US and Canadian negotiators were holding eleventh-hour talks on Sunday aimed at revamping the North American Free Trade Agreement ahead of a Washington-imposed deadline.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was to convene an emergency ministerial meeting at 10:00 pm (0200 GMT) on Sunday evening -- two hours ahead of the deadline, officials said.

The talks were being held remotely, unlike in previous rounds where Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland traveled to Washington.

"Lots of progress, but we're not there yet," David MacNaughton, Canada's ambassador to the United States, said in Ottawa before heading back to Washington earlier on Sunday.

Peter Navarro, an adviser to US President Donald Trump on trade, told Fox News: "Everybody is negotiating in good faith right now as we speak.&nbsp;

"The deadline is midnight tonight to get the text into Congress to make sure this goes forward."

Canada's The Globe and Mail cited sources on both sides of the border as saying a deal was close.

Most of the "substantive work" has been completed, with a "handful" of details remaining, the newspaper reported.

The United States and Mexico want to push a deal they separately negotiated through their respective legislatures before Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes office on December 1.

In the United States, Congress must have the text of the deal by Sunday if a 60-day review period is to be respected.

High political stakes

Trump has been pushing for a complete overhaul of the 25-year-old trade deal, which he says has been a "rip-off" for the United States.

Speaking at a political rally in Wheeling, West Virginia on Saturday night, Trump told supporters: "We'll see what happens with Canada, if they come along. They have to be fair."

In August -- more than a year into the negotiations -- the United States and Mexico announced they had reached a two-way deal, after breaking away for bilateral talks on their outstanding issues.

But the ensuing talks to incorporate Canada have stumbled.

Ottawa and Washington remain at odds over Canada's managed dairy sector, and the dispute resolution provisions in NAFTA.

But concessions on dairy would be politically difficult for Trudeau's government, a matter complicated yet further by elections being held Monday in the key dairy producing province of Quebec.

The main Quebec parties and farmers' organizations are in favor of retaining the "supply management" system, which controls the production and price of milk and poultry and ensures stable incomes for Canadian farmers.

Tempers flared this week on both sides as the end-of-month deadline approached.

"We're not getting along with their negotiators," Trump said Wednesday of Canada.

Trudeau fired back: "We won't sign a bad deal for Canada."

The political stakes are high on both sides of the US-Canadian border: Trump needs to look strong heading into the November midterm elections, while Trudeau does not want to be seen as caving before next year's general election.

US and Canadian negotiators were holding eleventh-hour talks on Sunday aimed at revamping the North American Free Trade Agreement ahead of a Washington-imposed deadline.

US and Canadian negotiators were holding eleventh-hour talks on Sunday aimed at revamping the North American Free Trade Agreement ahead of a Washington-imposed deadline. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was to convene an emergency ministerial meeting at 10:00 pm (0200 GMT) on Sunday evening -- two hours ahead of the deadline, officials said. The talks were being held remotely, unlike in previous rounds where Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland traveled to Washington. "Lots of progress, but we're not there yet," David MacNaughton, Canada's ambassador to the United States, said in Ottawa before heading back to Washington earlier on Sunday. Peter Navarro, an adviser to US President Donald Trump on trade, told Fox News: "Everybody is negotiating in good faith right now as we speak. "The deadline is midnight tonight to get the text into Congress to make sure this goes forward." Canada's The Globe and Mail cited sources on both sides of the border as saying a deal was close. Most of the "substantive work" has been completed, with a "handful" of details remaining, the newspaper reported. The United States and Mexico want to push a deal they separately negotiated through their respective legislatures before Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes office on December 1. In the United States, Congress must have the text of the deal by Sunday if a 60-day review period is to be respected. High political stakes Trump has been pushing for a complete overhaul of the 25-year-old trade deal, which he says has been a "rip-off" for the United States. Speaking at a political rally in Wheeling, West Virginia on Saturday night, Trump told supporters: "We'll see what happens with Canada, if they come along. They have to be fair." In August -- more than a year into the negotiations -- the United States and Mexico announced they had reached a two-way deal, after breaking away for bilateral talks on their outstanding issues. But the ensuing talks to incorporate Canada have stumbled. Ottawa and Washington remain at odds over Canada's managed dairy sector, and the dispute resolution provisions in NAFTA. But concessions on dairy would be politically difficult for Trudeau's government, a matter complicated yet further by elections being held Monday in the key dairy producing province of Quebec. The main Quebec parties and farmers' organizations are in favor of retaining the "supply management" system, which controls the production and price of milk and poultry and ensures stable incomes for Canadian farmers. Tempers flared this week on both sides as the end-of-month deadline approached. "We're not getting along with their negotiators," Trump said Wednesday of Canada. Trudeau fired back: "We won't sign a bad deal for Canada." The political stakes are high on both sides of the US-Canadian border: Trump needs to look strong heading into the November midterm elections, while Trudeau does not want to be seen as caving before next year's general election.

Canada to hold emergency ministers' meeting as NAFTA deadline looms

Canadian legislators, in a symbolic move, on Thursday voted unanimously to strip Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi of her honorary citizenship in response to crimes committed against the Rohingya minority.

The move by the House of Commons lower chamber has no immediate effect because honorary citizenship is conferred by a joint resolution of both the House and the upper Senate chamber and officials say it must be removed the same way. Suu Kyi received hers in 2007.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday that he was open to looking at stripping Suu Kyi of the honour but said doing so would not end the crisis in Myanmar, where more than 700,000 Rohingya have fled a government crackdown.

The motion on removing the honorary citizenship was proposed by Gabriel Ste Marie, a member of the opposition Bloc Quebecois party, who told reporters after the vote that "I think it`s a great symbol".

The House of Commons last week unanimously voted to call the killings of Rohingya a genocide, a move that Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said at the time was significant.

"Our government supported this motion in response to her (Suu Kyi`s) continued failure to speak out against the genocide of the Rohingya, a crime being committed by the military with which she shares power," said Freeland spokesman Adam Austen.

Legislator Andrew Leslie, who serves as Freeland`s parliamentary secretary, told reporters "that the machinery of government will chew over the details of what specifically is required to implement" the motion.

The Myanmar government was not immediately available for comment.&nbsp; 
Freeland is among many western politicians who condemned the decision by a Myanmar judge earlier this month to find two Reuters journalists guilty of breaching a law on state secrets.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who had been probing the killing by the security forces of Rohingya villagers, were jailed for seven years. They had pleaded not guilty.

Canadian legislators, in a symbolic move, on Thursday voted unanimously to strip Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi of her honorary citizenship in response to crimes committed against the Rohingya minority.

Canadian legislators, in a symbolic move, on Thursday voted unanimously to strip Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi of her honorary citizenship in response to crimes committed against the Rohingya minority. The move by the House of Commons lower chamber has no immediate effect because honorary citizenship is conferred by a joint resolution of both the House and the upper Senate chamber and officials say it must be removed the same way. Suu Kyi received hers in 2007. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday that he was open to looking at stripping Suu Kyi of the honour but said doing so would not end the crisis in Myanmar, where more than 700,000 Rohingya have fled a government crackdown. The motion on removing the honorary citizenship was proposed by Gabriel Ste Marie, a member of the opposition Bloc Quebecois party, who told reporters after the vote that "I think it`s a great symbol". The House of Commons last week unanimously voted to call the killings of Rohingya a genocide, a move that Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said at the time was significant. "Our government supported this motion in response to her (Suu Kyi`s) continued failure to speak out against the genocide of the Rohingya, a crime being committed by the military with which she shares power," said Freeland spokesman Adam Austen. Legislator Andrew Leslie, who serves as Freeland`s parliamentary secretary, told reporters "that the machinery of government will chew over the details of what specifically is required to implement" the motion. The Myanmar government was not immediately available for comment. Freeland is among many western politicians who condemned the decision by a Myanmar judge earlier this month to find two Reuters journalists guilty of breaching a law on state secrets. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who had been probing the killing by the security forces of Rohingya villagers, were jailed for seven years. They had pleaded not guilty.

Myanmar's leader Suu Kyi stripped off Canadian citizenship by legislators

Canada is not making concessions needed to reach a deal with the United States for a trilateral NAFTA pact and is running out of time before Washington proceeds with a Mexico-only agreement, a top US official said on Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump's administration recently began increasing the pressure on Canada, urging it to conclude a deal by Sunday or face exclusion from a revised North American Free Trade Agreement.

A spokesman for Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland brushed off the latest remarks from the United States, saying Canada was not interested in focusing on timelines.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said there was "some distance" between the two sides on issues such as access to Canada's dairy market and how best to settle trade disputes.

"The fact is, Canada is not making concessions in areas where we think they're essential," he said at the Concordia Summit in New York.

"We're going to go ahead with Mexico," he said. "If Canada comes along now, that would be the best. If Canada comes along later, then that's what will happen."

He added: "We're sort of running out of time." But Freeland's spokesman, Adam Austen, said Canada would only sign a good deal.

"Our focus is the substance, not timelines. We will continue to negotiate with a view to getting a deal that is in Canada’s national interest," he said.

Mexican government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said on Twitter late on Tuesday that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

"The leaders exchanged points of view on the process of renegotiation of NAFTA," said Sanchez.

Lighthizer and Freeland are also in New York for the UN meeting but it is unclear whether they will meet.

US automakers and congressional aides now believe a deal with Canada is not possible by the deadline, which they said would most likely prompt the United States to move ahead with a bilateral agreement with Mexico.

But they also predicted new talks with Canada in another attempt to settle outstanding issues before the signing with Mexico, which would be set for November 30.

'HOPEFULLY END UP WITH SOMETHING'

The Trump administration has said the text of an agreement is needed by Sunday to allow the current Mexican government to sign it before it leaves office at the end of November.

Trump has demanded major changes to NAFTA, which he has said caused US manufacturing jobs to move to low-wage Mexico. Markets are nervous about the impact on a deal that underpins $1.2 trillion in annual trade.

Canadian officials have said that despite the US threats to go it alone with Mexico, they do not believe Trump can by himself turn the 1994 pact into a bilateral deal.

US business groups, alarmed by the potential disruption to the three increasingly integrated economies, have lobbied the White House to keep NAFTA as a trilateral deal.

Trudeau, who has repeatedly stated he would rather walk away from NAFTA than sign a bad deal, spoke before Lighthizer at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and took a more cautious tone.

"They (the United States and Mexico) made certain agreements," he said. "I think there's a possibility there to build on what they agreed."

"With Mexico, we're not going to say: 'No deal' because of Canada," Lighthizer said. "That doesn't make any sense at all, so hopefully we'll end up with something with Canada."

Canada is not making concessions needed to reach a deal with the United States for a trilateral NAFTA pact and is running out of time before Washington proceeds with a Mexico-only agreement, a top US official said on Tuesday.

Canada is not making concessions needed to reach a deal with the United States for a trilateral NAFTA pact and is running out of time before Washington proceeds with a Mexico-only agreement, a top US official said on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump's administration recently began increasing the pressure on Canada, urging it to conclude a deal by Sunday or face exclusion from a revised North American Free Trade Agreement. A spokesman for Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland brushed off the latest remarks from the United States, saying Canada was not interested in focusing on timelines. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said there was "some distance" between the two sides on issues such as access to Canada's dairy market and how best to settle trade disputes. "The fact is, Canada is not making concessions in areas where we think they're essential," he said at the Concordia Summit in New York. "We're going to go ahead with Mexico," he said. "If Canada comes along now, that would be the best. If Canada comes along later, then that's what will happen." He added: "We're sort of running out of time." But Freeland's spokesman, Adam Austen, said Canada would only sign a good deal. "Our focus is the substance, not timelines. We will continue to negotiate with a view to getting a deal that is in Canada’s national interest," he said. Mexican government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said on Twitter late on Tuesday that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. "The leaders exchanged points of view on the process of renegotiation of NAFTA," said Sanchez. Lighthizer and Freeland are also in New York for the UN meeting but it is unclear whether they will meet. US automakers and congressional aides now believe a deal with Canada is not possible by the deadline, which they said would most likely prompt the United States to move ahead with a bilateral agreement with Mexico. But they also predicted new talks with Canada in another attempt to settle outstanding issues before the signing with Mexico, which would be set for November 30. 'HOPEFULLY END UP WITH SOMETHING' The Trump administration has said the text of an agreement is needed by Sunday to allow the current Mexican government to sign it before it leaves office at the end of November. Trump has demanded major changes to NAFTA, which he has said caused US manufacturing jobs to move to low-wage Mexico. Markets are nervous about the impact on a deal that underpins $1.2 trillion in annual trade. Canadian officials have said that despite the US threats to go it alone with Mexico, they do not believe Trump can by himself turn the 1994 pact into a bilateral deal. US business groups, alarmed by the potential disruption to the three increasingly integrated economies, have lobbied the White House to keep NAFTA as a trilateral deal. Trudeau, who has repeatedly stated he would rather walk away from NAFTA than sign a bad deal, spoke before Lighthizer at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and took a more cautious tone. "They (the United States and Mexico) made certain agreements," he said. "I think there's a possibility there to build on what they agreed." "With Mexico, we're not going to say: 'No deal' because of Canada," Lighthizer said. "That doesn't make any sense at all, so hopefully we'll end up with something with Canada."

Canada not making concessions needed for NAFTA deal: US

With the trials of Catalonian separatist leaders possibly weeks away, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez refused to say whether he would pardon them, calling the idea "a hypothesis."

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/catalonia-quim-torra-name-two-former-ministers-jailed-by-madrid-report-138272">Also Read:&nbsp;New Catalonia President includes jailed, exiled leaders in government</a>

"What I would say to you is that the government doesn't make statements about hypotheses, it makes statements about realities," Sanchez said, as he spoke to reporters in Montreal, Canada, alongside a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Nine separatist Catalonian leaders are accused of crimes including rebellion for their role in last year's banned referendum and a subsequent failed declaration of independence.

The trial could begin as early as October, raising tensions as Sanchez seeks to reach a compromise with the Catalan government.

Sanchez has adopted a softer tone than his predecessor, conservative Mariano Rajoy, and offered to hold a wide-ranging dialogue that could lead to drafting a new statute of autonomy that Catalans would have the opportunity to adopt or reject by referendum.

"I think that the path of justice has its route. The responsibility of the Spanish government is to respond to a political crisis through politics. We know - and I've said it from the first moment that I became president-- that it won't be tomorrow or the day after when we resolve this political crisis but I think we're on the path to achieve it," he said.

Catalonia's new leader, Quim Torra, has dismissed the idea that this could be a way forward and instead called on Sanchez to accept a legally-binding referendum on independence.

Because Sanchez needs Torra's party votes in the national parliament to pass the annual budget bill, a failure to find common ground in Catalonia would likely spill over to national politics in Madrid - and possibly trigger a snap national election sometimes in early 2019.

According to a survey released in July 46.7 per cent of Catalans want their region to become an independent state, while 44.9 per cent oppose this solution-- a number that has remained roughly stable over the past four years.

