The Trump administration said Monday that it is creating a US$1.7 billion fund to compensate prosecuted allies of the Republican president after he moved to drop his lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” was announced by the Justice Department as part of a deal to resolve President Donald Trump’s case over the leak of his tax returns.

Democrats and government watchdogs immediately pledged to fight what they called a “corrupt” and unprecedented resolution, warning that the arrangement would unjustly enrich people close to the president with taxpayer dollars and open the door to meritless claims of political persecution.

Trump’s lawyers disclosed the dismissal of the case in a filing Monday in federal court in Florida, where the president sued earlier this year. The filing did not disclose the terms of any resolution, but ABC News first reported last week that Trump was prepared to drop his lawsuit as part of a deal that would create a $1.7 billion fund to pay allies of the president who believe they were mistreated by the Biden administration Justice Department.

If established, the fund would represent not only a highly unorthodox resolution but also a further demonstration of the administration’s eagerness to reward allies who before Trump came to power were investigated and in some cases charged and convicted. Most notably, the president on his first day back in office pardoned or commuted the sentences of supporters who rioted at the

U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His Justice Department since then has approved payouts to supporters entangled in the Trump-Russia investigation and investigated and prosecuted some of his perceived adversaries.

“This case is nothing but a racket designed to take $1.7 billion of taxpayer dollars out of the Treasury and pour it into a huge slush fund for Trump at DOJ to hand out to his private militia of insurrectionists, rioters, and white supremacists, including those who brutally beat police officers on January 6, 2021, and sycophant accomplices to his election stealing schemes,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement.

Trump’s attorneys suggested in their court filing seeking to dismiss the case that the resolution would not be reviewable by a judge. But a group of 93 members of Congress filed a brief teeing up a challenge.

It was not immediately clear who precisely will stand to benefit from the reported fund but its creation reflects Trump’s long-running claims that the Justice Department during the Biden administration was weaponized against him.

He has cited as proof the since-dismissed criminal charges he faced between his first and second terms of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election he lost and of retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Several aides of his were also prosecuted, as were hundreds of Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol in an effort to halt the certification of election results on Jan. 6, 2021.

Merrick Garland, who served as attorney general during the Biden administration, has repeatedly denied allegations of politicization and has said his decisions followed facts, the evidence and the law. His Justice Department also investigated Biden for his handling of classified information and brought separate tax and gun prosecutions against Biden’s son Hunter.

Nonetheless, Trump’s current Justice Department has actively pursued the president’s retribution campaign and grievances, bringing criminal charges against some of his political opponents and initiating a wide-ranging investigation that aims to establish a years-long conspiracy between law enforcement and intelligence officials to destroy Trump’s political prospects and keep him power.

No charges have been brought in that investigation and it is not clear that any ever will be.

Trump filed a lawsuit earlier this year in a Florida federal court, alleging that a previous leak of his and the Trump Organization’s confidential tax records caused “reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, unfairly tarnished their business reputations, portrayed them in a false light, and negatively affected President Trump, and the other Plaintiffs’ public standing.”

The president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, are also named plaintiffs in the suit.

In 2024, former IRS contractor Charles Edward Littlejohn — who worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, a defence and national security tech firm — was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to leaking tax information about Trump and others to two news outlets between 2018 and 2020.

The outlets were not named in the charging documents, but the description and time frame align with stories about Trump’s tax returns in The New York Times and reporting about wealthy Americans’ taxes in the nonprofit investigative journalism organization ProPublica. The 2020 New York Times report found Trump paid $750 in federal income tax the year he first entered the White House, and no income tax at all some years, thanks to reported colossal losses.

In the first sign that a settlement was coming, lawyers for the president asked a federal judge last month to pause the case for 90 days while the two sides work to reach a settlement or resolution.

“This limited pause will neither prejudice the parties nor delay ultimate resolution,” the filing in April said. “Rather, the extension will promote judicial economy and allow the Parties to explore avenues that could narrow or resolve the issues efficiently.”

