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Quebec-born actor Glenn Ford dead at 90	31/08/06
Gas up! Pump prices fall to 5-month low	30/08/06
At least 5 dead in Greyhound bus crash	29/08/06
Ernesto churns toward Cuba as Florida watches	28/08/06
Abducted Fox journalists set free in Gaza	27/08/06
Iran fires up controversial heavy water plant	26/08/06
Quebecers no fan of Tracy	25/08/06
20 years later, Hansen recalls Man in Motion tour	24/08/06
Canadian troops brace for shooting backlash	23/08/06
Inflation edges down to 2.4 per cent	22/08/06
Dozens of Taliban killed in Afghan battle	21/08/06
JonBenet suspect on flight from Thailand to U.S.	20/08/06
Happy homecoming: 140 soldiers return from Afghanistan	19/08/06
UN force taking shape as Lebanese troops move south	18/08/06
Suspect claims JonBenet's death was an 'accident'	17/08/06
Conference to look back at 25 years of fighting AIDS	16/08/06
Israel begins withdrawing troops from Lebanon	15/08/06
No major hostilities as Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect	14/08/06
Harper touts sovereignty over Arctic on northern trip	13/08/06
40,000 flee homes fearing Philippines volcano eruption	12/08/06
'Another difficult day' as U.K. remains on alert	11/08/06
Airline bombing plot foiled, British police say	10/08/06
Protesters set up barricade after judge calls for order in Caledonia dispute	09/08/06
Israel considers Lebanon's offer of troops along border	08/08/06
Taliban issue warning as fallen troops returned to Canada	07/08/06
Tornado kills woman in Manitoba	06/08/06
Whitmore allegedly made deal with RCMP: lawyer	05/08/06
Bomb attacks rock Canadian convoy in Afghanistan	04/08/06
Ontario storm leaves thousands without power	03/08/06
Standoff involving pedophile ends peacefully	02/08/06
MPs prepare to grill Harper government over Mideast conflict	01/08/06

Quebec-born actor Glenn Ford dead at 90 Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Aug, 31 August 2006  08:26:52 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 31st, 2006 In his roles from westerns to romances, actor Glenn Ford portrayed strong, thoughtful protagonists, bringing his touch to three decades of film. On Wednesday, the 90-year-old actor who starred in movies such as The Blackboard Jungle, Gilda and The Big Heat was found dead in his home, police said. A cause of death was not given, though Ford suffered a series of strokes in the 1990s. Ford appeared in scores of films during his 53-year Hollywood career. The Film Encyclopedia, a reference book, lists 85 films from 1939 to 1991. He was cast usually as the handsome tough, but his acting talents ranged from romance to comedy. His more famous credits include Superman, Gilda, The Sheepman, The Gazebo, Pocketful of Miracles and Don't Go Near the Water.	Glenn Ford, seen here at the American Cinema Awards in 1990, continued working well into his 70s. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press)
"It comes to mind instantly what a remarkable actor he was," actor Sidney Poitier, who also starred in The Blackboard Jungle, said Wednesday evening. "He had those magical qualities that are intangible but are quite impactful on the screen. He was a movie star." A tireless worker, Ford often made several films a year, and continued working well into his 70s. In 1992, though, he was hospitalized for more than two months for blood clots and other ailments, and at one point was in critical condition. "Noel Coward once told me, 'You will know you're old when you cease to be amazed.' Well, I can still be amazed," Ford said in a 1981 interview with the Associated Press. After getting his start in theatre in the 1930s, Ford got a break when he was signed by Columbia Pictures mogul Harry Cohn. In 1940, he appeared in five films, including Blondie Plays Cupid and Babies for Sale. After serving with the Marines during World War II, Ford starred in 1946 as a small-time gambler in Gilda, opposite Rita Hayworth. The film about frustrated romance and corruption in postwar Argentina became a film noir classic. Hayworth plays Ford's former love, a sometime nightclub singer married to a casino operator, and she sizzles onscreen performing Put the Blame on Mame. Ford speaks the memorable voiceover in the opening scene: "To me a dollar was a dollar in any language. It was my first night in the Argentine and I didn't know much about the local citizens. But I knew about American sailors, and I knew I'd better get out of there." Two years later he made The Loves of Carmen, also with Hayworth.
"It was one of the greatest mistakes I ever made, embarrassing," Ford said of the latter film. "But it was worth it, just to work with her again." Among his competitors for leading roles was William Holden. Both actors, Ford said, would stuff paper in their shoes to appear taller than the other. "Finally, neither of us could walk, so we said the hell with it." Ford also played against Bette Davis in A Stolen Life. One of his best-known roles was in the 1955 The Blackboard Jungle, where he portrayed a young, soft-spoken teacher in a slum school who inspires a class full of juvenile delinquents to care about life. "We did a film together, and it was for me a great experience because I had always admired his work," recalled Poitier. "When I saw him in films I had always marvelled at the subtlety of his work. He was truly gifted." In The Big Heat (1953), a gritty crime story, Ford played a police detective. "Acting is just being truthful," he once said. "I have to play myself. I'm not an actor who can take on another character, like Laurence Olivier. The worst thing I could do would be to play Shakespeare." An avid horseman and former polo player, Ford appeared in a number of Westerns, 3:10 to Yuma, Cowboy, The Rounders, Texas, The Fastest Gun Alive and the remake of Cimarron among them. His talents included lighter parts, with roles in The Teahouse of August Moon and It Started With a Kiss.
On television, he appeared in Cade's County, The Family Holvak, Once an Eagle and When Havoc Struck. He starred in the feature film The Courtship of Eddie's Father, which later became a TV series featuring Bill Bixby. He was born Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford on May 1, 1916, in Quebec, the son of a railroad executive. The first name reflected his family's Welsh roots. When Ford joined Columbia, Cohn asked him to change his name to John Gower; Ford refused but switched his first name to Glenn, after his father's birthplace of Glenford. He moved to southern California at 8 and promptly fell in love with show business, even sneaking onto a Culver City studio lot at night. He took to the stage at Santa Monica High School. His first professional job was as a searchlight operator in front of a movie house. He started his career in theatre, as an actor with West Coast stage companies and as Tallulah Bankhead's stage manager in New York. In 1939, he made his first Hollywood film opposite Jean Rogers in the romance Heaven With a Barbed Wire Fence. His director, Ricardo Cortez, told Ford he would never amount to anything and the actor returned to New York. He didn't stay away from Hollywood long, though, signing a 14-year contract with Columbia Pictures. He married actress-dancer Eleanor Powell in 1943; the two divorced in 1959. They had a son, Peter. A 1965 marriage to actress Kathryn Hays ended quickly. In 1977, he married model Cynthia Hayward, 32 years his junior. They were divorced in 1984. Failing health forced Ford to skip a 90th birthday tribute on May 1 at Hollywood's historic Grauman's Egyptian Theatre. But he did send greetings via videotape, adding, "I wish I were up and around, but I'm doing the best that I can. There's so much I have to be grateful for." Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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Gas up! Pump prices fall to 5-month low Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Aug, 30 August 2006  11:04:24 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 30th, 2006 Motorists across Canada are enjoying the lowest gasoline prices they've seen since March, and prices could fall further as supplies remain strong. A weekly pump price survey by MJ Ervin & Associates says the average price for regular gas is 96.9 cents a litre across Canada this week. That's down 6.1 cents from last week. It's the first survey to show pump prices below $1 a litre since March 28 and the lowest since the average of 95.5 cents found in the March 14 survey.	Canadian motorists were paying an average of $1.26 a litre a year ago as Hurricane Katrina shut in oil and gas facilities. (Canadian Press)
Tropical storm Ernesto gets part of the credit. It didn't damage to oil production or refining facilities as was feared. Last year at this time, Canadians were paying an average $1.26 a litre for gasoline as Hurricane Katrina battered the U.S. Gulf coast. In the aftermath, a large number of production platforms and refineries shut down for repairs. With no major hurricanes so far and the summer driving season all but over, North American gasoline inventories have had time to grow. Gasoline inventories grow The U.S. Energy Department reported Wednesday that U.S. gasoline supplies unexpectedly increased by 400,000 barrels this week. That followed another unexpected build of similar size last week. Crude oil inventories grew by 2.4 million barrels. Crude oil prices have fallen about five per cent this week and fell further to $69 US a barrel in Wednesday morning trading. With no major supply disruptions on the horizon, analysts say gasoline prices are poised to fall further. "I think we'll continue to see prices fall through the Labour Day weekend," MJ Ervin analyst Cathy Hay told CBC News Online. The lowest prices can be found in southern Ontario, where gas prices in Hamilton averaged 88.7 cents. Kingston and Toronto were close behind. West of Toronto, some stations in Brampton and Mississauga were selling gas for as little as 76 cents a litre on Wednesday. Gas stations in oil-rich Alberta, however, were still charging almost $1 a litre. Hay said wholesale gas prices are about eight cents a litre higher in the west as supplies are tighter. Retail margins are also lower in central Canada, she said. The most expensive gas was in Labrador City — at more than $1.20 a litre — and in the far north. Written by CBC News Staff
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At least 5 dead in Greyhound bus crash Web Posted | Last Updated Tue. Aug, 29 August 2006  07:00:18 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 29th, 2006 At least five people were killed after a Greyhound bus bound for Montreal from New York City crashed through a guardrail and flipped on a highway in upstate New York late Monday.
