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Apple Changes Lake Ontario Name to ‘Lake America’ for US Users of Its Maps, Following Trump’s Order

The Toronto, Ontario skyline is seen across Lake Ontario from Fort Niagara State Park, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Youngstown, NY. (AP)
The Toronto, Ontario skyline is seen across Lake Ontario from Fort Niagara State Park, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Youngstown, NY. (AP)
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Apple Changes Lake Ontario Name to ‘Lake America’ for US Users of Its Maps, Following Trump’s Order

The Toronto, Ontario skyline is seen across Lake Ontario from Fort Niagara State Park, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Youngstown, NY. (AP)
The Toronto, Ontario skyline is seen across Lake Ontario from Fort Niagara State Park, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Youngstown, NY. (AP)

Apple has relabeled Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for US users of its Maps app, following competitor Google days after President Donald Trump ordered a new name for the body of water amid his escalating trade war with Canada.

As of Wednesday morning, Apple Maps displayed “Lake America” for US users looking at the lake that sits between the state of New York and Canada’s Ontario province. Users outside of the US still saw the Lake Ontario name.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Earlier this week, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox that Trump had reached out to the company “directly” about the change.

The president declared the new “Lake America” name last week, marking one of the latest provocations during his trade war with Canada that is now hiking tariffs on both sides of the border. His executive order on Friday directed the Interior Department to update the lake’s name in the US geographic naming service.

Google Maps rolled out the change over the weekend, citing Trump's order and its already-established practice of using names assigned by the US Geographic Names Information System (or GNIS).

“People using Maps in the US will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario,’ and those outside of the US and Canada will see both names,” Google said in a brief statement on Saturday, reiterating that such updates “follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country.”

Trump cannot force Canada to also change the name of Lake Ontario. And America’s northern neighbors quickly panned the idea.

“It’s Lake Ontario to Canadians and the rest of the world. Now and forever," Ontario Premier Doug Ford wrote on social media Friday.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also rejected the move last week, invoking the lake’s Indigenous roots and noting that the name predates both the Canadian Confederation and US Declaration of Independence. The name Lake Ontario comes from the Huron Indigenous people’s word “oniatarí:io,” which means “lake of shining waters.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has moved to rename water spanning beyond US borders. Last year, Trump ordered that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America and both Apple and Google later updated the name on their maps in the US.

But not all map providers have followed suit. MapQuest, in particular, has declared it won't be changing Lake Ontario's label and gave users the option to name the lake “whatever you want" through a separate online tool. Both the Lake Ontario and Gulf of Mexico names still appear as default on its platform.

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World

Far-Right Israeli Minister Seeks Defense Post in Next Government

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, holds a press conference ahead of Israel's general elections in October, in Jerusalem, September 22, 2026. (Reuters)
Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, holds a press conference ahead of Israel's general elections in October, in Jerusalem, September 22, 2026. (Reuters)
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Far-Right Israeli Minister Seeks Defense Post in Next Government

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, holds a press conference ahead of Israel's general elections in October, in Jerusalem, September 22, 2026. (Reuters)
Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, holds a press conference ahead of Israel's general elections in October, in Jerusalem, September 22, 2026. (Reuters)

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Tuesday he will seek the post of defense minister in the next government, as the country prepares for next month's elections.

Ben-Gvir, who is a key minister in the right-wing coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, regularly sparks international outrage with his provocative statements and political stunts.

"The reason I am putting myself forward is that the time has come to change the mindset within the army," Ben Gvir said, at a press conference in Jerusalem.

"The time has come to transform the State of Israel's security doctrine with a single objective -- decisive victory on every front," he added.

The firebrand minister put forward a "security plan" that includes the "encouragement of voluntary emigration" of Palestinians from both Gaza and the occupied West Bank, disarming what he called the "terrorist" Palestinian Authority, and increased support for Israeli soldiers.

Earlier in September, Ben-Gvir presented a detailed plan to "encourage" Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to move abroad.

Although members of the ruling right-wing coalition have made multiple statements about transferring Palestinians out of Gaza, it is unclear to what extent their remarks will be followed by action.

Forced displacement of civilians in occupied territory is considered a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.

