Advertisement

Learn more about Winnipeg Free Press Advertising solutions

Life & Style

Gregorio Borgia / The Associated Press files Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful as he leaves the Castel Gandolfo residence to head to the Vatican on Dec. 27, 2025.

New Pope tops 2025 religion stories

John Longhurst 5 minute read 2:01 AM CST

What were the top religion stories of 2025? If you go by the amount of media attention, the number one choice is clear: The death of Pope Francis and the surprise election of Pope Leo of the U.S.

The consensus seems to be that the Roman Catholic Church, by choosing Leo, chose to follow the synodal path set by Francis — but at a slower pace. If Francis was seen to be a pope who was willing to go fast and break things, Leo is seen as someone who will continue in that direction, but more slowly and systematically.

Another top religion story was the election of Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury — the first woman to lead the worldwide Anglican Communion. Her election led to another big story that hasn’t received much media attention: The potential schism in the Anglican church.

The split is being led by a group called the Global Anglican Future Conference, or GAFCON, a conservative movement made up primarily of Anglicans in Africa. Founded in 2008, GAFCON objects to women in leadership and affirmation of same-sex relationships — things they consider unbiblical. In March, GAFCON will hold a meeting in Nigeria to decide whether to stay or go.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Weather

Jan. 3, 6 PM: -17°c Cloudy Jan. 4, 12 AM: -16°c Cloudy

Winnipeg MB

-11°C, Partly cloudy

Full Forecast

Suspect in fast-food robbery arrested eating burgers, fries on Winnipeg bus: police

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Suspect in fast-food robbery arrested eating burgers, fries on Winnipeg bus: police

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:52 PM CST

WINNIPEG - A New Year's Day fast-food restaurant heist in Winnipeg ended with a suspect being arrested on a city bus eating burgers and fries.

Winnipeg police say a man went to a fast-food restaurant Thursday afternoon in the 1500 block of Portage Avenue, where he demanded money from the front till and threatened to shoot the employees.

Police say three employees ran to safety and the man circled around the counter where he tried, unsuccessfully, to open the cash register.

They say he then went into the kitchen of the unnamed restaurant, stealing hamburgers and fries.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 9:52 PM CST

The Manitoba government is promising another $10 million to curb crime and improve safety in downtown Winnipeg. A Winnipeg Police Service shoulder badge is seen on Sept. 2, 2021 at the Public Information Office in Winnipeg. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski
The Manitoba government is promising another $10 million to curb crime and improve safety in downtown Winnipeg. A Winnipeg Police Service shoulder badge is seen on Sept. 2, 2021 at the Public Information Office in Winnipeg. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski

Family from the Democratic Republic of Congo navigates chilly firsts alongside IRCOM supports

AV Kitching 7 minute read Preview

Family from the Democratic Republic of Congo navigates chilly firsts alongside IRCOM supports

AV Kitching 7 minute read Yesterday at 4:00 PM CST

All Clever Ganza wants to do this winter is build a snowman.

He’s not yet had the chance, as it hasn’t been the right kind of snow — although to the eight-year-old, all snow is snow.

It’s his second winter in Winnipeg after arriving in Canada with his parents and younger brother Travor, 5, in December 2024.

Clever has acclimatized pretty quickly.

Read
Yesterday at 4:00 PM CST

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS

Travor Ishmwe Ndihano (five, left), Minyone Mutoni, Clever Ganza (eight) and Ruhumuriza Mushumba Ndihano enjoy the snow in the IRCOM courtyard.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Travor Ishmwe Ndihano (five, left), Minyone Mutoni, Clever Ganza (eight) and Ruhumuriza Mushumba Ndihano enjoy the snow in the IRCOM courtyard.

President Trump orders divestment in $2.9 million chips deal to protect US security interests

The Associated Press 2 minute read Yesterday at 5:38 PM CST

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the unraveling of a $2.9 million computer chips deal that he concluded threatened U.S. security interests if the current owner, HieFo Corp., remained in control of the technology.

The executive order cast a spotlight on a business deal that drew scant attention when it was announced in May 2024 during President Joe Biden's administration. The deal involved aerospace and defense specialist Emcore Corp. selling its computer chips and wafer fabrication operations to HieFo for $2.92 million — a price that included the assumption of about $1 million in liabilities.

But Trump is now demanding that HieFo divest that technology within 180 days, citing “credible evidence” that the current owner is a citizen of the People's Republic of China.

HieFo was founded by Dr. Genzao Zhang and Harry Moore. According to a press release that came out after the deal closed, plans for the technology acquired from Emcore were to be overseen by largely the same team of employees in Alhambra, California.

