Latest news with #NobelPrizes
Egypt Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Trump courts Nobel Prize through GERD issue
Professor of Geology and Water Resources at Cairo University, Abbas Sharaky commented on US President Donald Trump's statements regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in a post on his Facebook account titled 'President Trump Flirts with Nobel Prizes Through GERD.' Sharaky noted that Trump has brought up the GERD dispute for the second time in three weeks since assuming his second term. Trump tweeted on June 21, denouncing the matter, 'I will not receive the Nobel Peace Prize for preserving peace between Egypt and Ethiopia. The huge dam built by Ethiopia, with stupid funding from the United States, significantly reduces the flow of water to the Nile River.' Earlier on July 14, Trump said, 'We worked on the Egypt issue with its neighbor, a country that has been a good neighbor and a friend of ours, but they built a dam that blocked the flow of water into the Nile River. I don't know why they didn't solve the problem before they built the dam, but it's nice to have water in the Nile River. It's a very important source of income and life. It's the lifeline for Egypt, and this problem will be solved very quickly. We're making good deals.' Sharaky noted that President Trump sponsored the negotiations from November 2019 to February 2020, but they failed to reach an agreement after Ethiopia was absent on the signing day, even though Egypt signed with initials. He pointed out that Trump is trying to show that he prevented escalation between Egypt and Ethiopia, and that the current calm has resulted from this effort, even though no serious conflict has occurred between the two countries. Sharaky said that Trump claimed that the US foolishly financed the dam, even though it was previously unknown that there was direct US funding for the dam – rather what was known was there was American aid in various fields, amounting to one billion dollars annually, which the Ethiopian administration could then direct to the dam. He added that this funding occurred during Trump's first term (2017-2021). Sharaky continued: 'I believe that the term 'stupidly financed' is intended to direct blame at the previous administration, considering it was the one who did this.' Trump also accused it of spending US funds to support Ukraine and the Middle East, and that he would recoup this money by concluding Gulf deals and a mining agreement with Ukraine. How Trump aims for a solution He explained that Trump is trying to court the Nobel Prize, portraying the GERD crisis as having reached its peak and that he will seek to resolve it quickly, to add it as another of his achievements. Trump frequently mentions stopping the wars between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, Congo and Rwanda, and Iran, and may even halt Israel's war on Gaza, Sharaky noted. He stressed that the GERD is not a life-or-death issue for Egypt, lest some see it a major bargain to achieve a demand that Egypt strongly rejects, particularly the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza to Sinai. Sharaky pointed out that the past five years have been the most harmful to Egypt because of the GERD, as they witnessed the first filling of the GERD reservoir, storing part of water and allowing another part to flow. Without the High Dam and Egyptian measures, a catastrophe would have occurred, Sharaky said, noting that this year is better than previous years because our annual revenue will come in. He continued that President Trump could invite all three parties—Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia—to reach an agreement in less than a week, as conditions are currently better than before, thanks to the completion of the first filling, which was a major point of contention in previous negotiations over the number of years of filling. This approach could encourage reaching an agreement that regulates the repeated filling and subsequent operation, he said, and, if possible, reduces the storage capacity, which poses a significant threat to the security of Sudan and Egypt. Reaching an agreement would also ensure consultation, coordination, and the conclusion of an agreement regarding any future water projects, he explained.
Deccan Herald
6 days ago
- Science
- Deccan Herald
Why Germany is a perfect fit for the scientifically inclined
The Max-Planck-Society, which today boasts 84 institutes and research facilities, was founded in 1911. It ranks among the world's top institutions with the highest number of Nobel Prizes in natural sciences. It also supports its researchers in bringing their innovation to the market.
