OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) – Canada’s spy agency and federal police quietly cooperated with Syrian military intelligence in the post-9/11 torture of three Canadians, documents revealed by public broadcaster CBC showed Monday. The three men were arrested by Syrian military intelligence during trips abroad from 2001 to 2004, suspected of Al-Qaeda links. Each claimed upon return to Canada that he had been tortured, and that Canadian security officials had supplied their captors with intelligence and questions […]
International
Bombs rain down as Syria declares truce over
ALEPPO, Syria (AFP) – by Karam al-Masri Shells and bombs rained down on rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Monday less than two hours after Syria’s army declared an end to a week-long ceasefire agreed between Russia and the US. Damascus and its ally Moscow blamed rebels for the failure of the truce, but Washington said the terms had not been met for a key aspect of the deal — US-Russia cooperation against jihadists. The US, Russia […]
Trump, Clinton show differences on national security
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – by Ivan Couronne Andrew BEATTY Hillary Clinton sought to show a steady hand and Donald Trump claimed “I told you so” Monday, as a fresh spate of terror attacks prompted markedly different tacks from the dueling White House hopefuls. Fifty days out from the presidential election, a bomb in New York, a mass stabbing in Minnesota and a New Jersey pipe blast injured dozens and put national security center-stage in the […]
Somalis in Minnesota fear backlash after stabbing attack
MINNEAPOLIS, United States (AFP) – by Jared Goyette The Somali community in the US state of Minnesota braced for a backlash Monday after a man who stabbed nine people in a mall over the weekend was identified as one of their own. The FBI is investigating the Saturday attack in the city of St. Cloud as a potential act of terrorism. While authorities have not officially identified the attacker, local Somali leaders said he was 22-year-old […]
Authorities identify suspect in New York explosions
(REUTERS) Authorities have identified a suspect in the Manhattan explosion case as a 28-year-old New Jersey resident of Afghan descent who may be armed and dangerous, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday. The New York Police Department released a photo of Ahmad Khan Rahami, who was wanted for questioning in the Saturday night explosions in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, de Blasio said on CNN. “He could be armed and dangerous,” […]
New surge of violence sees two more Palestinian knife attacks
JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) – by Jonah Mandel Palestinians carried out two knife attacks against Israeli police Monday, leaving one assailant shot dead and three officers wounded as a new surge in violence raised concerns ahead of upcoming Jewish holidays. There have been seven such incidents since Friday, coming after Palestinians wrapped up Eid al-Adha celebrations and as Israel tightened security ahead of Jewish high holidays in October. The upsurge has shattered several weeks of relative calm. […]
German central bank chief warns City of London on ‘hard Brexit’
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) – British banks risk losing their automatic right to trade in EU states as the country leaves the European Union, Germany’s central bank chief said in an interview out Monday. Jens Weidmann suggested that if Britain left the European Economic Area (EEA) — a group of 31 European Union and other European states which allows them to be part of the single market — it could mean financial services companies moving […]
DR Congo bans opposition rally after two policemen killed
KINSHASA, DR Congo (AFP) – by Marthe BOSUANDOLE DR Congo authorities banned a huge opposition demonstration on Monday after two policemen died in clashes with protesters calling for President Joseph Kabila to step down. Police had fired tear gas earlier to disperse hundreds of stone-throwing opposition supporters in Kinshasa, as they tried to march on parliament ahead of a planned mass demo to demand that Kabila quit power when his mandate runs out in December. […]
Robot detonates New Jersey device in latest bomb discovery
By Daniel Trotta NEW YORK, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Five potential bombs were discovered overnight near a New Jersey station, one of which blew up on Monday as a bomb squad robot tried to disable it, after a weekend of attacks and security alerts in the United States. The devices were found late on Sunday, a day after a pressure-cooker bomb packed with shrapnel exploded in New York City’s Chelsea district, wounding 29 people, […]
Canada celebrates National Forest Week
September 18-24, 2016 is Canada’s National Forest Week What is now known as National Forest Week (NFW) was established in the 1920’s and known as Forest Fire Prevention Week. The intention was to encourage greater public awareness of Canada’s forests. Since then, National Forest Week (renamed in 1967) has evolved to encompass the many and varied human and environmental aspects of Canada’s forest resources – past, present and future. Although special activities are promoted across Canada, […]
NYC blast investigation continues, city under biggest police presence: mayor
(Reuters)– New York City will deploy a “bigger than ever” police presence during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday after an explosion injured 29 on Saturday evening. Police officers will be deployed in force in key public locations around the UN headquarters and Times Square, including the newer units of the Critical Response Command and Strategic Response Group, de Blasio added at a press conference on the […]
Orphaned baby Koala finds fluffy toy friend
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — An orphaned baby koala in Australia has found solace cuddling a fluffy toy marsupial in the absence of his mother as he recovers from the trauma of her death. Nine-month-old Shayne’s mother was recently hit and killed by a car in Queensland state as he clung to her back. Rescuers found the joey had been thrown 20 metres down the road by the impact and was being chased by crows. […]
