U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that will raise his tariffs on Canada to 35 per cent starting midnight Friday, a deadline he set for a new trade deal that has failed to materialize. Trump also signed an executive order that will have new tariffs on a wide swath of U.S. trading partners to go into effect in seven days. The order keeps his “reciprocal” 10 per cent baseline tariff rate in place with higher rates for other countries that have yet to sign a new trade deal with the U.S.
The White House said Trump was raising the tariff rate because Canada “has failed to cooperate in curbing the ongoing flood of fentanyl and other illicit drugs” into the U.S., as well as Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on American goods.
“In response to Canada’s continued inaction and retaliation, President Trump has found it necessary to increase the tariff on Canada from 25 per cent to 35 per cent to effectively address the existing emergency,” the White House said in a statement.
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India has built the first "animal overpass" on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway to protect wildlife, allowing animals to cross the road safely without any danger.
This step is being considered an important initiative towards environmental protection.
Trump hits India with 25% tariffs - plus 'penalty' for trading with Russia US DEA uncovers massive drug operation connected to South Asian man
A Surrey man with alleged links to the international drug trade has been arrested in the United States, court documents show.
Opinder Singh Sian has been arrested and held in custody in connection with allegedly attempting to traffic 530 lbs. of methamphetamine from Los
Angeles to Australia. In an arrest warrant obtained by the Surrey Now-Leader, it states that Sian had been charged with conspiracy to export at least 50 grams of methamphetamine. The alleged trafficking occurred on or around the summer of 2023 in Los Angeles.
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The biggest winners in the UK-India trade deal
Much like cricket, trade talks with India have been a long game, with plenty of sticky wickets along the way. As India’s cricket team went head-to-head with England at Old Trafford on Thursday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi flaunted their newly inked free trade agreement at Chequers, Starmer’s country residence. The parallel did not
go unnoticed by the two leaders.
“For both of us cricket is not just a game but a passion — and also a great metaphor for our partnership,” Modi told reporters shortly after the deal was signed. “There may be a swing and a miss at times, but we always play with a straight bat. We are committed to building a high-scoring, solid partnership.” The ceremony marked the symbolic end to three years of sometimes fraught head-tohead negotiations between India and Britain’s trade teams. While far from what British negotiators envisaged when they began the talks, the U.K. has managed to chalk up a fair few wins, with some stand-out sectors emerging triumphant. Indian negotiators can also boast of a few victories.
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The US will impose 25% tariffs on goods imported from India "plus an unspecified penalty" for buying Russian oil and weapons, President Donald Trump has said.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, he said the measures would take effect from 1 August, the US deadline for a trade deal. He described India as a friend whose "tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world".
Back in April, Trump had announced tariffs of up to 27% on Indian goods, which were later paused. This Friday is the latest deadline for India and other countries to either reach a trade agreement or face increased tariffs.
Tariffs are taxes charged on goods imported from other countries. The US president has repeatedly taken aim at India's high tariffs, branding it a "tariff king" and a "big abuser" of trade ties.
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Abbotsford
The City of Abbotsford in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley says it will not issue a permit for a concert by Sean Feucht, becoming the latest Canadian cancellation for the American Christian musician who’s outspoken in the Make America Great Again movement.
The city said in a statement that the permit for a proposed Aug. 24 show at Mill Lake Park is being denied because of the potential for protesters and counter-protesters.
B.C. Conservative legislator Heather Maahs, who represents Chilliwack North, says on social media platform X that Abbotsford’s decision “undermines the principles of an open, democratic society.”
Maahs says the cancellation raises “serious concerns” about freedom of expression, religion and peaceful assembly.
Feucht ran unsuccessfully as a Republican candidate for Congress in 2020 and has been criticized for remarks on the LGBTQ+ community and abortion. Six of his concerts in Central and Eastern Canada were cancelled last week.
“Given the recent publicity surrounding the proposed event, the city believes that the event could
potentially attract significant numbers of protesters and counter-protesters in addition to attendees,” the City of Abbotsford says in the statement.
“These factors, among others, make the community safety considerations of the proposed event extremely difficult to mitigate, and the city found that no permit conditions could adequately address the potential risks to the public.”
“You can no longer call Abbotsford the ‘Bible Belt’ of B.C. when they cancel outdoor worship to Jesus,” Feucht says in the post.
Feucht is also due to play in West Kelowna on Aug. 23, and the city said earlier this week that it was reviewing safety and security plans for the private booking and there were “increased concerns” about the concert.
Donny van Dyk, Delta and Pentiction's former city manager who also worked for Enbridge, will take over as Vancouver's city manager, replacing Paul Mochrie, who stepped down eight days ago.
The city made the announcement in a news release on Thursday morning.
"Donny brings a results-driven mindset and a strong mix of public and private sector experience that will help us deliver real, tangible outcomes for Vancouverites," said Mayor Ken Sim in the news release.
The city's statement says the Terrace-born van Dyk will take on "key priorities," namely delivering on the next four-year capital plan. Sim has already signalled he would like to have a zero per cent property tax increase.
"I look forward to working with Mayor Sim, council, city leadership and the talented City of Vancouver staff team as we deliver on council's agenda for a vibrant and inclusive future for everyone who lives and works in this world-class city," said van Dyk in the release.
Van Dyk comes to Vancouver after a two-year stint in Delta as that city's top staffer. He came to Delta from Penticton, where he was also city manager.
Passing that budget would come around 10 months before the next municipal election in October 2026.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday Canada’s intent to recognize a Palestinian state will make it “very hard” for the two countries to negotiate a trade deal, but also said it may not be a “dealbreaker.”
“Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them,” Trump said on Truth Social.
The president made the post on his social media platform early on Thursday, hours after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada intends to recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Trump later told reporters at the White House that Canada’s position was “not a dealbreaker” but again voiced his displeasure.
