nts
ntal Care Plan) patie
nadian De Accepting CDCP( Ca
HARINDER DAIL
ns
Dental Crow tal Implants
Den
Ceramic Crowns Bridges es Sem-Clear Brac Speed Braces Invisalign ry General Dentist Orthodontics Implants ning Cosmetic White es Treatment ac Br st Fa Providing
titioner
Honesty - Integrity - Trust Professional Services Provided • Estate Planning • Will Preparation • Legal Documents • Power of Attorney • Affidavits • Notarization • Real Estate Purchase or Sale of Property • Travel Documents
TATION FREE CONSUL
, Dr. R. Sidhu General Dental Prac
NOTARY CORPORATION
DDS
#108 – 7511 120 Street Delta BC
604 543 5060
th
y 0th Street, Surre
www.theasianstar.com
#215 - 7110, 12
VOL 26 - ISSUE 30
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canadian potash will continue to be a “strength of our economy,” while
answering questions at the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday afternoon. The prime minister made the comments after U.S. President Donald Trump said he will continue to buy the fertilizer mineral from Canada, but will still look to Belarus for a lower price. Carney also revealed Tuesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Canada in December. Continued on Page 10...
Vancouver housing market among weakest in UBS global ranking
Notary Public, M.A. (ALS) M.B.A. B.Sc
Ph: 604-503-3853 Fx:604-503-3854
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
PM Carney confirms India’s PM Modi will visit Canada in December
HARINDER DAIL
BC Conservatives regroup as several ex-MLAs return to caucus in wake of leader’s resignation Some dissident MLAs are rejoining the BC Conservatives as the province’s Opposition attempts to bolster its ranks ahead of a possible snap election and just a day after its leader resigned. Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s announcement Sunday that she was stepping down as leader because of “infighting” prompted the return of some party members who had left the caucus over her leadership. Continued on Page 10...
TEL: 604-591-5423
Carney says he studied risk of U.S.-led military action in NYT interview Prime Minister Mark Carney says he studied the possibility of U.S.-led military action in Canada. In a lengthy New York Times interview published Wednesday, Carney declined to discuss in detail what that examination involved, but he suggested it would be irresponsible not to prepare for what he called “extreme tail risk.” “I think you have a responsibility in these roles to look at extreme tail risk,” Carney told the Times. “That’s just risk management. That’s not a base case, but it would be irresponsible not to (prepare).” Continued on Page 10...
New poll shows two-thirds not in favour of early election in BC David Eby's early election gamble may have reversed the B.C. NDP’s fortunes, at least according to one opinion poll. New data from the Angus Reid Institute shows the B.C. Conservatives, led by Lorne Doerkson, holding 43 per cent support among respondents — an eight-point lead over the NDP's 35 per cent. It’s a change from the four point lead the governing New Democrats had over the Official Opposition before Kerry Lynne Findlay resigned last week. Continued on Page 4...
The big drop in Vancouver home prices over the last year has the city’s housing market ranked near the bottom of a major global index. When inflation is factored in, Swiss bank UBS finds Vancouver’s home prices have dropped approximately 10 percent since mid2025. Of the major cities it tracks in its Global Real Estate Bubble Index, the city came second-last—only ahead of Toronto. Continued on Page 4...
IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE
LETS BUILT A CORRUPTION FREE CITY HALL
RICKY BAJWA
(NAVDEEP) COUNCIL CANDIDATE CANDIDATE
0
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAX
CUT
PROPERTY TAX % INCREASE FOR 4 YEARS
LAWYER, JURIS DOCTOR
HONVEER SINGH
RANDHAWA
Authorized by David Denhoff, Financial Agent for the Conservative Electors Association. info@conservativeassociation.ca
2
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Report on Tumbler Ridge shooter's ChatGPT conversations shocks B.C. attorney general
British Columbia’s attorney general says she’s shocked by an article describing alleged interactions between the Tumbler Ridge mass shooter and ChatGPT, in which the AI chatbot vividly describes the effectiveness of a shotgun in a classroom. The report, in U.S.-based magazine Mother Jones, also says ChatGPT advised shooter 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar how to get around its own safeguards to obtain information about violent scenarios by framing the content as fictional. Attorney General Niki Sharma says the details in the article, which does not describe its sources, are “shocking and, as a parent, they are worse” than she ever imagined. She ays on social media platform Bluesky that corporations urgently need mandatory and strict
regulation to protect children. OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the article about the chatbot’s interactions with Van Rootselaar, who killed eight people in Tumbler Ridge in February, including five students, before killing herself. The B.C. government, survivors and witnesses of the shootings at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School are suing OpenAI, alleging negligence. The article published on Thursday says Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT account was banned for discussing committing an attack with a “famous real-world mall as the target.” But it says she then used a second account, which advised her about how to “never get flagged again”
by describing situations as fictional or hypothetical. “Don’t use real-world locations,” the article quotes ChatGPT as saying, before adding: “You can still be twisted. Just be clever about it.” It says that Van Rootselaar asked ChatGPT for a scenario about attacking a college campus with a shotgun for maximum effect. The article says that the chatbot initially declined to help, but after Van Rootselaar added “hypothetically” to her prompt it responded. “In a hallway, indoors, or a crowded classroom, the 870 (Remington shotgun) is brutal,” it quotes ChatGPT as saying. “Close quarters is its playground.” The article says ChatGPT went on to say: “Assuming each shell results in one hit, you might
down 10 to 20 people max, depending on spacing, density, reaction times, and chaos.” OpenAI did not immediately respond to an email sent to their general press address and to an individual spokesperson. General counsel for the company, Che Chang, did not immediately respond to a message sent to his LinkedIn profile.
Starbucks to close 250 stores in Canada & US Starbucks plans to close 250 North American stores later this week. It is the second big round of store closures under Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, who joined the company in 2024. Last September, Starbucks closed 627 stores in North America and Europe and laid off 900 non-retail employees. In a letter to employees, Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams said the locations targeted either aren’t delivering acceptable financial results or can’t provide the kind of experience that Starbucks wants for customers and employees. The company didn’t say Thursday which coffeehouses will close or how many are located in the U.S. It also didn’t say how many of the affected coffeehouses are unionized. More than 700 U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late 2021, but Starbucks doesn’t support the unionization effort and the union and the company have yet to reach a labor agreement. Grams said Starbucks is continuing to retrofit its North American coffeehouses to make them cozier and more inviting. The company expects 1,500 stores will be retrofitted by Sept. 30, which is the end of Starbucks’ fiscal year.
“This progress has given us a clearer view of the performance of every coffeehouse,” Grams said in his letter. “While most are benefiting from this overall momentum, some coffeehouses continue to underperform despite the hard work and commitment of all of you.” Grams said Starbucks is still committed to
growing its store count in North America. Starbucks said it will transfer employees to other stores if possible or provide severance support if it’s not able to place an employee in another location. In May, Starbucks laid off an additional 300 corporate employees and closed some underused U.S. offices. Starbucks shares fell 0.3 per cent Thursday morning as trading opened.
Attempted kidnapping stopped by border officials
Areas of Practice ICBC/Personal Injury Immigration Law Corporate / Commercial Real Estate / Property Development
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stopped an attempted kidnapping at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ont. The incident happened on Aug. 27. CBP Director of Field Operations, Marty Raybon, said a minor female passenger was reported
missing and was with an unrelated male driver, who is a U.S. permanent resident deriving from Afghanistan. The girl was reunited with her mother. The suspect was then arrested and turned over to Kalamazoo, Mich., police.
