OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

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Thursday Iran war update:

"Iran and the United States concluded two days of indirect talks yesterday without making progress toward a lasting peace, sources said. Negotiators focused on ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and unfreezing Iranian funds, while Iran’s nuclear program was not discussed, the sources added. Trump, however, said “the denuclearization of Iran is moving along well,” adding “they've had very good meetings, and we'll see.” Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the next meeting will take place after funeral processions for ​Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is due to be buried on July 9. Andrew Mills, Parisa Hafezi, and Jacob Bogage report for Reuters. 

An Iranian military commander today warned the United States and Israel against any attack on Iran as it prepares for Khamenei’s state funeral,adding that Iran’s armed forces would ensure “harsh retaliation” against any threat. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi yesterday gave a similar warning that Tehran would deliver an immediate and powerful response to any threat against its people or leadership after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Iran’s current Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “marked for death.” Reuters reports.  

Iran’s joint military command warned today that all oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz must use Iran’s approved routes or face a “forceful response. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News. "

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Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight and early this morning killed at least 17 people and wounded more than 90, according to Ukrainian authorities. Damage from the strikes was recorded at more than 30 locations in Kyiv, including 20 residential buildings and a medical facility, the officials said. Stephen Kalin reports for the Wall Street Journal; Kylie MacLellan, Farouq Suleiman, Christina Anagnostopoulos, and Isabella Lapadula report for Reuters.  

The Russian defense ministry claims it intercepted a Ukrainian ballistic missile in the last 24 hours, potentially marking Kyiv’s first combat use of such a weapon. The ministry did not specify where the intercept took place, nor did it identify the specific missile type. Bloomberg reports.   

Russia has started seaborne imports of gasoline from India, two industry sources said yesterday, in an effort to mitigate fuel shortages triggered by Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure. Reuters reports. 

More than two million Russian and Ukrainian troops have been killed or wounded since the war started in Feb. 2022, according to a studypublished yesterday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. The study shows that Russia has borne the heavier toll, with 1.4 million troops killed or wounded. Helene Cooper reports for the New York Times.  

Russia likely used shadow ships to launch drones over Europe that repeatedly disrupted civilian aviation, according to a report published today by the International Institute of Strategic Studies. The report plotted 144 suspected drone sightings across Europe between 2024 and 2026. The IISS said the Russian campaign was designed to fall below the threshold of triggering discussions for a collective NATO response and was a “strategic failure” for Europe that exposed how the continent’s air defenses are not fit to deal with the current threat. Emma Burrows reports for AP News. " 

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Mapped: The Highest Point in Every U.S. State

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lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

Kyiv has “dramatically taken the war to Russian territory in 2026 by orchestrating a series of short-, medium-, and long-range strikes to disrupt and destroy Russian logistics and supplies,” according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies report shared last week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that Russia has since relocated the bulk of its air defenses to cover key areas, such as central Moscow and a presidential residence. Colin Demarest reports for Axios.  

President Trump offered to help find a solution to the Russia-Ukraine war during a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said yesterday. Ushakov said Trump made the offer on Saturday in the context of his participation next week at the NATO summit in Turkey. Zelenskyy said he also spoke to Trump in recent days. Reuters reports. "

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Monday Iran war update:

Three sons of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended his funeral yesterday alongside senior Iranian officials and thousands of mourners. Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Supreme Leader, did not make an appearance. There has still been no public sighting of Mojtaba, said to have been injured in the attack that killed his father on Feb. 28. Khamenei’s body will be transported to cities in Iran and neighbouring Iraq throughout the week, including to major Shi'ite religious sites. Reuters reports; Aaron Boxerman and Abdi Latif Dahir report for the New York Times.

Trump told Axios on Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked him for a meeting at the White House, and that it could take place as early as this week after Trump returns from the NATO summit. This would be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since their Situation Room meeting in February, where Netanyahu presented his plan for launching a joint war against Iran. Barak Ravid reports."

