More Canadians receiving jobless cheques
Canadian astronaut returning from space
Ontario's concern about Nortel divestment dismissed
CALGARY: MORE RECEIVING JOBLESS BENEFITS
Statistics Canada reports that the number of Canadians receiving employment insurance benefits in May reached its highest level since 1997. The agency says 778,700 people were receiving EI cheques in May, a 9.2-per cent increase from the previous month. Since the recession began last October, numbers of those on the EI rolls grew by 55.6 per cent. Much of the increase came in Ontario and Alberta. The former province's industrial base has suffered enormously because of slumping demand in the U.S., the global credit crunch and falling prices for minerals and other commodities. Alberta has been hit hard by falling oil and natural gas prices.
MONTREAL: CANADIAN ASTRONAUT HEADS HOME
Astronaut Julie Payette and five crew mates on board the U.S. space shuttle Endeavor are flying home after spending two weeks at the International Space Station. The Endeavor is scheduled to land in Florida on Friday. Canadian Robert Thirsk was one of the five astronauts already at the station and it was the first time that two Canadians had been in space at the same time. During their mission, the returning astronauts made improvements to the facility, carried out experiments and performed maintenance.
OTTAWA: LAWYER FOR CANADIAN CONVICTED IN ETHIOPIA WANTS FEDERAL HELP
The lawyer representing a Canadian convicted of terrorism-related charges in Ethiopia has called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon to intervene to save him from execution. Bashir Makhtal was found guilty on Monday of three offenses connected to his supposed membership in the Ogaden National Liberation Front, an accusation which he denied. The lawyer describes the tribunal as a "kangaroo court" that ignored evidence from his client. Mr. Makhtal was born in Ethiopia and came to Canada as a refugee. He later moved to Kenya and was working in Somalia when Ethiopia invaded it in 2007. He was deported to Kenya, which in turn deported him back to his homeland. Canadian Transport Minister John Baird says he's disappointed with the verdict in Mr. Makhtal's case and will do whatever he can to help after his sentencing.
OTTAWA: FLU VACCINE SUPPLY WILL SUFFICE
A Canadian health official says there will be enough H1N1 flu vaccine to serve the country. The statement came as Canada is preparing to start the inoculation program for those who want or need it. The death toll in from the H1N1 virus in Canada is more than 50. The virus has claimed the lives of more than 700 people worldwide. The United States has the highest number of flu-related deaths, followed by Argentina.
UNITED STATES
Officials from the US and China have concluded a second and final day of high-level talks in Washington. They're trying to set aside differences and work together to fight global warming. Officials from both countries have signed a document that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says will create the basis for co-operation and dialogue on climate change. The two countries are the world's largest producers of climate-altering pollution. The U.S. wants China to join it in reducing emissions. China says it will make cuts, but is wary about agreements that would hinder its development. The two sides want to make progress ahead of global talks on climate change in Copenhagen in December.
SOMALIA
The UN says that thousands of Somalis trying to flee their country's civil war are massing in a northern port while waiting to escape across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. The UN High Commission for Refugees says 12,000 people are waiting in the town of Bossasso for smugglers to take them on the dangerous trip to Yemen. The UN body says 30,000 have attempted the trip so far this year, of whom more than 300 have drowned. The world body reports that almost a quarter-of-a-million Somalis have fled their homes since Islamist insurgents began an offensive against the government in Mogadishu in May. The government controls only a few blocks of the capital.
TURKS AND CAICOS
Local police and the U.S. Coast Guard said on Tuesday that more than 120 illegal Haitian migrants were rescued after their wooden boat hit a reef and sank off the Turks and Caicos islands, It was unclear how many people were on board the vessel when it sank but estimates ranged from 160 to 200. A Turks and Caicos police spokesman said at least two bodies were recovered in the waters off West Caicos, a sparsely inhabited island in the British territory following the shipwreck which occurred late Sunday,
SWITZERLAND
The International Organization for Migration reports that 1,000 Moroccan migrants are living and working in miserable conditions on farms in southern Italy after having been lured there with false promises. The IOM says the migrants paid fees to a "rogue agent" in Morocco and Italian employer who promised them regular jobs. Instead, they were paid only 15 to 25 euros a day and had to pay fees to reach the farmers' fields and to obtain water. Once they reached Italy, the employers had disappeared or refused to pay them. The Italian authorities called in the IOM, an inter-governmental body, to investigate and found most of the Moroccans had fallen victims to a fraud. The IOM says the migrants will either receive local assistance or be given the means to return home.
TORONTO: ONTARIO'S WORRY ABOUT NORTEL SALE CALLED POLITICS
Federal Industry Minister Tony Clement says he thinks the Ontario government's concern about the sale of Nortel Networks Corp.'s wireless business to Swedish technology giant Ericsson has more to do with politics than anything else. The Conservative minister says he suspects the province's Liberal Party government is trying to distract attention from its own problems. The provincial government said last week it wasn't right for Nortel's wireless division to be sold to foreign interests because the Canadian taxpayer underwrote the government support which help Nortel to develop it. The leader of the opposition New Democratic Party, Jack Layton, has appealed to the other parties in Parliament to called an emergency session of the House of Commons industry committee to review the impact of the sale. Mr. Layton says the wireless technology is too important to lose to a foreign company that might cut jobs or deprive workers of their pensions. The federal Liberals also oppose the transaction. Mr. Clement hasn't said whether he'll review the $1.13-billion sale.
BUEDINGEN: MAGNA UPS THE ANTE IN BID FOR OPEL
The governor of the German state of Hesse, Roland Koch, says Canadian auto parts maker Magna International Inc. has more than tripled the cash it's prepared to invest in carmaker Adam Opel AG to almost US$500 million. Opel is based in Hesse. Mr. Hesse said the proposals by Magna would cost more in government financial aid than two rival bids, but are more promising for the future because Magna wants to open up new markets. Magna and Sberbank of Russia propose taking a 27.5 share each in Opel, with General Motors Corp. keeping a 35-per cent stake and the automaker's workers would hold a 10-per cent share. Magna wants to use its partnership with Russian carmaker Gaz to increase shipments of vehicles and parts from Europe to Russia.
MARKETS
TSX on Tuesday: 10,757, up 70. Canadian dollar: US92. Euro: C$1.53. Oil: US$67.32 a barrel.
GOLF
Nathan Green of Australia won the RBC Canadian Open on Monday by outlasting Retief Goosen in a two-hole playoff, yet another surprise from a tournament that was full of them. It was the first PGA Tour win for the 34-year-old, who entered the week 27 worldwide victories behind Goosen and 269 places back in the world rankings.
FOOTBALL
In the Canadian Football League, Montreal teammates Anthony Calvillo and Anwar Stewart captured awards after leading the Alouettes to a fourth straight win last week. Calvillo earned offensive player of the week honours, while Stewart was named top defensive player. Edmonton kick returner Tristan Jackson won the special teams award and teammate Calvin McCarty was top Canadian.
Weather
British Columbia on Wednesday: sun, high 30 Celsius Vancouver. Yukon, Northwest Territories: sun. Nunavut: mix sun cloud. Whitehorse 32, Yellowknife 24, Iqaluit 19. Alberta: sun. Saskatchewan, Manitoba: rain. Edmonton 23, Regina, Winnipeg 18. Ontario, Quebec: rain. Toronto 25, Ottawa 27, Montreal 26. Maritimes: sun. Newfoundland and Labrador: cloud. Fredericton 30, Halifax 27, Charlottetown 28, St. John's 17.
