🧚‍♀️ TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

Great Spirit bless 🙏

Good morning to you from here on the Niagara Peninsula. I guess it's back to looking out from the inside time again, for now anyway. I pray that when the warmth comes back, it's here to stay. Old lizards 🦎 like me need some nice warm ♨️ weather, so that I can go and lie on a rock 🪨 in the sun ☀️🤔😁

My posts of the past few days may have been as colorful as a gray flannel suit. My apologies for the verbal valium. I needed to take a day or two away from the topic of the Fat Orange Wanker, or the Orange Pus Head, whichever you prefer. There's enough about him in the national news.

You know there's an infinite variety of things to consider and discuss. Some of them are Nature, Spirituality, Love, Life, Living, and the Sciences, but why stop there? I'm open to everything I can research, as well as the same old stuff like politics (because they affect how we live) and the price of eggs in Toronto. I may post a page or two of my daily diary (or not), or something I stumbled over ten minutes ago.

I'd love to share with you, so please visit often and tell me how I'm doing in a comment. Before I begin, I replace the "o" between the G and the d in G - d with a dash to indicate the INFINITE POTENTIALITIES.

I think it is more constructive to talk about feelings, emotions, the senses, what makes us human, or at least what makes a sane, healthy, conscious, sentient mammalian humanoid being.

The forecast is for possible thunderstorms this afternoon. That's OK; I intend to take my afternoon nap around that time anyway; maybe I'll miss it. I don't really like storms. I'm hyper-sensitive to loud noise, especially sudden or unexpected loud noise, or a quick motion, like something flashing before me. For example, maybe something as small as the movement of an insect across the room, from my peripheral vision, it sends a shock through me that makes me jump. It's nothing to do with the insect; it's the quick motion.

I had this problem, this is the first time I have had to check it out.

My Original Analysis was:

Question: hypersensitive:

🔹AI Overview

Hypersensitivity: refers to an excessive or abnormal reaction to stimuli, either physically (sensory/immune) or emotionally, often affecting 15–30% of people as a personality trait. It is characterized by high emotional reactivity, sensory overstimulation (light, sound, texture), and easy overwhelm. Management involves self-care, creating quiet environments, and setting boundaries.

• Neuro Health Associates:

• Causes:

• Common Symptoms:

• Management Strategies:

• Impact on Daily Life:

- Google Search -

Question: The startle effect from sudden noise or movement

🔹AI Overview

The startle effect (or startle reflex) is an involuntary, rapid defense mechanism—typically blinking, muscle tension, and neck flexion—occurring in milliseconds in response to sudden, unexpected stimuli like loud noises or rapid movements. It is an innate survival reflex, managed by the brainstem, which can cause heightened fear, increased heart rate, and postural shifts.

• Key Aspects of the Startle Effect:
• Conditions Affecting It: An exaggerated startle response can occur with anxiety, PTSD, or neurodegenerative disorders.
• Factors Influencing Startle:

Read More - Google Search -

🔹 AI Overview

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered by witnessing or experiencing terrifying events, such as abuse, war, or natural disasters. Symptoms include re-experiencing trauma (flashbacks, nightmares), avoidance of triggers, negative changes in mood/thinking, and high arousal (irritability, jumpiness). It interferes with daily life, relationships, and work, with symptoms lasting over a month...

Common Symptoms of PTSD

Symptoms typically begin within three months of the event and are categorized into four types:

• Re-experiencing (Intrusion):
• Avoidance:
• Arousal and Reactivity:
• Causes and Risk Factors:
• Long-Term Effects and Daily Life Impact:
• Types of PTSD:

Read More - Google Search -

BREAKING NEWS:

Iranian gunboats fire on tanker after Strait of Hormuz closed again

A second vessel was reportedly hit by a projectile and others reversed course as Iran reimposes restrictions on the vital waterway.

Here's The Latest

• Strait of Hormuz: A tanker and container ship have each reported attacks while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. The incidents came after Iran’s military said restrictions on the vital waterway are being reimposed, alleging “repeated breaches of trust” by the US.

• US-Iran talks: Meanwhile, US and Iranian delegations are set to hold negotiations

Monday on a deal potentially ending the war, Iranian sources told CNN. The US hasn’t confirmed talks are scheduled. President Donald Trump says he may not extend the ceasefire with Iran if negotiations fail.

• In Lebanon: Israel said it will impose a “yellow line,” also used in Gaza, barring displaced residents from returning to 55 occupied villages. And a French soldier from a UN peacekeeping force was killed in an attack that President Emmanuel Macron said was likely carried out by Hezbollah.

