South Korea says timing of U.S. tariff cut on autos not decided
President Donald Trump said last week the U.S. will charge a 15% tariff on imports from South Korea, including autos, as part of a deal that eases tensions with a top-10 trading partner and key Asian ally. The 15% U.S. tariffs on most items coming from South Korea are due to take effect starting from Thursday.
South Korean auto makers such as Hyundai Motor (005380.KS), opens new tab and Kia (000270.KS), opens new tab want the tariff cut brought in swiftly to create a level playing field with Japanese and European rivals.
Separately, Japan's top tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said he would head to Washington this week to press Trump to sign an executive order to bring the cut to tariffs on Japanese auto imports into effect.
In the technology sector, Kim said the countries had agreed to continue talks on online platform legislation to make sure U.S. tech companies were not unfairly treated compared with domestic firms.
"Although the digital issue was not included in the latest agreement, there are major concerns about it among the U.S. government, parliament and businesses," he said at a parliamentary session.
The minister reiterated that there had been no agreement on the opening of the agriculture market, including beef, rice, fruit and other farm goods as part of the deal.
But he said the countries will increase cooperation in the quarantine process for fruit and vegetables, which has been cited by Washington as one of the non-tariff barriers that U.S. farmers face.
South Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said at a separate parliamentary session that the U.S. viewed the quarantine process for fruit and vegetables as too slow and asked Seoul to introduce a rational and scientific process.
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Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Inside Trump and Putin's relationship, their power moves, and how the Russian leader broke the 'alpha bro code'
Their crunch meeting is set for Friday, the venue will be Alaska, and when they get there Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will be watching each other like hawks for signs of weakness. Tensions are on a knife edge with Trump demanding Putin agree to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, two U.S. nuclear submarines heading toward Russia, and ominous threats about doomsday weapons emanating from Moscow. As they encounter each other in person for the first time since 2019, the demeanor of both men will be key as they try to gain the upper hand. According to body language expert Judi James, who has studied their previous meetings, Trump's most effective weapon could turn out to be humor, which he may use to disarm and belittle Putin. 'Putin seems more than comfortable being on the receiving end of frosty greetings,' she told the Daily Mail. Trump and Putin met six times during the U.S. President's first term. Initially, Trump appeared successful in recruiting Putin into a kind of 'global alpha men's club,' James said. But, more recently, Putin has ditched their 'bromance,' leaving Trump disappointed and frustrated. 'Trump's meetings with Putin work at a visceral level rather than an intellectual one,' James said. 'His body language narrative has been the classic story of alpha v. alpha... flaunting personal strength and power to seduce Putin into a state of the mutual respect. 'Unfortunately for Trump though, Putin is whip-smart when it comes to body language. Putin broke the alpha bro code and it will be fascinating to see how Trump now deals with him on a purely man-to-man level.' Here is an analysis of some of their previous key encounters, and what their body language tells us about the inner workings of their relationship. 2017: G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany It was an awkward start when the two leaders held their first meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit. 'They appeared to put in considerable effort to look distant and out of sorts with each other,' said James. 'Trump sat on the edge of his seat, his head slumped, making the back of his jacket ripple up like a wave behind his neck.' But Trump went on to use two key 'power moves' on Putin. First, he began feigning apparent disinterest in his opposite number, blinking and slowly looking around the room, anywhere but at the Russian president. Second, Trump shot out his arm to perform a 'hand platter' shake, with his palm facing up. That forced Putin to lean across and put his hand on top of Trump's, with the US. President gripping it and determining the length of the handshake. Putin adopted a 'vaguely compliant air' during the formal photographs, looking down with a 'miserable expression.' Trump repeated the 'hand platter' shake to show who was in charge. 2018: Helsinki The two men held two hours of talks behind closed doors. At a joint press conference President Trump then contradicted his own intelligence agencies, suggesting there was 'no reason' why Russia would have interfered in the 2016 U.S. election. 'By now Trump and Putin seemed to have had a meeting of alpha minds, with their choreographed, mirrored poses suggested like-minded thinking,' James said. 'They both stood with their chests puffed like Marvel superheroes, it looked like the perfect alpha pairing.' However, there was then a 'dramatic mood change' from Putin. 'It was noticeable that Putin's poses of relaxed and open confidence had vanished," James said. Trump this time offered a normal handshake with his palm turned inward. But when they shook, there was a 'look of wary eye-to-eye confrontation' suggesting a 'complex truce.' James said: 'They glared like boxers before a fight and both performed a lip-clamp to suggest firmness and resolution. 'The grasp looked tight, with Trump's knuckles going white and, importantly, Putin's left hand remain curled round his chair arm, suggesting he had no intention of being rocked off balance by one of Trump's jerking, yanking power shakes.' When Putin gave Trump a soccer ball as a gift, the U.S president held it 'stiffly' before throwing it to Melania. 2019: Osaka When Trump and Putin last met in person in Osaka, Japan in 2019, their 'bromance' was still superficially on track. Putin walked into the room and Trump threw both arms out to 'signal he felt he was greeting an old friend,' said James. 'There was a lack of fundamental mirroring here though,' she added. 'Putin's back was ramrod straight while Trump looked less formal.' Once again, Trump's handshake was telling. He extended his hand for a tight clasp and then performed a 'shake and yank,' attempting to pull Putin towards him to establish control. However Putin did not budge. 'There was smiling on both sides though to register an established friendship,' said James. 'Putin showed he could joke with Trump in English, and Trump performed preening gestures to suggest he was enjoying trading jokes with a fellow alpha. 'Trump's body language tactics tend to be basic and earthy. He is a great power-player with his power pats and power shakes.' But such rituals that 'seem so important to Trump seem to mean very little to Putin long-term,' she said.
BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
Bangladesh anniversary: Country faces a rocky road to election
Thousands of people gathered in central Dhaka this week celebrating the anniversary of the downfall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the promise of a new future for the the pouring rain, the head of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, leaders of various political parties and activists stood united as they unveiled plans for a "New Bangladesh".Across the country, people waved the national flag in concerts, rallies and special prayer sessions marking what some activists are calling the "second liberation" of this Muslim-majority nation of 170 million these jubilant scenes did not tell the whole story in the last 12 groups say there have been instances of lynching, mob violence, revenge attacks, and a resurgence of religious extremism which threaten to derail the country's journey towards the ex-prime minister who was so spectacularly pushed from power watches from the sidelines of exile in neighbouring India, denying her role in the deadly crackdown and refusing to return to face charges that amount to crimes against humanity. "I think we had a regime change, not a revolution. Fundamentally, misogyny remains intact, male dominance remains unchallenged," Shireen Huq, a women's rights activist, tells the Huq headed the Women's Affairs Reform Commission, one of the bodies set up by the interim government to bring social and political changes reflecting the uprising's goals of democracy and April this year, the 10-member body submitted its report calling for gender equality - particularly over women's right to inheritance and to divorce, called for criminalising marital rape and protecting the rights of sex workers, who face abuse and harassment from police and next month, thousands of Islamist hardliners took to the streets against the proposed recommendations, saying they were anti-Islamic and that "men and women can never be equal".The protesters - led by Hefazat-e-Islam, which has a representative on the interim government's cabinet of advisers - demanded the disbanding of the women's commission, and its members punished for making those no detailed public debate was held on the commission's proposals."I was disappointed that the interim government did not support us enough when we were subjected to lots of abuses by Hefazat-e-Islam," Ms Huq office did not respond to a request for comment on the allegation. Activists say the protests were just one example of how the hardliners - who had been pushed to the fringes during Hasina's tenure - had become have also objected to girls playing football matches in some parts of the country, women celebrities participating in commercial promotional events, and, in some instances, have harassed women in public places because of how they were dressed. But it is not just women who have borne the brunt. Hardliners have also vandalised scores of shrines of minorities like the Sufi Muslims in the past even as people like Ms Huq look to the future, Bangladesh is still confronting its a groundswell of anger against Hasina's Awami League-led government, which is accused of unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and brutal suppression of dissent. "You have a huge constituency of people in Bangladesh who wanted to see not just accountability but vengeance and retribution," says David Bergman, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher. However, he says, "one can't continue with the injustices that existed in the Awami League period and just replicate them in the current period".But that is what Hasina's Awami League claims is happening. It says hundreds of its supporters have been lynched over the past year - allegations the interim government journalists and supporters of the Awami League have been jailed for months on murder charges. Their bail applications have been repeatedly rejected by say there is no thorough investigation over those murder accusations, and they have been kept in detention only because of their previous support for the Awami League. "It takes time for stability to return after a major uprising. We are in a transitional phase," acknowledged Nahid Islam, a student leader who helped spearhead the protests and acted as an adviser to the interim government until agrees there are challenges facing the country, but dismisses concerns of growing Islamist influence, saying it was "part of a broader cultural struggle" that has existed for there are also signs of progress. Many credit the interim government with stabilising the country's economy and, contrary to fears, the banking sector has has met its loan obligations, kept food prices largely stable, and maintained robust foreign exchange reserves - currently at $30bn (£22bn) - thanks to remittances and international loans. Exports have also held there are other, less easily measurable argues that, since the fall of Hasina, "a democratic environment has been established, and now everyone can express their views freely". That is something to be celebrated in a country shaped by a history of political turbulence, military coups, assassinations, and bitter that is being questioned by influence of student leaders over the interim government has drawn criticism. They were given the roles in recognition for their leadership in the unprecedented protests which toppled Hasina. Today, two remain in the cabinet, and critics say some controversial decisions, such as the temporary ban on the Awami League, were made under student pressure."The government has at times complied with some of the populist demands, particularly by the students, fearing more threatening protests could otherwise erupt. However, that was the exception rather than the rule," Mr Bergman an exiled leader from the Awami League alleges that the party's supporters are being silenced by not being allowed to contest the next poll - with most of its leaders in exile or in prison."The elections will not be inclusive without the participation of the Awami League," Mohammad Ali Arafat, former minister in Hasina's cabinet, tells the its latest report, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said there had been an alarming rise in mob violence while extra-judicial killings and deaths in custody had persisted in the past year."We have overthrown an authoritarian regime, but unless we put an end to the authoritarian practices, we cannot really create a new Bangladesh," Iftekhar Zaman, the executive director of the TIB, said during the launch of the report earlier this Bangladesh stands at a crossroads, the next six months will be argue that, if there are no meaningful changes to the chequered political system, the sacrifices of those killed in the uprising could be rendered meaningless.
