Month: August 2025

Hurricane Erin has prompted a state of emergency in North Carolina, as it travels towards the east coast. Erin, now a Category 2 hurricane, is expected to bring dangerous waves and rip currents to beaches along the East Coast. The hurricane’s tropical force winds are expected to reach North Carolina’s coast on Wednesday and Thursday, with most impacts felt on the Outer Banks – which is expected to get heavy rain, winds over 40 mph and a storm surge of 2 to 4 feet this week.

A Category 2 hurricane is defined as “having maximum sustained winds from 96 mph to 110 mph.” Erin is capable of causing devastating damage with maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph, and forecasters said fluctuations in Erin’s strength were possible over the next few days. The center of the storm was expected to pass east of the Bahamas and move between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on Tuesday as Hurricane Erin makes its way towards the eastern coast. Stein said on Tuesday: “To folks on the coast, now is the time to prepare. Hurricane Erin will bring threats of coastal flooding, beach erosion and dangerous surf conditions. North Carolinians along the coast should get prepared now, ensure their emergency kit is ready, and listen to local emergency guidelines and alerts in the event they need to evacuate.”

The governor’s office said that resources and personnel have been mobilized to provide assistance along the coast while the state prepares for the hurricane’s impacts. During the next 48 hours, Erin is expected to increase in size and strength, and is forecasted to cause beach erosion from 15-to-20 20-foot waves, coastal flooding and life-threatening rip currents this week. Prior to the governor’s state of emergency, local states of emergency were declared in Dare and Hyde counties, with mandatory evacuations set in place for Ocracoke and Hatteras islands. Warren County Emergency Management’s State Operated Disaster Shelter on 113 Wilcox Street in Warrenton will provide shelter to residents evacuated from the coast, and will also allow pets.

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The Trump administration has significantly widened the scope of its 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum, discreetly adding more than 400 new product categories to the list. The expanded duties, which took effect Monday, mark a major escalation in the administration’s trade policy.

The tariffs, originally aimed at core steel and aluminum imports, now apply to a broad range of goods that either contain those metals or are made from them. Newly affected items include machinery, building materials, specialty chemicals, and even fire extinguishers.

Brian Baldwin, vice president of customs at Kuehne + Nagel International AG, wrote in a LinkedIn post: “Auto parts, chemicals, plastics, furniture components—essentially anything with a metallic element or connection to aluminum and steel is likely included. This isn’t just a tariff adjustment—it represents a fundamental change in how steel and aluminum-based products are regulated.”

According to the Commerce Department, the expansion covers 407 new product groups. In a statement, Jeffrey Kessler, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, said the move was designed to close loopholes that allowed companies to sidestep earlier tariffs. “Today’s action broadens the scope of the steel and aluminum duties and prevents circumvention—further supporting the recovery of the U.S. metals industry,” Kessler said.

The official tariff list is presented using only the detailed customs codes that classify imported goods. For instance, fire extinguishers are identified simply as “8424.10.0000,” making it difficult for the public to clearly identify the full range of products now subject to the higher duties.

Trade experts say the expansion represents a substantial increase in the economic impact of the tariffs. Jason Miller, a supply chain management professor at Michigan State University, estimated the duties now cover at least $320 billion worth of imports, based on 2024 customs data. “This is going to intensify inflationary pressures by driving up costs on top of the already rising prices domestic producers are charging, as shown in July’s Producer Price Index,” Miller noted on LinkedIn.

President Trump has leaned heavily on targeted tariffs to advance his broader trade agenda. In June, he announced that steel and aluminum tariffs would double to 50% for most foreign suppliers, a move that rattled U.S. businesses and trading partners alike. The latest expansion underscores the administration’s intent to keep tightening restrictions on products tied to the steel and aluminum industries.

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President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday afternoon, to continue efforts to end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Zelenskyy last visited the Oval Office in February, in a tense meeting where both Pres. Trump and Vice President JD Vance scolded him for what they described as a lack of appreciation for U.S. military support. Monday’s meeting, however, was far more cordial, with Zelenskyy expressing gratitude to Trump for personally working to end the conflict.

