The Asian Star - August 29, 2026

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VOL 26 - ISSUE 26

White House alleges ‘abuse’ as Canada hits back on tariffs

www.theasianstar.com SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

South Asian man accused of heading drug-smuggling ring granted bail ahead of US extradition hearing

Ravinder Singh Dhanda, Gurtej Smagh & Jaskarn Baghri

The federal government has announced its plan to hit the United States with dollarfor-dollar counter-tariffs on hundreds of American products after U.S. President Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on roughly $28 billion worth of Canadian goods came into effect. On Tuesday, the White House released a statement that outlined what it claimed were a “record of Canadian abuse,” including restrictions on U.S. products and retaliatory measures. Continued on Page 10...

Arsh Dalla, all about the Moga native who fled to Canada and his feud with Goldy Brar after Nijjar killing claim

Canada-based Arshdeep Singh Gill, alias Arsh Dalla, is a designated terrorist in India and an alleged key figure in the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF)-linked terror-gangster network. A native of Dalla village in Moga, Punjab, Dalla moved to Canada and has been accused by Indian agencies of coordinating extortion, targeted killings, terror financing and the smuggling of weapons into India. Continued on Page 10...

A B.C. man has been granted bail as he fights extradition to the United States on charges he ran a drug ring that imported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine into Canada. Sureties for Ravinder Singh Dhanda must post $700,000 bail, and he must submit to electronic monitoring and remain under 24-hour house arrest, pending a future extradition hearing. Dhanda, dressed in a dark grey suit and white collared shirt, sat quietly through Monday's hearing before giving a thumbs up to family members in the gallery when the judge rendered his decision. Dhanda, along with co-accused Jaskarn Baghri and Gurtej Smagh were arrested in July, part of Operation Hard Ball, a joint operation between the RCMP and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Continued on Page 9...

Real estate agent fined $200K, suspended after buying and renting out affordable housing unit A Victoria real estate agent has been fined $200,000 and had his licence suspended for six months after he bought an affordable housing unit and rented it out, according to a consent order posted by the B.C. Financial Services Authority (BCFSA). Jason Leslie bought a unit at the Vivid condominium building in the provincial capital's downtown in 2021 despite not being qualified to do so, according to the agreement.

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He then rented it out for more than eight months — despite the Vivid being earmarked as a development where units would be sold at below-market rates to those who would live there, and rentals not being allowed under regulations. Continued on Page 4...

Finance to Politics, Perminder Chohan files candidacy for Surrey City Hall By Jasmine Kaur Kochhar: Surrey City Hall candidate Perminder Chohan says public safety, affordability and city’s development are one of his key priorities as he campaigns with Imagine Surrey in the upcoming Surrey City Hall elections. “The city has given me and my family everything in life, and now it’s my responsibility to give back rather than sit on the sidelines and watch,” Chohan said. After living in Surrey for more than three decades, Chohan has seen Surrey’s transitions but, in the

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direction, he wanted to. Public safety is currently the most defining issue in our society with extortion, gun and youth violence making headlines every single day. When specifically asked about the Newton area and the increase in population and the lack of establishments over the past few years, Chohan said,” nothing new has happened in Newton from the last eight to 10 years and his goal to invest in infrastructure and community facilities. Continued on Page 7...

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BC forestry fears it will be hardest-hit by tariffs

B.C.'s forestry industry expects it will be one of the hardest-hit sectors by the United States' new 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods. B.C. is the largest producer of lumber in Canada, and the industry plays a large role in the province's economy. Most wood and forest products exported by B.C. are sold to the U.S., valued at about $6.7 billion by the provincial government in 2024. "This is clearly an attack on Canada," said Derek Nighbor, president of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Nighbor said the most recent trade action by the U.S. government captures more than $4 billion in Canadian lumber products that include not only raw materials, but also value-added and processed goods like fibreboard, particleboard, paper packaging, and wood moulding products.

"We have billions of dollars worth of product that are caught up in this. We're among the hardest-hit [industries]," said Nighbor. He said the new tariffs come in addition to existing duties and tariffs, which have already weakened the softwood lumber industry. More than 20 mills have closed across B.C. since 2023, with three ending operations in just the last month. David Elstone, a strategic advisor to the forestry industry, said the trade negotiations that fell apart between Canada and the U.S. come at a very tough time. On Saturday, after he suspended trade talks with the U.S., Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a speech that the decades-long process of increasing integration and collaboration between the Canadian and American economies was over.

How 50% U.S. tariffs will impact the average British Columbian As the U.S.-Canada trade war ramps up in the wake of 50 per cent U.S. tariffs on certain Canadian goods, questions remain about how British Columbians will be impacted by the new duties. B.C. is among the provinces most exposed to the new tariffs, as the newly-tariffed items represent more than 13 per cent of the province's total exports to the U.S., a rate higher than any other province. The federal government is set to announce retaliatory tariffs starting Sept. 8, as well as support for targeted industries and workers, on Tuesday. Bryan Yu, chief economist at Central 1 Credit Union said that while the average British Columbian is unlikely to see immediate impacts at the grocery store due to the tariffs, Canadian counter-tariffs will likely make their presence felt when residents buy goods in targeted sectors. Yu said industries that will now face steep duties exporting to the U.S. — like plastics, appliances, pulp and paper — will likely lose workers and revenue. If Canadian counter-tariffs target the same industries in the U.S., Yu said the average British Columbian could face price hikes on

appliances and paper products, for instance. "If they really need a certain appliance from the U.S., they might have to pay more, or they're going to look elsewhere," he said. Yu said the tariffs will ultimately have an inflationary effect on the Canadian economy as a whole. "What we're seeing right now is that the Canadian economy has shown a bit of resilience coming into this. We've seen relatively steady growth in the last couple of months and quarter," he said. "That's, at least, a little bit of a sign that the economy is still kind of moving along — but it's going to hit a rough patch." Ryan Mitton, the B.C. director of legislative affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, said that while job losses may only be felt in tariffed sectors like forestry, they will have a downstream effect. "It's also the general store, the pharmacy, the equipment contractor that helps serve those workers and provides a valuable part of that community," Mitton said. "When one mill closes, we feel the impact across the entire town."

What we know about how the Canada-U.S. trade talks fell apart

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Prime Minister Mark Carney said one of the main reasons he walked away from a deal with the Trump administration is because Washington demanded terms that would "destroy" big Canadian industries including the auto, steel and aluminum sectors. He made the comment while facing calls from the Conservatives to reveal the details of the proposed deal that fell apart late Friday night. "We did make some progress in recent weeks," Carney said on Monday in Lévis, Que. "In the end, that momentum reversed and we could not accept what the U.S. had offered, nor could we give what they asked." U.S. Vice-President JD Vance offered a different version of events, accusing Canada of putting forward "a bunch of unreasonable last-minute demands" and urging Carney to "stop taking advantage of America." While the federal government won't publicly reveal the details of the negotiations, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has been briefed on the talks, called it a "bad deal" and said he's glad Carney didn't sign. Flavio Volpe, a member of Canada's advisory committee on this file and president of the

Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, said after negotiators agreed in spirit to a potential deal, it was up to dozens of Canadian and American officials to write up the exact wording of an agreement. When that "text started to crystalize," Volpe said, it didn't match what was discussed. Volpe said Lutnick has taken a hard line when it comes to Trump's objective to drain Canada of its vehicle production. American negotiators had initially agreed to drop the headline tariff on Canadian autos from 25 to 15 per cent, Volpe said. A source said American auto content would be exempt, reducing that tariff rate by up to half. (The sector had also been pushing for an exemption for Canadian-made auto content, which the U.S. didn't agree to, a source said.) Then right before the deadline, the U.S. revealed it planned to exclude medium- and heavy-duty trucks. That move left out North America's most lucrative vehicles: pickup trucks. Ford's F-Series pickups and the General Motors Silverado are made at Ontario plants and roughly 20,000 workers would have been severely impacted, Volpe said. Carney called that exclusion a "big change" to the terms.

