The (65)


Ottawa StoryTellers Story Swap: Open Stage Night


Thursday, August 5, 7:00 – 9:30 p.m.
at Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street, Room 156.
Free admission

Ottawa StoryTellers offers Story Swap, an open stage night, on the first Thursday of every
month at Library and Archives Canada (Room 156). This is an opportunity to experience
the art of storytelling for the first time or for new storytellers to practice before an audience.
The evenings also include stories by experienced tellers so that new tellers can learn the art.
People are welcome to come and listen, but anyone wishing to tell a story should register on
arrival with the evening’s host, and s/he will be given a time slot. Stories should be no longer
than ten minutes and must be told, not read. They may be traditional stories, folk tales, literary
stories, or personal stories.

August 10 - A Taste of Asian Tales
Lynda Joyce and David MacDonald
Stories and Tea
The Tea Party, 119 York St.
7pm-8:45pm
Pay what you can

August 24 - Midsummer Night Tales
Alan Shain and Jacques Falquet
Stories and Tea
The Tea Party, 119 York St.
7pm-8:45pm
Pay what you can

Stories around the Campfire
August 6, 13, 20, 27 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., at the Billings Estate National Historic Site, 2100 Cabot Street.
There will be songs, stories for adults and stories for children, and, of course, marshmallows are
provided for roasting.
Tickets are $10 (for the whole family), available from the Museum at 613-247-4830.

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We Need Your Help to Rewrite the Story of Childhood Malnutrition

On June 2, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and VII Photo launched “Starved for Attention,” an international multimedia campaign on the neglected crisis of childhood malnutrition. An estimated 195 million children

worldwide suffer from the effects of malnutrition.

In fact, malnutrition contributes to at least one-third of the eight million annual deaths of children under five years of age.

But right now, the international humanitarian food aid system provides nutritionally inadequate foods to malnourished children under two years of age—the population most vulnerable to this treatable and preventable condition.

This situation must stop.

Sign the petition to support MSF's efforts to demand that governments supplying humanitarian food aid ensure that the food meets the nutritional needs of infants and young children.

On World Food Day 2010, MSF will present the petition to the top food aid donor countries. You can be a part of the movement to rewrite the story of

childhood malnutrition.

Thank you for your support

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Ontario celebrates the long weekend in August as a Civic Holiday where various destinations pay tribute to Canadian Heroes in Toronto it is John Graves Simcoe and in Ottawa it is Colonal By. The rest of Ontario just celebrates the long weekend a time to make the most out of the summer long weekend which this year overlaps both July and August.

Canada Food Day July 31, Civic Holiday Weekend

Food Day is a national celebration of restaurateurs, suppliers, growers, farmers and citizens. Join us on July 31st, 2010 for the 8th annual coast-to-coast-to-coast event, heralding our regional diversity, culinary creativity and world-renowned reputation for throwing an amazing party! See Restaurant Events, Community Events, News Events.

Alberta

Heritage Day - August Long Weekend Alberta - Monday, August 02, 2010
Heritage Day is celebrated the first Monday in August in Alberta. Monday, August 2, 2010 In Alberta, Heritage Day is an "optional" civil holiday, having

Manitoba

Avro Lancaster returns to Winnipeg
‎Global Winnipeg -
The Mynarski Memorial Avro Lancaster MK10 bomber will be put on display at the Western Canadian Aviation Museum over the August long weekend. ...More about
Manitoba, Book Manitoba Hotels

Nova Scotia

River Hebert and Area News‎
Amherst Citizen - 1 day ago
Monday is also Civic Day in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Ontario (Civic Day, Simcoe Day or Colonel By Day) and in Manitoba. Darlene's Old-Time Photos ...

Ontario

OTTAWA-OTTAWA VALLEY

Colonel By Day - Monday August 2, 2010 - Ottawa Event Listings ...
Join us for Colonel By Day, a Civic holiday celebration of Ottawa's founding brought about by the construction of the Rideau Canal under the direction of Lt. Colonel By. ...More tourist information on Ottawa Area, Hotels in Ottawa

Rideau Canal Festival, Daily Program
11am - 4pm, Colonel By Day Civc Holiday Celebrations, Bytown Museum/ Ottawa Locks. 11:30am, Buy Local BBQ Challenge, Confederation Park. 12pm - 5pm, World Heritage Plaza ...Ottawa Area, Hotels in Ottawa

Seventh annual Riverside Jam to have all the 'Wright' stuff
‎ EMC Almonte/Carleton Place - Tara Gesner -
Michelle Wright is one of Canada's most widely known and awarded country ... of country entertainment takes place Civic Holiday weekend (July 30 to Aug. 1). ...
HST, competing festival challenge Riverside Jam‎ - Your Ottawa Region

Toronto

Caribana: North America's largest Caribbean Festival. The Scotiabank Caribana Festival is an exciting three-week cultural explosion of Caribbean music, costumes, cuisine, revelry as well as visual and performing arts. Toronto Hotels

Historicist: Opening the Cinesphere
‎Torontoist - Jamie Bradburn - 5 days ago
When Ontario Place recently announced intentions to revitalize the ... of dreams to improve Toronto's shoreline since the days of John Graves Simcoe). ...

Simcoe Day at Gibson House Museum
Monday, August 2,
Gibson House Noon to 5 p.m. (last entry 4:30 p.m.). Come back to the past and relax in our country-in-the-city setting. Costumed guides will welcome you to the 1851 farm home of David and Eliza Gibson and their family where you can enjoy tastes of home-made ice cream, children’s activities, and samples of nineteenth-century cookery in the historic kitchen. Admission is FREE!
Location: Gibson House, 5172 Yonge Street, Toronto

Fort York Celebrates Simcoe Day
August 2, 2010 John Graves Simcoe founded the Town of York (Toronto) in 1793 and was the first lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada. Come learn about the birthplace of Toronto and thrill to the sounds of musketry, cannon and the fife and drum. Tours, cooking demonstrations and kids activities all add to this colourful event. The Fort George Guard joins us for this great day.
Fort York National Historic Site

The Weekender: July 31-August 3 | torontolife.com
Forget the cottage. Here's eight reasons to stay in Toronto this long weekend, including Saturday's Caribana parade By Stacy Lee Kong. One of the weekend's ...

White-Tailed Deer Guided Walk - August 2
From antler tip to tail, learn the tricks that deer use to stay alive through the seasons at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Come head out on a evening hike and try to witness deer in their natural habitat. 8:00pm Campground Amphitheatre. Earn a Park Ranger Stamp. Family Program.

South of Toronto

The Hamilton Spectator
‎ Hamilton Spectator - Steven Page - 2 days ago
Municipalities in Ontario are free to call the first Monday in August whatever they like. Toronto, for instance, long ago declared it Simcoe Day. ...

Ice Cream Simcoe Day Long Weekend(August 1 & 2)
Westfield Heritage Village Ice Cream Festival, Rockton
Next Sunday and Monday experience the fun and nostalgia of ice cream at the 6th annual Ice Cream Festival! There's something for everyone, including live music, horse and wagon rides, magic shows and lots of tasty ice cream!

North of Toronto

Barrie Kempenfest: A Top 100 Festival for Arts & Crafts, Kids Midway, Antique Hunters. Barrie Ontario Accommodation Information. Discover Lake Simcoe Barrie Area Beaches

Blue Mountain: Village Beach Party, The Village at Blue Mountain July 30th to August 2nd, 2010The Summer’s Hottest Party for all ages ~ Reggae & Calypso music, Fire Dancers, Professional Beach Volleyball, Movies Under The Stars, hiking, scavenger hunts and Fire Dancing. Collingwood Information and Accomodation

Huntsville Festival of the Arts: Continues over the long weekend July 31, August 1 Music in the Park Jazz Festival More information and accommodation in Huntsville area resorts, inns, lodges, hotels

Sault Ste. Marie Fin Grand Fest: July 28-August 1Blue and White Festival To celebrate and promote all things Finnish, including but not limited to Finnish culture, Finnish language, Finnish history, Finnish education, Finnish entertainment and Finnish sporting events. More tourist information and hotel accommodation in Sault Ste. Marie.

