Canada's prime minister faces blowback for his plan to hike Canadian arms companies' profits by 240 percent in 10 years. Please support our boldly independent journalism with a donation of any size. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stunned the world with a dazzling speech at Davos in January. He warned that the old order was dying and that it was time for global leaders to get serious about what must replace it. The motivations for Carney's speech have since come under question this week following his response to the joint U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which is widely considered to be illegal under international law. In a statement, Carney wrote: “Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security.” Less than two weeks before releasing that statement, on February 17, Carney invoked the crumbling rules-based international order to justify the need for Canada's first-ever Defence Industrial Strategy. Ultimately, Carney says, he hopes that Canada will be able to domestically produce 70 percent of the Canadian Armed Forces' (CAF) supply needs. Rachel Small, an organizer with World BEYOND War-Canada, says that using the military industry to jumpstart Canada's economy is risky, and questions just how much this announcement will create jobs, given that arms manufacturing has not traditionally created many new jobs in the country. “Banking Canada's future on military production, militarism, and deeper engagement in the global arms race I think is the opposite of what most people in Canada want. I also think that it's a deeply unproven and unrealistic model for economic prosperity,” Small told Truthout. While the Defence Industrial Strategy is being hailed as ambitious, Kelsey Gallagher from Project Ploughshares believes that it's aspirational rather than a practical roadmap. “We are in a time of rearmament across the West, this is not just Canada. For example, many of the items that Canada does produce, like sensor technology components, are add-ons to other pieces of equipment that aren't built in Canada. “The global arms industry is a specialized part of the global economy, and it's also quite monopolized and increasingly so,” Gallagher said, adding that it will be difficult for Canada to enter new industries, scale up quickly, and start producing items that Canada's Armed Forces need but are currently made outside of Canada. Of Canada's top 10 military companies, ranked by the publication Canadian Defence Review for their success and impact, five are U.S.-owned. In 2024, Canada exported 2.5 billion Canadian dollars' worth of military goods. Canada sent the most military equipment (measured in terms of value) to Saudi Arabia, at 1.3 billion Canadian dollars. Most of those exports were armored vehicles made in London, Ontario, by General Dynamics. At their peak in 2019, Canada's military exports reached 4.03 billion Canadian dollars. These numbers are reported via Global Affairs Canada through export permits — a system that tracks military exports based on international conventions. They are subject to a pact that doesn't require the same level of transparency as other international imports and exports. Canada hopes to streamline arms export permits through the Defence Industrial Strategy, something that Gallagher warns could impact the international agreements that Canada has signed that dictate the responsibility a nation-state has in reporting and transparency around arms exports. Canada's export permits are guided by four international conventions and the country has a responsibility to uphold these conventions in how it reports on military imports and exports, he says. The same day that the federal government made this announcement, World BEYOND War-Canada was involved in a national day of action on February 17, calling for an end to the loopholes that exist within Canada's military import and export regulations that allow for arms to be exported with little oversight. New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan has served a motion, Bill C-233, that would tighten up Canada's arms imports and exports policies. Canadian arms exported to the United Arab Emirates have been used in Sudan by the Rapid Support Forces, and there is photographic evidence that some light armored vehicles that Canada exported to Saudi Arabia have ended up in battle in Yemen. One former Canadian general also told CBC News that it's likely some members of the Canadian military played a role in the logistics for the initial U.S. strikes on Iran, which are widely considered to be in breach of international law. While Carney and the Department of National Defence have disputed that, there are still lingering questions about the nature of Canadian service member exchanges with U.S. Central Command. Gallagher warns that the logic that Canada must scale up its military to keep Canada safe leads to a situation where Canadian companies will seek other opportunities around the world to sell their goods when the Canadian Armed Forces have as much as they need. As independent media, what we do next matters a lot. We cannot let him believe for a second longer that he can get away with something this wildly illegal or recklessly dangerous without accountability. Nora Loreto is a writer and activist based in Quebec City. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. Truthout is working overtime to bring you the latest on Iran.

If you think our work is valuable, support us with a donation of any size. The U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran has already sparked regional war, and threatens to reshape West Asia for years to come. The military strikes began on February 28, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several of his top officials. Despite Khamenei's death, President Trump has said the strikes will continue. If Iran's nuclear facilities and capabilities were already obliterated during last year's U.S. strikes, as Trump has long claimed, what is now the objective? The elimination of remaining leaders, as U.S. forces attempted in Iraq? Iran's regular army, the Artesh, numbers roughly 375,000 personnel. The Revolutionary Guard — Iran's military, political, and economic powerhouse — counts approximately 125,000 or more. The Basij, Iran's voluntary paramilitary organization, maintains around 90,000 active members and can mobilize 450,000. By some estimates, nearly one million individuals serve in or alongside the state's security structure. As of this writing, the regime has not collapsed, and these forces remain intact. In an eight-minute video released at the beginning of the bombing campaign, President Trump urged Iran's army, police, Revolutionary Guard, and Basij to lay down their arms and called on citizens to take control of their government. That appeal assumes a rapid implosion of the state's coercive machinery. But institutions of that scale do not dissolve because they are told to. Hundreds of thousands of armed men do not disarm overnight and hand the country to foreign powers or spontaneous civic committees. If the expectation is that bombing will accelerate internal democratic change, recent events suggest otherwise. A banking crisis and sharp currency devaluation triggered nationwide protests that began at the end of 2025, involving everyone from students and workers to bazaar merchants. Airstrikes do not create space for civic mobilization. When foreign aircraft strike cities, citizens do not gather in public squares demanding reform. Whatever fragile momentum for internal change existed has now been interrupted by war. Following from the confusion about Trump's plan for this war, another question quickly follows: if the current leadership collapses, who governs? There is no unified opposition inside Iran with institutional capacity to assume control. The Islamic Republic's opponents are fragmented: reformists, republicans, labor activists, student networks, ethnic movements, and monarchists often disagree not only on leadership but on the structure of a future state. The current government has also spent decades repressing any of these forces that could come as a reasonable threat to its power, suffocating space for democratic debate. A segment of the Iranian diaspora regards him as a transitional leader and speaks as though his succession is self-evident. On social media and satellite networks, some supporters already frame him as the natural heir to a post-Islamic Republic Iran. Reza Pahlavi commands no formal political party within Iran, no known alliance with senior military officers, and no organized structure capable of securing ministries, borders, or public order in a moment of upheaval. His father and grandfather ruled through authoritarian control, and for many Iranians, especially those who experienced imprisonment, censorship, or repression under the monarchy, that history remains unresolved. Airstrikes do not create space for civic mobilization. When foreign aircraft strike cities, citizens do not gather in public squares demanding reform. That assumption overlooks the institutions that still exist: the Revolutionary Guard, regional power brokers, clerical networks, provincial patronage systems, and armed groups unwilling to surrender authority to a figure whose base of support is largely external. Donald Trump has suggested that Reza Pahlavi lacks the necessary support and capacity to lead Iran. “He seems very nice, but I don't know how he'd play within his own country,” Trump told Reuters in January. “I don't know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me.” Of the monarchists, one anonymous U.S. official told Politico, “They scare me.” Leadership in a country of more than 90 million people does not materialize through wish or nostalgia. It requires institutional alignment, territorial control, and internal legitimacy, none of which can be assumed from exile. Iran's internal complexity deepens the uncertainty about what now. Although Persians form a majority of Iran's population, the country includes substantial Azeri, Kurdish, Baluch, Arab, and Turkic populations. These communities are deeply integrated into national life, yet historical grievances and regional tensions persist. It's important to remember that grievances against centralized state power in Iran long predate 1979. These long-standing issues helped fuel broader discontent that contributed to the revolution. Efforts at ‘nation-building' under the Shah also involved policies aimed at linguistic and cultural homogenization, which many non-Persian communities experienced as exclusionary and repressive. In stable times, such tensions are contained by a functioning center. In the southwest, Khuzestan holds much of Iran's oil and contains a significant Arab population with a history of separatist sentiment. A prolonged vacuum in Tehran would not produce orderly transition. It would invite regional intervention, militia mobilization, and competing territorial claims. The disintegration of Yugoslavia led to ethnic war and Balkanization. NATO's intervention in Libya preceded years of militia competition. But the belief that sustained bombing can engineer stable democracy has repeatedly been disproven. It does not remove one figure and install another. It shifts power to those most capable of wielding force. Removing leadership is not the same as constructing governance. It is a layered society held together by history and shared memory. Remove the center without a viable replacement and you do not create democracy. And in this region, vacuums rarely remain empty. They fill with militaries, militias, foreign proxies, and wars that often outlive the people who start them. February 28 may not mark the end of a regime. As independent media, what we do next matters a lot. It's up to us to report the truth, demand accountability, and reckon with the consequences of U.S. militarism at this cataclysmic historical moment. Trump may be an authoritarian, but he is not entirely invulnerable, nor are the elected officials who have given him pass after pass. We cannot let him believe for a second longer that he can get away with something this wildly illegal or recklessly dangerous without accountability. Please make a tax-deductible one-time or monthly donation to Truthout. This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), and you are free to share and republish under the following terms: Recognized for his global insights, Mahbod is a sought-after speaker whose work has taken him to over 50 countries. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. Truthout is working overtime to bring you the latest on Iran. In deep opposition to Trump's militarism, we are producing media of truth and accountability in this moment of crisis.

