The Asian Star - April 13, 2024

Why is Canada accusing India and Pakistan of election interference

Canada’s main spy agency has accused India and Pakistan of trying to meddle in the country’s last two general elections.

The reports made public last week were presented as part of a federal commission of inquiry investigating interference by foreign nations, including China and Russia, in the 2019 and 2021 national votes.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) said India’s government tried to interfere in the 2019 and 2021 elections using “clandestine activities” targeting certain electoral districts in the country and select politicians. Read more at Page 3...

Surrey rejects BC’s ‘final’ $250 million offer for new police force

The long-running dispute between the B.C. government and the City of Surrey over whether a new municipal force will police the city continued Tuesday with another failed deadline passing without any resolution in sight.

The B.C. government said Tuesday that the city had rejected an offer that included a deal that would have covered any potential

differences in cost of municipal police officers over the RCMP up to $20 million annually during a five-year period starting in 2029. That was in addition to an initial offering of $150 million in aid.

It was a package that could have provided as much as $250 million to the city.

“Last week, the mayor wrote to me advising me that council agreed in principle to the financial commitment. It is clear that the mayor and council ultimately chose divisiveness and uncertainty,” B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said in a written statement Tuesday afternoon. Earlier Tuesday, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke held a news conference to outline a draft city operating budget with a proposed seven per cent tax hike that doesn’t include transitioning to the new Surrey Police Service (SPS). Read more at Page 10...

2 South Asian men shot dead at Edmonton building site Trade of safe-supply drugs detailed in Prince George RCMP warrant

Edmonton’s South Asian community is shocked following a brazen daytime shooting Monday afternoon — where two people died including a well-known Edmontonian on this construction worksite.

Buta Singh Gill, the owner of Gill Built Homes, has been identified as one of the victims. “We lost an important part of this community,” said Moe Banga, former Edmonton City Councillor and former EPS Detective.

Banga knew Gill for more than 20 years, remembering him as a hardworking business owner and family man, saying he was an important part of the Sikh temple in Edmonton.

“He was a hard worker, and he basically built a pretty big empire all by himself by hard work. He was a good son, good father, good grandfather, and a great friend.” The shooting happened over the noon hour Monday at a construction site owned by Gill in the Cavanagh neighbourhood.

Another man was found dead on scene, and a third man was taken to hospital with lifethreatening injuries. Read more at Page 6...

RCMP in the northern B.C. city of Prince George spent 10 days last month mounting a surveillance operation on a woman who allegedly stood outside a downtown pharmacy each morning trading illicit drugs for safe supply medication. According to a search warrant obtained by CBC, police saw the 58-year-old suspect make dozens of “hand-to-hand” transactions in that time — both buying and selling prescribed pills worth up to $20 a tablet on the street. The court documents cite the pharmacy manager who told police that “many of his patients are accosted by individuals outside of the pharmacy in the mornings by people who are trying to purchase the safe supply drugs.” Read more at Page 6...

BC judge rejects bid to throw out conviction for girl’s murder

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has rejected an application to throw out the first-degree murder conviction of Ibrahim Ali for what the defence said were unreasonable delays in the trial process.

Justice Lance Bernard made the ruling from the bench on Thursday, with reasons to follow, moments after defence lawyer Kevin McCullough made a final and fiery argument in the application that could have seen Ali go free.

Ali attended the hearing via video link wearing a red prison jumpsuit. He was arrested in 2018 and has been in custody ever since. A jury found him guilty on Dec. 8, 2023, of first-degree murder in the death

of a 13-year-old girl whose body was found in Burnaby’s Central Park in July 2017. The girl’s name is protected by a publication ban. McCullough filed the so-called Jordan application on the grounds that too much time had passed between his client being charged and the trial concluding, a limit the Supreme Court of Canada set at 30 months in the 2016 R. v. Jordan decision.

S+P downgrades B.C.’s credit rating, citing ’outsized’ deficits, ’record’ spending

B.C.’s credit status took a double blow on Tuesday, with S&P downgrading the province due to the risk of “outsize” deficits, and Moody’s turning its outlook negative.

S&P Global Ratings blamed big government spending as it dropped its credit rating for the province and BC Hydro’s provincially guaranteed unsecured debt from AA status to AA-minus.

