igbo cosmology: His story is one of struggle, but the chi's exquisite telling of it reveals much about the richness and beauty of Nigerian culture, from its intensely communal society to its complex Igbo cosmology and mythic literary tradition, according to Toronto Star. The tale starts with Chinonso's chance meeting with a woman, Ndali, on a bridge, where she's contemplating suicide. The guardian spirit appears before the magnificent court of Bechukwu, in the heavenly place of Eluigwe, to plead with Chekwu, creator of all, on behalf of its host, known in this cycle of life as Chinonso Solomon Olisa, a poultry farmer in Umuahia, Nigeria. He rushes to her side, flinging his prized chickens off the edge to demonstrate the finality of her choice. An Orchestra of Minorities, Chigozie Obioma, Little Brown, 464 pages, 36.50 Little, Brown The protaganist in Chigozie Obioma's novel An Orchestra of Minorities moves to Cyprus to pursue an education. He manages to draw her back into the land of the living, and, in doing so, finds his destiny inexorably linked with hers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

president: But Trump was not expected to sign the national emergency declaration he's been threatening as an option to circumvent Congress, according to two people familiar with the planning, according to CTV. Instead, Trump was expected to propose the outlines of a new deal that the administration believes could potentially pave the way to an end to the shutdown, according to one of the people. The White House declined to provide details late Friday about what the president would be announcing. They were not authorized to discuss the announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity. The president and his aides have said he will not budge on his demand for 5.7 billion in funding. The move -- on Day 28 of a shutdown that has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers without paychecks -- represents the first major overture by the president since Jan. 8, when he delivered an Oval Office address making the public case for his border wall. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

resource extraction: Eastern Angola is one of those places, and that helps explain why this place, which has little to no potential for agriculture, oil, development, or resource extraction, now finds itself with a number of suitors aspiring to protect it. ; This huge chunk of land, slightly larger than the state of Tennessee flat, sandy, littered with unmapped and uncrossable waterways that sometimes change locations, like staircases in Hogwarts could be well on its way to becoming a national park, according to National Observer. The land is sparsely populated and fairly inhospitable; the Portuguese called it the land of hunger and the land at the end of the world. There are not many truly unknown places left on Earth, places where nobody knows who and what lives there, where the waterways go, or how the ecosystems operate. But the provisional name for the developing park is Lisima Lwa Mwondo, the source of life in the Bantu dialect spoken there. If they wait or fail, they believe, these areas, preserved to some extent by conflict and neglect, may never be the same. Over the next few years, as development and outside interests humanitarian, capitalistic, political continue to move into Angola, there is a rush for the do-gooders to preserve the environment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

april dughmosh: Dughmosh initially faced a total of 21 charges, but in the end she faced four, including two counts of assault with a weapon and one of carrying a weapon -- all in the name of ISIL. She was also charged with leaving Canada for the purpose of committing a criminal offence in connection with an attempted trip to Syria in April 2016, according to CTV. Dughmosh, who represented herself in court, did not enter a plea on the charges but not-guilty pleas were entered on her behalf. Jurors deliberated for just over an hour before delivering the verdict in the case of Rehab Dughmosh, who was arrested in July 2017 after the attack at a mall in east Toronto. She did not present a defence and, through an interpreter, declined to make any closing statements to the jury. Ms. The only evidence presented in court was an agreed statement of facts, which prosecutors said was unusual in a jury trial but allowed the matter to be resolved fairly and quickly despite the challenges raised by Dughmosh's decision not to participate to the same extent that accused people typically do. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

byelection: Later, she asked the prime minister to let her run after all, according to Toronto Star. But the party has decided against letting Wang run under the Liberal banner. Karen Wang, who until Wednesday was the Liberal candidate running against NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in the highly anticipated byelection, resigned over comments she made on WeChat about Singh's race. Recent online comments by Karen Wang are not aligned with the values of the Liberal Party of Canada. Caley did not respond to questions about whether the Liberals will run another candidate in the Burnaby South byelection. The Liberal Party has accepted her resignation as a candidate, and she will not represent the Liberal Party in the Burnaby South byelection, wrote Braeden Caley, Liberal Party spokesperson, in an email Thursday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

