🧚‍♀️TREE HOUSE NEWS🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

Great Spirit bless 🙏

Well, it's another cloudy winter's day. So far, we have been exempted from any of the nor'easters off the East Coast, thank you G-d. I guess the microclimate here on the Niagara Peninsula is back to normal for February: 25°F to 46°F range. We have a dusting of snow, which appears to be melting. I pray 🙏 that the Ukrainians will soon have milder weather; they could use it. Please join me in this prayer if you wish.

Just poured me some fresh coffee and retired to the Newsroom to scan the latest shenanigans on the net; amazing what you can stumble on just idly asking -Google Search- random questions. The AI portion of Google Search is the best thing they have come up with on the Internet since browsers. I learned that AI is meant to be a tool for informing and acquiring new knowledge in one brief sitting.

Now, the problem may be some geek programming their own information using AI, which could amount to fake news and conspiracy theories, or to copying intellectual property. AI is no worse than before; there's cow shit all over the place in the cow pasture called the Internet. You just have to learn where to step when walking there, and to recognise what is fake and what isn't. After one has been surfing and mining the Internet for some years, one grows an instinct for B.S. We need to be more alert about what we're reading, and if we're uncertain, check it out with Google Search, SNOPES, or other neutral fact-checker.

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

Truth, Reality and AI:

Well, well, well, for once, Trumpo The Typo did something right. Drug cartels and any other corporate thieves are the dregs of humanity, blood suckers. A cancer to all societies and governmental systems.*_

Mexican forces kill top cartel boss 'El Mencho' - What's the magnitude of his death? | DW News

The Mexican army has killed a powerful cartel boss *"El Mencho"*. He was one of the most wanted men in both Mexico and the United States. The US had offered a $15 million bounty for his capture and said it provided intelligence to Mexican special forces for the operation.

WHAM, BAM, THANK YOU, MA'AM! Keep up the good work, President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum. That drug money should go back into helping the *We, the people, of Mexico.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqqRs6uTwXA

I firmly believe that if all nations cleaned up their own corporate theft from their federal funding systems, there would be more than enough for each country to keep the system running smoothly, without some crook trying to figure out a way to bring home more than they can honestly earn. "Effing greed, subversion, deceit, and lies, and now the new Gestapo's on the block, Trupo's Dunce Cadets." Those clowns will never be true Gestapo; they're just too stupid to be truly effective in a real riot or mob control situation.*_

A thug's specialty is usually to bust a leg or an arm or take you out in the desert in your own car with a bullet hole in the forehead. But these thugs are like wolves, cowards by nature, unless they are in a pack. It doesn't mean they won't actually shoot if outnumbered. Will they be able to use their weapons effectively if they faced a gathering of citizens protesting the presence of the thugs and their violence, as I know they will? With all the suffering that these armed thugs will have inflicted upon We, the People, by springtime, it ain't gonna help the situation any, melting snow along with blood, mud, and guts? What do you think? Or do We, the People, have a different plan for preventing such bloodshed?

BREAKING NEWS:

Trump’s approval rating with independents hits a new low ahead of the State of the Union

When President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address Tuesday, he will face a public that increasingly questions his priorities and expresses broad doubts about whether his proposed policies are helping the nation, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. Adding to the pile of alarming indicators for the president’s party heading into this year’s midterms, Trump’s approval rating among political independents has dipped to a new low in CNN polling.

Just 32% of Americans now say that Trump has had the right priorities, while 68% say he hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems. That’s the president’s most negative reading on that question to date during either of his terms in office. At the same time, Americans say, 61% to 38%, that Trump’s policies will move the country in the wrong direction rather than the right one. And Trump’s job approval rating among all adults remains mired at 36%...

CHART | CNN poll conducted by SSRS Donald Trump Approval.*

From 48% from last February down to 36% as of February 17, 2026 Aproval.

• Americans want to hear about the economy and cost of living:

More than 6 in 10 say Trump SHOULD FOCUS ON ECONOMIC ISSUES in his Address Tuesday.

Read More:

PUBLISHED February 23, 2026, 5:00 AM ET - 5 hr ago

- CNN -

Supreme Court to decide if Colorado city can sue oil companies for climate change

The Supreme Court agreed Monday to take up a major environmental appeal from fossil fuel producers who are hoping to shake off a lawsuit from a Colorado city that wants to hold them responsible for climate change. The court’s decision could have broad implications for numerous other lawsuits filed by state and local governments seeking billions of dollars in damages.

