Trump orders tariffs on dozens of countries in push to reshape global trade

President Donald Trump ordered the reimposition of tariffs on dozens of trading partners Thursday — his cornerstone strategy for reshaping global trade to benefit the US economy.However, in a minor reprieve that opens the door to further negotiations, the White House said these measures will take effect in a week, not Friday as previously expected.The tariffs are a demonstration of raw economic power that Trump sees putting US exporters in a stronger position while encouraging domestic manufacturing by keeping out foreign imports.But the muscular approach has raised fears of inflation and other economic fallout in the world’s biggest economy.And with questions hanging over the effectiveness of bilateral trade deals already struck — including with the European Union and Japan — the outcome of Trump’s plan remained uncertain.Trump’s new measures in an executive order raises duties on nearly 70 economies, from a current 10 percent level imposed in April when he unleashed “reciprocal” tariffs citing unfair trade practices.The steeper levels, varying by trading partner, go as high as 41 percent.Trump also adjusted some tariff levels threatened in April, with Switzerland now facing a higher 39 percent duty and Thailand a lower 19 percent rate.The tariff on Taiwanese products was revised down to 20 percent, but its President Lai Ching-te vowed to seek an even lower level.Trump separately hiked tariffs on Canadian goods to 35 percent, though indicating in an NBC interview he was open to further talks. Canada and Mexico face a separate tariff regime. But exemptions remain for imports entering the United States under a North American trade pact.”No doubt about it — the executive order and related agreements concluded over the past few months tears up the trade rule book that has governed international trade since World War II,” said Wendy Cutler, senior vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.”Whether our partners can preserve it without the United states is an open question,” she added.- Frantic negotiations -The elevated duties come after Washington twice postponed their implementation amid a frantic series of negotiations, alongside announcements of new duties and deals with partners.Just Thursday, Trump announced he was delaying a tariff hike on Mexican products, keeping levels at 25 percent with existing exemptions. The 90-day postponement followed talks with his counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum.The 79-year-old Republican has made tariffs core to his protectionist brand of hard-right politics. On Thursday, he claimed that the US economy had “no chance of survival or success” without tariffs.But the latest salvo came amid legal challenges against Trump’s use of emergency economic powers. After a lower court said the president exceeded his authority, the US Court of Appeals heard arguments Thursday in cases against Trump’s blanket tariffs targeting different countries.While Trump has touted a surge in customs revenues this year, economists warn the duties could fuel inflation.Proponents of his policy argue their impact will be one-off, but analysts are awaiting further data to gauge for more persistent effects.- China question mark -Those who managed to strike deals with Washington to avert steeper threatened levies were Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea and the EU.Britain also reached a pact with the United States, although it was not originally targeted by higher “reciprocal” tariffs.For Canada, transshipped goods to evade its 35 percent duty would face even higher levels, said a White House fact sheet. Its trade ties with Washington faced renewed threat after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.Trump’s latest order however appeared to raise tariffs on several countries not initially targeted in April — to 15 percent — including Ecuador, Ghana and Iceland.Notably excluded from the drama was China, which faces an August 12 deadline instead, when duties could bounce back to higher levels.Washington and Beijing at one point brought tit-for-tat tariffs to triple-digit levels, but both countries have agreed to temporarily lower these duties and are working to extend their truce.

