Tag: Canada News

Ontario, Canada: Police officer wounded in shooting near synagogue

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Police officers outside a church behind “POLICE LINE - DO NOT CROSS” tape

A police officer was shot and wounded near a synagogue in Ontario, Canada, on Sunday evening during an exchange of gunfire with an armed man as congregants gathered to mark Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, officials said. Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit said a man was in the hospital “in life threatening condition” and that the officer was injured after the shooting near Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, around 115 miles northeast of Toronto. The president of Sons of Jacob synagogue, Norm Weddum, told CNN the officer saved the lives of everyone who had gathered inside and that the building had been riddled with bullets.

Authorities have not yet said what led to the shooting. Weddum said the officer had been hired to protect the congregation that day. The officer was parked nearby in an unmarked vehicle and made contact with the shooter as he approached the building, he said. The synagogue’s president described hearing a series of bangs as he ushered people into the sanctuary, after which he and others went toward the front door to investigate. “That’s when we heard it again –– ‘bang, bang, bang’ and they were very loud this time so we realized it was definitely shots being fired,” he said. “We all ran back, I closed the doors of the auditorium and I yelled out ‘everybody get down.’” Weddum said bullets sprayed through the stain glass windows and across the room as worshipers crouched on the floor in fear, some calling 911. “We were on the floor for what felt like ten minutes of gunfire but in reality, it was a few minutes. There were over 20 bullet holes in our windows.”

No one inside the synagogue was injured but all Yom Kippur services were canceled, he added. Authorities are expected to hold a press conference from the scene at 11 a.m. Monday. Earlier, the Belleville Police Service said an officer “encountered an individual” near Bleecker Avenue and Victoria Avenue around 7:10 p.m. The Sons of Jacob Synagogue sits at the intersection. “The officer and the individual sustained injuries and were transported to the hospital,” the statement said, without providing further details. York Regional Police, which patrols communities north of Toronto, said it would step up patrols and keep officers visible “where people gather to worship,” in response to the shooting. Weddum said when the gunshots stopped, he stepped outside the building to find a heavy police presence and several officers tending to the injured officer and another individual being put into an ambulance. Police have since cordoned off the area and are conducting an investigation, he added. “We’re not sure when we are going to get access back to the building. We are all upset but it’s not going to deter us. We will reopen and we will have services again,” he said.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded to news of the shooting, saying in a statement: “We owe an immense debt of gratitude to this brave officer and to all the first responders who acted so quickly to keep the community safe.” “My thoughts are with the Jewish community in Belleville and across Ontario, who have every right to gather and worship safely and without fear,” Ford added.

Source: Ontario, Canada: Police officer wounded in shooting near synagogue | CNN

He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
Proverbs 19:8

Plague in Russia?

Russian authorities have sought to allay global worries over the death of a young woman who worked at a Siberian anti-plague laboratory. But moves to isolate her…

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Dangerous smoke from Canadian wildfires moves into the Great Lakes and Northeast

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mountainous countryside against cloudy morning sky

Massive plumes of Canadian wildfire smoke are set to pour over the border into the United States, bringing dangerous air quality to more than 100 million people in the Midwest and Northeast. Smoke has already been an issue this summer in parts of the West, Plains and Midwest as stateside fires have burned more than 3.6 million acres, mostly in the western half of the country. But the thicker smoke, forecast to move over New York, Washington, DC and other cities in the East, is from wildfires to the north. Check out the smoke forecast in the CNN Weather app In Canada, more than 3,000 fires have burned nearly 4.5 million acres this summer, with a dozen blazes flaring up in Ontario in recent weeks, filling the skies with smoke that is starting to drift south, like it did in an extreme way in 2023. Canadian wildfire activity this year is nowhere near the hyperactivity of 2023 but the combination of wildfires in Ontario and a heat dome in the central US spells smoky trouble for millions.

Planet-heating fossil fuel pollution is increasing the chance of prolonged smoke seasons as it tips the odds that extreme wildfire seasons like 2023’s — Canada’s worst season on record — won’t remain an outlier for long. Unhealthy smoke heads for Great Lakes and Northeast A first round of smoke is already floating over a large area from Chicago to Boston. This smoke has largely stayed higher up in the atmosphere, which means it hasn’t precipitously lowered air quality or posed a significant health risk. But a weather pattern change in coming days will cause lingering smoke and additional plumes to sink to the surface Wednesday and Thursday bringing unhealthy air quality from the Upper Midwest to New England. Wildfire smoke contains dangerous, tiny pollutants called PM2.5 that can travel deep into the lungs or enter the bloodstream when inhaled. The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.

