Houthi Attack on Riyadh Airport Draws Global Condemnation
A deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh's international airport has drawn condemnation from governments around the world, marking one of the most serious strikes on the Saudi capital in years. The assault disrupted operations at a hub serving millions of travelers and left casualties on the ground. President Donald Trump denounced the attack as "terrible" and promised American solidarity with the kingdom. Gulf states and European capitals quickly aligned behind Riyadh in blaming the Iran-aligned movement.
Trump went further, telling reporters that Washington is evaluating whether to join Saudi Arabia's attacks on the Houthis. Saudi forces have already begun striking Houthi targets, according to regional reports, raising fears of a return to full-scale confrontation. The militia has spent years harassing Red Sea shipping, but an assault on the capital's main airport crosses a new threshold.
Escalation would carry consequences far beyond the Arabian Peninsula. Insurance premiums for Red Sea shipping could climb again, throttling a corridor that handles a major share of world trade. Gulf rulers who spent two years pursuing détente with Tehran now face pressure to respond forcefully. For Washington, the attack tests how far it will go to defend a strategic partner without being dragged into another Middle Eastern war.
Trump Turns on Zelensky After Diesel Deal Condemnation
Donald Trump declared it is "time for Ukraine to get a new president," a stunning broadside at Volodymyr Zelensky after the Ukrainian leader criticized a deal bringing Russian diesel to American markets. Zelensky had warned that the arrangement would hand Moscow a fresh revenue stream to fund its war machine. His remarks appear to have triggered the sharpest personal rupture yet between the two men.
The outburst lands at a perilous moment for Kyiv, which depends heavily on American weapons, intelligence and diplomatic cover. Trump has long pushed for a rapid settlement of the war and has grown impatient with Zelensky's resistance to terms he views as unfavorable. Critics in Washington and Europe hear echoes of 2019, when Trump's pressure on Ukraine led to his first impeachment. Whether the rhetoric translates into concrete cuts to aid remains unclear.
European capitals reacted with alarm, worried that a personal feud could destabilize Western support for Kyiv. Under Ukrainian law, elections cannot be held while martial law remains in force, making Trump's call impossible to fulfill for now — and a gift to Kremlin narratives questioning Zelensky's legitimacy. Any reduction in American backing would force Europe to shoulder far more of the war's cost, a prospect few governments feel able to finance.
House Republicans Move to Block Trump's Russian Diesel Deal
Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick plans to force a House vote on legislation blocking purchases of Russian oil, a direct challenge to Donald Trump's decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports. The Pennsylvania moderate is using procedural tools to bring his measure to the floor in defiance of the White House. Lawmakers backing the bill warn the administration's move could help finance Moscow's war on Ukraine.
The legislation sets up an uncomfortable vote for Republicans who have largely fallen in line behind the administration's Russia policy. Fitzpatrick argues that American dollars should not underwrite the very economy sustaining the invasion. Hawks who spent years constructing the sanctions architecture now being dismantled have joined the criticism, alongside Democrats expected to back the bill enthusiastically. Party leaders must choose between letting members vote their conscience and twisting arms to protect the president.
The rebellion signals mounting restlessness within Trump's coalition over the direction of Russia policy. A successful vote would mark a rare legislative rebuke of a sitting president by his own ranks, and its shockwaves could reach the Senate, where similar frustrations simmer. For Kyiv and its European backers, the bill offers evidence that Washington's pivot toward Moscow has limits. The episode raises fresh questions about how much more sanctions relief the White House intends to grant.
Hurricane Simon Strengthens to Category 4, Takes Aim at Mexico
Hurricane Simon has strengthened into a powerful Category 4 storm as it bears down on Mexico's Pacific coast, forecasters said, prompting urgent preparations along a shoreline crowded with resorts and fishing towns. The system underwent rapid intensification over unusually warm ocean waters, a pattern that has become a signature of recent seasons. Authorities in exposed coastal zones began moving residents and tourists to safer ground.
