Need to know

Stories we’re watching: Curfew lifted in Ferguson

And other top stories making headlines this afternoon

Protesters chant during a peaceful demonstration as communities continue to react to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri August 15, 2014.

Protesters chant during a peaceful demonstration as communities continue to react to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri August 15, 2014.

Here are five of the top stories making headlines this afternoon:

Missouri governor lifts curfew in Ferguson, sends in the national guard. The governor is again trying new strategies to put an end to mass protests and violence in Fergusson, Mo. after an unarmed black teen was shot and killed by a white police officer a week ago. Gov. Jay Nixon announced Monday that a previously imposed curfew—in place on Saturday and Sunday in the the St. Louis suburb—would be lifted. He would also be sending in members of the National Guard to aid State Highway Patrol and local police officers. In a new approach, police are hoping to stop people from congregating on a main street, which has become the site of some of the most violent protests. Overnight Sunday, shots were fired just ahead of the mandatory midnight curfew and police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Also today, an independent autopsy conducted for Michael Brown’s family showed that the teen was shot at least six times, including two shots to the head.

Federal anti-marijuana campaign not a dig at Justin Trudeau, says health minister. A Health Canada campaign meant to warn youth about the dangers of marijuana is based on science and isn’t an attack against the Liberal leader, Rona Ambrose told a group of doctors Monday.  Trudeau is the one who “made this a political issue,” she said. Last week, Trudeau suggested planned ads—and asking doctors’ groups to back them—was an attack against his support for marijuana legalization. Maclean’s reporter John Geddes also points out that government planning documents don’t show money for anti-drug advertising for 2013-14. This omission would tend to indicate the anti-pot ads are part of a relatively new plan for Health Canada.

New Brunswick gears up for fall election. Premier David Alward today asked Lt.-Gov. Graydon Nicholas to dissolve the legislature, paving the way for a Sept. 22 vote in the province. Key issues expected to come up during the campaign are shale gas development, the Energy East pipeline and the economy. At present, Alward’s Conservatives hold 41 seats, the Liberals have 13 and there is one independent.

Kurdish forces say they have regained control of important Mosul Dam from ISIS militants. Fears that ISIS forces would take control of the country’s largest dam in northern Iraq have abated, at least for now, amid reports that Kurdish and Iraqi forces have regained control of the Mosul Dam and the surrounding area. However, members of ISIS—an Islamic militant group—insisted they were still in charge of the area. The damn is a strategic target in the country, as it supplies much of the power and water to other areas.

Dozens of civilians killed by rebels as they flee, says Ukraine. In another international story with competing versions of the truth, the Ukrainian government says dozens of unarmed refugees were killed by pro-Russian rebels as they travelled in a convoy between the towns of Khryashchuvate and Novosvitlivka in eastern Ukraine. The rebels say no such attack occurred. The U.S. was able to confirm that an attack occurred in the area, but couldn’t say who was responsible. Tensions in the area remain high, as Russia announced plans to send an aid mission into Eastern Ukraine. However, Ukraine is suspicious that the Russia trucks may actually be carrying weapons and other supplies for the rebel groups.

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