Much of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin are under air quality alerts due to smoke over the next few days, and the National Weather Service has warned that smoke could become an air quality concern in Chicago later this week. People with lung or heart disease, children and older adults are especially at risk for smoke-related illness. The NWS advises people avoid smoke by limiting outdoor activities and keeping windows closed overnight. The only silver lining the smoke brings is that it could dampen some of the heat. Smoke blocks sunlight, which would be welcome news for many parts of the Northeast expected to see high temperatures in the coming days. The smoke is now streaming into the US thanks to a record-breaking heat dome parked over the central part of the country. So far there have been several heat domes — large, slow-moving high pressure systems — this year from the West Coast to the Northeast.

Air flows clockwise around these domes, but until now, none of them have been in quite the right spot to drag Canadian smoke south. The northern edge of this week’s heat dome is perfectly placed over northern Minnesota and southern Ontario, where wildfires rage. This placement means smoke will flow east and south, right into parts of the Midwest and Northeast. With several months left in wildfire season, the door will remain open for more Canadian smoke plumes to migrate south. How does this smoke compare to 2023? This time three years ago, records were being broken as 4,300 fires had already burned 25 million acres across Canada. In June 2023, smoke consumed the New York City skyline as northerly winds pushed a wall of wildfire smoke from Quebec into the Big Apple. The culprits were a dominant high pressure system in the Hudson Bay and a storm system over Atlantic Canada. Together, they funneled smoke into the Midwest and Northeast. Both systems were stagnant, keeping the smoke in place for about four days. 2023’s smoke event was so far-reaching, a study from last year estimates more than 350 million people were exposed to daily wildfire smoke-induced air pollution. Fortunately, wildfire activity in Canada started later compared to that record-setting year, making it unlikely this year’s smoke will be as pervasive.

Smoke seasons are getting worse In the US, the window for outbreaks of unhealthy wildfire smoke is getting bigger, as fire seasons in the West have become longer and more extreme. Climate change was found to be responsible for the majority of the increase of surface wildfire smoke. This smoke has eroded decades of air quality improvements in parts of the US, particularly in the West. Planet-warming pollution caused approximately 15,000 more deaths in the US from wildfire particulate matter from 2006 to 2020 than would have otherwise occurred in a cooler world, a study published last year found.

Source: Dangerous smoke from Canadian wildfires moves into the Great Lakes and Northeast | CNN

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9

For God so Loved the World

“God loved you enough to send His Son, Jesus loved you enough to give His life, and through faith, you are offered a hope this world can never take away.” “For God…

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2 Timothy 3:12 

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted Paul was reminding Timothy that following Christ does not guarantee an easy life. When we choose to live…

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John 15:18–20

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are…

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Galatians 1:6-10

“When truth becomes negotiable, faith becomes vulnerable so know the Gospel, stand on God’s Word, and seek His approval above the world’s applause.” “I am astonished that you are so quickly…

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Isaiah 45:2

“I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, This verse reminds us that…

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Political dissident who fled China by boat arrives in Canada, his friend says

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Man rowing an inflatable boat at sunrise on calm water near rocky shore

A Chinese political dissident who fled to South Korea last month in a dinghy has arrived in Canada, his friend said on social media Saturday. Dong Guangping was aboard a 10.8-foot inflatable boat in the waters off a western South Korean island in May when he was detained by South Korea’s coast guard for allegedly violating the country’s immigration law. It was his fourth known attempt to flee China. Dong, a former police officer in China, had previously been detained several times for his activism.

He was imprisoned for three years in 2001 for “inciting subversion of state power” and spent more than eight months behind bars after being arrested in 2014 for participating in a memorial for victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, according to past statements from Amnesty International. He previously escaped to Thailand and Vietnam, but authorities there deported him back to China. Dong also unsuccessfully tried to swim to a Taiwanese island.

The rubber boat that a Chinese national was in when he was detained in the waters off South Korea’s west coast, at a port in Taean, South Korea. The Taean Maritime Police via AP

At a court hearing in South Korea after his arrest, he told reporters that he hopes to go to Canada to reunite with his wife and daughters, who have already been resettled there, according to South Korean media. In a post Saturday on X, his friend Sheng Xue, a Chinese Canadian activist, said Dong had landed in Toronto following an Air Canada flight on Friday. “He just had a big bowl of noodles with eggs, tomatoes and shrimps,” she wrote in the post, adding that she has spent more than 10 years trying to get him out of China.

She attached a photo of Dong in a car with her and another photo of Dong holding a bowl. Xue wrote Saturday in a follow-up post, “In the process of fleeing for his life more than ten times over a decade, risking his life and facing constant failures, he has never uttered a single word of complaint or discouragement.” She added, “Souls that love freedom are full of strength.” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has not immediately commented.

