International
Trump trolls Trudeau again by calling him “governor of the great state of Canada”
The US president-elect, Donald Trump, once again made a chance of the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, whom he called this Tuesday in a message on the social network Truth “Governor Justin Trudeau of the great state of Canada.”
Trump has continued to repeat that joke since it became known that at his dinner in Mar-a-Lago, on November 29, the president-elect told him that if the Canadian economy would collapse with the 25% tariffs he proposes to end the Canadian trade surplus, the best thing that could happen is that Canada become the 51st state of the United States.
Trump’s joke to Trudeau doesn’t stop
“It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the great state of Canada. I am waiting to meet again soon with the governor and thus continue our detailed conversations on Tariffs and Trade, whose results will be spectacular for everyone,” Trump wrote in a post on the social network Truth signed with his initials.
According to sources present at the Mar-a-Lago meeting, Trudeau was concerned when he heard Trump’s suggestion to turn Canada into another state if the US trade deficit, which is around 75 billion dollars a year, is not addressed, as requested by the president-elect.
The same sources indicated that when they told Trump that it might not be a good idea to incorporate Canada because it would be a liberal state within the country, the Republican leader suggested dividing it into two: a liberal state and a conservative one.
“We are subsidizing Canada with around 100 billion dollars a year. We are subsidizing Mexico with almost 300 billion dollars. We shouldn’t do it. Why do we do it? If we are going to subsidize them, let’s let them become states,” Trump argued in an interview broadcast on Sunday on NBC News.
Tariffs and immigration
Most of the deficit with Canada is due to imports of hydrocarbons, whose prices have been rising, and which the United States would hardly tax with new tariffs. Trump has promised to encourage national production.
Another issue that has led Trump to threaten his two American neighbors with tariffs is his demand to control and end the flow of undocumented immigrants.
Trump’s trolling comes shortly after Trudeau declared on Monday that the tariffs suggested by the Republican would also harm US consumers and that Canada would impose customs duties on strategically chosen products to politically “impact” the Republicans.
International
Climate-driven rains trigger one of Indonesia’s deadliest flood emergencies in years
A torrential monsoon season, compounded by two unusual tropical cyclones, has triggered intense rainfall in several regions since last week, including southern Thailand, northern Malaysia, and large parts of Indonesia.
Climate change has recently intensified rainfall patterns, as a warmer atmosphere is able to hold more moisture. In Indonesia, desperation is growing among those affected by the disaster due to the slow pace of rescue operations and the distribution of humanitarian aid.
Relief agencies warned that the scale of the emergency is nearly unprecedented, even for a country accustomed to frequent natural disasters.
Across the island of Sumatra, the death toll was revised downward to 770 fatalities and at least 463 people still missing as of Wednesday night. Earlier, the national disaster management agency had reported 804 deaths.
Gathering accurate information on the ground remains difficult, as many regions are still cut off due to flood damage, widespread power outages, communication failures, or a combination of all three.
International
Russian authorities ban Roblox citing child safety and moral concerns
Russia has blocked access to the U.S.-owned game creation platform Roblox, accusing it of distributing extremist materials and what authorities described as “LGBT propaganda,” state media reported on Wednesday.
The country has repeatedly threatened to ban certain foreign digital platforms, a move that human rights organizations view as part of broader efforts by authorities to tighten control over internet use.
In a statement released through Russian news agencies, the federal communications watchdog Roskomnadzor accused Roblox of hosting “inappropriate content that can negatively affect the spiritual and moral development of children.”
“The game exposes minors to sexual harassment, tricks them into sharing intimate photos, and encourages them to commit acts of depravity and violence,” the regulator claimed.
Last week, the same agency also threatened to ban WhatsApp, the country’s second most widely used messaging app, accusing it of failing to prevent criminal activity.
Roblox, which is owned by the U.S.-based Roblox Corporation, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to company data for 2024, the platform has around 100 million daily users worldwide, nearly 40% of whom are under the age of 13.
Other countries, including Qatar, Iraq and Turkey, have also restricted or banned Roblox, mainly over concerns about the safety of underage users. In the United States, the states of Texas and Louisiana have filed lawsuits against the platform on similar grounds.
International
El Chapo’s son Joaquín Guzmán López pleads guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges
Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the sons of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, pleaded guilty on Monday to drug trafficking charges in a U.S. court, months after his brother Ovidio reached a similar plea agreement, according to local media reports.
The defendant appeared before a federal court in Chicago early Monday afternoon and changed his previous plea in the case, the Chicago Tribune reported. U.S. authorities accuse him of forming, together with his three brothers, the cartel faction known as “Los Chapitos.”
The group is believed to have continued the operations of El Chapo, who has been serving a life sentence in the United States since 2019.
Guzmán López, 39, was arrested after landing in Texas in a small aircraft alongside cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
Juan Orlando Hernández’s family takes time to decide next steps after surprise U.S. release
Climate-driven rains trigger one of Indonesia’s deadliest flood emergencies in years
Russian authorities ban Roblox citing child safety and moral concerns
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America4 days agoHonduras’ China–Taiwan Future Hinges on Sunday’s Presidential Election
-
Central America3 days agoHonduras Extends Voting by One Hour Amid High Turnout, CNE Announces
-
International3 days agoHong Kong police arrest 13 over deadly high-rise fire that killed 151
-
International3 days agoSri Lanka and Indonesia deploy military as deadly asian floods kill over 1,000
-
International3 days agoTrump says asylum decision freeze will remain in place “for a long time”
-
International3 days agoChile enters runoff campaign with Kast leading and Jara seeking a last-minute comeback
-
International2 days agoVenezuela authorizes return flights as U.S. continues deportations amid rising tensions
-
International2 days ago20,000 rounds stolen from german army after driver leaves cargo unattended
-
International2 days agoEl Chapo’s son Joaquín Guzmán López pleads guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges
-
International8 hours agoRussian authorities ban Roblox citing child safety and moral concerns
-
International2 days agoTrump convenes National Security Council as U.S.–Venezuela tensions intensify
-
International8 hours agoClimate-driven rains trigger one of Indonesia’s deadliest flood emergencies in years
-
Sin categoría8 hours agoJuan Orlando Hernández’s family takes time to decide next steps after surprise U.S. release