U.S. and world news for August 7

Trump and Putin may meet next week

A meeting between Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin could take place as early as next week, a top Kremlin aide said Thursday. Preparations for the meeting are already underway. The goal is for the meeting to take place next week, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said, according to Russian state media. If the meeting does go ahead, it would be the first held between the leaders of the two countries since 2021, when Putin met former President Joe Biden in Geneva, Switzerland. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. On Wednesday, Trump said there was a “good chance” that the two leaders could meet “very soon” to discuss a potential end to the war in Ukraine, hours after special envoy Steve Wikoff met Putin. On Thursday, Putin said that the United Arab Emirates could be a suitable location for the meeting, after welcoming its president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to Moscow.

Trump’s new tariffs go into effect

The new tariffs Donald Trump has been threatening to impose are now in effect. Before today, most countries’ goods were subject to a minimum 10% tariff. Now, rates vary from nation to nation. The highest rates were imposed on goods from Brazil (50%), Laos (40%), Myanmar (40%), Switzerland (39%), Iraq (35%) and Serbia (35%). An additional 21 countries — including Vietnam (20%), India (25%), Taiwan (20%) and Thailand (19%) — face levies greater than 15%. And goods from 39 countries — as well as members of the European Union — will now be subject to 15% tariffs. Economists fear these more aggressive tariffs could exacerbate economic problems, including rising inflation and slowing job growth.

Fort Stewart shooting under investigation

The mass shooting at Fort Stewart in Georgia on Wednesday allegedly began with a disagreement between two coworkers the day before, investigators say. The suspect, who was identified as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, arrived at the base Wednesday morning and followed his colleague to a maintenance area and shot him with his personal gun before opening fire on four other soldiers, authorities said. The attack ended when other troops who witnessed the incident intervened and tackled the gunman. All five victims are in stable condition. Radford, 28, joined the Army in 2018. The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel was in the process of drawing up charges.

ICE handles immigration arrests differently in Republican and Democratic states

At the direction of President Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been arresting hundreds of immigrants every day in the U.S. But a CNN analysis of data from the agency found very different arrest tactics being used in red vs. blue states. Detentions that occurred in states that voted for Trump were far more likely to take place in prisons and jails. In Democratic-leaning states, ICE focused on arresting immigrants at worksites, on the street and in mass roundups. For example, in Massachusetts 94% of immigrants arrested by ICE were apprehended in the community and 78% had no criminal record.

Trump Administration plans first move to control D.C.

The Trump Administration is making plans to increase the federal law enforcement presence in Washington, D.C., this week, three sources familiar with the plan told CNN. Donald Trump has threatened to federalize the District of Columbia, which has its own independent municipal government. Officers from ICE, the FBI, the National Guard and local Homeland Security agents will be sent in to the nation’s capital, one of CNN’s sources said. Trump said he was considering taking over the D.C., taking over the D.C. Police Department, and that he might deploy the National Guard due to recent crime in the district. However, D.C. police said 2025 crime numbers are lower than last year’s, and violent crime is down 26%.

Chikungunya virus cases increase in China

China is battling another virus, one that has prompted the U.S. to issue a travel advisory. The chikungunya virus, which is transmitted by infected mosquitoes, can cause fever and joint pain. As of Wednesday, Chinese authorities reported more than 7,000 cases. Unusually heavy rains and high temperatures have worsened the crisis, which one expert said appears to be the largest chikungunya outbreak ever documented in China. In response, authorities have begun using nets and spraying insecticide around city streets, residential areas and anywhere people may come in contact with mosquitoes. Residents who fail to remove standing water from outdoor receptacles where mosquitoes can lay their eggs could face fines and the possibility of having their electricity turned off