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The first three hostages set to be released from Gaza were transferred to Israeli forces, the military announced Sunday, hours after the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold. Israeli media, carrying live footage from Qatar-based Al Jazeera, showed the hostages walking to Red Cross vehicles as their convoy moved through Gaza City. The vehicles were accompanied by armed men who wore green Hamas headbands and struggled to guard the cars from an unruly crowd that swelled into the thousands.Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, thousands of people gathered to watch the news on large screens erupted in cheers. For months, many had gathered in the square to demand a ceasefire deal.The deal ushers in an initial six-week period of calm and raises hopes for the release of dozens of militant-held h...

When it comes to enforcing Canada’s security along the border that stretches 9,000 km, “things happen quickly,” says the RCMP’s head of serious and organized crime and border integrity. In a Global News exclusive, The West Block’s Mercedes Stephenson got the first access to the Black Hawk helicopters that are being wrapped and prepared for use on Canada’s border patrols as part of a bid to strengthen that security and respond to the U.S.‘s growing pressure to stop illegal border crossings and drug trafficking.Mathieu Bertrand, chief superintendent and director general of serious and organized crime and border integrity for the RCMP, said the force has been assessing the force’s border capabilities since 2023, which was what allowed them to move quickly on leasing the Black Hawks.He added t...

A court has agreed to expedite its hearing of a legal challenge of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s move to prorogue Parliament. In a ruling late Saturday, Federal Court Chief Justice Paul Crampton said the court’s usual rules on timelines will not apply, setting the stage for a hearing Feb. 13 and 14 in Ottawa.In their application filed Jan. 8, Nova Scotia residents David MacKinnon and Aris Lavranos seek an order setting aside Trudeau’s decision to advise Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to exercise her power to prorogue Parliament until March 24.MacKinnon and Lavranos also request a declaration that this session of Parliament has not been prorogued.On Jan. 6, an emotional Trudeau announced his plans to resign as prime minister once a new Liberal leader is chosen.He also said Simon had agreed to his r...

Canadian politicians are descending on Washington, D.C., amid threats of 25 per cent tariffs when Donald Trump returns to the White House. Many are going to an event at the Canadian Embassy, which sits on Pennsylvania Avenue between the U.S. Capitol and the White House.Here are some of the Canadians expected to be in Washington Monday:Alberta Premier Danielle Smith: Smith has emerged as main Canadian voice amid the tariff threat, regularly appearing on U.S. news stations and recently travelling to Trump’s Florida Mar-a-Lago resort to meet with the president-elect. But the premier caused controversy in Canada last week after refusing to sign off on a joint statement with other premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that said every countermeasure was on the table to push back any propose...

President-elect Donald Trump is spending the eve of his inauguration in a series of Washington events that celebrate his return to power and his “Make America Great Again” movement as he prepares to move back into the White House at a time of deep national political divisions. The nation’s capital has prepared in unprecedented ways to keep the unfolding events save and secure. But unlike when Trump helped spark a mob of his supporters to attack the Capitol and tried to retain power in 2021 after his loss to Democrat Joe Biden, officials are not expecting massive protests, unrest and violence this time. Instead, the city is braced for crowds celebrating Trump’s second term and MAGA’s total control of the Republican Party.It is a remarkable turnaround after Trump left the nation’s capital fo...

If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form? Starting in 2017, when the Chinese social video app merged with its competitor Musical.ly, TikTok has grown from a niche teen app into a global trendsetter. While, of course, also emerging as a potential national security threat, according to U.S. officials.On April 24, President Joe Biden signed legislation requiring TikTok parent ByteDance to sell to a U.S. owner within a year or to shut down. TikTok and its China-based parent company, ByteDance, filed a lawsuit against the U.S., claiming the security concerns were overblown and the law should be struck down because it vio...