The U.S. and Iran's ceasefire appears to be all but over, and it's unclear where the conflict is heading next. Jackson Proskow explains why the U.S. is accusing Iran of violating their agreement, President Donald Trump's warning, and how the war could further destabilize the world's economy.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says it’s “unacceptable” that Iran has launched attacks on commercial ships in recent days as it attempts to tighten its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.
Anand met with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Thursday and she says Canada stands alongside Persian Gulf countries as Iran lashes out against them.
Speaking with reporters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Anand says ceasefires are always fragile but it’s “unjustified” for Iran to strike civilian targets.
The comments follow new airstrikes the United States launched against Iran early Thursday, and as Tehran fired back at Gulf countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that recent Iranian attacks targeting ships transiting the strait, a major global trade choke point, ended the ceasefire.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters at the NATO summit Wednesday that Iran has been acting “irresponsibly” and described the U.S. response as “appropriate.”
WATCH ABOVE: Carney to extend Turkey NATO trip, meet Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia
Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Saudi Arabia for meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and business leaders, as he seeks to deepen bilateral trade and investment.
Carney will take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Arabia-Canada Investment Forum and is later scheduled to speak with reporters.
Jeff Steiner, chair of the Canada-Saudi Arabia Business Council, told reporters in Jeddah that Carney’s visit to the kingdom is a “high-water mark” for relations between the two countries.
Canada has been working to mend bilateral ties following a diplomatic row in 2018 that resulted in the removal of ambassadors in both countries.
The government of former prime minister Justin Trudeau had sharply criticized the kingdom’s justice system and treatment of women, resulting in Saudi Arabia shuttering trade talks. Ambassadors were only restored in 2023.
“We’re moving from reconciliation to seeing what opportunities there are when trust has been rebuilt, to build on that trust and to kind of grow prosperity and opportunities for both Canadians and for Saudis,” Steiner said.
He said most Canadians only think of oil when they think about Saudi Arabia, but there are now many opportunities for Canadians in areas such as health care, energy, tourism and education.
Steiner pointed to mining and critical minerals in particular, noting Saudi Arabia has embarked on “making mining their second pillar.”
The prime minister’s meetings Thursday include Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser, Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar al Khorayef, and Bob Wilt, the head of Saudi state-owned mining company Ma’aden.
The Canadian delegation travelling with Carney includes Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Defence Minister David McGuinty, Defence Investment Agency CEO Doug Guzman and Liberal MP Sameer Zuberi.
Steiner said he knows that Champagne is working on resolving issues around double taxation between the two countries and foreign-investment protection.
“Those frictions coming down are just as important as the interest of investors in business to come to the different markets. If it’s too difficult, they’ll go elsewhere.”
Carney is nearing the end of his weeklong trip in the Middle East. He arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday night fresh from a NATO summit held in Ankara, Turkey.
The soundtrack from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey spins on the turntable at the Modern Hotel in downtown Boise, Idaho on Wednesday, March 26, 2008, where members of the Vinyl Preservation Society of Idaho meet once a month to promote the listening to vinyl records over the more modern music on CD's and iPods. (AP Photo/Troy Maben)
AP Photo/Troy Maben
If you have a stereo set-up at home, you’ll know that there’s a special input for your turntable labelled “phono.” You can’t just plug it into, say, an auxiliary input. If you can use an aux input for everything else, why not your turntable?
Because in order to play back vinyl correctly, it has to go through something called a “phono stage.” Vinyl has limitations when it comes to storing very low frequencies and very high ones. To counteract that, records are pressed with the bass turned down and the treble turned up per something called the RIAA equalization curve. Upon playback, the phono stage reverses that curve, boosting the bass by a specific amount and reducing the treble, thereby achieving the tonal balance of the original recording.
The RIAA curve may help explain why it feels better to listen to vinyl than a digital recording.
A wildfire is seen burning about 16 kilometres south of Port Alberni, B.C., on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025.
Evan Hammond/The Canadian Press
Federal officials are set to provide an update about the national wildfire season today, as an out-of-control fire in British Columbia forced evacuations this week.
The latest information from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre shows there have been 3,100 fires so far this season, compared to around 2,900 at this time last year.
But the total area burned this year is less than last year, at around 12,000 square kilometres down from 46,000 square kilometres.
Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski and other officials are set to give a briefing to update the situation.
In B.C., a pair of fires near the community of Boston Bar have forced hundreds of properties under evacuation orders and alerts.
The 2025 wildfire season was the second-worst on record, with more than 89,000 square kilometres burned across the country.
Alex Shved, left, and Agata Zieba pose with their two daughters in this undated handout photo.
Alex Shved handout/The Canadian Press
Alex Shved is fighting his Stage 4 cancer on two fronts.
