The Asian Star February 24 2024

www.theasianstar.com

Justin Trudeau admists rules weren’t followed with ArriveCan development

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it’s “obvious” contracting rules weren’t followed during the development of the controversial ArriveCan app Trudeau says the app was developed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when everything was in question, but

there is still a need to follow rules even in difficult times. He says investigations are ongoing and there will be consequences for instances in which public servants did not abide by the rules. The federal government

Continued on page 6

8-year-old Indian chess prodigy makes history to defeat a grandmaster

An 8-year-old chess prodigy made history as the youngest player to defeat a chess grandmaster. The boy, Aswath Kaushik, beat Jacek Stopa at a chess tournament in Switzerland. Kaushik, who was born in India but lives in Singapore, handed 37-year-old

Millennials now outnumber baby boomers in Canada

Baby boomers’ 65-year reign as largest population cohort is over. Statistics Canada says there are now more millennials than baby boomers in the country, ending the 65-year reign of the post-Second World War generation as the largest cohort in the population. The federal agency noted the change in its newly released population estimate for July 1, 2023, broken down by age and gender.

Arshdeep Bains makes NHL history

Last Tuesday night Arshdeep Bains made his NHL debut and officially became the 4th Punjabi player in NHL history. Bains was undrafted in all of his years of draft eligibility

Former employee facing extortion charges after threatening violence against Brampton

A former employee of a Brampton business is facing extortion charges after allegedly threatening its owner with violence earlier this month.

Peel Regional Police’s Extortion Investigative Task

Quebec asks Ottawa for $1B to cover rising costs of illegal refugees

Peel police are searching for an individual they’re describing as a “prolific offender” who’s accused of breaking into religious institutions

Force (EITF) (opens in a new tab) started an investigation on Feb. 11 after the accused allegedly started threatening the owner, their family and staff with violence if the business continued to operate.

The Quebec government is calling on Ottawa to reimburse $1 billion — the amount the province says it has spent to welcome a growing number of asylum seekers. At a news conference Tuesday, Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette, Education Minister Bernard Drainville, Social Solidarity Minister Chantal Rouleau and Jean-François Roberge, minister of Canadian Relations, said the increase in new arrivals may soon become untenable for Quebec’s education network and social services.

Police looking for ‘Prolific offender’ who broke into Mississauga temple, stole donations

and stealing cash from donation boxes.

In a news release(opens in a new tab) issued Monday, police said the latest

and signed with his hometown Vancouver Canucks over the offseason. He played last year in the AHL for the Abbotsford Canucks and at the start of this year where he improved with 39 points in 42 games. www.gabaautodetaling.com

incident in a string of similar alleged break-and-enters occurred on Oct. 4 at a temple in Mississauga near Mississauga

BC Budget 2024

BC will implement a new 20% ‘flipping tax’ on homes

Biggest Selection,

Premier David Eby has been clear that speculators are in his crosshairs, and with the 2024 budget his government has announced details of a new “BC Home Flipping Tax.”

Starting Jan. 1, any profits made from the sale of a residential home within two years of buying it will be subject to the tax – with exceptions.

The legislation government intends to pass during the spring session would see a sliding scale: 20 per cent on profits

made on a home sold within the first year, gradually declining to 10 per cent if sold after 18 months, and further reducing to zero after two years of ownership. The Ministry of Finance estimates the tax could generate about $43 million a year in tax revenue. “The tax will apply to income from the sale of properties with a housing unit and properties zoned for residential use,” reads the Budget and Fiscal Plan. “The tax will also apply to income from the assignment of contracts to purchase these properties.”

BC NDP delivers election budget with rebates, billions in new infrastructure

British Columbia’s majority NDP government delivered its 2024 budget on Thursday, forecasting a deficit in order to maintain services and promised infrastructure spending, while promising rebates and other goodies during an election year.

The provincial budget for 2023-24 is estimated at $89 billion, and includes the housing initiatives, including BC Builds, the government has been announcing and promoting in recent months.

