Admins
Putin’s definite ‘maybe’ on ceasefire with Ukraine keeps the White House engaged
Despite initiating Europe’s worst war since Hitler and having the blood of hundreds of thousands on his hands, Russia’s Vladimir Putin is not a leader known for making big decisions quickly. More often than not over his long tenure at the top of Russia’s power pyramid, many analysts believe Putin prefers to delay and defer rather than act decisively. And so, when Putin’s answer finally came Thursday as to whether he would agree to a U.S.-backed Ukrainian proposal for a 30 day ceasefire, it was characteristically non-committal. “We agree with the proposals toRead more
King Charles gives his Canadian attendant a sword as sovereignty threats intensify
King Charles bestows a new ceremonial sword to the Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada Gregory Peters with Speaker of the Senate of Canada Raymonde Gagné present at Buckingham Palace. (Aaron Chown/Pool/PA) King Charles presented his Canadian personal attendant and messenger with a new ceremonial sword at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, a symbolic gesture that carries added meaning as the country stares down U.S. President Donald Trump and his increasingly forceful annexationist taunts. It’s the latest move by Charles, the country’s head of state, to show solidarity with CanadiansRead more
U.S. Supreme Court upholds ruling ordering Trump administration to fulfil $2B in USAID contracts
Demonstrators hold signs on Feb. 27 in Washington, D.C., to honour former USAID employees terminated after the Trump administration initiated cuts to the agency. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) A divided U.S. Supreme Court declined on Wednesday to let President Donald Trump’s administration withhold payment to foreign aid organizations for work they already performed for the government, as the Republican president moves to pull the plug on American humanitarian projects around the world. In a 5-4 decision, the court upheld Washington-based U.S. District Judge Amir Ali’s order that had called on theRead more
Quebec, Ontario mayors shut out from White House annual meeting
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante travelled to Washington D.C. to attend an annual meeting at the White House. But this year, Canadian mayors were prevented from attending the meeting. (Ivanoh Demers/CBC) Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and St. Catharines, Ont., Mayor Mat Siscoe have been excluded from an annual meeting with White House officials scheduled for Friday amid the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and Canada. The meeting, organized by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, a bilateral coalition of over 244 municipal and regional mayors, will proceed as planned as part of theRead more
EU leaders back new defence spending after U.S. threatens to cut off support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speak to the media at the outset of a European Union leaders special summit to discuss Ukraine and European defence in Brussels on Thursday. (Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters) European Union leaders on Thursday committed to working together to bolster the continent’s defences and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security after U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated warnings that he would cut them adrift to face the threat of Russia alone. With the growing conviction that they will now have to fend forRead more
The U.S. has long been a target of Russia’s ire. Under Trump, the tone has changed
After U.S. President Donald Trump delivered his marathon speech to Congress Tuesday night, media outlets around the world pored over the messages, facts and falsehoods. In Russia, state media outlet RIA Novosti tracked how many times Trump referred to Vladimir Putin, comparing the speech to when U.S. President Joe Biden delivered his last State of the Union address in March 2024. The outlet pointed out that Biden mentioned the Russian president seven times, speaking about the need to “stop Putin” and “stand up to Putin.” Trump, on the other hand,Read more
Canada races to revive Commonwealth ties with its U.S. relationship on shaky ground
With the U.S. losing its long-held place as Canada’s most trusted partner, the country’s leaders are now clamouring to revive ties to like-minded countries, most notably historic allies like Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. (Pawel Dwulit/The Canadian Press) The Canada-U.S. relationship is at its lowest point in more than a century with President Donald Trump’s near-daily threats to ruin the Canadian economy and undermine the country’s sovereignty. With the U.S. losing its long-held place as Canada’s most trusted partner, the country’s leaders are now clamouring to revive tiesRead more
Ukraine’s mineral riches could bankroll its postwar future. But what does Trump’s deal really mean?
The giant excavator working in the quarry near the central Ukrainian town of Zhytomyr rarely stops scooping, removing earth and precious titanium ore 24 hours a day. “Ukraine possesses approximately 20 per cent of the world’s titanium reserves,” operations manager Dmytro Holik told CBC News, as the noise of the excavator blared in the distance. “I am very interested that Ukraine can become a global or European titanium hub.” On that point, Holik and U.S. President Donald Trump would appear to share common ground. After weeks of painful — and often publicRead more
USAID workers pack belongings, as Trump administration targets 90% of foreign aid contracts
A U.S. Agency for International Development worker holds a bouquet of flowers after retrieving her belongings from agency headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/The Associated Press) U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) workers — many in tears — carted away belongings through cheering crowds in a final visit to their now-closed headquarters on Thursday as the Trump administration’s rapid dismantling of the congressionally authorized agency moved into its final stages. Notices sent out in mass mailings this week are terminating more than 90 per cent of USAID’s contractsRead more
Trump moves to end congestion pricing in New York City
The Trump administration said on Wednesday it was rescinding federal approval of New York City’s congestion pricing program that is designed to reduce traffic and raise money to upgrade aging subway and bus systems. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the move will halt a program that “leaves drivers without any free highway alternative and instead takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways.” Under the program, which launched on Jan. 5, most passenger vehicles are charged $9 US during peak periods to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. Trucks and busesRead more