Student from Punjab arrested for violent sexual assaults of South Asian girls
A 22-year-old international student from India is accused of three violent sexual assaults while posing as a rideshare driver in Brampton and Vaughan earlier this month.
Investigators are concerned about the possibility of other alleged victims who may be reluctant to report similar attacks.
The arrest comes during an international campaign that speaks out against intimate partner and gender-based violence. Peel Regional Police said Wednesday that the accused, who has been in the
13-year-old
country on a student visa since December 2022, was arrested on Nov. 20 in London, Ont. “The people who commit these crimes have no place in our community,” Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich said. “We will continue to do everything possible to combat sexual and gender-based violence and hold those responsible accountable.”
Police allege the accused spoke both English and Punjabi while targeting young women of South Asian descent.
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Vaibhav Suryavanshi becomes IPL’s youngest ever pick despite age controversy
In a story filled with determination and sacrifice, Sanjiv Suryavanshi’s choice to sell his farmland to fund his son Vaibhav’s cricketing aspirations proved to be a pivotal decision. Vaibhav, hailing from Motipur village in Bihar, made history at just 13 years and 8 months old when he became the youngest cricketer ever to be selected in an IPL auction. Rajasthan Royals secured him for Rs 1.10 crore during the mega auction in Jeddah, a moment that left
his father at a loss for words.
Sanjiv, who poured his life savings into supporting his son’s dreams, often reflected on the challenges they faced. From the age of 8, Vaibhav was already excelling in U-16 district trials, and his father would regularly drive him to Samastipur for coaching sessions, covering the 15 km distance each time. Despite the struggles, Sanjiv never wavered in his belief in his son's potential.
Asylum seekers to Canada have reached a record high and will cost Canadian taxpayers billions of dollars each year to house and accommodate them. Continued on Page 10...
Immigration Minister expects millions to leave voluntarily once visas expire
Continued on Page 10...
US court convicts 2 in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border
A jury convicted two men on Friday of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard.
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national who prosecutors say went by the alias “Dirty Harry,” and Steve Shand, 50, an American from Florida, were part of a sophisticated illegal operation that has brought increasing numbers of Indians into the U.S., prosecutors said. They were each convicted on four counts related to human smuggling, including conspiracy to bring migrants into the country illegally.
“This trial exposed the unthinkable cruelty of human smuggling and of those criminal organizations that value profit and greed over humanity,” Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said.
“To earn a few thousand dollars, these traffickers put men, women and children in extraordinary peril leading to the horrific and tragic deaths of an entire family. Because of this unimaginable greed, a father, a mother and two children froze to death in sub-zero temperatures on the Minnesota-Canadian border,” Luger added. Continued on Page 10...
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that he expects the nearly 5 million people living in Canada with visas poised to expire by the end of next year to leave the country voluntarily. Continued on Page 4...
Hindu monk held in Bangladesh, his lawyer killed in clashes
The clashes were triggered by the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a monk associated with International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), from the Dhaka airport area on Monday on several charges, including “sedition”. He was taken to the court today, which denied him bail, sparking protests by his supporters in different districts, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Cumilla, Khulna, Dinajpur and Cox’s Bazar.
“It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of vandalism and arson against minorities remain at large, charges have been pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings,” the MEA said in a sternly worded statement. It said Bangladesh must ensure the safety of Hindus and protect their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and
expression. In response, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said “Das’ arrest was its internal matter”.
“Bangladesh notes with utter dismay and deep sense of hurt that the arrest has been misconstrued by certain quarters… such unfounded statements not only misrepresent facts, but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two countries,” it said.
The sedition charges were slapped against Das in October following a large rally he led in Chittagong, in which he was accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag.
Besides being associated with Iskcon, Das was a spokesperson of Hindu group Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. After his arrest, Das asked his supporters to remain peaceful.
Canada didn't live up to its values on immigration over the last few years as it allowed more people into the country than it could absorb, said former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney. Carney, who is a special adviser to the federal Liberal Party, made the comments at an event on Wednesday in Ottawa held by Cardus, a Christian think tank. "I think what happened in the last few years is we didn't live up to our values on immigration," Carney said. "We had much higher levels of foreign workers, students and new Canadians coming in than we could absorb, that we have housing for, that we have health care for, that we have social services for, that we have opportunities for. And so we're letting down the people that
we let in, quite frankly." Miller to propose more changes to immigration and asylum system Trudeau says he could have acted faster to make immigration changes, blames 'bad actors'. Earlier this fall, the Liberal government announced a plan to significantly reduce its immigration target for permanent residents and to dramatically scale back the number of temporary residents in Canada. Those changes came about after a period of strong population growth and mounting criticism of the government's immigration policies. Statistics Canada recently reported that the population on July 1 was three per cent higher than a year earlier. Between 1998 and 2018, annual population growth was less than 1.5 per cent.
Vancouver city council voted Wednesday against allowing new homes to be heated by natural gas. The proposed bylaw changes, which were supported by Mayor Ken Sim, would have reversed current climate-friendly practices and drew criticism from many, with more than 140 people registered to speak at council this week.
Dozens also protested in front of city hall ahead of the vote, drumming, chanting and singing in opposition to the proposal. In the end, the motion was defeated in a 5-5 vote. A motion needs at least a majority of one to pass. Green Party councillors Adriane Carr and Pete Fry were joined by ABC councillors Peter Meiszner, Lisa Dominato and Rebecca Bligh in voting against removing the ban. All other ABC councillors voted in favour, along with Sim. Since 2016, Vancouver has been on a path to gradually phase out natural gas for space and water heating in most new building types by 2025 because using natural gas in this way is the single largest source of carbon pollution in the city, according to materials from City of Vancouver staff. In July, councillors voted 6-5 in favour of Coun. Brian Montague's motion
CBC CEO Catherine Tait was grilled about executive bonuses when she appeared at the House of Commons’ Heritage Committee on Monday. This comes as the CBC’s viewership collapsed 50%, forcing her to cut 800 jobs last December
“Catherine Tait is already the highest-paid CBC executive in Canadian history, earning over $500,000 dollars in her base salary,” the Conservative Party said in a statement.
