Washington : Mexico and Canada have hit back at Donald Trump’s tariff plans, warning about the potential economic impact and urging the president-elect to choose cooperation over the prospect of retaliatory trade wars. In an ominous but unsurprising development on Monday, Trump announced on social media that he intended to slap heavy tariffs on America’s neighbours and top trading partners as soon as he returns to the White House in January. Donald Trump speaks on the southern border with Mexico in August. Only a fraction of his “beautiful wall” was built during his first term – and mainly to replace older dilapidated sections. Credit: AP Under the plan, Trump says a 25 per cent tariff would be imposed on Canada to the north and Mexico at the southern border unless they crack down on drugs and illegal immigrants coming into the US. In addition, he threatened that China would receive “an additional 10 per cent tariff” on top of tariffs already in place on Chinese goods unless the country implements the death penalty for drug dealers connected to the fentanyl trade. But as global markets digested the news, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum warned the tariff hike would fail to curb illegal migration or the consumption of illicit drugs in the US. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said the tariffs would hurt her country and the US. Credit: Getty Images She also described the plan as “unacceptable” and something that “would cause inflation and job losses in Mexico and the United States”. “One tariff will follow another and so on, until we put our common businesses at risk,” Sheinbaum said in a letter to Trump, which she read at her daily press conference and planned to send to the president-elect later in the day. “Dialogue is the best path to achieve understanding, peace and prosperity for our two countries ... I hope our teams can meet soon.” Mexico is currently the United States’ top trade partner, representing 15.8 per cent of total trade, followed by Canada at 13.9 per cent. But Trump made it clear during his election campaign that he would readily use tariffs as leverage to tackle the tide of illegal immigrants coming into America. After Trump’s social media post, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to the president-elect as he sought to tamp down concerns about the potential impact on his country’s economy. Trevor Tombe, an economist who authored a report on the consequences of US tariffs on Canada’s economy, warned a recession was likely if Trump followed through on the 25 per cent tariff. The country’s premiers have warned a trade war would cause immense damage to their respective economies, while the Canadian dollar fell to its lowest level since May 2020. Trudeau, who has called an emergency meeting with worried provincial premiers for Wednesday (Thursday AEDT), told reporters he had a “good call” with Trump. Then-president Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019. Credit: AP “We obviously talked about laying out the facts, talking about how the intense and effective connections between our two countries flow back and forth,” he said. “This is a relationship that we know takes a certain amount of working on, and that’s what we’ll do.” In an echo of Trump’s politics, Trudeau initiated a U-turn on immigration, restricting flows of new migrants. He said last week Canada’s system had been exploited by “bad actors”. Trump’s vision for tariff hikes on Mexico, Canada and China were laid out in a Truth Social post on Monday night. “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” he said. In a follow-up post, he also announced that the US “will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America”. The reason, he said, was China’s failure to curb the number of drugs entering the US. China is a major producer of precursor chemicals that are acquired by Mexican drug cartels and others to manufacture fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that accounts for about 70 per cent of all drug overdoses in the US. “Representatives of China told me that they would institute their maximum penalty, that of death, for any drug dealers caught doing this but, unfortunately, they never followed through, and drugs are pouring into our Country, mostly through Mexico, at levels never seen before,” Trump said. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .TV star Charlotte Crosby said she has tightened security around her home with 24-hour monitored CCTV and patrol dogs, days after masked thieves carrying a machete attempted to rob her home. The former Geordie Shore star, who is nearly eight months pregnant, thanked a security company “for all the hard work this week” after adding the protections to her home. “Trebling our security measures, worth every penny to feel safe again in my own home,” the 34-year-old said in a post to her Instagram story. “Scumbags are gunna get a big shock the next time they even step foot on any perimeter of my land.” It comes after her fiance, Jake Ankers, said on social media that a group of men carrying a machete entered their home on Thursday evening while they were in the house with their two-year-old daughter. The businessman said one of the four men “had a red balaclava on” and was carrying the weapon at the top of the stairs. Durham Constabulary were alerted at 7pm on Thursday to reports of an aggravated burglary in Houghton-le-Spring, a town in the Sunderland area. A spokeswoman for the force said: “Officers attended the area, however the suspects left the scene before their arrival. “Nobody was injured in the incident and no items are believed to have been taken.” She added that an investigation is under way and anyone with information is asked to contact police. After the incident, Crosby was admitted to hospital after experiencing “serious pains” in her stomach, but confirmed her baby is “all fine”. Ankers appeared with the reality star on BBC Three reality show Charlotte In Sunderland. Crosby is best known for appearing in the MTV reality series Geordie Shore and winning the 12th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2013. She and Ankers got engaged in October 2023 after she gave birth to their first child in 2022.