The appeal follows a decision from the Colorado Supreme Court last year that rejected an effort by Suncor Energy and Exxon Mobil to get the lawsuit from Boulder, Colorado, tossed out on the grounds that such state-law claims are preempted by the Clean Air Act.

“Boulder, Colorado, cannot make energy policy for the entire country,” an attorney for the industry told the Supreme Court, adding that justices should step in to “clarify that state law cannot impose the costs of global climate change on a subset of the world’s energy producers chosen by a single municipality.” ...

Video Included: IOC Spokesperson: Climate is "Reshaping winter sports and threatening winter Olympics." ...

Read More:

PUBLISHED February 23, 2026, 9:38 AM ET - 1 hr 12 min ago

- CNN -

Ukraine is becoming a nation of widows and orphans as it confronts a demographic ‘catastrophe’

Kyiv:

—

Olena Bilozerska and her husband always knew they wanted children. She was 34, and they were ready to start trying when the war erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014. The couple joined the fight and decided a baby would have to wait. By the time Bilozerska left the military, she was 41 and told by doctors her chances of conceiving were next to none. It was too late.

With the war in Ukraine about to mark its fourth anniversary, Ukraine’s birth rate is collapsing, with increasing number of people struggling with fertility or putting off the decision to have children. At the same time, losses are mounting on the frontlines, and millions of people who have fled as refugees have now settled abroad. The result is one of the world’s worst demographic crises. “It’s a catastrophe,” Ella Libanova, a leading Ukrainian demographer, told CNN. “No country can exist without people. Even before the war, Ukraine’s population density was low (and) very unevenly spread.” ...

CHART | Ukraine population Decline:

• A country of widows:

At this point, I had to stop and take abreak for I couldn't see the keyboard for tears. This is so heartbreaking, yet my heart swells even more for their pride, heroism, and determination to keep their freedom and peace.

Ukraine's fertility rate has plunged with the full-scale invasion

23 hr ago

Updated Feb 22, 2026, 11:48 AM ET

- CNN -

WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU FOLKS IN THE U.N., NATO, E.U., and Allies? HUH? Bunch of cowards.

The "Fn Hell!" with Trumpo The Typo, The rest of you, you are supposed to be HUMANITARIANS! SO YOU CALL YOURSELVES? AND YET YOU JUST SIT ON YOUR HANDS AND DO F NOTHING AT ALL? What kind of Hen-Pecked organization are you, anyway? Micky Mouse as chief, and Daffy Duck as vice president, servant, influencer, and advisor, and shity diaper cleaner to Your Hinnyness Kink. Micky Mouse could do a better job; at least he wears shorts, not a diaper.

40 NATIONS STRONG!

CANADIAN NEWS:

Security minister says 25 died after operation targeting El Mencho; Global Affairs Canada warns of shootouts

The Latest:

• Mexico's Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said 25 members of the National Guard were killed in Jalisco state after the death of "El Mencho," leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
• More than 30 cartel operatives have died in the violence, officials said.
• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said this morning the country was "calm" with no roadblocks by daybreak today.
• Global Affairs Canada is advising people to exercise a high degree of caution if they are in Mexico, avoid non-essential travel in several states, and that the security situation "could deteriorate rapidly" across the country.
• Airlines have cancelled flights, and thousands of Canadians are stranded.
• There is a shelter-in-place order in Puerto Vallarta, where Canadians are being advised to keep a low profile, monitor media reports, and follow orders from local authorities.
• Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is speaking now.

Read More

Updated February 23, 2026 - 20 minutes ago

22 minutes ago

More than 26,000 Canadians in Mexico

More To Read:

Updated February 23, 2026 - 20 minutes ago

- CBC -

Travel 'nearly impossible' in parts of U.S. northeast, with thousands of flight cancellations

Canada's largest airport advises travellers to check with their airlines amid wave of cancellations

Millions of people in New York City and a large swath of the northeastern U.S. were stuck at home under road travel bans and blizzard warnings on Monday as heavy snow and strong winds intensified, creating whiteout conditions in the densely populated region.

