Trump s’arc-boute sur ses droits de douane malgré la débâcle des marchés

Des négociations se sont tenues en coulisses vendredi pour alléger le poids des nouveaux droits de douane voulus par Donald Trump, qui a jugé que Pékin cédait à la “panique” et s’est affiché indifférent à la déroute sur les marchés financiers.”La Chine a mal joué le coup, ils ont paniqué – la seule chose qu’ils ne peuvent pas se permettre de faire”, a écrit le président américain en lettres majuscules sur sa plateforme Truth Social, avant de se rendre à son club de golf en Floride.L’exécutif américain a menacé ses partenaires commerciaux de surtaxes encore plus lourdes en cas de riposte à ses nouveaux droits de douane, mis en place au nom de l'”urgence nationale” de réduire le déficit commercial de la première économie mondiale.Pékin a annoncé des droits de douane supplémentaires de 34% sur les produits américains dès le 10 avril, “en plus du taux des droits de douane actuellement applicables”.Face à la réplique de la Chine et l’apparente inflexibilité de Donald Trump, les marchés financiers ont continué de s’enfoncer vendredi, traduisant la fébrilité de l’économie mondiale face à la magnitude de l’offensive de Donald Trump.Wall Street a dégringolé de près de 6% à la clôture. Sur deux jours, la place financière américaine a effacé plus de 6.000 milliards de dollars de valorisation boursière.Les séances en Asie et en Europe avaient aussi auparavant tournées à la débâcle.Signe que les investisseurs redoutent l’impact sur l’économie mondiale, les cours du pétrole ont reculé d’environ 7%.- “Je ne changerai jamais” -Donald Trump s’est montré indifférent à ces soubresauts.”Sachez que je ne changerai jamais de politique. C’est un bon moment pour devenir riche, plus riche que jamais!”, a assuré le président américain, toujours en lettres majuscules sur Truth Social.”Les grandes entreprises ne sont pas inquiètes des droits de douane, parce qu’elles savent qu’ils sont là pour longtemps”, a-t-il ajouté un peu plus tard.Il a par ailleurs exhorté le président de la Réserve fédérale (Fed) à baisser les taux d’intérêt, estimant que c’était le moment “parfait” grâce aux progrès observés sur certains prix (pétrole, oeufs) depuis son retour au pouvoir en janvier.Quelques minutes plus tard, le président de l’institution monétaire a pourtant brossé un tableau plutôt sombre des perspectives pour l’économie américaine, avec les droits de douane: potentiellement plus d’inflation, moins de croissance et plus de chômage. Dès samedi (04H01 GMT), la plupart des produits entrant aux Etats-Unis, quelle que soit leur origine, se verront imposer un droit de douane plancher de 10%, qui s’additionnera avec les taxes douanières qui existaient au préalable.Et le 9 avril, la facture deviendra encore plus lourde pour les pays qui exportent plus vers les Etats-Unis qu’ils n’importent de produits américains. +54% au total pour la Chine (visée en plusieurs temps), +20% pour l’Union européenne (UE), +46% pour le Vietnam, +24% pour le Japon…Cela représente quelque 80 pays et territoires, en comptant les 27 pays du bloc européen.Cette salve de tarifs douaniers américains arrive après d’autres, plus ciblés: +25% sur l’acier et l’aluminium mais aussi, depuis jeudi, +25% sur les voitures importées aux Etats-Unis.Sur les marchés financiers, les investisseurs fuient notamment les actions des entreprises dont le modèle de production est en péril en raison de leur dépendance aux importations en provenance d’Asie, comme l’industrie textile.Donald Trump a révélé vendredi avoir eu une “discussion très productive” sur les taxes douanières avec le plus haut dirigeant vietnamien, le secrétaire général du Parti communiste To Lam, affirmant que Hanoï était prêt à réduire à “zéro” ses taxes sur les produits américains.”Je lui ai dit attendre avec impatience une rencontre dans un futur proche”, a ajouté le président américain sur Truth Social, semblant laisser la porte ouverte aux négociations.Le commissaire européen au Commerce, Maros Sefcovic, s’est lui entretenu avec ses homologues américains vendredi. Il a rapporté à l’issue de cette réunion que l’UE s’était “engagée à mener des négociations sérieuses” tout en étant “prête à défendre ses intérêts”. Selon la secrétaire générale de l’ONU commerce et développement (CNUCED), Rebeca Grynspan, vendredi, la hausse des droits de douane va “frapper les vulnérables et les pauvres” le plus durement.

