Back to newsletter list 17/02/2007 22:21:02 (UTC) Canada | World Briefs | Sports | Weather Headlines  - Fearing attack, Canadian soldiers kill unarmed Afghan civilian. - Penny of little value to Bank of Canada. - Quebec premier getting ready for election.
KANDAHAR: FEARING ATTACK, CANADIAN SOLDIERS KILL UNARMED AFGHAN CIVILIAN NATO forces in southern Afghanistan were forced to kill two unarmed Afghan civilians on Saturday. One civilian was killed by Canadian soldiers who suspected that he was a suicide bomber. The man was wearing what looked like explosives and ignored several warnings to stop near the village of Senjaray about 12 kilometres from Kandahar airfield. An explosives expert later determined that the man was not carrying explosives. Canada has about 2,500 soldiers in the country. The other victim was shot west of Kandahar City as he ran among military convoy vehicles around dawn. The nationality of the NATO soldiers there was not reported. Inadvertent shootings of civilians have harmed NATO forces' relations with the Afghan people. Earlier this week, Canadian soldiers accidentally shot and wounded an Afghan military officer, leading to a short standoff with Afghan troops. TORONTO: PENNY OF LITTLE VALUE TO BANK OF CANADA The Bank of Canada said on Saturday that the elimination of the penny would have little effect on inflation, and might even cause prices to fall. In a three-page draft report, the Bank suggested that competition would encourage merchants in the absence of pennies to round prices down rather than up. The Bank issued its report a few days after a large Quebec-based bank, the Desjardins Group, urged the federal government to stop making pennies because the cost was high and because inflation had made one-cent coins virtually worthless. QUEBEC CITY: PREMIER GETTING READY FOR ELECTION Quebec's premier, Jean Charest, is expected to announce more details of his Liberal Party platform this weekend, a few days before he's also expected to announce the date of the next provincial election. In a pre-election rally, he met with thousands of party supporters who approved the platform. An election will likely be held in March. Recent opinion polls show the Liberal Party with a lead over the leading opposition party, the Parti Quebecois. On Friday, Mr. Charest announced that his party, if re-elected, would increase university tuitions, a move widely urged by financially struggling universities but widely opposed by students. Quebec's tuitions are the lowest in Canada as a result of government controls. The Parti Quebecois has promised to maintain tuitions at current levels. MONTREAL: DEMONSTRATION URGES END OF SECURITY CERTIFICATES About 100 people demonstrated in Montreal on Saturday to demand an end to security certificates, a controversial measure that allows police to detain terrorist suspects indefinitely without trial. The demonstration came after recent news that an Egyptian, Mahommad Mahjoub, who had spent seven years in detention under a security certificate would be released and put under house arrest. Among the Montreal demonstrators was Adil Charkaoui, who spent three years in jail without trial before his release in 2005. TORONTO: ACTORS RENEW STRIKE A tentative deal between the Canadian actors' labour union and film and television producers has been put in jeopardy. Both sides announced on Friday night that they had reached a verbal agreement, subject to ratification, after a six-week strike by Canadian performers. According to the terms of that tentative deal, actors would get a 10 per cent wage increase over three years, as well as residuals on Internet use. But the actors union and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association were later told by American studios whose representatives sit on the negotiation committee that the Internet clause was not settled. The strike has caused the cancellation of several large-budget Hollywood films in Canada. OTTAWA: CANADIAN SENATORS SIGN DEAL WITH LIBYA Relations between Canada and Libya improved this week after four Canadian senators met with Libya's leader, Moammar Gadhafi. In the presence of Canada's ambassador to Libya, they signed an agreement with Mr. Gadhafi calling for closer ties between Ottawa and Tripoli. The agreement calls for more private-sector exchanges in the oil and gas industry. Libya was considered an international outcast until it renounced terrorism in 2003. TORONTO: MEXICAN POLICE SAY ASSASSINS KILLED CANADIAN COUPLE A Canadian newspaper, the Globe & Mail, reported on Saturday that a middle-aged Canadian couple might have been the target of hired killers when they were murdered last year in their hotel in Cancun. The son of the victims, Anthony Ianiero, has long insisted that his parents, Domenic and Nancy Ianiero, were victims of a random robbery. But the attorney general in the State of Quintana Roo, Bello Melchor Rodriguez y Carrillo, says that the killers were undoubtedly hired Canadians. Cash and other valuables were found in the room after the killing. Mexican police would like to interview Anthony Ianiero, calling him 'a person of interest.' The designation does not mean that he is a suspect. MONTREAL: ENVIRONMENTALISTS STAGE PROTEST About 100 people staged a rally in front of the city hall in Montreal on Saturday to protest what they called Canada's inactivity in saving the environment. The rally was held on the anniversary of Canada's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. Demonstrators urged the Conservative Party government in Ottawa to respect the Protocol. Last year, the government withdrew from the Protocol, saying that it's targets for greenhouse gas emissions were unrealistic. But the government's new targets have still to gain the public's favour and confidence. The environment has become the leading political issue in Canada.
