attention all over the world. Continued on Page 10...
By Umendra Singh
Long time Liberal Party MP Sukh
Dhaliwal
is confident about Canada’s Prime Minister – mainly because of the person leading the government, Prime minister, Mark carney.
“He has a great record in Canada and around the world – All over the world people respect him. He has led the Bank of Canada as well as Bank of England, he has worked in the United Nations and he has been the deputy Finance Minister – so he has a greater,” Dhaliwal said. “He led this country
through one of the worst global financial crises in 2008.
You compare his achievements to that of Opposition and Conservative Party leader –Pierrie Poilievre who has done nothing but indulge in sloganeering,” Dhaliwal said in an interview,
SABA members meet Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke
The South Asian Business Association of BC (SABA) had the opportunity to meet with Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke at City Hall last Thursday. The meeting featured an insightful presentation by City Manager Rob Costanzo, highlighting the City of Surrey’s economic growth and upcoming projects.
Mayor Locke also shared important perspectives on the ongoing extortion cases and
“And now look at the six major projects he has announced – over the next debate, it will generate a lot of evo0mic benefits I see his actions to take Canada as self sustaini9ng nation in future. That is what he is doing,”
Continued on Page 6...
outlined her team’s vision for the city. Councillor Pardeep Kooner, Councillor Harry Bains, and Surrey Police Board member Sarbjit Bains were also in attendance. SABA was represented by Directors Kuldeep Gill, Victor Lal, Puneet Sandher, Ken Dhillon, Ravi Cheema, Dr Jaspinder Ghuman, Dimpu Thandi, Jagdeep Gill, Narinder Sabarwal, Ruby Bains, and Waras Purewal. The meeting was highly informative and productive.
Parag Khanna says US pressure can't move Delhi
India's foreign policy is being shaped by hard economic realities rather than lofty ideals, says Parag Khanna, founder and CEO of AlphaGeo, an AI-based geospatial analytics firm.
"India is looking after its own interests, and its policy towards Russia is a very fundamental case study in this," said Khanna. "It was even before Trump was elected, the Biden administration that sought to pressure India very heavily to join in the sanctions regime against Russia. But as I told people then, I said, good luck with that." Continued on Page 15...
A Cloverdale business is the latest target of an apparent extortion-related shooting.
Meanwhile, Surrey police say they’re investigating the residents of a Bear Creek home over allegations that they shot back at their assailants in a weekend shooting that was also linked to extortion.
Surrey’s RCMP support unit is investigating the latest incident at a business in the 19300-block of Langley Bypass that was shot at sometime overnight.
The business owner called police at around 8 a.m. on Monday shortly after discovering the gunshot damage.
The business wasn’t open when the shots were fired and there are no reported injuries.
Surrey Mounties have taken over the investigation. Continued on Page 10...
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call at the World Economic Forum for middle powers to band together against economic coercion by “great powers” is winning some cross-partisan support at home, and garnering
BC man gets 5-year sentence in Snapchat child sex abuse case, as advocates warn of surge
A B.C. man has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to sex crimes involving a minor he met over Snapchat, his jailing coming amid what advocates say is a surge in "extreme online violence."
RCMP in Campbell River said on Wednesday that 33-year-old Dillon Caleb Partanen of Surrey, B.C., pleaded guilty to charges including sexual interference and possession of child sexual exploitation material on Jan. 13.
Partanen was also ordered to register with the National Sex Offender Registry and give a DNA sample as part of his sentencing.
The case stems back to 2023, when police said Partanen began engaging with an unidentified youth over Snapchat. The interactions led to Partanen travelling to Campbell River, B.C., in
April 2024, where police said he met the youth and committed the offences leading to the charges.
RCMP said they were notified of what happened the same day, and Partanen was arrested and ordered to stay away from Campbell River during the court process.
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection on Wednesday issued a warning about what it called "alarming new data" about online violence.
It said that from June 2022 to the end of 2025, two online platforms it operated received 127 reports of extreme violence, including 70 last year.
"These reports contained information about 75 child victims, with girls accounting for 84 per cent of victims" in cases in which gender was known, it said.
ICBC/Personal
Premier David Eby, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and Surrey Coun. Mandeep Nagra expressed alarm Wednesday after B.C. RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Brewer labelled the city’s recent extortion-related shootings “not a crisis,” warning the comment undermines public confidence amid escalating gun violence.
“It’s hard to think of a situation where you’re unable to do business, you don’t feel comfortable in your own home, you’re facing gunshots, and where residents in their homes are shooting back at people who are shooting at their homes, as anything other than a crisis,” Eby said.
He added that if Brewer does not feel the urgency, “perhaps he is not the right person to head up this task force.”
“The reason we established this task force … was to respond to a crisis,” Eby emphasized at a news conference, stressing that Brewer’s remarks could erode public confidence.
The controversy arose as Surrey faces a surge in extortion-related violence. Police reported 132 extortion attempts in 2025 — 49 involving shootings — and eight more so far this year.
Brewer, the head of the B.C. extortion task force, made the controversial comment at a news conference on Tuesday after being asked whether police had lost control of public safety in Surrey.
“This is not a crisis. A crisis is what’s happening out there with drug overdoses — that’s a crisis, people are dying,” he added. “This is a threat to public safety, absolutely, and I take it very seriously.”
Brewer’s comments came hours after Surrey police reported the city’s 35th suspected extortion
case of 2026, involving a shooting at a business earlier that morning. Brewer acknowledged Tuesday that there has been an “uptick” in extortion-related gun violence so far this year.
On Wednesday afternoon, Brewer walked back his remarks.
“I want to apologize for challenging the term ‘crisis’ yesterday, as it has become the focus and called into question the RCMP’s commitment to addressing extortions in B.C. That was not my intention. The opportunity to provide an update and reassure the public has instead impacted public confidence.
“The task force’s commitment to addressing the ongoing threats and violence has not wavered. Our efforts have never been limited because of a term. Extortions remain one of our highest priorities.”
A provincial task force was formed in September, including the RCMP, municipal police agencies, transit police, and the Canada Border Services Agency. Task force investigators have handled 32 cases across the Lower Mainland, according to an RCMP news release.
A British Columbia judge has rejected a bid by prosecutors to have a man who was convicted of attempted robbery jailed indefinitely as a dangerous offender, a designation typically reserved for violent criminals and sexual offenders.
Crown lawyers had argued that Christopher Prokopchuk, with a 30-year record of robbery, parole offences and assaults while in custody, deserved an indeterminate sentence after he pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery committed in Surrey, B.C., in 2021.
Justice Barbara Norrell’s ruling, posted online on Wednesday, describes Prokopchuk’s criminal history, including “purposely” leaving behind fingerprints at robbery scenes so he would be caught, and waiting for police to arrive after smashing a window.
13 days on his sentence. The Crown, she ruled, had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Prokopchuk poses “a substantial risk” of reoffending, imposing a 10-year supervision order as part of the sentence.
The B.C. Supreme Court ruling says Prokopchuk’s record dates back to 1996, when he was convicted of multiple break-and-enters and thefts at the age of 16, telling a court he committed the offences because he had no place to stay. He was in and out of jail for similar offences, probation violations, drug offences and multiple bank robberies in B.C. from that point on.
Norrell’s ruling says Prokopchuk was sentenced to five years in jail for break and enter, theft and other offences committed in Terrace, B.C., in 2007, crimes which would not have been solved without his co-operation.
She says prosecutors believed Prokopchuk’s issues were “intractable,” and the “only path forward to adequately protect the public” was for him to earn release under an indeterminate sentence.
But the judge says the Crown failed to meet the burden to have him declared a dangerous offender, and any “psychological damage” he might cause in future offences would not rise to the level requiring the designation.
Instead, she says Prokopchuk met the criteria for a long-term offender, sentencing him to 5-and-1/2 years in jail, less time served, leaving two years and
“Mr. Prokopchuk indicated that he wanted to be sentenced and go back to jail. He purposely did not wear gloves for most of the crimes, knowing he would leave fingerprints,” Norrell writes.
His most recent offences, involving the attempted robbery of a credit union, were possibly for the same reason, with Norrell calling them “acts of desperation” by an unhoused man.
“When the police arrive, he immediately surrendered and fell to the ground. It is possible the most recent offending was just wanting to go back to jail,” she writes, describing a video of the 2021 arrest.
She says prosecutors acknowledged they could not show a likelihood that Prokopchuk would cause death or physical injuries in future. Norrell ruled that multiple bank robberies Prokopchuk committed over the years, some with imitation firearms, did not involve overt violent threats or any “menacing” of the victimized bank tellers, concluding there is a “reasonable possibility of eventual control in the community.”
Surrey police chief acknowledges new surge of extortion cases, asks for more money, helicopter
Surrey's chief of police is asking for increased resources and promising to name and provide photographs of suspects charged with extortion, as the service investigates 35 suspected cases so far this year.
