England has been overtaken as Australia's top overseas country of origin for the first time since records began.
People born in India made up the largest proportion of those born overseas for the first time on record, narrowly edging out Englishborn residents in 2025.
Continued on Page 10...
Court defers deportation of truck driver who caused fatal Humboldt Broncos bus crash
Days from being deported, an 11th-hour decision by a Federal Court justice on Friday means that Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, who was found responsible for the fatal Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018, can stay in Canada for a little while longer.
Sidhu was behind the wheel of the semi-truck that blew through an oversized stop sign with a flashing yellow light, right into the path of the Saskatchewan junior hockey team’s bus, on April 6, 2018. The collision killed 16 players and staff and injured 13 others.
He was scheduled to be deported and board a plane for India early Monday morning.
Continued on Page 7...
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for King Charles to "return" the prized Koh-i-Noor diamond, which the British Empire took from the Indian subcontinent in the 1800s, on the third day of the monarch's state visit on Wednesday.
Before greeting Charles and Queen Camilla at a 9/11 memorial event, Mamdani was asked what he would discuss with the king if he had the chance.
"If I was to speak to the king, separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Kohi-Noor diamond," the leftist mayor said, adding that his focus would be honoring those killed in the terror attacks.
It's unclear whether Mamdani followed through and brought up the contentious subject with Charles when the two met. The monarch was seen laughing with Mamdani and having a brief conversation after they shook hands. Continued on Page 10...
The murder Tuesday in Surrey of a Brothers Keepers gangster may have been retaliation for the slaying last month of a trafficker linked to the UN gang.
And both likely stemmed from the continuing dispute that led to January’s murder of high-profile Brothers Keeper and suspected hitman Naseem Ali Mohammed, sources told Postmedia News on Wednesday.
Despite fewer acts of violence in the B.C.wide gang conflict over the last two years, the main groups involved continue to hunt each other, the sources said. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is now in charge of probing the targeted murder that left the 25-year-old Surrey gangster dead. The man was killed inside a silver sedan just before 7 p.m. in the 6800-block of 148th Street. A second victim escaped severe injury. Continued on Page 10...
Criminal networks are taking advantage of “financially vulnerable” young Indian men who are in Canada on study permits to carry out on-the-ground extortion threats and violence in South Asian communities in Surrey and beyond, a new federal report says.
A special bulletin from the federal government outlines some of the ways extortionists move their money and confirms the extortion is often carried out by “interconnected” criminal networks rather than isolated individuals.
In February, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the federal government was creating a financial crimes agency, within Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis
Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) that will “follow the money in extortion.” Surrey is one of the two main cities – alongside Brampton, Ont. –that have seen a large spike in extortion-related violence over the last three years.
Continued on Page 4...
Gas prices in Metro Vancouver surged to 217.9 cents a litre Thursday, and some analysts believe a further five cent hike could be in play before the weekend. “I can’t see anything stopping it going up about five cents a litre,” said Roger McKnight, EnPro International chief petroleum analyst. “That’s the facts of life right now. This is going to be a pretty rough couple of months.”
The latest spike comes with no end to the U.S.Iran conflict in sight, and the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
“I can see this whole scenario stretching right through into the early part of 2027,” McKnight told CTV News. “And I don’t know what you can do about it.” Asked about whether drivers can expect anything in terms of provincial support, Jobs and
Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon said the government is looking into what’s possible.
“We have nothing at this point that we can announce,” Kahlon told reporters in Victoria. “We have met – the premier put a cabinet committee together to look at the challenges. We’re looking at everything. Short term, medium term, long term, structural changes so that we can ensure that we’re not in a vulnerable situation like this ever again.”
But the B.C. Conservatives argue a lack of investment in oil and gas infrastructure has exacerbated this crisis.
McKnight said even in the event the Strait of Hormuz was opened immediately, gas prices would likely remain elevated for a minimum of two months.
A formal offer has been submitted to relocate the Vancouver Whitecaps, the city's Major League Soccer team, to Las Vegas, according to a report.
The Athletic cited multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, as well as a statement from billionaire Grant Gustavson, in its report.
The team, which is up for sale, has claimed for over a year that it faces significant revenue challenges in Vancouver despite success on the pitch.
In particular, the Whitecaps say that their current stadium — B.C. Place in downtown Vancouver — does not allow it to generate enough revenue. The stadium is owned by the province, through the Crown corporation PavCo. CBC News received a statement from Gustavson, who said that he was fronting an investor group that had submitted a bid for a Las Vegas MLS team to the league office.
includes Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and former NBA star Steve Nash — with an asking price not disclosed. While the ownership group said at the time that the priority was to keep the club in Vancouver, the team has made no secret of its discontent over stadium revenues in particular.
"Over the past 16 months, we have had serious conversations with more than 100 parties, and to date, no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here," the statement read.
The Whitecaps currently sit second in the
"The investment group will privately finance this endeavor," the statement reads, adding details of the proposal wouldn't be shared as the league deliberates the offer.
Responding to the report on Thursday, B.C. Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon said the province hadn't seen the Las Vegas proposal — and that officials met with MLS commissioner Don Garber on Wednesday as relocation talks heat up.
"It was a a good exchange. We asked the commissioner to play a role to bring parties together ... so that we can have the same goal, which is to keep the Whitecaps here in Vancouver," Kahlon told reporters.
"I'm hoping that that meeting and that dialogue from that meeting was genuine," he added. "And if they have already made a decision to move the team, I'd rather they just tell us."
CBC News has reached out to the Whitecaps and MLS for this story, but did not immediately hear back.
The Whitecaps issued a statement earlier this week saying stadium economics, venue access, and revenue limitations have made it difficult to attract buyers committed to keeping the team in Vancouver.
In December 2024, the club was put up for sale by its current ownership group — which
MLS standings, with an 8-1-0 record, and made the finals of both the MLS Cup and the CONCACAF Champions Cup last year.
But despite the on-pitch success, the club says it is among the lowest earners in MLS — largely because it is unable to generate much revenue out of B.C. Place, which is also home to the Canadian Football League's B.C. Lions, and plays host to a number of other events. The province and the team signed a one-year lease earlier this year, which annually returns to the club up to as much as $1.5 million that the province makes from hosting the games.
Kahlon, a longtime Whitecaps season ticket holder, had said earlier in the week that the deal put the team in a much better place financially.
"Las Vegas can easily have a team with an expansion, but the commitment that Whitecaps fans have made to this team through really tough years, I think it needs to be recognized by the league," he said Thursday. Late last year, the City of Vancouver signed a memorandum of understanding with the Whitecaps that could see the team build its own stadium and entertainment district in Hastings Park.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said the city had done all it could to try and keep the team.
"At the end of the day, the economics have to work for whoever the future owner is ... we know the market can support the team," he said Thursday.
NDP govt will look for Federal handout if U.S.
forestry talks fail
British Columbia’s forests minister says he expects billions in additional federal support for the timber sector if future trade talks with the United States don’t benefit the softwood lumber industry.
Ravi Parmer says B.C. will use every opportunity to remind Ottawa that the pending renegotiation of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement on trade, better known as CUSMA, must include forestry.
If it doesn’t, he says the province expects Ottawa to double or even triple the more than $2 billion in supports it has provided the sector nationwide since last August.
Parmar says federal negotiators “must recognize that if they are unsuccessful” in addressing U.S. duties and tariffs on timber, B.C. will need help. The minister says his province won’t be afraid to ask for more money to diversify the industry and help workers.
He says Ottawa has been a strong partner so far and he is optimistic that the federal government will address CUSMA in a way that includes forestry.
“But if they are unable to address this issue, then absolutely, they are going to have to step up and invest more dollars, and I would expect that is in the billions,” he says.
U.S. duties and tariffs on softwood lumber add up to around 35 per cent, but it is not clear yet where the U.S. government will eventually land.
Overseas Citizen of India registration system revamped and is
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, bringing changes to the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) framework and broader citizenship procedures. Amendments take force immediately.
A major overhaul involves complete digitisation of the OCI registration and cancellation system.
From now on, all applications for OCI cardholdership under Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 must now be filed exclusively through the designated online portal ociservices.gov.in.
The earlier requirement of submitting applications in duplicate has been done away with.
In a significant modernisation of the system under amended Rule 33, registered OCI cardholders will now be issued either a physical OCI card or an electronic OCI (e-OCI) registration.
The issuing authority will henceforth maintain all records electronically.
fully digitised
this condition and a corresponding declaration has been added to the related form.
In another change, the amendments add a new consent clause to the application and allows OCI applicants to share their biometric data for automatic or application-based registration under the Fast-Track Immigration Programme. The aim, officials said, is streamlining future immigration processing.
