Headline

Trump’s New Tariffs Target Canada, Mexico, China

Published

8 months ago

February 1, 2025

President Donald Trump is set to impose fresh tariffs on Saturday on major US trading partners — Canada, Mexico, and China — threatening disruption across supply chains from energy to automobiles.

Trump has promised 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, citing their alleged failure to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl into the US.

He has also pledged a 10 per cent tariff on imports from China, the world’s second-largest economy, accusing it of involvement in synthetic opioid production.

Trump has frequently expressed his enthusiasm for tariffs and has hinted that Saturday’s action could be the first step in further trade disputes.

This week, the US president vowed to impose duties on the European Union.

He has also promised tariffs on semiconductors, steel, aluminium, copper, pharmaceuticals, as well as oil and gas.

Trump returned to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for the weekend with no public events on his official schedule. On Saturday morning, he headed to the golf course.

Canadian public broadcaster CBC reported on Saturday that Ottawa has been informed to expect 25 per cent across-the-board US tariffs, although energy imports would face a lower rate of 10 per cent.

These tariffs are expected to take effect on Tuesday, according to CBC.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to hold a press conference at around 6:00 pm (0000 GMT), two Canadian government sources told AFP.
Growth Concerns
Imposing sweeping tariffs on three key US trading partners carries risks for Trump, who secured victory in the November election partly due to public dissatisfaction over the cost of living.

Higher import costs would likely “dampen consumer spending and business investment,” said EY chief economist Gregory Daco.

He expects inflation to rise by 0.7 percentage points in the first quarter of this year due to the tariffs, before gradually easing.

“Rising trade policy uncertainty will heighten financial market volatility and strain the private sector, despite the administration’s pro-business rhetoric,” he added.

Trump’s supporters have downplayed fears that tariff hikes will fuel inflation, suggesting his planned tax cuts and deregulation measures could instead boost economic growth.

Democratic lawmakers have criticised Trump’s plans, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stating on Friday: “I am concerned these new tariffs will further drive up costs for American consumers.”

Canada and Mexico are major suppliers of US agricultural products, with imports from each country amounting to tens of billions of dollars per year.

Tariffs would also severely impact the auto industry, as US light vehicle imports from Canada and Mexico in 2024 accounted for 22 per cent of all vehicles sold in the country, according to S&P Global Mobility.

The research group also noted that automakers and suppliers manufacture components throughout the region, meaning tariffs would likely increase vehicle costs.
Ready to Respond
Canada and Mexico have signalled they are prepared if Trump proceeds with his tariff plan.

Trudeau stated on Friday that Ottawa is ready with a “purposeful, forceful” response.

Doug Ford, premier of Ontario—Canada’s economic powerhouse—warned on Saturday that “the impact of these tariffs will be felt almost immediately,” predicting job losses and a slowdown in business.
Canada should “hit back hard and hit back strong,” he said at a local election campaign event.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum previously stated that her government would await any announcement “with a cool head” and had prepared contingency plans.

However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday dismissed concerns of a trade war.

Hiking import taxes on crude oil from countries like Canada and Mexico could have “huge implications for US energy prices, especially in the US Midwest,” noted David Goldwyn and Joseph Webster of the Atlantic Council.

On Friday, Trump said he was considering a lower tariff rate on oil.
“We think we’re going to bring it down to 10 per cent,” he told reporters.
Nearly 60 per cent of US crude oil imports come from Canada, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

Canadian heavy oil is refined in the United States, and regions reliant on it may struggle to find an alternative supply.

While Canadian producers would bear some impact of the tariffs, US refiners would also face higher costs, said Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service.

AFP

Related Topics:#Trump Canada China Mexico

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Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Is Dead

Published

11 hours ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdulaziz, has died at the age of 82.

According to a statement from the Royal Court, the revered cleric passed away on Tuesday morning.

Born in Mecca in November 1943, Sheikh Abdulaziz rose to become one of the most influential religious authorities in the Kingdom.

He served as head of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, as well as the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League.

Headline

Antitrust Trial: US Asks Court To Break Up Google’s Ad Business

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Google faces a fresh federal court test on Monday as US government lawyers ask a judge to order the breakup of the search engine giant’s ad technology business.