Colin Gray, the father of Georgia school shooter Colt Gray, was found guilty of murder and manslaughter charges Tuesday in a case testing the limits of who is responsible for a mass shooting. Prosecutors accused Gray of buying his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas present and allowing him access to that weapon and ammunition despite warnings that his son was a danger to others. Colt Gray, then 14, used that rifle to carry out a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024, killing two teachers and two students and wounding nine others. “That man and his son are both responsible for the immense suffering that occurred on September 4,” prosecutor Patricia Brooks said in closing arguments. Colin Gray's defense, though, argued he did not know about his son's violent plans and had taken steps to get him help for his mental health troubles. Colin Gray, the father of Georgia school shooting suspect Colt Gray, took the stand to testify in his own defense at his murder trial where he became emotional saying "there was this whole other side of Colt I didn't know existed.” The indictment alleged his actions constituted “criminal negligence” by “consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk.” The trial was part of a broader push to hold more people accountable for a school shooting, including the shooter's parents and responding law enforcement officers. This case bears close similarities to the trials and convictions of James and Jennifer Crumbley, whose then-15-year-old son killed four students in 2021 at his high school in Oxford, Michigan. The state presented its case over about two weeks, including emotional testimony from students and teachers who survived the shooting, police interviews with Colin Gray, photos showing unsecured firearms and ammo in a bedroom closet, and testimony from the teen's mother, grandmother and sister about Colt's spiraling mental health. Marcee Gray, the defendant's estranged wife who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, testified their son was riddled with anxiety, easily agitated and had panic attacks. She said it was “very obvious” he needed professional help, but her husband “just didn't want to deal with it.” Notably, the jury saw body-camera footage from May 21, 2023, when deputies with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office visited Colt and Colin Gray's home after receiving an FBI tip about an online threat to shoot up a school. Colin Gray bought his son the AR-15-style rifle later that year. The defense called just one witness: Colin Gray himself. He testified he bought his son the firearm and ammunition in an attempt to get him interested in the outdoors and for father-son bonding. He also said he had scheduled counseling at school for Colt's mental health issues and did not ever perceive his son as a threat. “He's a good kid,” the father said through tears. Concerning texts and a case of mistaken identity. Colin Gray trial testimony reveals frantic moments before school shooting And he admitted he was aware that his son had been physically violent, had a photo of a school shooter posted on his bedroom wall and had texted a few weeks before the attack, “Whenever something happens, just know the blood is on your hands.” School officials and resource officers had gone to intercept Colt Gray after he made several concerning comments that morning, but in a stranger-than-fiction mix-up, they confused him with another student named Kolton Gray. Colt Gray then armed himself with the rifle – which he had brought to school hidden in his backpack – fired indiscriminately into a math class and shot several people in the hallway.

Pitting an old political heavyweight against a rapper-turned-politician with a penchant for dark sunglasses and sharp suits, the battle is one that could completely reshape the country's politics. As Nepal heads into its most gripping election in years, at the forefront stands Balendra Shah, the 35-year-old known simply as Balen. Yet it was after Nepal witnessed the bloodiest day of protest in recent history – when a gen-Z uprising last September against corruption and a social media ban was responded to with police brutality and live fire across the country – that Balen emerged as a nationally popular and unifying figure, particularly among a Nepali youth widely enraged at a political system they feel is broken and unrepresentative. The protests and ensuing violence left more than 70 dead and quickly brought down the communist government of the veteran prime minister KP Sharma Oli, which had long been dogged by allegations of corruption, nepotism and elitism. Balen was the favoured choice by gen-Z leaders to step in as interim leader but he declined, opting to wait and fight it out at the ballot box. “As mayor, Balen showed he could transform governance,” said Parbat Basnet, a 24-year-old business graduate and one of the leaders of the gen-Z uprising in Damak, which was also met with police firing. Nepal's unwieldy electoral system has entrenched an endless cycle of weak coalition governments and widespread election fatigue; the country has had 31 prime ministers in 35 years, including several who came back repeatedly. “But the energy in this election is different,” said Basnet. “Even old voters are finally questioning leaders: where is the gas pipeline you promised? For years, this region has been the stronghold of the four-time prime minister Oli and his Communist party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), known as UML. After Oli announced that he would be rerunning for office yet again, despite his unceremonious toppling six months ago, Balen resigned as Kathmandu mayor and announced he would directly contest Oli's seat and run for prime minister. At a roadshow in Damak, huge crowds gathered