cancels

June 28 (UPI) — President Donald Trump cited potential Canadian taxes on U.S. tech companies as his reason for ending trade talks with Canada on Friday.

The tech taxes on Amazon, Google, Meta and other U.S. tech firms are due on Monday, and Trump said it is a deal-breaker.

“We have just been informed that Canada … has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American technology companies,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday.

He called the tax a “direct and blatant attack on our country” and accused Canada of “copying the European Union, which has done the same thing.”

“We are hereby terminating all discussions on trade with Canada, effective immediately,” Trump said.

His administration in the coming week will notify Canadian officials of the tariff that it will have to pay to do business in the United States, Trump added.

Trump last week attended the G7 economic trade summit hosted by Canada and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and sought common ground on trade talks, The Washington Post reported.

Officials at U.S. tech firms oppose the Canadian tax, the amount of which is based on the revenues generated by Canadians’ use of e-commerce sites, social media and the sales of data.

All tech companies that generate more than $14.59 million from such services would be subject to the new 3% Digital Services Tax.

The tax is retroactive to 2022 and could cost U.S.-based tech firms up to $3 billion, NBC News reported.

Upon learning of Trump halting trade talks, Canadian officials on Friday limited U.S. steel imports and placed a 50% surcharge on steel imports that surpass the quota.

Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said the surcharge will help to protect Canadian steel against what he called “unjust U.S. tariffs.”

He said the Canadian government is prepared to take additional actions, if necessary.

Boeing and GE Aerospace are scaling back their public activities following the fatal crash of an Air India jetliner, with the planemaker’s CEO cancelling his trip to the Paris Airshow next week and GE postponing an investor day.

More than 240 people were killed when an Air India Boeing 787 jet bound for London crashed moments after taking off from the city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, in the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a message to staff on Thursday evening that he and Boeing Commercial Airplanes boss Stephanie Pope had cancelled plans to attend the Paris Airshow “so we can be with our team and focus on our customer and the investigation.”

The airshow, which runs from June 16 to June 20 at Le Bourget, is the global aviation industry’s largest trade show, where typically many aircraft orders are placed by airlines.

Ortberg had been due to attend for the first time as Boeing CEO since being appointed to lead the company out of a series of back-to-back safety, industrial and corporate crises.

Aircraft engine maker GE Aerospace, whose engines were in the Boeing 787 plane, had planned an investor day on June 17, coinciding with the show.

GE said the briefing had been cancelled and it would put a team together to go to India and analyse data from the crashed aeroplane.

“GE Aerospace’s senior leadership is focused on supporting our customers and the investigation,” the company said. It said it planned to give a financial update later this month.

Safety experts stressed it was too early to speculate why one of the world’s most modern airliners should crash shortly after takeoff. Accidents in that phase of flight are rare, said Paul Hayes, safety director at UK consultancy Cirium Ascend.

The Indian investigation of the crash is currently focusing on the engine, flaps and landing gear, Reuters reported on Friday, citing an unnamed source, as the country’s regulator ordered safety checks on Air India’s entire Boeing-787 fleet.

Under global aviation rules, India will lead the probe with support from NTSB investigators in the United States, who will, in turn, liaise with Boeing and GE on technical matters.

The reduced attendance plans came as delegates said the crash had cast a sombre mood over the airshow, putting in doubt several order announcements and putting safety back in the spotlight alongside concerns about US tariffs.

The world’s largest aviation trade expo, running from June 16 to 20 in Le Bourget, usually gives aircraft and arms manufacturers a key stage to showcase deals and sets the tone for a global supply chain already under pressure from shortages.

Boeing shares were down Friday, falling 3.8 percent, while GE Aerospace was down 2.4 percent.

Fewer deals

Boeing has cancelled some events and is unlikely to make any commercial order announcements at the show, though it will press ahead with low-key briefings on other topics, delegates said.

One key expected announcement had been a potential order for dozens of Boeing jets, including the 787 from Royal Air Maroc. But the airline plans no announcement at the show, and this will also affect Airbus, which had been expected to sell it some 20 A220s, industry sources said.