B.C. Human Rights Tribunal orders Best Buy to pay fired employee over $60K

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The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) has ordered Best Buy Canada to pay a former employee over $60,000 in lost wages and compensation, finding the company discriminated against him based on a disability. Vikas Sharma was dismissed from his position at a Coquitlam Best Buy in April 2021, weeks after he sought accommodations for a debilitating knee injury. In a BCHRT decision released earlier this month, tribunal member Amber Prince wrote that his injury constituted a disability, and Best Buy had a duty to accommodate him under the B.C. Human Rights Code. Instead, she found the electronics retailer terminated Sharma without offering him alternative positions, despite his previously excellent performance, and that the evidence supported an inference that his knee injury was a factor in the firing. "By terminating Mr. Sharma’s employment, Best Buy foreclosed its investigation of reasonable and practical options which could accommodate Mr.

Sharma," she wrote. "Best Buy has not supplied evidence that it undertook an assessment, financial or otherwise, of what alternatives were or could be available." The tribunal member found that no one at Best Buy talked to Sharma about a reassignment or a transfer to another position — and other employees at Sharma's rank were transferred to other positions or locations. Prince ordered Best Buy to pay Sharma nearly $38,750 for lost wages, $1,589 for compensation for his expenses, and $20,000 as compensation for injury to his dignity, along with interest.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

Trump's considering renaming Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' as trade war with Canada escalates President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he is considering changing the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" as the trade war between the United States and Canada intensifies. Such a change would be reminiscent of the Republican president's unilateral action last year by executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The United States and Canada are locked in a trade dispute, with Canada expected to announce retaliatory measures on Tuesday. That's in

response to the Trump administration enacting 50 per cent tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods over the weekend after talks between the countries broke down. "The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don't expect to doing much business with Ontario any longer," Trump said on Tuesday on social media. Ontario is Canada's most populous province and is home to the country's auto industry. The rhetoric between the two countries is escalating, with Trump telling Canadian leaders on Monday to "fall in line" or face consequences "far WORSE" than existing tariffs. Prime Minister Mark Carney has accused Washington of trying to subordinate Canada.

Trump also threatened new 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian vehicles, auto parts and steel, while Carney said US trade demands showed that Washington wanted to "destroy our major industries", including autos, steel and aluminium. Canada and the United States share one of the world's largest trading relationships, with deeply integrated supply chains across autos, energy, agriculture and manufacturing, making a prolonged trade fight potentially costly for businesses and workers on both sides of the border. Businesses and consumers are caught in the middle, facing uncertainty about how much prices may increase. Michael Howard II, owner of a furniture business in Warren, Michigan, outside Detroit, said the tariffs will hamper the "ability for us to put food on the table for our family, but also impact the ability for us to give back to our community". Howard and his wife started their business a decade ago. They make and sell everything from dining room tables to bookcases. "To say that we don't need Canada is just disingenuous," he said. "It's dishonest. And it's just absolutely not truthful. We need our neighbour, but also they need us." Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and three other Cabinet ministers are also expected on Tuesday morning to share details of support for workers affected by tariffs. Carney said earlier on Monday that Canada may need to move away from matching US tariffs dollar for dollar and instead use more targeted retaliation aimed at protecting Canadian workers and businesses. "An attitude at the negotiation table that Canada is a subsidiary of the United States" is "not something we're going to accept", Carney said.

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Canada is no U.S. ‘subsidiary,’ Carney says, urging world to take lesson Canada will “of course” come to the negotiating table again, but not to be treated like a “subsidiary” of the United States, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs over the weekend and threatened more on Monday morning. “An attitude at the negotiation table that Canada is a subsidiary of the United States, that Canadian industry is going to be disadvantaged relative to American industry, that we’re going to set up terms so that over time Canadian industry is going to face constant headwinds – that’s not something we’re going to accept,” Carney said. Policy makers around the world should “take the lessons” from U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war against Canada, he added. “I would just encourage policymakers around

the world to take the lesson of what we see today,” Carney said at a press conference in Quebec on Monday. “There is a mutually beneficial deal possible here, but it has to be one that respects Canada’s sovereignty, that respects our independence, that uses our complementary strengths to build something better, not tear apart for short term gain. That’s the offer,” Carney added. Trump’s trade war also sends a message to American workers, Carney said. When the U.S. has the “right attitude,” Canada will come to the negotiating table, Carney said. British Columbia Premier David Eby said the world is watching Canada’s response. “Other countries are watching Canada’s response, and I hope will be following along. At some point the rest of the world will say: enough,” Eby said in a television interview with CNN.

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How Canada could hit back to hurt the US economy - and Trump About 70% of Canada's exported goods go to the US. So what leverage does it have in this spiralling trade dispute with its southern neighbour, which also happens to be the world's largest economy? Canada is the top customer for 26 US states, including Maine, Michigan, and Wisconsin. And it is in the top three for 45 of the 50 American states, suggesting Prime Minister Mark Carney has room to manoeuvre in a trade fight. For now, Carney's planned Canadian retaliatory duties are strategic "dollar-fordollar" countermeasures focused on steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, electronics, pulp and paper - though the list is still being finalised. Polls suggest a majority of Canadians would be unhappy if his government went in the other direction and made significant concessions to the US. That sentiment is shared by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, one of Trump's most vocal critics north of the border, who responded to the tariff threats by telling the US president to "kiss my ass". Canada's Finance Department said additional measures to protect workers and businesses would be announced on Tuesday. Here are some areas where Canada can apply economic pressure. Energy and critical minerals Carney noted on Saturday that Canada supplies the vast majority of US natural gas and electricity imports and about 60% of crude oil imports. "I don't think they want us to stop sending any of that energy," he said. Squeezing the US on energy is not in the current countermeasures, although various political officials have said explicitly it wasn't ruled out - and not all provincial premiers have been keen to use that leverage.

Ford, whose Ontario province is home to Canada's auto manufacturing industry, is open to how far the dispute could go and said that an "energy surcharge is on the table". He briefly floated a 25% surcharge in 2025 on all electricity exports to the United States, which his government estimated would have impacted 1.5 million homes and businesses in Michigan, Minnesota and New York. The country is also a major source of important commodities including potash - a product in fertiliser for which Canada is the world's top supplier. "I'd love to see [Trump] run cars without any oil. I'll love to see him grow vegetables and fruit without the potash," Ford said on Monday. "President Trump underestimates us, and that's the biggest mistake." The US is Canada's top destination for overall mineral exports, another point where Ottawa could apply pressure. Ford here also took the lead, saying in an interview with the Associated Press that the US "won't get a grain of sand out of Ontario". Purchasing power Canada has already proven that it can cause economic pain in the US. Even before trade talks broke down, a decision by most provinces to ban US alcohol from liquor store shelves - in response to the first wave of US tariffs early last year - dealt a devastating blow to that industry in the US. American wine had a significant collapse in exports, one the Wine Institute called the "most significant market disruption in decades". US wine exports to Canada fell 78% year over year, a $357m (C$494m; £261m) loss in export value, according to government data. Continued at Page 5...

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B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay slams 'selfish' MLAs who left the party B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay insists her caucus is united in the goal of beating the NDP, despite the latest blow that saw a second MLA leave in as many weeks. Findlay warned that Ian Paton and Peter Milobar's plan to start a new political party could split votes. "I don't think these decisions of both [Ian] and Peter are being made with the best interests of British Columbians in mind," Findlay told CBC News. "They're quite selfish." Paton said he was concerned that Findlay was "purging" MLAs and staff from key caucus leadership roles in order to appoint loyalists. Paton endorsed Milobar in his unsuccessful bid to lead the party. Both are former B.C. Liberal MLAs. Ian Paton leaves B.C. Conservative caucus, says he plans to form a new political party with Peter Milobar Paton, the MLA for Delta South and formerly the party's agriculture critic, said Monday that

the new party he will launch with Milobar will provide an alternative to anyone turned off by the direction the party is headed under Findlay. Milobar warned of more departures, saying there are other dissatisfied MLAs who "may or may not choose to follow the same path." Findlay brushed that off and insisted that centrists and former B.C. Liberals have a home in her party. "I've said from the very beginning it doesn't matter if you've voted NDP or Liberal or United or Socred back in the day or for us, there is a place for you here," she said. Findlay said vote splitting is a concern for parties across the political spectrum. "A centrist could take as many seats from the NDP, even more perhaps, than the Conservative party," she said. The premier's office said Eby was on vacation with his family in an area with poor cellphone reception, which is why deputy premier Niki Sharma took the call instead.

