The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a Hamilton-based air ambulance carrying six people that went missing off the coast of Nantucket.

The Federal Aviation Administration told Global News in a statement it issued a Search and Rescue Alert for a Gulfstream G-100 around 1:20 a.m. Saturday.

The flight departed from L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda and was headed to Boston Logan International Airport, a spokesperson said. It was scheduled to arrive in Boston around 1:30 a.m.

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates Boston Logan International Airport, confirmed to Global News in an email that the aircraft did not arrive as scheduled.

“Our thoughts are with those on board and their loved ones as the search continues,” the spokesperson said.

According to data from Flight Aware, the plane took off around 11:40 p.m. Friday. Data shows the aircraft slowing down as it dropped from 24,000 feet to 11,000 feet around 1:05 a.m. before losing contact.

In a post on social media, the Coast Guard said it had launched air and surface crews in search of the aircraft.

The jet is registered to Latitude Air Ambulance, a company based in Hamilton, Ont., according to data from FlightRadar 24.

The company’s website states it operates four Gulfstream G-100 jets, the “longest range dedicated medevac aircraft in North America.”

Typically a mission will have a registered nurse and a registered respiratory therapist. Sometimes a physician will also be on board, the website says.

The Coast Guard said six people were on board.

The jet’s previous flight was Friday, travelling from Hamilton to Bermuda.

https://x.com/USCGNortheast/status/2106327386987888885

 

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

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.

If there’s one thing I’ll gladly outsource to technology without looking back, it’s cleaning. And thanks to smarter, quieter, and more innovative tech, we can now hand over a surprising amount of the grunt work to gadgets that genuinely make life easier (and dare I say, a little pleasurable to watch?). Here are my top picks for this latest round of smartest home helpers — all of them high-tech, thoughtfully designed, and worth your attention.

 

Let’s be honest: cleaning windows is right up there with scrubbing grout — necessary, but not enjoyable. The Winbot Mini changes that with a compact, ultra-thin design that can clean areas other robots can’t touch — even windows with handles or narrow side panels under 30 cm wide – which has been an issue with predecessor models. It sticks securely with suction and glides across glass, using smart navigation to map its path while avoiding edges and obstacles. Use it inside or out, and enjoy streak-free results without risking life, limb, or ladder. Really, how nice would it be to look out the window and watch that! [/product_listing]

 

This is one of those “how did I live without it?” products. The Dreame L40 doesn’t just vacuum — it also mops, self-cleans, and empties its own bin. All you do is fill the clean-water tank and empty the dirty one occasionally; it handles the rest. With precision LiDAR mapping (read: lasers) and adaptive floor sensors, it glides effortlessly from tile to carpet, cleaning every inch efficiently. Through the app, you can set cleaning schedules, define no-go zones, or watch its progress in real time. It’s the ultimate time-saver for anyone who’d rather do literally anything else than clean floors. This is especially handy for pet parents and parents of young children.[/product_listing]

 

Let’s have the talk. Toilet paper is fine, but once you go bidet, you don’t go back. The TUSHY Classic 3.0 is the perfect beginner’s bidet — non-electric (so no outlet needed), super-easy to install, and equipped with a self-cleaning nozzle that rinses itself before and after every use. You’ll save money on TP, feel cleaner, and add a surprisingly luxe touch to your bathroom for under $150. And yes, you’ll probably start telling everyone about it, too.[/product_listing]

 

Keyboards, car vents, window blinds — all those crumb-catching crevices finally meet their match. This compact powerhouse switches between blower and vacuum mode at up to 150,000 RPM (that’s literal jet-speed air) and recharges for easy use. Bring it with you camping or take it outside to clean your car, or keep it desk-side for computer cleans while you’re listening to on-hold music. Its Six interchangeable nozzles let you tackle everything from laptop ports to patio furniture, and it even inflates pool toys or air mattresses. No more canned air, no more excuses.[/product_listing]

 

Steam cleaning is one of those “try it once and you’ll never stop” things. Truly, once you see what steam cleaning can do you’ll be sad you didn’t start sooner. The NEAT Plus generates pressurized, low-moisture steam hot enough to sanitize surfaces naturally — no harsh chemicals needed. People with allergies or asthma will especially benefit from this type of cleaning. It’s powerful yet gentle, meaning you can clean grout, sealed hardwood, upholstery, blast away built up grease, grime and gunk and sanitize pet areas safely. Since it uses just tap water, it’s eco-friendly, quick-drying, and oddly satisfying to use (seriously — watching grime melt off is quite the joy to experience).[/product_listing]

