Some flights may be delayed at Toronto Pearson International Airport due to “resource constraints,” says Canada’s air navigation service provider.

“Our team is moving aircraft safely, and as quickly as possible,” NAV CANADA said in a post on X on Thursday evening.

“Passengers: check the status of your flight with your airline. We regret any impacts to airlines and their passengers.”

Mexican authorities say they have raided four properties and seized dozens of high-priced items that appear to be linked to the former Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug kingpin, Ryan Wedding – in what former FBI agents say is a move bringing authorities closer to one of the U.S.’s most wanted fugitives.

“It appears to me they are closing in on him and they’re closing in on his location,” former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, M. Quentin Williams told CTV News in a Zoom interview Thursday from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Mexican authorities said they seized 62 high-end motorcycles, two vehicles, methamphetamine, marijuana, artwork, ammunition and documents. They also said they seized two Olympic medals, although they didn’t publicly release who they belong to, since Wedding never made it to the podium in his one Olympic appearance in 2002.

The seized items are linked to a former Olympic athlete who is among the 10 most wanted fugitives in the U.S., according to a release by the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection of Mexico (SSPC) published Wednesday – but the document did not name Wedding directly.

It adds that multiple security agencies cooperated in creating lines of investigation regarding a former athlete of foreign nationality linked to transnational criminal activities.

The raids come as Canadian, U.S. and Mexican authorities have been stepping up efforts in a decade-long manhunt for Wedding, which began in 2015 when the RCMP charged Wedding with importing cocaine while he was living in Montreal – but he fled before police could arrest him.

The FBI alleges Wedding has been creating a drug empire in Mexico since then, trafficking billions of dollars’ worth of narcotics – earning him comparisons to Pablo Escobar and Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán.

Earlier this year, a key FBI witness who was set to testify against Wedding was shot and killed, with the agency then adding Wedding to its 10 most wanted fugitives list. The FBI later put out a $15-million reward for Wedding’s capture.

It adds that multiple security agencies cooperated in creating lines of investigation regarding a former athlete of foreign nationality linked to transnational criminal activities.

“Somebody is going to turn him in,” said CTV News public safety analyst and former Ontario Provincial Police commissioner Chris Lewis in an interview Thursday on CTV News Channel.

“I mean, some of these guys have turned their buddies in for a steak dinner, let alone millions of dollars — so I think we’re seeing this get closer and closer, and one of these times they’re going to find him.”

In November, the RCMP arrested several associates, including Wedding’s lawyer, Deepak Paradkar, who allegedly advised Wedding that killing the key witness would make the case collapse. Paradkar was released on bail on Tuesday.

‘Doesn’t hurt his business’

Former FBI agents speculate the raid is a step closer to authorities arresting Wedding — also showing increased efforts by Mexican authorities to aid their American counterparts.

“Despite the fact that they didn’t capture Ryan Wedding in these raids, this is a significant step in that it shows that Mexican authorities are taking this seriously now and that they are making efforts to locate Ryan Wedding and attack his organization,” said former FBI agent and senior lecturer at the University of New Haven, Ken Gray, in an interview with CTV News on Thursday.

Authorities say Wedding is under the protection of the notoriously powerful Sinaloa cartel – and there’s speculation that Wedding and his associates avoided arrest in the recent raids because they were tipped off.

“They might have got a heads-up that the authorities were going to conduct these raids,” said Gray, adding that the seizures may have resulted in a loss of goods, but his alleged ties to drug trafficking are believed to be largely unaffected.

“These are just possessions of his that he had his fortune invested in,” added Gray. “It hurts him and it takes away some of his fortune -- but it does not hurt his business as far as we know.”

Gray believes the protection of the cartel over Wedding is weakening since the arrest of one of the cartel’s leaders, Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, leading to increased pressure from police and rivalling cartels.

“Since Ryan Wedding had been protected by Sinaloa cartel, they are under attack and losing some of their authority plus the Mexican government are making efforts to assist U.S., which they had not been doing since last year, (meaning) they’re making efforts to find Wedding at this point,” Gray said.

“They themselves are under attack and their ability to protect him at this point in the area of Mexico city may have suffered some damage.” added Gray.

Experts say the seizure of these goods can provide clues that could lead to Wedding’s arrest.

“They’re going to have to figure out whether he’s affiliated to any of these items,” Lewis said. “There may be fingerprints, there may be a way to identify him within the buildings they’re searching and someone is going to come up with the right tip at the right time.”

Williams said there is a good chance the items seized will be used to find Wedding’s associates, who police will then try to get to turn on him.

