United States and Canada: Election preparation and speculation are keeping MLAs from events this month with fellow legislators from the northeastern United States and Canada, according to The Chronicle Herald. Also, each party usually sends at least one MLA to the organizations summer executive meeting, but no ones lined up for the event in Baltimore from Aug. 23 to 25 and Cape Breton North Tory Eddie Orrell ended up giving last weeks Council of State Governments-Eastern Regional Conference leadership academy in Philadelphia a pass. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: Neither Lon Snowden nor his attorney Bruce Fein has spoken directly with the former NSA analyst since he fled the United States and received asylum in Russia, they said. But the father and lawyer also said they look forward to meeting with Edward Snowden to consider options for the leaker to return to the United States at some point, according to Times Colonist. But the elder Snowden isn't convinced his son would get a fair hearing in court, given what he called "absolutely irresponsible" descriptions of his son's actions from President Barack Obama, his administration and top lawmakers from both parties and WASHINGTON - National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden's father has secured documents to visit his son in Russia and plans to discuss how he could fight espionage charges, Lon Snowden and his attorney said Sunday. "As a father, I want my son to come home if I believe that the justice system ... is going to be applied correctly," Lon Snowden said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita: BAMAKO - Poll workers in Mali began counting votes in Sunday's high stakes presidential runoff, with former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita tipped to claim the difficult job of stabilizing the West African nation after more than a year of turmoil. , according to Reuters. He must also tackle deep-rooted corruption and forge a lasting peace with northern Tuaregs after decades of sporadic uprisings, problems that led to the overthrow of president Amadou Toumani Toure in a March 2012 coup and allowed the Islamists to seize the northern two-thirds of the country. By Daniel Flynn and Tiemoko Diallo The winner of the vote will be able to draw on more than $4 billion in foreign aid promised to rebuild the country after a French-led military intervention in January routed al Qaeda-linked rebels occupying the desert north. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

detention centres: Greece, struggling to exit its worst financial crisis in decades, has become a frontier for immigrants mainly from Asia and Africa, who seek a better life in Europe but often end up living in cramped detention centres. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. IMF approves $2.3-billion aid for Greece Dozens of illegal immigrants being held in a Greek detention centre hurled stones at police guards and set mattresses on fire in protest over the extension of their detention, Greek police said on Sunday. Brazil refused to back new IMF aid for Greece, putting billions at risk (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: WASHINGTON - The father of Edward Snowden, the fugitive former U.S. spy agency contractor, has received a Russian visa and will travel there shortly to see his son, he and his lawyer said on Sunday, according to Reuters. "We have visas. We have a date, which we won't disclose right now because of the frenzy" over the affair, Fein told the ABC News program "This Week," on which they both appeared. They will travel to Russia "very soon," he said and By Paul Eckert Attorney Bruce Fein said in a television appearance that he and Lon Snowden were skeptical about President Barack Obama's pledge to limit government surveillance programs, and they remain doubtful that young Snowden can receive a fair trial in the United States. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Leo Johnson: But creating strong social bonds was precisely the aim of Hamilton's inaugural Community Cup, according to CBC. The goal of the event, said event co-organizer Leo Johnson, was to use soccer to foster connections between newcomer youth and to help them integrate into the broader community and Fierce competition on the soccer field doesn't always lead to friendship. Billed as a "celebration of soccer, culture and the arts," the tournament, which took place at the H.A.A.A. Grounds in west Hamilton on Saturday afternoon, involved around 50 competitors and 20 volunteers, the majority of whom were immigrants to Canada. 'Recreation is one of the most efficient ways of getting people to know their community and getting them to know each other.' Leo Johnson, Empowerment Squared (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Barack Obama: Political relations between Russia and the United States have been steadily fraying. Although the immediate explanation for Obamas cancellation is connected to Russia granting temporary asylum to Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor wanted on espionage charges, the roots of this crisis run much deeper. In fact, while the two countries have always held divergent views on many issues, since the fall of the Soviet Union they have never been at such odds as they are today. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. It seems that business as usual trying to engage Putin whenever and wherever possible in desperate pursuit of solutions to international concerns, such as the Syrian crisis and Afghanistan transit routes became too difficult to sustain. The U.S. tactics of appeasement engaging with Russia through the "reset" in relations between the two nations have clearly reached their limit. Not only has this approach borne little fruit, but it has also resulted in long-term collateral damage to other essential causes, including the deterioration of political and civil liberties in Russia. As a former prime minister of Russia, I was pleased to see that President Barack Obama decided Wednesday to cancel his bilateral meeting with Vladimir Putin when he travels to St. Petersburg next month for the Group of 20 economic summit. Obama now has the opportunity to reinforce this strong message by speaking out during his visit against Russian officials who have engaged in electoral fraud, malicious propaganda and the oppression of civil activists. These differences go well beyond current bilateral affairs and involve Russias violation of universal values of human rights, freedoms and democratic principles that both countries have committed to supporting. These include the aggressive assault by Russian authorities on independent nongovernmental organizations and civil activists; politically motivated harassment of ordinary citizens who participated in peaceful protests against the government; and such unthinkable proceedings as a posthumous trial for whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, who was tortured to death in a Russian jail. No longer can the United States and Russias other democratic partners tolerate such actions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

John Baird: Harper joins controversy over Russia #039;s anti-gay law, according to Globe and Mail. Egypts Morsi caused his own downfall, Baird suggests CTV video Foreign Minister John Baird concluded a 13-day, seven-country trip to Latin America on Friday in Rio de Janeiro, where he met his Brazilian counterpart and boosted key Canadian businesses including BlackBerry and Brookfield. He assessed the state of Canadas relations with the region and beyond in a conversation with The s new Latin America correspondent, Stephanie Nolen. More Related to this Story Baird offers Canadas support of Israel-Palestine peace talks (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

detention center: Greece, struggling to exit its worst financial crisis in decades, has become a frontier for immigrants mainly from Asia and Africa, who seek a better life in Europe but often end up living in cramped detention centers. , according to Reuters. The detainees hurled water bottles and stones at guards and set garbage bags and mattresses on fire, injuring 10 police guards. There were no reports of injured migrants, police said. ATHENS - Dozens of illegal immigrants being held in a Greek detention center hurled stones at police guards and set mattresses on fire in protest over the extension of their detention, Greek police said on Sunday. More than 50 out of 1,620 migrants held at the detention center of Amygdaleza, near Athens, were arrested over the clashes, which broke out late on Saturday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jennifer Aniston: NEW YORK, N.Y. - The dystopian science fiction thriller "Elysium" topped the weekend box office with $30.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, enough to beat three newcomers, including the Jennifer Aniston comedy "We're the Millers." , according to Winnipeg Free Press. But "Elysium" was able to come out on top in a crowded weekend, with three other new wide releases: the R-rated Warner Bros. comedy "We're the Millers," starring Jason Sudeikis and Aniston $26.6 million over the weekend, a strong $38 million since opening Tuesday night ; Disney's "Cars" spinoff "Planes" $22.5 million and Fox's fantasy sequel "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" $14.6 million over the weekend, $23.5 million since Wednesday . Alice Braga arrives at the world premiere of "Elysium" at the Regency Village Theater on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013 in Los Angeles. Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP Sony's "Elysium," directed by Neill Blomkamp and starring Matt Damon, opened in line with expectations, but still debuted somewhat modestly for a $115 million action film. It couldn't match Blomkamp's previous film, the $30 million "District 9," which opened with $37.4 million in August 2009. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.