Ottawa Shooting: The Canadian capital was under lockdown yesterday after a gunman killed a soldier near the National War Memorial before running inside the Parliament building and firing more shots. The Parliament’s sergeant-at-arms is being hailed as a national hero for killing the unnamed gunman not far from where Prime Minister Stephen Harper was holding a meeting. Canadian authorities fear this may have been an independent act of terror in support of Islamic extremism. Just two days ago police shot a Muslim convert who struck two soldiers with his car, killing one of them. In response to the incidents and intelligence “chatter,” Canada has raised its general terrorism threat level.

Trigger Men: Four former Blackwater security guards were convicted yesterday in federal court of charges stemming from a 2007 Baghdad shooting melee that left 17 Iraqis dead. One of the men was convicted of murder, the others of manslaughter and firearms charges. The shooting happened when the Blackwater team was responding to a car bombing and ended up firing into a crowd with machine guns and grenade launchers. The four claimed self-defense against incoming fire, but even a fellow Blackwater guard testified that it was “the most horrible, botched thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” Blackwater guards, many of whom were American veterans, were an integral part of the US occupation of Iraq, sometimes fighting side by side with American soldiers in what for a while was a Wild West for hired guns. But the Nisour Square incident brought the cowboy days to an end. Blackwater has since been sold and re-named twice.

Poll-ticks: The NY Times reports that with less than two weeks to go before the mid-term elections, Republicans have a 67 percent chance of taking control of the Senate. Nate Silver’s 538 blog gives the Republicans just short of a 66 percent chance. Keeping control of the House is virtually assured for the Republicans. As they fight for their political lives, many Democrats are campaigning without the help of their unpopular incumbent president, who has been on the don’t-invite-him list.

Outbreak: The US announced it will track all visitors from Ebola-stricken countries, requiring that they report their temperatures every day for three weeks as well as possible symptoms of the disease.

World: NATO planes intercepted a Russian spy plane in Estonian airspace over the Baltic Sea.The Russians are pushing limits. > Nigerianmilitants suspected to be from the Muslim extremists Boko Haram have abducted more women and girls, despite a supposed truce and a promise to return the captives they already hold.

The Series: San Francisco opened the second game of the World Series with a home run, but Kansas City fought to keep the score even before putting it away with a five-run 6^th inning. Kansas City 7, San Francisco, 2. The next three games are in San Francisco, starting tomorrow.

The Sports Page: The University of North Carolina admitted yesterday that for 20 years its African Studies department maintained phantom courses largely to keep athletes eligible for their teams. The scandal broke three years ago but the university said it was an solely an academic scandal. Yesterday UNC admitted that nearly half the students steered to the no-show, non-existent classes were athletes.

Nation: The wreck of a German WWII U-boat and the American freighter it sank in July 1942 have been found off the coast of North Carolina, providing a reminder of how close the war came to the US. The U-576 sank the freighter Bluefields as it was being attacked itself by US aircraft and an American cargo ship. The Bluefields and the U-boat sank only 240 yards apart.

Not All Things: NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has convinced many of his constituents that he is corrupt, dictatorial, and mean, has published a memoir of his public life. His book “All Things Possible” has sold just 945 copies in its first week. That doesn’t even cover all the people who should have it on the shelf in case he drops by their office. Some reviews on Amazon.Com:

-“I want to bleach my eyes after reading this”

-“I laughed, I cried, I lost all my rights”

-“Very absorbent.”  

-30-