Ontario says it will slap a 25% surcharge on US-bound electricity
Canada's most populous province Ontario is slapping a retaliatory 25% surcharge on electricity it sends to US states in response to President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods.
Ontario leader Doug Ford confirmed the move in a news conference on Monday morning, saying it will increase costs about $10 (£7.75) per megawatt-hour for US customers.
Roughly 1.5 million American homes in the northern border states of New York, Michigan and Minnesota will be impacted.
Ford said that the surcharge on energy will remain until the threat of tariffs from the US "is gone for good."
"President Trump's tariffs are a disaster for the U.S. economy. They're making life more expensive for American families and businesses," Ford said in a statement on Monday.
He added that Ontario will be using the revenue from its retaliatory tariffs on energy to support local workers and businesses impacted by US tariffs on Canada.
Canada's federal government has also imposed its own dollar-for-dollar reciprocal tariffs on $30bn worth of US goods exported north. The list of products impacted ranges from clothing to perfume to orange juice.
President Trump has threatened Canada repeatedly with a blanket 25% tariff on all Canadian exports to the US - a move that economists have warned could result in job losses in Canada while increasing prices for Americans.
The US has threatened similar tariffs on neighbouring Mexico as well.
Last week, Trump imposed the levies but quickly reversed course, saying he would temporarily spare carmakers from tariffs until 2 April.
He later carved out further exemptions on goods shipped under North America's free trade pact, the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement, which Trump signed in his first term. The measures also reduced tariffs on potash - a key ingredient for fertiliser needed by US farmers - from 25% to 10%.
Trump, however, is still expected to impose tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium some time this week.
The trade war tensions have rattled markets and raised fears of economic turbulence.
The S&P 500 share index, which tracks the biggest listed American companies, has plunged to its lowest point since September, after Trump imposed the tariffs last week and later declined to rule out the possibility of a recession.
In a Fox News interview that was taped on Thursday, Trump said "I hate to predict things like that" in response to the possibility of a severe economic downturn, after saying that the tariffs could bring about a "period of transition."
"It takes a little time, but I think it should be great for us," Trump said.
Source-BBC
Thousands report outages of Musk's X platform
Elon Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, experienced massive outages throughout Monday morning that impacted thousands of users in the US and UK.
The outage came as platform monitor Downdetector said it had seen tens of thousands of reports from US users of technical issues affecting the platform.
There were more than 8,000 outage reports from UK users shortly before 14:00 GMT, following a brief but notable surge of reports on Monday morning.
Connection issues lasted for some users into the afternoon.
Many users trying to access the platform and refresh feeds on its app and desktop site during Monday's outages were met with a loading icon.
Musk claims the outages stemmed from a "massive cyber-attack" that originated "in the Ukraine area."
But the technology billionaire, who has been a frequent critic of Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelensky, offered no evidence to support the claim and did not say whether or not he thought state actors were involved.
Earlier, he posted on X that "either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved".
The BBC has approached the Ukrainian embassy in Washington DC for comment.
"We're not sure exactly what happened but there was a massive cyber-attack to try and bring down the X system with [Internet Protocol] addresses originating in the Ukraine area," Musk said in an interview with the Fox Business channel.
Alp Toker, director of Netblocks, which monitors the connectivity of web services, said its own metrics suggested the outages could well be linked to a cyber-attack.
"What we've been seeing is consistent with what we've seen in past denial of service attacks, rather than a configuration or coding error in the platform," he told the BBC.
He said the organisation has seen several major outages spanning more than six hours on Monday, "each having global impact".
"This is amongst the longest X/Twitter outages we've tracked in terms of duration, and the pattern is consistent with a denial of service attack targeting X's infrastructure at scale," he added.
A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack is an attempt to take a website offline by overwhelming it with internet traffic.
Mr Musk has previously claimed that the platform has been targeted by DDoS attacks, but these have not been confirmed.
