TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATION & COMMENTARY

May Great Spirit bless 🙏

It looks like another day of on-and-off snow, but whatever accumulation we get today will be gone tomorrow. Tuesday will be 40°F and 🌧️ then above freezing and rain on-and-off all the rest of the week. The good thing about it is you don't need to shovel rain.

I am looking forward to the sun rising at 7:00 a.m. and earlier. I miss that the most in the morning 🌄 There isn't that much a'-shakin' here in the Newsroom this morning. My health status appears to be back to whatever is stable for me at the moment, and I pray it stays that way.

Retirement does have its advantages; you don't need to get up in the dark to hurry and get dressed and go out and freeze your butt off till you turn blue in the cold while shoveling the snow, just to get to the job on time without the boss barking at you 😡 It's nice to just sit behind my keyboard in a warm room. I don't need to go anywhere unless the fire alarm goes off, and even then, I would take the time to find at least a good warm coat to wear.*_

Here I sit, in my comfy office chair 🪑 slowly sinking into the seat cushion, in my warm Newsroom, enjoying the comfort and warmth as I watch the snow fall outside the window. I never did like cold weather, except for back in the seventies, the Skidoo era.

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

RETIERING IN CANADA

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER:

The Warmer Microclimates in CANADA.

The microclimate on the east coast peninsula of southern Ontario, Canada, would make for a reasonable location to retire in during the winter months if you're thinking of leaving Florida. The only other place in Canada with a temperate climate is the Okanogan Valley on the west side of the mountains in B.C. Both provinces, B.C. and Ontario, have regions of hospitable winter living, from Parry Sound, ON, northward. London, Ontario, is the most popular. The Laurentians in Quebec are also well known for ski resorts and other winter activities.

- Google Search -

British Columbia: is famous for its numerous microclimates, driven by the Pacific Ocean, diverse topography (mountains, valleys, coasts), and urban development, leading to vast temperature, rainfall, and vegetation differences, from Vancouver Island's mild zones (palm trees) to the Okanagan's desert-like conditions, with forest understories also creating cool refugia, all vital for biodiversity and urban heat management.

- Google Search -

The Niagara Peninsula's microclimate: shaped by Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and the Niagara Escarpment, creates a unique temperate zone with warm summers, mild winters, and a long growing season, ideal for grapes and tender fruits, featuring distinct areas like the Escarpment's bench lands for cool-climate wines and fertile plains for diverse agriculture, all fostering rich biodiversity and premium crops.

You don't even need a permanent cottage today, for as long as you can find a provincial park, you can have your own cottage by setting up an inflatable tent.

Ultimate All-Season Tent

perfect Winter Camping Tent and Insulated Tent for Glamping, Outdoor Parties

- Adriftallseason-com -

If I were younger, and still into the camping thing, with these new inflatable tents, I WOULD. Even the furniture is inflatable, with a small wood-burning stove, folding chairs, and a table, and has separate rooms.

BREAKING NEWS:

Venezuelans face uncertainty as the Trump administration’s plans for their country emerge.

Here’s What to Know

An emboldened President Donald Trump declared Sunday night that the US is “in charge” of Venezuela after detaining President Nicolas Maduro in a military raid over the weekend, as he issued stark warnings to other countries that they could be next.

Maduro, who was dragged into custody with his wife, Cilia Flores, in a deadly early Saturday morning raid, is slated to appear in court for the first time at noon ET in New York City to face charges that he and his associates conspired with narcoterrorists to ship thousands of tons of cocaine to the US.

Trump’s latest comments come even as some in his administration, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, suggested the US would be relying more on leverage over Venezuela and coercion, rather than directly running it as Trump first suggested during a Saturday morning news conference...

• What happened during the military operation?:
• What is up with Venezuela’s oil?:
• Which countries buy Venezuela's oil? CHART Included:
• Who is in charge in Venezuela?:
• What about other countries in the region?:
• How are Venezuelans dealing with the fall out of the military operation?:

Read More:

PUBLISHED Jan 5, 2026, 1:24 AM ET - 8 hr ago

- CNN -

Who is Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s leader after Maduro’s capture?

Following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro during a US military operation in Venezuela, the command of the South American country has fallen into the hands of Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. That is what Venezuela’s constitution outlines in its different scenarios anticipating a president’s absence. Under Articles 233 and 234, whether the absence is temporary or absolute, the vice president takes over the presidential duties.