It’s the third rating drop since 2021, when B.C. lost AAA status.

“The Province of British Columbia’s 2024 budget outlines continued extensive investment for operations and record levels of capital spending over the next three years, which will lead to outsize after-capital deficits of more than 15 per cent of total

revenues and a relatively steep increase in debt through to fiscal 2027,” it said in a statement.

It said that in the next two years there was at least a one-in-three chance the current fiscal course would result in rising debt levels and very low internal liquidity, “weaker than those of similarly rated peers.”

That would mean another ratings cut, it said.

Another global ratings agency, Moody’s Investors Service, separately revised its outlook for B.C. to negative on Tuesday. That would mean another ratings cut, it said.

Another global ratings agency, Moody’s Investors Service, separately revised its outlook for B.C. to negative on Tuesday.

Nurses fed up with drug use in BC hospitals

Lockboxes for drugs and weapons

While the premier reiterated Monday that patients are not allowed to smoke illicit drugs or bring weapons inside B.C. hospitals, a nurse at Victoria General Hospital said patients are given lockboxes to store their drugs, drug paraphernalia and small weapons.

The patients have the passcode to their lockbox and can access it whenever they want, which has led to illicit drug use in their rooms, said the nurse, who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisals.

Island Health confirmed the health authority provides lockboxes “for patients to safely store their belongings. Patients are encouraged to place unregulated substances and harm reduction supplies in lockboxes to ensure they are not left in the open, so they do not pose a risk to staff or other patients.”

Lockboxes are also provided at St. Paul’s Hospital, according to a department head at Providence Health.

A nurse who was on a temporary contract at Burnaby Hospital said patients with substance-use issues — many of whom are brought to hospital following a severe overdose — are able to leave their beds for up to six hours at a time. That means beds in the often-overcrowded hospital are left

empty while other patients are treated in the hallway or made to wait hours in the waiting room.

“They know that they’re allowed to leave for six hours at a time without losing their bed,” she said. “There’s such a nurse and a doctor shortage, and bed shortage for patients.”

Fraser Health said in a statement: “If a patient chooses to leave the hospital to use substances during their stay, our priority is their safety and well-being.” The nurse said she felt frustrated seeing a “little old lady or man” waiting in the emergency room for three or four days for a bed but not able to get one because someone who has “gone using drugs on the street for hours could just roll back in.”

Why is Canada accusing India and Pakistan of election interference

Continued from Page 1... The CSIS in a separate document accused Islamabad of covertly trying to influence politics at the federal level before the 2019 elections to advance Pakistani interests. It is rare for governments to level allegations against other sovereign nations

– and Canada traditionally has viewed both India and Pakistan as partners. But the accusations were levelled amid mounting tensions between Canada and India and a broader worry within Canada that foreign actors have been trying to shape its electoral outcomes.

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Jinny Sims nominated from Surrey Panorama again

Jinny Sims is officially nominated as the BC NDP’s candidate in Surrey-Panorama for this fall’s provincial election. She has spent her career working to build strong communities that are safe and inclusive for all.

As the NDP MP for Surrey-Newton, she pressed the federal government for more RCMP officers to keep our streets safe. And as the NDP Employment and Social Development Critic, she lead the fight for affordable child care, betterpaying full-time jobs, and a fairer immigration system.

A mother, grandmother, and past president of the BC Teachers’ Federation, Jinny is a lifelong advocate for children, families, and schools. A former MP, twice-elected MLA and past provincial cabinet minister, she has fought hard on issues that make a difference to people and families, like affordable childcare, a stronger healthcare system and building strong communities that are safe and inclusive for all.

Shamir Doshi....................604-649-7827

Harminder Kaur...............778-708-0481

Province introduces Police Act amendments

The Province has introduced a series of amendments to the Police Act, including changes to police governance and oversight that will impact police boards and municipalities. These amendments represent phase one of a multiphase process to review and reform BC’s policing legislation. Phase one, incorporating provincial priorities, is highlighted in this article.

In municipalities with an independent police service, the mayor will no longer be automatically designated to serve on and chair the local police board. Instead, council will now be tasked with appointing one of its members to act as the municipality’s representative on the police board. Members of the police board will now elect their chair and vice-chair every two years. The chair will act as a non-voting member of the police board. There will be new requirements for police board members.