“All the investigative tools, including seeing who owns the [motorcycles], because they might not be under his name,” he said.

“So, whose name are they under? And of course you go to those people to find out if they know where he is, where he’s hiding. So there’s a good chance that they’re registered under somebody else; those people will be close to him and maybe they know something.”

On the eve of Christmas, President Donald Trump has unleashed a fresh blast of vitriol at late-night comedy talk shows, saying comedian Stephen Colbert is a “pathetic trainwreck” who should be “put to sleep.”

Colbert’s “The Late Show” is scheduled to end in May 2026, a decision his fans say smacks of censorship.

In a late night Truth Social post, Trump wrote that Colbert “has actually gotten worse” since being “terminated by CBS, but left out to dry.”

“Stephen is running on hatred and fumes ~ A dead man walking! CBS should, ‘put him to sleep,’ NOW,” Trump wrote.

Colbert has hosted the “The Late Show” since 2015 and it has been the highest-rated late night talk show on US television. His opening monologues often take aim at the Republican president.

There was no immediate public response from Colbert or CBS to Trump’s post.

CBS announced the sunsetting of Colbert’s show after one more season in July, the same month its parent company reached a $16 million settlement with Trump. CBS called the cancellation “a purely financial decision.”

Trump had sued Paramount, alleging that CBS News’ “60 Minutes” program deceptively edited an interview with his 2024 election rival, Kamala Harris, in her favor.

In another overnight post, Trump repeated threats to yank the broadcast licenses of networks whose content he deemed overly critical.

“If Network NEWSCASTS, and their Late Night Shows, are almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump, MAGA, and the Republican Party, shouldn’t their very valuable Broadcast Licenses be terminated? I say, YES!”

On Sunday, CBS’s new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, pulled a “60 Minutes” segment on alleged torture at El Salvador’s CECOT prison -- where Trump sent hundreds of deported Venezuelans -- saying it needed more reporting.

In August, Disney-owned ABC briefly suspended its late-night star, Jimmy Kimmel, before bringing him back on a one-year contract.

Kimmel had annoyed conservatives with comments in the wake of the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump appears to be aiming to reshape the US media landscape, which he says is biased against conservatives.

His appointee to head the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, turned heads when he told a Congressional hearing that “the FCC is not formally an independent agency,” implying that his actions could justifiably be aligned with the political priorities of the White House.

The Justice Department said Wednesday that it may need a “few more weeks” to release all of its records on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after suddenly discovering more than a million potentially relevant documents, further delaying compliance with last Friday’s congressionally mandated deadline.

The Christmas Eve announcement came hours after a dozen U.S. senators called on the Justice Department’s watchdog to examine its failure to meet the deadline. The group, 11 Democrats and a Republican, told Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume in a letter that victims “deserve full disclosure” and the “peace of mind” of an independent audit.

The Justice Department said in a social media post that federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI “have uncovered over a million more documents” that could be related to the Epstein case -- a stunning 11th hour development after department officials suggested months ago that they had undertaken a comprehensive review that accounted for the vast universe of Epstein-related materials.

In March, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News that a “truckload of evidence” had been produced after she ordered the FBI to “deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office.” She issued the directive after saying she learned from an unidentified source that the FBI in New York was “in possession of thousands of pages of documents.”

In July, the FBI and Justice Department indicated in an unsigned memo that they had undertaken an “exhaustive review” and had determined that no additional evidence should be released -- an extraordinary about face from the Trump administration, which for months had pledged maximum transparency. The memo did not raise the possibility that additional evidence existed that officials were unaware of or had not reviewed.

Wednesday’s post did not say when the Justice Department was informed of the newly uncovered files.

In a letter last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Manhattan federal prosecutors already had more than 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations into Epstein and his longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell, though many were copies of material already turned over by the FBI.

The Justice Department said its lawyers are “working around the clock” to review the documents and remove victims names and other identifying information as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted last month that requires the government to open its files on Epstein and Maxwell.

“We will release the documents as soon as possible,” the department said. “Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks.”

The announcement came amid increasing scrutiny on the Justice Department’s staggered release of Epstein-related records, including from Epstein victims and members of Congress.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, one of the chief authors of the law mandating the document release, posted Wednesday on X: “DOJ did break the law by making illegal redactions and by missing the deadline.” Another architect of the law, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he and Massie will “continue to keep the pressure on” and noted that the Justice Department was releasing more documents after lawmakers threatened contempt.

“A Christmas Eve news dump of `a million more files’ only proves what we already know: Trump is engaged in a massive coverup,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after DOJ’s announcement. “The question Americans deserve answered is simple: WHAT are they hiding -- and WHY?”

