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New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Trump Administration Live Updates: President Announces 25% Tariffs on India as Talks Continue
President Trump announced Wednesday morning that imports from India to the United States would be subject to a 25 percent tariff as of Friday, as he berated the country over trade barriers and its purchases of energy and military equipment from Russia. The announcement could put pressure on India to strike a deal or face hefty tariffs that would most likely put a strain on economic and diplomatic ties between the countries. It could also encourage businesses to choose other Asian nations for manufacturing operations, blunting India's position as a leading alternative to China. A 25 percent tariff would be just one percentage point lower than what the president threatened India with on April 2, when he announced plans for sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries. It's also significantly higher than the rates Mr. Trump has settled on for other Asian nations like Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan — all of which have been 20 percent or less. As companies have moved out of China in recent years, some have made India a base of production, manufacturing electronics, pharmaceuticals and other goods for the U.S. market. An industry analysis shows that, this year, India, which is currently the United States' 12th largest trading partner, is making more smartphones than China or any other country. 'WE HAVE A MASSIVE TRADE DEFICIT WITH INDIA,' Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. He followed quickly with another post, saying the United States had done 'relatively little business' with India over the years 'because their Tariffs are far too high. ' Mr. Trump also criticized India's economic ties with Moscow, saying the country was 'Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE.' India's commerce ministry said it was studying the implications of Mr. Trump's announcement. It said in a statement that India remained committed to 'concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement.' The announcement came as the Trump administration prepared to finalize higher tariffs on many countries globally as of Friday. The European Union, Japan and other governments have signed trade agreements that somewhat lowered the tariffs Mr. Trump threatened on them earlier this year. But according to tracking by Goldman Sachs, trading partners accounting for 56 percent of U.S. imports — including Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Brazil and India — have not yet signed preliminary agreements. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump wrote that the deadline 'STANDS STRONG, AND WILL NOT BE EXTENDED.' Mr. Trump's announcement was an ill omen for relations between the United States and India, which have grown closer amid a more aggressive international posture from China. India is a major commercial partner of the United States, with total trade between the two countries amounting to roughly $130 billion last year. The countries also have deep cultural and demographic ties. The relationship between Mr. Trump and India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, has generally been warm, and in recent weeks the countries seemed close to clinching a trade deal. But those talks appear to have hit obstacles, including Mr. Trump's desire for India to open up its agricultural and dairy markets, while India wants to maintain certain protections. Mr. Trump has also sought to retain a relatively high tariff on Indian goods even under a trade agreement, something the Indian government has viewed as unacceptable. The commerce ministry's statement made indirect reference to some of the apparent sticking points, including 'protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, entrepreneurs' and small businesses. India has long maintained high barriers to trade, which has brought the government into conflict with Mr. Trump, himself an avid protectionist. India has a trade-weighted average tariff of 12 percent on all goods. For a number of American imports, it imposes tariffs of 100 percent or more and maintains non-tariff barriers to protect agriculture and other industries. Farwa Aamer, the director of South Asian Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute, a think tank, said that even with an early start to talks, 'the timeline was too tight, given India's sectoral concerns and strong reservations on opening access to its dairy and agriculture markets.' " Mr. Modi has also been under pressure domestically not to be seen as caving to Mr. Trump. The prime minister is in the midst of a parliamentary session during which he has faced criticism for another Trump-related matter. To Mr. Modi's embarrassment, Mr. Trump has repeatedly insisted that it was his use of trade leverage that prompted India and Pakistan to agree to a cease-fire in their conflict this spring, rather than India's military operations. Nisha Biswal, a partner in The Asia Group and a former assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, said the president's announcement was 'unfortunate' but 'not entirely surprising.' While the trade negotiations have made tremendous progress, she said, 'playing hardball with a friend and partner may have surprised the Indians but it is a tactic the president uses frequently.' 