Cuba discloses names of 32 military officers killed in U.S. action in Venezuela
The Cuban flag flies at half-mast in front of the U.S. Embassy in Havana on Tuesday, after the Cuban government ordered a two-day period of mourning following the deaths of more than two dozen Cubans during the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces. (Norlys Perez/Reuters) The names, ranks and ages of the 32 Cuban military personnel killed during the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces were published Tuesday by the Cuban government, which announced two days of mourning. Among the deceased are colonels,Read more
Coalition’s Ukraine security guarantees include deploying troops if ceasefire is reached
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, are seen at the meeting in Paris on Tuesday to determine security guarantees for Ukraine if a ceasefire with Russia is reached. (Ludovic Marin/The Associated Press) After almost four years of major conflict, Ukraine has been given a series of concrete security guarantees — backed by more than 30 countries including Canada — that it can take into possible peace talks with Russia. The agreement, backed by the “coalition of the willing,” provides specificRead more
Who controls Venezuela’s oil? It’s complicated
Demonstrators in Buenos Aires hold a banner depicting U.S.-deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that reads ‘Freedom to Maduro, Yankees go home’ during a protest on Monday following the U.S. attack that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Venezuela. (Agustin Marcarian/Reuters) After ousting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump predicted U.S. oil companies would swoop into Venezuela, spend billions and earn huge profits for both themselves and the Venezuelan people. He then said they would “take back the oil, frankly,Read more
Trump’s Greenland annexation threats overshadow Ukraine security conference
Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen on the sidelines of a meeting about security guarantees for Ukraine in Paris on Tuesday. Greenland, the subject of renewed focus by the U.S. president, is a Danish territory. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) The catchphrase going into Tuesday’s coalition of the willing meeting on Ukraine in Paris appears to be: expect the unexpected. That was clearly the vibe as leaders from the 30-or-so countries, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, gathered in the French capital. While European leaders wereRead more
Trump’s ‘unprecedented’ diplomat recall sparks concerns over politicization of foreign service
U.S. State Department officials have said that the recall of nearly 30 ambassadors is part of reshaping the U.S. diplomatic posture abroad with personnel deemed fully supportive of U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ priorities. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press) Since the founding of the modern American Foreign Service in 1924, there has never been anything like the recent move by the United States to recall 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy posts, says the president of the American Foreign Service Association. “This is entirely unprecedented,” said JohnRead more
Here’s what New Year’s celebrations looked like as the world rang in 2026
From Sydney to Paris to New York City and Toronto, crowds rang in the new year with exuberant celebrations filled with thunderous fireworks or light shows, while others took a more subdued approach. As the clock struck midnight in Japan, temple bells rang and some climbed mountains to see the year’s first sunrise, while a light show with somersaulting jet skis twinkled in Dubai. In New York City’s Times Square, revellers braved frigid temperatures to celebrate with the famed New Year’s Eve ball drop. Confetti drops and fireworks explode atRead more
Trump says he’s pausing efforts to send National Guard to Chicago, L.A. and Portland
Members of the California National Guard are seen near a federal building in Los Angeles on June 10. (Eric Thayer/The Associated Press) U.S. President Donald Trump said he’s dropping — for now — his push to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Ore., a move that comes after legal roadblocks hung up the effort. Trump said in a social media post Wednesday that he’s removing the Guard troops for now. “We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins toRead more
Trump trips, a fake video and 10 possible co-conspirators – Takeaways from new Epstein files
The US Department of Justice released its latest – and largest – tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files on Tuesday. The 11,000-plus documents continue a stream of released information that began on Friday, the deadline mandated in a new law that required the department to publicly release all of its investigative files into the deceased paedophile and financier. Many of the documents released on Tuesday are redacted with names and information blacked out, including names of people who the FBI appears to cite as possible co-conspirators in the Epstein case. TheRead more
Military considers permanent bases in Latvia as part of Canada’s NATO commitment
Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Latvia’s Adazi military base in August and announced an extension of the Canadian Armed Forces mission in the country to 2029. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) Canada’s military operations command has embarked on a study about how the country’s NATO deployment in Latvia can be realistically sustained into the future, and one of options could involve more permanent basing, says a senior commander. Lt.-Gen. Steve Boivin, the commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC), said they are just beginning the analysis and recommendations have notRead more