Thailand Confident of Securing Lower US Tariff With Trade Offers
The Southeast Asian nation expects to wrap up trade negotiations before the Aug. 1 deadline set by the US, Pichai told a local television channel on Tuesday. Trump has set the levy on Thailand without taking into account its revised proposals to increase market access by removing tariff and non-tariff barriers on a number of goods, he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
27 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Nvidia is again Wall Street's most valuable company. How it got there, by the numbers
Nvidia reached another milestone in its rise to becoming one of the world's most important companies: the first publicly traded company to reach a market value of $4 trillion. Nvidia and other companies benefiting from the boom in artificial intelligence have been a major reason the S&P 500 has recently climbed to a record. Their explosion of profits has helped to propel the market despite worries about possible pain coming for the U.S. economy from tariffs and other policies of President Donald Trump.
Associated Press
30 minutes ago
- Associated Press
A surprise IRS move on political endorsements leaves faith leaders and experts divided
WASHINGTON (AP) — A surprise move by the IRS that would allow pastors to back political candidates from the pulpit without losing their organization's tax-exempt status is drawing praise from conservatives and even some progressive religious groups but concern from other leaders of faith, along with tax and legal experts. A 1954 provision in the tax code called the Johnson Amendment says churches and other nonprofits could lose their tax-exempt status if they participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. The rule was rarely enforced. While the IRS did not go as far as calling for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, it said in court documents Monday that communications in good faith by a church to its flock does not amount to 'intervening' or affecting the outcome of a political campaign. 'Communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted,' the IRS said. The new IRS interpretation came after decades of debate and, most recently, lawsuits from the National Religious Broadcasters association and other conservative churches complaining that the amendment violates their First Amendment rights, among other legal protections. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, President Donald Trump called the IRS' assessment 'terrific.' 'I love the fact that churches can endorse a political candidate,' he said. 'We have a lot of respect for the people that lead the church.' While some congregations see a new freedom to speak openly about preferred candidates, others see openings for campaign finance corruption, new pressures on religious leaders and an overall entanglement between church and state. Praises to the IRS Robert Jeffress, pastor of a Baptist megachurch in Dallas and a Trump ally, called it 'the right decision.' He said his church's tax-exempt status was threatened because of an IRS investigation into their political endorsements, costing the megachurch hundreds of thousands in legal fees. 'The IRS has no business dictating what can be said from the pulpit,' he said. 'They need to stay the heck out of our churches.' Calvary Church Chino Hills, a Southern California megachurch led by Jack Hibbs, has been endorsing candidates for years, particularly in local elections. Gina Gleason, director of the church's political engagement team, said she hopes the move will encourage smaller churches previously hesitant for fear of triggering an IRS response. 'I'd have thought if the IRS had targeted any church it would've been us,' she said. 'But we got sound legal advice from lawyers and religious liberty organizations that explained we were within our constitutional rights.' For Democrats trying to connect with people of faith, this decision is timely, said Doug Pagitt, pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, a progressive and evangelical Christian organization. 'Conservative pastors who have been blatantly endorsing candidates regardless of the Johnson Amendment over the years created a disadvantage causing Democrats to step away from faith voters,' he said. 'There was a true imbalance between how many more opportunities there were for Republican voters.' The IRS statement, Pagitt says, also puts an end to the delicate dance pastors and congregations were forced to do. 'You could talk about politics in the church gymnasium, but not in the sanctuary or from the pulpit,' he said. 'Pastors could express political opinions on their personal Facebook page, but not on the church's website. It's just silly.' Church politicking concerns Tax and constitutional law experts, meanwhile, are wary of what entanglements could arise from the IRS' new position. Philip Hackney, a University of Pittsburgh School of Law professor who studies the relationship between churches and tax authority, said the decree could allow churches to push new boundaries. 'It's essentially creating a political intervention tax shelter for churches,' Hackney said. 