Israeli strike on Gaza hospital kills Hamas leader, teen, officials say
An Israeli air strike on a hospital in southern Gaza has killed at least two people, including a senior Hamas official and a 16-year-old boy, Hamas and health officials have said. Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, was killed while undergoing treatment at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis late on Sunday, Hamas said in a statement. “We condemn this latest crime, which adds to the occupation’s long record of terrorism, violating sanctities, lives and medical facilities,” the Palestinian armed group said in a statement. “It reaffirms its disregard for all international laws and conventions and its continued policy of systematic killing against our people and leadership.” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Barhoum had been the target of the attack. Israel’s military said the attack had been carried out with “precise munitions in order to mitigate harm”, following an “extensive intelligence-gathering process”. “Hamas exploits civilian infrastructure while brutally endangering the Gazan population – cynically using an active hospital as a shelter for planning and executing murderous terrorist attacks in a direct violation of international law,” the military said in a statement. Advertisement Barhoum’s assassination came just hours after Hamas said Israeli forces had killed Salah al-Bardawil, another member of the group’s political bureau, along with his wife, in a strike on a tent shelter in Khan Younis. Israel has killed four members of Hamas’s political bureau since Tuesday, when its forces resumed major military operations in the enclave following a weeks-long impasse over the next stage of its ceasefire with Hamas. Footage from outside Nasser Hospital showed a fireball exploding from the building’s upper floors as an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Rami Abu Taima was preparing to do a live broadcast at the scene. Reporting from Gaza’s Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said at least eight other Palestinians were wounded in the attack, all of whom had been receiving treatment for previous injuries. Khoudary said doctors at the hospital reported spending hours putting out fires in the department targeted in the attack. “Hospitals across the Gaza Strip are overwhelmed. There are no medical supplies or medicine as the Israeli forces continue to close the border crossing for 21 days now,” Khoudary said. “The situation is also escalating in different parts of the Gaza Strip, especially Beit Layhia in the north and Rafah in the southern parts of the Gaza Strip.” Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma surgeon volunteering at Nasser Hospital, said the 16-year-old boy killed in the attack was one of his patients. “I operated on him. I believe on March 18, I did an abdominal operation. He probably would have gone home tomorrow, but now he’s dead,” Sidhwa told Al Jazeera. Advertisement Sidhwa said the surgical ward for male patients had been destroyed and would need to be completely rebuilt. “The whole hospital smells like smoke now,” he said. “The [ward’s] entire electrical system was destroyed. Every door was blown off its hinges. Most of the windows were shattered. The ceiling has collapsed. It’s completely unusable. It’s going to have to be torn out and redone.” Sidhwa criticised Israeli forces for targeting the hospital. “Benjamin Netanyahu has been ill recently. Well, he stands accused of genocide. Nobody thinks Hamas can bomb a hospital because Benjamin Netanyahu happens to go there. That’s crazy,” Sidhwa said. “That’s completely insane. You don’t bomb hospitals. Everybody knows that.” Israeli forces have killed more than 600 people since resuming their assault on the enclave, including dozens within the last 24 hours, according to Palestinian health officials. On Sunday, the official death toll in Gaza since the start of the war topped 50,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, a figure that many experts believe is likely an undercount of the true number. Adblock test (Why?)
