Canada’s PM Carney triggers snap election, vote set for April 28
Montreal, Canada – Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney has moved to dissolve Parliament and trigger a snap election on April 28. The widely anticipated decision on Sunday kicks off an election race less than two weeks after Carney took up his post, succeeding Justin Trudeau at a time of soaring tensions with the United States. “We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President [Donald] Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” the Liberal Party leader told reporters in Ottawa after he met with the governor general to request parliament’s dissolution. “I’m asking Canadians for a strong, positive mandate to deal with President Trump and to build a new Canadian economy that works for everyone because I know we need change – big change, positive change.” The election had to be held by October 20, but experts say Carney is hoping that an early vote will benefit his Liberal Party, which is riding a wave of momentum. The party, which has been in government since 2015, has seen a surge in support since Trudeau’s January announcement that he planned to step down and amid repeated threats from Trump. Advertisement The US president’s tariffs and calls to annex Canada have fuelled anger and uncertainty, and many Canadians have been supportive of the Liberal government’s firm — and unified — response to Washington. After years of criticism for their handling of soaring housing costs and an affordability crisis, the Liberals are now locked in a neck-and-neck fight with the opposition Conservatives, according to recent polls. As recently as January, the Tories enjoyed a double-digit lead over their rivals and were expected to easily coast to victory in the federal election. “[Carney] wants to call the election while he still has this kind of momentum as a new leader — and while the shock of the Trump administration is still front of mind for Canadians,” Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, told Al Jazeera. The US president has repeatedly said he wants to make Canada into the “51st state”, sparking a surge in Canadian nationalism. He also has imposed steep tariffs on Canadian goods that economists say could plunge the country into a recession. Against that backdrop, several experts told Al Jazeera that the upcoming vote’s central “ballot question” will be which party leader is best equipped to respond to Trump and manage Canada-US ties. “And that’s a ballot question that is much better for Mark Carney,” Young said. Carney — an economist and former central banker — has the highest approval ratings of any federal party leader, according to an Ipsos poll released on Thursday. Canadians also viewed him as the leader best able to deal with Trump’s tariffs and their fallout. Advertisement Carney has promised to continue with Trudeau’s firm response to the levies, including imposing reciprocal countermeasures against the US, Canada’s top global trading partner. The Liberal leader also has rejected Trump’s push to annex Canada, calling the idea “crazy” and saying Canadian sovereignty must be respected before he will hold talks with Washington. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre [Carlos Osorio/Reuters] Meanwhile, the opposition Conservatives are hoping to regain some of the ground they have lost since the start of the year. Experts say Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who is known for his incendiary rhetoric and attacks against Trudeau, has struggled to find solid messaging in the face of Trump. Poilievre’s combative political style also has drawn comparisons to the US president, raising questions about how he would handle Trump if the Conservatives win the election and he becomes prime minister. But Poilievre has slammed the Liberals for their record in government over the past decade and said Canadians can count on him to stand up for the country. “I know a lot of people are worried, angry and anxious — and with good reason — as a result of the [US] president’s unacceptable threats against our country,” he said during a news conference to launch his campaign on Sunday morning. “I share your anger and I share the worry for our future. But I also draw great resolve in knowing that we can transform the anxiety and anger into action,” Poilievre said. “I will protect Canada and I will always put our country first.” Advertisement The CBC News Poll Tracker, which aggregates polling data across Canada, had the Liberals with 37.5 percent support compared with 37.1 percent for the Conservatives as of Sunday. The left-leaning New Democratic Party, led by Jagmeet Singh, was in third with 11.6 percent, followed by Yves-Francois Blanchet’s Bloc Quebecois at 6.4 percent. The parties will be vying for 343 seats in the lower house of Canada’s Parliament, known as the House of Commons. Under Canada’s parliamentary system, the party that wins the most seats typically will be asked to form a government. The leader of that party will also become prime minister. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump gives Harris advice on potential CA governor run
