The Asian Star April 27 2019

www.theasianstar.com

Vol 19 - Issue 13

Saturday, April 27, 2019

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Surrey man arrested in connection with disturbing Vaisakhi Facebook comment A 46-year-old Surrey man arrested in connection with disturbing Facebook comment that was posted about the city’s Vaisakhi parade. The man is in custody and could potentially be charged with public incitement of hatred. The comment, which has since been removed,

Competition Bureau may be investigating Metro Vancouver gas-price hike

alluded to a potential violent act at last Saturday’s parade, which drew hundreds of thousands of people. It was posted in the comments section of a news story post. The post reportedly said words to the effects what a pressure cooker could do in such a huge crowd. Police said that

there is no indication of danger to the public. RCMP investigating ‘disturbing’ Facebook comment about Vaisakhi. They also say the investigation is ongoing and that the incident should serve to encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with Canadian hate propaganda laws.

ISIS mechanic fighting to stay in BC

Cracking down on gasoline pricefixing is a priority for Canada’s Competition Bureau, but the bureau, because of confidentiality concerns, can’t say whether or not it’s investigating what might be behind

Your law abiding relatives can’t get a visa to Canada but terrorists and gangsters have no problem A man who fixed trucks for ISIS is living in British Columbia and fighting fighting to stay in BC after the federal Canadian government accusations he gov’t tried to remove him. Mechanic Boutros was complicit in the crimes against Massroua a Lebanese national repaired ISIS humanity of ISIS. The Canada Border vehicles, both in Bekaa Valley, where he lived, Services Agency would not answer and across the border in Syria in 2015. He questions about the case. The Vancouver wasn’t a member of ISIS. A Catholic, he had lawyer representing Massroua also to remove his crucifix before going to work declined to comment. But in Vancouver, so as not to provoke his fanatical employers. the Immigration and Refugee Board But he was well paid. Now, the 54-year-old is of Canada Continued on page 7

Metro Vancouver’s soaring fuel costs.

On Tuesday, Premier John Horgan called for consumer-protection officials to examine Metro’s soaring gas prices and said he would push Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take action on what he has termed as “gouging� by fuel companies. “We recognize that gasoline prices are an important issue for Canadians and cracking down on anticompetitive conduct in the

Homicide investigators have identified the man who was fatally shot in Surrey on Tuesday. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) says 32-year-old Khan Michael Bourne of Sechelt (pictured) was found lying on the ground in the 13300-block of 114 Avenue with gunshot wounds around 3:20 p.m. He was taken to hospital, but died of his injuries. Investigators say Bourne was known to police, and court records indicate several charges, including possession for the purpose of trafficking to extortion and resisting arrest. “Immediately after the shooting, a vehicle fled the area and we’re asking residents of the area or anyone who was passing through the area yesterday afternoon,� said IHIT Cpl. Frank Jang. “If you’re in possession of dashcam video and/or cellphone video, it could be hugely important to our investigation. We urge you to please contact IHIT.�

Surrey’s latest shooting victim identified

Continued on page 6

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With Sri Lanka already Pregnant wife of Sri Lankan suicide bomber detonated bomb as police closed in reeling from a series of leading them to raid their family home in coordinated bombings, the horror continued wife of one of the brothers, Fatima Ibrahim, Dematagoda, a suburb of Colombo, Sri detonated yet another bomb, killing herself, Sunday afternoon as police raided the home of Lanka’s capital. Inshaf and Ilham Ibrahim Inshaf Ahmed Ibrahim and Ilham Ibrahim, two the child she was pregnant with, three other are the sons of Mohammed Yusuf Ibrahim, of the suspected leaders of the plot that killed young children and three Sri Lankan police one of Sri Lanka’s most successful spice 359 people. As police entered the residence, the officers. Police had established that the traders and a frequent political candidate for two brothers had taken part in the attacks,

the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a leftist party in Sri Lanka. Inshaf Ibrahim, right, pictured in 2016 at the Sri Lankan business awards with his father, centre, and State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe. Mohammed Yusuf Ibrahim and Ijaz Ahmed Ibrahim, his youngest son, are being questioned by police,

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Saturday, April 27, 2019

Bank of Canada says there’s no recession looming

T

he ominous talk of recession started in January, with Premier Doug Ford and his prognostications about the effects of a carbon tax.

For entirely different reasons, mainly to do with global trade, the “r” word then circulated in a speculative way amongst economists and financial market analysts, taking on a more strident tone in the past few weeks as a traditional warning sign of an economic contraction — the yield curve — flashed red. Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz is not worried about the impact of carbon pricing on the economy, but is mindful that “it only takes a little bit of politics to mess up a great forecast,” Heather Scoffield writes.

Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz is not worried about the impact of carbon pricing on the economy, but is mindful that “it only takes a little bit of politics to mess

New documentary on sexual abuse in South Asian community

up a great forecast,” Heather Scoffield writes.

But if the Bank of Canada is to be taken at its word, there is no recession on the horizon.

Canada certainly did see a “a bit of a detour” of sluggish growth. But as far as slowdowns go, this one was fairly bloodless for regular people — unless your living comes from the oilpatch.

And, the central bank says, it’s basically over. In Wednesday’s quarterly update on how the Canadian economy is faring, the bank reported barely discernible growth towards the end of last year and the first few months of 2019. The trade war between China and the United States threw most of the world’s economy into a temporary shock.

Things are picking up now, though, and the rest of the year should see some more obvious growth. For 2019 as a whole, the bank sees a 1.2 per cent expansion.

A Surrey-area family is the focus of a heart-wrenching yet hopeful new movie that documents the sexual abuse of three sisters who grew up in Williams Lake decades ago. One of the siblings, Cloverdale resident Jeeti Pooni, led the effort to have Because We Are Girls made, in an effort to shed light on Sisters Salakshana, Jeeti & Kira Pooni with their mother, Narinder (left), the issue and also protect in a family photo in Williams Lake. and empower girls today, including her two it until 2006. As their relatives and police daughters. The sisters – Jeeti, Kira and Salakshana – were abused by were made aware of the incidents, a court an older cousin beginning in their childhood case slowly developed, as did a documentary years, but didn’t tell the entire family about film directed by Baljit Sangra. Jeeti knew filmmaker Sangra from her work in the fashion industry, and years ago told her friend about her difficult past.

“I have a lot to do with pursuing the court case and making sure that, for one, we were heard and that the police heard us and the court case proceeded,” Jeeti told the Now-Leader. “I had a lot to do with the film itself, because I was the one who approached the film board, the NFB, that a film should be made about this, and that was in 2014.” Three years in the making, with the court case ongoing, Because We Are Girls will have its world premiere during Toronto’s Hot Docs film festival, held from May 1 to 3, and will open the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in Vancouver later that week, with screenings on Friday, May 3, and Tuesday, May 7.

Sangra’s 85-minute film, at times powerful and poignant, heartbreaking and haunting, also weaves in the moments of happiness and joy the sisters experienced as kids. In home movies, they are shown dancing, singing and celebrating weddings.

In newer footage, they return to the playground at their former school in Williams Lake.

Ultimately, Because We Are Girls offers an empowering story about a conservative Indo-Canadian family coming to grips with sexual violence.

“I knew the story had to be told, and that it was a way for my sisters and I to be heard as well,” Jeeti said in a phone interview. “It was about changing attitudes and beliefs, and having the community wake up and not bury the issue of sexual abuse anymore. The sisters felt silenced years ago, Jeeti added, Tired of paying outrageous bills? Switch to Freedom Mobile “and that made me want to pursue and get 10GB of fast LTE data for only $50 a month. this, because it can’t be this way anymore. And I have daughters, and to make this a better place for them, we have to start having this dialogue about sexual abuse.”

The movie reveals how the girls felt they couldn’t tell anyone about *With Digital Discount. the abuse, for fear of “being shipped freedommobile.ca off to India” and being shunned *Learn more at freedommobile.ca/digitaldiscount. Digital Discount promotion is subject to change or cancellation without notice. To be eligible to receive the $5/month Digital Discount, you must (i) be for what happened. “The biggest subscribed to a Prepaid or Postpaid line on an “Eligible Plan” (any of our current in-market plans), (ii) sign up for Auto Pay (pre-authorized payments), (iii) have an active and valid Auto Pay method on file, and (iv) redeem the “Digital Discount” promo code at a Freedom Mobile retail location or through your My Account. The promo code can only be applied once to each eligible line. A $5 monthly discount will start to be advantage he had was he knew we’d applied on your next top-up date following promo code redemption (for Prepaid customers), or on your next bill following promo code redemption (for Postpaid customers). Postpaid customers must complete the above eligibility requirements on the same day you activate your Eligible Plan to ensure the discount is received on your first/next bill. If you are not eligible for the promotion during any month, that monthly keep our mouths shut,” one of the discount will be entirely forfeited and cannot be made up. If you qualify for the discount in the months following the ineligible month, you will receive the discount in those subsequent months. Movement between Eligible Plans will not result in the loss of the monthly discount. Your service will no longer be eligible for the discount if you: (a) Change your rate plan to a non-Eligible Plan, or (b) Port your sisters says of the accused, whose number away from Freedom Mobile. All Freedom Mobile services are subject to our Terms of Service, Fair Usage Policy and Privacy Policy located at freedommobile.ca. Applicable taxes extra. The Freedom Mobile name and logos and other words, titles, phrases, marks, logos, icons, graphics are trademarks of, or are used under license by, Freedom Mobile Inc. identity is kept out of the film.

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Vol 18 - Issue 13

Saturday, April 27, 2019

South Asian cop gets 12 months suspended sentence for threatening store owner A constable with the Vancouver Police Department who threatened to “bash” in the head of a furniture store owner has received a 12-month suspended sentence. Const. Deepak Kumar Sood was off duty when he made dozens of angry calls to a Coquitlam furniture business on Jan. 6, 2018, after a newly purchased dresser tipped onto the foot of his young son. During one of those calls, Sood said “I’m coming down to bash your f--king head in” to Muse & Merchant Home Collection owner Gert Knudsen.

When Knudsen threatened to call the police, Sood replied, “Don’t bother, I am the f--king police.”

That last comment was particularly troubling to Provincial Court Judge Thomas Woods, who said he could not grant the defence’s request for a conditional discharge. Charges in 4 major VPD drug investigations have been sunk by charter rights violations in past 3 years “Having said those words to Mr. Knudsen, Mr. Sood brought the full weight of his special powers and authority as a police officer into the equation,” Woods wrote in a sentencing decision Thursday. “He actively misused those powers and that authority, thereby compounding the jeopardy he faces as a police offender awaiting sentencing in a very significant way.” Sood, 35, was found guilty last month of a single charge

Ph: 604-503-3853

of making threats to cause bodily harm. As a result of Thursday’s sentencing, he will have to complete 30 hours of community service and is barred from having any contact with Knudsen or his employees. For the next 12 months, he can’t go within 100 metres of Knudsen’s home or business. ‘Entirely improper and collateral purposes’ Sood’s trial heard that he bought a 200-pound dresser from Muse & Merchant in November 2017. The dresser came with a kit that could be used to fasten it to the wall and prevent it from tipping, but neither Sood nor the delivery team used it. All the drawers in the dresser were open when it fell forward, pinning the foot of Sood’s four-year-old son to the ground on the day of the incident, according to court documents. After the officer freed the boy, he began calling the store, demanding someone come and take the dresser away immediately.

At one point, Sood threatened to throw the dresser through the front window of the store if Knudsen didn’t send a truck, according to the sentencing decision. “Mr. Sood in my view invoked his status as a police officer for entirely improper and collateral purposes — in his case to vindicate what he believed was his private right in a consumer dispute.” Woods wrote.

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9 people remain in hospital after deck collapse during wedding in Langley Nine people remain in hospital — two with serious injuries — almost a week after a deck collapsed in Langley, B.C., during a pre-wedding celebration.

A total of 18 people were sent to hospital after the deck collapse last Friday. RCMP were called to the 5800 block of 268 Street around 5:45 p.m.

PT, where more than 100 people were attending the event.

ParminderGarcha, the aunt of the bride, said the nine people who remain in hospital are family members. Their injuries range from broken bones to head trauma.

Two of them were seriously injured, she added. She couldn’t give any further details on the nature of their injuries.

18 in hospital after deck collapses during pre-wedding celebration in Langley. Garcha, who was standing on the deck when it collapsed, was not hurt.

“It just suddenly was broken. Everybody

fell down,” she said. “We don’t know what happened.”

The deck didn’t shake or give any warning it was about to collapse, she said. It simply fell from under their feet.

A neighbour who was working in his garden next door described the sound as a “deafening boom.” The bride was also standing on the deck at the time of the collapse, Garcha said, but she wasn’t injured. The wedding went ahead as scheduled the next day.

“We don’t want to spoil her wedding,” Garcha said.

4

OPINION

By Jamie Liew University of Ottawa And Shauna Labman University of Manitoba

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Omnibus budget bill makes many refugees ineligible based on new exclusions

Canada is celebrating a milestone – the 40th anniversary of Canada’s private refugee sponsorship regime that has resettled 327,000 refugees. But there are clouds on the horizon.

Canadians most recently helped resettle thousands of Syrian refugees. Indeed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has welcomed refugees at our airports and the government promoted Syrian resettlement with the hashtag #refugeeswelcome.

This celebration is in stark contrast to the federal government’s omnibus budget bill tabled recently. Embedded in the 392page document are troubling changes to our inland refugee determination system.

Significantly, a new ground of ineligibility for protection is added to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act – claimants who have made a claim for refugee protection in another country will be ineligible to make a

claim in Canada. That means many refugee claimants will be denied access to Canada without having an opportunity to tell their story and without having their claim heard

by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board.

Some people may never be heard.

Canada has an obligation under the Refugee Convention and the Convention against Torture to not only treat all refugee claimants equally but to hear them out.

The Supreme Court of Canada held in the 1985 Singh decision that every refugee claimant has the right to be heard in an oral hearing. We celebrated this decision on its April 4 anniversary, now marked as Refugee Rights Day in Canada. Less than a week later, the government introduced a budget bill that tries to strip away that right. The government says we should be comforted by the fact that claimants will have access to a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA), which examines whether someone would be returned to a situation of torture or other

risk. But this isn’t the same as a full hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board.

PRRA applications are paper-based and an immigration officer conducts an interview only if the officer deems it necessary. And not all claimants will be told about the PRRA. Some people approaching our official ports of entry only get a PRRA when they ask for it. And even if they do know about it and get one, the acceptance rate is extremely low; 97 per cent of all PRRA applications in 2018 were rejected. All Canadians would agree that we need to manage the border and the influx of migrants crossing it. But we shouldn’t do that by slamming the door shut, violating people’s Charter and international rights, hoping that this will deter people. People are going to come to our borders no matter what the law says. Managing the border in an efficient and humanitarian way means allowing people to come to official ports of entry to be processed.

We have a well-oiled system. Why turn our backs on it now? Our refugee determination system through the Immigration and Refugee Board is considered the gold standard all over the world. Let’s use it. The government wants to turn back people who enter from ‘safe’ countries like the United States. But the U.S. refugee determination system is very different from Canada’s. Former U.S. attorney general Jeff Sessions issued a decision foreclosing people from making refugee claims based on domestic violence or genderrelated persecution, for example. This denies protection to many people who would obtain protection in Canada.

Children were separated from parents and put into detention in the U.S. People are being prosecuted for entering the U.S. outside of official ports of entry and are being detained while they wait for their refugee claims to be assessed. Why do we want to delegate our refugee determinations to a country that isn’t respecting basic human rights of refugee claimants?

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Saturday, April 27, 2019

5

6

Saturday, April 27, 2019 Competition Bureau may be investigating Metro Vancouver gas-price hike

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methods. On Wednesday, officials with the industry groups the Canadian Fuels Association and the Canadian Energy Research Institute declined to comment on pricing issues, instead pointing to thirdparty independent consultants.

Parent said he doesn’t speak for the industry, but acknowledged there are complex and related reasons for Lower Mainland gas prices that

priority for the Competition Bureau,� bureau spokesman Marcus Callaghan wrote in an emailed response to Postmedia News.

Prices across Metro hit $1.73 per litre at many gas stations, with an absolute high of $1.79 per litre at one Delta location (which has since dropped its price to $1.74), according to crowdsourced reports to GasBuddy.com.

