A Northern  Irish tourist arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after posting a negative  comment on Google has said  his return home  was a "Christmas  miracle".

Craig Ballentine, from Cookstown,  Co Tyrone, was arrested  at Abu Dhabi  Airport in October  after posting critical comments about his former employer in  Dubai.
He was  charged with defamation, but the UAE's  tough cybercrime laws meant he also faced  a prison sentence for the remarks he made in the online  magazine.
The 33-year-old arrived in Dublin on Thursday morning after his travel ban  was lifted and told BBC News NI he was "happy to be  in the Irish  pub now".
Craig Ballentine  was pictured  wearing a  camel-coloured hoodie with his friend  Sean, who  was wearing a  t-shirt and dark jacket at the airport. They  smile at the  camera.
Craig was  met by his  friend Sean at the airport
"It  was very  worrying because it  was quite confusing," he told BBC News NI on Thursday  morning.
"In a minute, everything  changes.
"It was a Christmas  miracle."

"Happiness came when I arrived at Dublin  airport, when I saw Dublin from the sky, that was  it.
"I'll eat a really big fry in  an hour or two and then  focus mostly on friends and  family. "On Christmas  Eve we're doing the 12 Christmas  announcements -  some friends from Liverpool  are coming, we do it every year - and I texted them this  morning saying, 'I'm  coming'."
Support from  Stormont
Several politicians  have come forward to highlight Mr Ballentine's case, including Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, former UUP leader Sir Reg Empey and Mid Ulster councillor Trevor  Wilson.
Ballentine previously told BBC News NI that all he wanted  to do was get home to his  family for Christmas.
He said the last few weeks  had been  difficult for them.
He has already paid a fine but said he  could have to return to Dubai at the end of January for a further court  hearing.
He said that  when it came to his case, he would have to "play it by  ear". "We'll know a  little bit  about the  court's decision on Christmas Eve," he  added.
"We'll have to wait another 30 days and then they  can appeal again, so it could be February, March, April, or it could be  removed like that,  it's over."
Why was Craig Ballentine  arrested? In 2023,  Mr. Ballentine  found work at a dog grooming salon in  Dubai.
After working there for almost six months, he needed time off due to illness and so  provided his employer  with a  medical certificate as proof of his  condition.
But when he  didn't show up for work, he registered as  a "fugitive" with UAE authorities,  meaning he  couldn't leave the  country. Mr Ballentine  then managed to get  the travel ban lifted and  returned home to Northern Ireland, but  it took two months and cost him thousands of  pounds.
Mr Ballentine had returned to the  United Arab Emirates for a short holiday
Mr Ballentine had returned to the  United Arab Emirates for a short holiday
While back in Northern Ireland,  she wrote an online review of the dog grooming salon,  highlighting the problems  her former  employer allegedly caused  her.
He told BBC News NI  that his Google post "explained the ordeal I went  through".
At the end of October,  Mr. Ballentine returned to the  United Arab Emirates for a short  vacation, after which he was  soon arrested  on suspicion of defamation.
He was transferred from Abu Dhabi to Dubai where he  was supposed to await the  conclusion of the case.

Calgary  City Council Adopts New Rules for Short-Term Rentals.

Among the new rules are higher licensing  fees that short-term rental owners will  have to pay  each year starting in  2025.
Calgary's Suburbs and  Downtown Skyline
A view of the Calgary skyline and suburban  homes in the foreground was  taken on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. 

Despite backlash from some industry representatives, Calgary  City Council has  adopted a new set of rules to regulate short-term rentals in the city, including a licensing system and a moratorium on issuing  such licenses when vacancy rates are  low.
The administration's recommendations, which  the council approved Tuesday night, include higher licensing  fees that short-term rental owners  would have to pay  annually starting in 2025. The fees  would start at $172 per year for primary residences  that provide short-term rental  advertising and  $510. for non-primary  residences.
However, the city will freeze  the approval of these licenses for non-primary residences when  the vacancy rate for long-term  rentals is  below 2.5%. Your daily lunchtime  summary of curated links,  news, analysis and features.

