上海419论坛,上海龙凤419,爱上海 – Powered by Lexus Enio!

Cyprus Ban calls for decisive steps towards final settlement after intensive talks

by admin

25 January 2012The latest round of United Nations-facilitated talks between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities aimed at the reunification of Cyprus have ended in New York after “robust and intensive” discussions, Secretary-Ban Ki-moon said today, calling for a decisive move to reach a final agreement. Mr. Ban, who attended the talks between Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Dervis Eroglu, on Monday and Tuesday, said “limited progress” was achieved during the meeting. He also reminded both parties that the process is Cypriot-owned and Cypriot-led. “The UN is not here to impose solutions upon the sides,” Mr. Ban told reporters at UN Headquarters, adding that the two sides had come to the meeting to make an effort to resolve the main challenges in the process – the issues of the election of the executive, property and citizenship. “In terms of next steps, I have proposed that the sides complete the exchange of data on property within the next two weeks to which they agreed,” said Mr. Ban, whose Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, will brief the Security Council later today on the talks. “I will be providing a report to the Security Council on the status of the negotiations at the end of February [and] at the end of March I will seek a review of the process from my Special Adviser. “If his report is positive, consistent with relevant Security Council resolutions and following consultations with the two sides, I intend to call a multilateral conference in late April or early May,” said the Secretary-General. He stressed that, at this stage of the talks, even maintaining the momentum and continuing negotiations in an intensive manner is not sufficient. “I have urged the leaders to make decisive steps to move to a final agreement,” he added. “The United Nations remains convinced that it is in the interest of all Cypriots to reach a durable settlement,” he said. read more

Continue Reading

TSX falls as commodities weaken

by admin

The Toronto Stock Exchange was steeped in red Wednesday morning as commodity prices lost ground as amid investor jitters as protests in debt-ravaged Greece and Spain turned ugly.The S&P/TSX commodity index fell 64.65 to 12,192.53.The Canadian dollar fell 0.27 of a cent to 101.71 cents US as commodity prices failed to get a lasting boost from an improvement Tuesday in U.S. consumer confidence to its highest level since February.Wall Street markets were also lower, with the Dow industrial average down 16.31 points to 13,441.24, the Nasdaq fell 22.83 points at 3,094.9 and the broader S&P 500 index down 6.48 points to 1,435.11.A day after U.S. stocks suffered their biggest retreat in three months on comments from a leading official at the Federal Reserve, investors were spooked Wednesday by scenes of violent protests on the streets of Athens and Madrid, which reignited concerns over Europe’s ability to implement the measures needed to deal with its big debts.The developments in Europe overshadowed moderately positive data on the state of the U.S. housing market. The Commerce Department said sales of new homes in the United States dipped slightly in August from July but the median price of homes sold during the month rose by a record amount.New-home sales edged down to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 373,000 in August, a dip of 0.3 per cent from July’s revised rate of 374,000. That had been the fastest pace since April 2010 when government tax credits were boosting sales.Meanwhile, a general strike in Greece turned violent after demonstrators protesting against planned government spending cuts threw molotov cocktails. A day earlier, clashes broke out at a similar demonstration in Madrid, which is also preparing new austerity measures.The Bank of Spain warned that the country is in a deep recession, saying the country’s economy continues to shrink “significantly.”“Europe has come back to the forefront this week in the absence of any other major news,” said Colin Cieszynski, senior market analyst, CMC Markets Canada. “The economic calendar remains very quiet and it appears that the bulls which had appeared so strong earlier in the month, have appeared to step back and await new developments.”Meanwhile, the benchmark New York oil contract was $1.44 lower at $89.93 a barrel, the December gold contract slipped $16 to $1,750.40 and the December copper contract fell five cents to $3.70.In Canadian economic news, the Conference Board of Canada said consumer confidence showed improvement this month, following a weak showing in August. The Ottawa-based economic forecaster says its Index of Consumer Confidence increased 6.7 points to 82.2.And in Canadian deals, Onex Corp. (TSX:OCX) is leading a $718-million deal to acquire a 4,000-employee German manufacturing company, the first European investment for the Toronto-based company’s flagship private equity fund. Onex shares fell 28 cents to $37.79.The main U.S. subsidiary of CGI Group (TSX:GIB.A) has received a five-year contract worth up to US$871 million from the Defense Information Systems Agency. CGI Federal Inc. will deliver a range of technology and business services, including engineering, scientific, testing, and logistics. Shares dropped 27 cents to $26.56.Investment manager AGF Management Ltd. (TSX:AGF.B) said Wednesday it lost $13.3 million or 14 cents per share in the quarter ended Aug. 31 compared with a profit of $15.4 million or 16 cents per share a year ago. Revenue totalled $119.8 million, down from $151.4 million. Shares fell nine per cent or $1.13 cents to $11.30.And shares of Research In Motion Ltd. (TSX:RIM) gained one per cent or seven cents to $6.57 on positive momentum from Tuesday when the company gave an update on the new BlackBerry 10 prototype and ahead of its quarterly earnings to be released Thursday.In Europe, Germany’s DAX was 1.9 per cent lower while the CAC-40 in France fell 2.4 per cent at 3,447. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 1.6 per cent.Earlier in Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average closed down 2 per cent at 8,906.70 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.8 per cent to end at 20,527.73. South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.6 per cent to 1,980.44. China’s Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.6 per cent to 2,004.17. read more

