Zero-tolerance crackdown on illegal builds in Surrey
The City of Surrey says it is making progress in cracking down on homeowners who build without permits.
The city says it has already issued more than $50,000 in fines for illegal builds.
The city has also been targeting illegal builds by using its authority to issue a “notice on title” to offending properties, which tells the public, would-be buyers, lenders and insurers about unauthorized structures or work on a home.
In its most recent action, the city slapped a notice on title on a property in the Royal Heights area, where it says the owner built an unpermitted addition to the rear of the house with two new units — despite a stop-work order being in place.
ED raids Punjab and Haryana in crackdown on 'Dunki route' immigration racket
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted raids across Punjab and Haryana as part of an ongoing investigation into the high-profile ‘Dunki route’ case, which came under intense national spotlight following the mass deportation of Indian nationals from the United States earlier this year.
According to official sources, the ED’s Jalandhar zonal office is currently carrying out search operations at 11 locations, including Amritsar, Sangrur, Patiala, Moga, Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Karnal.
These raids are part of the agency’s probe into the illegal immigration racket that surfaced after hundreds of Indians were deported by US authorities in February 2024—many of whom arrived in India in handcuffs, sparking widespread public outrage. Continued on Page 15...
No one answered the door at a recent council meeting the owner denied knowledge of the stop-work order. “This is really about the safety of those homes that people are living
in, sometimes children. And so we just want to make sure that our housing in our city is safe for everybody."
Continued on Page 6...
Police investigating shots fired at Bollywood comedian Kapil Sharma Surrey café
Surrey Police are investigating an incident where shots were fired at a newly opened café in Surrey, owned by Bollywood comedian Kapil Sharma. The Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement a number of shots were fired at Kap's Cafe, located in Surrey's Newton neighbourhood on 120th Street, early Thursday morning while staff were inside. Continued on Page 10...
Parents of BC boy, who died after five-hour hospital wait, speak out
The parents of an 11-year-old Vancouver Island boy who died last November after waiting hours for treatment at North Island Hospital Comox Valley say they want to see changes to B.C.’s “broken” health-care system, including better resources for emergency departments in smaller cities and improved training in pediatric care. Nikki and Marty Robbins, of Comox,
say they know health-care workers don’t go to work to do harm, but health authorities have a responsibility to make some “concrete changes”.
“I don’t want people to be passing the buck,” Nikki Robbins said. The couple say their son, Brayden, had a stroke in utero and was born with limited function on his right side. Continued on Page 6...
Tennis player Radhika Yadav shot dead by father in Haryana
State-level tennis player Radhika Yadav was allegedly shot dead by her father at their doublestorey home in upscale Sushant Lok here on Thursday, the police said.
Her father, 49-year-old Deepak Yadav, has been arrested and his .32 bore licensed pistol recovered from his possession, they said. Why he did so is still unclear.
The father allegedly fired more than five bullets. Her mother was on the ground floor and Radhika, who played tennis for Haryana, was in
the kitchen on the first floor when the crime took place, officials said. A police team reached the house and took the body into custody.
“We are questioning the family members. A probe is under way and the picture will be clear soon,” said Inspector Vinod Kumar, SHO, Sector 56 police station.
The family lives in Sushant LokPhase 2, Sector 57. The father is a resident of Wazirabad village, the police said.
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Hudson's Bay lender asks court to end lease deal with mall owner Ruby Liu
One of Hudson's Bay's biggest lenders says the department store chain has handled its liquidation so badly that a court should end a buzzy but fraught lease transaction the retailer signed with a B.C. billionaire and subject the company to even more oversight as it winds down.
A motion filed Tuesday by Restore Capital LLC asks a court to stop the defunct retailer from selling up to 25 of its leases to mall owner Ruby Liu and appoint a "super monitor" to more prudently liquidate the remainder of its assets.
It argues both are necessary because the retailer has "frittered away" Restore's collateral "without any clear path or plan towards realizing any benefit for HBC's stakeholders."
Restore, an investment manager, spent two decades lending money to the Bay. Its most recent tranche sent the 355-year-old retailer $151 million in December 2024, three months before the Bay filed for creditor protection.
more leases in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario.
Landlords, including Cadillac Fairview and Oxford Properties, have overwhelmingly opposed taking on Liu as a tenant because they say she has not provided them with a practical business plan for the department stores she wants to run on their properties.
Canada's oldest company has since liquidated all 80 of its stores and another 16 under its sister Saks banners as sold assets, including leases and intellectual property.
The company brokered two lease deals with Liu in May. The first — a $6-million transaction involving three leases for stores at B.C. malls she owns — was approved by a court last month.
Another deal was for up to 25 more leases in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario. The Bay has yet to seek court approval for the second deal, which spans 25
Restore's motion seizes on their dissent and positions the work the Bay has been doing to try to garner their approval as costly and fruitless.
"HBC has incurred exorbitant rent costs and professional fees in trying to obtain the necessary landlord consents with nothing to show for it, despite the landlords having indicated long ago that no consent will be provided," Restore's motion says.
It points out that the latest financial forecasts show between June 30 and Aug. 15, the Bay will incur $7.5 million in rent costs in connection with pursuing the Liu deal and a significant portion of the $8.5 million in professional fees projected during the seven-week period are linked to it as well.
Liu, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, says if a court approves the sale, she believes she can win landlords over.
If the company can't close on a deal with Liu, Restore and other lenders will see their collateral "irretrievably eroded," the lender said in its filings.
Hudson's Bay spokesperson Tiffany Bourré said the retailer will respond to the motion "in due course."
Consulate general of India confirms Sreehari Sukesh was 1 of 2 people killed Tuesday in crash near Steinbach
One of the two victims of a Tuesday mid-air crash in southern Manitoba has been identified as a young student pilot from India.
The consulate general of India in Toronto identified the victim as Sreehari Sukesh. In a social media post on Wednesday, the consulate said it is in contact with his family, the flying school where he was a student and police to provide any needed assistance. The consulate did not indicate Sukesh's exact age.
The other victim was identified as 20-year-old Savanna May Royes, a Canadian citizen who had always dreamed of becoming a pilot, following in the footsteps of her father, according to a statement from her family.
The bodies of the two student pilots were recovered in the wreckage of their single-engine planes after both crashed mid-air on Tuesday morning near Steinbach, roughly 50 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.
The students collided when approaching a landing strip while practising takeoffs and landings, said Adam Penner, president of Harv's Air, the flying school where both pilots had been training.
The Transportation Safety Board, the agency responsible for investigating aviation incidents in Canada, said it is gathering information and assessing the fatal crash.
Drivers on Vancouver's residential streets will have to motor a little slower now that city council has voted to reduce the speed limits on all minor streets to 30 kilometres an hour.
Mayor Ken Sim said the decision will create safer roads. "It's just the smart thing," he said on Wednesday.
"We have a lot of different examples around the world where they slowed down the speed limit in residential neighbourhoods [and] they become safer ... the stats are just overwhelmingly positive."
City staff say lowering vehicle speeds from 50 km/h to 30 km/h can reduce pedestrian fatality
rates in collisions from 80 per cent to 15 per cent, while also reducing the number of crashes.
The changes affect local streets in residential areas that don't have a centre line. The current speed limit set by the province is 50 km/h unless otherwise posted, according to a report presented to council Wednesday. In a phased rollout over three years, staff will install signs with the new speed limits at the entry points of 25 neighbourhood "slow zones."
Council has approved $230,000 for signage and $20,000 for education and monitoring as part of the initiative.
Richmond councillors push for more oversight of Olympic Oval
The controversy over Richmond's Olympic Oval continues to go around and around — but there could soon be clarity on its future.