Since 2008, the bureau has levelled $6 million in fines and conditional sentences to 33 individuals and 12 companies found to be manipulating gasoline prices, Callaghan said, but cautioned that “identical prices (being charged in a market) in and of themselves are not evidence of illegal activity.�

The bureau constantly monitors all consumer markets looking for signs that there is a lack of competition and manipulation of prices, said Jason Parent, vice-president of the fuelindustry consulting firm Kent Group, and charges are still not that common in the fuel market. Parent said the cases that do come to light often involve one or a few stations co-operating to maintain prices. Wider-scale collusion, however, has been more illusive to prove. A 2003 report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry Science and Technology “did not find any evidence of collusion by retailers,� though it did recommend government create a petroleum monitoring agency.

In 2011, then-Industry Minister Tony Clement tried another push at getting the industry to explain “opaque� pricing

are higher than elsewhere in Canada. The region doesn’t have enough of its own fuelrefining capacity, Parent said, and limited ability to transport it via pipeline. That leaves the market dependent on imports from elsewhere on the West Coast where prices are already high. And Parent said government can’t ignore the role that taxes, including B.C.’s carbon tax and transit taxes, play in increasing prices. “You can make a really good point for why some of these environmental policies are necessary,� Parent said. “But at some point you’ve got to be honest about the cost implications of that. It’s a bit disingenuous to blame other things like collusion when again, it’s really policy decisions and taxes that are behind a lot of it.�

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Saturday, April 27, 2019 (IRB) ruled he had committed a crime against humanity, making him ineligible for refugee status. IRB member Michal Fox wrote that ISIS needed Massroua’s automotive expertise and that by working for the terrorist group he had “willingly and knowingly” contributed to ISIS. “If it weren’t for the principal claimant’s work on these armed vehicles, these vehicles would not be returning to Syria with guns on top of them — to shoot unarmed women, children, men of every religion, to blow up buildings,” Fox wrote. “This is a significant contribution to the entire war effort of ISIS.” The decision was upheld on appeal and is now before the courts.

While Canada has prosecuted a handful of ISIS supporters, the Massroua case is unusual in that the government is using war crime laws against an alleged ISIS collaborator.

Kyle Matthews, executive director of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, said that precedent should be applied to those who left Canada to join ISIS and were captured. “That his appeal was rejected and that he was found to be complicit in crimes against humanity is a victory for human rights and should help guide how the Canadian government moves forward in dealing with its citizens who joined ISIS and have returned to Canada,” he said.

“ISIS has carried out the most horrific mass atrocity crimes in Syria and Iraq, and Canadians, male and female, who travelled to the Middle East to join the group are equally complicit as the Lebanese asylumseeker.”

Massroua is from Zahle, a Lebanese city near the Syrian border. He worked as a mechanic for a small company. His wife was an accountant at a Catholic school.

In December 2014, a man named Abou Mohamed brought an SUV to Massroua and was impressed with his skills. “He liked my work because I am a specialist in difficult repairs and was able to do the repairs with ease where the other mechanics had failed,” Massroua wrote in his refugee claim. Mohamed brought Massroua more vehicles and then asked him to come to Majdal Anjar, a town on the Syrian border.

Massroua agreed and worked on vehicles while also overseeing other mechanics.

Before long, he was taken to a new location.

Surrey’s latest shooting victim identified From page 1

Police said it remains too early to say if the shooting was targeted.

Anyone with information is asked to contact homicide investigators, or Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.

From page 1

ISIS mechanic fighting to stay in BC It was a big covered parking lot that contained up to 20 jeeps and four-by-fours that had been repainted and reinforced with metal plates and bars.

None had licence plates. Some had bullet holes in their sides. He saw a military weapon in one and noticed the people wore long beards and spoke in Syrian or Iraqi accents.

Despite the indications he was working for ISIS, he returned repeatedly, always at night.

Each time, he was patted down, and his phone was taken away, but he was happy to comply and he made good money. For a single night, he was paid as much as US$400 — roughly half his monthly salary at his daytime job.

ISIS had bigger plans for him. Because Massroua was a Christian, and therefore less likely to arouse suspicions, ISIS wanted to

send him to China and arranged a visa.

“They wanted me to buy something for them,” he said. He did not know what but he had increasing cause for suspicion. He was working on a truck when he smelled blood inside. “I looked around me and saw blood, some of which accidentally got on my hands,” he wrote. He fixed the truck anyway but said he subsequently made excuses not to return.

Gunmen would then come to his house to take him to the vehicles, he said. “Three times they took me into Syria to do repairs there,” he wrote. “I was convinced by then that they were ISIS.” But according to the IRB, Massroua knew from the outset who he was working for, and the evidence only grew over time. He was also explicitly warned that his employer was ISIS. A member of the Lebanese militant

group Hezbollah, which was fighting ISIS, came to Massroua’s house and gave him a week to stop working for ISIS. By then, Massroua said, he and his wife had decided to leave the country. His wife had a sister in Canada, and she sent a letter of invitation. Four days later, however, Massroua was back at it. He spent the night fixing ISIS vehicles, returning home at 6 a.m. Hezbollah paid him another visit and threatened him, he said. They said they knew he had been with ISIS again. They told him the exact time he had come home so he knew he was being watched. But when ISIS came back to his house to take him to Syria, he went with them again — unwillingly, he claimed, although their vehicle got a flat and they never made it. Two Hezbollah members soon showed up at his workplace and drove him to a place called Turbul. This time, according to Massroua, they wanted him to keep working for ISIS so he could spy on the group.

8

Saturday, April 27, 2019

I

t was just a matter of time before Beyond Meat, the California-based company partially owned by Bill Gates and meat giant Tyson Foods, jumped from drive-throughs to grocery store shelves.

Beyond Meat recently announced that its vegan burger will be available at several large Canadian grocers beginning in May, just in time for barbecue season.

How will grocers market these products?

They could be right next to the meat version most of us are accustomed to, or at least somewhere close to the meat counter.

And how will Beyond Meat’s price point compare to regular animal protein products?

The introduction of this product could bring some dearly needed top-line growth for desperate grocers who have seen meat counter sales become less than reliable.

The plant-based invasion takes over the barbecue scene Canadians will be able to purchase the plant-based burgers almost everywhere: at Co-op Food Stores, IGA, Loblaws, Fresh Street Market, Longos, Metro, Save-OnFoods, Sobeys and Whole Foods Market.

Beyond Meat’s capacity to supply all these outlets at once is impressive. Rarely in Canada have we seen a supplier orchestrate such a well-co-ordinated, timely market invasion.

This rare oligopolistic endorsement of the product makes the senior leadership at A&W look like geniuses. A&W was the lone company to introduce the product to Canadians a few years ago. Now grocers are drinking the plant-based Kool-Aid all at once.

A&W’s campaign was a success but it

brought its share of controversy. The Van c ouve r- b a s e d restaurant chain was criticized as antiCanadian and antimeat. Ranchers now love to detest A&W. Canadians remain quite attached to meat consumption but an increasing number are reconsidering their health priorities.

Other drivers of the shift to plant-based protein are animal welfare and environmental

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stewardship, but health appears to be the most forceful determinant.

But meat supporters have a point.

Nutritionally, the case for Beyond Meat may be very strong but it still can’t label itself as a true replacement to the real thing, since the Beyond Meat burger is mostly made of peas and soy. Its texture and the way it reacts to the barbecue don’t replicate meat – at least not yet.

The company aims to be listed on the Dow Jones through an initial public offering worth over US$1.2 billion. That’s an impressive number, considering how marginalized plantbased diets were just a few years ago.

Beyond Meat, a 10-year-old company whose products are available in more than 27,000 food service outlets worldwide, has taken the world by storm. It has a decent product to replace what most omnivores have enjoyed for years, without the cholesterol and guilt.

The company will soon have the infrastructure, cash and knowledge to channel a different source of protein into the world.

It also intends be more transparent than other companies as it becomes publiclytraded. This is a good strategy, given how the meat industry has been criticized over the years for not being transparent enough.

Beyond Meat needs just one recall to kill its momentum. A more open enterprise, though, will bring less suspicion.

So why isn’t Beyond Meat Canadian?

It’s an American product, fostered and propelled by American entrepreneurial spirits – very bright spirits, albeit, but American nonetheless.

Canadian thinking has suppressed any chance for a company to come up with a project like this. There are glimmers of hope, however, as startups are erupting all over the place and will bring a proper dosage of innovation, in due course.

What will help these companies is how the plant-based market will evolve and mature.

Not all vegetable proteins are created equal. Consumers who look to reduce their meat consumption are often concerned they won’t get enough protein.

So Canadian operations – even perhaps Maple Leaf Foods, which just announced a new meatless plant to be built in Indiana – can capitalize on the hyper-segmentation of the plant-based narrative over time.

For a while, though, Beyond Meat will own this space, along with firms like Impossible Foods.

Certainly Beyond Meat has its flaws, such as containing soy protein isolates, about which there are health concerns according to a recent Harvard University study.

Ultimately, however, opportunities will present themselves for Canadian companies. But they need to be ready.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Gas price in Vancouver hovers above $1.70 a litre — is this what the rest of Canada is in for?

Vancouver drivers are feeling the financial pain at the pump as gas prices continue to hover around $1.70 a litre — an all-time high in the region. The cost of gas is so expensive that residents in the Lower Mainland are driving across the border to fill up at the pump and save some cash.

“Many people in White Rock are driving south of the border to places like Bellingham [Washington] to fill up,” Gasbuddy.com’s Dan McTeague said. “Gas prices in Vancouver are at an all-time high.

When will the madness end?” The desperation for cheaper gas seems to also be reaching new levels. One Metro Vancouver resident said a thief drilled into his gas tank to get at the fuel Sunday evening.

Although the rest of Canada is also experiencing high prices at the pump, Metro Vancouver is the most expensive region, according to McTeague. And the exorbitant prices may only be a west coast headache, he added. As of Friday, the lowest prices in the city was around $1.56 a litre and the highest prices hovered above $1.72 a litre. McTeague said B.C.’s high gas

price has to do with a lack of supply across the west coast. Because of low supply, the province has to find other sources for gas and compete with California and other west coast regions for gas refined in Washington state. “It has to do with the Trans Mountain Pipeline too, it provides around 60 per cent of oil and gas in B.C. That pipeline is now at capacity and overloaded,” he said. “And the provinces does not have the infrastructure, it only has two small refineries. This is not a lot. B.C. is strangled with 67,000 barrels, meanwhile, Ontario has around 400,000.”

B.C. only has two oil refineries, one in Prince George that produces about 12,000 barrels a day and one in Burnaby that produces about 55,000 barrels a day.

He explained that if the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion were to flow to B.C., it could add 50,000 more barrels of oil a day — helping to offset the shortage. “More refiners aren’t coming to B.C., but the pipeline expansion would represent another refinery,” he explained.

High taxes But it’s not just a lack of supply; compared to the rest of Canada, B.C.’s gas taxes are the highest in the country.

Premier Horgan should cap gas tax to ease high prices, BC Liberal leader says Andrew Wilkinson, leader of B.C.’s Opposition, says Premier John Horgan needs to cap the gas tax to help curb high gas prices in the province. The Metro Vancouver region has experienced record-high gas prices this week, with regular gas hitting 172.9 cents per litre in Vancouver.

On CBC’s The Early Edition Thursday morning, Wilkinson told Stephen Quinn that there should be a “reasonable upper limit on the price of gasoline.” “When these prices surge up, this government should consider a cap price and then tail off the taxation,” the B.C. Liberal leader said. Andrew Wilkinson, leader of B.C.’s opposition, says Premier John Horgan should cap gas taxes and improve the province’s relationship with Alberta to ease high gas prices. 10:32 The carbon tax was originally introduced by the B.C. Liberals, but Wilkinson pointed out that under the Liberals it was capped at $30 per tonne. The tax went up to $35 per tonne in April 2018.

Why do you pay so much for gas? Here’s a hint: It’s not just taxes Wilkinson also

suggested B.C. improve its relationship with Alberta, pointing out that the majority of gas Metro Vancouver uses comes from that province. He said the current relationship between the provinces is in “very bad shape.”

Although he conceded the relationship up to now has had little to do with higher gas prices, he said it could have ramifications in the future, considering the recent election of Jason Kenney as Alberta’s premier.

“The new premier of Alberta has made it clear that he’s going to have a huge fight with John Horgan and the NDP government and you and I will pay the price for that.” United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney addresses supporters in Calgary on April 16 after winning the Alberta provincial election. Kenney has pledged to enact the turn-off-the-taps legislation tabled by Alberta’s previous NDP government. The legislation would allow Alberta to restrict oil and gas shipments to B.C. if the latter continues to stand in the way of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.

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Immigrant-owned firms create more jobs The firms owned by immigrants create more net jobs and have higher growth than per firm, and were more likely businesses with owners born in Canada, to be high-growth firms than those with Canadian-born according to newly-released research.

The decade-long research, released owners. “But most or all of Wednesday by Statistics Canada, distinguishes this gap was due to differences between firms owned by immigrants who in the characteristics of entered Canada since 1980 and businesses the firms. Most notably, immigrant-owned firms were with Canadian-born owners.

During the period of the study, 2003 younger, and younger firms to 2013, companies owned by immigrant are more dynamic regarding entrepreneurs accounted for a quarter of all job creation.” More than net new jobs created in the private sector, three-quarters of the immigrant-owned firms were less than 10 years old, compared with while representing just 17 per cent of firms.

“The results revealed that private just over half of those run by someone born incorporated immigrant-owned firms were in Canada.

Earlier research has shown that younger much more likely than firms with Canadianborn owners to be job creators than job firms grow faster and create jobs at a higher rate than older firms, the study authors wrote. destroyers,” the study authors wrote.

But when adjustments were made to “Based on the raw data, immigrant-owned firms had a higher level of net job creation account for differences in firm age and other characteristics, the gap between immigrant-

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than those with Canadian-born owners: StatCan

owned firms and Canadian-born-owned firms narrowed substantially. “Young firms accounted for 40.5 per cent of gross job creation, but only 17 per cent of gross job losses in the period studied,” the authors wrote. “Even if entrants were excluded, since by definition they cannot shed employment, the tendency among young firms was very much toward gross job creation.”

Immigranto w n e d companies were also 1.3 times as likely to be high-growth firms, with annual employment growth exceeding 20 per cent, than were those owned by the Canadian-born. Immigration leads to the creation of new, young and dynamic private incorporated firms, the authors claim. The authors also wrote about a “years since immigration” effect. They quoted earlier research that found that immigrants had lower business ownership rates during their first few years in Canada than the Canadian-born population. But after a number of years in Canada, immigrants had a higher propensity to be business owners than the Canadian-born population.

“In 2012, 90 per cent of firms owned by immigrants who had lived in Canada for five years were young firms,” the report reads.

Port Moody to review Mayor Rob Vagramov’s paid leave due to sexual assault charge Port Moody city council will be reviewing its decision to grant paid leave to Mayor Rob Vagramov, who went on leave last month after being charged with sexual assault. Councillors voted Tuesday to review the paid leave at their next meeting in May. Vagramov’s annual salary is $111,833. Vagramov was charged with sexual assault on March 27 after being elected to city council last fall. Court documents say the alleged offence took place on April 1, 2015.

On Thursday, the mayor’s lawyer appeared on his behalf at Vagramov’s scheduled firstcourt appearance. The case was adjourned to May 29. Vagramov last spoke to reporters in March. “The allegation that has led to the charge is false and will be strongly challenged in court,” Vagramov told reporters after announcing his indefinite leave of absence on March 28, a day after the charge was sworn

against him. “I expect that this legal matter will reach the stage where preparing properly for my defence will take my full-time attention and will take away from my ability to complete the work I was elected to to do as mayor of Port Moody.” Speaking to reporters on March 28, 2019, Vagramov said the accusation against him “is false and will be strongly challenged in court.” On April 2, Port Moody council drew names to decide who would be acting mayor in Vagramov’s absence. Coun. Meghan Lahti is currently acting mayor and will be so until June. Lahti said councillors always intended to periodically review Vagramov’s paid leave depending how long court proceedings lasted.

“We’ve also had a lot of feedback from our residents too that they want us to review the situation.

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Federal & provincial minsters to discuss inter-city bus service B.C. Minister of Transportation Claire Trevena will meet with her federal counterpart on Wednesday to discuss using federal money to cover bus routes that have been without service since Greyhound pulled out of the province last year.