Continue Reading

Canadian Natural picks Total as partner in South African offshore project

by admin

CALGARY — Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. says it has selected a subsidiary of France’s Total SA to be its 50-50 partner for a South African offshore exploration program.Calgary-based CNQ will receive an undisclosed amount of upfront cash, recover costs it has incurred so far and share the cost of the first exploration well, which is to be drilled next year.In return, Canadian Natural will transfer a 50 per cent interest in Block 11B/12B to Total E&P South Africa.The block is 175 kilometres off the southern coast of South Africa. It covers about 19,000 square kilometres, with water depths ranging from 200 to 1,800 metres.

Freed 37 Indian fishermen sent back

by admin

A group of Indian fishermen who were set free yesterday, were handed over to the coast guard today.The coast guard said that the 37 Indian fishermen were to be handed over to the Indian coast guard today. The Indians were freed following talks President Maithripala Sirisena had with a group of Indian fishermen last week.Sirisena had told the Indians he wants the fishermen issue between India and Sri Lanka to be resolved through negotiations. (Colombo Gazette)

Four English newspapers snub press commission

by admin

Four English language newspapers did not co-operate with the Press Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL), which is a voluntary self-regulatory body of the newspaper industry having the support of the Newspaper Society, Editors’ Guild, Free Media Movement, Working Journalists Association and other media unions, the PCCSL said in its annual report.PCCSL received 291 complaints last year, hosted an International Conference on ‘Self Regulation and Ethical Reporting’ and reviewed the Editors’ Code of Professional Practice with inputs from the public, journalists, editors, publishers and academics, Chief Executive Officer of the PCCSL said in his annual report for 2014. The report was read out at the Annual General Meeting of the Commission at the Sri Lanka Press Institute auditorium in Colombo. PCCSL CEO Sukumar Rockwood said that the Sinhala press which comprises 39 per cent of the country’s newspapers attracted the majority of the complaints in 2014. He said that the Commission received the fullest co-operation from editors to resolve these complaints amicably and swiftly. He said that as many as 323 complaints were resolved by editors providing a Right of Reply to aggrieved parties.The report however stated that four English language newspapers did not co-operate with the PCCSL. The CEO’s report said that the PCCSL’s autonomous Dispute Resolution Council headed by former Secretary General of Parliament Nihal Senviatne met bi-monthly to inquire into complaints that required their attention. (Colombo Gazette) read more

Continue Reading

Pettah traders join protest against 15 percent VAT increase

by admin

Similar protests were held in others parts of the country over the past few weeks. (Colombo Gazette) Pettah traders today joined the protest against the 15 percent VAT increase causing heavy traffic in the area.The traders closed shop and took to the streets and demanded that the government reverse the decision to increase the VAT.