“We’re going to see,” he said at an unrelated event Thursday. “I didn’t like what they said, but you know, that’s their opinion. I didn’t like that.
“We haven’t spoken to Canada today. He’s called, and we’ll see,” he added, without specifying who he was referring to.
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is in Washington this week for ongoing negotiations toward a deal. His office declined to share an
Outside his decade in municipal governance, Vancouver said van Dyk held senior roles at Enbridge, "where his work spanned Indigenous relations, government affairs and finance." He ran unsuccessfully for the B.C. Liberal Party (B.C. United) in the 2009 general election for the riding of Skeena. Elections B.C.'s political contributions system shows Donald van Dyk contributing $6,645.17 to the party from 2006 to 2017.
update on those talks when asked by Global News on Thursday.
Trump on Thursday suggested many of the same grievances he’s long voiced about Canada, including its supply management system for the dairy industry and military spending, remain.
“They have to pay a fair rate,” he said. “They’ve been very, very poorly led, and all we want is fairness for our country.”
Carney said Wednesday evening that recognizing a Palestinian state is conditional. Carney’s decision followed France and Britain also indicating they would recognize a Palestinian state, though French President Emmanuel Macron said the recognition would come without conditions.
Chilliwack MLAs say NDP mismanagement allowed crime to 'spiral'
Chilliwack MLAs are outraged that Chilliwack's crime rate has earned the dubious distinction of being the highest in the country, based on numbers from Statistics Canada.
Progress readers learned on Tuesday (July 22) that Chilliwack had topped the crime rate in Canada for 2024, among census metropolitan areas, with 11,352 incidents per 100,000 people and a crime-severity index of 141.7.
failed them,” said Á’a:líya Warbus, MLA for Chilliwack–Cultus Lake in the release.
“People are afraid to walk alone at night, properties are being broken into, and repeat offenders are cycling through the system with no accountability," said Warbus. "The NDP has let public safety crumble, and their failed drug experiment is making it worse.
The MLAs argue in their news release on Friday (July 25) that the real story is that the policereported numbers "follow years of escalating crime, failed justice reform, and drug policies" from the NDP government which have only made things worse.
“Chilliwack families are living with the consequences of a system that has completely
"It’s time to restore consequences, rebuild care, and end policies that enable an environment ripe for crime.”
The numbers aren't an anomaly.
“How did we become the most dangerous city in Canada?" asked Heather Maahs, MLA for Chilliwack North. “This isn’t a blip. These numbers have been bad for years and the NDP still has no plan to turn it around.”
Despite efforts at the local level, including added RCMP positions, provincial mismanagement has allowed crime to spiral, said the MLAs' release. They say it points to "a broken justice system and failed policies that continue to fuel disorder and fear."
“Policing alone can’t fix a broken system,” added Warbus.
“We need to tackle the root causes such as proper addictions treatment, housing, and a justice system that actually protects communities.”
Firefighters say a brush fire in the British Columbia Interior was caused when a bird dropped a fish on power lines. Ashcroft Fire Rescue says in a Facebook post that the fire happened Wednesday about six kilometres south of the town, sharing photos that include a charred fish on the blackened ground. The post says investigators found the fish that “had been dropped by a local osprey onto hydro lines,” with the resulting embers starting the fire on dry grass below. Firefighters say the fire occurred about three kilometres west of the
closest river, and investigators suspect the “tired” bird may have dropped the fish due to its size and high temperatures at the time. The post says without explanation that firefighters verified that the “prime suspect sustained no injuries in the incident.”
The fire department says the incident briefly knocked out the power for the town of Ashcroft.
The post says firefighters and ranchers used about 4,800 gallons of water to put out the blaze.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2025.
Out-of-control wildfire near Harrison Lake now 90 hectares in size
An out-of-control burning on the east side of Harrison Lake continues to grow.
The Bear Creek wildfire is burning about 20 km north of Harrison Hot Springs. It was first spotted on Tuesday and is now mapped at 90 hectares in size.
Campers were evacuated from the area on Tuesday evening, and on Thursday, the Fraser Valley Regional District issued an evacuation alert for the North Cascade Bay area, south of the fire.
The alert covers the Cascade Peninsula Recreational Site. Two forest service roads, the Harrison East and Kookipi FSRs, have been closed due to the fire.
Their closure means the Cogburn and Bear Creek recreation sites are inaccessible.
While the fire has disrupted some popular recreation spots ahead of the long weekend, the
community of Harrison Hot Springs is not under threat.
“The village of Harrison Hot Springs and the beach front of the lake there are all open and safe. The businesses that are there are ready to welcome visitors for a long weekend,” said Erinn Kredba with Tourism Harriosn.
The BC Wildfire Service has assigned two 22-person unit crews, five helicopters and a skimmer aircraft group to the fire. Officials believe the fire was caused by human activity.
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What Trump's threat to tariff Russia's trade partners means for India
President Trump has announced new tariffs on India, but warned India there is more to come as punishment for buying fuel and weapons from Russia.
The United States will impose 25% tariffs on Indian goods starting in August, Trump said on social media on Wednesday. Also, he added, "they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE." He said there will be "a penalty" for that.
Earlier this month, Trump warned Russia to stop its war in Ukraine or else its trading partners would be hit with 100% "secondary tariffs." That came as U.S. lawmakers have been working on a bill that would allow an even tougher punishment of up to 500% tariffs.
India is now the biggest customer of Russian crude oil by volume, according to data from Finland-based think tank the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. China remains the biggest buyer in terms of dollar amount.
Here is a look at how the threats could affect India, a major U.S. partner with one of Asia's largest economies. President Trump's threat against Russia and its trade partners has been met with defiance in New Delhi. Last week, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said there were "double standards" in Trump's threats to punish Russia's trade partners. Misri did not elaborate, but it could be a reference to members of the European Union and others that continue to import fuel from Russia directly or indirectly. Yet analysts say India may not have much leverage. India enjoys a trade surplus with the U.S., which is India's biggest export market. Plus, a similar U.S. threat has worked in the past: During Trump's first presidency in 2019, India stopped importing oil from Iran after Trump imposed sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program.
