Beyond Local

MONTREAL — An extreme cold snap that is forecast to bring a risk of frostbite and hypothermia with temperatures of -27 C Friday night has shelters in the Montreal area fearing for the vulnerable homeless population.

MONTREAL — A letter of support signed by 30 prominent Quebecers, including academics, activists and community leaders, is asking that Amira Elghawaby be given the chance to fulfil her mandate as Canada's first special representative on combating Islamophobia.

The Government of Alberta is taking another step in a plan aimed at reducing pressure on EMS.

BELARUS BORDER, Ukraine (AP) — The reconnaissance drones fly several times a day from Ukrainian positions deep inside the thick forest that marches across the border into Belarus, a close Russian ally, scouring sky and land for signs of trouble on the other side.

OTTAWA — The Department of National Defence says Canada is working with the United States to protect sensitive information from foreign intelligence threats after a high-altitude surveillance balloon was detected.

OTTAWA — A Russian woman says she has been denied consular services by her country's embassy in Canada over claims her Facebook activity poses a security threat. "It totally came as a shock to me," said Elena Pushkareva, who left Russia a decade ago.

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — As rates of sexual assault climb across Canada, nursing experts say there is a shortage of specially trained forensic nurses to properly care for victims.

OTTAWA — Premiers have expressed optimism about striking an improved national health funding deal with the federal government, ahead of next week's meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

OTTAWA — The parliamentary budget officer says the federal Liberals' planned tax on corporate share buybacks will raise $3 billion in government revenue over the next five years.

OTTAWA — The federal government is delaying the expansion of its medically assisted dying regime to people whose sole condition is a mental disorder for another year because it says more time is needed to prepare health-care practitioners and systems across the country.