EU chief backs Canada 'associate member' plan amid US rift

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has endorsed a plan for Canada to become the EU's first-ever 'associate member', while also proposing a new European Security Council that would include the UK and Ukraine, as Western nations seek alternatives to American leadership under Trump. For students of biblical prophecy, passages in the book of Daniel describe a late-stage world order defined by the consolidation of previously separate nations under a single overarching authority — a pattern some see reflected in Europe's expanding reach and the creation of novel political structures that blur traditional boundaries of sovereignty. Whether or not one holds that view, the speed and scale of these institutional changes is drawing fresh attention to ancient texts that many believe speak directly to our current moment.