CA-NEWS Summary

Syria fighting rages, more chemical attacks reported

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Heavy fighting raged around the strategic Syrian border town of Qusair and the capital Damascus on Monday and further reports surfaced of chemical weapons attacks by President Bashar al-Assad's forces on rebel areas. Intensified government offensives are widely seen as a bid to strengthen Assad's position before a peace conference proposed by the United States and Russia for next month.

More than 70 killed in wave of Baghdad bombings

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - More than 70 people were killed in a wave of bombings in markets in Shi'ite neighborhoods across Baghdad on Monday in worsening sectarian violence in Iraq. No group claimed responsibility for the blasts. But Sunni Muslim Islamist insurgents and al-Qaeda' s Iraqi wing have increased attacks since the beginning of the year and often target Shi'ite districts.

Toronto mayor loses two more top aides after crack scandal

TORONTO (Reuters) - Two top aides quit Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's office on Monday as the embattled leader of Canada's biggest city faces lingering allegations he was caught smoking crack cocaine on video, accusations he has firmly denied. The departures of the mayor's press secretary and deputy press secretary came just days after Ford fired his chief of staff. The mayor confirmed on Monday that both George Christopoulos and Isaac Ransom left of their own accord.

On Memorial Day, Obama pays tribute to fallen

ARLINGTON, Virginia (Reuters) - President Barack Obama paid tribute on Monday to fallen men and women of the U.S. armed services during a Memorial Day ceremony in which he reminded Americans that the country was still at war. During a solemn visit to Arlington National Ceremony, the resting ground for many military casualties, Obama noted in remarks to visitors that next year would mark the last Memorial Day of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

Chile, Argentina order evacuation around volcano

SANTIAGO/BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Chilean and Argentine authorities on Monday declared a red alert and ordered the mandatory evacuation of a 25-km (15.5-mile) radius around the active Copahue volcano, which straddles the border between the two Andean nations. The volcano - located some 500 km (310 miles) south of capital Santiago, between Chile's Bio Bio region and Argentina's Neuquen province - has seen increasing seismic activity in recent weeks but has not erupted, Chilean authorities said.

Riots put Sweden's open-door immigration policy in spotlight

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's worst riots in years might benefit a far-right party in elections next year if scenes of immigrants burning cars and smashing up buildings cause voters to rethink their traditional welcome to foreigners. Even before the week of riots in the poorer neighborhoods of Stockholm, immigration had become a hot political issue, as the number of asylum seekers reached record levels.

Historic mafia case to put Italian state on trial

PALERMO, Italy (Reuters) - Sicilian mob bosses and high-ranking Italian officials, both former and current, went on trial on Monday over allegations they held secret negotiations to stop a wave of deadly mafia bombings in the early 1990s. The trial stems from a murky and tumultuous period in Italian history when the "Bribesville" corruption investigations t brought down the political establishment around the same time as a string of mafia bombs killed 21 people.

Egyptian presidency tries to ease concerns over NGO law

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's presidency will soon unveil a new draft law on civil society and NGOs that should ease Western and opposition concerns over proposals seen as a threat to the new democracy, a presidential adviser said. The opposition condemned an earlier draft law by the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party to regulate human rights groups and other private organizations, saying it was more restrictive than laws under deposed leader Hosni Mubarak.

Bashir threatens to close oil pipeline in row with South Sudan

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan will close a pipeline carrying oil exports from South Sudan if Juba continues to support rebels operating on Sudanese soil, President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said Monday. The long-time foes agreed to resume cross-border oil flows in March but relations have worsened in the past days over Sudan's accusations, which are denied by South Sudan.

Protests over murdered British soldier, pressure on Cameron

LONDON (Reuters) - Around a thousand far-right protesters shouting "Muslim killers, off our streets" marched through central London on Monday against a backdrop of swelling anti-Muslim feeling following the killing of a British soldier last week. Lee Rigby, a 25-year-old soldier, was hacked to death in broad daylight in a south London street by two men who said they killed him in the name of Islam. The attack has shocked Britain and stirred an anti-Muslim backlash, including attacks on mosques.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-000337983.html

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