Exclusive-US pressures India for quick accountability in Sikh separatist murder plot

Trevor Hunnicutt
Tue, October 22, 2024 

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a 56-year-old dual U.S.-Canadian citizen, speaks during an interview in New York City

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials have told their Indian counterparts they want a speedy result and more accountability after their investigation into Indian involvement in a foiled murder plot against a Sikh activist in the United States, according to a U.S. official.

An Indian Enquiry Committee visited Washington last week to discuss India's own investigations after the Justice Department alleged an Indian intelligence official had directed plans to assassinate dual U.S.-Canada citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist, last year.


"We've communicated really clearly that the U.S. government isn't going to feel fully satisfied until we see that meaningful accountability takes place," said a U.S. official who declined to be named. "We have been emphasizing that we hope that India will move as quickly as possible through their investigative process."

The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Washington's message to Indian officials has not been previously reported.

Last week, an unsealed indictment showed that the United States had charged Vikash Yadav, described as a former officer in India's Research and Analysis Wing spy service, with directing the plot against a Sikh separatist in New York City.

The indictment alleged that beginning in May 2023, Yadav, described as an employee of the Indian government at the time, worked with others in India and abroad to direct a plot against Pannun.

The accusations have tested Washington's relations with India, which the Biden administration sees as a potential counterbalance to China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.

"India remains an incredibly important and valuable strategic partner," the U.S. official said. "We also have to have trust and an ability to work through very difficult issues like this transparently."

India has labeled Sikh separatists as "terrorists" and threats to its security. Sikh separatists demand an independent homeland known as Khalistan, which would be carved out of India. An insurgency in India during the 1980s and 1990s killed tens of thousands.

Pannun, the Sikh separatist, has alleged that Yadav was a "mid-tier soldier" assigned the task of organizing the assassination by higher-level Indian officials.

India has said little publicly since announcing in November 2023 it would formally investigate the allegations, and it has separately continued a diplomatic dispute with Canada over the June 2023 assassination of another Sikh leader.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in September his country's intelligence agency was pursuing credible allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh separatist.

India has denied involvement in both incidents.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Don Durfee and Stephen Coates)

Former Indian spy rejects US charge in Sikh separatist murder plot, family says

Shahana Yasmin
Sun, October 20, 2024


A former Indian intelligence officer charged with directing a foiled assassination plot against a Sikh separatist leader in New York last year rejects the accusations, his family said.

Vikash Yadav, a former officer in India’s foreign intelligence service who was named by federal prosecutors for the first time in an unsealed indictment on Thursday, is charged with money laundering, conspiracy, and leading a murder-for-hire scheme.

According to the indictment, Mr Yadav was an officer in the Research and Analysis Wing, which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister’s Office.

India says it is investigating the allegations. It also claims that Mr Yadav is no longer a government employee, but won’t confirm if he has ever been an intelligence officer.

Mr Yadav’s cousin Avinash Yadav spoke to Reuters on Saturday at their ancestral village, Pranpura, some 100km from the capital New Delhi.

He said he had discussed the murder plot allegations with Mr Yadav, who described them as false media reports.

Avinash said he spoke to his cousin regularly but Mr Yadav had never said anything about being an intelligence officer.

“The family has no information. He never mentioned anything about it,” he said, referring to Mr Yadav’s supposed employment with the spy service.

“For us he is still working for the CRPF. He told us he is deputy commandant.” The CRPF is the Central Reserve Police Force, a federal paramilitary that Mr Yadav joined in 2009.

The cousin said he didn’t know Mr Yadav’s whereabouts, only that he lived with his wife and a daughter who was born last year.

A ‘wanted’ poster provided by the FBI shows Vikash Yadav who is criminally charged in connection with a foiled plot to kill a US citizen and Indian dissident in New York (AP)

Mr Yadav and his alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, are accused of plotting the murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a American and Canadian citizen who founded Sikhs for Justice which advocates for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland called Khalistan in northwestern India.

The organisation is banned in India, which has designated Mr Pannun a “terrorist”.

Mr Gupta, who was extradited to the US from the Czech Republic earlier this year, is lodged in a Brooklyn jail. He has pleaded not guilty.

Mr Yadav was arrested in New Delhi on 18 December last year, a police officer told Reuters on condition of anonymity. He and an associate were charged with attempted murder, according to a filing in a Delhi district court.

Mr Yadav’s lawyer, RK Hindoo, said the charges brought against his client by Delhi police were “fallacious” and that there was “an international plot to bring shame on the government of India and my client”.

It is not known where Mr Yadav is now. The Washington Post, citing American officials, reported that he was still in India and that the US would seek his extradition.

“He has been working for the country,” Mr Yadav’s mother Sudesh Yadav said.

The indictment against Mr Yadav is a “grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States,” assistant attorney general Matthew Olsen of the US Justice Department said in a statement.

The accusations against Mr Yadav and Mr Gupta that seemingly implicate the Indian government follow similar charges made by Canada over the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader in June 2023.

India rejects the “preposterous imputations” made by Canadian authorities and decries it a political agenda of the Justin Trudeau government.

Canada has expelled six Indian diplomats, including high commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, “in relation to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India”.

New Delhi has retaliated by ordering the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats, including acting high commissioner Stewart Ross Wheeler.

MONTREAL'

Jacques-Cartier Bridge reopens after environmental protest

CBC
Tue, October 22, 2024 at 4:11 a.m. MDT·1 min
As the sun was coming up, two people could be seen on the top of the bridge's structure. (Simon-Marc Charron/Radio-Canada - image credit)

Two protesters climbed one of the structures of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge early Tuesday morning, triggering a police operation that shut down the bridge for nearly seven hours, and caused major traffic headaches for rush-hour drivers.

The bridge, which connects Montreal's South Shore to downtown Montreal, reopened around noon.

Quebec provincial police, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), said they had arrested two people and that investigators were meeting them. Nobody was injured.

Police were dispatched to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge early Tuesday in attempt to get the protesters down from the structure.


Police were dispatched to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge early Tuesday in attempt to get the protesters down from the structure. (Simon Marc-Charron/Radio-Canada)

The incident began just before 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

By 6 a.m., traffic on the bridge was severely backed up in both directions.

Around 7 a.m., the SQ said the two protesters were still on the structure they were trying to negotiate a peaceful end to the protest.

Police urged people affected by the closure to work from home if possible.

As of 6:45 a.m., there was still a strong police presence on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

There was a strong police presence on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge by midday. (Simon-Marc Charron/Radio-Canada)

A protester who spoke with Radio-Canada said the protest was organized by two groups: Last Generation Canada and Collectif Antigone.

They're calling for an end to investments in fossil fuels.

New Brunswick Liberals win majority, Susan Holt first woman to lead province

HIGGS CONSERVATIVES WIPED OUT

THERE WAS NO NDP RUNNING

Hina Alam
Tue, October 22, 2024 





FREDERICTON — New Brunswick voters have elected a Liberal majority government, tossing out the incumbent Progressive Conservatives after six years in power and handing the reins to the first woman ever to lead the province.

