MORNING NEWS DESK
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
PICKERING / DURHAM REGION
- (INdurham) At Least Three Suspects Sought in Pickering Vehicle Dealership Break-In
Durham Regional Police are searching for at least three suspects after they broke into a vehicle dealership in Pickering. Police have released surveillance images and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
- (AllAboutDurham) Four-Tower, 1,356-Unit Residential Development Moves Closer to Pickering Council Vote
A major four-tower residential development proposal in Pickering is nearing a final council decision after a scheduled public meeting. The project would add more than 1,300 housing units to the city east of Toronto, significantly reshaping the local skyline.
- (Durham Radio News) Privacy Commissioner Orders Lakeridge Health to Overhaul Patient Data Protections
Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner has ordered Lakeridge Health to reform its privacy policies after an investigation found the Durham Region hospital network repeatedly failed to protect patients’ personal health information. Staff members inappropriately accessed patient files in multiple incidents spanning 2022 to 2024, and the hospital was found to have delayed removing their electronic health record access.
- (Durham Regional Police) Oshawa Homicide Investigation Launched After Body Found Near Simcoe Street
Durham Regional Police have opened a homicide investigation after a person was found dead Saturday evening near Simcoe Street in Oshawa. The death marks Durham Region’s third homicide of 2026, and detectives are asking anyone with information to contact investigators.
- (City of Pickering) Glenanna Road Closure Extended in Pickering Through Early June
The City of Pickering has announced an extended road and sidewalk closure on Glenanna Road from Pickering Parkway to the south limit of The Esplanade South, running from May 12 through June 5, 2026. Detours are in place for both vehicles and pedestrians, with all applicable signage posted throughout the affected area.
CANADA
- (CBC News) Wildfire Rages Near Whitecourt, Alberta — One Home Lost, Evacuation Orders in Effect
A fast-moving wildfire burning southeast of Whitecourt, Alberta has prompted evacuation orders for parts of Woodlands County, forcing at least 100 residents from their homes. One residence has been confirmed destroyed, and firefighters continued working through the night to build containment lines as officials warned a forecasted wind shift could make conditions more challenging.
- (Globe and Mail) Statistics Canada Marks 2026 Census Day — Deadline Passes with Fines Unlikely
May 12 served as the official reference date for the 2026 Census of Population, with Statistics Canada encouraging all Canadians to complete their questionnaires. While the law allows for fines of up to $500 for non-compliance, the agency confirmed enforcement is not automatic — census workers will follow up with households that have not yet responded.
- (National Post) Carney Government’s Spring Economic Update Projects $66.9B Deficit, Pledges Nation-Building Spending
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne tabled the federal Spring Economic Update in the House of Commons, projecting a $66.9-billion deficit while outlining major investments in housing, skilled trades, and infrastructure under the ‘Canada Strong for All’ banner. Key measures include launching Canada’s first sovereign wealth fund, the Canada Strong Fund, and a plan to recruit and train 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trades workers by 2030–31.
- (CTV News) Carney Liberals Secure Majority Government with Special Election Wins
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party solidified a majority government after winning three federal by-elections, including ridings in Toronto and Quebec. The result allows the Liberals to pass legislation without opposition support and keeps the party in power until at least 2029.
- (CBC News) Canada Loses 18,000 Jobs in April as National Unemployment Rate Rises to 6.9%
Statistics Canada reported a net loss of 18,000 jobs across the country in April, pushing the national unemployment rate up to 6.9 per cent. Economists noted the figures reflect ongoing pressure from U.S. tariffs and broader global trade uncertainty, with the Carney government pointing to its Spring Economic Update measures as part of its response.
INTERNATIONAL
- (AP) Trump Arrives in Beijing for High-Stakes Summit with Xi Jinping
U.S. President Donald Trump touched down in Beijing for a state visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with talks expected to cover trade, the ongoing war with Iran, Taiwan, and nuclear weapons. More than a dozen major American corporate executives, including Apple’s Tim Cook and Elon Musk, accompanied Trump on the trip as Beijing is expected to announce purchases of U.S. farm goods and Boeing aircraft.
- (Al Jazeera) Putin Hails Test Launch of Sarmat ICBM, Calling It ‘Most Powerful Missile in the World’
Russia successfully test-fired its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, with President Vladimir Putin declaring the nuclear-capable weapon the most powerful missile on earth, with a warhead yield more than four times greater than any Western equivalent. The test came amid the expiry of the last U.S.-Russia nuclear arms treaty, raising fresh fears of an unconstrained nuclear arms race, and Putin confirmed the Sarmat would enter combat service by the end of 2026.
- (Reuters) Iran-U.S. Ceasefire ‘On Life Support’ as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Persist
President Trump has described the ceasefire with Iran as being ‘on massive life support,’ even as both countries edge toward a potential memorandum to end the war. Iran and the U.S. exchanged fire near the Strait of Hormuz last week, with Tehran accusing Washington of violating the truce and the U.S. insisting it acted in self-defence.
- (BBC) Hantavirus Outbreak Linked to Cruise Ship Grows to 11 Cases, Three Dead
Health authorities are monitoring at least 11 confirmed or suspected cases of Andes hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, which departed Argentina in April, with three passengers dead. American passengers have been repatriated to quarantine facilities in the United States, while a critically ill French woman is being treated with an artificial lung in Paris — as the WHO maintains that the overall global risk remains low.
- (Guardian) Russian Ship Sunk Off Spain Found to Have Carried Nuclear Reactors for North Korea
A Russian vessel that sank off the coast of Spain has been found to have been transporting nuclear reactors destined for North Korea, raising serious international proliferation concerns. European officials and intelligence agencies are investigating the incident, which underscores the continued flow of sensitive materials between Moscow and Pyongyang despite international sanctions.
