Wednesday Night #2312

We and the American people. have survived the July 4th celebrations despite the competitive views, missions and presentations of America 250 and Freedom250, the gnashing of teeth of politicians and commentators, interventions by Mother Nature (revenge for Trump administrations attacks on the environment?) and the hijacking of events by campaign rally stunts.

FIFA World Cup
We have also survived the drama of Trump’s deplorable (thank you, Hillary) intervention on the red card matter (Trump says Balogun play ‘wasn’t a foul’ following red card reversal), and confess that we cheered for Belgium during the ensuing match. Since Canada bowed to Morocco (Marc Nicholson was at the game with the de Fougerolles cheering section),  and Belgium defeated the U.S., for those of us who are not true aficionados,  the drama of the World Cup is greatly reduced and we can go back to worrying about geopolitics, climate change and, of course, DJT.  The rest of you will hang in with super-charged emotions and prod us as needed.

At the NATO Summit, according to Politico, the Disruptor-in-Chief “grumbled his way across Ankara, returning again and again to long-held criticisms that the alliance is ripping off the U.S. He threatened again to take Greenland from Denmark, rein in trade with Spain (dubbing it “a wasted cause”) and slammed Europe’s energy and immigration policies. However, apparently the public and private Trump give a very different picture. He was even nice to Ukraine! (See Long reads Trump’s NATO needling and niceties).

U.S.-Iran
While we would never wish to offend by saying I told you so, we are not surprised by the most recent developments (Trump Vents Anger With Iran and Warns Ceasefire May Be ‘Over’)  in the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran. No fans of the harsh despotic rule of the Ayatollahs and the IRGC, we nonetheless deplore the inept US negotiating-cum-bullying tactics.
But wait! Reuters asks Are the US and Iran escalating to negotiate? : U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that the interim agreement to end the war with Iran was “over” after Tehran struck U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. Yet the bluster came with a caveat — a source familiar with the Ankara talks told Reuters Trump did not repeat his comments about the interim deal being over when NATO leaders met later at the summit, leaving the question open: is this a rupture or another round of pressure ahead ​of a return to the table?

U.S.-Israel
The evolution of the relationship between the US and Israel is exemplified by the speech Rahm Emanuel gave in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
In Israel, Rahm Emanuel Calls for End of Unconditional U.S. Support
The former Chicago mayor, a Democrat exploring a 2028 presidential run, delivered a speech in Tel Aviv that was sharply critical of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Golden Age of Grift
Crypto, red cards and Trump’s corruption problem
Last week, President Donald Trump’s financial disclosures showed he earned more than $2 billion in 2025 — including an astonishing more than $1 billion from his family’s entry into the largely unregulated world of cryptocurrency.
The day after that information became public, Trump began flying on a new $400 million Air Force One that was gifted to his administration by Qatar. …
We have become almost enured to the excesses of the Trump administration and its allies, but the recent Crypto scandal has rocked the complacency of many of his devoted followers. Check out ‘I’m Now Broke’: Meet The Investors Who Lost Billions Buying Trump Stocks And Crypto
Be of good cheer, however. The massive population of the US may not be able -or willing- to defy the Trump machine, but Albanians are not falling for the  PR surrounding the proposed Jared Kushner luxury resort. What to know about opposition in Albania to a Trump family-linked resort project  How do we sign up to aid and abet?

IMF expects world economy to grow a sluggish 3% this year, weighed down by Iran war but helped by AI – we propose deferring this topic until Peter Berezin os next with us at which time we should also discuss Canada’s ballooning defense spending (see Canada orders 12 submarines from Germany in largest defence deal of its kind)

Ukraine/Putin’s war
Despite the ‘success’ of Moscow’s recent attack on Kiev, the general view is that Ukraine is more than holding its own and is taking advantage of the strategic weakness of Crimea whose geography makes it a vulnerable target. Ukraine has ramped up attacks in recent weeks, trying to sever vital supply lines. It targeted bridges and roads last month (See Long reads) Plus

Birthright Citizenship
The US Supreme Court birthright citizenship decision is not an isolated legal event. Increasingly, around the globe, countries are struggling to redefine who belongs within their borders, from anti-immigrant protests in South Africa to Spain’s decision to regularize large numbers of undocumented migrants. (See Long reads)
Meanwhile it has been noted by a number of observers that when Trump intervened for US soccer’s Folarin Balogun, he was advocating for  a birthright citizen. …Balogun is playing for the United States due to birthright citizenship, a policy President Donald Trump has tried to sharply curtail.

