Canada鈥檚 Mark Carney said he was 鈥渄evastated鈥� after a shooting at a high school and home in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, left nine people dead and at least 25 injured. The suspect was found dead at the school. Local officials described the town of roughly 2,400 as typically 鈥渋ncredibly safe,鈥� and credited first responders with averting an even greater tragedy. The attack is likely to reignite debate over gun laws, despite recent pushback against a national buyback program.
A Washington, D.C., grand jury rejected a bid to indict six Democratic lawmakers who recorded a video last fall reminding U.S. troops that they are not required to follow unlawful orders. President Donald Trump had labeled the video 鈥渟editious behavior,鈥� and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally censured Sen. Mark Kelly, a Navy veteran, accusing him of undermining the chain of command. The lawmakers maintain they were exercising their right to free speech.
Immigration officials testified in Congress yesterday. Grilled on the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the heads of ICE and Customs and Border Protection declined to comment on open investigations. But ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said he supports body cameras, and that 鈥渇ootage will be released.鈥� Some Democrats denounced ICE as 鈥渇ascist,鈥� while Republicans said an 鈥渙pen border鈥� crisis under the past administration has required more enforcement now. DHS funding will run out Friday absent action from Congress.
President Trump threatened to block the opening of a bridge at the busiest crossing point between the United States and Canada. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, financed by Canada, was set to open early this year in part to reduce reliance on the Ambassador Bridge, owned by an American business family. Mr. Trump said on social media he would not allow the bridge to open until the U.S. is 鈥渇ully compensated鈥� for what it has done for Canada.
The United States signed a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan yesterday in a bid to deepen economic and security cooperation. President Ilham Aliyev said the deal marks a 鈥渘ew phase鈥� in ties with Washington as the U.S. seeks greater influence in the South Caucasus. Vice President JD Vance鈥檚 visit followed a stop in Armenia, where he signed a separate agreement on potential U.S. involvement in nuclear energy.
A group of Buddhist monks arrived in Washington, D.C., the final destination of a 2,300-mile journey on foot from a temple in Fort Worth, Texas, that began in October. Thousands of people from across faith traditions had gathered to greet the monks in states along the way as they passed by with their rescue dog Aloka. 鈥淲hen peace is cultivated within,鈥� a spokesperson for their temple told The Associated Press, 鈥渋t naturally ripples outward into society.鈥�
A Vermont skier ended a 50-year U.S. Olympic medal drought in men鈥檚 cross-country skiing. Ben Ogden won silver in the men鈥檚 sprint in Val di Fiemme, Italy 鈥� the first American man to reach the podium since Bill Koch at the 1976 Innsbruck Games. Norway claimed gold and bronze. Mr. Ogden marked the moment with a backflip off the podium, a promise to his teenage self, and told reporters his knitting needles were waiting for him at home.
鈥� From Monitor writers around the globe
