Putin Calls Syria Strike ‘Significant Blow’ to U.S.-Russia Relations: Here’s What We’re Reading

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Here’s what we’re reading today.

1. Syria strike puts U.S. relationship with Russia at risk

“Mr. Trump, who has made it a central goal of his presidency to improve strained ties with Moscow even amid criticism of Russian meddling in last year’s election, found that goal now at risk as both sides traded harsh words in a diplomatic confrontation reminiscent of the darkest moments of the last few years.

“President Vladimir V. Putin’s office called the missile strike on Syria a ‘significant blow’ to the Russian-American relationship, while Trump administration officials suggested Russia bore some responsibility for the chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians that precipitated the American response.”

New York Times

+1: White House has no clear plan for next steps in Syria after missile strike – The Guardian

2. Canada was briefed on and ‘fully supports’ U.S. missile strikes against Syria: PM

“Canada was briefed in advance of the U.S. missile strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapon capabilities Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.

“Trudeau told the House of Commons during Friday’s morning question period that U.S. Secretary of Defence James Mattis briefed Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan Thursday night and Sajjan ‘immediately’ briefed Trudeau.”

CBC News

3. Trump badly wants pundits’ approval. TV loves his Syria strike. So what comes next?

“‘Trump,’ Fareed Zakaria said, ‘became president of the United States” when he ordered a strike in Syria. What lesson will Trump take away from widespread positive treatment of the symbolic intervention in Syria?’

Buzzfeed News

+1: Trump’s far-right supporters turn on him over Syria strike – New York Times

4.Nobody agrees on how to curb Toronto’s runaway home prices

“The path forward is mired in a lack of data, uncertainty on the role of foreign money, low interest rates and a strong Toronto economy. And beyond all that lies another issue: housing is one of the few drivers of Canada’s economy, meaning any policy misstep would have wider implications.”

Bloomberg

5. The relentless consumerism of ‘unboxing videos’

“Why do we like to watch people buy and unwrap things?”

The Outline