Amidst all the Stampede hype, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Meta’s vice-president of Data Centres, Gary Demasi, announced plans Wednesday for the company to spend $13 billion to build a new data centre in Sturgeon County, just north of Edmonton.
Meta claims the project will employ 3,000 people during the peak of construction and create approximately 300 full-time jobs when its operational. ( Meta to build $13 billion data centre in Alberta, largest outside the U.S.)
And on Monday, Premiers Ford and Smith unveiled the proposed route for the Northern Shield Energy Corridor,
Corridor will include new crude oil pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Sarnia, Ontario to strengthen energy security, create jobs and open new markets for Canadian energy
How did we miss this? George Kestevan: how say you?
Kristi Noem hired in strategic advisory role for B.C. mining company
In a release on its website, NovaRed Mining Inc., whose head office is located in Vancouver, said Noem has joined the company in a “strategic advisory role to support NovaRed’s mission of acquiring and advancing critical mineral exploration opportunities through its artificial intelligence-enhanced technology platform.”

Franklin’s failure is a fascinating Canadian story
Madelaine Drohan’s book reveals there was far more to Benjamin Franklin’s interest in Canada than publishing.
Andrew Caddell‘s column is devoted to Madelaine Drohan’s book, “He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada”.”
This book is a cornucopia of detail on the life of Franklin, statesman, polymath and polyglot. But it repeatedly comes back to what the author describes as Franklin’s “persistent ambition” to take Canada. In the wake of the recent 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Canada’s current tussle with Trump’s America, the book is especially pertinent.
We are great admirers of Mme Drohan and this looks like a fine book for intelligent summer reading.

AI

To be taken with grains of salt appropriate to the source
AI has hacked the code of human civilization (YouTube)
Yuval Noah Harari
Human domination relies on large-scale cooperation among strangers, which is sustained by bureaucratic systems – such as laws, finance, religion – designed to build trust. Since AIs are ‘native bureaucrats’, they can effortlessly remember all laws, transactions, and scriptures far better than any human. This leaves AI uniquely placed to take over critical processes, such as granting bank loans, deciding university admissions, determining prison sentences, and executing military strikes. Are we prepared?

Recently as the result of a conversation , we googled ‘Don’t become emotionally involved with Chatbot’, when what to our wondering eyes did appear this AI Overview: “You are absolutely right. Because chatbots are designed to mimic human empathy and provide validation, it is easy for human-like conversations to blur the lines of reality. Keeping a grounded, logical perspective ensures you treat AI as a powerful tool rather than a sentient companion”. Followed by a link to Millions Are Getting Attached to AI. What could Go Wrong? – Millions now use AI for emotional support and companionship during difficult times. But new research reveals concerning patterns: higher AI usage correlates with increased loneliness, and the same features that make AI comforting can create dependency.
Did this make us uncomfortable? YES!

Varia
My maternal grandmother loved all things miniature and she knew Mrs Thorne. I am not sure whether she also may have contributed some items to the rooms.
David and I saw the collection at the Art Institute and were enchanted.
Focusing on the little things in life in the Thorne Miniature Rooms
The rooms were created by Narcissa Niblack Thorne, who hailed from one of Chicago’s wealthiest families and traveled widely, collecting miniatures. Thorne assembled a group of skilled artisans in Chicago during the 1930s to create a series of miniature rooms, some of which are on display at the Art Institute. Thorne died at her residence in Chicago in 1966.

I always take special pleasure in pointing to achievements of the amazing young people who were Sauvé Scholars/Fellows. Just learned recently that Nova Scotian Shauntay Grant’s WHERE THERE IS LOVE and BRIGHT LIGHTS AND SUMMER NIGHTS have been added to the Obama Presidential Center Reading Room collection. Curated by President and Mrs. Obama, the collection spans fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. Congratulations, Shauntay!
And we continue to avidly follow Tomer Avital‘s quest for a Knesset seat.