The White House on Wednesday defended the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein records.

“President Trump has assembled the greatest cabinet in American history, which includes Attorney General Bondi and her team -- like Deputy Attorney General Blanche -- who are doing a great job implementing the President’s agenda,” spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

After releasing an initial wave of records on Friday, the Justice Department posted more batches to its website over the weekend and on Tuesday. The Justice Department has not given any notice when more records might arrive.

Records that have been released, including photographs, interview transcripts, call logs, court records and other documents, were either already public or heavily blacked out, and many lacked necessary context. Records that hadn’t been seen before include transcripts of grand jury testimony from FBI agents who described interviews they had with several girls and young women who described being paid to perform sex acts for Epstein.

Other records made public in recent days include a note from a federal prosecutor from January 2020 that said Trump had flown on the financier’s private plane more often than had been previously known and emails between Maxwell and someone who signs off with the initial “A.” They contain other references that suggest the writer was Britain’s former Prince Andrew. In one, “A” writes: “How’s LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?”

The senators’ call Wednesday for an inspector general audit comes days after Schumer introduced a resolution that, if passed, would direct the Senate to file or join lawsuits aimed at forcing the Justice Department to comply with the disclosure and deadline requirements. In a statement, he called the staggered, heavily redacted release “a blatant cover-up.”

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., in leading the call for an inspector general audit. Others signing the letter were Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota., Adam Schiff of California, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, both of New Jersey, Gary Peters of Michigan, Chris Van Hollen, of Maryland, Mazie Hirono, of Hawaii, and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.

“Given the (Trump) Administration’s historic hostility to releasing the files, politicization of the Epstein case more broadly, and failure to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a neutral assessment of its compliance with the statutory disclosure requirements is essential,” the senators wrote. Full transparency, they said, “is essential in identifying members of our society who enabled and participated in Epstein’s crimes.”

The Saskatchewan RCMP has issued its final update connected with the death of a child on Ochapowace Nation last weekend.

In an update issued Wednesday afternoon, the service confirmed the Dec. 20 death of a boy on the First Nation has been deemed not suspicious.

The Saskatchewan Coroners Service continues its work in determining the child’s cause of death.

“As this is considered a sudden death investigation with no criminal element, the police do not have any other information to provide, and we don’t anticipate further updates,” the statement read.

Ochapowace Chief Shelly Bear and the Whitewood Fire Department were among the first to comment on the fatality on Sunday, Dec. 21, sharing condolences with the community and the affected family.

Later that day, RCMP issued a statement, confirming the boy’s death and pleading with members of the public to not seek “vigilante action” against animals, following discussions in the area that the boy’s death was the result of an animal mauling.

According to RCMP, the victim had left a home on Ochapowace Nation at around 5 p.m. on Dec. 20, with the intention of going to another house in the community.

The boy’s body was discovered at around 8 p.m. by a passerby, just several hundred metres from where he began.

Ochapowace Nation is located approximately 180 kilometres east of Regina.

The arrivals hall at Regina International Airport was filled with hugs and tears of joy as families reunited ahead of Christmas.

Andy Van Heerden was among those waiting for loved ones to arrive, welcoming his son home from Toronto for a two-week holiday visit.

Another family member arrived from Los Angeles, making the reunion even more special.

“It’s great to have him home and spend some time together as a family,” Andy said.

For Neldine Van Heerden, the reunion marked the first time she had seen her brother in two years.

“I’m very excited and glad to be spending the holidays with my family,” she said.

Those emotions were echoed by travellers arriving in Regina. Andy Van Heerden, returning home himself, said coming back for the holidays never gets old.

“It feels great to see my family. Every single time I come back, it’s such a big blessing,” he said.

Jewell Vanstone was waiting at the airport for her son’s flight to land, saying she felt grateful to be able to see him regularly.

“I’m very happy and thankful that he’s in Canada and that I get to see him more often,” she said.

Her son, Derek Vanstone, said returning to Saskatchewan was a welcome change after dealing with icy weather in Gatineau.

“I’m happily back in Saskatchewan, where we usually just have to deal with the dry cold,” he said.

The holiday rush is also keeping ground transportation busy. Cab driver Sunny Sharma said multiple trips from the same flight are common during the season.

“It’s super busy,” Sharma said. “We pick them up, drop them off downtown, and come right back again.”

The surge in holiday travel could help cap off one of the strongest years on record for the Regina airport. CEO James Bogusz said passenger numbers are trending toward pre-pandemic levels.

“If we continue the way we’re going, I suspect we’ll be nearly or possibly above our 2019 high,” Bogusz said.

