International nature of B.C. extortion cases makes investigations complex: former RCMP officer
BC Tory critic says 'foreign criminals' behind extortions should be deported
The B.C. Conservative public safety critic is calling for more aggressive action to be taken to deal with a rash of extortion cases — some involving targeted shootings — causing fear in B.C.'s South Asian community.
Macklin McCall, the MLA for KelownaPeachland, says all levels of government should come together on the issue, and any "foreign criminals" involved in extortion
should be deported immediately.
Earlier this week, the Canada Border Services Agency announced that three people had been removed from the country as part of their work in a task force investigating the extortion cases.
A further 78 foreign nationals, who may be inadmissible to the country and connected to the spate of shootings and extortion attempts in the province, are under investigation according to authorities.
Trump’s trade war is pushing Canada closer to China
It is an image that just a year ago would have seemed unfathomable: the Canadian and Chinese leaders standing side by side, shaking hands and grinning.
Ties between the two countries cratered in 2018 when Canadian police arrested Chinese technology executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on US fraud charges. Days later, Beijing locked up two Canadians, Michael Kovrig
and Michael Spavor, on spying charges that Canada slammed as bogus.
The diplomatic tussle soured the relationship and engendered a deep mistrust between Ottawa and Beijing. But as President Donald Trump escalates his trade war with one of the US’s closest allies, Canada has looked to a longtime foe for some common ground.
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3 people deported in connection with B.C. extortion investigations
Three people have been deported from Canada amid an ongoing task force targeting violent extortion threats in B.C.’s Lower Mainland.
Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Nina Krieger shared the update Friday, confirming that authorities have also launched immigration investigations into 78 foreign nationals. “Those that commit extortion and terrorize our communities will be pursued,
arrested and charged,” Krieger said.
“If individuals come into this country with the purpose of perpetrating violent extortion, they will be removed from Canada following all appropriate laws.”
The provincial task force was launched in mid-September with 40 members from an array of law enforcement agencies, including the Canada Border Services Agency.
Continued on Page 10...
McCall says that, given that transnational crime groups have already been implicated in extortion cases, there should be a concerted effort among authorities to aggressively go after them. Continued on Page 10...
South Asian woman Sonia Raman appointed WNBA's Seattle Storm coach
At the tail end of just
for
“I’m just going to be me,” Raman said. “I realize that it’s a whole different level. But, I think just relying on who I am as a person, being genuine, being authentic, and as they say, keeping the main thing the main thing is most important.” The 51-year-old Massachusetts native started her coaching career at MIT, where she was a head coach from 2008-20. She led the school to the Division III NCAA Tournament twice and remains the winningest coach in program history. Continued on Page 6...
Two years after the first report of what would become a wave of extortion attempts was made in B.C., the threats, demands and related violence continue to persist in the province. Continued on Page 6...
her second day at the Seattle Storm practice facility, newly hired Sonia Raman paused briefly Wednesday afternoon before addressing whether she was ready
her first head coaching gig in the WNBA.
The British Columbia General Employees’ Union has voted to ratify an agreement with the provincial government, marking the “official end” to a public sector strike that lasted eight weeks.
The union said in a statement Thursday that 79 per cent of members participated in the vote, and 89 per cent voted in favour of the deal that includes a 3 per cent wage increase each year for four years.
Union president Paul Finch called the deal a “victory” for workers who went on strike for “eight difficult weeks” as they held out for an agreement with the province that addressed the rising cost of living, among other issues.
“Throughout the strike, public service workers were eager to return to their jobs serving the public. They did not take this job action lightly,”
Finch said. “This victory sets a new standard for what workers can achieve when they stand shoulder-to-shoulder. It ensures that public service remains a strong and viable career in B.C.”
The B.C. Finance Ministry said in a statement Thursday that the deal includes “adjustments for low-wage and hard-to-recruit occupations, as well as creation of dedicated remote positions.”
“These changes will help improve and maintain stable service delivery throughout the province,” it said. Finch said the agreement was needed to retain experienced public servants, and ensure “critical services” continue to get delivered to British Columbians. The deal includes pay bumps for the province’s lowest-paid public servants and better vision and mental health benefits, among other “non-monetary” measures.
Police in Surrey, B.C., are investigating after a home was targeted in an extortion-related shooting for the second time.
Police say that the latest attack happened Wednesday at 7:35 p.m. when supporting RCMP officers in the Metro Vancouver city responded to calls of possible shots fired.
Officers arrived at the home on 32 Avenue and found no one was injured.
are working with other agencies to determine if there are links to other extortion-related attacks in the area.
Few other details have been released, but police say the home had been targeted and that the attack is believed to be extortion-related. Police say the investigation is in its early stages and investigators
Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday announced seven more initiatives he's recommending for fast-tracked approval by the government's Major Projects Office (MPO) — including multibillion-dollar energy and natural resources proposals that Ottawa hopes will deliver a jolt to the tariff-hit economy.
Carney said this latest round of projects will help the country become more economically self-sufficient, in the face of U.S. aggression, and a powerhouse player in high-demand critical minerals. The seven initiatives, combined with the five Carney recommended for approval in September, are worth a combined $116 billion to the economy, according to government figures.
Carney said each of the projects are "transformational" and will help Canada realize its "full potential as an energy superpower" while creating new economic and trade corridors to steer the country away from the U.S.
"Many of Canada’s strengths — based on close trade ties with the U.S. — have become our vulnerabilities," Carney said. "With the world changing rapidly, Canada must change our economic strategy dramatically." The MPO, created by Carney's government this summer, will help shepherd the projects across the finish line, said Dawn Farrell, the federal body's
The British Columbia government says new rules are in effect that limit when an employer can ask for a sick note, saving doctors the burden of writing them and preventing patients from spreading their illness even further.
A government statement says that under new employment standards regulations, an employer can't ask for a note for the first two health-related absences of up to five consecutive days in the same year.
Health Minister Josie Osborne says the new rules that started Wednesday will ensure that those who are sick can stay home to recover, while reducing the unnecessary administrative burden on physicians.
Dr. Lisa Gaede, a family physician and Doctors of B.C. representative, says sick notes put an "enormous burden on physicians and other primary care providers," and the change means they can be more available for patients who need their help. The statement says the changes are based on advice from care providers, who say scientific evidence shows that most minor illnesses for adults, such as flu or cold, have symptoms that resolve within five days.
Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside says when someone is sick with the flu, the last thing they want to do is go to their doctor to get a note that says they're sick.
"Unnecessary medical appointments take
Canada’s South Asian communities, including those in Surrey, have seen a wave of extortion-related threats and violence, with British Columbia establishing a team dedicated to such cases earlier in the fall.
The city of Surrey has also set up a $250,000 reward fund in a push to gather information that would lead to conviction in extortion cases in the area.
president and CEO.
The MPO team will streamline the environmental assessment and approvals process, help proponents with the necessary Indigenous consultations, work to attract investor dollars to get these projects through to completion and coordinate labour supply, among other tasks, which will vary from project to project, Farrell said.
The transmission line in B.C. is designed to deliver low-cost, clean electricity and better telecommunications to communities along the West Coast. It also includes a possible B.C.Yukon link, to connect that territory to the larger Canadian electricity grid.
The Canadian Infrastructure Bank will loan B.C. Hydro, the line's proponent, some $139 million to help get the project built.
That transmission line will also be used to deliver electricity to Ksi Lisims LNG on Pearse Island, B.C., an Indigenous-led $30-billion liquified natural gas (LNG) facility.
That project, which is being co-developed by the Nisga'a Nation, will produce some 12 million tonnes of LNG per year to be shipped to clients mostly in Asia. The mine, which the Ontario government recommended Carney put on his list, sits on one of the largest nickel reserves in the world.
time away from patients who need to see their doctors and nurses, don't help people get better any faster and risk further spread of illness," she says in the statement. The Canadian Medical Association estimates that B.C. doctors wrote about 1.6 million sick notes last year.
The statement says that health-related absences include when an employee or member of their immediate family is sick or injured. The government says that health-care providers throughout the province have called for relief from administrative burdens, including such notes, that take them away from patient care.
Eliminating sick note requirements was a key promise in the B.C. NDP's provincial election campaign last fall. The province introduced Bill 11, amending the Employment Standards Act around sick notes, in April, and promised the change would be implemented before the fall respiratory illness season.
U.S. tourism faces $5.7B US loss as Canadians continue to stay home
Many Canadians continue to boycott travel to the United States, and the U.S. economy is paying the price.
A U.S. Travel Association report forecasts a 3.2 per cent decline in international tourism spending in the country for 2025, a loss of $5.7 billion US compared to the previous year.
The association largely attributes the loss to a decline in the number of Canadian visitors — a trend that has persisted since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office in January, sparked a trade war with Canada and began referring to the country as the 51st state.
For example, she said, “The reduced occupancy in hotels will impact labour demand and that'll impact tax collection, which potentially impacts municipal finances." Last month, Trump said the Canadian tourism problem was “something that will get worked out. There's still great love between the two countries.”
However, since then, he has continued to foster contentious relations with Canada.
