germany afd: The city officials work to integrate some 200,000 newcomers into Germany's fourth-largest city, while the AfD campaigns against them, stoking fear of Muslims and immigrants, according to National Observer. Last fall, the AfD became the main opposition party in Germany's parliament, succeeding partly by challenging Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to open Germany's doors to more than 1.3 million migrants and asylum-seekers since 2015. Just a few doors down the hall is the local office of Alternative for Germany AfD the first far-right party to win seats in the German federal parliament in 60 years. ; While the two offices are almost side-by-side, the work they're doing couldn't be further apart. The AfD emerged in 2013 at the height of a debt crisis in eurozone countries and has since gained traction at all levels of government in Germany. Cologne is the largest city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where 15 AfD members of Parliament were elected. The party's historic breakthrough came in September 2017, when the AfD won 13.5 per cent of the vote and 94 seats in the federal election. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

krysten ritter: Mahershala Ali, Nia Long and Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz co-star, according to NOW Magazine. March 23Jessica Jones season 2 Of the half-dozen Marvel TV shows bouncing around the ether, Jessica Jones is the only one that feels like appointment viewing, driven by Krysten Ritter's terrific performance as the eponymous self-hating, super-powered private investigator. In addition to Rapture, a docuseries profiling eight rappers, and the RZA-directed Azealia Banks vehicle Love Beats Rhymes, we're getting a biopic about one of the genre's seminal figures, Roxanne Shant . Michael Larnell's film, which premiered at Sundance in 2017, stars Chant Adams as the Queensbridge MC whose epic clap back to U.T.F.O., Roxanne's Revenge, became an underground hit and sparked the Roxanne Wars of the 1980s. She can jump really high and punch people through walls, but she'd really rather just sit by herself and brood, ideally with a bottle at hand. March 8Collateral There's the whodunit and then there's the systemic whodunit. The second season promises to delve into Jessica's past, but the biggest question is whether showrunner Melissa Rosenberg can come up with a big bad as threatening and as interesting as David Tennant's mind-controlling Kilgrave was in season one. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gain influence: If they don't end up feeling the vote was fair, that could badly undermine the international community's goal of bringing about the more inclusive government critical to maintaining a unified state and avoiding a repeat of the IS disaster, according to Metro News. Adding to the volatile mix are the Iranian-backed Shiite militias, now even more politically involved, which are allied with but not controlled by the Shiite-led Baghdad government, and appear set to gain influence that would alarm many in the region trying to check the power of Shiite, non-Arab Iran. The Sunnis, many of them in displacement camps, bore the brunt of the war's destruction and have been left so bereft that many don't even have the papers needed to register to vote. If divisions among Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds persist they could lead to more protracted talks to form a new government, potentially delaying the colossal task of rebuilding Iraq after IS overran nearly a third of the country in 2014, mostly Sunni towns, and then hung on as a U.S.-led coalition surrounded and bombarded the areas they controlled. After the ouster of Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, many Sunnis felt marginalized as parties led by Shiites were able to win elections by sheer numbers; Sunnis, in turn, felt they had lost their fair share of power. The extremist group was able to at least initially benefit from some popular support among Sunnis. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

robert jenkins: Some 5.5 million Syrians have fled civil war in their homeland since 2011, most settling in neighbouring countries where they struggle to survive, and millions more have been uprooted inside Syria, according to Metro News. The UNICEF study is the latest of six to be conducted among refugee families at six-month intervals and reflects a continued deterioration in the lives of Syrian children, said Robert Jenkins, the agency's Jordan representative. The findings by UNICEF are based on responses from about 1,000 families among Jordan's 660,000 registered refugees. The overwhelming message of this study is that Syrian refugee families are becoming increasingly vulnerable in Jordan, he told The Associated Press. In Jordan, UNICEF has a 145.7 million funding shortfall for child and youth programs in 2018. He called on donor countries to step up at a time of growing need. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

