Event: Canada

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump’s fossil fuel agenda will result in the loss of $700 billion in clean energy investments over the next decade while doubling the power sector’s climate footprint, according to analysis published Tuesday.The report by the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council examined the cumulative impact of policies passed by Trump — who campaigned on cutting utility bills in half within 18 months in office, though in reality they rose 16% as of May 2026, according to Energy Information Administration data.These actions include the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, which gutted tax credits on clean energy, and the global tariff war that has strained supply chains and raised the cost of electricity generation technologies as a whole.Trump’s policies have also focused on propping up the fossil fuel industry — including forcing utilities to keep old, expensive fossil fuel plants beyond their planned retirement, and restarting or building new coal plants, while stalling federal permits for wind development.In all, Trump’s agenda will result in $700 billion in lost investment between now and 2035, and the loss of between 390 to 540 gigawatts of new wind, solar and energy storage, the report found. By comparison, India’s total installed capacity is currently around 520 gigawatts.By 2035, U.S. consumers will spend up to $30 billion a year more on electricity, with household bills increasing by up to 25% in some parts of the country.“From day one of this term, the Trump administration has waged war on clean energy, destroying new investments, while owners of old, polluting coal plants get handouts and free passes to pollute,” said Amanda Levin, director of policy analysis at NRDC.“As a result, utility bills are on the rise, projects are canceled, jobs are lost and more pollution is endangering the health…

South Carolina Senator Darline Graham won the Republican nomination in seeking a full term on Tuesday, overcoming a rocky moment in last week’s debate, when she struggled to answer questions about Taiwan and the South China Sea.Graham, a political newcomer, was appointed to the seat in July following the unexpected death of her brother, Lindsey Graham, one of the Senate’s most senior and influential Republicans. Backed by US President Donald Trump, she was required to contest a special primary to secure the party’s nomination for a full term.According to results released on Tuesday at 9pm, Graham won 52.4 per cent of the vote, defeating Representative Ralph Norman in the run-off and will advance to the November election.Trump, Ontario premier trade insults amid tariff warSouth Carolina is a Republican stronghold, and whoever wins the Republican nomination is widely expected to win in November. Graham and Norman advanced from an earlier August primary in which neither candidate won more than 50 per cent of the vote, forcing Tuesday’s run-off.The campaign was not without geopolitical drama. During last week’s debate, Graham was asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States. She appeared unprepared for the topic, first asking the moderator to repeat the question, then acknowledging that she was not an expert on national security.“I am not that informed on national security,” she said, after a pause. “But I do support the military.”The moment drew widespread press and social media attention, with critics questioning whether she has the experience and qualifications to serve as a senator. It also highlighted a sharp contrast with her late brother, who spent decades building a reputation in Washington as a prominent foreign-policy hawk.On the same debate stage, Norman gave a more detailed answer, calling Taiwan “a definite ally” and…

Live Blog Update| War on Iran 26 August 2026 02:01 BST When US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent laid out “Operation Economic Outcast”, he told the world, "You are either with us or against us.” Every country has to cut ties with Iran, or the US says it will sanction them. So is Trump’s D-Day an attack of historic proportions? Or an administration out of ideas? When US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent laid out “Operation Economic Outcast”, he told the world, "You are either with us or against us.” So is Trump’s D-Day an attack of historic proportions? Or an administration out of ideas? pic.twitter.com/Tl2zhQIy2T — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 26, 2026

US President Donald Trump’s administration is starting to send staff back to some diplomatic missions in the Middle East that were evacuated ‌or downsized amid tensions with Iran, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.The posts in Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Baghdad, Iraq, are among those where staff will return, the sources said. Family members will also be allowed to return to the US post in Riyadh, they added.The move suggests Washington sees a lower risk of the conflict with Iran escalating in the near term, though some embassies will initially ⁠operate below full capacity.Some embassies will initially operate at no more than 85 per cent of authorised staff levels, the ‌sources said.The return of some staff is expected to start as early as this week, one of the sources said.The United States pulled out staff from embassies across ‌the Middle East after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28.

