🧚‍♀️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 ~✊☮️

 

🧚‍♀️ TREEHOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

May the Great Spirit bless you 🙏

Good morning! I seem to be feeling OK, but I never know when something will act up. I pray not; I just pray for a National Physically Feel Nothing Day. When I do get a holiday from nausea, it does wonders for me mentally, especially my mood. Otherwise, can you imagine what it would be like going around 7 days a week,12 months of the year, with hangovers, and you don't even drink any alcohol? This morning, not bad, the only discomfort is a bloated stomach, as if I ate too much.

Well, there isn't much else to report from the Newsroom this morning, except that I pray 🙏 the Great Spirit 👼 be with you all on this day. Thank you for reading the Tree House News.

👩‍🦰👩‍🦱💁🙇‍♀️🙅‍♀️🤷‍♀️🙍‍♂️🙎‍♀️🚶‍♀️🚶👶👩‍🌾🧑‍⚕️👩‍🍳👩‍⚖️🤴

Ya know, the guy who invented old age, I changed my mind about an ordinary steel-toe work boot 🥾 to put where the Sun don't shine (‿ˠ‿). I want the right boot with spikes sticking out from the steel toe. Actually, I need two more pairs of steel-toe boots with spikes for Adam and Eve, too. I can learn to kick with both feet at the same time if I have to 😜 Bugs Bunny can do it 🐰 As for the weather here, so far it's just been chilly, cloudy, and gloomy 😝

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

Brain and Cosmos

Looking at an image of a section of our Milky Way Galaxy, you can easily pick out the blue stars from all the gazillion other stars and galaxies. A blue star is so dense and gravitationally sufficiently strong that it can bend time and space. Much like black holes and white dwarves, the blue stars are massive stars, just not as massive and dense as black holes and white dwarves, supernovae, gravitational waves, etc. Which means we can bet there's been a lot of warping of time and space since the Big Bang, for lack of a better term, for the beginning of this temporal universe.

The question is, can the old and the new coexist in the same sequence of time and space? Can you imagine the implications of that possibility? It's already strange enough here, due to a single act of orange madness. Can one runaway subatomic particle get loose in the temporal universe, like a cancerous cell, and cause havoc, as my proverbial voracious flesh-eating can of worms of insanity, like those growing inside the Orange Madman's head, or like a runaway nuclear reaction in the universe? Some call it the Big Crunch, if we deflate, or the Big Rip if we expand outward, spreading out like a vast supersonic dust storm, outward to the outer edges of the universe's neocortex web of life... POOF!

- Google Search -

🔹AI Overview

Question: Universe's Neocortex Web of Life.

Recent scientific research indicates surprising structural and functional similarities between the network of neurons in the human brain and the cosmic web of galaxies. Despite vast differences in scale, both systems are characterized as complex, interconnected networks with similar scaling laws for organizing matter, suggesting a potential, albeit controversial, connection in which the universe's structure mimics a "neocortex" or, more accurately, a massive, self-organizing neural network.

Structural Similarities: Brain and Cosmos:

• Similar Scaling: Studies comparing simulations of the universe with slices of the cerebellum and cerebral cortex found that both systems have about 70–80% of their mass/energy composed of similar components (water/neurons vs. dark energy/galaxies) and that they organize their connections similarly.
• Complexity:

The "Web of Life" and Cosmic Connection:

Read More:

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

It almost seems as though the entire history, or cycle, of the universe is stored on an intergalactic supercomputer of sorts, with all the potential ways it can develop, and will develop, forming a never-ending story.

How we conclude this cycle is up to us; how we wish to see it end is all up to us, those of us who are still sane and have dreams and aspirations in life, and to continue to strive to accomplish those dreams and aspirations. It's up to us to decide which way we want to go. I choose to follow the Freedom of Choice. To follow and obey the Constitution of the land I live in, in accordance with its laws and regulations, for without them we may as well prepare to go back to living in the trees and relearn how to pick the fleas out of each other's fur coats, and fight with sticks and stones. At least we wouldn't be hurting the rest of nature.

