Today in History: February 21, Malcolm X was shot and killed at age 39
In 1911, composer Gustav Mahler, despite a fever, conducted the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in what turned out to be his final concert. (He died the following May.)
In 1916, the Battle of Verdun, the longest battle of World War I, began in northeastern France.
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In 1965, civil rights activist Malcolm X, 39, was shot to death inside Harlem's Audubon Ballroom in New York. Three men identified as members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of murder and imprisoned; all were eventually paroled. (The convictions of two of the men were dismissed in November 2021, when prosecutors said new evidence had undermined the case against them.)
In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon began a historic visit to China, where he met with Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
In 1973, Israeli fighter planes shot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 over the Sinai Desert, killing all but five of the 113 people on board.
In 1975, former Attorney General John N. Mitchell, former White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, and former White House Domestic Affairs Adviser John D. Ehrlichman, were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up. (Each ended up serving less than two years.)
In 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi of the United States won the gold medal in women's figure skating at the Albertville Winter Olympics; Midori Ito of Japan won the silver, Nancy Kerrigan of the US won the bronze.
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In 1995, Chicago adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean by balloon, landing in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada after a 5,400 mile, four-day flight from South Korea.
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CNN
21 minutes ago
- CNN
Trade war: China isn't getting rid of its controls over rare earths, despite 90-day truce with US
Despite a 90-day truce in its trade war with the United States, China appears to be maintaining tight control over its rare earth exports – preserving a key source of leverage in future negotiations amid intensifying strategic rivalry with Washington. As part of last week's trade agreement in Geneva to temporarily roll back tariffs, China pledged to suspend or remove the 'non-tariff' countermeasures it imposed on the US since April 2. That has left businesses scrambling to find out whether that promise applies to China's export controls on seven rare earth minerals and associated products, which were imposed on April 4 as part of its retaliation against US President Donald Trump's 'reciprocal' tariffs on Chinese goods. Magnets made of these heavy rare earth elements are an essential part of everything from iPhones and electric vehicles to big-ticket weapons like F-35 fighter jets and missile systems. Yet their supply is completely dominated by China. Fresh off the plane from the trade talks in Geneva last week, US trade representative Jamieson Greer sought to ease concerns surrounding this potential vulnerability. In a Fox News interview, he answered affirmatively when asked whether China had agreed to lift its export restrictions on rare earths as part of the truce. 'Yep, the Chinese have agreed to remove those countermeasures,' Greer said. 'If they don't do those things, we're going to be back in a different situation. But I expect they'll remove them.' However, there's little sign to suggest China is removing its newly imposed rare earth export control regime. If anything, according to experts and industry insiders, Chinese authorities appear to be strengthening implementation and ramping up oversight. The system, introduced in April, does not ban exports outright, but requires government approval for each shipment. That had caused weeks long holdups as companies navigated the new regime, fueling fears among a wide range of American industries from automobile to defense. 'I would not be shocked to find that Mr Greer is expressing what he hopes will happen versus what has actually been negotiated to happen,' said Jon Hykawy, president of the Toronto-based industry advisory firm Stormcrow Capital. 'These controls are intended … to ensure that China does not run short of some materials that are needed for domestic Chinese priorities,' said Hykawy. Gracelin Baskaran, director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said China's export licensing regime is 'here to stay' and 'may stay for a long time,' allowing Beijing to retain its leverage in future trade talks with the US. If the US were to turn around and renege on their tariff policy, China can easily withhold the required licenses, she said, adding that the licensing policy is dynamic by design, giving Beijing the power to decide which companies or countries can access its rare earth minerals and magnets at any given time. Following the Geneva talks, China's Commerce Ministry removed 28 US firms from its dual-use export control list and pulled 17 American companies from another trade and investment backlist. But the ministry made no mention of any changes to the exports control on rare earth minerals and magnets. A spokesperson for the ministry said she had 'no information to share' on whether China is lifting the export controls at a regular