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5 Things to Know Today: U.S. Alcohol Ban, GDP Day, 5.25% Yields (Sept 29)

  Tuesday September 29, 2026 A U.S. import ban on Canadian booze kicks in, Statistics Canada reports July GDP, and U.S. bond yields sit at levels not seen since 2007. Here are the five things that matter for your wallet today. 1 The U.S. ban on Canadian alcohol takes effect today As of 12:01 a.m. ET, the U.S. is refusing entry to many Canadian beer, wine, cider and spirits shipments, along with whey products, molasses and larger motorcycles. The measures were signed Sept. 8 and largely replace the 50% tariffs that applied to these goods. Bottles already in the U.S. can still be sold, and product shipped in bulk to be bottled south of the border appears to fall outside the ban. Canadian producers say pivoting to domestic sales won't be easy, because a patchwork of provincial rules complicates selling across borders. What it means for you: The ban hits exports, not what you pay at the store. The exposure is for people who work in or own shares of brewers, distillers and wineries, a...

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Ship Attacked by Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Sinks in Red Sea: First Vessel Lost in Conflict

 

On Saturday, March 2, 2024, the Belize-flagged ship Rubymar met a tragic fate in the Red Sea. After days of battling the relentless onslaught of water, it succumbed to its watery grave, becoming the first vessel fully destroyed in the ongoing conflict.

The Rubymar had been drifting northward, a mere shadow of its former self, after being struck by a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile on February 18. The attack occurred in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway that links the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yemen’s internationally recognized government, along with a regional military official, confirmed the ship’s tragic fate.

The sinking of the Rubymar reverberates far beyond its steel hull. As ships navigate the Red Sea, a vital artery for cargo and energy shipments between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, the Houthi attacks have already disrupted maritime traffic. Many vessels have rerouted to avoid the danger zone. Now, with the Rubymar’s demise, further detours and higher insurance rates may plague the waterway, potentially impacting global inflation and aid shipments to the region.

The Rubymar carried a cargo of fertilizer, and fuel leaked from its battered frame. The U.S. military’s Central Command had previously warned that this combination could cause ecological damage to the Red Sea. Yemen’s exiled government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition since 2015, lamented the ship’s sinking as an “unprecedented environmental disaster.” Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak expressed his anguish, stating, “It’s a new disaster for our country and our people.”

Curiously, the Iran-backed Houthis, who had initially claimed the ship sank almost instantly after the attack, remained silent about the Rubymar’s final plunge. Their lack of acknowledgment adds to the mystery surrounding this maritime tragedy.

The Rubymar’s fate serves as a stark reminder of the human and environmental toll exacted by conflict. As the waves close over its wreckage, the Red Sea bears witness to yet another chapter in a long and troubled history.

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