HAMILTON – Sam Hicks scored two touchdowns to lead the Toronto Argonauts past the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20-10 on Saturday in the first CFL exhibition game for both teams.

Hicks ran for 25 yards on five carries for Toronto. He scored on a nine-yard scamper in the third quarter before adding a four-yard TD run in the fourth as the Argos outscored Hamilton 20-3 in the second half.

Hamilton’s Larry Rountree III opened the scoring with a 46-yard TD run in the first quarter. Rountree, who spent two seasons with the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers as well as time with the UFL-champion Birmingham Stallions, ran for a game-high 86 yards and the TD on nine carries.

Hamilton was flagged 11 times for 144 yards in penalties. Toronto had seven penalties for 73 yards.

Chad Kelly made his first start for Toronto since suffering a leg injury in the ’24 East Division final that sidelined him the entire 2025 campaign. The CFL’s outstanding player in 2023 completed three-of-seven passes for 29 yards and ran for twice for 24 yards.

Veteran Bo Levi Mitchell, the East Division’s outstanding player the last two seasons, started for Hamilton. Mitchell completed all three passes he attempted for 50 yards.

Jake Dolegala completed five-of-14 passes for 61 yards with an interceptions while Canadian Tre Ford was two-of-10 passing for 14 yard and added 17 yards rushing on two carries.

The two teams square off again Friday night in Guelph, Ont., in their final pre-season contests. Hamilton will open the ’26 regular season on June 4 hosting the Montreal Alouettes.

Toronto opens its season June 12 in Montreal.

Elsewhere in the CFL on Saturday:

ELKS 34 LIONS 16

Quarterbacks Taylor Powell, Zach Zebrowski and Cole Snyder all threw touchdown passes as the Edmonton Elks whipped the B.C. Lions 34-16 in Langford, B.C.

Powell was 13 of 14 in the passing department for 160 yards.

Rushawn Baker had eight carries for 47 yards, receiver Carter Kettyle had two catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, and kicker Jesus Gomez was two-for-two on field goals. His longest was from 30 yards out.

Lions quarterback Chase Brice was eight-for-10 passing for 77 yards and one touchdown. Emani Bailey rushed for 54 yards on 10 carries, and receiver Jayden Williams had three catches for 53 yards.

Mark McNamee was three-for-three in the field goal department for the Lions, with his longest from 30 yards out.

The Elks led 17-10 at halftime and 24-10 heading into the final quarter.

ROUGHRIDERS 31 BLUE BOMBERS 27

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers jumped out to a 17-7 first quarter lead, but the Saskatchewan Roughriders rallied to post a 31-27 win in Saskatoon, Sask.

Quarterbacks Brayden Schager and Jack Coan each threw touchdown passes for the Roughriders, while Schager also had two interceptions and Coach had one pick.

Mario Anderson rushed for 44 yards on six carries for Saskatchewan, while receiver Abdul Janneh had 107 yards on six catches. Jonathan Klim was 3-for-3 on field goals, including one from 51 yards.

Bombers quarterback Taylor Elgersma was six-for-13 for 78 yards, but had two interceptions. Receiver Dorian Singer had three catches for 59 yards, while Tim White had three receptions for 57 yards.

Brady Lidster was 2-for-3 on field goals, making one from 50 yards out.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

The White House was briefly placed under lockdown Saturday evening after reports of shots fired near the grounds, outside the premises.

The D.C. Police Department urged the public to avoid the area, saying U.S. Secret Service officers were “working an incident in the intersection of 17th and Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest.”

The U.S. Secret Service later confirmed an individual pulled a weapon from a bag and began firing shortly after 6 p.m.

Secret Service officers returned fire, killing the suspect, while one bystander was also struck by gunfire, according to a preliminary statement posted by the agency.

“FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds — we will update the public as we’re able,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement on X.

The intersection of 17th and Pennsylvania is less than 300 metres from the White House.

On social media, Selina Wang, ABC News’ chief White House correspondent, said she heard what sounded like “dozens of gunshots” while filming on the White House North Lawn.

“I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots,” Wang wrote on X. “It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now.”

U.S. media agencies report there were roughly 20 to 30 shots fired, although exact numbers are yet to be confirmed.

CNN reported two people were shot and wounded, citing an unnamed law enforcement official.

