A suitcase has been found on the Rainbow Bridge and may contain an explosive device, ABC reported.

Law enforcement officials are searching for a second vehicle that may be linked to the incident, Fox News reported.

All western New York bridge crossings into the US were shut down, the Erie County executive said, with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office adding that the allegedly exploded vehicle was headed into the US from Canada.

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🇨🇦 Canada's respond to the Rainbow Bridge incident.

"We are taking this extraordinarily seriously. We are following up to try and get as many answers as rapidly as possible," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, noting that "additional measures are being contemplated and activated at all border crossings across the country."

"Our provincial law enforcement is actively engaged in assessing the situation. They are working with local law enforcement and are providing support," stated Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

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🇺🇸 Newly requested US-made Sentinel short-range radars may provide additional layer to some of Ukraine's air defenses, but won't anyhow challenge the balance of power on the battlefield, per Dmitry Stefanovich of the Moscow-based Institute of World Economy and International Relations at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

"We must use anti-radar missiles, we must identify them in advance, with the help of electronic warfare and electronic reconnaissance," Stefanovich told Sputnik.

Ukraine faces a difficult task of integrating various pieces of equipment of different origin into one air defense shield, he said, adding that while the complex works, its capabilities are routinely diminished by Russian attacks.

👉 Follow the link to learn more

The vehicle stopped at an initial security checkpoint. When it was directed to a secondary security checkpoint, the vehicle sped up, jumped a curb and crashed into the secondary screening location, states ABC quoting sources briefed on the investigation.

The reason for the initial security stop still isn’t clear.

The cause of the explosion still isn’t determined.

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US media reports contradictory information about the cause of the explosion

• The discovery of a possible explosive device at the scene was reported by ABC News and Fox News.
• But NBC News writes that no traces of explosives have been found in the vehicle at this time.

At the same time, Buffalo Niagara International Airport has suspended flight arrivals and departures following an explosion on the Rainbow Bridge, stated the US Federal Aviation Administration.

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🇷🇺 Putin's attack on Western hypocrisy on Ukraine, Gaza crises lays bare bankruptcy of US-led world order

“People of the Global South can surely witness the contrast of Western discourse on human rights, humanitarian laws when they contrast Western silence when Israel violates such laws as opposed to their sharp and often exaggerated and unverified discourse during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Further, many countries of the Global South have themselves seen the West’s weaponization of human rights when they use it to intervene in the internal matters of various states,” Dr. Anuradha Chenoy, Retired Professor of the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, has told Sputnik.

👉 You can find more of Dr. Chenoy’s analysis here

⚡️New York Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed during a late Wednesday briefing that "there is no indication of a terrorist attack" following the earlier explosion at the US-Canada border

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CBP shared a video from the US-Canada Rainbow Bridge incident scene.

The car taking a sudden acceleration and crashing into a checkpoint.

The authority added that the Peace Bridge, the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge and the Whirlpool Bridge are reopened now.

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🇺🇸👮‍♂️ Were some policemen disguised as 'Antifa' during January 6 Capitol breach?

Footage allegedly showing a DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer dressed in plainclothes and saying "We go undercover as Antifa in a crowd" on the day of January 6 Capitol breach has been obtained and verified by Just the News, a US independent media.

The footage raises new questions about the role of the police during the Capitol breach and adds to the suspicions of Republicans who believe that American federal agencies set a trap for Trump supporters on January 6, 2021.

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🇺🇸⚔️🇨🇳 US-China сhip rivalry finds new flashpoint

The Biden administration is bent on addressing China's rapid advancements in high-tech sectors, by restricting Beijing's access to advanced semiconductor technology, specifically ultra-modern chips, while they push to ramp up domestic production of these components.

An additional and more recent focus of the US strategy targets the semiconductor packaging industry. This sector, essential for enhancing chip performance, has gained prominence in the technological rivalry with China.

The evolution of the semiconductor sector has highlighted advanced packaging techniques as a vital area of potential, not just in the US but globally. Despite sanctions, China has been adept at utilizing this sector to expand its influence in the global market, particularly in areas less affected by restrictions on high-end chip fabrication.

