One person was injured in a targeted shooting in Surrey’s Whalley neighbourhood early Tuesday morning, not far from Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre.
The Surrey Police Service said its officers were called to the area of 106 Avenue and 135A Street at around 3:44 a.m. with reports of a shooting. A woman was found with nonlife-threatening injuries, police said, but the suspect had already left the area.
Surrey police said the shooting is under investigation and believed to be targeted, but not extortion-related.
Just three days prior, the SPS said it was investigating another targeted shooting that happened in Surrey’s East Clayton neighbourhood.
Anyone with any information, CCTV, or dash camera footage related to the shooting has been asked to call the SPS at 604-5990502, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 and quote file number 26-78965.
Vancouver mayor asks premier for urgent action on foreign influence at City Hall
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has asked the province to take urgent action to restrict what he described as “foreign interference” after a local union enlisted supporters from the U.S. to phone into a city council meeting this week.
Sim became concerned, he said, after a public hearing on Wednesday, during which several people in California phoned into Vancouver City Hall to address council. The callers, who confessed upon questioning they had never been to Vancouver, used similar talking points and urged council to reject the so-called villages proposal, a contentious land-use plan that would add commercial and residential density to 17 areas around Vancouver. Then, on Thursday, the president of Unite Here Local 40, B.C.’s largest union representing hotel workers, confirmed to Postmedia her organization had asked contacts in the U.S. to phone into the meeting. Continued on Page 10...
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25-year old Uber driver from Punjab arrested for sexual assault in Canada
A 25-year-old man of Indian origin from Punjab has been charged in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a woman in Burlington, Canada, last month.
The accused, identified as Mandeep Singh, 25, was working as an Uber ride share driver at the time of the alleged incident.
According to the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS), the incident took place on June 16 at 5:15 pm in the parking lot of the Burlington GO Station located at 2101 Fairview Street. Police said Singh approached the woman and, during their conversation, allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The woman immediately left the area but was allegedly followed by Singh to a nearby business, where he is accused of sexually assaulting her a second time.
Police said the woman did not suffer any physical injuries and later reported the incident.
Continued on Page 9...
Canada admitted 20 per cent fewer permanent residents in the first three months of this year, with study permits and asylum claims also falling.
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) says a fire that has forced hundreds of people from their homes in and around Clinton, B.C., could see "significant growth" Tuesday. "Extreme fire behaviour is expected today," BCWS said in a response update.
It said the Pear Lake wildfire was active throughout the night with a "highly vigorous surface fire," and that dry thunderstorms were in the forecast.
The fire, which merged with the Fiftynine Creek wildfire over the weekend, was burning over an area of 668.7 square kilometres (66,871.2 hectares) as of Tuesday morning.
Numerous evacuation orders and alerts remain in place. Continued on Page 10...
The country took in 83,130 permanent residents between January and March, down from 104,320 over the same three months in 2025, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data analyzed by the Association for Canadian Studies. It is the second consecutive year admissions have fallen. New study permits dropped 24 per cent and asylum claims fell 35 per cent over the same period.
Jack Jedwab, president of the Association for Canadian Studies, said in an email the pattern is not a quarterly fluctuation. “Canada has moved from rapid immigration expansion to a deliberate, government-driven contraction,” he said.
Continued on Page 10...
Conservation officers in B.C. say they handed out nearly $22,000 in fines over the weekend to people flouting campfire bans.
"Claiming you didn’t know about the campfire ban is not an acceptable excuse," the B.C. Conservation Officer Service wrote in a Facebook post.
It said officers issued 19 fines over the weekend while patrolling across several regions.
"Protect our forests, communities, and wildlife by staying informed and following all fire restrictions," the serice wrote.
Campfires are currently banned in the Kamloops, Cariboo and southeast fire centres, as well as most
of the Coastal Fire Centre. Category 2 and 3 fires, which include all burn piles larger than 0.5 by 0.5 metres in size, are banned provincewide, with the exception of the Prince George Fire Centre.
The standard penalty for breaking a campfire ban is a $1,150 ticket, though violators can potentially face an administrative fine of $10,000, or, if convicted in court, a $100,000 fine or a year in jail.
As of Monday, most of B.C.'s southern Interior had a fire danger rating of "high" or "extreme."
There were 137 wildfires burning provincewide on Tuesday morning, including multiple fires near Clinton that have forced hundreds of people from their homes, and destroyed multiple structures.
ICBC/Personal
There is increasing concern about two growing homeless encampments off Highway 99 in Richmond.
The encampments are on both sides of the highway, and explosive growth is one concern, while an actual explosion is another.
“This encampment is right above the new jet fuel pipeline and there have been significant fires that have been set by the unsheltered population here,” Richmond city councillor Kash Heed told Global News.
The encampments are on Crown land and the responsibility lies with the B.C. government.
“We get no cooperation from them whatsoever,” Heed said.
“We actually get resistance from them on taking any action.”
Heed said axes, swords and machetes are among the dozens of weapons seized in the past year.
The city estimates there are more than 30 campers and trailers and the cleanup bill could exceed $200,000. “How long have I been here? About a year and a half,”
resident Guylaine Auclair told Global News.
She claims to own four trailers and lives at the encampment with her many cats and kittens.
Auclair told Global News she has been offered a spot in modular housing, but with so much space, rent-free, she said she doesn’t need to leave.
“It’s so pretty,” she said.
“There’s like flowers everywhere… It’s like paradise.”
Minister of Transportation Mike Farnworth told Global News that they are aware of the frustrations.
“The people in these sites often have a variety of differing needs in terms of where they eventually end up,” he said.
A similar situation played out under the Oak Street Bridge late last year.
The City of Vancouver spent more than 40,000 taxpayer dollars clearing an encampment, all without provincial participation.
Heed said if these sites next to the highway are not dealt with soon, Richmond might take matters into its own hands again and send the provincial government the bill.
Canadian NATO intern to stay in Belgian custody on spying charge
A Canadian facing espionage charges in Belgium will remain in custody for the time being.
Following a closed-door hearing Tuesday, the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office said the suspect would continue to be held in pretrial detention.
The prosecutor’s office announced Saturday that “a Canadian national of Chinese origin” had been arrested on charges of espionage and participation in a criminal organization. The suspect, who has not been publicly named, worked as an intern at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium.
The prosecutor’s office said she came to the attention of SHAPE’s security services, who
Five years after an 18-month-old girl was found unresponsive in New Westminster, B.C., the toddler’s mother has been sentenced for manslaughter, according to authorities.
An investigation was launched on July 21, 2021, after local police determined the toddler had died under “suspicious circumstances,” the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said in a statement Tuesday.
“Investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the events leading up to the infant’s death,” the statement said.
reported the matter to Belgium’s military intelligence agency.
In cases where pretrial detention is maintained, a suspect generally appears before the court once a month during the first three months, the office said.
“Infant deaths are particularly challenging to investigate,”
Karma Dyck, the toddler’s mother, was charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and failing to provide the necessaries of life a year and a half after her daughter was found dead, according to IHIT.
Dyck pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this year and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison Monday.
Fong, in the statement.
“In addition to the profound emotional impact of these cases, they often occur in private settings with limited witness evidence, making them difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The judge’s reasons for sentencing have not been published online.
said IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Freda
Hit man in former Air India suspect’s murder gets 15 years for unrelated B.C. killing
A hit man who is already serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of a former suspect in the Air India terrorist attack has been sentenced to another 15 years for an unrelated killing that took place less than four months earlier.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says 25-year-old Tanner Fox was sentenced
injuries. IHIT spokeswoman Freda Fong says Colivas was unarmed when he confronted Fox, who had broken into his home, and the incident was not connected to any gang conflict.
Fox was arrested in 2023 with 30-year-old Laetitia Acera, who pleaded guilty to break and enter and was sentenced to four years in prison and two years of probation, while Fox pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a firearm in April.
for the manslaughter of 41-year-old
21, 2022, and he died of his
On July 14, 2022, Fox shot dead Ripudaman Singh Malik in his Tesla at a Surrey business park.
Both Fox and an accomplice pleaded guilty to the seconddegree murder of Malik, who had been acquitted of charges related to the 1985 Air India bombing.