During a meeting with The Vancouver Sun and Province editorial board on Tuesday, federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said he has had preliminary talks with Trevena about B.C. taking advantage of transitional funding his ministry made available to affected provinces last fall.

“There are bits of the Greyhound network that were covered by other companies, and there are bits that were not,” said Garneau. “We are prepared to go forward on a 50/50 basis to help.”

Greyhound pulled out of Western Canada and northern Ontario on Oct. 31, 2018, citing millions of dollars in losses and a 46-per-cent decline in ridership since 2010.

Shortly before service stopped, Trevena said that 83 per cent of B.C. routes would have some degree of service thanks to efforts by the province to fast-track applications from other interested companies. However, eight routes were left unserviced, primarily

in northern and eastern parts of the province.

The ministry issued a request for expressions of interest, which closed in mid-January, in an attempt to cover the routes. It also created the B.C. Bus North service, which costs $2 million a year and fills in gaps between Prince Rupert and Prince George, and up to Fort Nelson.

In the wake of Greyhound’s departure, the federal government offered to split the cost of addressing gaps on bus routes with provinces on a temporary basis. Garneau said that no provinces have taken him up on the offer to date, but Trevena has expressed interest.

“I think that what Minister Trevena has been doing is looking at it, taking a little time to look at routes where she would come forward and say these are the places where we would like the federal (government) to cost-share with us,” Garneau said. “I think she wanted to wait a little bit of time to see whether the private sector would come in and fill the void.”

Garneau said when he receives a list of routes to be covered, “we will act on that quickly.”

Trevena was not available for an interview, but in an emailed statement the ministry said it is committed to filling the remaining gaps in service, and is working with the feds to do so.

The federal government is set to approve a second roadside drug detection device for roadside saliva tests to determine marijuana impairment.

According to a Department of Justice order published recently in the Canada Gazette, the government is proposing to amend the list of approved drug screening equipment to add the device called SoToxa.

Specifically, the government is looking to expand the list of approved equipment to

include three pieces of SoToxa equipment intended to be used together: The main SoToxa device itself, as well as the test cartridge and oral fluid collection device.

ThisequipmentistobeusedtodetectTHC,the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

“Approval of the SoToxa™, the Abbott SoToxa™ Test Cartridge and the Abbott SoToxa™ Oral Fluid Collection Device, when used together, as ‘approved drug screening equipment,’ would permit its use by law

Bank of Canada holds interest rate steady, hints low rates could stick around The Bank of Canada kept its benchmark interest rate at 1.75 per cent on Wednesday.

Economists who monitor the bank weren’t expecting any change to the rate, which the central bank meets to decide on every six weeks.

The bank tends to cut its rate when it wants to stimulate the economy, and hikes it when it wants to slow down an overheated one.

“Growth during the first half of 2019 is now expected to be slower than was anticipated in January,” which is why the bank is keeping its rate low, to help stimulate the economy, it said.

In January, the bank was expecting Canada’s economy to grow by 1.7 per cent this year. On Wednesday, it downgraded that lukewarm forecast to a chillier 1.2 per cent.

Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz did add, however, that the bank expects the latter half of the year to be better than the first.

“Right now, we believe that this setting of interest rates will give us the outlook that ... growth picks up in the second quarter,

and picks up for real in the third quarter for the second half of the year,” he said.

Nonetheless, an economy that’s on track to grow by less than the current inflation rate is a recipe for low rates, which is why “an accommodative policy interest rate continues to be warranted,” the bank said.

The central bank’s rate impacts Canadians by influencing the rates that retail banks give to savers and borrowers on products like mortgages and savings accounts.

“Anyone with a variable rate mortgage should be pleased with this announcement because it diminishes the timing and likelihood of any increase to the prime rate,” said James Laird, co-founder of Ratehub Inc. and president of mortgage brokerage CanWise Financial.

“This announcement also provides some pressure relief to those considering entering the housing market.

Feds set to approve second roadside drug detection device enforcement. A positive result would be a strong indication of recent use,” the order reads.

An independent committee comprised of forensic toxicologists — called the Drugs and Driving Committee of the Canadian Society of Forensic Science — evaluated the SoToxa and has recommended the drug screen be approved by Attorney General David Lametti. It is currently in the midst of a 30-day public consultation window, and the device has yet to be approved. Should it

be granted the go-ahead, it will give police forces across Canada a second choice for testing potentially drug-impaired drivers.

The federal government has already approved the Dräger DrugTest 5000 to be used by police at the roadside to test for both THC and cocaine, despite some concerns about its functionality, including its efficacy in cold weather. Until now it’s been the only option law enforcement has had under the legalized marijuana regime.

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Man facing child-sex charges pleads not guilty A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for November for a man charged in last year’s Vancouver police child-sex sting that netted 47 arrests.

Donald Hugh Schroeder is the third accused to plead not guilty to the charge of obtaining sexual services with a child under 18. Schroeder did not appear in person Wednesday for a court appearance in Vancouver provincial court. But his lawyer, Chandra Corriveau, requested a trial before a judge and jury, and a preliminary hearing on his behalf. The preliminary hearing, to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial, is scheduled for four days in late November.

Also on Wednesday, another accused, Mario Celo Amistad, was scheduled to

appear in court on the same charge, but his matter was adjourned until May 8.

Schroeder was arrested for an offence that allegedly occurred on June 29, 2018, and the date of the alleged offence for Amistad was June 26, 2018.

The men were among 47 arrested on nine different dates between June and November as part of an online sting in which the suspects believed they were arranging for sexual services with a girl between 15 and 17. They instead were met by a police officer when they showed up for their “date” and arrested. Vancouver police recommended charges, backed by evidence, against at least seven of the 47 arrested. The Crown earlier this year approved charges against seven of them, including Schroeder and Amistad.

Real estate agents warned of suspicious man targeting women The Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board is warning female agents about a man who has generated several complaints.

A statement from the board says it has heard from Realtors in areas serviced

by SkyTrain in Burnaby, Vancouver, New Westminster and Richmond.

The women say they’ve been contacted by a man who asked them to show a home, insisting they come alone and if they refuse, he gets angry.

The board says since the warning went out, it

has discovered a man with a similar description has been going to open houses hosted by women and that he’ll linger, overstaying his welcome.

It says the man goes by the name Sean Z or Lee Chang, is soft spoken and about 30 years old.

The statement says some complaints have been relayed to police in various jurisdictions and agents should not be alone at open houses or showings.

USseeks to seize assets of Richmond criminal who aided international traffickers Richmond’s Vincent Ramos admits he made $80 million in the past decade helping international organized crime groups like the Sinaloa cartel by selling them encrypted untraceable electronic devices.

Now the U.S. wants to seize tens of millions of dollars worth of his assets.

The U.S. Attorney in San Diego has filed a claim against Ramos’ bank accounts, investments and real estate holdings around the world.

Ramos is set to be sentenced in California next month after pleading guilty last fall to a racketeering charge for assisting international drug traffickers. At the time, he agreed to a forfeiture of his abundant assets.

On Tuesday, court documents were filed listing specific items that will be part of a forfeiture order, including gold and silver coins, crypto currency, a Las Vegas

condo and two Richmond properties.

The U.S. also wants “money, funds and credits” from 30 different bank accounts linked to Ramos. Some are in his own name and some in the name of his Phantom Secure Encryption company or other companies he set up.

There are local accounts in Coast Capital Savings, the Bank of Montreal, Scotiabank and TD. There are six U.S. accounts in the Bank of America, plus another in JP Morgan Chase. There are another four accounts in banks in Hong Kong, two in China, two in Ireland, one in Singapore and one in the United Arab Emirates.

For some of the accounts, the U.S. Attorney lists a specific dollar amount. For others, the court documents simply state that the U.S. wants all the assets within the account.

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Doctor calls for decriminalization of drug possession for personal use B.C.’s top doctor on Wednesday unveiled a bold proposal to slow the overdose crisis by decriminalizing the possession of drugs for personal use, but the provincial public safety minister says he won’t run afoul of federal laws to make such a change.

In a special report, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said it is known around the world that the “war on drugs” has been a failure. She said the criminalization of non-violent people for simple possession increases communicable disease transmission, stigma and drugrelated mortality, while incarceration and criminal records make the harm from drugs worse by preventing future employment and travel.

She recommends B.C. “urgently move to decriminalize people who possess controlled substances for personal use” in her report, called “Stopping the Harm: Decriminalization of People Who Use Drugs in B.C.” “This is a fundamental underpinning and necessary next step for the continued provincial response to the overdose crisis in B.C.” Decriminalization would apply to all drugs — even heroin and methamphetamine — but falls short of legalization, which removes prohibitions but also develops regulations for the production, sale and use of a substance (Canada’s approach to cannabis is an example).

In 2001, Portugal decriminalized all drugs for personal use in response to a surge in heroin use.

Henry said B.C. could use its powers under the provincial Police Act to allow the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor-General to set broad provincial priorities with respect to people who use drugs. Or it could enact a regulation under the Police Act to prevent any member of a police force from using resources to enforce against simple possession offences under the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. But Minister of Public Health and Solicitor-General Mike Farnworth quickly shot down Henry’s proposal. He thanked her for the report, but said laws around the possession of controlled substances remain federal, and “no provincial action can change that,” he said.

“We don’t believe that one province can go it alone,” Farnworth said. “It’s not appropriate for me, as minister, to be directing police in how they conduct their operations. What we need to ensure is that people are able to get the health, the help and the treatment that they need.”

Farnworth said years of government neglect of people with mental health issues and addictions have left his government to do work on housing, poverty reduction, primary care, and expanding access to legal, prescription alternatives to the toxic street-drug supply.

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Teen charged with possession of a loaded firearm after incident at Surrey park RCMP say a teenage boy has been charged with possession of a loaded firearm after an incident at Whalley Athletic Park last weekend.

It happened on Sunday (April 21) shortly before 7 p.m., when police received a call from staff at a shelter in the 10600-block of 135A Street reporting a “verbal dispute and suspicious activity outside of the shelter.”

RCMP say they arrived on scene and located a suspect.

“After a brief foot pursuit, a 17-year-old male was arrested and found in possession of a loaded 9mm hand gun,” according to an RCMP release. “The youth was held for court and is facing a number of charges including: possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose; carrying a concealed weapon; unauthorized possession of a firearm; possession of a

prohibited firearm with ammunition; and resisting/obstructing a peace officer.”

The teen’s identity is shielded by the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Operations Officer Superintendent Ed Boetcher said this case is an “example of how important it is for the public to report suspicious activity to police.”

“This was also great work by our Frontline Officers who made this arrest of an armed suspect, without any injuries to the public or the youth involved,” added Boetcher.

Anyone who would like to report suspicious activity is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers, to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-8477 or solvecrime.ca.

Canfor announces temporary shutdown of BC lumber mills Lumber, pulp and paper corporation Canfor says it will temporarily halt operations at its B.C. mills, citing low lumber prices and the high cost of fibre.

BC sawmills, except for the WynnWood mill near Creston, will be closed for one week starting April 29. Two of the mills will also be shut down for a second week in May. Canfor operates 13 sawmills in British Columbia with most of them located in the province’s Interior.

The closures will affect over 2,000 hourly employees.

In an email, the company’s director of corporate communications, Michelle Ward, said the company regrets the impact the temporary closures will have on employees, their families and the affected communities.

The mayor of the District of Clearwater says the shutdown will be difficult for locals who work at the Vavenby sawmill, especially because the mill already closed for six weeks earlier this year.

“If we have a couple more [weeks] then it’s going to get a little tough for people,” said Merlin Blackwell.

“A lot of the employees will be relatively okay with [Employment Insurance], but a lot of the contractors don’t have that option,” C a n f o r temporarily cutting production at 3 sawmills in B.C. Harry Nelson, associate professor at University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry, says falling demand from the U.S. is driving down the price of lumber.

Surrey stabbing leaves man with ‘potentially life altering injuries’ Surrey RCMP say a man suffered “potentially life altering injuries” in a stabbing on Tuesday (April 23).

Police responded to a report of a stabbing around 8:07 p.m., in the 13700-block of 97A Avenue.

When officers arrived, they found a 32-year-old man who had been stabbed.

He was taken to hospital in serious condition.

A Black Press freelancer at the scene said the man had injuries to his head, face and eye area.

“The initial investigation has revealed that an altercation occurred between two individuals resulting in the stabbing,”

according to a Surrey RCMP release.

Police say the investigation is in its early stages “but it has been confirmed that the parties are known to each other and there is no apparent risk to the general public.”

“I can confirm that one person was taken to hospital as a result of being stabbed,” Corporal Elenore Sturko said. “The other person was transported to the hospital after being apprehended under the Mental Health Act.” Anyone with further information who has not already spoken to police is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or if they wish to remain anonymous, Crime

Top health officer calls on BC to ‘urgently’ decriminalize possession of illicit drugs B.C.’s top health officer has recommended the province move urgently to decriminalize possession of illegal drugs for personal use, saying the years-long overdose crisis needs to be treated as a public health issue, not a criminal justice matter.

In a nearly 50-page report released Wednesday, Dr. Bonnie Henry gave an extensive overview of the policies the province has enacted to stop the overdose crisis since a public health emergency was declared in 2016, but stressed decriminalization is “a fundamental underpinning and (a) necessary” next step for the provincial response.

“We have worked very hard to address the crisis ... but I believe it’s time for us to take this work one step further,” Henry told reporters at a news conference at the legislature in Victoria on Wednesday.

“The current criminal justice-based

framework in B.C. and in Canada creates barriers to accessing treatment services.

It keeps people at home, not talking about their drug use, using alone and dying,” the health officer continued.

As provincial health officer, Henry acts independently in creating her reports and making recommendations to government.

She said the sole recommendation out of Wednesday’s report implores the province to look at decriminalization.

“Immediate provincial action is warranted, and I recommend that the Province of B.C. urgently move to decriminalize people who possess controlled substances for personal use,” the report reads.

The report cites the more than 244,000 offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in B.C. between 2008 and 2017 — 81 per cent of which were for nonviolent offences for simple possession.

Rental prices are falling in Vancouver, listings analysis suggests Vancouver’s sky-high rental prices appear to have stopped increasing. Data from one analyst even suggests the price of units have dropped.

Blogger and data scientist Louie Dinh compared the prices of more than 5,700 Craigslist rental listings in March of this year with those in 2018.

He found the median price of one-bedroom units fell 3.8 per cent and two-bedrooms by 3.5 per cent, which in the three years he’s tracked Vancouver’s rental prices, he says, is “unusual.”

“You typically expect prices to go up just a little bit each year because of inflation and tenant turnover,” he said.

Vancouver fails to build any affordable market rental in 2018 for households making $30K to $50K Dinh says when you factor in the cost of inflation, which is typically around two per cent, the drop is closer to five per cent, making it even more significant.

To him, it’s an indication the overall market is slowing.

“Holistically, I guess it feels like things are starting to move in the right direction.”

Dinh says he’s seen a continuous sharp upwards climb in rents since 2016.

But the downturn started September of 2018, he says, when he found the median price of a one-bedroom unit inch lower from $1,950. It is now $1,900.

However, he won’t call the slowdown a trend yet.

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TransLink exploring ways of reducing or removing fines for youth and low-income people It doesn’t matter whether you’re young or old, rich or poor — the $173 fine for being caught not paying a TransLink fare remains the same no matter who you are.

TransLink staff say it is exploring options for changing how fines work for children and low-income individuals, following a request by Metro Vancouver mayors last year to look into the matter. “A one-size fits all approach to fare enforcement can have a disproportionate negative impact on low-income individuals who have the least ability to pay fullprice transit fares in the first place, let alone the high cost of fare evasion fines,� said TransLink VP Geoff Cross in his report to the Mayors’ Council, which is meeting Thursday.

According to the report, “fines to be adjusted based on ability to pay, allowing alternatives to a monetary fine [and] reducing fine amounts for early payments� could be considered, with specific possibilities to be presented to the Mayors’ Council in the future.

“The system that we have in place right now does an enormous amount of harm to people below the poverty line, our most vulnerable and at-risk youth, right up to our most vulnerable seniors,� said Viveca Ellis, a campaign organizer with #AllOnBoard, an organization that pushes for affordable and accessible transit based on income.

According to TransLink, just over 20,000 tickets were issued for fare evasion in 2018, of which less than 1,000 went to youth.

