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National Post
38 minutes ago
- National Post
Hamas video of hostage Evyatar David ‘a vile hunger campaign,' family says
The Hamas terrorist group on Friday released a propaganda video featuring hostage Evyatar David, who was abducted from the Supernova music festival during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel. Article content On Saturday, David's family issued a public statement after approving the publication of the full video. Article content 'We are forced to witness our beloved son and brother, Evyatar David, deliberately and cynically starved in Hamas's tunnels in Gaza—a living skeleton, buried alive,' it read. Article content Article content 'Our son has only a few days left to live in his current condition. Hamas is using our son as a live experiment in a vile hunger campaign. The deliberate starvation of our son as part of a propaganda campaign is one of the most horrifying acts the world has seen. He is being starved purely to serve Hamas's propaganda,' the family said. Article content Article content The intentional 'starvation, torture and abuse' of David violate even 'the lowest standards of humanitarian law and basic human decency,' the statement followed. Article content David's family urged the Israeli government, the Israeli public, the international community and U.S. President Donald Trump 'to do everything possible to save Evyatar from death and ensure, by any means necessary, that he urgently receives food and medical care.' Article content The family added, 'The humanitarian aid that the world, together with Israel, provides to the residents of Gaza must also reach Evyatar. … We are in pain and we weep. There is no limit to the grief and cruelty we endure.' Article content Article content Footage that circulated widely on social media on Friday showed David appearing emaciated. Article content Initially, the family had approved the release of one still photo portraying David's frail physical condition. Article content Article content In response, former captive Liri Albag posted online, 'I'm sitting here and I can't stop crying. … Seeing signs of life from Rom and Evyatar just before Friday dinner, knowing I have food on the table, knowing I made it out—and that it's been six months since I was fortunate enough to return—while remembering where my brothers are and realizing they're still there … , it crushes me,' she said. Article content On Thursday, Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a propaganda video of hostage Rom Braslavski, who was also abducted on Oct. 7. PIJ claimed the clip was recorded days before it supposedly lost contact with Braslavski's captors last week, adding that his current condition is unknown. Article content 'We are deeply shaken. People talk a lot about what is happening in Gaza—about hunger—and I want to ask everyone who spoke about hunger: Did you see our Rom?' the Braslavski family said in a statement.
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu eyes new markets, smaller trade delegations
Ottawa's new trade minister says he's looking to sign deals in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond — and to convince businesses to actually use the trade agreements Canada has already signed. 'My primary role as Canada's top salesman is to be out there hustling, opening doors for businesses and accessing new markets,' Maninder Sidhu told The Canadian Press. 'My phone has been ringing with opportunities because people want to deal with reliable, stable trading partners.' Prime Minister Mark Carney has tasked Dominic LeBlanc as minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade. Sidhu's job focuses on countries other than the U.S. Export Development Canada says Ottawa has 15 free trade agreements covering 51 countries, offering Canadian exporters preferential access to over 1.5 billion consumers. But Sidhu said Canadian businesses could be doing a lot more to look beyond the U.S., particularly as Washington threatens and imposes a range of tariffs. Story continues below advertisement Sidhu served four years as a parliamentary secretary in roles reflecting all three branches of Global Affairs Canada: aid, trade and diplomacy. The job saw him represent Canada in trade promotion events in Southeast Asia and security forums in the Caribbean. Sidhu worked as a customs broker before politics — a job that focuses on navigating red tape and tariffs to secure the best rate for trading goods. Sidhu said he plans to visit Brazil soon as the South American country seeks to revive trade talks that kicked off in 2018 between the Mercosur trade bloc and Canada. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy His predecessor Mary Ng put an emphasis on large trade missions which took months to plan. The minister would sometimes fill a plane with corporate and business leaders, spending a substantial chunk of time in one or two countries. Sidhu said he is hoping to bring smaller delegations of companies with him on his trips abroad, with a focus on specific sectors, 'whether it's South America, Indo-Pacific to Europe, to Africa.' 'Businesses feel like they're heard, but they're also getting higher-level meetings on the opposite side in the countries that we take them into,' he said. Ottawa is navigating its trade ties with China as the two countries work to revive the decades-old Joint Economic and Trade Commission, a forum to sort out trade irritants. Story continues below advertisement China has been roundly accused of engaging in coercive trade practices and of restricting certain commodities or services like tourism during political disagreements with Ottawa. Sidhu said the goal there is to offer 'stability' to industry, with an emphasis on 'how do we work through those challenges, and how do we make sure that those conversations are facilitated.' Sidhu also downplayed the chances of a bilateral trade deal with the United Kingdom. Trade talks collapsed last year over the U.K.'s desire to sell more cheese in Canada and after Britain blocked Canadian hormone-treated beef. Both countries are using a temporary deal put in place after Britain left the European Union, and the U.K. will soon enter a trade bloc that focuses on the Pacific Rim, Sidhu noted. He said Canada would still be open to a full deal. 'If U.K. and Canadian businesses already have access on 99 per cent of the items that we trade, then if we're looking at trade agreements, we need to make sure that we're getting the best value for our negotiations,' Sidhu said. He also said Canada could consider 'sector-specific agreements' with other countries, instead of comprehensive deals that span most industries. 'We are getting very creative in how we can open up more doors,' he said. Story continues below advertisement Sidhu did not name specific countries where Canada might pursue sector-specific agreements. Canada had been looking at a trade agreement with India that would be limited to certain sectors — before Ottawa suspended talks in 2023 following an assassination the RCMP has linked to New Delhi. Ottawa launched security talks with India this spring and agreed to re-establish high commissioners. Sidhu was circumspect when asked when Canada might re-establish trade talks with India. 'This is a step-by-step approach,' he said, adding that the eventual return of top envoys will help 'to carry out those very important conversations.' Sidhu said Global Affairs Canada is still sorting out how Carney's decision to cut spending in all departments will affect the trade branch. 'It's really going to be a focused approach, of where we can make the best impact,' Sidhu said. The Business Council of Canada has urged Ottawa to expand the number of trade commissioners, who provide the contacts on the ground for Canadian companies looking for export opportunities. While Sidhu did not say whether Ottawa's cuts will mean fewer trade commissioners, he said he's heard a clear message from chambers of commerce that these positions are extremely valuable. 'It comes down to return on investments, what programs are working (and) where can we get the best bang for our buck for Canadian industry and Canadian workers,' he said. Story continues below advertisement 'A lot of the business community doesn't even know that (the Trade Commissioner Service) is there to help. And so my job is to help amplify that.'