Lacrosse, lacrosse and more lacrosse
‎Newsdurhamregion.com - Brian McNair - 8 hours ago Lacrosse Festival starts Civic Day August Long Weekend. July 30-August 8, 2010
The field players also won't have to travel far should they be looking for inspiration. On Saturday at Civic Fields in Oshawa, there will be a test match ...

Unionville Simcoe Day Festival
Unionville Simcoe Day Festival - Monday August 2. Festive Music all weekend long. Enjoy the holiday with entertainment and a sidewalk sale. Take a ride on our double decker bus. August 2, 2010. Rumour has it that John Graves Simcoe himself may appear along with Elvis. Main Street Unionville

A Brush with the Highlands - Ontario's Premier Plein-Air Painting Festival
August 1-2 2010

Come and enjoy the breathtaking and unique work of over 40 of Ontario's finest Plein-Air Painters as they paint the stunning and rugged Highlands East. Onsite visitors are encouraged on Saturday and Sunday where you may see the creative painting process as it unfolds. Join us Monday August 2 at the Lloyd Watson Center in Wilberforce for a large one day Show and Sale of works from the talented artists participating. This is the only event of this kind in Canada so mark it on your Calendar. You don't want to miss it!

Selected locations Haliburton County. More info on Haliburton, Wilberforce.
Contact: Tracey Lee Green Tel: (705) 448-9785
Email:
abrushwiththehighlands@gmail.com

Good, old-fashioned family fun weekend in Lucknow
Lucknow Sentinel - Sara Bender - Near Lake Huron
The Civic Holiday weekend will be full of good, old-fashioned family fun in Lucknow. ... and both have a long list of other awards attached to their names. ...

The 45th annual Georgian Bay Steam Show July 30 to Aug. 1.
Cookstown Ontario: 4635 Victoria Street West, in Cookstown and this event is always a fun time for the family. The featured tractor this year is Allis Chalmers. The show is filled with parades, tractor pulls, wagon rides, demonstrations, vendor booths, singing and dancing performances and more. The talent contest will be held on Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. for adults, and Sunday evening for juniors. Admission for adults is $6 per day and children aged 12 and under enter for free. Parking is free and a shuttle service is available from the Cookstown Outlet Mall. For further information, visit
www.steamshow.ca. Get overnight Accommodation in Alliston or Barrie

Celebrate Lake Simcoe Festival July 31
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Come celebrate Lake Simcoe at Innisfil Beach Park! The LSRCA is pleased to be hosting a table at this event. We’ll have activities for the kids and a groundwater model that’s a big hit with kids and adults alike. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Single Day Event
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation

Aquapalooza 2010 Sunday August 1st , 2010

BROUGHT TO VIAMEDE RESORT ON STONEY LAKE BY SEA RAY & TOWN & COUNTRY MARINE 11:00AM - 3:00PM OPEN AIR CONCERT AT THE WATER'S EDGE
(Peterborough's own the Cadillacs)
Open to all boaters and boating guests , need to register at
Aquapalooza 2010 events website

AquaPalooza is the name given to a series of on-water celebrations held during the last two weekends in July at more than 100 locations around the world. Created by Sea Ray Boats, AquaPalooza is free and open to all boaters and non-boaters. Each gathering features fun activities for family and friends of all ages, such as live entertainment, games, giveaways and much more.

Manitoulin Region Georgian Bay Ontario

Wikwemikong Cultural Festival celebrates 50 years
‎ SooToday.com - 13 Jul 2010
“The government of Canada is proud to support the Wikwemikong Heritage ... Hosted during the Civic Holiday long weekend, this annual event features Native American dance, traditional foods, historical displays, a pow-wow and a variety of community activities.

Waterloo Ontario

Cambridge farmer's market Civic Holiday Weekend
‎Waterloo Record - Kevin Swayze - 5 Jul 2010
The annual Mill Race Folk festival takes over downtown on Civic Holiday weekend, so Bayley plans August as an arts-themed month at the market. ...

Saskatchewan

Get it on in Saskatchewan
Globe and Mail - Grant Black
If you're travelling along Canada's main artery, and you've never thought ... Really adventurous sorts in Moose Jaw over the August long weekend may want to

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Kyrgyzstan's government failed to protect the country's ethnic Uzbek population from grave human rights abuses. Now perpetrators of the violence may actually get away with it.
Call for an impartial, international investigation into the recent violence in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Dear M.T. ,

We could read their signs of distress from outer space.

People trapped on the blood-stained streets of southern Kyrgyzstan painted massive signs on roads and sports fields for the sake of sending one simple message that the entire world could understand – "S.O.S."

This international code for help was as clear as day from our satellite images of the country1. However, nearly two months after the worst of the violence has subsided, the international community has failed to push for justice. To this day, entire neighborhoods are still burned to the ground and the people who lived there are still looking for a place to call home.

It’s not too late for the international community to finally answer Kyrgyzstan's calls for help.

Take action now to ensure that those accused of colluding in abuses don’t end up leading the investigation.

Reports are prevalent that Kyrgyzstani law enforcement abused its authority by failing to protect those citizens who were being targeted during the period of unrest.

Now that video and photographic evidence from local journalists and residents who documented this abuse of power are beginning to surface, law enforcement officers are re-igniting a new wave of terror – silencing journalists and anyone who dares to reveal the truth about the horrific acts of violence that were perpetrated primarily against Kyrgyzstan's ethnic Uzbek population.

It wasn’t bad enough that Kyrgyzstan's government failed to protect its citizens from violence, now the perpetrators of the violence are about to get away with impunity.

Don’t let Kyrgyzstan's government get away with this outrageous abuse of power. Call for an impartial, international investigation into the recent violence in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Thank you for taking action,

Christoph Koettl
Crisis Campaigner
Amnesty International USA
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August 18, 2010: Lunenburg, Nouvelle-Écosse: Prime Minister Stephen Harper marked the beginning of vital restoration work on the Bluenose II - one of Canada's most recognizable symbols. He was joined at the event by Gerald Keddy, Member of Parliament for South Shore-St. Margaret's.

"The Bluenose II is an important and lasting part of Canada's proud maritime heritage," said Prime Minister Harper. "The restoration efforts now underway will ensure that this important cultural icon remains part of the Canadian landscape for years to come."

This phase of the restoration work will replace the wood hull, frames and planking of the ship with improved laminated wood frames and conventional planking materials. The work will generate short-term local construction employment and ensure long-term tourism jobs.

Financial support for this project comes from the Government of Canada's Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which provides funding to provincial, territorial, municipal and community construction-ready infrastructure projects that can be completed by March 31, 2011. Part of Canada's Economic Action Plan to tackle the global economic recession, the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund has resulted in close to 4,000 infrastructure projects across the country.

Thanks to the Economic Action Plan, the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia have announced joint funding for more than 100 infrastructure projects across the province to stimulate the economy and create jobs.


The Prime Minister's Office - Communications


Read more…

 

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This is a forthcoming book published by Trafford Publishing Company. It’s a must read book, shocking, yet interesting!

