Pakistan's Geo TV reported on Wednesday that at least 14 babies died in a fire that broke out inside a nursery at a hospital in the capital.
Rescue and local police sources said the fire broke out this morning in the infant incubator (nursery) of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital in the capital, Islamabad. They indicated that initial investigations suggest the cause was the explosion of a compressor in an air conditioning unit inside the department, which led to the sudden outbreak of the fire.
The incident resulted in the death of at least 14 newborn babies who were receiving care inside the incubator, while fire and rescue teams continue their operations to fully control the situation inside the hospital.
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Trump announces an end to $60 billion in annual losses with Canada and accuses it of stealing from America
In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump accused Canada of "robbing" the United States for years, noting that Canada had imposed exorbitant tariffs on American agricultural products.
Trump said that this resulted in an average annual trade deficit of $60 billion in favor of Canada over the past decade.
Trump wrote: "Canada wants to enjoy the benefits of being an American state without being one. They have charged our farmers exorbitant tariffs for many years, and this will not continue!"
Trump had threatened to escalate the trade war with Canada, announcing new tariffs of 50% on all cars, trucks, auto parts and steel imported from Canada starting in early 2027. This escalation came just days after trade talks between the two countries collapsed, in a scene reflecting an unprecedented crisis of confidence between the two traditional allies.
It is noted that the actual trade balance between the two countries is estimated at about $48 billion, which most economists consider to be an indicator of little economic importance, as Trump went further by saying: “We don’t need Canada, they need us! 95% of their business is with us, while the reverse is not true.”
This escalation came after the collapse of the latest round of trade negotiations, which had reached an advanced stage. Last Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the suspension of negotiations and the recall of Canadian negotiators from Washington, accusing the American side of making "unfair and uneconomical" demands at the last minute.
For his part, US Trade Representative Jamison Greer accused Canada of disrupting the agreement at the last minute, noting that Washington had made significant concessions, including halving tariffs on steel and aluminum, but the Canadian side had asked for more, particularly regarding the heavy truck category, which he described as a sector that is economically different from other vehicles.