President Donald Trump offered up some advice for former Vice President Kamala Harris if she decides to make a run for governor of California. “One thing she’s gotta do, she’s gotta start doing interviews,” Trump said during an interview with OutKick’s Clay Travis aboard Air Force One. “You can’t get away with both of them, during COVID he did no interviews, and he got away with it because of COVID,” Trump added, referencing former President Joe Biden. The comments come as Harris is “seriously considering” a run for governor of California, according to a report from CBS News, with a person close to the former vice president’s decision-making process telling the outlet that Harris would likely make the decision by the end of summer. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who many consider to be a presidential contender in 2028, is term limited from running again in 2026, opening the door to what is expected to be a large field of potential Democratic candidates to seek the highest office in the dependably progressive state. TRUMP SAYS KEEPING MALES OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS IS ’90-10 ISSUE’ One former Harris advisor told CBS News that the former vice president would be a “great” fit for the job, noting her experience at both the national and state level. “On a national level, what Newsom has been able to do with that job, there is a lot of upside with what she can do as the governor of the fifth-largest economy with her name ID, when our party is looking for national leadership and California looking for good governance – especially at a time when California is going through a lot,” the former advisor said. But Harris also faces questions over how she handled her bid for president, which included accusations that she consistently shied away from doing interviews. KAMALA HARRIS REVEALS TIMETABLE FOR MAKING MAJOR POLITICAL DECISION IN DEEP BLUE STATE After Biden dropped out of the race and immediately endorsed Harris, the vice president went 39 days without sitting down for an interview before appearing in one with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on Aug. 29. As accusations continued to fly that Harris was dodging interviews, she picked up the pace of her appearances with both national and local outlets, but then faced accusations of dodging difficult questions. Perhaps most damning was a reported potential interview with influential podcaster Joe Rogan that fell through, with Rogan suggesting that the Harris team put conditions on questions the host could ask the candidate. Trump famously did appear on Rogan’s podcast, an interview that eventually led to the podcaster endorsing Trump’s bid for the White House.
Ramaswamy lands another key endorsement in Ohio governor race following Trump’s early backing
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy to become governor of Ohio. Ramaswamy, a former 2024 presidential primary candidate who briefly co-chaired President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, formally launched his 2026 gubernatorial campaign on Feb. 24. Trump threw his support behind Ramaswamy’s bid nearly immediately, and now the biotech entrepreneur has received another key endorsement from Moreno, one of the Buckeye State’s two senators. SCHUMER REFUSES TO STEP DOWN AS SENATE DEM LEADER, DEFENDS SHUTDOWN VOTE “Vivek is an America-First outsider and the best person to make Ohio the very best state to live, work, and raise a family,” Moreno said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. “I’m proud to join President Trump in endorsing a bold leader to be the next Governor of Ohio,” he added. Moreno announced that he was endorsing Ramaswamy at an event Saturday night. “The first & sole moral duty of U.S. elected officials is to U.S. citizens,” Ramaswamy wrote on X, sharing a clip of Moreno’s remarks. “Senator Bernie Moreno understands that & doesn’t apologize for it. He’s a star in the U.S. Senate & I’m proud to earn his endorsement tonight. Our party is united in Ohio & we’re not going to squander it.” The other U.S. senator from Ohio, Sen. John Husted, also a Republican, filled Vice President JD Vance’s vacated seat. It was Ramaswamy’s anticipated backing by Trump and strong financing that some political observers believe convinced Husted, formerly Ohio’s lieutenant governor, to accept the Senate appointment instead of launching a primary gubernatorial bid of his own. Husted was previously considered a likely frontrunner for governor. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, viewed as more of an establishment Republican, named Jim Tressell, a popular former Ohio State Buckeyes football coach, to replace Husted as lieutenant governor. Tressell’s future political ambitions remain unclear. SEE THE STAR-STUDDED LIST OF TRUMP ALLIES DESCENDING ON DC TO CHART FURTHER 100-DAY WINS The timing of Trump’s announcement intrigued Ohio political observers, who have watched over the past several years as his decisions to weigh in on key statewide races have gone from days before the election, to months, to now more than a year. Robert Clegg, a longtime Republican campaign advisor in the state, told the Associated Press last month it may be meant as a message for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, or perhaps even Tressell. “This is awfully early in the game, and I expected an endorsement maybe later this year – as in, like the fall, or even wait until January,” Clegg said. “I wonder if the president doesn’t want to have a knock-down, drag-out primary here in Ohio.” Trump tantalized Republican candidates in Ohio’s bruising 2022 U.S. Senate primary until just 19 days before the election, when he backed Vance and pushed him over the finish line to secure the GOP nomination. Vance went on to win the general election for the Senate seat that fall. A year later, Trump issued his endorsement of Moreno for Senate three months before the primary. Moreno went on to win both the primary and the general election. Trump’s endorsement is expected to help Ramaswamy’s early campaign efforts in a state that’s resoundingly voted for Trump three times. In the run-up to his announcement, Ramaswamy had also lined up key political advisors who had helped Vance with his 2022 Senate bid, as well as the endorsements of two sitting statewide officials and well-known conservatives nationally, including Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bernie Sanders gets up during interview after ‘nonsense’ question about AOC