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US-Israel-Turkey and the F-35:

"Trump is expected to tell Erdoğan that he is prepared to restore Turkey to a program that would allow it to purchase F-35 fighter jets, according to four senior administration officials. Trump said last week he was preparing to bring a gift to the NATO summit in Ankara that would make Erdoğan “very happy.” The move would reverse a ban that Trump imposed seven years ago, though it could still face opposition in Congress. Tyler Pager and David E. Sanger report for the New York Times. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Trump on Friday to refrain from selling weapons systems to Turkey that would help it modernize its air force, according to Israeli and U.S. officials. Netanyahu also complained to Trump about Erdoğan’s escalating anti-Israel rhetoric. “Netanyahu made an ask, and the president heard him. So the president might pass on the message like, ‘Hey, can you go just a little easy on this?’ But it is what it is,” a U.S. official said. Barak Ravid and Marc Caputo report for Axios. "

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Iran War update:

A tanker travelling off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz caught fire this morning after being struck by a projectile, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center said. Iranian state television said the tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings, but Iranian officials have not directly claimed the assault. Two U.S. officials told Axios that Iran’s military fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting the strait last night. Iran warned last week that all oil tankers must use its approved routes. However, the Joint Maritime Information Center, a body overseen by the U.S. Navy, told shippers yesterday that the route around Oman “has been expanded and remains available for traffic.” John Gambrell reports for AP News; Barak Ravid reports."

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Russia-Ukraine update:

Zelenskyy plans to use the NATO meeting this week to urge Kyiv’s allies to deliver the air defense systems it urgently needs to protect it from escalating Russian attacks, he said yesterday. “It is simply absurd that, in today’s world, production [of Patriot defense missiles] has still not been scaled up to the level actually required to protect people from ballistic terror,” Zelenskyy said. Ukraine was unable to stop a single ballistic missile during Russia’s attack yesterday, which killed at least 28 people. Sarah Rainsford reports for BBC News; Valentyn Ogirenko and Vladyslav Smilianets report for Reuters. 

Ukrainian drones yesterday struck Russia’s largest oil refinery in Omsk, Siberia, in what was one of Ukraine’s longest-range attacks of the war,Ukraine’s military said in a statement. Local Russian authorities confirmed the strike. Reuters reports.  

Russia risks an “explosive” banking crisis because lenders are shouldering much of the burden of Russia’s war economy, a European state intelligence report seen by Reuters warned. The intelligence ⁠report said banks have been pushed to give subsidised loans to defence companies, homebuyers and others. It noted that state-backed credit ​programmes, loan restructurings and government support masked the banks' vulnerability. “The situation creates the illusion of a dynamic economy that, in reality, conceals an explosive situation which an economic shock, such as an ambitious package of ​sanctions against banks… could trigger,” said the report. John Irish and John O’Donnell report."

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Wednesday Iran war update:

Iran and the United States traded strikes yesterday into this morning after Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran did not claim yesterday’s attacks in the strait, but its state broadcaster said at least one vessel had ignored warnings from Iranian forces. In retaliation, President Trump ordered a series of strikes on Iran late last night, and the Treasury Department revoked a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iran to sell oil on the world market for 60 days. U.S. Central Command said on social media that it had hit more than 80 targets with precision munitions. Jon Gambrell, Fatima Hussein, and Konstantin Toropin report for AP News; Eric Schmitt reports for the New York Times; Jenny Gross reports for the New York Times.  

Iran’s central military command warned it “will respond decisively to this aggression and terrorist act.” In a statement this morning, Iran’s military said its combat drones had struck U.S. positions at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain and targets in Kuwait, adding that “all U.S. bases in the region will be legitimate targets.” Jon Gambrell, Fatima Hussein, and Konstantin Toropin report for AP News; Hari Raj reports for the New York Times.

Hours later, Iran’s foreign ministry released a statement today saying that U.S. actions, including the revocation of Iran’s oil sales license and the new military strikes, have rendered parts of the current ceasefire “ineffective.” Iran said that interference in its arrangements for clearing passage in the Strait of Hormuz is making the interim truce deal unworkable. Tala Ramadan reports for Reuters. Christina Anagnostopoulos, Farouq Suleiman, Estelle Shirbon, and Isabella Lapadula report for Reuters. 

“To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them. They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people,” Trump said today when asked at the NATO summit whether the interim deal between Washington and Tehran was over. Trump added, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them.” Christina Anagnostopoulos, Farouq Suleiman, Estelle Shirbon, and Isabella Lapadula report for Reuters. 

World oil prices soared more than 5% today after Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was over. International benchmark Brent North Sea crude jumped 5.3 percent to $78.09 a barrel, while the main U.S. contract, West Texas Intermediate, advanced 5.4 percent to $74.23 a barrel. CBS News reports. 