Authorities said Tuesday they have launched an investigation into the crash, which occurred when the bus veered off Interstate 87 and overturned at about 6:45 p.m. ET near Westport, N.Y., about 165 kilometres south of Montreal.
Dozens of people were injured in the crash. Officials at the Foreign Affairs Department are trying to determine the number of Canadians travelling on the bus and whether any Canadians were killed or injured in the crash. U.S. authorities said the driver was among those who died. "It looked like a battlefield," Ray Thatcher, director of Emergency Services for Essex County, N.Y., told the Canadian Press early Tuesday after rescue workers pulled the last of the bodies from the mangled bus. "Several passengers were thrown from the vehicle as it rolled. They were up to 75 feet [23 metres] or more from the bus. There were people everywhere."	A bus traveling from New York City to Montreal crashed through a guardrail and landed upside down in an embankment, killing at least five people. (Lohr McKinstry / Associated Press / Press-Republican)
Maj. Richard Smith of the New York State police told the Canadian Press that police have not yet determined how many passengers were Canadian. Officials at local hospitals, however, said many of the injured spoke French only. "Obviously, with this many passengers, passengers from Canada and the United States, we have a lot of footwork to do before we release a lot of information," Smith said. The bus landed upside down over an embankment. The back and top of the bus were crushed by the impact of the crash. Westport is approximately 165 kilometres south of Montreal, and is nearly the same distance north of the state capital, Albany. Thirteen passengers, including several speaking French, were treated for minor injuries at a hospital in nearby Elizabethtown, according to the Canadian Press. Greyhound has set up an information hotline for friends and families of passengers at 1-800-972-4583. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Associated Press
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Ernesto churns toward Cuba as Florida watches Web Posted | Last Updated Mon. Aug, 28 August 2006  07:30:39 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 28th, 2006 Tropical storm Ernesto was expected to weaken on Monday as it passes over Cuba, but U.S. forecasters said it could regain strength afterward and bring hurricane force winds to the Florida Keys by Tuesday.
Thousands of people were evacuated from Cuba's southeastern coast on Monday. A hurricane warning has been issued for six eastern Cuban provinces. Ernesto, the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was expected to hit the southeastern coast of Cuba on Monday morning and emerge from the northern coast of Cuba Monday night or Tuesday morning. Once over open water, the storm is expected to strengthen, possibly regaining hurricane status before reaching land again. At 5 a.m. Monday, Ernesto had maximum sustained winds of 80 kilometres per hour. It was 965 kilometres southeast of the Keys and moving northwest at 19 km/h. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for the southern tip of the Florida peninsula early Monday. It issued a hurricane watch for the Florida Keys on Sunday. The watch was in effect on the mainland from Chokoloskee on the southwestern coast to Deerfield Beach on the southeastern coast. A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible in the area within 36 hours. The centre ordered all tourists and non-residents to leave the area immediately. Gov. Jeb Bush issued a state of emergency Sunday for all of Florida. Haiti was hit by the storm on Sunday, killing one person and leaving many areas flooded. The country began to clean up on Monday. In Cuba, state television broadcast extensive warnings about the storm, urging precautions. Cattle were moved to higher ground, tourists were evacuated from hotels in the southeastern province of Granma, and baseball games scheduled for Sunday night in Havana were played earlier in the day. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Associated Press
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Abducted Fox journalists set free in Gaza Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Aug, 27 August 2006  09:02:56 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 27th, 2006 Militants in the Gaza Strip released two abducted journalists who work for the U.S. Fox News network on Sunday after the men appeared on a videotape saying they had converted to Islam.
Steve Centanni of the United States and Olaf Wiig, a cameraman from New Zealand, were dropped off at the Beach Hotel in Gaza City by Palestinian security officials after spending 13 days in captivity. Both are said to be in good condition.
Later at a news briefing, Wiig, 36, said journalists need to be free to do their jobs and ultimately help people in Gaza. "An incident like this could give a network an excuse not to be here and that would be a great tragedy for Gaza," he said. "You need people to be aware of your stories. "Palestinian people are very beautiful and kind-hearted," Wiig added. The journalists were snatched off the street on Aug. 14 by masked gunmen and held by a previously unknown group called the Holy Jihad Brigades. Centanni, 60, told Fox he had been forced at gunpoint to say that he had converted to Islam. "I have the highest respect for Islam … but it was something we felt we had to do because they had the guns and we didn't know what the hell was going on," he told the network by telephone from Gaza City.	Steve Centanni, left, a U.S. journalist for Fox News network, and Olaf Wiig, a cameraman from New Zealand, are seen at a hotel in Gaza City on Sunday after their release. (Hatem Moussa / Associated Press)
A spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, Khaled Abu Hilal, said the journalists' release "is the payoff of the continuous efforts from different Palestinian sides to secure their safety and release." The kidnappers had called for the release of "Muslim prisoners" in the United States. The U.S. had rejected the demands. Written by CBC News Staff
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Iran fires up controversial heavy water plant Web Posted | Last Updated Sat. Aug, 26 August 2006  10:24:51 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 26th, 2006 An Iranian plant that produces heavy water officially went into operation on Saturday, despite UN demands that Tehran stop the activity because it can be used to develop a nuclear bomb. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the plant, which Tehran says is for peaceful purposes. The facility is located at Arak, about 190 kilometres southwest of Tehran.
The announcement comes days before Thursday's UN deadline for Iran to stop uranium enrichment — which also can be used to create nuclear weapons — or face economic and political sanctions. Tehran has called the UN Security Council resolution "illegal" and said it won't stop enrichment as a precondition to negotiations. Mohammed Saeedi, deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said the heavy water plant is "one of the biggest nuclear projects" in the country, state-run television reported. He said the plant will be used in the pharmaceutical field and in diagnosing cancer. The plant's top official, Manouchehr Madadi, said the facility has the ability to produce up to about 16 tonnes of heavy water a year. Reactor set for completion in 2009 Iran has been building a heavy water reactor near the plant for two years, but the reactor is not scheduled for completion until 2009. Nuclear weapons can be produced using either plutonium or highly enriched uranium as the explosive core. Either substance can be produced in the process of running a reactor. Reactors fuelled by enriched uranium use regular, or "light," water as a "moderator" in the chain reaction that produces energy. Reactors using "heavy water" contain a heavier hydrogen particle, which allows the reactor to run on natural uranium mined by Iran, forgoing the enrichment progress. But the spent fuel from a heavy water reactor can be reprocessed to extract plutonium for use in a bomb. The West's main worry has been uranium enrichment. Iran on Tuesday responded to an incentives package presented by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany aimed at getting Tehran to roll back its disputed nuclear program. Iran said it would be open to negotiations but did not agree to the West's key demand for Tehran to halt uranium enrichment as a precondition to talks. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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Quebecers no fan of Tracy Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Aug, 24 August 2006  20:37:23 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 25th, 2006 Paul Tracy can expect a rude reception when the Champ Car series heads to Montreal this Sunday. The controversial Toronto driver has been heavily criticized by the local media for his comments about French-speaking auto racers refusing to take off their helmets during fights. Sebastien Bourdais, who was involved in an altercation with the 37-year-old veteran two	Paul Tracy, right, has sparred with both Alex Tagliani and Sebastien Bourdais in recent Champ Car races. (Associated Press)
weeks ago, said Thursday Montreal fans attending the race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve should voice their displeasure with Tracy — within reason. "We could probably write a book with all the problems that Paul has been involved in, whether it's with me, Alex [Tagliani] or someone else," Bourdais said. "First, if he wants to fight, he's probably picked the wrong sport and second, I just hope the Quebec people reserve [for] him the welcome he deserves because he's been insulting the French people and the Quebec people and I hope they won't forget that." Added Tagliani, a native of Lachenaie, Que.: "I totally agree with Sebastien." CBC hockey commentator Don Cherry found himself in similar trouble after a Coach's Corner segment on Jan. 24, 2004. When discussing the merits of protective visors as mandatory NHL equipment, Cherry said: "Most of the guys that wear them are Europeans and French guys." The CBC went on to place Coach's Corner on a seven-second broadcast delay. Season filled with controversy Tracy's comment is only the latest storm in a season filled with controversy.
Tracy had clashes in the last two races with both Tagliani and Bourdais, resulting in fines and the loss of championship points. He is also on probation for the next three races. During a race in San Jose on July 30, Tracy slammed into Tagliani's car. Television cameras showed an irate Tagliani waiting to confront Tracy in the pit lane. Tagliani, who was still wearing his helmet, grabbed Tracy with both hands and appeared to yell at his fellow Canadian. Tagliani then walked away briefly before turning around to confront Tracy a second time. Tracy, who was carrying his helmet, took exception and both men began throwing punches. In Denver two weeks ago, Tracy, low on fuel, was trying to prevent Bourdais from passing him on the final lap. As Bourdais pulled ahead, Tracy's brakes locked and he slid into the Frenchman, forcing both drivers out of the race. Shoving match Bourdais got out of his car and immediately went after Tracy. The two exchanged words before Bourdais shoved Tracy. Tracy charged back and shoved Bourdais. Tracy said afterwards that neither driver took his helmet off when confronting him.
