A string of earthquakes off the west coast of the US are detected miles from the Cascadia fault, where scientists warn ‘the Big One’ could be poised to hit at any time

• A spate of 11 earthquakes took place on the sea bed, 6 miles below the surface
• The quakes ranged in magnitude from 2.8 to 5.6 on the Richter scale
• They occurred on the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate
• This forms part of the runs along the Cascadia subduction zone, which scientists say has the potential to trigger a monster 9.0 earthquake in the future 

A series of earthquakes have shaken a region of ocean off the west coast of the US.

Scientists have detected a cluster of 11 earthquakes, ranging in magnitude from 2.8 to 5.6 on the Richter scale.

The cluster occurred on the seabed at the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate, around six miles (10km) underwater.

This plate forms part of the Cascadia subduction zone, which runs from Northern California to British Columbia.

Previous studies have warned this geological spot of weakness has the potential to deliver an earthquake much stronger than the infamous San Andreas fault.

Seismologists say a full rupture along the 650-mile-long (1,000 km) offshore fault could trigger a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and an accompanying tsunami.

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A series of earthquakes has shook a region of ocean off the western coast of the US. Ten earthquakes were detected, ranging in magnitude from 2.8 - 5.6 on the Richter scale

The latest spate of earthquakes were clustered some 126 miles (203 km) off the coast of Crescent City, in California.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has not issued a warning over the recent shakes, stating that they do no pose a risk of a tsunami.

Don Blakeman, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center, said quakes of this calibre are not serious, and occur fairly often off the coast.

The largest of the earthquakes occurred at 7:44 am (10:44 am ET/3:44 pm BST), and was large enough to qualify as a 'moderate' earthquake.

Earthquakes of this magnitude on the Richter scale are categorised as 'causing damage of varying severity to poorly constructed buildings.

'At most, slight damage to all other buildings will be felt by everyone.'

The Juan de Fuca tectonic plate is one of the smallest in the world, and is under constant strain from the Pacific plate.

For around 300 years, Juan de Fuca has been pushed down, slowly submerging beneath the much larger Pacific plate.

This geological activity has caused the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) 'megathrust' fault, which is a 650 mile (1,000 km) long line that stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California.

Eventually, the Juan de Fuca will be pushed underneath the North America plate, causing the region to sink at least six feet.

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The cluster occurred on the seabed at the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate around 6 miles (10km) underwater. Running from Northern California to British Columbia, the Cascadia subduction zone can deliver a quake that's many times stronger than the infamous San Andreas fault

According to seismologists, the end result of this movement could be one of the biggest earthquakes in recorded history.

'Cascadia can make an earthquake almost 30 times more energetic than the San Andreas to start with,' Chris Goldfinger, a professor of geophysics at Oregon State University told CNN.

'Then it generates a tsunami at the same time, which the side-by-side motion of the San Andreas can't do.'

The Cascadia could trigger a catastrophic 9.0-magnitude quake, with the shaking lasting anywhere from three to five minutes, scientists claim.

WHAT WILL CAUSE THE KILLER CASCADIA QUAKE?  

The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) 'megathrust' fault is a 1,000km-long line that stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California.

It separates the Juan de Fuca, a 700-mile chunk in the Pacific Ocean, and North America plates.

For more than 300 years, the two plates have been pushing against one another.

Eventually, the Juan de Fuca will be pushed underneath the North America plate, causing the region to sink at least six feet.

'In this case, three minutes – and I've been in a 9 in Japan – three minutes is an eternity,' said professor Goldfinger. 'It is a very, very long time.'

Professor Goldfinger claims the west coast of the US would lose bridges, highway routes and that the coast will probably be entirely closed down.

As a result, it would be difficult to get around, with rescue crews overwhelmed.

Federal, state and military officials have been working together to draft plans to be followed when the 'Big One' happens.

These contingency plans reflect deep anxiety about the potential gravity of the looming disaster – upward of 14,000 people dead in the worst-case scenarios, 30,000 injured, thousands left homeless and the region's economy setback for years, if not decades.

As a response, what planners envision is a deployment of civilian and military personnel and equipment that would eclipse the response to any natural disaster that has occurred thus far in the US.

There would be waves of cargo planes, helicopters and ships, as well as tens of thousands of soldiers, emergency officials, mortuary teams, police officers, firefighters, engineers, medical personnel and other specialists.

'The response will be orders of magnitude larger than Hurricane Katrina or Super Storm Sandy,' said Lieutenant Colonel Clayton Braun of the Washington State Army National Guard.

