US Tariffs & Supply Chains: The Trump administration started imposing new 10%–12.5% Section 301 tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners, tied to forced-labor claims, as the temporary 10% surcharge expired July 24; Honduras is listed in the 10% tier, meaning exporters face added cost pressure on top of existing MFN duties, with many product exemptions but complex rules for what actually applies. Legal Fight Over Tariff Authority: Two small businesses sued to block the new tariff approach, arguing Section 301 can’t be used to broadly tax imports at pre-set rates after the Supreme Court struck down earlier “reciprocal” tariffs. Human Smuggling Case Hits Honduras Links: In Texas, federal authorities charged 11 people over a migrant-smuggling operation that killed seven in a sealed rail container; victims included three Hondurans, including a 14-year-old, underscoring the deadly risks on northern routes. Regional Politics: Nicaragua’s Ortega drew US backlash after comments around elections and opposition parties, escalating tensions with Washington.