In response to an anti-tariff ad launched by the Ontario government, Trump broke off trade talks with Canada late last month. He also threatened to hit the country with more tariffs on top of the ones he imposed earlier this year.
In the latest data for October, the number of return trips among Canadians travelling to the U.S. dropped by 24 per cent for air travel and by 30 per cent for land travel, compared with the same time last year.
Canadians traditionally make up the largest group of international tourists to the U.S., totalling 28 per cent of its 72.4 million visitors in 2024.
Usha Haley, a professor of management at Wichita State University in Kansas, warns that the drop in tourism dollars threatens thousands of jobs.
“The tourism sector is labour-intensive and it's a big employer in many states,” she said, adding that job losses could have a knock-on effect.
Trump has said the tariffs are necessary to remedy an expansive trade deficit with Canada. (The country exports more to the U.S. than it imports.) However, America’s decline in international tourism has helped fuel a travel trade deficit, as more Americans are travelling abroad than international tourists are visiting the U.S.
The U.S. has historically enjoyed a travel trade surplus. But for 2025, the Travel Association forecasts a deficit of nearly $70 billion US. Haley hopes the large deficit will grab the government’s attention “as the current U.S. administration is so worried about trade balances.” The Travel Association predicts international travel will rebound in 2026, driven by the U.S. hosting the FIFA World Cup and the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
But there are no guarantees Canadians upset about the Trump administration will reverse course.
Even though snowbird Rena Hans of Toronto owns a condo in Florida, she’s adamant she won’t return to the U.S. until Trump is out of office.
Quebec men accused in alleged extremist plot will go to trial following federal indictment
Three men accused of facilitating terrorism in Quebec will be sent to trial after the federal Crown prosecutor’s office filed a direct indictment on Nov. 7, along with new charges.
The move effectively bypasses a preliminary inquiry requested by the men's lawyers in September.
Filed with authorization of the attorney general of Canada or deputy attorney general, the indictment means the case will now be sent to Superior Court, where a trial could take place in 2026. In July, the RCMP charged four men, including two active members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), with being part of an alleged anti-government plot to forcibly take over land in the Quebec City region Police called the plot an act of "ideologically motivated violent extremism."
Alongside weapons charges, three of the men — Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25 — have been charged with the serious offence of facilitating a terrorist activity. They were denied bail in August. Chabot, who has been described in court documents as the de facto leader of the group, has now been additionally charged with instructing individuals to engage in activities for a terrorist group, an offense punishable by life imprisonment. June 2021 and January 2024, the federal prosecutor’s office says Chabot directly or indirectly “knowingly instructed” Angers-Audet, Lagacé or others tied to an alleged anti-government group of current and former military members called Hide & Stalk to engage in an activity for the benefit or at the direction of a terrorist group.
A cheque for $50,000 for the flood victims of Punjab was presented by Mr. Kashmir Kaur Johal , Chairperson, India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas Society,8600 #5 Road, Richmond, BC to Mr. Kulwinder Singh Sanghera for Sikhi Awareness Foundation International on Sunday, November 9, 2025 in the presence of some Committee Members. at the Gurdwara . Balwant Singh Sanghera, Secretary
B.C. power line and Ksi Lisims LNG added to federal government’s major-projects list
British Columbia now has four projects on the federal government’s list of nation-building ventures, which Prime Minister Mark Carney says will add billions to the economy to move it away from an over-reliance on the United States.
Standing with the backdrop of the Skeena Substation in Terrace, B.C., and speaking over the buzzing transformers, Carney on Thursday announced Ksi Lisims LNG and the North Coast Transmission Line will be considered for federal government fast-tracking as major projects. They are in addition to the LNG Canada Phase 2 in Kitimat and the expansion of the Red Chris copper mine in northwestern B.C., which Carney’s government announced earlier this year in its first phase of pririty projects.
Ksi Lisims, a floating export facility involving a natural gas pipeline across the north, will be one of the world’s cleanest operations, with emissions 94 per cent below global average, all while adding $4 billion a year to the nation’s GDP, Carney said.
To power it, there is the North Coast Transmission Line, a 450-kilometre power line between Prince George and Terrace, which Carney said also has the potential to create another $10 billion in new economic activity and is to be extended into the Yukon.
Both projects have faced criticism. While the Nisga’a Nation is a partner in Ksi Lisims LNG and will host it on its territory, some other First Nations have not granted consent or have gone to court to challenge it.
Vancouver condo market could struggle for next two years, says report
Vancouver’s condo market is seeing low margins, rising inventory and paused projects, with developers trying different strategies to manage the current downturn, according to a Wednesday report by PwC.
“Some [clients] that are in stronger financial conditions can look to ride out slower times like this. They can also look to participate in maybe lower-margin projects to keep their people busy,” said David Neale, a Vancouver-based partner with the global accounting firm.
“But then we also have some that are in a tougher spot, and they’re being forced to look to sell assets and lay off staff, unfortunately. So you have companies and organizations sort of running the full spectrum there as they're dealing with this downturn.”
Some developers are pivoting to purpose-built rental, and some well-capitalized ones are buying up insolvent projects. Some contrarians are even “musing this might be a time to initiate projects again” to prepare for an expected lack of supply in several years, said the Nov. 12 report.
“If and when things turn around, people that are active or maybe pursuing projects sooner than others could benefit from having projects ready in a market where demand comes back," Neale said.
But the consensus is that it’s still too early to resume business as usual, said the PwC report.
The Vancouver market is in "a time of transition," Neale said. While people have historically left Vancouver for smaller, more affordable markets in B.C. and Alberta, big changes to federal immigration policy mean that international immigration may no longer make up for those outflows, he said.
“It’s sort of bizarre to think about, but you’re going to see a population decline in Vancouver for the first time in 40 years, which is a different dynamic than obviously we’ve been seeing in B.C.
for a long time,” he said.
Some developers may try to tap into government funding for Build Canada Homes (BCH) and other programs, though Neale said the federal budget unveiled Nov. 4 was underwhelming to some observers. The budget allocated $7 billion for BCH toward a five-year commitment of $13 billion.
“We are still hopeful that the further investment in that [BCH] program can drive that change or at least keep some of these developers busy and healthy during this downturn so that they’re in place and ready to build as things come back,” Neale said.
“But I think there [are] questions as to whether the actions that were taken, and the actions that are being taken, are sufficient to drive that significant an increase in homebuilding.”
Investors are considering other asset classes, Neale said. Industrial is a “pretty safe bet” due to the region’s land limitations, while office is seeing brisk leasing for high-quality inventory. It will take time to solve the region’s hotel shortage, though the FIFA World Cup could add momentum for more hotel supply, he said.
The PwC report also said retail remains resilient, particularly grocery-anchored assets and essential services in mixed-use and suburban projects.
"We think slow times for condos for the next couple years, steady for office, industrial and retail ... and just a lot of questions around what can be done ... to get some of these developers active again," Neale said.
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CSIS braces for possible foreign interference as Alberta and Quebec eye sovereignty
With Canada facing not one but two possible sovereignty referendums in the coming years, the head of the country’s spy agency is bracing for the possibility that foreign adversaries could try to meddle in them.
“We definitely have to be attentive to the possibility of information operations or interference,” Dan Rogers, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), told CBC’s Power & Politics on Thursday.
Rogers was responding to questions about the prospect of referendums in both Alberta and Quebec on the issue of independence and emerging concerns that foreign adversaries could see them as fertile ground to interfere with a G7 country.
to stay within Canada but also says there is a growing number of Albertans who are unhappy with Confederation.
that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
He said CSIS doesn't have a role in "Canadians exercising their opinion" but agreed the manipulation of information could be a vulnerability.
Rogers says anytime foreign adversaries seek to divide Canadians and amplify certain narratives is a concern for the spy agency.
“Our core job is looking at threats to the security of Canada, which includes foreign interference,” he said.
“We have to position ourselves to be able to identify those intentions and actions by foreign states.”
The sovereigntist Parti Québécois is pushing forward with a plan to hold a referendum if it forms government in next year’s election.
The party has launched two referendums on Quebec sovereignty — in 1980 and 1995 — and lost both. Leader St-Pierre Plamondon, who so far is leading in public polling, has promised to hold a third by 2030 if he’s delivered a win by voters.
Alberta is also in the throes of a heated debate on whether it should separate. Earlier this year
Premier Danielle Smith’s government reduced the number of required signatures to hold a referendum in the province.
Smith has said she wants a sovereign Alberta
Rogers sat down with Power & Politics after delivering his first annual speech, in which he warned of both China and Russia’s “significant intelligence interest” in the Arctic.
China, he said, is seeking an economic foothold in the region, while Russia's Arctic posture "remains unpredictable and aggressive."
China also continues to target Canada's sensitive information.
"Chinese spies have tried to recruit Canadians with access to government plans, intentions, information and military expertise, through social media and online job platforms," he said.
Concerns about foreign adversaries meddling in referendums largely stem from allegations
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Most recently, a shooting in South Surrey, B.C., on Nov. 8, was linked to extortion, according to police. It’s one of dozens of investigations happening in the province; as of Nov. 7, more than 100 extortion incidents had been reported in B.C. in 2025.