"We need to do our job, and we're not doing our job as councillors," said Coun. Bill McNulty at a meeting this week, criticizing his fellow councillors for not providing enough oversight, and the managers of the Olympic Oval for a lack of communication with the city.
The Oval, which was built for the 2010 Olympics for speedskating, is fully owned and operated by the city, but has been managed and overseen by an arms-length corporation. The city has historically provided between $3 million and $4 million a year, around 20 per cent of the Oval's operating revenue, with the rest coming from program fees and an Olympic trust fund given to
facilities that continue to operate as performance and training venues.
But over the last 18 months, the Oval has faced a tumultuous time in the aftermath of its longtime CEO leaving. Council quickly moved to replace its former board, there were several stories critical of previous expenses, and is now the city is auditing the Oval's overall operations.
The meeting this week ended with council approving a motion put forward by Coun. Kash Heed that would cap the money given by the City of Richmond to the Oval at $2.5 million next year, along with a staff review of whether the Oval should be directly overseen by the city, similar to community centres across the region.
The motion will need to be approved at a full council meeting next Monday.
Calls to change BCs child protection system continue in wake of horrific neglect case
A year later, the message is the same.
B.C.’s child protection system needs an overhaul.
“A significant overhaul,” emphasized Jennifer Charlesworth, the Representative for Children and Youth.
“The system right now is very siloed. People are not communicating. They’re not collaborating,” she explained.
“We shouldn’t be walking people to the ledge. We should be walking people to a better outcome,” said the representative, who called for extensive change last year in her report, “Don’t Look Away.”
Despite repeated calls to social services, it was only when the children’s parents contacted the ministry themselves in December 2023 that the siblings were finally taken into care.
Relatives, who can’t be identified to protect the
children, described the children as “feral” when first apprehended.
They said the kids were non-verbal, not pottytrained and eating their own feces. Relatives said the kids had been severely neglected and locked in their rooms daily.
“There’s still some really hard days. Every day can still be hard,” said the children’s legal guardian, who is also a relative.
The question now is, could ministry mistakes lead to a similar tragedy?
“Based on the additional checks and balances that have been established and the expectations, I would say, no, it is much less likely that would happen now … The caveat being it’s also dependant on staff being able to follow through,” Charlesworth said.
She said B.C. is short hundreds of social workers.
Teen driver sped past ‘HWY PATROL AHEAD’ sign while using phone, BC police say
A young driver learned a costly lesson after allegedly speeding and looking at his cellphone at the same time – directly underneath an illuminated sign alerting him that police were patrolling nearby.
In a news release, B.C. Highway Patrol said the “less astute” driver, identified as a 19-year-old Coquitlam resident, was nabbed along Highway 1 through Surrey on the afternoon of June 28.
BCHP said an officer clocked the teenager’s white Mercedes sedan going 134 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, right underneath a sign reading “BC HWY PATROL AHEAD.”
The young man appears to have missed the pertinent message because he was distracted by his phone, said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin.
“Sometimes, life gives you a sign,” McLaughlin said, in a statement. “Make an effort to slow down
and enjoy the drive. You might avoid getting ticketed and towed.”
The young driver received three fines under the Motor Vehicle Act totaling $673 – $368 for distracted driving, $196 for speeding, and $109 for using a defective motor vehicle – and his Mercedes was impounded for seven days.
He was already bound by a driving prohibition at the time, BCHP said, and was also given a summons for a future court date.
Premier David Eby says the recent murder of Bailey McCourt in Kelowna provides a “tragic, timely reminder” of why the B.C. government is pushing for tougher measures to curb intimate partner violence. McCourt, a 32-year-old mother of two, was beaten to death with a hammer on a Kelowna street last Friday afternoon. The accused is James Plover, her estranged husband. Earlier that same day, he was convicted in court on four counts of assault and uttering threats, but released pending a sentencing hearing.
reporters Monday.
It was “horrible cases like these” that prompted Attorney-General Niki Sharma to commission “a deep dive into our criminal justice system and our supports for victims of domestic violence,” said the premier.
“It is horrific to imagine that this happened in the middle of the afternoon in Kelowna,” Eby told
B.C. has likewise been urging the federal government to amend the criminal code to further toughen access to bail in domestic violence cases. The published details in the Kelowna case suggest that something went terribly wrong. Plover was in court on June 23 on one count of uttering threats and one count of assault by strangling, according to the Kelowna Capital News.
MLA Brennan Day demands urgent reform after preventable death of 11-year-old Brayden Robbins
Brennan Day, MLA for Courtenay–Comox and Opposition Critic for Rural and Seniors Health, is calling on B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne to take immediate action after the preventable death of 11-year-old Brayden Robbins at Comox Valley Hospital – North Island in November 2024.
In a formal letter delivered to Minister Osborne today, Day recounts the harrowing story shared by Brayden’s parents, Nikki and Marty Robbins.
Despite presenting with severe head and neck pain, a tilted head, and numbness in his face on November 12, Brayden was discharged without a CT scan. He returned to the emergency room six days later in visible neurological crisis. After six hours of delays—and no pediatric transfer due to a lack of transport staff—Brayden slipped into a coma. He died the next morning from a brain bleed and hydrocephalus.
“If our system failed Brayden when the person advocating for him was a mother, a nurse with 30 years of experience, a former patient care supervisor, and a current nursing instructor, then something is fundamentally broken,” said Day. “That change must begin with leadership—and that leadership starts with the Minister of Health.”
Nikki and Marty Robbins had previously written to Minister Osborne on June 23, outlining the circumstances that led to their son’s death and presenting a list of urgent, practical recommendations to prevent similar tragedies. They have not received a response.
Day, who met with the Robbins family in person, emphasized that the family’s courage and clinical knowledge offer a rare opportunity for systemic improvement in pediatric emergency care.
“Minister, this cannot be another tragedy quietly filed away,” Day writes in his letter. “The
Robbins family has shown extraordinary courage in the face of unbearable loss. Their story must not only be heard—it must drive action.”
The Robbins Family’s Recommendations for Systemic Change Include:
• Mandatory pediatric emergency training, including PEWS and PECARN tools, for all ER and pediatric staff.
• Formal family-centred communication protocols to ensure families are heard and documented.
• A unified inter-provincial patient charting system.
• Standardized use of the Provincial Transport Network (PTN) for complex pediatric cases.
• Immediate investment in pediatric transport staffing and response capabilities.
• Prioritization of pediatric-trained physicians and nurses at regional hospitals.
• Transparent audits and reviews of all unexpected pediatric deaths.
• Trauma-informed training for emergency healthcare staff.
• “Stop the Line” protocols empowering staff to intervene when safety concerns arise.
• A grief-informed family advocate role to support parents after child loss and ensure inclusion in safety reviews.
Day is calling on the Minister to respond directly to the Robbins family, meet with them in person, and commit to a province-wide review of pediatric emergency care and medical transport systems.
“We cannot undo the past,” Day concluded, “but we can choose to honour Brayden’s life by making sure no other child—and no other family—is left to endure this kind of preventable tragedy. Brayden deserved better. British Columbians deserve better. Let us make sure this never happens again.”
Abbotsford residents push back on supportive housing project
Local residents and business owners say they are planning to fight the building of a new temporary modular housing project in Abbotsford, B.C.
The project, which has not yet been approved, would contain 42 units and be constructed in what is currently known as Martens Park.
It is close to Abbotsford Traditional School along with homes and businesses in the area.
“I just don’t think you should put people at high risk, chronic offenders, dangerous people, perhaps, that close to a school,” Rick Francoeur, who owns 360 Fabrication nearby, told Global News.