 

Wrinkled blouses, musty coats, and dry-cleaning bills? Meet your new secret weapon. The LG Styler uses TrueSteam™ technology and gentle hanger vibration to refresh and sanitize clothes — even delicate fabrics — without detergent or heat damage. It eliminates 99.9% of bacteria, reduces allergens, and smooths wrinkles in under 20 minutes. Use it to sanitize blankets, pillows, and stuffies, dry coats and gloves after a wet day in the snow, or to dewrinkle your favourite blazer after a day of wear. This helps to extend the time between washes and trips to the drycleaner, too. It also features a touch screen, LG ThinQ app integration, and doesn’t require a water hookup, only an electrical outlet. Once you have one, you’ll find more excuses to use it. [/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

Vitruvi Stone Diffuser – $105.59

Levoit Humidifier – $66.02

Plug-in Night Lights – $13.49

 

Dyson keeps out-innovating itself, and the new V16 Piston is their most advanced yet. Its multi-directional cleaning head pivots fluidly to reach tight corners, while sensors automatically adjust suction power depending on floor type. Inside the bin, Dyson’s new Piston Compaction System literally crushes collected dirt and hair — fitting up to 30 days of dust into the canister before you need to empty it. And, enjoy up to 70 minutes of runtime, too. Translation: less mess, fewer dumps, and cleaner air, thanks to the sealed HEPA filtration that traps 99.99% of particles. It’s power, precision, and efficiency all rolled into one sleek stick vac.[/product_listing]

 

Another option worth the splurge is the Dyson V15 Detect Plus Cordless Vacuum–on sa

 

This purifier’s claim to fame is its airplane-inspired jet engine. Dyson engineered the HushJet Engine™ to mimic the aerodynamics of a turbofan — pushing air rapidly while smoothing turbulence so it stays whisper-quiet (as low as 24 decibels in Sleep mode). The result? A powerful, even stream of purified air that won’t disrupt your work, sleep, or sanity. 360° Electrostatic filter captures ultrafine particles, allergens, and VOCs, while its sleek, compact form makes it perfect for bedrooms or offices.
[/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

Heating Pad – $29.99

Ecozy Sunrise Alarm Clock – $46.99

NextMug Temperature Controlled Mug – $139.95

 

These aren’t just cool for the sake of being cool. Each one brings meaningful innovation to your daily routine:

• Less effort, more automation: Robots like the Winbot Mini and Dreame L40 actually clean — you just supervise.
• Smart design that saves time: The Dyson V16’s compaction bin and multi-directional head mean fewer stops and cleaner results.
• Cleaner living, less waste: The TUSHY and Dupray NEAT make hygiene eco-friendly and sustainable.
• Whisper-quiet power: From the HushJet’s jet-engine tech to the LG Styler’s silent refresh cycles, high performance no longer means high noise.

When tech gets this good, “cleaning day” starts to feel a lot more like “relaxing while robots do your chores” day — and that’s a future I can get behind.

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

CAIRO (AP) — The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain on an Israel-bound flight with an axe and trying to seize the controls was an Omani national who’d been barred from flying on his country’s airline because of concerns about extremist views, officials said Saturday.

The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, according to three people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf and Western diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The United Arab Emirates, which is leading the investigation, said the co-pilot attacked with the cockpit’s crash axe and tried to take control of the sharply plummeting plane in a “terrorist attack” Wednesday. His actions nearly crashed the flight with 182 people on board before passengers and others rushed in and subdued him.

The new details raised questions about how thoroughly FlyDubai vets potential employees, and how the co-pilot’s presence on a flight filled with Israeli passengers got past Israel’s strict security protocols.

Israel’s government has said it has agreements with foreign carriers to keep pilots of nations without diplomatic ties from flying there. Israel and Oman don’t have formal diplomatic relations. The UAE government has earned a reputation for effective measures against extremist activities but has bristled in the past over criticism of security lapses.

The incident occurred at a sensitive time for Israel, a week before the anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza. It also came weeks before a highly contentious election in which security, and Oct. 7 security failures, have been central issues.

FlyDubai hired the co-pilot after Oman Air barred him

Separately, a regional official and a person familiar with the matter said the co-pilot had been barred from flying by Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views. The official said he was moved to an administrative job at Oman Air. Both spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. They gave no details about the alleged extremist views.