"French guys always keep their helmets on." Tracy later said his comment was "just a joke." "He likes to make jokes, but we were joking about it this morning," Tagliani said on Thursday. "I said he should wear a straight jacket because that's the only thing that could keep him under control. "And Sebastien said he can't drive with that on, so maybe it's the only thing that could keep him out of trouble." Tracy, the circuit's most aggressive driver with a history altercations, said the expected negative reaction from the Montreal crowd won't change his driving style that made him series champion in 2003. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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20 years later, Hansen recalls Man in Motion tour Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Aug, 24 August 2006  07:46:00 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 24th, 2006 Twenty years to the day, Rick Hansen will pay a visit to a Newfoundland landmark Thursday and recall the turning point in his historic Man in Motion fundraising tour. On Aug. 24, 1986, Hansen launched the final leg of his world tour from Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America, and headed toward his hometown of Vancouver. The St. John's stop energized the wheelchair athlete, who didn't let on at the time how low his spirits had been as he faced his cross-Canada tour to support spinal-cord research.	Rick Hansen is seen at an event announcing his Wheels in Motion tour at Ontario Place in 2003. (STF/ Canadian Press)
By that time, Hansen had been through 33 different countries, but had only raised about $172,000 — far short of his $10 million target. "At that time I was just struggling to get home," Hansen told Canadian Press. "I contemplated quitting." The Canadian leg, though, turned out to be quite successful, raising $26 million and turning Hansen into a hero. Now 48, Hansen is returning to Cape Spear Thursday to commemorate the tour — and put a new focus on the work needed to be done to make Canada more accessible. Written by CBC News Staff
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Canadian troops brace for shooting backlash Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Aug, 23 August 2006  06:50:34 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 23rd, 2006 Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan were preparing on Wednesday for possible retaliation after the shooting death of an Afghan boy a day earlier. The shooting, in which Canadian troops killed the boy and injured a teenager, occurred at
the site of a suicide bombing near downtown Kandahar that killed a Canadian soldier and injured three others. Two hours after the attack, a motorcycle, carrying the teenager and boy, drove through a security perimeter around the site. When the motorcycle didn't stop after warnings, a Canadian soldier opened fire. One bullet passed through the 17-year-old driver and killed the 10-year-old passenger. Military officials said they are investigating. Cpl. David Braun of CFB Shilo, Man. died in the suicide attack. The three wounded soldiers, whose names have not been released, are listed in good condition with injuries that are not life-threatening. A young girl was also killed in the blast, which occurred when a suicide bomber plowed his car into a Canadian military patrol in southern Afghanistan, officials said. Written by CBC News Staff
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Inflation edges down to 2.4 per cent Web Posted | Last Updated Tue. Aug, 22 August 2006  07:50:41 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 22nd, 2006
Canada's annual inflation rate dropped just one tenth of a percentage point to 2.4 per cent in July, despite the one percentage point cut in the GST that went into effect on Canada Day. Analysts had expected the inflation rate would drop to the two per cent range as the tax cut worked its way through to consumers. But Statistics Canada said higher prices for gasoline, fresh fruit and other items were enough to cancel out the benefit from the lower GST. The core rate of inflation, which excludes the most volatile items, slipped to 1.5 per cent, down from June's 1.7 per cent rate. That was the lowest reading for the core rate in a year and was in line with economists' estimates. On a month-to month basis, consumer prices actually rose 0.1 per cent in July. Gasoline was the main culprit, rising 4.6 per cent over the month. Fresh fruit prices shot up 7.4 per cent. Gas prices were also the biggest driver in the year-over-year rise in the cost of living. Prices at the pump were, on average, more than 16 per cent higher than they were a year earlier. Higher prices for new housing also helped to drive the inflation rate, especially in Alberta, where prices have soared 40 per cent in the past year. "The boom in that province is stimulating housing starts, thus exerting upward pressure on material and labour costs and contributing to the rise in the CPI," Statistics Canada said Tuesday. Alberta once again led all provinces with the highest annual inflation rate, at 4.3 per cent. It was the only province where the rising cost of living was driven more by the cost of shelter than by the cost of gasoline. Ontario, British Columbia, and New Brunswick reported inflation rates of two per cent in July, the lowest in the country. Written by CBC News Staff
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Dozens of Taliban killed in Afghan battle Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Aug, 20 August 2006  22:38:37 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 21st, 2006
Canadian troops under NATO and Afghan soldiers killed dozens of Taliban in southern Afghanistan, as they fought for hours to safeguard the main highway between Kabul and Kandahar, local officials say. The battle began late Saturday and continued into early Sunday in the Panjwayi district, a Taliban stronghold about 30 kilometres west of the city of Kandahar. The death toll could not be independently verified and unconfirmed reports from a Taliban spokesman said only 10 insurgents had died in the firefight. However, NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and local officials indicated that 72 Taliban had been killed. ISAF officials said most of the Taliban bodies were not claimed and remained on the ground for hours after the battle ended. It was the first major assault involving Canadian battle group soldiers, mainly from CFB Petawawa in Eastern Ontario, since they arrived in Kandahar a few weeks ago. "It was an extremely big blow [to the Taliban's] combat effectiveness," said Lt.-Col. Omer Lavoie, who took over as Canada's battle group commander in Kandahar just three hours before the battle began. Separate incidents In separate incidents, four U.S. soldiers, a British soldier and an Afghan soldier were killed elsewhere in Afghanistan, while three British soldiers were wounded. The NATO force, which in southern Afghanistan is primarily composed of Canadian, British and Dutch troops, said in a statement that it had launched both a land and air offensive in the region overnight designed "to extend security along southern Afghanistan's Highway 1 corridor."
Canadian Forces Maj. Scott Lundy said there were no casualties among ISAF troops, who took over security responsibilities in Afghanistan earlier this summer from the U.S.-led coalition. However, seven Afghan policemen were reported killed in the clashes. Bodies, weapons found in orchards Many of the militants who were killed were found in orchards alongside their weapons, a local official said. It wasn't immediately clear who initiated the fighting, although sources indicated Taliban fighters struck a bazaar in Panjwaii, prompting Afghan and ISAF soldiers to respond. Niaz Mohammad Sarhadi, the district chief, said the insurgents were killed when they launched an attack. NATO leads a force of about 19,000 troops from 37 countries in Afghanistan, including more than 2,200 Canadians, while the United States has about 22,000 soldiers there. However, five years after U.S.-led forces overthrew the Taliban government on accusations that it was harbouring al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Taliban power seems to have resurged amid some of the bloodiest months yet seen. During the violence, four Canadian soldiers were killed and 10 others were wounded earlier in August in the Panjwayi district in three separate attacks blamed on Taliban forces. Written by CBC News Staff
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JonBenet suspect on flight from Thailand to U.S. Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Aug, 20 August 2006  13:44:41 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 20th, 2006 The only suspect arrested in the 1996 death of American child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey boarded a plane in Bangkok on Sunday to return to the United States. John Mark Karr, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen, was taken to the Don Muang International Airport under police escort, where he boarded a Thai Airways International flight bound for Los Angeles. Karr said nothing to reporters at the Bangkok airport, but chatted with other passengers at the departure area before entering the plane for a 15-hour flight that is expected to end in Los Angeles around 11:40 p.m. PT.	JonBenet Ramsey was six when she was found beaten and strangled in her parents' home in Boulder, Colo., in 1996. (Denver Post/Associated Press)
Karr, a divorced father of three and former teacher, was arrested under suspicion of first-degree murder by Thai authorities on Wednesday. He told them he killed JonBenet, but has not yet been charged in the slaying. He is to be questioned by investigators from Boulder, Colo., where the six-year-old girl was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her parents' home. Karr told reporters in Thailand that he loved JonBenet, was with the girl when she died and insisted her death was an accident. However, his comments have come under question, including by his ex-wife, who claimed he was with her in another state on the day JonBenet was slain. Just hours before Karr's departure, a doctor at a Thai clinic that specializes in sex-change operations alleged that Karr had been one of his patients. Dr. Thep Vechavisit refused to provide details of the alleged treatment. Suspect may remain in California No decision has been made on where Karr will be taken upon arrival in the United States, the Cable News Network reported, citing Karen Salaz, a spokeswoman for the Boulder district attorney's office. Salaz said several options have been discussed, including the possibility that Karr would remain in California.
Investigators said he will eventually be subjected to a second DNA test. Legal experts said forensic evidence would be critical in determining whether the confession he made to Thai authorities is true. Karr is wanted in California on child pornography charges stemming from five years earlier, but prosecutors said they wouldn't pursue the case until Colorado authorities process charges in the Ramsey killing. Mike Sandrock, a journalist from Boulder who met Karr at a bookstore in Paris, said Karr was obsessed with the Ramsey case. The two men talked and later exchanged e-mails before Sandrock put Karr in touch with Colorado University journalism professor Michael Tracey. The professor ended up corresponding with him for four years before he tipped off authorities in May that Karr might be a suspect. Karr has also claimed he wrote letters to the girl's mother, Patsy Ramsey.	John Mark Karr, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen, is described as having been obsessed with the JonBenet slaying for years. (Sakchai Lalit/Associated Press)
When asked in May, Ramsey agreed to meet with Karr if it would advance the investigation into JonBenet slaying, according to the Ramsey family's lawyer, Lin Wood. However, the meeting never took place because authorities did not get back to her before she died in June from ovarian cancer, Wood said. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Associated Press
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Happy homecoming: 140 soldiers return from Afghanistan Web Posted | Last Updated Sat. Aug, 19 August 2006  10:52:00 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 19th, 2006 About 140 Canadian Forces personnel on Saturday were savouring their return home with family and friends after arriving late the evening before from a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.