Ellis said she was happy that TransLink was considering a change but wished there were specific timelines for action. “We know the impacts of this issue. We have a lot of examples from many other jurisdictions within Canada,� she said. “We can have a different system that does no harm and that focuses on inclusion, not punitive exclusion.�

However, in the same report, Cross seemed less enthusiastic about direct

Man punches bus driver in ‘out of the blue’ attack A man has been taken into custody after allegedly punching a bus driver in Vancouver in an “out of the blue� attack, according to Transit Police.

Transit Police spokeperson Sgt. Clint Hampton says officers responded Tuesday at around 10:30 p.m. after reports of an incident near Cambie Street and 45 Avenue in Vancouver.

Hampton said the suspect walked down the aisle of the bus and when he got to the bus driver, punched him in the side of the face.

A bystander stepped in to help, and the suspect was removed from the bus.

The suspect suffered a cut above his eye in the altercation, according to police.

Burnaby RCMP later took the alleged assailant into custody at Willingdon Avenue and Kingsway. “It’s somewhat shocking [...] it’s always discouraging when [these incidences] occur.

We have bus operators out there doing their best to serve the public and anytime that one of them is put in harm’s way while they’re just doing their job is saddening to see,� said Hampton. “This one is an odd circumstance just in the fact that the bus operator was approached kind of out of the blue.�

Sikh-Canadian activists put on no-fly list after Trudeau’s India visit; critics say aim was to appease Indian gov’t At least three Sikh-Canadian activists have been added to the Canadian no-fly list in recent months, more evidence the federal government may have changed its approach to advocates of Punjabi independence after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s controversial India trip.

Under the Secure Air Travel Act, the three have been told there are reasonable grounds to suspect they might “threaten transportation security,� or travel by air to commit terrorist acts.

Two of the three have filed court challenges to the decisions, saying the system for barring people from air travel is unfair and violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

One had flown from Ontario to Vancouver, only to be told when he attempted to board his return flight he was on the list, requiring him to drive back across the country.

Critics say they suspect the no-fly additions were made to appease New Delhi after Trudeau’s visit in February 2018, which brought to the surface the Indian government’s growing concerns about alleged Sikh extremism.

Moninder Singh, president of a major B.C. gurdwara, or Sikh temple, and an outspoken community leader, said the three activists who contacted him all received notice of their no-fly designation last year — in the wake of the prime minister’s ill-fated tour.

Maybe these are key people they’re focusing in on, trying to silence, and this is one of the ways to do it “They are activists, all of them in the

Sikh community, quite vocal, against India in many ways,� Singh said. “Maybe these are key people they’re focusing in on, trying to silence, and this is one of the ways to do it.

action in reducing or eliminating fares — or increasing discounts — for youth and low-income people.

Motion on free transit for youth to be debated by Vancouver council “New funding would be required to implement expanded discounts for

youth and low-income residents,� said Cross. He estimated that making transit free for youth would result in a drop of revenue of $40 to $50 million annually and making transit free for low-income individuals would cost $25 to $40 million.

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Drugs seized during vehicle stop by police in Chilliwack An alleged driver on the ‘nod’ led to arrests and the seizure of drugs by the RCMP. In the early afternoon of April 17, 2019 a patrolling general duty officer noted the alleged driver of an automobile had ‘nodded off ’ while stopped in the 45000-block of Hocking Avenue. The 29-year-old man from Vancouver behind the wheel and two passengers were quickly taken into custody by the officer.

Drugs believed to be heroin and paraphernalia associated to drug trafficking were seized by police during the arrest.

The three individuals were later released from custody by police.

“An alert officer was responsible for the

removal of drugs and potentially an impaired driver from the street,” says Corporal Mike Rail spokesperson for the UFVRD. “Police will be submitting all circumstances of the investigation in a report to the BC Prosecution Service for their assessment of Control Drug and Substance Act (CDSA) charges against the alleged driver.”

RCMP remind everyone who witnesses anything they believe to be suspicious in nature to contact the Chilliwack RCMP at 604-792-4611 or, should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

Four arrested in in relatrion to Dela property crime The Delta Police Department is using the recent arrests of four alleged property crime offenders to highlight the work of its patrol support team.

On Wednesday, April 3, members of the department’s patrol support team — a group of plainclothes and uniform officers who “aren’t part of our regular patrol platoons, so have more time to focus on problem areas, or specific suspects, rather than going from call-to-call,” DPD public affairs manager Cris Leykauf said in a press release — were conducting surveillance on two suspects linked to a problem residence associated to drug and property crime.

The suspects were travelling between Delta and Surrey, and officers observed them shoplift items from a store on 72nd Avenue in Surrey near the Delta border.

Shortly after, police intercepted and arrested the two suspects, also seizing break-in tools and a weapon. Police were able to recover stolen sporting goods which were returned to the store.

Two days later, on Friday, April 5, the team was working at Tsawwassen Mills when a security guard indicated there was a suspicious man inside a store whom he believed was actively stealing merchandise.

Officers entered the store and formed a suspicion that the man had put a number of items of clothing into a backpack.

The man exited the store and attempted to leave the mall, but instead was promptly taken into police custody. A search of the backpack revealed clothing, believed to be stolen, along with other miscellaneous items suspected of being stolen from another store in the mall. The stolen merchandise was returned to the stores.

Minutes later, patrol support team officers located and arrested a suspected accomplice of the man who had just been arrested. When police searched the suspect, they discovered high-end beauty products and clothing. All the items were confirmed to be merchandise from the mall.

Both men were confirmed to have travelled into Delta to commit these crimes, and were identified as prolific property crime offenders.

In a public survey the DPD conducted late last year, the prevention and detection of property crime was one of the top issues identified by respondents, particularly in terms of areas where the police can improve their response.

Premier Horgan marks Earth Day with call for collective action Premier Horgan is marking Earth Day by reaffirming his government’s commitment to rise to the challenge of climate change.

In a joint statement with Environment Minister George Heyman, Horgan says his government is taking action through emissionreduction targets “that are amongst the strongest in the world.” He and Heyman say unprecedented wildfires and floods make the impacts of climate change “all too clear” in B.C. Their statement says the province’s CleanBC plan aims to build a strong, sustainable, lowcarbon economy while creating jobs and economic opportunities. The strategy is also aimed at making cleaner options more convenient, available and affordable.

The pledge from Horgan and Heyman

comes just days before Vancouver City Council is expected to be asked for a yearlong delay for the launch of a ban on straws and foam single-use containers, which had been planned for June. The hiccup in Vancouver’s plastic reduction initiative is partly due to a lack of facilities capable of handling the slower decomposition rate of compostable plastics, the city said last week. Horgan and Heyman’s statement says pollution-reducing technologies, along with low-carbon products and services are among the areas supported by CleanBC, and the release urges all British Columbians to fight climate change.

“As we celebrate Earth Day 2019, we ask you to do what you can, as an individual, a family and a community, to move toward a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future,” says the statement.

Candlelight vigil for victims of impaired driving In the light of row after row of memorial candles, victims and survivors of impaired driving will gather in Toronto this Saturday for MADD Canada’s Candlelight Vigil of Hope and Remembrance.

The Vigil gives victims and survivors a chance to honour loved ones who have been killed and acknowledge injuries sustained as a result of impaired driving. Photos of victims and survivors are shown, a tribute is read and a candle is lit for each victim and survivor.

Media in the Toronto area are welcome to attend the Candlelight Vigil of Hope and Remembrance (please RSVP).

Date: Saturday, April 27 Time: 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: BMO Financial Group Institute for Learning, 3550 Pharmacy Ave., Scarborough, Ontario The powerful and emotional ceremony

is part of MADD Canada’s National Conference for Victims of Impaired Driving, being held April 26-28.

More than 200 victims/survivors will gather for the conference, to share experiences, gain new coping tools and learn that they are not alone in their grief. Keynote addresses and workshop session will provide support, hope, fellowship and resources to help deal with the losses and injuries suffered as a result of impaired driving. Topics include: surviving loss, living with injuries, the criminal justice system, victims’ rights and coping with anger. A specialized set of sessions for youth, aged 15 to 24, addresses the challenges and grief faced by young victims and survivors.

A traditional Aboriginal prayer circle will be held on Saturday.

“Our conference is a space where victims and survivors can feel safe and free to share their stories of loss and grief, to learn from and support one another and to gain information and resources that will help them on their journeys,” said Steve Sullivan, MADD Canada’s Director of Victim Services. “Nothing can change their losses, their injuries or their grief, but as delegates tell us every year, simply being among other victims and survivors gives them some comfort and strength.”

MADD Canada thanks Impact Auto Auctions, PIA Law, Manitoba Justice, the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Justice and Public Safety, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Health and Community Services for their support of the conference.

With hundreds of Canadians killed and tens of thousands injured in impaired driving crashes every year, the need for support and services for victims and survivors is ongoing.

MADD Canada offers: emotional support, guidance through the criminal justice system and support preparing Victim Impact Statements, community referrals, support groups and various tributes and memorials to honour those impacted by impaired driving.

Salman & Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Bhangra Paa Le’ to be remixed The hit song from the 1995 film Karan Arjun featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, Bhangra Paa Le, will be remixed for Sunny Kaushal’s next. Sunny Kaushal will be seen grooving to the

Student Of The Year 2, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan’s Bhangra Paa Le from Karan Arjun will be revamped for Sunny Kaushal’s film with the same name. . Brother of URI: The

remixed version of Bhangra Paa Le in his next.

It is the season of remixed songs and filmmakers are leaving no chance to revamp an old classic number. After the Jawani song in

Surgical Strikes actor Vicky Kaushal, Sunny Kaushal is the lead actor in the film, Bhangra Paa Le, while Rukshar Dhillon, who will make her Bollywood debut with this film, will play the female lead. The film is about how Bhangra became popular in Punjab. The film is helmed by filmmaker

Ramesh Taurani’s daughter Sneha Taurani. The film has been shot in Punjab and the song will be shot in Mumbai.

The song will be a dance number in which Sunny will be seen grooving to Punjabi beats.

Confirming the news, a source close to the development told Mumbai Mirror, “The new song will be picturised on Sunny in Mumbai after Sneha returns from London, where the film will be wrapped up in a 10day schedule.” Bhangra Paa Le is the directorial debut of Ramesh Taurani’s daughter Sneha Taurani and the music of the film is composed by Pritam Chakraborty. Bhangra Paa Le is slated to release on September 13, 2019.

Recently, Lata Mangeshkar expressed his dislike with the remix version of the 1978 film Inkaar’s Mungda. The original song was sung by Lata Mangeshkar’s sister Usha Mangeshkar.

18

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Johnny Depp to marry Russian dancer Johnny Depp has seemingly moved on from his turbulent relationship with Amber Heard For the past few years, Johnny Depp has made headlines due to his turblent divorce with Amber Heard. However, he seems to have moved on from his dark past and if reports are to be believed, he is willing to settle down again with a 20-something Russian gogo dancer Polina Glen. She has been accompanying him tours and sets. He apparently met his new ladylove at a party in LA, and they hit it off instantly. They were also seen kissing at a hotel in Belgrade.

Polina met Johnny at a party in LA. She gets invited to a lot of stuff and ran into him...They hit it off. Polina said that they are going to get married and that he wants to go to Russia to meet her parents,� a source told a Hollywood portal. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard separated in 2017, after she filed allegations

against him saying that he choked and hit her during his drug-fuelled rage fits. An ugly legal battle between the two has been going on for a while. Recently, Amber provided detailed accounts in her court documents about her treatment at the hands of Depp. The court documents offer gory details about the fights between Depp and Amber.

In 2013, he set fire to a painting given to Heard by an ex, and hit her on the face, leaving her with a bloody lip. In 2014, she said that he got drunk on a plane and started throwing things because he was upset about a scene that she had done with James Franco. A month ago, Johnny lashed out and filed a 50 million dollar (Rs 347 crore) defamation case against Amber and has presented evidence that he was on the receiving end of the abuse. In the lawsuit, Johnny accused Amber of punching him and severing his finger.

19

Bollywood HOROSCOPE Aries

March 21 - April 20 With both chatty Mercury and luscious Venus in your sign, the week ahead could see you enjoying the company of others and relishing a chance to connect with like-minded people. And while you could have your doubts about taking a certain course of action, once you understand the reasons behind this, you may begin to thrive.

Feel like a change of image? If so, this is a good time to make a bold or colorful statement.

Taurus

April 21 - May 20 Something you do this week could surprise others because it might be unexpected of you.

They may need to get used to this, though, because you may have a lot more surprises for those closest to you over the coming months and years. With thoughtful Mercury and compassionate Venus in your spiritual sector, you might be eager to help at a charity event or volunteer to help those in need. This could prove very rewarding in so many ways, and it might be something you take up

Gemini

May 20 - June 21 Socially, you seem to be on a roll, with a strong desire to connect with those who are a source of great information, novel ideas, and witty conversation. You adore connections that add to your knowledge and build your network, and you have a wonderful opportunity to do that this week and over the coming weeks.

An unexpected event might derail your plans early on, though, yet it could turn out to be quite fortuitous. It may not seem so right away.

Cancer

June 22 - July 23

You seem to be making a sterling impression on those in authority, which is

merges with wounded healer Chiron, you could experience moments of self-doubt.

Understanding that these could be related to an earlier period in your life might help you work around this matter and make progress.

A surprise invitation could also show up and take you aback.

Leo

June 24 - August 23 Adventures can be had when you move out of your comfort zone and are willing to explore new ideas and opportunities. If you have a trip or vacation planned this week, things seem to be going your way. With adaptable Mercury and convivial Venus in your travel sector, you’ll relish meeting new people and sampling exotic cultures.

At the same time, if a relationship is going

Virgo With thoughtful Mercury and luscious Venus in a powerful zone, your interactions could be a lot more intense than usual. And this looks set to continue for some weeks yet.

If you’ve had a painful disagreement with someone, the early part of the week can be an opportunity to gently sort this out. You might need

so could be very rewarding.

Libra

Sept. 24 - Oct 22 With the sun newly in Taurus and a more intense sector of your chart, the coming weeks can be a chance to invite change into your life. The early part of the week could bring a surprise in this respect, though.

Someone you haven’t seen in a while might

a chance for healing and closure. It might be a small matter or something uncomfortable, but dealing with it now could mean that things between you can begin to resolve

Scorpio

Oct 23 - Nov 22 Someone you thought you knew well could surprise you - and may continue to surprise you over the coming months. With energizing Uranus newly in your relationship sector, you could learn things you never knew about those close to you.

In addition, the sun’s tie to innovative Uranus early in the week could bring an invitation or encourage a conversation that opens new doors for you.

Sagitarius Nov 23 - Dec 22

! adventures as a fun lineup in your leisure sector encourages you to dive into new experiences. Whatever you enjoy the most is worth indulging in because it can help you feel restored and revitalized.

" time in a relationship? A compassionate blend of energies could coincide with an encounter that helps you recover and begin to feel like your normal self again.

Capricorn Dec 23 - Jan 20

You may feel restless at the start of this week and ready for some excitement. As the sun meets with radical Uranus, your usual ways of spending your leisure time may no longer satisfy. You might be looking for something

an encounter with someone who seems like a breath of fresh air is very possible, and this could lift your spirits.

Aquarius

Jan 21 - Feb 19 You could get an unexpected visitor early in the week as the sun embraces lively Uranus. This might be the last person you thought you’d see, and yet their presence could be a very welcome delight. Your social life also buzzes with opportunity and leisure options, making the coming days and weeks something to relish. With Mars in your recreation and romance zone, you may be a lot more proactive when it comes to mixing and

Pisces

Feb 20 - March 20 New information or an unexpected opportunity could come your way early on,

plans. What you discover could enable you to take a helpful shortcut. You might need to be more vigilant about spending money, though, because with luscious Venus in your shopping zone, the temptation to splurge may be greater than usual. In addition, you might have a great desire to donate to charity.

20

Press release

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Deepika’s ‘Chhapaak’ shoot

D

e e p i k a Padukone started shooting for her upcoming film, Chhapaak, in which she plays an acidattack survivor. We hear that post the shoot, at the end of the day, the actress makes sure that she unwinds by watching one episode of the TV series, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, a comedy-drama.

