International News
Trump Slaps New Tariffs On Wood, Furniture — Building Costs To Soar
President Donald Trump has rolled out a fresh wave of tariffs targeting imported wood, furniture, and kitchen cabinets, a move expected to further strain the already fragile US housing market.
The new duties, which took effect on Tuesday, are part of Trump’s wider trade policy aimed at strengthening local industries and “protecting national security,” according to the White House.
The latest round introduces a 10 percent levy on softwood lumber imports and a 25 percent duty on specific types of upholstered furniture and kitchen cabinets.
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By January 1, 2026, the tariff on imported furniture is set to climb to 30 percent, while duties on kitchen cabinets and vanities will soar to 50 percent.
However, the US reached separate agreements with Britain, the European Union, and Japan, ensuring their products face lighter tariffs capped at 10 and 15 percent respectively.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has voiced strong opposition to the new measures, warning that they could worsen the affordability crisis facing American homebuyers.
“The new tariffs will create additional headwinds for an already challenged housing market by further raising construction and renovation costs,” said NAHB chairman Buddy Hughes.
Trump defended the tariffs, stating they were imposed after the Commerce Secretary concluded that “wood products are used in critical functions of the Department of War, including building infrastructure for operational testing.”
He added that the United States remains “import-dependent” because its domestic wood production is “underdeveloped.”
But NAHB’s Hughes argued that invoking national security to justify the tariffs “ignores the importance housing plays to the physical and economic security of all Americans.”
He urged the administration to pursue “deals that roll back tariffs on building materials” instead.
The new policy poses a particular challenge for Canada, the top supplier of lumber to the United States.
With the latest 10 percent tariff adding to existing anti-dumping and countervailing duties which Washington recently doubled to 35 percent Canadian lumber will now face total tariffs of 45 percent.
The BC Lumber Trade Council, representing British Columbia’s lumber producers, called the move “misguided and unnecessary,” saying it would “impose needless strain on the North American market, threaten jobs on both sides of the border, and make it harder to address the housing supply crisis in the United States.”
Economists warn that the increased costs will trickle down to consumers. Stephen Brown of Capital Economics estimated that a 10 percent tariff on lumber could raise the cost of constructing an average home by about $2,200.
He also noted that Vietnam, China, and Mexico could feel the ripple effects, as they collectively account for a large share of US furniture imports.
“The US gets 27 percent of its furniture imports from China and then almost 20 percent from both Vietnam and Mexico,” Brown said, adding that Vietnam could be the most affected since “furniture makes up 10 percent of its exports to the US.”
The tariffs were enacted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 — the same law Trump previously used to impose duties on steel, aluminum, and cars earlier this year.
International News
Miracle in Venezuela: Toddler Rescued Alive Six Days After Deadly Earthquakes
A three-year-old child has been rescued alive from beneath the rubble in Venezuela, six days after two powerful earthquakes devastated parts of the South American nation, offering a glimmer of hope amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The remarkable rescue took place in La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit by the twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes, which struck less than a minute apart on June 24.
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Rescue workers have continued round-the-clock search operations despite the challenges posed by repeated aftershocks.
The United Nations described the rescue as a powerful reminder that every life matters as emergency teams continue combing collapsed buildings for survivors.
According to Venezuelan authorities, the earthquakes have claimed nearly 2,000 lives, while more than 6,400 people have been rescued since the disaster struck.
Tens of thousands of survivors remain without adequate shelter, with humanitarian agencies warning that urgent needs continue to grow.
The UN refugee agency said the scale of the disaster has left thousands of families in desperate need of emergency assistance, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that national and international rescue teams remain active in the affected communities.
UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams are also assessing the extent of the destruction and identifying communities most in need of humanitarian support.
Officials said about 1,000 buildings, including hospitals, have either been damaged or completely destroyed.
More than 400 schools and water systems have also been severely affected, worsening living conditions for residents.
To support relief efforts, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered an initial 47-tonne shipment of humanitarian supplies, including emergency medical kits, water purification materials, safe birth supplies, wheelchairs, child-friendly tents and educational materials. The shipment follows an earlier consignment that arrived from Panama.
UNICEF said the combined aid will support more than 100,000 children and their families over the next three months.
Speaking from La Guaira, UNICEF representative Gabriel Vockel said the organisation is working around the clock to reach as many children and families as possible, while appealing for more donations to expand its life-saving operations.
UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes, said many affected families are sleeping outdoors for fear of continued aftershocks and remain in urgent need of clean water, healthcare and safe shelter.
The agency estimates that about 680,000 children across six affected states require humanitarian assistance following what has been described as Venezuela’s most significant earthquake disaster in more than a century.
Authorities also reported that more than 600 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial earthquakes, increasing concerns over further damage and risks to survivors.
UNICEF is seeking $52 million to respond to the earthquake emergency as part of its broader 2026 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for Venezuela, which remains significantly underfunded.
International News
Panic in Europe as France Records First-Ever Ebola Case
France has confirmed its first-ever case of Ebola virus disease, triggering concern across Europe as health authorities move swiftly to contain the deadly infection.
The French Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that a doctor returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is currently battling a major Ebola outbreak, tested positive for the virus after arriving in France.
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According to officials, the patient was immediately isolated upon arrival, even before laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis, helping to reduce the risk of transmission.
In a statement, the ministry confirmed the identification of “a first positive case of Ebola virus disease on national territory,” marking the first time the virus has been detected in France.
The development also represents the first confirmed Ebola case recorded outside Africa during the current outbreak, which has affected both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
French authorities disclosed that the case was detected in mainland France, while Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is closely monitoring the situation as health agencies intensify surveillance and response measures.
The current outbreak in the DRC was officially declared on May 15 following a series of unexplained deaths in the eastern Ituri Province.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Despite growing concerns, public health experts have stressed that the risk of widespread global transmission remains low because Ebola is less contagious than many airborne infectious diseases.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and contaminated materials.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal haemorrhagic fever that can cause symptoms including high fever, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
French health authorities have assured the public that all necessary precautions are being taken to contain the case and prevent any further spread of the disease.
The announcement has nevertheless sparked anxiety across Europe, given the deadly nature of the virus and its emergence outside the African continent during the ongoing outbreak.
International News
“He Failed Badly” — Trump Says Starmer Will Step Down as UK PM
U.S. President Donald Trump has predicted that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will step down from office, accusing the Labour leader of failing on two critical issues — immigration and energy policy.
Trump made the remarks on Sunday in a post on his Truth Social platform, where he claimed Starmer’s leadership had fallen short in addressing challenges facing the United Kingdom.
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“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” Trump wrote. “He failed badly on two very important subjects — IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well!”
The U.S. president did not provide any evidence to support his claim, nor did he reveal the basis for his prediction that Starmer would leave office.
Starmer, who leads the Labour Party, became Prime Minister after securing victory in the UK’s general election.
Since taking office, his government has faced criticism over a range of issues, including migration policies, energy security, and the cost-of-living challenges confronting many Britons.
Trump’s comments come as debates over immigration and energy continue to dominate political discussions in the UK.
However, there has been no official statement from Starmer, his office, or the British government suggesting that he plans to resign.
As of the time of filing this report, Starmer remains in office and continues to lead the government despite the claims made by the American president.






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