‘The arts need to step up' in tense political times

Ahead of a return to the Toronto stage in his one-man show Playing Shylock, Canadian actor Saul Rubinek spoke with The National's Ian Hanomansing about his portraying of Shylock, the controversial Jewish moneylender in Shakepeare's The Merchant of Venice, as well as antisemitism and why he says the arts need to 'step up' in the current political climate.

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Indian delegation in Ireland to attend 40th anniversary memorial of Kanishka bombing

Dublin [Ireland], June 23 (ANI): A high-level Indian delegation led by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri along with BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, and representatives from five states, has arrived in Ireland, to participate in the 40th anniversary memorial of the Air India Kanishka bombing. The commemoration will take place at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork on Sunday. The delegation includes prominent elected representatives, including Arvinder Singh Lovely (Delhi MLA), Baldev Singh Aulakh (Minister from Uttar Pradesh), Gurveer Singh Brar (MLA from Rajasthan), Trilok Singh Cheema (MLA from Uttarakhand), and Narinder Singh Raina (MLA from Jammu and Kashmir). The solemn memorial service will be attended by Ireland's Prime Minister, Micheal Martin, Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, and several other international dignitaries. This event not only commemorates the 329 innocent victims of the 1985 terror attack but also reinforces the global commitment against terrorism. In a post on X, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, 'On the way from Heathrow to dastardly mid air bombing of Air India Kanishka Flight 182 in 1985 which claimed 329 innocent lives off the Irish Coast remains one of the most inhuman acts of terror in aviation history.I was able to pay tribute to the victims at the Kanishka Memorial at Humber Bay Park in Toronto in September 2019 where I also met family members of several victims who had shared their pain and suffering.' 'On Monday, 23 June 2025, I will lead an Indian delegation comprising senior Punjab leader Sh@tarunchughbjpJi, legislators from several states Sdr@ArvinderLovelyJi, Sdr@BaldevAulakhJi, Sdr@GurveerBrarJi and Sdr Trilok Singh Cheema Ji, to join the Irish Prime Minister HE@MichealMartinTD, Canadian Minister of Public Safety HE Gary Anandasangaree@gary_srpand others, to pay homage to the victims at an event at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork, Ireland in a solemn moment of remembrance and unity, on the 40th anniversary of the reprehensible Kanishka Bombing,' he added. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh said, 'The Kanishka bombing was a painful reminder of the brutal face of terrorism, which claimed innocent lives across nations. As I stand on Irish soil, I pay my heartfelt tribute to those who perished, and reaffirm our resolve to unite against terror in all its forms.' (ANI)

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Canada warns of retaliation without Trump agreement

OTTAWA, Canada: Canada may boost its counter-tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from the U.S. if a comprehensive trade agreement with President Donald Trump is not finalized within the next 30 days, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced this week. Earlier this month, Trump raised import duties on these metals from 25 percent to 50 percent, prompting the industry to call for Canada to respond officially. This decision could negatively impact Canada, the largest supplier of steel and aluminum to the U.S. Carney stated that he had reached a mutual agreement with Trump to aim for a new economic and security deal by July 21. He emphasized that, based on the progress achieved in the trade negotiations, Canada would modify its existing counter-tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum products by that date. While Carney did not immediately respond to Trump's recent tariff increase, he expressed the desire to see advancements in talks focused on establishing a stronger economic and security alliance. Earlier this year, on March 13, Canada enacted 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on steel products worth C$12.6 billion and aluminum products worth C$3 billion. Furthermore, Canada is introducing new procurement policies that allow Canadian producers and trading partners with tariff-free access to compete for federal contracts involving steel and aluminum. Carney also indicated that Canada intends to create new tariff-rate quotas equal to 100 percent of 2024 levels for steel imported from nations without free trade agreements, aiming to stabilize the domestic market and prevent detrimental trade shifts. Approximately 90 percent of Canada's steel and aluminum exports go to the U.S., while Canada consumes about 20 percent of U.S. steel exports and 50 percent of U.S. aluminum exports, according to the Royal Bank of Canada, underscoring the importance of this trade relationship. Under Carney's leadership, Canada is advancing numerous infrastructure projects, including those related to defense and housing, which will significantly increase the demand for steel and aluminum. "We are committed to supporting the industry by prioritizing Canadian steel and aluminum in federal projects," Carney stated during a press conference.