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Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at the Canada-India Growth and Investment Forum in Mumbai, India, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Carney says Canada won’t be involved militarily in U.S.-Israel action in Iran

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Updated: 9:29 AM CST

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will not participate in the ongoing conflict in Iran.

This from Carney comes following the United States and Israel launching an attack on the Middle Eastern country that has left the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dead.

State media in Iran had earlier reported nationwide strikes, with some of the first strikes appearing to hit areas around Khamenei's offices.

Carney recently called Iran the "principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East" and said it must never be able to develop a nuclear weapon.

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Police announce charges for women accused in abduction

Free Press staff 2 minute read Preview

Police announce charges for women accused in abduction

Free Press staff 2 minute read 9:11 AM CST

Two women face abduction charges after a two-year-old child went missing Friday, which led police to broadcast an Amber Alert across the province.

The child was allegedly abducted from his mother at a St. Vital home Friday morning.

A citizen, who had seen the Amber Alert sent to Manitobans’ cellphones and broadcast on TV and radio, recognized the trio after they exited a taxi near McPhillips Street and Logan Avenue.

The citizen took the child from the suspects and brought him to a vehicle and waited for officers to arrive, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Sunday.

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9:11 AM CST

Local Iranian community rallies in support of U.S., Israel strikes

Tyler Searle 5 minute read Preview

Local Iranian community rallies in support of U.S., Israel strikes

Tyler Searle 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 1:19 PM CST

Iranians — some with tears in their eyes — danced in the streets of Winnipeg Saturday as news broke that the U.S. and Israel launched a major attack overnight, killing the leader of the Islamic regime who has ruled over their home country for decades.

“All the Iranian diaspora and people inside Iran were waiting for this to happen,” said Shervin Shahidian, an Iranian-born man now living in the Manitoba capital.

“I was shaking here, and I was so happy actually for them. They are very hopeful that this is it, that this is going to be the end of this regime and finally they are going to be free and living freely.”

Shahidian described a sleepless night spent waiting for word from his friends and relatives in Iran, who last made contact with him around 3 a.m. after missiles struck key targets associated with the Islamic Republic government.

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Updated: Yesterday at 1:19 PM CST

TYLER SEARLE / FREE PRESS
Husband and wife Mojtaba Montazeri and Zhaleh Parsaei celebrate the U.S. and Israel military strikes against the Islamic Republic regime in Iran on Saturday.

Iran’s supreme leader killed in major attack by US and Israel

Jon Gambrell, Melanie Lidman, Josh Boak And Eric Tucker, The Associated Press 9 minute read Preview

Iran’s supreme leader killed in major attack by US and Israel

Jon Gambrell, Melanie Lidman, Josh Boak And Eric Tucker, The Associated Press 9 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:56 PM CST

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack by Israel and the United States, Iranian state media confirmed early Sunday, throwing the future of the Islamic Republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability.

President Donald Trump announced the death hours earlier, saying it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country.

State media reported that the 86-year-old was killed in an airstrike targeting his compound in downtown Tehran. Satellite photos from Airbus showed that the site was heavily bombed.

His death at his office “showed that he consistently stood among the people and at the forefront of his responsibilities, confronting what officials call global arrogance,” state TV said.

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Updated: Yesterday at 9:56 PM CST

FILE -Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz makes statements with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias after their meeting in Athens, Greece, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)

Siloam Mission staffers demand CEO be removed one week into the job

Scott Billeck 5 minute read Preview

Siloam Mission staffers demand CEO be removed one week into the job

Scott Billeck 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Siloam Mission staff members are calling for the removal of the inner-city shelter’s new CEO and its board chair, as well as an independent review of its executive leadership and board oversight.

They allege CEO Sonia Prevost-Derbecker, who was formally introduced in the role Feb. 20, has made derogatory and demeaning remarks about Indigenous people, individuals struggling with substance use, and the neighbourhood around the 300 Princess St. building. They said they were also concerned she had asked about her personal spending authority.

“Our position remains firm: meaningful governance change is required,” said a recent email from staff to the shelter’s board of directors.

“We believe this includes the removal of (chair Tracey Silagy) from the board and the replacement of Sonia as CEO. Without these steps, confidence cannot be restored.”

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES
Sonia Prevost-Derbecker

Infrequent lunar eclipse performs Copper Side of the Moon early Tuesday morning

Nicole Buffie 3 minute read Preview

Infrequent lunar eclipse performs Copper Side of the Moon early Tuesday morning

Nicole Buffie 3 minute read Yesterday at 12:38 PM CST

Stargazers in Manitoba have the chance Tuesday to watch the last total lunar eclipse on this side of the world until 2029.

The celestial event is slated to begin early in the morning, when the Earth passes between the moon and the sun, allowing the moon to descend into Earth’s shadow.

The moon will start to move into the Earth’s shadow between 4 and 5 a.m. before entering “totality” in which the moon enters the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, according to Andrew Rogers, a student technician at the University of Manitoba’s department of physics and astronomy.