Fox, whose lawyer said he was adopted by his Canadian parents from Thailand when he was three years old, was sentenced last year to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 20 years for the killing of Malik.
He told the court he was “young and dumb” at the time of the hired killing.
Police and prosecutors did not reveal who they believe hired the pair to assassinate the Sikh businessman.
Trump is trying to shake Canada down with new Gordie Howe Bridge deal: Bob Rae
The Gordie Howe International Bridge officially opened on Monday amid controversy over the financial terms of the project, stemming from a last-minute objection by U.S. President Donald Trump – a move Canada’s former ambassador to the UN says was a shakedown.
Bob Rae told BNN Bloomberg in an interview on Monday that the Trump administration is using the bridge as leverage at a time when its opening is economically important for Canada.
“The fact that the U.S. is deciding to now flex its muscles because it knows we need the deal… and are taking advantage of that to change the terms of the deal at the very last second is an indication of how the U.S. does business at the moment,” he said.
The bridge, which connects Windsor, Ont. to Detroit Michigan, is expected to bring in billions
of dollars to the Canadian economy in the form of time and money saved in the transportation of goods between Canada and the U.S. Construction of the bridge began in 2018, following the start of Trump’s first term in office, and until the U.S. president raised concerns about it earlier this year, the project was expected to follow the financial terms set out in an original agreement signed in 2012.
That deal stipulated that since Canada was fronting the $6.4 billion in construction costs for the bridge, Ottawa would collect 100 per cent of toll revenues until it recouped its full investment, after which they would be split by Canada and the state of Michigan.
But the details around the proposed new agreement remain unclear, Rae said.
Wednesday
Chad Colivas of Abbotsford, B.C. Police found Colivas with gunshot wounds at his home on March
Trump's constant Canada-bashing may be changing Republican views
No one is shocked these days when U.S. President Donald Trump calls Canada the "51st state" or refers to Prime Minister Mark Carney as a "governor."
But Trump's habit of occasionally targeting Canada with crude insults has become much more common among rank-and-file Republicans in recent weeks.
As Trump watches his poll numbers sink under the weight of controversial policies and an unpopular war with Iran, he is casting about for scapegoats, said Robert C. Rowland, professor of rhetoric at the University of Kansas.
Often, he lands on Canada.
"No other president has ever talked in the way that Trump does about Canada and our other closest allies," Rowland said. "And for that matter, no other president has talked about our adversaries in Russia and China the way that Trump does."
Republican wrote, "and the responsibility to prevent a foreseeable disaster from crossing into another country’s airspace has not been met."
Trump's presidency marked a sudden break from what had been a bilateral relationship built on mutual respect and admiration, Rowland said.
He recalled Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and President Ronald Reagan singing together at the 1985 Shamrock Summit and former president Jimmy Carter serving as an honorary pallbearer at former prime minister Pierre Trudeau's funeral.
The barrage of anti-Canada messaging from the White House ramped up earlier this month when smoke from devastating wildfires drifted south to blanket parts of the United States.
As Trump threatened tariffs in response to the wildfire smoke, Republicans lobbed insults at Canada and one senator even promised legislation that would somehow sanction the Canadians he held responsible.
"Unless you want to become the 51st state, learn to manage your forests," Aric Nesbitt, a Republican state senator in Michigan, posted on social media on July 16.
The same day, Michigan Rep. John James weighed in on social media with what he called a "FINAL WARNING TO CANADA."
"Sovereignty comes with responsibility," the
"The closest country in the world to the United States, before Trump, was obviously Canada," Rowland said. "And it ought to be a mutual admiration … as it was for the modern period (from) maybe Teddy Roosevelt through (Barack) Obama."
And while there were strains on the relationship during negotiation of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement on trade in the first Trump administration, political observers say Trump's attacks on Canada during his second administration are unprecedented — and uninhibited.
That's leading some of the president's most devoted followers — including some in Congress — to express more negative views of Canada publicly.
"Attitudes pro and con about Trump drive our politics," Rowland said. "I think that is the factor that has led some in the MAGA universe to more negative attitudes about Canada."
And the Trump effect isn't limited to elected officials. Recent polling shows that while most Americans continue to hold positive opinions of Canada, Republicans are souring on the relationship.
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City council approves trio of new tallest towers in Vancouver
Vancouver city council has approved rezoning for a block of downtown, paving the way for the city’s three largest towers to be built.
In a 7-3 vote Monday, council approved the rezoning application by Holborn Group for one 79-storey tower and two 68-storey towers, bounded by Georgia, Seymour, Dunsmuir and Richards streets in the centre of downtown.
“This is a once in a lifetime project for our city,” said Coun. Peter Meiszner in supporting the rezoning.
The proposal includes 1,546 housing units (of which 82 per cent would be market strata), a 920room hotel, and a three-level viewing deck and garden on the top floor of the biggest tower, which would be open to public use.
“It’s moving from a concrete space that's predominately warehousing cars,” said Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung.
“The site is really underutilized from a public benefit [perspective]. This council has said it's fully committed to a vibrant Vancouver ... this is very consistent with that.” As part of the conditions for the project, council also approved the rezoning of a parking lot owned by Holborn at Abbott Street and East Hastings into a social housing tower that would include a child-care facility and Indigenous art gallery.
Mayor Ken Sim and all six ABC Vancouver councillors voted in favour of the project,
highlighting the proposed design
as an iconic addition to Vancouver.
“This is the kind of building that Vancouver should be proud of,” said Coun. Mike Klassen, who described it as “thoughtful, city-building architecture.”
There is no timeline for beginning construction of the towers, though, due to the current housing and economic climate, and Nav Canada has indicated to the city that a reduction in height may be necessary due to aviation concerns. The project, which was first announced by Holborn more than a year ago, has faced controversy for multiple reasons.
The City of Vancouver is undergoing an overall review of its policy for tall buildings, and Coun. Sean Orr argued it was premature for the city to approve what would be its three tallest buildings before that policy had been decided.
“I don't think we should rush this ... we can just pump the brakes a little bit,” he said.
But the more emotionally charged argument at the public hearing concerned past conduct by Holborn Group at its Little Mountain housing site. The site was home to a publicly owned social housing neighbourhood for decades, but the province sold the site to Holborn in 2008 and provided it with an 18-year interest free loan of $211 million.
Metro Vancouver votes to cut number of board members
Metro Vancouver will move ahead with reducing its board size by almost a quarter next term, cutting the number of directors from 45 to 34 — but one big city mayor is pushing back on the details.
The regional district voted in a 107-36 split Friday to seek provincial approval for legislative changes to cap the number of directors to three per jurisdiction while keeping the current weighted voting system.
Vancouver and Surrey, which currently have seven and six sitting directors respectively, will expect to see their number of directors cut to three.
Board chair and Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley said in a news release that the district had gone through a "thoughtful process" to improve the organization's governance. "I realize this is a start but … there needs to be greater change to the structure of the board," Hurley said at Friday's meeting.
Metro Vancouver Regional District, which deals with regional planning, parks and emergency management, is currently made up of 41 board directors representing 21 municipalities, one electoral area and one treaty First Nation.
Updated census data expected to come next year could increase board representation based on projected population growth, potentially bringing the total number of directors to 45 in the next term, according to a district spokesperson.
Metro Vancouver also includes three other boards with slightly different memberships, including the Greater Vancouver Water District for drinking
water services, the sewerage and drainage district for sewer and solid waste services, and a housing corporation board for non-profit rental housing.
Board directors from Surrey and Langley Township opposed the cap at the meeting.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said at the Friday meeting she couldn't support Vancouver and Surrey losing seats as the province's two biggest municipalities.
"Ths is just skirting what is a much larger issue that we have to look at at Metro Vancouver," she said, acknowledging that most directors would like to see a reduction in the number of seats. She said she struggled to sit at a table alongside villages that don't have the same impact on provincial or federal GDP as larger municipalities.
In a news release Monday, Locke noted Belcarra has one vote for less than 700 residents, while Surrey has 29 votes for a population of almost 570,000, using Metro Vancouver data.
But Pitt Meadows Mayor Nicole MacDonald, representing a city of about 19,000, disagreed.
"We have a duty to all citizens and residents of the region, that they have a voice here at Metro," MacDonald said. "And for me, it doesn't matter if it's a community of 20,000 or hundreds of thousands, or a small one."
