Canada

NATO member Canada updated its defense policy this year with a focus on protecting the Arctic and is moving ahead to acquire up to 12 submarines; a formal process to meet with manufacturers has started

Canada soccer team reached the Copa America semi-finals for the first time ever after an absorbing contest with Venezuela finished 1-1 and a 4-3 penalty shootout win

Ottawa listed Iran Revolutionary Guards through the Criminal Code listing regime to be able to use all tools to combat the terrorist activity of the IRGC, also if perpetrated in association with other listed entities such as Hezbollah and Hamas

A hotter-than-usual summer is expected, with slightly below-average precipitation in central Canada, government officials said, offering little relief from the ongoing drought and the risk of another bad wildfire season

Protesters at pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Toronto said they will stay at the site despite threats of discipline from the school and possible legal action; 60 faculty members have spoken out in support of protesters

A “major geomagnetic storm” provided a rare look at the beautiful aurora borealis — the northern lights — in southern Ontario and as far south as the Greater Toronto Area, at 43 degrees North, while usually recurring at latitudes between 60 and 75

4th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for an international legally binding document on plastic pollution, also in the marine environment, closed in Ottawa with 176 countries participating and a draft text available in all UN languages

Yet another fire in a month caused partial disruption of the subway service on line 2 in Toronto for over two days, forcing TTC to postpone planned maintenance work to avoid further difficulties to tens of thousands of passengers

Canada will host Cliff Diving World Series for the first time since the circuit started in 2009; the event will take place in the Port of Montreal's Grand Quay on 25 August, with athletes diving into St. Lawrence River from 21 (women) and 27 (men) meters

The BC Coroners Service says 177 people died in February due to “toxic, unregulated drugs”, fentanyl or strong opioids were found in 80% of overdose deaths and over 175 people have died for the toxic drug supply in each of the last 20 consecutive months

The number of air passenger complaints to Canada’s transport regulator is soaring, more than tripling to 42.000 on 2022; the backlog brings each case to need over a year and a half to be handled, while advocates and politicians question the entire process

Online child sexual exploitation rates more than tripled in Canada between 2014 and 2022; new research from Statistics Canada shows police were only able to solve two in five online sexual offences against children in that period