Read More:

15 min ago

Trump says Iran “got a little cute” as negotiations for a deal continue

More To Read:

Updated 10:11 AM EDT, Sat April 18, 2026

- CNN -

It’s time for students to start committing to colleges. The age of AI is making it complicated

New York — Mary Akkerman has visited more than 30 college campuses with her children, one now at Stanford and another still in high school. She especially wanted them to get degrees that lead to good jobs – but figuring that out, said the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, parent, was a major challenge, thanks in part to the rapid advance of AI and its effects on the job market.

“I constantly grapple with the idea of ‘what is value,’” Akkerman said.

• ‘AI is just taking over’:
• An uncertain return:

PUBLISHED Apr 18, 2026, 7:00 AM ET - 3 hr ago

- CNN -

Jamie Raskin’s push for 25th Amendment to end Trump presidency is a mistake

The 25th Amendment is no substitute for impeachment. A proposed panel of doctors and ex-politicians can’t replace Congress doing its job.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., together with 50 Democratic co-sponsors, has reintroduced his bill to create a “Commission on Presidential Capacity” under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment. It is being framed as a response to the crisis of a president who threatened to annihilate an entire civilization, who shares renderings of himself as Jesus Christ while feuding with the pope and who posts snuff videos on social media — to name the highlights from just the past couple of weeks.

In other words, the most powerful man in the world appears to be manifestly insane. It’s not great. But this proposal is misguided on the details, and more importantly, a distraction from what Congress can and should do: impeach Donald Trump and remove him from office.

This is not a new idea from Raskin. He first proposed essentially the same bill in 2017, and again in 2020 during Trump’s bout with Covid. I wrote about it at the time for the Cato Institute, and my objections have not changed. If anything, the current situation makes the flaws in this approach more glaring...

• The most powerful man in the world appears to be manifestly insane. It’s not great

• Trump may be deranged, but he is not incapacitated in the way the framers of the 25th Amendment envisioned

• rumImpeachment is not only about removal. It is a statement of principle. It forces a public debate, puts the spotlight where it belongs and creates a historical record

Read More:

Apr. 18, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

- MS NOW -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Summer gas is here. What does that mean for sky-high prices?

Federal relief is coming for motorists — but as temperatures climb, so could prices

Since early March, filling your tank has meant emptying your wallet. Earlier this week, the national average for a litre of gas was just over $1.77, up from $1.26 before the United States and Israel launched their attacks on Iran, halting movement through the Strait of Hormuz.

To ease some of that pain, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he is temporarily removing the federal excise tax on gas and diesel — a move that will cut the cost of gasoline by 10 cents per litre and four cents per litre of diesel starting on Monday...

• Why is gas more expensive in the summer?:
• Will the increase in summer gas prices undo the savings of the federal tax cut?:
• Pain At The Pumps

CHART, Included: Average Price regular gasoline per liter, taxes included

• Why do prices vary so much across Canada?:
• How long will it take for prices to go back to normal?:
• Can Canadians expect more relief from provincial governments?:

Read More:

Posted: Apr 18, 2026 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

- CBC -

A LITTLE RESEARCH INTO THE STATUS OF THE ONTARIO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

- Google Search -

Question: The family of an Indigenous woman seeks to sue St. Catharines Hospital. Will that affect the health care system?

Ontario inquest hears how hospital system 'failed' Indigenous woman who died after 2 days of seeking help

Heather Winterstein had body pain for 6 days before collapsing in St. Catharines hospital's ER wait room

The Latest

• A virtual coroner’s inquest examining the circumstances of Heather

• Winterstein’s death from sepsis in a St. Catharines, Ont., hospital concluded its 12th day on Thursday. Winterstein, a member of the Cayuga Nation with ties to Six Nations of the Grand River, was trying to get help over two days in the hospital ER unit before she died in 2021.

• On Thursday, Dr. Rafi Setrak, regional chief of emergency medicine, testified Niagara Health had failed, "by virtue of the fact that Heather died."

• A former peer support worker said a nurse told him Winterstein had been discharged and the ER was too busy to see her. As someone with a history of drug use, he said he could relate to Winterstein.

• Family members and community groups have expressed concern that addiction discrimination and anti-Indigenous racism may have played a role in Winterstein's treatment...

-Read More - Google Search -

- Google Search -

Question: Is St Catherines hospital being sued? will that affect the health care system?

Yes, Niagara Health, which operates the St. Catharines hospital (officially named Marotta Family Hospital), is facing lawsuits and high-profile scrutiny that are affecting the local healthcare system.

