Britain Seeks Tech and AI Deal With US Rather Than Full FTA
By and Lucy White
Save
The UK will look to negotiate a narrow trade agreement with the US focused on technology and artificial intelligence, rather than revive talks for a full free-trade deal of the sort that stalled during the first Donald Trump administration.
While the US president spoke in broad terms about the promise of a 'great trade deal' while hosting Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday at the White House, the British side is seeking a more focused agreement. That could avoid past sticking points, like agricultural standards and drug pricing, but it was unclear whether it would satisfy Trump enough to spare the UK from the threat of tariffs.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
9 minutes ago
Greenland celebrates its National Day to mark summer solstice
NUUK, Greenland -- Greenlanders celebrated National Day, the Arctic island's biggest summer festival, on Saturday to mark the solstice with songs, cannon salutes and dances under 24 hours of sunlight. Revelers across the semi-autonomous Danish territory, which is also coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump, honored the longest day of the year north of the equator, where the solstice marks the start of astronomical summer, with a march through their hometowns waving flags and participating in a seal hunting competition. The national holiday was declared in 1985, following a referendum on home rule six years earlier, with the inaugural raising of the red-and-white Greenlandic flag. As the sun came out, locals gathered for the day of festivities, visiting friends and families, eating and dancing together. Greenland's roughly 56,000 inhabitants look forward to the midnight sun each year from May 25 to July 25, before the long, dark winter reappears. The strategic, mineral-rich island has made headlines after Trump declared it his mission to make it part of the U.S., saying it's crucial for American security in the high north. Trump has not ruled out military force to seize Greenland despite strong rebukes from Denmark, a NATO ally, and Greenland itself. Danish and Greenlandic leaders say the island is not for sale and have condemned reports of the U.S. stepping up intelligence gathering there. On Saturday, Greenlanders tried to leave politics behind to enjoy the seemingly endless summer sunshine. Locals in traditional clothing made of pearl collars and seal hides started the day by marching toward the Colonial Harbour with Greenland's national flags. Johannes Ostermann, 20, said he loved the holiday because 'you get to go out in the city and you get to meet the people you haven't met in a while, and you know they're going to be there because it's a big day for Greenland and we enjoy each other's company.' 'Everyone says congratulations to each other, everyone's saying hi, everyone's being very very nice because it is a very nice day for us all,' he added. At 9 a.m., a cannon salute marked the beginning of the annual seal hunting competition, with participants in boats rushing into the sea. It took about an hour for the first hunter to come back with the seal. The animal was cut open for an inspection. The organizer said the meat will be distributed to nursing homes, and all other parts will be used to make clothing. Pilo Samuelsen, one of the winners of the competition, enjoyed his victory and the fact that the holiday brings together the community and keeps their culture alive. 'The seal hunt competition is a nice tradition,' Samuelsen said. 'It's a day of unity and the celebration." Sofie Abelsen, 33, said she hoped her people would continue their celebrations because 'modernization and globalization is a danger to all Indigenous people and Indigenous countries.'
San Francisco Chronicle
13 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
New insight into Texas family detention reveals adults fighting kids for clean water
McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Adults fighting kids for clean water, despondent toddlers and a child with swollen feet denied a medical exam — these first-hand accounts from immigrant families at detention centers included in a motion filed by advocates Friday night are offering a glimpse of conditions at Texas facilities. Families shared their testimonies with immigrant advocates filing a lawsuit to prevent the Trump administration from terminating the Flores Settlement Agreement, a '90s-era policy that requires immigrant children detained in federal custody be held in safe and sanitary conditions. The agreement could challenge President Donald Trump's family detention provisions in his 'big, beautiful' bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, which also seeks to made the detention time indefinite and comes as the administration ramps up arrests. 