Politics

An estimated 3 million to 5 million people remain in Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine and face shortages of water, heat, housing and health care, officials and displaced residents say.

Residents in Russian-controlled Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia report shortages of water, heat, power, housing and health care, and human rights groups and U.N. investigators report widespread detentions and reports of abuse.

The Surrey Police Board cut $46.95 million from its provisional 2026 budget, the Surrey Police Union says this equates to about 87 officer positions; the city says it is funding 189 officers and notes an ongoing extortion crisis in Surrey.

Ottawa has launched a federal study to gather industry views on expanding the Port of Churchill, canvassing about 70 large companies and expected to be completed this spring.

Selwyn Township has directed staff to explore renaming Prince Andrew and Gordonstoun islands and will consult Curve Lake First Nation; a formal application to the Ontario Geographic Naming Board is required and the process is expected to take several months.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada added new Express Entry categories to allow highly skilled foreign military applicants and other targeted occupations to seek permanent residency, officials said. The change follows the federal defence industrial strategy and the government did not publish numeric targets for military recruits.

Youth advocates at a Parliament Hill news conference say they were excluded from drafting Bill C-63 and are calling for meaningful youth involvement and a national digital safety framework before Ottawa introduces new online harms legislation.

Ottawa has signed a letter of intent to provide substantial funding to LawZero, a nonprofit founded by Yoshua Bengio to develop technical defenses for powerful AI; a source said the amount under discussion is more than $100 million.

Fourteen temporary classroom units have been set up near Tumbler Ridge Secondary School after the Feb. 10 shooting, and counselling supports are being offered in the community until at least March 6.

The article reports Edmonton MP Matt Jeneroux crossed from the Conservative caucus to the Liberals, and three by-elections are pending with two in Liberal-held districts.

The U.S. has moved military aircraft and naval assets toward the Middle East while indirect nuclear talks with Iran continue in Switzerland; satellite and flight data show increased activity around regional bases.

A large banner showing Donald Trump's face and the slogan "Make America Safe Again" was hung on the exterior of the U.S. Justice Department headquarters, and the department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A Department of Homeland Security memo broadens ICE authority to detain refugees who hold legal status and are awaiting permanent residency, revoking a 2010 restriction; a Minnesota judge had temporarily blocked similar detentions and a court hearing was scheduled.

Premier Danielle Smith will focus on immigration and Alberta's recent population growth in a Thursday address at 6:45 p.m. MT, one week before the provincial budget; she says lower oil revenues and rising costs from growth are creating fiscal pressure.

UN-backed experts reported that an October campaign by the Rapid Support Forces in and around El Fasher displayed hallmarks of genocide, with evidence of ethnically targeted killings and other atrocities; a formal genocide determination must be made by an international tribunal.

The Vancouver Police Department is investigating four extortion cases — the first reported in the city — and says arrests and search warrants have been executed.

Nine Board of Peace members pledged a combined $7 billion for Gaza relief, and the U.S. announced a separate $10 billion pledge to the board; several countries also offered troop or police support.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced in Mississauga that FINTRAC will deploy liaison officers to work with law enforcement on extortion; further operational steps are undetermined at this time.

Officials and witnesses said Israeli settlers shot and killed 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam near Mukhmas; the Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed his death and his family said he held American citizenship. The Israeli military said it used "riot dispersal methods" after reports of rock-throwing and denied that its forces fired.

The Saskatoon Police Service confirmed the sudden death of an off-duty officer; the cause and identity have not been released and community groups have offered condolences.

At the inaugural Board of Peace meeting, President Trump said nine countries pledged a combined $7 billion for Gaza relief and that the U.S. would contribute $10 billion to the new board; he then traveled to Georgia for domestic events.

Officials said five countries have committed troops to an international stabilization force in Gaza and the U.S. announced a $10 billion contribution to a Trump-led Board of Peace; major questions about disarmament, wider participation and next steps remain. Undetermined at this time.

Ontario's education minister has told school boards to let students watch Team Canada's Olympic hockey games during school hours after a request from Premier Doug Ford. The directive covers the women's gold-medal match and the men's semi-final that fall during class time.

The federal government announced it will redirect financial-crime resources and work more closely with banks and police to address extortion in the Greater Toronto Area, which officials say has disproportionately affected the South Asian community. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (Fintrac) will reassign personnel, share intelligence and launch partnerships with banks to support investigations.

The federal government will announce nearly $230-million for Inuit programs, including $50-million for the first Inuit-led university, with Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull‑Masty making the announcement in Kuujjuaq; details were shared with The Globe and Mail in advance.

Ottawa will unveil a "follow-the-money" anti-extortion partnership in Mississauga; officials say it will use existing funds, with FinTRAC reallocating resources and issuing a Targeted Indicator Profile to help institutions spot extortion patterns.

President Trump announced that nine members of the Board of Peace pledged $7 billion for Gaza relief and that five countries agreed to send troops to an international stabilization force, while the United States pledged $10 billion to the board.

President Donald Trump will host the inaugural Board of Peace meeting Thursday with officials from more than two dozen countries and the board has announced a US$5 billion pledge for Gaza reconstruction while the ceasefire remains fragile.

B.C. is placing temporary trailers at Tumbler Ridge Elementary to house secondary students after last week’s shooting; officials say the RCMP has completed its scene examination and a return-to-school date is not yet set.

The federal government released a defence industrial strategy that sets a "build, partner, acquire" approach and aims to award 70% of defence contracts to Canadian firms within a decade; it appears alongside a recent U.S. executive order to promote American-made arms. How the two approaches will align is currently undetermined.