Dozens of countries with no deals face higher tariffs as trade deadline loomsNew Foto - Dozens of countries with no deals face higher tariffs as trade deadline looms

WASHINGTON (AP) — Numerous countries around the world are facing the prospect of much higher duties on their exports to the United States on Aug. 7, a potential blow to the global economy, because they haven't yet reached a trade deal with theTrumpadministration. President Donald Trump had threatened to impose the newtariffson Aug. 1 but delayed the deadline by a week just hours before they were supposed to take effect. Some of the United States' biggest trading partnershave reached agreements, or at least the outlines of one, including theEuropean Union, theUnited Kingdom, andJapan. Even so, those countries face much higher tariffs than were in effect before Trump took office. And other large trading partners — most notablyChinaandMexico— received an extension to keep negotiating, but they will likely end up paying more. Trump intends the duties to bring backmanufacturingto the United States, while also forcing other countries to reduce their trade barriers to U.S. exports. Trump argues that foreign exporters will pay the cost of the tariffs, but so far economists have found that most are being paid by U.S. companies. And measures of U.S. inflation havestarted to tick higheras prices of imported goods, such as furniture, appliances, and toys rise. Countries without an agreement face duties ranging between 10% and 40%, according to Trump's executive order signed on Thursday. That includes large economies such as Canada, Taiwan, and India, as well as many smaller countries like South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and eventiny Lesotho. Will the deadline hold this time? Trump's originalApril 2 "Liberation Day"announcement threatened to impose import taxes of up to 50% on nearly 60 countries and economies, including the 27-nation European Union. Those duties, originally scheduled for April 9, were then postponed twice, first to July 9 and then Aug. 1. On Wednesday, Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social, "THE AUGUST FIRST DEADLINE IS THE AUGUST FIRST DEADLINE — IT STANDS STRONG, AND WILL NOT BE EXTENDED." As of Thursday afternoon, White House representatives — and Trump himself — had insisted that no more delays were possible. But when Trumpsigned the orderThursday night imposing new tariffs on 68 countries and the European Union, the start date of the punishing import taxes waspushed back seven daysso that the tariff schedule could be updated. The change — while potentially welcome news to countries that had not yet reached a deal with the U.S. — injected a new dose of uncertainty for consumers and businesses still wondering what's going to happen and when. Which countries have a trade agreement? In a flurry of last minute deal-making, the Trump has been announcing agreements as late as Thursday, but they are largely short on details. On Thursday, the U.S. and Pakistanreached a trade agreementexpected to allow Washington to help develop Pakistan's largely untappedoil reservesand lower tariffs for the South Asian country. And on Wednesday, Trump announced a deal with South Korea that would impose 15% tariffs on goods from that country. That is below the 25% duties that Trump threatened in April. Agreements have also been reached with the European Union,Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam,the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. The agreement with the Philippines barely reduced the tariff it will pay, from 20% to 19%. And which countries don't? Of the 68 countries, along with the EU, that appear in Trump's executive order, the majority do not have deals. That includes Algeria, now facing a tariff of 30%; Iraq at 35%; Syria at 41%, Switzerland at 39% and Taiwan at 20%. Trump had already slapped large duties on Brazil and India even before the August deadline was reached. In the case of Brazil, Trump signed an executive order late Wednesday imposing a 50% duty on imports, though he exempted several large categories, including aircraft, aluminum, and energy products. Trump isangry at Brazil's governmentbecause it is prosecuting its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, for attempting to overturn his election loss in 2022. Trump was indicted on a similar charge in 2023. While Trump has sought to justify the widespread tariffs as an effort to combat the United States' chronic trade deficits, the U.S. actually has a trade surplus with Brazil — meaning it sells more goods and services to Brazil than it buys from that country. Late Wednesday, Trump said that India wouldpay a 25% dutyon all its exports, in part because it has continued to purchase oil from Russia. On Thursday, the White House said it had extended the deadline to reach a deal with Mexico for another 90 days, citing the complexity of the trade relationship, which is governed by the trade agreement Trump reached when he updated NAFTA in his first term. For smaller countries caught in Trump's cross hairs, the Aug. 1 deadline is particularly difficult because the White House has acknowledged they aren't able to negotiate with every country facing tariff threats.Lesotho,for example, a small country in southern Africa, was hit with a 50% duty on April 2, and even though it was postponed, the threat has already devastated its apparel industry, costing thousands of jobs. On Thursday, the country faced a 15% tariff. "There's 200 countries,'' the president acknowledgedearlier this month. "You can't talk to all of them.'' ___ AP Writers Josh Boak and Wyatte Grantham-Philipps contributed to this report.

