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President Trump said he is canceling trade negotiations with Canada over an ad that features former U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1987 warning about the dangers of tariffs. His announcement on social media complicates Prime Minister Mark Carney鈥檚 push to lower Mr. Trump鈥檚 levies on Canadian goods, including 50% on steel and 25% on auto parts. Mr. Trump called the TV ad, paid for by the province of Ontario, 鈥渇ake鈥� and 鈥渆gregious.鈥�

Russia responded to the fresh wave of U.S. and European Union sanctions with a diplomatic shrug. A government spokesperson said the measures from Washington targeting major Russian oil companies would be 鈥渃ounterproductive鈥� for U.S.-Russia dialogue 鈥� and would have little impact because the country has already developed a 鈥渟trong immunity鈥� to such restrictions. She said the EU鈥檚 19th package of sanctions would similarly fail as a futile attempt to curb Russia鈥檚 war effort.

Argentina goes to the polls Sunday in legislative elections seen as make-or-break for President Javier Milei鈥檚 libertarian revolution. The iconoclastic economist took office two years ago promising to take a chainsaw to a bloated welfare system and runaway inflation, but even he admits he鈥檚 only been partially successful and needs a friendlier Congress to finish the job. The campaign has been marked by President Trump鈥檚 $40 billion rescue plan for the teetering currency 鈥� and his vow to withdraw support if Mr. Milei loses.

Harvard鈥檚 new class of freshmen has fewer Black and Hispanic students for the second year since the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in college admissions. Black students make up less than 12% of the new class, down from 18% before the ruling, according to demographic data released yesterday. Hispanic enrollment fell to 11% from 16%, while Asian American students rose to 41%. Admissions practices and diversity initiatives have faced heightened scrutiny under the Trump administration.

The Department of Defense must 鈥渋mmediately鈥� return some 600 books to the shelves of elementary and high school libraries on U.S. military bases, a federal judge ruled this week. Their removal followed a Trump administration executive order prohibiting material that promotes 鈥渄iscriminatory equity ideology.鈥� A motion filed by U.S. military parents with the American Civil Liberties Union in April said the decision violated the First Amendment and made students 鈥渇ear being silenced by teachers.鈥�

Two new state parks opened in Tennessee this week. Fiery Gizzard State Park offers 20 miles of hiking trails, and Head of the Crow State Park protects 4,200 acres of public land renowned for its biodiversity. Republican Gov. Bill Lee is set to add a record 14 new state parks before the end of his term in January 2027. 鈥淲hen you serve in this role, you think about what you hope lasts,鈥� he told Axios this year. 鈥淲e do have a duty to generations that will come.鈥�

A high school volleyball team near Dallas found out their custodian sometimes stayed at school until 1 a.m. waiting for a ride home. So, they started a fundraiser. Last week, the team called Abel Rodriguez outside for an 鈥渆mergency鈥� 鈥� and surprised him with a new car. Teary-eyed, Mr. Rodriguez told reporters he planned to use the SUV to visit his family in Mexico. 鈥淚 love you forever, guys,鈥� he told the team. 鈥淗e鈥檚 our biggest cheerleader,鈥� one player said.

鈥� From our staff writers around the world

U.S. sanctions on Russia鈥檚 largest oil companies place new pressure on President Vladimir Putin. But, evidenced by President Donald Trump鈥檚 frequently shifting positions, it鈥檚 still unclear where he will land on how to end the war in Ukraine.

Virginia is one of two states holding a competitive race for governor this fall 鈥� a closely watched test of whether Democrats can find their footing after last year鈥檚 election losses.

Historically, representatives who win special elections are often sworn in within days of victory. Now a prominent delay is stirring controversy 鈥撀燼nd lawsuits.

On the streets and at the ballot box, young people across Africa are demanding political change with increasing urgency. But in Ivory Coast, a presidential election with a foregone conclusion has left many Gen Zers cynical.

Director Richard Linklater offers a poignant portrait of legendary lyricist Larry Hart in his new film 鈥淏lue Moon.鈥�

October means fall is in full swing. This month, our reviewers enjoyed everything from a Jane Austen-inspired historical romance extravaganza (on the novel side) to a memoir by wunderkind music journalist and filmmaker Cameron Crowe (on the nonfiction side).

Wars often do not end on the battlefield but from a desire for peace in the hearts and minds of a people. In Russia, nearly four years into a faltering invasion of Ukraine, the people might soon determine how that war ends.

Only 27% of Russians support the war, down 13 percentage points from a year earlier, according to an August poll by the Levada Center, Russia鈥檚 only independent pollster. Meanwhile, the number of people saying the war had personally 鈥渁ffected them a lot鈥� keeps rising. Gasoline prices, for example, are up nearly 10% this year, a result in part from recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Up to 30% of Russians have had a relative, friend, or acquaintance killed in the war.

鈥淧eople want to breathe freely, and not have to fear another military mobilization,鈥� Denis Volkov, director of the Levada Center, told the Monitor鈥檚 Fred Weir.

For now, Russian President Vladimir Putin appears firmly in power to continue the conflict. Yet, on Wednesday, the United States took a critical step that could undercut Mr. Putin鈥檚 popularity by bringing the war closer to home. For the first time in his second term as president, Donald Trump put sanctions on Russia鈥檚 two largest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, which account for almost half of the country鈥檚 crude oil exports. Rosneft is the world鈥檚 second-biggest petroleum producer.

The sanctions are a direct hit on the Kremlin鈥檚 budget for the war. Mr. Trump also threatened financial penalties for both countries and businesses in places like China and India that now buy much of Russia鈥檚 oil. The U.S. move came as Britain and the European Union also imposed greater sanctions on Russia鈥檚 petroleum industry in recent days, including on ships that bypassed previous oil sanctions.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an important sign of strength that we are aligned here,鈥� said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, 鈥淲e waited for this. God bless, it will work.鈥�

Whether the tougher sanctions drive Mr. Putin to make concessions at the negotiating table and end the war remains to be seen. But if more Russians experience higher prices and long lines at gas stations, and global demand for the country鈥檚 oil shrinks, a desire for peace among Russians might finally end what has become the most critical war of the 21st century.