The Edmonton Garrison filled with the sounds of cheers and tears as the military personnel with Task Force Afghanistan arrived and were greeted by warm embraces and smiles. "I love it, it's great. The bus ride home was the hardest part," said soldier Joe Mewett told CBC News. "It's great being back home, seeing family again," said another soldier, Christopher Houlk. Soldiers were quickly surrounded in happy, emotional huddles of friends and loved ones relieved to see their safe return. About 2,200 Canadians are serving in Afghanistan, with most based in Kandahar. Since 2002, 26 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have died. Enlistment to be accelerated Earlier this week, Canada's chief of defence staff, Gen. Rick Hillier, said that enlistment of recruits will be accelerated this fall, with the goal to substantially increase the percentage of recruits who complete the hiring process within a month. "We are in a just mission, protecting the weak and vulnerable, and trying to bring enough stability and security to Afghanistan to accelerate the rebuilding and reconstruction," Hillier said in St. John's. Two separate reports this year have highlighted the challenges the Armed Forces faces in meeting recruitment targets. In May, Auditor General Sheila Fraser outlined several technical shortfalls as well as the challenges faced by shifting demographics. In a report released last month, military ombudsman Yves Côté said more timely, service-friendly recruiting needs to be implemented at all stages of the process to both meet target numbers and prevent applicants from being deterred. Written by CBC News Staff
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UN force taking shape as Lebanese troops move south Web Posted | Last Updated Fri. Aug, 18 August 2006  06:22:13 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 18th, 2006 Lebanese troops continue to deploy in southern Lebanon on Friday, reaching areas the army has not controlled in decades, while international efforts continued to create an expanded UN peace force for the region.
The Lebanese army reached the village of Kfar Kila on the southern border with Israel. It was the first time the military has been in the area in decades. The area was controlled by Palestinian fighters in the 1970s and by Hezbollah since Israeli troops withdrew from the area in 2000. "We are all very happy," Lebanese Brig.-Gen. Charles Sheikhani said. "It's our country and this is the first time we've really been in south Lebanon." The Israeli military began handing over positions to the United Nations early Thursday. More than half of the area held by Israel in Lebanon had reportedly been transferred to UN peacekeeping forces. In Rome, meanwhile, Italy approved sending soldiers to help maintain the five-day-old ceasefire. The Italian troop contingent could number up to 3,000 troops, which would make it one of the biggest contributors to the force. Bangladesh's offer Thursday of 2,000 troops makes it the biggest contributor so far. Other countries offering to send in troops include Malaysia, Nepal, Brunei, and Indonesia. French President Jacques Chirac said Thursday afternoon his country would send 400 troops and offered to command the beefed-up UN peacekeeping force. But Lebanon's Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh expressed unhappiness with officials in Paris. "We are expecting more from France," he said. United Nations officials also communicated their disappointment with France. "We had hoped, we make no secret of it, that there would be a stronger French contribution," Mark Malloch Brown, the UN deputy secretary general, said. "Others have come forward and we are pretty convinced we've got the elements here of a strong force." The UN hopes that, within 10 to days, 3,500 international troops can reinforce a contingent that is already in place on the ground. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Associated Press
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Suspect claims JonBenet's death was an 'accident' Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Aug, 17 August 2006  06:54:43 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 17th, 2006 A 41-year-old former school teacher suspected of killing JonBenet Ramsey admitted publicly Thursday that he was with the six-year-old girl when she died but that her death was "an accident." John Mark Karr, an American citizen, was brought briefly before reporters in Bangkok where authorities confirmed his arrest in the high profile 1996 murder of the Colorado child beauty queen. "I was with JonBenet when she died," a visibly nervous and stuttering Karr told reporters in Bangkok.	A man suspected of killing JonBenet Ramsey admitted publicly Thursday that he was with the six-year-old when she died and that her death was "an accident."
"I loved JonBenet and she died accidently," he said. When asked by a reporter if he's an innocent man he said: "No." Karr, who faces charges of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault, would not comment on his connection to the Ramsey family or how long he had known JonBenet. The girl was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her Boulder, Colo., home on Dec. 26, 1996. Investigators say they were led to Karr by emails he wrote containing details that were never made public about JonBenet's murder.
At the news conference, Lt.-Gen. Suwat Tumrongsiskul said that Karr said after his arrest that his crime was not first-degree murder. "He said it was second-degree murder. He said it was unintentional. He said he was in love with the child. She was a pageant queen," Suwat said. Police said Karr admitted to the killing after he was arrested Wednesday at his downtown Bangkok apartment by Thai and American authorities. Suwat said Karr also admitted he tried to kidnap JonBenet for $118,000 ransom but that he strangled her after his plan went awry.	JonBenet Ramsey's parents were under a cloud of suspicion for years after the six-year-old's death. (Associated Press)
Ann Hurst, a U.S. official with the Department of Homeland Security, said Karr has been "very co-operative" with authorities and that he's shown a "variety of emotions." She said he has been a suspect "for a while" but wouldn't specify how long. Hurst said Karr will be taken to Colorado in the next week. Police say he arrived in Bangkok on June 6 from Malaysia to look for a teaching job. Karr has been in Thailand four times over the past two years, police said. The former Grade 2 teacher is also known to have lost his accreditation in California after he was found with child pornography. Lin Wood, an attorney for the Ramseys, said the family gave police information about Karr before he was identified as a suspect. Wood did not say how the Ramseys knew him. Wood said Karr once lived in Conyers, Georgia, which is about 50 kilometres from the Atlanta suburb the Ramseys once lived before moving to Colorado. JonBenet's parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, had initially been suspected of being involved in the crime. Patsy Ramsey died of ovarian cancer June 24. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Associated Press
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Conference to look back at 25 years of fighting AIDS Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Aug, 16 August 2006  08:13:26 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 16th, 2006
Key delegates will look back at the past 25 years of battling AIDS during a special session at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto on Wednesday. Among the speakers will be Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Fauci, who is a key adviser to the White House on global AIDS issues, will focus on the scientific response to the epidemic. Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, will focus on the global response. As well, Hydeia Broadbent of the United States, who was diagnosed as HIV-positive at the age of three and is now in her 20s, will talk about living with HIV/AIDS. The five-day conference, which began Sunday, is still waiting for a significant funding or policy announcement from the Canadian government. A major announcement was expected Monday by Health Minister Tony Clement, but it was postponed. Stephen Lewis, the UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, said Tuesday that he believes the government is struggling to come up with an announcement of enough significance to overshadow the fact that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is not attending the conference. "I think that the prime minister's absence is an indication that this is not an issue which stands high on the government agenda. And therefore they're not as urgent about it," he told the Canadian Press. "If they were serious about HIV and AIDS, they would have come to the conference prepared with a full list of contributions to various initiatives and some legislative or related announcements." Written by CBC News Staff
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Israel begins withdrawing troops from Lebanon Web Posted | Last Updated Tue. Aug, 15 August 2006  10:07:59 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 15th, 2006 Some Israeli troops began pulling out of southern Lebanon Tuesday, as the fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah entered its second day. The United Nations-brokered ceasefire agreement was apparently holding, despite sporadic violence in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah guerrillas fired at least 10 rockets in southern Lebanon, but none crossed the border into Israel. No rockets have been fired into northern Israel since Sunday. On Monday, Israeli troops killed at least six Hezbollah guerrillas in four separate clashes. Israel plans to hand over the first of its captured positions to the Lebanese army on Wednesday, the army said. The military hopes the rest of the troops will be out of Lebanon by next week, army officials said. The army began withdrawing troops Tuesday but did not give numbers. About 30,000 Israeli soldiers were believed to be in southern Lebanon. Israel is due to gradually evacuate southern Lebanon upon the arrival of 15,000 Lebanese troops supported by up to 15,000 UN peacekeepers as part of the ceasefire plan to end the 34 days of fighting. Lebanon's defence minister, Elias Murr, said his troops could be on the north side of the Litani River by the end of the week. But Israel wants them along the border to control Hezbollah. Murr said international forces could begin arriving next week. The Lebanese and international forces will patrol a 30-kilometre buffer zone from the Litani River to the Israeli border. At least 946 people were killed in the conflict — 791 in Lebanon and 155 on the Israeli side. As well, an estimated 500,000 Israelis and about 1 million Lebanese, or a quarter of the population, were displaced in the conflict, government officials said. In Lebanon, thousands of cars are still jamming roads leading to southern towns and villages, as people return home. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Associated Press
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No major hostilities as Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect Web Posted | Last Updated Mon. Aug, 14 August 2006  07:52:33 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 14th, 2006 Israeli troops clashed with Hezbollah militants in three separate skirmishes Monday, but there were no reports of major hostilities hours after a UN-brokered ceasefire came into effect.