Also on Monday, Musk called US Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, a "traitor" for going to Ukraine over the weekend. Sen Kelly had said the visit "proved to me we can't give up on the Ukrainian people".
Sen Kelly replied: "Elon, if you don't understand that defending freedom is a basic tenet of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maybe you should leave it to those of us who do."
The exchange took place on X.
Source-BBC
Musk's Tesla facilities in US face 'Takedown' protests
Tesla facilities across the US are facing protests and vandalism in response to the political role Elon Musk, who owns the car manufacturer, has played in the Trump administration.
Most "Tesla Takedown" protests have been peaceful, but a few have been destructive with fires intentionally set at Tesla showrooms and charging stations in Colorado and Massachusetts last week.
That was followed by six arrests in New York over the weekend when hundreds of protesters occupied a Tesla showroom.
There has also been a spike in Cybertruck vandalism across the US, and some car owners are defacing their own Teslas in protest of Musk.
One woman showed up to a protest outside a Burbank Tesla on Sunday with an expletive and Musk's name scrawled in chalk across her white Model X sedan. Another car carried an "Anti Elon Tesla Club" sticker.
The protests illustrate a growing unease over Musk's influence on the US government since President Donald Trump allowed him to create the cost-cutting task force Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).
So far, Doge has fired or offered buyouts to about 100,000 federal employees and gained access to the sensitive personal and financial information of millions of Americans.
Critics have resorted to calling the tech billionaire "President Musk", arguing that he has too much power in the White House. Some at the protest in Burbank held signs that said "Deport Elon" and "Boycott Swasticar" - with protesters attempting to connect the car to fascism.
Tesla produced the must-have electric cars for many Americans with progressive views, but several protesters said they regretted their purchase after Musk involved himself with Trump and US politics.
Karen Rabwin, a protester at the Burbank Tesla on Sunday, attended just two days after trading in her Tesla for a Cadillac. She had slapped a bumper sticker on her old vehicle that read "Bought This Car Before We Knew" in a veiled reference to Musk, but she felt that wasn't enough.
"It was embarrassing," she said of driving the Tesla. "It wasn't what I stood for. How could I drive that car? I have principles."
Singer Sheryl Crow donated her Tesla to National Public Radio last month. She posted a video to Instagram waving goodbye to the car as it was towed away.
"There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with. So long Tesla," Ms Crow wrote.
Musk has responded to the protests by sharing a video on X - the social media platform he owns - of a Cybertruck customer in Texas marvelling at the vehicle's full self-driving mode.
"Heartfelt thanks to everyone supporting Tesla, despite many attacks against our stores and offices," Musk wrote.
The social media platform has many posts of Tesla owners showcasing their electric cars. But there are also now videos showing a growing trend of Cybertrucks vandalised with swastikas, used as skate ramps or covered in garbage.
During Mardi Gras in New Orleans, spectators booed an orange Cybertruck and pelted it with beads, calling the futuristic looking vehicle a "Deplorean" or other unfriendly monikers.
Protesters on Sunday said they want to take down Telsa's value because they are concerned that Mr Musk is damaging the economy and the the country - and their efforts may be having an effect.
While Tesla's share price surged after Trump was elected - with Musk by his side on election night in Florida - they have tumbled back to pre-election levels following the backlash to Musk's political involvement.
Some on Sunday also raised concerns that Musk's government involvement is benefiting his businesses.
Critics note that the tech entrepreneur's companies have billions of dollars of contracts with the US government, primarily with Nasa and the Defense Department, which are increasingly reliant on Musk's SpaceX for satellite launches and space exploration.
Last week, reports claimed Musk had attempted to get the Federal Aviation Administration to cancel a $2.4bn (£1.9bn) contract with Verizon to revamp the agency's telecommunications system and awarding it to Starlink, a company owned by SpaceX, instead.
SpaceX denied that report, posting on X that "Starlink is a possible partial fix to an aging system. There is no effort or intent for Starlink to 'take over' any existing contract".