Says a source, “Deepika’s role is very demanding and getting into the skin of the character takes a toll when you live the fierce journey of the survivor. So, to relax and divert her mind, she watches the series. It has now become a routine for her.” Padukone was born on 5 January 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark to Konkani-speaking parents. Her father, Prakash Padukone, a former badminton player, and her mother, Ujjala, is travel agent. Her younger sister, Anisha, a golfer.Her paternal grandfather, Ramesh, was a secretary of the Mysore Badminton Association.

The family relocated to Bangalore, India when Padukone was a year old.[6] She was educated at Bangalore’s Sophia High School and completed her pre-university education at Mount Carmel College.

She subsequently enrolled at the Indira Gandhi National Open University for a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology but later quit it due to scheduling conflicts with her modelling career. Padukone has admitted to being socially awkward as a child and did not have many friends. The focus of her

life was badminton, which she played competitively from a young age.

Describing her daily routine in a 2012 interview, Padukone said, “I would wake up at five in the morning, go for physical training, go to school, again go for playing badminton, finish my homework, and go to sleep.”

P a d u k o n e continued to pursue a career in badminton throughout her school years and played the sport in national level championships.

She also played baseball in a few state level tournaments.

While concentrating on her education and sporting career, Padukone also worked as a child model, first appearing in a couple of advertising campaigns at the age of eight.

In the tenth grade, she changed focus and decided to become a fashion model. She later explained, “I realised that I was playing the game only because it ran in the family.

So, I asked my father if I could give up the game and he wasn’t upset at all.” In 2004, she began a full-time career as a model under the tutelage of Prasad Bidapa.

Early in her career, Padukone gained recognition with a television commercial for the soap Liril and modelled for various other brands and products.

21

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Retail reinvented:

Public Mobile launches new branded kiosks Today, Canadians expect greater choice, value and convenience when it comes to their wireless provider. Although we live in an increasingly mobile and interconnected

world, 80 per cent of wireless activations happen in person at the retail level. At Public Mobile we want to be where our customers are, that’s why we launched our first, new branded kiosks this month at CF Galeries D’Anjou in Montreal, Edmonton City Centre in Edmonton, Marlborough Mall in Calgary, and CF Richmond Centre in British Columbia.

Public Mobile has ten additional kiosks skated to rollout this year, giving customers more value and options when purchasing SIMs and activating their wireless service.

Here’s what you can expect to experience at Public Mobile’s new kiosk locations: t )FMQGVM 1VCMJD .PCJMF 3FQSFTFOUBUJWFT Chat with one of our experts onsite about the best options to suit your needs. t 4*. DBSET 8JUI OP TUSJOHT BUUBDIFE :PV can activate your Public Mobile SIM card online or in-store with the assistance of one of

our store reps. The choice is yours. t 1BZNFOU WPVDIFST 1BZNFOU vouchers provide you with the flexibility to add money to your Public Mobile account using cash, credit or debit cards.

What’s even more exciting, though, is the kiosk design. In the spirit of doing wireless differently, the kiosks were designed with Public Mobile’s “less for less� no frills approach at heart. To start, they take up a lot less space than others and include a stationary commuter bike.

Not simply for aesthetics, consumers can hop on and pedal the bike, which simultaneously charges your phone.

Whether you’re looking to connect online or in-store, Public Mobile has you covered. Customers can access all of their wireless needs for less, including smart, bring your own device plan options, along with an online support model backed by a large, strong and engaged Community and a really great network.

To learn more, visit the publicmobile. ca or stop by in person at your nearest location and take the bike for a spin!

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Saturday, April 27, 2019

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Saturday, April 27, 2019 Press release

NDP the only holdout on moving forward with Massey

T

he Official Opposition says John Horgan and the NDP can no longer stall on replacing the George Massey Tunnel, now that Metro Vancouver mayors and First Nations leaders have reached consensus on the issue.

“We’ve said all along that further studies and reviews are unnecessary and the delayed timeline of 2030 for project completion is totally unacceptable, but John Horgan and the NDP won’t listen,” says Ian Paton, MLA for Delta South. “Now we see local representatives echoing those sentiments through a letter to John Horgan but it remains to be seen whether or not he will listen.” The George Massey Tunnel has become one of the worst bottlenecks for

traffic in the Lower Mainland and to date, John Horgan and the NDP have completely ignored local community voices.

“John Horgan and the NDP continue to disregard local opinions— from the threats they’ve levelled at mayors over the speculation tax, to the total disregard of Maple Ridge council’s concerns when it comes to homelessness,” adds Jas Johal, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough.

“Government needs to start listening to the commuters and communities who continue to suffer because of B.C.’s worst bottleneck.”

Paton and Johal are calling on John Horgan to respond promptly to the letter, and to fasttrack the project so that drivers and businesses can see some relief sooner rather than later.

Richa Sharma’s ‘ SAJDA ‘ in Vancouver !!!

Calling her a ‘Complete Singer’ is probably the most appropriate way to describe Faridabad born RICHA SHARMA, who has been impressing audiences around the world since 1994. TV Host, Reality TV Show Judge and a singer par excellence, Richa can sing Sufi, Geet, Gazal, Folk, Shabad, Bhajan, Qawwali & Bollywood songs with such ease that many rate her as one of India’s finest and this diversity has won her admirers in & outside India. With three widely admired albums Ni Main Yaar Nu Sajda Kardi, PIYA & Winds of Rajasthan, Richa has made quite a name and with songs like #TeraSajda... & #MereMaula... she’ll be paying an homage to His Highness Khan at the Vancouver concert. Richa Sharma’s upcoming #SAJDA : #RichaSharmaLive2019 is her humble

tribute to all music fans and the ‘Sufi Queen’ will showcase her powerful vocal chords like never before with sufi renditions of famous masters in the months of June & July, 2019.

KVP Entertainers, who are celebrating 25 years in concert promotion and recently hosted singer NEHA KAKKAR at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre, are presenting the versatile singer on Saturday, June 15nth,2019 @ Vancouver’s Molson Canadian Theatre at the Hard Rock Casino, Coquitlam with tickets at $35, 55, 75, 100 & VIP available at Kamal’s Video Palace, Surrey (www.kvpentertainers. com<http://www.kvpentertainers.com/>) or w w w. t i c k e t m a s t e r. c a < h t t p : / / w w w. ticketmaster.ca/> and more information can be obtained from KAMAL SHARMA at (604)592-9777 or (604)833-1977

Vaisakhi Programs: April 22nd to 26th (Mon-Fri)- 6 pm to 8 pm (Rehraas Sahib, Katha & Kirtan) April 27th (Sat)– 9 am to 8 pm, (Katha, Kirtan & Dhadi) April 28th (Sun)– 5 am to 4 pm (Nitnem, Asa Di Var, Kirtan & Dhadi)

Parade (Nagar Kirtan) - Sunday 10 am to 12 pm FREE FAMILY EVENT with Live Kirtan, traditional music, stalls, displays, Sikh martial art & free food GURDWARA SINGH SABHA SOCIETY OF VICTORIA For More Info Please Contact: ΎϮϱϬͲϮϭϲͲϲϯϲϮ͕ ΎϮϱϬͲϴϭϴͲϴϭϳϮ͕ ΎϮϱϬͲϮϭϲͲϴϵϵϯ͕ ϰϳϬ ĞĐĞůŝĂ ZŽĂĚ͕ sŝĐƚŽƌŝĂ ͕ ĂŶĂĚĂ͕ sϴd ϰdϱ͕ ;ϮϱϬͿ ϰϳϱͲϮϮϴϬ

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24

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Vol. 10 No. 13

Saturday - April 27, 2019

Tel: 604-591-5423

E-mail: ads@theasianstar.com

Real estate sector submits anti-money laundering recommendations to government Organizations representing key professions in the BC real estate sector submitted joint recommendations to the provincial and federal governments today to help protect BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housing market from money laundering.

The participating organizations include the British Columbia Real Estate Association, the Appraisal Institute of Canada â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BC Association, BC Notaries Association, Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association â&#x20AC;&#x201C; British Columbia, and the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.

In their submission, these organizations also commit to shared best practices to help keep the proceeds of organized crime out of the economy. Their efforts focus on helping protect the real estate market from unscrupulous operators and ensuring the public can have full confidence in BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate market. All of the organizations have fully supported and participated in

the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investigations into money laundering and real estate.

A real estate transaction involves multiple professionals.

It will take a coordinated effort by all involved, working in collaboration with government, to stop money laundering. The joint recommendations and best practices submitted by these organizations reflect their commitment to the professionals and consumers they serve.

As a group of real estate organizations representing industry professionals, we are committed to a transparent real estate market and to ensuring that the public can continue to have full confidence in the real estate industry. Illegal funds have no place in BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate market.

We are supportive of the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investigations into money laundering and real estate, having actively participated in Peter Germanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s review and

A North Shore realtor is Real estate company sued after alleged suing the company she worked romantic feelings for her that she rebuffed. for over allegations she was assaulted by a She says that following this rejection, Hallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s male colleague and eventually forced to attitude toward her changed and he began leave her job. Lisa Eileen Billett claims that behaving in a controlling and erratic manner.

Colin Hall, who formed a partnership with Billet claims that on April 19, 2017, she and her at Sutton West Coast Realty, developed Hall attended an awards dinner put on by

the Expert Panel on Money Laundering.

As an industry, we have come together to commit to shared best practices and make recommendations to government. By aligning as an industry and working in collaboration with government, we can help facilitate an environment in which consumers are wellserved and industry professionals can thrive.

Anti-money laundering recommendations Our collaboration has resulted in a commitment from the undersigned organizations to pursue the following shared best practices and recommendations for government: Accept only verified funds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; For sectors of real estate that are not already required to do so, we recommend that they accept funds only in forms that are verifiable through Canadian financial institutions.

North Vancouver assault involving co-worker Sutton West Coast and that as he was driving her home, he demanded that Billett return a letter he had given her stating he was committed to the partnership and addressing some of his previous conduct. In the lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court, she says when she refused to

return the letter, Hall began to wrestle her purse away from her while driving his car in excess of the speed limit and then swerved off the bridge onto the Dollarton off-ramp in North Vancouver and pulled into an empty parking lot.

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25

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Over 11% of Vancouver condos have a non-resident owner, says new CMHC report

#106 - 7565 132 St. Surrey, BC 604.572.3005

Over 11 percent of Vancouver condos have at least one non-resident as an owner, a number that jumps to more than 19 per cent when it comes to newer built condos.

The information is contained in a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation housing market insight report which also found that non-residents â&#x20AC;&#x201D; defined as someone who

doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have their principal residence in Canada â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tend to own more expensive properties than residents, especially in Vancouver.

Some of the other findings: 7.2 per cent of all Vancouver properties have at least one non-resident owner.

Non-resident ownership is highest in

26

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards

604-566-3111

7233 - Fraser St., Vancouver, BC

Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan, Pune, a registered public charitable trust established and exclusively nurtured over the last 30 years by the Mangeshkar family, felicitated legends as usual from the fields of music, drama, art and social work with the prestigious annual Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan

contribution to Indian Cinema and the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Special Award to Helen for her contribution to Indian Cinema.

The Vagvilasini Award was given to Vasant Abaji Dahake for Literature; the Mohan Wagh Award to Bhadrakali Productions “Soyare Sakal” for Best Drama of the Year and the Anandmayee Puraskar to Pandit

awards at the Shri Shanmukhanand Hall, Sion. Hon. Directorate-General, Vijay Kumar, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), presided over the function and the awards were given away by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

This year, the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award for music and art has been conferred upon the well-known classical dancer, Smt. Sucheta Bhide-Chapekar; the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Lifetime award (Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar) to Salim Khan; the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Special Award to Madhur Bhandarkar for his

Suresh Talwalkar of Taalyogi Ashram for espousing a social cause. Vijaykumar was also honored on behalf of “Bharat Ke Veer,” an NGO that works for India’s bravehearts under the Ministry of Home Affairs. This time, the Deenanath Mangeshkar Pratishthan handed over a token of appreciation to honor the martyrs who have laid down their lives in line of duty in the terrorist attack at Pulwama in Jammu & Kashmir, which had claimed the lives of over 40 CRPF soldiers. For the same cause, Lata Mangeshkar has donated Rs.1 crore in memory of her father, Master Deenanath Mangeshkar.

27

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Surrey Vaisakhi parade draws record crowds with over 500,000 people

Huge Crowed at Pani puri ( gol gape) stall of The Asian star / Punjabi Star Newspapers in Surrey last Saturday. The Vaisakhi parade started from Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh

Darbar 128 & 85th Avenue at 9:30am and it ended at the same location at 5pm. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vaisakhi parade featured 20 floats from local Sikh organizations, schools, and humanitarian

groups. The most important float carried the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy scriptures) along the streets of Surrey, beautiful weather

brought a record-crowd to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vaisakhi parade in Surrey. According to organizers, the final attendance count came to an astonishing half-a-million.

From the stage of Darbar Shri Guru Garanth Sahib Hazoori Ragi Bhai Nirbhay and his Jatha perform Kirtan.

Bhai Gursev Singh ties Dastar to hundreds of the Sikh Sangat

Thousands of Sikh Sangat taste pani-puri (gol-gappas) from the stall of Asian Star & Punjabi Star on Vaisakhi day in Surrey on Saturday, April 20, 2019.

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Saturday, April 27, 2019

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Saturday, April 27, 2019

DREAM CARPET

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Maple Ridge seeks support in fight against BC gov’t There are 161 municipalities in British Columbia with mayors and councils — and the City of Maple Ridge is reaching out to each and every one in its dispute with the provincial government.

Maple Ridge Mayor Mike Morden sent a message this week to all members of the Union of B.C. Municipalities, asking them to consider passing a resolution about work in collaboration with local communities that, in Morden’s words, “is strictly about the importance of local government autonomy.”

However, the sample resolution Morden included in his letter includes a clause saying “The Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing has taken

unilateral action in Maple Ridge ... setting a dangerous precedent that jeopardizes the autonomy of all local governments.”

It comes a month after the province announced they would be building a modular housing complex for Maple Ridge’s homeless population in a location where the municipal government asked them to build a seniors’ centre instead.

Maple Ridge Mayor Mike Morden has argued the provincial government should respect the opinions of municipal governments when it comes to deciding the location of social housing.

Morden did not respond to a request for comment, but the city’s communications

Fraser Health reminds parents to vaccinate children for measles Fraser Health is taking steps to ensure children are protected from measles as part of the provincial Measles Immunization Catch-up Program. As cases of measles continue to be identified in the Lower Mainland, we are providing an opportunity for unimmunized and under immunized children to get vaccinated.

The program runs from April through June 2019. Fraser Health is arranging over 150 community and school-based clinics throughout the region to ensure children are fully immunized against the measles virus.

All students who do not have up-to-date measles vaccinations can be immunized at

community-based measles immunization clinics. Some students will be provided the opportunity to receive any missing measles vaccines at school-based clinics, either in their school or a neighbouring school. More information, including a list of community based measles clinics can be found at www.fraserhealth.ca/ measlescatchup. The list of clinics will continue to be updated as they are arranged.

Students can also be immunized by visiting a family physician or pharmacist.

Fraser Health has been working with school districts across the region to keep parents and children informed.

We continue to review student records to determine who is fully immunized.

Students are already receiving letters if they are not up-to-date or have not reported they have received the measles vaccine. Letters provide instructions on where and when a child can go to receive the vaccination. We have over 90,000 student records to review and assess. Due to this large volume of students, this work will continue through the coming weeks.

If a child was immunized by someone outside of Fraser Health Public Health, such as a family doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist, parents are encouraged to email their child’s immunization record directly to Fraser Health at reportimmunizations@fraserhealth.ca.

Mansion’s bloody history not a reason for backing out of real estate deal: Court A woman who backed out of a $6.1-million deal to buy a Vancouver mansion when she learned an alleged gangster was gunned down at the front gate will not be getting her deposit back.

The B.C. Court of Appeal has overturned lower court decisions that said Feng Yun Shao deserved the return of her $300,000 down payment for 3883 Cartier St. — plus interest and costs.

Shao had argued that she was deceived during negotiations to buy the 9,018-squarefoot mansion in 2009, when owner Mei Zhen Wang told her the family was moving to West Vancouver, because her granddaughter was switching schools.

The girl had been kicked out of West Point Grey Academy in response to media reports about the fatal 2007 shooting of her father, alleged gang leader Raymond Huang, but Wang did not mention that during her discussions with Shao, according to court documents.

Last year, a B.C. Supreme Court judge said Wang relied on “fraudulent representation” to sell the house and awarded Shao damages, but that was reversed Tuesday on appeal.

“As [Wang’s daughter Winnie Yuan] testified, if her daughter’s private school had not made the unfortunate decision it did, the family likely would not have moved at all. Thus, there was no misrepresentation by omission,” Justice Mary Newbury wrote on behalf of the panel of three appeal court judges.

“There was no evidence she knew or should have expected that Ms. Shao would have a particular sensitivity to an event that had occurred two years earlier and that did not affect the quality of the house or its usefulness.” to shot was Huang Raymond death on the sidewalk outside the mansion’s front gate on Nov. 3, 2007.

He was alleged to be a leader of the Big Circle Boys, a Chinese gang.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Ontaro youth facing terrorism charges rearrested An eastern Ontario teen already facing five charges related to an alleged terrorism plot has been rearrested after breaching his bail conditions, police and lawyers said Tuesday.

Like many of the previous proceedings concerning the boy from Kingston, Ont., the details of his latest arrest are shielded by a publication ban. But city police said the teen had been rearrested on Sunday and charged with one count each of mischief and breach of recognizance.

The 16-year-old boy who was previously arrested in Kingston, Ont. over an alleged terrorism plot is now facing new charges including one count each of mischief and breach of bail conditions.

The 16-year-old boy who was previously arrested in Kingston, Ont. over an alleged terrorism plot is now facing new charges including one count each of mischief and breach of bail conditions. (dreamstime / TNS) The charges were confirmed by the boy’s lawyer, Simon Borys, who said the youth is currently in a detention facility while he awaits his next court date.

“We are investigating the allegations

ourselves,” Borys said in a telephone interview. “I have follow-up investigation to do based on what I’m being told by my client and what I’m hearing from the police.”

The teen, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was arrested in January after a tip from the FBI touched off an investigation in Canada.

Police said at the time that the youth had plotted a terrorist attack but had not chosen a specific target.

At the time of his arrest, he was charged with knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity and counselling another person to “deliver, place, discharge or detonate an explosive or other lethal device’’ in a public place.

Police file new charges against youth accused of terror-related offences in Kingston, Ont. You might be interested in 19-year-old accused of killing his mother in Toronto’s PATH network makes brief court appearance 19-year-old accused of killing his mother in Toronto.

Canada Revenue Agency writes off $133M owed by one taxpayer As the April 30 deadline approaches for filing income tax returns, there’s word of an unusually large tax writeoff by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Sometime in the first six months of 2018, the agency wrote off more than $133 million in taxes owed by one taxpayer.

It’s not clear whether the recipient of the writeoff was a person or a corporation.

The amount was for unspecified excise taxes or excise duties; the CRA has offered no further details.

The massive writeoff is cited in a Sept. 14, 2018 internal CRA memo to explain a big jump in the total tax dollars declared uncollectible, compared with the total for the same period a year previous.

CRA won’t say who got it “The above total amount submitted for writeoff represents an increase of $209M in comparison to the first

submission of the 2017-2018 fiscal year,” says the memo, obtained by CBC News under the Access to Information Act. “The increase is attributable to a few large writeoffs, including one for $133M.” The federal government applies excise taxes on fuelinefficient vehicles, automobile air conditioners and some petroleum products.

Excise duties, on the other hand, are collected on spirits, wine, beer, tobacco products and now cannabis. Excise taxes and duties in 2017-18 brought $5.9 billion into the federal treasury, mostly from alcohol.

A spokesperson for the Canada Revenue Agency declined to identify the taxpayer benefiting from the writeoff, or to provide details of the nature of the uncollected taxes, citing confidentiality provisions under the law.

LOCAL / NATIONAL

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Canada working to end the garbage row with Philippines A resolution to the row between Canada and the Philippines over rotting refuse appears imminent.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said Wednesday she thinks a solution can be found “in the coming weeks” to the argument over who’s responsible for dozens of containers of Canadian garbage that have been sitting in a port in Manila for almost six years.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said Wednesday she thinks a solution can be found “in the coming weeks” in the row between Canada and the Philippines over rotting refuse.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said Wednesday she thinks a solution can be found “in the coming weeks” in the row between Canada and the Philippines over rotting refuse.

A Global Affairs Canada official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are still underway, told The Canadian Press Wednesday it’s expected that the garbage will be returned to Canada.

“It’s likely that is the resolution,” said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

The Canadian ambassador in the Philippines made similar comments to the Philippine News Agency Wednesday, a day after Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to “declare war” on Canada over the trash.

Ambassador John Holmes said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is committed to allowing the containers back in Canada.

How did 103 containers of Canada’s rotting garbage end up in the Philippines?

How a $6.5 million dream turned into a nightmare in Vancouver’s real estate meltdown Half of high school teachers receive surplus notices in finance minister’s riding More than 100 containers arrived in the Philippines in 2013 and 2014, sent by a Canadian company that had labelled them as holding plastics for recycling. Filipino inspectors found they mostly contained household garbage, with only about one-third of the contents being plastics that could be recycled.

The Philippines asked Canada to take back the shipments, citing the Basel Convention, an international treaty that is supposed to prevent developed countries from shipping waste to the developing world without the receiving countries’ consent. Canada has been trying to convince the Philippines to dispose of it there but a Filipino court ordered the garbage sent back to Canada in 2016.

About two dozen containers were disposed of in 2015 in the Philippines.

The rest are still sitting in the port.

Duterte told Filipino media Tuesday if Canada didn’t deal with the mess by next week he was going to ship the containers back to Canada himself, after dumping some of their contents on the Canadian Embassy in Manila.

Canada and the Philippines established a working group last fall to finally sort out the matter. There remain some legal issues to be worked out that are slowing down the talks.

Who will pay for the return shipments is one of the outstanding questions. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press via an accessto-information request show that in 2017, Canada was willing to allow the garbage

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Ottawa offering incentives to steer drivers over to zero-emission vehicles Hoping to spark interest and drive demand for cleaner travel alternatives, a new federal program is offering to cut the upfront cost of zero-emission vehicles.

Beginning May 1, Canadians can receive up to $5,000 for purchasing or leasing a new zero-emission vehicle, ones with the potential to produce no direct tailpipe emissions. The incentive comes from $130 million in federal support under the 2019 budget that also aims to expand the number of charging stations for these vehicles.

Federal Minister of Natural Resources Amarjeet Sohi visited Londonderry Mall in Edmonton on Wednesday to announce an incentive program that will cut upfront the cost of zero-emission vehicles.

Federal Minister of Natural Resources Amarjeet Sohi visited Londonderry Mall in Edmonton on Wednesday to

announce an incentive program that will cut upfront the cost of zero-emission vehicles.

Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi made the announcement Wednesday morning at a charging station outside Londonderry Mall, a shopping centre in northeast Edmonton.

“We need to combat climate change and the serious risk it poses to our communities,” Sohi said, noting that oil and gas will continue to fuel Canada’s energy needs for decades to come.

According to a recent report by Environment and Climate Change Canada, the transportation sector accounted for nearly a quarter of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2017.

By lowering the financial barrier preventing consumers from shifting to greener travel options, and expanding charging infrastructure, the government hopes this support will give more Canadians the confidence and wherewithal

Developers offer incentives as condo market cools off

W

hen the Vancouver real-estate market was hot, presale condo buyers lined up overnight to snap up units at new projects and many people could profit by selling their contract on to another buyer.

Now, it appears some presale condo buyers are willing to sell their unit at a loss rather than complete the sale.

The sales information for a 1,350-square-foot unit at Wall Financial Corp’s Shannon Mews project on Granville Street, for example, says the original presale contract price was $1.699 million and the current asking price for an assignment of that contract is the same.

It’s not known when the original deal happened, but the developer started offering presales in early 2016 as the market was heating up. The asking price suggests the owner would rather lose on the investment than come up with the money or financing to complete the sale with the developer in the next few weeks.

The seller seems willing to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars — considering the transfer fee, realtor commissions and any negotiations with a buyer — to avoid having to complete the purchase of the condo, said Sutton Group West Coast agent Ian Watt.

A 1,350-square-foot unit at Wall Financial Corp’s Shannon Mews project on Granville Street had an original presale contract price of $1.699 million. Photo: Francis Georgian/ Postmedia Francis Georgian / PNG

Vivian Jiang of YVR International Realty, who is marketing the assignment, said it has sold to a new buyer, but declined to discuss the details.

To encourage other presale buyers to complete their contracts rather than sell them, the developer is dangling a bonus of $100,000 at completion.

There are several examples of reduced asking prices. t ćF BTTJHONFOU MJTUJOH for a unit at Westbank Corp’s Alberni by Kuma building, which will be completed in 2021, is showing a drop in asking price from $2.2 million to $2.15 million. t ćF TFMMFS PG BO BTTJHONFOU for a two-bedroom unit at Bosa Properties’ Miramar Village in White Rock, which will be completed in 2020, cut its price from $849,000 to $799,999 in mid-March.

Recently, Westbank Corp. notified over 30 presale buyers at its Vancouver House project in downtown Vancouver, which is to be completed this summer, that they would not be allowed to assign their units to new buyers, and asked them to remove their listings from the MLS. Depending on when they bought these presale contracts, which were offered by the developer starting in 2014, some of the owners will face the additional cost of taxes that have come into force since then, including the 20 per cent charge for nonresident buyers that is payable on completion.

10 countries with the biggest piles of gold In 2018, the volume of gold bought by central banks rose to its highest level since nearly a half a century ago.

That trend has continued into this year, with February seeing the most monthly purchases in four months. Here’s how much each country held as of early April 2019, according to the latest available data from the International Monetary Fund and the World Gold Council. 10. India Official gold holdings: 608.7 tonnes - Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 6.4% As the global economy slows, emerging markets have looked to increase holdings of the yellow metal. In India, reserves have been increasing steadily since last August.

9. Netherlands Official gold holdings: 612.5 tonnes - Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 65.9% The Netherlands has also moved to bring its gold reserves closer to home in recent years. In 2014, the Dutch central bank said repatriating some of its holdings from New York would have “a positive effect on public confidence.”

8. Japan Official gold holdings: 765.2 tonnes - Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 2.5% Japan’s share of global foreign exchange reserves rose to a 15-year high at 5.2% last year, according to the IMF. But gold only accounts for a relatively small portion of that, about the same percent as China. 7. Switzerland Official gold holdings: 1,040 tonnes - Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 5.5% With a population of about 8.4 million, Switzerland is said to have the largest gold reserves per capita.

6. China Official gold holdings: 1,874.3 tonnes - Percent of foreign reserves in gold:

2.5% As China pursues stimulus measures to soften the blow of a long-expected slowdown, its central bank has also been steadily increasing its gold reserves. March marked the fourth consecutive month of gains. 5. Russia - Official gold holdings: 2,150.5 tonnes - Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 19.1% In a bid to reduce reliance on American assets, Russia has been buying more of the yellow metal. Its reserves have quadrupled over the past decade, according to Bloomberg. 4. France Official gold holdings: 2,436 tonnes- Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 61.1% Last year, Reuters reported the Bank of France began working to improve the quality of its gold reserves.

The move was meant to help it trade on the international market. 3. Italy Official gold holdings: 2,451.8 tonnes - Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 66.9% Following the rise of the populist 5 Star Movement, the future of the yellow metal in Italy appears uncertain.

Earlier this month, Rome proposed that official ownership of gold reserves be transferred from the Bank of Italy to the public. 2. Germany Official gold holdings: 3,369.7 tonnes Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 70.6% Germany repatriated billions of dollars’ worth of its gold in 2017, a move central banks in the eurozone have been taking to bolster public confidence. Some of its reserves had previously been held in Paris and New York. 1. The United States Official gold holdings: 8,133.5 tonnes Percent of foreign reserves in gold: 74.9% The US is reported to hold significantly more gold reserves than other countries over twice that of the next two countries together.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Extreme weather, including widespread spring flooding, is ‘new reality’ of climate change: Trudeau As swathes of the country face yet another year of spring flooding, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the extreme weather is the “new reality” of climate change.

Speaking briefly with reporters during a visit to a flood evacuation centre in Gatineau, Que., Trudeau called for all levels of government to work together to help with the response to the flooding as water levels continue to rise and stressed the need to prepare for more such events in the future.

“Once again, we’re here noting how the floods across the country are a challenge,” said Trudeau shortly after giving remarks in French in which he called the situation a “new reality.”

“At the same time, we also have to reflect that with climate change, we’re going to see more and more of these extreme weather events more regularly. It means we have to think about adaptation, mitigation and how we’re going to move forward together.”

Portions of western Quebec, New Brunswick, eastern Ontario and the province’s cottage country have been underwater since earlier this week as the winter ice pack melts and river systems in

the regions surge. Hundreds of Canadian Armed Forces members have been deployed to assist in the flood response.

That includes helping with evacuations, filling and placing sandbags and doing wellness checks on residents in flooding areas. Residents in southern Quebec are also now being advised to prepare for a possible storm surge around the St. Lawrence River, including in Lévis and Quebec City, according to Environment Canada. So far, roughly 2,800 homes have been impacted by the flooding in Quebec, forcing roughly 1,400 people out of their homes.

Residents in parts of Saint John, N.B., have been issued voluntary evacuation notices while the Ontario cottage country town of Bracebridge is under a state of emergency due to the rising waters. The flooding also forced evacuations in Kawartha Lakes, Ont., and has caused road closures around the Parry Sound region as well as in Frederiction, N.B., where the Trans-Canada Highway through the city was shut down as of Wednesday morning.

Activists say new Canadian group supporting China’s control of Tibet is a front for Beijing Amid the dragon dances, toasts and presentation of letters of congratulations, a new Tibetan-Canadian organization had some surprising messages for the audience at its lavish launch party earlier this month.

As a member of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government and a Toronto city councillor looked on, the new head of the Tibetan Association of Canada explained how China had improved Tibetans’ lives and bolstered their religious freedoms during “60 years of democratic reform.” Those six decades date from when the People’s Liberation Army put down a Tibetan rebellion in 1959, beginning decades of what

human-rights groups have called widespread oppression. Established Tibetan organizations and activists — who consistently decry China’s actions in Tibet — charge that the new group is a front for the People’s Republic government, though they have no direct evidence of Beijing’s involvement. Regardless, it has already managed to attract politicians from three levels of Canadian government.

Letters of congratulations the group has touted from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen are not authentic, officials in the prime minister’s office and Hussen’s office told the National Post.

Budget watchdog says carbon rebate will be higher than carbon tax for most people Canada’s budget watchdog agrees with the federal government’s claim that Canadians are going to get more from the climate change tax rebate than they are paying in carbon tax.

The federal government implemented a fuel surcharge this month of $20 per tonne of emissions in the four provinces that have not enacted carbon-pricing systems of their own.

The new analysis by the parliamentary budget office predicts that, this year, the fuel charge will bring in more than $2.4 billion.

Another $200 million will be raised from the tax applied to emissions from large industrial emitters, who pay it on a portion of their emissions above a level set by the government.

In 2022-23, when the price hits $50 a tonne, the revenues will climb to $5.8 billion from the fuel charge and $448 million from large emitters. The four provinces involved are Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick.

The figures are very close to the government’s own projections for revenues. The Department of Finance predicted the fuel charge will bring in $2.36 billion in 2019-20 and $5.7 billion in 2022-23. Ottawa has committed — and has now written into law — that 90 per cent of the revenues collected from the fuel charge

will be returned to individual households in the provinces where the revenues were raised.

The PBO report says over the next five years all but the wealthiest 20 per cent of Canadian households will get more back from the rebate than they will pay in carbon tax.

The rebates are the same regardless of income, but wealthier Canadians tend to own bigger homes, drive more and bigger cars, and consume more products, all of which contribute to a higher carbon tax total.

In Saskatchewan for instance, the average household is expected to pay $425 in carbon tax this year, and will get $598 back from the rebate. In Ontario, the average cost will be $256, and the average rebate $300. In Manitoba, the average cost will be $260 and the average rebate $336, and in New Brunswick the average cost will be $193 and the average rebate $248.

The wealthiest families in Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick will pay between $13 and $50 more in carbon tax than they receive from the rebate. In Manitoba, the wealthiest families will still be better off by $37, the PBO says. The lowest-income families will get $70 more than they pay in Saskatchewan, $101 in Manitoba, $89 in Ontario and $63 in New Brunswick.

NATIONAL

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Saturday, April 27, 2019

Priyanka attacks PM Modi, says he is ‘pradhan prachar mantri’ Priyanka Gandhi termed PM Modi as “pradhan prachar mantri” and accused the BJP of “wasting drinking water” to clean roads in Banda, an arid town in Uttar Pradesh’s Budelkhand region.

Her comments drew a sharp reaction from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who said her statements show that the fear of defeat has gripped the Congress.

The Congress’ attack on Modi and the BJP came a day ahead of the PM’s visit in Banda. Water from tankers was being used to clean roads to “welcome our pradhan prachar mantri (chief publicity minister)”, she claimed. This is happening at a time when “the entire Bundelkhand, the men and women living there, school-going children, crops, birds and animals are facing the spectre of drought”, the Congress general secretary said. She tweeted, “Is he a ‘chowkidar’ (watchman) or a ‘shahnshah’(emperor) coming from Delhi.”

Rebutting allegations, Adityanath said, “The fear of defeat has gripped the Congress so much that it can be proved from the fact that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has termed an 11 seconds of washing of keechad (mud), as the washing of an entire road.” He tweeted: “The Congress is a factory of lies. Even after tendering an apology in the Supreme Court, these Congressmen are not mending their ways.” His reference was to Congress president Rahul Gandhi expressing regret in the top court on Monday over his remark “chowkidar (watchman) Narendra Modi chor hain” in connection with the Rafale judgment. Meanwhile, in Fatehpur, Priyanka today asked voters here to help end the politics of “divisiveness and negativity” and teach the BJP a lesson in the ongoing elections. “Change politics not only of your area or for your needs, but for your future generations and to save the country,

Explanation sought on complaint against PM’s Balakot remark The Election Commission is examining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks urging youth to vote in the name of those who carried out Balakot air strikes, but its grievance redressal portal shows that the complaint has been “resolved”. Now, the Commission has sought an explanation from the concerned returning officer for the error.

“The status should have shown that the matter has been referred to Election Commission headquarters. But the entry reflected that the complaint as resolved ...

it is being rectified,” explained a senior EC functionary. An explanation has been sought from the concerned official the functionary said. Addressing a rally in Ausa in Maharashtra’s Latur on April 9, Modi said, “Can your first vote be dedicated to those who carried out the air strike.” “I want to tell the first-time voters: can your first vote be dedicated to the veer jawans (valiant soldiers) who carried out the air strike in Pakistan. Can your first vote be dedicated to the veer shaheed (brave martyrs) of Pulwama (terror attack),” Modi had said.

PM Modi to address election rallies in Maharashtra With just three days to go for the campaigning to end for the fourth and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will address public meetings in Maharashtra on Friday. While PM Modi will address a rally at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai tomorrow evening, Mr Gandhi will speak in Sinnar in Nashik district around the same time.

In Maharashtra, the Congress president has so far addressed rallies in Nagpur, Wardha, Chandrapur, Nanded and held an interactive session with students in Pune.

When asked if the Congress central leadership had ignored Maharashtra and Mumbai as far as campaigning is concerned, the party’s Mumbai unit chief Milind Deora told news agency PTI, “That’s not true.

Maharashtra has a huge Congress presence and some of the most influential Congress leaders have come to the state for campaigning.”

“Congress president has a close watch on

Maharashtra affairs and has given a very senior and seasoned in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge to guide us,” he said.

Mr Deora, who is Congress’s candidate for the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat, said regular meetings are being held with the leadership and intervention and direction is sought as and when required.

“Rahul ji’s understanding about the state is exceptional and it helps us immensely,” he said. A senior party office-bearer said, “A meeting in Mumbai was not planned. Mr Gandhi had addressed a rally in Mumbai in March before the poll dates were announced.”

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, who has campaigned extensively across the state, has addressed meetings for Milind Deora in South Mumbai and Sanjay Dina Patil in North East Mumbai.

Total 323 candidates, including Union minister Subhash Bhamre, Congress nominees Milind Deora and Urmila Matondkar, are in the fray in the final phase of polling in Maharashtra covering 17 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 29.

After Iran coercion, US to address India’s concerns The US will seek to mitigate the gang-press on India that led to its turning away from oil trade with Iran by engaging New Delhi in conversations on issues that impinge on its strategic calculations.

The top official for South Asia from the US State Department, Alice Wells, is already in town for talks with her Indian counterparts on Indo-Pacific and other pressing bilateral issues.

Wells will also be travelling to Bhutan where India is seeking partnerships to obviate the need for Thimphu to break bread with China.

The next big visit will be by the US Special Envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, to address India’s pique at being left in the cold while a settlement to two decades of violence appears within grasp. India has spoken out against toppling the current government in Kabul and replacing it by an interim government.

India’s counsel, expressed

by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale that a governance structure that has worked for 18 years in Afghanistan must not be dismantled, seems to have fallen on deaf ears while the Doha talks with the Taliban were in a full swing. The

US now appears to be course-correcting after the Taliban launched a spring offensive that has killed American soldiers. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s phone conversation with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani seems to be vindicating the Indian position.

Randall Schriver, a senior Pentagon official, will arrive next to discuss India’s priorities in the defence sector and to take forward decisions on cooperation arrived at a recently held meeting of the Indo-US Defence Trade and Technology Initiative committee which is working out the modalities of part-production of American defence equipment in India.

The strategic Chabahar port project, being developed by India in Iran, is a separate exception and will not be impacted by Donald Trump’s decision not to renew exemptions that let eight countries, including India, buy Iranian oil without facing tough sanctions, a State Department official said US efforts to boycott the sale of Iran’s oil won’t get them anywhere. We will export our oil as much as we need and we intend... they must know Iranians won’t give in.

Court has ‘no power’ to bar Pragya from contesting poll In a relief for Malegaon blast accused and BJP Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur, an NIA court here today rejected a plea to prohibit her from contesting elections, saying it has no power to do so.

VS Padalkar, special judge for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases, rejected the application filed by Nisar Sayyad, whose son was among those killed in the 2008 Malegaon blast. Sayyad had demanded that Thakur, accused of orchestrating the blast, be prohibited from contesting the Lok Sabha election. He had also urged the court to cancel her bail.

“This court does not have any legal powers to prohibit anyone from contesting the polls. It is the job of electoral officers to decide. This court cannot stop the accused from contesting the polls,” Justice Padalkar said.

Sayyad approached the court after the BJP fielded Thakur as its Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh to take on Congress veteran Digvijay Singh.

The court observed, while rejecting Sayyad’s plea, that “a wrong forum has been chosen”.

The court also came down heavily on the prosecuting agency, the NIA, for reiterating

its stand that there is no prima facie evidence against Thakur.

“In the reply filed by the NIA, the agency has noted that there is no prima facie material, evidence against Thakur. It is not known as to why this portion is included when there is no prayer in this regard by the intervener,” the judge observed. The court noted that it had rejected Thakur’s discharge plea despite the NIA giving a clean chit to her, and the court later also framed charges against her.

“At this juncture, the NIA cannot state that there is no prima facie evidence against Thakur, especially when it has not challenged the order of rejection of her discharge application,” the court said. The security cover of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur was strengthened on Wednesday, officials said. The decision was taken a day after a man holding black flag approached Thakur while she was filing her nomination papers on Tuesday. Her supporters later thrashed the man Besides heightening the security at her residence, the number of security personnel around her has also been increased. Sources said she might be provided Z-category security

PUNJAB

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Punjab heads for 2-way showdown in election While Punjab may not figure high on the agenda of major political parties as it sends only 13 MPs to the 543-member Lok Sabha, this General Election is crucial for the border state as it will determine the future political discourse here.

If the 2014 parliamentary elections saw the emergence of a formidable third front in the form of Aam Aadmi Party, which continued to surge up the political scale till 2017 when it became the main Opposition party, this election seems to once again veer towards a two-party system. In spite of the emergence of Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) led by Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP), a breakaway group of AAP, and Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali), formed by rebel Akali leaders, these rebels as well as AAP candidates seem to have failed to cut

Capt attacks Badals for ‘derailing’ SIT Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, during his visit here on Wednesday, harped heavily on the sacrilege incidents to criticise Akalis and garner votes for Mohammad Sadiq, Congress candidate from the Faridkot Lok Sabha seat. Addressing a rally here, the Chief Minister was also defensive on Akali and AAP’s attack on him for going back on his oath “on the Gutka” at Takht Damdama Sahib to wipe out drug menace.

“I had promised to break the backbone of the drug cartel in the state. Nabbing over 26,000 drug peddlers and sending over 4 lakh drug addicts to rehabilitation centres for their treatment in the last two years, I have rescued the state from the clutches of drugs as I had promised. There is increase of about five times in the drug prices in the state as the supply line has been cut down. This is a clear indication of drug abuse getting under control,” said the Chief Minister.

Attacking the Badal family for using their influence to derail Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe in the sacrilege and police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan, Capt Amarinder alleged that with the shifting out of IGP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, the Akalis had slowed down the investigation.

21 cops face charges of killing teen in 1993 A CBI court here today discharged former Superintendent of Police Gursharan Singh Bedi, who was booked in connection with the fake encounter of a teenager, Gurpartap Singh, in 1993. Gursharan Singh, posted as an Inspector at Tarn Taran police station in 1993, was booked for “wrongfully detaining” the 17-year-old and “fabricating police records”.

Defence counsel Kundan Singh Nagra and Deepak Sood said the court discharged Bedi as the CBI could not produce any concrete proof of his involvement. However, charges have been framed against 21 other cops. All of them were posted at Tarn Taran and Bhadaur police stations at the time.

As per the chargesheet, Gurpartap Singh was kept in illegal police custody at the CIA complex, Tarn Taran, from October 2 to 23, 1993.

much ice with the electorate in a majority of the 13 constituencies. With all parties now having named their candidates, the electoral battle seems set between the ruling Congress and the Akali-BJP alliance.

Though both AAP and the PDA — comprising PEP, Lok Insaaf Party, BSP and Left — have fielded candidates in all 13 seats, their electoral prospects seem restricted to just four. Also, the Akali Dal Taksali, led by MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, has fielded candidates in just two seats. It thus seems their fight against the two traditional parties will be restricted. Within two years, when the third political front had emerged as a formidable political force, it seems this election will steer the state back to a largely two-party system.

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Punjab & Haryana high on ‘public faith’ in police Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are among the top states when it comes to public faith in the state police, while neighbouring Punjab’s police force is the most feared by its residents in the country, according to the Status of Policing in India Report (SPIR), 2018.

In a study of performance and perception, carried out by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies and Common Cause, an NGO, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have earned themselves top slots, while Punjab and Delhi are way down on the assessment ladder.

The parameters include independence, favourability towards women in the force, trust in the force from the perspective of public, etc.

Haryana is the number one state when it comes to perception about the police, as also trust in senior officers, while Himachal Pradesh has earned the second place. Punjab is placed at the bottom of the list (number 22) when it comes to perception and at number 20 when assessed for trust in senior police officers, while

Delhi is placed at number 12. However, what takes away the sheen slightly is that the rating of the two top states is not much high when it comes to trust in the local police (inspectors, sub-inspectors and SHOs), with HP placed at the sixth position and Haryana at 11. Punjab, compared to its performance based on other parameters, is a shade better at number 16, while Delhi follows right thereafter. While the fear of the police among people seems maximum in Punjab with the state placed at the last position, Himachal and Haryana are at number one and three, respectively. “Haryana being small, it is easier for senior officers to exercise control and visit all areas under their jurisdiction regularly to interact with people and also monitor the working of the lower police formations. The public also has easier access to senior officers to redress their grievances. People of Haryana are also more aware of their legal rights and don’t accept violation of their legal and political rights by any state agency.

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INDIA

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Two militants killed in Anantnag encounter Two militants belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter between security forces and the militants in Bijbehara town of Anantnag district on Thursday.

“On a credible input, a cordon and search operation was launched at Bagender Mohalla in Bijbehara area in Anantnag district by police and security forces,” a police spokesman said.

The spokesman said during searches, the militants fired upon the search party which was retaliated, leading to an encounter.

“In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter,” he said.

One of the slain militants has been identified

as Safder Amin Bhat (25), a resident of Zirpora in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district, the spokesman said adding Bhat was an active militant since May 2017.

The other militant has been identified as Burhan Ahmad Ganaie alias Saifullah (25), who was pursuing Bachelor of Physiotherapy.

A resident of Anantnag district, Ganaie had joined militant ranks in June 2018.

The spokesman said incriminating material like arms and ammunition—including one AK rifle and one SLR rifle—was recovered from the site of encounter.

India is not a tariff king, has the right to protect specific sectors under WTO: Experts India is not a ‘tariff king’ and it has all the right to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of specific sectors like agriculture, international trade experts have said.

Rejecting the US allegation that India’s import duties are one of the highest in the world, experts said that several developed countries and regions including Japan, South Korea, European Union, and America maintain “extremely high” tariffs primarily on agriculture products. The US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that India is a “tariff king” and imposes “tremendously high” import duties on American goods. Biswajit Dhar, a professor of economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said that the US allegations are completely unfounded. “In fact, the US import duties on several of their products are quite high such as on tobacco it is about 350 percent and 164 percent on peanuts. They too maintain reasonably high duties,” Dhar said.

Sharing similar views, Professor at Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Rakesh Mohan Joshi said that the US allegations are not correct and in fact, they should rationalise

their duty structure being a developed nation.

Trade Promotion Council of India Chairman Mohit Singla said that the assertion of the US is not factually correct.

He said that the allegation of Trump that India is a tariff king does not hold true and is unjustified. “Like other nations, India has the right to take appropriate measures to protect its domestic interests in specific sectors as and when it is deemed fit. Moreover, there are many countries which have much higher tariff as compared to India. Being a signatory and member of WTO, India remains committed to free, fair, and predictable trade,” Singla added. Geneva-based 164-member World Trade Organisation (WTO) is a multilateral body which frames global trade norms.

Singla claimed that countries like Japan levy 736 percent duty on certain products; while Korea imposes 807 percent on some goods.

Federation of Indian Exports Organisation (FIEO) said that product-specific high tariffs, like 150 percent on alcoholic beverages, 100 percent on coffee, and 60-75 percent on automobiles have made India a villain in the eyes of the US President.

Two women raped & blackmailed with video Two women were allegedly raped here by a man, whose wife recorded the incident to blackmail the victims into trafficking, police said on Thursday.

According to a complaint, the women, aged 22-23, were held hostage in New Mandi area, where the accused, Sanjiv Lohan, raped them. His wife, Rita, made a video of the

incident and blackmailed them, an officer said.

The women alleged that they were also raped by other men after they were blackmailed with the video, the officer said.

Both the accused had been arrested, the officer added.

UK court to hear Vijay Mallya’s plea on July 2 Liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya has been allocated July 2 as the date for a brief hearing to convince a High Court judge that he should be given permission to proceed to a full-blown appeal process against his extradition to India to face alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to Rs. 9,000 crores.

The 63-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss had filed the “renewal application” earlier this month after he failed in his first written attempt seeking leave to appeal in the High Court. The renewal involves a short oral hearing before a High Court judge, now scheduled for July 2, where his lawyers will further plead his case against being extradited to India.

“A date for the oral consideration has been set for July 2,” a UK court official said on Friday.

UK home secretary Sajid Javid had signed off on a Westminster Magistrates’ Court order for Vijay Mallya to be extradited to face the Indian courts back in February. Vijay Mallya then filed an application for permission to appeal against that decision in the High Court, which was refused by Justice William Davis, giving him a week to apply for “oral consideration” via a renewal application. “Once a renewal application is made, it will be listed before a High Court judge and dealt with at a hearing,” said a UK Judiciary spokesperson.

SIT to probe ‘fake accident for insurance claim’ racket A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a DIG-level officer, has been constituted to probe the “fake accident for insurance claim” racket operating in several districts of the state.

The matter is being investigated by the Special Task Force (STF) and State Crime Branch of Haryana Police.

DGP (Crime) PK Agrawal said an SIT led by STF in-charge DIG Satheesh Balan had been formed to get to the bottom of the matter.

As per official sources, a gang of fraudsters used to contact the families of poor cancer patients with offers of insurance cover. They even used to pay the insurance premiums themselves.

After the death of the patient, they used to stage an accident and lodge an FIR, claiming that the person had died in a road mishap or due to electrocution. They would get the insurance claim and give a part of it to the family of the

deceased, pocketing a good amount themselves.