Liberal Leader Susan Holt is a relative newcomer to the province’s political scene, having won a byelection last year, eight months after she became party leader.

"Tonight's results make it clear that New Brunswickers are ready for a change," she told a boisterous crowd of supporters in downtown Fredericton on Monday night during an energetic speech that showed off her skills as a fluently bilingual premier-designate.


"We don't take it lightly that you have put your trust in myself and my team and that you have hope for a brighter future."

Flanked by her three young daughters, Holt paid tribute to several women who were trailblazers in provincial politics, including former NDP leader Elizabeth Weir and Aldéa Landry, the first Acadian woman in New Brunswick named as a cabinet minister.

"This is something that I have wanted for someone else for a long time," Holt said after her victory speech. "I’ve been waiting to see this achievement in New Brunswick … and it blows my mind that it’s me — that is the first woman premier of New Brunswick.”

The 47-year-old former business advocate and public servant led the Liberals to victory after a 33-day campaign, thwarting Blaine Higgs’s bid to secure a third term as Tory premier. The Liberal win marks a strong repudiation of Higgs’s pronounced shift to more socially conservative policies.

"After six years of Blaine Higgs leadership, the province has said enough is enough," said Donald Wright, a political science professor at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. "I think they are very tired of his top-down bullying and, at times, mean-spirited leadership."

Among other things, Wright said voters were turned off by Higgs's "negative rhetoric" about the use of pronouns and names by young transgender students, and his decision to reject all new applications for supervised drug-consumption sites.

As well, Higgs's decision to repeatedly bash Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also failed to resonate with voters, though he said it remains unclear what the federal Liberals could learn from Monday's results.

"I think this election had its own logic, its own dynamic," Wright said. "I don't know if it's translatable to the federal scene."

With all of the polls reporting, the Liberals won 31 of the legislature's 49 seats. The Conservatives had 16 and the Greens two.

When the Liberal win was announced, Holt's supporters stood and roared their approval. Amid the cheers and whistles, some women, including Landry, used tissues to wipe tears from their eyes.

"It means the world to me," said Landry, who also served as deputy premier under former Liberal premier Frank McKenna. "It's a milestone for the province."

Trudeau congratulated Holt on social media, saying the pair would work together "to build more homes, protect our official languages, and improve health care for New Brunswickers."

Higgs, meanwhile, lost in the southern New Brunswick riding of Quispamsis. In a speech to supporters in the riding, he confirmed that he would be stepping down after a leadership transition process.

"It's certainly not the night we hoped for," Higgs told the crowd at the St. Louis Bar and Grill in a strip mall. "Nevertheless, it is what it is. The people of New Brunswick have spoken."

During his speech after he won his riding of Fredericton Lincoln, Green Party Leader David Coon pledged to continue building the party, but he then turned his sights on Higgs. "One thing is for sure," he told the crowd at Dolan’s Pub in Fredericton. "We know that Blaine Higgs is no longer the premier of this province." The audience responded with raucous cheers.

The election race was largely focused on health care and affordability but was notable for the remarkably dissimilar campaign styles of Holt and Higgs.

The 70-year-old Tory leader, a mechanical engineer and former Irving Oil executive, led a low-key campaign, during which he didn't have any scheduled public events on at least 10 days — and was absent from the second leaders debate on Oct. 9.

Holt missed only two days of campaigning and submitted a 30-page platform with 100 promises, a far heftier document than the Tories’ two-page platform that included 11 pledges. As well, Holt repeatedly promised to bring a balanced approach to governing, pledging a sharp contrast to Higgs’s “one-man show taking New Brunswick to the far right."

“We need a government that acts as a partner and not as a dictator from one office in Fredericton,” she said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.

As well, Holt spent much of the campaign rolling out proposed fixes for a health-care system racked by a doctor shortage, overcrowded emergency rooms and long wait-times. She promised to open 30 community health clinics across the province by 2028.

The Tory campaign was focused on the high cost of living, with Higgs promising to lower the provincial harmonized sales tax by two percentage points to 13 per cent.

When the election was called on Sept. 19, the Conservatives held 25 seats, the Liberals held 16 seats, the Green Party had three, there was one Independent and four vacancies.

Higgs was hoping to become the first New Brunswick premier to win three consecutive elections since Liberal Frank McKenna won his third-straight majority in 1995. But it was clear from the start that Higgs would have to overcome some big obstacles.

On the first day of the campaign, a national survey showed he had the lowest approval rating of any premier in the country. That same morning, Higgs openly mused about how he was perceived by the public.

“I really wish that people could know me outside of politics,” he said, adding that a sunnier disposition might increase his popularity. “I don’t know whether I’ve got to do comedy hour or I’ve got to smile more.”

Still, Higgs had plenty to boast about, including six consecutive balanced budgets, a significant reduction in the province’s debt, income tax cuts, a booming population and a $1-billion infusion of funds into the health-care system.

But internal party strife dragged down his popularity. Since 2020, at least 12 Tory caucus members stepped down after clashing with the premier, some of them citing what they described as an authoritarian leadership style and a focus on conservative policies that represented a hard shift to the right.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

-- With files from Lyndsay Armstrong in Quispamsis, N.B., and Michael MacDonald in Halifax

Hina Alam, The Canadian Press

N.B. election: What happened and what's next

CBC
Tue, October 22, 2024

Premier-elect Susan Holt gives media interviews after historic win Monday night. (Patrick Morrell/CBC - image credit)

It's been less than 24 hours since New Brunswickers delivered a decisive win to Susan Holt's Liberals and a devastating loss to Blaine Higgs's Progressive Conservatives.

But a day is a long time in politics, and political pundits are already examining what happened during the campaign and and what may be to come.

One thing that is clear is that the Liberals managed to keep Holt in the spotlight and the party branding to the sidelines.

"I don't think this is a sign that the Liberals' luck at the federal level is turning," said Erin Crandall, an Acadia University political scientist.

"I think what we saw was a party that was effective in disassociating their Liberal Party from the federal Liberal brand, right, and so part of that was emphasizing Team Holt."

In campaign signs and literature, including the platform, the Liberal party focused more on their leader than the party.

In campaign signs and platform literature, the Liberals focused more on their leader than the party. (Liberal Party of New Brunswick)

J.P. Lewis, a political scientist at UNB Saint John, said the Liberals were shrewd in making that break and their concern about potential drag from the Trudeau brand was not overplayed.

"I think they did a good job of running away from it," said Lewis.

"They figured out a way to make this about Blaine Higgs and about Susan Holt … and they kept the Liberal brand out of it."

PCs fail to keep up

While the Liberals had an extensive platform and offered several major promises, the PCs took the opposite approach with a two- page platform that largely spoke to their record.

St. Thomas University political scientist Jamie Gillies believes that was a mistake in this campaign.

"I think the the challenge here was that you do have to promise voters something. You have to campaign for the future, and they were campaigning on the past and that did not work," Gillies said.

Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs exiting his campaign bus, witch is emblazoned with the party's promise to cut the HST by two per cent.

PC Leader Blaine Higgs focused on his record and a handful of commitments, such as a cut to the HST. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

Political columnist and former journalist Duncan Matheson said he agreed with the PC strategy of trying to tie Holt to Trudeau, but in the end even that didn't work.

