A planned visit by U.S. trade negotiators to New Delhi from August 25-29 has been called off, a source said, delaying talks on a proposed trade agreement and dashing hopes of relief from additional U.S. tariffs on Indian goods from August 27.
The current round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement is now likely to be deferred to another date that has yet to be decided, the source with direct knowledge of the matter said.
The U.S. embassy in New Delhi said it has no additional information on the trade and tariff talks, which are being handled by the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on
Indian goods, citing New Delhi's continued imports of Russian oil in a move that sharply escalated tensions between the two nations.
The new import tax, which will come into effect from August 27, will raise duties on some Indian exports to as high as 50%among the highest levied on any U.S. trading partner. Continued on Page 6...
Cowardly pepper spray attack on PICS CEO Satbir S. Cheema
The South Asian Business Association (SABA) hosted its 16th Annual Golf Tournament on August 14 at Hazelmere Golf Club in Surrey in the presence of Mayor Brenda Locke as the chief guest. Continued on Page 13...
THE Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society has strongly condemned a targeted assault on PICS President and CEO, Satbir S. Cheema on Monday, August 11, when he was pepper sprayed while leaving the PICS head office in Surrey around 5:30 p.m. According to surveillance footage, two masked men in a white Ram pickup truck were waiting in the PICS parking lot. When the CEO exited the building and approached his car, the truck advanced blocking the CEO’s vehicle and one man jumped out and moved towards him, while the other filmed the encounter on his phone. The attacker lunged forward and sprayed a strong-smelling orange substance believed to be pepper spray on Cheema. Continued on Page 10...
Toronto man charged after beating up intruder who broke into his house
After a decision to charge a man for allegedly assaulting an intruder in his home in Lindsay, Ont., sparked widespread reaction this week, one criminal lawyer has a reminder for the public: selfdefence is legal in Canada, but within reason.
The Kawartha Lakes Police Service has faced criticism for charging a 44-year-old man after an altercation that left the alleged intruder with lifethreatening injuries Monday morning in the small
town northeast of Toronto. Police have provided few details but say the resident is facing charges for aggravated assault and assault with a weapon, and the intruder, who is also facing charges, was airlifted to hospital afterward. The incident even prompted reaction from Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who weighed in on the case Wednesday, saying the charges against the resident show "something is broken." Continued on Page 10...
India and China should view each other as "partners" rather than "adversaries or threats", Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday, as he arrived for a two-day visit to Delhi.
Wang met with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar - only the second such meeting between the two sides since 2020 - when deadly clashes in the Galwan valley in Ladakh, a disputed Himalayan border region, led to a complete breakdown of ties between the countries.
Relations are now on a "positive trend" towards cooperation, Wang said ahead of a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Continued on Page 15...
SABA 2025 Golf Tournament a big success - again
The SABA 16th Golf Tournament Winner’s Trophy was presented to Sukh Pander by Mayor Brenda Locke. Also in picture are from left SABA
President Lakvinder Gilla and Directors Ravi Cheema, Bawa Singh, & Kuldeep Gill
Shooting at Surrey car wash came after extortion attempt, owner says
The owner of a Surrey, B.C., car wash that was targeted with gunfire this week said he received an extortion attempt days before the shooting.
Lovepreet Singh told he opened 1313 Car Wash about two-and-a-half years ago, and that everything had been “going very smooth” – until last weekend.
Late Saturday night, Singh said he started receiving a string of WhatsApp calls on his cellphone.
“They are calling back to back, back to back,” he recalled. “They’re disturbing me so I just picked up.”
The callers then demanded $50,000, Singh said. “They’re abusing me, yelling at me,” he said. “I explained to them, I am just renting the property and I don’t have my own house, I’m renting the house, too.”
“I’m not like the big businessman or a millionaire,” he added.
Singh said the callers told him he’d be coming by his house. After waiting a while, he eventually turned in for the night – but surveillance video shows two men approaching and repeatedly
knocking on the door in the early morning hours. Then, on Monday night, Singh was notified about a shooting at his business on 128 Street and 84 Avenue.
The Surrey Police Service told CTV News officers spotted the bullet holes at 1313 Car Wash while patrolling the area around 11 p.m.
“The business was closed, and no employees were on scene at the time of the incident,” the SPS said, in a statement. Apart from the damage from the gunfire, Singh said approximately $20,000 worth of supplies and equipment were stolen from his shop. Singh said the incident has left him, his family and his employees shaken.
FIFA demand sends Vancouver hotel prices sky high
With nearly a year to go before Vancouver hosts 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, hotel rooms are already in short supply for the event, and far from affordable.
The Hyatt Regency has one ofthe more competitive options, with a two-bed room listed at $1,053 per night.
A two-bed suite at the Century Plaza was $1,496, the OPUS Hotel was priced at $2,438, and Hotel Le Soleil came in at an even $2,500 per night.
Even hotels outside the downtown core offered little relief. For example, a room at the Holiday Inn Vancouver-Centre in Fairview goes for $1,096.
For comparison, rates at the same hotels drop
dramatically by mid-August — two months after the FIFA matches.
The Hyatt’s price is roughly $500 lower, Century Plaza’s drops by more than $1,000, and the OPUS rate is a fraction of its June price.
We also noticed prices fluctuate frequently. Some rooms were suddenly a few hundred dollars cheaper (but still expensive) in the afternoon than they were in the morning.
Some hotels might also offer more competitive options – for smaller rooms with a single bed –than are listed on third-party websites.
Vancouver is set to host seven World Cup matches in 2026.
Drivers are engaging in dangerous behaviour in school zones: BCAA
A survey from BCAA finds drivers are engaging in dangerous behaviour in school zones, such as speeding, failing to stop at crosswalks, and distracted driving.
The survey asked British Columbians to identify behaviours they saw often in school zones during the past school year. Ninety one percent reported seeing speeding over the limit in school zones, while 84 per cent said they witness distracted driving.
“We just want to remind drivers to slow down and keep focused on the road,” she said. “School is just around the corner, so it is a busy time for everyone.”
Haakon Koyote, a volunteer with Vision Zero Vancouver, an organization that advocates for zero fatalities on the city’s roads, said he wasn’t surprised by the results.
Most of the respondents – 88 per cent believe these habits are putting children’s lives at risk.
Linda Lawlor, an associate manager with BCAA Community Impact, said drivers are not stopping at crosswalks.
“We know that the most important thing for safety on our roads is getting speeds down to 30 km/h,” he said. “At 50 km/h, eight out of 10 people who are in a crash will die.”