 

This is the most interesting poetic, yet a powerful book, which captivates readers’ interest by hinting on real issues, but keeps readers in suspense. The most powerful of the literature is about the incidence of human organ harvesting from disappearing University students at the University of Sana’a in which the author hints an expose about his espionage strategies that he employed while working as an insider with those who participated in human organ trafficking cartels. The culprit, who was a Sudanese worker, was mercilessly using his cult of assassination of University students whose body parts sold around the world for thousands of dollars. A story that stunned the world when BBC world service anchored the arrest of Adam Mohammed, the Yemen University of Sana’a student holocaust executioner who was both a murderer and a victim of the cartel involved with human organ trafficking.

 

Terrorism and human organ trafficking are serious human rights issues, which have to be taken seriously worldwide. Therefore, governments have to work harder in halting such heinous practices among peaceful, yet unsuspecting citizens in their countries. By I.I. Isaac, author of Inter African Development & Development Fund With Alternative Strategies Towards Sustainable Economic Development for Africa

See these books at: www.trafford.com

 

 

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August 15, 2010: Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper released the following statement today to mark the 65th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in the Far East:

"On this day 65 years ago, Japan surrendered to allied forces and Victory in the Far East (VJ-Day) was declared.

"Today we remember the courage and sacrifice of our brave veterans who served with such distinction in the Far East Campaign - the longest campaign of WWII.

"Over 10,000 Canadians fought against Japanese troops in this campaign in such far away places as Hong Kong and Burma. They fought to defend the values that all Canadians cherish: freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Many made the ultimate sacrifice.

"In that same spirit and tradition we also remember the current generation of brave men and women in uniform who continue to defend the very same time-honoured Canadian values around the world, including in Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan.

"On this important anniversary, I encourage all Canadians to reflect on the invaluable contributions made by our courageous fellow citizens who have taken up arms in Canada's service.

"Lest we forget."


The Prime Minister's Office - Communications


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This once artist Emilio Boschilia relationships of man and nature in the Brazilian rainforest.These paintings express the positive energy of nature as well as the need for man to live harmoniously with it.

They offer the hope that we are collectively wise enough to preserve the diversity knowledge that the rainforest offers us. Although clearly a Brazilian theme, this showing of Emilio’s paintings in Canada is creating a stir in the arts community and more broadly among the growing population of Canadians concerned with climate change global ecosystems.

“Canadians have very few opportunities to encounter Brazilian culture and an art exhibition such as this one will be a rare opportunity culture country and its people” – Jeff Stellick, Executive Director, Ottawa

School of Art.

¨ July 16-18 Habourfront, Toronto

¨ July 22-25 Mambo Nuevo Latino restaurant, Ottawa

¨ July 26-31 Shenkman Arts Centre, Ottawa

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Espionage in Canada and Western Countries: Part One to Five

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and-1

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and-2

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and-3

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and-4

July 16-18 Queens Quay, Harbourfront, Toronto

Friday July 16 6-11 pm; Saturday July 17 12-11 pm

Sunday July 18 12 noon-6 pm

July 22-25 Mambo Nuevo Latino restaurant, Byward Market,

Ottawa. Vernissage July 22 from 7pm to 10pm

July 26-31 Shenkman Arts Centre (lower lobby)

Centrum Boulevard, Ottawa

Artist contact: www.emiliobrasil.com.br

Artist committee contact in Canada

Emilio Boschilia Art Exhibit Committee

Phone:.( 905)727-2916 or (613) 257-8362

Fax:. 613-257-8365

boschiliaexhibitcommittee@gmail.com

The moncitizenship is the new Canadian governmental task. The diplomatic lines of Republics of Yemen and Poland are non grata with their masks.

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الجنس موجود بين ابناء البشر والعالم الخفي اي الملائكة والجن. يحدث هذا في الاحلام الطبيعية, وكذلك في الاحلام المختلقة سواء أكانت روحانية ام استنساخية, فعلماء الاديان واصحاب الطاقات الخارقة بإمكانهم مناداة الارواح وارسالها عبر الاثير للشخص المستهدف في منامه, وتستخدم هذه الطرق في الكنائس الكاثولوكية وكذلك في المعابد البوذية للتنفيس الجنسي للخوارنة والرهبان وغيرهم بهدف نقلهم الى عالم النقاء والصفاء أو ما اشبه ذلك, هذه الاساليب والطرق كذلك يستخدمها رجال المخابرات وعلماء النفس لإيجاد دلائل وبراهين للجرائم الصعبة أو في التحقيقات مع المساجين لانتزاع اعترافات, أو كذلك كوسيلة ترهيب وترغيب من اجل الانخراط في الاعمال التجسسية, تستخدم هذه الطرق في الابحاث العلمية لمنافع البشر أو الاضرار بهم. الجنس في العالم الخفي: بين الجن والجن, والجن والملائكة, والملائكة والملائكة, والجن والبشر, والملائكة والبشر, لمن ليس له علم أو خبرة في الميتافيزقيا صعب التمييز بين نوع تلك العلاقات من الناحية النوعية أو الكمية, وتخضع تلك العلاقات الخفية لمبادئ الاحتمالات والافترضات و التكهنات.



حرمان الجنس على الرهبان والراهبات كان ومازال سبباً لأقترافهم للعديد من الجرائم سوى كانت في الماضي أو في وقتنا الحاضر بسبب حرمانهم من نعمة الجنس وكذلك من الامومة ومن الطفولة.

لذا أرى أن الغاء تحريم الجنس المفروض على رجال الدين المسيحي والبوذي واجب مقدس والغاءه هو الواجب المقدس الاهم وتحريمه ما هو الاعمل شيطاني لا يمت لله الرب والخالق بأي صلة.


وعلى الساميين كذلك وغيرهم من الاغيار والاطهار أن يتقشفوا في مسألة الجنس, وعلى الساميين بوجه الخصوص أن يعترفوا بأن لكل جنس بشري أنبياء وملائكة ومجددين من الذكور والاناث, كما يجب عليهم عدم كره أو تحقير الحيوانات على سبيل المثل الخنازير والحمير, أو بأن لا تكون سبباَ لصراعات دائمة بسبب اعتبارها رمزاً مقدسا,على سبيل المثال البقر كما يجب عليهم احترام حقوق الموتى والمقابر وعدم احتكارها فقط لأصحاب النفوذ والمال أو لشعب الله المختار والمحتار.


وعلى رجال الدين ان يعيدوا تفسيرالكتب المقدسة وتحديث السير النبوية التي لوثت بسبب مصالح المنافقين والحكام من اجل رغباتهم ونزعاتهم ذات الطابع اللانساني.


وعليهم أن لا يتبنوا أو يشجعوا الزواج الجماعي بغرض تحطيم وتدمير قيم الانسان الخاصة والمثالية لغرض تحقيره واستغلاله لأعمال غير أخلاقية .



وعلى الحكومات التى تتبنا الزواج المثلي وتستثمره سياسياً واجتماعياً لأغراض لا تخدم أبناء البشرية وتعمل على تدمير القيم الاخلاقية أن تعمل على مراجعة سياستها وأن توجه رجال المؤسسات الدينية لأعادة تأهيلهم عوضاً عن استثمارها في الارهاب وتجارة المخدرات أو في الجرائم المنظمة على سبيل المثال الاتجار في الاعضاء البشرية والخطف والقتل. كما يجب على المؤسسات الدينية ان تحدث في هيكلها الادارية والتعليمية ومنها الكادر البشري.


واوصي الاحزاب السياسية بعدم ترشيح ممثل لها لانتخابات رئاسة الوزراء الا لمن منحوا لقب السير حفاظاً على النزاهة والسياة والاستقلالية.

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Terrorism, the origins and sources

This is a forthcoming book published by Trafford Publishing Company. It’s a must read book, shocking, yet interesting!

