ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Politics

    • Canada booking seats on flights out of Lebanon

    Share
    OTTAWA -

    Global Affairs Canada began booking blocks of seats on the few remaining commercial flights leaving Lebanon on Friday as it issued another urgent plea for any Canadians in the country to leave immediately.

    "Canadians need to leave now and we are helping with that," Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said in a statement on X late Friday afternoon.

    "Canada has secured seats for Canadians on the limited commercial flights available. If a seat is available, please take it."

    Passengers will pay for the flights themselves, but Joly said loans are available for those who need financial assistance.

    Joly and Defence Minister Bill Blair have been asking Canadians in Lebanon to leave for months as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalates. 

    On Thursday, Blair said there were still many commercial flight options available, but by Friday those were quickly filling up. 

    Global Affairs Canada is taking the step of pre-booking seats to try to help as many Canadians as possible. The flights could be going to any destination, and passengers would be responsible for finding their own way to Canada. 

    Joly said earlier this week it's believed about 45,000 Canadians were in Lebanon, even though only about half that number have registered officially with the embassy in Beirut.

    Canadians in Lebanon are asked to use the email me-mo.sos@international.gc.ca to get information and secure one of the available seats.

    A fire burns at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Sept. 27, 2024, in Lebanon. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

    Joly said Canadians should register with the embassy in Beirut and say they want help leaving Lebanon.

    The federal government and the military have been working on plans for a possible evacuation of Canadian citizens from Lebanon for months, but the government is urging people to leave on their own before that is needed. 

    Airlines have begun cancelling flights after an escalation of airstrikes by the Israeli military. Lebanon's health ministry said Friday more than 720 people have been killed in the last week in airstrikes that Israel said are targeting Hezbollah's military capabilities to stop its airstrikes into northern Israel.

    The most powerful strikes yet destroyed six buildings in suburban Beirut on Friday as the Israeli military said it struck the central headquarters of Hezbollah. 

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a visit to the United Nations and flew back to Israel after vowing before the General Assembly that Israel's campaign against Hezbollah would continue despite calls for a ceasefire from allies including the United States and Canada.

    All G7 nations, along with Australia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates jointly asked Israel and Hezbollah for a 21-day ceasefire to allow for a diplomatic solution to the war.

    Joly said she spoke with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati Friday and that "there must be no war" in Lebanon. 

    "Civilians must be protected and we need an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah."

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

    With files from The Associated Press

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

    The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

    WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M.

    WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M.

    The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

    A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.

    Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

    Canada

    • WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M.

      WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M.

      The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

    • Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    • The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

    • New data shows the automated speed enforcement camera on King Edward Avenue, between Bolton Street and St. Patrick Street, issued 6,337 speeding tickets in August, the highest number of tickets issued by Ottawa's 40 photo radar cameras.

    • Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    Sports

    • According to the Canadian Women & Sport's 2022 Rally Report, 76 per cent of girls who participate in sports believe it helps build confidence and enhances their mental health. While those benefits are important for all children, the organization's CEO says, right now, girls have less access.

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    • A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Local Spotlight

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    • Fire crews battled a massive blaze in downtown Langley Saturday morning.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • The man suspected of murdering another man inside a Mackenzie, B.C., home last weekend has been arrested.

    • A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.

    • Two pedestrians have been taken to hospital with serious injuries after an early-morning collision in Vaughan.

    • Toronto’s annual Nuit Blanche is back and with it come road closures.

    • An investigation is underway into what caused a vehicle rollover Saturday in the area of Plummers Road and Priddis Valley Road.

    • A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in southeast Calgary on Friday night.

    • Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.

    • Environment Canada has issued a frost advisory as temperatures across Ottawa and eastern Ontario are expected to dip near the freezing mark this evening.

    • New data shows the automated speed enforcement camera on King Edward Avenue, between Bolton Street and St. Patrick Street, issued 6,337 speeding tickets in August, the highest number of tickets issued by Ottawa's 40 photo radar cameras.

    • Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    • WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M.

      WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M.

      The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

    • Montreal police say they are increasing their presence across the city ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 start of the Israel-Hamas war.

    • Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

    • An estimated four billion birds will navigate man-made environments as they travel south from North America during fall migration. Tens of million of them will die en route due to human-created hazards.

    • A 79-year-old woman is dead after the vehicle she was driving crashed into an east Edmonton building late Friday afternoon.

    • Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell has entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

    • A riding in southwest New Brunswick that for decades was a Progressive Conservative stronghold is shaping up to be a bellwether that could offer a window into the future of the Tory party, and maybe of the province.

    • Nova Scotia author Allison Maher made the jump from young adult (YA) to adult fiction with her most recent novel, “The Last of the Firsts†and the response from readers has been a surprise for the writer.

    • It’s 1998. Google was just born, and dial-up was the primary way to connect to the Internet. New sites were being developed daily on any number of topics, from recipes to shopping. David Yanciw, however, was thinking big - big things, that is.

    • A two-storey house that was under construction was the scene of a Saturday morning fire in Winnipeg’s Glenwood neighbourhood.

    • Highway 12 has been reopened following a single motor vehicle collision Saturday morning in the RM of Brokenhead, Man.

    • A wind warning has been issued for parts of southern Saskatchewan, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h) possible in some areas on Saturday, Environment and Climate Change Canada says.

    • Regina police are investigating after guns were fired at two homes last week, with one home being shot at on multiple occasions.

    • A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.

    • The Huron Ontario Provincial Police said they responded to a “downed airplane†just after 11 a.m. Saturday.

    • Police say they were called to the area of Simcoe Street and Market Street around 1:30 a.m. Saturday for a report of an assault.

    • Police have laid charges after a car crashed into the side of a Kitchener home early Friday morning.

    • A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M.

      WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M.

      The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

    • Huron OPP say they were on the scene of a plane crash this morning, with a pilot finding themselves unable to halt before the end of a runway in Brussels.

    • The St. Thomas Panthers organization held ‘Panther Day’ focusing on recognizing IIAF World Girls Hockey weekend.

    • Three people from Simcoe County face charges in relation to a drug trafficking investigation that police say resulted in the seizure of several weapons, drugs and thousands of dollars worth of stolen property.

    • The Southern Georgian Bay OPP Detachment is investigating several impaired driving incidents that occurred over the past week, including two that led to drug busts.

    • A man is facing multiple charges after reportedly threatening to harm staff members at an Orillia business Friday afternoon.

    • The municipality issued a stern reminder for code violators, as both were fined following a warning issued by Leamington Fire Services.

    • According to police, the suspect entered and vandalized the property in the 700 block of Grand Marais Road Easton on September 28.

    • Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

    • The leaders of both British Columbia's provincial Conservatives and New Democrats are in the Okanagan campaigning today.

    • We haven't heard the candidates talk much about education during B.C.'s 2024 election campaign, but the teachers' union is trying to put the spotlight on that issue.

    • The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • The leaders of both British Columbia's provincial Conservatives and New Democrats are in the Okanagan campaigning today.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • To enhance inclusivity at Lethbridge Polytechnic, the institution has launched a new accessibility micro-credential.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    • A suspect who accused Thunder Bay police of being responsible for his throat injury actually hurt himself when he swallowed a large amount of drugs.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow CTV News