Auto industry, customers brace for Trump’s 25% auto tariff – National & International News – THU 27Mar2025
Auto industry, customers brace for Trump’s 25% auto tariff.
Measles: 23 cases in Kansas as infections spread nationwide.
Is Israel headed towards civil war?
NATIONAL NEWS
Auto industry, customers brace for Trump’s 25% auto tariff
President Trump announced earlier this week that a 25% tariff on foreign cars and foreign auto parts would be imposed starting next week. They will take effect on April 2, on what Trump has billed as America’s “Liberation Day”, along with other retaliatory tariffs on countries that impose duties on American-made goods.
Trump has repeatedly threatened (and repeatedly delayed) such tariffs since coming into office. Trump claims his goal is to encourage manufacturers to bring their production back to the US in order to avoid tariffs. In fact, one group who celebrated the announcement of the new tariffs was the United Auto Workers (UAW), One of the nation’s largest unions representing not only auto workers but workers in other US manufacturing sectors. UAW president Shawn Fain welcome to Trump’s “end the free trade disaster that has devastated working class communities for decades”.
Everyone else is far more skeptical, including US automakers, who fear that the tariffs will lead to price hikes and potentially layoffs in their sector. Even American-made cars are not entirely made in America. Our domestic auto industry is heavily integrated with Canada, and several car parts may cross the border multiple times during the manufacturing process before the full vehicle is assembled. Since Trump’s order applies also to car parts, this means these parts will accumulate a 25% tariff every time they cross back and forth. This will could eventually to a price increase of several thousand dollars per car
Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).
Measles: Kansas reports 23 cases as infections rise nationwide
An outbreak of measles in Texas last month killed a young child, the first to die of the disease in the US in years. As vaccination rates against measles mumps and rubella have dropped in recent years, children are increasingly vulnerable to these dangerous infections.
The measles outbreak has since spread rapidly, with cases now having been reported in 17 states. Kansas is the latest you see a major outbreak of 23 cases. Nearly all of these are in unvaccinated people.
Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
As Netanyahu pushes anti-democratic court reforms, is Israel headed towards civil war?
Since Israel unilaterally broke the ceasefire and resumed its bombing campaign of Gaza last week, nearly 1,000 people in the Strip have been killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that he reignited the conflict to force Hamas to release the remaining hostages and as a way to tighten is really military control over the strip.
Despite the immense destruction they have wrought, and killing over 50,000 Palestinians, Israel failed to achieve any of its stated military aims in over 15 months of intense bombing. However, the attacks on Gaza and neighboring Syria and Lebanon did serve the purpose of protecting Netanyahu’s grip on power. Prior to October 7, 2023, the legitimacy and longevity of Netanyahu’s premiership were seriously in question.
Faced with similar domestic political threats in recent weeks, Netanyahu seems to have hoped that resuming the bombings would work a second time to distract and diminish public anger towards him. This time, it is not working and instead he is pitting his government against the judiciary, Israeli civil society, and potentially, elements of the military.
Netanyahu corruption probes drive “court reform” push
Netanyahu has faced a years-long corruption and bribery case which could put him in prison for decades. This was the primary driver of his 2023 push to both assert greater government control over Israel’s courts and remove judicial checks on the power of Parliament.
At that time, Netanyahu’s government passed a series of controversial “court reform” bills. This brought hundreds of thousands of Israelis into the streets in crippling general strikes.
Netanyahu has painted himself into a similar political corner once again. Ronen Bar, head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service the Shin Bet, is leading investigations into Netanyahu, not only for further corruption and bribery allegations, but also into Netanyahu’s failure to prevent the October 7, despite multiple warnings from both foreign governments as well as Israel’s on military intelligence.
In response, Netanyahu and his parliamentary coalition sacked Bar from his post last week. Bar refused to leave, citing a conflict of interest on Netanyahu’s part. Israel’s Supreme Court has sided with Bar for the moment and blocked his firing. Both Netanyahu and the Knesset remain in open defiance of that order.
Instead, Netanyahu and his government are again passing laws to seize more control over the courts, igniting popular anger. Thousands of Israeli protesters have once again taken to the street. Not only are they protesting Netanyahu’s authoritarian moves, they are also demanding the bombing of Gaza cease, not out of concern for the Palestinians but for the live hostages that remain there.
Is there a risk of civil war?
It’s important to note that Netanyahu’s court reform agenda has also put him at odds with Israel’s powerful military leadership, including his then Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Israel’s military leadership have staunchly opposed court reforms, fearing the loss of Israel’s judicial independence could put soldiers and military brass at greater risk of arrest and trial abroad for war crimes.
Former Israeli Supreme Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak predicted years ago that if the government ever refused an order from the court, “it will be the tanks who decide” the fate of the country. Recent events prompted Barak, who remains a a highly-influential figure in Israel, to express fears that Netanyahu is risking civil war in Israel. The longer this stand-off goes on, and the more brazen Netanyahu becomes, the greater the risk of a serious constitutional crisis and civil unrest in Israel.
Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).