The India-based Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for some Canadian shootings on social media, and police have said there is evidence connecting the Bishnoi gang to Indian government agents.
Galib Bhayani, a Kwantlen Polytechnic University criminology professor and former RCMP officer, said the international nature of these extortion attempts are making it difficult for police to investigate them.
“Let's be frank, these [extortion attempts] are happening from India,” he told CBC’s The Early Edition. “Our relationship with India in terms of information sharing is not good. At other levels, it's not good as well.”
The relationship between the two countries broke down after then-Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of being involved in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara in 2023. India dismissed the allegations as absurd and politically motivated.
The ties further devolved a year later, as each country expelled the other's top diplomats.
Last year, federal RCMP commissioner Michael Duheme said RCMP had strong evidence showing the "highest levels" of the Indian government were involved in orchestrating a campaign of violence on Canadian soil, including murder, extortion and intimidation. The commissioner said attempts to share evidence with Indian police had been
unsuccessful.
Bhayani said local B.C. police forces are not experienced with these types of investigations, which require extensive resourcing.
“The intimidation, the execution [of these crimes] is highly localized and often carried out with individuals who are aware of the cultural norms, speak the language, understand the business patterns of the victims,” Bhayani said.
“This means the traditional policing is insufficient. We do need to have better relationships with our partners internationally. But because we don't have that, we have to work with what we have right now," he said.
In September, the province announced a special RCMP-led taskforce dedicated to investigating extortion, bringing together 40 members from various law enforcement agencies, including intelligence analysts.
CBC News reached out to RCMP for an update on its extortion task force investigations, but did not heard back by publication. The complexity of these investigations will be part of the discussion at an extortion town hall event being hosted.
Guests will include police, politicians and community leaders — and members of the public are invited. The event is free but seats are limited, and guests must register to reserve a spot.
Bhayani, who will be at the town hall, hopes to hear more about the number of arrests, seizures and disruptions made. He realizes that the police can't share everything they're working on, but for transparency's sake, he wants more information like this to be made public on a regular basis.
"Every month, if we got this reporting, it would increase a little bit of faith," he said.
Anand announces new sanctions targeting Russian drones as G7 diplomats meet
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced more sanctions on Russia Wednesday as she hosted top diplomats from the Group of Seven nations in the Niagara region.
The sanctions, which take effect immediately, target those behind Russia's drone and cyber attacks on Ukraine, 100 vessels in Russia's sanctions-evading shadow fleet and two Russian liquefied natural gas entities.
"Canada will continue to intensify pressure through sanctions in coordination with allies and partners until Russia puts an end to its unjustified invasion of Ukraine," Anand said in a news release.
The sanctions target 13 individuals and 11 entities. The news release said the move supports efforts by the G7 to ramp up economic pressure on Russia and is in broad alignment with similar actions by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom.
had to deal with tensions between Israel and Iran. Ultimately, no joint statement on Ukraine was released at that meeting after pushback from Trump's team.
Last month, after much back and forth, Trump approved new sanctions that take aim at Russia's oil sector, which are set to come into force on Nov. 21.
Anand and Rubio had a meeting on the margins of the summit. State Department spokesperson
G7 foreign ministers met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Wednesday morning after Russia again attacked Ukraine's power grid and overran areas in the country's south.
Nearly four years into the brutal war, Russian attacks have brought rolling blackouts to Ukraine as winter approaches. U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire remain at a standstill.
Anand said Tuesday the G7 meeting will reaffirm "our collective support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's aggression."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has long been critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, remains inconsistent in his approach to the war.
The June G7 leaders summit in Alberta was meant to showcase unity on top global concerns — but Trump left that gathering early, saying he
Tommy Pigott said in a media statement that they discussed transatlantic security, the Indo-Pacific, Haiti and the need to reinforce supply chains. It was not immediately clear if Anand addressed bilateral trade negotiations with her American counterpart. Trump suspended trade talks with Canada last month, citing an Ontario-sponsored ad campaign that quoted former president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.
Anand is wrapping up Canada's G7 presidency by making a case for multilateralism and shoring up new trading relationships in response to Trump's tariffs.
Anand also invited Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and South Korea to take part in the two-day gathering. The assembled top diplomats are also discussing critical minerals, energy security and economic resilience as Trump's protectionist policies continue to rattle traditional alliances.
Asian woman Sonia Raman appointed
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Seattle Storm coach
Raman jumped to the pro ranks in 2020 to be an assistant with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies for four years before joining the New York Liberty coaching staff this past season. With the Storm, Raman will make history as the first person of Indian descent to be a head coach in the WNBA.
“It’s a tremendous honor and privilege to be sitting here and to be in that role,” Raman said.
“It’s a huge responsibility as well. I’ve said this before — I am the first, but I don’t want to be the last.”
What Raman also wants is to help the Storm get back on track as a franchise. Seattle fired previous coach Noelle Quinn in September after the Storm were eliminated by the Las Vegas Aces in the first round of the playoffs for a second straight season.
The team Raman will be coaching, though, very much remains in flux. All-Stars Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and Brittney Sykes are all set to be unrestricted free agents. The Storm have just four players under contract for the 2026 season.
Raman is excited to collaborate with general manager Talisa Rhea to help chart a path forward for how the Storm can build around 19-year-old forward Dominique Malonga, who was the No. 2 pick in the draft and a WNBA All-Rookie Team selection.
“She’s been doing this for a long time with the front office,” Raman said of Rhea. “I’m excited to learn from her as well. I will certainly give ideas, give thoughts, have questions, and I just think
having that collaborative dialogue will get us to where we need to go.”
Rhea, meanwhile, is confident she made the right hire in bringing aboard Raman as the ninth coach in franchise history.
“It was clear from the first conversation we had with Sonia that there was real alignment,” Rhea said, “and the potential for a wonderful partnership.” What Raman aspires to do with the Storm is lean into her coaching strengths. The former Tufts guard developed a reputation in the NBA for her scouting, player development and analytics acumen.
At her core, Raman said, she is a “hoops junkie.”
She has learned the importance of taking a “holistic approach” when it comes to coaching individual players, as well as the team at large.
“Use everything you have available to you. It’s 2025,” Raman said. “We have all the technology in the world. We have the data. We have the film. We have expert coaches.”
Raman has yet to round out her coaching staff, and did not provide a timetable for doing so. She’s also working on finding a house in the Seattle area. Raman said she intends to live in the Pacific Northwest full-time, not just during the season.
In due time, Raman will either prove herself ready or not to lead the Storm after three decades of coaching. What is clear is Raman is grateful for the opportunity at hand.
“This is a place that exudes excellence, fosters collaboration,” Raman said. “The care factor here is incredible.”
Huge public response over lack of detail in ABC Vancouver's 'back to basics' budget
Over the first of what will likely be a multi-day affair, Vancouver residents repeatedly urged city council on Wednesday not to approve a 2026 operating budget without either the public or the politicians knowing how, specifically, the millions of dollars of cost savings will be achieved.
Concerns about the lack of detail and transparency in the city’s 2026 budget were repeated several times during Wednesday’s meeting, first by the four members of council not affiliated with the ABC, and then by labour representatives, representatives of private companies and members of the public.
ABC Vancouver’s “back to basics” 2026 budget — which aims for a zero per cent property tax increase — has generated immense public interest, with more than 600 people registered to address council this week about the budget.
It’s not clear when such a high number of speakers has signed up to address council on a single item. These annual budget meetings do not typically garner anywhere near this kind of public participation. The 2023 special council meeting to discuss the budget drew 25 speakers. Last year
there were only six.
And, as ABC Vancouver’s political rivals frequently pointed out Wednesday, the substance of the discussion so far is lighter on details than they would like: the draft operating budget presented to council and the public is a relatively brief 23-page document, compared with a 373-page document last year, and 501 pages the year before. After approving cumulative property tax hikes of more than 21 per cent over the first three years of ABC’s term in office while the operating budget ballooned by 17 per cent from $1.97 billion to $2.3 billion, the party has dramatically changed course for the final budget before the October 2026 election.
Last month, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC colleagues directed city staff to figure out how to cut costs or increase revenues by $120 million to balance the budget while freezing property taxes.
This is expected to mean reducing the city’s workforce by around 400 full-time jobs, according to an internal memo distributed last week to managers at city hall. The draft budget presented to council for consideration this week only includes overall budget amounts for different municipal departments, with most departments seeing yearover-year reductions between one and 15 per cent. But the 23-page document doesn’t provide any detail about what kinds of specific positions might be on the chopping block. Speakers continued to address council through Wednesday afternoon and were expected to continue well into the evening.
