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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigns and leaves Bangladesh, ending 15-year rule

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DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday, ending 15 years in power as thousands of protesters defied a military curfew and stormed her official residence.

Shortly after local media showed the embattled leader boarding a military helicopter with her sister, Bangladesh’s military chief Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman announced plans to seek the president’s guidance on forming interim government.

He promised that the military would stand down, and to launch an investigation into the deadly crackdowns that fueled outrage against the government, and asked citizens for time to restore peace.

“Keep faith in the military, we will investigate all the killings and punish the responsible,” he said. “I have ordered that no army and police will indulge in any kind of firing.”

“Now, the students’ duty is to stay calm and help us,” he added.

The protests began peacefully as frustrated students demanded an end to a quota system for government jobs, but the demonstrations have since morphed into an unprecedented challenge and uprising against Hasina and her ruling Awami League party.

The government attempted to quell the violence with force, leaving nearly 300 people dead and fueling further outrage and calls for Hasina to step down.

At least 95 people, including at least 14 police officers, died in clashes in the capital on Sunday, according to the country’s leading Bengali-language daily newspaper, Prothom Alo. Hundreds more were injured in the violence.

At least 11,000 people have been arrested in recent weeks. The unrest has also resulted in the closure of schools and universities across the country, and authorities at one point imposed a shoot-on-sight curfew.

Over the weekend, protesters called for a “non-cooperation” effort, urging people not to pay taxes or utility bills and not to show up for work on Sunday, a working day in Bangladesh. Offices, banks and factories opened, but commuters in Dhaka and other cities faced challenges getting to their jobs.

Hasina offered to talk with student leaders on Saturday, but a coordinator refused and announced a one-point demand for her resignation. Hasina repeated her pledges to investigate the deaths and punish those responsible for the violence. She said she was ready to sit down whenever the protesters want.

Authorities shut off mobile internet on Sunday in an attempt to quell the unrest, while the broadband internet was cut off briefly Monday morning. It was the second internet blackout in the country after the protests turned deadly in July.

On Monday, after three hours of suspension of broadband services, both broadband and mobile internet returned.

Hasina had said protesters who engaged in “sabotage” and destruction were no longer students but criminals, and she said the people should deal with them with iron hands.

The 76-year-old was elected for a fourth consecutive term in a January vote that was boycotted by her main opponents, triggering questions over how free and fair the vote was. Thousands of opposition members were jailed in the lead-up to the polls, which the government defended as democratically held.

Today, she is the longest-serving leader in the history of Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim nation of over 160 million people strategically located between India and Myanmar.

Her political opponents have previously accused her of growing increasingly autocratic and called her a threat to the country’s democracy, and many now say the unrest is a result of her authoritarian streak and hunger for control at all costs.

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Pathi reported from New Delhi.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Police union calls for ‘fulsome public safety plan’ in B.C. ahead of provincial vote

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September 9, 2024

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VICTORIA – The national union for RCMP officers is seeking to make public safety and bail reform a British Columbia election issue after repeat offenders were arrested for violent crimes, including a pair of gruesome attacks in downtown Vancouver last week.

The National Police Federation says it has launched a “pre-election program” calling on the winner of the Oct. 19 election to deliver a “fulsome public safety plan.”

It describes the current bail system as “catch and release” and says there’s a lack of data-informed support and monitoring of repeat offenders, resulting in public safety being compromised.

Thirty-four-year-old Brendan McBride was arrested last week over what police are calling two stranger attacks in downtown Vancouver, resulting in the death of 70-year-old Francis Laporte, while another victim’s hand was cut off.

Court documents show that at the time of the attacks, McBride was on probation over an assault in White Rock, B.C., last September, and the man had been sentenced to 12 months of probation before that in July 2022 for a separate assault in North Vancouver.

National Police Federation vice-president Rob Farrer says the timing of the organization’s call ahead of the election was somewhat coincidental, since it was more of a response to recent cases such as the Vancouver stranger attacks.

“It’s not about the election per se,” Farrer said. “We’re trying to make sure that we keep on top of this. We’re hearing from our officers, they’re seeing it every day and British Columbians and Canadians generally are seeing this as a major issue.”

He also said that while provincial governments tend to point to bail reform being a federal issue, it doesn’t absolve the provinces, including B.C., of not doing enough.

“We’re asking that whoever makes up the new government really be prepared to deliver a fulsome public safety plan, including what the bail-reform initiatives would look like — and not simply saying it’s a federal responsibility.

“Because it is not simply a federal responsibility. It’s a joint responsibility for both governments.”

Many of the initiatives called for by the federation are echoed in a July 2023 report released by the group about Canadian bail reform.

In the report, the federation called for the provinces to improve data collection and sharing on criminal cases across Canada, which would give judges a more complete picture of a person’s criminal history when they make bail decisions.

Farrer said more investment in and deployment of bail-enforcement monitoring technology should also be a part of a comprehensive answer to repeat offenders in society, as well as standardized training qualifications for justices presiding over bail hearings.