“After failing to produce content that Canadians actually want to consume, and after missing 79% of the key performance
seeking the change, with Sim casting the tiebreaking vote remotely while on vacation.
Montague argued allowing natural gas for space and water heating would reduce barriers to building middle-income and multiplex housing and make Vancouver more affordable.
That sentiment was supported by some speakers at city hall, including Margareta Dovgal, spokesperson for Resource Works, a non-profit advocacy group for natural resource development. "I want you to vote for resilience, affordability and a balanced approach that puts people first and restores energy choice," Dovgal said ahead of the vote.
targets that they made for themselves, it’s clear that the last thing CBC executives deserve is more bonuses.”
While Tait asked the Liberal government for even more tax dollars during the committee hearing, the Conservatives pointed out the last time the CBC received an emergency $42 million taxpayer-funded top-up she quickly paid out $18.4 million in bonuses, with $3.3 million of it awarded to 45 executives, which averaged out to $73,000 per executive.
“This is more money than the typical working Canadian will see in an entire year,” the Tories said.
Tait is already the highest-paid CBC executive in Canadian history, earning more than $500,000 as her base salary.
The CEO also admitted on Monday that “several” CBC employees also make over $500,000 per year as a direct result of these bonuses. At the meeting, Conservative MP and House leader Andrew Scheer thanked Tait for helping advance Conservative plans to defund the CBC.
“I think outside of the Conservative caucus, you have been the most successful person in creating the demand to defund the CBC,” Scheer said.
Full Surrey Police Service transition could take years
After a lot of ups, downs, and court challenges, the transition from the Surrey RCMP to the Surrey Police Service (SPS) is now just one week away.
But 1130 NewsRadio has learned that Nov. 29 is just a date on the calendar for now — and the full transfer of things like case files and evidence could take as long as two years.
Surrey Police Service Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton says work behind the scenes has ramped up significantly.
“There’s almost daily meetings on… how investigations may transfer over, all the IT infrastructure, phones. All of those things most people and companies take for granted when they move into a new building, so we’re working with the RCMP, the city, and all of the stakeholders on how that looks.” Next Friday marks the day that the SPS will become the police of jurisdiction (POJ) when the RCMP’s contract expires at midnight.
“What that means is Surrey Police Service will have operational jurisdiction over all the policing within the municipal borders of the City of Surrey. On the 29th, people will see a higher concentration of Surrey Police officers on the frontlines, so officers in uniforms, driving Surrey Police cars in the Whalley City Centre area and the Newton area… and they’ll see higher RCMP officers in Guildford and south and southeast Surrey. Over time, what will happen is there will be fewer RCMP officers as Surrey Police hires more and deploys more.”
Houghton adds that a full takeover will also happen internally as SPS begins quarterbacking specialty units like Major Crimes, Gangs, Robbery, and Arson.
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of concern that unsolved homicides will fall by the wayside as both the RCMP and SPS use the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT).
Canada has higher property and violent crime rates than the USA, and it’s rising
Canada’s population-adjusted violent and property crime rate has now surpassed the United States, and the gap is growing, according to the most recently available crime statistics. The Fraser Institute “pre-released” a chapter for an upcoming study which found that Canada’s homicide, property crime and violent crime rates per 100,000 people are on the rise, with the latter two metrics now surpassing its southern neighbours.
According to the study, which used Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Justice statistics and Canadian reported crime data, both countries showed a “dramatic” long-term
decline in property and violent crime rates after the 1990s till 2014. After 2014, however, Canada began to see a rise in crime rates, reversing progress. The study found that from 2014 to 2022 when the latest crime statistics were available, the violent crime rate, such as murder, robbery, and assault with a weapon, in Canada increased by 43.8% to 434.1 violent crimes per 100,000 people. This means that Canada now has a 14% higher populationadjusted violent crime rate than the U.S., which saw a violent crime increase of 5.3% over the same period, with 380.7 crimes per 100,000 people.
Now’s the time. Get your flu and updated COVID shots.
And remember to follow these additional healthy habits.
Clean or sanitize your hands frequently. Cover coughsand sneezes.
Stay home if you’re sick.
Help protect yourself and others.
International student accused of violent sexual assaults in Brampton and Vaughan
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The first sexual assault occurred Nov. 8 at approximately 7 a.m. when a black, four-door sedan approached a woman waiting at a bus stop on her way to work at Countryside Dr. and Bramalea Rd. in Brampton, police said. The driver allegedly told the woman he was a rideshare driver and offered her a ride.
Cops allege the woman was driven to the area of Hwy. 27 and Nashville Rd. in Vaughan and sexually assaulted. Less than an hour later, around 7:45 a.m., police allege another woman was waiting at a bus stop to go to school in the area of Via Romano Way and Goreridge Cres. in Brampton when the same driver in a black sedan approached her claiming to be a rideshare operator.
The woman was allegedly driven to the area of Hwy. 50 south of The Gore Rd. and sexually assaulted.
More than a week later, on Nov. 16, a 21-year-old woman waiting at a bus stop at Airport Rd. and Humberwest Pkwy. in Brampton was allegedly offered a ride by the same man in a black sedan around 6:45 a.m.
After getting into the vehicle, police claim the man drove the woman to the area of Countryside Dr. west of Airport Rd. where he sexually assaulted her.
Following the reported attacks, investigators issued news and video alerts – in English on Nov. 17 and in Punjabi two days later – to warn the community.
Arshdeep Singh, of Brampton, is charged with three counts of kidnapping, sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon, sexual assault by strangulation, robbery, and two counts of uttering threats.
Cops declined to identify the weapon used in one of the assaults as they await any other potential victims coming forward.
“We want to reassure our community and residents that we have the prerequisite supports and services available to ensure that victims are safe and comfortable in reporting their experiences,” Milinovich said.
Investigators said the accused was not working for a rideshare company. They have yet to determine which school he was attending and whether he was going to classes.
Gov asking Parliament for $411M in new funding for asylum seeker healthcare
The Liberal government is asking Parliament for over $400 million in new funding for a program that provides healthcare for asylum seekers despite the program receiving steady increases in funding yearly.
According to supplementary estimates for increased funding for the fiscal year 2024/2024, the government is asking for $411.2 million in new spending to fund its Interim Federal Health Program which provides healthcare benefits to asylum seekers and refugees.