Carney says he'll resume negotiating when Trump team has the 'right attitude' Prime Minister Mark Carney says he's prepared to send his negotiators back to the table with the Trump administration when the U.S. demonstrates it wants a true economic partnership and stops treating Canada as a "subsidiary." "When the Americans go to the negotiating table first, with the right attitude towards our industries and in a true partnership, of course we'll come to the negotiating table," Carney said in Lévis, Que., on Monday. The prime minister noted that there's already a trade agreement in place between Canada and the U.S. (CUSMA). While Carney said it's a good deal, he also said it can be improved for all parties. But for that to happen, he said, the U.S. can't continue threatening to impoverish Canada's companies and citizens. "An attitude at the negotiating table that Canada

is a subsidiary of the United States, that Canadian industry is going to be disadvantaged relative to American industry, that we're going to set up terms, so that over time, Canadian industry is going to face constant headwinds — that's not something we are going to accept," Carney said. On Friday night, Carney announced Canada was walking away from the negotiating table after the U.S. team introduced "last-minute changes" that the government deemed "unfair" and "uneconomic." Those demands, Carney said on Saturday, would have restricted Canada's ability to sign trade deals with other countries and threatened the French language by undermining subsidies to Frenchlanguage media and the requirement for bilingual product labelling. About $28 billion in Canadian exports to the U.S. were hit with 50 per cent tariffs over the weekend.

Real estate agent fined $200K, suspended after buying and renting out affordable housing unit Continued from Page 1... In 2024, CBC News reported on the fact that over a dozen people were accused by B.C. Housing of buying properties at the Vivid despite owning property elsewhere worth millions. According to the BCFSA consent agreement, Leslie bought a 505-square-foot one-bedroom home at the Vivid in February 2018. The 135-unit development was constructed with a $53-million low-interest loan from the province, meant to underwrite the below-market sales of homes to those who otherwise couldn't afford it. As part of an affordable home ownership covenant on the property, only those who had a gross annual income of less than $150,000 and agreed to make their unit their primary residence would be qualified to buy a unit at the Vivid. Leslie took possession of his unit in May 2021, according to the BCFSA consent agreement, and he rented it out to a tenant the following month. It wasn't until March 2022 that B.C. Housing informed him that they had conducted an audit and determined he wasn't eligible to buy the unit.

According to the agreement, Leslie acted as an agent for the sale of three units within the Vivid development including his own. He sold the unit back to B.C. Housing in September 2022, along with the net rental income and real estate commission that he earned. The BCFSA found that he had committed professional misconduct by acting as an agent for himself, and buying the affordable housing unit despite having no intention to live there himself. His real estate licence has been suspended for six months, and he will be under the enhanced supervision of another broker for 12 months after that period ends.

OPINION

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

How Canada could hit back to hurt the US economy - and Trump

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Continued from Page 4... The distillers association reported similar numbers - saying provincial bans have caused exports of American spirits to drop by more than 70%. That boycott remains in place in 11 of the 13 Canadian provinces and territories. The ban is a point of significant frustration for the Trump administration. While that alcohol boycott has been put in place by political leaders, there are also grassroots decisions by many Canadians that have hurt their neighbour's economy - such as avoiding travel to the US. Even with a slight uptick in road trips to the US in April, Canadians made 800,000 fewer trips that month compared to the same time in 2024, before Trump returned to office, according to national data. The travel boycott has meant a loss of about C$3.3bn ($2.35bn; £1.75bn) in revenue for the US last year. Some American cities and states have appealed for Canadians to return through targeted advertisements and special deals. Political pressure Timing and Canadian political will could also be a tool for negotiations. Canadians know they will feel economic pain in this dispute - financial analysts estimated the most recent tariffs of 50% on about $20bn of Canadian imports could trim between 0.3% to 0.6% off the country's GDP in the short term. Still, a majority in the country broadly back Ottawa's decision to drive a hard bargain against the Trump administration, and other Canadian political leaders have shown a united front. A weekend poll from Angus Reid indicated that some 76% of Canadians support Ottawa's decision to walk away from trade negotiations even as they worry for their own job security. The US midterm elections are fast approaching, with the economy front and centre for voters and the Republican hold on Congress looking tenuous. Two of the biggest Senate races are in Michigan and Maine, which both border Canada and send most of their exports there. The Yale Budget Lab calculates that under

current law, Trump's global tariffs will cost American households about $1,100 annually.

Any further increase in the costs of goods and the wider impact of the trade dispute on businesses could further sour the American public on the economy. On Monday, Carney said that US workers will be hurt by Trump's most recent threat to increase tariff on autos and auto parts from Canada to 50% after 1 January. "What is the message sent out to the workers in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama? These

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workers depend absolutely on Canada, their largest consumer," he said, adding that Canada buys more American cars than the EU and other countries. On CNN on Monday, British Columbia Premier David Eby noted US consumers will see the impact of the US tariffs in any number of goods. "If you're building a new home, on plywood, if you're replacing your floor, on veneers, if you're getting married, on cut flowers, if you're going out fishing, on fishing poles," he said. "It is a bizarre policy for Americans. It's going to hurt them." Ford, one of the most vocal Canadian leaders opposing the Trump administration's tariffs, also did not rule out specifically targeting Republican US states with retaliatory measures and "making sure America's economy feels the pain". As for the coming midterms, Ford said: "If I were allowed to, I'd be down there door-knocking".

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Finance to Politics, Perminder Chohan files Pickets go up at waste-energy plant in Burnaby The union representing workers at Metro the facility in Burnaby, B.C., that is operated and Vancouver’s waste-to-energy plant says members maintained by Veolia. The company’s website candidacy for Surrey City Hall have launched strike action against its employer. says the facility processes about 25 per cent of the Unifor says in a statement that its Local 433 chose to initiate the strike after what it describes as employer Veolia’s demand for contract concessions from workers. Veolia says it “negotiated in good faith” with the union for more than a year, and workers rejected a proposed deal in July that was developed with a mediator’s involvement. Veolia also says in an email that the union has not put forward an alternative proposal. The union says about 40 steam engineers and other skilled trades workers have begun picketing

region’s solid waste, producing enough electricity to power 16,000 homes. The union says talks on contract concessions broke down last month. Unifor western regional director Gavin McGarrigle says in a statement that Veolia’s costs are “largely fixed” over the next four years due to the company holding the municipal waste contract, and workers do not believe they should be conceding on their contract. Veolia, meanwhile, says it is disappointed with the strike action and “stands ready to resume negotiations at any time to reach a fair agreement.”

B.C. man charged with murder in death of man dropped off at ER

Continued from Page 1... He also said that he would be reducing the recreational fees for senior citizens. Any individual over the age of 60 would only be needed to pay 50% and for super seniors over the age of 70 all the recreational activity would be free. Public safety was also prominently talked about in the interview especially with the rise in extortion cases and local businesses fearing and

not coming on camera to talk about it or even report it. Chohan argued that tackling such issues would require cooperation between all the three levels of the government; municipal, provincial and federal. Imagine Surrey, has also been working on proposing advanced CCTV cameras and panic buttons that would be installed for the local business

Work begins to rebuild Port Coquitlam school destroyed by suspicious fire Nearly three years after Port Coquitlam's Hazel Trembath Elementary School was destroyed in a suspicious fire, work is beginning on its replacement. Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday ahead of construction on the new kindergarten to Grade 5 school. “There's going to be much bigger spaces and we can return to the other areas we had, like our three playgrounds and the pond," said Hazel Trembath student Arya Hehar. The facility will be the first school in B.C. built using hybrid construction methods, with many of the classrooms and main areas using prefabricated construction. The province says this will allow crews to cut a full school year off the construction time, with the school slated to open by the winter of 2027. The province has faced criticism from school families and local leaders over what they say has been a

slow process to rebuild. "Which you think would be a pretty simple thing, school burns down, it had hundreds of kids in it, it should just be an automatic that the school is going to be rebuilt as quickly as possible," said Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West. An RCMP investigation found the fire that destroyed the former school was human-caused and criminal in nature, but no one was ever charged.

A murder charge has been laid nearly eight years after a man was dropped off at a B.C. emergency room with what would prove to be fatal injuries, according to authorities. Rodney Clement, who was 31, was dropped off at the hospital in Quesnel with “significant injuries” on Nov. 8, 2018, the RCMP said in a statement Monday. “He died as a result of his injuries, and investigators determined his death was the result of foul play,” Mounties said, adding that the Major Crimes Special Projects Unit took the lead on the case.