Snow fell at a rate of five to 7.6 centimetres an hour early Monday from New York through Massachusetts. Some areas have gotten well over 30 centimetres of snow since Sunday, along with wind gusts of more than 48 km/h and low visibility. Long Island MacArthur Airport reported 50 centimetres of snow as of Monday morning. Freehold, N.J., had 48 centimetres...

*CHART |* Latest three day snow forecast:*

• Power outages reported:
• Bomb cyclone potential:

Posted: Feb 23, 2026 4:56 AM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

- CBC -

DRUG LORDS KILLING SPARKS WAVE OF VIOLENCE IN MEXICO

Some Americans are now stuck in Puerto Vallarta amid the violence and are trying to return home. Wendy Gillette reports.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mkWmsDmvWM

 

🧚‍♀️ TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

BREAKING:

‘El Mencho,’ the leader of one of Mexico’s most powerful cartels, dead after military operation

Mexico City:

—

The leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, was killed on Sunday following an operation led by Mexico’s military, the government announced. Oseguera, a former police officer, led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, as it became one of the “most powerful and ruthless criminal organizations” inside Mexico, according to the US Drug Enforcement Agency.

Security forces from several federal branches of Mexico’s military carried out the operation in the town of Tapalpa in the western state of Jalisco. CJNG members traded fire with the government forces, resulting in four gang members being killed at the scene, Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense said.

Osegeura and two others were seriously injured and died as they were being transported via aircraft to Mexico City, according to the secretariat. Three Mexican military personnel were also injured in the operation and transferred to a hospital in Mexico City for treatment. The military operation triggered a series of violent events across the state of Jalisco...

The Michoacán Public Security Secretariat reported that “operational actions are ongoing at various points throughout the state to restore traffic flow in response to road blockades,” resulting from “efforts to capture criminal targets.

Read More:

Updated Feb 22, 2026, 2:47 PM ET - 23 min ago

- CNN -

 

🧚‍♀️TREE HOUSE NEWS🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

Great Spirit bless 🙏

Good morning, everyone, and I do pray you all have a safe, productive, and blessed day. I am a little late getting started this morning, like the chicken that keeps pecking for imaginary seeds. I had a real brainstorming session going on up there. There was probably lightning shooting out of my ears! A lot of thinking and no typing.

Some of my thoughts became more centered on one topic I've been orbiting around for the last few days. What was the greatest driving force that got us, We, the People, where we are now? And why do we continue to allow this orange cockroach to 💩 on the lap of We, the People, anytime the cockroach feels like it? Are We, the People, controlled by the whims of one lying, arrogant, sadistic, psychotic, dangerous, demented, worthless excuse for a meat suit?

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

COMPLACENCY:

- Google Search -

Dictionary:

A complacent person is very pleased with themselves or feels that they do not need to do anything about a situation, even though the situation may be uncertain or dangerous. [disapproval]

Question: What Is Complacency?

- Google Search -

Dictionary:

Complacency:

A feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements. "the figures are better, but there are no grounds for complacency"

. 2 a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc

Noun

• a feeling of satisfaction, esp extreme self-satisfaction; smugness
• an obsolete word for complaisance

Complacency is what I believe is what we are experiencing today.

Somebody put the frog in a pot of cold water in Cold Water, Ontario, then slowly turned up the heat, warming the water. The frogs, getting all cozy and warm, began to drift away into dreamland until they ended up boiled to well done, and sitting on the Orange Jabba the Hutt's plate.

COMPLACENCY is one word that comes to mind. The second is GREED, where WEALTH and POWER become the new god for humanity to worship, and wealth and power become more valuable than human lives. What is a human life? Those who live by greed, wealth, and power see human lives as mere bugs, like blow flies, on a pile of 💩 Some make for good enslaved people, and enslaved people are disposable. There's always another one on the market, like shopping for a new Robo-vacuum-cleaner at Canadian Tire. I wonder how long that will last, a land of pirates, brigands, thieves, cutthroats, and liars like that island of pirates, Port Royal, Jamaica, 17th century, known as the "Sodom of the New World."

