Judge extends temporary protected status for 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua and NepalNew Foto - Judge extends temporary protected status for 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal

A federal judge in California on Thursday extended temporary protected status for 60,000 people from Central America and Asia, including people from Nepal,Honduras and Nicaragua. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously determined that conditions in the migrants' home countries no longer warranted the protections, which prevent them from being deported and allow them to work in the US. Temporary protected status designations for an estimated 7,000 from Nepal were scheduled to end August 5. And protections allowing 51,000 Hondurans and nearly 3,000 Nicaraguans to reside and work lawfully in the US for more than 25 years were set to expire September 8. The secretary said both Honduras and Nicaragua had made "significant progress" in recovering from 1998's Hurricane Mitch. The Trump administration has aggressively been seeking to remove the protection, thus making more people eligible for removal. The terminations are part ofa broad effort by the Republican administrationto deport immigrants en masse, by going after people who are in the country illegally but also by removing protections that have allowed people to live and work in the US on a temporary basis. Noem can grant temporary protected status to people of various countries already in the US if conditions in the home country prevent a safe return, such as natural disaster or political instability. The Trump administration has already terminated TPS for about 350,000 Venezuelans, 500,000 Haitians, more than 160,000 Ukrainians and thousands of people from Afghanistan, Nepal and Cameroon. Some have pending lawsuits at federal courts. Lawyers for the National TPS Alliance argue that Noem's decisions were not based on objective analysis of conditions at home countries, but predetermined by President Donald Trump's campaign promises and motivated by racial animus. They say designees usually have a year to leave the country, but in this case, they got far less. "They gave them two months to leave the country. It's awful," said Ahilan Arulanantham, an attorney for plaintiffs, at a hearing Tuesday. The government argues that Noem has clear and unreviewable authority over the TPS program and that her termination decisions reflect the administration's objectives in the areas of immigration and foreign policy. Justice Department attorney William Weiland said it is not a pretext to have a different view of a program that provides temporary safe harbor. "It is not meant to be permanent," he said Tuesday. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

Judge extends temporary protected status for 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal

Judge extends temporary protected status for 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal A federal judge in California on Thursday exte...
El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends presidential terms to 6 yearsNew Foto - El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends presidential terms to 6 years

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — The party of El Salvador PresidentNayib Bukeleapproved constitutional changes in the country's National Assembly on Thursday that will allow indefinite presidential reelection and extend presidential terms to six years. Lawmaker Ana Figueroa from the New Ideas party had proposed the changes to five articles of the constitution. The proposal also included eliminating the second round of the election where the two top vote-getters from the first round face off. New Ideas and its allies in the National Assembly quickly approved the proposals with thesupermajoritythey hold. The vote passed with 57 in favor and three opposed. Bukeleoverwhelmingly won reelectionlast year despitea constitutional ban, after Supreme Court justices selected by his party ruled in 2021 that it allowed reelection to a second five-year term. Figueroa argued Thursday that federal lawmakers and mayors can already seek reelection as many times as they want. "All of them have had the possibility of reelection through popular vote, the only exception until now has been the presidency," Figueroa said. She also proposed that Bukele's current term, scheduled to end June 1, 2029, instead finish June 1, 2027, to put presidential and congressional elections on the same schedule. It would also allow Bukele to seek reelection to a longer term two years earlier. Bukele, who once dubbed himself "the world's coolest dictator," is highly popular, largely because of his heavy-handed fight against the country's powerful street gangs. Voters have been willing to overlook evidence that his administration like others before it had negotiated with the gangs, before seeking astate of emergencythat suspended some constitutional rights and allowed authorities to arrest and jail tens of thousands of people. His success with security and politically has inspired imitators in the region who seek to replicate his style.