'The real tragedy would be if both sides walk away from a big win,' she said, adding, 'the implications for U.S. businesses and India's economy could be quite severe.' Mr. Trump also said Wednesday that India would pay a penalty tariff for its purchases of Russian oil. If enacted, that would be the first use of what Mr. Trump has taken to calling 'secondary tariffs,' a kind of penalty that would be imposed instead of the financial sanctions typically used against countries that do business with embargoed nations. Mr. Trump has been moving to replace some of the traditional sanctions tools in the U.S. arsenal with an expanded use of tariffs. Alan Rappeport and Mujib Mashal contributed reporting.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Colossal cleanup effort allows summer camp to reopen after Texas floods
Just days after the devastating Texas floods killed 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, another summer camp has reopened its doors 30 miles downstream. A colossal cleanup effort from the surrounding community enabled Camp Camp, a residential program serving youth with disabilities, to welcome visitors again this summer. 'Our campers will be able to enjoy our riverfront activities much sooner now,' said Ken Kaiser, the director of facility operations for the camp. 'In the midst of heartache, we got to see the best of humanity through these volunteers who came from all over Texas and beyond.' Camp Camp is located in Centre Point, Texas, and offers a series of five-night sleep-away sessions in the summer for children and adults aged five to 55 years old with mild to severe disabilities. Related: The long road to tragedy at the Texas girls camp where floods claimed 27 lives The camp welcomes more than 800 campers each summer, and every visitor is given a 1:1 counsellor ratio to accommodate their needs. It has been in operation for 46 years and hosts the same activities as regular camps, including horseback riding, swimming, sports, archery and more. The herculean rehabilitation of the area where Camp Camp is located, a 55-acre property nestled in the Texas hills along the banks of the Guadalupe River, all began with a Facebook post on 8 July from an Austin real estate agent, Cord Shiflet. Debris had covered the landscape, destroying the waterfront and crucial amenities for the camp, including picnic benches for the children to eat at, had been ruined. Shiflet made a plea for 'money, manpower, and machines'. By the following day, 250 volunteers arrived. The numbers doubled by Friday, with people braving the mud and conditions to haul food supplies, excavators and chainsaws to the area. Some workers who came down to help reported meeting as many as 1,500 people while they were there. 'The energy at Camp Camp was focused, focused on the mission of making it beautiful again,' said Colette Kerns, who drove down with her husband, Jason, to volunteer at the cleanup. 'Everyone had a job to do and worked seamlessly together to get it done.' Colette's husband spent five hours a day using a chainsaw to clear fallen trees and debris, while she organized the kitchen area and helped load logs into trucks to be hauled away. The couple, who are parents of two children with special needs, said they understood how vital this camp is to the families who rely on it. 'It's more than just a place,' said Colette. 'It is a space where children are embraced, understood and celebrated.' Another hero of the rehabilitation project was Rusty Bourland, who, in numerous Facebook posts about the cleanup, has been praised for his hard work, resilience and determination. Bourland was at a wedding in Dripping Springs, Texas, when he began receiving calls from people seeking assistance in the aftermath of the floods. Having helped with relief work during Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Bill, he had experience in rebuilding. Still, he had no idea when he packed one change of clothes that he would actually be down there for six and a half days. He told his wife he was loading a machine and driving south. 'Driving down it felt unknown,' Bourland said. 'We were all being told to not just self-deploy, but nothing compares to this in terms of human devastation.' Bourland, who owns a landscape construction business, said there were days when about 70 machines were on the property. He recalled that the energy was somber as volunteers witnessed many bodies being recovered from the surrounding area. He plans on seeking professional help now that he's home. 'I told everyone, 'Look, we're basically faced with the most difficult situation imaginable,' but as Texans, we try our best to thrive on adversity,' he recounted. 