Koyote said the group wants to see 30 km/h at all school zones in the city, as well as speed cameras installed near schools to ticket drivers.
Days after a bank robbery in the B.C. capital, charges have been approved against a 43-year-old suspect.
Authorities said a suspect entered a bank on Douglas Street on Tuesday morning and demanded money.
In a news release, the Victoria Police Department said “no weapons were involved,” but that the suspect made off with some cash.
Police have not disclosed how much money was taken, but said a “substantial amount” was recovered when officers arrested a suspect hours later in downtown
Josue Raul Zuria has since been charged with one count of robbery. He is scheduled to appear in court next on Sept. 11.
Victoria.
Opioid deaths in Canada fell 17% in 2024, but thousands are still dying
Reported opioids deaths decreased nationally in Canada by 17 per cent last year, federal figures show, but the decreases aren't happening uniformly across the country, according to a new report.
The Public Health Agency of Canada released the most recent data on opioid toxicity deaths showing in 2024, 20 people on average lost their lives per day. In 2023, the average was 22 deaths per day. The grim toll last year was 7,146 lives lost.
On Thursday, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) said despite the apparent decrease, the overall number
"It's not time to drop the ball in terms of allocating resources into either harm reduction or treatment," King said in an interview. B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick and Yukon reflected the overall decrease in unconfirmed opioid deaths.
But in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories, opioid-related deaths increased from 2023 to 2024.
The situation is largely unchanged in Nova Scotia and P.E.I., King said.
Toronto's Street Health has run a small supervised consumption site since 2018.
of people dying from opioids in the toxic drug supply remains very high.
It's not known why death rates are declining in many places, though the CCSA did note there was a decrease in potent carfentanil among samples checked, and a shift from consuming by injection to inhalation.
Samantha King, a research and policy analyst with CCSA in Ottawa, said while the decreases are encouraging, deaths still remain much higher than when British Columbia declared opioidrelated overdose deaths a public health emergency in 2016.
"We're still seeing thousands of people die of preventable deaths across this country. And that's not something that I feel comfortable pretending is normal," said Kelly White, the non-profit's manager of harm reduction programs.
White said their clients are at the mercy of the street drug supply people, which has varied over time with corresponding spikes and reductions in overdose deaths.
Fentanyl and similar opioids, like the more potent carfentanil, may be less common now, White said. But, they're seeing more animal tranquilizers, known as tranq, in the supply.
Animal tranquilizers like xylazine and medetomidine may not cause the same respiratory depression as fentanyl, but people's heart ranges can plunge extremely low, and they may develop seeping wounds, White said.
Dan Werb, executive director of the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, attributed the reduction in opioid overdose deaths to drug trafficking organizations changing their recipes.
‘Erratic driver’ on Kelowna pedestrian street did not intend ‘deliberate harm,’ RCMP say
Mounties in Kelowna are investigating after an “erratic driver” caused a chaotic scene in the city’s downtown Wednesday night.
The incident began around 8 p.m., when officers received a call about a hit-and-run crash, Kelowna RCMP said in a news release.
“Shortly thereafter, additional calls were received regarding a vehicle being driven erratically in the areas of Bernard Avenue, Abbott Street, Clement Avenue, St. Paul Street and Ellis Street,” the release reads.
Responding officers arrived to find a “newer, black SUV performing dangerous manoeuvres.” The vehicle eventually entered the “Meet me on
Bernard” pedestrian area of Bernard Avenue, which is closed to cars during the summer.
After colliding with a parked vehicle, the SUV finally came to a stop, police said.
“The driver was taken into custody, and based on the initial investigation, there is no indication to suggest the driver intended to cause deliberate harm to the public,” the release reads. “No injuries have been reported, and the incident is still under investigation.”
Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident or has relevant video to contact the Kelowna RCMP non-emergency line at 250-7623300 and reference file number 2025-49816.
Vancouver police ask public for help finding man wanted Canada-wide
Vancouver police are asking the public for help locating a man wanted Canada-wide for “multiple firearms offences.”
The Vancouver Police Department said in a news release Thursday that it has been investigating 38-year-old Penh “Chad” You since April 2023, when officers received a report that You had “threatened a woman with a firearm during a verbal dispute.”
As part of their investigation, police executed search warrants at multiple residences linked to You, seizing 11 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition during their searches.
In March of this year, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada approved six charges against You, all of them firearms related. Those charges are possessing a firearm without
possessing a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition, failing to report a lost or stolen firearm and contravening Firearms Act regulations.Asked why police were issuing a public appeal for information on You’s whereabouts now, five months after the charges were laid, VPD spokesperson Tania Visintin told in an email that “other investigative steps were taken to try and find You before releasing his image.”
“Those attempts were unsuccessful, so we are now turning to the public for help,” Visintin said.
The wanted man stands 6' tall, weighs 170 pounds and has a medium build, police said in their release, adding that he has short black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts
BC legislator shocked by American senator’s ’nonsense’ pitch to join USA
A British Columbia legislator said he went from “disappointed” to “enraged” after receiving a pitch from a Republican state senator for Canada’s four western provinces to join the United States.
Brennan Day, with the Opposition B.C. Conservative Party, said his office had to first confirm the authenticity of the “nonsense” letter from Maine Sen. Joseph Martin after receiving it last week.
Martin’s three-page pitch said if B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were to seek admission to the United States after referendum votes, it would have to be as full American states.
“This would not be annexation. It would be adoption, welcoming home kindred spirits, who were born under a different flag but who desire to live under our Constitution and accept our responsibilities, customs, and traditions,” he wrote in the letter shared by Day.
Martin said in the letter that his appeal is not a “fantasy of empire” but a “vision deeply rooted in American tradition” that would give the four provinces a chance to “leave behind failing ideologies.”
“For too long, Canadian citizens have been subjected to an illusion of freedom administered through bureaucratic means,” he wrote, adding that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, “while lofty in rhetoric, provides no absolute protection.”
Martin said “millions of people currently frustrated by central authority, moral decay, and bureaucratic suffocation” would be rewarded by “liberty” if the four provinces were to join the United States.
Day said the most shocking part of the letter was its attack on Canadian institutions, like the Charter of Rights, parliamentary government, monarchism, bilingualism, multiculturalism, and
baggage.”
Day said in an interview that Martin needed to look at “how heavy his luggage” is. He said Martin’s party was “hauling around wheeled trunks” of baggage in the United States where the Constitution was “being torn up by Republicans.”