The more We, the People, become complacent about the new order and do our best to live out our lives hidden deep in the cracks of society, and develop a diet of tree bark, the worse it will become for us. You are just a regular nobody, as you would be in other authoritarian countries. Those who flap their lips too much against the GRAND POOBAH suddenly find themselves having problems with faulty balconies, like those other totalitarian countries, and also with getting an extra ingredient besides balogna in their sandwich, or drink. ORWELL WAS PRESCIENT. "THE DUNCE CADETS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!" 🫵

☮️✊WE, THE PEOPLE, "VIVE LA RESISTANCE!" ✊☮️

BREAKING NEWS:

Armed man shot and killed after entering perimeter around Trump’s Florida home

US Secret Service agents and Palm Beach County law enforcement shot and killed an armed man after he “unlawfully entering the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago” Sunday morning, the Secret Service said. The president and first lady were at the White House in Washington, DC, at the time of the incident.

A White man in his early 20’s entered the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago around 1:30 a.m. before he was shot by agents and a deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, authorities said. The man appeared to be carrying a shotgun and a fuel can, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a news conference Sunday.

When a deputy and two Secret Service agents encountered the man, they ordered him to drop the items. The man dropped the gas can and “raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said...

Read More:

Updated Feb 22, 2026, 10:01 AM ET - 24 min ago

- CNN -

DHS suspends TSA PreCheck and Global Entry amid partial government shutdown

The Department of Homeland Security is temporarily halting TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, two of the most widely used trusted-traveler programs in the United States, amid a partial government shutdown.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement to CNN the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Patrol “are focusing on the general traveling public at our airports and ports of entry.”

“Shutdowns have serious real-world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security,” the statement added. The Washington Post first reported on the measures...

• Noem: ‘Tough but necessary decisions’:
• What would immediately change for travelers?:

Read More:

Updated Feb 22, 2026, 8:48 AM ET - 1 hr 41 min ago

- CNN -

Trump says he’s sending a hospital boat to Greenland

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he is sending a hospital boat to Greenland, the Arctic island and Danish territory he has sought to acquire.

“Working with the fantastic Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, we are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there. It’s on the way!!!” the president posted on social media alongside an illustration of the naval hospital ship the USNS Mercy. It is unclear what Trump was referring to in his post. Greenland and Denmark have free, nationalized health care systems...

1 hr 16 min ago

Updated Feb 22, 2026, 9:20 AM ET

Blowing hot air again... (‿ˠ‿)🔥💨

Except I think this time he blew his 🧠 out as well.

🤣🙃😆😅🤪🥲

CANADIAN NEWS:

Trump says he's raising new global tariff rate to 15% after Supreme Court loss

White House document released Friday says CUSMA-compliant goods exempt from this duty

After imposing a global tariff of 10 per cent following a stinging loss at the U.S. Supreme Court, President Donald Trump now says he's raising that rate an additional five per cent — though exemptions for CUSMA-compliant goods from Canada and Mexico still apply.

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the tariffs Trump implemented using a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In response, the U.S. president turned to Section 122 of the U.S. Trade Act to impose the new global tariff. Trump said on social media Saturday morning that he's raising that tariff to 15 per cent after a "thorough, detailed, and complete review" of the court decision...

WATCH | Breaking down the Supreme Court's decision:

WATCH | Trump increases new global tariff to 15%:

Read More:

Posted: Feb 21, 2026 11:56 AM EST | Last Updated: February 21

- CBC -

Thunder Bay had highest average annual human trafficking rate in Canada over decade. Here's what's being done

Advocates, students detail their work ahead of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on Sunday

Raising awareness about what constitutes human trafficking and signs that could save someone from being exploited is important work in Thunder Bay, Ont. — which federal data suggests is an especially problematic hub for trafficking in Canada. “It’s happening here in Thunder Bay. A lot of people don't think it is, but it is,” Cindy Paypompee, co-chair of the Thunder Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking, said Friday.

Paypompee was interviewed by CBC News ahead of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on Sunday. The coalition — formed in 2018, and consisting of law enforcement, health, education and social service providers — held an awareness event at the Intercity Shopping Centre on Friday...

• 'We're just doing this on our own':
• Issue largely ‘behind closed doors’:

Posted: Feb 20, 2026 5:46 PM EST | Last Updated: February 20

- CBC -

Syrian Canadians waited years to return. For many, coming home has been harder than leaving

-CBC- talked to 4 Syrian Canadians who made the journey

It's been a little more than a year since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria ended a 14-year civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and decimated the country. More than 1.3 million Syrians have returned home since then, according to the UN refugee agency, primarily from neighbouring countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt — but also from as far away as Canada.

