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Student art revitalizes Brampton Transit hub

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A 16-foot long mural created by Sheridan College students was unveiled yesterday at Brampton Transit’s Gateway Terminal to help revitalize the space.

 Located at 501 Main Street South, the Brampton Gateway Terminal is a hub for students – particularly those from Sheridan College – making this project a natural collaboration. With the idea stemming from Brampton Transit employees who work at the terminal and wanted to beautify the space, the City commissioned several of the school’s Honours Bachelor of Illustration students to create a mural that represents Brampton Transit and its role in the community.

 Sheridan included this project in its summer illustration program.  Four students created the final artwork:  Alanna Campbell, Erina Chida, Isabella Fassler and Miri Molev. The mural project was led by Sheridan Illustration faculty Ted Zourntos and Julia Breckenreid, along with the support of Elijah Williams, Manager, Centre for Indigenous Learning and Support, who guided the students in the identification of appropriate indigenous symbols to include in the mural. Continue reading “Student art revitalizes Brampton Transit hub”

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Paradise Found: W Hotels Brings Its Vibrant Style to Malaysia, Adding a Modern Marvel to the Southeast Asian Jungle City

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W Hotels Debuts In Malaysia With The Opening Of W Kuala Lumpur
W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, Inc., today announced the opening of W Kuala Lumpur, marking the iconic brand’s first-ever hotel in Malaysia. Owned by Tropicana Corporation Berhad, W Kuala Lumpur opens its doors in the heart of the capital, steps from the world-famous Petronas Twin Towers. Through bold, innovative design, W Kuala Lumpur immerses guests in the city’s wildly lush greenery, globally renowned cuisine, centuries-old history and growing appetite for playful luxury.

 

Kuala Lumpur is known for its fast-paced spirit which emerged from modest beginnings. Nestled between the Klang and Gombak Rivers, Kuala Lumpur boasts a sunny tropical climate, flourishing jungle, soaring buildings and traditional Malaysian architecture – a meeting of old and new, nature and humankind, on every street. Continue reading “Paradise Found: W Hotels Brings Its Vibrant Style to Malaysia, Adding a Modern Marvel to the Southeast Asian Jungle City”

Business, IndiaLeave a comment

‘Retail Beyond Detail’ – The Great Indian Retailing Business

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 India’s most appreciated retail author Dr Gibson G. Vedamani in the presence of Mr. Rakesh Biyani (JMD of Future Group) released his book –‘Retail Beyond Detail’, the Guide to a successful retailing business at Oberoi Mall, Goregaon today.  The book is a perfect guide for the growth and successful development of the retail business industry. The book is sure to enlighten the interesting environment of the retail business in India.

Sharing the extracts with Mr. Biyani from the book during discussion Dr. Gibson held the audience discussing about the instances of the emergence of the Retail in India as one of the fastest growing industry and how it has extended its frontiers worldwide that has the entrance of world renowned giants like Walmart, Ikea, and Carrefour etc. Today, retailing is about so much more than mere merchandising. It is about casting customers in a story, reflecting their desires and aspirations, and forging long-lasting relationships. Retail today has changed from selling a product or a service to selling a hope, an aspiration and above all an experience that a consumer would like to repeat.

Commenting on the book launch Anupam T, Vice President, Oberoi Mall said “The Retail Industry is experiencing quantum shift in dynamics due to fast changing customer behavior and expectations coupled with technology induced challenges for example e-commerce etc. So far India has occupied a remarkable position in global rankings and is expected to become the world’s sixth largest consumption economy. Continue reading “‘Retail Beyond Detail’ – The Great Indian Retailing Business”

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G20 member nations to promote policies that bridges all forms of digital divide

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At the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting in Salta, in the north-west of Argentina, G20 ministers and senior officials issued a declaration that reflects the G20’s commitment towards promoting “policies and actions that catalyze digital transformations. The Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting, held on 23-24 August, was attended by 33 heads of delegation- Ministers, senior officials and representatives from invited countries and international organizations, like EU, UNCTAD, ITU etc. India was represented by Union Minister for Electronics and IT & Law and Justice,Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Building on the contributions of the G20 Digital Economy Task Force, delegates deliberated upon efforts to create conditions that help governments, the private sector and civil society maximize the benefits and confront the challenges posed by technological progress. The other focus area of the meeting was digital inclusion, in particular the gender divide. Other related issued such as Digital government, digital infrastructure and measuring the digital economy were also deliberated.