The co-pilot was later hired by UAE-based airline FlyDubai, the person said. It was not immediately clear to what extent the co-pilot was vetted. The Gulf diplomat said he had undergone standard security checks before being hired, but it appears that the checks focused on whether he had been convicted on criminal charges and didn’t go deeper into examining his background for potential signs of radicalization.

The regional official also said security agencies from four regional countries were working to establish the co-pilot’s motives, aided by the United States and other Western governments. The Gulf diplomat said investigations were trying to establish whether the co-pilot acted alone or “has any connection with any extremist groups.”

The regional official said the co-pilot was born in the UAE and his mother is Syrian. He obtained Omani nationality from his father, also an Omani national. The regional official also said the co-pilot had traveled to Syria, with no details.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday said the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radicalization,” but provided no evidence. There was no immediate comment Saturday from Israel’s government.

A social media account was deleted the day of the flight

A FlyDubai spokesperson said in an email that the airline could not comment beyond its official statements and acknowledged “there are many questions at this stage.” There was no immediate comment from Oman Air, and Oman’s government has said nothing publicly in response to repeated questions since the incident.

In a statement to the AP, Royal Air Maroc, Morocco’s national carrier, said the co-pilot “completed a three-month theoretical training period with the airline in 2025, as part of the pre-employment process. At the end of this training period, his application was not selected for employment.” There were no details.

Keith Coles, a spokesperson for Buckinghamshire New University in England, told the AP that al-Hammami previously completed a distance-learning course in aviation management there but “did not undertake any pilot training.” There were no details on the timing.

Little else was immediately known about the co-pilot’s background. His Instagram account was active until the day of the flight and then deleted.

Captain and passengers have described drama on board

Airlines are generally required to carry crash axes in the cockpit that could be used in an emergency to break open a window to escape or break open a panel to access a fire.

The captain, who was badly wounded in the axe attack, has said he used his remaining energy while being attacked to unlock the cockpit door, allowing people who had noticed alarmingly unusual sounds to come in, tackle the co-pilot and stabilize the flight while passengers screamed.

The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a descent so extreme that part of the rudder was torn away, and aviation experts have marveled that it didn’t crash. FlyDubai has said crew traveling on the plane helped to stabilize the plane and land. They have not yet been publicly identified.

Both the captain and co-pilot were later taken to the UAE. The passengers, most of them Israeli, flew home later Wednesday on a separate plane, to cheers.

___

Mednick reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Anna from Jerusalem. AP Washington bureau chief Anna Johnson in Washington, aviation writer Josh Funk and Sam Metz in Jerusalem contributed.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

LONDON (AP) — A dual U.K.-Iranian national arrested on suspicion of plotting a terror attack following a security incident at a U.S.-run military air base in England has been released on bail, authorities said Saturday.

The 25-year-old man was arrested Thursday in London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts close to the RAF Fairford air base, which has been used by American bombers to strike Iran. He was the sixth person taken into custody and then released on bail as detectives investigate the incident.

British authorities have linked the incident to Tehran.

The five other men were not named, but police said they are all British nationals in their 20s and from London.

Scores of residents were evacuated from their homes near the base early Sunday as armed police officers and army bomb-disposal experts swooped on the rural area. Police later said they had found a quantity of an accelerant – gasoline – in three vans linked to the five suspects, but no explosives.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the U.K. sees “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident. He did not provide details about what the suspects were planning or why the U.K. thinks Iran was involved.

Iran has denied involvement. It has previously said that it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.

RAF Fairford, 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of London, has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East, including this year’s war with Iran.

Top U.S. officials have criticized the decision to grant the five suspects bail, with President Donald Trump saying “I wouldn’t have done that” and Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying a lot of people were “disturbed” by the move.

The arrests came at a time of heightened tensions around the threat from hostile states, with British security services saying Russia and Iran have both used proxies to commit crimes on U.K. soil. British officials have said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, increased by 50% in the six months to December 2025.

U.K. officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arsons and other attacks in Britain and other countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community and intended to sow fear. They have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East continue.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Sean and Heidi Cripe will never forget the call from their son’s high school saying Davis was being taken to the emergency room.

“He chugged an energy drink — like, just trying to be cool,” said Sean Cripe, recounting the day nearly a decade ago.

The teen’s heart soon fell out of rhythm and he died. While such deaths are rare, doctors across the country have warned for years that energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine that can seriously harm children, causing problems such as abnormal heartbeats, increased heart rate, sleep disturbances, dehydration, agitation, high blood pressure and seizures.

