RichardJR

ANALYSIS | Hezbollah joins Iran's fight even as other allies melt into Axis of Reluctance | CBC News For decades, Iran has protected itself with a network of well-funded, heavily armed and deeply radicalized militant groups. But just when they are needed most, many of the main players are staying on ...

10/10 Isolated and vulnerable:

The "Axis of Resistance" has become the "Axis of Reluctance."

Source: Saša Petricic, CBC News
www.cbc.ca/news/world/i...

9/10 A Strategic Reserve?

Is Iran truly alone, or is this a trap?

Rosemary Kelanic of Defense Priorities warns the silence might be tactical.

The Houthis could be a "back pocket plan" to disrupt global shipping if the pressure on Iran reaches a breaking point.

8/10 The Iraqi Shift:

In Baghdad, former militia leaders are now parliamentarians. They have moved from insurgency to governance.

As one commander told Reuters: "Many are just looking out for their own interests these days."

7/10 The Syrian Collapse:

The biggest blow? The fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.

The new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is hostile to Tehran.

The vital supply route for weapons to Lebanon has been severed.

6/10 The Houthi Hesitation:

The Yemeni group that paralyzed the Red Sea is now limiting itself to threats.

Leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi claims "hands on the trigger," but analysts suggest they are protecting their own position rather than dying for Tehran.

5/10 The "Clobbering"

Why the silence from others? Because the leadership has been decimated.

Since Oct 2023, Israel has systematically assassinated proxy commanders, including Hassan Nasrallah.

Prof. Thomas Juneau notes: The balance of deterrence is broken.

4/10 "Suicidal Operation":

Inside Lebanon, the mood isn't solidarity—it's fury. Civilians are caught in the crossfire.

L’Orient-Le Jour asks why the country is paying "so dearly" to save an Iranian patron it cannot save.

The government has declared the actions illegal.

3/10 The Lonely Fight:

Only Hezbollah is firing back. Leader Naim Qassem vows "we will not surrender."

But the cost is staggering: Israel has targeted 500 sites and killed over 200 people in days.

The "shield" is becoming a target.

2/10 The "Security Blanket" Unravels:

Iran designed its proxy network to keep conflict away from its borders. But now, with U.S. and Israeli strikes hitting home, groups from Yemen to Iraq are staying on the sidelines.

Gaza’s Hamas has few options left.

1/10 🇮🇷 THE AXIS OF RELUCTANCE 🇮🇷

For decades, Iran built a "ring of fire" to protect its revolution.

As war engulfs the region, the "Axis of Resistance" has gone silent.

Only Hezbollah remains in the fight.

Source: Saša Petricic,
CBC News
#IranWar #MiddleEast #Geopolitics #Hezbollah #WorldNews

Jewish community, politicians call for more action after 2 GTA synagogues hit by gunfire | CBC News Police in parts of the Greater Toronto Area will be increasing their presence after shots were fired at two synagogues in North York and Vaughan.

9/9 Israel's ambassador Iddo Moed calls the attacks part of a "troubling global pattern."

Source: CBC News
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

8/9 Political condemnation was swift.

• Premier Ford: "Cowardly acts... meant to instill fear."
• Mayor Chow: "Disgusting acts of antisemitism."
• Pierre Poilievre: "Time to end this violence once and for all."

7/9 The Security Response:

In response to "escalating tensions," police have:
• Deployed a command post at Promenade Mall (Thornhill)
• Increased patrols near faith-based institutions, schools, and community centers across the GTA.

6/9 Beyond "Thoughts and Prayers":

Sara Lefton of the UJA Federation warns these shootings are a threat to all Canadians, not just the Jewish community.

"We should be standing up against hate and enforcing hate crime legislation."

5/9 "We are so far past the point where words are enough."

Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca delivered a scathing rebuke of performative politics.

"Too much inaction and repeated weak responses from too many leaders have permitted this behavior to become normalized."

4/9 A Disturbing Pattern:

This is the third incident in six days.