Four guerillas were killed near the village of Hadatha in southern Lebanon after the group approached an Israeli position "in a threatening way," the army said. The Israelis insisted they "fired in self-defence." Two other clashes occurred later Monday, with one guerrilla killed in each, the military said. But no Israeli warplanes were visible in the sky, there were no major military offensives and there were no reports of Hezbollah rockets being fired into northern Israel. Thousands of Lebanese began returning to their homes in Beirut suburbs and in southern Lebanon. Lebanese troops were trying to repair roads for the refugees returning home. In towns across northern Israel, people were emerging from bomb shelters after 33 days underground. In a speech to parliament hours after the ceasefire took effect, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he took sole responsibility for the war against Hezbollah, which, after 33 days of fighting, has claimed more than 700 lives in Lebanon and 130 in Israel. Olmert said the army "struck a major blow" to Hezbollah and he pledged to "continue pursuing them everywhere at all times." But he also admitted there had been "failings and shortcomings" and said "[we will have to] review ourselves." Air and sea blockade maintained The Israeli army has said there were no plans for an immediate withdrawal and some troops in southern Lebanon were being replaced by others. It said it would not initiate any action after the ceasefire went into effect, but "the forces will do everything to prevent being hit." Officials said Israeli troops would begin leaving southern Lebanon as soon as the Lebanese army and the international force started to deploy in the area. But the military will maintain its air and sea blockade of Lebanon to prevent arms from reaching Hezbollah guerrillas, a military official told the Associated Press. Israel's cabinet on Sunday approved the ceasefire resolution that would end the country's strikes on Lebanon and attacks by Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants after 33 days of fighting that has claimed more than 700 lives in Lebanon and 130 in Israel. But after the vote, Israel continued to bomb Beirut while Hezbollah militants fired an estimated 250 rockets into northern Israel in the most intense attack since fighting began. The Israeli military also dropped leaflets over central Beirut early Monday morning just hours before the UN ceasefire was set to begin, warning it will retaliate against any attack from Lebanon. "Will you be able to pay this price again?" it said. "The Israeli Defence Forces will return and act with the required force against any terrorist act that is launched from Lebanon against the State of Israel." Lebanese cabinet cancels crucial meeting The UN Security Council resolution, which passed on Friday night by a vote of 15-0, authorizes sending 15,000 UN peacekeepers to help co-ordinate the deployment of a similar number of Lebanese soldiers to southern Lebanon. Israel is to withdraw its 30,000 troops from the region. The Lebanese cabinet gave its support to the ceasefire plan on Saturday. But a day later, the cabinet cancelled a crucial meeting to discuss the troop deployment. Reports said the cabinet was divided over the ceasefire's demand that Hezbollah surrender its weapons. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the militant Islamist group, said on Saturday his organization would agree to the plan's terms once the timing of the truce had been agreed on and adhered to by Israel. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Associated Press
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Harper touts sovereignty over Arctic on northern trip Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Aug, 13 August 2006  10:07:49 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 13th, 2006
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is headed to Ellesmere Island in Nunavut on Sunday as part of a trip designed to reassert Canada's claim of sovereignty over Arctic waters. Harper's destination was Canadian Forces Station Alert, which is the most northern permanent inhabited settlement in the world. On Saturday, the prime minister spoke before hundreds of politicians, military personnel and the public at the Nunavut legislature in Iqaluit. Harper said his government would defend national sovereignty in the region. "The economics and the strategic value of northern resource development are growing more attractive and critical to our nation," Harper said. "And trust me, it's not only Canadians who are noticing. It's no exaggeration to say that the need to assert our sovereignty and take action to protect our territorial integrity in the Arctic has never been more urgent." Ottawa says it has clear jurisdiction over the waters that lie between the many islands of the Arctic archipelago. But the United States and some other countries reject the claim, arguing that the Northwest Passage is an international strait that any vessel should be free to travel. Harper's first visit to the North since his election coincided with Canadian Forces Day in Iqaluit, with more than 400 troops and three Navy ships on hand. The troops were to move north and spend the next two weeks at the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage as part of Operation Lancaster, a strategic operation to stake the country's claim to the Arctic. Operation Lancaster is the largest Canadian military operation ever mounted in the High Arctic. The prime minister said the 320-kilometre offshore boundaries recognized in the Atlantic and Pacific should also apply to the Arctic Ocean. He also promised to build a deep-water port and a military training centre in Nunavut. Premier Paul Okalik said he welcomed a stronger federal presence in the North. The prime minister is scheduled to also visit Yellowknife and Whitehorse later in the week. Written by CBC News Staff
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40,000 flee homes fearing Philippines volcano eruption Web Posted | Last Updated Sat. Aug, 12 August 2006  10:28:46 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 12th, 2006 Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Saturday visited villagers who were forced to flee their homes because of the restive Mayon volcano, and ordered officials to speed up efforts to improve conditions at cramped evacuation centres.
Scientists told Arroyo that Mayon, the most active volcano in the Philippines, appeared to be ready for a major eruption since it began quietly oozing lava a month ago. Following successive ash explosions last Monday, officials ordered the evacuation of villages on the southern and southeastern slopes of the volcano, which are most vulnerable to a violent eruption. More than 40,000 people have been evacuated to schools, where villagers complained of overcrowding. Arroyo told officials to deliver prefabricated shelters and portable toilets immediately to ease the congestion and assure sanitation. "Why make them live in shanties? We have money for better things," she said. "We are happy that she came here," said Alma Rana, a 29-year-old mother of four. "It's uncomfortable here, the toilet facilities are inadequate and we lack water." Sleeping on concrete Dozens of people are sleeping on the concrete floors of schoolrooms that normally seat about 40 pupils. During school hours, the evacuees stay in tents outside or remain in the school corridors. A train loaded with packages of used clothes and boxes of luncheon meat arrived Friday in Legazpi, the capital of Albay province, and one of the towns at the foot of the 2,460-metre volcano 338 kilometres southeast of Manila. Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said there have been 18 ash explosions since Monday, when the agency declared a Level 4 alert — the second highest of a five-step volcano warning system — suggesting a "hazardous" eruption within days. In 1814, an eruption sent lava down Mayon's slope, burying an entire town and killing 1,200 people. Written by CBC News Staff
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'Another difficult day' as U.K. remains on alert Web Posted | Last Updated Fri. Aug, 11 August 2006  07:39:06 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 11th, 2006 British authorities on Friday warned of more airline delays and disruptions as the country remained on a critical level of alert while a global investigation continued into an alleged plot to blow up commercial flights from the United Kingdom to the United States.
With the investigation continuing, the Bank of England released names of 19 suspects linked to the plot and said their assets had been frozen. "On the advice of the police and security services, the Treasury has instructed the Bank of England to issue notices to effect a freeze of the assets of a number of individuals arrested in yesterday's operations," the statement said. Meanwhile, police in Pakistan said two British citizens were arrested a week ago and provided information on the plot, a senior Pakistani government official said. The arrests were reportedly made in the cities of Lahore and Karachi. British Home Secretary John Reid told a news conference Friday the United Kingdom was grateful for Pakistan's help in uncovering the plot. The Guardian newspaper in Britain said that after the arrests were made in Pakistan, a message was sent from that country to Britain telling the alleged plotters: "Do your attacks now." The message was intercepted and decoded earlier this week, The Guardian said. For a second day, airline passengers in Britain and around the world continued to feel the impact of the alleged plot and the heightened security resulting from the investigation. More flights were cancelled at London's Heathrow airport. Officials estimated that about 70 per cent of flights were on schedule. "It is going to be another difficult day today, both for airports and for passengers, but there is cause for optimism that we will get more flights off today," said Stephen Nelson, chief executive of the British Airports Authority. "The situation at our airports remains difficult, but it is getting better," Britain's Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander told a news conference.
Most suspects in mid-20s The suspects being held in Britain range in age from 17 to 35, with the majority in their early to mid-20s. It was reported Thursday that 24 people were being questioned in the investigation. It is believed that police will ask the courts later Friday for permission to hold suspects without charge for 28 days, something that can be requested within 48 hours of an arrest under England's new anti-terrorism law. Reid told the news conference in London that officials believe they have the main suspects in custody. But he said the national threat level remains critical. "This is a common threat to all of us," Reid said. Officials said Thursday that the alleged plot would have been carried out within days. Media reports in the U.S. and England said five to 10 more suspects were being sought, but British authorities would not comment on those reports. The alleged plot, which apparently targeted as many as 10 commercial flights, involved using liquid explosives smuggled in hand luggage, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Paul Stephenson told reporters in London on Thursday.
