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They made America’s clothing. Now they are getting punished for it
Already living from hand to mouth, millions of garment workers across Asia fear for their jobs as a deadline to strike a trade deal with the US – or face punishing tariffs – looms closer.
On 9 July, following a 90-day pause on tariffs for countries to negotiate deals, the US president notified several countries in the region of new levies set to begin on 1 August. The new rates, while lower than those proposed in April, have done little to allay anxieties.
Among nations that received letters from Donald Trump were apparel hubs like Cambodia and Sri Lanka, which are heavily dependent on the US as an export market. The letters said that the two nations would face tariffs of 36% and 30% respectively.
Nike, Levi’s and Lululemon are among big-name US brands that have the bulk of their clothing made in these countries.
“Can you imagine what will happen if we lose our jobs? I’m so worried, especially for my kids. They need food,” says Nao Soklin, who works in a garment factory in southeastern Cambodia.
Ms Soklin and her husband Kok Taok make a living sewing bags for 10 hours a day. Together, they earn about $570 a month – barely enough to cover rent and provide for their two young sons and aged parents.
“I want to send a message to President Trump, to tell him to please lift the tariff on Cambodia… We need our jobs to support our families,” she told the BBC.
Cambodia, which has become a popular alternative to Chinese retailers because of its ready supply of low-wage labour, exported more than $3bn worth of apparel to the US last year, according to the Asean Statistics Division. The sector, which employs more than 900,000 people, makes up more than a tenth of the country’s overall exports.
For Sri Lanka, exports to the US helped the garment industry – which directly employs some 350,000 people – earn $1.9bn last year, making it the country’s third-largest foreign exchange earner.
“If 30% is the end number, Sri Lanka is in trouble because our competitors, such as Vietnam, have received lower tariffs,” Yohan Lawrence, secretary general of Sri Lanka’s Joint Apparel Association Forum, told the Reuters news agency.
Sri Lankan authorities are hopeful of negotiating a further reduction to the tariffs but have not disclosed what they would consider as an acceptable rate.
Some of its leaders have noted that the country has received the highest concession – of 14 percentage points – so far as a result of earlier negotiations. “We see this as the beginning of a very good situation,” secretary to the Finance Minister Harshana Suriyapperuma said last week.
Cambodia, which got a 13 percentage point concession, is also seeking further talks. “We are doing everything we can to protect the interests of investors and workers,” said Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, who leads the negotiating team.
“We want the tariff to be zero… But we respect their decision and will continue trying to negotiate a lower rate,” he said.
Trump says the tariffs are needed to reduce the gap between the value of goods the US buys from other countries and those it sells to them.
“Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal,” the US leader wrote in letters to various countries last week, which he also posted on his Truth Social platform.
But analysts disagree.
Trump’s tariffs overlook the benefits that the US enjoys from existing trade agreements, including lower-priced clothing and higher profits for US companies sourcing from countries like Sri Lanka or Cambodia, says Mark Anner, dean at Rutgers’ School of Management and Labor Relations.
For decades, the US, European Union and Canada had in place a quota system that reserved a certain share of their markets for developing countries like Sri Lanka. The system, which was phased out in 2005, helped Sri Lanka’s garment sector flourish despite stiff competition.
“For the US to now impose prohibitive tariffs that effectively shut these countries out of the market goes against the very development path it once prescribed,” Prof Anner said.
It is unrealistic to expect small, developing economies to not run a trade deficit with the US, says Sheng Lu, a professor at the University of Delaware’s Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies. “How many Boeing airplanes does Cambodia or Sri Lanka need and can afford to purchase each year?” he asked.
Asst Prof Lu believes the strategic rivalry between the US and China is also a factor in trade talks, given how these garment-exporting countries are integrated into supply chains that rely heavily on Chinese inputs.
They now have to “strike a delicate balance” between maintaining economic ties with China while also meeting new US demands, which may include cutting the use of Chinese inputs in production, he says.
Washington’s tariffs add new pressures to familiar challenges in the industry: poverty and weak labour rights in Cambodia, and an ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
Women, who make up seven in 10 of garment workers in the region, are set to bear the brunt of the tariffs. More downward pressure on their already chronically low wages mean their children could go hungry, while potential layoffs would be even more devastating.
Surangi Sandya, who works in a factory in the Sri Lankan town of Nawalapitiya, says she feels an axe hanging over her.
“Companies don’t work at a loss… If orders decrease, if there is a loss, there may be a possibility that the company will shut down,” she says. Ms Sandya started out as a rank-and-file seamstress in 2011, then worked her way up to become the supervisor of a 70-women team.
If push comes to shove, some Cambodian workers say they will consider moving to Thailand to find jobs – even if they must do it illegally.
“Our livelihoods depend on the garment factory. We won’t survive if our boss shuts it down,” An Sopheak tells the BBC from her tiny 16 sq m room in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh.