“It’s not just us that’s saying it,” Farrer said of the federation’s call for reform, noting an poll taken in August in B.C. commissioned by the group showed 82 per cent of those surveyed were concern about crime by repeat offenders.

“I think that’s a very, very strong majority of people across the province … who think that the current systems are not meeting their needs. And as a result, we’re seeing these incidents like the one in Vancouver.”

The National Police Federation is Canada’s largest police union that represents about 20,000 RCMP members both inside and outside the country.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Air Canada prepares to shut down as talks with pilots union near deadlock – CTV News

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September 9, 2024

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Air Canada prepares to shut down as talks with pilots union near deadlock  CTV News

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You Can Minimize the Odds of Being Ghosted

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3 hours ago

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September 9, 2024

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When job seekers complain about being ghosted—a form of silent rejection where candidates hear nothing after submitting an application or having been interviewed—I wonder if they’re unaware of the changes in social norms and mannerisms. Do they not know that social norms and the workplace are intertwined? Since the advent of social media, manners, courtesy, and empathy have significantly diminished.

If there’s one thing job seekers can be certain about, they’ll be ghosted multiple times throughout their job search. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say ghosting candidates has become a norm. It’s worth pointing out that companies don’t ghost candidates; the company’s employees ghost candidates. When the recruiter or hiring manager is of a generation that finds ghosting an acceptable way to terminate a relationship, romantic or otherwise, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when they ghost candidates.

 

Bad News: You can’t change or control other people’s behaviour.

 

Good News: You can take proactive steps to minimize—as with all human interactions, there are no guarantees—the chances of being ghosted.

 

Build a strong relationship. Focus on being likeable.

Understandably, hiring managers—recruiters less so since they won’t be working with the candidate—look to hire candidates they can envision getting along with; hence, most job seekers would significantly boost their chance of job search success by focusing more on being likable.

By likable, I mean being pleasant, respectful, and expressing genuine interest in the company and the role. I’ve yet to meet a hiring manager who hires candidates they don’t like. As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, likeability supersedes your skills and experience. Most job seekers don’t focus enough on being likeable.

The stronger the relationship (read: bond) you establish with the recruiter or hiring manager, the more likely they won’t ghost you. From your first interaction, focus on creating a rapport beyond just transactional communication.

Personalizing your correspondence can make a significant difference. Use the hiring manager’s name instead of a generic ‘To Whom It May Concern.’ Find commonalities such as place of birth, hobbies, schools attended, associations you belong to, favourite restaurants, and people you know.

 

Avoid appearing confrontational.

Anyone reading this can relate to the number one reason why people ghost: to avoid confrontation. Today, many people feel entitled, resulting in job seekers being frustrated and angry. You only need to scroll through LinkedIn posts and comments to see that bashing employers has become an unproductive trend. Hence, it’s likely that a candidate will become confrontational if told they don’t get the job.

Smile throughout your interview! Avoid appearing desperate! My best interviews have been those in which I was nonchalant; I was indifferent to whether or not I got the job. In addition to being a turn-off, showing signs of desperation will raise questions about how you’ll react if told you don’t get hired.

Lastly, tell your interviewer how much you enjoyed talking with them and that you look forward to hearing back.

 

  • “I really enjoyed our conversation, Khloe. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I look forward to hearing your hiring decision.”
  • “Either way, please call or email me to let me know about my application status.”

 

You’re more likely to receive a response by asking explicitly for communication.

 

Earn your interviewer’s respect.

People tend not to ghost someone they respect.

Respect must be earned, starting with one of life’s golden rules: Treat others how you want to be treated. In other words, give respect to get respect.

Throughout your job search, be professional and courteous. Respond promptly to emails and calls and thank people for their time. Approaching recruiters and hiring managers politely and professionally improves your chances of being treated similarly.

 

Ask for advice, not feedback.

Asking for advice encourages communication. As your interviewer is wrapping up the interview, mention that you’d welcome their advice. “Given your extensive background in project management, any advice you may have for me wanting to advance my career would be greatly appreciated.”

Why ask for advice and not feedback? The first problem with asking for feedback is it puts the other person on the spot. The second problem is feedback can lead to disagreement, hurt feelings, or defensiveness, a common reaction resulting in confrontation. On the other hand, asking for advice is asking for guidance and suggestions to achieve a better result. Essentially, you’re acknowledging the other person’s experience and massaging their ego. Do you know anyone who doesn’t like being asked for advice?

 

Send a thank you note.

Sending a thank you note expressing appreciation for the interview and the insights you gained reinforces your interest and keeps the lines of communication open. Conclude with a forward-looking statement, encouraging the recipient to respond.

 

  • “I look forward to hearing from you regarding the next steps.”
  • “I look forward to staying in touch.”

 

Job searching aside, direct, open, and honest communication—say what you mean, mean what you say—which I highly value, has become rare, which explains the prevalence of ghosting. When you’re ghosted, assume the company isn’t enthusiastic about hiring you. Silence may be golden in some things, but ghosting is not one of them.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.

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