The lockdown comes about a month after the White House correspondents’ dinner, where reporters and Trump administration officials ducked for cover as shots rang out nearby.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

 

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Police in Halifax are urgently searching for a missing newborn baby after officers were notified of a woman in hospital who appeared to have just given birth.

Halifax Regional Police said officers were called at around 9:40 p.m. on May 22 about a woman in life-threatening condition. Police said the baby has not been located.

Police and Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue are searching the area of 214 Willett St. in Halifax.

The public is being asked to avoid the area so investigators can conduct a thorough search.

Residents are also being urged to check their own properties and report anything suspicious to police immediately.

Police said four people are currently in custody and being questioned.

No charges have been laid.

Anyone with information is asked to call police immediately.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Premier Christine Fréchette defended her spending promises on Saturday, despite a warning from the province’s finance minister that she may surpass the $250 million fund allocated to her.

Radio-Canada has reported that Eric Girard wrote to Fréchette earlier this month to express concern about her high spending, writing that “Quebecers want a responsible premier who doesn’t spend every which way.”

Since taking office in April, Fréchette has already said the government will reimburse part of the welcome tax paid by first-time homebuyers as well as the carbon tax for farmers. She also announced a tax cut for small and medium-sized businesses.

She is also expected to announce the elimination of the Quebec Sales Tax, or QST, on certain grocery and pharmacy items in the coming days.

That measure is expected to cost $100 million, which brings the total amount of her pledges to around $330 million so far.

The Quebec budget allocated $250 million per year for five years for the new leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec to deliver on her promises.

Fréchette defended her spending as she arrived at a party meeting in Lévis, Que., noting that Quebecers are having a tough time due to pressures such as the conflict in the Middle East.

“We’re thinking about the cost of groceries, the cost of housing…and gas as well,” she told reporters.

“The minister of finance is doing his job. Now, I’m doing mine, which is to find a balance between managing public finances and addressing the needs of Quebecers.”

Girard, meanwhile, downplayed the importance of his message to Fréchette, saying he had written “thousands” of similar messages during his time at the National Bank of Canada.

“That’s my style: concise, direct,” he said. “I’m the guardian of public finances.”

Environment Minister Pascale Déry also felt that the message from Girard wasn’t unusual. “There’s nothing in there that surprises me, that’s concerning, or that’s out of the ordinary,” she said.

Fréchette’s rivals, however, were quick to criticize.

“Ms. Fréchette, like Mr. Legault before her, continues to spend lavishly in an attempt to win over voters,” Liberal Leader Charles Milliard wrote on X. “As if Quebecers didn’t see right through their game.”

Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said the news was “undeniable proof,” that nothing has changed in the CAQ party since Fréchette succeeded François Legault as leader. “They’ve learned nothing from their failures,” he wrote.

Fréchette is presiding over her party’s first general council meeting since becoming premier. She is expected to deliver a speech later Saturday.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Canada and several allied nations are calling on Israel to halt settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank as tensions in the territory continue to escalate amid demolitions, deadly shootings and growing international scrutiny.

In a joint statement released Friday alongside Australia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom, Canada warned that Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence are undermining stability and prospects for a two-state solution.

The statement specifically condemned proposed development in the controversial E1 area east of Jerusalem, saying the project would “divide the West Bank in two” and constitute “a serious breach of international law.”

According to the International Court of Justice, Israeli settlements in the West Bank are widely considered illegal under international law.

The warning comes as Israeli bulldozers this week demolished dozens of Palestinian-owned shops southeast of Jerusalem to clear land for a road project tied to nearby settlements.

Israeli authorities said the demolitions were needed to construct infrastructure serving Palestinian communities.

But Palestinian officials said the road is part of a broader strategy aimed at rerouting Palestinian traffic away from a new highway being developed for Israeli settlements in the area.

Violence in the West Bank has also intensified in recent days.

Earlier this week, Palestinian health officials said a 32-year-old Palestinian man died after being shot by Israeli soldiers while attempting to cross the barrier into Israel for work.

It marked the second such killing in less than a week involving Palestinians trying to enter Israel for employment.

Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich recently ordered the eviction of a Palestinian village in the West Bank, further straining tensions in the region.

In their joint statement, the countries called on Israel to stop expanding settlements, investigate allegations involving Israeli forces, ensure accountability for settler violence and lift financial restrictions on the Palestinian Authority.