ThoroldToday.ca

Here are the key details regarding the legal issues and their impact:

Fatal Overdose Lawsuit (2024–2025): The family of Benito Salvatore is suing Niagara Health and several staff members, alleging a fatal overdose occurred in July 2024, where the patient was allegedly given 10 times the prescribed dose of a medication, leading to his death. The statement of claim alleges gross negligence and failure to treat the critical situation promptly.

• Coroner's Inquest (April 2026):

A coroner's inquest is currently underway regarding the 2021 death of Heather Winterstein in the St. Catharines emergency room. Testimony has highlighted concerns over systemic racism, biases, and a failing system, with a doctor stating the hospital "failed" the patient.

Impact on Healthcare System

• .Staffing & Capacity Issues:

Testimony in April 2026 revealed intense pressures, with instances of only two nurses responsible for triaging 47 patients, raising concerns about the ability to provide safe care due to understaffing.

Labor Relations:

Niagara Health has faced, and recently settled, a long-standing pay equity dispute involving thousands of workers, indicating ongoing internal strain.

• Union Concerns:

Union representatives have reported that job cuts at Niagara Health are causing fear and impacting patient care, even when positions are not directly clinical.

• Public Trust:

Families involved in lawsuits have expressed that these incidents have destroyed their confidence in the local health-care system.

• Safety Concerns:

The allegations in the lawsuits have not been tested in court, and the hospital has stated it cannot comment on cases currently before the courts.

- Toronto Star -

I can provide more information if you are interested in

• The names of the specific staff involved

• The full history of the Heather Winterstein inquest

• Details on the pay equity settlement

• The timeline of the new hospital construction

Read More - Google Search -

It doesn't appear they're doing anything to improve the situation. JUST REMEMBER! IF EVERYONE IS SICK IN BED OR DEAD AT HOME, WHO'S GOING TO RUN YOUR FACTORIES?... IDIOTS! FORD WITH THE RUSTY FENSER WOULD SOONER BUY A NICE AIRPLANE WITH OUR HEALTH CARE MONEY... YA FAT COCROACH🪳

'A devastating blow': Ottawa Hospital to cut roughly 400 jobs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-zGer4X_VA

 

🧚‍♀️ TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

Great Spirit bless 🙏

' Good morning, everyone. Well, at least the weather is much more reasonable out there, but still cloudy and damp, which is normal for early spring.

• Continued From Yesterday:

GOVERNMENT DECEIT

- Google Search -

Question: Government Deceiving the Masses:

I've seen a lot of talk about government cover-ups since I was old enough to understand what they meant by cover-up, besides getting under the covers when I get in bed.*_

As I asked yesterday, WAS THIS ALL PREPLANED? I pray that is not so! 🙏 For the past decade, I have been sitting back in my recliner watching an old rerun of humanity's past bloopers, where I see all the conspiracy theories from the past, focusing on those from two decades ago, and often recalling further back to the advent of the home computer. The cover-ups came to life on this same box-like structure back then, as I type from a typing instrument into the box-like structure above.

That was where I got much more connected and in the know of both the good and the bad; no one notices the invisible. And it wasn't hard for me to pick the scum off the surface of the pond of the news at first; it was hard to see who the deceiver was. But in the process, I discovered that there was much more clean, clear water than scum hidden under that layer of green scum. So then, once I knew what is symbiotic with the natural and spiritual world of NATURE, there is no doubting what I feel. If I didn't believe in my feelings, what's left?

There has been more scum growing on the surface, especially in the past year, as if the movie from the past had been sped up, as the inputting of the computer to the movie projector has automatically clicked into fast forward from last January to today

- Google Search -

Government Deceipt

🔹AI Overview

Government deceit involves fraud, corruption, or misrepresentation by officials, often hidden within complex bureaucracies, leading to public distrust. It includes, but is not limited to, political corruption, misappropriation of funds, and false statements by officials. Such acts can be reported to authorities like the Anti-Fraud Centre.

• Key aspects of, and responses to, government deceit include:
• Examples of Deception:

Historical examples range from covering up misconduct to providing false information, such as the intelligence failures leading to the Iraq War or the issues highlighted in the Pentagon Papers.

• Reporting Misconduct:
• Reporting Contract:
• Preventative Actions:

NOTE:

As I have illustrated in previous news articles from my Tree House News, e.g., my suspicions about a certain provincial leader interfering with the Ontario Health Care System's funding.

TRUE | Yes - No

Yes! 🚨

- Google Search -

Question: Online Disinformation:

- Online disinformation Canada-ca -

Online disinformation is designed to trigger an emotional response. If it raises your eyebrows, it should raise questions.

Disinformation is false information that is deliberately intended to mislead. It is sometimes called “fake news”.