A newly formed coalition of doctors is highlighting these risks in the wake of a sponsorship deal between Monster Energy and the Big 12 Conference college athletic organization. The group has asked conference leaders to pause the sponsorship and the NCAA to review energy drink marketing to youths in general, citing the deaths of three children including Davis, a 16-year-old from South Carolina.

The doctors stress that they’re not just concerned about Monster but all energy drinks and any similar partnerships.

“Kids are going to see energy drinks now promoted by the universities and the athletes that they admire and want to emulate,” said Dr. Matthew Nelson, an Idaho cardiologist involved with the effort. “The kids will think of them as sports drinks, which they’re not.”

Too much caffeine can harm kids in many ways

Various medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, say children and teens should avoid energy drinks altogether. Yet many are not. According to the latest results of the federally funded Monitoring the Future survey, run by the University of Michigan, 23% of 12th graders, 20% of 10th graders and 18% of eighth graders reported consuming energy drinks daily.

Depending on the product, caffeine content can range from 80 to 300 mg per serving. By comparison, a typical 8-ounce coffee contains about 80 to 100 mg and some sodas contain 50 mg or less. Overall, the pediatrics academy recommends children ages 12 to 18 limit caffeine to 100 mg a day. Younger kids are discouraged from consuming any caffeine.

Caffeine and other stimulants increase heart rate and the reactivity of the nervous system – basically “how fast things go in the body, which can create an overload of the system,” said Dr. Tamara Hannon, an Indiana pediatrician who chairs the academy’s nutrition committee.

She likened it to running a blender until the motor heats up too much. “The same thing can happen when you deliver stimulants to people,” she said. “The heart can wear out, the nervous system can go haywire and you can have really serious consequences.”

While such cardiovascular dangers are real, Harvard Medical School experts say there’s no scientifically valid evidence behind the common belief that caffeine can stunt a person’s growth.

Mixing different types of caffeine can be risky

Children with preexisting conditions such as high blood pressure are at especially high risk, Hannon said, but even healthy children who get too much of a stimulant can have serious problems. That includes young athletes.

Another consideration: Kids often drink various types of caffeinated beverages. That was the case with Davis Cripe, who died in 2017. According to the coroner at the time, Davis had no prior heart condition and drank a Mountain Dew and a latte from McDonald’s earlier in the day. He experienced arrhythmia after having the energy drink.

It wasn’t the first time Davis drank one, although he didn’t consume them regularly.

“We had talked to him and let him know that they weren’t healthy,” Sean Cripe said. “We didn’t understand they could be deadly.”

Trade group says the energy drink industry tries to protect kids

The American Beverage Association — which includes Monster and other companies comprising 94% of the energy drink category — said members voluntarily disclose caffeine totals on product labels, which carry advisories such as: “Not intended for children, pregnant or nursing women, or persons sensitive to caffeine.” Members also don’t sell or market energy drinks in K-12 schools.

Monster Energy said in a statement that caffeine and other drink ingredients are found in a broad range of food products. “Mainstream energy drinks have been marketed worldwide for more than 30 years and more than 100 billion energy drinks have been sold and safely consumed globally,” the company added.

The deal between Big 12 and Monster calls for a co-branded logo on football and basketball jerseys, fields and courts, and across digital and social media channels.

“The energy drink category is not new to collegiate athletics,” the Big 12 Conference said in a statement, adding that beverage companies are always looking for ways to reach sports fans.

The NCAA doesn’t have the authority to regulate conference or school sponsorship agreements, Dr. Deena Casiero, the association’s chief medical officer, told the doctor group in a letter. She said the association offers schools educational resources on caffeine and student-athlete health, and caffeine has been a topic of interest for an NCAA committee, which recently commissioned a cardiac advisory group.

How to educate kids about excess caffeine

To protect children, teachers and coaches can educate them about the dangers of too much caffeine and the difference between energy drinks and sports drinks, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sports drinks are designed to help replace water and electrolytes lost through sweating after activity.

Parents and other adults can also model good behavior by not consuming energy drinks in front of kids.

At well visits, parents should talk with pediatricians about all the beverages their children are consuming, said Hannon, who often advises families to “Rethink your drink.”

Sean Cripe said sharing stories like his could also help children understand that energy drinks are not for them. “We just pray parents will use our stories, our tragedies, our grief, to have an impact on their own kids.”

___

The Associated Press’ health and science coverage receives financial support from the AP Fund for Journalism and private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – Quebec correspondent “Geneviève Tremblay” — who has been reporting on multiple news stories a day lately — seemed to be experiencing a glitch.

