AFP USA

Even during his federal criminal trial in New York, the descriptions of Sean Combs were frequently those of awe: one former assistant called him “a god among men.””Larger than life,” said witnesses over and over — his accusers included.And that he was, until it all came crashing down.The music and entertainment titan known for his legendary A-list “white parties” had multiple mansions, a private jet, a business empire and scores of accolades.Then in September 2024, he was arrested on sweeping charges including running a criminal ring that allowed him to commit harrowing sexual abuse.And after a two-month long courtroom saga, a jury of 12 New Yorkers on Wednesday found him guilty of two prostitution-related counts — but acquitted him of more serious allegations of racketeering and sex trafficking.The outcome was not what prosecutors had hoped for — a decisive conviction for grave crimes that could have kept him incarcerated for life.Nevertheless, even before the blockbuster proceedings began, Combs’s reputation was in tatters. The 55-year-old still faces dozens of civil lawsuits in which he is accused of lurid abuse.And even his own team’s defense came back to haunt him: the federal judge denied Combs bail as he awaits sentencing, reading back his attorneys’ words in which they conceded again and again that he has a record of violence.- Rebrands upon rebrands -Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records whose proteges included the late Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige, was known as a high-flying, smooth-talking kingpin who ushered hip-hop from the underground to bottle-service clubs.He was continuously rebranding — his monikers include “Puff Daddy,” “P Diddy” and, more recently, “Brother Love.”Court proceedings revealed a much seedier side, casting him as a violent, domineering boss whose inner circle helped him live life with impunity.Even before his arrest, the mushrooming accusations and legal action left many of his businesses reeling. There were symbolic measures as well: the city of New York had rescinded the honorary key they had bestowed upon him.But as was clear outside the courthouse throughout the proceedings, he still has a loyal fan base, especially in the city where he made his name.- Party boy and hip-hop mogul -Born Sean John Combs on November 4, 1969, in Harlem, the artist entered the industry as an intern in 1990 at Uptown Records where he eventually became a talent director.He gained clout as a party planner, which would remain central to his brand.In 1991, he promoted a celebrity basketball game and concert at the City College of New York that ended in a stampede, leaving nine people dead.The event was over-capacity by the thousands and resulted in a string of lawsuits, with Combs blamed for hiring inadequate security.He was fired from Uptown, and founded his own label, Bad Boy Records.Thus began his quick ascent to the top of East Coast hip-hop.The Notorious B.I.G. became the genre’s king following the release of his landmark debut album “Ready to Die” in 1994, up until his shock murder in 1997.Combs boasted a number of major signed acts and production collaborations with the likes of Blige, Usher, Lil’ Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.He was also a Grammy-winning rapper in his own right, debuting with the chart-topping single “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” and his album “No Way Out.”The smash hit single “I’ll Be Missing You” was a tribute to Biggie. His other major tracks included “It’s All About The Benjamins” and “Been Around the World.”He built an image as a brash hustler with unapologetic swagger, a major producer who also ventured into Hollywood, reality television and fashion. He was known as a ladies’ man — he had a high-profile relationship with Jennifer Lopez.- ‘Next chapters’ -As recently as 2023, Combs was still on top of the world — releasing a new album and taking a victory lap as he accepted lifetime honors including a “global icon” award from MTV.But his star plummeted rapidly in November of that year, when his former partner of 11 years, Casandra Ventura, filed a civil suit with a litany of allegations including a 2018 rape.Combs settled the suit almost immediately, but months later, it became clear that federal investigators were trailing him.His mansions were raided and many possessions seized. Then came his arrest and, nearly eight months later, his high-stakes federal trial.Combs’s defense conceded that he committed brutal violence. But they insisted that those instances did not amount to the extensive charges he faced — and won.Combs routinely brought self-help books or Bible passages with him to the courtroom, and his lawyers argue he’s an evolving man.He has six adult children, and a two-year-old named Love Sean Combs.”He’s been given his life back,” his attorney Marc Agnifilo said Wednesday.”He’s going to have next chapters of his life.”

