Four tourists from Punjab attacked in Manali

MANALI: With hundreds of tourists being threatened, beaten and outraged every year, domestic and foreign tourists are not feeling safe in Manali. According to sources, very few victims lodge a police complaint to avoid the long legal procedure hundreds of kilometers away from their homes.

In a recent case, four youths from Ropar, Punjab, were attacked with a sword by a car driver on Saturday evening. The injured have been admitted to Lady Willingdon hospital.

According to a statement by Naresh Kumar, one of the victims, he and his his friends — Sone Surinder Singh, Hem Raj, Devender Singh and Desh Raj — were staying in a hotel in Manali. "We came out of the hotel for dinner when a car with registration number HP02K-0636 almost hit us. When we asked driver to drive safely, he came out with a sword and attacked on us," he said.

Sources said there is nothing in the name of tourist safety in tourists' spots of Manali. Even adventurous games like paragliding, horse riding, skiing and snow scooter riding are organized without any appropriate safety measures. Many tourists sustain injuries but none complains against the service providers for fear of being assaulted.

A tourist from Ludhiana, Manjeet Singh, said, "Tourists are not safe here. Manali is a tourist place and security should be provided to all the tourists."

Another tourist from Delhi, Jaheer Ali Ansari, added, "We have been to Solang, Naggar and many tourist spots of Kullu-Manali but have not see any policemen around. Many people providing their services in Solang valley have no sense of talking and seem ready to assault tourists all the time."

Meanwhile, police have registered a case under Section 324 of IPC Act against the accused, who is now absconding. "We are taking the matter very seriously. The accused will not be spared at any cost," Manali deputy superintendent of police Sanjeev Chauhan said.

Immigration: Ottawa unveils new criteria for skilled worker program

OTTAWA — The points system used to decide who can immigrate to Canada is getting a makeover.

The new judging criteria for the federal skilled worker program will award more points to younger immigrants and will change the way the government looks at work experience and education.

The way points are allocated for language ability will also change.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney unveiled the new system on Wednesday after first introducing a plan for it in the government’s March budget.

“For too long, too many immigrants to Canada have experienced underemployment and unemployment, and this has been detrimental to these newcomers and to the Canadian economy,” Kenney said.

“Our transformational changes to the (skilled worker program) will help ensure that skilled newcomers are able to contribute their skills fully to the economy as soon as possible. This is good for newcomers, good for the economy, and good for all Canadians.”

APPLICATIONS ON HOLD

The government had stopped accepting new applications under the skilled worker program in July in advance of rejigging the system.

That followed a decision in the March budget to wipe out the existing backlog in the program by returning thousands of applications.

The program is expected to re-open in May when the new changes are to take effect.

There will also be a cap on the number of applications being accepted, though that number has not yet been released.

AGE RANGE SHIFTS

The points system sees would-be immigrants graded on a scale of 100, with points awarded for language ability, age, education, work experience and adaptability to Canada.

The pass mark is 67, and that won’t change under the new system.

What is being amended is the way the points are allocated and also how language and education credentials are assessed.

For example, the maximum number of points awarded under the age category was 10 and that was given to anyone between the ages of 21 and 49.

Under the new system, the maximum number of points awarded for age is 12, with 18- to 35-year-olds eligible under that category.

LANGUAGE FOCUS CHANGES

When it comes to language, the new system mandates a minimum level of language proficiency and adjusts the number of points allocated accordingly to favour those with a strong command of either English or French.

But being bilingual will have less weight, with the ability to speak a second official language given fewer points.

PROFICIENCY TEST REQUIRED

An analysis of the program changes published in August for public consultation said research has suggested that there’s no evidence indicating speaking a second official language has any bearing on positive economic outcomes for applicants.

Applicants will also have to pass a language proficiency test.

Under the education component, applicants will have their credentials assessed ahead of time to see how they compare to the Canadian system, and then points will be allocated to match.

EXPERIENCE DISCOUNTED

Meanwhile, the number of points allocated for work experience will be reduced.

“Foreign work experience is largely discounted by Canadian employers when the immigrant first enters the Canadian labour market, and it is a weak predictor of economic success,” the analysis said.

“These changes will reflect the relative value Canadian employers place on foreign work experience, and redirect points to language and age factors, which are better indicators of success in the Canadian labour market.”

THREE-PRONGED STRATEGY

The overhaul of the points system is part of a three-pronged review of the skilled worker program carried out by the government over the past two years.

The other two elements are the introduction of a new immigration stream for skilled trades and changes to the Canada Experience Class, which allows people already working or studying in Canada to get permanent residency sooner.

All three are expected to generate some $90 million in increased revenue to Canadian businesses from a system that better meets their needs, the analysis said.

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Software giant McAfee arrested in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY: Software company founder John McAfee was arrested by police in Guatemala on Wednesday for entering the country illegally, hours after he said he would seek asylum in the Central American country.
The anti-virus guru was detained at a hotel in an upscale Guatemala City neighbourhood with the help of Interpol agents and taken to an old, three-storey building used to house migrants who enter the country illegally, said Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez Bonilla.
It was the latest twist in a bizarre tale that has seen McAfee refused to turn himself in to authorities in Belize, where he is a person of interest in the killing of a neighbour, then go on the lam, updating his progress on a blog and claiming to be hiding in plain sight, before secretly crossing the border into Guatemala.
“He will be in danger if he is returned to Belize, where he has denounced authorities,” said his lawyer in Guatemala, Telesforo Guerra. “His life is in danger.”
Guerra said he would ask that a judge look at McAfee’s case as soon as possible. “From them moment he asked for asylum he has to have the protection of the Guatemalan government.”
Earlier Wednesday, McAfee said he had formally requested asylum in Guatemala after entering the country from Belize, where he says he fears for his safety because he has sensitive information about official corruption and refused to donate to local politicians.
“Yes, we are presenting this, and I want it to be clear, because of the persecution, not because of the murder,” he told the AP about his asylum bid.
The police in Belize deny they are persecuting McAfee and say there is no warrant for his arrest. The country’s prime minister has even questioned McAfee’s mental state. Since there are no restrictions on his travels, it’s unclear why McAfee would need any special status in order to stay in Guatemala.
The 67-year-old went on the run last month after officials tried to question him about the killing of Gregory Viant Faull, who was shot to death in early November on the Belize island where both men lived.