She wasn’t the only one. All of We News’ reporters and editors seemed to be malfunctioning on Friday, sending out error messages whenever The Canadian Press tried to ask them questions via chat.

That can happen when your “journalists” are — like the virtual staffers at We News — just fake personas generated by artificial intelligence.

AI has infiltrated news media in Canada and around the world. In early September, Nunatsiaq News published a story about an AI persona posing as an Inuk journalist in Nunavut — one of many personas used to repurpose work from legitimate news sources, including The Canadian Press, for We News.

The site describes itself as a “round-the-clock news portal covering Canada and the world.” But while it remains online, it appears to have been delisted from Google’s search results.

In late September, the story of “Daniel Robson” emerged. Canadian news outlets pulled his work from their websites after being told Robson appeared not to be a real person.

Policy Options editor-in-chief Les Perreaux was the first to sound the alarm in Canada. In an online post on Sept. 24, Perreaux wrote that an editor at Türkiye Today contacted him to ask him to vouch for Robson — and he realized he couldn’t.

“The key moment where my heart sank was when the Turkish journalist told me that Daniel Robson refused to do a video call,” Perreaux said in an interview.

Perreaux said he reviewed the correspondence and material Robson sent and spotted signs of AI product. He said the bigger issue was the attempt to deceive news editors and readers, while AI merely acted as an “accelerant.”

“AI is definitely part of the story, but it’s a smaller part than the deception part where there was a human behind this, pretending to be someone he’s not, or at least refusing to be who he really is,” he said.

In a story published on Sept. 29, Türkiye Today said the purpose of the Robson persona seems to be to attack Moroccan dissidents.

We News isn’t hiding its use of AI and clearly labels its “journalist” profiles — including photos of what appear to be human beings — as AI generated.

The AI personas at We News, which include grey-haired editor-in-chief “Gordon Halloway,” repurpose international, national, provincial and local news in more than 100 cities across Canada.

The Canadian Press did attempt to reach a human behind the site, but the contact email address listed on the site bounced back.

When the AI detection company Originality.ai analyzed just over 200 articles by “Geneviève Tremblay,” it identified them as AI-generated.

Originality.ai CEO Jon Gillham said the articles were rewritten versions of stories published by legitimate news media outlets like CBC, CTV, CityNews, Global and the Montreal Gazette. The Canadian Press also found its own reporting among the sources.

“I think industrial-scale AI slop (sites) like this one run the risk of degrading the trust in the news,” Gillham said.

The phenomenon isn’t limited to Canada. On Sept. 17, the U.S.-based website Futurism published a story about Brown Brothers Media, a company Futurism said bought up legitimate news sites and flooded them with AI-generated content — and claimed to pull 50 million page views a month.

Ahmed Al-Rawi, a professor of news, social media and public communication at Simon Fraser University, said sites with fake AI journalists are trying to monetize content.

“A lot of players, whether they are bad players or just profiteers, people who are really trying to get money, are exploiting the hard work of real journalists in order to repackage news content,” he said.

Al-Rawi said social media platforms “should also be blamed for enhancing the popularity of these fake websites.”

Western University assistant professor of journalism Chris Arsenault said it’s difficult to regulate these websites.

“You can get a free or very cheap AI model to pump out this kind of nonsense, and you can always find somebody to host it,” he said. “So it’s a very hard thing to legislate around or to respond to in terms of effective policy.”

Paul Deegan, president of the publishers group News Media Canada, said while news content is covered by copyright, it’s very difficult for publishers to sue.

“It’s expensive, it takes a long time, whether or not they are in fact in Canada,” he said. (We News says it’s based in Hong Kong.)

News Media Canada is calling on the federal government to state publicly that it does not intend to introduce a broad exception to copyright law for text and data mining.

AI Minister Evan Solomon’s office said in a media statement that “Canadians deserve to know when the information they consume has been generated or altered by AI.”

“Generative AI can be a useful and powerful tool, but Canadians should not be deceived by content that impersonates journalists or conceals how it was created,” the statement said.

Solomon’s office pointed to a recently-concluded consultation on AI transparency and said it recognizes “the concerns raised by journalists and other creators about consent, compensation, attribution and transparency when their work is used to train AI systems.”

There may be no silver bullet to solve the problem, but Arsenault said there is one antidote: old-fashioned reporting.