“I’m not saying we shouldn’t take care of those people. We should, but follow your own guidelines and not have them close to school and find somewhere else that would meet the
minimum requirements that BC Housing has brought forth on themselves.” In June, the City of Abbotsford released its findings looking into the first-ever city-led homeless count in 2024.
“Homelessness and the risk of homelessness is a complex issue and remains a growing concern in Abbotsford,” Ross Siemens, mayor of Abbotsford, said at the time.
“Behind every number is a person, and the information gathered through this count helps us to better understand and respond to the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”
The findings revealed that 465 people were identified as experiencing homelessness in the city, which was an increase of 14.5 per cent when the Fraser Valley Regional District conducted the count in 2023.
Surrey issues violation notice for construction of secondary suites without permits
A Surrey home had a notice slapped on it by the city after its owners were ticketed seven times for unpermitted construction of two secondary units and a rooftop deck.
The house in the 9700-block of Townline Diversion in northwest Surrey was visited by bylaw enforcement officers and building inspectors on several occasions starting late last year after construction began in the rear of the property without any building applications or permits.
At a special hearing on Monday, inspectors for the City of Surrey recommended that councillors approve a notice with the Land Title Office to let the public — including any potential buyers — know the work was done in violation of provincial building rules. The co-owner, Jasvir
Singh Sangha, contacted the city moments before the hearing to say he had just retained legal counsel and asked for an adjournment. The city’s legal counsel opposed that and the hearing continued; after discussion, Surrey council voted to file the notice.
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Trump threatening 35% tariffs on Canadian goods across the board
U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to slap a 35 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods as the two countries have been engaged in negotiations to reach some sort of trade agreement.
Trump's latest threat came in a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney that the president posted to his social media site, Truth Social, on Thursday evening.
"There will be no tariff if Canada, or companies within your country, decide to manufacture product within the United States," the letter reads.
Trump said the tariffs will take effect on Aug. 1, and wrote that he will increase the levies if Canada retaliates.
Trump and Carney have been locked in negotiations to come to some sort of trade resolution by July 21. CBC News has reached out to the Prime Minister's Office for comment.
In his letter, Trump again cited fentanyl "pouring" into the U.S. from Canada — even though data continues to show that minimal amounts of the drug are crossing the CanadaU.S. border compared to the U.S.'s southern border. Trump has been complaining about fentanyl crossing the northern border since he was re-elected in November, and after taking office he imposed tariffs he said are designed to punish Canada for not doing enough to crack down on the fentanyl drug trade.
Now, the president seems to be taking the border-related tariffs a step further by promising a 35 per cent levy. The U.S. is currently imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all nonCUSMA compliant goods coming from Canada and a lower 10 per cent rate on energy and potash as part of a border-related tariffs regime.
Ottawa announced a $1.3-billion investment in border security and named a fentanyl czar to address the fentanyl concerns coming from the White House.
The U.S. has also hit Canadian steel, aluminum and autos with an import levy, which have been particularly damaging to the Canadian economy, leading to job losses and a drop in exports.
Trump has also been promising to slap a 50 per cent tariff on copper coming into the U.S. According to federal data, Canada exported some $9.3 billion worth of copper and copper-based products in 2023, with a majority of that — 52 per cent — going to the U.S. China and Japan followed, with 17 and 12 per cent of Canadian exports, respectively.
Transit police say man tried to sell loaded shotgun along a SkyTrain route
Transit police in Metro Vancouver say a man has been charged with firearms offences after allegedly trying to sell a loaded shotgun along a SkyTrain route.
Transit and Surrey Police Service officers were on patrol between Gateway and Surrey Central SkyTrain stations in Surrey when they arrested the 37-year-old man of no fixed address on Tuesday, just after 5 p.m.
Police say the man was trying to sell a loaded
12-gauge sawed-off shotgun.
The man has been charged with four offences including unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of a loaded unauthorized or restricted firearm.
Police say the man will remain in custody until his next court appearance.
Sgt. Sergeant Dustin Szakacs says transit police work collaboratively with other agencies to ensure the safety of transit users.
‘Well-dressed women’ sought after string of shoplifting incidents in BC’s Fraser Valley
Mounties are working to identify four “welldressed women” following a string of shoplifting incidents in B.C.’s Fraser Valley last week.
Authorities said cosmetics, perfume and high-end gift sets were stolen from major retail pharmacies in Mission on three separate occasions, in what the RCMP described as “co-ordinated” thefts involving several suspects.
“The women were wellorganized,” the Mission RCMP detachment said Thursday, in a news release. “In at least one of the instances, one of the suspects distracted an employee working in the cosmetics section, while the others reportedly took various items.”
detachment said.
Two women returned to the Shoppers Drug
Mart on the morning of July 5 and allegedly stole a number of high-end gift sets as well.
Federal NDP to choose new leader in March following 7-month contest
New Democrats will choose their next leader in March after a seven-month campaign, the party announced Thursday.
"This is a crucial first step in what will be an important opportunity for New Democrats to come together, rebuild and elect our new leader," NDP president Mary Shortall said in a news release.
The campaign will officially begin in September with a vote "no later than March 29," the news release said. That date coincides with the NDP national convention in Winnipeg.
The party's federal council met Thursday to hammer out some of the rules to govern the leadership contest — which will include a $100,000 entry fee. The full guidelines for the race have yet to be finalized and will need to be discussed at another meeting.
Former B.C. NDP MP and House leader Libby Davies is pleased that the party is not rushing to elect a new leader.
In an op-ed in the Toronto Star, Davies noted
that a lengthy race levels the playing field, allowing grassroots candidates to rise to the forefront alongside more well-established names. But Davies has issues with the entrance fee.
"That's a steep crawl. It will definitely limit the field," Davies said. "They will obviously have to have the ability to raise that kind of money in a very short period of time."
The last time the New Democrats held a leadership race, the entrance fee was $30,000 and the race lasted for more than a year. Davies hoped to see a fee of around $50,000 to $75,000.
Surrey says zero-tolerance crackdown on illegal builds getting results
Continued from Page 1...
The city has issued 11 notice on titles so far since last year.
Locke said none of them have been removed yet, but that some of the owners have applied for permits to begin bringing the properties up to code.
The first shoplifting incident was reported on the evening of June 30 at the Shoppers Drug Mart on Lougheed Highway, where three women allegedly stole “an entire shelf’s worth of cosmetic products,” Mission RCMP said. The same three suspects and a fourth woman then allegedly snatched a “large quantity of perfume” from the London Drugs on London Avenue on the afternoon of July 1, the
Investigators have not identified any of the suspects, but believe two of the women have ties to Ontario. None were previously known to Mission RCMP.
One suspect was pushing a baby stroller with a small child inside, authorities said.
The RCMP asked anyone with information on the women’s identities to contact the Mission detachment at 604-826-7191.
“From that perspective, it is working. It is forcing people to become compliant, which is really all
Continued from Page 1...
At five, he had focal seizures and had successful surgery to clear them up.
They say that in August 2024 their son had tendon transfer surgery on his arm, and by October began experiencing arm pain. As he was undergoing physiotherapy and occupational therapy at the time, Nikki and Marty said some discomfort was expected.
On Nov. 12, Brayden started experiencing severe neck and shoulder pain, a head tilt and tingling in his nose. Marty Robbins said he took his son to the hospital where he was prescribed ibuprofen and Tylenol and sent home, despite voicing concerns and sharing Brayden’s medical history.The parents were still concerned and kept Brayden home from school.