News18
6 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Of Nobel Prizes, Crypto Deals & Iran: India Must Harden Redlines Against Trump's Pakistan Pivot
US President Donald Trump has taken the world on a rollercoaster ride — one filled with impulsive declarations, erratic diplomacy, and an insatiable hunger for credit. Imagine this: a patient keeps falling sick repeatedly, but routine diagnoses reveal nothing conclusive. Eventually, it's discovered that the patient had been ignoring a tumour, hoping it would remain benign, and focused instead on a gym routine and a good diet to advance his health. But suddenly, the tumour develops its own blood supply and metastasises — triggering full-blown cancer. That's the warning sign flashing over the India-US relationship. Pakistan is more than a mere irritant in the carefully-crafted India-US relationship. Ignoring it is no longer an option. It's time to draw firm and non-negotiable red lines. And no, crypto sales and Nobel Prizes should not come in the way. US President Donald Trump has taken the world on a rollercoaster ride — one filled with impulsive declarations, erratic diplomacy, and an insatiable hunger for credit. With reckless ceasefire announcements and glaring conflicts of interest, Trump's actions are shaking up alliances, undermining hard-won diplomatic achievements, and jeopardising America's relationship with one of its most important partners: India. Fast forward to today: after the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites — Fordow, Esfahan, and Natanz — Iran retaliated by targeting US bases in Qatar, Syria, Iraq, and Bahrain. The attacks were fended off with ease. Then came another Trumpian moment. And even though the theatre this time was in the Middle East, it gave India Deja Vu. Trump abruptly declared a 'total and complete ceasefire" between Iran and Israel on social media. But within hours, the two were bombing each other again. Trump was left furious — so much so that he reportedly dropped the F-bomb. In a Truth Social post, Trump publicly warned Israel: 'ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!" An hour later, he bizarrely claimed Israel would not strike Iran and that Israeli jets would return while doing a 'friendly plane wave" to Iran. The image of Israeli fighter jets waving to Iran in midair — while still over enemy territory — is surreal. Israel, for its part, insisted that Trump was well aware of their plans all along. So who's telling the truth? Trump's way of doing things is not easy to decode. The goalposts keep shifting. The mood keeps changing. And no one, not even friends and allies are safe from his antics. One thing that remains consistent is the desperation for credit — inserting himself into blood-feuds of foreign lands, negating their sensitivities and fishing for praise. It's an enigmatic display of narcissism where decades long conflicts turn into theatres of vanity. A Pattern of Narcissism: Blood Feuds as Vanity Projects This is the story of a president whose foreign policy is increasingly seen as performance art — a series of theatrics designed to position himself at the centre of global flashpoints. According to insider reports, the coverage of Israeli strikes on Iran on Fox News reportedly inspired Trump's decision to launch the B2 bomber strikes on Iran. So it wasn't about strategy. It was about airtime. He repeated this pattern in the Indian subcontinent. Trump inserted himself into the India-Pakistan conflict — falsely presenting a fragile understanding between the two nations as a US-brokered ceasefire. He ignored the reality that India's military pressure had forced Pakistan to the table, not American diplomacy. The Desperate Pursuit of a Nobel One thread tying Trump's chaotic interventions together is his obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize. In a post, Trump mentions a number of conflicts that Trump is unhappy he did not get a Nobel Peace Prize for his intervention in various conflicts. 'I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize…," he laments multiple times. Pakistan has turned this Trumpian obsession into an opportunity. After meeting Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir, Pakistan floated the idea of nominating Trump. It struck the right chords. This week, US Congressman 'Buddy" Carter nominated Trump for the Nobel — citing the supposed Iran-Israel ceasefire and Trump's claim of preventing Iran from going nuclear. Ironically, on the same day, a Ukrainian lawmaker withdrew his nomination for Trump, disillusioned with his failure to end the Russia-Ukraine war — something Trump had repeatedly claimed he could do 'in one day." India Pushes Back: Red Lines and a Reality Check Trump's meddling has had real diplomatic costs. His ceasefire claims robbed India of credit for its military victory. He even suggested mediating in Kashmir — a red line India has upheld for decades by rejecting third-party interference. Trump also claimed he used trade pressure to force India and Pakistan to the table. India's Ministry of External Affairs had to issue multiple rebuttals: No US role in the ceasefire, no room for mediation and no trade discussions tied to de-escalation ever happened. Despite these statements, Trump continued with his narrative. When he skipped the second day of the G7 and called Prime Minister Modi instead, it seemed like damage control. But this came at the exact time Asim Munir was also in Washington. The blatant disregard for Indian sensitivities had crossed all bounds. Munir, India has reason to believe, is the man responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack — and yet Trump has repeatedly played into his hands — making the conflict about the question of Kashmir and not what it really is — Pakistan sponsored terrorism. PM Modi was not having it any more. In a 35-minute phone call, he flayed Trump's narrative to his face. No US role in the ceasefire. It was entirely an Indian military achievement. No prospects of mediation. And no mention of trade. This was India setting the record straight directly with the President, leaving no room for further deniability or confusion. PM Modi shattered the Trumpian narrative with precision. Trump's Dangerous Pakistan Play