Rodríguez – also minister for both finance and oil – stepped into the role on Saturday afternoon. Hours after the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, she chaired a National Defense Council session, surrounded by other ministers and senior officials, and demanded the couple’s “immediate release” while condemning the US military operation. Standing before the Venezuelan flag, Rodríguez said the early-morning operation represents a blatant violation of international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty. ...

• An official with Maduro’s ‘full trust’:
• On the path to an understanding with the US?:

Read More:

PUBLISHED Jan 3, 2026, 8:15 PM ET - Jan 3, 2026

- CNN -

Trump said Venezuela stole America’s oil. Here’s what really happened

At 7 a.m., the earth began to rumble. Suddenly, oil blew out of its well in a massive eruption that towered 200 feet in the air and sprayed the fearful villagers of La Rosa. The most productive oil well on the planet had just been discovered. With it, Venezuela’s transformation to a petroleum supergiant had begun — for better or worse.

Venezuela had been known to possess some crude — 15th-century Spanish explorers noticed indigenous people using oil for fires and asphalt to patch their canoes. But Venezuela’s wealth of oil had been in dispute until foreign petroleum companies grew serious about the region during World War I, when fuel was in high demand and Western nations began to fear supply shortages. Surveyors from Venezuelan Oil Concessions (VOC), the local Royal Dutch Shell affiliate, spent much of the 1910s exploring the region with only moderate success...

• An uncertain future:

Percentage of Venezuela's crude oil exports that went to each country in 2023

• Venezuela’s strategic importance:
• Democracy and state control:
• Chávez, Maduro and the decline:

Read More:

Updated Jan 5, 2026, 6:55 AM ET - 2 hr ago

- CNN -

 

TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATION & COMMENTARY

May Great Spirit bless 🙏

Well, here I am at 7:00 a.m. at my work station in the Newsroom. I've been awake for the last hour after one of those dreams, which isn't worth recounting; I was happy to wake up from it. I am now sipping a cup of fresh-ground coffee. I do pray that whoever our coffee suppliers are here in Canada, keep on delivering coffee. I guess the only other replacement is tea, but I don't think tea in the morning would ever replace coffee's popularity. It's not just that it tastes good, but it also helps stimulate wakefulness, especially in the workplace, and the bosses don't mind how many trips you make to the coffee machine during the day.

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

Coffee, EVs, Hybrids, & Carbon Capture

- Google Search -

Canadian coffee products include major chains like Tim Hortons, popular roasters like Kicking Horse Coffee, and many smaller, local brands such as Balzac's, Muskoka Roastery, and Canadian Heritage Roasting Co., often featuring Canadian themes or flavors like maple, with many companies roasting and packaging coffee within Canada, even if beans are imported. Brazil is one supplier we can depend on in Canada.

- Google Search -

Brazil coffee is widely available in Canada, sold by local roasters, major retailers like Superstore and Walmart, and online marketplaces like Amazon, both as single-origin beans (like Santos) and in blends, including Fair Trade and Organic options. Brazil is a significant supplier of green coffee beans to Canada, making it a staple of the Canadian coffee market.

- Google Search -

About EVs. *OK:* to keep the country's economy on a stable footing, Canada had to scrap the end of oil use because global oil demand is set to peak and begin a permanent decline before 2030, with the use of alternative energy, which Trumpo The Typo just killed.

EVs are out! But nothing is stopping Canada from going hybrid. A hybrid vehicle significantly cuts emissions, typically reducing CO2 by 20% to 40%. 40% is getting close to half the emissions of a regular diesel- or gas-powered vehicle. This type of vehicle would make much more sense than EVs in the cold climate of Northern Canada.

- Google Search -

Alberta's oil refineries are cutting CO2, primarily through large-scale Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) projects, like the Sturgeon Refinery's integrated system and Shell's Scotford complex, plus industry-wide initiatives like the Pathways Alliance, aiming to capture emissions from production and petrochemicals for permanent underground storage or enhanced oil recovery (EOR). These efforts focus on developing lower-carbon fuels, leveraging Alberta's existing infrastructure (like the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line), and meeting provincial goals for net-zero by 2050. However, debates continue over caps and regulations.

So, Environmentalists, don't worry. If the above is true, the carbon reduction will come, just maybe not until a bit later than 2030, not until Canada is on a more stable economic footing, both domestically and internationally. If you're a flasher and you need business, you need to take off your overcoat now and again to show off your wares.

