Latest news with #DavidChen
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lesotho's textile factories face closures despite US tariff cut
MASERU, Lesotho. (AP) — The southern African nation of Lesotho has had its U.S. export tariff reduced from a threatened 50% to 15% but its crucial textile industry still faces massive factory closures, officials said on Friday. Despite a reduction announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, the country's textile sector says it remains at a competitive disadvantage and faces ongoing factory closures and job losses. In April, the Trump administration announced a 50% tariff on imports from Lesotho, the highest among all countries. The tariffs were paused across the board but the anticipated increase wreaked havoc across the country's textile industry, which is its biggest private sector employer with over 30,000 workers. About 12,000 of these workers work for garment factories exporting to the U.S. market, supplying American retailers like Levi's and Wrangler. The Associated Press reported this week that clothing manufacturer Tzicc has seen business dry up ahead of the expected tariff increase, sending home most of its 1,300 workers who have made and exported sportswear to American stores, including JCPenney, Walmart and Costco. David Chen, chairperson of the Lesotho Textile Exporters, has warned that the U.S. government's move to reduce the tariffs offer little relief for the struggling industry as their competitors have lesser tariffs. 'Other countries which we are competing against are already being charged 10 percent, which makes it difficult for us to compete on an equal footing," said Chen, singling out the east African country of Kenya as its strongest competitor with a more favorable 10% tariff. 'As a result, many factories will have to shut down,' said Chen. 'They had already been forced to lay off workers when the tariffs were first announced in April.' According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in 2024, U.S.-Lesotho bilateral trade stood at $240.1 million. Apart from clothing, Lesotho's exports also include diamonds and other goods. Classified as a lower-middle income country by the World Bank, nearly half of Lesotho's 2.3 million population live below the poverty line, while a quarter are unemployed. Lesotho's Minister of Trade, Industry and Business Development, Mokhethi Shelile, said that while several meetings with U.S. trade representatives led to a reduced tariff, more needed to be done to lower it further. 'We remain committed to pushing for a further reduction to the minimum tariff level of 10 percent, which is essential for our textile sector to compete effectively in the US market," he said. 'I have already communicated with the U.S. Embassy regarding continued negotiations.' Lesotho's neighbor and trading partner, South Africa, is also reeling after Trump announced a reciprocal 30% tariff for the country which is expected to significantly impact its agriculture and manufacturing sectors, among others. ____ AP's Africa coverage at:
The Independent
01-08-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Lesotho's textile factories face closures despite US tariff cut
The southern African nation of Lesotho has had its U.S. export tariff reduced from a threatened 50% to 15% but its crucial textile industry still faces massive factory closures, officials said on Friday. Despite a reduction announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, the country's textile sector says it remains at a competitive disadvantage and faces ongoing factory closures and job losses. In April, the Trump administration announced a 50% tariff on imports from Lesotho, the highest among all countries. The tariffs were paused across the board but the anticipated increase wreaked havoc across the country's textile industry, which is its biggest private sector employer with over 30,000 workers. About 12,000 of these workers work for garment factories exporting to the U.S. market, supplying American retailers like Levi's and Wrangler. The Associated Press reported this week that clothing manufacturer Tzicc has seen business dry up ahead of the expected tariff increase, sending home most of its 1,300 workers who have made and exported sportswear to American stores, including JCPenney, Walmart and Costco. David Chen, chairperson of the Lesotho Textile Exporters, has warned that the U.S. government's move to reduce the tariffs offer little relief for the struggling industry as their competitors have lesser tariffs. 'Other countries which we are competing against are already being charged 10 percent, which makes it difficult for us to compete on an equal footing," said Chen, singling out the east African country of Kenya as its strongest competitor with a more favorable 10% tariff. 'As a result, many factories will have to shut down,' said Chen. 'They had already been forced to lay off workers when the tariffs were first announced in April.' According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in 2024, U.S.