Good morning! This is Chris Bilton.
Israel and Hamas have begun to exchange prisoners and hostages, with all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages held in Gaza released after two years of war. It comes as a number of world leaders head to Egypt for a summit on the peace plan. More on that below.
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All 20 remaining living Israeli hostages released by Hamas as part of Gaza ceasefire deal
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(Francisco Seco/The Associated Press)
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Hamas has released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza, fulfilling a key part of the ceasefire agreement that has paused more than two years of war. The first hostages were returned as U.S. President Donald Trump touched down for a visit to Israel and Egypt.
What’s expected to happen next: Israel is now set to release today more than 1,900 Palestinian detainees and prisoners. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages from Israel will also be handed over, though the exact timing is unclear. The Israeli military arm in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza also said the amount of aid entering the Palestinian territory was expected to increase to about 600 trucks per day, as stipulated in the agreement. Egypt said it was sending 400 aid trucks into Gaza yesterday, and the UN said it has about 170,000 tonnes of food, medicine and other aid ready once Israel gives the green light.
Questions remain: While both Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza welcomed the initial halt to the fighting and the release of hostages and prisoners, the longer term fate of the ceasefire remains murky. Key questions about governance of Gaza and the post-war fate of Hamas have yet to be resolved.
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The Trump administration is investing in Canadian critical mineral companies. But Ottawa can stop it
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(Rick Bowmer/The Associated Press)
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The Trump administration has purchased a stake in two Canadian critical mineral companies, which raises questions about whether Ottawa should block them in the interest of national security.
What’s happening: The White House announced last week it was spending $35.6 million US for a 10 per cent stake in Vancouver-based Trilogy Metals Inc., which has mining interests in Alaska that the U.S. government wants to see developed. It is also taking a minority stake in Lithium Americas, another Vancouver-headquartered company, which is developing one of the world's largest lithium mines in Nevada.
Why it matters: One international trade lawyer says when a foreign government purchases a stake in a company, it raises concerns as to whether the political interests of that government will come to dominate its activities. He also cautions that critical technologies and sensitive information could be directed to that government, which is not in Canadian interests. Under the Investment Canada Act, Ottawa can review the investments of any foreign government; the guidelines were even tightened in 2022 for the critical minerals sector.
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Why some older Canadians bounce back after a period of bad health
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(Jeff Stapleton/CBC)
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“A lot of people say, for older adults, it’s an inevitable decline until you are in disability, then death,” said Esme Fuller-Thomson, one of the co-authors of a recent study on recovery in older people. “That was not our finding here.”
The study published in peer-reviewed megajournal PLOS One followed more than 8,300 older Canadians with a variety of health issues — like psychological problems, physical ailments or chronic pain — over three years. It found that those who were physically active, socially connected and psychologically well were more likely to bounce back from a period of bad health or illness.
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IN LIGHTER NEWS
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Nova Scotia's painted 'eyeball rocks' will soon be no more
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(Brian MacKay/CBC)
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The "eyeball rocks" that sit on the side of Nova Scotia’s Highway 103 between exits 7 and 6, heading toward Halifax, will soon be blasted as the province prepares to twin the highway. Jason Smith and his friend Neil created the artwork with their kids in October 2017, maintaining and touching them up over the years. Until now, the creators haven't been publicly identified — although Smith said Neil prefers to remain anonymous. Smith said he only decided to come forward when they heard the rocks would be destroyed and that he didn't expect all the love the rocks got over the years. But he’s thankful for everyone who enjoyed them.
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