commencement exercises: The point was punctuated at Dillard's recent commencement exercises, which featured a keynote address from actress and singer Janelle Monae, one of the stars of Hidden Figures, according to Brandon Sun. The award-winning film tells the story of the black women scientists who fought Jim Crow while doing essential mathematical calculations for America's space program. With an enrolment of 1,200, Dillard ranks second in the country in black physics undergrads. To see that we have this significant number of women representing science and math in the way that they are is a blessing to America and our future, Monae told The Associated Press in an interview before the May 13 graduation. Nine of the top 10 physics departments in the country at black or white schools producing the most African American undergraduates in physics are at HBCUs, according to the American Institute of Physics. To have physicists coming out of New Orleans who are African-American women ... that's a huge deal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lanka: Key dates in Sri Lanka's recent history of conflict and contributions to U.N. peacekeeping 1948 The United Nations deploys its first-ever peacekeeping mission to the Middle East.1960 Sri Lanka makes its first U.N. peacekeeping contribution, sending six soldiers to the U.N. mission in Congo.1983 Civil war breaks out in Sri Lanka, with rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam fighting government forces for an ethnic Tamil homeland in the island's north and east.1987 Indian peacekeepers begin a three-year deployment in Sri Lanka.2004 Sri Lanka opens a U.N. peacekeeper training camp in the hillside resort town of Kukuleganga.2004 Sri Lanka sends an infantry battalion of 950 troops to serve in the U.N. mission in Haiti, according to Brandon Sun. Over the next four years, it will join seven other missions in South Sudan, Congo, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Liberia, Timor and Western Sahara.2005 The U.N. acknowledges sexual abuse and exploitation are a problem within some of its peacekeeping missions, and pledges to improve transparency, accountability and justice on the matter.2005 Mahinda Rajapaksa is elected Sri Lanka's president, and leads the military campaign against the Tamil rebels.2007 A U.N. investigation details evidence of a sex ring involving at least 134 Sri Lankan military troops and at least nine Haitian children. Yet, even as Sri Lanka refused to investigate alleged war crimes by its troops during that conflict, the U.N. continued to deploy thousands of Sri Lankan peacekeepers to guard some of the world's most vulnerable populations. Sri Lanka responds by repatriating 114 peacekeepers still on deployment. It refuses to give the AP any details on how it investigated the case, or to explain why so few were punished or what exactly those punishments entailed.2009 Sri Lankan troops declare victory in the civil war after defeating the Tamil rebels. Years later, it acknowledges it forced one officer to retire and dismissed one soldier from service, while imposing unspecified punishments on up to 21 others. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

team owner: Together, the two men have shaped The Greatest Spectacle in Racing in ways neither could have ever imagined, according to Brandon Sun. Foyt has been a presence since the 1950s, winning four times before becoming a team owner, and Penske has been coming since the '60s, reaching victory lane 16 times with his venerable team. There's A.J., fans say, and there's Roger. Foyt turned 82 in January, though. And that begs a question What will the future hold for two of Indy Car's iconic teams With any Penske plan, Team Penske president Tim Cindric said, it evolves over time. Penske turned 80 a month later. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

appeals court: In a 10-3 vote, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit said the ban likely violates the Constitution, according to CTV. And it upheld a lower court ruling that blocks the Republican administration from cutting off visas for people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Trump's administration vowed to take the fight to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit is the first appeals court to rule on the revised travel ban unveiled in March. A second appeals court, the 9th U.S. Circuit based in San Francisco, is also weighing the revised travel ban after a federal judge in Hawaii blocked it. Trump's administration had hoped it would avoid the legal problems that the first version from January encountered. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chang: They own Lulu Island Winery in Richmond, B.C. They were travelling to China meeting with vendors when they were detained while checking out of their hotel in Shanghai, according to CTV. Chinese officials allege they underreported the value of their wine. Amy Chang's parents, John Chang and Allison Lu, have been detained in China for the last 14 months. The winery exports 80 per cent of its wine, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of all Canadian wine exported to China, according to a profile of Chang in Canadian Immigrant magazine. I'm urging that Prime Minister Trudeau puts his hands into this, Amy Chang told CTV Vancouver Wednesday in an interview this week. The couple produces 50 per cent of British Columbia's ice wine, of which 70 per cent is exported to China, Japan and Taiwan. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