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A magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan in 2011 (pictured) gave greater clarity to what the Pacific Northwest needs to do to improve its readiness for a similar catastrophe

HOW ARE EARTHQUAKES MEASURED?

The magnitude of an earthquake differs from its intensity.

The magnitude of an earthquake refers to the measurement of energy released where the earthquake originated.

Magnitude is calculated based on measurements on seismographs.

The intensity of an earthquake refers to how strong the shaking that is produced by the sensation is.

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A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California on Thursday at 10.30am

According to the United States Geological Survey, 'intensity is determined from the effects on people, human structures and the natural environment'.

Earthquakes originate below the surface of the earth in a region called the hypocenter. 

During an earthquake, one part of a seismograph remains stationary and one part moves with the earth's surface.

The earthquake is then measured by the difference in the positions of the still and moving parts of the seismograph. 

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The Cascadia could deliver a huge 9.0-magnitude quake and the shaking could last anything from three to five minutes, scientists claim. Oregon's response plan is called the Cascadia Playbook, named after the threatening offshore fault — the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Oregon's response plan is called the Cascadia Playbook, named after the threatening offshore fault — the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

The plan has been handed out to key officials so the state can respond quickly when disaster strikes.

'That playbook is never more than 100 feet from where I am,' said Andrew Phelps, director of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.

A magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan in 2011 gave greater clarity to what the Pacific Northwest needs to do to improve its readiness for a similar catastrophe.

'The Japanese quake and tsunami allowed light bulbs to go off for policymakers,' Mr Phelps said.

Much still needs to be done, and it is impossible to fully prepare for a catastrophe of this magnitude, but those responsible for drafting the evolving contingency plans believe they are making headway.

HOW DO SCIENTISTS TRACK THE CASCADIA?

The Cascadia earthquake fault zone lies underwater between 40 and 80 miles offshore of the Pacific Northwest coastline.

Earthquake scientists have listening posts along the coast from Vancouver Island to Northern California, and have been using ships to drop off and later retrieve ocean bottom seismographs.

These record for up to a year right on top of the fault zone.

However, they have detected few signs of the grinding and slipping they expected.

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The Cascadia Initiative (CI) is an onshore/offshore seismic and geodetic experiment that takes advantage of an Amphibious Array to study questions ranging from megathrust earthquakes to volcanic arc structure to the formation, deformation and hydration of the Juan De Fuca and Gorda plates

It is 'a puzzle,' according to University of Oregon geophysics professor Doug Toomey.

Two teams have been examining the area.

A joint Japanese-Canadian team dropped instruments offshore of Vancouver Island, while Toomey's team is in its fourth year of deployments.

Named the Cascadia Initiative, it is rotating among subduction zone segments offshore of Washington, Oregon and Northern California,

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Cascadia can make an earthquake almost 30 times more energetic than the San Andreas. The San Andreas fault caused an enormous 7.8 earthquake in California in 1908 (pictured)

Worst-case scenarios show that more than 1,000 bridges in Oregon and Washington state could either collapse or be so damaged that they are unusable.

The main coastal highway, US Route 101, will suffer heavy damage from the shaking and from the tsunami.

Traffic on Interstate 5 — one of the most important thoroughfares in the nation — will likely have to be rerouted because of large cracks in the pavement.

Seattle, Portland and other urban areas could suffer considerable damage, such as the collapse of structures built before codes were updated to take into account a mega-quake.

The last full rip of the Cascadia Subduction Zone happened in January 1700.

The exact date and destructive power was determined from buried forests along the Pacific Northwest coast and an 'orphan tsunami' that washed ashore in Japan.

Geologists digging in coastal marshes and offshore canyon bottoms have also found evidence of earlier great earthquakes and tsunamis.

The inferred timeline of those events gives a recurrence interval between Cascadia megaquakes of roughly every 400 to 600 years, reports the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. 

Because of the threat posed by earthquakes to the northwest US, an early warning system was expanded to include Oregon and Washington in 2017.

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ShakeAlert uses underground seismometers across the West Coast that measure the waves of energy coming from the ground. The data is sent to a computer to determine whether an earthquake is about to occur and if so, its location. It then sends out a warning to systems such as TV sets and mobile phones

The states joined California in using a prototype that could give people seconds or up to a minute of warning before strong shaking begins.

A version of the ShakeAlert system has been undergoing testing but still needs to have more seismic sensors installed in Northern California, Oregon and Washington.