Amendments also make OCI renunciation process online and says declaration of renunciation of OCI card-holdership under Section 7C must now be filed electronically via the online portal. Where a physical card was issued, the original must still be physically surrendered to the Indian Mission, Post or Foreigners Regional Registration Officer concerned.
A major new provision inserted into Rule 3 of the Citizenship Rules makes it clear that a minor child holding an Indian passport cannot simultaneously hold the passport of any other country "at any time". The proviso "at any time" has been added afresh.
Applicants are required to formally acknowledge
The new norms strengthen OCI card cancellation provisions. The revised Rule 35 empowers the Centre to treat an e-OCI registration as cancelled by direction, even without physical card surrender. "If a physical card is not delivered upon notice, the government may similarly direct it to be treated as cancelled," the rules state.
The amended Rule 42 restructures the appellate process. Citizenship applicants aggrieved by an order may now approach an authority one rank higher than the original deciding authority. For OCI-related grievances, the Centre will designate the revision authority. A new Rule 42A separately provides for review of orders under the newly inserted Section 15A of the Act.
The notification signed by Nitesh Kumar Vyas, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, has been made under the principal Citizenship Rules originally notified in February 2009 and last amended in March 2024.
Indian-origin man convicted of abducting child in Canada faces possible deportation
An Indian-origin man, sentenced to 18 months in prison for abducting a child in Canada, faces possible deportation back to his home country after completion of jail term, according to a report.
Manoj Govindbalunikam, 37, was sentenced earlier this month for abducting a child in Thessalon in 2023, CTV News reported.
Justice Michael Varpio gave the decision on April 21 at the Sault Courthouse.
Govindbalunikam pleaded guilty to the charges, as his lawyer demanded a conditional discharge to help him avoid possible deportation to India, it said. However, it was argued that a "term of imprisonment of six months or more would render Govindbalunikam inadmissible under the (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act)
and he could face deportation," the report added. Govindbalunikam spoke with the nine-year-old victim, offered him a fidget spinner and gave the child his business card in 2023 in Thessalon. He later also offered the victim a ride home.
"Govindbalunikam drove towards that residence and, when they reached the home, the victim told Govindbalunikam to stop the vehicle. Govindbalunikam slowed down but did not stop. He continued past the residence," the report quoted the court document as saying.
His lawyer claimed that the whole matter was a "cultural misunderstanding."
However, the judge said that Govindbalunikam is an intelligent man who has been in Canada long enough to "understand Canadian cultural norms."
Gangs
Continued from Page 1...
Surrey saw 49 extortion-related shootings and 133 reports of extortion in 2025 and so far this year has seen 16 extortion-related shootings and 87 reports of extortion. CBC reported that the Peel Region saw 476 extortion crimes reported in 2025.
The extortion crisis has “evolved from sporadic threats into a sustained campaign of coercion that blends intimidation, opportunistic violence, and trans provincial coordination,” notes the bulletin from FINTRAC.
India and has a presence in Canada and the United States. It is known to be involved in extortion, contract violence and large-scale protection rackets, FINTRAC said. The gang is known to “forge alliances” with other criminal gangs to grow its “influence and revenue streams, particularly in the lucrative extortion economy,” notes the bulletin. These groups rely on people living in Canada to act as “money mules,” enforcers or foot soldiers. They are normally financially vulnerable young Indian men who are in the country on a study permit.
The extortionists are “loosely” associated with organized crime networks that blend community members with those claiming to be “affiliated to overseas organized crime groups,” such as the Bishnoi Gang and Bambhia Gang, according to FINTRAC analysis.
The Bishnoi Gang has claimed responsibility for several of the extortion-related shootings in Surrey over the past year, including ones at Kap’s Café. Police have never confirmed this, though they said at the time it was under investigation.
The Bishnoi Gang is a transnational criminal organization that operates out of India but is known to have a presence in Canada, stated a post on publicsafety.gc.ca. The Bambhia Gang is a rival gang to the Bishnoi gang, which also operates out of
“FINTRAC indicates the possibility of copycat actors leveraging the weight associated with these crime groups to maximize their own impact,” reads the bulletin.
Surrey Police have also spoken about the copycats who are taking advantage of the crisis to get quick cash.
The individual carrying out the extortionrelated violence on the ground often relies on rental cars and short-term accommodations to “stage attacks and quick-moving cash couriers to collect and disperse” the money. They use “low tech” such as phone-based threats and encrypted messages to extort money from the victims.
“Overall, extortion directed at South Asian diaspora communities has become a multifaceted threat defined by intimidation, violence, financial coercion, and networked criminal operations that exploit both social dynamics and procedural vulnerabilities,” reads the bulletin.
FINTRAC highlighted several indicators that banks and credit unions can look out for that may point to extortion or money-laundering activities.
The main methods that the criminal groups who are extorting South Asian communities often involve large deposits through bank deposits and ATM, and “heavy layering and flow through using email money transfers.”
A heartbreaking discovery was made by Calgary police officers Thursday morning, when they found the bodies of two children inside a vehicle in the city’s northwest.
“Just after 10 a.m. CPS received a phone call that led us to the 4300 block of 14th Street NW,” said Calgary Police Service Insp. Darren Smith.
“Once we arrived, we located a vehicle. A search of that vehicle has located two deceased children. At this time, the deaths are considered suspicious.”
Homicide investigators were called in and police confirmed one person was taken into custody.
Smith said investigators are still working to identify the children and determine who their parents are.
rerouted around the police crime scene.
A large contingent of police officers, as well as the medical examiner, could be seen collecting evidence and working to remove the bodies of the children.
“It is very hard on our officers. Our officers are human, and this is heartbreaking for everyone,”
“We do not believe there’s a risk to public safety,” Smith added. Police shut down 14th Street, which is one of the busiest roads in the city’s northwest, in both directions and traffic was being
said Smith. Investigators are expected to be on scene for several hours collecting evidence and looking for any witnesses.
A warrant has been issued for a B.C. man previously convicted of defrauding more than a dozen people he found using online dating apps.
Brodie Brooks pleaded guilty last year to bilking upwards of $90,000 from 14 victims, most of them women, according to Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers. Brooks is now wanted on a warrant for breach of conditions, specifically that he “keep the peace and be of good behaviour,” Saanich Police Department spokesperson Jason Hallman told CTV News in a statement.
to police. “This person was highly manipulative and deceptive in his scheme,” said Const. Markus Anastasiades, in a statement announcing the arrest.
Online court records list the offence date as Jan. 30, 2026. Authorities arrested Brooks back in 2023, accusing him of swindling victims across the Greater Victoria area over the course of several years.
He would ask to borrow money with a promise to eventually pay it back, then limit contact with victims once they asked to be repaid, according
“While each case is unique, we encourage people never to send money to anyone they have only communicated with online or by phone.”
Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers urged Brooks to turn himself in, but asked anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact Saanich police.
A person identifying himself as Brooks reached out to CTV News to claim he was at a work camp out of province, with the approval of his probation officer.
The individual said he was earning money to “pay back restitution to the victims,” as ordered by the courts, and would not be returning to B.C. earlier than planned. He claimed authorities are aware of his whereabouts.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an order authorizing the Bridger Pipeline’s proposed project to transport Canadian crude from the U.S.-Canada border to Wyoming.
The pipeline, a joint proposal from Canadian pipeline company South Bow and the U.S.-based Bridger Pipeline, could increase Canada’s crude exports to the U.S. by more than 12 per cent.
“It’s a huge deal in terms of long-term energy dominance and energy security,” White House staff secretary Will Scharf, speaking over Trump’s squeaking sharpy as the president signed the executive order.
“Slightly different from the last administration,” Trump told the room of White House executives and journalists. The politicians standing behind him laughed.
“They wouldn’t sign a pipeline deal and we have pipelines going up. And by the way, they’re way underground. They’re not a problem. Nobody even knows they’re there.”
Bridger Pipeline’s project would have the capacity to move more than 1 million barrels of oil per day, according to the company. If built and connected, analysts told Reuters it could increase Canada’s crude exports to the U.S. by more than 12 per cent. Trump’s authorization of this Canada-U.S.
pipeline appears to contradict previous rhetoric around petroleum imports.
In January 2025, Trump told the World Economic Forum that the U.S. does not need Canada’s oil and gas, adding “we have more than anybody.” He also suggested the same regarding auto and lumber imports, and that Canada should join the U.S. as a state.
Canada supplies more crude to the U.S. than any other country in the world. In 2025, Canada exported 1.64 billion barrels of crude oil and products to the U.S.
A spokesperson for Energy Minister Tim Hodgson’s office told CTV News that they are aware of the signing and that the government “remains focused on strengthening Canada’s position as an energy superpower, supporting North American and global energy security, and advancing the diversification of our trade partnerships.”