For many, the fall of Assad opened what felt like a narrow window — a chance to walk familiar streets, revisit the places of their memories, and test whether returning home was still possible. We talked to four Syrian Canadians who made the journey...

• Going back for good:
• 'Literally gone':

WATCH | Trump meets with interim Syrian leader:

• 'The horizon is open':
• A hard decision:

Posted: Feb 22, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

- CBC -

2 DAYS AGO: Carney SHUTS DOWN Trump's Ultimatum — $865B U.S. Trade Deal COLLAPSES!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEmSzqH-yIg

 

🧚‍♀️TREE HOUSE NEWS🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

Great Spirit bless 🙏

Good morning, all! Well, so far it appears we're having another grey, cloudy day, with precipitation at present nil and still above freezing, so who knows what the weather will do? Maybe the sun will peek out and cheer things up a mite ⛅️👩 This morning was different, and I couldn't quite put my finger on why until I sat down to scroll through my phone as I waited for the coffee to get done perking.

I put the phone down and listened to the silence, except for the soft, percolating sound of the coffee maker. It was peaceful, and then it dawned on me that I felt perfectly OK, no discomfort of any kind from my innards, except for a couple of aches from old age in my joints. It felt so wonderful, like a baby in a mother's loving arms.

That's about all I have from the Newsroom this morning. Thank you for reading the Treehouse News.

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

Narcissistic Psychopaths

Having had the experience from 25 years of working with mental health consumers, like feeling the symptoms of a person with mild psychopathic or mood disorder behavior, yes, feel, you can't tell by the physical facial expression or other outward manifestations.

I believe that if one didn't have empathy, it would be impossible to feel true emotions and to pass judgment, like, for instance, having caring and compassion for others than yourself, to know the difference between right and wrong, between good and bad behavior, or the difference between who's good or bad? An Archangel or the Devil's Advocate?

With poor judgment, one can easily be influenced, or even knowing the difference between darkness and light, they steadfastly go with the negative, believing that's the stronger or superior position. For this type, their behavior and personality are mostly learned, not innate. Even though they may be clever and highly intelligent people who believe themselves superior, they are usually people who learn mostly about human behavior through observation and inference from others' reactions to different situations.

Conspiracy theories aside, how many automatons with big money of this description are running the show in this world right now, or working their way to get there? The fakes are what they portray on the outside; what's really inside is what makes them so convincing! All they are is psychotic, conniving, backstabbing, greedy thieves and thugs disguised as preprogrammed machines with no soul, giving out red hats?

- Google Search -

Question: What is someone who thinks they're superior, is without emotion, highly functional, and parodies emotions?

🔹AI Overview

Based on the description of someone who believes they are superior, operates without genuine emotion, yet functions highly by "parodying" (mimicking) emotions, this person is most likely a "successful" or "high-functioning" psychopath, or someone with significant antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) traits combined with high-functioning narcissism.

High-Functioning/Successful Psychopath: These individuals lack empathy and deep emotional connections but have high intellectual capability and executive function. They "mask" their lack of emotion by studying others' reactions and mimicking emotions to appear "normal," charming, or trustworthy, especially in professional or corporate settings.

"OH YEA!" 🥵🫨😬

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD):

Add Narcissist with Dementia, what do I get?

- Google Search -

Question: Narcissist with Dementia

🔹AI Overview

Narcissism combined with dementia creates a complex, high-conflict scenario where brain deterioration intensifies narcissistic traits, leading to increased aggression, paranoia, and grandiosity. The patient may, as noted on Psych Central, become more demanding, abusive, and in denial of their cognitive decline, often masking symptoms early on. Caregivers frequently face extreme emotional exhaustion, manipulation, and difficulty managing, as the patient's lack of empathy is magnified.

Read More:

My Mission:

As long as I can still accomplish something productive each day, doing what I do to expand the light from the candle of wisdom, no matter how little, even if only one person finds a morsel here to take home, that is enough reward for me to continue walking the walk.

While corporate America stayed silent, a small wine importer risked his business to challenge Trump's tariffs

When President Donald Trump announced plans to raise the nation's effective tariff rate to levels not seen since 1930 last year, most CEOs were silent. They'd seen how opposing the president's ambitions – let alone his signature economic policy – could prove even more costly than the policies he enacted.