He thinks it was a case of Holt a running a good campaign, while Higgs did not.

"It was a weak campaign in my estimation," said Matheson.

Mixed bag for Greens

While the Green Party more or less maintained its vote, it lost a third of its caucus.

Gillies said the party should see this as a win because this turned out to be a change election, not something that is beneficial to third parties.

"Third parties often do poorly because the wave favours one of the two major parties.

Green Leader David Coon, standing with his wife Janice Harvey and daughter Caroline Coon speak to supporters in Fredericton after he was projected to win his riding.

It was a mixed night for the Greens who managed to maintain their position in votes, but lost a third of their caucus. (Kate Letterick/CBC)

Crandall said that while the Greens did lose one seat, the two races they won have solidified the party's standing, and it can now be seen as a natural third party of New Brunswick.

"The Green Party now kind of occupies the political left in New Brunswick," said Crandall.

"This election confirms that the Green Party is here to stay."

Next steps for the Liberals

For the Liberals, it's just the start of what is expected to be a four-year government.

There are election promises to keep and an expanded roster of MLAs, who may all think they deserve to get a cabinet post.

Matheson said the Liberals have a lot on their plate.

"Fixing health care is going to be massive. She promised a lot on that. Look at the financial problems N.B. Power is facing. You know, billions of dollars. She's got her work cut out for her," said Matheson.

Crandall expects the change in government will mean a change in the rhetoric coming out of the legislature, to "probably ... create a friendlier politics."

"I think we're going to see a change in the way leaders in New Brunswick … talk about politics, talk about the way we should be doing politics," said Crandall.

Next steps PCs

For the Progressive Conservatives, the loss means a number of things, including a potential new leader and taking a hard look at why the election plaid out the way it did.

That won't be easy, said Lewis, considering some of the losses the PCs faced Monday night.

"This is like that team that has gotten rid of all the big contracts and completely rebuilt," he said.

Supporters of New Brunswick Progressive Conservative Party Leader Blaine Higgs watch results at a bar during the provincial election in Quispamsis, N.B. Higgs lost his seat to Liberal Aaron Kennedy. Five other PC cabinet ministers lost their seats.

Progressive Conservatives now have to face the search for a new leader and what direction their party will take. (The Canadian Press)

The PCs "lost the front bench," including cabinet ministers Greg Turner, Ernie Steeves, Ted Fleming, and Blaine Higgs himself.

"It'll be really interesting to see who comes out to put their name forward for leadership," said Lewis.

Gillies expects there will be a "fight for the soul of the party."

The "PC brand in the four eastern-most provinces is still very strong," he said.

"This social conservative and, sort of, phoned-in Christian nationalist message that they ran over the last year did not work.

"It didn't work for voters. It didn't work for the public. And Blaine Higgs paid a price last night."

Premier-designate of New Brunswick, Susan Holt, is first woman to lead the province

Michael MacDonald
Mon, October 21, 2024 


FREDERICTON — After her party won a majority government in the New Brunswick election on Monday, Liberal Leader Susan Holt thanked all the women who came before her.

Flanked by her three young daughters on stage in Fredericton, Holt, the first female premier-designate in New Brunswick history, delivered a bilingual victory speech that paid tribute to female trailblazers in provincial politics.

The 47-year-old former business advocate and public servant led the Liberals to victory after a 33-day campaign, thwarting Blaine Higgs’s bid to secure a third term as Tory premier.


Aside from her tough-talking style, the 47-year-old party leader from Fredericton is known for her varied work history, which includes stints in the private and public sectors.

Her first job was scooping ice cream at a gas station in Fredericton before she was promoted to cashier at a nearby grocery store. She later worked for other local entrepreneurs, including an engineering firm and some IT startups. She went on to management roles within large IT firms, including IBM, Xerox, HP and Research In Motion.

Before entering the political arena, Holt served as CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce and CEO of the New Brunswick Business Council. A graduate of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., she has also worked as a business lobbyist and consultant.

After working as an adviser to former Liberal premier Brian Gallant, Holt won the provincial Liberal leadership in August 2022. She was elected to the legislature in an April 2023 byelection, representing a largely rural riding in northern New Brunswick. At the close of the latest campaign, she won a riding in Fredericton

Holt has repeatedly drawn attention to what she has described as Higgs's top-down leadership style.

"We've seen that Blaine Higgs can't work with anyone," Holt said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press, noting that 14 of his caucus members have quit their posts since the Tories won a majority in 2020 — several of them openly complaining about how the premier ran the government.

"He's a my-way-or-the-highway, one-man show," Holt said. "And that's not good for New Brunswickers."

She said Higgs, a former Irving Oil executive, had shifted his party towards more conservative policies. She cited his decision last year to require teachers to ask parents before they use the preferred pronouns of transgender students under 16 and promised a Liberal government would change that policy.

Holt has pledged to implement changes recommended in a report released last year by Kelly Lamrock, the province's child and youth advocate. Lamrock said children in Grade 6, who are around the age of 12, should be allowed to make the decision without parental consent.

As for the campaign, it was a lacklustre affair, perhaps most notable for the Progressive Conservative leader's decision not to take part in any scheduled public events during at least 10 days of the race.

Still, it wasn't an easy ride for Holt. Last week, she was on the defensive for comments she made about residents in her former riding in northern New Brunswick.

In January, Holt was describing the diversity of the province when she told a podcast that in Fredericton there were "really progressive people here, highly educated … and my riding of Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore has (a) totally different makeup."

In response, the Progressive Conservatives released a campaign ad that accused the Liberal leader of suggesting Bathurst residents were not as smart as people in the capital.

Holt acknowledged she should have been more careful with her words. "It's always a lesson that you have to speak carefully because there are people out there who will want to twist your words … for political gain," she said in the interview.

The Liberals focused much of their campaign on improving the province's health-care system. Holt said the topic dominated discussion at the doorstep.

"People are legitimately afraid to go to an ER because they might be waiting there for 12 hours," she said. "Our health-care system is in crisis."

The Liberals are pledging to build at least 30 community care clinics across the province over three years, bringing together doctors, nurses and other health professionals under one roof. Holt has said doctors are eager to work in such clinics because the administrative support can free them from paperwork and other time-consuming tasks.

Asked how she felt about the possibility of making history as the province's first female premier, Holt said: "I thought we would get here before now."

Then she turned attention to her daughters, ages 12, 10 and seven.

"It's pretty surreal to think that I might show them that this particular glass ceiling can be broken and there won't be barriers to what they can achieve in their lives," she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press

David Coon hangs on, Greens reduced to 2 seats

CBC
Mon, October 21, 2024 

Green Leader David Coon, standing with his wife, Janice Harvey, and daughter, Caroline Coon, speaks to supporters in Fredericton after he was projected to win his riding. (Kate Letterick/CBC - image credit)


The New Brunswick Green Party has been reduced from three to two seats, with the loss of Kent North incumbent Kevin Arseneau.

But it was a jubilant David Coon, leader of the Greens, who spoke to supporters in Fredericton on Monday night.