West Indies Masters fall short in thrilling chase against India Masters
The West Indies Masters suffered a heart-wrenching seven-run defeat to India Masters in a high-octane International Masters League T20 clash here on Saturday.
India Masters set the stage alight after opting to take the first strike, posting a mammoth 253-3 in their 20 overs. Ambati Rayudu (63 off 35) and Saurabh Tiwary (60 off 37) laid the foundation with aggressive half-centuries, while captain Yuvraj Singh’s explosive unbeaten 49 off 20 balls provided the late fireworks.
The West Indies bowlers found it tough to contain the onslaught, with Jerome Taylor (1-42), Sulieman Benn (1-34), and Jonathan Carter (1-52) managing to pick up wickets.
In response, the West Indies Masters launched a fearless chase, spearheaded by opener Dwayne Smith’s sensational 79 off 34 balls. Smith’s innings laced with seven fours and six sixes, came at a staggering strike rate of 232.35.
William Perkins provided solid support with a fluent 52 off 24 balls, while Lendl Simmons chipped in with a cameo knock of 38 off just 13 deliveries.
However, the chase lost steam after the dismissals of Smith and Simmons. Jonathan Carter (11), Kirk Edwards (4), and Narsingh Deonarine (28) couldn’t maintain the required momentum, leaving Ashley Nurse (21 not out) and captain Brian Lara (4 not out) with an insurmountable task in the final overs.
India’s bowlers held their composure under pressure, with Stuart Binny (3-13) and Pawan Negi (2-27) making crucial breakthroughs to derail the West Indies’ charge which fizzled out at 246-6 in their 20 overs.
After starting their campaign with wins over England and Australia, the West Indies Masters have now stumbled with consecutive losses, including Thursday’s defeat to Sri Lanka. With four points, they’ve slipped to fourth place in the league standings, behind India (8 points), Sri Lanka (6), and Australia, who also have four points but edge ahead on net run rate.
Source-CMC
Suriname foreign affairs minister elected as OAS Secretary General
Suriname’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Albert Ramdin was elected as the new secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS) for a five year term, urging multilateralism and calling on member states to be united in the fight against a changing global environment.
Ramdin was elected by acclamation following the withdrawal of Rubén Ramírez, the Foreign Minister of Paraguay. He succeeds Luis Almagro, who was first elected as OAS Secretary General in 2015 and re-elected in 2020.
“In a world that is quickly evolving, the foundation of a strong democracy continues to be the cornerstone of freedom, justice and human dignity,” Ramdin told the 56th Special Session of the OAS General Assembly.
“We realise we exist in challenging times, constantly and rapidly changing roads and as we face these challenges of the present and look towards the future, I believe we must listen to each other, understand our different perspectives…while looking for common grounds.”
He said that common ground could be found in multilateralism, security, governance based on the rule of law and democratic principles, respect for human rights, adding “these exist in unison, they are not separate from each other, without one, the other cannot be fully attained.
“Multilateralism is in my view an experience, the most important tool to achieve the necessary intergovernmental collaboration to meet the collective needs of our people and serve the needs and interest of member states”.
Ramdin said the environmental challenges occasioned by the climate crisis have to be adequately and properly addressed. He said addressing poverty, promoting education as well as gender equality “should all be part of our collective and individual …policy, the aim being that the benefits of progress are to be shared by all leaving no one behind”.
Ramdin reiterated the need for all countries to be united going forward, saying “no country alone can solve all the problems effectively within its own borders.
“We must stand in solidarity with each other and mobilise all capabilities of the Secretariat, the Inter-American system and all the relevant sub-regional organizations, the private sector of the Americas and build efficient partnerships as we execute this new agenda for the future”.
Ramdin said he was counting on a “strong active relationship” with member states “as we identify and execute the way forward.
“As I stand here today, my commitment is absolutely to serve all member states of this organization and I would like to reiterate our collective strength lies in our ability to work together…as I said one cannot do it alone…unity requires collaboration, more specifically dialogue, consultation and collective resolve around the table…even when we have different viewpoints,” Ramdin said.