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was a full participant in practice on Monday, opening the door for him to return from a three-game absence on Wednesday when Pittsburgh hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. Pickens hasn't played since tweaking his hamstring earlier this month. The Steelers (10-5) have struggled to generate much in their passing game with their leading receiver watching from the sideline in sweatpants. Though Monday's practice was a walkthrough, Pickens said he felt good and hopes he'll be able to face the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. The 23-year-old was going through post-practice drills on Dec. 6 when he felt his hamstring tighten up, forcing him to miss the first games of his three-year career. Pittsburgh has gone 1-2 in his absence, including back-to-back losses to Philadelphia and Baltimore in which Russell Wilson passed for just 345 yards while missing one of the NFL's top downfield threats. Wilson is encouraged by the way the sometimes mercurial Pickens — who has been flagged and fined multiple times this season for infractions ranging from facemasks to unsportsmanlike conduct — has remained engaged. “He’s been great in the midst of his little trial here over the past few weeks,” Wilson said. “And so we’re excited to have him back if that’s the case fully and let him do his thing.” Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) were also listed as full participants on Tuesday. Neither veteran has played since getting hurt against Cleveland on Dec. 8. While Pickens, Elliott and Ogunjobi could be available as Pittsburgh tries to hold off Baltimore for the AFC North lead, cornerback Joey Porter (knee) and WR Ben Skowronek (hip) are likely out after missing practice for a second straight day. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl The Associated Press
KARACHI: Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, on Saturday called for political stability in Pakistan, whether it requires “dialogue between the government and opposition or the use of force”. Speaking at a rally marking the PPP’s 57th founding anniversary in Sukkur, Bhutto highlighted that achieving peace and economic stability in Pakistan required national consensus, underlining that political differences must not hinder the country’s progress. “Political stability is essential for the country’s future, whether achieved through dialogue or, if necessary, through firm measures,” Bhutto stated. He also called for a new National Action Plan (NAP) to combat terrorism, recognising the country’s urgent need to address growing security threats. Bilawal Bhutto urged all political parties and activists to strive for democracy and the supremacy of the constitution in the country, as other issues can only be addressed after achieving political stability. He emphasized that the opposition plays a crucial role in ensuring political stability, as they are not presenting themselves as a democratic and political opposition. Critisizing, PTI for protest and making choas in Islamabad, he mentioned that some political parties in Pakistan are not practicing politics within the political framework. The events of May 9 and what happened in Islamabad are not politics. Politicians must engage in political processes to limit the role of institutions to their constitutional boundaries. Bilawal added that politicians should resolve issues through dialogue. It is his desire that both the government and opposition work together to establish political stability in the country, with the government bearing more responsibility in this regard. He stated that some opposition parties want to engage in political opposition, while others adopt an anti-political and undemocratic approach. The opposition adopting a democratic and political stance should be responded to accordingly. If the opposition continues with an undemocratic stance, the government will respond in the same manner. Bilawal emphasized that they always advocate for negotiations and dialogue, but the opposition parties are seeking talks with the establishment rather than with political parties. If this approach to politics continues, both PTI and the country will suffer. The PPP chairman stated that the government has not contacted him regarding a ban on PTI or the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If the government reaches out, they will try to ensure a decision is made by consensus. Bilawal said that the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is very grave, and an emergency crisis is developing due to law and order issues. The situation in Parachinar is being highlighted on social media and international media, while the provincial government is attacking the federation instead of restoring its authority. Bilawal added that the Chief Minister is still threatening to shoot at the federation in the assembly. He questioned how long they would tolerate this, as the real issues of Pakistan are different. “There are over 100 bodies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and they are looking for their 100 bodies in Islamabad.” He further stated that it is the responsibility of the provincial government to restore law and order in Kurram with the help of the federation. If they are not serious about this and only prioritise the release of their leader or securing an NRO, then they should relinquish their provincial government responsibilities. Bilawal expressed hope that the provincial government would acknowledge its mistakes and focus on public issues. He also said that while protest is a right of the people, taking the law into their own hands or engaging in militancy should never be allowed. Bhutto marked the anniversary by addressing PPP workers from 150 regions across Pakistan, including all four provinces, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, showcasing the party’s extensive reach. He praised PPP’s continued presence and its role in Pakistan’s political landscape, citing the enduring legacy of its leaders. “Our political journey began with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who laid the foundation for democracy in Pakistan and provided a constitutional framework for the country,” he said, honouring the party founder’s legacy. Bhutto also recalled the former prime minister’s role in implementing economic policies aimed at benefiting the working class. “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave Pakistan its first economic policy, with reforms benefiting the common people, not the elites.” Further reflecting on the party’s history, Bhutto spoke of the late Benazir Bhutto’s pivotal role in guiding PPP through challenging times. “Benazir Bhutto’s courage was unmatched; she led the party with strength, even in the face of adversity,” he stated, recalling her leadership during the difficult periods of military rule. He lamented her tragic assassination, which he said was a direct attempt to weaken the PPP, but affirmed that the party remained resilient, revitalised under the leadership of former President Asif Ali Zardari. The PPP chairman expressed pride in his party’s accomplishments, such as the 18th Amendment and the creation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), both of which, he said, fulfilled key promises made by Benazir Bhutto. “Under Zardari’s leadership, we passed the 18th Amendment, granted provincial autonomy, and tackled poverty through initiatives like the Benazir Income Support Programme,” Bhutto remarked. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );TV star Charlotte Crosby said she has tightened security around her home with 24-hour monitored CCTV and patrol dogs, days after masked thieves carrying a machete attempted to rob her home. The former Geordie Shore star, who is nearly eight months pregnant, thanked a security company “for all the hard work this week” after adding the protections to her home. “Trebling our security measures, worth every penny to feel safe again in my own home,” the 34-year-old said in a post to her Instagram story. “Scumbags are gunna get a big shock the next time they even step foot on any perimeter of my land.” It comes after her fiance, Jake Ankers, said on social media that a group of men carrying a machete entered their home on Thursday evening while they were in the house with their two-year-old daughter. The businessman said one of the four men “had a red balaclava on” and was carrying the weapon at the top of the stairs. Durham Constabulary were alerted at 7pm on Thursday to reports of an aggravated burglary in Houghton-le-Spring, a town in the Sunderland area. A spokeswoman for the force said: “Officers attended the area, however the suspects left the scene before their arrival. “Nobody was injured in the incident and no items are believed to have been taken.” She added that an investigation is under way and anyone with information is asked to contact police. After the incident, Crosby was admitted to hospital after experiencing “serious pains” in her stomach, but confirmed her baby is “all fine”. Ankers appeared with the reality star on BBC Three reality show Charlotte In Sunderland. Crosby is best known for appearing in the MTV reality series Geordie Shore and winning the 12th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2013. She and Ankers got engaged in October 2023 after she gave birth to their first child in 2022.
Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. And this wasn't on a whim: He knows how to play and even brought his own chess set. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it's been used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two — he told Bleacher Report afterward that both of the losses were to professional chess players — before departing to catch the Spurs' flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team's time in New York — the Spurs played the Knicks on Christmas and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. He posed for photos with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA's biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season. The Spurs play at Minnesota on Sunday. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Vikings place LB Ivan Pace on injured reserve and sign LB Jamin Davis off Packers practice squadBy ALI SWENSON and BARARA ORTUTAY Bluesky has seen its user base soar since the U.S. presidential election, boosted by people seeking refuge from Elon Musk’s X, which they view as increasingly leaning too far to the right given its owner’s support of President-elect Donald Trump, or wanting an alternative to Meta’s Threads and its algorithms. Related Articles Supreme Court will hear arguments over the law that could ban TikTok in the US if it’s not sold What does Big Tech hope to gain from warming up to Trump? Tech consultant found guilty of second-degree murder in stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee Tech review: Earbuds and phones for those on your holiday list Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds The platform grew out of the company then known as Twitter, championed by its former CEO Jack Dorsey. Its decentralized approach to social networking was eventually intended to replace Twitter’s core mechanic . That’s unlikely now that the two companies have parted ways. But Bluesky’s growth trajectory — with a user base that has more than doubled since October — could make it a serious competitor to other social platforms. But with growth comes growing pains. It’s not just human users who’ve been flocking to Bluesky but also bots, including those designed to create partisan division or direct users to junk websites. The skyrocketing user base — now surpassing 25 million — is the biggest test yet for a relatively young platform that has branded itself as a social media alternative free of the problems plaguing its competitors. According to research firm Similarweb, Bluesky added 7.6 million monthly active app users on iOS and Android in November, an increase of 295.4% since October. It also saw 56.2 million desktop and mobile web visits, in the same period, up 189% from October. Besides the U.S. elections, Bluesky also got a boost when X was briefly banned in Brazil . “They got this spike in attention, they’ve crossed the threshold where it is now worth it for people to flood the platform with spam,” said Laura Edelson, an assistant professor of computer science at Northeastern University and a member of Issue One’s Council for Responsible Social Media. “But they don’t have the cash flow, they don’t have the established team that a larger platform would, so they have to do it all very, very quickly.” To manage growth for its tiny staff, Bluesky started as an invitation-only space until it opened to the public in February. That period gave the site time to build out moderation tools and other distinctive features to attract new users , such as “starter packs” that provide lists of topically curated feeds. Meta recently announced that it is testing a similar feature. Compared to the bigger players like Meta’s platforms or X, Bluesky has a “quite