Is it normal for the U.S. president to spar with the Pope?
When U.S. President Donald Trump posted an image of himself styled as a Jesus-like figure, before deleting it hours later, it was perhaps the clearest sign yet that his attacks on the leader of the Roman Catholic Church had entered uncharted territory. “It’s unprecedented, but given Trump, not surprising,” said Vatican observer Christopher White. The week’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV began in earnest when Trump took to Truth Social to declare him “WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy.” Trump also suggested Leo only became pope because ofRead more
Trump expected to OK resolution to lift mining ban on Minnesota wilderness area near Canadian border
In this image from Senate Television video, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., speaks about the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota, on the Senate floor at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Wednesday. (Senate Television/The Associated Press) Congressional Republicans have sent President Donald Trump a resolution that would lift a federal ban on mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, hoping to clear the way for a South American company to extract precious metals from the region’s pristine forests, lakes and bogs. House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’Read more
Political strain between U.S. and Britain on full display days ahead of King Charles’s American visit
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, left, and Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves are shown in Aylesbury, central England, on Sept. 18, 2025. Reeves and Bessent have offered very different perspectives on the U.S. war with Iran in recent days. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images) British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves was not backing away from her criticism of the Iran war as “folly,” even as she prepared to meet Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other U.S. officials in Washington on Wednesday. As with Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Reeves is amongRead more
Trump rails against latest court decision on stalled White House ballroom project
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters outside the White House on Thursday. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/The Associated Press) U.S. President Donald Trump railed against a federal judge’s decision on Thursday that continues to block above-ground construction of a $400-million US White House ballroom, allowing only below-ground work on a bunker and other “national security facilities” at the site. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon’s latest ruling comes in response to an appeals court’s instruction to clarify an earlier decision on the 8,400-square-metre ballroom planned for the site, where it demolished theRead more
Starmer to visit Middle East after US and Iran reach ceasefire deal
Reuters Keir Starmer welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US as he travelled to meet with leaders of countries in the Gulf on Wednesday. The prime minister is expected to “discuss diplomatic efforts to support and uphold the ceasefire”, according to No 10. He will return to the UK on Friday. The ceasefire comes after Donald Trump threatened “a whole civilisation will die” if Iran did not agree to end the war and unblock the Strait of Hormuz – comments that led Downing Street to call again forRead more
Trump and Iran agreed to a ceasefire. What happens now?
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media Tuesday that he will hold off for two weeks on his threat to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges, in exchange for Iran agreeing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic. (Mark Schiefelbein/The Associated Press) Now that U.S. President Donald Trump has backed off his escalating threats to bomb Iran’s power plants, bridges and even destroy its civilization, attention turns to whether the warring sides can reach a full-fledged peace deal that lasts. Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire cameRead more
Trump agrees to 2-week ceasefire as Iran says it will allow passage through Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said early Tuesday evening that he has agreed “to suspend the bombing and attack on Iran for a period of two weeks” subject to Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. “This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!,” he wrote on social media, adding that he agreed to it “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be allowed for the nextRead more
House prices dropping in Canada’s most expensive cities, but still out of reach for many
Carpenters build a home in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que. in October. Average housing prices are softening in Canada, but experts say it’s not enough for most prospective first-time buyers. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) Housing prices are dipping in Canada’s priciest markets, but real estate experts say it’s not necessarily the break for which potential first-time homebuyers have been waiting — and that break may never come. TD Economics said in a report last week that it expects home prices to slide 0.3 per cent across Canada this year, after a weak performanceRead more
How some ships are still getting through the Strait of Hormuz as Iran war drags on
A coast guard boat approaches the Shivalik, an Indian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier, as it arrives at Mundra Port in Gujarat, India, via the Strait of Hormuz on March 16. (Amit Dave/Reuters) While the Strait of Hormuz has been closed to most of the world’s marine traffic, experts say Iran appears to be letting a select number of ships pass from countries not aligned with its aggressors. Marine traffic data shows how the stream of ships passing through the key waterway has slowed to a trickle since the warRead more
Nuclear energy sites targeted in latest strikes, Iranian state media reports
Iran state media says its nuclear facilities were attacked Friday, just hours after Israel threatened to “escalate and expand” its campaign against Tehran. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said the Shahid Khondab Heavy Water Complex in Arak and the Ardakan yellowcake production plant in Yazd Province were targeted, the agency said. The strikes did not cause any casualties and there was no risk of contamination, it said. Israel attacked the Arak plant last June. Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran toRead more