With billions in annual revenue at stake, the leaders of multinational corporations generally stood still. But Victor Schwartz, the owner of small New York-based wine importer VOS Selections, took a giant step up. Schwartz became the face of the fight to overturn Trump’s most sweeping tariffs — and he won, in a case that was decided by the Supreme Court on Friday...

• ‘We can’t just raise our prices’:
• Fighting with the world’s most powerful person:
• Piggybacking on small businesses:

Read More:

PUBLISHED Feb 21, 2026, 5:00 AM ET - 5 hr ago

- CNN -

Friends buried by an avalanche: The harrowing story of their fight for survival

The eight friends found joy in the mountains, skiing together across the untracked powder of the hushed, pristine wilderness of California’s Sierra Nevada – their close friendship standing out against a rugged, unforgiving terrain. The trip had been planned well in advance: A three-day expedition that began at Frog Lake Backcountry Huts – a hard-to-reach but cozy oasis 7,600 feet high in the Tahoe National Forest area, accessible only by ski, snowboard or snowshoe.

The group – mothers, wives and passionate, skilled skiers – came from different parts of the country for a professionally guided backcountry tour over President’s Day weekend. With four guides and three other people accompanying them, they glided on skis near the frozen lake and snow-capped cliffs, under the shadow of a ridge dotted with red firs and Jeffrey pines...

• A grueling trek to reach survivors:
• A ‘magical place’ beset by tragedy:

Read More:

Updated Feb 21, 2026, 8:40 AM ET - 1 hr 38 min ago

- CNN -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Cuba running on fumes as Canada considers sending relief

What amounts to an oil blockade poses unprecedented threat to the ruling party's grip

The government of Canada says it is still thinking about whether to send humanitarian aid to Cuba, as the island confronts a looming disaster under an American oil embargo that is, in practice, a full blockade. "Canada is monitoring the situation carefully and is concerned about the increasing risk of a humanitarian crisis on the island," said Global Affairs Canada's Charlotte MacLeod in a written statement shared with CBC News.

"As the situation continues to evolve, Canada is evaluating options to support Cuba's most vulnerable people. Canada has a long-standing record of providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to Cuba in response to acute crises." ...

• A true blockade:
• Calls for Canadian intervention:

WATCH | More about the U.S. embargo:

• Mexico not willing to confront U.S. over Cuba:
• A downward spiral:

Read More:

Posted: Feb 21, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

- CBC -

Warning shot: How Canada fits into Washington's rebuke of the EU's 'buy European' defence drive

Canada's defence industry plan could draw U.S. pressure as Ottawa shifts contracts to Canadian firms

The ink isn't even dry on Canada's new defence industrial strategy, and there are already uneasy rumblings from Washington. The objections are not aimed at Canada — at least not yet — but they could eventually spill across an already strained border.

A week ago, both the U.S. State Department and the Department of Defence quietly fired a shot across the bow of the European Union over its rearmament plans. The Trump administration warned European allies against defence policies that favour domestic producers — commonly known as the "buy European" clauses in a security directive recently revised by the EU...

WATCH | Carney explains Canada's new defence policy:

• Canada's new defence strategy:

Canada’s new defence industrial policy rests on what is being described as a "build, partner, buy" philosophy.

• Allies offer models for defence growth:

Posted: Feb 21, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

- CBC -

What's next for Trump's tariffs after Supreme Court ruling

Despite warning that losing would be a disaster, Trump now claims his Plan B means more tariff revenue

Based on the visibly simmering anger that U.S. President Donald Trump barely managed to suppress throughout his news conference on the Supreme Court's tariff decision, it's a fair bet that Friday was the worst day so far of his second term.

Three conservative justices — including two of Trump's own nominees — tipped the balance on the court to hand the president a 6-3 defeat in what he had previously called the most important case in U.S. history. The ruling means Trump does not have the power to impose tariffs through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which he had attempted to use as the foundation of his tariff-fuelled trade war on the rest of the world...