Crime Stoppers "MOST WANTED - MUGSHOTS"
SINGH, Gurkirat
Age: 26
Height: 6’0” ft
Weight: 141lbs
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Wanted: Sexual Assault, Invitation to Sexual Touching, Sexual Interference of a Person Under 16 Years Old Warrant in effect: November 12, 2025
Parole Jurisdiction: Delta, BC with Canada Wide Warrants
BURT, Adam
Age: 35
Height: 6’1” ft
Weight: 221lbs
Hair: Brown/Balding
Eyes: Green
Wanted: Flight from Police, Dangerous Operation of Conveyance, and Drive While Prohibited x2 Warrant in effect: November 12, 2025
Parole Jurisdiction: Chilliwack, BC
FRIESEN, David Nelson
Age: 42
Height: 6’0” ft
Weight: 220lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Wanted: Unlawfully at Large Warrant in effect: November 10, 2025
Parole Jurisdiction: Vancouver, BC with Canada Wide Warrants
West Vancouver mayor says he won’t back down from standoff on provincially mandated housing targets
Of all the B.C. cities targeted to increase housing development, West Vancouver may have the most contentious relationship with the province — and the mayor says he is refusing to back down.
As a provincially mandated Dec. 31 deadline looms over the city to approve more housing density in three neighbourhoods along Marine Drive, West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager says he’s fundamentally opposed to the province’s approach.
“I just think picking arbitrary dates, arbitrary numbers, and trying to force their vision on local communities is fundamentally wrong,” Sager said.
But if the district doesn’t do what the province wants, the province has the authority to override the district and densify where it wants.
West Vancouver was one of 10 municipalities on the province’s so-called “naughty list” in 2023.
It was nealy last in meeting its targets for new housing, with only 172 homes built between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30 this year. It didn’t reach even
40 per cent of its goal.
But Sager said he refuses to abide by the provincial directives because he's opposed to the process, arguing it should be based on housing approvals rather than completions, and municipalities should have more time to come to local decisions.
“For the minister sitting in Victoria who doesn't
know really anything about our community, doesn't know about the infrastructure, doesn't know about our road systems … to come in and slap down regulations that don't work — I’m not going to sign that.” One of the most contentious provincial directives has been the Ambleside local area plan.
Council has been deadlocked in a 3-3 vote split for months, as the mayor owns property in the area and has recused himself from voting.
Coun. Nora Gambioli, the longest-serving council member, believes the city hasn't built enough housing.
“We have not been meeting the provincial targets and we haven't even been meeting our own targets,” Gambioli said.
She said she’s supportive of the Ambleside plan presented by staff in May, which would focus on increased heights of up to four storeys through most of the Marine Drive corridor.
“We're not in a fight directly with the provincial government on a lot of this. We're actually in a fight between ourselves in terms of the politics here.” And while the province’s appointed housing adviser branded West Vancouver as “an affluent enclave resistant to change” in his report, Gambioli said that impression erases many residents who want to see the city grow.
One of those pro-development locals, Maureen O’Brien, executive director of the Ambleside and Dundarave Business Improvement Association (BIA), said more density will attract more businesses — the kinds that residents want: momand-pop-type businesses like bookstores, clothing stores, breweries.
“No one’s going to come and do that if we don’t give them the space to do that,” O’Brien said.
Fijian couple to loose their home after major drug bust in Canada
When police searched a Surrey house last month, they found more than 46 kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.
While no one has yet been charged in the largescale drug operation, the B.C. government wants two houses linked to it forfeited as the proceeds of crime.
The B.C. director of civil forfeiture filed its lawsuit earlier this month alleging that the properties — jointly assessed at $5.3 million — have been used by Aneeza Rehnaaz Ali and Mohammed Saiyad Ali “to engage in unlawful activities.”
The statement of claim says the pair were operating the drug-trafficking ring, which the RCMP Surrey police operations support unit drug squad began investigating last February. The probe led to the search at 8244 151A St. on Sept. 10. Both Alis are- Fijian immigrants- were arrested for trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking, the lawsuit says. But neither is yet facing charges, according to the online provincial court database.
The drug seizure included 21 kilograms of meth, 15 kilograms of fentanyl and 10 kilograms of cocaine, as well as “miscellaneous drug-packaging materials,” scoresheets, industrial grade mixing equipment, respiratory masks, food dyes, mixing bowls and drug mixing recipes.
There was also mail addressed to Saiyad Ali and Aneeza Ali, the director said.
The lawsuit said the crimes allegedly committed by the two people also include production of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of the proceeds of crime, money laundering and failure to declare taxable income.
The house on 151A Street was purchased by Aneeza Ali in April 2022 and has a mortgage, the director said. It’s currently assessed at $1,909,000. The second property, at 12689 56A Ave. in Surrey, was bought in February 2021 by Saiyad Ali and
Mobina Ali. It’s currently assessed at $3,346,000 and also has a mortgage.
Not only were the properties used for illicit activities, they were also purchased with funds earned from the unlawful activity, the director also alleges.
No statements of defence have yet been filed in the case. None of the defendants could be reached for comment Monday.
Details in the civil forfeiture lawsuit appear to match those in a news release issued by the RCMP’s support unit drug section on Oct. 9. At the time, Supt. Ryan Element of the SPOSU said the drug seizure “represents a significant disruption to the local drug trade in Surrey.”
“Investigators believe the suspected drugs were being supplied to communities from the Lower Mainland right into the Okanagan,” he said.
Added Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat: “Surrey provincial operations support unit is committed to seeing the seizures of large-scale drug operations within the city of Surrey
“This is an example of the strong collaboration of multiple drug section and major crime officers assigned to supporting Surrey Police Service operations in the city.”
The couple were married in 2017. Aneeza is originally from Lokia, Nausori, and an ex alumni of Nasinu Muslim College graduating in 2009.
8-year-old girl dies in Vancouver after falling from balcony: police
Vancouver police say an eight-year-old girl died on Tuesday after she fell from a high-rise balcony in the city's Yaletown neighbourhood.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) says officers were called to a residential building near Nelson Street and Expo Boulevard around 2:30 p.m. PT on Nov. 11 after the child fell from a balcony.
She was pronounced dead at the scene, despite life-saving efforts from first responders, the VPD says in a media release.
The police force says investigators from its Major Crime Section are looking into the death, and are asking anyone who knows anything about the situation to contact Vancouver police. VPD Const. Tania Visintin said in an email to CBC News that police investigate all sudden deaths to determine whether criminality is involved.
"In this case, given the severity and the amount of people in the area, our Major Crime detectives have conduct as they are the most experienced detectives in the department," Visintin said. In an interview at the nearby VPD headquarters, Visintin said the initial 911 calls reported that a
child had fallen from the 23rd floor to a balcony on the seventh floor.
"It's a very tragic situation for everyone involved... the police, other first responders and, of course, the family," she said.
"This is a horrible, horrible thing for this family to now have to go through."
Confirmed that the child who died in Vancouver attended school in Squamish, B.C.
In a letter sent to parents, the principal of a school in the Sea to Sky School District said she was "a lovely, friendly girl who will be very missed by all."
Sea to Sky School District No. 48 is providing additional supports to the community, including school counselling on Wednesday and throughout the week.
SUV driven through mall doors in break-in attempt, Richmond RCMP say
Mounties in Richmond are appealing for information after what they describe as an “alleged brazen nighttime break-in” at a mall last week.
Officers were called to the mall on the 5300 block of No. 3 Road around 3:15 a.m. on Nov. 5, Richmond RCMP said in a statement Thursday.
“It was reported that a black Kia SUV drove through the entrance doors of the mall and attempted to gain entry to a jewelry store,” the
A woman who was wanted on a warrant earlier this year and arrested in Alberta now faces 13 charges in Abbotsford, including for sexual offences against a child and the possession of child sexual abuse material. According to provincial court records, Siobhan Kirby, 35, is slated to make her first appearance in Abbotsford provincial court on Wednesday (Nov. 12). Kirby has been charged with:
• possessing child sex abuse material; • making or publishing child sex abuse material; • importing or distributing sex abuse material; • accessing child sex abuse material; • sexual exploitation of a person with a disability; • touching a young person for a sexual purpose; • sexual assault; • invitation to sexual touching; • telecommunication to lure a child under 18; • arranging or agreeing to a sexual offence against a child; • trafficking in a person(s) under 18; • material benefit from trafficking; and
• procuring a person to offer or provide services.
All the alleged offences occurred on Dec. 1, 2022 in Abbotsford, according to the court records. Sgt. Paul Walker, media officer with the Abbotsford Police Department, said the investigation into Kirby began in January 2024 after a report was filed with the department.
He said the charges relate to one alleged victim. Walker could not provide any more details, due to a publication ban protecting the identify of the child and any details that could identify them.
The APD in July posted a notice seeking the public’s help in trying to locate Kirby, who they said was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for multiple sexual offences.
She was believed to be in the Calgary area at the time. The APD reported the following day that Kirby had been arrested by RCMP in Parkland, Alta.
statement said.
“After the suspects were unable to gain entry to the store they fled from the shopping mall in the vehicle.”
Authorities say no one was injured but there was a restaurant open at the time with customers inside.
Witnesses and people with dash-cam video from the area at the time are urged to call 604-278-1212 and quote file number 2025-35377.
Two young men from the Okanagan die in Chilliwack rollover crash
Two men died in a single-vehicle crash in Chilliwack on Monday.
According to RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Alexandra Mulvihill, the Chilliwack Fire Department and RCMP were called to the 6000-block of Chadsey Road just after noon following a single-vehicle rollover.
