By Cassidy Olivier,
The Insurance Corporation of B.C. can’t use its facial recognition software for purposes other than trying to detect and prevent driver’s licence fraud, B.C.’s privacy commissioner ruled in a report released Tuesday.
That means ICBC can’t use the software to help identity suspects who participated in the Stanley Cup riot without a court order, wrote privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham.
This summer, ICBC had offered to riot investigators use of the software, which would have allowed police to run pictures of suspected rioters against ICBC’s driver’s licence data.
The Vancouver Police Department never responded to the offer.
Denham said ICBC only authorized under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to use its facial recog .....

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Kishan Singh Sanghera

May 4, 1936--February 8, 2012
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Kishan Singh Sanghera at the age of 75.  He passed away at Peace Arch Hospital (Surrey, BC) with his family by his side after a brief battle with cancer.  He is predeceased by his father, Dharam Singh and his mother, Beant Kaur of village Bilga, Punjab.  He is survived by his loving wife, of 55 years, Harbhajan Kaur,  his 3 children:  Harminder Kaur, Kanwaljit Singh,  and Surinder Kaur and 4 grandchildren:  Sandeep, Amandeep, Gagan, and Mandeep.  After having achieved a masters degree in Punjab and teaching for a few years, he immigrated to Canada in 1971 and spent most of his working years as a mill worker.  He had a passion for Urdu po .....

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The Kabir Association invite community to hear Dr. Purendu Ranjan.
Dr. Purendu Ranjan, professor of history from Chandigarh, India, will be attending a conference Feb 20-22, and presenting a paper on Kabir at the Religion and Spirituality Conference at UBC Robson Square campus. While here, Dr. Ranjan would be giving a lecture on Kabir and the Kabir Panth at the Kabir Centre, #208 – 14770 – 64th Avenue, Surrey, BC, February 23rd at 7:30pm. Light refreshments will be served. For further information call 604-599-6876 or email dasj@shaw.ca

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An Interfaith Harmony Prayer is being organized to cultivate respect and appreciation for other faiths, belief systems and spiritual orientations by the  Global Clergy Association of Canada on Sunday, February 19,2012 at Mahalakshmi Temple-  471 East 11th Av., in Vancouver. It will be the part of a regular satsang of the temple except the Interfaith Prayer will be conducted between 11.30 AM -12.15 PM. The various spiritual leaders have consented to take part in it. All are welcome. For further information, please call to Pundit Prameya Chaitanya- 604 874 5220 or Acharya S.P Dwivedi 604 507 3099

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London, Feb 14 (ANI): Researchers say that eating a Mediterranean-style diet –high in fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains and ‘healthy’ fats such as those in olive oil, while low in red meat and dairy products– helps keep the brain healthy, reducing age-related damage.
The Mediterranean diet is regarded as the classic eating habits of populations from countries such as France, Greece, Spain and Italy.
It has been thought to improve heart health and stave off cancer.
But a new US study shows further benefits to the brain where it is linked to lower levels of white matter hyperintesity volume, a marker of damage to the small vessels, the Daily Mail reported.
Some researchers believe the diet keeps the grey cells healthy by cutting inflammation, while others say th .....

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Mayor Dianne Watts

Surrey – Mayor Dianne Watts is optimistic a new Fraser Health program will help some of Surrey’s most vulnerable citizens get the specialized care they need.
Fraser Health announced today the launch of a new Surrey Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program, the first of its kind for Fraser Health. ACT, a specialized outreach program, takes mental health support outside the walls of traditional treatment facilities to community settings that are more comfortable and convenient for the most vulnerable and hard‐to‐reach clients. 
“A mobile team is more effective at connecting with those individuals who are hard to reach or need more specialized care than can be provided under the traditional model of care,” says Mayor Dianne Watts.  “The program is comprehe .....

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Minister of Transport, Infrastructure Honourable Denis Lebel

OTTAWA —NEXUS members flying to the United States can now use NEXUS cards in designated security lines for pre-board screening at airports for faster service.
This announcement, made by the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, follows the recent Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness announced by Prime Minister Harper and United States President Obama.
"This change will make air travel from Canada to the United States more convenient, while maintaining a high level of aviation security," said Minister Lebel. "I encourage Canadians to apply for a NEXUS card to experience the travel benefits it provides."
"The NEXUS lanes opening will improve efficiencies for Canadian travellers," said Cam Kenyon, WestJet executive .....

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Langley- Langley Traffic police, last Friday hand out 200 violation tickets to distracted drivers and seatbelt violation.
Eleven officers, using a combination of plainclothes spotters and unmarked police cars, set up a series of ‘checkstops’ throughout the Langleys. 
200 violation tickets and 30 written warnings were issued to motorists for a variety of infractions, the majority given to drivers failing to wear their seatbelt (85) and / or communicating on a handheld electronic device (51).
For these Checkstops, RCMP in Langley partnered with Fraser Valley IRSU (Integrated Road Safety Unit) and ICBC to conduct a targeted enforcement campaign to address distracted driving and seatbelt offences.
Distracted driving contributes to 45% of vehicle crashes in the Lower Mainl .....

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Left to Right-Minister Ed Fast, Minister Bal Gosal

Brampton-Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, Ed Fast and Minister of State (Sport), Bal Gosal in a pre-budget discussion with the local business community members highlighted how small and medium-sized business will benefit from deeper Canada-India economic ties.
The fourth round of Canada-India trade negotiations concluded in Delhi on February 16, 2012. Speaking at Brar Sweets, in Brampton, Minister Gosal reiterated the Harper government’s commitment to deepening Canada’s trade ties in high-growth markets around the world.
In January, Minister Fast and India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma, met on the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Minister Sharma and I have agreed to instruct our respec .....

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Nine daring couples stripped off to exchange vows in a mass naked wedding in Jamaica.
Wearing only veils, body paint and plenty of sunblock, the couples were married on Negril beach. The Hedonism II resort invited ten couples for the all-expense paid group ceremony but one couple dropped out before the big day.
The lucky few were selected from a stack of 100 applications asking a myriad of questions, including why they wanted to start their life together in the nude. One couple declared: "We love each other naked so why not start our life together naked?"

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been immortalized as a set of Barbie dolls.
The royal couple is depicted as they were on their wedding day, with the Duchess wearing a lace white dress and veil inspired by Alexander McQueen design she wore and William in his red Irish Guards uniform.
The dolls, which are aimed at adult collectors, will be on sale from April to coincide with the pair’s first anniversary but can be pre-ordered now.
“Available in April timed to their one year wedding anniversary, the gift set features the two wearing outfits inspired by their regal wedding day attire,” Sky News quoted a spokesman for toy manufacturer Mattel as saying.
The ‘Barbie Collector Royal Wedding William and Catherine Doll Set’ can be bought on Amazon for 99.99 pounds.

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Cover of the Book "The Command:Deep Inside the President's Secret Army

Washington, Feb 15 (ANI): The United States used the 2005 Kashmir earthquake to send operatives from the Joint Special Operations Command, or JSOC — the elite military unit that killed former al-Qaeda leafer Osama bin Laden – into Pakistan, a new book has revealed.
The book-‘The Command: Deep Inside the President’s Secret Army’ written by DB Grady and Marc Ambinder, says that the JSOC has proven to be the most lethal weapon in President Barack Obama’s arsenal. The JSOC’s counterterrorism units are credited with capturing or killing many of the most wanted terrorists and insurgent leaders, including Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, The News reports.
The book comes at a time when Admiral William McRaven, who leads the JSOC, is pushing for a larger role for his .....

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