Ramdin, 67, who has served as Suriname’s top diplomat since 2020, and was previously the OAS’ assistant secretary general for two terms from 2005 through 2015, is pushing for greater efficiency in the organization and highlighted the need for it to better support Haiti, which is facing a conflict against armed gangs with limited international aid.
“I believe every crisis must bring an opportunity which we must capitalise on. I am absolutely invigorated by the support receive from many all over the world and look forward to a very effective and productive time together,” he said.
In a statement, the Suriname government said “it is a great honor for Suriname that our candidate has been supported by the vast majority of the member states”.
Suriname’s President Chan Santokhi has praised Ramdin’s “calm assurance” as a trusted advisor and adept diplomat.
In his address, Ramdin also said, “in my opinion and my experience, the most important tool to achieve the necessary collaboration among governments to respond to the needs of our peoples and serve the needs and interests of our member states”.
Source-CMC
Stocks slump, market closes down amid recession fears
U.S. stocks plunged on Monday, suffering widespread losses amid an escalating trade war a day after President Donald Trump declined to rule out the possibility of a recession.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 890 points, or 2%, while the S&P 500 declined 2.7%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq plummeted 4%.
Tesla, the electric carmaker led by Elon Musk, sank 15%. United Airlines and Delta each fell more than 4%.
The selloff coincided with retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. following levies last week on Canada, Mexico and China, some of which were delayed.
Source-ABC
Pope Francis' prognosis has been 'lifted' on 25th consecutive day in hospital
Pope Francis' prognosis was "lifted" on Monday, marking his 25th consecutive day in the hospital, according to the Vatican.
"The improvements recorded in previous days have further consolidated, as confirmed by both blood tests and clinical objectivity and the good response to pharmacological therapy. For these reasons, the doctors decided to lift the prognosis," the Holy See, the Vatican's press office, said in a statement Monday.
Vatican sources told ABC News that Francis' prognosis being lifted means he's no longer in imminent danger, but the clinical picture still remains complex.
Regardless of the improvements, the 88-year-old pontiff will continue "for additional days, the pharmacological medical therapy in a hospital environment" due to the "complexity of the clinical picture and the significant infectious picture presented at hospitalization," the Vatican said.
Source-ABC
Wendy Williams taken to hospital from her assisted living facility in Manhattan: Sources
Wendy Williams was taken by ambulance from an assisted living facility in Midtown Manhattan to Mount Sinai West hospital on Monday morning, according to sources.
Police responded to the assisted living facility in Hudson Yards after the fire department was called for a wellness check, sources said.
According to a source briefed on the situation, two NYPD officers and a sergeant responded to the assisted living facility as per protocol to a 911 call about a woman in distress. When they arrived, Williams was calm. She was not restrained and was able to get into the ambulance on her own.
The episode is being treated as a standard call for service and there is no ongoing NYPD investigation.
Nearly a month ago, Williams opened up about her fight for freedom from her yearslong court-ordered guardianship in a phone interview with Nightline.
The media personality and former talk show host, who has been in a court-ordered guardianship since 2022, described where she has been living for the past few years.
"As I said, because it's a fact, this is the memory unit. That's what this floor is called, the memory unit. And it is true that these people who live here don't remember anything," she said. "Look, I don't belong here at all. This is ridiculous."
In February 2024, a press release from Williams and her medical team revealed that Williams was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in 2023.
"The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy, but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances," the press release noted.
Primary progressive aphasia is "a neurological syndrome in which language capabilities become slowly and progressively impaired," according to the National Aphasia Association.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dementia is an umbrella term that describes "the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with doing everyday activities. "
Last year, Lifetime explored Williams' life after her daytime show in Where is Wendy Williams?, a two-night documentary event.
The documentary opened the doors to her private life and detailed the health issues she faced.