Day said it was not clear why Martin wrote to him, but suspected it might be due to “rhetoric” coming out of Alberta that led Martin to believe British Columbians would be interested. Martin did not immediately respond to a request for comment left by voice mail and text.
Day said he had written a response to Martin, in which he acknowledged that Canada has problems.
“But we don’t fix them by surrendering our identity, as you suggest,” Day said in his response. “We fix them by doing what Canadians have always done — rolling up our sleeves, listening to each other, and finding common ground.”
Day said in his interview that the “overwhelming majority of Canadians” like themselves just as they are.
“We have got a lot of work to do in improving our services, and making sure that we are spending our money wisely, and getting good value for it,” Day said.
“But I don’t think anybody here looks south
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How tax policies undermine housing affordability
By Erick Villagomez: n B.C., ordinary homeowners pay annual property taxes — and when they buy a home, they pay property transfer tax. In recent years, the province and the city of Vancouver have introduced new taxes to curb speculation: the empty homes tax, the speculation and vacancy tax, and the recent flipping tax.
While individual homeowners face rising bills and pay taxes, large landowners, corporate landlords and developers predictably operate within a parallel system — one shaped by exemptions, deferrals, and loopholes. To understand the current state of housing, it’s critical to examine how tax policies across all levels of government — federal to municipal — have quietly become tools to subsidize speculation.
Empty homes tax refunds: The empty homes tax was meant to penalize vacant units during a housing emergency.
But in 2022, Vancouver council refunded $3.8 million of the developers who had failed to sell 60 unsold condos. The rationale? Sluggish sales. But this was not a supply issue — it was an oversupply of unaffordable units. By shielding developers from market risk, the city effectively reversed the intent of its own policy, which was designed to reduce vacancies.
Vacant lot tax shelters — astroturfed gardens as loophole: Landowners can reduce their tax burden by converting sites into nominal “community gardens” — often fencedoff lots with minimal landscaping. B.C. Assessment may reassess such sites at a lower rate, offering substantial tax relief during speculative hold periods.
Under-assessed properties: Owners of large industrial, commercial, and investment properties benefit from the structural weaknesses of B.C.’s property assessment system. Former a B.C. assessment official, Derek Holloway, revealed how large industrial, commercial, and investment properties are routinely undervalued, allowing some major landholders to avoid fair taxation — shifting the burden onto homeowners and small businesses.
Meanwhile, some developers benefit from a long-standing loophole in the property transfer tax through share sales and bare trusts — a workaround that Ontario eliminated decades ago. Finally, we must reaffirm a basic principle of fairness: that those who profit from growth should contribute to the public systems that make it possible.
Federal government plans to reduce size of public service through attrition: minister
Despite warnings from experts that the federal government will have to make deep cuts to the public service if it hopes to meet its promises to reduce operational spending, Government Transformation Minister Joël Lightbound says the “intention” is to rely on retirements and resignations.
“As the prime minister has mentioned, our intention is to go through attrition in terms of reducing the size of public service,” Lightbound said, when asked whether the government’s ongoing spending review will lead to job cuts.
The minister made the comments during a question-and-answer period with reporters following the announcement of a new Cultural Heritage Science facility on Thursday.
Lightbound added it’s “too early for (him) to tell” whether the savings will mean cuts, but repeated that the “intention” is to rely on attrition.
Ahead of an expected fall budget, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali issued letters to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet last month, asking them to present plans by the end of summer to find day-to-day operational savings.
Ministers were told to find 7.5 per cent savings for the 2026-27 fiscal year that begins on April 1, 2026, followed by 10 per cent in 2027-28 and 15 per cent in 2028-29, CTV News reported at the time. “As the prime minister mentioned during the campaign, we’re capping this size of the public
service,” Lightbound said, when asked about a new report by the CD Howe Institute stating that the federal spending review will generate less than half of the savings needed to maintain a good fiscal path.
“Our goal is to reduce it through attrition, but there are also other ways to where we can make savings in terms of the federal government standpoint,” Lightbound said, pointing to the adoption of new technologies as a way to improve government efficiency.
The CD Howe Institute report states the spending review should be broadened to all spending — including to measures delivered through the tax system — if it hopes to make meaningful reductions.
“With a phased approach over the next three years, departments will identify savings of up to 15 per cent of their assigned spending base,” wrote Mohammad Kamal, director of communications for the treasury board president, in an email to CTV News. “Individual organizations are responsible for developing proposals for how best to meet their savings targets. No decisions on any savings proposals have been taken yet.”
Kamal added that the goal of the review is to encourage individual departments to find savings that will help make the public service more effective and efficient, stating: “Fundamentally, this is not an exercise in eliminating jobs or shrinking the public service.”
One in five small businesses in British Columbia could go under within six months, without help or a speedy resolution to Canada’s ongoing trade war, according to an industry group.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB) says a recent survey of its members has concluded small businesses are being disproportionately hammered by U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and Canada’s own retaliatory tariffs.
“A bad deal is the worst case scenario, but the next worst thing is the uncertainty,” said Ryan Mitton, CFIB director of legislative affairs for B.C.
“That’s cause for concern because if governments don’t act fast to provide immediate relief, then
we’re going to start seeing layoffs or small business closures.” That’s a concern for Megan Nakazawa, owner of Local Space in Chilliwack. Even though her business sells only Canadian products, she says her company is already feeling the consumer chill, and closed its Langley location several months ago. At the top of the list is ensuring all revenue from Canadian counter-tariffs is returned to domestic businesses being hurt by the trade war. The group is also calling for action to cut the cost of doing business and reduce taxes, including temporarily cutting the small business tax rate to zero or offering a tariff rebate similar to the former carbon tax rebate.
Continued from Page 1...
Trade talks between New Delhi and Washington collapsed after five rounds of negotiations over disagreement on opening India's vast farm and dairy sectors and stopping Russian oil purchases. India's Foreign Ministry has said the country is being unfairly singled out for buying Russian oil while the United States and European Union continue to purchase goods from Russia.
Poilievre sweeps to Battle River-Crowfoot byelection victory
Pierre Poilievre paused near the end of his victory speech, fighting back tears. Next to him, tears streamed down the cheeks of his wife, Anaida. Poilievre was speaking about the people he met while campaigning in the east-central Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, which he won handily in a byelection Monday night. The Conservative leader greeted supporters roughly 94 km south of Edmonton in a Camrose restaurant not with defiant attack-dog vitriol, but spoke instead about meeting people in the riding, from cancer survivors in Stettler to prison guards in Drumheller. He spoke about being humbled. He said the Conservative party was willing to work with anyone in Ottawa — even the Liberals — in order to build a stronger Canada that could face up to the threat of tariffs being imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
As the ballots were being counted in a landslide win, Poilievre showed not just the people in the room, but all of Canada, that he didn’t have to be an antagonist, ever after.
