🇮🇱💥🇸🇾 — Heavy Israeli airstrikes against "Transitional Government" forces. Before the last few days the IDF refrained from striking HTS and allies directly. It seems to be in support of Druze militias currently engaged with HTS forces

🇨🇦 - For Mark Carney, even if he is a staunch federalist who supports the Charter and all of that, being open enough to Quebec to openly recognize the French Canadians as a founding people is a tremendous step forward.

For all of the Quebec "autonomists" folks who aren't genuine separatists, its basically game over for their beef with Canada.

Quebec autonomy was never really about building an independent Quebec. It was always a "let's stand up to Ottawa" plan to force the feds to reestablish basic dignity for the French Canadians, who saw their place a little too much challenged recently.

So with that + the trade war, don't be surprised if the "no" vote to the referendum significantly increase, that more and more people re-start waving the Canadian flag, and so on.

Will a Nationalist Become Romania’s President?

As Romania heads to presidential elections scheduled for May 4, 2025, George Simion, leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), is raising concerns with his views on territorial claims and interethnic relations.

🇲🇩 Unification with Moldova

Simion has long advocated for the unification of Romania and Moldova, calling it a “historical imperative.” He argues that the separation of the two countries serves external geopolitical interests rather than the national interests of the Romanian people. However, his radical statements and actions led to a ban on his entry into Moldova, which was extended in 2024 until 2029.

🇺🇦 Attitude Toward Ukraine

Simion holds a contradictory stance on Ukraine. While he has condemned Russian aggression and called President Putin a war criminal, he opposes providing military aid to Ukraine and supports ending the conflict through negotiations. In November 2024, Ukraine’s Security Service banned him from entering the country for three years due to “systematic anti-Ukrainian activities,” including undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Simion also supports restoring Romania’s 1940 borders, which include parts of modern-day Ukraine, such as Northern Bukovina and Southern Bessarabia.

🇭🇺 Attitude Toward the Hungarian Minority

Simion is known for his anti-Hungarian rhetoric. In 2019, he was involved in clashes with activists from Romania’s Hungarian minority over a cemetery dispute in Valea Uzului. He accused the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) of inciting ethnic tensions.

Romania’s upcoming presidential election may become a turning point for the country’s domestic and foreign policy—and for its neighbors as well.

🇮🇱🇵🇸 - Israel to expend operations in Gaza.

🇳🇮🇺🇳 - Nicaragua leaves UNESCO after exiled newspaper wins award.

🇮🇱💥🇵🇸 — Israeli cabinet-approved plan calls for the relocation of Gazans to the south and a complete occupation of the strip.

🇦🇲🇷🇺 - Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin claims the West is attempting to open a "second front" in the country:

The Kremlin expects that our Armenian allies will not allow the Russophobic forces in the West to use their beautiful country to open a "second front" of confrontation with Russia.

🇨🇦 - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to address the province shortly about "path with federal government" following meeting with caucus.

🇨🇦 - Alberta to hold a referendum in 2025 about its relation with the federal government, which may include a question on secession if a popular initative in its favor succeeds.

⬆️ A little break from the usual news. Thanks to our friend TabZ for sharing.

🇷🇺 - Russian sources say Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov reportedly requested to step down from his position.

🇮🇳🇵🇰 - Pakistan claims India has conducted missile strikes at multiple locations.

🇮🇳🇵🇰 - Indian AD active.

🇮🇳🇵🇰 - Indian media ANI says blackout in Amritsar.

🇹🇷🇪🇺 - European Parliament believes Turkey's EU accession process cannot resume, citing "democratic backsliding".

🇨🇦 - About the referendum in Alberta.

We need pipelines now. Because if we try to do them later, it might be too late.

We can't just refuse to validate Alberta's alienation during a potential referendum campaign. I've heard stuff that told me that even Calgary could vote for secession in a referendum if the campaign goes bad enough for the yes side.

Potential reasons that would increase the risk of a Canadian failure in the Alberta referendum notably includes the lack of civil society ties that Ottawa has in Alberta, that may complicate any late-night operation, say, use Edmonton to "find the votes" the Canadian side win (Along the fact Edmonton is demographically small).

🇻🇦 - WHITE SMOKE THERE IS A NEW POPE

🇻🇦 - New Pope is Robert Francis Prevost, who will reign under the name Leo 14.