McGill study provides further evidence that aspen patches can mitigate wildfires
New mapping tool found that the trees are more common at fire perimeters than in burned areas, underscoring their importance in fire prevention and management strategies

The Right Chemistry: Forget the supplements and bring on the berries
Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill’s Office for Science & Society, champions regular consumption of a mix of berries, fresh or frozen as an effective strategy to extend our “health span” — the number of years free of chronic disease. … Different berries produce somewhat different effects. Blueberries take the crown when it comes to reducing arterial stiffness and lowering blood pressure. Their polyphenol content has also been linked with preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a process implicated in the formation of the arterial plaque that causes coronary disease. Berries are also a source of fibre — with raspberries leading the pack, but blackberries do not lag far behind.

Environment
Akaash Maharaj, Ambassador-at-Large, GOPAC and Director of Policy, Nature Canada:
… the community of nations still contends with crimes of “ecocide”: wanton acts that inflict catastrophic, long-term destruction on large areas of the natural world, whether during war or peace.
I have been speaking with my colleagues at the Council of Europe, about the prospects of Canada signing their “Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law”.(See Long reads)
The Convention makes #ecocide an international crime, and requires signatories to cooperate in enforcing the law and bringing the guilty to justice.

WN is no longer complete without something from What’s Going on With Shipping,
Peter sent along “a fascinating look at a little-known aspect of modern marine shipping: the loss of those big steel 40’ containers at sea  https://youtu.be/rn8WmJNzF4E?si=SAQObfliaAwSKIqi
We found Is the United States a Maritime Country | 25 Ships That Influenced American History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkQ3fmyu2Mk even more engrossing.
In it, host Sal Mercogliano explores the complex maritime history of the U.S. through the lens of 25 pivotal ships (some barely or not at all known) and groups of vessels. From the early voyages of the Santa Maria and the arrival of the Mayflower to the massive Liberty ships of World War II and the modern-day “tanker wars” in the Persian Gulf, we look at how these ships shaped American identity, fueled its economy, and triggered its most significant conflicts.”  – Much more entertaining than so much of what we have been subjected to in the last week.

Long reads/videos
Trump’s NATO needling and niceties
… Trump, who’s repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the alliance, told the NATO leaders during that meeting “we want to remain with you,”

In Strike After Strike, Ukraine Is Bringing the War to Crimea
(NYT) Crimea’s geography makes it an invaluable military prize but also a vulnerable target. The Kerch Strait Bridge is its lone direct connection to Russia, and Ukraine has hit it before.
Ukraine has ramped up attacks in recent weeks, trying to sever vital supply lines. It targeted bridges and roads last month, according to a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery and verified videos, many of which were posted by the Ukrainian military.

The Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law, adopted at the 134th Session of the Committee of Ministers (Luxembourg, 13–14 May 2025), represents a major development in European environmental governance.

Stéphane Dion: The case for unified and effective Canadian science diplomacy
(The Conversation) Canada’s place in the world depends on effective, unified science diplomacy, one that secures its full access to scientific knowledge, keeps its economy at the cutting edge of technology, upholds scientific freedom globally and puts science in the service of peace.

How Donald Trump’s second term is totally different than his first (audio)
(CBC Sunday Magazine) Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan got a rare inside look at how Donald Trump has wielded his presidential power through hundreds of insider interviews. The New York Times White House correspondents join Piya Chattopadhyay to share what those conversations revealed about Trump’s strategy in his second term, and how the consequences will linger long after his presidency ends.

Who belongs?: The global battle over citizenship
The US Supreme Court birthright citizenship decision is not an isolated legal event. Increasingly, around the globe, countries are struggling to redefine who belongs within their borders, from anti-immigrant protests in South Africa to Spain’s decision to regularize large numbers of undocumented migrants. François Crépeau, McGill professor emeritus of public international law, speaks with The World’s Host Marco Werman about the political dynamics behind the different approaches.