Ontario transparency
Ford calendar now shielded under Ontario FOI changes
A rejected access request confirmed the premier’s daily schedule is no longer available through freedom-of-information requests after amendments took effect in April
Latest News
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- World Cup 2026 Norway and Senegal set for pivotal Group 9 meeting Norway can move closer to the knockout stage after opening with a 4-1 win over Iraq, while Senegal risk leaving their fate to the final day if they lose again
- Brazil’s No. 10 under scrutiny Neymar’s Brazil Recall Draws Criticism as Ancelotti Stands Firm The injured forward has yet to play in the tournament, but Brazil’s coach and senior teammates continue to defend his place in the squad
- Police accountability Montréal-Nord family alleges excessive force after birthday party pepper-spraying The complaint over a backyard gathering comes as officers from the borough’s Station 39 face a separate investigation into alleged racist and hateful acts
UK politics
Welsh first minister seeks Westminster reset after Starmer resignation
Rhun ap Iorwerth is pressing the next prime minister for more Welsh powers, fair funding and respect for the Senedd mandate as Labour prepares to choose a new leader
U.S.-Iran talks
Vance says Iran will let nuclear inspectors return as talks continue
The vice president described progress after the first U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland, while Tehran said detailed nuclear negotiations have not yet begun
U.K. politics
Starmer steps down as Labour leader as Burnham moves to replace him
Andy Burnham’s decisive Makerfield by-election win returned him to Westminster and positioned him for a Labour contest that could determine Britain’s next prime minister
High-speed rail
Ottawa weighs Alto route shift that could add Kingston stop
Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon says Alto has been directed to develop a southern option for the Toronto–Quebec City rail line, but only if it meets technical and project requirements
World Cup media backlash
French presenter absent from L’Équipe show after Doku comments draw backlash
France Pierron’s remarks about Jérémy Doku possibly leaving Belgium’s World Cup camp for his child’s birth prompted criticism and a statement from L’Équipe distancing itself from her views
Artificial intelligence
Chinese Open-Source A.I. Models Draw U.S. Business Interest
A New York Times Business summary says Silicon Valley and corporate America are increasingly looking at cheaper Chinese-built models, raising fresh questions about A.I. competition
Ebola outbreak
Ebola cases top 1,000 in eastern Congo as violence slows response
DR Congo’s Health Ministry reported 1,003 confirmed infections and 254 deaths, with contact tracing gaps and crowded displacement camps heightening concern in Ituri province
Classical Music
New Mozart Notebook Includes Seven Previously Unknown Works
A report says the find documents the composer’s lessons with a student and adds seven compositions to the known Mozart record
Diplomacy
Mediators say U.S.-Iran talks end with peace road map
Early reports described a 60-day framework from talks in Switzerland, while signs of strain underscored how fragile any next phase may be
Water industry
South East Water names John Halsall as chief executive designate
The appointment, subject to regulatory approval, follows David Hinton’s resignation after repeated supply failures in Kent and Sussex
World Cup
Cape Verde keeper Vozinha gets family moment after viral World Cup heroics
After a standout display against Spain made the 39-year-old goalkeeper a global talking point, his mother received clearance to travel and watch him face Uruguay
Toxic drug crisis
Free naloxone may be preventing most fatal overdoses in B.C., study finds
Researchers estimate take-home naloxone prevented 76 to 80 per cent of potential opioid poisoning deaths from 2019 to 2024, while thousands still died from toxic drugs
Welsh cinema
Welsh-language film Effi o Blaenau reaches UK cinemas after early acclaim
Marc Evans’ adaptation of Iphigenia in Splott moves the story from Cardiff to Blaenau Ffestiniog, following a young woman facing unemployment and isolation
GLP-1 weight loss
Surgeons report more cosmetic complaints after GLP-1 weight loss
Doctors describe patients seeking treatment for sagging earlobes, volume loss and excess skin after major weight loss on drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy
U.S.-Israel tensions
Trump and Netanyahu’s Iran alliance hits a breaking point
Israeli strikes in Beirut have exposed a widening split between Trump’s push for an Iran deal and Netanyahu’s insistence on keeping military pressure on Iran and Hezbollah
World Cup
World Cup watch party highlights Mexican-Korean ties in L.A