“We are currently experiencing another spike in both extortion threats and associated violence,” said Chief Const. Norm Lipinksi in the video posted to social media Tuesday afternoon. "We are adjusting our strategies in dealing with this spike in shootings.”
Lipinski said the new approach involves asking the province for more resources to hire more police officers for patrols, the deployment of a RCMP helicopter, and to name and post images of suspects who are charged.
600 extortion cases by year’s end.
The force said it had 132 extortion attempts, with 49 of them involving shootings in 2025.
“We need more uniformed police officers to keep our citizens safe,” said Lipinski of his provincial ask.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Public Safety confirmed it had received the request and was
He also continued his plea for victims to report the crime and for people with information to come forward to authorities.
“The way through this is to continue to work together. If you receive a threat, please report it to the police,” he said.
“I understand that people are fearful, but please know that Surrey Police Service is working quite literally around the clock on this issue.”
Cases of extortion in B.C. have mostly targeted South Asian communities, with people receiving threats and demands for money. Surrey, Delta and Abbotsford have been disproportionately affected.
Many of the cases involve someone with firearms shooting at businesses or vehicles overnight.
Lipinksi said Surrey initially saw a surge in extortion cases in the summer of 2025. The police chief said extortion-related shootings dropped as a result, but into the new year, that trend is no longer. The city is currently on pace to record more than
considering it.
"We want to make sure police have the tools they need to combat these crimes," said Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger in a statement.
Staff Sgt. Kris Clark, senior media relations officer for B.C. RCMP’s E Division, said in an email to CBC News that its fleet of helicopters were not meant for random patrols.
“In B.C., RCMP Air Services assets are available and deployed strategically to support police operations throughout the province,” he wrote.
Primarily RCMP aircraft are used for surveillance, traffic enforcement, searches for persons, property and crime scenes, aerial imagery, airborne command and transport of police resources, said Clark.
The Ministry of Public Safety said on Thursday that one of the RCMP's helicopters flew over parts of Surrey Wednesday night, however.
Suspect in attempted carjacking sought on Sunshine Coast, RCMP say
Mounties on the Sunshine Coast are asking the public for help as they work to identify a woman they say attempted a carjacking in Gibsons on Tuesday.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. in the 400 block of Marine Drive, the Sunshine Coast RCMP said in a news release Thursday.
“The female brandished a weapon and ordered the occupant to drive,” the release reads. “When the occupant refused, the suspect fled the area through the parking lot north of Marine Drive.”
Police did not say what kind of weapon the woman brandished.
Alongside their statement, police shared a ninesecond surveillance video showing the suspect running through the parking lot, describing her as a thin, white woman in her late 20s with long, dyed
blond hair. She was wearing all black and a blue medical mask, police said.
Anyone who recognizes the person in the video or saw her at any time on Tuesday—“either in the area or possibly on local transit”—should call Sunshine Coast RCMP at 604-885-2266, police said.
B.C. to fund $600,000 expansion of forensic firearms lab to fight extortion violence
British Columbia is undertaking a $600,000 expansion of the province’s forensic firearms lab, a move the government says is a direct response to the recent rash of extortion violence.
The funding comes a day after Premier David Eby criticized the head of B.C.’s anti-extortion task force for not characterizing the recent violence as a crisis, comments for which RCMP Assistant Commissioner John Brewer has since apologized.
A statement from the Ministry of Public Safety says the latest funding will be used to increase the lab’s efficiency and capacity in delivering forensic results on cases related to gun violence.
It says the lab expnsion will allow for the prioritization of testing in “crucial investigative files and expedite extortion-related charge approvals,” while producing the necessary data for co-ordinating policing strategies.
The lab, created in 2021, handled almost 870 exhibit submissions in 2024
— up from 625 the year prior.
Recent shootings and other extortion violence include 34 such cases in the Metro Vancouver city of Surrey over the last three weeks, prompting Mayor Brenda Locke to send a letter to Ottawa urging the appointment of a national extortion commissioner to combat the crimes.
B.C. Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger says the province hopes the lab expansion provides part of the equation to combating extortion.
“We are ensuring that police have the tools, resources and intelligence support they need to hold these offenders accountable,” Krieger says in a statement.
Brewer had apologized one day earlier for his comments having “impacted public confidence” after opting not to characterize the violence as a crisis. Eby had criticized Brewer, saying the officer should “step aside” if he did not feel the urgency needed to resolve the situation.
4 men and a company found responsible for ‘pump and dump’ scheme: B.C. securities regulator
A panel of the B.C. Securities Commission has concluded that one company and four individuals associated with it engaged in a “pump and dump” scheme to artificially raise the share price of another company.
The regulator shared its findings in a 134-page ruling issued Monday and a news release shared Wednesday.
The BCSC panel found that Core Capital Partners Inc., Kamaldeep Thindal, Amandeep Thindal, Yazan Al Homsi and Aarun Kumar all “knowingly engaged in conduct that resulted in an artificial price” for a company called Block One Capital Inc. between 2017 and 2019.
Block One was formerly known as Essex Angel Capital Inc. and is now known as AI Artificial Intelligence Ventures Inc., according to the BCSC.
Kamaldeep, Amandeep and Al Homsi were all also found to have knowingly engaged in conduct that artificially inflated the price of another company, Integrated Cannabis Company Inc., the regulator found.
The BCSC said Integrated was known as CNRP Mining Inc. at the time the pump and dump scheme began. It was a mining company that traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Today, the company is known as Leef Brands Inc. Kumar was not found to have engaged in the scheme with regard to Integrated.
All four men were affiliated with Core Capital during the relevant period, with Kamaldeep, Amandeep and Al Homsi found liable for the company’s misconduct because of their leadership roles within it.
Kamaldeep was listed on the company’s website as its cofounder and managing partner, and he remains the company’s sole director, according to the ruling. Amandeep, Kamaldeep’s brother, was listed as the company’s chief financial officer, while Al Homsi was listed as “vice president, investments.” Kumar was not an employee of Core Capital, but was the “dealing representative” for trading accounts belonging to the Thindal brothers and Al Homsi, as well as two other individuals—Pardeep Luddu and Mani Chopra—who were accused of market manipulation but cleared of wrongdoing by the panel.
The panel also dismissed allegations against all six men and
Core Capital related to an alleged pump and dump scheme involving yet another company, Reliq Health Technologies Inc., formerly known as Moseda Technologies Inc.
“It is clear that Core Capital and other respondents promoted Reliq during the relevant time and amplified Reliq’s misleading disclosures, including by tweets and by pressing influential analysts to report on Reliq’s apparent but inaccurate revenue growth,” the panel’s decision reads.
“However, the balance of the evidence indicates that none of the Respondents were aware Reliq would not be collecting the revenues which it was recognizing as invoices were issued. As a result, the respondents lacked the mental state which would establish a breach (of the Securities Act)."
In its news release, the BCSC said the parties involved in the pump and dump “used a variety of tactics to conduct the scheme, including concealing their control of the issuers involved, distributing misleading news releases and arranging for the publication of misleading promotional campaigns.”
In general, the goal of a pump and dump scheme is to artificially inflate the value of a stock so that those responsible can sell their shares into the increased demand that results, and earn a profit.
The decision does not specify how much money Core Capital, the Thindal brothers, Al Homsi or Kumar made from their participation in the scheme, noting that the panel expects to consider the available evidence on their profits when it makes a decision on sanctions.
The panel directed the BCSC’s executive director and the respondents to make submissions on sanctions over the coming months, setting April 8 as the final deadline of the process.
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OPINION
America must salvage its relationship with India
Richard Fontaine and Lisa Curtis: When Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, U.S.-Indian relations were stronger than almost anyone in the twentieth century could have predicted. In the first 50 years after India gained independence in 1947, New Delhi was deeply suspicious of Washington, which it saw as an imperial power not unlike those in Europe. It repeatedly criticized the United States’ behavior and adopted a policy of nonalignment during the Cold War. But after the Soviet Union collapsed and the millennium turned, U.S. leaders realized that India could be an important partner in countering a rising China and a valuable market for American companies, and they worked assiduously to win over Indian officials. The courtship wasn’t easy: it required repeated visits and commitments to deepening defense and technology cooperation from Democratic and Republican administrations alike, spread out over the course of 25 years, alongside outreach from increasingly like-minded Indian governments. Slowly but surely, however, India and the United States forged a tight bond, undergirded by formal military agreements and increased economic ties.
