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13 men, including an American, arrested at Canada hotel and charged with luring minors for sexual abuse
Canadian police arrested 13 men, including a U.S. national over a four-day period this month in an operation at a hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and all 13 have been charged with child sex trafficking offenses, the Niagara Regional Police Service said. The individuals were arrested as part of a project launched by the Niagara police targeting people using the internet to arrange meetings with minors they believed to be offering sexual services for money.
The suspects range in age from 20 to 60 years old, and they were all arrested at the same hotel between Jan. 31 and Feb. 3, the police said. The charges against them include encouraging or advising sexual exploitation of a minor, engaging in sexual activities with a young person and luring a child for the purpose of obtaining sexual services.
Among those being held is a 60-year-old U.S. citizen from Buffalo, New York. The police have not released the men’s names.
“These arrests showcase the dedication of our members in ensuring some of the most vulnerable members of our community are protected, sending a strong message that the predatory behaviors associated with human trafficking will not be tolerated in Niagara,” Niagara police chief Bill Fordy said in a statement.
“We are committed to fighting human trafficking through intelligence-gathering and working cooperatively with law enforcement and community partners to support victims and enforcement efforts. Integrated resources, the sharing of information, a victim-centered approach and community partnerships are crucial to law enforcement’s effective response to this kind of crime.” The project received assistance from multiple law enforcement and agencies, police said.
Canada’s Ontario province, which sits on the Great Lakes and borders several U.S. states, has consistently reported the highest rates of human trafficking cases in the country. According to data compiled by the government agency Statistics Canada, between 2012 and 2022, Ontario has ranked second with 1.6 reported incidents per 100,000 people.
Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately affected by human trafficking in Canada, with immigrants, the LGBTQ community, children in the welfare system, people with disabilities and other at-risk youths also heavily impacted, according to the Niagara police.
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Washington — Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said he delivered an earlier version of his speech on the opening night of the Republican National Convention, which was written before the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
During his remarks, Johnson condemned Democrats’ policies as a “clear and present danger to America, to our institutions, our values and our people.” He accused Democrats of pushing a “fringe agenda,” forgetting American families and abandoning the middle class.
“But with President Trump and the Republicans, those forgotten Americans are forgotten no more,” the GOP senator said.
Johnson told CBS News that the first draft of the speech was loaded into the teleprompter at the convention instead of a version that was revised following Saturday’s attack at Trump’s rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
The senator’s speech stood out among others delivered by his fellow Republicans on the first night of the convention, which echoed Trump’s call for unity following the shooting.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win,” the former president wrote on social media Sunday.
He told the Washington Examiner in an interview that he rewrote his speech accepting the GOP presidential nomination, set to be delivered Thursday, after the assassination attempt to focus on bringing the country together.
One attendee was killed in the attack, and the former president and two spectators were injured. The FBI identified the gunman as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper. Federal authorities continue to investigate the gunman’s motive.
Trump appeared alongside Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, his newly announced running mate, at the convention Monday night, marking his first public appearance since the shooting. The former president had a bandage over his ear, which was grazed by a bullet. Earlier Monday, Trump officially received the Republican Party’s nomination for president, and Vance secured the vice presidential nomination.
CBS News
Thailand officials suspect poisoning as 6 found dead in Bangkok hotel, including Vietnamese Americans
Bangkok – Police in Thailand say the bodies of six people were found Tuesday in a luxury hotel in downtown Bangkok and poisoning is suspected. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said in a short statement that the dead were reported to be two Vietnamese Americans and four Vietnamese nationals. They were not identified further.
The Thai newspaper Matichon showed photos of police at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel investigating the deaths after being summoned by hotel staff at late afternoon. It said five bodies were found inside a room and one outside.
Investigators said the bodies were found foaming at the mouth, an officer from the Lumpini police station said on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to release information.
LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/Getty
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin went to the scene in the evening but did not provide any additional information to reporters gathered there.