The IFHP covers some pre-departure medical services and health care for refugees and asylum seekers. It also covers the cost of medical exams, vaccines, and medical support for travel for claimants before they arrive in Canada. The program also pays costs associated with health measures during disease outbreaks.
For refugee claimants, resettled refugees, and protected persons in Canada, the Canadian
Immigration
Minister
taxpayer covers hospital services, diagnostic and ambulance services, and services from healthcare professionals licensed in Canada, including pre-and post-natal care.
With some limits, the program also covers dental and prescription drug costs. From January to September of this year, Canada processed 52,985 refugee claims, surpassing the amount processed in all of last year. In the same period, Canada processed 132,525 asylum applications, nearly as many as the 144,950 claimed in all of last year.
expects millions to leave voluntarily once visas expire
Continued from Page 1...
“There are many ways that people leave the country,” Miller told the House of Commons immigration committee on Tuesday. “The vast majority leave voluntarily. That is what is expected.” According to documents tabled in Parliament by the Department of Immigration, 4.9 million visas are going to expire between September 2024 and December 2025.
Conservative MP Tom Kmiec pressed Miller on the matter, asking? “How will we know how many of those actually wind up leaving?”
“Are you saying 100% are expected to leave or are you going to send the Canada Border Services Agency to chase all 766,000?” asked Kmiec.
Miller said that he would not be doing that, adding that “some people actually get renewals. Some people get postgraduate work permits.”
The Department of Immigration tallied a total of 1,073,435 foreign students in Canada as of last May.
“There are an increasing number of students making asylum claims, I think with very little hope,” said Miller. “Whether you like it or not they are entitled to due process in this country. I don’t think you would purport to deny it to them.” In addition to international students,
the department estimated as many as half a million undocumented foreigners are currently residing illegally in Canada, according to an April briefing note.
“(Trudeau’s) own published documents show there are 4.9 million people here temporarily that are supposed to leave by Dec. 31 of next year, ” Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre told reporters in Ottawa.
“We asked what the plan was to track their departure and (on Monday Trudeau’s) immigration minister said ‘We’re just going to take people at their word.’ He admits two ISIS terrorists allowed into our country. What is the plan to protect our security and reinstate sovereignty over who is in our country?”
Miller announced that Canada would scale back immigration levels to 365,000 people a year by 2027 in response to a growing sentiment that the Trudeau government has let in far more people than Canada can handle.
“These changes will make immigration work for our country so that everyone has access to the quality jobs, homes and supports they need to thrive. We have listened to Canadians, and we will continue to protect the integrity of our system and grow our population responsibly,” said Miller in a statement last month.
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Metro Vancouver should be held accountable for questionable expenditures
The North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant financial boondoggle is only a reflection of a much larger problem plaguing the entity known as Metro Vancouver
By Daniel Fontaine, Paul Minhas, Kash Heed, Brent
Asmundson - A $4-billion price tag on a wastewater treatment plant originally pegged at $700 million. A “junket” with seven politicians and staff attending a dike conference in Amsterdam. The chair of the board charges $21,213 for a business-class flight from Vancouver to Singapore. The chair and vice-chair of the board ask for hikes in their pay. Nearly $5 million is spent annually on an obscure and opaque investment agency that states one of its key measurement goals is to increase its Linked In followers. The CEO received $711,668 including pay, benefits and expenses in 2023. Senior management spent $64,620.94 on booze and charcuterie at a networking dinner in Toronto. Have we got your attention yet?
Sadly, what is documented above is not fictional. It’s but a few of the questionable and arguably wasteful expenditures and decisions made by the entity known as Metro Vancouver. By almost any measure, Metro Vancouver has lost the confidence of the public and is now facing what can only be referred to as an existential crisis.
Taxpayers are fully within their rights to ask how Metro Vancouver, whose stated and legislated core focus is to coordinate the construction of water and sanitation projects, has gone so badly off the rails and expanded its scope over the past few years.
While the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant financial boondoggle has deservedly garnered the most public attention, this project is only a reflection of a much larger problem plaguing Metro Vancouver. That being a broken governance model and a complete lack of accountability at our so-called “regional government.” Is there any wonder why so many people in a region of over three million people remain baffled as to why the premier has yet to step in, given Metro Vancouver is a creature of the province of B.C.
The time for the premier and minister of Municipal Affairs to step in and begin resolving this governance and financial mess is now. Let’s hope the most recent revelations of wasteful spending and questionable governance have once and for all caught their attention.
November is Hindu heritage month in Canada
Hindu Heritage Month was celebrated for the first time in Port Moody recently marking a memorable and vibrant occasion by Bharatiya Kala Evan Sahitya parishad.
BKSP is an organization founded and presided by Dr Ajay Garg with a mission to spread awareness about Bharatiya art, culture, heritage, literature, and scientific and positive traditions with an understanding of whole world as one family,
‘Vision' to bring the same position of 'Vishwa Guru' with a strategic alignment of undertaking the research and presenting the great history and heritage of 8,000 years of Bharat to the whole world.
It was an extraordinarily enriching evening, with holistic approach to health and philosophy, how philosophy and wisdom of sanatan dharma build physical and mental
health, a way of life that can uplift us to a path of enlightenment.
The event featured remarkable *speakers* who captivated the audience with their insights and eloquence, leaving everyone thoroughly engaged and inspired.
The speakers also encouraged and guided towards how can we begin one thing at a time, from pranayam to yoga to Ayurvedic diet to reading and understanding geeta and benefit from our age old heritage
High light of the evening was young and beautiful Gyanvi Singh portraying herself as Bharat mata who stunned the audience with her energetic and informative speech that compelled them to receive her with a well deserving standing ovation.
Adding to the celebration was the delicious food, generously sponsored by
info@NaiyaGillLaw.ca
Agra Sweets and Restaurant, which perfectly complemented the joyful atmosphere of the event. It was truly an unforgettable experience for all who attended.
Thanks team BKSP and heartiest congratulations on a well-organized and memorable event. All credit goes to the great team's efforts and spirit.
On a late Saturday afternoon, two days before U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatened tariffs on Canadian goods over migrants and fentanyl, the RCMP alerted U.S. Border Patrol about a group of people crossing illegally from Quebec into an area near Chateaugay, N.Y.