on the roads, on balconies, rooftops and standing on trucks, and there was a surge to try to touch Balen as he emerged from the roof window of his campaign truck dressed in his signature black suit and shades. Women who could not reach him for selfies collapsed in tears. Sarita Baral, 23, was among those who snapped a prized rally selfie. “Young people in Nepal are very supportive of Balen because we want change, we want job opportunities and an end to corruption,” said Baral. “Balen is different from other politicians, doesn't make big promises and he seems brave. As his campaign motorcade drove through Damak it was largely ignored. “Young people were misled, they were brought out into the streets and then their movement was hijacked by criminals,” said Oli. “This was a conspiracy to topple my government. But their conspiracy was greater than our preparation, they wanted to burn the country.” Oli's UML does retain strong loyalty, particularly in more rural areas of Jhapa-5 where he has won six times. There have also been concerns raised over Balen's campaigning style as well as his history of volatile social media posts and impulsive tendencies, which some fear could have geopolitical implications for a small country land-locked between China and India. Balen has largely shunned interviews in mainstream media in favour of social media posts, where he has millions of followers, and his team did not respond to requests from the Guardian. Out on the campaign trail, his campaigning style is unconventional and his interactions with voters are largely brief, leading to accusations that he is shying away from any difficult questions. On the rare occasions Balen has addressed crowds, his remarks have lasted no more than three minutes. His silence appeared to rile some in Jhapa. During an appearance at Gaurigunj, a small town about 20 miles from Damak, he simply smiled at the crowds and then moved on. “If he wins, will it be even harder to hear him?” He deleted his post but his lack of transparency on his foreign policy strategy, and how he intends to manage Nepal's delicate tussle between overpowering Indian and Chinese interests remains a concern for some voters. He waves to the crowd, stands on stage, and that's it,” said Kumar Khatiwada, 62, who said he would be voting for Oli. “Yes, expectations are high but I am not blindly following him because he is a celebrity or a rapper” said Basnet. “If he does well, I will support him.

One was on the brink of earning dual degrees and starting a prestigious job. Their lives intersected at the end when they were killed in a mass shooting in Austin's bustling Sixth Street entertainment district. “These were young people with their whole lives ahead of them,” said Buford's Backyard Beer Garden, near the site of the shootings. Another 13 people were injured in the attack early Sunday morning, including several University of Texas at Austin students, the school's president said. While the motive remains uncertain, investigators are digging into whether the suspect, 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, was spurred by recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Savitha Shan was just two months away from graduating from UT Austin and already had a distinguished job lined up, according to her LinkedIn profile and a professor. The 21-year-old “was set to graduate this May, and then she was on to start her career at a big professional services firm,” Finney wrote. Shan's parents are now grieving the death of their only child. “Our hearts are broken beyond words,” the family said in a statement released by UT Austin. While Shan was lauded for her academic achievements, it was her selfless compassion that touched the lives of those less fortunate. She “generously gave her time through volunteer service and community involvement, always seeking to uplift those around her,” Shan's parents said. Austin shooting suspect is being investigated for possible terror motive. UT Austin President Jim Davis said Shan was “a loyal friend to many.” “It is devastating, and I know all of us are grieved by this horrible news and we will remember her,” Davis wrote in a statement. He said several other UT Austin students were injured in the shooting, some with “very serious” injuries. A community vigil is scheduled for Tuesday evening, the university's Students Demand Action chapter said. Ryder Harrington was a vivacious 19-year-old who made every day brighter for those around him, family and friends said. His sister, Reagan Harrington, paid tribute to her “best friend” on Instagram. “Watching the man he had become, and seeing all the lives he touched, leaves me certain that this world was robbed of a great future,” Reed posted on Facebook. In an open letter to his slain brother, Reed thanked Ryder for “being the best brother I could ever ask for.” Death toll rises to 3 as officials probe whether Austin mass shooting motivated by Iran strikes Ryder Harrington was a student at Texas Tech University last fall, the school said, in a statement shared with CNN affiliate KCBD. “He made the world around him better simply by being in it.” Jorge Pederson was a respected fighter and fought until the end. The MMA fighter from Minnesota was “very funny and a genuinely nice guy,” said Matthew Vogt, co-owner of Med City Fighting Championships. Pederson wasn't just “on point in regard to fighting,” Vogt told CNN. He also brought humor and personality to the sport. Pederson's personality was so infectious that “Immediately after meeting him, both owners and people that work our events all immediately loved him,” Med City Fighting Championships wrote on Facebook. “Our condolences to all of his friends and family. CNN's Amanda Musa, Ed Lavandera, Elise Hammond, Jeremy Grisham and Karina Tsui contributed to this report.