health minister: Merkel pledged to put fresh faces in her Cabinet after reaching a coalition deal this month with the centre -left Social Democrats, according to Metro News. On Monday, a congress of her party is to sign off on the coalition deal, which will still need approval from the Social Democrats' members to take effect. Chancellor Angela Merkel has named an ambitious young conservative as health minister in Germany's new government, signalling a desire to include critics in her fourth term. Her most prominent appointment Sunday was 37-year-old Jens Spahn as health minister. Other Cabinet newcomers are 45-year-old Julia Kloeckner as agriculture minister; 46-year-old Anja Karliczek as education minister and 45-year-old Helge Braun as Merkel's new chief of staff. 12 05 p.m. Spahn has been a leading advocate of a sharper conservative profile than Merkel's centrist approach. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mohammed amanullah: Jobs are few, and there is painfully little to do, according to Toronto Star. The nightmares are relentless. Much of their food comes from aid agencies. But six months after their horrors began, the Rohingya Muslims who fled army attacks in Burma for refuge in Bangladesh feel immense consolation. They now live in the Kutupalong refugee camp outside the coastal city of Cox's Bazar. Nobody is coming to kill us, that's for sure, said Mohammed Amanullah, whose village was destroyed last year just before he left for Bangladesh with his wife and three children. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

music foundation: In terms of the black community, we do not always see enough positive representation on the big screen, said Marion Ashton of the Sankofa Arts and Music Foundation, the group that started the fundraiser, according to CBC. For the first time in a long time, we have a black superhero. A GoFund Me raised more than 5,000 to send youth to the superhero movie Black Panther. Marion Ashton is with the Sankofa Arts and Music Foundation, the group that organized the event. The fundraiser was part of the Black Panther Challenge, a movement that started in Harlem that raised money to send disadvantaged youth to see the film to celebrate Black History Month. Audrey Neveu/CBC The Sankofa Arts and Music Foundation is a non-profit that works to build healthy communities by providing youth of diverse backgrounds the chance to express themselves through the arts. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

surprise victory: They say it shows a united opposition could have a chance against Orban's Fidesz despite the party's sizable lead in opinion polls, according to CTV. From now on, the opposition can believe -- whether it's true or not -- that it's not playing in the old game where it has no chance to win, analyst Gabor Torok wrote on his website. Analysts say Peter Marki-Zay's surprise victory in Hodmezovasarhely could mark a new phase in the campaign leading up to the country's April 8 parliamentary election. Instead, a new match is beginning, where if it takes to the field with smart tactics, its situation isn't hopeless. This is the power of love, not the love of power, said Marki-Zay, a right-wing, independent candidate who ran with the support of most of the opposition. Marki-Zay, who received 57.5 per cent of the votes, compared to 41.6 for his rival, Fidesz candidate Zoltan Hegedus, said his win showed that there is an enormous demand for corruption, lies and intimidation to cease in the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

suvsrelated letter: But it's starkly different to how I remember it growing up, according to Vancouver Courier. It used to be lined with Vancouver Specials and now they're all luxury homes. Ya, so she could be a nominee, said Caldera, by telephone from his office in Toronto, where he works for Canadians for Tax Fairness as manager of the Beneficial Ownership Program.article continues below Trending Stories Controversial climate change activists stick it to Vancouver trucks and SUVSrelated Letter Real estate cleans money in Richmond Money laundering alleged at River Rock Casino and Resort Political policies come home to roost in Richmond's housing crisis Foreign sales peak in Richmond as Quebec ramps up investor immigrant program I loved that neighbourhood. It's become less and less lively for sure. Ten years ago those old 1970s homes sometimes called Richmond Specials locally were in reach of families with middle to upper-middle class incomes. It was common to play road hockey but you see less and less of that, said Caldera, who holds a master's degree in international communications. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

african refugees: The asylum-seekers, most of them deemed by Israel to be economic migrants rather than refugees in need of protection, can either leave voluntarily for a safe African country and receive 3,500 and a plane ticket, or face imprisonment, according to Toronto Star. The Canadian government is under the gun to resettle 1,845 of the African refugees whose sponsorship applications are currently in process, some for years. Israel is set to begin deporting some 37,000 asylum-seekers, the majority of them Sudanese and Eritreans, in April after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government issued them expulsion notices. Canada does not support policies of mass deportations of asylum-seekers. Article Continued Below As the country that resettles the highest number of African asylum-seekers from Israel, we are in direct contact with the Government of Israel to convey Canada's concerns about the situation. The rights of asylum-seekers and refugees are laid out in the Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees, of which Israel is a signatory, said Adam Austen, press secretary for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