Sri Lanka frees 51 Indian fishermen as part of agreement

by admin

They were later handed over to the Indian Deputy High Commission at Jaffna, Rameswaram Fishermen’s Association representative P Sesuraja said. As many as 51 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who were languishing in Sri Lankan prisons, were released today as per a decision taken at a high-level meeting between the two countries earlier this week, the Press Trust of India reported today.While 39 of the fishermen were produced before a court in Jaffna, the remaining 12 were produced before a court in Vavuniya, before being released. During an India-Lanka ministerial-level talk on fishermen held in Colombo earlier this week, it was decided that Sri Lanka will release 51 Indian fishermen, while three of their Lankan counterparts will be freed by India.

Navy denies claims it shot dead an Indian fisherman

by admin

The deceased fisherman was identified as K. Britso (21) from Thangachimadam. He was one of the six fishermen onboard a mechanised boat targeted by the Lankan navy, the reports said. Saran (37), the injured fisherman was rushed to the Government headquarters hospital in Ramanathapuram in an ambulance after the fishermen reached the fishing jetty here abour 20 minutes past midnight. The fishermen who set out for ‘night fishing’ Monday evening, were fishing on the high seas around 10 pm, when the Sri Lankan Navy allegedly opened fire. The Navy today denied claims it opened fire on a group of Indian fishermen killing one and injuring another.The Hindu newspaper reported that the Sri Lankan Navy had allegedly shot dead a 21-year-old fisherman and injured some others when they opened fire on fishermen from Rameswaram, who allegedly poached in Sri Lankan waters on Monday night. Navy spokesperson Lieutenant Commander Chaminda Walakuluge however told the Colombo Gazette the claims are not true.He said the Navy only arrests fishermen for poaching and will not open fire. Britso suffered a bullet injury on his neck and was profusely bleeding, the fishermen who accompanied him said. He succumbed to his wounds while being brought ashore, they said. The body of the deceased fisherman was kept at the government hospital mortuary.A tense situation prevailed at the fishing jetty as fishermen in the island gathered and shouted slogans against the Sri Lankan Navy and the Indian government for being ‘inept’.On Tuesday morning, Rameswaram fishermen refused to accept the body of Britso. With family members of the deceased fisherman, the fisher folk launched an agitation in Thangachimadam demanding explanation from the Centre and Sri Lankan government for the loss of life and lasting solution for the more than three-decade problem. (Colombo Gazette) read more

Continue Reading

Ethiopia looks forward to greater cooperation with Sri Lanka

by admin

The Ambassador also referred to the strengthening of bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Ethiopia and also with the other countries in the African Continent after the establishment of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ethiopia, in February 2017. He also requested Ethiopian, African and other investors to make use of the opportunities available in Sri Lanka for Foreign Investment. Ambassador Dassanayake also recognized the contribution of the Sri Lankan community in Ethiopia towards Sri Lanka’s economic development. (Colombo Gazette) Addressing the invitees, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Sumith Dassanayake highlighted the progress made by Sri Lanka over the years in diverse fields, in particular during the last year. The Ethiopian Government says it looks forward to greater cooperation with Sri Lanka.Tsegab Kebebew, Director General of Asia and Oceania Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia said that Ethiopia looks forward to have greater cooperation with Sri Lanka in the political, economic, tourism and cultural fields in the near future. Kebebew was speaking at an event held at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ethiopia to celebrate the 70th anniversary of independence of Sri Lanka. read more

