People in Canada and around the world are preparing to watch the launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission, which is set to send astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, according to NASA mission briefings. The crew includes Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, 50, of London, Ont., who will serve as mission specialist. The Canadian Space Agency says Hansen is expected to become the first non-American astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit. Hansen will fly alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch. The mission is part of NASA’s Artemis p

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is set to join multi-nation talks hosted by the United Kingdom on Thursday aimed at identifying diplomatic options to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key global trade corridor disrupted by the ongoing Iran conflict. Anand said Canada is prepared to support efforts to secure the strait once a ceasefire is in place, though she indicated the federal government has not yet determined what specific measures it would take. According to her office, the discussions will focus on restoring safe passage for commercial shipping amid rising tensions in the region. The c

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand has concluded a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, where discussions centred on expanding bilateral trade and Canada’s potential role in safeguarding key global shipping routes in the event of a ceasefire in the Middle East. According to a statement from Anand’s office, talks included the security of the Strait of Hormuz and broader efforts to support regional stability following any cessation of hostilities. Anand said Canada would be prepared to play an active role in limiting global economic disruptions tied to conflict in the region. Durin

Stephen Lewis, a former Ontario New Democratic Party leader, Canadian diplomat and longtime social activist, has died at the age of 88. The Stephen Lewis Foundation announced his death on its website Tuesday. No cause of death was provided. Lewis served as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations and led the Ontario NDP from 1970 to 1978, according to the foundation’s statement. He later became widely known for his advocacy on global health, poverty and environmental issues. He was the father of Avi Lewis, who was elected leader of the federal NDP on Sunday.

The federal government is set to extend its temporary cap on annual alcohol excise tax increases for another two years, according to a senior government official who spoke to The Canadian Press on background ahead of a formal announcement. Excise duties on beer, wine and spirits are normally adjusted each April 1 based on inflation. Since 2023, the Liberal government has limited those increases to a maximum of two per cent annually. That cap was scheduled to expire this year, but the official said it will now remain in place until 2028. The government is also planning to extend for two years a

Canada Post says it is proceeding with a federally mandated restructuring plan that could see the permanent end of door-to-door mail delivery across the country. In a statement to media Monday, the Crown corporation said the transformation is intended to adapt its operations to changing demand while avoiding ongoing financial pressure on taxpayers. According to the statement, the plan includes changes to delivery standards and a shift toward community mailboxes. The direction follows a federal announcement in September, when Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement J

Canadian authorities are warning residents and international visitors to be alert to fraud schemes linked to the upcoming FIFA World Cup, as demand grows for tickets, travel and accommodations. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, along with policing partners in host cities Toronto and Vancouver, issued the advisory, saying fraudsters may attempt to exploit interest in the tournament, which Canada is co-hosting with the United States and Mexico. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, investigators are tracking several types of suspected scams, including fake ticket sales, fraudulent short-ter

The number of police-reported hate crimes in Canada remained largely unchanged in 2024 following several years of sharp increases, according to new data released by Statistics Canada. The agency reported 4,882 hate crimes in 2024, marking a one per cent increase over the previous year. The latest figures follow a 34 per cent rise between 2022 and 2023, and a broader trend that has seen reported incidents more than double since 2018, according to the federal data agency. Statistics Canada said incidents targeting race or ethnicity increased by eight per cent in 2024. At the same time, police-re

Air Canada says chief executive officer Michael Rousseau will retire by the end of the third quarter of this year, according to a company statement. The announcement follows criticism earlier this month over a video message Rousseau delivered after a deadly plane crash in New York that killed two Air Canada Express pilots. The four-minute condolence video, posted online, included only limited French, using the words “bonjour” and “merci.” Prime Minister Mark Carney said the decision to release the message primarily in English showed a “lack of judgment and lack of compassion,” high