man: Police said a Syrian and an Iraqi man, age 26 and 32, were locked in a room for more than a week after traffickers brought them over a river dividing Turkey and Greece and drove them 350 kilometres 220 miles to the city, according to Brandon Sun. The smugglers claimed each man owed them 1,500 euros 1,570. Police in northern Greece say two asylum seekers who allegedly were held captive by traffickers for failing to pay transit fees have been freed.A Bulgarian man was arrested and held on abduction charges Thursday after police raided an apartment in Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city. Several major anti-trafficking operations have been centred on Thessaloniki, an hour's drive from the border with Macedonia, since several European countries closed their borders to refugees last year. 5 25 p.m. The call in Arabic and German by Julian Reichelt, the editor-in-chief of Bild's online edition, followed the Berlin Christmas market attack in which a failed Tunisian asylum-seeker is the prime suspect and the detention of seven young men from Syria and Libya accused of trying to set a homeless man alight in a Berlin subway station. Germany's mass-circulation Bild newspaper is urging decent refugees to prevent violence by young migrants and report radicals to authorities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

damascus suburb: Opposition activist Mazen al-Shami, who is based in the Damascus suburb of Douma, said minor clashes nearby left one rebel wounded, according to The Waterloo Record. Activist Ahmad al-Masalmeh, in the southern Daraa province, said government forces had opened fire on rebel-held areas. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported clashes early Friday between troops and rebels in the central province of Hama and near the capital, Damascus, but said there have been no reports of civilian casualties since the truce began. Several past attempts at halting the fighting have failed. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the cease-fire will be guaranteed by both Moscow and Turkey, and the agreement has been welcomed by Iran. As with previous agreements, the current cease-fire excludes both the al-Qaida-affiliated Fatah al-Sham Front, which fights alongside other rebel factions, and the Islamic State group. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

family: Azizi fled both the city and his native Syria with his family four years ago as Aleppo spiralled into civil war, according to The Chronicle Herald. He has been a refugee ever since. Daily life includes cold showers and a 500-metre walk to the bathroom, not an easy task for a man whose leg was injured during an air raid in his hometown of Aleppo. Azizi's brother Mustafa Abu Omar and his family, themselves refugees, reached the safety of Halifax in January. My uncle said, I want to be Canadian, I don't want to be a Syrian. And Azizi wants nothing more than to be in Canada with his brother. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

changes cheapflights.ca: Here are some of the changes Cheapflights.ca predicts are in store for 2017 The rise of low-cost carriers and unbundled airfare - 2017 is the year the low-cost carrier model really makes an impact for Canadian travellers, according to Huffington Post Canada. Base airfares for travel in the U.S. and across much of the rest of the world will continue to drop as more airlines -- from legacy carriers such as United and Delta, to growing low-cost airlines like Allegiant to Norwegian - add to the volume of available discount seats. Changes coming in 2017 are set to transform every aspect of the travel experience -- from the way travellers book on their mobile phones in response to deal alerts to the airline they choose including an upswing in low-cost options to how far they can stretch their travel budget the result of greater competition . All these innovations -- plus the desire for more meaningful travel -- will see some Canadians opt to combine work and travel in a new nomadic travel lifestyle. For Canadians, this trend will get an added push from the growth of overseas players like Wow and new domestic start-ups like New Leaf and possibly Jetlines and Fly Too as well as the recent decision to raise the limit on foreign investment in Canadian airlines. While such travel is still not for everyone, it will be an increasingly popular choice as travellers embrace the opportunity to get where they want to go for less. Travellers around the world have voted with their wallets, fuelling the demand for low-cost carriers, and now, more and more Canadians will have the opportunity to opt for lower fares, recognizing the upside of saving on their seat and paying only for the perks that matter enough to them that they will fork out added cash for the service. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hamilton activist: She raised the issue in 2015 and it caused the province to boost funding to do more transplants, according to Hamilton Spectator. She died Jan. 20 at the age of 18. Here are some of them LAURA HILLIER The Burlington teen brought to the forefront the tragic issue of cancer patients who can be saved by a stem cell transplant but lose precious time due to the shortage of beds and specialists in Ontario and undergo unnecessary chemotherapy treatments. KATE ANDRUS A longtime Hamilton activist, she led the Trash the Gas Plant campaign, which has been focused on the plans by a company to build a 100-million project to heat and steam trash into gas at the north end of Sherman Avenue. It ran in The Spectator and other papers, and was broadcast on CBC Radio. She also wrote The Welfare Diary, about being a single mother raising three children on social assistance. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