Canada has announced counter-tariffs as high as 50% on a range of US goods in retaliation to the latest wave of levies on Canadian imports imposed by President Donald Trump last weekend. The Canadian tariffs will apply to nearly C$28bn ($20bn; £15bn) worth of American products, ranging from steel to furniture, fresh tuna and cotton T-shirts, officials announced on Tuesday.The list of targeted products is designed to match Canadian goods hit by the US. The Canadian levies are set to come into effect on 8 September.It is the latest escalation after US-Canada trade talks collapsed late last week, with each side accusing the other of making last-minute demands that were unreasonable.Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said that Canada's retaliation is in response to 50% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on a range of Canadian goods after trade talks fell apart on Friday."Those tariffs will have real consequences for Canadian workers, businesses and communities across our nation," he said. "Canada must respond."Champagne characterised Canada's retaliation as "proportionate" and "strategic".He added that Canada will also offer businesses and workers impacted by US tariffs an additional C$7.5bn for support programmes designed to minimise job losses and keep companies afloat.Placing taxes on trade between what are historically two of the world's closest trading partners will undoubtedly lead to pain on both sides of the border.Supply chains which have been developed over decades are set to see increased trading costs due the latest tariff announcements made from both the US and Canada, ultimately hitting businesses of all sizes and consumers through potentially higher prices.Polls suggest the majority of Canadians support their government in holding firm against the US. But some questions remain on exactly why trade talks fell apart, with the Conservative opposition asking that the full text of the draft deal with the US…

Canada on Tuesday (August 25, 20260 announced counter-tariffs on U.S. goods ranging between 15 and 50%, intensifying the trade war between the historically close allies.Ottawa's retaliation will take effect on September 8, a timeframe earlier outlined by Prime Minister Mark Carney after U.S. President Donald Trump's 50% duties came into place on Saturday (August 22, 2026).Canadian officials said on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) that the retaliatory tariffs will match U.S. levels, with impacts on industries including steel, dairy and electronics.Canada's government also announced a $5.4 billion (CA$7.5 billion) aid package for impacted firms and workers."This is an unprecedented challenge imposed on Canada. But Canada will meet the moment," Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said."I think what Canadians can see this morning is that we stand united," he added. "Canada must respond and today we are, in a proportionate, targeted and strategic way."Industry Minister Melanie Joly echoed Champagne's call for Canadians to support local businesses, while vowing to work with new allies and trading partners."We cannot wait for Washington to decide our future," she said.Tit-for-tat?The steep U.S. tariffs hit about $20 billion in Canadian goods — about 5.5% of its exports to the United States — after trade negotiations collapsed at the eleventh hour.Under Canada's planned response, U.S. steel and aluminum products previously subject to a 25% duty will soon face 50% tariffs.Goods facing 25% tariffs will include appliances, dairy products like cheese, as well as certain steel and aluminum derivative products.A small category will see a 15% duty, including electric equipment and tools.Overall, these form about 7.3% of Canada's imports from the United states.But analysts warn of tit-for-tat escalation.Already on Monday (August 25, 2026), Mr. Trump pledged to double tariffs on Canadian autos starting next year, up to 50% from the current 25% for non-U.S. content.Ontario Premier Doug Ford criticised Trump's…

Good morning. The US supreme court has sided with Donald Trump in his effort to crack down on mail-in voting, though it is unclear whether or not his administration will be able to take action before the midterm elections in November. The court’s justices voted 6-3 along ideological lines to lift an injunction that a judge in Massachusetts had placed in June on an executive order issued by the president. But a second injunction remains in place, and the ruling leaves room for legal challenges.Trump has repeatedly likened voting by mail to cheating, despite his own use of it and overwhelming evidence that the system is secure. In March he ordered the government to create a “state citizenship list” of eligible voters, requiring that mail-in ballots only be delivered to people on that list. He also directed the justice department to prioritise investigations and prosecutions of state and local election officials who issue ballots to people deemed ineligible to vote in federal elections. What did the dissenting judges say? In a blistering dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote that the decision “needlessly injects chaos and uncertainty into the upcoming midterm elections”. How have rights organisations reacted? The president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Derrick Johnson, said: “Let this ruling be a reminder that democracy is never, ever guaranteed. We have to fight for it, we have to fight to keep it and we have to protect the rights we do have within it … they are trying to do everything they possibly can to make it difficult for you to vote.” Trump announces new 50% tariff on Canadian cars, trucks and steelCanada’s prime minister, Mark Carney. Photograph: Canadian Press/ShutterstockDonald Trump has announced a new 50% tariff on automobiles and crucial raw materials from Canada, the…