News

Password-protecting your cell phone could be a stronger defence against prying eyes than you thought.

Ontario’s Court of Appeal recently ruled that police should obtain a search warrant to look through an arrested person’s cell phone upon – but only if the phone is password protected or locked.

However unlocked cell phones are fair game, according to the courts.

In Greece, more than 60-thousand people took to the streets to protest against the continuing austerity policies the government is making to pay its bills.

Al Jazeera reports that the protesters went on a 24-hour strike on Wednesday.

They represent Greece's two biggest labour unions and account for that country's 2-point-5 million workers.   

The protesters marched to parliament beating drums, blowing whistles and calling the politicians robbers.

The prices of homes in Canada have declined for the fifth straight month this January according to the Teranet-National Bank House Price Index.

The Index covers 11 Canadian cities and noted a 0.3 per cent decline reports the CBC.

Four of the 11 cities however, saw an increase in prices from December.

Preliminary talks between Premier Pauline Marois and New Brunswick Premier David Alward hint at the possibility of crude oil from Western Canada coming to Quebec.

According to the Montreal Gazette, after a meeting Monday Marois and Alward announced their agreement to study the five billion dollar pipeline project.

The oil will pass through Quebec’s Sumcor and Ultramar refineries then move on to the Irving Oil refinery in New Brunswick.

TransCanada Corporation’s plan is to reverse part of its Canadian Mainline running from Hardisty, Alberta to Montreal and build a new route towards the Quebec City area.

Tunisia's Prime Minister resigned on Tuesday.

According to the guardian, Hamadi Jebali tendered his resignation after his attempt to end a stand-off by forming a government of technocrats failed.

Jebali proposed a cabinet of technocrats to ease the tension brought on by the assasination of secular opposition politician, Chokri Belaid last February 6th.

On one has claimed responsibility for Belaid's death, which shook the country and left the government reeling.

Jebali vowed not to lead a new government unless he gets assurances about the timing of fresh elections and a new constitution.

Controversy is growing around Bill 14 concerning how Quebec will define minorities.

According to the Montreal Gazette, a provision in the bill aimed at tightening language laws will see the term “ethnic minorities” replaced with “cultural communities.”

Ethnic minorities are protected under international human-rights law, but the term “cultural communities” is not.

Human-rights lawyer Pearl Eliadis says that by changing the term the government is avoiding acknowledging the existence of minorities in Quebec.

Airline workers clashed with police on Monday, kicking off a strike mandate.

As reported by Al-Jazeera news, ground staff and cabin crews for Spain's Iberia airline began 15 days of strikes.

The protests are in response of the company's intentions of laying 3800 workers.

The protesters clashed with police at Madrid's International Airport.

The walkout is expected to lead to 1200 flight cancellations over the next three weeks.

A recent poll suggests the P.Q.’s efforts to build ties with Anglophones are not going as planned.

According to CBC News, an EKOS poll finds that Quebec Anglophones don’t trust the P.Q.

While 84 per cent believe the minority government would put in further limits on the English language if it won a majority.

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The Quebec Student Roundtable will be attending the province’s summit on higher education at the end of the month.

The roundtable’s general secretary Paul-Émile Auger, told CBC News that the group will attend to share its views on the future of universities.

He also pointed out that the group doesn’t have a confrontational relationship with the government and they don’t plan on recreating last spring’s protests.

The umbrella group ASSE pulled out of the summit last week and have planned protests targeting the event and have been considering a strike.

Thanks to recent protests, the Bangladesh government has agreed to amend a law that will allow an appeal to be granted concerning the life sentence of a war criminal.