This is the most interesting poetic, yet a powerful book, which captivates readers’ interest by hinting on real issues, but keeps readers in suspense. The most powerful of the literature is about the incidence of human organ harvesting from disappearing University students at the University of Sana’a in which the author hints an expose about his espionage strategies that he employed while working as an insider with those who participated in human organ trafficking cartels. The culprit, who was a Sudanese worker, was mercilessly using his cult of assassination of University students whose body parts sold around the world for thousands of dollars. A story that stunned the world when BBC world service anchored the arrest of Adam Mohammed, the Yemen University of Sana’a student holocaust executioner who was both a murderer and a victim of the cartel involved with human organ trafficking.

Terrorism and human organ trafficking are serious human rights issues, which have to be taken seriously worldwide. Therefore, governments have to work harder in halting such heinous practices among peaceful, yet unsuspecting citizens in their countries.

Comment by I.I. Isaac, author of Inter African Development & Development Fund

With Alternative Strategies Towards Sustainable Economic Development for Africa

See these books at: www.trafford.com

Read more…
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LONDON - Less than two months before a fairytale wedding anticipated by much of the world, Britain's royal family finds itself fighting an inconvenient distraction: revelations that Prince Andrew, the queen's second son, is friends with a convicted sex offender, was photographed with a teenage prostitute, and has been accused of ties to Moammar Gadhafi's Libyan regime.

 

The Duke of York also hosted the son of the Tunisian dictator shortly before a popular uprising drove him from power — and the buildup of embarrassment has sparked calls that he be stripped of his role as special U.K. trade representative.

Buckingham Palace is in damage control mode as it attempts to keep the public's focus on the April 29 wedding between Prince William and tabloid favourite Kate Middleton, his university sweetheart.

British officials have rallied to Andrew's defence. The foreign secretary expressed his "confidence" in Andrew on Sunday, and a U.K. trade official voiced support for the prince to remain in the position, saying he does a "very valuable job."

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But pressure is mounting and there is growing speculation over how long Andrew can hang on to his post.

Andrew has courted trouble before: His much-publicized divorce from Sarah Ferguson, her subsequent missteps, massive debt, a tell-all interview and a videotaped attempt to sell a U.K. tabloid access to Andrew stand in stark contrast to the glow surrounding William and Kate Middleton's courtship and upcoming nuptials.

Since becoming a special trade representative in 2001, Andrew has also drawn criticism for reportedly taking lavish trips in his role as an unpaid trade ambassador.

The latest revelations in the British media have centred on Andrew's friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and claims that Andrew also had close ties to Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, one of the Libyan leader's sons.

Photos recently published in the British media show Andrew strolling in a park with Epstein — the New York billionaire jailed for soliciting underage prostitutes in Florida. Most recently, a photograph emerged showing Andrew with his arm around the waist of the teenage prostitute at the centre of that case.

While there has been no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of Andrew, the sum of events has prompted some soul-searching over whether the prince is a suitable representative for U.K. interests abroad.

"The duke recognizes that his association with Jeffrey Epstein was, in retrospect, unwise," a person familiar with the matter said, noting that it can be understood Andrew will not be photographed with Epstein again anytime soon.

But that's not placating some who say enough is enough. Last week, British lawmaker Chris Bryant claimed that Andrew had close links to Seif Gadhafi. Bryant called for Andrew to be fired, telling the House of Commons, "Isn't it time we dispensed with the services of the Duke of York?"

Buckingham Palace on Sunday rejected Bryant's claims, saying Andrew's interactions with the Gadhafi regime — and Tunisia's ousted dictatorship, too— fell within the mandate of his job as special trade representative.

"It was part of the British government's engagement with Libya at the time," a palace spokesman said on customary condition of anonymity.

The spokesman confirmed Andrew met Moammar Gadhafi twice. Both meetings were of public record and should not come as news, the spokesman said, adding that Andrew is "fully committed to his role as special representative."

"It is understood that he has the support of the government behind him," the spokesman said.

Government officials backed up that claim Sunday, citing Andrew's role in nurturing business interests.

"The Duke of York has made a valuable contribution to British business," a spokesman for government trade body UKTI said. "We continue to support him," he added, on customary condition of anonymity.

Foreign Secretary William Hague also expressing his full confidence in Andrew's work.

"I'm not an expert in ... the embarrassments," Hague told the BBC. "But certainly I've seen around the world a lot of good that he has done for this country."

 

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Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen, shown in this 2003 file photo, said his government is ending the controversial eco fee program.

Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen, shown in this 2003 file photo, said his government is ending the controversial eco fee program. (Tobin Grimshaw/Canadian Press)

Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen confirms the province is scrapping its eco fee program, saying the government did a poor job of telling the public about the new fees.

CBC NEWS: July 20, 2010: Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen has confirmed that the province is dropping its eco fee program, saying he takes "full responsibility" for not doing a better job of communicating the introduction of the new charges.

The fees, which went into effect on July 1, applied to a wide variety of items, including batteries, soap, fire extinguishers and paint.

The fees were collected by manufacturers and retailers to help fund a recycling program that diverts those potentially hazardous items from landfills.

But there was no public warning that the eco fee would be slapped on thousands of new items this month.

"These new eco fees are gone," Gerretsen told reporters at a news conference Tuesday.

"That means all products added on July the 1st will not have any fee on them."

Stewardship Ontario, an industry-led organization appointed by the government to oversee the program, collected the fees from retailers and manufacturers.

Manufactures and retailers, in turn, determined which fees they would pass on to consumers.

"The bottom line is Stewardship Ontario could have done a better job for rolling out the changes, and we, the Ministry of the Environment, the government, and I as minister, could have done a better job of helping them communicate their changes, and I take full responsibility for that," said Gerretsen.

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Program being re-evaluated

People who have already had to pay eco fees since July 1 will not be refunded, Gerretsen said. All that money will go to Stewardship Ontario, he said.

Gerretsen couldn't say how much money has been collected by the agency since the start of the month, but stressed that "not one penny of this comes to the government."

The government will take 90 days to re-evaluate the program, he said. It will fork over up to $5 million during that time to keep the program going.

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Semitic illegal drug calls Khat spreads in North America and Europe

The government signalled its reversal shortly after Canadian Tire announced Monday it would stop charging the fee because the program was too confusing.

The fees are part of a larger program called Orange Drop, which aims to make it easier for people to dispose of hazardous materials in a way that ensures they don't end up on the landfill.

The Orange Drop program in turn builds on the Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste Program, first introduced in July 2008, aimed at increasing diversion of hazardous materials. The program provides drop zones throughout the province where consumers can dispose of the products on the overall list.

In 2008, the government outlined nine categories of products that it said were designated for recycling and disposal. On July 1, 13 more categories of products were added to that list.

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The moncitizenship is the new Canadian governmental task. The diplomatic lines of Republics of Yemen and Poland are non grata with their masks.

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Industry Minister Tony Clement acknowledges he would fill out a long-form census if he received one. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Industry Minister Tony Clement has dismissed calls for him to reverse his decision to scrap the mandatory long-form census.

CBC NEWS:July 22, 2010: Industry Minister Tony Clement has dismissed growing calls for him to reverse his decision to scrap the mandatory long-form census, saying he and Prime Minister Stephen Harper are on the same page on the issue.

"There's not a micron of difference of opinion between myself and the prime minister on this," Clement told the CBC's Rosemary Barton in an interview on Power & Politics with Evan Solomon.

During the interview from London, Clement said the government has taken a "compromise position" between privacy concerns and ensuring usable data from the next census in May 2011.

Clement's comments came a day after Munir Sheikh, the head of Statistics Canada, the national statistical agency, resigned in protest over the move to scrap the mandatory survey.