balkan countries: European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is embarking on a seven-nation Balkans tour Sunday to promote the EU's new eastward expansion strategy, according to CTV. Russia mainly wants to discourage the Western Balkan countries -- Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia -- from joining NATO. But Moscow also is trying to deter them from joining the EU. The EU sees the prospect of membership as an incentive for reform in the volatile Balkans region, which was torn apart by war in the 1990s. The European Union finally is pushing back. Its expansion strategy puts Serbia and Montenegro in position to join should the bloc open its doors to more members, tentatively by 2025. Their bonds also have experienced lows and highs, especially since the former Yugoslavia refused to join the Soviet bloc in 1948. Serbia is a major target of Moscow's anti-Western activities in Europe because the two Slavic and predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christian nations share deep cultural and historical ties. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada: But his latest pursuits tend more toward the cerebral rather than the awe-inspiring adventure associated with flying fast jets and riding rockets into space, according to The Chronicle Herald. Hadfield, a former Royal Canadian Air Force test pilot who retired after more than 21 years as an astronaut, is currently on what he calls his Canada 151 tour. You see the big picture through extraterrestrial eyes. On March 1, he returns to Halifax with a show at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, bringing a blend of stories, images and songs combining his love for Canada with his astral viewpoint. It's kind of an introspective alien perspective on Canada in the world, but it's celebrating it from the earliest history and the geology of it and the earliest settlements from the very first peoples who came here, and how and why, and how the world works, right through to today. It's very much a celebration of Canada itself and looking at the country through a very unique perspective of someone who not only has lived outside of Canada for 26 years, as I did serving with the air force and the Canadian Space Agency, but also who has orbited the world 2,600 times and crossed Canada thousands of times, Hadfield said during a phone interview this week. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

care facility: He didn't know how to eat, didn't know how to go to the bathroom, according to CTV. Frances says. George, a hard-working Greek immigrant to Canada, was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage at age 67, that left him mentally impaired and unable to care for himself. She wanted to look after him at home, away from a long-term care facility, but Frances knew she needed help. Frances had joined the ranks of those keeping aging and ailing parents at home, approximately one in six Canadians, over the age of 65. She hired a personal support worker, or PSW, through a government funded agency, to bathe and attend to George's personal needs. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

george hill: The Cavaliers' leader didn't change, according to Metro News. LeBron James had 18 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in his 11th triple-double of the season, and the Cavaliers pulled away after a slow start to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 112-89 on Friday night. Cleveland revamped its roster at the trade deadline. George Hill also scored 18 points, while Larry Nance Jr. finished with 15 and Jordan Clarkson had 14 as the newcomers had good nights in the Cavaliers' fifth win in the last six games. It's just us communicating, talking. The only loss in the stretch was on Thursday night to the Washington Wizards. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration system: Trump congratulated Turnbull on your immigration reforms and on Australia's commitment to merit-based immigration, according to CTV. Are my friends from Congress listening to that Merit based, said Trump, who has been arguing for changes to turn the U.S. immigration system into one that is more focused on merit and the skills immigrants bring to the U.S., and less focused on family ties. Their relationship got off to a rocky start a year ago, but none of that was evident as they prepared to field questions from journalists in the East Room after an afternoon of talks, including about jobs. His immigration demands have upset lawmakers, mostly Democrats. It's the way to go. We want to do merit-based immigration also, Trump said, adding that such a system really protects the interest of Australia and its people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tawakkol karman: About 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled army-led violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar since late August and are living in Bangladeshi refugee camps, according to Metro News. Myanmar's security forces have been accused of atrocities against the Rohingya, including killing, rape and arson. During their visit, Iran's Shirin Ebadi, Yemen's Tawakkol Karman and Northern Ireland's Mairead Maguire will assess the violence against the Rohingya women and the refugees' overall situation, according to the Nobel Women's Initiative, a platform of six female peace laureates established in 2006. The United Nations and the United States have described the army crackdown as ethnic cleansing. In an email to The Associated Press on Saturday, Karman said that she and her colleagues were standing in solidarity with displaced Rohingya women and calling for Rohingya women's voices to be heard. Sunday is the six-month anniversary of the start of the refugee crisis, Asia's worst since the Vietnam War. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

