Ontario’s education minister has directed the province’s school boards to stream Team Canada’s Olympic hockey games during classroom times so students can “rally together and cheer on some of Canada’s best.”
Premier Doug Ford announced the idea in a social media post on Wednesday evening, saying he had told Education Minister Paul Calandra to work out how schools could make it possible.
“To help everyone get in the spirit of the games, I’ve directed the Minister of Education to make sure all Ontario students are able to watch the remaining Team Canada hockey games that take place during school hours, starting with tomorrow’s game,” the premier wrote.
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The Canadian women’s hockey team plays its gold medal match against the USA at 1:10 p.m. on Thursday, while the men’s semi-final against Finland will be played at 10:40 a.m. on Friday.
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Calandra confirmed Thursday morning he had moved on Ford’s request and told schools they must let students watch the games.
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“In recognition of the Olympics and this exciting time for Team Canada, I am directing all school boards to let students tune in to both the Women’s and Men’s hockey games during school hours,” he said in his own social media post.
“Big games like these aren’t just about the outcome, they’re a chance to rally together and cheer on some of Canada’s best.”
FILE PHOTO: Britain’s Prince Andrew leaves Westminster Abbey following the coronation ceremony of Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla, in London, Britain May 6, 2023.
Toby Melville | Reuters
U.K. police on Thursday arrested King Charles III’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, on suspicion of misconduct in public office, with the monarch expressing his “deepest concern” over the latest development.
British police were seen arriving at Andrew’s residence in Sandringham, England, on Thursday morning, according to earlier reports from the BBC and the Daily Telegraph.
Thames Valley Police said in a statement that they had arrested a man, who they did not name, in his 60s from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.
“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in the police statement.
“It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged offence,” he said, adding: “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
King Charles reacts
Buckingham Palace initially declined to comment on the matter but the king issued a statement soon after.
“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” the king said in a statement sent to CNBC by Buckingham Palace.
“What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities,” he added.
The police, Charles said, had the royal family’s “full and wholehearted support and co-operation.”
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter,” he said.
Men step out of an unmarked car at the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on February 19, 2026 in Sandringham, Norfolk. Andrew Mounbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following police investigation into the recently release Epstein files. The former prince continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Peter Nicholls | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Former prince
Andrew, the younger brother of the king and the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, had come under scrutiny due to his relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and allegations that he sexually assaulted a high-profile victim of Epstein’s sex trafficking, Virginia Giuffre, when she was 17.
Andrew denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and denied ever meeting Giuffre, and there is no indication that his arrest on Thursday is related to Giuffre, who died in 2025.
Thames Valley Police has previously said it was “assessing” reports alleging that he sent confidential trade reports to Epstein in 2010, when he was Britain’s special envoy for international trade. CNBC has contacted Andrew’s spokesperson for further comment on the arrest.
The public outcry over Andrew’s association with disgraced financier Epstein has had far-reaching consequences. The former prince was stripped of his royal titles, including “His Royal Highness” and “Prince,” and is no longer a working royal.
Andrew was also forced to move out of his Windsor mansion, the Royal Lodge, to a smaller residence on Charles’ Sandringham Estate. The king has cut Andrew’s annual personal allowance and security funding, but is covering the cost of his new accommodation.
A general view of the entrance to Wood Farm, the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on February 19, 2026 in Sandringham, Norfolk.
Peter Nicholls | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
David Lammy, deputy U.K. prime minister and foreign secretary, told CNBC on Thursday that the arrest showed “no one is above the law.”
“This is now a police investigation and that must run its course,” he told CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal at the AI Impact Summit in India.
Police have not disclosed any details or specifics as to the allegations being investigated or what prompted the arrest.
British police can hold suspects for 24 hours without charge, but this can be extended to 36 or 96 hours with special authorization.
— CNBC’s Kai Nicol-Schwarz and Arjun Kharpal contributed to this report.
U.S. President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., Feb. 13, 2026.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
The Trump administration has warned it would be “very wise” for Iran to make a deal, amid reports the White House is considering fresh military action against Tehran as soon as this weekend.
It comes shortly after Vice President JD Vance accused Iran of failing to address core U.S. demands during nuclear talks in Switzerland this week. Iran’s foreign minister previously reported progress in the talks, saying the two countries had reached an understanding over the “guiding principles” for the negotiations.