Border Patrol agents initially spotted the group, but then lost them in the forests along these borderlands. Then, at about 7 p.m. ET, they found a white Acura with New Jersey plates parked on a dirt road near the border. The driver told the agents he was looking for a hotel before driving off.
The group that crossed from Canada remained at large as the day shift handed off their duties to the night shift, which took up the search. Then, shortly after midnight on Sunday, agents again saw the white Acura RDX, which headed for the backroads along the border and executed a pick-up.
This led to a high-speed chase, with speedometers hitting 140 kilometres an hour, that ended on a nearby highway.
"There were now six passengers, including one individual in the trunk compartment attempting to conceal himself under backpacks and clothing," said a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. Federal Court for the Northern District of New York, which described the encounter. Each of the events, involving individuals from India, Mexico, Colombia and Guatemala were the result of human smuggling operations, according to evidence outlined in U.S. court documents. Court records show human smugglers charged between $3,000 US to $5,500 US each to smuggle people into the U.S.
Cranbrook man facing 6 charges in fatal Canada Day collision
A Cranbrook, B.C., man is facing six charges after allegedly causing a high-speed crash that killed a Calgary man and injured his wife on Canada Day last year.
RCMP say the crash happened just before 11:30 p.m. PT on Highway 3/93 near Mayook, about a 20-kilometre drive east of Cranbrook, on July 1, 2023.
B.C. Highway Patrol investigators allege that the suspect was driving alone eastbound in a pickup truck when he crossed into oncoming traffic and collided head on with a westbound SUV. The driver of the SUV, a 42-year-old man from Calgary, was killed in the crash. He said evidence suggests speed and alcohol were the
primary causes of the crash.
Huston Robert Seymour, a 34-year-old Cranbrook man, is now facing six charges including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, and operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs causing death.
"These are very serious charges," said McLaughlin.
"We hope it does send a message to people to drive sober, slow down and be careful on the roads. These kinds of tragic collisions really need to be prevented as much as possible."
Seymour's first court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 2 in Cranbrook.
Abbotsford heading back to court over homeless camp outside city hall
The battle over a homeless encampment outside Abbotsford City Hall is heading back to court. In October, the B.C. Supreme Court upheld an Abbotsford bylaw that would allow the city to remove the encampment but ruled housing options must be made available for the people being displaced.
Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens said the city simply doesn’t have the financial ability to do that and is taking the case to the B.C. Court of Appeal seeking to have the conditions removed. “We are happy with the ruling, but the conditions that are attached are jurisdictions that are clearly in the provincial government — whether it is BC housing or Fraser Health — and so to expect the city to be able to meet those conditions is, from our perspective, not realistic,” he said.
“We simply don’t have the resources.” Last week, the city installed fencing around the encampment, and removed eight people from the site it deemed to be new occupants.
Brittany Maple, program coordinator for the Abbotsford Drug War survivors, said her group is confident in its legal position and happy to head back to court to have the issue clarified. “We recognize that
decamping people does put them at risk of death, particularly in a toxic drug poisoning and housing crisis, so the city really has a responsibility not to infringe on those charter rights unless people have access to appropriate services such as harm reduction and accessible housing,” she said.
“The city doesn’t necessarily have to provide those services.”
She also alleged the city had “cherrypicked” parts of the court order it wanted to abide by and ignored others.
Maple said the city needs to stop passing the buck to other levels of government and work with those living in the encampment on a solution.
The city says it will continue to work with BC Housing and community outreach partners to address the needs of those in the encampment. Maple said the city needs to stop passing the buck to other levels of government and work with those living in the encampment on a solution.
The city says it will continue to work with BC Housing and community outreach partners to address the needs of those in the encampment.
2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on USA-Canada border
Continued from Page 1...
The most serious counts carry maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office told The Associated Press before the trial. But federal sentencing guidelines rely on complicated formulas. Luger said Friday that various factors will be considered in determining what sentences prosecutors will recommend.
Federal prosecutors said 39-year-old Jagdish Patel; his wife, Vaishaliben, who was in her mid-30s; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and 3-year-old son, Dharmik, froze to death Jan. 19, 2022, while trying to cross the border into Minnesota in a scheme Patel and Shand organized. Patel is a common Indian surname, and the victims were not related to Harshkumar Patel. Rajinder Singh, 51, testified that he made over $400,000 smuggling over 500 people through the same network that included Patel and Shand. Singh said most of the people he smuggled came from Gujarat state. He said the migrants would often pay smugglers about $100,000 to get them from India to the U.S., where they would work to pay off their debts at low-wage jobs in cities around the country. Singh said the smugglers would run their finances through “hawala,” an informal money transfer system that relies on
trust. The pipeline of illegal immigration from India has long existed but has increased sharply along the U.S.-Canada border. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested more than 14,000 Indians on the Canadian border in the year ending Sept. 30, which amounted to 60% of all arrests along that border and more than 10 times the number two years ago.
By 2022, the Pew Research Center estimates more than 725,000 Indians were living illegally in the U.S., behind only Mexicans and El Salvadorans. Jamie Holt, a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations, said the case is a stark reminder of the realities victims of human smuggling face.
“Human smuggling is a vile crime that preys on the most vulnerable, exploiting their desperation and dreams for a better life,” Holt said. “The suffering endured by this family is unimaginable and it is our duty to ensure that such atrocities are met with the full force of the law.”
One juror Kevin Paul, of Clearwater, Minnesota, told reporters afterward that it was hard for the jurors to see the pictures of the family’s bodies. He said he grew up in North Dakota and is familiar with the kind of conditions that led to their deaths.
Contractor on controversial wastewater plant says public being ‘misled’
The North Shore Wastewater treatment plant is an estimated $3 billion over budget. Metro Vancouver has blamed contractor Acciona, which it fired.
Now, amid ongoing litigation, Acciona has sent a pointed letter to Metro Vancouver’s Board Chair Mike Hurley and its directors.
Acciona says, in part, “We are concerned that your fellow councillors, the media, and the public may continue to be misled on a number of important issues.”
