air power: Igor Konashenkov, according to CBC. He said some bore gunshot wounds. Dozens of bodies have been uncovered, according to ministry spokesman Maj.-Gen. While the Syrian war is now largely fought with mortars, tanks, and air power, death has come at close quarters as well. Explosions and airstrikes return to Aleppo, surrounding areas'Aleppo is back,' Syrian TV declares after army completely retakes city from rebels The Russian Air Force has helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its allies to capture Aleppo, which was once Syria's largest city, after weeks of a siege. Human rights observers and the media have recorded numerous examples of massacres and organized torture, perpetrated by the government, opposition, and the Islamic State group. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian citizens: With 47, not 46, visible minority MPs, or 14 per cent, representation is close to the share of the visible minority voting population, according to Toronto Star. This is not to say that representation cannot be further improved or that electoral reform needs to consider diversity implications but important to get the baseline data right. Visible minorities may form 19 per cent of the population, but the correct figure to use is the number who are also Canadian citizens 15 per cent. Andrew Griffith, Ottawa Article Continued Below The Morning Headlines Newsletter Delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up react-empty 149 (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gunshot wounds: Gen, according to Toronto Star. Igor Konashenkov. Dozens of bodies have been uncovered, according to Ministry spokesman Maj. He said some bore gunshot wounds. Human rights observers and the media have recorded numerous examples of massacres and organized torture, perpetrated by the government, opposition, and Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL. The Russian Air Force has helped Syrian President Bashar Assad and its allies to capture Aleppo, Syria's largest city, after weeks of a siege. While the Syrian war is now largely fought with mortars, tanks, and air power, death has come at close quarters as well. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nova scotia: I expected a response, just not one as huge as this, said Sandee Mac Lean, a woman with multiple tattoos and copper red hair, who came up with the idea with her sister, according to The Chronicle Herald. Canada has a lot of land, but not a lot of people, and economically sleepy regions like Cape Breton in Nova Scotia have steadily leaked population. The family expected a few dozen responses; more than 50,000 poured in and the calls keep coming. The island, a scenic 10,360-square-kilometre patch of rolling forest and farmland jutting into the northern Atlantic Ocean, has only about 130,000 residents and has been losing well over 1,000 people a year for the last two decades. It is validation that land is an attraction, said Chris van den Heuvel, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture. As Cape Bretoners become increasingly frantic about stemming the tide of outward migration, giving away land just might be a solution. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee camps: For two days, the slender 30-year-old from South Sudan's Equatoria region navigated his way out of civil war, riding a motorcycle along dirt roads and avoiding government soldiers who, according to accounts by refugees to The Associated Press, have taken aim at civilians, according to Metro News. In his last steps on South Sudanese soil, Issac passed a group of rag-tag rebel soldiers and crossed a rickety bridge into Uganda, and safety. I don't want to die. I am happy, he said, as Ugandan soldiers searched his belongings for contraband. He is one of 440,000 refugees who have fled South Sudan's spiraling conflict into Uganda this year alone, creating some of the world's largest refugee camps in just six months' time. There are no problems here. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

roster turnover: Then again, perhaps it makes perfect sense, according to The Waterloo Record. As the league begins its double-round-robin grind next week, Kansas sets its sights on a 13th consecutive regular-season championship. At first glance, it makes little sense that the Big 12 conducts its men's basketball tournament at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, considering the state of Missouri no longer has a program in the league. That almost unfathomable stretch of dominance would match the UCLA teams of the 1960s and '70s for the longest streak in major college basketball, and is one that may never again be matched in an era of increased roster turnover and greater overall parity. What Kansas has done, it's unheard of, said TCU coach Jamie Dixon, who arrived in the Big 12 from Pittsburgh this season. And since the Jayhawks reside in Lawrence, a short drive down Interstate 70 from the Sprint Center, the old clich appears to hold true The road to the Big 12 title goes through Kansas. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

stoic gase: Time to hit the pause button on the video, break out the eggnog and trade high-fives with the wife Apparently not, according to The Waterloo Record. I don't think there was a high-five, a stoic Gase said Monday. Coach Adam Gase was at home late on Christmas night grading videotape of the Miami Dolphins' most recent game when their first playoff berth since 2008 was secured. The first-year coach is unwilling to celebrate when there are more games to be won, and when a post-season berth was part of the plan from the start. That's how you think as a coach. This is kind of what we expected, Gase said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