british exit: EU nations were spending millions, hiring thousands of workers and issuing emergency decrees to cope with the possibility that Britain will leave the bloc without an agreement to smooth the way, according to CTV. British lawmakers threw out May's Brexit deal Tuesday, handing the prime minister the worst parliamentary defeat in modern British history. Across the Channel, European Union countries were stepping up preparations for a disorderly British exit on March 29 after the U.K. Parliament rejected May's Brexit withdrawal deal. The drubbing was followed by a no-confidence vote demanded by the opposition. A chastened May promised she would hold talks in a constructive spirit with leaders of opposition parties and other lawmakers in a bid to find a way forward for Britain's EU exit. May's minority Conservative government survived it on Wednesday night with backing from its Northern Irish ally, the Democratic Unionist Party. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

burnaby-south resident: Wang, the federal Liberal candidate running against NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, resigned following a Star Vancouver report on her post on the Chinese social media app WeChat that urged people to vote for her, the only Chinese candidate, and not Singh of Indian descent, according to Toronto Star. Shoppers come and go from Crystal Mall, in Burnaby B.C. The riding of Burnaby South, which has a high population of Chinese-Canadians, has become the focal point of an election scandal that saw Liberal candidate Karen Wang resign over accusations of playing race politics. But some were not surprised about her comments on race. Jesse Winter / Star Metro Daniel Louie, a Burnaby-South resident and pastor at nearby Urban Village Church, was dismayed at Wang's actions. But for Wang to go in the other direction and say you should not vote for a candidate because of their ethnic descent, strikes against the whole idea of what Canadian society is trying to achieve. We want to celebrate the diversity and representation, he said in an interview. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

star: He said he didn't expect race to be an issue, according to Toronto Star. Jesse Winter/Star Metro Vancouver Jesse Winter / Star Metro Vancouver Karen Wang, the Liberal nominee, stepped down on Wednesday after the Star revealed a post she wrote on WeChat, a Chinese social network. The decision could determine Singh's political fate.NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh addresses the media in Burnaby, B.C., on Wednesday following the resignation of Liberal candidate Karen Wang. Wang urged voters to support her, the only Chinese candidate in the race, and not Singh of Indian descent. Wang apologized to Singh in a statement announcing her resignation Wednesday morning, after the Star published details of her WeChat post. Singh was born in Scarborough, Ont. and is the first non-white leader of a major federal party. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

telecommunications equipment: But Huawei Canada president Eric Li, who is attending corporate meetings in Shenzen, said in a statement that its top priority has been the security and integrity of the networks that it supports through its technology, according to CTV. Huawei has been supplying telecommunications equipment in Canada for a decade, Li said. A company spokesman in Ottawa said Huawei's head office hasn't decided how much additional money and people will be allocated to its Canadian operation, which employs about 500 people at its research and development facilities. We have a 10-year record of success when it comes to cybersecurity. Huawei will also work with an independent third-party organization to monitor and assess its progress, he said. To make our equipment even more secure, Huawei is investing a further 2 billion over five years to enhance the way we design and build our products. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