Metro Vancouver’s lawn watering restrictions start May 1

Seasonal restrictions on lawn watering in Metro Vancouver will come into effect on May 1.

The regional district said residences and businesses will be allowed to water their lawns a maximum of once a week.

Metro Vancouver chair George Harvie said with a low snowpack and every expectation of a hot and dry summer, residents should make water conservation a priority.

“Our water use plans are carefully tuned to respond to climate change and public demand, and we rely in part on residents doing the right thing by not wasting treated drinking water on their lawns,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

“Last year, we had to ban lawn watering midsummer because use of our treated drinking water for outdoor use was too high,” Malcolm Brodie, chair of Metro Vancouver’s water committee, said in a statement Tuesday.

“This year, we’re hoping to avoid escalating restrictions for as long as possible, but it really depends on you. Let your lawn go brown this summer, and save water for where it’s needed most: cooking, cleaning, and drinking.”

Lawn watering restrictions will be in place from May 1 until Oct. 15.

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“Since the inception of the ‘safe supply’ program, he has observed vehicles and people loitering outside of the store trying to purchase safe supply drugs from patients,” the information sworn to obtain the warrant reads.

Stage 1 residential lawn watering:

• Even-numbered addresses: Saturdays — automatic watering between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., and manual watering between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.

• Odd-numbered addresses: Sundays — automatic watering between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., and manual watering between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.

• Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered with a sprinkler any day between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., or any time by hand or using drip irrigation. Edible plants are exempt from restrictions.

Stage 1 non-residential lawn watering:

• Even-numbered addresses: Mondays — automatic watering between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., and manual watering between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.

• Odd-numbered addresses: Tuesdays — automatic watering between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., and manual watering between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.

• Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered with a sprinkler any day between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m., or any time by hand or using drip irrigation. These restrictions do not apply to the use of rain water, grey water, any forms of recycled water, or other sources of water outside the regional and municipal drinking water supply system, Metro said.

Trade of safe-supply drugs detailed in Prince George RCMP warrant South Asian community shocked following Cavanagh shooting

Continued from Page 1... Dozens of people in Edmonton’s South Asian Community showed up to the scene Monday.

The documents provide insight into an issue that turned into a political firestorm last month as B.C.’s solicitor general traded barbs with federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over the program, which offers prescription alternatives to people at risk of overdose from street drugs.

“It’s just a devastating, devastating loss for his family, his friends and the community. We have lost not only a very successful business person, but we lost a champion of the community,” said Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. Edmonton’s mayor says he knew both Buta Gill and the 51-year-old man rushed to the hospital, saying his condition is now stable. While the public has questions about what happened, police are remaining tight-lipped on details, saying autopsies scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday will determine the cause and manner of death for the two men who died on scene.

NAME CHANGE NAME CHANGE

I,

144630 and presently residing at 8885 133A Street, Surrey BC Canada V3V 7W4, do hereby change my name from Jaskaran to Jaskaran Singh Lal with immediate effect.

TD and Cricket Canada come together for the love of the game

TD becomes the Official Bank of Cricket Canada

Toronto, ON (April 4, 2024) – Cricket Canada and TD Bank Group (TD) announced a new sponsorship marking a significant milestone in Canadian cricket history as TD moves to support the growth and development of cricket locally.

This brings together two well-known organizations that are committed to the future growth of Cricket, as well as supporting new community engagement initiatives.

Through the sponsorship, TD will be the official bank of Cricket Canada’s National Teams and help build Canada’s vibrant cricket-loving community. The sponsorship will help Cricket Canada enhance grassroots development programs and improve access to National Teams and players for young fans and enthusiasts.

“We are thrilled to welcome TD as the Official Bank of Cricket Canada,” said Rashpal Bajwa, President of Cricket Canada. “This is more than a sponsorship; it represents another significant step forward for our organization and the entire cricket community in Canada. With TD’s support, we are confident in our ability to enhance the cricketing experience for our National Teams, players and fans across the country, while also driving the growth and development of the sport at all levels.”

As part of the new sponsorship, TD will be prominently featured on the official kits and training gear for Canada’s National Teams. This includes new custom kits being designed for the Men’s National Team’s highly anticipated first appearance at the ICC 2024 Cricket World Cup in June. TD will also be an official sponsor of Cricket Canada’s National

Women’s Team in 2025.

