Canada & World

Gemma Hickey poses for a photograph in Toronto on Wednesday, November 17, 2021. When they were a teenager, they underwent conversion therapy. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin

A year after Canada banned conversion therapy, Ottawa says no criminal charges laid

Justice Department not aware of any prosecutions under new criminal code offences

Gemma Hickey poses for a photograph in Toronto on Wednesday, November 17, 2021. When they were a teenager, they underwent conversion therapy. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin
Pope Francis touches the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI before it is carried away after a funeral mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Faithful mourn Benedict XVI at funeral presided over by pope

Heads of state, royalty, clergy from around the world, and thousands more attend ceremony

Pope Francis touches the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI before it is carried away after a funeral mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
A young boy who arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong wears a face mask and face shield at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. Starting Thursday, Canada will require air travellers from China, Hong Kong and Macau to have a recent negative COVID-19 test result. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Rule requiring negative COVID test before Chinese flights takes effect

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized Canada’s change in requirements this week

A young boy who arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong wears a face mask and face shield at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. Starting Thursday, Canada will require air travellers from China, Hong Kong and Macau to have a recent negative COVID-19 test result. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Workers clear the snow next to a billboard with a portrait of a Russian soldier awarded for action in Ukraine and the words “Glory to the heroes of Russia” in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Putin orders 36-hour weekend cease-fire in Ukraine

Head of the Russian Orthodox Church suggested a truce from noon Friday through midnight Saturday

Workers clear the snow next to a billboard with a portrait of a Russian soldier awarded for action in Ukraine and the words “Glory to the heroes of Russia” in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
Katrina Hosley is covered in a crust of snow as she uses her snowblower for the fourth time in one morning during a snowstorm in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.(Erin Woodiel/The Argus Leader via AP)

California braces for rain, winds, flooding amid emergency

Ice and heavy snow has taken a toll in American midwest as the New Year opens

Katrina Hosley is covered in a crust of snow as she uses her snowblower for the fourth time in one morning during a snowstorm in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.(Erin Woodiel/The Argus Leader via AP)
Former governor general Michaelle Jean is shown in Paris, France on Monday, April 16, 2018. Jean says Western countries must admit mistakes they’ve made in Haiti and pressure that country’s elite to find a path out of an ongoing humanitarian crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Rich nations must help build Haiti consensus: former governor general Michaëlle Jean

‘What is endangered, at great risk, is the very national sovereignty of this country’

Former governor general Michaelle Jean is shown in Paris, France on Monday, April 16, 2018. Jean says Western countries must admit mistakes they’ve made in Haiti and pressure that country’s elite to find a path out of an ongoing humanitarian crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
This photo provided by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office shows emergency personnel responding to a vehicle over the side of Highway 1 on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in San Mateo County, Calif. The driver of the car that plunged off a cliff in Northern California, seriously wounding two children and a second adult after the 250-foot drop, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and child abuse, the California Highway Patrol said Tuesday, Jan. 3. (Sgt. Brian Moore/San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

Family of 4 still hospitalized after father drove off cliff

Attempted murder and child abuse arrest expected after man released from a hospital

This photo provided by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office shows emergency personnel responding to a vehicle over the side of Highway 1 on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in San Mateo County, Calif. The driver of the car that plunged off a cliff in Northern California, seriously wounding two children and a second adult after the 250-foot drop, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and child abuse, the California Highway Patrol said Tuesday, Jan. 3. (Sgt. Brian Moore/San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
A person jogs along the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. One extreme weather expert says the current spell of mild winter temperatures felt in Ontario are becoming more frequent across Canada due to climate change. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Climate change causing more frequent warm winter temperatures: extreme weather expert

Destabilization of polar vortex caused by global warming contributing to extreme temperatures

A person jogs along the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. One extreme weather expert says the current spell of mild winter temperatures felt in Ontario are becoming more frequent across Canada due to climate change. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
Homes are pictured in Vancouver, Tuesday, Apr 16, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Vancouver’s December home sales down 52% from year ago: B.C. real estate board

Sales were also 38 per cent below the 10-year December average

Homes are pictured in Vancouver, Tuesday, Apr 16, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
FILE - A passenger arriving from China is tested for COVID-19 at the Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport, north of Paris, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. European Union nations are fine-tuning a coordinated response to China’s COVID-19 crisis on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023 and are zeroing in on travel restrictions that would upset both Beijing and the global airline industry. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)

WHO worried about surge of COVID in China amid lack of info

Numerous countries taking measures against travelers coming from China ‘understandable’

FILE - A passenger arriving from China is tested for COVID-19 at the Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport, north of Paris, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. European Union nations are fine-tuning a coordinated response to China’s COVID-19 crisis on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023 and are zeroing in on travel restrictions that would upset both Beijing and the global airline industry. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)
Image courtesy Creative Outlet