Catalonia also elected a new regional parliament this year in which separatist forces retained a majority of seats. The trials of jailed separatist leaders should keep the Catalan question at the top of the political agenda for the time being.

With the trials of Catalonian separatist leaders possibly weeks away, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez refused to say whether he would pardon them, calling the idea "a hypothesis.

With the trials of Catalonian separatist leaders possibly weeks away, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez refused to say whether he would pardon them, calling the idea "a hypothesis." Also Read: New Catalonia President includes jailed, exiled leaders in government "What I would say to you is that the government doesn't make statements about hypotheses, it makes statements about realities," Sanchez said, as he spoke to reporters in Montreal, Canada, alongside a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Nine separatist Catalonian leaders are accused of crimes including rebellion for their role in last year's banned referendum and a subsequent failed declaration of independence. The trial could begin as early as October, raising tensions as Sanchez seeks to reach a compromise with the Catalan government. Sanchez has adopted a softer tone than his predecessor, conservative Mariano Rajoy, and offered to hold a wide-ranging dialogue that could lead to drafting a new statute of autonomy that Catalans would have the opportunity to adopt or reject by referendum. "I think that the path of justice has its route. The responsibility of the Spanish government is to respond to a political crisis through politics. We know - and I've said it from the first moment that I became president-- that it won't be tomorrow or the day after when we resolve this political crisis but I think we're on the path to achieve it," he said. Catalonia's new leader, Quim Torra, has dismissed the idea that this could be a way forward and instead called on Sanchez to accept a legally-binding referendum on independence. Because Sanchez needs Torra's party votes in the national parliament to pass the annual budget bill, a failure to find common ground in Catalonia would likely spill over to national politics in Madrid - and possibly trigger a snap national election sometimes in early 2019. According to a survey released in July 46.7 per cent of Catalans want their region to become an independent state, while 44.9 per cent oppose this solution-- a number that has remained roughly stable over the past four years. Catalonia also elected a new regional parliament this year in which separatist forces retained a majority of seats. The trials of jailed separatist leaders should keep the Catalan question at the top of the political agenda for the time being.

 Calls pardon of Catalonian separatists 'a hypothesis': PM Sanchez

Pardon of Catalonian separatists 'a hypothesis': PM Sanchez

Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland met with US senators Wednesday aiming to cool down a fiery trade row over "absurd" American tariffs that has sent ties between the longtime allies plunging.

Freeland huddled behind closed doors with Senate Foreign Relations chairman Bob Corker and other senators on the committee eager to repair the fraying relationship after President Donald Trump cited national security interests for slapping punitive tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Invoking national security -- under Section 232 of a US trade law -- as a reason for the tariffs "is frankly absurd," Freeland told reporters after the hour-long meeting.

"I think Americans understand it's simply not the case," she said, stressing the deep friendship between two nations that share the world's longest peaceful border.

Freeland has visited Washington often in recent weeks as Canada, the US and Mexico engage in negotiations over modernizing NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement.

But Trump's announced tariffs, and bald faced attacks against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after the G7 summit, have stunned Canada.&nbsp;

The neighbor to the north is now on track to impose what Freeland described as "measured, dollar-for-dollar retaliation" tariffs on US goods beginning July 1.

Freeland would not say what steps Ottawa wants the US Congress to take, but she was clear about Canada's demand on the Trump administration.

"The US has to remove these unfair illegal tariffs from Canada, and from its allies," she said.

"We really are confident that at the end of the day, common sense will prevail."

She stopped short of saying whether any US lawmakers apologized for Trump's trade actions, adding that Canadians "really value our relationship with the United States."

The Republican Corker has criticized Trump for attacking a vital ally, and lashed out at leaders in his own party for refusing to schedule a vote on his measure to let Congress approve or reject any tariffs imposed by the US president.

A frustrated Corker said after the meeting it was clear "we've damaged relations" with Canada.

"I don't know of any senator that I know of on the Republican side that has not expressed concerns to the president both about using 232 but also just the random nature of how this has all been carried out."

Democratic Senator Bob Menendez said he hoped Freeland would return home and share with Canadians "that the view of the president is not the view of all the American people" or a majority of senators.&nbsp;

Freeland said she will speak on Thursday with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, with whom she met on the sidelines of last weekend's G7 summit.

Invoking national security -- under Section 232 of a US trade law -- as a reason for the tariffs 'is frankly absurd,' Chrystia Freeland told reporters after the hour-long meeting

Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland met with US senators Wednesday aiming to cool down a fiery trade row over "absurd" American tariffs that has sent ties between the longtime allies plunging. Freeland huddled behind closed doors with Senate Foreign Relations chairman Bob Corker and other senators on the committee eager to repair the fraying relationship after President Donald Trump cited national security interests for slapping punitive tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Invoking national security -- under Section 232 of a US trade law -- as a reason for the tariffs "is frankly absurd," Freeland told reporters after the hour-long meeting. "I think Americans understand it's simply not the case," she said, stressing the deep friendship between two nations that share the world's longest peaceful border. Freeland has visited Washington often in recent weeks as Canada, the US and Mexico engage in negotiations over modernizing NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. But Trump's announced tariffs, and bald faced attacks against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after the G7 summit, have stunned Canada. The neighbor to the north is now on track to impose what Freeland described as "measured, dollar-for-dollar retaliation" tariffs on US goods beginning July 1. Freeland would not say what steps Ottawa wants the US Congress to take, but she was clear about Canada's demand on the Trump administration. "The US has to remove these unfair illegal tariffs from Canada, and from its allies," she said. "We really are confident that at the end of the day, common sense will prevail." She stopped short of saying whether any US lawmakers apologized for Trump's trade actions, adding that Canadians "really value our relationship with the United States." The Republican Corker has criticized Trump for attacking a vital ally, and lashed out at leaders in his own party for refusing to schedule a vote on his measure to let Congress approve or reject any tariffs imposed by the US president. A frustrated Corker said after the meeting it was clear "we've damaged relations" with Canada. "I don't know of any senator that I know of on the Republican side that has not expressed concerns to the president both about using 232 but also just the random nature of how this has all been carried out." Democratic Senator Bob Menendez said he hoped Freeland would return home and share with Canadians "that the view of the president is not the view of all the American people" or a majority of senators. Freeland said she will speak on Thursday with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, with whom she met on the sidelines of last weekend's G7 summit.

Canadian finance minister visits US Senate amid trade brawl

The G7 summit ended in farce and a renewed threat of global trade war as US President Donald Trump abruptly rejected the text of a consensus statement and bitterly insulted the Canadian host.

Just minutes after a joint communique Saturday that had been approved by the leaders of the Group of Seven allies was published in Canada's summit host city Quebec, Trump launched a Twitter broadside from aboard Air Force One.

The US leader left the meeting early en route for Singapore and a historic nuclear summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, only to take exception to comments made by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a news conference.

"Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our US farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our US Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the US Market!" Trump tweeted.

"PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that ... he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak."

Insulting

Earlier, Trudeau had told reporters that Trump's decision to invoke national security to justify US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports was "kind of insulting" to Canadian veterans who had stood by their US allies in conflicts dating back to World War I.

"Canadians are polite and reasonable but we will also not be pushed around," he said.

Trudeau said he had told Trump "it would be with regret but it would be with absolute clarity and firmness that we move forward with retaliatory measures on July 1, applying equivalent tariffs to the ones that the Americans have unjustly applied to us."

After Trump's angry tweets, Trudeau's office issued a brief response: "We are focused on everything we accomplished here at the G7 summit. The Prime Minister said nothing he hasn't said before -- both in public, and in private conversations with the President."

The outburst against Trudeau, and by association the other G7 members, is only the latest incident in which Trump has clashed with America's closest allies, even as he has had warm words for autocrats like Kim and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

French President Emmanuel Macron's office reacted Sunday by saying that "international cooperation cannot be dictated by fits of anger and throwaway remarks".

Reneging on the commitments agreed in the communique showed "incoherence and inconsistency", it said in a statement.

Shortly after Trump tweeted, respected Republican Senator John McCain responded.

"To our allies: bipartisan majorities of Americans remain pro-free trade, pro-globalization & supportive of alliances based on 70 years of shared values. Americans stand with you, even if our president doesn't," he tweeted.

Creative babbling

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in China on Sunday for a summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, dismissed G7 calls for Moscow to stop what the group described as attempts to undermine democracy and support for the Syrian regime.

"I believe it's necessary to stop this creative babbling and shift to concrete issues related to real cooperation," Putin told reporters.

The G7 also endorsed Britain's accusation that Moscow was behind the poisoning attack in England on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter - but Putin said they had "again" failed to provide evidence that Russia was behind the attack.

Russia was kicked out of the group in response to its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Trump earlier said that the club would be better off if it brought Russia back.

- World's 'piggy bank' - 
When Trump left Quebec it was thought that a compromise had been reached, despite the tension and determination of European leaders Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to push back on Trump's assault on the world trade system.

Officials from European delegations quickly leaked copies of the joint statement, and it was published online moments before Trump tweeted.

On board Air Force One an AFP reporter was told that Trump had approved the agreement, only to be told later of the tweets. A senior US administration official said that Trump had been angered by Trudeau's comments.

The outburst suggested that any deal had collapsed and his threat to impose sanctions on car imports will outrage his ostensible allies -- especially Germany and Canada, major exporters to the US market.

Trump claimed that tariffs were necessary because the United States has been exploited as the world's "piggy bank" under existing arrangements, but his counterparts were determined to protect "rules-based" international trade.

The gig is up

The joint communique that was thrashed out over two days of negotiations vowed that members would reform multilateral oversight through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and seek to cut tariffs.

"We commit to modernize the WTO to make it more fair as soon as possible. We strive to reduce tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers and subsidies," it said, reflecting the typical language of decades of G7 statements.

A German government spokesman said that his country "stands behind the communique which was collectively agreed upon."

But Trump had already said he would not hesitate to shut countries out of the US market if they retaliate against his tariffs.

"The European Union is brutal to the United States... They know it," he insisted in his departing news conference. "When I'm telling them, they're smiling at me. You know, it's like the gig is up."

European officials said Trump had tried to water down the language in the draft communique on the WTO and rules-based trade. In the end, that language stayed in and it was only on climate change that no consensus was reached.

'Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our US farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our US Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the US Market!' Trump tweeted

The G7 summit ended in farce and a renewed threat of global trade war as US President Donald Trump abruptly rejected the text of a consensus statement and bitterly insulted the Canadian host. Just minutes after a joint communique Saturday that had been approved by the leaders of the Group of Seven allies was published in Canada's summit host city Quebec, Trump launched a Twitter broadside from aboard Air Force One. The US leader left the meeting early en route for Singapore and a historic nuclear summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, only to take exception to comments made by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a news conference. "Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our US farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our US Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the US Market!" Trump tweeted. "PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that ... he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak." Insulting Earlier, Trudeau had told reporters that Trump's decision to invoke national security to justify US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports was "kind of insulting" to Canadian veterans who had stood by their US allies in conflicts dating back to World War I. "Canadians are polite and reasonable but we will also not be pushed around," he said. Trudeau said he had told Trump "it would be with regret but it would be with absolute clarity and firmness that we move forward with retaliatory measures on July 1, applying equivalent tariffs to the ones that the Americans have unjustly applied to us." After Trump's angry tweets, Trudeau's office issued a brief response: "We are focused on everything we accomplished here at the G7 summit. The Prime Minister said nothing he hasn't said before -- both in public, and in private conversations with the President." The outburst against Trudeau, and by association the other G7 members, is only the latest incident in which Trump has clashed with America's closest allies, even as he has had warm words for autocrats like Kim and Russia's Vladimir Putin. French President Emmanuel Macron's office reacted Sunday by saying that "international cooperation cannot be dictated by fits of anger and throwaway remarks". Reneging on the commitments agreed in the communique showed "incoherence and inconsistency", it said in a statement. Shortly after Trump tweeted, respected Republican Senator John McCain responded. "To our allies: bipartisan majorities of Americans remain pro-free trade, pro-globalization & supportive of alliances based on 70 years of shared values. Americans stand with you, even if our president doesn't," he tweeted. Creative babbling Russian President Vladimir Putin, in China on Sunday for a summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, dismissed G7 calls for Moscow to stop what the group described as attempts to undermine democracy and support for the Syrian regime. "I believe it's necessary to stop this creative babbling and shift to concrete issues related to real cooperation," Putin told reporters. The G7 also endorsed Britain's accusation that Moscow was behind the poisoning attack in England on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter - but Putin said they had "again" failed to provide evidence that Russia was behind the attack. Russia was kicked out of the group in response to its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Trump earlier said that the club would be better off if it brought Russia back. - World's 'piggy bank' - When Trump left Quebec it was thought that a compromise had been reached, despite the tension and determination of European leaders Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to push back on Trump's assault on the world trade system. Officials from European delegations quickly leaked copies of the joint statement, and it was published online moments before Trump tweeted. On board Air Force One an AFP reporter was told that Trump had approved the agreement, only to be told later of the tweets. A senior US administration official said that Trump had been angered by Trudeau's comments. The outburst suggested that any deal had collapsed and his threat to impose sanctions on car imports will outrage his ostensible allies -- especially Germany and Canada, major exporters to the US market. Trump claimed that tariffs were necessary because the United States has been exploited as the world's "piggy bank" under existing arrangements, but his counterparts were determined to protect "rules-based" international trade. The gig is up The joint communique that was thrashed out over two days of negotiations vowed that members would reform multilateral oversight through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and seek to cut tariffs. "We commit to modernize the WTO to make it more fair as soon as possible. We strive to reduce tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers and subsidies," it said, reflecting the typical language of decades of G7 statements. A German government spokesman said that his country "stands behind the communique which was collectively agreed upon." But Trump had already said he would not hesitate to shut countries out of the US market if they retaliate against his tariffs. "The European Union is brutal to the United States... They know it," he insisted in his departing news conference. "When I'm telling them, they're smiling at me. You know, it's like the gig is up." European officials said Trump had tried to water down the language in the draft communique on the WTO and rules-based trade. In the end, that language stayed in and it was only on climate change that no consensus was reached.

Trump refuses to sign G7 statement, calls Trudeau 'weak'

The US blamed Canada on Sunday for the disastrous ending to the G7 summit, saying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "stabbed us in the back," while American allies held Washington responsible.

Just minutes after a joint communique, approved by the leaders of the Group of Seven allies, was published in Canada's summit host city Quebec, US President Donald Trump launched a Twitter broadside, taking exception to comments made by Trudeau at a news conference.

"He really kinda stabbed us in the back," top US economic advisor Larry Kudlow said of Trudeau on CNN's "State of the Union."

"He did a great disservice to the whole G7."

"We went through it. We agreed. We compromised on the communique. We joined the communique in good faith," Kudlow said.

US trade advisor Peter Navarro, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," reinforced that message.

"There's a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad-faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door," he said.

"That's what bad-faith Justin Trudeau did with that stunt press conference. That's what weak, dishonest Justin Trudeau did."

Kudlow sought to tie Trump's reaction to the upcoming summit with Kim Jong Un, saying the North Korean leader "must not see American weakness."

