Edward Snowden: Snowden, who is wanted by the United States for revealing details of U.S. government intelligence programs, has been in the transit area of a Moscow airport since June 23 and wants to be able to stay in Russia until he can find sanctuary elsewhere. Snowden, Syria, Vladimir Putin's 'Cold Peace' with the West Why the U.S. hasn't nabbed Edward Snowden yet, according to CBC. Putin, visiting the Siberian town of Chita, did not say whether he expected Russia to grant temporary asylum to Snowden, but reiterated that Moscow had told the American he must stop any activities that might harm the United States and President Vladimir Putin signaled on Wednesday that he would not let former U.S. spy contractor Edward Snowden's application for temporary asylum in Russia derail relations with the United States. Asked whether the affair would cast a shadow over a U.S.-Russia summit due in September in Moscow, Putin told reporters: "Bilateral relations, in my opinion, are far more important than squabbles about the activities of the secret services." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke: WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Wednesday the U.S. central bank still expects to start scaling back its massive bond purchase program later this year, but he left open the option of changing that plan if the economic outlook shifted, according to Reuters. "Our asset purchases depend on economic and financial developments, but they are by no means on a preset course," he told the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee and By Alister Bull and Pedro da Costa While sticking closely to a timeline to wind down the bond buying that he first outlined last month, Bernanke went out of his way to stress that nothing was set in stone. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

university student: The six-person group which includes representatives from academia, organized labour and business, and a university student is set to spend the next six months consulting across the province before giving its advice to the government. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Unemployment OECD urges Canada to target problem of long-term unemployment The Ontario government has created a new panel to make recommendations on how much the provinces minimum wage should rise and come up with a process for regularly raising it in the future. Economy Poloz spells out ground rules for rate hike (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Correctional Service of Canada: The home page of CSC's website has a section on "Hiring an Offender" with information on how employers can access a pool of skilled workers for short and long-term assignments and wage subsidy programs. It also includes a video with employers and offenders offering testimonials about how having a job supports a successful transition to becoming a law-abiding, productive citizen. , according to Huffington Post. Boosting 'marketable skills' The Correctional Service of Canada has launched a new awareness campaign to help offenders land jobs, but critics say it flies in the face of new federal rules that make it harder for ex-cons to clear their criminal record and overcome the biggest barrier to post-prison employment. "The material that was recently posted on our website is part of CSC's ongoing effort to raise awareness among potential employers, community partners, stakeholders, CSC staff, and the general public on the benefits of hiring an offender and the importance of employment in an offender's reintegration process," said Veronique Rioux, spokeswoman for CSC. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Grand Chief Derek Nepinak: Grand Chief Derek Nepinak, head of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, said he threw the card in the garbage at a National Treaty Gathering of rival chiefs in Onion Lake, Sask. The Assembly of First Nations is holding its annual meeting this week in Whitehorse, Yukon, highlighting the growing schism within the country's aboriginal leadership. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "We've been subjecting ourselves to the prescriptive processes and the prescriptive policies of the Indian Act for far too long," he said. ONION LAKE, Sask. - One of Canada's most outspoken aboriginal critics says he threw away his Indian Act card as an act of emancipation and is encouraging others to reject the "racist policies" of the past in their own way. Both the Indian Act and the Assembly of First Nations are "relics" of the past, Nepinak said in an interview Wednesday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

USOC: USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky released a statement on Wednesday outlining the committee's opposition to any political boycott of the Games, according to Reuters. "Our boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games did not contribute to a successful resolution of the underlying conflict. It did, however, deprive hundreds of American athletes, all whom had completely dedicated themselves to representing our nation at the Olympic Games, of the opportunity of a lifetime and n" - The United States Olympic Committee USOC has rejected a call to boycott the Sochi Winter Olympics if Russia grants asylum to Edward Snowden, saying it was not in the best interests of the country or the athletes. "If there are any lessons to be learned from the American boycott of 1980, it is that Olympic boycotts do not work," the statement read. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Barack Obama: WASHINGTON - The White House is deliberately leaving it vague as to whether President Barack Obama will attend talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin if the saga involving former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden is unresolved, according to Reuters. But that announcement was before Snowden fled to Moscow from Hong Kong on June 23 to avoid facing U.S. espionage charges for revealing details about secret U.S. surveillance programs involving phone and Internet data and By Steve Holland Putin has invited Obama for face-to-face talks in Moscow ahead of a St. Petersburg summit in September with leaders of the G20 nations, and the White House announced on June 17 that Obama would both attend the summit and go to the Russian capital. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky released a statement on Wednesday outlining the committees opposition to any political boycott of the Games. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Snowden could leave airport transit zone soon, lawyer says The United States Olympic Committee USOC has rejected a call to boycott the Sochi Winter Olympics if Russia grants asylum to Edward Snowden, saying it was not in the best interests of the country or the athletes. Snowden applies for temporary asylum in Russia (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Calgary Sun: Sun Media Corp. announced Tuesday it will cut its free commuter 24 Hours chain in half by closing the free urban daily in Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton, cities where it will instead focus on the Ottawa Sun, Calgary Sun and Edmonton Sun tabloids, according to Huffington Post. "We didn't see how we could improve the situation for these weeklies in the next year and it's sad," he added and Canadas largest newspaper publisher is shuttering 11 papers and slashing 360 jobs in a second wave of mass cost-cutting in recent months as the chain struggles to boost profits amid persistent industry-wide challenges. It will also shut down eight small weekly newspapers in central Canada that weren't profitable, said Martin Tremblay, vice-president of public affairs at Sun Media. Seven have been closed since June and the eighth, Le Progres de Bellechasse, was shuttered Tuesday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Obama: Obama is scheduled to visit St. Petersburg in September for the Group of 20 economic summit and also stop in Moscow for one-on-one talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But with Snowden seeking temporary asylum in Russia a request the U.S. strongly opposes the White House on Tuesday was ambiguous about the president's itinerary, according to Times Colonist. Asked whether that meant Obama was skipping Moscow, Carney would only say that he didn't have anything to add to "previous announcements on presidential travel." WASHINGTON - The White House is playing coy over President Barack Obama's travel plans to Russia this fall as Washington and Moscow negotiate the fate of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden. "The president intends to travel to Russia in September for the G-20 Summit, and I don't have any further announcements with regard to that travel," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.