Politics

Prime Minister Mark Carney began a trip to China after recalling two Liberal MPs from a visit to Taiwan, a move the government said was to avoid confusion with Canada's foreign policy and which drew criticism from opposition figures and a former ambassador.

Shellene Drakes-Tull says recent U.S. actions, including the reported detention of Nicolás Maduro and reported ICE operations, are raising international concern and prompting debate about possible regional effects.

Annahid Dashtgard says communications with people in Iran are cut off and warns that U.S. attacks would likely worsen regional instability.

Large protests are underway across Iran, and media report nearly 650 protesters killed and more than 10,000 people arrested.

City data show the number of people living in tents in Toronto parks fell from 539 in November 2024 to 196 in December 2025, with encampments reported in 48 parks.

President Trump threatened a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran, and China’s embassy said Beijing opposes unilateral sanctions; the effect on the recent U.S.-China trade truce is undetermined.

Iran's judiciary chief said authorities plan quick trials and executions for those detained, and activists report the crackdown's death toll has exceeded 2,500.

Activists say Starlink is providing free satellite internet service in Iran after authorities cut domestic communications amid nationwide protests; Starlink had not confirmed the reports and the AP could not independently verify casualty figures.

Human-rights groups and families have asked Prime Minister Mark Carney to raise the cases of Canadians detained in China and Hong Kong, including Huseyin Celil and Jimmy Lai, when he meets President Xi Jinping; the appeals were sent ahead of trade-focused talks.

Advocates say a recent wave of sexual deepfakes on X has targeted women and some children and shows the need for a Canadian online regulator; the Liberal government's 2024 Online Harms Act would have created a digital safety commission but did not become law before the 2025 election.

On CBS, President Trump commented on the death of Rene Nicole Goode in Minnesota, saying he believed she may have been a "solid, wonderful person" under normal circumstances while criticizing her actions; the anchor noted the administration had quickly described her as a domestic terrorist and that her father is heartbroken.

Greenland's prime minister said the island will remain part of the Kingdom of Denmark and explicitly ruled out joining the United States, ahead of talks in Washington between Danish, Greenlandic and U.S. officials.

An independent counsel has asked a Seoul court to impose the death sentence on former president Yoon Suk Yeol over rebellion charges tied to his December 2024 martial law declaration. The court is expected to deliver a verdict in February.

Human rights groups report that Erfan Soltani, arrested during recent protests, has been sentenced to death and his family was told the sentence would be carried out on Wednesday; the groups say he was denied a trial and access to legal counsel.

A former teacher said 13-year-old Drew Nickerson showed 'extraordinary empathy' after a Jan. 3 dog attack that led to his death; local authorities say the dogs were euthanized and an investigation is ongoing.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew urged Ontario Premier Doug Ford not to remove Crown Royal from LCBO shelves, saying such a move would harm Canadian workers; Ford has said he will delist the whisky once Diageo closes an Amherstburg bottling plant and shifts volumes.

During Supreme Court oral arguments, Justice Samuel Alito asked counsel for transgender woman Lindsay Hecox whether the court has a definition of 'boy,' 'girl,' 'man,' or 'woman.' Attorney Kathleen Hartnett said the court does not have a definition and that they are treating the statute's terms as defined while arguing the statute's application raises an equal protection question.

Toronto police are investigating allegations from the Daily Bread Food Bank that funds were misused by member agency Feed Scarborough; Feed Scarborough's CEO denies the claims and says an independent report is expected by the end of the month.

CNN analyst Harry Enten reports that 59% of Democrats now self-identify as liberal, compared with about 30% in 1976, and that overall self-identified liberalism is at a 50-year high; Gallup's most recent quarter shows an eight-point party ID advantage for Democrats.

Prime Minister Mark Carney travelled to Beijing after meeting regional leaders at home to press for higher non-U.S. exports and foreign investment, while juggling competing provincial demands and relations with the United States.

Global Affairs Canada updated its travel advisory saying Canadians should leave Iran now amid nationwide protests, citing a high risk of arbitrary detention and limited consular services; land borders with Armenia and Türkiye remain open for Canadian passport holders.

After oral arguments, several conservative justices appeared inclined to uphold state laws that bar transgender girls and women from girls' and women's school sports; the court is expected to issue a decision by early summer.

Hundreds to thousands of people protested across the U.S. after reports of a fatal shooting by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis and a separate shooting of two protesters in Portland, and local officials said some demonstrations included confrontations and citations.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard appeals from Idaho and West Virginia over state laws that bar transgender students from female sports teams, and justices’ questioning suggested some conservative members may be receptive to upholding those bans; the court has not yet issued a ruling and a decision will come at a later, unspecified date.

The Canadian Coast Guard plans a maintenance facility in Sydney, N.S., to service two new icebreakers, with the expected site on Membertou First Nation land near the Coast Guard Academy. Geotechnical surveys are the next step to determine whether the harbour bottom and shore can support docks for two 160-metre ships.

Statistics Canada told staff it will eliminate 850 positions over the next two years, and the department plans to issue 3,274 workforce adjustment notices with more details expected by the end of the week.

Justice Sheilah Martin announced she will retire from the Supreme Court of Canada, with her last day on May 30, after nearly eight years on the bench.

Justice Sheilah Martin will leave the Supreme Court of Canada effective May 30, creating a vacancy; she was appointed to the court in 2017 and has focused on Indigenous issues, education and equality.

Auditor General Kim Adair reported $1.6 billion was spent in 2024–25 without a prior majority legislative vote and said more than $6.7 billion has been spent outside the budget process since 2020–21.

Statistics Canada plans to reduce its workforce by about 850 unionized positions and cut roughly 12% of its executive team; workforce adjustment letters will begin being sent this week and affected employees are to be notified over the next two weeks.