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
‘They roll right over': Many Democrats call their party weak and ineffective, AP-NORC poll finds
Voters check in to cast ballots in the New Hampshire presidential primary at a polling site in Derry, N.H., Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) WASHINGTON — Many Democrats see their political party as 'weak' or 'ineffective,' according to a poll that finds considerable pessimism within Democratic ranks. Republicans are more complimentary of their party, although a small but significant share describe the GOP as 'greedy' or say it is generally 'bad.' The poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in July reveals warning signs for both major U.S. parties as the political focus shifts to elections in New Jersey and Virginia this fall and the midterm contests next year. Respondents were asked to share the first word or phrase that came to mind when they thought of the Republican and Democratic parties. Answers were then sorted into broad categories, including negative and positive attributes. Overall, U.S. adults held a dim view of both parties, with about four in 10 using negative attributes, including words such as 'dishonest' or 'stupid.' But nearly nine months after Republican Donald Trump won a second presidential term, Democrats appear to be harboring more resentment about the state of their party than do Republicans. Democrats were likelier to describe their own party negatively than Republicans. Republicans were about twice as likely to describe their own party positively. 'They're spineless,' Cathia Krehbiel, a 48-year-old Democrat from Indianola, Iowa, said of her party. She believes the party's response to the Trump administration has been 'scattershot.' 'I just feel like there's so much recently that's just going abhorrently wrong,' Krehbiel said. 'And they speak up a little bit and they roll right over.' Democrats speak out against their own party Overall, roughly one-third of Democrats described their party negatively in the open-ended question. About 15 per cent described it using words like 'weak,' or 'apathetic,' while an additional 10 per cent believe it is broadly 'ineffective' or 'disorganized.' Only about two in 10 Democrats described their party positively, with roughly one in 10 saying it is 'empathetic,' or 'inclusive.' An additional one in 10 used more general positive descriptors. It is unclear what impact the Democrats' angst may have on upcoming elections or the political debate in Washington, but no political organization wants to be plagued by internal divisions. Still, the Democrats' frustration appears to reflect their concern that party leaders are not doing enough to stop Trump's GOP, which controls Washington. There is little sign that such voters would abandon their party in favor of Trump's allies in upcoming elections, and the vast majority of Democrats described the GOP negatively. But disaffected Democrats might decide not to vote at all. That could undermine their party's push to reclaim at least one chamber of Congress in 2026. Jim Williams, a 78-year-old retiree from Harper Woods, Michigan said he typically supports Democrats, but he is 'disappointed' with the party and its murky message. He feels much worse about the Republican Party, which he said 'has lost it' under Trump's leadership. 'All he does is bully and call names. They've got no morals, no ethics. And the more they back him, the less I like them,' the self-described independent, said of Trump. What do Republicans say about their party? Republicans are about twice as likely as Democrats to describe their party positively, with many also using straightforward ideological descriptors like 'conservative.' About four in 10 Republicans used positive attributes to characterize the GOP, making general mentions of words such as 'patriotic' or 'hardworking,' or offering associations with the word 'freedom.' Samuel Washington, 65, of Chicago, said he typically votes Republican. Washington praised Trump's leadership, even while acknowledging that the president's policies on trade and spending might be creating short-term economic hardship. 'There's a lot of pain, but the pain is the result of 12 years of misuse and misguided leadership from the Democratic Party,' he said. 'I'm feeling really good about Republicans and the direction that they're going.' But views were not uniformly good. About two in 10 Republicans said something negative about the party, including phrases such as 'greedy,' 'for the rich' or 'corrupt.' Republican Dick Grayson, an 83-year-old veteran from Trade, Tennessee, said he is 'disappointed' by his party's fealty to Trump. Among other things, he pointed to the price tag of Trump's tax-and-spend package, which will add nearly $3.3 trillion to the nation's debt over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. 'I've always been a Republican, but I'm disillusioned about both parties,' Grayson said. How Americans view the parties overall Among all Americans, the poll finds that the Republican Party is viewed slightly more negatively than the Democratic Party. The different is not large: 43 per cent used negative words to describe the Republicans, compared with 39 per cent for the Democrats. Much of the negativity is driven by the opposing party — and independents' distaste for both. Independents are much likelier to describe both parties with negative attributes rather than positive descriptors, though a significant share did not offer an opinion at all. Curtis Musser, a 60-year-old unaffiliated voter from Beverly Hills, Florida, said both parties have shifted too far toward the extreme for his liking. He said he is ready for a serious third party to emerge before the next presidential election, pointing to Elon Musk's new 'America Party,' which has been slow to launch. 'Maybe he would get us headed in the right direction,' the retired schoolteacher said. Peoples reported from New York. The AP-NORC poll of 1,437 adults was conducted July 10-14, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. Steve Peoples, Linley Sanders And Hyojin Yoo, The Associated Press