But now, all this progress is at great risk. The problems began with a fit of presidential pride and pique, when Trump craved and claimed credit for ending the brief May conflict between India and Pakistan. Islamabad leaped to support Trump’s account, praising the president’s “decisive diplomatic intervention” and nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize. But New Delhi—which does not accept foreign mediation in its conflict with Pakistan as a matter of principle—denied that Washington had played such a role. Trump then angered India further by hosting Pakistan’s military chief, General Syed Asim Munir, in the Oval Office less than two months after Pakistani terrorists killed 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir and triggered the May conflict. Trump also declined to sign a trade deal with India and imposed draconian tariffs on its United States–bound exports, and in August, he called the country a “dead economy.” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in turn, traveled to China—his first visit there in seven years—and
appeared clasping hands with China’s and Russia’s leaders. This prompted Trump to conclude that the United States had “lost India.”
The relationship between India and the United States is not quite lost. Even as their leaders feud, the two governments have continued to cooperate in the background. But it is teetering badly, and if U.S. officials want to fix it, they will need to move quickly. The Trump administration will have to lower tariffs on Indian goods. It will need to back away from claims that the United States negotiated peace between India and Pakistan and stop offering to mediate their eight-decade conflict over Kashmir. These may be tough asks of Trump, who is fixated on cutting the U.S. trade deficit and becoming a Nobel laureate. But repairing the U.S.-Indian relationship is of paramount importance. India is a global swing state, one whose outlook and actions will disproportionately influence the international order. It shares U.S. concerns about Chinese power, and it
wants to ensure that the Indo-Pacific democracies are strong and work together. New Delhi, in other words, remains an essential American partner. Washington will miss it if it’s gone. Indian policymakers were initially excited about Trump’s second term in office. The president prioritized building relations with the world’s most populous democracy during his first four years, and he seemed to appreciate India’s rise. His administration elevated defense ties and stressed the positive role India could play in his Indo-Pacific strategy. Trump treated Modi to a White House dinner in 2017 at which the two spoke of their countries’ deepening friendship. The leaders even forged a personal bond, appearing before 50,000 spectators at the 2019 “Howdy Modi” rally in Texas and over 100,000 spectators at the “Namaste Trump” rally in Gujarat the following year. New Delhi expected more of the same when Trump returned to the White House.
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WE VALUE BC
More than a third of Canadians would like citizenship in more than one country, but about the same proportion think someone with dual citizenship is less loyal to Canada, according to a new national public opinion poll.
Among all respondents across Canada, 37 per cent said they would like to be a dual citizen — having citizenship in two countries at the same time — while 47 per cent said they’re not interested and 16 per cent didn’t answer.
Sometimes contradictory and divergent views on the issue of dual citizenship in Canada and the relative value of Canadian citizenship were revealed in the poll, conducted last month by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies and provided to Postmedia. Canada allows citizens to have multiple citizenships while keeping Canadian citizenship, like many countries do, but not all countries grant their citizens the same latitude. China and India, for example do not allow their citizens to retain their citizenship if they become citizens elsewhere.
The United States does.
Debate over dual citizenship rose last month in the United States when a Republican senator, Bernie Moreno, introduced a bill to eliminate dual citizenship, declaring “if you want to be an American, it’s all or nothing.” It faces a lengthy legislative process and a public backlash. In Canada, debate is typically reserved for when dual nationals living abroad turn to Canada for expensive help during a global crisis. Individual interest in having dual citizenship, as expressed by poll respondents, differs by age and by where they live in Canada.
The oldest respondents, those 65 and beyond, were by far the sharpest in rejecting the idea of wanting a second citizenship, with just 22 per cent saying yes and a hefty 65 per cent saying no. That contrasts with the sentiment of younger cohorts.
In the middle cohort of ages, those between 35 and 44, a majority (51 per cent) said they would like to have dual citizenship; 34 per cent said no.
Continued from Page 1...
Secondly, he has brought in so many bills to improve law and order situation in the country, Dhaliwal said.
“A second bill he has brought in to give power to CBSA to stop smuggled narcotics and weapons. He has emphasized on stopping smuggling through Canada Post
He has also brought in a bill to stop bogus or non genuine refugee and asylum claims. Gibing power to CBSA to stop people claiming refugee status when they are not genuine refugees.
There is also a bill to deal with child sexual exploitation and there is a bill to protect religious places and places of worship.
Carney ahs brought in a bill to exempt GST on buyers buying houses sold for $1 million or less. This will help people who are trying to get into housing. There are also bills for childcare, pharmacare. And social justice.
For the first time, has brought budget in two parts – operating budget and separate capital budget. He will balance the operating budget in next few years. Ministerial departments have already been asked to cut expenses.
Dhaliwal compared Carney to Poilievre, saying Poilievre has no ideas but just slogans.
He said that not only Canadians have rejected him but his own constituents in his constituency rejected him by defeating him in the last general election, forcing him to move to a safe Conservative seat in Alberta to get back in Parliament. A sitting Conservative MP had to resign his seat shortly after the general election, to force a by-election for Poilievre to et elected.
And now some of his MPs are deserting him, he said,
Dhaliwal admitted that extortion of businesspersons is causing chaos. But he said that the Liberal government is working on the problem.
He said local police departments don’t have resources to deal with extortion related crimes.
He said he believes a provincial gang unit, CFSEU -BC, is a provincial integrated anti-gang unit that has 400 police office and 100 support staff who investigate gang crimes and could be an answer to extortion. But the provincial BC government has been non-responsive.
“That unit has capability to deal with situations
like extortion. I brought this forward to the province and wrote letters to the Premier and the Minister of Public Safety, but they never responded. The provincial government never responded,” Dhaliwal claimed.
The unit has its own lab and resources and does get federal funding – and it could get more federal funding if it starts focussing on extortions.
But the province was not willing to listen to him. Dhaliwal said he also write a letter to the Conservative critic on public safety to garner support for this idea, but he also did not respond.
“He does not care/ All they care about is slogans,” Dhaliwal said.
“If you talk to the Surrey Police Board or the Surrey Mayor, they will tell you the same thing –that this provincial unit is best suited to deal with extortions,” he said/
Although this idea has not gone forward, Dhaliwal said the Prime Minister has moved forward quickly get all BC police departments in one place to work together on dealing with extortion related crimes.
Dhaliwal said Bill 12 which passed on last day of last Parliament that stipulates that anyone who applies for refugee status/asylum in Canada after June 2025, they would not be eligible if they had been in Canada for more than six months. All those charged with criminal offences, like extortion related crimes, will also not be eligible to make refugee claims.
For example, media reported that at least 9 people charged with extortion related crimes in BC have also field for refugee claims after they were charged. Bill 12 will make them ineligible to make a claim for asylum in Canada.
Talking about major projects, Dhaliwal said that the first three of the six major federal projects announced by the Pime Minister Carney are in BC.
The Surrey-Newton MP emphasised that no matter how enticing trade deals might be, Canada can not sacrifice its standards on human rights for trade deals.
“Whether it is India, China or Russia or any other countries, our standards on human rights can not be sacrificed. And these countries can’t be interfering in our politics and in our internal affairs,” he said.
No imminent Metro Vancouver overhaul coming following Deloitte review
Metro Vancouver’s 41-person board was described in a Deloitte review last year as large and unwieldy.
That audit prompted 49 recommendations, and now the regional body’s governance committee is starting to grapple with what change should look like.
But what is becoming clear is that any overhaul won’t be coming rapidly.
At Thursday’s Metro Vancouver governance committee meeting, there were suggestions of having further meetings to discuss potential changes, with a general plan of bringing recommendations to the board by June or July.
“(We’re looking at) everything from size of the boards to structure of the boards,” saidgovernance committee chair and Vancouver city Coun. Lisa Dominato during a break in the meeting, when asked what areas could see changes.
said Delta city Coun. Dylan Kruger, a member of the governance committee.
“We’re going to have a million new residents by 2050. Board size is directly tied to the size of our population. If we don’t change the formula for how
we choose directors, we’re going to have fifty, sixty directors in no time. We won’t be a board, we’ll be an assembly, at that point.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that Canada is at a moment in history where “our values must be fought for” as a country based on inclusion, while setting an example to the rest of the world at a time of “democratic decline.”
Carney also refuted comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump this week about how Canada “lives because of the United States.”
“Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in the economy, in security, and in rich cultural exchange,” Carney said.
“Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”
Speaking at the Liberal cabinet retreat in Quebec City ahead of Parliament’s scheduled return on Monday, Carney laid out his agenda for the coming year while charting Canada’s imperfect history of cultures learning to live together and build a collective national identity.
country “must be a beacon” and “an example to a world at sea.”
“In a time of rising populism and ethnic nationalism, Canada can show how diversity can be a strength, not a weakness,” he said.
“In a time of democratic decline, we can show how rights can be protected, and equal freedoms endure. In a time of rising walls and thickening borders, we can demonstrate how a country can be both open and secure, welcoming and strong, principled and powerful.”
A day after Carney’s speech, Trump told the World Economic Forum crowd that Canada should be “grateful” to the U.S. for its economic and security partnerships. “Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said. “Remember that Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Carney on Thursday appeared unfazed by Trump’s remarks.