christmas shopping: They want to be employed, according to CBC. They're very proud about attending the programs.'- Andrea Buttars, Wesley Urban Ministries They were on their way home from Christmas shopping when they drove up on gunfire. There's a lot of commitment. By the time Saloum realized he was trapped in the middle, vehicles were behind him, so he couldn't reverse. Albotros put their three-year-old daughter on the floor and bent to cover her. They crouched low. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nonconference opponent: Only two SEC teams are in the Top 25 No. 6 Kentucky and No. 22 South Carolina, according to Hamilton Spectator. The Gamecocks could fall out of the rankings after Wednesday's 62-60 loss to Clemson which marked the first time the Tigers ever had beaten a ranked nonconference opponent on the road. But there are plenty of questions surrounding the rest of the league as it tries to bounce back from a 2015-16 season in which the SEC earned only three NCAA Tournament invitations. Other teams have shown promise but still have questions to answer as the SEC prepares to start league play Thursday. We've come up on the short end in a few big games, but we've been really competitive, I think, against some of the best teams in the country. I think the league is really competitive, Florida coach Mike White said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

property owner: Canada limits the number of privately sponsored Syrian refugee applicants in 2017New life, new business Syrian refugees bring taste of home to Canada When I show you my basement, you can't even get through, according to CBC. Eaton is a volunteer with the Syrian Refugee Support Group. I am at capacity, Gina Eaton told CBC News Saturday. Gina Eaton's house is full of donations for Syrian refugees. Terri Trembath/CBC Last December, a generous and anonymous donor gave the group a warehouse where donations could be stored, processed and distributed but it was originally a three-month offer. A Calgary group is hoping a property owner will come forward and offer them a warehouse space to accept, process and distribute the generosity of Calgarians. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee families: In Montana, which took in just nine refugee families from January to early December, about a dozen bill requests related to refugees, immigration and terrorism have been filed ahead of next month's session, according to Metro News. The measures include requiring resettlement agencies to carry insurance that would defray the cost of prosecuting refugees who commit violent crimes and allowing towns and cities to request a moratorium on resettlements in their communities. The push to restrict refugee resettlements and immigration in the U.S. that figured so prominently in Donald Trump's election is now headed to states that are preparing to convene their legislative sessions early next year, immigration advocates said. Refugee rights advocates say those measures are a sign of what is to come as the anti-refugee rhetoric that featured prominently in the presidential election spills over to statehouses and local governments. The president-elect campaigned on building a border wall with Mexico to stop illegal immigration, deporting immigrants who are in the nation illegally and halting the resettlement of refugees to strengthen the federal program that vets them. It's pretty widely known that this is going to be a hard year for those of us who are seeking to protect the rights of refugees and immigrants, said S.K. Rossi, advocacy and policy director for the ACLU of Montana. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anti-refugee rhetoric: The measures include requiring resettlement agencies to carry insurance that would defray the cost of prosecuting refugees who commit violent crimes and allowing towns and cities to request a moratorium on resettlements in their communities, according to Brandon Sun. Refugee rights advocates say those measures are a sign of what is to come as the anti-refugee rhetoric that featured prominently in the presidential election spills over to statehouses and local governments. In Montana, which took in just nine refugee families from January to early December, about a dozen bill requests related to refugees, immigration and terrorism have been filed ahead of next month's session. It's pretty widely known that this is going to be a hard year for those of us who are seeking to protect the rights of refugees and immigrants, said S.K. Rossi, advocacy and policy director for the ACLU of Montana. Some down-ticket conservative candidates took Trump's cue and integrated the anti-refugee platform into their campaigns. The president-elect campaigned on building a border wall with Mexico to stop illegal immigration, deporting immigrants who are in the nation illegally and halting the resettlement of refugees to strengthen the federal program that vets them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cochrane: Then, about 25 Syrian refugees passed by, curious about the ice in the middle of downtown, according to CBC. Regina skaters glide into winter at launch of downtown rink These guys walked over to the rink and they were playing on the ice having fun but they were not sure what it was, said Cochrane. Taron Cochrane, who works with the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District, popped over to the newly opened Victoria Park skating rink for a spin. We spent the next hour guiding them around and teaching them tips on how to skate. Taron Cochrane/Regina Downtown Cochrane admitted he hadn't skated for quite some time; however, it was a great experience to spend time with new Regina residents. Regina Downtown provides skates in all sizes for anyone who wants to enjoy the rink. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

family giggle: I bought this chair for 20, he proudly proclaims, according to Huffington Post Canada. A wide smile forms on his face. Photo Amir Fattal Six months into his new Canadian life, Amir Fattal pulls out a second-hand rocking chair and presents it as a deal of a lifetime. I can sit here like Queen Elizabeth and see the TV. His unbridled enthusiasm over a wooden chair and its flattened floral cushion makes his family giggle. He arrived in Toronto this summer with his young family under Canada's private sponsorship program. Amir is a Syrian refugee. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