The threats to Moscow's trading partners might not cripple the Russian economy as the U.S. hopes, says Matt Gertken, chief geopolitical strategist at BCA Research, a U.S.-based investment research firm. After previous Western sanctions on Moscow over its war in Ukraine, he says, Russia created a "shadow fleet" of tankers — essentially third-party intermediaries — to deliver oil to its importers.
Woman calls out partying campers at Alouette Lake
A B.C. woman is speaking out about etiquette and enforcement, after recording a video of shocking backcountry behaviour.
Kristena Owen and a group of friends captured the scene over the weekend, after paddleboarding to one of the East Beach camping sites on Alouette Lake in Golden Ears Provincial Park.
Owen said the group had no illusions they would be alone in unspoiled nature, but said what they encountered went far beyond simply sharing a campground with strangers.
The 18-site backcountry camp spot, she said, was instead overrun by a group of 60 to 80 partiers.
“They had music blasting like really, really loud. There was garbage everywhere,” she said.
“Their music was going all day long, and just like all day long from the boat launch, they were bringing groups of people to their kind of gathering.”
Owen said the rowdy crowd ignored designated campsites and had tents all over the beach and blocking the trails to the outhouses and the bearproof food caches. At one point, she said a group of girls from the crowd came to tell her a bear had been through their campsite — something
she said was no surprise. “Unless you are actively cooking and eating, your camp is supposed to be clean. Your garbage is supposed to be put away. You can’t leave things out,” she said.
“They probably had, that you could count in the videos, I want to say 12 coolers, and I’m sure there were more that we didn’t see. They had bags of garbage. What you can actually see in the video is an improvement from what it was there before.”
According to Owen, things got worse overnight when the revellers set off a bear banger in contravention of the fire ban, and cranked up a karaoke machine to full volume at 12:30 a.m.
She said when she went to ask them to turn the music down, the group was less than friendly.
Canadian job vacancies fell to a near 8-year low amid hiring freezes
The Canadian job market showed more signs that it may be cooling off as companies slow or freeze hiring plans, with Statistics Canada reporting that job vacancies are at the lowest point in almost eight years.
That comes as the Canadian job market continues to adapt to a rapidly changing landscape, as the trade war and U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies force some businesses to pivot in order to help minimize the impacts, including higher costs.
Companies are mostly focused on maintaining their current business operations rather than setting long-term goals to expand due to the “uncertainty” echoed by many economists and policymakers surrounding international trade — including a pending deal between Canada and the U.S.
“If you’re an organization and you don’t have clarity on what your business is going to look like tomorrow or next month or next quarter, you’re not going to be risking adding any type of cost into the businesses,” says Cal Jungwirth, director of permanent placement services at Robert Half.
number of job vacancies in May of 2025 fell by nearly 16 per cent.
Statistics Canada also says that with May’s reported job vacancies totalling 478,200, it is the lowest level recorded since October 2017.
“Organizations are not hiring at the levels that they were to begin the year, and we’re not seeing right now just simple turnover or churn,” says Jungwirth.
“So when an individual stays (at a job) where they’re at, versus if they were looking to leave and make a move, when they leave, that opens up a vacancy and creates jobs in the marketplace. If they don’t leave their current role, the vacancy is not created. So, it’s kind of a double whammy.”
The Regional District of Nanaimo has issued a state of emergency and an evacuation order for properties on the north side of Cameron Lake due to a new wildfire.
The evacuation order, which took effect just before 11 a.m., covers the north side of the lake, including Chalet Road and Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park.
The Wesley Ridge fire was discovered just before midnight on Wednesday and is currently 60 hectares in size. THe fire is burning in a steep, densely forested hillside making for difficult firefighting conditions.
Fortunately for the communities of Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet, the fire is burning on the
opposite side of the lake from Highway 4.
BC Wildfire Service fire information officer Kimberly Kelly said the fire was showing Rank 2 and Rank 3 behaviour, meaning “a low, vigorous ground-surface fire with open flame visible.” The wildfire service has 40 personnel on the ground, along with crews from Coombs and Dashwood, backed by helicopters, and has requested air tankers.
“I’m not saying no one is hiring out there, but as a general trend, yeah, until organizations have a better feel of what the economy is going to look like, they’re going to continue to be very cautious.” According to the agency, the number of job vacancies, meaning job openings listed by businesses that have yet to be filled, fell in May of 2025 by 20,400, or 4.1 per cent, compared to the previous month, and that’s after a 3.4 per cent drop in April.
Compared to the same month in 2024, the total
“While the numbers (of job vacancies) have slipped over the past few months, they’ve also come down a lot just in general from their peaks in 2022, and the job vacancy rate is now a bit below where it was pre-pandemic,” says Bernard.
“I think 2022 was an exceptional period for the economy and the labour market in a lot of different ways. So we would expect that to cool off to some degree.”
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Goods traded under the Canada-United StatesMexico Agreement on free trade (CUSMA) will continue to be exempted from the higher tariff, the White House confirmed. It added goods that are transshipped through other countries to avoid the 35 per cent rate will instead be charged a tariff of 40 per cent.
Trump had earlier Thursday suggested many of the grievances he has repeatedly voiced about Canada, including its supply management system for the dairy industry and military spending, remain.
“They have to pay a fair rate,” he told reporters at the White House. “They’ve been very, very poorly led, and all we want is fairness for our country.
“We haven’t spoken to Canada today. He’s called, and we’ll see,” he added, without specifying who he was referring to. Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is in Washington this week for ongoing negotiations toward a deal. His office declined to share an update on those talks when asked by Global News on Thursday. The Prime Minister’s Office also declined to comment
when asked if Prime Minister Mark Carney had reached out to Trump or the White House this week. In July, Trump delayed his slew of global “reciprocal” tariffs, including those on Canada and Mexico, to Aug. 1 with the intention of signing individual trade deals with hundreds of countries.