“This could be everything from reducing the size of the boards in terms of number of members to looking at more of a utilities model for the sewer and water districts.”
But while the timeline of change remains murky, there’s an acknowledgement from everyone that adjustments are needed.
“This region is growing by 50,000 people a year,”
From a wastewater treatment plant’s budget ballooning by $3.5 billion to questions about director compensation, the appetite for a Metro Vancouver overhaul is clear.
But with October’s civic elections looming, it’s unlikely significant changes will happen before then. “I do feel that there’s a sense of urgency,” said Kruger.
ICE detains 5-year-old Minnesota boy as he arrives home from school
A five-year-old Minnesota boy and his father were detained by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday while returning home from school and transferred to a detention centre, according to the boy’s school district.
Liam Ramos — who recently turned five — and his father were taken into custody on the driveway of their Minneapolis home, the superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday, the Guardian and multiple other local outlets reported.
Superintendent Zena Stenvik said she drove to Liam’s home after learning of the preschooler’s detention. Two other school principals also arrived to help. When she arrived, the father’s car was still running, and he and Liam had already been detained, Stenvik told reporters. According to the superintendent, an agent had taken Liam from the car, guided him to the front door of his house and then directed him to knock on the door, asking to be let inside.
“Essentially using a five-year-old as bait,” she said, adding that another adult living in the home was present and pleaded with ICE agents not to take Liam, but her request was denied.
Liam’s older brother, who is in middle school, came home about 20 minutes later to find that his brother and father were missing, Stenvik added.
CBS News Minnesota said the Columbia Heights Public School District reported that two other children were taken on Tuesday, including a 17-year-old boy who was on his way to school.
“Canadians believe in the value of every other Canadian, their boundless potential to make this great country even better,” Carney said. “Our ancestors, despite their differences, believed in each other, and in us.
“There are long periods of history when these values can prosper unchallenged. Ours is not one of them. Our values must be fought for. That’s what we’re doing, and Canadians are up for it.”
Carney’s address to Canadians came after his major foreign policy speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this week, where he declared a “rupture” to the old rules-based international order and stressed that middle powers like Canada must band together to resist coercion from great powers.
Carney on Thursday touched on the themes of his Davos speech, telling Canadians that the
“Canada can’t solve all the world’s problems, but we can show that another way is possible, that the arc of history isn’t destined to be warped towards authoritarianism and exclusion,” he said. “It can still bend towards progress and justice.”
He went on to highlight accomplishments made in the first year of his government, including steps to boost and diversify Canada’s economy through legislation to fast-track “nationbuilding” projects, as well as major increases to defence spending.
“Now we need to execute, fairly, and fast,” he said. The speech emphasized Carney’s comments to Global News last month that Canada needs to stay on the course he began charting after becoming prime minister last March.
“We choose a bright future, worthy of the ground on which we stand. We choose Canada.”
BC wants house of controversial chemical broker forfeited
When the RCMP raided the Maple Ridge house of Bobby Shah in December 2024, officers found more than 44,000 litres of “hazardous chemicals,” including precursors for fentanyl and methamphetamine, a new lawsuit says.
Now the B.C. government wants the controversial chemical seller's palatial home, for sale for $3.6 million, forfeited as a proceed of crime.
A lawsuit filed by the director of civil forfeiture in B.C. Superior Court, says Shah, owner of Valerian Labs in Port Coquitlam, didn't have enough legitimate income to buy the 7,000 square-foot house.
The statement of claim cites the U.S. Treasury investigation that resulted in Shah being sanctioned in October 2023 along with 25 other individuals and entities “for their involvement in the international proliferation of illicit drugs.”
The lawsuit said the parties, including Shah, were
affiliated with a China-based criminal organization, dubbed the syndicate, that “manufactured and distributed large quantities of illicit drugs, opioid additives, and precursor chemicals used in the production of narcotics such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as laundered the proceeds of crime, at an international level.”
“The syndicate was the source of supply for various drug traffickers in the U.S., dark web vendors, virtual currency money launderers and Mexicobased criminal organizations,” the director said.
“Members of the syndicate established and/or were employees of companies through which the sale and export of illicit drugs, opioid additives and/or precursor chemicals was openly advertised online, as well as methods or strategies to avoid detection by authorities,” the lawsuit also alleged.
The syndicate used “containers or packaging to conceal the illicit contents, special delivery procedures, and/or U.S.-based reshippers.”
Illicit profits were moved “through cryptocurrency transactions, bank wire transactions, international money transfers and third-party payment processors such as PayPal and Alipay,” it said.
“Shah and/or Valerian Labs purchased and imported opioid additives, precursor chemicals ... and/or equipment, devices or other things related to trafficking in a controlled substance from members of the syndicate,” said the claim.
Man fatally stabbed near Vancouver's Commercial-Broadway station
Police say a man was fatally stabbed near Vancouver's Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain Station on Tuesday evening.
It is the city's first recorded homicide of 2026, the Vancouver Police Department said in a statement.
Police say officers received reports of a stabbing at 8:40 p.m. PT on Tuesday near East 10th Avenue and Commercial Drive.
The victim was taken to hospital but later died of his injuries. He has been identified as 48-yearold Christopher Jumal Sanderson.
Police say no arrests have been made in relation to the stabbing. They're asking anyone with more information to call police.
OneBC event at University of B.C. attracts hundreds of opponents, ends with one arrest
An event at the University of British Columbia by the OneBC political party ended with its leader and a couple dozen supporters being escorted by police onto a waiting bus after being surrounded in a building by opponents for nearly an hour.
"We chased them out. And now, they're hiding in a public building," said Andy Lin, one of nearly a thousand people who took part in duelling events in the middle of campus Thursday afternoon.
"It's really angering for me to see these people come here to try to wreak havoc … you have one of the best schools in the country, and it's a productive society that we have going on here. And they're here to just wreak havoc. So of course I'm going to voice my opinion."
On Jan. 20, OneBC leader Dallas Brodie announced she would hold an event at the UBC Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, writing "truth cannot exist without discussions and debates. We will be heading to UBC to engage in conversations with students and anyone else open to an exchange of opinions."
One of her supporters advertised for the event, author Frances Widdowson, said in a release that "UBC is promoting falsehoods about 'unmarked graves', compromising academic values." Brodie, who was reinstated as party leader in December after an internal dispute, now sits as its sole MLA.
She founded OneBC in March 2025 after she was kicked out of the B.C. Conservative Party, with
Vancouver sex assault suspect was acquitted in abduction and murder of Winnipeg teen
A man who was convicted and then acquitted in connection to the 1984 killing of Winnipeg teenager Candace Derksen was arrested in Vancouver this month on sexual assault and unlawful confinement charges.
The British Columbia Prosecution Service confirmed Mark Edward Grant now faces multiple charges, including unlawful confinement, sexual assault with a weapon, assault with a weapon and uttering threats in relation to an alleged Jan. 8 incident in Vancouver.
On Jan. 17, 1985, the body of Candace Derksen, 13, was found bound in twine inside an industrial storage storage shed near her family's Winnipeg
home — weeks after she had gone missing the previous November. She had died of exposure. Grant was charged with firstdegree murder in 2007, after his DNA was determined to be a match to DNA found on the twine on Derksen's body.
A jury found him guilty of seconddegree murder in 2011 and he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. In 2017, he was found not guilty of second-degree murder during a judge-alone retrial.
Candace's mother, Wilma Derksen, said she felt "huge pain" when she heard about the new charges against Grant in Vancouver on Tuesday.
then-leader John Rustad saying she was ejected for mocking former residential school students.
In the two days between her announcement and the event, people against the event had organized, with one viral Instagram post saying "this is not a counter protest but rather a show of solidarity with survivors."
It resulted in a chaotic scene in the centre of campus, with Brodie and a few other OneBC supporters talking to media and other supporters, surrounded by hundreds of people singing, chanting or playing instruments around them.
Over the course of an hour, there were multiple times when different people aggressively pushed or shoved one another, with around two dozen RCMP officers and campus security forces moving from skirmish to skirmish as incidents arose.
It added that they had worked with community stakeholders and RCMP to develop a security plan.
At that point, a OneBC supporter was arrested and later released without charges, while the rest of their supporters moved east through campus before going inside the lobby of the UBC Aquatic Centre, which Campus Security then barred others from entering, resulting in a standoff.
"As the visitors were not following these instructions, RCMP then facilitated their departure from campus," the UBC statement read. As the bus left, both OneBC supporters and people at the counter rally pointed smartphones at one another, while chants of "get off our campus" filled the air.
BC Helps Parents Boost their Education Savings!
