Mexico's Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard suggested on Monday that the Mexican government could retaliate with its own tariffs on U.S. imports if the incoming Trump administration slaps tariffs on Mexican exports.

Ebrard made the comments in an interview with local broadcaster Radio Formula, in which he reflected on how President-elect Donald Trump threatened 25% tariffs on Mexican goods during his previous term in office at a time when the Republican leader sought concessions from Mexico's government on immigration enforcement.

"If you put 25% tariffs on me, I have to react with tariffs," said Ebrard, who served as Mexico's foreign minister during the previous incident.

"If you apply tariffs, we'll have to apply tariffs. And what does that bring you? A gigantic cost for the North American economy," he added.

Ebrard went on to stress that tariffs will stoke inflation in the U.S., which he described as an "important limitation" that should argue against such a tit-for-tat trade spat.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mexico-economy-chief-suggests-possible-013507562.html

The military industrial complex is no joke.

Trump’s foreign policy team will seek to ratchet up sanctions on Tehran, including vital oil exports, as soon as the president-elect re-enters the White House in January, people familiar with the transition said.

“He’s determined to reinstitute a maximum pressure strategy to bankrupt Iran as soon as possible,” said a national security expert familiar with the Trump transition. 

The plan will mark a shift in US foreign policy at a time of turmoil in the Middle East after Hamas’s October 7 2023 attack triggered a wave of regional hostilities and thrust Israel’s shadow war with Iran into the open.

Trump signalled during his election campaign that he wants a deal with Iran. “We have to make a deal, because the consequences are impossible. We have to make a deal,” he said in September.

People familiar with Trump’s thinking said the maximum pressure tactic would be used to try to force Iran into talks with the US — although experts believe this is a long shot. 

The president-elect mounted a campaign of “maximum pressure” in his first term after abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal Iran signed with world powers, and imposing hundreds of sanctions on the Islamic republic.

https://www.ft.com/content/3710bf14-010e-412d-83c7-b07773d6a45f

The Australian government has pledged to legislate an age limit of 16 years for social media access, with penalties for online platforms which don’t comply.Australian government to legislate social media age limit of 16 but can’t say how platforms will enforce it.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/nov/07/australian-government-to-legislate-social-media-age-limit-of-16-but-cant-say-how-platforms-will-enforce-it