The countries also warned businesses against participating in settlement construction projects, citing potential legal and reputational risks.

“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on a negotiated two-state solution,” the statement said.

– With files from The Associated Press

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

The Prairie Lily is back on the South Saskatchewan River after nearly sunsetting without a sail last year.

The beloved Saskatoon attraction has taken its maiden voyage with new owner Stephanie Simonot and record-level water levels.

“It was great seeing the crew, the family, old crew, new crew, everybody looks so good,” Simonot said. “Everybody kind of just gelled together and worked really well together.”

Behind the scenes, former owners, Capt. Mike and Joan Steckhan, along with their crew, are staying on board to help Simonot’s family finish their training to captain the ship.

“I was definitely a little nervous at first, but we settled into it quite nicely and then it was really smooth,” said Sean Stevens, captain in training

“I’m just super excited to have the opportunity to bring the community of Saskatoon that experience again.”

Stevens has been training with the Prairie Lily’s crew to become a captain.

Steckhan says it is nice to be out on the water again with high water levels from a record high snowpack in the Rocky Mountains, following last year’s low water levels that put the ship in park.

“It’s a little different. It’s a far faster current. For the first time in five years that the river has been moving this fast because the long-term drought we had is over now. So the water’s coming in. It’s a different river again,” says Steckhan.

It was still smooth sailing for the riverboat on the successful first run for Simonot and her crew. Simonot said she hopes it will be the first of many this summer.

“I’m hoping people will be just happy to get back on the river and see how beautiful Saskatoon is,” said Simonot.

With the wait to hit the waters now over, word is spreading quickly, with more than 12 per cent of the bookings for the season already filled.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Toronto police are searching for four suspects in connection with an armed robbery earlier this month of jewellery valued at more $1 million earlier this month

Toronto Police Service say officers responded to a robbery call around 4:50 a.m. on May 10 near Spadina Avenue and Bremner Boulevard.

According to police, four masked men approached the victims, who were sitting in a parked vehicle, and held them at gunpoint while they took the jewels.

The suspects then fled the area in a blue Nissan Rouge with stolen licence plates. One victim suffered minor injuries.

Police initially estimated the stolen jewellery was worth more than $500,00, but said in an update released Saturday that the items have now been appraised at more than $1 million.

The suspects were described as wearing dark clothing, hoodies and face masks.

Toronto police have released surveillance video and images of the suspects and vehicle as the investigation continues.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact investigators at 416-808-5200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

There’s free speech — and then there’s the King’s speech.

Global News has learned that the cost to the Canadian treasury to have King Charles III read the speech from the throne in Canada’s Senate a year ago to open the 45th Parliament came close to $900,000.

Still, for the then-just-elected government of Prime Minister Mark Carney, the bill for the King’s two days in Ottawa was priceless.

For Carney, the presence of King Charles III in the Senate reading the speech from the throne — just the third time in Canada’s history a monarch has done that — was an important, symbolic and yet respectful riposte to U.S. President Donald Trump’s then near-constant disrespect of Canada’s sovereignty.

“This is an historic honour which matches the weight of our times,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa on May 2, 2025, just after his election win.

And the King appeared to match the moment, delivering a throne speech written by the government that carefully set out how the Carney government would assert its sovereignty in the face of a bellicose American president.

“As the anthem reminds us, the True North is indeed strong and free,” King Charles said to the applause of those present in the Red Chamber on May 27, 2025.

But bringing a King to the party comes with a hefty price tag.

It started with a six-person advance party from the Royal household, flown over from London to Ottawa at Canada’s expense on a commercial flight — economy class, mind you — who were put up at Ottawa’s economy-class Lord Elgin Hotel, a block away from the National War Memorial, from May 7-9.

Internal government documents provided to Global News by access-to-information researcher Ken Rubin show that the Department of Canadian Heritage would be billed $23,838 for the flights, hotel, meals and transportation for that initial Royal six as they scouted out locations and reviewed the King’s program with Canadian government officials.

Then came the main event itself — the visit of Charles and Camilla from May 26-27.

First, as is the custom, the Canadian government dispatched one of its Royal Canadian Air Force CC-330 jets to London to pick up the royal couple and their delegation. The Department of National Defence did not respond to two emailed requests from Global News to provide the operating costs of the pair of return flights to pick up and return the flights, but a Global News estimate of the cost, based on U.S. Department of Transportation and industry sources, puts the cost of operating such a plane for the two there-and-back flights at about $410,000.