"I don't want a board that's sitting here that is just the big cities. That is not representative of the region," she added.
The process of engaging the province to make the necessary legislative changes could take about two years to complete, according to the district.
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Narendra Modi’s most underestimated strength is his Political Flexibility
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is usually described through the vocabulary of firmness: decisive, dominant, centralising, relentless and ideologically committed. His critics often turn the same qualities into accusations of arrogance and rigidity. According to this view, Modi possesses too much power to listen, too much personal authority to retreat and too much political pride to admit error. The evidence suggests something more complicated. PM Modi may be uncompromising about long-term political objectives, but he has repeatedly shown remarkable flexibility over the routes taken to reach them. He changes allies, postpones reforms, abandons laws, accommodates institutions and accepts tactical humiliation when the alternative threatens a larger strategic project. It is difficult to sustain the argument that he is incapable of retreat. The more accurate assessment is that he retreats selectively, and usually faster than his opponents expect.
Bihar: Defeat Did Not Become a Personal Vendetta
The 2015 Bihar Assembly election was among the BJP’s most significant defeats during Modi’s first term. He campaigned extensively, but the BJP-led alliance was defeated by the Mahagathbandhan assembled by Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress.
For apolitician supposedly governed entirely by ego, the predictable response would have been to permanently isolate Nitish Kumar. Instead, when Nitish broke with the RJD in 2017, the BJP immediately supported his return as chief minister. Modi swallowed the memory of the 2015 defeat because recovering political space in Bihar mattered more than avenging it.
Yesterday’s critic can become today’s partner. An opponent who has embarrassed the BJP can still be accommodated if the arithmetic requires it. This is not sentimentality. It is a refusal to allow wounded pride to obstruct power.
The Land Acquisition Retreat Came Early
The first major demonstration of this flexibility arrived in 2015, when the government attempted to amend land-acquisition law through an ordinance.
The proposal encountered resistance from opposition parties, farmers’ organisations and sections of the wider Sangh ecosystem. The government initially defended it strongly and repeatedly re-promulgated the ordinance. Eventually, Modi announced that it would be allowed to lapse, while saying that the government remained open to suggestions concerning farmers’ welfare.
The objective of infrastructure development remained. The chosen instrument was abandoned. That distinction – between an objective and the instrument used to achieve it – lies at the heart of Modi’s flexibility.
The Farm Laws: A Publicly Accepted Defeat
The repeal of the three farm laws in 2021 was a much larger retreat. The government had presented the legislation as a historic modernisation of Indian agriculture. Ministers defended it for more than a year while farmers maintained prolonged protest camps around Delhi. Negotiations failed,
political tensions increased and the confrontation threatened to affect the BJP’s relationship with agricultural communities, particularly in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Modi ultimately announced that the laws would be withdrawn. Parliament then repealed them. A rigid leader would have continued simply to prove that the street could not force a retreat. Modi instead accepted the temporary damage to his strong-leader image, reduced the confrontation and moved on. The farm laws demonstrated that he values strategic survival more than the vanity of never reversing a decision.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Policy Was Rewritten
During the pandemic, the government initially introduced a partially decentralised vaccinepurchasing model under which states and private hospitals could procure a share of doses separately. The arrangement was criticised for producing confusion, unequal pricing and competition among states.
Repeat offenders in Abbotsford placed under extra surveillance
A new provincial program has been launched to cut down on crimes committed by repeat offenders, which includes dozens of people in Abbotsford.
This Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative (C-POII) dedicates more resources to monitoring these prolific offenders within B.C. communities.
In the Lower Mainland alone, there are a total of 365 people involved in this initiative, including 25 in Abbotsford. Terry Yung, Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services, said many police officers and community members across B.C. report high levels of concern about crime in recent years, a large part of which comes at the hands of repeat offenders.
However, this number varies substantially depending on the person’s criminal history.
For those who had been convicted of up to one previous crime in the prior decade, only 7.7 per cent of them were reconvicted within one year of their release.
But if the individual had been convicted five to nine times within the past 10 years, then 35.3 per cent of the time they were reconvicted less than a year after release. This number rose to 45 per cent when looking at a two-year post-release period.
To cut back on the number of these frequent reconvictions, the C-POII program targets people identified as chronic offenders and assigns them intensive police supervision and frequent contact with probation officers.
According to data from Statistics Canada, as soon as someone is convicted of more than one crime in a 10-year period, they become significantly more likely to re-offend in the future.
Among B.C. residents who were released from provincial custody or serving a community sentence in 2020/21, 33.2 per cent of them had been convicted of another crime within one year.
These offenders are also given better access to income assistance, housing, and substance-use supports.
The Abbotsford repeat-offender hub that is tasked with monitoring 25 local individuals is now one of 25 hubs established throughout B.C. with the help of this recent $16 million investment from the province.
Other Lower Mainland hubs are located in Chilliwack, Langley, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Surrey, and Vancouver.
Attorney General Nika Sharma said this significant investment will help to address what is one of the biggest concerns among B.C. residents and business owners.
“This co-ordinated approach helps ensure prosecutors receive the information needed to make timely decisions, so that repeat offending is addressed consistently and appropriately,” said Sharma.
Mayor's statement on Metro Vancouver governance reform
I am deeply disappointed that Metro Vancouver has once again avoided the meaningful, systemic and bold governance reform this region requires. Capping every member jurisdiction at three directors may reduce the size of the board, but it does not address the longstanding representation issues. Metro Vancouver speaks of fairness, but Friday’s decision fails to deliver it.
Surrey has long argued that Metro Vancouver's weighted voting system falls far short of proportional representation. For example, Belcarra, with fewer than 1,000 residents, is guaranteed one vote, while Surrey has a population hundreds of times larger but will still have only 29 votes.
Real reform requires more than reducing a few seats at the table. It requires a governance model that accurately reflects the communities it serves, as well as a serious effort to confront Metro Vancouver's scope creep, rising costs, wasteful spending, and duplication of services. Friday’s decision fundamentally avoids those issues. Surrey residents deserve a system that ensures they have a real seat at the table. They deserve a Metro Vancouver that gets back to its mandate and gets out of Surrey’s way. I will continue to press for the reforms needed to achieve that.
Three more Surrey properties flagged for unpermitted construction
Three more Surrey properties will have notices filed on their land titles for unpermitted construction.
The City of Surrey has been cracking down on illegal construction for several years. In the more egregious cases, council has been voting to file notices on land titles to alert potential buyers and occupiers.
The three properties were flagged by the city at a special council meeting on Monday. For all three, the city states it is likely impossible for the owners to bring the construction into compliance.
“Much of the construction has progressed to a point where many essential elements are now obscured, preventing the inspections (that) staff consider necessary to confirm safety and compliance with the Building Bylaw and British Columbia Building Code,” said a report from Harprit Grewal, a building inspector with the city, and Ron Gill, general manager of planning and development. Three more Surrey properties will have notices filed on their land titles for unpermitted construction.
contained dwelling units, including converting the garage into habitable space, an enclosure of the deck on the north side of the house and a two-storey addition at the rear of the house, all without permits, according to the city.
About 16 people occupy the space. The city first found out about the unpermitted work in 2019 and demanded demolition of the work a year ago. But the owners continued construction after bylaw officers posted a stop-work order, Flores told council. Sheikh was at the hearing and apologized for the unpermitted work.
“I have hardships to pay all the taxes and expenses. My pension is only $1,500,” Sheikh told council. “I am 70 years old, I work all my life. I have three small children. … I just apologize.”
The owners have not paid site visit fees to the city, totalling $898, but have paid bylaw enforcement notices related to the unpermitted work, totalling $3,350.
The city has been easing its enforcement of illegal construction, but only in some cases. The city considers whether the owner is a first-time offender, if the work poses a life-safety risk and if the unpermitted work can be brought into compliance.
None of the owners of the properties on the agenda Monday attempted to bring the unpermitted work into compliance, said building inspector Guillermo Flores. The first property is in Newton, at 12439 72 Ave. Owners of the home, listed as Mohammed Maqsood Sheikh and Saman Rukh, built six self-
Counsellors Doug Elford and Rob Stutt pointed out the homeowners had collected rent from many individuals over the years.