One-time rebates(opens in a new tab) for electricity and BC Family Benefits increases, in addition to implementation of a long-discussed renters’ rebate, could see a low-income family with an extra $1,060 in their bank accounts.

In addition couples struggling to conceive will have access to free in vitro fertilization treatment(opens in a new tab) starting next spring as a working groups gets underway immediately to sort out implementation of the program.

BC finance minister previews increasing deficit ahead of 2024 budget release

British Columbia’s finance minister says increasing the deficit in Thursday’s provincial budget is the right path to take in order to allow the government to provide needed services to people.

Katrine Conroy says the government’s priorities will focus on helping people through times of high costs and forecasts of lean economic growth. She says the budget she is slated to present will include a multi-year economic plan that forecasts declining deficits.

Conroy offered broad hints about the budget’s details during a news conference Wednesday at a Victoria neighbourhood community centre, saying it will focus on health care, public transit, small business, and housing for middle-income earners. She says forecasts of economic slowdowns in B.C. and globally are convincing factors behind the government’s plans to continue funding programs and services rather than making cuts.

Woman in critical condition after stabbing at Surrey mall

Two people were injured, one critically, after being stabbed at Surrey’s Guildford Town Centre Mall.

Surrey RCMP said officers were called to the mall for a double stabbing just after 6 p.m.

Officers arrived to find a 40-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man, both injured. The woman remains in critical condition, while the man is listed as stable, according to police. Investigators

RCMP say two teenagers have been charged over a shooting at a home in Surrey, and investigators have found no links to foreign interference.

A group advocating for Sikh independence had said the target of the Feb. 1 shooting was a member of their movement, and the group believed

believe the stabbings happened after a confrontation with a “single male aggressor.” It was not immediately clear if the victims knew the suspect, or whether the incident was targeted. The suspect remains at large, and police are looking for both witnesses and video related to the stabbings. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.

BC cancels trucking company’s ability

The province says it’s prohibited a transportation company from operating in B.C. after it was involved in six overpass strikes in three years.

to operate in province suspended the carrier following an overpass strike on Highway 99 in late December. On a provincial list of the overpass strikes that have occurred since December 2021, Chohan is named six times out of 34 total strikes.

A statement sent at 6 a.m. PT from B.C.’s Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said, in the interest of safety, a formal cancellation notice was issued to Chohan Freight Forwarders Ltd. for its operations in B.C. on Thursday.

The province had previously

Police arrest 2 teenagers for shooting incident outside home of close aide of slain Khalistani separatist

the government of India was involved.

But a statement from Surrey RCMP said investigators “have not established any links to foreign interference” in the shots that were fired at a home on 154th Street.

It said two 16-year-olds were arrested on Feb. 12 and are being held in custody as they await their next court appearance. RCMP

“This is the most severe action that can be taken against a company with multiple infractions — and it sends a clear message to operators that infrastructure crashes around our province need to stop,” said the release from Fleming.

said the B.C. Prosecution Service approved charges of discharging a firearm into a place and possessing a loaded prohibited firearm.

The statement issued Tuesday said officers executed a search warrant in Surrey on Feb. 6 and seized three firearms and multiple electronic devices.

One man shot in botched Surrey jewelry store robbery

New details are emerging about a terrifying armed robbery at a Surrey jewelry store that left one man seriously hurt.

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday at Impact Plaza, near 152 Street and 101 Avenue.

Puneet P.K. Sandhar B.A.,LL.B. (GND)B.Comm.,LL.B. (UBC)

The store’s manager, who Global News is identifying only as Maz for safety reasons, said the crew of robbers sent a fake customer in first, in order to get them through a set of double security doors.

“When she left, she managed to keep the doors open and they rushed in,” he said. An employee, Maz’ business partner and her husband were inside the store at the time. Maz said the group of robbers appeared to be four men and one woman. “They came in with a gun ready for shooting in their hands, so my partner’s husband, who happened to be here … he saw them coming in, he attacked them right away.”

BC continues to have longest wait times at walk-in clinics: report

New data released on Wednesday shows that British Columbians continue to have the longest wait times in the country to see a doctor at a walk-in clinic.