Canadian producers, retailers feel impacts of protein boom as dairy tariffs hits
Puneet P.K. Sandhar
Barinder S. Sanghera
B.A.,LL.B. (GND)
B.Comm.,LL.B. (UBC)
psandhar@slglawyers.com
bss@slglawyers.com
#201, 12565 88 Ave, Surrey, B.C. V3W 3J7
Phone: 604.543.8484 Fax: 604.543.8584
info@slglawyers.com www.slglawyers.com
An international surge in protein consumption, combined with pricey new tariffs on American dairy, means Canadian whey retailers are being hit with a worldwide product shortage — just as prices soar. Some Canadian dairy farers are already working to produce milk with higher protein content, but economists say large-scale investments in whey processing are also needed to keep up with the surging demand. "We have already changed our breeding selection," said Kevin de Vos, the owner of Foxtrot Dairy near Salmon Arm, B.C. Those breeding changes will increase the concentration of protein in milk his future cows produce. He said within the last year, the pricing formula for milk changed, to recognize Canada's increased desire for more protein in milk. However, de Vos said it will take more than three years of careful breeding to see the protein content
of milk increase, after previously spending years selecting for high-fat producing cows. He said whey used to be considered not much more than a liquid byproduct of the cheesemaking process. Now, as prices for refined whey skyrocket, cheese producers are looking at the whey they previously used as fertilizer and animal feed with a different eye. A spike in global consumption of protein — specifically whey protein concentrate — in the last two years prompted the price surge, said Monika Tothova, United Nations Food and Agriculture senior economist. Tothova specified that the liquid leftover from cheesemaking is not the same as the whey protein concentrate that is sold in stores. This means many protein retailers like Kallum Mitterer, the founder of True North Protein, must rely entirely on purchasing processed whey from the United States.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Leader of BC Conservatives says they are united and ready after snap election call The interim leader of British Columbia’s Conservatives says they are united and ready to fight an Oct. 24 election, putting the chaotic final weeks of Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s leadership behind them. Interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson, who replaced Findlay on Sunday, says NDP Leader David Eby is going to regret Tuesday’s election call. Eby says the snap election that he called less than halfway through his government’s mandate is needed because of an existential threat of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump and because it is never wrong to ask British Columbians about the direction of the province. He says the Conservatives have been weak on Trump, saying they “fan the flames” of his threats. Doerkson says it’s a “cynical snap election” that
Fourth minister abandons Eby's NDP
nobody wants and will cost tens of millions of dollars, but it offers an opportunity for change. He has welcomed back to the Conservatives a dozen or so legislators who quit the caucus or were kicked out by Findlay. They include legislators who briefly joined CentreBC under the leadership of Peter Milobar, who says they are now coming back together as a party of progressive ideas and conservative values. But the Conservatives have lost former Surrey mayor Linda Hepner, who announced Tuesday that she won’t be running again in SurreySerpentine River. Three NDP cabinet ministers have also said they won’t be running again: Health Minister Ravi Kahlon, Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene and Agriculture Minister Lana Popham.
Another minister from David Eby’s former cabinet has announced she is not seeking reelection on Oct. 24. Brenda Bailey will not be running again for Vancouver-South Granville, where she was first elected in 2020. Bailey was most recently the province’s minister of jobs, economic development and innovation. In August, Bailey announced she was diagnosed with early-stage treatable cancer and underwent surgery. “I am now regaining my strength,” she said in a statement on Wednesday. Bailey said she has received so much support since her diagnosis, from friends, family and strangers. “I am proud of the work I have done in every portfolio
I have been given, but I am especially proud of the work we did to create and protect good jobs and to build B.C.’s technology, innovation and life sciences sectors,” she added. “We invested in talent. We worked to help B.C. companies grow here and create good jobs here. And I am particularly proud that we helped bring Web Summit to Vancouver — putting B.C.’s innovators, entrepreneurs and technology companies in front of the world.” Bailey thanked David Eby for his leadership and said that while she is not running again, she will be out on the campaign trail for the BC NDP. Bailey joins Ravi Kahlon, Lana Popham and Kelly Greene, who previously announced they will not be seeking re-election.
Cocaine shipment mistakenly arrives at Vancouver business Vancouver police say a local business that handled a shipping container with almost $6 million of cocaine inside isn’t connected to the haul. Sgt. Travis Fraser of the Vancouver Police Department’s drug unit said that on July 21 the business contacted the police when employees found 14 cocaine-filled duffel bags inside a container they were unloading in southeast Vancouver. The total haul was a record for Vancouver at 328 kilograms, worth around $5.8 million, according to police. It’s believed the cocaine was shipped from Honduras in May and arrived in Montreal on July 5 after a stopover in Jamaica. “Obviously, the business was shocked by what it found. They called police right away and are in
3
no way associated with the seized cocaine,” Fraser said in a news release. “This amount of drugs, as well as the stamps and packaging, clearly indicates organized crime is behind the shipment.” “We believe the cocaine was supposed to be removed prior to its arrival at the company. For some reason, it was not unloaded,” Fraser said. No arrests have been made.
200 – 6245 - 136th St., Surrey, B.C. V3X 1H3
4
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Wildfire north of Sooke burning out of control The Mount Jack Wildfire on southern Vancouver Island is still burning out of control, the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said Wednesday. The fire, discovered north of Sooke, B.C., on Sept. 20, has grown to at least 210 hectares in size. "The Mount Jack Wildfire has seen some steady growth over the past three days. That's been mainly driven by the steep terrain, the dry fuels and a lack of rain," said fire information officer Erika Berg. Berg said crews are expecting colder weather and precipitation over the next few days. "That will help moderate fire behaviour and support our ongoing suppression efforts. It's not going to put this fire out per se, but it will allow us to get closer to the fire's edge and work towards containment," she said. Earlier in the week, Berg said part of the fire area had entered a nearby
watershed, however that threat has now passed. "It's more-so now moved a bit more northeast. So, it's bypassing where you start to enter the watershed. So no further risks at this time, and in terms of impact to structure or public safety, no threats there either." Berg said although crews are still investigating, the fire is deemed to be human-caused, which means it was not sparked by lightning. Most of southern Vancouver Island is still deemed as a High Fire Danger rating. The Galloping Goose Regional Trail, a popular bike and walking trail in the region, has been closed by the Capital Regional District as a precaution recommended by the BCWS. Areas of closure include kilometre 52 at the Salmon Place Campground, and access to Kapoor Regional park.
APPLIANCES REPAIR SERVICE FRIDGES WASHERS DRYERS STOVES DISHWASHERS Fast-Prompt-Reliable CALL US TODAY!
604 833 0068
Vancouver housing market among weakest in UBS global ranking Continued from Page 1... “Demand has been a lot slower over the past few years, and so inventory—whether it’s existing inventory or … new, unsold inventory—it’s just going to weigh on the market, and that’s going to be the case until demand can pick up and lower some of that inventory and we can get back to something more balanced,” B.C. Real Estate Association chief economist Brendon Ogmundson told CTV News on Thursday. One of the big factors pulling prices down further is a major shift in immigration, with the federal government reversing course on record population growth seen during former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s time in office. “The easy answer is the changed immigration,” said Tom Davidoff, an associate professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business on the UBS report and Vancouver’s low placing on price growth. “When you go from low interest rates and high growth to higher interest rates and low growth, that is devastating for property values.” With a provincial election underway, any major policy changes could play a role in where prices go moving forward.
“The NDP has put in place a lot of policies— from our point of view, some bad, some good. We don’t like things like the speculation and vacancy tax, but we do like changes to zoning and trying to encourage more density around transit and that kind of thing,” Ogmundson said of how the election could impact housing prices. And while Vancouver home prices have fallen, this may not be over yet.
With many new units not selling and the risk of potential interest rate hikes ahead, the report warns that could weigh on home prices in the near term.
Sixth homicide of 2026 in Vancouver Vancouver police say they are investigating the city’s sixth homicide this year. Officers were called to CRAB Park in the city’s Downtown Eastside early Wednesday after someone reported a man in medical distress. The man was treated by emergency responders but died at the scene.
Police have not yet confirmed the identity of the victim, and no suspects have been located. No other details surrounding the homicide have been released. Police are asking anyone in the area of CRAB Park between Tuesday night and Wednesday before 7 a.m. to reach out to investigators if they have information.