California has been testing the production prototype since early 2016.

Even a few seconds of advanced notice can help people to duck and cover or cities to slow trains, stop elevators or take other protective measures, agency officials say.

'The advantage of earthquake early warning is that it gives us forewarning that the shaking will occur, and we can be sure the valve is fully closed by the time the shaking starts,' the firm's Dan Ervin told the Seattle Times. 

The company is working on software and hardware to process the warning signals and automatically close valves.

The amount of warning time depends on distance from an earthquake's epicentre. 

Locations very close to the epicentre may not get any warning, but others farther away could get anywhere from seconds to minutes.

According to USGS estimates, it will cost £29 million ($38.3 million) in capital investment to complete the ShakeAlert system so that it can begin issuing alerts to the public.

It will cost about £12.2 million ($16.1 million) each year to operate and maintain it.

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HOW CAN YOU SURVIVE A PACIFIC NORTHWEST EARTHQUAKE?

Last year, scientists outlined their alarmingly unhelpful tips on how to survive the earthquake that will hit the Pacific Northwest.

The killer quake along Cascadia, a fault line which runs from Cape Mendocino, California, to Vancouver Island, Canada, is 72 years overdue, according to peer-reviewed studies.

The 'Big One' will hit when Juan de Fuca, a 700-mile chunk of the Pacific Ocean, slides under Canada and America, causing the entire coastal region to sink at least six feet.

When - not if - it arrives, it is unlikely the people of coastal Oregon, Washington and California will be able to escape.

But if they want to try, there are a few tips they should keep in mind.

Run, don't drive, to higher ground, says Kevin Cupples, the city planner for the town of Seaside, Oregon, in an interview with the New Yorker.

The force of the quake will cause liquefaction, when solid ground acts like liquid, across vast swathes of the porous region.

In the areas that aren't 'liquefied', the highways will likely be crumpled by landslides, with 30,000 avalanches set to hit Seattle alone.

Citizens will have a 20-minute interval to climb to the highest altitude possible before the full force of the tsunami hits, scientists predict.

Their alert will be when dogs start barking.

The first sign the quake is coming will be a set of compressional waves, only audible by dogs. Then there will be the quake, then 20 minutes later, the tsunami.

Geographers estimate that many could survive just by walking - however, they need to be going at least 3.5mph.

If everyone ups their average speed from 2.5mph to 3.5mph, the death toll drops to 15,970. About 70 per cent of them would be in Washington, nearly 30 per cent in Oregon and only 4 per cent in California.

And there is no point being a hero. 'When that tsunami is coming, you run,' Jay Wilson, the chair of the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission, tells the New Yorker.

'You protect yourself, you don't turn around, you don't go back to save anybody. You run for your life.'

The only other safety measure is to relocate away from the Pacific north west.

THE TARIFFS WARS AND THE EMERGING COLD WAR

China plans to expand military to 'WIN A WAR' and overtake the US

• China's plans to reform and expand its military were laid bare in leaked documents that were published by the Chinese Central Military commission
• Report talks about growing friction in the East and South China Sea, and heightened tensions with Japan and the US
• It says that expansion of armed forces would allow to ‘more effectively create a situation, manage a crisis, contain a conflict, win a war...' 
• Document describes US as a 'slower vehicle on the curve' and suggests that stronger army would allow China to surpass the declining superpower

The Chinese military is developing a fleet of new submarines that will navigate the ocean without a human crew, according to scientists involved in the project.

The submarines will be powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), allowing them to navigate independently and work alongside existing fleets. 

The crew-less submersibles will be relatively large and low-cost compared to other military watercrafts, according to scientists working on the project.

The AI submarines are rumoured to be fitted with diesel-electric engines to enable them to stay at sea for several months without returning to dock.

China will use these unmanned subs for intelligence gathering missions, planting sea mines, and 'kamikaze'-style attacks on high-value targets, the scientists said.

These missions are scheduled to start in the early 2020s, they added.

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The Chinese military is developing unmanned submarines in a bid to keep up with the advancing technology of the west. The submersibles will be relatively large and low-cost and are to be fitted with AI-technology to allow it to navigate independently (file photo)

According to those familiar with the AI-powered submarine project, who spoke to the South China Morning Post on condition of anonymity, the machines are not set to replace traditional submarines with human crews.

Researchers claim the autonomous subs will work alongside manned fleets.

The machines will purportedly be able to gather information, plant sea mines and be stationed at geographical 'checkpoints' to keep watch for intruding vessels.