The liquid explosives were to be disguised as beverages and other common products and set off with detonators disguised as electronic devices, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said. Plotters had hoped to stage a dry run within two days to see if they could smuggle their material on to the plane, U.S. intelligence officials told the Associated Press. The actual attack was to follow within days. One official said suicide attackers planned to use a peroxide-based solution that could ignite when sparked by a camera flash or another electronic device. 'Extraordinarily serious plot' Two American security officials said the suspects had targeted United, American and Continental airlines. "This is not about any particular community. This is about mass murder," Stephenson said. "We think this was an extraordinarily serious plot and we are confident that we've prevented an attempt to commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale," he said. In response to the arrests, the U.S. government raised its threat alert to red, its highest level, for commercial flights from Britain to the U.S. It was the first time that the U.S. had done so. The U.S. and Canada have banned all liquids and gels from carry-on luggage on flights, including toothpaste, makeup and suntan lotion. But baby formula and medicine are being allowed. Security officials said there is concern about liquids and gels because of the possibility that components used in the making of a bomb could be taken on board in those forms. Written by CBC News Staff
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Airline bombing plot foiled, British police say Web Posted | Last Updated Thu. Aug, 10 August 2006  07:59:37 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 10th, 2006 British police have arrested 21 people in connection with a bombing plot they say would have caused "mass murder on an unimaginable scale" on commercial aircraft flying from Britain to the United States.
"This is not about any particular community. This is about mass murder," Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Paul Stephenson told reporters in London on Thursday. Stephenson said the suspects intended to blow up airplanes with explosives smuggled in hand luggage. "We think this was an extraordinarily serious plot and we are confident that we've prevented an attempt to commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale," he said. Police said the majority of arrests were made in London, but arrests were also made in its suburbs and in Birmingham. They said searches were continuing Thursday in a number of areas. London's Heathrow Airport was closed Thursday to all incoming flights that were not already in the air. Security has been increased at all airports in the United Kingdom. Authorities in the United Kingdom raised the threat level to "critical" following the arrests. According to news reports, as many as 10 commercial flights were targeted. Officials said people should not fly out of Britain on Thursday if they can delay their plans. Passengers were facing major delays and congestion at Heathrow, where no liquids or hand luggage were being allowed on departing aircraft. Flight delays Air Canada spokesman John Reber said passengers may be delayed by at least an hour if they are planning to fly from the United Kingdom to Canada on Thursday.
One flight from London to Toronto was on time early Thursday, but about a dozen other flights from London to Toronto will likely be late. Reber urged travellers to check the Air Canada website before they leave for the airport. According to a recording at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, passengers were advised Thursday not to carry gel or liquids of any kind on board, including shampoo and toothpaste, and not to bring drinks through screening points or on board. Passengers were also being told to arrive early and be patient as security will be thorough. GTAA spokesman Scott Armstrong said all passengers headed for the U.S. on Thursday will have their shoes screened and there will be an increased police presence at Toronto's Pearson International Airport. Hand luggage will be allowed on those flights. Armstrong said Transport Canada, which is responsible for security at Canadian airports, has imposed the restrictions for the next 48 to 72 hours in response to the arrests in Britain. He declined to speculate on how the increased security will affect flights out of Toronto.	Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Paul Stephenson said the suspects intended to blow up airplanes with explosives smuggled in hand luggage. (Akira Suemori / Associated Press)
'Bring your patience with you' "Right now, because the morning rush is starting up, we'll just see how the day goes," he said. "I would call ahead, get to the airport a little bit early and bring your patience with you." British Home Secretary John Reid said the alleged plot was "significant" and that terrorists aimed to "bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life." In response to the arrests, the U.S. government raised its threat alert to red, its highest level, for commercial flights from Britain to the U.S. Red is considered a severe threat. Two American security officials said the suspects had targeted United, American and Continental airlines. Authorities also raised the alerts for all flights departing from or arriving in the United States slightly. "We believe that these arrests have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted," said U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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Protesters set up barricade after judge calls for order in Caledonia dispute
Web Posted | Last Updated Wed. Aug, 09 August 2006  06:36:26 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 9th, 2006 First Nations protesters erected a barricade at a housing construction site near Hamilton on Tuesday after an Ontario judge ruled that all negotiations to end the land claims dispute should cease until the rule of law is restored. Protesters and hundreds of residents of Caledonia faced each other Tuesday night in a tense
standoff that was dispersed by police early Wednesday. There was no violence, but both groups hurled insults at each other. The protesters said late Tuesday that they have no plans to leave the site near Caledonia, Ont., that they have occupied since February. Janie Jamieson, spokesperson for the Six Nations, said the protesters will "sit and wait" and will not change their focus despite a ruling Tuesday that said negotiations between the First Nations community and the province should cease until the protesters stop their occupation of the site. In his ruling, Ontario Justice David Marshall said the "lawlessness" must end before negotiations between provincial and federal officials and members of the Six Nations community can continue to end to the dispute. Marshall also ordered the Ontario attorney general to prosecute anyone who refuses to leave the land in violation of a five-month-old court order. Security replaced by lawlessness Marshall called the ongoing dispute a sad state of affairs because security had been replaced by lawlessness, with protesters donning fatigues and police officers in riot gear. The judge has criticized the police and the province for failing to obey an injunction issued on March 10 to remove protesters from the site. The injunction was issued at the request of the company that then owned the site, Henco Industries, but the protesters refused to leave. Protesters have occupied the Douglas Creek Estates housing development site since Feb. 28. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday the province needs time to consider the ruling and he wants to speak with Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the dispute. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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Israel considers Lebanon's offer of troops along border Web Posted | Last Updated Tue. Aug, 08 August 2006  08:07:29 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 8th, 2006 Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday Israel is seriously considering a proposal by Lebanon in which 15,000 Lebanese troops would be deployed along the Israeli-Lebanon border to stand between Israel and Hezbollah.
"We are studying this proposal," Olmert told the Associated Press. "The faster we leave south Lebanon, the happier we will be, especially if we have achieved our goals." Olmert said the proposal is "interesting," but must include the disarming of Hezbollah guerrillas. The conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah has entered its fourth week.
Under the proposal, made by the Lebanese government on Monday, Lebanese troops would take control of south Lebanon and Israel would withdraw from the region. Lebanon would assert its control of the region and take control of Hezbollah strongholds. Israel has about 10,000 soldiers battling hundreds of Hezbollah guerrillas in south Lebanon. Lebanon said Monday it is prepared to send troops to the border in south Lebanon as part of a ceasefire that would end the conflict. Israel has called for the deployment of Lebanese troops in the region for some time but has indicated it wants Hezbollah to be removed as a threat to Israel first. Expanded ground offensive considered Olmert suggested a multinational force should accompany the deployment of Lebanese troops. Meanwhile, Israel is preparing to expand its ground offensive. On Wednesday, its security cabinet will decide whether to approve a plan by the army to advance deeper into south Lebanon, with troops going as far as the Litani River, about 30 kilometres from the border.	Lebanese families scramble through a crater caused by an Israeli bombardment of the Masnaa crossing between Syria and Lebanon. (Bassem Tellawi/Associated Press)
Defence Minister Amir Peretz said the Israeli military has no plans to end its campaign any time soon and Israel is not going to wait for a diplomatic solution to bring an end to the conflict. A draft UN Security Council resolution on a possible ceasefire was expected to be debated further on Tuesday. In other developments, new battles broke out early Tuesday between Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerrillas in south Lebanon. The Associated Press reported 15 guerrillas were killed, while Al-Jazeera television reported that two Israeli soldiers were killed. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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Taliban issue warning as fallen troops returned to Canada Web Posted | Last Updated Sun. Aug, 07 August 2006  22:03:54 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 7th, 2006 As Canadian families received the remains of four soldiers killed in Afghanistan, a Taliban official delivered a chilling warning to NATO soldiers. "We will increase the attacks against NATO, Canadians and other foreign supporters in the
south [of Afghanistan]," Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said in an interview with the Canadian Press. "We have got more suicide attackers, so of course suicide attacks will be increased," Ahmadi said. Ahmadi also said that the insurgents are not specifically targeting Canadian soldiers.