BREAKING NEWS:

Inside the operation: How the US moved to capture Nicolás Maduro

It was just like watching television.

Huddled in a draped-off room at Mar-a-Lago around screens set up for his viewing pleasure — including, according to photos released by the White House, a live feed of social media messages on X — President Donald Trump watched and listened as highly trained American Delta Force soldiers rushed into Nicolás Maduro’s home in Caracas, where the Venezuelan leader was sleeping alongside his wife.

Maduro was quickly dragged into custody as he tried to flee to his steel-enforced safe room...

• A strike months in the making:
• ‘Pretty much an ultimatum’:
• Conditions ripen for a strike:
• ‘The speed, the violence’:

Read More:

Updated Jan 3, 2026, 8:02 PM ET - 13 hr ago

- CNN -

Who is Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s leader after Maduro’s capture?

Following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro during a US military operation in Venezuela, the command of the South American country has fallen into the hands of Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.

That is what Venezuela’s constitution outlines in its different scenarios anticipating a president’s absence. Under Articles 233 and 234, whether the absence is temporary or absolute, the vice president takes over the presidential duties.

Rodríguez – also minister for both finance and oil – stepped into the role on Saturday afternoon. Hours after the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, she chaired a National Defense Council session, surrounded by other ministers and senior officials, and demanded the couple’s “immediate release” while condemning the US military operation. Standing before the Venezuelan flag, Rodríguez said...

• An official with Maduro’s ‘full trust’:
• On the path to an understanding with the US?:

Read More:

PUBLISHED Jan 3, 2026, 8:15 PM ET - 13 hr ago

- CNN -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Thousands evacuated from Pimicikamak Cree Nation after homes, water treatment plant damaged in power outage

Chief working on recovery plan, says repairs could cost at least $44M after days-long outage

The chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation says hundreds of homes have been "severely compromised" in the aftermath of a days-long power outage that damaged a water treatment plant and plumbing systems, and about 4,000 people have been evacuated from the northern Manitoba First Nation.

Residents in Pimicikamak, about 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg, started reporting burst pipes, leaks and sewer backups after power restoration began on Thursday. All power was back on as of Friday afternoon, Manitoba Hydro said.

The power to the First Nation, which has an on-reserve population of around 7,000, went out last Sunday night after a power line that crosses the Nelson River snapped, and pipes froze in the extreme cold, as temperatures dropped well below the –20 C mark...

Read More:

Posted: Jan 03, 2026 5:01 PM EST | Last Updated: January 3

- CBC -

How a good old-fashioned boycott got Canada to trade Kentucky bourbon for Canadian whisky

'Buy Canadian' movement built up demand for domestically produced whisky, expert says

It's been a long time since many Canadians have felt the burn. That familiar aromatic, spicy and sometimes smoky flavour of a smooth, Kentucky bourbon has been but a memory for consumers in this country for much of the past year.

Ever since U.S. President Donald Trump launched his tariff war and began threatening to make Canada the "51st state," angry consumers and lawmakers have united behind a "Buy Canadian" movement and bourbon was caught in the crossfire.

"People didn't want to lose their bourbon and neither did I," said Ottawa-based whisky expert Davin de Kergommeaux. But he, like so many other consumers, supports the boycotts of American products in favour of Canadian alternatives...

• Souring on American whisky:

U.S. booze exports have dropped — and it's not just Canada

CHART | Included:

• Bourbon by any other name:
• That Canadian spirit:

WATCH | Is the boycott of U.S. alcohol really helping Canadian distillers:

Read More:

Posted: Dec 31, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: December 31, 2025

- CBC -

🙏 TODAY'S PRAYER: 🙏

Have as great a day as you can. Give it your best effort to make it a better day; if the effort is at least your best, that is sufficient. My prayers also go out to all my readers and to those in need. AMEN! 🙏

 

TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATION & COMMENTARY

May Great Spirit bless 🙏

Good morning, today's weather here will be mainly cloudy with intermittent flurries, with a high of 27° F. Well, I can only hope they keep making the same mistake as the last couple of days, which turned out to be cool, but sunny. As for my health status? I'm doing a lot better than I did last week. I'm still a little weak in the legs, but the stomach is doing fine.