He noted the “Daniel Robson” case came to light because “of an old-school editor in Turkey who had the temerity and good sense to just, God forbid, pick up a telephone and do some basic journalism, just do some due diligence on a would-be contributor.”

Futurism reported on Sept. 30 that the Brown Brothers Media sites now appear to have stopped publishing and were delisted or significantly downranked by Google.

In Canada, We News also appears to have been delisted. When The Canadian Press searched for the website using Google’s search engine, it got no results — but the site immediately popped up as the top result on another search engine.

Google did not directly answer questions about whether it has delisted We News from its search results, when it may have done so, and whether that was the result of news coverage about its AI “journalists.”

A spokesperson said in a statement the company’s policies for search and Google News “prohibit producing low-value content at scale to game our ranking systems.”

“While we generally don’t comment on individual sites, we act on policy violations to keep 99 per cent of search visits spam-free,” the spokesperson added.

Deegan said it’s in Google’s interest to “make sure that when people go to Google for information that they’re getting accurate information … For them to de-rank and remove these sites that are clearly involved in theft makes sense.”

But Arsenault questioned whether Big Tech companies should be “playing hall monitor and being arbiters of truth.”

“They have a role to play in taking down stuff that’s clearly untrue … But I don’t know if we want them making those editorial judgments.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

EDMONTON – On any given day, says Aengus Bridgman, if you ask a popular artificial intelligence chatbot and a search engine whether taxes in an independent Alberta would be higher, it might say yes.

A few hours later, it could be no.

Responses from Google AI Overview and OpenAI’s ChatGPT can change, because data used to predict responses is always changing. “(It’s) not because any of the underlying reality has changed,” said Bridgman, director of Media Ecosystem Observatory.

In a report released last month, the Ontario-based initiative documented mixed responses to questions about what an independent Alberta could look like.

“We asked, ‘Will my taxes go up?’ ‘Will my pension go up?’ ‘Is this fiscally advantageous to me?'” Bridgman said.

The report tracks how AI technologies are being harnessed in the online discourse ahead of the Oct. 19 referendum.

Albertans are voting on 10 questions, including whether they want to stay in Canada or to have a second, binding referendum on leaving Confederation.

The report says the vote is a case study in how AI could influence future elections when it comes to where people get their news.

“Year over year, online influencers have been accumulating relevance and engagement at the expense of news media and elected officials,” says the report.

“We now have a case study of what a democratic vote looks like squarely in the influencer era.”

Bridgman said social media and AI have vastly expanded debates on separation.

“It’s good in terms of a lively democracy.”

But, he added, technologies have also made tracking the referendum, and elections generally, more complex.

It’s likely because of the maxim: garbage in, garbage out.

Elections Alberta says on its website that AI-powered chatbots and search engines are increasingly being used to find and summarize information found online.

The agency warns: “They are not official sources of election information and frequently cite incorrect information sources.”

OpenAI and Google didn’t respond to requests for comments on Media Ecosystem’s report.

OpenAI spokesperson Nate Evans shared a May blog the company posted on its website outlining what technologies the company has partnered with to ensure its chatbot produces accurate information during votes.

“This year is the world’s second major election year since generative AI became widely available, and we’re continuing to build on the foundation we laid in 2024 to help protect elections in countries and territories around the world,” the post said.

The Media Ecosystem study also found an uptick in content about Alberta separation produced in other countries, including the United States. But there’s not enough evidence of foreign interference, Bridgman said.

The study says foreign actors are producing content largely for financial profit, and the millions and millions of views they get suggest they are cashing in.

Pro-separation influencers also dominate the online discourse, the study found, despite polls showing a large majority of Albertans would vote to remain in Canada.

Bridgman said it’s unclear why there are more pro-separation social media accounts than federalist accounts.

“My attribution of this is generally because these (separatist) voices have not felt represented in more traditional media.”

Many influencers are also using AI to generate content, the study found.

University of Alberta political science professor Blair Attard-Frost said the increased use of AI in the separation debate is concerning.

The AI chair with Canadian Institute for Advanced Research said when search engines became popular in the early 2000s, so did information campaigns about media literacy.

With the advancement in AI, a new wave of media literacy needs to be implemented because of how big tech markets its search engines and services.

“These are really deceptive products,” Attard-Frost said. “They’re marketed as intelligent tools.”

She said she’ll be paying attention to how the current technologies might affect the referendum results and the future of Alberta’s separation movement.

