News Room

I noticed one sometime last week. Since then, several have appeared on my street. When I was a kid, we normally saw them at St Jude’s Church and St Paul’s, too. Christmas lightings! It’s a reminder that the year is coming to an end. Well, while the year has had to bow to COVID 19,…

Photo credit: UNHCR This year, over 42,000 refugees have been able to return home voluntarily in the West and Central Africa region. The UNHCR says this brings the total to more than 272,000 since 2021, offering renewed hope for communities recovering from years of displacement. The majority have returned to Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR). About…

Photo credit: Times of Israel A boat believed to be carrying 990 undocumented migrants from Myanmar, Bangladesh and the Rohingya community has broken apart in waters near the Malaysia-Thailand border. Malay Mail reports that so far six survivors have been rescued, while a Myanmar woman has been confirmed dead.  Kedah police chief said the vessel was part of a…

Photo credit: Toronto Today A fire burned warmly outside the Toronto City Hall to warm the cold temperatures on Saturday morning as veterans, service members and Indigenous people from diverse backgrounds gathered to observe Indigenous Veterans Day. Toronto Today reports that every November 8 honours the thousands of First Nations, Metis and Inuit people who have served in Canada’s…

Photo credit: News.rthk The US Supreme Court has said the Trump administration does not have to immediately pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits defunded during the government shutdown, a temporary order that leaves millions in limbo. RTHK reports that in a ruling on Friday, the court came after a lower court had ruled that the government…

Photo credit: Get in Canada The federal government is cutting the number of spots available in its refugee, humanitarian and permanent residency streams. CTV News reports that the updated immigration levels plan released this week shows 49,000 spaces available for refugees seeking permanent residency in 2016, down from about 58,000 this year.  The Canadian Council for Refugees…

Photo credit: infomigrants Amnesty International has slammed Tunisia for committing “widespread human rights violations”  against irregular migrants, including rape and torture, and condemned the EU’s “cynical” cooperation with Tunis to curb irregular migration.  Asharq Al-Awsat reports that in a new report based on research between February 2023 and June 2025, Amnesty said it had interviewed…