South Korean court reinstates impeached prime minister as acting president
Judges overturn impeachment of Han Duck-soo in latest twist in saga set off by Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law decree. South Korea’s Constitutional Court has reinstated impeached Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president, the latest twist in the meandering political saga set off by the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. The Constitutional Court of Korea ruled that Han’s impeachment should be dismissed in a 7-1 vote on Monday, restoring him to the country’s highest office, while the eight justices separately consider the fate of Yoon, who was suspended from office after briefly imposing martial law on December 3. Five of the court’s judges found that there were not sufficient grounds to impeach Han, 75, though the impeachment motion against him was valid. Two justices ruled that the legislature’s impeachment motion lacked legitimacy from the start as it had been only backed by 192 of 300 lawmakers, instead of a two-thirds majority. After being appointed acting president following Yoon’s impeachment on December 14, Han was himself suspended from his duties less than two weeks later over his refusal to appoint three more justices to the Constitutional Court. Advertisement In a televised address after the ruling, Han expressed gratitude to the court for its “wise decision” and pledged to focus on navigating the geopolitical challenges facing his country. “I believe that all citizens are clearly speaking out against the highly polarised political sphere. I think there is no place for division now. Our country’s priority is to move forward,” Han said. The decision comes as the Constitutional Court is yet to rule on whether to confirm Yoon’s impeachment or restore his presidential powers. The court has been deliberating Yoon’s fate since mid-December and a decision is widely anticipated to arrive within days. At least six of eight justices must uphold Yoon’s impeachment to permanently remove him from office. If Yoon is stripped of the presidency, an election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Yoon is separately facing criminal charges, including insurrection, in connection with his short-lived martial law decree. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted. Adblock test (Why?)
Could Israeli violence ignite a wider conflict in the Middle East?
Gaza and Lebanon are under attack while the US bombs Yemen. Violence intensifies in the Middle East. Israel bombs Lebanon again as the United States carries out fresh attacks on Yemen’s Houthis – all while Israel resumes its genocide in Gaza. With previous fragile ceasefires now shattered, what’s the danger of a wider regional conflict? Presenter: Nick Clark Guests: Alon Pinkas – Former Israeli consul general in New York Randa Slim – Project director of the Middle East Track II Dialogues Initiative at the Wilson Center Nicholas Noe – Editor-in-chief of the Beirut-based news service Mideastwire.com Adblock test (Why?)
Portugal defeat Denmark in extra time to reach Nations League semifinals
Portugal overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to beat Denmark 5-2 after extra time, setting up a semifinal with Germany. Portugal’s Francisco Trincao came off the bench to score twice and Cristiano Ronaldo also netted as they beat Denmark 5-2 after extra time for a 5-3 aggregate win that set up a Nations League semifinal against Germany. Ronaldo bounced back from missing an early penalty to play a crucial role in his team’s recovery on Sunday, and though he had to watch extra time from the bench, he continued to drive the crowd on as Portugal finally found a way to end Denmark’s resistance. With the Danes leading the tie 1-0 thanks to Rasmus Hojlund’s goal in Thursday’s first leg in Copenhagen, and fullback Joakim Maehle having left the camp to attend the birth of his child, his replacement, Patrick Dorgu, handed Portugal an early gift, bundling over Ronaldo to concede a penalty in the third minute. Ronaldo stepped up to take the spot kick himself, but Denmark keeper Kasper Schmeichel won the battle of nerves and got down smartly to his left to deny the Portuguese captain. Ronaldo almost made amends in the 17th minute, ghosting in at the far post to head a ball from Nuno Mendes at goal but again Schmeichel got the better of him. Advertisement Portugal eventually took the lead on the night in the 38th minute, thanks to an own goal from Danish defender Joachim Andersen, who headed a corner won by Ronaldo into his own net. That goal was cancelled out by a Rasmus Kristensen header from a corner of their own in the 56th minute, and though Ronaldo gave the home side the lead again with a finish from a tight angle, Christian Eriksen put Denmark