individuality: It is especially wrong when done by a university, according to The Chronicle Herald. That is for two reasons. Whites not oppressed; reverse racism a fantasy Hiring according to race, ethnicity, or cultural affiliation is wrongfully discriminatory almost everywhere, even when it is legal. First, it is a violation of the merit principle, according to which academic decisions should be made on academic grounds only. Jasmine Walsh, the assistant vice-president of human resources, says that this discriminatory hiring is part of Dalhousie's efforts to increase the number of people from under-represented groups on campus. Second, it undercuts the university's ethos of individuality. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

residency status: They both expire on Nov. 29, 2019, according to CBC. Migrant workers need permanent residency status, labour advocates say Liberals prepare to reveal 2018 immigration plan they say will boost economy, help refugees Natalie Drolet, the executive director of West Coast Domestic Workers Association, says the program is crucial because many of the caregivers who come to work in Canada do so in the hopes of staying. Two five-year pilot projects were launched in 2014, one for those caring for children and a second for those caring for people with high medical needs. By and large, 95 per cent of the caregivers that come to Canada are women from developing countries, Drolet said. The association is holding a community meeting and rally in Vancouver, B.C. on Saturday afternoon to advocate for permanent residency pathways for foreign care workers. They come here because they want to provide their children and their families with a brighter future. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

security forces: Satellite images of Burma's troubled Rakhine state, released to The Associated Press by Colorado-based Digital Globe on Friday, show that dozens of empty villages and hamlets have been completely levelled by authorities in recent weeks far more than previously reported, according to Toronto Star. The villages were all set ablaze in the wake of violence last August, when a brutal clearance operation by security forces drove hundreds of thousands of Rohingya into exile in Bangladesh. Now, Burma's government is using bulldozers to literally erase them from the earth in a vast operation rights groups say is destroying crucial evidence of mass atrocities against the nation's ethnic Rohingya Muslim minority. While Burma's government claims it's simply trying to rebuild a devastated region, the operation has raised deep concern among human rights advocates, who say the government is destroying what amounts to scores of crime scenes before any credible investigation takes place. One displaced Rohingya woman, whose village was among those razed, said she recently visited her former home in Myin Hlut and was shocked by what she saw. The operation has also horrified the Rohingya, who believe the government is intentionally eviscerating the dwindling remnants of their culture to make it nearly impossible for them to return. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sponsorship opportunities: Cricket Canada has signed a memorandum of understanding with an Indian company called Mercuri to develop a Twenty20 cricket league, with a final agreement yet to be concluded, according to Toronto Star. Cricket Canada's website states that Mercuri has met all aspects of Cricket Canada's sanctioning policy. Nearly three months later however, official details remain scarce. Until recently on its website, Mercuri listed Sports Management among its services and stated We own, produce and manage many of the world's most prestigious sporting events and offer unique hospitality and sponsorship opportunities that help companies build global brands. Article Continued Below Cricket Canada president Ranjit Saini, the driving force behind the project, says he is aware of other successful cricket ventures that Mercuri has been involved in, but doesn't see it as his place to talk about them. But there was no specific information of any sporting events and the description no longer appears on Mercuri's website, nor does any mention of Sports Management. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian citizenship: Abdi's lawyer, Benjamin Perryman, asked the Federal Court to pause deportation proceedings scheduled for March 7 while he pursues a constitutional challenge, according to The Chronicle Herald. But, in a decision released Friday, Justice Keith Boswell rejected the bid, saying there were no exceptional circumstances warranting inference by the Federal Court. Abdoul Abdi, who never got Canadian citizenship while growing up in foster care in Nova Scotia, was detained by the Canada Border Services Agency after serving five years in prison for multiple offences, including aggravated assault. Mr. My biggest concern is that Mr. Abdi is extremely distressed by the result, said Perryman in an interview Friday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