China calls it unacceptable to ‘kill leader of sovereign state', while South Africa questions ‘pre-emptive' justification The US-Israeli war on Iran has been condemned as illegal across much of the global south, with China saying it was unacceptable to “blatantly kill the leader of a sovereign state”. Many countries objected that negotiations between the US and Iran over its nuclear programme and missile capability were not given a chance to succeed before Washington and Israel began bombing, and analysts often saw the war in terms of a colonial-style exercise of might. South Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, questioned the “pre-emptive” justification provided for the war, saying that self-defence was only permitted in response to an armed invasion and that “there can be no military solution to fundamentally political problems”. Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, deplored the attacks, which he said were “instigated” by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. This is not your war.” Oman downed two drones, while another crashed near its Salalah port on Tuesday, state media said. Many other developing nations also lambasted Iran's attacks on its Gulf neighbours. Siphamandla Zondi, professor of politics at the University of Johannesburg, said that in the west, wars were viewed as having moral purpose, while in the global south, conflict was seen as evil and a failure to behave as adults. He said that the US and Israel had cajoled some countries through the Abraham Accords for diplomatic recognition of Israel, and used force against others. “It makes the world unsafe for all of us.” Commentators said Europe had shown double standards, stridently defending international law when it came to Trump's attempts to annex Greenland but muted in the case of this war. Now, the US acted solely through coercion, even as Chinese soft power was gaining, with Beijing offering investment to developing countries. He said that Russia, too, would benefit, as Iran and other Trump foreign policy shocks took the focus away from Ukraine. “Many countries in the global south are going to look for a coalition of powers that will stand up to the United States, as the United States is seen as so aggressive, so imperial,” said Acharya. “I condemn the Iranian theocratic regime for its dictatorial and repressive nature, but these ongoing attacks are a violation of international law,” said Heraldo Muñoz, a former foreign minister of Chile. Oliver Stuenkel, professor of International Relations at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) in São Paulo, said that there was fear in Latin America that, emboldened by his actions in Venezuela and Iran, Trump would attempt to target Cuba. “There is a profound sense that international law is being eroded more systematically, and that has, I think, profound consequences for many countries in the global south, which are militarily weak and vulnerable, have rich natural resources, and have long made a bet on international rules and norms,” said Stuenkel. Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, said the US was negotiating with Iran in bad faith, as it did last year, using talks as a smokescreen to complete preparations to attack.

Ukraine has liberated nine settlements in the Oleksandrivka sector along the southeastern front line, Ukraine's Air Assault Forces said on March 2 on Facebook. The announcement follows a statement by Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, who said Ukrainian forces regained more territory in February 2026 than Russia captured during the same period. "Three additional settlements in the area have been fully cleared of Russian troops, while fighting continues for several more," the statement read. The Air Assault Forces said their units are continuing offensive operations, pushing Russian troops out of fortified positions and cutting key supply routes. Under the measures, all terminals not registered in Ukraine's state system ceased operating on Ukrainian territory. Earlier, on Feb. 23, Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces had regained control of eight settlements and liberated 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of territory from Russian occupation since late January 2026. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said that Ukraine will not agree to territorial concessions, arguing that giving up land would not bring lasting peace. Tania Myronyshena is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the Kyiv Independent, she worked as a freelance journalist with a focus on cultural narratives and human stories. in publishing and editing from Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University. "Russia has turned torture into state policy and uses it as a weapon," Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said. Orban held a phone call with Putin amid an escalating spat between Kyiv and Budapest. Izovitova has faced criticism for allegedly being a protégé of pro-Kremlin politician Viktor Medvedchuk. Izovitova's tenure as head of the association ended in 2022, and she has been accused of holding her position illegally. "Three additional settlements in the area have been fully cleared of Russian troops, while fighting continues for several more," the statement read. Ukraine received its first payment of $1.5 billion under a new International Monetary Fund program, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on March 3. The International Paralympic Committee barred Ukraine's Paralympic team from wearing their ceremonial uniform for the upcoming Winter Games, saying the design featuring a map of Ukraine was political, according to National Paralympic Committee President Valerii Sushkevych. Russia launched 136 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, reporting that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 127 unmanned aircraft. At least five drones evaded defenses and struck three locations. U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 2 that U.S. munitions stockpiles are stronger than ever, stating in a post on Truth Social that supplies at the medium and upper-medium levels have “never been higher or better” and that the country has a “virtually unlimited supply of these weapons.”

