Admins
U.S. air force to deny retirement benefits to transgender service members being forced out
The U.S. air force said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early, and would instead force them out without retirement benefits. One air force sergeant said he was “betrayed and devastated” by the move. The move means that transgender service members — who are already facing expulsion under Trump administration policy — will now be faced with the choice of either taking a lump-sum separation payment offered to junior troops or be removed from the service.Read more
Trump orders movement of 2 nuclear subs after Russian official’s ‘inflammatory’ remarks
U.S. President Donald Trump points a finger as he delivers remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on Thursday. (Kent Nishimura/Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in “the appropriate regions” in response to remarks from former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev about the risk of war between the nuclear-armed adversaries. Security analysts called Trump’s move a rhetorical escalation with Moscow but not necessarily a military one, given that the United States already has nuclear-powered submarines that are deployed and capable of striking Russia. Medvedev onRead more
Trump administration to burn $13M worth of female contraceptives, despite NGO’s offer to take them
A view of a warehouse of Kuehne+Nagel in Geel, Belgium, which houses U.S.-funded contraceptives worth nearly $10 million US, after the U.S. State Department confirmed that the stocks would be sent to France to be destroyed. (Marta Fiorin/Reuters) As It HappensThis NGO tried to save $13M worth of USAID contraceptives from being burned The U.S. State Department plans to incinerate roughly $13.2 million worth of women’s contraceptives despite offers from multiple aid agencies to distribute the supplies at no cost. The supplies, which include various forms of birth control, wereRead more
U.S. extends trade deal with Mexico, sets tariffs for dozens of countries
U.S. President Donald Trump, seen in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, signed an executive order on Thursday imposing ‘reciprocal’ tariffs ranging from 10 per cent to 41 per cent on U.S. imports from dozens of countries and foreign locations. (Jacquelyn Martin/The Associated Press) U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday imposing “reciprocal” tariffs ranging from 10 per cent to 41 per cent on U.S. imports from dozens of countries and foreign locations. The order was issued shortly after 7 p.m. ET on Thursday evening. It came after aRead more
Elections Canada adds security ahead of Alberta byelection amid reported threats
Lawn signs are displayed in advance of next month’s byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot. (Monty Kruger/CBC) Elections Canada has hired security guards in advance of this month’s byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot, candidates were told Friday. More than 200 candidates are contesting the riding alongside Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, who is running in the riding to regain a seat in the House of Commons. Last week, RCMP said several candidates contesting the byelection had reported receiving negative and sometimes “potentially threatening commentary” on social media platforms in recent days. Independent candidate Sarah Spanier said she heard at the meeting that Elections Canada hadRead more
Trump says Putin must end killing in Ukraine within days
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he is giving Russian President Vladimir Putin 10 to 12 days to stop the killing in Ukraine, shortening a 50-day deadline he had given the Russian leader two weeks ago. Russia fired an overnight barrage of more than 300 drones, four cruise missiles and three ballistic missiles, the Ukrainian air force said, as the Russian bombardment of Ukrainian cities continued despite Trump’s pressure for it to end. U.S.-led peace efforts have also failed to gain momentum. Trump had said on July 14 that heRead more
The U.S. economy is thriving in spite of tariffs. Will it last?
By just about every indicator, the U.S. economy is holding up remarkably well. When Donald Trump launched his global trade war, economists and markets said his tariff policy would slow the economy, drive up prices and dramatically reduce global trade. And yet, stocks are at all-time highs, the country’s employment is strong, its economy is expanding and the expected surge in inflation hasn’t materialized. Canada’s economy has shown surprising resilience, as well, with consumer spending starting to pick up last month and unemployment declining. Economists told CBC News it’s unclear whether theRead more
Canada pledges $30M in Gaza aid, $10M for Palestinian Authority work toward statehood
While Canada is not joining France in recognizing a Palestinian state, it is funding the Palestinian Authority’s preparations to lead a globally recognized country that includes Gaza and the West Bank. Ottawa is also adding $30 million to its humanitarian funding for desperate Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. “The Palestinian question is at the heart of any hope for long-term stability in the Middle East,” Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told a major United Nations conference on Monday in New York. “A workable Palestinian state needs legitimate, democratic governance thatRead more
Wildfires scorch large swaths of southeast Europe and the Balkans
Firefighters battled on Monday to put out wildfires in three separate provinces of Turkey, in Greece and near a tourist resort in Albania, stoked by strong winds after days of searing heat across the Mediterranean region. Smoke billowed over the mountainous Black Sea province of Karabuk, 200 kilometres north of the capital, Ankara, as a wildfire that raged for a sixth day forced the evacuation of more than a dozen villages and burned swaths of forests. In the northwestern province of Bursa, three firefighters were killed on Sunday when their vehicle crashed, Turkey’sRead more
Hundreds attend concert for MAGA-affiliated musician at Toronto church after Vaughan denies permit
Controversial Christian rocker Sean Feucht, known for his affiliation with the MAGA movement, performed at an Etobicoke church packed with hundreds of attendees on Sunday. The concert was originally scheduled to be played in Vaughan’s Dufferin District Park. The city denied the show’s permit request on the grounds of “health and safety, as well as community standards and well-being.” Feucht, who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Congress as a Republican in 2020, is also a missionary and an author who has spoken out against the 2SLGBTQ+ community, abortion rights and critical raceRead more