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., got up during a pre-taped ABC “This Week” interview that aired Sunday, and accused Jonathan Karl of asking a “nonsense” question about whether Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., should run for Senate. Right after calling Ocasio-Cortez “extraordinary,” Sanders would not answer a question about whether he would like to see her in the Senate. Speculation has ramped up about AOC challenging Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a primary after Schumer supported a government funding bill to avoid a partial shutdown. “Right now, we have, as I said, just a whole lot of people in the Congress. OK, Jonathan. Thanks,” Sanders said as he got up from his seat. Karl told the senator that he had one more question for him. SCHUMER DISMISSES POSSIBLE AOC PRIMARY CHALLENGE, SAYS HE’S FOCUSED ON BRINGING TRUMP’S NUMBERS DOWN “Well, I ask you – you know, you want to do nonsense, do nonsense. No, I don’t want to talk about inside the Beltway stuff. I got 32,000 people,” Sanders said, referencing the crowd that gathered Friday in Denver for an event with AOC. Karl convinced Sanders to come back and sit down. SEN. SANDERS TARGETS TRUMP, MUSK AND DEMOCRATS IN WIDE-RANGING INTERVIEW AHEAD OF RALLY WITH AOC “Well, fine. But I don’t want to talk about this. What was the last question?” Sanders asked. Karl then asked about Sanders’ future in politics. “Right now, I am very proud that the people of the state of Vermont sent me back to the Senate with 63% of the vote,” Sander said. “Right now I’m Vermont’s senator. That’s what I do, and I’m very happy to do it. I am 83 years of age, so. And I’m tired.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union” whether he would encourage Ocasio-Cortez to challenge Schumer. “She’s perfectly capable of making the decision,” he said. “She’s got so many options. She’s got an incredible future. You know, it’s really her decision. But, you know, all I can say is there’s real anger. And there would be a lot of support for her if she decided to do it.”
Turkish court jails Istanbul Mayor pending trial on corruption charges
NewsFeed A Turkish court has ordered Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu to be held in jail ahead of a trial on corruption charges. Imamoglu, who denies the charges, is a key rival to President Erdogan. His arrest sparked mass protests. The government says the courts acted independently. Published On 23 Mar 202523 Mar 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
South African ambassador expelled by Trump receives hero’s welcome at home
Ebrahim Rasool addresses supporters, calling his persona non grata status a badge of dignity after his US expulsion. The South African ambassador who was expelled from the United States in a row with US President Donald Trump’s administration has arrived home to a raucous welcome and struck a defiant tone over the decision. Crowds at Cape Town International Airport surrounded Ebrahim Rasool and his wife Rosieda on Sunday as they emerged in the arrivals terminal in their hometown. They needed a police escort to help them navigate their way through the building. “A declaration of persona non grata is meant to humiliate you,” Rasool told supporters as he addressed them with a megaphone. “But when you return to crowds like this, and with warmth … like this, then I will wear my persona non grata as a badge of dignity.” “It was not our choice to come home, but we come home with no regrets.” Admirers welcome Ebrahim Rasool at South Africa’s Cape Town International Airport [Esa Alexander/Reuters] Rasool also said it was important for South Africa to fix its relationship with the US after Trump punished the country and accused it of taking an anti-American stance even before the decision to expel Rasool. Advertisement Trump issued an executive order last month cutting all funding to South Africa, alleging its government is supporting the Palestinian group Hamas and Iran, and pursuing anti-white policies at home. South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023, which accuses Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention in its war on the Gaza Strip. More than 10 countries have since joined South Africa in the genocide case. “We don’t come here to say we are anti-American,” Rasool said to the crowd. “We are not here to call on you to throw away our interests with the United States.” South Africa’s expelled ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, speaks upon his arrival at the airport [Esa Alexander/Reuters] They were the ex-ambassador’s first public comments since the Trump administration declared him persona non grata over a week ago, removed his diplomatic immunities and privileges, and gave him until Friday to leave the country. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who issued the declaration on X, said Rasool was a “race-baiting politician” who hates the US and Trump. It is highly unusual for the US to expel a foreign ambassador. Rubio’s post linked to a story by the conservative Breitbart news site that reported on a talk Rasool gave on a webinar organised by a South African think tank. In his talk, Rasool spoke in academic language of the Trump administration’s crackdowns on diversity and equity programmes and immigration and mentioned the possibility of a US where white people soon would no longer be in the majority. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Pakistan kills 16 fighters amid rising Afghanistan border tensions