These stars shone their last in 2025

Kevin Rollason 9 minute read Preview

These stars shone their last in 2025

Kevin Rollason 9 minute read 2:00 AM CST

Three former teachers turned politicians, a movie-production magnet, a hotelier, a seniors advocate and a restaurant critic are among the prominent Manitobans who died in 2025.

Jake Epp was a high school teacher before entering politics.

Epp, who was 85 when he died on July 5, was teaching history in Steinbach before throwing his hat into politics.

He was first elected as a city councillor in Steinbach before being elected the Progressive Conservative MP for Provencher in 1972. During the Mulroney government he was appointed health minister, minister of Indian affairs and northern development and energy minister — the first Mennonite in the federal cabinet. Epp, as health minister, was instrumental in Winnipeg becoming the site of the country’s first Level 4 Containment Laboratory, while also initiating anti-smoking legislation, including no smoking during air flights.

Read
2:00 AM CST

Ruth Bonneville / Free Press LOCAL-Nello Altomare Portraits of MLA Nello Altomare , Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, in his office at the Legislative Building. For childcare feature. July 11th, 2024
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press LOCAL-Nello Altomare Portraits of MLA Nello Altomare , Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, in his office at the Legislative Building. For childcare feature. July 11th, 2024

Giraffe dies after being caught in opening habitat door at Toronto Zoo

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Giraffe dies after being caught in opening habitat door at Toronto Zoo

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Yesterday at 7:59 PM CST

TORONTO - The Toronto Zoo says a 13-year-old giraffe has died after getting caught in an opening door to his behind-the-scenes habitat.

A post on the zoo's Facebook page says Kiko, the male Masai giraffe, was being given access to an additional area of his habitat on Thursday when he began exploring the space and became caught.

The zoo says staff immediately responded, but Kiko panicked and sustained injuries that, due to the unique anatomy of his species, proved fatal.

The statement says Masai giraffes have delicate heads and a six-foot neck "capable of moving forward, backward, up, down, and side-to-side, allowing their head position to shift quickly."

Read
Yesterday at 7:59 PM CST

Kiko, a male Masai giraffe, is shown in this undated handout photo posted on The Toronto Zoo Facebook page. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Facebook, The Toronto Zoo (Mandatory Credit)
Kiko, a male Masai giraffe, is shown in this undated handout photo posted on The Toronto Zoo Facebook page. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Facebook, The Toronto Zoo (Mandatory Credit)

Why ordering takeout or calling the dog walker might lead to a happier relationship

Tracee M. Herbaugh, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Why ordering takeout or calling the dog walker might lead to a happier relationship

Tracee M. Herbaugh, The Associated Press 4 minute read 12:05 AM CST

It turns out, love may benefit from a little less labor.

Couples who spend money on time-saving services — like getting takeout, hiring a housecleaner or calling a dog walker — report greater relationship satisfaction, especially during stressful periods, says Ashley Whillans, a behavioral scientist and professor at Harvard Business School.

Whillans studies the “tradeoffs people make between time and money.”

“When you spend money to save time — hiring an accountant, a babysitter, a cleaner — you feel more control over your life,” she said. “That sense of autonomy boosts well-being.”

Read
12:05 AM CST

FILE - A couple stands on a jetty as the sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean in Bal Harbour, Fla., Sept. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
FILE - A couple stands on a jetty as the sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean in Bal Harbour, Fla., Sept. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

Liberals’ stricter crime policy is a response to public concern: justice minister

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

Liberals’ stricter crime policy is a response to public concern: justice minister

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 6 minute read 5:00 AM CST

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has so far put a heavy emphasis on stricter crime policies, tabling three justice bills in the fall sitting of Parliament.

They incorporate a long list of Criminal Code amendments, from making bail tougher to obtain to imposing mandatory minimum and consecutive sentencing to creating new offences relating to intimidation and obstruction, promoting hatred and coercive control of an intimate partner. 

The tough-on-crime approach is a huge swing from the Trudeau government — not that Justice Minister Sean Fraser, who introduced the three bills, uses that phrase.

"I'll leave it to others to characterize what's tough or not tough, but we are increasing penalties for serious and violent criminals and making it harder for people to be released on bail if they pose a risk to public safety," Fraser said in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press.