• 'Unpatriotic and disloyal':

WATCH | New set of tariffs coming, Trump says:

WATCH | What this signals about the Supreme Court:

• Can 'cobble together' other tariffs:

WATCH | Trade uncertainty remains for Canada:

Read More:

Posted: Feb 21, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

- CBC -

What happens now after Trump's 10% international Tarrif

- Google Search -

🔹AI Overview

Question: What is Carney going to do about the 10% international tariff?

Based on developments as of February 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney is responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s 10% global tariff—and other specific sector tariffs—through a combination of targeted countermeasures, diversification of trade partners, and a "Buy

Canadian" industrial strategy."

• Carney’s approach includes the following actions:
• Countermeasures and "Force": Carney has stated that Canada will fight U.S. tariffs with "purpose and force". While the White House indicated in early 2026 that Canada might be exempt from some new 10% tariffs due to CUSMA compliance,
• "Buy Canadian" Defence Plan:
• Trade Diversification:
• "Third Path" Diplomacy: Carney has challenged middle powers to create a "third path" in foreign policy to evade the erratic tariff policies of the U.S. and coercion from other nations.
• Targeting US Affordability:*
• Context on the Tariff Situation:

While a U.S. Supreme Court ruling previously caused confusion, reports from February 2026 indicate that CUSMA-compliant goods are exempt from certain 10% global tariffs...

Read More: - Google Search -

PM Mark Carney backs talks on creating world's largest trading bloc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgLQaPzneTY

 

🧚‍♀️ TREEHOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

 

Great Spirit bless 🙏

Good morning and Happy Friday to all! It's gray and gloomy-looking out there, but on the bright side, I believe the worst part of the winter is over. The temperature is a nice, mild 50° F. in my Green Space; today's forecast is for rain, but right now it's just foggy, like in a vampire movie. "I will suck a your blood!" 🦇 Or maybe it's just the morning bats still flutering around in my belfry 🦇 🔔🦇 this is no place for old bats 🦇 We may get a few more snowstorms, but nothing will stick anymore. I see patches of green grass poking through the snow. I believe it will be mostly gone by the end of the day.

I am a little later getting started this morning. After my usual routine of putting away the clean dishes from the dishwasher and setting up the morning coffee, I sat down to scroll through my cell while waiting for the coffee to finish brewing and kind of drifted for a bit until I heard the coffee machine's tiny beeping, indicating the coffee was ready.

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

Accountability

- Google Search -

Question: What Is Accountability?

🔹AI Overview

Accountability is the obligation to take ownership of your actions, decisions, and results, both positive and negative. It involves being answerable for outcomes, admitting mistakes, and taking proactive steps to fix them rather than shifting blame. It is essential for building trust, improving performance, and fostering a culture of responsibility.

This Google Search response pretty well covers all the basics of accountability. In my opinion, Ethics in Governance and Responsibility in Leadership and Organizational Management are the areas that most lack. Greed and power often override a person's empathy and ethics in pursuit of the Almighty Dollar, whether for survival or greed. One can be just as destructive as the other, like crabs in a bucket, without human emotion.

My personal thoughts on this are quite simple: Holding oneself responsible for personal behavior and commitments, and admitting and correcting personal mistakes, are essential. But instead, the psychopath will continue to lie or attempt to cheat their way out, or pass the blame for failure on to someone else. There are plenty of pathological liars and others who subvert the traditions that underpin our system of government.

BREAKING NEWS:

A former prince is arrested in the UK with accountability in question in the US

Police officers who came for Britain’s fallen prince on his 66th birthday punctured the defining perception of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal: that wealthy elites are shielded from scrutiny because of who they are.

In America, accountability still seems elusive.

It doesn’t get much more elite than being the brother of King Charles III or the favorite son — according to insiders — of late Queen Elizabeth II. But blue blood did not spare Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from arrest in an investigation following the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files...

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” it said.

• Why accountability is lagging in the US:
• The core issue at the heart of the Epstein scandal:
• In a coincidence of timing, the DOJ unveils a big move:

Read More:

Updated Feb 20, 2026, 6:37 AM ET - 1 hr 48 min ago

- CNN -

F-35s caught in trade crossfire between US and Canada

• Listen to audio version of this article Included:

Canada is reevaluating its planned purchase of U.S. F-35 fighter jets over the escalating trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa in what has become a flash point in bilateral relations between the two allies.