Pakistan says all fighters killed overnight in North Waziristan while urging Afghan government to secure its borders. Pakistan’s army has said its forces killed 16 armed fighters along the country’s western border with Afghanistan. Pakistan has “consistently been asking the Interim Afghan Government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border”, according to an army statement Sunday. Border troops killed all the fighters in an exchange of fire during the night between March 22 and 23 in North Waziristan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the army said. “Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate,” it added. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined and remain committed to secure its borders and eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country.” The incident took place as Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Sadiq Khan is on a two-day official visit to Kabul to talk about bilateral and economic issues, a statement from Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul said. Earlier this month, Pakistan’s security forces raided two hideouts used by an armed group in the Mohmand and Dera Ismail Khan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Advertisement Once considered one of the Afghan Taliban’s closest allies, Pakistan has seen relations with its neighbour deteriorate over the past three years. Islamabad blames Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers for failing to curb the activities of the Pakistan Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group that emerged in 2007 and has since carried out hundreds of attacks against Pakistani security forces. In 2024 alone, Pakistan has witnessed more than 500 attacks, resulting in more than 1,500 deaths among civilians and law enforcement personnel. The outlawed TTP is a separate group but an ally of the Afghan Taliban, who reseized power in neighbouring Afghanistan in August 2021 as United States and other NATO troops were in the final stages of a withdrawal from the country after 20 years of war. The Pakistani government has frequently accused Afghan citizens of involvement in these attacks and claims Kabul provides shelter to TTP, a charge the Afghan Taliban denies. Adblock test (Why?)
Noida news: Gold chain snatched from man as he enjoys momo in sector 12, incident caught on cam; WATCH
The victim is a resident of Kondli, Delhi. He had visited the Noida market with his family for an evening snack when the incident occurred.
Blue state GOP rep forced to remove 2A sticker from laptop: ‘Offensive’
A Republican lawmaker from Colorado expressed shock at being told by Democratic colleagues that he had to remove a sticker supporting the Second Amendment from his laptop while in the state’s House chamber. “I had to cover up this, they couldn’t stand my sticker,” Colorado Republican state Rep. Ken DeGraaf said during remarks on the state’s House floor, pointing to paper covering up a sticker in support of the Second Amendment on a laptop he carried with him to the chamber. “It said ‘shall not be infringed’ and signed ‘2-A’ and that was considered offensive, which I understand would be offensive to this bill,” he continued. The remarks come as Colorado lawmakers debate a controversial gun control bill that would limit the sale of some semiautomatic firearms that rely on detachable magazines, such as the popular AR-15 platform. NM LAWMAKERS WARN SWEEPING GUN CONTROL BILL PRIMED FOR PASSAGE SHOWS DEMS ‘ARE DEAD-SET ON DISARMING US’ The legislation, Colorado Senate Bill 25-003, would be one of the strictest gun control measures in the country, something the state’s Democratic lawmakers argue is necessary to keep citizens safe. “Preventing gun violence is one of the most effective ways that we can make our communities safer and save lives. Semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines are uniquely lethal and dangerous,” state Rep. Meg Froelich, a Democatric sponsor of the bill, told KKTV. “This bill is a commonsense solution to ensure that people receive effective training and meet the requirements under state and federal firearm laws before purchasing the most lethal weapons on the market. From background checks and waiting periods to limits on high-capacity magazines, Colorado Democrats have enacted multiple laws to protect Coloradans from future gun violence.” GOV. DESANTIS MAKES PUSH TO REPEAL FLORIDA’S RED FLAG LAWS The bill has passed the state’s Senate and a second reading in the House, according to the KTTV report, which noted that lawmakers largely expect the legislation to be ready for a final vote in the coming week. The bill has faced stiff resistance from Republicans such as DeGraaf, who argue the legislation would run afoul of the U.S. Constitution. DeGraaf accused his Democratic colleagues of being offended by the Constitution during his remarks on the House floor, pointing to the forced removal as an example. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP As DeGraaf lamented the covering of the sticker, he was informed that the only reason for the request was because such displays are banned in the “well” of the chamber, which sits between the chamber’s front desk and the first row of member seats. “So OK, no displays of the Constitution in the well, got it,” DeGraaf quipped back.