back in front on aggregate in the 76th minute. Trincao then took over, scoring in the 86th minute to make it 3-3 on aggregate and force extra time before netting again with a superb clipped finish in the 91st to put his side in the driving seat. Denmark defended heroically but ran out of steam after Trincao’s second goal, and substitute Goncalo Ramos added the coup de grace with Portugal’s fifth to send them through to the last four. Portugal’s semifinal opponents, Germany, survived a spirited second-half fightback from Italy, letting a three-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 in Dortmund on Sunday, before reaching the last four 5-4 on aggregate. The result not only secured Germany a first-ever Nations League semifinal spot, but it means the remainder of the tournament will be held on German soil, in Stuttgart and Munich in June. Nations League holders Spain reached the final four with a 5-4 win on penalties against the Netherlands, after a thrilling 3-3 quarterfinal second-leg draw on Sunday (5-5 on aggregate). In sudden death, Donyell Malen missed and Barcelona’s Pedri slotted home to settle a gripping match in which the Netherlands came from behind three times to force the shootout. Advertisement France beat Croatia 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Sunday to seal a place in the final four after their quarterfinal tie had ended 2-2 on aggregate. Les Bleus won 2-0 on the night at Stade de France to wipe out their first-leg deficit, with Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele scoring their goals in normal time. Dayot Upamecano converted their winning penalty in the shootout to set up a semifinal in June against Spain. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli cabinet casts no-confidence vote against attorney general
Critics see the no-confidence vote as part of broader moves to weaken judicial checks on Netanyahu’s government. Israel’s cabinet has passed a vote of no confidence against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, the country’s justice minister has said, in a first step in the removal of yet another vocal critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government. The vote on Sunday comes just two days after the government dismissed Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet, the country’s internal security agency – a decision later frozen by the Supreme Court. Baharav-Miara, the country’s most senior legal official, is accused of “inappropriate behaviour” and of “ongoing substantial differences of opinion between the government and the attorney general, which prevents effective collaboration”, according to the prime minister’s office. The attorney general, who did not attend the cabinet meeting, refuted the claims and accused the government of trying to operate above the law. The vote of no confidence aimed at gaining “limitless power, as part of a wider move to weaken the judicial branch” and to “promote loyalty to the government”, she said in a letter sent to the cabinet ahead of the vote. Advertisement The vote does not translate into her dismissal yet. A committee will review the arguments and hold a hearing to consider the case. Should the committee fail to support her removal, the Supreme Court could still block it. People protest against moves by the Israeli government to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the dismissal of Shin Bet chief, Ronen Bar, as a cabinet meeting is taking place, in Jerusalem [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters] The attempted dismissal of both the Shin Bet chief and the attorney general has attracted thousands of protesters who say the unprecedented moves are a threat to democracy and part of a crackdown on the few remaining voices critical of Netanyahu. The prime minister, meanwhile, has cited an “ongoing lack of trust” in Bar, who is expected to testify on April 8. Netanyahu has insisted it is up to the government to decide who will head Shin Bet. Critics say the prime minister moved against Bar due to his criticism of the government over the security failure that allowed Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, the deadliest day in the country’s history. They also allege that Netanyahu’s ongoing bribery trial is at play. Shin Bet has investigated Netanyahu’s close associates on suspicion of receiving money linked to Qatar. Bar said in a letter that his ouster was motivated by a desire to halt the “pursuit of truth” about the events leading up to October 7. Shin Bet this month released a report that acknowledged it should have thwarted the Hamas-led assault while criticising Netanyahu for helping to create the conditions for the attacks. Advertisement Netanyahu’s office has dismissed such accusations as “fake news”. Adblock test (Why?)
