6|CANADA 24 hours • Thursday,August 7, 2008

briefs

national news

Five-hour chase

Ontario police have charged a33year-old Alberta man after two businesses were robbed, two cars were stolen and officers were led on afive-hour pursuit through the area of Dryden, Ont. Police say the chase began after they spotted astolen vehicle on a highway,but the driver refused to pull over.Hewas arrested in a wooded area after losing control of thatvehicle. Ronald Hanlon of Olds, Alta., is charged with theft under $5,000, theft over $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, fleeing from police and three counts of dangerous driving.

More charges

The number of sex-related charges against aformer teacher at acentral-Albertaschool has risen to 18. Four more charges against 43year-old Jared Eszczuk surfaced this week when he appeared in provincial court. In June 2007, Eszczuk was charged with 10 counts of sexually assaulting two 12-year-old girls at St. Matthew Catholic School in Rocky Mountain House. In August of thatyear two other complainants came forward and four additional charges were laid. His trial addressing the first 14 charges will begin next April in Red Deer.

Alleged sexassault

Police arrested a32-year-old man yesterday after a12-year-old girl who'd been attending abirthday party in Peterborough, Ont., was allegedly snatched off the street and sexually assaulted. The girl disappeared shortly after leaving the party with two other girls, aged 14 and 16, around 1:30 a.m., police said. An hour later,police responded to reports of screaming behind a high school in Oshawa, Ont., some 75 kilometres away,where they briefly gave chase to afleeing red van. The girl was found behind the school and taken to hospital with injuries police described as "traumatizing” but not life-threatening. Stanley Tippett, 32, was arrested without incident.

need to

know

OTTAWA

Protesters call for afree Tibet

Protesters calling for afree Tibet chained themselves to the main gate of the Chinese Embassy yesterday, using the start of the Olympics in Beijing to highlight their cause. Meanwhile, demonstrators in Vancouver set up amock tank outside the Chinese consulate in another protest in support of Tibet. In Ottawa, about half adozen people wrapped thick, steel chains around their torsos and through the iron gates of the embassy before padlocking themselves together and tucking the keys to the locks inside their shoes. As they sat down, two other people in climbing gear scaled light poles on either side of the gate and CALGARY

TRUCKERS REJECT TAX

The organization representing Atlantic Canada'struckers is urging the region'sLiberal MPs to reject Liberal Leader Stephane Dion's carbon tax proposal. The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association believes the Green Shift policywill raise costs. "Dion'scarbon tax proposal will further cripple an economy thatis alreadystruggling on the global markets,”association head Peter Nelson said. Publisher and CEO Gordon Norrie gordon.norrie@sunmedia.ca ADVERTISING GM and Director of Sales Ed Huculak ed.huculak@sunmedia.ca MARKETING Director of Marketing Diane Wensel diane.wensel@sunmedia.ca Darren Calabrese Sun Media PROTEST: RCMP officers keep an eye on Tibetan protesters at the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa yesterday. unfurled banners calling for an end to Chinese rule over Tibet. DISTRIBUTION Director of Circulation Bruce MacPherson bruce.macpherson@sunmedia.ca EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Jose Rodriguez jose.rodriguez@sunmedia.ca Editor Kristen Enevold kristen.enevold@sunmedia.ca Tsering Lama, an organizer with the group Students for aFree Tibet, made no apologies for holding the demonstration just as the Olympics are about to officially get underway. "I think the Olympics were politicized from the very beginning when the Chinese government and the (International Olympic Committee) promised the world that human rights would improve inside China,” said Tsering. "All we're doing is trying to tell the truth and use the Olympic spotlight to shine it on the situation inside Tibet.” The protest ended without anyone being arrested. -THE CANADIAN PRESS

BERNIERSCANDAL

Government report calls Couillard athief: Lawyer

Julie Couillard, the ex-girlfriend of former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier, says she won't let the federal government treat her like athief. In response to an internal review released last week, Couillard said through her lawyer she did not steal classified documents that cost Bernier his job. "It's pretty clear she did not steal any documents,” lawyer Jean- Claude Hebert said. Bernier resigned from cabinet in May after admitting he forgot classified NATO summit briefing materials at Couillard's home. The pair had recently ended arelationship. The federal report says it appears Bernier had the documents when he arrived at Couillard's home on April 4following theNATOsummitinRomania.He COUILLARD was"unawaretheywerenolonger in his briefcase” when he left the next morning, the report said. On Hebert's advice, Couillard did not speak to investigators who worked on the report. He says his client's reputation has been dragged through the mud. "I find it unfair on the part of Mr. Bernier to allow this dirty rumour about stolen documents to circulate, while he knows very well nothing was stolen,” Hebert said. -THE CANADIAN PRESS

BODYFOUND IN BEDROOM

Police say they have arrested aman after awoman was found dead in her bedroom near Montreal. Authorities are not identifying the man but say he is close to the 24-year-old woman, Vayola Brutus. The woman'sfather discovered her bodyonTuesday evening when he smelled afoul odour coming from the bedroom. Police say there were signs of violence on the blood-covered body. CONTACTS Advertising (403) 250-4220 Editorial (403) 250-4393 General Inquiries and Customer Service 410-1010 24 hours Delivery Hotline (403) 250-4381

GREYHOUND BUS ATTACK

Laptop sold to teen by accused

A15-year-old Manitoba boy says he bought alaptop from the man accused in the Greyhound bus attack the same day the incident occurred. Darren Beatty said he noticed a mansitting on abench next to the Greyhound station as he was riding his bicycle though Erickson, Man., with afriend on Tuesday night. He said he saw the same man sitting on LI the same bench on Wednesday morning. There was alaptop computer next to him on the pavement with a"for sale” note on it, asking "$600 o.b.o.” The teen offered the man $50. "He said $60. So Ibought the laptop from him for $60.” The computer contained resumes, with the name Vince Weiguang Li at the top. There were also photos of fighter jets and Chinese women models. Beatty said he turned the computer over to the police. Vince Weiguang Li has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old Tim McLean aboard aGreyhound bus July 30. -THE CANADIAN PRESS Calgary 24 hours is published Monday to Friday and distributed free by Sun Media Corporation, 2615 12St. N.E. Calgary, Alta., T2E 7W9 011-16920Page 6 - Hotspot 1
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