Since immigration police raided his car wash near Los Angeles last month, Jose has been constantly watching the video feeds from his 11 surveillance cameras.The raid carried out by federal agents outraged the 25-year-old, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear that his business, which employs many undocumented Latin American migrants, will be targeted again. “It felt like racial profiling,” he said while showing AFP footage of the operation in Downey, a suburb of Los Angeles.In the videos, immigration officers chase and capture two car wash workers with dark complexions.Meanwhile, a lighter-skinned colleague calmly got into his car and drove away without being stopped.The two men arrested have no criminal records, with one of them working at the car wash for nearly 20 years, Jose said.”Our 10 workers that day were undocumented, they could have arrested any one of them,” he told AFP.Jose said he felt it was “not a coincidence” that the two arrested workers had darker skin than the others.A month after Los Angeles was rocked by protests against sweeping immigration raids carried out by the administration of Republican President Donald Trump, the second-largest US city has returned to calm even as raids continue in the region.In Montebello, near Downey, a raid on an auto body shop sparked criticism against aggressive immigration officers.Witness videos showed an employee being pushed against a gate. He shouted “I’m American, bro!” before being released.- Profiling? – “I believe that they are racially profiling people, which is unconstitutional. They are almost just driving around looking for people who look Mexican,” said Mario Trujillo, a Downey councilman who recorded about 15 raids in June.The Trump administration has emphatically rejected the accusation.”Any claims that individuals have been ‘targeted’ by law enforcement because of their skin color are disgusting and categorically FALSE,” said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security.”We know who we are targeting ahead of time,” she said, adding that agents were working “to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America’s streets.”Preliminary figures from last month’s arrests appear to contradict her statement.According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) figures obtained by the Deportation Data Project, which collects US immigration enforcement data, 722 migrants were arrested in Los Angeles and the surrounding area from June 1 to 10. An analysis by the Los Angeles Times showed that 69 percent of those arrested had no criminal convictions, and 58 percent had never been charged with a crime.”This administration lied to us. They’re not targeting criminals. They’re going for people walking on the street, workers that look undocumented, Latino,” Trujillo said. “That’s why people are getting mad.”Six Republican California state senators sent a letter to Trump last week, expressing concern over “raids targeting violent criminals, which have resulted in non-criminal migrants being swept up as well.””ICE raids are not only targeting undocumented workers, but also creating widespread fear among other employees, including those with legal immigration status. This fear is driving vital workers out of critical industries,” the letter said.In Downey, several Latin American migrants told AFP they now carry their immigration documents when they go out, for fear of arrest because of their appearance.”Permanent residents like us are not safe either,” said a 23-year-old Mexican worker at another car wash, despite her having permission to be in the country.

His gaze to the ceiling in exultation and hands miming prayer, Sean Combs appeared overjoyed as the jury foreman declared the music mogul not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking charges, thus taking a life sentence in prison off the table.Combs, 55, was still convicted on two lesser counts related to prostitution, and could serve time. But he and his lawyers hailed the day as a win.Defense attorney Teny Geragos’s eyes welled with tears before jurors had even finished reading the full verdict, clutching Combs’s hand before embracing her co-attorney Marc Agnifilo.Combs, who has been seen in court reading books including “The Power of Positive Thinking,” contained himself as the judge thanked jurors, but his relief was palpable.He was later captured by a sketch artist having fallen to his knees, his face buried in the chair he sat in for two months listening to weeks of testimony that cast him as a serial predator and master manipulator with violent impulses. His lawyer and prosecutors then made competing arguments as to whether he should be released on bond pending his sentencing.When Judge Arun Subramanian rhetorically asked whether or not Combs wants to return to the notorious Brooklyn prison where he has been held since September 2024, he rapidly shook his head.Before retiring to a courthouse holding cell to await the judge’s decision, Combs voiced thanks and love to his family members, who have been a regular presence during the proceedings.He also softly pumped his fists in his lap and mouthed his thanks to the jury.- ‘Disturbing reality’ -It was a jubilant scene for a defense team that spent weeks picking apart harrowing testimony from women who said Combs abused and forced them into sexual marathons with male escorts.The details were often difficult to hear, as was photo and video evidence of brutal beatings the women said Combs had subjected them to.The defense never denied the violence, or the sex — encounters that prosecutors said met legal thresholds for crimes including sex trafficking, forced labor and drug distribution.Government attorneys argued that Combs led a criminal organization of loyal employees who helped him carry out those crimes and many others with impunity.But the defense dismissed, and even mocked, those allegations. And jurors took their side.It was a major blow for federal prosecutors, who appeared somber as they left the room while the defense celebrations were ongoing.Outside the courthouse, crowds of Combs supporters along with hordes of influencers and content creators — who have been a constant feature of the proceedings — created a circus of sorts, prompting police to barricade the plaza just outside the building.Many of those celebrated with an air of “told you so” — and eagerly crowded the courthouse hoping to catch a glimpse of Combs.