www.theasianstar.com Vol 19 - Issue 48
Saturday, December 28, 2019
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh condemns India’s CAA New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh strongly condemned the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which has triggered widespread protests in India.In a tweet, Singh said the CAA “purposely discriminates Muslims and other minority communities.” Terming it “wrong”, he said governments should work to unite people and not divide them.The Citizenship Amendment Act, which got the President’s nod on December 13, had led to widespread protests across India. Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg had also expressed concern on Tuesday over the political detentions and communication blackout in India. In a tweet, he said that these steps taken by the government could threaten India’s longstanding democratic traditions.
South Asian employee of Ontario govt suspended after arrest in Hells Angels gambling bust Richard Pereira, 35, of Oshawa, was charged with criminal breach of trust and unauthorized use of a computer in the police operation, which police said was linked to York Region mobsters as well as outlaw bikers. A provincial civil servant has been suspended after he was among 28 people — including three Ontario Hells Angels — who were charged last week in what police call a multi-million-dollar illegal offshore gambling enterprise. Richard Pereira, 35, of Oshawa, was charged with criminal breach of trust and unauthorized use of a computer in the police operation, which police said was linked to York Region
Continued on page 6
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Surrey Councillor questions Mayor’s claim of overwhelming support for his policing policies Surrey Councillor Brenda Locke says newly released results fly in face of Mayor Doug Mcallum’s claim of ‘overwhelming’ support for his policing policy. While Locke says she’s “very happy” that the Surrey police transition citizen consultation survey results have been released, she’s questioning the mayor’s claim of “overwhelming” support. “The whole police transition consultation process was an absolute sham of process,” Locke said Tuesday. “I think the City of Surrey should be embarrassed that we would do a process that was so wrought with holes and had such open-ended questions. “It was not a good process and so there’s all kinds of questions about the process, period.” Locke said the hundreds of pages of comments in Continued on page 7
86% of money launderers get their charges dropped in Canada
The statistics — which were prepared for the Star by data analysts at Statistics Canada — reflect Mathers’ experience in court, where money laundering charges were often dropped in exchange for a guilty plea on other, mostly drug-related charges, he said. “There are men and women in law enforcement who are very dedicated in trying to catch these guys and put them in jail. But the Crown (attorneys) just end up using (the money laundering charge) as a bargaining chip and withdrawing it,” he said. Christine Duhaime, a Vancouver lawyer who specializes in anti-moneylaundering law, said these numbers paint a very attractive picture for organized criminals looking for a place to spend their ill-gotten profits.
White-collar criminals have little to fear from the Canadian judicial system, in which nearly all money laundering charges get thrown out before trial, according to statistics obtained by the Star. Eighty-six per cent of charges for laundering the proceeds of crime laid between 2012 and 2017 were withdrawn or stayed, according to data from Statistics Canada’s Integrated Criminal Court Survey. A mere nine per cent of money laundering charges during that period resulted in a guilty plea or a conviction. “A conviction rate like that is pretty abysmal,” said Chris Mathers, a former RCMP officer who specialized in undercover money laundering investigations. For context, 64 per cent of all criminal cases in Canada during the same period resulted in a guilty finding, according to Statistics Canada.
Unusual spell of cold wave grips North India An unusual and powerful spell of “Western Disturbances”, originating in the Mediterranean sea, has made the Hindi heartland shiver for the past fortnight. Unfortunately, the spell, striking once in four to five decades, will continue to freeze people on New Year’s Eve too. “It is a long spell, very unique in nature, and would affect entire northwest India,” says Dr Rajendra Jenamani, senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The thick cover of smog on the IndoGangetic plains and the uneven warming of the Indian Ocean has a role to play in this robust spell of Western Disturbances, the extratropical storms originating in the Mediterranean region causing sudden winter rain to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent, which have brought the day temperatures in some Indian cities below 12 degrees Celsius.
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www.theasianstar.com Vol 18 - Issue 48
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Surrey’s policing transition committee report forwarded to Wally Oppal Surrey’s policing transition committe has sent its report to Wally Oppal, who says it will take him about a month to review the report of the joint provincialcity committee that has been tasked with overseeing Surrey’s transition from the RCMP to a city police force “to see if it passes muster.” “I haven’t seen it,” he said, “but it’s up to me to review it all to see whether or not I think it passes muster. I’m really impressed by the work they’ve done, but I haven’t seen it. There’s no doubt that I’m going to have to go through all of it – it’s quite a few hundred pages, 350 or 400 pages – so I’ll probably work on it during the holidays. Ultimately it’s up to me to decide whether or not it meets the standard to send over to Victoria.” The City of Surrey issued a press release late Monday afternoon stating that the transition process has taken a significant step forward with the provincial/municipal policing transition study committee on Monday forwarding its report to former B.C. Supreme Court judge Wally Oppal, who is in charge of overseeing the plan. “I am very pleased that the members of the committee
achieved consensus on the report,” Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum stated in the press release. “They have done a superb job. I very much appreciate the cooperation of the RCMP and other stakeholders in completing a very comprehensive report. All next steps on the transition will be the responsibility of the Surrey Police Board.” Asked what McCallum’s last comment means, Oppal replied “I don’t know what that means. First of all there is no Surrey Police Board and I don’t know why they put out these things. “There’s no Surrey Police Board, they’re getting way ahead of themselves. When I look at the report, and I’ve looked at it, and I eventually send it on to the director of policing – that’s Brenda Butterworth-Carr – she will then look at it to see whether or not it meets the appropriate standards. She will then send that off to the minister, the solicitor general, and he will then decide whether or not Surrey has met the next step in the process. After that, if it does, the provincial government will then have to take steps to establish a police board and the police board will then advertise for a police chief. So we’re still quite a ways away from it all.”
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OPINION
Saturday, December 28, 2019
How to put Canadian health-care innovation into practice By Clare Liddy and Erin Keely University of Ottawa
It all started when the two of us sat down over a cup of coffee. As a family physician and endocrinologist, we stand on opposite sides of a large chasm called patient wait times, and we both started seeing more and more of our patients swallowed up by this abyss. In her role as a family doctor, Clare noticed how long some of her patients had to wait for an appointment with a specialist. In Erin’s case, patients were waiting months for appointments with her as an endocrinologist, often for problems their family doctors could have addressed with just a little guidance. Surely, we thought, there was a better way, a quicker path that could save patients the meandering months-long waits they too often face? From this conversation, we came up with
an innovative solution: what if, instead of a family doctor making a referral every time they faced a question about a patient’s care, they could reach out to a knowledgeable specialist directly? Perhaps, in some cases, the specialist could guide the family doctor, saving the patient a long wait for an in-person appointment. And this could save the beleaguered public health system important resources. With public grant funding and the support of regional partners – including Ontario’s Champlain Local Health Integration Network and the Winchester District Memorial Hospital – we created the Champlain BASE eConsult service. It’s a secure online platform that allows primary care providers to ask specialists questions about a patient’s care. Specialists respond within a week – two days on average – with advice on the patient’s care,
recommendations for referral or requests for more information. Eight years after its founding, the eConsult service has completed over 30,000 cases, enrolled more than 1,300 primary care providers and allowed thousands of patients to receive high-quality care without needing a faceto-face specialist visit. Other innovators in several provinces have partnered with us to bring the BASE eConsult model to their jurisdictions. And the government of Ontario committed to expanding the service across the province. The eConsult service made the leap from pilot into practice – no easy feat in the oftenintractable and rigid Canadian health system. Over the years, we’ve learned a number of important lessons about creating and implementing health-care innovations, which too often fail to sustain themselves beyond an initial pilot phase. Straddle the divide between research and practice Successful innovations are built on a foundation of sound evidence and that evidence comes from solid research. But research alone can’t launch a service and many promising innovations have remained cloistered in academic journals – valuable platforms, but ones that rarely resonate outside of their immediate circles. In order to get something implemented, you need to reach the people who do the actual implementing: clinicians, policymakers and especially patients, whose voices must be heard. Technology should be the vehicle, not the driver We created eConsult first and foremost to solve a problem: poor access to specialist care. Our solution embraced technology but when choosing this path, we remained set on our destination, which was always improving access for patients.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
South Asian employee of Ontario govt suspended after arrest in Hells Angels gambling bust
mobsters as well as outlaw bikers. Pereira is a Ministry of Transportation employee and was the only civil servant charged. “The employee in question has been placed on suspension pending investigation,” Alisha Tharani of the provincial Treasury Board Secretariat told the Toronto Star. She offered no details about the terms of the suspension.
“The Ontario Public Service will cooperate with authorities as required,” Tharani said in an email. “As this is currently an active human resources matter we are unable to comment further at this time.” Charges against other suspects in the police crackdown included commission of offences for a criminal organization, bookmaking,
firearms, money laundering and tax evasion. The Ontario Provincial Police said they seized more than $12 million in assets, including sports cars, two golf carts, seven residences, nine illegal handguns, jewelry valued at approximately $300,000, $330,000 in precious metals, $1.2 million in financial accounts and approximately $1.7 million in cash.
The multi-jurisdictional police operation was dubbed Project Hobart and began in January 2018. There were 228 charges laid
against 28 people from across the province and Oka, Que., last week. Police said the complex gambling network was controlled by Ontario Hells Angels bikers with ties to York Regional mobsters. The operation pulled in more than $131 million in gross revenues and included the websites Ultimate SB, Titan SB, PlaytoWin WB, Privada SB and Players SB, police said. Gamblers were allowed credit limits as high as $20,000, but they were also expected to settle doubts within a week, police said. The groups also operated a gaming house in Mississauga, police said The three full-patch Hells Angels who were charged by police are Robert Barletta, 49, a London, Ont. strip club owner; Craig (Truck) McIlquham, 49, of Oakville; and Eugenio (Gino) Reda, 55, of King City. Barletta was hit with 11 charges, including illegal firearms possession, bookmaking and commission of an offence for a criminal organization. McIlquham’s dozen charges include possession of a restricted weapon, bookmaking and commission of an offence for a criminal organization. Reda faces three bookmaking charges and
Continued on page 7
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Saturday, December 28, 2019 From page 1
Surrey Councillor questions Mayor’s claim of overwhelming support for his policing policies
the 628-page document fly in the face of the survey results that stated 93 per cent of respondents said, “It’s time that Surrey had a police department that is locally led.” While there were many comments in support of the police transition, many also asked what the actual cost of the transition would be and many asked the city to keep the RCMP.Plus, Locke said it’s “pretty symbolic” the results were released just days before Christmas. “I think that was rather deliberate,” Locke said. City staff said Mayor Doug McCallum was unlikely to comment on the results and Councillor Laurie Guerra told the NowLeader she was unavailable to comment due to
the holidays. City hall is closed Dec. 25 to Jan. 2, 2020. Over a fiveweek period in May and June, the City of Surrey held 23 public engagement events as it moved to transition from the RCMP policing model to a municipal police force. During this time, the city offered an online “Policing Transition
South Asian employee of Ontario govt suspended after arrest in Hells Angels gambling bust From page 6 another for commission of an offence for a criminal organization. Niagara Hells Angel Michael (Diaz) DeabaituaSchulde was originally also targeted in the project. Deabaitua-Schulde was murdered on March 11 after leaving a workout at a gym in a commercial plaza in Mississauga. The gambling operation was linked to the Figliomeni Crime Family of York Region, some alleged members of which were charged in July by York Regional
Police in a sweeping investigation called Project Sindicato, Beesley said. Three Montreal men were charged with first-degree murder in DeabaituaSchulde’s death and another Montreal man has been charged with complicity after the fact. Police said the investigation was spurred by an escalation of violent crimes across Ontario, including attempted murders, arson, extortion and threats.
Citizen Engagement Survey” that had a comments section and survey questions that included multiple choice answers.
In total, 11,103 surveys were completed and 12,283 “pieces of input” were received. About 4,000 people attended the events. Then on June 24, the city issued a release, saying there was “overwhelming” citizen support for local police. Results in that release included that, “I believe our police department should prioritize its efforts based on what is important to Surrey citizens: 98% Strongly Agree/Agree.” Since then, Locke said she’s been pushing to have the raw data from the consultation survey released. After months of trying with no success, Locke said she then went to the Freedom of Information officer in Victoria “to help me manoeuvre this.”
8 While many political leaders opt for a bit of pomp, Christmas trees and shots of the B.C. Legislature in their year-end interviews, Andrew Weaver held his in a place he’ll be able to spend a little more time in going forward. “This is the Penny Farthing pub,” he says, sipping a glass of water in his riding’s historic watering hole. “It’s very reminiscent of what Oak Bay is about. It’s got the old English feel to it.” Weaver is stepping down as the B.C. Green Party leader on Jan. 6, after four years in the job. In between, he won re-election in Oak Bay-Gordon Head, led his party to a record number of seats and votes in a provincial election and allowed John Horgan to become premier by virtue of signing a confidence and supply agreement with the NDP. Historic stuff. But not something
Saturday, December 28, 2019
BC Green party leader Andrew Weaver expresses no regrets Weaver will miss. “I have always believed that politics should be viewed as a sense of civic duty and not a career path,” he said. “I frankly think eight years is a long time in politics. And I’m happy to move on.” More than the environment That doesn’t mean Weaver doesn’t look back at some of his accomplishments with pride. “I had personally three private member’s bills pass. Those are the first three, at least my understanding is, that an opposition private member’s bill was passed in the legislature,” he said. Those bills: Create a new set of
regulations allowing for public “benefit companies” that can put social and environmental goals ahead of profits more easily. Make Holodomor Memorial Day officially recognized in B.C. Allow tenants to terminate leases in cases of household violence. Andrew Weaver defends Green Party’s choices on Site C On environmental issues, the party has a mixed bag. While the party opposes both the Site C hydroelectric dam and the development of a liquefied natural gas
industry in B.C., both have gone ahead without the party threatening to take down the government. “I think LNG is going to end up taking care of itself. I look at what’s happening around the world,” said Weaver, believing international trends away from the product will make B.C.’s efforts moot. But Weaver argues — as he often has — that there’s more to the party than just its name. “We have to tell our story better. People still associate Greens with environmental initiatives, and to some extent that’s true,” he said. “What I like to say is the Greens are really focused on triple bottom line accounting: social, environmental and fiscal sustainability, not just one or the other.” Continued on page 9
Andrew Wilkinson prepares for a possible election year Leader of the Opposition knows it’s tough being the leader of the Opposition. “There are five million people in BC and I suspect I’m recognizable to about 200,000 of them,” said B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson, acknowledging that it can be difficult for the public to care about opposition politicians outside of election time. “There’s a lot of work to be done, but we have to remember most people are worried about getting to and from work, getting their kids to soccer or paying their bills. And that’s where the issues really start to focus in during an election.” The B.C. Liberal leader doesn’t know if there will be a provincial election in 2020 — that will be up to Premier John Horgan and, to a lesser extent, whoever r e p l a c e s Andrew Weaver as head of the B.C. Greens. B u t he believes he has a winning strategy, if and when the time comes. “The obvious question is: are people any better off than they were when the NDP came into office?” he asks. Focus on ICBC and forestry In the first half of 2019 Wilkinson struggled at times to make a dent against the NDP — particularly after he referred to being a renter as a ‘wacky time of life’ — but the party has benefited from a slightly different political climate in recent months. Continuing troubles at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), escalating mill shutdowns across the province and the resignation of Jinny Sims from cabinet following the appointment of a special prosecutor have all given Wilkinson more opportunities to go on the attack. “They actually showed a good moral compass on that issue,” said Wilkinson, in regards to Sims’s resignation. “They could fix the cost of logging in this province if they wanted to and they won’t do anything about it,” he said. “And the issue about ICBC is something we have [been] very focused on, because everybody cares about their insurance premiums, and we’ve said ... you’re entitled to have some kind of option, rather than being forced to pay whatever [Attorney General] David Eby decides should be your premiums.”
