Global National: Feb. 23

After months of negotiations, the minority Liberal government and the NDP say they have reached a deal to start a new national pharmacare program in Canada, according to NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. The final details of the offer will be presented soon, and will include coverage for birth control and diabetes medication. Canada also announced major sanctions on Friday against Russian individuals and entities supporting the war in Ukraine. The decision follows suit with the U.K. and U.S. As the latter’s Congress struggles to reach a deal on providing more aid to Ukraine, the U.S. has turned to other ways to slow Russia’s war machine and apply pressure to its economy. As Russia continues its war against Ukraine, those not killed are at risk of being captured, and rarely do we hear from those who have lived through such torment. In this exclusive, Crystal Goomansingh spoke with a Ukrainian soldier who endured more than 10 months inside a Russian camp. The scars of war remain clear in cities all across Ukraine. Not only are residential areas obliterated, but hundreds of cultural and historical sites lay in ruins. According to the United Nations, the cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine is estimated at US$486 billion dollars over the next decade. Less than two years after it landed as another low-cost alternative, Lynx Air is set to roll off the runway, after obtaining an order for creditor protection. The Calgary-based company says it has faced “significant headwinds” in the past year, including rising operating costs, high fuel prices, and a difficult economy and regulatory environment. Lastly, Canada’s intelligence community is raising the alarm about attacks motivated by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In documents obtained by Global News, government analysts warned of what they called possibilities of “mass violence” spilling into the country.