Latest news with #US100
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Bad hair day: US tariffs hit black women's braids, wigs
Before the oppressive summer heat descends on Atlanta, therapist Brittanee Sims usually gets her thick, curly hair braided at a salon. But it's more expensive this year. So she'll only pay for her teenage daughter and son to get their summer hairdos. Now, she said, she has to "go home and figure out what I'm gonna do to my hair in the morning, after I went to the gym and it's messed up with sweating and frizz". President Donald Trump's tariffs are driving up prices for products many black women consider essential, squeezing shoppers and stylists even more as they grapple with inflation and higher rents. Much of the synthetic braiding hair, human hair for extensions, wigs and weaves, styling tools, braiding gel and other products are imported from China, which was subject to a combined 145 per cent tariff in April. Many black women have hair types and workplace-favoured styles that require careful attention, and they can spend hundreds of dollars at salons each month on extensions, weaves, wigs and braids. On Thursday, a federal appeals court reinstated most of Trump's tariffs on imported goods after they were blocked the day before by a three-judge panel of the US Court of International Trade. Earlier this month, the United States agreed to drop the 145 per cent tax on goods imported from China to 30 per cent while the two economic superpowers negotiate new trade agreements. Imports from most other countries face baseline tariff rates at 10 per cent. Regardless, the next few months "are already shot" for many items, said Marty Parker, a University of Georgia business professor and supply chain expert who worked in the hair care industry. The costs companies have been facing at ports are making their way down to consumers, supply shortages are getting worse, and it's unclear what will happen if negotiations break down. "Prices go up very fast and come down very slow," Parker said. Some stylists said they're seeing fewer clients because prices are going up for virtually everything. Atlanta stylists are paying more for hair from China. Atlanta stylist Yana Ellis, who also sells products like wigs, paid an extra $US245 ($A381) in shipping for 52 bundles of hair in March compared to 40 bundles in December. AaNiyah Butler said her shipping costs for human hair more than doubled from February to May. And Dajiah Blackshear found in early May that a beauty supply store raised the cost of the kind of hair she's used for years by $US100 ($A155). The store owner said he may have to stop selling that brand of hair because it went up so much. Similarly, some wholesale hair stores have seen higher costs or are expecting them in the coming weeks. Even the typical $US6 ($A9.3) to $US10 ($A16) cost of a pack of synthetic hair has crept up. Blackshear doesn't want clients to bring hair because she likes to vet the quality. But if expenses continue to mount, she may have to raise her prices. "It's going to be extremely difficult," she said, especially for clients who are "having to make those hard decisions, between 'do I get my hair done or do I pay my bills?'" Janice Lowe, who runs 5 Starr Salon in a lower-income neighbourhood southeast of Atlanta, has started asking clients to bring hair and is unable to purchase certain products. "I'm falling behind on my obligations," she said. Consultants vary on how much prices will rise, when they'll go up and for how long — and the full harm to stylists and consumers could be months away. The global black hair care industry was worth about $US3.2 billion ($A5.0 billion) in 2023, according to and black women spend six times more on hair care than other ethnicities. Stylists often purchase some harder-to-get professional products from door-to-door distributors that buy from wholesale companies or larger distributors that purchase directly from other countries. Lowe has seen some of her distributors vanish altogether, making it harder to get professional lines such as black-owned leading professional hair care brand Design Essentials, manufactured in Atlanta at McBride Research Laboratories. Design Essentials is trying to delay big price increases until 2026 or 2027, and may turn to layoffs or pause promotions to save money, said president Cornell McBride Jr. "Nobody wants to put it to the consumer but the person who pays is the consumer in the end," McBride Jr. said. Hawa Keita and her mother usually charge customers between $US160 ($A249) and $US250 ($A389) for braiding at their shop, Eve's African Hair Braiding in College Park southwest of Atlanta. Keita is determined to take losses because their customers "can't afford the Atlanta prices," Keita said. The cost of a box of 100 packs of braiding hair from China went up for the first time in two years, from $US250 ($A389) to $US300 ($A466), Keita said. They order weekly, often multiple boxes. Some companies say they'll soon raise prices or run out of stock. Making customers happy is ultimately what will keep the business afloat, Keita said. She smiled as she recounted braiding a young woman's hair for her birthday with a style she suggested. "When we finished, she gave me the biggest hug, and she was in here screaming and just yelling because she just really loved her hair," Keita said. Before the oppressive summer heat descends on Atlanta, therapist Brittanee Sims usually gets her thick, curly hair braided at a salon. But it's more expensive this year. So she'll only pay for her teenage daughter and son to get their summer hairdos. Now, she said, she has to "go home and figure out what I'm gonna do to my hair in the morning, after I went to the gym and it's messed up with sweating and frizz". President Donald Trump's tariffs are driving up prices for products many black women consider essential, squeezing shoppers and stylists even more as they grapple with inflation and higher rents. Much of the synthetic braiding hair, human hair for extensions, wigs and weaves, styling tools, braiding gel and other products are imported from China, which was subject to a combined 145 per cent tariff in April. Many black women have hair types and workplace-favoured styles that require careful attention, and they can spend hundreds of dollars at salons each month on