AMERICA WILL BECOME THE HOMELAND OF PIRATES.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THE ONLY OUTCOME I CAN SEE COMING IN THE FUTURE UNLESS SOMEONE WITH A BACKBONE BREAKS THE MOMENTUM OF INSANITY!

BREAKING NEWS:

How immigration agents are using a once-obscure law to detain U.S. citizens

A pair of federal immigration agents clad in camouflage and masks approached Ryan Ecklund's car on a snowy Minnesota street last month with a stark warning. "You will not be following us anymore," one agent told him, "or you will be arrested."

When Ecklund continued tailing the agents' beige SUV and recording them, he quickly found his status as a U.S. citizen didn't protect him from being pulled from his car and handcuffed. The agents drove him to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Minneapolis and checked him into detention at a table labeled with a handwritten sign: "USC 111."...

CHART | Prosecutions of assaulting and impeding federal officers

• 'It is a federal crime for you to be interfering':

VIDEO | Border Patrol Agent tries to explain Federal Statute:

Read More:

PUBLISHED February 19, 2026, 6:00 AM ET - 3 hr ago

- CNN -

The immigration crackdown is impacting health care across the nation, doctors warn

As the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown across the U.S., health care providers warn that the impact of federal agents in health care settings – and the looming threat of immigration enforcement they've instilled nationwide – is presenting a barrier to care that could have a lasting impact on the health of communities.

With many people unable or afraid to access care, some providers say they are seeing a decline in patient numbers they haven't seen since the Covid-19 pandemic – this time, while potentially dealing with federal agents in tactical gear. Doctors are already seeing the impact on appointments, vaccination numbers, and even basic nutrition, and they're worried the long-term health consequences could be serious.

• Armed ICE agents lining hospital hallways:

Minnesota doctors said the presence of ICE agents in health care facilities has been distracting and intimidating at times

• Too afraid to access care:
• Bringing care to patients:
• Declining vaccination rates:
• 'We would never do that':

Read More:

PUBLISHED February 19, 2026, 5:00 AM ET - 5 hr ago

- CNN -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested by U.K. police

Charles says law must take its course as police assess claims King's brother sent trade reports to Epstein

The Latest:

• The former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
• Police are searching his property and have him in custody at an undisclosed location.
• King Charles, Andrew's brother, says authorities have 'our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.'
• Andrew's arrest follows scrutiny over his close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after the release of millions of pages of documents connected to U.S. investigation of the late convicted sex offender.
• Mountbatten-Windsor ​had already been cast out of the royal inner circle over his ties to Epstein.
• He has not been charged and has previously denied all wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Read More:

Updated February 19, 2026 - 21 minutes ago

24 minutes ago

Time as trade envoy long criticized

More To Read:

Updated February 19, 2026 - 7 minutes ago

- CBC -

Canada faces challenge as it navigates growing calls to help Cuba amid U.S. aggression

Cuban crisis will put Carney's Davos speech to the test, says one expert

The Canadian government is in a bind as it faces growing calls to help Cuba while the U.S. government attempts to choke off the island nation's fuel supplies.

Interim NDP Leader Don Davies and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet have both called on the Liberal government to send immediate aid to Cuba, where people are facing blackouts and shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

The U.S. has cut off oil supplies from Venezuela, Cuba's main supplier, and U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to hit countries with heavy tariffs if they send fuel, while saying the Cuban government appears "ready to fall."

In Cuba, people go without food and power as U.S. chokes oil supply and tourists flee

• 'Test case' for Carney's Davos speech:

WATCH | A look at Trump's strategy on Cuba:

• Canada not 'obliged' to step in: prof
• Decline 'palpable and immediate':

Read More:

Posted: February 19, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

- CBC -

For more than six decades, the United States has tried to topple the regime in Cuba. After ousting President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, who was one of Cuba's closest allies, the Trump administration is closer than ever to forcing radical change on the island.