P.O.V.:

Should the census be mandatory? Take our poll. [http://www.cbc.ca/news/pointofview/2010/07/census-is-it-an-invasion-of-privacy.html]

Meanwhile on Thursday, the Liberals and NDP slammed Clement's "ideological" decision, saying it has thrown Statistics Canada into "chaos" and will leave policy-makers and organizations across the country flying blind.

The Conservatives have been on the defensive since Clement announced at the end of June that the long-form part of the 2011 census would no longer be mandatory because of privacy concerns. Canadians who receive the long form would be able to refuse to fill it out.

The furor escalated after Sheikh cancelled a planned town hall meeting with Statistics Canada staff, then announced Wednesday evening on the agency's website he was resigning over the issue.

In his statement, Sheikh insisted a voluntary survey cannot be a substitute for the mandatory form.

Clement says he'd fill out long form

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Clement, who is in England on ministerial business, acknowledged he doesn't consider long-form questions - such as how many bedrooms one's house has - as intrusive.

"I don't, but I've heard from Canadians who do," he said. "I've heard from Canadians who are concerned about other questions, like whether someone in the household has a mental or physical incapacity, they're concerned about questions about the characteristics of their commute to work."

The embattled minister also said he would fill out the long-form census if he were to receive it, but has to be "respectful" of those Canadians who are concerned about the "very private nature of those questions and give them a chance to opt out if they so choose."

Earlier Thursday, Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale told reporters in Ottawa that the reputation of the internationally renowned agency is "hanging by a thread at the hand of a bumbling minister and a Conservative government that simply doesn't believe in fact-based decision-making."

"'Don't bother us with facts,' they say," Goodale said. "The result is a general dumbing down of government."

The change, he said, will threaten basic services Canadians rely on, including hospitals, transit systems, jobless benefits and schools.

Goodale said he plans to call Clement before a parliamentary committee to determine what information Statistics Canada provided him before he made his decision.

He also ridiculed the claims of former industry minister Maxime Bernier that his office had received thousands of emails from people who were opposed to filling out the mandatory form.

In a separate news conference held shortly after Goodale spoke, the NDP's Charlie Angus called on Harper to overrule his minister.

Tories using Tea Party language: NDP

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The moncitizenship is the new Canadian governmental task. The diplomatic lines of Republics of Yemen and Poland are non grata with their masks.

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Crime statistics not accurate, Day suggests

Treasury Board President Stockwell Day speaks during a news conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Tuesday. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

August 3, 2010 ; CBC NEWS: Treasury Board President Stockwell Day says the government will go ahead with its plan to spend billions for new prisons, suggesting statistics that show crime is declining in Canada are not accurate.

During a news conference on Tuesday in Ottawa, Day said the government has received indications that more and more people are not reporting crimes committed against them.

"It shows we can't take a Liberal view to crime which is, some would suggest, that it is barely happening at all," Day said. "Still, there are too many situations of criminal activity that are alarming to our citizens, and we intend to deal with that."

When questioned by perplexed reporters, Day did not elaborate on what information source he was basing his claims, but said he would provide figures to them later.

P.O.V.:

Have you ever been the victim of a crime you didn't report to authorities? Take our poll. [http://www.cbc.ca/news/pointofview/2010/08/crime-have-you-ever-declined-to-report-one.html]

Speaking shortly after Day, Liberal MP Mark Holland said his comments show Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government "doesn't have any respect for facts."

"You don't make up statistics to try to scare people and use crime as a wedge issue," Holland told reporters in Ottawa.

In a statement to CBC News on Tuesday afternoon, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson's office cited Statistics Canada's report of its last general social survey conducted in 2004, which found an estimated 34 per cent of Canadians who are victims of crime still aren't reporting the crime to police.

The statement said Day was "correct in his assertion that many crimes go unreported in Canada" and "[t]he amount of unreported victimization can be substantial."

According to the Statistics Canada survey, conducted every five years, an estimated 88 per cent of sexual assaults go unreported, as well as an estimated 69 per cent of household thefts, the minister's office said.

The information gathered from the 2009 survey on unreported crimes has yet to be released.

Freezes, census changes staying

In the meantime, the federal government will not ease off on plans for fiscal restraint in other departments, despite indications Canada could eliminate its deficit a year earlier than predicted, Day said.

Last week, the Conference Board of Canada said the federal government should be able to eliminate the annual budget deficit by 2015. The business think-tank said in a report it depends on the government sticking to its promises to constrain spending.

Day said that while the global economic recovery is still "somewhat fragile," the government will continue with its freezes on spending, as well as departmental reviews to look for savings.

"We will be sticking to our fiscal plan," Day said.

In its February budget, the federal government projected a budgetary shortfall of $54 billion in 2010 but said annual deficits should be eliminated through spending cuts by 2016.

The Treasury Board president also was adamant that the Conservative government will stick with its controversial plan to scrap the mandatory long-form census.

The government has faced a month of turmoil ever since it announced in late June it would end the mandatory survey and replace it with a voluntary form. Opposition parties, statisticians' groups, provinces, municipalities and social agencies have condemned the move, saying it would lower the quality of data gathered by Statistics Canada and used by a wide array of policy makers.

The government has maintained Canadians should not be coerced through threat of jail time or fines to fill out information they don't want to disclose.

When questioned by reporters over the opposition parties' suggestions to amend the Statistics Act to remove the threat of jail time for those who refuse to fill out long-form census, Day said the government is "open to discussion" on any move to stop "criminalizing Canadians" who don't want to answer "intrusive" questions.

Day maintained the mandatory long-form survey will be abandoned in the spring 2011 census, but said the short-form census will remain compulsory because the government requires "some basic data."

He also questioned the value of information gathered by the census, suggesting data older than a year is "untenable in today's information age."

Day also acknowledged he has only heard directly from three people on the census issue in his constituency.

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Thu Jul 29 08:22am PDT: By Sean Leahy: There's a lot of animosity in the NHL these days. Between fans. Between teams. And sometimes between executives.

Whether it's Max Talbot calling Alex Oveckin a "douche", or the Brian Burke/Kevin Lowe feud from a few seasons back or Sean Avery(notes), well, against anyone, the hate around the NHL is something that helps promote it.

Hatred between the fanbases of franchises has existed forever in the NHL. Toronto and Montreal, Edmonton and Calgary, New York and New York, and Detroit and San Jose are just some of the rivalries that pique interest around the league, and not just among those fans that are living and dying on the two points up for grabs..

Outside of rivalries, there are certain teams that, no matter the circumstance, don't feel the love by majority of fans around the NHL. Of course, in this age of the Internet and social media, fan outrage can be expressed everywhere and just do a Google search of "[Insert team here] sucks" and that will keep you busy for hours.

Yesterday, Sports Illustrated posted their "25 Most Hated Teams of All Time" list yesterday with the 1974-75 Philadelphia Flyers coming in at No. 4 behind the '92 Dallas Cowboys, 1988-89 Detroit Pistons and the 1986 University of Miami football team.

But who would be candidates for the most hated teams in the NHL today?

Our choices are after the jump.

Pittsburgh Penguins.When you've won a recent Stanley Cup and are the center of various conspiracy theories ranging from the rigging of the 2005 NHL Draft to referees turning a blind eye every chance they can to Gary Bettman somehow being Sidney Crosby's(notes) father, you're not going to be very popular by fans around the league. This business of them being involved in yet another Winter Classic ain't helping things either.

Detroit Red Wings. Like the Penguins, the Red Wings have won a Stanley Cup in the past few seasons to go along with their three rings since 1997. With success comes jealousy from others and Detroit's consistent reign atop the NHL's hierarchy, along with playoff battles with the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks, has bred much contempt towards the organization.

