President Donald Trump on Monday (Jul 7) began telling trade partners - from powerhouse suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players - that sharply higher United States tariffs will start Aug 1, marking a new phase in the trade war he launched earlier this year. The imposition of the 25 per cent levy on US importers of all goods from key Asian allies Japan and South Korea rattled Wall Street, with the S&P 500 Index suffering its biggest drop in three weeks. The 14 countries sent letters so far, which included smaller US exporters like Serbia, Thailand and Tunisia, hinted at opportunities for additional ... (full story)