“I’ve been by there, it looks like an apartment. Why did you build this when you knew you couldn’t? You were not supposed to,” Elford asked Sheikh.n The owner replied that he was assured by his contractor that there would be no problem. Council unanimously approved to file a notice on title for the property.
At 6770 128B Street, an unpermitted two-storey addition with two self-contained dwelling units was added.
Mayor Brenda Locke City of Surrey
TransLink says it can no longer provide HandyDART service for passenger after 28 years
TransLink says it can no longer accommodate a HandyDART passenger, despite him having used the service for almost 30 years.
Tom Cretain has spinal muscular atrophy and isn’t able to sit up. For decades he has relied on HandyDART to drive him to his destinations on an accessible bus or taxi.
However, two months ago, the 71-yearold said he was told TransLink couldn’t send him a ride.
Then there was a meeting in which his
“current mobility device exceeds what the vehicles available through HandyDART can safely accommodate. These needs will be considered and assessed as part of the specifications for future HandyDART vehicles.”
wheelchair was measured. Cretain says this confirmed everything fits into the taxi. But then he received a letter saying, “Neither HandyDART buses nor contracted wheelchair accessible taxis are able to safely and reliably accommodate your present equipment.”
Cretain said that begged the question: “Were you transporting me unsafely for 28 years?”
On Monday, after receiving a request from Global News for an interview, TransLink sent a statement saying that Cretain’s
They said that a recent review requested by “our contracted taxi provider identified safety issues related to the size of his mobility device and his transfer requirements. It was determined that his needs can no longer be safely accommodated by either HandyDART vehicles or the wheelchair-accessible taxis available through the service. This was not the result of a policy change.” TransLink said it recommends nonemergency hospital transfer services as the safest available option for Cretain. However, hospital transfers don’t do non-medical transportation, SN
Transport told Global News on Monday, saying that transportation for medical appointments may be available if the appropriate booking criteria are met, but they do not generally provide transportation for non-medical purposes, such as grocery shopping or other personal errands.
When told this news, TransLink stated that it has also reached out to the province to request a meeting to further discuss Cretain’s situation. And Cretain said he is not a patient; he’s just trying to live his life. He says he has been living a rich life,
travelling, attending events and meeting celebrities. But since the unexpected HandyDART changes, he’s been housebound, cancelling summer plans and missing medical appointments.
“It shut my life down,” Cretain said. “I haven’t been out for two months.” “Your mandate is to provide transportation for people like me in this day and age. When people are going to the moon, I think they can find a way to get me across town.” Emily Watson, senior vice-president, Western Canada at Transdev, which operates HandyDART on behalf of TransLink, said in a statement that they are “actively working with TransLink to identify suitable transportation alternatives and will continue collaborating on long-term solutions for passengers.” Elenore Sturko, the independent MLA for Surrey Cloverdale, told Global News on Sunday that she considers this to be a form of discrimination against Cretain due to his disability. She has been advocating for Cretain and contacting the Ministry of Transportation.
“The fact that they haven’t been able to find any solution to accommodate him, despite the fact they’ve actually been driving him for 28 years, is ridiculous,” Sturko said.
“The government should be ashamed.”
B.C.’s Minister of Transportation Mike Farnworth said his ministry is aware of the situation and will be in contact with TransLink and HandyDART to see what issues need to be addressed in this case.
Cretain said he hopes for a speedy resolution.
“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in this room,” he said.
Vancouver police warn of ‘organized
crime
rings’ targeting seniors in distraction thefts
Seniors who have been targeted for so-called distraction thefts in Vancouver this year have reported combined losses of nearly $250,000, according to authorities, which said the alleged thieves are part of “organized crime rings” made up of Canadian citizens and foreign nationals.
The Vancouver Police Department, in a media release, said there have been 35 incidents reported so far this year—describing the modus operandi.
“The victims are just out and about, living their lives when a person, or a group, approaches on foot or in a vehicle, distracts them and using practised sleight of hand, replaces their jewelry with fakes,” the statement from the VPD said.
“It happens quickly, in a matter of seconds, but the impact on the victims is long-lasting. Family heirlooms and their sense of safety is lost.” The highest number of reports have come from residential neighbourhoods on the east side of the city, outside of the downtown core, according to the VPD.
But police also said these localized crimes are part of a broader pattern in which suspects “often crisscross Canada in rented vehicles.”
Anyone who has been the victim of a distraction theft is urged to call 911 immediately, and those who are vulnerable to being targeted are advised to conceal their jewelry.
Good Samaritan intervened to help hostage before Westview plaza RCMP shooting
The province’s police watchdog is asking for witnesses to step forward after North Vancouver RCMP officers shot and killed a suspect following an armed robbery at the Westview Shopping Centre on July 21.
The civilian-led Independent Investigations Office is automatically tasked to review any incident in which a member of the public faces serious harm or death in their interactions with police.
There were dozens of witnesses and cameras rolling in the busy plaza when the dramatic scene broke out just after 1 p.m. July 21.
Perhaps no one had a closer view than Arman Abadi, a Good Samaritan who stepped in and wrestled a knife away from the suspect inside the McDonald’s.
Abadi, a 31-year-old East Vancouver man, had stopped to get an iced tea. He realized something was wrong when he saw an erratic looking man behind the counter.
“It immediately got a lot worse. He put one of the female employees in a headlock and put a knife to her throat,” Abadi said. “I wanted to help, but it was kind of a helpless situation.”
Most people inside the restaurant fled but Abadi stayed and passed his phone to an older woman and asked her to call 911.
The suspect demanded the money from the register and became angry when there was only $30, Abadi said. The suspect then brought the hostage out from behind the counter, keeping the knife close to her
throat. He turned his back for just a moment and Abadi felt compelled to seize the opportunity “I immediately grabbed both of my hands onto his knife hand and started struggling with him,” Abadi said. “I know it was still dangerous but as safe as it was going to get to control that hand.”
Abadi was punching and headbutting the man and another bystander came to help restrain him. With some assistance, Abadi grabbed the knife and threw it under a table and the hostage was released.
The suspect did not relent however. He warned he had another knife, which turned out to be a boxcutter, and demanded car keys so he could escape. The fracas continued outside with the suspect stealing a truck, which he promptly crashed into several parked cars. After, he unsuccessfully tried to carjack a person who was parked at the Esso station, said Bahman Afshari, owner of the Freshslice pizza shop at Westview.
Police watchdog investigating after AbbyPD officer shoots, kills man
B.C.'s police watching is investigating a shooting incident involving police that left one man dead overnight.
The Abbotsford Police Department (AbbyPD) said that at 11:30 p.m. PT on July 26, officers were called to a gas station as part of a property crime investigation.
When they arrived, they found two men "engaged in criminal activity."
When police tried to arrest the men, the pair tried to flee in a Dodge Ram pickup truck. AbbyPD says at some point during the interaction, a police officer fired their gun. A police chase ensued westbound on Highway 1, but police say the chase
was called off for public safety reasons. The vehicle was last seen by AbbyPD officers headed toward Langley.
A few hours later, just after 3 a.m. PT on July 27, a Langley resident reported a suspicious truck parked in their driveway with a man inside. Langley RCMP and first responders arrived and pronounced the man — determined to be one of those involved in the Abbotsford incident — dead at the scene.
Police say the second suspect remains at large.
An AbbyPD spokesperson confirmed in an email to CBC News that the Langley scene is connected to the officer-involved shooting in Abbotsford. They said there is no ongoing risk to the public.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) is looking for witnesses who may have seen what happened in Abbotsford Sunday night or in Langley early Monday morning.
The IIO is called in to investigate when serious harm or death comes as a result of a police interaction in B.C.
25-year old Uber driver from Punjab arrested for sexual assault in Canada
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The investigation was taken over by the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault (CASA) Unit, which identified the accused.
On July 26, Singh, a resident of Etobicoke, was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault. He was held in custody pending a bail hearing in Milton.
“At the time of the offence the accused was employed as an Uber driver and investigators are concerned there may be additional victims.
A photo of the accused has been attached to this media release,” reads the communique issued by
One person was injured in a shooting in Surrey’s Clayton neighbourhood Saturday morning.
