Top EU officials head to Moldova for key summit ahead of a pivotal parliamentary election
Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean will host the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa in Chisinau. Talks will focus on EU membership, security and trade. The leaders are expected to issue a joint statement afterward.
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an hour ago
Russia strikes Kyiv with missiles, drones in largest aerial attack since war in Ukraine began
Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Waves of drone and missile attacks targeted Kyiv overnight into Friday in the largest aerial attack since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, injuring 23 people and inflicting severe damage across multiple districts of the capital in a seven-hour onslaught. Russia launched 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine during the night, the country's air force said. The majority were Shahed drones, but Russia also launched 11 missiles in the attack. It was a harsh, sleepless night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Alya Shahlai, a 23-year-old wedding photographer, said her home was destroyed in the attack. We were all in the [basement] shelter because it was so loud; staying home would have been suicidal, she told The Associated Press. We went down 10 minutes before, and then there was a loud explosion and the lights went out in the shelter. People were panicking. Throughout the night, AP journalists in Kyiv heard the constant buzzing of drones overhead and the sound of explosions and intense machine gunfire as Ukrainian forces tried to intercept the aerial assault. At least 14 people were hospitalized, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Ukraine's Energy Minister German Galuschenko said that the attacks severed the power line that connects the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to the power grid. The UN's atomic energy agency said in a social media post (new window) that the plant was relying on its emergency diesel generators for power. Its six reactors are all shut down but the plant requires power to its cooling systems for safety, the International Atomic Energy Agency said. The largest nuclear plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia facility has been a focus of concern since Russia took control of it soon after its early 2022 invasion of Ukraine. During the course of the war, the external power has been cut multiple times, forcing the plant to rely on its diesel generators. No progress in latest Putin call, Trump says Russia is escalating its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities. Less than a week ago, Russia launched its previous largest aerial assault of the war. That strategy has coincided with a new push by Russia's bigger forces along parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line, where Ukrainian troops are under severe pressure. Russia's Defence Ministry said it had successfully struck military targets in Kyiv, while also capturing the village of Predtechyne in the eastern Donetsk region. WATCH | How Trump's recent criticism of Putin may signal U.S. policy shifts: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Trump vs. Putin: Is the U.S. finally fed up with the Russia-Ukraine war? U.S. President Donald Trump's stance on the Russia-Ukraine war and Putin has changed drastically over time. Andrew Chang explores how Trump's recent criticism of Putin may signal U.S. policy shifts. Then, can one judge overrule Trump? The attack on Kyiv began the same day a phone call took place between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy called the timing of the strikes a deliberate signal that Moscow has no intention of ending the war. The U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defence missiles. Ukraine's main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine's domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. Zelenskyy and Trump spoke after Friday's wave of attacks. The Ukraine president said they discussed air defences and agreed to work on increasing Kyiv's capability to defend the sky. He added that he discussed joint defence production, as well as joint purchases and investments with the U.S. leader. Separately, a spokesperson for Friedrich Merz said the German chancellor had reached out to Trump via phone call on Thursday to discuss Germany buying Patriot missile defence systems from the U.S. and delivering them to Ukraine. Putin has argued he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to fend off a threat to Russia posed by Ukraine's push to join NATO and to protect Russian speakers in Ukraine — arguments rejected by Kyiv and its allies. He insisted any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine abandon its NATO bid and recognize Russia's territorial gains. When asked if he made any progress with Putin on a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine, Trump said: No, I didn't make any progress with him today at all. WATCH l Kyiv residents seeks shelter in latest attack: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Kyiv residents take shelter underground as explosions rock city People took shelter in a basement in Kyiv overnight as Russia hammered Ukraine's capital with drones in a widespread attack. Russia says 1 person killed, substations damaged In Russia, Ukraine launched a drone attack on the Sergiyev Posad district, near Moscow, early on Friday, injuring one person and damaging power infrastructure, the head of the district said. Oksana Yerokhanova wrote in a post on the Telegram messaging app that at least four explosions were recorded throughout the district — some 75 kilometres from the Kremlin — and that a power substation was damaged, leaving parts of the district without electricity. In the southern Russian region of Rostov, a woman was killed as a result of Ukraine's drone attack, which damaged several apartment buildings and forced the evacuation of scores of people from their homes, the acting governor of the region said Friday. The scale of the attack on Russia was not immediately known. There was no comment from Ukraine. In general, Kyiv says that its attacks inside Russia are aimed at destroying infrastructure key to Moscow's war efforts and are in response to continuous Russian strikes on Ukraine. On Thursday, the Russian military confirmed the killing of Maj.