Senior U.S. military commanders bypassed warnings in critical databases that intelligence about potential targets in Iran was severely out of date and approved some strikes - including one that hit a school, killing nearly 200 children and adults, according to three sources. The decision by senior commanders to ignore the warnings was made for “expediency,” two of the sources said, but it also directly contributed to the strike on the school. U.S. military officials “knew within days [of the strike on the school] how the mistake happened,” one of the sources added. Zachary Cohen reports for CNN. "

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Thursday Iran war update:

The United States and Iran traded fresh strikes overnight into this morning and accused each other of violating the terms of their deal, hours after President Trump said he thought the cease-fire was over. U.S. forces struck around 90 targets in Iran, including missile and drone storage sites, according to U.S. Central Command. Iran’s military said it had responded with drone and missile strikes at U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement published by Iranian state media that if U.S. forces launched more strikes, the retaliation would expand to other U.S. bases in the region. Qasim Nauman, Tyler Pager, and Shirin Hakim report for the New York Times; Kay Johnson and Neha Mustafi report for Reuters.

For the first time since April, U.S. strikes appeared to target Iranian bridges. Iranian state media reported a strike on a railway bridge in Iran’s northeastern Golestan province, and the IRGC said two bridges were attacked on the route to Mashhad, where officials plan to bury the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today. Jon Gambrell reports for  AP News.

A U.S. official told Axios that the current escalation could last a day or two, a week, or a month, depending on whether Iran continues its attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. “We're going to slap them a bit so they understand we're not f*cking around,” the U.S. official added. Trump signaled last night that the United States was ready to de-escalate, telling reporters on Air Force One that Iranian officials had “called a little while ago” and “want to make a deal.” Iranian officials have not confirmed this. Barak Ravid reports."

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Friday Iran war update:

Qatar, Pakistan, and other regional mediators conducted multiple phone calls on Wednesday with both U.S. and Iranian officials in an attempt to de-escalate tensions and revive negotiations on a nuclear deal, according to two sources from mediating countries and a U.S official. One source said the mediators believe the recent Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz were initiated by a faction inside the Iranian regime that opposes the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding and wants to undermine it. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Several Iranian media outlets reported explosions in southern Iran yesterday. U.S. officials said the military did not conduct any new strikes following those announced by U.S. Central Command late on Wednesday. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Israel shared new intelligence with the United States that it said indicated a fresh Iranian plan to kill President Trump, sources told the Wall Street Journal. One source told CNN that the warning came this week, with another adding that the latest Israeli tip-off concerned a new, specific plot. When asked for comment, the White House referred to Trump’s comments made on Wednesday. “They want to take out the U.S. leader - me,” Trump told reporters. “I’m on every list. I saw this morning, I’m on every single one of their lists.” Anat Peled, Alexander Ward, and Marianne LeVine report; Pamela Brown and Kevin Liptak.

While the Trump administration has yet to directly accept the blame or formally release findings of a Pentagon investigation into the bombing of an Iranian primary school on Feb. 28, AP News has reconstructed the story of the attack using open-source information, video footage, human rights reports, and interviews. Many details remain unknown, such as the number of munitions that hit the school and a complete list of those killed. Julia Frankel reports."

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Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

Ukraine’s military has intensified its attacks near Russian-annexed Crimea in recent days. Ukraine’s drone force commander, Robert Brovdi, said at least 25 ships have been hit and set on fire in the past four days in the Sea of Azov. Ilya Abishev, Paul Brown, and Paul Kirby report for BBC News.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is rejecting calls to negotiate peace with Kyiv, three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters, with Ukraine’s recent drone strikes on Russia’s oil refineries and ports strengthening his resolve to keep fighting. Two of the sources added that Putin was instead likely to escalate the conflict as he believes Russia will soon capture the Donbas region. One source said Putin recently rebuked a group of advisers for suggesting a compromise based on a ceasefire along the current front lines. Reuters reports."

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Monday Iran war update:

President Trump announced on Friday that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran was “OVER,” though diplomatic talks will continue. He also warned that thousands of missiles would be launched if the Iranian government tried to assassinate him. Gregory Svirnovskiy, Connor O’Brien, and Nahal Toosi report for POLITICO; Eric Schmitt reports for the New York Times.  

The Trump administration demanded that Iran publicly acknowledge that the Strait of Hormuz is open and pledge to stop firing on commercial ships, three U.S. officials said on Friday, adding that they expected a statement by Saturday. One of the officials said there would be harsh consequences if Iran refused. “If it is not their position [on Saturday], it is not gonna be a great day for them,” the official said. Officials told the  New York Times that Iranian negotiators said the drone attacks in the strait last week had been conducted by rogue military units that were trying to undermine the memorandum of understanding. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; David E. Sanger reports.