Trump's growing closeness to Pakistan — particularly its military — poses a threat to India-US relations. Pakistan remains tactically important in the context of Iran— with talk of Pakistan possibly aiding the US in a war with Iran with access to its bases. Pakistan is a US partner in so-called counterterror operations against the ISIS-Khorasan. And theoretically, the US seeks to wean Pakistan off of its dependence on China. It is even more concerning because this is the same Trump that in her first term lashed out at Pakistan for backing terror and cut military aid to it. The president's volte-face from that to calling Asim Munir, an unelected military dictator, a great leader, is a giant red flag that reeks of mischief and malice. Perhaps most concerning is the financial link. A firm majority-owned by Trump's family, World Liberty Financial, is in business with the Pakistan Crypto Council, a newly launched initiative backed by Munir and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif. The firm's founder, Zachary Witkoff, son of Trump ally Steve Witkoff, signed the partnership days after the Pahalgam attack. Pakistani media reports that unorthodox methods were used by Munir to land a meeting with Trump— which ultimately took place in the presence of Steve Witkoff. So Trump now has business ties with Pakistani leaders and it is having a direct impact on how the US government deals with Pakistan, even with regards to India. The implications are dangerous. This is foreign policy compromised by personal financial interests. And it's playing out at the cost of India's security concerns. India must now double down on its red lines to preserve the integrity of its relationship with the US: No weapons supply to Pakistan. Firm action against Pakistani terrorism. No third-party comments on Kashmir. No meddling in the Indus Waters Treaty. No interference when India strikes terror camps across the border. No hyphenation between India and Pakistan. Trust must be rebuilt. Trump's antics have eroded years of careful diplomacy. Future trade deals and Indo-Pacific cooperation must be conditional on America respecting these principles. There are already signs of strain. The much-anticipated India-US trade deal has hit roadblocks. Trump's forceful negotiating style and his problematic stand on Pakistan have derailed progress. India is not willing to play along when its national security and diplomatic credibility are at stake. India is a rising great power. The Indo-US relationship is one of the most consequential of this century. And yet, Trump's pursuit of a Nobel Prize and crypto riches threatens to derail it. With the Quad Summit coming up in India later this year, it's time for Trump — and the US foreign policy establishment — to recalibrate and put diplomacy back in the hands of diplomats. top videos View all Because the future of global stability should not be determined by a president's ego or business deals behind closed doors. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. About the Author Shubhangi Sharma Shubhangi Sharma is News Editor - Special Projects at News18. She covers foreign affairs and geopolitics, and also keeps a close watch on the national pulse of India. tags : donald trump finepoint India-US relations Nobel Peace prize view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 26, 2025, 14:31 IST News opinion Of Nobel Prizes, Crypto Deals & Iran: India Must Harden Redlines Against Trump's Pakistan Pivot | Finepoint Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Arvind Kejriwal says he deserves a Nobel prize; BJP calls claim 'laughable'; AAP fires back
NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva on Wednesday ridiculed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's recent comment that he deserves a Nobel Prize for governance, calling the remark 'laughable' and claiming the former chief minister would be better suited for awards in 'corruption' and "incompetence," news agency PTI reported. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit back swiftly, urging the BJP to concentrate on delivery and administration in the national capital rather than indulging in "name-calling." "Virendra Sachdeva is in government now. It's time to govern, not just talk. Opposition days are over — now you have to deliver. Delhi is waiting for real work, not distractions or name-calling," said Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj in a statement. Kejriwal's comments, made during the release of the Punjabi edition of the book Kejriwal Model in Chandigarh on Tuesday, praised the performance of his government in Delhi despite hurdles. 'Despite being stopped from working, we delivered. I should get a Nobel Prize for governance and administration for doing so much despite a lieutenant governor and various difficulties,' he said. Reacting sharply, Sachdeva accused Kejriwal of presiding over a regime tainted with scams. 'Kejriwal demanding a Nobel Prize is laughable. The people of Delhi are stunned. If there were Nobel Prizes for incompetence, anarchy, and corruption, he would have surely received one,' Sachdeva said. He cited alleged scams during Kejriwal's tenure — including the controversial renovation of his official residence, dubbed the 'Sheesh Mahal' by BJP, and other issues such as the classroom construction project, liquor policy, and pension schemes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Kejriwal, who served as Delhi chief minister from 2015 until September 2024, had defended his governance model at the Chandigarh event, claiming that it was rooted in honesty. 'If a government is corrupt, if its ministers are looting, this model will collapse,' he said, adding that the AAP model had also shown results in Punjab. 'Previous governments claimed the treasury was empty. But we fixed schools and hospitals, gave free electricity — because we curbed corruption and saved public money,' he added. Taking aim at the current BJP administration in Delhi, Kejriwal alleged that services had 'collapsed' since the AAP exited office. Sachdeva countered that Delhi's residents had not forgotten the 'scams' that took place under AAP's watch — citing issues like panic buttons in buses and mismanagement of welfare schemes for women.