And while he was unhappy over Arseneau's loss, he said it was time to get back to work and hold the Liberals accountable.


The crowd started cheering and chanting when Coon mentioned PC Leader Blaine Higgs, who lost to Liberal Susan Holt, now the premier-designate.

Coon won his riding of Fredericton-Lincoln with a strong lead of 44.5 per cent of the vote, as of 9:30 p.m. AT. PC candidate Daniel Chippin came second at 28.1 per cent, with Liberal candidate Joni Leger third, at 27.4 per cent.

Megan Mitton handily won her riding of Tantramar, beating Liberal candidate John Higham, a former mayor of Sackville. Mitton was at 48.9 per cent of the vote, as of 9:30 p.m., while Higham was at 25.3 per cent.

Arseneau garnered 37.1 per cent of the vote in his riding, compared to Liberal Pat Finnigan with 44.8 per cent. Finnigan is a former Liberal MP.

"What a surprise tonight," Coon said at his victory speech as he thanked voters in his riding.

"By now we all know Kevin [Arseneau] is not going back to the legislative assembly, and that's a sad and terrible thing for New Brunswick."

The crowd cheered loudly as Coon thanked Arsenau, who was elected in 2018, for his work as MLA.

Coon spoke in English and French, lauding what was the party's only Acadian member, calling him a "real leader" in comments translated from French.

Green Party MLA Kevin Arseneau speaking to reporters in the New Brunswick legislature.

Green Party MLA Kevin Arseneau lost his seat in Kent North. (Michel Corriveau/Radio-Canada)

"I know we'll find a role for him and he'll find a role after the election," Coon said in English.

The party failed to make any advances. One of the candidates they felt had a strong chance to win was Serge Brideau in Tracadie, but he came second at 40.8 per cent, as of 10 p.m., compared with Liberal winner and incumbent Keith Chaisson at 53.5 per cent.

Simon Ouellette, who challenged Liberal Leader Susan Holt in Fredericton South-Silverwood, came third at 20.2 per cent, as of 10 p.m., behind PC candidate Nicolle Carlin at 24.7 per cent.

"It's so hard to try and win a seat in this election, and I don't know what to say, it's heartbreaking, I know when you pour your blood and sweat and tears into winning that seat," said Coon.

But the loudest applause came when Coon announced Higgs was no longer premier, as the crowd erupted and started chanting, "Na na na na, goodbye."

Coon said he called Holt to congratulate her.

He said it's his party's responsibilityto push them to make them necessary investments, fix the health-care system and "serve New Brunswickers in the way they need to be served."

PC candidate who was symbol of Higgs's rightward shift defeated

CBC
Mon, October 21, 2024 

Liberal supporters and campaign staff erupted into cheers when results were finalized, signaling a win for John Herron, who was also celebrating a birthday. (Nipun Tiwari/CBC - image credit)


Liberal John Herron has won Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins in a close race against Christian activist candidate Faytene Grasseschi, who some say signaled a potential turning point for New Brunswick's Progressive Conservative party.

Herron, a former Progressive Conservative MP, said it was a major win that reflects the progressive nature of the community — with what he called a history of traditionally moderate politics.

"You had a great number of individuals within this community who checked their past partisan storage at the door, where we had Progressive Conservatives, Liberals —even voters who may be more Green-inspired — and they've all joined this particular candidacy," he said.


Liberals won the riding with 3,259 votes by a margin of 2.7 per cent, the PCs garnered 3,035 votes.

"I think there's a number of things for consideration, given that Mr. Higgs had well over 10 of his own MLAs not offering for him again, I think there were very strong signals that the governing party was apt to change," Herron said.

"To elect a member who's going to participate in that new government — that's absolutely helpful to the region itself."

The Liberal party won a majority with 31 seats, making leader Susan Holt the first woman to be premier in the province's history. The PC party won 16 seats and the Green party won 2.

She was not available for comment once results in her riding were finalized. She released a Facebook post thanking her team and supporters and congratulated John Herron on his win.

Faytene Grasseschi was not available for comment once results in her riding were finalized. She released a Facebook post thanking her team and supporters, and congratulated John Herron on his win. (CBC)

Grasseschi has been a Christian activist for two decades and has been accused of harbouring extreme views on issues such as gay rights and abortion.

She previously said she put her name forward in response to a "party revolt," and what she called an assault "by the liberal media" over Higgs's changes to Policy 713, an education policy requiring students under 16 to obtain parental consent before teachers using a new name or pronoun aligning with their gender identity.

She was nominated as the candidate for the riding over the objections of Gary Crossman, who held the riding for many years but decided not to reoffer, and members of the PC riding association board.

Early in her campaign, she said her opponents had denigrated her for things she said two decades ago. She also said she believes in the Charter of Rights and Freedom.

CBC News contacted Grassechi's campaign office for comment Monday night. A campaign staff member said Grassechi and her campaign were hosting a gathering at a private residence on the night of the election.

She was not available for comment once the results were finalized.

In a Facebook post, Grassechi thanked her supporters and campaign team and congratulated Herron on his victory.

Green candidate Laura Myers congradulated Liberal candidate John Herron on his win and said she is happy with the progress the Green party has made in the riding.

Green candidate Laura Myers congradulated Liberal John Herron on his win and said she's happy with the progress the Greens have made in the riding. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

Counts in the region were delayed by voting machine failures at the Hampton Community Library polling location. Results came a few hours after the Liberals won a majority.

The Green Party came in third in the riding, winning 18.7 per cent of the vote.

Laura Myers, who previously said the PCs should have rejected Grasseschi's bid to run, stopped by Herron's campaign headquarters to congratulate him.

"The people spoke — they wanted change," she said.

"I think that the Conservative candidate that was chosen for this riding was somebody that the people in the riding just couldn't back. And so they wanted something different. And I think that the Liberal vote, it was a safer vote."

Myers said she feels good about the progress the Green Party has made in the riding.

"I mean, the last election we had under 13 per cent in this riding and this time we had almost 19 per cent. So that's a pretty big jump. I'm very proud of the campaign that we ran," she said.

Liberals pick up key ridings on path to majority government

CBC
Mon, October 21, 2024 

Susan Holt made history as the first woman to be elected premier of New Brunswick. (Patrick Morrell/CBC News - image credit)


New Brunswick's Liberals have flipped key ridings across New Brunswick from blue to red, on the way to a majority win.

Several ridings in the province's cities were seen as key for the Liberals to gain back from Blaine Higgs's Progressive Conservatives, which achieved a majority in 2020.

But the tide turned Monday night with New Brunswick electing a majority Liberal government and Liberal Leader Susan Holt as the first woman to become premier of the province.

Even the premier, Blaine Higgs, lost his seat in Quispamsis, to Liberal Aaron Kennedy.

"I love you, I love you New Brunswick," Holt said in a victory speech. "With me, you're going to get a leadership that listens, and a leadership that cares. A leadership that will respect you."

Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs lost his Quispamsis seat to Liberal Aaron Kennedy.

Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs lost his Quispamsis seat to Liberal Aaron Kennedy. (CBC)

Several Higgs-era cabinet ministers, including Ted Flemming of Rothesay, Ernie Steeves of Moncton Northwest, and Fredericton North's Jill Green were unseated by Liberal contenders Alyson Townsend, Tania Sodhi, and Luke Randall, respectively.