different” value system, said Claire Wardle, a professor at Cornell University and an expert in misinformation. This includes giving users more control over their experience. “The first generation of social media platforms connected the world, but ended up consolidating power in the hands of a few corporations and their leaders,” Bluesky said on its blog in March. “Our online experience doesn’t have to depend on billionaires unilaterally making decisions over what we see. On an open social network like Bluesky, you can shape your experience for yourself.” Because of this mindset, Bluesky has achieved a scrappy underdog status that has attracted users who’ve grown tired of the big players. “People had this idea that it was going to be a different type of social network,” Wardle said. “But the truth is, when you get lots of people in a place and there are eyeballs, it means that it’s in other people’s interests to use bots to create, you know, information that aligns with their perspective.” Little data has emerged to help quantify the rise in impersonator accounts, artificial intelligence-fueled networks and other potentially harmful content on Bluesky. But in recent weeks, users have begun reporting large numbers of apparent AI bots following them, posting plagiarized articles or making seemingly automated divisive comments in replies. Lion Cassens, a Bluesky user and doctoral candidate in the Netherlands, found one such network by accident — a group of German-language accounts with similar bios and AI-generated profile pictures posting in replies to three German newspapers. “I noticed some weird replies under a news post by the German newspaper ‘Die Ziet,’” he said in an email to The Associated Press. “I have a lot of trust in the moderation mechanism on Bluesky, especially compared to Twitter since the layoffs and due to Musk’s more radical stance on freedom of speech. But AI bots are a big challenge, as they will only improve. I hope social media can keep up with that.” Cassens said the bots’ messages have been relatively innocuous so far, but he was concerned about how they could be repurposed in the future to mislead. There are also signs that foreign disinformation narratives have made their way to Bluesky. The disinformation research group Alethea pointed to one low-traction post sharing a false claim about ABC News that had circulated on Russian Telegram channels. Copycat accounts are another challenge. In late November, Alexios Mantzarlis, director of the Security, Trust and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech, found that of the top 100 most followed named individuals on Bluesky, 44% had at least one duplicate account posing as them. Two weeks later, Mantzarlis said Bluesky had removed around two-thirds of the duplicate accounts he’d initially detected — a sign the site was aware of the issue and attempting to address it. Bluesky posted earlier this month that it had quadrupled its moderation team to keep up with its growing user base. The company also announced it had introduced a new system to detect impersonation and was working to improve its Community Guidelines to provide more detail on what’s allowed. Because of the way the site is built, users also have the option to subscribe to third-party “Labelers” that outsource content moderation by tagging accounts with warnings and context. The company didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. Even as its challenges aren’t yet at the scale other platforms face, Bluesky is at a “crossroads,” said Edward Perez, a board member at the nonpartisan nonprofit OSET Institute, who previously led Twitter’s civic integrity team. “Whether BlueSky likes it or not, it is being pulled into the real world,” Perez said, noting that it needs to quickly prioritize threats and work to mitigate them if it hopes to continue to grow. That said, disinformation and bots won’t be Bluesky’s only challenges in the months and years to come. As a text-based social network, its entire premise is falling out of favor with younger generations. A recent Pew Research Center poll found that only 17% of American teenagers used X, for instance, down from 23% in 2022. For teens and young adults, TikTok, Instagram and other visual-focused platforms are the places to be. Political polarization is also going against Bluesky ever reaching the size of TikTok, Instagram or even X. “Bluesky is not trying to be all things to all people,” Wardle said, adding that, likely, the days of a Facebook or Instagram emerging where they’re “trying to keep everybody happy” are over. Social platforms are increasingly splintered along political lines and when they aren’t — see Meta’s platforms — the companies behind them are actively working to de-emphasize political content and news. The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Canada ordered to address Jordan's Principle backlog, find new solutions
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has been placed on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring Sunday in a 30-27 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears. The move announced Tuesday means that Pace must miss at least the Vikings next four games. The Vikings also activated outside linebacker Gabriel Murphy from injured reserve and signed linebacker Jamin Davis off the Green Bay Packers practice squad. Pace, 23, had started each of the Vikings nine games this season. The 2023 undrafted free agent from Cincinnati had 56 tackles — including six for loss — and three sacks. Murphy, 24, signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent this spring. He was placed on injured reserve Aug. 27. Davis had joined the Packers practice squad Oct. 29 after getting released by the Washington Commanders a week earlier. Washington selected him out of Kentucky with the 19th overall pick in the 2021 draft. The 25-year-old Davis has 282 tackles, seven sacks, one interception, two forced fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles in his NFL career. He led the Commanders with a career-high 104 tackles in 2022. The Vikings (9-2) host the Arizona Cardinals (6-5) on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLParamount Global Cl B stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitorsJews Against Occupation ’48 demands PM Anthony Albanese act for Palestine
Tarleton St. 61, Hofstra 59
Authorities in Pakistan launch operation to clear Khan supporters from capital