I had forgotten what it feels like to feel nothing, like this morning—feeling nothing except for the pleasure of the taste of coffee and the sensation of its warmth going down my throat to my stomach without feeling nauseous, or eating something without feeling queasy. It was the nausea that killed me. I couldn't put anything in my stomach without feeling sick. So I guess I'll live to write another saga in my Tree House News, that's what kept me going when I was ill, curled up under a blanket on the recliner couch with my laptop.

Today I am back in my comfy office chair in the computer room, a spare bedroom we use for the computer room, with one long table against one wall for the two 27-inch displays, our laptops, and other electronics paraphernalia, a student's desk, a freezer and a rack that goes all the way up to the ceiling with stored canned and dry goods. Welcome to The News Room. Kept orderly, there's enough room for everything, and still a lot of elbow room for Paula and my Workshop, Image below:

___ IMAGE LINK IN COMMENT___

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

What Is Laid Back?

- Google Search -

"Laid-back" describes a relaxed, easygoing, and carefree attitude or style, showing little worry, with musical genres like reggae, chillout, and lo-fi embodying this vibe.

Does anyone remember what those two words mean? This is what I remember from personal experience: I lived for a while with people in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, around the Morristown area, and I also recall our Canadian Newfoundlanders. My recollection is from the Seventies, but I believe their traits and personalities remain the same:

- Google Search -

The idea that Newfoundlanders are laid-back is a common perception and a prominent part of the province's reputation and tourism campaigns. This stereotype is generally seen as having a lot of truth, with people often described as friendly, warm, and relaxed compared to those in more populated parts of Canada.*_

- Google Search -

Tennessee is widely regarded as embodying the friendly, laid-back mentality of the South, particularly in its smaller towns and rural areas. While the general atmosphere is known for its hospitality, the specific "vibe" can vary across its three main regions...

- Google Search -

Morristown, Tennessee, is generally characterized as a community with a laid-back atmosphere and a slower pace of life. The broader East Tennessee region is described as culturally laid back, with residents who enjoy outdoor activities and a comfortable lifestyle.

I Can Personally Attest To That But back then, that truck and camper were pretty well welcomed in any state I traveled through. I used to have a name for the truck and camper that I preferred: Its second name, the Gypsy wagon, Me Hippy & Flower Child. I always kept my Gypsy Wagon clean and orderly; it was my home for a time when I lived in the Morristown region of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

🌺 🌸 ☮️ ~ PEACE MAN! ~ ☮️ 🌸 🌺

BREAKING NEWS:

Venezuela president Maduro captured and flown out of country after ‘large scale’ US strike, says Trump

What We're Covering

• Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been captured and flown out of Venezuela after the US carried out a large-scale strike on the capital city of Caracas, US President Donald Trump announced in a post on social media. Trump said there will be a news conference today at 11 a.m. ET.

• US Attorney General Pam Bondi says Maduro has been indicted in New York on drugs and weapons charges. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a GOP senator Maduro will stand trial in the US and that he anticipates no further action.

• Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government is unaware of the whereabouts of Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores, adding the US attack has cost the lives of officials, military personnel and civilians across the country...

*Read More:*

15 min ago

China tells its citizens not to travel to Venezuela in the near future, state media reports

More To Raed:

Updated 8:36 AM EST, Sat January 3, 2026

- CNN -

Aspirin, CT scans and sleep: Five questions raised by Trump’s new disclosures on his health

President Donald Trump wants to tamp down on public debates about his health.

The oldest president to assume office has been dogged by questions about recent doctors’ visits, bruises on his hands and whether he’s fallen asleep during public events. Trump dismissed these concerns in an apparently impromptu interview with the Wall Street Journal this week, in which he blamed the visible bruises on a high daily dose of aspirin — more than his doctors recommend — and said he has plenty of energy...

• First, who is Trump’s doctor, Sean Barbabella?:
• What are the risks of taking high-dose aspirin daily?:
• What is the ‘advanced imaging’ Trump received, and did it reveal anything new?:
• Trump said he aced another cognitive test. What is that, and why does it matter?:
• What about Trump’s sleep patterns and diet?:

Read More:

PUBLISHED Jan 3, 2026, 6:00 AM ET - 2 hr ago

- CNN -

Minnesota families and child care providers scramble as federal funds hang in balance

In the days since the Trump administration announced it would freeze federal child care payments to Minnesota amid an alleged fraud investigation, fear and confusion have spread almost as fast as the viral video that launched the scandal.

