Britain and Australia to sign 50-year nuclear submarine treaty
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, left, Britain's Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy, second left, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Britain's Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, right, hold a press conference at Admiralty House following the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) in Sydney, Australia, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) RR flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: pubinfo.section: cms.site.custom.site_domain : thestar.com sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false firstAuthor.avatar :
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Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Trump meets with candidates for four-star general in break with tradition, White House acknowledges
President Donald Trump, right, is escorted by Air Force 89th Air Wing Deputy Commander Melissa Dombrock, left, as he walks from Air Force One before boarding Marine One, upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) LMA flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
an hour ago
Canada weighing recognition of Palestinian statehood: source
No decision has been made yet, the source says, but Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to hold a virtual cabinet meeting Wednesday afternoon, at which time the situation in the Middle East will be discussed. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday the U.K. will recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, allows the UN to bring in aid and takes other steps toward long-term peace. The two leaders spoke Tuesday, according to Carney's office, about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the U.K.'s statement on the recognition of a Palestinian state. WATCH | Starmer says U.K. plans to recognize Palestinian state: France announced a similar plan last week, but without conditions. French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday there was "no alternative" (new window) to recognizing the state of Palestine and intends to do so at the UN General Assembly in September. Asked last week whether he would follow France, Carney said Canada will continue to support a two-state solution with a free and viable Palestine living in peace and side-by-side in peace and security with Israel. Days later, Ottawa announced $10 million in funding for the Palestinian Authority's preparations to lead a globally recognized country (new window) that includes Gaza and the West Bank. The federal government is also adding $30 million to its humanitarian funding for desperate Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Trump says recognition rewards Hamas Starmer, who is under mounting domestic pressure over the issue as scenes of hunger in Gaza horrify many Britons, convened a rare summertime cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza. It came after he discussed the crisis with U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in Scotland on Monday. Trump told reporters he didn't mind Starmer taking a position on statehood. But he told reporters on board Air Force One travelling back to the U.S. that recognizing a Palestinian state would reward Palestinian militant group Hamas. You're rewarding Hamas if you do that. I don't think they should be rewarded, he said. WATCH | Carney responds to France's intent to recognize Palestinian state: Starmer said Tuesday that Britain will recognize a Palestinian state before the United Nations General Assembly unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution. And this includes allowing the UN to restart the supply of aid, and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank, he said. Israel's Foreign Ministry rejects British move Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects the two-state solution on both nationalistic and security grounds. The shift in the British government's position at this time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages, Israel's Foreign Ministry said on X. Enlarge image (new window) Palestinians carry aid supplies that entered Gaza on trucks through Israel in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip Tuesday. Photo: Reuters / Dawoud Abu Alkas Starmer also repeated U.K. demands that Hamas release all the hostages it holds, agree to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza. In a televised statement, he said that his government will assess in September how far the parties have met these steps before making a final decision on recognition. Britain has long supported the idea of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, but has said recognition should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution to the conflict. But Starmer said Tuesday Britain was willing to take the step because the very idea of a two-state solution is reducing and feels further away today than it has for many years. He said that despite the set of conditions he set out, Britain believes that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. Announcement follows France France would become the first (new window) among the G7 to recognize a Palestinian state. More than 140 countries recognize a Palestinian state, including a dozen in Europe. As with France, British recognition would be largely symbolic, but could increase diplomatic pressure for an end to the conflict — especially as Starmer appears to have the tacit approval of Trump. Both Israel and Hamas are facing pressure at home and abroad to reach a deal following almost two years of war, with the humanitarian situation inside Gaza deteriorating and Israelis worried about the conditions in which hostages are being held. Netanyahu condemned Macron's decision, saying that such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let's be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel, Netanyahu said in a post on X (new window) . With files from The Associated Press and Reuters
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Trump's latest tariff deadline is approaching. Here are the trade deals the U.S. has announced so far