Other potential uses for the unmanned watercrafts include being used as decoys to expose the position of an enemy fleet and, if necessary, a 'suicide' mission to destory a particularly high valuable target.

There will be no human operators on board the machines, however, they will be able to establish contact with ground command on a regular basis.  

The submarines will be deigned to complete missions independently, but could also be likely to assist in larger missions alongside human-navigated subs.

China has an existing programme in place, with unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) already being tested.

However, these crafts are relatively small and limited in their role.

Existing models also suffer with a relatively a small range and must be deployed and collected by another ship.

The military hopes to improve the technology powering these machines to develop larger models with diesel-electric engines capable of constant energy production for months at the time.

The next-generation will also be able to dock and deploy like their conventional predecessors, researchers claim.

Executive decisions — such a attacking an enemy vessel — will still be made by a human operator but these so-called 'giant UUVs' will be able to make its own decisions for day-to-day operations.

This will include navigating the ocean, changing course and depth to avoid detection, determining the difference between enemy and civilian vessels, as well as the best path to reach a destination. 

China is hoping the latest military AI developments will help the country challenge the dominance of the west, and particularly the US, in strategic waters like the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean.

This project is a single branch of a much larger initiative from the country, which recently increased funding to its armed forces.

Beijing announced earlier this year plans to increase military budget by almost 10 per cent, raising the operating funds from $132 billion to $175 billion.

Researchers claim the autonomous submarines will work in conjunction with manned fleets. They will gather information, plant sea mines and conduct 'kamikaze' missions if necessary while working alongside existing fleets of conventional machines (file photo)

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO WORRIED ABOUT AI?

It is an issue troubling some of the greatest minds in the world at the moment, from Bill Gates to Elon Musk.

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk described AI as our 'biggest existential threat' and likened its development as 'summoning the demon'.

He believes super intelligent machines could use humans as pets.

Professor Stephen Hawking said it is a 'near certainty' that a major technological disaster will threaten humanity in the next 1,000 to 10,000 years.

They could steal jobs 

More than 60 percent of people fear that robots will lead to there being fewer jobs in the next ten years, according to a 2016 YouGov survey.

And 27 percent predict that it will decrease the number of jobs 'a lot' with previous research suggesting admin and service sector workers will be the hardest hit.

As well as posing a threat to our jobs, other experts believe AI could 'go rogue' and become too complex for scientists to understand.

A quarter of the respondents predicted robots will become part of everyday life in just 11 to 20 years, with 18 percent predicting this will happen within the next decade. 

They could 'go rogue' 

Computer scientist Professor Michael Wooldridge said AI machines could become so intricate that engineers don't fully understand how they work.

If experts don't understand how AI algorithms function, they won't be able to predict when they fail.

This means driverless cars or intelligent robots could make unpredictable 'out of character' decisions during critical moments, which could put people in danger.

For instance, the AI behind a driverless car could choose to swerve into pedestrians or crash into barriers instead of deciding to drive sensibly.

They could wipe out humanity 

Some people believe AI will wipe out humans completely.

'Eventually, I think human extinction will probably occur, and technology will likely play a part in this,' DeepMind's Shane Legg said in a recent interview.

He singled out artificial intelligence, or AI, as the 'number one risk for this century'.

Musk warned that AI poses more of a threat to humanity than North Korea.

'If you're not concerned about AI safety, you should be. Vastly more risk than North Korea,' the 46-year-old wrote on Twitter.

'Nobody likes being regulated, but everything (cars, planes, food, drugs, etc) that's a danger to the public is regulated. AI should be too.'

Musk has consistently advocated for governments and private institutions to apply regulations on AI technology.

He has argued that controls are necessary in order protect machines from advancing out of human control

Lin Yang, marine technology equipment director at the Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, confirmed the larger and more complex automated submarines are in development.

'Yes, we are doing it,' he told the South China Morning Post.

Mr Lin refused to be drawn into revealing the exact technical details of the project, due to the sensitive nature of the work.

'It will be announced sooner or later, but not now,' he added. 

The main advantage of the large AI subs is that they can be produced and operated on a large scale at a relatively low cost, sources said.

The lack of humans on baord means the crafts are more cost efficient, with no need to spend money to ensure the safety, comfort and mental health of the crew.

College of Automation in Harbin Engineering University professor Luo Yuesheng said the submarines would ramp-up the pressure and expectations on human captains who face the unmanned ships in battle.

The AI-powered submarines would be fearless – as they have nothing to lose.

