Skip to main content

Featured

BoC Holds at 2.25%: What the Rate Decision (and Rising Gas Prices) Mean for Your Wallet

  Thursday, July 16, 2026 Sixth consecutive hold. A weaker 2026 growth forecast. And inflation that's running hotter because of gas prices, not the usual suspects. Here's what actually changes for you. The Bank of Canada held its overnight rate at 2.25% on Wednesday, exactly as markets expected. No surprise there. What's more interesting is why it held, and what it revealed about where the economy — and your bills — are headed next. This was the sixth straight hold since the Bank finished its easing cycle back in October. But buried in the accompanying Monetary Policy Report were a few numbers worth your attention. The Numbers That Matter Overnight Rate 2.25% (unchanged) Prime Rate (typical) 4.45% 2026 GDP Growth Forecast 0.7% (cut from 1.2%) 2027 / 2028 Growth Forecast 1.8% each year May CPI Inflation 3.2% Inflation Excluding Gasoline 2.2% Unemployment Rate (June) 6.5% Next Rate Decision September 2, 2026 Why Gas Prices Are Driving This Decision Here's the twist in th...

article

Escalation in Gaza: Hospital in Flames Amidst Conflict

 

In a tragic turn of events, Israeli troops stormed the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on Friday, forcibly removing staff and patients before setting parts of the hospital on fire. The hospital, one of the last operating in the area, has been repeatedly targeted over the past three months as Israeli forces continue their offensive against Hamas fighters.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the hospital yard, where they were stripped of their clothes in the cold winter temperatures. Some patients were relocated to the nearby Indonesian hospital, which had already been knocked out of operation by an Israeli raid earlier in the week.

The ministry's account, which could not be independently confirmed, described fires being set in several parts of the hospital, including the lab and surgery department. An audio message from an unidentified staff member posted on social media highlighted the dire situation, with patients unhooked from oxygen and at risk of dying at any moment.

This incident is part of a broader offensive that has seen northern Gaza areas like Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya virtually sealed off, with large parts of these districts leveled. The ongoing conflict has raised fears of famine, with the U.N. reporting only four humanitarian deliveries to the area from December 1 to December 23.

The Israeli military has claimed that their operations target Hamas infrastructure and fighters, though they have provided no evidence to support their accusations that Hamas fighters were operating inside Kamal Adwan Hospital. Hospital officials have denied these claims.

The situation remains dire, with thousands of Palestinians forced out of their homes and the health sector in Gaza devastated by the nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives. The international community continues to watch closely as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens.


:

Comments