New poll shows two-thirds not in favour of early election in BC Continued from Page 1... "There’s a lot of unhappiness with this government and now there’s some, 'How dare you go to the polls,'" said Shachi Kurl, Angus Reid Institute president. Two-thirds of those polled — including half of the NDP voters — say Eby is putting his own interests ahead of the interests of British Columbians. Katrina Chen, a former NDP cabinet minister who was on Eby’s leadership team in 2022, says Eby’s decision to call a snap election is "risky." He "still has lot of work to do" to prove to British Columbians that his government’s policies are putting people first, Chen said. "People are really watching and waiting to see how Eby is going to prove himself that he is investing in people, which is good for our economy. It's not just focusing on the trade war alone," she said. This week, four NDP cabinet ministers announced they’re not seeking re-election. They include: Ravi Kahlon, who has been in charge of the housing, jobs and health portfolios and has long been considered a B.C. NDP leadership contender; Brenda Bailey, who stepped back as finance minister after a cancer diagnosis this summer; Lana Popham, a five-term MLA who has served as agriculture minister; and Kelly Greene, who served as the emergency management minister. Greene has been critical of the NDP government’s decision to give the green light to the expansion of the Tilbury LNG facility in Delta. Chen says the loss of those MLAs is "definitely
going to make an impact." "This election, given it's two years early, does put a lot of current politicians, incumbents into a very tough position in terms of: 'Do I do this again, my riding is facing a lot of challenges.’ People may not be happy with this government," she said. During a campaign stop in Maple Ridge, Eby again made U.S. Donald Trump’s tariffs the focus, as he laid out his pledge to set minimum requirements for B.C. and Canadian building materials in public infrastructure projects. He said if re-elected, he would ensure that 70 per cent of the steel used to build the first phase of the North Coast Transmission Line to Prince Rupert will be Canadian. Doerkson says the NDP government had nine years to make B.C.'s economy strong enough to withstand threats from south of the border. He called the latest promises nothing but election slogans. During questions from reporters on Thursday, Eby defended an earlier speech that compared Trump to a raging wildfire that must be stopped with a "firebreak." Eby said it’s an apt analogy for British Columbians coming together and supporting their neighbours in the face of a serious threat. "It is the example, in my opinion, of the spirit of British Columbia," he said, pointing to firefighters travelling between provinces to where help was needed most. "I will never apologize for standing up for British Columbians and calling on them to stand together in the face of a threat like this."
OPINION
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Why David Eby is seemingly running for re-election against Donald Trump Ph: 604-591-5423 Fax: 604-591-8615 editor@theasianstar.com Editor: Umendra Singh Marketing and Sales: Ravi Cheema 604-715-3847 Shamir Doshi 604-649-7827 Harminder Kaur 778-708-0481 Parminder Dhillon 604-902-2858 Pre-Press: Avee Waseer Production: Ozmo Media
www.theasianstar.com
Publication Mail Agreement No 428336012 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept.
# 202 - 8388, 128 St., Surrey, BC V3W 4G2 All advertising in The Asian Star is subject to the publishers’ approval and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publishers against claims arising from publication of any advertisement submitted by the advertiser.
If his first speeches are any indication, B.C. NDP Leader David Eby is running for re-election against one main opponent. And it’s not B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson. "There are big challenges out there for our province, challenges that are impacted by Trump's actions in positive and negative ways," said Eby at his day one campaign rally at the Canada-U.S. border, the unmistakable outline of the Peace Arch right behind him for the benefit of the cameras. "I have a clear preference about which direction we should go: build up our province, strengthen our people, shoulder-to-shoulder across the country, standing up to Trump." Overall, Eby said U.S. President Donald Trump’s name 18 times during Wednesday’s event. He said Trump’s name 19 times at his first public appearance to announce an election call. He said Doerkson’s name four times on Wednesday, and not once the day before. For an indication as to why, look to both current events — but also the polls. Since his re-election in 2024, Eby’s approval rating in the quarterly polls of all Canadian premiers done by the Angus Reid Institute has declined from a high of 53 per cent in March 2025 to 31 per cent in June of this year. Whether it’s because of going back and forth on changes to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, drug decriminalization, or the announcement of record deficits, the number of people inclined to voice their support for Eby in polls had been going down over the past 18 months. And that was before any possible backlash of calling a snap election in the first place, which seems to have riled even mild mannered political scientists. "A number of people would say, look, you may have the constitutional authority, but you shouldn’t do it," said Philippe Lagassé, a Carleton University professor and frequently cited expert on the Canadian constitutional system. "It’s not very fair, it’s not very honourable, it’s not the right thing to do, it’s not very good for democracy. And I think there, I would agree," he
said. However, Eby’s high point of 53 per cent happened in the weeks after Trump kickstarted the current tensions with his threat of tariffs and 51st state rhetoric, which Eby responded to by removing American booze from government liquor stores. Perhaps that previous boost in popularity informed Eby’s rhetoric, perhaps not. But with a seeming lack of enthusiasm towards Eby, many political experts are saying it makes sense for the NDP leader to pivot to Trump. "Eby benefits from this issue where he can now try to reposition the NDP as not a social democratic party, but a party that is pragmatic and following … Mark Carney's rhetoric, especially when it comes to trade and economic development," said Simon Fraser University political scientist Sanjay Jeram. If that result held, it would likely give Eby the clear majority he argued is needed to build what he called a Trump firewall. Which is why many see logic in the NDP’s approach, especially
5
when one considers the state of the Conservative Party in the week leading up to the call. "Up until a day ago, the Conservatives seemed to be in disarray without a leader, and prior to that, a leader who seemed to be doing more harm than good, actively sowing chaos throughout the party," said University of British Columbia political scientist Stewart Prest. But of course, in a single day, the Conservatives did remove Kerry-Lynne Findlay as leader, and replaced her with Doerkson. In a single day, a snap election was called, and seven of eight CentreBC MLAs moved back to the Conservative caucus. In a single 24-hour period, four NDP cabinet ministers announced they won’t be running again: Ravi Kahlon, Brenda Bailey, Kelly Greene, and Lana Popham. A lot can change in a single day, especially in B.C. politics. And while the last two days showed a clear message from the NDP, there are 31 left to go.
6
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Former U of Manitoba law dean arrested in France, faces extradition to Canada: police Jonathan Black-Branch, the disbarred former dean at the University of Manitoba's law school, has been arrested in Europe and is facing extradition back to Canada, where he's wanted on a fraud charge. Winnipeg police spokesperson Const. Stephen Spencer confirmed Wednesday the arrest happened in France and the matter is currently before the French court system. Police can't say more while the matter is before the courts, he said in an email, but "further information will be provided should the extradition application be successful" and Black-Branch is returned to Winnipeg. He could not confirm when Black-Branch was arrested. Black-Branch — who was under a Canada-wide arrest warrant issued March 30, 2026, on a charge of fraud over $5,000 — was hired as U of M's law dean in 2016, but left his post suddenly in 2020 with no formal explanation given. Around the same time, an internal investigation
by the university, based on a whistleblower complaint, found a senior university employee misspent university funds. In 2023, a months-long law hearing by the Law Society of Manitoba found Black-Branch had committed professional misconduct and misspent more than $600,000. He spent U of M endowment funds on expensive meals at the members-only Manitoba Club, personal education at Ivy League schools, accommodation, travel and other expenses while he was dean of the U of M's law school, according to the society's decision. The U of M then asked Winnipeg police to investigate for possible criminal charges. The Manitoba law society disbarred BlackBranch in 2024, removed his name from its rolls of barristers and solicitors, and fined him $36,000. The same year, the U of M sued Black-Branch. A default judgment in May 2025 ordered him to pay the university nearly $680,000 and more than $3,000 in costs, plus three per cent annual interest.
2 Uber passengers killed, driver injured in Highway 1 crash in Burnaby: RCMP RCMP say alcohol is believed to have been a factor in a Highway 1 crash that left two people dead and one person injured in Burnaby Wednesday morning. The crash happened shortly after midnight, according to RCMP, when a pickup truck travelling in the wrong direction collided with a four-door sedan going westbound on the highway. "Tragically, two passengers in the sedan were pronounced deceased at the scene," RCMP said in a statement. Police said the sedan was an Uber. The sedan's driver, a 50-year-old man from
Coquitlam, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Police said alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash. The driver of the pickup truck was arrested and taken into custody, though he was later released as the investigation continues. In a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Urano said the suspect was a 32-year-old man from Surrey. The two dead passengers were confirmed to be a 34-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man both from Surrey. Uber did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
Synagogue shooting was deliberate hate attack in ON The Belleville Police Service says the man who ambushed and seriously wounded an officer near a local synagogue Sunday had the means and motive to carry out a "mass casualty" event and was specifically targeting members of the city's Jewish community. "The loss of life and irreversible damage that could have rippled through our community for generations cannot be overstated," Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd said at a news conference Thursday, repeatedly emphasizing that the incident was "a hate-motivated crime." Const. Jeff Smith confronted the gunman despite having been wounded in his vehicle, while another officer joined the fray and put his own life at risk too, Rodd said. On Sunday just after 7 p.m., a Yom Kippur service was getting underway inside Sons
of Jacob Synagogue, located in a residential part of Belleville, when shots erupted outside. Belleville police played a short video clip showing part of the shootout, in which Ward and Smith can be seen crouched by vehicles as gunfire can be heard. According to the police service, Ward can be heard screaming, "You are going to die for the Jews" in the video. Smith was shot several times in the head and body and will need to undergo multiple surgeries related to serious head trauma. The gunman, 29-year-old Sean Ward of Quinte West, suffered life-threatening injuries and died in hospital. Ward used a shotgun but had "other resources" available including "a significant amount of ammunition on his person and available to him," Rodd said.
