EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks will host the CFL West final for the first time in more than a decade.

Cody Fajardo ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more as Edmonton rallied to a 35-27 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday. Edmonton has not hosted a West final or even a home playoff game at all since 2015.

“It feels great,” said Elks head coach Mark Kilam. “We had a great opportunity to be able to clinch at home in front of our fans, so I’m really proud of the guys for finding a way tonight.”

Fajardo completed 12 of 17 pass attempts for 120 yards for the Elks (13-4).

“That was sweet,” he said. “I told the guys going in that this was phase three of five and we checked that off of our list. Getting a West final in front of our fans, they were the difference tonight.

“It was just huge three phase football tonight, I couldn’t be prouder of this team.”

The Blue Bombers (8-9) failed in their attempt to secure a playoff spot, but could still earn a post-season berth this weekend if Calgary loses to B.C. on Saturday.

“It was just not good enough,” said Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea. “We were on the wrong end of five or six plays. It’s like every game.

“The winners usually make those five or six and the guys that don’t go home wishing they did.”

Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros completed 28 of 33 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.

“You can’t make mistakes, you can’t lose the turnover battle,” he said. “You can’t throw interceptions when you’re driving to potentially take a lead in a game. Those are on me.

“When you make mistakes that are that magnified, it’s going to hurt you.”

After missing a field goal on their first drive, the Blue Bombers put together another strong drive with five minutes left in the opening quarter and capped it off with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Collaros to Nic Demski.

The Elks responded with an 18-yard field goal from Vincent Blanchard to close out the quarter.

Collaros was picked off at the Winnipeg nine by Kenny Logan Jr., leading immediately to a pass from Fajardo to Shunderrick Powell, who fought his way into the end zone. Fajardo had gone three straight games without a TD pass.

The Bombers’ QB made up for it on the next series as he hit Ontaria Wilson deep in the end zone for a 32-yard TD strike.

Winnipeg kept it coming with a one-yard TD run by backup QB Bryce Perkins.

However, after a 65-yard kickoff return by Montrell Washington, the Elks converted a third-down gamble with two seconds remaining in the first half on a four-yard TD pass from Fajardo to Austin Mack to cut Winnipeg’s lead to 21-17 at the mid-mark.

Edmonton carried that momentum forward to start the third as Fajardo finished off a long drive with a one-yard TD plunge. They added a single on the subsequent kick.

The Bombers pulled back within one on a 23-yard field goal by Sergio Castillo, but he would hit the uprights from 55 yards out on his next attempt.

Blanchard kicked a 52-yarder for the Elks.

Edmonton went up 35-24 with 1:39 remaining as Fajardo took another one in from two yards out.

Castillo kicked a late 53-yard field goal.

Notes

The Elks captured their third straight win over Winnipeg, having previously defeated the Bombers 23-18 and 22-18 this season. The last time Edmonton swept a three-game series against Winnipeg was in 1979 … Demski caught his 47th career TD pass, tying him for first among active players with Kenny Lawler.

Up next

Winnipeg: Travels to B.C. to face the Lions to close out regular season play next Friday.

Edmonton: Finishes the regular season in Saskatchewan against the Roughriders next Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest.

Trump personally signed the legislation just last month and his move came just two days before a deadline set in the law itself for its implementation. It drew shift condemnation from congressional Democrats.

Named after late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the legislation had sought to clamp down more quickly on the flow of financial resources fueling the war against Ukraine.

Trump’s unexpected decision comes a week after he stunningly said the U.S. had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia to try to bring down global energy prices, despite that potentially hurting Ukraine in its war with Russia.

An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll published Oct. 1 found that Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the Iran war and blame him for higher prices. Trump’s approval ratings have sunk to near-historic lows and pressure is mounting as Republicans try to hold control of both chambers of Congress after midterm elections on Nov. 3.

Sanctions were seen as part of Graham’s legacy

Graham, a close ally and friend of the president, had just returned from Ukraine when he unexpectedly died in July. He had advocated for stricter U.S. sanctions against Russia as a way of pressuring it to end its war in Ukraine.

His colleagues in Congress responded with bipartisan support after his death and Trump attached his signature to the legislation — then changed his mind Friday.

The package had been meant to starve Russian President Vladimir Putin of the resources Moscow needs to continue its war in Ukraine after invading its neighbor more than four years ago. The bill, also drafted by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., had sought to sanction Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of tankers that keeps Russian energy moving.

It also directed Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas, with an exception for countries that import less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports and have taken significant steps to reduce those imports.

Blumenthal said in a statement that Trump was turning his back on “the majority of Americans, their representatives in both houses of Congress, and our European allies.”