face starvation: She had tried to defend her 17-year-old daughter from being raped by more than a dozen soldiers and didn't succeed, according to Toronto Star. Seventeen soldiers then raped her. One South Sudanese man returned home after hiding from government soldiers to find they had blinded his mother, gouging out her eyes with spears. The family's father was beheaded. Read more Six aid workers missing in South Sudan after clash between government, opposition Article Continued Below We have nothing, we can just pray' over 1.25 million face starvation in South Sudan, doubling war-torn country's 2016 tally I did not expect to be confronted with so much ritual humiliation and degradation deliberately done for multiple reasons. The latest report on human rights abuses in South Sudan's five-year civil war, released on Friday by a United Nations commission, for the first time identifies more than 40 senior military officials, including three state governors, who may bear individual responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian citizenship: In a decision released Friday, Justice Keith Boswell rejected his request to press pause on his deportation proceedings while he pursues a constitutional challenge, saying there were no exceptional circumstances warranting inference by the Federal Court, according to CBC. He's extremely disappointed and upset by the decision, said Abdi's lawyer, Benjamin Perryman. Abdoul Abdi, who never got Canadian citizenship while growing up in foster care in Nova Scotia, was detained by the Canada Border Services Agency after serving five years in prison for multiple offences, including aggravated assault. I would have liked to have seen some consideration of the harm that Mr. Abdi, who has been living in a Toronto halfway house since his release in January from immigration detention, had asked the Federal Court to temporarily suspend his deportation hearing, scheduled for March 7 in Toronto. Abdi will experience when he's ordered deported and I would have liked to hear some consideration of the fact he will lose important rights before there can be any consideration of his constitutional issues. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

challenge abdi: Abdi's lawyer, Benjamin Perryman, says federal officials turned down the 24-year-old's request to press pause on deportation proceedings while he pursues a constitutional challenge, according to Toronto Star. Abdi then asked the Federal Court to temporarily suspend the hearing, scheduled for March 7. Abdoul Abdi, who never got Canadian citizenship while growing up in foster care in Nova Scotia, was detained by the Canada Border Services Agency after serving five years in prison for multiple offences, including aggravated assault. In a decision released today, Justice Keith Boswell rejected his request, saying there were no exceptional circumstances warranting inference by the Federal Court. Sign up react-empty 170 Article Continued Below Read more Opinion Shree Paradkar Canada's institutions repeatedly failed former child refugee Abdoul Abdi Opinion Tiffany Gooch Canada failed Abdoul Abdi but it's not too late to do the right thing Opinion Vicky Mochama Deportation of refugee one more hostility inflicted by Canada Do you want to help shapethe Toronto Star's future Join our team of readers who are passionate about journalism and share your views. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

francois cluzet: Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy have tenable chemistry, and the rich, character-driven drama carries a carefree heart at its' core, according to The Chronicle Herald. It's a film that transcends language barriers to bring one of the greatest films of the new millenium. 5/5 Stars Good Time Bank robbery films are a dime or dozen, but you'll never get another one like this. Set around a quadriplegic who hired a young, poverty-stricken black man to be his caregiver, this Foreign-language film is one of the best of all time. Infused and inspired by pop art and 80's vibes, Good Time plays like Grand Theft Auto with a moral compass. Twilight and gives the most daring, understated performance of his career. Robert Pattinson ignites on-screen yes, Mr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gastrostomy tube: The tube was improperly located, allowing food to spill inside his abdomen and causing his death, according to a coroner's report sent to the family May 17, 2017, according to CBC. The Kafafi family said Yusuf was full of life and always smiling. Yusuf Kufafi died the day after a procedure on Nov. 22, 2016 to change a gastrostomy tube he needed to eat food. Chris Ensing/CBC Windsor Regional Hospital completed an internal review requested by the coroner's office into Yusuf's death and told CBC News it has implemented all of the recommendations following the review. Syrian refugees Leamington welcomes first 24 newcomers Yusuf's mother has kept her son's clothes in a suitcase taking them out each day to fold them and hold his favourite toy, a stuffed monkey, that he carried with him on their journey to Canada. Yusuf's family, who primarily speak Arabic, said they have never seen those recommendations even though that review was completed shortly after the coroner's report was given to them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.