Later that month, in a letter to Carney posted to Truth Social, Trump threatened a 35 per cent tariff on “Canadian products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.” However, seizures at the northern border shot up to 11 and 14 kilograms in April and May, respectively, before dropping again to one kilogram last month.
“Fentanyl seizures at the northern border this fiscal year, with two months remaining, have surpassed total seizures of the past three years combined, underscoring Canada’s escalating role in this crisis,” the White House said.
“The amount of fentanyl seized at the northern border to date this fiscal year could have killed more than 16 million Americans due to the drug’s potency.”
US DEA uncovers massive drug operation connected to South Asian man
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Court documents allege that Sian is an "alleged member of a criminal gang" and had links with the Irish organized crime Kinahan family and Italian and Canadian organized crime groups.
The Vancouver Sun noted that Sian was also linked to the B.C.-based Brother Keepers gang.
DEA inserts undercover source
In June 2022, a special agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)'s highintensity drug trafficking area group received a tip from the DEA's Ankara, Turkey office about inserting a confidential source into an international drug trafficking organization. The organization allegedly needed help from someone acting as the transportation coordinator for moving drugs from Los Angeles to Australia.
A member from the drug trafficking organization in Turkey spoke with the source on the phone and gave them Sian's number. The warrant notes that Sian was living in Vancouver at the time, but the Vancouver Sun article noted his connections to Surrey.
Sian and the source met in person and spoke over the phone several times, where they allegedly discussed coordinating "multiple deliveries of methamphetamine from co-conspirators" to the
confidential source in Southern California for shipment to Australia.
"Sian advised the source that he and his criminal associates would be delivering a total of an estimated 500-750 kilograms of methamphetamine that would be made in separate deliveries being coordinated by Sian’s criminal associates," the court documents read.
Sian and his associates arranged for four dropoffs to the source, which would be shipped off to Australia. He created several group chats with the source and his criminal associates to arrange the deliveries – which included "approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine on June 22, 2023; 200 pounds of methamphetamine on July 6, 2023; 100 pounds of methamphetamine on August 21, 2023; and 200 pounds of methamphetamine on August 28, 2023," the document reads.
Ultimately, in mid-October 2023, DEA and Australian law enforcement "packaged sham methamphetamine and placed a tracking device inside."
Undercover Australian officers gave the shipment to members from a drug trafficking location, who then drove it to their stash house. Authorities raided the stash house shortly afterwards and arrested the couriers.
Trump hits India with 25% tariffs - plus 'penalty' for trading with Russia
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"But now I'm in charge, and you just can't do that," he said earlier on Tuesday.
India's government said it was studying the implications of Trump's remarks.
It said it "attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare" of Indian farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses.
"The government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest."
Since April, both sides have been racing to negotiate an agreement, with officials sometimes sounding positive and at other times, measured.
"We continue to speak with our Indian counterparts. We've always had very constructive discussions with them," US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said earlier this week.
He also acknowledged that although he had earlier said a deal with India might be "imminent", it needed to be understood that Delhi's trade policy has been "protectionist for a very long time" and has been "premised on strongly protecting their domestic market".
Greer added that Trump has been focused on securing deals that substantially open other markets to the US.
Agriculture and dairy are among the key sticking points for both countries.
He also criticised India's purchases of Russian military equipment and energy "when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE".
India said it was committed to "concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement". Last year, the US had a trade deficit of $45.8bn (£26.1bn) with India. For years, Washington has pushed for greater access to India's farm sector, seeing it as a major untapped market.
But India has fiercely protected it, citing food security, livelihoods and the interests of millions of small farmers.
Last week, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told CNBC that the agriculture sector is sensitive for India and that it will make sure that farmers' interests are "well protected".
Goyal also told news agencies that India remains "optimistic" about striking a deal with Washington soon.
Speaking to Reuters, he said that India was making "fantastic progress" in talks with the US and that he hoped they were able to "conclude a very consequential partnership".
Until recently, the US was India's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $190bn in 2024. Trump and Modi have set a target to more than double this figure to $500bn.
police step
A recent uptick in violent incidents involving young people — including assaults, thefts and a fatal stabbing — has led Abbotsford police to raise red flags about growing safety concerns in the community.
“We’re often seeing youth gathering in groups, getting into trouble and making poor decisions — often fuelled by alcohol or street-style events,” Sgt. Paul Walker told CTV News.
“We’ve seen more street fights, more street-style robberies,” Walker said.
In May, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death at a local park. To help tackle the issue, Walker says the department’s Youth Squad has introduced a summer-long strategy focused on intervention, enforcement and building stronger ties with local partners. The initiative involves weekly outreach visits to youth identified as high-risk, along with support from outside organizations. Police say
they’re also working with liquor retailers and law enforcement agencies throughout the Lower Mainland to prevent further violence and improve intelligence gathering. “The strategy is to curb that violence and maintain public safety throughout Abbotsford,” said Walker. “And send a message that this is not tolerable in our community, and you will face consequences if you’re involved in that.” Officers will be stepping up their presence at key locations — such as shopping centres, bus exchanges, parks and youth hubs — using both uniformed and plainclothes patrols. Bike units will also be out more frequently to increase police visibility. “It’s happening across the Lower Mainland,” Kal Dosanjh told CTV News. Dosanjh is a veteran Vancouver police officer and the founder and CEO of KidsPlay Foundation, a nonprofit focused on keeping kids away from gangs, violence and drugs.
Killer who raped, decapitated 12-year-old Ontario girl has been paroled
A Nova Scotia man who raped and murdered a 12-year-old Ontario girl, later decapitating her dead body in an attempt to hide evidence, has been released on parole and is living in the Halifax area.
According to Halifax Regional Police, 73-yearold high-risk offender Douglas Worth is living in Dartmouth.