Source: Political dissident who fled China by boat arrives in Canada, his friend says – CBS News

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Isaiah 61:1

Proverbs 21:23

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. This verse emphasizes that people who carefully watch what they say will protect themselves from…

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Psalm 5:8

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. In the verse David is praying in the morning while…

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Air France flight bound for Detroit diverted to Canada over passenger from Congo, officials say

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an airplane parked on a tarmac

An Air France flight from Paris to Detroit was forced to divert to Montreal on Wednesday due to U.S. flight restrictions linked to the Ebola outbreak after it was determined that one of the passengers was from the Democratic Republic of Congo, federal officials and the airline said. Air France boarded the passenger “in error on a flight to the United States,” a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told CBS News in a statement. “Due to entry restrictions put in place to reduce the risk of the Ebola virus, the passenger should not have boarded the plane,” the CBP spokesperson said. “CBP took decisive action and prohibited the flight carrying that traveler from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada.” CBP did not say when the person had last been in the Congo or whether they were showing symptoms of the virus.

When reached about the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration directed CBS News to CBP. CBS News has also reached out to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for comment. Air France said in a statement to CBS News that it “confirms that, at the request of U.S. authorities, (the flight) was diverted to Montreal Airport after a Congolese passenger on board was denied entry into the United States. In fact, under new regulations, passengers arriving from certain countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, may only enter U.S. territory via Washington (IAD) Airport. There was no medical emergency on board, and like all airlines, Air France is required to comply with the entry requirements of the countries it serves.”

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, Air France Flight 378 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport landed at Montreal Trudeau International Airport at 5:15 p.m. ET. The status of the passenger from the Congo was unknown.  Deborah Mistor, a business class passenger aboard the flight, told CBS News in an interview Thursday night that the rest of the passengers were then flown from Montreal to Detroit aboard the same aircraft. Mistor revealed that the passengers were notified by the captain about four hours before they were initially due to arrive in Detroit that U.S. authorities were not allowing the plane to land in the U.S. and the flight was being diverted. The captain did not provide a reason, however. “I think enough people must have been questioning what was going on because 30 minutes later, he came back on and said that he wanted to confirm that there was nothing wrong with the plane, there were no technical difficulties, that it was strictly because of U.S. authorities not allowing us to land in the U.S.,” Mistor told CBS News.

Source: Air France flight bound for Detroit diverted to Canada over passenger from Congo, officials say – CBS News

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:11

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Gunman at Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramids kills Canadian tourist, injures at least 13 people

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pyramid of the sun in teotihuacan under clear sky

A Canadian tourist was shot and killed Monday while visiting the Teotihuacán pyramids in Mexico, according to local authorities. Mexico’s security officials said a gunman opened fire at the popular tourist spot, killing a Canadian woman and injuring at least 13 people, including seven Americans. The shooter is believe to have taken his own life, the Security Cabinet said. Local prosecutors identified the gunman as Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, a Mexican national.

His cause of death has not yet been officially determined, Mexico’s attorney general’s office said. Mexico’s Security Cabinet said a firearm, a bladed weapon and ammunition were found at the scene. The gunman also had notes that appear to reference the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, local officials said. In a video posted on X, verified by CBS News, a man with a gun is seen pacing near the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. In another video, gunshots can be heard as visitors of the archeological site are seen walking at the bottom of the pyramid. “I have hostages and if you try to climb up I’ll kill them,” the gunman can be heard telling responding officers in another video taken by a witness.

Source: Gunman at Mexico’s Teotihuacán pyramids kills Canadian tourist, injures at least 13 people – CBS News

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
1 Peter 4:7

Ford recalls 144,000 F-150s in Canada due to gearshift issue

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powerful black pickup truck on a sunny day

Ford is issuing a safety recall for some 144,oo0 F-150s in Canada, the company said Friday, due to an issue with the vehicles’ gearshift that can impact the drivers’ control of the vehicle. The safety issue impacts some vehicles with six-speed automatic transmissions made between 2015 and 2017. In the U.S., almost 1.4 million vehicles are affected, including some 2014 model years as well. In some of the trucks, deteriorated electrical connections in the internal transmission lead frame can cause a signal issue from a transmission sensor, according to the company. “This may lead to an unexpected downshift into a lower gear while the vehicle is in motion,” a Ford spokesperson told CBC News in an emailed statement.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s safety recall report said the issue may cause an abrupt reduction in wheel speed for a short period of time, which in some situations could cause the rear tires to slide until the vehicle speed slows. The automaker is aware of two injuries and one accident possibly related to the issue, according to The Associated Press. Ford says dealers can update the vehicles’ Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, which should fix the issue. Alternatively, if an affected vehicle previously displayed “specific diagnostic trouble codes” related to that sensor, Ford says it will replace the transmission lead frame for free. F-150 drivers can determine if their vehicle is impacted by entering their Vehicle Identification Number online on Ford’s recall webpage.