On This Page:

• How disinformation harms you:
• Tips and tools to spot disinformation:

•Look out for emotional red flags

•Use fact-checking tools and services

•Do a reverse image search

•Spot spoof websites

• Spot fake social media accounts:
• Counter disinformation:

Confusion

Tips and tools to spot disinformation

Disinformation can be hard to spot. These tips and tools can help you determine whether something you see online is true.

•Look out for emotional red flags

• Find Out More

BREAKING NEWS:

Iran declares Strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ for remainder of truce

Tehran announces the opening of the vital waterway to all commercial vessels after a ceasefire was struck between Israel and Lebanon.

Here's the Latest

• Strait of Hormuz: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the vital trade chokepoint is now open to all commercial vessels for the remaining period of the truce, adding that this is in line with the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.

• Ceasefire in effect:

A 10-day truce in Lebanon appears to be holding despite the Lebanese army accusing Israel of violations. Israel said its forces would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, and Iran-backed Hezbollah warned it would only abide by the truce if Israeli attacks stopped.

• Diplomacy push:

US President Donald Trump said a White House meeting between Israel and Lebanon could take place within two weeks. The conflict with Hezbollah has been a key sticking point in negotiations on the war with Iran.

Trump also voiced confidence that a deal with Tehran will come soon, saying talks could happen this weekend.

• Israeli embassy:

Read More:

6 min ago

Iran declares Strait of Hormuz "completely open" during ceasefire

More To Read:

How the first American pope is reclaiming Christian values from the Trump administration

Flying to Algeria at the start of his landmark tour of Africa on Monday, Pope Leo had a choice. He could ignore Donald Trump’s extraordinary overnight social media tirade against him, or he could tackle it head on.

In the end, he chose the second option, taking the highly unusual step of calling out the Trump White House directly. Speaking to reporters on board the papal plane, the pope said he had “no fear of the Trump administration” and would not be deterred from speaking out “loudly” about the message of God. “I do not think the message of the Gospel should be abused, as some are doing,” he said, adding, “too many innocent lives have been lost… I believe someone must stand up and say there is a better way.” ...

• Pope’s message of peace:
• ‘Empires come and go’:

PUBLISHED Apr 17, 2026, 12:01 AM ET - 10 hr ago

- CNN -

CANADIAN NEWS:

Doug Ford’s new private jet + Canada Post is winding down home delivery

Here’s the latest on the Ontario government’s new private jet purchase and Canada Post’s plans to wind down home delivery in parts of Etobicoke by the end of the year.

Good morning. This is the Friday, April 17 edition of First Up, the Star’s daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox.

The Star has learned that the provincial government has purchased a private jet for $28.9 million for the premier’s travel. I suppose we might call it “Air Ford One,” though many of us will have plenty of time to brainstorm alternate nicknames riding the streetcar to work today.

First up, six things to start your day:

• If you live in Etobicoke, your home mail delivery might stop before the end of the year.

• The tunnel boring machines digging the Ontario Line subway are named “Libby” and “Corky,” and they’re getting to work.

• The man whose death has resulted in a rare manslaughter charge against a Toronto police officer had a “dense and persistent” criminal record.

• The TTC is worried Ontario will hijack its budget and operations.

• Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire.

• FIFA booked up hotels for the World Cup. Then came the cancellations. Is it a preview of how the economics of the games will play out for the city?

• DON’T MISS:
• WHAT ELSE:
• POV:

Ontario’s ‘educational earthquake’ shakes out to be pretty basic

• SEE THIS:
• THE CONVERSATION:
• OUR POST-POST ERA: ...

Read More:

Updated April 17, 2026 - 5 mins ago

- TORONTO STAR -

AND DON'T FORGET OUR POST-HEALTH CARE ERA (‿ˠ‿) 💩🔘🪏 THE OLD FORD 🚗 WITH THE RUSTY FENDERS - "TIEF!" Let me try that again with me feefs in, "THIEF!" 🥷

Blockade on Iran will continue, Trump says, after Iran says it will reopen Strait of Hormuz

Strait will be completely ​open for rest of Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, Iran's foreign minister says

Iran's foreign minister announced Friday that passage for all commercial ​vessels through the Strait ​of Hormuz is completely ​open following a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon yesterday, but President Donald Trump said the U.S. naval blockade on Iran will remain in place until a deal with Tehran is struck.

"The Strait of Hormuz is completely open and ready for business and full passage," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "But the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete." Trump said he expects the process to go "very quickly," adding that most of the points have already been negotiated...