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, May 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) NEW YORK — The clock is ticking closer to U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff deadline of Aug 1. And while several more deals — or at least frameworks for deals — have been reached since his last tariff deadline of July 9 came and went, trade talks with many countries are still in flux. Trump unveiled sweeping import taxes on goods coming into the U.S. from nearly every country back in April. That included heightened so-called reciprocal rates for certain countries, the bulk of which have since been postponed twice. The first 90-day pause arrived in an apparent effort to quell global market panic and facilitate country-by-country negotiations, with the Trump administration at one point setting a lofty goal of reaching 90 trade deals in 90 days. But three months later, only two deals emerged: with the U.K. and Vietnam. A separate 'framework' for a deal was hashed out with China. And by early July, Trump began sending warning letters that higher tariffs would be imposed against dozens of countries on Aug. 1. Since then, the U.S. has announced trade frameworks with the European Union, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia. But, key details remain sparse — or not immediately captured in writing. Here's what we know about the agreements so far, in the order of those most recently announced. European Union The U.S. and the EU announced a trade framework that imposes 15% tariffs on most European goods — warding off Trump's most recent threat of 30% if no deal had been reached by Aug. 1. But some key details require more work. The headline of the agreement, unveiled July 27, is that the 15% tariff rate will apply to 70% of European goods brought into the U.S. — with the EU later confirming that that rate applies to pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and car and car parts. But the remaining 30% of those imports is still open for negotiations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that both sides had agreed to zero tariffs for a range of 'strategic' goods. Meanwhile, Trump pointed to heightened investments from European companies in the U.S. — including what Trump said was US$750 billion (638 billion euros) worth of natural gas, oil and nuclear fuel over three years, as well as an additional $600 billion (511 billion euros) under a political commitment that isn't legally binding, officials said. Japan On July 22, Trump announced a trade framework to impose 15% tariffs on Japan — down from his previously-threatened rate of 25%. The U.S. president also said Japan would invest $550 billion into the U.S. and would 'open' its economy to American autos and rice. The newly-agreed on 15% tariff rate also applies to Japanese cars — marking a welcome relief for automakers like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda — which, like other automakers, have faced a 25% levy on key parts and finished vehicles going into the U.S. since earlier this year. But car companies in other countries, including U.S. competitors, worry that this could put them at a disadvantage. Philippines Shortly after a July 22 meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Trump announced that he would lower his upcoming tariffs on imports from the country to 19% — down just 1% from his previous threat of 20%. In return, Trump said on Truth Social, the U.S. would not pay tariffs on American goods it shipped to the Philippines. But additional details remained unclear. Marcos said his country was considering options such as having an open market without tariffs for U.S. automobiles, but emphasized details were still left to be worked out. Indonesia On July 15, Trump again took to social media to announce that he's agreed to lower his planned tariffs on Indonesian goods to 19% — down from a previously-threatened levy of 32% — while American goods sent to the southeast Asian country will face no tariffs. A fact sheet from the White House later confirmed that 'over 99% of U.S. products' exported to Indonesia would be sent duty-free. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said he will continue to negotiate with Trump, in hopes of further lowering the coming U.S. tariffs. Vietnam On July 2, Trump announced a trade deal with Vietnam that he said would allow U.S. goods to enter the country duty-free. Vietnamese exports to the U.S., by contrast, would face a 20% levy. That's less than half the 46% 'reciprocal' rate Trump proposed for Vietnamese goods back in April. But in addition to the new 20% tariff rate, Trump said the U.S. would impose a 40% tax on 'transshipping'' — targeting goods from another country that stop in Vietnam on their way to the United States. Washington complains that Chinese goods have been dodging higher U.S. tariffs by transiting through Vietnam. United Kingdom On May 8, Trump agreed to cut tariffs on British autos, steel and aluminum, among other trade pledges — while the U.K. promised to reduce levies on U.S. products like olive oil, wine and sports equipment. The deal was announced in grandiose terms by both countries, but some key details remained unknown for weeks. When the deal was announced, for example, the British government notably said that the U.S. agreed to exempt the U.K. from its then-universal 25% duties on foreign steel and aluminum — which would have effectively allowed both metals from the country to come into the U.S. duty-free. But the timing for when those cuts would actually take effect stayed up in the air for almost a month. It wasn't until early June, when Trump hiked his steel and aluminum tariffs to a punishing 50% worldwide, that the U.S. acknowledged it was time to implement the agreement. And even then, U.S. tariffs on British steel and aluminum did not go to zero. The U.K. was the only country spared from Trump's new 50% levies, but still faces 25% import taxes on the metals. China At its peak, Trump's new tariffs on Chinese goods totaled 145% — and China's countertariffs on American products reached 125%. But on May 12, the countries agreed to their own 90-day truce to roll back those levies to 30% and 10%, respectively. And in June, details began trickling in about a tentative trade agreement. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that China had agreed to make it easier for American firms to acquire Chinese magnets and rare earth minerals critical for manufacturing and microchip production. Meanwhile, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said that the U.S. would 'lift a series of restrictive measures it had imposed on China.' Other key details of the deal remain murky — including the timing of implementation for these terms. On July 29, China's top trade official said the two sides had agreed to work on extending an Aug. 12 deadline for new tariffs on each other, following a two-day trade meeting in Stockholm. The U.S. side said extension plans were discussed, but not decided. _________ Associated Press reporters from all over the world contributed to this report. Wyatte Grantham-philips, The Associated Press