Ronaldo has ‘no problem’ with Hojlund’s ‘Siu’ celebration in Nations League
Portugal captain hopes to show Hojlund and Denmark his celebration as both sides meet in the Nations League quarters. Cristiano Ronaldo has responded to Rasmus Hojlund’s imitation of his famous “Siu” celebration, saying it was an honour to see the Denmark striker mimic it during their UEFA Nations League clash. “For me, it was not a problem,” Ronaldo said on Saturday, before the second leg of their quarterfinal. “I knew that this was not because he did not have respect for me. “I’m smart enough to understand that not only him but around the world people from other sports also do my celebration,” the Portuguese star told reporters before the clash on Sunday. “For me, it is an honour. “But [on Sunday] I hope that he can see my celebration. It is OK for me. If I score, it’s good for me, but if I don’t score and someone else scores, that’s fine with me.” Hojlund scored the winning goal against Portugal in the first leg of their quarterfinal on Thursday and leapt up in the air for his own version of the “Siu” celebration but said he was not trying to make fun of his “idol”. The Manchester United forward’s 78th-minute strike earned Denmark a 1-0 first-leg win over Ronaldo’s Portugal, with the 40-year-old veteran striker completely frozen out at the other end on a frustrating night. Advertisement “I’m playing against the world’s best footballer, my idol, and to score and become the [match] winner, it couldn’t be better,” Hojlund told Denmark’s TV2. “It was not to mock him or anything, I’ve always said he has had great importance for me and my football career. “Scoring against him and Portugal is huge, I went to see him in 2009, where he scored from a free kick, and I’ve been a fan ever since.” Rasmus Hojlund, right, celebrates after scoring for Denmark during the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarterfinal against Portugal at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on March 20, 2025 [Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP] ‘No need to be nervous’ Meanwhile, Ronaldo acknowledged the pressure surrounding Portugal as they look to overturn the deficit. The Al-Nassr striker was highly critical of himself and his team’s performance in the first leg in Copenhagen but he is confident the home crowd can play a key role in turning the tie around. “The air is more tense. I’m not hiding it. We’re in a tense moment because we need to win, but that’s the beautiful thing about football,” Ronaldo told reporters on Saturday. “Tomorrow, I’m calling on the fans to be with us. Let them give us their strength, because we’re going to try to do our best. “I’ve lost games in 90 minutes, but I’ve never lost in the first leg. There are games like that, there are bad days. I didn’t play at all the other day, the team didn’t play at all, but it’s part of life. “Tomorrow I want to leave the Alvalade Stadium with my head held high. If I score, I’ll be happy, but if I don’t score, let someone else score, what I want is for Portugal to win.” Advertisement Ronaldo denied any lack of attitude in the team and was confident they could unite and progress to the semifinals. “There’s always attitude in the national team. Technical aspects, of course, but other things were lacking too. That’s football, you can’t always play well,” he said. “There’s no need to be nervous. The past is the past. I know there are a lot of people who want us to lose, but if the few who are there are united and have good energy, I’m sure we’ll get a great result tomorrow. “We lost the game and played badly, but we have the second leg tomorrow. Calm down. Think positive and think that things will go well.” Adblock test (Why?)
Pope Francis leaves hospital after first public appearance in five weeks
Pope calls for an immediate end to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza as he arrives home at the Vatican. Pope Francis has arrived home at the Vatican after leaving the Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, shortly after making his first public appearance following a five-week long hospitalisation for life-threatening bout of pneumonia. The 88-year-old, who was admitted on February 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened, greeted his well-wishers on Sunday from a balcony of Gemelli hospital before his discharge. Using a wheelchair, as he has for several years, the pope smiled, waved, and made a sign of a thumbs up at a group of well-wishers gathered outside below. The pope, whose face looked swollen, appeared only for a few moments. Francis spoke briefly, with a feeble voice, to thank one an elderly woman among the crowd below, who had brought yellow flowers. Later, a car carrying Francis left the hospital shortly after noon, and was accompanied through Rome by a convoy of police vehicles. Pope Francis appears in public for the first time in five weeks. [Handout/Vatican Media via Reuters] Call for end to Israeli strikes As he was being discharged, the Vatican released the Pope’s Angelus prayer calling for an “immediate” end to Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, and for the resumption of dialogue for the release of captives and a “definitive ceasefire”. Advertisement “I am saddened by the resumption of the intense Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, with so many deaths and injuries”, Francis wrote. “I ask that the weapons be silenced immediately and that the courage be found to resume dialogue so that all the hostages can be freed and a definitive ceasefire reached”, said Francis, who was set to return to the Vatican on Sunday. “The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is once again very serious and requires the urgent commitment of the conflicting parties and the international community,” he said. Francis had only been seen by the public once before during his hospital stay, in a photo the Vatican released last week, showing the pontiff at prayer in a hospital chapel. In the moments before the pontiff’s appearance on Sunday, the crowd of hundreds of well-wishers called out for the pope, chanting “Francis, Francis, Francis”. On Saturday, one of the doctors treating him said the head of the Roman Catholic Church would be discharged from hospital on Sunday and would need two months of rest at the Vatican. Adblock test (Why?)