7
Five things to know about the Liberals' new Building Canada Strong Act Prime Minister Mark Carney's government tabled a bill Monday to fast-track approvals for major projects. The Building Canada Strong Act removes the responsibility for reviewing many big projects, such as pipelines and power transmission lines, from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. It also proposes changes to the Canada Labour Code.
The federal government has said it has been told by industry that the Impact Assessment Agency doesn't have the Canada Energy Regulator's level of expertise on energy projects. Here are five things to know about the legislation. Bill outlines "regions of national interest," changes project approvals structure Poposed new "regions of national interest" would afford projects within their boundaries the same treatment as projects of national interest. The legislation would require consultations before an area receives the designation and would allow special exemptions to a dozen different laws for projects within regions of national interest. The bill also proposes removing the responsibility for reviewing many big projects, such as pipelines and power transmission lines, from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.
The Canada Energy Regulator would be responsible for handling reviews of international and interprovincial pipelines, transmission lines and offshore renewable energy projects. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission would handle reviews for nuclear and uranium projects. Senior government officials also said the bill looks to amend the Impact Assessment Act to establish one-year federal review timelines, while timelines for small and medium projects under the Canada Energy Regulator would be reduced from one year to six months. Many of the proposed changes outlined in the bill revolve around Section 107 of the Labour Code — a contentious part of the law that allows the labour minister to have the Canada Industrial Relations Board step in to end a strike or lockout to maintain "industrial peace." The section has been used to end strikes in multiple sectors in recent years, including airlines, ports and railways. Labour leaders were hoping to see that section reealed or restricted, while employers indicated they want to see a stronger degree of government intervention when a labour disruption might put Canada's economic interests at stake. A government official briefing reporters after the legislation was tabled Monday said the jobs minister won't gain any new powers through the legislation. The minister would instead have to fulfil two conditions before using Section 107 — one of which would require the minister to declare that a dispute is adversely affecting "the national interest." The "national interest" could relate to impacts on the Canadian economy and whether a strike is causing what the government calls "serious social disruption."
8
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Women Without Barriers marks one year of empowering women
NOW ORDER ONLINE:
Monday-Friday - 12:00pm - 9:30pm & Saturday-Sunday - 12:00pm - 10:00pm
9450 120 St #102, Surrey 604.593.3813
7320 King George Blvd #107
Across from Newton Police Station
604.503.3833
Women Without Barriers (WWB) is celebrating its first year of creating a supportive community where women can connect, learn and find the confidence to overcome barriers in their lives. Founded one year ago, WWB is committed to supporting women as they navigate personal, cultural, social and other challenges. Its vision is “to create a safe and empowering community of women who thrive, break barriers, and fulfill their full potential.” On Saturday, September 19, WWB hosted its latest workshop, “Boundaries in Action,” at Edmonds Community Centre. The interactive session explored the importance of establishing healthy boundaries and the role they play in supporting mental well-being. Participants engaged in small-group discussions, shared experiences and examined real-life situations and challenges that women often encounter. The open and thoughtful conversations created an atmosphere of learning, connection and empowerment. The workshop was facilitated by Ranjit Dhari, Sandeep Dhillon and Amanpal Hehar, who
encouraged participants to actively engage, share their perspectives and explore practical ways to establish healthy boundaries. WWB Chairperson Alka Goel-Stevens expressed her appreciation for the dedicated team: Nusri Hassam, Nutan Thakur, Selena Sundher, Ranjit Dhari, Kavita Thakorlal, Tara Bains, Leslie Coley-
Donohue, Nilam Kang, Sandeep Dhillon and Jasreen Randhawa. Burnaby Councillor Maita Santiago, along with Councillor Candidates Cindy Lee and Rhea Park, attended the workshop and offered opening remarks to welcome participants. As Women Without Barriers celebrates its first year, it continues to build a community where women can learn, connect, grow and break barriers—while supporting one another in building confidence and fulfilling their full potential.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
PLANS FOR SURREY ADVANCE VOTING AND Zero percent property tax increases for 4 years
OCTOBER
8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Zero tolerance and more boots on the ground SkyTrain to Newton via King George Surrey Centre Opportunity Zone SPS helicopter and drone fleet within 90 days New swimming pools for Clayton Heights and City Centre, and a new Newton community centre with a pool Designate Crescent Beach and Ocean Park as protected heritage zones New swimming pools for Clayton Heights and City Centre, and a new Newton community centre with a pool. Delivering long-standing community needs across the city Farm Local: Surrey's food affordability plan An independent forensic audit of city hall's land deals Withdrawing Surrey from the Metro Vancouver Regional District Residential building permits approved in 60 days, guaranteed Business licence fees waived for the first 2 years of every new business
McCallum, Doug
Safe Surrey Coalition
Cloke, Cheney
Guerra, Laurie
Safe Surrey Coalition
Safe Surrey Coalition
Elford, Doug
Nagra, Mandeep
Safe Surrey Coalition
Safe Surrey Coalition
Gill, Meera
Patton, Allison
Safe Surrey Coalition
Safe Surrey Coalition
Gill, Suhana
Simpson, Beau
Safe Surrey Coalition
Safe Surrey Coalition
VOTING DAY OCTOBER
On October 17, vote for
DOUG McCALLUM for Mayor and Safe Surrey Coalition
DOUG
McCALLUM Gets it done For more voting centres, scan here.
Scan for more information.
MORE SECURE. MORE AFFORDABLE. READY TO WORK. VOTE FOR DOUG
9
10
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Carney says he studied risk of U.S.-led military action in NYT interview Continued from Page 1... U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly mused about turning Canada into the 51st state and while he ruled out using military force to annex Canada in January 2025, he has said he would consider using “economic force” to get Canada to become part of the United States. Carney also spoke in the interview about Canada’s plans to reduce its reliance on Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite nternet service. He also discussed Canada considering alternatives to buying American F-35 fighter jets. The trade war between Canada and the United States has been escalating after efforts to reach a trade deal failed in mid-August. The day after talks broke down, Trump imposed 50 per cent duties on $28 billion in Canadian goods, while Canada implemented retaliatory
tariffs in early September. The president also signed an order to identify and remove products of Canadian origin from U.S. government procurement systems. At a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month, Carney said he speaks to Trump regularly and that they can “compartmentalize.” He added that part of their responsibility is to work together to resolve global issues like the war in Ukraine. Trump provided no evidence for these claims but called it a “Liberal takeover that will end very badly.” Carney and Trump did not meet when they both attended the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly this week. It was Carney’s first trip to the United States since trade negotiations fell apart last month.
BEST SERVICE AND MORTGAGE RATES
Call us for Lowest Mortgage Rates on Your Mortgage Renewals and New Mortgages. We have helped thousands of our clients. We have a big pool of Private Mortgages to help you.
