Canada buying 88 American F-35 stealth fighters amid rising tensions with China and Russia



Canada has finalized a deal to purchase 88 F-35 stealth fighter jets from the United States, despite a 2015 campaign promise by then-Liberal candidate Justin Trudeau to scrap the Conservatives' F-35 fighter jet program.

This deal makes America's NORAD partner and NATO ally the last of the F-35 program's original eight partners to embrace the fifth-generation fighter, reported CNN. Canada previously invested over $600 million into the aircraft's development as part of the program.

What are the details?

The Canadian government announced on Monday that it would be procuring 88 F-35 fighter jets through an agreement with the U.S. government, Lockheed Martin, and American aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.

According to the National Post, the mandatory delivery criteria agreed upon by Lockheed Martin stipulates "the 9th fully mission capable future fighter platform will be delivered no earlier than 1 December 2025 and no later than 1 December 2027."

The deal is valued at roughly $14.2 billion USD or $19 billion CAD, constituting the Canada's largest investment in its air force in thirty years. Canadian defense firms have reportedly earned over $1.4 billion in contracts to build F-35 parts.

CTV News noted that the cost of purchasing and operating the jets over the course of the aircraft's projected 40-year lifespan may run Canadian taxpayers around $52 billion.

The first four jets are expected to be delivered in 2026, followed by an additional six in 2027, six more in 2028, and the remainder by 2032, thereby phasing out the Royal Canadian Air Force's McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet aircraft.

"The F-35 is a modern, reliable, and agile fighter aircraft used by our closest allies in missions across the globe. It is the most advanced fighter on the market, and it is the right aircraft for Canada," the National Defence Department said in a statement.

The RCAF indicated that this acquisition is a "positive step forward" that will enable it to "enforce Canada's sovereignty as outlined in Canada's Defence Policy and meet Canada's NORAD and NATO commitments for decades to come."

\u201cJust announced today: the F-35 will be Canada\u2019s future fighter aircraft! This positive step forward will allow us to enforce Canada\u2019s sovereignty as outlined in Canada\u2019s Defence Policy and meet Canada\u2019s NORAD and NATO commitments for decades to come.\u201d
— Royal Canadian Air Force (@Royal Canadian Air Force) 1673294292

Canada, like other American allies, has been growing increasingly wary about the threat of Chinese aggression, extra to the reality of Russian hostility.

Canada's Defence Minister Anita Anand provided geopolitical context for the purchase, writing, "As our world grows darker, with Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable attack on Ukraine, and China’s increasingly assertive behavior in the Indo-Pacific, this project has taken on heightened significance – especially given the importance of interoperability with our allies."

According to the U.S. State Department, American defense arrangements with Canada are more extensive than with any other country. Additionally, U.S. and Canadian military forces cooperate on continental defense within the framework of NORAD, the world's only binational military command.

In part due to this interoperability, Canada's aging air force and waning military capabilities have been cause for American concern in recent years. Former President Donald Trump called Canada "slightly delinquent" in 2019 for failing to live up to NATO's target for spending on defense.

The Toronto Star reported that former President Barack Obama similarly made an issue of Canadian's defense capabilities.

In 2021, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, underscored the need for "Canada's policies [to] reflect its words in terms of the treatment of China," adding that the northern nation and the U.S. had to improve their collaboration in taking on "the existential threat that is China."

Canada, which was not brought into AUKUS, a defense alliance composed of the U.S., the U.K., and Australia, may also have been spurred by President Joe Biden's suggestion to former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that the "United States has no closer or more reliable ally than Australia — our nations have been together for a long time."

Although it is unclear whether Canada will eventually join AUKUS, which Trudeau claimed was about nuclear submarines, the acquisition of the new F-35s will enable the Canadian military to more seamlessly operate alongside its allies, reported CTV News.

The purchase of the F-35s represents a significant about-face for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who criticized the previous Conservative government for considering the acquisition back when the Canadian-U.S. exchange rate was far more favorable.