Saturday, December 28, 2019
67-year-old man found dead in Langley Christmas Eve, homicide team called in 67-year-old Dennis Johnston was found dead in his home near the intersection of 224th Street and 28th Avenue IHIT is asking anyone who has information about David Johnston’s activities prior to his death to contact police Police are trying to trace the movements of a man who was found dead in Langley on Christmas Eve. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says 67-year-old Dennis Johnston was found dead in his home in a rural
area near the intersection of 224th Street and 28th Avenue on Dec, 24. They are asking anyone who saw Johnston in the hours leading up to his death, or who knows what he was doing in the days leading up to Dec. 24 to contact them. They can be reached by phone at 1-877551-IHIT or by email at ihitinfo@rcmpgrc.gc.ca. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
BC Green party leader Andrew Weaver expresses no regrets From page 8
Future Green-NDP relationship? In the future, it will be up to someone else to decide what the Greens are focused on. Weaver will stay on as an MLA until the next election, but the party will elect a permanent leader in June 2020, and Adam Olsen will lead the party in the interim. Weaver said he won’t be commenting on or endorsing anyone in the race — “I don’t want to influence that” — and doesn’t want to speculate on the future of the cooperation between his party and the NDP government. Their leader made history, now he’s resigning. What’s next for the B.C. Greens? “That’s the challenge for the new leader,” he said, though he continued
praise Horgan, who he grew closer to over the course of their unique relationship. “We have very similar interests, very similar mannerisms,” he said. “Both of us are basically two regular guys who, you know, enjoy darts and pool [and] have very similar values.” As for whether the new leader will feel the same way? It’s a question that could have a big impact on how the province is governed, but it’s not a question that publicly interests the Green Party leader as he steps aside. “I never look back,” he said. “I can leave behind what I leave behind, but I will not take responsibility for what happens thereafter.”
Surrey councillors slam holiday timing of transition report release Councillors say Mayor McCallum rushed the report of the transition committee into the hands of Wally Oppal on Dec. 23 The report on the public engagement process was posted to the city’s website that same day unannounced Two councillors say the newly released report undermines claims of ‘overwhelming’ support for municipal police Surrey City Council won’t sit again until 2020 but there’s no break in the conflict over a transition to a municipal police force. Councillors opposed to the transition are raising the alarm, saying Mayor Doug
McCallum rushed the report of the transition committee into the hands of chair Wally Oppal on Dec. 23 before the true scale of public opposition was revealed. According to Councillors Brenda Locke and Jack Hundial, the report on the public engagement process they’ve been fighting for months to get their hands on was posted to the city’s website unannounced that same day. “There’s no mention of this public consultation data being released, and it was slapped into an obscure part of the City of Surrey website,” says Hundial, adding it has taken a full six months for he and other councillors to get access to this data.
LOCAL
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Most BC residents don’t think govt’s action will help lower phone bill
Even though many British Columbians aren’t happy with how much they’re paying for cell phone bills each month, most don’t think government interventions will make a difference, a new poll has found. According to results from Research Co.’s online survey, about 70 per cent of B.C. residents polled say they feel the cost of their phone plans are either “very expensive” or “moderately expensive.” That number’s even higher for mobile users aged 35-to-54, with 77 per cent believing they pay too much for wireless service. This issue of expensive plans has been on the provincial government’s radar, with Premier John Horgan appointing Maple Ridge MLA Bob D’Eith to advocate for more affordable and transparent cellphone options in November. However, only 35 per cent of B.C. residents feel the province’s efforts will be successful in the end, the Research Co. poll
found. Meanwhile, about 31 per cent of B.C. residents think the federal government will deliver on its promises to lower cellphone bills in Canada. Making matters worse, monthly plans for U.S. residents tend to be lower than the average Canadian plan, which costs about $75 for two gigabytes of data, Research Co. says. In other countries, the monthly cost can be even lower. “Most British Columbians know that wireless costs are lower in the United States than in Canada,” said Mario Canseco, president of Research Co. in a news release. “But the current cost of a monthly plan for a mobile phone with two gigabytes of data in Australia and Italy is significantly lower, at $21 and $25 a month, respectively.” In B.C., D’Eith has previously said the provincial government will take a look at cellphone issues and conduct a legislative review of the province’s consumer protection
laws to ensure users are familiar with their rights and protections. The survey’s results were gathered from an online study conducted between Dec. 12 and
Dec. 16, 2019 among 800 B.C. adults. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Highway 91/17 upgrades in Delta to get underway in 2020
Construction on new interchanges and upgrades to existing infrastructure at the junction of Highway 17 and Highway 91 in Delta are set to begin early next year, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. On Wednesday, Dec. 17, the province announced it had awarded a fixed-price contract to design and build the Highway 91/17 Upgrade Project to Pacific Gateway Constructors General Partnership. The Pacific Gateway Constructors team includes CMI-Hwy 91 Limited Partnership, Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., BelPacific Excavating and Shoring, and McElhanney Engineering Services Ltd.The project, which aims to improve travel time and safety for commuters along the highway corridor, includes a combination of improvements to Highway 91, Highway 17 and the Highway 91 Connector, including improvements to Highway 91 at Nordel Interchange, upgrades to the Highway 91 Connector at Nordel Way intersection, a new interchange at Highway 17 and Highway 91 Connector in Sunbury, and a new interchange at River Road connecting to Highway 17. Major construction works for the project will start in early 2020, with completion scheduled for 2023. Once complete, these upgrades will provide increased highway
efficiency and an easier commute for residents and commercial vehicles through better merge lanes, additional interchanges and improved acceleration lanes. The project is part of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s $260-million Highway 91/17 and Deltaport Way Upgrade Project package. Following the procurement process for the design-build agreement, the project budget was increased from $245.2 million to $260.2 million to reflect a variety of factors including current market conditions, according to a ministry press release. Funding for the project comes via the national infrastructure component of the federal government’s New Building Canada Fund, as well as the Province of British Columbia and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The Tsawwassen First Nation also contributed $5.2 million to fund the recently-completed 27B Avenue upgrades component of the project. The AA 27B Avenue component, which aimed to improve access to recently completed industrial and commercial developments in the area as well as to the Canadian Border Service Agency’s container examination facility, included a merge lane that improves access from 27B Avenue to Deltaport Way, as well as road widening and upgrades on 27B Avenue between Deltaport Way and 41B Street.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, December 28, 2019 New year, new rate hikes:
CTF breaks down 2020, impact on your wallet As we inch closer to the New Year, you’ll want to brace yourself for new tax cuts, hikes, and everything else in between. According to Canadian Taxpayers Federation B.C. Director Kris Sims, we have a mixed bag for 2020 when it comes to taxes. “The Basic Personal Amount — the BPA — for your federal income tax is going up, and what that is, is it’s an exemption,” she explains. “So, right now, if you’re making a little more than $12,000 or so per year, none of that is subject to federal income tax because, of course, it’s a right of Canadians to have a certain portion of their income not be taxed, and then you start getting taxed after that.” The change see the BPA increased to $15,000, which amounts to
close to $300 every year in savings by 2023, Sims says, calling it a “big tax cut.” “Around 20-million Canadians are affected by this tax cut. So that’s the really good news,” she said. However, this good news doesn’t come without some bad. Sims says the country’s deficit spending is “spiralling out of control,” and that will come back down to you. “The deficit spending at the federal level is shocking. They basically aren’t even paying attention to it anymore,” she says. “So while it’s wonderful that we’ve got a tax cut… we really are imploring and begging the federal the government and the finance minister to reign in the spending side of things, along with giving us our tax cuts so that we aren’t facing that big deficit.”
Police watchdog investigating Victoria barricade and fire incident after man suffers critical injuries British Columbia’s police watchdog is investigating after one person went to hospital following an apartment fire in Victoria on Christmas Day. Ron MacDonald, chief civilian director of the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., says Victoria police responded at approximately 6 p.m. PT on Wednesday to reports of an armed male causing a disturbance in a multiunit residential building downtown. The Independent Investigations Office investigates any incident where police actions or inactions may have caused harm or death. MacDonald says the male had barricaded himself in a suite in the building and a tactical emergency response team was called. The building is located at the 700 block of Pandora Avenue. No injuries in large Surrey fire, but building likely destroyed, says fire service As the team was deploying, officers say
they saw smoke coming from the suite under the door and called the fire department. The emergency response team made an emergency entrance, and firefighters extinguished the blaze while tactical officers moved in. The male was taken into custody. “He was suffering from medical conditions and injuries and as a result he was taken to a hospital where he now remains,” said MacDonald. “We’re trying to determine whether his life-threatening condition is due to his interactions with police or due to other things that occurred within the suite. That’s obviously an important part of our investigation.” It is not yet known if the male lived in the building. The Victoria Police Department says they are unable to disclose details of the fire or potential causes at this time.
LOCAL
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Surrey is making dangerous intersections safer for pedestrians For about a year, Surrey has been experimenting with new technology called Leading Pedestrian Intervals, or PDIs, to make its intersections safer. At about 70 crossings in the city, when pedestrians get a walk signal they are given a seven-second head start to cross the street while the light remains red for drivers. Surrey Road Safety Manager Shabnem
Afzal says this allows pedestrians to establish their right of way in the crosswalk. “It puts pedestrians into the crosswalk far enough to make them more visible to drivers,” she said. “We normally implement them around T-intersections where there may be a potential for conflict between a vehicle and a pedestrian.” Surrey is home to four of the most
13-year-old victim of Burnaby hit-and-run speaks out The victim of this week’s hit-and-run in Burnaby is now sharing his story. Joseph Gebreyes was walking to the Edmonds Community Centre to meet up with some friends Monday afternoon just after 5 p.m. when the crash happened. “I was walking up the road and that was the last thing I remembered,” explained Gebreyes The 13-year-old had just passed the intersection of 17th and Humphries avenues when he was hit by an unknown vehicle. RCMP say the driver fled. Another driver came across his unconscious body a short time later and called 911. His mother says she was shocked when she got the call about what had happened. “I go to my neighbour to ask for a
ride because I don’t have control, control of my emotions,” said Milagro Guillen, describing the moment she heard the news. Guillen rushed to his side, but when she arrived, he was so disorientated he didn’t recognize anything. “I remember waking up in the hospital and thentheytoldmewhathappened,”saidtheteen. Doctors at Royal Columbian Hospital then described to him the long road to recovery ahead. “They told me I had a broken femur and that I had to do surgery to fix it,” Gebreyes said. He also had a concussion, a fat lip, and major bruising.
BC to activate second speed camera in Surrey in 2020 The province will be activating a second speed camera in Surrey in 2020. BC now has 15 intersection speed cameras set up, with one operational at 152nd Street and King George Boulevard since July, to produce speeding tickets as well as red-light violations. If a vehicle is caught speeding through a green, yellow or red light, the registered owner of the vehicle would be ticketed. Another 20 cameras at high-crash locations are to be activated for speeding by the spring of 2020. An additional five locations, with one in Surrey, are scheduled to go live for speed enforcement on Jan. 6, the public safety ministry confirmed to Black Press Media. The newest Surrey speed camera will be at 96th Avenue at 132nd Street. The other four locations will be in Vancouver There are a total of 140 Intersection Safety Cameras (ISC) operating around B.C., most still set to operate for red light violations only. They issued 23,883
tickets in the same three-month period. Thirty-five were initially chosen for the speed cameras because they were identified as having “the greatest potential for further safety gains through automated speed enforcement.” The ministry has released its first statistics on the speed cameras that were activated initially. It shows that from July to September, five cameras issued 2,370 tickets for speeding, with the highest speed recorded being 174 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. More data are to be posted in early 2020. The program started last summer, mostly in Metro Vancouver, but cameras activated for 24hour speed enforcement are now up and running in Vernon, Kelowna, Kamloops, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission, Surrey, Pitt Meadows, Victoria, Duncan, Courtenay and Nanaimo. In May, the provincial government announced that 35 safety intersection cameras would be “tweaked to slow the worst leadfoots.”
dangerous intersections for pedestrian collisions, according to data from ICBC. Afzal says that by simply delaying the turn signal for drivers, crashes involving pedestrians will decrease. In New York, there was a 56 percent drop in left turn pedestrian and cyclist collisions at intersections where LPIs were installed. “It is a no-brainer really that we
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have to try and protect those most vulnerable road users,” she said. “Especially given that it’s low cost and we can implement LPIs anywhere where there’s actually a signal.” Several other municipalities in Metro Vancouver are also implementing LPIs, but Surrey has more of them than any other city in the region.
Funeral announcement
With great sadness and a heavy heart it is being announced that Mrs.Chanan Kaur Kang w/o late S. Pritam Singh Kang has passed away at his home in Vancouver at the age of 104. Mrs Chanan Kaur Kang belonged to Village Kang Mai, District Hoshirpur Punjab, India. She was living in Vancouver since 1975. Mrs. Chanan Kaur’s funeral will be held on Sunday January 5,2020 at Five Rivers Funeral Home (7410 Hopcott Road) in Delta at 12:30pm following which antim ardas will be held at Gurdwara Akali Singh (1890 Skeena Street) Vancouver.at 2:30pm.. For more information or to offer condolences please call Avtar Singh 604-339-6395
Homicide investigation underway after body found in South Surrey Homicide police are investigating after a man was found dead inside a South Surrey home on Monday night. Surrey RCMP say the man’s body was discovered inside a residence around 9:30 p.m in the 2200-block of 152 Street, near White Rock Christian Academy. The cause of death has not been released, but the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has taken over the investigation.