“These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin,” Blumenthal said.

Democratic Virginia Rep. Don Beyer noted on social media shortly after the announcement of the sanctions being suspended that he and others had “warned” Trump might make such a move. The veteran congressman, who spoke out against the bill as it was debated, called on Congress to “fix this flawed law to stop Trump from capitulating to Putin and ensure that it truly supports Ukraine.”

The White House did not immediately explain how pausing the sanctions was in the national interest. The decision was posted on the White House website late in the evening, and the notification noted that the report explaining the decision had been submitted to Congress.

Still, it comes as Trump has increasingly lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, blaming him for failing to make a deal with Putin to end the fighting.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, had remained mostly quiet since the passage of the bill with large majorities in the House and Senate following Graham’s sudden death — with lawmakers urged ahead by Zelenskyy.

Trump’s action follows announced diesel deal with Putin

Under last week’s agreement, Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.”

Trump’s striking a diesel deal with Putin has been pilloried by Republicans and Democrats alike who say it will help Russia execute its war against Ukraine — without making a different to global fuel prices, which are elevated mostly due to Trump’s war on Iran.

The sanctions that Trump has now suspended, meanwhile, also had become a campaign centerpiece for Sen. Darline Graham, the late senator’s sister who was appointed to serve out the remaining months in his current term. She is now running to replace him in the Senate more permanently.

Darline Graham said in a statement after Trump signed the bill, “I wish Lindsey were here to celebrate this historic day.” In a debate earlier this week with Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, Graham — who has Trump’s endorsement and is expected to campaign with him in South Carolina next week — said she had been “so proud” to help get the measure passed.

She acknowledged, however, that it was the president’s purview as to how he implemented it.

“It gives the president tools that he can use if he so chooses, to end the war through economic sanctions,” Graham said Sunday during a debate in Columbia. “So that’s up to him as to whether or not he wants to use it, or whether he wants to use something else, but I think the purpose of it is to bring down the gas prices and ultimately end the war. And when the war ends, gas prices will fall.”

© 2026 The Canadian Press

DETROIT – Trayce Jackson-Davis led all scorers with 23 points — including 15 made free throws — but the Toronto Raptors still fell to the Detroit Pistons 129-125 on Friday in the final pre-season game for both teams.

Jackson-Davis also had three rebounds and a steal as Toronto (2-3) didn’t put any of its top rotation players in the game.

Nimari Burnett had 17 points and five boards for the Raptors, while rookie Allen Gaves added nine points but pulled down eight rebounds.

Cade Cunningham had 18 points and seven assists to lead Detroit (3-1) and Jalen Duren had 14 points and three rebounds.

Both of them played limited minutes as the Pistons had 18 different players enter the game.

Toronto hosts the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday in their regular-season home opener.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

 As construction of the original project continues along, so does the debate about Regina’s involvement. On Wednesday, City Council passed a motion directing administration to gather more information. Passing the motion involved more than 7 hours of discussion, and it only squeaked through by the narrowest of margins – five votes to four.

Ward 5 City Councillor Sarah Turnbull said “It’s really a report for the public, because it will answer the questions of what has happened so far, where were these decisions made, and then there won’t be any more questions.”

But Ward 10 City Councilor Clark Bezo feels differently.

“We have another substantial budget to look at. And if we’re taking time and resources from people, that should be looking at the projects that influence you directly, it’s not the best use of our time.”

Turnbull, however, feels the project could directly affect Regina residents, and therefore says the City should assess it.

“Just because something’s happening 2.5 kilometers away from Regina doesn’t mean it’s not going to affect Regina” she said Wednesday.

But from Bezo’s perspective, it’s still a question of jurisdiction.

“I want to make it very clear that the city has no jurisdictional boundaries within the RM of Sherwood” says Bezo.

And while it’s true that all final decisions and approvals rest with the RM of Sherwood, the site does sit in a collaborative planning area. Last time around, on the original project, the City waived its right to review a secondary concept plan, without City Council’s knowledge, according to Turnbull.

“It wasn’t known by council when they passed that. And so I think it’s important to course correct so things like a future power plant doesn’t get missed” said Turnbull.

Ultimately, the motion requesting a report has already passed, so that is decided. Administration will prepare a report. Less certain however,  is the outcome of another motion that council will hear in the coming weeks, seeking to restore the City’s right to review a secondary concept plan.

That motion will likely be hotly debated.

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

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Whether you’re looking for earbuds that stay put during a workout, noise-cancelling headphones for your daily commute or a comfortable pair for long-haul flights, there are plenty of options to suit your needs. From workout-ready earbuds by Beats and Shokz to noise-cancelling over-ear headphones from Sony, we’ve rounded up the best options for every budget and listening preference, with features like secure fits, long battery life and noise cancellation to help you find your perfect pair.

