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A judge in Donald Trump’s hush money trial has warned the former president about “intimidating” potential jurors in the case.

Justice Juan Merchan warned he would not tolerate Trump speaking while potential jurors were questioned in court on Tuesday.

He said the former president was audibly uttering something while his lawyers were questioning prospective jury members, and warned: “I will not have any jurors intimidated in the courtroom.”

Donald Trump speaks before entering the courtroom .
Pic: AP
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Donald Trump speaks before entering the courtroom. Pic: AP

The first six jurors were selected to serve on Tuesday afternoon on the panel of 12 jurors and six alternates in the historic trial.

They include a waiter, an oncology nurse, an attorney, an IT consultant, a teacher and a software engineer.

Several others had been excused on Tuesday morning after saying they could not be impartial or because they had other commitments.

Others demurred when asked about their opinions of Trump, including one who said is personal views on the former president “has absolutely no bearing on the case that you’re presenting or defending. That is a separate thing”.

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Dozens of potential jurors have yet to be questioned.

The judge also ruled on Tuesday that lawyers are allowed to ask prospective jurors about their social media posts.

That ruling came after Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche told the judge he had found several social media posts he said come from possible jurors that are “very much contrary to the answers they gave”.

Potential jurors have also been asked about where they consume their news, their opinions on Trump and whether they follow politics.

The hush money case is the first of Trump‘s four criminal cases to go to trial and may be the only one that could reach a verdict before the presidential vote in November.

If convicted, Trump – the presumptive Republican presidential nominee – would become the first former US president convicted of a crime.

He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged effort to keep salacious and, he says, bogus stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign.

Trump has claimed the trial is the result of a politically motivated justice system working to deprive him of another term as president.

Donald Trump during the second day of  jury selection.
Pic: Reuters
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Trump during the second day of jury selection. Pic: Reuters

Before entering the courtroom this morning, he stopped briefly to address a TV camera in the hallway, repeating his claim that the judge is biased against him.

“This is a trial that should have never been brought,” Trump said.

Among the potential jurors dismissed on Tuesday was a woman who had previously notified the judge she had a trip planned around Memorial Day.

A man was excused after saying he could not be impartial.

Read more:
All the terms you might hear in Trump’s court cases

The key figures in the hush money case

Another man, who works at an accounting firm, was dismissed after saying he feared his ability to be impartial could be compromised by “unconscious bias” from growing up in Texas and working in finance with people who “intellectually tend to slant Republican”.

Jury selection could take several more days – or even weeks – in New York, which is a heavily Democratic city.

Around a third of the 96 people in the first panel of potential jurors in court on Monday remained after the judge excused some members.

Donald Trump  outside Trump Tower.
Pic: Reuters
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Trump outside Trump Tower. Pic: Reuters

More than half were excused after saying they could not be fair and impartial, and several others were dismissed for other reasons that were not disclosed.

The trial centres on $130,000 (£104,400) in payments that Trump’s company made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen.

He paid that sum on Trump’s behalf to keep porn actress Stormy Daniels from going public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier.

The former president has denied the sexual encounter ever happened.

Read more: Who is Stormy Daniels?

Prosecutors say the payments – which they claim were falsely logged as legal fees – were part of a scheme to bury damaging stories Trump feared could help his opponent in the 2016 race, particularly as his reputation was suffering at the time from comments he had made about women.

Trump said the payments, which he acknowledged reimbursing Mr Cohen for, were designed to stop Ms Daniels from going public about the alleged encounter.

The former president previously said it had nothing to do with the 2016 campaign.

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If convicted of falsifying business records, Trump faces up to four years in prison, though there is no guarantee he will get time behind bars.

His three other legal cases, involving allegations of election interference and hoarding classified documents, could lead to lengthy prison sentences.

But those cases are tied up with appeals or other issues that make it increasingly unlikely they will be decided before the election.

If Trump wins in November, he could order a new attorney general to dismiss his federal cases.

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US trade war: The state of play as Trump signs order imposing new tariffs – but there are more delays

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US trade war: The state of play as Trump signs order imposing new tariffs - but there are more delays

Donald Trump’s trade war has been difficult to keep up with, to put it mildly.

For all the threats and bluster of the US election campaign last year to the on-off implementation of trade tariffs – and more threats – since he returned to the White House in January, the president‘s protectionist agenda has been haphazard.

Trading partners, export-focused firms, customs agents and even his own trade team have had a lot on their plates as deadlines were imposed – and then retracted – and the tariff numbers tinkered.

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While the UK was the first country to secure a truce of sorts, described as a “deal”, the vast majority of nations have failed to secure any agreement.

Deal or no deal, no country is on better trading terms with the United States than it was when Trump 2.0 began.