Zelenskyy arrived in Washington alongside a high-profile group of European leaders who traveled to the U.S. to show support for Ukraine following Trump’s recent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Trump described the summit as “productive” but did not announce a ceasefire deal.

Joining Zelenskyy on Monday was European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. A spokesperson for Zelenskyy said that talks are expected to extend into a second day.

After their bilateral session, Trump and Zelenskyy joined European leaders for a broader meeting, where calls for concrete security guarantees for Ukraine dominated the discussion. Trump pledged a new commitment to that goal, though some leaders stressed that a ceasefire must be in place before any negotiations with Moscow could move forward. Nearly all of the leaders echoed the demand for binding security guarantees for Ukraine, with several noting they should closely resemble NATO’s Article 5 protections. While Ukraine is not a NATO member, it has long sought membership—an aspiration that Moscow strongly opposes.

Rutte said to Pres. Trump: “The fact that you’ve said you’re willing to take part in security guarantees is a major breakthrough; it makes all the difference.” Both Macron and Merz, however, argued a ceasefire is essential before progress can be made: “The difficult part is still ahead,” Merz said. “We would all like to see a ceasefire, and I don’t see how a trilateral meeting can happen without one.”

Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed that the U.S. would play a role in ensuring Ukraine’s security, though he avoided details: “We’re going to be talking about it today, but they will get very strong protection, very strong security,” Trump said, adding that Putin had signaled Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump stopped short of confirming NATO-style obligations, however, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff suggested Moscow had agreed to protections comparable to NATO’s Article 5, which treats an attack on one ally as an attack on all.

Trump also emphasized that Europe must carry most of the responsibility for such guarantees, with the U.S. playing a supporting role. “They are the first line of defense because they’re right there, but we’ll help, and we’ll be part of it.”

Trump also continued to advocate for a direct meeting between himself, Zelenskyy, and Putin. Zelenskyy indicated Ukraine is open to such talks, saying his country is “ready,” with Trump adding, “I think it’s a matter of when, not if.” Trump also confirmed that he would speak directly with Putin once his meetings with Zelenskyy and the European leaders concluded: “We’ll have a phone call right after these talks today,” Trump said. “If we don’t get a trilateral, the fighting continues. But if we do, I think there’s a real chance to maybe end it.” CNN later reported that Trump paused his meeting with Zelenskyy and other European leaders on Monday to speak with Putin. The news was first reported by German newspaper Bild, who reported the talks with European leaders would continue after the call with Putin at the White House.

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A suspect is in custody after two police officers were killed, and a third was injured with his service dog while answering a call to a domestic disturbance Sunday night in a northern city in Utah. No civilians were harmed in the shooting.

Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes said at a news conference Monday that the officers were responding to a domestic disturbance call late Sunday in a neighborhood in Tremonton, about 70 miles north of Salt Lake City. Reyes said: “These officers are definitely heroes. We really don’t know what we’re walking into, and they are one of the most dangerous events that we can be dispatched on.” The wounded officer, a sheriff’s deputy, and a police dog who also responded were hospitalized for their injuries.

Police said the officers went to the home after several 911 hang-up calls were made from the home to the Box Elder County Communications Center. A single officer from the Tremonton-Garland Police Department arrived first and was speaking to one of the occupants of the home, who reported a domestic disturbance, when a man came out with a gun.  A news release stated that “the male opened fire on the officer, striking and killing the officer.” A second officer from the department who responded “was immediately fired upon by the same male suspect” and was killed, it further read.

Bystanders persuaded the suspect to put down his weapon after the officers were shot, with SWAT teams responding to clear the home and verify that there was no further threat.  Once additional police arrived, “they were able to locate the subject of the shooting and take him into custody.”  The suspect was arrested on charges of aggravated murder, police said in a news release, and is being held at the Box Elder County Jail.

Police Chief Reyes said the wounded deputy was treated at a hospital and released, and the officer’s service dog was taken to a veterinary clinic and was listed in good condition.

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