news conference last Friday. Instead, Chinese authorities launched a crackdown on the smuggling of critical minerals – a broader category of resources that include rare earth elements. On May 12, the day US and China announced the tariff cuts, Chinese export regulators convened a meeting with authorities from multiple mineral-rich provinces with the aim to 'prevent the illegal outflow of strategic minerals' and 'strengthen oversight across every link of the production and supply chain.' On the same day, Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV, said in a post that 'China's rare earth export controls are continuing.' Meanwhile, after weeks of delay, China has started to issue export permits for rare earth magnets – a development that experts say shows the new licensing system is up and running, rather than restrictions being eased. Two Chinese rare earth magnet producers told CNN they had recently received licenses for exporting products containing dysprosium and terbium – elements that are often added to create more heat resistance in high-performance magnets commonly used in the automobile, aerospace and military industries. The approvals are granted under a 'one batch, one license' rule, meaning a new permit is required for each shipment and cannot be reused, according to the companies. One of the companies received its first export license for a shipment heading to Southeast Asia. It has since been granted several other licenses for exports to Europe, including the carmaker Volkswagen in Germany. 'We haven't received any indications about the (export control) system easing up,' a person close to the company told CNN. Volkswagen said in a statement that its suppliers have received indications that 'a limited number of export licenses have been granted.' Baskaran, from CSIS, said that instead of lifting the export controls on rare earths, China removed 28 American firms from its export control list. That means those companies, mostly aerospace and defense firms, are no longer banned from accessing dual-use materials from China, and their Chinese suppliers can now apply for export licenses for rare earth magnets. But it remains to be seen whether Beijing will ultimately give out licenses to American defense firms. China's rare earth export controls were 'specifically designed to hit the US defense industry, and I cannot envision China stepping back from that,' said Thomas Kruemmer, director of the Singapore-based mineral and metal supply chain firm Ginger International Trade and Investment. Under the new rules, exporters must include information about end-users in their applications, which take up to 45 working days to be approved. 'I am sure that in case of defense contractors, the Chinese Commerce Ministry will raise pesky questions, which the Americans may be unwilling to answer or may need Pentagon permission to answer,' Kruemmer said. 'This way they can conveniently delay the issuance of dual-use product export licenses beyond the self-set 45-day deadline, perhaps even beyond this 90-day (truce) window. And it still has the option to reject the license applications anyway.' The licensing rules can also offer China visibility into where the rare earth magnets end up. 'You can still get the material, but you have to fill out paperwork, describe to China who the end user is. You're going to give all this information and then (China) can see inside your downstream customer base and use and look for further vulnerability,' said James Kennedy, president of Three Consulting, a rare earths consultancy based in St Louis, Missouri. 'So it's very smart. They get a looking glass into what you're doing.' For decades, the US and other countries have been dependent on China's supply of rare earth minerals, which are difficult, costly and environmentally polluting to extract and process. China accounts for 61% of global mined rare earth production, but its control over the processing stage is much higher at 92% of the global output, according to the International Energy Agency. The April export controls are far from the first time Beijing has leveraged its dominance in the industry. In 2010, China halted shipments of rare earths to Japan for nearly two months over a territorial dispute. In late 2023, it imposed a ban on rare earth extraction and separation technologies. Beijing has also curbed exports of other critical minerals that are vital to the economy and global supply chains – including outright bans on the shipments of gallium, germanium, antimony and so-called superhard materials to the US. 'China's control over rare earths, cobalt, gallium and all these critical materials is a geopolitical weapon of never-before measured and seen effect,' Kennedy said. 'And at the end of the day, what this does is, it creates a lot of uncertainty. And that in itself is a powerful weapon.' Baskaran said that by granting some of its first export licenses of rare earth magnets to Volkswagen, China is sending a pointed geopolitical message. 'Germany is at the height of geopolitical crossfire. The US is unhappy that Germany has been overtly quite friendly with China. So, by giving it one of the first licenses, China is sending a very positive signal in the Chinese-German relationship,' she said. 'In this era of rising tension between the world's two geopolitical superpowers, the licensing system may stay as a larger form of power.' CNN's Joyce Jiang contributed reporting.