Source: Ford recalls 144,000 F-150s in Canada due to gearshift issue | CBC News

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17

Hyundai recalls some Canadian vehicles due to seatbelt issue

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close up on hyundai steering wheel

Hyundai is issuing a warning related to the seatbelt system in some of its 2026 Palisade models. In some cars, wiring in the seatbelt for the third-row, left-hand side seat can become damaged when pulled, according to a notice on Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database. The wiring issue can then cause the seatbelt indicator to show that the seatbelt is buckled when it is not. “A seatbelt status indicator that doesn’t work correctly could create confusion. Not wearing a seatbelt increases the risk of injury in a crash,” the notice said.

Some 4,203 vehicles in Canada may be affected by the seatbelt issue. Hyundai says it will notify affected drivers of the issue in writing and advise them to visit a dealership to have the seatbelt wiring fixed. Alternatively, drivers can input their vehicle identification number in Hyundai’s online recall lookup website to see if their car is impacted, or call 1-888-216-2626. Earlier this year, Hyundai recalled thousands of vehicles in the U.S. and Canada and stopped sales of some of its new Palisades due to a different issue that caused some second and third-row power seats not to stop moving when they detected contact with a passenger or an object.

Source: Hyundai recalls some Canadian vehicles due to seatbelt issue | CBC News

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.”
Malachi 3:10

Canada’s House of Commons passes ‘anti-Christian’ bill that would criminalize quoting Bible

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close up shot of maple leaves cutouts

The majority of Canadian MPs have voted to pass a Liberal bill that will allow the criminalization of religious expression and belief when quoting parts of the Bible, including about homosexuality and gender. Early Wednesday evening, MPs from the Liberal Party and the Bloc Québécois, in a 186–137 vote, passed Bill C-9, known as the “Combatting Hate Act.” Conservatives, NDP, and Green Party MPs voted against the bill in a rare form of unity among the usually opposing parties.

Source: Canada’s House of Commons passes ‘anti-Christian’ bill that would criminalize quoting Bible – LifeSite

Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.
Genesis 9:11

The stabbing. Canada has a serious knife problem

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silver and gold switchblade on gray and white surface

Driving a blade into another person’s body is a savage, intimate act of violence. Why are we paying so little attention to these attacks?

Source: The stabbing. Canada has a serious knife problem | National Post

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33

Two people injured in recent bear attacks in Colorado high country

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says two people were recently injured in separate bear attacks in the high country. On Tuesday, a bear reportedly entered a home in Steamboat Springs near Fish Creek Falls Road. The woman told wildlife officers the bear entered her home through the sliding glass door around 1 a.m., and she attempted…

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Colorado firefighters say bear broke into home and started fire

Firefighters in Crested Butte said that a house fire was started by a bear after the animal got inside the private residence. The Crested Butte Fire Protection District posted on its Facebook page that crews responded to a residential structure fire overnight on Aug. 19 in the Mt. Crested Butte neighborhood.  According to fire officials,…

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At least 10 railcars derail in Mansfield; no injuries reported, officials say

Police are directing traffic and the Grand Prairie hazmat unit is on the scene after at least 10 railcars derailed in Mansfield on Thursday evening, officials said. The derailment happened near Seeton Road and South Holland Road around 2:30 p.m. The Mansfield Fire Department also responded. No injuries or leaks have been reported, authorities said.…

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North Texas heat wave sparks power outages across Dallas neighborhoods

The extreme heat in North Texas is straining electrical equipment and causing scattered power outages across several Dallas neighborhoods. More than a dozen residents in the Kessler Park neighborhood told CBS News Texas they experienced two outages on Monday during the extreme temperatures. One lasted about an hour, and the second about 30 minutes.  Will…

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Lawmakers expected to pass law ending child marriage in California

California lawmakers are expected to pass a new law ending child marriage within the state.  Currently, California is one of three states that allow children of any age to get married if a parent or guardian signs off. The bill passing through the legislature would end underage marriage with no exceptions.  “So many survivors of…

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Big Bear wildlife activists name eagle spotted with Shadow

Wildlife activists on Thursday named the new eagle that has been spotted following Shadow through Big Bear’s treetops and skies. “Generally, Friends of Big Bear Valley does not give names to nest visitors unless they have been around long-term…until now,” the Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote in a Facebook post. FOBBV chose the name…

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Midday storm threat in Chicago area on Friday

Thunderstorms return to the Chicago area on Friday.  Most of the morning remains dry, but by lunchtime, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to move into the Chicago area.  Storms could be severe, with a level 2 out of 5; a slight risk is in place. Damaging winds up to 60-65 miles per hour and…

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