
Trump administration sanctions Mexican rapper over allegations of cartel ties
According to the Treasury Department's allegations, Hernndez has been sanctioned because he is believed to be acting for or on behalf of the CDN. The department claims that half of his streaming royalties are funnelled directly to the cartel. The sanctions also extend to leaders of the cartel.There has however, not been an official response from the rapper about the sanctions imposed on him.STATEMENT FROM THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT'CDN depends on these alternative revenue streams and money laundering methods to boost their criminal enterprise, diversifying their income beyond criminal activity like drug trafficking, human smuggling, and extortion," wrote the Treasury Department in a news release."The Treasury Department will continue to be relentless in its effort to put America First by targeting terrorist drug cartels. These cartels poison Americans with fentanyl and conduct human smuggling operations along our southwest border," said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.The US Treasury Department also took it to their social media handle on X to announce the sanctions on the rapper along with three high-ranking members of the CDN.Today, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned three high-ranking members of the Mexico-based terrorist organization Cartel del Noreste (CDN), along with narco-rapper El Makabelico.The narco-rapper's concerts and events are used to launder money on behalf of CDN,— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) August 6, 2025THE SANCTIONThe sanctions imposed will result in blocking the rapper's properties in US and freeze financial transactions with any businesses owned by those sanctioned, and threaten secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions that do business with them.In recent years, emerging artists like Peso Pluma have propelled Mexican music genres onto the global stage by blending traditional sounds with trap and other contemporary influences, rivalling international stars such as Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny on streaming services.These genres — particularly 'narco-corridos' — have sparked much controversy, as many performers reference drug cartels and the broader 'narco culture.' While some tracks glorify criminal figures, others reflect the difficult realities faced by youth in cartel-dominated regions, drawing parallels to themes often explored in American rap.This style of music has been at the heart of ongoing debates over the boundaries between free artistic expression and censorship, with several Mexican states previously prohibiting live performances of certain songs.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S PREVIOUS STEPSadvertisementIn recent months, the Trump administration has taken action by revoking visas for several artists associated with the genre. In May, the well-known northern Mexican group Grupo Firme, which has worked to move away from cartel-related content, announced the cancellation of a planned California concert due to visa suspensions.In April, the administration said it was revoking the visas of the band Alegres de Barranco after they flashed the face of a cartel boss behind them at a concert, prompting a controversy and even criminal investigations in Mexico.- EndsWith inputs from agencies
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Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Agriculture a stumbling block in talks, but India-US trade in sector sees surge
Even as agriculture, along with purchase of Russian oil, has emerged as a key sticking point in the trade talks between India and the United States, here's an interesting fact: Trade in farm produce between the two countries is actually booming and poised to touch a new record this year. During January-June 2025, India's imports of agricultural products from the US were, at $1,693.2 million, a whopping 49.1% more than the $1,135.8 million for the same six months of the last calendar year. India's agricultural exports to the US, too, were up 24.1%, from $2,798.9 million in January-June 2024 to $3,472.7 million in January-June 2025 (see chart). With US President Donald Trump doubling the tariff on import of goods from India to 50 per cent on Wednesday, the impact remains to be seen, but the trends so far suggest two-way farm trade at least surpassing previous highs. If the current growth rates hold, India's agricultural exports to the US could top $7.7 billion, and that of the US to India could be over $3.5 billion in 2025. The US's exports to India have been led by tree nuts — mainly almonds and pistachios — which were valued at $1.1 billion-plus in 2024, and registering further 42.8% annual growth during the first six months of this year. The other three big-ticket items are ethanol, soyabean oil and cotton. Ethanol exports from the US to India, worth over $420 million last year, are basically for manufacturing alcohol-based chemicals, medicines and other industrial uses. The US wants India to open up imports of ethanol also for fuel use, i.e. blending with petrol and diesel. India has been resisting that, just as much as it is not allowing imports of genetically modified (GM) maize and soyabean. US farmers mostly grow only GM maize (corn) and soyabean. India currently permits imports of non-fuel ethanol and oil, produced from GM corn and soyabean respectively, but not the whole grain and oilseed as such. Although the trade negotiations between the two sides are stuck due to India not yielding on GM crops, US exports of both corn-derived ethanol and soyabean oil to India have posted strong growth. The huge jump in soyabean oil exports from the US this year is likely to be sustained by India's move, on May 31, to slash its import duty from 27.5% to 16.5%. Cotton exports from the US have also been growing on the back of India turning into a net importer of the natural fibre. India's agricultural exports to the US are somewhat more diversified. While seafood (primarily frozen shrimp) has been the top item, there are others as well — from spices and essential oils to basmati rice, processed fruits & vegetables and baked foods — that have been doing well, with annual shipment value exceeding $200 million each. It's not clear how much of all these exports would be affected, especially with the new Trump tariff. Take seafood, where India's exports of $2,483.8 million in 2024 was just behind Canada ($3,956.9 million) and Chile ($3,030.1 million), and ahead of Indonesia ($1,907.9 million), Vietnam ($1,790.4 million) and Ecuador ($1,616.4 million). As of now, the 50% tariff on India is above that of all these competitors: Chile (10%), Ecuador (15%), Indonesia (19%), Vietnam (20%) and Canada (35%). While seafood exports from India have remained buoyant, growing by 32.5% year-on-year in January-June, sustaining that may not be easy as the tariff differentials bite. But the fact that agriculture trade per se between India and the US is booming should be some consolation in the present situation where talks are at a standstill.


