Pakistan will move ahead of India by...? How is Islamabad boosting its air power despite crumbling economy?OTTAWA — Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada's new border plan with Donald Trump's transition team, a day after Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Both Trudeau and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who Trudeau has been courting to become Canada's next finance minister, shared posts on X Thursday, a day after Trump's latest jab at Canada in his Christmas Day message. It isn't clear if Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has repeatedly insisted Trump's 51st state references are a joke, will raise the issue with Trump's team when he and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly meet with them in Palm Beach. The two are there to discuss Canada's new $1.3 billion border plan with just under four weeks left before Trump is sworn in again as president. He has threatened to impose a new 25 per cent import tariff on Canada and Mexico the same day over concerns about a trade imbalance, as well as illegal drugs and migration issues at the borders. The broad strokes of Canada's plan were made public Dec. 17, including a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of the border, and improved efforts using technology and canine teams to seek out drugs in shipments leaving Canada LeBlanc's spokesman, Jean-Sébastien Comeau, said the ministers will also emphasize the negative impacts of Trump's threatened tariffs on both Canada and the U.S. Comeau said the ministers will build on the discussions that took place last month when Trudeau and LeBlanc met Trump at Mar-a-Lago just days after Trump first made his tariff threat. It was at that dinner on Nov. 29 when Trump first raised the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state, a comment LeBlanc has repeatedly since insisted was just a joke. But Trump has continued the quip repeatedly in various social media posts, including in his Christmas Day message when he said Canadians would pay lower taxes and have better military protection if they became Americans. He has taken to calling Trudeau "governor" instead of prime minister. Trudeau had not directly responded to any of the jabs, but on Thursday posted a link to a six-minute long video on YouTube from 2010 in which American journalist Tom Brokaw "explains Canada to Americans." The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, including their founding based on immigration, their trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian Army in World War 2 and other modern conflicts. "In the long history of sovereign neighbours there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada," Brokaw says in the video. Trudeau did not expand about why he posted a link to the video, posting it only with the words "some information about Canada for Americans." Carney, who is at the centre of some of Trudeau's recent domestic political troubles, also called out Trump's antics on X Thursday, calling it "casual disrespect" and "carrying the 'joke' too far." "Time to call it out, stand up for Canada, and build a true North American partnership," said Carney, who Trudeau was courting to join his cabinet before Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister last week. Freeland's sudden departure, three days after Trudeau informed her he would be firing her as finance minister in favour of Carney, left Trudeau's leadership even more bruised than it already was. Despite the expectation Carney would assume the role, he did not and has not made any statements about it. LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister instead the same day Freeland quit. More than two dozen Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to resign as leader, and Trudeau is said to be taking the holidays to think about his next steps. He is currently vacationing in British Columbia. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 27, 2024. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Foundation’s Al Ghorrah for Literature and Arts is inviting the community of Qatar to join a cultural journey, as the upcoming five-day event showcases tradition and heritage, connecting the past with the present. Al Ghorrah takes place at Education City from November 28 to December 2, with a variety of musical and theatrical performances showcasing local and regional talent – including Al Feel Ya Malik Al Zaman, a play directed by Maher Salibi and starring Jamal Sulieman, from 7pm to 8pm on November 28 and 29. Tickets for Al Ghorrah, available now at www.educationcity.qa/al-ghorrah, are priced at QR35 for children, QR50 for adults, and QR200 for specialised workshops. During Al Ghorrah, a special performance by Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) titled ‘1001 Nights: A Journey Through the Storm’, produced by Dana Al Fardan, will blend traditional instruments with symphonic music. Performed at the opening night, it will mark the official opening of the event. Meanwhile, Nasser Al Jassim will direct a Qatari-Moroccan medley combining folklore, instruments, and music from both countries to celebrate the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture, and the choir from QF’s Qatar Music Academy will perform Arabic Fusha songs with QPO. Egyptian singer Mustafa Said will perform with the Asil Band, presenting songs inspired by Mu’alaqat, while Sada Alebda, following the ‘Heritage Symphonies’ project founded in 2019 in Yemen, aims to promote and disseminate folk music by integrating it into orchestral performances. Finally, the festival will end with a performance by Hamza Namira. Al Ghorrah is open for the whole