High-Speed Rail History: A new column revisits how Ottawa’s repeated high-speed rail pitches in the Ontario–Quebec corridor have repeatedly stalled for decades, underscoring the political friction behind big transit promises. Mining & Jobs: Ottawa has approved Canada Nickel’s Crawford mine near Timmins, expected to draw about $5B in investment and create 4,000 jobs, with analysts pointing to major nickel potential in the Timmins region. Security & Diplomacy: Belgian authorities arrested a Chinese Canadian woman tied to NATO’s SHAPE on alleged spying links, with Canadian public records and reporting identifying her amid an ongoing case. Weather & Safety: Environment Canada issued severe thunderstorm warnings for Stratford and area (50–80 mm possible) and special weather statements across Ontario and B.C., with wildfire smoke advisories affecting air quality in Alberta and parts of the Interior. Tech & Travel: Uber is rolling out direct hotel booking for Canadians via Expedia, while Google expands age-verification tools for Android developers globally, including Canada. Health & Research: Studies highlight sperm whales sleeping underwater by using bubble behavior, and Canada’s HIV rates are rising among young gay men, with advocates warning progress is at risk. Sports: Commonwealth Games boxing saw Preeti Pawar win gold after defeating Canada’s Scarlett Delgado.