Edward Snowden: In a letter dated Tuesday, the attorney general said the criminal charges Snowden now faces in this country do not carry the death penalty and the U.S. will not seek his execution even if he is charged with additional serious crimes, according to Times Colonist. Snowden has been charged with three offences in the U.S., including espionage, and could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted and WASHINGTON - Striving to get Edward Snowden back to America, U.S., Attorney General Eric Holder has assured the Russian government the U.S. has no plans to seek the death penalty for the former National Security Agency systems analyst. Holder's letter followed news reports that Snowden, who leaked details of top secret U.S. surveillance programs, has filed papers seeking temporary asylum in Russia on grounds that if he were returned to the United States he would be tortured and would face the death penalty. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: The 30-year-old former U.S. spy agency contractor has been stuck in the transit area of a Moscow airport for more than a month despite Washingtons calls to hand him over, according to The Star. The World Daily : A Moscow travel guide for Edward Snowden MOSCOW The United States has made a formal promise to Russia not to execute or torture Edward Snowden if he is sent home to face charges of illegally disclosing government secrets, and the Kremlin said Russian and U.S. security agencies are in talks over his fate. Russia has refused to extradite Snowden, who leaked details of a secret U.S. surveillance program including phone and Internet data, and is now considering his request for a temporary asylum. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

UNHCR: The climate of hostility has increased since the Egyptian army seized power this month, human rights groups say. More than 90,000 Syrians are believed to have come to Egypt to escape the civil war, now in its third year. , according to Reuters. The UNHCR had requested access to 85 detained Syrians and assurances that they will not be returned to Syria, she told a news briefing. GENEVA - Egyptian authorities have arbitrarily arrested and detained Syrian refugees as sentiment against them grows, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said Syrians had been accused of taking part in protests supporting Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, who was toppled by the army on July 3. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: Snowden, who is believed to have been staying at the Moscow airport transit zone since June 23, applied for temporary asylum in Russia last week. The United States wants him sent home to face prosecution for espionage. Related Items Articles Pressing for Snowden return, Attorney General Holder tells Russia US won't seek death penalty , according to Winnipeg Free Press. Peskov also said that Putin is not involved in reviewing Snowden's application or discussions of the ex-NSA contractor's future with the U.S., though the Russian Security Service, the FSB, had been in touch with the FBI. MOSCOW - A spokesman for President Vladimir Putin says Russia has not budged from its refusal to extradite U.S. leaker Edward Snowden, who has applied for asylum. Asked by a reporter whether the government's position had changed, Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that "Russia has never extradited anyone and never will." There is no U.S.-Russia extradition treaty. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jose Canseco: Stop using drugs, he said, addressing the allegations Mayor Rob Ford has been caught on video smoking crack-cocaine. Just so you know. , according to Huffington Post. I ve got allegations of steroid use. So what? he said. Former home run king and Blue Jay slugger Jose Canseco once considered running for mayor of Toronto. But on a promotional visit to the city on Friday, Canseco only offered political advice. Canseco, speaking from the patio of Belly Buster Submarines, a sandwich shop on King Street West, didnt think much of the recent drug accusations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Human Rights Watch: Many of the 90,000 or more Syrians who have come to Egypt to escape their civil war have complained of harassment since Islamist president Mohamed Mursi was toppled on July 3, and fear they are being made scapegoats for Egypt's domestic troubles. , according to Reuters. Human Rights Watch, based in New York, said Egyptian police had arrested 72 Syrian men and nine boys on July 19 and 20 alone, including registered asylum seekers and at least nine with valid visas or residence permits. At least 14 were threatened with deportation. CAIRO - Egypt has been detaining Syrian refugees without charge and threatening to deport them in a climate of growing hostility since the army seized power last month, the rights group Human Rights Watch HRW said on Thursday. In particular, a flurry of media reports and government assertions that foreigners have infiltrated Egypt and are taking part in violence have sown widespread distrust. (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.

Justin Trudeau: At a rally in Kelowna, B.C., on Sunday, Trudeau said he is no longer in favour of just decriminalizing cannabis, according to CTV. On Thursday, Trudeau repeated the sentiment to reporters at an event in Vancouver, according to the Globe and Mail , saying that he has evolved in my own thinking, after reading the latest research on the topic and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau says legalizing marijuana is the only way to keep the drug out of the hands of children, and while the comments repeat similar statements from earlier this year, they made headlines across the country Thursday and provoked a strong rebuke from the Conservatives. I m actually in favour of legalizing it; tax and regulate it, Trudeau said to cheers from the crowd. Its one of the only ways to keep it out of the hands of our kids, because the current war on drugs, the current model, is not working. We have to use evidence and science to make sure that we re moving forward on that. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

renewable energy sources: Energy , according to Huffington Post. They identified three broad areas to focus on in the strategy: sustainability and conservation, technology and innovation, and delivering energy to people. The plan will include things like ways to lower carbon emissions, developing renewable energy sources, increasing research and technology and diversifying the market. Canada's 13 provincial and territorial leaders are gathering in picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., for an annual gathering that officially kicked off Wednesday evening with an opening reception for the leaders and their families. When they begin their meetings this morning there will be no shortage of issues for them to discuss. Here's a look at five topics that are expected to come up and stir some debate before the leaders head home on Friday. At last year's premiers' meeting the leaders with the exception of B.C.'s Christy Clark decided to set up a working group on energy issues with an eye to developing a national strategy. Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger, Alberta Premier Alison Redford and Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Kathy Dunderdale took the lead and will present their year's worth of work to their colleagues in Niagara-on-the-Lake. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne: Wynne, chair of the Council of the Federation, said "none of us are happy with the program with the way it's been rolled out or the process around it.", according to CBC. Wynne also said the premiers are calling for a federal-provincial meeting of ministers to discuss the contentious program and Canada's premiers and territorial leaders are presenting a united front against a new federal jobs training program, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said Thursday after a full day of meetings with her counterparts in Niagara-on-the-Lake. But questions around a possible Canadian energy strategy remain. She said British Columbia Premier Christy Clark and New Brunswick Premier David Alward will study the Canada Job Grant program and report back in the fall. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.