extensions, weaves, wigs and braids. On Thursday, a federal appeals court reinstated most of Trump's tariffs on imported goods after they were blocked the day before by a three-judge panel of the US Court of International Trade. Earlier this month, the United States agreed to drop the 145 per cent tax on goods imported from China to 30 per cent while the two economic superpowers negotiate new trade agreements. Imports from most other countries face baseline tariff rates at 10 per cent. Regardless, the next few months "are already shot" for many items, said Marty Parker, a University of Georgia business professor and supply chain expert who worked in the hair care industry. The costs companies have been facing at ports are making their way down to consumers, supply shortages are getting worse, and it's unclear what will happen if negotiations break down. "Prices go up very fast and come down very slow," Parker said. Some stylists said they're seeing fewer clients because prices are going up for virtually everything. Atlanta stylists are paying more for hair from China. Atlanta stylist Yana Ellis, who also sells products like wigs, paid an extra $US245 ($A381) in shipping for 52 bundles of hair in March compared to 40 bundles in December. AaNiyah Butler said her shipping costs for human hair more than doubled from February to May. And Dajiah Blackshear found in early May that a beauty supply store raised the cost of the kind of hair she's used for years by $US100 ($A155). The store owner said he may have to stop selling that brand of hair because it went up so much. Similarly, some wholesale hair stores have seen higher costs or are expecting them in the coming weeks. Even the typical $US6 ($A9.3) to $US10 ($A16) cost of a pack of synthetic hair has crept up. Blackshear doesn't want clients to bring hair because she likes to vet the quality. But if expenses continue to mount, she may have to raise her prices. "It's going to be extremely difficult," she said, especially for clients who are "having to make those hard decisions, between 'do I get my hair done or do I pay my bills?'" Janice Lowe, who runs 5 Starr Salon in a lower-income neighbourhood southeast of Atlanta, has started asking clients to bring hair and is unable to purchase certain products. "I'm falling behind on my obligations," she said. Consultants vary on how much prices will rise, when they'll go up and for how long — and the full harm to stylists and consumers could be months away. The global black hair care industry was worth about $US3.2 billion ($A5.0 billion) in 2023, according to and black women spend six times more on hair care than other ethnicities. Stylists often purchase some harder-to-get professional products from door-to-door distributors that buy from wholesale companies or larger distributors that purchase directly from other countries. Lowe has seen some of her distributors vanish altogether, making it harder to get professional lines such as black-owned leading professional hair care brand Design Essentials, manufactured in Atlanta at McBride Research Laboratories. Design Essentials is trying to delay big price increases until 2026 or 2027, and may turn to layoffs or pause promotions to save money, said president Cornell McBride Jr. "Nobody wants to put it to the consumer but the person who pays is the consumer in the end," McBride Jr. said. Hawa Keita and her mother usually charge customers between $US160 ($A249) and $US250 ($A389) for braiding at their shop, Eve's African Hair Braiding in College Park southwest of Atlanta. Keita is determined to take losses because their customers "can't afford the Atlanta prices," Keita said. The cost of a box of 100 packs of braiding hair from China went up for the first time in two years, from $US250 ($A389) to $US300 ($A466), Keita said. They order weekly, often multiple boxes. Some companies say they'll soon raise prices or run out of stock. Making customers happy is ultimately what will keep the business afloat, Keita said. She smiled as she recounted braiding a young woman's hair for her birthday with a style she suggested. "When we finished, she gave me the biggest hug, and she was in here screaming and just yelling because she just really loved her hair," Keita said. Before the oppressive summer heat descends on Atlanta, therapist Brittanee Sims usually gets her thick, curly hair braided at a salon. But it's more expensive this year. So she'll only pay for her teenage daughter and son to get their summer hairdos. Now, she said, she has to "go home and figure out what I'm gonna do to my hair in the morning, after I went to the gym and it's messed up with sweating and frizz". President Donald Trump's tariffs are driving up prices for products many black women consider essential, squeezing shoppers and stylists even more as they grapple with inflation and higher rents. Much of the synthetic braiding hair, human hair for extensions, wigs and weaves, styling tools, braiding gel and other products are imported from China, which was subject to a combined 145 per cent tariff in April. Many black women have hair types and workplace-favoured styles that require careful attention, and they can spend hundreds of dollars at salons each month on extensions, weaves, wigs and braids. On Thursday, a federal appeals court reinstated most of Trump's tariffs on imported goods after they were blocked the day before by a three-judge panel of the US Court of International Trade. Earlier this month, the United States agreed to drop the 145 per cent tax on goods imported from China to 30 per cent while the two economic superpowers negotiate new trade agreements. Imports from most other countries face baseline tariff rates at 10 per cent. Regardless, the next few months "are already shot" for many items, said Marty Parker, a University of Georgia business professor and supply chain expert who worked in the hair care industry. The costs companies have been facing at ports are making their way down to consumers, supply shortages are getting worse, and it's unclear what will happen if negotiations break down. "Prices go up very fast and come down very slow," Parker said. Some stylists said they're seeing fewer clients because prices are going up for virtually everything. Atlanta stylists are paying more for hair from China. Atlanta stylist Yana Ellis, who also sells