Month: June 2025

The United States doubled its tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50% on Wednesday, as part of President Trump’s broader trade policy.

The new rates took effect at midnight Eastern time in a move that cast a shadow over the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ministerial meeting underway in Paris. Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy—targeting both allies and rivals with levies on imported steel, aluminum, and automobiles—has strained relations with key trading partners and sparked a wave of diplomatic efforts aimed at averting further trade disruptions.

Trump signed an executive order doubling the tariffs on all aluminum and steel imported into the United States from 25% to 50% with only Britain receiving a reprieve as part of a trade deal between the two nations in May. Trump said in the order: “In my judgement, the increased tariffs will more effectively counter foreign countries that continue to offload low-priced excess steel and aluminum in the United States Market and thereby undercut the competitiveness of the United States steel and aluminum industries,” 

The Paris-based OECD (which represents 38 primarily advanced economies) has convened for its ministerial meeting this week, the organization downgraded its global economic outlook. The cuts were driven in part by the fallout from U.S. trade policies. OECD chief economist Alvaro Pereira in an interview that “trade, investment, and consumer spending have all taken hits due to these tariffs,” and warned that the United States stands to bear the heaviest consequences.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with European Union Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič on the sidelines of the OECD meeting, which as the EU tries to avoid further tariff hikes on its exports. U.K. Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds also held talks with Greer on Tuesday, hoping to shield British steel and aluminum from the increased tariffs. Despite the U.S. doubling those tariffs overall, the U.K. rate remains temporarily capped at 25% while both sides work out new terms in line with their recently signed trade agreement. According to a summary from the U.K. government, Reynolds and Greer discussed their mutual interest in swiftly implementing the agreement, which includes provisions around sector-specific tariffs and quotas.

Trump’s latest tariff increase was criticized by the European Union, who said it undermines ongoing efforts to reach a diplomatic resolution and warned it is prepared to retaliate if necessary. Canada, which supplies more steel and aluminum to the U.S. than any other country, called the tariffs “illegal and unjustified.”

German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche on the sidelines of the OECD gathering said that “we need to find negotiated solutions as quickly as we can—time is running short,” with French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin echoed the sentiment, urging calm and stating, “These tariffs benefit no one. We must stay measured.”

Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard argued that the duties are unjustified, noting that the U.S. actually exports more steel to Mexico than it imports. “It doesn’t make sense to tax a product where you already have a surplus.” Mexico’s economy is particularly exposed to U.S. trade policy, with 80% of its exports going north to the United States.

Britain was spared from the tariffs after signing the U.S.-U.K. Economic Prosperity Deal on May 8 that granted the United States the ability to fast-track exports including agricultural products, through British customs and market access for industrial products. Tuesday’s executive order stipulated, however, that Britain could be subject to the 50% tariffs as soon as July 9 if it is determined that it has not “complied with relevant aspects of the deal.”

On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that letters had been sent to U.S. trading partners urging them to submit new proposals before Wednesday’s deadline. Leavitt told reporters that the letters were delivered “just to give them a friendly reminder that the deadline is coming up … They continue to be engaged in those discussions, and this letter was simply to remind these countries that the deadline is approaching and the president expects good deals, and we are on track for that, I will emphasize.”

Meanwhile, tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to build. Trump has been especially critical of China this year, at one point slapping a 145% tariff on Chinese imports, prompting a retaliatory 125% duty on American goods from Beijing. In a post early Wednesday on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!”

Editorial credit: Mr. Kosal / Shutterstock.com

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has elevated an ongoing tomato recall to its highest warning level over concerns of salmonella contamination.

On May 28, the FDA designated the recall as Class 1 — its highest warning level — meaning there is a risk of “serious adverse health consequences or death.” The latest recall is for three states: Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Williams Farms Repack LLC first announced on May 2 that it was voluntarily recalling the tomatoes, which were supplied by H&C Farms, after being notified that there was a risk they had been contaminated with salmonella. The potential source of contamination was not immediately known. The FDA says no illnesses or deaths have been reported as of the recall date.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Salmonella is a type of bacteria and one of the most common causes of fatal food borne illness in the United States.Symptoms of salmonella infection range from nonexistent in some people to diarrhea, fever, stomach pain or serious complications. Most people will recover without treatment, but high-risk groups, such as kids under 5 and the elderly, may experience more severe illness.

The Williams Farms Repack LLC recall affects nine package sizes of tomatoes sold to wholesalers and distributors in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina between April 23 and 28.

•  4×5 two layer, Williams Farms Repack label, lot code R4467
• 60 count two layer, Williams Farms Repack label, lot code R4467
• 3 count trays, Williams Farms Repack label, lot code R4467
• 5×6 25 pound, H&C Farms label, lot code R4467
• 6×6 25 pound, H&C Farms label, lot codes R4467, R4470
• Combo 25 pound, lot code R4467
• 4×4 2 layer, lot code R4467
• 60ct 18-pound loose, lot codes R4467, R4470
• XL 18-pound loose, lot code R4467

Editorial credit: Luis Yunis / Shutterstock.com

The U.S. Department of Education is pausing its plan to garnish people’s Social Security benefits if they have defaulted on their student loans (per The Hill.).