'At a time when Congress is considering funding the indefinite detention of children and families, defending the Flores Settlement is more urgent than ever,' Mishan Wroe, a senior immigration attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, said in a statement Friday. Advocates with the center, as well as the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, RAICES and Children's Rights contacted or visited children and their families held in two Texas family detention centers in Dilley and Karnes, which reopened earlier this year. The conditions of the family detention facilities were undisclosed until immigration attorneys filed an opposing motion Friday night before a California federal court. The oversight of the detention facilities was possible because of the settlement, and the visits help ensure standards compliance and transparency, said Sergio Perez, the executive director of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law. Without the settlement, those overseeing the facilities would lose access to them and could not document what is happening inside. Out of 90 families who spoke to RAICES since March, 40 expressed medical concerns, according to the court documents. Several testimonies expressed concern over water quantity and quality. Emails seeking comment were sent to the Office of Attorney General Pam Bondi and to CoreCivic and Geo Group, which operate the detention facilities in Dilley and Karnes, Texas, respectively. There was no response from either Bondi's office or the operators of the facilities by midday Saturday. One mother was told she would have to use tap water for formula for her 9-month-old, who had diarrhea for three days after, and a 16-year-old girl described people scrambling over each other for water. 'We don't get enough water. They put out a little case of water, and everyone has to run for it," said the declaration from the girl held with her mother and two younger siblings at the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center. 'An adult here even pushed my little sister out of the way to get to the water first.' Faisal Al-Juburi, chief external affairs officer for RAICES, said Friday in a statement that the conditions 'only serve to reinforce the vital need for transparent and enforceable standards and accountability measures," citing an 'unconscionable obstruction of medical care for those with acute, chronic, and terminal illnesses.' One family with a young boy with cancer said he missed his doctor's appointment after the family was arrested following their attendance to an immigration court hearing. He is now experiencing relapse symptoms, according to the motion. Another family said their 9-month old lost over 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) while in detention for a month. Children spoke openly about their trauma during visits with legal monitors, including a 12-year-old boy with a blood condition. He reported his feet became too inflamed to walk, and even though he saw a doctor, he was denied further testing. Now, he stays mostly off his feet. 'It hurts when I walk,' he said in a court declaration. Arrests have left psychological trauma. A mother of a 3-year-old boy who saw agents go inside his babysitter's home with guns started acting differently after detention. She said he now throws himself on the ground, bruises himself and refuses to eat most days. Growing concerns as ICE ramps up operations Many of the the families in detention were already living in the U.S. which reflects the recent shift from immigration arrests at the border to internal operations. Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and main architect of Trump's immigration policies, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers would target at least 3,000 arrests a day, up from about 650 a day during the first five months of Trump's second term. Leecia Welch, the deputy legal director at Children's Rights said that as bad as facility conditions are, they will only get worse as more immigrants are brought in. 'As of early June, the census at Dilley was around 300 and only two of its five areas were open," Welch said of her visits. "With a capacity of around 2,400 – it's hard to imagine what it would be like with 2,000 more people.' Pediatricians like Dr. Marsha Griffin with the American Academy of Pediatrics Council said they are concerned and are advocating across the country to allow pediatric monitors with child welfare experts inside the facilities. Future of detention without Flores agreement The Flores agreement is poised to become more relevant if Trump's legislation called the ' One Big Beautiful Bill Act ' passes with the current language allowing the indefinite detention of immigrant families, which is not allowed under the Flores agreement. Trump's legislation approved by the House also proposes setting aside $45 billion in funding, a threefold spending increase, over the next four years to expand ICE detention of adults and families. The Senate is now considering that legislation. Under these increased efforts to add more detention space, GeoGroup, the same corporation operating the detention facility in Karnes, will soon be opening an infamous prison — which housed gangsters Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly — for migrant detention in Leavenworth, Kansas. Immigration advocates argue that if the settlement were terminated, the government would need to create regulations that conform to the agreement's terms. 'Plaintiffs did not settle for policy making— they settled for rulemaking," the motion read.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Electric vehicle (EV) tax breaks may hit a dead end under Trump's ‘Big Beautiful Bill'