Los Angeles Times
30 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
New disputes emerge ahead of U.S.-China trade talks in London
BEIJING — U.S.-China trade talks in London this week are expected to take up a series of fresh disputes that have buffeted relations, threatening a fragile truce over tariffs. Both sides agreed in Geneva last month to a 90-day suspension of most of the 100%-plus tariffs they had imposed on each other in an escalating trade war that had sparked fears of recession. Since then, the U.S. and China have exchanged angry words about advanced semiconductors that power artificial intelligence, 'rare earths' that are vital to carmakers and other industries, and visas for Chinese students at American universities. President Trump spoke at length with Chinese leader Xi Jinping by phone Thursday in an attempt to put relations back on track. Trump announced on social media the next day that trade talks would be held Monday in London. The latest frictions began just a day after the May 12 announcement of the Geneva agreement to 'pause' tariffs for 90 days. The U.S. Commerce Department issued guidance saying the use of Ascend AI chips from Huawei, a leading Chinese tech company, could violate U.S. export controls. That's because the chips were probably developed with American technology despite restrictions on its export to China, the guidance said. The Chinese government wasn't pleased. One of its biggest beefs in recent years has been over U.S. moves to limit the access of Chinese companies to technology, and in particular to equipment and processes needed to produce the most advanced semiconductors. 'The Chinese side urges the U.S. side to immediately correct its erroneous practices,' a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wasn't in Geneva but will join the talks in London. Analysts say that suggests at least a willingness on the U.S. side to hear out China's concerns on export controls. One area where China holds the upper hand is in the mining and processing of rare earths. They are crucial for not only autos but also other products such as robots and military equipment. The Chinese government started requiring producers to obtain a license to export seven rare-earth elements in April. Resulting shortages sent automakers worldwide into a tizzy. As stockpiles ran down, some worried they would have to halt production. Trump, without mentioning rare earths specifically, took to social media to attack China. 'The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,' Trump posted on May 30. The Chinese government indicated Saturday that it is addressing the concerns, which have come from European companies as well. A Commerce Ministry statement said it had granted some approvals and 'will continue to strengthen the approval of applications that comply with regulations.' The scramble to resolve the rare-earth issue shows that China has a strong card to play if it wants to strike back against tariffs or other measures. Student visas don't normally figure in trade talks, but a U.S. announcement that it would begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students has emerged as another thorn in the relationship. The Chinese Commerce Ministry raised the issue when asked last week about the accusation that it had violated the consensus reached in Geneva. It replied that the U.S. had undermined the agreement by issuing export control guidelines for AI chips, stopping the sale of chip design software to China and saying it would revoke Chinese student visas. 'The United States has unilaterally provoked new economic and trade frictions,' the ministry said in a statement posted on its website. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a May 28 statement that the United States would 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' More than 270,000 Chinese students studied in the U.S. in the 2023-24 academic year. Moritsugu writes for the Associated Press.