“We have little education. We can’t find other jobs. We pray every day that President Trump will lift the tariff. Please think about us and our poor country.”
[BBC]
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Ms. U. L. Mathisha Jinanjalie Jayathilake, appointedto the post of Commissioner, Department of Probation and Child Protection Services
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs to appoint Ms. U. L. Mathisha Jinanjalie Jayathilake, the officer in Grade I of Sri Lanka Administrative Service to the post of the Commissioner at the Department of Probation and Child Protection Services with immediate effect.
Argentina staged a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to avoid a shocking exit at the hands of Egypt and prolong Lionel Messi’s World Cup career with a 3-2 win to reach the quarterfinals.
The holders looked down and out on Tuesday when goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko, either side of Messi having a penalty saved, put the Pharaohs in sight of a historic victory in Atlanta.
However, Cristian Romero’s header sparked the comeback as Argentina struck three times in the final 11 minutes plus stoppage time.
Messi smashed home the equaliser to score for a ninth consecutive World Cup game and retake the lead for the Golden Boot with eight this tournament.
Enzo Fernandez completed the turnaround with a superb header two minutes into stoppage time.
At the end, Messi shed tears of joy as he embraced his teammates.
Egypt were left furious after a number of controversial calls went against them, including a disallowed goal early in the second half, and a member of their coaching staff was red-carded in the aftermath of the winning goal.
But despite a second almighty scare against African opposition, Argentina will face either Colombia or Switzerland in the last eight on Saturday.
Lionel Scaloni attempted to refresh a side that looked dead on their feet in the closing stages of a 3-2 win over Cape Verde in the last 32 on Friday.
Nicolas Tagliafico, Leandro Paredes and Julian Alvarez came in from the team that started in Miami, but Argentina got off to another slow start.
Marwan Attia’s deep cross to the back post was powered home by Yasser.
Argentina had the chance to level five minutes later when Tagliafico was wiped out by Haissem Hassan inside the box.
However, there was another chapter to Messi’s misery from the penalty spot at World Cups.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or’s strike was tentative, and Mostafa Shobeir flew to his left to save, meaning Messi has now missed four of his eight non-shootout penalties at World Cups. He also became the first player to miss two in a single tournament, having also failed to hit the target against Austria in the group stages.
The penalty save was just the start of Shobeir’s inspired afternoon.
Alexis Mac Allister’s powerful header from point-blank range was next to be parried by the Al Ahly stopper.
Shobeir then produced one of the saves of the tournament to prevent Alvarez’s shot finding the bottom corner.
Egypt thought they had doubled their lead on the hour mark after a brilliant counterattack.
Mohamed Salah played in Mostafa Ziko, who dinked the ball perfectly over the onrushing Emi Martinez.
However, Egyptian celebrations were cut short by a hugely controversial VAR intervention for a foul on Lisandro Martinez, just outside the Egypt box, at the start of the buildup to the goal.
The decision finally fired up the majority Argentinian crowd, but they were silenced once more moments later by another blistering Egyptian break.
Salah again led the charge before feeding Hassan, and his cross was swept in by Zico.
Argentina looked like a beaten side with Messi among those whose head was bowed during the second-half drinks break.
Yet Romero’s header – that Shobeir just failed to keep out – sparked a remarkable revival as the defending champions hauled themselves off the canvas.
Moments later a dazzling run by Messi teed up Lautaro Martinez, who headed just wide and Messi was to have his moment of redemption seven minutes from time.
Gonzalo Montiel fed the ball back for his captain to strike sweetly on the half volley.
Shobeir again got a touch but could not keep it out as the ball cannoned in off the bar for Messi’s 21st World Cup goal.
Then Fernandez’s bullet header from Lautaro Martinez’s cross completed the fightback, and Argentina’s relief was on full display after the final whistle.
Scaloni gave a very brief interview to reporters after the match.
“I can’t look up, I’m sorry. I’m really emotional right now,” Argentina’s coach said.
“What a group of players, man. That’s it, I’ve got to go.”
(Aljazeera)
The Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Damian Fernando paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Parliament, Dr Jagath Wickramaratne at the Office of the Speaker, today (7 July
2026).
The meeting marked the Commander of the Navy’s first official interaction with the Speaker following his assumption of command of the Sri Lanka Navy. During the cordial discussion, they exchanged views on the Navy’s role in matters of national importance.
The formal meeting drew to a close with an exchange of mementoes, signifying the importance of the occasion.
Ms. U. L. Mathisha Jinanjalie Jayathilake, appointedto the post of Commissioner, Department of Probation and Child Protection Services
Argentina stage stunning late comeback to beat Egypt in World Cup last 16
Commander of the Navy pays courtesy call on Speaker of the Parliament
Woman suspected of Monaco bomb attack found dead in Ukraine
Balogun reprieve in vain as Belgium beat USA to set up Spain quarterfinal
Trump confirms he asked Fifa to review Balogun ban
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