Memories of Hurricane Otis, which devastated Acapulco in 2023 with almost no warning, have made Mexican officials acutely sensitive to fast-strengthening storms. Ports were closing, emergency supplies were being staged, and airlines were canceling flights as meteorologists tracked the storm's path. Beyond the coast, heavy rainfall threatens dangerous flooding and mudslides across mountainous interior states long after the winds subside.
Simon also poses an economic threat to a tourism industry still recovering from years of storms and disruptions. A direct hit on a major resort city would compound the damage inflicted by recent Pacific hurricanes. Climate researchers caution that warming oceans are handing storms more fuel, shrinking the gap between a tropical depression and a monster. Coastal communities now prepare for the worst with less notice than ever before.
Justice Department Opens Antitrust Probe Into Five TV Networks
The Justice Department is investigating five major television networks for potential violations of federal antitrust law after they temporarily suspended pool coverage of President Donald Trump, a department spokesperson said. The probe centers on a period in which the broadcasters declined to rotate camera crews through the White House pool that documents presidential movements. Investigators are examining whether the coordinated suspension amounted to an unlawful agreement among competitors.
Pool coverage has operated for decades as a collegial arrangement: one network films an event and shares the footage with rivals, keeping cameras out of crowded rooms while preserving a record of the presidency. Halting the rotation was an extraordinary step, and the networks' motivations remain disputed. Media organizations have long argued that editorial decisions sit far outside the reach of antitrust enforcement. Previous administrations grumbled about the pool without ever deploying the department's enforcement machinery.
Legal scholars view the case as a stress test for both antitrust doctrine and the First Amendment. A government investigation into how newsrooms cover the president would have been unthinkable in earlier eras, press advocates say, and the outcome could reshape the voluntary arrangements underpinning White House journalism. Network executives must now weigh a politically charged court fight against a quiet settlement. Whichever path they choose, a chill over pooled coverage is already spreading.
Gunman Kills Eight in Erie Mass Shooting, Then Himself
A gunman killed eight people and then took his own life in Erie, Pennsylvania, police said, in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States this year. The 45-year-old attacker carried out the killings at his own home, according to investigators, who have not yet publicly identified him. The relationships between the shooter and his victims remain under investigation.
Governor Josh Shapiro traveled to the lakeside city to offer state support, telling residents that Pennsylvania stands with their grieving community. Vigils were being organized and counseling extended to first responders who encountered the scene. Erie, home to roughly 95,000 people on Lake Erie's shore, has been left reeling by the scale of the loss. Investigators are piecing together a timeline and motive from records and interviews.
The massacre adds Erie to the grim roster of American communities scarred by mass killings, most of which unfold in private homes rather than public spaces. Shootings involving family members or acquaintances account for a large share of the nation's gun deaths yet draw far less attention than public attacks. As funerals begin, the city faces questions without easy answers, and a national debate over firearms that shows no sign of resolution.
Gaza Ceasefire Year One: Trump Peace Board Draws Failing Grade
One year after a ceasefire brought tense quiet to Gaza, Donald Trump's much-touted Board of Peace has failed to deliver the lasting settlement it promised, analysts say. The body was created to oversee reconstruction, stabilization and eventual reconciliation, an ambitious remit that collided almost immediately with the territory's fractured politics. Little visible progress has followed, and observers describe a project drifting far from its founding goals.
Critics point to a catalogue of stalled initiatives: reconstruction that has barely moved beyond clearing rubble, unresolved questions of governance, and mutual mistrust among the factions meant to be brought together. Humanitarian conditions remain dire for residents despite the absence of major combat. Supporters argue that holding the truce for twelve months is an achievement no one should dismiss. Skeptics counter that quiet without political movement merely stores up future violence.