- Bail debate -Ahead of the bail hearing, the US Attorney’s Office that brought the charges released a serious statement that stood in stark contrast with the chaos outside.”Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society,” read the statement. “Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma.”Combs ultimately was denied bail — in relative terms, a minor disappointment on one of the most pivotal days of his life.If slightly deflated, he sat stoically as the teams debated the decision into the evening.Agnifilo called him a “remarkable prisoner” who had “lived up to his obligations.”Prosecutor Maurene Comey countered that Combs is an “extremely violent man with an extraordinarily dangerous temper who has shown no remorse and no regret.”Combs waved at the judge as if he had something to say, but then huddled with his lawyers. He ultimately didn’t take the mic.His return to prison awaiting sentencing was not particularly unexpected.Outside, Agnifilo dubbed the day a “major step in the right direction,” vowing that Combs would one day walk free.

Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking Wednesday but convicted of a less serious prostitution charge after a high-profile marathon trial in New York.Combs was denied bail after the jury found him guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.But the 55-year-old hip-hop pioneer — once one of music’s most powerful figures — was acquitted of a major racketeering charge and two sex trafficking charges that could have sent him to prison for life.Combs bowed his head, quietly pumping his fists in his lap and bringing his hands together in prayer as the verdict was read out. At one point, he looked towards the ceiling, appearing to express deep relief.He shook hands with one of his lawyers and mouthed thanks to the eight-man, four-woman jury as they filed out of the courtroom.He then fell to his knees at the defense table, where he had spent two months wondering if he would live out his days in a cell.The verdict came after seven weeks of intense testimony, during which prosecutors accused Combs of being the boss of a decades-long criminal enterprise, directing loyal employees and bodyguards to commit myriad offenses at his behest.Jurors had been deadlocked on the racketeering charge on Tuesday — but Judge Arun Subramanian instructed them to keep working.Combs’s jubilance was deflated somewhat after the judge denied his request to be released on bail pending sentencing.Subramanian cited his confessed history of domestic violence in the decision — a defense that proved vital in his acquittal on key charges, but came with a price.”Domestic violence is violence,” Subramanian said.- Former partners testified -Along with racketeering, Combs was charged with sex trafficking two women: singer Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane.Both were in long-term relationships with the entrepreneur, and they each testified about abuse, threats and coercive sex in graphic detail.They both said they felt obligated to participate in sexual marathons with hired men directed and sometimes filmed by Combs.Combs’s lawyers insisted the sex was consensual. They conceded domestic violence was a feature of his relationships — footage of him beating and dragging Ventura was shown in court.Yet while disturbing, his actions did not amount to sex trafficking, the defense said. Jurors ultimately agreed.Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, released a statement saying she had made an “indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.””She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion,” read the statement.”We’re pleased that he’s finally been held responsible for two federal crimes,” Wigdor told journalists outside the courthouse.Combs’s family members, present throughout the trial that began in early May, clapped and cheered for him in court when the verdict was handed down.- Sentencing -Combs has been incarcerated at a notorious Brooklyn prison since he was arrested in September 2024.And following the judge’s ruling he will stay there until sentencing. The judge proposed October 3, but said he was open to expediting the process, which the defense said they wished.The convictions confirm that Combs transported both Ventura and Jane for purposes of prostitution during the sometimes days-long sex parties.It was the fourth time in less than a year that Combs was denied bail — but not without an impassioned plea from Agnifilo.”He is a man who is in the process of working on himself. He’s been a model prisoner,” the attorney said, saying that Combs had applied to a New York treatment program for abusive partners.Agnifilo also said the case was “unique” enough to warrant an exception to the detention pending sentencing that his conviction would normally require.”The only thing exceptional” about Sean Combs “is his wealth, his violence and his brazenness,” clapped back prosecutor Maurene Comey.”He’s an extremely violent man with an extraordinarily dangerous temper who has shown no remorse and no regret for his multiple victims,” she said.Ventura’s lawyer Wigdor had also filed a letter to the court on behalf of her, urging the judge not to grant bond.”Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case,” read the letter.