The Guardian
44 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Trump news at a glance: Lutnick threatens Harvard patents; former Fox commentator bound for UN
The Trump administrations has threatened Harvard's lucrative portfolio of patents amid its long-running dispute with the university, accusing it of breaching legal and contractual requirements tied to federally funded research. In a letter, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick demanded that Harvard provide within four weeks a list of all patents stemming from federally funded research grants, including how the patents are used and whether any licensing requires 'substantial US manufacturing'. Harvard did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Many civil rights experts, faculty and White House critics believe the Trump administration's targeting of schools for supposedly failing to address antisemitism on campus is a pretext to assert federal control and threaten academic freedom and free speech. In his letter to Harvard, Lutnick also said the commerce department had begun a 'march-in' process under the federal Bayh-Dole Act that could let the government take ownership of the patents or grant licenses. As of 1 July 2024, Harvard held more than 5,800 patents, and had more than 900 technology licenses with over 650 industry partners, according to the Harvard Office of Technology Development. Read the full story Donald Trump said on Saturday he was nominating former Fox News commentator Tammy Bruce as the next US deputy representative to the United Nations. Bruce has been serving as the chief spokesperson for the state department since Trump took office this year. Trump said Bruce, who had no prior foreign policy experience before becoming spokesperson in January, 'will represent our country brilliantly at the United Nations'. Read the full story The removal of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) commissioner Billy Long after just two months came after the federal tax collection agency said it could not release some information on taxpayers suspected of being in the US illegally, it was reported on Saturday. The Washington Post reported the Department of Homeland Security had sent the IRS a list of 40,000 names that it suspected of being in the country illegally. DHS asked the tax service to crosscheck confidential taxpayer data to verify their addresses. The IRS reportedly responded that it was able to verify fewer than 3% of the names on the DHS list, but declined requests for further information, citing taxpayer privacy rights. Read the full story Extreme GOP gerrymanders have remade American politics over the last 15 years. They have locked Republicans into office in state legislatures nationwide, even in purple states when Democratic candidates win more votes. They have delivered a reliable and enduring edge to the GOP in the race for Congress. How did we get here? How did gerrymandered lines, rather than voters, gain the power to determine winners and losers? Read the full story The US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, recently shared a video in which several pastors say women should no longer be allowed to vote, prompting one progressive evangelical organization to express concern. Hegseth reposted a nearly seven-minute report CNN segment on X on Thursday that focuses on pastor Doug Wilson, a Christian nationalist. In the segment, he raises the idea of women not voting. Doug Pagitt, a pastor and the executive director of the progressive evangelical organization Vote Common Good, said the ideas in the video were views that 'small fringes of Christians keep' and said it was 'very disturbing' that Hegseth would amplify them. Read the full story Vinay Prasad is returning to his role overseeing vaccine, gene therapy and blood product regulation at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a little more than a week after he left the agency. Two days before Prasad stepped down last month, Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer and conspiracy theorist, had released misleadingly edited audio to suggest Prasad had admitted sticking pins in a Trump voodoo doll, when the full audio made it clear that he was talking about the kind of thing an imagined liberal Trump-hater would do. Prasad is an oncologist who was a fierce critic of US Covid-19 vaccines and mask mandates. Read the full story A Georgia man who opened fire on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta on Friday, killing a police officer, had blamed a Covid-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal, a law enforcement official said. Documents filed recently in the New Orleans Roman Catholic archdiocese's five-year bankruptcy case provide more clarity on how claims will be doled out to survivors of clergy abuse if a proposed settlement is approved. Catching up? Here's what happened on 8 August 2025.
