Washington/Ottawa/Mexico City: US President Donald Trump has imposed steep tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, escalating trade tensions in the region. The move, which Trump had been threatening for months, was formalised through an executive order on Saturday.
In response, Canada's caretaker Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a 25% tariff on US imports. "Tariffs violate a free trade agreement that was negotiated a few years ago. These measures will have real consequences for the American people," Trudeau stated at a press conference. Canada will impose immediate tariffs on C$30 billion worth of US goods starting Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on C$125 billion worth of products in the next three weeks. Trudeau also indicated that Canada is considering non-tariff measures related to critical minerals, energy procurement, and other partnerships.
Trump's executive order places a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, along with a 10% tariff on all imports from China. The order includes a mechanism to escalate tariffs further if other countries retaliate.
Mexico has also responded with countermeasures. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that while Mexico prioritises collaboration, it will not tolerate subordination. "We must work together under the principles of shared responsibility, mutual trust, and respect for sovereignty, which is non-negotiable," she stated on social media platform X.
Sheinbaum also rejected Trump's allegations that the Mexican government has ties with criminal organisations, calling the claims "slander" and asserting that Mexico would not accept any form of US intervention in its territory.
With the US' two largest trade partners pushing back, Trump's tariff policy is likely to fuel economic tensions in the region.
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Nahan (HP) (PTI): A suspect has been taken into custody after a woman's partially burnt body was found in a forest near a police battalion camp in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmour district, police said.
The body of the woman, who is stated to be in her late 30s, was spotted in the dense forest of the Karaunde Wali Ghati area near Dhaula Kuan by locals on Wednesday morning. The identity of the deceased has not yet been established.
The accused in the case was taken into custody at Bata Bridge in Paonta Sahib on Wednesday evening following scanning of the CCTV footage of the area coupled with inputs from Haryana Police, police said.
According to police, the accused is a resident of Barara town in Ambala district of Haryana. A case of kidnapping has already been registered against him in Ambala.
Sirmour District Superintendent of Police Nischint Singh Negi said one person has been taken into custody following contact with Haryana Police.
Postmortem examination of the woman is scheduled to be conducted on Thursday at the Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College at Nahan.
Police are currently investigating whether the woman was murdered in Barara itself, and if her body was subsequently dumped in the Paonta forest and set on fire.