products like wigs, paid an extra $US245 ($A381) in shipping for 52 bundles of hair in March compared to 40 bundles in December. AaNiyah Butler said her shipping costs for human hair more than doubled from February to May. And Dajiah Blackshear found in early May that a beauty supply store raised the cost of the kind of hair she's used for years by $US100 ($A155). The store owner said he may have to stop selling that brand of hair because it went up so much. Similarly, some wholesale hair stores have seen higher costs or are expecting them in the coming weeks. Even the typical $US6 ($A9.3) to $US10 ($A16) cost of a pack of synthetic hair has crept up. Blackshear doesn't want clients to bring hair because she likes to vet the quality. But if expenses continue to mount, she may have to raise her prices. "It's going to be extremely difficult," she said, especially for clients who are "having to make those hard decisions, between 'do I get my hair done or do I pay my bills?'" Janice Lowe, who runs 5 Starr Salon in a lower-income neighbourhood southeast of Atlanta, has started asking clients to bring hair and is unable to purchase certain products. "I'm falling behind on my obligations," she said. Consultants vary on how much prices will rise, when they'll go up and for how long — and the full harm to stylists and consumers could be months away. The global black hair care industry was worth about $US3.2 billion ($A5.0 billion) in 2023, according to and black women spend six times more on hair care than other ethnicities. Stylists often purchase some harder-to-get professional products from door-to-door distributors that buy from wholesale companies or larger distributors that purchase directly from other countries. Lowe has seen some of her distributors vanish altogether, making it harder to get professional lines such as black-owned leading professional hair care brand Design Essentials, manufactured in Atlanta at McBride Research Laboratories. Design Essentials is trying to delay big price increases until 2026 or 2027, and may turn to layoffs or pause promotions to save money, said president Cornell McBride Jr. "Nobody wants to put it to the consumer but the person who pays is the consumer in the end," McBride Jr. said. Hawa Keita and her mother usually charge customers between $US160 ($A249) and $US250 ($A389) for braiding at their shop, Eve's African Hair Braiding in College Park southwest of Atlanta. Keita is determined to take losses because their customers "can't afford the Atlanta prices," Keita said. The cost of a box of 100 packs of braiding hair from China went up for the first time in two years, from $US250 ($A389) to $US300 ($A466), Keita said. They order weekly, often multiple boxes. Some companies say they'll soon raise prices or run out of stock. Making customers happy is ultimately what will keep the business afloat, Keita said. She smiled as she recounted braiding a young woman's hair for her birthday with a style she suggested. "When we finished, she gave me the biggest hug, and she was in here screaming and just yelling because she just really loved her hair," Keita said. Before the oppressive summer heat descends on Atlanta, therapist Brittanee Sims usually gets her thick, curly hair braided at a salon. But it's more expensive this year. So she'll only pay for her teenage daughter and son to get their summer hairdos. Now, she said, she has to "go home and figure out what I'm gonna do to my hair in the morning, after I went to the gym and it's messed up with sweating and frizz". President Donald Trump's tariffs are driving up prices for products many black women consider essential, squeezing shoppers and stylists even more as they grapple with inflation and higher rents. Much of the synthetic braiding hair, human hair for extensions, wigs and weaves, styling tools, braiding gel and other products are imported from China, which was subject to a combined 145 per cent tariff in April. Many black women have hair types and workplace-favoured styles that require careful attention, and they can spend hundreds of dollars at salons each month on extensions, weaves, wigs and braids. On Thursday, a federal appeals court reinstated most of Trump's tariffs on imported goods after they were blocked the day before by a three-judge panel of the US Court of International Trade. Earlier this month, the United States agreed to drop the 145 per cent tax on goods imported from China to 30 per cent while the two economic superpowers negotiate new trade agreements. Imports from most other countries face baseline tariff rates at 10 per cent. Regardless, the next few months "are already shot" for many items, said Marty Parker, a University of Georgia business professor and supply chain expert who worked in the hair care industry. The costs companies have been facing at ports are making their way down to consumers, supply shortages are getting worse, and it's unclear what will happen if negotiations break down. "Prices go up very fast and come down very slow," Parker said. Some stylists said they're seeing fewer clients because prices are going up for virtually everything. Atlanta stylists are paying more for hair from China. Atlanta stylist Yana Ellis, who also sells products like wigs, paid an extra $US245 ($A381) in shipping for 52 bundles of hair in March compared to 40 bundles in December. AaNiyah Butler said her shipping costs for human hair more than doubled from February to May. And Dajiah Blackshear found in early May that a beauty supply store raised the cost of the kind of hair she's used for years by $US100 ($A155). The store owner said he may have to stop selling that brand of hair because it went up so much. Similarly, some wholesale hair stores have seen higher costs or are expecting them in the coming weeks. Even the typical $US6 ($A9.3) to $US10 ($A16) cost of a pack of synthetic hair has crept up. Blackshear doesn't want clients to bring hair because she likes to vet the quality. But if expenses continue to mount, she may have to raise her prices. "It's going to be extremely difficult," she said, especially for clients who are "having to make those hard decisions, between 'do I get my hair done or do I pay my bills?'" Janice Lowe, who runs 5 Starr Salon in a lower-income neighbourhood southeast of Atlanta, has started asking clients to bring hair