Christy Somos

ICE plans to keep Fort Bliss detention camp open under a new contractor The action comes a week after DHS said it was reviewing Camp East Montana to ensure it met federal standards for immigrant detention.

ICE replaced the contractor overseeing Camp East Montana and said it is planning to keep the El Paso detention center open, a week after DHS said it was reviewing the facility to ensure it met federal standards for immigrant detention.

Britain is ejecting hereditary nobles from Parliament after 700 years Centuries of British political tradition will end within weeks after Parliament voted to remove hereditary aristocrats from the unelected House of Lords.

Centuries of British political tradition will end within weeks after Parliament voted to remove hereditary aristocrats from the unelected House of Lords. https://to.pbs.org/4s65ASt

are you kidding me

Spain’s Sánchez launches AI tool to track hate speech on social media Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday unveiled a new government AI tool that will rank social media sites based on how much hate speech they host. “If hate is already dangerous, social …

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez has unveiled a new government AI tool that will rank social media sites based on how much hate speech they host.

Civic Searchlight is now free to use You can sign up right now to access our ever-growing database covering hundreds of Canadian municipalities, no subscription required. Search 59,000 hours and counting of transcribed public meetings, a...

Civic Searchlight is being used by hundreds of journalists, researchers and staff at big and small institutions alike. They’ve been given early access while we work out the bugs and start our first round of major additions, which are coming soon.

And now it's free — for everyone.

Iran targets commercial ships, Dubai airport and oil facilities as concerns grow over global energy Iran's joint military command also announced it would start targeting banks and financial institutions in the Middle East.

Two Iranian drones hit near Dubai International Airport, home to the long-haul carrier Emirates and the world's busiest for international travel. Four people were wounded but flights continued, the Dubai Media Office said. https://to.pbs.org/4brQqzU

Advocates Hope a Ruling Will Change RCMP Treatment of Indigenous Witnesses | The Tyee But critics say the Canadian rights tribunal didn’t go far enough after finding police discrimination.

A Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling that RCMP officers discriminated against several Indigenous witnesses during a major investigation may be the first of its kind, the lawyers who fought the case say.

Iran's new supreme leader 'lightly injured' but active, Iranian official says Iran's newly-appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was lightly injured but is continuing to operate, an Iranian ​official told Reuters on Wednesday after state television described him as war ‌wounded.

Iran's new supreme leader 'lightly injured' but active, Iranian official says reut.rs/3NcvXHa

Six dead and five injured in 'deliberate' Swiss bus fire Swiss President Guy Parmelin noted how the blaze had come just months after his country began the year with the devastating fire at the ski resort of Crans-Montana, where more than 40 people were kill...

At least six people have died in a bus blaze in Switzerland, which was allegedly started by a man inside the vehicle, according to police and local media reports.

news.sky.com/story/bluesk...

Dozens of missing, abused and trafficked minors rescued in and around Southern California Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies rescued 37 teenagers across Southern California and in nearby states including Arizona and Nevada.

Dozens of missing, abused and trafficked minors rescued in and around Southern California

Like we didn’t “participate” in Iraq?

Not even a nod and a link to my original reporting/exclusive that took weeks of pushing the DND to respond

On the left: a photo of a soldier climbing onto a boat with the ocean in the background. On the right: text that reads “America is bombing drug boats, killing dozens. Ottawa won’t clarify its role. Inside the legal grey zone of Canada–US military co-operation.”

The US has killed more than 150 people in the so-called counter-narco-terrorism campaign known as Operation Southern Spear. Canada is involved—but Ottawa isn’t sharing to what degree. Journalist Christy Somos investigates: https://ow.ly/WT8Z50YrzMM

The State of Things | Substack Issues of national security, geo-politics, global affairs, extremism, and mis/dis information are critical. The State of Things with Christy Somos provides the context and analysis you need.

I’m a one-woman show, so if this kind of reporting speaks to you please consider becoming a paid subscriber to my substack 🙏🏼
(working on launching the rest of my project in the coming weeks)

substack.com/@thestateoft...

How Canada Is Being Pulled into America’s War on “Narco-Terrorists” | The Walrus Military exchanges and intelligence links mean Ottawa may be closer to the lethal strikes than it admits

Grateful that @cstarnino.bsky.social and the @thewalrus.ca approached me this weekend to re-print my original reporting and exclusive regarding Canadian involvement in Op. Southern Spear

thewalrus.ca/how-canada-i...

Two Men Suspected of Throwing Explosives at New York Protest in Act of Terrorism Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi are accused of hurling devices at an anti-Islamic demonstration near New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence.

Two men who threw improvised explosive devices during an anti-Islamic protest near New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence are being investigated for committing an act of terrorism.

Canadian military personnel identified on white supremacist dating site | CBC Accessibility Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are among the profiles leaked from a white-only dating website that promoted white supremacist ideology, a CBC News visual investigation found.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces had accounts on a white-only dating site that promoted white supremacist ideology, a CBC News visual investigation found.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Five key takeaways from an annual briefing by China's foreign minister Speaking at a political gathering in Beijing, China's foreign minister Wang Yi outlined his country's positions on the war in Iran and general relations with America.

Speaking at a political gathering in Beijing, China's foreign minister Wang Yi outlined his country's positions on the war in Iran and general relations with America. n.pr/4rWCJzD

This severely kneecaps journalists, archivists, researchers and more from keeping government accountable.

This is dangerous.

Prime Minister Carney speaks with President of the United States Donald J. Trump The Prime Minister, Mark Carney, and the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, held a conversation this afternoon on a range of issues, including the economy, developments in the Middle Eas...

That’s all we get.

www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/read...

“The Prime Minister, Mark Carney, and the President of the US, Donald J. Trump, held a conversation this afternoon on a range of issues, including the economy, developments in the Middle East, and trade relations between the two countries. They agreed to remain in close contact.”

Iran Has a New Supreme Leader. What Does That Mean? Mojtaba Khamenei takes on a role that makes him not only Iran’s spiritual leader but also the highest authority in the land.

Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the country’s slain supreme leader, as his father’s successor. He takes the helm not just as Iran’s new religious and political authority but also as the commander in chief of its armed forces.

Oh boy

Israeli ambassador to US declines to rule out putting boots on the ground in Iran

Smoking Jars of Metal and Fuses Thrown at Protest Near Mayor’s House Six people were arrested after anti-Islamic protesters led by the right-wing activist Jake Lang clashed with counterprotesters near Gracie Mansion.

The police in Manhattan arrested six people on Saturday during a clash between far-right protesters and counterprotesters that turned violent outside Gracie Mansion, the home of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Iranian mathematician missing in Canada may have been targeted by Tehran, activists say Police say Masood Masjoody was most likely murdered; Iranian expats suspect he was killed for his criticism of the theocratic regime

“Police in Canada have concluded that a missing Iranian activist was most likely the victim of murder, prompting fears that his disappearance has the hallmarks of a transnational repression campaign targeting critics of Tehran.”

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Loud blast heard near US embassy in Oslo, Norway, police say A ‌loud blast was heard near the ​U.S. embassy ​in Oslo early on ⁠Sunday, Norwegian police ​said.

Loud blast heard near US embassy in Oslo, Norway, police say reut.rs/4svxarZ

You’d think!