“We offered to implement alternative measures to complete the project in 2025 at a cost of $1.05 billion. This was declined,” the company claims. “Most of the more than 1,000 modifications to the original project and other
challenges … were not caused by Acciona,” it adds. Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon responded to the letter on Wednesday.
“Seeing that in a letter is always a concern,” he said.
“I think the public wants information made public, but they want it done in a very transparent way.”
In July, Metro Vancouver chief administrative officer Jerry Dobrovolny told Global News the contractor “didn’t deliver.”
“Our contractor continued to come back asking for more money,” he said. Kahlon says he’ll be meeting with Metro Vancouver later this week. Metro Vancouver’s next board meeting is on Friday
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BC health executive fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccine loses EI appeal
A Federal Court judge has dismissed an appeal by a "deeply religious" British Columbia health executive who said he was wrongfully denied employment insurance after being fired three years ago for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Darold Sturgeon was fired as executive director of medical affairs for Interior Health in November 2021 after refusing to get the vaccine based on his Christian beliefs. He applied for employment insurance benefits but was denied due to being fired for "misconduct," with appeals to two levels of the Social Security Tribunal also failing, leading him to seek a judicial review in Federal Court in August 2023. The ruling says
Sturgeon believed the tribunal should have examined his assertion under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that the term "misconduct" did not apply to his case "because he was exercising his freedom of religion."
Justice William Pentney found that "recent, abundant and unanimous case law" defined a specific and narrow role for the tribunal's appeal divisions, focusing on an employee's conduct, and not justification for an employer’s policies or compliance with the Charter.
Sturgeon's appeal fell "outside the mandate" of the tribunal and he could have challenged Interior Health's mandatory vaccine policy "through other avenues," the judge ruled.
13-year-old among teens arrested following Vaughan armed home invasion; police chief upset with bail system
Four teenagers, including a 13-year-old boy, who have had brushes with the law and have now been charged in connection with an armed home invasion in Vaughan, have York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween questioning the bail system.
The 13-year-old was on two release orders when the invasion happened Nov. 22 after 9 p.m. at a home in the area of Ventura Way and Beverley Glen Boulevard, Const. Kevin Nebrija said.
A release order is a court order that allows an accused person to be released from custody
with conditions while awaiting trial.
An 18-year-old and a 17-year-old were also each on a release order and another 17-year-old was in contravention of his Youth Criminal Justice Act sentence, police said.
“This is another example of offenders being out on bail while (allegedly) committing serious criminal offences in our communities. Out of the seven offenders arrested, four were out on bail for prior offences and have now been charged with breaching their conditions,” MacSween said in a statement.
Police warning of ‘high-risk’ offender living at halfway house in Vancouver
Police are warning the public of a high-risk offender who was convicted of stabbing a stranger in a downtown coffee shop in 2022. David Morin was granted statutory release in June after serving two-thirds of his three-year sentence. He will again be living at a halfway house in the city. Police said Morin was re-arrested in October when he breached the conditions of his release. Vancouver Police have been notified he was released on Nov. 26.
“VPD believes compelling reasons exist to warn the public that he poses a high risk of significant harm to the community,” officials said in a press release. Morin is described as 6’3” with a medium build, short black hair and brown eyes. Until June 25, 2025 he will be bound by the following release conditions:
Not to consume, purchase or possess alcohol
Not to consume, purchase or possess drugs other than prescribed medication and over-thecounter drugs taken as recommended by the manufacturer
Not to associate with any person involved in criminal activity
Not to have direct or indirect contact with the victim
Not to be in possession of knives, except for the immediate purpose of preparation and consumption of food and/or for any lawful employment purposes, unless with prior written permission from a parole supervisor
Immediately report all intimate sexual and non-sexual relationships and friendships with females to a parole supervisor
The financial pressures were overwhelming, and Sanjiv did not hesitate to make extreme sacrifices. Selling their farmland was a difficult but necessary step to invest in Vaibhav’s future. Even though the financial situation hadn’t completely improved, Sanjiv expressed no regrets, viewing cricket as more than just a sport but as a significant investment requiring sacrifices.
Despite the sudden wealth and attention, Sanjiv kept his son focused on his passion for cricket. Vaibhav, who once loved watching 'Doraemon,' had since outgrown such distractions, his mind firmly set on his cricketing journey.
Vaibhav’s rise was not without controversy, particularly concerning his age, with some questioning whether he was truly 13. However,
Sanjiv remained confident, explaining that Vaibhav had undergone a bone test at the age of 8 and a half, which confirmed his age. With Vaibhav having already played for India’s U-19 team, Sanjiv firmly stated that they had nothing to hide and that his son was open to further testing if necessary.
The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) also praised Vaibhav’s achievement. BCA president Rakesh Tiwary expressed immense pride in Vaibhav’s success, noting that his rise to the IPL demonstrated the raw talent and hard work that existed in Bihar. Tiwary hoped that Vaibhav’s success would inspire more young cricketers from the state to pursue their dreams.
Vaibhav’s journey from a small village to the IPL is a testament to the power of perseverance, sacrifice, and unwavering belief in one’s dreams.
Canada already examining tariffs on certain US items following Trump's tariff threat
Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the United States, should President-elect Donald Trump follow through on his threat to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products, a senior official has said. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don't stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across southern and northern borders. He said he would impose a 25 per cent tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders.
But Trump posted Wednesday evening on Truth Social that he had a “wonderful conversation” with new Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and she “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico”. “Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately. THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD STOPPING
THE ILLEGAL INVASION OF THE USA. Thank you!!!” Trump posted. It was unclear what impact the conversation will have on Trump's plan to impose tariffs. In Canada, a government official said on Wednesday that Canada is preparing for every eventuality and has started thinking about what items to target with tariffs in retaliation. The official stressed no decision has been made. The person spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly.
When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the US in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Many of the US products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports USD 3 million worth of yogurt from the US annually and most comes from one plant in Wisconsin, home state of thenHouse Speaker Paul Ryan. That product was hit with a 10 per cent duty.
Another product on the list was whiskey, which comes from Tennessee and Kentucky, the latter of which is the home state of then-Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell.
Trump made the threat Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though the numbers at Canadian border pale in comparison to the southern border.