Schumer refuses to step down as Senate Dem leader, defends shutdown vote
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has refused to step down from his leadership position, as Democratic infighting worsens while the party struggles to agree on messaging to challenge President Donald Trump. “Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer said in a pre-recorded interview that aired on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “I knew that when I cast my vote against the government shutdown that there would be a lot of controversy.” Schumer defended why he chose to vote in support of the Republican-proposed continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown despite the bill’s broad opposition by the Democratic Party. “The CR was certainly bad, you know the continuing resolution, but a shutdown would be 15 or 20 times worse. Under a shutdown, the executive branch has sole power to determine what is ‘essential.’ And they can determine without any court supervision. The courts have ruled it’s solely up to the executive what to shut down,” Schumer said. DEM SENATOR ON SCHUMER FUTURE: ‘IMPORTANT’ TO KNOW ‘WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO’ Schumer alleged, without evidence, that Trump, Department of Government Efficiency chair Elon Musk and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought would slash funding for SNAP, or food stamps and mass transit, as well as cut Medicaid “by 20, 30, 50, 80%” He suggested the administration could decide during a government shutdown, “We’ll go after Social Security. We’ll go after the veterans.” “They would eviscerate the federal government,” Schumer said. “Their goal is just eviscerate the federal government so they can get more taxes in their tax cuts to their billionaire class over there. So it would be devastating.” “There’s no off ramp,” he added. “Who determines how long the shutdown would last? Only those evil people at the top of the executive branch in the Trump administration.” Schumer told NBC that a Republican senator close to the DOGE team told a Democratic colleague of his that the administration would keep the shutdown in place for “six months, nine months, a year til everyone was furloughed and gone and quit.” “And there would be no way to stop it,” Schumer said. “So I thought that would be so devastating to the republic and anger so many people.” Schumer, who played a critical role in urging Joe Biden to exit the 2024 race, denied that he was acting similarly in resisting calls from his party to resign as leader. Democrats have increasingly criticized Schumer for breaking with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in supporting the continuing resolution, and Schumer has dismissed reports of a potential primary challenge by progressive “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for his Senate seat. AOC SHREDS SCHUMER FOR ‘TREMENDOUS MISTAKE’ OF CAVING TO GOP TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN “It was a vote of principle. Sometimes, when you’re a leader, you have to do things to avoid a real danger that might come down the curve, and I did it out of pure conviction as to what a leader should do and what the right thing for America and my party was,” Schumer said, admitting that there’s “disagreement” in the Democratic caucus on the spending bill, but “We’ve all agree to respect each other because each side saw why the other side felt so strongly about it.” “And our caucus is united in fighting Donald Trump every step of the way,” Schumer claimed. “Our goal, our plan, which we’re united on, is to make Donald Trump the quickest lame duck in modern history by showing how bad his policies are.” “He represents the oligarchs, as I’ve said, he’s hurting average people in every way,” Schumer added, saying Democrats are using oversight hearings, the courts and organizing across districts to challenge Trump’s agenda. “I believe that by 2026, the Republicans in the House and Senate will feel like they’re rats on a sinking ship because we have so gone after Trump and all the horrible things he’s doing,” Schumer said. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, the former House Speaker, has claimed Democrats did not gain anything in Schumer conceding to Republicans’ over the CR. “What we got, at the end of the day,” Schumer responded, “is avoiding the horror of a shutdown.” He added that Democrats had “no leverage point,” because Republicans in control of both houses could force a vote on the CR. “When you’re on that political mountain, the higher up you climb, the more fiercely the winds blow,” Schumer said. “The only way you stop being blown off the mountain is your internal gyroscope… I had to do the right thing for our country and for our party.”