Speaking at a news briefing Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said there were “many reasons and arguments that once could make for a strike against Iran,” noting that the two countries remain “very far apart” on some issues.
The U.S. president had a “very successful” operation last June, Leavitt said, when U.S. stealth bombers struck three Iranian nuclear facilities as part of “Operation Midnight Hammer.”
“The president has always been very clear though with respect to Iran or any country around the world, diplomacy is always his first option. And Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and this administration,” Leavitt said.
The White House has said it still hopes to reach a diplomatic resolution over Tehran’s nuclear program, although U.S. media has reported that the military could be prepared to strike Iran as early as the weekend.
‘Extremely dangerous’ situation
Both the U.S. and Iran have increased military activity in the oil-producing Middle East region in recent weeks.
The U.S., for its part, has built up a significant presence of air and naval assets, while Iran has conducted military drills in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and announced joint naval drills with Russia in the Sea of Oman.
Laura James, Middle East senior analyst at Oxford Analytica, described the current situation as “extremely dangerous,” with the U.S. and Iran “certainly closer” to an outright conflict than last week.
“The thing that is now a particular concern over the past 24 hours is the very rapid pace at which the United States is reinforcing its air power in the region. That, of course, can still be signalling and pressure for a particular diplomatic outcome,” James told CNBC’s “Access Middle East” on Thursday.
“But as more and more planes comes in and more and more equipment comes in, that signalling gets more and more expensive. And therefore, the payoff you want for it in diplomatic terms has to be larger — and there is simply no sign Tehran can offer the absolute minimum that Washington is likely to demand,” she added.
Oil prices
Energy market participants have been closely watching the outcome of the U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva, particularly as it relates to the Strait of Hormuz, a major international waterway that Iran partially closed on Tuesday citing “security precautions.”
Located in the gulf between Oman and Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is recognized as one of the world’s most important oil choke points.
Iranian military personnel take part in an exercise titled ‘Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz’, launched by the Naval Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, is being carried out in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz on February 16, 2026.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images
About 13 million barrels per day of crude oil transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, accounting for roughly 31% of global seaborne crude flows, data provided by market intelligence firm Kpler showed.
Oil prices were higher on Thursday, extending gains after settling up more than 4% in the previous session.
International benchmark Brent crude futures with April delivery rose 1.5% to $71.41 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with March delivery stood 1.7% higher at $66.27.
— CNBC’s Lee Ying Shan contributed to this report.
Staring down a record deficit of $1.3 billion, the New Brunswick government has warned that virtually every service and program risks facing cuts in next month’s budget.
For the government to continue investing in areas like health care and education, “we must be prepared to control our expenses and generate new revenues,” Finance Minister René Legacy told reporters earlier this week.
“The status quo is not sustainable in the long term.”
The Finance Department has released a list of options to save money or generate new revenue, and it’s calling on New Brunswick residents to send in comments on those ideas by the end of the week.
Here’s five things to know about New Brunswick’s possible solutions to its budget woes:
1. How bad is it?
The $1.3-billion projected deficit is the biggest on record and the fiscal year isn’t over. The Opposition Progressive Conservatives say the numbers could get even worse.
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The last budget from former Tory premier Blaine Higgs’ government in 2024-25 projected $13.3 billion in spending and a $41-million surplus. Premier Susan Holt’s Liberals took power in October of 2024 and, when the final accounting was done, the fiscal year had swung to a $104.4-million deficit.
Holt’s first budget, for the 2025-26 fiscal year, added about $1 billion in spending for a total of $14.3 billion and projected a $549-million deficit. The red ink has more than doubled since then.
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The province’s net debt was $12.3 billion in March 2025. It’s now projected to rise to $13.9 billion by year’s end. About five per cent of all government revenue, $740 million, is spent just on servicing debt.
2. What could the government cut?
Legacy says there’s no one place where the government can save $1 billion, so nipping and tucking just about everything is on the table.
The Finance Department says the civil service has grown 14 per cent in recent years and the government could shed some of its 13,000 employees. It says reducing contracts with outside consultants could save up to $50 million a year and the province could cut certain grants to non-profits and community groups.
The government says some provincial roads have been built or upgraded beyond what is justified, and it might create a new policy to align building and maintenance with traffic volumes.
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3. What about health care and education?