A Tennessee man who plotted to kill FBI agents who investigated his role in the January 2021 assault on the US Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday.Edward Kelley, 36, was convicted by a jury in November of conspiracy to murder federal employees and other charges.Kelley planned to attack the FBI office in the Tennessee city of Knoxville using car bombs and incendiary devices attached to drones, and assassinate FBI employees in their homes or in public places, according to the Justice Department.”Kelley developed a ‘kill list’ of law enforcement and distributed the list — along with videos containing images of his targets — to a co-conspirator,” the department said in a statement.Kelley was among the more than 1,500 people pardoned by Trump who were convicted or facing charges over the January 6, 2021 attack on Congress.He was among the first rioters to enter the Capitol building and was convicted of assaulting police officers, destroying government property and other charges.Kelley’s lawyer argued ahead of his trial for the murder plot that Trump’s pardon should also apply to the charges in the case, but prosecutors rejected the claim.”The defendant’s conduct in this case was unrelated in both time and place to the events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol,” they said in a court filing.”This case is about the defendant’s entirely independent criminal conduct in Tennessee, in late 2022, more than 500 miles away from the Capitol: threatening, soliciting, and conspiring to murder agents, officers, and employees of the FBI.”

A US senator renewed calls Wednesday for a bribery investigation into Paramount following its $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump over a lawsuit the entertainment giant initially described as meritless.The president had sued the CBS News parent company for $20 billion, claiming the “60 Minutes” program had deceptively edited an interview with his 2024 election rival Kamala Harris in her favor.The suit is described by Trump’s critics as part of a broader assault on press freedom that has seen him bar The Associated Press from the Oval Office and sue other media organizations over their coverage.Paramount nevertheless entered into mediation in a bid to placate Trump, as it seeks to close its $8 billion merger with the entertainment company Skydance, which needs federal government approval.”With Paramount folding to Donald Trump at the same time the company needs his administration’s approval for its billion-dollar merger, this could be bribery in plain sight,” said Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat.”Paramount has refused to provide answers to a congressional inquiry, so I’m calling for a full investigation into whether or not any anti-bribery laws were broken.”Warren was among three senators who wrote to Paramount Global Chair Shari Redstone in May with bribery concerns over the company’s efforts to settle the suit, calling for a congressional probe.Republicans control both chambers of Congress, limiting the power of Democrats to investigate or compel answers from witnesses.The senators’ letter came after CBS News head Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens quit over Paramount’s handling of the showdown with Trump. – ‘Surrender’ -The company initially called the suit “completely without merit” and sought to have it dismissed.It said in a statement to AFP the $16 million would go toward Trump’s future presidential library rather than to him personally, and added that the settlement did not include an apology. “Companies often settle litigation to avoid the high and somewhat unpredictable costs of legal defense, the risk of an adverse judgment that could result in significant financial or reputational damage, and the disruption to business operations that prolonged legal battles can cause,” it added.But US senator Bernie Sanders, a co-signatory of Warren’s letter to Paramount, accused the company of emboldening Trump in his attacks on the media for the sake of its bottom line.”It’s pretty obvious why Paramount chose to surrender to Trump,” he said in a statement. “The Redstone family is in line to receive $2.4 billion from the sale of Paramount to Skydance, but they can only receive this money if the Trump administration approves this deal.”Trump accused CBS of airing two different snippets from the same answer that Harris, then vice president, gave about Israel, to help her in her election campaign.Legal experts have argued that the lawsuit would have been an easy victory in court for CBS, which made public an unedited transcript of the Harris interview.And media watchers have pointed out that Trump routinely takes part in interviews that are edited for all manner of reasons, often in his favor. ABC News, owned by Disney, agreed to donate a similar amount to the Trump presidential library in its own settlement with the president late last year.Trump had contended that star ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos had defamed him by asserting that Trump had been found liable for rape in a civil lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, when he was found liable for sexual abuse.Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, called the Paramount settlement “a sad day for press freedom.” “This was a frivolous lawsuit and the payment being described as a ‘settlement’ bears no relation to Paramount’s actual legal exposure in the case, which was negligible,” he said in a statement.”Paramount should have fought this extortionate lawsuit in court, and it would have prevailed.” 

Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking Wednesday but convicted of a less serious prostitution charge after a high-profile marathon trial in New York.The jury, after 13 hours of deliberation, found Combs guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.But the 55-year-old hip-hop pioneer was acquitted of a major racketeering charge and two sex trafficking charges that could have sent him to prison to life.Combs bowed his head, quietly pumping his fists in his lap and bringing his hands together in prayer as the verdicts were read out. At one point, he looked towards the ceiling, appearing to express deep relief.He shook hands with one of his lawyers, who embraced each other — two of them teared up in joy — and mouthed thanks to the eight-man, four-woman jury as they filed out of the courtroom.He later fell to his knees at the defense table, where he had spent two months wondering if he would live out his days in a cell.The relatively quick verdict came after seven weeks of at-times excruciating testimony, in which prosecutors had accused Combs of being the boss of a decades-long criminal enterprise, directing loyal employees and bodyguards to commit myriad offenses at his behest.Jurors announced they had reached a partial verdict late Tuesday and said they were deadlocked on the racketeering charge — but Judge Arun Subramanian instructed them to keep working.Combs, once one of the most powerful figures in the music industry, had vehemently denied all charges.- Family celebrate -Along with racketeering, Combs was charged with sex trafficking two women: singer Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane.Both were in long-term relationships with the entrepreneur, and they each testified about abuse, threats and coercive sex in graphic detail.They both said they felt obligated to participate in sexual marathons with hired men directed and sometimes filmed by Combs.Combs’s lawyers insisted the sex was consensual. They conceded domestic violence was a feature of his relationships — one harrowing example of him beating and dragging Ventura was caught on security footage that has been widely publicized.Yet while disturbing, his actions did not amount to sex trafficking, the defense said. Jurors ultimately agreed.Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, released a statement saying she had made an “indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.””She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion,” read the statement.”We’re pleased that he’s finally been held responsible for two federal crimes, something that he’s never faced in his life,” Wigdor told journalists outside the courthouse.Combs’s family members, present throughout the trial that began in early May, clapped and cheered for him in court.His mother waved at cameras as she left the building with a smile. Influencers and YouTubers have scurried around the court complex throughout the trial, jumping on livestreams to offer hot takes and conspiracy theories.”The mainstream media is so mad right now that a Black man isn’t going down!” shouted one content creator.- Bail? -Combs has been incarcerated at a notorious Brooklyn prison since he was arrested in September 2024.The defense immediately requested that he be released on bond — they suggested $1 million — and be permitted to travel between Miami, Los Angeles, and New York while he awaits sentencing.They said they would hand over his passport to court officials.The judge is expected to rule on the matter during proceedings set to begin at 5:00 pm (2100 GMT). “He would be nothing short of a fool, which he is not, to violate any conditions the court set,” defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said, adding that Combs “treasures” the “opportunity he has been given.”The guilty findings confirm that Combs transported both Ventura and Jane for purposes of prostitution during the sometimes days-long sex parties.Lead prosecutor Maurene Comey opposed Agnifilo’s bond request on that basis, accusing the defense of trying to “downplay the seriousness” of the convictions.In a letter filed to the court, prosecutors calculated that he should serve at least four to just over five years in prison based on federal sentencing guidelines, a range that could increase after taking all evidence into account, they said.He should remain behind bars until his sentencing, they urged, calling him a flight risk with a history of violence and abuse against women and a “habitual drug user.”