english pub: Traffic along the busy road is just as varied -- hipsters on vintage race bikes zoom past a mother in full-face veil pushing a stroller, according to CTV. A block away, Paulette Greig, the daughter of a Jamaican Indian and a white English woman, drinks water in the Albert Inn, a traditional English pub. A hungry diner can now choose Halal snacks from Beirut, kebabs from Afghanistan or garishly colored sweets from India, among many others. The kaleidoscope of Mancunians -- as the city's residents are known -- reflects the proudly multiethnic city's long history of welcoming migrants and, on the whole, successfully integrating them. Manchester's race relations have been in the spotlight since suicide bomber Salman Abedi, a British citizen of Libyan descent, killed 22 people and injured dozens more on Monday night outside an Ariana Grande concert. Obviously, you get the odd idiot, but you get them everywhere, Greig said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

government: A government needs the support of a majority in parliament to be able to survive, according to Globe and Mail. There has been some analysis to the effect that the Liberals have won a minority government. The first is that parliamentary politics is a confidence game. During the Harper minority governments, the prime minister used to make a point of emphasizing that he had won a mandate to govern, and that any arrangements between other parties was illegitimate. It misstates the fundamental truth about parliamentary democracy it's the House of Commons, or, in the case at hand, the British Columbia legislature, that ultimately decides who forms the government. Partisanship aside, this simply isn't true. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

grocery shopping: Establishing a routine can help you settle and integrate into life in Canada, and setting you and your family up for success from the beginning means prioritizing the aspects of everyday life that will build the foundation for a fulfilling life in Canada, according to Huffington Post Canada. The first 100 days in a new country are often the most important. It's a time of change, and being prepared and knowledgeable about the first few things to get done can go a long way in feeling settled in your new home. Getting acclimatized to your new surroundings, meeting new neighbours, and getting a better sense for how everything from health care to grocery shopping is done in your new home would enable an easier transition. These include a social insurance card, which you'll need to work or to apply for government programs and benefits; a health card that provides coverage for a range of services; and a driver's license. Here are five tips on what to prioritize when you first arrive Apply for government-issued documents Make a visit to your local government service office to apply for important government-issued documents. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hilltop compound: They also claim east Jerusalem as their capital, and live in neighbourhoods under Israeli control that suffer from poverty, neglect and poor services, according to The Chronicle Herald. These stark contrasts are on display this week. But for Palestinians, there is little to celebrate. Parades, light shows and festivals are being held throughout the city as Israeli Jews celebrate the capture of Jerusalem's Old City from Jordanian troops half a century ago. The Old City is home to the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, and the adjacent hilltop compound revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, the spot where the biblical Temples once stood. The victory was hailed by Jews as marking the symbolic return of control over Judaism's holiest sites after 2,000 years in exile. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

it-related employment: The program, Computer Science to First Nations Schools, is being run by Cyber Launch Academy, which was founded last year to provide opportunities for children to learn coding, robotics, animation and other skills, according to The Chronicle Herald. The current programming is being offered at Chief Harold Sappier Memorial Elementary School in Fredericton and at Natoaganeg School in Eel Ground First Nations Community on the Miramichi River. A new five-week program in New Brunswick is helping boost knowledge among First Nations' elementary and middle-school children. Computer science is a field that provides unique employment opportunities, said Dr. In the U.S. alone, IT-related employment will increase by 22 per cent by the year 2020, she said. Natalia Stakhanova, course designer and Cyber Launch Academy cofounder. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jamaican kitchens: It has made its way out of Jamaican kitchens and bakeries, to immigrant enclaves and bodegas, and into major retailers like Walmart and Costco, according to Hamilton Spectator. The New York City school system served more than 3 million during the 2016 fiscal year. While it may not yet have achieved the popularity of the taco or the pizza, the Jamaican beef patty is expanding its reach. Lowell Hawthorne has been introducing Americans to Caribbean food for decades. He and his family watched it grow. In 1989, he took a gamble on the food of his homeland, Jamaica, in the hopes that many Americans would embrace it, opening a bakery in New York. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