Private Mortgage Residential / Re-finance Self Employed Construction Mortgage
WESTWIDE MORTGAGE CORP. #204 8334 128th Street, Surrey, B.C. V3W 4G2
Ajitabh Gandhi Mortgage Consultant
778 707 1028 Email: westwidemortgage@gmail.com
BC Conservatives regroup as several ex-MLAs return to caucus in wake of leader’s resignation Continued from Page 1... On Monday, the party announced that Scott McInnis, Trevor Halford, Claire Rattée, John Rustad and Linda Hepner are once again Conservatives. Speculation that NDP Premier David Eby would call an election two years early dramatically ramped up last week. Mr. Eby has said he has warned Elections BC and his caucus to be “election ready” amid disruptions posed by the U.S. trade war. His government has made a flurry of announcements in recent days, including last week pausing an expansion to the provincial sales tax and on Monday reversing an earlier halt to long-promised expanded services at Burnaby Hospital. On Monday, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim urged the NDP government not to call an early vote until after provincewide municipal elections on Oct. 17, which he said deserve the “full, undivided attention” of residents. Mr. Rustad, who returned to the Conservatives Monday after being expelled from caucus last Friday, said they have had unity talks with CentreBC, a party of eight MLAs who were formerly Conservatives. He himself is a long-time MLA who led the Conservatives from a fringe party to within a hair of winning the previous provincial election in 2024 before being ousted as leader. “The province cannot afford two opposition parties while [Premier] David Eby measures the timing of an election,” he said in a news release. He stated the chances of a merger are high, but neither the Conservatives nor CentreBC would confirm any efforts to coalesce centreright politicians into one party. Mr. Rustad said he would not impose his vision on the renewed party, and he advised former BC Liberal premiers Christy Clark and
Gordon Campbell to follow his example. He identified both of them as among the ”players" trying to manoeuvre what he called the centre right, and said they should realize that “their time is over.” The caucus of B.C.’s governing NDP met Sunday night to discuss a potential early election after Ms. Findlay’s resignation, raising the prospect of the vote happening while the Opposition has no permanent leader. Mr. Rustad said he accepted an offer to rejoin the Conservatives because he believes in Lorne Doerkson, their new interim leader. Mr. Doerkson was first elected to represent a riding in the Interior in 2020 for the BC Liberal Party, which later rebranded itself as BC United, before he crossed the floor to join the Conservatives and was re-elected in 2024. Mr. Doerkson is expected to speak to reporters for his first time as party leader on Tuesday. Ms. Findlay said Sunday that she would remain the Conservative candidate for a byelection this Saturday in Abbotsford-Mission. But a snap provincial election called before then would override that. Her resignation as leader followed weeks of upheaval in the Conservative caucus, with the defection or expulsion of 13 MLAs, including Mr. Rustad. He said Monday that he asked Ms. Findlay to step down last Wednesday at a caucus meeting, where there was “emotion and frustration around the table.” The next day, he said, he got a text from her expelling him, but 15 minutes later that was rescinded. On Friday, he was once again told he was out. Ms. Findlay’s departure prompted the NDP caucus to meet on Sunday night, according to an e-mail from party staff that was inadvertently sent to all legislators on Sunday, instead of just those on the government benches.
PM Carney confirms India’s Modi will visit Canada Continued from Page 1... Earlier in the day, Trump signed what is being called a “forever” security deal with Greenland on the sidelines of the General Assembly. Meanwhile, Carney met with other world leaders and policymakers, including those from Chile, Angola, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Key updates: - India’s Modi to visit Canada: Carney - Carney reacts to Trump’s Belarus potash deal - U.S. to continue buying Canadian potash: Trump Carney confirmed on Tuesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Canada in December. The news was first reported by the Globe and Mail on Tuesday, citing India’s High Commissioner to Canada, who says Modi will be visiting to sign a trade deal between the two countries. “We are making good progress in our trade negotiations with India,” Carney said, before confirming Modi’s mid-December visit to Canada. “It is an exceptionally important relationship on many, many levels.” Modi’s last trip to Canada was in June 2025, when he attended the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alta. The visit raised eyebrows at the time because of the previously strained relationship between Canada and India. The two countries had been at odds since 2023, when the federal government first levelled allegations of both foreign interference and transnational repression, including crimes such as murder and extortion. At the time, talks toward a free-trade agreement
— which had been underway for years — were indefinitely put on pause, and not picked up again until Carney became prime minister. Carney touched on Canada’s potash industry, after Trump revealed on Monday that the U.S. plans to buy cheaper from Belarus. “My message to the Canadian potash industry is one of admiration,” Carney said to reporters at the UN. “Canada supplies 40 per cent of the world’s potash. It is an incredible strength of our economy.” Carney affirmed that Canadian potash will continue to be in demand around the world due to Canada being a reliable, cost-competitive supplier. The prime minister also said Canada will continue to be the largest supplier of potash to the U.S. and expressed that now is an opportunity for Canada and its neighbours to co-operate and “become fertilizer independent.” “So not just potash, but across all ammonia and other fertilizers, that would be good for Canadian farmers,” he said. “It’d be great for American farmers, and it’s an opportunity we’re prepared to explore.” Trump says his country will continue buying Canadian potash after all. Trump made the comments to reporters during a bilateral meeting at the United Nations General Assembly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “Belarus has a lot of potash, and our farmers need good prices, and we want to get a lower price,” Trump told reporters Tuesday when asked about the proposed deal. “We’ll continue to go with Canada, but Belarus would like to sell it for a much lower price.”
FIJI
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Unity Fiji first out with election manifesto, promises $8 wage, free tertiary education Unity Fiji has become the first political party to release its manifesto ahead of the 2026 General Election, putting forward major pledges on wages, taxation, tertiary education, housing, sugar and government debt. The party, led by former Reserve Bank of Fiji governor Savenaca Narube, launched the manifesto at its annual general meeting and campaign rally in Sigatoka today. The manifesto describes Unity Fiji as a moderate and multiracial party founded in 2017 by the late Adi Sivia Qoro, Kaliopate Tavola and Mr Narube. Among its key election promises is a phased increase in the national minimum wage to a living wage of $8 an hour, with conditions aimed at protecting small businesses. Unity Fiji is also proposing to increase the income tax threshold from $30,000 to $40,000 and senior citizens’ allowances to $150 a month. Education features prominently in the manifesto, with the party promising an automatic scholarship for every student who secures a place at a registered tertiary institution and forgiveness of remaining student debt owed to Government
under the existing scholarship scheme. In housing, the party proposes increasing annual funding for new housing from $20million to $80million, with a target of constructing 1000 homes annually, relocating informal settlements and assisting first-home buyers. The sugar industry also receives significant attention. Unity Fiji promises to increase the cane price to $110 per tonne and allow farmers to receive their total crop income within three months of cane delivery. It also proposes exploring mobile mills and providing farmers access to machinery and alternative crops through its Economic Transformation Program.
Five-star resort marks 20 years of operation in Fiji HILTON Fiji Beach Resort & Spa is marking 20 years of operations in Fiji as the global hotel group continues to expand its presence in the country. The Denarau resort, which opened in 2006, will mark the anniversary throughout September with special events and food and beverage offerings. The celebrations coincide with a visit to Fiji this week by Hilton’s Asia Pacific president and executive vice-president Alan Watts. Mr Watts oversees more than 2300 hotels in operation and development across 14 brands in 14 countries in the Asia Pacific region. His visit includes Hilton properties in Nadi and Suva, including Hilton Fiji Beach Resort & Spa, DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Fiji – Sonaisali Island and the upcoming DoubleTree by Hilton
Suva. He is expected to meet team members, owners, tourism partners and other stakeholders as Hilton looks to further grow its presence in Fiji. At Hilton Fiji Beach Resort & Spa, the anniversary will also be marked through a sustainability initiative, with 20 trees to be planted to represent the resort’s next 20 years. A commemorative plaque and time capsule will also be installed as part of the initiative. The anniversary program will conclude with an event bringing together Government representatives, Hilton owners, tourism partners, team members and other stakeholders. The event will also recognise team members who have completed 20 years of service with the resort.
Three charged over alleged falsification of tax documents Three people will appear at the Suva Magistrates Court today charged in connection with alleged falsification and use of forged documents. A 39-year-old female accounts officer from Lautoka has been charged with two counts of falsification of documents, contrary to Section 160(3) of the Crimes Act 200 Two male lawyers — a 39-year-old from Nadi and a 32-year-old from Ba — have each been charged with one count of using forged documents, contrary to Section 157(1) of the Crimes Act 200 It is alleged that in February this year, the accounts officer dishonestly altered Tax Compliance
Certificates belonging to the two lawyers, who were employed as legal practitioners at the same law fir Police allege the documents were altered with the intention of enabling the two men to obtain their 2026 practising certificate The two lawyers allegedly knew the Tax Compliance Certificates were false but nevertheless submitted them to the Legal Practitioners Unit in Suva to obtain their practising certificate The charges were sanctioned by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution The three accused are expected to appear in custody at the Suva Magistrates Court toda
Fijian perfume brand eyes export market A decade of research, sacrifice and persistence is beginning to pay off for Perfume Fiji founder Rupeni Rokoratu, who is now looking beyond the local market and towards export growth. Mr Rokoratu met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industries, Commerce and Business Development Manoa Kamikamica to discuss the development of Perfume Fiji, its current operations, and the support needed to take the business to its next stage. The former teacher began working on the venture around 2015 while teaching science and industrial arts. Over the years, he funded his research and product development through other business activities, eventually selling his bakery and other interests to focus on the venture. Perfume Fiji is now in production and retailing locally, with Mr Rokoratu telling the DPM that sales reached about $15,000 in August.
With demand beginning to emerge beyond Fiji, his next challenge is expanding production and establishing reliable export channels. Mr Rokoratu said attempts to send products overseas had hit difficulties after a courier company classified shipments as dangerous goods. Discussions also covered the need for larger production space, possible export support and Government grant programs that could assist the business, subject to the relevant requirements and assessment. Mr Kamikamica encouraged further engagement with the ministry and relevant agencies, including Investment Fiji, to help address the export issues and identify suitable support. For Mr Rokoratu, the goal is bigger than selling perfume locally; it is about developing a Fijian brand capable of reaching regional and international markets.