and is unable to purchase certain products. "I'm falling behind on my obligations," she said. Consultants vary on how much prices will rise, when they'll go up and for how long — and the full harm to stylists and consumers could be months away. The global black hair care industry was worth about $US3.2 billion ($A5.0 billion) in 2023, according to and black women spend six times more on hair care than other ethnicities. Stylists often purchase some harder-to-get professional products from door-to-door distributors that buy from wholesale companies or larger distributors that purchase directly from other countries. Lowe has seen some of her distributors vanish altogether, making it harder to get professional lines such as black-owned leading professional hair care brand Design Essentials, manufactured in Atlanta at McBride Research Laboratories. Design Essentials is trying to delay big price increases until 2026 or 2027, and may turn to layoffs or pause promotions to save money, said president Cornell McBride Jr. "Nobody wants to put it to the consumer but the person who pays is the consumer in the end," McBride Jr. said. Hawa Keita and her mother usually charge customers between $US160 ($A249) and $US250 ($A389) for braiding at their shop, Eve's African Hair Braiding in College Park southwest of Atlanta. Keita is determined to take losses because their customers "can't afford the Atlanta prices," Keita said. The cost of a box of 100 packs of braiding hair from China went up for the first time in two years, from $US250 ($A389) to $US300 ($A466), Keita said. They order weekly, often multiple boxes. Some companies say they'll soon raise prices or run out of stock. Making customers happy is ultimately what will keep the business afloat, Keita said. She smiled as she recounted braiding a young woman's hair for her birthday with a style she suggested. "When we finished, she gave me the biggest hug, and she was in here screaming and just yelling because she just really loved her hair," Keita said.
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Bad hair day: US tariffs hit black women's braids, wigs
Before the oppressive summer heat descends on Atlanta, therapist Brittanee Sims usually gets her thick, curly hair braided at a salon. But it's more expensive this year. So she'll only pay for her teenage daughter and son to get their summer hairdos. Now, she said, she has to "go home and figure out what I'm gonna do to my hair in the morning, after I went to the gym and it's messed up with sweating and frizz". President Donald Trump's tariffs are driving up prices for products many black women consider essential, squeezing shoppers and stylists even more as they grapple with inflation and higher rents. Much of the synthetic braiding hair, human hair for extensions, wigs and weaves, styling tools, braiding gel and other products are imported from China, which was subject to a combined 145 per cent tariff in April. Many black women have hair types and workplace-favoured styles that require careful attention, and they can spend hundreds of dollars at salons each month on extensions, weaves, wigs and braids. On Thursday, a federal appeals court reinstated most of Trump's tariffs on imported goods after they were blocked the day before by a three-judge panel of the US Court of International Trade. Earlier this month, the United States agreed to drop the 145 per cent tax on goods imported from China to 30 per cent while the two economic superpowers negotiate new trade agreements. Imports from most other countries face baseline tariff rates at 10 per cent. Regardless, the next few months "are already shot" for many items, said Marty Parker, a University of Georgia business professor and supply chain expert who worked in the hair care industry. The costs companies have been facing at ports are making their way down to consumers, supply shortages are getting worse, and it's unclear what will happen if negotiations break down. "Prices go up very fast and come down very slow," Parker said. Some stylists said they're seeing fewer clients because prices are going up for virtually everything. Atlanta stylists are paying more for hair from China. Atlanta stylist Yana Ellis, who also sells products like wigs, paid an extra $US245 ($A381) in shipping for 52 bundles of hair in March compared to 40 bundles in December. AaNiyah Butler said her shipping costs for human hair more than doubled from February to May. And Dajiah Blackshear found in early May that a beauty supply store raised the cost of the kind of hair she's used for years by $US100 ($A155). The store owner said he may have to stop selling that brand of hair because it went up so much. Similarly, some wholesale hair stores have seen higher costs or are expecting them in the coming weeks. Even the typical $US6 ($A9.3) to $US10 ($A16) cost of a pack of synthetic hair has crept up. Blackshear doesn't want clients to bring hair because she likes to vet the quality. But if expenses continue to mount, she may have to raise her prices. "It's going to be extremely difficult," she said, especially for clients who are "having to make those hard decisions, between 'do I get my hair done or do I pay my bills?'" Janice Lowe, who runs 5 Starr Salon in a lower-income neighbourhood southeast of Atlanta, has started asking clients to bring hair and is unable to purchase certain products. "I'm falling behind on my obligations," she said. Consultants vary on how much prices will rise, when they'll go up and for how long — and the full harm to stylists and consumers could be months away. The global black hair care industry was worth about $US3.2 billion ($A5.0 billion) in 2023, according to and black women spend six times more on hair care than other ethnicities. Stylists often purchase some harder-to-get professional products from door-to-door distributors that buy from wholesale companies or larger distributors that purchase directly from other countries. Lowe has seen some of her distributors vanish altogether, making it harder to get professional lines such as black-owned leading professional hair care brand Design Essentials, manufactured in Atlanta at McBride Research Laboratories. Design Essentials is trying to delay big price increases until 2026 or 2027, and may turn to layoffs or pause promotions to save money, said president Cornell