Data from Medimap, which tracks wait times at clinics, showed that the average wait in B.C. was 93 minutes in 2023.

North Vancouver had the longest average wait times at 187 minutes.

Ontarians waited an average of 59 minutes in 2023.

However, Medimap only operates in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia. B.C.’s Health Minister said the province has added hundreds more family doctors, but the CEO of Medimap said recent changes to the physician payment model have meant more doctors are leaving walk-ins to pursue family practice. “So because these doctors are abandoning walk-in clinics, going into these medial clinics…

Phone: 604.543.8484

Fax: 604.543.8584

Canada and its troubling patronage of UNRWA

International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen announced in late January that Canada would suspend funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). This followed bombshell allegations that a dozen UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7 terror attacks in southern Israel. With

Hussen’s late January statement, Canada joined a growing list of countries who have pulled donations from the troubled agency. (As of writing, nine major donors, including the United States and Germany, have announced that they are suspending or reviewing their donations to UNRWA.)

The development minister’s recent

announcement shouldn’t let the federal government off the hook for its patronage of UNRWA, which has long been linked to terrorism (over 1,000 of the agency’s current staff are believed to have ties with Islamist terror groups). UNRWA’s radical indoctrination of pupils at its over 700 schools has also been well-documented in multiple studies of textbooks, curricula and other teaching materials.

Yet UNRWA’s lengthy track record of malfeasance, encompassing both malevolence toward Israel and runof-the-mill corruption, hasn’t, until recently, dampened the current federal government’s spirit of giving. In fact, a cursory glance at public accounts data shows Canada, under Justin Trudeau’s tenure, to be one of UNRWA’s most reliable and generous patrons, regularly outpacing a number of peer countries.

Since fully restoring UNRWA funding in 2016, the Trudeau government has pledged more than $200 million (CAD) to the agency, with the near $32 million it pledged in 2022 accounting for about two per cent of the agency’s budget. Over the same period, fellow G7 country Italy has pledged around $145 million and Australia $125 million. Canada even outpledged the U.K., the world’s sixth-largest economy, in 2022. Meanwhile, economic juggernauts China and India pledged a paltry US$6 million combined that year. (Both countries have expressed strong proPalestinian sympathies in recent months, alongside the other BRICS members.)

Year to year, Canada is regularly one of the top 10 government donors to UNRWA (not including the EU) despite being home to just 45,000 residents of Palestinian ancestry, comprising less than one per cent of the global diaspora. What, if any, strategic purpose this spending has ever served is unclear.

www.theasianstar.com

# 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2

Ph: 604-591-5423

Fax: 604-591-8615

E-mail: editor@theasianstar.com

Editor: Umendra Singh

Associate Editor: Chhavi Disawar

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: Iftikhar Ahmed

Design: Avee J Waseer

Contributing writers: Jag Dhatt, Akash Sablok, Kamila Singh, Jay Bains, Hardam S. Mann

Publication Mail Agreement No 428336012

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept.

New address:

# 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2

All advertising in The Asian Star is subject to the publishers’ approval and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publishers against claims arising from publication of any advertisement submitted by the advertiser.

From page 1

Justin Trudeau admists rules weren’t followed with ArriveCan development

launched ArriveCan in April 2020 to track health and contact information for people entering Canada during the pandemic, and to digitize customs and immigration declarations.

Canada’s auditor general said earlier

this month there was a “glaring disregard” for fundamental management and contracting practices as ArriveCan was developed and implemented.

The watchdog said the government’s

reliance on sole-sourced external contractors drove up the price of the app, and those costs weren’t properly tracked.

“It is obvious that the contracting processes and rules were not followed in this case,” Trudeau told reporters

at a news conference in Vancouver on Tuesday when asked if he would take responsibility for the problems.

“We need to make sure that there is accountability and transparency around that.”

armadascooters@gmail.com

to life in prison for wife’s murder in Surrey

The husband of a woman who was murdered in a stabbing in Surrey has been sentenced for second-degree murder.

