US-China tariff talks 'a bit stalled,' need Trump, Xi input: Bessent
(Reuters) -- U.S. trade talks with China are "a bit stalled" and getting a deal over the finish line will likely need the direct involvement of President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday.
Two weeks after breakthrough negotiations led by Bessent that resulted in a temporary truce in the trade war between the world's two biggest economies, Bessent told Fox News that progress since then has been slow, but said he expects more talks in the next few weeks.
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The Mainichi
3 hours ago
- The Mainichi
FACT FOCUS: Trump's claims about remedial math at Harvard don't add up
As the White House moves to revoke Harvard University's certification to enroll foreign students -- escalating a battle between the administration and the oldest and wealthiest college in the U.S. -- President Donald Trump is falsely claiming that Harvard offers "remedial mathematics" on topics such as simple addition. He most recently took aim at the school's math offerings during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office on Wednesday for Interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News host who was formerly a county prosecutor and elected judge, in response to a question from a reporter about how the "confrontation" with Harvard will end. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: "Harvard announced two weeks ago that they're going to teach remedial mathematics, remedial, meaning they're going to teach low grade mathematics like two plus two is four. How did these people get into Harvard? If they can't, if they can't do basic mathematics, how did they do it?" THE FACTS: Harvard does not offer a remedial math class covering basic arithmetic. Asked whether Trump was referring to a specific class, a White House spokesperson provided information about Mathematics MA5, which was introduced in the fall of 2024 as a new format for an existing course that offers extra support in calculus. The original course -- Mathematics MA -- is still offered. "Harvard College does not offer any so-called remedial math classes," said James Chisholm, a spokesperson for the university's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which encompasses its undergraduate program. He added: "Math MA5 is a college-level calculus class. It is simply a new format of Math MA, the introductory freshman calculus course that has been taught at Harvard for decades." Students in Mathematics MA and MA5 have the exact same homework, exams and grading structure, according to Chisholm. The only difference is that the former meets three days a week and the latter five days a week. They are both prerequisites for higher-level math courses. One question on a sample exam Chisholm provided asks students to write a formula for determining the total number of cases during a hypothetical epidemic after a certain amount of days. The Harvard Crimson reported in September that Director of Introductory Math Brendan Kelly said Mathematics MA5 is "aimed at rectifying a lack of foundational algebra skills among students" created by the COVID-19 pandemic. A course description notes that its "extra support will target foundational skills in algebra, geometry, and quantitative reasoning." Harvard Extension School, the university's continuing education program aimed at working adults, offers a precalculus course. Most students need only register to attend. Those who want to pursue a degree must first successfully complete two or three courses in their chosen field of study. Those earning a certificate or taking a single course must only meet certain enrollment requirements, such as English proficiency. Harvard College undergraduates, who must apply to the university and be admitted under its rigorous admission standards, are not allowed to cross-register for Harvard Extension School classes. "Harvard Extension School is 100% distinct from Harvard College and the two have nothing to do with each other in terms of curriculum or students," said Chisholm. Harvard's Rising Scholars Program, an invite-only opportunity for incoming Harvard College students from "high schools that offered them limited college-level academic enrichment opportunities" offers a summer course for students who need an additional foundation on topics such as precalculus and algebra. "The important point on Rising Scholars is it's more about the incoming student's high school than the individual student's ability," said Chisholm. Harvard has also offered an Emerging Scholars Program to similarly support freshmen enrolled in introductory calculus who are interested in fields related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, in an effort to "correct systemic inequalities in math and science K-12 education that have affected our college students for many years." The median math score for the most recently enrolled undergraduate class at Harvard College was 790 out of 800 on the SATs and 35 out of 36 on the ACTs. The average high school GPA was 4.2. "There is no university in America that is as difficult to earn admission to as Harvard -- no matter your demographics," said Brian Taylor, managing partner at the college counseling service Ivy Coach. "President Trump's math in this case simply doesn't add up." (AP)
The Mainichi
4 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Career pathways in the US dim for international students as Trump cracks down on visas
