A doubling of American tariffs on Chinese goods. Nationalist Chinese bloggers comparing President Trump’s levies to a declaration of war. China’s Foreign Ministry vowing that Beijing will “fight to the end.” For years, the world’s two biggest powers have flirted with the idea of an economic decoupling as tensions between them have risen. The acceleration … Read more
The European Union plans to vote on Wednesday afternoon on its first retaliation measures in response to President Trump’s tariffs, moving closer to placing increased duties on a range of manufactured goods and farm products that would take effect in phases starting next week. The list up for consideration is a slightly trimmed down version … Read more
The Islamic State has been showing renewed vigor in Syria, attracting new fighters and increasing the number of its attacks last year, according to the United Nations and U.S. officials, further raising the threat of instability in a country that is already volatile after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad. The group is still nowhere … Read more
Nicolas Puech is an heir to the Hermès fortune whose riches are shrouded in mystery. He either is or is not a billionaire, and may or may not have a sizable stake in his family’s luxury brand, depending on when and where these matters come up. A new lawsuit filed in federal court late last … Read more
Dana Mroueh, a small-business owner in Ivory Coast, was negotiating to introduce her organic chocolate bars into stores in New York and Washington when President Trump announced new tariffs on all U.S. imports last week. Ivory Coast is the world’s biggest cocoa producer, and the United States is the world’s largest consumer of chocolate, though … Read more
Chinese censors appeared to be carefully curating public discussion about the U.S. tariffs that took effect on Wednesday. They promoted criticism of the United States, while seemingly playing down the specifics of how President Trump’s move would effectively increase import taxes on Chinese goods to 104 percent. On Weibo, a popular social media platform, several … Read more
As its trade negotiators rushed to Washington to seek a reprieve from President Donald J. Trump’s blanket tariffs, South Korea on Wednesday announced new measures to soften the blow of levies on the country’s carmakers. The two efforts underlined the delicate balance that South Korea needs to strike after the country, one of the most … Read more
Devastating Floods Hit Congo’s Capital, Leaving Dozens Dead
A mere month ago, luxury businesses were looking forward to a new era of deregulation, lower taxes and a booming stock market — and dreaming of well-heeled buyers splurging on opulent ball gowns and statement watches. Instead, as the Trump administration imposes 20 percent tariffs on products from the European Union, they are bracing for … Read more