Dozens of countries with no deals face higher tariffs as trade deadline looms

Dozens of countries with no deals face higher tariffs as trade deadline looms WASHINGTON (AP) — Numerous countries around the world are faci...
Trump officials headed to Gaza to inspect food distribution centers amid hunger crisisNew Foto - Trump officials headed to Gaza to inspect food distribution centers amid hunger crisis

WASHINGTON ―President Donald Trumpis sending two top White House officials to Gaza on Aug. 1 to inspect food distribution centers and meet with Gazans amid intensifying global scrutiny over thehunger crisis in the territory. Steven Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, and U.S. Ambassador to IsraelMike Huckabeewill "secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation" during the rare trip, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on July 31. Following their visit, Witkoff and Huckabee are expected to meet with Trump to approve the administration's final plan for food and aid distribution in the region amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. More:'Every ounce of food': Trump presses Israel on starvation in Gaza; 'children look very hungry' Witkoff and Huckabee spoke to Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahuon the morning of July 31 about delivering food and aid to the area, Leavitt said. "It's terrible what's occurring there. It's a terrible thing. People are very hungry," Trump told reporters. "You know, the United States gave $60 million for food and it's a shame, because I don't see the results of it. And we gave it to people that in theory are watching over it fairly closely. We wanted Israel to watch over it." More:One meal a day. $20 for an egg. Choosing which kid gets fed. Starvation stalks Gaza More:Gaza death toll hits 60,000 as global monitor demands action to avert famine An alert issued this week by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification raised the prospect of a famine unfolding in Gaza. The United Nations' World Food Programme said a third of Gaza's population does not eat for several days at a time and that one in four Gazans are "enduring famine-like conditions." The Hamas-run health ministry, the chief source of health data in Gaza, said more than 100 people have died from malnutrition in recent days. Trump broke with Netanyahu earlier this weekby saying he disagrees with the Israeli prime minister's claim that no starvation is taking place among the people of Gaza, and he urged Israel to let more food into the enclave. Asimages of emaciated children in Gazahave alarmed the world, Netanyahu denied Israel is conducting a starvation campaign, calling such accusations a "bold-faced lie" and even rejecting that starvation is occurring. Trump also said July 31 that Witkoff will later travel to Russia ahead of a new 10-day deadline the president set for the country to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine or face U.S. tariffs and other penalties. "Going to Israel, and then he's going to Russia, believe it or not," Trump said. Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump sends Witkoff, Huckabee to Gaza amid hunger crisis

Trump officials headed to Gaza to inspect food distribution centers amid hunger crisis

Trump officials headed to Gaza to inspect food distribution centers amid hunger crisis WASHINGTON ―President Donald Trumpis sending two top ...
Jeremy Strong eyed to play Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network sequelNew Foto - Jeremy Strong eyed to play Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network sequel

Jeremy Strong is reportedly the leading choice to play Mark Zuckerberg in the upcoming sequel to The Social Network. According toDeadlineandVariety, sources claim that though no formal offer has been made, the Succession actor is the preferred pick to play the Meta CEO and Facebook founder in The Social Network Part II, alongside The Bear's Jeremy Allen White and Anora's Mikey Madison in unspecified roles. Related:Aaron Sorkin's The Social Network sequel officially in development Aaron Sorkin, who won a best adapted screenplay Oscar for the first film, will write and direct the new entry after years of tinkering with a new angle to the story of Facebook. David Fincher directed the 2010 film, which starred Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg alongside Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer and Rashida Jones. The Social Network Part II,confirmedto be in development this June, will reportedly not be a straightforward sequel to the story of Facebook's founding in a Harvard dorm room, but rather a follow-up focusing on recent controversy surrounding the social media behemoth. The new screenplay will be based on reporting by Jeff Horowitz for the Wall Street Journal in a series called The Facebook Files, which explored the inner workings and harm caused by the company. The 2021 investigation exposed how internal findings had been buried, as well as Facebook's influence on the January 6 riot and the mental health of teenage users. Deadline reports that White would ideally play Horowitz, with Madison – fresh off her best actress Oscar win this March – playing the whistleblower at the heart of the articles. Sorkin had previously teased more overt political leanings for the new script. "I blame Facebook for January 6," he said in 2024 on a special edition ofThe Town podcast, live from Washington DC. When asked to explain why, he responded: "You're gonna need to buy a movie ticket. "Facebook has been, among other things, tuning its algorithm to promote the most divisive material possible," Sorkin said. He added: "There is supposed to be a constant tension atFacebookbetween growth and integrity – there isn't." The Social Network, based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, made $224m worldwide in 2010 and won three Oscars – best adapted screenplay, original score and editing. Eisenberg, who was nominated for his starring role, is yet to be attached to the new project. In a recentpodcast interview, Zuckerberg was critical of the film, which portrayed him as calculating and ruthless. "It was weird, man," he said. "They got all these very specific details of what I was wearing, or these specific things correct, but then the whole narrative arc around my motivations and all this stuff were, like, completely wrong." Strong received an Emmy for his portrayal of Succession's Kendall Roy on the acclaimed HBO series, among many other accolades. He was nominated for an Oscar this year for playing the fearsome attorney and Donald Trump mentor Roy Cohn in The Apprentice, Ali Abbasi's film tracing the young Trump's rise in 1980s New York. He will next appear on screen alongside White in the Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me from Nowhere, playing the record producer and Springsteen collaborator Jon Landau.

