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.

Money laundering distorts Colombia's economic comeback

PUERTO NUEVO, Colombia (Reuters) - Rotting wooden planks heave as dozens of barefoot Wayuu Indians carry washing machines, fans and stereos on their backs from the hull of a cargo ship docked on the tip of northern Colombia. Throughout the night, they unload thousands of boxes piled 30 feet high and haul them down the battered ramp to waiting trucks.

Chinese city bans anti-refinery protests ahead of trade fair

BEIJING (Reuters) - The government of the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming on Tuesday banned residents from protesting next week against planned chemical production at a refinery, the ban coinciding with the opening of an important trade fair. An increasingly affluent urban population has begun to object to a China's policy of growth at all costs, which has fuelled the economy for three decades, with the environment emerging as a focus of concern and protests.

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.

White House security adviser calls for deeper China military ties

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States called for deeper military ties with China on Tuesday, including working closer together in areas like peacekeeping, fighting piracy and disaster relief, despite growing tensions between the two on a range of security issues. White House National Security Adviser Tom Donilon made the remarks at a meeting with senior Chinese military leader Fan Changlong, two weeks ahead of a summit between the U.S. and Chinese presidents in California.

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.

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

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