Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has shuffled his cabinet, after a week of caucus chaos. Included is Nate Erskine-Smith as housing minister, and David McGuinty as public safety minister. We’ll talk about what it means for the future of the prime minister, and the government. More Liberal MPs are calling for Trudeau to quit, and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh says he will vote no confidence in the government at the next opportunity, which won’t be for more than a month.

And: A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg. There are reports that more than 11 people have died, and at least 50 people were injured. Authorities believe this was an attack. The driver of the car was arrested.

Also: Holiday gatherings bring fun and food, but also a rise in illnesses like flu, COVID and RSV. The stats so far suggest a somewhat milder season, but some experts say they're worried it may not be representing what’s actually happening.

Plus: Gunshots at a Toronto Jewish school for the third time this year, U.S. government shutdown, GST cut fallout, and more.

More than 50 men have been convicted in a sexual assault trial that has been gripping France. Gisèle Pelicot’s husband was found guilty of drugging and raping her, and inviting other men to participate. Pelicot has been praised for her bravery in allowing her name to be known, as France grapples with what the crimes say about gender relations in the country.

And: The prime minister is planning a cabinet shuffle for Friday, as he tries to chart a course out of the biggest threat to his leadership so far.

Also: President Vladimir Putin holds his annual, epically-long press conference. He says Russia is ready for a missile duel with the U.S., and claims he should have gone into Ukraine earlier. Putin also says he is ready for talks “any time” with US president-elect Donald Trump.

Plus: U.S. lawmakers try to avoid government shutdown, mysterious brain disease investigation in New Brunswick, the future of Hezbollah, and more.

Justin Trudeau hasn’t said anything about Chrystia Freeland’s resignation. And that silence is being filled by the voices of others – some calling on him to resign, others wondering if he will shuffle the cabinet and try to hold on.

And: Donald Trump posts again about Canada becoming the 51st state. He’s tying it to his demands about the border and claims the U.S. is subsidizing Canada. Ottawa has shown a willingness to meet some of Trump’s demands, despite the insults.

Also: A Montreal synagogue is attacked – again. An incendiary device caused a small fire, and the window of a Jewish advocacy group next door was smashed. The prime minister condemns it as a “vile antisemitic attack”.

Plus: The dipping loonie, misinformation from India, astonishing recovery from a shark attack, and more.

Where does the Liberal Party go now? Some of his own MPs are calling for Justin Trudeau to go, on the last day before the holiday break. The government is still making policy announcements, including more details on their border protection plan. 

And: What does Chrystia Freeland’s departure mean for Canada/U.S. relations? Donald Trump is newly elected, while Trudeau is on the ropes. 

Also: Shock and outrage follows the discovery of mass graves in Syria. Observers say there could be hundreds of thousands of bodies. Now - the awful task of finding out who they are, and what happened. 

Plus: Russian general killed, Canada’s doctors seeing fewer patients, life in Nunavut hits Netflix, and more. 

An unprecedented day in Canadian politics, as Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland quits, hours before she was supposed to deliver the government’s fall economic update. And she makes it clear why: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Another cabinet member – Housing Minister Sean Fraser – also steps down. Dominic Leblanc has already been sworn in to replace Freeland, but it may not be enough to save Trudeau. The NDP leader has joined the chorus of voices from the Conservatives – and some Liberal MPs – calling for him to step down.

And: Canada Post workers will be on the job tomorrow, after a strike that’s lasted more than four weeks. The federal labour board determined that talks are at an impasse, but the mail must get moving. Workers will go back under the existing contract, with a 5% increase, until a deal can be reached.

Also: In France, judges are deliberating the fate of 51 men accused in a disturbing rape case that has shocked the nation. It also galvanized support for the victim, after Gisele Pelicot agreed to make her name public.

The full extent of human rights abuses by the Assad regime is coming to light in Syria - one week after its downfall. CBC News traveled to a Damascus suburb that put up strong resistance to the regime - in the early days of the civil war.

Also: A powerful windstorm in B.C. has left at least one person dead and two others unaccounted for. It also knocked out power for more than 250,000 residents. While the lights are now back on for many, the cleanup is still underway.

And: Christmas markets are a staple of the holiday season in Europe. It's a tradition going back centuries, starting in Germany. But now another country is challenging Germany for the Christmas tourism crown - Croatia.

Plus: Looking ahead to the federal government's fall economic statement, A memorial for former B.C. Premier John Horgan, awaiting verdicts in a major rape trial in France, and more. 

Shoppers are now getting a two month reprieve from the federal GST. The federal government says it's a bid to help make life more affordable, but some people have mixed feelings about tax break.

Also: Some rural Yukoners say they're being abandoned after being sent to Whitehorse for medical treatment. Finding themselves discharged, alone, and hundreds of kilometers from home with no place to stay.

And: Swimming sensation Summer McIntosh broke another world record at the world short course championships in Hungary. CBC Sports Devin Heroux was there to see it, and tells us how it all happened.

Plus: Georgia arrests political dissidents, the influence of India's most feared mobster, Streaming services get into the Christmas movie market, and more.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says if there is no agreement soon, the Industrial Relations Board should order Canada Post workers back to work next week. Negotiations would continue. The four-week strike has hit small business, charities, and people who depend on income support hard.

And: Those small businesses are preparing for another challenge: the GST holiday. It starts at midnight. Some say they have to pay overtime in order to prepare for the switch. And there’s still confusion about which products qualify for the tax break.

Also: The CEOs of four airlines appear before the transportation committee in Ottawa to defend their practice of charging extra fees. The MPs say the goal is more affordable travel. CEOs say government add-ons are pushing up prices.

Plus: Premiers make plans for dealing with U.S. tariff threat, Trump and crypto currency, celebrations in Syria, letters to Santa will still get through, and more.

Newfoundland and Labrador signs a new tentative deal with Quebec on Churchill Falls energy production. N.L. Premier Andrew Furey and Quebec Premier François Legault announced the terms of a memorandum of understanding at a news conference in St. John's — one they say means $200 billion for each province over the long term.

And: RSV is on the rise in Canada, as it often is at this time of year. There is immunization available, but it’s pricey, and not every province is offering it.

Also: Lawmakers demand answers about mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey and surrounding areas. Congress members have called for a state of emergency even though the Pentagon has said — nothing to see here.

Plus: Alberta’s border plan, Canada’s response to tariffs, Ontario’s plan on homelessness, a new federal target for reducing carbon emissions, and more.

The Bank of Canada has cut its trend-setting interest rate by 50 basis points. And it’s signalling this will be the last major cut for a while. The next update from the bank comes after Donald Trump becomes president in the U.S.

And: Canada’s premiers hear from the prime minister on the plan to deal with tariff threats from Trump. On the table: the billion-dollar border package. But some premiers are making their own plans: working to boost support from states down south.

Also: Curfews across Syria have been lifted, and there is a sense of cautious optimism across the country. Days after rebels toppled the government of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s interim prime minister promises calm and stability.

Plus: After years of wrangling - a renegotiated deal for the Churchill Falls hydroelectric project, documents in limbo because of the postal strike, Canada’s gun buy back program and more.