Ben-Gvir's announcement that he is seeking the defense post caused an uproar among Israeli opposition leaders.

Gadi Eisenkot, a key contender for the premiership, accused his main rival Netanyahu on X of having "lost it" by accepting "criminal Ben-Gvir" in his coalition.

In his youth, Ben-Gvir was charged more than 50 times for incitement to violence or hate speech, but boasts he was cleared in the vast majority of those cases.

According to Israeli media, he was not drafted into the military due to his involvement in extremist far-right groups.

The October 27 vote is expected to be close, and there is no guarantee that the parties currently in power will remain so after then.

According to a Channel 16 survey published Sunday, Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party is polling at seven percent, which would grant it eight out of 120 seats in Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

World

Trump Hails Burnham as ‘Natural Business Person’ After First Meeting

President Donald Trump meets with Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham during the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at the UN headquarters. (AP)
President Donald Trump meets with Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham during the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at the UN headquarters. (AP)
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Trump Hails Burnham as ‘Natural Business Person’ After First Meeting

President Donald Trump meets with Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham during the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at the UN headquarters. (AP)
President Donald Trump meets with Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham during the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at the UN headquarters. (AP)

US President Donald Trump hailed Andy Burnham on Tuesday as a "natural business person" at what the new British leader's team described as a smooth first face-to-face meeting.

After days of preparation for the Trump meeting, Burnham emerged relatively unscathed, with the US leader only taking issue with what he called a "terrible deal" to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, home to a US-British air base.

Otherwise, Trump praised Burnham, saying Britain's seventh prime minister in a decade was someone with whom he could do business and a patriot who had put Britain on the up after replacing the former prime minister, Keir Starmer, in July.

"I think right now, based on my relationship with the prime minister, Andy, I think that ... we're doing very well," Trump said after they met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York for around 40 minutes.

"I think he's a natural business person. We've had a lot of discussions, even before this meeting we were talking with each other numerous times on the phone."

'ENCOURAGING MEETING'

Burnham, who travelled to New York on Monday to take part in the UN assembly, had ‌said little beforehand ‌about his expectations for the meeting with Trump, saying only that in their two phone calls he ‌had found "a ⁠connection" with the ⁠US president.

Afterwards, he repeated that earlier conversations had established that connection "and that very much came through today".

"(I) can certainly work with him. It was a very encouraging meeting," Burnham told reporters, saying the two leaders had found "common ground" on dealing with cost-of-living pressures, ending the conflict in the Middle East and reindustrializing nations to spur economic growth, among other issues.

"He was very upbeat about the country's (Britain's) prospects, which, to be honest, was great to hear."

Before arriving in New York, Burnham had sought common ground with Trump on AI, a focus of his comments to the UN on Monday in which he described the technology as having the ability to bring "huge benefits" to the British and global economy.

Trump has said he wants to cherish AI rather than stifle its growth, dismissing fears ⁠about it as a hoax and "sick conspiracy". The US leader has said concerns can be addressed through the ‌existing justice system without extra regulation — an issue that might cause some friction with Britain.

Yet, ‌while the two leaders seemed to find common ground on a number of issues, there were some pitfalls.

Trump again criticized Britain's move, under Starmer, to cede ‌sovereignty of the Chagos Islands while retaining control of Diego Garcia air base on a 99-year lease.

Trump called the agreement with Mauritius, ‌now on hold, a "terrible" deal. "It's amazing how strategic it is, and I think the prime minister is going to be looking at it," he said.

Burnham later told reporters he had inherited the problem and would work to find a resolution between the different sides. "It was clear that we need to come to that agreement, but I'm confident we can find it working with our US partners," he said.

Burnham also showed a willingness to disagree with Trump if it is ‌in his nation's interest, saying he would "stand firm in the face of any threats" to the right of Falkland Islanders to self-determination and to remain British.

In August, Trump said he was reviewing the ⁠United States' neutral position on the ⁠remote archipelago in the South Atlantic. Days later Argentine President Javier Milei — who will address the UN on Wednesday — said he would impose sanctions on oil companies drilling in the islands.

