Edward Snowden: WASHINGTON - A U.S. Senate panel voted unanimously on Thursday to seek trade or other sanctions against Russia or any other country that offers asylum to former spy agency contractor Edward Snowden, who has been holed up for weeks at a Moscow airport, according to Reuters. Snowden is wanted by the United States on espionage charges for revealing details of government intelligence programs. He arrived in Moscow on June 23 from Hong Kong, where he had fled to escape capture and trial in the United States and By Patricia Zengerle The 30-member Senate Appropriations Committee adopted by consensus an amendment to a spending bill that would direct Secretary of State John Kerry to meet with congressional committees to come up with sanctions against any country that takes Snowden in. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

John Kerry: The secretary-general spoke before talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who stood nearby, according to CBC. The United States and Russia are trying to convene an international conference in Geneva, along with the United Nations, to try to agree on a transitional government based on a plan adopted in that city a year ago and Ban called on the Syrian government and opposition to halt the violence in the 2 year civil war, saying it is "imperative to have a peace conference in Geneva as soon as possible." UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, speaking with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in New York, said the solution in Syria must be political. Brendan McDermid/Reuters "There is no military solution to Syria," Kerry then told reporters. "There is only a political solution, and that will require leadership in order to bring people to the table." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Bruce Anderson: Bruce Anderson: This is what Canadians really think about Mulcair, Harper and Trudeau, according to Globe and Mail. Video: Prime Minister #039;s Quest: the video-game guide to Trudeau #039;s next two years CP Video Video PMO, NDP press Trudeau on why he ever accepted speaking fees Conservative Party keeps up fundraising advantage over Liberals, NDP Watch (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Begum Khurshid Awan: Solidarity Without Borders denounced what they described as the repeated "aggressive, intimidating and excessive behaviour" by federal agents towards Begum Khurshid Awan, a 57-year-old Pakistani national whose asylum request was refused by Canadian authorities and whose departure from Canada appears imminent, according to CTV. The CBSA declined to comment on the affair when contacted by Montreal Thursday and A group of Montreal activists is expressing outrage with the Canada Border Service Agency after the government agency sent case workers to the Montreal General Hospital to visit with a woman who was undergoing medical treatment. NDP leader Thomas Mulcair and the womans cardiologist had convinced the agency to delay the womans removal deportation past the Wednesday deadline as she received treatment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Halifax: The world renowned singer performs Saturday at 5:05 p.m. and Sunday at 5:20 p.m. at the third annual Africa Festival of Arts and Culture at Sackville Landing, Halifax, according to The Chronicle Herald. Mensah first came to Halifax last year to visit her brother, Rev. Ato Mensah, and is excited to be singing here with a percussionist and Ranzie Mensah is a citizen of the world, and this week her world includes Halifax. She joins a program that also includes Anne-Marie Woods, Reeny Smith, El Jones and the Carson Downey Band. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Colin Robertson The premiers: Colin Robertson The premiers are too reluctant to end crippling interprovincial barriers, according to Globe and Mail. Fixing ad hoc infrastructure strategy tops agenda at premiers meeting video Saskatchewan and Alberta joined Confederation 108 years ago this week, on July 20, 1905. They did so as junior partners; neither attained the full privileges of provincehood until 1930, when Parliament ratified the Natural Resource Transfer Agreements, which permit the western provinces to profit from the provisions of section 109 of the Constitution Act, 1867: All Lands, Mines, Minerals, and Royalties belonging to the several Provinces...shall belong to the several Provinces. More Related to this Story Premiers summit to press for Canada Pension Plan overhaul (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Barack Obama: GALESBURG, Ill. - President Barack Obama sought to build momentum for looming fiscal fights with Republicans in Congress, declaring in a speech that the economy would be the "highest priority" of his second term. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. A day after he kicked off the tour in Illinois and Missouri, Obama was travelling Thursday to a seaport in Jacksonville, Florida, to yet again decry the wide gulf between his vision for a new American prosperity driven by a burgeoning middle class and the intense gridlock snarling Congress. President Barack Obama waves after speaking about his vision for rebuilding the economy, Wednesday, July 24, 2013, at Knox College in Galesburg Ill. The president repackaged his economic message, a six-point plan for putting a floor under the country's diminishing middle class, and lashed out at opponents for creating "an endless parade of distractions, political posturing and phony scandals." AP Photo/Seth Perlman The president's remarks did not include new policy proposals or fresh solutions for addressing the partisan divide in Washington ahead of potential showdowns over raising the U.S. borrowing limit and curtailing across-the-board federal budget cuts. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Labour Market Agreements: The nine-page federal document entitled An Offer to Provinces and Territories to Transform and Renew the Labour Market Agreements, and Implement the Canada Job Grant was sent to at least one province recently. It appears to retain all the elements of the proposal set out in the March budget. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Globe editorial Action-plan ads are ineffective An internal document suggests Ottawa is preparing to push ahead with key features of its controversial skills-training initiative, despite provincial opposition and calls for flexibility. Jason Kenney to have greater say over controversial foreign-workers program (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

William Mountbatten-Windsor: Of course, this is no ordinary child. Under the British rules of succession, Prince George is destined to inherit regency over the remnants of the British Empire. And, under Canadas present Constitution, he may become King of Canada and our countrys head of state as well. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Whats in a name? For royals, a lot it turns out As was front page news worldwide, a baby boy was born Monday to Catherine and William Mountbatten-Windsor. We congratulate the couple and wish the newborn a happy and healthy life. The Duke and Duchess #039;s royal baby has been named George (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Obama: Returning to Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., where he gave his first big speech on the economy as a newly elected U.S. senator eight years ago, Obama repackaged his economic message, promising to "use every minute of the 1,276 days remaining in my term to make this country work for working Americans again.", according to CBC. In the first of three planned speeches on the economy, Obama played heavily on the need to put the brakes on growing income inequality, a repeated theme in all his remarks on the economy. 'The average CEO has gotten a raise of nearly 40 per cent since 2009, but the average American earns less than he or she did in 1999.' U.S. President Barack Obama U.S. President Barack Obama said Wednesday that Washington has "taken its eye off the ball" as he pledged a stronger second-term commitment to tackling the economic woes that still strain many in the middle class nearly five years after the country plunged into a recession. While proposing nothing new, the president was obviously setting the table for what will likely be a bitter fight with congressional Republicans this fall over the need to again raise the U.S. government's borrowing limit to pay its bills and to fend off deep spending cuts being written into an upcoming Republican budget proposal. 1st of 3 speeches on economy (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.