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VOL 26 - ISSUE 34
By Jasmine Kaur Kochhar: Public safety, Surrey's growing infrastructure needs and affordable housing dominated a media roundtable where David Eby outlined his party's commitments. “We put more money into Surrey than
any other place in British Columbia,” Eby said. Questions on extortion and public protection Asked by The Asian and Punjabi Star when a dedicated gang violence and extortion prosecution unit would be implemented and what protection families and business owners could expect during investigations, Eby pointed to funding for 50 additional prosecutors. Continued on Page 10...
Some Alberta referendum questions flip to ‘no’ as count continues More of the constitutional questions in Alberta’s historic referendum have flipped to “no” with votes still being counted. Alberta voters went to the polls on Monday and were asked 10 different questions. The key question was on separation and roughly 75 per cent of votes backed staying in Canada, but it has taken longer to count votes on the nine other questions. Early results showed Albertans were in favour of proposals such as choosing their own judges, abolishing the Senate and changing the Constitution to boost provincial rights. Continued on Page 10...
McCallum topples Locke to win 5th term as Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum has been elected to serve as the mayor of Surrey for a fifth term – handily defeating incumbent Brenda Locke as he led his Safe Surrey Coalition to almost-total victory. McCallum defeated former Locke by winning 42,241 votes (31.78 per cent) from Surrey voters (with 163 out of 164 tabulators calculated), compared to 30,750 votes for Locke (23.14 per cent). Continued on Page 10...
TEL: 604-591-5423
Indian-origin man seeks funeral funds after wife allegedly kills 5-year-old daughter in New York An Indian-origin man in New York has launched a fundraiser to cover the funeral expenses of his five-year-old daughter, who was allegedly killed by her mother, as he struggles to cope with the loss. “I loved my daughter very much, and losing her feels like I lost my whole world,” Kuldeep Singh wrote on a verified GoFundMe page seeking financial assistance after the Continued on Page 7... death of Fabiana Cabello.
Meet 12 new Metro Vancouver mayors Two-thirds of Metro Vancouver’s 21 municipalities have new mayors following Saturday’s municipal election.
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Eby discusses Surrey’s public safety, housing and healthcare
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In addition to mayor-elect Pete Fry in Vancouver and Doug McCallum in Surrey, here is a brief look at the 12 other new leaders who will be running local cities. Delta Political newcomer Melissa Granum emerged as a lion slayer, resoundingly beating incumbent Mayor George Harvie and incumbent Coun. Dylan Kruger by 20 percentage points each in the race for mayor. Continued on Page 10...
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Pete Fry elected mayor of Vancouver in commanding victory over incumbent Ken Sim
Pete Fry, the two-term city councillor who presented himself as the main counterpart to incumbent Ken Sim and his administration, has defeated Sim in a commanding victory to become Vancouver’s next mayor. Fry, who emerged on the campaign trail as a unified voice for progressive candidates when he was judged the likeliest to beat Sim, led his Vancouver Greens to an overwhelming victory in Saturday’s municipal election. “Thank you for putting your trust in me and my team here. We’re not going to let you down,” Fry told a room of screaming supporters during his election speech. “We love this city a lot and we’re here to work for this city and fight for the city. “Yeah, we have some problems, but what city doesn’t have problems? The reality is how we face those problems and how we face this together. We
have a great team, we have some great ideas, and we’re going to dive right in.” Fry built an early lead that only kept growing. With 80 per cent of polls reporting, Fry led Sim by some 23,000 votes. Colleen Hardwick of TEAM was projected to finish third while Kareem Allam of the Vancouver Liberals was on track for a fourth-place finish, ahead of Vote Vancouver’s Rebecca Bligh in fifth. The Green Party leader was met with chants of “Fry, Fry!” when he got up on stage at the party’s election night headquarters, and the room erupted when he announced Sim had called him to concede. “Ken was very gracious in offering his assistance on making sure I steward the city well and he’s there to help, and I really appreciate that offer and it will help with the transition,” said Fry.
In his concession speech, Sim told his supporters that being elected to the office of mayor was the “highlight of my life.” “When I’m on my deathbed, I’ll look back at this time and it’s probably the most meaningful thing I’ve been involved with.” Fry’s win was one of many victories for the Greens on the night. The party elected four city councillors: Annette Reilly, Stephanie Smith, Camil Dumont, and Bridget Burns. All three of the party’s Park Board commissioners were elected: Tom Digby, Spencer van Vloten, and Breanne Smart. These wins represent the entirety of the Greens’ slate of candidates. Other candidates winning seats on council were COPE’s Sean Orr, Chloe Leslie, Devyani Singh and Solomon Yi-Kieran, as well as OneCity’s Lucy Maloney. Sim’s ABC Vancouver elected one councillor, Mike Klassen, but no Park Board commissioners. “Obviously tonight voters wanted to go in a different direction,” said Sim. “Not just in the mayor’s office, but with council, Park and School Board as well. I think it’s important we
acknowledge that.” Fry and the Greens ran on promises of affordable homes and transportation; sustainable growth and building green; and community safety. On crime and public safety – a key issue in the election – the Greens promised to create a team of outreach workers tasked with handling non-emergency calls for the city’s homeless or anyone suffering from addiction, and fund crisis intervention and de-escalation programs. The Greens also committed to providing “safe
and appropriate places” for the city’s homeless to gather and access support and health care, where drug use would be permitted. Fry has said this would prevent people from being “completely untethered or lost on our streets.”
Trump tariffs on steel, aluminum a 'disaster' for the U.S., think tank says
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U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum have been a “disaster” for the U.S. economy because they’ve fuelled inflation and failed to spur the promised growth in those industries, according to the author of a new think report. The Montreal Economic Institute report, to be released Thursday, found that steel and aluminum prices in the U.S. market have soared since Trump slapped tariffs on those two critical industrial sectors, while failing to create new jobs. Not only have the tariffs led to sharply higher steel and aluminum prices, but the two sectors are key inputs in a wide variety of other products, the report found, that have also become more expensive. It’s left consumers and industrial buyers facing higher price tags on autos, aircraft, construction, machinery, and a wide range of other products. “The United States has imposed on itself a historically large price shock with little protected sector employment or output growth to show for it,” concluded the report, titled Tariffs Deliver a Price Shock, Not an Industrial Revival. The study, which is in line with economists’ broader analysis of tariffs, found that steel prices in the U.S. have jumped 33.9 per cent since February 2025, while aluminum prices have increased by 58 per cent. By comparison, prices in the Canadian market for those two metals have increased by only one and 26 per cent respectively. Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum from a wide range of countries, including Canada, in March of last year. A few months later, those tariffs were increased to 50 per cent. The policy’s desired benefits have been modest at best. During that 19-month period, U.S. steel production has gained 7.6 per cent, with a 0.7 per cent increase in employment. Aluminum production, meanwhile, fell 0.1 per cent, while the number of jobs in that sector increased by just 0.6 per cent. “Trump’s tariff policy has not helped revitalize the industry as promised,” said Joseph Steinberg, an economics professor at the University of
Toronto and the primary author of the study. “I don’t think a single economist will say tariffs on metal is a good idea.” And consumers and those industries that buy steel and aluminum for their own products have paid the price, according to Steinberg’s study. Without any changes to the inputs, the new steel tariffs alone would mean cost jumps of 6.5 per cent and 13 per cent, for example, in the auto and fabricated metals sectors. Jamie Tronnes, executive director of the U.S.-
based office of the Canadian think tank the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, said she’s not surprised by the report’s conclusion and added that the tariff-fuelled price hikes on steel, aluminum and other inputs are also affecting investment decisions in the U.S. In some cases, she said, producers have decided to buy from China and elsewhere, instead of building or expanding their own operation in the U.S. because of the increased costs of construction. While steel tariffs make little economic sense, he said, the aluminum tariffs make even less. The Iran war and subsequent shipping problems in the Strait of Hormuz have also contributed to dwindling supplies and rising prices in the aluminum market. Emirates Global Aluminum leans on its country’s abundance of natural gas to power its smelters to produce almost as much aluminum as Canada. But like many other exports from that region, the United Arab Emirates company has had a difficult time in recent months getting its product to markets such as North America.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Alberta referendum result triggered an instant sigh of relief on Bay Street Currency traders have, for weeks, been treating Alberta’s referendum like a storm warning. If the province that ships most of Canada’s oil voted to start down the road to separation, strategists warned, the Canadian dollar could take a beating. As it turned out, it didn’t even come close. In fact about three in four Albertans chose to remain in Canada — and by Tuesday morning the loonie was the best-performing major currency in the world. The ballot didn’t directly ask Albertans whether to leave Canada. Question 10 asked whether the province should remain or begin the legal process toward a future, binding separation referendum. With more than 1.8 million votes counted by Tuesday morning, the remain side led with 75.7% support against 24.3%, according to CBC News. Elections Alberta, the province’s independent election agency, is expected to release official results Oct. 29. So why would a vote on a vote rattle markets? One word: Oil. Samara Hammoud, an analyst at Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), one of Australia’s largest lenders, noted back in August that Alberta has accounted for around 90% of Canadian crude oil exports since 2020. Because the loonie tends to trade as a petrocurrency, any threat to supply carries a price. Scotiabank strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret flagged the risk earlier this month, saying the vote left the loonie vulnerable to swings in sentiment. The loonie gained 0.36% against both the U.S. dollar and the euro, leaving one U.S. dollar costing about CA$1.41, or a loonie worth roughly 71 cents U.S. Rosenberg Research, a Toronto-based economic consultancy, noted the dollar had strengthened from CA$1.43 in less than a week. The move was modest because the outcome was consistent with months of polling. The Globe also reported that oil prices still matter more to the
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Small group from Calgary area claims Canada’s largest-ever lottery jackpot
currency than a vote that went as expected. With the Alberta vote settled for now, the loonie trades on interest rates again — and the Bank of Canada (BoC) announces its next decision Oct. 28. Inflation is the pressure point. Consumer prices rose 3.1% year over year in September, led by a 27.8% jump in gasoline. Strip out gas, and inflation was 2.2%.