When asked in February how he would handle any potential damages from the case, Trump said, “I think what we’ll do is do something for charity.”

“We could make it a substantial amount,” he said at the time. “Nobody would care because it’s going to go to numerous very good charities.”

A group of lawyers wrote to the court this month, expressing concerns about whether the Justice Department was properly insulated from the president’s control of the case. Additionally, several ethics watchdog groups have filed friend-of-the-court briefs challenging the president’s lawsuit.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, an advocacy group that filed an earlier brief, said in response to the dismissal: “This case was always a sham, and another ploy by the President to access taxpayer funds to line his pockets.”

Perryman vowed that her group would continue to fight the settlement.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Three Toronto police officers are facing charges after being arrested while vacationing in Barcelona.

The force confirmed their arrest in a statement to Global News Monday; it did not say what type of charges they are facing.

“The allegations are serious. On arrival in Canada, one officer was suspended from duty as authorized by the Chief of Police in accordance with the Community Safety and Policing Act,” a spokesperson said.

“The two other officers will also be suspended upon their return to Canada in the coming days.”

The spokesperson added the officers were not in Barcelona on any official capacity, and that the force would not be commenting further.

A spokesperson for the Toronto Police Association said the union would not be commenting given the allegations relate to an off-duty incident.

Global News has reached out to authorities in Barcelona for more information.

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

Italy’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that rescuers have located the bodies of four Italian divers deep inside an underwater cave in an atoll in the Maldives, four days after they were reported missing.

Searches had resumed on Monday after being suspended following the death of a local military diver during a perilous mission to try to reach them.

The government of the Indian Ocean island nation confirmed the bodies were spotted in the innermost part of the cave by three Finnish diving experts, supported by the Maldives police and the military.

“As was previously thought, the four bodies were found inside the cave, not only inside the cave but well inside the cave into the third segment of the cave, which is the largest part,” said Ahmed Shaam, a Maldives government spokesman.

He said the four were found “pretty much together.”

“The plan is they will try and recover two bodies tomorrow and possibly the other two the following day,” Shaam said in a voice clip sent to the media.

The Divers’ Alert Network Europe, which deployed the three Finnish divers, said on its website that they are technical and cave divers with international experience in search and recovery missions, including operations in “deep overhead environments, confined spaces, and high-risk scenarios.”

The team used advanced technical systems, including closed-circuit rebreathers, a system that recycles exhaled breathing gas and removes carbon dioxide through a chemical scrubber, allowing for “significantly longer dives,” the organization explained.

The body of a fifth Italian — a diving instructor — was found earlier outside the cave. The five were exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 meters (160 feet) in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry. The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 meters (98 feet).

Three Finnish divers, experts in deep and cave diving arrived in the Maldives on Sunday.

Maldives presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said earlier that the search was suspended after Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died of underwater decompression sickness after being transferred to a hospital in the capital on Saturday.

Rough weather has repeatedly hampered rescue efforts.

Initial teams had already dived to identify and mark the entrance to the cave system where the Italians disappeared. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Winnipeg police are now investigating after two people were found dead in a house fire earlier this month.

The fire occurred during the early morning hours on May 7 at a home in the 500 block of Langside Street.

Emergency services found a 41-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman dead inside the home; the fire spread to a second residence that was vacant. No other injuries were reported.

The Major Crimes Unit has taken over the investigation and continues to work to determine the cause of the fire.

Anyone with information, or who may have dashcam, security, or cell phone video from around the time of the incident, is asked to contact police.

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

The U.S. undersecretary of defence said Monday that the United States is pausing a long-standing military board, claiming “Canada has failed to make credible progress on its defense commitments.”

In a post on social media, Elbridge Colby said his department is pausing the Permanent Joint Board on Defense “to reassess how this forum benefits shared North American defense.”

The board was established in 1940 and is an advisory forum for U.S.-Canada bilateral defence co-operation.

