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ITV News
01-08-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Is Donald Trump winning the tariff war he started?
'I definitely love America,' declared Pascal Soriot, the chief executive of AstraZeneca, earlier this week. Unusually, the British pharmaceutical giant - headquartered in Cambridge - announced its half-year results not in London, but across the Atlantic. Not long ago, AstraZeneca was wrapping itself in the Union Jack to fend off a hostile takeover bid from the American drugmaker Pfizer. Now, it's whistling Yankee Doodle - ramping up investment in the US (to the tune of $50 billion, or £38 billion) and doing little to silence the campfire gossip that it may shift its primary stock market listing from the UK to the United States. America's economic might is such that when the president demands greater inward investment, companies like AstraZeneca feel compelled to be seen playing ball. Trump's approach has forced open some doors to bigger markets for American exporters. Bioethanol, for example, will flow toward the UK in greater quantities - or so British producers fear. But there's little evidence his tariff barrage is reviving US manufacturing or delivering the industrial jobs boom he promised. Yes, higher tariffs have boosted US government revenues - but those revenues come from American importers, and they're nowhere near enough to cover the tax cuts and spending pledges in Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' Act. The IMF forecasts that US borrowing will rise further. And yet Trump presses on - underpinned by a belief that any country selling more to the US than it buys must be exploiting it. Most economists argue that's wrong-headed - America runs a large trade deficit because it consumes and borrows too much. But here we are. The faster Trump can close trade deals with the countries still in limbo, the less damage will be done. There's little to celebrate in the new round of tariffs, though they aren't as punishing as first threatened. The UK, along with the Falkland Islands, secured a relatively low 10% rate - the best on offer. Trade in goods will take a hit. Economic growth will slow. The UK is not in the direct firing line but won't escape unscathed and could fare worse if Trump turns his attention to services. Mexico has won a 90-day reprieve. Canada and Germany are among the most exposed. Switzerland is in shock, hit with a 39% tariff, well above the 31% Trump threatened back in April. And then there's China, the elephant in the room. It remains the biggest source of US imports by far. Talks continue, but it's unclear whether common ground can be found. Inflation in the US is rising and likely to rise further. But the American economy is growing regardless, seemingly impervious to the chaos surrounding it. The recession some predicted hasn't materialised. The dynamism is extraordinary. As one economist put it to me: 'The US economy is like a well-made car. You can drive it really badly but it's got such a powerful engine and such great brakes, it's almost impossible to stall.' Could Trump's trade strategy ultimately come unstuck? Possibly. But for now, the engine keeps running.
Boston Globe
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Amid immigration raids and a military parade, a reenactment at Bunker Hill aims to recall the values a young nation fought for
On Monday, amid a tumultuous season in American democracy, a group of historically minded musicians, artists, and members of the public are staging an elaborate recreation, with parades, toasts, and music to match. Their goal is to celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of the cornerstone, and perhaps in the process recall what all those people came to celebrate that day. Advertisement 'The laying of the cornerstone reminds us of the long work of remembering this battle,' said historian Nat Sheidley, who leads the nonprofit Advertisement Lee Eiseman, a longtime Charlestown resident, has been the driving force behind the event. A musical impresario who also edits the Boston Musical Intelligencer online journal, Eiseman said he was asked to join the Monument Association in 2023 to arrange the commemoration because he had also organized a similar event in 1993. That was for the 150th anniversary of the 221-foot obelisk's 1843 dedication. Numerous regional newspapers covered the cornerstone laying in detail, and that documentation allowed Eiseman to piece together the music and poetry that the crowd would have heard there. 'It was an all-day affair that lasted through dinner,' he said. When Eiseman read the speeches delivered at the event, he found passages 'talking about how the cornerstone is plumb and level, the way our behavior should be: moral and upright,' he said. 