Canadian ice climbers bring thriving, nascent sport to world championship in Edmonton

Even with a torrent of blood flowing from his mouth, knowing several of his teeth were bent out of place, Gord McArthur believed he could get back on the wall.

Moments before, in the middle of a manoeuvre last February at the Ice Climbing World Cup in Edmonton, the Canadian ice climber was holding an axe handle in his mouth when he fell.

On the way down, one of his ropes caught the tool, driving it into his mouth, fracturing his jaw and displacing his bottom teeth.

"It was ... like being curb-stomped by your tool," said the 45-year-old.

Sweeping tariffs could be 3% hit to Canadian economy, even with carve-outs: report

TORONTO - A CIBC report says sweeping tariffs imposed by the U.S. could cost the Canadian economy as much as 3.25 per cent, even factoring in possible exemptions for the oil and gas sector.

An analysis published Tuesday examined four potential scenarios in which U.S. President Donald Trump slaps new taxes on goods imported from Canada, ranging from 10 to 20 per cent and with possible carve-outs for key industries.

Speaking with reporters on Monday evening, Trump said he's thinking about hitting Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent tariffs on Feb. 1.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Canada would respond and that "everything is on the table."

Woman faces more charges in Taylor Swift ticket scam, 2nd person charged: police

Toronto police say a Burlington, Ont., woman is facing additional charges and a second person has been arrested in an alleged Taylor Swift concert ticket scam that saw 28 people purchase nearly $70,000 worth of fraudulent tickets.

Police allege a scammer who used the alias "Denise Blackhawk" on Facebook Marketplace, offered tickets for Swift's concerts held in Toronto last year, and buyers sent e-transfers to the apparent seller for full payments.

Police allege the scammer told buyers the tickets would not be released until days before the concert, but on the day of the show, no tickets had been transferred. They allege buyers were told their money was gone when they asked for a refund.

They say the 44-year-old woman arrested in the case now faces additional charges, including eight more counts of fraud under $5,000 – for a total of more than 80 charges.

Heightened security for Manitoba politicians appears to be a sign of the times

WINNIPEG - The days when a Manitoba premier could ride a bicycle to work alone and unworried about their security seem like a long time ago.

In the decade since Greg Selinger took a two-wheel commute from his home to the stately legislature in Winnipeg, security has been beefed up as concerns about threats faced by politicians grew.

Wab Kinew, elected premier in 2023, is followed by security inside the legislature and when he's out at public events and press conferences. He is driven in a large vehicle with someone always at his side.

"It's definitely an adjustment to go from what life was like prior to the election to my reality today, which is I'm never alone," Kinew said in a year-end interview, adding political staff are almost always present.

Canadian judokas Gauthier-Drapeau, Reyes win bronze at Tokyo Grand Slam

TOKYO - Canadian judokas François Gauthier-Drapeau and Kyle Reyes earned bronze medals Sunday at the Tokyo Grand Slam judo event.

Gauthier-Drapeau, form Alma, Que., finished with a bronze in the men's under-81 kg category when opponent David Karapetyan failed to show up for the medal bout.

“My opponent hurt his shoulder in the match before ours. To be honest, I’m very glad to accept the medal, but I would have liked to fight for it," Gauthier-Drapeau said.

"It always feels a bit weird when you take your bows and then it’s suddenly all over. There’s something missing."

Thousands join pro-Palestinian rallies around the globe as Oct. 7 anniversary nears

ROME (AP) — Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent demonstrators in Rome as tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets in major European cities and around the globe Saturday to call for a cease-fire as the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel approached.

Huge rallies were held in several European cities, with gatherings expected to continue over the weekend and peak on Monday, the date of the anniversary.

In Rome, several thousands demonstrated peacefully Saturday afternoon until a smaller group tried to push the rally toward the center of the city, in spite of a ban by local authorities who refused to authorize protests, citing security concerns.

Some protesters, dressed in black and with their faces covered threw stones, bottles and paper bombs at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons, eventually dispersing the crowd. At least 30 law enforcement officers and three demonstrators were injured in the clashes, local media reported.

