Trump jacks up tariffs on Chinese imports in latest tit-for-tat move

President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States would subject Chinese imports to an additional 5 per cent tariff in response to what he called a politically motivated move by China to impose tariffs on US$75 billion (S$100 billion) worth of US exports.

“Sadly, past Administrations have allowed China to get so far ahead of Fair and Balanced Trade that it has become a great burden to the American Taxpayer,” Trump said on Twitter.

“As President, I can no longer allow this to happen!”

He said the United States would raise its tariffs on US$250 billion worth of Chinese imports to 30 per cent from the current 25 per cent beginning Oct 1.

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As EU threatens trade retaliation, Brazil sends army to fight Amazon fires

European leaders on Friday threatened to tear up a trade deal with South America, reflecting the growing international dismay and anger with Brazil as a record number of fires in the Amazon rainforest intensified the unfolding environmental crisis.

Against the global chorus of condemnation, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was mobilising the army to help combat the blazes, while his administration launched a diplomatic charm offensive to try to mend bridges.

The Trump administration said it was “deeply concerned” about the wildfires, which now look set to be discussed at a summit of Group of 7 leaders in France this weekend.

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US man who killed top golfer from Spain gets life sentence

The man who fatally stabbed a former Iowa State University golfer from Spain while she was playing a round near the school was sentenced on Friday (Aug 23) to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Collin Richards pleaded guilty on June 14 to first-degree murder in the Sept 17 slaying of 22-year-old Celia Barquin Arozamena.

Police said Richards stabbed her on the course near the central Iowa campus in Ames and left her body in a pond. Richards had been staying at a homeless encampment in nearby woods.

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‘Mum, don’t die’: Murder of Turkish woman in front of daughter ignites anger

The murder of a Turkish woman by her ex-husband in front of her daughter sparked outrage on Friday after a video of the attack was published online.

“I don’t want to die,” Emine Bulut, covered in blood, is heard screaming to her 10-year-old child.

Dozens of protesters on Friday gathered in the capital Ankara to denounce the murder. “We are ready for any form of action. We will not be silent, we are not afraid and we will not obey. We will keep on our struggle until no women are murdered anymore,” protester Elif Sanci told AFP.

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Scarlett Johansson tops Forbes best-paid actress list for second year

Superhero Black Widow is a woman at the top of her game, and so is the actress who plays her – Scarlett Johansson is the world’s highest paid actress for the second year in a row, according to Forbes’s annual ranking published on Friday.

Johansson, 34, earned US$15.5 million (S$21 million) more than she did in 2018, primarily due to the immense global success of Avengers: Endgame – the final chapter of the saga – for which she earned US$35 million.

The actress will take up the Black Widow mantle again in 2020 for an eponymous spinoff film.

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