Quick pick summary

Best overall: Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

Best 0pen-ear headphones: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

Best budget workout earbuds: JLab Go Air Sport+

Best noise-cancelling headphones: Sony WH-1000XM6

Best wireless earbuds for everyday use: Apple AirPods Pro 3

Best for long-haul flights: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

Best premium travel headphones: Sony WH-1000XM5

Best budget noise-cancelling headphones: JBL Tune 770NC

Best overall

The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 stand out for their combination of workout-focused features and everyday versatility, including built-in heart rate monitoring, active noise cancellation and Transparency mode. Their flexible earhooks help keep them in place during movement, while up to 45 hours of battery life with the charging case means fewer interruptions to recharge.[/product_listing]

 

Best open-ear headphones

For running, cycling or hiking, look for open-ear headphones that let you hear your surroundings without sacrificing sound quality. The SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2 offer a secure fit, up to 12 hours of battery life and a dual-driver design for clear highs and deeper bass.[/product_listing]

Best budget workout earbuds

If you want workout earbuds that stay put while you run or hit the gym, the JLab Go Air Sport+ feature a secure earhook design and an IP55 rating for sweat and splash resistance. They also offer more than 35 hours of total playtime with the charging case, making them a budget-friendly pick for regular workouts.[/product_listing]

 

Best noise-cancelling headphones

These Sony headphones combine impressive noise cancellation with rich, detailed sound, making them a worthwhile pick for tuning out the world on your commute or next flight. A comfortable over-ear fit and noise cancellation that adapts to your surroundings make them just as suited to long listening sessions as everyday use.[/product_listing]

 

Best wireless earbuds for everyday use

For everyday use, look for wireless earbuds with a secure fit, reliable noise cancellation and enough battery life to get you through your commute and daily errands. The Apple AirPods Pro 3 offer up to eight hours of listening time with noise cancellation enabled, plus immersive audio, heart rate sensing for workouts and Live Translation.[/product_listing]

 

Best for long-haul flights

For long-haul flights, look for headphones with strong noise cancellation to help reduce engine noise and cabin chatter. The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) offer up to 24 hours of battery life, a comfortable over-ear fit and immersive audio for movies, music and podcasts in the air.[/product_listing]

 

Best premium travel headphones

For long flights and busy travel days, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones deliver premium sound and advanced noise cancellation to help block out engine noise and surrounding distractions. With up to 30 hours of battery life, quick charging and soft leather ear cushions, they’re a comfortable travel companion from takeoff to landing.[/product_listing]

 

Best budget noise-cancelling headphones

If you want to tune out subway noise without spending a fortune, the JBL Tune 770NC headphones offer adaptive noise cancelling and up to 70 hours of battery life. The lightweight, foldable design is also handy for slipping into your bag between commutes.[/product_listing]

You may also like:

Marshall Acton III Bluetooth Home Speaker – $379.98

STANLEY Vitalize™ Tempo Bottle 24 oz, Lightweight Water Bottle – $52.00

Arae Travel Essentials Electronic Organizer Double Layer – $12.58

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

A serious multi-vehicle crash closed Highway 99 just east of the Highway 91 interchange in Delta on Friday afternoon.

Dash cam footage shows a truck crossing the median and crashing into several cars, including a double-decker transit bus.

Surrey police said in a later update that only one person has been transported to hospital with minor injuries.

Tow trucks are working their way to the vehicles that aren’t drivable.

It is not known if the bus was carrying any passengers.

Surrey Fire Services and BCEHS paramedics are on scene, Surrey police said.

They expect the route to be closed for several hours.

https://x.com/DriveBC/status/2111267616694440127

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

The Chinese state-owned company XCMG is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of heavy equipment.

However, the quality of its products changed five years ago, and the company now faces civil lawsuits alleging that it defrauded equipment dealers in Canada.

At Vancouver’s law courts on Friday, veteran heavy equipment dealer Ryan Martin said they started with XCMG in 2017 and business was good up until about 2021.

“It’s destroyed our family,” he said.

“It’s destroyed our family business.”

Martin’s family company is Arctic Machinery with dealerships in Prince George, Chilliwack and Kelowna.

In recent years, they started selling heavy equipment made by XCMG, but Martin said something changed several years ago.

“The quality of the equipment that time was not what the quality was in the past,” Martin said.

He said other XCMG dealers in Canada also had similar problems and in troubleshooting them, they said they found evidence to support their claim.

“There was a process of changing serial number plates and changing the years of the machines in order to maybe misrepresent to the end user what they were buying,” Martin said.