Source-ABC
FORECAST FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS
GENERAL SITUATION: A weak high-pressure ridge will continue to support fair weather across the islands today. However, it will gradually shift eastward as a low-pressure system moves off the eastern U.S. coast.
WEATHER: Mostly sunny today. Fair tonight.
WINDS: Southeast to south at 5 to 10 knots, falling light and variables at times.
SEAS: 3 feet or less
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 84°F 29°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 73°F 23°C
SUNSET: 6:56 PM
NEXT LOW TIDE: 12:59 PM (1.0 FT)
NEXT HIGH TIDE: 06:35 PM (2.3 FT)
EXTENDED FORECAST (NEXT TWO DAYS): A frontal boundary associated with the low-pressure system will move into the Turks and Caicos Islands by Tuesday night, bringing breezy to windy conditions and increased chances of showers. By Wednesday, high pressure will build over the area, bringing clearer skies and light to gentle winds through the end of the week.
TUESDAY: A low (10 percent) chance of showers in the afternoon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 85.
TUESDAY NIGHT: A low (10 percent) chance of showers overnight. Partly cloudy and breezy, with a low around 70.
WINDS: Southwest to south at 10 to 15 knots, becoming westerly in the afternoon, then northwest to west at night. Wind gusts up to 25 knots are expected in the evening.
SEAS: Caicos Bank – 3 feet or less; Nearshore – 2 to 4 feet; Offshore – 3 to 5 feet
SUNRISE: 7:00 PM
SUNSET: 6:56 PM
LOW TIDE: 12:43 AM (0.7 FT) 01:46 PM (1.0 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 07:17 AM (3.0 FT) 07:29 PM (2.3 FT)
WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny, with a high near 84.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Fair, with a low around 71.
ADVISORY: A Small Craft Advisory will come into effect.
WINDS: Northerly at 10 to 15 knots, becoming northeasterly at 10 knots in the evening.
SEAS: Caicos Bank – 2 to 4 feet; Nearshore – 3 to 5 feet; Offshore – 5 to 7 feet
SUNRISE: 6:59 AM
SUNSET: 6:57 PM
LOW TIDE: 01:38 AM (0.7 FT) 02:29 PM (0.7 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 08:03 AM (3.0 FT) 08:20 PM (2.6 FT)
FORECASTER: H.HAMILTON
TCI POST CABINET MEETING STATEMENT
Her Excellency the Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam chaired the 2nd meeting of Cabinet held on February 26th, 2025, at the Hon Hilly Ewing Building, Providenciales. All members of the Cabinet were present.
At this meeting Cabinet:
Reviewed the TCIG 3rd Quarter Financial Report for FY 2024-2025 and approved its publication.Reviewed the Statutory Bodies 3rd Quarter Special Purpose Financial Report for FY 2024-2025 and approved its publication.
Approved a Development Agreement for the Retreat Development Ltd.
Reviewed the National Health Insurance Board’s quarterly reports and agreed actions to address key risks.
Approved the appointment of Ms. Desericka Lightbourne as Secretary to the Credit Union Project Implementation Committee effective April 1, 2025.
· Noted the award of the following contracts in line with the process according to the provisions of the Public Procurement Ordinance; Contract Award Notification:
PN005695, TR 24/27 Interior Design and Supply Furniture and Equipment
PN005811/TR 24/42 Works to Matthew Canal-Salt Cay
Approved the draft variation to the Development Agreement over parcels 60900/291-325 and 327-362 to WACAL Holdings Ltd. Development.
Approved an amendment to the Immigration Protocol Document for the Hamilton Education Foundation Ltd.
Approved the following appointments to the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority for a period of two years:
Dwayne Gardiner, Chairman
Gardvin Missick, Deputy Chairman
Godfrey Smith, Director
Approved settlement terms relating to a DECR matter.
Approved applications for Class A Processing and Export Licenses for the 2024-2025 year for Caicos Seafood Ltd.; Caicos Fisheries Ltd.; and Provo Seafood.
Ministers will provide further information on these matters in due course.