Trump says Canada wants US state benefits as trade war escalates
Donald Trump, the US President, has accused Canada of seeking the benefits of being part of the United States without becoming a state, after trade talks between the two countries collapsed and Washington imposed fresh 50 percent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods.
Trump said Canada had “asked too much” during negotiations and warned that Ottawa would struggle to win a trade war with its biggest trading partner.
Mark Carney, Canadian Prime Minister, described the tariffs as a “miscalculation” intended to hurt and divide Canada. He said Ottawa would respond dollar for dollar from September 8, including tariffs on steel, dairy products, appliances and electronics.
The new US levies affect about $20 billion of Canadian imports, including wine, clothing, cement, dairy products and hockey equipment. They add to existing US tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminium, automobiles and lumber.
The breakdown threatens one of the world’s most integrated trading relationships, with both governments offering little indication of an immediate path back to negotiations.
Iran rejects new US sanctions threat as ‘desperate’
Iran has dismissed Washington’s threat of tougher sanctions, saying the measures will fail to force Tehran into submission.
Abbas Araqchi, the foreign minister, described the US threat as evidence of desperation after Washington shifted from military action to renewed economic pressure. Scott Bessent, US Treasury Secretary, has promised what he called the “toughest sanctions in history”.
Iran is already under extensive sanctions and has suffered major damage from months of US and Israeli military strikes. Tehran has also effectively restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting a waterway through which a significant share of global oil supplies normally passes.
Araqchi said Iran was prepared to resist further economic pressure and urged Washington to engage in negotiations based on what he called “justice and honour”.
President Donald Trump has warned countries providing Iran with any economic lifeline that they could face severe consequences.
Zelensky warns wartime election could ‘destroy’ Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s President, has rejected calls for elections. At the same time, the country remains at war with Russia, warning that holding a vote during active fighting could divide and ultimately “destroy” Ukraine.
Zelensky was responding to former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who last week called for presidential elections despite martial law.
Ukraine suspended elections after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelensky’s five-year presidential term formally expired in May 2024, but Ukrainian law prevents elections from being held under martial law.
Zelensky said an election during the war could deepen divisions among Ukrainians, while officials have also raised practical concerns over voting by millions of displaced citizens and soldiers serving at the front.
Alibaba launches $10.2bn Hong Kong share sale to fund AI expansion
Alibaba has launched an HK$80 billion ($10.2 billion) share placement to finance its artificial intelligence expansion, marking the largest primary follow-on offering by a Hong Kong-listed company.
The Chinese e-commerce and cloud computing giant plans to sell 710 million shares at HK$112.70 each, a 3.6 percent discount to its latest closing price.
Alibaba said all net proceeds would be invested in its “full stack” AI capabilities, including chips, computing infrastructure and the development and deployment of AI models.
The transaction highlights the growing competition among Chinese technology companies to expand AI infrastructure and services as Beijing pushes for greater technological self reliance.
Israeli strike kills three Palestinians in central Gaza
At least three Palestinians, including a four-year-old child, have been killed in Israeli strikes in central Gaza, according to Palestinian officials and rescue workers.
Two people were killed in an airstrike in Az Zawayda and another person was killed in Nuseirat refugee camp, while several others were wounded.
The attacks came despite continued international efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire. A displaced Palestinian sheltering near one of the strike sites said residents were desperate for an end to the violence and a return to normal life.
Guinea landfill collapse kills at least 30
At least 30 people have been killed after a huge mound of rubbish collapsed onto homes in Guinea’s capital, Conakry.
The collapse occurred around 2am after heavy overnight rainfall in the Dar es Salam area. At least 22 people were injured, including six seriously, while rescue teams continued searching through the debris for survivors.
Residents said entire families were affected. One woman told local media that all five of her children were killed.
Military personnel, emergency workers and excavators were deployed to the site as officials warned that the death toll could rise.
DR Congo and M23 agree roadmap for renewed peace talks
The Democratic Republic of Congo government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have agreed on a roadmap for further peace negotiations after five days of talks in Switzerland.
The parties agreed to pursue a comprehensive peace settlement and establish a mechanism to monitor ceasefire violations under a US-backed framework.
The agreement includes timelines for negotiations and a system for investigating alleged breaches. The first verification mission is expected to take place in Minembwe, in South Kivu.
Major disputes remain, including sanctions against M23, the release of detainees and political reforms. Fighting has continued in eastern Congo despite repeated ceasefire agreements.
Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting M23 with troops and weapons, while Kigali says Congo is failing to dismantle the FDLR rebel group, which Rwanda considers a security threat.
Eleven migrants found dead after boat sinks off Tunisia
Tunisia’s coastguard has recovered 11 bodies after a boat carrying migrants sank while attempting to reach Italy.
Three people remain missing and only one survivor has so far been rescued. The vessel left Tunisia on Thursday carrying 15 people, including seven members of one family and a man travelling with his pregnant wife.
The migrants were from Ben Guerdane in southeastern Tunisia. Relatives and residents gathered in the border town demanding faster search operations.
The latest deaths highlight the continuing dangers faced by migrants attempting the Mediterranean crossing to Europe.
DR Congo Ebola death toll surpasses 2,500
More than 2,500 people have now died in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ebola outbreak, which the United Nations says is spreading rapidly across an area larger than France.
Julien Harneis, UN Ebola coordinator, warned that humanitarian funding could run out within weeks and called for urgent international assistance.
Health workers are facing growing hostility from communities frightened by the outbreak, while some medical staff have also contracted and died from the disease.
The outbreak became Congo’s largest in terms of recorded cases in late July, surpassing the previous major epidemic of 2018 to 2020.
Tanzania commissions $2.8bn hydropower plant
Tanzania has commissioned the 2,115 megawatt Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, more than doubling the country’s electricity generation capacity.
The $2.84 billion project on the Rufiji River raises Tanzania’s total installed generation capacity to 4,646 MW, compared with peak demand of about 2,271 MW.
Officials say the resulting surplus could allow Tanzania to export electricity while supporting industrial expansion, investment and job creation.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan said the project would help eliminate the power shortages and blackouts that have constrained economic activity in the country.