Karpreet Kaur Gill was murdered by her husband on Dec. 7, 2022.

On Dec. 7, 2022, Surrey RCMP officers responded to a stabbing at a home on 66 Avenue.

When they arrived they found Karpreet in medical distress due to

stab wounds. She later died in hospital. Police said a suspect was arrested at the scene. Seven months later, Navinder Gill, Karpreet’s husband, pleaded guilty to second-degree homicide in June 2023. Navinder Gill has now been sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 10 years, B.C.’s homicide investigation team announced on Thursday.

BC group ringing alarm on fatal overdose numbers

Nanaimo has twice the rate of toxic drug overdoses compared to anywhere else on Vancouver Island. Nanaimo had 2,136 calls for overdoses in 2023 which is behind

only Vancouver, Kelowna and Surrey. The group is calling for the end of the decriminalization of illicit substances in B.C.

3211

Mon-Fri - 12:00 - 9:30

Sat-Sun - 12:00 - 10:00

NOW ORDER ONLINE:

Navinder Gill sentenced

Surveillance video shows White Rock shooting that injured 4

A shooting that left four people injured in White Rock early Thursday morning was captured on a nearby surveillance camera, and CTV News has obtained the shocking video.

The recording depicts two shooters running onto a parking lot near Roper Avenue and Lee Street in White Rock at around 12:15 a.m. and opening fire on a black SUV.

One of the shooters appears to be wielding an assault-style weapon, firing dozens of rounds at the SUV as the driver attempts to speed away from the scene, only to crash across the street.

Meanwhile, the occupants of a separate vehicle that was stopped in the parking

lot can be seen scrambling to escape on foot. White Rock RCMP swarmed the neighbourhood shortly after and located four victims suffering serious injuries. In a news release, the detachment said the victims were given “immediate medical intervention,” then transported to hospital.

BC

throne speech promises protection from evictions, new law against protests at schools

With the provincial election eight months away, Premier David Eby’s throne speech on Tuesday doubled as an early election platform, with promises to protect renters from bad-faith evictions and new legislation to protect kids from protests at schools. The speech, however, was heavy on previously announced B.C. NDP government priorities and light on specifics about upcoming legislation. The throne speech, read in the legislature by Lt.Gov Janet Austin, kicks off the 10-week spring legislative session. It comes just two days before the budget, which will be unveiled Thursday,

a compressed timeline to accommodate a session that’s two weeks shorter than usual. The throne speech did give a hint that the 2024 budget is expected to be heavy on social spending “because leaving people to fend for themselves does not work. It did not work before. And it will not work now. It would mean deep cuts that weaken the services we rely on.” B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon said the throne speech presented a “parallel universe” of political slogans and “flowery words” that present a rosy picture in B.C. “when the reality is quite different.”

Surrey launches 2024 Economic Strategy

City aims to create one job for every resident worker in Surrey

Press release

Surrey, BC – The City of Surrey launched its 2024 Economic Strategy titled “Investing in our Future” at the Mayor’s State of the City Address on Feb. 15. This Council-approved plan provides a roadmap for how Surrey will build the city’s economy over the next five years while focusing on the accelerated creation of well-paying jobs and attraction of transformative investments. The strategy outlines the need for the creation of 300,000 jobs by 2042 to ensure there is one job per resident worker by the time Surrey reaches a population of one million residents.

“The City of Surrey’s newly unveiled 2024 Economic Strategy stands as a pivotal milestone to guide us to create new jobs and opportunities to support our growth,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “With Surrey projected to be a city with one million people as

early as 2042, Council is committed to meeting the target of one job for every working resident in Surrey. As we grow, our focus remains firmly on the people – cultivating job opportunities, enriching livability, and addressing the needs of our ever-growing population.”

Over the next five years, the City will focus on increasing Surrey’s global investment attraction efforts and enhancing entertainment and health care options for residents. Additionally, the strategy outlines a road map for the launch of Innovation Boulevard 2.0 to promote innovative opportunities in health technology, clean technology, advanced manufacturing, and agritech.