community to experience and enjoy, and its programme also includes poetry readings, lectures, interactive events, storytelling sessions, and culinary experiences featuring the flavours of countries including Egypt, Iran, and Syria. For more information about what Al Ghorrah has to offer, visit www.educationcity.qa/al-ghorrah Al Ghorrah is sponsored by the Social & Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM), with other partners including Qatar Calendar, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.Community invited to experience a showcase themed around Arab-Islamic culture, heritage Copy 22/11/2024 10Oklahoma residents on Sunday mourned the death of former Democratic U.S. Sen. Fred Harris , a trailblazer in progressive politics in the state who ran an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1976. Harris died on Saturday at 94. Democratic Party members across Oklahoma remembered Harris for his commitment to economic and social justice during the 1960s — a period of historical turbulence. Harris chaired the Democratic National Committee from 1969 to 1970 and helped unify the party after its tumultuous national convention in 1968 when protesters and police clashed in Chicago. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth , Trump’s Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. People are also reading... Bomb cyclone, flood risk in Benton County this week OSU women's basketball: An early look at this edition of the Beavers Albany's Joel Dahl pleads guilty to sex crime involving minor OSU football: Beavers' season hits a new low in loss at Air Force Strike over: Benton County, union reach tentative deal What's available from Benton County services as strike nears Week 2 As I See It: Corvallis' failure to care for homeless is not because it can't Republic Services resubmits landfill expansion, here's what's new Albany mom suspected of drowning her child to use mental health defense Philomath city councilor resigns, cites conflict with new job American flag thrown by driver fleeing Benton County deputies OSU football: It's time to look ahead to next year Sweet Home man sentenced for crash that injured his daughter Albany dog badly hurt, possibly shot, during brief escape In trying to flee, suspect accused of driving over Albany police officer Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Oklahoma residents on Sunday mourned the death of former Democratic U.S. Sen. Fred Harris , a trailblazer in progressive politics in the state who ran an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1976. Harris died on Saturday at 94. Democratic Party members across Oklahoma remembered Harris for his commitment to economic and social justice during the 1960s — a period of historical turbulence. Harris chaired the Democratic National Committee from 1969 to 1970 and helped unify the party after its tumultuous national convention in 1968 when protesters and police clashed in Chicago. “Fred Harris showed us what is possible when we lead with both heart and principle. He worked to ensure everyone had a voice and a seat at the table,” said Alicia Andrews, chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party. Harris appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago earlier this year as a guest speaker for the Oklahoma delegation, where he reflected on progress and unity. "Standing alongside him in Chicago this summer was a reminder of how his legacy continues to inspire,” Andrews said. Kalyn Free, a member of the Choctaw nation of Oklahoma and the DNC, said that there is no one else in public service whom she admired more than the former senator. “He was a friend, a mentor, a hero and my True North. Oklahoma and America have lost a powerful advocate and voice,” Free said in a statement. “His work for Indian Country will always be remembered.” “Senator Harris truly was an Oklahoma treasure and was ahead of his time in so many ways,” said Jeff Berrong, whose grandfather served in the state Senate with Harris. “He never forgot where he came from and he always remained focused on building a society that would provide equality of opportunity for all.” Harris served eight years in the state Senate before he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served another eight years before his 1976 presidential campaign. State party leaders commemorated his work on the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, or the Kerner Commission, to investigate the 1960s riots. Harris was the last surviving member of the commission. Shortly after his presidential campaign, Harris left politics and moved to New Mexico and became a political science professor at the University of New Mexico. —- Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
A new year on the London Underground is around the corner. This brings with it developments on the network, and maybe progress towards some long-term goals. Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) say they need more cash from the Government for some of the capital's largest projects. But some things are already underway. Changes coming in 2025 include new trains and the roll out of new technology at stations and on lines. In addition, discussions will definitely be happening behind the scenes regarding proposals that need developing further. READ MORE: Plans for new London Overground station next to HS2 'under consideration' New Piccadilly line trains A change that is definitely coming is new trains on the Piccadilly line. The stock is part of a £2.9 billion upgrade. Next year, this will begin in earnest as customers will be able to ride the state-of-the-art carriages for the first time. They will be introduced over two years, with the final train rolled out in 2027. Passengers will be able to enjoy walk-through carriages, air con, USB charging ports and better travel information. As well as the new stock, the power system on the Piccadilly line will be upgraded. TfL says this will ensure that the new trains run as reliably and efficiently as possible when it starts running more at the busiest times. The new trains will be also be 'rigorously tested' before they carry our customers. Officials say TfL is also improving its train maintenance depots to ensure that the stock 'works reliably, efficiently and provide the maximum comfort'. At Cockfosters and Northfields depots, staff are building new facilities to maintain the trains with extra stabling track and cleaning facilities. At South Harrow , TfL has installed extra stabling track so that trains can be quickly brought into use when services start to run more frequently. In addition, bosses say the following will be delivered: Four lines modernisation A new signalling system is being installed on the Circle, Hammersmith and City, District and Metropolitan lines. In September 2022, TfL introduced a new timetable. Officials say this has improved journey times by around five per cent on average on the Circle and District lines between Monument, Fulham Broadway, Barons Court and Paddington. Since September 2021, bosses add that journey times between Hammersmith and Aldgate have improved by approximately 10 per cent. Operators have also increased the number of trains between Baker Street and Aldgate from 27 trains an hour to 28 trains an hour during the busiest times. TfL says that areas still to go live include the Metropolitan Line north of Finchley Road and sections of the District line from Barons Court to Stamford Brook and Fulham Broadway to East Putney. The next section to come into service will be on the Metropolitan line between Finchley Road and Preston Road in 2025, officials add. Bakerloo line extension and new stock Something that is less certain, however, is what is happening with the proposed Bakerloo line extension to Lewisham. TfL says more cash from the Government is needed, and a new fleet of trains for the Tube's brown line will need to be built first. This will also require money. But this is included as an option in an already existing contract with Siemens , the same firm that is producing the new Piccadilly line trains. So it's down in black and white in some form. In addition, TfL has asked Aecom and architects WW+P to examine the feasibility of constructing four new stations. These are Burgess Park, Old Kent Road, New Cross Gate and Lewisham. The New Civil Engineer reports that this is expected to take four months. It seems that the extension will be dependent on how well the UK's economy performs in 2025. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, told MyLondon in April : "Of course I want to see the investment in infrastructure our country needs to grow after 14 years of mismanagement. But we have to always show where the money is going to come from, and we need to grow the economy to be able to release funds for crucial infrastructure investment." However, Ms Reeves has said that she will change the Government's self-imposed debt rules in order to free up billions of pounds for infrastructure spending. This is to 'grow the economy', she said. The DfT says that it is working with the Mayor on funding for TfL. Air filters, noise measures and cooling the Tube down The trial of an air filtration system at Baker Street started in May 2024. The technology will be assessed over the coming months to understand its ability to handle large volumes of air, the rate at which dust is captured, ease of maintenance, and any other possible issues, Sadiq Khan has said. The mayor's TfL budget for this year also said that Green Park was also going to get a new filter system as part of the trial. If these prove successful, we could see these rolled out more widely. In addition, testing a brand new Underground train could be deployed as part of officials' efforts to improve the air quality on platforms and in tunnels. The mayor told the London Assembly on July 5 : "As part of its continuing work to improve air quality on the Tube network, Transport for London (TfL) is exploring the latest advances in innovation. This includes trialing a bespoke track cleaning train, which is currently going through TfL’s approval process, to ensure it is safe to operate on the Tube network. "The trial is expected to take place later this year." Who knows, this could start to operate in 2025. In an effort to curb Tube noise, new technology, Delkor fastenings, are now fitted as standard as part of TfL's ongoing Deep Tube track renewal programme. TfL has carried out renewal works – which include the installation of Delkor fastenings – at a number of sites. Further renewal works – including the installation of Delkor fastenings – will continue as part of TfL’s ongoing programme, Mr Khan has said . Further, TfL has successfully trialled new technology that cools down Underground station platforms. The Mayor of London says that they could be rolled out to deep Tube lines in future, but installing them across the city would require more funding. After they were tried out at Holborn Station, testing would need to take place in a station open to customers (Knightsbridge) before TfL could look to potentially introduce them at four additional stations on the Piccadilly line (Green Park, Holborn, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus). Sign up for our London Underground newsletter for the latest travel updates to make your commute easier, plus a weekly fix of Tube trivia! Sign up HERE.