'I compartmentalized and tried to keep people positive.' The death toll from the flash floods, which started on the Fourth of July holiday, has now climbed to 135 people. With more than 150 people still missing, authorities are warning that the number of casualties could continue to rise. The floods are being described as one of the worst natural disasters in Texas history. The Guadalupe River rose 26ft in 45 minutes, and according to a preliminary estimate by the private forecaster AccuWeather, the economic toll of this could range from $18bn to $22bn. The Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has since stated that he would allow debate in the Texas legislature on the state's flood warning system, but has given no guarantees on how the outcome will unfold. For Gigi Hudnall, whose son Kenny was able to attend Camp Camp again this year, the camaraderie in the reopening has been remarkable. This is the 11th year Kenny will have visited, and Hudnall believes the work they did to make this happen was nothing short of miraculous. 'It gives these kids something they don't usually have – freedom,' she said. 'When we heard about the floods, our hearts broke, for the lives lost and for the camps. It makes me proud to be among people who care and will give to help kids like my son.' Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Thomas Fugate: A novice who replaced an army veteran to lead US terror prevention centre
Thomas Fugate, the 22-year-old college graduate, with no previous government leadership or security experience, has been picked up by US President Donald Trump to head the Centre for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, as first reported by ProPublica. Thomas Fugate has been appointed to a leadership role in the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, known as CP3, which works to combat terrorism, school shootings and other hate-driven violence. This includes an $18 million grant program intended to help communities battle violent extremism, reports The Independent. Here are key things you need to know about Thomas Fugate: -Thomas Fugate, a former gardener and grocery store worker who graduated from college last year, was hired by DHS in February, The Daily Mail reported, citing his LinkedIn profile. -The University of Texas at San Antonio graduate landed a position on Donald Trump's campaign in 2024 and then he was subsequently hired by DHS. -A former Heritage Foundation intern and self-described "Trumplican", Fugate's LinkedIn profile does not show experience in counterterrorism or any related security-related fields. He also does not have an impressive internship history. -On Thomas Fugate's professional page are stints running a gardening and landscaping business as well as experience working as a grocery store associate. In 2020, he was working as a self-employed 'Landscape Business Owner.' Live Events ALSO READ: Meet Thomas Fugate: 22-year-old ex-gardener and grocery store assistant to lead $18 million terror prevention team -Prior to his work as a gardener—while studying for a degree in politics and law—Fugate worked at an H-E-B supermarket in Austin, Texas, as a 'Cross Functional Team Member', according to The Daily Beast. -According to his LinkedIn, he would 'perform various activities around every department of the store, fulfilling key duties contributing to store operations.' He has served as an 'advance team member' on President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, according to his LinkedIn page. -Fugate was reportedly hired as a 'special assistant' in an immigration office at the DHS in February, according to ProPublica. He then took over CP3 after its previous director quit. -"Tom Fugate has performed well in his current role as a Confidential Assistant in our Immigration & Border Security suboffice," a DHS official told Daily Mail, adding this is a credit to his work ethic and success on the job. ALSO READ: Amid Trump-Musk spat, Tesla CEO's immigration status under scanner. Can President deport him? -The recent appointment of a University of San Antonio graduate has raised concerns among counterterrorism experts and insiders. 'It sounds like putting the intern in charge,' a counterterrorism researcher who has experience working with CP3 told ProPublica. 'We're entering very dangerous territory,' another longtime counterterrorism official said. -Fulgate took over from Army veteran Bill Braniff, who resigned in March after the Trump administration cut 20 percent of his staff, accoridng to The Independent. Braniff has more than 20 years' experience in national security. -Replacing Braniff with Fulgate is 'an insult,' a source told ProPublica. Braniff helped with the move 'toward evidence-based approaches to terrorism prevention' in a field still dealing with post-9/11 work that was predisposed to stigmatizing Muslims, the source added. 'They really started to shift the conversation and shift the public thinking. It was starting to get to the root of the problem,' they said. 'Now that's all gone."
