Cramm for 6/19/18
THE HIGHLIGHTS
The world is prepping for a US/China trade war.
TELL ME MORE.
Months ago, Prez Trump said ‘happy trade war’ and slapped tariffs on pretty much any imported steel and aluminum. Then hit China with billions of dollars worth in more tariffs. To which China said ‘bad move’ and imposed yuge tariffs on hundreds of US goods. Think: soybeans, cars, planes...to name a few. Then, over the weekend, the Prez gave a stamp of approval to tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods. That’s not all.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Yesterday, Trump said ‘I’m warning you’ and threatened new tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. Not a typo. This comes after China decided to slap the US with retaliatory tariffs. Now, the Prez is saying he’ll make this new set of tariffs official if China doesn’t back up and call off its own tariffs on the US. Stock markets around the world were not happy about any of this. And drop drop dropped amid fears of an all-out trade war. Happy thoughts.
ANYTHING ELSE?
The Senate isn’t so sureabout Trump’s decision to save ZTE - a Chinese state-run telecommunications biz. It’s reportedly near bankruptcy and faces thousands of firings after being in the spotlight for making illegal shipments to Iran and North Korea. But lately, Trump’s been promising to help get ZTE back on its feet. And last week, signed off on a preliminary agreement with the biz. A deal the Senate does not approve of. Case in point: yesterday, they voted to reimpose the ban on ZTE. Ni hao, political drama.
SO…?
All of this is making the rest of the world feel uneasy. TBD, TBD, TBD.
THE ACTION
WORLD: People are still talking about Macedonia. Reminder: for years, Greece has given Macedonia the side-eye for being called Macedonia. Whiiich is also the name of a northern Greek territory, leading Greece to worry that Macedonia (the country) is trying to make moves on its heritage. Days ago, the two countries worked things out and agreed to call rename Macedonia... North Macedonia. But the deal hasn’t satisfied many Greeks, who’ve taken to the streets in protest. Macedoh-no. In other news, Israel reportedly just charged a former cabinet minister - Gonen Segev - with spying for Iran. Unclear what comes next.
PEOPLE: Yesterday, it came out that XXXTentacion was shot and killed in Florida. The 20-year-old rapper was reportedly leaving a motorsports store when two men in a dark SUV shot and killed him during an apparent robbery. Authorities are looking for the men involved, and any witnesses have been asked to come forward. Meanwhile, celebrities - including Kanye West and Juicy J - took to social media to share their condolences, along with thousands others.
POLITICS: Recently, Prez Trump said ‘may the force be with you’ and directed the Dept of Defense (DOD) and the Pentagon to establish a new Space Force as the sixth branch of the Armed Forces. Then announced that the new branch would be “separate but equal” with the Air Force. Problem, since that’s the phrase used by the Supreme Court decades ago to defend segregation. Leading to backlash - and questions about how possible a new branch of the Armed Forces really is. Out of this world. Speaking of which, it was just revealed that the Justice Dept is investigating James Comey’s private memos. Stay tuned.
WHAT TO KNOW
“$132,000:” how much this kid’s parents had to cough up after he sent a very, very expensive statue crashing to the floor. Grounded.
SAY WHAT?
“First of all, she’s great at yoga” - Oprah, talking about what went down when she spent the day with Meghan Markle’s mom. Tea, zen.
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