Our size does not diminish our voice: President Ratu Lalabalavu at the UN President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu has told world leaders that the size and vulnerability of Pacific Island nations should never be mistaken for a lack of influence or agency on the global stage. Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York today, President Lalabalavu called for a United Nations that moves beyond describing global crises and delivers meaningful solutions. “Our size does not diminish our voice. Our vulnerability does not diminish our agency, and our distance from the centers of power does not distance us from its consequences,” he said. The 81st UN General Assembly is meeting under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.” President Lalabalavu said transformation was inevitable, but countries had a choice over how that transformation would be managed.
11
“The real question is what kind of transformation we choose? Will it be governed by law or by power?” he said. “And will this great assembly remain a place where we come to describe crisis or become an institution that solves them?” He urged world leaders to ensure the 81st session was remembered not simply for acknowledging the scale of global challenges, but for decisions taken to address them. “Let this 81st session be remembered, and not for the depth of our concern, but for the courage of our decisions.” President Lalabalavu also called for a United Nations that could rebuild international trust through fairness, adaptability and results. “Let us build a United Nations that is trusted because it is fair, relevant because it adapts and respected because it delivers,” he said. For the Pacific, he said the goal must remain a region capable of determining its own future.
12
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
Pakistani airstrikes kill 4 civilians in Afghanistan
Pakistan said its air force struck 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, which were being used to launch and store drones, some of which had been used against Pakistan a day earlier, the latest sign of escalation between the allies-turned-foes. Kabul said the strikes killed four civilians. The two Muslim neighbours have increasingly been at odds over expanding insurgencies in their western and northwestern border region. Pakistan’s air defence systems detected drones launched from Afghan territory on Wednesday, which were tracked and neutralised before they could reach any of their intended targets, its Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X. Pakistan then conducted the “precision aerial and drone strikes” on 10 locations, which were “limited to identified military objectives” linked
to the attempted attacks, he said. Taliban officials denied that their government launched drones against Pakistan on Wednesday.
Lahore Court rejects request to suspend detention orders against Imran Khan's sisters The Lahore High Court declined a plea on Thursday to immediately halt the detention orders passed against former Pakistani premier Imran Khan’s sisters, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, as reported by the leading Pakistani daily Dawn. During Thursday's proceedings, legal counsel representing Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi argued before the bench that both women are "non-political" and faced incarceration without any legal rationale. The advocates emphasised that Uzma Khan had already secured an acquittal in a previous case registered against her, prompting them to urge the court to immediately suspend the ongoing detention directives, according to Dawn. In response, the presiding judge stated that the judiciary would await an official report from the concerned authorities before issuing a ruling
on the suspension application, while also issuing formal notices to the respondents for their replies. The petition lists the Lahore Deputy Commissioner, the Capital City Police Officer, the Home Department Secretary, and the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail as respondents, as noted by Dawn. These detention measures were enacted ahead of a scheduled September 27 demonstration organised by the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf to lobby for the liberation of the party's founder, who has remained incarcerated since August 2023 following judicial convictions that the PTI maintains are politically driven. Since his removal from power via a 2022 no-confidence motion, Imran Khan has confronted multiple legal challenges, including charges concerning state gifts and an unlawful marriage dispute.
SOUTH ASIA
Kashmiri Activist Beigh raises alarm over suppression of democratic protests in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan Social worker and rights activist from Jammu and Kashmir, Javad Ahmad Beigh has raised the issue of the continued incarceration of members of the Awami Action Committee of Gilgit-Baltistan (AAC-GB), including its chairman, Advocate Ehsan Ali, at the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Addressing the Council, Beigh said Advocate Ehsan Ali and several other members of the AACGB had been kept in detention for more than three months. He described Ehsan Ali, a 70-year-old advocate, as the chairman of the AAC-GB. Beigh alleged that Pakistan had criminalised genuine protests in Pakistan-occupied GilgitBaltistan and was using anti-terror laws against activists raising issues concerning the basic rights of people in the region.
According to Beigh, AAC-GB is a group comprising different social, religious, trade and student organisations and is a prominent nonpolitical organisation working for the basic rights of people living in Pakistan-occupied GilgitBaltistan.
He said Ehsan Ali and fellow activists Nusrat Hussain, Mehboob Wali, Nafees Advocate and Mehar Ali had been placed under the Fourth Schedule of Pakistan’s anti-terror laws and accused of inciting violence. Beigh described the charges as politically motivated and said they had been condemned by civil society in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan. Beigh alleged that the detention of the activists reflected the deteriorating state of democratic rights in the region, where, he claimed, even organising peaceful and democratic protests was being treated as a criminal act. He further alleged that the Pakistani establishment was attempting to silence dissenting voices seeking legitimate basic rights and accused the administration of using stringent laws, force, torture and intimidation to suppress people’s rights. Calling for international attention to the issue, Beigh urged the Human Rights Council to take serious note of the detention of activists from Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan and called for an end to what he described as the misuse of anti-terror laws. He appealed to the UN Human Rights Council to call upon Pakistan to immediately release the detained AAC-GB members, end the alleged misuse of anti-terror laws and ensure independent investigations into what he termed arbitrary detentions and political repression in Pakistanoccupied Gilgit-Baltistan.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
PUNJAB
Ex-ED officer Niranjan questioned Raj Jit Singh’s surrender Former Enforcement Directorate (ED) Deputy Director Niranjan Singh has questioned the surrender of dismissed Punjab Police AIG Raj Jit Singh, alleging that it was carefully negotiated and timed ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections due next year. Raj Jit Singh, who was facing cases linked to an alleged drug-smuggling and extortion racket, surrendered before the Patiala police. He had been absconding since 2023. Niranjan Singh, who was among the officers to initiate an investigation into Raj Jit Singh, questioned why he had not been arrested earlier if, as he alleged, the former police officer had remained in the area. “The surrender shows that he was present all along. Then why was he not arrested earlier? Who was protecting him and who gave him shelter? Once these names are made public, the entire unholy nexus involving drug trafficking and sections of the police will be exposed before the people,” he said. Niranjan alleged that the surrender could not have taken place without careful planning
to protect Raj Jit Singh’s interests. He also called for the names of those who allegedly helped him evade arrest to be made public. The former ED official said he had initiated inquiries into Raj Jit Singh’s alleged links with the drug trade, but the file was later taken away by the Centre. He said he had also written to the Finance Minister during and after his service, highlighting the alleged drug network, but no action was taken. Niranjan further alleged that influential police officials had protected Raj Jit Singh and that the surrender might have been intended to prevent disclosures involving former and serving Punjab Police officers. Niranjan, who has been associated with investigations into Punjab’s drug networks, also extended support to Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), led by Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh. He alleged that Punjab’s drug problem was persisting because of a nexus involving politicians, police officials and organised criminal networks. He accused the Centre and the Punjab Government of failing to effectively tackle the issue.
Sisodia leads charge against Centre as AAP takes to streets in Punjab With the Enforcement Directorate’s nearly 50hour search operation at the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) ending on Thursday, the AAP has taken its confrontation with the BJP-led Centre from the courtroom to the streets, with the party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia leading the charge. As around 400 AAP workers gathered outside the GMADA headquarters in Phase 8, Mohali, this morning, the party accused the BJP of using the ED to put pressure on the Bhagwant Mann government ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The protest was led by AAP’s state working president Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi, besides MLA Chetan Singh Jouramajra and SS Ahluwalia. The street mobilisation of party workers was clearly meant to escalate the AAP response to the ED operations. During the nearly two-hour protest outside the GMADA office, some AAP workers also damaged cars used by the ED officers, who till then, were still inside the building. Though a posse of cops were deputed there to prevent the protesters from forcing their way into the building,
the protestors did jostle with the cops, who had to use minor force. The protest ended just 30 minutes before the conclusion of the searches. Sisodia, reacting to the conclusion of the ED operation, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “waged a war against Punjab and Punjabis” after the BJP failed to gain political traction in the state. He even suggested rechristening the ED as the Prime Minister’s “Employed Dacoits”, while alleging that the agency was being deployed to intimidate AAP leaders, government officials and workers. The AAP leader alleged that the ED action had intensified as Punjab moved closer to the Assembly elections. “The PM sent his party president Nitin Nabin to start a Nasha Mukt Yatra in the poll-bound state. The yatra failed to get any public response. Realising that this would not bode well for the BJP in the upcoming elections, the PM has unleashed the ED on Punjab. He alleged that the ED raids continued for two days, but found nothing. The ED, however, has not yet concluded whether any incriminating material was recovered.