Trump -- who has a history of hair-trigger responses to slights -- landed in Singapore on Sunday for the Tuesday summit meeting with Kim.

Before his departure from Canada the previous day, he tweeted: "Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our US farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our US Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the US Market!"

Insulting

"PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that ... he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak," Trump said in his tweet.

Trudeau had told reporters that Trump's decision to invoke national security to justify US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports was "kind of insulting" to Canadian veterans who had stood by their US allies in conflicts dating back to World War I.

"Canadians are polite and reasonable but we will also not be pushed around," he said.

Trudeau said he had told Trump "it would be with regret but it would be with absolute clarity and firmness that we move forward with retaliatory measures on July 1, applying equivalent tariffs to the ones that the Americans have unjustly applied to us."

After Trump's angry tweets, Trudeau's office issued a brief response: "We are focused on everything we accomplished here at the G7 summit. The Prime Minister said nothing he hasn't said before -- both in public, and in private conversations with the president."

The outburst against Trudeau, and by association the other G7 members, is only the latest incident in which Trump has clashed with America's closest allies, even as he has had warm words for autocrats like Kim and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Throwaway remarks

French President Emmanuel Macron's office reacted Sunday by saying that "international cooperation cannot be dictated by fits of anger and throwaway remarks."

Reneging on the commitments agreed in the communique showed "incoherence and inconsistency," it said in a statement.

And German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted Sunday that Trump had partly "destroyed" Washington's trusting relationship with Europe by pulling out of the joint communique.

When Trump left Quebec, it was thought that a compromise had been reached, despite the tension and the determination of European leaders Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to push back against the US president's protectionist policies.

Officials from European delegations quickly leaked copies of the joint statement, and it was published online moments before Trump tweeted.

On board Air Force One, an AFP reporter was told that Trump had approved the agreement, only to be told later of the tweets. A senior US administration official said that Trump had been angered by Trudeau's comments.

The gig is up

The joint communique that was thrashed out over two days of negotiations vowed that members would reform multilateral oversight through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and seek to cut tariffs.

"We commit to modernize the WTO to make it more fair as soon as possible. We strive to reduce tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers and subsidies," it said, reflecting the typical language of decades of G7 statements.

But Trump had already said he would not hesitate to shut countries out of the US market if they retaliate against his tariffs.

"The European Union is brutal to the United States... They know it," he insisted in his departing news conference. "When I'm telling them, they're smiling at me. You know, it's like the gig is up."

European officials said Trump had tried to water down the language in the draft communique on the WTO and rules-based trade. In the end, that language stayed in and it was only on climate change that no consensus was reached.

'He did a great disservice to the whole G7', Larry Kudlow added

The US blamed Canada on Sunday for the disastrous ending to the G7 summit, saying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "stabbed us in the back," while American allies held Washington responsible. Just minutes after a joint communique, approved by the leaders of the Group of Seven allies, was published in Canada's summit host city Quebec, US President Donald Trump launched a Twitter broadside, taking exception to comments made by Trudeau at a news conference. "He really kinda stabbed us in the back," top US economic advisor Larry Kudlow said of Trudeau on CNN's "State of the Union." "He did a great disservice to the whole G7." "We went through it. We agreed. We compromised on the communique. We joined the communique in good faith," Kudlow said. US trade advisor Peter Navarro, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," reinforced that message. "There's a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad-faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door," he said. "That's what bad-faith Justin Trudeau did with that stunt press conference. That's what weak, dishonest Justin Trudeau did." Kudlow sought to tie Trump's reaction to the upcoming summit with Kim Jong Un, saying the North Korean leader "must not see American weakness." Trump -- who has a history of hair-trigger responses to slights -- landed in Singapore on Sunday for the Tuesday summit meeting with Kim. Before his departure from Canada the previous day, he tweeted: "Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our US farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our US Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the US Market!" Insulting "PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that ... he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak," Trump said in his tweet. Trudeau had told reporters that Trump's decision to invoke national security to justify US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports was "kind of insulting" to Canadian veterans who had stood by their US allies in conflicts dating back to World War I. "Canadians are polite and reasonable but we will also not be pushed around," he said. Trudeau said he had told Trump "it would be with regret but it would be with absolute clarity and firmness that we move forward with retaliatory measures on July 1, applying equivalent tariffs to the ones that the Americans have unjustly applied to us." After Trump's angry tweets, Trudeau's office issued a brief response: "We are focused on everything we accomplished here at the G7 summit. The Prime Minister said nothing he hasn't said before -- both in public, and in private conversations with the president." The outburst against Trudeau, and by association the other G7 members, is only the latest incident in which Trump has clashed with America's closest allies, even as he has had warm words for autocrats like Kim and Russia's Vladimir Putin. Throwaway remarks French President Emmanuel Macron's office reacted Sunday by saying that "international cooperation cannot be dictated by fits of anger and throwaway remarks." Reneging on the commitments agreed in the communique showed "incoherence and inconsistency," it said in a statement. And German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted Sunday that Trump had partly "destroyed" Washington's trusting relationship with Europe by pulling out of the joint communique. When Trump left Quebec, it was thought that a compromise had been reached, despite the tension and the determination of European leaders Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to push back against the US president's protectionist policies. Officials from European delegations quickly leaked copies of the joint statement, and it was published online moments before Trump tweeted. On board Air Force One, an AFP reporter was told that Trump had approved the agreement, only to be told later of the tweets. A senior US administration official said that Trump had been angered by Trudeau's comments. The gig is up The joint communique that was thrashed out over two days of negotiations vowed that members would reform multilateral oversight through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and seek to cut tariffs. "We commit to modernize the WTO to make it more fair as soon as possible. We strive to reduce tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers and subsidies," it said, reflecting the typical language of decades of G7 statements. But Trump had already said he would not hesitate to shut countries out of the US market if they retaliate against his tariffs. "The European Union is brutal to the United States... They know it," he insisted in his departing news conference. "When I'm telling them, they're smiling at me. You know, it's like the gig is up." European officials said Trump had tried to water down the language in the draft communique on the WTO and rules-based trade. In the end, that language stayed in and it was only on climate change that no consensus was reached.

US blames Canada for G7 fiasco, says Trudeau 'stabbed us in the back'

&nbspUS President Donald Trump said on Saturday (June 9) that he has asked US representatives not to endorse the joint communique put out by the Group of Seven leaders after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's "false statements" at a news conference.

After departing from the Quebec summit for Singapore, Trump tweeted that Trudeau's remarks at a news conference, where he said Canada would not be pushed around, "were very dishonest and weak".

"PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, 'US Tariffs were kind of insulting' and he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!" the US president tweeted.

&nbsp

After departing from the Quebec summit for Singapore, Trump tweeted that Trudeau's remarks at a news conference, where he said Canada would not be pushed around, 'were very dishonest and weak'

&nbspUS President Donald Trump said on Saturday (June 9) that he has asked US representatives not to endorse the joint communique put out by the Group of Seven leaders after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's "false statements" at a news conference. After departing from the Quebec summit for Singapore, Trump tweeted that Trudeau's remarks at a news conference, where he said Canada would not be pushed around, "were very dishonest and weak". "PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, 'US Tariffs were kind of insulting' and he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!" the US president tweeted.

Trump says he does not endorse G7 communique, after 'weak' Trudeau comments

France warned Sunday that "fits of anger" could not dictate international cooperation after US President Donald Trump abruptly rejected a joint statement agreed following a bad-tempered G7 summit in Canada.

"International cooperation cannot be dictated by fits of anger and throwaway remarks," President Emmanuel Macron's office said in a statement.

"We spend two days working out a (joint) statement and commitments. We are sticking to them and whoever reneges on them is showing incoherence and inconsistency."

"Let's be serious and worthy of our people. We make commitments and keep them," the presidency said, adding that "France and Europe maintain their support for this (G7) statement."

Minutes after the publication of a joint communique that was approved by Trump and other Group of Seven leaders at a summit in the city of Quebec, the US leader announced on Twitter that he was retracting his support.

In a flurry of tweets from Air Force One, en route to Singapore for a historic nuclear summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Trump accused the summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of being "very dishonest".

He was reacting to Trudeau's declaration that Canadians would "not be pushed around" and would hit back at punishing US tariffs on metal imports with "equivalent tariffs".

"Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our US farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our US Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the US Market!" Trump tweeted.

"PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that ... he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak."

'We spend two days working out a (joint) statement and commitments. We are sticking to them and whoever reneges on them is showing incoherence and inconsistency', said Macron

France warned Sunday that "fits of anger" could not dictate international cooperation after US President Donald Trump abruptly rejected a joint statement agreed following a bad-tempered G7 summit in Canada. "International cooperation cannot be dictated by fits of anger and throwaway remarks," President Emmanuel Macron's office said in a statement. "We spend two days working out a (joint) statement and commitments. We are sticking to them and whoever reneges on them is showing incoherence and inconsistency." "Let's be serious and worthy of our people. We make commitments and keep them," the presidency said, adding that "France and Europe maintain their support for this (G7) statement." Minutes after the publication of a joint communique that was approved by Trump and other Group of Seven leaders at a summit in the city of Quebec, the US leader announced on Twitter that he was retracting his support. In a flurry of tweets from Air Force One, en route to Singapore for a historic nuclear summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Trump accused the summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of being "very dishonest". He was reacting to Trudeau's declaration that Canadians would "not be pushed around" and would hit back at punishing US tariffs on metal imports with "equivalent tariffs". "Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our US farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our US Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the US Market!" Trump tweeted. "PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that ... he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak."

France on G7: 'Fits of anger' cannot dictate international cooperation

United States President Donald Trump, who is attending two-day Group of Seven summit in Canada`s La Malbaie, reportedly pitched the idea of discarding all tariffs and trade barriers between the US and its G-7 allies at the summit.

"We should at least consider no tariffs, no barriers - scrapping all of it," the US media reported Trump, as saying to the assembled leaders. Trump`s latest suggestion is ironic as it comes amid a tit-for-tat trade war, which the US President launched lately.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly challenged Trump`s remarks, asking, "What about subsidies?"Politico reported that leaders present for the meeting took Trump`s suggestion as largely rhetorical.

Optimistically responding to Trump`s suggestion, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is reported to have told him, "We`ll take it as a starting point."

Earlier&nbsp;on Friday, Trump had a spat with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over Twitter, lashing out at them in a series of tweets over the criticism on U.S` imposition of trade tariff."Why isn`t the European Union and Canada informing the public that for years they have used massive Trade Tariffs and non-monetary Trade Barriers against the US. Totally unfair to our farmers, workers and companies. Take down your tariffs & barriers or we will more than match you!" Trump tweeted&nbsp;on Friday.

"Prime Minister Trudeau is being so indignant, bringing up the relationship that the US and Canada had over the many years and all sorts of other things...but he doesn`t bring up the fact that they charge us up to 300% on dairy - hurting our Farmers, killing our Agriculture!," Trump wrote in another tweet.

In another Twitter post, Trump wrote, "Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the US massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the US is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out. Look forward to seeing them&nbsp;tomorrow."

On May 31, the US had announced the imposition of 25 and 10 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium respectively on three of its biggest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and the European Union (EU).

Justin Trudeau reportedly challenged Trump`s remarks, asking, What about subsidies? Politico reported that leaders present for the meeting took Trump`s suggestion as largely rhetorical

United States President Donald Trump, who is attending two-day Group of Seven summit in Canada`s La Malbaie, reportedly pitched the idea of discarding all tariffs and trade barriers between the US and its G-7 allies at the summit. "We should at least consider no tariffs, no barriers - scrapping all of it," the US media reported Trump, as saying to the assembled leaders. Trump`s latest suggestion is ironic as it comes amid a tit-for-tat trade war, which the US President launched lately. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly challenged Trump`s remarks, asking, "What about subsidies?"Politico reported that leaders present for the meeting took Trump`s suggestion as largely rhetorical. Optimistically responding to Trump`s suggestion, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is reported to have told him, "We`ll take it as a starting point." Earlier on Friday, Trump had a spat with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over Twitter, lashing out at them in a series of tweets over the criticism on U.S` imposition of trade tariff."Why isn`t the European Union and Canada informing the public that for years they have used massive Trade Tariffs and non-monetary Trade Barriers against the US. Totally unfair to our farmers, workers and companies. Take down your tariffs & barriers or we will more than match you!" Trump tweeted on Friday. "Prime Minister Trudeau is being so indignant, bringing up the relationship that the US and Canada had over the many years and all sorts of other things...but he doesn`t bring up the fact that they charge us up to 300% on dairy - hurting our Farmers, killing our Agriculture!," Trump wrote in another tweet. In another Twitter post, Trump wrote, "Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the US massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the US is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out. Look forward to seeing them tomorrow." On May 31, the US had announced the imposition of 25 and 10 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium respectively on three of its biggest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and the European Union (EU).

Trump pitches ending trade tariffs at G-7 summit: Reports

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump planned to leave the summit of the Group of Seven wealthy nations on Saturday before it discussed climate change and the health of oceans, underlining fractures in the G7 exacerbated by US&nbsptrade tariffs.

The six-plus-one tone of the gathering in Quebec means the leaders from Canada, Britain, the United States, France, Germany Italy and Japan are unlikely to issue a joint statement, too sharply divided on trade or the environment to reach consensus.

Still, a French official said on Friday the United States and European Union will establish a dialogue on trade within the next two weeks, signaling a modest step forward for the bitterly divided allies of the G7.

The two-day summit in Canada has been marred by fears of a trade war and tit-for-tat exchanges of hostile tweets, with US&nbsptrading partners furious over Trump's decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, the European Union and Mexico as part of his "America First" agenda. Some countries have retaliated with their own levies on US&nbspimports.

While Trump set a combative tone before even arriving at the summit with a series of tweets about unfair trade deals, he appeared affable and joking at multiple brief photo opportunities and praised French President Emmanuel Macron for helping to work out trade issues.

"Something's going to happen. I think it will be very positive," Trump said on Friday, without giving details.

The leaders worked late into the night on Friday at the luxurious and tightly secured riverside hotel where the summit is being held, with the White House tweeting a photo showing the leaders huddled around a coffee table at 11:20 pm&nbspET, looking at what appeared to be a draft document marked up with highlighter. German Chancellor Angela Merkel sat between Macron and Trump on a sofa, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sat to the left of the US&nbsppresident.

Trump plans to leave the summit mid-morning on Saturday, four hours earlier than originally planned, to fly to Singapore to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

That means he will miss a working session among the leaders on climate change and clean energy, as well as talks among the G7 and poorer countries focused on the health of oceans.

The early exit also means he will be gone before allies begin closing news conferences likely to be laden with criticism of the US&nbspstance on trade and Trump's abrupt suggestion on Friday that Russia be re-admitted to the elite grouping.

Russia was suspended from the group in 2014 because of its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Merkel said EU countries at the summit agreed that the conditions to readmit Russia had not been met and even Moscow seemed to reject the suggestion.