Alberta couple fighting the CRA after being asked to repay $33K in illegal COVID benefits
An Alberta couple says Canada’s tax agency is trying to recoup tens of thousands of dollars in COVID supports, years after the claims were cleared. Daria Skibington-Roffel said she signed up to receive benefit payments throughout the pandemic after her work hours were reduced. She saw that she was eligible for the funds while filling out a federal questionnaire.
She said she’s now on the hook to repay the agency roughly $33,000 — a sum she said she and her husband can’t afford. The Canada Revenue Agency said last month it’s working to recover more than $10 billion in COVID-19 benefits, both from overpayments or from individuals receiving benefits without being eligible.
The CRA takes “firm and responsible” measures against those who seek to avoid paying outstanding amounts, agency spokesperson Nina Ioussoupova said.
“If it is determined that a taxpayer has the ability to pay their debt in full and it remains unpaid without an acceptable payment arrangement, the CRA may take legal action to recover the debt,” she said.
“This includes offsetting refunds and future credits, garnisheeing wages or other sources of income, or using any other means under applicable laws or regulations to recover an outstanding amount.”
Skibington-Roffel said she works part-time due to chronic health issues and is the official caregiver for her husband, Ron Roffel, who is retired and disabled. She said she received several benefits during the pandemic, including the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, or CERB, and the Canada Recovery Benefit.
“We needed the money and for the first time ever, we were actually able to pay all the bills every month instead of sacrificing one for another every month,” said Skibington-Roffel.
Skibington-Roffel said that in 2021, she noticed she didn’t get her tax return, which she typically uses to pay her property taxes. She said that after calling the CRA to ask what was happening, she was told she didn’t qualify for CERB because her income was too high and she worked too many hours. She was also told that she owed the government $14,000.
After spending two years fighting the claim, Skibington-Roffel said she received a letter indicating she also didn’t qualify for other COVID benefits and that she actually owed around $50,000.
Skibington-Roffel said the balance has since dropped by more than $10,000 as the CRA has withheld years of tax refunds and rebates, including caregiver rebates.
Skibington-Roffel, who has filed two failed appeals, said she’s been fighting the CRA because she was eligible for the money, according to the agency’s own website application forms.
“I was hardly making enough to live on and that’s what that benefit’s supposed to be for,” she said. “My hours were cut and my salary was cut.”
The Airdrie, Alta., couple said they’ve had to take out loans to pay their bills and property taxes. They also said the loss of funds almost led to them losing their home twice.
Cloverdale
business targeted in latest Surrey extortion shooting
Continued from Page 1...
“At this early stage, it is believed to be extortionrelated,” Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said in a statement.
Also Monday, Houghton said residents of a home in the 8600-block of Galway Crescent that was shot at early Saturday are themselves under investigation.
“I can confirm that SPS is now investigating whether an individual or individuals inside the targeted residence carelessly used firearms at the time of the incident,” Houghton said in response to questions from Postmedia News. “That is currently all under investigation and we are unable to provide specifics of the investigation.”
And last Tuesday, prominent businessman Baljinder (Binder) Singh Garcha was found shot to death in the 3500-block of 176th Street
in South Surrey, though investigators haven’t yet said whether or not his killing is linked to extortion.
Extortion-related crime has plagued the city, often targeting South Asian businesspeople, since the start of last year.
In 2025, there were 88 reported extortion victims, 37 of them repeat victims. There were 49 reports of shots fired and 133 reported extortion attempts. n just the first few weeks of this year, there have been seven shootings, 21 victims, 16 of whom are repeat victims, and 34 reported extortions.
Anyone with information about the latest shooting, including security or dashcam footage, is asked to call the non-emergency line at 604599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or report it at solvecrime.ca.
Carney’s speech to World Economic Forum draws praise, calls for action
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The speech — which the Prime Minister’s Office said Carney wrote himself — painted a grim picture of a world where global powers are increasingly using economic dominance for political coercion and where countries like Canada cannot continue to pretend the way things used to be is the way they will ever be again.
“In a world of great power rivalry the countries in between have a choice: compete with each other for favour or to combine to create a third path with impact,” he said in a speech that drew a standing ovation in the room, and much reaction across Canada.
“What Mr. Carney is saying is also what I’ve been saying for a long time: the world has changed. We need to redesign our economy, we need to diversify our markets, we need to acknowledge that we can’t claim to have an ally to the south,” Quebec Premier François Legault said at a press conference in Quebec City.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford echoed Carney’s message at a press conference in Toronto Wednesday.
“Before Prime Minister Carney even got elected last year, I was out in front of the Canadian people saying, ‘We have to diversify our trade, we have to find new partners around the world, reliable partners,'” Ford said.
Carney never mentioned the United States or President Donald Trump by name, but it was clear that Trump’s tariff-backed global economic shakeup was the target of Carney’s comments about the use of “tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited.”
The speech drew a direct rebuke from Trump, who said Wednesday in his own address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that Canada “should be grateful” to the United States “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” Trump said Wednesday morning.
In a lengthy response, Alberta Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner said the prime minister’s words need to be accompanied by action.
“Prime Minister Carney’s speech must not be lauded as a victory in and of itself. Now he must do something much more difficult: deliver concrete, practical details on how Canada’s ruling political class will summon the necessary resolve, resources, and urgency to break through a decade of inertia,” Rempel Garner wrote.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has not responded to the speech with any public statements.
Former Conservative foreign affairs minister Peter MacKay said the success of Carney’s call to action depends on other countries being willing to risk Trump’s wrath.
“Many I think are going to be a bit, if not a lot, intimidated by the president’s words,” MacKay said. “He’s used Canada kind of as a punching bag and made an example of us before.”
While MacKay said he believes it’s in Canada’s interests to reduce its reliance on the U.S., he has reservations about closer ties with China given the country’s dire human rights record.
“Pivoting from the United States to China is a pretty bad scenario in terms of being reliant on anyone. At least in a few years time, and some might dispute this, Donald Trump is going to be retired or voted out of office, even if he were to even try to, perish the thought, run again,” he said.
“Xi Jinping is still going to be there.”
Interim NDP leader Don Davies said in a media statement he agrees with the direction Carney laid out in his speech and called it “overdue.”
But Davies said Carney’s message is undercut by his government talking about joining Trump’s unbuilt “Golden Dome” missile defence system and dropping the digital services tax, which was strongly opposed by Trump and U.S. tech companies.
NAME CHANGE
I, Deepak Kumar, son of Om Parkash, resident of 743 Shanti Nagar Ferozepur City, Ferozepur PIN:152002, Punjab, India, and presently residing at 46505 Brooks Ave, Chilliwack, BC Canada V2P 1C6, do hereby change my name from Deepak Kumar to Deepak Kumar Malhotra with immediate effect.
26 accused in alleged 2015 coup plot freed
The High Court has thrown out sedition and political violence charges against a group of 26 people accused of plotting to overthrow the Government in 2015, ruling that the prosecution failed to present credible or reliable evidence.
All accused were acquitted yesterday after Justice Samuela Qica found there was no case to answer and the group were “at liberty forthwith”.
The charges were laid under the Crimes Act 2009 and centred on allegations that the accused took part in meetings, flag-raising ceremonies and plans to overthrow the Government of Fiji between January and July 2015 in Ra and Rakiraki.
In his ruling, Justice Qica stressed that at the close of the prosecution case, the court’s task was not to assess the strength or plausibility of the narrative, but to determine whether there was relevant and admissible evidence supporting each element of the offences charged.
“The legal test requires the court to determine whether there is relevant and admissible evidence for each element of the charged offence,” the judge said. After reviewing evidence from 22 prosecution witnesses, the court found that the
case fell well short of the required threshold, concluding that the evidence presented could not sustain the charges.
The ruling brings the long-running matter to an end, with the accused cleared of all allegations and released immediately.
“In the respectful opinion of the court, there is neither credible nor reliable evidence against the accused,” Justice Qica said.
“The prosecution had failed to establish the essential elements of action and intent required under the sedition and political violence charges.”
Addressing the charge of alleged sedition through plans to act as ministers in an unelected government, the judge noted that while some names of the accused persons appeared on a laptop, this alone was insufficient.
“The presence of a suspect’s name on a device does not constitute credible or reliable evidence to demonstrate that he was aware of it or consented to it.
“There was no proof the accused attended meetings or engaged in conduct amounting to sedition.”
Bomb threat mock exercise at Nausori airport
A bomb threat mock exercise at Nausori International Airport yesterday saw a strong police and military presence as the domestic arrival area was cordoned off.
Passengers were not disrupted during the exercise, but emergency personnel conducted thorough inspections of the airport lounge.
The drill was led by visiting New Zealand
police officers and involved police dogs, ambulance services, and firefighters, simulating a co-ordinated emergency response.
Authorities said the exercise aimed to strengthen airport security protocols and ensured readiness for any real threats, highlighting collaboration between Fijian and international law enforcement agencies.
