China Hits Out at 'Illegal' US Sanctions on Iran and Trading Partners | BBC News

Aug 26, 2026 | China has vowed to protect its interests after the US announced plans to widen economic sanctions against Iran and its trading partners, which include Beijing.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China was firmly opposed to what it called "illegal unilateral sanctions" and would take "all necessary measures" to safeguard its rights.

US President Donald Trump has said that the US Navy has removed or detonated all mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan say talks with Iranian leaders on the path to peace are making progress.

"Most Americans Are Getting Poorer": Robert Reich on Inequality & the Failures of Corporate Dems

Aug 26, 2026 | Earlier this month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent publicly attacked the former labor secretary under President Clinton, Robert Reich.

Reich wrote in a post online that “Trump Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this week the K-shaped economy — the widening economic gap between the rich and the poor — is 'dead.'

Hogwash. Not only is the K-shaped economy very much alive, even CEOs are admitting it’s a problem.” The treasury secretary went on to suggest the University of California, Berkeley should fire Reich.

“There’s something in this administration,” says Reich. “It’s almost a kind of testosterone poisoning in which everybody has to be really nasty, put down everybody else.”

Reich goes on to discuss economic inequality, pointing out that while inflation is on the rise, “most Americans are finding that their wages are stagnant … which means that most Americans are getting poorer.”


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Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

August 26, 2026

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„Das frisst einen auf“: Alltag im Iran unter Wirtschaftskrise

Aug 26, 2026 | Irans Zivilbevölkerung leidet im Alltag zunehmend unter den US-Sanktionen. Derweil forderte die US-Regierung am Montag, andere Staaten sollten ihre Geschäftsbeziehungen zum Iran kappen. Damit will Präsident Trump den Druck auf die Führung in Teheran erhöhen, um den von ihm und Israel im Februar begonnenen Krieg zu beenden.

Guerre commerciale : Donald Trump veut rebaptiser le « lac Ontario » en « lac d'Amérique »

Cette capture d'écran provient de cet article du Figaro. | Le président américain Donald Trump à la Maison Blanche, à Washington, le 24 août 2026. Jonathan Ernst / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : « Les États-Unis réfléchissent sérieusement à changer le nom du lac Ontario en lac d’Amérique, car nous ne comptons plus faire beaucoup de business avec l’Ontario », a écrit le président américain sur son réseau Truth Social.

Donald Trump, cible d'attaques virulentes du dirigeant de la province canadienne de l'Ontario, a dit mardi vouloir changer le nom du lac Ontario, frontalier des États-Unis et du Canada, en « lac d'Amérique ». Cette idée, lancée en pleine reprise des hostilités commerciales entre Washington et Ottawa, rappelle évidemment l'une des premières décisions du président américain après son retour au pouvoir, à savoir changer le nom du « golfe du Mexique» en «golfe d'Amérique ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 25 août 2026

China Responds to US Sanctions: "Illegal" Threat over Iran Trade Branded ‘Operation Economic Outcast’

Aug 25, 2026 | China has officially slammed US threats of secondary sanctions over its trade with Iran, calling the measures illegal and vowing to take "all necessary measures" to defend its national interests. As Beijing continues to purchase an estimated 80% of Iran’s oil exports, this standoff puts the Trump administration's "Operation Economic Outcast" to the ultimate test. While US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced sanctions on 60 individuals, entities, and vessels tied to Iranian trade, Chinese financial institutions were noticeably absent from the list. When asked why the White House stopped short of targeting Beijing directly, Bessent responded: "Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?"

ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.

It doesn’t matter what scheme or ‘operation’ these ineffective people dream up, they are destined to lose this war with Iran. Iranians are an extremely intelligent and very well-educated people. They are also wily. If I am not greatly mistaken, victory is Iran’s for the taking. — © Mark Alexander

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

August 25, 2026

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Trump’s Trade War with Canada Could Get ‘Very Nasty’ | Sarah Baxter

Aug 25, 2026 | “It could get very nasty indeed, economically, for both sides.”