Together these strategies will allow Surrey to have an economic framework that supports Surrey’s tremendous growth and our potential to be leaders in all aspects of the new economy focused on the technology, manufacturing, and agriculture sectors.

Ameen Sayani, an iconic radio personality of India, a renowned name for radio ‘Geetmala ‘passed away at 91. His son confirmed. Ameen was born on December 21, 1932 in Bombay, India. He was an actor, writer and radio broadcaster. His

Radio host Ameen Sayani - a man behind popularity of golden ‘geetmala’ music passes away at 91 illustrious career spanned near 60 years of broadcasting with his illustrious voice and groundbreaking airing from 1952 to 2003. His enduring legacy includes 54,000 radio programs with film songs on radio ‘geetmala’ had international fame and a global impact.

Press release

Throne speech lays out vision of a stronger B.C. that works better for people

VICTORIA - Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin opened the final session of the 42nd Parliament by delivering the speech from the throne, laying out the B.C. government’s vision for a stronger province that works better for people.

“While our government is proud of the progress we’ve made for people through tough times, we’re nowhere near satisfied,” said Premier Eby. “Our economy is strong, with low unemployment and the highest wages in the country. But too many are still struggling to get ahead - even those in the middle class who earn a decent paycheque. That’s why we’ll continue bringing people together to solve big challenges and help everyone build a good life here.”

Her Honour and members of the legislature were greeted by the Lekwungen singers and dancers of the Songhees Nation - a powerful symbol of B.C.’s commitment to reconciliation and moving forward in partnership with Indigenous Peoples.

The speech outlined actions government will take over the next few months to deliver more middle-class homes faster, help working families and small businesses with costs, strengthen public health care and services, and build a cleaner economy that works for everyone-not just those at the top. It also committed to expanding actions to protect children from harms at

schools, in their communities and online.

“In this time of global uncertainty and turmoil, we face some important questions,” Premier Eby said. “Will we be a province where people are driven apart and left to face tough challenges alone? Or will we continue to be a place where people take care of each other and build a better future together? If we reject division and bring people together to solve problems, our brightest days are ahead of us.”

Even in the face of a slower global economy and high interest rates, the speech pointed to positive signals that the B.C. government’s actions are working: 74,000 mostly privatesector jobs created last year; a 30% year-overyear increase in new rental homes registered; 700 new doctors added in B.C..; a 75% decrease in stranger attacks in Vancouver; and hundreds of thousands receiving help from cost-of-living measures, like free prescription contraception.

The throne speech also shared stories of people who are being helped by measures taken over the last year to increase the supply of affordable homes, improve health care with more family doctors and better cancer screening, add new addiction treatment beds, and cut the cost of child care for families.

This session, the government expects to pass at least 20 pieces of legislation and introduce a new budget that focuses on helping working and middle-class families with steady investments in the services they rely on, not cuts.

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

India’s civil society is under attack

India’s civil society is one of its biggest industries. It includes over 200,000 registered NGOs—more than the number of private firms in the country’s agriculture and finance sectors. The contribution of these charities—which range from small concerns to vast India-wide networks—to development and the individual lives of millions of poor Indians is incalculable.

Activist groups helped India gain

independence in 1947 and have since helped restrain the state’s excesses and compensate for its weaknesses. Care India, which provides public-health education and other services to women and girls, assisted 84m people in 2021-22. Research outfits such as the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), a think-tank in Delhi, drafted many of the policies that have made India a laboratory of anti-poverty schemes.

Top Indian firms with GDP higher than Pakistan, Sri Lanka and other nations

The Tata Group companies command a total market capitalization exceeding $365 billion or Rs 30 lakh crore.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is recognized as India’s most valuable and pioneering companies. HDFC

Bank Limited is a leading financial services company and holds the position of India’s largest private sector bank.

ICICI Bank, a developmental finance institution with an extensive network of 5,900 branches throughout India

Police fire tear gas on farmers marching to capital

Indian farmers demanding higher prices for their produce paused their protest on Wednesday after the government made a new offer to resume talks, hours after police fired tear gas and used water cannons to scatter thousands staging a march to Delhi.