Police were notified just after 8 a.m. of the incident near a residence in the area of 74 Avenue and 184 Street. The victim was already travelling to hospital for treatment and the suspect or suspects had fled the area, according to the Surrey Police Service.
Police believe this was a targeted shooting but not extortion related.
Anyone with information about this shooting, including security or dash-cam footage, or who may know the identities of the suspects is asked to contact the SPS non-emergency line at 604-599-0502,
the police.
HRPS has appealed to anyone with information to contact the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit.
The police statement further said sexual assault is any sexual touching without consent and can range from unwanted touching to offences involving penetration.
The statement also noted that there is no statute of limitations for reporting sexual assault, meaning that no matter how long ago the sexual assault happened, you can still report it to police for investigation.
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The president, Zailda Chan, insisted there was nothing wrong with this approach, which she called an act of solidarity with fellow workers across borders. On Thursday, Sim wrote to Premier David Eby and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle, a former Vancouver councillor, to “urgently request” the province amend the Vancouver Charter so that only residents of Canada can register to speak at public hearings and other council meetings. On Thursday morning, the city changed its public hearing procedures so that speakers who are not residents of Canada are placed at the end of the queue, said Sim’s letter to the province. While that immediate step was within council’s authority, Sim wrote, “a procedural change is not an adequate long-term solution. The city requires clear statutory
authority to protect the integrity, accessibility and orderly conduct of its democratic processes.” Sim also wrote that he had referred the matter to the Vancouver Police Department.
The police department will review Sim’s complaint to “determine whether to investigate, and whether the VPD is the appropriate agency to investigate or if it should be turned over to RCMP,” Lui wrote in an emailed statement Friday. “At this stage, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the outcome of that review.” In an emailed statement, Sim’s office said the mayor’s request to the police “does not presume any particular finding” and “is intended to determine whether there are coordinated or organized efforts to disrupt the lawful business of council and to help inform any next steps.”
New permanent residents down 20% in Canada. Nearly half the drop came from India
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Nearly half that reduction in permanent residents came from a single country. The number of Indian citizens granted permanent residence fell to 21,565 from 31,690, a drop of 10,125 people that accounts for 48 per cent of the entire national decline. New study permits for Indian students fell 42 per cent, and India made up 55 per cent of the national drop in study permits. “When the government sharply reduces a stream in which one country is disproportionately represented, that country inevitably absorbs a disproportionate share of the cut,” Jedwab said.
The retreat from India has been building for two years. Study permits for Indian students fell to 93,840 in 2025 from 277,950 in 2023, a drop of 66 per cent, against 44 per cent for students from all countries. India accounts for 61 per cent of the national decline in student visas over that period.
Jedwab said greater scrutiny of applicants, institutions and programs is landing hardest on India because that market expanded fastest and included many students recruited into short, career-oriented college programs. “Canada is becoming less accessible and much less predictable,” he said. “Prospective students who once regarded Canada as a comparatively reliable education-toimmigration destination may increasingly conclude that the costs and uncertainties are too high.”
economic immigrants and controls its admissions planning, so its increase may reflect the timing of those admissions rather than a broader shift toward the province. “For Ontario and B.C., the effects will be felt most directly by employers, colleges and universities, settlement organizations and municipalities that had come to rely on continued high inflows,” he said.
Economic immigration fell 34 per cent in Ontario and 40 per cent in B.C. but rose seven per cent in Quebec. Economic immigrants are selected for their skills, education and work experience rather than family ties or a need for protection. Family sponsored admissions fell 16 per cent in Ontario, while Quebec was the only province in the country where they rose.
India was not alone. Permanent residents from Eritrea fell 42 per cent (from 2,410 to 1,400) and those from Afghanistan fell 40 per cent (from 1,740 to 1,050), both steeper than India’s decline, but the numbers were much smaller. The Philippines, the second-largest source country, fell 13 per cent, from 7,160 to 6,225. China, the thirdlargest source, fell 25 per cent, from 6,300 to 4,695. Only three of the largest source countries, Algeria, France and Morocco, sent more permanent residents than a year earlier, but they only sent 1,325, 2,300 and 1,305 people, respectively.
The decline was not spread evenly. Ontario and British Columbia absorbed 81 per cent of the national drop in permanent residents, with Ontario down 26 per cent and B.C. down 31 per cent. Quebec went the other way, rising 12 per cent. Alberta received the second-largest number of permanent residents of any province at 11,135, passing B.C., though its own admissions fell 18 per cent.
Jedwab said Quebec selects most of its own
“Provinces whose immigration mix was most dependent on the streams being restricted will experience the greatest decline,” Jedwab said.
Admissions of resettled refugees and protected persons rose two per cent in Ontario and 47 per cent in Quebec, while falling 29 per cent in Alberta and 35 per cent in Manitoba. Those admissions cover refugees selected abroad and people already granted protection, and Jedwab said they should not be confused with asylum claims, which are a separate flow.
Asylum claims, which are requests for protection made by people already in Canada or at a border crossing, fell 35 per cent nationally, from 28,450 to 18,605. The steepest drop was in Quebec, down 45 per cent, followed by Ontario at 35 per cent.
Jedwab said the decline reflects fewer temporary entrants, stricter visa screening, tighter control of the border with the United States and new limits on delayed inland claims, not a drop in the number of people needing protection. “Canada is receiving fewer claims because access to the Canadian asylum system has become substantially more restricted,” he said.
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Clinton Mayor Roland Stanke, speaking in Kamloops, said there is an assessment team in town to evaluate structure damage, and the volunteer fire department is checking for hot embers and spot fires to try to get them under control.
He said there has been some structural damage south of the village, but his latest report indicated there had been no buildings or businesses destroyed, though there was some damage to a few buildings due to hot embers and flare-ups. He added that a full assessment of structural damage still needs to be completed.
Stanke described the fire as the village's "third rodeo" after an evacuation alert in 2009 and an order in 2017.
"It's getting worse every year, and it's a challenge," he said.
Further south, the Brunswick Creek complex continues to burn near Boston Bar. It covered an area of almost 180 sq. km. (17,999.2 ha) as of Monday evening.
Th BCWS said the fires burning on either side of the Fraser River (Brunswick Creek on the west and Ainslie Creek on the east) are active, but aren't growing at a significant rate due to the wind direction.
Because they're burning on steep slopes, the BCWS said it hasn't been safe for ground crews to access the fires' edge. Drone crews were expected to scan Boston Bar and Boston Bar First Nation Monday night to identify hot spots.
"If hotspots are not fully extinguished, they can reignite when hotter and drier conditions return," the BCWS said.
Evacuation orders and alerts are in place for nearby communities. There were about 140 active wildfires burning throughout B.C. as of Tuesday morning. Of those, 37 per cent were burning out of control.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, about 1,600 properties in B.C. were under an evacuation order early Tuesday, and 3,100 properties were under an alert.
EFL executive pay rises to $3.76M in 2025
Compensation paid to Energy Fiji Limited’s (EFL) key management personnel increased to $3.756 million in 2025, according to the company’s 2025 Annual Report recently tabled in Parliament.
The report shows total remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Management Group rose from $3.309 million in 2024 to $3.756 million in 2025, an increase of $447,000, or about 13.5 per cent.
Salary, performance pay and allowances accounted for $3.445 million, up from $3.033 million the previous year.
Superannuation contributions also increased, rising from $276,000 in 2024 to $311,000 in 2025.
The report identifies the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Management Group as the company’s key management personnel responsible for planning, directing and controlling EFL’s operations. Fatiaki Gibson was appointed Chief Executive Officer in April 2025.
The executive management team also includes Deputy Chief Executive Officer Mitsuhiro
Takeshita, Chief Operating Officer Bobby Naimawi, Chief Financial Officer Semisi Tawake, General Manager Generation Epeli Malo, General Manager Customer Services Annabel Ducia, General Manager Network Jitendra V. Kumar, General Manager Human Resources Randhir Charan, General Manager System Planning and Control Naomi Baleca, General Manager Information Technology Jiten Singh, and General Manager Special Projects Krishneel Prasad.
The annual report also details changes to the EFL Board during the year.
Rokoseru Nabalarua served as Chairman, while Mitsuhiro Takeshita joined the Board in June 2025 and Toshiyuki Suzuki was appointed in September 2025.
