With only one nuclear arms pact left between the US and Russia, a new arms race is possible
But beginning in the 1970s, American and Soviet leaders started taking steps toward de-escalation, leading to a handful of critical treaties, including the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty that eliminated an entire class of nuclear-capable missiles.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
17 minutes ago
Manitoba premier calls U.S. politicians 'attention-seekers' throwing a 'timber tantrum' over wildfire smoke
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew accused a group of Republicans of throwing a timber tantrum and playing political games after they called out Canada over wildfires sending smoke billowing across the international border into their states. These are attention-seekers who can't come up with a good idea on health care or on making life more affordable, Kinew told The Canadian Press. So they're playing games with something that's very serious. Kinew said he doesn't generalize these attention-seekers' misguided words to all Americans. He noted that American firefighters have been helping to fight Canada's wildfires and Canadian firefighters were on the ground and in the air during California's devastating wildfire season. I've thanked them and I thanked folks in the Trump administration who sent some of the federal firefighting resources up to Canada and to Manitoba, the premier said. So we're going to have a continued relationship and an ability to support each other through wildfires going forward. In a Wednesday news release, Wisconsin state Rep. Calvin Callahan joined other Republican state lawmakers from Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota in filing a formal complaint against Canada to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and the International Joint Commission, a binational organization that resolves disputes on shared water and air quality. The Republican lawmakers called for an investigation of Canada's wildfire management practices and for potential remedies under international law. If Canada can't get these wildfires under control, they need to face real consequences, Callahan said in the news release. We won't sit back while our air becomes a health hazard. Callahan joins a chorus of Republican politicians at other levels of government who have been voicing concerns about Canada's wildfires. Michigan Rep. Jack Bergman sent a letter to Canadian Sen. Michael MacDonald on Monday calling for stronger forest management policies and more accountability from Canadian officials. Both are members of the Canada—United States Inter-Parliamentary Group. Michigan Rep. John James sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney last week saying his constituents are choking on toxic wildfire smoke. Citing a letter other Republican members of Congress sent to Canada's Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman in July, James said that since then, rather than progress, we have seen escalation. James said Kinew's declaration of a second state of emergency in Manitoba confirmed what many Americans have feared: that Canada is not doing nearly enough to stop these fires before they start. WATCH | U.S. lawmakers ask Canada to do more about wildfire smoke: The American lawmaker also criticized Kinew's comments in response to the initial letter. Kinew in July said it turns people off politics when you have got a group of congresspeople trying to trivialize and make hay out of a wildfire season where we've lost lives in our province. A husband and wife were killed by a fast-moving wildfire northeast of Winnipeg in May and thousands have been evacuated from their communities. James said Kinew's comments dismissed the health impacts the wildfire smoke has on neighbouring states. The Republican said the smoke amounts to a public health emergency and it is actively damaging the U.S.-Canada relationship. The increasing pressure from Republicans comes as the bilateral relationship between the two countries remains tense. On Aug. 1, U.S. President Donald Trump boosted tariffs on Canadian goods to 35 per cent after a new security and economic agreement failed to materialize ahead of the president's deadline. The duties do not apply to goods compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade. Canada is also being hit with Trump's steel, aluminum, copper and automobile tariffs. Natural Resources Canada said in July that wildfires are a global problem caused by the effects of climate change, including prolonged drought. Trump has called climate change a hoax and his administration dismissed all of the scientists working on a flagship climate report. Many Republicans point to the 2023 Canadian wildfire season, which was the worst on record. Fires blazing across the country that year sent thick smoke into the United States and even across the Atlantic Ocean to northern Europe. Canadian officials have warned that this year's wildfire season could shape up to be the second-worst on record. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, a non-profit owned and operated by federal, provincial and territorial wildland fire management agencies, said on its website that 744 active wildfires were burning across Canada on Wednesday. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said Tuesday that Canada's recent wildfires offer a stark reminder of the countries' shared challenges. In a statement shared by the U.S. Embassy, Hoekstra said the United States and Canada have a long history of supporting one another in times of crisis. Canadians stood with us during the tragic California wildfires earlier this year, and we are committed to standing with Canada now, he said. Wildfires burning across multiple American states, including California, have been sending smoke into nearby communities.
Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
U.S. visa bonds could cost up to $15K for some foreign travellers
The U.S. State Department plans to start running a pilot program this month that would require some foreign travellers to pay up to US$15,000 for a reimbursable visa bond that deters them from staying in the U.S. longer than they're allowed for business or tourism. Some details are outlined in a public notice that appeared Monday on the Federal Register, but many are still unclear, including which countries would be targeted by the program. The pilot begins Aug. 20, according to a statement the State Department sent to The Washington Post. A cable with a signature from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that was obtained by The Post says the 12-month pilot program is intended 'to protect America's borders and the American people by holding foreign visitors accountable for departing the United States on time.' It will be aimed at countries with high visa overstay rates. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. According to a Department of Homeland Security report on overstays in fiscal year 2023, several countries in Africa as well as Haiti, Myanmar and Yemen have some of the highest overstay rates for business or leisure travel visas. People from countries that participate in the visa waiver program — those who do not have to apply for visas, in other words — would not be required to post visa bonds. That exempts travellers from 42 countries, including much of Europe, Australia, Taiwan, Qatar and Israel. For couples or families, the potential upfront cost of US$10,000 or US$15,000 for each adult and US$5,000 for accompanying children could be prohibitive. The bonds would be cancelled for travellers who leave the country in the time frame allowed and comply with all the conditions of their visa. According to the public notice , published Tuesday, the department assumes bonds would be required for 2,000 potential travellers during the pilot. The notice says the initial cost to travellers would be US$20 million total, if the average bond were US$10,000. 'However, assuming all nonimmigrants for whom bonds are posted comply with the terms and conditions of the bond, the actual bond amount is a temporary expenditure that will be fully refunded if cash bonds are posted,' the notice says. The State Department planned a six-month visa bond pilot in 2020, but never implemented it as global travel dwindled during the pandemic. Erik Hansen, senior vice president of government relations for the U.S. Travel Association, said in a statement that the pilot program's scope 'appears to be limited' and would likely only affect visitors from countries with a 'relatively low travel volume' to the U.S. The group said it was most concerned about a blanket $250 fee for visitors travelling on a nonimmigrant visa, which President Donald Trump signed into law last month. 'If this fee is implemented, the U.S. will have one of, if not the highest, visitor visa fees in the world,' Hansen said. 'If we are to maintain a competitive position in the global travel market, it's critical that U.S. visa policy reflects both national security priorities and the significant economic value of international visitation.' Hannah Natanson, Andrea Sachs and Adam Taylor contributed to this report.
Calgary Herald
an hour ago
- Calgary Herald
U.S. visa bonds could cost up to $15K for some foreign travellers
The U.S. State Department plans to start running a pilot program this month that would require some foreign travellers to pay up to US$15,000 for a reimbursable visa bond that deters them from staying in the U.S. longer than they're allowed for business or tourism. Article content Some details are outlined in a public notice that appeared Monday on the Federal Register, but many are still unclear, including which countries would be targeted by the program. Article content Article content Article content The pilot begins Aug. 20, according to a statement the State Department sent to The Washington Post. A cable with a signature from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that was obtained by The Post says the 12-month pilot program is intended 'to protect America's borders and the American people by holding foreign visitors accountable for departing the United States on time.' It will be aimed at countries with high visa overstay rates. Article content Article content According to a Department of Homeland Security report on overstays in fiscal year 2023, several countries in Africa as well as Haiti, Myanmar and Yemen have some of the highest overstay rates for business or leisure travel visas. Article content People from countries that participate in the visa waiver program — those who do not have to apply for visas, in other words — would not be required to post visa bonds. That exempts travellers from 42 countries, including much of Europe, Australia, Taiwan, Qatar and Israel. For couples or families, the potential upfront cost of US$10,000 or US$15,000 for each adult and US$5,000 for accompanying children could be prohibitive. The bonds would be cancelled for travellers who leave the country in the time frame allowed and comply with all the conditions of their visa. Article content According to the public notice, published Tuesday, the department assumes bonds would be required for 2,000 potential travellers during the pilot. The notice says the initial cost to travellers would be US$20 million total, if the average bond were US$10,000. Article content 'However, assuming all nonimmigrants for whom bonds are posted comply with the terms and conditions of the bond, the actual bond amount is a temporary expenditure that will be fully refunded if cash bonds are posted,' the notice says. Article content The State Department planned a six-month visa bond pilot in 2020, but never implemented it as global travel dwindled during the pandemic.