Trump's presidency has been clouded by a federal investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and possible collusion by his campaign. Both Moscow and Trump have denied the allegations.

US President Donald Trump planned to leave the summit of the Group of Seven wealthy nations on Saturday before it discussed climate change and the health of oceans

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump planned to leave the summit of the Group of Seven wealthy nations on Saturday before it discussed climate change and the health of oceans, underlining fractures in the G7 exacerbated by US&nbsptrade tariffs. The six-plus-one tone of the gathering in Quebec means the leaders from Canada, Britain, the United States, France, Germany Italy and Japan are unlikely to issue a joint statement, too sharply divided on trade or the environment to reach consensus. Still, a French official said on Friday the United States and European Union will establish a dialogue on trade within the next two weeks, signaling a modest step forward for the bitterly divided allies of the G7. The two-day summit in Canada has been marred by fears of a trade war and tit-for-tat exchanges of hostile tweets, with US&nbsptrading partners furious over Trump's decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, the European Union and Mexico as part of his "America First" agenda. Some countries have retaliated with their own levies on US&nbspimports. While Trump set a combative tone before even arriving at the summit with a series of tweets about unfair trade deals, he appeared affable and joking at multiple brief photo opportunities and praised French President Emmanuel Macron for helping to work out trade issues. "Something's going to happen. I think it will be very positive," Trump said on Friday, without giving details. The leaders worked late into the night on Friday at the luxurious and tightly secured riverside hotel where the summit is being held, with the White House tweeting a photo showing the leaders huddled around a coffee table at 11:20 pm&nbspET, looking at what appeared to be a draft document marked up with highlighter. German Chancellor Angela Merkel sat between Macron and Trump on a sofa, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sat to the left of the US&nbsppresident. Trump plans to leave the summit mid-morning on Saturday, four hours earlier than originally planned, to fly to Singapore to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. That means he will miss a working session among the leaders on climate change and clean energy, as well as talks among the G7 and poorer countries focused on the health of oceans. The early exit also means he will be gone before allies begin closing news conferences likely to be laden with criticism of the US&nbspstance on trade and Trump's abrupt suggestion on Friday that Russia be re-admitted to the elite grouping. Russia was suspended from the group in 2014 because of its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Merkel said EU countries at the summit agreed that the conditions to readmit Russia had not been met and even Moscow seemed to reject the suggestion. Trump's presidency has been clouded by a federal investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and possible collusion by his campaign. Both Moscow and Trump have denied the allegations.

Trump to leave G7 early, missing environmental talks

United States President Donald Trump will depart from his visit at the Group of Seven summit in Canada several hours early&nbsp;on Saturday.

The development reportedly comes after Trump had a spat with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over Twitter, both of whom he will meet face-to-face&nbsp;on Friday.

Trump will directly fly to Singapore for his much-awaited meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, scheduled to take place on June 12, and will skip sessions on climate change and the environment.

The US President will depart the G-7 summit mid-morning&nbsp;on Saturday&nbsp;after a session on women`s empowerment.

A White House aide will represent the US&nbsp;for the remainder of the summit the Hill quoted White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as saying.

Earlier in the day, Trump lashed out at Trudeau and Macron in a series of tweets over the criticism on US&nbsp;imposition of trade tariff.

"Why isn`t the European Union and Canada informing the public that for years they have used massive Trade Tariffs and non-monetary Trade Barriers against the US totally unfair to our farmers, workers & companies.

Take down your tariffs & barriers or we will more than match you!" Trump tweeted&nbsp;on Friday."Prime Minister Trudeau is being so indignant, bringing up the relationship that the US&nbsp;and Canada had over the many years and all sorts of other things...but he doesn`t bring up the fact that they charge us up to 300% on dairy - hurting our Farmers, killing our Agriculture!," Trump wrote in another tweet. In another Twitter post, Trump wrote, "Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the US&nbsp;massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers.

The EU trade surplus with the US&nbsp;is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out. Look forward to seeing them&nbsp;tomorrow.

"On May 31, the US had announced the imposition of 25 and 10 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium respectively on three of its biggest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and the European Union (EU). Thereafter, Trudeau dubbed the trade tariffs as `insulting and unacceptable` and announced that the country would impose its own tariffs on US` goods in retaliation.

Meanwhile, Macron tweeted, "The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a 6 country agreement if need be. Because these 6 countries represent values, they represent an economic market which has the weight of history behind it and which is now a true international force."

Trump will directly fly to Singapore for his much-awaited meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

United States President Donald Trump will depart from his visit at the Group of Seven summit in Canada several hours early on Saturday. The development reportedly comes after Trump had a spat with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over Twitter, both of whom he will meet face-to-face on Friday. Trump will directly fly to Singapore for his much-awaited meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, scheduled to take place on June 12, and will skip sessions on climate change and the environment. The US President will depart the G-7 summit mid-morning on Saturday after a session on women`s empowerment. A White House aide will represent the US for the remainder of the summit the Hill quoted White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as saying. Earlier in the day, Trump lashed out at Trudeau and Macron in a series of tweets over the criticism on US imposition of trade tariff. "Why isn`t the European Union and Canada informing the public that for years they have used massive Trade Tariffs and non-monetary Trade Barriers against the US totally unfair to our farmers, workers & companies. Take down your tariffs & barriers or we will more than match you!" Trump tweeted on Friday."Prime Minister Trudeau is being so indignant, bringing up the relationship that the US and Canada had over the many years and all sorts of other things...but he doesn`t bring up the fact that they charge us up to 300% on dairy - hurting our Farmers, killing our Agriculture!," Trump wrote in another tweet. In another Twitter post, Trump wrote, "Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the US massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the US is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out. Look forward to seeing them tomorrow. "On May 31, the US had announced the imposition of 25 and 10 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium respectively on three of its biggest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and the European Union (EU). Thereafter, Trudeau dubbed the trade tariffs as `insulting and unacceptable` and announced that the country would impose its own tariffs on US` goods in retaliation. Meanwhile, Macron tweeted, "The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a 6 country agreement if need be. Because these 6 countries represent values, they represent an economic market which has the weight of history behind it and which is now a true international force."

Trump to leave G7 summit early

In a landmark move, Canadian Senators today passed a law to legalise use of recreational marijuana.

The Senators voted 52 votes for, 30 against and one abstention to pass the legislation.

PM Justin Trudeau had campaigned in 2015 on legalising marijuana. The sale of medical marijuana has been legal in Canada since 2001.

Under the legislation sales to those under 18 would be banned but provinces and territories could set their own age limits.

The Cannabis Act will now go back to the House of Commons, which passed the bill in November last year. The chanages in the new law would need to be signed off by the Senate.&nbsp

Experts believe the law could come into force by August or September after it is approved finally by both houses and the country sets up distribution networks to sell marijuana.

According to the legislation, individuals over the age of 18 could possess up to 30 grams of marijuana for personal use.

Under the legislation sales to those under 18 would be banned but provinces and territories could set their own age limits.

In a landmark move, Canadian Senators today passed a law to legalise use of recreational marijuana. The Senators voted 52 votes for, 30 against and one abstention to pass the legislation. PM Justin Trudeau had campaigned in 2015 on legalising marijuana. The sale of medical marijuana has been legal in Canada since 2001. Under the legislation sales to those under 18 would be banned but provinces and territories could set their own age limits. The Cannabis Act will now go back to the House of Commons, which passed the bill in November last year. The chanages in the new law would need to be signed off by the Senate. Experts believe the law could come into force by August or September after it is approved finally by both houses and the country sets up distribution networks to sell marijuana. According to the legislation, individuals over the age of 18 could possess up to 30 grams of marijuana for personal use.

PM Trudeau's promise: Canada's Senate approves law legalising recreational marijuana

President Donald Trump said Friday he wants to use the G7 summit to resolve what he called unfair trade deals with US allies.

"Looking forward to straightening out unfair Trade Deals with the G-7 countries. If it doesn’t happen, we come out even better!," Trump wrote as part of a blast of early morning tweets ahead of the meeting Friday and Saturday in Canada.

America's closest allies are bracing for a showdown with Trump at the G7 summit, as anger at being slapped with trade tariffs by their most powerful member threatened to split the club.

Four days before Trump's ice-breaking summit with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, the US president can expect a far chillier reception when he hops across the border to Canada.

Much of his fellow members' anger stems from Trump's recent imposition of tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

But relations had already been soured by the US pullout from the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal.

President Donald Trump said Friday he wants to use the G7 summit to resolve what he called unfair trade deals with US allies

President Donald Trump said Friday he wants to use the G7 summit to resolve what he called unfair trade deals with US allies. "Looking forward to straightening out unfair Trade Deals with the G-7 countries. If it doesn’t happen, we come out even better!," Trump wrote as part of a blast of early morning tweets ahead of the meeting Friday and Saturday in Canada. America's closest allies are bracing for a showdown with Trump at the G7 summit, as anger at being slapped with trade tariffs by their most powerful member threatened to split the club. Four days before Trump's ice-breaking summit with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, the US president can expect a far chillier reception when he hops across the border to Canada. Much of his fellow members' anger stems from Trump's recent imposition of tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. But relations had already been soured by the US pullout from the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal.

Trump says 'looking forward' to resolving trade disputes at G7

Leaders of the Group of Seven rich nations are set to clash with a combative US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Friday when they pressure him to lift sanctions on steel and aluminum they fear could lead to a trade war.

The confrontation threatens to rupture a body that during its 43-year history has traditionally sought to find consensus on the economy and other issues.

Trump, who aides say has little interest in multilateralism, resumed his tirade against Canada early Friday morning and appeared prepared to exit talks early without a consensus agreement among all seven countries.

"Looking forward to straightening out unfair Trade Deals with the G-7 countries. If it doesn’t happen, we come out even better!" Trump tweeted early Friday morning ahead of his planned departure from Washington to Quebec.

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Looking forward to straightening out unfair Trade Deals with the G-7 countries. If it doesn’t happen, we come out even better!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1005033088202756097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Officials concede the mood is likely to be exceptionally tense.

"There will be some serious disagreements on a lot of things," a Canadian official told reporters late on Thursday.

Although Trump says the tariffs are necessary to protect US&nbsp;industry, Canada and the European Union have denounced them as illegal and are preparing retaliatory measures.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Trump in a rare rebuke on Thursday that the other six members of the G7 could form their own grouping if necessary, adding that "no leader was forever."

British Prime Minister Theresa May took a more measured tone, telling reporters she wanted the European Union to use restraint in its retaliation to the US&nbsp;tariffs and that the response must be proportionate and legal.

Trump showed no sign of backing down on Friday, after earlier accusing both France and Canada of imposing massive tariffs on US&nbsp;goods and then accusing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of "being so indignant."

In response, the Canadian official replied that "the prime minister and the president have very frank, direct, candid, honest conversations." Trudeau and Trump are due to meet on Friday "and they will have lots to talk about," the official added.

The White House subsequently announced the president would be leaving on Saturday, before the summit formally ends, to fly to Singapore for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

While the G7 leaders have largely praised Trump for his efforts to stabilize the Korean peninsula, they are unhappy he pulled out of an agreement designed to limit Iran's nuclear ambitions.

The arguments threaten to derail a meeting that Trudeau had planned to focus on inclusive growth, gender equality and protecting oceans.

The Canadian official said Trudeau remained optimistic that the summit could help find common solutions to issues such as growth and environmental protection.

In Germany, top officials called for Europe to remain unified in the face of rising trade tensions with the United States even as they maintained that America remained its closest partner outside of the continent.

Leaders of the Group of Seven rich nations are set to clash with a combative US President Donald Trump on Friday when they pressure him to lift sanctions on steel and aluminum they fear could lead to a trade war

Leaders of the Group of Seven rich nations are set to clash with a combative US President Donald Trump on Friday when they pressure him to lift sanctions on steel and aluminum they fear could lead to a trade war. The confrontation threatens to rupture a body that during its 43-year history has traditionally sought to find consensus on the economy and other issues. Trump, who aides say has little interest in multilateralism, resumed his tirade against Canada early Friday morning and appeared prepared to exit talks early without a consensus agreement among all seven countries. "Looking forward to straightening out unfair Trade Deals with the G-7 countries. If it doesn’t happen, we come out even better!" Trump tweeted early Friday morning ahead of his planned departure from Washington to Quebec. Looking forward to straightening out unfair Trade Deals with the G-7 countries. If it doesn’t happen, we come out even better! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2018 × Officials concede the mood is likely to be exceptionally tense. "There will be some serious disagreements on a lot of things," a Canadian official told reporters late on Thursday. Although Trump says the tariffs are necessary to protect US industry, Canada and the European Union have denounced them as illegal and are preparing retaliatory measures. French President Emmanuel Macron warned Trump in a rare rebuke on Thursday that the other six members of the G7 could form their own grouping if necessary, adding that "no leader was forever." British Prime Minister Theresa May took a more measured tone, telling reporters she wanted the European Union to use restraint in its retaliation to the US tariffs and that the response must be proportionate and legal. Trump showed no sign of backing down on Friday, after earlier accusing both France and Canada of imposing massive tariffs on US goods and then accusing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of "being so indignant." In response, the Canadian official replied that "the prime minister and the president have very frank, direct, candid, honest conversations." Trudeau and Trump are due to meet on Friday "and they will have lots to talk about," the official added. The White House subsequently announced the president would be leaving on Saturday, before the summit formally ends, to fly to Singapore for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. While the G7 leaders have largely praised Trump for his efforts to stabilize the Korean peninsula, they are unhappy he pulled out of an agreement designed to limit Iran's nuclear ambitions. The arguments threaten to derail a meeting that Trudeau had planned to focus on inclusive growth, gender equality and protecting oceans. The Canadian official said Trudeau remained optimistic that the summit could help find common solutions to issues such as growth and environmental protection. In Germany, top officials called for Europe to remain unified in the face of rising trade tensions with the United States even as they maintained that America remained its closest partner outside of the continent.

G7 leaders set to clash with combative Trump over tariffs, trade

Group of Seven leaders will pressure US&nbspPresident Donald Trump at a summit this week on tariffs he has imposed on metals imports but must remain civil as they try to persuade him to change his mind, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday.

Macron, speaking to reporters after talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said the United States was an ally that the rest of the G7 needed. Tensions over trade are threatening to overshadow the June 8-9 summit.

Group of Seven leaders will pressure US President Donald Trump at a summit this week on tariffs he has imposed on metals imports

Group of Seven leaders will pressure US&nbspPresident Donald Trump at a summit this week on tariffs he has imposed on metals imports but must remain civil as they try to persuade him to change his mind, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday. Macron, speaking to reporters after talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said the United States was an ally that the rest of the G7 needed. Tensions over trade are threatening to overshadow the June 8-9 summit.

G7 leaders must be civil as they pressure Trump, says Macron

Asian&nbsp;shares&nbsp;rose to a fresh 11-week high on Thursday, supported by sound economic fundamentals, while expectations the&nbsp;European Central Bank (ECB) may soon start to wind down its stimulus boosted the&nbsp;euro&nbsp;and&nbsp;global&nbsp;bond&nbsp;yields.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific&nbsp;shares&nbsp;outside Japan advanced 0.5 per cent to extend its gains,&nbsp;hitting a 2-1/2-month high for a second straight day. Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.9 per cent.