Worth, originally from the Pictou County area of Nova Scotia, was released after serving 35 years of a federal life sentence for the December 1987 second-degree murder of Trina Campbell in Brampton, Ont.
National Post has contacted the Parole Board of Canada to obtain a copy of their decision to release Worth, who police say can have no contact with children or his victims, no drugs or alcohol, and must report all relationships. Worth has a criminal history dating back to 1968 that includes break-ins, motor vehicle theft and the 1978 rape
of an Indigenous girl in Ontario, for which he was sentenced and served eight years, earning his release in June of 1987, about seven months before he killed Campbell.
The circumstances surrounding that murder are detailed in multiple news articles from the time and are also explored in a 2005 episode of the television series Crime Stories. In the show, it notes that shortly before his release, Worth had said he planned to kill people and go on a rampage as retribution for his incarceration. Despite those concerns, he had served his limited sentence, and nothing in Canadian law at the time established safeguards around release.
After Worth got out in the spring, however, police tracked him to Edmonton, where he reconnected with a woman named Mary Kelly and her teenage son from a different relationship, Shawn. Police said they lost track of Worth soon after, but believed he returned to Ontario.
Trio of suspects sought in ‘rash of property crime,’ Port Moody police say
Police in Port Moody are trying to identify three people alleged to be responsible for a “rash of property crime” at a residential condo complex earlier this month.
On July 11, the trio was caught on camera in the mail room at Suter Brook Village, where they were allegedly “prying open mailboxes in a mail room, making off with mail,” according to authorities.
The suspects stayed on the property for the next “several hours” and broke into multiple vehicles and storage lockers, the Port Moody Police Department said in a statement Thursday, when they released photos and video of the three people. “We have been unsuccessful in identifying these
suspects and we are now turning to the public for assistance,” Const. Sam Zacharias said. Anyone who has information that can assist investigators is urged to call the Port Moody Police Department at 604-461-3456.
Toxic drug deaths in BC down in May and June, 40 per cent below peak
Deaths due to toxic drugs in British Columbia are down about 40 per cent from their peak, falling below 150 in both May and June.
The BC Coroners Service says in a statement that the province recorded 145 deaths in May compared with 181 for the same month last year, while there were 147 overdose deaths in June, down from 185 a year earlier.
Monthly deaths have fallen sharply since peaking at 243 in December 2023, mirroring declines occurring across much of North America.
The BC Coroners Service and government have meanwhile started releasing the occupation of those who died, and the most common jobs are trades, transport and equipment operation, as well as sales and service. The statement says 69 per cent of the drug-toxicity deaths involved men between the
ages of 30 and 59, while 78 per cent of all deaths occurred among males.
The statistics show that the opioid fentanyl is the most common substance detected in those who died this year, followed by methamphetamine and cocaine.
“Forty-seven per cent of deaths reported occurred in a private residence, compared with 21 per cent outdoors,” the statement says.
Smoking continues to be the primary mode of consumption of unregulated toxic drugs, with 64 per cent of investigations indicating the person who died smoked their substances, the statement says The highest toxic drugs death rate this year is in the Northern Health region with 44 deaths per 100,000 people, and the cities with the highest tolls are Vancouver, Surrey and Greater Victoria.
BC court gives man 6 years for illegal sea cucumber fishing
A British Columbia judge has sentenced a man with the longest record of Fisheries Act violations in Canadian history to six years in prison for "ravaging the ocean and flouting the law."
Scott Steer and his co-accused corporation faced eight charges, including fishing in a closed area without a licence, selling more than $1 million worth of illegally harvested sea cucumbers and breaching an earlier order where he was forbidden from possessing fishing vessels.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice David Crerar in Nanaimo says in his ruling that Steer has a "remarkably long record" of fisheries violations and other offences dating back more than a decade, and short stints in jail have "wholly failed to deter or rehabilitate" him. The rulings says Steer's offences over the years include illegally harvesting crabs
from Vancouver harbour, defrauding a vessel owner, breaching conditions in an intimate partner violence case and various probation violations. Crerar's ruling says Steer and his wife, Melissa Steer, continued their illegal fishing operations while his trial was ongoing, and his persistent "knowing and mocking flouting of the law" indicates the "unlikelihood of remorse or rehabilitation, now or in future."
The ruling says Steer believes himself "unbound by laws" and that short stints in jail as punishments are "literally a joke," and in addition to the prison term, he and his company have been fined $1.1 million "specifically to condemn the Steers' deliberate, destructive, and dishonest actions." Since 2008, there have been 15 different Fisheries and Oceans Canada files on Steer.
Surrey 6 murder convict loses another BC Supreme Court application
A man trying to have his conviction overturned in the 2007 Surrey Six slayings learned July 22 in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster that his application to block the Crown from using 210 hours of security footage taken at the medical isolation unit of Surrey Pre-trial Services Centre has been dismissed.
Cody Rae Haevischer is seeking a judicial stay of proceedings based on abuse of process. The evidentiary hearing for that commenced on Nov. 4, 2024 and remains underway.
"I am satisfied on the submissions of Crown counsel that the footage may be probative of live issues in this case," Justice Martha Devlin ruled in this application related to 14 videos of footage recorded from June 4 to 17, 2009. "I am also satisfied that the prejudicial effect of permitting the Crown to rely on the footage is not so severe that they ought to be prohibited
from doing so."
Six people were shot dead in suite 1505 of the Balmoral Tower in Whalley on Oct. 19, 2007. The Crown's theory was that the killings were payback for an unpaid debt between rival gangs. Christopher Mohan and Abbotsford gasfitter Ed Shellenberg, 55, were innocent victims who accidentally stumbled upon a drug hit in progress.
Edward Sousakhone Narong, 22, Ryan Bartolomeo, 19, and brothers Michael Justin Lal, 26, and Corey Jason Michael Lal, 21, were also slain.