Here, we examine what nations and blocs are on the hook for, and the potential consequences, as Mr Trump’s suspended “reciprocal” tariffs prepare to take effect. That will now not happen until 7 August.

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What does the UK-US trade deal involve?

Why was 1 August such an important date?

To understand the present day, we must first wind the clock back to early April.

Then, Mr Trump proudly showed off a board in the White House Rose Garden containing a list of countries and the tariffs they would immediately face in retaliation for the rates they impose on US-made goods. He called it “liberation day”.

The tariff numbers were big and financial markets took fright.

Just days later, the president announced a 90-day pause in those rates for all countries except China, to allow for negotiations.

The initial deadline of 9 July was then extended again to 1 August. Late on 31 July, Mr Trump signed the executive order but said that the tariff rates would not kick in for seven additional days to allow for the orders to be fully communicated.

Since April, only eight countries or trading blocs have agreed “deals” to limit the reciprocal tariffs and – in some cases – sectoral tariffs already in place.

Who has agreed a deal over the past 120 days?

The UK, Japan, Indonesia, the European Union and South Korea are among the eight to be facing lower rates than had been threatened back in April.

China has not really done a deal but it is no longer facing punitive tariffs above 100%.

Its decision to retaliate against US levies prompted a truce level to be agreed between the pair, pending further talks.

There’s a backlash against the EU over its deal, with many national leaders accusing the European Commission of giving in too easily. A broad 15% rate is to apply, down from the threatened 30%, while the bloc has also committed to US investment and to pay for US-produced natural gas.

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Millions of EU jobs were in firing line

Where does the UK stand?

We’ve already mentioned that the UK was the first to avert the worst of what was threatened.

While a 10% baseline tariff covers the vast majority of the goods we send to the US, aerospace products are exempt.

Our steel sector has not been subjected to Trump’s 50% tariffs and has been facing down a 25% rate. The government announced on Thursday that it would not apply under the terms of a quota system.

UK car exports were on a 25% rate until the end of June when the deal agreed in May took that down to 10% under a similar quota arrangement that exempts the first 100,000 cars from a levy.

Who has not done a deal?

Canada is among the big names facing a 35% baseline tariff rate. That is up from 25% and covers all goods not subject to a US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that involves rules of origin.

America is its biggest export market and it has long been in Trump’s sights.

Mexico, another country deeply ingrained in the US supply chain, is facing a 30% rate but has been given an extra 90 days to secure a deal.

Brazil is facing a 50% rate. For India, it’s 25%.

What are the consequences?

This is where it all gets a bit woolly – for good reasons.

The trade war is unprecedented in scale, given the global nature of modern business.

It takes time for official statistics to catch up, especially when tariff rates chop and change so much.

Any duties on exports to the United States are a threat to company sales and economic growth alike – in both the US and the rest of the world. Many carmakers, for example, have refused to offer guidance on their outlooks for revenue and profits.

Apple warned on Thursday night that US tariffs would add $1.1bn of costs in the three months to September alone.

Barriers to business are never good but the International Monetary Fund earlier this week raised its forecast for global economic growth this year from 2.8% to 3%.

Some of that increase can be explained by the deals involving major economies, including Japan, the EU and UK.

US growth figures have been skewed by the rush to beat import tariffs.

Read more:
Trump signs executive order for reciprocal tariffs
Aston Martin outlines plan to ease US tariff hit

The big risk ahead?

It’s a self-inflicted wound.

The elephant in the room is inflation. Countries imposing duties on their imports force the recipient of those goods to foot the additional bill. Do the buyers swallow it or pass it on?

The latest US data contained strong evidence that tariff charges were now making their way down the country’s supply chains, threatening to squeeze American consumers in the months ahead.

It’s why the US central bank has been refusing demands from Mr Trump to cut interest rates. You don’t slow the pace of price rises by making borrowing costs cheaper.

A prolonged period of higher inflation would not go down well with US businesses or voters. It’s why financial markets have followed a recent trend known as TACO, helping stock markets remain at record levels.

The belief is that Trump always chickens out. He may have to back down if inflation takes off.

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‘A BIG DAY FOR AMERICA!!!’ – Trump’s tariffs are back, and will affect dozens of countries

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'A BIG DAY FOR AMERICA!!!' - Trump's tariffs are back, and will affect dozens of countries

It is “Liberation Day” III – the third tariff deadline set by Donald Trump.

From today, countries without bilateral trade agreements face reciprocal tariffs – ranging from 25% to 50% – with a baseline of 15% to 20% for any not making a deal.

He has delayed twice, from April to July and from July to August, but hammered this date home in his trademark caps-on style: “THE AUGUST FIRST DEADLINE STANDS STRONG, AND WILL NOT BE EXTENDED. A BIG DAY FOR AMERICA!!!”

“Will not be extended” for anyone but Mexico, it seems. The country secured a 90-day extension at the last minute, with Mr Trump citing the “complexities” of the border.