foot tree: The tree's steel-and-wire frame is covered with a plastic net decorated with more than 1 million natural pine cones painted red, gold, green and silver, 600,000 LED bulbs and topped by a 6-meter-tall 20-foot shining star, according to CTV. The tree has cost US 80,000. The 73-meter 238-foot tree, built in capital Colombo, is 18 metres taller than the current record holder, organizers said. The Catholic Church criticized the tree as a waste of money and suggested that the funds better be spent on helping the poor. His claim is subject to confirmation from Guinness World Records, which said it has received an application from the organizers and that it is currently pending evidence submission. Mangala Gunasekara, chief organizer of the project claims their tree has beat the existing Guinness record and he hopes it will be declared by the World's tallest artificial Christmas Tree. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration: Separately, Marilu Cabrera with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which handles some asylum requests, said the agency cannot confirm or deny details of any asylum case, according to Metro News. The Human Rights Watch deputy director for Asia, Phil Robertson, called on the U.S. to recognize Yee's asylum claim, saying he has been consistently harassed by the Singapore government for publicly expressing his views on politics and religion and severely criticizing the city-state's leaders, including late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Amos Yee, 18, was detained Dec. 16 and remains in custody pending federal immigration court proceedings, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gail Montenegro said in a written statement. Yee was imprisoned for six weeks in September on charges of hurting religious feelings of Christians and Muslims after repeatedly breaching bail conditions following a four-week prison sentence he served in July last year on the same charges. His U.S. lawyer, Sandra Grossman, told the South China Morning Post on Saturday that Yee was likely detained because he entered the country on a tourist visa despite an intention to apply for asylum. He was also due to be called up for mandatory military service. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

judge lloyd: I don't know myself of anyone else who is self identifying as gay or lesbian on the bench but I could be wrong, said Judge Julie Lloyd in an interview in the judges' boardroom at the provincial courthouse, according to CBC. Alberta's department of justice won't confirm if Judge Lloyd is the only openly gay judge in Alberta, saying only that it doesn't track personal information about judges such as sexual orientation or sexual identity. She's also an openly gay Edmontonian and a longtime advocate of LGBTQ rights, who as a lawyer was involved in some trailblazing cases for that community. Living with integrity It's been a long journey to becoming a judge for the woman who self-edited details about her sexual orientation as a young lawyer. Lloyd said she reached a point where she could no longer make those choices to hide who she was. It was self-editing I imposed on myself by deciding there were some parts of my experience that might impede my professional development or my professional trajectory, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nathan denette: Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS By Sammy Hudes Staff Reporter Sat., Dec. 24, 2016 The federal government will cap new applications for private sponsorship of Syrian and Iraqi refugees at 1,000 in 2017, due to a backlog and long wait times faced by those whose applications are still being processed, according to Toronto Star. But some feel the move, announced earlier this week by Citizenship and Immigration Minister John McCallum, betrays the positive global perception Canada has seen since late last year when the Liberals took office and committed to accepting more refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria. McCallum's ministry is now implementing a cap on privatate sponsorship of refugees. The government's playing politics here, on the one hand saying we should be celebrated for being welcoming, and then on the other hand stopping people from being able to get to safety, said Lesley Wood, a sociology professor at York University who has sponsored two Syrian refugee families. It forms part of a broader strategy to address the large backlog and long wait times in the Privately Sponsored Refugees category, according to the government. The government's policy, which came into effect Dec. 19, places a limit of 1,000 sponsorship applications for the next year by groups of five people or more and community sponsors such as organizations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rome francis: Peter's Basilica, processing to the altar behind cardinals draped in golden vestments as the Sistine Chapel choir sang Gloria and the church bells rang out across Rome, according to CTV. Francis has spent much of the year denouncing the Islamic extremist violence that has driven Christians from Mideast communities that date to the time of Christ. Francis celebrated a sombre Christmas Eve Mass in a packed St. He has also demanded Europe in particular do more to welcome refugees, saying Jesus himself was a migrant who deserved more than being born in a manger. In his homily, Francis urged his flock to reflect on how children today aren't always allowed to lie peacefully in a cot, loved by their parents as Jesus was, but rather suffer the squalid mangers that devour dignity. And he has called out the wasteful ways of the wealthy when children and the poor die of hunger every day. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jews: It threatens the inclusivity, goodwill and benevolence on which we have tried, mostly successfully, to build a diverse society, according to Hamilton Spectator. Peace on Earth, goodwill to all It needs to be said that was not a conditional offer to a select group. Whatever shape this ugliness takes, it is cruel, it is scary and it threatens the things most valued by Christians, Jews, Muslims and good people of any or no faith. It is a wish, an ambition, for the whole world. This intolerance shows itself in attacks on so-called foreigners, and in appalling public displays of racism that, just a year or two ago, would have been considered unthinkable. But a new hatefulness has begun to reveal itself Men and women, and even children, have been mocked, insulted and sometimes assaulted for the colour of their skin, for their dress, for their beliefs. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sponsorships: We are in shock and dismay, said Canadian sponsor Vania Davidovic, according to CBC. It makes a huge difference because all of a sudden if your family is not in the first thousand spots, it means they will basically be rejected. Private refugee sponsorships aren't all the same there are larger groups known as sponsorship agreement holders SAH and smaller groups in which individuals come together to be community sponsors, also known as a group of five sponsorships. Davodovic has three families she's helping sponsor and is worried because just one application has been completed and only 8,000 has been raised for the others. That means that I have a very short time now to fundraise, and raising 16,000 or 17,000 in a few weeks is close to impossible. I have a very short time now to fundraise, and raising 16,000 or 17,000 in a few weeks is close to impossible.'- Vania Davidovic You cannot submit your application until you have full funds in place ... if I have a three-member family, I need the full 23,000 proof of money in the account, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