Notable gainers included technology-heavy Taiwanese stocks, with Taiwan's main index nearing the 27-year high of 11,270&nbsp;hit&nbsp;on January 23. The index has rallied 4.25 per cent since last Wednesday, boosted by the rally in tech stocks and the Nasdaq.

India's broader NSE index rose to a three-week high, with private-sector lenders leading gains, a day&nbsp;after&nbsp;the central bank raised its policy rate for the first time in more than four years.

Spreadbetters expected the firmer tone in equities to carry over into&nbsp;Europe, forecasting a higher open for Britain's FTSE, Germany's DAX and France's CAC.

"Quite clearly, it was the&nbsp;euro's day," said Marshall Gittler, chief strategist at ACLS&nbsp;Global. "Aside from the&nbsp;euro, the main theme in the market was back to risk-on."

The&nbsp;euro&nbsp;held near a two-week high while the yield on Germany's benchmark 10-year bond&nbsp;hit&nbsp;its own two-week high of 0.486 per cent on growing conviction the&nbsp;European Central Bank would announce as early as next week its intention to end a drawn-out stimulus programme by year-end.

The 10-year US&nbsp;Treasury yield&nbsp;hit&nbsp;a fresh 1-1/2-week peak of 2.985 per cent.

ECB&nbsp;Chief Economist Peter Praet said on Wednesday that robust growth made the central bank increasingly confident that inflation is on its way back to target, raising the chances it may use next week's meeting next week to reveal more about the end of its bond-buying program.

Praet's&nbsp;comments&nbsp;sent the&nbsp;euro&nbsp;to $1.1796, its highest level since May 22, on Wednesday. The common currency last traded up 0.1 per cent at $1.1789. The dollar index was down 0.1 per cent to 93.525.

Worries over the effects of reduced&nbsp;ECB&nbsp;bond buying triggered a broad sell-off in German Bunds and other&nbsp;European government debt, which spilled over to Treasuries, analysts said.

Higher&nbsp;yields&nbsp;helped to lift S&P 500 financials, which rose 1.8 per cent and were the biggest percentage gainer among S&P 500 sectors.

"The US&nbsp;10 year Treasury yield rose alongside its&nbsp;eurozone peers overnight, while US&nbsp;stocks rallied, reflecting a risk-on attitude among investors," said Makoto Noji, senior FX/bond strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said late on Wednesday that US&nbsp;President Donald Trump would meet French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G7 summit this week.

Although Kudlow said Trump would not back down from the tough line he has taken on trade, the comments&nbsp;appeared to calm investors.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.4 per cent to 25,146.39, the S&P 500 gained 0.86 per cent to 2,772.35 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.67 per cent to&nbsp;hit&nbsp;its record closing high of 7,689.24.

Oil prices rose on Thursday to shake off some of the previous session's losses, supported by plunging exports from OPEC-member Venezuela.

Brent crude futures last traded at $75.84 a barrel and US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude at 65.04, rising 0.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent on the day, respectively.

Copper&nbsp;hit&nbsp;a five-month high of $7,278.50 per tonne, though the gains were driven more by supply concerns in Chile than by stronger demand.

Market participants, wary of event risk, are monitoring developments ahead of the G7 summit later this week and the US-North Korea summit scheduled for next week.

India's broader NSE index rose to a three-week high, with private-sector lenders leading gains, a day after the central bank raised its policy rate for the first time in more than four years

Asian shares rose to a fresh 11-week high on Thursday, supported by sound economic fundamentals, while expectations the European Central Bank (ECB) may soon start to wind down its stimulus boosted the euro and global bond yields. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan advanced 0.5 per cent to extend its gains, hitting a 2-1/2-month high for a second straight day. Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.9 per cent. Notable gainers included technology-heavy Taiwanese stocks, with Taiwan's main index nearing the 27-year high of 11,270 hit on January 23. The index has rallied 4.25 per cent since last Wednesday, boosted by the rally in tech stocks and the Nasdaq. India's broader NSE index rose to a three-week high, with private-sector lenders leading gains, a day after the central bank raised its policy rate for the first time in more than four years. Spreadbetters expected the firmer tone in equities to carry over into Europe, forecasting a higher open for Britain's FTSE, Germany's DAX and France's CAC. "Quite clearly, it was the euro's day," said Marshall Gittler, chief strategist at ACLS Global. "Aside from the euro, the main theme in the market was back to risk-on." The euro held near a two-week high while the yield on Germany's benchmark 10-year bond hit its own two-week high of 0.486 per cent on growing conviction the European Central Bank would announce as early as next week its intention to end a drawn-out stimulus programme by year-end. The 10-year US Treasury yield hit a fresh 1-1/2-week peak of 2.985 per cent. ECB Chief Economist Peter Praet said on Wednesday that robust growth made the central bank increasingly confident that inflation is on its way back to target, raising the chances it may use next week's meeting next week to reveal more about the end of its bond-buying program. Praet's comments sent the euro to $1.1796, its highest level since May 22, on Wednesday. The common currency last traded up 0.1 per cent at $1.1789. The dollar index was down 0.1 per cent to 93.525. Worries over the effects of reduced ECB bond buying triggered a broad sell-off in German Bunds and other European government debt, which spilled over to Treasuries, analysts said. Higher yields helped to lift S&P 500 financials, which rose 1.8 per cent and were the biggest percentage gainer among S&P 500 sectors. "The US 10 year Treasury yield rose alongside its eurozone peers overnight, while US stocks rallied, reflecting a risk-on attitude among investors," said Makoto Noji, senior FX/bond strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said late on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump would meet French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G7 summit this week. Although Kudlow said Trump would not back down from the tough line he has taken on trade, the comments appeared to calm investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.4 per cent to 25,146.39, the S&P 500 gained 0.86 per cent to 2,772.35 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.67 per cent to hit its record closing high of 7,689.24. Oil prices rose on Thursday to shake off some of the previous session's losses, supported by plunging exports from OPEC-member Venezuela. Brent crude futures last traded at $75.84 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude at 65.04, rising 0.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent on the day, respectively. Copper hit a five-month high of $7,278.50 per tonne, though the gains were driven more by supply concerns in Chile than by stronger demand. Market participants, wary of event risk, are monitoring developments ahead of the G7 summit later this week and the US-North Korea summit scheduled for next week.

Global Markets: Asian shares hit 11-week high; euro, yields rise after ECB comments

Speaking at this year’s Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner on May 26, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau took a dig at himself and his government while discussing his India trip, which was the subject of severe criticism.

Trudeau recalled his trip to India using a slideshow as he addressed the annual dinner.&nbsp;

"We didn't go to India...I don't remember the India trip," Trudeau said as he compared his experience to that of a pain caused by "the ripping off of a band-aid."

The presentation started off with an upside-down map of India, then a photo of him being welcomed not by one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s famous airport hugs, but by the minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Shekhawat.

Canadian PM's visit to India was under heavy criticism for his choice of outfits, diplomatic fiascos and his dance drama that went viral.

<img alt="justin-trudeau-shah-rukh-khan-reuters.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="720" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/justin-trudeau-shah-rukh-khan-reuters.jpg" width="1280" />

The slide-show also included the very famous photograph of his youngest son, Hadrien, “planking” at the Gandhi Memorial in Delhi, even as the rest of his family members were busy signing the guestbook.&nbsp;

<img alt="Hadrien.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="419" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/Hadrien.jpg" width="630" />

"This was the point when he totally gave up on the trip," Trudeau commented in a hilariously candid confession.&nbsp;

After what he referred to as “the trip to end all trips, Trudeau quipped that he’s now told his team he’s “not going anywhere ever again”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's much-talked-about visit to India was under heavy media scrutiny for his choice of outfits, diplomatic fiascos and even images of his youngest son Hadrien Trudeau that went viral.

Speaking at this year’s Parliamentary Press Gallery Dinner on May 26, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau took a dig at himself and his government while discussing his India trip, which was the subject of severe criticism. Trudeau recalled his trip to India using a slideshow as he addressed the annual dinner. "We didn't go to India...I don't remember the India trip," Trudeau said as he compared his experience to that of a pain caused by "the ripping off of a band-aid." The presentation started off with an upside-down map of India, then a photo of him being welcomed not by one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s famous airport hugs, but by the minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Shekhawat. Canadian PM's visit to India was under heavy criticism for his choice of outfits, diplomatic fiascos and his dance drama that went viral. The slide-show also included the very famous photograph of his youngest son, Hadrien, “planking” at the Gandhi Memorial in Delhi, even as the rest of his family members were busy signing the guestbook. "This was the point when he totally gave up on the trip," Trudeau commented in a hilariously candid confession. After what he referred to as “the trip to end all trips, Trudeau quipped that he’s now told his team he’s “not going anywhere ever again”.

Watch: We didn't go to India, I don't remember India trip, says Justin Trudeau

The EU&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;launched its first counteroffensive against Washington's punishing steel and aluminium tariffs while the US began meetings in Canada with outraged finance ministers from its top trading partners.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump floated the possibility of scrapping the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement in favour of separate bilateral deals with Canada and Mexico.

Brussels and Ottawa filed legal challenges at the World Trade Organization against Washington's decision. The EU, Canada and Mexico also threatened stiff retaliatory tariffs as they pushed back against President Donald Trump's multi-front trade offensive.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;he was dumbfounded by Washington's national security basis for the tariffs, given that US and Canadian troops had fought together in World War II, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"This is insulting to them," he told NBC News.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "deeply disappointed" and reiterated a call for Britain and the EU to be "permanently exempted" from the "unjustified" metals tariffs.

As the Group of Seven ministerial meeting opened in Canada, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin faced stern reaction from his counterparts, who accused Trump of jeopardizing the world economy with steps that would prove job killers for all concerned.

Canada Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the G7 discussions would be "difficult."

"We are sending the message that these measures are not helpful," he told reporters.

And French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Europe "will not negotiate with a gun to our heads."

They are joined at the meeting by officials from Britain, Germany, Italy and Japan.

"Unfortunately, we are being treated to a G6 + 1, with the United States squaring off against the rest and risking the economic destabilization of the planet," Le Maire said.

Behind closed doors, according to a European source who spoke on condition of anonymity, Mnuchin said little, choosing not to get into detail and deferring answers to next week's G7 summit when heads of state gather in Quebec, Canada.

Other delegations, however, hammered the points made earlier in public.

Le Maire argued that if Washington itself flouted the rules of international commerce, it would have a harder time convincing China to abide by them.

The US imposed the tariffs in March but gave Canada and the EU -- the biggest sources of foreign aluminium and steel for the US -- a grace period that ended at&nbsp;midnight&nbsp;Thursday.

Trump's decision drew furious responses from Canadian President Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The EU is preparing to slap tariffs on US products including bourbon, motorcycles and blue jeans worth up to 2.8 billion euros ($3.3 billion).

"If players in the world don't stick to the rulebook, the system might collapse. That is why we are challenging the US and China at the WTO," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said.

Macron told Trump in a telephone call that the tariffs were "illegal," and Merkel said the measure "risks touching off spirals of escalation that in the end hurt everyone."

Canada unveiled a package of counter-tariffs on US imports valued at Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion).

And Mexico said it would impose retaliatory duties on a variety of US goods, including steel and a host of agricultural goods, including pork, apples and cheese.

The prospect of a global trade war has roiled financial markets this week even if they were back in positive territory&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;due to upbeat US economic data.&nbsp;

Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding argued that the direct impact of a US-EU trade war on the world economy would actually be rather small.&nbsp;

Nevertheless, "Trump's contempt for international rules can deal a significant blow to business confidence especially in trade-oriented nations," Schmieding said.

The WTO's former chief, Pascal Lamy, also said the damage would likely be limited in concrete terms.

"We have to keep things in proportion," he said on the French radio station France Info. He estimated that the economic impact of the tariffs would amount to "a very small part of trade flows as a whole."

But others have estimated the impact as up to a full point off global growth if the conflict expands and retaliation goes into effect.

The German carmakers' federation described the imposition of tariffs as "incomprehensible."

"In a connected, global economy, customs barriers don't benefit anyone, including the United States," the VDA federation said.

Germany's carmakers are especially braced for the latest threat from Trump, who earlier this month launched proceedings that could eventually slap 25 per cent tariffs on auto imports.

"I know he has a very particular problem with German cars," warned Malmstrom.

Trump floated the possibility of scrapping the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement in favour of separate bilateral deals with Canada and Mexico

The EU on Friday launched its first counteroffensive against Washington's punishing steel and aluminium tariffs while the US began meetings in Canada with outraged finance ministers from its top trading partners. Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump floated the possibility of scrapping the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement in favour of separate bilateral deals with Canada and Mexico. Brussels and Ottawa filed legal challenges at the World Trade Organization against Washington's decision. The EU, Canada and Mexico also threatened stiff retaliatory tariffs as they pushed back against President Donald Trump's multi-front trade offensive. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday he was dumbfounded by Washington's national security basis for the tariffs, given that US and Canadian troops had fought together in World War II, Afghanistan and elsewhere. "This is insulting to them," he told NBC News. British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "deeply disappointed" and reiterated a call for Britain and the EU to be "permanently exempted" from the "unjustified" metals tariffs. As the Group of Seven ministerial meeting opened in Canada, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin faced stern reaction from his counterparts, who accused Trump of jeopardizing the world economy with steps that would prove job killers for all concerned. Canada Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the G7 discussions would be "difficult." "We are sending the message that these measures are not helpful," he told reporters. And French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Europe "will not negotiate with a gun to our heads." They are joined at the meeting by officials from Britain, Germany, Italy and Japan. "Unfortunately, we are being treated to a G6 + 1, with the United States squaring off against the rest and risking the economic destabilization of the planet," Le Maire said. Behind closed doors, according to a European source who spoke on condition of anonymity, Mnuchin said little, choosing not to get into detail and deferring answers to next week's G7 summit when heads of state gather in Quebec, Canada. Other delegations, however, hammered the points made earlier in public. Le Maire argued that if Washington itself flouted the rules of international commerce, it would have a harder time convincing China to abide by them. The US imposed the tariffs in March but gave Canada and the EU -- the biggest sources of foreign aluminium and steel for the US -- a grace period that ended at midnight Thursday. Trump's decision drew furious responses from Canadian President Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. The EU is preparing to slap tariffs on US products including bourbon, motorcycles and blue jeans worth up to 2.8 billion euros ($3.3 billion). "If players in the world don't stick to the rulebook, the system might collapse. That is why we are challenging the US and China at the WTO," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said. Macron told Trump in a telephone call that the tariffs were "illegal," and Merkel said the measure "risks touching off spirals of escalation that in the end hurt everyone." Canada unveiled a package of counter-tariffs on US imports valued at Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion). And Mexico said it would impose retaliatory duties on a variety of US goods, including steel and a host of agricultural goods, including pork, apples and cheese. The prospect of a global trade war has roiled financial markets this week even if they were back in positive territory on Friday due to upbeat US economic data. Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding argued that the direct impact of a US-EU trade war on the world economy would actually be rather small. Nevertheless, "Trump's contempt for international rules can deal a significant blow to business confidence especially in trade-oriented nations," Schmieding said. The WTO's former chief, Pascal Lamy, also said the damage would likely be limited in concrete terms. "We have to keep things in proportion," he said on the French radio station France Info. He estimated that the economic impact of the tariffs would amount to "a very small part of trade flows as a whole." But others have estimated the impact as up to a full point off global growth if the conflict expands and retaliation goes into effect. The German carmakers' federation described the imposition of tariffs as "incomprehensible." "In a connected, global economy, customs barriers don't benefit anyone, including the United States," the VDA federation said. Germany's carmakers are especially braced for the latest threat from Trump, who earlier this month launched proceedings that could eventually slap 25 per cent tariffs on auto imports. "I know he has a very particular problem with German cars," warned Malmstrom.