Los Angeles county agrees $4bn sex abuse pay-out

Los Angeles County has agreed to pay $4 billion to settle thousands of sex abuse claims dating back decades, it said Friday, in what looks set to be the largest-ever such settlement.The agreement, which must still be approved by the board of supervisors, is intended to compensate almost 7,000 people who were subjected to abuse while in juvenile facilities and children’s homes in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.”On behalf of the county, I apologize wholeheartedly to everyone who was harmed by these reprehensible acts,” County Chief Executive Officer Fesia Davenport said. “The historic scope of this settlement makes clear that we are committed to helping the survivors recover and rebuild their lives —- and to making and enforcing the systemic changes needed to keep young people safe.”A 2020 state law gave victims of childhood sexual abuse an extended window to take legal action, long after the usual statute of limitation had lapsed.Thousands of adults came forward with horrifying stories of systematic sexual abuse they had suffered in juvenile detention facilities.Many more claimed they were the victims of predatory staff at the now-shuttered MacLaren Children’s Center, a home for foster children.Attorneys for the victims called it a “house of horrors” and an investigation found no background checks had been carried out on staff there for decades.News of the proposed settlement was bittersweet for victims.”I’m in total shock,” Shirley Bodkin, 58, who recalled being drugged, beaten and sexually abused in bathtubs and closets at MacLaren, told the Los Angeles Times.”I’ve been waiting all these years for this outcome.”MaryAlice Ashbrook, 65, who was abused at MacLaren in the 1960s, said hearing the news “felt like my heart had a door and it slammed shut.””I’ve gone to great lengths to block this out, and still, I deal with reoccurring nightmares.”The enormous sum dwarfs previous agreements for victims of abuse, including the $2.46 billion that the Boy Scouts of America agreed to pay to youngsters molested while in their care.Officials warned that the payout would have “a significant impact” for years to come on the finances of the county — America’s largest by population, with almost 10 million residents and an annual budget of around $49 billion.”The County’s plan to pay for the settlement includes cash from reserve funds, issuance of judgment obligation bonds and proposed cuts in departmental budgets,” a statement said.”The financing will require annual payments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars through 2030 and substantial continuing annual payments through fiscal year 2050-51.”