Six days later, Brayden was taken back to the ER, this time screaming in pain, with his muscles rigid as a board. The parents said they urged the hospital to send him to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver or the pediatric ward in Victoria for specialized care, but were rebuffed.
we’re asking for,” she said.
The city says it is operating under a zerotolerance approach to illegal builds.
As for the property in Royal Heights, the city said it does not see a realistic path for the owners to get a permit for the already constructed structures because inspections are impossible, meaning the addition will likely have to be demolished.
Instead, the parents said they were forced to wait for five hours as Brayden’s condition got worse. By the time he was brought in for a CT scan, Brayden was in a coma. At that point, weather conditions, a lack of staff for the transport team, and issues with the transport helicopter prevented him from being transferred.
Brayden, who loved the outdoors and cooking and wanted to be a pilot, died the next morning from hydrocephalus — an abnormal buildup of fluid deep within the brain — and a brain bleed.
Nikki Robbins, who has 30 years of experience as a nurse and is a nursing instructor at North Island College, says there has been a complete lack of transparency and accountability from Island Health.
She says her son should have received a CT scan early on Nov. 18, but was instead treated as an adult cardiac patient with cerebral palsy having a medication reaction. Additionally, he was not seen by a pediatrician, outside of a phone call with the pediatric ward in Victoria and a video call with B.C. Children’s Hospital.
Canadian travel to the U.S. plummets — but Americans are staying home, too
It's not just Canadians who are holding back on cross-border travel amid a U.S. trade war that has soured bilateral relations.
The number of Americans coming to Canada is also dropping off. New data published by Statistics Canada Thursday shows a 10.4 per cent decline in U.S. resident trips by automobile in June — a steeper drop than what was registered the month before.
According to the federal agency, 1.4 million Americans made the trip north by auto last month, compared to roughly 1.56 million who did the same last year. That decline has political and business leaders on the Canadian side of the 49th parallel concerned given how much these visitors spend when they come.
Last year, American visitors contributed a record $15 billion to the economy. There is a silver lining, though: some tourist destinations are reporting an uptick in domestic and non-U.S.
international travellers, which, in some instances, is making up for the drop in American spending. What's obvious from the data is that Canadian trips to the U.S. continue to plummet.
The number of Canadians returning from trips to the U.S. by air fell 22.1 per cent in June compared with the same month one year earlier, according to StatsCan. Canadian-resident return trips by automobile dropped by an eye-popping 33.1 per cent.
Still, a statistically significant number of U.S. residents are also choosing to defer travel to Canada.
Federal data shows the number of Americanplated autos coming to Canada has been sliding since the onset of the trade dispute.
The year was off to a promising start, with more Americans coming up in January than in the same month the year before. But, in February, things took a turn just as U.S. President Donald Trump
Vancouver explores subdividing laneway homes
The City of Vancouver is looking at opening more avenues to home ownership.
On Wednesday, council unanimously approved a motion for staff to explore the idea of allowing the subdivision or stratification of laneway homes.
The motion was tabled by ABC councillors Sarah Kirby-Yung and Mike Klassen. Klassen said there are about 6,000 of these kinds of homes in Vancouver.
“It’s really a way to look forward on how we actually use land within our residential neighborhoods,” he said. “Laneway houses are incredibly popular.”
Klassen added if the idea is adopted, it could provide greater opportunities for intergenerational living.
“I think it will provide real opportunities for more housing, and more people to get into the market and potentially have a better way for people to downsize,” he said.
According to the motion, titled “Opening
Doors: Expanding Ownership Options for Laneway and Backyard Homes,” while the city has recently allowed stratification and subdivision for multiplex developments, the same opportunity does not currently apply to laneway homes and accessory dwelling units, “even when these units meet the siting, massing, and design guidelines of the R1-1 policy.”
Bryn Davidson, the co-owner of Lanefab Design/Build, said his clients have been requesting this option for years.
“Say you’re a family,” he said. “If you’re able to separate these into two strata units, then your kid can get their own mortgage. They can sell the house if they need to when it’s time to inherit the the property. It’s easier to deal with. So it just makes everything a lot simpler.”
Akua Schatz, the board chair of Small Housing B.C. and owner of Smallworks Studios, agreed with Davidson, adding she wished she had this option when her family built one of the first laneway homes in Vancouver.
Vancouver council approves plan for future of Rupert and Renfrew neighbourhood, including 10K homes
Highrise towers and thousands of new homes are in store for an East Vancouver neighbourhood, after city council voted through big changes Tuesday. Councillors unanimously approved the Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan, a land-use plan that will shape the area now home to almost 31,000 residents.
The newly approved plan calls for high-density residential and mixed-use towers up to 45 storeys tall near the two SkyTrain stations and up to 26 storeys tall further away from the stations.
The plan estimates it will introduce more than 10,000 new homes to the area, bringing the total number to 22,400 by 2050, according to a staff report presented to council Tuesday. At the same time, staff say, the population of the area will grow an estimated 61 per cent to 49,600.
The plan also features "villages" that will prioritize missing middle housing options, such as six-storey buildings and multiplex homes. Josh White, the city's chief planner, said the plan will allow the community to flourish.
ramped up his 51st state rhetoric and slapped tariffs on all imports, prompting a Canadian backlash, anthem booing and hurt feelings on both sides of the border. The immediate result was a drop in cross-border traffic — with Canadians pulling back on travel in a big way and their American neighbours doing the same, but to a lesser extent.
The number of American-plated cars crossing into Canada dropped by six per cent in February, four per cent in March, and seven per cent in
April, according to a CBC News analysis of the data. Niagara Falls, Ont., is particularly dependent on American travellers, with as many as three million of them coming north to take in the unofficial eighth world wonder in any given year.
Figures from the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, which manages three border crossings in the area, shows even steeper declines than what has been reported elsewhere. Canadabound trips by car fell by double digits at different points this year at the heavily trafficked Rainbow Bridge. Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa said there has been a worrying decline in American visitors to his picturesque historic town a stone's throw from the U.S. — but the drop-off isn't catastrophic.
The town and surrounding area were the scene of several battles during the War of 1812, another era when bilateral relations were at a low point.
Measles cases in BC rise to 102, with majority in Northern Health region
There are now 102 cases of measles in B.C.
Deputy provincial health officer, Dr. Martin Lavoie, provided an update on Thursday, saying of the 102 cases, 73 are in Northern Health, 10 in Fraser Health, eight in the Interior, eight in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, three on Vancouver Island and none in the First Nation Health Authority region.
As of July 8, there is one active, contagious measles case and 10 patients are hospitalized.
The majority of cases of measles in B.C. are in individuals who are not fully immunized, the province said in an updated media release. The largest age group infected is among those aged five to 17, at 49 per cent, with those between
ages 18 to 54 in second at 30 per cent.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control previously said that as of Monday, there have been 99 reported measles cases in B.C., so far this year, but only one remains active. In comparison, Ontario has reported more than 1,900 confirmed cases since October, and Alberta has had more than 1,200 infections since March. Health experts have expressed concerns that summer events and travel could increase case counts of the highly contagious virus.
The best and most effective way to prevent measles is by getting the vaccine. Lavoie said that if someone doesn’t know if they are fully protected, they should call 811 or speak to their family doctor.
Airborne SUV lands on pedestrian in wheelchair in North Vancouver parking lot
Three people were taken to the hospital on Wednesday after a vehicle struck a pedestrian in a wheelchair, trapping her under the vehicle.
The incident happened in the parking lot outside the London Drugs at Lonsdale Avenue and 20th Street East. BC Emergency Health Services said one of the people transported to the hospital was in serious but stable condition. One witness, a friend of the person in the wheelchair, told Global News that he saw a car in the parking
lot suddenly start accelerating before it veered off, went over a pillar and landed on his friend.
