Politics

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday urged “all people of all nations” to find courage during this Holy Year “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions” plaguing the world, from the Middle East to Ukraine, Africa to Asia. The pontiff’s “Urbi et Orbi” — “To the City and the World” — address serves as a summary of the woes facing the world this year. As Christmas coincided with the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that he dedicated to hope, Francis called for broad reconciliation, “even (with) our enemies.”“I invite every individual, and all people of all nations … to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions,” the pope said from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica to throngs of people below.The pope invoked the H...

Russia launched a massive missile and drone barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Wednesday, striking a thermal power plant and prompting Ukrainians to take shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning. The strikes on Ukrainian fuel and energy sources included 78 air, ground, and sea-launched missiles as well as 106 Shaheds and other types of drones, Ukraine’s air force said. It claimed to have intercepted 59 missiles and 54 drones, with 52 more drones being jammed.“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X. “They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”In Russia, meanwhile, one woman died and three people were wounded after falling debris from a downed...

As of midnight on Monday, the immigration practice known as ‘flagpoling’ was officially ended, the Canada Border Services Agency said in a press release. According to the CBSA, flagpoling occurs when foreign nationals who hold temporary resident status in Canada leave the country and, after a visit to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon, re-enter to access immigration services at a port of entry.The agency said work and study permits will no longer be provided to flagpolers at a port of entry, effective Dec. 23 at 11:59 p.m. eastern.“This practice has taken up significant resources at the border, diverting Canadian and American officers away from important enforcement activities and has contributed to wait times for cross-border travellers,” the CBSA press release said.Manan Gupta...

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Canada appears to be barrelling toward a spring election now that the NDP is vowing to vote down the government early next year — whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stays on or not. Political watchers are abuzz over the possible scenarios that could play out in the coming year following last week’s drama that rocked Trudeau’s government, and a springtime national campaign is the one that’s solidifying the fastest.The exact timing is very much up in the air, but the best bet is for the government to fall by late March, and then a general election day would fall in April or May, said Yaroslav Baran, co-founder of the Pendulum Group and former chief of staff to Conservative house leader Jay Hill.“The greatest likelihood would be that the government would fall at some point between late Feb...

Police are searching for a group of jewelry thieves who broke into a store in a brazen incident on the outskirts of Montreal on Sunday night, smashing a vehicle through the front window. A shocking video shared with Global News by the owners of Famous Jewellers on Rue De Liege captured the moment a vehicle reversed at speed into their store, with several suspects jumping out, seemingly armed and running to its display cases.The security footage shows the front of the store fly inwards, as the rear lights of a large SUV can be seen. The owner runs out toward the vehicle shouting as at least three masked figures come into the damaged store.One of the figures wields what appears to be a large hammer, while the owner tries to battle the other two. Another one of the suspects also appears to ha...

The head of the National Airlines Council of Canada says the federal government’s proposed new rules on responses to flight disruptions “fall short” of addressing concerns made by various groups including provinces, unions, airports and airlines. Jeff Morrison, president and CEO of the council, said “significant concerns” were raised by the different groups during consultations by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) in 2023, with issues around regional connectivity, cost of air travel and ability to meet regulatory requirements all raised to officials.“The proposed regulations fall short of addressing these concerns, as they provide for requirements that are costly, burdensome and do not take into consideration the complex operational reality of airlines,” Morrison said in a statement...

Chrystia Freeland, now a member of the Liberal backbench, is the pick of several of her backbench peers to succeed Justin Trudeau as leader and as prime minister of Canada. But her popularity is not universal, some MPs have told Global News.In fact, some of Trudeau’s ministers resent the method and timing of her departure, a sharply worded resignation letter that dropped hours before Freeland was to table her government’s Fall Economic Statement a week ago.“Chrystia Freeland’s actions are deeply disappointing,” said Brampton, Ont., Liberal MP Kamal Khera who is also the minister of diversity, inclusion and persons with disabilities.“At a time when unity is critical, her decision to undermine the Prime Minister and this government is reckless and self-serving.” ...

The federal government is proposing new rules surrounding airlines’ obligations to travellers whose flights are disrupted, even when delays or cancellations are caused by an “exceptional circumstance” outside of carriers’ control. The Canadian Transportation Agency’s amendments to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, announced Saturday, would require carriers to provide meals to passengers whose flights are delayed at least two hours, along with overnight accommodation if necessary.Airlines would also have to provide refunds within 15 days, down from the current deadline of 30 days, if a passenger prefers to be reimbursed rather than rebooked when their flight is cancelled, delayed at least three hours, or they are bumped from the flight. That timeline shift is meant to better aligned...

Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Panama’s conservative president José Raúl Mulino, who was elected in April on a pro-business platform, roundly rejected that notion as an affront to his country’s sovereignty.The Republican president-elect’s comment came during his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5. He also used his comments to also bask in his return to power as a large audience of conservatives cheered along. It was a display of party unity at odds with a just-concluded budget figh...