The computers powering the watercrafts will be able to learn tactics for battle based on the sinking of other vessels, making them 'a formidable opponent' in battle, Yuesheng said. 

The AI technology necessary for these unmanned submarines still in its infancy and faces numerous challenges to pilot a craft independently.

Hardware must meet an exceptional standard as there will be no readily-available engineers on deck to fix any faults with the submarines once they are at sea.

The missions of unmanned submarines will also likely be limited to specific, relatively simple tasks, Luo said.

'AI will not replace humans. The situation under water can get quite sophisticated. I don't think a robot can understand or handle all the challenges,' he added.  

China's plans to overhaul its military have been laid bare in leaked documents, revealing that it is Beijing's intention to expand its armed forces to 'manage a crisis, contain a conflict, win a war,' and make the country stronger than the US.

The documents were originally published by the Chinese Central Military commission back in February and were recently obtained and disseminated by Japan's Kyodo News Agency.

The leaked report talks about growing friction in the East and South China Sea, and heightened tensions with Japan and the US.

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China's plans to reform and expand its military have been revealed in leaked documents, which talk about the need to have stronger armed forces in order to surpass the US

The document calls for a 'comprehensive protection' of China's security around the globe and projects that expanding its military would allow the country to ‘more effectively create a situation, manage a crisis, contain a conflict, win a war, defend the expansion of our country’s strategic interests in an all-round fashion and realize the goals set by the party and Chairman Xi.’

As cited by Newsweek, the report argues that ‘strong military might is important for a country to grow from being big to being strong,’ using Russia, Japan and the US as examples of this approach.

At the same time, a rising power - like China - should avoid coming into conflict with a more established power, the document asserts, and having a strong military could help 'escape the obsession that war is unavoidable.’

The leaked report describes the US as a 'slower vehicle on the curve' and suggests that more robust armed forces would allow China to surpass the declining superpower.

News of the documents’ release comes after china launched its first aircraft carrier and two new destroyers, as well as long-range air defence and anti-submarine technology.

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Frenemies: The report detailing China’s military aspirations also comes amid a brewing trade war between the administrations of President Trump and China's Xi Jinping

China PM warns 'China will take measures in response' to tariffs

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After US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met with Chinese leaders last month, state broadcaster CCTV quoted President Xi Jinping as saying in reference to the disputed South China Sea: 'Not a single inch of the territory left behind by our ancestors must be lost, while we are not seeking to take any bit of what belongs to others.'

The report detailing China’s military aspirations also comes amid a brewing trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

President Donald Trump has already imposed tariffs of 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 per cent on aluminum. And on Friday the US was to start taxing $34billion in Chinese goods and later add tariffs on an additional $16billion in goods.

Beijing has vowed to immediately retaliate with its own tariffs on US farm produc

Shoppers are facing higher prices on jeans, bourbon, orange juice and peanut butter as Theresa May backed EU trade reprisals against the US that come into force today.

Brussels has slapped higher duties on around £2.5billion of typical American products in retaliation for Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium.

But the spat is on the verge of erupting into a full-blown trade war this afternoon after the US president vowed to hit car imports with a 20 per cent tax. 

The dramatic escalation could potentially deal a devastating blow to the UK, as 15 per cent of all car exports end up in the US.   

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Theresa May's spokesman today backed EU reprisals after Donald Trump (pictured right at a rally this week) imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium. The PM is pictured at a Windrush ceremony in London today 

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The EU outlined a package of retaliatory tariffs today. It is adding 10 per cent to the cost of things like hair spray and toughened glass (top row), 25 per cent on jeans, Harley Davidson motorcycles (middle row), and a huge 50 per cent on Nike trainers and houshold appliances (bottom row) 

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The spat is on the verge of erupting into a full-blown trade war this afternoon after the US president vowed to hit car imports with a 20 per cent tax

Taking to Twitter this afternoon, Mr Trump said: 'Based on the Tariffs and Trade Barriers long placed on the U.S. and it great companies and workers by the European Union, if these Tariffs and Barriers are not soon broken down and removed, we will be placing a 20% Tariff on all of their cars coming into the U.S. Build them here!' 

What are tariffs and why has Trump's plan to impose them been met with such criticism?

Tariffs are charges which governments can slap on certain goods or products imported into the country.

Taxing items coming into a country makes them more expensive – and people less likely to buy them as a result.

Imposing such tariffs makes people more likely to turn to local products instead – theoretically protecting domestic jobs.

