon Prime’s first Indian original series and it hit big numbers globally. The team is writing the script for two more seasons.

The actors have been asked to block 80 days from May onwards.

The long schedule will provide sufficient time to shoot for both seasons.”

The instalments will comprise 10 episodes each, and will pick up from where season one culminated. Part two, we hear, is scheduled to air in early 2019, with the third instalment following in a few months later. The team will also cast new faces.

‘The original cast is expected to be retained, auditions for new characters are underway’ An insider

Kartik turns rowdy for dance number FIVE-film-old Kartik Aaryan has built th image of the cool guy-next-door with his ur bane rom-coms. However, the actor shed hi suave image to turn ‘chhichhora’ for the song Chhote Chhote Peg from Sonu Ke Titu K Sweety. The song has an inherent naughtines to it and in order to depict it, Aaryan watche all his favourite ’90s hits and took cues from them. His naughty expressions were a trea for everyone on the set, who were surprise by the change in his demeanour. Rendered b Yo Yo Honey Singh, the recently released trac is fast becoming a rage among listeners.

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Happy Birthday to Amanat and Adab Bajwa Amanat Bajwa and Adab Bajwa celebrating their 7th and 1st Birthdays with proud parents, grand parents family and friends in Surrey last week.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

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Classifieds / Jobs

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Matrimonial Match for Jat Sikh, male, 50 years old, never married, city job in NY (USA), excellent health, looking for

compatible, homely, life partner 35 to 40 years of age. Pls contact: e-mail: harminder1229@gmail.com

Community news South Asian Seniors -Importance of Yoga for Healthy Living, Swami Ashwini Prajnaa, on 21st Jan. 2018 from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm.

Vedic Seniors Parivar Center of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian Adults and Senior members, nonmembers also to attend an important Presentation on Importance of Yoga for Healthy Living by Swami Ashwini Prajnaa a visiting Yoga Expert and well known to our members, on 21st January

2018 (Sunday) from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC. You can ask any question related to Yoga and Swami Ashwiniji will reply your questions.

Tea and light snacks will be served after the Presentation. Project funded

by Government of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Horizons for Seniors Program for Hindi speaking seniors. Please contact

Surendra Handa Coordinator at Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 for further information.

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Saturday, January 20, 2018

Vol. 8 No. 51 Saturday - January 20, 2018

Canadian real estate market outlook 2018 There’s never a dull day in real estate. Last year started off with a big nervous question: Will the Canadian housing market crash? In 2018, the new year started off with more of a sigh. Analysts across North America came out with various pronouncements of deceleration in activity and pricing, but the overwhelming consensus was that the nation’s real estate landscape would flatten out, even in the hot Toronto and Vancouver markets.

It wasn’t too bold of a prediction. Activity was way down in the summer months of 2017, even as the number of listings was finally growing. This prompted only incremental increases in pricing and a nation-wide expectation of a soft-landing for Canada’s property markets.

This flattening out of the market was happening well before the latest splash of cold water hit the fast-accelerating housing markets. That splash came in the form of amendments to mortgage regulations. Now lenders must qualify new borrowers —and those renewing or renegotiating with a new lender to qualify for a mortgage— using new guidelines. Borrowers are qualified now based on the posted rates, which are typically 200 basis points higher than discounted mortgage rates. These new regulations were announced in October and were officially implemented on January 1, 2018.

What does all this mean for real estate markets in 2018? It means a possible return to the norm —a reemergence of a more boring, stable Canadian real estate market.

Canada’s real estate is actually balanced According to Robert Hogue, senior economist with RBC Economics, there is “limited downside risks to prices in the near term in Canada” as the majority of housing markets, including Toronto, are “in balance.”

Based on the sales-to-new listings ratio— where 50% is a balanced market—the overall Canadian market appears to be balanced, according to RBC Economics December Monthly Housing Market report. Toronto

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14

Real Estate

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Canadian real estate market outlook From page 13 2018 where 50% is a balanced market—the overall Canadian market appears to be balanced, according to RBC Economics December Monthly Housing Market report. Toronto and Calgary are also in balanced territory while Montreal and Vancouver are still leaning towards a seller’s market.

Source: RBC Economics Monthly Housing Market Update, December 14, 2017 Another way to determine if Canada’s housing markets are levelling off is to examine months of inventory. The number of months of inventory represents how long it would take to liquidate current inventories at the current rate of sales activity. In November 2017, there were 4.8 months of inventory in Canada, down slightly from 4.9 months in October 2017 and the four months of inventory that was recorded in the summer months in 2017.

Given that the long-term average is 5.2 months, analysts are predicting that most Canadian market segments are cooling off and returning to a more balanced market where supply meets demand.

Some markets still sizzle Despite the incremental rise in interest rates in 2017 and the recent mortgage regulation changes—both factors that are expected to cool activity across Canada— some markets are still quite hot.

The Greater Golden Horseshoe area, which includes Toronto, had only 2.4 months of inventory at the end of December 2017. While this is much better than the all-time lows experienced in

February and March 2017—when inventory dropped to just 0.8 months—it’s still below the region’s long-term average of 3.1 months.

A surge in deadline activity in Toronto accounted for most of the increase in the last few months of 2017, explains Hogue in his December economic report. “More stringent mortgage lending rules coming into effect in January no doubt prompted many buyers to advance their purchasing decisions.”

But this last-minute year-end activity in 2017 is not likely to continue into 2018.

Hogue’s outlook for the New Year suggests that further moderation of home sales activity across Canada will cool any price increases in the upcoming year. “Near-term volatility will be followed by a generalized softening in 2018.”