Sodhi was one of few candidates of colour on the ballot in 2024.

"I had amazing candidates that clearly New Brunswickers responded to and elected," Holt said in an interview with CBC News.

Aldéa Landry, deputy premier to Frank McKenna and a key supporter of Holt in the Liberal leadership race, held back tears speaking with CBC News after the result came in.

"It's her-storical," Landry said, "The province is 240 years old, and our first woman premier."

While southern ridings voted decisively for Higgs's PCs in 2020, nearly all Saint John ridings turned red.

Liberal candidate and former city councillor David Hickey and Dr. John Dornan, who won a wrongful dismissal case against the Higgs government, were able to convert Saint John Harbour and Saint John Portland-Simonds.


Aldéa Landry, who made history as deputy premier to Frank McKenna, called Monday's election result "her-storical." (CBC)

"It came down to our team," Hickey said in an interview. "It's been resounding tonight, and for that we're incredibly thankful."

Kate Elman Wilcott took Saint John West-Lancaster, while PC-turned-Liberal John Herron won his race against controversial candidate Faytene Grasseschi.

"The tone … was that people were ready for a fresh start on Tuesday morning," Elman Wilcott said of her experience campaigning door-to-door.

Higgs cabinet minister Glen Savoie was the only PC in the region to hold onto his seat in Saint John East, after a nail-biter race with Liberal David Alston.

The Liberals were also able to make inroads in Fredericton South-Silverwood and Fredericton North, with Holt projected to win her seat in the former and Luke Randall unseating former Higgs' minister Jill Green.

Hanwell-New Maryland also went red with Cindy Miles coming out ahead in a race against New Maryland mayor Judy Wilson-Shee.

Claire Johnson, Alexandre Cédric Doucet and Lyne Chantal Boudreau were able to take key seats in Moncton South, Moncton East, and the new riding of Champdoré-Irishtown. Incumbent Rob McKee handily kept his seat in Moncton Centre.

Liberal Leader Susan Holt focused mostly on affordability and healthcare in her speech to a crowd in Fredericton.

Liberal candidates in all three New Brunswick cities were able to flip key ridings. (Gilles Landry/Radio-Canada)

The party also made progress in Miramichi, with Sam Johnson unseating PC incumbent Réjean Savoie.

Liberal candidate and former member of Parliament Pat Finnigan unseated Green MLA Kevin Arseneau.

Voters returned several Liberal MLAs back to the legislature, including Francine Landry, René Legacy, Isabelle Thériault, Jean-Claude D'Amours, Keith Chiasson, Guy Arseneault, Jacques LeBlanc, Éric Mallet, Marco LeBlanc, Robert Gauvin, Gilles LePage, Benoît Bourque, and Chuck Chiasson.

Local government leaders were in attendance at the Liberal celebration in Fredericton, including Sitansisk Chief Allan Polchies Jr. and Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers.

New Brunswick Liberal Association executive director Hannah Fulton-Johnson told CBC News the party had been hopeful heading into Monday's decision.

"We've run a very positive campaign focused on what matters to New Brunswickers, which is better health care where and when you need it, affordability," she said.

"I think that resonates all across the province, not in any particular region."

RIP
Police release new details on workplace death of 19-year-old at Halifax Walmart

CBC
Tue, October 22, 2024 

Flowers left by Halifax residents following the workplace death of a young woman are seen outside the Mumford Road Walmart on Oct. 22, 2024. (Dan Jardine/CBC - image credit)


Warning: This story contains distressing details

Halifax Regional Police are releasing more details about the workplace death of a 19-year-old woman at a Walmart on Saturday.

"The woman, who was an employee of the store, was located in a large walk-in oven belonging to the store's bakery department," police said in a news release on Tuesday afternoon.


Police added that the investigation has not yet reached a point where the cause and manner of death have been confirmed. They have not released her name.

Police said they were called to the Mumford Road store on Saturday night around 9:30 p.m. local time and found the woman, who had been working that day, deceased when they arrived.

On Tuesday, the parking lot outside the store was mostly empty as police continued to investigate on scene.

In a statement, a spokesperson from Walmart said the store is "temporarily closed as we co-operate fully with the investigation."

The company said it was providing access to 24/7 virtual care to employees and providing on-site support, including grief counselling.

The provincial Department of Labour said in a statement to CBC News that a stop-work order was issued on Tuesday for the bakery and one piece of equipment at the store.

Tribute outside store

Some Halifax residents left flowers and notes in front of the Walmart in memory of the late employee.

On Monday, Satnam Singh Randhawa, chair of the Maritime Sikh Society board, said the woman was a member of the local Sikh community.

"It's pretty distressing, you know, young people come here with all kinds of hopes and dreams and they're working hard and then this is what happens," he said.

Investigators are working closely with the provincial Labour Department and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner, police said. They have not said if the circumstances surrounding the woman's death were criminal in nature.

"The investigation is complex," said Const. Martin Cromwell on Monday. "We just want to encourage the public to be patient with our investigation and be mindful that there is family members and co-workers involved."

Mural to honour SNL, Simpsons, News Radio star Phil Hartman to be celebrated on Nov. 4 in Brantford

CBC
Tue, October 22, 2024 

The City of Brantford, Ont., will celebrate the completion of a mural honouring actor and comedian Phil Hartman on Nov. 4, 2024. Hartman was a star on Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, News Radio and more. (Mark Burnham - image credit)

The new mural to celebrate the life of actor and comedian Phil Hartman pays tribute to his extraordinary career on Saturday Night Live, News Radio, The Simpsons and more.

The City of Brantford, Ont., will celebrate the completion of the mural on Nov. 4, 2024.

Hartman was born in Brantford in 1948 and is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live as well as an actor on The Simpsons, where he was the voice of characters Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure. He was also an expert impressionist on Saturday Night Live, famous for his takes on former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, as well as singers like Frank Sinatra and Elton John.

The celebration on Nov. 4 is open to the public, will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and will feature a performance by local comedian Graham Chittenden, the city said in a press release on Monday. The mural is located on the east wall outside the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts in Brantford.

The release says the mural includes a "delicate purple ribbon near his lapel serves as a tribute to victims of domestic violence." Hartman was shot and killed by his wife in 1998, at the age of 49. The mural also features "locations from Hartman's youth, such as his childhood home and Wilkes Dam," a Brantford landmark.

Paul Hartmann, Phil's brother, said the mural was "a beautiful tribute to someone who is missed by so many. Phil would be very proud and humbled by this fantastic mural."

In an interview in July with CBC Hamilton, Hartmann said, "You can't measure the loss of somebody like him in a family.

"I'm ecstatic about any celebration of Phil's life," he said. "I really want Brantford to name a street after him. I think he deserves it."

Tim Meadows (far right), in a Season 18 press conference in 1992 with fellow SNL actors including Adam Sandler, David Spade, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider and Chris Farley.