Minnesota receives about $185 million annually in federal child care funding, supporting care for 19,000 children, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. The state says the money helps cover the cost of routine child care for thousands of low-income families each month, allowing parents to work or attend school.

But HHS announced Tuesday it would freeze that funding – and it’s not clear if there are any alternate plans for families affected by the freeze. “Funds will be released only when states prove they are being spent legitimately,” Deputy Secretary of HHS Jim O’Neill said Tuesday...

• Child care workers ‘did what they should have’:
• Cutting a ‘crucial piece of survival’:
• A DOGE-era policy returns:
• Somali American community pleads for change:

Read More:

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

- CNN -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Despite pause, U.S. tariffs leave furniture, cabinet makers 'in dire straits': industry association

Sector hit with 25% tariffs in October, but Trump paused promised increases set for Jan. 1

The Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association says while it welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump's postponement of tariff increases on furniture, cabinets and vanities, the industry is still being devastated by the duties. Trump hit the sector with 25 per cent tariffs in October but paused a promised increase to a total of 30 per cent for upholstered furniture and to 50 per cent for cabinets and vanities that was set to take effect Jan. 1.

"Yes, 50 per cent is a relief. But our industry is still reeling from the 25 per cent," said Luke Elias, the association's vice-president. "You just can't mitigate that in the manufacturing environment overnight."...

• Don't ignore industry in CUSMA review: association:

U.S. Supreme Court decision on Trump's tariffs could bring more trade uncertainty to Canada

U.S. businesses claim Canada is a back door for products from China

Read More:

Jan 02, 2026 4:39 PM EST | Last Updated: January 2

- CBC -

Thousands of public, private sector workers will be working from the office again in 2026

Provincial government employees in Alberta, Ontario are headed back full time

The new year will bring some big changes to the rules on in-office work for many employees across the country — including tens of thousands of provincial government staff in Ontario and Alberta, who will soon be required back in the office full time. As of Jan. 5, Ontario provincial government employees will be expected to work in the office five days per week.

Alberta's public service is also returning to full-time, in-office work in February to "strengthen collaboration, accountability and service delivery for Albertans," a spokesperson for the Alberta government said...

• Plan to come in 'sharper view':
• A return to the cubicle:

WATCH | Is remote work gone for good?:

A new Ontario law means your job search might look a little different in 2026

Early retirement info coming soon for federal public servants, government says

Nearly 2,000 public servants using new job matchmaking service, union says

Quebec to cut thousands of full-time civil service positions by March 2027

Read More:

Posted: Jan 02, 2026 9:13 AM EST | Last Updated: January 2

- CBC -

- Google Search -

What is Canada planning for the future of lumber and metal?

Canada is planning for the future of its lumber and metal industries through a combination of trade protectionism, financial support, and long-term modernization strategies focused on domestic demand and sustainability.

For the Lumber Industry

Canada's strategy for lumber aims to stabilize the industry against trade disruptions (primarily U.S. tariffs) and pivot towards long-term growth and diversification.

Canada is planning for the future of its lumber and metal industries through a combination of trade protectionism, financial support, and long-term modernization strategies focused on domestic demand and sustainability.

For the Lumber Industry

Canada's strategy for lumber aims to stabilize the industry against trade disruptions (primarily U.S. tariffs) and pivot towards long-term growth and diversification...

Read More: - Google Search -

Prime Minister Carney announces new measures to transform Canada’s steel and lumber industries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CECtICmreQ4

 

TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATION & COMMENTARY

May Great Spirit bless 🙏

Here I am at 1:15 a.m., sitting here on the couch scrolling through the phone; not much is going on there. I wasn't sleepy, so I thought I would come out here and just let my mind wander where it will. As for the weather, they're calling for some more breezy conditions of 17 to 20 mph and a temperature of 25° F. I think I'll keep my nose in the house today, thank you. They might be wrong, and we get sun instead, like yesterday, 🌞 like Tropicana in Canada!🌴 🏝️ 🏄‍♀️ 🏜️ 🦎 I will be enjoying the Christmas tree for the last time tonight, tomorrow, the Christmas stuff is going back in the closet.

IN TODAY'S PRAYER 🙏 we can only pray for what is humanly possible to do whatever is in our power to do what's right, for one another. We, the People. And to strive to build better lives for all of us.

