Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussed opportunities for Australia and the United States to cooperate on critical minerals in a phone call with President Donald Trump on Thursday evening, his office said…The two leaders spoke about opportunities to work together on trade and critical minerals "in the interests of both nations," a statement from Albanese's office said…The United States is Australia's key security ally, while China is its largest trading partner…Albanese said in April that Australia, which has some of the world's largest critical mineral deposits, would set up a strategic reserve as it looks to create a separate supply chain in a market dominated by China.

Chinese and European carmakers are set to face off at next week's Munich car show, reflecting intensifying competition on the continent that has pitted incumbents such as Volkswagen against EV giant BYD and newcomers GAC and Changan…This year's IAA Mobility, the continent's biggest biennial car show, comes as European automakers lose ground in China - the world's biggest market - in what some executives have described as a "Darwinian" price war…At the same time, to escape pressure at home Chinese automakers are expanding into Europe in search of profits, above all electric vehicle maker BYD, whose global sales soared to 4.2 million cars in 2024, up ten-fold from 2019…According to JATO Dynamics, Chinese brands almost doubled their European market share to 4.8% between January and July 2025 year-on-year…McKinsey estimates they could eventually match the share currently held by Japanese and Korean automakers, which stood at 14% and 9%, respectively.

The move is part of a series of measures the government announced Friday to help the sectors most affected by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs…The EV mandate will be paused as the government conducts a 60-day review of the policy, and will be waived for 2026 models…Sources told CBC News that the review will look at the entire mandate and next steps…Former prime minister Justin Trudeau brought in the electric vehicle availability standard, otherwise known as the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. It establishes a series of escalating light-duty vehicle sales targets for auto manufacturers and importers, starting at 20 per cent in 2026 and reaching 100 per cent in 2035…Automakers have been lobbying the Liberal government to scrap the mandate, arguing it will cripple their companies and put thousands of jobs at risk…Global Automakers of Canada president David Adams said the group is "pleased that the federal government has recognized that consumer adoption of electric vehicles is not where either government nor industry had anticipated it would be a few short years ago…"Our members are fully committed to the transition of their product portfolios to electrified transportation and this is the future of our sector, however that transition can only happen as quickly as consumers are willing to move."…Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government is taking a series of measures to increase Canada's 'climate competitiveness' across the economy, and that includes a broad 'restructuring' of the auto sector. He said it's too early to say if tariffs on Chinese EVs would be removed…Canada had its own ZEV rebate, but it was paused in January after running out of funding. That program offered up to $5,000 toward the purchase of a new electric car and up to $2,500 on the purchase of a new plug-in hybrid…Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin has suggested the federal government will bring back a consumer rebate program to help make electric vehicles more affordable.

U.S. immigration authorities on Thursday raided the sprawling site where Hyundai manufactures electric vehicles in southeast Georgia, conducting a search that shut down construction on an adjacent factory being built to produce EV batteries…The operation targeted one of Georgia’s largest and most high-profile manufacturing sites, touted by the governor and other officials as the largest economic development project in the state’s history. Hyundai Motor Group began manufacturing EVs a year ago at the $7.6 billion plant, which employs about 1,200 people…The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that agents executed a search warrant “as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes.” It did not say whether anyone was detained or arrested…President Donald Trump’s administration has undertaken sweeping ICE operations as part of a mass deportation agenda. Immigration officers have raided farms, construction sites, restaurants and auto repair shops…The Pew Research Center, citing preliminary Census Bureau data, says the U.S. labor force lost more than 1.2 million immigrants from January through July. That includes people who are in the country illegally as well as legal residents…In addition to making electric vehicles at the site facing Interstate 16 in Bryan County, Hyundai has also partnered with LG Energy Solution to build the battery plant. It’s slated to open sometime next year.

The Rwandan-backed rebel group M23, Congolese armed forces and other armed groups have committed serious rights violations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, some of which may amount to war crimes, the U.N. Human Rights Office said on Friday…M23 seized Goma, eastern Congo's largest city, in January and went on to make gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-blown war in a region rich in tin, gold and coltan…The report found the ethnic Tutsi-led M23 carried out summary executions, torture, and enforced disappearances - which may amount to crimes against humanity, as well as war crimes including wilful killing and the taking of hostages…The group also used systematic sexual violence, including gang rape, largely against women with an intent to "degrade, punish, and break the dignity of victims," the report stated…M23 received training and operational support from the Rwandan Defense Forces, and there were credible allegations of the covert presence of RDF personnel within M23, the report said.