Phil Hartman, top row, second from the right, was a member of Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1994. Here, he's pictured with the show's cast in 1992. (NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images)

The release says the mural was created by DRIFT Mural Co. after a process which included consultation with "various stakeholders, including Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services, the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts, local actor and comedian Calwyn Shurgold, and the Hartmann family."

Mayor of Brantford Kevin Davis said the mural "celebrates the remarkable achievements of one of our most famous residents and highlights the profound connection between his legacy and the City of Brantford."

Hartman grew up in Brantford, but his family moved to the United States when he was 10, ultimately ending up in California where he became a graphic designer for album covers, and eventually got into comedy and acting.

Critically endangered whale species rebounds slightly

Agence France-Presse
October 22, 2024 

The number of North Atlantic right whales rose to 373 in 2023 from 358 individuals in 2020 (Joseph Prezioso/AFP)

One of the world's rarest whale species has seen a slight population rebound, according to data released Tuesday, though experts warn it remains at serious risk of extinction.

The number of North Atlantic right whales rose to 373 in 2023, up four percent from a recent low of 358 individuals in 2020, according to the latest estimates by scientists at the New England Aquarium and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

But the stabilization in numbers shouldn't be mistaken for a turning point, said conservationists, because the most serious threats to the marine giants, strikes by speeding vessels and entanglements in fishing gear, remain largely unaddressed.

Climate change is further exacerbating the situation by altering the distribution of zooplankton, the whales' primary food source.

"While we are happy to see that the population estimate has not decreased, we remain gravely concerned," said Kathleen Collins, senior marine campaign manager with the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Approaching 60 feet (18 meters) in length and with lifespans similar to humans, North Atlantic right whales are thought to have once numbered up to 20,000 before commercial whaling decimated their population.

They were considered the "right whale" to hunt by whalers who sought their blubber for oil and their baleen plates (which the whales use to filter their food) for making a strong, flexible material in the pre-plastic era.

Whaling was eventually banned in 1935, leading to a recovery and a peak of 483 individuals by 2010, before a decade-long decline began.

In the fall of 2022, NOAA proposed rule changes to broaden the boundaries and timing of seasonal speed restrictions along the East Coast, and expand mandatory speed restrictions of 10 knots or less for vessels over 65 feet to those over 35 feet.

But two years on, these changes, strongly opposed by the boating and fishing industries, are still under review.

"The US government is too busy dealing in partisan politics rather than saving this species while we still have a fighting chance," said Collins.

The other main threat to the whales comes from entanglements with fishing gear -- which weigh whales down and prevent them from moving freely, feeding and breeding, or cut into their blubber and bones, killing them slowly from infection.


Recent years have seen progress in "on demand" fishing gear -- traps that catch lobster and crab on the seafloor without long buoy lines. Some use coiled ropes that rise to the surface only when triggered by fishermen, while others rely on inflatable bags.

These technologies however remain in their infancy and aren't yet widely deployed.

Despite the slight rise, scientists said too many right whales are still dying from human activity, including so far this year five documented mortalities and four lost calves that scientists presume are dead.

Number of right whales rose slightly last year, group estimates

CBC
Tue, October 22, 2024

Philip Hamilton, senior scientist at the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center, said while the 2023 number is heartening, 2024 has been a bad year for right whale deaths. (Submitted by New England Aquarium - image credit)


The North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium has released a new estimate that says the number of right whales increased slightly last year.

But Philip Hamilton, senior scientist at the New England Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center and the identification database curator for the consortium, said while the 2023 number is heartening, 2024 has been a rough year for fatalities.

The population estimate is 372, including 12 calves added in 2023. This is up slightly from the 2022 estimate of 367.


"It's definitely better than it was in the late 2010s," said Hamilton. "We had zero calves born in 2018, so it's a remarkable increase from that."

Philip Hamilton is the senior scientist in the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life. He has been studying North Atlantic right whales for 35 years. Submitted by New England Aquarium

Hamilton said mothers normally give birth to their first calf at age 10, but there are more than 40 females between the ages of 10 and 20 who have not given birth. (Submitted by New England Aquarium)

In 2024, there were five documented deaths and four lost calves that scientists presume are dead — the highest annual mortality count since 2019.

Hamilton said protecting right whales is a challenge. While a lot of effort was invested in protecting them from vessel strikes and entanglements in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, he said, "we know that eight of the 11 entanglements this year were documented in Gulf St. Lawrence, and at least four of them happened there."

The high number of deaths will impact the 2024 population estimate when it's generated next year, the consortium said.

A news release says that from December 2023 to March 2024, 20 calves were born — the highest number in a decade — even though five calves did not survive past the spring.

Four of the mothers gave birth for the first time.

North Atlantic right whale Juno and her calf were sighted off Cane Island, South Carolina by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute on Nov. 28, 2023.

There were several calf deaths in 2024. Juno's calf, seen here, was struck by a vessel before being found dead in March 2024. (Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA permit #26919. Funded by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Mothers normally give birth to their first calf at age 10, but more than 40 females between the ages of 10 and 20 have not given birth to their first calf, Hamilton said.

The reasoning behind that is complicated, he said, pointing to nutrition and body size — which can be affected by past entanglements in some cases — as contributing factors.

Kim Elmslie, the campaign director at Oceana Canada, said that while the number of right whales has increased slightly, "it's not a time to take our foot off the gas.

"We still need to keep the measures in place. We still need to be vigilant," she said.

"This is a species that in 2010 was almost 500 individuals.… So there's still work to be done, but there is a lot of goodwill from the fishing industry, from the shipping industry, especially here in Canada.

Kim Elmslie, the campaign director at Oceana Canada, said that while the number of right whales has increased slightly, 'it’s not a time to take our foot off the gas.'

Kim Elmslie, the campaign director at Oceana Canada, said while the number of right whales has increased slightly, 'it’s not a time to take our foot off the gas.' (Oceana Canada)

Transitioning to ropeless fishing gear more quickly and making vessel slowdowns mandatory would help, Elmslie said.

Oceana has found that when slowdowns in Canada and the United States are voluntary, a lot of vessels don't comply, she said.

"There's still way too many deaths to have, you know, the recovery that's needed for this species," she said.

"It's moving in the right direction, but we need to continue to do more to prevent unnecessary deaths."

Scientists Have Observed Evidence of Evolution in Real Time
Darren Orf
Thu, October 17, 2024

30-Year Snail Study Reveals Evolution in Real TimeMARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY - Getty Images

A 30-year-long study of a small population of marine snail shows how evolution can adapt to environmental changes quite rapidly.

This study revealed how a specific ecotype of the snail changed its shape within only a few generations and rapidly developed genetic mutations thanks to its high genetic variation.

This rare, in-the-wild experiment shows the importance of high genetic variation and preserving diverse habitats so species can develop those evolutionary protections.

Evolution is often thought of as the slow work of millennia upon millennia, subtly altering genomes as species slowly adapt to environmental changes or pressures generation after generation. This makes evolutionary study particularly difficult, as it’s not easy to note changes—or even predict future mutations—in most animal populations. But sometimes, the conditions to study evolution at work are just right.