Why are there protests in Turkiye? What to know
Tens of thousands in cities around Turkiye protested on Saturday against the arrest of a prominent opposition politician. Citizens defied a ban on gathering and took to the streets, with supporters of the opposition politician describing the charges as politicised. These are Turkiye’s largest protests in more than a decade. Here’s what you need to know about the mass protests and what’s happening in Turkiye. Protesters gather outside the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building on March 19, 2025 [Murad Sezer/Reuters] Why are there protests in Turkiye? People took to the streets over the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul’s mayor and a potential opposition candidate in the upcoming Turkish presidential election. His supporters say the charges are politicised and aimed at blocking him from running for president in three years. Some protesters however say this is bigger than Imamoglu and represents wider struggles, including concerns with democracy, the economy, education, and healthcare systems. Advertisement When did the protests start? The protests began on Wednesday, the same day Imamoglu was arrested, with thousands gathering at Istanbul University to decry the arrest. They have continued since, with the largest protest to date on Saturday evening. Who is Ekrem Imamoglu and what happened to him? He is the mayor of Istanbul and a potential candidate in the next presidential election with the Republican People’s Party (CHP). The 53-year-old took office in 2019 and was re-elected in 2024. On March 19, Imamoglu was arrested, with more than 100 other people, by Turkish police on charges of corruption and allegedly aiding an outlawed political group. A day earlier, Istanbul University had revoked his degree, which would make him ineligible for running for president. He had a bachelor’s in business administration and a master’s in human resource management. The university claimed there were irregularities in his diploma after he transferred from a private university in northern Cyprus. The move came just days before the CHP was set to choose its candidate in the 2028 presidential election. Imamoglu has been jailed for corruption charges that supporters dispute [Murad Sezer/Reuters] What has he been charged with? Imamoglu was initially charged with corruption, bribery and “terrorism”. Istanbul prosecutors said Imamoglu led a criminal organisation engaging in systematic fraud, bid-rigging, embezzlement, and bribery, according to Anadolu Agency (AA), the Turkish newswire. He was also accused of aiding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkiye, the United States and the European Union consider a terrorist group. Advertisement “Prosecutors allege that Imamoglu took part in an ‘urban consensus’ initiative tied to the People’s Democratic Congress [HDK], a pro-terrorist PKK entity, before Turkiye’s March 2024 local elections,” AA reported. According to Turkish media, the “urban consensus” was an effort to give Kurdish actors more influence in municipal politics. On Sunday, the court ruled that Imamoglu be jailed without bail pending trial on the corruption charges. The “terrorism” charges, however, were dropped. A Turkish court held up the corruption charges, saying: “Although there is a strong suspicion of aiding an armed terrorist organisation, since it has already been decided that he will be arrested for financial crimes, (his arrest) is not deemed necessary at this stage.” Since Imamoglu was not charged with “terror” charges, the court won’t be able to appoint a government trustee to the municipality of Istanbul, Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu reported, adding that the mayor will be elected from within the municipal council. A police officer uses crowd control spray to disperse demonstrators during a protest against the detention of Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkiye, March 22, 2025 [Murad Sezer/Reuters] What did he say about these charges so far? Imamoglu denied the charges. “I see today during my interrogation that I and my colleagues are faced with unimaginable accusations and slanders,” Imamoglu said Saturday in his defence during a hearing, according to a document seen by the Reuters news agency. “I strongly reject all allegations.” Advertisement He has posted on his page on X, formerly Twitter, thanking international actors for supporting him and the protesters who have taken to the streets. A mother’s heart speaks the deepest truth. For all the mothers and the children of Türkiye and their future, we must persevere. pic.twitter.com/lto9h8TCcd — Ekrem İmamoğlu (International) (@imamoglu_int) March 20, 2025 What did President Erdogan say? On Friday, Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a public speech where he said the justice system should be allowed to do its job