Turkey government ‘manufactures’ enemies, opposition tells AFP

A senior leader of Turkey’s beleaguered main opposition party accused the government of fabricating enemies in a politically motivated crackdown to reassert control after its election defeat last year, in an interview with AFP.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP party “politically named the new enemy on March 19 — (and) the new enemy is the CHP,” said Burhanettin Bulut, a deputy leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP).Bulut, in charge of the party’s public relations and media, said Erdogan was threatening the country’s democratic foundations through his government’s campaign of arrests and lawsuits.Turkish authorities have detained a string of elected officials on charges ranging from graft to terror-related offences, including, on March 19, Istanbul’s powerful mayor Ekrem Imamoglu — Erdogan’s main rival.”This government keeps itself alive by constantly defining an enemy,” Bulut told AFP in an interview at the party’s headquarters in the capital Ankara.The government “sustains its political strategy through polarisation — manufacturing a foe and launching relentless perception campaigns in a bid to consolidate its voter base”, he said.A year after Erdogan’s allies suffered heavy losses in local elections, Imamoglu’s detention triggered the country’s largest street protests in over a decade.”This isn’t just about the CHP,” Bulut added.”From the grocery store clerk to the apprentice, from businesspeople to artists and journalists — people across this country are afraid.”- ‘Dynamite’ for republic -Since Imamoglu’s arrest, Turkish authorities have detained 16 CHP mayors, including ones in key districts of Istanbul, and replaced elected officials in at least three municipalities with government-appointed trustees.Among those detained is the acting mayor of Istanbul’s Buyukcekmece district, a party source told AFP.CHP leader Ozgur Ozel, re-elected at an emergency party congress a month after Imamoglu was jailed, has come under mounting legal pressure meanwhile.He faces lawsuits on alleged offences including “insulting the president” and vote-buying at a party congress.Media reports have suggested efforts were under way to lift Ozel’s parliamentary immunity so he could face prison.Bulut alleged the crackdown “creates a smokescreen for the real issues facing society — poverty, injustice, the erosion of democracy and individual rights — that are pushed out of the public agenda”.Arresting Ozel, he said, would be “like planting dynamite under the foundations of the Republic” — but he played down concerns for its impact on the CHP, which he said was “not a leader-centred party”.He dismissed government claims of a crisis in the CHP as “political theatre”.”It’s a founding party, with a deep-rooted history, led by some of the most important figures in Turkish political life — starting with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,” founder of the modern Turkish republic, he said.”That’s why interfering with the leadership of this party is not something that can be done easily.”- Turkish democracy and justice -The government’s crackdown started with a key arrest seven months after the March 2024 local elections.Authorities detained the CHP mayor of Istanbul’s working-class district of Esenyurt, Ahmet Ozer, accusing him of membership of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).They have since removed CHP mayors in three districts in Ovacik in the east as well as in Esenyurt and Sisli and replaced them with trustees.The government has insisted the arrests have judicial legitimacy but critics say they are aimed at neutralising dissent in big cities where the opposition won in the elections.The government recently claimed a historic breakthrough by overseeing the disarmament of the PKK, ending its decades-long campaign of attacks.In that context, Bulut argued: “You can’t claim to support democracy and justice while appointing trustees at the same time.”If you’re serious about democracy, then local consensus must be part of the process.”Despite pressure and fear tactics, he insisted the CHP would “be the clear winner” in the next election, expected by 2028.

After stadium delays, African Nations Championship kicks offFri, 01 Aug 2025 01:58:40 GMT

After severe delays in stadium renovations, east Africa is finally ready to co-host the much-awaited African Nations Championship (CHAN), kicking off on Saturday.It is a historic moment for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, whose “Pamoja” — meaning “together” in Swahili — bid two years ago gave birth to the first Confederation of African Football (CAF) tournament …

After stadium delays, African Nations Championship kicks offFri, 01 Aug 2025 01:58:40 GMT Read More »

Nvidia says no ‘backdoors’ in chips as China questions security

Nvidia chips do not contain “backdoors” allowing remote access, the US tech giant has said, after Beijing summoned company representatives to discuss “serious security issues”.The California-based company is a world-leading producer of AI semiconductors, and this month became the first company to hit $4 trillion in market value.But it has become entangled in trade tensions between China and the United States, and Washington effectively restricts which chips Nvidia can export to China on national security grounds.”Cybersecurity is critically important to us. Nvidia does not have ‘backdoors’ in our chips that would give anyone a remote way to access or control them,” Nvidia said in a statement Thursday.A key issue has been Chinese access to the “H20” — a less powerful version of Nvidia’s AI processing units that the company developed specifically for export to China.Nvidia said this month it would resume H20 sales to China after Washington pledged to remove licensing curbs that had halted exports.But the tech giant still faces obstacles — US lawmakers have proposed plans to require Nvidia and other manufacturers of advanced AI chips to include built-in location tracking capabilities.Beijing’s top internet regulator said Thursday it had summoned Nvidia representatives to discuss recently discovered “serious security issues” involving the H20.The Cyberspace Administration of China said it had asked Nvidia to “explain the security risks of vulnerabilities and backdoors in its H20 chips sold to China and submit relevant supporting materials”.China is aiming to reduce reliance on foreign tech by promoting Huawei’s domestically developed 910C chip as an alternative to the H20, said Jost Wubbeke of the Sinolytics consultancy.”From that perspective, the US decision to allow renewed exports of the H20 to China could be seen as counterproductive, as it might tempt Chinese hyperscalers to revert to the H20, potentially undermining momentum behind the 910C and other domestic alternatives,” he said.Other hurdles to Nvidia’s operations in China are the sputtering economy, beset by a years-long property sector crisis, and heightened trade headwinds under US President Donald Trump.CEO Jensen Huang said during a visit to Beijing this month that the company remained committed to serving local customers, adding that he had been assured during talks with top Chinese officials that the country was “open and stable”.