El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends presidential terms to 6 years

El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends presidential terms to 6 years SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — The party...
Trump unveils new tariffs on dozens of countries ahead of tonight's midnight deadlineNew Foto - Trump unveils new tariffs on dozens of countries ahead of tonight's midnight deadline

President Trump on Thursday formally announced higher tariffs against more than 60 U.S. trading partners starting next week — just hours before the administration's self-imposed midnight deadline. The president signed an executive order listing out tariff rates for imports from dozens of countries, including a handful that have cut trade deals with the administration and dozens that haven't reached a deal yet. The duties range as high as 41% for Syria and 40% for Laos and Myanmar, while almost no country's imports will face tariffs below 10%. The new tariffs apply to imports that are "entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption," in seven days, the order said. Mr. Trump had vowed to impose higher tariffs starting just after midnight on Friday, Aug. 1. A White House official told CBS News the extra seven days were intended to give Customs and Border Protection enough time to implement the new tariff rates. "[F]or most economies and most of our trading partners, the cost of doing trade tomorrow will be higher than it is today," Greg Daco, chief economist at management consulting firm EY-Parthenon, said prior to the release of Thursday's list. Mr. Trump set the latest deadline for trade agreements in April after announcing —and later suspendingfor 90 days — what he described as "Liberation Day" tariffs on more than 90 countries. A July 9 deadline for deals came and went, with the White House again stalling for time. But Mr. Trump had since vowed not to extend the deadline beyond Aug. 1 for most nations. Almost 70 trading partners are included on Thursday's list, and goods from countries that weren't listed will face 10% tariffs — the same baseline that Mr. Trump imposed in April. For some countries, Thursday's tariff list features lower rates than the ones that were threatened on Liberation Day. But other countries' tariffs were adjusted up slightly. For example, Madagascar was threatened with 47% tariffs in April and just 15% tariffs on Thursday, but Switzerland's rate jumped from 31% to 39%. For the handful of trading partners that have reached agreements with Mr. Trump in recent weeks — includingJapan,South Koreaand theEuropean Union— the new tariff list reflects the terms of those trade deals. Stiff tariffs on Canada Tariffs on the United States' three largest trading partners — Mexico, Canada and China — are treated separately. Duties on Canadian goods will jump from 25% to 35% starting Friday, the White House announced Thursday, following through on a threat from earlier this month. Mr. Trump is also threatening tariff hikes for Mexico and China, but the U.S.' southern neighborgot a 90-day extensionon Thursday, and an Aug. 12 deadline to strike a deal with China isexpected to be extendedfor three months, too. Amid concerns that the White House's trade agenda was fueling economic uncertainty for businesses and consumers, Trump administration officials this springpledgedto nail down "90 deals in 90 days." By that measure, his administration has come up far short of its goals. The White House has announced broad bilateral agreements with a handful of nations as well as the 27-member European Union, but those deals have lacked the extensively documented details typical of most trade deals, experts note. "It's important to note that we don't even have any deals as deals are commonly understood, except maybe the U.K. agreement, which is still being discussed," Alex Jacquez, chief of policy and advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative, a left-leaning advocacy group, told CBS MoneyWatch. The countries that have yet to strike deals with the U.S., including major trading partners such as Canada