Canada has committed to buying at least 16 F-35A Lightning II, a fifth-generation aircraft, produced by Lockheed Martin. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is weighing whether to buy another 72. A mix of domestic political pressure, rising costs and an increasingly contentious relationship with President Trump has prompted Carney’s government to consider looking elsewhere for military hardware...

if Ottawa does not buy the Lockheed Martin-made F-35s, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a defense partnership operated jointly by the two countries, “would have to be altered” — with Washington flying warplanes into Canada’s airspace more frequently.

A mixed fleet of F-35s and the Gripen or by switching to the Swedish-made aircraft for future acquisitions, according to an EKOS Politics poll from December. Only 13 percent of survey respondents said that Canada should stick with F-35s as its main fighter plane. ...

February 2026 9:14 PM ET

- TheHill-com -

F-35s caught in trade crossfire between US and Canada SNOPES

Canada's planned purchase of 88 US-made F-35 fighter jets is reportedly under review due to rising trade tensions and political pressure from the United States. While alternative suppliers are being considered, Canada has continued making payments and ordering components for the F-35s. This situation is a developing geopolitical issue, not a topic addressed by Snopes as of February 2026...

The US could strike Iran. Here’s how Tehran is getting prepared

As the United States continues a significant military buildup in the Middle East, Iran has taken steps to signal its readiness for war, including fortifying its nuclear sites and rebuilding missile production facilities.

Iranian and US negotiators held indirect talks in Geneva for three-and-a-half hours on Tuesday, but it ended with no clear resolution. Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said both sides agreed on a set of “guiding principles,” but US Vice President JD Vance said the Iranians had not acknowledged “red lines” set by US President Donald Trump. Despite ongoing talks, the White House has been briefed that the US military could be ready for an attack by the weekend, after a buildup in recent days of air and naval assets in the Middle East, sources familiar with the matter told CNN.

Amid the threat of war, Iran has spent recent months repairing key missile facilities and heavily damaged air bases while further concealing its nuclear program...

Repairs:

• Reconstruction at the Imam Ali Missile Base in Khorramabad
• Fortifying nuclear facilities:
• Tunnel fortification at Pickaxe Mountain:
• Reconstruction at 7th of Tir:
• Reshaping governance:
• Crackdown on dissent:
• War games:

Read More:

PUBLISHED Feb 19, 2026, 8:00 PM ET - 13 hr ago

- CNN -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Gaza doctor says MSF decision to pull out of key hospital leaves staff vulnerable to IDF attack

Doctors Without Borders says its team on the ground has seen armed gunmen come through hospital

As hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip await treatment under difficult circumstances and dwindling supplies, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced it is scaling down operations at one of the region's biggest medical facilities, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

In a statement provided to the CBC, MSF said the “difficult decision” to suspend non-critical operations at the hospital as of Jan. 20 is “due to concerns regarding the management of the structure, the safeguarding of its neutrality and security breaches.” The statement goes on to say that MSF personnel as well as patients “have seen armed gunmen, some masked, in the different areas of the large compound of the hospital.” ...

WATCH | Gazans gather during Ramadan amid aid shortages:

• Physician denies gunmen using Nasser as shelter:
• IDF says intelligence confirms presence of gunmen:

Read More:

Posted: Feb 20, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 39 minutes ago

- CBC -

Local management had dealings with armed group before kidnapping at Canadian mining company, say ex-workers

5 of 10 kidnapped Vizsla Silver workers from Mexican mining project were killed, say authorities

The on-site management of a Canadian mining company in Mexico whose workers were killed earlier this year had allegedly established some level of co-ordination with an organized armed group in the region, according to a former employee and two ex-contractors.

Mexican federal authorities say a suspected faction of the Sinaloa cartel, a transnational drug trafficking organization, killed five of 10 Mexican workers kidnapped from Vancouver-based Vizsla Silver Corp.'s residential facilities on Jan. 23. The five other workers remain officially missing. The group was abducted from a gated compound in the urban centre of Concordia, a municipality that sits about 50 kilometres east of the coastal city of Mazatlán, Sinaloa.

• Vizsla Silver's response to incident:
• Sinaloa cartel civil war:
• Workers say they were told 'there's no problem':

Companies face presence of organized crime in Mexico expert:

Read More:

Posted: Feb 20, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

- CBC -

☮️✊~ VIVE LA RESISTANCE ~✊☮️