'It has the potential to corrupt their mission, more towards politics and away from their true beliefs.' Other religious groups, particularly in faith communities of color, are viewing it with skepticism. The Rev. Mark Whitlock, senior pastor at Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Glenn Dale, Maryland, said it raises more questions than answers. 'From those of us in the Black church, this decision is being viewed with caution, apprehension and skepticism,' he said. 'The question we're asking is: 'Why now?'' Whitlock said he will continue to do what the Black church has always done — educating and civically engaging parishioners. His congregants' political views vary, too. 'If I do say something in church, it needs to be God-centered, God-focused and a revelation that God gave you,' Whitlock said. 'You can't go to the pulpit as a campaign manager.' Raymond Chang, president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, warned that a repeal of the Johnson Amendment could help tether some congregations to certain parties or candidates. 'This can lead to a partisan identity becoming the primary marker of a church or congregation, over a commitment to the Gospel, which cuts against both existing major parties,' he said. 'Church leaders may also face pressure to make political endorsements.' What comes next Nearly 80% of U.S. adults believe churches and other houses of worship should not come out in favor of one political candidate over another during elections, a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2022 found. White evangelicals and Black Protestants were a little more divided on the matter, with about one-third in each group favoring political endorsements. But in every other religious group surveyed, there was a strong consensus against political involvement by houses of worship. Others are more optimistic that the IRS statement puts to bed unfounded criticisms against the agency for a rarely enforced rule. Terry Lemons, a former IRS official who began at the agency under Democratic President Bill Clinton, called it a 'common sense approach through a narrowly written filing.' Roger Colinvaux, a Catholic University of America law professor, said he would caution churches against 'overinterpreting' the IRS statement. He points out that the word 'endorse' does not appear anywhere in it and said his biggest concern is religion being used as a partisan tool in campaigns. Pagitt at Common Good said not all pastors will seize the opportunity because they might be ministering to a divided congregation or might not be comfortable mixing politics and religion. Chieko Noguchi, spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Tuesday that the IRS statement doesn't 'change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate.' 'The Church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good,' Noguchi said. 'The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.' ___ Bharath reported from Los Angeles. ___ AP's religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Hamilton Spectator
31 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
FACT FOCUS: Trump misrepresents facts about wind power during Cabinet meeting
President Donald Trump expressed his disdain for wind power during a meeting with his Cabinet recently, calling it an expensive form of energy that 'smart' countries don't use. His comments on Tuesday contained false and misleading information about the use of wind power in the United States and around the world, and came on the heels of an executive order he signed Monday that would end subsidies around 'green' energy. Here's a look at the facts. CLAIM: 'Wind is a very expensive form of energy.' THE FACTS: Onshore wind is one of the cheapest sources of electricity generation, with new wind farms expected to produce electricity around $30 per megawatt hour. This compares to a new natural gas plant, around $65 per megawatt hour, or a new advanced nuclear reactor, which runs over $80, according to estimates from the Energy Information Administration. Onshore wind farms cost less to build and operate than natural gas plants on average in most regions of the United States, even without tax credits. Though natural gas plants are available to produce electricity at any time of the day, unlike wind. Offshore wind is among the sources of new power generation that will cost the most to build and operate, at $88 per megawatt hour, according to the EIA. While electricity rates have risen nationwide over the past decade, states that have added a significant amount of onshore wind power, such as Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, have kept rates from rising as fast as other states , said Brendan Pierpont, director of electricity modeling at the nonpartisan think tank Energy Innovation. For example, the share of electricity generated from wind in Iowa increased from 15% in 2010 to nearly 60% of the state's electricity generation in 2023, while the state's electricity rates grew at a rate slower than that of 42 other states, his research found. Wind power can be expensive if it's built where winds are weaker, but the United States is adding it in places with strong wind resources, he added. 