Trump’s latest attack on Canada is “particularly farcical”, with threats to increase tariffs on Canadian car imports. However, a trade war could damage both countries, says Sarah Baxter, director of the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting.

« Ça a toujours irrité les Américains » : pourquoi la langue française s'invite dans le bras de fer commercial entre le Canada et les États-Unis

LE FIGARO : Le premier ministre Mark Carney a rompu les négociations vendredi pour défendre l’exception culturelle québécoise et notamment l’usage du français, remis en cause par l’administration Trump.

Le Canada monte au créneau pour défendre le français. La défense de la culture québécoise et de la langue de Molière s'est imposée comme l'un des principaux points d'achoppement des négociations commerciales entre Ottawa et Washington, selon Mark Carney, qui affirme avoir refusé de transiger face aux exigences américaines. « Il y a un écart énorme entre les perspectives canadiennes et les perspectives américaines » en matière de culture, a souligné lundi le premier ministre canadien, à qui il a pourtant été souvent reproché un manque de sensibilité au français.

Mark Carney, qui poursuit son apprentissage de la langue française, a ainsi fustigé les demandes introduites « dans les dernières heures » par la partie américaine, qui remettaient en cause les subventions à la culture francophone, la place des médias francophones en ligne et l'obligation d'étiquetage bilingue des produits vendus au Canada. C'est aussi une question de « découvrabilité » des productions québécoises, a ajouté lundi le premier ministre canadien, c'est-à-dire de « disponibilité (du contenu) en ligne et (de) sa capacité à être repéré parmi un vaste ensemble », comme l'indique le gouvernement du Québec sur son site internet officiel. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 25 août 2026

Steve Rosenberg: Russians "Withdrew More Cash Than They Deposited"

Aug 25, 2026 | In today’s Russian papers: a Putin decree, Russians “withdrew more cash than they deposited, praise for Marine Le Pen and a message for Andy Burnham: “He won’t see Moscow in his dreams. He should…in his nightmares.”

Mark Carney Says Canada Can’t Accept US Trade Deal That Would Weaken French Language

THE GUARDIAN: Prime minister praised for rejecting US trade proposal as Trump shows little interest in retreating from dispute

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Canada-US trade minister Dominic LeBlanc at a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Saturday. Photograph: Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press via AP
Mark Carney said on Monday that while American negotiators saw the French language in Canada as an “irritant … in Quebec, these are rights,” days after receiving widespread praise from political leaders for rejecting a US trade proposal that many perceived as weakening the country’s Francophone culture.

The prime minister’s remarks came hours after the US president, Donald Trump, showed little interest in retreating from the spat, posting on social media that Canada had been “ripping off the United States of America for years” and threatening a swath of new, economically devastating tariffs on cars and trucks.

Carney instructed his negotiators to walk away from trade talks last week. Tariffs on an array of Canadian products took effect over the weekend, affecting around 5% of Canada’s exports to the US, and Canada said it will retaliate in early September.

On Monday, Carney toured a shipyard with Quebec’s premier, telling attendees Canada “could not accept” a proposed trade deal that would have weakened French language protections after trade talks collapsed between the two countries last week, adding that his government “will not give what they have asked”.

The prime minister’s decision to abandon trade talks with the US spurred declarations from political leaders and pundits in Canada that the country is now fully locked into an economic war with its longtime ally. » | Leyland Cecco in Toronto | Monday, August 24, 2026

How lucky Canadians are! They are being led by a cultured gentleman with oodles of refinement, sophistication, intelligence, and class. Americans, by contrast, are being led by a philistine! — © Mark Alexander

ALSO READ:

From ‘Fortress North America’ to All-Out Trade War: How the U.S.-Canada Talks Collapsed: Detailed accounts of the final hours of the negotiations show that, while the United States offered Canada what it said was the best deal of any country, what Canada had to give up in exchange was seen as unthinkable. »

U.S. Tariffs Could Price Canadian Firms Out of U.S. and Threaten Thousands of Jobs: The 50 percent tariffs President Trump imposed on Canadian exports to the United States will make it impossible for many Canadian companies to continue to sell to the U.S. market, economists say. »

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Launches Operation Economic Outcast

August 24, 2026 | Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a sweeping new US economic campaign against Iran and warned countries, banks, and companies around the world that helping the Iranian regime could cost them access to the US dollar system.

Bessent unveiled "Operation Economic Outcast," a campaign aimed at severing Iran's financial connections and revenue sources around the globe. Treasury announced new sectoral sanctions targeting digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping, while the Office of Foreign Assets Control is sanctioning more than 60 entities, individuals, and vessels linked to Iranian oil revenue, nuclear and missile procurement, and cyber operations.

Bessent said the US will pursue a "zero leakage" approach, warned that no country or entity is beyond the reach of US sanctions, and said nations enabling Iran are being given defined timelines to stop identified activities. He also said a major financial institution could face sanctions by the end of the week.

During questions, Bessent addressed potential sanctions against Chinese banks and shipping firms, pressure on countries doing business with Iran, Treasury bond yields and buybacks, the US-Canada relationship, and why the administration is giving Iran's economic partners an opportunity to change course before imposing additional secondary sanctions.



LESEN SIE AUCH:

USA wollen Iran wirtschaftlich „erdrosseln“: Bessent verkündet Start von Operation „Economic Outcast“: Die USA hatten einen „ökonomischen D-Day“ gegen den Iran angekündigt. US-Finanzminister Bessent droht nun Handelspartnern weltweit. Welche neuen Sanktionen kommen? »

À LIRE AUSSI :

Nouvelles sanctions, ultimatum aux pays partenaires, menace sur le système dollar... Washington lance son offensive économique contre l’Iran : Les États qui laisseraient des entités « faciliter le blanchiment d’argent au nom de l’Iran » se verront « expulsés du système dollar », a prévenu lundi lors d’une conférence de presse le secrétaire américain au Trésor, Scott Bessent, ajoutant que « le compte à rebours (avait) commencé ». »

Democracy Now! “Most Stupid Trade Fight in History”: US & Canadian Workers Lose in Trump’s New Tariff War

August 24, 2026 | The US-Canada trade war is deepening after talks collapsed without a deal on Friday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the Trump administration of issuing demands that would compromise Canada’s sovereignty and undermine key industries.

On Saturday, the United States slapped 50% tariffs on around $20 billion worth of imports from Canada, and Carney announced retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion of US products set to go into effect on September 8.


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Democracy Now! Top US & World Headlines

August 24, 2026

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Steve Rosenberg: Russian Paper: Fuel Crisis Won't End If Russia Can't Protect Its Refineries from Drone Attacks

Aug 24, 2026 | Two very different headlines in Russia today. The army paper declares: “Victory will be ours!” Nezavisimaya Gazeta: “Is there a way out of the petrol crisis if infrastructure isn’t protected?”

U.S. Treasury Secretary's Total Fail on Iran

August 23, 2026

Scott Bessent thinks that America can grow its way out of its $40 trillion national debt! Who the hell is he trying to kid? A country would need one hell of a lot of economic growth to be able to grow its way out of a debt as big as that! That man is living in Cloud-cuckoo-land! He is also talking tosh! — © Mark Alexander

US-Canada Trade War: The Cost of Fighting Back | DW News

Aug 23, 2026 | US President Donald Trump has hit back at Canada's retaliatory tariffs on US products saying they were 'foolish' to think they could win a trade war with him. Trump also posted on his social media platform that Canada was trying to get the 'benefits of being a State, without being one'. On Saturday Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters that the US and Canada were engaged in a trade war, saying 'you are at war when you get attacked'. Carney has repeatedly vowed to match US tariffs 'dollar for dollar'. With insights from Wendy Cutler, Senior Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI).