\u201cTrudeau then: The F-35 is too expensive and Stephen Harper is bad for wasting Canadians' money on this.\n\nTrudeau now: The F-35 is great, this is our new jet fighter of the future.\u201d
— Rebel News (@Rebel News) 1673288497

Trudeau castigated the Conservatives for "cling[ing] to an aircraft [the F-35] that does not work and is far from working."

He told reporters in 2015, "The Conservative government never actually justified or explained why they felt Canada needed a fifth-generation fighter. They just talked about it like it was obvious. It was obvious, as we saw through the entire process, that they were particularly, and some might say unreasonably or unhealthily, attached to the F-35 aircraft."

Conservative defense critic James Bezan said with regards to Trudeau's change of heart, "This is a situation where he originally said he would never buy the F-35 and did everything in his power to stop it from actually happening, but at the end of the day, this is the only modern fighter jet that can deliver the capabilities Canada so desperately needs."

"And so here we are today, where Justin Trudeau has to eat crow and do what's right for Canada, do what's right for the Royal Canadian Air Force, and do it right for our NORAD and NATO allies," added Bezan.

Prince Andrew agrees to settlement in Jeffrey Epstein sex abuse case



Prince Andrew has settled out of court with a woman who accused him of sexual assault while she was under the control of international sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, reported CNBC.

The woman, Virginia Giuffre, previously sued Prince Andrew after accusing him of sexually assaulting her when she was just 17 years old.

Giuffre said that she was dedicated to “holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me.”

“The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions,” Giuffre said, “I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear but to reclaim one’s life by speaking out and demanding justice.”

The settlement amount was not disclosed in the court’s filing, but it did say that the prince will make “a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in support of victim’s rights.”

Prince Andrew’s legal team failed multiple attempts to get the suit against him dismissed, but now that the parties have settled, a dismissal is expected to come soon from the judge presiding over the case.

Giuffre’s attorney wrote, “The parties anticipate filing a stipulation of dismissal of the case within thirty (30) days. In the interim, the parties request that the court suspend all deadlines and hold the action in abeyance.”

A document attached to the attorney’s statement stated, “Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.”

It continued, “Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.”

The Telegraph reported that the prince’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, helped fund her son’s expensive legal fees. And the prince sold off an elaborate ski resort that he owned along with his ex-wife to help finance his defense.

After sitting for a poorly received interview with the BBC, Prince Andrew hired a high-power legal team, including Clare Montgomery, an attorney who formerly defended Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.

Last month, Prince Andrew was stripped of his military titles and various other honorifics that distinguished him as a member of England’s royal family.

The BBC reported that the prince is no longer permitted to use or be addressed as “His Royal Highness” in an official capacity.

Saudi Arabia hosts real-life 'Squid Game Experience' for tourists



In Riyadh, the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, people can now participate in the Squid Game Experience.

The Squid Game Experience is an immersive in person simulation of the popular Netflix series of the same name. The Saudi General Authority for Entertainment (GEA) organized this event so that attendees may experience six different games inspired by the series.

“Squid Game” is a Netflix original series set in the criminal underworld of South Korea. Men and women who are down on their luck agree to participate in a series of increasingly elaborate children’s games where if they lose the game they also lose their lives.

Beating out pandemic era favorites like “Tiger King” and “Bridgerton,” “Squid Game” is currently the most watched show in Netflix’s history with more than 100 million subscriber households watching the series in its first month, according to Forbes.

The experience is roughly identical to the events of the show with participants meeting enforcers clad in masks and red jumpsuits, participating in childhood games that test their skill and agility, and ends with the announcement of a winner.

The GEA provided a special location with an area of 9,582 square meters in Riyadh for the event to be housed. In just over a month, this space was filled with different zones for each one of the games available for the public to participate in.

That said, individuals participating in the Squid Game Experience need not worry about losing their lives should they misstep or lose a game.