Police have not revealed the victim’s name. “Early indications are that the incident was contained to the inside of the residence and that there is no ongoing threat to the public,” Surrey RCMP said in a release. Anyone with information can contact IHIT at 1-877-551-4448 or ihitinfo@rcmp-grc. gc.ca. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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LOCAL
Saturday, December 28, 2019 Chiropractors making misleading claims about pregnancy and birth targeted by BC regulator
Building destroyed in Surrey fire Surrey Fire Rescue Service was called to the scene of a significant fire in Surrey on early Thursday afternoon. There were no injuries, and crews have since been able to contain the fire. David Burns, assistant chief of operations for Surrey Fire Rescue Service, says firefighters arrived at approximately 2 p.m. PT to a 1,000-squarefoot metal-clad building fully engulfed in flames. The building is located in Surrey’s Bridgeview neighbourhood. While he does not know the name of the business, Burns says it is an auto salvage business at the 13100 block of 116 Avenue, north of the South Fraser Perimeter Road. Firefighters initiated a defensive attack and had to activate a second alarm for more
resources. There were 24 firefighters on the scene and eight fire vehicles, says Burns. Burns says the building is most likely completely destroyed. “Because it’s a defensive fire they’re not entering the building and ... it was fully involved when they arrived.” The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Train derails near Alberta-BC border Officials with CN Rail are working to determine the cause of a train derailment in Fraser-Fort George, British Columbia, Thursday morning. An estimated 26 railcars derailed at approximately 5 a.m. on Dec. 26 about 30 kilometres east of Mount Robson, said CN Rail. One user on Twitter captured photos of the derailment, showing multiple railcars on their sides. No one was injured and none of the railcars were carrying dangerous goods, according to a statement from CN Rail.
One or two cars slid into Moose Lake, and CN’s environmental experts are on scene assessing possible impacts to the environment.
B.C. chiropractors who make misleading claims about helping pregnant women give birth more comfortably or avoid postpartum depression have a little more than a month to scrub their websites. The College of Chiropractors of B.C. said Monday it’s giving all practitioners until Jan. 30 to clean up their marketing to keep it in line with updated policies about pregnancy-related conditions and labour, or face investigation and possible discipline. A public notice posted on the college website says it “has become concerned with statements made by some registrants which suggest that chiropractic care has the ability to turn a breech baby in utero and promote easier birth experiences. These claims are not well supported by evidence and are therefore misleading to the public.” In a handful of websites reviewed by CBC, some chiropractors make claims about helping “decrease pain in pregnancy and labour” or providing treatment that “allows the baby to get in the best possible position in utero.” Under the college’s revised efficacy claims policy, B.C. chiropractors will no longer be permitted to say: College registrar Michelle Da Roza said, the updated policy was not prompted by complaints from the public. “The [college] is working to be a more
proactive regulator and wanted to address its own concerns,” Da Roza said in an email. The college’s notice specifically targets marketing of the Webster Technique, a treatment of the pelvis and lower spine that is often promoted to pregnant women as a method of ensuring a more comfortable birth. The college says it has updated the chiropractors’ professional conduct handbook to make it clear the Webster Technique can only be advertised as “a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment for all weight-bearing individuals.” Last year, the college brought in a new policy that bars chiropractors from claiming to treat conditions like autism and cancer. (Konstantin Shadrin/Shutterstock) The changes come a little more than a year after the college first introduced the efficacy claims policy, which set out a long list of conditions that chiropractors cannot claim to treat, including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, infections, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the effort to crack down on those misleading claims, the college developed software that can scan chiropractors’ websites and social media for false advertising. A total of 65 B.C. chiropractors were found to be in violation of the policy after it was fully implemented in November 2018.
Earthquakes rattle northern Vancouver Island on Christmas Day
Emergency responders remain on scene. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
A pair of earthquake struck an area off the northwest coast of Vancouver Island on Christmas Day, the latest in a string of nine earthquakes to hit the region since Monday. Wednesday’s first quake, which measured 3.6, hit at 8:25 a.m. and was centred in the Pacific Ocean about 150 kilometres west of Port Alice. The second measured 4.9 and struck at 12:38 p.m. about 198 kilometres west of Port Hardy. The
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west of No reported
depth of the both earthquakes was 10 km, which is considered shallow. The same area was rattled by five earthquakes — measuring between 4.8 and 6.0 — on Monday. Another earthquake, measuring 4.3, was recorded at 9:29 p.m. Monday about 29 kilometres the village of Queen Charlotte. damage has been from any of the quakes.
Vehicle crashes into Hydro pole,
leaving 5,000 without power in Surrey Around 5,000 customers in Surrey were temporarily left without power early Thursday after a vehicle collided with a power pole, snapping it in half. The collision, involving a Ford Explorer Sport Trac, happened at around 1:30 a.m. at 128 Street and 87 Avenue, and brought down live electrical wires. Fire and ambulance services attended, however it appeared that the driver was not injured, said a witness. RCMP closed 128 Street to traffic while BC Hydro crews worked on repairing the damage and restoring power to customers. There is no word on what led to the crash.
Cyclist killed in collision on Christmas Day Police say a cyclist has died after being struck by a vehicle on Cypress Bowl Road in West Vancouver on Christmas Day. The victim, a man from Vancouver, was in his 40s, according to the West Vancouver Police Department. He died at the scene. The collision took place just after noon Wednesday, and the road remained partially closed in the afternoon while police investigated.
LOCAL
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Former Cloverdale youth pastor convicted of sexual assault to be sentenced in May Former Cloverdale youth pastor Samuel Emerson, found guilty of one count of sexual assault in connection with allegations that police made public in October 2017, is to be sentenced in Surrey Provincial Court in late spring. Court officials confirmed Monday that May 21, 2020 has been
set for the proceedings. Emerson was found guilty in November, following a trial that got underway in April and concluded Sept. 4. He was tried on five counts of
sexual assault, two counts of touching a young person for a sexual purpose and one count of sexual interference of a person under 16. His wife, Madelaine Emerson – tried on a total of four charges – was acquitted of all counts. The assaults were alleged to have happened between 2013 and 2017, at the Emerson family home and at the Cowichan River Bible Camp.
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The husband and wife were arrested in May 2017. In finding Samuel Emerson guilty of the one count, Judge Mark Jetté concluded that the complainant’s apparent consent to have sex with Emerson was induced. There is a publication ban on any information that could reveal the identity of alleged victims or witnesses.
Boxing Day sales lead to heavy traffic congestion around Vancouver airport Travellers heading to Vancouver International Airport faced major traffic delays Thursday due to the annual Boxing Day sales at the nearby McArthurGlen outlet shopping centre. Don Reynolds, one of many travellers stuck in traffic on the way to the airport, told CBC News he was afraid he would miss his flight to the Philippines because of Boxing Day shoppers. “I’ve never seen it like this before in all the years I’ve lived here,” he said. “They should never allow a shopping mall to do this to international flights. It’s totally crazy.” Vancouver International Airport sent out a statement early Thursday encouraging travellers to pre-book parking spots in the airport’s lots, and warning the long-term parking lot would be most affected by delays due to proximity to the mall. One of the busiest travel days
Boxing Day is already one of the busiest travel days of the year, with upwards of 90,000 people expected to make their way through the airport. Boxing Day is one of the busiest travel days of the year at Vancouver International Airport.
AUTOBODY & PAINT ICBC Accredited Collision Repairs & Valet Service The airport reminded travellers to confirm flight reservations and determine baggage specifications in advance, while avoiding packing liquids, gels and other prohibited items in carry-on items.
ICBC & Private Claims Surrey Central tops SkyTrain stations for Criminal Code incidents Surrey Central station and the area surrounding it kept Transit Police busy in 2018, with officers handling more criminal offences there than at any other station in the SkyTrain network.
Postmedia News asked Transit Police to provide information about criminal offences — not including unfounded or unsubstantiated files — to which they responded, either as primary agency or assisting another police force, at or within 150 metres of SkyTrain stations between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2018. During that time, there were 4,463 Criminal Code incidents at or around the rapid transit system’s 53 Expo, Millennium and Canada Line stations, which cover Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, Richmond, Port Moody and Coquitlam. Breaking it down by station, Surrey Central tops the list by a significant margin with 487, followed by Waterfront at 283 and Vancouver City Centre at 238. Granville Station (225) and New Westminster (223) round out the top five. Transit Police Sgt. Clint Hampton said seeing a busy station like Surrey Central — which had 4.2 million recorded boardings last year — at the top of the list was not a surprise, particularly because the numbers included incidents in a buffer zone around the station and calls in which officers backed up Surrey RCMP. Hampton added the reported crimes might not only be specific to the SkyTrain station, but also be taking place in the immediate area. “Somewhere like Surrey Central where we have quite a quite a high number, I started considering just the fact that
we have all those businesses and in a very condensed area,” Hampton said. Hampton said Waterfront is a major hub in the transit system, with passengers from West Coast Express, SeaBus, Canada Line and SkyTrain passing through. “We’re in the downtown core, and as well as that we’re just on the outskirts of the Downtown Eastside,” Hampton added. In the case of Vancouver City Centre and Granville, he again points to the stations’ locations in the city core, and proximity to the entertainment district.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
Fish feeding-frenzy draws animals, big crowds to White Rock Pier For more than a decade, Janeen Grant has worked at the restaurant Charlie Don’t Surf on the White Rock, B.C., waterfront and she’s never seen anything like this. An incredible number of tiny fish, believed to be northern anchovies, have been swimming around the pier for the last few weeks, creating a feeding frenzy for predators outside her restaurant. “Today we’ve had a bunch of sea lions outside,” she said recently. “Like big, giant sea lions.” Harbour seals and several species of birds are also flocking to the pier to feast on fish, attracting large crowds of onlookers and photographers.
Marg Cuthbert, president of Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society, says young anchovies have schooled near the pier in the past, but it’s hard to say why there are so many of them this year. “This is just a blurb that’s come up, like one year we had a huge salmon run,” she said. “It happens every once in a while but nobody really knows the answer why.” A woman takes pictures of the feeding frenzy from the pier in White Rock, B.C. (CFriends of Semiahmoo Bay has spent nearly 20 years
Thief wearing Santa Hat robs bank in Nanaimo Police in Nanaimo are looking for a man who walked into a Bank in in the City on Monday while wearing a Santa hat. If you have information on the identity of this person, contact the Nanaimo RCMP A thief in Nanaimo seemed to be in a festive mood when he robbed a bank on Monday. RCMP say a man was wearing a Santa hat when he went up to a bank teller, told them he had a weapon, and then ran
away with some cash around 2:00 p.m. A bunch of the clothing he was wearing, including that Santa hat, was found by police later on. The man is described as a white male, medium build, five foot eight inches tall, and is about 40 to 50-years-old. Officers are now trying to track down the suspect. If you have information on the identity of this person, contact the Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345.
mapping and even transplanting eelgrass, often at its own expense, along the shoreline between Boundary Bay and Drayton Harbor in Blaine, Wash. The grass meadows provide a home for many types of fish, including northern anchovies, herring and surf smelt, until they’re big enough to go out to sea. “We’ve been fortunate to see some
spawning success this year with the schools of fish down at the pier,” she said. “This is exciting the seals and gulls and sea lions.” However, Cuthbert says fishing and a loss of habitat have caused spawning numbers of forage fish like northern anchovies to drop, which also has consequences for predators, such as salmon, that rely on smaller fish for food. She would like to see the provincial and federal government pay for some of the restoration work her organization currently covers through fundraising. “I think that these are the most important grass meadows in British Columbia,” she said. “Why are government agencies not doing that work?”
Expert says 9 earthquakes in 3 days don’t foreshadow ‘Big One’ The ‘Big One’ many in B.C. are bracing for will be due to a megathrust earthquake at the Cascadia subduction fault The nine quakes earlier this week happened between 150 and 200 kilometres off the coast along a different fault While out of the ordinary, there is no reason to panic but the quakes offer a reminder to prepare Nine earthquakes rattling off the
coast of Vancouver Island in three days are no reason to panic, but a seismologist says they should serve as a reminder to prepare. “They’re just a great reminder of an active earthquake zone and the importance of being prepared–having an earthquake emergency kit, having a plan, and knowing what to do when the shaking starts,” says John Cassidy, an earthquake seismologist with Natural Resources Canada.
Suspect in custody following theft of Christmas presents Surrey RCMP are reporting the arrest of a man suspected of two holiday break and enters where Christmas presents were taken. On December 16, 2019, Surrey RCMP received two reports of break and enters to residences in the area around 61 Avenue and 185 Street. Both incidents involved a man attempting to access residential garages and, in one incident, the suspect took clothing and toys that were destined for underneath the Christmas tree. Surrey RCMP Property Crime Team identified the suspect as Eugene Lane, a 34 year-old Surrey resident, and with assistance from Integrated Air Services, Integrated Police Dog Services,
as well as Surrey RCMP frontline and investigative services, police located Lane and recovered the items that had been taken. Lane has been charged with two counts of break and enter with intent to commit theft and has been remanded into custody. “We are pleased that this investigation came together quickly so that we could be there for these families during the holidays,” said Staff Sergeant Ryan Element, Surrey RCMP Proactive Enforcement Lead. “This is a season of giving for most of us – but for those that would rather take… well, we’ll be there for you too.”
Quebec man arrested for fraud, tax evasion: CRA Robert Kalfayan is appearing in Montreal court Tuesday to face charges of fraud and tax evasion.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) says Kalfayan was arrested on Monday at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in relation to one count of fraud under the Criminal Code and tax evasion charges linked to various criminal offences under the Income Tax Act. The Montreal-area resident allegedly used “a complex and fraudulent scheme to shield his luxurious Laval residence from CRA collection measures,” according to the agency, citing court records. “Among other things, he allegedly used one of his foreign incorporated companies and a nominee to register a fictitious mortgage on his residence.” From 2014 to 2019, CRA notes at least 17 taxpayers were convicted of tax evasion with links to offshore money and other assets. The CRA says during that time it recovered more than $7 million in federal taxes, produced more than $5 million in court fines and led to jail sentences totalling 29 years.
Saturday, December 28, 2019
I
t’s been a long while since Akshay Kumar has had a flop: the 2015 film “Brothers.” It is not even that he does just one or two films a year. After “Brothers,” he did “Singh Is Bliing” in the same year that was a success, and then entered a glorious streak in the 100-crore club —“Airlift” in January 2016 began a flop-free phase that has continued till “Housefull 4” this year, and the phase will continue with “Good Newwz” releasing in Christmas week. But for “Pad-Man” in the beginning of 2018, which was a success but did not touch that figure, Kumar’s other films have all been 100 crore-plus in India, with “Mission Mangal,” one of his many home productions in the list, opening his 200 crore account. “Good Neewz,” (also a co-production) is likely to reach that effortlessly as well. Today, Kumar has the highest number of films in this club next to Salman Khan and he is fast catching up. Candid
Vidya Balan with different cuts With her very first film, “Parineeta,” Vidya Balan showed that there was space in the industry for a homely girl whose forte was acting and not glamour. Fourteen years later, after playing roles as varied as a housewife, a ruthless femme fatale, a brothel-owner, sister to a murder victim, lady detective and an RJ, she has shown that she is a star with a difference.
Admittedly, she has floundered in many a case, notably in fairly recent films like “Kahaani 2” and “Begum Jaan,” but the triumphs have outclassed these failures – people still remember her path-breaking turns in movies like “The Dirty Picture” and “Kahaani” among others. We begin our conversation on this note as we meet up on the eve of the release of “Mission Mangal,” in which she essays a scientist.