-Lesotho bilateral trade stood at $240.1 million. Apart from clothing, Lesotho's exports also include diamonds and other goods. Classified as a lower-middle income country by the World Bank, nearly half of Lesotho's 2.3 million population live below the poverty line, while a quarter are unemployed. Lesotho's Minister of Trade, Industry and Business Development, Mokhethi Shelile, said that while several meetings with U.S. trade representatives led to a reduced tariff, more needed to be done to lower it further. 'We remain committed to pushing for a further reduction to the minimum tariff level of 10 percent, which is essential for our textile sector to compete effectively in the US market," he said. 'I have already communicated with the U.S. Embassy regarding continued negotiations.' Lesotho's neighbor and trading partner, South Africa, is also reeling after Trump announced a reciprocal 30% tariff for the country which is expected to significantly impact its agriculture and manufacturing sectors, among others. ____
Associated Press
01-08-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Lesotho's textile factories face closures despite US tariff cut
MASERU, Lesotho. (AP) — The southern African nation of Lesotho has had its U.S. export tariff reduced from a threatened 50% to 15% but its crucial textile industry still faces massive factory closures, officials said on Friday. Despite a reduction announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, the country's textile sector says it remains at a competitive disadvantage and faces ongoing factory closures and job losses. In April, the Trump administration announced a 50% tariff on imports from Lesotho, the highest among all countries. The tariffs were paused across the board but the anticipated increase wreaked havoc across the country's textile industry, which is its biggest private sector employer with over 30,000 workers. About 12,000 of these workers work for garment factories exporting to the U.S. market, supplying American retailers like Levi's and Wrangler. The Associated Press reported this week that clothing manufacturer Tzicc has seen business dry up ahead of the expected tariff increase, sending home most of its 1,300 workers who have made and exported sportswear to American stores, including JCPenney, Walmart and Costco. David Chen, chairperson of the Lesotho Textile Exporters, has warned that the U.S. government's move to reduce the tariffs offer little relief for the struggling industry as their competitors have lesser tariffs. 'Other countries which we are competing against are already being charged 10 percent, which makes it difficult for us to compete on an equal footing,' said Chen, singling out the east African country of Kenya as its strongest competitor with a more favorable 10% tariff. 'As a result, many factories will have to shut down,' said Chen. 'They had already been forced to lay off workers when the tariffs were first announced in April.' According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in 2024, U.S.-Lesotho bilateral trade stood at $240.1 million. Apart from clothing, Lesotho's exports also include diamonds and other goods. Classified as a lower-middle income country by the World Bank, nearly half of Lesotho's 2.3 million population live below the poverty line, while a quarter are unemployed. Lesotho's Minister of Trade, Industry and Business Development, Mokhethi Shelile, said that while several meetings with U.S. trade representatives led to a reduced tariff, more needed to be done to lower it further. 'We remain committed to pushing for a further reduction to the minimum tariff level of 10 percent, which is essential for our textile sector to compete effectively in the US market,' he said. 'I have already communicated with the U.S. Embassy regarding continued negotiations.' Lesotho's neighbor and trading partner, South Africa, is also reeling after Trump announced a reciprocal 30% tariff for the country which is expected to significantly impact its agriculture and manufacturing sectors, among others. ____ AP's Africa coverage at:
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
San Francisco drivers ticketed while parking in own driveways
A group of frustrated San Francisco residents is sick of receiving tickets despite being parked in their own driveways. Some of the residents in the California city say they are convinced that someone is using old photos to file citations against them over and over again. Larry Reed told NBC Bay Area that he found a $108 ticket on his car on Monday. 'One hundred and eight dollars for parking on my driveway,' he told the broadcaster. A complaint had been filed against his car for parking on the sidewalk, part of a flood of complaints that have been made against him and his neighbors, which have resulted in hefty parking fines. "We don't know what the deal is. It's just, when we park on the driveway, we get a notice,' Yolanda Francisco told the broadcaster. 