'The sentiments are lofty, and I'm happy to be involved in celebrating those ideals.' The 200th anniversary features several free events Monday, beginning with a 9:30 a.m. procession from the Charlestown Navy Yard to the Bunker Hill Monument. That will be followed by a reenactment of the ceremony, with actors portraying orator and famed lawmaker Daniel Webster and the Marquis de Lafayette, the French hero of the Revolutionary War who laid the cornerstone. The professional Dee Opera Orchestra and Chorus, led by conductor Stephanie Beatrice, will perform some of the music known to have been heard at the original event. There's one intentional and significant change: Webster's morning speech at the original event lasted 45 minutes, but at the reenactment, it'll be abridged to five. 'Imagine addressing 60,000 people and being heard without any amplification,' Eiseman said. 'You really needed to have a trumpet for a voice.' Advertisement Later that day at 6 p.m., Old South Meeting House will host an event Eiseman is calling a 'civic exercise and grand monumental celebration,' featuring ceremonial toasts paired with apropos period music, which was collected by Eiseman and arranged by several other musicians. A few of those selections will be familiar to modern ears, Beatrice said – 'Yankee Doodle' was played, for one, as well as 'The Anacreontic Song,' which modern Americans know as 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Beatrice said he grew up in Massachusetts and 'being able to supply historic tunes to this reenactment is really special for me.' Across the morning and evening events, Beatrice and the ensemble will be responsible for around 25 pieces. 'Each one is paired with a toast or an ode tied to a historical figure, and this all shows the relationship between the ideology of their words and the music that would have rallied the forces,' she said. 'It's going to be fun.' Sheidley often finds it a challenge to make the history of the founding era feel approachable, because it's 'saturated in mythology, and it's divisive,' he said. 'We currently are having a national argument about how we should remember our founding history … people can be on opposite sides of a political divide on that question, and we want them to be in dialogue with each other." Art and music can help guide that dialogue Sheidley wants to foster, because when people take part in a common experience, he said, it's easier for them to see themselves 'as part of writing that story.' Advertisement At heart, whenever Americans talk about the nation's founding era, they're never 'just having a conversation about history,' said Sheidley. It's also 'a conversation about where we are now and who we want to be.' A.Z. Madonna can be reached at
Indian Express
04-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Mira Kapoor on creating her luxury wellness sanctuary in Mumbai's Bandra
When Mira Kapoor (nee Rajput) was five, she gravitated towards the piano, playing nursery rhymes like Yankee Doodle by ear. Recognising her talent, her parents enrolled her in formal lessons, but the structure of education took away the joy of playing, and she soon dropped out. Over the years, whenever she saw a piano, she would sit and play. A few years ago, the instrument finally found its way into her Mumbai home, which she built with her actor-husband Shahid Kapoor. Since then, she has been self-learning via YouTube tutorials. More recently, music became integral to her wellness venture, Dhun, which represents the union of her love for music and wellness. 'An important aspect of wellness is finding stillness in all the noise that surrounds us. That is the first step to finding yourself,' she says, sitting at the store on a rainy afternoon, ahead of the official launch of her new venture – a luxurious wellness sanctuary in Bandra, Mumbai. 'It is why Dhun has spaces where people are encouraged to do nothing—like the resonance room, where you can immerse yourself in sounds from various instruments or simply sit in silence.' Kapoor, who hails from Delhi, shares that wellness has been a part of her life since childhood. Watching her mother begin the day with a warm breakfast, avoid mixing fruits with milk, and apply oil to her hair were among the early wellness rituals that shaped her own. Now 30 and a mother of two, Kapoor starts her mornings with a glass of water with soaked raisins and saffron, and ends her day by applying ghee or oil to her feet. Despite having visited renowned wellness centres across the world, she admits she doesn't currently have the luxury of a week-long retreat. 'My kids are very young,' she says. The idea for Dhun germinated during a conversation with a friend when she was talking about wellness and sharing how she wished there was a place where she could participate without switching off from the world, 'something that marries the touch-led practices of the East with the technology-driven ones of the West'. 