“TD is excited to become the official bank of Cricket Canada,” said Tyrrell Schmidt, Chief Marketing Officer, TD. “It’s our privilege to be included on the official kits and training gear for the National Teams. We’re proud that the athletes representing Canadian cricket will wear the TD brand in this unique reflection of our exciting new sponsorship. This is an opportunity for us to join the community and cricketers of all ages in their passion and enthusiasm for the game and help Cricket Canada create more milestones together.”

The agreement also extends beyond the cricket pitch, as this TD sponsorship will help support Cricket Canada’s exploration of programs focused on enhancing the sport’s accessibility, popularity and engagement with players and fans across the country.

“We are thrilled to work with Cricket Canada, to fuel the expansion of cricket in Canada,” said Sona Mehta, Executive Vice President, Real Estate Secured Lending, Everyday Banking, Saving and Investing, TD. “At TD, we believe in the power of sports to bring people and communities together. We’re so proud to support National Cricket Teams, and to help Cricket Canada build for the future as it supports grassroots teams across the country. We look forward to helping Cricket Canada create memorable experiences for fans and players alike.”

TD shares Cricket Canada’s vision for helping to empower communities and foster inclusivity through sports. This sponsorship underscores TD’s ongoing commitment to supporting diverse communities and helping to create meaningful connections with Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

“The partnership between Cricket Canada and TD not only signifies a significant milestone in Canadian cricket but also promises a future filled with innovation, growth, and opportunity. Together, Cricket Canada and TD are poised to elevate the sport to new heights and make a lasting impact on the cricketing landscape in Canada,” said Rahul Srinivasan, CEO of Boundaries North.

The 2024 cricket calendar represents a landmark year for Cricket Canada, with the Men’s National Team set to participate in several global events. The pinnacle of the year will be Canada’s first appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with the team’s matches being played in Dallas, New York and Florida. The year rounds out with matches scheduled against The Netherlands, USA, Oman and Nepal in August and September.

Brothers Keepers gangster sentenced to 11 years for B.C. drug operation

A B.C. Supreme Court judge sentenced a high-ranking Brothers Keepers gangster to 11 years in prison on Friday for heading a drug trafficking operations selling fentanyl, heroin, meth and cocaine across the province.

As Amandeep Kang stood to learn his fate, Justice Paul Riley urged the 31-year-old to contemplate his actions while in jail.

“Reflect on the choices that you’ve made and your associations and what has brought you to this point in your life,” Riley said.

“If you don’t make a decision to take your life in a different direction, likely the best outcome for you is that you’ll end up back in jail. And the worst outcome is that you’ll end up being another fatal casualty in the organized crime regime.”

for his actions” and saved the judicial system time and resources.

Both defence and federal prosecutors filed a joint sentencing recommendation for 11 years.

Riley said “joint recommendations are often the product of lengthy discussions between counsel who know the case inside and out.” “The law says that a sentencing judge is to give deference to a joint submission, and ought not to depart from it unless it would bring the administration of justice into disrepute,” he said.

Indeed, Kang was shot in the arm on March 26, delaying his sentencing hearing a few days because of an infection of his bullet wound. He limped into court Friday morning about 20 minutes late for the hearing, wearing a grey Air Jordan hoodie and sweat pants.

Kang pleaded guilty in October to trafficking for the benefit of a criminal organization, and conspiracy to traffic an array of controlled substances across the Lower Mainland, on Vancouver Island and in the interior.

He did not address the court on Friday. His lawyer Vicki Williams said his guilty pleas were a sign he was “accepting responsibility

Riley said Kang was clearly a leader of the group selling substances that are “the worst, most dangerous and addictive illegal drugs that plague our society namely, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine in substantial amounts.”

He said Kang’s group was a “subset” of the Brothers Keepers and that Kang was involved in both “the distribution of large quantities of drugs by couriers to various communities throughout British Columbia” and “the operation dial-a-dope trafficking lines or distribution schemes in various communities on Vancouver Island.”

“These were sophisticated criminal undertakings involving planned and deliberate distribution of illicit drugs clearly for material gain,” Riley said. “This kind of conduct is predatory and exploitative and exacts … untold misery on the community in terms of drug overdose deaths.”