The Hill
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
5 ways the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill' could impact Americans
Congressional Republicans are moving quickly to pass a mammoth tax and spending cuts package that could have a direct impact on millions of Americans, and drastic consequences for the economy. The 1,000-plus page bill recently passed by the House would extend tax cuts set to expire as part of President Trump's signature 2017 tax law, provisions aimed at nixing taxes on tips and overtime pay. It also includes a host of reforms to programs like Medicaid and food stamps that early estimates project could reduce spending in those areas by hundreds of billions of dollars in the next decade. As Senate Republicans look to make their own changes to the package, here's five pieces of the House bill that could make waves across American life. The centerpiece of the House measure is an extension and expansion of Trump's 2017 tax cut law. The most significant part of the tax provisions may actually be the least noticeable: the cementing of current personal income tax rates. Rather than providing a big tax cut, the bill instead prevents a major increase in taxes that would have occurred next year. But the House bill also includes several new tax cuts that could boost take-home pay for Americans across a wide range of income levels and demographics. On the lower end of the income spectrum, the bill would increase the child tax credit, eliminate taxes on most tips and overtime pay, and provide a credit to cover the cost of taxes on Social Security benefits. The bill also includes a significantly higher cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which primarily benefits residents of high-income, high-tax cities and their suburbs. Much of the savings in the legislation comes from Medicaid. The bill would cut nearly $800 billion from the program through a combination of provisions including work requirements on 'able-bodied adults' through age 64 without dependents, a freeze on provider taxes, more frequent checks of people's eligibility, and reducing federal Medicaid payments to states that provide healthcare coverage for undocumented immigrants. The Congressional Budget Office estimated close to 10 million people would lose insurance coverage as a result. The Medicaid provision with arguably the most direct impact on beneficiary coverage would be the provision for anyone 'able bodied' between the ages of 19 and 64 to work, go to school or volunteer for 80 hours a month—and then prove it. The requirements are the most stringent Republicans have ever put forward. Most of the coverage losses would be from people who are eligible but aren't able to meet the reporting requirements. Under pressure from conservatives, GOP leaders amended an initial version of the bill to enact the changes by the end of 2026 at the latest, a timeframe that experts and advocates warn will lead to rushed implementation by states and even more people losing insurance. Outside of Medicaid, the legislation also would codify into law some technical and controversial changes President Trump proposed to make to the Affordable Care Act. Among other changes, the bill would end automatic reenrollment in ACA plans for people getting subsidies, end certain special enrollment periods, and shorten the overall open enrollment. According to CBO, the ACA changes would result in 3 million additional uninsured people. Senate Republicans have already indicated changes are possible regarding some of the proposed reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crafted in the House. The bill would require states to cover a share of SNAP benefits costs, which are currently completely funded by the federal government. The bill would lower the federal share of the cost of SNAP from 100 percent to 95 percent starting fiscal 2028. The bill also includes language that would increase states' shares of the costs in fiscal 2028 depending on their payment error rates – a move that proponents say would hold states accountable for billions of dollars in erroneous payments to participants annually. If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see their share of allotments rise to a range of between 15 percent and 25 percent. Democrats have sharply criticized the proposal, which they argue could lead to states cutting benefits on their own. In fiscal 2023, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that the national payment error rate was 11.68 percent. Most states on the list have payment error rates, which factors in a state's overpayments and underpayments, above 6 percent. Other proposals in the bill would beef up work requirements for the program, seek to block the federal government from being able to increase monthly benefits in the future, and increase states' share of costs to administer SNAP. The legislation guts massive subsidies for climate-friendly energy sources, including wind and solar power. Doing so is expected to have significant ramifications on not only the nation's greenhouse gas emissions but also energy prices. A recent analysis from BloombergNEF said that a repeal of the green tax credits would result in 17 percent less renewable construction. It said that the cut, combined with growing electricity demand, is 'a recipe for spiking power prices.' Ethan Zindler, policies and countries analyst with BloombergNEF, said that for analysis purposes, the changes made in the House bill are akin to a full repeal. 