In a separate statement to CTV News, South Bow didn’t specifically mention the Bridger Pipeline that Trump signed off on Thursday. Instead, the company said it would continue to evaluate the Prairie Connector project, a proposal that would start in Hardisty, Alta., and move crude oil to the border to various U.S. destinations.
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‘There’s one negotiator,’ Carney says as Conservatives meet U.S. on trade
There is only one trade negotiator for Canada and it’s the federal government, Prime Minister Mark Carney said when asked about Conservative MPs meeting U.S. trade representatives.
Conservative MP Jamil Jivani was back in Washington on Wednesday with a handful of Tory colleagues for a meeting with Canadian business interests and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, The Canadian Press reported on Wednesday.
Canadian Ambassador Mark Wiseman was also in attendance.
On Thursday, Carney was asked what he made of the efforts by the Conservatives.
“We’re both free countries, so people can go where they wish,” Carney said.
“In the end, there’s one negotiator for
Canada, and that is the government of Canada. Our interlocutors in the United States are generous people, they’re generous with their time and it’s good of them to meet a host of Canadians coming down. But in end they know, and we know that we’re the negotiators,” he added.
5 Indian-origin men charged in Canada for $2 million cannabis trailer theft
Five men of Indian origin have been charged in connection with the theft of a trailer carrying cannabis worth over $2 million. Two illegal firearms were also recovered from their possession.
The accused have been identified as Manveer Singh (21), Sarbjeet Singh (32), Dilkhab Singh (21) and Jaiskavan Malhi (23), all residents of Brampton, and Karan Kumar (25) of Hamilton.
According to details shared by the York Regional Police, the arrests were made by the Auto Cargo Theft Unit (ACTU) following the recovery of the stolen consignment and firearms.
On April 15, investigators were in the area of McLaughlin Road and Highway 401 in Mississauga when they located a trailer reported stolen from the Niagara Region. Further investigation revealed that the trailer was transporting a large quantity of cannabis products meant for delivery to multiple dispensaries at the time it was stolen.
The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Free Trade Agreement, also known as CUSMA, is up for renegotiation this summer. On Wednesday morning, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was asked who Jivani was meeting with and what he hoped to achieve. “I don’t have any information on that at this point to share,” he said. “Our MPs have been consistently going to Washington to fight for tariff-free trade.”
Poilievre also said the Carney government “should use every relationship we have as Canadians” to help secure a trade deal with the U.S.
Later in the day, a spokesperson for Poilievre’s office said that “a delegation” of Tory MPs was in Washington “carrying the Conservative party’s Team Canada message.”
That group included Conservative finance critic Shuvaloy Majumdar, foreign affairs critic Michael Chong and MPs Jacob Mantle and Corey Tochor.
B.C. health-care projects cancelled as government tightens budget
Construction contracts for two health-care projects that the B.C. government said were being “re-paced” when it tightened the budget in February have now been cancelled.
However, Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma says the Burnaby Hospital redevelopment and the
government said were being slowed or re-paced in order to get its costs under control in light of a record-setting deficit of $13.3 billion.
Ma says projects generally unfold over different phases, and the contracts being cancelled were agreements that the Fraser Health Authority had signed before the government’s decision to delay construction.
Long-term Care Centre in
are still part of government’s capital plan. The sites were among nine projects which the
Conservative Ian Paton, the member of the legislature for Delta South, says the NDP’s financial management has turned out to be disastrous, and the government has completely cut out his constituents.
Paton says it’s “embarrassing” for government to announce these projects, then say they have become too expensive.
“What farmer would be building a barn, knowing that he doesn’t have enough to complete the project?”
Federal judge prevents deportation of driver of Humboldt Broncos bus crash
Continued from Page 1...
However, in a decision after a hearing on Friday, Federal Court Justice Jocelyne Gagné granted a temporary deferral pending the outcome of an earlier Federal Court case, which challenged the Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) decision not to delay Sidhu's deportation while he waits for a ruling on an application to stay in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
His lawyers say it could be several months before a decision is made.
Sidhu pleaded guilty in January 2019 to 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, and on March 22 of that year he was sentenced to eight years in prison — the longest sentence in Canadian history for that crime that didn’t involve alcohol, drugs or purposeful behaviour.
Sidhu was granted full parole in 2023. One year later, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada removed his permanent resident status and ordered his deportation.
His immigration lawyer, Michael Greene, a senior partner at Sherritt Greene Immigration Law in Calgary, has filed an application for Sidhu to remain in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, arguing he has young children who would be affected. His son was born
with a rare lung disorder, and doctors have told the couple that living in India, with its poor air quality, would put him at risk.
As well, his lawyers say Sidhu is living with mental health issues that could worsen after he is deported. His wife, Tanvir Mann, fears he won't get the counselling he needs because mental illness can be stigmatized in India.
Earlier this year, Sidhu learned that a preremoval risk assessment determined he would not be in danger if he's deported to India.
His lawyers asked the CBSA to grant a temporary deferral of his removal, but it was denied. In a last-ditch effort on Friday, Sidhu's legal team asked the Federal Court to defer deportation while they wait for a response on the humanitarian and compassionate grounds application.
Navi Dhaliwal, a law partner at Sherritt Greene, argued that Sidhu is at imminent high risk of suicide if he's returned to India.
"This is not about the availability of treatment. This is about our client, quite frankly, not needing any treatment in India because he is quite likely to commit suicide upon return. This is about his harm upon removal," she told the court.
Senior partner Michael Sherritt added that Sidhu should not be penalized because the processing time for immigration cases is so long.
Spring economic update lacks details on spending targets, results: PBO
Canada’s new parliamentary budget officer criticized the government’s spring economic update on Thursday for lacking details on spending targets and results.
Appearing before the House of Commons government operations committee, Annette Ryan said the update provided some metrics on progress but few mentions of risks and specific objectives.
“The update instead introduced a range of new and rather undefined priorities, strategies and general objectives that similarly would benefit from greater accountability, details on governance and other aspects of planning that would inform Parliament as to what results the government is targeting for that spending,” Ryan said.
“The Canada Strong Fund is a leading example from that list.”
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne on Tuesday tabled a mid-year fiscal update that includes $54.5 billion in new costs and spending since Budget 2025.
Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled plans Monday to launch the Canada Strong Fund, Canada’s first sovereign wealth fund. The fund is meant to support nationbuilding projects, though few details were offered in the spring economic update. Plans to borrow $25 billion for the initial capitalization of that fund were not identified in a line item in the fiscal update. Champagne said that’s standard practice in accrual accounting.
The Liberals now estimate last year’s federal
deficit came in at $66.9 billion, $11 billion less than the $78.3 billion forecast in the 2025 budget, thanks largely to improved economic performance and some lapses in planned spending.
Ryan said the spring economic update mentioned the government’s cost-cutting exercise but it was “fairly limited in terms of the detail it provided.”
“Of note, it did not provide estimates of savings in year one of its plan by department or by estimated reductions in full-time equivalents or federal employment,” she said.
Based on the spring update, Ryan said her office estimates that federal debt per Canadian will rise from $33,592 this year to $38,295 five years from now.
Ryan said her office will publish a series of documents early next week on the spring update.
“Over the next few days, I will be in touch with parliamentarians, including committee chairs, in order to hear your points of view on the best way my office can continue to support your work in terms of what is already working and the aspects that could be improved to ensure better accountability from the government,” she said.
Beedie
Delta
Canadians could get up to $5,000 in latest data breach settlement
Canadians affected by a data breach could claim up to thousands of dollars in a proposed classaction settlement.
On Monday, Concilia Services Inc., a Montrealbased claims administrator, announced that a proposed settlement had been reached in the classaction lawsuit against Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and its subsidiary Estée Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. The lawsuit against both Estée Lauder companies arose due to two data incidents that occurred in
2023, in which Canadians’ personal and financial data could have been compromised.
The company has agreed to a proposed settlement of $1,525,000 to resolve all claims.
According to a court document, the company, which manufactures and sells skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products, discovered on May 31, 2023, that an unauthorized third party had accessed certain files.
The incident was followed by a similar yet unrelated incident on July 12, 2023, during which third parties accessed the company’s system and obtained certain personal information of its clients.
On Sept. 7, 2023, Quebec-based law firm Lex Group Inc. filed a class-action lawsuit against both companies. On behalf of affected Canadians, the lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages due to the data incidents.
Are you eligible?
You could be eligible to file a claim if you’re a Canadian whose personal or financial information held by Estée Lauder was compromised or stolen in the May and July 2023 data breach incidents. Those impacted may have received an email or letter from the company informing them of the incident.
How much could you receive?
Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and Estée Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. agreed to a settlement of $1,525,000. According to the company, the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing. Both parties agreed to a settlement to avoid the risk and expense of continued litigation.