European Union joins global battle against Trump tariff onslaught

Canada hit back at steep US tariffs on aluminum and steel&nbsp;on Thursday, announcing retaliatory duties on up to Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion) in American imports.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference the US tariffs were "totally unacceptable."

"These tariffs are an affront to the long standing security partnership between Canada and the United States, and in particular, an affront to the thousands of Canadians who have fought and died alongside their American brothers in arms," he said, noting the US national security justification for its measures.

"We have to believe that at some point, common sense will prevail. But we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration," the prime minister said.

The Canadian tariffs, which Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said are proportional to the US duties, will be applied to US steel and aluminum as well as consumer products from&nbsp;July 1.

These items include yogurt, coffee, sugar, toilet paper, sailboats, mattresses, washing machines and lawn mowers -- all aimed at exerting pressure on key US states that export a lot to Canada.

At the same time, Ottawa will challenge the "illegal and counterproductive" US measures under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and at the World Trade Organization, said Freeland.

The tit-for-tat trade spat comes after nine months of negotiations between Canada, Mexico and the United States to revamp NAFTA bogged down.

Washington had granted Canada and Mexico an exemption on the metal tariffs to give the parties time to successfully negotiate a new free trade deal.

But Washington rejected the latest offer from its neighbors to accept a larger US share of North American auto manufacturing in exchange for the US dropping other contentious demands.

Trudeau said he spoke with US President Donald Trump last week and offered to fly to Washington and sit down with him to hammer out the "final details of NAFTA because there were broad lines of a decent win-win-win deal on the table."

But Vice President Mike Pence called back this week to set a NAFTA sunset clause as a precondition for the meeting, which both Canada and Mexico had rejected.

Trudeau said he replied that "there was no possibility of any Canadian prime minister signing a NAFTA deal that included a five-year sunset clause."

"Obviously, the visit didn't happen," he said.

Late&nbsp;Thursday, President Donald Trump said in a statement it was made clear to Trudeau that the US "will agree to a fair deal, or there will be no deal at all."

"The United States has been taken advantage of for many decades on trade.&nbsp;Those days are over," he said.

Meanwhile, last month and earlier&nbsp;Thursday, Ottawa also unveiled measures to stop transshipments of steel and aluminum into the North American market, hoping to satisfy US concerns and avert a trade war.

But hope faded when US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced that the United States would impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from Canada and others from&nbsp;Friday.

Freeland noted that the United States has a US$2 billion trade surplus with Canada in steel, and that "roughly half" of all US steel exports go to Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference the US tariffs were "totally unacceptable."

Canada hit back at steep US tariffs on aluminum and steel on Thursday, announcing retaliatory duties on up to Can$16.6 billion (US$12.8 billion) in American imports. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference the US tariffs were "totally unacceptable." "These tariffs are an affront to the long standing security partnership between Canada and the United States, and in particular, an affront to the thousands of Canadians who have fought and died alongside their American brothers in arms," he said, noting the US national security justification for its measures. "We have to believe that at some point, common sense will prevail. But we see no sign of that in this action today by the US administration," the prime minister said. The Canadian tariffs, which Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said are proportional to the US duties, will be applied to US steel and aluminum as well as consumer products from July 1. These items include yogurt, coffee, sugar, toilet paper, sailboats, mattresses, washing machines and lawn mowers -- all aimed at exerting pressure on key US states that export a lot to Canada. At the same time, Ottawa will challenge the "illegal and counterproductive" US measures under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and at the World Trade Organization, said Freeland. The tit-for-tat trade spat comes after nine months of negotiations between Canada, Mexico and the United States to revamp NAFTA bogged down. Washington had granted Canada and Mexico an exemption on the metal tariffs to give the parties time to successfully negotiate a new free trade deal. But Washington rejected the latest offer from its neighbors to accept a larger US share of North American auto manufacturing in exchange for the US dropping other contentious demands. Trudeau said he spoke with US President Donald Trump last week and offered to fly to Washington and sit down with him to hammer out the "final details of NAFTA because there were broad lines of a decent win-win-win deal on the table." But Vice President Mike Pence called back this week to set a NAFTA sunset clause as a precondition for the meeting, which both Canada and Mexico had rejected. Trudeau said he replied that "there was no possibility of any Canadian prime minister signing a NAFTA deal that included a five-year sunset clause." "Obviously, the visit didn't happen," he said. Late Thursday, President Donald Trump said in a statement it was made clear to Trudeau that the US "will agree to a fair deal, or there will be no deal at all." "The United States has been taken advantage of for many decades on trade. Those days are over," he said. Meanwhile, last month and earlier Thursday, Ottawa also unveiled measures to stop transshipments of steel and aluminum into the North American market, hoping to satisfy US concerns and avert a trade war. But hope faded when US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced that the United States would impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from Canada and others from Friday. Freeland noted that the United States has a US$2 billion trade surplus with Canada in steel, and that "roughly half" of all US steel exports go to Canada.

Canada hits US with billions in retaliatory tariffs in steel row

Canada's government got just 24 hours notice that it would be thrust into a political and economic crisis by an ultimatum from a pipeline operator, government sources said, leaving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau scrambling for options in a dispute that could damage his re-election chances.

The Kinder Morgan Canada pipeline issue has pitted Ottawa against the Pacific province of British Columbia and could turn into a constitutional crisis, derail Trudeau's energy strategy and dent business confidence.&nbsp;

Trudeau broke off a foreign trip to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday with the premiers of two provinces locked in a standoff over the pipeline after the company set a May 31 deadline to resolve the impasse or it would walk away.

Federal officials had been talking to the company since February when British Columbia's left-leaning coalition, which includes the Green party, made clear it would delay the planned expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline from Alberta's oil sands to the coast.

But the government had no idea that Kinder Morgan Canada was about to drop a bombshell.

"Kinder Morgan's announcement on Sunday was unexpected," said a senior government official who declined to be identified given the sensitivity of the situation. "We had 24 hours'&nbsp;notice."

The move by Kinder Morgan Canada, which was spun off by its US&nbsp;parent last year, puts pressure on Trudeau to solve the problem without alienating voters in British Columbia or presiding over an investment failure ahead of 2019 elections.&nbsp;

A second federal government source said the prime minister and senior cabinet members had worked behind the scenes for weeks, pressing British Columbia to change its position.

"If we're talking of things going awry, British Columbia knew this was federal jurisdiction," said the source.

The operator wants to almost triple the capacity of the existing pipeline. Ottawa, which approved the project in 2016, insists it has jurisdiction. British Columbia's government, elected in 2017, disagrees, citing the risk of a spill.

"I do believe we have a mandate to defend the coast," provincial Premier John Horgan told reporters on Friday.

Trudeau won power in 2015 partly thanks to extra seats his Liberals won in British Columbia as well as increased support from environmentalists. Cracking down too hard would cost him support in both camps, leaving him with a weak minority government in the October 2019 elections.

Long-standing tensions over the pipeline meant Liberals in British Columbia were already nervous about softening support before Kinder Morgan Canada's ultimatum, said a Liberal party official.

The Liberals also have to pick up seats in the province of Quebec, which has a strong green tradition.

"It wouldn't really take a lot to tip the government into minority territory," said pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research.

"If you're looking at hard political calculus, the prime minister realistically has to tilt in favor of the environment because if he doesn't that will kill him in Quebec."

During Sunday's meeting, Trudeau will lay out the various financial, regulatory and legal options, said the second government source.

"It's not a matter of getting angry, or being mean or nice about it - he will lay out the facts," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The federal and Alberta governments both say they could take a stake in the pipeline to keep the project alive, with Alberta's premier saying her province could even buy it outright. Kinder Morgan Canada has said it was open to discussions but did not elaborate.

The first government source there was a "huge gray zone" of possible government help, citing the past bailout of the auto industry in 2009, federal loan guarantees for a hydro-electric project and Ottawa's investment in an offshore energy project.

Toronto-Dominion Bank Deputy Chairman Frank McKenna, a member of Alberta's pipeline advisory taskforce, said he raised the issue with Trudeau in a recent call and that Ottawa has to "provide deal certainty ... a backstop".

"That could be something in the nature of an indemnity agreement or a guarantee against potential losses that would come from political instability and not based on normal construction risk," said McKenna, a former premier of New Brunswick. TD Bank is Kinder Morgan Canada's biggest lender.

"At the end of the day this pipeline can't be allowed to fail, it would be a huge blow to the leadership of the country and to the image of the country."

The Kinder Morgan Canada pipeline issue has pitted Ottawa against the Pacific province of British Columbia and could turn into a constitutional crisis

Canada's government got just 24 hours notice that it would be thrust into a political and economic crisis by an ultimatum from a pipeline operator, government sources said, leaving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau scrambling for options in a dispute that could damage his re-election chances. The Kinder Morgan Canada pipeline issue has pitted Ottawa against the Pacific province of British Columbia and could turn into a constitutional crisis, derail Trudeau's energy strategy and dent business confidence. Trudeau broke off a foreign trip to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday with the premiers of two provinces locked in a standoff over the pipeline after the company set a May 31 deadline to resolve the impasse or it would walk away. Federal officials had been talking to the company since February when British Columbia's left-leaning coalition, which includes the Green party, made clear it would delay the planned expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline from Alberta's oil sands to the coast. But the government had no idea that Kinder Morgan Canada was about to drop a bombshell. "Kinder Morgan's announcement on Sunday was unexpected," said a senior government official who declined to be identified given the sensitivity of the situation. "We had 24 hours' notice." The move by Kinder Morgan Canada, which was spun off by its US parent last year, puts pressure on Trudeau to solve the problem without alienating voters in British Columbia or presiding over an investment failure ahead of 2019 elections. A second federal government source said the prime minister and senior cabinet members had worked behind the scenes for weeks, pressing British Columbia to change its position. "If we're talking of things going awry, British Columbia knew this was federal jurisdiction," said the source. The operator wants to almost triple the capacity of the existing pipeline. Ottawa, which approved the project in 2016, insists it has jurisdiction. British Columbia's government, elected in 2017, disagrees, citing the risk of a spill. "I do believe we have a mandate to defend the coast," provincial Premier John Horgan told reporters on Friday. Trudeau won power in 2015 partly thanks to extra seats his Liberals won in British Columbia as well as increased support from environmentalists. Cracking down too hard would cost him support in both camps, leaving him with a weak minority government in the October 2019 elections. Long-standing tensions over the pipeline meant Liberals in British Columbia were already nervous about softening support before Kinder Morgan Canada's ultimatum, said a Liberal party official. The Liberals also have to pick up seats in the province of Quebec, which has a strong green tradition. "It wouldn't really take a lot to tip the government into minority territory," said pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research. "If you're looking at hard political calculus, the prime minister realistically has to tilt in favor of the environment because if he doesn't that will kill him in Quebec." During Sunday's meeting, Trudeau will lay out the various financial, regulatory and legal options, said the second government source. "It's not a matter of getting angry, or being mean or nice about it - he will lay out the facts," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The federal and Alberta governments both say they could take a stake in the pipeline to keep the project alive, with Alberta's premier saying her province could even buy it outright. Kinder Morgan Canada has said it was open to discussions but did not elaborate. The first government source there was a "huge gray zone" of possible government help, citing the past bailout of the auto industry in 2009, federal loan guarantees for a hydro-electric project and Ottawa's investment in an offshore energy project. Toronto-Dominion Bank Deputy Chairman Frank McKenna, a member of Alberta's pipeline advisory taskforce, said he raised the issue with Trudeau in a recent call and that Ottawa has to "provide deal certainty ... a backstop". "That could be something in the nature of an indemnity agreement or a guarantee against potential losses that would come from political instability and not based on normal construction risk," said McKenna, a former premier of New Brunswick. TD Bank is Kinder Morgan Canada's biggest lender. "At the end of the day this pipeline can't be allowed to fail, it would be a huge blow to the leadership of the country and to the image of the country."

Canada's Trudeau faces election risk after ultimatum from pipeline operator

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday backed air strikes by the United States and its allies on Syria's chemical weapons program but Argentina, Brazil and Peru voiced caution during a regional summit about the escalating military action.

Speaking at the Summit of the Americas in Peru, Trudeau and several other Western Hemisphere leaders forcefully condemned the use of chemical weapons, following a suspected poison gas attack last week in a Damascus suburb that killed up to 75 people and sparked international outcry.

Washington blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government for the attack and, together with Britain and France, launched missile strikes overnight on what it said were Syrian chemical weapons facilities.

"Canada stands with our friends in this necessary response and we condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons in last week's attack," Trudeau said in his speech. "Those responsible must be brought to justice."

But the retaliatory action drew pleas for caution from several Latin American countries.

"There's deep concern in Brazil with the escalation of military conflict in Syria," Brazilian President Michel Temer told the summit. "It's time to find permanent solutions based on international law to a war that has been going for far too long and ended too many lives."

Peru, a non-permanent member of the UN&nbsp;Security Council, called for moderation from all parties involved in Syria and said it was working to find a political solution, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri also appealed for greater coordination on Syria "in the framework of existing international commitments", remarks later echoed by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Outside the summit, the strikes drew swift condemnation from left-leaning governments in Bolivia and Cuba, outspoken critics of US&nbsp;influence.

But Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, a close US&nbsp;ally in Latin America, appeared to back Washington as he condemned chemical weapons.

"We support actions to punish their use and seek their total elimination," Santos said.

The Pentagon said the missile strikes in Syria had hit every target. It said the military action was aimed at delivering an unambiguous signal to the Syrian government and deterring the future use of chemical weapons.

The official theme of the Summit of the Americas is the fight against corruption. Many countries in attendance are also expected to condemn a pending election in Venezuela.

But Syria, China and trade loomed over the talks on Saturday as Washington seeks to advance the agenda of U.S. President Donald Trump, which is widely unpopular in the region.

Trump canceled his attendance at the summit to focus on Syria. US Vice President Mike Pence, filling in for him, was expected to discuss Syria in his speech on Saturday and in meetings with heads of state.