Last week Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, tweaked our noses when he told the CBC that “If Canada wants to agree that we can have some level of higher tariff on them while they open up their markets to us on things like dairy and other things, then that's a helpful conversation.” “Helpful conversations” are included in Prime Minister Mark Carney's agenda this week, but not with the Americans. “Canada has what the world wants – abundant energy, critical minerals, expertise in technology, and world-class talent,” according to the government's news release promoting his trip. It differentiates Canada in the global market and is another reason why Canada needs a deal with the Trump administration on a renegotiated USMCA. This, according to TD Economics, helps explain strong investment inflows into Canada from Britain in 2025. TD economists note that “over 40 per cent of U.K. filings were acquisitions of Canadian software companies ... suggesting U.K. investors see Canadian tech as both promising and a natural gateway to North American markets.” The Prime Minister's Office says the trip is to “diversify trade, attract new investment, and secure new partnerships.” Mr. Carney's strategy leads the political zeitgeist in Canada, where last week a poll by Nanos Research for The Globe and Mail suggested most Canadians do not see our southern neighbour as a trustworthy ally. Global Affairs Canada reports that this country's trade data from December, 2025, shows that “Annual goods exports to the United States fell 5.8 per cent, mitigated almost completely by a 17.2-per-cent export gain to non-U.S. markets.” Some of that decline, however, has come in high value-add manufactured goods, shedding jobs associated with them. Nevertheless, more trade deals between Canada and countries such as India, Japan and Australia add ammunition to use in this country's battle against aggressive U.S. economic pressure. Mr. Carney's trip isn't just about diversification – it helps circle the wagons to protect access to U.S. markets the USMCA deal provides, a deal that will be renegotiated this year. Anand declines comment on links between Indian consulate and Nijjar slaying They argue President Donald Trump and his trade representatives bluff with “steeper tariff increases as the fallback in failed negotiations.” But the objective is securing “agreements on tariffs at or above the 10-per-cent floor – without provoking retaliation – using carve-outs and exemptions to facilitate agreement.” Surrender is what success looks like for the Trump administration. This reinforces former prime minister (and economist) Stephen Harper's call last month for Canada to hit back with its own tariffs on U.S. goods. Canada is now heading into the major battle in the trade war with the U.S. that Mr. Trump started, and there is one way to win: Deny the Trump administration's efforts to impose tariffs on Canada that go unanswered, making Canada a less attractive destination for foreign investment, while sending jobs south. Retaliatory tariffs will squeeze Canadian pocketbooks even harder at a time of an affordability crisis. New trading partners will offer some relief if not moral support. Mr. Carney's foreign trips rallying new trade allies to our side signals he is preparing to fight that battle, as he must. Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

It's uncertain how long Iran can hold out, but it seems this plan has failed: despite Washington's hints, Iran's new leadership refuses to engage in negotiations with the US. There have been no public statements in this regard, but it looks like something is happening behind the scenes. While Russia might supply Iran with air defense systems, cruise and ballistic missiles, and Geran drones (which would be ironic, considering that they were designed in Iran), China could potentially turn Iran into its proxy, significantly undermining US interests. The critical question remains whether Beijing and Tehran are ready for such a partnership. There are three main potential scenarios for what may happen next in Iran. Below, we'll examine them and consider how they may impact another major conflict – the war in Ukraine. While the US failed to deliver a ‘knockout blow' to Iran in the first days, that doesn't mean all is well in Tehran. It's possible that within a week or two, Iran's new leadership might backtrack and seek negotiations with the US. For Russia, this is an undesirable outcome, particularly in terms of its international image. Western propaganda is weaving the latest events into a cohesive narrative, demonstrating how first Syria, then Venezuela, and now Iran have been attacked and implying that Russia is unable to protect its allies. Out of this list, Syria is the only country that may be considered Russia's ally, and Moscow's influence in Syria has even strengthened following the change in leadership there. As for Venezuela, it was dependent on China; and Russia's relationship with Iran, despite the latter's staunch opposition to the US, has always been complex and challenging. Either way, Iran's possible defeat would likely boost Ukraine's morale. But even more importantly, it would bolster US confidence. With newfound enthusiasm, Washington might believe it can take on any challenge. This could potentially lead to a hard military confrontation – not necessarily directly with Moscow, but possibly with one of its military allies, like North Korea or even Belarus. A swift resolution to the crisis in Iran could also lead to a drop in oil prices, which would not be profitable for Russia. This means that each military district and even individual brigades can operate independently, without