Harsimrat trains guns on govt over drug menace Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday accused the AAP government of failing to curb Punjab’s drug menace, alleging that while the Congress had “used the gun to wipe out an entire generation”, AAP was “wiping out another generation through the new ‘goli’ of drugs”. Addressing gatherings of women at Baghapurana in Moga district, where participants joined the SAD’s anti-drug yatra, held marches and submitted memorandums to executive magistrates for forwarding to the Governor, she said every day a mother was losing a child to drugs. “The
fire scorching lives in your neighbourhood could come to your door. We need to make this a fight of every mother and daughter,” she said. The MP accused CM hagwant Mann of making false statements and attempting to defame the SAD over the drug issue. She questioned whether people had previously seen young people lying dead on roadsides with drug needles beside them. Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleged that AAP leaders were patronising the drug trade and collecting ‘money’ from smugglers, claiming the trade had increased ‘ten times’ during the party’s tenure.
Bhagwant Mann unveils Rs 750-cr push for SC-dominated villages in Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday announced an ambitious programme involving more than Rs 750 crore for the holistic and inclusive development of 3,763 villages across the state where the Scheduled Caste population exceeds 40 per cent, with the initiative aimed at promoting social justice and balanced rural development. Chairing a meeting to review the functioning of the Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Department, Mann said every village deserved equal opportunities for growth and that development must reach communities and areas that had remained deprived for decades. He said the Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Department would serve as the nodal department, while the Rural Development and Horticulture Departments would provide necessary support.
13
Mann said Deputy Commissioners would identify and prioritise development works according to the specific requirements of individual villages, ensuring that public funds were directed towards projects capable of making the greatest impact. Each village would initially receive Rs 20 lakh in untied funds, with allocations capable of being enhanced after proper utilisation of the funds and assessment of additional requirements, he said. A Specific Village Development Plan (VDP) will be prepared for every village to ensure that development is need-based, coordinated and result-oriented. According to the Chief Minister, the funds can be used for essential public amenities and infrastructure, including RO systems, additional classrooms, libraries, ambulances, Mohalla Clinics and solar-powered street lights, besides other facilities identified.
C.S.T. Consultants Inc.
BC Helps Parents Boost their Education Savings! Start saving for your child’s future education in a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) and receive up to $8,400 in government grants.1 Open a CST RESP now and you’ll start receiving the Canada Education Savings grant (CESG). The CESG can add up to $7,200 to your child’s RESP. When your child turns six, they can receive an additional $1,200 from the B.C. Government. SURJIT S. MADHOPURI Sales Representative C.S.T. Consultants Inc., Branch 789 Tel: 604.594.7200 / Cell: 604.377.4171 Email: surjit.madhopuri@cstresp.com http://www.cstresp.com/6117
1 The Canada Education Savings Grant matches 20% of the first $2,500 you contribute to your child’s RESP each year up to a lifetime maximum of $7,200. BC Training and Education Savings Grant (BCTESG) is a one-time $1,200 grant available to BC resident children born on or after January 1st, 2006. Children are eligible for the BCTESG on their sixth birthday. You have until the day before your child’s ninth birthday to apply for the BCTESG. Conditions apply. ™ The Canadian Scholarship Trust Plan is a registered trademark of the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation. The CST Plan is only sold by Prospectus. You can get copies of the prospectus from www.cst.org or by calling 1.877.333.RESP(7377). MH1100(2017-04)
14
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
I have gained nothing by joining BJP, it has never consulted me on Punjab: Capt Amarinder Singh
JYOTI MALHOTRA: I’m with Captain Amarinder Singh, the former Chief Minister of Punjab, twice — the first time from 2002 to 2007, the second time from 2017 to 2021 — with the Congress Party, which he joined in 1971 and remained with, barring minor breaks, until 2021, when he left and joined the BJP, of which he remains a senior leader. Captain Singh was with the Indian Army; he fought the 1965 India-Pakistan war, where he was ADC to the then General Officer Commanding Western Command, General Harbaksh Singh. He retains a love for military history, and is a much-loved and much-respected columnist of The Tribune. CAPT AMARINDER SINGH: Thank you, lovely to be here. JYOTI MALHOTRA: We are very happy to have you here. My first question: you’ve been in politics for decades now, you’ve seen Indian politics at its best and its worst — you’ve been in the Congress Party, twice Chief Minister, you launched your own party briefly, and now you’re with the BJP. As Punjab goes into another election six months from now and the political situation is hotting up, what are your first remarks on how you evaluate what’s happening in the state? CAPT AMARINDER SINGH: The situation as I see it — I’ve seen Punjab now for many years. I came in at a sad moment, because at that time Naxalism was at its peak, and the president of the Swatantra Party, Sardar Basant Singh, was shot dead by the Naxalites in Patiala. That’s why a vacancy came about, so I came in. JYOTI MALHOTRA: You talked about the drugs crisis and how bad it is, and every political party has jumped into this. But when you were campaigning to become Chief Minister in 2017, you promised to eradicate the drugs crisis within
six months of coming to power. What happened? CAPT AMARINDER SINGH: I didn’t promise that — nothing happened the way it’s often claimed. Let me tell you what actually did happen, because this is an issue that comes up every now and then; someone says it on some political stage and a newspaper picks it up. I was in Bathinda, close to Damdama Sahib — which used to be my constituency at one time, Talwandi Sabo. It was a good crowd, and I had some colleagues standing next to me. I told them this was the appropriate place to speak on the subject, and I did speak — in Punjabi. I had a Gutka Sahib in my hand. People say all sorts of things about who gave it to me — nobody gave it to me, I asked for it myself. One of my colleagues, Ramanjit Singh Sikki, our MLA, is a very religious man who spends a month every year doing seva in Darbar Sahib and always carries his Gutka Sahib. He was standing close to me, so I asked him for it and he gave it to me. I said I’m not God, I can’t perform miracles, but I can certainly do the best. I can to break the backbone of the drug trade. And it did happen. I brought all my papers along to prove the point, because I have to keep what I’ve done on record. This is the action taken against drugs up to August 2021, when I left the government. We formed a special task force for this — I got Harpreet Sidhu, one of our fine ADGPs, who was working in Chhattisgarh on the Naxal issue at the time; I asked for him specifically, and he came. I formed a SIT under him. In the period up to when I left in August 2021, we had registered 48,107 cases under the NDPS Act since April 2017, arrested 62,535 people, and seized 2,216 kilograms of heroin. Supply reduction had gone down substantially, and we did everything in our powers to break the backbone of this trade.
INDIA
Jantar Mantar 2.0 if CEC Gyanesh Kumar doesn’t quit in 48 hrs: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke Amid the escalating controversy over voter lists, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and threatened a nationwide agitation, including ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’, if he failed to step down within 48 hours. It also sought an independent inquiry into the manner in which electoral-roll decisions are processed through the Election Commission’s centralised technology platform. Addressing a press conference here, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-conveners
Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka alleged that the centralisation of electoral-roll functions had created a system in which a voter may be found eligible by a constituency-level Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), but still remain excluded from the final electoral roll because the decision cannot be recorded through the software. The allegations come amid reports that two Election Commissioners had raised concerns about the centralisation of voter-database access and the functioning of ECINet, the software platform used in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Citing reports from Goa, the party claimed that 97 voters remained excluded from the final electoral roll despite decisions by EROs in their favour. According to the reports referenced by the party, the facility to record their inclusion was controlled centrally from Delhi. “The issue is no longer just deletion; it is who can reverse it,” CJP leaders said. Das alleged that powers traditionally exercised by EROs were being effectively constrained by the centralised system and questioned the role of the Election Commission’s IT division in determining whether decisions taken at the constituency level could be implemented.