Shane Edison Fralic, 54, was charged with one count of second-degree murder over the weekend. Police did not provide any information about how Fralic was identified as a suspect or what relationship, if any, he had with Clement. “This charge reflects the dedication and perseverance of those involved in the investigation and our ongoing commitment to pursuing justice for victims and their loved ones,” a spokesperson for the B.C. RCMP said, in the statement. Fralic’s next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

Rare thunderstorm with lightning strikes wows southern BC, causing havoc at YVR Lightning strikes lit up the skies across B.C.'s South Coast overnight in a rare display as a severe thunderstorm passed over the region, snarling traffic at Vancouver International Airport and causing flight issues in the process. "This was quite the system, hundreds of cloud to ground strikes ... mainly in Vancouver/Richmond," CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe said. Wagstaffe said the centre of a low-pressure system pushed onshore near Richmond after travelling from the equator, loaded with moisture. A preliminary count from Environment Canada reported more than 1,800 incidences of lightning over the Lower Mainland on Saturday night and Sunday morning, while the B.C. Wildfire Service said it recorded more than 7,000 strikes provincewide. B.C. Hydro reported numerous outages overnight. As of Sunday morning, over 3,800 customers were without power in the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast regions. The storm created havoc at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), causing multiple overnight delays and cancellations between about 9 p.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. PT on Sunday. That left hundreds of passengers like Simone McCallum stranded at the airport terminal overnight. McCallum said passengers were directed to head back to the check-in area for new boarding passes, but were not allowed back through security again — leaving them to sit or sleep on the ground. "It was horrible, there was no place to stretch out at all, almost every surface where you could put yourself down was hard as rock," she said. "I can't even imagine what that would have

been like with children, or if you had some kind of physical disability. It would have been just a complete nightmare." YVR spokesperson Stephen Smart apologized to travellers who were inconvenienced, and said the airport called in extra staff as quickly as it could to help deal with the situation. Smart said the storm delivered lightning for more than five hours and dumped 64 millimetres of rain

on the airport, more than double the precipitation the facility usually gets in the entire month of August. Videos posted to social media also appeared to show flooding in parts of the airport. "Normally when we see something like that, it lasts for 20-30 minutes, operations get back to normal. Last night our operations were effectively paused," Smart said. "We can land aircraft during a storm like that, that's not a problem. But we can't have employees out on the airfield, we can't have aircraft taking off." The airport said some flights are also being impacted Sunday as the airport works with airlines to get back to normal operations. YVR's website showed multiple delays and cancellations Sunday. People are urged to check their flights before going to the terminal.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

Man who killed family of 6 on camping trip in 1982 denied parole

A man who killed three generations of a British Columbia family during a camping trip in the 1980s has been denied parole again. David Ennis shot and killed George and Edith Bentley; their daughter Jackie Johnson; son-in-law Bob; and grandchildren Janet, 13, and Karen, 11, all from Kelowna, B.C, while they camped at Wells Gray Park near Clearwater in 1982. A decision from the Parole Board of Canada says Ennis poses a risk of violent or sexual reoffending that would be unmanageable if he were released. It says Ennis watched his victims at their campsite before fatally shooting the four adults and keeping the two children alive for days, sexually assaulting

the older girl. The decision issued Monday says Ennis then shot the girls and set fire to the vehicle in which he left the bodies, which were later discovered by a berry picker. Ennis, who changed his name from David Shearing, was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years for the killings. The parole board says the aggravating factor in its latest denial was Ennis's decision to "callously and viciously" end the lives of six people in order to gain access to a female child victim, with the aim of satisfying his "sexually deviant fantasies." Ennis was previously denied day and full parole in 2008, 2012 and 2021.

Text messages in murder plea show killer and friend plotted to lure, confine, rape Calgary women A Calgary courtroom was completely silent Monday but for the subdued voice of a prosecutor as she read aloud chilling and depraved text messages between two men who plotted to lure, confine and rape women so they could film their crimes and make money from the videos. “I’d say hands behind back, clothes cut right away, she'll feel vulnerable and fight that,” wrote Steven Zwick, six hours before he lured his ex-girlfriend Chelsea Davidenas, 29, to his friend’s home in February 2024. But the men were unsuccessful, because Davidenas fought for her life and paid with it. As Davidenas struggled to get away from her captors, Zwick held her in a chokehold and a second man attempted to tie up her legs and arms. “She died before they could rape her,” said prosecutor Vicki Faulkner. Originally charged with first-degree murder, Zwick pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on

Monday. He was handed a life sentence with no chance of parole for 15 years. A second man is also charged. CBC News will identify him as PR because none of the allegations or facts from Zwick’s plea have been proven against him and his jury trial is set to begin in January. Details of the crimes come from an agreed statement of facts prepared by Faulkner and defence lawyer Andrea Urquhart, which was read by the Crown before Court of King’s Bench Justice Glen Poelman. More than a dozen of Davidenas’ loved ones showed up to court for Zwick’s plea on Monday, with several delivering emotional victim impact statements. A video was played in the courtroom of Davidenas’ daughter reading her statement. The now-teenager was 11 years old when her mother was killed. And Kendra Davidenas said she became a florist “because flowers remind me of my Chelsea Rose.”

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Loblaws, Metro and Sobey's were 'betraying their customers’ trust by selling bogus maple syrup, new class-action lawsuit claims Canada’s major grocers are embroiled in a sticky legal dispute after an updated class-action lawsuit accused them of negligence for selling diluted maple syrup labelled as pure. The amended legal filing in Quebec’s Superior Court alleges that Loblaw Companies Limited, Metro Inc., Sobeys Group Inc. and Groupe Épicia Inc. were “betraying their customers’ trust” by stocking cans of syrup that were allegedly cut with cheap cane sugar. For those of us who take deep national pride in our quintessential export, the allegations touch a sensitive cultural nerve. Canada produces the vast majority of the world’s maple syrup supply, and strict regulations govern the purity of the national staple. The legal challenge was initially launched in April by plaintiff Maude Fraser-Jodoin. That original application named only the producer, Saint-Chrysostome, Que.-based Érablière Steve Bourdeau, as a defendant. Howver, an amended court filing submitted earlier this month by the law firm Slater Vecchio added the nation’s grocery giants to the action. The suit claims the supermarket chains displayed “negligence, recklessness, carelessness, or serious indifference” by putting the compromised product onto store shelves across Canada. According to the newer filing, the retailers failed to perform basic checks on products carrying significant price discounts compared to genuine maple syrup. “The grocery stores should have exercised caution and due diligence before offering this ‘pure’ maple syrup for sale at a low price, given the disparity with

the value of other products,” the court document states. “They should even have suspected that the disputed syrup was tampered with after it went on sale, in light of the available information.” The

legal proceedings stem from an April investigative report by Radio-Canada. Laboratory testing on cans of syrup purchased at a local grocery store revealed that product labelled as pure maple syrup was actually composed of at least 50% cane sugar. In the report, the producer’s owner, Steve Bourdeau, also allegedly acknowledged buying syrup from Ontario and mislabelling it as a “product of Quebec” in violation of provincial regulations. The lawsuit targets sales dating back to Oct. 5, 2010, suggesting the group of affected consumers could number in the thousands or potentially millions. The proposed class includes anyone in Canada who bought at least one can of maple syrup produced by the company since October 2010, whether directly or through Metro, Sobeys, Groupe Épicia or Loblaws. The application to authorize the class action must still be authorized by a judge in Quebec’s Superior Court before the lawsuit can proceed to trial, and none of the claims have been proven in court.

