Rally in Tel Aviv calls for return of deceased hostage Ran Gvili
Hundreds of people gathered for a second consecutive week at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, on Friday (12 December), to support the family of Master Sg...
Canada has suspended Tesla rebate payments and barred the automaker from future EV incentives due to U.S. tariffs. Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland said the freeze will remain until claims are individually reviewed.
The Canadian government has taken a firm stance against Tesla, freezing approximately C$43 million ($30.11 million) in rebate payments and barring the electric vehicle manufacturer from future incentive programs. The decision comes as part of Canada’s response to newly imposed U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, which Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland described as "illegitimate and illegal."
Freeland stated that the transport department will revise eligibility requirements for upcoming iZEV programs, ensuring that Tesla vehicles do not qualify as long as the U.S. tariffs remain in place. The government will also investigate each existing rebate claim before processing any payments.
Tesla has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the policy shift. The move follows reports by the Toronto Star that Tesla dealerships in Canada, particularly in Quebec, filed a high volume of rebate claims in the final days of the program in January. One dealership alone reportedly accounted for nearly C$20 million in subsidies by documenting over 4,000 sales in a single weekend.
The rebate freeze also comes amid broader trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced sweeping tariffs, including a 25% tax on most Canadian and Mexican goods, set to take effect in early April. Trump has also hinted at forthcoming automobile tariffs, although it remains unclear if all proposed levies will be enforced by the anticipated April 2 deadline.
Adding to the friction, some Canadian cities, including Toronto, have ceased offering financial incentives for Tesla vehicles used in taxi or ride-sharing services due to escalating trade disputes. Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a known ally of Trump, has been actively involved in White House efforts to streamline federal government operations through the Department of Government Efficiency.
The rebate suspension and Tesla’s exclusion from future incentive programs underscore the growing impact of trade policies on the EV industry, with potential implications for both automakers and consumers in Canada.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
The U.S. Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50% to 3.75% following its two-day policy meeting, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday, 10 December.
China has carried out a major test of a new “super wireless” rail convoy, a technology that could reshape the future of heavy-haul transport.
Paramount Skydance (PSKY.O) has launched a $108.4 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O). The escalation follows a high-stakes battle that had appeared to end last week when Netflix secured a $72 billion deal for the studio giant’s assets.
U.S. industrial production rose by 0.1% in September, rebounding after a decline in August, while capacity utilisation remained unchanged, according to Federal Reserve data on Wednesday.
Google’s YouTube has announced a “disappointing update” for millions of Australian users and creators, confirming it will comply with the country’s world-first ban on social media access for under-16s by locking affected users out of their accounts within days.
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