Trump met à jour ses surtaxes, le Canada et la Suisse durement touchés

Le président américain Donald Trump a signé le décret fixant le montant des nouvelles surtaxes douanières qui toucheront les produits de dizaines de pays, bousculant l’ordre économique mondial avec ces barrières commerciales particulièrement prohibitives pour le Canada et la Suisse.Certains pays d’Asie, qui redoutaient une facture plus lourde, ont accueilli malgré tout avec des oufs de soulagement vendredi ces nouveaux nouveaux droits de douane, qui s’ajouteront à ceux qui existaient avant le retour de M. Trump au pouvoir. La Maison Blanche, qui a l’ambition de “restructurer le commerce mondial au bénéfice des salariés américains”, a accordé un répit de quelques jours. Ces taxes sur les importations prendront effet le 7 août, et non le 1er août comme attendu initialement, pour permettre aux douanes de s’organiser pour la collecte, a indiqué un responsable de la Maison Blanche à la presse.Les Bourses asiatiques ont néanmoins reculé de concert vendredi après la publication des surtaxes.Celles-ci menacent, selon les experts, de freiner les échanges, d’augmenter les coûts des entreprises et les prix payés par les consommateurs et d’entraîner un ralentissement de l’économie mondiale.”Il n’y a pas doute: le décret et les accords commerciaux conclus ces derniers mois rompent avec les règles qui régissaient le commerce international depuis la Seconde Guerre mondiale”, a réagi Wendy Cutler, vice-présidente de l’Asia Society Policy Institute.Pour certains pays, pas de surprise. La surtaxe affichée dans le décret est celle obtenue après des mois de négociations avec Washington qui a cherché à obtenir d’eux le plus de concessions possibles, sans subir de représailles sur les exportations américaines.L’Union européenne (UE), le Japon ou la Corée du Sud voient ainsi leurs produits être taxés à hauteur de 15%, et le Royaume-Uni de 10%. L’UE a aussi obtenu une exemption pour des secteurs clés.- Sursis pour le Mexique -Pour d’autres, ce sera la douche froide, comme la Suisse, qui écope d’une surtaxe de 39%, bien davantage que ce qui lui avait été promis en avril (31%) alors que les autorités helvétiques misaient sur les négociations.Le Canada voit les droits de douane appliqués à ses produits passer de 25% à 35%, sauf s’ils sont couverts par l’accord de libre-échange entre les trois pays d’Amérique du Nord.Le Canada n’a pas été en mesure de coopérer afin de réduire le flot de fentanyl et autres drogues” entrant aux Etats-Unis, selon la Maison Blanche, qui reproche aussi à Ottawa d’avoir “pris des mesures de représailles contre les Etats-Unis”.La plus forte surtaxe concerne la Syrie (41%), suivie du Laos (40%).Plusieurs économies asiatiques, dépendantes du marché américain, ont exprimé vendredi leur satisfaction de voir que leurs exportations seront touchées par une surtaxe inférieure à ce que l’exécutif américain avait brandi au départ.C’est le cas de la Thaïlande, avec 19% contre 36% initialement, qui a salué un “succès majeur”. Ou encore du Cambodge (avec 19% également contre 49% initialement), qui a évoqué “la meilleure nouvelle possible”.Taïwan, dont les produits seront touchés par 20% de surtaxe, a dit de son côté espérer obtenir une baisse supplémentaire après avoir été menacé d’un montant supérieur en avril (32%).Au milieu des nombreuses annonces de la journée de jeudi aux Etats-Unis, un pays a échappé aux foudres douanières de Donald Trump. Le Mexique a obtenu un sursis de 90 jours avant une éventuelle augmentation de droits de douane.- Risque juridique -L’exécutif américain a en revanche puni le Brésil, plus tôt dans la semaine. Les produits brésiliens (hors exceptions) seront frappés par 50% de surtaxe douanière à l’entrée aux Etats-Unis. Donald Trump assume d’agir en représailles contre les poursuites visant l’ex-président Jair Bolsonaro, son allié d’extrême droite, accusé d’avoir tenté un coup d’Etat après sa défaite lors de l’élection de 2022.Coïncidence du calendrier, une Cour d’appel fédérale a commencé jeudi à Washington à examiner un appel devant déterminer si Donald Trump a outrepassé ses pouvoirs constitutionnels en imposant ces surtaxes sans l’approbation du Congrès. Cela concerne les droits de douane universels, c’est-à-dire ceux qui ne sont pas imposés à un secteur particulier comme l’automobile ou l’acier.L’avocat des plaignants, des petites entreprises ainsi qu’une dizaine d’Etats américains, a notamment dénoncé “un accaparement de pouvoir sans précédent de la part d’un président en 200 ans”.La Maison Blanche a déjà promis de saisir la Cour suprême si la décision lui était défavorable.