February 17, 2026, The Daily

After Venezuela, Is Cuba Next?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTwIz5XFgUU

 

🧚‍♀️ TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

May Great Spirit bless 🙏

It appears to be a damp, cloudy, and chilly day, with rain in the forecast, possibly changing to snow in the late afternoon. It's not very nice to be out. I'm glad I got my going-out stuff done yesterday. I'll stay home today, thank you. To add to that, my dumdum stomach is giving me a hard time; that just sucks the energy out of me when it does, I feel like I want to crawl into a hole and pull the hole in after me when it does that. So I pause and pray for the wrongs I've done, and I'm beginning to run out of those to pray for, so I pray for others who are in need.

What else can I do? I wish I could step out of my body and take a rest from this nausea. I would if I could, but it's like an effing busted record player, drives me nuts after a while. I wish they made some kind of pill for GERD that would make it stop; it just persists until I'm nearly doubled over with nausea. There's only one way I know of to get rid of it. If everything else fails, do the finger-in-the-throat treatment. I feel much more human now, not a sick cockroach anymore 🪳 Thank you again for reading the Tree House News.

BREAKING NEWS:

Well, boys and girls, it would seem that our Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has held true to his promise regarding the CANADIAN MILITARY 🍁 I am grateful that I am retired, it gives me a lot of time to spend on: - Google Search - 🔹AI Overview and SNOPES. The three most reliable major newspapers are CNN, MS-Now, and CBC.

- Google Search -

🔹AI Overview

Question: CBC Connors: Funding for armed forces

• Based on recent reports from CBC News

The Canadian government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has initiated a significant, "generational" increase in funding for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to accelerate military modernization and meet NATO targets.

• Key 2025-2026 Funding Details:

Based on recent reports and 2025 budgetary announcements, Canada is undertaking a major, accelerated restructuring of its military funding to modernize the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and reach NATO spending targets.

• Key 2025 Defence Funding Highlights:
• Generational Investment: Budget 2025 proposes to provide $81.8 billion over five years on a cash basis to rebuild, rearm, and reinvest in the CAF.
• Reaching NATO Targets: The plan includes an extra $8.7 billion to reach NATO's target of 2% of GDP on defence spending within the 2025-26 fiscal year.
• Long-Term Goal: Canada has committed to aiming for 5% of GDP spent on defense by 2035 in a new pact with NATO leaders.
• Operational Spending: The total federal government defence spending is set to rise from an estimated $53.4 billion to $62.7 billion.

Key Investment Areas:

• Arctic Sovereignty: $2.67 billion is committed to increasing northern military presence, including new hubs in Iqaluit, Yellowknife, and Inuvik.
• Equipment and Modernization: $17.9 billion over five years is allocated for new logistics, light utility, and armoured vehicles, along with counter-drone capabilities and domestic ammunition production.
• Personnel Pay Raise: A 20% pay increase for Regular Force members (and 13% for Reserves) in lower ranks was announced, effective retroactively to April 1, 2025.
• Recruitment Bonuses: A $10,000 bonus for recruits upon completion of basic training, with additional $20,000 bonuses for completing training and after six years of service.
• Defence Industrial Strategy: $6.6 billion over five years is dedicated to strengthening the Canadian defence industry.

• Context and Challenges:
• Urgency: The rapid increase in funding follows pressure from allies and concerns regarding geopolitical shifts.
• Procurement Concerns: Despite the funding, experts have highlighted a long-standing culture of risk aversion, deferred decisions, and potential for $150 million to $260 million shortfalls in maintaining current equipment serviceability.
• Internal Restructuring: The government is focusing on creating a Defence Investment Agency to streamline procurement.

- Google Search -

🔹AI Overview

As of mid-February 2026, there is actually significant, fast-moving action regarding U.S. and Canadian fighter jets, largely centered on major deployments, the modernization of existing fleets, and intense geopolitical negotiations over future purchases.

Here is what is happening with fighter jets right now:

1. Major U.S. Middle East Deployment (Feb 2026)

• Show of Force: In a rapid deployment occurring around Feb 17-18, 2026, the U.S. moved over 50 fighter jets—including F-35s, F-22s, and F-16s—to the Middle East.

Context: This buildup is occurring amid high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran and rising regional tensions.

• Operations: Several U.S. units already in the region have had their deployments extended to maintain this increased readiness.