IRAQ The U.S. Secretary of State paid an unexpected visit to Iraq on Saturday. Speaking in Baghdad, Condoleezza Rice said that President George W. Bush's new security plan would give hope to Iraq's moderate leaders in their attempt to end sectarian violence. Iraq's military says that after four days of the new plan, attacks in the capital have fallen by 80 per cent. Nonetheless, violence continues. Nearby clashes forced Miss Rice's military p*** to delay its landing by half an hour. On the same day, a double car bombing killed at least 10 people and wounded 60 others in a crowded market in the northern city of Kirkuk. In Washington, there's opposition to President Bush's proposal to send about 21,000 more troops to Iraq. On Friday, in a blow to the president, the U.S. House of Representatives voted against his proposal in a non-binding decision. The U.S. Senate was expected to vote on the issue on Saturday, but for the second time in two weeks, Mr. Bush's supporters managed to prevent a debate and subsequent vote. Miss Rice later flew to Israel to hold talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders in preparation for a three-way meeting in Jerusalem on Monday. She will hope to overcome Israel's opposition to the unity deal arranged this week between rival Fatah and Hamas Palestinian factions. ITALY Italy's government faced a major challenge on Saturday when a large protest was held against the expansion of a U.S. military base near the northern city of Vicenza, near Venice. About forty thousand people from across the country unfurled anti-American banners. Prime Minister Romano Prodi promised last month to honour a pledge made by his predecessor to permit the base's expansion. But Communist and Green parties within Mr. Prodi's coalition government strongly oppose it. The United States wants to move part of its forces in Germany to the Vicenza base, whose troops were among the first soldiers to go to war in Iraq. IRAN Syria's president is in Iran to discuss the situation of their neighbours, Iraq and Lebanon. Bashar al-Assad will hold talks with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Both Iran and Syria deny accusations by the United States they they are helping insurgents in Iraq as well as fomenting anti-government unrest in Lebanon. Earlier this week, Iraq temporarily shut its borders with Iran and Syria as part of a security crackdown. GUINEA Guinea's labour unions called off talks with the government on Saturday, saying that they would not negotiate until President Lansana Conte lifted martial law. Martial law was imposed earlier in the week in response to anti-government violence in which more than 120 poeple were killed. About 90 people died in a nationwide strike last month. Opponents of the government objected to the president's choice of a new prime minister, saying that the candidate would continue to promote corruption. In an effort to promote a dialogue in Guinea, a West African delegation led by Nigeria's former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, arrived in Conakry on Saturday. One day earlier, the African Union condemned Guinea's government for using excessive force against civilians. FRANCE The convicted French war criminal, Maurice Papon, died on Saturday. He was 96. Earlier in the week, he was taken to a hospital near Paris for a possible heart operation. Papon was a leading official in the collaborationist government during the Second World War. He was found guilty of helping to deport about 1,500 French Jews to Nazi death camps. After the war, he served as a government minister. In 1998, he was sentenced to ten years in prison. He fled to Switzerland, but was repartriated and jailed. He was released in 2002 for medical reasons. Jewish groups expressed anger that Papon refused to show sorrow for his crimes. PAKISTAN At least 15 people, including a senior judge, were killed on Saturday when a suicide bomber exploded a powerful bomb near a court in Pakistan's southwestern city of Quetta. Dozens of others were injured. The blast struck inside a large compound housing police offices. Quetta is the capital of Baluchistan province bordering Afghanistan and Iran. Ethnic Baluch rebels are demanding greater political rights and a share in the profits from the region's natural resources. CHINA In a change of position, China's goverment will allow the AIDS activist, Gao Yaojie, to travel to the United States to accept a human rights award. The decision comes after the international community objected to her detention two weeks ago. The American group, Vital Voices, is awarding her the prize to recognize her role in exposing and combatting the spread of AIDS among people in rural China. Thousands of farmers who sold blood in the 1990s were infected with the disease. On Saturday, Miss