The banks are split on what the BoC is going to do. Goldman Sachs, the U.S. investment bank, expects a rate hike this month. Standard Chartered, the U.K.-based bank, and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) both expect the BoC to hold its policy rate at 2.25%. For borrowers, that split is the real story to follow. A hike would raise costs for variable-rate mortgages and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) almost immediately. The winners are Canadians spending in U.S. dollars. For example, a snowbird converting US$10,000 for a winter in Arizona at last week’s rate of 1.43 would pay $14,300 Canadian dollars. At Tuesday’s rate of about 1.4056, the same conversion costs roughly 14,056 Canadian dollars — a savings of about 244 Canadian dollars. The tradeoff hits investors with U.S. stocks or ETFs in their RRSP or TFSA. When the loonie rises, those holdings are worth slightly less in Canadian dollars, even if their U.S. prices don’t change. Energy investors get a quieter win. Removing the separation question, even if just in the near-term, takes away one source of uncertainty for Alberta’s oil and pipeline companies, though it doesn’t change oil prices or U.S. trade policy.
Pending some paperwork, a small group of people from the Calgary area appears to have won Canada’s largest-ever lottery jackpot. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis CEO Kandice Machado told media Wednesday the winning Lotto Max numbers were purchased through Play Alberta. The winning numbers were 08, 15, 19, 23, 26, 28 and 34, with a bonus number of 38. Machado said the news made for “an exciting morning.” “It’s a significant win for our province and puts us back on the leader board for lottery wins.” No winner was identified on Wednesday. Machado would only say her “understanding, currently, is that it is a small group” and that the small group’s location “is the Calgary area.” She said there’s some due diligence to be done before a full announcement is made. “We do a few validations. There’s an interview process. And then we do some preparation.” The top Lotto Max prize went unclaimed for several draws, pushing the pot up to a recordbreaking $90 million, where it sat until Tuesday night. The prize money will be the largest ever awarded in a lottery in Canada. It comes six months after changes allowed the maximum prize to increase to $90 million, up from $80 million. Prior to Tuesday’s draw, the largest prize to be claimed in Canada was split by two people in London, Ont.
For that draw, it was announced in December that two friends would be sharing an $80.4-million prize. Lotto Spot spokesperson Kevin van Egdom called the win “historic.” “No Canadian lottery has ever offered a $90-million jackpot before and to have the firstever winner in our region is thrilling,” he said. Play Alberta said Wednesday the $90-million win “beats out a $70-million win from November 2022 as the biggest prize ever captured in Alberta.” It’s the first eight-figure lottery jackpot won through Play Alberta. What to do with $90 million? With $90 million in pocket, what can’t you do? Precious little is the answer. Not to say they wouldn’t treat themselves to a little something, though. “I’d probably be a little bit more generous with my giving,” said one person. “I’d look around at where I could help. “But as far as lifestyle goes, not a whole lot (would change). Maybe I’d buy a new vehicle.” “I probably wouldn’t change my lifestyle very much,” said another. “I think I’d give a lot of it away.” “I’d probably do something philanthropic—set up some kind of give-back situation,” said a third person. “I’d give money to my family and probably buy a nice resort place somewhere on the lake.” “I’d share it with family and friends and try to give back to the people that need it the most,” said a fourth.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Four soldiers, 33 injured in grassfire in Alberta
The Canadian Armed Forces says that completing its comprehensive Board of Inquiry investigation into the tragedy at CFB Wainwright could take up to a year to complete. The CAF says the Boards of Inquiry (BOI) is a “fact finding investigation which will try to determine how an incident came about and what lessons can be learned to prevent recurrence.” “While timings can vary greatly depending on file complexity, the typical Board of Inquiry investigation (BOI) can take anywhere between nine to 12 months to ensure that its investigation is comprehensive and its recommendations are robust,” said National Defence media relations spokesperson Cheryl Forrest in an email to CTV News. The Canadian Armed Forces says that the BOI investigation will run concurrently with separate but complimentary investigations led
by the National Investigation Service. It will be conducted with support from the military police, the RCMP and Alberta’s chief medical examiner and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Fire Marshal. The BOI report is also the report Canada’s top soldier, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan has committed to making public. On Wednesday, Defence Minister David McGuinty said that the BOI investigation had yet to begin. “(CAF) is working their way forward now on terms of reference. The question is, of course, who would be on that board of inquiry? What’s the appropriate balance. Those are the details we’re looking at,” he said. McGuinty added that the timeline would be up to the Canadian Forces to decide. Around the same time that McGuinty was
speaking with reporters, dozens of Wainwright residents were lining both sides of a highway near the military base to show support for the battalion who survived a fast-moving brush fire that surrounded their fellow soldiers. Most of them were members of the Princess Patricia Light Infantry or the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. Flanked by a convoy of seven police vehicles, two buses carrying an unknown number of soldiers drove past a group of people waving Canadian flags. People applauded, while other military members saluted. The buses were on their way back to Edmonton. In her update, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on Wednesday afternoon that 27 CAF members remained in hospital, 13 of them in critical condition. The Department of National Defence says that 12 members have been released from hospital. Saturday’s brush fire claimed the lives of Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aidan Goulding and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark. Thirtynine people were initially hospitalized. The members were participating in a “highintensity” combat training exercise conducted by the Third Battalion, Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry. During a weekend news conference, military
officials said that a fire, whipped by strong winds, moved one kilometre in less than a minute, jumping “on top” of “Charlie” company. The company consists of more than 80 soldiers. Major General Wade Rutland, said that a
smaller group of 10 members practicing attacks on a simulated enemy using hand grenades, were primarily impacted when the wind suddenly shifted. A grass fire had been burning on the range for a few hours. It was located a kilometre away from the training exercise and was being monitored by range control. Other soldiers have told CTV News, that CFB Wainwright has man-made firebreaks, such as sand pits and ponds throughout the range.
Some Alberta referendum questions flip to ‘no’ as count continues
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Continued from Page 1... The Alberta referendum by the numbers Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had already claimed victory on the immigration questions, saying it appeared she was going to be given clear direction from voters to move ahead, although she hinted it could take some time for her government to act. She said she spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney and that he was accepting of the idea that Albertans want to see more collaboration between the two levels of government on immigration. She said she was putting together a proposal to submit to Ottawa. See the vote counts for Alberta’s nine other referendum questions Here are the questions: Question 1: Do you support the government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities? Question 2: Do you support the government of Alberta introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and individuals with an Alberta-approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially funded programs, such as health care, education and other social services? Question 3: Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for social support programs as they do now, do you support the government of Alberta introducing a law requiring all individuals with a non-permanent legal immigration status to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for any provincially funded social support programs? Question 4: Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for public health care and education as they do now, do you support the government of Alberta charging a reasonable fee or premium to individuals with a non-permanent immigration status living in Alberta for their and their family’s use of the health care and education systems? Question 5: Do you support the government of Alberta introducing a law requiring individuals
to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, or citizenship card, to vote in an
Alberta provincial election? Question 6: Do you support the government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to have provincial governments, and not the federal government, select the justices appointed to provincial King’s Bench and Appeal courts? Question 7: Do you support the government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to abolish the unelected federal Senate? Question 8: Do you support the government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to allow provinces to opt out of federal programs that intrude on provincial jurisdiction such as health care, education and social services, without a province losing any of the associated federal funding for use in its social programs? Question 9: Do you support the government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to better protect provincial rights from federal interference by giving a province’s laws dealing with provincial or shared areas of constitutional jurisdiction priority over federal laws when the province’s laws and federal laws conflict? Question 10: Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada? Elections Alberta says it will publish final results on Oct. 29 and that the results reported so far will be subject to robust verification.