A 30-year-old man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to murdering four students in the US state of Idaho in an agreement with prosecutors that allowed him to avoid the death penalty — and enraged some relatives of the victims.Bryan Kohberger, a former criminology student, was facing trial in August for the November 2022 stabbing deaths that rocked the small town of Moscow and made national headlines.University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, were attacked around 4:00 am while they slept in their off-campus group house and stabbed to death.Kohberger pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder at a hearing on Wednesday in the city of Boise.”Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?” Judge Steven Hippler asked.”Yes,” Kohberger replied.The judge also acknowledged that some relatives were upset with the plea agreement reached between prosecutors and defense lawyers that took the death penalty off the table.”This court cannot require the prosecutor to seek the death penalty, nor would it be appropriate for this court to attempt to do that,” Hippler said.Sentencing was set for July 23. Kohberger faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Goncalves family, in a statement shared by their lawyer, expressed outrage over the plea agreement.”After more than two years, this is how it concludes with a secretive deal and a hurried effort to close the case without any input from the victims’ families on the plea’s details,” the family wrote.The Goncalves family had demanded the death penalty, and successfully advocated for the passage of a new law in Idaho which allows death row inmates to be executed by firing squad.On a Facebook page, the Goncalves family called the plea deal “shocking and cruel.””Bryan Kohberger facing life in prison means he would still get to speak, form relationships, and engage with the world. Meanwhile, our loved ones have been silenced forever,” they said.Kohberger was arrested and charged after investigators found his DNA on a knife sheath recovered at the crime scene.A video showed a car similar to Kohberger’s driving in the victims’ neighborhood around the time of the murders.No motive for the murders was ever established.At the time of the murders, Kohberger was studying for his PhD in criminology at Washington State University, about nine miles (15 kilometers) away from Moscow, across the state border.

Tesla reported another hefty drop in auto sales Wednesday, extending a difficult period amid intensifying electric vehicle competition and backlash over CEO Elon Musk’s political activities.The EV maker reported 384,122 deliveries in the second quarter, down 13.5 percent from the year-ago period. Shares rallied after the disclosure, which was better than some leading forecasts in recent days.The sales figures, which are global, reflect the more contested nature of the EV market, which Tesla once dominated, but which now also features BYD and other low-cost Chinese companies, as well as legacy western automakers like General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen.But Musk’s political activism on behalf of right-wing figures has also made the company a target of boycotts and demonstrations, weighing on sales.In recent days, Musk has revived a feud with US President Donald Trump, dragging Tesla shares lower on Tuesday.The figures portend another poor round of earnings when Tesla reports results on July 23. Analysts currently project a drop of 16 percent to $1.2 billion in profits, according to S&P Capital IQ.Tesla has faced questions about a lack of new retail auto products to wow consumers after Musk’s futuristic Cybertruck proved polarizing. Analysts will be looking for an update on the state of new offerings after Tesla said in April that it planned “more affordable models” in the first half of 2025. The company has begun deliveries of its revamped Model Y in some markets, according to news reports. Tesla launched a long-discussed robotaxi venture in the Texas state capital Austin, lending momentum to Musk’s branding of the company as at the forefront of autonomous and artificial intelligence technology.But reports that the self-driving cars have driven recklessly have prompted oversight from US regulators.Heading into Wednesday’s data release, notes from JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank had forecast bigger drops in second-quarter deliveries, citing poor figures in Europe in particular.The JPMorgan note was especially bearish, setting a December share price target of $115, down more than 60 percent from current levels and citing an expected drag from the elimination of US tax credits for EVs under Trump’s signature domestic policy legislation moving through Congress.Following the results, Morningstar said in a note that Tesla would not see “meaningful deliveries growth without a new lower-cost vehicle aimed at the affordable market.”For the second quarter in a row, Tesla produced more vehicles than it delivered, “raising concerns regarding demand and inventory levels,” said a note from CFRA Research that called the figures “a modest disappointment.”But Wedbush’s Dan Ives said Wednesday’s “better-than-feared” report set the stage for growth.”If Musk continues to lead and remain in the driver’s seat, we believe Tesla is on a path to an accelerated growth path over the coming years with deliveries expected to ramp in the back-half of 2025 following the Model Y refresh cycle,” Ives said.