The documents obtained by researcher Rubin detail the costs once the Royal delegation got to Canada.

First, Charles and Camilla travelled with 24 members of the Royal household. Some flew over on commercial flights at Canada’s expense; some travelled on that CC-330 RCAF jet. Some were put up at the “luxury Fairmont Chateau Laurier” hotel, next to Parliament Hill, while others stayed at the government-owned heritage property, 7 Rideau Gate, on the grounds of the Rideau Hall, where Charles and Camilla spent the night. (Rideau Hall is, after all, the property of the monarch!)

Meanwhile, the federal government had to hire the RCMP’s ceremonial team. The horses and their red-serged riders cost $20,605.72. The cost of the additional security for the visit provided by the RCMP was not disclosed.

To close streets around the War Memorial and around Ottawa’s Lansdowne Park — where the Royals did a walk-through upon their arrival in Canada — the City of Ottawa was paid $146,945.

The costs to provide bleachers for the media to sit on during the King’s ceremony at the National War Memorial cost Canada $5,335. Crowd management was billed at $3,500. And sidewalk construction at the memorial had to be completed at a cost of $12,039.70.

All in: The bills presented to the Department of Canadian Heritage totalled $461,940.50.

Add in the estimated $410,000 cost of the RCAF flights to bring the Royals and their household to Ottawa, and the cost of the King’s speech adds up to more than $871,000.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Get your umbrellas back out, and maybe your jackets, too.

Cold, soaking rain sweeping across southern Ontario this weekend has already forced at least one major event in Toronto to postpone.

Organizers announced Saturday that Bruno Mars’ concert at Rogers Stadium would be rescheduled to May 31 due to inclement weather.

“The safety of our guests, artists, crew and staff remains our top priority,” Rogers Stadium said in a statement on social media, adding that all previously purchased tickets will be honoured for the new date.

The postponement comes as Environment Canada warns parts of southern Ontario could see up to 50 millimetres of rain this weekend.

A special weather statement remains in effect across much of the Greater Toronto Area, including Toronto, Oshawa and Halton Hills, as a low-pressure system moves across the region.

Rain and gusting winds had moved into the region early Saturday, making forecasted highs of 13 C feel closer to a chilly 3 C in some areas.

The weather agency says the steady rain will taper off to drizzle as the system moves east on Saturday night and into Sunday morning

Sunday is expected to be slightly warmer with highs near 20 C, though cloudy skies and windy conditions are expected to stick around, making the weather feel cooler.

While flooding is not expected and no flood watches or warnings have been issued, rivers, streams and side-streets could rise and move faster through the weekend.

Residents are being urged to stay away from shorelines and riverbanks, especially if they are with children and pets, and to keep an eye on forecast updates.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Donald Trump said Saturday a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reduce tensions with Iran could be announced soon, giving hope to more stable gas prices.

An agreement between the United States, Iran and several Middle Eastern countries had been “largely negotiated,” though final details were still being discussed, according to a Truth Social post by Trump.

“Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump said.

He added that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would be part of the agreement.

Since fighting escalated between Iran, the United States and Israel, shipping disruptions and fears of a prolonged closure have driven oil and gas prices higher around the world, including in Canada.

Trump also said he separately spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu and described the call as going “very well.”

The comments came after talks involving Iran, the U.S. and mediator Pakistan.

The Pakistani army said the negotiations had resulted in “encouraging” progress towards a final understanding.

All sides said progress had been made toward ending nearly three months of war.

Sources familiar with the negotiations told Reuters the proposed framework would happen in stages; that includes formally ending the conflict, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching broader negotiations.

Earlier Saturday, Trump told Axios he could decide as early as Sunday whether to resume attacks on Iran if negotiations fail.

“Either we reach a good deal or I’ll blow them to a thousand hells,” Trump said, according to the report.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.

The conflict and shipping disruptions have already affected Canadians.

Statistics Canada said Friday sales at gas stations and fuel vendors rose 12.4 per cent in March as fighting involving Iran, the U.S. and Israel pushed oil and gas prices higher.

For consumers, that has meant more expensive fill-ups, higher transportation costs and growing pressure on household budgets already strained by inflation.

More details to come.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.