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Weekly Market Snapshot: Trade Talks Collapse, 50% Tariffs Hit as Markets Wrap a Choppy Week

  Published August 22, 2026 · Canadian Money Brief BREAKING OVER THE WEEKEND U.S.-Canada trade talks collapsed late Friday night, and the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods just after midnight Saturday. Ottawa says it will retaliate dollar-for-dollar. Here's what happened on the markets before that news broke — and what it means for your wallet now. It was a genuinely strange week to be a Canadian investor. Stocks mostly rallied through Friday on hope that Washington and Ottawa were closing in on a trade deal. Then, hours after the closing bell, that deal fell apart. The 50% tariff that had been threatened, paused, and re-threatened for weeks finally landed. Markets haven't had a chance to react to it yet — that reaction starts Monday morning. Below is how the week actually traded, market by market, followed by what the tariff news means for you and what's on deck for next week. TSX: A Choppy Week That Ended With a Miner-Led Rally The S&P/...

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Tragedy Strikes During Hajj Pilgrimage: Over 300 Egyptians Succumb to Heat

 

At least 323 Egyptian pilgrims tragically lost their lives during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in western Saudi Arabia. The majority of these deaths were attributed to heat-related illnesses, according to two Arab diplomats coordinating their countries’ responses.

The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, draws millions of pilgrims from around the world to Mecca. However, this year’s pilgrimage faced extreme temperatures, with the area where rituals are performed experiencing a rise of 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.72 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade due to climate change.

Among the deceased, 60 Jordanian pilgrims also succumbed to the heat. Tragically, many of the Egyptian casualties were unregistered pilgrims attempting to save money by avoiding official visas. These off-the-books pilgrims lacked access to air-conditioned facilities provided by Saudi authorities along the Hajj route.

The total death toll reported by various countries has reached 577, highlighting the severity of this heartbreaking event. Other nations, including Indonesia, Iran, and Senegal, have also reported fatalities during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.

As we mourn the loss of these lives, it serves as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by climate change and the need for better safety measures during religious pilgrimages.


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