Read
5:00 AM CST

Minister of Justice Sean Fraser speaks at a news conference on the introduction of the Protecting Victims Act, a reform of the Criminal Code that aims to protect victims and survivors of sexual violence, gender-based violence, intimate partner violence and to protect children from predators, in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Minister of Justice Sean Fraser speaks at a news conference on the introduction of the Protecting Victims Act, a reform of the Criminal Code that aims to protect victims and survivors of sexual violence, gender-based violence, intimate partner violence and to protect children from predators, in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Disconnect from digital, embrace an analogue life

Jen Zoratti 4 minute read 2:01 AM CST

It looks like 2026 is already shaping up to be the year of the analogue.

All over Instagram I’ve seen posts deriding, well, spending all your time on Instagram. People are setting intentions to listen to, read and watch physical media, pick up tactile hobbies such as painting, knitting, collaging and crocheting and buying alarm clocks and timers.

Screen time is out. Reconnecting with real life is in.

Over on TikTok, creators are encouraging people to pack an “analogue bag,” which is just a TikTok trendspeak for “sack of activities.” You can put whatever you want in there, but suggestions include books, journals, puzzles and sketchpads — things that do not require an internet connection or a phone.

Big Tech’s fast-expanding plans for data centers are running into stiff community opposition

Marc Levy, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Big Tech’s fast-expanding plans for data centers are running into stiff community opposition

Marc Levy, The Associated Press 6 minute read Yesterday at 11:16 PM CST

SPRING CITY, Pa. (AP) — Tech companies and developers looking to plunge billions of dollars into ever-bigger data centers to power artificial intelligence and cloud computing are increasingly losing fights in communities where people don’t want to live next to them, or even near them.

Communities across the United States are reading about — and learning from — each other's battles against data center proposals that are fast multiplying in number and size to meet steep demand as developers branch out in search of faster connections to power sources.

In many cases, municipal boards are trying to figure out whether energy- and water-hungry data centers fit into their zoning framework. Some have entertained waivers or tried to write new ordinances. Some don’t have zoning.

But as more people hear about a data center coming to their community, once-sleepy municipal board meetings in farming towns and growing suburbs now feature crowded rooms of angry residents pressuring local officials to reject the requests.

Read
Yesterday at 11:16 PM CST

Mike Petak of Spring City gestures while speaking to East Vincent Township supervisors in opposition to a data center proposal at the former Pennhurst state hospital grounds, Dec. 17, 2025, in Spring City, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)
Mike Petak of Spring City gestures while speaking to East Vincent Township supervisors in opposition to a data center proposal at the former Pennhurst state hospital grounds, Dec. 17, 2025, in Spring City, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

Peace by Chocolate and NuttyHero products added to pistachio recall due to salmonella

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Peace by Chocolate and NuttyHero products added to pistachio recall due to salmonella

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Updated: 11:13 AM CST

TORONTO - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added several Peace by Chocolate and NuttyHero products to its ongoing recall of pistachios possibly contaminated with salmonella.

The latest recall published Friday includes Peace by Chocolate bars and assorted chocolates sold across Canada.

They may have been sold individually or as part of a variety pack.

The affected products include Dubai Style Chocolate Pistachio and Kunafa Bar, The Peace Maker Specialty Bars, Trans Canada Trail — Peace Seeker, the Classic Box, the Proudly Canadian box and assorted filled chocolates.

Read
Updated: 11:13 AM CST

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is recalling more pistachio-containing products as part of an ongoing salmonella investigation. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa is shown on Wednesday, June 26, 2019.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is recalling more pistachio-containing products as part of an ongoing salmonella investigation. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa is shown on Wednesday, June 26, 2019.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

What to know about Carnival season, Louisiana’s biggest celebration

Sara Cline, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

What to know about Carnival season, Louisiana’s biggest celebration

Sara Cline, The Associated Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 4:26 PM CST

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — As residents across much of the country take down their holiday decorations, sobered by New Year's resolutions and a return to business as usual, in Louisiana people are ramping up for the biggest celebration of the year.

Throughout the state residents are preparing for Carnival season, a pre-Lenten and weeks-long bash that includes feasting on savory dishes, opulent balls and a stream of massive parades rolling through city streets.

The bucket-list worthy period of festivities promises indulgence, costumed revelry and literal pounds of glimmery plastic beads to carry around one’s neck. Here’s what to know about Carnival.

What is Carnival?

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 4:26 PM CST

FILE- People gather for the start of the Society of Saint Anne's parade on Mardi Gras Day, March 4, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
FILE- People gather for the start of the Society of Saint Anne's parade on Mardi Gras Day, March 4, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Talking cows? N.S. researchers think they are getting closer to understanding moos

Emily Baron Cadloff, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Talking cows? N.S. researchers think they are getting closer to understanding moos

Emily Baron Cadloff, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: 11:16 AM CST

HALIFAX - If a cow moos in a barn and no one is around to hear it, could you still understand what it’s trying to say?

