Bronson Pinchot Dept: Pinchot likely remains best known as the endearingly naive, quasi-Mediterranean immigrant Balki Bartokomous from the TV sitcom "Perfect Strangers." But unlike Balki, Pinchot is by his own admission "fiercely private" and an "introvert that does a pretty convincing performance as an extrovert." Still, he has decided to open his doors to America via "The Bronson Pinchot Project," which premiered Feb. 11 on the DIY cable network. In all, eight episodes were shot over 13 weeks at the end of last year in Harford, a village founded in 1790 and nestled in the Endless Mountains of Susquehanna County near the New York state line, according to CTV. His new show, though, is altogether different and hARFORD, Pa. For more than a decade, Bronson Pinchot has spent much of his downtime in the picture-book Pennsylvania hamlet where he found a dream home far from the stressful clamor of New York or L.A. His filmography includes 1980s hits like "Risky Business" and "Beverly Hills Cop," but since "Perfect Strangers" ended in 1993 after eight seasons, Pinchot has performed on and off-Broadway, appeared in touring theatrical productions and done voiceovers and audiobooks. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Permanent Residency Dept: In the ruling in September, a lower court judge found that an immigration provision denying foreign maids the right to apply for permanent residency after seven years -- as other foreign residents can -- was unconstitutional, according to CTV. On the first day of a scheduled three-day hearing, government lawyer David Pannick argued Tuesday that the court's ruling was wrong because it places limits on lawmakers' ability to decide who is eligible to permanently settle in Hong Kong and hONG KONG Hong Kong's government argued Tuesday against a landmark ruling that could let foreign maids gain permanent residency as it appealed a case that has raised concerns about ethnic discrimination and strains on social services. The case has divided Hong Kong, with some arguing that barring maids from applying for residency amounts to ethnic discrimination. Some groups fear the case will result in a massive influx of maids' family members arriving in Hong Kong, putting a strain on the densely populated city's social services and health and education systems, but supporters of the maids say those worries are unfounded. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Bangkok Dept: Last week's explosions in the Thai capital announced the apparent arrival of international terrorists in this Southeast Asian nation, revealing a plot allegedly aimed against Israeli diplomats. But big questions remain about who was behind the plot, and why, according to CTV. Was it part of a covert tit-for-tat war in which Iranians are hitting back at Israel for allegedly killing Iranian nuclear scientists in Tehran? Were the assailants part of a global terror network? If they were professional assassins, why were they so inept and bANGKOK, Thailand It began when three men blew up their house accidentally on Valentine's Day in Bangkok. It ended with a gory scene that looked more like Baghdad: a bloodied, would-be bomber with severed legs moaning on a glass-strewn sidewalk after another botched blast. So far, three Iranian citizens have been detained in the case, though police say they haven't revealed anything substantial under interrogation. A Thai court issued an arrest warrant for an additional Iranian suspect this week, and on Tuesday, police were investigating the discovery of stickers plastered on Bangkok utility poles and billboards that may have marked routes for intended victims. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canada Dept: At the same time, however, it has also gained repute as an easy mark for the unscrupulous who fraudulently use our generous refugeedetermination system as a way to get into Canada without submitting to standard immigration requirements and procedures, according to Montreal Gazette. The bill aims to dissuade refugee claimants coming from what the government classifies as "safe" countries - notably European Union member states, from which there has lately been an uptick in refugee claimants. Safe countries, by the government's definition, are ones with democratic political systems, solid human-rights records and independent judiciaries and canada has a long-standing and well-deserved reputation as a place of refuge for people fleeing persecution in their homelands. Last week the federal government introduced what it calls the Protecting Canada's Immigration Act, legislation intended to make it more difficult for what Immigration Minister Jason Kenney calls "bogus" refugee claimants to game the system, and to streamline the existing cumbersome screening process. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Fremont, Nebraska Dept: OMAHA, Neb. - In early versions of a Feb. 20 story about a federal judge's ruling on a challenge to an illegal immigration law in Fremont, Nebraska, The Associated Press erroneously reported most of the law had been rejected by the court. Later versions of the story correctly reflected that while the court rejected part of the law that would have denied housing permits to illegal immigrants, it also upheld other aspects of the law, including a requirement that employers verify the citizenship status of prospective employees. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Bronson Pinchot Project Dept: HARFORD, Pa. - For more than a decade, Bronson Pinchot has spent much of his downtime in the picture-book Pennsylvania hamlet where he found a dream home far from the stressful clamour of New York or L.A, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Still, he has decided to open his doors to America via "The Bronson Pinchot Project," which premiered Feb. 11 on the DIY Network. In all, eight episodes were shot over 13 weeks at the end of last year in Harford, a village founded in 1790 and nestled in the Endless Mountains of Susquehanna County near the New York state line and this photo taken Feb. 1, 2012 shows a Greek revival home, one of six properties Bronson Pinchot owns in Harford, Pa. Pinchot, best known for his starring role on the 1980's sitcom "Perfect Strangers," is back on TV with a new show about restoring his historic Pennsylvania homes. The show, The Bronson Pinchot Project, premiered this month on the DIY cable network. AP Photo/Heather Ainsworth Pinchot likely remains best known as the endearingly na ve, quasi-Mediterranean immigrant Balki Bartokomous from the TV sitcom "Perfect Strangers." But unlike Balki, Pinchot is by his own admission "fiercely private" and an "introvert that does a pretty convincing performance as an extrovert." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Gregory House Dept: The series, which airs on Fox and Global, has seen a dip in ratings this season, but still ranks as a top show for both networks. Of course, now that we all know House is closing, how will it all end? But creator-producer David Shore made it clear that House "isn't going to ride off into the sunset with love." So, it's not unfathomable for House to end up back in jail, according to Vancouver Sun and it's been eight years since we first checked into Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital for a diagnosis by Dr. House - the infamous doctor with the terrible bedside manner. And come May 21, Hugh Laurie's Dr. Gregory House will hang up his stethoscope for good. On tonight's episode, House faces going back to prison for violating his parole. Remember his Russian bride Dominika? House married her last season so she wouldn't be deported. Tonight, the "couple" have to prove their marriage is legit to immigration. If they fail, House goes back to the big house. FOX, Global - 8 p.m. div (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Libya Dept: Indeed there are, chiefly the fact there is no peace to keep in Syria. And there is little evidence the international community has the influence over Assad to stop what looks like a civil war in Syria without taking out his regime militarily, much as NATO created the conditions for the Libyan resistance to topple the Gadhafi regime last year, according to The Star. An international military force on the ground in Syria is highly unlikely to be a peacekeeping operation by any honest definition of that concept even though the term is already being bandied about internationally. What we are really talking about is regime change, which was NATO s and the UN s unstated goal in Libya, but one they could fudge because they were dealing with the Libyan military from 30,000 feet, not ground level and the international community has been digesting the Arab League s proposal for a peacekeeping force to stop the Assad regime from massacring Syrian citizens. The British are showing openness to the notion. And the U.S. state department has expressed qualified support for the idea, with the caveat: There are a number of challenges with regard to this proposal. But there is one big difference between Libya last year and Syria in 2012. In Libya, the international military intervention was limited to air power and special forces. That is not what the Arab League and others now envision in Syria. They are talking boots on the ground, a qualitatively and quantitatively different proposition. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Prenatal Testing Dept: But the former Pennsylvania senator has always been a culture warrior at heart. Santorum's weekend musings about limiting access to prenatal testing for pregnant women, and his accusations that President Barack Obama adheres to a "phoney theology," gave Americans a fresh glimpse of the polarizing style of politics that has long been central to his career, according to Montreal Gazette. Speaking to Tea Party activists in Columbus, Ohio, Santorum suggested Obama favoured increased abortions of disabled babies because of requirements in his new health care law that women receive free prenatal testing and rick Santorum climbed to the top of the GOP presidential heap on a ladder forged from blue-collar conservatism - wooing working-class Republicans with tales of his own family's coal-mining history and an economic message rooted in the need to revive American manufacturing. The sudden pivot to social issues also underscores Santorum's calculation that the GOP nomination can be won by appealing to "guns and Bible" Republicans who feel economically disenfranchised and culturally alienated from East Coast elites. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Incendies Dept: True, Incendies didn't win the Oscar. And only the voting academy members know how Monsieur Lazhar, which was produced by the same company micro scope , will fare. But this second-in-a-row nomination is bound to draw some extra attention to Montreal's vibrant francophone theatre scene in general, and de la Cheneli re in particular, according to Montreal Gazette. This Governor General's Award-winning playwright for D sordre public, in 2006 seemed remarkably unfazed about this development in her 15-year career when I spoke with her recently in a St. Denis St. restaurant and stage-to-screen adaptations are becoming a must for successful filmmaking in Quebec. Monsieur Lazhar, based on the play Bashir Lazhar by velyne de la Cheneli re, is about to make its way to the Academy Awards as a foreignfilm nominee, the year after Incendies, based on the play of the same name by Wajdi Mouawad, followed the same route. Next week she'll be making her first trip to Los Angeles to attend the Academy Awards on Feb. 26. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.