Hezbollah leader refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon

Hezbollah leader refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon

BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah leader Naim KassemreiteratedSunday the militant group'srefusal to lay down its weaponsbefore Israel withdraws from all of southernLebanonand stops its airstrikes. He spoke in a video address, as thousands gathered in Beirut's southern suburbs to mark the Shiite holy day of Ashoura Ashoura commemorates the 680 AD Battle of Karbala, in which the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein, was killed after he refused to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad caliphate. For Shiites, the commemoration has come to symbolize resistance against tyranny and injustice. This year's commemoration comes in the wake ofa bruising warbetween Israel and Hezbollah, which nominally ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in late November. Israeli strikes killed much of Hezbollah's top leadership, including longtimeSecretary General Hassan Nasrallah, and destroyed much of its arsenal. Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued to occupy five strategic border points in southern Lebanon and to carry out near-daily airstrikes that it says aim to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities. Those strikes have killed some 250 people since November, in addition to more than 4,000 killed during the war, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. There has been increasing international and domestic pressure forHezbollahto give up its remaining arsenal. "How can you expect us not to stand firm while the Israeli enemy continues its aggression, continues to occupy the five points, and continues to enter our territories and kill?" Kassem said in his video address. "We will not be part of legitimizing the occupation in Lebanon and the region. We will not accept normalization (with Israel)." In response to those who ask why the group needs its missile arsenal, Kassem said: "How can we confront Israel when it attacks us if we didn't have them? Who is preventing Israel from entering villages and landing and killing young people, women and children inside their homes unless there is a resistance with certain capabilities capable of minimal defense?" His comments come ahead of an expected visit by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack to Beirut to discuss a proposed plan for Hezbollah's disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the rest of southern Lebanon. Barrack posted Saturday on X that Lebanon is facing "a historic moment to supersede the strained confessionalism of the past and finally fulfill (its) true promise of the hope of 'One country, one people, one army'" and quoted U.S.President Donald Trumpsaying, "Let's make Lebanon Great again."

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July 06, 2025

Hezbollah leader refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon

Hezbollah leader refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah leader Naim KassemreiteratedSunday t...

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US tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest 2-way trade relationship

US tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest 2-way trade relationship