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Washington Capitals. They have one of the league's biggest stars in Alex Ovechkin(notes), whose on and off the ice incidents this past season garnered some negative press and turned fans and some media against him. The Caps also have an owner who isn't afraid to say what he feels. Combine that with a fan base accused of hopping on the bandwagon post-2005 and you're going to have some fans that were overjoyed when the Montreal Canadiens eliminated them in the first round this past postseason..

Toronto Maple Leafs. The 2001-02 team was dubbed "The Most Hated Team in Hockey" by SI's Michael Farber (and ranked No. 22 on their list) because of former players like Darcy Tucker(notes), Shane Corson and Tie Domi, the Leafs are reviled by many because of their brash general manager Brian Burke; their extremely passionate fan base and because of the magnitude of their exposure, especially on Hockey Night in Canada telecasts.

Philadelphia Flyers. The blueprint of the team hasn't changed since the Broad Street Bullies days of the 70's and having the likes of Scott Hartnell(notes), Dan Carcillo and uber villain Chris Pronger(notes) is really the perfect recipe for not receiving the warmest of welcomes when entering arenas on the road.

Those are our five choices of team's that draw the most hate in today's NHL.

Who would you say is currently the most hated team in the NHL?

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Fri Jul 23 06:29am PDT: Do not adjust your monitor: This is an actual photograph from the pre-wedding festivities for Detroit Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg(notes) and his TV presenter lady-love Emma Andersson in her Swedish hometown of Molle, located on the Baltic Sea. And really, what says "till death do us part" better than dressing like you're on a Depression-era chain gang with George Clooney?

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ept_sports_nhl_experts-442221426-1279891007.jpg?ym_oyfDDE1HQGBj6The Swedish newspapers Expressen and Aftonbladet published these hilarious images from Thursday's wedding, featuring the happy couple in their respective Dread Pirate Roberts/Amish criminal get-ups.

Also featured Red Wings players like Andreas Lilja(notes), Johan Franzen(notes) and Nicklas Lidstrom(notes) rocking these striped nightmares. In the photo above, you can spy Pavel Datsyuk(notes) on the far left with Valtteri Filppula(notes). (Why do we imagine Dats brought his own bath wear?)

So what's the deal with the greatest hockey theme wedding since Jim Carrey showed up dressed as Fidel Castro to Dan Hinote's(notes) nuptials with Jenny McCarthy's sister? George James Malik of Snapshots worked long hours Thursday night translating and researching, revealing the backstory. Turns out the 120 guests didn't realize what they were in for when bused to the shore:

[Molle] apparently known for the fact that its "baths" were public and open to both men and women as early as the late 19th century. So, as Emma tells Aftonbladet's Johanna Helsten, the wedding party got to poke fun at tradition, probably mandatory bathing attire included. [...]

You might want to note in the group photo that some of the attendees are wearing fake moustaches, fake Coke bottle glasses and vintage-1900 hats. It's a big gag on tradition, and Hank and Emma obviously sprung it on the wedding guests. A very knowing joke.

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From Expressen TV, here's footage from the Zetterberg Wedding. Sadly, at no point do the Chicago Blackhawks show up in Snidely Whiplash mustaches, attempting to tie guests to train tracks.

Congrats to the happy couple, who we hear are currently vacationing in a "Where's Waldo?" book. By the way, it's a medical fact that if the Red Wings' Swedish players wore these outfits on the same ice as the Canadiens wore their barber pole sweaters, your optic nerves would burst into flames.

Photos from aftonbladet.se. Once again, big stick-tap to Snapshots for its work on this oddity.

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A police officer looks at what is believed to be the remains of an airplane after a crash in Quebec City on June 23, 2010. Mathieu Belanger/Reuters/

Plane crashes in Quebec with 6 aboard

Last Updated: Friday, July 16, 2010 /7:54 PM ET CBC News : A float plane with six people on board has crashed in a remote area of northern Quebec, Canadian Forces Search and Rescue officials say.

Quebec provincial police confirmed there were fatalities, but could not say how many.

A C-130 Hercules sent from CFB Trenton has dropped two medics by parachute and they are preparing to have casualties transported away by helicopter.

The plane went down in the vicinity of Maria-Chapdelaine, north of Lac Saint-Jean, after the pilot encountered bad weather and tried to land on a lake.

Two Griffin helicopters and a Cormorant helicopter from Greenwood, N.S., are en route.

More to come: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/07/16/plane-crash-quebec.html#ixzz0tu9aJHMq

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The moncitizenship is the new Canadian governmental task. The diplomatic lines of Republics of Yemen and Poland are non grata with their masks.

Missing Alberta couple's SUV found

CBC NEWS: July 16,2010:T he RCMP said Friday they have found an SUV belonging to an Alberta couple who were last seen on July 3.

Investigators are conducting a forensic examination of the Hyundai Tucson vehicle. Police have not said where it was found as the location is considered a crime scene.

"We consider this foul play," RCMP Assistant Commissioner Peter Hourihan said earlier Friday afternoon about the disappearance of Lyle McCann, 78, and his wife, Marie McCann, 77.

The McCanns left St. Albert, Alta., on July 3 headed for British Columbia and have not been seen since that day.

RCMP call Travis Edward Vader, 38, a person of interest in the case of a missing couple from Alberta.

RCMP call Travis Edward Vader, 38, a person of interest in the case of a missing couple from Alberta. (RCMP)

The discovery of the SUV comes two hours after police announced they were looking for a specific "person of interest," considered dangerous, in the case.

Police said they want to know the whereabouts of Travis Edward Vader, 38, of no fixed address. Police are not calling him a suspect and they say they just want to talk to him.

Vader has multiple outstanding warrants on unrelated matters and is known to be in possession of firearms, Hourihan said.

Hourihan said Vader should be considered dangerous and people should not approach him. He said they should simply contact police if they have information about Vader, who also has a history of drug abuse.

The McCanns were using a 1999 green-and-white Gulf Stream Sun Voyager recreational vehicle and towing the SUV. They intended to be in Abbotsford, B.C., to meet their daughter at the airport on July 10 but never arrived.

The RV was found on fire at the Minnow Lake campground near Edson, Alta., on July 5 but the SUV, bearing Alberta licence plate ZPK 289, was missing.

Marie Ann McCann and Lyle Thomas McCann were last seen July 3.

Marie Ann McCann and Lyle Thomas McCann were last seen July 3. (RCMP)


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Hourihan also addressed criticism about the RCMP investigation. Police didn't launch an investigation into the McCanns' disappearance until five days after their burned RV was found.

It was also revealed Thursday that the RCMP didn't take contact information from a father and daughter from Prince George who reported seeing a Hyundai Tucson SUV in the B.C. city on July 8.

"A couple of mistakes have been made. I acknowledge that." Hourihan said. He admitted police were "a bit slow in getting going" after the motorhome was found because information wasn't passed on.

An internal review is underway and one RCMP officer in Edson has been placed on administrative duties because of the information foul-up, Hourihan said. Police have received more than 100 tips in the investigation.

Calgary man among 29 killed in Iraqi hotel fire
Man worked for Terraseis International, a geophysical survey company

CBC NEWS: July 16,2010: A Calgary man was among the at least 29 people killed in a fire in a five-storey hotel in Sulaimaniyah, northern Iraq, the company he worked for confirmed in a statement Friday.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm reports that eight Terraseis employees died in the fire," Terraseis International said in its statement.

The Dubai-based company conducts geophysical surveys, often used in oil exploration and production, and its employees were in Iraq doing sub-contract work for Calgary-based Talisman Energy.

The other Terraseis employees killed were from several different countries, including South Africa, the U.K. and Venezuela.

Firemen try to put out a fire at Soma Hotel in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniya, about 260 kilometres northeast of Baghdad.