“A lot of people could be getting incomplete, inaccurate, false or misleading information about the potential consequences of separatism, and using that information to make decisions about how to vote,” she said.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, asked this week whether she’s concerned about AI-generated misinformation swaying votes, said her government has turned to traditional media to get out information.

It recently launched an ad campaign and mailed out booklets outlining and explaining the 10 referendum questions.

The first nine ask if the government should have more authority to push for Constitutional reform and impose limitations and financial guardrails around some newcomers.

The last question is about separation.

“We are making sure that Albertans know exactly what the questions are and some of the context for them,” Smith said Monday.

On Friday, Alberta Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said anyone looking for misinformation should look no further than Smith’s United Conservative Party government.

Nenshi pointed to the booklets that arrived at homes this week as an example of the government putting its thumb on the scale.

The booklet uses uncontextualized numbers and information to urge voters to give the government a mandate for the first nine questions, while it’s silent on the 10th

For example, said Nenshi, the booklet says temporary residents cost Alberta taxpayers $1 billion a year in health care and education. It doesn’t say where the number comes from or that temporary workers, by definition, have to have a job to stay and must also pay taxes.

“For the first nine questions, (Smith) tells you how to vote,” Nenshi said. “That doesn’t feel like direct democracy to me. It feels like propaganda.

“This (booklet) is garbage — $4 million worth of taxpayer-funded garbage.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

MONTREAL – The leaders of Quebec’s five main parties will make their last pitches to undecided voters over the weekend, with the election set for Monday.

The separatist Parti Québécois, which promised a referendum in 2029, has topped the polls throughout the campaign.

PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was targeted by his rivals on Friday, who argued a referendum would cause political instability and harm Quebec’s economy.

But St-Pierre Plamondon said his detractors are making a last-ditch effort to win votes and urged Quebecers to give him a majority government.

The PQ, the Quebec Liberals, the Quebec Conservatives, Quebec solidaire and the Coalition Avenir Québec are all expected to win seats on Monday.

About a quarter of Quebec’s eligible voters already cast their ballot in advanced polls.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

REGINA – Dave Dickenson may feel jinxed with challenges but the Calgary Stampeders head coach and general manager nailed two crucial challenges in Friday’s 37-31 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

With Calgary leading 20-13 late in the third quarter, Riders quarterback Trevor Harris connected with KeeSean Johnson on a 15-yard pass. Dickenson challenged for an illegal block downfield and after review, the Riders were penalized for blocking downfield before the pass was thrown. Three plays later, the Riders punted.

Dickenson’s second challenge came midway through the fourth quarter with the Stampeders holding a 27-13 lead. Harris was intercepted by Ashton Miller-Melancon on a deep pass but Calgary’s Zy Alexander was flagged for pass interference. Dickenson challenged the call, which was overturned. The interception stood and Calgary took over on the Saskatchewan 21-yard line.

Five plays later, Jalen Philpot caught a four-yard touchdown to go up 34-13.

“They ended up being good for us, they kept momentum on our side. Obviously, that big interception, I wanted to keep on the board as well, but you never know if you’re going to win them all. I got help from Marcus Howell upstairs, and I was pretty confident,” said Dickenson.

“I was also pretty confident I was going to win the blocking downfield. I saw that one with my own eyes. Those were two pivotal plays that kept our momentum and really kept the ball in our hands.”

The Stampeders registered their third straight victory to continue their hot pursuit of a CFL playoff berth. Calgary improved to 8-8 while the Riders dropped their third straight to fall to 8-7. Saskatchewan could have clinched a playoff berth with a win but the Stampeders instead won the season series to have a tiebreaker over the Riders.

Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. completed 22 of 29 passes for 242 yards with four touchdowns. It was the seventh game this season that Adams had three or more touchdown passes without an interception.

Dickenson has been impressed by the totality of Adams game this season.

“He had another solid game. To me, he’s doing the little things better and better, but also doing the same things he was doing early with being explosive but still taking care of the football. So those are all good things,” said Dickenson.

“I think we’re very balanced. I think we’ve got five to six guys, and that that makes it hard on defences right now because they really can’t key on anybody. I think Jalen (Philpot) is obviously our leader and has done a lot, but we have guys making plays and taking advantage of opportunities. But Vernon stirs the drink, no doubt about it.”

While the Stampeders have caught steam down the stretch, the Riders have done the opposite. The defence has struggled in recent weeks, and defensive back DeMarcus Fields feels the unit has to find a way to regain its footing.

“We’ve just got to get it together. We’re just trying to find our way to get back to us, and we haven’t been playing to our standard and I think that’s what we need to do, to get back to where we need to be,” said Fields.

