The Biggest News Stories Of 2025

February 6, 2025 3

Source: PATRICK T. FALLON / Getty

Updated Feb. 5, 2025, 11:00 a.m.

Since the beginning of 2025, the United States has experienced a series of significant events across political, legal, and social spheres.

The U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday that it will once again accept inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong, just hours after initially suspending service from those regions.

In a notice posted on its website, USPS stated that it is working closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish an efficient system for collecting tariffs on Chinese imports while minimizing disruptions to package deliveries. The resumption of service is effective immediately.

On Tuesday evening, USPS had declared a suspension of parcels from China and Hong Kong “until further notice.”

This decision followed President Donald Trump’s recent imposition of a 10% tariff on Chinese goods as part of a broader set of trade measures targeting the country’s key trading partners. While Trump decided on Monday to delay a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico for 30 days, the new tariffs on China proceeded as planned.

Additionally, Trump closed the long-standing “de minimis” trade loophole, which previously allowed packages valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free. This change is expected to have a significant impact on Chinese e-commerce platforms like Temu and Shein, which have relied on the loophole to ship low-cost clothing, electronics, and home goods directly to U.S. consumers.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, more than 1.3 billion de minimis shipments were processed in 2024 alone. A 2023 report from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party estimated that Temu and Shein were responsible for over 30% of these shipments, with nearly half originating from China.

The rapid growth of e-commerce prompted Congress in 2016 to raise the de minimis threshold from $200 to $800, allowing for a surge in low-value imports.

Critics argue that the loophole has facilitated the entry of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, into the U.S. through the mail. Additionally, trade officials have raised concerns that de minimis shipments receive less regulatory scrutiny, increasing the risk of counterfeit and unsafe products reaching American consumers.

From politics to weather, keep scrolling for some of the major news stories we have witnessed in 2025.

Written by: weboss2022

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