McBride Jr. "Nobody wants to put it to the consumer but the person who pays is the consumer in the end," McBride Jr. said. Hawa Keita and her mother usually charge customers between $US160 ($A249) and $US250 ($A389) for braiding at their shop, Eve's African Hair Braiding in College Park southwest of Atlanta. Keita is determined to take losses because their customers "can't afford the Atlanta prices," Keita said. The cost of a box of 100 packs of braiding hair from China went up for the first time in two years, from $US250 ($A389) to $US300 ($A466), Keita said. They order weekly, often multiple boxes. Some companies say they'll soon raise prices or run out of stock. Making customers happy is ultimately what will keep the business afloat, Keita said. She smiled as she recounted braiding a young woman's hair for her birthday with a style she suggested. "When we finished, she gave me the biggest hug, and she was in here screaming and just yelling because she just really loved her hair," Keita said.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Bad hair day: US tariffs hit black women's braids, wigs
Before the oppressive summer heat descends on Atlanta, therapist Brittanee Sims usually gets her thick, curly hair braided at a salon. But it's more expensive this year. So she'll only pay for her teenage daughter and son to get their summer hairdos. Now, she said, she has to "go home and figure out what I'm gonna do to my hair in the morning, after I went to the gym and it's messed up with sweating and frizz". President Donald Trump's tariffs are driving up prices for products many black women consider essential, squeezing shoppers and stylists even more as they grapple with inflation and higher rents. Much of the synthetic braiding hair, human hair for extensions, wigs and weaves, styling tools, braiding gel and other products are imported from China, which was subject to a combined 145 per cent tariff in April. Many black women have hair types and workplace-favoured styles that require careful attention, and they can spend hundreds of dollars at salons each month on extensions, weaves, wigs and braids. On Thursday, a federal appeals court reinstated most of Trump's tariffs on imported goods after they were blocked the day before by a three-judge panel of the US Court of International Trade. Earlier this month, the United States agreed to drop the 145 per cent tax on goods imported from China to 30 per cent while the two economic superpowers negotiate new trade agreements. Imports from most other countries face baseline tariff rates at 10 per cent. Regardless, the next few months "are already shot" for many items, said Marty Parker, a University of Georgia business professor and supply chain expert who worked in the hair care industry. The costs companies have been facing at ports are making their way down to consumers, supply shortages are getting worse, and it's unclear what will happen if negotiations break down. "Prices go up very fast and come down very slow," Parker said. Some stylists said they're seeing fewer clients because prices are going up for virtually everything. Atlanta stylists are paying more for hair from China. Atlanta stylist Yana Ellis, who also sells products like wigs, paid an extra $US245 ($A381) in shipping for 52 bundles of hair in March compared to 40 bundles in December. AaNiyah Butler said her shipping costs for human hair more than doubled from February to May. And Dajiah Blackshear found in early May that a beauty supply store raised the cost of the kind of hair she's used for years by $US100 ($A155). The store owner said he may have to stop selling that brand of hair because it went up so much. Similarly, some wholesale hair stores have seen higher costs or are expecting them in the coming weeks. Even the typical $US6 ($A9.3) to $US10 ($A16) cost of a pack of synthetic hair has crept up. Blackshear doesn't want clients to bring hair because she likes to vet the quality. But if expenses continue to mount, she may have to raise her prices. "It's going to be extremely difficult," she said, especially for clients who are "having to make those hard decisions, between 'do I get my hair done or do I pay my bills?'" Janice Lowe, who runs 5 Starr Salon in a lower-income neighbourhood southeast of Atlanta, has started asking clients to bring hair and is unable to purchase certain products. "I'm falling behind on my obligations," she said. Consultants vary on how much prices will rise, when they'll go up and for how long — and the full harm to stylists and consumers could be months away. The global black hair care industry was worth about $US3.2 billion ($A5.0 billion) in 2023, according to and black women spend six times more on hair care than other ethnicities. Stylists often purchase some harder-to-get professional products from door-to-door distributors that buy from wholesale companies or larger distributors that purchase directly from other countries. Lowe has seen some of her distributors vanish altogether, making it harder to get professional lines such as black-owned leading professional hair care brand Design Essentials, manufactured in Atlanta at McBride Research Laboratories. Design Essentials is trying to delay big price increases until 2026 or 2027, and may turn to layoffs or pause promotions to save money, said president Cornell McBride Jr. "Nobody wants to put it to the consumer but the person who pays is the consumer in the end," McBride Jr. said. Hawa Keita and her mother usually charge customers between $US160 ($A249) and $US250 ($A389) for braiding at their shop, Eve's African Hair Braiding in College Park southwest of Atlanta. Keita is determined to take losses because their customers "can't afford the Atlanta prices," Keita said. The cost of a box of 100 packs of braiding hair from China went up for the first time in two years, from $US250 ($A389) to $US300 ($A466), Keita said. They order weekly, often multiple boxes. Some companies say they'll soon raise prices or run out of stock. Making customers happy is ultimately what will keep the business afloat, Keita said. She smiled as she recounted braiding a young woman's hair for her birthday with a style she suggested. "When we finished, she gave me the biggest hug, and she was in here screaming and just yelling because she just really loved her hair," Keita said.