city: Should we ignore that Hamilton has the most police-reported hate crimes by census metropolitan area 2012 and that racism is a known and real problem in the city How about the hate crime arsons of Hamilton Hindu Samaj, and the Hamilton Mosque These kinds of issues helped the city recognize the need for the Anti-Racism Resource Centre forthcoming and the work of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, according to Hamilton Spectator. Are we also made to assume that the recent rise in racism across the city and internationally with respect to the increasing anti-immigration sentiment, misogyny etc., carried through the U.S. 2016 presidential election does not matter This is what the claim made by the head of the Hamilton Police Union wants you to ignore. This is a substantiated and documented issue that has been challenged in numerous ways in Canada and the U.S. by Indigenous groups, Black Lives Matter, community activists, policy-makers, government officials, academics, allies and others. They want you to ignore that Councillor Matthew Green, who is black, and who was carded and submitted a formal complaint, is publicly visible evidence of how racist carding is practised. There was indeed a spectacle made here, the spectacle of race, putting Matthew Green on display to be attacked and dehumanized by highlighting the idea that his experience is illegitimate and he is somehow clueless. The suggestion that this is somehow creating a public spectacle for political purposes means to attempt to oppose any recognition of an ongoing problem with Hamilton Police Service, including the lack of diversity on the Hamilton Police Services board that has also been challenged. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

heba diab: Through the YMCA's Arabic newcomer youth leadership development program, Syrian youth are volunteering at local food banks, assisting at various seniors' residences and participating in cultural activities across the city, according to Metro News. I like to think that I am helping someone, and to meet new people I guess, said 19-year-old Heba Diab, as she and a dozen other Syrian youth helped sort and pack food donations at the Agincourt Food Bank Wednesday afternoon. Now, just months after arriving in Toronto, hundreds of Syrian youth are helping other newcomers and members of the community adjust to life in the city. Diab and her family arrived in Toronto last year from the city of Homs. I was alone all the time because I didn't know anyone. She remembers how difficult it was to get accustomed to life in a new country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

integration cup: We have youth willing to expose their talents, said tournament organizer Mustafa Khassim, according to CBC. I don't want to see a young talented kid who could have been something for Saskatchewan remain in the streets.'- Mustafa Khassim According to Khassim, there was a lot of interest in the tournament and some teams had to be turned away due to the size of the venue. The four-day soccer tournament has been a work in progress for the Regina Youth Immigrant Sports Development Centre. Khassim, who moved to Canada from Somalia five years ago, said activities like the Integration Cup are needed for immigrants. I don't want to see a young talented kid who could have been something for Saskatchewan remain in the streets. We have to spend our time and resources with the youth, said Khassim. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

obama administration: The key question for the Obama administration, newly willing to air grievances with Israel on live television, is why now We cannot, in good conscience, do nothing and say nothing when we see the hope of peace slipping away, Kerry said in a speech that ran more than an hour, according to Hamilton Spectator. Yet in just over three weeks, Obama will no longer be president, Kerry will no longer be secretary of State, and the U.S. will have a new leader under no obligation to embrace any of what Kerry said. Though they've clashed bitterly before, mostly notably over Iran, the two governments seemed farther apart than ever after a speech Wednesday by Secretary of State John Kerry and last week's United Nations resolution. President-elect Donald Trump has assured Israel that things will be different after Jan. 20, when he's to be inaugurated, and lamented how the Jewish state was being treated very, very unfairly. He laid out a six-point framework for a potential peace deal that it will be up to the next U.S. government to try to enact, if it chooses to do so. Kerry took pains to voice America's staunch commitment to Israel's security and support for its future, and to detail U.S. complaints about Palestinian leadership and its failure to sufficiently deter violence against Israelis. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