The least optimistic outlook regarding Canada’s real estate markets in 2018 comes from the most unexpected place: The Canadian Real Estate Association. CREA, is the trade association that represents more than 100,000 real estate brokers, agents and salespeople across Canada. In December, CREA cut its home sales forecast for 2018. The association’s analysts cite the impact of tighter mortgage rules, the chill from the Toronto and Vancouver foreign buyers’ tax, as well as on-going affordability issues in the country’s biggest markets.

CREA predicts that activity (that is, the number of actual home sales) will fall 5.3% in 2018. This continued decrease in buying activity, combined with the 4% decline in activity in 2017, prompted CREA to anticipate a 1.4% drop in national average housing prices in 2018. The expected national average housing price for 2017 was $503,400.

Real Estate

Saturday, January 20, 2018

15

Vancouver in middle of the pack when it comes to density The City of Vancouver is the densest city in Canada, but is far behind the global municipalities it’s often compared to, according to a new study published Tuesday.

The city has 5,493 people per square kilometre as of the 2016 Census — 13th out of 30 global cities measured by the Fraser Institute.

“We find Canadian cities are much less dense than comparable American cities,” said Josef Filipowicz, a policy analyst with the Fraser Institute, who wrote the study.

“Canadian cities, including Vancouver

and Toronto, which are experiencing an affordability crunch, can accommodate much more housing supply. There’s lots of room to grow, especially upwards, if that’s what those cities want to do.” The population density of London and New York City is approximately double that of Vancouver. The densest city the Fraser Institute measured was Hong Kong, with 25,719 people per square kilometre — 468 per cent higher than Vancouver. ‘We’re comparing very old cities with young ones’ Filipowicz says the report shows the City of Vancouver could increase density, because

there’s no correlation between higher density and a decrease in liveability standards.

“There’s a road map. These cities have already done this type of density, and it means Vancouver has a lot of room to catch up if they want to boost the housing supply ... which, in the short-term, is incredibly important for stemming home prices,” said Filipowicz.

But Brent Toderian, the city’s former chief planner, says it’s a simplistic way of looking at the data. “At best, it’s a mathematical exercise. And you could debate it, because not all municipal boundaries are created equal.

Latest property assessment data shows big increases for many condo and townhouse Condominium and townhouse owners throughout Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley will likely get a shock when they open their property assessment notices this week, thanks to a region-wide increase in strata property values. On Tuesday, B.C. Assessment released its 2018 property assessment data, that showed across Greater Vancouver there were assessment increases in the five- to 35-per-cent range between July 1, 2016 and July 1, 2017. In the Fraser Valley, the increases ranged from 10 to 40 per cent. “The strata market is quite different. It’s been very robust — it’s really outstripped the single-family market,” said B.C. Assessment spokesperson Tina Ireland.

Last month, the authority sent warning letters to 67,000 homeowners, telling them to expect above average increases on their 2018 property assessment notices.

According to B.C. Assessment data, Vancouver strata homes went up on average 15.2 per cent over the previous year’s assessment, while in Surrey they went up 23.8 per cent. The City of Langley saw an even bigger jump — 26.2 per cent. A typical strata townhouse in Whistler Village went up 30 per cent, while a townhouse in Squamish’s Garibaldi Estates saw a 20-per-cent increase. “I think the extent to which things really cooled down in single family but not in condos was very, very striking because we tend to think of condos as something where you can add more supply, and single family it’s harder to add more supply,” said Tsur Somerville, professor and director of the University of B.C.’s Centre for Urban Economics and Real Estate.

Since the assessments took place on July 1, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver president Jill Oudil said the trend has continued. “Detached has calmed a bit, although it’s still what we consider a balanced market,” she said. “Condos and townhomes

haven’t changed as far as both being in high demand.” Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore, who also chairs the Metro Vancouver board of directors, said it’s not a surprise to see condo and townhouse assessments going up. It happened in Vancouver a number of years ago, and now the suburbs are catching up. Strata residential values went up about 20 per cent in PoCo, and a typical low-rise condo in the city’s downtown saw a 28 per cent increase. “What I hear most about is not necessarily the assessment percentage going up, it’s how unaffordable it is for people to now even afford a condo in the suburbs,” Moore said. Somerville agreed that the affordability of condos and townhomes is “worrisome.” “When you see a lot of price appreciation in the thing that’s really the entry level product, then you’re really more concerned about people being shut out, particularly when you see these kind of increases out in the Fraser Valley,” he said.\ The single-family home market was “really quite stable, especially in the core areas of Vancouver — Vancouver, Richmond, North Shore, Burnaby,” said Ireland.

Urban areas of Greater Vancouver saw changes that ranged from a decrease of five per cent to an increase of 15 per cent. Rural areas of Greater Vancouver saw a similar range, with the upper end hitting 25 per cent.

For example, in Vancouver single-family home assessments went up on average 1.6 per cent, Richmond went up 2.5 per cent and Burnaby went up 2.6 per cent.

“We start moving out to the Fraser Valley — so even out Coquitlam way, into Surrey and Abbotsford — seeing more in the 10- to 20-per-cent range for the 2018 assessment,” Ireland said. Detached homes in the Fraser Valley saw anything from a decrease of five per cent to an increase of 25 per cent.

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

Some include suburbs, some don’t, and we’re comparing very old cities with younger ones like Vancouver,” he said. He argues there are important reasons for cities to consider higher density — from sustainability to liveability and affordability — but targets shouldn’t be created arbitrarily based on other cities. “It’s a bit of a subjective thing. What people perceive as dense, it varies by cities, by cultures. So factually and mathematically, we could accommodate much more density.

I’m much more interested in the “so what?” of that,” he said.

16

Garry Grewal

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