Category: Semafor

Canada is set to unveil retaliatory measures against the US in an expanding trade war between the erstwhile allies. US President Donald Trump yesterday threatened 50% tariffs on Canada’s auto and steel sectors, demanding Ottawa “fall in line”; his northern neighbor appears set on fighting back, with Canadian Prime Minister ...

The US cancelled planned military exercises with South Korea just weeks after scaling back separate drills with Seoul’s forces, amplifying worries in Asia over American support. The latest pullback was because of limited availability of US troops as a result of shortages caused by the Iran war; US President Donald ...

The Trump administration readied a fresh immigration crackdown that experts said could permanently damage the economy. White House officials said they would cancel the visas of 200,000 asylum seekers, potentially representing the single largest mass visa revocation in US history. The Trump administration also proposed charging more than $100,000 for ...

The US removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, the latest step in Damascus moving to close the book on the Bashar al-Assad era and a decade-long civil war. Assad’s brutal dictatorship presided over mass human rights violations, an economic collapse, and ultimately a vicious internecine conflict ...

Germany’s GDP grew faster than previously thought in the second quarter, defying fears that higher energy costs driven by the Iran war would torpedo Europe’s biggest economy. German firms may have benefitted from the fact that Asian rivals were hit even harder by the choking off of trade via the ...

The US is set to impose an additional 7.5% tariff on Chinese goods for industrial “overcapacity” before September’s meeting between the country’s leaders, Bloomberg reported, as Washington attempts to step up protectionist measures without drawing a reprisal from Beijing. The hike would keep US duties on China to around 20%, ...

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is likely to attend September’s BRICS summit in New Delhi, Reuters reported, marking his first visit to India in seven years amid thawing ties between the Asian giants. About 400 officials are expected to accompany Xi to the gathering, where the two countries will attempt a ...

A drone powered by an autonomous AI system killed three Ukrainians last month in what experts believe are the first Russian-inflicted deaths without a human in the loop, The New York Times reported. The drone in question was powered by a Nvidia minicomputer not sold in Russia but available through ...

US President Donald Trump threatened new 50% tariffs on Canadian cars and trucks on Monday, escalating the two countries’ all-out trade war. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has threatened to retaliate with counter-tariffs, saying the latest negotiations made clear that Trump wants to destroy Canada’s steel, aluminum, and auto industries. ...

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants peace but “is not ready to simply surrender” in an address Monday marking the country’s 35 years of independence. The UK and France pledged stronger military support for Kyiv, including faster deliveries of air defense weapons amid Russia’s escalating ballistic missile attacks. While Kyiv ...