- 'Difficult day': Oct 7 commemorations begin with festival memorial
- Commemorations begin for anniversary of attack on Israel
- Lewandowski hat-trick powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- 'Nothing gets in way of team,' says Celtics' MVP hopeful Tatum
- India maintain Pakistan stranglehold as Windies cruise at Women's T20 World Cup
- 'We will win!': Mozambique's ruling party confident at final vote rally
- Tunisia voting ends as Saied eyes re-election with critics behind bars
- Florida braces for Milton, FEMA head slams 'dangerous' Helene misinformation
- Postecoglou slams 'unacceptable' Spurs after 'terrible' loss at Brighton
- Marmoush double denies Bayern outright Bundesliga top spot
- Rallies worldwide call for Gaza, Lebanon ceasefire
- Maresca hails Chelsea's 'fighting' spirit after draw with 10-man Forest
- New 'Joker' film, a dark musical, tops N.America box office
- Man Utd stalemate keeps Ten Hag in danger, Spurs rocked by Brighton
- Drowned by hurricane, remote N.Carolina towns now struggle for water
- Vikings hold off Jets in London to stay unbeaten
- Ahead of attack anniversary, Netanyahu says: 'We will win'
- West Indies cruise to T20 World Cup win over Scotland
- Arshdeep, Chakravarthy help India hammer Bangladesh in T20 opener
- Lewandowski's quickfire hat-trick powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- Man Utd fire another blank in Aston Villa stalemate
- Lewandowski treble powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- Russian activist killed on front line in Ukraine
- Openda strike briefly sends Leipzig top of Bundesliga
- Goal-shy Man Utd have to 'step up', says Ten Hag
- India bowl out Bangladesh for 127 in T20 opener
- Madueke rescues Chelsea in draw with 10-man Forest
- Beckett's belief rewarded as Bluestocking storms to Arc glory
- Trump on the stump, Harris hits airwaves in razor-edge US election
- Flash flooding kills three in northern Thailand
- Kaur leads India to victory over Pakistan in Women's T20 World Cup
- Juventus held by Cagliari after late penalty drama
- In France's Marseille, teen 'stabbed 50 times' then burned alive
- Ruthless Gauff beats Muchova in straight sets to win China Open
- India restrict Pakistan to 105-8 in Women's T20 World Cup
- England target repeat of Pakistan Test whitewash
- Penrith Panthers win fourth straight NRL title after downing Storm
- Weary Sinner happy for day off after battling into Shanghai last 16
- Pakistan's Masood warns England still a force without Stokes
- Madrid's Carvajal to miss several months after serious knee injury
- Israel pounds Lebanon ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Two elephants die in flash flooding in northern Thailand
- Sabalenka targets world number one and Wuhan hat-trick
- Toddler among 4 dead in migrant Channel crossings
- Tunisia votes with Saied set for re-election
- Bagnaia sets 'example' with Japan MotoGP win to cut gap on Martin
- Intense Israeli bombing rocks Beirut ahead of war anniversary
- Mozambique vote: no suspense but some disillusion
- Austrian rapper channels anti-racist rage in Romani hip-hop songs
- Ohtani magic powers Dodgers over Padres in MLB playoff thriller
State of emergency in Canada's Ontario over 'illegal' trucker protest
Canada's Ontario province Friday declared a state of emergency over trucker-led protests paralyzing the capital and disrupting trade with the United States, as Premier Doug Ford vowed to do whatever it takes to end the blockades.
The capital Ottawa has been clogged with hundreds of big rigs for two weeks, while three border crossings have been shut down by truckers demanding an end to all Covid health restrictions.
"We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the border is reopened," Ford told a news conference, threatening steep fines of up to Can$100,000 ($80,000) and jail unless protesters end their "illegal occupation."
"To the people of Ottawa under siege, I say we will ensure you're able to resume life and business as soon as possible."
The vital Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario and the US city of Detroit, is used daily by more than 40,000 commuters and tourists, along with trucks carrying $323 million worth of goods each day on average -- about one-quarter of all Canada-US trade.
The days-long border obstructions have already have major impact, with several automakers forced to cut back production as a result, triggering fears it could impact Canada's economic recovery from the pandemic.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under mounting pressure to get the situation under control, with Washington calling on its northern neighbor to use federal powers to end the blockades.
Ford, who faces elections in June, has likewise been under fire for several days over his inaction to bring an end to the trucker-led disruptions.
The snowballing trucker movement has morphed over the past weeks into a broader protest against Covid-19 health restrictions and Trudeau's government -- and sparked solidarity rallies across the nation and abroad.
- 'Intimidation' -
Ford premier acknowledged that Canadians have the "right to peacefully protest when they disagree with what our government is doing" to stem the pandemic, adding: "I know these frustrations have reached a boiling point for many Canadians."
But he warned: "This is no longer a protest."
Truckers have "taken a city of one million people hostage for the past two weeks" and have been "targeting our lifeline for food, fuel and goods across our borders" while "trying to force a political agenda through disruption, intimidation, and chaos."
"We're in a critical situation worldwide economically... the last thing we need is an anchor around our neck," he said.
Canada's self-styled "Freedom Convoy" began last month in the country's west -- launched in anger at requirements that truckers either be vaccinated, or test and isolate, when crossing the US-Canada border.
The Ontario state of emergency came as thousands of protesters were headed toward Paris in similar convoys from across France, despite police warnings to back off.
The French protesters included opponents of Covid vaccination, but also people angry at fast-rising energy prices -- in an echo of the "yellow vest" grievances that sparked widespread protests in 2018 and 2019.
Protesters have likewise set up a makeshift camp outside New Zealand's parliament, scene of violent clashes earlier this week as police sought to clear anti-vaccine demonstrators.
O.Karlsson--AMWN