Health care and education combined make up more than half of the provincial budget so trimming the fat without looking at the two departments will be difficult. The next budget will also have to bake in the full-year cost of a new agreement with physicians, estimated around $270 million. Because of timing, only $176 million of the contract is included in the current fiscal year.
The province says it could shift beds from hospitals to long-term care homes to save money and could also review subsidized vaccines. It mentions eliminating duplication in home-care assessments and streamlining health-care operations while maintaining essential services.
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The province is considering selling off properties and buildings, including schools with fewer than 100 students. Legacy noted Tuesday that about one-third of the province’s schools currently have enrolments of less than 30 per cent of their total capacity.
“I don’t know if it’s the right mix or the right situation, but we have to ask the question,” he said.
4. Are taxes going up?
Legacy suggested Tuesday that New Brunswick taxes are already among the highest in Canada so the government isn’t seriously considering raising them. However, the province says the more than 2,000 service fees it charges for things like permits might be on the way up and new fees may be introduced. It’s also considering a levy on arts and culture tickets, bumping up the cost to lease Crown land and an increase in mining royalties.
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The province is considering overhauling the property tax system, including a review of how it pays property taxes on behalf of universities and how the rural road levee works.
5. What other measures is the government considering?
New Brunswick might start charging tolls for out-of-province vehicles. The government has suggested those could be placed at provincial boundaries or on major highways.
The province notes it collects taxes and fees on products like lottery and gaming, tobacco, alcohol and seafood “with opportunities to further optimize and ensure the province is receiving the associated tax revenues.”
The government says it could tighten up provincial debt collection and notes the student loan program currently carries more than $125 million in defaults.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is signalling he will stand firm on his government’s changes to student loans as opposition to a major restructuring of the program grows in the province.
As part of a push to sustain the struggling post-secondary sector, the province will inject new cash into colleges and universities and allow them to raise tuition fees by two per cent a year.
The changes also shifted how OSAP operates, moving away from grants to offer students more loans instead.
The existing proportion of OSAP was about 85 per cent grants to 15 per cent loans, the government said, but starting this fall, students will receive a maximum of 25 per cent of their OSAP funding as grants.
Now, advocates and opponents are pushing the premier to reverse course, accusing him of trying to balance the books on the backs of students.
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“Doug Ford has shown that he doesn’t mind a good flip-flop, so we’re going to hand him an opportunity,” Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said.
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“Families that I’m hearing from are furious. Not only is this an attack on students saddling them with massive debt when they least need it … but it is also a hit on our economy.”
The NDP has launched a campaign to “save OSAP,” urging students and families to sign its petition and write to their local MPPs.
“We have been contacted already by thousands of people, thousands of students,” Stiles said. “Even the premier acknowledged he’s getting thousands of calls. No kidding. My phone was lighting up all weekend; I expect every MPP was getting lots of calls.”
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Bella Fischer, with the College Student Alliance, said the OSAP changes and hiked tuition fees could put some off college or university by making them pay more for longer.
“They’re putting basically all of the burden onto the students,” she said. “The decisions in life later are going to also be affected because they’re going to have more debt to pay.”
Ford, however, justified the decision at an unrelated event on Wednesday, saying the existing system was “unsustainable” and claiming the government had been “paying for everyone’s education.”
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He added, “The most vulnerable are going to be taken care of, that’s clear and simple. It’s going to be 25 per cent — and that puts us in the middle of the pack.”
Ontario Liberal MPP John Fraser said the premier didn’t understand the impact on students.
“He’s out of touch with people’s everyday lives, what families go through to make sure that their kids get an education and are ready for the future,” he said. “They give up a lot.”
The minister in charge of Canada-U.S. trade says he will be sitting down with U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade czar in the coming weeks to discuss the looming review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.
Dominic LeBlanc says he spoke with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the phone after his American counterpart last week said Canadians had barriers that made it difficult to have bilateral trade talks.
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The Trump administration has been causing uncertainty about the trilateral trade pact, known as CUSMA, ahead of a mandatory review taking place this year.
Trump has mused about leaving the agreement and Greer has talked about negotiating separate bilateral trade pacts with America’s closest neighbours.
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LeBlanc, who is leading a large trade mission to Mexico this week, says Ottawa and their Mexican counterparts are in agreement that a North American deal involving all three countries is the best way forward.
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He says Canada and Mexico do have different trade relationships with the United States but there are many areas of common ground.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (3rd L) and Switzerland’s Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (2nd R) attend a bilateral meeting between Switzerland and Iran during a second round of US-Iranian talks with Washington pushing Tehran to make a deal to limit its nuclear programme, in Geneva on February 17, 2026.
