Plus: Behind the scenes of Hollywood's smear machine ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. Global trade tensions are increasing as tariffs on metals entering the US come into force. Our business reporter Natalie Sherman takes a look at whether President Trump is about to trigger a recession in the world’s largest economy. In Hollywood, we've spoken to the usually shadowy figures who try to keep a lid on fallouts and scandals behind the scenes, and in the UK, we meet the retired firefighter turned metal detectorist who made a rare – and valuable – discovery in a field.
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Tariffs 'worth it' even if they cause recession, says commerce secretary |
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| | Donald Trump holds an executive order about tariffs in February, flanked by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Credit: Reuters | Tariffs of 25% on steel and aluminium entering the US, imposed by President Donald Trump, have come into effect. The world's biggest trading bloc, the EU, has hit back, saying it will impose counter tariffs on €26bn (£21.9bn, $28.3bn) worth of US goods. Retaliatory moves from other countries are also expected. While Trump promised Americans he'd bring a new era of prosperity, his tariffs are creating market uncertainty and raising fears of a recession, writes business reporter Natalie Sherman. However, the US commerce secretary has doubled-down, saying the tariffs are "worth it" even if they lead to a recession. |
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| | | What are tariffs?: The taxes charged on goods imported from other countries are a central part of Trump's political vision, but economists fear they could spark a trade war. Live updates: Keep track of the global response to the tariffs as we bring you the latest. Price rises: These three groups of goods could all become more expensive for US consumers following the introduction of the metals tariffs. | |
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| US education department plans to halve workforce | The mass layoffs will impact nearly 2,100 people who are set to be placed on leave from the end of next week. | Read more > |
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| Arrested ship's captain is Russian national | The Portuguese-flagged Solong and US-registered tanker Stena Immaculate crashed off the UK coast, sparking a blaze. | More on this > |
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| Greenland opposition wins Trump-dominated election | The vote was dominated by independence and the US president's pledge to take over the semi-autonomous territory. | More on the vote > |
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| At least 100 passengers freed from train siege | Armed militants in Pakistan attacked a train carrying more than 400 passengers and took a number of them hostage. | Read more > |
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| Amazon forest felled to build climate summit road | The four-lane highway cuts through tens of thousands of acres of protected Amazon rainforest. | More on the plans > |
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BEYOND THE HEADLINES | How Hollywood’s powerful smear machine covers up feuds |
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| | | After a fallout during the production of It Ends With Us, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni filed competing lawsuits. Credit: Getty Images | The lawsuits between actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have shed light on the secretive publicity machine operating behind the scenes in Hollywood to keep a lid on fallouts and scandals. But in recent years the role of publicists has shifted - and their challenges multiplied. Several industry insiders tell the BBC what's really going on behind the scenes and what it's like trying to keep a lid on Tinseltown’s messy reality. |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | A smuggler's downfall | Operation Atacama lifted the lid on a cactus heist and set a legal precedent. | |
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And finally... in the UK | Retired firefighter Mark Sell could soon be several thousands pounds richer, with a medieval bishop's ring he found while out with his metal detector in the east of England expected to fetch up to £18,000 ($23,260) at auction. The rare gold ring which dates from the 12th or 13th Century - which you can see here - is inlaid with a sapphire, emeralds and garnets, and even went on display at the British Museum. | |
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US Politics Unspun newsletter | No noise. No agenda. Just expert analysis of the issues that matter most, from North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher. | |
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Thank you, as ever, for reading. Send us suggestions for topics or areas of the world to cover in this newsletter. Tell your friends and family about it! They can sign up here. You can take a look at all our newsletters here. By the way, you can add [email protected] to your contacts list and, if you're on Gmail, pop the email into your “Primary” tab for uninterrupted service. Thanks for reading! – Alex | | | | |
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