Global National

A deadly 7.6-magnitude earthquake and dozens of aftershocks have rocked central Japan, trapping people under the rubble of collapsed buildings, and forcing thousands of residents out of their homes and into evacuation centres. The tsunami fears, the warnings to displaced residents, and the potential aftershocks keeping the country on edge. While Israel's war on Hamas rages, the fighting could soon enter a new phase, as Israel says it intends to withdraw some of its reservist troops from Gaza. Redmond Shannon explains why, and where a former Israeli intelligence official believes this violent conflict could head next. The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) has dropped the puck on its inaugural season, with Toronto hosting New York in the first game. The excitement, and how the goal for equity has yet to be achieved. Plus, Italian sandwich and coffee shops are popping up all over Montreal. How even the most chic new shops could not survive without one key ingredient: family.

A 17-year-old boy is dead, and another teenager is missing, after four teens fell through the ice on Ottawa's Rideau River. What is known about the incident so far, and how it adds to a growing list of ice-related accidents amid a warmer-than usual winter across Canada. Judih Weinstein Haggai, the only Canadian citizen who was still believed to be missing after Hamas' surprise October 7 attacks on Israel, has been confirmed dead. The reaction to her death, and the urgent calls for action in Gaza, as the danger for hostages and civilians rises amid Israel's siege. Health experts in Canada are calling on the federal government to implement a lifetime ban on cigarette sales to anyone born after 2008, with the hope of creating a smoke-free generation of Canadians. What health experts think about a potential prohibition of tobacco, and how it compares to other countries like the UK and New Zealand. And from politicians, to entertainers and athletes, we look back at some of the many incredible individuals we bid farewell to in 2023.

Viewer discretion is advised. As Israel intensifies its operation to wipe out Hamas, more than 21,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, according to the enclave's Hamas-ran health ministry -- while violence is also on the rise in the occupied West Bank. How the Palestinian National Authority's president, Mahmoud Abbas, is speaking out over the mass displacement of Palestinians. A report by the Globe and Mail says the RCMP is expected to make arrests in connection to the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Canadian Sikh separatist leader was fatally shot in BC in June, with India's government allegedly linked to the killing. The reaction from Nijjar's community, and how the case connects to a similar alleged plot to assassinate a Canadian-American Sikh activist in the U.S. Actor Lee Sun-kyun, who starred in the Oscar-wining South Korean film 'Parasite,' has died at age 48 from apparent suicide after being investigated for using illegal drugs. How the tragic incident follows a crackdown on celebrities allegedly using illicit substances, in a country with some of the world's strictest anti-drug laws. Plus, from the good, to the bad, and the downright ugly, a lot has happened in Canada and around the world during 2023. Mike Armstrong sums it all up with a rundown of the past 12 months, in alphabetical order.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to fight Hamas "until the end," more Gazans are dying. How long Israel's army chief is predicting the war will last, and why Israel is no longer automatically granting visa to United Nations workers. More Canadians are spending more of their income on housing, with the federal government responding by unveiling a variety of new programs and spending announcements. Why the factors causing rising costs are not easy to fix. More industries are embracing artificial intelligence, including medicine. How doctors, nurses, and patients could benefit from the technology. And it's been 50 years since 'The Exorcist' debuted in movie theatres, sending audiences into a frenzy and redefining the horror genre. The real-life story and places that inspired what many still consider the scariest movie ever made.

Israel's war on Hamas is not letting up during the holidays, as the Gaza Strip suffered one of its deadliest nights since Oct. 7. How grief has replaced festive celebrations in Bethlehem, a city which is usually bustling at Christmas; the mounting carnage at refugee camps in Gaza; and how some hostages' families heckled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Harry Rosen, the founder of one of Canada's most prominent fine menswear retail chains, has died at the age of 92. How Rosen's dream flourished into a retailing empire. Whether in a war-torn country or a nation with a hostile government, many journalists frequently put themselves in the line of fire. Dawna Friesen speaks with Anthony Feinstein, a University of Toronto psychiatry professor and the author of 'Moral Courage: 19 Profiles of Investigative Journalists,' about what drives journalists to risk their lives in pursuit of a story. Plus, if Christmas is the season of giving, then the season of gift returning is about to begin. What you should do before you head to the store, and why making a return could cost you.