Trump met à jour ses surtaxes, le Canada et la Suisse durement touchés

Le président américain Donald Trump a signé le décret fixant le montant des nouvelles surtaxes douanières qui toucheront les produits de dizaines de pays, bousculant l’ordre économique mondial avec ces barrières commerciales particulièrement prohibitives pour le Canada et la Suisse.Certains pays d’Asie, qui redoutaient une facture plus lourde, ont accueilli malgré tout avec des oufs de soulagement vendredi ces nouveaux nouveaux droits de douane, qui s’ajouteront à ceux qui existaient avant le retour de M. Trump au pouvoir. La Maison Blanche, qui a l’ambition de “restructurer le commerce mondial au bénéfice des salariés américains”, a accordé un répit de quelques jours. Ces taxes sur les importations prendront effet le 7 août, et non le 1er août comme attendu initialement, pour permettre aux douanes de s’organiser pour la collecte, a indiqué un responsable de la Maison Blanche à la presse.Les Bourses asiatiques ont néanmoins reculé de concert vendredi après la publication des surtaxes.Celles-ci menacent, selon les experts, de freiner les échanges, d’augmenter les coûts des entreprises et les prix payés par les consommateurs et d’entraîner un ralentissement de l’économie mondiale.”Il n’y a pas doute: le décret et les accords commerciaux conclus ces derniers mois rompent avec les règles qui régissaient le commerce international depuis la Seconde Guerre mondiale”, a réagi Wendy Cutler, vice-présidente de l’Asia Society Policy Institute.Pour certains pays, pas de surprise. La surtaxe affichée dans le décret est celle obtenue après des mois de négociations avec Washington qui a cherché à obtenir d’eux le plus de concessions possibles, sans subir de représailles sur les exportations américaines.L’Union européenne (UE), le Japon ou la Corée du Sud voient ainsi leurs produits être taxés à hauteur de 15%, et le Royaume-Uni de 10%. L’UE a aussi obtenu une exemption pour des secteurs clés.- Sursis pour le Mexique -Pour d’autres, ce sera la douche froide, comme la Suisse, qui écope d’une surtaxe de 39%, bien davantage que ce qui lui avait été promis en avril (31%) alors que les autorités helvétiques misaient sur les négociations.Le Canada voit les droits de douane appliqués à ses produits passer de 25% à 35%, sauf s’ils sont couverts par l’accord de libre-échange entre les trois pays d’Amérique du Nord.Le Canada n’a pas été en mesure de coopérer afin de réduire le flot de fentanyl et autres drogues” entrant aux Etats-Unis, selon la Maison Blanche, qui reproche aussi à Ottawa d’avoir “pris des mesures de représailles contre les Etats-Unis”.La plus forte surtaxe concerne la Syrie (41%), suivie du Laos (40%).Plusieurs économies asiatiques, dépendantes du marché américain, ont exprimé vendredi leur satisfaction de voir que leurs exportations seront touchées par une surtaxe inférieure à ce que l’exécutif américain avait brandi au départ.C’est le cas de la Thaïlande, avec 19% contre 36% initialement, qui a salué un “succès majeur”. Ou encore du Cambodge (avec 19% également contre 49% initialement), qui a évoqué “la meilleure nouvelle possible”.Taïwan, dont les produits seront touchés par 20% de surtaxe, a dit de son côté espérer obtenir une baisse supplémentaire après avoir été menacé d’un montant supérieur en avril (32%).Au milieu des nombreuses annonces de la journée de jeudi aux Etats-Unis, un pays a échappé aux foudres douanières de Donald Trump. Le Mexique a obtenu un sursis de 90 jours avant une éventuelle augmentation de droits de douane.- Risque juridique -L’exécutif américain a en revanche puni le Brésil, plus tôt dans la semaine. Les produits brésiliens (hors exceptions) seront frappés par 50% de surtaxe douanière à l’entrée aux Etats-Unis. Donald Trump assume d’agir en représailles contre les poursuites visant l’ex-président Jair Bolsonaro, son allié d’extrême droite, accusé d’avoir tenté un coup d’Etat après sa défaite lors de l’élection de 2022.Coïncidence du calendrier, une Cour d’appel fédérale a commencé jeudi à Washington à examiner un appel devant déterminer si Donald Trump a outrepassé ses pouvoirs constitutionnels en imposant ces surtaxes sans l’approbation du Congrès. Cela concerne les droits de douane universels, c’est-à-dire ceux qui ne sont pas imposés à un secteur particulier comme l’automobile ou l’acier.L’avocat des plaignants, des petites entreprises ainsi qu’une dizaine d’Etats américains, a notamment dénoncé “un accaparement de pouvoir sans précédent de la part d’un président en 200 ans”.La Maison Blanche a déjà promis de saisir la Cour suprême si la décision lui était défavorable.

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.

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”.