He said having to get into Parliament via a byelection “reinforced a lot of lessons that all of us in politics have to learn and relearn and relearn again — humility and hard work, loyalty and love.” Ahead of the call of the 2025 federal election,
Poilievre’s Conservatives held a commanding lead in the polls over the Liberals and their new leader, Mark Carney. But that lead evaporated during the election campaign, and Poilievre even lost his own seat in the Ontario federal electoral district of Carleton. Damien Kurek, who won the Battle River-Crowfoot riding with 82.8 per cent of the vote, resigned his seat so Poilievre could run and get a seat in Parliament. Kurek now works for Upstream Strategy Group, a government-relations and communications firm.
Poilievre, who faces a leadership review early next year, needed to not only win the riding but post numbers similar to Kurek’s. With 150 of 286 polls reporting, Poilievre had 18,263 votes. Second-place runner Bonnie Critchley, an independent, had 2,124 votes. There were 214 candidates registered, many of them placed by the Longest Ballot Committee, a group that is advocating for electoral reform. Because of the length of the potential ballot, Elections Canada decided to go with a write-in system instead, slowing the vote count. Kurek said he and his wife, Danielle, knew right away that the right thing to do was give up the seat. He said that Poilievre will be the next prime minister, but the path just won’t be as straightforward as some thought it was going to be.
Canadians are holding more cash in their wallets, Bank of Canada finds
The central bank said Thursday that its 2024 survey on payment methods shows Canadians kept an average of $156 in cash on hand, $16 more than in 2023.
Adjusted for inflation, the Bank of Canada said the value of cash on hand has been “quite stable” since 2017 despite small variations over the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey showed customers are using ATMs and bank branches more often, however, and also taking more cash out per withdrawal.
Broken down by age group, those 55 and older were most likely to have cash on their person at 86.8 per cent, more than 10 percentage points higher than other demographics.
But it was the youngest surveyed cohort, those aged 18 to 34, who held the most in their wallets on average at $206.
The Bank of Canada said those in the lowest income bracket tended to hold the least amount of cash, but were most likely to pay via cash.
The survey of more than 4,000 individuals, done in partnership with Ipsos from mid-October to
mid-November last year, included a selection of respondents logging their regular purchases over a number of days.
Those surveyed suggest they were making roughly one in five purchases with cash.
While the use of cash was on a steady decline heading into the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bank of Canada said those figures have been resilient over recent years.
Thatmarks a deviation from other nations, such as the United States, which Bank of Canada researchers pointed out has seen continued annual declines in the use of cash.
The Bank of Canada said it expects 79 per cent of Canadians had no plans to go cashless in 2024, while eight per cent said they would eventually do so and 13 per cent said they were already cashfree. Those figures were steady from 2022 and 2023.
Credit cards, meanwhile, continue to top the list of the most-used payment methods with 46 per cent of purchase volumes. Debit cards follow at 23 per cent.
Carney, Trump talk ‘new’ trade and security relationship
Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump had a “productive and wideranging conversation” on Thursday, according to a readout from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The two discussed trade and “a new economic and security relationship.” They also spoke about “long-term peace” in Ukraine and Europe and agreed to meet again soon.
The conversation comes amid an ongoing and protracted trade war between Canada and the United States, and three weeks after the two countries blew past a self-imposed deadline to reach a new economic and security deal.
Trump launched the trade war in February with an initial slate of sweeping tariffs, which he said was in response to border concerns, accusing Canada of allowing fentanyl to cross into the United States.
On Aug. 1, when Carney and Trump failed to reach a new deal, the U.S. president increased levies to 35 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods. Most products are, however, exempt from the levies
because of the free trade deal between the two countries.
Canada also has a series of countertariffs in place, as well as measures to support the industries most affected by the trade dispute, with the federal government working to diversify its export markets to help insulate the Canadian economy from an over-reliance on the United States.
Several provinces, meanwhile, have removed U.S. alcohol from liquor store shelves, and Canadians en masse have reduced travel south of the border. Trump and his team have criticized those actions, according to U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, calling the country “nasty” to deal with.
Thursday’s discussion between Trump and Carney is the latest in ongoing negotiations between the two countries in the hopes of inking a new economic and security deal, with several Canadian lawmakers making the trip to Washington to meet with their counterparts in recent months.
Military member charged with terrorism warned of 'another Waco': court docs
One of the heavily armed Canadian Armed Forces members now charged with terrorism allegedly spoke openly about his will to use violence against government authorities and warned about another Waco massacre, according to recently unsealed court documents.
Last month the RCMP charged four Quebec men, all with military ties, for allegedly planning an ideologically motivated violent plot "intending to forcibly take possession of land in the Quebec
City area." Alongside weapons charges, three of them — Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, Simon AngersAudet, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, — have been charged with the serious offence of facilitating a terrorist activity.
A fourth individual, Matthew Forbes, 33, faces charges including possession of firearms, prohibited devices and explosives and possession of controlled items.
The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed Forbes and Chabot are serving members, both based at CFB Valcartier. Angers-Audet is a former CAF member and Lagacé was a civilian instructor with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. According to the documents, the four men were under intense police surveillance since early 2023, including aerial and GPS tracking.
In May 2023, 17 people identified as members of the hide_n_stalk group were observed doing military-like training with longuns in the ZEC Batiscan-Neilson, a controlled wilderness area near Quebec City. Police later searched the site and found bullet casings. According to analysis of video taken of the training offered at the ZEC, it follows the format offered by the Canadian Armed Forces. The analysis said it's clear the training given to the group was from a military-trained person. It notes the techniques being taught were basic, suggesting the trainers had little experience with them. None of the allegations against the four have been tested in court.
Angers-Audet, Lagacé and Chabot have been denied bail while they wait for their trial. Forbes has been granted bail under a lengthy list of conditions that includes wearing a GPS tracking bracelet. Their next court date is scheduled for September. According to the documents, police allege Chabot was a guest on the podcast Modern Canadian Shooter and espoused comments that could be interpreted as accelerationist.
The June 14, 2023, episode is no longer available on Spotify, but according to a transcript of the interview cited in the ITO, Chabot spoke of building an anti-government community.
"That's why building a community is important 'cuz you cannot trust those bastards. I've seen how government works and I don't want to have more of it," he's accused of saying.
"We got to come together and I'm not going (sic) do that half ass and just say we are gonna shoot them when they come in."