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BC United announces Japreet Lehal and Amrit Pal Singh Dhot as candidates for upcoming election

BC United proudly announces the addition of two dynamic individuals to join their Team 2024 slate of candidates for the scheduled October provincial election. Japreet Lehal and Amrit Pal Singh Dhot will represent Kevin Falcon and BC United in the ridings of Surrey-Newton and Delta North respectively, bringing fresh perspectives and valuable expertise to voters.

Lehal is a lifelong resident of Surrey and a lawyer who has been involved in litigation work on high-profile legal cases. Lehal is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships including the University of Toronto National Book Award, Governor General of Canada’s Academic Medal, and was named as one of the Surrey Board of Trade’s Top 25 Under 25 for his community and volunteer work.

Starting in 2008, Dhot utilized his leadership experience in the financial sector to establish his own business, the Dhot Group. Leveraging his insights from the 2008 financial crisis, he steered the company to prosperity, expanding its reach across various industries.

Dhot is also a dedicated volunteer with the Delta District Parents Advisory Council and Scouts Canada, and through the Dhot Group he plays an integral role in bringing Bollywood and Pollywood cultural experiences to British Columbia. Amrit and his wife have been fortunate to raise their two children in Delta, where they live along with his parents.

“As a lifelong resident of Surrey and a young lawyer, Japreet Lehal will bring the energy, fresh ideas and experience we need to Victoria and ensure the people of Surrey-Newton have a strong voice for their community,” said BC United Leader Kevin Falcon. “Amrit Dhot’s entrepreneurial business spirit and experience will be an important asset for a BC Unitedled government, and I am thrilled by his candidacy.” Falcon added, “As we gear up for the next election, we have full assurance that Japreet and Amrit will emerge as influential advocates for their communities, championing positive change and progress on crucial issues such as the cost of living, public safety, and the challenges facing our health-care system.”

Surrey rejects BC’s ‘final’ $250 million offer for new police force

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Later in the day, Farnworth declared the city had until 4 p.m. to decide on the “final” offer from the province. That deadline came and went with no response from the mayor and city council. On Tuesday night, Locke issued another statement, rejecting the offer from the province. Locke said she was looking forward to litigation over the matter, beginning on April 29.

She said the provincial government had not

developed a plan or model for the new police force, a transition plan, or a completion date for the transition.

Locke added that the Justice Institute of B.C., in her opinion, was not able to handle training for the number of new hires required by the SPS.

Locke’s majority council has been in a fight to stop the transition started more than 3 1/2 years ago, and have vowed to stick with the RCMP because it’s less expensive.

PM tells foreign interference probe government’s hands are tied on intelligence leaks to media

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the Foreign Interference Commission on Wednesday that intelligence leaks to the media can’t be refuted without declassifying secret information.

The prime minister told the commission looking into foreign meddling in Canadian elections that revealing secret information to refute leaks would put some security officials at risk.

“Why these leaks were of such deep concern was that we couldn’t actually correct the record without … sharing with adversaries some of the information or the methods that we use to keep Canadians safe,” he said.

Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue’s inquiry is investigating claims that China and others meddled in Canada’s past two elections. She is

also assessing the flow of information within government related to alleged meddling in the previous two federal elections.

The inquiry was triggered by a series of media reports, citing unnamed sources and leaked documents, and repeated calls from the opposition. One of those media reports claimed that in 2019, security officials told senior officials in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that then Liberal candidate Han Dong “was part of a Chinese foreign interference network” and that the party should “rescind Dong’s candidacy.” Trudeau said he was briefed about concerns that CSIS had about Dong’s nomination contest, but said the evidence wasn’t sufficient to remove Dong as a candidate.

Five international airlines using Fiji Airways Academy

The Fiji Airways Academy’s expansion project will accommodate the growing demand for pilot and cabin crew training from international airlines.

Viljoen says this will attract more international airlines to use the academy.

“We started with none, and today we have five international airlines that regularly use our facilities to train and develop their pilots.”

Managing Director and CEO Andre Viljoen says the cornerstone of the expansion is the addition of two more simulators, bolstering the academy’s capacity to provide comprehensive flight training programs.

Furthermore, the expansion includes the construction of a three-story safety and service training building dedicated to cabin crew instruction.

