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Vancouver Budget Balances Books Without Tax Hike

Vancouver city council approved a 2026 budget, which includes a freeze on municipal property taxes. Vancouver City Council has approved a new budget that pledges no increase in property taxes, a move welcomed by many residents facing rising living costs. However, the financial plan comes with significant trade-offs: millions of dollars will be cut from arts programs, park services, and other community initiatives. City officials argue the budget reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility while easing pressure on households. Critics, however, warn that reductions in cultural and recreational funding could erode the city’s vibrancy and limit access to public spaces. The decision highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing affordability with investment in community life. As Vancouver grows, the debate over how to fund essential services without raising taxes is likely to intensify.

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China Urges Dialogue Over Trump's Tariff, Avoids Immediate Escalation


Beijing has sharply denounced the Trump administration’s imposition of a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, calling the measure a breach of international trade rules that undermines the global economic order. While the Chinese finance and commerce ministries confirmed plans to challenge the tariff at the World Trade Organization and hinted at taking "countermeasures" to protect national interests, they stopped short of launching an immediate retaliatory strike.

In its measured response, China's foreign ministry underscored that the issue of fentanyl—the potent opioid cited by Washington as justification for the tariff—is fundamentally an American problem. Officials stressed that extensive cooperation in anti-narcotics efforts has already been in place between the two nations, implying that the tariff would not spur a hasty escalation. Instead, Beijing expressed a willingness to engage in frank dialogue with U.S. counterparts in hopes of resolving the dispute through negotiations rather than further confrontation.


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