Ahmadi's threat was made after four soldiers were killed in two separate incidents on Aug. 3, near the village of Pashmul. Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid, 34, of Truro, N.S. was killed when his armoured vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. Later the same day, Taliban militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades killed Sgt. Vaughn Ingram, 35, of Burgeo, N.L.; Cpl. Bryce James Keller, of Edmonton; and Pte. Kevin Dallaire, 22, of Calgary.	Members of the guard of honour salute as the bodies of four Canadian soldiers are repatriated at CFB Trenton on Sunday. (CBC)
Based in Edmonton All four of the soldiers were members of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton. Minister of National Defence Gordon O'Connor and Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean joined the families of the soldiers at the repatriation ceremony at Canadian Forces base Trenton in Ontario on Sunday evening. Earlier Sunday, a British soldier was shot and killed as NATO troops moved farther into the mountains of southern Afghanistan. The NATO troops clashed with insurgents in Helmand province's Musa Qala, officials said. Suicide bomber On the outskirts of Kandahar, where the coalition troops are based, a suspected suicide bomber in a truck packed with explosives crashed into a military convoy, injuring one coalition soldier. Later in the day, three rockets hit the coalition base but caused no damage or injuries. Local police reported that Afghan and British ground forces killed 17 Taliban insurgents in fighting on Sunday. NATO-led troops have suffered nine fatalities — five of them Canadian — since they took over control from a U.S.-led coalition last Monday. Canada has about 2,200 soldiers in Afghanistan. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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Tornado kills woman in Manitoba Web Posted | Last Updated Sat. Aug, 05 August 2006  23:26:00 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 6th, 2006 A woman was killed and three other people were injured on Saturday when a tornado struck a Manitoba campground. The twister at Gull Lake, 80 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, wrecked boats, uprooted trees and destroyed or severely damaged nearly all of the 23 trailers and cabins in the area, witnesses said.	Police survey the damage at a campground near the village of Gull Lake.  (John Woods/Canadian Press-Winnipeg Free Press)
RCMP Sgt. Steve Saunders said the woman, 64, and her husband got caught in the tornado while walking outside at the private campground. The woman's husband was one of the three injured taken to a Winnipeg hospital. He suffered serious injuries to his legs, witnesses said. Amy West, who runs the Stead Steakhouse just a few kilometres from the campground, offered several people shelter overnight. She spotted three funnel clouds that joined to become a tornado. "We were out in the middle of the field checking on our horses, and then the three vortexes joined and the funnel just came down. By the time I ran to the house for my camera it was already hailing, and it seemed to be gone." Camper flipped over three times Ken Leblanc and his family had huddled in the middle of their cottage as the storm raged like a train around them. "And my daughter-in-law was in the camper out the back and it flipped over three times," he told CBC News. "She's fine, a couple of bruises." Environment Canada meteorologist Dan Fulton said the storm began east of Lake Manitoba in mid-afternoon, bringing hailstones as large as golf balls to the area. "For sure it was [a tornado]," Fulton said. "They saw a funnel and they saw it come down, so it is a tornado." The tornado touched down at Patricia Beach at 5:19 p.m. local time before moving through Gull Lake. Storm damage was also reported in the nearby communities of Lac du Bonnet, Pointe du Bois, Beaconia and Grand Marais. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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Whitmore allegedly made deal with RCMP: lawyer Web Posted | Last Updated Fri. Aug, 04 August 2006  23:34:00 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 5th, 2006 The lawyer for convicted pedophile Peter Whitmore has said his client made a bargain with police before his recent arrest. The deal allegedly prevents prosecutors from seeking a dangerous offender status or a life sentence. Lawyer Dan Brodsky claimed the RCMP made a written agreement with Whitmore on Tuesday, during a 10-hour standoff at an abandoned farmhouse in Saskatchewan.	Peter Robert Joseph Whitmore is seen in this undated photo released by Saskatchewan RCMP 'F' Division.
RCMP officials denied the bargain's existence. But Brodsky claimed it was designed to prevent further grief from the families of two abducted boys Whitmore is charged with abducting. "In realistic terms, what they're saying is we can resolve this case, Peter, in two weeks," Dan Brodsky, a Toronto-based lawyer who has represented Whitmore in the past, told CTV News. He paraphrased the RCMP as allegedly telling Whitmore that "the kids won't have to testify, this won't be a circus trial that goes on forever ... What's going to happen is we're going to get a quick resolution. In return for that, you'll get the sentence that the law deems appropriate."
But Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennell said any such alleged agreement would not hold up in court. "No discussions, even discussion written (down), will have any effect on how this man is prosecuted," said Quennell. Meanwhile, Newfoundland police are investigating the possibility that convicted Whitmore, who was formally charged Thursday with abducting and sexually assaulting two boys, assaulted another young boy while living in Conception Bay South, N.L. Whitmore lived in the town, which is located about 15 kilometres west of St. John's, for about a week in late June and early July, and police said he befriended local children and invited them into his home. "We are looking into potential offences that were committed while he was here," said Insp. June Layden of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, The Globe and Mail reported Friday. "One family has come forward. He tended to gather a number of children in his home. We haven't had a secondary complaint yet, but that there will be one is a possibility." Whitmore was arrested in Saskatchewan on Tuesday after he surrendered to police, ending a 10-hour standoff at an abandoned farmhouse. Whitmore appeared in a Regina court on Thursday, where he was charged with abducting a 14-year-old Manitoba boy and a 10-year-old Saskatchewan boy, and committing "numerous sexual assaults" against them. He faces five charges, including sexual assault causing harm to the two boys. A sweeping publication ban prohibits further details from being reported. While he was in Newfoundland, Whitmore went by the name Robert, which is one of his middle names, said Layden.	The kitchen of the abandoned house where suspect Peter Whitmore held two boys captive near Kipling, Sask. is seen. (CP / Troy Fleece) The house where suspect Peter Whitmore held two boys captive near Kipling, Sask., is seen. (CP / Troy Fleece) The main floor of the house where suspect Peter Whitmore held two boys captive near Kipling, Sask. is seen. (CP / Troy Fleece)
Once police issued a nation-wide Amber Alert for the missing boys, police received numerous calls from local residents and soon realized Whitmore had been living in the area, Layden said. Whitmore later confirmed to police that he stayed in the town from roughly June 28 to July 5. Whitmore had been living in British Columbia before his disappearance. He had been under a community supervision order since his release from jail in June 2005, and was abiding by several conditions, including: keeping a curfew, being in touch with a worker and maintaining a residence. The order imposed against Whitmore required him to surrender his passport and only change his residence or travel outside B.C. with the permission of the court or his probation officers. However, the order wasn't renewed, and police last had contact with him on June 18, just a few days after the order expired. During the month of June, Whitmore had been staying off and on in Morinville, Alta., a community just north of Edmonton. At the end of the month, Whitmore failed to show up for a scheduled court appearance in Chilliwack, B.C., where a new court order was to be imposed. When Whitmore was found in Saskatchewan, he had two Canada-wide warrants out for his arrest. The first wasn't issued until mid-July, more than two weeks after police lost contact with him in Alberta. In that two-week timeframe, it's believed Whitmore travelled across Canada to Newfoundland. Police say he told residents of Conception Bay South he was from B.C., and that his wife had recently died of cancer and he was looking for a fresh start. However, he left suddenly after telling some residents he had children on the West Coast and had to go back. Residents of the area were stunned when the nation-wide manhunt was launched and they realized that Whitmore had been their neighbour for about a week. Whitmore will be held in a Regina jail until his next court appearance scheduled for Aug. 10. With a report by CTV's Wayne Mantyka in Regina Written by CBC News Staff
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Bomb attacks rock Canadian convoy in Afghanistan Web Posted | Last Updated Aug, 04 August 2006  07:44:00 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 4th, 2006 A Canadian military convoy was rocked by two bombing attacks in southern Afghanistan Friday, just a day after four Canadian soldiers were killed. The convoy was hit by two improvised explosive devices and one civilian vehicle was engulfed in flames on the main highway west of Kandahar city. There are no reports of Canadian injuries, however it's not clear whether there were civilian casualties. "These were in fact not suicide attacks but two separate improvised explosive devices known as IEDs," said CTV's Steve Chao, reporting from the coalition base in Kandahar. "One of the bombs we want off between two vehicles, another one right beside the convoy. We understand that no Canadians were injured in the blasts." The attacks come a day after Canada suffered its suffered it's bloodiest day ever in southern Afghanistan. Four Canadian soldiers were killed and 10 wounded during a series of bloody attacks in Kandahar Thursday. Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid, Pte. Kevin Dallaire, Cpl. Bryce Jeffrey Keller and Sgt. Vaughn Ingram were from the Edmonton-based Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Keller, Ingram and Dallaire died from rocket-propelled grenade attacks during a major	Canadian Forces soldiers from A Company, 1 Platoon, 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry patrol and search compounds within the Zjarey district, west of Kandahar as seen in this file photo. (MCpl Robert Bottrill / Canadian Forces Combat Camera) Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid (top left), Cpl. Bryce Jeffrey Keller (top right), Pte. Kevin Dallaire (bottom left) and Sgt. Vaughn Ingram (bottom right).
offensive at a burned-out school near Kandahar city, where suspected Taliban fighters were holed up. Six others were wounded. "It's becoming clear that this was a well laid out ambush by the Taliban," Chao told CTV's Canada AM Friday. "Canadian soldiers were planning to go into the village of Pashmul to route out the Taliban. The Taliban fighters were waiting just as they entered the area. They formed a horseshoe and pinned down the Canadians in and around the school house." The attacks happened just hours after Reid, 34, was killed when his LAV III vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb around 30 kilometres west of Kandahar City in the Pashmul area. Another soldier was injured in that bombing, which occurred at 4:20 a.m. local time, but received non-life threatening injuries. Second roadside bomb A second roadside bomb struck the same area at around 7:15 a.m. -- hitting a LAV III and wounding three Canadian soldiers. One of the soldiers suffered minor injuries, while the other two were being treated at a hospital at Kandahar Airfield. "I visited the soldiers in the hospital here in Kandahar. I've talked to them all and they're doing well. They'll be able to speak with their loved ones," said Brig.-Gen. David Fraser from Afghanistan.