• Trump announces Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, but major disputes remain

• 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon takes effect as Trump predicts war with Iran to end 'pretty soon'

• AnalysisDuelling blockades test whether U.S. or Iran can better withstand the economic pain...

Read More:

Posted: Apr 17, 2026 9:11 AM EDT | Last Updated: 36 minutes ago

- CBC -

The Live Nation verdict is a faceplant for the Trump administration

Americans are saying enough to an economy in which monopolies prosper at the expense of honest businesses and powerless consumers.

A federal jury in New York found Wednesday that Live Nation, the corporate parent of Ticketmaster, maintained an illegal monopoly over entertainment venue ticket sales. The verdict is a major victory for concertgoers, artists, independent venues and the coalition of over 30 states that pursued the case against the entertainment giant,

not to mention the overall cause of making American life more affordable. And, just as significantly, it’s a huge faceplant for the Trump administration, which, only days into this same trial, reached a surprise settlement with the entertainment behemoth.

After the Trump administration announced the settlement, some pundits quickly predicted the case would likely end with a whimper. The states, they said, would face an uphill battle in suddenly taking over the lead role from the federal government and effectively prosecuting the entertainment behemoth on such short notice. What these naysayers failed to consider was the egregious facts of the case — and how tired Americans are of being beaten up by big business...

• Live Nation executives actually boasted in writing about ripping off customers:
• The judge in this case can and should scrutinize the settlement closely:

Apr. 17, 2026, 9:23 AM EDT

- MS NOW -

Iran's foreign minister declares Strait of Hormuz 'open' | Michael Clarke & Tara Kangarlou analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9dHYNeLxwU

 

🧚‍♀️ TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

Great Spirit bless 🙏

' Morning, everyone. Well, at least the weather is much more reasonable out there. Don't know about all the other peeps out there, if they are being more reasonably happy on this partly sunny day. Smile a little, instead of succumbing to the melancholy that is all about us. That would be so incredibly, sneezeably, incoherently, persistently, being stupidly so deplorably ornery and contrarily on the right, like an unwanted 💩 stuck to your (‿ˠ‿)

😉 See, I should start my own comic strips using emoticons 😁 ~

Upstairs apartment 🏘️ 🐰🍾🐷🥊💥🏏✨ 🔊 ♪♫ | ♪♫♭

Landlady shouting! - 😡 🧙‍♀️- "BETTER BE QUIET UP THERE, BUCKO, OR I'LL TURN YOU INTO A COCKROACH!" - 🪳

Shortly after that party, the tenants above gave up cocaine for snortin' breadcrumbs and have two growths on their heads which look very much like the beginning growth of insect antennae. Now, entomologists may argue about which species, but they are certainly Blattodea. - About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Trumpo The Typo's 😡🫟 and followers. "Take it from there, and the hossy they rode in on!" 🐴

IN MY OPINION, the Great Spirit, G-d, is the Creator of the quanta in which this universe is only one tiny particle of an infinite whole. The basic laws of nature teach us what is right and what is wrong as we learn to survive in our ever-changing environments. Both mental and spiritual growth work together; one is fully aware of the other unless you choose to shut one off from the other. It's the confusion, through DECEPTION, in between that can unbalance or confuse our judgment of what is good or bad, thus leading us astray in the intended evolutionary process of homo sapiens.*_

The way I see it, I take the time to analyze it inside, see if it feels right or wrong, and then it is up to me to make my choice. NOTE! - WITHOUT MAKING EXCUSES TO MAKE IT SOUND RIGHT! If so, that's not empathy, that's self-deception. Or believing in someone else's deception instead of listening to what your own heart told you in the first place.

- Google Search -

Question: Government Deceiving the Masses:

WAS THIS ALL PREPLANED? I do pray not! 🙏

All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and the Spirit of I.F. Stone;

is a 2016 Canadian documentary film directed by Fred Peabody. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2016. The film profiles several independent journalists inspired by the late I. F. Stone, a Washington-based independent journalist who published I.F. Stone's Weekly from 1953 to 1971.

• Synopsis:
• Reviews:
• Awards:

References:

Read More - Google Search -

As Freddy the Free Loader, the character played by Red Skeleton used to say while holding his cigar in one hand and the mic in the other, and that dumb hat sitting cattywompus on his head, May G-d Bless! 😊

Now for the news.

BREAKING NEWS:

Trump leans in on a major 2026 issue: possibly replacing Justices Alito and Thomas

• President Donald Trump seems to be leaning in on the idea that elderly conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas might think about a conveniently timed retirement this year.

• Trump couched his comments to Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo in respect for the jurisprudence and decision-making processes of both justices. But he also repeatedly gestured at the political utility of them retiring soon:

• “I think he is one of the great justices of all time,” Trump said of Alito, before adding: “It’d be nice to say, now I have somebody for 40 years.”