-Gen. Mikhail Gudkov, deputy head of the Russian Navy. Gudkov — who was handed a top military honour by Putin in February and appointed to the top naval post in March — was killed on Wednesday during combat work in one of the border districts of Kursk region, Russia's Defence Ministry said. Unofficial Russian and Ukrainian military Telegram channels had earlier reported that Gudkov was among several servicemen and officers killed in an attack which utilized a U.S.-made HIMARS missile. Reuters could not independently verify how Gudkov, 42, died or what he was doing in Kursk. The Associated Press with files from Reuters
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
B.C. quadruples size of hate crimes team as incidents surge by 23%
The British Columbia government is quadrupling the size of the province's hate crimes policing unit, amid surging reports of incidents motivated by race, religion and sexual orientation. Public Safety Minister Gary Begg announced the expansion Friday, which will take the unit, which is a part of the B.C. RCMP, from two officers to a team of eight. 2:16 Speech at Vancouver pro-Palestine protest investigated as hate crime The province is providing $734,000 in new funding, which will be used to hire five new RCMP officers and one intelligence analyst. Story continues below advertisement 'We cannot ignore the reality that acts of hate have been on the rise in recent years,' Public Safety Minister Gary Begg said. 'Over the past year alone, we have seen reprehensible acts of violence here in our province. Places of worship have been vandalized, treaty offices have been defaced, and innocent people have been targeted while going about their daily activities.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy According to provincial data, police-reported hate crimes in B.C. surged by nearly a quarter (23 per cent) between 2022 and 2023. Hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity were up by 12 per cent, while incidents linked to religion spiked by over 50 per cent and incidents related to sexual orientation were up 43 per cent. 1:39 B.C. updates hate crime policies 'Hate has no place in British Columbia. It only deepens fear, it creates division, erodes public safety, and stands in direct opposition to everything we value and believe in,' Begg said. Story continues below advertisement 'As community leaders, we have a responsibility to protect those who are targeted simply because of who they are.' Begg said the new funding will help ensure prosecutors have the necessary evidence to win convictions on hate crimes charges, and bolster court proceedings by providing expert testimony and support for witnesses and victims. The B.C. Hate Crimes Team is the only RCMP provincial hate crime team in Canada. Chief Supt. Elija Rain, Officer in Charge of the B.C. RCMP Major Crimes Section said the unit has been facing a growing workload. 6:11 Vancouver police say Israel-Hamas war has fuelled rise in hate crime He said the team is currently reviewing more than 100 files per week where hate could be a motivating factor, and provide guidance and oversight to both RCMP and municipal police forces. Story continues below advertisement 'Whether it is hate-motivated crime, hate propaganda or non-criminal but deeply harmful incidents involving hate or bias, we recognize the impact these incidents have on victims and communities. We also recognize the importance of investigating hate-related files,' he said. 'The B.C. Hate Crime Team provides operational support and expertise to all policing agencies across the province, which means the positive impacts of expanding this team will be felt in every region of British Columbia.' Along with the expanded hate crime team, the province says it has received $4 million from the federal government through the Shift B.C. program, which works to prevent radicalized violence by supporting people at risk.
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Carney's first big miss: the backdown on the digital services tax
Personally, I prefer 'Over the boards!' to 'Elbows Up' as a catchword for Canadian combativeness and refusal to back down. They're from the same era. I learned it from a hockey-playing pal from Sudbury. It's when everyone on the bench vaults onto the ice to back up their embattled mates, rather than Gordie Howe going into the corner alone, arms flailing, and decimates the other side. I can see why Mark Carney opted for Elbows UP (EU) — aside from the subtle reference to diversifying our trade partners). He's spent his whole career going mano a mano with other top dogs. Despite that he managed to inspire a national team effort by vocalizing a firm stand. Canadians felt it deeply and hopped over the boards by cancelling long-planned trips to the U.S. or diligently inspecting the shelves for 'Made in Canada' stuff.