Colby said the United States can “can no longer avoid the gaps between rhetoric and reality” in the post, where he shared a link to a transcript of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

Carney never mentioned U.S. President Donald Trump during the widely applauded speech where he described a “rupture in the world order.” The address did garner the president’s attention and following the speech Trump referred to Carney as “governor.” But Canada has not been the main target of Trump’s ire in recent weeks.

With geopolitical uncertainty heightened by the conflict in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz it’s unclear what led Colby to announce the pause of the defence board with Canada.

Carney has significantly increased Canada’s defence spending, surpassing North Atlantic Treaty Organization targets.

Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole called the move “profoundly misguided” and said the timing was strange following Trump’s trip to China.

In a post on social media, O’Toole says “Canada has been and will be an ally that shares values of liberty.”

© 2026 The Canadian Press

The former residence of Canada’s consul general in New York has sold after nearly two years on the market.

Global Affairs Canada has not yet confirmed the sale price but in March said it had received an offer on the residence.

One realtor website said the five-bedroom apartment on Park Avenue sold for US$8.05 million on May 11. Another website said the price was that amount in March, around the time Global Affairs Canada confirmed it had received an offer.

The apartment was originally listed for US$9.5 million — C$13 million — in August 2024. Senior government officials said at the time that the sale was necessary because the residence needed millions of dollars in renovations.

That same year, Global Affairs Canada bought a new luxury condominium  for C$9 million to serve as the official residence for its consul general in New York.

The purchase led to international headlines after some New York websites initially reported the condo deal was done for King Charles because the property’s deed said it was sold to “His Majesty the King in right of Canada.”

It also faced backlash in Canada with Conservatives saying the new apartment, located on “Billionaires’ Row” near Central Park, was wasteful and opulent at a time when Canadians were struggling to pay their bills.

In response, Canada’s consul general in New York Tom Clark was called to testify in a House of Commons committee about the apartments. The former CTV journalist said he had nothing to do with the purchase of the new apartment, nor the sale of the old residence.

The Park Avenue apartment was initially purchased in 1961 and last renovated two decades later.

The committee heard that it wasn’t in compliance with Canada’s accessibility legislation and the co-operative board in charge of the building had imposed restrictions on events that could be held on site.

There was also a lack of separation between family and work spaces.

Concerns about the residence were first raised in 2014 and there were plans for renovations. Those were put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee heard that renovation costs significantly rose and were ultimately not expected to solve some fundamental issues with the apartment.

Government officials at the time said purchasing the new apartment in Steinway Tower, a building known as the world’s thinnest skyscraper, would ultimately save Canadian taxpayers money.

The Park Avenue apartment, however, did not sell quickly. Online realtor websites show the price first dropped in June 2025, and then again to US$7.9 million last September.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore met with an Uber lobbyist a day before the mayor persuaded council to delay a vote on a proposal to increase oversight of ride-hailing drivers, newly released documents show.

The documents obtained by The Canadian Press reveal lobbyist Jonathan Hamel delivered a presentation to Fillmore on Jan. 12 urging the mayor to oppose bylaw changes aimed at aligning the way the background checks are handled for ride-hailing drivers and regular taxi and limo drivers.

Included in the 40 pages of documents is a slide-show that highlights Uber’s safety standards and contributions to the community, as well as pointed criticism of the proposed amendment.

The municipality does not have a lobbyist registry, which means details of the meeting and related correspondence would not have been disclosed to the public without a formal request under the province’s freedom-of-information law.

The documents also show Hamel, public affairs manager for Uber Canada in Quebec, exchanged numerous emails with senior staff in Fillmore’s office between October and November 2025 as council was preparing to debate changes recommended in a staff report.

The report noted that under the existing rules, taxi and limo drivers must submit results from all background checks to the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) for review, but ride-hailing drivers are not required to do so. Instead, their checks are handed to the companies, which conduct internal reviews.

The background checks are for criminal records, child abuse allegations and there’s a special police check for those who work with vulnerable people.

As part of a broader bid to modernize the region’s ride-for-hire sector, the staff report recommended ride-hailing drivers should do the same as their taxi-driving colleagues.