christmas message: Trudeau says Canadians helping each other, no matter the distance between them, is what the country is all about, according to The Waterloo Record. And he says the holiday season is a reminder of that. In his Christmas message, Trudeau says the outpouring of support in the aftermath of the Fort McMurray tragedy was a clear example of how Canadians come together in times of need. The ferocious wildfire, which destroyed thousands of buildings and forced 90-thousand people from their homes, was picked earlier this month as the top news story of 2016 in an annual survey of newsrooms by The Canadian Press. By The Canadian Press Trudeau urged Canadians to continue helping others, including the thousands of Syrian refugees who continue to enter Canada after fleeing the deadly fighting in their country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

holiday season: In the early years, the location was selected by the terms of a custody agreement, according to The Waterloo Record. Then later, I was left to choose which member of my family to disappoint every year. Sure, I loved getting toys and sports gear and learned to fake appreciation for the occasional book or pair of socks, but growing up as the only offspring of divorced parents, the holiday season meant being with one parent or the other. Merry friggin' Christmas. Years with my dad in Montreal were always family affairs involving my grandparents and my two half-brothers. Given my parents are wildly different people hence the divorce it's hardly surprising that their versions of Christmas were also unique. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cl: Suzanne Cl ment, Montreal actress and jurist at the Marrakech Film Festival // Source Christine Lee And it's under this hazy spell that I meet Montreal actress Suzanne Cl ment, who has made a name for herself in French cinema as an award winning actress in Lawrence Anyways and I Killed My Mother, according to Huffington Post Canada. Cl ment was invited as a member of the festival's jury, which awarded top honors to Chinese filmmakers, including the Grand Prix to Chinese feature The Donor. It's opening night at the Marrakech International Film Festival, a week-long celebration of global cinema patroned by Moroccan King Mohammed VI that beckons you to tumble down the rabbit hole. I ask Cl ment why she agreed to do the festival, and for her way it was a way to reconnect with Morocco, a country that conjures fond memories of camping out in the Sahara desert while gazing at stars. Indeed, Morocco has taken steps to become one of the more progressive and stable Muslim countries in the region, following the Arab Spring of 2011, King Mohammed VI announced constitutional reforms to transfer more power to parliament. It was also a way to give back to what she called a liberal North African country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anglican church: Paul's Cathedral, an Anglican church, Victoria state Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said, according to The Chronicle Herald. He said they had been plotting the attack for three weeks. The suspects were inspired by the Islamic State group and planned attacks on Melbourne's iconic Flinders Street train station, neighbouring Federation Square, a fashionable bar and restaurant precinct, and St. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said it was one of the most substantial plots that have been disrupted over the last several years. A manhunt is underway for the person behind that attack, which prompted increases in security around the world. The arrests came after a truck smashed into a Christmas market in Berlin on Monday, killing 12 people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border town: There was a lot of shooting outside, my aunt Judy remembers, according to CTV. It felt like we were in the war. It was the final leg of a journey that began five weeks earlier, under much less festive circumstances As choppers circled overhead and gunfire rang out on the streets of Budapest in early November, her family parents Olga and Imre and her nine-year-old sister Judy -- made arrangements to leave the country. One morning at dawn, they packed some belongings in bags, left their apartment at 56 Akacfa Street and headed to the train station. They managed to make it to a border town while evading detection by Russian soldiers and Hungarian secret police and other possible informants lurking about. Their destination, as it was for thousands fleeing the violence spurred by the Hungarian Revolution, was Austria. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.