OPINION
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Alberta separatists lost the vote Ph: 604-591-5423 Fax: 604-591-8615 editor@theasianstar.com Editor: Umendra Singh Marketing and Sales: Ravi Cheema 604-715-3847 Shamir Doshi 604-649-7827 Harminder Kaur 778-708-0481 Parminder Dhillon 604-902-2858 Pre-Press: Avee Waseer Production: Ozmo Media
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Premier Danielle Smith has long expressed a desire to put the separatist issue to rest after the referendum. United Conservative Party activists stand in the way of her wish. Now that the broad Alberta public has decisively rejected the separatist idea, the debate is returning to where it began: within Smith’s own political coalition. The more energy she must expend on taming UCP turbulence and any challenges to her leadership, the less time she can spend on actual government priorities. And could the disappearance of the UCP’s lead in the polls and the NDP’s recent byelection victory in what used to be a cabinet minister’s safe seat be a sign that Albertans have noticed her focus appears to be more on her base than on everyone else? In a videotaped speech Smith released Tuesday evening, she asserted her government has a “clear mandate” to support a united Canada, and begin the “next chapter.” And the country’s current state, with pro-pipeline Mark Carney as prime minister, is one the premier believes could soothe the disillusionment that created the recent push for independence. “So tonight I want to invite every Albertan who may still feel hopeless or frustrated with the past direction of our country, to believe and hope in Canada again,” she said. That’s a video message aimed at separatists and many of her own partisans, who appear to have become synonymous. Surveys suggest that Alberta independence is a phenomenon almost solely contained inside the United Conservative voter base and party membership. And the referendum results appear to bear that out: the province’s major cities wanted to stay in Canada, and so did almost all rural ridings, as UCPfriendly as they are. The western Canadian unity question will no longer preoccupy international media, and no longer pose the threat to business and investor certainty that chamber of commerce types have discussed. But certainty for the premier’s future
and her party’s direction? That’s not as clear — not after so many thousand United Conservatives pursued independence, as their party leader promoted Canadian unity alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“Our own government is working against a large percentage of its base,” said Mitch Sylvestre the day after Albertans voted “remain” by a three-to-one margin. He’s not only the leader of the separatist
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group Alberta Prosperity Project, he’s also a prominent organizer within the UCP. He and APP fellow traveller Jeff Rath have mused about trying to push Smith out of the party leadership. On Tuesday, he also spoke of taking his separatist cadre out of the UCP if it can’t transform the party into a pro-separatist vehicle. Throughout his lengthy campaign for a proindependence citizen’s petition and then to have a true “leave” referendum, Sylvestre said he didn’t want to split the party “because I didn't want to split up the vote.” Smith will have to fight to keep the separatists and federalists within the same tent, and there are early indications that a pro-Smith, anti-separatist movement will line up behind her in that fight. Moderates and old Progressive Conservatives from that side of the Wildrose/PC unity party may show up in force at late November’s annual UCP convention to rival what their more hardened conservative counterparts used to term “the freedom movement.”
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Vancouver residents vote yes on 2 plebiscite questions regarding drug use Vancouver residents have voted to support two plebiscite questions, proposed by the city's outgoing mayor, around drug use and treatment centres. The plebiscite questions, championed by outgoing mayor Ken Sim, had proposed strengthening the city's laws to "forbid open-air hard drug use" and push the province for more involuntary care treatment at a soon-to-be-closed downtown hospital site. While the city's residents voted on the two questions in the Oct. 17 municipal election — in which Sim was defeated by the Green Party's Pete Fry — the results of the plebiscite questions were only revealed when official election results were published Wednesday. Sim had argued that asking voters to weigh in on the issues in an official capacity would give the next municipal
government a stronger mandate to address drug use in the city. However, in response to a question from CBC News, Sim did not specify which bylaws in particular would be strengthened if voters approved the plebiscite question. Possession of small amounts of illicit drugs is already illegal in Canada, and Vancouver city bylaws prohibit smoking in public parks, beaches and a number of other areas. The second plebiscite question concerned converting portions of the existing St. Paul's Hospital, or another similar site, into a "secure medical facility" that would provide more than 100 involuntary care beds for those at risk to themselves or others due to severe substance use and mental health disorders. St. Paul's Hospital is set to relocate from its current site on Burrard Street to a new site in the False Creek Flats next year. Fry said the new St. Paul's Hospital would have nearly 100 secure care beds, and more would be added with another nearby facility being built by the provincial government. Kora DeBeck, who researches substance use and drug policy at Simon Fraser University, said more policing is not the answer to public drug use.
Indian-origin man seeks funeral funds after wife allegedly kills 5-year-old daughter in New York Continued from Page 1... “I am trying to keep working as an Uber driver while driving a rental car, but I am grieving and struggling to manage these costs at the same time,” he added. Fabiana’s mother, Francis Cabello, 32, was arrested on October 15 in connection with the child’s death, the New York Police Department told People. She was arraigned on a second-degree murder charge before Criminal Court Judge Jennifer Saint-Preux on October 16, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office. Cabello did not enter a plea and was scheduled to return to court on October 20. Her lawyer was contacted for comment, but no response was immediately available. Police said officers responded to a home in South Richmond Hill, Queens, at 6.55 pm on October 14 following a 911 call. They found Fabiana unresponsive and she was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead. While the NYPD did not identify the caller, law enforcement sources told The New York Times, ABC 7 NY and NBC New York that Cabello had made the call. She allegedly told the dispatcher, “I killed my daughter,” according to The New York Times. A criminal complaint obtained by People said
an autopsy found scrapes on the child’s face and petechiae — tiny spots of bleeding — in her eyes, heart and lungs. Such findings can be associated with asphyxia, the complaint stated. Investigators believe the alleged killing took place between 5.30 pm and 6.55 pm on October
14. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is to determine the cause of death. Fabiana’s uncle, who was not identified, remembered her as a cheerful child who brought happiness to the family. “She’s a very beautiful girl, you know. She’s joyful, she keep my mom and dad happy. She give you a nice hug, you know. She was very happy happy girl,” he told NBC New York. As the family prepares to lay the child to rest, her father’s fundraiser seeks to ease the financial burden of funeral costs while he continues to work and grieve the loss of his daughter.
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Guilty verdict issued in 2024 Surrey home-invasion murder of Tori Dunn The man accused of killing Surrey, B.C., resident Tori Dunn during a home invasion two years ago has been convicted of seconddegree murder. Adam Mann was found guilty by a jury in New Westminster, B.C., on Wednesday. His sentencing date will scheduled next week. The murder happened on June 16, 2024, at Dunn's home in the Port Kells neighbourhood. Dunn's father said the 30-year-old was stabbed as she lay on a couch after she and her fiancé had returned home from a birthday dinner. She later died in hospital. Mann's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that also carried Dunn's blood, but Mann told the court he had picked up the knife on the side of the road before police arrived and arrested him. Dunn's murder happened three weeks after Mann was accused of stabbing another woman in Surrey. According to court records obtained by CBC News, Mann was the subject of two probation orders for previous offences and had recently been released after being found guilty of violating one of those orders by possessing knives. The revelations sparked a "Justice for Tori" campaign and debate around B.C.'s bail and probation system, and the degree to which dangerous offenders are released from custody despite repeated breaches of terms meant to protect the public.
Dunn's family launched a petition asking for a legal review of Mann's release and calling for changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future. NDP Leader David Eby said in his capacity as premier in July that he had asked his team to reach out to the Dunn family to discuss the case and find ways to support their calls for reform. Court records in B.C., Ontario and New Brunswick show Mann has a criminal history dating back decades. In 2009, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for robbery and weapons offences in a home invasion. He unsuccessfully appealed
that conviction. The Ontario Court of Appeal ruling in 2010 said Mann had racked up 22 previous convictions by the age of 25, including violent offences involving firearms and robberies. In December 2014, Mann was convicted of assault after spitting on two employees of the Atlantic Institution in Renous, N.B., where he was incarcerated.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
NrityaSADAN presents
The Kathak Festival
Nayikas in taal... Nayikas in bhaav...