HAC assures no pig fat in Halal certified milk powder

by admin

HAC has an internationally recognized, robust, & reliable certification audit system. The Certification process of HAC involves, detailed testing and auditing conducted by internationally accredited and recognized foreign certification bodies and laboratories.HAC’s standards and audit processes for imported milk powder essentially emphasizes on the need for traceability of all raw material considered critical to Halal conformity. Consequent to such careful evaluation, HAC responsibly reaffirms that the products certified to be Halal and are free from any non-Halal material (including but not limited to pig fat). The HAC, through its process of pre and post certification audits, has verified the products in question, from the very source of origin i.e. New Zealand and Australia, upto the point of manufacturing and repackaging in Sri Lanka. HAC is the only entity certifying and conducting professional and internationally accepted compliance audits for Halal standards in Sri Lanka. HAC, through its certification has facilitated Sri Lanka’s exports in Food & Beverages worth USD1.6 Billion (estimate avg 2012 -2016).The HAC has alliances with and recognized by over 80 Foreign Halal Certification Bodies (FHCB), established in over 56 countries spread across the globe.Halal Accreditation Council (Guarantee) Limited is a not for profit organization duly incorporated under the Companies’ Act No. 7 of 2007. The organisation is certified for ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management System (QMS) issued by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute, ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System issued by Bureau Veritas Certification and GSO 2055-2:2015, accredited by GCC Accreditation Centre (GAC) based on ISO/IEC 17065:2012, “Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies certifying products, process and services. The Halal Accreditation Council (Guarantee) Limited (HAC), Sri Lanka has assured that there is no pig fat in Halal certified milk powder sold in Sri Lanka.The recent controversy purporting to the possible existence of pig fat, amongst other adulterants, in imported milk powder marketed in Sri Lanka has, caused a great deal of angst and distress amongst many consumers. A majority of these milk powder brands are certified by the Halal Accreditation Council (Guarantee) Limited (HAC), Sri Lanka. read more

Continue Reading

US Sri Lanka discuss reconciliation fight against terror

by admin

Foreign Minister Marapana noted appreciation for U.S. support in the aftermath of the bombings and conveyed Sri Lanka’s interest in deepening cooperation to prevent future attacks. The United States and Sri Lanka had wide ranging discussions in Washington during which the US extended strong support to Sri Lanka in its fight against terrorism.US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana yesterday (Thursday). The Secretary reiterated the United States’ condemnation of the attacks that Sri Lanka suffered last month, which also killed five Americans, and strong U.S. support for Sri Lanka in its fight against terrorism. Both welcomed the approval of a $480-million Millennium Challenge Corporation compact as an important development that will contribute to prosperity and economic sovereignty in Sri Lanka.Secretary Pompeo also welcomed Sri Lanka’s renewed commitments to accountability, justice, and reconciliation. read more

WatchInnovation Nation Hightech manufacturing isnt killing jobs Its creating more of them

by admin

3D printing, robotics, and AI are slowly making their way into Ontario’s manufacturing sector. This doesn’t necessarily mean the death of jobs. In fact, the overlap of automation and manufacturing is creating a new breed of high-tech companies that are looking for more and more people to hire. Innovation Nation: The fourth industrial revolution Why Canada’s universities must be at the forefront of innovation Innovation Nation: How a Canadian tech firm is assisting police in the fight against child exploitation