However, Governments usually try to negotiate minimum tariffs so that goods can be traded freely around the world.

This is because for many years most politicians have agreed that free trade leads to greater wealth and makes products cheaper to buy in the shops.

The US says the balance had shifted because China has massively ramped up the amount of steel it has produced in recent years and dumped it cheaply on the market.

This global steel glut has made it far harder for steel industries in other countries to compete - prompting plant closures and job losses.

Donald Trump has responded to domestic anger by imposing his hefty tariffs in a bid to protect the American steel industry.

But critics around the world have blasted the move - warning this will result in a tit for tat trade war which will only push up prices in the long term. The US is the largest export market for EU cars - making up a quarter of the total value of around £170billion a year.

Germany is responsible for just over half of the bloc's car exports.

But nearly 15 per cent of the 90,000 cars exported from the UK each year go to US markets. 

Hundreds of thousands of jobs in Britain rely on the car industry, with companies such as Nissan and Honda operating major plants. 

Shares in car firms such as Volkswagen and BMW dropped sharply after Mr Trump's tweet - although they did recover to some extent amid speculation that he might not be able to follow through on the threat.

Earlier, the Prime Minister's spokesman denied that the EU move was 'tit for tat' or excessive.

‘We believe plans the EU have put forward are measured and proportionate,’ the spokesman said 

Mrs May is also expected to raise the issue of trade when Mr Trump comes to the UK for the first time next month. 

'The Prime Minister will use the opportunity of the President’s visit next month to discuss trade,’ the spokesman added. 

Mr Trump's assault on imports came as he pushed his case that the US is being fleeced by the rest of the world, who refuse to open their own markets.

Next month the US will impose higher taxes on billions of pounds worth of Chinese goods, with Beijing vowing to hit back by targeting American soy beans and other farm products.

But the EU has unveiled a raft of countermeasures intended to hit US products from industrial heartlands that tend to be Trump strongholds.

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Canada and the EU are the biggest sources of steel for the US in terms of monetary value

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An analysis of goods traded across the Atlantic shows Europe is particularly vulnerable to tariffs on cars (top row) while the US would be hit hardest by levies on aircraft (second row) 

The majority of US goods targeted, such as tobacco, jeans, Harley Davidson motorcycles, cranberries and peanut butter, will face a tariff of 25 per cent.

Pleasure boats and make up are also being charged at that rate.  

However, 50 per cent is being imposed on footwear, some types of clothing, toilets and washing machines. 

Among dozens of specific sanctions, playing cards and hairspray are facing a 10 per cent levy.

Orange juice seems to have been picked out by Brussels as it is a major export for Florida, a swing state in US elections.

The impact on prices in the UK will depend on how much of the extra costs are absorbed by the manufacturers and retailers.

However, they will inevitably be pushed up to some extent. 

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Orange juice seems to have been picked out by Brussels as it is a major export for Florida, a swing state in US elections 

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American peanut butter is among the goods being targeted by the EU as part of its response to the US duties on steel

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel led resistance to Mr Trump at the G7 summit earlier this month after he accused other states of 'robbing' his country through their trade policies

India has said it will hike taxes on 29 products imported from the US - including some agricultural goods, steel and iron products.

South Korea, Argentina, Australia and Brazil have agreed to put limits on the volume of metals they export to the US in order to avoid levies.

UK's car industry in the firing line in trade war

The US is the largest export market for EU cars - making up a quarter of the total value of around £170billion a year.

Germany is responsible for just over half of the bloc's car exports.

But nearly 15 per cent of the 90,000 cars exported from the UK each year go to US markets. 

Hundreds of thousands of jobs in Britain rely on the car industry, with companies such as Nissan and Honda operating major plants.  Canada has announced it will impose higher charges on around £9.5billion of US exports from next month.

A fortnight ago Mexico put tariffs on around £2.2billion worth of American products such as steel, pork and bourbon.

Mrs May was among a group of premiers, spearheaded by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who berated the US president over his imposition of punitive steel tariffs at a bad-tempered G7 summit earlier this month.

The powerful group of countries - the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy - eventually hammered out a statement committing to 'free, fair, and mutually beneficial trade' and tackling protectionism. 

But within minutes Mr Trump dramatically condemned the communique and launched a furious attack on Canadian host Justin Trudeau.

Despite the differences, Mr Trudeau announced that the leaders had managed to agree a joint communique at the summit which highlighted the importance of 'free, fair and mutually beneficial trade and investment' and said the G7 would 'continue to fight protectionism'. 