orders or communication from central command. For the US, this is bad news, since achieving victory would require the destruction of every missile launch site and missile defense system in Iran. The US faces a significant challenge, since its capacity to sustain a high-intensity conflict over an extended period is limited. After about a month, precision missile supplies could be depleted, and replenishing them might take years. Air defense systems are likely to run out of missiles even sooner since they are currently operating at full capacity not only in Israel but in all the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. This situation risks dragging the US into a drawn-out conflict with an uncertain outcome, and would likely require support from NATO allies. A prolonged conflict would not only draw attention away from Ukraine, but would also redirect crucial resources like missile defense systems to the Persian Gulf. Support for Ukraine, which is already quite weak, could dwindle to the level of mere empty threats. In case of an extended conflict in the Persian Gulf, oil prices will remain high for a long time, positioning Russia as one of the world's leading oil suppliers. A month is a rough estimate based on US President Donald Trump's comments, but such a scenario appears increasingly plausible: if the US exhausts its resources but fails to achieve regime change, Washington may have no choice but to scale back operations and pursue some form of ceasefire agreement with Tehran. After all, extensive airstrikes cause significant damage to the country, and a protracted war could destabilize the already shaky regime. Just last Saturday, Trump boasted about the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and talked about the person he would appoint as Iran's new leader. This would deal a serious blow to Trump's ‘testosterone-fueled' foreign policy and, coupled with the Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs, could potentially signal its end. The authorities of this nation, which is experiencing one of the worst demographic crises in the world, continue to fight just because they have convinced themselves and their remaining population that if they hold out a little longer, Russia will stumble and President Vladimir Putin will retreat. The number of people who want to keep fighting against Russia at all costs is decreasing and is now limited to Vladimir Zelensky's inner circle and those who directly fulfill the orders of European nations. Even the most stubborn supporters of Ukraine will understand that their ‘white lord' can't protect them. The coming days will be decisive for Iran. Read RT Privacy policy to find out more.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 2 that U.S. munitions stockpiles are stronger than ever, stating in a post on Truth Social that supplies at the medium and upper-medium levels have “never been higher or better” and that the country has a “virtually unlimited supply of these weapons.” Trump added that wars can be fought “forever” using existing reserves, which he claimed are superior to other countries' arsenals, though he acknowledged that at the highest end, stockpiles are “not where we want to be.” His remarks come as the United States and Israel continue joint military operations against Iran under Operation Epic Fury, following large-scale strikes on Iranian military and nuclear-linked infrastructure. ),” Trump claimed Biden “didn't bother to replace” the advanced systems that were transferred. Trump said he rebuilt the military during his first term and is continuing to strengthen it, concluding that “The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!! As a result of the U.S.-Israeli operation so far, the joint forces have killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and claim to have also killed dozens of other Iranian top officials. Trump's stated goal is to destroy Iran's missile and military capabilities, prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and topple the hardline regime. Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. "Russia has turned torture into state policy and uses it as a weapon," Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said. Orban held a phone call with Putin amid an escalating spat between Kyiv and Budapest. Izovitova has faced criticism for allegedly being a protégé of pro-Kremlin politician Viktor Medvedchuk. Ukraine received its first payment of $1.5 billion under a new International Monetary Fund program, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on March 3. The International Paralympic Committee barred Ukraine's Paralympic team from wearing their ceremonial uniform for the upcoming Winter Games, saying the design featuring a map of Ukraine was political, according to National Paralympic Committee President Valerii Sushkevych. At least five drones evaded defenses and struck three locations. U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 2 that U.S. munitions stockpiles are stronger than ever, stating in a post on Truth Social that supplies at the medium and upper-medium levels have “never been higher or better” and that the country has a “virtually unlimited supply of these weapons.” Speaking at the L'Île Longue naval base in northwestern France — home to the country's ballistic missile submarines — Macron argued that Europe must assume a more autonomous role in its own defense amid Russia's war against Ukraine and shifting U.S. strategic priorities. Ukrainians in Dubai and elsewhere in the UAE said Middle East airspace closures and security fears have revived the anxieties they fled at home, leaving some stranded as Kyiv seeks assurances for their protection.