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
Stepping off the Trump treadmill: A CBC correspondent bids farewell to Washington
I got a journalism tip over drinks from a veteran Canadian correspondent when I first landed in Washington more than a decade ago — a formula for stories guaranteed to thrill audiences back home. In summary? The more ridiculous Americans look, the better. Guns, rednecks, cultural stereotypes, I was told, if you've got that, you've got gold. Canadians eat that stuff up. The exchange never left me. As I depart Washington a dozen years later, it's still on my mind, and not because it was inaccurate. I'll confess, on occasion, I had my fun. A piece of personal trivia: I met Lauren Boebert years before she became famous as a rabble-rousing congresswoman. I popped into her restaurant near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains whose main news draw was that the waitresses all carried guns. It's not just the fried jalapeños packing heat, is how I began my Canadian Press story (new window) . "A spicy hamburger, here, comes with a side of handgun." Over time, though, that type of story got old. Like gorging on empty calories — briefly fun, ultimately unfulfilling. Here I was, reporting from a nation that's won more Nobel Prizes (new window) than a string of runners-up combined. It's produced a staggering number of patents (new window) , thriving metropolises (new window) , inventions spanning the assembly line to the internet, not to mention the blues, jazz and rock 'n' roll. READ | All of Alex Panetta's stories for CBC (new window) Surely there were more useful tales from this place? Surely it's more than a backdrop for ego-stroking entertainment — a comedy to mock, a tragedy to pity. To be fair, every country has its quirks, flaws and tragedies. But we'll talk politics in a second. The America behind the camera Let's start with an accurate stereotype. Anybody in our community of foreign correspondents can confirm it: Americans are easy to interview. Absent rare exceptions, they love to talk. This can be jarring to a foreigner, especially if you come from a country with a culture rich in talking points and No comment responses. But here, you stick a mic in someone's face, and before you know it, you're invited into the kitchen, you're having coffee, your notepad's suddenly filling up with their life story. I'm thinking of all those people who spilled their lives out to me, a total stranger. People who've cried, even offered me hugs when I left. I was blessed to criss-cross this country and talk to people thousands of kilometres apart — literally and figuratively. People who, if seated together, might barely last a minute chatting politics without arguing. But they shared a willingness to talk to me, and, by extension, to you. They like Canadians, by the way; even now (new window) , the vast majority of Americans do. The feeling lately is not mutual (new window) . The news from Washington has Canadians aggrieved and angry. There's plenty to be aggrieved about. Much of the news is disturbing lately. But the news is a finite window onto the world. Its lens captures tragedy, better than it does the countless cases of everyday decency. Like the 100-year-old woman I just met — on a sidewalk, protesting because she's worried about health care and education for future generations. I stopped seeing the U.S. as a two-dimensional entity on a screen as it became the surroundings of my life, filled with people and places in three dimensions. What I encountered was layer after layer, of story after story, and found it harder to tell. It's more work, and less fun, writing stories sprinkled with qualifiers — however s and although s and not quite s. I'll pick a classic example of our national difference: health care. The canonical story is straightforward — it's public in Canada, private in the U.S., and that's how it goes. The reality's messier. Nearly 40 per cent of Americans have public health care (new window) . In Canada, it's 72 per cent (new window) publicly funded. It's a notable difference, yes, but perhaps not Venus and Mars. A decade-plus on the Trump treadmill I recall a specific case of starting to see the world through American eyes. It was the day of the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas (new window) , in 2022. I read a take from a European commentator who felt no sympathy for Americans — after all, he said, these people keep voting for this. He saw the country as an entity. I saw my toddler. She mentioned a delightful teacher of hers during the ride home from daycare that day. I had just read about a teacher murdered while defending students, and I remember feeling my chest and throat flip upside-down in the car. I was enraged when I read that commentator's casual slur. Reducing this place to an amoral monolith wasn't just cruel — it ignored this country's reality of constant debate, fierce fights and razor-thin politics, where a fraction of one per cent of the electorate shifting across three states can alter the course of history. Now let's talk about Donald Trump. We can only avoid him for so long. Here's a snapshot of life covering this president. It's top of mind because it happened to unfold on June 4, while I was planning this piece. It all occurs within 22 minutes. It's bathtime. I'm preparing the kids for bed. One, two, three major news stories land while I'm soaping, shampooing and towelling. Here's my