without interference. He denounced the protests, labelling them as “street terror” and saying: “We will not accept the disruption of public order. “Pointing to the streets instead of courtrooms to defend theft, plunder, lawlessness and fraud is a grave irresponsibility,” Erdogan said. “Just as we have not surrendered to street terrorism until now, we will not bow to vandalism in the future, either.” CHP’ye çökmüş bir avuç paragözün asırlık partiyi parmağında oynatması, “Gazi’nin emaneti” diyerek CHP’ye oy veren insanlarımızı da üzüyor. Emin olun, samimi CHP’li vatandaşlarımız da İSKİ skandalından 32 yıl sonra aynı rezilliklere tekrar şahit olmayı içlerine sindiremiyor. pic.twitter.com/1D4UVCWoOe — Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) March 22, 2025 Translation: The fact that a handful of greedy people who have become attached to the CHP are manipulating the century-old party is also upsetting our people who voted for the CHP, saying it is “the legacy of the Ghazi”. Be assured, our sincere CHP citizens cannot stomach witnessing the same disgrace again 32 years after the İSKİ scandal. How big are the protests? At least tens of thousands have taken to Istanbul’s streets. Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel said more than 300,000 people had joined the protest, and they had gathered at several places across the country’s largest city due to the road and bridge closures preventing people from all being in one place. Advertisement These are Istanbul’s biggest anti-government protests since the Gezi Park demonstrations in 2013. Protesters threw stones and flares at Turkish police, who responded with pepper spray. In Turkiye’s capital Ankara, protesters were met with police water cannons and tear gas. Ali Yerlikaya, Turkiye’s interior minister, said 323 people had been
US wants to negotiate with Iran on nuclear programme: US envoy
Tehran accuses US of bullying tactics as nuclear deal uncertainty deepens under Trump’s renewed pressure campaign. US President Donald Trump’s outreach to Iran’s Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on a possible new nuclear deal is an attempt to avoid direct military action, US special envoy Steve Witkoff has said. “We don’t need to solve everything militarily,” Witkoff told Fox News on Sunday. “Our signal to Iran is ‘Let’s sit down and see if we can, through dialogue, through diplomacy, get to the right place’. If we can, we are prepared to do that. And if we can’t, the alternative is not a great alternative.” Witkoff’s comments come after Trump said on March 7 that he sent a letter to the Iranian leadership seeking to engage in talks over Iran’s nuclear activities and warning of potential military action if it refused. The approach was slammed by Khamenei, who said Iran was not going to engage with a “bully”. Trump has also threatened Tehran over any support for the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, who have resumed their military support for Palestinians by targeting Israel after it blockaded aid and then resumed its war in Gaza. Advertisement Amid intense US air strikes on Yemen last week, Trump said the US will hold Tehran responsible for any attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, dismissing Iran’s insistence that the group operates independently. Talks with the US are impossible unless Washington changes its pressure policy the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday. On Thursday, he said that the letter was “actually more of a threat”, and that Tehran would respond soon. There is little trust in Iran in US negotiation commitments after Trump in 2018 pulled the US out of a landmark nuclear deal – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – imposing instead additional sanctions on Iran. The JCOPA was signed with world powers in 2015 to curb Iran’s nuclear deal in exchange for sanctions relief. Since Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the accord, Iran has accelerated its enrichment of uranium to up to 60 percent purity – a step away from the 90 percent level needed for weapons-grade uranium. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which carries out inspections of Iranian nuclear sites, Iran has amassed enough fissile material for multiple bombs, but has made no effort to build one. While Trump has hinted at the desire to negotiate with Iran since returning to the White House earlier this year, he has reinstated a “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran. And on Wednesday, senior White House officials again said Iran must do away with its nuclear programme entirely, leaving all uranium enrichment activity, even at low levels. Advertisement That, along with Trump’s threats of military action against Iran, has prompted calls from within Iran to abandon its officially stated policy that it will never pursue nuclear weapons. Adblock test (Why?)