power quebec: The NDP has won provincial elections but it has little hope of prevailing federally, according to Globe and Mail. In contrast, the Conservatives have demonstrated that they can win federally without holding power in many provincial capitals. The NDP is the long-suffering natural third party, resigned to that fate no matter how much their leader might protest. One word sums up the reason for the NDP's fairly consistent lacklustre federal performance and the Conservatives' better chance of winning federal power Quebec. With 23 per cent of Canada's constituencies, Quebec will also be crucial in deciding who is competitive and who is not in the Conservative and NDP leadership races. As Canada's most fickle voters, Quebeckers more often than not determine which party will win federal power and whether that party will command a parliamentary majority or minority. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

school student: A 12-year-old Frank Martinello took on work as a shoeshine boy and did other odd jobs to bring the family money while the father was interned, according to The Chronicle Herald. Over in New Waterford, Esperando Razzolini saw his father taken away as well, sending the 16-year-old high school student into a Cape Breton coal mine to help the family make ends meet during their father's absence. Felice Martinello, who had emigrated to Cape Breton from Italy in search of a better life for his young family in the 1920s, was one of 600 Italian-Canadians sent to internment camps days after Italy declared war on Great Britain and its allies on June 10, 1940. The men were among more than 20 Nova Scotian Italian Canadians interned because they were suspected of sympathizing with fascism. Martinello, who now lives in Hamilton, Ont., recalls one particular Saturday when a U.S. ship was in Sydney and he made 35 in tips from American sailors after working from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Besides the one in Fredericton, camps were also located in Kanaskis, Alta. and Petawawa, Ont. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

transit fees: A Bulgarian man was arrested and held on abduction charges Thursday after police raided an apartment in Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, according to The Chronicle Herald. Police said a Syrian and an Iraqi man, age 26 and 32, were locked in a room for more than a week after traffickers brought them over a river dividing Turkey and Greece and drove them 350 kilometres 220 miles to the city. Police in northern Greece say two asylum seekers who allegedly were held captive by traffickers for failing to pay transit fees have been freed. The smugglers claimed each man owed them 1,500 euros 1,570. Germany's mass-circulation Bild newspaper is urging decent refugees to prevent violence by young migrants and report radicals to authorities. Several major anti-trafficking operations have been centred on Thessaloniki, an hour's drive from the border with Macedonia, since several European countries closed their borders to refugees last year. 5 25 p.m. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

kentucky farm: He was arrested last week in Montreal after eight years on the run, several months after police opened an investigation at the request of U.S. authorities, according to Guelph Mercury. American officials had been seeking Boone since they seized 2,400 marijuana plants on his Kentucky farm in 2008. Boone, 73, participated in Thursday's extradition hearing by video conference and his lawyer asked and was granted a deferral until Jan. 13. Boone spent more than a decade in prison after being convicted in the 1980s in what prosecutors said was the largest domestic marijuana syndicate in American history. Refugee board spokesman Christian Tessier said Boone will remain in custody until his January hearing as he is considered a flight risk. American authorities say Boone, who is not facing charges in Canada, is known as the Godfather of Grass. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mideast ally: In a farewell speech, Kerry laid out a two-state vision for peace that he won't be in office to implement, but that the U.S. hoped might be heeded even after President Barack Obama's term ends, according to The Waterloo Record. He defended Obama's move last week to allow the UN Security Council to declare Israeli settlements illegal, the spark that set off an extraordinary and deepening diplomatic spat between the U.S. and its closest Mideast ally. Netanyahu accused the Obama administration of a biased bid to blame Israel for failure to reach a peace deal. If the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic, it cannot be both, and it won't ever really be at peace, Kerry said in a speech that ran more than an hour, a comprehensive airing of grievances that have built up in the Obama administration over eight years but were rarely, until this month, discussed publicly. The Israeli leader faulted Kerry for obsessing over settlements while paying mere lip service to Palestinian attacks and incitement of violence. Netanyahu pushed back in a hastily arranged televised statement in which he suggested he was done with the Obama administration and ready to deal with president-elect Donald Trump, who has sided squarely with Israel. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minnesota vikings: Walsh is the kicker who missed a 27-yard field goal with 22 seconds left that would have sent the Minnesota Vikings to a playoff victory over the Seattle Seahawks last season, according to The Waterloo Record. Ordinarily, Walsh, even if comatose, could make such a kick. He found it in the oddest of places the first-grade class of Northpoint Elementary in Blaine, a Minneapolis suburb. But he didn't. Still, he blew it, and the cries for his head echoed far and wide like the kick . Enter Judie Offerdahl a teacher impressed by Walsh's decency in accepting responsibility. Yes, it was agonizingly cold and the cement-hard ball was not properly placed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