The Sunday Guardian

2. The Canadian F-35/Gripen Drama

• Ongoing Review:

• Payments Continue: Despite this review, Canada has continued to make payments for 14 additional F-35s to secure their spot in the delivery queue, with the first 16 jets still expected to arrive starting this year.

In My Opinion:

DROP THEM LIKE THEY WERE A HOT POTATO NO IFS OR BUTS, TAKE THE LOSS, DROP THEM NO GOOD FOR NOTHING NAZIS!

expressing my sentiment only, thank you.

• Alternatives Considered: The NDP is urging the government to switch to the Swedish-made Saab Gripen, aiming for domestic manufacturing, while the U.S. has warned that walking away from the F-35 could alter NORAD and force the U.S. to cover Canadian airspace.

3. F-35 Readiness and Maintenance Issues

• Watchdog Report:
• Support Issues:

- vetromebel-com -

4. Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD/F-47)

F-22 Replacement: The U.S. Air Force is moving forward with the next-generation stealth fighter, designated the F-47, which is planned to replace the F-22 Raptor. "F THEM!"

• Development:
• Upgrading the F-22:
• 5. Air Force One and VIP Upgrade:

C'MON, Mark, you're brighter than that to waste time and money on the enemy than to let them build your pitchforks and torches for you.

Liberal government pledges over $6 billion in defence budget

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

ALSO BREAKING IN CANADA:

She wanted a safer social-media platform for her kids — so she made her own

Launch of Tribela comes amid growing global push for Aussie-style social ban for kids

Natalie Boll was well-versed in social media due to her career in film and television, yet the Vancouver parent was still shocked at what kids face when her teen daughter experienced cyberbullying after getting her first phone.

"My first reaction was just 'Let's go offline... And I deleted everything for me and my daughter at the time," recalled the mom of three. Boll vowed to find a middle ground, however, after she discovered the decision isolating for herself — losing contacts she'd built over 15 years, she noted — and for her eldest child, who felt unable to connect with friends the way she wanted to...

• Prioritizing user safety, well-being:
• Age restrictions still necessary: advocate:

WATCH | Meta calls for age-verification by app stores:

• Designing a different space:
• Current platforms 'not a healthy environment':

Posted: Feb 18, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

- CBC -

BREAKING CNN NEWS:

I’ve covered Venezuela for a decade. But this US visit was like nothing I’ve seen before

Caracas, Venezuela:

—

It is less than two months since US special forces captured Venezuela’s longtime authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, during a nighttime raid in Caracas, yet it is hard to overstate how different the South American country now feels. There’s a new buzz, an optimism that, to be frank, I have never seen before.

I moved to Caracas in 2016.

In the decade that followed, Venezuela saw it all: a quarter of the population fled a catastrophic economic collapse; crime rates exploded before gradually yielding in the aftermath of COVID-19; anti-Maduro demonstrators took to the streets year after year only to be overpowered by tear gas and rubber bullets...

• Hugs and shakes at the oil rig:
• Daring the government one step at a time:
• Did Trump get this right?:

Read More:

Updated Feb 17, 2026, 4:32 PM ET - 16 hr ago

- CNN -

FDA reverses course and will review Moderna’s mRNA flu shot, company says

The US Food and Drug Administration has reversed course and will review a new mRNA flu vaccine from Moderna, the pharmaceutical company said Wednesday. About two weeks ago, the FDA sent Moderna a letter in which it refused to accept the application to review its first mRNA seasonal flu vaccine — a rare move by the federal agency that raised concern about another setback for the technology that’s been a target of some Trump administration health officials.

The FDA told Moderna that its application didn’t contain an “adequate and well-controlled” trial because the control arm didn’t reflect the “best-available standard of care in the United States at the time of the study,” according to the letter, that Moderna posted online. It didn’t identify any safety or efficacy concerns, the company said. But Moderna has since met with the FDA and “proposed a revised regulatory approach” with different pathways by age, according to a news release from the company...

Read More:

Updated Feb 18, 2026, 9:10 AM ET - 7 min ago

- CNN -

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