The crash led to the closure on Chadsey Road between Keith Wilson Road and South Sumas Way. The road was reopened several hours later. Mulvihill said the victims were aged 18 and 20 and were from the Okanagan.
“The file remains an active investigation and still in its early stages. The victims in this tragic incident
have been identified and next of kin notifications are being done. No further information on the males will be released and the Chilliwack RCMP offer their sincerest condolences to the family and friends of both males,” she said.
BC iPhone fire in middle of night leads to damages lawsuit against Apple
A B.C. man is suing Apple Canada after suffering a severe burn when his iPhone caught on fire in the middle of the night, according to a lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court.
Avtar Singh is alleging Apple and its manufacturer and software designer were negligent because they failed to address the risk posed by a design and/ or manufacturing defect after discovering the risk the defect posed to users. Singh said he bought the iPhone 13 Pro from the Surrey Apple store in September 2023.
About six weeks later, on Oct. 25, 2023, he “woke up from a sound sleep and saw that his bedroom was filled with smoke and his left leg was causing him pain,” according to the claim.
“His iPhone was stuck to his leg” and the phone was burnt and “releasing some sort of gas,” it said. He suffered a “severe burn to the left leg” and an infection and swelling from knee to foot in the leg,
which led to difficulty standing and walking, pain, depressive thoughts, anxiety and stress, it said.
The suit says the phone was being used properly and alleges the fire was caused by a design, software design or manufacturing defect or defective parts.
“It was reasonably foreseeable that the plaintiff would handle the iPhone in such a way that it would be in close proximity to his body,” it said.
The lawsuit alleges Apple failed to properly design, test and manufacture the iPhone to prevent spontaneous overheating, release of gas and/or explosion and to take reasonable care to see that the plaintiff would be safe using it.
Singh is seeking damages for pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, permanent physical disability, loss of past and future earnings, and special damages, it said.
Calls left with Singh’s lawyer and with Apple Canada weren’t returned.
3 people deported in connection with B.C. extortion investigations
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A CBSA spokesperson said she could not comment on the deportations Friday, citing privacy concerns and the need to “protect the integrity of the investigation process.”
“It should be noted that criminal proceedings take precedence over immigration matters, which will delay a removal,” the spokesperson said in an email.
“However, many of the processes can be conducted concurrently to a person serving their sentence, ensuring that once a criminal sentence has been completed, and due process
is completed, the CBSA will carry out their removal.”
There have been dozens of extortion attempts reports since 2023, primarily targeting South Asian businesses.
In some cases, shop owners have received chilling phone calls demanding they pay millions of dollars, then had their businesses targeted with gunfire or arsons.
Authorities have linked some of the crimes to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in India, which was designated as a terrorist organization in September.
Trump’s trade war is pushing Canada closer to China
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The tide began turning early last month, when Canada’s top diplomat Anita Anand visited Beijing to meet with her counterpart Wang Yi. Then, Prime Minister Mark Carney and leader Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in South Korea – the first time leaders of the two countries had met in eight years.
That 40-minute meeting marked a “turning point” for Canada and China as they pledged to improve ties and collaborate on trade, according to a Canadian statement following the meeting, which also said Carney planned to visit Xi in China.
That discussion has since been followed by another ministerial visit to China, and high-level phone calls. China also reinstated Canada to its approved travel list for tour groups, in a move that’s expected to boost tourism for the North American country.
But as leaders in Ottawa and Beijing signal it may be time to start doing business again, some experts warn China could be attempting to exploit Canada at a vulnerable moment.
China wants to drive a “big wedge between Canada and the US,” said Kovrig, who has continued his work as senior adviser for the Crisis Group since being released from Chinese detention.
“The last thing China wants is a strong and united West trying to constrain China’s global ambitions.”
Both sides have economic incentives to get along.
Last year, Canada slapped a 100% tax on Chinese electric vehicles, in conjunction with the US, to protect its domestic market what it cited as unfair competition from state-subsidized Chinese carmakers.
Then, in March, China announced retaliatory tariffs on Canadian agricultural and food products, including a 100% levy on canola oil and meal. In August, China added a 75.8% tariff on canola seed, hurting Canadian farmers and effectively shutting Canada’s second-largest market for the crop.
Meanwhile, the US has increasingly ramped up its economic war on its northern neighbor. Trade negotiations between Trump and Carney had appeared to be making progress
when Trump abruptly halted talks again last month after a controversial anti-tariff ad by the government of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province. With the US now emerging as Canada’s biggest economic threat, Canada can no longer afford to be in a trade war with the world’s two largest economies. To many, that’s made China a more appealing prospect.
Canada’s tone towards China has taken a “180-degree shift” in recent months, said Lynette Ong, director of the China Governance Lab at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs.
“What we have seen so far is an articulation of a kind of different set of intentions towards China … and the intention to rethink our relationship with China quite fundamentally,” Ong said. “That’s a big shift that’s born out of necessity.”
Doug Ford, premier of Ontario and one of Trump’s most vocal critics north of the border, called on Canada to improve its relationship with China, during a meeting of the country’s premiers in July.
Beijing has said it will drop the canola tariffs if Ottawa does the same for Chinese electric vehicles.
The “enemy of our enemy is our friend, and I don’t consider Americans the enemy, but right now President Trump himself is acting like the enemy,” Ford said, according to the Canadian Press news agency.
Public sentiment seems to agree. Recent opinion polling found Canadians are more likely to say the US (46%) should be treated as a threat than China (34%). However, most Canadians still view China negatively.
“The clear strategy here is when you’re shut out of your major export market and being subject to pretty punitive tariffs in some key sectors … you’re going to be looking for other dance partners,” said Fen Hampson, chancellor’s professor at Carleton University in the Canadian capital.
BC Tory critic says 'foreign criminals' behind extortions should be deported
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"What we're really pushing for is to deport foreign criminals, mandatory sentencing for extortion, bail reform, dedicated co-ordinated prosecutors," McCall told.
"We have this task force of police, but also having ... trained and experienced Crown prosecutors for extortion and perhaps terrorism charges as well," he added.
CBC B.C. is organizing an upcoming Town Hall event, Extortion: Communities in Fear, where community members can also share their concerns on the topic of extortion. The event will be held on Nov. 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT at Surrey
are invited.
Art Centre at 13750 88 Ave. Guests will include police, politicians and community leaders — and members of the public
FBOS begins climate change statistics drive
The Fiji Bureau of Statistics is compiling official climate change statistics for the first time, a move aimed at strengthening the country’s climate data systems.
To support the work, the bureau opened a twoday National Workshop on Advancing Climate Change-Related Statistics, bringing together policymakers, researchers and sector officials to review progress and improve data quality.
FBOS chief executive officer Kemueli Naiqama said the initiative is part of an ongoing collaboration with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, which
Team
Australia’s Pacific Response Group (PRG) used last week’s visit of ADV Reliant to Suva to test its readiness for the coming cyclone season, running a certification exercise aboard the vessel at the King’s Wharf. The PRG is a regional asset activated when Pacific countries request support for civilian-led humanitarian and disaster relief operations.
Its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Scott Hill, met with local media during the visit and explained the purpose of the exercise before taking journalists on a tour of the ship. Information on the Royal Australian Navy website shows ADV Reliant is a Norwegian-built offshore support
began last year.
He said the program promotes a whole-ofgovernment approach so climate data captures impacts across the environment, economy, infrastructure and health.
“Climate change is not an abstract issue for us, it’s a lived experience for every Fijian,” he said.
“High-quality climate statistics allows us to understand what is changing, who is most vulnerable, and how best to respond.”
The workshop highlights the growing need for reliable data to support climate resilience and development planning.
vessel launched in 2017.
It sailed into Sydney in July 2022 for trials before being accepted into service as a naval auxiliary the following month, operating out of Brisbane. The ship has become a regular presence in the region. Its last Fiji deployment was in May, when it delivered relief supplies under Australia’s Disaster Resilience Program and later assisted in the rescue of the sailing yacht Lucky Jonny, which had lost its rudder southeast of Suva.
That rescue involved coordination between Fiji and New Zealand rescue centres and the Royal Australian Navy.
Sister Teresia Tinanisolo gave her account of the 1987 coup led by Sitiveni Rabuka as she appeared before the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission today. She recalled a day she came from Savusavu to Suva and driving to Nausori on one particular day. “I saw the military with their guns marching towards Nabua to their camp. That day, I wrote the Fiji Times that (Sitiveni) Rabuka should keep their military parade in Queen Elizabeth (barrack),” she said. “I was told by my brother, next day that on to the radio
The Education Act 2025 has introduced a strict nationwide ban on corporal punishment in all schools, reinforcing the government’s commitment to creating safe and respectful learning environments for children.
Under Section 73 of the Act, teachers and all school staff are prohibited from using any form of physical punishment or cruel treatment toward students.
The law defines corporal punishment as “any punishment in which physical force is used
THE Government has disclosed that it spent a total of $64,813.67 on sending the Prime Minister, five ministers, and one assistant minister to celebrate Fiji Day abroad this year.