None of the companies had any comment on specific deals.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury on Friday expressed condolences over the accident, and the world’s largest planemaker was expected to observe a muted tone surrounding what had been expected to be a busy week for orders to meet high demand.

One delegate said business would continue but with fewer of the high-profile news conferences and in-person announcements associated with the industry’s biggest commercial showcase.

Another said some order announcements could be delayed until later in the year as a mark of respect for victims.

“The show will be a lot more sombre, less celebratory,” said a delegate involved in planning one such announcement, speaking anonymously because the plans have not been publicly revealed.

“The show will go ahead as planned, but it will be more subdued and with less cheerleading,” the delegate said.

Families were unable to fly home to the UK from their half term holidays in Majorca with easyJet and other airlines after restrictions were imposed due to poor weather in Europe

British holidaymakers were stranded in Spain after a major storm caused air traffic restrictions.

The airline was hit by a string of cancellations on Sunday and Monday, with multiple easyJet flights cancelled from Palma Airport in Majorca to UK airports including Birmingham and London Gatwick.

Countless British families have found themselves stranded in Majorca, unable to return from their half-term breaks as easyJet and other carriers grapple with imposed restrictions following dismal weather across Europe, which were cited as “outside [of the airline’s] control”.

Shortly after the groundings Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s CEO, warned of the potential of record flight delays over summer 2025 due to what he branded as “shoddy ATC services”. The airline chief has a long record of criticising ATCs across Europe.

The full extent of the chaos is not yet clear. More than 120 flights were delayed and around ten cancelled on Sunday, with a further seven on Monday. Palma Airport seems to be operating normally today.

Here is our guide on what you should do if you’re impacted by a delayed or cancelled flight while on holiday.

Were you impacted by the flight issues? Email [email protected]

Your airline has a duty of care

If your flight is delayed and you’re stuck at the airport, or it’s been cancelled and you’ve opted to be re-routed at the earliest opportunity but you’re stuck at the airport or abroad, your airline has a legal ‘duty of care’. Whatever the reason for the delay or cancellation. That means it must provide you with a number of things that include:

• Regular updates on what’s going on.
• Food and drink, or vouchers to buy them.
• Accommodation (if needed).
• A ‘means of communication’

You are owed a refund

The good news is that if your flight has been cancelled, for whatever reason and for however long before take-off, you have the legal right to choose between the following:

• A refund for the flight that was cancelled.
• OR an alternative flight (airlines call this re-routing) to your destination.

Your compensation rights

Under EU and now UK law, if your flight’s delayed for more than three hours, and it is the airline’s fault, there is a good chance you will be entitled to between £210 and £520 in compensation. The same rule applies to some cancelled flights too.

However, in this case, the weather seems to be at fault – or easyJet is claiming it is at least. Given such things are out of the airline’s control, easyJet is not on required to pay compensation to customers.

Situations when you could claim compensation include:

• The pilot was sick and not replaced.
• The crew or pilot was late.
• The flight was cancelled because of under-booking.
• The airline staff were on strike.
• Technical problems caused by something routine, such as a component failure or general wear and tear.

Your rights if you’re on a package holiday

If your flight is cancelled or delayed and you’ve booked a package holiday, you have the same rights as those who booked the trip themselves. It is well worth contacting your package holiday provider however, as they may be able to offer extra assistance. Also, read the terms and conditions of your trip – there may be additional protection slipped in there.

Travel insurance

The refund and compensation rules apply to all passengers who fly or were due to fly on a UK or EU-regulated flight. That doesn’t preclude you from getting extra coverage through an insurance policy, some of which pay out in the event of delays or cancellations. Make sure to check the terms of your policy.

What have easyJet said?

An easyJet spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, due to the impact of widespread thunderstorms across Northern Europe yesterday, some flights were unable to operate as planned. We did all we could to minimise the impact of the weather disruption on our customers, providing options to rebook or a refund their flights as well as providing hotel accommodation and meals for these who required them. The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and while this was outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused.”

Grupo Firme was unable to show up for its previously planned June 1 set at Napa’s La Onda festival.