Most such cases were from Sonepat, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Hisar.

Sources said the gang used to bribe police officials, doctors conducting the post-mortem examination, insurance-surveyors and medical record-keepers for their “services”.

The medical record-keepers were roped in to destroy the records of the deceased patients so it could not be established that they had been suffering from cancer.

“More than 50 such cases have come to our knowledge so far. We have arrested three members of the gang of fraudsters, including kingpin Pawan Bhoria of Sewli village in Sonepat, his accomplices Mohit and Vikas, besides Pradeep, a computer operator at Sonepat Civil Hospital and Pramod, an employee at the Rohtak PGIMS,” said DSP (STF) Rahul Dev.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

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SOUTH ASIA

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Earthquake rattles Nepal, north India & Tibet

Woman burnt alive after reporting sexual harassment in Bangladesh madrasa Nusrat Jahan Rafi was doused with kerosene and burnt alive at her school for mustering up the courage and reporting sexual harassment in Bangladesh.

The horrific incident has one again put the southeast country at the centre of controversy for the vulnerability of sexual assault victims and their treatment.

The 19-year-old girl was studying at madrasa. On March 27, she was called into the headmaster’s office where he continuously touched her inappropriately. Before things

Nepal was struck by a magnitude-5.2 earthquake early on Wednesday (April 24), the country’s seismological centre said, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the major quake that killed about 9,000 people. A 5.9-magnitude earthquake also struck India’s north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh early on Wednesday and was felt in neighbouring Tibet. In Nepal, the moderate intensity quake hit at 6.29am local time, Nepal’s National Seismological Centre said. Its epicentre was in Naubise, about 28km southwest of Kathmandu. Another quake of magnitude 4.3 hit 12 minutes after the first one, according to the centre.

The centre said both were aftershocks of the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015. More than 44,000 aftershocks have been recorded since the magnitude-7.8 quake. People in Kathmandu felt the seismic event, but there were no

could go any worse, she ran out.

Where is the uproar from around the world from the MUSLIM WORLD! or #METOO or FEMINISM or the L G B T Q when a straight Muslim girl is savagely b u r n t alive for demanding protection. BBC News - Nusrat Jahan Rafi: Burned to death for reporting sexual harassment https://t.co/m8LG4lqere — lulu berlin (@luluberlin7) April 18, 2019

Alerts sent to Sri Lanka after probe in Coimbatore ISIS case was completed by NIA Intelligence inputs regarding a possible terror attack in Sri Lanka were shared

by Indian agencies with their Sri Lankan counterparts earlier this month after the National Investigation Agency completed its probe into an Islamic State-inspired module planning to kill prominent leaders in South India, officials said here. The input was sent through diplomatic channels to the island nation after a thorough investigation pertaining to the IS case in Coimbatore was carried out by the NIA, which has filed a charge sheet against seven people. India sent alerts to Sri Lanka about possible terror attack after NIA probe into IS module targeting south Indian leaders

During investigation, the probe team had stumbled upon videos of National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim, which was indicative of a terror attack on the Indian High Commission in Colombo. After further investigation which included cyber trailing of some of the accounts associated with the IS, the central security agencies shared an input with their Lankan counterparts about the churches being the likely target of the ISIS module, they said. Over 350 people were killed in Sunday’s serial blasts at churches and hotels. The videos, seized from the accused in the Coimbatore case, showed Hashim asking youths from Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to establish an Islamic rule in the region.

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The reconstruction of thousands of homes, heritage sites and school buildings is still to be completed in Nepal four years after the tragedy, with the government facing criticism for the slow recovery. A huge funding gap

for reconstruction of school buildings has forced thousands of students to study in makeshift structures, The Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday. Meanwhile, in India, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicenter of the shallow quake at Arunachal Pradesh state was about 40km south-east of Along, and 180km south-west of the state capital Itanagar.

Sri Lanka’s president dismisses defense and police chiefs Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has asked the police chief and defense secretary to quit following the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels that killed 359 people, two sources close to the

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FIJI

Saturday, April 27, 2019

New hospital for Children with heart diseases planned South Pacific’s first ever Children’s Heart Surgery Hospital is expected to take shape within the next 12 months. This was announced by the Sai Prema Foundation saying that the work towards the project begins now following the opening of the Children’s Heart Screening Centre

by Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama at the Sri Sathya Sanjeevani Medical Centre in Nasese.

General Practitioner and the Medical Coordinator for Sai Prema Foundation Dr. Krupali Tappoo says that the hospital will be constructed near the Medical Centre and

the foundation is truly committed to realizing this dream.

She says that Australia and New Zealand do not yet have a dedicated Children’s Heart Hospital, therefore Fiji will lead the way as the first in the region to have a dedicated Hospital for Children with heart disease. Tappoo adds that all services will be rendered completely free of cost to all Fijian children once the project is completed.

Tappoo also highlighted that since 2016 they have managed to assist 54 children who went through surgery which has cost the Foundation approximately $5 million.

Evacuation centre opens up in Navua A total of 79 evacuees are currently taking shelter at the Jokhan Primary School in Navua which consists of fourteen families.

The numbers are expected to increase as the Northern parts of the group continue to experience heavy rain from yesterday.

The National Disaster Management Office is working closely with the Fiji Police Force and the Divisional Commissioners to monitor movements of people on the road and small crossings.

The Fiji Roads Authority will be inspecting the Toga Crossing and parts of the washed away crossings and this will be repaired once the weather permits.

The NDMO is urging parents to monitor the whereabouts of their children after Police

reported the death of a fifteen year old boy who was swept away by strong currents at Naselai, Tailevu. Members of the public are advised to take heed of the weather advisories and not to involve themselves in activities that will put their lives at risk.

Meanwhile a total of thirty (30) roads remain closed in the Central and Western Divisions. Motorists are advised to reconsider travel plans due to high risk of landslide following continuous heavy rain and to contact the FRA on 5720 for road status updates.

Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, Rosy Akbar speaks during the Fiji Teachers Association 85th Annual Delegates Conference at Yat Sen Hall.

Roy Krishna again named in FIFA 19 Team of the Week after latest hat-trick Fijian soccer star Roy Krishna has once again been named in the FIFA 19 Team of the Week alongside World Cup winner Kylian Mbappé.

This is his second inclusion in the FIFA Team of the Week after he scored a hat-trick over the weekend that helped his team, Wellington Phoenix beat Melbourne City 3-2.

He was first selected in the team of the week in January.

Krishna has been included in the forward line with Mbappé and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

Krishna has had his most productive season in the A-League.

He leads the Golden Boot scoring charts with 18 goals in 25 games.

Four passengers missing as vehicle sinks in Rewa River Police will continue to search for a vehicle that went into the Rewa River about 24 hours ago and also try to determine if four people were in the car. Police Spokesperson, Ana Naisoro says that the Eastern Division Traffic Personnel and the Police Special Response Team divers had conducted a search along the river bank yesterday but this was later called off due to rising water levels and strong currents. Police also received information that the driver of the vehicle that went into the river in Naduruloulou near Baulevu, Nausori could be an 18-year-old man. Naisoro says a woman came forward and said that her son had taken the vehicle. She says both her son and the vehicle cannot be located.

Naisoro also confirms that the Police

Special Response Team divers could not dive into the Rewa River yesterday due to strong currents. The driver of the vehicle whilst proceeding towards Nausori tried to overtake another car when he lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road and went into the river at about 8.20 yesterday morning. Police had earlier said that the driver and three passengers are believed to be still inside the submerged vehicle.

Police officers are conducting house to house investigations to establish the identities of the people in the vehicle.

Please contact the Police Eastern Division Command Centre on 9905563 if you have any information on the identities of the people.

PAKISTAN

Saturday, April 27, 2019 In Parliament it turned out to be yet another stormy day as ppposition registered protest against Prime Minister Khan for using derogatory remarks against oppositon party leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari calling him a ‘Miss’, in a public meeting in Wana, North Western Frontier Province.

During his address prime minister addressed Bilawal as ‘Bilawal Sahiba’ the word ‘Sahiba’ is a mark of Respect attributed to a women.

In Thursday’s session the PPP members of the National Assembly boycotted the normal proceedings of the assembly and staged a sit-in in front of the Speaker’s chair.

Prime Minister Khan calls opposition leader ‘Miss’ They were chanting slogans calling for the prime minister to come to the Assembly and apologise publicly for ‘insulting’ their leader.

Speaking on a point of order the Opposition MP Dr Nafeesa Shah said her party won’t let the assembly continue its parliamentary business unless the prime minister withdraws his

Supreme Court rejects Defence Ministry’s plea to close money distribution case Supreme Court rejects a report submitted

by Defence Ministry in a case of distribution of money to politicians and journalists or was it part of a grand conspiracy to overthrow elected government through unlawful means and replaced them with likeminded in 1990.

The crout demands a new report to be submitted within four weeks.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, heard the case.

In its report, the Defence Ministry said that it had constituted a court of inquiry, which had recorded the statements of six witnesses.

According to the report, the ministry is looking for more witnesses. The report said that a Court of Inquiry had examined all

proof and civilians associated with the case. It added that efforts were being made to bring the matter to its logical end as per the rules and regulations. “During the inquiry, were [the witnesses] asked about the [person] through whom the money was offered?” Justice Saeed inquired, to which the attorney general responded in the negative. Justice Saeed told the Defence Ministry to submit a “complete report” again. The judge also said that it will be examined if the witness statements, that were recorded under oath, are truthful. He said that the defence ministry can submit the report in a sealed envelope if it wants.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also submitted a report, saying that it could not find enough proof or evidence to take

Gov’t allows transgender to join Sindh police Sindh Police will announce that transgenders be able to serve as regular duty police officers, Sindh police chief said, adding it was time to offer more opportunities to a group relegated to menial jobs in government. After years of sometimes brutal persecution, transgender now gained respect and recognition, in 2009 Supreme Court granted them special status with legal rights equal to other citizens.

While discrimination still persists, the move

to allow transgender police recruits would be a significant step for the community, activists say. “We will make them part of Sindh police,” Syed Kaleem Imam, Inspector General of the Sindh police told Reuters in Karachi, the capital of Sindh province.

“They are good God-gifted people.

Citizens like us. We should stand by them,” said Imam, who as a junior officer became aware of the discrimination against the community.

PM Khan meets with CEO World Bank Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with CEO World Bank, Kristalina Georgieva on sidelines of the second Belt & Road Forum in China on Friday. He was accompanied by the Foreign Minister and Advisor on Finance and Advisor on Commerce. The prime minister informed CEO, World Bank of the recent steps taken by the government for improving the economic and fiscal situation in the country. He appreciated the

role played by the World Bank in regional connectivity, poverty alleviation, financial management, provisional projects, DASU and other infrastructure projects and ease of doing business. The prime minister also informed the CEO about the socioeconomic uplift measures taken up by the government and creation of “Ehsaas” social welfare programme.

words and apologises.

On the other hand the government ministers and members of the NA are defending Prime Minister Imran Khan saying it was only a slip of tongue and nothing else. The newly appointed successor to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Special Assistant to PM on Information Ms Firdous Ashiq Awan while talking to media persons said Prime Minister in fact meant to say “Bilawal Sahib” not “Sahiba” and it was an inadvertent mistake and merely a slip of tongue. In support of her arguments Firdous Awan referred to a number

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of speeches by the PPP leaders who also called Bilawal Sahiba and Shaheed (martyr). “Prime Minister Imran Khan has deep respect for the political leadership of the country and he never passes any personal remark against anyone,” said she. This is the second slip of tongue within a week by Prime Minister Imran Khan that has embarrassed his fans and party members and they are facing quite a difficulty in defending him.

Not only on social media, TV talks also made that incident main news of the day and retelecast Khan’s words.

However, the latest slip of tongue has not only ignited reaction by the PPP workers and leaders, civil society and rights activists have also cried foul saying Imran Khan’s comments about Bilawal show he is misogynistic.

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NRI

Saturday, April 27, 2019

NRI convicted for hacking 15 websites in Dubai A 33-year-old Indian IT programmer has been sentenced to three months in prison followed by deportation for hacking 15 client websites after his employer deducted USD 1,080 from his salary, according to a media report.

The Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday charged the man with hacking websites and issuing threats, Gulf News reported. The man, who was not identified, was also handed a three-month suspended jail term and will be deported immediately, the report said.

According to official records, the defendant, who worked as a computer programmer with the media company, resigned and threatened to hack its client websites after 4,000 dirhams

(USD 1,080) was deducted from his salary.

“He sent WhatsApp messages to another programmer at the company saying that he will hack the websites if the company did not repay him the 4,000 dirhams deducted from his salary.

“He was informed that the deduction would be made if he resigned before the end of the probation period,” said the company owner. After investigation, the police said that the data found on the defendant’s personal laptop confirmed that he had accessed the websites.

The defendant denied the charges.

NRI professor faces inquiry over drawing double salaries on UK A 44-year-old Indian-origin medical professor is facing a tribunal inquiry over his alleged failure to inform a UK university that he was still working at another varsity and continued to draw salaries from both the places for little over a year.

Akhilesh Reddy admits being in fulltime employment with the University of Cambridge and University College London (UCL) between September 2015 and November 2016, according to ‘The Times’’. He is set to appear before the UK Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service this month to face charges that he failed to inform UCL that he remained employed by Cambridge and knowingly received full-time salaries from both institutions.

The professor, who specialises in sleeping disorders, faces possible strike off action over the allegations,

the newspaper reports. He made his mark in the study of sleep patterns when he discovered that red blood cells had their own body clocks and was hailed as a catch for UCL when he was appointed to the chair of experimental neurology.

A spokesperson for UCL said they have “nothing to say until the hearing is over” and a spokesperson for Cambridge University refused to comment.

The Medical Defence Union, which is representing him, has also declined to respond. Mr Reddy now works for the University of Pennsylvania as a professor of pharmacology. The US university has refused to answer questions on whether it was aware of the allegations when he was appointed.

NRI jailed for life for sexually exploiting minor in USA 41-year-old Indian-origin man in the US has been sentenced to life in prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexual conduct and 30 years’ imprisonment for production of child pornography. Deepak Deshpande of California, who pleaded guilty in October last year, was sentenced by US District Judge Carlos Mendoza on Thursday. According to court documents and evidence presented during the sentencing hearing, Deshpande contacted the minor in Orlando through an online chat application in July 2017. At that time, Deshpande posed as a modelling agent and persuaded the minor to send him nude images of herself. In the months that followed, Deshpande contacted the same minor, posing as two other individuals, and threatened to disseminate her nude images if she did not continue producing additional child pornography for him. In September 2017, Deshpande travelled to Orlando in Florida from California to meet the minor in person for the first time. He brought her to a local hotel and filmed himself sexually assaulting the victim multiple times. Between September 2017

and April 2018, he repeated the same conduct during four additional visits to Orlando. In early May 2018, following an anonymous tip, the FBI began investigating Deshpande. An undercover FBI agent then began posing as the minor in communications with Deshpande.

As a result of the undercover investigation, Deshpande returned to Orlando and was arrested upon his arrival at the Orlando International Airport. Following his arrest, Deshpande plotted to kidnap and murder the minor victim in advance of his trial. He recruited a fellow inmate, whom he believed would soon be released, to serve as a middleman.

Deshpande gave the inmate names and contact information for individuals who might be willing to carry out the abduction and murder and furnished personal details concerning the victim and her family, including her residence and schedule. However, the FBI conducted an undercover investigation thwarting his efforts.

“This case is particularly noteworthy in the level of planning conducted and depravity displayed by the perpetrator.

NRI jailed for call centre fraud in USA A federal judge in Florida has sentenced an Indian citizen to eight years and six months in prison for his involvement in an Indiabased call centre scam, according to the US Justice Department.

At his sentencing on Thursday, Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington also ordered Hemalkumar Shah, 27, to pay $80,000. He had been convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft relating to his participation in the Indian call center scam after he admitted his guilt in January. According to court documents,

Shah participated in the scam to extort money from American residents by impersonating US tax officers between 2014 and 2016.

He and his accomplices in the US and call centres in India misled the victims into believing that they owed taxes and threatened them with arrest if they did not pay the fictitious taxes immediately, according to the court filings.

The fraudsters hired people described as “runners” to collect for them the money from the victims in the form of prepaid cards or through wire transfers, the documents said.

SUPER

Saturday, April 27, 2019

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Saturday, April 27, 2019