business surveys: Output at British factories also surged last month, according to business surveys released on Thursday, while an index of China's massive manufacturing sector suggested the slowdown in the world's No. 2 economy may be stabilizing, according to Reuters. It probably does not, however, point to an imminent tightening of monetary policy. ECB President Mario Draghi on Thursday stressed that interest rates would remain at current lows or lower for an "extended time and NEW YORK/LONDON - U.S. manufacturing grew in July at its fastest pace in two years while European factories snapped a two-year run of declining output, suggesting a prolonged euro zone recession may be near its end. The data should hearten policymakers around the world, particularly those at the European Central Bank who have come under pressure to support an economy struggling to escape from the longest recession in the 17-country euro zone's history. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Russia: The 30-year-old former NSA contractor now has plenty of room to roam throughout the sprawling country and continue the bizarre journey that has already stretched across half the planet from Hawaii to Hong Kong to the Russian capital, according to 660 News. The asylum offer places a significant new strain on already-corroded relations with Washington amid differences over Syria, U.S. criticism of Russias human rights record and other disputes. But Russia appears to have reckoned that ending Snowdens airport limbo was worth intensifying the political standoff. The decision gives Russia cover to depict itself as a defender of human rights, pointing a finger to deflect criticism of its own poor record and tough crackdown on dissent and MOSCOW Defying the United States, Russia granted Edward Snowden temporary asylum on Thursday, allowing the National Security Agency leaker to slip out of the Moscow airport where he has been holed up for weeks in hopes of evading espionage charges back home. The move infuriated the U.S. administration, which said it was extremely disappointed and warned that the decision could derail an upcoming summit between President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Obama: During a jobs speech Tuesday in Tennessee, Obama downplayed the pipeline's effect on jobs, calling it a "blip" compared with the overall economy. He also made that point in an interview with The New York Times last week, according to CBC. The $7 billion pipeline has become a contentious issue. Project supporters, including unions and lawmakers from both parties, tout the jobs it would create and demand its approval, while environmentalists urge the president to reject it, saying it would carry dirty, carbon-intensive oil and U.S. President Barack Obama has revived debate about the number of jobs that would be created by the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas. The 2,700-kilometre pipeline would carry oil from tar sands in Alberta to refineries in the Houston area, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. The president correctly characterized the project's overall effect on U.S. employment but underestimated the number of jobs it would create. Wildly different estimates (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: MOSCOW National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden left the transit zone of a Moscow airport and officially entered Russia after authorities granted him asylum for a year, his lawyer said Thursday, a move that suggests the Kremlin isnt shying away from further conflict with the United States, according to The Chronicle Herald. The U.S. has demanded that Russia send Snowden home to face prosecution for espionage over his leaks that revealed wide U.S. Internet surveillance practices, but Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the request. In a statement released by the WikiLeaks secret-spilling site, Snowden thanked Russia and lashed out at the Obama administration and Snowdens whereabouts will be kept a secret for security reasons, lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said, making it even harder to keep track of the former NSA systems analyst, who has been largely hiding out at Moscows Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

employment agencies: I have been working in Toronto for the past seven years and all my jobs have been contract roles. Now when I apply for a full-time permanent job, the recruiter says, Why have you not done any full-time jobs? All my work was obtained through employment agencies, and I was not offered full-time opportunities. Kindly suggest the way out, and how I can get back to full-time work. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Ask a Career Coach How to network like a pro THE QUESTION Ask A Career Coach Large firms dont want to hire big fish from small pond (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival: Thats the question organizers of the 2013 Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival are asking themselves on the eve of the festivals closing weekend in Toronto, which culminates Saturday with a massive parade watched by up to a million people, according to The Star. The grant was so small that organizers were forced to turn it down because the cost of staging the cultural events required to qualify for the money would far exceed the size of the grant and Does Prime Minister Stephen Harper have something against North Americas largest Caribbean festival? The reason for their question is simple: the Harper government has once again this summer stiffed the two-week festival by offering it a measly last-minute grant of only $13,000. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Barrick: "Some shareholders and analysts have expressed frustration with the project and have asked us about the rationale of proceeding with construction in light of the current environment," Jamie Sokalsky, Barrick's president and chief executive said during a conference call Thursday, according to CTV. After lingering uncertainty over the future of the Pascua-Lama mine, a Chilean court ruled on July 15 that Barrick can resume construction once it has met its environmental promises and TORONTO -- A massive writedown on the Pascua-Lama mine in Chile helped push Barrick Gold Corp. to a second-quarter loss of US$8.56 billion, but the Toronto-based company says it plans to continue the project despite lagging gold and copper prices. "We're about halfway through its development... We have to consider more factors than the last three or four months of price weakness and the volatility in the market when we're evaluating a 25-plus year mine life." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird: In an exclusive interview with The Canadian Press, Baird described how Canada has worked behind the scenes to persuade Russia not to follow through with the law, according to CBC. Baird says he is deeply concerned about Thursday's comments by Russia's sports minister that the new law will be enforced during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird denounced Russia's controversial new anti-gay law as hateful Thursday, saying it could incite violence. Baird outlined the details of eight meetings, dating back to January, during which Canadian officials pushed the issue with the Russians, before and after President Vladimir Putin signed the controversial bill into law in June. 'This mean-spirited and hateful law will affect all Russians 365 days of the year, every year. It is an incitement to intolerance, which breeds hate. And intolerance and hate breed violence' Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: Snowden's whereabouts will be kept secret for security reasons, said Snowden's lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, making it even harder to keep track of the former NSA systems analyst, who has been holed up at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23, according to CBC. The White House insisted Snowden isn't a whistleblower or dissident and said the move to grant him asylum undermines Russia's record of co-operation with the U.S. Spokesman Jay Carney said that the White House is re-evaluating whether a planned fall summit with U.S. President Barack Obama and Putin should still go ahead. 'The law is winning' U.S. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden left the transit zone of a Moscow airport and officially entered Russia Thursday after authorities granted him asylum for a year, a move that suggests the Kremlin isn't shying away from further conflict with the United States. The U.S. has demanded that Russia send Snowden back to the U.S. to face prosecution for espionage over his leaks that revealed widespread surveillance of citizens' internet use and email communications, but Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the request. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Barack Obama: WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama pointed to the global climate implications of approving TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline during a wide-ranging Capitol Hill meeting on Wednesday with Democratic lawmakers. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "He pointed out this is a global issue, even more so than an American or a Canadian issue," Cardin said. Barack Obama CP Facing tough questions from some of his congressional allies about an apparent reluctance to approve the project, Obama called the debate a "global issue," Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin told reporters following the meeting. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.