Author: Todd Cox

Ukrainian president says renewed push against Russian forces might ‘cost Ukraine dearly’ The Ukrainian armed forces are now ready to launch a counteroffensive, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday. “I do not know how long it will take (to launch an offensive). To be honest, it can go in different ways, completely different ways. But we intend to do it, and we are ready,” he said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. He added that this counteroffensive might “cost Ukraine dearly.” Asked about his hopes Ukraine will join NATO, Zelenskyy said that if Kyiv is not given a…

The May 3 state visit of President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to Kazakhstan showed that the strategic cooperation will grow in the coming years, Yersultan Zhanseitov from the Institute of World Economy and Politics said in an interview with Jibek Joly TV Channel. Photo credit: senate.parlam.kz. “I believe the main goal of the visit is purely economic. Trade is one of the biggest topics alongside other topics such as transport corridors as the way to develop our bilateral trade, also politics and geopolitics like matters of Afghanistan and Central Asian integration,” the expert said. According to him, regional integration will…

The Canadian economy grew less than expected in February from the previous month and is expected to shrink in March, according to data that back up the central bank’s plans to keep interest rate hikes on hold. February gross domestic product gained 0.1 percent from January, less than the 0.2 percent increase forecast by analysts, after an upwardly revised 0.6 percent expansion in January, Statistics Canada said on Friday. March GDP was most likely down 0.1 percent, Statscan said in a preliminary estimate. The flash estimate for March, which may change when a final tally is released next month, means…

The Canadian economy grew by 0.1 per cent in February, Statistics Canada said Friday. In its latest report on economic growth, the federal agency’s preliminary estimate suggested real gross domestic product grew at an annualized rate of 2.5 per cent in the first quarter. The February figure came in lower than was expected by Statistics Canada as wholesale and retail trade as well as manufacturing all contracted. Boosting real GDP in February was growth in the public sector, professional, scientific and technical services, construction and finance and insurance. Statistics Canada revised up its January figure for real GDP to 0.6…

Almaty will host the second European Union – Central Asia Economic Forum on May 18-19 to discuss ways forward on policy, programs and investment needed to develop a more integrated and interconnected regional market engagement, according to the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan. Photo credit: asiatv.kg. The forum will focus on three key priority areas – a green and digital transition, a better business environment, and trade and connectivity. The participants will also discuss measures to strengthen sustainable connectivity and promote regulatory approximation in the economic area between the EU and Central Asian countries. The forum will provide recommendations for engagement…

20-year-old Banin Arjmand wins prestigious Loran Award Banin Arjmand never shies away from a challenge. The 20-year-old refugee made a treacherous journey out of Afghanistan with her parents and classmates after the Taliban seized control in August 2021. Now living in Saskatoon, she’s finishing her high school diploma at Nutana Collegiate and working part-time at Fuddruckers to help support herself and her parents, who aren’t working. Looking to her future, she didn’t think she could afford university tuition. So when a teacher suggested that she apply for the prestigious Loran Award, a scholarship valued at more than $100,000 over four years, she figured…

An explosion at a historic chocolate factory in southeastern Pennsylvania left two people dead, five missing and eight injured Friday afternoon. West Reading Borough Police Department Chief Wayne Holben confirmed two fatalities and five missing after an explosion at the R.M. Palmer Co. chocolate factory in West Reading shortly before 5 p.m. Officials said Saturday morning that one person was pulled from the rubble alive, Fox 29 reported. Tower Health spokeswoman Jessica Bezler told The Associated Press in an email that eight others were taken to Reading Hospital with injuries Friday evening. Bezler said two people were admitted in fair condition and five…

More than half of Canadians say it’s time to abolish the “spanking” law, which allows school teachers, parents or any parental figure of a student or child to use physical force to discipline them. The online survey, conducted by B.C.-based polling company Research Co., said 51 per cent of Canadians say section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada should be abolished. This marked a shifting outlook from Canadians, as only 34 per cent agreed to ban the law in 2018. “Every school teacher, parent or person standing in the place of a parent is justified in using force by…

The population census as we know it, which is carried out every 10 years, is going down in history. With the new regulation of the European Union on European statistics on population and housing, the traditional population census will be succeeded by administrative registers that will annually collect and daily update a range of data such as education and voting rights to housing and migration censuses. This will increase the coherence, consistency and comparability of statistical data on the population, including demographic and migration data, as well as data on families, households and housing conditions. Dubravka Rogić-Hadžalić, Head of Demographic and Social…

Sarajevo The search and rescue teams returning to their countries were greeted with tears and applause by their family members in the area in front of the Vijecnica Library in Sarajevo. Afterwards, the team went to the Azici region of Sarajevo, where they were congratulated by the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Fadil Novalic, and the Turkish Ambassador to Sarajevo, Sadık Babür Girgin. Novalic said, “We sent you off (to Turkey) more than ten days ago. Both you and we knew it was a difficult road. Neither you nor we could have guessed how difficult the…