The breakdown of costs was provided by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in response to a written parliamentary question posed by Premila Kumar, who sought transparency on the expenditure associated with the overseas celebrations.
According to the official reply, the highest individual expenditure was incurred by Minister for Justice and Acting AttorneyGeneral Sironi Turaga, who cost the State $11,783.84. He was followed closely by Minister for Information Lynda Tabuya at $11,551.68, and Penioni Ravunawa, Assistant Minister for Health and Medical
Japan and Fiji raise concerns over rapid military buildup in the region
Japan and Fiji have expressed concern over the growing militarization in the Asia-Pacific, warning that the rapid military buildup by some nations threatens regional peace and stability.
The issue was highlighted during talks between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in Tokyo yesterday, where the two leaders signed the Japan–Fiji Lomavata Kizuna Partnership to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation.
In a joint statement issued by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to maintaining “a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Asia-Pacific region,” and noted with concern “the rapid military buildup which is not conducive to this end.”
They called for “proactive, responsible, and transparent engagement to uphold regional peace and security,” emphasizing that cooperation and dialogue must take precedence over confrontation.
The leaders also underscored their support for a “free, open, and sustainable maritime order” based on the rule of law and in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“They affirmed their strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status
One
in Fijian, Rabuka said that sister that wrote in the Fiji Times today should stay in her convent and pray.”
“I stayed in the convent and I prayed, but I spoke the truth.”
“0So there was the beginning of many letters yet to be written in the experience that I experienced, particularly in the life of our boarding schools.” “We couldn’t go out on Sunday.”
The Commission is documenting such personal accounts to promote truth, healing, and reconciliation in Fiji.
and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, whether or not the pain or discomfort is light.”
The Act also outlaws “cruel, inhumane, degrading or disproportionately severe treatment or punishment”, including belittling, humiliating, threatening, or ridiculing a student.
The law makes it clear that no teacher or person employed by a school may cause any form of physical, mental, or emotional harm to a student.
The new law was tabled in Parliament last week.
Services, at $10,500.55.
Mr Rabuka’s own travel and participation costs were recorded at $8899.95 — the second-lowest among the seven officials listed.
Minister for Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru’s expense was $8583.93, Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations Agni Deo Singh $7165.72, and Women, Children and Social Protection Minister Sashi Kiran $6328.00.
quo by force or coercion,” the statement said — language reflecting growing regional unease over geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Prime Minister Takaichi said Japan and Fiji’s partnership reflected a shared vision for peace and security grounded in mutual respect and adherence to international law.
Prime Minister Rabuka echoed this sentiment, saying Fiji would continue to advocate for dialogue and transparency in regional security matters. The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, emphasizing that regional unity remains essential in addressing both traditional and emerging security challenges.
Their joint declaration places Fiji alongside Japan and other like-minded partners calling for greater transparency, restraint, and cooperation to preserve peace in the Pacific.
three missing at sea off Vio Island
One person is dead while three people are still missing at sea off the coast of Vio Island in Lautoka. Among the three is a 7 year old boy. Police spokesperson Wame Boutolu confirmed receiving the report, he stated that a body was recovered earlier today. Police investigations continue.
Fully prepared for two-front war’: Pakistan minister Khawaja Asif’s latest provocation against India SOUTH ASIA
Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif has made yet another provocative remark, declaring that Islamabad is “fully prepared” for a two-front war against India on the eastern border and the Afghanistan's Taliban government along the western frontier.
accusing Kabul of sheltering the TTP – a charge Afghanistan denies.
Earlier also, without naming specific adversaries, Asif has indicated that Pakistan was “in a state of war” and warned citizens not to treat the violence as a remote issue.
Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir to become Chief of Defence Forces under new constitutional amendment
Speaking at a public event, Asif said, “We are ready for war on two fronts. We are ready, we are prepared to face both the eastern (India) and western border (Afghanistan). Allah helped us in round one and he will help us in round two,” as reported by India Today.
Asif’s statement came days after a suicide blast in Islamabad killed 12 people. The Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the bombing. The attack has once again heightened tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, with Islamabad
“We are in a state of war. Anyone who thinks that the Pakistan Army is fighting this war in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and the remote areas of Balochistan should take today’s suicide attack at the Islamabad district courts as a wake-up call: this is a war for all of Pakistan, in which the Pakistan Army is giving daily sacrifices and making the people feel secure,” he posted on social media platform X. Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif alleged that “Indian-sponsored terrorist proxies” were behind the Islamabad bombing.
India “unequivocally” rejected the allegations, describing them as “baseless and unfounded” remarks from an “obviously delirious” Pakistani leadership. “It is a predictable tactic,” ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, dismissing the accusations as politically motivated. Read more news online or view Digital Copy of Newspaper at: www.TheAsianStar.com
Pakistan's parliament has passed a constitutional amendment granting life-long legal immunity to its army chief while expanding his powers and curbing those of the Supreme Court, a move the opposition said has "sunk the ship of democracy" in the country. The National Assembly approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill with more than a two-thirds majority, with 234 lawmakers voting in favour and only four opposing it, according to Dawn. The 59-clause bill had been cleared by the Senate earlier this week, receiving 64 votes in favour with no opposition votes as opposition benches boycotted proceedings.
Dawn reported that the bill will now be sent back to the Senate for reconsideration of minor amendments, after which it will move to President Asif Ali Zardari for assent. Under the amendment, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff will also hold the title of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), making the position the formal head of Pakistan's army, navy, and air force. The bill also preserves
honorary military titles such as Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet as lifetime designations. The change places General Asim Munir at the centre of Pakistan's defence structure, giving the army chief broader constitutional recognition and influence than any of his predecessors.
The amendment further establishes a new Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) to handle constitutional cases, effectively reducing the role of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which in recent years has blocked government policies and removed sitting prime ministers, as per Dawn. Judges of the new court will be appointed by the government, and it will function separately from the existing Supreme Court.According to the report, the title of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) will remain with the current officeholder, but future appointments will define the CJP as the senior-most judge among the chief justices of both the Supreme Court and the new FCC.
Pak blames Afghanistan for two suicide bombings
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said both suicide bombers involved in the two attacks in the country this week were Afghan nationals, as authorities announced having made several arrests, Al Jazeera reported.
Naqvi made the remarks in parliament on Thursday during a session carried live on television.
On Wednesday, at least 12 people were killed and more than 30 were injured, several of them critically, when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance of the Islamabad District Judicial
Complex, as per Al Jazeera.
The Counter-Terrorism Department in Punjab province's Rawalpindi said seven suspects were detained in connection with the Islamabad blast. The alleged perpetrators were apprehended from Rawalpindi's Fauji Colony and Dhoke Kashmirian, the Dawn daily reported, while a raid was also conducted in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, as reported by Al Jazeera. The other suicide attack took place on Monday at a college in South Waziristan, KP.
The police today claimed to have foiled a conspiracy to extort money and arrested four suspects, all residents of Faridkot district. The police have recovered three petrol bombs from them.
According to the police, the accused were allegedly acting on the directions of gangster Deepu, who is currently residing abroad. The gang had planned to threaten a liquor vend owner by throwing petrol bombs at his vend.
The liquor vend owner had received ransom calls from foreign numbers about two months ago, demanding Rs 25 lakh.
On October 25, a similar petrol bomb attack had taken place outside a sanitary and bicycle
shop owned by Dimple Bansal at Mari Mustafa village, Moga. In the case, the police had arrested three accused — Baljinder Singh, Vanspreet Singh and Arshdeep Singh, all residents of Faridkot.
Bagha Purana DSP Dalbir Singh said the police search led to the recovery of three beer bottles filled with petrol, prepared as petrol bombs, along with two motorcycles. The arrested suspects have been identified as Rohit Kumar, Jagsir Singh, Khushpreet Singh and Sawan Singh.
The DSP said preliminary interrogation revealed the suspects were acting on the directions of their foreign-based handler Deepu, who allegedly instructed them to prepare petrol bombs and attack a liquor vend.
The Punjab Police on Thursday unearthed a grenade attack module backed by Pakistan's spy agency ISI and arrested 10 people.
The accused were in touch with Pakistanbased handlers to carry out a grenade attack to create unrest in Punjab, officials said.
Three of the accused, identified as Kuldeep Singh, Shekhar Singh and Ajay Singh alias Ajay, are residents of Sri Muktsar Sahib, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.
While Amrik Singh, Parminder alias Chiri, Vijay, Sukhjit Singh alias Sukh Brar, Sukhwinder Singh, Karanveer Singh alias Vicky and Sajan Kumar alias Sanju have been brought on production warrant from different jails for their role as couriers and facilitators, he said.
Police teams have also recovered a Chinese hand grenade from the accused. Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were in contact with Pakistan-based handlers through three operatives based in Malaysia to coordinate the pickup and delivery of the hand grenade.
The task was assigned by the handlers to carry
out a grenade attack in a populated area to create unrest in the state, DGP Yadav said.
He said further investigations are underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case.
Ludhiana Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma said acting on credible intelligence inputs, an FIR was registered against suspects Kuldeep Singh, Shekhar Singh and Ajay Singh at Jodhewal police station.