In a move aimed at enhancing the overall experience for students and staff alike, the expansion project will also introduce an apartment-style accommodation block complete with modern amenities.

This facility will not only provide comfortable living quarters but also feature a restaurant, gymnasium, and swimming pool. Viljoen adds that the project will be completed in 2026.

Police to get tough on students’ disruptive actions on buses

The Fiji Police Force is ramping up enforcement efforts to address unruly behaviour by students on buses, citing recent videos that have raised serious safety concerns.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations, Livai Driu, acknowledged that adequate awareness and advisories have already been issued.

However, due to ongoing disruptive conduct, police officers are now directed to act against those who engage in or tolerate dangerous behaviour that threatens passengers and other road users.

He pointed out that existing laws allow authorities to charge drivers and passengers who violate traffic regulations and endanger others.

He says the police will not hesitate to hold accountable those who blatantly disregard road rules.

ACP Driu says police officers have conducted awareness programs at schools and sporting venues, and meetings have been held with bus operators.

However, he says unruly behaviour by some persists.

He says that to deter further incidents and prevent serious injuries, the police will take action against those who refuse to comply with safety regulations.

ACP Driu urges parents and guardians to reinforce responsible behaviour with their children to avoid legal repercussions.

Residents suffer as water supply issues persists

Residents living along the Suva corridor have expressed frustration over the intermittent water supply in their area for the past few weeks.

According to them, this issue has escalated after the Savura pipeline slip.

These have resulted in disruptions in their day-to-day chores, as pressure is also felt by working people and schoolchildren. While raising concerns about insufficient water carting supplies, Samabula resident Serupepeli Lailai highlights alternative ways of collecting water for their use.

“For rainwater, now we have to hire a taxi and go to places where there is water to fill up containers, bottles, and other means of collecting water so that we can have water available at home.” 20-year-old Luisa Lailai, a young mother, also shared challenges in keeping up with hygiene needs.

“In terms of hygiene, it is really not healthy for a young mother to have a newborn baby because we have to do her laundry every now and then and also bathe her every now and then. So, it’s really inconvenient for us during this water cut.”

Suva resident Merewini Tuinavalu echoed similar sentiments. And it’s very disturbing because it causes our children to not go to school. And as what you call domestic duty

parents for not running errands to town and paying bills because you have to stay at home, monitoring our water with all the water that we have kept so far, Because last night was the only time we received water from the water authority in all those three weeks.

While residents are seen depending on rainwater, water carts, and traveling to other places to get water, they are hoping for a normal water supply.

FBC News has sent questions to the Water Authority of Fiji regarding this issue, and they have yet to respond.

World Bank raises India’s GDP forecast to 7.5% for FY24 but flags

The World Bank has revised upwards India’s GDP growth for 2023-24 by a massive 1.2 points to 7.5 per cent but cautioned that the country and its neighbours Pakistan and Bangladesh could miss the opportunities created by the demographic dividend or a greater proportion of the young.

The World Bank raised India’s GDP forecast on the back of robust activity in services and industry. Bangladesh’s GDP is expected to grow at 5.6 per cent and Pakistan’s by 1.8 per cent after suffering a contraction in 202223.

In its latest update for South Asia, the World Bank said the region’s employment ratio was falling. This means the three countries were not creating enough roles for their young

job scarcity

population and thus stand the risk of squandering their demographic dividend. South Asia was “the only region where the share of working-age men who are employed fell over the past two decades,” noted the World Bank.

The World Bank’s huge revision in Gross Domestic Product growth in India follows a stunning 8.4 per cent growth recorded in the October-December quarter.

The January-March Gross Domestic Product growth figures are also likely to be in the 8 per cent range.

But it sees growth slowing down to 6.6 per cent in 2024-25 due to lower investments than in the previous year. The lower investments would be partially offset by a decline in fiscal deficit and government debt.

Supreme Court rejects Patanjali Ayurved co-founder Baba Ramdev’s apologies

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to accept “unconditional” apologies tendered by Patanjali Ayurved co-founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna over “misleading” advertisements, saying they deliberately violated its orders and apologised only after being “caught on the wrong foot”.

