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Machado Vows Return as Venezuela Faces Pivotal Political Moment

  A person holds up an image depicting Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, as people celebrate after the U.S. struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, in Santiago, Chile January 3, 2026. Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado has declared that she plans to return to Venezuela soon, signaling her intention to push for a competitive national election amid a rapidly shifting political landscape. Her remarks follow the dramatic removal of Nicolás Maduro from power and the emergence of a transitional phase that has left the country’s political future uncertain. Machado, who spent more than a year in hiding and previously fled the country to accept an international peace award, emphasized that her movement is prepared to participate in a free and transparent electoral process . She argued that the opposition had already demonstrated its strength even under restrictive conditions and would win decisively in an open ...

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Federal government unveils new dental insurance plan for low- and middle-income Canadians

 

The federal government has announced the details of its new dental insurance plan, which will offer dental benefits to low- and middle-income Canadians who do not have private insurance.

The plan, which was a condition of the Liberals’ supply-and-confidence deal with the NDP, will be phased in gradually over 2024, starting with seniors over the age of 87, then children under 18 and people with disabilities, and finally all eligible Canadians in 2025.

The program will cover preventive teeth cleanings, treatments and removable dentures, and will be administered by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. The government expects the plan to benefit about 9 million people and cost $13 billion over the first five years.

To qualify, applicants must be Canadian residents with a household income under $90,000 and no private insurance. The government will check the criteria against tax filings and require employers to report on dental coverage. People who do not file their income taxes will not have access to the program.

The government said the plan will complement existing federal and provincial dental health benefits, but it is still negotiating with individual provinces on which program will be the primary payer.

The Liberals said the plan is part of their commitment to build a more inclusive and fair society, and to address the oral health needs of millions of Canadians who cannot afford dental care.

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