In response, Hamel sent an email to the mayor’s office on Nov. 19, 2025, arguing that Halifax’s screening process was already the most stringent in Canada.

“Halifax’s current bylaws already hold taxi and ride-share drivers to the identical screening standards and gives HRM strong audit and enforcement powers,” Hamel says in an email to Duncan Robertson, Fillmore’s policy adviser.

“Maintaining Halifax’s current framework — which already ensures strong safety standards and effective oversight — is the most balanced and modern approach.”

There is no suggestion that the behind-the-scenes lobbying by the San Francisco-based tech giant broke any rules, but the documents shed light on the company’s concerted bid to maintain the status quo on background checks.

Uber has repeatedly argued that municipal officials have always had the authority under a data-sharing agreement to ask for any background checks. But the region’s licencing manager confirmed in January that staff had never submitted such a request. Steven Berkman told council he didn’t know why that was the case.

Meanwhile, Uber applied pressure on councillors on Jan. 9 by issuing a statement encouraging its drivers to send in complaints about the proposals. Councillors later reported receiving hundreds of emails, though some said that many of the messages mainly complained about poor pay.

During the council meeting on Jan. 13, Fillmore won approval to defer discussion on the matter until a regular council meeting two weeks later.

On Jan. 26, a day before that meeting, Uber spokeswoman Keerthan Rang emailed a statement to The Canadian Press saying the proposed changes would not deliver meaningful safety benefits. And she endorsed the mayor’s bid to appoint a committee to plot a way forward.

“This group would review HRM’s public policy objectives against the best practices from across Canada, with a particular focus on training, audit and compliance models used by municipal and provincial regulators,” Rang wrote.

During the Jan. 27 council meeting, Fillmore proposed shelving the changes and appointing the committee, which council approved.

Fillmore’s motion makes it clear Uber had a hand in the mayor’s approach. Part of his motion is virtually identical to a portion of Rang’s statement from the day before.

The mayor told council the new committee would “review the municipality’s public policy objectives against the best practices from across Canada, with a particular focus on training, audit, approaches to licensure and compliance models used by municipal and provincial regulators.”

Fillmore declined an interview request and his office did not respond to a question about the similarities between Uber’s statement and his motion.

His office instead sent a statement that said he regularly meets with stakeholders, including representatives from transportation companies and the taxi industry.

“The mayor’s position throughout this discussion has been consistent: safety requirements for (ride-hailing) drivers are important and already exist under the current framework,” said the mayor’s spokesperson, Ryan Nearing, in the statement.

Coun. Sam Austin, one of two councillors who voted against the mayor’s motions, said Uber had reached out to him several times.

“They were reaching out to everybody,” he said in an interview. “I might have had a phone call with them. And I heard from the taxi drivers, actually …. From what I was receiving, the taxi industry was nowhere near as organized as the ride-share folks were.”

Austin said he supported aligning the rules for background checks and other measures aimed at levelling the playing field for the taxi business and the ride-hailing companies because there wasn’t enough scrutiny of Uber when it set up shop in 2020.

“There was so much pressure to allow ridesharing,” Austin said. “We allowed them to come in while we tied up the local taxi industry’s ability to compete.”

The debate over background checks comes at a time when Uber is facing increased scrutiny in the United States, where the company is facing multiple class action lawsuits alleging sexual assault and harassment by drivers.

In August, the New York Times showed that between 2017 and 2022, Uber had received reports of sexual assault or sexual misconduct almost every eight minutes on average across the United States. Citing internal documents, the Times said that amounted to more than 400,000 complaints, a level that was far higher than the company had previously disclosed.

The Times also reported Uber had tested tools to make trips safer, including mandatory video recording and pairing female passengers with female drivers. But the newspaper reported Uber delayed or did not require its drivers to take part in some of those programs.

In response, Rang at Uber Canada issued a statement in January saying safety is a core value at Uber, which offers several safety features including GPS tracking, encrypted audio recording and a RideCheck service that detects if a ride goes off-course or ends early.

“The vast majority of trips on Uber are completed without any incident,” her statement said.