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) —America's largest trade partner, the European Union, is among the entities awaiting word Monday onwhether U.S. President Donald Trumpwill impose punishingtariffson their goods, a move economists have warned would have repercussions for companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. Trump imposed a 20% import tax on all EU-made products in early April as part of a setof tariffstargeting countries with which the United States hasa trade imbalance. Hours after the nation-specific duties took effect, he put them on hold until July 9 at a standard rate of 10% to quiet financial markets and allow time for negotiations. Expressing displeasure the EU's stance in trade talks, however, the president said he wouldjack up the tariff ratefor European exports to 50%. A rate that high could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals much more expensive in the U.S. The EU, whose 27 member nations operate as a single economic bloc, said its leaders hoped to strike a deal with theDonald Trumpadministration. Without one, the EU said it wasprepared to retaliatewith tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and auto parts to beer andBoeing airplanes. Here are important things to know about trade between the United States and the European Union. US-EU trade is enormous A lot of money is at stake in the trade talks. The EU's executive commission describes the trade between the U.S. and the EU as "the most important commercial relationship in the world." The value of EU-U.S. trade in goods and services amounted to 1.7 trillion euros ($2 trillion) in 2024, or an average of 4.6 billion euros a day, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. The biggest U.S. export to Europe is crude oil, followed by pharmaceuticals, aircraft, automobiles, and medical and diagnostic equipment. Europe's biggest exports to the U.S. are pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments, and wine and spirits. EU sells more to the US than vice versa Trump has complained about the EU's 198 billion-euro ($233 billion) trade surplus in goods, which shows Americans buy more stuff from European businesses than the other way around. However, American companies fill some of the gap by outselling the EU when it comes to services such as cloud computing, travel bookings, and legal and financial services. The U.S. services surplus took the nation's trade deficit with the EU down to 50 billion euros ($59 billion), which represents less than 3% of overall U.S.-EU trade. What are the issues dividing the two sides? Before Trump returned to office, the U.S. and the EU maintained a generally cooperative trade relationship and low tariff levels on both sides. The U.S. rate averaged 1.47% for European goods, while the EU's averaged 1.35% for American products. But the White House has taken a much less friendly posture towardthe longstanding U.S. allysince February. Along with the fluctuating tariff rate on European goods Trump has floated, the EU has been subject to his administration's 50% tariff on steel and aluminum and a 25% tax on imported automobiles and parts. Trump administration officials have raised a slew of issues they want to see addressed, including agricultural barriers such as EU health regulations that include bans on chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef. Trump has also criticized Europe's value-added taxes, which EU countries levy at the point of sale this year at rates of 17% to 27%. But many economists see VAT as trade-neutral since they apply to domestic goods and services as well as imported ones. Because national governments set the taxes through legislation, the EU has said they aren't on the tableduring trade negotiations. "On the thorny issues of regulations, consumer standards and taxes, the EU and its member states cannot give much ground," Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Germany's Berenberg bank, said. "They cannot change the way they run the EU's vast internal market according to U.S. demands, which are often rooted in a faulty understanding of how the EU works." What are potential impacts of higher tariffs? Economists and companies say higher tariffs will mean higher prices for U.S. consumers on imported goods. Importers must decide how much of the extra tax costs to absorb through lower profits and how much to pass on to customers. Mercedes-Benz dealers in the US. have said they are holding the line on 2025 model year prices "until further notice." The German automaker has a partial tariff shield because it makes 35% of the Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold in the U.S. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but the company said it expects prices to undergo "significant increases" in coming years. Simon Hunt, CEO of Italian wine and spirits producer Campari Group, told investment analysts that prices could increase for some products or stay the same depending what rival companies do. If competitors raise prices, the company might decide to hold its prices on Skyy vodka or Aperol aperitif to gain market share, Hunt said. Trump has argued that making it more difficult for foreign companies to sell in the U.S. is a way to stimulate a revival of American manufacturing. Many companies have dismissed the idea or said it would take years to yield positive economic benefits. However, some corporations have proved willing toshift some productionstateside. France-based luxury group LVMH, whose brands include Tiffany & Co., Luis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Moet & Chandon, could move some production to the United States, billionaire CEO Bernaud Arnault said at the company's annual meeting in April. Arnault, who attended Trump's inauguration, has urged Europe to reach a deal based on reciprocal concessions. "If we end up with high tariffs, ... we will be forced to increase our U.S.-based production to avoid tariffs," Arnault said. "And if Europe fails to negotiate intelligently, that will be the consequence for many companies. ... It will be the fault of Brussels, if it comes to that." Many expect Trump to drop his most drastic demands Some forecasts indicate the U.S. economy would be more at risk if the negotiations fail. Without a deal, the EU would lose 0.3% of its gross domestic product and U.S. GDP would fall 0.7%, if Trump slaps imported goods from Europe with tariffs of 10% to 25%, according to a research review by Bruegel, a think tank in Brussels. Given the complexity of some of the issues, the two sides may arrive only at a framework deal before Wednesday's deadline. That would likely leave a 10% base tariff, as well as the auto, steel and aluminum tariffs in place until details of a formal trade agreement are ironed out. The most likely outcome of the trade talks is that "the U.S. will agree to deals in which it takes back its worst threats of 'retaliatory' tariffs well beyond 10%," Schmieding said. "However, the road to get there could be rocky." The U.S. offering exemptions for some goods might smooth the path to a deal. The EU could offer to ease some regulations that the White House views as trade barriers. "While Trump might be able to sell such an outcome as a 'win' for him, the ultimate victims of his protectionism would, of course, be mostly the U.S. consumers," Schmieding said.

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US tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest 2-way trade relationship

US tariffs on European goods threaten to shake up the world's largest 2-way trade relationship FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) —America's la...

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America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?

America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?

We who call the United States home are preparing to celebrate the country's star-spangled semiquincentennial next year ‒ not just with flags and fireworks, but also some serious conversations about history and what it means to be an American. Among the celebrations: amassive fireworks display at Mount Rushmoreon July 3, 2026, and what organizers hope is the single-largest flag-waving celebration in history. And President Donald Trump on July 3 announced he's also planning to host anUltimate Fighting Championship event at the White Houseas part of the festivities. Trump formally kicked off the yearlong celebration on July 3 with aboisterous rally in at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Trump campaigned on an "America first" platform, and he's long invoked symbols of patriotism during his rallies, from having Lee Greenwood sing his hit "God Bless the USA," to literally embracing Old Glory. "This Fourth of July our magnificent destiny is closer than ever before. We are one people, one family and one united American nation," he said to cheers. "We will fight, fight, fight, we will win, win, win, because we are Americans and our hearts bleed red, white, and blue." Trump also reaffirmed his plans to hold a "Great American State Fair" with exhibits from all 50 states that will begin in Iowa, along with other national celebrations. And while there will be parties and parades aplenty for the nation's semiquincentennial, some scholars are also urging Americans to spend time thinking deeply about the country's past and future: The anniversary comes at a time of deep partisan divisions, particularly about the role of immigrants in this nation of them. Trump directly addressed the nation's divide facing the nation in his Iowa appearance, criticizing Democrats who he says "hate" America, and offering the same sentiment in return. Trump made the comments in connection with final passage earlier in the day of his "big, beautiful bill," whichimplements tax and Medicaid cutswhile dramatically expanding immigration enforcement, and was unanimously opposed by Congressional Democrats. "I really do. I hate them. I cannot stand them because I really believe they hate our country, you want to know the truth." Trump said at what was billed as a nonpartisan semiquincentennial kickoff event. Polls show Americans are less patriotic today than ever before recorded: A new Gallup poll found that 58% of U.S. adults say they are either "extremely" or "very" proud to be an American, a record low compared to almost total unity following the 9/11 attacks 24 years ago. Strikingly, the poll found that younger Americans were far less likely to be patriotic than older generations: only 41% of Gen Z is extremely or very proud to be American, compared to nearly 75% of Baby Boomers. The poll also found that Democrats in particular are the source of the drop: Across all ages, just 36% said they are extremely or very proud, down from 62% a year ago. Independents also showed a loss, falling to a record-low 53%, the poll found. In contrast, 92% of Republicans said they were extremely or very proud of the country, Gallup found. "Patriotism is now polarized ‒ to some degree it depends on whoever is the president and that hasn't always been the case," said conservative author and former Republican National Committee staffer John J. Pitney Jr., a government professor at California's Claremont McKenna College. "People in the other party are not just mistaken but are enemies." But Pitney said real American patriotism is alive and well: Everyone who volunteers to serve in the military or a local fire department, who helps out at a food bank or tithes to their local church is helping make good on the promise of America, he said. "Parades are great, all the celebrations are terrific, but that's not really what patriotism is about," Pitney said. "It's certainly possible to take criticism of the country too far. The trouble with Trump's plans is they sound awfully superficial. His patriotism doesn't run any deeper than the cloth of the flag." While celebrations of the country's 250th anniversary by necessity invoke the past, Trump has signaled he wants a historical focus that boosts his vision of patriotism, loyalty and liberty. In conjunction with the anniversary, Trump has ordered the creation of a $34 million National Garden of American Heroes, featuring life-size statues of notable figures from American history, including the second president, John Adams, Red Cross founder Clara Barton, airplane inventors Orville and Wilbur Wright, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and astronaut Christa McAuliffe, along with former President Ronald Reagan and former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Only American citizens are eligible to create the statues. "America owes its present greatness to its past sacrifices. Because the past is always at risk of being forgotten, monuments will always be needed to honor those who came before," Trump said in announcing the statue garden. "These statues are silent teachers in solid form of stone and metal. They preserve the memory of our American story and stir in us a spirit of responsibility for the chapters yet unwritten." In announcing the garden, Trump also ordered the Justice Department to vigorously prosecute anyone caught damaging or defacing memorials and statues. And he has ordered the National Park Service and national museums to focus on history that unites and inspires Americans, rather than on what he considers issues that would "divide Americans based on race." "The Golden Age of America is upon us," Trump said in Iowa on July 3. "This incredible national resurgence is happening just in time for one of the biggest events in the history of our country. Exactly one year from tomorrow, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's founding with this birthday party, the likes of which you have never seen before." Eric Foner, a retired Columbia University history professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, said countries have long struggled to balance an honest assessment of their history with the push for patriotism. He said the reality is every country has both good and bad on its ledger, and talking about all aspects help build a stronger nation. Some historians have noted that while Trump is willing to acknowledge the end of slavery in the United States, he's been reluctant ‒ if not outright hostile ‒ to talking about the structural racism that remains as a legacy of that enslavement. "It's a self-defeating set of events when you try to just create a patriotic history and glorification," Foner said. "What we remember is also related to what we forget." Trump's 250th celebration plans will operate in conjunction with theU.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which has been working on the celebrations since 2016. The nonpartisan commission known as America250 is honorarily co-chaired by former First Couples: President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, and President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, and is the country's official birthday party planner, with the backing of all three co-equal branches of government. America250, which has corporate sponsors including Walmart, Palantir, Amazon and Goldman Sachs, is planning the biggest single-year volunteer effort in the country's history, along with sponsoring field trips and oral history recordings. The commission is also organizing a playlist of musical anthems celebrating America, a tech expo to highlight innovation, and a series of concerts celebrating American composers, performers, musicians and dancers. Its new executive director is a former FOX News producer and deputy director of communications for First LadyMelania Trump. "America250 is working to provide the most inspiring celebration that is 'of the people, by the people, and for the people' of this great nation," thecommission promises. "America250's mission is to commemorate the 250th anniversary with inclusive programs that inspire Americans to renew and strengthen our daring experiment in democracy." Tamika Middleton traces her American heritage though the family's graveyard on a dirt road in South Carolina. One ancestor fought for the Union during the Civil War, and her mom still lives on the land that's been in their family since the 1800s. As the descendent of formerly enslaved people, Middleton wants to see the United States live up to the promises it has always made. For her, that means talking honestly and openly about the country's racist past, and about how exclusionary policies have hurt people who look like her. "I have a right to this country. No matter what people think about my critiques or the work that I do, my folks' blood is in the soil." Middleton, 41, said. "I have a right to this country and I have a right to its best self." The managing director of the Women's March, Middleton said organizers have been talking regularly about the importance of an "honest look" at the country's history at the time of its 250th, and what it would take to reach that perfect union where all people are truly equal. Organizers of the 2017 Women's March against Trump organized "Free America" counter-protests during this year's Independence Day celebrations. "What good is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without healthcare?" Middleton asked. "What good is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without housing?" Middleton said the Women's March is still deciding how it will approach the country's 250th anniversary, but encouraged Americans to consider the words of Civil Rights-era activist Fannie Lou Hamer:  "Nobody's free until everybody's free." Said Middleton: "I would be love for people to be thinking about how to bring that to fruition ‒ what does it require every day, the kind of depth, the kind of accountability, the kind of unity. What does it require of us to ensure we are building a different kind of world and a different kind of country?" This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?