Take, for instance, the species of marine snail known as Littorina saxatilis. This snail is well-known for being a particularly difficult species to identify—not because it’s hard to find, but because it can be found in so many shapes, sizes, and colors. In fact, it’s been labeled the “most misidentified creature in the world,” as it’s been erroneously identified as a “new species” more than 113 separate times since its first description in 1792.

However, it’s because of this species’ ability to quickly adapt to its unique marine environment that Swedish marine ecologist Kerstin Johannesson sensed an opportunity in the early 1990s. When a toxic algal bloom decimated islands and skerries (small rocky islands) off the west coast of Sweden in 1988, Johannesson decided to use the reintroduction of the snails as an opportunity to study evolution in real time. Across the entire species of L. saxatilis, there are two particular ecotypes—genetically different organisms within the same species—known as Crab-ecotypes and Wave-ecotypes, the differences between which in both appearance and behavior are particularly striking. While Wave snails inhabit skerries along this stretch of coastline, both Crab and Wave snails occupy the nearby shore.

So, when Johannesson reintroduced the species to the area, she specifically placed specimens of the Crab ecotype on a skerry and set off a 30-year experiment to see how the population adapted to its new environment. The results of that study were published today in the journal Science Advances.

“Our colleagues saw evidence of the snails’ adaptation already within the first decade of the experiment,” Diego Garcia Castillo, a graduate student at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and co-author of the study, said in a press statement. “Over the experiment’s 30 years, we were able to predict robustly what the snails will look like and which genetic regions will be implicated. The transformation was both rapid and dramatic.”

Changes were apparent in the snail population after only a few generations due to a phenomenon known as “phenotypic plasticity,” which allowed the Crab-ecotype to rapidly change its shape and adapt to its new environment. However, the ecotype’s “rapid and dramatic” transformation was also genetic and aided, in part, by the diverse gene pool of L. saxatilis.

Because the snails experienced similar conditions in the recent past, low prevalence genes were essentially lying in wait for specific conditions to reoccur. Once the snails found themselves in that familiar environment, they accessed that genetic information, which in turn fueled rapid evolution. Scientists have known that high genetic variation makes a species particularly suited to adapt to a changing climate, but few studies have been conducted in real time in the wild.

This study perfectly showcases why efforts to protect a wide range of habitats are vital—so that species can maintain their genetic variation. Right now, a thriving, 30-year-old population of 1,000 Crab-ecotype snails off the western coast of Sweden provides a powerful example of what is possible if we do protect these wondrous natural spaces.

Scientists feared this huge ‘ghost’ fish was extinct. It was just seen after almost 20 years

Jessie Yeung, CNN
Mon, October 21, 2024 

When scientists heard reports that a large, mysterious fish had been caught in Cambodia in 2020, excitement stirred. Could this be the “Mekong Ghost,” they asked - an elusive fish that hadn’t been seen since 2005 and was feared extinct?

Photos of the fish and its telltale identifiers – an odd-shaped mouth and a protruding knob at its jaw – seemed to confirm it.

But the fish, which can grow as large as 66 pounds, was sold before scientists could get a closer look. It didn’t “feel like definitive proof,” said Zeb Hogan, a research biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, and head of the US government-funded Wonders of the Mekong project, an initiative to study and conserve one of the most biodiverse rivers in the world.

Three years later, they struck gold.

Cambodian fishermen caught two fish in the Mekong River, measuring between 11 and 13 pounds and two to three feet long. This time researchers were able to purchase and examine the fish for themselves.

“Even though the fishermen … hadn’t seen the fish before, they knew that they had something remarkable, unusual. They knew that it was worth contacting us,” said Hogan, part of an international team of scientists who work with the Cambodian fisheries department, in an interview with CNN.

“As soon as anyone who was part of this search for this fish saw the photos, we knew what it was.”

The giant salmon carp has been rediscovered in Cambodia. - Chhut Chheana/Wonders of the Mekong

The researchers published their findings on Tuesday in a study in the Biological Conservation journal.

It was a moment of celebration for the team, which works to protect the Mekong, one of the world’s longest rivers and a lifeline to tens of millions of people.

Meaning “Mother of Rivers” in Thai and Lao languages, the Mekong winds through multiple Southeast Asian countries and is extremely rich in biodiversity. But it also faces various challenges including hydropower development, overfishing and habitat degradation.

These challenges are why scientists have long worried that the “Mekong Ghost,” a critically endangered giant salmon carp that can measure up to four feet long, could have been quietly wiped out as years passed without a sighting.
Shrouded in mystery

The fish, native to the Mekong, has been shrouded in mystery since it was formally named in 1991. Since then, fewer than 30 individuals have been recorded, making it a highly rare species, according to a press release from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Hogan’s team of researchers – who also study other species and parts of the Mekong’s environment – have kept an eye out for the giant salmon carp, perusing fish markets and doing outreach programs with local fishermen. Hogan himself, who has dedicated much of his career to studying fish in the Mekong River Basin, has only seen it once in the early 2000s.

The giant salmon carp has been rediscovered in Cambodia. - Chhut Chheana/Wonders of the Mekong

“I’ve been looking for it since then, kind of fascinated by it because it’s a very unusual giant fish,” Hogan said. “I thought it was probably extinct, and so to hear that it had been found again – I’ve been waiting 20 years for that news.”

“It’s a sign of hope,” he added. “It means that it’s not too late.”

The study’s lead author, Bunyeth Chan from Cambodia’s Svay Rieng University, echoed this sentiment, saying in a press release: “The rediscovery of the giant salmon carp is a reason for hope, not just for this species but for the entire Mekong ecosystem.”

There’s a lot researchers still don’t know, like how many giant salmon carp actually exist or where those populations reside.

The three fish that were found between 2020 and 2023 were found outside their normal range – which could either mean there are more fish living in areas previously unknown or that they migrated there from neighboring Laos and Thailand.

And though it’s unusual to find three individual fish in quick succession after the species disappeared for nearly two decades, Hogan credits this to the work they’ve been doing on the ground – building good relationships with local communities who know to contact them if they spot anything out of the ordinary.

But researchers say more needs to be done as the Mekong fights off threats from various fronts, including climate change, with the region facing more severe flooding and drought each year as a result.

Human projects such as hydropower dams and sand mining have further degraded marine habitats and disrupted life for the Mekong’s more than 1,100 fish species, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

Nearly a fifth of the Mekong’s fish are threatened with extinction, according to a report released in March this year, a collaboration between 25 organizations including the World Wildlife Fund and Wonders of the Mekong.

Cambodia is also not an easy place to be an environmental activist. Many have been jailed or killed over the years as they seek to raise awareness about corruption and business projects that have impacted the environment in a nation where little political opposition is tolerated.

Earlier this year, 10 young activists from the group Mother Nature Cambodia were sentenced to up to six years in prison, each on charges of conspiring against the state, a conviction that was condemned by opposition politicians in exile and prominent youth environmentalist Greta Thunberg.

Researchers behind the latest report hope the giant salmon carp’s rediscovery can build momentum for more study and conservation action – including creating an international team across Cambodia, Laos and Thailand to further study the “Mekong Ghost.”

“This fish is an indicator of river health because it’s a large fish, it’s vulnerable,” said Hogan.