Ontario company BTNX produced millions of COVID-19 rapid tests which were distributed in schools, hospitals and grocery stores across Canada. The federal government paid $2 billion for 400 million kits. But Jeff Semple explains why this brand of test may not have worked as well as advertised. COVID-19, RSV and influenza cases are on the rise this holiday season, putting pressure on hospitals across Canada. How some facilities are breaking the rules to accommodate patients, and how health officials fear the situation has become unnecessarily serious due to the dwindling number of Canadians getting vaccinated. It's a crime all too familiar to the U.S., but not in the Czech Republic. A student has gone on a shooting rampage at Charles University in Prague, killing at least 14 people and injuring 25 others. Police say the gunman is also dead. How police suspect the gunman was behind another death off-campus; and what investigators have ruled out. And while most of Canada normally experiences a white Christmas, that's not the case this year. What's behind the unusually warm and dry weather, and how people feel about the lack of snow.

In Ottawa, the teenaged boy accused of plotting an attack against Jewish people has appeared in court, where he faces several terrorism charges. RCMP say the teen possessed the key ingredients to make a TATP bomb. How easy it is to obtain those elements, and the carnage a TATP bomb can create. The already-tumultuous 2024 U.S. presidential election campaign has taken a twist, because the Colorado Supreme Court has removed former president Donald Trump from that state's primary ballot. What's behind the move, what other states have signalled, and what it could mean for Trump's Republican nomination bid. A First Nations man known as Mukwa Bear is volunteering his time to search for missing Indigenous people across Canada, helping families who say police have not done enough to look for their loved ones. Neetu Garcha travels to northern B.C. and speaks with the tracker and why he is dedicating his life to the cause. And from the deep sea to outer space. How a “conversation” with a whale could lead to humans being able to communicate with aliens.

A volcanic eruption has opened up a massive, fiery fissure in southwestern Iceland, with nearby residents watching closely to see where the lava will flow. What led up to the volcano finally erupting after weeks of intrigue, how long the eruption could last, and the threat it may pose. More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, as international demands for peace grow. The United Nations Security Council is working on a resolution calling for a stop to the fighting, but there are some obstacles to overcome. Crystal Goomansingh explains. The federal government has unveiled its roadmap to phase out the sale of gas and diesel passenger vehicles by 2035, marking the beginning of a big shift in Canada's automaker industry. why the move is fuelling concerns about whether Canada can pull its plan off. As many Canadians struggle with the rising cost of living, the holidays put an extra strain on bank accounts. Heidi Petracek, Mike Drolet, and Heather Yourex-West have been given a list, checked it twice, and scoured grocery stores in Halifax, Toronto, and Calgary respectively to see who can put on the most affordable holiday dinner.

A teenaged Ottawa boy accused of plotting an attack against the Jewish community has been hit with new charges. What the new counts are, and how this case coincides with the terrorism case against three teens and a 20-year-old man in Calgary. Israel is facing growing calls to change its strategy to wipe out Hamas, as close to 20,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the Oct. 7 attacks. The growing desperation and despair in Gaza; and on what happened after a shell struck a maternity and children's facility attached to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. BP is the latest commercial shipping company to suspend vessels from travelling through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal because of attacks from Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels. The consequences for the supply chain, how the Israel-Hamas conflict factors in, and how the U.S. is responding. Bethlehem is usually bustling with people celebrating Christmas during December. But this year is a much different story. As Daniele Hamamdjian discovers, the Israel-Hamas conflict has prompted Bethlehem to cancel Christmas. And the Alberta Energy Regulator has warned oil and gas companies it may need to restrict their access to water, as the Prairies deal with severe drought conditions. Why water is critical to the energy sector; and how farmers and firefighters on high alert after Canada's historically bad wildfire season.

The population of Rafah, the most southern city in the Gaza Strip, has ballooned since the start of Israel's war on Hamas, draining already scarce medical supplies. A Doctors Without Borders emergency coordinator in Rafah tells Global News about the impossible task of providing proper medical care in Gaza. An estimated 3.2 million people live in the West Bank, including more than 700,000 Jewish settlers. The divide is stark in Hebron, a city split in two, where thousands of Palestinians live under total control of the Israeli military. Daniele Hamamdjian visits Hebron to speak with some people about what life is like under that occupation. The parents of an Ontario Indigenous woman who passed away in February are speaking out for the first time about the care she received. November Kelly died of a severe infection her family says could have been prevented, raising fresh questions about the care Indigenous people receive in Canada's health-care system. Melissa Ridgen travelled to Onigaming First Nation, where she spoke with Kelly's family. Ontario is revamping the rules on alcohol sales, meaning convenience stores and big box retailers will be able to sell booze. The changes, when they'll take effect, how this could create competition for liquor sales in Quebec, and why mental health and addictions experts are concerned. It's called morning sickness, but many pregnant women can get very sick all day. What causes it has been unexplained - until now. What scientists have discovered, and how they could lay the framework for treatment and a cure. Plus: Ikea's big giveaway for people who are tired of turkey this holiday season. No assembly is required, but there's still a catch.