CNN
30 minutes ago
- CNN
EU sounds alarm to China over rare earth export controls
The European Union has urged China to ease restrictions on rare earth materials – critical for everything from cars to washing machines – after Beijing's export controls disrupted supplies and triggered production turmoil across industries in Europe and America. Maros Sefcovic, the European Union's trade commissioner, said the issue was a 'priority' in his Tuesday meeting with Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao on the sidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development conference in Paris. 'I informed my Chinese counterpart about the alarming situation in the European car industry, but I would say industry as such because clearly rare earths and permanent magnets are absolutely essential for industrial production,' Sefcovic told reporters on Wednesday. At the height of its trade spat with America in April, China leveraged its global dominance in the rare earths supply chain and imposed new export controls on seven types of rare earth minerals and several magnets – needed for everything from everyday electronics and vehicles to big-ticket weapons such as F-35 fighter jets. China controls 90% of the global processing of rare earths. But despite a 90-day trade truce with the United States, Beijing has yet to loosen these controls, drawing ire from Washington. That has led to China and the US trading barbs in the past week, over which side violated the temporary trade agreement reached in Geneva. All the while, carmakers have warned that factory shutdowns are looming as they find it nearly impossible to import rare earth magnets from China. 'If it comes to the permanent magnets which are used clearly for civilian production, because you need them from washing machines to cars to any home appliance we have most probably at home all of us, this is extremely disruptive for the industry,' Sefcovic said. On Wednesday, a European automobile trade group similarly raised concerns over the 'significant disruption' in the European automotive supply chain posed by China's rare earth restrictions. 'China's export restrictions are already shutting down production in Europe's supplier sector,' said Benjamin Krieger, secretary general of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA), in a statement. Under China's new controls, exporters of rare earths and magnets are required to apply for a license for each shipment and provide supporting documentation to verify the intended end use of these materials. Since April, Chinese authorities have only approved about one-quarter of the hundreds of export license applications submitted, according to CLEPA. Moreover, the application process has been opaque and inconsistent across provinces, with some licenses denied on procedural grounds and others requiring disclosure of sensitive information, including intellectual property, CLEPA said. German carmaker Volkswagen has previously told CNN that its suppliers have been granted 'a limited number of export licenses.' China's customs data showed that shipments of rare earth magnets to Germany halved from March to April, the month the restrictions were put in place. At their meeting on Tuesday, Sefcovic and Wang compared data on licenses granted, and found their respective figures did not match, Sefcovic said. The two sides will talk 'relatively soon' once data is clarified, he added. Instead of China's current licensing regime, the EU trade chief said the bloc prefers a systematic solution, such as a general application once a year for each company, to avoid paperwork delays and stress applied to the industry. Across the Atlantic, US officials are also growing increasingly frustrated by the slow pace of China's rare earth export approvals. US President Donald Trump's administration believed that, as part of the trade truce, China would lift export restrictions on rare earths to the US – and has accused Beijing of violating the agreement reached in Geneva. Some Chinese suppliers have been granted approval to export rare earths to several American automakers – although those operations may not actually be in the US, according to a person familiar with the matter. 'However, the bigger picture remains, which is that approvals are going much slower than industry would like or require – there are apparently only a small handful of Chinese officials working their way through more than a thousand applications,' the source said. 'The implication (is) that it is clearly not a priority for China to speed this up.' A long-time rare earths trader in the US said his company is still waiting for Beijing to approve shipment requests filed by its Chinese suppliers seven weeks ago. One of the application documents asked for a photo of the end user's manufacturing facility, according to the rare earth trader, who requested anonymity to speak openly about the process. 'I don't know anyone who would be willing to do that. That's where I get the biggest pushback,' he said, referring to his customers, who are mostly end users – in both civilian and defense sectors. 'If the customers are associated with US defense, if they tell the truth, they're not gonna be approved,' he said. The export curbs have sent manufacturers scrambling to look for stockpiles of the now-restricted materials – and bidding at ever-higher prices. 'Anybody who has stockpiles on those are selling 4 to 7 times the price that would have been available to the marketplace two months ago,' the trader said. In some cases, such as with the soft metal yttrium, customers are willing to pay more than 10 times the price. But rare earth materials not on the export control list have also been impacted. 'We're seeing slower shipments. Chinese customs are scrutinizing the exports more than ever. All rare earths are being held up right now and taking longer to be shipped out,' the source said, noting that some suppliers have even refused to ship materials not on the restricted list due to the heightened scrutiny. Shipments of rare earth magnets to the US plunged 60% from March to April, according to Chinese customs data. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Thursday the country's export controls are 'in line with common international practices, non-discriminatory and not targeted at specific countries.' CNN's Fred He contributed reporting.