Emir of Qatar to visit Ottawa on what will be his first official trip to Canada

OTTAWA – The Prime Minister’s Office says the Emir of Qatar will arrive in Ottawa for a two-day visit this week. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is set to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on what will be his first official trip to Canada. The PMO says the two leaders will discuss the ongoing situation in Gaza, as well as Afghanistan and Ukraine. Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Sheikha Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani arrive at the Elysee Palace ahead of an opening ceremony at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, […]

Trump-endorsed Senate candidate Bernie Moreno faults rival for distancing himself from Harris

LANCASTER, Ohio (AP) — Republican Bernie Moreno blasted Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown as he followed his campaign bus on its tour across Ohio Friday, accusing his rival of trying to distance himself from Vice President Kamala Harris despite many shared policy positions.

Speaking to about 75 people over coffee and doughnuts in the city of Lancaster, the Trump-endorsed Cleveland businessman said Brown's intention not to campaign with Harris as she makes her bid for president flies in the face of the pair's long-term political alliance. That included Harris visiting Ohio to raise money for Brown's 2018 Senate campaign and musing during her truncated 2020 presidential campaign about making Brown her running mate.

This year, Moreno said, Brown is instead pitching himself to voters as if he's a moderate, bipartisan Trump supporter.

“If Kamala Harris steps foot into Ohio, Sherrod Brown's going to run into his basement and tell Connie (Schultz, his wife) not to answer the door,” Moreno said, to laughter.

Man who encouraged torching hotels for asylum seekers in Britain gets 3 years in prison

LONDON (AP) — A man who used social media to stoke racial hatred during the far-right violence that erupted in Britain last week and encouraged people to torch hotels housing asylum seekers was sentenced Friday to more than three years in prison. The term handed down to Tyler Kay, a 26-year-old father of three, was among the harshest sentences so far for people who have taken part in or encouraged the latest rioting in Britain. “You posted as you did because you thought there were no consequences for yourself from stirring up racial hatred in others,” Judge Adrienne Lucking told […]

‘Embarrassing:’ Canadian fans in Paris react to soccer drone spying scandal

PARIS - Canadian sports fans in Paris are using words like "embarrassing" and "disappointing" to describe a drone spying scandal that has rocked Canada Soccer in the early days of the Olympic Games.

Jennifer McComb showed up Sunday to visit Canada House, dressed in a red maple leaf t-shirt. McComb, from Montreal, feels the actions of team management and coaching staff have cast a shadow over the early days of the Games.

"The main initial feeling for me was just embarrassment," she said Sunday outside Canada House in Paris. "It doesn’t represent who we are as a country and I thought that was really unfortunate."

But she and her friend Tara Mitrovka both disagree with the decision by soccer's governing body to strip points from the defending gold medal Olympic women's team, saying it unfairly penalizes the athletes for what they believe was a coaching and management decision.

What to know about the NATO military alliance and how it is helping Ukraine

BRUSSELS (AP) — President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts are meeting in Washington this week to mark the 75th anniversary of the world’s biggest security organization just as Russia presses its advantage on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The three-day summit, which begins Tuesday, will focus on ways to reassure Ukraine of NATO’s enduring support and offer some hope to its war-weary citizens that their country might survive the biggest land conflict in Europe in decades.

Much of what NATO can do for Ukraine, and indeed for global security, is misunderstood. Often the alliance is thought of as the sum of all U.S. relations with its European partners, from imposing sanctions and other costs on Russia to sending arms and ammunition.

But as an organization, its brief is limited to the defense by military means of its 32 member countries — the sacred Three Musketeers-like vow of all for one, one for all — and a commitment to help keep the peace in Europe and North America.

Trudeau to focus on return of stolen children at Ukraine peace talks

OBERKIRCH, Switzerland - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to shine a spotlight on the plight of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and call for their safe return while attending a summit dedicated to establishing peace between the two countries.

G7 leaders wrapped up their summit in Italy on Saturday, where Canada was heavily involved in a U.S.-led push to use frozen Russian assets to secure a US$50-billion loan to help Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders.

Canada has pledged $5 billion toward that loan.

Trudeau arrived in Switzerland for the peace talks hours later, alongside delegations from about 90 countries, to discuss a path toward ending the war with Russia.

Canadian labour ministers say they want federal government training money back

VICTORIA - Canada's provincial and territorial labour ministers will be meeting with their federal counterpart on Monday to demand that the federal government reinstate $625 million that it cut from the Labour Market Transfer Agreements.

A statement distributed by the British Columbia government says the cut significantly impacts provinces' and territories' ability to maintain skills training services for priority sectors, such as construction and health care.

It says provincial and territorial ministers are united in their support of Canadian workers and employers affected by the cuts.

The statement says the ministers will meet virtually with Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, although no one from his office was immediately able to comment on the funding cut.