Saudis prepare for downsized, dramatically different hajj this week

Muslim pilgrims have started arriving in Mecca for a drastically scaled-down hajj, as Saudi authorities balance the kingdom's oversight of one of Islam's key pillars and the safety of visitors in the face of a global pandemic.

It's been two years since the forme ferry docked in Charlottetown Harbour while en route to India to be scrapped. During refuelling, diesel spilled into the harbour — and access to information documents obtained by CBC News show the amount could have been up to 1,530 litres. The vessel received three violations, and its owner was fined.

Former special counsel Jack Smith will make the case before a large American audience for the first time on Thursday as to why he believes that Donald Trump committed fraud in his actions and statements after his 2020 election loss. The details could serve as a cautionary tale of what the president is capable of doing during the midterms later this year.

Free solo climber Alex Honnold will attempt to scale one of the tallest buildings in the world with no safety equipment this Friday in a live Netflix special. But the idea of watching a person risk his life on live TV makes some people uncomfortable and raises questions about what we consider entertainment.

Netflix will pay for Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming and studio division entirely in cash to edge out its rival Paramount — the latest chapter in a months-long saga that, once concluded, could significantly change the global entertainment industry.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is huddling with his cabinet in Quebec City to chart out the government's plan for the new year after using a closely watched moment on the world stage earlier this week to condemn the U.S. administration and signal a pivot for Canada.

Crofton Mill employee Tawni Marcil tells The National about the moment she helped save a colony of cats at the site before its closure in Crofton, B.C.

A Texas jury has acquitted a former Uvalde school police officer on charges he failed in his duty to confront the gunman during the 2022 Robb Elementary school shooting, which left 19 students and two adults dead.

A major storm system is set to bring "potentially catastrophic" winter weather across the southern U.S. this weekend, bringing snow, freezing rain and ice pellets to a substantial swath of the country.

Jan. 21, 2026 | U.S. President Donald Trump backs down on military and tariff threats after reachinga ‘framework' deal on Greenland. Prince Harry’s emotional testimony over the Daily Mail’s treatment of Meghan Markle. And, Canada's short-track speed-skating team sets its sights on Olympicgold.
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People in southwest B.C. were dazzled by the northern lights on Monday and Tuesday, and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there's a good chance the aurora borealis will be visible again Wednesday night across much of B.C.

Syria's government accused the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces of attacks it said killed 11 soldiers on Wednesday, but the SDF disputed key elements of the account, blaming at least one deadly blast on explosives being moved by Syrian troops.

Mexico sent 37 cartel members to the United States at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum saying Wednesday that it was a "sovereign decision" by her government.

U.S. President Donald Trump on ​Wednesday said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had accepted his invitation to join ​Trump's Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving ⁠global conflicts, a ‍statement that Putin ⁠quickly ​countered, saying that the invitation was only under consideration.

Health Canada is warning people not to buy or use fake or unauthorized versions of GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. The health agency says it has found retailers in Canada selling unauthorized GLP-1 products — sometimes referred to as "fauxzempic" — both in stores and online.

When 10-year-old Myer Gallant from O'Leary, P.E.I., was given the chance to Make-A-Wish, he didn't rush his decision. After carefully weighing his options — like getting a pool or going on a Disney cruise — Myer made up his mind. He wanted to meet Sidney Crosby and Ryan Graves, and see a Pittsburgh Penguins game. 

Canada's federal court has overturned a ​government order to close TikTok's Canadian operations,allowing ​it to continue to ⁠operate for the time being.

Canada's federal court has overturned a ​government order to close TikTok's Canadian operations,allowing ​it to continue to ⁠operate for the time being.

A former flight attendant from Toronto posed as a commercial pilot for four years to take hundreds of free flights, according to U.S. authorities.

A former flight attendant from Toronto posed as a commercial pilot for four years to take hundreds of free flights, according to U.S. authorities.

A former flight attendant from Toronto posed as a commercial pilot for four years to take hundreds of free flights, according to U.S. authorities.

A family and community in northern Alberta remember the life of Lilith, a five-year-old girl killed in a hit and run in northern Alberta last week. Police said they believe vehicle that collided with the family was stolen.

"To share information that the project will be done in 2050 is irresponsible," said a Dofasco representative at a community meeting Tuesday night. The plan to power the plant with natural gas instead of coal was supposed to be done by 2028 with the help of hundreds of millions of public dollars.

"To share information that the project will be done in 2050 is irresponsible," said a Dofasco representative at a community meeting Tuesday night. The plan to power the plant with natural gas instead of coal was supposed to be done by 2028 with the help of hundreds of millions of public dollars.

Hallie Clarke is set to make her Olympic debut next month at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games as part of the Canadian skeleton team announced Wednesday by Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton and Canadian Olympic Committee.

The number of people on Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program who are also experiencing homelessness has shot up 72 percent since 2019, according to a new report from human rights organization Maytree.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who is expected to play for Canada at the Olympics next month, left Tuesday night's game against the visiting New York Rangers after a collision in the crease late in the first period.

Prince Harry held back tears as he said the Daily Mail had made his wife Meghan's life "an absolute misery," during his appearance in the witness box on Wednesday at London's High Court in his privacy lawsuit against the paper's publisher.

Taylor Swift, Kiss’s Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, Tricky Stewart, Alanis Morissette and Kenny Loggins make up the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees.

Last fall, a beloved granite rock used by climbers in the area vanished. But now, the rock dubbed 'Portable' by locals, has been located.