Trump ‘emboldened' by trade success, flags potentially increasing global baseline tariff rate
Motley Fool Chief Investment Officer Scott Phillips has suggested that perhaps US President Donald Trump has been 'emboldened' by the success so far with America securing a few trade deals.
'I think that's probably what happened,' he told Sky News Australia.
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Perth Now
13 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Australia, France leaders discuss crisis in Gaza
The leaders of Australia and France have made plans to meet at a United Nations gathering, where Palestinian statehood and the crisis in Gaza will be major issues. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Emmanuel Macron spoke overnight, almost two weeks after France announced its intention to recognise Palestine at the general assembly meeting in New York in September. France was followed by Canada and the UK, which also stated their intentions, with conditions including the exit of Hamas from the Strip, the reform of the Palestinian Authority and demilitarisation of the state. "The leaders spoke about the crisis in Gaza and their ongoing commitment to getting aid to civilians," according to a readout of the call between Mr Albanese and Mr Macron. "Both leaders discussed their longstanding support for a two state solution. "The leaders agreed to stay in close touch and meet again at the United Nations General Assembly in September." More than 140 of the 193 UN member states already recognise the state of Palestine, including European Union members Spain and Ireland. Mr Albanese has said recognition by Australia is a matter of "when, not if", but has been hesitant to set a timeline. He's previously stated that any UN resolution would need to guarantee the designated terror group Hamas played no role in the future nation. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has revealed that Australia is working with other countries on the statehood issue to ensure its concerns are addressed. "We understand the urgency, we also understand the importance of having impact, we are obviously discussing and co-ordinating these issues with many countries," she said on Tuesday. "Everybody understands that there is a risk that there will be no Palestine left to recognise unless the international community work together towards two states. "We want to ensure work with others to ensure that Hamas has no role in a future Palestinian state, and we do have a unique opportunity at this time with the international community to isolate Hamas." Mr Albanese spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday morning, when he reiterated Australia's commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East that would allow Palestine and Israel to peacedfully co-exist. The crisis in Gaza began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 more hostage. Israel's retaliatory response has since killed more than 60,000 people, according to Gaza's health authorities. Mr Albanese also stressed to Mr Abbas the need for the immediate delivery of aid to Gaza, a permanent ceasefire and the release of all Israeli hostages taken by Hamas. Mr Abbas thanked Australia for its humanitarian support for Gaza and agreed to meet him on the sidelines of the UN meeting starting on September 9. In late July, Mr Albanese had a call with his UK counterpart Keir Starmer about support for a two-state solution. France was the first G7 group of major industrialised nations to announce it would recognise Palestine. The G7 includes France, the US, the UK, Italy, Germany, Canada and Japan.
News.com.au
13 minutes ago
- News.com.au
PM restates support for two-state solution in call with French President
Anthony Albanese has restated Australia's support for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine in a phone call with Emmanuel Macron. The French President was the first major Western leader to conditionally commit to recognising a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) next month amid starvation in Gaza. The UK and Canada soon followed, sparking speculation that Australia could be next. The Prime Minister has neither committed to nor ruled out doing so, but his government has acknowledged the global 'momentum' for Palestinian statehood. 'The leaders spoke about the crisis in Gaza and their ongoing commitment to getting aid to civilians,' according to a readout of the call put out on Wednesday. 'Both leaders discussed their longstanding support for a two-state solution.' The readout said they also 'discussed action on climate and France's support for Australia's joint bid to host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific' as well as 'the importance of finalising the Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement'. 'The leaders agreed to stay in close touch and meet again at the United Nations General Assembly in September,' it said. Mr Albanese held a similar call with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, earlier this week. France, the UK and Canada have all condemned Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023 and said the Palestinian Islamist group cannot play a role in Gaza's governance. Though, all have also made clear the civilian suffering in the war-ravaged strip cannot continue either. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would go ahead with recognition if Israel did not loosen its chokehold on aid flowing into Gaza, where the death toll from starvation has climbed to nearly 200, according to local health officials. Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday repeated the Albanese government's condemnation of Hamas and said there was an 'unique opportunity in the international community to isolate and diminish' it while giving life to a Palestinian state.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Trump takes an unexpected tour of White House roof
US President Donald Trump's day began typically enough, with a television interview and a call with Ukraine's leader, but then it took an unusual turn when he appeared on the roof of the White House's West Wing. Late Tuesday morning, Trump stepped onto the roof above the press briefing room and west colonnade that walls the Rose Garden. He spent nearly 20 minutes surveying the rooftop and the grounds below, including a newly paved makeover of the Rose Garden. Reporters, tipped off by the out-of-the-ordinary positioning of snipers above the Oval Office, shouted questions from below. One called out: "Sir, why are you on the roof?" "Taking a little walk," Trump shouted back. "It's good for your health." Trump walked with a small group that included James McCrery, architect of the newly announced $US200 million ($A309 million) ballroom project. They moved slowly, with Trump frequently gesturing and pointing at the roof and grounds. Several times, he wandered toward the corner nearest the press corps, waving and cupping his hands to shout responses to shouted questions. At one point, he said he was looking at "another way to spend my money for this country." Later, near the end of his appearance on the roof, Trump was asked what he was going to build. He quipped: "nuclear missiles". The unexpected walk on the rooftop comes as Trump looks to leave a lasting footprint on what's often referred to as the People's House. He has substantially redecorated the Oval Office through the addition of golden flourishes and cherubs, presidential portraits and other items and installed massive flagpoles on the north and south lawns to fly the American flag. And last week, his administration announced that construction on a massive ballroom will begin in September and be ready before Trump's term ends in early 2029. While Trump appeared on the West Wing, the White House has said the ballroom will be where the "small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits". While rare, there have been times through the years when presidents ventured out onto — and even slept on — the White House roof. To promote renewable energy, President Jimmy Carter installed 32 solar panels on the West Wing roof in the 1970s. The panels were removed during the Reagan administration. In 1910, President William Howard Taft had a sleeping porch built on the roof to escape Washington's hot summer nights.