Given the sensitivity of the matter, special teams were constituted to ensure swift and effective action, he said, adding that the three suspects were arrested by the police teams.
He said further investigation pointed towards the foreign-based masterminds Malaysiabased Ajay alias Ajay Malaysia, Jass Behbal and Pawandeep.
These individuals are known to reside together abroad and were in contact with local facilitators Amrik Singh and Parminder, both of whom were previously involved in drug smuggling operations for them, Sharma said.
The police commissioner said during the investigation, Vijay, brother of Ajay Malaysia, who was lodged in Ganganagar jail in connection with a drug case, was also arrested on production warrant for his role as a facilitator in this case.
The probe further uncovered the local network involving accused persons Sukhjit Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Karanveer Singh and Sajan alias Sanju in facilitating the delivery of the hand grenade in Punjab, he added.
With the government facing a fund-crunch, the Rural Development and Panchayat Department has decided that the sarpanches will get the honorarium from the panchayat’s own income.
As many as 5,228 gram panchayats in the state have no source of income.
The sarpanches of these panchayats are still looking at the government for getting their promised honorarium. Since the petition
HC denies bail in 'dunki route' case; says Punjab youth being duped Indian Sikh pilgrims depart
In a hard-hitting observation on the rising menace of human trafficking rackets exploiting Punjab’s youth, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asserted that several youths on a daily basis are being duped of their money and victimised on the pretext of sending them abroad. The assertion came as Justice Manisha Batra dismissed a pre-arrest bail plea in a case involving the alleged illegal trafficking of a young man, who later died in the Ukraine war.
“For conducting a thorough and proper investigation in the matter, custodial interrogation of the petitioner is a must. In case his custodial interrogation is denied to the investigating agency, that will leave many glaring loopholes and gaps thereby adversely affecting the investigation,” Justice Batra asserted.
The case registered on September 27 under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Immigration Act at Siwan police station in Kaithal district has its genesis in a complaint lodged by a woman alleging that the accused induced her family to pay Rs 8.10 lakh on the promise of sending her brother to Germany.
“He took the amount from them and sent him to Russia through an illegal route/dunki route,
where he was forced to join the war,” the Bench was told.
The family’s ordeal deepened when they received a message through the Telegram app informing them that the victim had died. “The messenger had asked them to send money if the body of her brother was required, otherwise, the same was to be cremated there”. Holding the allegations as “serious in nature,” the Bench asserted: “The petitioner is alleged to have induced the brother of the complainant on the pretext of sending him to Germany and, after receiving a huge amount of money from him, sent him to Russia on a tourist visa, further assuring that the victim would be sent to Germany though no valid visa was got issued in his favour for that country.”
Rejecting the plea for anticipatory bail, the Bench concluded that the powers under BNSS were to be exercised in extraordinary and sparing circumstances. “In the present case, no such exceptional circumstances warranting exercise of the powers for grant of anticipatory bail by this court are existing. As such, this Court is of the considered opinion that the petition does not deserve to be allowed. Accordingly, the same is dismissed”.
Over 2,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims, who were in Pakistan for a 10-day visit to attend events related to the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, left for India on Thursday under high security.
The main event was held on November 5 at Gurdwara Janamasthan Nankana Sahib, some 80 km from Lahore, the place where Guru Nanak was born.
by former sarpanches, seeking release of honorarium for a period between 2013 and 2023 (Rs 1,200 per month then), is pending before the Punjab and Haryana Court, the government has asked the sarpanches of panchayats having no income of their own to be paid from the block committees. There are 13,238 gram panchayats in Punjab. In April, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had announced an increase in the honorarium of sarpanches from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000.
Secretary Nasir Mushtaq in a statement.
The ETPB looks after holy places of minorities in the country.
The pilgrims had entered Pakistan via the same Wagah border last week. Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President and Punjab Minorities Minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora and Mushtaq were among the officials who saw the Indian Sikhs off at the Wagah border.
“The Indian Sikhs who were staying at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore, in the last leg of their visit, were taken to Wagah check post on Thursday with security provided by police and Pakistan Rangers (para military),” said Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Additional
“The pilgrims returning from Pakistan will take with them a message of peace and love to the whole world,” said Mushtaq.
Talking to reporters, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) group leader Bibi Gurinder Kaur thanked the government for the arrangements. The Sikh pilgrims were presented with gifts and flowers at the Wagah border. Arora urged India to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor so that more Sikhs can visit Pakistan.
Tensions remain high between New Delhi and Islamabad after deadly clashes between the neighbours in May following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
Preliminary report doesn’t blame Air India pilot for crash, Centre tells SC
The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the Air India pilot had not been blamed in the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) preliminary report into the June 12 plane crash that claimed 265 lives, including those of both pilots and crew members.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi that an AAIB team was set up to look into the crash under an international regime, and the investigation was currently underway. There’s a statutory provision for it, he added.
“The AAIB inquiry is not for apportioning blame on anyone. It is only to clarify the cause so that the same does not happen again,” the Bench said.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing an NGO, said a parallel inquiry, such as a court of inquiry, should probe into the accident. “A pilots’ federation has stated that these airplanes cannot be trusted and there is a huge risk on people flying in their aircraft,” he said.
Noting that these proceedings should not become a fight between airlines, the Bench issued a
notice to the Centre and DGCA on a petition filed by Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal who died in the crash, and posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks. “You should not carry this burden that your son is being blamed... Nobody can blame him for anything… No one in India believes it was the pilot’s fault… It was an accident,” the Bench had said on November 7. “It’s extremely unfortunate that this crash took place, but you should not carry this burden that your son is being blamed... Nobody can blame him for anything… No one in India believes it was the pilot’s fault… It was an accident. There is no insinuation against him even in the preliminary report,” Justice Kant had told 91-year-old Pushkar Raj.
Expressing concern over the selective leak of the preliminary inquiry report, which led to a media narrative blaming pilot error for the crash of the London-bound Air India flight AI171, the Bench had earlier noted that certain aspects of the July 12 AAIB preliminary report indicating lapses on the part of pilots were “irresponsible”.
Delhi pollution 'very serious', even masks not enough, says SC judge
As the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi continues to be “severe”, Supreme Court judge Justice PS Narasimha on Thursday advised lawyers to appear virtually instead of attending court in person.
"The situation is very, very serious! Why are you all appearing here? We have a virtual hearing facility. Please avail it. This pollution will cause permanent damage…," said Justice Narasimha, who headed a Bench that also included Justice Atul S Chandurkar. As senior counsel Kapil Sibal
said lawyers were using masks, Justice Narasimha shot back, "Even masks are not enough. It will not suffice…we will discuss with the Chief Justice (of India) as well." The national capital has been grappling with toxic air since the beginning of the month. Its air quality has remained in the 'severe' category this week. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded an average AQI of 408 in the past 24 hours; on Wednesday, the AQI was 428.
The US has offered to assist India in its investigation into the November 10 Delhi car blast, but acknowledged that Indian authorities are “doing a very good job” in handling the probe with “professionalism and restraint”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, responding to a question on the Delhi explosion and its potential to heighten tensions between India and Pakistan, praised New Delhi’s response and investigative efforts.
“We’re aware of the potential that this situation holds. But I think the Indians need to be commended -- they have been very measured, cautious and very professional in how they’re carrying out this investigation,” Rubio said during a media interaction in Washington.
Calling the explosion “clearly a terrorist attack”, Rubio said it involved a car loaded with highly explosive material that caused significant loss of life. “The investigation continues, and I think they’re doing a very good job. When they have facts, they’ll release them,” he said.
Rubio also confirmed that the US had offered to assist Indian agencies in the probe, but emphasised that India’s capabilities in such investigations were “well established”. “We’ve offered to help, but I think they’re very capable in these investigations. They don’t need our help. They’re doing a good job and have been very measured and professional in their approach, as they usually are,” he added. India continues to receive support from global leaders at the time of this tragedy with the latest condolences coming from Singapore and South Korea. “Singapore strongly condemns the terror incident involving a car explosion near New Delhi’s Red Fort. Heartfelt condolences to the families of victims. Singapore stands in solidarity with India in this difficult time,” Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan posted on X.
The Indian Cabinet had a day back recorded its appreciation for the statements of solidarity and support from many governments around the world.
Al Falah University in Faridabad’s Dhauj village, in spotlight following the deadly terror strike near Delhi’s Red Fort, has now come under the scanner of multiple central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Official sources said the government had ordered a forensic audit of the university’s records, likely to be carried out by the ED. The university has also been served a show-cause notice by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) for allegedly displaying false accreditation claims on its website. Following the NAAC notice, the university’s website has been taken down.
The developments follow a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah, which reviewed the ongoing investigation into the November 10 blast that left 13 persons dead and several others injured.
The NAAC notice pointed out that the university had falsely claimed that two of its institutes—Al Falah School of Engineering and Technology, and Al Falah School of Education and Training— had received an ‘A’ grade from the accreditation council. The accreditation, however, had long expired, making the claim “misleading”.
and the National Medical Commission (NMC) to withdraw recognition of the university and its NMC-approved programmes.