During the year, Fatiaki Gibson resigned as a director in March 2025, while Chitoshi Fukuda resigned in August 2025 and Tsutomu Fujita stepped down in June 2025.
Director fees paid during 2025 totalled $68,250, compared with $46,542 in 2024.
Kiwi nearly loses leg in Fiji shark attack
A New Zealand tourist who was bitten by a shark while diving in Fiji says he feels “incredibly lucky” to have kept his leg and has praised those who came to his rescue following the ordeal.
Henry Gibbs shared an update on social media on Friday, six days after the attack, revealing he is recovering after undergoing four surgeries and a skin graft.
“First dive in Fiji ended in a pretty nasty shark incident. Feeling incredibly lucky to still have my leg, full use of my foot and to be on the mend,” Gibbs wrote. He used the post to thank the many people in Fiji and New Zealand who had offered support since the incident.
“Just wanted to say a genuine thank you to everyone who’s reached out over the past six days since the incident, both in Fiji and back home in New Zealand. The support has honestly meant a lot.” Gibbs paid special tribute to two men, Colby and Dan, crediting them with helping save his leg by acting quickly after the attack.
“Massive thanks to Colby and Dan, who got me out of the water and dealt with the wound so quickly, and to everyone involved afterwards.”
He reserved particular praise for Dan, who remained with him throughout the emergency.
“A special thank you to Dan, who was by my side through the whole ordeal, and of course Mum as well.” Despite suffering serious injuries in the attack, Gibbs said he does not blame the shark.
His recovery continues following multiple surgeries, with medical treatment focused on repairing the damage to his leg while preserving full use of his foot.
Conjoined twins head to Saudi Arabia for life-changing separation surgery
Ten-month-old conjoined twins Di Cecea and Jesipeli Kikau will leave Fiji tomorrow for Saudi Arabia, where they are scheduled to undergo a lifechanging separation surgery.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services says the twins were born at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva alongside their singleton sister, Hossana.
The ministry says the surgery will be carried out at King Salman Hospital in Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi Government fully funding the family’s airfares and accommodation as part of the strong bilateral relationship between Fiji and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry of Health is covering the cost of a medical escort to accompany the family on their journey. The ministry has called on Fijians to keep the family in their prayers, expressing hope for a successful operation and the safe return of the children to Fiji.
Twelve workers lose jobs as court orders closure of South Seas Club
welve employees of Lautoka’s South Seas Club are jobless after the popular venue was abruptly closed under a court order, leaving workers locked out and uncertain about their jobs.
The court order, executed on Monday, handed management of the club to an interim committee. When staff reported for work the following morning, they found the gates locked and a notice stating the club was “under the administrators of South Seas Club” and temporarily closed until further notice. Employee Adi Laisa Volatabu said staff had received no communication from their employer and did not know where to turn for help. Sera Tukana said workers were denied entry and instructed to surrender all club keys.
“The least they could do was give us notice and time to look for work somewhere else,” she said.
The closure has also affected tenants. Restaurant owner Hafiz Rahman said he was forced to shut a business he had operated at the club for more than 20 years. “It came as a real shock and as a tenant I wished that I could have been told before this was going to happen,” he said.
Staff member Salote Ratu said three customers had already paid to hire the club’s hall, including one who had paid $1000 in full.
Former manager Jan Mohammed who’s in Japan said he would make an official statement after consulting with his lawyer.
The South Seas Club was ordered to be handed over to an interim committee in 2022, but the transfer was delayed while an appeal was before the Court of Appeal. Last week, the appeal was dismissed, allowing the committee led by Sanjay Prasad, Cecil James and Raymond Singh to assume control.
Fuel price hike looms
FUEL prices are expected to rise again next month due to ongoing international tensions in the Middle East. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the Government had been informed of the expected increase, which was linked to overseas developments. “There has been an increase in the prices of goods. Yesterday we were told that the price of fuel would increase,” he said.
Mr Rabuka said the increase was being driven by international conflicts that had pushed up global fuel prices, which were beyond the Government’s control. “We thought the increase in fuel prices would stop.” Mr Rabuka made the comments while
speaking at the launch of the Fiji Blue Economy and Green Growth Community Development Program at Koronatoga Village in Cakaudrove yesterday. He said international events continued to have a direct impact on Fiji’s economy, particularly through higher fuel costs, which also affected the prices of goods and services.
Fuel prices in Fiji are reviewed monthly by the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission based on changes in international refined fuel prices, freight costs and the exchange rate.
The next fuel price announcement is expected at the end of the month.
Amnesty calls for probe into lethal force against PoJK protesters, urges lifting of communications blackout
Muzaffarabad [PoJK], July 28 (ANI): Amnesty International on Tuesday called for an independent and transparent investigation into reports of the use of lethal force against protesters in Pakistanoccupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) by Pakistani forces while urging Pakistani authorities to restore communication services and allow media and independent observers access to the region.
In a statement, Amnesty International's Acting Regional Director for South Asia, Isabelle Lassee, reacted to the security forces using lethal force against protesters in Rawalakot during the first day of the regional election.
"The disturbing reports emerging from Rawalakot are consistent with the Pakistani authorities' long history of unlawful violence against protesters in Jammu and Kashmir. A prompt, independent, and transparent investigation must be ordered into the security forces' use of force against protesters," Lassee said.
She said the ongoing internet and mobile services blackout was preventing independent verification of the situation on the ground.
"So long as an internet and mobile services blackout remains in place, it will severely impede the independent verification of the full extent of the situation on the ground. We urge the Pakistani authorities to restore all communications access and allow media and independent observers into the area," she added. Amnesty also raised concerns over the ban imposed on the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), stating that tensions surrounding the election had been heightened by the move.
"Tensions around this election are being
heightened by the unlawful ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the Pakistani authorities to lift the ban on this protest movement and stop weaponising anti-terror laws to silence and arbitrarily detain JAAC members and supporters," Lassee said.
"The ban cannot be used as an excuse to mete out deadly violence against protesters," she added.
According to Amnesty's statement, reports on July 27 indicated violence in Rawalakot and one incident in Kotli, where a political worker was killed during a clash between supporters of rival parties. The rights organisation cited claims by JAAC that 19 people were killed and dozens injured after security forces opened fire on protesters.
It added that media reports had confirmed casualties but had not specified a number.
Amnesty said mobile internet services have remained suspended in the region since June 5.
Citing media reports, Amnesty said that in the lead-up to the election, at least 40 people had been killed, including 34 protesters and six police and paramilitary personnel. This comes as protests emerged as the region witnessed escalating tensions during the 52-day-long protest movement, with demonstrators demanding the release of detainees, withdrawal of cases against protesters, and acceptance of their broader demands. Protesters also unequivocally denounced indiscriminate firing by Pakistani forces on demonstrators in Rawalakot as thousands of people prepared to march towards Muzaffarabad following the collapse of talks between the JAAC and the authorities on Monday.
Kashmiri activists protest outside Pakistan Consulate in Bradford in UK over PoJK killings
Bradford [UK], July 28 (ANI): Kashmiri activists held a protest outside the Pakistan Consulate in Bradford on Tuesday against the "atrocities committed by Pakistan" in Pakistanoccupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
The protesters protested against the human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), following deaths during demonstrations in the region. Over the past two days, several people have reportedly been killed in firing by security forces in the Rawalakot and Mirpur areas of PoJK while they were protesting and demanding their basic rights.
The protesters raised concerns over the "killings of people in PoJK", where security forces opened fire during protests in the Rawalakot and Mirpur
areas over the past two days.
The demonstrations were organised against the denial of human rights to the people of Pakistanoccupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Curfew continues in parts of Nepal's Indiabordering Sunsari as communal tension persists
Curfew remained in force for the second consecutive day on Tuesday in parts of Nepal's India-bordering Sunsari district as tension persisted following communal violence that left one person dead and several others injured.
The District Administration Office (DAO), Sunsari, said curfew and prohibitory orders would remain in effect from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on Tuesday in several areas.
According to a notice issued by the DAO, restrictions have been imposed across the entire Harinagar and Devgunj rural municipalities, while curfew is in force in five market areas of Harinagar, Bhutaha, Kaptangunj, Ghuski and Devangunj.