Heavy police presence at Ba Police Station as major drug bust investigated
There was a heavy police presence at the Ba Police Station this morning following the arrest of several suspects and the seizure of a large quantity of alleged illicit drugs during an early-morning operation along Vatia Road in Tavua.
Sources have confirmed to The Fiji Times that police are investigating what is believed to be a major drug bust in the Vatia area.
The alleged drugs were reportedly packed in more than 100 sacks.
According to sources, four foreign nationals believed to be from Ecuador and two local suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizure. The suspects were allegedly apprehended while
transporting the sacks of drugs in a vehicle during the early hours of this morning.
Preliminary information suggests the seized substances are either methamphetamine or cocaine, though this has yet to be officially confirmed.
The alleged consignment is believed to have arrived earlier at the Vatia wharf before being moved inland.
Police officers were seen guarding the station as investigations continued, with heightened security measures in place.
The suspects are understood to be in custody while enquiries are ongoing.
Fiji among 75 countries hit by U.S. immigrant visa freeze
Fiji has been named among 75 countries affected by a new move by the United States Department of State to indefinitely halt the processing of immigrant visa applications, marking another escalation of immigration restrictions under Donald Trump.
The State Department announced the decision on X on Wednesday, framing it as part of efforts to prevent migrants who may require public assistance from entering the United States.
The department said the pause would remain in place until safeguards are in place to ensure new immigrants “will not extract wealth from the American people.”
In a series of posts, the department said the freeze impacts dozens of countries whose migrants allegedly become public charges after arrival in the U.S.
While officials did not initially release the full list of affected nations, a memo first obtained by Fox News reportedly identified all 75 countries. Alongside Fiji, the list includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
The inlusion of Fiji is expected to raise concerns locally, particularly for families with pending immigrant visa applications and those seeking long-term migration pathways to the United States.
The State Department has not indicated when or if the processing pause will be lifted, saying only that it will remain until further notice.
Fiji and Tahiti conduct major cocaine seizures on same day
Last Friday was a pivotal day in the Pacific’s fight against transnational drug trafficking, after authorities in French Polynesia and Fiji intercepted large quantities of suspected cocaine in separate but closely timed operations.
In French Polynesia, French authorities announced the seizure of 4.87 tonnes of cocaine after a National Navy vessel intercepted a suspicious ship within the territory’s maritime zone.
A search of the vessel uncovered 96 bales of cocaine, marking the largest drug seizure ever recorded in the territory.
French officials said the shipment originated in Central America and was transiting through the Pacific towards the southwest Pacific region.
While the drugs were not intended for French Polynesia, authorities noted the territory has become a key transit point along an increasingly active international drug trafficking route.
Thousands of kilometres away, and on the same day, Fijian police conducted a major drug operation at Vatia Wharf, seizing more than 100 bags of a white substance believed to be cocaine.
Six people were arrested, including four South
American nationals and two Fijian citizens, during the early-morning raid.
The Fiji Police Force said specialist units from the Criminal Investigations Department, Serious Organised Crime and Intelligence Department, and the Western Division Taskforce were involved in the operation, which followed intelligence-led investigations.
Inquiries into the source, destination and scale of the seized drugs are ongoing. The dual interceptions highlight the evolving tactics of organised crime networks, which increasingly rely on long-range maritime routes, remote landing points and international crews to evade detection.
Back to school assistance payments to begin
The Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro has announced that Back to School Assistance (BTSA) payments for the 2026 school year will begin from tomorrow for eligible students.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education said payments for Year 13 students will be made at a later date, once enrolments are formally confirmed by schools. Parents and
guardians requiring assistance or clarification have been advised to seek support through the Ministry’s District Offices or the Help Desk at Waisomo House.
The Ministry of Education has acknowledged the continued cooperation of parents, schools and stakeholders, thanking them for their support in ensuring a smooth and timely start to the 2026 school year.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2026
Defiant Bangladesh won’t visit India, seek ICC relief
The Bangladesh cricket team on Thursday put the ball in the International Cricket Council’s court regarding its participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after it refused to travel to India over security reasons.
Bangladesh’s security threat claim was rejected by the ICC on Wednesday. The ICC, after a board meeting, had announced that the tournament schedule would not be changed as “altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events”.
However, Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul told the media in Dhaka on Thursday that the team would not travel to India for the World Cup as they could not risk the security of the players, journalists and fans. The decision means that Bangladesh are likely to be replaced in the 20team tournament if the Bangladesh government does not budge from its stated position.
since that incident that would make us believe that there will be no extremist flare-ups again? They could not protect Mustafiz (ur Rehman). How can we be convinced that they can protect our players, journalists and supporters,” Nazrul said.
However, he kept a window for behind-the-doors negotiation with the ICC board.
“We have the right to play the World Cup in Sri Lanka — there are many precedents worldwide where matches have been moved to other venues due to security risks. We have a genuine security risk. We have not lost hope. We hope the ICC will consider this genuine risk and allow us to play the World Cup in Sri Lanka. We are still waiting with that hope,” he said.
Bangladesh raised the security issue with the ICC after Mustafizur Rehman was released by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) from its roster for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.
“Security is the responsibility of that country’s police and security agencies. So what has changed
The decision was taken amid national uproar over reports of Hindus getting targeted across the border.
SOUTH ASIA
Protest demanding justice for Bangladeshi Hindus sees overwhelming turnout
Amid the cold weather conditions, a large crowd gathered at the Parliament Square in London on Wednesday in a demonstration calling for international attention against the continued torture, persecution and killing of minorities in Bangladesh, a statement by the Bangladesh Hindu Association and Bengali Hindu Adarsh Sangha said.
Organised by the Bangladesh Hindu Association (BHA) and supported by INSIGHT UK and the Bengali Hindu Adarsh Sangha (BHAS), this British Hindu diaspora event drew an audience of over 500 participants representing students, professionals, parents with children, elderly activists and interfaith leaders.
Attendees included Baroness Sandeep Verma, Lord Dolar Popat, former MP Virendra Sharma, MP Navendu Mishra, MP Luke Murphy, MP Jim Dickson, Birmingham Cllr Andrew Hardie, and MP Andrew Mitchell.
All dignitaries accepted the fact that this is no less than an ethnic cleansing happening in Bangladesh and assured their full support to the diaspora in bringing the matter to the UK government.
As per the statement, a spokesperson of the event
highlighted quite a few issues that the minority communities of Bangladesh are suffering. These include long-standing patterns of discrimination, targeted violence, killings and demographic decline suffered by the minority communities in Bangladesh and first-hand testimonies from families of victims, underscoring the human cost. Grave concerns over the arrest of interfaith religious voice Chinmaya Prabhu and the public lynching of Dipu Das, followed by 15 Hindus killed in a planned genocide.
Social media platforms buzzed with photos and livestreams from the demonstration, amplifying reach beyond London and garnering support from global audiences, the statement said.
These included immediate suspension of UK aid and trade with Bangladesh till it takes necessary action against the perpetrators; formal Parliamentary Action by issuing an urgent Ministerial Statement and enabling full parliamentary debate and scrutiny; targeted international accountability by pursuing international scrutiny and applying targeted sanctions against perpetrators and monitoring and engagement of the situation by appointing a designated UK ministerial lead or special envoy.
UAE hands over list of over 900 Indian nationals to India who are set be released
The United Arab Emirates has handed over a list of over 900 Indian nationals to the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, who will be released as a part of the November order by the UAE.
Earlier on November 27 last year, the UAE President, in an official order shared on his website, mentioned that 2937 inmates had been released ahead of Eid Al Etihad.
Eid Al Etihad is the UAE's national celebration on December 2, marking the moment in 1971 when the emirates united under one flag.
The statement said, "President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has
ordered the release of 2,937 inmates from correctional institutions in the UAE.
His Highness has also pledged to cover the financial penalties incurred by the inmates as part of their sentences. Coinciding with the UAE's 54th Eid Al Etihad celebrations, the directive reflects His Highness' commitment to giving the released inmates a fresh start in life, easing the burden on their families, and bringing joy to their loved ones."
It further noted that the initiative was part of the President's broader efforts to promote stability, social cohesion, and opportunities
for rehabilitation. India and the UAE have longstanding ties.
Earlier on Monday, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid an official visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It marked his fifth visit in the last 10 years and his third official visit as President of the UAE.
His visit saw the signing of a Letter of Intent towards the conclusion of a Strategic Defence Partnership.
The two leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They underlined their shared interest in regional
peace, security and stability. They noted excellent cooperation and mutual support at multilateral and plurilateral fora. The UAE side conveyed its full support for the success of India's BRICS Chairmanship in 2026.
The Indian side conveyed its support for the 2026 UN Water Conference, to be co-hosted by the UAE at the end of 2026, which will focus on accelerating the implementation of SDG 6, ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted in the statement on its visit.