“I was scared, because all of a sudden, Maggie started screaming,” James Willett said. “So I rushed up and I just tried to see what I could do, which I can’t help that much, so I got on the phone right away to 911.”
Police are investigating the cause of the collision and say it does not appear to have been caused by a medical emergency.
People rally in Kelowna as B.C. man charged with murder in woman's death appears in court
Hugs, tears, and signs with slogans in protest of domestic abuse filled the steps of the Kelowna Law Courts building on Thursday, ahead of James Plover's first appearance in court on a charge of second-degree murder.
Plover is accused in the death of Bailey Plover, who died after an attack in a parking lot on Enterprise Way on July 4 that put another woman in the hospital.
"I think all the trauma in my life has led me to be strong for this day," said Karen Fehr, Bailey Plover's mother, outside of the courthouse.
Fehr said she learned of the attack around 11 that night after she found a note to call Bailey's friends, stuck to the door of her house.
"She had been passed away for an hour and a half
by the time I heard," said Fehr. "I wondered all night where she was."
Fehr said she had moved in with her daughter and grandchildren three days before Bailey's homicide. "She called out to me on Mother's Day, terrified," said Fehr. "Every night she was sleeping a little bit better, but every day she would wake back up and it would be the same thing."
Plover was convicted of three counts of uttering threats and one count of assault by strangling on the same day as the attack that killed Bailey. Court documents indicate a case of intimate partner violence. Fehr said her daughter had texted her the morning of Plover's conviction. Now in custody, Plover is due in court again on Sept. 16 and will be sentenced on his assault conviction later that month.
Metro Vancouver updates mutual-aid agreement for smaller municipalities
When an emergency happens in one of Metro Vancouver’s smaller communities, resources and services are shared as part of a regional mutualaid agreement.
That was the case last December, when a landslide swept down Lions Bay’s Battani Creek, killing Dave and Barb Enns.
The crisis was beyond the capability of the local municipality, so multiple agencies assisted, including Metro Vancouver Emergency Management.
Metro Vancouver Emergency Management’s Brant Arnold-Smith said the agency helped by “adding incident command structure at the site, ensuring that the 46 agencies that were involved in that response, in that high hazard environment, were working collaboratively together and efficiently.” Metro Vancouver has now updated
that mutual-aid agreement to better prepare for the next emergency.
“What we want to be looking at is what role Metro can play to potentially convene a conversation amongst small communities to explore how they might by able to share services to develop economies of scale,” said Jonathan Cote, Metro Vancouver’s Deputy general manager of Regional Planning during a Small Communities Committee Meeting on Thursday. As the region grows, Metro Vancouver may consider additional options.
“There is the ability to form multi- jurisdictional emergency management offices or organizations and that is something that may be looked at in the future,” Arnold-Smith said. Planning for future emergencies is sure to be ongoing, as agencies work to best protect property and lives.
Vancouver mayor's former chief of staff starts new political party
Kareem Allam, a longtime political strategist who helped propel ABC Vancouver to power, is launching the city’s newest political party with a goal of unseating Ken Sim, the mayor he once served as chief of staff.
Allam — ABC’s former campaign manager and more recently, its most outspoken critic — has publicly mused in recent weeks of running for office and had set up committees made up of mostly former B.C. Liberals to gauge the level of support he’d have in a run. t’s a party Allam hopes will attract “pragmatists” and people across the political spectrum unhappy with the direction the city is headed under ABC.
“I anticipate there would be pure centre, pure left and even centre right,” he said. “I’m just looking for the best and brightest in the city regardless of their political affiliation.”
The party also released its logo: A stylized V and L incorporate the silhouette of Anna’s
hummingbird, the city’s official bird.
“We thought it was reflective of the city,” with the bird’s red, blue, and green colours representing the political spectrum, Allam said.
“We want to bring in the Greens, New Democrats and Conservatives,” he said. “We want all aspects to feel welcome.”
In addition to running for mayor, Allam said his party will run a full slate of council, park board, and school board candidates in the October 2026 municipal election. He’s also open to ex-ABC elected officials joining. The party is going to have one overarching goal, he said: To create a fiscal and social platform that attracts young people back to the city. Allam was largely credited with masterminding ABC’s sweeping victory in 2022, when the upstart party won majorities in council, park board, and school board. He served as Sim’s chief of staff for 89 days until he was removed from the position in February 2023.
Port of Vancouver seeks bidders for massive Roberts Bank terminal expansion
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has started its search for a company to spearhead a massive expansion of the Roberts Bank port terminal.
The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (RBT2) project will add a new three-berth terminal to the existing port site in Delta, increasing the port’s capacity by 50 per cent.
It says the project, once complete, will contribute $3 billion in annual GDP.
“This RBT2 container project can unlock another $100 million of trade capacity every year and so that’s significant and we think it’s a big solution for the country’s trade diversification,” said Victor Pang, chief financial officer with the VancouverFraser Port Authority.
shipping that will take place,” said Valeria Bergara, co-director of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation’s Cetacean Conservation Research Program. “Any industrial processes that put more noise into the water through increased shipping are going to affect the whales. Right now, we need
The port authority said Wednesday that it has opened a request for qualifications for the team to handle construction planning and to build the landmass and wharf component of the expansion. The port authority is aiming to shortlist three teams by the fall, who will then submit a detailed proposal.
The port expansion, which faced significant pushback from environmental groups and the City of Delta, was approved by the provincial and federal governments in 2023.
Environmental groups still oppose the project, which they say will threaten salmon and the critically-endangered southern resident killer whale population, which is sensitive to ship noise.
“RBT2 is a real, real issue for Southern Resident Killer whales in terms of the increased
a quiet space and quiet time for the whales, and it’s super important. We’re at 73 individuals.”
The federal approval came with 370 legallybinding conditions aimed at mitigating safety and environmental concerns.
Those include the installation of a safe fish passage infrastructure, developing habitat creation programs and creating a marine mammal detection response plan and noise restrictions.
The port authority has signed mutual benefits agreements with 27 First Nations, and says it will continue with “consultation and collaboration” with them, including Indigenous economic and procurement opportunities.
Construction on the project is slated to begin in 2028, and the terminal is scheduled to be in operation by the mid-2030s.
Video captures shooting at Surrey business, owned by Comedian Kapil Sharma
Continued from Page 1...
The statement says police are investigating connections to other incidents and potential motives. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SPS non-emergency line at 604-5990502 and quote file number 25-57153 (SP).
According to the cafe's social media channels, it opened last Thursday, exactly one week ago.
Surrey residents expressed concerns about the shooting. Maninderdeep Kaur said the incident made her anxious.
"It was a very scary feeling; you don't feel good living in an environment like this," she said."In a
city like Surrey, it's very disappointing."
Sharin Whitty said it was a shame the business was targeted.
"We were all excited about this café opening. Kapil is a really prominent artist for our community and our Punjabi community specifically."
She said she wants to hear more from the Canadian government on what's being done to protect residents, but she added she's a proud Surrey resident.
"I think Surrey is a beautiful community; I'm happy to live here and ... I think we need more businesses like this."
NAME CHANGE
I Navjot Sharma D/O
Police Commissioner orders interdiction of officers charged with assault
Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu has directed that three police officers charged in an assault case be interdicted pending the outcome of the case. The three were brought before the Navua Magistrates Court yesterday, charged in connection with an alleged assault in Navua in February 2025.