Airport officials expect that growth to continue into next year, driven by increased demand for flights to sun destinations and cities in the U.S.

Wednesday’s scheduled court appearance for a 15-year-old youth charged in relation to a quadruple homicide on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation has been adjourned.

The boy, who cannot be identified due to the Criminal Justice Act, is one of three people charged with four counts of first-degree murder in relation to the deaths of Tracey Hotomani, Sheldon Quewezance, Shauna Fay, and Terry Jack.

Darrius Racette, 18, and another male youth aged 17, also face four counts of first-degree murder.

Around 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 4, 2025, officers with File Hills First Nation Police Service responded to a report of sudden deaths at a home on the First Nation.

Police discovered the bodies of four people at the home. Saskatchewan RCMP were called in shortly after, with the major crimes unit taking control of the investigation.

Racette was arrested in Yorkton on Feb. 18. The 17-year-old accused was arrested in Carry the Kettle on Dec. 10 after officers with the Saskatchewan RCMP’s major crimes unit and Indian Head detachment executed a search warrant at a home in the area.

Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation is located 70 kilometres east of Regina.

The next court appearance for the 15-year-old youth is scheduled for Jan. 5.

The patient parking lot was full at Regina Urgent Care Centre on Monday as residents sought care ahead of the facility’s closure for Christmas Day.

The centre will remain closed on Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day due to staffing shortages — a situation raising concern from the NDP.

Jared Clarke, NDP MLA, said the closures highlight broader challenges in Saskatchewan’s healthcare system.

“This is highly concerning as we roll into the holiday season and I think it makes clear that healthcare has never been worse in Saskatchewan than it is now,” he said.

Several rural emergency rooms were also listed on the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) website as expecting service disruptions of varying lengths, with the list updated daily.

Clarke added the closures leave families in rural areas facing uncertainty.

“I think of families in rural Saskatchewan who during the holidays have to make a choice which is the worst version of a guessing game imaginable, ‘is my local hospital open or closed,’” he said.

The SHA said it recognizes the importance of accessible emergency services and the impacts disruptions have on residents and staff. Efforts to recruit and retain staff continue.

Both the SHA and the NDP expressed appreciation for healthcare professionals working during the holiday period.

🎉 Update Completed Successfully! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that our scheduled network update has been completed without any issues! 🚀 All our broadcast stations, streams, and websites are now fully operational and running better than ever.

What’s New?

Here’s what you can expect from this update:
✅ Improved Audio Player – No more interruptions or cutting off! Enjoy seamless streaming on our websites.
✅ Enhanced Stream Stability – Our radio streams are now more reliable than ever.
✅ Upgraded Security & Quality – Improved protection and enhanced broadcast quality for an unmatched listening experience.

Fully Operational Services:

🎵 Stations:

• Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
• 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
• 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/

🌐 Websites:

• EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
• EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
• DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/

Experiencing Issues?

While everything is running smoothly on our end, we’re here to help if you encounter any issues. If you’re having trouble with our broadcasts or websites, please report the issue to us immediately so we can address it.

📧 Contact Us:

If you have having any issues please reach out to us on our websites!

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this process. We’re committed to providing you with the best listening experience possible and appreciate your support!

🎧 Happy Listening!
The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team

We’re committed to providing our audience with a listening experience like no other! To maintain this standard, we’re excited to announce a major update to our Broadcast Network.

What’s New?

This update will bring:

• A Better Audio Player: Improved performance on our websites to resolve issues with streams cutting off.
• Enhanced Session Operations: Ensuring error-free radio streams.
• Upgraded Security & Quality: Improved protection and overall broadcast quality.

Downtime Details:

• Expected Downtime: 1 hour (we’ve allocated up to 4 hours for any unforeseen circumstances).
• Impacted Services:
  • Live Broadcasts & Website Access for these stations:
    • Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
    • 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
    • 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
    • Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/
  • Websites:
    • EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
    • EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
    • DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/
  • Third-Party Apps: Any apps relying on our live broadcasts will also be affected.

Commitment to Excellence:
During the downtime, our team will work diligently to complete the update and monitor the network to ensure peak performance. We’re committed to enhancing your listening experience to the highest standards.

Stay Updated:
Follow us on Facebook or check our websites for real-time updates:

• EVO Media Corporation: https://www.facebook.com/EVOMediaCorporation/
• Z103.5: https://www.facebook.com/YourPartyStationZ103.5
• 979 The Cowboy: https://www.facebook.com/979thecowboy/
• 101 The Rockhound: https://www.facebook.com/101TheRockhound/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093402861183

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our services.

Thank you for your continued support,

The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team