Sunday November 15, 2026 2 PM - 5 PM Surrey Arts Centre, Mainstage 13750 88 Avenue Follow us on instagram: @nrityanjalikathakacademy
Accused Tumbler Ridge co-conspirator enters not guilty plea in U.S. court The American accused of conspiring to carry out the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., has entered a not guilty plea in a Seattle court. James Cody Bryant, whose lawyers say goes by the name Melody and uses she/ her pronouns, appeared at an arraignment hearing Thursday morning wearing an olive green prison-issued shirt and pants. Bryant was escorted in by a U.S. court marshal, hands clasped together, and gave a slight smile and nod to two friends sitting in the gallery. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg read the charge in court. Bryant didn’t say anything, but a lawyer entered a not guilty plea on the accused's behalf. Bryant, 30, is charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. A grand jury indicted Bryant last week. The trial is scheduled to begin on Dec. 21. On Feb. 10, Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, shot and killed her mother Jennifer Strang, 39, and half-brother Emmett Jacobs, 11, in their home. She then drove to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and gunned down Abel Mwansa, 12, Zoey Benoit, 12, Ezekiel Schofield, 13, Kylie Smith, 12, Ticaria Lampert, 12, and educational assistant Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 29. Two other students were shot but survived. An RCMP investigation revealed the shooter had started a livestream on the social media platform Twitch as she was headed to the school. The stream lasted just 20 seconds and showed her sitting in a vehicle with a long gun and rifle in her lap. It was watched by one account, and it
belonged to Bryant, according to the FBI. Bryant and the shooter had been chatting on a messaging app called Discord for months. When Mounties learned Bryant was a resident of Bellingham, Wash., they notified the FBI.
Details of the messages exchanged between Bryant and Van Rootselaar are laid out in the FBI's 41-page criminal complaint. The criminal complaint further accuses Bryant of wiring money to the shooter — which the shooter used to buy shoes to wear during the killing spree, and to purchase a lighter she intended to use for an improvised explosive device. While the FBI says Bryant tried to dissuade the shooter from carrying out the mass killings on a number of occasions, on the day of the Tumbler Ridge massacre, the accused did nothing to stop it. Instead, the FBI alleges that after the shooter disclosed she had killed her mother and half-brother, Bryant walked her through how to start a car, so she could get to the school. There, the shooter killed six people and injured two more, before taking her own life. The FBI says Bryant and the shooter met three years ago on the now defunct chatroulette style website Omegle.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
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Judge dismisses farmers' class action over end to Canadian Wheat Board monopoly more than a decade ago A Manitoba judge has dismissed a class-action lawsuit seeking damages for grain farmers following the federal wind-down of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly, in what the decision says was the last of the litigation spurred by that controversial move over a decade ago. In a decision this month, Court of King's Bench Justice Chris Martin dismissed a 2017 claim from farmer Edward Andrew Dennis against the attorney general of Canada and G3 Global Grain Group, which became the successor to the wheat board. The Canadian Wheat Board was established in 1935 as a voluntary marketing program and later became a compulsory monopoly — meaning western Canadian farmers were forced to sell it their wheat and grain, with few exceptions. That was the case until after the 2011 federal election, when then prime minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government took steps to transform the wheat board into a private entity. That "spurred a host of litigation," of which Dennis's claim "is the last," Justice Martin wrote in his decision. Agricultural economist Barry Prentice said the decision marks "the last chapter" as the Canadian Wheat Board saga moves into history — and he thinks it's time for the tale to finally come to an
end. "It caused a lot of divisions in the agricultural sector between farmers, because it was felt very passionately," Prentice, the director of the University of Manitoba Transport Institute, said in an interview. "There were those who were adamantly in favour of the wheat board, and those who were actually risking going to jail by trying to take the grain across the border to protest this limitation on their freedom." Lawyers for G3 said in a statement the decision "brings closure to a claim that had been pursued through multiple courts in multiple jurisdictions." A federal spokesperson said the government is "grateful for the time and diligence the court has brought to the consideration of this matter." Lawyers for the farmers declined to comment.
The charges are related to a 2020 incident at a federal prison in Pennsylvania, where El Bahnasawy attacked two corrections officers using a weapon made from part of a steel desk in his cell, according to the news release. He stabbed one officer in the head and face and another officer in the hand when they intervened, it said. The first officer lost his right eye as a result of the attack, the release said. The release goes on to say that after El Bahnasawy was restrained, a note was "found in his sock" that read, "this is a terrorist attack for the Islamic State." A pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and ISIS was also found in his prison cell, according to the release. “Today’s sentence will further ensure that Bahnasawy remains in prison, where he can do much less harm, for a very long time,” John A. Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for national security, said in the release.
ਹੈਲਥ ਕੇਅਰ ਿਵੱਚ ਕਟੌਤੀਆਂ ਕਰਨਗੇ ਅਤੇ ਕਾਰ ਇੰਸ਼ੋਰੈਂਸ ਦੇ ਰੇਟ ਦੁੱਗਣੇ ਕਰਨਗੇ। ਇਹ ਗੱਲ ਿਸਰਫ਼ ਅਸੀਂ ਹੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਿਹ ਰਹੇ। ਉਨ�ਾਂ ਨੇ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਇਹ ਗੱਲ ਕਹੀ ਹੈ।
BC Conservative Leader, Lorne Doerksen
Mississauga man convicted in U.S. terror probe gets additional 50-year prison sentence A Mississauga man serving a 40-year sentence for terror-related charges in the U.S. was sentenced to an additional 50 years in federal prison for assaulting two corrections officers, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Monday. Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, 28, pleaded guilty last November to multiple counts of assault, assault with intent to commit murder, possession of contraband inside a prison and providing material support to ISIS, according to a news release from the Middle District of Pennsylvania attorney's office.
ਬੀ.ਸੀ. ਕੰਜ਼ਰਵੇਿਟਵ ਸਰੀ ਿਵੱਚ
In his sentencing submission for the 2020 assaults, El Bahnasawy submitted a letter, dated Oct. 15, in which he said he was "deeply sorry" for the incident. "If I had been mentally well and able to think clearly, this would never have happened," he said. El Bahnasawy noted he's had mental health problems for years and struggled with being held in solitary confinement without "the right medication and care." "All I can do now is stay committed to medication and treatment and prevent further harm. When I receive my medication, I am calmer and think In 2018, El Bahnasawy was sentenced to 40 years in U.S. federal prison after pleading guilty to terror charges. His indictment detailed seven charges in relation to a 2016 plot to carry out "terrorist acts in and around New York City," which included plans to detonate bombs across the city's subway network and a car bomb in Times Square. El Bahnasawy was 18 years old when he pleaded guilty. None of the attacks were carried out. Sentencing memorandums filed by both the state and the defence acknowledge that he faced mental health and addiction issues. Both documents also state he was radicalized online. Prior to El Bahnasawy's initial arrest, he was diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder and addiction problems and he had stopped taking his medication, his parents told CBC in 2021. In his 2018 judgment, New York District Judge Richard M. Berman recommended he be sent to a prison that has "greater proximity to mental health services" and is close to his family in Ontario. That judgment also noted the court "does not oppose a treaty transfer to Canada." In an emailed statement Tuesday, Corrections Canada said it could not comment on specific cases but all applications "for an offender's international transfer are carefully considered."
ਉਨ�ਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਕਟੌਤੀਆਂ ਦਾ “ਸਭ ਤੋੰ ਵੱਧ ਅਸਰ” ਹੈਲਥ ਕੇਅਰ 'ਤੇ ਪਵੇਗਾ।
ਲੁ ਕ-ਿਛਪ ਕੇ ਇੱਕ ਡੀਲ ਸਾਈਨ ਕੀਤੀ ਿਜਸ ਨਾਲ ਕਾਰ ਇੰਸ਼ੋਰੈਂਸ ਦੇ ਰੇਟ ਦੁੱਗਣੇ ਹੋ ਜਾਣਗੇ।
(Source: BC Conservative MLA Tony Luck, Castanet, Feb 2026)
(Source: BC Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson, Letter to TLABC, Sept 2026)
ਬੀ.ਸੀ. ਕਨਜ਼ਰਵੇਿਟਵਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਕਟੌਤੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਗੜਬੜ ਵਾਲੀਆਂ ਨੀਤੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਨੁ ਕਸਾਨ ਸਰੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਿਹ ਸਕਦਾ। Authorized by BC NDP Financial Agent, Karen Cooling, 604-430-8600
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Eby discusses Surrey’s public safety, housing and healthcare
Continued from Page 1... He said those resources would support a dedicated unit targeting gang crime and extortion. Adding to it he also mentioned, August was the first month with no reports of extortion threats or violence. “The problem is not solved. We need to keep working,” he said. Healthcare and affordable housing When asked about the possibility of another hospital in Newton, Eby said he would work with the local government to expand healthcare services in Surrey, including exploring the possibility of an additional hospital if land were made available. “We would always work with the local government here, if they’re bringing land to the table, and there’s a healthcare need here in Surrey,”
he said. Asked about affordable housing, Eby said ensuring affordability had been a key priority of his government. “Housing is still very expensive for many people,” he acknowledged, adding that increased rental housing construction had helped bring rents down across British Columbia. The B.C. provincial election is on Saturday, October 24, 2026, with voting from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time.
