The UN resolution to junk the Mercator projection of the globe – which makes Africa look small and Canada big – is nakedly political, says Professor James Alexander. No wonder the US opposed it.
The post Why Africa is Against Mercator, Why America is For Him appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Apple Maps now calls Lake Ontario “Lake America” for U.S. users, following President Trump’s controversial name change.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Apple has updated Apple Maps so that U.S. users see Lake Ontario labeled as Lake America, matching a change recorded in the U.S. Geographic Names Information System after President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the lake for federal use.
The update appeared on the web version of Apple Maps on Tuesday and is rolling out more broadly. Apple said U.S. users will see “Lake America,” users in Canada will continue to see Lake Ontario, and users elsewhere will see both names. That is the same approach Apple used after the Gulf of Mexico was renamed the Gulf of America on U.S. maps.
Google Maps made a similar change for U.S. users over the weekend. Both companies have pointed to official U.S. geographic naming records as the basis for what American users see.
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes. About 52 percent of its surface area lies in Canada, with the rest in New York. Trump’s order applies to U.S. federal usage and does not require Canada or international bodies to adopt the new name.
The lake rename follows last year’s Gulf of America change, which Apple and Google also reflected for U.S. users. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the president contacted Apple directly about aligning maps with the new official U.S. name.
Apple confirmed the Maps update tracks the Geographic Names Information System listing. For travelers, boaters, and anyone using Apple Maps in the United States, the lake now appears under the name adopted in U.S. federal records.
MacDailyNews Take: President Trump’s full Executive Order, “Honoring The American History Of The Great Lakes And Renaming Lake Ontario As Lake America,” can be read here.
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In a major boost to American domestic manufacturing, the Trump Administration today announced that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is committing an additional $100 billion in investments for advanced semiconductor facilities in the United States. This brings TSMC’s total planned investment to $265 billion — one of the largest foreign direct investments in American history.
The announcement, made jointly by the White House and the Department of Commerce, highlights the success of strategic trade and investment partnerships, particularly the historic U.S.-Taiwan deal signed in January 2026. As a direct result, TSMC will build four additional advanced semiconductor manufacturing and packaging facilities, bringing its U.S. footprint to 12 leading-edge facilities, primarily in Arizona.
Building on Momentum
This latest expansion builds on previous commitments. TSMC’s original plans started at around $65 billion, which were later increased. The new infusion underscores sustained momentum under the current administration’s focus on reshoring critical supply chains.
In a statement, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasized the job-creating impact, “President Trump’s leadership is driving companies to invest in American manufacturing. TSMC’s announcement of an additional $100 billion investment following our historic deal on trade and investment with Taiwan will create tens of thousands of American jobs and bring advanced semiconductor manufacturing back to America.”
TSMC Chairman and CEO Dr. C.C. Wei echoed the sentiment, crediting collaboration with the administration and strong U.S. customer demand, “We appreciate the strong collaboration and support of the Trump Administration, Secretary Lutnick and our leading U.S. customers… This is to support the strong multi-year demand from our leading U.S. customers, and we believe this investment will further foster the development of the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem, strengthen the supply chain, and support significant job creation in the United States.”
Economic and Strategic Impact
The investments are expected to generate significant construction and high-tech jobs, along with billions in indirect economic output. Beyond direct facilities, the broader U.S.-Taiwan trade and investment framework is catalyzing an additional $500 billion in Taiwanese investments — $250 billion in direct semiconductor and related enterprises, plus another $250 billion to strengthen the full supply chain in the U.S.
This move addresses long-standing concerns about reliance on overseas production for advanced chips, especially those critical for AI, defense, automotive, and consumer electronics. By expanding domestic capacity with a world-leading foundry like TSMC, the U.S. strengthens its position in the global semiconductor race while creating high-paying opportunities for American workers.
The Trump Administration’s approach, which combines diplomatic deals, incentives for onshoring, and a focus on national security, continues to yield concrete results in rebuilding America’s industrial base.
MacDailyNews Take: With 12 state-of-the-art facilities on track, America is poised to capture a much larger share of advanced chip production. This not only bolsters economic competitiveness, but also enhances supply chain resilience against geopolitical risks.
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"This is not Winston Churchill, that I can tell you," Trump said of Starmer as he hammered the exiting PM over immigration, "windmills" and not being there when he needed him in Iran.
The post “This is Not Winston Churchill”: Trump Hammers Starmer Over Immigration, “Windmills” and Iran appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
It's been 10 years since the Brexit vote, a revolution that, along with the rise of Trump, academics branded 'populism'. But the truth, says Prof James Alexander, is that it’s been a decade of relentless anti-populism.
The post 2016-2026 Was The Decade of Anti-Populism appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Everyone knows that Tony Blair and the Pope issued encyclicals in the last week or two. The Pope's was entitled ‘Magnifica Humanitas’; by analogy, Blair's should have been called ‘Labor Imbecilis’, says James Alexander.
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