Donald Trump mentioned he plans to impose a 50% tariff on imports from Brazil. Questions on the way forward for FEMA loom amid the Texas floods. And “Superman” turns into a political flashpoint forward of the brand new film’s launch.
Right here’s what to know at the moment.
Trump threatens 50% tariff on Brazil, partially due to its therapy of its ex-president
President Donald Trump has introduced plans to impose a 50% tariff on Brazil, partially due to the therapy of its former president and Trump’s political ally, Jair Bolsonaro.
The 50% price imposed on Brazil is by far the best tariff Trump has slapped on any nation to date this week, and way over the ten% tariff he mentioned in his April 2 “Liberation Day” announcement that he would placed on Brazil. Trump mentioned yesterday in a put up on Fact Social that fifty% could be “far lower than what is required” to realize a “stage taking part in area.”
America has a commerce surplus with Brazil, and the nation was the 18th-largest supply of U.S. items imports final 12 months, in line with U.S. Worldwide Commerce Fee information.
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In a letter to Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Trump mentioned that the therapy of Bolsonaro, who faces prices that he plotted to overturn his 2022 election loss, “is a global shame.”
Trump additionally accused the Brazilian authorities of attacking “free elections” and People’ free speech rights. Brazil’s Supreme Court docket dominated final month that social media corporations will be held accountable for the content material posted on their platforms.
On a day that was alleged to mark the top of a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs, which has since been pushed again till Aug. 1, Trump additionally revealed that he despatched extra letters dictating new tariff charges to at the least seven extra nations.
The letters threaten larger tariff charges on their items in the event that they don’t attain commerce agreements by the August deadline. These nations are Algeria, Brunei, Iraq, Libya, Moldova, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, and charges vary from 20% to 30%.
Learn the complete story right here.
After Texas floods, questions on FEMA’s future loom
As extra days cross for the reason that July 4 flash floods that inundated elements of central Texas, hope is fading that rescue crews will discover survivors, with at the least 173 folks nonetheless lacking.
The floods mark the primary high-profile catastrophe that FEMA has confronted since Trump took workplace, however due to the comparatively small geographic space affected, former and present FEMA officers have mentioned it’s not a real take a look at of the company’s present capabilities within the wake of a catastrophe. An even bigger take a look at may come later this summer time as hurricane season reaches its peak.
Nonetheless, the occasions in Texas come at a time when FEMA’s future is in query. Trump has talked about the potential for “eliminating” the company, whereas Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem has tightened her grip on its operations. She now requires that every one company spending over $100,000 to be personally permitted by her — a transfer that some argue is creating attainable delays on the bottom and a brand new layer of paperwork that goes in opposition to critics’ objectives of lowering crimson tape and prices.
After which there’s the void created largely by a voluntary exodus of FEMA leaders, together with 16 senior officers who took with them a mixed catastrophe experience of greater than 200 years. Regardless of the Trump administration’s purpose that states “wean off of FEMA” and convey help “all the way down to the state stage,” the company, for now, nonetheless has the identical mandate — simply with fewer employees.
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Republican Sen. Hawley needs to undo elements of Trump’s megabill
After voting to push Trump’s “massive, stunning invoice” by the Senate, Sen. Josh Hawley informed an occasion in his house state of Missouri that his purpose is to make sure elements of the laws do not go into impact — particularly, adjustments to Medicaid guidelines that restrict state reimbursement.
For rural hospitals and social security internet directors in Missouri — and throughout the nation — the brand new laws, even when not absolutely carried out for a couple of years, brings uncertainty to communities depending on funding from expanded Medicaid entry, particularly amid shortfalls and finances cuts.
Hawley’s place illustrates the challenges Republicans face as they attempt to promote the general public on the invoice they have been engaged on for months. Working example: The occasion Hawley attended this week was a information convention to tout a less-noticed a part of the 1,000-page invoice that expands funds for victims of nuclear waste. “Gotta take the wins that you may,” he mentioned. Learn the complete story right here.
Extra politics information:
- ICE brokers arrested roughly 30,000 immigrants final month, probably the most in at the least 5 years, however deportations are lagging far behind what Trump has promised.
- Former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey, two repeated targets of Trump, are underneath felony investigation. However what they’re being investigated for and the way far the DOJ plans to take the probes are unclear.
- The Secret Service suspended six folks with out pay after the assassination try on Trump a 12 months in the past.
- Trump’s want for Republicans to bypass Democrats to claw again $9.4 billion in permitted spending may upend the federal government funding course of and threaten a shutdown struggle.
- Trump complimented the president of Liberia for talking “good English.” English is the nationwide language of Liberia, which was based partially to resettle descendants of freed American slaves.
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- The resignation final month of College of Virginia President James Ryan got here amid a federal investigation into allegations concerning the faculty’s variety packages. However a letter launched final week reveals one more reason the Justice Division focused the college.
- Thirty-one employees at a Los Angeles building website had been rescued after a tunnel collapsed.
- PETA is suing the American Kennel Membership, alleging its breed requirements have “precipitated deformities” and “nice struggling” to well-liked breeds like French bulldogs, pugs and dachshunds.
- Panera Bread settled three remaining lawsuits over its extremely caffeinated Charged Lemonade, the beverage blamed for a number of deaths and everlasting accidents.
- Linda Yaccarino introduced she is going to step down as CEO of X, only a day after the Elon Musk-owned platform’s AI chatbot revealed a wave of antisemitic posts.
Workers Choose: Is Superman changing into ‘Superwoke’?
Superman is probably some of the well-known immigrants in popular culture. However with James Gunn’s new “Superman” film, which premieres in theaters tomorrow, that a part of his id has develop into a political flashpoint. Gunn’s feedback about Superman being an “immigrant that got here from different locations” has drawn the ire of conservative commentators, who lament that the superhero is being unnecessarily politicized. However is that basically the case? I took a better take a look at why followers say that Superman’s immigrant id has at all times been central to his story and the way superhero comics have traditionally embraced political themes. — Angela Yang, tradition & developments reporter
NBC Choose: On-line Procuring, Simplified
On the third day of Amazon Prime Day, the NBC Choose group has a roundup of one of the best tech offers. Plus, we now have one of the best discounted family necessities you’ll wish to fill up on, in addition to magnificence and wellness offers. In the event you’re additionally a fan of Nordstrom, the retailer is operating unique offers this week and we’ve pulled collectively a few of our favorites.
Signal as much as The Choice publication for hands-on product critiques, professional purchasing ideas and a take a look at one of the best offers and gross sales every week.
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