'It's been reported to 311 multiple times. But one picture, multiple times." Residents in San Francisco neighborhoods have been receiving numerous fines for cars parked in their driveways that are slightly sticking out over the sidewalk (Getty) The citations have been happening for about two months in Mission District neighborhoods. According to parking officers who spoke to the broadcaster, they're responding to complaints filed on the city's 311 system. Francisco's son-in-law, David Chen, noted that the photos of the alleged infractions are repeats, showing the same alleged parking violations over and over again. Chen was there when Reed received his citation on Monday. He said Reed's car — while slightly on the sidewalk — left plenty of space for anyone, including people with mobility issues, to get past. "There's like 10 feet of open space. It's not causing a problem for anyone with accessibility issues,' he told the broadcaster. 'It's literally somebody making themselves feel good by submitting it, trolling us, getting us tickets." Reed has gone so far as to post a sign near his front steps offering to move his vehicle for anyone who has an issue with its location — they need only call him. Sharon Gillenwater, another resident living in the Noe Valley neighborhood, said she was fined a total of $324 because her son's car and her SUV slightly cross their driveway line onto the sidewalk when they're parked, according to the U.S. Sun. She called the fines "overzealous punishment" and agrees with the idea that someone is intentionally targeting people in the neighborhoods with their reports. 'We're not fighting the law, we all agree that strollers and disabled people need to pass," she told the publication. 'But can we just be in the spirit of the law? In our case, there is plenty of room for two wheelchairs to go in tandem down the street.' The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said it is not targeting the residents, but is just responding to 311 reports as they are received. Reed and his neighbors are frustrated with the sudden flood of complaints, and they want to know why, all of a sudden, someone has raised a stink about their parking.
The Independent
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
San Francisco drivers ticketed while parking in own driveways
A group of frustrated San Francisco residents is sick of receiving tickets despite being parked in their own driveways. Some of the residents in the California city say they are convinced that someone is using old photos to file citations against them over and over again. Larry Reed told NBC Bay Area that he found a $108 ticket on his car on Monday. 'One hundred and eight dollars for parking on my driveway,' he told the broadcaster. A complaint had been filed against his car for parking on the sidewalk, part of a flood of complaints that have been made against him and his neighbors, which have resulted in hefty parking fines. "We don't know what the deal is. It's just, when we park on the driveway, we get a notice,' Yolanda Francisco told the broadcaster. 'It's been reported to 311 multiple times. But one picture, multiple times." The citations have been happening for about two months in Mission District neighborhoods. According to parking officers who spoke to the broadcaster, they're responding to complaints filed on the city's 311 system. Francisco's son-in-law, David Chen, noted that the photos of the alleged infractions are repeats, showing the same alleged parking violations over and over again. Chen was there when Reed received his citation on Monday. He said Reed's car — while slightly on the sidewalk — left plenty of space for anyone, including people with mobility issues, to get past. "There's like 10 feet of open space. It's not causing a problem for anyone with accessibility issues,' he told the broadcaster. 'It's literally somebody making themselves feel good by submitting it, trolling us, getting us tickets." Reed has gone so far as to post a sign near his front steps offering to move his vehicle for anyone who has an issue with its location — they need only call him. Sharon Gillenwater, another resident living in the Noe Valley neighborhood, said she was fined a total of $324 because her son's car and her SUV slightly cross their driveway line onto the sidewalk when they're parked, according to the U.S. Sun. She called the fines "overzealous punishment" and agrees with the idea that someone is intentionally targeting people in the neighborhoods with their reports. 'We're not fighting the law, we all agree that strollers and disabled people need to pass," she told the publication. 'But can we just be in the spirit of the law? In our case, there is plenty of room for two wheelchairs to go in tandem down the street.' The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said it is not targeting the residents, but is just responding to 311 reports as they are received. Reed and his neighbors are frustrated with the sudden flood of complaints, and they want to know why, all of a sudden, someone has raised a stink about their parking.