The lawsuit is Google’s second such test this year, following a similar government demand to split up its empire that was shot down by a judge earlier this month.

Monday’s case focuses specifically on Google’s ad tech “stack” — the tools that website publishers use to sell ads and that advertisers use to buy them.

In a landmark decision earlier this year, Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that Google maintained an illegal grip on this market.

Monday’s trial is set to determine what penalties and changes Google must implement to undo its monopoly.

According to filings, the US government will argue that Google should spin off its ad publisher and exchange operations. The DOJ will also ask that after the divestitures are complete, Google be banned from operating an ad exchange for 10 years.

Google will argue that the divestiture demands go far beyond the court’s findings, are technically unfeasible, and would be harmful to the market and smaller businesses.

“We’ve said from the start that DOJ’s case misunderstands how digital advertising works and ignores how the landscape has dramatically evolved, with increasing competition and new entrants,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.

In a similar case in Europe, the European Commission, the EU’s antitrust enforcer, earlier this month fined Google 2.95 billion euros ($3.47 billion) over its control of the ad tech market.

Brussels ordered behavioral changes, drawing criticism that it was going easy on Google as it had previously indicated that a divestiture may be necessary.

This remedy phase of the US trial follows a first trial that found Google operated an illegal monopoly. It is expected to last about a week, with the court set to meet again for closing arguments a few weeks later.

The trial begins in the same month that a separate judge rejected a government demand that Google divest its Chrome browser, in an opinion that was largely seen as a victory for the tech giant.

That was part of a different case, also brought by the US Department of Justice, in which the tech giant was found responsible for operating an illegal monopoly, this time in the online search space.

Instead of a major breakup of its business, Google was required to share data with rivals as part of its remedies.

The US government had pushed for Chrome’s divestment, arguing the browser serves as a crucial gateway to the internet that brings in a third of all Google web searches.

Shares in Google-parent Alphabet have skyrocketed by more than 20 percent since that decision.

Judge Brinkema has said in pre-trial hearings that she will closely examine the outcome of the search trial when assessing her path forward in her own case.

These cases are part of a broader bipartisan government campaign against the world’s largest technology companies. The US currently has five pending antitrust cases against such companies.

AFP

Headline

Google Faces Court Battle Over Breakup Of Ad Tech Business

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Google faces a fresh federal court test on Monday as US government lawyers ask a judge to order the breakup of the search engine giant’s ad technology business.

The lawsuit is Google’s second such test this year after the California-based tech juggernaut saw a similar government demand to split up its empire shot down by a judge earlier this month.

Monday’s case focuses specifically on Google’s ad tech “stack” — the tools that website publishers use to sell ads and that advertisers use to buy them.

In a landmark decision earlier this year, Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that Google maintained an illegal grip on this market.
Monday’s trial is set to determine what penalties and changes Google must implement to undo its monopoly.

Google will argue that the divestiture demands go far beyond the court’s findings, are technically unfeasible, and would be harmful to the market and smaller businesses.

In a similar case in Europe, the European Commission, the EU’s antitrust enforcer, earlier this month fined Google 2.95 billion euros ($3.47 billion) over its control of the ad tech market.
Brussels ordered behavioral changes, drawing criticism that it was going easy on Google as it had previously indicated that a divestiture may be necessary.

The trial begins in the same month that a separate judge rejected a government demand that Google divest its Chrome browser, in an opinion that was largely seen as a victory for the tech giant.

That was part of a different case, also brought by the US Department of Justice, in which the tech giant was found responsible for operating an illegal monopoly, this time in the online search space.
Instead of a major breakup of its business, Google was required to share data with rivals as part of its remedies.

The US government had pushed for Chrome’s divestment, arguing the browser serves as a crucial gateway to the internet that brings in a third of all Google web searches.
Shares in Google-parent Alphabet have skyrocketed by more than 20 percent since that decision.

Judge Brinkema has said in pre-trial hearings that she will closely examine the outcome of the search trial when assessing her path forward in her own case.

These cases are part of a broader bipartisan government campaign against the world’s largest technology companies. The US currently has five pending antitrust cases against such companies.