Welcome to our live coverage of US politics and the Iran war.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has declared a trade “war” launched by the US after the neighbours failed to reach an agreement, leading to the imposition of stiff US tariffs. “You’re at war when you get attacked. We got attacked,” Mr Carney said on Saturday as a 50 per cent tariff on a wide range of products from Canada came into effect.
“Tonight, Canada declined to finalise the trade deal under the terms agreed earlier this week, despite the US offer to Canada to receive the best treatment of any major exporter to our market,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters.
“New demands and walk backs of other commitments by Canada have up-ended the careful balance reached in the past days,” he added.
The 50 per cent tariff will apply to some $20 billion worth of Canadian products, including wine, hockey sticks, and cement.
Mr Carney earlier vowed swift retaliation after negotiations failed.
“Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses,” he said in a statement.
“In the coming days, the government will introduce additional measures to support Canadian workers and businesses, building on the nearly $25 billion in support provided over the past 18 months,” Mr Carney added.
US President Donald Trump had originally set a Wednesday deadline for the two sides to reach terms to stave off the tariff but pushed it back to Saturday amid positive, eleventh-hour negotiations.The new tax aims to remedy Canada’s “substantial retaliation” and “discrimination” against American products and businesses, according to Trump administration officials.
Earlier, Iran’s president has made the remarkable plea to “end the war today” while the world “acknowledges our victory” and “America is hated”.
But Masoud Pezeshkian’s speech on Friday, local time, seemed chiefly aimed at hardliners in Tehran, many of whom seem keen for the conflict to continue.
The President said there “some people who make comments … who have not experienced any suffering or hardship”.
Read below for updates.