Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon will hold a news conference this morning to provide an update on the strike at Canada Post. The minister is set to speak with journalists on Parliament Hill at 10 a.m. ET. It's Day 29 of the labour dispute, with Christmas fast approaching and still no apparent movement at the bargaining table. The two sides have been bandying criticisms back and forth, but there's no indication yet that federal mediation is set to restart after it was paused in late November. MacKinnon has so far rebuffed calls for Ottawa to intervene, saying it's up to the two sides to

Russia on Friday launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine, involving dozens of cruise missiles and drones. The Russian military targeted Ukrainian power grid, energy minister Herman Halushchenko wrote on his Facebook page. “The enemy continues its terror,” he said. Ukraine’s air force reported multiple strike drones launched at Ukraine overnight followed by swarms of cruise missiles in country’s air space. It said Russia also used air-launched ballistic Kinzhal missiles against Ukraine’s western regions. Friday’s attack is the latest in a series of such raids that heighten

Parents expecting Canada Child Benefit (CCB) cheques will experience delays due to the ongoing Canada Post strike. According to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), payments have been issued since Friday, but cheque deliveries will be delayed by up to a week. The CRA stated that Canada Post will deliver the checks on December 20. However, recipients with direct deposit will receive their payments on schedule tomorrow. Canada Post confirmed that the union has agreed to prioritize the delivery of social program checks despite the strike. In December, under the CCB program, parents can receive a maxi

India's Narendra Modi-led Cabinet has approved the 'One Nation, One Election' bill, paving the way for its potential introduction in Parliament next week. If passed, it is expected to take effect by 2029, enabling simultaneous parliamentary and assembly elections. A panel chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind was constituted on September 2, 2023, to examine the feasibility of this proposal. After thorough research, the panel submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on March 14, 2024. Notably, simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies were held in 1952, 1957,

Mounties in Nanaimo are looking for witnesses or camera footage that may help them pinpoint the person, or people, involved in the vandalism of dozens of vehicles over several hours. An RCMP statement says officers received 42 reports of windows being smashed, tires being flattened and broken side mirrors. Police say the incidents happened between 11 p.m. on Tuesday and 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday. They say all of the vehicles were either parked on the street or in parkades or parking lots. The RCMP say that officers noted that only drivers side windows were shattered on nine vehicles found on Harw

Former Alberta premier and NDP Leader Rachel Notley is leaving the legislature. Notley announced on social media that, as of Dec. 30, she is resigning as the legislature representative for Edmonton-Strathcona. In the statement, Notley thanks her supporters and constituents, but does not discuss what she plans to do in her post-political life. Notley served as Alberta’s 17thpremier after she and the NDP won a majority government in 2015. They served for four years before losing to Jason Kenney and the United Conservative Party in 2019 and again in 2023 to the UCP under Danielle Smith. Notley

The Israeli army has destroyed 70–80% of the strategic positions of the Syrian army between the Syrian capital, Damascus, and Latakia. According to Israeli officials, its air force and navy have carried out over 350 strikes in Syria since Saturday night. Israel has been consistently targeting military positions in Syria since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad from power in Syria, stating that these actions are to prevent Syrian army weapons from falling into rebel hands. Currently, a rebel government is in control in Syria, with Mohammed al-Bashir serving as the interim prime minister. Meanwhil

India's D Gukesh has made history by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion. Gukesh has ended China's dominance in the sport with his remarkable achievement. Gukesh Dommaraju has also matched former Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand's record of becoming a World Chess Champion. The final of the 2024 World Chess Championship was held in Singapore on Thursday. In this decisive match, Gukesh faced defending champion and Chinese chess grandmaster Ding Liren. In a gripping 14-game title match, Gukesh triumphed over Ding Liren to claim the championship. With this extraordinary victory, th

The health of Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast unto death at the Khanauri border of Punjab-Haryana over farmers' demands, is worsening. Meanwhile, a letter has been written to the Prime Minister from the protest site, with Dallewal imprinting his thumb in his own blood to symbolize his protest. In the letter, Dallewal has written that today marks the 17th day of his fast unto death. He said that he hopes that PM's advisors have informed him about his health and the status of the agitation. He further added that the demands fueling their protest are not just theirs but reflect promises