Highlights from the news file for Friday, July 8

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AFGHAN VET SUSPECT IN DALLAS POLICE SHOOTINGS: The man named as a suspect in the shooting deaths of five Dallas police officers served in the U-S Army and did a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He’s been identified as 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of nearby Mesquite, Texas. He was cornered in a parking garage, and during the final moments of his life, police say Johnson told negotiators he was upset about recent police shootings and wanted to kill white people, particularly white officers. The mayor and police chief attended an interfaith service this morning, where pastors, rabbis and imams all called for healing.

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ONE DEAD IN HIGHWAY SHOOTING IN TENNESSEE: One person is dead and three others, including a police officer were wounded when a black man opened fire on a highway in Tennessee. Police say Lakeem Keon Scott told them he was targeting police officers and white people because he was troubled by incidents involving black people and law enforcement officers. Scott had two guns early this morning when he shot at a motel in Bristol, then at several passing cars, then at three officers who raced to the scene.

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CANADA TO TAKE LEAD ON NATO FORCE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced Canada will take command of a one-thousand-strong multinational NATO force in Latvia. The first Canadian troops could begin arriving in Latvia early next year, but Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance isn’t indicating how long they will stay. The announcement came during a NATO summit in Warsaw, as the alliance beefs up its presence in the Baltics and Poland in response to recent Russian actions.

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CANADA POST AND UNION STUCK IN THE MUD ON CONTRACT TALKS: The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is proposing a month long cooling off period in hopes of lowering the temperature at the bargaining table. The post office has said it would be willing to keep negotiating for another month but only if the union agrees to binding arbitration if a deal isn’t reached. The union has been cool to the idea of binding arbitration. The two sides have been unable to make much progress in the last week on the key issues of pensions and wages for rural postal workers. Canada Post has given lockout notice and would be in a legal position to do so at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

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NOTLEY URGES FEDS NOT TO TARRY ON PIPELINE APPROVAL: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says there can’t be any unnecessary federal delays on approving a new pipeline to carry Alberta oil to international markets. The Trudeau government is considering the future of the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal after the Federal Court of Appeal on June 30 quashed a permit issued for the project. Eight First Nations, four environmental groups and a labour union launched legal challenges against the approval of the project that would ship bitumen from Alberta to Kitimat, B.C.

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NOVA SCOTIA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CHARGED OVER NUDE PHOTOS: Police have charged six male high school students in southwestern Nova Scotia over allegations that intimate images of at least 20 young female students were shared online without their consent. Police in Bridgewater say the students were charged with distributing intimate images without consent and possession and distribution of child pornography. They can’t be identified under youth justice laws.

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JOBS FIGURES FLAT LAST MONTH: Statistics Canada says the country’s overall labour market hardly moved in June as gains in the services sector were offset by declines in factory and construction work. BMO chief economist Doug Porter says it’s a disappointing report because of some underlying numbers like weaker full time employment. The data showed that Canada lost 40-thousand-100 full-time jobs and gained 39-thousand-400 less-desirable part-time positions. The national unemployment rate fell to 6.8 per cent, down from 6.9 per cent in May.

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FORT MAC GETS PRIME SPOT IN STAMPEDE PARADE: The Calgary Stampede parade reserved a special spot for wildfire ravaged Fort McMurray on Friday. A contingent of first responders and staff from the municipality that includes the northern Alberta city marched directly behind the vintage car carrying the parade marshals, singers Jann Arden and Paul Brandt. The group carried a banner reading “Thank You Alberta” and wore T-shirts with “We are here. We are strong” printed on them. Fort McMurray is picking up the pieces after parts of the city were destroyed by a wildfire in May that forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents in the area.

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KENNEY HOPES FOR HARPER ENDORSEMENT: Conservative MP Jason Kenney says Stephen Harper has “the ultimate credibility” when it comes to merging parties and a nod from the former prime minister would help his own efforts to unite-the-right in Alberta. He says he thinks Alberta would listen if Harper decides to speak up on the subject. Over the past few days Kenney has been promoting his plan to morph Alberta’s once mighty Progressive Conservative party with the Wildrose into what he calls a new free-enterprise party. He pointed to Harper’s own work negotiating the merger of the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservatives into the Conservative Party in 2003.

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CANADIAN AT IN SPOTLIGHT AT WIMBLEDON: Canadian Milos Raonic will play Andy Murray in Sunday’s men’s final at Wimbledon. Raonic made Canadian tennis history when he beat Swiss superstar Roger Federer in a marathon semifinal 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. The 25-year-old will be the first Canadian man to play for the singles title at the All England Club. Murray advanced with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Tomas Berdych of Czechoslovakia.

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