'My friend said, 'why don't you make one?'' says Kapoor. She hesitated. 'I'm trying to find myself, and who I am after being a mom. I finally feel like I have a little bit of space for myself. The advice I got was: give yourself a deadline and put it down on paper.' The last two years were spent building Dhun from the ground up. 'Wellness trends are peaking, and I believe they will continue to do so. But I also felt that the essence of healing — especially touch-led practices — had got lost because they were considered old-school or outdated,' she says. 'People dismiss things as 'nuskhas', but what they're referring to is Ayurveda, which is a science. I wanted to bring this time-tested wisdom of Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine, and other holistic practices that honour the body's constitution, into an urban space. At the same time, I wanted to integrate cutting-edge Western technologies like cryotherapy and red light collagen beds, which promote cellular regeneration and fast recovery. You shouldn't have to choose between slow and fast. You should be able to create your circuit,' adds Kapoor. The space has been designed by architect Ankur Khosla, who also designed her residence. The soft furnishings have been custom-woven by Delhi-based Bandhini Home, and Kapoor has also developed a signature scent in collaboration with Seva Home. 'Every carpet, fabric, curtain, texture, and light has been handpicked by me. I see Dhun as an extension of myself,' she says. Last year, Kapoor had also launched her skincare brand, Akind. When asked if there's more in store, she says, 'Right now, I am in postpartum, this feels like my fourth baby.' She adds, 'I want to see them flourish — and for Dhun to grow across India and the world as a pioneering urban wellness centre, rooted in healing and harmony, with the best practices, partners, and experts at its core.'
Los Angeles Times
23-05-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Gold Star mothers help Newport-Mesa fifth-graders understand the meaning of patriotism
Two mothers whose sons died while serving in America's armed forces helped hundreds of fifth-graders from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach understand the meaning of patriotism Thursday ahead of the Memorial Day weekend at Castaways Park. About 520 students from nine Newport-Mesa Unified School District elementary schools attended the special presentation hosted by the Exchange Club of Newport Harbor as part of the 16th annual Field of Honor, said Cynthia Strasmann, the club's chair of youth programs. The 10-day exhibition features 1,776 American flags, which are a nod to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The flags are installed alongside the trails running through Castaways Park. Also on display are more than 200 pieces of student art inspired by the question 'What does America mean to me?' 'To get them involved as patriots of our country at a young age, I think, is so important in our nation right now,' said Richard Swinney, Exchange Club of Newport Harbor secretary and head of its Field of Honor committee. 'Our nation is really divided, and we're hopeful students will become more patriotic because of this event and bring our country together in the future. They are our future, and we're counting on them.' Newport Beach firefighters hoisted Old Glory, as children took selfies alongside their drawings and walked up the path leading to a clearing overlooking Newport Bay. They were accompanied by horse-mounted police and S.W.A.T. officers in an armored vehicle. The event kicked off with renditions of 'Yankee Doodle' and 'America the Beautiful' by the Paularino Elementary Band and Sonora Elementary Choir. Kids also watched a parade of flags representing each branch of the armed forces, a demonstration of how to properly fold an American flag by Girl Scout Cadette Troop #5388 and a presentation of colors by the Sons of the American Revolution. The latter is a nonprofit whose members don the traditional garb worn by Americans who fought in the American Revolution at events celebrating U.S. history and the military across the country. Members said they were proud to take part in Thursday's educational gathering. 'It's quite an honor,' said John Ferris, president of the organization's California Chapter. 'It's not even something we feel like we're personally doing, but we're almost inhabiting the people who went ahead and did this 250 years ago. It's very special to each one of us. We look forward to it each year, especially to share it with children.' The morning's featured speakers were Lisa Moncur and Karen Curreri, mothers of two soldiers who died while serving in the U.S. Army. Moncur's son, Sgt. John Christian Barcellano, served two tours as a tank gunner. Curreri's son, Sgt. Joseph F. Curreri, was a Green Beret aiding humanitarian efforts in the Philippines. Moncur explained the difference between Armed Forces Day, a holiday recognizing all current and past service members, Veterans Day, which celebrates former members of the military, and Memorial Day, which honors those who died while enlisted. 