In July, a Saskatchewan dealer filed a suit against XCMG alleging unlawful tampering with serial number plates on equipment sold to them in Alberta this year.

LTR Equipment, based in Quebec, filed a similar case and a lift company in Ontario has also filed a case, alleging serial numbers were tampered with.

“As an example, it would be built in 2020, but really sold to us as a 2022 machine,” Martin said. “That kind of stuff.”

In a statement to Global News, XCMG Canada said: “Arctic Machinery purchased approximately $18 million in XCMG-branded inventory, which it did not pay for.”

“XCMG is fully defending the claims in the civil actions.”

Martin said his family company was forced into bankruptcy when XCMG called in its loans, which he said was in retaliation for blowing the whistle on the alleged serial number tampering.

RCMP in Alberta’s K Division confirmed that members of their auto theft unit carried out a search warrant at XCMG’s headquarters in April and the investigation is ongoing.

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

Watch the full broadcast of Global National with Dawna Friesen for Friday, October 16, 2026.

View more Global National videos here

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

Dozens of concerned residents packed Edmonton City Hall on Friday for a special council meeting, called in response to the Alberta government’s order to roll back the Edmonton’s infill zoning rules to those in place before 2024.

“This is probably by far and away the most significant line crossing that we’ve ever seen in our local government, across Alberta, in probably our history,” Mayor Andrew Knack told reporters on Friday.

Knack said he’s struggling with the implications of the province’s move and what it could mean for city council’s authority.

“How do I still follow through on this role when essentially, every decision council makes can be overturned?

“It’s a very real question I’m grappling with.”

There were plenty of questions for city administration during Friday’s meeting, but many went unanswered.

City officials said they currently have only the province’s Oct. 8 announcement and have not received a written directive.

That frustrated some of the people who came to watch the meeting.

“I’m still unclear as to what direction we’re going,” said Jan Hardstaff with Edmonton’s Residential Infill Working Group.

“It almost seemed as if it was too premature to have a meeting and have the public there because there’s just not enough. They still have a lot of things they need to understand.”

Premier Danielle Smith and Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams defended the province’s decision when they spoke to reporters on Oct. 8.

“When you see the kind of reaction that we’ve seen from residents, then we have to step in,” Smith said.

Williams said the province had seen “extreme examples” that were dividing neighbourhoods.

“Clearly, this demonstrably tells the province that this needs a pause and sober second thought,” he said.

Back at Edmonton City Hall on Friday, spectator Michael Demoor said the uncertainty has put council in a difficult position.

“The province seems to be making it up as it goes along and doing that very slowly, right, and therefore putting city council in an almost impossible position, so I find that deeply frustrating.”

There is also a lack of clarity about how the public engagement ordered by the province will take place. The uncertainty also leaves unresolved the possibility of a legal challenge, which Knack has previously raised.

Knack did put forward a motion asking the province to provide the city with its written directive on the infill rules as soon as possible.

“It’s frustrating for everyone, and I think more importantly it’s embarrassing for the provincial government because you would have assumed that when you announce something, you’d actually have something in writing. But they’ve chosen not to do that,” Knack said.

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

The Manitoba First Nations Police Service (MFNPS) and safety officers will receive a total of $163.5 million from the provincial and federal governments, but some First Nation leaders say it’s not enough and are hoping for more support.

MFNPS is getting $121 million over four years, while the Manitoba First Nations Safety Officer Program will get $42.5 million to expand its program, making it accessible for any community that wants it.

“Where someone lives should not determine the level of policing or investigational services they receive,” said MFNPS Police Chief Jason Colon. “The expectations placed on our police service are the same as the expectations placed on any other police service in Manitoba, but we need the capacity to meet those expectations.”

Manto Sipi Cree Nation relies on safety officers to respond to crime and potentially detain any suspect, while they wait for the nearest RCMP detachment to fly into their community, said Chief Michael Yellowback. The nearest RCMP station is more than 50 kilometres away. RCMP response time can lag up to three hours during the winter as officers trek through winter roads, said Yellowback.

Indigenous leaders have long been advocating for funding, as safety officers are the first line of defence scanning who and what is coming in and out of a community.

“There’s 63 first nations in Manitoba and $42 million won’t go a long way,” he said. “I’m hoping it’s a win-win situation for everybody, especially for our community, because our First Nation officers need that much needed training and equipment.”

Long Plain First Nation Chief David Meeches said his community received around $1 million for the safety of its community and is appreciative of the funding from the government, so they can put resources in other needs, but there needs to be ongoing support.

“We need to go beyond today’s announcement. We need to go beyond and seek continued support,” said Meeches.

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