The Tijuana band announced the cancellation Friday afternoon on social media.

“Currently, the visas of Grupo Firme and the Music VIP [Entertainment] team are in an administrative process by the U.S. Embassy, a situation that makes it impossible for Grupo Firme’s performance at La Onda Fest to go on as planned,” the band wrote in a statement posted on its Instagram stories. “We are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your understanding and, above all else, the love from our U.S. fans.”

Grupo Firme is the latest international musical act facing visa issues since President Trump took office for his second presidential term. Many of these have been música Mexicana artists.

The group’s news came only a week after Mexican singer Julión Álvarez postponed his May 24 show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after he claimed his work visa had been revoked.

The 42-year-old musician alleged in a May 23 Instagram video that he had received the news of his work visa revocation that day, leaving him and his band unable to travel to Texas for their planned performance. He also claimed he didn’t have a full sense of clarity regarding the ongoing status of his visa and was limited in what he could dispel about the situation.

Also in May, Chicago’s Michelada Fest, a Spanish-language music festival that had programmed several Latin American acts was canceled due to concerns over artists’ visas.

“Due to the uncertainty surrounding artist visas and the rapidly changing political climate, we’re no longer able to guarantee the full experience we had dreamed up for you with all your favorite artists,” the festival’s organizers explained in a statement. “Although we tried to push through, it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to deliver the full lineup as planned.”

The organizers would go on to write that, as an independent outfit, Michelada Fest “can’t afford to take on a big risk with so much uncertainty ahead.”

Grupo Firme, Anitta, Danny Ocean, Tokischa and Luis R. Conriquez were scheduled to perform at the July festival.

In early April, the U.S. State Department canceled the work and tourist visas of the members of the Mexican corrido band Los Alegres del Barranco after the group displayed photos of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes at its concert in Guadalajara, Mexico.

During their March 29 show at the University of Guadalajara, the band put an illustrated depiction of Cervantes — a key player in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG — on a mega-screen while playing their song “El Dueño del Palenque.” Videos of the incident were captured on social media.

“I’m pleased to announce that the State Department has revoked the band members’ work and tourism visas. In the Trump Administration, we take seriously our responsibility over foreigners’ access to our country,” said Christopher Landau, the U.S. deputy Secretary of State in April. “The last thing we need is a welcome mat for people who extol criminals and terrorists.”

Outside of the world of Latino artists, British singer FKA twigs announced in April on Instagram that she had to cancel series of concerts for the month in North America — including a slot at Coachella 2025 — due to “ongoing visa issues.”

Billy Joel has canceled all upcoming concerts, revealing he has been diagnosed with a brain disorder that causes physical and mental issues.

Joel, 76, has normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH, according to a statement posted Friday on the piano man’s social media. “This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance,” the statement said.

“Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.”

Symptoms of NPH — in which cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles of the brain but pressure doesn’t increase — include difficulty walking, according to the Alzheimer’s Assn. Sufferers walk with a wide stance and their bodies leaning forward, as if they were trying to maintain balance on a boat.

The association’s website says that another symptom is cognitive decline, including slowed thinking, loss of interest in daily activities, forgetfulness, short-term memory loss and difficulty completing ordinary tasks. Later in the disease, bladder control can become an issue.

NPH is one of the few causes of dementia or cognitive decline that can be controlled or reversed with treatment, the association’s website says. Surgical treatment usually involves placement of a shunt. The condition is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

Danny Bonaduce of “The Partridge Family,” radio and wrestling fame was diagnosed with NPH in 2023. The 65-year-old said in a 2024 interview that he initially thought he’d had a stroke, while doctors thought it was early-onset dementia or Alzheimer’s. It took “the better part of a year” for him to get a correct diagnosis, he said.

Bonaduce’s memory loss appears to have been serious: He showed the interviewer a photo of himself in a wheelchair checking out the house where he and his wife now live. He said he has no memory of visiting the place multiple times before moving there.

Billy Joel’s message Friday follows his mid-March announcement that he would postpone his upcoming tour to manage his health after surgery for an unspecified condition. At the time, the singer expected a full recovery after physical therapy.