Medication he is receiving as part of an early-stage trial is working with his body, he hopes, to attack melanoma that has metastasized. At the same time, he is taking up arms against another formidable foe: the health-care bureaucracy.
Shved, 37, has tried various treatments since first discovering a growing mole in 2020 and continues to feel well, working in private equity and parenting his two daughters, both under two years old.
“I will do anything and everything it takes to stay in their lives,” he said in a recent interview. “I have no choice but to keep going.”
But the cancer is progressing, having spread to his bones and lungs, and his oncologist said he would be a good candidate for tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte, or TIL, therapy. It involves doctors removing tumours, extracting immune cells that have infiltrated the tumours, multiplying them in the billions and infusing chemotherapy, then the multiplied cells back into the patient to attack the cancer.
It is not publicly funded in Ontario but could be in the future, and therein lies the catch.
A version of TIL therapy called lifileucel was approved for sale last year by Health Canada, and is now undergoing reviews for consideration of possible funding by provincial drug plans, a process that could take years.
“I don’t have the time to wait, because not only am I not going to be medically — may not be medically — fit by the time it gets approved, I might not even be here by the time it gets approved,” he said.
Shved’s oncologist requested out-of-country funding for Shved to receive TIL therapy at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida. It could cost about $1 million, Shved said. The Ministry of Health rejected the request this spring, citing the funding review period.
“The (Out-Of-Country) Prior Approval Program is not a mechanism to provide interim drug funding for indications that are currently being reviewed or expected to be reviewed for public funding in Ontario,” the letter said.
The section of regulation cited in the rejection letter says that for cases primarily involving administration of a drug, the executive officer appointed under the Ontario Drug Benefit act must recommend it for someone in the same medical circumstances.
The executive officer does not recommend payment, the letter states, offering no further explanation other than the interim funding period.
Shved was surprised by not only the brevity and formulaic nature of a letter describing what may be a life-and-death decision, but most of all by the fact that the regulations governing Ontario’s out-of-country coverage do not mention interim funding periods as a basis for denials.
The stated reason for the rejection amounts to a catch-22 of sorts, Shved argues, saying Ontario won’t fund the treatment now because it might fund it later — when it may be too late.
Shved has appealed the decision to the Health Services Appeal and Review Board, filed an application for judicial review of the decision, filed freedom-of-information requests asking for internal notes and memos that could show how the decision was reached, emailed the executive officer, and dozens of cabinet ministers and other politicians.
“(To) have the government reject it without even, frankly, looking at your case, without considering your situation, just applying some categorical copy and paste legal statement that doesn’t exist in the policy feels like a bit of a slap in the face,” he said.
“I think what makes it worse is that when you try to reach out to them and ask them to explain, not to change their minds necessarily, but just explain how this decision was made, you hear nothing.”
Health Minister Sylvia Jones called Shved after his story was in the Globe and Mail recently, he said. He urged her to make expedited regulatory amendments to the out-of-country funding program and noted that TIL therapy is also offered in Israel and Turkey at a fraction of the cost in the United States. The minister told him she can’t intervene in individual cases but would talk to her team, Shved said.
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones speaks at a press conference at Queen’s Park in Toronto, on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
Laura Proctor/The Canadian Press
The Ministry of Health said provinces that are part of the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance don’t provide out-of-country funding for drugs that haven’t completed the established review and funding process.
“Once that process is complete, each participating jurisdiction will independently decide whether to publicly fund the therapy for eligible patients,” spokesperson W.D Lighthall wrote in a statement.
“Consistent with this approach, there have been no instances of Ontario approving out-of-country funding for a drug while it was actively undergoing the national (drug) negotiation process.”
Neither the ministry statement nor the rejection letter to Shved explains why.
Dr. Joel Lexchin, professor emeritus from the school of health policy and management at York University and an expert on pharmaceutical policy, said his assumption is that the province does not want to pay the American price because if the therapy gets funded in Ontario it will likely be significantly cheaper.
“The public payers are looking at it from the point of view of well, on average American drug prices for patented drugs are between two-and-a-half and three times the Canadian price,” he said.
The province is likely also considering other ways the money could be spent in the health system, Lexchin said.
“These decisions are never easy, because you’re dealing in one case with one specific person,” he said.
It takes on average 730 days from when a drug is approved by Health Canada to a funding decision by provinces, Lexchin said, some of that time due to government agency processes but some also due to how fast a drug company moves to submit applications.
There are several steps between a Health Canada approval and provincial funding, including a drug review assessment of the cost versus how much longer a drug can give a patient a good quality of life, and negotiations between the company and provincial and territorial drug plans on price.