obama administration: The key question for the Obama administration, newly willing to air grievances with Israel on live television, is why now We cannot, in good conscience, do nothing and say nothing when we see the hope of peace slipping away, Kerry said in a speech that ran more than an hour, according to Brandon Sun. Yet in just over three weeks, Obama will no longer be president, Kerry will no longer be secretary of state, and the U.S. will have a new leader under no obligation to embrace any of what Kerry said. Though they've clashed bitterly before, mostly notably over Iran, the two governments seemed further apart than ever after a speech Wednesday by Secretary of State John Kerry and last week's United Nations resolution. President-elect Donald Trump has assured Israel that things will be different after Jan. 20, when he's to be inaugurated, and lamented how the Jewish state was being treated very, very unfairly. He laid out a six-point framework for a potential peace deal that it will be up to the next U.S. government to try to enact, if it chooses to do so. Kerry took pains to voice America's staunch commitment to Israel's security and support for its future, and to detail U.S. complaints about Palestinian leadership and its failure to sufficiently deter violence against Israelis. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rebel-held areas: It said that later in the day a man was killed by sniper fire in eastern suburbs of Damascus, becoming the first fatality since the truce went into effect, according to Brandon Sun. The group also reported an aerial attack on the rebel-held Barada Valley near Damascus. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported clashes early Friday between troops and rebels in the central province of Hama and near the capital, Damascus. The Syrian army denied reports it was bombarding the Barada Valley region saying opposition claims aim to show that the army is not abiding by the truce. Activist Ahmad al-Masalmeh, in the southern Daraa province, said government forces had opened fire on rebel-held areas. Related Items Articles The Latest Cease-fire takes effect in war-ravaged Syria Opposition activist Mazen al-Shami, who is based in the Damascus suburb of Douma, said minor clashes nearby left one rebel wounded. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american electorate: Amid the gift-giving and sampling of many seasonal treats, that's what I intend to do, according to Huffington Post Canada. The hard part, I think, will be to not focus too much on the truly frightening election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. As we gather with friends and family over this holiday season and look back at 2016, it is important to take a moment to think about the ways that we can build on the positive things we have seen and done, and to address the negative aspects of the past year. Trump exploited the worst fears and prejudices of the American electorate to win the White House, giving legitimacy to hate and misogyny through his own sexist, racist and anti-immigrant policies and statements. Let's be clear. It is tough to be optimistic about 2017 when one of the first major political events of the year will be that man's inauguration -- particularly when his victory seems to have emboldened Trump wannabes seeking to spread hate on this side of the border. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

children: Executive director Paul Lagac has seen the challenges they face trying to get established within the year allocated to them by the federal government, according to CBC. If you don't have a job, it's very difficult for you to go looking for work if you have no place for your children to be, he said. Kamloops Immigrant Services has been working with most of the refugees to help provide English language classes. It has a greater impact on their potential success rate of establishing and settling because they are on a pretty strict timeline. He says because many are coming from refugee camps, it may not be clear if the children are dealing with significant physical, emotional or developmental issues until they come to Canada. Syrian refugees fear what lies ahead as government-sponsored year runs out Kamloops group closer to bringing in 2 Syrian families Kamloops prepares to welcome Syrian refugees Refugees face greater challenges Lagac says the newcomers face additional challenges because of the situations they left behind. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

detention camps: They included 65 men, 49 women and 84 minors from 83 family groups, according to Metro News. Their arrival brings to 898 the number of asylum seekers resettled or relocated in Spain since last year. An Interior Ministry statement said the refugees who arrived in Spain on Wednesday included 144 Syrians, 52 Iraqis, one Eritrean and an Iranian. Spain has agreed to take in more than 17,000 by late 2017. Greece's migration minister says the government plans to build detention camps on islands facing Turkey's coastline, as overcrowding at existing facilities for migrants continues to rise. Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis said last week that Spain intends to fulfil the agreement. -- 3 15 p.m. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ed mirvish: Keith Beaty / Toronto Star Wed., Dec. 28, 2016 Like a loud tie, Honest Ed's has garishly announced its presence at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor for 68 years, according to Toronto Star. But late on New Year's Eve, the 23,000 lights that festoon the creaky old building will be turned off for the last time and the iconic bargain store will close its doors forever. The iconic store closes its doors for the last time on Dec. 31. When that happens, Toronto will have lost not just a piece of its history but some of its soul. Sure, the ramshackle, rundown department store created by the brilliant and eccentric Ed Mirvish is outdated and no longer fits easily with the shiny new reality of the city's central core. And that's a shame. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