The administration has prohibited rallies, demonstrations, public meetings, sit-ins and gatherings of more than four people in the affected areas. Curfew was lifted along the East-West Highway passing through Sunsari district from 7 am to 3 pm to facilitate the movement of travellers. It was reimposed at 3:00 pm.
Meenakshi Goyal to be acting V-C of Chandigarh's Panjab University
As the tenure of Panjab University Vice Chancellor Renu Vig ended on Tuesday, Meenakshi Goyal will be the Acting Vice Chancellor.
Top official sources told The Tribune that Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, who is also Chancellor of PU, had tasked Goyal, Dean of University Instructions at Panjab University, to discharge the role till a final call on the fulltime V-C is taken.
The decision has been taken in view of July 28 being the last working day of Vig as the V-C. She had been granted a four-month extension by the V-P on March 28, with a search-cum-
selection committee also set up.
The committee is yet to take a final call on the matter. Vig had first taken over as acting V-C of PU and later appointed the 14th and the first woman V-C of the prestigious varsity.
It all started with Facebook and WhatsApp chats. Eleven years later, a Rs 40 lakh extortion and honey-trap case ended in the acquittal of all the accused, with a Panchkula court setting free a Haryana Police Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and two Exempted Assistant SubInspectors (EASIs).
The court cited numerous loopholes in the investigation. According to Panchkula Police, Rajni alias Janvi — she operated her Facebook account under the name Janvi — came into contact with Ambala-based businessman Pranveer Saini on Facebook in April 2015. They exchanged mobile numbers and stayed in touch through WhatsApp and Facebook. Police claimed that Rajni invited Saini to her rented accommodation at Army Flats, Sector 27, Panchkula, on several occasions.
On May 22, 2015, Saini visited her home. What happened next depends on who you believe.
human semen was detected on certain seized articles.
Police concluded that it was not a case of rape but of extortion. It alleged that Salim Ansari was trying to extort money from Saini to drop the charges. Two more men joined the investigation and claimed that they had been similarly entrapped by Rajni alias Janvi and her husband Salim Ansari, and that money was demanded to drop rape charges. Police further alleged that ACP Deshbandhu, under whom Chandimandir police station fell where the FIR was registered, tried to extort Rs 40 lakh from Saini through an intermediary, while EASIs Rajpal Singh and Ramesh Kumar tried to facilitate the deal.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday reiterated the firm commitment of the state government to preserve the hard-earned peace, communal harmony, brotherhood and amity in the state.
During the ‘Ek Sham Shiv Ke Naam’ programme in Patiala, the Chief Minister said the Punjab government is working tirelessly for the welfare of every section of society and is committed to building an egalitarian society where people of all faiths live together with mutual respect and harmony.
Addressing the gathering of devotees, Mann said, “Punjab is a fertile land where every seed can germinate except the seed of hatred. The bond of unity in our state is strong because people celebrate
every festival together. Our government is working tirelessly for the welfare of every religion while respecting all faiths equally.”
The Chief Minister stated, “It is an honour to come to this place, which has always been very close to my heart, and participate in this sacred event. I feel immense pride in being here among all of you and sharing the message of humanity, unity and love. I am happy to see such a large gathering participating in this programme.”
Highlighting the initiatives taken by his government for public welfare, the Chief Minister said, “Keeping public convenience as our top priority, we have shut down 19 toll plazas, resulting in savings of nearly Rs 70 lakh every day for the common people. More than 68,000 government jobs have been provided to the youth in a completely transparent manner. Around 90% of households are receiving free electricity, farmers are getting power supply during the daytime, nearly 44,000 kilometres of roads are being constructed, and the canal irrigation system has been strengthened to ensure there is no shortage of canal water for agriculture.”
Rajni complained to police that Saini gave her intoxicant-laced sweets and thereafter raped her. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Panchkula police collected and analysed electronic and documentary evidence, including Call Detail Records (CDRs), mobile phones, WhatsApp and Facebook chats, audio recordings, visitor register entries of the residential society and other digital evidence. It emerged that after Pranveer Saini left the residential society on May 22, 2015, numerous telephone calls were exchanged between Rajni, her husband Salim Ansari and others. Police found that Salim Ansari had not visited the Skoda showroom in Chandigarh on the date of occurrence, nor had he undergone treatment from any homeopathic doctor at Sadar Bazar, Ambala Cantonment, as stated in the FIR.
His mobile tower location remained within Panchkula throughout the relevant period. The chemical examination found no intoxicating substance in the biological exhibits, although
Two mobile phones were also recovered from accused ACP Deshbandhu. According to the prosecution, call details corroborated his telephonic contacts with the other accused persons.
Why the case fell apart
The case was filed against nine persons, including Rajni, her husband and police officials. However, the digital evidence had procedural flaws. The prosecution principally relied upon extracted WhatsApp chats, Facebook chats and transcripts of recorded conversations. “These were not the original electronic records but consisted of extracted digital data, printouts and transcribed material generated from the seized devices. The prosecution has neither examined the person who extracted or prepared these electronic records nor proved the complete process adopted for their extraction, preservation and preparation,” defence counsel Sameer Sethi said.
Scientific examination could confirm the voice samples of honey-trap victim Saini and his brother, but the court noted that “no specimen voice samples of the remaining accused were available for scientific comparison”.
A Mohali court on Tuesday sentenced Mansa PWD Executive Engineer Joginder Singh, 60, to rigorous imprisonment of five years and a fine of Rs 1.1 lakh in a 2013 cheating case.
The court of Special Judge Baljinder Singh Sra noted that the accused intentionally prepared forged and fabricated bills, securing the release of a huge amount — to the tune of around Rs 4 crore — from Bathinda Development Authority on June 10, 2011. He thereafter illegally released that amount to different contractors without allotment of any work, in contravention of contractual and statutory stipulations and rules, and conferred pecuniary advantage upon them, thereby causing
wrongful loss to the State.
The Vigilance Bureau had conducted an inquiry and registered a criminal case against Joginder Singh on May 31, 2013. The chargesheet was filed in the court on August 29, 2013.
The court further stated that he clearly misused his official position and conferred undue pecuniary advantage upon the contractors, resulting in wrongful loss to the public exchequer.
The Barnala native, currently under suspension, was held guilty under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC, and Section 13(1) (d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
India emerges as world's second-largest supplier of seafarers: Report
New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): India has emerged as the world's second-largest supplier of seafarers, contributing 311,936 maritime professionals to the global shipping industry, according to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026.
The report estimates that India now accounts for 12.16 per cent of the global seafaring workforce, ranking behind only the Philippines and ahead of China, the Russian Federation and Indonesia.
The achievement marks one of the most remarkable transformations in the history of India's maritime sector. In 2015, India contributed only 5.2 per cent of the world's seafarers and ranked fifth globally, behind China, the Philippines, Indonesia and the Russian Federation. Six years later, in 2021, India's share had grown modestly to 6 per cent, though it continued to remain in fifth position.
The latest BIMCO-ICS report for 2026, however, records a decisive breakthrough. India's global share has more than doubled over the past decade to 12.16 per cent, propelling the country to second place worldwide and establishing it as one of the world's foremost providers of skilled maritime professionals.
India's strength is particularly evident in the officer cadre. The country now supplies 140,718 officers, accounting for 13.41 per cent of the world's officer workforce, while 171,218 ratings represent 11.29 per cent of the global ratings serving aboard merchant vessels. Overall, Indian seafarers today constitute one of the largest and most skilled maritime workforces supporting global trade.
The report estimates the global supply of seafarers at 2.57 million, while demand has reached 2.55 million, highlighting an increasingly tight
global labour market. It also points to a continuing shortage of qualified officers worldwide, positioning India as a critical partner in meeting the shipping industry's future manpower requirements.
India's emergence as a global maritime manpower hub reflects more than a decade of sustained reforms under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over the past twelve years, the Government has expanded maritime education and skilling, modernised training infrastructure, increased the capacity of maritime training institutes, digitised seafarer certification and regulatory services through the Directorate General of Shipping, strengthened compliance with international Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping (STCW), and enhanced the employability and global competitiveness of Indian
seafarers.