Chabot is quoted as deeply opposed to the Liberal government's gun control law, known as Bill C-21.
Nanaimo council ask for ‘dry’ supportive housing dismissed by province
Nanaimo City Council wants a proposed supportive housing site in Nanaimo’s Newcastle neighbourhood to be a “dry” location — where no drugs or alcohol use is permitted — but the province’s housing minister says that a harmreduction approach is better suited for the people who may live there.
Residents in the neighbourhood, who have been advocating for dry housing facilities, say it’s an important option to have for those who are in recovery and seeking support.
Newcastle Community Association president Karen Kuwica said the request for sober supportive housing was precipitated when a senior resident of the temporary housing at 250 Terminal Ave. struck up a connection with a neighbor and asked for help. “They were very concerned about being a sober or a clean-living person in the supportive housing and the struggles they were having —
feeling intimidated by a culture that they didn’t connect with — and asked for outside help,” Kuwica said, adding that the person said they were being intimidated by drug dealers and had recently lost a friend who lived there to an overdose. In February 2024, the province decided to extend the use of temporary housing at 250 Terminal Ave. until the new permanent housing was ready to be built, but reduced the number of units from 78 to 50. The original plan was to close the temporary housing on the site when the 49 residents moved into the Cornerstone supportive housing building on Prideaux Street, but with rising homelessness in the city, the decision was made to keep it open for people transitioning from shelters to housing. Those developments will replace the temporary housing in trailers that have been on the site since 2018, operated by the Island Crisis Care Society.
Surrey police seek info on unsolved 2016 homicide
Homicide investigators are asking for the public's help for any information in connection with the 2016 homicide of Jatinder “Michael” Sandhu. Surrey RCMP responded to a call of shots fired in the 14300 block of 90A Ave on July 23, 2016. First responders found two victims with gunshot wounds, one of whom had what police described as "survivable injuries."
Jatinder “Michael” Sandhu, 28, was transported to hospital but later died from his injuries. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has been in charge of the investigation for the past nine years and is listed as an unsolved case.
"While the evidence gathered to date indicates the shooting was linked
to the BC Gang Conflict, investigators believe that these victims were not the intended targets. Neither Michael nor the surviving victim had criminal records," noted an IHIT news release Thursday (Aug. 14).
“This year Michael would have turned 37. We have missed 8 of his birthdays. Michael loved his birthdays. We still acknowledge this day with his favourite cake and letting off balloons at time of his birth," the statement says. Investigators are asking anyone who may have information about Sandhu's homicide. Anyone with information is asked to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877551-IHIT (4448), or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
'Misinformation' abounds as man charged in assault of intruder
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But Tonya Kent, a criminal lawyer based in Toronto, says public backlash against the charges — including from Ford — is premature given the lack of information about the case. She says some of the concerns about the charges are also erroneous. "I've seen numerous comments on Twitter about how there's no self-defence in Canada, when we fully have a section that deals with self-defence," she said. "I think part of the public fear is a lot of the time misinformation that is passed around online about the way that the law works in Canada."
If someone assaults a person by pushing them, for instance, that person can't then pick up a baseball bat and start beating them and claim selfdefence, she said. Kawartha Lakes Police Chief Kirk Robertson wrote in a statement Wednesday that he recognizes the incident has generated significant public interest and emotional responses, but called
the commentary "unjust and inaccurate."
"Under Canadian law, individuals have the right to defend themselves and their property," Robertson wrote.
"However, it is important to understand that these rights are not unlimited in Canada. The law requires that any defensive action be proportionate to the threat faced. This means that while homeowners do have the right to protect themselves and their property, the use of force must be reasonable given the circumstances."
He added that the reason police released few details is to protect the investigation.
The alleged intruder, a 41-year-old man from Lindsay who was wanted by police on unrelated offences, has been charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, break and enter and theft, mischief under $5,000 and failing to comply with probation.
Canada’s Real Estate Economy, Fueled by Mass Immigration and Offshore Cash, Is Unsustainable, Mayor Brad West Warns
British Columbia, and much of the country, is confronting the consequences of an economic model that was never built to last. For years, we have been told a comforting story about growth — that as long as cranes dot the skyline and property values climb, prosperity will follow. But beneath that veneer lies a stark truth: our economy is not driven by valueadded manufacturing, groundbreaking technology, innovation, or by unlocking our vast natural resource potential. It is built almost entirely on real estate and relentless population growth driven by mass immigration. And it relies on the building and selling of homes to the next wave of newcomers. This is not diversification. This is dependency. And like all dependencies, it eventually demands a price. In the not-too-distant past, B.C.’s prosperity came from sectors that created enduring value: forestry and mining that supplied the world; fisheries that sustained communities; manufacturing that turned raw materials into products; and, in more recent years, tech companies that could compete globally. Today, those industries are shadows of their former selves in our economic mix — thanks, in part, to the strangulation of over-regulation and inordinately lengthy approval processes easily weaponized by those ideologically opposed to resource extraction.
Their demise is not a naturally occurring phenomenon — and it is reversible — but it reflects the agenda and decisions of policymakers. In their place, real estate has become the dominant force, representing nearly 30 percent of B.C.’s GDP with its ancillary sectors. That’s a hell of a lot of eggs in a single basket, and the province’s balance sheet has become frighteningly tied to this cycle.
As the government oversaw this reorganization of the economy, it sent out the proverbial bat signal that investment capital didn’t belong in business development, but in land. Message received. Billions upon billions poured into bidding up land prices. Among the many consequences of this misallocation of capital are high land values squeezing out industrial employers and gnawing away at industrial land, weakening our capacity to make and export things. Today, industrial land makes up barely 4 percent of Metro Vancouver’s landmass. This new growth machine runs on people — specifically, the rapid influx of newcomers. In theory, immigration is a tool to strengthen an economy, replenish a workforce, and foster innovation. But in practice, B.C. and Canada have relied on it as the primary fuel for real estate demand.
Vancouver appoints Alberta lawyer to look into complaint about change of city manager
Responding to a complaint from the public, the City of Vancouver has appointed an Albertabased lawyer to review the process through which Vancouver’s former city manager abruptly left his role last month and was promptly replaced.
The office of Mayor Ken Sim says the complaint is “completely baseless”. But the complainant says he is happy that the city is taking the matter seriously enough to appoint a respected lawyer to review it. Responding to a complaint from the public, the City of Vancouver has appointed an Albertabased lawyer to review the process through which Vancouver’s former city manager abruptly left his role last month and was promptly replaced.