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Mrs May (pictured centre left) was among a group of leaders who berated the US president about his imposition of punitive steel tariffs at the G7 summit in Canada

He said: 'We had some strong, firm conversations on trade and specifically on American tariffs.'

But after saying he would give his relationship with fellow world leaders 10 out of 10, Mr Trump hit out at his northern neighbour.

He tweeted that he would not now endorse the communique due to 'false statements' from the Canadian PM.

He wrote: 'Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!'

He added: 'PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, 'US Tariffs were kind of insulting' and he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270 per cent on dairy!' 

Trump discusses trade and tariffs with G7 leaders in Canada

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Mr Trump and Mr Trudeau (pictured right) clashed bitterly at the G7 summit that took place in Canada earlier this month

Trump's tariffs explained: What are they, how has the world reacted and what are the implications for Britain and global trade? 

The European Union has announced its retaliatory tariffs after the imposition of new charges on steel and aluminium from Europe to America. 

The EU action immediately prompted Donald Trump to threaten a new round of tariffs on European cars sold to America. 

Here we explain all the key issues and the implications at stake.

What has Donald Trump's government done?

The US government has announced it will begin imposing steel and aluminium tariffs on US allies Canada, Mexico and the European Union.

Canada, Mexico and the EU together exported around £17billion worth of steel and aluminium to the US in 2017, equating to nearly half of the total steel and aluminium imports last year.

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New tariffs: Donald Trump's government has imposed new trade tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the US from the EU, Canada and Mexico

What does 'imposing a trade tariff' really mean?

That any steel and aluminium imports from the EU, Canada and Mexico to the US will be slapped with a 25 per cent and 10 per cent tax respectively.

The tariffs will hit a wide range of products, including plated steel, slabs, coil and rolls of aluminium, all of which are used extensively within the US manufacturing, oil and construction sectors. 

When do the new tariffs take effect?

The new tariffs imposed on Canada, Mexico and the EU took effect at midnight on Thursday 31 May. 

Why has Trump done this?

Trade played a major role in Trump's presidential campaign back in 2016. During that campaign, Trump blamed unfair global trade deals on job losses within the US.

Since 2000, 50,000 jobs have been lost in the steel industry and 40,000 in the aluminium factories. 

Speaking at a metals recycling facility in Monessen, Pennsylvania, in June 2016, Trump said: 'We tax and regulate and restrict our companies to death and then we allow foreign countries that cheat to export their goods to us tax-free. How stupid is this? How could it happen? How stupid is this?'.

He added: 'We are going to put American steel and aluminium back into the backbone of our country.' 

During the speech, Trump warned he would impose taxes and tariffs on foreign countries importing their products into the US.

Before this week, what tariffs had Trump already introduced?

On 1 March, Trump announced he was introducing a 25 per cent charge on steel imports and a 10 per cent charge on aluminium imports. In total, the tariffs would have an impact on around $48billion worth of trade.

By imposing the tariffs, Trump was primarily taking aim at China, which had been dubbed by the president as the 'bad guy' of global trade.

The tariffs were supposed to come into force the following week. 

After a backlash, Trump then initially suspended the tariffs for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, South Korea, Canada, Mexico and the EU from the tariffs, pending further negotiations.

If those negotiations did not make sufficient progress in Trump's eyes, then the tariffs would be imposed at a later date. This is exactly what ended up happening.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has said talks with the EU, Canada and Mexico had not made enough progress to warrant a further reprieve, meaning the geographical reach of the tariffs has been extended.

What are the implications for Britain?

Around 7 per cent of the UK's steel output, 350,000 tonnes, was exported to the US last year. For this reason, the industry fears the tariffs could cause serious damage. 

The UK's steel sector remains a major employer, despite having shrunk significantly in recent decades.

Around 4,000 people are employed at Tata's giant Port Talbot steelworks in south Wales. British Steel, which in its current form was founded in 2016 from assets acquired from Tata by Greybull Capita and has production sites in Scunthorpe, Skinningrove and Teesside.

While accounting for less than 1 per cent of economic output, the steel sector is still regarded as strategically important for both manufacturing and defence. 

Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 'It is hugely disappointing that the US government has chosen to push ahead with these tariffs, which will hurt companies and communities in many areas of the UK, as well as their customers in the US.

'The UK government must reach out to and support the many supply chain businesses that face becoming the "collateral damage" of the Trump administration’s protectionist push. British ministers must also work hand in hand with the EU to avoid any further escalation, and to find a long-term solution.