Nafta talks

Pence met with Pena Nieto privately at the summit. The Mexican leader told reporters they would discuss not just the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) but also maintaining a relationship of "mutual respect" between their two countries.

Pence and Pena Nieto kept their remarks to reporters extremely brief - in contrast to the more expansive and warmer tone struck by Pence and Trudeau during the public part of a meeting held minutes earlier.

Trudeau said there was "positive momentum" on reworking the NAFTA accord - which groups Canada, Mexico and the United States - while Pence said talks were encouraging.

"As the president said very recently, we think we're close," Pence said before starting the meeting with Pena Nieto. "We are hopeful that we can conclude a successful renegotiation of NAFTA."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday backed air strikes by the United States and its allies on Syria's chemical weapons program but Argentina, Brazil and Peru voiced caution during a regional summit about the escalating military action

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday backed air strikes by the United States and its allies on Syria's chemical weapons program but Argentina, Brazil and Peru voiced caution during a regional summit about the escalating military action. Speaking at the Summit of the Americas in Peru, Trudeau and several other Western Hemisphere leaders forcefully condemned the use of chemical weapons, following a suspected poison gas attack last week in a Damascus suburb that killed up to 75 people and sparked international outcry. Washington blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government for the attack and, together with Britain and France, launched missile strikes overnight on what it said were Syrian chemical weapons facilities. "Canada stands with our friends in this necessary response and we condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons in last week's attack," Trudeau said in his speech. "Those responsible must be brought to justice." But the retaliatory action drew pleas for caution from several Latin American countries. "There's deep concern in Brazil with the escalation of military conflict in Syria," Brazilian President Michel Temer told the summit. "It's time to find permanent solutions based on international law to a war that has been going for far too long and ended too many lives." Peru, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, called for moderation from all parties involved in Syria and said it was working to find a political solution, according to a foreign ministry statement. Argentine President Mauricio Macri also appealed for greater coordination on Syria "in the framework of existing international commitments", remarks later echoed by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Outside the summit, the strikes drew swift condemnation from left-leaning governments in Bolivia and Cuba, outspoken critics of US influence. But Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, a close US ally in Latin America, appeared to back Washington as he condemned chemical weapons. "We support actions to punish their use and seek their total elimination," Santos said. The Pentagon said the missile strikes in Syria had hit every target. It said the military action was aimed at delivering an unambiguous signal to the Syrian government and deterring the future use of chemical weapons. The official theme of the Summit of the Americas is the fight against corruption. Many countries in attendance are also expected to condemn a pending election in Venezuela. But Syria, China and trade loomed over the talks on Saturday as Washington seeks to advance the agenda of U.S. President Donald Trump, which is widely unpopular in the region. Trump canceled his attendance at the summit to focus on Syria. US Vice President Mike Pence, filling in for him, was expected to discuss Syria in his speech on Saturday and in meetings with heads of state. Nafta talks Pence met with Pena Nieto privately at the summit. The Mexican leader told reporters they would discuss not just the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) but also maintaining a relationship of "mutual respect" between their two countries. Pence and Pena Nieto kept their remarks to reporters extremely brief - in contrast to the more expansive and warmer tone struck by Pence and Trudeau during the public part of a meeting held minutes earlier. Trudeau said there was "positive momentum" on reworking the NAFTA accord - which groups Canada, Mexico and the United States - while Pence said talks were encouraging. "As the president said very recently, we think we're close," Pence said before starting the meeting with Pena Nieto. "We are hopeful that we can conclude a successful renegotiation of NAFTA."

Canada backs Syria strikes but others concerned at Americas summit

Canada will send peacekeepers backed by helicopters to the troubled west African nation of Mali before autumn, a government source said on Friday.

Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan is to provide details of the number of troops on Monday, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity about what will be Canada&#39;s first mission to Africa since Rwanda in 1994.

Jihadists have ramped up their activities in central Mali in recent months, targeting domestic and foreign forces in violence once confined to the country&#39;s north.

Four UN peacekeepers were killed and four were wounded in late February when a mine exploded under their vehicle in central Mali.

Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of Mali&#39;s desert north in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013.&nbsp;

In June 2015, Mali&#39;s government signed a peace agreement with some armed groups, but the jihadists remain active, and large tracts of the country are lawless.

In November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would boost its support for UN peacekeeping missions by mobilizing a rapid response force of 200 soldiers,

The Canadian &quot;quick reaction force&quot; would include 200 troops backed by tactical helicopters and Hercules transport aircraft.

Canada has told the United Nations it is willing to join the peacekeeping mission in Mali, and will send peacekeepers backed by helicopters

Canada will send peacekeepers backed by helicopters to the troubled west African nation of Mali before autumn, a government source said on Friday. Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan is to provide details of the number of troops on Monday, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity about what will be Canada's first mission to Africa since Rwanda in 1994. Jihadists have ramped up their activities in central Mali in recent months, targeting domestic and foreign forces in violence once confined to the country's north. Four UN peacekeepers were killed and four were wounded in late February when a mine exploded under their vehicle in central Mali. Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of Mali's desert north in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013. In June 2015, Mali's government signed a peace agreement with some armed groups, but the jihadists remain active, and large tracts of the country are lawless. In November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would boost its support for UN peacekeeping missions by mobilizing a rapid response force of 200 soldiers, The Canadian "quick reaction force" would include 200 troops backed by tactical helicopters and Hercules transport aircraft.

Canada to send peacekeepers to Mali: Official

A former Sikh militant apologised today for causing embarrassment to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his trip to India.

Jaspal Atwal, who was part of a movement that supported an independent Sikh nation in the 1980s and went to prison for the attempted murder of a visiting Indian minister in 1986, was invited to a dinner with Trudeau in New Delhi causing consternation among his hosts.

Trudeau&#39;s visit to India had already been dogged by suspicions that Canada was soft on Sikh separatists.

&quot;I am sorry for any embarrassment this matter has caused to Canada, India, my community and my family,&quot; the 62-year-old told a news conference.

&quot;I renounce any form of terrorism,&quot; he said. &quot;I do not advocate for an independent Sikh nation. I, like the vast majority of Sikhs who once advocated for this cause, have reconciled with the nation of India.&quot;

Since his parole, Atwal said he has engaged broadly in politics on behalf of the Indo-Canadian community, and visited India numerous times including three visits over the past year, each time &quot;with the full permission of the Indian government.&quot;

&quot;There were also no restrictions placed on me by Canada so that I could not travel,&quot; he added.

Before his latest trip, Atwal said he reached out to his local member of Parliament, Randeep Sarai, to ask if he could attend a reception with Trudeau in India.

&quot;I had assumed there would be no problems. No one had at any point indicated there would be any issues,&quot; he said.

The controversy has continued to hound Trudeau since his return to Canada, with opposition parties and editorialists heaping scorn on the prime minister over the misstep.

Sarai, meanwhile, has been stripped of his responsibilities within the Liberal caucus.&nbsp;

Jaspal Atwal who went to prison for the attempted murder of a visiting Indian minister in 1986, was invited to a dinner with Trudeau in New Delhi causing consternation among his hosts

A former Sikh militant apologised today for causing embarrassment to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his trip to India. Jaspal Atwal, who was part of a movement that supported an independent Sikh nation in the 1980s and went to prison for the attempted murder of a visiting Indian minister in 1986, was invited to a dinner with Trudeau in New Delhi causing consternation among his hosts. Trudeau's visit to India had already been dogged by suspicions that Canada was soft on Sikh separatists. "I am sorry for any embarrassment this matter has caused to Canada, India, my community and my family," the 62-year-old told a news conference. "I renounce any form of terrorism," he said. "I do not advocate for an independent Sikh nation. I, like the vast majority of Sikhs who once advocated for this cause, have reconciled with the nation of India." Since his parole, Atwal said he has engaged broadly in politics on behalf of the Indo-Canadian community, and visited India numerous times including three visits over the past year, each time "with the full permission of the Indian government." "There were also no restrictions placed on me by Canada so that I could not travel," he added. Before his latest trip, Atwal said he reached out to his local member of Parliament, Randeep Sarai, to ask if he could attend a reception with Trudeau in India. "I had assumed there would be no problems. No one had at any point indicated there would be any issues," he said. The controversy has continued to hound Trudeau since his return to Canada, with opposition parties and editorialists heaping scorn on the prime minister over the misstep. Sarai, meanwhile, has been stripped of his responsibilities within the Liberal caucus.

Former Sikh militant sorry for Trudeau embarrassment in India

Canada&#39;s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced persistent criticism Thursday over a convicted Sikh extremist&#39;s attendance at a Canadian event in Mumbai, nearly a week after the premier&#39;s return from a trip to India.

Opposition parties and editorialists heaped scorn on the prime minister and his Liberal government over the &quot;fiasco&quot; that dogged Trudeau during his first official visit to India to drum up trade and investment.

Canadian-Indian businessman Jaspal Atwal was sentenced in Canada to 20 years in prison for a 1986 assassination attempt on an Indian politician, as part of a violent campaign to establish an independent Sikh state of Khalistan.

Yet, he managed to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-cancels-dinner-invite-to-convicted-khalistani-terrorist-jaspal-atwal-33681" target="_blank">get himself invited</a> to the Mumbai mixer as well as one to a dinner with Trudeau, which was rescinded at the last minute when Canadian media pointed out Atwal&#39;s criminal past.

Trudeau dodged questions about the scandal, saying that a senior member of his caucus had mistakenly extended the invitation.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/canadians-surprised-trudeaus-reception-hasnt-been-welcoming-33701" target="_blank">&#39;Canadians surprised Trudeau&#39;s reception hasn&#39;t been welcoming&#39;</a>

Later, he defended his national security advisor who floated a theory that rogue political factions in India orchestrated the embarrassing invitation in order to make Canada appear sympathetic to Sikh extremism.

Trudeau has said he does not support Sikh extremists, despite appearing in several photographs with Atwal published by Canadian media -- while New Delhi has rejected the conspiracy theory put forward by Trudeau&#39;s top intelligence official.

In Montreal on Thursday, Trudeau repeated lines that he had rehearsed in parliament the day before: that he has &quot;full confidence in Canada&#39;s national security agencies&quot; and &quot;when security officials say something to Canadians, it&#39;s because they know it to be true.&quot;

Canadian Sikhs number nearly 500,000 and account for roughly 1.4 percent of Canada&#39;s population, according to a 2016 census.

A handful of Canadian supporters of the Sikh nationalist movement were accused in the 1985 Air India bombings that killed 331 people, but only one person was ever convicted in the attack.

The movement was crushed in the 1990s.

Ujjal Dosanjh, a prominent moderate Sikh and a former Canadian Liberal minister, told AFP last week: &quot;The movement was all but dead, but it has resurfaced in Canada in the last few years partly because Canadian politicians have been careless in associating with these people.&quot;

Jaspal Atwal was convicted on terror charges but managed to get himself invited to a dinner hosted by the Canadian high commission in New Delhi

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced persistent criticism Thursday over a convicted Sikh extremist's attendance at a Canadian event in Mumbai, nearly a week after the premier's return from a trip to India. Opposition parties and editorialists heaped scorn on the prime minister and his Liberal government over the "fiasco" that dogged Trudeau during his first official visit to India to drum up trade and investment. Canadian-Indian businessman Jaspal Atwal was sentenced in Canada to 20 years in prison for a 1986 assassination attempt on an Indian politician, as part of a violent campaign to establish an independent Sikh state of Khalistan. Yet, he managed to get himself invited to the Mumbai mixer as well as one to a dinner with Trudeau, which was rescinded at the last minute when Canadian media pointed out Atwal's criminal past. Trudeau dodged questions about the scandal, saying that a senior member of his caucus had mistakenly extended the invitation. Also read: 'Canadians surprised Trudeau's reception hasn't been welcoming' Later, he defended his national security advisor who floated a theory that rogue political factions in India orchestrated the embarrassing invitation in order to make Canada appear sympathetic to Sikh extremism. Trudeau has said he does not support Sikh extremists, despite appearing in several photographs with Atwal published by Canadian media -- while New Delhi has rejected the conspiracy theory put forward by Trudeau's top intelligence official. In Montreal on Thursday, Trudeau repeated lines that he had rehearsed in parliament the day before: that he has "full confidence in Canada's national security agencies" and "when security officials say something to Canadians, it's because they know it to be true." Canadian Sikhs number nearly 500,000 and account for roughly 1.4 percent of Canada's population, according to a 2016 census. A handful of Canadian supporters of the Sikh nationalist movement were accused in the 1985 Air India bombings that killed 331 people, but only one person was ever convicted in the attack. The movement was crushed in the 1990s. Ujjal Dosanjh, a prominent moderate Sikh and a former Canadian Liberal minister, told AFP last week: "The movement was all but dead, but it has resurfaced in Canada in the last few years partly because Canadian politicians have been careless in associating with these people."

Khalistan terrorist 'fiasco' follows Trudeau back to Canada

In a major gaffe, a map of India displayed at the Canadian High Commission dinner reception during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau&#39;s visit in Delhi omitted Jammu and Kashmir.

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Trudeau was on a week-long State visit to India from February 18 to 24.

Journalist Terry Glavin, in an opinion piece written for the Ottawa Citizen, a Canada-based English-language daily, branded Trudeau as someone who &quot;came off like some sort of human wardrobe malfunction for almost his entire sojourn on the subcontinent.&quot;

According to the write-up, another blunder that went unnoticed was when the Canadian Prime Minister noted &quot;in a speech in New Delhi that Canada had just celebrated its 100th birthday - off by 50 years.&quot;

Trudeau&#39;s visit was marred by the reports of an invitation extended to a Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal to dine with the former at a formal event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel. The invite was later rescinded.

Trudeau also received backlash over his wife Sophie Trudeau&#39;s photo with the convicted pro-Khalistani terrorist.

Atwal was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu on Vancouver Island in 1986.

Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Randeep S. Sarai, however, took responsibility for inviting Atwal to Trudeau&#39;s reception dinner in New Delhi.

According to Glavin, Trudeau continued &quot;his India errors even after returning home&quot; by supporting a senior government official who suggested factions within the Indian government were involved in sabotaging his visit to India last week.

During Trudeau&#39;s first question period since returning to Canada, opposition MPs grilled him over the invitation issued to Atwal.

Responding to a Conservative leader&#39;s question about the &quot;allegations&quot; made by a senior government security source, Trudeau said, &quot;When one of our top diplomats and security officials says something to Canadians it&#39;s because they know it to be true,&quot; and added that it was the previous Conservative government that &quot;torqued the public service every possible way they could.&quot;

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said that the &#39;conspiracy theory&#39; surrounding the invitation to Atwal at events hosted by the Canadian High Commission in Mumbai and New Delhi was baseless and unacceptable.

Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: &quot;We have seen the recent exchange in the Parliament of Canada regarding two invitations issued to Jaspal Atwal by the Canadian High Commissioner, for functions hosted in honour of the Canadian Prime Minister in India. Let me categorically state that the Government of India, including the security agencies, had nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal at the event hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai or the invitation issued to him for the Canadian High Commissioner&#39;s reception in New Delhi. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and unacceptable.&quot;

Glavin, in his piece, opined that &quot;this whole thing has been an awful, trudging parade of error, idiocy, and disgrace. And there is no end of it in sight.&quot;

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In a major gaffe, a map of India displayed at the Canadian High Commission dinner reception during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit in Delhi omitted Jammu and Kashmir

In a major gaffe, a map of India displayed at the Canadian High Commission dinner reception during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit in Delhi omitted Jammu and Kashmir. × Trudeau was on a week-long State visit to India from February 18 to 24. Journalist Terry Glavin, in an opinion piece written for the Ottawa Citizen, a Canada-based English-language daily, branded Trudeau as someone who "came off like some sort of human wardrobe malfunction for almost his entire sojourn on the subcontinent." According to the write-up, another blunder that went unnoticed was when the Canadian Prime Minister noted "in a speech in New Delhi that Canada had just celebrated its 100th birthday - off by 50 years." Trudeau's visit was marred by the reports of an invitation extended to a Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal to dine with the former at a formal event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel. The invite was later rescinded. Trudeau also received backlash over his wife Sophie Trudeau's photo with the convicted pro-Khalistani terrorist. Atwal was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu on Vancouver Island in 1986. Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Randeep S. Sarai, however, took responsibility for inviting Atwal to Trudeau's reception dinner in New Delhi. According to Glavin, Trudeau continued "his India errors even after returning home" by supporting a senior government official who suggested factions within the Indian government were involved in sabotaging his visit to India last week. During Trudeau's first question period since returning to Canada, opposition MPs grilled him over the invitation issued to Atwal. Responding to a Conservative leader's question about the "allegations" made by a senior government security source, Trudeau said, "When one of our top diplomats and security officials says something to Canadians it's because they know it to be true," and added that it was the previous Conservative government that "torqued the public service every possible way they could." The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said that the 'conspiracy theory' surrounding the invitation to Atwal at events hosted by the Canadian High Commission in Mumbai and New Delhi was baseless and unacceptable. Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "We have seen the recent exchange in the Parliament of Canada regarding two invitations issued to Jaspal Atwal by the Canadian High Commissioner, for functions hosted in honour of the Canadian Prime Minister in India. Let me categorically state that the Government of India, including the security agencies, had nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal at the event hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai or the invitation issued to him for the Canadian High Commissioner's reception in New Delhi. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and unacceptable." Glavin, in his piece, opined that "this whole thing has been an awful, trudging parade of error, idiocy, and disgrace. And there is no end of it in sight."

Canadian High Commission shows Indian map without J&K

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has ruled out any involvement of the government or the security agencies with Jaspal Atwal&#39;s presence at the event hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai.&nbsp;

&quot;The government of India, including security agencies, had nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal at the event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai or invitation issued to him for Canadian High Commissioner&#39;s reception in Delhi,&quot; noted the official statement.&nbsp;

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GoI, including security agencies, had nothing to do with presence of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JaspalAtwal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JaspalAtwal</a> at event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai or invitation issued to him for Canadian High Commissioner&#39;s reception in Delhi. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless &amp;unacceptable: MEA
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/968764104021303297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The MEA also noted &quot;any suggestion to the contrary&quot; as &quot;baseless and unacceptable&quot;.

&quot;We have seen the recent exchange in the Parliament of Canada regarding two invitations issued to Jaspal Atwal by the Canadian High Commissioner, for functions hosted in honour of the Canadian Prime Minister in India,&quot; MEA statement noted.

Pro-Khalistan terrorist Jaspal Atwal was invited to dine with Prime Minister Trudeau at a formal event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel. The invite was later rescinded.

Prime Minister Trudeau also received backlash over his wife Sophie Trudeau&#39;s photo with convicted pro-Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal.

Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Randeep S. Sarai took the responsibility for inviting Atwal to Trudeau&#39;s reception dinner in New Delhi. He apologised for the same.&nbsp;

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I want to again apologize for my role in recent unfortunate events. Moving forward, I will be exercising better judgment. As I don&#39;t want to distract from the good work of the Pacific Caucus, I will be stepping down as caucus chair.
&mdash; Randeep S. Sarai (@randeepssarai) <a href="https://twitter.com/randeepssarai/status/968662787491680256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The MEA&#39;s reaction came shortly after&nbsp;the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau supported the official who suggested the &quot;rogue Indian elements&quot; theory.

&quot;When one of our top diplomats and security officials says something to Canadians, it&#39;s because they know it to be true,&quot; Trudeau noted in the Canadian Parliament yesterday.&nbsp;

According to reports, a&nbsp;Canadian official allegedly accused people within the Indian government to have orchestrated Atwal&#39;s invitation.

Jaspal Atwal was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab minister, Malkiat Singh Sidhu, on Vancouver Island in 1986.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

MEA's reaction came shortly after the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau supported the official who suggested the "rogue Indian elements" theory

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has ruled out any involvement of the government or the security agencies with Jaspal Atwal's presence at the event hosted by the Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai. "The government of India, including security agencies, had nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal at the event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai or invitation issued to him for Canadian High Commissioner's reception in Delhi," noted the official statement. GoI, including security agencies, had nothing to do with presence of #JaspalAtwal at event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner in Mumbai or invitation issued to him for Canadian High Commissioner's reception in Delhi. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless &unacceptable: MEA — ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2018 × The MEA also noted "any suggestion to the contrary" as "baseless and unacceptable". "We have seen the recent exchange in the Parliament of Canada regarding two invitations issued to Jaspal Atwal by the Canadian High Commissioner, for functions hosted in honour of the Canadian Prime Minister in India," MEA statement noted. Pro-Khalistan terrorist Jaspal Atwal was invited to dine with Prime Minister Trudeau at a formal event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel. The invite was later rescinded. Prime Minister Trudeau also received backlash over his wife Sophie Trudeau's photo with convicted pro-Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal. Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Randeep S. Sarai took the responsibility for inviting Atwal to Trudeau's reception dinner in New Delhi. He apologised for the same. I want to again apologize for my role in recent unfortunate events. Moving forward, I will be exercising better judgment. As I don't want to distract from the good work of the Pacific Caucus, I will be stepping down as caucus chair. — Randeep S. Sarai (@randeepssarai) February 28, 2018 × The MEA's reaction came shortly after the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau supported the official who suggested the "rogue Indian elements" theory. "When one of our top diplomats and security officials says something to Canadians, it's because they know it to be true," Trudeau noted in the Canadian Parliament yesterday. According to reports, a Canadian official allegedly accused people within the Indian government to have orchestrated Atwal's invitation. Jaspal Atwal was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab minister, Malkiat Singh Sidhu, on Vancouver Island in 1986. (With inputs from ANI)

Indian govt rules out involvement in Jaspal Atwal's presence at Trudeau's event

Amidst questions over invitation of Khalistani terrorist for Justin Trudeau&#39;s reception in India, reports have emerged that the Indian Government authority was also denied access to the guest list, reports CTV News.

On that note, the Prime Minister&#39;s Office in Canada does not allow even the security services to track their guest list.

Earlier, Canada&#39;s Public Safety Minister hailed the security services in relation to the visit.

Opinion: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/opinion-khalistan-is-history-amarinder-singh-should-state-to-trudeau-33592" target="_blank">Khalistan is history, Amarinder Singh should state to Trudeau</a>

&quot;All Canadians can be assured that our police and our security agencies have done their job in relation to this visit and they have done it very well&quot;, said Ralph Goodale, Canada&#39;s Public Safety Minister, in the assembly, as quoted by CTV News.

Pro-Khalistan&nbsp;terrorist <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-cancels-dinner-invite-to-convicted-khalistani-terrorist-jaspal-atwal-33681" target="_blank">Jaspal Atwal was invited to dine</a> with Prime Minister Trudeau at a formal event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel. The invite was later rescinded.

Prime Minister Trudeau also received backlash over his wife Sophie Trudeau&#39;s photo with convicted pro-Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal.

Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Randeep S. Sarai however took responsibility for inviting Atwal to Trudeau&#39;s reception dinner in New Delhi.

Jaspal Atwal was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab minister, Malkiat Singh Sidhu, on Vancouver Island in 1986. (ANI)

Pro-Khalistan terrorist Jaspal Atwal was invited to dine with Prime Minister Trudeau at a formal event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel. The invite was later rescinded

Amidst questions over invitation of Khalistani terrorist for Justin Trudeau's reception in India, reports have emerged that the Indian Government authority was also denied access to the guest list, reports CTV News. On that note, the Prime Minister's Office in Canada does not allow even the security services to track their guest list. Earlier, Canada's Public Safety Minister hailed the security services in relation to the visit. Opinion: Khalistan is history, Amarinder Singh should state to Trudeau "All Canadians can be assured that our police and our security agencies have done their job in relation to this visit and they have done it very well", said Ralph Goodale, Canada's Public Safety Minister, in the assembly, as quoted by CTV News. Pro-Khalistan terrorist Jaspal Atwal was invited to dine with Prime Minister Trudeau at a formal event hosted by Canadian High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel. The invite was later rescinded. Prime Minister Trudeau also received backlash over his wife Sophie Trudeau's photo with convicted pro-Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal. Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Randeep S. Sarai however took responsibility for inviting Atwal to Trudeau's reception dinner in New Delhi. Jaspal Atwal was convicted of the attempted murder of Punjab minister, Malkiat Singh Sidhu, on Vancouver Island in 1986. (ANI)

Indian government was denied access to guest list for Trudeau's reception

The name of Jaspal Atwal, the Khalistani separatist whose dinner invitation by Canada&#39;s visiting PM Justin Trudeau was cancelled amidst a flurry of red-faced apologies, may have been removed from home ministry&#39;s &#39;blacklist&#39; of Sikh extremists several months ago, said Home Ministry sources. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
New Delhi officials reportedly believed Atwal was no threat and de-listed him in 2017. The Sikh separatist was charged with attacking a moderate Punjab politician in Canada and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He belongs to the banned Sikh terrorist group, Khalistani.

Toronto Star quoting Canadian officials stated that Atwal was well-connected in India and was close to Indian diplomats at New Delhi&#39;s consulate in Vancouver and in India.

The report goes on to suggest that the Indian government seems to have come to a conclusion that Jaspal Atwal no longer espoused Sikh separatism.&nbsp;

Photographs of Atwal greeting the PM&#39;s wife Sophie Trudeau and an accompanying minister plunged the visiting Canadian delegation in embarrassment. Things only worsened, when an invitation to Jaspal Atwal from PM Trudeau for dinner at the highly-guarded Canada House in Delhi went viral on social media. Though invitation was hastily withdrawn amidst uproar, the Canadian PM&#39;s week-long trip to India will be remembered for the gaffe for a long time to come.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Toronto Star quoting Canadian officials stated that Atwal was well-connected in India and was close to Indian diplomats at New Delhi's consulate in Vancouver and in India.

The name of Jaspal Atwal, the Khalistani separatist whose dinner invitation by Canada's visiting PM Justin Trudeau was cancelled amidst a flurry of red-faced apologies, may have been removed from home ministry's 'blacklist' of Sikh extremists several months ago, said Home Ministry sources. New Delhi officials reportedly believed Atwal was no threat and de-listed him in 2017. The Sikh separatist was charged with attacking a moderate Punjab politician in Canada and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He belongs to the banned Sikh terrorist group, Khalistani. Toronto Star quoting Canadian officials stated that Atwal was well-connected in India and was close to Indian diplomats at New Delhi's consulate in Vancouver and in India. The report goes on to suggest that the Indian government seems to have come to a conclusion that Jaspal Atwal no longer espoused Sikh separatism. Photographs of Atwal greeting the PM's wife Sophie Trudeau and an accompanying minister plunged the visiting Canadian delegation in embarrassment. Things only worsened, when an invitation to Jaspal Atwal from PM Trudeau for dinner at the highly-guarded Canada House in Delhi went viral on social media. Though invitation was hastily withdrawn amidst uproar, the Canadian PM's week-long trip to India will be remembered for the gaffe for a long time to come.

Jaspal Atwal's name was removed from MHA's blacklist of Sikh extremists months ago: Sources

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-welcomes-canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-at-rashtrapati-bhavan-33767">PM Modi welcomes Canadian </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-welcomes-canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-at-rashtrapati-bhavan-33767">PM</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-welcomes-canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-at-rashtrapati-bhavan-33767"> Justin Trudeau at Rashtrapati Bhavan, to hold bilateral talks</a>

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was given a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday morning, where he was received by President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Modi and members of the Union Cabinet.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/arvind-kejriwals-adviser-witness-to-delhi-chief-secretary-anshu-prakash-being-attacked-say-police-33764">Kejriwal&#39;s adviser witness to Delhi chief secretary being attacked, say police</a>

The Delhi Police on Thursday quoting Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal&rsquo;s advisor VK Jain said that in a statement that he saw two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs &ldquo;physically assaulting&rdquo; the Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash at the CM&rsquo;s residence late February 19.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/australian-deputy-prime-minister-resigns-from-cabinet-remains-in-parliament-33765">Scandal-hit Australian deputy prime minister resigns from Cabinet, remains in parliament</a>

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on Friday he will resign as leader of his party and will move to the backbench after weeks of pressure over an extra-marital affair with his former media secretary.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/donald-trump-not-satisfied-with-progress-in-pakistan-white-house-33768">Donald Trump not satisfied with progress in Pakistan: White House</a>

US President Donald Trump is &ldquo;not satisfied&rdquo; with the progress made by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, the White House said on Friday.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-suspends-oxfam-operations-pending-investigation-into-sexual-abuse-33750">Haiti suspends Oxfam operations pending investigation into sexual abuse</a>

Haiti on Thursday suspended the operations of British charity Oxfam pending the outcome of its investigation into allegations that its staff sexually exploited Haitians after a devastating 2010 earthquake.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was given a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday morning, where he was received by President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Modi and members of the Union Cabinet.

PM Modi welcomes Canadian PM Justin Trudeau at Rashtrapati Bhavan, to hold bilateral talks Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was given a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday morning, where he was received by President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Modi and members of the Union Cabinet. Kejriwal's adviser witness to Delhi chief secretary being attacked, say police The Delhi Police on Thursday quoting Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s advisor VK Jain said that in a statement that he saw two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs “physically assaulting” the Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash at the CM’s residence late February 19. Scandal-hit Australian deputy prime minister resigns from Cabinet, remains in parliament Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on Friday he will resign as leader of his party and will move to the backbench after weeks of pressure over an extra-marital affair with his former media secretary. Donald Trump not satisfied with progress in Pakistan: White House US President Donald Trump is “not satisfied” with the progress made by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, the White House said on Friday. Haiti suspends Oxfam operations pending investigation into sexual abuse Haiti on Thursday suspended the operations of British charity Oxfam pending the outcome of its investigation into allegations that its staff sexually exploited Haitians after a devastating 2010 earthquake.

WION Morning News Brief, February 23,2018

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