Atishi clip doctored: Punjab Police in reply to Delhi Assembly Secretariat
The Punjab Police on Thursday submitted a reply to the Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat regarding an FIR registered in connection with an alleged doctored video clip linked to former Delhi CM Atishi.
The Office of the Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, said the matter arose after a written complaint was received on January 7 at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Jalandhar. The complaint alleged that certain video clips circulating on X showed misleading subtitles attributed to Atishi, falsely portraying her as making derogatory remarks against Sikh Gurus.
The complaint pointed out that the original video of the speech, later uploaded on Atishi’s official social media account, did not contain any such remarks, indicating deliberate editing and manipulation intended to hurt religious sentiments and disturb communal harmony.
“After examining the complaint and the digital material, the police found that the allegations disclosed cognisable offences. Accordingly, FIR No. 2 dated January 7 was registered against unknown persons under relevant provisions of the BNS and the Information Technology Act,” it added.
The police stated that during the investigation, one of the widely circulated video clips was downloaded from a publicly available social media
URL following due procedure, with digital evidence preserved and certified. The material was then forwarded to the State Forensic Science Laboratory, SAS Nagar (Mohali), for priority examination. The forensic report categorically stated that the word “Guru” was not uttered by the speaker in the audio extracted from the video under examination.
The reply further clarified that the video clips in question were edited and circulated outside the Delhi Assembly and were sourced from social media platforms. Since the clips were neither published by nor under the authority of the House, legislative privilege did not apply in this case.
The police also made it clear that no FIR had been registered against Atishi for her speech inside the House and that the investigation was confined to the acts of clipping, cropping and digitally manipulating the video by unknown persons outside the Assembly.
Highlighting the law-and-order context, the reply noted that Punjab shared its border with Pakistan and had a long history of cross-border terrorism and internal disturbances with religious undertones. Given the rapid and far-reaching reach of social media content, the police said it was imperative to act swiftly to prevent any threat to public order and communal harmony.
Delhi court acquits Sajjan Kumar in 1984 riots case
A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a case linked to the alleged instigation of violence during the 1984 antiSikh riots.
The decision is likely to be seen as a setback for survivors and families seeking justice in decadesold cases related to the riots.
However, hours after the national capital’s Rouse Avenue Court cleared Kumar in the Janakpuri violence case, senior advocate HS Phoolka, who has represented riot victims for decades, said the order would be challenged in the Delhi High Court. He accused the Congress of conspiring to prolong proceedings so that the passage of time itself worked in favour of the accused. According to Phoolka, repeated delays ensured that witnesses either died or were rendered incapable of testifying, undermining the prospects of justice in riot cases
involving influential political figures.
He maintained that though several witnesses had named Kumar, their testimonies were not given due weight by the court.
The Rouse Avenue Court, however, acquitted Kumar after holding that the prosecution had failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh found no reliable evidence establishing Kumar’s presence at the scene on November 1, 1984, or his role in leading or instigating a mob in Janakpuri following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The court ruled that neither Kumar’s political standing nor his involvement in other riot-related cases could justify lowering the standard of proof required in a criminal trial. It held that criminal culpability must be established strictly on evidence relevant to the case at hand.
Centre recommends Punjab & Haryana HC complex plan to UNESCO
The Centre on Thursday formally recommended the long-stalled holistic development plan of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to UNESCO and other international partner institutions for consideration at the 48th meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, Korea, from July 19 to 29. The development assumes significance as the proposed expansion of the High Court, an integral part of the Le Corbusier-designed Capitol Complex, has now formally entered the international decisionmaking process, making it a matter of global heritage concern. The project can be executed only after receiving clearance from the WHC.
Sources privy to the development told The Tribune that the Union Ministry of Culture, after completing all requisite formalities, has forwarded the plan to the Fondation Le Corbusier in Paris and other international institutions concerned and partner countries associated with the transnational world heritage inscription of Le Corbusier’s works.
The matter is also set to come up before a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu on Friday, where the Centre’s action in forwarding the proposal is expected to be placed on record.
The Centre’s move follows the unanimous
decision taken on Tuesday by the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC), chaired by UT Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad, to forward the concept proposal in compliance with explicit HC directions. The committee, while clearing the proposal, had underlined that no execution could take place without UNESCO approval and that mandatory heritage impact assessment, environmental clearances and statutory permissions would be non-negotiable. The holistic development plan proposes a new High Court complex spread over 20.49 lakh square feet, comprising three new blocks and three basements, including a multi-level parking facility for 2,450 vehicles. Officials have consistently maintained that the skyline, façade and iconic eye-level view of the High Court from the Capitol Complex plaza will remain untouched, with all new construction carefully offset and visually screened, strictly in line with the ICOMOS Technical Review.
The expansion is driven by acute space shortages, with pending cases crossing 4.12 lakh and the sanctioned strength of judges projected to rise to 110 by 2050. Parking stress, congestion and fragmented temporary structures have long been cited as major functional challenges.
Why this PE guru says India could be No. 1 in your lifetime
At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, David Rubenstein, co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, offered a bold projection: “I think in our lifetime, or your lifetime, maybe more than mine, India might be the biggest economy in the world… within 20 to 30 years it could happen,” he told ET in an exclusive interview.
"Well, I would say probably within 20 to 30 years it could happen. And India has an advantage of having a younger population. In China, because of its one-child policy, it has an ageing population, and it has a shrinking population. India's population is growing, and a very large percentage of people are young. And while our population in the US is growing – it is ageing. So I think India could be 20 years from now a dominant economy in the entire world," Rubenstein said.
Rubenstein’s forecast builds on the assumption that if India continues its growth trajectory while capitalising on demographic advantage, it could reach the top within two to three decades.
His remarks reflected not just optimism but a growing global consensus on India’s rising economic trajectory amid structural reforms and shifting global dynamics. India’s economy has already become the world’s fourth-largest economy, with a nominal GDP of about $4.18 trillion, ahead of Japan and trailing only the United States, China and Germany. This shift in global economic rankings is not isolated but the result of sustained growth over years, reflecting robust domestic demand, investment flows and expanding manufacturing and services sectors. According to official projections, with continued momentum, India is poised to overtake Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy by around 2030.
Rubenstein’s forecast builds on the assumption that if India continues its growth trajectory while capitalising on demographic advantage, it could
reach the top within two to three decades.
India is one of the youngest major economies in the world today, with an estimated 65 % of its population under the age of 35. This large, youthful cohort stands in contrast to many developed economies, and even China, where years of low fertility rates and aging demographics are shrinking the workforce.
This demographic profile offers India a supply of labour, consumption growth, and entrepreneurial energy—all fundamentals for rapid economic expansion. The window to fully exploit this demographic dividend is time-bound: India’s working-age population is expected to expand significantly until the early 2040s, creating a critical decade for converting population advantage into productivity and growth.
However, demographics alone do not guarantee prosperity. Economists and policy analysts have stressed that India must match demographic potential with productive employment, skills development, and structural economic shifts to harness this dividend fully. However, demographics alone do not guarantee prosperity. Economists and policy analysts have stressed that India must match demographic potential with productive employment, skills development and structural economic shifts to harness this dividend fully. India’s youth population is expected to peak around 2025 and then gradually decline.
Delhi, Kashmir on high alert, intel input alarms ISI-backed terror plot, Delhi Police issues wanted notice ahead of Republic Day
Suspicious online messages mentioning 26-26 have alerted the intelligence agencies ahead of the Republic Day, prompting heightened security in Delhi, Jammu Kashmir and at sensitive areas like major religious sites across India that also includes Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. Specific threats surfacing from neighbouring Pakistan-based terrorist outfits, sources said. After the warning, the Delhi Police has also issued a critical list of wanted men carrying their photographs.
After intelligence agencies raised an alarm, Delhi Police acted promptly and, for the first time, issued a wanted notice. The notice carries a photograph of wanted men, including Mohammad Rehan, an Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terrorist, and a resident of the capital city, Shahid Faisal, mastermind of bomb blasts in South India. As per reports, Faisal also orchestrated, including Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe.
Kashmir.
The Indian intelligence agencies have alerted that the Pakistan-linked terror groups are mulling of coordinated attacks in several sensitive parts of India before and on Republic Day. Their prime objective is to execute high-impact attacks to spread panic.
Jaish-e-Mohammed is believed to be leading these attacks, with specific inputs for Kashmir.
The security agencies have also flagged a high alert for Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, which could be a potential target for the terrorists. As per reports, a major terror strike was being planned last month, after which central intelligence agencies and police force intensified surveillance.
After all these inputs, security has been tightened in the capital city and other sensitive areas. Agencies are also investigating a wider network between Jaish and Punjab-based gangsters.