Here are three ways Canada can take advantage of its head start

by admin

Canada has a strong head start in the artificial intelligence space, but the government must take measures to ensure it can take advantage of the rapidly changing technology environment, according to management consultancy Deloitte.“To achieve AI prosperity in Canada, it’s critical we get public policy right on three key pillars: creating growth in an AI-driven economy, advancing the public good, and building trust in institutions and in society,” Deloitte said in a report on AI.From smart thermostats to Google Homes remembering their favourite songs, artificial intelligence is permeating the every day lives of Canadians, but only 4 per cent of the citizens surveyed by Deloitte said they were confident in their understanding of AI. Walmart has unleashed an army of robots in its stores and workers aren’t exactly thrilled about it Artificial intelligence can now pick stocks and build portfolios. Are human managers about to be replaced? Canada’s navy is developing an AI voice assistant for warships, but don’t worry: It won’t control the weapons “Our policy frameworks were drafted with good intentions, but many date back decades―to a time before digitization was widespread―which has led to legal grey zones and operating risk today,” the report reads.To this end, Deloitte recommends reforming intellectual property law to accommodate machine learning, making public data available for commercial use, revising privacy laws and data policies and laying the groundwork for fiduciary data trusts.The report also recommends securing Canada’s hold as a leader in AI, and ensure they build on the country’s generous research grants that make it appealing to many entrepreneurs on the forefront of AI.“Expanding the startup visa program with a specific focus on AI and making it easier to qualify for the program is one possibility,”Deloitte’s other major recommendation is promoting AI literacy in all facets of society, drawing on Harvard University’s initiative to teach AI to U.S. congressional leaders. For public education, Deloitte draws on Finland’s free online course, ‘Elements of AI.’This extends to labour education, as a Brookfield Institute at Ryerson University report estimated that more than 40 per cent of Canadian jobs are at risk from automation. A natural extension of that risk, Deloitte warns, involves expanding our social safety net to accommodate the fallout.“If Canada falls behind other countries in supporting a domestic AI industry, the rules of the game for AI will be decided by other global players and our AI companies may be crowded off the global stage for lack of funding and support,” the report said. “We also risk the health of our entire economy, as businesses may struggle to compete in an AI-driven environment.”One obstacle that’s stunting the growth of AI in the country is the high level of distrust of AI that exists in the nation.“This mistrust is holding back the adoption of AI, as businesses and consumers alike told us they had concerns about using AI-enabled tools they didn’t trust,” said Deloitte.“We also heard that Canadian companies had difficulties understanding and measuring the benefits of AI, and that the transition from startup to scale-up was challenging.”To offset this, they recommend the government establish an independent body to review government algorithm use. This would also involve combatting realities and perceptions of machine bias.“For example, if a company disproportionately hires men over women, an algorithm using company data to predict and recommend typical hires will also favour men over women.”As far as privacy goes, Deloitte recommends a model between Europe’s GDPR and China’s far looser standards.For the purposes of this report, Deloitte conducted interviews with AI experts in Canada and internationally between November 2018 and January 2019. They also hosted three workshops in Toronto in the fall of 2018 and conducted AI strategies research in 11 countries.• Email: nsokic@postmedia.com read more