B.C. man accused of heading drug-smuggling ring granted bail ahead of U.S. extradition hearing Continued from Page 1... U.S. authorities allege Dhanda led the smuggling operation that used long-haul semi-trucks to transport more than 430 kilograms of cocaine from the Los Angeles area into Canada between July 2023 and November 2024. Dhanda is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to export controlled substances, operating a continuing criminal enterprise and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted in the U.S., he would face life imprisonment. At Monday's hearing, the court heard that Dhanda had allegedly sent a dispatcher — dubbed CHS in court filings — to the U.S. to co-ordinate drug shipments. Unbeknownst to Dhanda, the dispatcher was actually a confidential source informing U.S. authorities, the court heard. The court heard that U.S. law enforcement recorded an in-person meeting between the two men at Peace Arch Park at the Canada-U.S. border crossing in B.C. in July 2023. At the meeting, Dhanda allegedly introduced CHS to Baghri, who he said could help co-ordinate drug loads, and told CHS to open a trucking company to operate a parallel smuggling operation to his existing routes. The court heard that Dhanda and CHS remained in contact, allegedly coordinating several large drug loads from the L.A. area over the following 18 months which were subsequently intercepted and seized by police. The hearing also heard that Canadian police recorded a meeting between the two men and an

undercover RCMP officer in Surrey in January 2025, which was joined by both co-accused Baghri and Smagh. At that meeting, the group allegedly discussed trafficking future loads form L.A. and extortions, the court heard. The Crown had sought to have Dhanda kept in custody arguing that as an alleged crime group leader he would have access to people and resources to help him flee, and noted police had found $78,000 in cash in his home. But in granting bail, Justice Alan Ross ruled the 57-year-old was not a flight risk, noting he was "well settled" in the Lower Mainland where his wife and adult children live, and that he had no available equity from the two homes he owns but which are being targeted by B.C.'s Civil Forfeiture office. Dhanda, who was born in India and immigrated to Canada at 16, is now a Canadian citizen who hadn't visited his country of birth in 18 years, he added. Ross also addressed an allegation contained in a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice that Dhanda had been recorded discussing the murder of an associate who was allegedly informing to police. "It does cause me some concern," Ross said, but noted Dhanda has not been charged with any violent crime. He noted there was no context for the claim, and that U.S. officials hadn't included it in any other legal submissions. He added that Dhanda would face strict release conditions and would be under close police supervision.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

White House alleges ‘abuse’ as Canada hits back on tariffs

Continued from Page 1... Trump shared several posts on Tuesday where he openly considered renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America.” In response, a candidate in the Toronto mayoral election proposed renaming New York state “the province of New York.” Meanwhile, several premiers spoke on the trade war between the two countries, including Ontario’s Doug Ford, who told U.S. media that he told Prime Minister Mark Carney to reject the Trump administration’s latest offer. • Canada imposes tariffs on 700+ U.S. products • $7.5B aid package for Canadians • ‘Things got a little heated,’ Ford says on U.S. TV • Boycott U.S. travel, B.C. premier urges On Tuesday, government officials told reporters that the list of tariffed items were designed to match the U.S. levies on Canadian products, with “individual product rates based on matching the

U.S. rate for the same goods.” For example, tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the U.S. will now go from 25 to 50 per cent, as will tariffs on furniture and clothing. Other notable items being tariffed at 50 per cent include: • Perfumes and makeup • Smartphones • Milk products • Tableware and kitchenware • Plywood products • Paper products • Honey, molasses and malt extract • Doors, windows and frames • Cutlery The list of products being hit with 25 per cent tariffs include: • A variety of seafood products • Large kitchen appliances

• Cheese and curd products • Carpets and textiles The White House released a statement Tuesday afternoon that outlined what it described as a record of Canadian trade abuses against the United States. The statement, titled “President Trump Is Finally Ending Canada’s Free Ride,” reiterated Trump’s earlier claims that “Canada has been ripping off the United States for decades,” and went on to read that Trump is “done” letting Canada “get away with it.” According to the release, the U.S. offered Canada the most preferential market access of any country on Earth last week, including deep cuts on steel, aluminum, autos, lumber, and more. “Instead of partnership, Canada chose unreasonable demands, walk-backs, and flat-out rejection,” the statement read. The release went on to list what the White House called a “record of Canadian abuse,” including

restrictions on American wine, beer and spirits, Canada’s decision to retaliate with tariffs rather than continue negotiations, and its treatment of U.S. aerospace manufacturer Gulfstream, among other complaints. In a phone call with CNN’s Jim Sciutto Tuesday, Trump suggested that the U.S. added new conditions in its trade negotiations with Canada at the 11th hour ahead of last week’s deadline. “That sounds like me,” Trump said.

Arsh Dalla, all about the Moga native who fled to Canada and his feud with Goldy Brar after Nijjar killing claim

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Continued from Page 1... As per the Ministry of External Affairs, he fled to Canada in 2018 and has since been operating a vast, transnational terror-gangster syndicate. The Centre designated Dalla an individual terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in January 2023. Indian agencies have linked him to multiple criminal and terror cases in Punjab, including alleged murder, attempted murder, extortion and terror financing. The NIA has also alleged that he used his network to raise funds and form terror modules for targeted attacks. Dalla was closely associated with Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the former chief of the KTF who was killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, in June 2023. Indian security agencies have described Dalla as one of the key figures who expanded the KTF's operations after Nijjar's death. The Indian government designated Dalla as an individual terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in January 2023. He is a proclaimed offender by the government and is named in over 50 criminal cases in India.

His charges include murder, terror financing, extortion, attempt to murder, and targeted killings. Dalla and Canada-based gangster Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar were previously reported to have worked together in forming KTF-linked modules. However, their relationship later turned hostile amid rivalry between criminal networks. The feud has intensified after a purported audio recording in which Brar allegedly claimed responsibility for Nijjar's killing. Brar allegedly said Nijjar was targeted because he had supported Dalla, including by providing him shelter, weapons and financial assistance. Dalla rejected the allegations, saying he was not with Nijjar when he was killed and claimed he had not met him for nearly a year. He also accused Brar of working for intelligence agencies. The exchange has since escalated into threats and counter-allegations. Dalla allegedly threatened revenge and challenged Brar, while Brar responded with further claims about an alleged attack on Dalla in Canada. The claims made in the leaked audio recordings have not been independently verified.

Two men stabbed at Edmonton Sikh temple as Alberta gurdwaras face threats Two worshippers were stabbed inside an Edmonton Sikh temple during an early-morning prayer service Friday. Police are investigating the attack as other gurdwaras in Alberta face threatening calls. Edmonton police were called to the Nanaksar Gurdwara in northeast Edmonton shortly after 5 a.m. Two men, aged 51 and 75, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after being stabbed with what police say was possibly a screwdriver. “I guess something must have been bothering him. Or maybe he was in the wrong place, wrong time? I’m really not sure, but an altercation took place,” said Harmeek Sehgal, a volunteer at the Nanaksar Gurdwara. A 27-year-old man, who police say was not a member of the congregation, was arrested at the scene. Police said he was known to them and had been released from a federal institution outside Edmonton the previous day. “He has a significant history of violence offences dating back to 2015,” Acting Insp. Eric Stewart said. Police said the man did not report to his halfway house following his release. He was also taken to hospital after Friday’s incident. Police have not named the suspect and said charges were pending. Investigators are still

working to determine what led to the attack and whether it was motivated by hate. Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack condemned the violence, saying incidents like it affect the entire city.

“Incidents like this pose a direct threat to all Edmontonians, negatively impacting residents and the character of our city,” Knack said. The stabbing comes during a troubling week for Alberta’s Sikh community, after two temples in Calgary received threatening calls. At the Dashmesh Culture Centre, a threatening call came in on Aug. 15. The caller said heavy equipment was on the way to demolish the Sikh temple while the building was filled with people attending services and community events. Edmonton police said investigators are considering whether Friday’s violence could be connected to the incidents targeting Sikh temples in Calgary.

FIJI

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

Rabuka rejects court’s finding PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has rejected the High Court finding that he and the President had a duty to give those affected by the Commission of Inquiry, an opportunity to respond before the report was made public. The finding, made by High Court Judge Justice Dane Tuiqereqere, is among the specific grounds Mr Rabuka is challenging in his appeal, according to his legal representative Simione Valenitabua. Mr Valenitabua said the Prime Minister disagreed with the court’s conclusion that, because the Commissioner Justice David AshtonLewis had failed to give notice of draft adverse findings, the responsibility fell on the Prime Minister and the President to give the affected parties an opportunity to respond before

the report was released publicly. In a statement, Mr Valenitabua said the legal team considered the finding a “fundamental error of law”. “The appeal would specifically challenge the findings in paragraphs 372 and 374 of the judgment,” Mr Valenitabua said. He said the Prime Minister’s legal team argues that there was no legal duty on the Prime Minister or the President to issue to individuals specific letters or notices or equivalent opportunities to respond to findings of an advisory report before its publication. He said the Prime Minister’s lawyers maintained that the procedural obligations of an independent inquiry, including the requirement to afford natural justice, rested with the commissioner conducting the inquiry.