Since assuming charge of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in 2021, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has accelerated the reform agenda through the most comprehensive overhaul of India's maritime legal framework in decades. Beginning with the Inland Vessels Act, 2021, the Government has subsequently enacted the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, Indian Ports Act, 2025, Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, Bills of Lading Act, 2025, and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025.
Government must remain youthful, engage young innovators: PM Modi
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the government must remain youthful by adapting to emerging challenges and engaging young innovators in complex fields such as cybersecurity. Chairing the second high-level meeting with Union secretaries, Modi called for breaking down silos to achieve technological self-reliance and build domestic capabilities in critical sectors.
The meeting focused on five key sectors: finance, the economy, commerce, industry and technology.
In other significant remarks, the PM
urged Union secretaries to adopt a proactive approach to engaging with strategic sectors and countering misinformation.
"The government must always remain youthful, dynamic and forward-looking, continuously adapting to new challenges and opportunities with agility and innovation," he said. Secretaries shared their experiences and perspectives on key initiatives, emerging opportunities and implementation challenges, officials from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.
Nirav Modi will be brought back after UK legal process ends: India
India on Tuesday said it would bring back fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi once the ongoing judicial proceedings against him in the United Kingdom conclude, asserting that due process is followed in every deportation or extradition case.
Responding to remarks by former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, who said Nirav Modi "should be in prison in India" and criticised the prolonged delay in his extradition, the Ministry of External Affairs said the legal process in Britain was still underway.
"There is a standard procedure we follow for the deportation of an individual from any country. This involves gathering the necessary documentation to establish the person's citizenship. Once that is done, we proceed with the arrangements for their return to India," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during the weekly media briefing.
"As for Nirav Modi, judicial proceedings are
currently underway in the UK. We are following the ongoing legal process, and we will bring him back once these proceedings conclude," he added. Patel, who served as the UK's Home Secretary from 2019 to 2022, reportedly said she was "appalled and horrified" that Nirav Modi remained in Britain despite her approving his extradition in 2021.
PM needs to change angle of his heart, not that of cameras: Priyanka Gandhi in Lok Sabha
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said if he wants to win over the Gen Z then videos changing camera angles won't help as this generation has the enormous ability to identify "lies".
Participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on 'The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026', the Congress general secretary said the government needs to take concrete steps by taking all stakeholders along to put a new education system in place. "If you want to win over the Gen Z, then making videos with different camera angles will not help. The prime minister needs to change the angle of his heart, not the angle of cameras," she said.
"Injustice has been done with youths under your government, accept the truth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must take responsibility," she said. Slamming the government for using force against the protesting students, Priyanka Gandhi said Modi and Home Minister Shah must answer as to who authorised the use of "pellet guns" and "AK-47s" on protesting students. "Every 'lathi' blow on any boy or girl, hit the government's prestige more than the back of students," she said. Students can be removed from streets but not their questions, she added. In her speech, Priyanka Gandhi also claimed that the examination system has failed with 152 paper leaks in last 10 years but not one mafia has been punished.
CBI files chargesheet against 13 accused in NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against 13 arrested accused in the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak case, alleging offences including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, destruction of evidence and violations under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act.
The chargesheet, filed by the CBI, also includes charges under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The agency has cited 360 witnesses, 422 documents and 43 material objects as part of the prosecution evidence.
All 13 accused named in the chargesheet are currently in judicial custody. The case was registered after the Union Department of Higher Education lodged a written complaint on May 12 regarding alleged irregularities and leakage of questions in the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3.
Following the registration of the FIR on May 12, the CBI constituted multiple teams comprising 72 officers and personnel, along with eight cyber forensic experts, to investigate the alleged leak.
The agency carried out searches at 92 locations across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and other states, leading to the seizure of digital devices, communication equipment and documents.
The CBI said its investigation uncovered
the alleged chain from the source of the leaked questions to the beneficiary candidates within weeks of taking over the case.
The agency made its first arrest on May 13. A total of 13 accused were subsequently arrested, including three subject experts associated with the National Testing Agency (NTA) in chemistry, biology and physics.
The CBI said several middlemen involved in sourcing and distributing the leaked questions were also identified and arrested. Two individuals linked to coaching institutes were arrested for allegedly obtaining the leaked question papers from the subject experts. The agency also conducted a money trail analysis, following which several bank accounts, bank lockers and a demat account belonging to the accused were frozen.
The CBI said digital forensic analysis reports, handwriting expert opinions and assessments by academic experts regarding the leaked questions were obtained during the probe. These reports, according to the agency, confirmed the role of the accused in circulating the leaked questions before the examination date. Further investigation and forensic examination are continuing, the agency said, adding that it remains committed to ensuring that those responsible for compromising the integrity of the examination process face legal consequences.
Anti-paper leak Bill in Lok Sabha: First of its kind, says govt; Opposition asks why outsourced personnel in NTA
After a week of impasse, the Lok Sabha today began a discussion on the anti-paper leak Bill, with Union Minister Jitendra Singh starting the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026 by calling it first of its kind in the history of independent India.
Stating that the amendments were being made to the 2024 Act, he pointed out that incidents of paper leak had taken place in various states ruled by different parties. “This Bill, which was introduced yesterday, is, in fact, an amendment to the earlier bill — Public Examinations Prevention of Unfair Means Act, 2024 — which was also brought by this government. And not only brought, it was perhaps the first of its kind in the history of independent India. The earlier Bill and the amendment today are, in a way, reaffirmation of this government's deep commitment to safeguarding the welfare of the students and the youth of this country. Therefore, this Bill can be described, in a way, as a milestone legislation in the history of Indian Parliament,” he said.
The Union Minister said that paper leaks were not limited to one state. He cited 2009 Railway Recruitment Board, 2010 B.Ed entrance examination in Uttar Pradesh, 2011 AIIMS test, 2013 Maharashtra Secondary Certificate Examination as some of the paper leaks. He recalled that the National Testing Agency was constituted in 2017. “In 1992, it was recommended to the Congress government that there should be a common
testing agency and a similar recommendation was made under the UPA government,” Singh said.
He said before this, there was no comprehensive law to deal with such cases. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that 21 children had lost their lives. “They died by suicide. The minister under whose watch 21 children lost their lives, when he resigned from his post and returned to the House yesterday, you garlanded him as if he had returned from a war against Pakistan."
Gogoi said that the Prime Minister appeared in Instagram reels. “In the first Cabinet meeting, instead of having a comprehensive discussion on how to improve education and finish the mafias — papersetting mafia, paper-solving mafia, testing centre mafia, coaching centre mafia — and irregularities in the CBSE on-screen marking, Prime Minister Modi wanted to focus more on Instagram. Modi talks about a high-powered committee; what happened to the recommendations by the K Radhakrishnan committee,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi attacks PM for appointing
‘defender of rapists’, ‘filthy man’ as education minister
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday described Pralhad Joshi as a “defender of rapists” and a “filthy man” as he hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for appointing such a person as the country’s Education Minister.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said the Prime Minister could have chosen anyone in his Cabinet as the education minister, but it is strange he chose a person who “protects rapists”.
“The Education Minister of India — who after all these young people were protesting about the education system and so many young girls were protesting and were beaten and thrashed, BJP puts a man who is a defender of rapists. That is the filthiest type of man. There can be no filthier man than somebody who says that rapists need protection. That is the Education Minister of India today,” Gandhi told reporters.
“It is strange. It’s a strange reaction from the prime minister. There are so many people in his Cabinet; he could have chosen any one of them. But he chooses a person who protects rapists. It’s quite amazing,” he also said.
exam system, said this sends a wrong message. The remarks made in Lok Sabha created uproar with the treasury benches demanding that Vadra authenticates whatever she has stated.
Vadra later said she will properly authenticate her words as a video of Joshi is also available with them. “At a time when they are talking about women’s rights, women’s reservation, and they are putting women at the forefront... you know what women have to face and deal within society in
general, their security and everything... this sends a very wrong message,” Vadra said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who earlier made similar remarks inside Lok Sabha while speaking on the bill to make a stringent law against paper leaks and other malpractices in
The Congress also released an earlier video of Joshi, who while sitting with the rapists of Bilkis Bano, was asked about their release. He is heard saying, “I don’t think there is anything wrong in that because that is being done as per process of law.”