Trump said he already had a short list of possible replacements.

• He seemed to point to the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a cautionary tale, noting she declined to retire and then died when Trump was able to appoint a conservative replacement. “She really hurt herself within the Democrat Party,” Trump said.

• He twice alluded to how justices can preserve their ideology on the court for decades to come by allowing for a like-minded replacement.

As they often are, Trump’s comments about the Supreme Court were remarkably political...

_Both could stick it out, but if Republicans lose the Senate in November, the justices could be well into their 80s before the GOP holds the White House and the Senate again._ ...

• Read More:

PUBLISHED Apr 16, 2026, 4:00 AM ET - 6 hr ago

- CNN -

I can hear Trumpo The Typo tuning up his bus again 🎃🧒🚌

A New Jersey special election could soon narrow the House GOP’s razor-thin majority

Two months after progressive Analilia Mejia won a special election in the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 11th District, voters will decide Thursday whether they want to send her to Congress. Mejia will face Republican Joe Hathaway, a member of the Randolph Township council.

In a district where there are about 65,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans, according to the state’s Department of Elections, Mejia is favored to win the special election for the seat Mikie Sherrill vacated after being elected governor in November. Mejia has united most of the Democratic Party behind her, including former Rep. Tom Malinowski, who ran in the special primary and lost after facing a barrage of spending from a group linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

A Mejia victory on Thursday would be a boon for progressives, notably Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who endorsed her after she was national political director for his 2020 presidential campaign...

• AIPAC’s attacks on Malinowski boosted a more strident Israel critic:
• ‘You meet people where they’re at’:

PUBLISHED Apr 16, 2026, 5:00 AM ET - 5 hr ago

- CNN -

Read More;

It’s Tulsi Gabbard’s turn to target Trump’s enemies

Declassified documents posted Monday aren’t the impeachment bombshell Gabbard claims — but they say plenty about how unfit she is for her job.

President Donald Trump was impeached in December 2019, charged by the House of Representatives with abusing his office to gain leverage over Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election. This week, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard rebooted that scandal with the release of a handful of newly declassified documents that question the beginning of the impeachment investigation — in hopes of discrediting everything that followed.

MS NOW confirmed Wednesday that Gabbard’s office has sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department for the whistleblower whose concern over a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched the impeachment inquiry and the former inspector general who fielded their complaint. The referrals were first reported by Fox News. Gabbard’s new disclosures mirror a well-worn playbook used by Trump’s loyalists to investigate his investigators...

• In every instance, the evidence gathered of wrongdoing on Trump’s part has far outweighed proof of misconduct from his investigators:

It is literally the job of the intelligence community to consume partial information as it is received and work that raw data into a complete analysis:

Read More:

Apr. 16, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

- MS NOW -

CANADIAN NEWS:

'We failed,' Ontario health authority official tells inquest into Indigenous woman's death

Lawyer for Heather Winterstein's family questions Niagara Health doctor on her death in hospital

The Latest:

• A virtual coroner’s inquest examining the circumstances of Heather Winterstein’s death from sepsis in a St. Catharines, Ont., hospital is in its 12th day.

• Winterstein, a member of the Cayuga Nation with ties to Six Nations of the Grand River, was trying to get help for pain from a fall, first on Dec. 9, 2021, and then the next day, when she collapsed in the ER. On her first hospital visit, a physician ruled out an infection and sent Winterstein home with Tylenol.

• Today, Dr. Rafi Setrak, regional chief of emergency medicine, testified Niagara Health is "committed" to evaluating doctors. But, "By virtue of the fact that Heather died, we failed."

• Family, friends and a family physician have previously said they believe racism and bias affected the quality of care Winterstein received.

• In her testimony yesterday, the head of Niagara Health said "it's very clear" anti-Indigenous racism exists in health care and that the hospital network needs to have the "humility" to acknowledge it to improve patient care...

Read More:

2 hours ago

What to know about the inquest

More To Read:

Updated April 16, 2026 - 6 minutes ago

- CBC -

I do pray that this will create a good shake-up in our Ontario Health Care System, or should I say, the management of the funds for our Health Care System by USING THE FUNDS to hire doctors, nurses, and enough emergency room personnel. NOT for anything else, especially private enterprise, NO! ->🔘 PERIOD that's it.

Artemis II astronauts set to share more about historic mission around the moon

Since returning, crew has had medical examinations, technical debriefings and been reunited with families

After flying 406,771 kilometres around the moon — the farthest any humans have ever been — Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch are ready to share more of their experiences with the public.