As the UK leaves the EU, the American government’s decision to impose punitive tariffs is a helpful reminder that self-interest looms large in trade negotiations. Ministers should reflect on this carefully before they pursue any future trade deal between the UK and the USA.'  

How has Britain's government reacted to the announcement so far?  

A government spokesman said they were 'deeply disappointed' and that the UK and other EU countries, being close allies of the US, had not been 'permanently and fully exempted' from the tariffs.

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UK reaction: A government spokesman said they were 'deeply disappointed' by the tariffs

He added: 'We will continue to work closely with the EU and US administration to achieve a permanent exemption, and to ensure that UK workers are protected and safeguarded.'

UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said the levy on steel was 'patently absurd'.

He added: 'It would be a great pity if we ended up in a tit-for-tat trade dispute with our closest allies.'

Barry Gardiner, of the Labour party, said the measures were 'based on a lie', adding the UK should not be 'bullied by the president... we believe in a rules-based system and Trump doesn't.'

It remains unclear whether the tariffs will have any implications for a future trade deal with the US after Brexit.

How has the EU reacted so far?

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said he plans to take the US to the World Trade Organization over the American tariffs.

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Fierce reaction: Juncker branded the tariffs 'totally unacceptable'

Juncker branded the tariffs 'totally unacceptable.'.

The EU has also issued a 10-page list of tariffs on US goods ranging from Harley-Davidson motorcycles to food goods.

The first round of new EU tariffs kicked in today - prompting an immediate threat from Donald Trump to add tariffs to European cars.  

What is the reaction from Canada and Mexico?

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said the US's move was 'totally unacceptable' and rejected the claim that his country posed a national security threat to America.

In response, Canada plans to impose tariffs of up to 25 per cent on roughly $13billion worth of US exports from 1 July.

Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said his country was planning new duties for imports of steel, pork, apples, grapes, blueberries and cheese from the US. 

How have the markets reacted?

With fears over a potential trade war looming large, in the immediate aftermath of the announcement, the Dow Jones dipped by around 1 per cent, France’s CAC lost half a per cent and Germany’s DAX fell by 1.4 per cent. In the UK, the FTSE 100 is currently up 0.66 per cent to 7,728.81. 

Will the tariffs end up being a success for the US?

Reaction on exactly how the tariffs will end up affecting the US in the long-run is mixed.

Professor Inderjeet Parmar, of the University of London, said: 'The impact of tariffs on steel and aluminium on US jobs is minimal as it will increase prices for other goods that use those metals like cars etc. and prices will go up in the US.'

He added: 'The US will want to open up UK financial and health services to US firms and prices once EU regulations on price and safety are gone. But the EU will not want those regulations to be abolished by the UK and will expect any deal with the UK to retain health and other standards in return for a deal with the EU.

'Generally, this is a big headache but not a war; it will place May in a tough position as the US is so close of an ally.”

Professor David Collins, Professor of International Economic Law at City, of the University of London, said: 'It is very difficult to speculate how President Trump thinks, and his tweets are not necessarily a good indication, but presumably he expects that in the longer term the steel and aluminium tariffs will benefit the US economy, even if in the short term there are problems in terms of higher costs to consumers and manufacturers.

'I suspect that he envisions the tariffs as a tactical manoeuvre to gain concessions from Canada and Mexico in NAFTA negotiations and possibly to secure the EU’s support for blocking China’s role in the over-supply of steel on global markets.'

What is China's role in all this?

China's position in the world of global trade plays a major role in the US government's latest tariff introductions.

In his presidential campaign, Trump outlined his plans for a crackdown on China, accusing the country of flooding the global market with cheap metals.

On a historical level, it is China, as well as Russia, that have been the US's main 'enemies'. By imposing the tariffs on the EU, Canada and Mexico, the president has, for the time being, taken the focus and heat away from China. 

Last year, Trump instructed the US Trade Representative to investigate Chinese violations of intellectual property rights, invoking Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. 

On 22 March, the USTR concluded that China had implemented unreasonable policies and unfair practices to acquire foreign technologies.

Trump has since announced measures to penalise China and hit its global trade operations. But for the moment, Trump has imposed more trade tariffs on his supposed allies than China.

The US has said it plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on $50billion worth of Chinese imports 'shortly' after mid-June.

China has retaliated to Trump's stance by implementing retaliatory tariffs of up to 25 per cent on $3billion worth of food imports from the US, raising uncertainty over the possibility of a trade war between the two countries.