The stakes extend well beyond Gaza. Regional powers invested diplomatic capital in the ceasefire and have watched the follow-up flounder, weakening their appetite for deeper involvement. For Washington, the anniversary hands ammunition to critics who argue its diplomacy prizes announcements over outcomes. With the truce under constant strain, coming months will show whether the board can revive its mandate or slide into irrelevance.
| Ticker | Name | Price | Day | Week | Month | Year | 3Yr | 5Yr | 10Yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ^GSPTSE | S&P/TSX Composite | 35664.60 CAD | ▲1.48% | ▲0.46% | ▲0.45% | ▲16.93% | ▲85.31% | ▲77.86% | ▲143.95% |
| BNS | Scotiabank | 126.03 CAD | ▲1.29% | ▼2.14% | ▼0.98% | ▲48.39% | ▲148.95% | ▲114.40% | ▲202.46% |
| RY | Royal Bank | 273.78 CAD | ▲1.07% | ▼1.84% | ▼3.93% | ▲38.94% | ▲164.34% | ▲159.65% | ▲392.69% |
| CM | CIBC | 155.63 CAD | ▲1.27% | ▼1.67% | ▼1.10% | ▲42.93% | ▲244.52% | ▲175.88% | ▲402.09% |
| NA | National Bank | 198.06 CAD | ▲1.36% | ▼2.20% | ▼5.38% | ▲36.15% | ▲146.81% | ▲141.04% | ▲525.14% |
| TD | TD Bank | 164.19 CAD | ▲1.91% | ▼1.63% | ▼0.59% | ▲51.99% | ▲133.36% | ▲140.67% | ▲331.39% |
| BMO | BMO | 232.10 CAD | ▲1.61% | ▼1.76% | ▼3.50% | ▲35.20% | ▲138.45% | ▲125.58% | ▲311.80% |
| XEQT | World | 46.16 CAD | ▲1.12% | ▲0.46% | ▲3.16% | ▲18.63% | ▲90.34% | ▲96.50% | –0.00% |
| SPY | S&P 500 ETF | 778.57 USD | ▲0.60% | ▲1.16% | ▲2.99% | ▲16.92% | ▲90.18% | ▲94.20% | ▲321.49% |
| QQQ | Nasdaq 100 | 751.27 USD | ▲0.49% | ▲0.23% | ▲6.12% | ▲23.45% | ▲113.02% | ▲119.52% | ▲577.16% |
| AAPL | Apple | 336.64 USD | ▼1.11% | ▲0.88% | ▲3.08% | ▲30.93% | ▲95.07% | ▲148.05% | ▲1202.14% |
| MSFT | Microsoft | 535.07 USD | ▲2.38% | ▲3.39% | ▲8.66% | ▲2.79% | ▲71.47% | ▲96.93% | ▲946.14% |
| NVDA | NVIDIA | 229.28 USD | ▼0.52% | ▼2.00% | ▲5.00% | ▲21.53% | ▲414.60% | ▲1067.09% | ▲13539.58% |
| GLD | Gold ETF | 384.58 USD | ▲1.57% | ▲1.17% | ▼2.97% | ▲3.30% | ▲127.79% | ▲132.57% | ▲206.10% |
| CL=F | WTI Crude Oil | 92.93 USD | ▲1.18% | ▲3.91% | ▼7.12% | ▲51.08% | ▲8.10% | ▲18.68% | ▲90.39% |
| BTC-USD | Bitcoin | 83458.95 USD | ▼0.26% | ▲0.22% | ▼3.63% | ▲6.06% | ▲38.39% | ▲191.00% | ▲917.03% |
8 AM: 14°C, scattered clouds, wind 2 km/h 11 AM: 16°C, broken clouds, wind 3 km/h 2 PM: 19°C, broken clouds, wind 2 km/h 5 PM: 20°C, broken clouds, wind 3 km/h 8 PM: 16°C, scattered clouds, wind 2 km/h 11 PM: 14°C, scattered clouds, wind 1 km/h 2 AM: 15°C, light rain, wind 1 km/h 5 AM: 15°C, moderate rain, wind 2 km/h
No playoff games yesterday.