Record number of asylum seekers to cost Canadians over $16 billion annually
Continued from Page 1...
Deputy Chair of the Refugee Protection Division, Roula Eatrides, said it currently takes 14 months for a case to be processed with the division. However, she said that the division was funded for 60,000 cases this year, but intake has risen to over 200,000 claims, resulting in a wait time of 44 months.
“About 70% of our inventory is about a year old, or less than a year,” she said.
Eatrides confirmed this was the highest volume the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada had ever seen.
The revealed data followed Conservative MP Arpan Khanna questioning immigration officials in the House of Commons.
He said that 14 months increasing to 44 is notable because it gives fake asylum claimants more than triple the amount of time to stay in Canada. “They’re allowed to get a job, they’re allowed to get health care. They’re allowed to stay in our country. Out of the 200,000 new referrals, 70% are just within this year. So all the changes Marc Miller has made have actually led to this crisis,” said Khanna. “An average refugee costs taxpayers $82,000 per refugee per year.”
It was previously revealed that Canadian taxpayers paid $224 per day to accommodate illegal asylum claimants, which would equate to $81,760 a year.
“The refugee program was never supposed to be a backdoor entry into our country to get a work permit. It was supposed to be there to help those that were fleeing persecution, that had an act of war in their country of origin, and that wanted to save their lives,” said Khanna. However, he added that from Jan. to Sep., 14,000 international students also filed for asylum in Canada.
“Marc Miller himself acknowledges that most of these cases are likely going to be fake asylum claims for folks whose statuses are expiring but want to stay in this country,” said Khanna. Miller previously called the rate at which the level of temporary foreign workers and international students had grown unsustainably and said the whole system was “out of control.”
While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has historically ramped up immigration levels and deemed anyone against the mass immigration agenda a racist, he recently admitted the system was out of control.
British porn star Bonnie Blue to be deported from Fiji
Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, Pio Tikoduadua has announced the deportation of British porn star, known as Bonnie Blue from the country.
The 25-year-old, who makes a living filming adult content on her OnlyFans account was removed by Australian authorities after she claimed she was in the country to sleep with Australian ‘schoolies’.
Minister Tikoduadua said she had entered Fiji on November 17th.
He said he has signed her deportation orders under powers he has as Minister responsible for Immigration.
Meli Bainimarama jailed in Australia
Meli Bainimarama, the son of former prime minister Frank Bainimarama has been jailed for 28 months today.
This was related to a case where he violently attacked an ex-girlfriend in Sydney, leaving her with a ruptured ear drum. Magistrate Timothy Khoo sentenced Bainimarama to 28 months in jail with a non-parole period of 14 months for three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, two counts of choking without consent and one count of stalking.
Fijian
Tagitagi Sangam Year 8 student praised for 491/500 exam marks
Tagitagi Sangam Primary school in Tavua has created history with one of its Year 8 students, Viola Ravutubananitu scoring 491 out of 500 in the Fiji Year 8 examinations.
She scored 96 in English, 100 in Mathematics, 97 in Basic Science, 99 in Social Science and 99 in Vosa Vakaviti.
COP29 delegates trade blows on social media
Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh and Opposition Member of Parliament Ketan Lal, who were both at the COP 29 meeting in Baku have exchanged harsh words on social media.
Mr Lal stated despite pushing his way into the delegation at the last minute, after it had already been finalized, Mr Charan’s presence in Azerbaijan added little value to Fiji’s efforts.
“He traveled in business class, with stopovers in Sydney and Dubai, all at the expense of taxpayers, yet only managed to attend two side events during the entire trip in Baku Azerbaijan,” said Mr Lal. “Even more troubling is that his speeches at these events were written by the same hardworking staff who were tirelessly negotiating on Fiji’s behalf
until the early hours of the morning.” Mr Lal claimed Mr Singh was “lost and found” during the whole conference. “This is a blatant misuse of government funds and resources. Minister Charan not only wasted taxpayers’ money but also collected a hefty allowance for what amounted to a ceremonial appearance.”
Mr Singh also posted a rebuttal on social media, stating “I am not like you here as a lapdog of another political party wasting Fiji’s taxpayers fund.” “By the way I didn’t even hear you on any side events at this COP29.” “You should be ashamed of traveling on the strength of Peoples Alliance majority led Government.’ “Please refund all your air ticket and per diem claims to the state if you walk your talk.”
Underaged girls post nude pictures
Underaged girls are reported to be posting nude pictures for commercial use on telegram application.
Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya said this was something which the Anti-Pornography Task Force is dealing with.
“It’s high up on our agenda to look at banning Telegram from Fiji, “she said.
“As well as we’re moving to banning pornography to children.
“But, as you mentioned, it could very well be that the next step would be to ban social media
General insurance provider Sun Insurance Company Ltd recorded an unaudited profit of $5.06million for the first nine months of its current fiscal year ending September 30, 2024.
This represents an extraordinary growth of 766 percent compared to the unaudited post-tax profit of $0.58m recorded in the corresponding period in 2023.
The company attributed this growth in profitability to an improved claims loss ratio mainly due to lower fire claims in the present period as compared to the same period last year.
Sun Insurance also recorded $27.9m in revenue for the first three quarters of this year.
altogether for 16 and under.”
She said majority of cases reported regarding children were of child neglect.
“So, neglect, meaning children are just left with their gadgets, they’re left with phones, there’s just a lot of screen time, because parents are doing it as well.
“So, they’re becoming unproductive because of screen time so they’re not focusing on daily needs and daily programs.
“We also need to look at the amount of cyberbullying, online bullying that’s happening.”
It said this was a notable increase from the $22.6 million turnover achieved for the same period of the previous year, highlighting its robust growth trajectory aided through improved customer relationship and enhanced service coupled with effective sales promotion strategies.
“Given the challenging global environment marked by lower economic growth, our achievement is commendable in addition to the fact that the year 2023 had unprecedented number of claims,” Sun Insurance Company chairperson Padam Lala said in a market announcement issued by the South Pacific Stock Exchange (SPX).
The school is administered by Then India Sanmargya Ikya Sangam and national President, Parveen Bala praised Viola Ravutubananitu for the achievement and thanked her teachers for the top result.