The four astronauts will be taking questions from the media from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, at 2:30 p.m. ET today. CBC-ca will carry the news conference live. Since returning from Earth last Friday, the four have been examined by doctors and debriefed about their mission, but best of all, they've reunited with their families. And they've had some great receptions.

Neighbours lined the sidewalks with flags and signs, cheering as Victor Glover returned home in League City, Texas...

• Back at work:

Posted: Apr 16, 2026 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

- CBC -

O'Donnell credits Canada & Carney for fighting back against Trump

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gamzMLB8rw

 

🧚‍♀️ TREE HOUSE NEWS 🏡

NEWS AGGREGATOR & COMMENTS

Great Spirit bless 🙏

Morning! I pray that you are all well on this day, Wednesday, the 15th of April 2026. Another cloudy day, but I feel a shift, like the effect of the motion of the first falling domino. Not sure if it has to do with the weather.

I sat outside with my coffee for a bit, contemplating; it was just daybreak, but overcast and a little dripply 💧😉 It's cool, but still much milder than it's been. It could be what I call one of those MELANCHOLY days if I were to let it slide in that direction. Keep the Mind Busy and the Body Occupied. I have come to learn that you can stop to relax and rest, just as long as it is not enough time to allow the mind to drift and get caught up in the web of gloom and doom,-> wars and more wars, incompetence, lies, theft, conspiracies, and deceit that lie everywhere around us like the fallout from a nuclear winter at this time. The red button in the hands of MANIACS

WHERE ARE YOU, U.N., hiding under your desk? MAYBE THE RED BUTTON HAS ALREADY BEEN PUSHED, BY THE ->HOUSE and SENATE<-

- Google Search -

Quetion: Maniac

The meaning of MANIAC is someone who is or acts mentally unsound; especially: a person who behaves in a wildly foolish, reckless, or dangerous manner.

__________________

THE WORLD HAS BEEN KNEECAPED 🦵🏏 by Made in America, AND THE WORLD HAS LOST ITS CRUTCH 🩼

Stay Cool! Give guidance, NOT PANIC, that's what I am attempting to do with the Tree House News, one view at a time.

TODAY'S DISCUSSION:

- Google Search -

Question: What is Melancholy?

🔹AI Overview

Melancholy: is a deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness or gloomy mood, often characterized by thoughtful reflection rather than frantic emotion.

It is used as a noun (a state of melancholy) or an adjective (a melancholy song) to describe a quiet, wistful, or profound sadness

• Synonyms of Melancholy:
• Sadness/Depression:* Dejection, gloom, sorrow, unhappiness, woe, despondency:

• Thoughtful/Quiet:* Pensive, wistful, reflective, somber, wistful:

Descriptive: Gloomy, downcast, dispirited, mournful, forlorn.

That will be enough of the doom and gloom; - 😰💥- it's spring! -🌅🪷 - Even though it's cloudy, cool, and damp out, it is spring! The Rebirth has begun: the birds, green grass 🌱🌾 tiny leaves 🍃 coming out of some bushes and trees, and most are now in the different stages of budding. The maples with very large buds 🎍 and the beautiful sunshiny yellow forsythias 🌼 and in the early morning silence, I could hear the trickling of the creek below the embankment where the woods are across the driveway from my Green Space, the balcony. Good perch, the Tree House 🏡 Now if I had a Jacuzzi 🛀 ... forget it, I'm happy with what I have.

BREAKING NEWS:

Iran threatens retaliation over blockade as Trump hints at further peace talks

US Central Command said the blockade has "completely halted" Iran's economic sea trade.

Here's The Latest:

• US blockade: Iran’s military has threatened shipping in the Red Sea if the US continues its blockade of Iranian ports, after US Central Command said the blockade has “completely halted” Iran’s economic sea trade.

• Strait of Hormuz: US President Donald Trump said China is “very happy” the US is working to open the Strait of Hormuz and that it has agreed to not send weapons to Iran. Some commercial traffic is still transiting the vital waterway.

• US-Iran talks: The US has not formally agreed to extend the ceasefire with Iran, a senior US official told CNN, while messages are being exchanged between the two countries via mediator Pakistan after the weekend’s talks ended with no agreement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said.

• In Lebanon: Israel’s military says it has conducted fresh strikes on Lebanon in the past 24 hours and has warned residents in southern parts of the country to evacuate. Israel and Lebanon have agreed to hold further ceasefire negotiations after taking part in their first direct talks in decades...