Nvidia says no ‘backdoors’ in chips as China questions security

Nvidia chips do not contain “backdoors” allowing remote access, the US tech giant has said, after Beijing summoned company representatives to discuss “serious security issues”.The California-based company is a world-leading producer of AI semiconductors, and this month became the first company to hit $4 trillion in market value.But it has become entangled in trade tensions between China and the United States, and Washington effectively restricts which chips Nvidia can export to China on national security grounds.”Cybersecurity is critically important to us. Nvidia does not have ‘backdoors’ in our chips that would give anyone a remote way to access or control them,” Nvidia said in a statement Thursday.A key issue has been Chinese access to the “H20” — a less powerful version of Nvidia’s AI processing units that the company developed specifically for export to China.Nvidia said this month it would resume H20 sales to China after Washington pledged to remove licensing curbs that had halted exports.But the tech giant still faces obstacles — US lawmakers have proposed plans to require Nvidia and other manufacturers of advanced AI chips to include built-in location tracking capabilities.Beijing’s top internet regulator said Thursday it had summoned Nvidia representatives to discuss recently discovered “serious security issues” involving the H20.The Cyberspace Administration of China said it had asked Nvidia to “explain the security risks of vulnerabilities and backdoors in its H20 chips sold to China and submit relevant supporting materials”.China is aiming to reduce reliance on foreign tech by promoting Huawei’s domestically developed 910C chip as an alternative to the H20, said Jost Wubbeke of the Sinolytics consultancy.”From that perspective, the US decision to allow renewed exports of the H20 to China could be seen as counterproductive, as it might tempt Chinese hyperscalers to revert to the H20, potentially undermining momentum behind the 910C and other domestic alternatives,” he said.Other hurdles to Nvidia’s operations in China are the sputtering economy, beset by a years-long property sector crisis, and heightened trade headwinds under US President Donald Trump.CEO Jensen Huang said during a visit to Beijing this month that the company remained committed to serving local customers, adding that he had been assured during talks with top Chinese officials that the country was “open and stable”.

US tech titan earnings rise on AI as economy roils

Tech giants Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft this week eclipsed earnings expectations, cashing in on artificial intelligence (AI) while navigating economic waters roiled by US tariffs.”Massive results seen by Microsoft and Meta further validate the use cases and unprecedented spending trajectory for the AI Revolution on both the enterprise and consumer fronts,” Wedbush tech analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors.”We have barely scratched the surface of this 4th Industrial Revolution now playing out around the world led by the Big Tech stalwarts such as Nvidia, Microsoft, Palantir, Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon,” Ives added.Amazon reported a 35 percent jump in quarterly profits as the e-commerce giant said major investments in AI technology are paying off.”Our conviction that AI will change every customer experience is starting to play out,” said Chief Executive Andy Jassy, pointing to the company’s expanded Alexa+ service and new AI shopping agents.But the Seattle-based company’s profit outlook for the current quarter came in lower than hoped for, with investors worried that the cost of AI was weighing on the bottom line.This was despite a stellar second quarter that exceeded analyst expectations, much like it did for its AI-focused rivals Google, Microsoft and Meta, which posted bumper results for the period.Amazon’s net sales climbed 13 percent, signaling that the company was so far surviving impacts of the high-tariff trade policy under US President Donald Trump.Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company’s world-leading cloud computing division, led the charge with sales jumping 17.5 percent to $30.9 billion. Its strong performance reflects surging demand for cloud infrastructure to power AI applications, a trend that has benefited major cloud providers as companies race to adopt generative AI technologies.- $4 trillion club -Shares of Microsoft spiked Thursday following blowout quarterly results, lifting the tech giant into the previously unprecedented $4 trillion club along with Nvidia, another AI standout.The landmark valuation is the latest sign of growing bullishness about an AI investment boom that market watchers believe is still in the early stages — even as companies like Microsoft plan $100 billion or more in annual capital spending to add new capacity.”Cloud and AI is the driving force of business transformation across every industry and sector,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. At the heart of the results was a stunning surge in Azure, the company’s cloud computing platform, which is getting “supercharged” with AI, said Angelo Zino, technology analyst at CFRA Research.Zino attributed “just about all of” Microsoft’s recent climb in valuation to AI.- Superintelligence? -Meta reported robust second-quarter financial results Wednesday, with revenue jumping 22 percent year-over-year as the social media giant continues investing heavily in artificial intelligence.”We’ve had a strong quarter both in terms of our business and community,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “I’m excited to build personal superintelligence for everyone in the world.”Zuckerberg has embarked on a major AI spending spree, poaching top researchers with expensive pay packages from rivals like OpenAI and Apple as he builds a team to pursue what he calls AI superintelligence.Hours before the earnings report, Zuckerberg insisted that the attainment of superintelligence — technology that would theoretically be more powerful than the human brain — is now “in sight.”Meanwhile Apple, which is seen as lagging in the AI race, beat expectations with earnings driven by strong iPhone sales despite US tariffs costing the company $800 million in the recently-ended quarter.Apple expects Trump’s tariffs to cost the iPhone maker $1.1 billion in the current quarter.”The results show that Apple’s iPhone strategy is working to offset the impact of looming challenges with AI development timelines, tariff pressures, and Google’s antitrust issues,” said Emarketer tech analyst Jacob Bourne.Apple chief executive Tim Cook said on an earnings call that taking the most advanced technologies and making them easy to use is “at the heart of our AI strategy.”Cook said Apple has been rolling out Apple Intelligence AI features and is “making good progress on a more personalized Siri.”