Jeremy Strong eyed to play Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network sequel

Jeremy Strong eyed to play Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network sequel Jeremy Strong is reportedly the leading choice to play Mark Zuckerbe...
'Maybe Happy Ending' Star Helen J. Shen Responds to Andrew Barth Feldman Casting ControversyNew Foto - 'Maybe Happy Ending' Star Helen J. Shen Responds to Andrew Barth Feldman Casting Controversy

Helen J. Shen, the star of Broadway's "Maybe Happy Ending," is defending the show's recent decision to recast the lead male role with a white actor. Producers announced last week that Andrew Barth Feldman, a white actor, would replace Darren Criss, who is of Filipino descent, as the helperbot known as Oliver. Critics of the casting choice have argued that Oliver should continue to be portrayed by a member of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community given the musical's Seoul setting. More from Variety Tony Awards 2025 Preview: Broadway's Back on Top - and Breaking All the Rules - With 'Oh, Mary!,' 'Maybe Happy Ending' and More 'Maybe Happy Ending' Director Michael Arden on Broadway's Most Unlikely Hit and Adapting 'Lost Boys' Into a 'Sexy' and 'Scary' Musical Cole Escola and Darren Criss Embrace Chaos and Crying on Broadway Criss, who originated the role on Broadway and won a Tony for his performance, announced he is leaving the show on Aug. 31. Feldman ("Dear Evan Hansen," "No Hard Feelings") is scheduled to join "Maybe Happy Ending" on Sept. 2 for nine weeks alongside Shen, who originated the role of Claire on Broadway. Feldman and Shen are dating in real life. "I've been struggling to hold multiple truths within me that seem to contradict. I have and continue to be extremely proud to look the way I do and to co-lead this Broadway show. I know the hurt that people feel because growing up, I would have found a beacon of hope in seeing our show on TV on the Tony Awards. A part of me is mourning that along with the community," Shen said in a statement. "This has been an immensely challenging moment within my home with Andrew, and in this building filled with A/PI folks to say the least. I don't know what's forward, but to have this opportunity to play opposite my favorite actor in the world for 9 weeks, who happens to be PERFECT for the role is a huge moment of joy for me." "Maybe Happy Ending," a love story about two abandoned robots, opened on Broadway last fall and initially struggled to sell tickets until word-of-mouth and rave reviews changed the show's trajectory. It won six Tony Awards, including the top prize for best musical. Meanwhile Criss cemented history as the first actor or Asian American descent to nab the best lead actor in a musical prize. "Every perspective on this situation contains truth. I am excited to champion more A/PI works, the way the community has championed 'Maybe Happy Ending,'" Shen's statement continued. "I'm also excited to see work that has a completely different take than 'Maybe Happy Ending,' that can contradict itself, that can be many things, proving that diaspora is a tapestry, and not a monolith." View this post on Instagram A post shared by helen j shen |沈雨田 (@helenjshen) "Maybe Happy Ending" authors Hue Park and Will Aronson responded to the controversy in a separate statement, saying they were "extremely saddened that the show, a decade-long labor of love for us, could ever become a source of confusion, anger or pain." "We wrote a show about robots so we could engage more intimately with the most basic human questions of love and loss, creating the roles of Oliver and Claire to be avatars of these universal questions," they wrote on Instagram. "They were meant to be products created by a global company, and so never bore Korean names, even in the Korean version of the show. At the same time, we understand that for many in the AAPI community, the makeup of our opening night cast became a meaningful and rare point of visibility. We've heard how strongly people connected to that representation, even if it wasn't our original intent, and how this casting decision has re-opened old wounds." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maybe Happy Ending (@maybehappyending) They acknowledge that leading roles for Asian performers have "long been painfully scarce" but expressed optimism about recent color-blind casting in "Dear Evan Hansen," "Hadestown," "Oh, Mary!" and "Cabaret." "Over the last several years, we have been heartened to see Asian performers playing Evan Hansen, Orpheus, Abe Lincoln, Sally Bowles, and others. Leading roles for Asian performers have long been painfully scarce, and these shows excitingly made gestures toward universality with expansive casting, and rightly gave opportunities to actors from identity categories who previously had few options," they continued. "With 'Maybe Happy Ending,' we wanted to write a show in which every role could be played by an Asian performer, but without the intention that the robot roles always would be." Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Star Helen J. Shen Responds to Andrew Barth Feldman Casting Controversy