Now, the statement said, Joel is “thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health” and “looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.”

“I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,” Joel said in Friday’s statement.

In late February, the “Just the Way You Are” singer fell after performing “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” in Connecticut. He quickly recovered; it’s unclear whether that incident was a symptom of the disease or simply coincidental.

Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.

Texas psych-Americana band Lord Buffalo has canceled its upcoming European tour after it claims that drummer Yamal Said was taken off a plane by border patrol agents on Monday.

“We are heartbroken to announce we have to cancel our upcoming European tour. Our drummer, who is a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States (green card holder) was forcibly removed from our flight to Europe by Customs and Border Patrol at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday May 12,” the band said in a Wednesday social media post.

According to the group, Said has not been released from custody.

“We are currently working with an immigration lawyer to find out more information and to attempt to secure his release,” the band continued in its post. “We are devastated to cancel this tour, but we are focusing all of our energy and resources on Yamal’s safety and freedom. We are hopeful that this is a temporary setback and that it could be safe for us to reschedule this tour in the future.”

Lord Buffalo later updated the message to announce that Said has secured legal representation.

According to a CBP spokesperson, Said was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection while aboard a May 12 flight heading outside of the U.S. due to allegedly having an active arrest warrant. He was subsequently turned over to local law enforcement.

The Times has reached out to Lord Buffalo for comment.

The Texas band is not the first musical act to claim they have needed to postpone or cancel shows due to immigration issues in recent months.

In April, British singer FKA twigs announced in an Instagram post that she had to cancel series of concerts for the month in North America — including a slot at Coachella 2025 — due to “ongoing visa issues.”

Earlier this month, Chicago’s Michelada Fest, a Spanish-language music festival that had acts scheduled from across the globe, was canceled due to concerns over artists’ visas.

“Due to the uncertainty surrounding artist visas and the rapidly changing political climate, we’re no longer able to guarantee the full experience we had dreamed up for you with all your favorite artists,” the festival’s organizers explained in a statement. “Although we tried to push through, it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to deliver the full lineup as planned.”

The organizers would go on to write that, as an independent outfit, Michelada Fest “can’t afford to take on a big risk with so much uncertainty ahead.”

Grupo Firme, Anitta, Danny Ocean, Tokischa and Luis R. Conriquez were scheduled to perform at the July festival.

Alice in Chains announced on Monday that they will cancel their forthcoming tour as well as any festival appearances. The decision came after a previous show was called off on May 8 because drummer Sean Kinney experienced medical complications.

“After our soundcheck this evening at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Sean experienced a non-life-threatening medical emergency,” the group wrote on X. “We unfortunately have to cancel tonight’s show. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.”

Just two days later, the band confirmed on Instagram that they were canceling all upcoming appearances.

“After careful consideration and following the advice of medical professionals, we have made the decision to cancel our upcoming festival performance and the Alice in Chains headline shows,” they wrote.

“While we were all eager to return to the stage, Sean’s health is our top priority at this moment. Although the issue requires immediate attention, his long-term prognosis is positive.”

Kinney is one of the group’s last remaining founding members, alongside lead vocalist Jerry Cantrell. Layne Stanley and Mike Starr passed away in 2002 and 2011, respectively, and were later replaced by current members William Duvall and Mike Inez.

The “Would?” and “Man in the Box” band was slated to perform four shows across the United States before going across the Atlantic for two appearances in Birmingham, U.K. The latter would see them on July 5 as openers in Ozzy Osbourne’s final show and Black Sabbath reunion “Back to the Beginning.”

“We sincerely appreciate your understanding and support at this time,” the band added.

Fans were quick to support the group in their decision. “When a brother and fellow band mate is sick and in need of medical care,” one fan insisted, “the opening line of the statement should’ve been, ‘Without hesitation and with full interest in the well-being of our brother and fellow band mate…’”

Others offered their prayers and shared “get well soon” messages in the comment section on the band’s post.

No further details were shared as to the condition of Kinney and what led to the “medical emergency.”