Canada-US Trade Deal, CAA Citizenship, Jorabat Protests, Trump & US Treasury Bonds

Canada has declined to finalize a trade deal with the United States, saying new demands and reversals by Ottawa disrupted the agreement reached earlier this week. The proposed package offered Canada improved access to the U.S. market, including tariff reductions on steel, aluminium, automobiles and lumber. It also covered export controls, digital trade, transshipment, critical minerals and supply-chain cooperation. Washington criticised Canada for maintaining retaliatory measures, including bans on some American goods and services. The United States called Ottawa’s decision a missed opportunity and said the proposed partnership could have strengthened economic and national-security ties. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that Hindu, Sikh and Jain refugees from Bangladesh in West Bengal would receive Indian citizenship within six months under the Citizenship Amendment Act. Speaking in Siliguri, Shah said eight district collectors would receive authority to process applications. He also promised to identify and remove infiltrators from the state through a “detect, delete and deport” approach. Shah made the remarks at an event highlighting India’s new criminal law. Supporters welcomed the focus on national security and refugee rights, while opposition leaders criticised the announcement and questioned the government’s approach to citizenship and immigration.

Protests at Jorabat have disrupted traffic between Assam and Meghalaya, halting vehicles and fuel tankers bound for Meghalaya. The action followed violence during a Khasi Students’ Union rally in Shillong on August 19, when demonstrators allegedly damaged at least 31 Assam-registered vehicles and injured several people. Stranded travellers and panic buying soon emptied fuel stations, while Assam’s petroleum workers threatened to suspend supplies. Ministers and senior officials from both states met in Guwahati to restore peace, ensure commuter safety and resolve the dispute. Authorities have deployed additional security forces to prevent further violence and maintain essential supplies.

At a South Carolina rally supporting Senator Lindsey Graham, President Donald Trump praised outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for her dedication and service. Leavitt, who recently welcomed her second child, said serving Trump had been the honour of her life. She described him as a leader who remains available around the clock and works for Americans across party lines. Leavitt confirmed that the rally marked her final trip as press secretary before leaving the role at the end of the month. Trump joked about her devotion to her baby but said supporters would hear from her again through his super PAC.

The U.S. Treasury will double its purchases of long-dated government bonds from $2 billion to at least $4 billion per operation, beginning September 9. The move follows a rise in the 30-year Treasury yield to 5.337%, its highest level since 2007. Critics say the buybacks do not represent quantitative easing because the Treasury will finance them by issuing new debt. Instead, they argue, the policy shifts repayment pressures toward shorter maturities. Concerns are also growing over Japan’s currency intervention, China’s declining Treasury holdings and a widening K-shaped economy. However, these developments do not by themselves prove that the U.S. economy is collapsing.