That is time that Shved may not have.
While he is fighting to stay in his wife and daughters’ lives for as long as possible, hoping the province funds TIL therapy for him in the United States, and hoping the Phase 1 clinical trial he is part has measurable success in fighting his cancer, it’s not his only wish.
He wants to see such consequential decision-making of the health-care bureaucracy become more transparent.
“Maybe (other people rejected for out-of-country funding) don’t have the time, the energy, or the health span to fight this,” Shved said.
“I feel a duty to do this on behalf of both myself and lots of other people.”
This year’s biggest sneaker trends for 2026 from Aritzia, Simons, New Balance and beyond.
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Chunky dad sneakers? Still here. Sleek runners? Also thriving. If you’ve been searching “sneaker trends 2026,” “cool girl sneakers,” or “best women’s sneakers Canada,” consider this your sign to clear some space in your closet. This year’s biggest sneaker trends for 2026 blend nostalgia with next-gen design–think metallic finishes, technical trail soles, retro white kicks and unexpected hybrids that blur the line between sporty and sweet. We’re stepping into 2026 with statement soles and personality-packed pairs from Salomon, Adidas, New Balance and beyond. Ahead, five cool girl sneaker trends you’re about to see everywhere.
Shine theory
If quiet luxury had a rebellious younger sister, she’d be wearing metallic sneakers. Silver, chrome and high-shine finishes are turning everyday outfits into main-character moments. The trick? Let your sneakers do the talking–style them with relaxed denim, tailored trousers or a slinky slip skirt for contrast.
Trail mix
The technical sneaker isn’t just for hiking anymore. In 2026, gorpcore is still going strong, and performance-driven silhouettes are being styled with everything from wide-leg trousers to tailored coats. Think aggressive tread, toggles and colourways that look straight off a mountain–but make it fashion.
Classic white sneakers are forever–but in 2026, they’re leaning chunky and retro. Picture ‘80s-inspired court shoes with thick soles and clean lines. They’re the ultimate wardrobe reset: crisp, cool and endlessly versatile.
The hybrid era
Why choose between a ballet flat and a sneaker when you can have both? Hybrid styles–think ballerina sneakers, Mary Jane straps and even sneaker mules–are the unexpected It-girls of 2026. They’re playful, slightly ironic and surprisingly practical for everyday wear and versatility.
Colour theory
Neutrals will always have their place—but 2026 is all about vibrant sneakers that pop. From electric blue suede to punchy pinks and citrus tones, bold kicks are the easiest way to inject personality into your look (especially if the rest of your outfit is low-key).
“Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for,” a statement on Instagram read.
“We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy,” the statement added.
The news comes after Tyler was hospitalized in May in Faro, where she had a home, for emergency intestinal surgery and was later placed in an induced coma.
In June, Tyler’s family said that she was no longer in an induced coma but “remains very unwell” following emergency surgery in Portugal.
“Bonnie is no longer in a coma but remains very unwell and in intensive care in hospital in Portugal. Although her condition is improving it is a slow process. Her doctors remain confident that she will make a good recovery but it is going to take time,” the statement read.
Tyler’s team also announced that it would be cancelling or postponing her remaining shows this summer.
“This will affect every current show until the end of August. At present we are still hopeful that our shows in the autumn will go ahead,” her team added. “We apologise to all of Bonnie’s fans and to our promoter partners for the disappointment that this will cause but trust that you will understand and bear with us in these difficult circumstances. We hope to see you next year instead.”
The 75-year-old singer’s team also thanked Tyler’s fans for “the huge outpouring of love and support from all over the world that we have received for Bonnie and want to tell you she is aware of you, and very grateful for, your good wishes.”
“Bonnie’s family continue to ask for privacy and promise that we will issue further updates as soon as there are significant developments to share,” the statement concluded.
In May, a statement was posted on Tyler’s official website, saying she thanked fans “for the incredible outpouring of love and well wishes we’ve received for Bonnie over the last few days. It truly means the world.”
Tyler was placed in a medically induced coma at a Portugal hospital “to aid her recovery,” the statement added.
Tyler’s manager Matt Davis said, “We know that you all wish her well and ask for privacy at this difficult time please. We will issue a further statement when we are able to.”
A day prior, representatives for Tyler said she was “recuperating” in a hospital in Portugal following an emergency surgery.
“We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery,” the statement read. “The surgery went well and she is now recuperating.
“We know that all of her family, friends, and fans will be concerned about this news and will be wishing her well for a full and swift recovery.”
“I’m fit enough at the moment, touch wood, and I’m really enjoying doing the shows,” she said. “I’m still rocking on that stage with my wonderful band, and if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything.”
Tyler did note that she’s had “problems with my knees.”