The U.S. military said on Saturday that it launched a new round of strikes against Iran after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC also on Saturday declared that the strait was “closed until further notice.” U.S. Central Command said on social media that U.S. forces hit approximately 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday in its third round of retaliatory strikes in a week. Iran responded by launching drones and missiles at Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. Reuters reports; Barak Ravid reports for Axios. 

The U.S. and Iran exchanged further strikes overnight into this morning. The U.S. military said yesterday that it had completed its latest wave of strikes against Iran. U.S. Central Command said its forces had struck “dozens of targets,” without specifying how many strikes were carried out. Tehran said it targeted U.S. military assets across the Gulf. Kuwait’s army said its air defenses were intercepting hostile aerial targets this morning. Eric Schmitt, Aaron Boxerman, Erica L. Green, Sanam Mahoozi, and Hari Raj report for the New York Times; Christina Anagnostopoulos, Kylie MacLellan, Estelle Shirbon, and Isabella Lapadula report for Reuters. 

“Everything that has happened over the past several weeks, especially in the past few days, is the direct responsibility of the United States, because they cheated from the very first day,” Esmail Baqaei, a spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry, said today. Baqaei claimed that the United States did not allow Iran to carry out the work needed to make the Strait of Hormuz safe for transit, and instead created other routes in the waterway that Tehran claims are unsafe. Khaled Wassef reports for CBS News. "

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Tuesday Iran war update:

President Trump formally notified lawmakers over the weekend that the United States is once again at war with Iran, giving his administration another 60-day clock to use the military in the region without congressional approval, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO. In the letter, Trump stated that the strikes that began on July 7 represent “military action consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States’ interests both at home and abroad.” Connor O’Brien, Leo Shane III, and Mark Satter report.  

U.S. forces conducted a third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, hours after Trump said Washington is reinstating a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump separately announced that the United States will immediately start charging other ships a 20% fee for safe passage. “We’re protecting a very rich portion of the world,” Trump said. “We’re spending money. And so, what we’ve done is, we are going to be reimbursed for protection.” In a radio interview, Trump dismissed the importance of the ceasefire agreement, saying that “when you’re dealing with sleazebags, [agreements] don’t mean much.”Jon Gambrell, Josh Boak, Konstantin Toropin, and Will Weissert report for AP News; Peter Baker reports for the New York Times; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.  

Trump’s threat to impose fees on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz contradicts weeks of declarations by his top aides that no country can charge tolls or fees for passage through the waterway. Addressing the issue during a visit to the Middle East in late June, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That’s existing international law. That’s the way it is in international waterways all over the world, and that’s the way we expect it’ll be here.” Michael Crowley and Edward Wong report for the New York Times. 

Iran responded to the U.S. strikes today with attacks targeting Bahrain, Jordan, and two tankers associated with the UAE in the Strait of Hormuz, killing one mariner and wounding eight others. “The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents,” the Emirati Defense Ministry said today. Jon Gambrell, Josh Boak, Konstantin Toropin, and Will Weissert report for AP News.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said today that Iran targeted a U.S. air base in Jordan using ballistic missiles and called on Jordanians to dismantle U.S. bases in the kingdom. Jordan's armed forces said they intercepted and shot down four missiles that entered Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory, according to the state news agency. Enas Alashray, Elwely Elwelly, Tala Ramadan, and Katharine Jackson report for Reuters. "

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Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that Europeans were ready to defend their continent, “with blood, if necessary,” as more than 25 leaders met in Paris to cement plans for a multinational force to be deployed in the aftermath of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Mark Landler reports for the New York Times.

Ukraine and nine other countries also announced they were forming a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles. “We believe that protecting Europe requires a comprehensive solution, in the form of an integrated missile defense architecture, to deter and neutralize future missile threats,” the statement said. “We recognize Ukraine’s unique experience, gained through its defense against the war of aggression waged by Russia.” Emma Carmichael and Illia Novikov report for AP News. " 

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Wednesday Iran war update:

President Trump yesterday dropped plans to collect a 20% fee on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, citing requests from allies in the Persian Gulf. Trump told reporters that the region’s “kings and emirs” said “we’d love to do it a different way. We’d love to invest in the United States with billions and billions of dollars.” Trump said he preferred that arrangement to charging tolls “because I don’t think anybody should be able to charge a fee for the strait.” Jon Gambrell reports for AP News; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

The U.S. military reimposed its naval blockade on Iran and carried out a fourth round of overnight strikes that continued into this morning, hitting an Iranian army barracks and killing at least seven troops while wounding 260 people across the country, Iranian officials said. Trump told reporters yesterday that more U.S. strikes were coming in the next few days and that bridges and power plants could be targeted by next week unless negotiations resume. Three sources told  Axios that Trump held a Situation Room meeting yesterday to discuss a massive offensive in Iran that will be wider in scope than the current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz. Barak Ravid reports; Jon Gambrell reports for AP News.