Doug McCallum topples Brenda Locke to win 5th term Continued from Page 1... Voter’s ballots placed mayoral candidates Mike Starchuk and Linda Annis at third and fourth in the election results, respectively. A smiling, waving McCallum greeted an exuberant crowd at Bombay Banquet Hall after his win, with his supporters cheering, whistling, and waving election signs. “I want to thank also all of the candidates and their families, and I want to thank the volunteers and and all the supporters that have supported us during this election.” “I love Surrey, but I even love the people of Surrey more. Together we’re going to build a great city and our families will live in a town that goes to sport and joy and we’ll work together to make it one of the best global cities in the world. So go Surrey go!”
McCallum was first elected Surrey mayor in 1996 and served in the role until 2005, and was elected again in 2018 with his Safe Surrey Coalition, before being defeated by Locke in 2022. McCallum did not give interviews after his victory. Although media was instructed to wait at a designated media area of the banquet to speak to McCallum, after waiting for an hour, media were finally told McCallum had left the building. McCallum’s Safe Surrey Coalition slate also dominated the race for Surrey city council, claiming seven of eight spots – with Doug Elford, Meera Gill, Mandeep Nagra, Suhana Gill, Allison Patton, Laurie Guerra and Cheney Cloke making it into the eight spots. Only Harry Bains from Surrey Connect broke up the monopoly, topping the polls in the one bright spot of the night for Locke’s almost-obliterated slate.
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Meet 12 new Metro Vancouver mayors Continued from Page 1... Delta’s politics had been dominated by public squabbling between Harvie and Kruger. Granum decried the “dysfunction at the council table” and promised to do things differently. “This has been a grassroots effort. It has been about everyday residents working together for change,” she said. Previously Granum was corporate secretary at the B.C. Lottery Corporation, and worked with the Delta and Surrey police boards. New Westminster As a councillor, Daniel Fontaine was a vocal critic of incumbent Mayor Patrick Johnstone, then ran against him for the city’s top job. Fontaine emerged victorious, taking down his rival by 11 percentage points. His party also captured five of the six council seats, giving him a solid majority on council. This will be a major change for this city, which has historically elected centre-left mayors. Fontaine is a fiscal conservative. He promised to build a “more economically vibrant city” and to spend on housing affordability, public safety, parks and recreation facilities and infrastructure, while keeping tax increases to within inflation. Richmond Rob Howard squeezed out a narrow 1.6 percentage point victory over Alexa Loo on a night in which no one else from his slate was elected to council. Howard was a Richmond councillor from 2001 to 2008 and one-term MLA for Richmond Centre with the B.C. Liberals. Buoyed by an endorsement from popular outgoing mayor Malcolm Brodie, Howard must find a way to work for the next four years with eight city councillors representing four different civic parties. West Vancouver Kirk LaPointe was a thorn in the side of incumbent mayor Mark Sager, not as a councillor but as a longtime journalist. When he challenged Sager, who has faced a number of controversies, Lapointe won by 12 percentage points. “I think people just hadn’t seen the progress that they wanted in the last council,” Lapointe said. He pledged to work with the three incumbent councillors and three newcomers elected to council. Lapointe promises to review the city’s 2027 budget and reduce a proposed municipal tax increase. He’ll also have to address the need for affordable housing in a city dominated by singlefamily homes. Port Moody Haven Lurbiecki, a one-term councillor, took on incumbent Mayor Meghan Lahti and pulled off a tight, five-percentage-point victory. The new council includes one member of Lurbiecki’s Port Moody Voice party and five other councillors with no party affiliation. While Lahti favoured growth and development, Lurbiecki ran against a plan to build 14 residential towers. She said council’s first order of business will be to examine those plans and find alternative solutions to the towers. Coquitlam Craig Hodge, a four-term councillor, ran against his two-term colleague Trish Mandewo to replace the retiring 18-year mayor, Richard Stewart. Hodge won in a landslide, by 32 percentage points. He will govern with four incumbent councillors and four newcomers, none with party affiliations. “We’re all independents here in Coquitlam, and so one of the things that I think that we do really well is to have a difference of opinions and come to consensus on what’s best for our residents,” he said. One of Hodge’s priorities is to manage
growth in the expanding city, including demands for affordable housing and amenities. Langley Township Business executive and hockey coach Jay Lundgren unseated one-term incumbent Mayor Eric Woodward, winning by more than eight percentage points. Lundgren’s Langley Strong party won six of eight council seats as well. He pledged to bring the Township’s soaring debt under control with an audit and to deliver a responsible budget. He also promised improved consultation with residents before council makes major decisions. Langley City Delaney Mack, a one-term councillor, upset 10-year incumbent Mayor Nathan Pachal in a decisive 22-percentage-point victory. Five of six elected councillors are with her neophyte Achieving for Langley City party. “What a tremendous honour for me and my team,” said Mack, a small-business owner. “We are ready to get to work and focused on delivering for residents.” Her platform focused on finances. She promised a line-by-line review of the budget to combat taxes and address expensive “add-ons.” White Rock Chris Shields, former chair of the B.C. Real Estate Association, defeated Susan Bains, a councillor since a 2025 byelection, by a margin of 16.5 percentage points. Incumbent Mayor Megan Knight did not run for re-election. Shields will have the challenge of governing with five councillors elected under Bains’ Together for White Rock party, plus an independent councillor. He ran on a platform of revitalizing the city’s popular pier, “housing choices for all,” economic revitalization, and stopping the “infighting” on council. Maple Ridge Businessman Jerry Kok triumphed over incumbent mayor and former MP Dan Ruimy, with a 16-percentage-point margin of victory. Kok, who has no party affiliation, will work with two councillors elected under Ruimy’s A Better Maple Ridge party and four independents. Kok’s campaign website said his future vision is for the city to support businesses, find “creative ways” to improve affordability, and thrive economically. Lions Bay The council elected in 2022 was described as dysfunctional, with the departure of several senior municipal employees and then Mayor Ken Berry banned from publishing his weekly mayor’s message. In 2026, Berry did not seek re-election, with two councillors, Ron McLaughlin and Michael Broughton, vying for his job. McLaughlin won with 371 votes, compared to 329 for his rival. On his campaign website, McLaughlin promised to “rebuild a respectful collaborative approach” on council. “You will not hear me bad mouth or spread gossip in and around this village.” Anmore When incumbent Mayor John McEwen opted to run for the B.C. Conservatives in the provincial election, his only challenger, Coun. Doug Richardson, was acclaimed as the new mayorelect. He will govern with four new councillors, with none of the incumbent councillors being re-elected. On his Facebook page, Richardson, the retired CEO of a green technology company, promised to collaborate with residents to build the village’s next community plan. “Anmore is a unique community, and I want to protect what makes it our home,” he said. “We need a mayor, council and staff who will work as a team to include the voices of Anmore residents.”
FIJI
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
‘Two-hour consultation hopelessly inadequate’: Leung A two-hour public consultation in Suva and another two-hour session in Lautoka were hopelessly inadequate for Fijians to meaningfully participate in the proposed constitutional reforms, says Fiji Law Society (FLS) president Graham Leung. In a statement, Mr Leung criticised the limited time allocated for public consultations, warning that the rushed process had undermined public confidence. He said the Government’s handling of the constitutional review, particularly the distribution of Bill 32 of 2026 for public consideration, had left insufficient time for people to understand the proposed changes and make informed submissions. Mr Leung acknowledged that the parliamentary calendar and approaching general elections had placed the Government in a difficult position.
However, he said the pressure could have been avoided if the review process had started much earlier. He maintained that the limited consultation period had prevented meaningful public participation, with concerns already evident in comments made by members of the public. The FLS warned that the inadequate timeframe had contributed to distrust and undermined the legitimacy of the constitutional review process. Mr Leung urged the committee to take public concerns seriously and reconsider the approach being taken. “We all need to take a step back and listen to the voices of the people. Why? Because the voice of we the people matters,” he told the committee. He also warned against repeating mistakes from Fiji’s constitutional history.
Nearly 1,000 Fiji residents depart for employment A total of 987 Fiji residents departed the country for employment purposes in September 2026, according to the latest resident departure figures. The figures show that 379 residents left for employment lasting between one and five years, while 341 departed for work lasting between three and 12 months. Another 267 residents travelled overseas for employment periods of less than three months. Employment-related departures accounted for 5.9 per cent of the 16,681 resident departures recorded during the month. The figures indicate that 720 of those departing for employment, or approximately 73 per cent, intended to remain overseas for at least three months. Education and training were another reason for overseas travel, with 668 residents departing for this purpose.
Of these, 388 intended to remain overseas for less than three months, 221 for between three and 12 months, and 59 for between one and five years. Meanwhile, 122 residents departed for emigration purposes, including 58 who indicated they would remain overseas for more than five years or permanently. The largest proportion of resident departures was for holidays, with 7,930 people travelling overseas, representing 47.5 per cent of the total. Another 5,339 residents, or 32 per cent, travelled to visit friends or relatives. Business travel accounted for 1,141 departures, while 494 residents travelled for other reasons. Overall, 15,301 residents, representing 91.7 per cent of departures, intended to remain overseas for less than three months.