US visa suspension overturned FIJIAN nationals planning to permanently migrate to the United States have received a significant boost after a US federal court struck down a policy that suspended immigrant visa issuance to citizens of Fiji and 74 other countries. The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled on Friday that the nationality-based policy was contrary to law and exceeded the statutory authority of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The court ordered the policy vacated under the Administrative Procedure Act. Fiji was among the 75 countries targeted under the policy introduced by the US Department of State in January. The suspension, which took effect on January 21, was based on concerns that immigrants from the designated countries were at higher risk of using welfare or becoming a “public charge”. Under the directive, consular officers were required to refuse immigrant visas to

nationals of the listed countries even where an individual assessment found an applicant was otherwise eligible. The court found this approach unlawful, noting US immigration law prohibits discrimination in the issuance of immigrant visas based on nationality. The ruling is particularly significant for Fijians pursuing family-based or employment-based permanent migration to the United States. The court ordered that the policy categorically suspending immigrant visas for nationals of the 75 countries be set aside. It also ordered that visa refusals based solely on the policy be vacated and returned for further consideration. However, the decision does not automatically mean every affected Fijian applicant will receive a visa. The court made clear that its order does not overturn refusals where applicants were found ineligible on other grounds under US immigration law. The judgment effectively removes nationality alone as the barrier imposed by the January policy, restoring the opportunity for affected applicants to have immigrant visa applications considered under the normal statutory requirements.

Chief Justice criticises COI legal advice Chief Justice Salesi Temo has criticised the legal advice given to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu over the extension of the Commission of Inquiry into the appointment of former FICAC commissioner Barbara Malimali, saying lawyers had failed to properly examine the limits of the President’s powers. Justice Temo made the comments while addressing newly admitted lawyers, using the inquiry as an

example of the importance of providing accurate legal advice and understanding the limits imposed by legislation. He described the outcome as “money wasted”, saying the responsibility lay with the lawyers rather than the clients who relied on their advice. “We’ve got to work and find out what are the parameters of your power to continue with that legal work,” Justice Temo said..

Fijian-descent lawyer appointed Associate Judge in New Zealand

A lawyer of Fijian Indian descent with strong ties to Fiji has been appointed an Associate Judge of the High Court in New Zealand. NZ Chief Justice Dame Helen Winkelmann welcomed Attorney-General Judith Collins’ announcement today confirming the appointment of Auckland barrister Nischal Hasmukhlal “Nick” Malarao. Associate Judge Malarao will officially take up the role on June 8 and will sit in Auckland. He is expected to be sworn in at the Auckland High Court on June 10. According to details released by the New Zealand judiciary, Associate Judge Malarao graduated from the University of Auckland in 1999 with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce before beginning his legal career at leading law firm Chapman Tripp. He later joined the Auckland Crown Solicitor’s Office, Meredith Connell, where he worked extensively in civil, commercial and criminal litigation.

Between 2002 and 2003, he worked in London in the litigation department of Lloyd’s of London before returning to New Zealand to continue his career at Meredith Connell. Over the years, he rose through the ranks to become a Senior Litigation Partner in the firm’s commercial litigation division. He also led the firm’s regulatory and insolvency practice group and served on its management board. In July 2024, Associate Judge Malarao moved to the independent bar at Richmond Chambers in Auckland, specialising in civil, commercial, tax and regulatory disputes, with particular expertise in company and insolvency law. Beyond the legal profession, he has also served in several leadership roles within the Kshatriya Society of New Zealand, a Gujarati community organisation. He is proficient in both Hindi and Gujarati and continues to maintain strong connections with Fiji.

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Singh queries missing FICAC complaint file A FILE containing a complaint against a former Fiji Sugar Corporation senior official allegedly went missing after it was lodged with the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption about three-and-a-half years ago. This was the revelation made by incoming Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh during a recent interview with this newspaper at Mata-i-Labasa in Macuata. Mr Singh said a complaint had been lodged with FICAC over what he described as an alleged corrupt deal involving the former executive. “We had made a complaint about three-and-ahalf years ago to FICAC, however, they had stated that the file went missing,” he said. He said another file was subsequently prepared, but no charges had been laid. If FICAC maintained that the original file was still missing, Mr Singh said another copy of the complaint and supporting documents could be provided. He alleged that transactions had been

identified in the senior officers overseas bank account, with money allegedly being transferred from Hong Kong and other parts of the world. FICAC was approached for clarification on the complaint and its current status, however, questions to the organisation remain unanswered.

12

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

SOUTH ASIA

Over 60% of Karachi residents live in informal settlements amid housing shortage Karachi [Pakistan], August 25 (ANI): Karachi is facing a persistent housing crisis, with more than 60 per cent of its population estimated to live in informal neighbourhoods due to a shortage of affordable and planned housing, according to a report by Dawn. The city's rapid population growth and increasing demand for employment have placed sustained pressure on its housing infrastructure. Over the decades, Karachi has witnessed large-scale migration from different parts of Pakistan, while housing development has struggled to keep pace with the growing population, Dawn reported. According to the report, the government's early efforts focused on developing formal residential schemes, including Pakistan Quarters, Martin Quarters, Federal B Area and Paposh Nagar. However, these projects largely catered to government employees and public servants,

leaving many low-income households outside the formal housing system. Dawn reported that Karachi's housing shortage has continued despite several government plans, development schemes and resettlement initiatives. A major early attempt at long-term urban planning was the Greater Karachi Plan, prepared by Swedish consultancy Merz Rendel Vatten and published in 1951.

Two Indian nationals were arrested at Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International Airport on Tuesday for attempting to smuggle Chinese-made cigarettes, estimated to be worth SLR 834,000, into the country, local media reported. The suspects were identified as a 33-year-old man working in the construction sector and a 38-year-old woman working as a schoolteacher, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported. Their names were not provided. The two allegedly

purchased 278 cartons containing 55,600 cigarettes of various brands in China, then travelled to Singapore before arriving in Sri Lanka around 12.25 am on Singapore Airlines flight SQ468, it reported. They had allegedly concealed carton-filled cigarettes in three suitcases before being nabbed by the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau, it said. According to the report, the two accused would be produced before the Negombo Magistrate's Court.

Trump spoke with Pakistan Army Chief Munir last week ahead of Tehran visit: Report

Meet Rabia and Jojo: Pakistan’s robot waiters winning over diners Syed Usama Aziz, an electrical engineer, has a dream: to popularise the use of humanoid robots in Pakistan’s consumer market. And he seems to have set the ball rolling. Several restaurants in Karachi, Lahore and Multan are using robots made by Aziz’s startup, Cobot, based out of Multan. “We manufacture robots locally using hardware, circuit boards and fibreglass bodies. We also handle the programming,” Aziz, a graduate

2 Indians arrested in Sri Lanka for attempting to smuggle Chinese-made cigarettes

from the National University of Sciences and Technology, told PTI on Tuesday. The robots run on batteries and are simple to operate. An application needs to be downloaded to run a specific task, he said. Aziz came to Karachi recently to see two of his humanoids -Rabia and Jojo -- serve food and draw more customers at a popular restaurant, The Sicilian, after videos of them went viral.

US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir last week, before Munir's Tehran visit on Monday, according to CNN. A source familiar with the conversation confirmed to CNN that Trump spoke with Munir last week and discussed Iran with the Pakistani Army chief. Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that Munir met with Major General Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, who said the United States "must change its behaviour". According to IRIB, Rezaei emphasised Iran's security management of the Strait of Hormuz and said, "The United States must change its behaviour and take practical steps to implement the terms of the memorandum of understanding." According to IRIB, Rezaei referred to Pakistan's efforts to establish the14point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Earlier on Monday, Iran's Parliamentary Speaker

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir in Tehran during the latter's visit to the country and criticised the United States for its repeated breaches of its commitments under the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in June to end hostilities in West Asia and establish channels for technical talks, including on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

PUNJAB

Suspected member of Bhagwanpuria gang, wanted in Punjab firing case, held in Gujarat The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Tuesday said it has nabbed a man, suspected to be associated with gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria's syndicate and facing attempted murder charge in connection with a firing case lodged in Punjab's Gurdaspur district last month. The accused, Sukhpinder Singh alias Sukhi, was found at a hotel in Palanpur, the administrative headquarters of Banaskantha district in northeastern Gujarat, on August 22, an official release said here. Police in Batala tehsil of Gurdaspur district in July registered an FIR against him for allegedly opening fire near the shop of a local resident. Following the firing, Sukhpinder Singh was booked under sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 324(4) (mischief causing property loss of Rs 20,000 or more) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Arms Act. Acting on a tip-off that Sukhpinder Singh, allegedly associated with the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, was present in Palanpur, an ATS team carried out verification and found him at a hotel in the town bordering Rajasthan. He was subsequently brought to the ATS office in Ahmedabad for questioning, according to the release. During preliminary questioning, the accused allegedly admitted that on July 20 he and his associates, Sahibdeep Singh, Gagandeep Singh

and Vikramjit Singh alias Vicky, had fired near the shop of a local resident, Mehakdeep Singh, the complainant in the case, the release said. After the incident, Sukhpinder Singh allegedly went to his aunt's house in a village in Punjab's Qadian area and handed over his licensed .30-06 rifle to his cousin before moving through Delhi, Hyderabad and Nanded in Maharashtra before reaching Palanpur, it said. Sukhpinder Singh, a native of Gurdaspur district, has a criminal history and has been named in several cases in Punjab and Gujarat, including those related to attempted murder and offences under the Arms Act. He had spent nine months in a Dubai jail in 2021 in a drugs-related case, said the ATS. The Punjab police have been informed about Sukhpinder Singh's detention and the process of his handover for further legal action in his native state was underway, the release added.