Meantime, on Feb. 20, 2025 Devlin also denied Haevischer's application for his legal counsel to cross-examine nine defence witnesses, finding it to be "premature."
The British Columbia Court of Appeal upheld Haevisher's murder conviction in January 2021.
BC Premier, housing minister rebuff developers' request for foreign real estate investment
“We are not going back,” Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Christine Boyle said Wednesday when asked separately about a push by large developers to get government to allow more foreign investment in real estate.
In a letter Tuesday, some of the biggest names in B.C. real estate asked the federal government to reconsider its ban on foreign entities purchasing residential property in Canada, and for the B.C. government to reconsider its tax on foreign buyers. The letter is signed by heads of several major B.C. companies including prominent names like Polygon, Amacon, Westbank, Strand, Intracorp, Bonnis, Beedie, Mosaic, Pooni Group, and Cressey. It’s addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney, federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, Eby, Boyle and Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon.
that in light of the recent industry slowdown — which has already meant layoffs at some big real estate companies and some projects delayed — the federal government should revisit its prohibition on residential property purchases by non-Canadians, which took effect in 2023 and is in place until 2027.
The number of new housing starts in B.C. is of “particular concern,” the letter says, citing a nearly 50 per cent drop in starts comparing March 2025 with March 2024. The letter argues
The biggest
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The letter argues that foreign investors form an important part of the presale condo market, and without them, fewer projects will sell enough pre-construction units to get financing.
“Canada’s ban on foreign ownership was designed to help curtail the nation’s housing affordability crisis, but it has also negatively impacted overall investment into the new home industry,” the letter says.
No one from the federal Housing Department was available for comment Wednesday. It sent an emailed statement, which didn’t directly answer what the Canadian government will do about the foreign buyer ban but seemed to throw cold water on the developers’ request.
winners in the UK-India trade deal
From Scotch whisky to business mobility, we’ve set out the biggest wins on either side in our FTA scoreboard.
Scotch whisky producers
One of the biggest wins on the U.K. side is reduced tariffs for Scotch whisky. Under the FTA, Indian tariffs on the tipple will be slashed in half, from 150 percent to 75 percent, then dropped even further to 40 percent over the next decade.
Automakers
There’s also good news for British automakers — which have had quite a ride over the past few months thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump’s punitive tariff regime. Tariffs of up to 110 percent on British cars will drop to 10 percent after five or ten years depending on the type of car. As a result, the government expects exports of U.K. motor vehicles to increase by 310 percent — or £890 million — in the long run.
Lawyers
Just days after the deal was first struck on May 6, India’s legal regulator approved new rules permitting foreign legal firms and lawyers to practise there on a reciprocal basis. It was seen by the sector as a key win coming in parallel with the deal.
Services firms
The deal’s financial services chapter is a first for India. New Delhi promises that Britain’s financial and business services firms can’t be treated differently to Indian companies. It guarantees India cannot impose limitations on investment or
the number of British financial services firms that can operate in the country.
Workers on secondment to the UK
One of the most contentious areas of the trade deal — and most sought after on the Indian side — are new provisions on business mobility. The U.K. has promised that an existing visa route for some temporary workers that's not currently available to India — and capped at 1,800 people — will now be open to Indian employees (although the cap won’t be lifted).
Farmers
The U.K. has agreed to remove tariffs on imports of Indian food, with the exception of sugar, milled rice, pork, chicken and eggs, which will continue to be subject to the current duties in place. In its impact assessment, the government notes that food imports will still have to comply with U.K. food and animal welfare standards.
Drugmakers
Under the deal, Indian generic medicines and medical devices can be exported duty free to the U.K., in a move welcomed by the country’s officials. Last year the U.K. imported medicinal and pharmaceutical products worth around £667.4 million from India.
Textiles manufacturers
The trade deal removes tariffs on Indian textiles exported to the U.K., with imports expected to rise by around 85 percent to £2.9 billion, according to the government’s impact assessment. The U.K. imported Indian clothing worth £877.3 million last year.
USP’s Pal Ahluwalia to step down from Vice Chancellor post
The University of the South Pacific (USP) has announced that Professor Pal Ahluwalia will step down from his role as Vice-Chancellor and President (VCP), effective September 1, 2025.
Appointed in 2019, Professor Ahluwalia has steered USP through a challenging period, including the global COVID-19 pandemic.
“We faced unprecedented challenges, but our commitment to education never wavered,” said Pro-Chancellor and Chair Siosiu’a ‘Utoikamanu.
A highlight of his tenure was the successful reaccreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), affirming USP’s academic quality globally.
“This validation underscores the hard work of our students and staff,” he noted.
Under his guidance, USP achieved a milestone by
entering major international rankings, including the Times Higher Education and WURI rankings, reflecting its rising reputation in research, innovation, and impact. He also spearheaded the establishment of the Centre for Sustainable Futures, aimed at advancing sustainability and resilience across the Pacific. The USP Council, led by ProChancellor and Chair Siosiu’a ‘Utoikamanu, will soon begin the search for a new Vice-Chancellor and President, with further updates to follow.
“Interim management plans are in place to ensure a seamless transition,” ‘Utoikamanu stated.
On behalf of the Council and the USP community, he added, “We extend our heartfelt thanks to Professor Ahluwalia for his dedicated service and leadership, and we wish him every success in his future endeavors.”
9 found guilty in 4.1 tonnes meth bust case in Nadi
The 9 accused persons charged in relation to the 4.1 plus tonnes of methamphetamine bust in Nadi have been found guilty by the Lautoka High Court this afternoon, and their sentence hearing will take place next Friday.
Justin Ho, David Heritage, Louie Logaivau, Jale Aukerea, Sakiusa Tuva, Ratu Aporosa Davelevu, Ratu Osea Levula, Cathy Tuirabe and Viliame Colawaliku were charged with the importation and possession of 4.1 plus tonnes of methamphetamine between November 2023 and January 2024 in Nadi.