The office of Mayor Ken Sim says the complaint is “completely baseless”. But the complainant says he is happy that the city is taking the matter seriously enough to appoint a respected lawyer to review it. In his complaint, Renger wrote that based on the public statements of council members from outside the city’s majority ABC party, “the implication is that before council as a whole was asked to endorse (van Dyk’s) hiring, it was discussed and agreed upon by the mayor and ABC councillors.”
In an emailed statement Monday, Sim’s office said: “There have been no inappropriate or closed door meetings related to the departure of Paul Mochrie or hiring of Donny van Dyk whatsoever.
Surrey Police investigating pepper spray assault on PICS CEO Satbir S. Cheema
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He was able to avoid direct impact by quickly moving aside, sustaining only minor exposure to clothing, turban and left arm. The attackers immediately fled the scene in their vehicle. Police were called and given the surveillance footage, which captured the incident from two different angles. The matter is under active investigation,
PICS said.
“This cowardly and targeted attack is not just on me personally, but on the values the PICS Society stands for. I am deeply grateful for the support being provided by the local police and the community at large. Let me be clear: violence and intimidation will not deter us from serving those who depend on our services,” said Cheema.
Fiji PM Rabuka to visit India next
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will meet his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi on Monday in New Delhi.
The Ministry of External Affairs, India has announced Mr Rabuka will visit to India from 24 to 26 August 2025.
He will be accompanied by his spouse, Ms. Sulueti Rabuka and the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, and senior government officials will also be part of the delegation.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs of India, the visit
week
highlights the enduring and multifaceted relationship between India and Fiji, with both nations committed to enhancing cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
A key highlight of the visit will be bilateral talks between Prime Minister Rabuka and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scheduled for 25 August in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Modi will also host a lunch in honour of the Fijian leader.
Mr Rabuka is also expected to pay a courtesy call on the President of India.
The visit comes a year after the Indian President’s landmark state visit to Fiji in August 2024. During his time in New Delhi, Prime Minister Rabuka will also deliver a keynote address titled “Ocean of Peace” at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA).
“Prime Minister Rabuka’s visit underscores the longstanding and enduring ties between India and Fiji. It reaffirms the continued commitment of both countries to further strengthen the bilateral relationship across all sectors and deepen our close people-to-people ties,” said the Ministry statement.
Fijian who posed as police officer arrested in USA on sexual assault charges
The Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) in USA has arrested a Fijian security guard for a violent sexual assault and is urging the public to help identify any additional victims who may have been too afraid to come forward.
42 year old Peni Cere, a Santa Rosa resident, was taken into custody by SRPD’s Special Enforcement Team and the Domestic Violence Sexual Assault (DVSA) Unit.
According to police, in early July, a woman sleeping in her car on Montgomery Drive was approached by a man identifying himself as “police.”
Wearing a uniform and badge, he allegedly threatened to report her to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before forcing his way into her vehicle and sexually assaulting her.
The victim delayed reporting the crime due to fear of deportation but later came forward with the
support of a family member.
Mr Cere, who worked as a night-shift security guard at multiple locations in the city, now faces charges of assault with intent to commit rape and threatening arrest or deportation to commit sexual assault.
A Sonoma County judge has enhanced his bail to $250,000.
“Based on the boldness of Cere’s actions, and the fact he impersonated a police officer and used immigration threats, we believe there may be other victims who are still silent,” SRPD said in a statement. Police emphasised that immigration status will not be questioned and encouraged anyone with information to come forward. Under the California Values Act (SB 54) and SRPD’s own policies, officers are prohibited from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement or asking about immigration status.
Kapawale’s 26-year sentence mirrors other multiple murder cases
The High Courts sentence on Tevita Qaqa Kapawale to a minimum term of 26 years and two months in prison for the murder of five fellow crew members on a fishing trip in May 2021 is a sentence the judge says is consistent with punishments in other multiple-murder cases in Fiji.
Justice Dane Tuigereqere noted in his ruling delivered this week that Mr Kapawale had shown “no remorse” and continued to contest the charges despite previously admitting his role in
the killings to others.
His refusal to speak at sentencing or allow a lawyer to represent him was highlighted as further evidence of his lack of acceptance of the verdict.
The court deducted two years from the sentence for Mr Kapawale’s age since he was 28 when the offences occurred.
The court refused any further leniency due to his prior convictions for assault in 2020 and 2021.
A further deduction accounted for the 22 months he has already spent on remand.
Fiji now has a National Child Safeguarding Policy
Cabinet has approved the nation’s first National Child Safeguarding Policy, marking a major milestone in child protection efforts, states the Ministry for Women, Children and Social Protection
Although Fiji already has two critical pieces of legislation, the Care and Protection Act 2024 and the Child Justice Act 2024, this is the first time the country has adopted a unified national policy to guide how government agencies, civil society organisations, and other institutions should safeguard children in their care. The newly approved policy aims to close a critical gap in the child protection system by establishing a standardised framework for safeguarding
responsibilities, practices, and procedures across all sectors working with or for children.
“This Policy ensures that every organisation and institution, whether in government, civil society, education, or health, understands its role in protecting children and is held accountable to clear standards,” said a Ministry statement.
“Cabinet’s approval of the Policy reinforces our determination to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of all children, in line with both national priorities and global commitments.”
“This is a significant step forward for the nation.”
The Ministry added the policy is the result of consultations.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court grants bail to Imran Khan in May 9 violence cases
Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan in eight cases related to the May 9 violence.
Khan’s supporters resorted to vandalism and violence on May 9, 2023, after he was detained by law enforcement authorities in Islamabad.
Several cases were launched against Khan and leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for their alleged role in the riots.
“We must not, under any circumstances, bow our heads down before tyranny and oppression. Remember — no matter how long and dark the night may be, dawn is certain to break. The end of this night of oppression is near. God willing, the sun of justice and freedom will soon rise,” he said.
Khan’s PTI hailed the ruling, using the hashtag “Victory For Imran Khan” in its post on X, while its international spokesman Zulfiqar Bukhari said the party supremo now needed bail in just one case.
A three-member bench of the apex court, led by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, granted Khan bail after hearing the arguments by his lawyer Salman Safdar, and Punjab Special Prosecutor Zulfiqar Naqvi, who represented the state.
The 72-year-old cricketer-turned-politician in a social media post after the verdict said the end of this night of oppression in his country is near.
“My message to the entire nation, to my workers and to the party leadership is that your captain is still standing tall with his head held high. Have no fear,” Khan said.