Not like the psychos in charge at the present time, who want us to destroy one another with demented, psychopathic hatred, lies, prejudice, jealousy, greed, theft, selfishness, deceit, and turncoat traitors like them. That is exactly what the founders of Project 2025 would imagine they certainly had planned to see us do: GO NUTS, giving both sides, the Nut Cases and Trumpo The Typo's Dunce Cadets, clashing, the red flag for a free-for-all goes up, then fight like knuckle-dragging Neanderthals throwing rocks at each other over what morcels of humanity that are left.

May the Flame of Empathy Never Go Out. 🔥 🙏

_*That is about all I have from the Newsroom for today. Thank you for reading the News.*_

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

Is The World Falling Apart To Communism?

- Google Search -

Search instead for why does it seem like the whole world is falling apart to communism

• AI Overview

The perception that the world is "falling apart to communism" is not supported by current global political and economic trends; in fact, communism as a state-governing ideology is in decline. The feeling may stem from an increase in political polarization, economic anxiety, and the use of the term "communism" to label a wide range of progressive or left-wing policies in some countries.

Current State of Communism Globally

• Decline in Prevalence:

At its peak, around one-third of the world's population lived under a Marxist–Leninist system. Today, only five countries have a single-party government run by a communist party: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam. And now America

• Economic Reforms:
• Lack of Global Spread:
• Reasons for the Perception:

The perception of a global shift toward communism is often linked to domestic political dynamics and a misunderstanding of current political and economic theories.

*Political Polarization and Rhetoric:* In some democratic countries, particularly the United States, the terms "socialism" and "communism" are often used as political labels for even moderate social welfare programs (such as Medicare) or government intervention in the economy. This broad and often imprecise use of the terms can create the impression of a wider communist influence than actually exists.

• Reaction to Capitalism's Failures:
• Global Instability:
• Authoritarianism vs. Communism:

In summary, the world is not falling apart due to a rise in communism. The current era is characterized by global economic integration (mostly capitalist), geopolitical competition among major powers that are no longer strictly ideological rivals, and domestic political reactions to economic challenges.

Read More: *- Google Search -*

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

BREAKING NEWS:

Agonizing wait as Swiss officials rush to identify ski resort fire victims

What We're Covering

• Fatal blaze: About 40 people were killed and around 115 others injured in a fire at a New Year’s party in ski resort bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

• Families wait for news of loved ones: Multiple people are missing, including a teenager who was celebrating the new year with friends. Authorities say identifying those killed could “take several days.”

• Probe underway: Investigators are looking into whether a flashover, in which everything in a room ignites almost simultaneously, caused an explosion. Witnesses reported that employees were carrying sparklers in champagne bottles, but officials say the investigation will take time.

• Scenes of chaos: New videos showed terror and chaos as the fire broke out inside the bar. One video showed flames spreading across the ceiling and crowds of people rushing up a flight of stairs toward the exit...

*Read More:*

31 min ago

Switzerland "deeply grateful" for international support, foreign minister says

More To Read:

Mayor Zohran Mamdani doubles down in an unapologetically progressive inauguration

If there was any hope New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani would inch towards the middle or appeal to moderate Democrats as he launched his administration, it vanished in the bitter January air that ushered in the start of his term.

During his inaugural address Thursday, Mamdani sought to send a clear message: That the left had won the hard-fought race for mayor, and his administration is now intent on showing the rest of the country that progressive liberals can, in fact, govern. At a time of deep political division across the US, Mamdani stuck to his political identity and ideology, reminding the crowd he had been “elected as a democratic socialist,” promising to “govern as a democratic socialist” and castigating the politics of complacency and the political establishment for failing its constituency...

It was an unapologetically progressive speech, in which Mamdani framed the mainstream Democratic party as one that lacked imagination and ambition. Then, he vowed to not “abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical.”...

Read More:

Updated Jan 1, 2026, 10:14 PM ET - 11 hr ago - 11 hr ago

- CNN -

Venezuela has detained several Americans as tensions with US rise

Venezuelan security forces have detained at least five Americans in recent months as the US has built a pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a US official familiar with the matter told CNN.