Court convicts 2 over $33k scam THE Suva Magistrate’s Court has convicted former Ministry of Education clerical officer Josaia Dinono and business director Venktesh Naidu over fraudulent payments totalling $33,012 made to Dynamic Solutions in 2012. Magistrate Shelyn Kiran delivered the judgment on October 14 following a prosecution brought by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). Dinono was convicted of one count of abuse of office and one count of general dishonesty causing a loss. The court found that Dinono abused his position in the ministry to dishonestly facilitate false payments to Dynamic Solutions, causing a direct financial loss to the Education Ministry. Co-accused Naidu, who was the director of
Dynamic Solutions at the time, was convicted of one count of obtaining a financial advantage. The court was told that Naidu caused the company to receive the payments despite knowing it was not entitled or eligible to receive them. Both men will be sentenced on December 2.
FICAC drops charges against duo FORMER Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) chief executive officer Riyaz SayedKhaiyum says he is relieved a long, painful ordeal is over after the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) withdrew all criminal charges against him and chief financial officer Vimlesh Sagar. Outside court, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum maintained the prosecution was politically motivated, emphasising board records and his 30-year media career reflected complete integrity. He detailed the steep personal cost of the process, which kept him from securing employment. Ruling out politics, he said he continues to learn patience ahead of a civil case next month regarding his FBC termination.
Echoing his sentiments, Mr Sagar described the acquittal as the end of a tough battle for his character. He highlighted the irony of the charges given that FBC’s financial records—including the 2023 transactions in question—received clean audit reports vetted by the Auditor-General for over a decade through the 2025 financial year. He thanked supporters, noting his faith in the Constitution sustained him through three years of travel restrictions. The proceedings mark the final resolution of allegations surrounding the tender and procurement of a $207,470 Volkswagen Touareg. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum had faced two counts of abuse of office and one count of general dishonesty causing a loss, while Mr Sagar faced one count of general dishonesty causing a loss.
Fijian in Russian army MORE than 16,000 kilometres from home, surrounded by the stench of death, the crack of gunfire and the constant threat of drone attacks, 21-year-old Ratu Sefanaia Laua Daunibau is living a reality few young Fijians could imagine. In a war zone where death has become an everyday sight, the Tailevu villager says his faith is keeping him alive — and his desire to help the wounded is keeping him there. Recruited by the Russian Armed Forces in April this year, Ratu Sefanaia found himself thrust into the brutal reality of the war in Ukraine, where he says nearly 100 soldiers in his unit have been killed in combat with Ukrainian forces. What began as a desire to experience life in the military has become a firsthand encounter with the horrors of war — flying grenades, armed drones hunting down soldiers in hiding, bodies scattered across battlefields and the painful task of bringing fallen comrades back to their base.
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Speaking about his experiences on social media and in an interview with this newspaper, Ratu Sefanaia described a world far removed from the familiar surroundings of his village in Tailevu, where the sounds of everyday life have been replaced by the constant danger of combat. He recalled the grim reality of recovering the bodies of fellow soldiers killed by grenades and militarised drones. In a place where medical attention is limited, he says soldiers must often fend for themselves, with doctors prioritising those suffering the most severe injuries. Yet despite the danger, the injuries and the relentless exposure to death, Ratu Sefanaia says he remains determined to complete his one-year contract. Ratu Sefanaia said he was recruited alongside a relative, who had applied online to join the Russian military and later encouraged him to follow.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Asia to face extreme heat, droughts, floods as unprecedented El Niño looms: UN
The current El Niño event could be unprecedented in strength, and will peak towards the end of 2026 but its impacts will be felt long after that, with possible “shocks for the global economy” and hit Asia and other regions in the Global South with droughts, floods and extreme heat, the United Nations has said.
According to the latest Global Seasonal Climate Update from World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific – the epicentre of the extreme El Niño weather phenomenon – may rise to 3.8 above average between November 2026 and January 2027. “We are already witnessing extreme weather events and expect this to multiply and cascade as El Niño intensifies,” Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of WMO said. Echoing Saulo’s appeal for prevention efforts to boost resilience among the world’s most vulnerable communities, the UN’s emergency relief chief, Tom Fletcher, described the new El Niño as a “behemoth…a wrecking ball that will likely tear through Latin America, eastern and southern Africa, Asia and the Pacific with extreme heat, droughts and floods”. Across Asia and the Pacific, countries must brace for a range of climate shocks, including droughts, floods and cyclones, he said at a news conference.
The global agency also said that some 50 million people could face increased hunger because of the weather phenomenon. It cited the African Development Bank estimate that it would cost African countries between USD 10 and USD 20 billion “and drive down GDP by between one and two per cent”. “This El Nino will create economic shocks for the global economy and drive further conflict, displacement, migration. The next two weeks are the critical window to act before that damage is done,” Fletcher added. The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs proposed “a much wider global mobilisation of solidarity, expertise and action across governments, civil societies, academics, businesses”. “I am writing to countries with existing disaster response capacity, part of our coordinated emergency network, to ask them to place that capacity on immediate standby to support the effort,” Fletcher said. India has taken on an international role in weather disaster forecasting and relief in the aftermath. India-UN Development Partnership Fund has sponsored projects for early warning systems, and disaster risk reduction in seven Pacific Island countries. India along with the other members of the Quad, the US, Japan and Australia, also has Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) programmes for the Indo-Pacific region. For Southeast Asia, Saulo foresaw “warmer conditions and rainfall deficits increase the risk of heat exposure and place additional pressure on agriculture and water supplies, like the increasing wildfire and smoke hazards risks we are already seeing”.
SOUTH ASIA
Nepal condemns attacks on civilians after citizen killed by drone debris at Saudi oil field Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep sadness over the death of a Nepali citizen in Saudi Arabia. According to the ministry, the person was killed by debris from a drone that Saudi air defence systems intercepted over Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field a day earlier. In a statement posted on X, the ministry offered condolences to the bereaved family and wished a speedy recovery to all those injured. It reiterated Nepal's "unequivocal condemnation" of attacks targeting civilians and critical infrastructure. The ministry said Nepal continues to call for the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue, negotiation and diplomatic engagement, which it described as the country's principled position. The statement did not name the victim, give his hometown or say whether arrangements were under way to repatriate his body. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy said air defence systems intercepted a drone attempting
to target one of the oil field's processing facilities in the Eastern Province on Wednesday morning. The attempted attack caused a fire in a contractor's vehicle outside the facility's perimeter, without affecting operations. The ministry said two expatriates, one Nepali and one Filipino, were killed, while a Pakistani and an Indian national were injured. Shaybah produces around one million barrels of crude oil a day and is located close to the border with the United Arab Emirates. The field was also targeted in March, when Saudi forces said they had shot down ten drones heading towards it. Saudi Arabia is a major destination for Nepali migrant workers, thousands of whom are employed across the country. The foreign ministry did not say whether it had contacted the family or Saudi authorities, or what consular support it would provide. Nepal's embassy in Riyadh and the Department of Foreign Employment have not yet commented publicly.
7.0-magnitude earthquake hits Tibet An earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Thursday, the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage following the quake, which hit Baqen County of Nagqu City around 10.33 pm local time. The epicentre was monitored at 32.40 degrees north latitude and 93.79 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The Tibetan Plateau is known to be prone to powerful earthquakes as it sits right over the place
where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet, often colliding with huge force.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
PUNJAB
Shah signals BJP-SAD alliance in Punjab with ‘NDA govt’ claim ahead of 2027 elections In remarks that can upend the current electoral equations in Punjab, Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday signalled a possible alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) by saying that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form the next government in the border state. “I was in Punjab only the day before. The way drug trade has flourished under the Aam Aadmi Party government there, people have decided that there will be an NDA government in the state in 2027,” Shah said in the presence of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Both Puri and Sandhu contested the Lok Sabha election from Amritsar in Punjab in 2019 and 2024, respectively, and lost to Congress' Gurjit Aujla. The Home Minister was speaking in Delhi at the launch of multi-crore projects for Yamuna rejuvenation and pledged to clean the river by May 2029. His reference to the formation of an NDA government in Punjab is significant at a time when the party is mostly speaking of contesting all 117 Assembly seats in the state on its own. Shah’s statement was instantly read as a sign of potential realignment between the BJP and the SAD, which had quit the NDA on September 26, 2020, over the Centre's farm laws. The Tribune has learnt that the BJP is also in touch with leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjit (SAD rebels)
and is exploring ways of bringing them on board for a broader coalition.