and Mexico, account for 56% of American imports, according to Goldman Sachs. Shortly after the new tariff list was released, Mr. Trumptold NBC Newsin an interview it's "too late" for countries that still haven't struck a trade agreement to avoid the new import duties — but he's still willing to negotiate after the higher tariffs take effect. He said he believes his trade strategy was going "very well, very smooth," pointing to the revenue brought in by tariffs and the fact that inflation has not spiked. "President Trump's trade deals have unlocked unprecedented market access for American exports to economies that in total are worth over $32 trillion with 1.2 billion people," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement. "As these historic trade deals and the Administration's pro-growth domestic agenda of deregulation and The One Big Beautiful Bill's tax cuts take effect, American businesses and families alike have the certainty that the best is yet to come." Tearing up the rules Mr. Trump re-entered office in January promising to rewrite the rules of international commerce, which he has long maintained disadvantage the U.S. and hurt American workers. In that effort, he has embraced tariffs as a way to reduce trade deficits with other nations, energize domestic manufacturers, generate federal revenue and gain leverage in foreign policy. In practice, the White House has struggled to deliver on that ambitious agenda, Daniel Altman, an economist and founder of investment newsletter High Yield Economics, told CBS MoneyWatch. "There were never enough trade negotiators in all of Washington to conclude all of these details by August 1," he said. "We have some framework agreements that have made the headlines, but as we're finding out a lot of those deals include tariff rates that are pretty much the same as the base rate of 15% that the White House has mooted for the rest of the world." Yet despite the appearance of chaos that has attended some of the rollout of his new tariff regime, Mr. Trump has clearly succeeded in changing the terms of trade with several key economic partners in ways that could favor the U.S. In some cases, that includes winning the elimination or significant reductions in tariffs on American exports going the other way. Under its deal with the EU, for instance, the U.S. will impose a 15% tax on most of the trading bloc's imports, but the EU has agreed not to charge any levy on imports from the U.S.Deals with JapanandSouth Koreaimpose the same tariff rate on those countries' exports to the U.S. Other countries that struck trade deals with the U.S. have acceded to higher tariffs in hopes of ensuring good relations with Mr. Trump and avoiding even higher levies. Those includeIndonesia and the Philippines, which will each face a 19% tariff on their exports. The U.S. will subject imports fromVietnamto a 20% duty, plus a 40% tariff on goods that are transshipped via other countries. "In any other time frame, one would have said that having the EU, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia and the United Kingdom covers an awful lot of world trade and U.S. trade," Alan Wolff, senior fellow at the nonpartisan Peterson Institute for International Economics and former deputy director-general of the World Trade Organization, told CBS MoneyWatch. President Trump's tariff agenda is also generating significant revenue. According to the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. in June brought in $27 billion in tariff revenue — more than three times what it collected in the same period a year ago. The White House has repeatedly insisted that tariff costs will be borne by foreign countries and that the levies will help spur investment in U.S. manufacturing. Trade experts note that tariffs aretypically paid by importers, which often pass on those costs to consumers in the form of higher prices. Watch: Hawaii Gov. Josh Green gives update on tsunami warning Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi gives tsunami warning update Tennessee manhunt underway for suspect in killings of abandoned baby's relatives

Trump unveils new tariffs on dozens of countries ahead of tonight's midnight deadline

Trump unveils new tariffs on dozens of countries ahead of tonight's midnight deadline President Trump on Thursday formally announced hig...
Exclusive-Trump officials told Congress Israel agreed to match $30 million for GHF, sources sayNew Foto - Exclusive-Trump officials told Congress Israel agreed to match $30 million for GHF, sources say

By Jonathan Landay, Humeyra Pamuk and Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Senior Trump administration officials told Congress this month that Israel agreed to match a U.S. award of $30 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, a previously unreported contribution to the controversial armed private aid operation. Aside from the U.S. contribution, which the U.S. State Department announced in June, the sources of the foundation's funding have been opaque - GHF does not disclose its donors. Israel faces intensifying international pressure over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its promotion of GHF's aid operation, which has distribution sites only in southern Gaza and has been called dangerous and ineffective by aid groups and the United Nations - claims the group denies. Aryeh Lightstone and Charles Leith, aides to Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, briefed U.S. Senate and House of Representatives committees on July 8 and 9 about the GHF operation, according to the two sources. They told the congressional committees that Israel had agreed to match the $30 million that the U.S. awarded to GHF in June, enough to fund the organization through the end of July, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Lightstone and Leith did not respond to a request for an interview and the White House referred questions to the State Department. Donors "have pledged or disbursed tens of millions of dollars to GHF," a State Department spokesperson said, without identifying those donors. "The United States has pledged tens of millions of dollars," the spokesperson continued, adding that the U.S. aid "does not come close to encompassing the total amount of help the administration has given the people of Gaza since January 2025." The Israeli government did not respond to requests for comment. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the U.S. had dispensed $60 million for Gaza humanitarian aid. The State Department, however, has made no other announcements beyond the $30 million approved for the GHF in June. A third source familiar with the matter said some U.S. officials believe Trump likely was conflating the U.S. and Israeli funds. Lightstone and Leith told Congress the hope was that by August, other donors would see GHF's success and contribute to its operation, allowing the foundation to double its distribution sites from four to eight, according to the sources. Reuters could not verify whether Israel had disbursed the $30 million to GHF, which uses private for-profit U.S. military and logistics firms to transport aid into the Palestinian enclave for distribution to its sites. Speaking on Wednesday to the Hudson Institute think tank, GHF Executive Chairman Rev. Dr. Johnnie Moore, a former evangelical adviser to the White House during Trump's first term, said that as a private U.S. charity, the foundation did not have to disclose its donors. He indicated that GHF required more money. "The biggest problem is just we need more of it, and $30 million is not going to get it done," he said, in an apparent reference to the U.S. contribution. GHF said in an email to Reuters that it was focused on distributing as much food as was safely possible and was continuing to press the Israeli government to allow it to open additional distribution sites, including in northern Gaza. It declined to comment on its donors or funding. STARVATION IN GAZA GHF has been criticized by the United Nations, aid groups and others over what they say is an unsafe aid distribution model and a breach of humanitarian impartiality standards, allegations that GHF denies. Israel alleges that the U.N.-led aid system that has traditionally served the residents of Gaza has let Hamas-led militants loot aid shipments intended for civilians. Hamas denies the accusation. A recent U.S. government internal analysis found no evidence of systematic theft of U.S.-funded aid by Hamas. Starvation has been spreading in Gaza, and a hunger monitor on Tuesday said a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding and immediate action is needed to avoid widespread death. In his Wednesday remarks, Moore denied that famine is developing. "That's made up. There's not a famine. There's acute hunger. There's not enough food in the Gaza Strip," he said. Gaza health authorities have been reporting increasing deaths from hunger-related causes and images of emaciated Palestinian children have drawn international condemnation. Trump this week declared that many people were starving, contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said there was no starvation in the densely populated coastal enclave, largely destroyed by Israel's military offensive that has killed over 60,000 people according to Gaza health officials. Trump promised to set up new food centers and said the top priority in Gaza was feeding people. Gaza's food stocks have been running out since Israel, at war with Palestinian militant group Hamas since its fighters killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages back to Gaza in October 2023 according to Israeli tallies, cut off all supplies to the territory in March. That blockade was lifted in May but with restrictions that Israel says are needed to prevent aid being diverted to militant groups. Israel says it has no aim to starve Gaza. This week it announced steps to allow more aid in, including pausing fighting in some locations, air-dropping food and offering more secure routes. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Humeyra Pamuk and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols in New York and Charlotte Greenfield in Jerusalem; Editing by Don Durfee and Deepa Babington)

Exclusive-Trump officials told Congress Israel agreed to match $30 million for GHF, sources say

Exclusive-Trump officials told Congress Israel agreed to match $30 million for GHF, sources say By Jonathan Landay, Humeyra Pamuk and Daphne...
Bessent tries to walk back comments suggesting Social Security could be privatizedNew Foto - Bessent tries to walk back comments suggesting Social Security could be privatized

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is trying to walk back his suggestion that the so-called Trump savings accounts for newborns could be a "back door" to start privatizing Social Security. Bessent made the comments in an interview with Breitbart while he was speaking at length about the importance of financial literacy. "But in a way, it is a back door for privatizing Social Security," Bessent said. In a social media post on Wednesday evening, Bessent sought to clarify his remarks. "Trump Baby Accounts are an additive benefit for future generations, which will supplement the sanctity of Social Security's guaranteed payments," Bessent wrote on X. "This is not an either-or question: our Administration is committed to protecting Social Security and to making sure seniors have more money." MORE: Social Security fund may run dry sooner than previously expected, trustees say The White House on Thursday, when asked about Bessent's comments, said Trump was "committed to protecting" Social Security. "What the secretary of treasury was saying, and what this administration believes, is that these Trump newborn accounts, which is an incredibly creative and great provision that was in the one big, beautiful bill for newborn babies and families and future generations of Americans, will help supplement not substitute Social Security," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. "The Trump administration is wholeheartedly committed to protecting Social Security. The president did it in his first term. He's doing it again in this term. But these newborn accounts are another revenue stream for young people, to watch their money grow throughout their lives and to one day be able to access those funds so they can hopefully build a home and live the American dream," she added. A spokesman for the Treasury Department also clarified Bessent's comments, saying that they are "additive" to Social Security, not a replacement for the benefit. "Trump Accounts are an additive government program that work in conjunction with Social Security to broaden and increase the savings and wealth of Americans. Social Security is a critical safety net for Americans and always will be. This Administration has not just fought tirelessly for seniors, but is also fighting for the next generation," the Treasury spokesperson said. The "Trump Savings Accounts" were part of his megabill agenda narrowly passed by congressional Republicans earlier this month. The policy will deposit $1,000 into a tax-deferred, low-cost index fund account that will track the overall stock market for each newborn. Additional contributions can go up to $5,000 annually. When the children reach adulthood, they can access funds to cover expenses such as college or a down payment on a home. If a child is born after December 31, children under the age of 18 will have one thousand dollars put in their accounts for investment purposes. The program is a new initiative to promote financial literacy among Americans. "And, you know, people can put in up to certain amounts every year for their child, and they can invest that stuff in the market, and they can learn how to do this," Bessent said in his interview with Breitbart. When asked if companies matching would be a good thing, Bessent responded positively, saying it would be a "great thing." "At the end of the day, I'm not sure when the distribution level date should be. Whether should it be 30 and you can buy a house? Should it be 60? But in a way, it is a back door for privatizing Social Security," Bessent said. "Social Security is a defined benefit plan paid out to the extent that if all of a sudden, these accounts grow and you have hundreds of thousands of dollars for your retirement, then that's a game changer, too." MORE: New head of Social Security, hired from Wall Street, tells staff he had to Google the job when he was offered it Several Democrats quickly criticized Bessent's comments. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, slammed the treasury secretary in floor remarks on Thursday. "Now, of course, Secretary Bessent had rushed to Twitter later to do a little cleanup, but the truth came out, the real truth," Schumer said. "Actions speak louder than words, and the actions Donald Trump and his gang are taking against Social Security speaks volumes." "Well, Republicans said the quiet part out loud: They want to 'privatize Social Security.' Your money. Your benefits. Sold to the highest bidder. So much for standing with seniors," Rep. Katherine Clark, the Democratic whip,wroteon X on Wednesday. "Today the Treasury Secretary said the quiet part out loud: Republicans' ultimate goal is to privatize Social Security, and there isn't a backdoor they won't try to make Wall Street's dream a reality," Rep. Richard Neal, the top Democrat the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement on Wednesday. "For everyone else though, it's yet another warning sign that they cannot be trusted to safeguard the program millions rely on and have paid into over a lifetime of work." AARP, an interest group that focusing on issues affecting those 50 and older in the U.S., alsopushed backon Bessent. "AARP condemns Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's endorsement of a "backdoor" to Social Security privatization. We have fought any and all efforts to privatize Social Security, and we will continue to," said AARP Senior Vice President of Campaigns John Hishta. "President Trump has emphasized many times that Social Security 'won't be touched,' and that he is 'not going to touch Social Security.' This must include any and all forms of 'privatization.'" ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.

Bessent tries to walk back comments suggesting Social Security could be privatized

Bessent tries to walk back comments suggesting Social Security could be privatized Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is trying to walk back h...

 

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