| # | Team | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtics | 2 | 0 | - |
| 2 | Wizards | 2 | 0 | - |
| 3 | Nets | 2 | 0 | - |
| 4 | Heat | 2 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 5 | Hawks | 2 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 6 | Cavaliers | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Hornets | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Pacers | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Pistons | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | Magic | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Raptors | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Bulls | 1 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 13 | 76ers | 1 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 14 | Bucks | 1 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 15 | Knicks | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| # | Team | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trail Blazers | 1 | 0 | - |
| 2 | Grizzlies | 2 | 1 | - |
| 3 | Timberwolves | 2 | 1 | - |
| 4 | Lakers | 2 | 1 | - |
| 5 | Nuggets | 2 | 1 | - |
| 6 | Warriors | 2 | 2 | 0.5 |
| 7 | Clippers | 1 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 8 | Jazz | 1 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 9 | Rockets | 1 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 10 | Mavericks | 1 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 11 | Pelicans | 1 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 12 | Suns | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 13 | Thunder | 0 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 14 | Spurs | 0 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 15 | Kings | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Stuck in traffic, passed over for promotion, refreshing a phone that refreshes nothing: the modern day supplies endless occasions for fury and dread. Stoicism, a philosophy assembled twenty-three centuries ago on an Athenian porch, addresses precisely these moments. Its promise is blunt — tranquility is not granted by luck but constructed by judgment — which explains why the school enjoys a second life today among psychotherapists, athletes, and executives. Cognitive behavioral therapy, the most widely practiced talk treatment in the world, borrowed its founding insight directly from the Stoics: distress flows less from events than from the beliefs we hold about them.
The heart of the doctrine is the dichotomy of control. Some things are up to us — our judgments, intentions, and actions — and everything else is not: health, wealth, reputation, other people's behavior. Happiness, on this view, means investing ourselves entirely in the first category and greeting the second with steady calm. Stoics called externals "indifferent," a technical term meaning things that cannot make a life better or worse at its root, not things unworthy of care. Only virtue — wisdom, justice, courage, moderation — is genuinely good, and it lives entirely within our own choices. Adversity, properly regarded, becomes the raw material of a good life.
Behind these slogans stood a vast system. The Stoics divided philosophy into physics (nature, which they understood as a single rational cosmos), logic (including a pioneering theory of argument), and ethics. Zeno of Citium — by tradition a shipwrecked merchant who found philosophy in a bookstall — founded the school around 300 BCE and taught on the Stoa Poikile, the painted porch that gave the movement its name, in open rivalry with Epicurus's garden. Chrysippus, who led it a generation later, was such a formidable systematizer that ancients claimed no Stoa would exist without him. Rome later supplied the famous faces. Epictetus, born enslaved, taught that freedom is a matter of judgment rather than circumstance, and his lectures, recorded by a student, survive as a practical handbook. Marcus Aurelius, emperor from 161 to 180 CE, jotted private pep talks to himself amid plague and frontier war; we now read them as the Meditations. A slave and the most powerful man alive, working from the same playbook.
Yet that playbook carries a live controversy. If externals are indifferent and serenity comes from within, what justifies resisting injustice, campaigning for reform, or even voting? Epictetus counselled detachment from outcomes while Marcus Aurelius labored to hold an empire together through betrayal and disease. Seneca preached simplicity while amassing one of Rome's largest fortunes in Nero's service. The Stoics insisted the tension is only apparent: we are born for cooperation, virtue demands engagement, and results were never ours to guarantee. Still, the question stands. How far can a person detach from outcomes before detachment curdles into resignation — and how deeply can she care about them before care enslaves her? Stoicism hands us that dilemma and then, true to its own teaching, leaves the answer up to us.
Want to go deeper? Read the full Stanford Encyclopedia entry on Stoicism →
| Habit | Target | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pushup routine | 7 | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | 0/7 |
| 2. Workout | 2 | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | 0/2 |
| 3. Cardio 30 mins | 2 | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | 0/2 |
| 4. Meditate | 7 | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | 0/7 |
| 5. No sugars | 5 | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | 0/5 |