U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talk during a joint press conference, in Ottawa, Friday, March 24, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today...

'Watershed year' for Canada-U.S. ties: Hillman

Canada's ambassador to the United States says her team is hard at work getting ready in the event Donald Trump is elected president next year.

But Kirsten Hillman is also celebrating what she says was a watershed year for Canada-U.S. relations in 2023.

Hillman says President Joe Biden's visit to Ottawa in March was a resounding success that helped to showcase what has become a deeper relationship between the two countries.

At the same time, they're in close contact with advisers to Trump, who appears poised to seize the Republican nomination and mount a campaign rematch against Biden.

US engaging in high-level diplomacy to avoid vetoing a UN resolution on Gaza

The United States, key allies and Arab nations are engaging in high-level diplomacy in hopes of avoiding another U.S. veto of a new U.N. resolution on desperately needed aid to Gaza ahead of a long-delayed vote now scheduled for Thursday morning.

The U.S. has been struggling to change the text's references to a cessation of hostilities in the Israel-Hamas war. Another sticking point is the inspection of aid trucks into Gaza to ensure they are only carrying humanitarian goods.

Here's what else we're watching ...

Canada, U.S. too slow to adapt: Norad commander

The commander of Norad says Canada and the U.S. are too slow to adapt to evolving threats from potential adversaries like China and Russia.

Gen. Glen VanHerck leads the binational organization that's responsible for protecting North American airspace.

In a year-end interview, he tells The Canadian Press the discovery of a high-altitude Chinese spy balloon in Alaska last January exposed domain awareness gaps and intelligence-sharing issues.

He wants both countries to move quicker to upgrade radar systems in the Far North — something that's expected to be done in 2028 — and to use artificial intelligence to gather and analyze data.

Marking the holidays in B.C. wildfires' wake

The chief of the Wilson’s Landing Fire Department, where 13 of 24 members lost their homes to a wildfire in August, says the feeling of community has never been stronger as the holidays approach, but there's still a lot of stress, sadness and trauma.

Paul Zydowicz says the holiday season can help people get back to normal, but it’s hard when Christmas decorations accumulated over decades were lost to the fire.

Jason Brolund, the fire chief in West Kelowna where dozens of homes were destroyed, says the scars of the fire are still visible above the community and this Christmas will be very different for those who lost their homes.

Airports, carriers gear up for the holiday rush

Airports and airlines are gearing up for the prospect of travel snarls as the holidays approach, even though the forecast looks favourable for now.

Operators say they are ramping up staffing, rolling out new snow sweepers, readying updated baggage and data systems and doling out advice to passengers on the cusp of one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

Environment Canada is predicting bright skies and relatively mild temperatures across most of the country through December 25.

Canadians face green Christmas, climatologist says

Canada's chief climatologist says if you don't already have it, the song is only white Christmas you're likely to get.

David Phillips of Environment Canada says most of the country has been unusually dry and warm this year.

That adds up to a green Yule, since the snow hasn't had a chance to fall and when it does, it melts.

Phillips says it's the result of a strong El Nino pattern this fall coming after a spring and summer that was already unusually warm.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 21, 2023.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2023