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Mass Displacement in Lebanon After Intensified Israeli Evacuation Warnings

                                                     Displaced people walk outside a school-turned-shelter, in Beirut Tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians have been forced into shelters after what officials described as “unprecedented” evacuation warnings issued by the Israeli military. Local authorities estimate that around 100,000 people have fled their homes in southern Lebanon within a short period, seeking safety in schools, public buildings, and makeshift community centers. The warnings follow a sharp escalation in cross‑border hostilities, with Israeli forces expanding the areas they instructed residents to evacuate. Lebanese municipalities and humanitarian groups say the pace and scale of displacement have overwhelmed available shelter capacity, leaving many families without adequate access to food, medical care, or basi...
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Trump's America First Trade Policy Targets Canada's Digital Services Tax

In a move that could further strain trade relations between the U.S. and Canada, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order targeting Canada's digital services tax (DST). The DST, enacted by the Liberal government last June, imposes a three percent tax on revenues over $20 million generated in Canada by foreign-based digital giants with incomes of at least $1.1 billion.

Trump's executive order directs the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments, along with the United States Trade Representative, to investigate whether foreign countries are subjecting American citizens or corporations to discriminatory or extraterritorial taxes. This move is part of Trump's America First Trade Policy, which aims to ensure that America's trading relationships benefit American workers, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses.

Business groups on both sides of the border have opposed the DST, and the Biden administration had previously requested dispute settlement consultations with Canada under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). However, the consultation period ended in November without further action. Trump's executive order could reignite the dispute, with potential tariffs or other unilateral actions against Canada.

The DST is one of the principal frictions in the trading relationship between the U.S. and Canada, and experts believe that Trump's administration is likely to take action until the tax is withdrawn or an agreement is reached. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has urged the Canadian government to scrap the tax in response to Trump's executive order.

As the investigation proceeds, the future of Canada's digital services tax remains uncertain, and the potential for increased tariffs or other trade measures looms large.

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