The farmers, mostly from the northern state of Punjab, have been demanding higher prices backed by law for their crops. They form an influential bloc of voters Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot afford to anger ahead of general elections due by May.

India extends parboiled rice export tax to control prices

India, the world’s top rice exporter, extended a tax on outbound shipments of the parboiled variety to prevent any increase in domestic prices ahead of general elections.

The 20% export levy, which was due to expire on March 31, will be valid for an indefinite period, according to a finance ministry

notification late Wednesday, confirming a Bloomberg News report earlier this month.

With elections just a few months away, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is worried about rising food prices which make up about half of India’s consumer price basket. Food inflation was 8.3% in January.

Model girl fournd hanging in her appartment in Surat

28-year-old model Tania Singh, who lived at Happy Elegance Apartment on Vesu Road in Surat, has caused suspicions. Two days after 27-year-old model and fashion designer Tania Singh was found hanging at her Surat home, the police

are yet to find any leads in the case. With no suicide note recovered at the scene, investigators have been piecing together clues to understand the circumstances surrounding her death.

UK probe murder of restaurant manager killed while coming home

A 36-year-old Indian restaurant manager was killed in a road collision while cycling home in UK, leading to a murder investigation by British police, who have made eight arrests in the case this week.

Vignesh Pattabhiraman was cycling back from his work place at Indian restaurant Vel in Reading, south-east England, on February 14 when he was in a collision with a vehicle at the Cadugan Place junction in the city.

Nikki Haley makes a promise on India

Indian-American Republican presidential aspirant Nikki Haley has said that if voted to power, her administration will not only strengthen the alliance with NATO but also with several other countries including India, Australia, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

Haley, 52, the former US Ambassador to the UN, said that if former US president Donald Trump is re-elected a threat to the NATO alliance is one of the things she is worried about.

“I’m worried about a lot of things if Trump is re-elected. That is one of them,” she said.

China snaps up Russia’s sokol crude as Indian buyers turn

Refiners in China, the world’s largest oil importer, are taking greater volumes of a crude grade from Russia’s Far East that’s largely being shunned by their counterparts in India amid sanctions concerns.

So far this month, the mostly private processors took an average of 168,000 barrels a day of Sokol, three times more than January’s pace and well ahead of the 53,000 barrels in 2023, according to data tracked by intelligence firm Kpler. Meanwhile, Indian flows were about 119,000 barrels a day this month after a halt in January and December, but down from 140,000 barrels last year.

China and India emerged as the top takers of Russian crudes including ESPO and Sokol following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The war triggered a raft of US-led sanctions against Russia, as well

away

as a price-cap mechanism on oil shipments. Initially, that led to Western buyers avoiding the cargoes, but since late last year, Indian refiners have also encountered difficulties, including issues with payments and disagreements about discounts.

The Chinese refiners bought their February-delivery Sokol cargoes at discounts of about 50 cents a barrel to ICE Brent benchmarks, according to traders who participate in the market. The grade — which is not a baseload for the teapots — has now drawn some interest given its discount compared with that for ESPO, usually a more popular choice, said the traders.

Reflecting the interruptions to flows to India, nearly 15 million barrels of Sokol meant for delivery to the country are at present on tankers idling off the coasts of Malaysia and South Korea. The vessels show little sign of moving, Bloomberg News reported this week.

Ashwin Ramaswami, first Gen Z Indian-American in US Senate race

A 24-year-old software engineer is the latest Indian-American to foray into US politics, becoming the ever Indian-origin Gen Z candidate to run for state senate in the country.

If elected, Ashwin Ramaswami, a second generation immigrant, would be the first IndianAmerican senator from the state of Georgia and the only one with both a computer science and a law degree.