A fourth officer was charged in the same case in March. The officers are accused of assaulting
a 32-year-old man outside a shopping complex, with each facing one count of assault causing grievous harm. The court granted each officer noncash bail of $1,000 with two sureties, imposing strict conditions, including no interference with witnesses, no change of address, a prohibition on reoffending, and mandatory attendance at all court dates.
PM Rabuka silent on claims of family ties to Rokoika
PM Sitiveni Rabuka has yet to respond to allegations made by Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry that he is “closely related” to acting Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) commissioner Lavi Rokoika. Mr Chaudhry made the comment in a statement on Thursday, where he questioned the procedures followed in Ms Rokoika’s appointment.
“To begin with we are advised the PM is closely related to Ms Rokoika,” he said.
“Second, the position was not advertised. Third, the recommendation for her appointment did not come from the Judicial Services Commission as required under the current FICAC Act.”
law firm, “the conflict of interest remains”.
“Why does the Prime Minister continue to make such unlawful appointments, limiting his choice within the confines of a certain circle of friends and relatives, even ethnicity?
“A related issue of importance here is that the PM has not acted to reinstate the former acting Assistant Commissioner FICAC Francis Puleiwai, as recommended by the COI.
Mr Chaudhry said Ms Rokoika’s appointment was a “serious case of conflict of interest” and that even if she was no longer a partner at the Rokoika & Vakalalabure Lawyers
“Having initially written to her asking whether she would accept reinstatement or seek compensation, he remained aloof when Puleiwai requested reinstatement. Why?”
Ms Rokoika responded on Thursday to allegations of a close connection to a senior Fiji Sports Council official currently under FICAC investigation for corruption and financial misconduct.
She directed FICAC chief investigator Alifereti Wakanivesi to respond to The Fiji Times questions.
Leung sacking a wake-up call, says Kotobalavu
The dismissal of Attorney-General Graham Leung should serve as a wake-up call for all senior government officials to uphold the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct, says veteran civil servant Jioji Kotobalavu.
Speaking to The Fiji Times following the Prime Minister’s decision to sack Mr Leung based on findings of the Commission of Inquiry, Mr Kotobalavu said it was a “salutary lesson” that highlighted the need for civil service leadership to fully understand their constitutional powers and legal limits.
they should exercise their responsibility and powers, because under the 2013 Constitution, they have been given increased responsibility,” he said.
“This is why I, at the invitation of the Public Service Commission, have been talking to permanent secretaries to advise them on how
Mr Kotobalavu said the 2013 Constitution significantly decentralised the authority once held by the Public Service Commission.
“The PSs have become the employers of staff in their ministry or department – no longer the PSC.”
He warned that the Constitution had “politicised the civil service”, requiring PSs to now obtain ministerial concurrence on decisions relating to appointments, discipline and transfers.
“Now the minister has a say – they are given a say in the Constitution.”
FICAC investigating me for perjury – Deputy PM
DEPUTY Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica says the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) is investigating him for perjury. Mr Kamikamica, who is also the Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, said in an interview with the media that FICAC officers visited his office at Civic Tower on Thursday night and seized his mobile phone.
“FICAC did come to our office yesterday and asked for access to my phone,” Mr Kamikamica said. “So, after speaking to my lawyers, I handed over the phone to them. I think the search warrant said something about perjury. So we’ll see what it’s all about.”
When questioned whether he believed the seizure was linked to the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report into the appointment of former FICAC commissioner Barbara Malimali, Mr Kamikamica said he was not certain but assumed there may be a connection. “Because the Commission of Inquiry made some suggestions around some allegations. But I’m here to co-operate and hopefully they’ll come back and ask some more questions.”
Mr Kamikamica expressed disappointment with the COI report’s conclusions, describing it as lacking evidence and heavily reliant on hearsay.
Despite his reservations, Mr Kamikamica said he was willing to co-operate fully with the investigation and hoped for a chance to clear his name. “Certainly, from my perspective, I would like to have the opportunity to actually set the record straight.
“There’s a family behind me, and people that have sent me to Parliament, and they didn’t send me to come and be irresponsible.” Mr Kamikamica stated that he will issue further remarks after returning from the chiefly installation in Lau.
FICAC has said that it will not be releasing any statements in regard to Mr Kamikamica’s case.
Meanwhile, Mr Kamikamica has rejected the findings of the recently released Commission of Inquiry (COI) report, describing it as a “onesided interpretation of facts”.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the Government made the COI report public, Mr Kamikamica said the document contains major gaps, lacks factual evidence, and fails to reflect his objections to its conclusions.
BLF launches 'Operation Baam': 17 coordinated attacks rock Balochistan
A series of coordinated attacks and explosions rocked multiple government installations across Balochistan late Tuesday night, as the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility and announced the launch of "Operation Baam (Dawn)."
At least 17 attacks were reported in various districts, including Panjgur, Surab, Kech, and Kharan.
While Pakistani authorities have yet to confirm the full extent of the damage, local sources report significant disruption in the affected areas. Explosions reportedly targeted military checkpoints, communications infrastructure, and administrative facilities.
BLF spokesperson Major Gwahram Baloch described the operation as "a new dawn in the Baloch national liberation war," asserting that the campaign spans from the Makran coastal region to the mountainous Koh-e-Suleman range.
He claimed the attacks were carefully coordinated to inflict both "human and material losses" on Pakistani security forces. "The resistance has entered a new phase," Major Gwahram said in a press statement. "Operation Baam is designed to demonstrate that Baloch fighters are capable of launching large-scale, synchronised operations across vast geography."
He added that the BLF would release further details on the operation's outcomes once it concludes.
The attacks mark one of the largest and most coordinated offensives by the BLF in recent years, highlighting ongoing unrest and separatist tensions in the Baloch-majority province. The BLF has long accused the Pakistani state of exploiting Balochistan's resources while denying its people basic rights and autonomy.
Mohsin Dawar blames Islamabad for crisis in Waziristan, demands end to militarised policies
Mohsin Dawar, Central Chairman of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) and former Member of Pakistan's National Assembly, has issued a stark warning about the deteriorating security situation in North and South Waziristan, accusing the Pakistani state of fuelling instability through deliberate militarised policies and geopolitical manoeuvring.
In a video statement released amidst ongoing Pashtun protests in South Waziristan, Dawar launched a scathing attack on the military establishment and intelligence agencies, claiming they have long used militant groups, especially the Taliban, as strategic assets.
He alleged that following the US-Taliban Doha Agreement, the Pakistani military deliberately facilitated the relocation of Taliban elements into Waziristan and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to serve broader regional ambitions.
"After the Doha deal, Afghanistan was handed over to the Taliban, and in its succession, they were also settled across Pakistan. They will be used again in future proxy wars," he warned.
He also revealed disturbing details of a past meeting with military leadership during the early stages of Taliban resettlement, quoting a conversation with General Faiz Hameed, then Corps Commander of Peshawar.
PML-N leaders divided on possible political entry of Imran Khan's sons amid legal concerns
Leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have issued conflicting statements on whether former Prime Minister Imran Khan's sons -- Suleman Khan and Kasim Khan would be allowed to enter Pakistan and lead a political movement for their father's release, Dawn reported.
While speaking on Geo News' programme Geo Pakistan, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui stated, "In my personal opinion -- as the government has so far not taken any official stance -- they should be allowed to come. They should come and carry out their activities."
Siddiqui added that the two brothers "should not be deprived of this right. If they want to run
a movement for their father, then they should," according to Dawn.
However, he also cautioned that if the sons violate legal boundaries, they could face arrest. "If they come here and cross the limitations of laws [...] They will also come prepared for that, knowing that 'if we are fighting the laws, then the law will take its course'," he said.
Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been imprisoned since August 2023 in connection with a case related to state gifts, and is currently serving a sentence in Adiala Jail in the £190 million graft case. He also faces multiple trials linked to the May 9, 2023 riots, Dawn reported.
Bangladesh's tribunal indicts deposed PM Hasina over killing of protesters
A special tribunal in Bangladesh on Thursday indicted deposed premier Sheikh Hasina in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity in connection with a deadly crackdown on protesters during the July-August uprising last year. The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh (ICT-BD) has set August 3 as the date for the trial. The tribunal has “framed the charge against her (Hasina) alongside the home minister of her regime Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and (the then) inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun,” a prosecution lawyer told reporters. The ICT bench, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, passed the order after rejecting a defence plea to dismiss the charges. The other two members of the
tribunal are Justices Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and Md Mohitul Haq Enam Chowdhury.
The prosecutors said Hasina along with the co-accused was indicted on five charges, including mass killings, murder, and torture to tame the protestors during last year's July-August uprising. If proven guilty, the accused could face the death penalty.
According to a UN rights office report, up to 1,400 people were killed between July 15 and August 15 last year as Hasina's government ordered a security crackdown on protesters.
With Thursday's order, the formal trial against 72-year-old Hasina and other defendants in the case for crimes against humanity has begun for the first time.
Divert Chenab to fix SYL dispute forever, Mann tells Centre
The Punjab Government on Wednesday proposed leveraging the suspended Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan as a long-term solution to the festering Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue involving water sharing with neighbouring Haryana, a suggestion the Centre is open to exploring.
At a meeting convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil to resolve the water-sharing issue, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urged the Centre to expedite the diversion of Chenab waters to Punjab, which could then be shared with Haryana, even Madhya Pradesh and other states. The Indus, Jhelum and Chenab -- the three western rivers of the Indus system -- were allocated to Pakistan under the 1961 IWT, which India suspended following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The Centre took note of Mann’s proposal and scheduled a follow-up meeting on August 5 to take a call on the issue, which will be
conveyed to the Supreme Court during the hearing of the case on August 13. The apex court had earlier appointed the Jal Shakti Minister as a mediator and directed him to facilitate a mutually acceptable resolution between Punjab and Haryana.
Mann described the discussions as “very cordial” and expressed optimism that the suspended IWT could offer a breakthrough. As Mann and Saini called the two states as brothers, the former said if 23 million acre feet (MAF) of Chenab waters could be diverted through the Pong Dam, Ranjit Sagar Dam and Bhakra Dam, the SYL matter would be resolved forever.
The Centre is reportedly assessing the technical feasibility of diverting Chenab waters to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Top sources said plans were underway to test the feasibility of a canal to link the Chenab with the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej system, with the Power Ministry already initiating four projects on the western rivers.
J&K sounds alert as Punjab mining mafia digs into assets
The rise in illegal mining activities in Kathua, Samba, and Jammu districts bordering Punjab has the Jammu and Kashmir authorities on alert.
Reports suggest that trucks and excavators from Punjab are often brought into nullahs and rivulets in the Jammu region during the night to carry out illegal mining, indicating the increasing activities of Punjab-based mafia in the region.
The situation has escalated to the point where minor minerals are being openly excavated from the Ravi in Kathua. These illegal mining operations are taking place outside the government-auctioned mining blocks in the union territory. Concerned villagers from the areas bordering Punjab
Following reports, the Department of Geology and Mining, in coordination with the police, has got cracking. Sources said hundreds of vehicles, including dumpers and tractors engaged in illegal mining, were seized in the three districts in the first half of this year.
Why is Lawrence Bishnoi not in Punjab jail
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema today accused political parties of staging a farce by raising concerns over gangster menace in Punjab, asserting that it was their governments in the past that had provided them the breeding grounds to prosper. He was addressing the media ahead of the Assembly session in Chandigarh.
“The recent murder of a businessman in Abohar was carried out by Lawrence Bushnoi, who is in Gujarat jail. It is sad that he is targeting Punjab sitting in Gujarat. Why is he being kept there? The BJP wants to keep these gangsters
under its grip and use them for creating unrest in states where it does not have a government. But, the Punjab Government is sincerely committed to ensuring peace…
“All leaders including those of the BJP, Congress and SAD are infact working in favour of drug mafia and even openly supporting gangsters,” he alleged.
“We are only cleaning the rot that has been gifted to us by the previous governments. I assure you that we will eliminate the drug mafia in Punjab,” he said.
Punjab Cabinet gives nod to scheme providing Rs 10 lakh health cover to all families
The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday approved a scheme to provide cashless medical treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh to all families in the state at government as well as empanelled private hospitals.
“With this, Punjab has become the first state to provide cashless treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh,”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said here after chairing a meeting of the Cabinet.
A spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said the ‘Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna’ will be rolled out on October 2. Mann had announced bringing the scheme on July 8.
Health cards under the scheme will be issued at Seva Kendras or Common Service Centres (CSCs). Additionally, citizens can register online using their Aadhaar card or Voter ID to obtain a health card.
The official said the scheme will benefit the three crore residents of the state. More than 550 private hospitals have been empanelled for the scheme so far, and the number will be increased to 1,000 in future, the spokesperson added. Earlier, a family could avail of treatment only up to Rs 5 lakh. The limit has now been enhanced. By launching this
rest of the country, becoming the first state to offer free healthcare, education, electricity, and bus travel to its citizens, claimed the spokesperson.
“Following the principle of ‘Sarbat da Bhala’ (welfare of all), as advocated by the great Gurus, the Punjab government is taking inclusive steps to ensure the well-being of every section of society.”
Under this scheme, every citizen of Punjab, including government employees and pensioners, will be entitled to free healthcare, regardless of income level, the spokesperson said, adding that previously, only select families qualified for benefits under income-based criteria.
In its 2025-26 Budget, the Aam Aadmi Party government had announced that it would extend Rs 10 lakh per annum insurance cover each for all the families in Punjab. A sum of Rs 778 crore was allocated for this purpose.
So far, 45 lakh families in Punjab are enrolled in government health insurance schemes: 16 lakh families are covered under the Central government’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana, and 29 lakh families are covered under the Punjab government’s Mukh
Man arrested in Bengaluru for secretly filming women in public, posting videos online
A 26-year-old man, Gurudeep Singh, was arrested by Bengaluru Police after a woman exposed a disturbing social media trend where women were filmed without their consent in popular city locations and the videos were posted online.
The issue came to light when a woman, who is a student in Bengaluru, discovered a video of herself on a social media page that claimed to showcase "street scenes" from areas like Church Street and Koramangala.
She said the video was shot without her knowledge and in a highly inappropriate manner. Despite reporting the clip and requesting its
removal, there was no action taken.
Following the video’s circulation, she began receiving vulgar messages from strangers.
In a video she posted on Instagram to raise awareness, the woman stated, “This person walks around Church Street pretending to film the ‘chaos’, but in reality, all they do is follow women and record them without their consent”. She called it a "serious breach of consent," stressing that being in a public place or having a public Instagram profile does not equate to permission to be filmed or shared online.
Malaysian model accuses Indian priest of sexual assault in temple
Malaysian authorities have launched a manhunt for a priest accused of molesting Indian-origin actress and television host Lishalliny Kanaran during a visit to a temple in Sepang last month.
Kanaran, who won the title of Miss Grand Malaysia 2021, detailed the alleged assault in a powerful Instagram post, stating that the incident took place on June 21 at the Mariamman Temple.