perspective as the White House emails a string of executive orders, as experienced through my smartwatch: There's no time to cover any of them the next day. By then, Trump is at war with Elon Musk (new window) . A day later, a twist in a burgeoning constitutional crisis (new window) . And there's a tense standoff — masked immigration officers against protesters, escalating Trump's battle (new window) against the state of California, in which he eventually shatters generations of precedent (new window) by taking over the state National Guard. WATCH | The final days of the Trump-Musk bromance: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Will Donald Trump and Elon Musk destroy each other? | About That How did two of the most powerful men on the planet — Donald Trump and Elon Musk — go from friends to foes embroiled in a public meltdown? Andrew Chang explains what drove a wedge between them and why it may be in their best interests to reconcile sooner rather than later. Images provided by Getty Images, The Canadian Press and Reuters. (Additional credits: 4:35 - MSNBC/YouTube; 4:37 - CNN/YouTube; 4:29 - CBS News/YouTube) By the end of the month, he'd bombed Iran, threatened new tariffs, suspended trade talks with Canada, then un-suspended them. It's a marathon. Except when you're about to reach the finish line, someone moves it another few dozen kilometres down the road. Watching a political system fall apart I thought it was over on Jan. 6, 2021. I stood among the crowd that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Trump's behalf. Indelible memories of that day include riding on the Washington, D.C., metro, hearing Trump supporters speculate about a military execution for Vice-President Mike Pence. One scene that stuck with me was rioters berating police for not joining them. A man in his 60s, standing in the street with a buddy, heckled officers (new window) : What side are you on? This is the kind of scene that happens at the outset of a civil war in countless other places: Who are the police backing? What about the army? It just doesn't happen across the river from the Pentagon. Not between the Capitol and the White House, on, of all places, Constitution Avenue . So I briefly thought Trump was finished. That assessment was fleeting. I'd written before (new window) Jan. 6, and wrote again after, about him coming back. WATCH | How the U.S. Capitol riot unfolded: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? How the siege on the U.S. Capitol unfolded CBC News' David Common breaks down what happened on Capitol Hill on Wednesday and how U.S. President Donald Trump stoked discontent among his supporters before he lost the election. It became obvious by 2023 that he could be president again, and I listed his plans (new window) for a second term. Most of what he's doing now was in the platform. His plans included a global trade war, which I started writing about (new window) more than a year ago (new window) . It's been more chaotic than expected, but it was coming. After he won, I wrote that Trump would squeeze Canada (new window) on three fronts: trade, the border and military spending. And here we are. AnalysisThree ways this Canada-U.S. dispute will end (new window) I saw him nominated twice, inaugurated twice, come back from a shooting (new window) once, convicted once, and I spent so many hours seated behind him in a Manhattan courtroom that if you gave me a pen and a cocktail napkin, I could sketch from memory a patent application for that inimitable hairdo. WATCH | Alex Panetta on Trump being convicted of falsifying business records in May 2024: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? CBC's Alex Panetta was in the courtroom as the Trump verdict came in. Here's what he saw Alex Panetta, a Washington correspondent for CBC News, was in the New York courtroom on Thursday when the jury read out the verdict convicting former U.S. president Donald Trump of 34 charges. Here's what he saw. The most important story is still unfolding. After his first-term near-overthrow of a constitutional republic, and his second-term stress-test (new window) on it, we're on the precipice of the previously unthinkable: the United States of America losing its ranking as a full-fledged democracy. I felt a disorienting melancholy as I typed those words in a story earlier (new window) this year. AnalysisThis arrest is not the legal threat Trump dreads most (new window) Had I remained here through 2028, I'd have been covering Trump's story for 13 years. A country of optimists loses faith I'll never forget my first morning in Washington, in 2013. It was love at first sight. On a morning walk north of Dupont Circle, I got John F. Kennedy's pollster on the phone for stories (new window) about the 50th anniversary of his death. An elderly Lou Harris described how JFK had sent him on a secret mission to Canada, carrying a fake passport, to help Lester Pearson defeat John Diefenbaker. Foreign election interference? The Russians didn't invent it. I received this oral history lesson while strolling about pastel-coloured Victorian rowhouses, and while it was almost December, it was as balmy as late summer, the trees still blazing red and yellow. I recall thinking, I'm never leaving here. AnalysisThe Jan. 6 case against Trump: He knew he was lying (new window) But now I am leaving. For a couple of years, at least. I'm going to get a master's in artificial intelligence policy, spend more