A summary of what you need to know today, compiled by The Globe's news desk on Feb. 27, 2013.
Supreme Court rules on free speech case
The Supreme Court has upheld Canada's hate-speech laws and found that anti-gay flyers distributed by a Saskatchewan proselytizer constituted hate speech. For more on the ruling in the highly charged case, read this report by The Globe's Jeff Gray.
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Pope's last public appearance
Pope Benedict made an emotional sendoff to his eight-year papacy today as tens of thousands of pilgrims crowded St. Peter's Square. "I have had moments of joy and light, but also moments that haven't been easy … moments of turbulent seas and rough winds," he said.
Three dead in Swiss factory shooting
Three people were killed and seven more wounded after a shooting at a wood-processing company in Switzerland today. The assailant is among the dead.
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Fire in Indian building kills 19 workers
A fire in an office building in Calcutta killed 19 workers and injured several others today. The building, which housed illegal shops, did not have a fire extinguisher, officials told Agence France-Presse.
Taliban insurgents poison, kill 17 Afghans
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack on a government-backed militia post in eastern Afghanistan that left 17 people dead. The victims, who were police officers and their friends, were poisoned and then shot, The Associated Press reports.