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Harvard grads cheer calls for school to stand strong
Harvard graduates in caps and gowns have urged the Ivy League school to stand strong in the wake of a public battle with the Trump administration. Graduating students cheered speeches emphasising the maintenance of a diverse international student body and standing up for truth in the face of attacks by the Trump administration. "We leave a campus much different than the one we entered, with Harvard at the centre of a national battle of higher education in America," Thor Reimann told his fellow graduates. "Our university is certainly imperfect, but I am proud to stand today alongside our graduating class, our faculty, our president with the shared conviction that this ongoing project of veritas is one that is worth defending." Among the Trump administration's latest salvos was asking federal agencies to cancel about $US100 million ($A155 million) in contracts with the university. The government has already cancelled more than $US2.6 billion ($A4.0 billion) in federal research grants, moved to cut off Harvard's enrolment of international students and threatened its tax-exempt status. Visa interviews for international students admitted to schools nationwide were halted on Tuesday, and Trump said on Wednesday that Harvard should reduce its international enrolment from 25 per cent to about 15 per cent. A federal judge on Thursday extended an order blocking the Trump administration's attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students. Sustained by a $US53 billion ($A82 billion) endowment, the nation's wealthiest university is testing whether it can be a bulwark against Trump's efforts to limit what his administration calls anti-semitic activism on campus, which Harvard sees as an affront to the freedom to teach and learn nationwide. Harvard President Alan Garber, who has repeatedly defended the school's actions, didn't directly touch on the Trump administration's threats on Thursday. But he did get a rousing applause when he referenced the university's global reach, noting that it is "just as it should be". Several of the graduating speakers spoke more directly about the challenges facing the school and society. Speaking in Latin, salutatorian Aidan Robert Scully delivered a speech laced with references to Trump policies. "I say this: ... Neither powers nor princes can change the truth and deny that diversity is our strength," Scully said. It was a sentiment echoed by Yurong "Luanna" Jiang, a Chinese graduate who studied international development. She said she grew up believing that the "world was becoming a small village" and that she found a global community at Harvard. "When I met my 77 classmates from 32 different countries, the countries I knew only as colourful shapes on a map turned into real people, with laughter, dreams and the perseverance to survive the long winter in Cambridge," she said of the other students in her program. "Global challenges suddenly felt personal." Now, though, she said she wonders whether her worldview is under threat. "We're starting to believe those who think differently, vote differently or pray differently, whether they are across the ocean or sitting right next to us, are not just wrong — we mistakenly see them as evil," she said. "But it doesn't have to be this way." Harvard graduates in caps and gowns have urged the Ivy League school to stand strong in the wake of a public battle with the Trump administration. Graduating students cheered speeches emphasising the maintenance of a diverse international student body and standing up for truth in the face of attacks by the Trump administration. "We leave a campus much different than the one we entered, with Harvard at the centre of a national battle of higher education in America," Thor Reimann told his fellow graduates. "Our university is certainly imperfect, but I am proud to stand today alongside our graduating class, our faculty, our president with the shared conviction that this ongoing project of veritas is one that is worth defending." Among the Trump administration's latest salvos was asking federal agencies to cancel about $US100 million ($A155 million) in contracts with the university. The government has already cancelled more than $US2.6 billion ($A4.0 billion) in federal research grants, moved to cut off Harvard's enrolment of international students and threatened its tax-exempt status. Visa interviews for international students admitted to schools nationwide were halted on Tuesday, and Trump said on Wednesday that Harvard should reduce its international enrolment from 25 per cent to about 15 per cent. A federal judge on Thursday extended an order blocking the Trump administration's attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students. Sustained by a $US53 billion ($A82 billion) endowment, the nation's wealthiest university is testing whether it can be a bulwark against Trump's efforts to limit what his administration calls anti-semitic activism on campus, which Harvard sees as an affront to the freedom to teach and learn nationwide. Harvard President Alan Garber, who has repeatedly defended the school's actions, didn't directly touch on the Trump administration's threats on Thursday. But he did get a rousing applause when he referenced the university's global reach, noting that it is "just as it should be". Several of the graduating speakers spoke more directly about the challenges facing the school and society. Speaking in Latin, salutatorian Aidan Robert Scully delivered a speech laced with references to Trump policies. "I say this: ... Neither powers nor princes can change the truth and deny that diversity is our strength," Scully said. It was a sentiment echoed by Yurong "Luanna" Jiang, a Chinese graduate who studied international development. She said she grew up believing that the "world was becoming a small village" and that she found a global community at Harvard. "When I met my 77 classmates from 32 different countries, the countries I knew only as colourful shapes on a map turned into real people, with laughter, dreams and the perseverance to survive the long winter in Cambridge," she said of the other students in her program. "Global challenges suddenly felt personal." Now, though, she said she wonders whether her worldview is under threat. "We're starting to believe those who think differently, vote differently or pray differently, whether they are across the ocean or sitting right next to us, are not just wrong — we mistakenly see them as