Continue Reading

Closing the Healthcare Gaps with UC Data

by admin

Tick, Tock, the Clock Is Running for Avaya Zeus Kerravala September 06, 2019 Lots of speculation surrounds Avaya’s future, but mum’s still the word on a final decision. Technology is undeniably reshaping the healthcare industry by making daily tasks more efficient and effective than ever before — in large part, thanks to the digitization of data over the last 10 years as electronic health record (EHR) adoption has risen.Before healthcare organizations and hospital systems were able to digitize their health records, doctors and nurses spent most of their day updating patient records with pen and paper and storing physical paper files as records. Even today, as EHR continues to be deployed, this is a common practice. However, for those currently leveraging EHR, those advancements have not only resulted in streamlined processes, but in significant improvements in the patient experience as well. This is because, as healthcare’s digital transformation continues, advancements in technology are also seeking to close certain gaps in care.Care gap analysis, which refers to the process of pinpointing shortcomings in treatment plans to improve patient care, is becoming of increasing interest as value-based care reimbursement models encourage hospitals to focus on cost-effectiveness and patient engagement. Using technology to bridge certain gaps in care today — like medication adherence and follow-up after diagnoses — also ultimately leads to the improvement of patient care and healthier patient populations, which is healthcare’s overarching goal.Patient Engagement Holds the Key to Improving Care According to an August 2018 report by Prescient & Strategic Intelligence, the global patient engagement solutions market generated $8.5 billion in revenue in 2017 and is projected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 16.9% during the 2018-2023 period — with the rising use of mobile health solutions and increasing demand for wearable health technology cited as key factors driving this growth. As technology spreads, patient expectations increase, making patient engagement (and the overall patient experience) of high concern to healthcare systems today.Finding innovative ways to use technology like unified communications (UC) to close the gaps in care that exist today can help improve patient care. UC, as defined by Gartner, are the products (equipment, software and services) that facilitate the interactive use of multiple enterprise communications methods and integrate communications channels (media), networks and systems. UC solutions deployed in medical call centers, specifically, hold significant power in the ability to transform patient-provider or patient-healthcare system communications to improve care and overall experience in the healthcare system.UC Technology Increasing Accessibility of Communication Perhaps the largest cause of many of the gaps that exist in the healthcare system today is a lack of communication between patients and their doctors. One area where this is commonly seen involves patients with chronic conditions, who often experience infrequent communication with their provider while managing and treating their condition. UC technology offers a wide variety of communication modes (chat, SMS, video, etc.) and can be leveraged to encourage more easily accessible communication between a patient and their provider, clinic, or hospital.Healthcare organizations utilizing UC technology can offer their patients the ability to communicate from any mobile device at any location, vastly expanding accessibility. In a 2018 study on trends in clinical communications and collaboration, performed by Spyglass Consulting Group, 90% of hospitals surveyed had already made or were planning to make significant investments in smartphones and secure unified communications. As security for mobile devices continues to improve, the healthcare industry is certain to see increased use of UC to improve communication and strengthen patient-provider relationships.By making communication more accessible and available in the modes preferred by patients (options outside of picking up the phone and calling in), patients are more motivated to remain engaged in managing their healthcare – something that is especially important for those with chronic conditions.Artificial Intelligence Improving Care As the UC market continues to advance, in tandem with healthcare’s digital transformation, new capabilities such as artificial intelligence (AI) are also emerging as a way to improve the patient experience.A 2017 report by Grand View Research found that the global chatbot market is expected to reach $1.25 billion by 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 24.3%. In healthcare and a variety of other industries, chatbots are quickly becoming the standard in customer service communications. For healthcare specifically, chatbot technology is being used for appointment scheduling — to enable clinics and hospitals to extend their hours of service in order to meet patient expectations for 24/7, on-the-go access.Although chatbot technology is still in its infancy, it can be used to support a wide variety of use cases — from appointment scheduling to monitoring conditions to assisting with medical billing. As AI, coupled with chatbot technology, continues to develop and be deployed in healthcare systems across the U.S., its role in improving patient care and experience will become increasingly important.As healthcare’s digital transformation continues to unfold, there is vast potential for communications and care to be revolutionized. By determining what gaps exist in the current healthcare system, and then leveraging that data through the deployment of UC technology, healthcare organizations (and their partners) will be able to drive higher levels of patient engagement — ultimately leading to improved care for all.Tags:News & Viewshealthcaredigital transformationUC technologychatbotdataUnified Communications & CollaborationAI & AutomationContact Center & Customer ExperienceMobilityPrivacy & Compliance Articles You Might Like Mitel, Avaya Merger on Tap? Beth Schultz August 20, 2019 On the heels of word that Avaya is close to reaching acquisition deal, the focus turns to Mitel and a reported bid of $20 per share. healthcare_774.png See All in Unified Communications & Collaboration » Justifying Workspace Applications: Time to Up the Game Marty Parker September 10, 2019 Communication technology vendors and their value-adding partners must take the lead in defining business justifications for their collaboration and workspace applications. Avaya Continues Mulling Next-Step Options Beth Schultz September 12, 2019 In a brief update, company said strategic alternative review process continues, gave no indication of new expectations for wrapping it up. Avaya Still on the Block, Resolution May Come Soon Beth Schultz August 14, 2019 As the company plugs away on cloud sales, CEO Jim Chirico looks to wrap up its review of strategic alternatives in the next 30 days. Log in or register to post comments read more

Continue Reading

Detectives investigate armed robbery in Hamilton

by admin

Hamilton police have released images of a suspect who is wanted in connection with an armed robbery at a convenience store in the city.Last Monday, officers were called to the Busy Bee Food Mart on Barton St. East shortly after 4 p.m. for reports of a robbery.Police say a man had entered the store and flashed what is believed to be a gun at a store employee. The man made demands for cash but ended up running away from the store empty-handed. Officers and members of the K-9 Unit searched the area but couldn’t locate the suspect. No one was injured during the robbery.Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact Detective Constable Darryl Oosterhoff at 905-546-8936 or Staff Sgt. Emidio Evangelista at 905-546-2991.News Release: Detectives continue to investigate robbery in the area of Barton St E. Can you help ID suspect https://t.co/oQBj1dccNh #HamOnt pic.twitter.com/UWPF8tvppt— Hamilton Police (@HamiltonPolice) June 20, 2017 read more