“I didn’t have new knees, I had what they call washouts , which turned out to be very successful. So, hopefully that will last for a long time,” she said.
Tyler earned three Grammy nods, represented Britain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 — where she came in 19th — and was awarded an MBE for her services to music by Queen Elizabeth II in 2023, all largely thanks to Total Eclipse of the Heart, which has had more that 1 billion streams, boosted by real eclipses in 2017 and 2024.
In 2017, she joined Joe Jonas’ band DNCE for a performance on the cruise ship Oasis of the Seas as part of a Total Eclipse Cruise. When the moon passed in front of the sun, they played Total Eclipse of the Heart.
Her most recent song was her 2021 single, Only Love. Other hits include Lost in France, Holding Out for a Hero and It’s a Heartache.
“Every time the eclipse comes, everyone all over the world, they play Total Eclipse of the Heart’ and I never get tired of singing it,” she said.
The song went No. 2 on the U.S. iTunes charts in April 2024 ahead of the total solar eclipse, 41 years after it’s initial release in 1983.
Last year, Tyler said that touring “keeps me going.”
“I consider myself a working-class girl, and I’ve never stopped working,” she told The Times in January 2025. “Moving my parents from the council house where I was brought up to a cottage in Mumbles is the thing I’m most proud of, but it does feel like an achievement to still be wanted by audiences at my age. I’m pretty energetic.”
The rising cost of food is once again front and centre after the release of March inflation numbers. For the 25th month in a row it has outpaced overall inflation. With more we bring in financial analyst, Michael Campbell.
A key ingredient in fishmeal — feed used for farmed seafood, pigs and even chickens — the polarizing fish is in short supply.
The retail price of fish in Canada was already up about four per cent in May compared to a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada, with canned salmon up a whopping 14.3 per cent over the same time span.
At the same time, fishmeal prices are skyrocketing.
A metric tonne of Peruvian fishmeal cost US$2,389.42 at the end of May, according to the International Monetary Fund. That’s up about 13 per cent from $2109.25 a month earlier.
Food economist Mike von Massow of the University of Guelph calls anchovies “a critical part” of the food supply chain, since roughly two-thirds of the fish people buy — including salmon — is farmed using fishmeal as feed.
“This is an important source of food for Canadians and for the world. And so it’s easy to say, ‘Oh, well, anchovies, who cares? I don’t particularly like them,’ but they are an important part of that food value chain for products that are, in fact, very much in demand,” he says.
“So we have this factor that is further up the supply chain, but that has the potential to significantly impact the prices of, particularly, fish.”
Here’s what’s going on.
Anchovies are considered high in protein and rich in nutrients like Omega-3 acids relative to their small size, which explains their critical role.
Peru is the world’s largest supplier of anchovies, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and it makes up about a fifth of the global supply.
But high demand for anchovies worldwide has led to overfishing.
As a result, fewer mature fish are caught, leaving younger, or juvenile, fish. If fish populations are not given enough time to reproduce, they risk extinction if fisheries don’t scale back their catches.
This has led to catch quotas, where industries in Peru, like others, are limited by regulators on how much they can fish at a given time.
In April, the Peruvian government launched a refreshed fishing quota for anchovies used for indirect human consumption (like with fishmeal) that was 36 per cent lower than in 2025.
This means the global supply of anchovies is under pressure not only because fewer mature fish are being caught due to overfishing, but also because government regulations further limit the catch allowed per season.
“The shortage is, currently, because they’ve cut quotas on fishing, because there are too many juveniles in their catch. So what we’re doing is we’re trying to incur some shorter-term pain so that we have a long-term sustainable harvest of anchovies,” he says.
Similar biological challenges affecting supply chains have also led to higher beef prices in North America. Although for different reasons than with anchovies, it speaks to the sensitivity of biological necessities in food and agriculture that can have financial impacts on consumers down the line.
“If you harvest too many of those small fish, you don’t have the factory, you don’t have the source of additional stocks, so it becomes a much longer-term problem,” says von Massow.
Substituting all or part of anchovies for fishmeal ingredients, however, changes the nutritional makeup of the feed and, therefore, the aquaculture and livestock that consume it.
Von Massow says this is why anchovies are “difficult to substitute out.”
“We can do small degrees of replacement of fish proteins with other plant-based proteins like soy, which is, in fact, a cheaper source of protein. The problem is the profile of that protein isn’t the same, and so we don’t get the same kind of fish product on it,” he says.
“We get lower yields of fish, but also lower levels of omega-3 in fish like salmon. And that’s one of the reasons we eat that salmon. So you have this conundrum that you could grow those fish with other proteins, but then they wouldn’t be the same product anymore.”
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