Firemen try to put out a fire at Soma Hotel in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniya, about 260 kilometres northeast of Baghdad. (Sherko Raouf/Reuters)

Terraseis chairman Kevin Plintz confirmed to CBC that the Canadian killed was from Calgary. Plintz also said two other Canadians are being treated for smoke inhalation.

The fire in the Soma Hotel began late Thursday night and was likely sparked by an electrical short, the local chief of police, Brig. Gen. Najim-al-Din Qadir, said. The investigation is still underway but officials have said it was not an act of terrorism.

Qadir said the dead included people from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Canada, Ecuador, Venezuela and China, with some working for foreign oil companies.

Many died of smoke inhalation

Neil Arun, a journalist based in Iraq, said at least 40 people were hurt, and most of the casualties were believed to have died from smoke inhalation.

"A lot of the people also seem to have died after trying to leave their rooms, after trying to jump from their windows," Arun said Friday.

Marwan Assad, a Kurd with dual British citizenship, said he came to the hotel to visit two friends but never made it to their room. He said the fire broke out when he was on the third floor and smoke quickly enveloped the hallway, forcing him to stumble blindly in search of a way out.

"I saw an open door and a man lying dead in the room because he suffocated from the smoke," Assad said at Sulaimaniyah Emergency Hospital, where he was about to undergo surgery for breaks to both his legs. "I entered the room and threw myself from the window."

Sulaimaniyah fire department head Brig. Yadgar Mohammed Mustafa confirmed that many of the victims succumbed to smoke inhalation. He said the lack of fire escapes contributed to the high death toll.

Farouq Mulla Mustafa, general director of the AsiaCell mobile phone company, said four of the company's engineers from the Philippines, Iraq, Sri Lanka and Cambodia were among the dead.

Sulaimaniyah, located 260 kilometres northeast of Baghdad, is the commercial capital of Iraq's Kurdish region and the region's second largest city.

Wind backs off targeting Rogers

CBC NEWS: July 16,2010: Wind Mobile has backed off targeting Rogers with a promotion that seeks to lure its customers specifically, with Bell and Telus now included in the deal.

The upstart wireless carrier on Thursday announced a promotion that offered Rogers customers - including those on its Fido and yet-to-be-launched Chatr brands - a $150 credit for taking their business to Wind. The deal, a continuation of a promotion previously aimed at all three major carriers, is intended to alleviate the early termination fees some customers face when cancelling their existing contracts.

On Friday, Wind applied the offer to customers of all carriers. Scott Campbell, chief marketing officer for Wind, said the deal was expanded because customers asked for it.

"Yes, the offer was in the spirit of competition and is for all of Rogers' customers, no matter which of the myriad of Rogers' brands they come from," he said. "But Wind is about listening to customers and customers of other carriers told us they were interested, so we'll honour their requests, too."

Rogers is launching its new Chatr brand at some point this summer to compete with new carriers that are offering unlimited services, including Wind, Mobilicity and Public Mobile.

Amit Kaminer, an analyst for The SeaBoard Group telecommunications consultancy, had said Wind's initial move against Rogers was a counter to Chatr.

"From a marketing perspective, it aims to bind the three Rogers brands together such that consumers are made aware that all three names are radiating from the same wireless tower," he said.

Rumours emerged this week, however, that Bell may also be planning to offer low-cost unlimited services through its Solo brand, and if that happens, Telus could be forced to follow suit.

Mobilicity chairman John Bitove has harshly criticized Rogers' Chatr plan and said he intends to file a complaint with the Competition Bureau if the brand's launch goes ahead. Bitove has said the Competition Act expressly prohibits the launch of flanker brands that are designed to undermine competitors.

Public Mobile said Rogers will only end up hurting itself in the long run by starting up another discount brand.

"Rogers can't afford to start re-pricing their existing customers," said spokesperson Lisa Pappas. "By launching Chatr, Rogers has created risk for themselves, and benefited us by legitimizing the market segment we are focused on."

Police say US woman made up carjacking story to cover up that she crashed while having sex

Published: Thursday, July 15, 2010 | 8:40 AM ET : Canadian Press The Associated Press : VINELAND, N.J. - Authorities say a New Jersey woman told them she was carjacked to cover up the fact that her car crashed because she was having sex.

The 23-year-old had initially told police she got lost on Sunday and asked a man for directions. Police say she told them the man pulled her out of the car at gunpoint and threw her to the ground.

Police told The Daily Journal that she later admitted she picked up a man and let him drive, and the car crashed into a tree while they were engaged in a sex act. Officers say the car had been set on fire.

The woman is accused of filing a false police report. She has refused to identify the man.

Avastin fails to slow breast cancer: FDA

Last Updated: Friday, July 16, 2010 | 2:15 PM ET :The Associated Press : Federal health scientists said Friday that followup studies of a Roche breast cancer drug show it failed to slow tumour growth or extend patient lives, opening the door for a potential withdrawal in that indication.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Roche's blockbuster Avastin in 2008 based on early-stage trials showing it shrank tumours caused by breast cancer. The decision was controversial because drugs for cancer patients who have never been treated before must usually show evidence they extend lives.

Avastin's so-called "accelerated approval" was based on the condition that later studies would show a survival benefit.

But in briefing documents posted online, FDA reviewers said two followup studies recently submitted by Roche failed to show that Avastin significantly extended lives compared to chemotherapy alone.

Additionally, the FDA said more recent data did not confirm the tumour shrinkage seen in earlier studies. Patients taking Avastin showed significantly more side-effects, including high blood pressure, fatigue and abnormal white blood cell levels.

Panel to review drug

On Tuesday, the FDA will ask a panel of outside cancer experts to review the evidence on Avastin. The panel's recommendations are not binding, but the FDA usually follows their guidance.

The FDA has the option to remove drug's approval for breast cancer. Avastin is also approved for colon, lung, kidney and brain cancer. The drug was Roche's top-selling cancer treatment last year with global sales of $5.9 billion US.

Roche is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and its biotech unit, Genentech, is based in south San Francisco.

Avastin was the first drug to fight cancer by stopping nutrients from reaching tumours.

Such "targeted therapies" were thought to hold promise for eliminating chemotherapy, but the two approaches are now used in combination.


A spoonful of Sugar

Canadian comic Sugar Sammy conquers the world one joke at a time.

Montreal-born Indo-Canadian comedian Sugar Sammy is playing the Toronto Just For Laughs Festival this week.

Montreal-born Indo-Canadian comedian Sugar Sammy is playing the Toronto Just For Laughs Festival this week. (Just For Laughs)

CBC NEWS: July 7, 2010 : Sugar Sammy's stand-up resume reads like a Rand McNally atlas. The 34-year-old comic arrives in Toronto for this week's Just for Laughs festival on the heels of a gig in Saudi Arabia. Over the past few years he's travelled constantly, performing in far-flung locales like Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ireland, Hong Kong, Thailand, the U.S. and India.

Sugar Sammy's comedic resume reads like a Rand McNally atlas - he's played everywhere from Saudi Arabia to Ireland to India to the U.S.

Thanks largely to his facility in four languages, Sammy – born Samir Khullar in Montreal's ethnically diverse Côte-des-Neiges district – has crafted a career with massive market reach. He grew up speaking Punjabi with his family, and learned Hindi primarily from Bollywood films. English was the language he spoke with his friends and, despite his protestations, Sammy was sent to a French school. As a result, he learned how to connect with a wide range of audiences.

Chatting with him during a recent phone interview, it's easy to see how he earned the nickname "Sugar Sammy" at McGill University – smooth and unfailingly polite, he doesn't seem at all stressed out by his whirlwind schedule, or the inherent difficulties of tweaking material for assorted corners of the planet.