“With millions of trips happening every day, Uber is not immune to societal issues — it persists across all parts of life and modes of transportation and we are continually working to strengthen our technology, policies and procedures to improve safety.”

© 2026 The Canadian Press

The Curator independently decides what topics and products we feature. When you purchase an item through our links, we may earn a commission. Promotions and products are subject to availability and retailer terms.

Searching for an A+ gift for the special scholar in your life? We’ve got a few picks beyond the standard diploma frame that are sure to pass the test.We’ve rounded up thoughtful picks that go far beyond the standard diploma frame. Whether they’re graduating from university, college, high school or even earning their PhD, there’s something for every kind of grad on your list. From beauty lovers and tech enthusiasts to homebodies, these gifts from brands like Mejuri, Quince, Beats feel personal and practical—what’s not to love? After all, a new chapter calls for a fresh start.

 

Best beauty grad gifts

Got a valedictorian on your list? For the mister who enjoys a crowd, this charismatic scent is an irresistible medley of citrus, spices and lavender.[/product_listing]

 

Graduation is the perfect excuse to splurge on a hot-ticket gift–and this one seriously delivers. Bring the med-spa experience home with this high-tech LED face mask, designed with advanced iQLED technology and a cooling InstaChill feature for an ultra-luxe skincare session.[/product_listing]

 

For the beauty-loving grad who craves a flawless face in a pinch, this iconic set delivers a five-minute glow-up courtesy of a radiant complexion stick, creamy blush, mascara and more.[/product_listing]

 

Best jewellery grad gifts

What’s not to love about this signet ring? For graduates with discerning taste, this bold yet refined design adds just the right amount of edge to any jewellery wardrobe.[/product_listing]

 

For the graduate who appreciates the finer things, this sapphire-adorned tennis bracelet handcrafted in sterling silver makes for a timeless gift with everyday wearability.[/product_listing]

 

Sometimes, it’s the simplest pieces that make a lasting impression. These polished silver hoops are the perfect everyday accessory. Bonus: they can be customized with cute charms for a more personal feel.[/product_listing]

 

Best fashion grad gifts

This slim and sleek wallet keeps essentials organized without the bulk. Crafted from water-resistant vegan leather, it’s a polished piece grads will–literally–reach for every day.[/product_listing]

 

After countless late-night study sessions and exam cramming, comfort is probably at the top of every grad’s wishlist. These easy-on clogs deliver exactly that, pairing laid-back style with a contoured footbed and breathable knit lining for all-day comfort they’ll happily slip into again and again.[/product_listing]

 

A timeless wardrobe staple, this luxe cashmere crewneck is the kind of elevated essential grads will wear for years to come. It’s perfect for layering through every season–from chilly lecture halls to cool summer nights. Even better: it’s crafted from pill-resistant cashmere for a polished look that lasts.[/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

Bodycology Bath Fizzies – $9.99

Heart-Shaped Double Walled Mug – $12.99

Retrospect Solana Yoga Mat – $35.58

 

Best tech grad gifts

The laptop everyone’s eyeing right now, this sleek new Apple MacBook comes in four chic colourways–Indigo, blush pink, silver and vibrant citrus. With up to 16 hours of battery life and a stunning Liquid Retina display, it’s the ultimate on-the-go gift for grads constantly typing, studying and creating.[/product_listing]

 

Whether they’re commuting to their first job or studying for post-grad exams, these bestselling earbuds make the perfect graduation gift. With immersive sound, noise cancelling and a comfortable fit, they’re a practical luxury grads will use every single day.[/product_listing]

 

Help them hold onto the memories with this adorable smartphone printer that instantly transforms camera roll favourites into mini photo prints. From dorm snapshots to graduation day pics, it’s a thoughtful gift that lets grads capture this exciting new chapter in a more tangible way.[/product_listing]

 

Best home grad gifts

This iconic candle blends notes of blackcurrant berries and rose for an ambient, Parisian-inspired home fragrance–perfect for at-home study sessions.[/product_listing]

 