law partners: He retired from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Hamilton in 2010, according to Hamilton Spectator. He was just so easy to get along with. Borkovich died May 19 at the age of 81. He was a wonderful man, says his longtime pal, Walter Stayshyn, a retired Superior Court justice who had an enduring and close friendship with Borkovich these past 67 years. After articling separately for high-profile Hamilton lawyers Borkovich for the late John Munroe and late Jack Pelech, and Stayshyn for the late John Agro the two friends became law partners, opening their practice in Hamilton in 1963. The two, both east-end Hamilton boys and both the children of hard-working immigrant parents, went through McMaster University and Osgood Hall Law School together. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news release: The government's previous target was 150,000 for this year, which it should come close to reaching, according to CBC. Census brings P.E.I.'s 150K population goal into questionP.E.I. population growing quickly, but so is out-migration If we hope to sustain our prosperity and quality of life, we need to square-up to our opportunities and challenges related to population, said Premier Wade Mac Lauchlan in a news release. The target is 160,000 people by the end of 2022. Focus on rural communities The plan will focus on growing the population in rural communities across the Island. People are finding new ways to do things. That's ultimately what it's about, is to see that for communities to do well, there have to be people, there have to be opportunities, there have to be businesses that are starting, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

novak djokovic: It's also the latest reason to wonder when a new face will emerge among the elite, because there eventually will come a point yes, there really will when the group that was once known as the Big 3, then came to be called the Big 4, and now is considered by some to be a Big 5, is no longer running the sport, according to The Chronicle Herald. With the French Open starting Sunday, No. 1 Andy Murray, No. 2 Novak Djokovic, No. 3 Stan Wawrinka and No. 4 Rafael Nadal No. 5 Roger Federer is skipping Paris all have designs on another major trophy. For the first time in the history of the ATP computer rankings, which date to the early 1970s, the men sitting at Nos. 1-5 are all 30 or older, the latest sign that the current crop of stars has enviable staying power. But could someone such as Alexander Zverev, who just turned 20 last month, or the supremely talented and supremely enigmatic Nick Kyrgios, 22, or Dominic Thiem, 23, make a breakthrough for the up-and-coming kids We're probably coming to the end of one of the greatest eras of tennis that, certainly, I've ever seen, ATP Executive Chairman and President Chris Kermode said, and what we need to do as a sport is look to the next generation of players. That quintet has won 46 of the last 48 Grand Slam titles, a dozen-year stretch of dominance. Federer is 35, Wawrinka is 32, Nadal turns 31 on June 3, and Djokovic and Murray turned 30 this month. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pepper spices: Steve Russell / Toronto Star By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Wed., May 24, 2017 With the aroma of traditional Syrian delicacies permeating the air, what's usually the drivers' support centre at Uber's Toronto office was transformed into an intimate story-telling party Wednesday night, according to Toronto Star. The guests from Matthew House, a refugee shelter in the city, were welcomed by Uber staff, mingling over faruj batata, a chicken dish with potatoes, a Syrian rice concoction with seven pepper spices, and ouzi, a puff dough pastry stuffed with ground beef and green beans. The dinner is one of a series and is aimed at fostering understanding and building communities. The food, for Toronto's first Refugees Welcome dinner, was prepared by Syrian couple Amir and Nour Fattal, who arrived here from Turkey in July after they were sponsored by a group of Toronto residents. We had problems in our country. It's great to meet new people, said Ali Mahmud, 37, who fled Eritrea for Canada in January and was granted asylum two months ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pope francis: And a big ol' we feel ya, girl to Trump, who seemed caught off-guard by the question, which took place Wednesday during President Donald Trump's visit to the Vatican, according to Hamilton Spectator. To further complicate the situation, it involved a translator. So props to Pope Francis for trying to chat up first lady Melania Trump about potica, a baked specialty from her native Slovenia. According to accounts from such sources as the Associated Press and the Guardian, the pope gestured toward the president and asked something along the lines of, What do you give him to eat Potica Now here's where it gets interesting. The AP concluded that she eventually caught on and said, Potica, ah yes, while the Guardian suggested she said pizza. Interpretations on the scene differ, though it seemed that at least momentarily the first lady thought the Pope was talking about pizza. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