*Read More:*

11 min ago

"Strained" public budgets less able to protect consumers from high energy costs, IMF warns

More To Read:

Updated 10:20 AM EDT, Wed April 15, 2026

- CNN -

BREAKING FROM THE TORONTO STAR:

Opinion | This isn’t just a Carney majority. It’s a NATIONAL UNITY government

Unity,” said Mark Carney last weekend, “does not require UNIFORMITY.”

Accommodation beats assimilation, the prime minister told the Liberal faithful at the party’s convention in Montreal — and partnership is better than domination. He didn’t say it, but Carney was inaugurating an unexpected Canadian national unity government. Having bolstered the Liberals’ ranks with defectors from rival parties, he’s given Canada something it could really use right now: a cross-partisan amalgam of politicians who want to get big things done.

Polling by Ipsos confirms Canadians aren’t fond of floor-crossings, at least in the abstract — yet it also suggests voters are fine with political chameleons in our current context: 40 per cent of survey respondents said the stampede to the government benches had had no impact on their opinion of Carney, and more than a third said their opinion had improved.

Read More:

Updated - April 15, 2026 - 2 hrs ago

- TORONTO STAR -

↕️

After Trump’s latest broadside, Pope says ‘world needs to hear’ message of peace

Pope Leo said Wednesday that his visit to Africa offers *A MESSAGE OF UNITY* and peace “the world needs to hear” as he continues to face criticisms for his stance on the war in Iran from the president and the vice president of the United States.

Speaking on board the papal plane from Algeria to Cameroon, Leo XIV pointed to his visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers, the largest in Africa, and to the birthplace of Saint Augustine of Hippo, a hugely influential Christian figure who inspired him to become a priest.

The pontiff said going to the mosque showed that while “we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace.” He added: “I think that to promote that kind of image is something which the world needs to hear today...

Trump is feuding with a pope — again. Why it’s different this time

Read More:

Updated Apr 15, 2026, 10:27 AM ET - 7 min ago

- CNN -

Vance ups the ante, presses pope to be ‘careful when he talks about matters of theology’

If the White House sees a political upside to its increasingly outlandish papal rebukes, it’s mistaken.

VIDEO | Included:

For reasons that still don’t make sense, Donald Trump picked a fight with Pope Leo XIV, of all people, lashing out at the pontiff on Sunday night as someone who “likes crime,” caters to “to the Radical Left,” is taking steps that are “hurting the Catholic Church” and has met with “Obama Sympathizers.”

On Monday, the president was offered an opportunity to apologize, or at least to walk back his rhetorical offensive. He refused, insisting again that the pope “said things that are wrong.” A day later, the Republican kept going, scolding the pontiff during an interview with an Italian newspaper; shortly before midnight on Tuesday night, Trump apparently thought it would be a good idea to chide the pope once again by way of his social media platform.

Not to be outdone, his vice president — the first Catholic Republican to ever hold the office — has joined the rhetorical offensive. On Monday night, JD Vance appeared on Fox News and insisted that “it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality … and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy.” Putting aside the fact that the president isn’t supposed to be “dictating” anything, the Ohio Republican’s advice didn’t make a lot of sense:

The pope drew Trump’s ire by speaking out on matters such as a deadly and destabilizing war in the Middle East and the plight of immigrants seeking a better life, both of which are, by any reasonable measure, “matters of morality.” ...

Apr. 15, 2026, 8:54 AM EDT

- MS NOW -

Patient tells Ontario inquest Heather Winterstein was on floor 'crying in pain' in hospital ER on day she died

Winterstein, 24, sought treatment over 2 days in St. Catharines ER in 2021

The Latest

• A coroner’s inquest examining the circumstances of Heather Winterstein’s death from sepsis in a St. Catharines, Ont., hospital continues today.

• Winterstein, 24, died in the hospital on Dec. 10, 2021, after waiting hours to get help for pain from a fall.

• She had already been in the hospital the previous day for severe body pain, but the emergency department doctor who assessed her ruled out an infection, sent her home with Tylenol and told her to come back if her condition worsened.

• A patient who was in the ER waiting room on the day Winterstein died testifies today she saw her crying in pain but didn’t approach hospital staff because she was "scared" to get involved.

• Dr. Suzanne Shoush tells the inquest today that system racism and biases were “contributing factors” in the type of care Winterstein received.

• Family members, community groups say they’re concerned addiction discrimination and anti-Indigenous racism might have affected the way Winterstein was treated.

3 hours ago

It’s been an emotional inquest — here’s what’s happened so far

More To Read:

Updated April 15, 2026 - 3 minutes ago

- CBC -

WATCH: Vance says Pope Leo should 'be careful' when talking about religion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hq-q8Ijm14