Additionally Justin Ho, Louie Logaivau and Jale Aukerea were charged with having property suspected of being the proceeds of a crime.
Justice Aruna Aluthge found the accused persons guilty of their respective charges.
Ratu Aporosa Davelevu and Louie Logaivau were found not guilty of count 6 for unlawful possession of illicit drugs and count 11 for possession of property suspected of being
proceeds of crime. Ho and David Heritage facilitated the importation of 4,800 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Heritage and Louie Frank Penijamini Logaivau are charged with unlawful possession Of illicit drugs on the 23rd of December 2023, at Fantasy Island, Nadi, without lawful authority.
Ho and Logaivau are also charged with unlawful possession of illicit drugs in Denarau, Nadi. They were in possession of 4,800 kilograms of methamphetamine. Logaivau and Ratu Aporosa Davelevu are charged with unlawful possession of illicit drugs between the 28th of December, 2023 and the 29th of December, 2023 in Nadi.
They engaged in the dealing for the transfer and transport of 4,800 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Logaivau and Ratu Aporosa Davelevu are charged with unlawful possession of illicit drugs on the 29th of December, 2023, at Motorex Yard, Nadi back road without lawful authority.
Landowners gain economic ground with new plaza
A new chapter in iTaukei economic empowerment has begun with the launch of Taukei Plaza Dua — TLTB’s first commercially acquired property under its new business direction.
The iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) marked the historic milestone in Lautoka with the official opening of the plaza, alongside the launch of its new commercial arm, Qelemaroroi Holdings Pte Ltd. The initiative represents a strategic move by TLTB into commercial development, aimed at enhancing the economic prospects of iTaukei landowners through property investment and commercial ventures. In his address, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said that years from
now, children would remember this significant moment.
“The day that this plaza was opened, when a new venture was established,” Mr Rabuka said.
“It will be a turning point in our journey as iTaukei.”
TLTB CEO Solomone Nata said the last time the board purchased a property was in 1948.
“Today, we are not only unveiling a building, but we are unveiling a vision,” Mr Nata said.
“The future where landowners are actively participating, not only in providing their land but their active participation in the economy through the sharing of wealth.”
Corrections boss rejects corruption claims
ACTING Fiji Corrections Service commissioner Sevuloni Naucukidi says he faced significant resistance when he began efforts to realign the organisation back to the required standards upon taking up his role.
In an exclusive interview with The Fiji Times, he rejected claims of unethical practices, and that all operations were conducted according to the required procedures of the service.
“It was hard because there was a lot of resistance, mostly externally from public pressure due to a lot of misinformation,” Mr Naucukidi said.
“But I can assure you that there are no corrupt practices as they’ve all been eliminated.
“We have been aligning to all the regulations, all the laws, all the policies, required of us. We’ve been doing it right.”
He said this was the reason why so much has been achieved in the past three months alone.
“We managed to push out two annual reports that were pending from 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.
“I shifted the staff a bit and created the planning and development unit while also uplifting the audit and compliance unit.
“We developed the strategic plan and annual corporate plan inculcating forward-looking values to drive FCS.”
Mr Naucukidi said one of his main achievements had been the 2025-2026 budgetary allocation for FCS, which increased by $4.7million from last year’s $57.8m.
“We did a lot of work with our budget preparation.
“Before, they were just working with the increase in the prison population but this year, I went down to make sure we not only work with numbers but also the needs on the ground, the policies and the laws.”
SOUTH ASIA
10-year jail term for 166 members of Imran Khan’s party
A Pakistan court on Thursday handed down 10-year jail term each to 166 members, including some lawmakers, of incarcerated ex-
PM Imran Khan’s party in connection with the May 9, 2023 attack on the ISI building and other military installations in the Punjab province.
The sentencing of leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — including opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate and several other lawmakers — has come just a week before the proposed launch of ‘Free Imran Khan Movement’ from August 5 across the country.
The PTI has strongly condemned the verdict by the Faisalabad Anti-terrorism Court. In May 2023, Khan’s party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander House), Mianwali Airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad.
Sheikh Hasina, 99 others indicted in 6 cases over housing plot scam
Two separate courts in Bangladesh on Thursday framed charges in six cases against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 99 others over irregularities in allocations of plots in a housing project.
Of the six cases, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 Judge Rabiul Alam framed charges in three cases: one against 17 people, including Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana; one against 18 people, including Hasina and Azmina Siddiq; and another against Hasina and Radwan Mujib Siddiq, state-run BSS news agency reported.
The court fixed August 13 for starting to record the testimonies in the cases and issued arrest warrants against the accused.
Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun framed charges in one case against 12 people, including Hasina; another case against 17 people, including
Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy; and a third case against 18 people, including Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, the agency reported.
It issued arrest warrants against the accused and set August 11 for recording the testimonies in the cases, the news agency quoted Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) public prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam as saying.
Amritsar police bust inter-state pharma opioid network; 6 held
A minor seizure of just 35 tablets of Tramadol has led the Amritsar police to an illegal pharma opioid supply network originating from Haridwar in Uttarakhand and the recovery of a big haul of the habit-forming drug, raw material and the drug money.
The two-week-long investigation into the initial seizure landed the police in two drug manufacturing units -- Lucent Biotech Ltd and Recall Lifesciences -- at Roorkee, Haridwar, which were allegedly involved in the illegal supply of the medicinal drugs in Punjab markets.
So far, the police have arrested six persons and recovered 74,465 Tramadol tablets, 50 Alprazolam pills and 325 kg of Tramadol raw material apart from Rs 7.65 lakh drug money.
Those arrested have been identified as Bikram, the owner of Recall Lifesciences; Hari Kishore, the plant manager at Lucent Biotech Ltd; Kulwinder Singh, a medical store owner in Kathunangal; Manish Kumar Arora; and Pooran Jatav.