For the first time in six years, top BJP sources at the Centre, in private conversations, are not ruling out chances of a reunion with the SAD in Punjab. Ground-level surveys and trends are being used to shape the electoral strategy in the state. Even earlier, as The Tribune had reported, BJP president Nitin Nabin had said the alliance issue in Punjab would be assessed when the “time comes”. Signs of a thaw between the two estranged parties have been visible for some time. Recently, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal reversed the party stand to back the Centre’s delimitation and 33 per cent women’s reservation agenda. Before that the SAD had supported the NDA presidential election nominee, Droupadi Murmu, who won.
CM Mann urges students in Punjab to dream big, emphasises merit-based opportunities The state Vidhan Sabha opened its doors to students of Guru Gobind Singh International School, Faridkot, on Thursday, offering them firsthand insight into lawmaking, budget approval and democratic accountability. Interacting with the students, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urged them to pursue their ambitions through honesty, hard work and determination, stressing that talent and merit, rather than influence or recommendations, should determine success. “The youth are the greatest strength of the state, and providing them with inspiration, opportunities and a progressive environment is essential for building a brighter future,” Mann said. He advised students not to let temporary setbacks weaken their resolve and emphasised that success depended on commitment and perseverance rather than background. Sharing his experiences, the Chief Minister
encouraged students aspiring to join the civil services or become advocates, doctors and defence officers to begin preparing for their goals without waiting for the perfect opportunity. Quoting former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Mann said dreams should inspire people to keep striving even when others are asleep. Recalling his own electoral defeat, he said failures should be treated as opportunities to learn, improve and return stronger rather than reasons to lose confidence. Explaining the functioning of the Vidhan Sabha, Mann said bills were introduced, debated and passed into law in the House, while the state budget was also approved there. He stressed that legislative institutions belonged to the people and urged young citizens to understand how democratic decisions were made and elected representatives held accountable.
Teen shot dead at dhaba in Jalalabad A 19-year-old youth, the only son of his parents, was shot dead at a dhaba in Jalalabad Purbi village under the Dharmkot police sub-division, triggering controversy over the police response. While the police initially described the shooting as accidental, a complaint by the victim’s mother and mounting public pressure led to the registration of a murder case against the accused. The deceased, Sandeep Singh, had been working at Karan Dhaba for nearly nine years to support his family. DSP Dharmkot Sukhwinder Singh initially claimed that Sandeep was at the eatery on Wednesday evening when his acquaintance, Bikramjit Singh, was handling a pistol that discharged accidentally, hitting Sandeep in the chest. The dhaba owner rushed Sandeep towards the Moga Civil Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries near Lohara Chowk on the way. Sandeep’s family disputed the police’s initial account, alleging that the shooting was deliberate
and stemmed from a financial dispute. The family protested, demanding strict action and accusing the police of downplaying the killing. In her statement to the police, Sandeep’s mother, Aman Kaur, alleged that her son had demanded money owed to him by Bikramjit. The demand reportedly led to a heated argument, following which the accused allegedly pulled out his firearm and shot Sandeep intentionally. Following the complaint, the Dharmkot police registered an FIR under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to murder, along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act. The police have seized the digital video recorder (DVR) connected to CCTV cameras installed at the dhaba for forensic examination. Sandeep’s body was shifted to the mortuary at Moga Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination. According to the police, Bikramjit fled the scene after the shooting, and multiple raids are being conducted to apprehend him.
Stubble burning cases drops The district administration has reported a sharp decline in stubble-burning incidents this year by linking paddy straw collection with pellet plants, brick kilns and other industrial users while encouraging farmers to diversify crops. So far, 23 cases have been reported, compared with over 50 during the corresponding period last year and 110 in 2024. Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said the district’s ex-situ stubble management plan for 2026 aims to cover 5.07 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of straw across 84,000 hectares, against 2.70 lakh MT over 42,000 hectares in 2025. The planned quantity has increased by nearly 88 per cent. Against estimated seasonal straw generation of 11 lakh MT, baler-based management had covered 22,320 hectares by last week. The district’s Crop Residue Management machinery inventory has expanded to 136 balers,
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including 41 added this season, and 107 straw rakes, with 29 newly procured. The equipment facilitates collection, baling, transportation and storage, helping farmers prepare fields without burning residue. Sharma said pellet and biomass units were providing industrial outlets for collected straw, which is converted into fuel for industrial boilers and brick kilns. The district has 63 operational brick kilns and 20 biomass-fuel purchase orders. SAEL industry has also reported managing three lakh MT of straw. Alongside residue management, the administration is promoting crop diversification through the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments. Farmer producer organisations are being connected with exporters to strengthen chilli cultivation through marketoriented production, seed planning, field guidance and organised dispatch.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
Rubio visits India seeking relief from global energy crunch Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in India on Tuesday for talks aimed at easing the intensifying pressure on global energy markets exacerbated by wars in Iran and Ukraine. In Mumbai, India’s financial capital, Rubio was greeted by his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar. Later in the trip, he is expected to travel to the western city of Jamnagar and tour the world’s largest oil refinery, the sprawling Reliance Industries complex. Reliance, owned by chairman Mukesh Ambani, has already cultivated close ties with the Trump administration with its recent announcement backing a new multibillion-dollar refinery project in Texas. By taking on additional crude, the facility could help provide “relief” in the short term to global energy markets, Rubio said.
Rubio’s three-day visit is his second this year and comes as ties between Washington and New Delhi face persistent challenges. On Rubio’s last visit he embarked on a charm offensive focused on Indian political power and pageantry. This time his meetings center on business and security ties, according to the State Department. U.S.-India ties were at a high during Trump’s first term. But since Trump has returned to office, the relationship has deteriorated sharply due to the U.S. president’s tariffs, immigration policy and his administration’s outreach to Indian archrival Pakistan. 'India relies heavily on imports of Russian energy, a situation exacerbated by disruptions to Middle Eastern oil exports related to the Trump administration’s war in Iran.
Indian killed, 3 injured in attacks on S Arabia India on Thursday strongly condemned attacks on Saudi Arabia’s civilian and energy infrastructure after an Indian national was killed and three others injured in separate incidents targeting King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said one Indian national was killed and two others injured in the attack on the Dammam airport on Wednesday, while another Indian was injured in the incident at the Shaybah oil field in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.The MEA conveyed its condolences to the family of the bereaved family and wished the injured a speedy recovery. "The Indian Embassy in Riyadh is in contact with the Saudi authorities and will provide all possible assistance," it said. According to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Dammam attack killed two persons, including an Indian resident, and injured eight others. The injured included expatriates of several nationalities, with some reported to be in
serious condition. Airport operations have since resumed, although the authorities are assessing the damage and reviewing security measures. In a separate incident on Wednesday, Saudi air defences intercepted a drone attempting to target a facility at the Shaybah oil field. Falling debris sparked a fire in a contractor’s vehicle outside the facility’s perimeter, killing two workers from the Philippines and Nepal and injuring two others, including an Indian and a Pakistani national. The developments have heightened concerns over the vulnerability of civilian facilities and critical energy infrastructure in the kingdom, which is a major global oil producer and home to a large Indian expatriate community. Reiterating its support for Saudi Arabia, India said it stood in solidarity with the government and people of the kingdom in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and hoped peace and normalcy would return to the region at the earliest.
INDIA
Startups are powering India’s Space tech boom India’s aerospace industry is set to grow at twice the pace of the global market, with space startups leveraging state backed funds, forming constructive partnerships with ISRO, to create a globally competitive space ecosystem in South Asia. In 2026, owing to a set of reforms implemented by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, the number of space startups has increased from just one company in 2014 to more than 400. A decade ago, space technology was exclusively the business of the state and large corporations. This picture started changing dramatically in 2020, when the Indian government decided to open the space value chain to non-public enterprises, followed by the 2023 Indian Space Policy, which established the broader framework for private sector involvement. “Capital is making a beeline for India’s space startups because the country can build sophisticated aerospace systems at a fraction of the cost of the U.S. and Europe," said Sanjay Kumar, cofounder of EON Space Labs. "Compared to other nations, India’s engineering talent is deep and manufacturing is cost-efficient." The Indian government is acting like an anchor customer to facilitate growth of startups, and ISRO is sourcing 80% of equipment in launches from Indian companies. As India’s space ambitions are beginning to outgrow the capacity of its national space agency ISRO, government is offering access to ISRO developed technology to startups. Space startups are becoming important in the context of Space Vision 2047, for honing technologies required for human space flight (Gaganyaa) by 2027, establishing India’s space station (Bhartiya Antariksh Station) by 2035, and sending a crewed mission to the Moon by 2040.
ISRO’s commercial arm, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) has executed 83 technology transfer agreements with private sector companies. Using technology transfers, small technologydriven companies are building rockets for carrying payloads, developing satellites, spacecraft systems and offering services built around space infrastructure such as satellite life extension and inspection.
