Paris, France (AFP) The extreme cold weather hitting North America in the run-up to the holidays is due to a phenomenon called a “bomb cyclone”. The US National Weather Service said this “once in a generation type event” has the power to turn deadly and is already breaking cold-weather records — with temperatures falling to minus 53 degrees Celsius (minus 63 Fahrenheit) in western Canada, minus 38 in Minnesota and minus 13 in Dallas. […]
Tag: Canada
Five killed in Toronto shooting: police
Montreal, Canada (AFP) Five people were killed and another wounded Sunday in a shooting in the suburbs of the Canadian city of Toronto, police said. The suspect also died after an exchange of fire with law enforcement, local police chief Jim MacSween told reporters, saying the shooting took place in an apartment building. The injured person was taken to hospital and their life is not in danger. Police were called to the site early […]
Stiff-person syndrome, Celine Dion’s rare neurological disorder
Paris, France (AFP) Stiff-person syndrome, which has forced Canadian superstar singer Celine Dion to postpone her European tour, is a very rare neurological condition that causes progressive muscle stiffness as well as muscle spasms. Around one in a million people are estimated to have the condition, according to the US National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Symptoms develop over a matter of months or years, normally between the ages of 30 to 60, and […]
Celine Dion cancels shows due to ‘rare neurological disorder’
Paris, France (AFP) by Mehdi CHERIFIA Celine Dion cancelled and postponed a series of European shows on Thursday over problems related to a “very rare neurological disorder” that is affecting her singing. In a five-minute video posted on Instagram in French and English, a clearly emotional Dion said she had been suffering from health problems “for a long time”. “Recently I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called ‘stiff person syndrome’ […]
HSBC bank sells Canadian ops for over US$10 bn
London, United Kingdom (AFP) HSBC has agreed to sell its Canadian division to Royal Bank of Canada for US$10.1 billion, the Asia-focused banking giant announced Tuesday. The large sale comes after UK-listed HSBC faced calls from biggest shareholder Ping An Insurance Group to cut costs and shift more resources to Asia. HSBC added in a statement that it would use the funds to invest in its core business and return cash to investors. “We decided […]
Canada unveils new Asia-Pacific strategy with eye on China
Canada on Sunday unveiled its new economic and diplomatic strategy for the Asia-Pacific region, allocating 2.3 billion Canadian dollars (US$1.7 billion) over the next five years to the plan aimed at mitigating risks posed by China. The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has based its strategy on five major planks: promoting peace and security, notably by sending a warship to the region; bolstering trade and investment; boosting “feminist international assistance”; financing sustainable infrastructure; and […]
Canada sanctions former Haitian leaders, announces aid
DJERBA, Tunisia (AFP) – Canada on Sunday said it would impose sanctions against former Haitian president Michel Martelly and two ex-prime ministers accused of profiting from armed gangs, and announced a new aid package for the country. The men in question “directly benefit from the work of the gangs and are associated with a system of corruption”, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly told journalists during a conference in Tunisia. The sanctions, which will freeze any assets […]
Xi spat with Trudeau lays bare China’s frayed ties with Canada
NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AFP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping scolded Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an on-camera dressing down at the G20 summit, an unusual public spat that could further complicate the strained relations between the two countries. Footage recorded by reporters at the Bali conclave for world leaders on Wednesday showed Xi upbraiding Trudeau after details of a discussion between the two leaders were leaked to the media. Trudeau had on Tuesday raised […]
Canada doubles Ukraine military aid to $750 million
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) – Canada announced Monday a doubling of its military aid to Ukraine to Can$1 billion (US$750 million) as well as fresh sanctions against Russian justice and security officials. “This additional military assistance will support Ukrainians as they bravely continue to fight against (Russian President) Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion, while these new sanctions will put added pressure on those who support these acts of war,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement. Ukrainian […]
China playing ‘aggressive games’ with Canada democracy: Trudeau
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — China is playing “aggressive games” with democracies and Canadian institutions, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned on Monday following a report of foreign interference in its elections. His comments came after local broadcaster Global News reported that Beijing had funded a “clandestine network” of candidates in a recent ballot, and days after authorities began investigating illegal Chinese police stations in the Toronto area. “We have taken significant measures to strengthen the integrity […]
Record-breaking November heat in Canada’s Montreal
Montreal, Canada | AFP | Temperatures in Montreal reached an all-time high for November on Saturday, as residents accustomed to bundling up for intense Canadian winters were hit with a wave of unseasonable warmth. Montreal, the largest city in Quebec province, saw temperatures exceed 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit), beating the last record set for the month in 2020. Average temperatures normally hover around 8C this time of year. Already in October temperatures […]
‘Black Adam’ stays atop N.America box office
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Warner Bros.’ film “Black Adam” remained atop competition for the second weekend running, hauling in a modest estimated $27.7 million in North American box office receipts, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. A feature that explores the origin story behind 2019’s “Shazam,” the DC Comics superhero, “Black Adam” stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a former slave bestowed with special powers. Coming in second for the Friday-through-Sunday […]