Canadians who can prove that they suffered losses as a result of the data breach can claim a maximum of $5,000. This includes losses such as paying for a credit monitoring service, expenses as a result of identity theft, unpaid time off to address issues, and other miscellaneous expenses incurred.
Canadians who were affected by the May or July data breach but don’t have documents to prove out-of-pocket losses can claim $150. Some members impacted in both can claim $300.
Payments could increase if there are remaining funds, or may be reduced if approved claims exceed available funds. If the remaining amount comes out to less than $3 per person, no payments will be made. Instead, remaining funds will be given to charities after fees are deducted.
Money will be sent by Interac e-Transfer, but can be made by cheque by written request to the claims administrator.
What should you do next?
If you’re eligible for a claim, you don’t have to do anything at this time. However, you can keep up with the latest updates on the Estée Lauder Data Incidents Class Action Settlement website.
MLA
Garry Begg, MLA Amna Shah, and MLA Jessie Sunner attend Rotary Club of Surrey’s 4th annual cultural dinner
Surrey, BC — The Rotary Club of Surrey successfully hosted its 4th Annual Cultural Dinner, “A Taste of Surrey,” bringing together community members to celebrate Surrey’s cultural richness and diversity.
The event featured the traditions of India, Brazil, and Nigeria, offering guests an immersive experience through food, music, and cultural performances.
The evening was highlighted by the attendance of MLA Garry Begg, MLA Amna Shah, and MLA Jessie Sunner, who joined community leaders, volunteers, and cultural partners in recognizing
the value of multiculturalism and community service in Surrey.
Held at Shannon Hall in Cloverdale, the event underscored the Rotary Club’s ongoing commitment to fostering inclusion, collaboration, and community engagement. The presence of the MLAs reflected strong support for local initiatives that bring residents together and celebrate Surrey’s diverse cultural landscape.
The Rotary Club of Surrey extends its appreciation to all attendees and partners who contributed to the success of this year’s cultural dinner.
Delta man owing US$13.4M to SEC now faces market ban in B.C.
A Delta resident owing more than US$13.4 million to U.S. authorities for committing stock fraud is facing a hearing in Vancouver to ban him from this province’s capital markets.
B.C. Securities Commission (BCSC) director of enforcement Doug Muir applied Feb. 5 to an independent commission hearing panel to ban Jackson T. Friesen from trading in or purchasing
any securities or derivatives, as well as from becoming or acting as a director, officer, promoter or consultant of any issuer or registrant in B.C.
Friesen has until April 30 to respond to Muir’s application. His lawyer Owais Ahmed of Vancouver firm McCarthy Tétrault did not respond to Business in Vancouver for an opportunity to comment. A hearing date has yet to be scheduled.
Friesen is already banned from penny stockrelated business activity in the U.S. after being
found liable for his part in a massive U.S. stock fraud scheme that unfolded between 2010 and 2019, and was largely orchestrated out of the Vancouver offices of co-accomplice Fred Sharp, 73, a West Vancouver resident and former lawyer who acted as an offshore shell facilitator with Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.
Friesen is among 21 B.C. residents who have been charged in civil and/or criminal proceedings for their role in what amounted to over $1 billion worth of illicit stock transactions, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and U.S. Department of Justice.
Friesen was charged in a civil complaint from the SEC in August 2021 at the age of 33.
By October 2023, a Massachusetts federal court jury determined Friesen committed several “pump and dump” schemes involving 14 public companies and a judge ordered him to repay investors US$11.8 million and the commission a US$1.56-million civil penalty. The judge deemed Friesen’s “repeated” behaviour to be “egregious” and said he believed it was likely Friesen would re-offend.
Friese appealed the judgment but the first circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the decision on Feb.19. Muir is now seeking to eliminate Friesen from activities in B.C. given the “reputational harm” he had done to U.S. markets.
Immigration minister says she's accountable after former IRGC official was granted permit for FIFA event
Immigration Minister Lena Diab says she's accountable after a senior Iranian soccer official with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — a listed terrorist group in Canada — was granted documents to travel to the country ahead of a pre-FIFA World Cup gathering in Vancouver, before ultimately getting turned around.
But Diab, who spent an hour fielding pointed questions about the case during a parliamentary committee Thursday afternoon, said she was not made aware of the decision to issue Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj documents to enter the country.
"I'm definitely accountable. But I would not have been part of that decision-making process," she said during an exchange with Conservative MP Dane Lloyd.
The Liberals have come under pressure to explain how Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj and his delegation were grant the necessary documents to travel to Canada for the FIFA Congress, which brings together more than 200 national soccer associations annually to vote on key issues.
The delegation was turned away after landing at Toronto's Pearson Airport on Tuesday, said Iranian state-affiliated media. Taj is a former commander in the IRGC, the regime’s military and security force, which Canada listed as a terrorist entity in 2024.
That means under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, thousands of senior Iranian government officials including top IRGC members are inadmissible to Canada. Both serving and former senior Iranian government officials who are in Canada can also be investigated and removed.
Diab told committee his documents were cancelled while he was mid-flight.
"The individual had no status to come into Canada. By the time they landed, they left. They are back in their own country," she told the parliamentary committee.
"We are very much looking forward to learning what happened in this case to ensure it does not happen in the FIFA games that are happening in the month of June and July."
New Financial Crimes Agency needed to combat growing threat of fraud, scams: experts
Canada’s new Financial Crimes Agency will have its work cut out for it amid growing cases of fraud and scams, experts say.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government proposed the creation of the FCA in their Spring Economic Update on Tuesday, making good on a 2021 Liberal campaign promise to create a dedicated policing agency to investigate issues such as money laundering, fraud, insider trading and organized crime.
Financial crimes are a significant issue. The Expert Panel on Money Laundering in British Columbia (B.C.) Real Estate in 2019 estimated that money laundering alone consistently amounted to about two per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product — upwards of $40 billion a year. Losses to fraud totalled more than $704 million in 2025, according to law firm Gowlings.
B.C. English teacher disciplined over inappropriate, emoji-filled emails to student
An English teacher at a B.C. independent school has had his teaching certificate suspended for three weeks after exchanging inappropriate emails with a Grade 11 student, according to a regulator. Steven Lynn Reeder was issued the suspension in a consent agreement posted by B.C.'s Commissioner for Teacher Regulation earlier this week.
According to the agreement, Reeder sent the student dozens of emails that featured emojis and complimented her dress, among other instances that the regulator said constituted professional misconduct.
The emails in question were sent over the course of two days in June 2024. One of the
emails, the regulator found, featured a "cartoon penguin with a basket of hearts and three hearts above the basket."
The emojis used by the teacher included a smiling face with hearts and a face blowing a kiss, according to the agreement.
Reeder also used the word cariño, which the regulator described as a term of endearment in Spanish "similar to sweetheart, dear, or love."
The emails largely referred to the friendship between the student and Reeder, with the teacher complimenting her in numerous ways and calling her a "teacher's pet."
Reeder was employed at the school until April 2025, according to the agreement.
The Liberals are proposing that the new FCA will receive $352.7 million over five years, and then $82.1 million annually, to begin operations, and will report to the finance minister.
“I think unfortunately, lots of folks have either direct or indirect experience with these types of crimes,” said Steve Boms with the Financial Data and Technology Association of North America, in an interview with Global News.
Boms pointed to issues like romance scams or celebrity impersonations, in which fraudsters coax targets into forking over cash via social media or private messages, as well as the ever-present threat of malware. “It’s not a uniquely Canadian problem. This is happening across the G7. And (the FCA) is really just Canada’s response to this growing problem that we’re seeing happen worldwide,” he added.
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The dead man, wearing a grey hoodie, was left hanging out of the passenger side of the silver car with what appeared to be cash on the ground in front of him, according to a photograph sent to Postmedia.
CCTV footage obtained by Postmedia shows a compact black sedan pull up behind the silver car, blocking it as it tries to back out of a driveway. The silver car pulls forward as two hooded shooters, both dressed in black, jump out of the black car and run up the driveway. Another man in black can then be seen crawling through bushes, possibly trying to hide, before the shooters run back to the black car and speed away.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark confirmed Wednesday that the murder is believed to be related to the B.C. gang conflict. He said the victim’s name
isn’t being released as “family notifications are still ongoing.”
“Thanks to Surrey Police Service front-line officers for their quick actions in securing the scene and preserving vital evidence while also managing a large number of potential witnesses in the area,” Clark said in a news release. “Extensive work is underway to interview those witnesses; however, anyone else who saw the shooting or knows the victims is asked to connect with investigators.”
A burning vehicle, matching the one used by the killers, was found near 96th Avenue and 124th Street shortly after the shooting.