Economic Times
10 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Trump and Putin meet in person soon? White House signals fresh push from US to end Russia-Ukraine conflict amid tariff threats
Donald Trump is trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war. He might meet Vladimir Putin next week. A White House official says the meeting's schedule and location are not yet fixed. Trump is also open to meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The US may impose sanctions against Russia. Marco Rubio says much needs to happen before a Trump-Putin meeting. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Threat of US sanctions Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Rubio lowers expectations for a meeting Would work toward an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, says Trump As US President Donald Trump seeks to end the Russia-Ukraine war, he could meet in person with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as soon as next week, a White House official said Wednesday (August 6, 2025). The White House official, however, did not confirm the schedule of the meeting yet and cautioned that no location has been official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans. The White House said Trump was also open to a meeting with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. If Trump meets Putin, it would be their first meeting since he returned to office in 2025 after winning the presidential polls in 2024. The meeting of two leaders would be a significant milestone in the 3-year-old war, though there's no promise that such a meeting would lead to the end of the fighting since Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on their who appeared before reporters later at the White House, didn't answer questions about a potential location for a meeting, but when asked about a summit with Putin and Zelenskyy, said, 'There's a very good prospect that they will' meet. The president declined to predict how close he was to reaching a deal to end the fighting, saying, 'I've been disappointed before with this one.'Earlier on Wednesday, the same White House official said the U.S. was still expected to impose secondary sanctions against Russia on Friday, after a 10-day deadline that Trump imposed was to expire. The White House has not yet released details about the has threatened 'severe tariffs' and other economic penalties if the killing doesn't stop. Trump has also threatened to slap tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil, which could increase import taxes dramatically on China and India. He said Tuesday he hadn't publicly committed to any particular tariff rate and indicated that his decision could depend on an outcome of the meeting with has expressed increasing frustration with Putin over Russia's escalating strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine, intended to erode morale and public appetite for the war. The intensified attacks have occurred even as Trump has urged the Russian leader in recent months to to a query on a potential Trump-Putin meeting in an interview with Fox Business, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, 'A lot has to happen before that can occur.' Rubio said Washington would be having talks with its European allies and the Ukrainians over the next few days. He said a Trump meeting directly with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine would help close an agreement, but said, 'We've got to get close enough to that point so that a meeting like that will be productive and worth doing.' 'Today was a good day, but we've got a lot of work ahead," he said. "There are still many impediments to overcome.'News of a potential meeting with Putin, which was first reported by The New York Times, came hours after Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow. Trump had posted earlier on Truth Social that Witkoff 'had a highly productive meeting' with Putin in which 'great progress was made.'Trump said earlier Wednesday that he had updated America's allies in Europe and that they would work toward an end to the war 'in the days and weeks to come.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the 'Russians had expressed their desire' to meet with Trump. The Kremlin has not yet commented on any potential meetings with met with Putin days before the White House's deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine or potentially face severe economic penalties that could also hit countries buying its oil. The meeting between Putin and Witkoff lasted about three hours, the Kremlin foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Putin and Witkoff had a 'useful and constructive conversation' that focused on the Ukrainian crisis and, in a nod toward improving relations between Washington and Moscow, 'prospects for possible development of strategic cooperation" between the United States and Russia.


Time of India
10 minutes ago
- Time of India
Won't be Trumped
GOI has called out Trump's extra tariffs for what they are. He was wrong to think hegemony will work Three weeks from now, India will be the most heavily tariffed seller in the US market besides Brazil. Yesterday, through an executive order, Trump imposed an additional ad valorem duty of 25% on India for 'directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil', taking the total to 50%. GOI probably saw this coming from the time Trump's tone changed from friendly to brusque a week ago. Where he had talked up the chances of a trade deal with India on July 8 – 'We are close to making a deal with India' – on July 30 he slapped a 25% import duty along with the threat of an unspecified penalty. Now, the suspense is over. It's impossible to fathom Trump's logic. From the start, China was the presumed target of his tariff war. US runs its largest goods trade deficit with Beijing – worth $295bn in 2024. At one point, Trump raised tariffs on China to 145%, but China's retaliation with a rare earths supply freeze made him see reason. Now, China is tariffed at 30%. If Russian oil triggers Trump, China and Türkiye are also big buyers, yet they have not been 'penalised'. It may be that Trump's acting in frustration. He had boasted he would end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office, but six months have passed and Putin remains defiant. Perhaps, Trump believes stopping oil revenues will bring Putin to the table. And since he seems unable to touch China for now, India possibly seems like a softer target to him. But this is a huge mistake. For almost 80 years, India has refused to be cowed by hegemons. Yesterday, it termed Trump's action 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable' and made it clear it will 'take all actions necessary to protect its national interests'. As TOI has said before, the current discount on Russian oil is so little that India saves not more than $2bn a year. It could easily pivot to West Asian oil, but the resultant increase in crude prices would hurt all. Besides, if India chooses to pivot, it won't be on Trump's terms. While negotiations with US will continue, Indian exporters are under pressure, so deals with other countries must be prioritised. India should also look beyond goods exports – tourism, for instance – to increase forex earnings. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.