Elevate their listening experience with the bluetooth speaker of her dreams. We love the PVC-free design that comprises of 70 per cent recycled plastic and only vegan materials.[/product_listing]

 

A plush terry bathrobe is one of those everyday luxuries most grads won’t splurge on for themselves, but will use constantly once they have it. Crafted from cozy Egyptian cotton, this ultra-soft robe is basically a wearable reminder to slow down and relax.[/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

3-in-1 Charging Station for iPhone – $31.99

100% Egyptian Cotton Queen Sheets – $93.74

Theragun Mini Massage Gun – $249.97

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

A group of Canadian researchers says the amount of powdery pollen released by plants during their reproduction process has gone up across Canada in recent years and is exacerbating allergies from hay fever to hives.

Daniel Coates, director of Aerobiology Research Laboratories, which monitors pollen, said monitoring by his lab suggests pollen levels across Canada have doubled.

Climate change is partly to blame, he said.

“It’s getting worse because pollen loves warm weather,” he said. “When you have longer periods of warm weather, science and data have proven that you’re going to see more pollen in the air as well.”

Unpredictable weather could also be why allergies are more intense in 2026.

This year, spring across the country has been cooler, Coates said. That means pollen from trees that usually burst earlier in the season — cedars and maples, for example — are releasing pollen around the same time as those that release later, including birch, oak and poplar trees.

“Poplar this year was really high in Edmonton, for example, and now they’re overlapping with what we more typically see around this time of year, which is like birch,” he said.

“We’re seeing a sort of a later start — but more intense start — to the season.”

Kevin Sproule, an Edmonton-based arborist, said seasonal allergies have been particularly intense in Alberta, which has in recent weeks experienced dramatic weather shifts from blowing snow and ice to blooming trees and sunshine.

“My wife and my kids have been experiencing more allergy symptoms this year than they have in the past and I believe that’s because of that intense explosion of pollen,” said Sproule, who works for tree pruning company Davey Tree.

Dawn Jurgens, also with Aerobiology Research Laboratories, said pollen allergies in cities across the world have gone up over the years, and botanical sexism is partly to blame.

She said municipalities have historically preferred to plant male trees rather than female trees to reduce the amount of fruiting debris the females might produce after the release of pollen.

“It does make allergies a little bit worse because you get more pollen release when there’s more male trees,” she said.

Pollen allergies, she said, are also intense in cities because of the “heat-island effect,” in which tightly packed buildings and paved surfaces in urban areas trap heat more than rural areas.

“So the temperature in the cities is much higher than it is in less urban areas,” she said.

Jurgens said allergy sufferers can’t do much to prevent intense allergic reactions to pollen other than changing their outdoor activities.

Amy Kish, senior laboratory technician with Aerobiology, said she’s been itchy and has had a runny nose.

The Ontario resident said when the weather is nice, she usually keeps the windows closed.

“I can’t have the windows open, and I get annoyed if my husband hangs the laundry out on certain days,” she said.

“It’s not fun feeling sick when your allergies are bad all the time.”

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Special Olympics Canada says Frank Hayden, whose research in the 1960s spearheaded the creation of the Special Olympics globally, has died.

The organization says in a post on its website that Hayden died Saturday at 96 and is survived by four children, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Raised in St. Catharines, Ont., it says his research in the 1960s that exercise would be beneficial for people with intellectual disabilities led to the creation of the Special Olympics.

Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver on July 20, 1968, the Special Olympics provides athletic training and competitions for millions of athletes with intellectual disabilities in more than 170 countries.

Hayden was later inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, appointed a companion of the Order of Canada and had a school in Burlington, Ont., named after him.

Gail Hamamoto, CEO of Special Olympics Canada, says his work opened doors for people with intellectual disabilities to discover their full potential through sport.

“We mourn this tremendous loss with profound gratitude for everything he gave to this movement and to the athletes who inspired his life’s work,” said Hamamoto in the organization’s online tribute.

His obituary says a celebration of life will be held June 19 at Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School.

© 2026 The Canadian Press