The Wrap
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Air India crash, wildfires, attempted murder sentencing, Hellebuyck awarded, opera CEO steps down
Plus: read to the bottom for a story filed from inside a Texas hailstorm

Good evening. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers kick off the regular season tonight against the B.C. Lions at Princess Auto Stadium, taking their first step on their quest for a sixth straight Grey Cup appearance in November.

The Blue and Gold host a familiar face in Buck Pierce, the new head coach of the Lions, as the Bombers freshly minted offensive co-ordinator, Jason Hogan, calls his first regular-season game. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.; Joshua Frey-Sam is taking in the game and will have a story on our website later tonight and in tomorrow’s paper.

Here’s a look at what else our newsroom has been working on today:

 

'This is a state of emergency, and our people have to keep moving'

Nicole Buffie:

‘Not even in the height of our wildfire season’

Risk rises with warmer days ahead; York Factory residents fly home: ‘our people are going through too much’ Read More

 

Scott Billeck:

Premier sees wildfire devastation first-hand

Premier Wab Kinew likened the wildfire-scarred landscape near Flin Flon to something out of a movie as he described the devastation he witnessed during an aerial tour Thursday as both surreal and sobe... Read More

 

Photography by Mike Deal / Free Press:

In pictures: Flin Flon wildfire tour June 12, 2025

Free Press photographer Mike Deal was with Premier Wab Kinew as he got a firsthand look at the battle against the largest wildfire in the province during a tour of northern Manitoba Thursday. Read More

 
 
 

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Iced drink with lime on a wooden surface beside the Savour Manitoba magazine cover.
 

'You have left me fighting for my life every single day'

Dean Pritchard:

‘I wish you had killed me so I don’t have to keep living like this’

Beaten, bound woman left to die in frozen dumpster confronts ‘monster’ in courtroom Read More

 
 

'Heartbreaking beyond words'

Kevin Rollason:

Local cardiologist, dentist trained, worked in India hospital complex where jet crashed

The crash of an Air India jet into a section of an Indian hospital complex shortly after takeoff Thursday has hit two Winnipeggers who trained and worked there years ago particularly hard. Read More

 

Sharif Hassan, The Canadian Press:

Family says Canadian dentist was aboard Air India flight that crashed after takeoff

The Canadian citizen believed to be on an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff is a dentist who worked in Mississauga, Ont., her family has confirmed. Read More

 

Ajit Solanki And Rajesh Roy, The Associated Press:

Fiery Air India crash kills 241 people aboard, leaving 1 survivor, airline says

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — An Air India plane bound for London crashed in a residential area of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff Thursday, killing 241 people on board, the airline said. One passe... Read More

 

Sheikh Saaliq, Aijaz Hussain And Danica Kirka, The Associated Press:

Lone passenger survives the deadly Air India crash

The lone passenger to survive the Air India crash that killed 241 people on board Thursday found himself near debris after being thrown out of the plane and walked to a nearby ambulance for aid, a medic said. Read More

 

Josh Funk, The Associated Press:

Is air travel safe? Deadly Air India plane crash renews concerns after a string of other crashes

Transport officials have tried to reassure travelers that flying is the safest mode of transportation, and statistics support that. But the cascade of headlines about all the things that have gone wrong is drawing increasing attention. Read More

 
 

'Not too many goalies even get considered'

Ken Wiebe:

Hellebuyck reels in Hart, Vezina honours

Jets netminder NHL’s MVP and top goalie Read More

 
 

'A pivotal moment in the evolution of Manitoba Opera'

Holly Harris:

Career coda

Manitoba Opera’s CEO stepping down after 25 years Read More

 
 
 

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Three Savour Manitoba magazine covers promoting a food, drink, and lifestyle publication.
 

Local

Carol Sanders: Pallister, Harris, Kreviazuk among 12 ‘exceptional’ Manitobans honoured
Chris Kitching: ‘Steeped in history’: Fort Garry Hotel up for sale
Dean Pritchard: Man sentenced to 11 years after pleading guilty in roommate’s shooting death
Chris Kitching: Rae and Jerry’s ordered closed after sewer backup
Free Press staff: City crews battle six vacant-building fires within hours
Free Press staff: Phase 1 of CentrePort’s Keystone park complete
Scott Billeck: U.S. man charged with luring Manitoba girl, 10, online
Carol Sanders: Health officials working to control hepatitis A outbreak in province
Gabrielle Piché: Interest in respiratory therapy training surges as province seeks to fill demand
Nicole Buffie: Hermanos steakhouse to shutter, relocate in Exchange
 

Opinion

Tom Brodbeck: Legislature language ban doesn’t make sense, doesn’t solve problem
Lloyd Axworthy: Legislators must clean up their act
Deveryn Ross: Churchill project not worth the risk
Editorial: Province must resume role in transit funding
Scott Forbes: What to do with inconvenient wildlife
Christopher J. Schneider: The pitfalls of increased use of AI in policing
Paul Moist: Mel Myers: a friend to all workers
Dan Lett: Health, social crises worsen despite NDP’s undeniable efforts to address them
Free Press: Letters, May 12
Kelly Higginson: Small towns and temporary foreign workers
 