Punjab Minister for Building and Roads Harbhajan Singh ETO on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a new steel bridge over the Sirhind Canal in Ropar city. The 111.24-metre bridge, being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 16.38 crore, will replace the existing bridge built in 1884-85, which serves as a crucial link to the city’s main market. The bridge was closed to heavy traffic and even cars about five years ago due to its poor condition. Harbhajan Singh ETO said providing better basic infrastructure to the people was a top priority of the Punjab government. He said the new bridge would strengthen Ropar’s infrastructure, streamline traffic, and provide safer and more convenient transportation for residents, visitors and traders. The minister said the existing bridge had remained an important link connecting the

Ropar market with different parts of the city for decades. Its replacement with a modern structure had been a long-pending requirement of the area. He said the project would provide major relief to commuters and traders visiting the market and give a fresh impetus to commercial activities. He said the government was undertaking development projects across Punjab to improve basic infrastructure in both urban and rural areas. Once completed, the new bridge would significantly improve connectivity and further support economic activity in Ropar.

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linkages of the cross-border smuggling network and identify all persons associated with the crossborder handlers. Sharing the operational details, IGP, Counter Intelligence, Ashish Choudhary, said that acting on information provided by a reliable source regarding drone movement near the Indo-Pakistan border in the Gajniwala area, the police teams from Ferozepur district immediately shared the pinpointed inputs with the BSF and jointly launched a combing operation in the area. “On thorough checking of the surrounding fields, the Police and BSF teams successfully recovered the consignment of heroin and ICE from the area of Gajniwala,” the IGP said, adding that investigations were underway to ascertain the identity of the smugglers who had sent the consignment and their Indian associates who were supposed to receive it.

SAD chief Sukhbir Badal returns to state after Nanded attack, says ‘let us save Punjab’ Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal returned to Punjab on Tuesday, less than a fortnight after surviving an attack in Nanded, Maharashtra, on August 13. He paid obeisance at Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda district. He was accompanied by his wife, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and senior party leaders. A large number of SAD workers gathered to welcome him. Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Baba Tek Singh Khalsa presented robes of honour to Sukhbir and Harsimrat.

New Rs 16.38 crore steel bridge to replace Ropar’s 140-year-old bridge

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45 kg heroin, 3 kg ICE seized along Indo-Pak border in Ferozepur In a major drug haul in recent times, the Counter Intelligence (CI) Wing of the Punjab Police, in a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF), today foiled a cross-border narcotics smuggling bid with the recovery of 44.5 kg heroin and 3 kg methamphetamine, popularly known as ICE, from the border area of Gajniwala village along the Indo-Pakistan border in the district. Divulging the details, DGP Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav said the consignment had been airdropped using a drone from across the border. He said, based on specific inputs generated by the Counter Intelligence wing, a cordon-and-search operation (CASO) was jointly conducted with the BSF in the fields of Gajniwala village, situated a few metres from the international border. The DGP said further investigation was under way to establish the forward and backward

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Speaking to mediapersons after paying obeisance, Sukhbir said he had visited the sacred Takht to express his gratitude for surviving the attack. He also thanked the Sikh sangat for its prayers and good wishes. “I want to say just one thing: let us save Punjab,” Sukhbir said, alleging that forces were working to weaken Punjab and Sikh leadership and disturb peace and communal harmony in the state. He said SAD would not allow the situation in Punjab to deteriorate and reiterated that peace, communal harmony, respect for all religions and the prosperity of Punjab remained the party’s mission. Meanwhile, Harsimrat thanked the Almighty for saving Sukhbir’s life twice in two years. She also thanked everyone who had sent their good wishes to Sukhbir. Sources said the stitches on Sukhbir’s arm were removed at a hospital in Delhi on Tuesday. He had suffered an arm injury in the Nanded attack. Sukhbir is scheduled to resume his political activities with the party’s Punjab Bachao rally in Malout town, Muktsar district, on Wednesday.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

NSA Doval meets Chinese Vice President Han Zheng ahead of border talks

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday called on Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing and discussed ways to strengthen “peace and tranquillity” in the border areas and further improve bilateral relations. The meeting came ahead of the 25th round of boundary talks that Doval, in his capacity as Special Representative, will hold with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday. The Indian Embassy in China, in a post on social media, described the meeting between Doval and Han, saying they “discussed ways to strengthen peace & tranquillity in the border areas and further improve bilateral relations across economic, political and multilateral fora, in accordance with the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries”. The “consensus” referred to by the embassy is the one reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2024. It tasked Doval and Wang Yi with sorting out

the border issue between the two countries. Doval and Wang are the designated Special Representatives of the two countries and are scheduled to hold the 25th round of talks on Tuesday. This will be the first meeting of the Special Representatives in a year. The previous round was conducted in New Delhi in August last year and reiterated the 2005 agreement, titled “Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question”, as a reference point to comprehensively address the boundary dispute. The two countries do not have a demarcated boundary, and armed troops guard their positions along what is called the Line of Actual Control (LAC), spanning 3,488 km. An “expert group” was set up to “explore an early harvest in boundary delimitation”. The reference to the two-decade-old agreement for resolving the contentious boundary means the two neighbours need to take a tough political call to take things forward.

INDIA

Indian students' US college applications fall 15% amid tighter visa rules: Report Amid the tightening of immigration policies, the number of Indian students seeking admission to US colleges declined by 15 per cent in 2025-26 over the previous year, according to a report. A report, representing over 1,100 institutions, released by the Common App, shows that although application volume for undergraduate admission in the upcoming 2026-27 academic year rose overall, the number of international applicants through March 1 fell 10 per cent, the steepest decline on record. The report by a non-profit organisation recorded a 15 per cent decrease in applicants from India -- the top source for international students in the US. India is the largest source of international students in the US, with over 3.63 lakh enrolling for different courses in the 2024-25 academic year. According to the report, international students contributed USD 41.77 billion to the local economy in the Fall 2025-26. The same number is projected to be 38.37 billion in 2026-27. Earlier, a report by an organisation of educators said that stricter visa rules and uncertain policy are expected to lead to up to 1.1 lakh fewer international student registrations at

US colleges and universities in Fall 2026. According to a report by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and research firm JB International, international student registrations in Fall 2025-26 were estimated at 11.69 lakh, down this year to 10.57 lakh. In July, the US government announced new rules eliminating the traditional "duration of status" for student and visitor visas, capping stays at 4 years, which is the usual duration of an academic course. The US is also considering a USD 100,000 fee on foreign students who wish to use the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme to work in the US after their graduation. OPT allows foreign nationals who enter the United States on a student visa to work in the US for 12, or in some cases 24, months. It also allows students to transition to an H-1B visa sponsored by employers. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

Woman in viral video not me, says Tamil Nadu Minister Keerthana, slams social media Tamil Nadu Industries Minister S Keerthana has slammed social media posts targeting a woman over her clothes in a misidentified viral video and clarified that she was not the person featured in the video. The fact that a video of a woman simply going about her day could spark political hysteria tells everything about the fragile, regressive mindset behind it, she said referring to the viral video in which a woman could be seen getting out of a car. Several social media posts drew a comparison

with Keerthana, as the woman in the video clip resembled the first time TVK minister. Keerthana, the TVK legislator from Sivakasi, said on "X" recently "but I'm not surprised. What else can you expect from followers of a leader with a track record of deeply derogatory remarks against women?" "For the record: the woman in that video is not me. But even if it were, why should it matter? Why are a woman's clothes, appearance, or joy still treated as matters for public trial?" she asked. When they couldn't challenge the TVK on

policies, governance, or track record, they resorted to manufacturing narratives about the personal lives of leaders and their family members. "Misogyny is the oldest weapon of those who have nothing substantive to positively contribute," she said and expressed solidarity with the woman in the video, apologising for the unwarranted public attention she received due to the resemblance and encouraged her to continue living life on her own terms. DMK MP Kanimozhi said, from time to time, indecent attacks on women in public life continued to occur, regardless of party affiliations. "Failing to confront women who act courageously in a patriarchal political arena ideologically, criticising them

based on their dress, appearance, and personal life is a manifestation of dirty politics. This only reveals the reactionary mentality of those who engage in such attacks," the DMK deputy general secretary said on 'X' and appealed to women to overcome all this and win.