questions: Since his announcement, the question that consistently comes up in public and private conversation is whether Singh, a man with brown skin and a turban, could be elected as Prime Minister in Canada, according to Huffington Post Canada. We reminded that Canada is a country which is still overwhelmingly white, Christian, and often grapples with challenges around race and racism. If successful, Singh will become the first racialized leader of a major Canadian political party. The first thing that comes to mind when such questions arise is how many times the same questions were asked about the first black president of the United States, Barack Obama, and how bleak his bid for the presidency seemed to many Americans. He was able to use his charisma and political acumen to build a coalition of urban liberals, blue collar workers, and racialized minorities. After all, how could a black man be elected president less than 200 years after the end of slavery How could someone from a racial group which had a mere 50 years earlier not been allowed to drink from the same fountain as their white co-citizens be elected in a country where white people still formed a strong majority However, Barack Obama proved the naysayers wrong in 2008 when he was elected on a wave of hope and optimism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rent strike: In a recent news release, a spokesperson for the group said that the landlord of three of the six buildings has begun issuing eviction notices to the striking tenants because they did not pay their May rent, according to Rabble. The background to this rent strike is an increasingly problematic rental market in Toronto. The tenants are protesting proposed rent increases as well as what they claim are serious maintenance issues in their units. As property values in Toronto increase, so does the market rate for rental units. This creates incentive for landlords to get their long standing tenants out so they can rent the unit to a new tenant at a much higher rate given the increase in market rates. The Ontario Residential Tenancies Act RTA contains rent control provisions that limit the percentage by which a landlord can increase the rent for existing tenants but not when the unit turns over and a new tenant moves in -- at that point the landlord can raise the rent for the unit without limit. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rights-based response: Refugee Claimants The stories behind the headlines was an event put on by Amnesty International Winnipeg at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba offices on Isabel Street, according to CBC. From Somalia to Manitoba A look at the long journey of asylum seekers Asylum seekers arrested at illegal crossings so far in 2017 nearly half of 2016 total Simbandumwe said it's important to share the stories of people who have gone through hardship to find safety and security in Canada. Louise Simbandumwe, a volunteer with Amnesty International, said the event was held to talk about the need to ensure that we have a compassionate and human rights-based response. She became a refugee in 1972 after family members were killed in massacres in Burundi, a country in East Africa bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Wearing a black shirt with clear white text that said human rights extremist, Simbandumwe spoke about how an increase in refugee claimants and asylum seekers has generated a lot of discussion and debate. She was with her parents in India at the time, and they learned they wouldn't be able to return home because their lives were at risk. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toronto advocates: With more refugees pouring in, Toronto advocates ringing alarms about federal funding But while it's not known yet exactly which services will be cut to address the organization's 40 per cent shortfall in its immigration and refugee program, many are worried about the impact on refugees as the organization makes its case for additional provincial and federal support, according to CBC. When I say that the cuts will be devastating, I mean that literally they could result in a return to persecution, torture or death, Osgoode Hall law professor Sean Rehaag told CBC Toronto. The mounting concern comes as the arm's-length provincial agency launches a consultation process to look into what it calls the difficult choice to temporarily suspend some of the services, beginning July 1. LAO is using a really problematic negotiating tactic here. LAO would never bargain with a vulnerable population. Rising demand for refugee services a 'reality' Legal Aid Ontario disputes that. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

travel ban: Video U.S. appeals court refuses to reinstate Trump's travel ban Reuters In a 10-3 vote, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the ban likely violates the Constitution, according to Globe and Mail. And it upheld a lower court ruling that blocks the Republican administration from cutting off visas for people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Trump's administration vowed to take the fight to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit is the first appeals court to rule on the revised travel ban unveiled in March. A second appeals court, the 9th U.S. Circuit based in San Francisco, is also weighing the revised travel ban after a federal judge in Hawaii blocked it. Trump's administration had hoped it would avoid the legal problems that the first version from January encountered. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