'The tax code at the moment helps to reduce the cost of electricity for consumers from renewables, which today account for the vast majority of what gets added to the grid,' he said. 'if you remove those supports, then developers will simply seek to charge more, and in a number of cases, utilities will be forced to pay more, and those costs will flow through to consumers.' Several analyses estimate that electric bills could rise noticeably as a result. A Rhodium Group estimate has found that keeping the tax credits in place could save consumers 2 to 4 percent on their electric bills in 2030 and 2 to 5 percent in 2035. Aurora Energy Research has found that removing the tax credits will increase electric bills by an average of 10 percent – or $142 per year – by 2040. While the House bill has a long way to go before it becomes law, it's already sending shockwaves through financial markets. Bond traders have sent U.S. interesting rates rising as the House advanced a bill that most budget scorekeepers project to add at least $4 trillion to the debt over the next decade. This could trickle through to the housing market and credit markets, adding another economic squeeze into the mix. 'Everybody I've talked to in the financial markets, they're staring at the bill, and they thought it was going to be much more in terms of fiscal restraint, and they're not necessarily seeing it,' Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said in an interview last week on Fox Business Network's 'Mornings with Maria.' 'Therefore, there's going to be a lot of issuance of Treasuries. And in order for them to buy these things, they want it at a lower price, and therefore, a higher yield,' he said. Some House fiscal hawks held their noses and voted for the measure despite their concerns, but several GOP senators have already pledged to vote against the bill given its bond market impact. 'I think we're having trouble selling our long bonds already,' warned Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who cited the rising interest rates. 'I want to get a deal done; I support the president's agenda. I support the border, I support the military, I support extending the Trump tax cuts — but we have to live in reality. But we got to live in reality here: We got a fiscal crisis,' Scott said.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Do Italians themselves actually follow the Mediterranean diet?
Don't be surprised if you notice that meals in Mediterranean countries don't exactly look like the recommended Mediterranean diet nowadays. — TNS My husband and I travelled to Italy in 2019. Everything was wonderful, even the 'house' wine in restaurants. We were surprised, however, that much of the food we were served did not exactly match what we expected in this Mediterranean country. In particular was the abundance of meat products, especially cold cuts, in the meals provided by our hosts. Since we were with a group of Americans, I wrote it off as a gesture of hospitality from our Italian friends. A few weeks ago, however, I received a letter from my Russian friend who has lived in Italy for several years. 'Yesterday, we had lunch with our Italian and Canadian friends in town,' she wrote. 'We had pasta con fagioli (pasta with beans), fried pork sausages and pistachio tiramisu (an Italian pastry dessert made with layers of mascarpone cheese, whipped egg yolks and sugar). 'People have good quality cold cuts, cheeses, olive oil and wine,' she continued. 'We cannot help but notice that in Italy, pasta is in the menu everywhere and always on the table for lunch in Italian homes. Salads are very rare. 'Mediterranean diet is a well-promoted healthy food concept that sells well, but somehow does not correspond to reality, at least here in Italy,' she concluded. Very interesting. Traditionally, the diet habits of people in Italy and other Mediterranean countries included plenty of pasta, bread, olive oil and vegetables, with moderate portions of meat, fish, dairy foods and eggs. Dessert was usually fresh fruit. Research from the 1980s found this way of eating to be especially healthful, especially for the heart, when compared to the usual American diet of the time. Thus, the adoption of the Mediterranean diet as a way to lower cholesterol. What about now? A 2021 study in the journal Nutrients reported that 'food habits in Italy have changed considerably' in the past 20 years and 'adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet is, at present, rather modest'. These researchers found that today's Italians eat too few vegetables, fruit and legumes, and too much meat, cheese and sugar. They are doing well with their intake of fish, poultry and olive oil, however. Italians could improve the quality of their diets by adjusting the balance of how they eat these foods, say these scientists. What about those of us in the United States? Studies have found that trending one's diet to the traditional Mediterranean way of eating may help improve pregnancy outcomes and lower one's risk for depression, obesity and heart disease. I especially like that this pattern can be adjusted to our individual likes and dislikes. Most importantly, those who enjoy this traditional way of eating often do so with others. And we know that sharing meals is a valuable source of social and emotional support. May that part of the Mediterranean diet never change. – By Barbara Intermill/Tribune News Service Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist in the US.
