On Thursday, the U.S. President Trump raised tariffs on Canadian imports from 25% to 35%, citing drug smuggling concerns, a claim dismissed by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who vowed to protect jobs during rising trade tensions.
The White House linked this decision partly to Canada’s alleged failure to stop fentanyl smuggling, though Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the claim, stating, “Canada accounts for just 1% of U.S. fentanyl imports and is working intensively to reduce these volumes.”
Carney expressed disappointment with the tariff hike, writing on X that “while we will continue to negotiate with the United States on our trading relationship, the Canadian government is laser focused on what we can control: building Canada strong.”
He warned that sectors such as lumber, steel, aluminum, and automobiles would be hardest hit but pledged to “protect Canadian jobs, buy Canadian goods, invest in industrial competitiveness, and diversify export markets.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, whose province generates about 40% of Canada’s GDP, demanded a strong countermeasure, calling for a 50% tariff on U.S. steel and aluminum imports.
Ford urged, “Canada shouldn’t settle for anything less than the right deal. Now is not the time to roll over. We need to stand our ground.”
Despite the escalation, Trump told that he remains open to talks with Canada and may speak with Carney soon. The U.S. also granted Mexico a 90-day extension to negotiate a deal and avoid similar tariff hikes.
Economists note Canada’s economy has shown resilience amid the tariffs and is expected to avoid recession.
Canadian exports to the U.S. have dropped slightly, with many companies diversifying their markets and increasing USMCA compliance, which currently exempts about 90% of Canadian exports.
Tensions have also been fueled by Canada’s recognition of Palestinian statehood, a move Trump criticized as making a future trade deal 'very hard' to achieve.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian officia...
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorit...
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, wit...
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
At least 68 people have been killed after two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday, in the second deadly rail disaster in less than a year on a major route linking Madrid with the southern Andalusia region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
UN human rights experts comprising a group including Special Rapporteurs and independent experts who are part of the UN Human Rights Council, have criticised French authorities over their handling of nationwide student protests.
A powerful El Niño is driving extreme weather worldwide, leaving millions facing drought, wildfires and destructive storms as governments scramble to respond to the growing crisis.
A high-speed train involved in Wednesday's deadly collision in Spain was travelling at between 160 and 200 kilometres per hour, far above the 40 km/h safety limit, according to a preliminary investigation published on Friday.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Hackers have pulled off a staggering $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist targeting Binance, shaking confidence in one of the world's biggest digital asset exchanges and sending crypto prices tumbling. U.S. analysts suspect North Korea was behind the attack.
Pentagon officials have in recent weeks asked several NATO countries to tone down their rhetoric regarding the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements by European leaders and officials have undermined continental security, four people familiar with the matter said.
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