'It is not really appropriate to say 'Happy Memorial Day,' because this holiday is not a happy occasion,' Moncur said. 'It doesn't mean you have to feel sad on Memorial Day, but we should feel grateful for all of those who sacrificed so much for us, and we can and should celebrate the many freedoms we have because of their sacrifice. So, instead of wishing people a happy Memorial Day, wish them a meaningful Memorial Day.' Moncur encouraged students to sing patriotic songs, learn about American history and attend events commemorating Memorial Day. One such event caps the Field of Honor presentation that is scheduled for noon on Monday. 'We've got pipers and drummers and just a lot of pageantry,' Swinney said of the upcoming ceremony. The Field of Honor wouldn't be possible without the help of Marines from Camp Pendleton who trek up to Newport Beach twice each year to help install the 1,776 flags waving at Castaways Park, Swinney said. He also thanked the city of Newport Beach as well as the fire and police departments for their support and participation. The event is the largest event organized by the Exchange Club or Newport Harbor, and accounts for a majority of their fundraising, Swinney said. It has helped them provide around $60,000 in scholarships for Newport-Mesa seniors last year, and $15,000 in grants for organizations supporting families of Marines, among other charitable endeavors.
Fox Sports
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Sharon Lokedi breaks Boston Marathon course record. John Korir joins his brother as a Boston winner
Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Sharon Lokedi broke the Boston Marathon course record, and fellow Kenyan John Korir joined his brother as a race champion on Monday as the city celebrated the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. Lokedi outran two-time defending champion Hellen Obiri over the final mile a year after losing a sprint down Boylston Street to her in one of the closest finishes in race history. Lokedi finished in an unofficial 2 hours, 17 minutes, 22 seconds — 19 seconds ahead of Obiri and more than 2 1/2 minutes faster than the previous Boston best. Six months after winning Chicago, Korir finished in 2:04:45 — the second-fastest winning time in race history as the runners took advantage of perfect marathon weather to conquer the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston's Copley Square. After crossing the line, Korir was greeted by his older brother, 2012 Boston winner Wesley Korir. Although the race has been won by a pair of unrelated John Kelleys and two different Robert Cheruiyots, the Korirs are the first brothers — or relatives of any kind — to win the world's oldest and most prestigious annual marathon. Conner Mantz of Provo, Utah, finished fourth after losing a three-way sprint to the finish with Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania and Cybrian Kotut of Kenya. Simbu was second and Kotut was third. Korir ran without his bib showing, pulling it out of his running tights as he sprinted down Boylston Street. Reenactors on horseback, accompanied by a fife and drum playing 'Yankee Doodle,' helped start the festivities and add a bit of levity when Paul Revere's horse was spooked by the finish line decal on the street and stopped. The actor portraying the colonial silversmith and patriot had to hop off and walk the last few steps himself as the small early crowd laughed and clapped. After reading a proclamation, Revere gently tugged the horse the rest of the way before riding off to more ceremonies commemorating the midnight ride on April 19, 1775, that warned the colonists in Lexington and Concord that the British were on the march. Marcel Hug of Switzerland had no such trouble completing the course, zooming into Copley Square in 1:21:34 for his eighth Boston wheelchair title. He beat two-time winner Daniel Romanchuk by more than four minutes in the 50th anniversary of Bob Hall's pioneering push to add a wheelchair division to the race. 'It means a lot to win this year, 50 years of wheelchairs in Boston,' Hug said. 'For me, it will take some time to realize what it means, eight times wins. It's such an incredible number.' Susannah Scaroni of the United States won the women's wheelchair race for the second time, finishing in 1:35:20. Her victory guaranteed that the 'Star-Spangled Banner' would play on Boylston Street in Copley Square on Patriots' Day, the state holiday that commemorates the first shots of the Revolutionary War 250 years ago Saturday. ___ Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott in Hopkinton, Mass., contributed to this story. ___ AP sports: in this topic