years unremarkably: This image was shot for VII in June of 2016, according to Toronto Star. Ali Arkady / VII for The Washington Post file photo By Mitch Potter Foreign Affairs Writer Thu., May 25, 2017 When Iraqi photographer Ali Arkady was a little boy, it seemed war was everywhere. Mitch Potter/Toronto Star In 2014 Arkady joined the VII Photo Mentor Program a rare prize handed to just five shooters among 150 global applicants. His earliest memories include the sights and sounds of Saddam Hussein's war with Iran rockets, artillery, tanks and soldiers were for years unremarkably normal in his hometown of Khanaqin, just seven kilometres from the eastern border. That same year saw Saddam's ruthless al-Anfal campaign pound Iraq's Kurdish minority with the combined weight of his military and intelligence services. That was his reality until ceasefire took hold in the summer of 1988, when he was 6. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

attention officials: The son of Libyan parents who immigrated to Britain in the early 1990s, Abedi has been identified by British authorities as the bomber who attacked the Ariana Grande concert Monday night, according to Brandon Sun. While Home Secretary Amber Rudd said he was on the radar of the intelligence service up to a point, it was not clear how much attention officials had paid to his activities and whether authorities could have stopped him. While some claim Salman Abedi had been banned from the mosque he attended for statements glorifying terrorism and his angry rhetoric even prompted an acquaintance to report him to the authorities, others deny that account, saying he never showed any worrying or erratic behaviour. As a portrait of the alleged bomber emerged, it was complicated by contradictory accounts over whether Abedi held views that had sparked concern before Monday's attack. He was glorifying terrorism, Shafiq told The Associated Press. Mohammed Shafiq, who heads the Manchester-based Muslim organization Ramadhan Foundation, said some of Abedi's past statements had prompted a Libyan community activist in Manchester to report him to the national counter-terrorism hotline two years ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hilltop compound: They also claim east Jerusalem as their capital, and live in neighbourhoods under Israeli control that suffer from poverty, neglect and poor services, according to Brandon Sun. These stark contrasts are on display this week. But for Palestinians, there is little to celebrate. Parades, light shows and festivals are being held throughout the city as Israeli Jews celebrate the capture of Jerusalem's Old City from Jordanian troops half a century ago. The Old City is home to the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, and the adjacent hilltop compound revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, the spot where the biblical Temples once stood. The victory was hailed by Jews as marking the symbolic return of control over Judaism's holiest sites after 2,000 years in exile. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee status: None has been charged with a crime, according to Brandon Sun. About half are seeking refugee status, although only about 0.3 per cent of such applicants are awarded asylum in Japan. Supporter Mitsuru Miyasako told reporters Thursday many had been recruited to work in Japan during the bubble economy about 30 years ago but are now being told to go home. Many have had children in the country. Thirty people in another city joined. The hunger strike, which started May 9 with 22 people in a Tokyo immigration detention centre, expanded to 70 people there. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anti-muslim group: People accused school administration of not disciplining students who were Syrian refugees, which the school refuted, according to Metro News. Our involvement is really about providing a reassurance to students and families that everyone should feel safe, said AMPAC spokesperson Aurangzeb Qureshi. The protest at Linday Thurber Composite High School was attended by at least two groups an anti-Muslim group called Worldwide Coalition Against Islam and another group called Soldiers of Odin and was held in response to a scuffle between students last week. There should be no reason why any student, regardless of faith, religion, cast or creed shouldn't feel safe in school. function set Cookie related path / ; Related Red Deer school condemns anti-immigrant protest sparked by fight between students Alberta politicians condemn Confederate-style flag displayed at Red Deer protest He said the organization is concerned to see groups such as Soldiers of Odin, which the Anti-Defamation League has labeled a hate group, on school campuses. Since AMPAC set up an Islamophobia reporting hotline in mid-2016, they have seen calls rise from one a day to an average of three or four a day. When you have students, regardless of what their religion or background might be, attempting to confront hate groups on school property ... that should not be taking place, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.