Supreme Court rejects Tarun Tejpal’s plea in rape case, tells him to surrender in 3 weeks Dismissing former Tehelka editor and the 2013 Goa rape case convict Tarun Tejpal’s plea for exemption from surrender, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered him to surrender within three weeks. A Bench of Justice Alok Aradhe posted Tejpal’s appeal challenging his conviction and sentence of 10-year rigorous imprisonment for hearing on September 22, subject to the filing of the surrender certificate. "Appellant (Tejpal) shall surrender within a period of 3 weeks and file his surrender certificate. In case the surrender certificate is filed on or before September 22, the office is directed to list the matter in the court on September 22," Justice Aradhe ordered. On behalf of the convict, senior counsel Kapil Sibal submitted that he was not required to surrender for his appeal to be heard by the top court as he was granted four weeks to surrender by the Bombay High Court on August 6. Sibal pointed out that Tejpal has been on bail throughout the proceedings, except for six months, and that he is a senior citizen. Sibal’s submissions were contested by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the State of Goa, who insisted that Tejpal's appeal cannot be taken up for hearing unless he surrendered or his plea seeking exemption

from surrender was allowed. He said the merits of the case were relevant as Tejpal had been convicted of committing an aggravated form of rape. The top court rejected Tejpal’s plea for exemption from surrender. Claiming to be a political victim, Tejpal had on August 20 moved the Supreme Court challenging the August 6 Bombay High Court order convicting him of raping his colleague and sentencing him to 10-year imprisonment. His appeal came barely two days after the Goa Government filed a petition in the top court seeking his 10-year rigorous imprisonment in the 2013 sexual assault case to be enhanced to life imprisonment. The state government contended that the sentence of 10-year rigorous imprisonment imposed by the high court was "grossly disproportionate to the nature and gravity of the offences" committed by him. The Goa Government, however, clarified that it did not want to reopen findings of conviction. On August 6, the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court convicted Tejpal of raping a junior colleague in 2013 and sentenced him to 10-year rigorous imprisonment as it reversed a Goa trial court’s 2021 verdict, terming it “untenable”, “perverse” and “directly contrary to the evidence on record”.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

INDIA

Delhi HC abates Sajjan Kumar's appeal against conviction in 1984 riots case following his death Following his death last week, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday closed an appeal by former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar challenging his conviction in a murder case arising from the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Sajjan Kumar, who was serving two life sentences in Tihar jail in connection with the 1984 riots, died on August 20. "In view thereof, the present appeal would abate," a bench of justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan said. This case was about the killings of

Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984. Anti-Sikh riots broke out in Delhi after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her Sikh bodyguards. Kumar was awarded life imprisonment in the case on February 25, 2025, by a trial court here after his conviction on February 12, 2025. The trial court had said though the killings of "two innocent persons" were no less an offence, it was not a "rarest of rare case" warranting the imposition of the death penalty. The trial court awarded life imprisonment to Kumar for being part of the mob which set afire the house of the victims and "brutally killed" the two victims besides looting their belongings. It had also imposed a fine of around Rs 2.4 lakh on Kumar. Earlier, Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court on December 17, 2018, in another case related to the killing of five Sikhs and the burning of a gurdwara during the anti-Sikh riots.

Civil Aviation ministry mulls annual random drug tests for all commercial pilots after Air India incident The civil aviation ministry is looking at the possibility of carrying out psychoactive substance tests for all commercial pilots round the year on a random basis. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is holding discussions with stakeholders on further strengthening the drugtesting standards for pilots. "Right now, the rules say 10 per cent (drug tests) across the overall pilot network, but just like I said, DGCA is engaging (with stakeholders) ... One of the opinions from our side is that everyone has to go through it (drug tests) the (whole) year at a random time.” "So, we have to see how all the stakeholders are going to respond to this," the minister said. The issue of possible substance use by pilots has come under the spotlight after the captain of a Phuket-Delhi Air India flight, involved in a sudden altitude loss incident, tested positive for marijuana. Currently, drug tests for pilots are done on a random basis. Under DGCA's present Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), random tests for psychoactive substances have to be done for 10 per cent of pilots and air traffic controllers, among others, annually. Naidu on Tuesday said the regulator DGCA is currently consulting stakeholders to review the existing rules and bring in a stricter policy for the

future. "There are multiple ways of approaching this dope test (thing)," the minister said, responding to queries related to psychoactive substance testing for pilots, on the sidelines of an event in the national capital. There are more than 12,000 pilots with various commercial airlines. In the wake of the Phuket-Delhi flight incident, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on August 18, urged DGCA to consider oral fluid testing as a complementary method along with the existing urine-based screening under its drug testing framework. FIP had also sought to increase the random drug testing for pilots and other personnel to 25 per cent from the current 10 per cent. Meanwhile, Air India and Air India Express have also started mandatory psychoactive substance testing of all their pilots. Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the Phuket-Delhi flight incident that occurred on August 4 as per Annexure 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It pertains to aircraft accident and incident investigation. The Phuket-Delhi flight AI2379, operated with an A320 aircraft VT-EXO, experienced a sudden loss of altitude of approximately 300 feet during cruise, after which the aircraft stabilised and subsequently landed safely in the national capital.

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'Food safety violations': High court asks Mumbai body if cricketers knew they were having 'non-veg tea' In a lighter vein, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked if cricketers knew they were consuming "non-vegetarian tea" while ordering the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to clean its eateries prior to a fresh inspection by the FDA on Thursday. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had suspended the licences of five restaurants operating at the cricket body's premises in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) over serious food safety and hygiene violations. The MCA moved the HC against the suspension claiming that the food regulator's action was drastic and arbitrary. As per the FDA, the eateries were being operated by another entity, M/s Shirke Infrastructure, despite the licenses being issued in the MCA's name. Senior counsel Vikram Nankani, appearing for the cricket body, said the FDA ought to have first issued an improvement notice so that the eateries had an opportunity to rectify the deficiencies. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad, however, noted that this was not necessary when the FDA authorities found "gross violations" during their inspection of the premises. "As per the FDA's inspection report, the eateries' kitchens were infested with cockroaches and flies, and the floor was slippery and dirty. If there is a gross violation of hygiene standards, then the FDA can decide to suspend the license forthwith," the court noted. Nankani then said that with all the restaurants/

eateries closed, the MCA was not able to even serve tea to the cricketers who come to play on its ground in the BKC. To this, the court questioned jokingly if the cricketers knew they were consuming "nonvegetarian tea". "There are flies and cockroaches in the restaurants' kitchens. It is non-vegetarian tea. Do they (cricketers) know they are consuming this tea?" Acting Chief Justice Ghuge remarked in a lighter vein. The court, however, permitted the MCA to install a vending machine to serve tea/ coffee to the players. The bench further said to balance the equities, the FDA shall carry out a fresh inspection of the five eateries on Thursday and the MCA shall clean up the premises by then. The entire state and its people were appreciating the FDA's action, and the same needs to be carried out in the future too, the HC noted. "What the FDA is doing is laudable. But once a restaurant/eatery clears up the deficiencies, then the suspension order needs to be revoked immediately. It cannot be kept pending as the FDA's objective has been achieved," it said. The bench said the state regulator shall also "apply its mind" regarding the contract between MCA and the private entity (Shirke Infrastructure) that was running the five eateries. "If this contract is legally permissible, then the FDA shall apply its mind and take a pragmatic approach," the HC said, posting the matter for further hearing on August 29.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026