A candidate from the Democratic party, he is running against Republican Shawn Still, who was indicted along with former US president Donald Trump for the January 6 US Capitol insurrection. If elected, Ashwin Ramaswami, a second generation immigrant, would be the first IndianAmerican senator from the state of Georgia and the only one with both a computer science and a law degree. A tech startup

entrepreneur, Ramaswami has worked on cybersecurity for the US government and currently runs a consulting company specialising in technology law and policy. His parents, both IT professionals, immigrated from Tamil Nadu to US in 1990 and Ramaswami graduated from Stanford University in 2021. “I was born and grew up in Georgia. I’m a second-generation immigrant, an Indian American, a twin brother, and an engineer,” his campaign website reads.

“I’m running for (Georgia) State Senate in order to give back to my community. I want to make sure that everyone has the same opportunities that I had growing up,” the 24-year-old said..

Army rescues over 500 stranded tourists from

Indian Army on Wednesday rescued over 500 tourisst who were stranded at Nathula along the India-China border in Sikkim due to heavy snowfall.

“The troops of the Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army rescued more than 500 stranded tourists after sudden snowfall

in East Sikkim,” the army said in the statement. The Army said in a statement that over 175 vehicles with more than 500 tourists were stranded at Nathula due to the sudden heavy snowfall, following which the Trishakti Corps rushed to help them.

MP Tharoor receives France’s highest civilian honour

Shashi Tharoor, a prolific author and a diplomat-turned-politician, was conferred France’s highest civilian honour ‘Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur’ at a ceremony here on Tuesday.

Author of several books and the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor was conferred the prestigious award at the French Embassy by French Senate President Gerard Larcher. The French government had announced the award for Tharoor, a former Union minister, in August 2022 but was conferred on him on Tuesday.

“The highest French civilian award

came in recognition of Dr Tharoor’s tireless efforts to deepen Indo-French ties, commitment to international peace and cooperation, and as a longstanding friend of France,” a statement issued by the French Embassy said.

Conferring the honour on Mr Tharoor, Chairman of the French Senate Larcher said, “Through his outstanding career as a diplomat, author and politician, Shashi Tharoor has embraced the world with a thirst for knowledge and an intelligence that has led him to live several lifetimes in one, and all of them in service to India

Man & woman charged in connection with possession of cocaine

48-year-old man and 19-year-old woman have been charged in relation to the seizure of more than 12 kilograms of cocaine last week and will appear in the Lautoka Magistrates Court today.

Assistant Commissioner of Police

Crime Mesake Waqa says following the sanctioning of charges by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the two suspects have been formally charged. Police say the two have been charged with two counts of unlawful possession of

Govt removed experienced Police officers

Leader of the Opposition, Inia Seruiratu claims as soon as this government came into being, they removed Police officers with extensive experience and proven records for no apparent reason however

Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua says to his knowledge the only change that happened in the police force was the suspension of Commissioner Qiliho.

Drug networks previously operated often undetected - Minister

Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua stresses that the drug networks that are now being uncovered had previously operated with impunity, often undetected, due in part to a lack of rigorous enforcement

and oversight by past administrations.

While responding to concerns raised by Leader of the Opposition, Inia Seruiratu, the Minister says the increase in detected cases is, therefore, not solely indicative of a

C-27 aircraft boosts Fiji’s surveillance capabilities

Fiji’s capabilities to tackle the concerning trend of illegal narcotics has received a boost following the arrival of Australian C27 aircraft.

Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua says Fiji and Australia are working together

to build Pacific resilience to traditional and nontraditional security threats. Tikoduadua says an Australian team will be deployed to Fiji on an ongoing basis for two out of every eight weeks.

172 rental homes proposed for West 10th Ave in Vancouver near future SkyTrain

On behalf of property owners Prospero International Realty and Five Mile Holdings, a new rezoning application has been submitted by JTA Development Consultants to redevelop 1190 West 10th Avenue.