‘I Am Comfortable Acting in All Genres’ - Akshay Kumar observers have placed the actor (who has completed 29 years as a leading man) as No. 2 today, and someone who will soon dethrone the reigning Khan at the top. Witty, grounded and candid, Kumar chats up about how the film has shaped out and his career in general in a candid interview at the Dharma Productions office.
Like “Toilet—Ek Prem Katha” and “Pad-Man,” you are tackling a sensitive issue here with humor. How audience-friendly is it, not just in terms of entertainment but also about how people will take it? Akshay replied, ‘like with those films, we have again
been very careful. Such a subject needs to be highlighted for couples who cannot have children in the normal way. In-Vitro Fertilization has a 92 percent success rate, and every year, an estimated 1 million babies are born in the world through this technique. Science can thus render the derogatory term for women, “baanj” (barren) obsolet’. Yes, we have shown a goof-up that can happen once in a blue moon. But look at how rare that is.
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Bollywood
Saturday, December 28, 2019
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Kareena Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Diljit Dosanjh, Kiara Advani in ‘Good Newwz.’
Rani Mukerji’s ‘Mardaani 2’
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Rani Mukerji’s cop drama ‘Mardaani 2’ which released along with Hollywood’s fantasy adventure drama ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ starring Dwayne Johnson and others, has finally managed to give a tough competition to its contemporary. Johnson’s sequel which dominated the box office since the first day and an additional day due to paid reviews had a drop of nearly 25% on its first Monday. According to the latest report on Boxofficeindia.com, ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ minted Rs 2.75 crore which is equal to the collection of Rani Mukerji’s ‘Mardaani 2’. The audience was in for another epic clash after witnessing Kartik Aaryan’s ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’ and Arjun Kapoor’s ‘Panipat’ last week. Apart from Rani’s stellar performance, a good word of mouth has also helped ‘Mardaani 2’ grow at the box office. While Johnson’s ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ which also stars Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas and Awkwafina has reached a total of Rs 27 crore, Rani’s ‘Mardaani 2’ on the other hand has bagged Rs 20.75 crore in the first 4 days. Emraan Hashmi and Rishi Kapoor’s thriller ‘The Body’ which also released along with ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ and ‘Mardaani 2’ seems to be out of the league as the film minted just Rs 25 lacs on its first Monday. Following the birth of her child, Mukerji took a four-year hiatus to focus on her daughter and was persuaded by her husband, Aditya Chopra, to return to acting. [119] She was keen to work on a project that would accommodate her parental commitments and found it in the comedydrama Hichki (2018). Inspired by Brad Cohen’s autobiography Front of the Class, the film tells the story of Naina Mathur, an aspiring teacher suffering from Tourette syndrome who must prove herself by educating underprivileged children.[120] In preparation, Mukerji interacted with Cohen and she trained to make her character’s motor and vocal tics appear spontaneous and not rehearsed.[119] Hichki received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise directed at Mukerji’s portrayal
Saturday, December 28, 2019
‘I Just Want This Credible Film to Do Incredible Business!’ - says Arjun Kapoor When we ask Arjun Kapoor, who plays Sadashivrao, the Peshwa protagonist of “Panipat,” how much Marathi he knows, he replies, “Malaa Marathi yete (I know Marathi)! I can understand it completely, but I am hesitant to speak it, as any mistake might offend someone.” Reeling under several flops (his last hit was “2 States” way back in 2014), the son of Boney Kapoor is now adorned in a (real) moustache and has shaved his head (“On November 16, 2018!” he informs) for his role in the film. Now looking completely normal, the pleasant actor meets the media at the Hotel Sun’N’Sand. Q: What was the main challenge in doing this role? A: We have read about the Peshwas in history, but we forget that whatever else they were, they were human beings as well. We are consumed by the period films that we have watched and what we have been told, but we do not know exactly how they behaved and spoke. Ashutosh Gowariker, my one-stop shop for the research—as he is like an encyclopedia—told
me to be human like any of us. So I had to unlearn that ‘period’ baggage, which was the biggest challenge. Just as any of us would behave differently in office, at home or with friends, Sadashivrao must have been different with the warriors, with his wife and with his friends. A man who leads his men to war must also be feeling vulnerable as well as their life is in his hands. But the great foundation—the sets, costumes and ambience, and no mobilephones were allowed—and finally the big Marathi actors whom I kept hearing throughout the day, created that feeling for the era. Q: And what about the physical aspects? A: Armor pads, shin pads, metal over my forearms, shoulders, body—I am tired even telling you about it! It all weighed about 18 kilos, and with all that, I had to sit on a horse, because the director wanted real metal as the sun could glint on it! It took four men to make me mount and dismount the horse, and for some reason, they shot the battle-scenes in May! (Smiles)
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Bollywood Horoscope Aries
March 21 - April 20 This holiday week could see you eager to make changes that will likely have an impact over the coming months. The powerful focus on your sector of goals intensifies and could continue the emphasis on making a big splash and capturing the limelight. With a solar eclipse on December 25 aligning to both jovial Jupiter and electric Uranus, this could be a memorable time because it encourages you to make a bold move. It might not happen right away,
Taurus
April 21 - May 20 Whether you’re traveling or staying home, the coming week can be busy in more ways than one. You might be linking up with people from other countries or cultures, or perhaps with relatives who live quite a long distance away. News and conversation may prove inspiring, and this could see you eager to make changes that may have been on your mind for some while. These are not pie-in-the-sky ideas but very practical considerations that you may have been looking into for some while. Where previously you may have wondered if you
Gemini
May 20 - June 21 What would you most like to change, Gemini? This holiday week could find you reflecting on this deeply. In the middle of the hustle and bustle of this festive time, you could have ideas and revelations that bring major changes or perhaps a series of smaller ones. The action this week revolves around a very exciting solar eclipse that occurs in your sector of business, shared resources, and deep soul bonds on December 25. This is where energy could be stuck, preventing you
Cancer
June 22 - July 23
It might seem like you’re getting calls and requests from everyone, and this is keeping you very busy. It could even seem like all your energy is expended on others and you’re constantly involved in discussions, tasks, and negotiations. Make time to enjoy some pampering, though, because you need an opportunity to recharge. With a dynamic solar eclipse on December 25, you may feel buoyed up by an encounter or connection that causes you to feel a lot more optimistic and hopeful. This person could be a force for
Leo
June 24 - August 23 After what may have seemed like a long period of hard work, you could begin to see hope on the horizon. Expansive Jupiter’s presence in your lifestyle zone can bring opportunities that inspire and recharge you. This week’s buoyant solar eclipse could give you a sense of excitement about the future. The eclipse takes place on December 25 and links with jovial Jupiter and emancipated Uranus, bringing opportunities and offers that could be your making.
Virgo
August 24 - Sept 24 You may be involved in organizing holiday events, and this will certainly keep you busy. Perhaps you’re directing or taking part in a holiday play or arranging activities for children. But more than this, you could be ready to take your creative skills to a new level, and the inspiration to do so might be particularly powerful at this time. This can be a wonderful time to indulge in your favorite hobbies or consider creating an enterprise or finding romance.
Libra
Sept. 24 - Oct 22 There seems to be plenty of activity at your place over this week, and this could see you enjoying a chance to spend time with friends and family. With the sun in your domestic sector making lively links to innovative Uranus and positive Jupiter, the stage is set for some fascinating conversations, encounters, and opportunities. The key event this week is a solar eclipse in your home zone that forges upbeat ties and brings a burst of optimism and excitement. Perhaps someone makes you an offer you can’t refuse,
Scorpio
Oct 23 - Nov 22 You may be doing a lot of plotting, planning, organizing, and arranging, and this could all come to a head this week and next. A powerful focus on your sector of talk and thought could encourage discussions, brainstorming, and a chance to take key plans to the next level. You and those you’re connected to may be passionate about a project, and this week could see you making great strides. As lovely Venus moves into your home zone later in the week, you’ll be ready to enjoy a few very sparkling holiday weeks. Her presence here can see you enjoying gatherings
Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22
Over this holiday week, you may become aware of those things that are truly important to you in life and those that are not. While you might be happy to have friends and family around, you’ll also revel in the quality of your relationships and the love you have for each other, with the material side of this holiday week being further down the list. With feisty Mars in a more spiritual sector, you may also be eager to take time out for reflection and to get your bearings with the new year coming along very soon.
Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20
This week could bring a golden opportunity your way, one that you may have coveted for some time. As this is also the holiday week, it’s possible that encounters and conversations can be very beneficial. Mixing with a variety of people could see you involved in some fascinating discussions that hold the keys to further positive developments. With a sizzling solar eclipse in your sign on December 25 linking with two very zesty planets, there is
Aquarius
Jan 21 - Feb 19
Have you been struggling to resolve certain issues? If so, the days ahead can bring revelations and insights that prove very helpful. With a major focus on your spiritual sector, this can be a time of reflection. And even though lovely Venus in your sign encourages you to get out and enjoy yourself, you will likely seek a balance between the two. This could be a very revealing week with a dynamic solar eclipse in Capricorn linking to jovial Jupiter and lively Uranus. Something may come to light that helps you see things in perspective, and this can make all the difference.
Pisces
Feb 20 - March 20 Whatever you’re doing over this holiday week, it looks like you’ll be busy in more ways than one. Make time for yourself to enjoy some pampering and self-care, because this can make a world of difference. You might be busy organizing as well as attending events and keeping everything operating smoothly whether you’re part of a group, organization, or committee. This is a time when your skills and abilities may be noticed, which could stand you in good stead. Someone might be ready to cut you a deal and eager to discuss how you might work together.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
Bollywood
Remake of 1978’s ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’ Remakes in general do not work as well as sequels, for there is no fame or branding. They are also never made as copies but have to be modernized and modified for the times. And so, unless that is done intelligently and with judicious changes, they usually come croppers. BR Studios takes on the remaking of “Pati Patni Aur Woh” that was a hit in 1978. It is the next generation banner of BR Films, which originally made this then-revolutionary story on infidelity told in a fun way (with of course some necessary emotions). As a subject, it was loved by the audiences then
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despite the Adults Only tag and its bold theme. Today, in the era of living-in and multiple sexual partners, the topic hardly evokes sensation. Thus the best that can be done is to make a comedy with small-town sensibilities, where such activities are still more frowned upon though prevalent. The setting is Kanpur, where Abhinav a.k.a. Chintu Tygai (Kartik Aaryan) is bored of his existence (Aaryan specializes in monologs, so there is one here as well). He has done his studies well, qualified, got a steady government job in the Public Works Department and has been married off to a glam and ambitious schoolteacher Vedika (Bhumi Pednekar).
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
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She was recently nominated as best actress at the Emmy Awards for the web series “Lust Stories.” The nomination is another feather in the cap for her after her movies “Andhadhun” and “Pad Man” won diverse National awards. In a media release, the actor spilled the beans on how easily she steps into multiple characters while working on different projects. “Every character requires a different type of preparation,” she said. “A lot of it has to do with your collaboration with the director and your co-actors. Some
characters require a lot of research to be done, while others require a lot of practice.” “So the process may differ each time. I’m not someone who gets attached — I detach myself from my character with a lot of ease and it almost happens automatically when I’m done shooting.” In the international space, the actress will be seen as a spy in “Liberte: A Call to Spy,” based on real incidents from World War II. She will be playing the role of Noor Inayat Khan a.k.a. Nora Baker, who was the first female wireless operator to parachute into Nazi-occupied France to help the French resistance.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
Press release
Statement from Andrew Wilkinson on Christmas Leader of the Official Opposition, Andrew Wilkinson, released the following statement today for Christmas: “Today, millions of British Columbians and people around the world will celebrate Christmas. “The holiday season is one of joy and togetherness. For people of many backgrounds, the Christmas holidays are an opportunity to spend precious time with families and loved ones.
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“It is also a time when we should give thanks for all we have and support those in need within our communities during these cold winter nights. “As we look forward to the new year in the coming days, on behalf of the entire BC Liberal Caucus I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a safe and happy holiday season, and all the best in 2020!”
Deepika might be away from the celluloid after her stunning performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s periodic drama ‘Padmaavat’ but the diva is all set to return as an acid attack survivor in Meghna Gulzar’s film ‘Chhapaak’. Well, that’s not all as the ‘Piku’ star recently revealed about her next dark project. Talking
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about the project at an event in Mumbai, Deepika said, “I have found a film which I am likely to do early next year but it’s not light, it’ll be quite dark but it’s still in the romance zone.” Deepika & Ranveer, one of the most loved couples. They have been giving us major relationship goals for a long time now. Their Instagram feed is proof that they are in love, truly madly deeply! The duo will be celebrating their first marriage anniversary in November this year. And during a recent interview, the actress opened up about her future kids.