“Supreme Court has granted bail to Imran Khan for May 9 cases, now bail is needed for just one more case (Al Qadir case) for Mr Khan to come out of jail,” he said.
Bukhari said Khan would not be released despite the latest relief due to his conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Khan had filed a petition for bail in a Lahore anti-terrorism court in the cases related to the May 9 riots, including an attack on the house of the Lahore corps commander, but it was rejected in November 2024.
He challenged it in the Lahore High Court, but it also rejected the plea on June 24 this year. Following this, Khan challenged the dismissal of the bail plea before the top court.
The former premier has been facing multiple other cases filed against him after his removal from office in April 2022.
He has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence at Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala Jail in the 190 million pounds Al-Qadir graft case.
SOUTH ASIA
Pakistan grapples again with deadly flash floods
Dozens of people died in flash floods that followed torrential rains beginning last Thursday in northern Pakistan, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province but also in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. The flooding destroyed infrastructure, farms, and homes—even entire villages. Some were families buried by mudslides.
The death toll from the floods has now risen to nearly 400 people. Since heavier-than-usual monsoon rains began in late June, more than 700 people have died, according to the Pakistani government. The monsoon season doesn’t end until mid-September. On Tuesday and Wednesday, deadly floods also hit the megacity of Karachi, Pakistan’s financial capital. Floods are common
in Pakistan, but they have surged in intensity in recent years. A massive flash flood incident killed more than 1,000 people and displaced nearly 8 million in 2022. Scientists link the main triggers for these disasters—heavy monsoon rains and glacial melt—to climate change. Pakistan ranks as one of the most climate change-vulnerable countries.
The latest floods are a reminder of the high stakes for Pakistan of international climate talks. At the U.N. climate conference in November 2022, known as COP27, Islamabad had a big hand in a major achievement: Just weeks after that year’s floods, Pakistani delegates helped convince developed countries to agree to a loss-anddamage fund that would provide compensation to countries vulnerable to climate change.
Satish Golcha, new Delhi Police chief, debunked
ISI’s Shopian ‘rape’ lies
Satish Golcha, a 1992-batch IPS officer who was appointed Delhi Police Commissioner on Thursday, was instrumental in dismantling a false narrative orchestrated by Pakistan's ISI during the 2009 Shopian rape case in south Kashmir.
The case, which was initially framed as a sexual assault, was later found out to be a conspiracy created by separatists in connivance with others at the behest of their handlers across the border.
The 2009 case that ignited widespread protests in the Kashmir Valley was initially framed as the rape and murder of two women by security forces. Later, investigators found out that it was carefully orchestrated by Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI to destabilise the region.
The narrative, which paralysed the region for 47 days, was dismantled by a dedicated 12-member team led by Golcha, who was posted as deputy inspector general in the CBI at the time. On May 30, 2009, the bodies of two women were discovered in a stream in Shopian district, a day after they were reported missing from a family orchard. The initial claims — amplified by protests and opposition political parties in Jammu and Kashmir — suggested they had been raped and drowned by security personnel. The resulting public outrage led to a complete shutdown of the valley besides the arrest of five policemen. With the state's Special Investigation Team failing to resolve the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was called in.
SABA 2025 Golf Tournament a big success
As in previous years, all proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Royal Columbian Hospital.
food stalls, engaging games, generous giveaways, and a strong sense of camaraderie. At the evening dinner, SABA Senior Vice President
welcomed guests and sponsors, expressing heartfelt gratitude for their continued support. She also congratulated SABA President Lakhvinder Gill and his entire team for organizing a memorable and impactful event.
The day featured vibrant
Puneet Sandhar
PUNJAB
BJP leaders detained after Punjab halts outreach programmes
A day after the state government stopped the Bharatiya Janata Party’s mega outreach programme, ‘BJP de sewadar aa gaye ne tuhade dwar’, being conducted in rural areas, the police on Thursday detained party leaders from various such camps that were being organised across the state.
BJP leader Pritpal Sharma was detained from one such camp being organised at Sukhna Ablu village in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment here. Pritpal's wife, a PCS officer, is currently posted in Fazilka district.
While being forcibly detained and escorted out of the venue, Pritpal, in a live video on Facebook, said, “The camp was set up to facilitate poor people, but the state government has stooped so low that it is detaining people like me.” A large number of police personnel, including Gidderbaha DSP Avtar Singh, were present at the spot. BJP leaders at such camps used to enroll residents for central Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes. Jalandhar BJP youth leader Ashok Sareen Hicky also termed the move of the state government as an ‘attempt to scuttle’ the GOI schemes from reaching the downtrodden. Former Union Minister
Preneet Kaur strongly condemned the manhandling of BJP workers and villagers by Punjab Police at Masingan, Sanaur. She said the camp was held with full authorisation and transparency, yet the AAP government, out of sheer political insecurity, ordered the police to forcibly dismantle it.
Punjab govt orders special girdawari for flood-damaged crops amid rising river waters
Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation, and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian announced today that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government has issued orders for a special girdawari to compensate for crop damage and other losses caused by rising water levels in rivers.
During his visit to the flood-affected villages of Baupur Jadeed and Sangra in Sultanpur Lodhi, where he met with affected families, Hardeep Singh Mundian informed that the Mann government has initiated the compensation process for crop losses. He stated that Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to complete the special girdawari as soon as water levels recede and submit their reports promptly so that appropriate compensation can be provided to affected people.
The Revenue Minister also disclosed that relief operations in the flood-affected districts of Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka are being monitored by a ministerial committee. The Cabinet Ministers are visiting various districts to share the grief of affected people while continuously overseeing relief operations. He further said that Rs 2 crore have been released for relief operations in Kapurthala district to ensure that the distribution of rations, drinking water, medicines, and livestock healthcare services continues for affected people. Responding to a query, the Cabinet Minister said that under flood prevention measures, a special campaign will be launched across Punjab to further strengthen dhussi and advance bundhs. He stated that dhussi bundhs are completely secure at present.
Punjab on alert as rising levels in Himachal dams trigger flood concerns; state rushes response teams AAP sarpanch from Moga caught on camera using drugs; admitted to rehab centre
A video of AAP’s sitting sarpanch from Moga district consuming drugs has gone viral on social media, raising serious questions about the state government’s much-publicised campaign against narcotics.
Virsa Singh, sarpanch of Chirag Shah Wala village in Kot Ise Khan block, was identified in the viral video. Dharamkot DSP Raman Deep Singh confirmed that the person seen in the video is indeed the serving sarpanch.