Defiant Trump dismisses stock market’s tariff plunge

President Donald Trump goaded China on Friday after the United States’ chief economic rival retaliated against his tariffs, and he dismissed falling stock markets over the growing global trade war, touting it as a chance to “get rich.””China played it wrong, they panicked — the one thing they cannot afford to do!” Trump posted on Truth Social, writing the message in his trademark all-caps.For a second straight day, markets plunged, wiping vast sums off investment and retirement portfolios alike. US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned the tariffs were likely to spur “higher inflation and lower growth.”Wall Street went into free fall, following similar collapses in Asia and Europe. The Dow Jones dropped 5.5 percent and the S&P 5.97 percent. Losses in US financial markets were estimated at more than $6 trillion since Trump unveiled his “Liberation Day” tariffs.Trump, who unveiled his barrage of import duties against dozens of countries Wednesday, was unrepentant, posting that “my policies will never change.””This is a great time to get rich,” he wrote.The 78-year-old Republican, who was spending a long weekend golfing at his course in Palm Beach, Florida, is banking on the theory that the might of the world’s biggest economy will force foreign companies to manufacture on US soil, rather than continue to import goods.”ONLY THE WEAK WILL FAIL!” Trump touted in one more Truth Social post Friday.And in yet another, he insisted corporations were unfazed. “Big business is not worried about the Tariffs, because they know they are here to stay,” he posted.China, however, responded by announcing its own new 34-percent tariffs on US imports starting April 10.Beijing said it would sue the United States at the World Trade Organization and also restrict export of rare earth elements used in high-end medical and electronics technology.Other big US trading partners held back as they digested the unfolding international standoff and fears of a recession.EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said the European Union, which Trump hit with a 20-percent tariff, will act in “a calm, carefully phased, unified way” and allow time for talks.However, he also warned the bloc “won’t stand idly by.”- Europe eyes riposte -France and Germany have said the 27-nation EU could respond by imposing a tax on US tech companies.Economy Minister Eric Lombard urged French companies to show “patriotism” after President Emmanuel Macron argued it would send the wrong message if they pressed ahead with investments in the United States.Lombard said the EU’s retaliation would not necessarily involve tit-for-tat tariffs and could use other tools, pointing to data exchange and taxes instead.In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called for a “calm-headed” approach after Trump slapped 24-percent tariffs on Japanese-made goods.Trump said he’d had a “very productive” call with Vietnam’s top leader after the Southeast Asian manufacturing hub was hit with extraordinary 46-percent US duties.Separate US tariffs of 25 percent on all foreign-made cars went into effect this week, and Canada swiftly responded with a similar levy on US imports.Stellantis — the owner of Jeep, Chrysler and Fiat — paused production at some Canadian and Mexican assembly plants.But Japanese carmaker Nissan said Friday it would revise plans to reduce production in the United States. And Sweden’s Volvo, owned by China’s Geely, said it would increase its US production.- ‘He’s out golfing!’ -Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar lashed out at the tariffs, saying they would hurt regular Americans.Trump is “messing around with people’s lives… while he’s out golfing!” she said.And there was rare criticism from the right too, with Trump loyalist Republican Senator Ted Cruz worrying that the tariffs could “hurt jobs and hurt America.”The Federal Reserve chairman’s speech also highlighted concerns that the shockwaves will reach deep into the US economy.But minutes before Powell suggested the Fed will continue to hold off from cutting its benchmark lending rate, Trump pressured him to do so.”CUT INTEREST RATES, JEROME, AND STOP PLAYING POLITICS!” he posted — once again defying the longstanding White House custom of respecting the central bank’s independence.In a more concrete sign of how tariffs are impacting trade, Nintendo announced it was delaying preorders of its hotly anticipated Switch 2 gaming console while it assesses “evolving” conditions.burs-sms/mlm/tgb

US cardinal defrocked for sex abuse dies at 94

The first cardinal to be defrocked by the Pope over allegations of sexual abuse has died in the United States, a senior US churchman said Friday.Theodore McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington and the most senior American prelate in the Catholic Church to face claims of abuse, died in the state of Missouri at age 94, the New York Times reported, citing a Vatican statement.His death was also confirmed by the current Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Robert McElroy.”Today I learned of the death of Theodore McCarrick, former Archbishop of Washington,” a statement said.”At this moment I am especially mindful of those who he harmed during the course of his priestly ministry. Through their enduring pain, may we remain steadfast in our prayers for them and for all victims of sexual abuse.”McCarrick’s career in the Catholic Church had been long and distinguished, having served as an emissary on human rights for former pope John Paul II, a role that took him to conflict zones and brought him into contact with world leaders like Cuba’s Fidel Castro.A former archbishop of New York, he was made archbishop in the US capital in 2000 where he rubbed shoulders with US presidents including Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.He also was made a cardinal — one of the most senior members of the clergy and part of a slate of electors tasked with selecting a new pope.But after allegations of historical misconduct emerged in 2018, a Vatican probe found he had assaulted a teenager five decades earlier. He was also suspected of other sexual assaults against minors and young men. Pope Francis, under fire for a growing abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, expelled him from the priesthood in 2019, stripping him of his right to say Mass, even in private.The Catholic Church has struggled for decades to root out abusers within its ranks, with frequent accusations of cover-ups extending to its highest levels.The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), which campaigns for sexual predators to be held accountable, on Friday called McCarrick “one of the most notorious and powerful abusers in the modern history of the Catholic Church.”McCarrick “was never held accountable for his crimes,” a statement said.”While he was eventually removed from public ministry, defrocked, and stripped of his red hat, he never stood trial for the vast harm he inflicted on children, young adults, seminarians, and others under his power. “His death marks the end of his life — but it does not mark justice for his survivors.”