'Wind should be seen as part of an overall portfolio of electricity system resources and is an important part of keeping costs down,' he said Wednesday. Trump has committed to increasing U.S. energy production, particularly fossil fuels. He signed an executive order Monday aimed at phasing out tax credits for wind and solar facilities. CLAIM: Wind turbines are 'almost exclusively' made in China, but President Xi Jinping told Trump they have 'very, very few.' THE FACTS: China is the world's largest manufacturer of wind turbines, producing more than half of the supply. It is also installing them in China at a record pace. In total, China has 1.3 terawatts of utility-scale wind and solar capacity in development, which could generate more electricity than neighboring Japan consumed in all of 2023, according to a report from the Global Energy Monitor released Wednesday. The report highlighted China's offshore wind development, calling China the undisputed leader in the offshore wind sector, though it also said coal and gas are still on the rise across China. 'The whole narrative that we're led to believe in the West is that China is building coal plants and that it's doing nothing for its carbon footprint,' Tom Harper, partner at the global consultant Baringa, said Tuesday. 'So the surprising thing is China is building a portfolio of zero-carbon resources that are designed to not perfectly complement each other, but to work alongside each other to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.' CLAIM: 'If you look at smart countries, they don't use it.' THE FACTS: At least 136 countries around the world use wind power to generate electricity, according to the EIA , with many countries growing the amount they produce. The top five markets for wind power in 2024 were China, the U.S., Brazil, India and Germany, while Uzbekistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia represent the next wave of wind energy growth, according to the Global Wind Energy Council . Council CEO Ben Backwell said 2024 marked yet another record year for wind energy growth, with the 'industry increasingly pushing into new regions.' Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, disputed the idea that smart countries don't use wind power. China is soaring ahead in building a massive amount of wind power while Germany, the United Kingdom, Finland, Spain, Sweden, France and many other countries in Europe have large programs of wind construction, he said Wednesday. 'By cutting back on wind power development, the U.S. is ceding the lead to China in this important technology, and killing a lot of U.S. jobs,' Gerrard said in an e-mail. CLAIM: In New England, two whales washed up over 50 years, 'and last summer they had 14 washed up. Now, I'm not saying that's the wind farm that was built, that maybe it is right.' THE FACTS: There are no known links between large whale deaths and ongoing offshore wind activities, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . NOAA says it analyzes the causes of death whenever possible, following the science and data. Unfounded claims about offshore wind threatening whales have surfaced as a flashpoint in the fight over the future of renewable energy. The nation's first commercial-scale offshore wind farm officially opened in 2024 east of Montauk Point, New York. The nation's second-largest offshore wind farm is under construction off the coast of Massachusetts. A five-turbine pilot project has been operating since 2016 off the coast of Rhode Island. CLAIM: 'The birds are dying all over the place.' THE FACTS: Turbines, like all infrastructure, can pose a risk to birds. However, the National Audubon Society, which is dedicated to the conservation of birds, thinks developers can manage these risks and climate change is a greater threat. An Audubon report found that two-thirds of North American bird species could face extinction due to rising temperatures. In January, the nonprofit said responsible offshore wind development is a clear win for birds, the U.S. economy and the climate. 'While persistent myths claim widespread and devastating effects of offshore wind turbines on wildlife, the science tells a different story. Our findings clearly indicate that we can responsibly deploy offshore wind in a manner that still protects birds and their habitats,' Sam Wojcicki, Audubon's senior director for climate policy, wrote in a January post . The organization also supports wind energy on land when it is sited and operated properly to minimize the impact on birds and other wildlife. CLAIM: 'You can't take them down because the environmentalists don't let you bury the blades.' THE FACTS: Wind turbine blades are challenging to recycle. They are designed for durability to withstand hurricane-force winds. However, the U.S. already has the ability to recycle most wind turbine materials, according to the Department of Energy. It issued a report in January that found 90% of wind turbines can be recycled using existing infrastructure, while new strategies and innovative recycling methods will be needed to tackle the rest. The wind power industry acknowledges that the disposal of wind turbine blades is an issue. Danish wind energy developer Ørsted committed in 2021 to never sending turbine blades to landfill, instead reusing, recycling or otherwise recovering them. ___ Find AP Fact Checks here: .