The circumstances of the individual cases vary, and some could have been involved in drug smuggling, the official said. US officials are still collecting information about what the Americans were doing in Venezuela and at the time of their detention, the official added. Trump administration officials believe that the Maduro regime is detaining the Americans to build leverage against the US, the official said, as the pressure campaign against the Venezuelan leader — including the US strikes on drug boats, a CIA strike on Venezuelan port facility and recent oil blockade — has intensified in recent months.

The tactic mirrors that of Russia, Venezuela’s longtime ally, which has detained numerous Americans on Russian soil in recent years to use as leverage in Moscow’s tense relations with the US...

Read More:

Updated Jan 1, 2026, 9:36 PM ET - 12 hr ago

- CNN -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Thousands of public, private sector workers will be working from the office again in 2026

Provincial government employees in Alberta, Ontario are headed back full time

The new year will bring some big changes to the rules on in-office work for many employees across the country — including tens of thousands of provincial government staff in Ontario and Alberta, who will soon be required back in the office full time.

As of Jan. 5, Ontario provincial government employees will be expected to work in the office five days per week. Alberta's public service is also returning to full-time, in-office work in February to "strengthen collaboration, accountability and service delivery for Albertans," a spokesperson for the Alberta government said...

• Plan to come in 'sharper view':
• A return to the cubicle:

WATCH | Is remote work gone for good?:

Posted: Jan 02, 2026 9:13 AM EST | Last Updated: 37 minutes ago

- CBC -

Parts of Alberta just saw some of the most snow they've ever seen in the month of December

Meteorologist says precipitation could offer some relief to farmers grappling with drought conditions

Just as Edmonton saw a sharp spike in snowfall this December, other parts of Alberta also recorded some of their highest December precipitation volumes in decades. Experts say the unusually snowy start to winter could offer some relief to farmers who grappled with drought conditions in 2025.

Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said that as of Dec. 28, the amount of precipitation in Edmonton in December was 416 per cent above its 30-year average, making it the city’s sixth wettest December since such data has been recorded

Some Alberta farmers are hoping that significant snowfall in December will help mitigate drought concerns in the spring and summer...

Read More:

Posted: Jan 02, 2026 8:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

- CBC -

The Project' explores Project 2025's origins and goals to reshape American culture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7rASQFXZjM

 

TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATION & COMMENTARY

May Great Spirit bless 🙏

Good morning from the Niagara Peninsula. They are calling for another day of 20 to 30 kph winds on and off, with blowing snow, at 21° F *YUCK!* Just plain puky weather until at least next week. I ain't leavin' the house until mid-April.

Well, there isn't much shaking here in the Newsroom this morning, so I'm taking some time for myself, thinking random thoughts before I make the morning coffee.

As for my physical health, I am pretty well back to normal again, as normal as I can be for an 80-year-old in rehab. I am doing exercise every day now to build myself back up. Rehabilitation from any illness when you're 80 years old has only one speed, slow! I'm exercising to strengthen my legs after being laid up for months. I'm still pretty wobbly in the legs when I walk.

And now that my stomach has settled down, I've been changing my food intake daily to include more protein, fiber, probiotics, and other nutrients instead of drinking juices and consommé for almost a month because that was all my stomach would handle. I lost 14 lbs. The current flu nearly brought me to the Pearly Gates 🏛️👼, to the point that everything was making me nauseous, even colors and sounds. I pray that I never experience that again.

Out of Today's Breaking News:

At least one good news today, would you believe out of America this time.

Zohran Mamdani is sworn in as mayor of New York City

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist who campaigned on a promise to tackle the affordability crisis in one of America's most expensive cities, was sworn in as New York City's112th mayor early Thursday. Mamdani, a 34-year-old immigrant from Uganda, makes history as the city's first Muslim mayor, first South African mayor, and the youngest mayor to hold the high-profile office in more than a century.

"This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime," Mamdani said moments after being sworn in.

The former state assemblyman from Queens captured the world's attention and stunned the political establishment with his win in the Democratic primary last summer, running a campaign focused on affordability: He promised to create a universal childcare program, freeze the rent for roughly two million rent-stabilized tenants, and make city buses "fast and free."

Read More:

Updated Jan 1, 2026, 7:58 AM ET - 54 min ago

- CNN -

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

~ COURAGE ~

I have good vibes about Zohran Mamdani, just as I do about Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, who has some grit and teeth to chew it with, too. And we have two fire eaters: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders. C'MON THE REST OF YOU CHICKEN LIVERS! If I were still living in Tennessee, you can bet yer boots I would be out there defending the rights of We, the People, in one way or another.