An exclusive interview on RT's Sanchez Effect. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, joins us from Tehran under the missile barrage – with the sound of drones audible throughout the conversation. He describes the assassination of the Supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a “heinous crime.” He said it's not just a tragedy for Iran, but also for millions of Muslims around the world – which will trigger incidents similar to the shooting that took place in a Texas bar where a gunman killed at least two and wounded 14. Gharibabadi mocks the Israeli and US pretexts for the attack. For decades, they claimed that Iran was about to obtain a nuclear bomb, which the deputy foreign minister dismissed as “Netanyahu's fantasies,” as Iran has only sought a peaceful nuclear program. He also rejects the notion Iran is a threat to the US, adding that it never threatened US assets in the region, but was itself surrounded by US military assets. Watch the full interview on RT International. © Autonomous Nonprofit Organization “TV-Novosti”, 2005–2026. This website uses cookies. Read RT Privacy policy to find out more.

The Israeli Air Force delivered a series of strikes and destroyed the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) center in Tehran, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Tuesday. "A short while ago, the Israeli Air Force struck and dismantled the Iranian… regime's communications center," the statement reads. There were no visible disruptions during live air of the broadcaster and no information provided regarding the damage caused by the strikes at the moment of the report. The US and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, have been hit. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, elite units of the Iranian Armed Forces) announced a large-scale retaliatory operation. There were reports of missiles and drones being launched from Iran, and air-raid alert sirens sounded in the Tel Aviv area. According to the Mehr news agency, US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also targeted. Regional countries are closing their airspace, and airlines are suspending flights.

The strikes have severely disrupted travel through Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, as well as in Doha, Qatar. The three cities are global transit hubs that connect Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. As of Monday evening local time, UAE airports had resumed a limited number of flights to take stranded passengers to their destinations, while Qatar's airspace remained closed. Major airlines, including Air Canada, have adopted flexible policies that allow passengers who are set to travel through airports affected by the conflict to rebook their flights at no cost or obtain refunds within certain dates. Air Canada also said in a Monday post to X that it had cancelled flights from Canada to Israel and Dubai until March 22, with service resuming the day after. Travellers with trip cancellation or interruption insurance are typically eligible to file claims under those policies when Ottawa issues a Level 3 advisory or higher. The war in Iran could push up gas prices, and fast. The conflict has sent oil prices surging, with Brent crude, a global benchmark for the commodity, rising as much as 13 per cent to US$82.37 a barrel in the futures market before closing up 6.7 per cent at US$77.74 a barrel. Canadians could pay between three and six cents more per litre at the pump as early as Wednesday this week, analysts told The Globe and Mail. The saving grace for motorists is that gasoline prices have been decreasing since last spring in Canada, a decline that reflected both Ottawa nixing the consumer carbon levy and an oil price drop in early April because of uncertainty around U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. It also helps that the world currently has large stockpiles of oil stored at sea on tankers in what's called “floating storage.” That floating inventory could provide a buffer against supply disruptions, said Brooke Thackray, research analyst at Global X. The jump in oil prices has so far buoyed energy stocks, providing a silver lining for Canadian investors. But Philip Petursson, chief investment strategist at IG Wealth Management, cautioned investors against making rash decisions, given the high degree of uncertainty over how the conflict will evolve. Oil prices that remain elevated for a protracted period could push inflation back up, economists are warning. But a drawn-out conflict could also drive up the price of fertilizer, analysts say. Opinion: Trump offers Iran militarism, authoritarianism and corruption instead of a coherent plan Pricier fertilizer, in turn, could put renewed upward pressure on food prices, which have remained a sore point for Canadian shoppers, even as other types of inflation have cooled. Worries about inflation have prompted investors to push up bond yields and pare back expectations that the Bank of Canada will lower its trendsetting policy rate this year. This is bad news for anyone who was hoping for declines in either fixed mortgage rates, which are influenced by bond yields, or variable ones, which tend to follow movements in the central bank's rate. In a post to X, Ron Butler, founder of Toronto-based Butler Mortgage, cautioned mortgage shoppers against making decisions based on short-term bond-market gyrations linked to geopolitical events. Instead, borrowers should focus on securing a rate hold, he wrote. With a mortgage pre-approval, lenders often guarantee a mortgage rate for up to 120 days, which protects borrowers from the risk of rising costs. If rates don't rise during that period, customers can let the rate hold expire at no cost. Bank accounts 101: Opening an account, banks vs. credit unions, fees and more Bank accounts 101: Opening an account, banks vs. credit unions, fees and more Bank accounts 101: Opening an account, banks vs. credit unions, fees and more Bank accounts 101: Opening an account, banks vs. credit unions, fees and more Life insurance is one of the best ways to protect your family's financial security. This calculator estimates the after-tax cost of a charitable donation. See the cost of waiting to invest in an RESP. Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.