Droits de douane : Donald Trump empêtré dans sa croisade tarifaire mondiale

Cette image provient de cet article du Figaro. | Donald Trump a imposé 50 changements de politiques tarifaires des États-Unis depuis 2025. Annabelle Gordon / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Le locataire de la Maison-Blanche a réussi à tordre le bras à l’Europe et à d’autres pays pour obtenir des conditions avantageuses. Alors que le bras de fer avec le Canada est relancé, l’annulation, il y a six mois, d’une grosse partie des tarifs par la Cour suprême fragilise largement sa politique.

Œil pour œil, dent pour dent. Après l’échec des négociations commerciales avec Washington, le Canada a choisi la riposte. Dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche, Ottawa a annoncé à son tour des droits de douane d’un montant équivalent aux 20 milliards de dollars d’importations canadiennes ciblées par la Maison-Blanche. Un nouveau front de la guerre commerciale tous azimuts du président américain se rouvre.

Depuis son retour au pouvoir, Donald Trump a fait des droits de douane le principal instrument de sa politique étrangère, frappant tour à tour la quasi-totalité des partenaires économiques des États-Unis. Mais en l’espace de dix-huit mois maintenant, à force d’accords et de revirements, d’exemptions sectorielles, de pauses tarifaires, de petits arrangements ainsi que de dispositifs invalidés par la Cour suprême, la politique commerciale américaine est devenue un maquis insondable. » | Par Lucas Mediavilla | dimanche 23 août 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

Trump s'est mis dans un sacré pétrin ! Il a entraîné ses compatriotes et lui-même dans une guerre contre l'Iran qu'il ne peut tout simplement pas gagner. Il est également engagé dans une guerre commerciale avec le Canada — qu'il ne peut pas remporter non plus — qui coûte cher à de nombreux acteurs américains, notamment aux producteurs de spiritueux et autres boissons alcoolisées.

Qui plus est, l'économie sous l'ère Trump bat de l'aile et les prix s'envolent. Pourtant, Trump continue de s'enfoncer dans un trou toujours plus profond !

Pour couronner le tout, la dette nationale américaine a explosé, dépassant les quarante mille milliards de dollars. La seule guerre contre l'Iran coûte environ un milliard de dollars par jour !

Voilà bien toute la maîtrise dont fait preuve Trump en matière d'économie et de géopolitique ! — © Mark Alexander

Amid Fuel Crisis, Russia Now Importing Petrol from India

August 23, 2026

Iran Warns Gulf States Against Joining Trump’s Economic War, or Else

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Iran’s new hard-line national security adviser, Mohsen Rezaei, vowed to prevent “a single drop of oil” from leaving the region.

Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Mohsen Rezaei, Iran’s new security chief, last month in Tehran. Though hostilities have largely ceased, the United States and Iran are locked in an economic standoff. Credit: Mohammed Salem/Reuters
President Trump has warned that “Economic D-Day” is coming for Iran. This weekend, Tehran promised to fight back, threatening any nation that helps the United States.

Iran’s new security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, on Saturday vowed to strike the interests of oil-rich neighbors if they joined U.S. efforts to further isolate Iran, whose economy is already in free fall. He warned that Tehran would seek to prevent “even a single drop of oil” from leaving the region.

“Any country that becomes a partner in creating economic restrictions against us will be regarded by us as an enemy,” he said in an interview with Iran’s state broadcaster.

Mr. Razaei is a political hard-liner and former head of the Revolutionary Guards. The interview offered his first extensive comments since taking up his new post two weeks ago — and struck an aggressive tone in line with Iran’s increasingly uncompromising regional strategy. At one point, he asked whether Iran should pursue building a nuclear bomb, which Tehran has previously insisted it has no intention of doing. » | Erika Solomon | Sunday, August 23, 2026