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WestJet's Strike Deadline Is Hours Away — Here's What You're Owed (and What You're Not)

  August 1, 2026 Thousands of flights are already being cancelled ahead of a possible strike this long weekend. Before you panic-book a new flight or file an insurance claim, here's what Canada's passenger rights rules actually cover — and the one detail almost nobody is explaining correctly. Where things stand this morning WestJet's roughly 4,000-plus flight attendants, represented by CUPE 8125, issued a 72-hour strike notice Thursday; WestJet answered with its own 72-hour lockout notice. Unless a deal is reached, a strike or lockout could begin as early as 12:01 a.m. Mountain time Sunday, Aug. 2. The airline has already started an "organized take-down" of its network, cancelling roughly 80 flights scheduled for today (Aug. 1) alone, with more cancellations expected as the deadline nears. Talks are still ongoing, and federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon has said negotiations are "progressing." The rights nuance almost no one is explaining correctly ...

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Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Shoot Down US Reaper Drone: Aerial Clash Escalates Tensions

 

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for shooting down another of the U.S. military’s MQ-9 Reaper drones. The rebels released footage showing wreckage that corresponds to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft. According to the Houthis, they used a surface-to-air missile to down the Predator drone over their stronghold in the country’s Saada province. The video includes close-ups of parts with the logo of General Atomics, the manufacturer of the drone, and serial numbers matching known components made by the company.

This incident is part of a renewed series of assaults by the Houthis following a relative lull in their pressure campaign over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. While U.S. officials have not immediately commented on the Houthi footage, CBS News previously reported an anonymous U.S. military official acknowledging a drone crash in Yemen.

The MQ-9 Reaper drone, which costs around $30 million each, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and has an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. Since the Houthis seized Yemen’s north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the U.S. military has lost at least five drones to the rebels, including this recent shootdown. The ongoing conflict in Yemen continues to escalate tensions in the region, with the Houthis also launching attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding an end to the war in Gaza.

As the situation unfolds, both sides remain on high alert, and the international community closely monitors developments in this volatile region. The downing of the U.S. Reaper drone adds another layer of complexity to an already fraught conflict landscape.

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