evil," she said. "But it doesn't have to be this way." Harvard graduates in caps and gowns have urged the Ivy League school to stand strong in the wake of a public battle with the Trump administration. Graduating students cheered speeches emphasising the maintenance of a diverse international student body and standing up for truth in the face of attacks by the Trump administration. "We leave a campus much different than the one we entered, with Harvard at the centre of a national battle of higher education in America," Thor Reimann told his fellow graduates. "Our university is certainly imperfect, but I am proud to stand today alongside our graduating class, our faculty, our president with the shared conviction that this ongoing project of veritas is one that is worth defending." Among the Trump administration's latest salvos was asking federal agencies to cancel about $US100 million ($A155 million) in contracts with the university. The government has already cancelled more than $US2.6 billion ($A4.0 billion) in federal research grants, moved to cut off Harvard's enrolment of international students and threatened its tax-exempt status. Visa interviews for international students admitted to schools nationwide were halted on Tuesday, and Trump said on Wednesday that Harvard should reduce its international enrolment from 25 per cent to about 15 per cent. A federal judge on Thursday extended an order blocking the Trump administration's attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students. Sustained by a $US53 billion ($A82 billion) endowment, the nation's wealthiest university is testing whether it can be a bulwark against Trump's efforts to limit what his administration calls anti-semitic activism on campus, which Harvard sees as an affront to the freedom to teach and learn nationwide. Harvard President Alan Garber, who has repeatedly defended the school's actions, didn't directly touch on the Trump administration's threats on Thursday. But he did get a rousing applause when he referenced the university's global reach, noting that it is "just as it should be". Several of the graduating speakers spoke more directly about the challenges facing the school and society. Speaking in Latin, salutatorian Aidan Robert Scully delivered a speech laced with references to Trump policies. "I say this: ... Neither powers nor princes can change the truth and deny that diversity is our strength," Scully said. It was a sentiment echoed by Yurong "Luanna" Jiang, a Chinese graduate who studied international development. She said she grew up believing that the "world was becoming a small village" and that she found a global community at Harvard. "When I met my 77 classmates from 32 different countries, the countries I knew only as colourful shapes on a map turned into real people, with laughter, dreams and the perseverance to survive the long winter in Cambridge," she said of the other students in her program. "Global challenges suddenly felt personal." Now, though, she said she wonders whether her worldview is under threat. "We're starting to believe those who think differently, vote differently or pray differently, whether they are across the ocean or sitting right next to us, are not just wrong — we mistakenly see them as evil," she said. "But it doesn't have to be this way." Harvard graduates in caps and gowns have urged the Ivy League school to stand strong in the wake of a public battle with the Trump administration. Graduating students cheered speeches emphasising the maintenance of a diverse international student body and standing up for truth in the face of attacks by the Trump administration. "We leave a campus much different than the one we entered, with Harvard at the centre of a national battle of higher education in America," Thor Reimann told his fellow graduates. "Our university is certainly imperfect, but I am proud to stand today alongside our graduating class, our faculty, our president with the shared conviction that this ongoing project of veritas is one that is worth defending." Among the Trump administration's latest salvos was asking federal agencies to cancel about $US100 million ($A155 million) in contracts with the university. The government has already cancelled more than $US2.6 billion ($A4.0 billion) in federal research grants, moved to cut off Harvard's enrolment of international students and threatened its tax-exempt status. Visa interviews for international students admitted to schools nationwide were halted on Tuesday, and Trump said on Wednesday that Harvard should reduce its international enrolment from 25 per cent to about 15 per cent. A federal judge on Thursday extended an order blocking the Trump administration's attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students. Sustained by a $US53 billion ($A82 billion) endowment, the nation's wealthiest university is testing whether it can be a bulwark against Trump's efforts to limit what his administration calls anti-semitic activism on campus, which Harvard sees as an affront to the freedom to teach and learn nationwide. Harvard President Alan Garber, who has repeatedly defended the school's actions, didn't directly touch on the Trump administration's threats on Thursday. But he did get a rousing applause when he referenced the university's global reach, noting that it is "just as it should be". Several of the graduating speakers spoke more directly about the challenges facing the school and society. Speaking in Latin, salutatorian Aidan Robert Scully delivered a speech laced with references to Trump policies. "I say this: ... Neither powers nor princes can change the truth and deny that diversity is our strength," Scully said. It was a sentiment echoed by Yurong "Luanna" Jiang, a Chinese graduate who studied international development. She said she grew up believing that the "world was becoming a small village" and that she found a global community at Harvard. "When I met my 77 classmates from 32 different countries, the countries I knew only as colourful shapes on a map turned into real people, with laughter, dreams and the perseverance to survive the long winter in Cambridge," she said of the other students in her program. "Global challenges suddenly felt personal." Now, though, she said she wonders whether her worldview is under threat. "We're starting to believe those who think differently, vote differently or pray differently, whether they are across the ocean or sitting right next to us, are not just wrong — we mistakenly see them as evil," she said. "But it doesn't have to be this way."
