Wild News Roundup: Free Xmas Trees, Sketchy Stuff in Scarborough, and More 🎄💀

The Main Squeeze

Alright, listen up, buttercups! Here's the lowdown on everything you need to know:

Nationwide Shenanigans

• Alberta Christmas Trees: If you're in Alberta, you can snag a permit to chop down your own Christmas tree on Crown land. It's free, no cap!
• Federal Union: Hear say that public servants might get a new office mandate. That's a big oof for those work from home types.
• Alberta & Canada: People are chattin' 'bout Alberta and its relationship with Canada. Seems like there's a little bit of drama, no cap.
• Alberta Gun Buyback: Alberta's about to drop their plan to fight the federal gun buyback program. Things are about to get spicy.

Toronto/Ontario Things

• Scarborough Incident: A garbage truck driver got clapped in Scarborough. Rest in peace. 🙏
• Scarborough Stabbing: Some chick in Scarborough got stabbed and is in critical condition. Stay safe out there, y'all.
• Ottawa Lawyer: An Ottawa lawyer got their license revoked 'cause they were harassing and extorting people. That's a major L.
• Frederick Street Bridge Demolition: Get ready for road closures, 'cause they're tearing down the Frederick Street Bridge. Major inconvenience, fr.
• WRDSB Charter Challenge: Some parent is big mad at the WRDSB over land acknowledgments. It's giving drama.
• Ontario Woman - Costa Rica: An Ontario woman got curved at the Costa Rica border because her passport was lookin' crusty. Always double-check your passport, bestie.
• London Renoviction: A committee is stuck on a loophole in London's renoviction by-law. Housing crisis is real, y'all.
• Lambton County Homicide: Someone died in Lambton County, and it's being called a homicide. Scary stuff.
• Barrie Snowfall: Barrie got buried in 43cm of snow in just three days. Winter is comin' in hot!
• Midland Speed Camera: A speed camera program in Midland raked in over $500K before it got canned. That's a lot of bread.
• Windsor Widow - ODSP: An ODSP rule is leaving a widow in Windsor without a survivor's pension. The system is rigged.
• Stellantis Committee: Stellantis is being forced to show up at the Ottawa committee. Spill the tea, sis!
• Ontario Auditor General: The Ontario auditor general is dropping their annual report, and it's all about healthcare. Let's see what they're hiding.

Out West

• Vancouver/Surrey Public Safety: Mayoral candidates in Vancouver and Surrey are promising to fix public safety. We'll see if they actually deliver.
• B.C. Gang Shooting: A dude got found guilty for killin' a teen in a B.C. gang shooting. Justice is served, finally.
• B.C. Naloxone: Healthcare workers are begging B.C. to give out free nasal naloxone. It's about time!
• Oak Bay Police: Oak Bay police want to be more independent. Sounds like they're tryna level up.

Manitoba Mayhem

• Winnipeg Transit: Winnipeg Transit is about to shake up their winter schedule. Get ready for some changes.
• Winnipeg Murder: They're searching a landfill in Winnipeg for a murdered woman's remains. Tragic. 💔

Saskatchewan Life

• Saskatchewan Content Creator: An Irish content creator is obsessed with Saskatchewan now. Talk about a glow-up!
• Saskatoon Transit Police: Transit police are coming to Saskatoon buses. Hopefully, it keeps things chill.
• Saskatchewan Storms: Saskatchewan researchers are watching storms in space. That's kinda wild.

East Coast Vibes

• Sussex Workplace Death: A waste recycling employee died at work in Sussex. Major bummer.
• Halifax Stabbing: A teen got four years for fatally stabbing a high school student in Halifax. Messed up.

Quebec Quoi?

• Quebec Physicians: The Quebec College of Physicians is side-eyeing political interference with Bill 7. Keep politics out of healthcare, please.
• Montreal Stabbing: A 50-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy got stabbed in Montreal. What is going on?!

Finance & World Stuff

• Melville Bank Closure: A Bank of Montreal branch in Melville is shutting down in 2026. That's rough for the locals.
• 2023 Homicide Sentence: A dude who got charged with homicide in 2023 just got 10 years in the slammer.
• Scotiabank Earnings: Scotiabank made $2.21B in Q4. They're stackin' that bread, fr.
• World Economy: The world economy is supposedly gonna grow by 3.2% this year. Fingers crossed. 🙏
• S&P/TSX: The S&P/TSX dropped 'cause of bank losses, and U.S. stocks dipped too. Economy do be scary.
• Bulgaria Budget: Bulgaria's government had to pull their budget 'cause people were protesting. Power to the people!
• Pope's Support: Pope Leo XIV sent some love to southern Lebanon. Wholesome moment.
• Greece Retirement: Apparently, Greece is the best place in the world to retire. Time to start saving up, bestie.

Health & Wellness

• HIV Prevention Guidelines: New HIV prevention guidelines are telling doctors to stop gatekeeping PrEP. Access for all!
• WHO Obesity: WHO is backing GLP-1 treatments to fight the obesity epidemic. Science do be wild.
• Broccoli Recall: Broccoli florets in six provinces are being recalled 'cause of salmonella. Check your veggies, y'all!

Culture & Entertainment

• Rubens Masterpiece: A Rubens painting just sold for US$2.7 million. That's a whole lot of guap.
• Japan 'One Piece' Performance: A 'One Piece' singer got shut down mid-performance in China. That's sus.
• Super Bowl 2026: Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile, and Coco Jones are gonna be performin' before the Super Bowl in 2026. Mark your calendars!
• Skiing Olympics: Russian and Belarusian skiers are allowed to try for the Olympics. Controversy alert!
• Canada Women's Soccer: Canada's women's soccer team lost to Japan. Better luck next time, queens. 👑
• Rugby World Cup: Canada's men's rugby team is about to find out their fate at the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw.
• Charles & Diana Champagne: Charles and Diana's wedding champagne is going up for auction. Talk about vintage vibes.
• Oxford Word of the Year: "Rage bait" is the Oxford word of the year. Accurate AF.

Nature's Wild Ride

• Shark Protections: Governments are tryna protect sharks more. Save the sharks! 🦈
• Indonesia Floods: The floods and landslides in Indonesia's Sumatra have killed 164 people. Heartbreaking. 💔
• Thailand Floods: Floods in Thailand have killed 145 people. The world is hurting. 🙏

Tech & Innovation

• India Cyber Safety App: India is forcing everyone to pre-install a government cyber safety app on their phones. Big Brother is watching.
• Dogs & Humans: Humans have been rollin' with dogs for 10,000 years. Dogs are the OG besties. 🐶

Final Thoughts

Stay safe, stay informed, and don't forget to touch grass every once in a while. Peace out! ✌️