Arts & Life

Jake Coyle, The Associated Press: Jackson receives honorary Palme D’Or as Cannes flaunts star power despite Hollywood’s retreat
John Longhurst: Weston-area church seeking financial help to fix leaky roof
Maureen Scurfield: Don’t miss out on opportunity a second time
AV Kitching: Exhibition takes Canadian history of Chinese oppression from the archives into the light
Denise Duguay: TV that brings you home, whether you like it or not
Eva Wasney: Sewing studio offers classes for crafty folks
Ben Waldman: 'Kimberly Akimbo' takes on mortality with heart and humour
Georgia Nicols: Today’s horoscope
Ben Sigurdson: Canadian scribe lands lucrative poetry prize
Holly Harris: Guest clarinetist part of dramatic end to wildly varied WSO season
 

Sports

Ken Wiebe: Six players from Oak Bluff-based prep team chosen by Western Hockey League in Prospect Draft
The Canadian Press: Canadiens aim to take 3-1 series lead over visiting Sabres tonight
Taylor Allen: Blue Bombers training camp begins with excitement
Taylor Allen: Dixon turning heads at Bomber camp
The Canadian Press: Game 5 of PWHL semifinal postponed due to illnesses, rescheduled for Tuesday
Joshua Frey-Sam: Volleyball a lifeline for Manitoba Bisons’ Dadash-Adeh
Joshua Frey-Sam: Homegrown guard gives Sea Bears spark in season opening win
Mike McIntyre: Powerhouse Griffins put Moose down
Joshua Frey-Sam: Hutter not afraid to step up in lead role as team prepares for Western Women’s Canadian Football League season kickoff
George Williams: Assiniboia Downs racing season opens Tuesday, and follows in the hoofbeats of record-setting 68th season
 

Business

The Canadian Press: S&P/TSX composite down more than 200 points, U.S. stock markets also lower
Malak Abas: Manitoba farmers make up half of national network testing tools focused on productivity boost
Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press: Trans Mountain and its federal parent see case for Ottawa owning pipeline for good
Aaron Epp: Venetian Nail Spa adds third link in local chain, preps for grand opening at CF Polo Park
Chris Kitching: Province to make non-profit thrift stores eligible for security rebate
Malak Abas: IGM Financial caps big year with first steps toward another
Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press: Canadian and U.S. stock markets inch higher despite gains in oil prices
Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press: Cineplex CEO applauds longer theatrical windows for new releases, downplays sale talk
Craig Lord, The Canadian Press: BoC report estimates U.S. counter-tariffs pushed prices up about 6% last year
Malak Abas: Travel Manitoba’s new marketing campaign puts focus on resilience in wake of wildfire-stricken 2025
 

Canada

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press: Ottawa puts latest Canada Post offer up for a vote by union members
Nick Murray, The Canadian Press: The 2025 wildfire season is on track to be Canada’s 2nd-worst on record
Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press: Supreme Court of Canada to hear appeal in long-running Facebook privacy case
Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press: Protests at G7 summit in Alberta set to be largely peaceful, targeting Trump policies
Matthew Scace, The Canadian Press: Leaders should ignore Trump outbursts at G7 summit: former PM Chrétien
Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press: Crews make ‘good progress’ on Squamish, B.C., wildfire, as RCMP investigate cause
 
 

World

The Associated Press: Middle East latest: Israeli’s defense minister acknowledges it killed Hamas leader
Illia Novikov, The Associated Press: Russia’s military casualties top 1 million in 3-year-old war, Ukraine says
Samy Magdy And Kareem Chehayeb, The Associated Press: Hamas says it killed 12 Israeli-backed fighters. Israeli-supported group says they were aid workers
Jim Vertuno, The Associated Press: Gov. Abbott deploys over 5,000 Texas National Guard troops ahead of planned ‘No Kings’ protests
Seung Min Kim, Adriana Gomez Licon And Michael R. Blood, The Associated Press: Standoff with troops in Los Angeles reignites old feud as Newsom resists Trump’s immigration raids
Gerald Imray And Michelle Gumede, The Associated Press: At least 78 dead in South Africa floods as official says rescue attempts were ‘paralyzed’
Stephanie Liechtenstein, Jon Gambrell And Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press: Iran announces a new nuclear enrichment site after UN watchdog censure
Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press: Netanyahu’s government survives vote to dissolve Israel’s parliament
David Klepper And John Hanna, The Associated Press: Robert F. Kennedy met with the CIA after a trip to the Soviet Union, newly declassified files show
Martín Adames Alcántara, The Associated Press: Owner of Dominican club whose roof collapsed and killed 236 is arrested along with his sister
 

One last thing...

Seth Borenstein, Brittany Peterson And Carolyn Kaster, The Associated Press:

Ping, ping ping. Here’s what it’s like to drive into a big hailstorm in the name of science

“Your natural survival instincts tell you, you need to take shelter, and you need hide from it. But you just know that it’s about to be some good research, and you are changing the world one storm at a time.” Read More

 
 

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