“We do not accept these affidavits. We decline to accept or condone it. We consider it a wilful and deliberate violation and breach of the (November 21, 2023) order passed in the undertaking… (We) don’t think your writing, unconditional multiple times in the affidavit is enough to satisfy this court,” a Bench led by Justice Hima Kohli told senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, who represented Ramdev and Balkrishna.

“The apologies that are on record are on paper... having been caught on the wrong foot and noticing that their back is actually against the wall… and having gone to town saying all sorts of things on the very next

day of the order passed where your own counsel had given undertakings,” the Bench said.

“An apology tendered under duress of adverse orders is to be rejected outright”, Justice Amanullah, who was part of the Bench, said.

The top court also pulled up the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for its inaction on misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved and Divya Pharmacy and asked two of their officials to file affidavits explaining their conduct. “We will rip you apart,” the Bench told the officials, warning them that it would not take the matter lightly.

The Bench was particularly upset about the fact that Ramdev’s affidavit was sworn a day before the date of issue of an air ticket, a copy of which was submitted along with the application. Despite repeated attempts by Rohatgi to explain the lapse, the Bench was not convinced.

USA backs India on Arunachal Pradesh

US Ambassador Eric Garcetti described IndoUS ties as “not an additive relationship but a multiplicative relationship” and criticised China for renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh. Stating that China has no business renaming places that are part of India’s territory, Garcetti fully backed New Delhi and said its defence cooperation with Washington was reaching unprecedented levels so as to deter aggressive authoritarian rival countries. As two democracies, the US and India thought and felt alike about the threat posed by dictatorial regimes like that of China and that the

convergence of values was the key factor driving Washington and New Delhi closer.

During an interactive session with students of the Sonepat-based OP Jindal University, Garcetti also took questions regarding comments made by US officials about internal developments in India. “The US is a unique democracy where every branch of government, the news media and civil society has its own views and opinions about different countries. These opinions are frequently aired publicly as part of the open American political system,” he explained.

Garcetti claimed that the US was ready to

also take criticism from other countries as part of this liberal ethos. He also admitted that given the chaos in US presidential elections, Washington had “something to learn” from India on how to conduct smooth elections of much greater proportions. Dr C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of OP Jindal Global University, pointed out that US universities had attained the highest standards in the world and solved the most intractable problems facing humanity. “Hence, education is going to be a transformative driving factor in the US-India partnership,” he added.

Principal among 3 arrested after 6 school children killed, 20 injured in bus crash in Haryana

Six schoolchildren were killed and around 20 injured as their bus crashed into a tree and overturned near Unhani village in Kanina sub-division here on Thursday, with police saying they have arrested three people, including the principal and the driver who was allegedly drunk.

The school was functioning despite a holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr.

State Education Minister Seema Trikha, who visited the injured students at hospitals, said a show-cause notice has been issued to the private school to explain why it was open despite it being a holiday on account of Eid.

The incident occurred near Unhani village in Kanina around 8.30 am when the bus was carrying around 40 children—from primary to secondary classes—to G L Public School.

Dharmender was driving rashly due to which he lost control of the bus, which rammed into a tree and overturned, police said, citing reports.

“Six children have died in the incident and around 20 are injured,” Mahendragarh Superintendent of Police Arsh Verma told PTI over the phone.

Police said the driver was caught from the accident site and his medical examination confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol. The police have also arrested school principal Deepti and one more school official whose name is Hoshiar Singh.

The heart-breaking scenes at the accident site moved one and all. Some of the students lay motionless in a pool of blood, while others, writhing in pain, cried for help. Some passersby rushed to help, and pulled out the children from the severely damaged bus.

An injured student told reporters that the driver was driving at a high speed when he lost control of the vehicle resulting in the crash. “The driver appeared to be drunk,” he said. Mahendragarh Deputy Commissioner Monika Gupta said the private school was open on Eid and the District Education Officer has sent a proposal to the state government for cancelling its recognition.

Transport Minister Aseem Goel said the state government has ordered a probe into the incident following the registration of an FIR. He also directed officials to check the fitness of all school buses.

UK exhibition explores Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s life

A grand new exhibition that brings together many previously unseen works to explore the life and legacy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 19th century founder of the Sikh Empire, opened at the Wallace Collection museum in London on Wednesday. The exhibition features historic objects from the legendary ruler’s court, courtiers and family