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Since coming from China as a teenager for boarding school, Bob Zeng has imagined building a career in the United States. But as he prepared to graduate Thursday from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it felt like the last chapter of his life in America. Zeng said he has been rethinking his plans because of the Trump administration's pledge to aggressively revoke the visas of Chinese students. Having completed a masters degree in science and management, he is thinking about moving to Europe. Or going home to China. "I am worried about working here," said Zeng, 30. "You never know what's going to happen." Many international students come to the U.S. with hopes of gaining work experience and returning to their home countries or pursuing a career in the U.S. But the administration's intensifying scrutiny of international students -- and signs that formal career pathways for them may be closed -- are leading some to reconsider their plans. Beyond the steps the administration already has taken -- expanding the grounds for terminating students' ability to study in the U.S., adding new vetting for student visas, moving to block foreign enrollment at Harvard -- a key nominee has raised the possibility of ending a program that encourages international students to stay and gain work experience. About 240,000 of the 1.1 million people on student visas in the U.S. are on Optional Practical Training -- a one-year post-graduation period where they are authorized to work in fields related to their degrees. It can last up to three years for graduates in science, math and technology fields. President Donald Trump's nominee for director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said during his confirmation hearing on May 21 that he would like to see an end to post-graduate work authorization for international students. "What I want to see would be essentially a regulatory and sub-regulatory program that would allow us to remove the ability for employment authorizations for F-1 students beyond the time that they are in school," said Edlow, referring to the F-1 visas on which most international students attend college in the U.S. A program offers international students a foothold for careers in the US The opportunity to gain career experience at U.S. companies, especially in technology and other fields where American companies dominate, has long been a draw of studying here. Many enter the H-1B visa lottery, hoping to be selected for one of the employer-sponsored visas that offer a pathway to permanent residency in the United States. Threatening practical training opportunities would have long-term consequences for the U.S. in attracting international students, said Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, which represents international educators. "We turn global talent away at our own expense," Aw said. Like many international students, Marko, 29, finds himself glued to the news with a growing sense of alarm. His Optional Practical Training expires in a month, and he has applied for an extension but hasn't heard back, leaving him in limbo. Lawyers for the tech company where he works in New York City advised him to carry proof of his legal status in his wallet, which he finds "dehumanizing." "The message being sent now is that: You are not one of us, and we are going to get rid of you," said Marko, who asked that only his first name be used because he is worried about being targeted for removal from the country. He has lived in the U.S. for a decade spanning college and graduate school, but his family and friends back home have encouraged him to leave. His hope is that he gets the OPT extension and can then apply for an H-1B visa and continue his life in the U.S., but he also worries about anti-immigrant sentiment and who will be targeted next. Guy, an HIV researcher at Mount Sinai Hospital who declined to provide his last name for fear of retaliation, came to the United States in 2018 for a PhD program at New York University. He's now in his second year of OPT and would have to return to the United Kingdom if the program was terminated. Although he still feels welcome in New York City, he said it feels like there's a "war on immigrants in this country." "It's not a particularly attractive place to stay and do science right now," he said. Foreign students have been targeted on several fronts In his first administration, Trump floated the idea of curtailing OPT, but that did not materialize. During the campaign, he suggested he would give green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges, a sentiment that students and educators hoped would signal more welcoming policies. But his administration has cracked down on international students in several ways. In April, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began terminating the legal status of people with student visas who appeared in a database of police encounters. Many caught up in that effort were on OPT, and had to leave their jobs or risk violating laws about working without legal authorization. ICE eventually restored students' status after widespread legal challenges, but not before some chose to leave the country pre-emptively, fearing deportation. In mid-May, some recent graduates received letters threatening to terminate their status if they did not update their employment records. While the letters gave them an opportunity to fix any reporting issues, it sent another wave of uncertainty through international graduates. This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the government would move to revoke visas of Chinese students with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in "critical" fields. Yurong "Luanna" Jiang, a Chinese student who graduated Thursday from Harvard University, said in an interview that she had hoped to stay in the U.S. for a few years but she has been unsettled by the Trump administration's crackdown on visas. "In terms of the plan going forward, I would say everything is up in the air at this point," said Jiang, who is now open to going anywhere in the world to work in international development. "At this point, it's difficult to say what will happen." ___ Gecker reported from San Francisco, Toness and Michael Casey contributed from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Collin Binkley contributed from Washington.
