Benson Kibue: The explosion happened as the minibus was travelling from Eastleigh neighbourhood of Nairobi to the city centre, said Benson Kibue, chief of police in Nairobi. Investigators believe an improvised explosive device was used in the Saturday attack that injured at least 25 others, he said, according to Times Colonist. Kenya has been the scene of multiple terrorist attacks since the country sent its military to Somalia in 2011 to fight the extremist Somali militant group al-Shabab and NAIROBI, Kenya - At least four people were killed Saturday after a device exploded inside a passenger van in the capital, Kenyan police said, in what appears to be the first attack inside Nairobi since the deadly terrorist assault on an upscale mall in September. Sometimes called Kenya's "Little Mogadishu," Eastleigh is known for its large population of ethnic Somalis. The neighbourhood came under fresh scrutiny by investigators following the Sept. 21 attack on Nairobi's Westgate Mall, a bloody four-day siege in which at least 67 people were killed. A Western official familiar with the Westgate attack investigation told The Associated Press last month that all four attackers were ethnic Somalis who had spent time in Eastleigh. The official confirmed that all four gunmen arrived in Kenya in June and attended a gym in the neighbourhood. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Halifax: Now unemployed, the young couple are struggling to find comparable work in the city, according to The Chronicle Herald. BlackBerry was poised to be the darling of the tech sector in Halifax when it opened its doors in the suburb of Bedford in 2006. The Waterloo, Ont.-based company was lured by millions in provincial subsidies with the hopes of creating up to 1,200 high-paying jobs and HALIFAX Misty Legge and her husband Matthew had hopes for a bright future when they packed their bags six years ago and left their native Newfoundland and Labrador for jobs at the BlackBerry office in Halifax. I never dreamed this would happen, says Misty, who secured a technical support job at BlackBerry TSX:BB fresh out of community college in St. Johns, N.L., and had planned on a long career at the smartphone firm. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Halifax: Now unemployed, the young couple are struggling to find comparable work in the city, according to CTV. BlackBerry was poised to be the darling of the tech sector in Halifax when it opened its doors in the suburb of Bedford in 2006. The Waterloo, Ont.-based company was lured by millions in provincial subsidies with the hopes of creating up to 1,200 high-paying jobs and HALIFAX -- Misty Legge and her husband Matthew had hopes for a bright future when they packed their bags six years ago and left their native Newfoundland and Labrador for jobs at the BlackBerry office in Halifax. "I never dreamed this would happen," says Misty, who secured a technical support job at BlackBerry TSX:BB fresh out of community college in St. John's, N.L., and had planned on a long career at the smartphone firm. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Barack Obama: The president is unpopular in Kentucky. In its mountainous east, his name is radioactive. In Clay County, for example, he won only 15 per cent of the vote to Mitt Romneys 84 per cent in 2012. Even Democrats have doubts: In the states primary that year, 42 per cent of them chose uncommitted rather than vote for Barack Obama, according to The Chronicle Herald. Take the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. The people whose job it is to persuade rural Kentuckians to sign up for it play down any connection with Washington or even with Frankfort, the state capital and Some of his policies are popular, though, so long as they are not labeled as having anything to do with him. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Richard Jerman: Richard Jerman, 60, who has four children and 14 grandchildren, was taken from the First Nations reserve on Penelakut Island, about five kilometres from Chemainus, without notice on Wednesday. He has lived on the island, formerly called Kuper Island, for 37 years. , according to Times Colonist. Jerman was instead released on a $500 bond and issued an exclusion order the lowest level removal order, Golden said. He expects Jerman will likely be allowed to stay on Penelakut Island for now giving the family time to put together an application for permanent residency in Canada and the government time to properly assess the information. A U.S.-born father and grandfather taken from his Penelakut Island home by Canadas Border Services Agency was released by immigration officials Friday on a $500 bond. Immigration lawyer Peter Golden said a scheduled detention review hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in Vancouver didnt take place. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Dow Jones industrials: The S P/TSX composite index was 11.31 points higher at 13,125.7, according to The Star. U.S. indexes were similarly lacklustre after three days of losses as the Dow Jones industrials edged 15.93 points higher to 15,755.36, the Nasdaq added 2.57 points to 4,000.98 and the S P 500 index slipped 0.18 of a point to 1,775.32 and The Toronto stock market closed little changed Friday with buyers not inclined to do much on hopes that a meeting of the Federal Reserve next week will provide clarity on whether the central bank is set to start reducing its monetary stimulus. The Canadian dollar closed up 0.4 of a cent at 94.38 cents U.S. . (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Federal Open Market Committee: The loonie advanced 0.4 of a cent to 94.38 cents US as the greenback weakened in the afternoon after having gained ground against other currencies earlier following the passage of a budget agreement in Congress Thursday night, according to Times Colonist. But a string of strong data last week, capped by a solid employment report for November, has raised concerns that the Fed could act when the Federal Open Market Committee meets Dec. 17-18 and TORONTO - The Canadian dollar closed higher Friday with traders focused on the Federal Reserve and whether the central bank will move to cut back on monetary stimulus at its interest rate meeting next week. Expectations about the Fed tapering its US$85 billion a month of bond purchases have changed over the last month. Previously markets largely expected that the central bank would hold off until March when incoming chair Janet Yellen is settled in her new job. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Federal Reserve: TORONTO The Toronto stock market closed little changed Friday with buyers not inclined to do much on hopes that a meeting of the Federal Reserve next week will provide clarity on whether the central bank is set to start reducing its monetary stimulus, according to The Chronicle Herald. The Canadian dollar closed up 0.4 of a cent at 94.38 cents US and The S P/TSX composite index was 11.31 points higher at 13,125.7. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Government Whip John Duncan: Staffers must sign the agreement, which was approved by the all-party Board of Internal Economy in March and came into effect on April 1, in order to receive a raise or if they change jobs, according to CTV. When asked on s Power Play Thursday if he was prepared to do the same, Duncan said sure and Government Whip John Duncan says he will work collaboratively with the NDP to revisit the language in a controversial lifetime confidentiality agreement that MPs staffers are being asked to sign. The agreements strong language raised questions on Parliament Hill earlier this week, and the New Democrats pledged to revisit the document. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Halifax Regional Municipality: Sometime early in the new year, Halifax Regional Municipality is going to roll out its new 2014 immigration strategy. The federal funds have been secured, the new co-ordinator has been hired and the initial three-year budget has been approved. The new strategy will replace the old 2005 immigration strategy, which many politicians and most local business and academic leaders agree has mostly been a failure, according to The Chronicle Herald. As a new immigrant to Halifax, I cannot even begin to tell you how much of a waste of money this is. Halifax doesnt have an international branding problem. The world loves Halifax. Its a beautiful city, on a beautiful harbour. It has a rich sense of history. Halifax has some of the cleanest air in the world. It has great neighbourhoods and a strong sense of community. It has a multitude of universities and all the amenities a family would need and The new strategy will follow on the heels of the recent announcement that the city will be spending $217,000 to have a Bedford ad agency rebrand the Halifax name with the hope of making the city a destination" for new immigrants. Halifaxs immigration strategy, in effect, is getting a 2014 reboot. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.