Investigators are looking for CCTV and dashcam video from Tuesday, between 6 and 8 p.m., in and around 148th Street between 72nd Avenue and 64th Avenue, and 96th Avenue between 123rd Street and 125th Street, including
$7,200 to your child’s RESP
When your child turns six, they can receive an additional $1,200 from the B.C. Government.
Meanwhile, the homicide team continues to investigate the March 28 murder of Jasman Sekhon, 27, who was linked to the UN gang in the conflict. He was shot to death in the 15100-block of 60th Avenue, with a burning blue Hyundai SUV found near 186th Street and 44th Avenue about 15 minutes later. Sources said the Sekhon hit was likely retaliation for the murder of Mohammed on Jan. 13, which also remains unsolved. Mohammed, also 27, was a suspect in several murders in B.C. at the time of his death.
Independent MLA Elenore Sturko, a former Surrey RCMP officer, said the SPS should reconsider a decision in January to disband the city’s gang crime team given the apparent escalation in gang violence. The front-line officers were reassigned to work on extortion cases and in
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New Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that the country's estimated resident population on 30 June last year was 27.6 million, comprising 8.83 million people born overseas. Over the past decade, Australia's population has grown by around 3.8 million, up from 23.8 million in 2015.
The proportion of residents born overseas has reached 32 per cent of the overall estimated population. The last time the proportion was that high was in 1891, reflecting high levels of late-gold rush era migration.
Those levels fell sharply during severe economic downturns, hitting a low of 9.8 per cent in 1947, from which it has climbed ever since.
Of the 8.83 million born overseas, 971,020 were born in India, a country that has seen an increasing proportion of migrants over the past four years.
An estimated 970,950 people were born in England, making 2025 the second year in a row that has seen an increase in migrants from this country. Over the past decade, migration from England has been steadily falling from a peak of just over a million in 2013.
The third largest group of non-Australian-born residents were those from China, made up of 732,000 people. This is another peak in Chineseborn migrants, which climbed by 32,000 people from its previous 2024 high. New Zealand migrants are the fourth largest population group, increasing from 618,000 in 2024 to 638,000 in 2025.
Finally, people from the Philippines round out the top five, with 412,530 migrants estimated in the country in 2025. This is a figure that has almost doubled since 2015.
The next most significant countries of origin for
other short-staffed units.
“What we’re looking at is likely tit-for-tat gang violence, where we have competitive groups targeting one another in a clearly unfolding gang conflict. This is the time that we need even more of a gang-unit presence on the street, not less,” Sturko said. While the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit has had uniformed patrols working in Surrey, Sturko noted that the city used to have both a local police gang unit and CFSEU officers.
If more officers are needed to work on extortion investigations, they should be provided by the province and not pulled from the already-strapped SPS, she said. “Here we are, one year into our police service transition with our new police service, and they have reassigned the members of that gang team and that is unacceptable,” she said.
foreign-born residents are Vietnam, South Africa, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.
The ABS statistics show that people born in Italy and England saw the largest decreases in their populations since 2015.
Both groups have a median age of 60 or over, reflecting high levels of migration to Australia from these countries after World War II.
The median age for Australia's overseas-born population is now 43, down from 46 in 2005. By comparison, the median age of the Australianborn population is 35, up from 33 two decades ago.
The figures put Australia eighth in the world for the number of migrants in its population.
The United States ha more international migrants than any other country, with 52.38 million residing there. Australia's 2025-26 permanent migration program seeks to allow 185,000 migrants into the country during the period, mostly through the "skilled worker" stream. Net overseas migration for 2025-26 is forecast to be 260,000, a decline from its 2022-23 post-COVID peak.
Minister for Immigration, Tony Burke, made an impassioned defence of migration after the recent announcement of the Coalition's plan to reform Australia's migration policy. "Modern Australia and multicultural Australia are the same thing," he told reporters on 15 April.
"When people say they love Australia — and I do, and almost everybody on this continent does — modern Australia is what they're loving, and we are a multicultural nation." Opposition leader Angus Taylor outlined his first major policy platform as party leader to decry "declining immigration standards", and outline a new system based on subscription to "Australian values".
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Housed in the Tower of London, the massive 106 carat stone is the star of Britain's crown jewels, adorning the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The ownership of the jewel has been contested over the centuries, passing through the hands of Mughal emperors, Iranian shahs and Sikh maharajas before the Kingdom of Punjab gave it to Queen Victoria in 1849 as part of a peace treaty.
India has repeatedly and unsuccessfully sought the return of the priceless jewel.
While there is little doubt it was mined in India, its history thereafter is a mixture of myth and fact, with several countries including Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan also laying claim to the gem.
A politician from the anti-immigration Reform UK party was quick to slam the comments as an
"insult to our King."
"This beautiful diamond is currently on display in the Tower of London," the party's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said in an X post. "That is where it will stay."
Employment travel rises for Fijians go up
Travel for employment purposes continues to feature in Fiji’s outbound movement, according to the latest Fiji Bureau of Statistics data for March 2026.
A total of 1,129 residents left the country for employment-related reasons, accounting for 8.4 per cent of all departures.
The data shows a significant number of these travellers were away for longer periods, with 426 departing for between three to 12 months and 411 for one to five years, indicating ongoing overseas
work opportunities. Short-term employment travel also remained steady, with 292 residents leaving for less than three months.
While holiday travel and visits to friends and relatives dominated overall departures, the figures highlight the continued role of overseas employment as a key driver of longer-term travel among Fijians.
The Bureau’s report underscores the importance of labour mobility in supporting income opportunities for Fijian households.
OCCRP condemns seizure of journalist’s phone
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has condemned the seizure of a mobile phone belonging to one of its affiliated journalists by Fiji Police, raising concerns over press freedom in the country.
Investigative reporting fellow Meri Radinibaravi was called into the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Suva after posting — and later deleting — a Facebook comment referencing alleged corruption within the force.
According to Radinibaravi, police contacted her on Wednesday and initially proposed sending a squad car to her home, which she described as intimidating. She instead attended the CID office voluntarily.
crime within the police and military.
OCCRP said the incident comes at a tense time, as Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka considers a possible state of emergency amid rising drug
At the station, a cybercrime unit officer questioned her and requested a written statement. After completing and signing the statement, she was informed her phone would be confiscated for digital forensic analysis.
Radinibaravi said she initially refused but eventually felt compelled to hand over the device, believing the move could be linked to her ongoing reporting into alleged corruption and organised
trafficking and organised crime, alongside a highprofile investigation into the death of a suspect in military custody.
OCCRP Editor-in-Chief Miranda Patrucic strongly criticised the police action.
“Calling a journalist into a police station and forcing her to surrender her phone is an unacceptable attack on press freedom and independent media in Fiji,” she said.
Minister takes drug test, urges leadership by example
Minister for Climate Change has undergone a drug test at Parliament, reinforcing Government’s push to lead by example in the fight against drug abuse.
In a social media post, Lynda Tabuya confirmed completing the test and thanked medical personnel from the Fiji Police Force.
“I have just undertaken my drug test at Parliament today and I thank the Fiji Police Force nurse practitioner Sajneel Prasad and his team from the Police Medical Centre for attending to this
important commitment from the Fiji Government to take the lead in setting the example,” the Minister said.
The move aligns with broader national efforts to promote accountability and integrity among public officials amid growing concerns over drugrelated issues. Using the hashtags #SayNoToDrugs and #KeepCleanAndGreen, the Minister emphasised the importance of maintaining a drugfree environment and encouraging responsible behaviour.
Kasiano Vusonilawe and Minister for Policing Ioane Naivalurua have responded to concerns raised by those attending the funeral of the late Jone Vakarisi on Ovalau Island.
FBC News had received reports from sources claiming that police set up checkpoints in Natovi and on Ovalau, where individuals travelling to the funeral were allegedly stopped and asked to present identification. It was further alleged that officers took photographs of IDs and driver’s licences, with some also claiming that searches were conducted.
ACP Operations Vusonilawe says the actions taken were proactive measures and part of ongoing surge operations, noting the large number of people expected to attend the funeral.
He says while police respect the concerns raised by the family, the role of law enforcement is to ensure the safety and security of the wider community, adding that there was an incident
in recent days that resulted in an individual now facing assault charges before the court.
He adds that surge operations are being conducted across Fiji and that the conduct of police officers is in line with the current operational posture enforced by members of the security forces.
Meanwhile, Minister for Policing Ioane Naivalurua says the operational landscape has changed and has rejected the claims of intimidation.
“The operational situation has changed. We have heard about the intentions, and operations have intensified. The Police are reviewing their concept of operations and are acting accordingly, with various ways of ensuring effective operations.”
He died in military custody last month. Under Fiji’s law, including the Police Act 1965 and the Land Transport Act, police are empowered to maintain public order, regulate traffic, and stop vehicles at checkpoints in the interest of public safety.