atlantic coast: The Netherlands is scouring for qualified veterinarians to carry out new checks on live imports, according to Vancouver Courier. Germany is fast-tracking a debate on solving bureaucratic problems if there is no Brexit deal. Portugal is opening special airport lanes for British travellers, the nation's main source of tourists. Governments from Europe's Atlantic Coast to the Black Sea are preparing rules for British citizens to live and work in their countries once they no longer enjoy EU residency rights and hoping that Britain is doing the same for their citizens. After the British parliament overwhelmingly rejected British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit divorce deal this week, other governments are bracing for chaos, too. Britain, which would face by far the biggest disruption, has devoted thousands of civil servants and several billion pounds dollars on measures to mitigate the worst effect although officials can only speculate about what will actually happen on March 30 if Brexit happens without a deal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian government: Canada's Communications Security Establishment is asking employees to consider the impact of their work on Canada's reputation, according to Toronto Star. Activity perceived as violating these norms could undermine CSE's legitimacy with the public and create diplomatic pressure on the Canadian government, an internal document says. The Communications Security Establishment's updated risk framework asks their employees to weigh the benefits of electronic eavesdropping against the damage it could cause to Canada's reputation and Canadian public opinion. Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS Foreign entities and the Canadian public have expectations about legitimate or acceptable signals intelligence conduct, stated the risk framework, released under access to information law. Activity perceived as violating these norms could undermine CSE's legitimacy with the public and create diplomatic pressure on the Canadian government. It is important to consider how an activity would reflect on CSE and Canada's reputation in comparison to what we say we do. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

maduro government: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held one of his town hall meetings to a packed crowd at Brock University, according to Toronto Star. Bob Tymczyszyn / The St. Speaking at one of a series of election-year townhall meetings across the country, Trudeau reserved some of his harshest words of the evening at Brock University for Nicolas Maduro, the 56-year-old Venezuelan president since 2013 who is presiding over a country in increasing crisis. Catharines Standard Anyone who claims to be a friend of Venezuela or its people, Trudeau said, should stand up and condemn the Maduro government, which he said has been responsible for terrible oppression and a humanitarian crisis unseen in South America for decades. Organizers said about 1,500 people students and other area residents filled the campus gymnasium in St. All because of an illegitimate dictator named Maduro, who is continuing to not respect their constitution and the rule of law, Trudeau said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mcgill university: The report is not a plan, said Dr, according to CTV. Howard Bergman of McGill University, who chaired the six-member panel. The report by the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences panel, released Monday, is aimed at helping the Public Health Agency of Canada create and implement a national dementia strategy, which is expected to be unveiled toward the end of this year. It will inform those preparing the plan by looking at the evidence and then assessing the best practices. By 2031, that number is expected to nearly double, says the Alzheimer Society of Canada. More than half a million Canadians are living with dementia. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

morin: I don't know if this is happening all the time, but we are looking for assurances from Netflix that ... they are going to remove them, Morin said in an interview, according to CTV. You can be sure we are going to follow up on this, and our citizens are on our side. Lac-Megantic Mayor Julie Morin wants the streaming service to take a look at its movie and TV catalogue to make sure no other production is using images of the tragedy as entertainment. High school ethics teacher Guillaume Bouchard was watching the most recent season of Travelers on Netflix over the holidays when he noticed something oddly familiar on his screen. At the end of the street, a black oil tanker burned in the background. In the science-fiction series, a nuclear device had just exploded on the streets of London, but instead of seeing fires ravaging locations in the U.K. capital, Bouchard was looking at orange flames towering over a small town. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rahaf mohammed: Andrew Francis Wallace / Toronto Star While Rahaf's plea for help on social media got her international headlines and drew the attention of the UNHCR to her plight, the emergency rescue effort was by no means unique though the warm embrace by a foreign minister at the airport may have been, according to Toronto Star. According to immigration officials, some 200 people are processed under Canada's Urgent Protection Program each year, with about 50 resettled within the rapid timelines seen in Rahaf's case. Saudi teen Rahaf Mohammed was granted refuge in Canada after fleeing from her family she claimed were abusive. The 18-year-old arrived in Toronto Saturday where she was greeted by Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland after a tumultuous week that began with Rahaf escaping from her family during a trip to Kuwait. Canada has the flexibility to respond quickly to individual emergency situations for a small number of refugees, said immigration department spokesperson Beatrice Fenelon. Rahaf then flew to Bangkok, where she was detained by Thai authorities who prepared to deport her to Saudi Arabia, where she feared for her life. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