time with my kids and join my wife on a diplomatic posting. I got advice when I arrived here; now I'm happy to give some. There are little tricks for finding news that affects Canada. The U.S. domestic story presents a separate challenge. One day, you'll cover Trump courting a constitutional crisis; the next, he'll do something outrageous, controversial, the cable networks will be all over it, but it might be legal, even popular, and it's your job to figure out which story matters. Good luck! Also: Never forget that Trump didn't emerge in a vacuum. He identified problems Americans had concluded their political class failed to solve. Survey after survey shows Americans gloomy (new window) about the state of their country, and Trump found a receptive audience. WATCH | How Trump pulled off a comeback: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? How Trump pulled off his historic comeback win n a stunning political comeback, Donald Trump expanded his coalition with more popular support than ever. The National asks political strategists Kevin Sheridan and Aisha Mills to break down his winning campaign, and what the next four years could hold. A famously optimistic people has lost faith (new window) in its institutions (new window) . That celebrated ingenuity? It's fallen behind China in patents per capita (new window) . Life expectancy? Down (new window) , too. Note that areas suffering the most opioid deaths swung most heavily (new window) to Trump. Because it's more impactful hearing this from one of Trump's supporters, I'll quote Tucker Carlson: Happy countries don't elect Donald Trump president. Desperate ones do. Trump set the tone by launching his political career 10 years ago this month in a speech laced with bigotry (new window) . He promised renewed greatness if America stood up to three forces, all foreign: illegal immigration, trade deals and military spending overseas. I became increasingly convinced Trump would win again as the election approached last year. I visited a bellwether district in Pennsylvania, talking to less politically engaged voters — working-class folks in an overwhelmingly Latino area (new window) . They were upset about inflation (new window) . They weren't reading mainstream news. And they certainly weren't following the specifics about just who had (new window) stalled Joe Biden's agenda; they blamed the party in power, the Democrats. 2024 U.S. presidential election results (new window) Trump managed to reach apolitical voters (new window) like these. Democrats haven't (new window) . The parts of the country that are politically engaged are hyper-polarized, and I got to report on the different poles. I spent time with people on both sides of heated fights — the Canadian-connected Keystone XL oil pipeline; policing and crime; water rights; and migration. I've stood at the Mexican border, talking to families about their perilous journey. I've also walked that desert with members of a militia clutching AR-15s, and heard from locals fed up with illegal crossing. I only experienced hostility once. In the runup to Jan. 6, outside a Trump rally, a supporter started swearing, pulling middle fingers, trying to rile up the crowd as reporters boarded the media bus, shouting: Fake news! Hey everybody, it's the fake news bus! That was it. It's the only hostility I encountered in 12 years as a reporter in the U.S. I never encountered any as a Canadian — just one yappy guy at a hockey game. A story to remember My favourite story involved a road trip. The country was reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines were being distributed. And I visited a place I called the fertile crescent of American song, a small sliver of geography that gave the world the blues, rock 'n' roll and country music. The musical soil was sprouting back to life in a Mississippi blues joint, in Elvis Presley's first recording studio in nearby Memphis and on the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville. It wasn't an entirely happy story — it rarely is. COVID wasn't over. But this was mostly joyful. It was about humans doing their thing again, in a language without borders. It's an extraordinary country. I won't pretend I'm not worried about it. But I'm pulling for it. WATCH | CBC visits a region renowned for music as it emerges from COVID lockdown: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Post-pandemic life: The party's back in a U.S. region renowned for music Post-pandemic life has started in the U.S. with bars, restaurants and concert halls filling with people and it's bringing the party back to a region renowned for its live music scene. Oh, wait, sorry. I'd planned to end my piece right there but just remembered something I feel compelled to add. I am emphatically not rooting for the United States on one specific front: international ice hockey. In that domain, I crave its defeat, and that's exactly what happened as I watched February's Four Nations final from New Orleans. A funny thing occurred, though. I received celebratory texts from American friends and neighbours. A couple said they were rooting for Canada — they didn't like our country being insulted, and wanted it to win. I never put that in a news story. But I thought you should hear it. It's a big, complicated country, with people who defy clichés. You won't see them all on TV, but they're every bit as American. And they're still there. Alexander Panetta (new window) · CBC News