“People expect us to do our job, and that’s what we need to do., especially when it comes down to the wire, we need to make the play. That’s what we were doing before, making those plays and we were winning. We need to get back to that.”

Saskatchewan made things interesting in the late stages, scoring three touchdowns in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter. Daniel Wiebe caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Harris with 2:42 remaining, Dhel Duncan-Busby nabbed a five-yard scoring pass with 1:04 left and Johnny Johnson had an eight-yard TD reception on the final play of the game. The Riders failed two-point convert attempts after all three touchdowns.

Dickenson wasn’t pleased with the late touchdowns.

“I didn’t like how we finished,” said Dickenson. “Obviously, that does taint it a bit for me, but I’m not going to let it. I’m going to let the guys celebrate because that’s a huge win on the road against a great team.”

Erik Barnes, Damien Alford and Tevin Jones also scored touchdowns for the Stampeders while Rene Paredes had two field goals.

Kian Schaffer-Baker had a touchdown reception for the Riders in the first quarter. Rookie kicker Dawson Hodge made two of four field goal attempts.

Harris completed 36 of 50 passes for 453 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

A suspect accused in a violent attack last month that left a Victoria, B.C. grocery store manager unconscious and seriously injured has been re-arrested after allegedly returning to the same Save-On-Foods location Friday.

“Well, he walked into Pandora this morning; we immediately called 911,” said Pattison Food Group president Jamie Nelson Friday. “He is well known by our team and our staff there, and Vic Police Department was there very quickly to help us out.”

Peter Andrew Patrick Statham, 27, was arrested and remains in custody pending a bail hearing.

Statham is charged with theft, assault causing bodily harm and robbery in the Sept. 19 incident at Save-On-Foods on Pandora Avenue.

Nelson told Global News the alleged assault occurred after the store manager approached a suspect who’d been banned for shoplifting, and told him he was not allowed to be in the store.

“He turned and punched the store manager in the head three times, knocking him onto the ground, cracked his cheekbone, blood all over the place and turned and walked out of the store,” Nelson said.

The employee was hospitalized with serious injuries while a suspect was arrested nearby and subsequently released on conditions during an ongoing investigation, the Victoria Police Department said in an email.

In an open letter to the media titled “Frontline Workers Should Not Have to Accept Violence as Part of the Job”, Nelson detailed what he described as a “violent assault” on his store manager.

“He lost consciousness, sustained a concussion, and suffered significant injuries that will likely require surgical treatment,” Nelson wrote Monday.

Nelson said Pattison Food Group has shared its concerns with governments, law enforcement agencies and community partners for years, and the biggest concern now is the severity of how things seem to be changing and getting more violent all the time.

“We cannot wait until someone loses their life before deciding that enough is enough,” Nelson wrote in the letter.

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce echoed the Pattison Food Group’s concerns.

“We need it to stop,” said CEO John Wilson Friday. “The province needs to step up, stop talking about it, stop studying it – it’s time for action.”

On the campaign trail in Kelowna Friday, BC NDP leader David Eby said his government had made progress targeting repeat violent offenders.

“We have been able to drive down attacks significantly and make communities materially safer, and we’ve seen the same on our property crime initiative, which we are expanding,” Eby said.

In a statement, the BC Conservative Party said stories of retail store workers facing assault and threats of violence are “outrageously” all too common in B.C.

“A Conservative Government will ensure that violent criminals will be held accountable under the law, including through full prosecutions and opposing bail for violent offenders,” said a campaign spokesperson Friday.

CentreBC said the rampant assaults, threats, arsons and other violent crimes taking place in retail settings across the province are unacceptable, and promised to hold people accountable for their crimes while providing treatment and mental health care that can help break the cycle of criminal activity – including expanding involuntary care for those who meet the criteria.

“We will also conduct a file review to determine whether recent bail reforms are keeping our communities safe- if they are not, we will continue fighting until the public is safe from violent offenders,” leader Elenore Sturko said in a statement.

According to grocerybusiness.ca, Dave Alexander, store manager of Save-On-Foods Pandora in Victoria, B.C., was honoured by Pattison Food Group at its annual Leadership Excellence Awards gala earlier this year.

Alexander received a Special Achievement Award on February 25 for leading “in a challenging operating environment with a focus on people and performance”.

Statham was remanded in custody Friday evening ahead of a possible bail hearing on Mon. Oct. 5.

-with files from Kylie Stanton

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