Cyril Zingaro | Afp | Getty Images
Geopolitics will be the main theme of the day, with markets watching the high-stakes talks between the U.S. and Iran, as well as Ukraine and Russia, that are being held in Geneva.
The talks between Kyiv and Moscow represent the latest round of the U.S.-brokered negotiations between the countries as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nears its 4-year mark.
The talks kicked off on Tuesday and are expected to enter their second and final day on Wednesday, with no concrete agreements yet reported. Russia reportedly struck Ukraine’s power infrastructure on Tuesday, drawing condemnation from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Washington’s and Tehran’s negotiations appear to be yielding more progress so far.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the sides reached a general understanding on “guiding principles,” Reuters reported, though that does not mean a deal on the countries’ longstanding nuclear disputes is imminent.
Still, Araghchi’s comments eased fears of an immediate conflict in the region, with oil futures down on Wednesday.
U.S. stock futures were trading slightly up on Wednesday, led by the Nasdaq which gained 0.25%. That was after a tepid session for U.S. equities on Tuesday, which saw major averages post slim gains.
Investors remain jittery about the impact of artificial intelligence. The software sector, which has already been under pressure due to fears of disruption by AI tools, continued to fall on Tuesday, with leaders such as CrowdStrike and ServiceNow losing 3.6% and 1.1%, respectively.
In an interview with CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal, the CEO of leading European start-up Mistral AI, predicted that more than 50% of enterprises’ current software could be replaced by AI.
He made the comments on the sidelines of India’s AI Impact summit which will continue this week. Major announcements have come from the event so far, such as a pledge from Adani to invest $100 billion into data centers in the country by 2035.
Also coming Wednesday will be consumer price inflation numbers from the UK, a day after jobs data showed the UK’s unemployment rate rose to a 5-year high while wage growth slowed in the last three months of 2025.
Shares of German multinational life sciences company Bayer will be in focus after its Monsanto unit said it had reached an agreement worth as much as $7.25 billion to resolve thousands of current and future lawsuits regarding concerns that its Roundup weedkiller caused cancer.
China exports add to freight trade slump for the biggest U.S. port. New data from the Port of Los Angeles shows that commitments made by China to buy more U.S. agricultural products have yet to materialize.
Meta expands Nvidia deal to use millions of AI chips. The new sweeping deal will see Meta use the chips, including Nvidia’s new standalone CPUs and next-generation Vera Rubin systems, in its AI data centers.
Nvidia is partnering with Indian VC firms in AI start-up push. The company says it was working with several major venture capital firms, to identify and fund AI start-ups in India’s growing AI market.
Iran partially closed the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. State media reported the news citing “security precautions” as Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard conducts military drills in the waterway.
Japan export growth surges to over 3-year high. Exports climbed 16.8% year on year in January, sharply beating market expectations and growing at their fastest rate since November 2022.
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There’s nothing quite like the holiday rush in China for the Lunar New Year.
The Beijing city streets start emptying out several days in advance as the majority of residents return to their hometowns or travel elsewhere. A quiet calm replaces the normally tense atmosphere of people rushing to work or school.
So where are the locals going? Immersive experiences rank high.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says immigration is one of the topics she will discuss during her province-wide televised address to Albertans on Thursday.
Smith was reacting to online comments made by one of her staffers, Bruce McAllister, who is the executive director of the Premier’s office in Calgary.
In comments posted online, McAllister said “unsustainable mass immigration into Canada” fills him “with profound disgust.”
“‘Why import from nations with failed systems when our Judeo-Christian heritage and principles have worked so well here?’” asks McAllister.
Asked about the comments during an unrelated news conference in Calgary on Wednesday, Smith said the province faces plenty of challenges ahead of next week’s provincial budget.
“Our expenses have been growing faster than our revenue growth, and part of that is we’ve had the fastest-growing population in Canada adding 600,000 people in the last four years alone,” said Smith.
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“I think there’s only one country in the world that’s exceeded the level of population growth that Canada has had and so this clearly needs to change. This is not sustainable, so I will have more to say about that in the address and we will begin the conversation with Albertans about what happens next,” added Smith.
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Canada’s transport minister, Steve MacKinnon, who was also in Calgary on Wednesday to attend an event hosted by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, stood by the federal government’s immigration policies.