“But it’s also emblematic of all of these other fish that occur in the area that are key fishery species and that are very important for people’s livelihoods, and very important for people’s nutrition and food.”

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Reach Subsea Gets $15M From EU for Unmanned Offshore Vessels

Reach Remote 1 and 2 (Reach Subsea)

Published Oct 22, 2024 8:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

On Tuesday, Norwegian offshore service company Reach Subsea announced that it has received $15 million in funding from the EU Innovation Fund to pursue its unmanned surface vessel R&D work. 

Reach Subsea took delivery of its purpose-built USVs, the Kongsberg-designed Reach Remote 1 and 2, in March and June 2024. The pair will soon be carrying out a range of typical offshore work for Equinor off Haugesund, Norway. 

The trial-scale deployment includes survey work, ROV intervention, guard vessel duties, structure inspection and environmental monitoring - all tasks that would ordinarily be performed by much larger, more emissions-intensive and more expensive manned vessels. The partnership is designed as a "showcase" to demonstrate the capabilities of the Reach Remote operating concept, both for Equinor and for other industry players. 

"This is a significant step forward for Reach Subsea’s innovation agenda, our Reach Remote scale up plans and our commitment to driving sustainable ocean technology. We are excited to contribute to a cleaner, more efficient future," said CEO Jostein Alendal.

The unique offshore vessel design won the Skipsrevven Ship of the Year 2024 at SMM Hamburg.

"We are committed to being part of the required transition, and our Reach Remote USVs represent a significant step in the subsea market, with CO? emissions estimated to be reduced by 90% compared to conventional vessels," explained Alendal.

 

MSC to Buy Brazil’s Wilson Sons Terminal and Tug Operator

MSC's vessel being assisted by Wilson Sons' tugs in Brazil (Wilson Sons)

Published Oct 21, 2024 3:06 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is continuing its global acquisition efforts with the latest transaction announced in Brazil. The company has agreed to acquire a controlling interest in Wilson Sons, which is described as the largest integrated port and maritime logistics operator in Brazil.

Under the terms of the agreement, MSC will acquire 56.47 percent of the company’s shares from Ocean Wilson Holdings, a Brazilian-based investment company for approximately $760 million or just over $3 per share. Under securities law, MSC would then be required to also launch a public tender offer for the remaining shares. The shares will be acquired by MSC’s subsidiary SAS Shipping Agencies with a total value of the transaction at approximately $1.35 billion.

News of the agreement came just days after the Brazilian newspaper Valor Economico reported that Miami-based I Squared Capital, a private equity firm focusing on global infrastructure investments, was contemplating an offer for Wilson Sons. Ocean Wilson reported in June 2023 that it was launching a strategic review of its investments. I Square indicated that it might be making an offer within the next 15 days without setting a value while market rumors speculated that MSC was also interested in the company. Wilson Sons and its investors confirmed in a statement that they had received a letter from I Squared while saying they were also in active discussions with “another interested party.”

Wilson Sons highlights that it is more than 180 years old and today it has operations including towage, container terminals, offshore oil and gas support services, small vessel construction, logistics, and ship agency. Its portfolio includes a presence in most major ports in Brazil with container terminals in Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul. It also has 80 tugboats, which make up the largest and most powerful fleet in the country, 23 offshore support vessels flying the Brazilian flag, two offshore support bases, a customs logistics center, two shipyards, provides international logistics services for more than 70 countries, and operates one of the largest independent shipping agencies in Brazil.

“Our strategy has always been focused on delivering enhanced long-term value to our shareholders,” said Caroline Fougler, Chair of Ocean Wilsons while saying the agreement represents the successful realization of the long-term investment in Wilson Sons. Ocean Wilsons the statement says will focus on sustainable growth while Wilson Sons will benefit from additional resources and support.

MSC already has a growing presence in Brazil including operations of a container terminal in Santos, Brazil with Maersk. Last December they announced plans to expand the operations in Santos after a long battle with local interest that sought to block the companies’ efforts.

MSC continues to expand its shoreside operations and logistics offerings. It previously acquired terminals in France and agreed to an expansion in Belgium. MSC also recently completed the acquisition of a nearly 50 percent state in the operator of the container terminals in Hamburg forming a new partnership with the city. In addition to a rapid expansion of its container fleet, MSC has also diversified with the acquisition of Gram Car Carriers and continues to invest in the expansion of its cruise ship operations. 

The acquisition of the shares of Wilson Sons requires regulatory approval.  The companies are targeting completing the transaction in the second half of 2025.

 

Boluda Makes Finnish Acquisitions Continuing Tug Sector Consolidation

YHB adds expertise in icebreaking and hash conditions as well as expanding Boluda into Scandinavia (YHB)

Published Oct 22, 2024 8:15 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Spain’s Boluda Group is continuing its rapid acquisitions across the tug and towboat sector as it works to further expand leadership in the industry. The latest acquisition of a family-owned small towboat company in Finland the company says is part of a strategy to consolidate its presence in Northern Europe and its expansion plans through the entry into Scandinavia.

Boluda is acquiring Yxpila Hinaus-Bogsering, which bills itself as the leading harbor towage company in the Gulf of Bothnia. The company was founded in 1981 and reports it has changed ownership several times with the current team in place since 2009. It has 18 employees and a fleet of six vessels, of which five are icebreakers.

“This purchase is a further step in our consolidation in Northern Europe, a complex market where the experience and expertise of the crews are key to carrying out towing and marine salvage operations in extreme conditions,” said Vicente Boluda Fos, president of Boluda. “In addition, we are opening the Scandinavian market, providing coverage to our customers in the northernmost part of the Baltic.”

YHB they said will add to Boluda Towage its experience at the forefront of towing operations in the extreme conditions of the Baltic, where ice and low temperatures require the knowledge and the expertise of crews to perform maneuvers safely and efficiently. 

The company is based in the Finnish port of Kokkola, providing harbor towage and icebreaking services in the ports of Kokkola, Vaasa, Raahe, and Kemi, as well as available elsewhere in the region. The company’s fleet consists of six vessels including both conventional tugs and ASD vessels. It acquired its first ASD tug, the Aries, from Singapore, in 2007. Its latest acquisition was also an ASD tug, the Aquila, which arrived in Kokkola from St. Petersburg in 2018.

Boluda Group reports it currently has a fleet of 364 tugs after having recently made acquisitions in France, the UK, Gibraltar, and elsewhere. It began its acquisitions in 2017 with the German towage companies of Unterweder Reederei and Lutgens & Reimers followed by Kotug Smit Towage in 2019, and in 2021, the harbor and offshore activities of Iskes Towage & Salvage. Later that year it also acquired the Scottish Caledonian Towage.

Plans to acquire Smit Lamnalco from joint venture owners Boskalis and the Saudi Arabian Rezayat Group were announced in 2013. The deal would have cemented the group’s position with a total of well over 500 vessels. Boskalis however decided to buy out the partnership and reported on Monday, October 21, that ‎Royal Boskalis completed the acquisition of Smit Lamnalco. Boskalis had been a 50 percent shareholder in Smit Lamnalco since 1963 and through the transaction acquired all remaining shares.