According to a report of India Today, that cites critical intelligence inputs, the operation has been named ‘26-26’. Due to the alert security has been heightened across the country, specially in sensitive locations like Delhi and Jammu and
Agencies are closely keeping an eye on social media platforms like the Kashmiri Resistance Group’s Falcon Squad, which is attempting to radicalise and incite Muslim youth by spreading online propaganda.
16 Naxalites killed in Jharkhand encounter
Sixteen Maoists, including senior leader Patiram Manjhi alias Anal Da, who had a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head, were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in the Saranda forest of Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Thursday, officials said.
Jharkhand Police IG (Operations) Michaelraj S said Anal Da was among those killed along with several other Maoists.
He added that an extensive search operation is still on in the area.
According to police officials, the encounter broke out early Thursday morning near Kumbhdih village under the Chotanagra police station limits after security forces launched a joint operation based on specific intelligence inputs about Maoist movement in the area.
The Maoists, who were reportedly lying in ambush, opened indiscriminate fire on the security personnel. Security personnel retaliated and strategically surrounded the Maoists. After several hours of intense exchange of fire, the forces gained the upper hand.
After Manjhi's elimination, only six key members of the outlawed CPI (Maoist)’s central committee are left. They are Muppala Laxman Rao, Thippiri Thirupathi aka Devji (reportedly the new CPI [Maoist] general secretary), Paka Hanumanthulu and Pusunuri Narahari (all from Telangana); Misir Besra (Jharkhand) and Majjidev (from Chhattisgarh).
Anal Da, a native of Giridih district, had been associated with the Maoist movement for over two decades and was considered one of its key strategists.
His influence reportedly spanned multiple districts including Giridih, Bokaro, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Seraikela-Kharsawan and West Singhbhum, where he played a key role in consolidating the Maoist network, particularly in the Saranda and Kolhan regions.
He was implicated in dozens of serious criminal cases, ranging from attacks on security forces and IED explosions to extortion and issuing threats to contractors.
Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the success of the operation in which Manjhi was killed. In a post on X, Shah said that the ongoing joint operation by the CRPF and Jharkhand Police in West Singhbhum achieved a major success in antiNaxal operation with killing of 'Anal alias Patiram Manjhi', a notorious Naxalite central committee member carrying a reward of Rs 1 crore, and 15 other Naxalites.
He once again appealed to the remaining Naxalites to abandon the ideology that connects them to violence, terror and weapons and join the mainstream of development and trust.
Stronger India-EU ties critical to stabilising global order, says Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said a stronger India-European Union partnership was critical to stabilising the global order at a time when volatility and uncertainty had become the “new normal” in international affairs.
Interacting with ambassadors from EU member states, Jaishankar discussed the current state of the world marked by geopolitical turbulence, economic disruptions and security challenges, and made a case for deeper India-EU cooperation across key domains.
According to Jaishankar, closer ties between India and the EU could help “de-risk” the global economy through cooperation on resilient and
trusted supply chains, an issue that has gained urgency amid ongoing conflicts and trade disruptions. He also underlined the role India and the EU could jointly play in reassuring the international community by providing global public goods, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), anti-piracy operations, and development projects in third countries.
Stressing the need for a rules-based and stable international order, the External Affairs Minister said stronger trade, mobility and security partnerships between India and the EU would contribute to long-term global stability. Jaishankar said he was looking forward to the upcoming visit of President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to India for the Republic Day celebrations, a visit that is also expected to provide momentum to India-EU strategic engagement.
The interaction comes ahead of the India-EU summit on January 27, where leaders are expected to review progress across political, economic and security cooperation, including trade negotiations and emerging areas such as critical technologies and maritime security.
Why UAE president visited India for just 3 hours
When world leaders visit India, they typically do it over an extended period of time. For instance, last December, when Russia’s Vladimir Putin travelled to India, he came for two days.
However, that wasn’t the case for UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The UAE leader visited India on Monday (January 19) and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the nation’s capital for a brief period — the entire visit lasted about three hours. But it was a significant visit with the two leaders announcing their intention to conclude a “framework agreement” for a strategic defence partnership.
But why did the UAE’s MBZ, as he is popularly known, visit India for such a short duration? We tell you why. The UAE leader’s visit to India has become quite a talking point because of its timing and duration. Firstly, the visit — this is MBZ’s fifth travel to India in the last 10 years and his third official visit as the president of the UAE — came as quite a surprise. The Ministry of External Affairs only announced it a day prior to the UAE president’s arrival, on January 18. Moreover, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spent just three hours in
India. He arrived at New Delhi’s Air Force Station (AFS) Palam at 4.20 pm, where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. From there, the two leaders rode together in a car and attended a meeting that was officially slated for 4.45 pm. And at 6.05 pm, the UAE leader departed for his country after his meeting with PM Modi. What’s even more notable is that MBZ travelled for more time than the meeting with PM Modi — a flight from Abu Dhabi to New Delhi takes a little more than three hours. This means that MBZ flew for more than six hours for a three-hour meeting.
So, what came out of the meeting between Modi and MBZ?
The two leaders reviewed the full scope of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and agreed on a range of bilateral agreements and outcomes — from defence to space and LNG.
Of most significance was the “letter of intent” that India and the UAE signed to conclude negotiations for the framework of a strategic defence partnership. The Print reports that the agreement could include co-manufacturing along with the research and development of defence platforms.
India on Thursday condemned the trespassing and vandalism at its embassy in Zagreb, Croatia, after pro-Khalistan elements removed the Indian national flag and briefly raised a Khalistan flag at the mission premises, in a provocative act ahead of Republic Day celebrations.
In a sharply worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the incident amounted to a serious breach of international norms governing the safety and sanctity of diplomatic premises.
“We condemn the incident of trespassing and vandalism at our embassy in Zagreb, Croatia by anti-India elements,” the MEA said, underscoring that diplomatic missions are inviolable under the
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and must be protected by the host country.
The ministry said the matter had been taken up “strongly” with Croatian authorities both in New Delhi and Zagreb, with India seeking swift action against those responsible. “We have asked them to hold the perpetrators accountable for their reprehensible and illegal actions,” the statement said.
The incident was particularly concerning as it occurred ahead of the participation of senior European Union leaders in India’s Republic Day event, a timing New Delhi views as a deliberate attempt to draw attention and internationalise a fringe extremist agenda.
The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Hindus to perform religious ceremonies from sunrise to sunset on Basant Panchami (January 23) at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex at Dhar in Madhya Pradesh.
A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant also permitted Muslims to offer namaz at the disputed monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from 1 pm to 3 pm on Friday.
Hindu and Muslim groups had sought nod for religious activities at the Bhojshala Complex on January 23 when Saraswati Puja will be conducted on the occasion of Basant Panchami.
The Bench passed the order after Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj (for ASI), Madhya Pradesh Advocate General Prashant Singh and senior counsel Salman Khurshid (representing the Muslim side) agreed that both sides could
be allowed access to the site. The ASG and Advocate General assured the top court that law and order shall be well-maintained. In terms of the arrangement agreed upon by the parties, the Bench ordered that “after knowing that how many persons belonging to Muslim community are likely to come tomorrow for ‘namaz’ between 1 and 3 pm, an exclusive and separate space within the same compound/premises shall be made available, so that the ‘namaz’ can be performed at the prescribed time. Similarly, a separate space, as per the past practice, shall be made available to the Hindu community to hold the traditional ceremonies on the occasion of Basant Panchami.” Khurshid told the Bench that the approximate number of persons belonging to Muslim community, who will come for ‘namaz’ tomorrow between 1 to 3 pm, will be furnished to the District Magistrate, Dhar, well in time.
Parag Khanna says US pressure can't move Delhi
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"This notion of democracy or driven foreign policy is not going to work when you're dealing with a country like India that has a very high current account surplus and trade deficit when it comes to commodities imports," Khanna told NDTV CEO and Editor in Chief Rahul Kanwal at Davos.
Khanna, a top global strategy advisor, pointed to India's economic structure as the driving force behind its independent global stance. "You can actually, this is a bit wonky, but you can just rank countries by the share of their deficit that is attributable to commodities imports. And if it is high, and spoiler alert, India ranks number one, their foreign policy is not going to be dictated by ideals, right? Because it becomes a question of international cheap commodities imports versus domestic subsidies in your budget."
According to Khanna, that trade-off shapes
how Indian leaders make decisions. "That is not a sacrifice that any intelligent Indian leader would make," he said.
He added that India is not alone in this approach. "Even Japan, which is truly an American ally, has sought all kinds of ways to circumvent or to take advantage of oil price cap and so forth to still get Russian energy. And even Europe itself, which feels fundamentally attacked, has been accessing Russian oil and gas as well, even after Nord Stream was blown up through alternative refineries that, including others, were processed by India and so forth."
"So the fact is, everyone is practising this multi alignment," Khanna said. "India has to focus on its own neighbourhood. It cannot take instructions and will not from others."
"And I think India has actually been fairly clever in this regard," he added.