A packed Koreatown gathering for South Korea’s match against Mexico offered a local portrait of kinship between two Los Angeles communities
Music
Jack Savoretti says new album leans into ‘the afternoon of life
Twenty years after his debut, the singer says family, grief and moving to Oxfordshire shaped a record that reached No. 2 in the UK albums chart
World Cup 2026
Argentina’s Darío Herrera set to referee Iran-Belgium match
The experienced FIFA official has handled Superclásicos, Copa América games and a Copa Libertadores final, but his record also includes high-profile controversies
Ticket resale complaints
World Cup and concert fans hit resale sites over cancelled tickets
Fans who bought high-demand event tickets through resale platforms say seats vanished hours before showtime, leaving them seeking refunds and answers
World Cup 2026
Lopetegui says Madibo had no intent after Qatar’s heavy Canada defeat
Qatar’s coach said two red cards changed the match in a 6-0 loss and called the next game against Bosnia and Herzegovina a decisive test
Alberta separation debate
Smith aide tells First Nations chiefs to fix own communities, not accuse premier of treason
Bruce McAllister’s post escalates a fight over Alberta’s Oct. 19 separation referendum after treaty chiefs asked RCMP to examine whether the vote amounts to criminal treason
Obesity drugs
Zealand Pharma’s stock swings show weight-loss drug market’s new test
Survodutide’s dropout rates cooled enthusiasm, but investors are watching whether amylin-based petrelintide can offer a more tolerable obesity treatment
World Cup 2026
Iran-Belgium match in Los Angeles set for special U.S. security measures
The Group 7 fixture at SoFi Stadium is scheduled after both teams opened with draws, with Belgian media cited as saying U.S. agencies are taking no risks around the game
Disney parks
Shanghai Disneyland Marks 10 Years as Rare Bright Spot in China
The park reached 100 million cumulative visitors in 2025, while Disney weighs broader global growth and Chinese consumers remain cautious
Public finances
UK borrowing jumps to £23.3bn as finance warning grows
Official figures showed May borrowing came in well above forecast, with debt interest costs hitting their highest level recorded for the month
Money
Iran deal may ease fuel costs, but bills and rates face a slower turn
A US-Iran agreement points to a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but delayed talks on harder issues leave questions over how long the economic relief will last
Dating costs
First-date bill debate sharpens as dating costs climb
With UK daters spending more than £111 a month on dates and apps, old assumptions about who pays are colliding with tighter budgets
Housing reform
House sales shake-up aims to curb gazumping in England and Wales
The government plans earlier binding agreements and upfront property information, but most reforms are not expected until 2029
Energy prices
U.S. gas prices dip below $4 for first time in nearly three months
AAA’s national average for regular gasoline fell to $3.99 as crude prices eased and more ships moved through the Strait of Hormuz
Middle East diplomacy
Israel-Hezbollah truce follows deadly flare-up that delayed U.S.-Iran talks
A diplomat briefed on the agreement said the Lebanon ceasefire came after overnight strikes and attacks tested a new U.S.-Iran memorandum almost immediately
United Kingdom
Starmer backs national inquiry into grooming gangs after Casey audit
The British prime minister said the statutory inquiry will cover England and Wales and follow a recommendation from Baroness Louise Casey’s review of group-based child sexual abuse
World Cup 2026
Pulisic fitness hangs over USMNT’s early World Cup qualification chance
The United States and Australia can each reach the round of 32 with a win in Seattle, while Mauricio Pochettino waits on his captain’s calf injury
Data regulation
UK information commissioner John Edwards resigns after workplace probe
Edwards said he had shown poor judgment with attempts at humour that were inappropriate and caused offence. Deputy commissioners are expected to keep the regulator operating
Sports and geopolitics
Iranian, Israeli athletes criticize U.S.-Iran memorandum
Sardar Pashei and AJ Edelman said the deal gives Tehran breathing room, while Trump has framed it as a way to avoid wider conflict and stabilize energy markets
Media accountability
Luzu TV drops host and production team after false report on Messi’s father
Florencia Peña apologized to Lionel Messi’s family after saying on live television that his father may have died, a claim relatives quickly denied
Gaming
GTA 6 pre-orders start June 25 as Rockstar targets November release
The long-awaited sequel is set for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, but Rockstar has not yet disclosed the price or plans for PC and Switch 2