Sean's Daily Digest

Canada's counter-tariffs hit US goods as Trump threatens Bombardier ban

Ongoing · day 6

Canada's retaliatory tariffs of 15% to 50% on nearly $20 billion worth of US goods took effect Tuesday, covering more than 700 products including steel, dairy and clothing, after trade talks between Ottawa and Washington collapsed without a deal. Hours before the tariffs kicked in, President Trump threatened to block Canadian planemaker Bombardier from selling jets in the US unless it moves manufacturing there, the latest escalation in the two countries' trade dispute.

Hormuz shipping traffic falls to lowest since May as UAE builds routes around Iran war

Ongoing · day 18

Iran has announced plans to establish a new 'exclusion zone' in the Persian Gulf, beginning from where the U.S. blockade of Iran starts and extending into Gulf areas, according to an Iranian official. The UAE declared that its energy exports will not be 'held hostage' by the Iran war, announcing it is actively building alternative routes for energy exports and trade to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed further at the start of this week after Iran threatened on Monday to retaliate for any new U.S. attacks.

Von der Leyen criticizes turnout at Mladić's funeral after Serbia buries him with military honors

Ongoing · day 5

Ratko Mladić was buried with military honours in Belgrade on Monday, with thousands of Serbs attending the funeral despite EU warnings against glorifying the convicted war criminal. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen personally condemned the turnout at Mladić's funeral, with the EU reiterating there is 'no place for the glorification of war criminals.' Several Serbian government ministers and senior politicians attended the funeral, even as the Serbian government publicly insisted the burial was a private family affair.

Russia and North Korea open first road bridge across shared border

Russia and North Korea opened their first road bridge on Monday, a 1-kilometre, two-lane span over the Tumen river linking North Korea's Rason and Russia's Khasan. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin called it "a new symbol of friendship" allowing up to 300 vehicles to cross daily, while North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song called it a "historical event"; the project was agreed during Vladimir Putin's 2024 visit to North Korea, and Ukrainian group Truth Hounds says it is intended to serve as a covert military logistics corridor.

Indonesia reopens Jakarta airport and four others after Anak Krakatau ash clears

Ongoing · day 3

Indonesian authorities have reopened Jakarta's airports and several other affected airports after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau cleared sufficiently, ending a two-day closure. Authorities are continuing to monitor new eruptions from Anak Krakatau even as airports reopen, according to Reuters.

Miami cargo plane crash: black boxes recovered, all five deaths confirmed on ground

Ongoing · day 2

A Boeing 767-300 Amazon Prime Air cargo jet overshot the runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, killing five people and leaving several others injured. NTSB investigators recovered both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage on Monday, which will be sent for analysis to help determine a cause. Miami International Airport is not equipped with engineered materials arresting systems (EMAS) — runway overrun safety devices the FAA says have been installed at more than 120 airports nationwide.

EU proposes doubling Greenland aid to $616m as NATO drills begin

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, visiting Nuuk on Monday, signed a declaration with Greenland pledging a $232m investment package over two years and proposed doubling EU budget support to 530 million euros ($616m) for 2028-2034. The visit coincided with NATO's Arctic Shield exercise, running Sept. 7-18 with about 400 troops from 11 countries, as the EU seeks to reassure Greenland and Denmark following repeated threats from US President Donald Trump to take control of the Danish territory.

Mistral raises €3bn, hits €21bn valuation in largest European tech funding round

French AI company Mistral said Tuesday it raised three billion euros ($3.5 billion) in a round led by Samsung Electronics, valuing the startup at more than 21 billion euros. It called the round the largest-ever European tech fundraising; the company's valuation has nearly doubled since a funding round a year ago.

Australia unveils draft law letting users opt out of social media algorithms

Ongoing · day 2

Australia has introduced draft legislation that would require social media companies to allow users to easily opt in or out of personalised recommendation algorithms, marking a significant expansion of the country's effort to regulate Big Tech. Australia's Communications Minister said technology companies have been 'running real-time, unregulated product testing on Australians' for too long, framing the proposed opt-out rules as a digital duty of care. The draft legislation includes specific protections for children, such as limiting their exposure to misogynistic and eating disorder content, and follows Australia's earlier under-16 social media ban.

Duterte impeachment court sets year-end deadline, weighs lowering conviction threshold

Ongoing · day 3

The Senate impeachment court has issued a new calendar for Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, with senators pledging to work 'double time' to conclude proceedings before the end of the year while allowing sufficient time for deliberations. Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo has asked the impeachment court to clarify the voting threshold required for conviction as the trial moves closer to its conclusion.

Belgium chip-espionage arrest stokes European fears over Beijing

Ongoing · day 2

Belgian prosecutors suspect a man detained in May while leaving for Beijing was siphoning semiconductor secrets to a Chinese company. The case has fueled fear across Europe about Chinese efforts to obtain chip technology.