Canada to fund Indigenous groups energy projects in BC and Alberta

by admin

OTTAWA — The federal government is providing up to $6 million in funding to help Indigenous communities in British Columbia and Alberta increase their participation in energy infrastructure projects.Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi made the announcement Wednesday.Funds will be provided through the Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships program.A statement from Natural Resources Canada describes the program as a one-ear initiative aimed at supporting Indigenous business development as well as Aboriginal communities and organizations interested in energy projects.Successful projects could include creation of business plans or feasibility studies, training programs, engagement forums or other activities designed to boost participation in energy infrastructure development.Natural Resources Canada says funding preference will go to B.C. or Alberta groups proposing projects that will be substantially completed by next March.Sohi says the partnerships program recognizes that Indigenous peoples are leaders in a cleaner, more resilient energy future.“We are proud to partner with communities to increase participation and enable the development of innovative energy projects that will have benefits for generations to come.”The Canadian Press read more

Air Canada made 12yearold athlete remove hijab civil rights group says

by admin

SAN FRANCISCO — A Muslim civil rights group says Air Canada employees forced a 12-year-old member of the U.S. national junior squash team to remove her hijab at the San Francisco airport last month.The Council on American-Islamic Relations says Fatima Abdelrahman was waiting in line to board her flight to Toronto on Aug. 1 when an Air Canada agent approached her and demanded she remove the religious head covering.A letter of complaint to the airline says Fatima, who was with her team en route to an international tournament, explained to the agent that she chooses to wear a hijab as part of her faith.The letter says she requested a private screening area but Air Canada employees refused the request and escorted her to a nearby tunnel where she had to remove her hijab publicly.Fatima’s older sister complained about the incident on Twitter the same day. Air Canada responded in less than 30 minutes, tweeting it was “sorry to hear” about the situation and asking for the passenger’s booking details in order to follow up.The council’s San Francisco Bay Area office says the airline’s response failed to acknowledge the emotional distress and “discriminatory” nature of its actions, and demands monetary damages and a formal apology for Fatima as well as cultural competency training for all employees.Air Canada did not immediately respond to questions from The Canadian Press.The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, which was not involved in the incident, has said passengers can keep their head coverings on during the screening process. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 23, 2019.Companies in this story: (TSX:AC)The Canadian Press read more

Continue Reading

The Latest Speaker Pelosis office says Collins resigning

by admin

NEW YORK — The Latest on Rep. Chris Collins of New York and an insider trading case (all times local):2:05 p.m.Rep. Chris Collins of New York is resigning from Congress ahead of his expected guilty plea in an insider trading case.That’s according to a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said Collins has sent a letter of resignation that will take effect when Congress meets in a brief session on Tuesday.It would be up to Gov. Andrew Cuomo to set a special election to fill the seat, which leans Republican.Collins, a Republican, was among the first members of Congress to endorse President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.__11:49 a.m.Court records say a Republican congressman from western New York is expected to plead guilty in a criminal case accusing him of insider trading.A federal judge in Manhattan has scheduled a hearing Tuesday afternoon for U.S. Rep. Chris Collins to enter a guilty plea in a case initially brought last year.A similar hearing has been scheduled Wednesday for Collins’ son.The congressman is accused of illegally leaking confidential information about a biopharmaceutical company to his son and the father of his son’s fiancée.Prosecutors say the tip allowed them to avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.Collins’ attorney didn’t immediately respond to messages Monday.The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan declined comment.The court filing didn’t specify which charges Collins would plead guilty to..The Associated Press read more

Continue Reading

All public Catholic schools closed today

by admin

Due to inclement weather Tuesday, Grand Erie and Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic district school boards cancelled all bus routes and closed all schools in Brantford, Brant, Norfolk and Haldimand.Laurier University has also announced its Brantford and Waterloo campuses as well as Kitchener and Toronto locations are closed today.  Closure includes day and evening classes.

Mural on mayors building painted over

by admin

Norfolk Mayor Kristal Chopp introduced herself to the community last year as a frustrated brewer who couldn’t develop her property because of demands from Norfolk County’s planning and building division she deemed unreasonable.Since Chopp was elected last fall, some have criticized the mural that was painted on her building in Port Dover as disrespectful to the county and the office she holds.Friday, a painter was on site removing the message that launched Chopp into local politics.