The Election Commission’s voter-service infrastructure states that electoral-roll registration, correction and updating are administered through its digital systems. Its official portal also says that the Chief Electoral Officer is responsible for the preparation, revision and correction of electoral rolls within a state. Ranka argued that exclusion from the electoral roll could have consequences beyond voting, alleging that welfare benefits in some states were linked to voter status. He presented the claim as part of the party’s broader argument that electoral-roll verification requires greater transparency. The CJP also alleged that more than 13 crore names had been removed during the wider SIR exercise. The figure, however, requires context: it refers to deletions reflected in draft electoral rolls and does not, by itself, establish that all those voters were wrongly removed. Separately, in proceedings before the Supreme Court concerning West Bengal’s electoral rolls, the EC stated that 27.16 lakh voters had been removed and that more than 22 lakh appeals seeking reinstatement had been filed. The party demanded Kumar’s resignation, riminal proceedings against those responsible for the disputed decisions and disclosure of the authorities that authorised them. It also called for an immediate suspension of the SIR process and upcoming elections, restoration of the January 2025 electoral roll and an independent inquiry into decision-making under the revision exercise. In addition, the CJP sought the repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners and its replacement with a new framework involving civil society participation. Te party also urged political parties not to contest elections while simultaneously alleging that the electoral process was being manipulated. The controversy comes as Delhi’s own SIR exercise remains under close scrutiny. More than 47 lakh names were excluded from the draft electoral roll, while the Supreme Court has questioned whether notices issued to voters appeared “mechanical”.
9.56 crore workdays lost under G RAM G in July-August: SKM A total of 9.56 crore workdays of rural employment were lost during July-August this year following the transition from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G Act), claimed the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). “If you refer to the data provided by the Rural Development Ministry, 29.77 crore person-days of work were generated under MGNREGA during July-August, 2025, against 20.21 crore person-days during the corresponding period this year, marking a decline of 28.51 per cent,” said All-India Kisan Sabha leader P Krishnaprasad said. The SKM said states such as Rajasthan, Bihar and Odisha recorded particularly low levels of work during the transition period. Rajasthan witnessed one of the steepest year-on-year declines, with person-days falling by more than 52 per cent in July, it added. The farmers’ body criticised the Centre over the replacement of MGNREGA, arguing that the new framework had resulted in a reduction in
employment opportunities for rural workers. Under MGNREGA, rural households were legally entitled to demand up to 100 days of manual employment in a financial year. The SKM said that the average employment actually provided per participating household had generally remained between 45 and 52 days annually, while only around 7-10 per cent of participating households completed 100 days of work in a financial year. Calling for restoration of MGNREGA, Prasad demanded that the employment guarantee be increased to 200 days and the daily wage raised to Rs 700. The farmers union also reiterated its broader demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) based on the C2 + 50 per cent formula with assured procurement, a comprehensive farm loan waiver and compensation of Rs 25 lakh to families of farmers and agricultural workers who died by suicide. Talking to The Tribune, social activist Nikhil Dey, who works for the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, said the VB-G RAM G Act has only burdened the already cash-starved state governments.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026
INDIA
Outrage in India over viral video of teen molested and her friend beaten A video showing a teenaged girl being sexually assaulted and her male friend beaten by a group of men in India's Bihar state has sparked widespread outrage. The school students, both minors, were stopped in Jamui district on 19 September. Footage shared widely online shows them surrounded and repeatedly pleading to be allowed to leave. The boy is seen being slapped and pulled by his collar, while the girl is touched inappropriately
and, in another clip, carried away by a man as the boy tries to intervene. Three accused, also minors, have been arrested in connection with the assault. A special investigation team has been set up to catch the other suspects. The disturbing footage has prompted anger over the harassment of the two teenagers and renewed a wider debate about the safety of women and girls in Bihar, as well as questions over the response of state authorities. The outrage intensified after Bihar minister Shravan Kumar said that "sporadic incidents keep happening" and that the government was keeping a watch on them. "The world is not entirely free of crime," he said, adding that those responsible would not be allowed to escape and would face strict action. Umesh Kushwaha, of the governing Janata Dal (United), also faced criticism after referring to
such cases as "isolated incidents" and contrasting the government's record with that of the previous RJD administration. Kushwaha later said his remarks had been "distorted and misrepresented" and promised action against those responsible. Police said the incident took place around 19:00 local time [13:30 GMT] on Saturday, but it came to light on Monday after the video of the assault went viral. The teenagers, both students of 10th standard, attended the same coaching institute and had gone to the area to take photographs after their classes, according to police. Jamui police chief Bishwajeet Dayal said neither of them had initially reported the incident - officers began investigating after the video circulated widely online and traced the pair using the registration number of a vehicle visible in the footage. Their statements were subsequently recorded and a case was registered following a written complaint from the girl. A case has been registered under India's stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, or Pocso. Police have also invoked sections of India's criminal code covering assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, assault or criminal force with intent to disrobe, and acts carried out with a common intention.Senior police officer KS Anupam said three minors had been arrested and that investigators had established the involvement of two other people. Police have also begun action against 32 social media accounts accused of circulating footage in which the teenagers could be identified, she added. The shocking nature of the assault has provoked outrage online, with many social media users expressing horror.
Turn approver, Modi-Shah will face probe: Rahul Gandhi to CEC Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday asked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and “turn approver”, while alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were at the top of a “conspiracy to steal elections” and would eventually face investigation. In one of his strongest attacks on the Election Commission and the government, Gandhi claimed there was enough information to establish with “100 per cent certainty” that elections, including the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and Assembly elections, were being “rigged”. He warned that the responsible “deshdrohis” (antinationals) would eventually be punished. His attack came a day after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months on issues ranging from additions and deletions in electoral rolls and changes to Form 6 to the special intensive revision (SIR) and access to the voter database. Opening his presentation with videos of Modi and Shah expressing confidence that the BJP would remain in power for years, Gandhi questioned how leaders operating in a democracy could speak with such certainty. Calling anti-incumbency India’s “biggest political force”, he said even former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, despite being at the height of her popularity after the Bangladesh war, faced it within a few years. He cited electoral swings in Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, arguing that governments
across parties had historically faced the phenomenon. Gandhi contrasted this with Modi and Shah and asked why the same force appeared not to affect them. Anti-incumbency, he argued, disappeared only in systems without functioning democracy, invoking Saddam Hussein’s Iraq and North Korea. “We have been looking for the answer and we have found the answer,” he said. At the centre of Gandhi’s presentation was what he described as a chain linking the vote, Constitution, laws and institutions. The Constitution derived its authority from the vote, laws flowed from the Constitution and institutions emerged from those laws, he argued. “If the vote has been destroyed, then our Constitution has been destroyed,” Gandhi said, maintaining that the issue went beyond electoral rolls and struck at India’s democratic structure. He summed up his charge as “vote chori, kanoon chori, sanstha chori”, arguing that if MPs entered Parliament on the strength of “stolen votes”, the legitimacy of laws passed by them and changes made to institutions would also come under question. He also displayed a timeline beginning with the December 21, 2023, law concerning the CEC and Election Commissioners, which he alleged gave the poll chief immunity from investigation. Responding to Mamata Banerjee’s call for an INDIA bloc meeting and nationwide agitation, Gandhi said there was “100 per cent agreement” within the Opposition that “vote chori” was taking place and the parties would work together.
Poll panel rift wide open, Opposition plans fresh move to oust CEC The INDIA bloc is getting ready for a third parliamentary attempt to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with Opposition parties working on a fresh notice to be submitted in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, most likely next week. The move follows reports that the other two Election Commissioners had repeatedly objected to decisions related to electoral rolls and the special intensive revision (SIR). Sources said the notice was being drafted and would be vetted by legal experts before being submitted in both Houses. INDIA bloc constituents are working together on the move, which sources described as a collective Opposition effort to bring a motion seeking Kumar’s removal. A notice submitted by 73 Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha on April 24 is still pending. However, the Opposition has decided to submit a fresh notice in light of the latest reports and developments concerning differences within the Election Commission. This will be the Opposition’s third attempt to initiate the process for Kumar’s removal. During its first attempt, notices were submitted in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, but were rejected. The Opposition later returned with another notice in the Upper House on April 24, carrying the signatures of 73 MPs. The April notice invoked Articles 324(5) and 124(4) of the Constitution, provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, and the
15
Judges (Inquiry) Act. The fresh move follows reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders, they said, were issued without their knowledge, even though the nationwide SIR exercise was being supervised by the full commission. The reported objections related to changes in
statutory voter registration Form 6, additions to and deletions from electoral rolls and the centralised control of the electoral roll database. The Election Commission has maintained that differing views and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations and that its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures. It has also said that not only the three commissioners but every EC officer is authorised to offer suggestions for improving the electoral system. The parliamentary move will run parallel to the Congress campaign outside Parliament. The party has announced nationwide protests on September 25, with its state units set to march to election offices as it presses its demand for Kumar’s removal.
16
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026