Bridges to burn

Canada, Iran, the Caucasus, Russia, Central Asia, Israel, and Palestine.

Burning the Don Bridge, York, 1813, Edward Shrapnel from a sketch by Isaac Bellamy, in Thomas Conant’s Life in Canada, 1903, William Briggs, Toronto.

Hello,

Here are the five things you need to know today:

• CANADA. Trump and Carney both aim for a Gordie Howe hat-trick.

• IRAN. Khamenei plays Art of the Deal for two.

• THE CAUCASUS. Washington stress-tests its peace architecture.

• RUSSIA. CENTRAL ASIA. Brussels tests how far sanctions can travel.

• ISRAEL. PALESTINE. If not taking the West Bank, Netanyahu could slow Gaza.

CANADA. What the puck?

Trump and Carney both aim for a Gordie Howe hat-trick.

Donald Trump said he wouldn’t let a new Windsor-Detroit bridge open until the US “is fully compensated for everything.” Mark Carney and Doug Ford discussed holding an early federal election to secure a majority, the Globe and Mail reported.

INTELLIGENCE. The Gordie Howe Bridge was approved by Trump in 2019 and is being financed by Canada. The issue, which Trump linked in a meandering post to dairy tariffs and China banning the Stanley Cup, seems less an attempt to shut a new bridge than create leverage ahead of a potential Supreme Court tariff ruling on 20 February. His latest threats, on “all goods” after Carney’s China visit, and then Bombardier jets, have otherwise gone nowhere.

FOR BUSINESS. In honour of the late hockey star, Carney may be attempting a “Howe hat-trick” himself, seeking a legislative majority after his 2025 victories to secure the Liberal leadership and then the federal election. Reports he is doing so in cahoots with Doug Ford, a Conservative, will enrage the recently reappointed opposition leader, Pierre Polievre, but with elbows up on Trump (and amid the Winter Olympics), the prime minister will likely get away with it.

IRAN. Dilutions of grandeur

Khamenei plays Art of the Deal for two.

Tehran could “dilute” its enriched uranium if US sanctions were lifted, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation said Monday. Oil prices eased again after rising on a warning for US ships to stay as far as possible from Iranian waters.

INTELLIGENCE. While his government offers carrots, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei