Food Tariffs, UK Asylum Rules, Population Changes

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Adam Rogers
November 17, 2025

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President Trump exempted key food imports, coffee, cocoa, bananas, beef, and certain fruits and spices, from higher tariff rates to ease rising grocery costs. The move follows trade framework agreements with several Latin American countries.
US beef prices rose 12–18% over the past year due in part to steep tariffs on major suppliers, including Brazil, Australia, and Uruguay. Coffee prices climbed nearly 21% year-over-year, driven by tariffs on Brazilian beans, which supply roughly a third of US imports. Cocoa and chocolate also saw record-high costs following crop failures in West Africa and tariff-driven price spikes.
The tariff relief specifically targets items that the US does not grow or produce in sufficient quantities. Experts warn global supply issues may still drive high prices despite the tariff relief.

Britain announced sweeping asylum system changes to reduce immigration and address political tensions over English Channel crossings. The reforms revoke the UK's legal duty to provide housing and financial support for asylum seekers, a requirement introduced under EU law in 2005.
The changes allow the government to withdraw benefits from asylum seekers who refuse work, break laws, or work illegally. Refugee status will be regularly reviewed for potential repatriation, and safe routes will be designated for asylum claims. More than 39,000 migrants arrived by boat this year, surpassing 2024's total.
The policy is modeled after Denmark’s approach, which cut asylum applications to a 40-year low and reduced settlement attempts by 95%. Previous UK governments failed to halt Channel crossings through various efforts, including a scrapped plan to send arrivals to Rwanda for asylum processing.

Former Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler violated trading rules designed to prevent officials from profiting off inside knowledge of interest rate decisions, according to an ethics report released Saturday. Her spouse purchased stocks, including Apple and Southwest Airlines, during blackout periods before Fed meetings, when officials are banned from trading because they know market-moving information.
Kugler worked with ethics officials for months to resolve the violations before Fed Chair Jerome Powell denied her waiver request. She missed the July interest rate meeting and resigned in August, blaming her husband for trades made 'without my knowledge.' The report doesn't indicate whether the trades profited from inside information.
The violations add to a pattern of Fed ethics problems. In 2022, the presidents of the Boston and Dallas Fed resigned over stock trades made before the central bank announced pandemic relief measures.

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie broke with Trump and are demanding the release of Jeffrey Epstein files, framing it as support for victims. (More)

Seventeen transgender Air Force members sued the government Monday after it revoked their early retirement despite 15-18 years of service, costing them up to $2 million in lifetime benefits. (More)

Federal immigration agents began arrests in Charlotte on Saturday despite the mayor and police opposition. (More)

Ethiopia confirmed a Marburg virus outbreak with at least nine cases in the south. Africa CDC and WHO say authorities are investigating and containing the spread; no approved vaccine exists, though supportive care helps survival. (More)

Ecuador captured top drug lord Wilmer "Pipo" Chavarria in Spain on Sunday after he faked his death in 2021 and fled there, continuing to run operations remotely. (More)

Sixty-nine Australian schools canceled playtime on Monday after Kmart and Target recalled colored sand containing asbestos. Testing is underway at affected schools, and no airborne asbestos has been detected so far. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Friday (S&P -0.05%, Nasdaq +0.13%, Dow -0.65%). The Nasdaq snapped a three-day losing streak to finish out the week. (More)

Tariffs on imported goods are causing higher prices and lower availability of artificial Christmas trees this year. National Tree Company reports a 10% price hike and 25% fewer imports. (More)

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon will retire early next year, with US head John Furner taking over Feb. 1. (More)

Josh Allen carried Buffalo past Tampa Bay 44-32 with six total touchdowns—three passing, three rushing. (More)

Georgia climbed to No. 4 in the college football AP poll after beating Texas, Oklahoma returned to the top 10, and North Texas earned its first ranking since 1959. Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M held the top three spots. (More)

New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd was critically injured in a midtown Manhattan shooting early Sunday. He's in critical but stable condition. Police have made no arrests. (More)

Researchers found that Pennsylvania counties with more cropland and herbicide use had significantly higher melanoma rates, suggesting agricultural environments may raise community-wide cancer risk beyond sun exposure alone. (More)

Crohn’s-linked NOD2 mutations stop gut immune cells from switching between attack and repair modes, causing harmful inflammation. The discovery of the NOD2–girdin pathway offers a new target for future treatments. (More)

Scientists discovered two natural molecules, agmatine and thiamine, that may enable earlier glaucoma detection and protect eye nerves, offering potential new therapies, though more human studies are needed. (More)

Mapping population change since 2004 in major US cities.

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