"I treat every market differently," he explains. "Different cultures have different reference points and sensibilities. For me, it always involves going to a country and figuring it out. Sitting there with the promoter or the kitchen staff or the concierge, figuring out what works and what doesn't. I'll just say, 'Look, I'm a foreigner, I just got here. What themes can I explore?'"

Sammy's routines focus primarily on his dating life, observations about race and his family – his father's ongoing struggle to understand the world wide web is rich comic fodder. Here's a sample joke about English Canada: "There aren't a lot of coloured people in Thunder Bay. You know you're in a white town when the hotel cleaning staff is white."

In one of his early bits, Sammy lamented the lack of glamorous media archetypes for Indo-Canadians: "Every ethnicity's got their role models on TV, right? Hispanic people got Antonio Banderas, who's suave, debonaire. Chinese people have Jackie Chan, who can whip some ass... Black people got Denzel, who's like the sex symbol. Who do we have, man? We got Apu from the goddamn Simpsons."

Sammy was influenced by black American stand-ups who also made race a big part of their acts: Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence. "Eddie Murphy is probably my favourite of all time. I love how fresh and young and unafraid he was to tackle things. He just had a smoothness about him on stage. You wanted to be him. He was in control. I think he's been a huge influence in terms of the way I deliver my material as well."

Although Sammy's English-language material isn't as controversial (or as laden with F-bombs) as Murphy's, he takes a slightly more incendiary approach in French. He grew up in Montreal – and still lives with his parents on the rare occasions when he visits his home province – but initially focused on English gigs there. He's only recently started to make a foray into Quebec's French-speaking market. Last summer, Sammy caused a media ruckus at a French-language Juste pour rire/Just for Laughs gala in Montreal. The source of the controversy was this joke: "There are two kinds of Quebecers: Those who are educated, cultivated and well-raised – and those who voted Yes."

"It was very good," he recalls of his referendum gag. "It was taking on the separatists. And no one's done it to their faces. Every other Anglo's done it the other way around, going to an English audience and talking about Quebec separation. A lot of Montreal comics have done that. But to go in front of [a largely] separatist audience and say that was another challenge. And that's what made news.

"It was just kind of me going in and shaking things up and being funny. It's like poking fun at your friends." He delivered the infamous line with a smile, an indication that he wasn't going for the jugular.

The risk paid off. The federalist Sammy recently did some shtick with Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois on Le Gala Les Olivier, an award show for Quebec comedians. Clearly, his French-language profile has risen.

"In English Canada, I talk about my family, my personal stuff. Whereas in Quebec, the first thing you've got to talk about is, 'Well, what's my place in this society? What comes to mind right away when I'm talking to these people?' It has to go that way. If it doesn't, then I feel like I'm cheating myself, and I'm not saying what I want to say."

Make no mistake, this business-savvy guy has a plan. Like most comedians who attain a certain level of success, Sammy is hoping to make the transition to TV and film work. And, of course, the globetrotting will continue.

Sugar Sammy strikes a pose at the 2008 Cracker Comedy Festival in Sydney, Australia.

Sugar Sammy strikes a pose at the 2008 Cracker Comedy Festival in Sydney, Australia. (Gaye Gerard/Getty Images)

For someone who's done so well in the often brutal world of stand-up, Sammy seems exceptionally well-adjusted. His desire to tell jokes doesn't appear to come from the dark recesses of a troubled soul: "I'm not looking for anything else when I'm out there. I love making people laugh – that's the number one thing, that's my passion."

His parents had no problem with his career choice, and are thrilled with his success. Now if only his father could figure out the internet. "He doesn't know how it works," says Sammy. "I was looking at YouTube, just checking out some of my clips and the comments. He came in and saw me and said, 'Oh wow, they're playing you on the internet again? They're playing you a lot!'"

Sugar Sammy performs at the Toronto Just for Laughs festival on July 9 and 10.

Greig Dymond writes about the arts for CBC News.

TERRORISM

The Origin and the Sources

M.T. Al-Mansouri, Ph.D.

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The few days we don’t hear gunfire or explosions, we feel really happy."

Shield Pakistan’s civilians from the horrors of living inside a human rights-free zone.

Dear M.T. ,

Northwest Pakistan, including the Swat valley - once known as the "Switzerland of Pakistan" for its scenic and natural beauty - is now the center of a deadly triangle between the Taliban, Pakistani army forces and U.S. drone attacks.

Relentless fighting between these groups has left millions of civilians homeless and unable to care for their families. Countless more have lost their lives in this appalling, human rights-free zone.

As Parveen, a girl's school teacher who now holds her classes in a tent after the original school building was bombed by the Taliban, sees it: "The few days we don't hear gunfire or explosions, we feel really happy."

The innocent men, women and children trapped in the middle of this violence are not acceptable casualties of war. The harm caused to them during such indiscriminate attacks is a clear reason why we must draw a line now.

Act now to ensure that the civilians of northwest Pakistan won't be forgotten.

The human impact of conflict in Pakistan

Young girls stand outside makeshift tents which now act as schools after the Taliban bombed the original building site.

Young girls stand outside makeshift tents which now act as schools after the Taliban bombed the original building site. © Amnesty International video "As if Hell fell on me"

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We created the website eyesonpakistan.org to help give private citizens and policy makers access to these previously inaccessible conflict zones. Our thinking was that if we could help people visualize the extent of the violence and human rights abuses in the region, then decisive action would be taken to correct it.



In just a matter of weeks, thousands have visited the website and by using our interactive maps have been able to see the destruction of Pakistan's schools, hospitals, and homes with their own eyes. The BBC, Huffington Post and other news sites have reported widely on our efforts to expose abuses committed against civilians in the region.

Now that attention is finally starting to focus on Pakistan's civilians, we must ensure that clear action steps will follow.

Your support means that we can continue to provide compelling imagery and analysis of human rights abuses in Pakistan. This research reinforces our case that the Pakistani and U.S. governments must do more to protect human rights in their strategies for northwest Pakistan.

With your help, we can keep our eyes on Pakistan's civilians, even when it seems like the rest of the world has forgotten them.

Thank you for taking action,

Christoph Koettl
Crisis Campaigner
Amnesty International USA


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Canadian Press: Hidden News Ottawa, July 24, 2010 : RCMP: CSIS:

Semitic illegal drug calls Khat spreads in North America and Europe

M.T. Al-Mansouri, Ph.D. has found the real causes of psychic diseases, and invented the MULTIPHRENIA, which most people are suffering from it e.g. the represented of international security systems, who are involved in crimes and terrorism, psychiatrics, psychologists and their activists , as well as the activists in the name of wealthy, poor ,holy , diplomatic organizations etc.

He passed obstacles; difficulties and examinations in Canada with its’ dynamic and statistic lands, jinis, people and angels, as well as with the international conspiracies, fasting, when he ate only one meal a day for approximately four years. (2004-2008), patience, and writing on an electronic Arabic keyboard.

Espionage in Canada and Western Countries: Part One to Five

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and-1

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and-2

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and-3

https://poetsofottawa.ning.com/profiles/blogs/espionage-in-canada-and-4

He is a Candidate for Guinness World Records in sending resumes , emails for looking for job, when he sent 60,000 resumes, and 13, 000000 e-mails for national and international governmental and non-governmental organizations and establishments.

He has discovered a new hidden media of the international integrated security systems of Semitic, and lovers, haters Groups , that work and advertise for violence, racism and illegal national and international transactions.

He is the creator of the new patent word “ SINROCENT” , which made from the two infixes, the sinner and the innocent. It is an additional word for English dictionaries and Encyclopaedias.

He is the owner of the patent of preventing the mad cows of the U.K. and, and of the of promotion senior’s and disable people problems nationally and internationally.

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Ottawa International Poets and Writers for human Rights (OIPWHR)