Search for missing 9 suspended after exhaustive effort
The Fiji Navy has suspended active search operations for the missing persons at sea following an extensive multi-day effort involving both aerial and surface assets.
In a statement, the Navy said the decision came after 48 hours of intensified searches following the discovery of the missing fibreglass boat, and a comprehensive review of all operations conducted over the past week.
Authorities said the move was based on factors including the wide areas already covered, prevailing weather and sea conditions, drift analysis, survivability assessments, and all information gathered during the search — including reported sightings, floating debris, and the recovery of the semi-submerged vessel.
Search efforts involved Fiji Navy and Water Police vessels, defence-chartered aircraft with Navy air crew, locally supported air assets, and assistance from regional partners such as the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Support from local
communities, maritime operators and the public also played a key role.
Despite the масштаб of the operation, no survivors have been located and no credible leads have emerged.
While active search operations have been scaled down, authorities stressed the case remains open. Monitoring will continue, and operations may resume if new, credible information is received.
El Niño risk for Fiji
Fiji is expected to remain under ENSO-neutral conditions through to June, with a possible shift to El Niño later in the year, according to the latest Fiji Ocean Outlook released by the Fiji Meteorological Service.
The outlook indicates above-normal sea surface temperatures in waters around the Northern Division, Koro, northern Lau Group and Rotuma, while the rest of the country is likely to experience near-normal conditions between May and July.
The South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) is also expected to shift south of its usual position, remaining within Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone during the same period.
possible
Fiji Met has issued a coral bleaching “Watch” alert for waters north of Vanua Levu, including Rotuma, while the rest of Fiji’s waters remain under “No Stress” conditions.
Sea levels are forecast to be below normal across the Western and Central Divisions, much of the Eastern Division, and the south-west coast of Bua. However, Rotuma is expected to experience above-normal sea levels, with near-normal levels elsewhere.
Authorities say the outlook provides important guidance for marine, fisheries and climatesensitive sectors as conditions evolve in the coming months.
Nepal airlines apologises after showing J&K as shown part of Pakistan on flight map
State-run carrier Nepal Airlines has issued a public apology after a controversial “network map” shared on its social media platforms depicted the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as part of Pakistan, triggering sharp backlash across India.
The row erupted on Wednesday when the airline posted a route map that inaccurately redrew India’s northern boundaries. The image spread rapidly on platforms such as X and Facebook, drawing criticism from users who flagged the depiction as a serious territorial misrepresentation.
Facing mounting outrage, the airline deleted the post within hours. By Thursday, it issued a formal apology, describing the episode as a “cartographic inaccuracy” and distancing itself from the map’s depiction. The carrier said the boundaries shown did not reflect the official position of either the Nepal government or the airline.
inaccuracies in portraying international borders. It maintained that the depiction was unintended and did not align with its official stance.
The apology, however, has done little to calm tempers. The incident has triggered wider questions about oversight and intent, with several voices in India calling the error too serious to be dismissed as a mere oversight. Among those reacting strongly was Bhojpuri actor Khesari Lal Yadav, who termed the map distortion a “deliberate act” and demanded clarity from the airline.
Social media platforms saw a surge of criticism directed at both the airline and Nepal’s establishment. Several users pointed to India’s longstanding economic and humanitarian support to Nepal, arguing that such incidents risk straining bilateral goodwill. Others alleged a pattern of messaging from sections within Nepal that periodically take a critical line against India.
In its statement, Nepal Airlines said it regretted the error in the map shared online and acknowledged that it contained significant
17 killed as jeep plunges into gorge in Nepal SOUTH
At least 17 people were killed on Thursday when a jeep skidded off a hilly road and plunged about 700 metres into a gorge in Nepal's Rolpa district, police said.
The accident occurred in the Jaljala area of Thawang rural municipality when the vehicle slipped on a muddy stretch amid rain and fell down the hillside, they said.
Some users went further, questioning whether the episode could have been intentional, suggesting that such a significant territorial error would be difficult to attribute to simple negligence.
US returns over 650 antiquities valued at nearly $14 million to India
The US has returned 657 antiquities collectively valued at nearly $14 million to India, saying there is “more work to be done” to return stolen artifacts to the country.
The return was announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Tuesday.
The pieces were recovered following several investigations into trafficking networks, including those related to disgraced art dealer Subhash Kapoor and convicted trafficker Nancy Wiener.
The pieces were returned at an event attended by Consul Rajlakshmi Kadam from the Consulate General of India in New York.
“The scale of the trafficking networks that targeted cultural heritage in India is massive, as demonstrated by the return of more than 600 pieces today,” Bragg said in a statement. “There is unfortunately more work to be done to return stolen artifacts back to India, and I thank our team for their persistent efforts.” Consul General of India in New York, Binaya Pradhan, appreciated the sustained cooperation of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the US Department of Homeland Security, and the law enforcement agencies whose “continued vigilance”, he said, “made the recovery and return of these culturally significant artifacts possible”.
The items returned include a two-milliondollar bronze figure of ‘Avalokiteshvara’, seated on an inscribed double-lotus base over a lion-flanked throne.
smuggled into the US by 1982, ultimately ending up in a private collection in New York by 2014. The bronze artifact was located and seized from that collection by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in 2025.
A sandstone figure of a dancing ‘Ganesha’, which was looted by one of Kapoor’s indicted co-conspirators Ranjeet Kanwar, from a temple in Madhya Pradesh in 2000. Convicted trafficker Vaman Ghiya then sold and shipped the statue to the New York-based gallery owner Doris Wiener.
In 2012, after the death of her mother Doris, Nancy Wiener — later convicted for antiquities trafficking — knowingly created false provenance for the ‘Ganesha’ statue, consigning it to, and selling it at, Christie’s New York.
The private jeep was hired by locals travelling to attend the Baisakh Purnima festival on Friday at Jaljala, according to police inspector Sunil Thapa Nepali, information officer at the District Police Office, Rolpa. Rescue operations are hampered by heavy rain in the area, police said, adding that the exact number of passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident is not yet known.
The inscription identifies the craftsman as Dronaditya of Sipur, located near modern-day Raipur in Chhattisgarh.
The Avalokiteshvara was one of a large hoard of bronzes discovered near the Lakshmana Temple in 1939 and entered the collection of the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum, Raipur by 1952.
The statue was stolen from the museum and
The ‘Ganesha’ was purchased at the 2012 auction by a private collector who surrendered it to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office earlier this year.
Another artifact is a red sandstone figure of a Buddha standing with his right hand raised in ‘abhaya mudra’, a gesture of protection. The Buddha’s feet are broken off below the knees and only fragments of the halo behind his head are visible, damage that likely occurred when the statue was looted from Northern India.
Opt for canal-based irrigation to save groundwater: Bhagwant Mann to farmers
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday urged farmers to preserve underground water by shifting to canal-based irrigation.
The CM made the appeal during a visit to his native Satauj village in Sangrur. This comes a day after Mann said canal water would reach farmers a month in advance from May 1.
Interacting with villagers, Mann underlined that Punjab’s future was inseparably tied to its water resources and that preserving them is both an
He pointed to the alarming depletion of groundwater due to decades of over-extraction and stressed the need for an immediate shift in approach.
“Groundwater is a precious and finite resource that must be preserved for future generations. The time has come for a collective shift in mindset.
Canal water is not just an alternative, it is the sustainable future of Punjab’s agriculture,” the CM said urging farmers to reduce reliance on tubewells.
urgent necessity and a collective responsibility.
“Punjab’s very existence is intrinsically linked to its water, and preserving it is not merely a policy priority but a moral responsibility,” Mann said.
He said this was the first time in Punjab’s history that canal water was being released from May 1 to benefit farmers ahead of the paddy sowing season.
“The volume of water being released is equivalent to two Bhakra canals, which will provide immense relief to farmers and significantly reduce dependence on groundwater,” said Mann.
“It is not just about the current crop cycle, it is about securing the future of Punjab’s agriculture and ensuring that coming generations inherit a sustainable ecosystem,” he added.
Mann claimed that 21,000 cusecs of water had already been released into the canal network to facilitate early irrigation.
Detailing his government’s efforts, the CM said they had spent Rs 6,700 crore on irrigation projects across the state since March 2026.
He said around 14,000 km of pipelines and watercourses had been laid to ensure efficient water distribution and minimise losses.
'Complete selfenumeration'
Chandigarh: Mann also called upon people across the state to actively participate in the Census 2027 by completing their self-enumeration and registering Punjabi as their mother tongue. He said crucial policy decisions on Punjab’s socio-economic development depended on accurate Census data.
Completing his self-enumeration at his native village through the official online Census portal, Mann said, “Several key decisions related to the socio-economic development of Punjab depend on the Census data. It is crucial that people come forward and register Punjabi as their mother tongue to ensure accurate representation.”
