Author: Horace Hines

The United States, South Korea, and Japan held their first ever combined aerial exercise Sunday in an effort to send a tough message to North Korea. It’s not new for the United States to hold aerial drills with Japan or with South Korea. But the three countries had never held such an exercise together until Sunday. That’s when a U.S. B-52 bomber flew alongside Japanese and South Korean fighter jets just south of the Korean Peninsula. Philip Goldberg, the U.S. ambassador to Seoul, called it a “new era” in defense ties. Though Japan and South Korea are both close U.S.…

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development is seeking a specialist in Alaska Native language education to create state standards for reading in Alaska Native languages for students from kindergarten through third grade. Currently there is no standard to gauge reading competency in Alaska Native languages. State law allows for reading instruction in Alaska Native languages, but without standards it is difficult for school districts to communicate progress to the state government. Education officials say the standards will support Alaska Native language instruction in the state. Joel Isaak, the director of tribal affairs for the Alaska Department of Education,…

While Canada is free of African swine fever (ASF) and has never had a reported case of this devastating disease, prevention and preparation for its potential introduction into Canada is necessary for protecting Canadian pigs and the pork industry. Today, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced an important milestone in its approach to protect the trade of live pigs, pork and pork products in the event of an outbreak in Canada. In support of the Canadian ASF Compartment Program and following a consultation done in 2022, the CFIA released National Standards and a National Framework to guide industry in…

Dozens of Air Canada pilots held an informational picket at YYC Airport, as the airline cuts routes. The airport is losing flights to Cancun, Ottawa, Halifax, Los Angeles and Honolulu. Saturday wad also the last direct flight to Frankfurt. “We find that concerning for ourselves as pilots, we find it concerning for Canadians,” said First Officer Charlene Hudy, Air Canada Pilots Association. The pilots worry losing those routes could impact the sustainability of Canada’s aviation network. Their CBA expired on September 29th, and in their next contract they want to see strides made towards better career progression, aviation safety and…

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced changes to the federal carbon policy to reduce the cost for rural Canadians. Specifically, the change exempts home heating oil from the carbon tax for the next three years. This primarily impacts households in the Atlantic provinces, an important voting region. The government will also increase the rebate received by rural Canadians. This announcement has resulted in the two extreme sides of the carbon tax debate finally both agreeing: agreeing that it’s a bad decision. Advocates of the tax, and environmentalists, feel betrayed, and the opposition says it justifies their worst fears about…

Turkish citizen Koray Vural was kidnapped in Dushanbe, Turkish media reported. The Tajik authorities have not yet confirmed or denied this information. The Kronoso website wrote on September 17 in Turkish that Koray Vural was the director of one of the Tajik-Turkish lyceums in Dushanbe and, after the lyceum was closed, was engaged in business. The publication, according to Vural’s relatives, reported that the entrepreneur was detained on the morning of September 16 by a group of 8 people from Turkish restaurant “Özyurt” in Dushanbe. Media close to Fatthullah Gülen, including Samanyolu TV, reported that Koray Vural was kidnapped by the…

The United States on Friday extended temporary deportation relief status through 2025 for Cameroonians living in the United States, citing armed conflict and human rights abuses in the Central African country. The redesignation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was extended for 18 months from Dec. 8 through June 7, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security said, adding this would also allow students with Cameroonian citizenship to seek work permits. Cameroonians last year received TPS status, which grants immigrants who cannot return to their countries safely due to extraordinary circumstances the ability to stay and work in the United…

The plane flown by the husband of Alaska U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola was carrying a load of moose meat from a remote hunting camp when it crashed, killing him earlier this week, authorities said. Eugene Peltola Jr., 57, was the only person aboard the small plane when it crashed late Tuesday. Two hunters who were at the camp in western Alaska at the time provided medical care, authorities have said. The chairperson of the National Transportation Safety Board had previously said the plane appeared to have crashed under unknown circumstances upon takeoff after Peltola dropped off a hunter and equipment about…

Two Vietnamese activists who the Biden administration believes were wrongly detained by the country’s Communist government are relocating to the United States under an agreement negotiated ahead of the president’s recent visit to Hanoi, U.S. officials told Reuters. A human rights lawyer who campaigned for accountability for police abuses, a Catholic parishioner evicted from his home, and their families are exiting Vietnam for the United States, one of the officials said. In the United States, the families are expected to seek resettlement under the “Priority 1” refugee program. The activists were not imprisoned, but had been barred from leaving Vietnam.…

The United States will continue deporting Haitian migrants back to their country, a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday, amid worsening gang warfare that prompted it a day earlier to urge its own citizens to evacuate. “Removals of Haitian nationals encountered at our southern border and repatriation of Haitian nationals encountered at sea continue,” the spokesperson said, noting the Biden administration had expanded parole processes for Haitian migrants. “Those interdicted at sea are subject to immediate repatriation, and those encountered in the United States without a legal basis to remain are subject to removal,” they said.…