Judge orders return to US of Salvadoran man deported in error

A federal judge on Friday ordered the return to the United States of a Salvadoran migrant who was mistakenly deported last month to a notorious prison in El Salvador.Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 29, who was living in the eastern state of Maryland, was among a group of undocumented migrants who were flown to El Salvador by the Trump administration on March 15.Justice Department lawyers admitted in court filings that Abrego Garcia, who is married to a US citizen, had been deported due to an “administrative error.”District Judge Paula Xinis, at an emergency court hearing on Friday, said Abrego Garcia was taken into custody “without legal basis” on March 12 and deported three days later “without further process or legal justification.”Xinis ordered his return to the United States no later than 11:59 pm on April 7.”His continued presence in El Salvador, for obvious reasons, constitutes irreparable harm,” the judge said in her order to the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted to the judge’s ruling in a post on X.”We suggest the Judge contact President @nayibbukele because we are unaware of the judge having jurisdiction or authority over the country of El Salvador,” Leavitt said in a reference to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.Three planeloads of undocumented migrants were flown to El Salvador on March 15 as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.The Trump administration alleged that most of the deportees were members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and it invoked the little-known 1798 Alien Enemies Act to justify their summary removal.Attorneys for several of the deported migrants have said that their clients were not Tren de Aragua members, had committed no crimes and were targeted largely on the basis of their tattoos.Abrego Garcia had been living in the United States under protected legal status since 2019, when a judge ruled he should not be deported because he could be harmed in El Salvador.The White House, citing unreleased evidence, insisted earlier this week that Abrego Garcia was a member of the Salvadoran gang MS-13.”The administration maintains the position that this individual who was deported to El Salvador and will not be returning to our country was a member of the brutal and vicious MS-13 gang,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.Another district judge, James Boasberg, has barred the Trump administration from carrying out further deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, which has only been used previously during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II.The Trump administration has used images of the alleged gang members being shackled and having their heads shaved in the El Salvador prison as proof it is serious about cracking down on illegal immigration.

Allemagne: le Bayern renverse Augsbourg mais perd Musiala avant l’Inter en C1

Le Bayern est parvenu à renverser Augsbourg vendredi soir (3-1) lors de la 28e journée du championnat d’Allemagne, mais a vu Jamal Musiala rejoindre l’interminable liste des blessés munichois à quatre jours d’un quart de finale de Ligue des champions contre l’Inter Milan.Dans leur opération reconquête du titre national, cédé au Bayer Leverkusen la saison passée après 11 sacres consécutifs, les Munichois ont pris leurs aises vendredi soir en s’imposant sur la pelouse d’Augsbourg, qui n’avait plus perdu en Bundesliga depuis le 12 janvier (6 victoires, 5 matches nuls).A six journées de la fin du championnat d’Allemagne, les Munichois comptent 68 points, et ont la garantie d’avoir au minimum six points d’avance sur Leverkusen (ainsi qu’une différence de buts générale nettement en leur faveur, +54 contre +28), voire plus, si le voisin Heidenheim faisait trébucher le Bayer04 (59 points) samedi (15h30).Mais dans la quête d’une nouvelle finale de Ligue des champions à domicile, la seconde mission de la saison, Vincent Kompany a vu Jamal Musiala, rouage essentiel de son animation offensive, sortir sur blessure en début de seconde période: un nouveau gros coup dur pour les Munichois, à quatre jours de recevoir l’Inter Milan en quarts de finale aller.”Ça ne présage rien de bon”, a déclaré après le match le directeur sportif du Bayern, Max Eberl, au sujet de l’international allemand. “Il sera absent mardi”, a-t-il confirmé.Sur une action anodine, l’international allemand est allé contester une relance du pied droit du gardien d’Augsbourg Finn Dahmen. Musiala s’est alors immédiatement allongé sur la pelouse, se tenant l’arrière de la cuisse gauche. Remplacé par Thomas Müller, il est descendu de la pelouse aidé par deux membres du staff médical munichois en grimaçant.- Série noire de blessures -Avant de quitter ses coéquipiers, Musiala avait égalisé en fin de première période, remettant son équipe sur le droit chemin après avoir concédé l’ouverture du score à la demi-heure de jeu.Six minutes après la sortie de Musiala, Kane a provoqué un coup franc et l’exclusion de Cedric Zesiger (second carton jaune sévère), et donné l’avantage dans la foulée au Bayern, idéalement servi par Michael Olise pour inscrire son 23e but en Bundesliga cette saison.Dans le temps additionnel, les Bavarois ont ajouté un dernier but, sur une frappe contrée de Leroy Sané (3-1, 90e+3).Avec la blessure de Musiala, c’est une véritable série noire qui s’abat depuis deux semaines et la fin de la trêve internationale sur le Bayern, qui a d’abord récupéré ses défenseurs canadien Alphonso Davies et français Dayot Upamecano, blessés pour plusieurs mois pour le premier et plusieurs semaines pour le second.La semaine dernière, Hiroki Ito était sorti touché contre St. Pauli. Kinsgley Coman n’était pas sur la feuille de match vendredi soir tout comme Manuel Neuer, blessé début mars et en phase de reprise. De plus, Raphaël Guerreiro et Leon Goretzka n’étaient pas suffisamment remis pour être titularisés.Cette cascade de blessures intervient au plus mauvais moment pour les Munichois, dans la phase décisive de la saison.