“The first phase of the Census 2027 will also include door-to-door surveys from May 15 to June 13. During this period, 33 questions related to housing conditions, amenities, and assets will be asked, and every household will be counted to ensure that no family is left out of this important national exercise,” he added.
Higher wheat arrivals in 8 Punjab districts raise red flags, FCI orders tighter monitoring
Punjab is witnessing higher-than-expected wheat arrivals despite a fall in yield caused by unusual weather since end of February, prompting close monitoring by the authorities. Eight districts in the state have witnessed higher wheat arrivals than last year, surpassing their targets.
A team of senior officials from the Food Corporation of India, led by Executive Director Daljit Singh, visited the mandis earlier this week and took stock of districts surpassing the targets for wheat arrivals. Directions were then issued to the staff of all procurement agencies to procure wheat only after taking photographs of each heap by placing the day’s newspaper on it and videographing the procedure. Such photographs would be collated each day.
It is suspected that a large number of bogus entries of wheat purchase were being made at some mandis. Some traders were allegedly buying cheaper wheat from outside the state and selling that in Punjab mandis at a higher MSP.
Official sources told The Tribune that wheat arrivals had exceeded targets in the following districts: Mohali 1,41,041 MT (131 per cent); Sangrur 8,65,365 MT (121 per cent); Ludhiana East 3,69,618 MT (116 per cent); Faridkot 4,32,172 MT (115 per cent); Kapurthala 3,43,059 MT (110 per cent); Rupnagar 1,38,949 MT (106 per cent); Fatehgarh Sahib 2,40,027 MT (102 per cent); Ludhiana West 3,34,415 MT (102 per cent); and Patiala 8,52,802 MT (100 per cent).
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has pulled up Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC) for not properly considering critical site-related discrepancies in the tender for the construction of a 50,000 MT capacity godown at the Bhikiwind/ Patti centre under the 10-year Private Entrepreneur Guarantee Scheme.
It is the same controversial tender that led to the arrest of former AAP minister Laljit Singh Bhullar in an abetment to suicide case of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, who was a district manager of the warehousing corporation.
After the tender had been allotted to Baba Naga Agri Pvt Ltd, Bhullar’s father Sukhdev Singh had objected to the allotment, saying the distance of the site was calculated from the Tarn Taran rail head instead of Patti rail head, as mandated in the notice inviting tenders.
While opposing the choice of Baba Naga Agri Pvt Ltd as L1 bidder, Sukhdev had reportedly sought a fresh survey to ascertain his site’s distance from the Patti rail head, maintaining that it would be less than the distance of his rival. But the PSWC officials had “unofficially” concluded that the objections raised by Sukhdev against the allotment of tender to Baba Naga Agri Pvt Ltd had little substance.
They had said that the firm not only offered the closest site to the Patti rail head, but the rent offered by them was much less as compared to the charges offered by Sukhdev. While pulling the PSWC, the FCI in its communication addressed to the Managing Director, PSWC, has pointed out that the
site offered by one of the bidders — M/s Baba Naga Agro Private Limited — located at Village Usman in Tarn Taran district, falls outside the notified centre and designated railhead parameters.
The site inspection committee had categorically mentioned this in its report, but the observation “does not appear to have been duly considered”, the letter states.
The communication reminds the PSWC that the Bhikiwind/Patti centre was approved specifically with Patti as the designated railhead following deliberations by a state-level committee (SLC) and a high-level committee (HLC).
The approval was based on the storage gap assessment at the centre and the railhead. The PSWC, as the nodal agency, had floated tender clearly specifying Patti as the designated railhead under Tarn Taran.
Tenders were opened on September 15, 2025, following which the corporation ordered site inspection of the two bids received.
The FCI has reiterated that the PSWC, being the tender inviting and technical evaluation authority, is bound to evaluate bids strictly as per the model tender form (MTF). Under Article 60 of the MTF, a normalisation factor of Rs 0.07 per quintal per kilometre must be applied for bids received from locations beyond 8 km from the designated railhead when more than one bid is received, for the purpose of financial evaluation.
On being asked, PSWC MD Guatam Jain said he would revert with a reply.
It is learnt that the FCI has constituted teams to visit these districts, make a random check of the arrivals and send report to the head office in Delhi. Following that, directions have been issued to the field staff to check bogus entries of wheat arrival, while they have been warned of strict action in case such entries are detected. Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha is also learnt to have held a virtual meeting with deputy commissioners of these districts on Thursday.
The Centre has set a procurement target of procuring 122 lakh metric tonne (LMT) wheat from Punjab this season. So far, about 114.13 LMT wheat has arrived in mandis, with the procurement season scheduled to continue until May 15.
In all, 112.08 LMT wheat has been procured so far, including 1.07 LMT by private traders. Last year, the total procurement stood at around 130 LMT, including 10.80 LMT purchased by private traders. Officials in the Food and Supply Department said the reason for higher government procurement was that private wheat procurement was negligible this year, as compared to last year.
Chanakya exit poll predicts big BJP win in Bengal Rs hits
all-time intraday low of 95.34 against $ as crude spirals past 122 per barrel
The rupee on Thursday gained four paise to settle at 94.84 against the US dollar after touching a record intraday low of 95.34, tracking a correction in global crude prices which hit $122.11 per barrel amid volatility in West Asia that kept the currency under pressure.
However, the local currency was negatively impacted by the uncertainty surrounding the US-Iran negotiations, which restricted gains.
The rupee opened the day at 95.01 in comparison to the US dollar on the interbank foreign exchange market, but it lost further ground to hit an all-time intraday low of 95.34 before ending at 94.84, up four paise from the previous day.
The local currency fell 20 paise against the US
dollar on Wednesday, closing at its previous alltime low of 94.88.
Meanwhile, the US Fed maintained interest rates despite significant inflation pressure driven by rising oil prices.
Anil Kumar Bhansali, head of treasury and executive director, Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP, said the main effect on the rupee was of the rising oil prices, which touched $122 per barrel and looked headed for further upside as the US continued with its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran did not allow any ship/tanker to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, the exchange data stated that foreign institutional investors sold stocks valued at about Rs 2,460 crore on Wednesday.
Early projections from the pollster, Today's Chanakya, indicate a decisive shift in the political landscape, with the BJP poised for a breakthrough in West Bengal and a dominant hold in Assam, while Tamil Nadu appears set for continuity under the DMK and Kerala heads towards a tight contest with the Congress-led UDF, holding a narrow edge.
In West Bengal, the projections point to a major upset in the 294-member Assembly. The BJP is estimated to secure 192 ± 11 seats with a 48 per cent vote share, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 148. The ruling TMC is seen dropping to 100 ± 11 seats with 38 per cent votes, indicating a sharp slide that could end its long spell in office. The Left-Congress combine and other players are reduced to the margins, with just 2 ± 2 seats and a combined vote share of 14 per cent.
Assam presents a far more onesided picture. In the 126-member House, where 64 seats are required for a majority, the BJP-led NDA is projected to return with a sweeping 102 ± 9 seats and a 50 per cent vote share. The Congress-led alliance is pegged at 23 ± 9 seats with 38 per cent votes, while others are expected to manage just one seat. The numbers indicate a near-total consolidation in favour of the ruling alliance.
in the 234-member Assembly, with a 39 per cent vote share, clearing the halfway mark of 118. The entry of actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerges as the key development, with the party projected to secure 63 ± 11 seats and 30 per cent votes. The NDA is pushed to third place with 45 ± 11 seats and a 27 per cent vote share, while others remain marginal.
Kerala is expected to witness a close contest, with the projections suggesting a possible return of the state’s alternating power pattern. In the 140-member Assembly, where 71 seats are
In Tamil Nadu, the contest reflects continuity with a new entrant altering the arithmetic. The DMK-led alliance is projected to win 125 ± 11 seats
needed for a majority, the Congress-led UDF is estimated at 69 ± 9 seats with a 40 per cent vote share, narrowly ahead of the ruling LDF at 64 ± 9 seats with 38 per cent votes. The BJP-led NDA is projected to win 7 seats with a 20 per cent vote share, while others may not open their account. The projections do not include Puducherry. Votes for all four states are scheduled to be counted on May 4.
700 companies of para forces to remain in West Bengal: Election Commission cites 2021 poll violence
As the bitterly contested West Bengal Assembly poll awaits the final verdict on May 4, the Election Commission on Thursday said that 700 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) shall continue to remain deployed in the politically crucial state till further orders for security arrangements as well as law and order duties.
The EC said this was being done in the wake of poll-related violence during the 2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal, alleging that the state government had not taken adequate measures to prevent it during that time.
The panel’s directions have come just a day after CRPF Director General GP Singh had reiterated his earlier April 25 order that 500 companies of CAPFs would stay in West Bengal after the polling, till further orders.