Saturday, December 28, 2019
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Vol. 10 No. 48
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Saturday - December 28, 2019
Home sales in every BC region to recover in 2020 - a forecast. Total home transactions across province expected to rise 11 per cent versus 2019, with average sale prices also predicted to increase in every area.Although every region in B.C. is expected to see lower home sales in 2019 than in 2018, sales will more than recover in
Tel: 604-591-5423
Housing market forecast through 2020
2020, according to a September 5 forecast by the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA).Overall in 2019, residential transactions across the province are predicted to be five per cent lower, at about 75,000 units, than the 78,505 sales of 2018. Every one of B.C.’s 12 boards is expected to
report a year-over-year decline in total sales across 2019, with drops ranging from one to 14 per cent. However, BCREA forecasted that every board will see considerable sales jumps in 2020, totalling a province-wide increase of nearly 11 per cent to 82,700 homes — which the association said would be just below the
E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com 10-year annual average. “B.C. markets are showing signs of recovery after nearly a year and a half of policy-induced declines,”
said Brendon Ogmundson, BCREA’s deputy chief economist. “We expect that recovery to continue into next year, with home sales normalizing around long-term averages.” BCREA BC home sales forecast Sept 2019 Having seen the steepest annual sales declines in 2018, and a forecast drop of
housing market to see modest price growth in 2020 and 2021, predicts CMHC
The Metro Vancouver housing market will remain “balanced” over the next two years with home prices expected to increase in line with population growth, according to the latest housing market outlook report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Housing sales and prices have dipped recently as a result of multiple factors — including rising mortgage rates and new taxes — but the CMHC predicts that starting in 2020 and through 2021, there will be a modest increase both in prices and sales volume. Attached homes, condos and apartments priced under $700,000 are expected to generate the strongest demand because “homes in this price range can be accessible to buyers making a purchase based on their income compared with properties requiring substantial equity for a down payment,” says the report. The report says housing starts are expected to remain high, especially multi-family homes, which currently account for 88 per cent of unit starts.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
Condos, the ‘future of our communities,’ now cost more per square foot than a detached home Condominiums may be the “future of our communities” but per square foot, they are hardly a bargain. According to a Royal LePage report released today, aside from Vancouver and Calgary, every major city’s condo price per square foot has increased. With the exception of Vancouver, the median price per square foot of a condo is now higher than that of a single family detached home nationwide. Canadian home prices are up — but by the smallest amount in
a decade. Seven reasons Canada’s housing market is stronger than it looks Vancouver’s housing market is dismal — but you still need six-figure income to get your foot in the door “While condo units are smaller, they are the present and future of our communities. With more development opportunities, they can meet both the growing need for housing and lifestyle expectations of homebuyers,” said Phil Soper, the president of Royal LePage in a
press release. The Greater Ottawa condo price per square foot appreciated the fastest among the cities that were measured, rising 17.9 per cent year-over-year to $395, while the Greater Vancouver price actually declined the most by 8.3 per cent to $764. “We are seeing significant interest in Ottawa’s south and west ends from residents working in the nearby military and technology hubs,” said Kent Browne, broker
Over 11% of Vancouver condos have a non-resident owner, says new CMHC report
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Over 11 percent of Vancouver condos have at least one non-resident as an owner, a number that jumps to more than 19 per cent when it comes to newer built condos. The information is contained in a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation housing market insight report which also found that non-residents — defined as someone who
doesn’t have their principal residence in Canada — tend to own more expensive properties than residents, especially in Vancouver. Some of the other findings: 7.2 per cent of all Vancouver properties have at least one non-resident owner. Non-resident ownership is highest in
and owner of Royal LePage TEAM Realty. The city of Vancouver remains the most expensive condo market in the country, with homebuyers paying $1,044 per square foot for a condo and $1,279 per square foot for a single-family detached home. Greater Calgary offers the lowest condo price per square foot, with a fall of 6.7 per cent to $313.“For the fourth consecutive month, condo inventory in the region declined compared to last year.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
South Asian Adults & Seniors - Celebrate Christmas with Bollywood Music Melodies, December 28th 2019 (Saturday) at Shanti Niketan Hall from 11.00 am to 3.00pm. Vedic Seniors Parivar Center of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey is going to celebrate the Christmas with Bollywood Music- A social get together on December 28th 2019 (Saturday) at Shanti Niketan hall of Lakshmi Narayan Temple 8321 - 140th street Surrey BC from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm. There will be live entertainment program with hilarious jokes and Bollywood music Melodies. Appetizers will be served in the beginning, Vegetarian Pizza and dessert will be served for lunch. We have invited well known Musician of South Asian community, Dr. Sunil Bhatt, who has kindly accepted our request to entertain all of us with his melodious old Bollywood Hindi songs, also going to introduce Shree Vinod Bhardwaj from Victoria who is a Master of playing excellent Bollywood Hindi Tunes on Flute. Prior registration required for attending this special EVENT. Please contact Surendra Handa Coordinator/ Organizer Tel. 604 - 507 - 9945 for prior registration.
Child care provider required at a private home Location Surrey, BC - Salary $14.50 to $14.75 / Hour (To be negotiated) Permanent, Full time 40 Hours / Week Start date As soon as possible Job requirements Languages English Education College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma from a program of 1 year to 2 years Experience 1 year to less than 2 years Additional Skills Assume full responsibility for household in absence of parents, Perform light housekeeping and cleaning duties, Shop for food and household supplies, Travel with family on trips and assist with child supervision and housekeeping duties, Wash, iron and press clothing and household linens Children’s Ages School age (6 - 12 years), and 2 - 3 years Specific Skills Bathe,
dress and feed infants and children, Discipline children according to the methods requested by the parents, Prepare infants and children for rest periods, Keep records of daily activities and health information regarding children, Sterilize bottles, prepare formulas and change diapers for infants, Maintain a safe and healthy environment in the home, Take children to and from school and to appointments, Tend to emotional well-being of children, Instruct children in personal hygiene and social development, Organize, activities such as games and outings for children, Prepare and serve nutritious meals, Supervise and care for children, Help children with homework Work Setting Employer’s home How to apply By email: umendrasingh@hotmail.com By phone: 604-537-3551
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
Chatr Mobile in Payal Business Centre celebrate 10th anniversary
Chatr Mobile Payal Business Centre celebrated its 10th Anniversary. On this special day, Harpreet Singh (Store Owner), and the Rogers Officials-Chrissy Yee(Sr. Manager National Dealer Sales-Chatr), Jason Huh(Chatr Account Manager-BC&Alberta), Arjun
Tyagi(Dealer Business Manager-Rogers&Fido-BC) distributed 10 gifts to the lucky winners of the store. Apart from this, the biggest gift was a brand new Nissan SUV Car through a contest called “Win Big with Chatr� in which new or existing customers on
a $40 or greater chatr plan could register to win 1 of 3 Nissan Rogue, Cruiser bikes from SportChek and Google Home Mini!The contest was from Chatr Mobile and one of the Nissan SUV was won by Mr. Nishan Singh, customer of Chatr Payal Business Centre store. Special Guests like Mr. Sukh Dhaliwal (MP), Mandeep Nagra
Happy New Year
(Surrey Counsellor), Garry Thind(Surrey School Trustee), Kulwinder Sanghera(President Red FM), Bijoy Samuel(Vice-President Red FM)and various other prominent personalities of the town were also present.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
Press release
BC Liberal MLAs raise questions about government security and accountability in the wake of the LifeLabs cyberattack BC Liberal MLAs Ben Stewart and Norm Letnick are calling on John Horgan and the NDP to answer questions about government accountability and the protection of private information after health information provider LifeLabs fell victim to a cyberattack, exposing the personal information of nearly 15 million Canadians, including almost 4 million British Columbians. “This is one of British Columbia’s largest data breaches in recent history and it is raising serious questions about how private companies and this government handle our personal information,” said Norm Letnick, BC Liberal Critic for Health. “We have learned that the government was aware of this attack over six weeks ago and withheld it from the public. British Columbians deserve to know what advice was John Horgan given and what actions he has taken since he found out.” LifeLabs, Canada’s largest private diagnostic testing provider, handles 34 per cent of all diagnostic tests for the province’s health care system. Health Minister Adrian Dix admitted that LifeLabs contacted his government about the breach as early
as October 28th, which included people’s names, addresses, email addresses, customer logins, passwords, and health numbers. “We can’t stress enough the importance of the B.C. government’s responsibility to protect British Columbians’ privacy,” said Ben Stewart, BC Liberal Co-Critic for Citizens’ Services. “A wide array of British Columbians’ personal information, including health records, is now digital and cyberattacks are becoming more frequent than ever. How can we be sure that private and public institutions are doing enough to protect our personal information?” The BC Liberal MLAs are demanding that John Horgan and the NDP outline what measures they will take to ensure the government is not vulnerable to future data breaches and extortion attempts. “At a time when cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, a better system must be put in place to better preserve the confidentiality of personal info held by both private and public institutions,” concluded Letnick. “The NDP government must act now and give British Columbians the answers and confidence they deserve.”
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Horgan wants province to capitalize on reputation for high-quality ‘BC Bud’ Premier John Horgan says it’s the best of times for cannabis users in British Columbia, but they could be even better. Since recreational cannabis became legal in Canada in October 2018, access to marijuana has become a matter of waiting for the mail to arrive or visiting a licensed dispensary, but something’s still missing, says the premier. Horgan said he wants British Columbia to take better advantage of the province’s worldwide reputation as a producer of top notch, award-winning weed, known as B.C. bud. “I remember being in Amsterdam and seeing all of the B.C. bud awards that were being given out at the time when the product was illegal, and it’s ironic we seem to be having more Ontario product being
distributed in B.C. through the legal market,” Horgan said at a recent news conference. “We in B.C. have a legendary product and that’s not making its way to the legal market.” Horgan said he doesn’t want to see the bloom fall off B.C. bud, which is why the province is looking to introduce initiatives that support the talents of pot growers and merchants in the legal market. Last month, the B.C. government provided $675,000 to help cannabis operators in the Kootenays overcome the barriers to operating in the legal economy. “For those passionate about the issue, stay tuned,” said Horgan. “We’re going to continue to work as best we can to ensure that the consuming public gets a quality,
safe product, and that we reap the benefits that we can of having a long tradition of cultivating cannabis here in B.C.” But Ted Smith, a long-time Victoria area marijuana activist who participated in challenges of previous cannabis laws in the Supreme Court of Canada and won, said B.C. has allowed large-scale corporate marijuana producers to dominate the market. “They’re destroying the whole concept of B.C. bud with what they’ve done,” he said. “If they were interested in helping they would not only have done a lot more to make sure that small growers could easily get licences but they would also be having coffee shops and places where people could come and smoke the product.”
The premier said he’s tasked Solicitor General Mike Farnworth with finding ways to allow B.C.’s skilled producers to shine. “Mr. Farnworth’s seized of that and he’s been talking to small producers across the province who would prefer to have the economic benefit of having jobs here in B.C. cultivating product that’s legal in Canada rather than have us purchasing from Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta,” Horgan said. B.C. still ranks near the top in Canada as a supplier of legal marijuana, Farnworth said in a recent telephone interview.
RCMP investigate Christmas Eve homicide in Duncan Homicide detectives on Vancouver Island are investigating a Christmas Eve murder in Duncan. North Cowichan Duncan RCMP responded to a report of an assault in downtown Duncan around 11 p.m. and located a man and woman, both suffering from injuries. Both were transported to hospital where the man was pronounced dead. The woman remains in hospital. The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit has taken over the investigation. Police believe it was an isolated incident and say there is no ongoing risk to the general public.
BC solicitor general forecasts better year ahead for cannabis products, revenue Premier John Horgan says it’s the best of times for cannabis users in British Columbia, but they could be even better. Since recreational cannabis became legal in Canada in October 2018, access to marijuana has become a matter of waiting for the mail to arrive or visiting a licensed dispensary, but something’s still missing, says the premier. Horgan said he wants British Columbia to take better advantage of the province’s worldwide reputation as a producer of top notch, awardwinning weed, known as B.C. bud. “I remember being in Amsterdam and seeing all of the B.C. bud awards that were being given out at the time when the product was illegal, and it’s ironic we seem to be having more Ontario product being distributed in B.C. through the legal market,” Horgan said at a recent news conference. “We in B.C. have a legendary product and that’s not making its way to the legal market.” Horgan said he doesn’t want to see the bloom fall off B.C. bud, which is why the province is looking to introduce initiatives that support the talents of pot growers and merchants in the legal market. Last month, the B.C. government provided $675,000 to help cannabis operators in the Kootenays overcome the barriers to operating in the legal economy. “For those passionate about the issue, stay tuned,” said Horgan. “We’re going to continue to work as best we can to ensure that the consuming public gets a quality, safe product, and that we reap the benefits that we can of having a long tradition of cultivating cannabis here in B.C.”
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Brampton man sentenced to 12 years for 2018 shooting spree of random victims in Etobicoke Adam Abdi was on a trajectory that would make any parent proud. After graduating high school in Brampton as an Ontario scholar, Abdi was accepted in the engineering programs at the University of Toronto and York University. He excelled at sports and travelled overseas with his family to support humanitarian causes. Yet, on five separate occasions in January 2018, Abdi drove his mother’s white Honda to Etobicoke, parked the vehicle, pulled a black mask over his face and randomly shot people he’d never met. Miraculously, no one was killed. At the time, Abdi was under a firearm prohibition order. Earlier this week, Superior Court Justice John McMahon accepted a Crown-defence joint submission and sentenced Abdi to 12 years in a federal penitentiary after he took responsibility for the unprovoked shootings involving six victims. In October, Abdi pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of discharge a firearm with intent to wound, and breaching a firearm prohibition order. All other charges, including four counts of attempted murder, were withdrawn. The sentence is on the “extreme low end of the range” but is appropriate in light of his guilty plea, family and community support, young age and mental health challenges, McMahon said. Toronto doctor stripped of licence after panel hears she had sex with cancer patient in his hospital bed Jury convicts man of murder for ‘mercilessly’
beating 82-year-old Scarborough grandmother Jury convicts man of murder for ‘mercilessly’ beating 82-year-old Scarborough grandmother During three of the incidents, he discharged more than one bullet. At one crime scene, police recovered eight spent casings. The sentencing hearing left one big unanswered question. “It’s a mystery to us why these shootings occurred,” said Crown attorney Thomas Mack, noting that while the shootings have the hallmark of gang activity, there’s no evidence to support that. The judge called the incidents “motiveless shootings” but said they appear to be another example of innocent young Black men being shot simply because of where they live, something “this court all too often lately has seen.” Abdi’s shooting spree began Jan. 9, 2018 at 4 p.m., when he took aim at two people having a conversation in the front entrance of an apartment building at 560 The West Mall. Abdi fired several shots through the interior and exterior glass doors, sending the pair running for their lives. A projectile grazed the man’s arm, causing a minor injury. A 15-year-old girl escaped unharmed. Next, Abdi targeted the Ardwick community, near Islington Avenue and Finch Avenue West. Each time, he drove to the Toronto Community Housing complex in a white Honda CRV and concealed his identity with a hooded sweatshirt and black Chicago White Sox baseball hat.
Feds, Alberta set to clash over cash for new rent supplement Alberta is pushing back against the Trudeau Liberals’ expectation that provinces and territories pick up half the cost of a new rent supplement, asking instead to substitute federal funding for their own. The promised supplement was originally proposed as a joint funding venture between the federal and provincial governments. But in negotiations over the funding arrangement, Alberta officials have sought to have their existing spending count towards the cost-matching approach instead of increasing funding as other provinces have said they would. The details of the behind-the-scenes
talks were provided to The Canadian Press by multiple people with knowledge of the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity, either because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss federal work, or to ensure relationships with governments and agencies weren’t compromised. What has housing advocates concerned is that the new supplement may have limited effects if spending doesn’t increase as originally envisioned. A spokeswoman for Alberta’s housing minister says the province hopes to finalize a funding arrangement with Ottawa to streamline provincial rental assistance programs.
LOCAL / NATIONAL
31 19
Trump blames Trudeau for being cut from Home Alone 2 in Canada
State-run Canadian Broadcasting Corporation aired a Trumpless version of the 1992 Christmas film but said it was not politically motivated. “The scene with Donald Trump was one of several that were cut from the movie as none of them were integral to the plot. These edits were done in 2014, when we first acquired the film and before Mr. Trump was elected president,” Chuck Thompson, said. Thompson said a total of eight minutes was trimmed from the film. In the brief scene in which Trump appears, star Macaulay Culkin wanders into the Plaza Hotel in New York before bumping into Trump and asking, “Where’s the lobby?” Trump replies, “Down the hall and to the left,” and Culkin says, “Thanks.”
Trump mentioned his role in the film while speaking with American troops stationed overseas via a video conference on Christmas Eve. “A lot of people mention it every year, especially around Christmas,” Trump said. “They say — especially young kids — they say, ‘I just saw you on the movie.’ They don’t see me on television as they do in the movie. But it’s been a good movie, and I was a little younger, to put it mildly. And it was an honor to do it.” Recently, Trump and Trudeau hit a rocky patch in their relationship. Earlier this month, Trump called Trudeau “two-faced” after the prime minister was caught on video mocking Trump’s press conferences.
