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WestJet Strike Is Over — Here's What Happens to Your Bookings Now

  Published August 4, 2026 If you spent the long weekend refreshing WestJet's flight status page, you can exhale a little. Early Monday morning, WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125 reached a tentative agreement, ending the strike that grounded most of the airline's mainline fleet starting August 2. Both the strike notice and WestJet's lockout notice have been withdrawn. That's genuinely good news if you have an upcoming WestJet booking. But "the strike is over" doesn't mean "everything is back to normal today." Here's what actually changes for your money and your travel plans. What actually happened About 4,400 WestJet cabin crew walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. Mountain Time on August 2, after contract talks broke down over unpaid ground duties and the airline's flight-credit pay system. WestJet responded with a matching lockout notice, and between the two, the airline's normal schedule of roughly 600...

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A Solemn Farewell: Pope Francis's Journey to St. Peter's Basilica

In a deeply moving ceremony, the body of Pope Francis was transported from his residence at the Santa Marta guesthouse to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The 88-year-old pontiff, who passed away two days ago, was carried in an open coffin by 14 pallbearers dressed in black suits and white gloves. The procession was accompanied by red-hatted cardinals, priests, and Swiss Guards, as a male choir chanted psalms and prayers in Latin.

Thousands of mourners gathered in St. Peter's Square, breaking into applause as the coffin passed—a traditional Italian gesture of respect. The bells of the basilica tolled solemnly, marking the end of Pope Francis's 12-year papacy, which was characterized by his progressive reforms and advocacy for inclusivity.

The late pope's body will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for three days, allowing the faithful to pay their respects before his funeral on Saturday. His final resting place will be the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, reflecting his humble wishes for a simpler ceremony.

Pope Francis's legacy as a compassionate and reformative leader continues to resonate with Catholics and admirers worldwide.

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