The United States and Taiwan finalized a trade deal on Thursday to reduce tariffs on Taiwanese exports and facilitate billions of dollars of spending on US goods, while the US labor market showed signs of a slowdown. Meanwhile, Mexico sent humanitarian aid to Cuba, and activists took to the streets in Venezuela. The African Union also began its annual summit, with the looming presence of former US President Donald Trump.
The trade agreement between the US and Taiwan, announced on Thursday, lowers the general tariff on Taiwanese goods from 20 percent to 15 percent, according to Al Jazeera. In exchange, Taipei agreed to purchase approximately $85 billion of US energy, aircraft, and equipment.
Simultaneously, the US labor market faced challenges. Job openings and hiring rates have dropped to multi-year lows, according to BBC Business. Jacob Trigg, a former project manager in the tech industry, shared his experience of applying for over 2,000 jobs without success. "It's a huge surprise because I've always been able to get a job very easily," Trigg said, highlighting the unexpected difficulty in finding employment.
In the Caribbean, Mexico sent aid to Cuba. Two Mexican navy ships arrived in Havana, laden with humanitarian aid, as reported by The Guardian. This move came as part of Mexico's diplomatic efforts.
In Venezuela, protesters took to the streets in cities across the country, demonstrating a growing freedom of expression, according to The Guardian. Student demonstrators gathered in Caracas to demand the release of political prisoners.
The African Union began its 39th annual summit on Friday, with the influence of Donald Trump still present, even though he was not scheduled to attend, according to Al Jazeera. Delegations from the 55 member states were expected to discuss the implications of the US president's second term.
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