According to her, the priest, an Indian national temporarily filling in for the temple’s regular priest, approached her under the pretense of offering a blessing. “He said he had holy water from India and a protective string to tie for me. He asked me to meet
him after prayers,” Kanaran wrote. She claimed she waited over an hour as he continued blessing other devotees, before being asked to follow him to his private office. There, she alleged, the priest splashed her with a “strong-smelling liquid” that irritated her eyes and then groped her. He reportedly told her to undress, claiming the ritual was “for her good.”
“He put his hands inside my blouse and touched me. He said it would be a ‘blessing’ if I did ‘it’ with him because he serves God,” she wrote, adding that she froze in shock and couldn’t move or speak. “That betrayal is what cuts the deepest,” she said. “It happened in a temple, a place I went to find peace.”
Hisar private school director stabbed to death by 2 students
The director of a private school was stabbed to death by two students at Bass village of Narnaund subdivision in Hisar district on Thursday.
Jagbir Pannu was rushed to a private hospital in Hisar, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The incident took place around 11 am at Kartar Memorial Public School. According to information, the Class 12 students assaulted Pannu on the school campus. Taken by surprise, the victim failed to protect himself, and was stabbed multiple times. The school staff rushed him to a nearby hospital and later shifted him to the Hisar hospital.
Following the attack, the two accused students fled the scene. On receiving information, the police arrived at the spot and started an investigation.
Nirav Modi's brother Nehal arrested soon after completing 3-year sentence in US
Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's younger Brother, Nehal Modi, walked out of a US prison on Friday after serving a nearly-three-year sentence in a cheating case and was taken into custody soon after by authorities there on the request of Indian agencies, officials said.
The Interpol had issued a Red Notice against Nehal Modi on the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2021 and an extradition request was also sent in 2022, but it could not be executed as he was incarcerated in a US prison after being sentenced in a cheating case, the officials said.
March and August 2015, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L Bragg had said in a statement on July 29, 2022.
“Mr Modi tricked this Manhattan company and pawned and sold diamonds that were not rightfully his on the cheap for his own financial gain,” Bragg had said.
The CBI was in touch with US authorities for the last one month as Nehal Modi's date of release neared, they added.
The coordination between the agencies of the two countries ensured that Nehal Modi was arrested soon after he was released from jail, the officials said.
The CBI will press for his extradition during a July 17 hearing, while Nehal Modi may seek bail from the court, they said. Nehal Modi, 46, was convicted by a New York State Supreme Court jury of Grand Larceny in the First Degree in 2022. He had made false representations regarding a purported deal with Costco Wholesale Corporation to obtain diamonds worth more than USD 2.6 million from LLD, also known as Lev Leviev Diamonds, between
In India, Nehal Modi is wanted in connection with the alleged Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud -- one of the biggest banking scams -reportedly orchestrated by his elder brother, Nirav Modi, and uncle, Mehul Choksi. Nirav Modi had, through his companies, siphoned off approximately Rs 6,498 crore from the PNB by issuing fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs), while the remaining amount was misappropriated by his uncle in a similar modus operandi, according to the CBI chargesheet. Born and raised in Belgium's Antwerp and fluent in English, Gujarati and Hindi, Nehal Deepak Modi is wanted in India for allegedly destroying evidence and laundering proceeds of crime on behalf of his brother, Nirav Modi, who remains incarcerated in a London prison, facing extradition proceedings to India. It is alleged that Nehal Modi, a Belgian national, played a pivotal role in concealing and transferring large sums of illicit money through a labyrinthine web of shell companies and offshore transactions, in violation of Indian financial laws.
INDIA
bloc protests in
Bihar, says won't let EC steal votes
The INDIA bloc, led by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, hit the streets in Patna on Wednesday to enforce a bandh in protest against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
Rahul alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) through the electoral roll revision was trying to steal votes in Bihar just like it had stolen the mandate in Maharashtra last year. However, he warned that people of the state would foil the ECI's ploy.
Rahul's allegations came even as earlier in the day, the poll panel, in an effort to blunt the Opposition's attack on SIR, fact-checked some state leaders and rejected as "baseless" their claims about the exercise.
Addressing a massive rally along with leaders of INDIA bloc constituents, namely the RJD, CPI, CPM, CPI (ML) and Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP), Rahul said: "The people of Bihar will never allow the Election Commission to steal the mandate here after what it did in Maharashtra and Haryana. In Maharashtra, the mandate was stolen. Now in Bihar, the right to vote is under threat. We will
Eleven persons were killed and nine others rescued as several vehicles plunged into Mahisagar river after a portion of a four-decade-old bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Vadodara district on Wednesday morning, officials said.
A slab of the Gambhira bridge, which connects central Gujarat to the Saurashtra region of the state, collapsed, killing 11 persons, SP Rohan Anand said.
Visuals from the site showed the entire chunk of the slab of the bridge between two piers having collapsed. The slab collapse caused the vehicles, which were passing through the bridge, to plunge into the river. Two trucks, two vans, an autorickshaw and a two-wheeler fell into the river, Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya said. Three persons on the two-wheeler, who fell into the
Indian colours bring vibrance as 'Bharat Utsav' commences in Russia INDIA
continue to expose these anti-Constitutional forces. Together with the people and the youth, we will give a fitting reply."
Standing atop a vehicle with RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, CPI (ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI general secretary D Raja and others, Rahul alleged that although the INDIA bloc had secured a majority of seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, the subsequent Assembly election saw a dramatic shift. “We found that one crore additional voters were added to the electoral rolls during the Assembly elections,” he claimed.
11 killed as 40-yr-old Vadodara bridge gives way
river, managed to swim to safety, he said, adding two other vehicles that came dangerously close to falling into the river were dragged away to a safer site.
Heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed at the accident site as perched atop a submerged vehicle, 35-year-old Sonalben Padhiyar kept pleading to onlookers to save her two children and husband after the vehicle they were travelling in plunged into the river. By the time rescuers reached the spot, it was too late. Her husband and kids had already drowned.
PM Narendra Modi and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel expressed grief over the tragedy and announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 4 lakh, respectively, to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs 50,000 as compensation to the injured.
The festival of India--Bharat Utsav has begun in Russia and will run till July 13, the Russian Embassy said in a statement. As per the Embassy of Russia, the festival which commenced on July 5 will go on till July 13.
In a statement, the Embassy noted that the festival offers visitors "a deep dive into Indian culture through masterclasses, traditional performances, and dance shows." Organised
in collaboration with the Moscow Government and the Embassy of India in Russia, Bharat Utsav celebrates India's rich heritage, allowing attendees to experience its vibrant traditions firsthand. The festival grounds at Manezhnaya Square, just opposite Red Square, have been transformed into an exotic garden featuring lush greenery, traditional Indian decorations, and dedicated relaxation zones.
ED raids Punjab and Haryana in crackdown on 'Dunki route' immigration racket
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The ED’s investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is based on 17 FIRs registered by police in Punjab and Haryana against various travel agents and middlemen.
“These individuals allegedly defrauded scores of aspiring migrants by promising legitimate overseas placements, charging exorbitant sums of Rs 45–50 lakh per person,” the official said. However, investigations revealed that rather than facilitating legal immigration, these agents funneled unsuspecting individuals through the treacherous ‘Dunki route’—a clandestine and perilous network involving illegal border crossings through multiple countries, often under the control of international
human smuggling mafias and so-called “Donkers.”
“Not only were these migrants deceived, but many were also extorted during their journey,” the officer said.
ED officials have found that the traffickers and their overseas accomplices created high-pressure situations to extract additional payments from migrants’ families, exploiting their desperation and fear.
ED has recorded statements from several deportees, shedding light on the operational structure of the network and identifying new suspects. “Today’s searches targeted individuals and entities whose names emerged during this process,” the officer said.