If you're considering buying an electric vehicle, now may be the time to act. A sweeping Republican-led proposal, referred to as the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' is charging through Congress and threatens to wipe out the popular electric vehicle (EV) tax credit for most vehicles in 2025. The credit was originally launched in 2008, but received a major overhaul under former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. That legislation supercharged incentives, expanding the $7,500 credit for new EVs and rolling out a $4,000 credit for used electric vehicles. 'The purpose of the tax incentives was simply to spur EV adoption by giving a literal 'incentive' for people to buy EVs,' says Dave Thomas, director of content marketing and automotive industry analyst at CDK Global, a technology firm serving car dealerships. However, President Donald Trump and other Republicans have vowed to eliminate the credit, but analysts say the tax credit has been a driving force behind the EV boom. According to J.D. Power's E-Vision Intelligence Report, 87 percent of EV shoppers in 2024 took advantage of the tax credit — many citing it as a key reason for their purchase. That momentum could stall if the bill clears the Senate and makes its way to the president's desk. Here's what's at stake under the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' Learn more: Should you buy an electric car? How to decide in 2025 Under the current law, which covers cars purchased in 2023 or later, taxpayers can claim the electric vehicle tax credit if they meet specific income and purchase requirements. For new electric vehicles, you may qualify for a credit of up to $7,500, as long as the vehicle is primarily used in the United States. To be eligible, your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) must fall below the following limits: $300,000 for married couples filing jointly or a surviving spouse $225,000 for head of household filers $150,000 for all other filers The IRS allows taxpayers to apply the income limit based on the year they take possession of the vehicle or the prior year — whichever is more favorable. For used electric vehicles purchased in 2023 or later, the credit is worth up to $4,000 or 30 percent of the purchase price, whichever is less. The vehicle's purchase price must not exceed $25,000, and you must buy the car from a licensed dealer. Also, the car must be at least two years old when you purchase it; for example, if you bought the car in 2025, it would have to be a 2023 model or older to qualify for the credit. Used EVs have lower income limitations than newer EVs as follows: $150,000 for married couples filing jointly or a surviving spouse $112,500 for head of household filers $75,000 for all other filers Another benefit: You can receive the credit at the time of the purchase instead of waiting until tax time to claim it, by transferring the tax credit to the dealer. If you choose this option at the dealership, you must still meet all the IRS requirements when filing your tax return. Learn more: 10 easy tax deductions and credits to cut your tax bill Much like the House-approved tax bill, the Senate proposal seeks to eliminate the electric vehicle tax credit for both new and used vehicles. But the Senate's timeline moves even faster. Here's how the two versions compare: House version Senate version Value of tax credit $0 for all EVs $0 for all EVs Expiration date End of 2025 for most EVs 180 days after bill becomes law for new EVs90 days after bill becomes law for used EVs New federal annual fee for EV owners $250 for EVs $100 for hybrids $0 The main difference between the House-approved bill and the Senate's version is how quickly the EV tax credit would end. Under the Senate's proposal, the $7,500 tax credit for new electric vehicles would expire 180 days after the bill becomes law. The $4,000 credit for used EVs would phase out even sooner — just 90 days after enactment. By contrast, the House bill would end the EV tax credit for most vehicles at the end of 2025. However, some vehicles could still qualify through the end of 2026. Plus, the House version includes a manufacturer-based phaseout. Automakers that have sold fewer than 200,000 EVs could still offer the credit until the end of 2026. 'So, Tesla for example will not have any incentives on its vehicles after the bill passes,' Thomas says. 'It will likely be hard for car shoppers to track this in real-time, and they will have to rely on research or their local car dealer to keep on top of it.' MORE: New charitable giving tax deduction worth up to $2,000 may be on way for millions While the House-approved bill includes a $250 annual fee, the Senate's version omits any mention of an annual EV charge. The House's proposed fee for electric vehicle owners is a measure aimed at ensuring all drivers contribute equally to maintaining the nation's roadways. Currently, owners of gas-powered cars help fund highway infrastructure through the 18.4 cents per gallon federal gas tax. But that tax has remained unchanged since 1993, even as the cost of maintaining roadways has skyrocketed. Plus, cars have become more fuel-efficient — and some drivers have switched to electric cars. But some experts argue the proposed $250 EV fee is excessive. The proposed fee would be nearly three times what the average driver pays annually in gas taxes, according to a Consumer Reports study. 'The proposal of an annual fee for EVs makes sense on its face as those owners don't pay the federal or local gasoline taxes,' Thomas says. 'However, most calculations say the average driver pays around $100 in gas taxes a year and this fee is clearly more than that.' And EV owners often do pay state and local fees tied to their cars, depending on the tax rules of the state where they live. While the Senate bill wouldn't charge EV owners an annual fee and the House includes it, both chambers agree on one thing: Eliminating the federal EV tax credit altogether. With the EV credit potentially ending soon, drivers considering an EV purchase may want to act quickly. Waiting could mean missing out on valuable tax incentives that can help lower the cost. Learn more: 5 tax deductions you can claim without itemizing Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