Researchers at Dalhousie University are hoping to answer that question.

Led by Dr. Ghader Manafiazar, the team at Dalhousie’s agricultural campus in Truro, N.S., has been recording and analyzing cow noises to see whether the animals have different vocal patterns.

Humans can utter words using various inflections and meanings, said Manafiazar, a professor in the faculty of agriculture. His research is trying to determine whether the same holds true for animals. “When they say ‘moo,’ is it different from saying ‘moooooo’?”

Read
Updated: 11:16 AM CST

A cow wearing a recorder and monitor to analyze its vocal patterns is shown in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Dalhousie University (Mandatory Credit)
A cow wearing a recorder and monitor to analyze its vocal patterns is shown in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Dalhousie University (Mandatory Credit)

Companies can make generic Ozempic as of next week, but don’t expect to get it soon

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Companies can make generic Ozempic as of next week, but don’t expect to get it soon

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 2:00 PM CST

TORONTO - Drug companies in Canada are allowed to make lower priced generic versions of the blockbuster drug Ozempic as of next week, but experts say patients shouldn't expect it to be available for at least a few months.

As of Dec. 29, Health Canada had received nine submissions seeking approval to make semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, the brand-name diabetes and weight-loss drugs manufactured by Novo Nordisk. 

"Health Canada understands that there is considerable interest in lowering costs associated with this highly prescribed drug by introducing generic versions," spokesperson Mark Johnson said in an email to The Canadian Press. 

Sandoz Canada, Apotex, Teva Canada, Taro Pharmaceuticals and Aspen Pharmacare Canada have all applied for Health Canada authorization, according to its list of generic submissions.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 2:00 PM CST

Ozempic is shown at a pharmacy in Toronto on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Joe O'Connal
Ozempic is shown at a pharmacy in Toronto on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Joe O'Connal

Nova Scotia offshore regulator looking to study potential Wind West sites

Devin Stevens, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Nova Scotia offshore regulator looking to study potential Wind West sites

Devin Stevens, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: 12:58 AM CST

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia’s offshore energy regulator wants to begin studying areas of the ocean that could be home to the first turbines in Premier Tim Houston’s Wind West project.

The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator says it is looking for a company to conduct a regional assessment of the studies and preliminary work needed on four patches of ocean earmarked for potential offshore wind development.

The company would consider what kind of studies are needed on marine life, archeology and geotechnical aspects of the four selected areas, and would also look into the deployment of data-gathering buoys and the exploration for unexploded ordinance.

“A regional assessment of these activities … can be relied upon by developers to inform their site-assessment planning and regulatory authorization applications, and by the regulator to inform their environmental effects determination,” says the request for proposals.

Read
Updated: 12:58 AM CST

Turbines operate at the Block Island Wind Farm, Dec. 7, 2023, off the coast of Block Island, R.I. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Julia Nikhinson
Turbines operate at the Block Island Wind Farm, Dec. 7, 2023, off the coast of Block Island, R.I. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Julia Nikhinson

Grandmother and grandson burn to death in Gaza tent while cooking; Jolie visits Rafah crossing

Wafaa Shurafa, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Grandmother and grandson burn to death in Gaza tent while cooking; Jolie visits Rafah crossing

Wafaa Shurafa, The Associated Press 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 3:20 PM CST

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A grandmother and her 5-year-old grandson burned to death in Gaza when their tent caught fire while cooking, as thousands of Palestinians endure colder weather in makeshift housing.

The nylon tent in Yarmouk caught fire Thursday night while a meal was being prepared, a neighbor said. A hospital official said that two Palestinian men were killed by Israeli gunfire on Friday in Gaza.

The shaky 12-week-old ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militant group has largely ended large-scale Israeli bombardment of Gaza. But Palestinians are still being killed by Israeli forces, especially along the so-called Yellow Line that delineates areas under Israeli control.

On Friday, American actor and film producer Angelina Jolie visited the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 3:20 PM CST

Magdi Abu Al-Khair bids farewell to his mother, Amal Abu Al-Khair, after she and her grandchild, Saud, were killed when their tent caught fire overnight at the Yarmouk displacement camp, at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Magdi Abu Al-Khair bids farewell to his mother, Amal Abu Al-Khair, after she and her grandchild, Saud, were killed when their tent caught fire overnight at the Yarmouk displacement camp, at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

LOAD MORE