Need to know

Stories we’re watching: Will Harper testify at Duffy’s trial?

And other top stories making headlines

Darren Calabrese/CP

Darren Calabrese/CP

Here are five of the top stories making headlines today:

Harper’s staff say he probably won’t testify at Mike Duffy’s criminal trial, opposition disagrees.  On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the PM said it’s “difficult to imagine” how Stephen Harper would be expected to testify at Duffy’s upcoming criminal trail since the PM, according to his spokesperson, lacks knowledge of the events leading to the charges against Duffy. However, the opposition begged to differ, with both the NDP and Liberals slamming that statement today. “In my view, it’s a matter for the courts to determine whether or not Mr. Harper should testify,” Liberal MP Geoff Regan told reporters during a news conference in Ottawa today.

War crimes in Gaza likely, says UN human rights chief. Israel and Hamas may both be violating international laws, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Wednesday after the UN voted to send an international commission to investigate alleged human rights violations in the region. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry continued his campaign for a ceasefire. But neither side appeared to be ready for that, with intense fighting reported near the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis. So far, more than 680 Palestinians and 34 Israelis have died in this most recent round of fighting.

Dozens feared dead in plane crash at Taiwan airport. A plane crash landed in stormy weather at an airport on a Taiwanese island between between Taiwan and China late Wednesday, with the country’s transportation minister saying 47 people were killed and 11 injured. Earlier in the day, other flights were cancelled due to strong winds and rain as Typhoon Matmo passed the island. Cars and homes on the ground were also damaged in the crash landing and officials said they were still looking for the resident of one house, who may have been home at the time of the crash.

Conservatives promise new gun control law coming this fall. A new law the Conservatives have already dubbed the “Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act” will be introduced this fall and it aims to streamline regulations around transporting firearms. It will also require mandatory firearms safety training for first-time gun owners and would prevent anyone convicted of spousal assault of owning a gun.

Two Ukrainian fighter jets shot down in eastern part of country, near Russian border. The Ukrainian government is blaming Russia for downing two of its fighter jets near the village of Dmytrivka, saying that the shots came from the Russian side of the border. Both pilots were able to eject to safety, the government said. The area where Ukraine says its planes were shot down has seen intense fighting as Ukraine tries to clamp down on weapons and other supplies coming to rebels from across the Russian border.

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