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🇨🇦 Lesser of two evils: Canada shifts budget from Ukraine to boost military presence in Europe

In 2023-2026, Canada plans to provide CAD $1.331 billion (about USD $971.5 million) in military assistance to Ukraine, according to the country's budget proposal.

According to figures outlined in the document, CAD $816 million (USD $595.6 million) is earmarked for military aid to Kiev for the fiscal year 2023-2024. In the following financial year, 2024-2025, the allocation drops to CAD $318 million (about USD $232.1 million), and in 2025-2026 it further decreases to CAD $197 million (about USD $143.8 million).

However, no funds will be appropriated for military assistance to Ukraine beginning in fiscal year 2026-2027.

👉 Follow the link for more details

🇵🇰 Pakistan Again Throws Hat in Ring for BRICS Membership: Source to Sputnik India

ℹ️ Sputnik India has contacted a Pakistani source close to the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm the Islamabad's application for BRICS membership.

"Islamabad intends to become a member of the group during Russia's presidency in 2024. Pakistan has been actively pursuing membership in the BRICS organization, which aims to foster regional collaboration and economic development, for the past twelve months", the source clarified.

✈️ He further said, "a delegation from Pakistan's foreign office <...> has made several trips to China and Russia to discuss this issue. Similarly, they met with key players from the grouping to confirm Pakistan's participation in BRICS at this time".

Is Pakistan to Join BRICS?

🇮🇳 Pakistani analyst Adnan Aamir expressed uncertainty, saying that it has been a long effort for Pakistan to join BRICS, but due to India blocking its application, Pakistan is not yet a member of BRICS.

"The question that now has to be raised is whether India will accept Pakistan's entry into the BRICS club at this time, where China and Russia are collaborating to promote peace and stability in the region by engaging both countries Pakistan and India for collective cause", Aamir said.

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FBI Buffalo said since no explosives had been found and no terrorism nexus had been identified it concluded its investigation into a vehicle explosion at the US-Canada Rainbow Bridge border crossing and turned over the case to local police.

🗣 "FBI Buffalo has concluded our investigation at the scene of the Rainbow Bridge incident. A search of the scene revealed no explosive materials, and no terrorism nexus was identified. The matter has been turned over to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic investigation," FBI Buffalo said in a statement on X.

Earlier in the day, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the incident at the border involving a car was not an act of terrorism.

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🎙 Join AfroVerdict in its analysis of Joe Biden's recent article in The Washington Post on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, its objectives and the target audience.

Sam Altman has returned to lead Open AI less than five days after his unexpected redundancy. What happened?

Before his defenestration, OpenAI researchers sent a letter to the board of directors warning of a powerful artificial intelligence discovery they said might "threaten humanity", sources told Reuters.

The letter is also said to be among a longer list of complaints about "commercializing advances before understanding consequences" by Altman.

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📹 Vostok Group of Forces Tor-M2 air defense system crews eliminate enemy aerial targets. Over the past few days, they neutralized more than 20 aerial targets in South Donetsk direction. The crews are well aware of enemy tactics.

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Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has announced five key outcomes of the meeting in the Ramstein format held on Wednesday:

◾️ Coalition of ground-based air defense systems to be formed by about 20 countries and led by Germany and France;

◾️ The Netherlands will allocate €2 billion for military assistance to Ukraine;

◾️ Estonia will allocate $500,000 to the IT coalition it heads to ensure Ukraine’s cybersecurity;

◾️ Britain and Norway, as part of a maritime coalition, have agreed to develop ways to enhance security in the Black Sea;

◾️ Germany has promised Ukraine a package of military assistance worth $1.4 billion, set to include IRIS-T systems with guided missiles, one Patriot air defense system, and additional 155mm artillery ammunition.
Ukraine expects to receive the package by mid-December.

Support for Ukraine has left EU member states with depleted stocks of munitions leading to so-called ‘Ukraine fatigue’. The US has refused to include multibillion-dollar Ukraine packages in stopgap measures to avoid a shutdown, while EU countries are sinking into recession, facing price hikes and food inflation of 4.6% in October and piling pressure on low-income households.

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🎥 Watch how an Su-25 attack aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed camouflaged field positions and armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the South Donetsk direction.

After using aviation weapons, the crews performed a maneuver releasing heat traps, and returned to the airfield.

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