Parks Canada warns of considerable avalanche risk in BC & Albera An avalanche warning remains in effect for mountains in southern British Columbia and Alberta. Parks Canada says the danger rating forecast is considerable to moderate for Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks through Saturday. That means anyone in the mountains should carefully evaluate the snowpack and use cautious and conservative route finding techniques. Parks Canada says controlling the urge to ski fresh powder on big features will be the most important factor in avoiding an avalanche. It encourages sticking to lower angled slopes with little overhead hazard and says there have been a few close calls already.
After avalanche deaths, experts renew call for climbers to carry safety gear The likelihood of natural avalanches has lessened but the likelihood of triggering an avalanche remains high. Avalanche Canada has also had a special public warning in effect since Monday for the Sea-to-Sky region, South Rockies, inland of the south coast of B.C., Kananaskis country, Purcell mountains, Lizard RangeFlathead and Wateron Lakes national park. It says recent storms that blew through Western Canada dropped a significant amount of snow on top of a weak, persistent layer within the snowpack.
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LOCAL / NATIONAL
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Canadian real estate markets see lowest number of homes for sale in 12 years
Low mortgage rates, strong employment figures and population growth are keeping homes flying off the shelves across Canada. But those shelves aren’t getting restocked. As Royal Bank of Canada pointed out earlier this month, the latest home sales data for November shows that Ottawa, Halifax and Montreal are firmly in seller’s market territory, while Toronto and Vancouver are marching quickly in that same direction. And, with home sales climbing for the
ninth consecutive month in November without a comparable boost in new listings, the number of months of inventory on the market sunk to its lowest level in over 12 years. The Canadian market hasn’t seen a dearth of listings like this since 2007 This state of affairs came out of left field and was unusual enough for RBC senior economist Robert Hogue to call the lack of housing supply “the main housing story in Canada.”
The “thin” supply, as Hogue puts it, is already leading to home prices appreciating at a faster rate in most major Canadian markets and he doesn’t see any sign of a cooldown on the horizon. Even B.C., where the ailing Vancouver market has seen persistent home price declines over the last year, is reversing course. While prices remain down when compared to yearago levels, the rate of the decline is slowing and may shift directions upward in 2020. The broader story here is the dramatic
about-face the Canadian housing market has pulled in 2019. Only a year ago, many were prepared to write off 2019 as a period most in the real estate industry would prefer to forget, characterized by slumping sales and price declines in all but a handful of fortunate markets. But things turned a corner quicker than expected and now housing economists — many of whom already rewrote their 2019 forecasts mid-year — are singing a very different tune than they were last January.
Morneau takes shot at Tories over recession talk in wake of fiscal update
The political war-of-words around the national economy took another turn on Sunday’s political talk shows as the federal finance minister warned Conservatives to cease claims of a looming recession.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau also suggested in separate broadcast interviews that the country’s economic track will have a bearing on how the Liberals steer their government’s budget in the coming years.
On CTV’s Question Period, Morneau warned his Conservative critics to avoid the “irresponsible” claims when private sector economists project growth, which the fiscal update estimated at 1.7 per cent this year and 1.6 per cent in 2020. The projections would make Canada’s the second-fastest-growing economy among G7 countries, behind only the United States. “I think it’s a little bit irresponsible of the Conservatives to be making people more anxious,” Morneau said. Morneau says he’s not worried about a recession despite job numbers Canada’s economy ‘sound and growing,’
says Morneau as he unveils fiscal update Conservatives claim the conditions are ripe for a “made-in-Canada” recession, fuelled by the Liberals’ spending policies, as the party’s finance critic, Pierre Poilievre, claimed last Monday in the wake of the fiscal update. “I’m not saying there is (a recession), but if we head to a recession, it will be a made-in-Canada recession,” Poilievre told reporters at the time. The technical definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of economic contraction, but the scope of the declines makes a difference between adorning the label to the downturn of 2008 or the split to do so for the two quarters of declines measured in 2015.
Low-income rates could rise as StatsCan moves to redraw poverty line The national statistics office is looking at changes to the federally adopted poverty line which, if approved, could increase the number of Canadians regarded as living below the low-income threshold. The last time the made-in-Canada measure was updated was in 2008; poverty rates increased by 2.2 per cent because the financial cut-off used to define low-income was raised. Experts suggest that a plan by Statistics Canada to recalculate the threshold by changing the “market basket measure” early next year could lead to a similar bump in poverty rates. The measure calculates the minimum a person or family would have to earn to afford a basket of goods and services needed to reach a modest or basic living standard. The Liberals adopted the measure as the country’s official poverty line last year and set aside $12 million over five years to update the basket, which currently
doesn’t include things like wireless services. Cost of a basket of goods In July, the top official at Employment and Social Development Canada and the minister at the time were told federal officials would decide “on the actions to be taken” with Statistics Canada’s recommendations — including which to implement and which to send for more research. A final report from Statistics Canada is expected in February. The Canadian Press obtained copies of the briefing notes under the access-to-information law. Statistics Canada has published reports outlining possible updates to the cost of items in the basket of goods and services, as well as “disposable income” thresholds — how much income a family has left over after accounting for taxes and payroll deductions. A family or individual would be considered in poverty if the basket of goods strips
Canadians feel better about money, worse about romance: Ipsos year-end poll Canadians are feeling somewhat better about their financial situation heading into a new year and decade, according to exclusive polling conducted by Ipsos for Global News. “Two in three Canadians say their financial situation is good,” said Sean Simpson, vice president of Ipsos. According to the poll data, 65 per cent of Canadians said they felt very good or somewhat good, a figure up four percentage points from one year ago. The greatest barrier to the feeling of financial security is housing costs and debt, respondents said. According to the new poll, 16 per cent of those polled said paying their mortgage or rent is the most significant obstacle to financial security. Servicing debt was identified by 14 per cent of respondents. In the debt category, credit card debt (13 per cent) was the greatest challenge, followed by student debt (one per cent).
But those living in Atlantic Canada identified credit card debt (21 per cent) as a much more significant obstacle. More men (53 per cent) said they faced no barriers to financial security compared to women (47 per cent) who responded to the poll question. Educated Canadians and men over 54 said they did not face barriers. Higher-income Canadians with an average household income of $83,000 per year felt the most comfortable compared to households with an annual income of $60,000. Albertans are more likely than other Canadians to describe their financial situation as very or somewhat “bad.” According to the poll, 49 per cent of Albertans described their financial situation negatively, 14 points higher than the national average. Forty per cent of those living in Saskatchewan and Manitoba felt financially squeezed compared to 37%
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Chinese embassy takes swipe at ‘some politicians’ over talk of freeing Canadians The Chinese embassy is taking a swing at “some Canadian politicians” over what it describes as “erroneous remarks” about the relationship between the two countries and the cases of two Canadians detained in China. The statement posted on the embassy’s website doesn’t specify the politicians or exact comments. But it appears to have been prompted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments in a French-language interview that aired last week on TVA. During the interview, Trudeau said Canada has asked the United States not to sign a free-trade deal with China unless Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig are freed. The Chinese embassy says attempts to “gang up on China” by way of “megaphone diplomacy” and “pressuring China for unrelated matters is doomed.” The statement also calls on Canada to release Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested just over a year ago on
an extradition request from the U.S., where officials want to try her over fraud allegations. Days after her arrest at Vancouver’s airport, China detained Spavor and Kovrig. While China says the two men were arrested over espionage allegations, their detentions are widely seen as a tit-for-tat response to Meng’s arrest. Earlier this month, China’s foreign ministry said the Kovrig and Spavor cases had been transferred to prosecutors for review and prosecution. “China’s judicial authority handles cases in strict accordance with law and their legitimate rights and interests are guaranteed,” the embassy’s statement says. “The Chinese side urges the Canadian side to earnestly respect the spirit of rule of law and China’s judicial sovereignty and refrain from making irresponsible remarks.” In a wide-ranging interview with The Canadian Press last week, Trudeau said he regretted that Kovrig and Spavor have been caught up in the diplomatic row, but didn’t regret that Canada lived up to its extraditiontreaty obligations with the United States.
Former Conservative MP Lisa Raitt to help run race to replace Andrew Scheer A high-profile Conservative who lost her seat in the last election will help lead the effort to elect a replacement for party leader Andrew Scheer. The Conservative Party has announced that Lisa Raitt will co-chair the organizing committee for the upcoming leadership race. Conservative Party taps fundraising boss to lead party on temporary basis. Conservative Party convention postponed to November 2020. That contest was kicked into gear after Scheer announced earlier this month he will resign as soon as a new leader is chosen. Raitt, along with Dan Nowlan — who oversaw the race Scheer won in 2017 — will be in charge of a group of Tories who will set the rules and timing for the vote. Raitt ran as well in the 2017 campaign and would later be appointed Scheer’s deputy leader. But she lost her Toronto-area seat in October, a result that underscored the Tories’ dismal election showing in Ontario. Scheer’s failure to pick up enough votes there and elsewhere in the country to form
government spurred calls for him to step down as leader.He had initially vowed to stay on and fight for his job but overwhelming pressure, along with questions about how he was using party money, led him to reverse course. Raitt’s position as co-chair of the organizing committee means she won’t be among the former leadership candidates vying for the job again. Several are mulling a run, including Erin O’Toole and Michael Chong. Other potential contenders include former and current members of Parliament, such as Peter MacKay and Pierre Poilievre, and former Quebec premier Jean Charest. Bryan Brulotte, a veteran political organizer and businessman, told CBC News’s Murray Brewster that he intends to run. The Conservative Party says the next steps for the organizing committee will be to determine the time frame for the election and the requirements for applicants. That will include a potential entry fee and the number of signatures required to support their nomination.
Pompeo backs Canada on ‘coercive detentions’ of Canadians in China U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says his country is sticking with Canada in fighting what he calls China’s “coercive detentions of Canadian citizens.” Pompeo and Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne spoke Monday about a range of global concerns, including China, the ongoing crisis in Venezuela and the United States’ upcoming presidency of the G7 group of countries with large economies. Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor were picked up days after Canada arrested Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. extradition warrant related to charges of bank fraud. Canada has had no luck so far in pressing for their release. “The United States stands with Canada in calling on Beijing for the immediate release of the two men and rejects the use of these unjustified detentions to coerce Canada,” said a statement from Morgan Ortagus, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department. Canada joins international condemnation of Russia, China over UN veto of Syria aid Under President Donald Trump, the United
States and China have been in a deepening spiral of tariffs and counter-tariffs on each other’s goods, which Trump has said he hopes will end with a major new trade deal that will see China import more American products. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he’s asked the U.S. not to sign a new trade agreement with Beijing until the Canadians are freed. China’s attitude toward the United States has grown increasingly belligerent. In a regular news conference at China’s foreign ministry this week, spokesman Geng Shuang took aim at the U.S. over several issues, including the weaponization of space and humanitarian aid in Syria. For instance, Pompeo had criticized Russia and China for voting against a UN Security Council resolution on Syria — a move Champagne called disappointing in a statement on Sunday. Geng said the crisis in Syria is ultimately the Americans’ fault. “The world sees clearly who keeps lying with hearts full of hypocrisy and blood on their hands,” Geng said, according to a transcript posted in English on the foreign-ministry website. “It is they who should repent.”
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Air India stops issuing tickets on credit to govt agencies that owe it over Rs 10 lakh: Official Debt-laden Air India has stopped issuing tickets on credit to officials of various government agencies such as the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, which owe it more than Rs 10 lakh each, a senior official of the national carrier said on Thursday. While disinvestment-bound Air India’s net loss in 2018-19 was around Rs 8,556 crore, its current total debt is over Rs 60,000 crore. “Various agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Information Bureau, Central Labour Institute, Border Security Force and the Indian Audit Board, have been told that tickets would not be issued to their officials on credit. Each of these agencies owe more than Rs 10 lakh
to the national carrier,” the senior official said. In total, these government agencies owe around Rs 268 crore to the national carrier, he said, adding that “around Rs 50 crore has been recovered from these agencies by the airline”. “Officials of (aforesaid) government agencies can purchase tickets like any other ordinary customer. They would not be issued any tickets from here on credit,” the official added. On December 5, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had told Parliament that the preparation of Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM) for inviting Expression of Interest (EoI) for Air India disinvestment was in the process.
Kingpin of Rs4,500 cr scam in HP detained by Dubai police The state CID achieved a major breakthrough in the Rs 4,500 crore embezzlement scam with the Dubai police detaining its kingpin and MD of Paonta Sahib-based Indian Technomac Company Limited against whom a red-corner notice was issued by the Interpol on October 15. The CID will now begin the extradition proceedings. Sandeep Dhawal, SP, CID, said they would be required to complete the requisite formalities, including sending proof of his involvement in the scam, to the Dubai police. A request would also be made to the MEA for his extradition. Sources said CID officials had been trailing Rakesh Sharma’s movements for the past
several months. On learning of his detention in a Dubai jail in a cheque bounce case, they stepped up efforts to nab him. The Economic Intelligence Unit of the Excise and Taxation Department detected the fraud on February 18, 2014, as a huge mismatch was found in the return filed by the company and the VAT-26-A declarations. The company, manufacturing steel and raw material, ferroalloy and steel ingots, had become liable to pay tax from January 2008. Besides owing Excise and Taxation Department Rs 2,175.51 crore, he owed various banks Rs 2,167 crore and the Tax Department Rs 750 crore.
B SE EST RV IC E
India’s tractor man is no more Techno-entrepreneur Chandra Mohan, the man behind India’s first indigenous tractor, who founded Punjab Tractors Ltd and headed it for 27 years, turning it into a Rs 1,500-crore Swaraj Group of Companies, passed away here this morning at the age of 87. He was the designer–technologist of Swaraj tractor, which he started in 1970, and thereafter established the Swaraj Group: Swaraj Mazda, Swaraj Engines and Swaraj Automotives. Mohan was born on December 30, 1932, in Ferozepur and had his initial education there. A gold medallist in Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh (then at Roorkee), he began his career with the Indian Railways. In 1965, he quit the job to join the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CSIR lab) before arriving in Chandigarh in 1970 to establish Punjab Tractors Ltd. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1985.
Calling it a day with Punjab Tractors Ltd in 1997, he used his long experience to reshape higher technical education, away from rotelearning, towards application. He was the Chairman, Board of Governors, Punjab Engineering College, and Founder Chairman of Punjab Technical University’s first School of Excellence. Impressed by Japanese Total Quality Management (TQM), he adopted the same in Punjab Tractors with outstanding success. Nurturing techno-entrepreneurs to face cut-throat competition became his passion. He was Founder President of TiE (a global entrepreneurship organisation), Chandigarh. His book “From Zero to Blue-Chip” is a not only a great lesson in management, but also a story of the never-say-die spirit as well as an endeavour at building a long-term wealth-creating institution.
