Highlights

President Donald Trump angrily denounced an impeachment inquiry into his July telephone call with Ukraine’s leader as Democratic lawmakers said they would subpoena White House records about the call. At a joint news conference with Finland’s president, Trump lashed out at Reuters reporter Jeff Mason, who asked what he had wanted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to do when Trump brought up the business ties to Ukraine of Hunter Biden, son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The United States said it would slap 10% tariffs on European-made Airbus planes and 25% duties on French wine, Scotch and Irish whiskies, and cheese from across the continent as punishment for illegal EU aircraft subsidies. The announcement came after the World Trade Organization gave Washington a green light to impose tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of EU goods annually in the long-running case, a move that threatens to ignite a tit-for-tat transatlantic trade war.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s last ditch Brexit proposal “can’t fly” because it is an unworkable move backwards that leaves Britain and the European Union far apart, a senior European Union official said on Thursday. Just 28 days before the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, both sides are positioning themselves for either a delay or a disorderly no-deal Brexit.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, trying to revive his electoral fortunes after the emergence of embarrassing photographs, used the first televised campaign debate on Wednesday to launch repeated attacks on his main rival. Polls suggest Trudeau’s left-leaning Liberals could lose power to the opposition Conservatives of Andrew Scheer on Oct. 21 amid voter unhappiness with images of Trudeau in blackface, as well as other scandals.

Hong Kong

The lawyer for an 18-year-old Hong Kong student protester shot in the chest by police was due to appear in court on his behalf on Thursday, after the teenager was charged over his role in violent demonstrations. Tony Tsang, who was shot at close range as he fought an officer with a metal pipe on Tuesday, was charged with rioting, which carries a maximum 10-year sentence, and assaulting a police officer.

China watchdog has Cathay staff 'walking on eggshells' Cathay Pacific is feeling the wrath of China’s aviation regulator after some staff members took part in or expressed support for anti-government protests. The regulator has rejected some entire crew lists without explanation, forcing Cathay to pull pilots and flight attendants off standby while it investigates social media accounts in an effort to determine which crew member has been deemed a security threat.

Investors keep their faith in Hong Kong markets despite protests As anti-government protesters fought pitched battles with police in Hong Kong streets last week, a group of bankers in another part of the city were busy taking in billions for the public float of the Asia unit of the world’s largest brewer. After a freeze during months of sometimes violent protests, Asia’s top financial hub looks to be back in business.