- Political wildcard -A wildcard remains: how Musk’s shifting relationship with Trump could affect Tesla.Musk donated more than $270 million to Trump’s presidential campaign, barnstorming key battleground states for the Republican. After the election, he oversaw the launch of the Department of Government Efficiency, a controversial initiative that eliminated thousands of government jobs deemed by DOGE to be part of a pattern of waste, fraud and abuse.But Musk has broken with Trump over the White House’s flagship tax and spending bill, which Musk has called “utterly insane and destructive.” In response, Trump has threatened to target Musk’s business empire and warned of deporting the South African-born billionaire, sending Tesla shares plummeting.”This high-profile feud introduces political risk,” Briefing.com said in a note Tuesday.”The personal nature of the conflict, amplified by Trump’s comments implying Tesla’s reliance on subsidies for survival, has sparked fears of broader policy shifts targeting Musk’s business empire.”Tesla shares rose 4.7 percent early Wednesday.

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he had struck a trade deal with Vietnam under which the country would face a minimum 20 percent tariff and open its market to US products.The deal comes less than a week before Trump’s self-imposed July 9 deadline for steeper tariffs on US trade partners to take effect if agreements are not reached.Shares in clothing companies and sport equipment manufacturers — which have a large footprint in Vietnam — rose on the news, but later declined sharply after the president released details including the continued tariffs, which were higher than expected.If confirmed, the terms of the agreement will significantly increase the price of shoes and clothing that Vietnam exports to the United States, but Hanoi escapes the threat of the more severe 46 percent tariff threatened by Trump in April.”It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after speaking with To Lam, the Highly Respected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.He said that under the “Great Deal of Cooperation,” imports of Vietnamese goods will face a 20 percent US tariff, while goods that pass through Vietnam to circumvent steeper trade barriers — so-called “transshipping” — will see a 40 percent tariff.- ‘Total Access’ -Trump’s trade advisor Peter Navarro has called Vietnam a “colony of China,” saying that one third of Vietnamese products are in fact relabelled Chinese goods.Trump said that “in return, Vietnam will do something that they have never done before, give the United States of America TOTAL ACCESS to their Markets for Trade,” he said.”In other words, they will ‘OPEN THEIR MARKET TO THE UNITED STATES,’ meaning that we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff.”The president said he believed US-made SUVs, “which do so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam.”In a government statement, Vietnam confirmed that negotiating teams had come to an agreement to address the reciprocal tariff issue, but did not detail any tariff terms.Trump “affirmed that the US will significantly reduce reciprocal taxes for many Vietnamese export goods and will continue to cooperate with Vietnam in resolving difficulties affecting bilateral trade relations, especially in areas prioritized by both sides,” the statement said.Trump’s announcement comes a week before the threatened US reimposition of steep tariffs on dozens of economies, including the European Union and Japan, many of which are still scrambling to reach deals that would protect them from the measures.Those higher tariffs are part of a package Trump initially imposed in April, citing a lack of “reciprocity” in trading relationships, before announcing a temporary lowering to 10 percent.Without a deal, Vietnam’s “reciprocal tariff” would have risen from the baseline 10 percent to 46 percent.Since April, Washington had so far only announced a pact with Britain and a deal to temporarily lower retaliatory duties with China.Both involve the United States maintaining some of Trump’s tariffs on the trading partners.The terms of the UK deal are more narrowly focused than those announced by Trump with Vietnam, with London and Washington agreeing to cut US tariffs on cars from 27.5 percent to 10 percent, with a limit of 100,000 vehicles a year.It also fully eliminated the 10 percent tariff on goods such as engines and aircraft parts. In return, Britain agreed to further open its market to US ethanol and beef.