The council has directed the university to remove all references to the NAAC accreditation from its website and respond within seven days. The university is under intense scrutiny after three of its staff members—Dr Umer un-Nabi, Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Saeed— were linked to the car blast outside the Red Fort. As per the NAAC guidelines, once accreditation lapses, an institution cannot use the accreditation status in any public communication.
Meanwhile, officials from the NMC, which regulates medical colleges, said further action would depend on the outcome of the
Records show that Al Falah School of Engineering and Technology, Fatehpur, was accredited from March 23, 2013, to March 22, 2018, while the Department of Teacher Education at Al Falah School of Education and Training saw its accreditation lapse in March 2016. Both institutions did not volunteer for the Cycle-2 Assessment and Accreditation (A&A) process. “It has been brought to the notice of the NAAC that Al Falah University, which neither accredited nor volunteered for Cycle-1 A&A, has publicly displayed on its website that its constituent colleges were ‘Graded A by NAAC’,” the notice stated.
The NAAC has asked the university to explain why legal action should not be initiated and it be disqualified for future consideration for accreditation. The notice also questioned why the NAAC should not recommend to the UGC
ongoing investigation. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Al Falah University said it was extending full cooperation to investigating agencies to ensure a “logical, fair and conclusive determination” in the matter concerning national security.
Meanwhile, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has suspended the university’s membership. The AIU informed the university about the decision through an official letter. The association has asked the university to remove the AIU logo. “It is intimated that, as per the bylaws of the AIU, all universities shall be treated as members as long as they remain in good standing. However, as per media reports, it has come to notice that Al Falah University, Faridabad, does not appear to be in good standing. Accordingly, the membership of AIU accorded to Al Falah University stands suspended with immediate effect,” the AIU said in a statement.
Delhi terror suspects were readying multiple vehicles for coordinated attack: Probe
Investigators probing the Red Fort blast have uncovered fresh evidence suggesting that the suspects were preparing additional vehicles for use in coordinated terror attacks, sources said on Thursday.
“After the i20 and EcoSport cases came to light, it emerged that the conspirators were planning to ready two more similar old vehicles that would have contained explosives and could have expanded the target list,” a senior intelligence official said on anonymity.
Intelligence agencies are now probing whether those vehicles were being readied or had already been fitted with explosive material. The sources said sleuths were examining leads indicating that the two additional cars were being sourced and modified on the lines of the Hyundai i20 and Ford EcoSport linked to earlier phases of the conspiracy.
Investigators are combing through vehicle registration records, scrap dealers and secondhand car sellers, movement of auto parts, and CCTV and toll plaza footage to establish timelines and identify handlers who may have assisted in procuring or preparing the vehicles.
Forensic experts have been tasked with analysing recovered fragments and components
from the blast site to determine whether the equipment used was an improvised explosive device (IED) or a different triggering mechanism. The intelligence agencies are also coordinating with state police units and traffic departments to track vehicle movements in the days leading up to the blasts. Throughout Thursday, multiple security agencies were on the lookout for the third car— a Maruti Brezza—believed to be linked to the Red Fort blast case. “The missing Brezza is suspected to have been used by the accused for reconnaissance or escape,” another official said.
The Brezza was later traced to the premises of Al Falah University in Faridabad and was owned by accused suicide bomber Umer un-Nabi. A bomb disposal squad was deployed to inspect the car, which was subsequently secured by forensic teams.
Officials said the discovery of multiple vehicles being prepared underlined the possibility that the terror module had planned serial attacks across the National Capital Region. “The use of more cars indicates intent and capacity to strike multiple locations, a serious escalation,” a security official said.
The interrogation of the arrested suspects has further revealed a phase-wise plan to carry out serial blasts in Delhi-NCR, particularly on December 6, which marked the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, sources said. The authorities have maintained tight secrecy over operational details to avoid compromising ongoing leads.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the November 10 terror strike rose to 13 after another injured victim, identified as Bilal, succumbed to injuries at the LNJP Hospital.
Modi has a dilemma over New Delhi terror blast
India declared Monday’s deadly blast in New Delhi a terrorist attack. The question is: What will Narendra Modi do about it?
The prime minister has no good options. In May, he seemed to set a new standard for India’s response to acts of terrorism, declaring that future attacks on civilians would be treated as an “act of war.” The implication was clear: India would hold Pakistan responsible for killings on its soil — just as it had following April’s attacks in Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead.
New Delhi’s response then was to embark on an intense bombing campaign against its neighbor, hitting what it said were Pakistani-backed militant camps targeting India. Islamabad denied orchestrating the Kashmir attacks, and hit back forcefully. The conflict was over within four days, leaving relations as tense as ever.
This week’s blast raises the question of whether Modi will again blame Pakistan, especially now that his cabinet has deemed the explosion an act of
terror. But India is likely to be wary of being drawn into another clash with Pakistan.
For one thing, the previous bout wasn’t a resounding victory for India — neither on the battlefield, nor diplomatically. India lost multiple aircraft, including its prized French-made Rafales, as Pakistan deployed its Chinese fighter jets.
The clash also damaged India’s relationship with Donald Trump. New Delhi has pushed back on his claims that he brokered the ceasefire, but anything that breaks the truce risks incensing the US president. So far, Indian leaders have chosen their words carefully, not drawing any links to Pakistan. Islamabad, by contrast, has pointed the finger at New Delhi after an explosion ripped through the Pakistani capital on Tuesday.
Exit polls the same day showing a win for Modi in Bihar state elections suggest he’s weathering this year’s turbulence. That makes a face-saving route that avoids another fight Modi’s most likely response.
'I thought it was a prank' - How a Brazilian woman became the face of India vote fraud row
A Brazilian hairdresser Larissa Nery, who has been making headlines in India this week after her photograph was splashed over the news in an allegation about alleged election fraud, has told the BBC she initially thought it was all a mistake. Or a prank.
But then her social media blew up and people started tagging her on Instagram.
"At first it was a few random messages. I thought they were mistaking me for someone else," she told the BBC. "Then they sent me the video where my face appeared on a big screen. I thought it was AI or some joke. But then lots of people started messaging at the same time and I realised it was real."
Nery, who lives in Belo Horizonte, capital city of southeastern Brazil's Minas Gerais state, and has never been to India, says she searched on Google to understand what was going on.
What had happened was the fallout of a press conference by Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday where he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party BJP and the Election Commission (EC) of committing voter fraud in last year's election in Haryana state. The BJP has denied the allegations.
Hours after the press conference, in a post on X, the Chief Electoral Officer of Haryana shared a letter they said they had sent to Gandhi in August asking him to sign an oath with the names of ineligible voters "so that necessary proceedings could be initiated". They did not respond to the specific allegations he made and did not comment on Nery's case. The BBC has reached out to the poll panel for response.
Gandhi has made a series of accusations of "vote theft" against the poll panel since early August. In his latest claims, he said his team had looked through the Election Commission's voter
list data and found that of the approximately 20 million voters, 2.5 million were irregular entries - including duplicates, bulk voters and invalid addresses. He blamed his party's loss in the Haryana election on this alleged manipulation of the voters' list.
To prove his claims, he showed a number of slides on a big screen. One of them showed Gandhi standing in front of a big image of Nery, while another showed a compilation of 22 voters with different names and addresses but all with her photos. "Who is this lady? How old is she? She votes 22 times in Haryana," Gandhi said. He explained that a single stock photo of a woman, taken by Brazilian photographer Matheus Ferrero, had been used repeatedly across multiple voter entries under different names. He described Nery as a model who had appeared on the voters' list under many names, including Seema, Sweety and Saraswati. The 29-year-old confirmed to the BBC that it was indeed her in the photograph. "Yes. It is me. Much younger, but it is me. I am the person in the images."
She clarified that she was a hairdresser and not a model and that the photo was taken in March 2017 when she was 21, just outside her home. The photographer, she said, "thought I was pretty and asked to take photos of me".
Masterstroke by Modi govt as India to boycott Indus Water Treaty proceedings
The next phase of Neutral Expert proceedings under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) will commence in Vienna, Austria next week from November 17th to 21st amid India’s decision to boycott it, Pakistan said on Wednesday, adding that Islamabad will continue to participate in “good faith”.
“The Neutral Expert proceedings were initiated on India’s request, with their next phase scheduled to take place in Vienna from November 17 to 21, 2025. While India has decided to halt its participation, Pakistan continues to fully participate in the Neutral Expert proceedings in good faith. In this regard, the Neutral Expert has ruled that India’s non-participation could not operate as a bar to the
proceedings going forward,” the Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
India suspended the Indus Water Treaty after the heinous April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that “blood and water cannot flow together” as Pakistan continues to orchestrate terrorist attacks on Indian soil.
Following New Delhi’s decision to hold the 1960 treaty in abeyance, Islamabad has been desperately trying to restore the accord by raising the issue at various international forums, including at the Court of Arbitration. However, India previously rejected the Court’s decisions in June and August, and now the next phase of Neutral Expert proceedings will be held in Vienna from next week.