Addressing the Plenary of the G-20 Digital Economy Ministerial meeting, Sh. Prasad said that India’s digital story is a story of hope and growth; of opportunities and profits. But above all it is a story of digital inclusion and empowerment. Digital India is a mass movement today touching the lives of a billion people. Continue reading “G20 member nations to promote policies that bridges all forms of digital divide”

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Gold Burgers and Chinese Lanterns Bring the Shine to 140th CNE

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By N. Balani

Over the top food creations are a major attraction at The Ex.  “Every year we have this little competition that goes on between the various chefs and concessions on site,” says the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE or The EX) CEO Virginia Ludy. “It never ceases to amaze me what they come up with.”

This year, after much deliberation, the big winner is the 24k gold-foil wrapped burger by Bacon Nation in the food building, which is fit for a King or Queen! Of course it comes with a hefty price tag at $100 for the larger version. If that does not suit your pocket then there is a smaller version at $24.95. Each is covered in edible 24-karat gold foil and is certainly a status symbol to be seen on social media delicately nibbling away at it!

Other food novelties include kimchi hotdogs and the very popular Big Pickle Tornado – a hotdog in a tortilla garnished with a pickle, cheese sauce and bacon. More intrepid foodies can go for the chocolate banana steakclair- a giant éclair stuffed with steak, banana, whipped cream, cheese and chocolate sauce.

The EX marks the beginning of the end of summer and is the quintessential outing for most Canadian families. It is all about the crowning creations of food, the rides and mid-way for the kids, the music concerts, the dog-show and craft stalls. Continue reading “Gold Burgers and Chinese Lanterns Bring the Shine to 140th CNE”

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Nirmala Armstrong: Councillor, Contributor, Leader, Lawyer

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Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong is a popular, well-respected person not only in the City of Markham, but the entire GTA and beyond. In addition to being the first South Asian woman to become Regional Councillor, she is also a highly regarded lawyer who has been a sole practitioner for 20 years and was also a lecturer in the Faculty of Family Law for the Ontario Bar Admission at the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Ever since being elected as a Regional Councillor for the City of Markham in 2014, Nirmala Armstrong has worked tirelessly within the community to serve the members. She has been a recipient of several awards, including the ‘Inspiring Women Award from ANGEENA International Non-Profit Organization, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medals for outstanding contributions to the community at large.

The initiatives and accomplishments of Nirmala Armstrong are far too many to describe, so suffice it to say that she has worked on projects like ending ‘Youth Homelessness’, raising awareness about ‘Domestic Violence Against Women’, promoting participation of women in sports etc. Continue reading “Nirmala Armstrong: Councillor, Contributor, Leader, Lawyer”

IndiaLeave a comment

NSS volunteers take part in large number in Kerala Flood Relief Measures

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National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers in Kerala have taken up the relief and rescue operations on war-footing basis. About 1200 NSS units across the state are fully involved in the relief activities. The NSS volunteers are sanitising the affected area, preparing food packets for the flood victims, running common kitchen and distributing medicines.   The Volunteers and other functionaries are distributing food packets to the affected people at various places and are also involved in rescue operations. They are collecting items of daily uses like Dry  ration, clothes, soaps, sanitary napkins,  medicines of regular use, Milk Powder, bleaching powders, Hand wash, sanitizers etc. Collection of  money for the PM Relief Fund and CM Relief Fund of Kerala is also going on in all the NSS units. Volunteers from other states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat ,Karnataka and West Bengal are also participating actively in the relief measures.

NSS volunteers always take up relief and rescue operations on priority whenever a natural disaster occurs in any part of the country. These volunteers work tirelessly to mobilise relief materials and work for the smooth distribution of the collected materials in the affected area in close coordination with the District Administration.

NSS, the flagship programme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, is one of the major  programmes for the student youth  across the country. At present about  41 lakh volunteers are enrolled in this programme in 426 Universities covering about 32000 institutions. Continue reading “NSS volunteers take part in large number in Kerala Flood Relief Measures”

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More Families to Reunite in Canada

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To help reunite even more parents and grandparents with their families in Canada, the Government of Canada announced that we will accept up to 20 000 applications for the
sponsorship of parents and grandparents, in 2019. This is 4 times the number of applications accepted when the program reopened in 2014, when the cap was set at 5000 applications.
This decision to increase the number of applications that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will accept for processing is a result of continually high demand in the Parents
and Grandparents (PGP) Program and the fact that we have significantly reduced the backlog of applications. The inventory has dropped from a peak of 167 000 people, in 2011, to just under 26
000 people, in June 2018.

After increasing the 2018 cap to 17 000 complete applications, IRCC sent a second round of invitations to randomly selected potential sponsors who submitted an Interest to Sponsor form in
early 2018. Those invited to the second round have until October 5, 2018, to submit a complete application.

Minister Hussen also announced that, as a result of listening to stakeholders and closely examining the PGP Program, the government is making further changes to the application intake
process that will streamline access to the program and improve client experience. Using this modified intake process will give the government more flexibility in the application
process, ensuring that we receive as many applications as possible. Continue reading “More Families to Reunite in Canada”

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Amazon creates hundreds of jobs in Ottawa

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Every time you click to buy something online, the many people working behind the scenes help get that product to your doorstep. From receiving orders to packaging and shipping, e‑commerce provides new job opportunities for the middle class and people working hard to join it.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today visited the future site of Amazon’s new 92,900 square-metre warehouse in Ottawa’s east end. The facility will create over 1,500 construction jobs, and over 600 full-time jobs once it opens.

With the fastest-growing economy in the G7, Canada is a top destination for businesses to invest, grow, and create jobs. The Government of Canada has welcomed many important global investments that have created thousands of good, middle class jobs for Canadians. Today, the country’s unemployment rate is at its lowest level since the 1970s.

Amazon’s expansion will continue to create good, middle class jobs, and offer new opportunities for Canadians to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.

“I am thrilled that Amazon has once again chosen to invest in Canada, and build its next fulfillment centre in Ottawa. This new centre will create over 600 good, middle class jobs for Canadians while further establishing Canada as a hub of tech and innovation.”

—The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada Continue reading “Amazon creates hundreds of jobs in Ottawa”

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2018 CNE BRINGS LARGER-THAN-LIFE ATTRACTIONS AND SUPERSIZED ENTERTAINMENT

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NEW: Indoor Lantern Festival, TELUS Asian Market, Giant Garden Gnomes, Star-Studded Concert Series, and the US Air Force Thunderbirds return to the Canadian International Air Show for their only performance outside of the USA this year

– August 17 to September 3 –

Toronto’s iconic summer celebration, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), kicks off August 17 to
September 3 with all-new and more diverse programming than ever before. In celebration of the 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism, the CNE is home to one of the world’s largest indoor lantern festivals featuring 17 illuminated large-scale art installations on display daily inside the Enercare Centre, as well as an outdoor TELUS Asian Market transforming Princes’ Blvd. into a bustling and lively marketplace for artisanal crafts and authentic street foods from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3.

Returning to its destination beside the Princess Margaret Fountain is the eight-feet tall CNE sign. A new popular ‘selfie’ photo opportunity at The Ex is the Nook of Gnomes inside Heritage Court, where visitors can find unexpected encounters with six- and 12-feet giant gnome statues decorated in greenery. Innovation is also a strong theme this year with the return of the CNE Innovation Garage and the Emerging Innovators Pitch Competition; a new Genius Lab Playground and Nintendo Kids Tech Zone; more play-to-win tournaments at Gaming Garage; and an exciting new robot competition where high school teams showcase their robotic creations for top honours. Continue reading “2018 CNE BRINGS LARGER-THAN-LIFE ATTRACTIONS AND SUPERSIZED ENTERTAINMENT”