On April 25, he had said in a post on X: “We remain committed to free, fair and transparent second phase of polling as well in the West Bengal Assembly Election, 2026.”
It has also been conveyed to all Force Commanders that 500 Companies of CAPF would remain stationed in West Bengal after the election process, till further orders. On April 29, Singh posted on X that 500 companies of CAPFs shall continue to remain deployed in West Bengal till further orders for law and order duties post poll.
He also gave a break-up of companies of all CAPFs deployed in the state. According to the break up, out of 500 companies, 200 companies of CRPF will remain stationed in the state, followed by 150 companies of BSF. Apart from this, 50 companies each of the ITBP, CISF and SSB will also remain stationed in West Bengal.
On Thursday, EC sources pointed out that the heavy deployment had been kept in West Bengal to keep a close watch and ensure there was no post-poll violence.
CAPFs have been directed to maintain strict vigil around counting centres, and have also been asked to set up control rooms at EC headquarters in New Delhi and also at the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
Entry of unauthorised persons in counting
centres will be prevented by issuing QR code based photo identity cards to election officials, candidates and counting agents, the EC sources said.
Justifying its decision for heavy deployment of CAPF personnel in West Bengal, EC sources further informed that after the 2021 assembly elections, there was organised, widespread and targetted violence based on political affiliation across multiple districts.
The EC alleged that complicity of the police and the persons in power in the violence which erupted after polling and declaration of the result in the 2021 assembly elections, was found.
The poll body further pointed out that enquiry committee of the National Human Rights Commission from DGP West Bengal had reported 1,934 incidents including that of murder (29), sexual assault (12), grievous hurt (391), arson/ vandalism (940) and intimidation (562) during the 2021 Assembly poll. Though 9,304 persons were accused, only 1,345 of them were arrested.
A court appointed fact-finding committee report had reported 52 murders and 11 rape cases. The EC alleged that though 3,384 complaints were forwarded by the committee to the state government, there was no response in about 1,000 such complaints. During spot visits by the enquiry committee, it was found that in 60 per cent of cases, FIRs were not registered, the EC alleged further. The Calcutta High Court had at that time observed that civil or police administration is under the control of the Election Commission during the process of elections only to ensure free and fair elections, but that does not mean that the police should stop discharging its normal duties to control law and order.
Remove time limit on rape victims’ MTP: SC
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to consider further amending the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971 to remove the gestational time limit for termination of pregnancy of rape victims.
“Please amend your law…When there is pregnancy due to rape, there should not be a time limit…Law needs to be organic and in sync with evolving time,” a Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said while dealing with the case of a 15-year-old rape victim carrying a 30-week pregnancy.
Reiterating its pro-choice stand, the Bench refused to entertain a curative petition by AIIMS doctors for reconsideration of its order to terminate the minor rape victim’s 30-week pregnancy, saying it has to be the choice of the survivor and her parents. “This is a curative petition. Unwanted pregnancy cannot be thrust upon a person. Imagine! She is a child… She should be studying now. But we want to make her a mother. Imagine the pain, the humiliation the child has suffered in this…,” the Bench noted. “If the mother (minor victim) does not have permanent disability, then it (termination of pregnancy) should be carried out,” it said.
The original MTP Act, 1971 allowed termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks on the opinion of a registered medical practitioner in case of pregnancy risk to the woman’s life, physical/ mental health or foetal abnormalities. Termination of pregnancy up to 12 weeks was permitted with a doctor’s opinion and 12-20 weeks with two doctors’ opinions.
women as well. In exceptional cases where the mother’s life is in danger or the foetus is abnormal, the 24-week time limit can be breached and the Supreme Court has in several cases permitted termination of pregnancy beyond the statutory period. However, the Bench on Thursday said when there’s pregnancy due to rape, there should not be a time limit.
The top court’s comments came after Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati mentioned the AIIMS doctors’ curative petition requesting reconsideration of the April 24 order, saying the termination of pregnancy was not possible. “With profound pain, we have to mention this curative. This curative is from AIIMS.
Termination of pregnancy is not possible. It will be a live baby with severe deformities. The minor mother will have lifelong health issues and cannot reproduce. I am sorry I am not composed… This child can be given for adoption. It has been 30 weeks now. It is a viable life now,” Bhati said.
However, the Act was amended in 2021 to raise the upper limit for termination of pregnancy to 24 weeks for married women, special categories, including survivors of rape and other vulnerable women such as those differently-abled and minors. In 2022, the top court extended it to unmarried
As the ASG said AIIMS doctors should be permitted to counsel the minor and her parents, the Bench allowed it with the rider that the decision on termination of pregnancy had to be the choice of the survivor and her parents and AIIMS doctors might only help them make an informed decision.
India to invite bids for 5th-generation fighter jets
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Thursday said the procurement process for India’s advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) was progressing and a request for proposal (RFP) likely to be issued soon to shortlisted private sector players.
Speaking at a security summit here, Singh said “the procurement process is on (for the fifthgeneration AMCA programme), the RFP hopefully would be released soon to the shortlisted bidders who happen to be from the private sector and hopefully that will then pick up pace”.
In June last year, the Aeronautical Development Agency, under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), invited expressions of interest (EoI) from Indian companies to develop and then produce the AMCA. The shortlisted entity needs to possess the capability of setting up manufacturing facility for series production.
The RFP will be issued to Indian companies (owned and controlled by resident Indian citizens) who are capable of building prototypes. For the first time, the Ministry of Defence has allowed Indian private players to participate in the bidding for
developing a fighter jet.
The companies for the project need to have the capability to absorb the design of AMCA and have adequate experience in the field of development, engineering, manufacturing, integration of systems and quality management.
On future combat aviation plans, the Defence Secretary said India was also exploring partnerships for developing sixth-generation fighter aircraft. He noted that the government had reached out to two ongoing international programmes and expressed willingness to collaborate. “We’ve made it clear...that we are interested and we could consider partnering them for a sixth generation fighter program. Let’s see what the response is,” Singh said.
Addressing concerns over the absence of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from key upcoming aerospace projects such as AMCA and Rafale-related production, Singh said diversifying production capabilities was strategically beneficial.
“I would imagine that putting all your eggs in one basket is not a good idea,” he said, adding, "We would be perfectly happy if HAL were there in AMCA. But even if they are not, I would imagine this is the prototype stage, so at the production stage they could still get their chance."
A redundancy is needed in having separate production lines hedging bets across different industry partners, rather confining to one particular case as supply chain vulnerability tends to get concentrated, Singh added.
He said efforts were underway to plug critical gaps in the IAF, including fighter aircraft, refuellers and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), with contracts for all three categories expected to be signed within the next year.
India was ready to prolong Op Sindoor, halted it on own terms: Rajnath
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said India was fully prepared to sustain a ‘prolonged conflict’ during ‘Operation Sindoor’ last year and had halted it on "our own terms".
“India did not halt the operation because capabilities had been exhausted or diminished. We halted it entirely on our own terms. We were fully prepared to sustain a prolonged conflict,” said the minister as he looked to refute claims of the US intervention.
Addressing a National Security Summit in New Delhi, he said Operation Sindoor (May 7-10, 2025) has conveyed an unequivocal global message that India was no longer bound by the old mindset of merely issuing diplomatic statements against terror attacks on its soil.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has moved beyond mere intent and rhetoric by demonstrating its unwavering commitment through decisive action," said Rajnath Singh adding that during that period, India had not fallen for the bluff or a threat of a nuclear strike and had accomplished the set objectives. “This is the ‘New World Order’; the ‘New India’ of this new global era. This is an India which makes no distinction between terrorism and those who sponsor it. This is the unequivocal policy of our Prime Minister, which has transformed India amidst the shifting global landscape,” he said.
The government had maintained a firm stance that any act of terrorism, under any circumstances, would not be tolerated, he said, describing the surgical strikes, air strikes and Operation Sindoor as a manifestation of the government’s resolute stance against the menace. Terrorism, he
said, emanated from a distorted and perverse mindset. It cast a dark stain on humanity. “It is a fight against a barbaric ideology that stands in direct opposition to every human value… attempts are made to justify terrorism by giving it a religious colour or linking it to a violent ideology.”
On Pakistan’s continuous support to terrorism, Rajnath said: “Both India and Pakistan attained independence at the same time. However, today India is recognised globally for IT, i.e. ‘Information Technology’, while Pakistan is regarded as the epicenter of a different IT, i.e. ‘International Terrorism’.”
On the military front, Operation Sindoor was a shining example of jointness and synergy of the Indian defence forces. He said the Army, Navy, and the Indian Air Force acted in concert and under a unified plan, demonstrating conclusively that India's military might no longer operated in silos; instead, it had emerged as a joint, integrated global power.