There are no automated guns slaughtering people who lose at Red Light Green Light and if a team loses at Tug-of-War its members won’t plummet to their deaths.

Organizers of the Squid Game Experience were sure to prioritize the safety of each participant.

Most of the time, the event is sold out as it frequently attracts hundreds of Saudi residents and tourists each day.

“Squid Game” is extremely popular in Saudi Arabia. Restaurants in the capital city of Riyadh have even incorporated the show into the dining experience as family’s bring their children to revel in the novelty of being shot with a toy gun over dessert.

The Squid Game Experience runs until the end of March 2022 and participants must be at least 18-years-old.

Saudi Arabia has experienced immense growth in tourism in recent years. In 2021 there was $19.85 billion spent by tourists in Saudi Arabia. This is more than double the $9.32 billion spent in 2011. The capital city of Riyadh is now a hub for the international entertainment and food industries as more and more people seek luxury in Saudi Arabia.

U.S. Embassy warns people fleeing an active volcano about the COVID dangers associated with cruise ships



The CDC drew jeers and condemnation on social media Friday after evacuees fleeing an active volcano via a Royal Caribbean ship were warned that traveling on cruise ships is not advised due to a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

However, it appears a U.S. embassy might have made the call to remind the people running from eruptions of the latest coronavirus safety measures.

What are the details?

The Associated Press reported that the La Soufriere volcano on the island of St. Vincent has been shooting out explosions of gas and ash for the past week, sending tens of thousands of residents fleeing.

The last time the volcano put off similar blasts was more than a century ago, when some 1,700 people were killed. The current explosions have not yet caused any deaths, but the roofs of homes have collapsed from the weight of the fallen ash and a lot of water supplies have been contaminated.

The outlet reported that "British, U.S. and Canadian nationals were being evacuated aboard Royal Caribbean Cruises' Celebrity Reflection from the harbor in the Kingstown, capital of St. Vincent and the Grenadines."

The U.S. Embassy in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS, sent out a "natural disaster alert" notifying Americans on St. Vincent that they had coordinated with Royal Caribbean Cruises "for a transit opportunity" to depart the island on Friday and drop everyone off in St. Martin the next day.

Then, the embassy issued this warning:

CDC recommends against travel on cruise ships because the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is higher since the virus appears to spread more easily between people in close quarters aboard ships. See link to CDC guidance below.

In reaction, Royal Caribbean Blog tweeted out, "The CDC actually warned people fleeing a volcano that cruise ships are unsafe because of Covid-19."

The CDC actually warned people fleeing a volcano that cruise ships are unsafe because of Covid-19https://t.co/9bsSMgXpFm
— Royal Caribbean Blog (@Royal Caribbean Blog)1618603206.0

Most people on Twitter reacted with fury. One person joked that the CDC director's message was essentially, "I know you will probably burn to death but... floating Petri dish is bad."

Another wrote, "@CDCgov seems to be out of bounds lately. Volcano & all it's fireballs vs ship of supplies to help ppl dealing with the volcano (with limited exposure handing off goods). It's a no brainer. #Cruise."

Someone else chimed in, "So die in lava instead? Sure that's more safe."

But others said the whole thing was a big misunderstanding, and that the U.S. embassy made the call to include the CDC's latest guidance.

One person tweeted, "You're misinterpreting the posting from the US Embassy in Barbados. The Embassy was just repeating the latest CDC guidance, which was updated on the CDC website on April 2nd, which is also linked in the posting. The CDC guidance was NOT related to the eruption or evacuation."

Another added, "It is clear the CDC did NOT do that. The CDC guidance is for cruise ship travel in general. The embassy added the CDC guidance on cruise ships, I assume to be thorough and for people who have other choices to use those."

The Royal Canadian Legion is selling masks to support Canadian veterans

The Royal Canadian Legion is selling masks donning their logo. All proceeds are going to the Legion and Canada's Veterans. So far, they have become extremely popular. Nearly 40,000 have sold across the country.