Iran said it responded this morning with strikes in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Missile alert warnings went out in Bahrain and Kuwait; authorities in Jordan said it shot down three incoming Iranian missiles; and the Kuwaiti army reported that its air defenses were repelling Iranian hostile drone assaults. Euronews reports. 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to close “all other export corridors that benefit the U.S. and its allies,” Iranian state media reported today. “Regional energy exports are either shared by all, or denied to all,” the IRGC said. Analysts have said Iran has been signalling it may use its Houthi allies in Yemen to shut the Bab el-Mandb gateway to the Red Sea. Enas Alashray, Tala Ramadan, Kanishka Singh, and Samia Nakhoul report for Reuters. "

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Thursday Iran war update:

The United States intensified its strikes on Iran overnight, hitting targets around Tehran and other areas in northern Iran, Iranian state media said. U.S. Central Command said its fifth consecutive day of strikes aimed at Iranian command centers, air defense sites, and missile and drone capabilities. U.S. forces also yesterday fired on a Curaçao-flagged oil tanker, as it was accused of trying to break the blockade of Iranian ports. Iran retaliated this morning with missile and drone strikes targeting U.S. allies in the region and warned that attacks may escalate. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News; Eric Schmitt, Farnaz Fassihi, and Alan Yuhas report for the New York Times. 

President Trump is leaning toward expanding U.S. military operations in Iran after days of briefings from his top aides, U.S. officials said. Options include stepping up airstrikes, sending ground forces to seize Iranian islands near the Strait of Hormuz, and bombing a fortified site at Pickaxe Mountain that could be used for covert nuclear work. The officials added that Trump has not made a final decision on next steps in the war. Three U.S. officials told Reuters that the recent wave of U.S. strikes has targeted Iranian military capabilities that the United States would want to destroy before executing more complex operations against Iran. Alexander Ward and Laurence Norman report for the Wall Street Journal; Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali report.

Iran’s lead negotiator Brig. Gen. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said yesterday that Iran is “in an essential and existential war with America,” while signalling that the door to negotiations was not closed. Ghalibaf issued a long statement saying Iran would defend itself on the battlefield, adding, “We must also use the tools of diplomacy and negotiations to achieve and realize our national interest.” Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times.

In a statement published on social media this morning, Iranian army spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia warned that if Trump carried out his threat to attack Iran’s infrastructure, Iran would strike and crush all infrastructure across the Gulf region. He added that “under no circumstances and in no way will we allow America…to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz. This is Iran’s invincible red line.” Chloe Taylor reports for CNBC; Reuters reports. 

Crude oil loading was suspended at all Iraqi terminals today after a drone crashed into an oil tanker at the Basra terminal, four Iraqi oil and security sources told Reuters. It was not immediately clear who launched the drone. Aref Mohammed reports. "

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Friday Iran war update:

The United States launched a new set of attacks against Iran overnight, as fighting continued for a sixth straight day. Iranian state media reported that strikes had hit two bridges in Bandar Khamir, killing at least seven people, as well as a railway junction near Bandar Abbas. Iran also launched new missile attacks against U.S.-allied nations in the Middle East, including Qatar, and its first direct attack in Syria. Iran's state media said the Revolutionary Guards had attacked a U.S. special operations command centre in al-Tanf, Syria, in retaliation for the killing of Iranian soldiers in Iranshahr. The escalation in attacks has once again largely halted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Max Bearak, Shirin Hakim, and Farnaz Fassihi report for the New York Times; Jon Gambrell reports for AP News; Reutersreports.  

Iran has asked Yemen’s Houthis to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, three sources told Reuters yesterday. Another source close to the Houthis said the group had completed preparations to attack shipping by deploying missiles and drones ​near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Representatives of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who are already in Yemen will control the decision on when to close the strait, the sources added. Parisa Hafezi, Samia Nakhoul, and Jonathan Saul report."

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Canadian wild fires and the unhinged...
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/17/trump-threatens-canada-with-steeper-tariff-costs-over-wildfire-smoke