The Age
5 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Which conflicts of interest? Trump doubles down on crypto
Trump's plunge into crypto – assets that he once described as a 'scam' – isn't without controversy, even from within the crypto community itself, which backed him in the election with more than $US100 million of donations. Some of those crypto billionaires are now concerned that the controversies surrounding Trump's holdings will rebound on the industry, just as Trump's backing was about to bring crypto into the mainstream of the US financial system. Loading There are obvious conflicts of interest in a president who is ultimately responsible for regulating the sector - and who in March signed an executive order to create a national strategic reserve of bitcoin and other crypto assets - being so deeply invested in the sector. On some assessments, nearly 40 per cent of his net worth (and rising) is now tied up in crypto. What hasn't dispelled the concerns is that Trump is behaving in a most unpresidential fashion, embracing the conflicts. He has been spruiking his meme coin on social media – 'I LOVE $TRUMP – SO COOL!!! The Greatest of them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' – promoting the sector and loosening its regulation even as he has become more deeply engaged within it. More to the point, there have been dealings in his crypto assets that have raised more than a few eyebrows and caused a backlash within Congress. At a private dinner and tour of the White House last week for a select few guests who had won invitations by becoming one of the top 220 holders of $TRUMP coins was a Chinese crypto billionaire, Justin Sun. Loading Sun had been sued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission during the Biden administration for allegedly illegally distributing crypto assets and inflating their value. He was an early investor in World Liberty's tokens last year, investing $US30 million in November and following that up with a subsequent investment of another $US45 million. He's now an adviser to World Liberty. After Trump regained office, the SEC asked a judge to put the case on hold. More broadly, the US Justice Department, under the Trump administration, has shut down its national cryptocurrency enforcement team and declared that it's not a digital assets regulator, criticising the Biden administration for a 'reckless strategy of regulation by prosecution.' It has credited a Trump executive order for the shift in approach. There's another controversy surrounding World Liberty. This month, a state-backed Abu Dhabi investment fund, MGX, announced it would use its stablecoin to make a $US2 billion investment in the crypto exchange, Binance. That deal will provide credibility and generate significant revenue for World Liberty, which had promoted its stablecoin as an asset that should be attractive to sovereign wealth funds and other government institutions, but also raises some awkward issues. Binance pleaded guilty in 2023 to money laundering charges and agreed to pay a $US4.3 billion penalty. Its founder and former chief executive, Changpen Zhao, who owns 90 per cent of the platform, served a four-month jail term last year. He has said that he is seeking a pardon from Trump. The Trump family have also reportedly discussed acquiring an interest in Binance's US business. What a tangled web they weave! The conflicts in the Trump family's dealings in crypto have derailed what was a bi-partisan consensus on crypto regulation. Earlier this month, the so-called GENIUS Act, which would have provided a regulatory framework for stablecoins where none currently exists – a bill supported by the crypto sector – was voted down in the Senate because of Trump's perceived conflicts and the potential for crypto assets to be used as conduits for corruption of public officials. Trump's VIP dinner and tour for buyers of his meme coin may have played a role in the bill's rejection. Senate Democrats have proposed their own crypto legislation – the 'End Crypto Corruption Act' -- that would ban presidents, lawmakers and their families from issuing or endorsing crypto assets. Even if it passed, Trump could veto it, which would add another layer of conflict. Loading Crypto investors and entrepreneurs are uneasy with Trump's dealings because they fear that, on the verge of success after years of lobbying for their preferred legislative and regulatory models, the Trump family has jeopardised their goals with its pursuit of crypto schemes. Only Trump would see no conflict of interest in his role as president, who with executive orders and sponsorship (or vetoing) of legislation is shaping regulation of the sector in which a growing proportion of his net worth is invested in, or in his control of businesses that are touting for foreign government investment even as he wages trade wars around the world. He might claim to be at arms-length from the family's crypto dealings because he says his assets are in a trust managed by his eldest son Don Jr, but his repeated promotion of crypto and his meme coin in particular undermines his assertions.
