International

Canada’s Foreign Minister expresses her optimism after meeting with Marco Rubio

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said on Wednesday that she was “moderately optimistic” that Canada would avoid Donald Trump’s tariffs after meeting in Washington with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Joly, who described the meeting as “very positive,” said in a press conference with Canadian media from Washington that the confusion of whether the US will impose tariffs on Canada on February 1 “is the reality of dealing with the Trump Administration.”

“But I also think that what we are establishing right now are clear lines of contact, we are being able to present what we are doing to respond to their concerns and I am moderately optimistic,” he explained.

Joly explained that Rubio “is someone with great knowledge, highly respected in Washington by his former colleagues in the Senate, but also by the president.” He added that the Secretary of State considered “positive” the measures taken by Canada in recent weeks to strengthen the border, as Trump had demanded.

The Canadian minister stressed that she will remain in Washington until Friday, one day before the Trump Administration theoretically begins to impose 25% tariffs on Canada, to continue insisting to the country’s political leaders that the liens will start a trade war in which the United States will also suffer.

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“While I do this work, we are also ready to retaliate if they decide to impose unfair tariffs against Canadians,” he said, stressing that “everything is on the table” in reference to the fact that Canada could seifse oil exports to the United States.

The US State Department said that the meeting addressed how the two countries can collaborate on “shared global challenges, such as safe borders and energy security.”

Both reaffirmed cooperation to improve security and, according to that note, Rubio praised Canada for facing “China’s coercive and unfair economic practices.”

Joly also met this Wednesday in Washington with Republican Senator Kevin Cramer, co-chair of the Senate’s Committee on Economy and Security between the US and Canada.

In addition to Joly, Canada’s Minister of Public Security, David McGuinty, is also expected to travel to Washington in the coming days to hold meetings with Trump’s Executive, including the border “tsar”, Tom Homan.

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International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”