3 meals a day for Haryana cop recruits The Haryana Police Academy (HPA), Madhuban, has changed the traditional diet practice for its recruits, who will now get three meals a day. Earlier, the recruits used to get two meals— at 8.30 am and 6 pm. Now, they are being served meals at 8.45 am, 1.30 pm and 6.30 pm. The step reportedly aims at meeting their nutritional requirement and increasing their physical capabilities. Protein-rich diet has also been included in the menu. This includes milk, banana, boiled grams, soyabean, peanuts and salad. “When I took over, I was surprised to see that the ‘jawans’ were given basic meals twice a day only. I have changed the diet plan and
directed that they be served meals thrice daily, so that their energy level can be maintained,” said Shrikant Jadhav, ADGP and Director HPA. He said the same diet pattern would be followed at other police academies and that DG Manoj Yadava had already issued directions in that regard. The Director claimed the changed diet plan was saving them Rs 3-4 lakh a month. “Earlier, there was a practice of tiffin service to the houses of some employees and officers out of the food meant for recruits, but that practice has been completely stopped. Moreover, we are now purchasing food items, grocery and vegetables directly from the wholesale market, thus eliminating commission of middlemen. These steps are saving us around Rs 3-4 lakh a
Election Commission likely to announce Delhi poll dates today the announcement will be made after lunch on Thursday.” Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra were present in the first round of the meeting along with other senior officials. The meeting began at 10 am at the Election Commission office here.
The Election Commission on Thursday began a series of meetings to decide on the dates for the Assembly elections in Delhi as the term of the current Assembly expires in February 2020. An official of the Commission said, “There will be a series of meetings to decide on the poll dates for the 70-member Delhi Assembly and
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Saturday, December 28, 2019 CM Capt Amarinder slams SAD’s ‘double standards’ on CAA and NRC Slamming the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for their double standards on the issue of NRC and CAA, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday asked the party to clarify their stand on support to the BJP, of which they were an ally in the Central government.The SAD had supported the ruling NDA’s Citizenship Amendment Act in Parliament, but had since come out with conflicting statements on the legislation, as well as the National Register of Citizens, Capt Amarinder pointed out, lambasting the Akalis for misleading the people on these sensitive issues. In a hard-hitting reaction in the wake of the recent statements of SAD president Sukhbir Badal and Rajya Sabha member Naresh Gujral, seeking inclusion of Muslims
Punjab govt plans tourism project to save camels With the vanishing population of camel ringing alarm bells, the Department of Animal Husbandry has asked the Centre to help in initiating some project to save the animal from getting extinct from the state. As per the 20th Livestock Census, just 120 camels were left in the state, which is over 99 per cent decline in the past 15 years. Taking serious note of the situation, state functionaries recently held a meeting with Union Government officials and demanded that the state be provided financial aid to initiate some project for the preservation of the camel population. Sources said in the meeting held on December 12 with the Joint Secretary with the Union Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Diary and Fisheries, various states, including Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, expressed concern regarding the steep decline in camel population in the state. Punjab officials demanded that since the state’s camel rearers were the biggest sufferer in the country with over 99.60 per cent decline in camel population in the past 15 years, they should be given financial aid to start a tourism project to preserve
Despite 1,500 FIRs lodged, no let-up in travel fraud cases Though the Ludhiana DC yesterday ordered cancellation of the licence of a travel agent after finding him guilty of a fraud, no similar action has been ordered by the civil administration in Doaba despite registration of hundreds of cases of travel frauds in the region. DC Pradeep Kumar Agrawal has cancelled the licence of immigration consultant firm Overseas Education and Career Consultants India Pvt Ltd (OECC) after he found the owners guilty of having committed fraud with people on the pretext of sending them abroad. The licence was cancelled after giving the company four months to file proper reply to the complaints and for violating sub rule (4) of rule 4 of Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Rules 2013. Agrawal has also written to all other Deputy Commissioners to mention the name of the company in red on all government websites after making the same entry on the official website of Ludhiana.
in CAA, the chief minister said it was patently obvious that the Akalis were playing double games in the matter. It was clear, he said, that the SAD leaders had decided to backtrack on their earlier stand in view of the public protests and backlash triggered by CAA and NRC. This was not the first time the Akalis had shown such dual standards with regard to their relations with the BJP, said Capt Amarinder, pointing to the SAD’s support to Om Prakash Chautala’s INLD in the Haryana Assembly elections even while continuing to be a part of the NDA. In fact, even while siding with the INLD in Haryana, the SAD had allied with the BJP in Punjab, where byelections were being held at the same time in a couple of constituencies, he added. the remaining population. They have also suggested that the camel owners be given honorarium so that they can continue to rear the camel.
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Thousands pay respect to children of Guru Gobind Singh Ji Thousands of devotees braved the cold to pay homage to the youngest children of Guru Gobind Singh on the first day of the Shaheedi Sabha here on Thursday. The three-day annual Shaheedi Sabha is held to commemorate the martyrdom of the 10th Sikh Guru’s youngest sons Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, who were bricked alive during the regime of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The event began with an “akhand path” of the Guru Granth Sahib at the historic Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup, where the Sahibzadas were cremated. The devotees
also paid homage to Mata Gujri, mother of the 10th Sikh guru. They paid obeisance at the historic “Thanda Burj” (cold tower), Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup besides taking a dip in holy tanks. On Friday, religious functions will be held. Earlier, most political parties used to organise their conferences on the second day of the Shaheedi Sabha, earlier called Shaheedi Jor Mela. Now, on directions of the Akal Takht Jathedar, all major political parties—Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, Aam Aadmi Party and the BSP—
Cops ignoring threats to Majithia, says SAD The state police are yet to register a case under the Information Act for the alleged threats to senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia by gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and
his associates. Though a fresh threat was received today, the police were still to register a case, alleged Daljit Singh Cheema, Shiromani Akali Dal spokesperson.Cheema said a complaint was given to the Director General of Police regarding the threats and political links of the gangster.
He said the government ordered an inquiry into political links, but as per the law of the land, an FIR should be registered immediately on the receipt of complaint regarding death threats via social media. The police had booked many persons for being a member of the terror module
when they posted anti-India messages on social media and in this case, the police were ignoring blatant threats issued by a gangster,” he claimed.
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Saturday, December 28, 2019
Aadhaar made mandatory for pension scheme for senior citizens The government has made Aadhaar mandatory for subscribers of the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a pension scheme for senior citizens.The scheme, which envisages an assured rate of return of 8 per cent annually, is being implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). The scheme was announced in Union Budgets of 2017-18 and 2018-19. “An individual eligible for receiving the benefit under the scheme shall hereby be required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number (the unique 12-digit biometric identity number) or undergo Aadhaar authentication,” according to a finance ministry notification. The notification, dated December 23, has been issued under the Aadhaar (Targeted
Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016. It further said any individual desirous of availing benefit under the scheme who does not possess the Aadhaar number or has not yet been enrolled for Aadhaar, “shall be required to apply for Aadhaar enrolment before registering for the scheme”. In cases where Aadhaar authentication fails due to poor biometrics, the the ministry’s Department of Financial Services through its implementing agency will make provisions to help the beneficiaries get the Aadhaar number. Further, where biometric or Aadhaar one-time password or time-based OTP authentication is not possible.
Free bus rides for everyone, cleanliness among top agendas of AAP for next term: Kejriwal Making bus rides free for everyone and ensuring cleanliness in Delhi will be among the top agendas of the AAP if it is re-elected to power in the upcoming assembly elections, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday. Kejriwal also promised installation of water and sewer pipelines, advanced drainage system, construction of roads, and ‘mohalla’ clinics in all the unauthorised colonies of the city. He touched upon various subjects at his first Town Hall meeting aimed to discuss ‘AAP ka Report Card’, which was launched by
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him on Tuesday. The national convenor of the party said the Delhi Government worked on those issues in the last five years which were most important for the development of any society. When asked what he would do to keep the national capital clean, Kejriwal said, “This is the most important work for us right now. When we come to power just the way in these five years we have improved the education of Delhi, the same way we will make Delhi the cleanest city of the world.” “In the coming five years that is my target and promise. Delhi has become unclean over the years but I promise that we will remove the garbage dumps all over and clean the roads,”
Unusual spell of cold wave grips North India
Top scientists fear that due to climate change, such harsh and unexpected weather conditions will continue to trouble people. “The climate change affecting the intensity and frequency of Western Disturbances can bring mercury down in northern region in years to come, while central and southern Indian regions could be more warmer,” says Dr Bhupinder B. Singh, senior scientist at the government’s premier Centre for Climate Change Research (CCCR) at Pune. Scientists
are of the view that it is rare to have a spell of such cold weather for more than 16 to 17 days. In coming years, predicts Dr Singh, the Himalayan Region and the Indo-Gangetic plains covering almost the north India could be more vulnerable to extreme weather. Asked about the reason for such severe weather conditions, the CCCR scientist said that change in land use and land cover which are shrinking the forest belt are among the few culprits for climate change.
11 people arrested for abducting, raping Maharashtra woman for over a year case has been registered against 11 people for allegedly abducting, raping and torturing a 21-year-old girl for more than a year in Vasai taluka of Maharashtra’s Palghar district, police said on Thursday. The Vasai police on Wednesday registered an offence against 11 people and no arrest has been made in this regard, police public relations officer Hemant Katkar said. According to the complainant, the accused, who are residents
of Rangaon and Kalam in Vasai, allegedly kept her in confinement, raped and tortured her, he added. In July 2018, one of the accused allegedly entered into a relationship with the victim, the official said, adding that the accused along with a few others later abducted the woman. The victim was forced to sign blank papers and affidavits to prove that she had married one of the accused, he said.
FIR against Raghubar Das for making ‘objectionable’ remarks on Soren’s caste An FIR has been registered against caretaker Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das for allegedly making “objectionable” remarks on JMM working president Hemant Soren’s caste, police said. Based on a complaint lodged by Soren on December 19, a preliminary probe was conducted by sub-divisional police officer Arvind Upadhyay and the FIR was registered at Mihijam police station, Jamtara SP Anshuman Kumar said. The FIR was lodged against the outgoing
chief minister under the SC/ST Act on Wednesday, police said. Soren had filed the complaint against Das at Dumka police station, accusing him of making “objectionable” remarks on his caste during an election meeting in Jamtara, the SP said. “I have filed a complaint with the SC/ST police station on Wednesday in Dumka against the Chief Minister, who used objectionable words on my caste during a poll meeting at Jamtara’s Mihijam,” Soren had told reporters.
Delhi in for its second-coldest December since 1901 With a numbing cold continuing to sweep through Delhi-NCR, the region is expected to record its second-coldest December since 1901, the weather department said on Thursday. “The mean maximum temperature for December was less than 20 degrees Celsius only in 1919, 1929, 1961 and 1997,” an official of the India Meteorological Department said. In December this year, the mean maximum
temperature (MMT) till Thursday was 19.85 degrees Celsius. It is expected to dip to 19.15 degrees Celsius by December 31, he said. “If it happens, then it will be the secondcoldest December since 1901. December 1997 recorded the lowest MMT of 17.3 degrees Celsius,” the official said.
Mumbai’s iconic double-decker buses to be phased out Mumbai’s municipal-run BEST undertaking has begun to phase out its iconic double-decker buses citing their high costs of maintenance. BEST officials said they have pulled out 12 of the 120 double-decker buses on their fleet by the first week of this month.
“There will be 48 buses on the roads in a year’s time and soon they will also be replaced by single-decker buses,” a spokesman for the BEST said. According to officials, the BEST stopped ordering new double-decker buses several years ago and the existing buses are long past their useful age.
NRI
Saturday, December 28, 2019 Baba Ram Dass, who promoted psychedelic drugs has passed away Ram Dass, psychedelic drug pioneer, dies at home aged 88 Ram Dass, who in the 1960s joined Timothy Leary in promoting psychedelic drugs as the path to inner enlightenment before undergoing a spiritual rebirth he spelled out in the influential book
“Be Here Now,” died at home on Sunday. He was 88 years old. “With tender hearts we share that Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert) died peacefully at home in Maui on December 22, 2019 surrounded by loved ones,” according to his official Instagram account. — Reuters
Indian govt should fix major loopholes in OCI card: Indian-American activist Following dozens of Indian-Americans facing difficulties at airports while travelling from the US to India over provisions in the OCI, an eminent Indian-American activist has said that the card should not be considered as “a multi-purpose lifelong visa” and demanded that the Indian government fix major loopholes in it. Under the provisions of the OCI card, which gives the cardholder lifelong visa to India, those below 20 and above 50 need to renew their OCI card every time they have their passport renewed. Though this provision had been there for years, it’s only now at the instructions of the Indian home ministry that it was being strictly enforced by international airlines flying commercial flights to India. Earlier this month, the provision has been relaxed till June 30, 2020, but the OCI cardholders concerned have been asked to carry their old passport with them to fly to India. However, not many OCI card holders are aware of these new rules. “For all practical purposes, OCI card is not a multipurpose
life-long visa, as it has been billed by the government. To clear the confusion, it is important that the government, immediately, say that it is not a multipurpose life-long visa and then take steps to fix the loopholes,” Prem Bhandari, a community activist and also the head of Jaipur Foot USA, said. He pointed out that many OCI card holders are saying that if the OCI card is a life-long visa, then why is it necessary to renew it after renewal of the passports. “The government has disseminated widely the regulations regarding the validity of OCI cards in light of the guidelines,” he said. Working for past several years on the issue of OCI card, Bhandari urged the Indian government to make certain changes in the OCI card, which brings on par the perception and reality about a facility offered to overseas Indians that for years was billed as a life-long visa. Based on the feedback, he said Indian-Americans are now challenging that after the government recently started strictly enforcing the littleknown regulation that those below 20
2 NRI students killed in road accident in Dubai Two Indian students were killed in a road accident in Dubai in the early hours of Christmas Day on Wednesday, according to media reports. Rohit Krishnakumar, 19, and Sharat Kumar, 21, both from Kerala, were returning from a Christmas party when they met
with the accident, The Khaleej Times reported. Both died on the spot, the paper said. While Krishnakumar was pursing higher studies in the UK, Kumar was studying in a university in the US, it said. They were spending their university break in Dubai with family.