'Maybe Happy Ending' Star Helen J. Shen Responds to Andrew Barth Feldman Casting Controversy Helen J. Shen, the star of Broadway...
Sheriff's deputies are disciplined in traffic stop that led to student's ICE detentionNew Foto - Sheriff's deputies are disciplined in traffic stop that led to student's ICE detention

Five sheriff's deputies from Colorado are being disciplined aftera college student spent two weeks in a federal immigration detention center last month after a routine traffic stop. Anadministrative reviewconcluded that Sheriff's Deputy Alexander Zwinck shared information on a Signal group chat that included federal immigration agents after he had pulled over Caroline Dias-Goncalves, 19, a student at the University of Utah, Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said ina statementWednesday. The agents then used that information to track Dias-Goncalves down and arrest her. She was taken to a detention facility in Aurora,where she was held for 15 daysbeforebeing released on bond. "The Mesa County Sheriff's Office should not have had any role in the chain of events leading to Miss Dias-Goncalves's detention," Rowell said. Colorado law restrictscoordination betweenlocal law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.It prohibits state and local law enforcement fromproviding information about a person's immigration statusto federal officials ordisclosing personal identifying informationto immigration authorities. "I regret that this occurred. I apologize to Miss Dias-Goncalves," Rowell said. Zwinck pulled Dias-Goncalves over while she was driving on Interstate 70 outside Loma on June 5. Zwinck claimed Dias-Goncalves was driving too close to a semi-truck. Thetraffic stoplastedabout 20 minutesand Zwinck released Dias-Goncalves with a warning. Shortly after she exited the highway, federal immigration agents stopped her, arrested her and took her to the Aurora detention facility,where she was held untilJune 20. Born in Brazil and raised in Utah since she was 7, Dias-Goncalves is one ofnearly 2.5 million peopleliving in the United States known as"Dreamers,"young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.Dias-Goncalvesarrived on a visa that expired over a decade ago and has a pending asylum case. In interviews conducted as part of the review,Zwinck claimed he did not know he was violating any lawsor policies when he shared Dias-Goncalves' information and location with federal authorities in a group chat meant to discuss drug crackdown efforts. According to the review's findings, Zwinck was involved in at least four other incidents last month in which the information he shared on the group chat following his traffic stops led to federal immigration enforcement actions. Zwinck also told investigators that he had received and read two department-wide emails from the sheriff's office last year and in January, both outlining how deputies should interact with immigration authorities. The review concluded there was "a preponderance of evidence" showing that Zwinck as well as Sheriff's Deputy Erik Olson, who was on the group chat, and their supervisor, Sgt. Joe LeMoine, "acted outside of agency policy." Zwinck was placed on unpaid administrative leave for three weeks and Olson for two. Both will be reassigned to patrol. LeMoine was suspended without pay for two days. Lt. David Holdren, LeMoine's supervisor, received aletter of reprimandand Holdren's supervisor, Capt. Curtis Brammer, was provideddocumented counseling. Earlier this month, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiserfiled a lawsuit against Zwinck, alleging that he had violated Colorado laws limiting cooperation between local and federal immigration authorities. Rowell said the lawsuit "sends a demoralizing message to law enforcement officers across Colorado" and urged Weiser to "apply the law equally to all law enforcement and government officials instead of making Deputy Zwinck an example."

Sheriff's deputies are disciplined in traffic stop that led to student's ICE detention

Sheriff's deputies are disciplined in traffic stop that led to student's ICE detention Five sheriff's deputies from Colorado are...

 

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