US President Donald Trump has threatened Brazil with a 50% tax on goods made in the South American nation.
The enraged letter, posted to Truth Social, cites reasons such as "attacks" on US tech companies, conducting a "witch hunt" against former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, as well as “unsustainable trade deficits” with Brazil.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said an increase in tariffs on Brazil would be reciprocated, reiterating that “Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage”.
Moving on, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions targeting UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, an outspoken critic of Israel's military offensive in Gaza.
Staying with Rubio, Washington's top diplomat will meet with Southeast Asian counterparts in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday in his first visit to Asia since taking office.
The move is part of efforts to try and reassure them that the region is a priority for Trump even as the US President targets the region in his global tariff offensive.
To the latest from the Middle East, Hamas declared it has agreed to release 10 Israeli captives as part of continuing efforts to reach a ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Hamas official Taher al-Nunu warned that ongoing talks for a truce were “tough” due to Israel’s “intransigence”. The comments on Wednesday came as Israeli forces killed at least 74 people in Gaza, as well as Trump once again expressing hope that a truce could be reached soon.
And last but not the least, Nvidia has become the first company in the world to reach a market capitalisation of $4 trillion. Shares in the chip-maker rose by as much as 2.4% to $164 on Wednesday, as the company continues to benefit from the ongoing surge in demand for the tech that powers artificial intelligence.
Nvidia’s market value has risen more than 1,500% over the last five years.
Download the app or log on to Hook.online for more news updates.