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July 06, 2025

America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans?

America is ready to celebrate its 250th birthday. But are Americans? We who call the United States home are preparing to celebrate the count...

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Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump’s ire

Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump's ire

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil will play host to a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies Sunday and Monday during which pressing topics like Israel's attack on Iran, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and trade tariffs imposed by U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpare expected to be handled with caution. Analysts and diplomats said the lack of cohesion in an enlarged BRICS, which doubled in size last year, may affect its ability to become another pole in world affairs. They also see the summit's moderate agenda as an attempt by member countries to stay off Trump's radar. Brazilian PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silvawill have some of his priorities, such as debates onartificial intelligenceand climate change, front and center for the talks with key leaders not in attendance. China's President Xi Jinping won't attend a BRICS summit for the first time since he became his country's leader in 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will make an appearance via videoconference, continues tomostly avoid traveling abroaddue to an international arrest warrant issued after Russia invaded Ukraine. Debate over language on hot-button topics The restraint expected in Rio de Janeiro marks a departure fromlast year's summit hosted by Russiain Kazan, when the Kremlin sought to develop alternatives to U.S.-dominated payment systems which would allow it to dodge Western sanctions imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A source involved in the negotiations told journalists Friday that some members of the group want more aggressive language on the situation in Gaza and Israel's attack on Iran. The source spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the matter publicly. "Brazil wants to keep the summit as technical as possible," said Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank and university. Consequently, observers expect avague final declarationregarding Russia's war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East. As well as suiting Brazil, a watered-down and non-controversial statement may be made easier by the absences of Putin and Xi, Stuenkel said. Those two countries have pushed for a stronger anti-Western stance, as opposed to Brazil and India that prefer non-alignment. A Brazilian government official told The Associated Press Thursday that the group is expected to produce three joint statements and a final declaration, "all of which less bounded by current geopolitical tensions." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the summit's preparations. João Alfredo Nyegray, an international business and geopolitics professor at the Pontifical Catholic University in Parana, said the summit could have played a role in showing an alternative to an unstable world, but won't do so. "The withdrawal of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the uncertainty about the level of representation for countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are confirming the difficulty for the BRICS to establish themselves as a cohesive pole of global leadership," Nyegray said. "This moment demands high level articulation, but we are actually seeing dispersion." Brazil skittish in light of Trump tariffs Brazil, the country that chairs the bloc, has picked six strategic priorities for the summit: global cooperation in healthcare; trade, investment and finance; climate change; governance for artificial intelligence; peace-making and security; and institutional development. It has decided to focus on less controversial issues, such as promoting trade relations between members and global health, after Trump returned to the White House, said Ana Garcia, a professor at the Rio de Janeiro Federal Rural University. "Brazil wants the least amount of damage possible and to avoid drawing the attention of the Trump administration to prevent any type of risk to the Brazilian economy," Garcia said. While Brazil will continue to advocate for the reform of Western-led global institutions, a cornerstone policy of the group, the country wants to avoid becoming the target of tariffs — a predicament it has so far largely escaped. Trump hasthreatened to impose 100% tariffs against the blocif they take any moves to undermine the dollar. Other leaders shun the summit Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will also be absent. Those two countries joined the BRICS in 2024, alongside Ethiopia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has been invited and is participating in member discussions, but it has yet to send its confirmation letter. As well as new members, the bloc has 10 strategic partner countries, a category created at last year's summit that includes Belarus, Cuba and Vietnam. That rapid expansion led Brazil to put housekeeping issues — officially termed institutional development — on the agenda to better integrate new members and boost internal cohesion. Despite notable absences, the summit is important for attendees, especially in the context of instability provoked by Trump's tariff wars, said Bruce Scheidl, a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo's BRICS study group. "The summit offers the best opportunity for emerging countries to respond, in the sense of seeking alternatives and diversifying their economic partnerships," Scheidl said. For Lula, the summit will be a welcome pause from a difficult domestic scenario, marked bya drop in popularityandconflict with Congress. The meeting also represents an opportunity to advance climate negotiations and commitments on protecting the environment before November's COP 30 climate talks in theAmazonian city of Belem.

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July 06, 2025

Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump’s ire

Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump's ire RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil will play host to a summit of the BRICS blo...

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Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

The Trump administration is taking a "zero tolerance" approachto attackson law enforcement after a Texas police officer was shot outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. The message came after similar incidents in other cities amid backlash againstPresident Donald Trump'simmigration enforcement agency. An Alvarado, Texas, police officer was shot Friday night near the Prairieland Detention Facility, authorities said. Dhs: Assaults On Ice Now Up Nearly 700% Over Same Time Last Year "We are closely monitoring the attacks on DHS detention facilities in Prairieland, TX, and Portland, OR, and are coordinating with the [US Attorney offices] and our law enforcement partners," said DeputyAttorney GeneralTodd Blanche on X. "The Department [of Justice] has zero tolerance for assaults on federal officers or property and will bring the full weight of the law against those responsible," he added. Read On The Fox News App Blue City Joins La Chaos As Anti-ice Agitators Injure Officers In Violent Riots In Alvarado, a suburb of Fort Worth, several suspects were arrested after an officer with the Alvarado Police Department was shot at around 11 p.m. while responding to reports of a suspicious person,FOX Dallasreported. When the officer tried making contact with the person, shots were fired and the officer was struck in the neck. The officer was flown to aFort Worthhospital for treatment and was later released. Several armed suspects fled but were arrested with the help of the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and other authorities, the news station reported. Original article source:Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

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July 06, 2025

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance

Texas police officer shot near ICE detention center as Trump officials promise zero tolerance The Trump administration is taking a "zer...

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