Canada’s PM Carney triggers snap election, vote set for April 28
Montreal, Canada – Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney has moved to dissolve Parliament and trigger a snap election on April 28. The widely anticipated decision on Sunday kicks off an election race less than two weeks after Carney took up his post, succeeding Justin Trudeau at a time of soaring tensions with the United States. “We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President [Donald] Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” the Liberal Party leader told reporters in Ottawa after he met with the governor general to request parliament’s dissolution. “I’m asking Canadians for a strong, positive mandate to deal with President Trump and to build a new Canadian economy that works for everyone because I know we need change – big change, positive change.” The election had to be held by October 20, but experts say Carney is hoping that an early vote will benefit his Liberal Party, which is riding a wave of momentum. The party, which has been in government since 2015, has seen a surge in support since Trudeau’s January announcement that he planned to step down and amid repeated threats from Trump. Advertisement The US president’s tariffs and calls to annex Canada have fuelled anger and uncertainty, and many Canadians have been supportive of the Liberal government’s firm — and unified — response to Washington. After years of criticism for their handling of soaring housing costs and an affordability crisis, the Liberals are now locked in a neck-and-neck fight with the opposition Conservatives, according to recent polls. As recently as January, the Tories enjoyed a double-digit lead over their rivals and were expected to easily coast to victory in the federal election. “[Carney] wants to call the election while he still has this kind of momentum as a new leader — and while the shock of the Trump administration is still front of mind for Canadians,” Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, told Al Jazeera. The US president has repeatedly said he wants to make Canada into the “51st state”, sparking a surge in Canadian nationalism. He also has imposed steep tariffs on Canadian goods that economists say could plunge the country into a recession. Against that backdrop, several experts told Al Jazeera that the upcoming vote’s central “ballot question” will be which party leader is best equipped to respond to Trump and manage Canada-US ties. “And that’s a ballot question that is much better for Mark Carney,” Young said. Carney — an economist and former central banker — has the highest approval ratings of any federal party leader, according to an Ipsos poll released on Thursday. Canadians also viewed him as the leader best able to deal with Trump’s tariffs and their fallout. Advertisement Carney has promised to continue with Trudeau’s firm response to the levies, including imposing reciprocal countermeasures against the US, Canada’s top global trading partner. The Liberal leader also has rejected Trump’s push to annex Canada, calling the idea “crazy” and saying Canadian sovereignty must be respected before he will hold talks with Washington. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre [Carlos Osorio/Reuters] Meanwhile, the opposition Conservatives are hoping to regain some of the ground they have lost since the start of the year. Experts say Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who is known for his incendiary rhetoric and attacks against Trudeau, has struggled to find solid messaging in the face of Trump. Poilievre’s combative political style also has drawn comparisons to the US president, raising questions about how he would handle Trump if the Conservatives win the election and he becomes prime minister. But Poilievre has slammed the Liberals for their record in government over the past decade and said Canadians can count on him to stand up for the country. “I know a lot of people are worried, angry and anxious — and with good reason — as a result of the [US] president’s unacceptable threats against our country,” he said during a news conference to launch his campaign on Sunday morning. “I share your anger and I share the worry for our future. But I also draw great resolve in knowing that we can transform the anxiety and anger into action,” Poilievre said. “I will protect Canada and I will always put our country first.” Advertisement The CBC News Poll Tracker, which aggregates polling data across Canada, had the Liberals with 37.5 percent support compared with 37.1 percent for the Conservatives as of Sunday. The left-leaning New Democratic Party, led by Jagmeet Singh, was in third with 11.6 percent, followed by Yves-Francois Blanchet’s Bloc Quebecois at 6.4 percent. The parties will be vying for 343 seats in the lower house of Canada’s Parliament, known as the House of Commons. Under Canada’s parliamentary system, the party that wins the most seats typically will be asked to form a government. The leader of that party will also become prime minister. Adblock test (Why?)