B.C. boosts funding for Human Rights Tribunal to help tackle increased caseload

Number of cases more than doubled from 1,460 in 2019 to 3,192 in 2022

Image courtesy Creative Outlet
Nuns arrive at dawn to view the body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as it lies in state in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. The Vatican announced that Pope Benedict died on Dec. 31, 2022, aged 95, and that his funeral will be held on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope praises ‘gentle’ Benedict ahead of funeral

Nearly 160,000 people had passed through the basilica for former pope’s official viewing

Nuns arrive at dawn to view the body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as it lies in state in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. The Vatican announced that Pope Benedict died on Dec. 31, 2022, aged 95, and that his funeral will be held on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
FILE - This May 21, 2016 file photo shows actress Taraneh Alidoosti during a photo call for the film “Forushande” (The Salesman) at the 69th international film festival, Cannes, southern France. Iran released Alidoosti on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023 nearly three weeks after she was jailed for criticizing a crackdown on anti-government protests, local reports said. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)

Iran releases Oscar-winning film actress held over protests

Protests mark one of the biggest challenges to the Islamic Republic since it was established

FILE - This May 21, 2016 file photo shows actress Taraneh Alidoosti during a photo call for the film “Forushande” (The Salesman) at the 69th international film festival, Cannes, southern France. Iran released Alidoosti on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023 nearly three weeks after she was jailed for criticizing a crackdown on anti-government protests, local reports said. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)
Peter Schiefke rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, May 4, 2018. Schiefke, chair of the House of Commons transport committee, is calling on Sunwing Airlines and Via Rail to publicly explain what caused the travel nightmare that plagued thousands of Canadians over the holidays. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

‘Unacceptable’: Committee chair says Sunwing, Via Rail must answer for holiday mess

House of Commons call for representatives from both companies to appear as witnesses

Peter Schiefke rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, May 4, 2018. Schiefke, chair of the House of Commons transport committee, is calling on Sunwing Airlines and Via Rail to publicly explain what caused the travel nightmare that plagued thousands of Canadians over the holidays. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
FILE - Firefighters work after a drone attack on buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Roman Hrytsyna, File)

Drone advances in Ukraine could bring dawn of killer robots

Ukraine already has semi-autonomous attack drones and counter-drone weapons endowed with AI

FILE - Firefighters work after a drone attack on buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Roman Hrytsyna, File)
Snow-covered houses and the downtown skyline are seen in Vancouver, B.C., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022.The British Columbia government is boosting the homeowner grant threshold to $2.125 million for this year as average property values increase by 12 per cent.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. government increases homeowner grant limit as home values rise by 12 per cent

Highest valued home in the province is a $74 million Vancouver waterfront compound

Snow-covered houses and the downtown skyline are seen in Vancouver, B.C., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022.The British Columbia government is boosting the homeowner grant threshold to $2.125 million for this year as average property values increase by 12 per cent.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A coat of fresh snow is seen on a mountain the morning after a winter storm pelted the region with a large amount of snow, in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

California snowpack off to great start amid severe drought

Past 3 years in California have been the driest ever recorded

A coat of fresh snow is seen on a mountain the morning after a winter storm pelted the region with a large amount of snow, in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Lawyer John Carpay is shown in Calgary on July 10, 2012. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland)

Anti-COVID restriction lawyer arrested after hiring PI to track Manitoba judge

John Carpay is charged with attempting to obstruct justice

Lawyer John Carpay is shown in Calgary on July 10, 2012. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland)
Toronto Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto is shown on Thursday April 5, 2018. A global ransomware operator issued an apology and offered to unlock the data targeted in a ransomware attack on Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, a move cybersecurity experts say is rare, if not unprecedented, for the infamous group. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives

Ransomware group LockBit apologizes saying ‘partner’ was behind SickKids attack

LockBit issued brief apology on Dec. 31 to what cybersecurity experts say is its dark web page

Toronto Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto is shown on Thursday April 5, 2018. A global ransomware operator issued an apology and offered to unlock the data targeted in a ransomware attack on Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, a move cybersecurity experts say is rare, if not unprecedented, for the infamous group. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives
This Jan. 19, 2021 photo provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources shows a North Atlantic right whale mother and calf in waters near Wassaw Island, Ga. A scientist who studies the endangered North Atlantic right whales is cautiously optimistic after nine calves were spotted this season in the waters along the eastern coast.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Georgia Department of Natural Resources/NOAA Permit #20556 via AP

Birth of 9 calves sparks hope for endangered North Atlantic right whales

Research shows a downward trend in the number of females capable of breeding

This Jan. 19, 2021 photo provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources shows a North Atlantic right whale mother and calf in waters near Wassaw Island, Ga. A scientist who studies the endangered North Atlantic right whales is cautiously optimistic after nine calves were spotted this season in the waters along the eastern coast.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Georgia Department of Natural Resources/NOAA Permit #20556 via AP