Ben Shapiro's narrative about Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump meeting is a must-watch ‼️ Trump: Please let me know if there is anything I can do tomorrow to totally destroy the Canadian economy. Trudeau: It would be disastrous to impose tariffs on our automobiles. Trump: I'll give you a lesson, Justin. Answering "if you could do one thing to destroy me, what would it be?" is the first thing you should never do during a negotiation. 🤦🏼

These new medical professionals will: Vaccinate against COVID-19 and develop cognitive impairment Encourage youngsters to have the COVID-19 vaccine, which causes cancer. Encourage pregnant women to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which can result in stillbirths and miscarriages. Give patients in the intensive care unit Remdesivir and kill them. won't provide patients with informed consent will take an AHS Management course that is corrupt. Let's also discuss the pedophiles and child sex abusers who have unrestricted access to Alberta children and whose medical licenses are safeguarded by the College of Physicians. #ableg.

One of our main goals is to guarantee that every Albertan has access to a family physician, and we're taking decisive action to achieve this. By increasing family physician training opportunities and enhancing primary care support, we are creating a more robust and accessible health care system for all. We're working together to make Alberta healthier in the future! Check out our plan in greater detail at alberta.ca/release.cfm?xI.

@  Danielle Smith 

Does it appear that East Indian Transport Companies in Canada are defrauding everyone? 🤔 Illegal workers, unlicensed drivers, phony identification, dangerous cars, and now defrauding Canadians of services. Unfortunately, evil actors find it easy to exploit our culture of trust. We must enact stricter legislation or face extinction.

A spending bill backed by Donald Trump has failed to pass in the US House of Representatives, leaving Congress with no clear plan to avert a fast-approaching government shutdown ¹. The bill, which would have extended government funding into March and provided $100 billion in disaster relief, was rejected by 38 Republicans who defied Trump's demands.

The failed vote has laid bare the fault lines in Trump's Republican Party, which could surface again next year when they control the White House and both chambers of Congress. Trump had pressured lawmakers to tie up loose ends before he takes office on January 20, but members of the party's right flank refused to support a package that would increase spending and add trillions more to the federal government's $36 trillion in debt.

The bill's failure has sparked concerns about the potential impact of a government shutdown on Christmas travel and the economy. If lawmakers fail to extend the deadline, the US government will begin a partial shutdown that would interrupt funding for everything from border enforcement to national parks and cut off paychecks for more than 2 million federal workers.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has provided no details on next steps, saying only that "we will come up with another solution". The White House has also stated that Democratic President Joe Biden does not support the bill.

Southwestern Ontario politicians and experts are weighing in on the Canadian government's new federal border plans, which aim to strengthen border security and immigration rules. The comprehensive plan, recently released by the government, addresses challenges such as irregular migration, drug trafficking, and organized crime across the U.S. border ¹.

According to the plan, key immigration measures include ending "flagpoling" practices, streamlining the asylum system, and amending immigration laws to prevent irregular migration and mitigate security risks. The government also plans to introduce new law enforcement tools, enhance coordination with U.S. law enforcement, increase information sharing, and minimize immigration traffic at the border ¹.

Politicians and experts in southwestern Ontario are reacting to the new plans, citing concerns about the potential impact on border communities and the economy. Some have expressed support for the measures, citing the need for increased border security and streamlined immigration processes. Others have raised concerns about the potential for increased wait times and logistical challenges for cross-border travel and trade ¹.

The Canadian government has emphasized that the new plans are designed to strengthen border security while also facilitating legitimate travel and trade. The government is expected to release further details and timelines for implementing specific measures in 2025 ¹.

Overall, the reaction to the new federal border plans in southwestern Ontario reflects the complex and multifaceted nature of border management. As the government moves forward with implementing the new measures, it will be important to balance the need for increased security with the need to facilitate legitimate travel and trade.

Trudeau recently appointed two more senators while Canada is preoccupied with the collapse of the dollar and our economy. They are not at all independent and can remain till they are 75. Any bill can be blocked by the Senate. Why most people welcome a US takeout should not be a mystery. 🤔

The latest GOP spending bill is deemed "laughable" by the House Democratic leader. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, tells reporters that he is against the new government financing agreement that was negotiated only by Republicans.