When I fell into a hole, which I did several times in my life, I was at the bottom of the hole back then, making wrong choices because that was where it felt most comfortable, like that was where I belonged. After enough time at the bottom, I found it was kind of boring down there in the dark. I climbed back out, dukes up and ready for action 🥊 🥊

_*As I always said for most of my life, I was hiding in the shadows, hard pressed against the wall. Hiding, with nowhere to go, I shouted, "WHAT HAVE I GOT TO LOSE?" Then I forged forward 🦸‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️‍➡️*_

- Google Search -

Courage:

Courage is the mental and moral strength to face fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation, enabling one to act despite apprehension for a greater purpose, even when it's difficult or risky, and involves not just physical bravery but also emotional honesty, vulnerability, and standing up for one's own values. It's about controlling fear, not the absence of it, allowing for perseverance, authenticity, and doing the right thing.

BREAKING NEWS:

Dozens presumed dead in New Year catastrophe in Swiss ski resort

What We're Covering

• Deadly blaze: Dozens of people are presumed killed and around 100 others injured in a fire at a New Year’s party in a Swiss ski resort, according to police.

• Alpine haven: One of Switzerland’s most exclusive locales, Crans-Montana is known for sweeping vistas stretching from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc.

• Investigation underway: The area is closed to the public while police investigate and a no-fly zone is in place. Officials are treating the tragedy as a fire, not a terror attack, a prosecutor said.

• Scenes of panic: Video from outside the Le Constellation bar shows panic in the crowd as the blaze broke out. Two witnesses told CNN affiliate BFMTV that the deadly fire was caused by sparklers placed in champagne bottles, but officials say it will take time to determine the cause...

Read More:

4 min ago

NOW: Officials are providing an update on the fire

More To Read:

Updated 11:20 AM EST, Thu January 1, 2026

- CNN -

‘Profound costs’: How Trump upended the federal government in his first year back in Washington

As President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House winds down, he has already transformed and upended the federal government.

He has used political purges, mass federal layoffs and drastic spending cuts to neutralize dissent and aggressively implement his second-term agenda. At the same time, he has also ordered the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute his political opponents. And he has sidelined or dismissed dozens of independent watchdogs that hold agencies accountable.

Trump allies maintain that he is simply using all of the tools at his disposal, under an expansive view of executive power, to enact policies that the American people endorsed when they voted to return him to the White House in 2024...

• Gutting the federal workforce:
• Dramatic spending cuts:
• Testing the rule of law:
• Neutralizing oversight:

Read More:

PUBLISHED Jan 1, 2026, 6:00 AM ET - 5 hr ago

- CNN -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Some snowbirds want out of Florida. A bad housing market makes it hard to leave

After a year of Trump 2.0, some Canadians in Florida face a difficult decision this winter

As the era of bilateral bad blood between Canada and the U.S. drags on, some snowbirds are facing a choice this January: Go south to warmer climes, or boycott a country that has gone from friend to somewhat of a foe. That decision is more difficult for the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who collectively own an estimated $60 billion worth of property in Florida, the favoured refuge for generations of the winter-weary.

Donna Lockhart, a snowbird from Ennismore, Ont., decided the recent anti-Canadian sentiment was too much to bear and it was time to put her condo near Punta Gorda, Fla., up for sale and get out of U.S. President Donald Trump’s America...

• Housing troubles in southwest Florida:
• The Canadian exodus:
• A different approach:

Posted: Jan 01, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

- CBC -

Cool space stuff you don’t want to miss in 2026, including a Canadian who’s heading to the moon

We have a mission to the moon, eclipses and meteor showers

Happy new year!

As we roll into 2026, we can look back on all the great things that happened in space in the last 12 months, from getting our third-known interstellar visitor — 3I/ATLAS — to seeing beautiful displays of the northern lights, to the opening of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory that could change our views on the universe in ways we have yet to understand.

And now, we look ahead to some of the very cool things skywatchers might want to keep an eye on in the coming year.

Meteors, meteors, meteors!

• A Canadian goes to the moon:
• Eclipses:

Space missions:

Read More:

Jan 01, 2026 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

- CBC -

1 MIN AGO: Trump’s Ambassador KICKED OUT of Canada — Diplomatic Crisis Explodes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teTTh0D343w