6
security
men killed in violence as Imran Khan's supporters storm Pakistani capital
Jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s supporters reached the heart of Pakistan’s capital on Tuesday after removing barricades and battling police in clashes that killed six security personnel and injured dozens.
Khan's wife Bushra Bibi, who led the protests, said told the protestors to go away only if Khan comes in person to tell you about the next course of action.
Interior Minister Naqvi, at a media interaction on Monday night, said over 100 security personnel were injured. Radio Pakistan reported that the Pakistan Army was called in “to deal with the miscreants with an iron hand” and “clear orders have also been issued to shoot miscreants and troublemakers on sight.” Four paramilitary Rangers and two policemen were killed late on Monday and over 100 security personnel were injured when protesters marching towards D-Chowk turned violent, prompting the government to deploy the army in
Islamabad along with shoot-at-sight orders, state-run media said on Tuesday. The former premier, who has been in jail since August last year, issued a “final call” on November 13 for nationwide protests on November 24,
denouncing what he termed as the stolen mandate, the unjust arrests of people and the passage of the 26th amendment, which he said has strengthened a “dictatorial regime”.
A case was registered under the AntiTerrorism Act against Imran Khan and other PTI leaders over their alleged role in the killing of a police officer during the protest.
Imran Khan asks supporters to 'fight till last ball and not retreat' in message from jail
Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday evening asked his supporters who camped in Islamabad to “fight till the last ball and do not retreat”.
“I salute the people of Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers who are standing up for their rights, participating in peaceful protests, and boldly confronting the mafia imposed on our country to demand true freedom
and justice,” Khan said in a message from Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail where he has been incarcerated since August 2023 in multiple cases.
“To my team, my message is clear: Fight till the last ball. We will not back down until our demands are fully met,” he said, urging those who haven't yet joined the protest march to reach D-Chowk in Islamabad for a peaceful protest and not leave till their demands are met.
Ex-Bangladesh PM Zia acquitted in corruption case
Bangladesh High Court on Wednesday acquitted former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in a corruption case in which she was sentenced to seven years in jail by a lower court, according to media reports. Zia, 79, was convicted in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case in 2018 by a Dhaka court. It had also sentenced her to seven years imprisonment under the former PM Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government and fined her Tk 1 million.
A Bench of Justices AKM Asaduzzaman and Syed Enayet Hossain overturned the decision based on an appeal by Zia.
Promote ‘peaceful coexistence’ for Hindus, ISKCON urges Bangla govt
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has urged the Bangladesh authorities to promote “peaceful coexistence” for Hindus in the country as it “strongly” denounced the recent arrest of the prominent community leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.
Das was arrested from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday as he was about to fly to Chattogram to join a rally. He was denied bail and sent to jail by the Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court in a sedition case on Tuesday. In a statement on Tuesday, ISKCON Bangladesh General Secretary Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari said, “We express our serious concern and strongly denounce the recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das... We also condemn the subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in
various regions of Bangladesh. We urge the government authorities to promote peaceful coexistence for the Sanatani community,” he said. Underlining that Bangladesh is “our birthplace and ancestral home”, the statement
urged the interim government of Bangladesh led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus “to ensure justice for all and to allow every citizen to practice their religion freely in accordance with their beliefs.”
As Canada tightens visa norms, NZ eases post-study guidelines
Amid strict post-study work visa norms in Canada and Australia, New Zealand has announced major relaxations to its Post-Study Work Visa (PSWV) policies, aiming to attract international students.
The changes address key challenges faced by postgraduate students, particularly those transitioning from postgraduate diplomas to master’s degrees, offering a smoother pathway to employment and residency.
Earlier, the students pursuing a 30-week postgraduate diploma were required to complete their master’s programme to qualify
for a work visa, creating uncertainty and limiting flexibility. Under the new policy, students can now apply for the PSWV based on their initial enrollment in a postgraduate diploma, even if they later transit to a master’s degree. This eliminates additional conditions and ensures a streamlined process from education to employment.
Pooja Singh, an immigration consultant, said, “These changes aim to attract more international talent by providing a clear and flexible pathway for students seeking work and residency.”
4 crore rupees Pathankot airport project fails to take off
Developed under the Regional Connectivity Scheme — Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS — UDAN) for better network of flights, the Pathankot airport awaits commercial flights since April 5, 2021, the day its three-year contract with Alliance Air ended on April 5, 2021.
after the completion of its contract of three years.
The Pathankot airport, owned by the Indian Air Force, has been constructed at a cost of around Rs 4 crore during the first round of bidding under the RCS — UDAN.
The airport was developed under the Viability Gap Funding (VGP) wherein the Centre establishes the infrastructure projects, which are economically desirable, but commercially nonviable.
In reply to the question whether the government proposes to operate any new flight from Delhi to Pathankot, the reply read, “Any airline may commence scheduled commercial operations between Pathankot and Delhi keeping in view the traffic and commercial viability.”
by
Randhawa said, “The reply is very vague in nature. I have got representations from the people demanding commencement of the flights from Pathankot. They have to travel to Amritsar (124 km) or Chandigarh (258 km) for catch their
Replying to a question of MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa during the ongoing Lok Sabha session in New Delhi today, Minister of State of Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol stated that the Delhi - Pathankot - Delhi route was commenced
Three Men Die When Google Maps Tells Them to Drive Off Unfinished Bridge
Three men in India died after Google Maps reportedly told them to drive off an incomplete bridge spanning the Ramganga River.
Portions of the bridge were washed away during a flood months earlier, and a construction company had only begun to rebuild it.
As Indian newspaper The Economic Times reports, the men were traveling from Gurugram to Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh and seemingly didn't see the end of the bridge ahead of them in time as they drove at night, causing them to plummet to their deaths.
Footage circulating online shows a group of onlookers examining the grisly scene from the edge of the abruptly ending structure, tens of feet above the ground.
According to local officials, mobile records indicated the group was using Google Maps right up until the accident occurred. The victims' families have since criticized the absence of safety measures and called for accountability.
"They were checking the route using Google Maps and fell from the incomplete bridge," one of the victim's brother-in-law Pramod Kumar told The Economic Times.