william barr: He also repeatedly sought to assuage concerns that he might disturb or upend special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation as it reaches its final stages, according to CTV. Some Democrats are concerned about that very possibility, citing a memo Barr wrote to the Justice Department before his nomination in which he criticized Mueller's investigation for the way it was presumably looking into whether Trump had obstructed justice. The comments by William Barr at his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday pointedly departed from Trump's own views and underscored Barr's efforts to reassure Democrats that he will not be a loyalist to a president who has appeared to demand it from law enforcement. Sen. The nominee told senators he was merely trying to advise Justice Department officials against stretching the statute beyond what was intended to conclude the president had obstructed justice. Dianne Feinstein of California, top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Barr the memo showed a determined effort, I thought, to undermine Bob Mueller. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

howard bergman: Howard Bergman of McGill University, who chaired the six-member panel, according to National Observer. It will inform those preparing the plan by looking at the evidence and then assessing the best practices. The report by the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences panel, released Monday, is aimed at helping the Public Health Agency of Canada create and implement a national dementia strategy, which is expected to be unveiled toward the end of this year. ; The report is not a plan, said Dr. More than half a million Canadians are living with dementia. Two-thirds of those affected by the neurodegenerative conditions are women. By 2031, that number is expected to nearly double, says the Alzheimer Society of Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rahaf mohammed: I know that there are unlucky women who disappeared after trying to escape or who could not do anything to change their reality, the 18-year-old said in her first public statement since her arrival on Saturday, according to CTV. Today, and for years to come, I will work in support of freedom for women around the world....the same freedom I experienced on my first day I arrived in Canada. Rahaf Mohammed said her arrival in Toronto has allowed her to join the ranks of the lucky ones who experience independence in their everyday lives, something she contends is denied to women in her home country. Mohammed won global attention last week when she fled her family while visiting Kuwait and flew to Bangkok, Thailand. She landed in Toronto after the Canadian government agreed to resettle her at the request of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She barricaded herself in an airport hotel room and launched a Twitter campaign outlining allegations of abuse against her relatives -- accusations her family members have denied. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

death penalty: This photograph taken and released by the Intermediate Peoples' Court of Dalian shows Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, centre, during his retrial on drug trafficking charges, according to Toronto Star. AFP / GETTY IMAGES The former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, said in an interview he was personally involved in steps taken by the embassy and the Canadian government, including personally delivering a letter Harper wrote seeking to prevent the execution of two Canadians of Chinese origin. The Star has learned that China has previously dismissed clemency pleas by a former prime minister, Stephen Harper, and former governor-general David Johnston against imposing the death penalty on Canadians in two cases. Saint-Jacques recalls it occurred in late 2014 or early 2015, in separate drug trafficking cases in Guangdong province. That's cause for alarm as Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg faces execution by a Chinese justice system that had previously sentenced him to 15 years in jail on charges of smuggling 222 kilograms of crystal meth. I think what we just succeeded in doing was delay their execution by maybe one year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

democrats fund: Then he gives public remarks in which he talks about crimes committed by illegal immigrants and drugs smuggled over the border, accuses Democrats of not caring about either of these things, and demands the wall again, according to Toronto Star. President Donald Trump attends an East Room event to host the Clemson Tigers football team at the White House Jan. 14, 2019 in Washington, DC. Polls suggest Americans blame Trump for the government shutdown, which hit its 25th day on Jan. 15. Trump demands on Twitter that Democrats fund his border wall. Olivier Douliery It's his perpetual playbook pick a fight, rile up the base, exaggerate, cast blame, dig in. Republican congressional leaders told Trump that it would be a bad idea to shut down part of the U.S. government over the wall. But it's not working at all this time. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

negotiations: The president also edged further away from the idea of trying to declare a national emergency to circumvent Congress, according to CTV. I'm not looking to call a national emergency, Trump said Monday. Trump rejected a suggestion to reopen the government for several weeks while negotiations would continue with Democrats over his demands for 5.7 billion for a long, impregnable wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. This is so simple we shouldn't have to. His rejection of the short-term option proposed by Republican Sen. No cracks were apparent in the president's deadlock with lawmakers after a weekend with no negotiations at all. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

