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China levels national security accusations against two detained Canadians

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OTTAWA —In the wake of Canada’s arrest of Meng Wanzhou, a high-profile Chinese business executive wanted by the U.S, China says it has detained two Canadians “on suspicion of engaging in activities that harm China’s state security.”

Both men were arrested two days after China threatened Canada with “grave consequences” if Meng — the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Inc. who is sought by the U.S. on allegations of fraud and bypassing Iran sanctions — was not immediately released, but a day before she made bail.

The turn of events prompted Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer to demand Prime Minister Justin Trudeau intervene with Chinese President Xi Jinping on behalf of the Canadians detained in China.

Without discussing whether the arrests were retaliatory in nature, a Chinese government spokesman, Lu Chang, repeated China’s demand Thursday from Beijing.

“On the case of Meng Wanzhou which is a wrong move made by the Canadian side, we ask the Canadian side to immediately correct its mistake and release Ms. Meng Wanzhou. As for the cases involving two Canadian citizens, I have already told you that China’s state security authorities have taken compulsory measures in accordance with law.”

A B.C. judge ordered Tuesday that Meng would be allowed to leave prison on strict bail conditions, including a $10-million guarantee she would remain in Vancouver while the U.S. pursues its extradition case against her.

Lu, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, said that on Dec. 10, Michael Kovrig was arrested in Beijing and, separately, Michael Spavor was detained in Dandong City near the China-North Korea border.

Kovrig is a former Canadian diplomat on leave to work for International Crisis Group doing research and analysis on China, North Korea and northeast Asia generally.

Spavor is an entrepreneur who runs a China-based company that organizes sport and cultural trips into North Korea, and was a fixer for former NBA superstar Dennis Rodham’s trip to meet North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

Lu dodged direct questions about whether their arrests were in retaliation for Meng’s arrest, whether the two men were connected to each other, or whether the so-called allegations of harming Chinese national security had anything to do with their work in North Korea.

But an editor of Global Times, an English-language tabloid that has close ties to the Chinese government, posted a video Thursday saying “China will take revenge” if Canada does not free Meng.

Scheer on Thursday cited reports in Chinese media that the men’s plight was linked to the Meng arrest, and laid much of the blame at the feet of Canada’s Liberal government, saying Trudeau has pursued a “policy of appeasement” that has reduced Canada’s leverage with Canada.

He urged Trudeau to pick up the phone and call president Xi, saying it’s time to elevate the issue to the very top levels of the Chinese government.

“We need to make sure we unequivocally denounce any type of repercussions to Canadians on foreign soil in China as a result of the actions of independent police agencies here,” said Scheer.

“That message has to be sent loudly and clearly by this government to the government of China. And I believe that this situation demonstrates that Justin Trudeau’s naïve approach to relations with China isn’t working.”

Scheer, who told the Star he has never himself travelled to mainland China only to Taiwan, said it is time for Canada to stop making “concessions” to China and announce that Huawei will not be permitted to participate in the development of Canada’s 5G wireless networks.

He declined to say whether Canada should warn Canadians to avoid travel to and within China, saying the government has access to more national security information than he does and must make that determination. Scheer noted thousands of Canadians travel back and forth to China for business and family reasons.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday, “The current advice urges Canadians to exercise a high degree of caution in China and that is advice that Canadians should take seriously.”

Freeland said the government constantly reviews events and would adjust the caution if necessary.

However, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Chang insisted China remained a safe destination, and that foreign nationals in China have “nothing to worry about as long as they abide by Chinese laws and regulations.”

Lu said from January to November 2018, 780,000 people have travelled from Canada from China, while a much smaller number of Chinese visit Canada on a per capita basis.

“I want to add that since the Canadian government wrongfully detained Ms. Meng Wanzhou at the behest of the U.S. side, many Chinese people are starting to question the safety of travelling to Canada.”

Canadian officials say the government has not been advised of the nature of any charges, nor where the men are being held.

Meng’s arrest came Dec. 1 in Vancouver at the request of the U.S. as she was in transit, flying between Hong Kong and Mexico.

China’s foreign ministry hauled in the Canadian ambassador to Beijing, John McCallum, on Saturday and the U.S. ambassador Terry Branstad on Sunday in protest.

China called Meng’s arrest “lawless, reasonless and ruthless, and it is extremely vicious.”

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would intervene in her case and could make it go away if it would break the trade deadlock between the U.S. and China.

“Whatever’s good for this country, I would do,” Trump told Reuters Tuesday.

U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Security John Demers tried to do damage control at a senate committee the next day: “What we do at the Justice Department is law enforcement. We don’t do trade.”

And Trump’s remark drew a veiled rebuke from Freeland who suggested Meng’s lawyers could use the remarks in her defence to argue the prosecution was politicized.

“I think that it is incumbent on parties making an extradition request to be sure that an extradition request is about ensuring that justice is done, is about respecting the rule of law, and our extradition partners should not seek to politicize the extradition process or use it for ends other than the pursuit of justice and the rule of law,” Freeland told reporters Wednesday.

Freeland said the Canadian government is “deeply concerned” about the detentions of the two Canadians.

Kovrig was on special leave to work with a non-governmental organization in Hong Kong, does not have diplomatic status, yet is considered to still be an employee of the department.

“It adds another layer to the concern,” admitted Freeland. She said the government has a special duty of care to its own employees, but it is “agonizing” when any Canadian is detained outside Canada.

Canadian officials who briefed reporters said Meng’s arrest provoked such a storm of “anti-Canadian sentiment” and protest on official Chinese state media, on social media channels and in emails to the Canadian embassy that Canada asked Beijing to beef up security around its embassy in the capital, and its consulate offices in Hong Kong, Chongqing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Tonda MacCharles is an Ottawa-based reporter covering federal politics. Follow her on Twitter: @tondamacc

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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