Ellen Keast, an Education Department spokesperson, said that the White House “has put a pause on any future Social Security offsets. The Trump Administration is committed to protecting Social Security recipients who oftentimes rely on a fixed income. In the coming weeks, the Department will begin proactive outreach to recipients about affordable loan repayment options and help them back into good standing.”

The development is an abrupt change in policy by the administration, who previously announced on April 21 that it would resume collection on the country’s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio beginning May 5. For nearly half a decade, the government did not go after those who’d fallen behind as part of Covid-era policies under the Biden administration.

Borrowers who owed were to receive emails from the FSA to make them aware and to instruct them to contact the agency’s Default Resolution Group to first make a monthly payment, then either enroll in an income-driven repayment plan or sign up for loan rehabilitation. Notices that informed of administrative wage garnishment were to arrive later in the summer at an unannounced date. Social Security recipients could have as much as 15% of their checks taken to pay their defaulted student loans.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported in January that around 452,000 federal student loan borrowers aged 62 and older are currently in default and most likely have begun to collect Social Security benefits.

Editorial credit: NLM Photo / Shutterstock.com

A man has been taken into custody following a stabbing incident that left 11 people injured at a homeless shelter in downtown Salem, Oregon. The attack occurred on the evening of June 1 at the Union Gospel Mission, located just north of downtown. Salem

Police were called to the scene around 7:15 p.m. after reports of a mass stabbing involving multiple victims; according to authorities, 11 individuals sustained a range of injuries and were transported to Salem Health for treatment. The suspect, whose identity has not yet been made public, was arrested at the scene.

In a statement shared on X, the Salem Police Department confirmed they were investigating a stabbing that involved numerous victims, all of whom had been taken to receive medical attention:  “The suspect is in custody,” the department noted.  Additionally, police spokesperson Angela Hedrick confirmed that all 11 victims had been taken to the hospital and were receiving care for varios types of injuries.

Editorial credit: Victoria Ditkovsky / Shutterstock.com

The man accused of carrying out a violent assault during a pro-Israel event in Boulder, Colorado, which left eight people hospitalized, is now facing federal hate crime charges.

Boulder Police said in a statement that four women and four men between the ages of 52-88 were injured in the attack at Pearl Street Mall on Sunday, with their injuries ranging from minor to serious.  According to newly released court documents, the suspect — identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, from El Paso County, Colo. — shouted “Free Palestine” and threw a makeshift flamethrower into a crowd of people calling for the release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas. The group targeted was participating in the “Run for Their Lives” walk, an event meant to raise awareness about Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza. Soliman allegedly told police he found out about the group online and deliberately chose them as his target.

In response to the incident, Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued a statement condemning the attack: “We will never tolerate this kind of hatred. We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe.”

According to an affidavit filed on Monday, Soliman has been charged with a “hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion or national origin.”  The affidavit also stated that Soliman told police he had planned the attack for a year, reportedly admitted to authorities that he had searched YouTube for instructions on how to build Molotov cocktails, purchased the necessary materials, and assembled them himself, the documents state. During police interviews, Soliman allegedly expressed a strong desire to harm “Zionist people,” claiming he wished for their deaths and indicated he would be willing to repeat the attack. He also allegedly voiced deep animosity toward Zionist groups, telling investigators he felt compelled to act against them to prevent them from “taking over our land,” which he described as Palestine.

Soliman reportedly said he chose to wait until after his daughter’s graduation to move forward, and is said to have traveled roughly 100 miles from his home in Colorado Springs to Boulder.  At the scene, police discovered at least 14 unused Molotov cocktails made from wine carafes and mason jars filled with clear liquid and fitted with red cloth wicks. They also recovered a backpack-style weed sprayer, which may have contained a flammable substance. Testing showed the liquid in both the bottles and the sprayer was 87-octane gasoline with xylene, a chemical compound.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Soliman is currently in the U.S. unlawfully, arrived in August 2022 on a B2 tourist visa and applied for asylum the following month. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said that his visa expired in February 2023, and that although he was issued a temporary work permit, it expired on March 28 – he has been residing in the country without legal status since then. President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Yesterday’s horrific attack in Boulder, Colorado, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED in the United States of America. He came in through Biden’s ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly. He must go out under “TRUMP” Policy. Acts of Terrorism will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law. This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland. My heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy, and the Great People of Boulder, Colorado!”

Soliman was booked into the Boulder County Jail, and his bail was set at $10 million. Jail records list numerous felony charges, including possession and use of incendiary weapons. A first-degree murder charge was also noted, though it’s not yet clear if it refers to attempted murder.

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