Big Headlines: Gas prices are surging as the standoff between the U.S. and Iran continues

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Gas prices are surging as the high stakes standoff between the U.S. and Iran continues.

Hi, I'm Verjash Dev.

This is Big Headlines.

Everything you need to know to be in the know in just five minutes.

Gas prices are still surging across the country.

As the standoff between the United States and Iran continues in the crucial

straight-of-war moves, oil prices hit a four-year high today.

As drivers say, they feel the pain at the pumps.

Yeah, that was really quick, because I think it's now higher than it was when they originally decided to do the tax cut.

I think gas companies are just taking advantage of it now.

This, as Iran's supreme leader says Tehran plans to protect its nuclear resources.

The statement this morning coming a day before Iran is expected to propose a new peace plan to the U.S.

The families of the Tumblr Ridge mass shooting victims are set to seek $1 billion in lawsuits against open AI and its CEO.

The suits filed Wednesday alleged the company identified the shooter as a threat, months before the attack, but failed to notify police.

The lawyer representing the families says 12 members of open AI staff approached leadership about reporting the shooter's account to the RCMP.

12 people within the company were jumping up and down saying we need to tell the authorities and the leadership at open AI said no, we need to keep this quiet.

In my career, this is as close to pure evil as I've seen a company act.

Open AI's leadership allegedly decided to shut down the shooter's account instead in part for corporate survival, saying disclosure could jeopardize the company's path to a nearly $1 trillion initial public offering.

In a statement to media, a spokesperson for open AI says it has a zero tolerance policy for using its tools to assist in committing violence.

The lawyer representing the families is expected to file another two dozen lawsuits in the coming weeks.

Also making big headlines, Statistics Canada has released new information on this country's economy.

Thanks to growth in goods producing industries, real GDP in the first quarter is on track for a 1.7% annualized increase with the economy expanding by 0.2 in February and a preliminary estimate for a flat reading in March.

Statscans has February marked the fourth consecutive monthly increase. The reading also matched estimates.

And the expansion in Q1 follows a 0.6% annualized contraction in the final three months of 2025.

And if these estimates hold, the country would not be considered to be in a recession, which is defined as back-to-back quarterly contractions.

Canada has been selected to host a multinational defense bank. It will provide funding for military and defense projects by NATO members and allies.

And this comes after negotiations in Montreal yesterday. All six of this country's big banks are backing the idea. Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal are in the running to have the new defense, security and resilience bank in their cities.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has tapped MP and former cabinet minister Jonathan Wilkinson as Canada's next ambassador to the EU.

In a statement, Carney says Wilkinson's vast experience as a minister, entrepreneur and business person will drive his mission to help create greater security, prosperity and sustainability on both sides of the Atlantic.

Canada hasn't had an ambassador to the European Union since the fall. Wilkinson will take over the role of this summer, replacing former liberal leaders Stefan Dion, who Carney thanked for his distinguished service and contributions.

We're heading into the summer beach read season. And if you've been tempted to pick up a book that falls more into the steamy category, well, you're not alone.

Romance novels are having a moment. And on today's episode of the big story podcast, host Maria Kastain speaks to Deborah Arts, a freelance business writer about why Canada should invest in its hopeless romantics and how the recent boom in these novels could teach other traditional media how to meet consumers where they're at.

What are some misconceptions you'd think about the romance novel, look of the world when we think of those readers or I guess the subpopulation, what tropes usually float in?

I think the biggest misconceptions that these are guilty pleasures as the phrase that comes up all the time that these books are, oh, you know, they're, they're my guilty pleasure to read these books. I mean, some of them are a little deliberately kind of light and breezy and more easy to digest.

But many of the books, many of the most successful ones today, especially, are really, really substantial. They deal with real issues. Sometimes in the light way, sometimes in a heavier way.

There are authors who deal with issues of mental health, of gentrification, of trauma, and the kind of template of a romance novel, which has certain beats that you're going to hit and there will be almost always a happy ending at the end, and there will be the kind of predictable, you know, almost soothing infrastructure of story gives people a safe space to kind of enjoy those things.

You can listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

Now you're in the know. Thank you for listening to Big Headlines. Make sure you follow, share, and review Big Headlines. Today's episode was written by Sophia Vavarutsos, Samantha Knight and Jamie Palfur. Our lead producer is Enrica Amaturo.

I'm Vergesh Dave. Thanks for listening. We'll talk to you tomorrow.