He added that all the injured soldiers are in stable condition, and vowed operations against the Taliban will continue. "The cost today was significant. But the cost against the Taliban was even more significant. The Canadian Forces provided a significant blow against the Taliban's ability to coerce, intimidate and work against the government of Afghanistan." Market bombing kills Afghan civilians Another incident Thursday left 21 Afghan civilians dead when a suicide bomber in a car blew himself up in a crowded town market near where NATO troops were on patrol. Thirteen people, including some children, were injured in the blast at the market in the Panjwayi district of Kandahar province, said provincial government spokesman Dawood Ahmadi. A spokesman for NATO-led Canadian forces in Kandahar, Maj. Scott Lundy, said NATO troops had a patrol moving through area where the blast happened, but no troops were hurt. Thursday's deaths brought to 23 the number of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2002. In the last six months, 15 have died. With files from The Canadian Press and a report from CTV's Steve Chao at the Kandahar Base. Written by CTV.ca News Staff
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Ontario storm leaves thousands without power Web Posted | Last Updated Aug, 03 August 2006  07:32:00 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 3rd, 2006
As many as 150,000 customers were left without electricity Wednesday night after violent thunderstorms and high winds swept across parts of Ontario. The province's electricity distributor said areas from Toronto north to Bracebridge and east to Tweed were affected by power outages resulting from trees falling on power lines. Hydro One brought in extra crews to repair the damage overnight, but warned that service might not be restored in all affected areas before Friday. Environment Canada said a trained weather spotter reported a tornado touched down in the area of Highway 401 and Highway 6 at around 3:20 p.m. ET. At its peak, the storm's winds hit 120 kilometres an hour. However, it also ushered in cooler conditions following three days of extreme heat and humidity that had settled across much of southern and central Ontario. Written by CBC News Staff with files from the Canadian Press
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Standoff involving pedophile ends peacefully Web Posted | Last Updated Wed, 02 August 2006  06:14:00 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 2nd, 2006 A standoff involving convicted pedophile Peter Whitmore ended late Tuesday on an abandoned Saskatchewan farm with his surrender and the freedom of a 14-year-old boy. Jordan Bruyere was freed before Whitmore's ultimate surrender, CTV's Jill Macyshon told CTV News. Earlier on Tuesday, 10-year-old Zachary Miller of Whitewood, Sask. was found alive and in good physical condition at an abandoned farm near Kipling, about 40 kilometres southwest of his home. He has been reunited with his parents but was taken to a Regina hospital for a checkup. Bruyere was later taken to the same hospital and found to be in good physical health. He was expected to be reunited with his family. Whitmore is now in police custody. Macyshon said that Miller had been spotted near Kipling early Tuesday afternoon. Farmer Pat Beaujot first found evidence that Whitmore could be on the farmstead. "Well, I was coming home from lunch, and many people in the area were checking abandoned farmyards ... there was a farmyard about a mile from my home, and I thought I should check it," he told CTV Newsnet.	RCMP vehicles surround the abandoned farm near Kipling, Sask. (CP / Troy Fleece) Zachary Miller is seen in this undated photo released by Saskatchewan RCMP 'F' Division. Jordan Bruyere is seen in this undated RCMP handout photo.
Beaujot said he saw tracks into the yard going to a small car garage just to the east of the house. In the garage, he saw a bucket of chicken and bones -- along with the van Whitmore was believed to be using. He went home, had his wife phone police, then returned to the farmyard to keep an eye on the place. Shortly after, the police arrived. While Beaujot was chatting with them, Zachary Miller emerged from the bushes. The police saw him and called him over. Macyshon said the RCMP set up a perimeter around the farm. They had a helicopter overhead and dispatched an emergency response team. They used a robot to bring a cellphone to Whitmore. The standoff took about nine hours to resolve. Earlier in the day, an RCMP officer who once worked with Whitmore issued a plea for him to release the two missing boys believed to be in his custody. In an audio statement on the RCMP Saskatchewan website, Cpl. Laural Mathew told Whitmore that he was doing well in his rehabilitation in Chilliwack, B.C., and that he needs to do the right thing. "You were doing so well while you were here, and I know you've been going through some stress lately," said Mathew in her audio statement. "But Peter, this needs to come to an end. The best thing for you to do, right now, is to find a way to do what you've always done before -- and release the children." Whitmore is a repeat sex offender. After serving his most recent sentence of three years, Whitmore initially relocated to Chilliwack, B.C. in June 2005, and then to Morinville, Alta. in June. He failed to appear at a June 29 court date and then disappeared.
How it started Bruyere, a Winnipeg resident, was travelling with Whitmore and had last been seen in Brandon, Man. on July 22. He had been considered missing, but police did not call his case a kidnapping. Jordan's mother, Joannie Robinson, says Whitmore travelled with her son and her husband to Brandon to pick up a new truck. Whitmore managed to convince Robinson's husband to return to Winnipeg after asking him to pick up $2,000 that he said he'd left behind. She said Whitmore promised to return later with the boy, but never did. "I'm just going to get my van fixed here in Brandon and I'll bring Jordan home," Robinson quoted Whitmore as saying. He then called the next day and repeated the promise but he never returned the boy, said Robinson.	Peter Robert Joseph Whitmore is seen in this undated photo released by Saskatchewan RCMP 'F' Division. Whitewood is a community of less than 1,000 people and located along the Trans-Canada Highway east of Regina.
"I talked to my son. I asked him if he was OK. He said yes," she said. "I tried to find out where he was, (but) he kept telling me 'Mom, I don't know where I am.'" Whitmore then showed up in Whitewood, about 180 km west of Brandon, with Bruyere. He posed as a family man from Alberta. Bruyere ended up befriending Miller, and the two ended up going for a bike ride on Sunday. Their bikes were found abandoned at a farmyard. The RCMP issued a rare national Amber Alert on Sunday after Miller went missing. Police have charged Whitmore, 35, with abduction in the disappearance of Miller. Criminal history Whitmore is well known in Ontario for a string of high-profile sex assault convictions against children. He was first convicted in 1993 of abduction and five sexual offences involving four young boys and spent 16 months in custody. Nine days after his release, he took an eight-year-old girl from Guelph, Ont., to Toronto, and was sentenced to 56 months in prison. Less than a month after his November 2000 release, he was found in a downtown Toronto motel with a 13-year-old boy. He was sentenced to one year in jail. In 2002 he fled to British Columbia in an attempt to avoid the media spotlight in Ontario after he was found in the company of a five-year-old boy. In B.C., he pleaded guilty to parole violations because a "rape kit" had been found on him. A search of Whitmore's backpack turned up latex gloves, pictures of young children, tubes of jelly lubricant, duct tape, a sleeping bag and plastic zipper ties that can be used as handcuffs. The Canadian Press reported Tuesday that the National Parole Board considered Whitmore to have a 100 per cent chance of reoffending.
In 2002, Whitmore told CTV's Canada AM that he was not going to re-offend. "I can't change the past, but I can change the future. I won't do it again," he said. Community shocked Whitewood Mayor Malcolm Green said residents in the community of less than 1,000 people -- located along the Trans-Canada Highway about 185 kilometres east of Regina -- are angry. "We went from a state of shock yesterday morning to disbelief and then sadness. And now there's a level of anger due to the fact that this kind of thing shouldn't happen in any community, least of all ours," he told CTV on Tuesday. "That a person with his background can move so freely without any knowledge of at least us being told and aware of what he is like." In Kipling, Mayor Pat Jackson said there was disbelief something like this could happen. Asked if people were worried about their kids, she said: "Wouldn't you be?" People will be cautious for a while, but the community will calm down, she said. With a report by CTV's Jill Macyshon and files from The Canadian Press Written by CTV.ca News Staff
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MPs prepare to grill Harper government over Mideast conflict Web Posted | Last Updated Tue, 01 August 2006  08:50:21 EDT Giant Dwarf Posted: August 1st, 2006 The conflict in the Middle East and the Harper government's response to it will be front and centre Tuesday at the special meeting of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee in Ottawa. Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay will face opposition questions about his government's approach to the conflict in the region. The Conservative government has sided with Israel since military air strikes began in southern Lebanon, blaming the current crisis on the Hezbollah militant organization. However, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also said he does not favour sending Canadian troops to the region as part of a multinational peacekeeping force.	Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay will face opposition questions about his government's approach to the conflict in the Middle East. (CBC)
PM wants solution from within region Instead, the prime minister has said that countries in the area should be responsible for resolving the conflict. Harper said late last month that some countries in the region have allowed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah to arm and attack Israel. Opposition members in Ottawa, however, such as Liberal MP Bernard Patry say they are worried the situation will spiral out of control. "I don't think there are any more moderates in Lebanon and this is bad for the country, this is bad for Israel, and this is bad for the world," he told CBC. The NDP foreign affairs critic Alexa McDonough told CBC News that focusing on who started the conflict does not solve anything and "sounds like little boys in a sand box. "It's humiliating. It's embarrassing on the international stage." Ignatieff says Canada's response insufficient Meanwhile, one of the contenders for the federal Liberal party leadership wrote in a newspaper opinion piece Tuesday that the Harper government's response is not enough. Michael Ignatieff said in the Globe and Mail article that it is time for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Ignatieff has suggested that if Canada were to work with European countries and moderate Arab states in calling for a ceasefire, tensions in the Middle East could ease. Since the conflict began, Canadian officials have helped more than 13,000 Canadians leave Lebanon. Last Saturday, hundreds of Canadians boarded the last of Ottawa's scheduled ships from the strife-torn country leaving the port of Beirut. Canadian officials, meanwhile, are continuing to try to contact Canadians living in more remote regions of Lebanon. Officials have also said they will continue to have plans in place for further evacuations should the need arise. Written by CBC News Staff
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