During police inquiry, Virsa Singh admitted to drug consumption and expressed willingness to give up the habit. Following this, the administration
facilitated his admission to a de-addiction and rehabilitation centre for treatment, said the DSP. While officials termed it a corrective step, the incident has sparked widespread criticism, with opposition parties and social activists claiming that if elected representatives of the ruling party themselves are struggling with drug addiction, it reflects the deep rot in the state’s drug problem. The case has once again highlighted the gap between the state government’s anti-drug campaign and ground realities, where the menace continues to spread even among those holding public office, said the political opponent.
As water levels in dams continue to rise due to incessant rains in Himachal Pradesh — particularly in the upstream areas of the Beas and Satluj rivers — and water keeps gushing into Punjab’s plains, the state government has rushed its teams to floodaffected and flood-prone areas.
Controlled release of water is being done from Pong Dam for nearly a week, and from Bhakra Dam for the past two days. These releases have impacted several villages across Sultanpur Lodhi, Tanda, Nangal, Ferozepur, Fazilka, and Tarn Taran.
An emergency meeting of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) was convened on Wednesday evening to assess the flood situation in Punjab. During the meeting, a representative from the Himachal Pradesh government urged the
BBMB not to restrict the release of water into the Beas, citing flooding in their areas.
Beginning Thursday, 75,000 cusecs of water will be released in a controlled manner from Pong Dam, where inflows had reached approximately 1 lakh cusecs on Wednesday. Since the water level in the Bhakra Dam too reached 1666.32 feet on Wednesday, controlled releases will again be made on Thursday. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the Punjab government has dispatched its cabinet ministers to flood-affected areas. Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal will review the flood situation in Ferozepur and Tarn Taran. Minister Hardeep Mundian will review the situation in Sultanpur Lodhi, and Laljit Bhullar will distribute relief materials to flood-affected people in Patti.
Assam
man gets death
sentence for killing college student for refusing his marriage proposal
A local court in Assam on Thursday sentenced a man to death for murdering a woman exactly four years ago for refusing his marriage proposal, officials said. District and Sessions Court Judge Ajay Faglu passed the sentence after the accused was convicted on Wednesday under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code — including Section 302 (murder), Section 307 (attempt to murder), and Section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means).
Nandita Saikia was returning home from Moridhol College with a friend and her father on
August 21, 2021 when Rintu Sarma, a fourth-grade worker in the same college, attacked all three and injured them seriously. Nandita was stabbed several times with a machete and they were admitted to a hospital here, officials said.
Her injuries were grievous and she was shifted to a hospital in Dibrugarh where she died five days later.
Under Section 324 of the IPC, the judge sentenced the convict to three years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine and in default of payment of fine, he will undergo imprisonment for another three months.
Gurukul warden detained for branding 2 children with hot iron rod in Rajasthan’s Barmer
A teacher-cum-warden of a gurukul in Rajasthan’s Barmer district allegedly branded two children, aged around 10 and 11, with a hot iron rod to “discipline” them for bed-wetting, officials said on Thursday. The alleged incident took place on August 17 at a gurukul in the Harpaliya village of Sedwa area, run by Harpaleshwar Mahadev Vikas Seva Samiti. According to officials, the gurukul, operational since 2022, houses children from poor and nomadic families, some of whom were orphans.
Police said the matter surfaced after one of the children fled the gurukul at night and informed his family about the alleged torture.
Villagers later gathered outside the institution, demanding strict action after a purported video showing the children’s burn injuries and their accounts of alleged mistreatment went viral.
Chauhatan Deputy SP Jeevanlal Khatri confirmed that Narayan Giri, a resident of Bharatpur, who was a warden-cum-teacher at the gurukul, has been detained. “A viral video showed children alleging that they were branded with a hot rod. Following this, we took Narayan Giri into custody,” Khatri said. Meanwhile, parents and locals demanded strict legal action and closure of the gurukul, if found guilty of negligence.
‘If you want to be fully independent, don’t get married’: Supreme Court
Those who want to remain “fully independent” should not enter wedlock, the Supreme Court said on Thursday, noting that it was ‘impossible’ for either spouse in a continuing marriage to say they want to be independent of their partner.
"We are very clear. No husband or wife can say ‘I want to be independent of the other spouse while our marriage is continuing’. That’s impossible. Marriage means what... coming together of two souls, persons. How can you be independent?" a Bench led by Justice BV Nagarathna wondered during the hearing of a dispute of an estranged couple with two young children.
“If anyone wants to be fully independent, they should not enter matrimony,” the Bench -- which also included Justice R Mahadevan – said.
"You may get a job, you may not get a job…But he has to maintain you and the children," the Bench said. However, the wife said she did not want to be dependent on anyone. "You can't say that... Once you are married, you are emotionally, otherwise dependent on the husband. Financially you may not be… You can't say ‘I don't want to depend on anybody’. Then why did you get married? I don't know, I may be old-fashioned but no wife can say ‘I don't want to be dependent on my husband’,” Justice Nagarathna said. The Bench directed the husband to deposit Rs 5 lakh towards interim maintenance of the wife and children at this juncture and posted the matter for September 16.
The Bench directed the wife to hand over the children to the petitioner for celebrating the birthday of the younger son on August 23. It asked the man to ensure that the children were at the wife's place for the birthday celebration in the evening. "If they (the couple) come together, we will be happy because the children are very young. Let them not stare at a broken home. What’s their fault that they should have a broken home," the Bench said, requesting the parties to sort out their differences.
China and India should be partners, not adversaries
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Jaishankar said that India and China were seeking to "move ahead from a difficult period in our ties".
The two counterparts held discussions on a range of bilateral issues from trade to pilgrimages and river data sharing.
Wang also met India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday for on-going negotiations on resolving the boundary dispute between the two countries.
The visit is being seen as the latest sign of a thaw in ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours. India and China had agreed on patrolling arrangements to de-escalate tensions along the disputed Himalayan border in October last year.
Since then, the two sides have taken a range of steps to normalise relations, including China allowing Indian pilgrims to visit key places in the Tibet autonomous region this year. India has
also restarted visa services to Chinese tourists and agreed to resume talks to open border trade through designated passes.
There are also reports that direct flights between the two countries will resume this year.
Wang's meetings are expected to lay the groundwork for Modi's first visit to China in seven years later this month, to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional security bloc. Reports suggest Modi might also hold bilateral talks with China's President Xi Jinping, but neither side has confirmed this.
The rapprochement between the countries comes in the backdrop of India's worsening bilateral relationship with the US.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% penalty on Indian imports for buying oil and weapons from Russia, taking total tariffs to 50% - the highest in Asia.