homes: We optimistically explore what the future will bring, according to Huffington Post Canada. As Ontario's Lieutenant Governor, I too have been thinking about past and future. We come together joyously, generously sharing with those in need. It has been such a privilege to be welcomed into your homes, places of work and worship, and communities. I have always been treated with kindness and generosity. We have shared anniversaries, commemorations, performances, and special events. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

justice advocate: She's been a lawyer, social justice advocate, community activist and even a DJ, organizing monthly Funk Asia nights, according to Toronto Star. But since last year, she and Mariko Nguyen-Dhanani, partners in love, life and business, have become the proprietors of a little corner store in East York. Andrew Francis Wallace/The Toronto Star By Vanessa LuBusiness reporter Wed., Dec. 28, 2016 Zahra Dhanani never imagined she would become the owner of a convenience store. Working 16-hour days for more than 400 days they've just recently hired some part-time staff the two women have a vision of turning their business at the corner of Lumsden and Westlake Aves., into a community gathering place. Article Continued Below But they have plans to turn an empty attached warehouse, which currently has no plumbing or electricity, into a space to show movies, borrow books or hold private gatherings complete with a green roof and living space for the couple. Regulars are already coming in for daily lattes, along with cigarettes, bread and milk, but also unique gifts, local produce in warm weather and handmade goods featuring iconic images of Toronto. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

obama administration: The key question for the Obama administration, newly willing to air grievances with Israel on live television, is why now We cannot, in good conscience, do nothing and say nothing when we see the hope of peace slipping away, Kerry said in a speech that ran more than an hour, according to Metro News. Yet in just over three weeks, Obama will no longer be president, Kerry will no longer be secretary of state, and the U.S. will have a new leader under no obligation to embrace any of what Kerry said. Though they've clashed bitterly before, mostly notably over Iran, the two governments seemed further apart than ever after a speech Wednesday by Secretary of State John Kerry and last week's United Nations resolution. President-elect Donald Trump has assured Israel that things will be different after Jan. 20, when he's to be inaugurated, and lamented how the Jewish state was being treated very, very unfairly. He laid out a six-point framework for a potential peace deal that it will be up to the next U.S. government to try to enact, if it chooses to do so. Kerry took pains to voice America's staunch commitment to Israel's security and support for its future, and to detail U.S. complaints about Palestinian leadership and its failure to sufficiently deter violence against Israelis. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

reason partyka: Although she grew up outside the city, her family visited Roncesvalles Ave. often to attend the popular Polish festival, grab groceries at the local deli and visit friends from home living in the area, according to Metro News. The area has changed drastically over the last 10 years, with many Eastern European business owners leaving the neighbourhood. The 29-year-old and her family immigrated to Toronto from near Wroc aw, Poland, in 2000. But the influx of new shops and different restaurants over the last several years, mixed with a few Polish staples, is part of the reason Partyka and her husband moved to Roncesvalles a year ago. When you are walking along the street and you pass the United Church, you can actually hear Polish all around you, she said. Partyka is one of many young people returning to the historically Polish neighbourhood. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toronto: A few weeks later, he was marching in the city's Pride Parade right next to Justin Trudeau, the leader of his newly adopted homeland, according to Huffington Post Canada. In an interview during a TEDx Toronto conference this year, Mcleash sat down with The Huffington Post Canada to talk about what it was like being in Syria's compulsory military service when the war began. The 29-year-old HIV-positive man, who once had to keep his sexuality a secret to avoid prison, arrived in Toronto in May as part of the organization's refugee resettlement program. I lost three of my friends just because we were attacked. We never knew who attacked us. We were sniped. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.