“Canada has an immigration system that is admired the world over that has helped build this country and this province,” said MacKinnon.
“‘How have we done that? Well, we’ve focused on the skills that we require and attracting the best and the brightest.”
“It is simply math that we will require people, particularly in rural parts in this country to staff some of these jobs we need to meet our own ambitions, to meet Alberta’s ambitions, to meet Canada’s ambitions,” added MacKinnon.
Albertans will be able to watch the premier’s province-wide address Thursday evening at 6:45 p.m. on Global Television.
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Canada is launching new Express Entry immigration streams for permanent residents to meet the future needs of the economy, including categories for research, transportation and military recruitment, Immigration Minister Lena Diab said.
These will be in addition to the specialized streams already in place for health care and social services workers, such as nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and chiropractors, and for trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and machinists.
In December, Ottawa announced a specialized Express Entry stream for foreign-trained doctors with Canadian work experience.
The first round for applications under that category will begin this week, Diab said.
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Which categories will be approved faster?
The first category that’s being added is for researchers and senior managers with Canadian work experience to help drive research in Canada.
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“We’re supporting the broader federal efforts to drive innovation and growth, including a $1.7 billion initiative announced in December by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to attract world-leading researchers to Canada,” she said.
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The federal government is also adding a second category for transportation workers, to help plug labour shortages in Canada’s transportation sector, she added. This will include applications for people who are trained pilots, aircraft mechanics and inspectors.
“We’ve identified these sectors as areas in critical need. Strengthening those helps us move goods across the country and to new markets supporting trade, supply chains and economic resilience,” Diab said.
Ottawa is also launching a third stream of entry — skilled military recruits.
“We are creating a new category for skilled military recruits to attract highly skilled foreign military applicants. Eligible recruits with a job offer from the Canadian Armed Forces, including doctors, nurses, pilots can be invited to apply for permanent residence,” Diab said.
She added that this category is being introduced to complement the defence industrial strategy, announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday.
Carney released his new Buy Canadian plan for supplying the military and growing Canada’s domestic defence industry on Tuesday, saying Canada can never be “hostage” to the decisions of others when it comes to security.
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The $6.6-billion plan promises to prioritize building military equipment at home, hike the share of defence contracts awarded to Canadian firms and add up to 125,000 new jobs over the next decade.
The B.C. budget, unveiled on Tuesday, impacts everyone in the province, and the B.C. seniors advocate says the aging population is facing some new challenges.
“These projects aren’t nice-to-haves,” Dan Levitt told Global News.
“These are needed beds that are urgently needed from family caregivers who are really being pushed to the edge caring for someone.”
As part of the budget, B.C. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey announced the province is pausing some infrastructure projects, including seven long-term care facilities in Abbotsford, Campbell River, Chilliwack, Kelowna, Delta, Fort St. John, and Squamish.
Levitt said someone is already waiting an average of 10 months to get into long-term care.
“We need to urgently build long-term care,” he said.
“We’re currently short 2,000 beds, while 7,000 people are waiting. You fast forward a decade from now, when one in four British Columbians will be over the age of 65, and by then the Ministry of Health predicts we’re going to need 16,000 beds.”
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B.C. budget features major debt and deficit increases
Levitt said now is not the time to be slowing down investments in long-term care or home supports.
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He said the province needs to be supporting children and growing families, but also supporting the aging demographic.
“We certainly understand that some of those projects were quite expensive, almost $2 million a bed,” Levitt said.
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“In some cases, around $1.8 million a bed. The new numbers they’re closer to $1 million in some cases. But it’s still more expensive for government to build their owned and operated than for the private sector, for example, for for-profit or non-profit to build.”
Levitt said the province should be building homes that feel like a house, not an institution.
“There’s much more we need to do to have a provincial robust seniors plan that includes aging a place where you live,” he said.
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Levitt said that over the past decades, the province has not built enough beds to supply the growing demand for seniors.
“If you think about it, in the past five years, we built five per cent more additional beds at a time when the population of seniors increased 19 per cent,” he said.
“Over the next decade, we’ll have 26 per cent more seniors and only 3,000 additional beds, about 10 per cent new bed stock.
“Family members are the ones who are hurting the most by the lack of investments in seniors care and their family members who are waiting for those beds are the ones really who are paying the price.”