“Providing vital human resource talent, cofounders and important know-how of the sector, ISRO is the nucleus around which the entire space startup ecosystem is growing,” said Immanuel Louis and Suyash Bafna, cofounders of Astrophel Aerospace. Access to ISRO facilities is enabling companies to move from prototypes to market ready offerings at reduced time and costs. Astrophel Aerospace is currently testing its indigenously developed cryogenic pump at ISRO facilities. The products and services being developed are reducing India’s dependence on foreign technology. For instance, Bellatrix Aerospace has demonstrated indigenous green propulsion technology and is developing space mobility solutions. On the other hand, GalaxEye has launched OptoSAR, a privately built earth observation satellite.
Netanyahu invites Modi, Smit to light Israel’s I-Day torch Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a ceremonial torch at Israel’s Independence Day celebrations alongside Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, who was seriously injured while thwarting an alleged attack aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv flydubai flight. Netanyahu reiterated the invitation during a phone conversation with Modi as the two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and discussed the need to restore peace and stability in West Asia. Machchhar, a flydubai captain, came into the spotlight after an alleged attack by his co-pilot aboard flight FZ1073 on September 30. The aircraft, travelling from Dubai to Israel, reportedly lost altitude sharply during the incident before making an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The episode is under investigation by the authorities concerned. According to reports, Machchhar was attacked inside the cockpit and sustained serious injuries. Despite being hurt, he managed to reach and open the cockpit door, enabling others to intervene. Other crew members and off-duty pilots helped bring the situation under control. Netanyahu had first extended the invitation earlier this month, describing Machchhar as a hero of India, Israel and the wider world. He invited Modi to join the pilot in lighting the ceremonial flame, an honour traditionally associated with Israel’s Independence Day celebrations. The final selection of torch-lighters is, however, subject to Israel’s established process. In a post on X after Thursday’s conversation, Netanyahu said he had
spoken to his “friend”, the Indian PM, and invited him to light the torch alongside the “brave Indian pilot”. “Modi thanked me for the invitation and said on land and in the air, India and Israel are fighting terrorism together,” Netanyahu said, adding that Modi had praised the strong and longstanding ties between the two countries. Modi, in his own account of the conversation, said the two leaders reviewed the sustained momentum in bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership. They also exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and stressed the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region, he said. The call comes as India and Israel continue to deepen cooperation across defence, security, agriculture, technology and innovation. Counterterrorism and defence-industrial collaboration remain important elements of their strategic engagement.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
INDIA
New Delhi slams UN rapporteur for ‘India-based’ label for D-company India has strongly rejected a UN special rapporteur’s description of gangster Dawood Ibrahim-led D-company as an “India-based” criminal group, flagging “glaring inaccuracies” in the report and cautioning that such incompetence causes tremendous harm to the world body. Invoking Dawood’s alleged links with the Al-Qaeda, India accused the UN human rights expert of distorting the record on terrorism, questioning why the report referred to the fugitive’s 2003 UN listing without adequately mentioning that he had been wanted in India for terror attacks since 1993. India’s sharp intervention at the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee also saw it reject Pakistan’s remarks on Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, calling them “pure propaganda” driven by narrow political interests.
First Secretary Raghoo Puri, speaking during an interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, said factual omissions in reports by UN mandate holders could damage the credibility of the world body. “My delegation has been pointing out in other forums as well our serious concern at the unacceptable situation of the special rapporteur releasing reports with factual inaccuracies while not being held accountable for them,” Puri said. At the heart of India’s objection was the reference of the report to the UN Security Council listing Dawood’s criminal organisation, D-Company, in 2003 for its association with the Al-Qaeda. Puri said presenting the listing without the wider context risked giving a misleading account of the case.
Anil Pandit named accused in Tiger Shroff shooting case Gangster Anil Pandit, who had claimed responsibility for the firing on actor Tiger Shroff, has been named as a wanted accused in the case, the police told a court on Thursday as it remanded four arrested persons in police custody till October 26. Pandit, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who is said to be operating from the US, had allegedly claimed responsibility for the October 18 attack on Shroff in a social media post. The crime branch of Mumbai Police on Thursday produced Kunal (21) and Sumit (19), both hailing from Haryana’s Sonepat district, and Radha (23) and Babita (23), both from Uttar Pradesh, before the Esplanade Magistrate’s court here. The firing on Shroff was carried out at Pandit’s instructions and he has been named as a wanted accused in the case, the police told the court. The investigators sought police custody of the four arrested accused, stating that they had actively
participated in the conspiracy with those held earlier in the case. These four accused had supplied a weapon to the shooters, the police said. Kunal and Sumit collected a pistol and 20 rounds from Amritsar on Anil Pandit’s instructions, while Radha and Babita travelled to Mumbai and handed over the weapon to other conspirators, the police said. Defence lawyers Ajinkya Mirgul and Satyavrat Joshi opposed the demand for custody, arguing that there was no material against these four accused and they had been arrested on mere suspicion. After hearing both sides, the court remanded the four accused in police custody till October 26. The Mumbai Police have registered a case of attempt to murder and arrested 10 persons so far. On Wednesday, the court remanded Rehan, alias Sukka, from Sonepat; Ritik Kurmi, alias Roshan, originally from Begusarai in Bihar and living in Mumbai; and Phool Singh from Haryana in police custody till October 31.
Nothing wrong in seeking regime change in democracy All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora on Thursday contended before the Delhi High Court that citizens do not need permission to hoist the national flag, while challenging a police notice asking her to execute a “peace” bond before a Special Executive Magistrate. Referring to the Delhi Police notice, which stated that Bora had hoisted the national flag without valid permission, her counsel submitted that citizens do not require permission to hoist the national flag. The notice, issued on October 17 under Section 126 of the BNSS, asked the student leader to appear before the Special Executive Magistrate on October 19 and show cause why she should not execute a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety “for keeping peace for a period of inquiry”. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Bora, said she had called for a peaceful gathering at Mandi House on October 16 to unfurl the national flag at Central Park, Connaught Place, as part of a protest against the Chief Election Commissioner. He submitted that Bora had never called for violence and was detained 10-15 minutes after reaching Mandi House. He said she was not involved in a separate protest call issued by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Central Park on October 16. He argued that the proceedings under the BNSS were premature
and that the notice did not disclose material establishing a likelihood of breach of peace, a necessary condition under Section 126. He also questioned the alleged application of Section 163 at the spot of Bora’s detention and said the notice was mechanical and based on hearsay. During the hearing, Sankaranarayanan further argued that there was nothing wrong in seeking regime change in a democracy. Responding, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Delhi Police, drew the court’s attention to certain material, including a joint press conference attended by Bora in which a statement on regime change was made. Sharma said there had been “12 violations” by Bora and that the magistrate had considered a general diary entry, past FIRs, offences and the prevailing situation before issuing the notice. He submitted that it had been stated at the joint press conference: “Yeh regime change ki ladai hai and hum regime change kara ke rahenge (this is a fight for regime change and we will get the regime changed).” Sankaranarayanan responded that Bora had not said that and reiterated that “there is nothing wrong with regime change in a democracy”. Sharma, in turn, argued that regime change takes place through votes and not through “lumpen elements in the nerve of New Delhi”.
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India seeks inclusive global order based on humanity: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated on Thursday for a new global order centred upon the collective well-being of humankind, emphasising that international cooperation must remain resilient throughout crises while ensuring the Global South secures its rightful representation. Speaking during the NDTV World Summit, Prime Minister Modi reflected on the profound fragmentation observed internationally during the COVID-19 pandemic. "At a time when cooperation was most needed, many nations that had earlier championed globalisation prioritised their own narrow interests," he stated. PM Modi recalled proposing a "New World Order for the Collective Well-being of Humankind" originating from the G20 platform back in 2020, envisaging an administrative architecture with humanity at its foundational core. He underscored that systemic reforms across multilateral institutions remain indispensable, arguing further that international cooperation must never be restricted merely to favourable periods. Invoking the ancient economic concept of Matsya Nyaya derived from the Arthashastra, denoting the law of the jungle where powerful entities consume the vulnerable, the Prime Minister asserted that contemporary civilisation requires a
stabilising framework capable of preventing such predatory dynamics. This objective, he affirmed, encapsulates India's strategic vision and ongoing endeavours. Highlighting India's identity as a Vishwa Bandhu (friend to the world) throughout the health emergency, PM Modi noted that the nation dispatched life-saving vaccines alongside pharmaceuticals to over 100 countries while numerous affluent states concentrated strictly on domestic requirements. "Guided by the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', India continues to act as a reliable partner rather than a self-interested power," he observed. Furthermore, he highlighted India's successful stewardship of both the G20 and BRICS summits, wherein consensus-based declarations were successfully adopted despite initial scepticism and the participation of geopolitical rivals with conflicting agendas. Such diplomatic achievements, he remarked, mirror the international community's trust in India functioning as an effective bridge-builder and stabilising pillar. A robust and empowered India, PM Modi reiterated, ultimately serves broader human interests.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026