This Fairview neighbourhood site at the southeast corner of the intersection of Alder Street and West 10th Avenue is

PAKISTAN

Army gave two options to Nawaz Sharif

Pakistan Army gave two options to NawazSharif to become Prime Minister or slot for Punjab Chief Minister for his daughter’. Sources in the PML-N said, that Nawaz Sharif decided to withdraw

himself from the race for the prime minister’s office for daughter Maryam, 50. He sacrificed his ambition to become PM for a record fourth term and nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif

Taliban want a piece of Pakistan

Mohsin Dawar’s campaign for re-election to Pakistan’s parliament was almost cut short before it began in early January when his convoy was ambushed in a village just a few minutes’ drive from his home in Miran Shah in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district, near

the lawless borderlands with Afghanistan. As his car came under attack from militants armed with automatic weapons, sniper rifles, and rocket-propelled grenades, he and his team were lured into a compound by residents who promised them safety.

Former PM Imran Khan’ PTI party faces uphill battle

Nearly two weeks after federal elections held in the country, the shape of likely new govt getting slightly clearer,

with traditional political rivals PMLN and PPP, (Pakistan People’s Party) agreeing to power-sharing formula.

Former PM Imran Khan’s PTI to sit in the opposition

Despite winning maximum numbers of seats in recent federal election, beleaguered Imran Khan’s party decided to sit in the Opposition in according with the directives of the imprisioned party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Real Estate

currently occupied by a 1969-built, threestorey apartment building with 35 units. It is also a transit-oriented development site, with two future SkyTrain stations of the Millennium Line extension — South Granville Station and Oak-VGH — located within a 10-minute walk to the east or west, respectively. The proposal, designed

The decision was announced by Barrister Saif on behalf of PTI party, a day after the party named Umar Ayub Khan as its candidate for the post of Premiership of the country and Mian Aslam Iqbal as Chief Minister Punjab.

PM Trudeau announces $2 billion in federal financing for BC Builds housing program

The federal government is doubling the financing available for a British Columbia housing plan, which the prime minister called “transformative.”

Justin Trudeau was in Vancouver on Tuesday to announce that Ottawa is adding $2 billion in financing to the province’s new BC Builds initiative aimed at fast-tracking the construction

of middle-income rental housing. The prime minister called the plan “ambitious and fundamentally practical,” saying the federal funding will help create a minimum of 8,000 to 10,000 more new homes. That number will go up as more land is secured, Trudeau said, adding the new units won’t be limited to one and two bedrooms.

One dead, 25 injured as Police fire tear gas & rubber bullets at protesting farmers

A 20-year-old protester was killed while 25 others were injured on Wednesday after the Haryana police fired rubber bullets and lobbed tear gas shells on the protesting farmers at Khanauri border. According to officials, the deceased identified as Shubhkaran Singh of Baloke in Bathinda succumbed to his injuries at Patiala’s Rajindra hospital. He was allegedly hit by a rubber bullet.

As per initial reports, a bullet entered his head from above his ear.

Ten of the injured farmers were rushed to hospital, while others got first aid at the makeshift medical camp at Shambhu.

Saddened by farmer’s death, action will be taken against those responsible - CM Mann

CM Bhagwant Mann said he was saddened by the death of a young farmer on the Punjab-Haryana border and asserted that stringent action would be taken against those responsible for it.

“After postmortem, a case will be registered. Those officials responsible for his death will have to face stringent action,” said Mann in a video message this evening. Subhkaran Singh (21) died at Khanauri on the Sangrur-Jind border.

He was killed and a few others were injured on the Punjab-Haryana border as protesters resumed their ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation, with the Haryana Police firing tear gas shells

Punjab govt deny gathering of farmers at borders

The ongoing farmers’ agitation has been handled in a very apt and diligent manner by the Punjab government and it is “completely wrong” to claim that it was allowing people to gather at Shambhu and Dhabhi-Gurjan border points with Haryana, the AAP dispensation in state Wednesday informed Centre. It said that farmers were going to Delhi to hold a protest but because of restrictions and use of force by Haryana, they have remained at the border points.

The Punjab government’s response, in the form of a letter by Chief Secretary Anurag Verma to Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, came a day after the Centre conveyed its strong objection to the gathering of protesters, estimating that nearly 18,500 people have assembled along the Punjab-Haryana border, with nearly 1,700 tractor-trolleys, and hundreds of cars.