Gao said that police guards outside her apartment had left. Her detention was not reported in Chinese media. Miss Gao was forbidden to travel abroad twice before to receive prizes. GERMANY The Chinese film, Tuya's Marriage, won the Golden Bear, the top award at the Berlin Film Festival on Saturday. The film describes a woman's struggle to support her son and sick husband in Mongolia. The best director award was given to Joseph Cedar of Israel for his film, Beaufort. UKRAINE Ukraine's energy minister, Yury Boiko, is ready to give control of Ukraine's natural gas distribution network to Russia in exchange for the right to extract gas in Russia. But connecting pipelines would not be part of the deal. Mr. Boiko says that the distribution network is the only asset Ukraine could give for the right to extract Russian gas. He strongly rejected the possibility of giving up control of connecting pipelines that transport 80 percent of the gas that Russia ships to Western Europe. The minister also said that Ukraine would not allow Russian companies to extract oil or natural gas in Ukrainian territory around the Black and Azov seas. This month, Ukraine's parliament passed a law forbidding the sale of Ukrainian gas pipelines after Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, proposed a trade of Ukraine's gas pipelines for the right to participate in Russian gas extraction. SERBIA A court in Serbia on Friday convicted Yugoslavia's late president, Slobodan Milosevic, and six other people for the murderous attack on a prominent Serb opposition leader. Four people died in the attack on Vuk Draskovic in 1999. Mr. Draskovic survived. Among those sentenced was Milosevic's secret police chief, Milorad Lukovic. The sentences range from eight to 15 years. Relatives of the victims wanted longer sentences. Milosevic died last year while on trial at the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague.
SNOWBOARDING Canadian Drew Neilson won the men's event and his compatriot Maella Ricker won the women's event at a World Cup snowboard cross meet in Furano, Japan, on Saturday. American Nate Holland was second among the men, while Canadian Simon Bonenfant was third. BOBSLEDDING Canadians Pierre Lueders and David Bissett were third in a two-man World Cup event at Winterberg, Germany, on Saturday. That put them just ten points behind the leaders in the season's standings. Andre Lange of Germany was first. In the women's race, Canadians Helen Upperton and Jaime Cruickshank were fourth. FREESTYLE SKIING Canadian Jennifer Heil won the women's event at a World Cup meet in Inawashiro, Japan, on Saturday. American Michelle Roark was second, and Canadian Stephanie St. Pierre was third. SKIING Canadian Michael Janyk finished sixth in the men's slalom at the world championships in Are, Sweden, on Saturday. Mario Matt of Austria was first. Only 25 of the 83 competitiors finished the race because of poor weather and a difficult course. SPEED SKATING Canadian Kristina Groves won the bronze medal in the women's 1500-metre event at a World Cup meet in Germany on Friday. Anni Friesinger of Germany won the gold. Ireen Wust of the Netherlands won the silver. HOCKEY The Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, 2-1, in a shootout. Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo stopped 34 shots as well as stopping two shootout attempts. FOOTBALL The Calgary Stampeders have signed one of the biggest names on the Canadian Football League open market. Ryan Thelwell, a two-time all-star, made 53 catches as a receiver last season for the B.C. Lions, who won the Grey Cup. BASEBALL Canadian pitcher Erik Bedard signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles worth US$3.4 million. He had 15 victories and 11 losses last year. BASKETBALL The Toronto Raptors will hold their next training camp in Europe, where they'll stop in Spain and Italy as part of the NBA's Europe Live Tour. They'll hold a camp in Treviso, Italy, and play two exhibition games in Rome before travelling to Madrid.
Weather Here is Canada's weather on Sunday. British Columbia will have showers. The high temperature in Vancouver will be nine degrees Celsius. The Yukon: snow flurries. Whitehorse, minus eight. Northwest Territories: overcast. Yellowknife, minus 21. Nunavut: sunny. Iqaluit, minus 20. Alberta: cloudy. Edmonton, minus four. Saskatchewan: overcast. Regina, minus three. Manitoba: snow. Winnipeg, minus seven. Ontario: mainly sunny. Toronto, minus nine. Ottawa, minus eight. Quebec: snow. Montreal, minus five. New Brunswick: cloudy. Fredericton, minus three. Nova Scotia: sunny periods. Halifax, zero. Prince Edward Island: variable cloudiness. Charlottetown, minus one. Newfoundland: variable cloudiness. St. John's, minus two.
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