Amritpal’s aides produced in court for attack on Ajnala police station
Forty-one associates of pro-Khalistan leader and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh were produced in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge amid tight security here on Thursday.
Among them were eight associates of Amritpal who were released from the Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam after the removal of National Security Act (NSA) against them. Amritpal Singh is still in the Dibrugarh jail as his tenure under the NSA has been extended by a year.
All of them were produced in the court in connection with the Ajnala police station attack of February 2023. On July 29, the court
under various sections the IPC and the Arms Act. The court had directed the prosecution to ensure their physical presence on Thursday. Their counsel Rituraj Singh Sandhu said all accused had pleaded not guilty in the court and now the trial would start on August 2, the next date of hearing.
Earlier, the trial in the case was going on at the Ajnala sub-divisional court.
In February 2023, Amritpal and his hundreds of armed supporters had stormed the Ajnala police station to get his associate Lovepreet Singh Toofan released from there. They allegedly attacked cops, leading to serious injuries to six cops, including an SP-
Court acquits all 7 accused in Malegaon blast case, cites lack of reliable evidence
Nearly 17 years after a blast claimed six lives and injured over 100 in Maharashtra town of Malegaon, a special court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all the seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, citing lack of “reliable and cogent” evidence. Delivering a scathing indictment of the prosecution, a special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) observed that “mere suspicion could not take the place of real proof”, and that the accused deserved the benefit of the doubt. The court also held that the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was
not applicable in this case, which had long been held up as a reference in the controversial debate around “saffron terror”. “Terrorism has no religion… The court cannot convict on mere perception. The overall evidence does not inspire confidence to convict the accused. There is no reliable and cogent evidence to warrant conviction,” ruled Special Judge AK Lahoti.
The September 29, 2008, blast occurred when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon, about 200 km from Mumbai, killing six persons and injuring 101 during the holy month of Ramzan.
After over 2 decades, cash-strapped Himachal Pradesh lifts lottery ban
The cash-strapped Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to allow the operation of lotteries in the state with an expected annual revenue between Rs 50 and Rs 100 crore.
The decision was taken by the Cabinet at its meeting held here today. Himachal Pradesh banned the sale of all types of lotteries operated by it, other states and union territories in 1999 under Sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998.
The decision assumes significance in view of the state's mounting debt burden, which has already crossedRs 1 lakh crore. The state government is keen on generating additional revenue from mining, tourism, power and other sectors.
The Finance Department made a detailed presentation before the Cabinet on lifting the ban on lotteries in the hill state to generate additional
revenue. The decision has been taken on the recommendation of the Resource Mobilisation Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri.
As per the presentation, Kerala earned over Rs 13,582 crore, Punjab Rs 235 crore and a small state like Sikkim about Rs 30 crore in a year. The states that are presently operating lotteries include Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Nagaland and Mizoram.
India to receive above normal rainfall in Aug-Sept
India is expected to receive above-normal rainfall in the second half of the monsoon season (August-September), according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
“Rainfall will be normal in August and above normal in September. Together, these two months will record above-normal rainfall,” said IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra. The cumulative rainfall for August-September is forecast to be 106 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA), which stands at 422.8 mm.
The IMD’s regional forecast for August predicts that most parts of the country will receive above
normal rainfall, except for many areas in the NorthEast, adjoining eastern India, some isolated parts of central India and the southwestern peninsula, where below normal rainfall is likely.
Temperature-wise, monthly average maximum temperatures in August will range from normal to below normal, while minimum temperatures will remain normal to above normal across the country.
India recorded 4.8 per cent above normal rainfall in July, receiving 294.1 mm against a normal of 280.5 mm. Cumulatively, from June 1 to July 31, rainfall stood at 474.3 mm — 6 per cent above the norm.
All 3 Pahalgam terrorists were shot in the head: Amit Shah
Families of Pahalgam attack victims and many other people wanted the three terrorists to be shot in their heads and they met the same fate in Operation Mahadev, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Replying to the debate on Operation Sindoor in the House, Shah said during investigations the identity of the three terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev clearly established Lashkar-e-Taiba's hand in Pahalgam attack as all three belonged to the terror outfit. He stated that such barbaric crime never happened where religion was asked before killing people in front of women and children. Continuing his speech, Shah said Congress leader P Chidambaram had demanded his resignation
and proof that the terrorists were from Pakistan. Shah stated that Chidambaram even challenged the justification of Operation Sindoor.
“Priority of Congress is not national security, but politics; it indulges in politics of vote bank, appeasement,” the Home Minister said. He said Chidambaram exposed the mentality of Congress to the whole world that for vote bank they would support Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Taiba and terrorists. He taunted Congress leader Prithviraj Chauhan who questioned the naming of the terrorist encounter as Operation Mahadev and said that when Shivaji Maharaj fought against the Mughals, his war slogan was ‘Har Har Mahadev’.
Sotheby's returns Buddha jewels to India after uproar
Auction house Sotheby's has returned a set of sacred jewels believed to be linked to the Buddha's remains to India, after facing mounting pressure from the Indian government and global Buddhist leaders. The Piprahwa Gems - described by archaeologists as one of the most astonishing finds of the modern erawere due to be auctioned in Hong Kong in May. But the sale was called off following diplomatic intervention and threats of legal action from Delhi. The Mumbaibased conglomerate Godrej Industries Group has acquired the jewels, Sotheby's said. Sotheby's said it was "delighted" to facilitate the return, following two months of negotiations involving the owner, the new
buyer and the Indian government. The relics will now go on permanent public display in India, the auction house said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the return on Wednesday, calling it a "proud and joyous moment" and a victory for the country's cultural heritage. The relics, he said on X, were coming home after 127 years.
Godrej Industries Group, the buyer of the jewels, serves over 1.1 billion consumers worldwide across sectors including consumer goods, real estate, agriculture, finance, and chemicals, according to its website. Many of its products are household names in India.
