The Peak

Intact will start fireproofing houses

Property insurer Intact is launching a pilot program to reduce wildfire damage to homes in Western Canada this year.

Driving the news: Intact’s partner, Wildfire Defense Systems, will monitor wildfires in Alberta and B.C., and send a team to fireproof insured homes that are considered to be at risk.

Israel-Hamas negotiations escalate

Critical negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage releases between Israel and Hamas are back on as Israel moves further into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

What happened: Delegations from both sides headed to Cairo to negotiate a ceasefire and hostage releases hours after Israel said its military forces took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing connecting to Egypt, where 1.4 million people are thought to be sheltering.

Northvolt protests get fiery

If you’re having a bad start to the work day, at least be grateful you don’t have to deal with Molotov cocktails at the workplace.

What happened: Work at the to-be-built Northvolt electric vehicle battery plant outside Montréal was briefly paused after staff found devices designed to start fires. It’s suspected to be the latest action in an ongoing sabotage campaign against the plant.

Feds levy record fines for foreign worker exploitation

The feds are hoping hefty fines will teach some “bad actor” employers a lesson.

Driving the news: New government data shows Ottawa handed out record-high penalties to nearly 200 Canadian businesses last year for breaking the rules of temporary foreign worker (TFW) programs, including wage theft and workplace abuse, per The Globe and Mail.

Boeing shoots for the stars, misses

Last night, Boeing and NASA were supposed to launch the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner astronaut capsule.

Driving the news: No doors flew off, but the launch was cancelled after a problem was discovered with the NASA rocket propelling Starliner. The self-piloting craft was supposed to carry two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

Clamping down on foreign meddling

The federal government is hoping some new laws can turn foreign interference into a foreign concept.

What happened: The feds proposed a set of laws and measures to counteract the growing threat of foreign interference from hostile states like China and Russia.

TD probe revolves around U.S. drug trafficking case

For well over a year, Bay Street wondered what TD had done to find itself at the heart of a U.S. money laundering probe. After a long, mysterious wait, we’ve got some answers.

Driving the news: A U.S. Justice Department probe into TD Bank is reportedly tied to the drug trafficking operation of a Chinese crime group that laundered at least US$653 million in profits from the sale of illegal narcotics, including fentanyl, at U.S. banks.

Wegovy comes to Canada

After filling doctors' prescription pads in the U.S., Wegovy is taking its talents north of the border.

Driving the news: Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy will be available in Canada starting today, a move that will relieve the high demand for Ozempic, a sister drug also owned by Novo, and boost Canadians' access to both treatments.

What to do this weekend

Canadian cows aren’t sick with bird flu — yet

If you feel stressed about your job, remember that dairy farmers are hoping that their cows don’t have a disease that’s named after a different animal.

Driving the news: After dozens of cows in the U.S. tested positive for H5N1 — a dangerous form of bird flu — lactating dairy cows coming from the U.S. must now test negative for the virus. Last year, Canada imported 5,845 dairy cattle from the U.S.

Intact will start fireproofing houses

Israel-Hamas negotiations escalate

Northvolt protests get fiery

Feds levy record fines for foreign worker exploitation

Boeing shoots for the stars, misses

Clamping down on foreign meddling

TD probe revolves around U.S. drug trafficking case

Wegovy comes to Canada

What to do this weekend

Canadian cows aren’t sick with bird flu — yet

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