For about an hour, the moon will bear a copper colour from the sun’s light passing by the Earth. The red hue cast on the moon is why the lunar eclipse is often nicknamed the “blood moon.”

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Yesterday at 12:38 PM CST

TREVOR HAGAN / FREE PRESS FILES
A total lunar eclipse will take place Tuesday.

Opinion

Female Olympians take gold in showing class Jen Zoratti 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:06 AM CST
Whisky fest focuses on Canadian craft distilleries Ben Sigurdson 9 minute read Yesterday at 3:00 AM CST
Talking, listening and learning on the road to reconciliation Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

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A grain port, top left, stands on the outskirts of town, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Churchill, Manitoba. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Big dreams, cold reality

Buzz is building over increased trade capacity through the Port of Churchill, but risks could threaten to outweigh the rewards

Julia-Simone Rutgers 17 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Ducks down Jets 5-4 in OT

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

Ducks down Jets 5-4 in OT

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:19 AM CST

ANAHEIM – This was both a point lost and a point gained for the Winnipeg Jets.

As a result, the margin for error just got slimmer.

Despite building a 3-1 advantage early in the third period, the Jets were unable to hold the lead as they fell 5-4 in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night at Honda Center after Chris Kreider scored with 12.3 seconds to go in the three-on-three session.

“Fans certainly got their money’s worth,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “Obviously, we had the two goal lead twice and gave that up. In the second there, we got a little bit into a trading chances scenario where we had some odd man rushes and didn’t execute, then they got odd man rushes the other way.

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Updated: Yesterday at 8:19 AM CST

Kyusung Gong / The Associated Press
Anaheim Ducks defenceman Olen Zellweger, left, and Winnipeg Jets left wing Alex Iafallo battle for the puck during the second period.

Exhibit connects traditional and contemporary Métis beadwork artists

Jen Zoratti 6 minute read Preview

Exhibit connects traditional and contemporary Métis beadwork artists

Jen Zoratti 6 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Suspended from the ceiling in Gallery 1C03 at the University of Winnipeg is an octopus bag, created by Métis visual artist Claire Johnston.

So called for the eight tabs on the bottom, octopus bags were traditionally worn by Métis men and beaded by Métis women and held everything one would need to make a fire.

Johnston’s bag is adorned with meticulously beaded floral motifs in soft pinks and lipstick reds and powder blues, done in the tradition that has been preserved and passed on for generations despite existential threats from colonialism.

But if you look closer, there’s also a modern message of resistance, beaded vertically in cursive: “f—- AI.”

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS
Métis visual artist Claire Johnston’s beaded octopus bag includes messages protesting the use of AI.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Retail bake shop The Bread Box opened this week, and was started by the people behind the Fort Garry Hotel featuring items that are typically baked for hotel guests.

Building ‘fabulous buzz’ on Fort Street

Bread Box bake shop brings longtime tastes of Fort Garry Hotel to general public

Aaron Epp 4 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS
Sports UFC Portrait of former local UFC fighter Roland Delorme.

‘I did my dream’

With UFC card in Winnipeg on horizon, ‘Rolly’ reflects on his hometown hero’s welcome

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Airport land development expected to draw massive investment, create jobs in aerospace, aviation

Tyler Searle 4 minute read Preview

Airport land development expected to draw massive investment, create jobs in aerospace, aviation

Tyler Searle 4 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Government and industry leaders are banking on a $32-million airport land development to cement Winnipeg as a national leader in economic growth and trade.

In a joint announcement Friday, the federal and provincial governments, alongside the Winnipeg Airports Authority and the City of Winnipeg, outlined a plan to develop 127 acres of land west of the airport into direct-access runways.

“You can think of this as beachfront property. This is very valuable for businesses in key sectors such as aerospace, aviation, trade enabling and logistics that need that direct proximity to air side operations,” said Nick Hays, the WAA’s president and CEO.

“It is very unusual to have an airport… with that scale of land right next to the runway that has not been developed. Today’s announcement is about putting in the investment that services that land to unlock that opportunity.”

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

MIKE APORIUS/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - Northwest Airlines plane takes off from the James Richardson Airport Thursday - see Kirbyson story January 31/2008

Kinew hints at funding in budget to get once-lauded St. Boniface Hospital cardiac program beating strongly again

Gabrielle Piché 5 minute read Preview

Kinew hints at funding in budget to get once-lauded St. Boniface Hospital cardiac program beating strongly again

Gabrielle Piché 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Premier Wab Kinew hinted Friday that next month’s provincial budget will revive St. Boniface Hospital’s “gutted” cardiac-care program.

“We’re going to make sure in the future (that) St. B, which functions as our heart hospital in Manitoba, is going to have the resources it needs to take care of people,” Kinew said Friday.

The government will table the budget on March 24. Kinew didn’t provide any funding details Friday.

On the campaign trail in September 2023, he said if elected, Manitoba’s New Democrats would spend $5 million annually to fund positions at Cardiac Sciences Manitoba at St. Boniface Hospital.

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026