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Explained: The US-UK trade deal

By close of business on the eve of deadline, he had a handful of framework deals – some significant – including the UK (10%), the EU, Japan and South Korea (15%), Indonesia and the Philippines (19%), Vietnam (20%).

On the EU agreement, which he struck in Scotland, the president said: “It’s a very powerful deal, it’s a big deal, it’s the biggest of all the deals.”

But what happened to the “90 deals in 90 days” touted by the White House earlier this year?

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The short answer is they were replaced by letters of instruction to pay a tariff set by the US.

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How Trump 2.0 changed the world

Amid of flurry of late activity, the US played hardball with major trading partners like Canada.

“For the rest of the world, we’re going to have things done by Friday,” said US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick – the “rest of the world” meaning everyone but China.

There is, apparently, the “framework of a deal” between the world’s two largest economies, but talks between Washington and Beijing are continuing.

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Worker begs America for help

In terms of wins, he can claim some significant deals and point to his tariffs having generated an impressive $27bn (£20.4bn) in June, not bad for a single month.

But the legality of the approach is under siege – with the US Court of International Trade ruling that the “Liberation Day” tariffs exceeded the president’s authority, with enforcement paused pending appeal.

The deadline has stirred the pot, forcing a handful of deals onto the table. Whether they stick or survive legal scrutiny is far from settled.

But the playbook remains the same – threaten the world with trade chaos, whittle it down, celebrate the wins, and pray no one checks what’s legal.

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US officials to make ‘highly unusual’ visit to Gaza – amid warnings of ‘politically manmade’ famine

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US officials to make 'highly unusual' visit to Gaza - amid warnings of 'politically manmade' famine

Two senior US officials will visit Gaza later today, amid growing concerns about the scale of the humanitarian crisis.

Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will inspect a food distribution site – and report back to the president immediately.

Our US correspondent David Blevins says the visit “is not unprecedented but is highly unusual … due to obvious security concerns and political sensitivities”.

He added: “I think it reflects the growing concern there is here in the United States about the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe.”

Steve Witkoff meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday in a bid to salvage Gaza truce talks
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Steve Witkoff met Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday. Pic: US embassy in Jerusalem

Aid workers on the ground have warned that a “politically manmade famine” is taking place in the territory.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, told The World With Yalda Hakim that “more and more people will continue to die” unless there is urgent change.

Donald Trump has expressed frustration at the lack of aid reaching Palestinians and has repeatedly blamed Hamas – but US government analysis has found no evidence that the militant group is systemically stealing supplies.

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He told reporters yesterday: “It’s terrible what’s occurring there. People are very hungry, you know.

“The United States gave $60m … for food. And, it’s a shame because … I don’t see the results of it. Part of the problem is Hamas is taking the money and they’re taking the food.”

Gaza latest: ‘Children are passing out from hunger’

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Kids are ‘dying silently of hunger’

On Thursday, Mr Witkoff arrived in Israel and held discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – the first meeting between the pair since both Israel and the US withdrew their negotiating teams from Qatar a week ago.

At the time, he claimed that Hamas “shows a lack of desire” to reach a truce.

Under heavy international pressure, Israel has paused fighting in parts of Gaza and airdropped food – although the volume of supplies remains far lower than what aid organisations say is needed.

Palestinians rush to collect humanitarian aid airdropped in central Gaza. Pic: AP
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Palestinians rush to collect humanitarian aid airdropped in central Gaza. Pic: AP

While more aid trucks have entered Gaza, nearly all the lorries are stripped of their cargo by crowds of Palestinians desperate for food, or looted by armed gangs.

The alternative food distribution system run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has also been marred by violence.

Doctor Tom Adamkiewicz, a paediatrician working at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, told Sky News that the majority of the hospital’s patients have signs of malnutrition – and “many children are passing out literally during the day and injuring themselves”.

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Gazan boy arrives in UK for treatment

Separately, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul also arrived in Israel on Thursday on a two-day trip that will also take him to the occupied West Bank.

Germany, traditionally a staunch ally of Israel, has been increasingly critical. Mr Wadephul warned that Israel is “increasingly finding itself in a minority position”.

But he stopped short of moving towards recognising a Palestinian state, something his allies France, the UK and Canada have vowed to do in September if certain conditions are met.

Read more world news:
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Meanwhile, Sweden’s prime minister has called on the EU to “freeze” its trade agreement with Israel – with Ulf Kristersson describing the situation in Gaza as “utterly deplorable”.

After visiting Gaza, Mr Witkoff will travel to Russia. He has held extensive talks in Moscow with Vladimir Putin in the past.

The US president has given his Russian counterpart until 8 August to reach a deal to halt the fighting in Ukraine, or else he will impose economic sanctions.

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