Stocks, oil slump as China retaliates and Trump digs in heels

Equities and oil prices extended a global rout for markets Friday after China hit back over President Donald Trump’s tariff blitz with its own mammoth levy on US goods, inflaming international trade war fears.The Chinese government said Friday it would impose an additional 34 percent tariffs on all imports of US goods, making it the first major nation to unveil retaliatory measures.Despite the market turmoil, Trump insisted that “my policies will never change” and urged the US Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.Meanwhile, Wall Street stocks endured another bruising round of selling, with the S&P 500 sinking six percent and the Nasdaq falling into a bear market, defined as a 20 percent drop from a recent high.”We’ve essentially got an escalating trade war,” said Jack Ablin of Cresset Capital. “We’re at the beginning of a global slowdown if these tariffs remain in place.”The losses increased somewhat following remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday, who warned of the risk of higher unemployment and higher inflation due to tariff increases he characterized as “significantly larger than expected.”Wall Street investors shrugged off data showing the US economy added 228,000 jobs last month, much higher than analysts expected.”Sentiment is so fragile right now,” Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, told AFP.”Investors are firmly in the ‘get me to cash now’ phase, on fears that other nations will follow China’s lead, and of course that the US president will respond to China’s tariffs with even more charges,” he said.”This trade war is like nothing we’ve seen for years, perhaps decades.” European markets ended the day sharply lower, with Frankfurt and London sinking nearly five percent. The dollar rebounded against the euro and pound, having fallen sharply Thursday on fears of a recession in the United States.But oil futures plummeted around seven percent, having already plunged some six to seven percent Thursday on the prospect of weaker demand.News that OPEC+ had unexpectedly hiked crude supply more than planned added to the heavy selling.The price of copper — a vital component for energy storage, electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines — also fell sharply.Beijing on Friday also imposed export controls on seven rare earth elements, its commerce ministry said, including gadolinium — commonly used in MRIs — and yttrium, utilized in consumer electronics.”Another jolt of fear has shot through markets as China’s threat of retaliation has materialized,” said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown. “The big concern is that this is a sign of a sharp escalation of the tariff war which will have major implications for the global economy,” she said.- Key figures around 2050 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 5.5 percent at 38,314.86 (close) New York – S&P 500: DOWN 6.0 percent at 5,074.08 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 5.8 percent at 15,587.79 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 5.0 percent at 20,641.72 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 4.3 percent at 7,274.95 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 5.0 percent at 8,054.98 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 2.8 percent at 33,780.58 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: Closed for a holidayShanghai – Composite: Closed for a holidayWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 7.4 percent at $61.99 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 6.5 percent at $65.58 per barrelEuro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0962 from $1.1052 on ThursdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2893 from $1.2968Dollar/yen: UP at 146.98 yen from 146.06 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 85.01 pence from 85.22 penceburs-jmb/sla