star readers: I have always thought Ontario Place should be remodeled into a theme park for the Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight, whose members include the world famous Wolverine, wrote reader Barry Brown, according to Toronto Star. Star readers say redeveloping the 155-acre Ontario Place site is an opportunity to think big. After the stories ran on the weekend, readers followed up with a fresh round of ideas. Rick Madonik / Toronto Star The other well-known Canadian superhero, Deadpool, could also be included. It would attract a huge number of tourists from the U.S. and around the world while showcasing Canada and Canadian talent. This would give tons of work for Canadian designers, actors, tech people for animatronics, rides etc. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

experience independence: Today, and for years to come, I will work in support of freedom for women around the world, Mohammed said through a translator, according to National Observer. The same freedom I experienced on my first day I arrived in Canada. Rahaf Mohammed said her arrival in Toronto has allowed her to join the ranks of the lucky ones who experience independence in their everyday lives, something she contends is denied to women in her home country. ; In her first public statement since her arrival on Saturday, the 18-year-old said she intends to fight to allow other women to experience the new privileges she now enjoys as a Canadian resident. Mohammed won global attention last week when she fled her family while visiting Kuwait and flew to Bangkok, Thailand. She landed in Toronto after the Canadian government said it had agreed to resettle her at the request of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She barricaded herself in an airport hotel room and launched a Twitter campaign outlining allegations of abuse against her relatives accusations her family members have denied. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

police officer: The number of those killed at the DusitD2 complex rose with the discovery of six more bodies at the scene and the death of a wounded police officer, said Joseph Boinnet, inspector-general of Kenyan police, according to Vancouver Courier. Twenty-eight people were hurt and taken to the hospital, he said.article continues below Trending Stories Beloved Vancouver bakeshop East Village Bakery closing after six years Vancouver actress and nephew reported missing in B.C. Vancouver restaurant on rat found in its soup this incident did not happen'Police seek accused 'sugar daddy' scammer In a televised address to the nation earlier in the day, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that the all-night operation by security forces to retake the complex was over and that all of the extremists had been killed. Two people accused of facilitating the attack were arrested. We will seek out every person that was involved in the funding, planning and execution of this heinous act, he vowed. Security camera footage released to local media showed a suicide bomber blowing himself up in a grassy area in the complex, the flash visible along with smoke billowing from the spot where he had been standing. In an attack that demonstrated al-Shabab's continued ability to strike Kenya's capital despite setbacks on the battlefield, extremists stormed the place with guns and explosives. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

buenos aires: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a closing press conference at the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, according to Toronto Star. Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O'Regan is also on the move, possibly taking over Indigenous Services from Philpott. The Canadian Press has confirmed that Philpott will take over the post occupied by longtime Liberal Scott Brison, who precipitated the shuffle last week with his unexpected resignation. He has cancelled an event scheduled to take place Monday in his home province of Newfoundland and Labrador.CBC reported O'Regan's move to Indigenous Services as a certainty Sunday.A Nova Scotia backbencher speculation Sunday centred on Sean Fraser or Bernadette Jordan will also be added to the cabinet lineup to fill Brison's role as that province's cabinet representative. Article Continued Below The shuffle is expected to be small, with as few adjustments as possible to fill the void of Brison's departure. The newcomer could take over O'Regan's file at Veterans Affairs. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cabinet: The shuffle puts the size of the federal cabinet at 36 members, including Trudeau, according to CTV. This is the largest number of seats around the cabinet table during this government's term in office. The changes were, in the prime minister's mind, an opportunity to put strong performers in important files and continue to demonstrate our capacity to deliver on a broad range of priorities for Canadians, Trudeau said, speaking to reporters after unveiling his changes to the ministerial roster. The gender balance is retained with the changes. This spot needed filling after long-time MP Scott Brison announced last week that he was resigning from cabinet because he will not be seeing re-election in 2019. Trudeau moved minister Jane Philpott into the newly-vacated role as president of the Treasury Board and minister of digital government. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.