And the British leader navigated some other bilateral sticking points. Trump appeared unmoved over Britain's decision to block imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, while its decision not to back the US over the Iran war was also skated over.

OPENS WAY FOR BURNHAM TO FOCUS ON AI

With the meeting done, Burnham turns his focus for UNGA to AI and his support for the technology, which he hopes will help Britain assume a leading role globally.

At an earlier business roundtable, Burnham said he would make the case for Britain in a speech later on Tuesday to help establish "a single set of global principles and standards" to unlock the potential of AI.

Describing Britain as being stuck in 10 years of political turbulence since voting to leave the European Union in 2016, Burnham told business leaders he wanted to usher in a period of stability and embrace AI, while being clear-eyed on the risks.

"So outside Downing Street, on my first day, I said I want to be the circuit breaker," he told the roundtable, including Tim Cook, executive chairman of Apple, and Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser.

"(To) bring forward a very clear path that everyone can understand, a 10-year plan for Britain ... so that nobody's in any doubt at all about what we're trying to do."

World

Trump Renames AI ‘Super Intelligence’ as Leaders Jostle Over Dangers

US President Donald Trump speaks during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters on September 22, 2026 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
US President Donald Trump speaks during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters on September 22, 2026 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Trump Renames AI ‘Super Intelligence’ as Leaders Jostle Over Dangers

US President Donald Trump speaks during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters on September 22, 2026 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
US President Donald Trump speaks during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters on September 22, 2026 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the US government would rename artificial intelligence "super intelligence" in official communications, as world leaders jostled over how to address the dangers of the fast-advancing technology.

AI has become a major topic at the UN General Assembly after incidents of the technology falling out of the control of humans and warnings by company insiders drew global alarm and calls for better government supervision of the industry.

Speaking to the assembly, Trump stood by his firm opposition to regulating AI, while arguing the word "artificial" undersold the technology and voicing hope the rest of the world would adopt the new term.

Super Intelligence "sounds much better" and "it's much more accurate," he said.

The rebrand is the latest in a series of renamings pursued by the Trump administration, which changed the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" via executive order last year and, in August, renamed Lake Ontario "Lake America" amid a trade dispute with Canada.

The US leader also compared the warnings of AI safety advocates to warnings about climate change, whose human causes are affirmed by the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community.

"The United States totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme to control... artificial intelligence," he said.

"Every major new technology brings challenges, and superintelligence is no exception," he added.

"The very same people who said we'll all be dead in 12 years because of global warming... are now saying that AI is going to kill us all, that robots are going to attack us, and that everything is going to be a total disaster."

Ahead of the UN assembly, leaders of more than 20 mostly European countries urged binding safety measures for advanced AI, warning that the technology's development could outpace the ability to control it.

AI superpowers China and the United States did not endorse the idea.

- 'Vassals' -

Speaking on the sidelines of the UN meeting, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he planned to use Britain's role as host of the Group of 20 next year to push for a "single set of global principles and standards" around AI, according to Bloomberg.

French President Emmanuel Macron proposed building AI technology independent from the great powers.

"I don't want anyone to become the vassal of one of the great powers," Macron told the UN General Assembly, apparently in reference to China and the US.

"Our investment capabilities must be pooled to build a cutting-edge open-source AI model, which we will share. We should not depend on somebody else."

The US-based AI giants themselves are increasingly asking for global coordination on AI safety, with OpenAI's Sam Altman set to address the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

Anthropic chief Dario Amodei and Hugging Face co-founder Clement Delangue will also participate remotely, a French official said Tuesday.

France, which holds the Security Council presidency this month, initiated the meeting and believes AI's threat to international peace and security has not been sufficiently discussed at the UN.

UN chief Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, called for the US and China to start a dialogue on the technology's future akin to US-Soviet engagement at the height of the Cold War.

"Governments with the greatest AI capabilities have the greatest responsibilities to humanity, to establish channels for dialogue," Guterres said in his address to the assembly.

"At a pivotal moment during the Cold War, strategic rivals came to recognize the need to manage shared existential risks."

China and the US are currently discussing creating a communication channel for AI concerns in anticipation of a Washington summit meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.