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Dr Monisha Ghosh named first woman Chief Technology Officer of Federal US Communications Commission Indian-American Dr Monisha Ghosh has been appointed as the first woman Chief Technology Officer at the US government’s powerful Federal Communications Commission. She will advise Indian-American Chairman of the FCC Ajit Pai and the agency on technology and engineering issues, and work closely with the Office of Engineering and Technology. Ghosh will take charge on January 13 next year. She replaces Dr Eric Burger. The FCC regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and US territories. An independent US government agency overseen by Congress, the FCC is the federal agency responsible for implementing and enforcing America’s communications law and regulations. “As the FCC moves aggressively to advance
American leadership in 5G, Dr Ghosh’s deep technical knowledge of wireless technologies will be invaluable,” said Chairman Pai. “Dr Ghosh has both conducted and overseen research into cuttingedge wireless issues in academia and industry. Her expertise is also broad, ranging from the internet of things, medical telemetry, and broadcast standards. And it bears noting that this is an historic appointment: I am proud that Dr Ghosh will be the FCC’s first female CTO, and hope her example inspires young women everywhere to consider careers in STEM fields. I’m grateful to her for serving in this important position at this important time,” he said. Ghosh received her Ph.D in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1991, and B.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in 1986. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Indian-Americans hold rallies in support of CAA, NRC in USA A large number of Indian-Americans have come out in support of the amended citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens, holding rallies in several US cities to “dispel misinformation and myths” surrounding the contentious law, the organisers of the demonstrations have said. According to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 following religious persecution there will get Indian citizenship. Protests are being held across India ever since the citizenship bill was introduced in Parliament earlier this month. The bill was passed by Parliament and signed into law by the President. The government on Tuesday approved nearly
Rs 12,700 crore for carrying out the Census 2021 and the National Population Register (NPR), and made it clear that NPR has no relation with the contentious National Register of Citizens amidst stiff opposition against the NRC. These rallies are aimed at “dispelling the misinformation and myths” surrounding the law as well as to counter the propaganda of hate, lies and downright absurdities, the organisers said. Indian-Americans held a pro-CAA rally in Seattle in December at Victor Steinbrueck Park, in Austin on December 22 near Capitol Building and in Houston on December 20 in front of the Indian Consulate, they said. The rallies were also held in Dublin, Ohio, on December 22 at Ted Kaltenbach Park and in Raleigh North Carolina on December 22 at Nash Square Park.
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SOUTH ASIA
The Taliban ambushed a peace convoy in western Afghanistan and abducted 26 activists, members of a peace movement,
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Taliban abduct 26 activists in Afghanistan a police spokesman said Wednesday. The insurgents staged the ambush in the district of Bala Buluk in Farah province on Tuesday. The
Taliban forced the six-vehicle convoy to a halt, then got into the cars and drove them and the activists to an unknown location, said the provincial p o l i c e sp oke s man Mohibullah M o h i b .
According to Mohib, a police operation is underway to locate and free the activists whose convoy was going village-to-village to rally for peace. However, Bismillah Watandost of the People’s Peace Movement of Afghanistan, to which the activists belong, said that 27 of their members were abducted by the Taliban in the Farah assault. The different figures could not immediately be reconciled.
26 killed as Indonesian bus tumbles into ravine An Indonesian bus plunged over a hill and tumbled 150 metres into a ravine late on Monday, killing at least 26 people and injuring 13, media reported on Tuesday. The bus, with about 50 passengers on board, crashed on the way to Palembang from Bengkulu on the island of Sumatra in western Indonesia, media cited police as saying. Authorities were investigating the cause of the crash, highway police officer Riski told Indonesia’s TV One. Pictures showed a line of people trying to pull wreckage of the bus from the river. Traffic accidents are common in Indonesia, with roads often cutting through rough terrain and vehicles often poorly maintained.
2 Thai soldiers charged with killing Muslims Thailand has charged two soldiers with murder in the shooting of three Muslim men foraging on a mountain in the south, police said Wednesday, a rare push for justice that one rights group called “unprecedented.” The announcement comes after the military expressed regret last week over the killing of the unarmed civilians and said it was a case of mistaken identity in the insurgencyscarred region. The Buddhist-majority state has been locked in a simmering conflict with Malay-Muslim militants in Thailand’s south for 15 years with rebels fighting for more autonomy. More than 7,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians from both faiths. Cases are rarely investigated but the police chief in the southern province of Narathiwat said two soldiers turned themselves into authorities on Monday after the shooting.
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FIJI
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Fiji braces for Cyclone Sarai Tropical Cyclone Sarai was brewing off the coast of Fiji on Friday, threatening the plans of thousands of tourists who flock to the South Pacific island nation over the Christmas-New Year holiday period. The Fiji Meteorological Service warned of “damaging gale force winds” and heavy rain with coastal flooding expected in many areas as the cyclone intensified. It was expected to be a Category Two storm by the time it hit the main island of Viti Levu early Saturday with average winds of 65 kilometres per hour (40 miles per hour) and gusts of 90 kph.
The Fiji Disaster Management Office has activated its emergency shelters and issued a public advisory for people to have their “disaster kits” ready. Many day cruises around the islands have been called off while Fiji Airways has cancelled several inter-island flights and flights to Australia and New Zealand. Flights to the United States have been brought forward several hours to avoid the advancing cyclone. In February 2016, 44 people were killed when Cyclone Winston destroyed tens of thousands of homes and causing an estimated US$1 billion in damage when it hit Fiji.
There must be a stronger commitment to address sexual harassment in the workplace - FWRM The Fiji Women’s Rights Movement says sexual harassment in the workplace is prevalent in Fiji and varied and there must be a stronger commitment to address it. It says recent allegations of sexual harassment being reported in the media underpins a much larger issue that is pervasive on our streets, homes, communities and in our workplaces.FWRM Executive Director Nalini Singh says we must support women who are speaking out and reclaiming their voice and power.She stresses this is not the time for silence, particularly when genderbased violence against women is so prevalent in this country. Singh adds that women deserve equal participation in the world of work, free from violence, harassment and any form of
discrimination. She says, unfortunately, safe workplaces are not the reality for many women. According to FWRM’s 2016 research, 1 in 5 Fijian women were found to have been sexually harassed in the workplace.FWRM has advocated for sexual harassment awareness and prevention for many years.The findings of the research were used as part of FWRM’s NOT OK! Stop Sexual Harassment Campaign. She says we can all work towards safe workplaces for everyone by providing a strong support network and being informed on these issues. Singh says stronger commitment is needed to ensure that employers and workplaces have adopted and implemented sexual harassment policies that are consistent with the national standards as stated in the
Late police officer Ronil Singh’s legacy lives on USA Corporal Ronil Singh may have been killed while conducting a traffic stop in California about a year ago, but his colossal legacy lives on as the family, friends and community members of the Indian-origin police officer gear up to commemorate and celebrate his life by organising a slew of events on Thursday. Singh, 33, of the Newman Police Department was shot and killed by an unidentified gunman during a traffic stop in Newman city on December 26 last year. Blue ribbons and bows fastened to trees, posts and fences and blue flags hanging in the windows, or fluttering outside businesses and offices are some of the ubiquitous reminders of Singh that can be seen in this city of more than 11,000 people in southern Stanislaus
County. The Newman Police Department has felt Singh’s loss deeply, the department’s clerk Elaine Collison said, adding that Singh was one of the very best, both personally and professionally. “After he passed away, I realised everybody felt the same way. It wasn’t just me,” she was quoted as saying by the California-based newspaper The Modesto Bee on Tuesday. Singh’s death “makes you think of thanking them (community) more often. They’re in harm’s way at any given time,” said Randy Fillpot, superintendent of the Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District. Officer Marcus Freeman, who was Singh’s first field trainee, said all the hiring in the world will not ever really replace his
Fallen trees along Edinburgh drive There are fallen trees at Edinburgh Drive. The Fiji Roads Authority is advising people to be cautious if they are traveling through the area. They are also advising people to be aware of the further risk of landslides due to saturated ground conditions in hillside terrain as well as the possibility of rock falls
and debris on the roadway due to heavy rain. Qelemumu Crossing and Siberia Road in Labasa is closed due to flooding.There are also multiple fallen trees along Princes Road at Colo-I-Suva. The FRA is in the process of clearing the fallen trees.
Another woman comes forward with a sexual harrassment complaint against former CEO Another woman has now come forward with sexual harassment claims against the former CEO of a major company who is already being investigated for sexual harassment by Police. The second woman filed a complaint with Police following the first report which was done in September this year. Police confirm the second woman came
forward with similar allegations of sexual harassment against the man. The Criminal Investigations Department is now in the process of finalizing the two investigations. Police say investigators had sought advise from the Office of the DPP and are now finalizing the necessary added requirements before both files will be sent back for sanctioning.
81 measles deaths now in Samoa Samoa’s Ministry of Health has confirmed hours takes the death toll to 81. another death in the measles epidemic It said there are currently 43 measles cases sweeping the country. in hospitals, 10 are of them are critical; seven The Ministry said the death of a child are children. under five years old recorded in the last 24
157 drivers charged with speeding A total of 157 drivers were charged for speeding across the country yesterday. Director Traffic, SSP Mahesh Mishra says two drivers were arrested for drunk driving while two others were charged for careless driving. 11 arrests were made for failure
to produce driving license and seven drivers were arrested for illegal operation. 214 drivers were charged for other offences. A total of 624 vehicles were inspected.
24-year-old involved in explosion passes away in Ba A 24 year old who was involved in an explosion at Dayals in Ba has passed away. Police say the man had suffered 80% burns on his body. The two other men who were involved in the incident are currently admitted
at the Lautoka Hospital. The post mortem of the 24 year old will be conducted tomorrow to ascertain the cause of the death. Police investigations continue. Cyclon Sarai threatens Fiji
Power outage in a number of areas in Viti Levu A number of areas in Viti Levu are currently without power supply as cyclon Sarai thretened Fiji . Raiwai including the whole of Vatuwaqa, Rewa Street, Kings Highway from Centrepoint, Caubati, Tacirua, Cunningham, Nakasi, Naulu, Nausori Rural, Naboro Feeder Road and Lami are without power supply. In the Western Division, the whole of Votualevu in Nadi, Nadi Town, Nadi Back Road and Namaka are currently without power supply. In Lautoka, the affected areas
include Navutu, Drasa Avenue, Lautoka Hospital area, Natabua and part of Lautoka Town. In Ba - Rarawai, Balevuto, Koronubu, Vuda and the Transmitter site in Sigatoka are without power. Energy Fiji Limited says these unplanned power outages are due to technical faults and their team is currently working on restoring power supply. People are advised to treat any power line as live. All queries can be directed to EFL on 132333 or 5333. For emergencies people can contact 913.
Resort in Yasawa evacuates guests as TC Sarai starts to affect the islands About 20 guests on Wayalailai Resort situated at the southern tip of the Yasawa Islands have been evacuated as Category 1 Tropical Cyclone Sarai starts to affect the islands.
Assistant Resort Manager Losalini Ratugolea says they are on high alert and have been taking necessary precautions. She also says they are experiencing very strong winds.
PAKISTAN
Saturday, December 28, 2019
41
India could carry out ‘action of some sort’ in PoK, claims PM Khan
Pakistan Prime Minister Khan said that India could carry out “an action of some sort” in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to divert attention from its domestic issues and warned that his army was prepared for any such move. Khan made the remarks while addressing a public gathering in Jhelum district, hours after the army said that two of its soldiers were killed in “unprovoked firing” by the Indian troops
along the Line of Control (LOC). “I have been telling the world for the past five months that the Modi-RSS government, in order to divert the world attention away from Kashmir and the protests against
Govt files review petition in Army chief’s extension The Pakistan government on Thursday filed on November 28. In the review petition filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s by Attorney General Anwar Mansoor, the decision about legislation on the government has urged the apex court to form a larger bench to extension of service of Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. A threehear the case and set aside the member apex court bench headed by earlier judgment. It also requested then chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa the court to keep the proceedings in-camera. Firdous Ashiq Awan, on November 28 granted a sixthe Special Advisor to the Prime month extension to Gen Bajwa after being assured by the government that Minister for Information and Parliament will pass a legislation on Broadcasting, said the review the extension/reappointment of an petition was filed “because our legal army chief within six months. The General Bajwa team thoroughly, comprehensively, ruling came in the nick of time as and closely reviewed all aspects Gen Bajwa, 59, was set to retire at midnight of the decision and concluded that there are several legal gaps in the verdict.
IMF grants $6-billion funds to Pakistan
The gov’t of Pakistan on Thursday received second tranche of the $6-billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The sum, worth $454 million in total, is expected to be added to the Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves by next week; the reserves currently stand at $17.6 billion. The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) reserves, on the other hand, stood at $10.9 billion, while other banks’ aggregated to $6.7 billion IMF had approved the second tranche to the country, saying that the country’s programme was on
track and had started to bear fruit. However, it had warned that the risks remained. The approval came from the IMF’s Executive Board, which had made its decision after completing the first review of Pakistan’s economic performance. Strong ownership, reform implementation ‘critical’ The organisation’s first deputy managing director and acting chair, David Lipton, had said at the time: “Strong ownership and steadfast reform implementation are critical to entrench macroeconomic stability and support
Some of my teammates treated cricekter Danish Kaneria unfairly because he was Hindu: Ace bowler Shoaib Akhtar Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar has alleged that his teammate Danish Kaneria faced discrimination at the hands of a few Pakistani cricketers, who were reluctant to even eat with him because he was a Hindu. Kaneria, only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan after his maternal uncle Anil Dalpat, took 261 wickets in 61 Tests at an average of 34.79. He also played 18 ODIs.Akhtar made the revelation during a show called “Game on Hai” aired on
TV. “In my career I fought with two-three (in the team) when they started talking on regionalism. Things like ‘who is from Karachi, Punjab or Peshawar’, that used to infuriate. So what if someone is a Hindu, he is doing well for the team. “They used to say ‘sir ye yaaha se khaana kaise le raha hain’(how is he taking food from this place)?” said the 44-year-old, who played 46 Tests and 163 ODIs (One Day International games).
Federal Investigation Agency raids PML-N offices The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) conducted a raid at the PML-N Central Secretariat on Thursday to retrieve evidence in the Judge Arshad Malik video case, Geo News reported. According to some media reports FIA had conducted the raid to gather important material from the Model Town secretariat for the Arshad Malik video case. PML-N’s Ata Tarar confirmed that the agency had conducted a raid at the party’s office. He said that a computer hard drive had been taken by the FIA officials. Tarar said DG FIA Wajid Zia disliked the
PML-N hence these actions were being taken against the party. “In London, Nasir Butt went to the high commission several times with the real video,” he said. “However, on Imran Niazi’s directives, his video was not received.” He said that the facts of the Arshad Malik video case were being highlighted every day. Tarar questioned why NAB hadn’t sent notices on the Peshawar BRT cases as it had so frequently done in the past where inquiries against non-PTI members were concerned.
the (citizenship) law, will definitely conduct some sort of action” in PoK, Khan said. The prime minister said he had told army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa about
the threats from India and the general “told me that Pakistan is prepared for them”. He extended condolences to the families of the two soldiers killed on Thursday. Khan said the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens attracted large-scale protests for being against 200 million Muslims living in India.
Pakistan rejects ‘unilateral and arbitrary’ US designation for religious freedom violations Pakistan on Tuesday rejected its listing by the United States as a violator of religious freedoms, saying the “unilateral and arbitrary designation” is not only detached from the ground realities of Pakistan but also raises questions about the credibility and transparency of the entire exercise. The Foreign Office in a strongly worded statement also questioned the “conspicuous omission” of India from the list, saying it reflected the “subjectivity and bias” of the US State Department’s designations. The US had last week retained Pakistan
among the countries that tolerate religious discrimination. The determination, made on December 18, includes Myanmar, China, Erit rea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan among the states that have been re-designated as “Countries of Particular Concern (CPC)”. The State Department makes these designations under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and countries on the CPC list are classified as “having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom”.
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blowout from
$
29,995
$
37,795
offer bonuseive rec liday
$
500
ho cash
44
Saturday, December 28, 2019