WASHINGTON — Canadians are growing more confident in the United States as a trusted and reliable international ally, but losing faith in the man who’s currently running the country, a new poll suggests.
USA
Is a Military Conflict Between America and Russia in the Making?
As the war between Russia and Ukraine drags on into its fourth month, it is increasingly apparent that neither side is likely to achieve a decisive victory any time soon. It is similarly apparent that simply letting the sides bleed each other white, on the assumption that the conflict will remain a limited one, is reckless. The fresh dispute between Moscow and Vilnius over Lithuania’s decision to severely limit the transport of Russian goods to Kaliningrad is merely the latest example of how easily the confrontation between the two sides may spin out of control. The costs of indefinite hostilities now loom large, ranging from the disastrous local impact on Ukraine itself to severe global economic consequences—particularly in the food and energy sectors—going far beyond Ukraine, and Europe more generally—with the potential to destabilize the international system itself.
Nuclear Sea-Launched Cruise Missile: Badly Needed for Deterrence
U.S. President Joe Biden, overruling his top generals and military advisors in the Pentagon, has defunded development of the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile-Nuclear (SLCM-N). They warn, correctly, that SLCM-N is vitally necessary for nuclear deterrence.
Throughout the Cold War, and today, in order to prevent nuclear war, it is foundational to the concept of deterrence that the U.S. should allow no nuclear adversary to achieve significant advantages in the balance of nuclear power.
Terrorist accused in fatal Wisconsin Christmas parade crash changes plea to “insanity defense”
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A man accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more when he allegedly drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee last year has decided to mount an insanity defense, his attorneys said Monday.
Darrell Brooks Jr. faces more than 80 charges, including six homicide counts, in connection with the Nov. 21 incident in Waukesha. He pleaded not guilty in February. During a hearing Monday one of his attorneys, Jeremy Perri, told Judge Jennifer Dorow that Brooks is changing his plea to not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
US parents turn to black market due to formula shortage
Mum Lauren Galvin needed to get extra milk into her baby. He was spitting up so much after nursing that he wasn’t gaining weight and had to be taken to hospital, twice.
But, with the US in the grips of a severe national shortage of infant formula, she couldn’t find any to buy.
So Lauren turned to the black market, going online to order a Dutch-made brand that is barred from import to the United States.
US authorities have repeatedly warned against buying milk that hasn’t been approved for export to the US.
Donald Trump Is Magnificently Right About Ukraine
“… Now we have the nastiest inflation that we’ve ever seen, we have a war in Ukraine with perhaps millions and millions of people dying in the end…you’re talking about tens of thousands of people dying…and perhaps it’s going to lead to World War III because of the way we’re handling it… We just gave $40 billion on top of another $16 billion, so we’re in for $56 billion…we want to help those people—we have to also save our country, by the way—and it’s horrible, horrible what happened. But when you look at Europe, and Germany and France and all these other countries – they’ve given a tiny fraction of what we’ve given…It should have never happened. If I were president that would have never happened. One hundred percent, that would never have happened.”
Mexico Helps Migrant Caravan Headed To U.S. Border
The largest migrant caravan to date this year has mostly dissipated, but that doesn’t mean that thousands more migrants are no longer headed to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Members of the migrant caravan initially gathered in the city of Tapachula on the Mexican side of the Mexico-Guatemala border, and set off on their march towards the United States in the second week of June. While the caravan formed in and departed from a Mexican town, the bulk of the caravan’s members were from Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. There were also Haitians, Salvadorans, Hondurans, and Guatemalans in the mix. Individuals from India, Bangladesh, and some African countries were also spotted in the caravan’s ranks.
Four of the five most expensive cities on either side of the border are Canadian: study
Four of the five most expensive cities on either side of the border when it comes to cost of living versus income are located in Canada, a new study shows.
Data released by Canadian insurance provider PolicyAdvisor suggests that New York City, Mississauga, Ont., Vancouver, Hamilton, Ont., and Toronto are the most unaffordable places to live in either country.
The study examined the 10 most populous cities in each country and compared the average cost of eight common necessities, items and services: a cinema ticket, a restaurant meal, a bottle of water, a cappuccino, a one-month gym membership, a one-way ticket on transit, a monthly pass on transit, and one month’s rent.
Over 53K Illegal Aliens Given DACA Despite Arrest Records Including for Murder, Rape, Kidnapping
Ten years ago, in 2012, former President Barack Obama created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program via executive order that has allowed nearly 800,000 illegal aliens to evade arrest and deportation.
Standards for the Obama program were set so low that tens of thousands of illegal aliens with prior arrest records for crimes like murder, rape, and kidnapping were able to secure DACA status
Julian Assange can be extradited to US, says UK home secretary
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition to the US has been approved by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Mr Assange has 14 days to appeal over the decision, the Home Office said.
It said the courts found extradition would not be “incompatible with his human rights” and that while in the US “he will be treated appropriately”.
US troops detain ‘experienced bomb maker’ who was ‘instructing others’ in Syria
U.S. troops in Syria detained a senior Islamic State leader earlier this week, and the military has since identified him as Hani Ahmed al Kurdi, known as Salim.
Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. mission to defeat ISIS, said in a statement on Thursday it was able to identify and capture Kurdi, whom they described as an “experienced bomb maker and operational facilitator who became one of the top leaders in the Syria branch of ISIS.”
Is War Really Coming to Taiwan?
Parallels have been drawn between the war in Ukraine and a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan. While these situations differ in many respects, both countries exist outside of a collective security apparatus like NATO, and both face existential threats posed by much larger and hostile neighbors. Lacking nuclear weapons and outgunned in conventional terms, both the Ukrainian and Taiwanese militaries have little choice but to wage asymmetric warfare. Yet few people truly know, let alone understand, Taiwan’s current defense policy and the path forward.
The U.S. sees Canada in 3Ds, and that’s not good
… There are very few things Republicans and Democrats see eye-to-eye on these days so we should take note when there’s an emerging bipartisan consensus about Canada. When U.S. officials look at Canada through both red and blue lenses, three “Ds” pop out at them: dairy imports, digital taxes and defence spending.
These three “Ds” pose a particular risk to the Canada-U.S. relationship because, in each case, the White House and Congress believe Canada isn’t following through on commitments we’ve made to them. Whatever our own understanding of Canadian policies in these areas, to the Americans it looks like we’re going back on our word.
I blame Junior.
Californians fleeing the expensive state for Mexico
Mexico’s Pacific Coast has long been a popular vacation spot for Californians who could either drive or catch a low-cost flight to relax on the beach and escape the rat race.
And Tijuana remains a must-have destination to fill up on gasoline and purchase baby formula, prescription drugs, and other overpriced items back home.
Now, the occasional trip is becoming permanent for a good portion of the 360,000 who left the Golden State last year for more affordable living conditions, a Baja California realtor told CNBC.
Probably safer under the Cartels.
Navy fires five officers within six days over ‘loss of confidence’
The US Navy has dismissed five commanding officers in less than one week due to “loss of confidence,” a strikingly short timeframe for such disciplinary action.
On Tuesday, the Navy announced it was relieving Cmdr. Peter Lesaca — of the destroyer USS Preble — of his duties “due to loss of confidence in his ability to command.”
“Navy commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct,” the Navy said in a statement. “They are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of these standards.”