On Monday, the Temple Emanu-El in North York was also targeted by gunfire.

Police in Toronto and York Region are now working jointly to determine if the attacks are connected.

3/9 A Close Call

While no physical injuries were reported, the danger was real.

York Deputy Chief Kevin McCloskey confirmed there were two people inside the Vaughan synagogue when the shots rang out.

"This type of hate... is quite despicable."

2/9 The Incidents:

Shortly after midnight, bullets struck the Shaarei Shomayim synagogue in North York.

Almost simultaneously, suspects in a dark sedan "opened fire" on the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto (BAYT) in Vaughan.

1/9 🇨🇦 GUNFIRE HITS TWO MORE GTA SYNAGOGUES 🇨🇦

Overnight, shots were fired at synagogues in North York and Vaughan.

👉 This marks three shootings in just one week. Leaders say "words are not enough." 👈

Source: CBC News
#Toronto #Vaughan #Antisemitism #CdnPoli #OnPoli

Thank you!

Gap narrows in Alberta as federal Conservatives shed some support to Liberals: poll | CBC News An Abacus Data poll suggests the Conservatives boast a 51-per-cent share of the intended vote in the province. That is down 13 percentage points from their share of results in the 2025 federal electio...

9/9 "We're not talking about a red wave... but it could mean seat gains."

The gap is narrowing, and in Edmonton, it has already closed.

Source: Jennifer Keiller, CBC News
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

8/9 The Federalist Refuge

Analyst Éric Grenier notes a potential realignment: The Liberal Party becoming the default home for Alberta federalists.

Much like in Quebec, talk of separation (or sovereignty) often drives voters who want to stay in Canada toward the Liberals.

7/9 External Pressures

Voters may be seeking a "steady hand" amid global chaos. The poll was conducted as tensions with the Trump administration rose and before the Iran conflict erupted.

With uncertainty abroad, the appetite for radical change may be cooling.

6/9 The Floor-Crossing Effect?

The shift follows MP Matt Jeneroux's high-profile defection from the Conservatives to the Liberals last month.

Coletto suggests this, combined with recent Ottawa-Alberta deals on pipeline regulation, is scrambling traditional political alignments.

5/9 Leadership Parity

Surprisingly, Carney and Poilievre are now neck-and-neck in personal favorability across the province.

• Carney: 40% Positive / 37% Negative
• Poilievre: 41% Positive / 38% Negative

The polarization is almost perfectly symmetrical.

4/9 The "Carney Factor"

Why the shift? Abacus CEO David Coletto points to the "bizarro world" reality of a Liberal PM who is a self-identified Albertan.

Carney's approval rating in Edmonton hits 52%—higher than in Calgary (45%) or rural areas (30%).

3/9 The Edmonton Anomaly

The capital is flipping the script.

In Edmonton, the Liberals are now *leading* with 47% support vs. 40% for the Conservatives.

Calgary remains a battleground, with Conservatives edging out Liberals 49% to 39%.

2/9 The Topline Numbers

Make no mistake: Alberta is still blue. The Conservatives hold 51% of the vote.

But that's a 13-point drop from the 2025 election.

Meanwhile, Liberal support has jumped 8 points to 36%. The massive 36-point lead from last year has shrunk to just 15.

1/9 🇨🇦 A SHIFT IN ALBERTA: LIBERALS GAIN GROUND 🇨🇦

It's "bizarro world" in Canada's Conservative heartland.

Abacus Data poll shows the gap narrowing, with Edmonton driving a surprising surge for PM Mark Carney.

Source: Jennifer Keiller, CBC News
#CdnPoli #AbLeg #Alberta #YEG #YYC #AbPoli

Seven ways the war in Iran could affect Canadians, from grocery costs to terrorism The war Washington launched against Iran could have implications for Canadians’ pocketbooks and security.

10/10 "This is not going to end any time soon."

From pocketbook pain to national security risks, the shockwaves are just beginning.

Source Dylan Robertson,
The Canadian Press.
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...