"The road should have been blocked, but it wasn’t. The maps shouldn’t have shown that the bridge was complete." It's not the first time Google Maps directions have been implicated in an automotive death. Last year, the family of a tragically deceased North Carolina driver sued Google for negligence, claiming the app
told him to drive off a collapsed bridge in 2022. At the time, the family claimed the accident could've easily been avoided with a navigation systems update. The bridge had collapsed nine years ago and had remained unrepaired ever since.
As for the latest tragedy, plenty of questions remain. While it's clear that negligence on the part of the construction company, which allowed cars onto the incomplete bridge, played a major role, should Google also be held liable for the deaths?
"Our deepest sympathies go out to the families," a Google spokesperson told Futurism in a statement. "We're working closely with the authorities and providing our support to investigate the issue."
It's not just incomplete or collapsed bridges — experts have since pointed out that GPS navigation services including Google Maps could lead hikers onto "potentially fatal" trails in remote areas.
India expresses 'deep concern' over arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Das in Bangladesh
India had expressed "deep concern" over arrest and denial of bail to a leader of Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh police on Monday arrested Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, the leader of the Hindu group, Sammilita Sanatani Jote, from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area in Dhaka. In a statement, the MEA said it has noted
with "deep concern the arrest and denial of bail" to Das who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. "This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh," it said. There are "several documented cases" of arson and looting of minorities' homes and business establishments, as well as theft and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples, the MEA flagged.
"It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings," the statement said.
The MEA also noted with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Das. "We urge Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression," it added.
Top ministers of the BJP-led NDA government and senior BJP leaders on Tuesday hailed the milestone that saw Jammu and Kashmir mark the first ever Constitution Day celebrations since accession to India in 1947.
This was close on the heels of the ministers of UT led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah take the oath of allegiance to the Indian Constitution on October 16 this year.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju lauded the development saying it signals full integration of the UT with the country. In Srinagar today, Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha led the Constitution Day celebrations at a large event in the civil secretariat where top officials read the Preamble and later Sinha administered to all the pledge to
uphold the tenets of the Constitution. "Greetings on Constitution Day. Tributes to the makers of our Constitution. On this momentous occasion, I call upon all to uphold the sanctity of constitution & further strengthen principles of social justice, equality and let's devote ourselves to peace & progress of the society," Sinha said as the Valley turned a leaf. The celebrations of the Day became possible after the abrogation of Article 370, which scrapped special status for Jammu and Kashmir. Until the abrogation, Jammu and Kashmir had its own constitution and flag. The abrogation happened in August 2019 fulfilling the long standing commitment of BJP and its parent organisation Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee who had said "ek desh mein do Vidhan, do Samvidhan, do Nishan nahi chalenge."
US President-elect Donald Trump has picked Indian-American scientist Jay Bhattacharya as the director of the National Institutes of Health, the country’s top health research and funding institutions.
With this, Bhattacharya becomes the first Indian-American to be nominated by Trump for a top administrative position.
Earlier, Trump picked IndianAmerican Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the newly created Department of
Government Efficiency along with Tesla owner Elon Musk. However, that is a voluntary position and does not need confirmation from the US Senate. “I am thrilled to nominate Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, to serve as Director of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Bhattacharya will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to direct the Nation’s Medical Research and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives,” Trump said.
India urged member states to develop clear principles and scope for a new international treaty on plastic pollution at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) meeting in Busan, South Korea. The Indian delegation emphasised that this move would make the treaty effective and workable globally.
The environment ministry stated that the new treaty should not overlap with existing multilateral environmental agreements like the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, and international bodies such as the World Trade Organisation. “This approach would allow negotiations to focus on areas not covered by existing instruments or bodies, specifically addressing plastic pollution,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Indian delegation highlighted the need for the new treaty to be understood, implemented, and evaluated based on the Rio Declaration principle, which emphasises the connection between long-term economic growth and environmental conservation.
Proceedings in Parliament were on Thursday washed out for the third day since the beginning of the Winter Session following disruptions by the Opposition over the Adani issue and violence in Manipur and Sambhal.
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned within minutes of convening. The Houses were first adjourned shortly after they met on Thursday and were later adjourned for the day soon after reconvening at 12 noon amid the Opposition parties’ protests. Before being adjourned, the Lok Sabha adopted a resolution granting extension to the Joint Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill till the last day of the Budget Session next year. The Lok Sabha witnessed disruptions during Question Hour, shortly after Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ravindra Chavan took oath as members of the Lower House Opposition members gathered in the Well, raising slogans for action against the perpetrators of the violence in Sambhal during a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju flayed the protests, saying, “I condemn the attempts by the Congress and its allies in disrupting the House proceedings.”
As the Opposition protests continued, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings for the day. In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s appeals that Parliamentary disruption was not a remedy but a malady which weakened the foundation of India’s democracy went unheeded as the opposition members protested.
The proceedings of the Upper House were adjourned within minutes after it met at 12 noon, following one adjournment shortly after 11 am.
Recalling that Wednesday marked a historic milestone—the beginning of the final quartercentury before India’s Constitution turned 100 -- Dhankhar lamented that the House members missed the opportunity to engage in productive dialogue.
In a significant breakthrough in the Bengaluru prison terror conspiracy case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) secured the extradition of key Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) fugitive, Salman Khan, from Rwanda on Thursday. Salman, who was a central figure in a terror radicalisation and recruitment case linked to Bengaluru Central Prison, was apprehended by the NIA with the help of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Interpol and the National Central Bureau (NCB) on November 27. He was brought to India Thursday morning. His extradition followed the issuance of a Red Notice by Interpol after the NIA Special Court in Bengaluru had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. Acting on the Red Notice, authorities
in Kigali, Rwanda, apprehended Salman and upon being notified, the NIA facilitated his return to India. The investigation, which had been registered by the NIA on October 25, 2023, after taking over from the Bengaluru city police, revealed Salman, who had previously been imprisoned in a POCSO case (2018–2022), was radicalised and recruited during his time in prison by T Naseer, a life convict in a terror case. Naseer had masterminded the radicalisation process and orchestrated various criminal activities, including a plot to facilitate his escape while being transported to court, as well as a conspiracy to advance the operations of the proscribed terrorist group LeT. During this period, Salman played a key role in collecting and distributing explosives to other terror operatives.