Le Salvador prépare une réforme pour permettre la réélection indéfinie de Bukele

Le Parlement du Salvador, dominé de façon écrasante par les partisans du président Nayib Bukele, a entamé jeudi l’examen d’une réforme constitutionnelle pour abolir la limite du nombre de mandats du chef de l’Etat et lui permettre de se représenter indéfiniment.Cette réforme, examinée selon une procédure accélérée, prévoit également l’abolition du second tour de scrutin et l’allongement du mandat présidentiel de cinq à six ans.Selon le texte, le mandat actuel de M. Bukele, extrêmement populaire pour la lutte impitoyable menée contre les gangs mais critiqué par les organisations de défense des droits humains,  s’achèverait deux ans plus tôt que prévu, en 2027 au lieu de 2029. Le président pourrait alors se représenter “sans réserves”.Sur les 60 sièges que compte le Parlement, 57 sont détenus par des partisans de ce proche allié de Donald Trump, ce qui garantit le passage sans anicroches de la réforme.Au pouvoir depuis 2019, Nayib Bukele avait été réélu en juin 2024 avec 85% des voix après avoir été autorisé à briguer un second mandat — ce qui était en principe interdit par la Constitution — par la Cour suprême dominée par des juges proches du pouvoir.”C’est très simple, peuple salvadorien. Vous seuls pourrez décider jusqu’à quand vous soutiendrez votre président”, a déclaré la députée pro-Bukele Ana Figueroa, qui a présenté mercredi ce projet qu’elle a qualifié d'”historique” avec l’appui de tous les autres élus de la majorité parlementaire.”Aujourd’hui, la démocratie est morte au Salvador (…) Ils ont tombé leurs masques”, a déploré pour sa part en séance plénière la députée de l’opposition Marcela Villatoro, qui a critiqué le dépôt soudain de ce projet de réforme devant les députés alors que le pays entame une semaine de vacances d’été.”Ce sont des cyniques”, a-t-elle affirmé.Nayib Bukele, 44 ans, doit son immense popularité au Salvador à sa guerre sans merci contre les “maras”, les gangs qui terrorisaient la population, qui a réduit la violence dans le pays à un niveau historiquement bas.- Réforme express -En vertu de l’état d’exception en vigueur depuis trois ans et qui permet les arrestations sans mandat, environ 87.000 personnes accusées d’appartenir à des “maras” ont été arrêtées. Selon des ONG telles que Cristosal et Socorro Jurídico, ce chiffre comprend des milliers d’innocents, et environ 430 personnes sont mortes en prison.Le président salvadorien est par ailleurs devenu un partenaire-clé de son homologue américain Donald Trump dans sa politique de lutte contre l’immigration illégale. Il a ainsi accueilli pendant plusieurs mois dans sa méga-prison pour membres des gangs, le Centre de confinement du terrorisme (Cecot), 252 Vénézuéliens expulsés de façon expéditive par l’administration américaine et qui ont ensuite pu retourner dans leur pays.La réforme constitutionnelle intervient après une vague de répression contre les défenseurs des droits humains et les détracteurs de M. Bukele, qui a contraint des dizaines de journalistes et d’activistes humanitaires à l’exil.”Le parti de Bukele promeut une réforme constitutionnelle express afin de permettre la réélection présidentielle indéfinie. Ils suivent la même voie que le Venezuela. Cela commence par un leader qui utilise sa popularité pour concentrer le pouvoir, et cela se termine par une dictature”, a écrit Juanita Goebertus, directrice de Human Rights Watch (HRW), sur le réseau social X.”A aucun moment nous ne proposons qu’un seul président reste en fonction et qu’il n’y ait plus jamais d’élections dans ce pays. Ce n’est pas vrai”, s’est défendue pour sa part la députée du parti au pouvoir Suecy Callejas lors de la séance plénière du Parlement.”Je me fiche d’être taxé de dictateur. Je préfère être traité de dictateur que de voir des Salvadoriens se faire tuer dans les rues”, avait déclaré en juin M. Bukele lors du premier anniversaire de sa réélection.