Kyodo News
4 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Trump lauds Nippon Steel as "great partner" for U.S. Steel
KYODO NEWS - 7 hours ago - 13:24 | All, World President Donald Trump on Friday heaped praise on Nippon Steel Corp. over what he views as a partnership deal with United States Steel Corp., offering backing to the Japanese company's $14 billion investment into the iconic but struggling American producer. During a speech at a U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania, Trump called Nippon Steel a "great partner" and said the two steelmakers will form a "tremendous relationship" without offering many details about the deal, which he has never described as being the buyout the Japanese company has desired. "Most importantly, U.S. Steel will continue to be controlled by the USA," said Trump, who was against Nippon Steel's $14.1 billion takeover bid of U.S. Steel during the 2024 election campaign. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have done the deal." After returning from Pennsylvania, Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews near Washington that he still has to approve "the final deal" between the two steelmakers. His remarks during a visit to the plant in West Mifflin for a rally with steelworkers came after he unexpectedly struck a positive note a week earlier on "a planned partnership" between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel, welcoming the prospect of the at least 70,000 jobs it will create and $14 billion it will add to the U.S. economy. Trump also said he will raise tariffs on steel imports to 50 percent from the 25 percent that took effect in March along with the same rate charged on aluminum from most countries, citing national security. Trump later said on social media that the new tariff rate will go into effect on Wednesday. "Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before," he said. Nippon Steel, the world's fourth-largest producer, has sought to make U.S. Steel a wholly owned subsidiary. The Tokyo-headquartered company has yet to provide details of the latest status of the deal. "A strong steel industry is not just a matter of dignity or prosperity and pride," Trump said. "It's above all, a matter of national security." Trump said Nippon Steel's investment is the largest of any kind in the history of Pennsylvania and that the $14 billion is unprecedented in the history of the steel industry in the United States. He said it is "an incredible deal" that will ensure all U.S. Steel workers keep their jobs and all the company's facilities in the country remain open and thriving. The attendees of the rally included U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt and Takahiro Mori, Nippon Steel's vice chairman, who played a central role in negotiating the takeover bid. In addition to praising Burritt, Trump extolled Mori's contribution to making the landmark investment happen, saying, "He's highly respected all over the world for what he's done with steel." Trump said U.S. Steel will maintain all its existing operating blast furnaces "at full capacity for a minimum of the next 10 years, and we have that as a commitment." Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel announced their merger plan in December 2023. However, then President Joe Biden in early January this year issued an order blocking the sale of U.S. Steel to the Japanese firm, citing national security grounds, following a recommendation by a panel of federal agencies. Trump, who took office for a second term in January, ordered the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to conduct another review of Nippon Steel's proposed acquisition. With the review now complete, although its outcome remains unknown, Trump has until Thursday to determine whether to approve Nippon Steel's set of proposals. During the 2024 presidential election cycle, Biden and Trump stated that U.S. Steel should remain in domestic hands, a view shared by the leadership of the powerful United Steelworkers union. Both U.S. Steel and the powerful union are based in Pennsylvania, which was a key battleground state in the Nov. 5 presidential election, and the planned acquisition became highly political, although the proposed buyout came from a leading company from Japan, a close U.S. ally. Founded in 1901, U.S. Steel was once a symbol of American economic prowess, but it has struggled to keep up with competition from Chinese and other foreign rivals. U.S. Steel and its shareholders were supportive of the takeover, which would make it more competitive globally and create the world's third-largest steelmaker by volume. Related coverage: U.S. gov't eyes "golden share" in U.S. Steel amid Nippon Steel buyout Trump says U.S. Steel to remain under American control after deal
