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Interest rates are the single most powerful lever in Canada's economy.  When the Bank of Canada adjusts its policy rate, the effects reach every household—from the cost of carrying a mortgage to the return on a savings account. With rates currently at 2.25% and significant uncertainty ahead, understanding how rates work has never been more important for your finances. What Is the Bank of Canada's Policy Rate? The Bank of Canada sets the overnight policy rate—the interest rate at which major banks lend money to each other. This rate serves as a benchmark that influences borrowing and lending costs across the entire economy. When the Bank raises or lowers this rate, commercial banks adjust their prime rates accordingly, which directly affects the rates you pay on mortgages, lines of credit, and other loans. The Bank's primary goal is to keep inflation near its 2% target. When inflation runs too hot, the Bank raises rates to cool spending. When the economy slows, it cuts rates...
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Yemen’s Houthis Vow Retaliation Following U.S. and British Strikes

 

The United States and Britain have launched strikes against 36 Houthi targets in Yemen, marking the second day of major U.S. operations against Iran-linked groups. These strikes come in response to a deadly attack on American troops last weekend. The Pentagon reported that the strikes, which occurred late on Saturday, targeted buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems, launchers, and other capabilities that the Houthis have used to attack Red Sea shipping. In total, 13 locations across the country were hit.

This conflict has escalated in the Middle East since October 7, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas stormed Israel from the Gaza Strip, igniting a war that drew Tehran-backed groups into attacks on U.S. and Israeli targets on multiple fronts. The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, declared that these strikes “will not pass without a response and consequences.”

Residents in Houthi-controlled Sanaa reported feeling the impact of the strikes, with one resident stating that it had been years since such blasts were felt in a country that has endured years of war. The Houthis have not yet announced any casualties.

These Yemen strikes run parallel to an unfolding U.S. campaign of retaliation following the killing of three American soldiers in a drone strike by Iran-backed militants on an outpost in Jordan a week ago. On Friday, the U.S. carried out the first wave of that retaliation, striking more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the militias it backs, resulting in nearly 40 reported deaths.

The violence raises concerns about further escalation. While Iran, a supporter of Hamas, has avoided direct involvement in the conflict, groups it backs have entered the fray from Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon. Analysts believe that Iran will maintain its current approach, avoiding direct military confrontation that could lead to attacks on its cities or homeland.

Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the latest attacks on Yemen as a “flagrant violation of international law by the United States and Britain,” warning that continued attacks pose a “worrying threat to international peace and security.” The Pentagon has emphasized that it does not seek war with Iran and believes Tehran shares the same sentiment. However, U.S. Republicans have been pressuring President Joe Biden to take decisive action against Iran.

In this volatile landscape, the world watches closely, hoping for de-escalation and stability in the region. The Houthis’ vow of retaliation underscores the gravity of the situation, as tensions continue to simmer in the Middle East.



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