OCTOBER 15, 2026
Bad Breakups
It’s surely a sign of the bewildering times we live in that two disparate Canadian women, legendary singer Joni Mitchell and erstwhile deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, are mentioned in the same breath – both caught in the fallout of Canada’s increasingly frayed friendship with the U.S. Mitchell, 82, set social media buzzing yesterday when she announced that she had officially become a U.S. citizen, severing ties to Canada after completing what she described as “a journey that began 62 years ago.” The move raised eyebrows, particularly given Mitchell’s recent denunciations of U.S. President Donald Trump and describing herself as “one of those lousy immigrants.” Then there’s Freeland, 58, who returns to her journalist roots with a new book, Unreliable Boyfriend, which takes aim at Canada’s deteriorating relationship with its once-reliable ally – though its title could just as easily describe the messy political divorce she went through with her former boss, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Freeland’s book traces the fallout with the U.S. to Trump’s 2016 election, which she describes in her foreword: “Uncle Sam went from being a kindly trad husband to a violent one.” Two prominent Canadian women coming to terms with difficult relationships: one has moved on while the other is still trying to make sense of the loss. | Getty Images
OCTOBER 14, 2026
Healing Grace
Pope Leo XIV is recovering peacefully at Rome’s Gemelli hospital after surgeons removed a cancerous lower lobe yesterday from the 71-year-old Pontiff’s right lung. The Vatican said that the 90-minute operation “was successful, and there were no complications.” The Pope revealed on Sunday during a live television address that he had adenocarcinoma, a form of non-small-cell lung cancer detected during a routine health check the previous week. Doctors say the recovery from this surgery depends largely on how early the cancer was caught, as well as the patient’s overall health, age and lung function before surgery. Experts say there is a good chance of a full recovery of lung capacity. For the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, the news offers reason for hope as they pray for Robert Francis Prevost, who became the first U.S.-born pope in May 2025. Since his election, the pontiff has made AI the focus of his first encyclical while voicing strong support for issues championed by his predecessor, Pope Francis, including environmental protection and the rights of migrants. Leo had been planning a two-week trip to South America next month, though it remains unclear whether the surgery will force a change of plans. For now, his next journey will be the road back to health. | Getty Images
