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StrangeSights: ‘Canada is not for sale’ hats; pineapple on a pizza?; and, a comic approach to maritime rights

DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…


Liam Mooney, wearing a “Canada is not for sale” hat created by Jackpine, the company he founded with his partner Emma Cochrane, speaks to a reporter at Ontario College of Art & Design University (OCAD University) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 22nd January, 2025. PICTURE: Reuters/Kyaw Soe Oo

Donald Trump’s verbal threats towards Canada are paying off for one entrepreneur, after the new US President’s belligerent approach gave him an idea. Liam Mooney, founder of an Ottawa-based design firm, made a hat emblazoned with “Canada is Not for Sale” in response to Trump’s tariff threats and suggestions that Canada become the 51st US state. The hats gained attention after Ontario Premier Doug Ford wore one during a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other premiers in Ottawa recently to discuss Trump’s vow to impose tariffs on imports from Canada. According to Mooney, tens of thousands of hats have been ordered online since then. Mooney told Reuters he designed the hats as a creative rebuttal to President Trump’s rhetoric, aiming to cut through political discourse with a message of nationalism and unity. “It’s an opportunity to bring people together from all of civil society, regardless of political persuasion,” Mooney said. Tariffs would cripple Canada’s economy and also raise the price of oil and other goods in the United States. Mooney said that he and his business partner designed the hats after seeing one of Ford’s recent interviews on Fox News. The host urged the premier to consider annexation, suggesting it would be a “privilege” for Canada to merge with the US. Ford responded that Canada is not for sale. “Our sovereignty is threatened when our dignity is disrespected,” Mooney said. “We have allies and we have friends all around the world who are ready to rise to the call and defend us and join in.”  – WA LONE and KYAW SOE OO/Reuters




Controversial -a pizza with pineapple (this one not for £100). PICTURE: VeselovaElena/iStockphoto

An English pizzeria in Norwich city has declared a war on pineapples. The owners are so revolted by the topping that they’re charging customers $US123 for a Hawaiian. The delivery menu says: “Yeah, for 100 pounds you can have it. Order the champagne too! Go on, you monster!” Lupa pizza co-owner Francis Woolf said this protest against the ham and pineapple pizza, which has made headlines, started as a joke. “We very much, I would say, vehemently dislike pineapple on pizza. I mean, we feel like it doesn’t suit pizza at all. And we’re not really sure why it’s a thing… So we thought people really, really want it. Then they should stick their hands in their pockets and fork out 100 quid for it.” Fellow co-owner and head chef Quin Jianoran hopes someone will buy it. “Well, we have a security jar which is locked away, far, far away, of tinned pineapple if someone does order the £100 pizza. And we haven’t sold any yet for obvious reasons.” A 2024 survey by pollsters YouGov showed that over 50% of Britons like pineapple on pizza – while 16 per cent disliked it and nearly 20 per cent hated it. And, as pizza has become popular globally, foreign innovations in toppings have often left Italians perplexed and aghast. Ivan Triola is an Italian customer at Lupa. “I would never pay £100 for any pizza ever, to be honest, but especially not for pineapple pizza. I’m also actually Italian from Naples and we would never do that.” However, customers were divided, with some saying they weren’t against the topping – just, on this occasion, the price. Reuters


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National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano and Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson for the South China Sea Jay Tarriela pose for a photo with a giant copy of the book ‘The Stories of Teacher Jun’ during its launch at the National Library of the Philippines in Manila, Philippines, on 24th January, 2025. PICTURE: Reuters/Lisa Marie David

The Philippines launched a comic book on Friday in its fight against what it called distorted narratives about maritime rights in the disputed South China Sea, a move which drew criticism from China. The 40-page comic book titled The Stories of Teacher Jun follows Teacher Jun and his students as they learn about maritime zones, international laws and the need to safeguard Philippine marine resources. National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said the comic book complemented government efforts to expose China’s “aggression” in the South China Sea, serving as a tool to educate Filipinos about complex maritime issues and their sovereign rights under international law. Philippine Coast Guard Chief Ronnie Gavan said he hoped the book would inspire young Filipinos “to protect what is rightfully ours”. The Chinese Embassy in Manila criticised the initiative, describing it as “political manipulation”. One of the six chapters of the comic book highlighted the significance of the landmark 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favour of the Philippines which invalidated China’s sweeping claim of sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. China rejects the ruling and has doubled down on its efforts to assert its sovereignty claim with an armada of coast guard and fishing militia, hundreds of kilometres off its mainland. “Chinese officials, along with state-sponsored media and individuals, continue to spread distorted and twisted narratives to malign our efforts and justify their unilateral claims,” Ano said. – KAREN LEMA, Manila, Philippines/Reuters

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