International

The tariff truce with China does not clear the crisis in the largest port of the United States.

The 90-day tariff truce between the United States and China barely represents a respite for the port of Los Angeles, the most active in North America and the most affected by an unprecedented trade war from which it will be difficult to recover.

The impact of the taxes on the Asian country disarmed activity in the largest port in the United States with a collapse of 32% and 35% in ship traffic in the last two weeks, a heavy blow to one of the main engines of the state of California, which had not experienced a similar crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although on paper the temporary agreement between Trump and China, which comes into force this Wednesday, is favorable for trade between both sides, its wound leaves open a deep hole in the ports of the west coast that is difficult to stop.

Last Friday morning, no cargo ship had left China with goods to the two main ports on the west coast in the last 12 hours, according to port officials told CNN, an unprecedented scene in the last five years.

Nor were there the 41 ships that were planned to leave China for San Pedro Bay, which includes the piers of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California.

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The latter stands out for being one of the key pillars in the economic vitality of the United States, since the port of Long Beach generates 2.7 million jobs worldwide, including more than 1.1 million in California, according to the website.

To the sharp drop in port activity is added the uncertainty in the rise in prices of items from China and the impact to absorb the economic and employment losses generated by ships that never reached their final destination in the midst of the tariff war.

Shipments from China represent about 45% of the business of the port of Los Angeles, which over the years has been increasing its commercial cargo: last year it received 10.3 million containers, a record 1.7 million TEU (maritime cargo unit, equivalent to a 20-foot container), almost 20% more than in 2023.

The truce does not convince the maritime transport sectors, restless about another uncertain panorama that pushes them to drift, without a plan to correct the impact of the decrease in imports in the busiest ports of the United States.

“The reduction of taxes between the US and China is good news for consumers, the US business, workers and the supply chain. To avoid further uncertainty and disruption of trade, both parties must work together quickly towards a long-term agreement,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the port of Los Angeles, in a statement.

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The representative of the port activity of Los Angeles has presented himself in the last month as an iron whistleblower of the serious consequences of the tariffs imposed on China.

The United States has been imposing tariffs on China since April 2 and incurred a reprisal that reached 145% in the midst of the trade war. The Asian country responded with the same currency and applied taxes of 125% on US imports.

After last Sunday’s meeting between Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, the powers consolidated a 30% tariff for China and 10% for the United States for a period of three months in which they hope to agree on a framework that favors both parties.

The National Federation of Retailers also applauded this temporary agreement, “which allows a significant de-escalation of the current trade relationship,” its executive director, Matthew Shay, said in a letter.

But they are not satisfied with these reforms: “We urge the Administration and our Chinese trading partners to continue talks to address current problems, work to eliminate the remaining tariffs for national security reasons and ensure long-term stability between the world’s two largest economies,” he said.

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“If the situation does not change quickly, I mean the uncertainty we are experiencing, we could see empty products on the shelves. The consumer will notice it in the next 30 days,” said the executive director of the Port of Long Beach, Mario Cordero, according to CNN.

International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.