Trump Sticks to Tariff Deadline
Today's must-reads:
• Trump sticks to tariff deadline
• Sydney lashed by storm
• NZ business optimism
Donald Trump is sticking to his tariff deadline. The US president said he is not considering a delay to his July 9 target for higher tariffs to resume and renewed his threat to cut off talks and impose duty rates on several nations, including Japan.
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Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Best opportunity' for peace: PM defends Palestine call
Palestinian statehood is the best chance for a long-term solution to the Middle East conflict, the prime minister says, despite concerns it could be counterproductive for peace. Anthony Albanese on Monday confirmed Australia would back recognition of a state of Palestine at a United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York in September. The move brings Australia into line with allies such as the United Kingdom, France and Canada, which have already outlined similar plans for recognition. Mr Albanese deflected criticism that recognition would do little on the ground in Gaza, saying a different approach is needed to end the conflict. "This is the best opportunity that there is out of a crisis to actually provide a long-term solution," he told Seven's Sunrise program on Tuesday. "To continue to do the same thing is not enough." The prime minister said the international community was sending a message, in recognising a Palestinian state, that the status quo in the Middle East could not continue. "The international community are saying we need to find a solution that provides security for the state of Israel but also recognises the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for their own state," he said. I welcome the fact that Australian Prime Minister @AlboMP is joining the momentum we created in New York, which has already been supported by the United Kingdom, Canada, Portugal, and others. This reflects our commitment to the two-State solution… — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 11, 2025 Foreign Minister Penny Wong said statehood would give the Palestinian people a sense of hope for the future. "We know this is a hard road to walk, but the alternative is to accept where we are, and I think the international community is saying to both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples we have to find a different path," she told ABC radio. "The practical steps for recognition will be tied to the commitments that the Palestinian Authority have made." The commitments include the assurance that Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organisation and controls Gaza, will play no role in any future government. Israel has criticised the move, saying it will be counterproductive to peace in the Gaza Strip and its demands for the release of Israeli hostages. PM Netanyahu:"The truth is, Hamas still has thousands of armed terrorists in Gaza. It vows to repeat the October 7 massacre and to do so again and again. It openly professes its goal to destroy the State of Israel. — Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 10, 2025 Israel's Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon said Palestinian recognition would "not change the reality on the ground". Liberal MP Tim Wilson, whose Victorian seat of Goldstein includes Jewish voters, says Mr Albanese's decision is "actually immoral". "We can't have a situation where we have a government that is kowtowing, literally, to the ambitions of ... terrorists," he told Nine's Today show, referring to Hamas. "They're essentially handing over the keys to the kingdom. "What they've done is actually immoral." French President Emmanuel Macron praised the decision by Australia on social media, saying it showed a commitment to a two-state solution, which includes the state of Israel. More than two million Palestinians face severe food insecurity, based on United Nations projections. At least 90,000 protesters marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge earlier in August to call on the government to sanction Israel. The crisis in Gaza began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 more hostage. Israel's military response has since killed more than 61,000 people, according to Gaza's health authorities. Israel has denied the population is suffering or dying from starvation, even though it has throttled the flow of aid to Gaza for months, international human rights groups have said.
The Hill
8 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump taps conservative economist EJ Antoni to serve as next labor statistics chief
President Trump on Monday announced he would nominate E.J. Antoni, a top economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, to serve as the next commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after he pushed out the previous leader. 'Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'I know E.J. Antoni will do an incredible job in this new role. Congratulations E.J.!' Antoni is the chief economist at the Heritage Foundation and previously contributed to Project 2025's policy rubric, which outlined potential moves for the next GOP administration during the 2024 campaign. Antoni has in the past expressed skepticism about data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He recently appeared on conservative firebrand Steve Bannon's podcast to urge Trump to fire the previous commissioner, Erika McEntarfer. The position requires Senate confirmation, but Republicans hold a 53-47 GOP majority, giving Antoni a path to the job even if there are defections. Trump earlier this month ordered the firing of McEntarfer, a Biden White House appointee who was confirmed with a large bipartisan majority in the Senate in 2024. The move came after the jobs report released in early August showed lower-than-expected hiring in July and major downward revisions to the jobs reports from May and June. While Trump and his allies argued it was a move intended to improve transparency and accuracy, critics noted McEntarfer had little to do with what the numbers showed. Economists and lawmakers also expressed concern that it would erode credibility and confidence in government data, hurting businesses and consumers in the process.
The Hill
8 minutes ago
- The Hill
EPA axes union contract
'The Trump administration and EPA's unlawful and authoritarian move to unilaterally strip EPA workers of their collective bargaining agreement and workplace rights is nothing short of an assault on our democracy, the rule of law, and the lives of working people in America,' said Justin Chen, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238, which represents 8,000 EPA staffers, in a written statement. He also said the union would fight the decision, saying 'AFGE Council 238 is united in our fight to defend our rights, our agency's mission, and to protect the future of our country and planet. We will see the administration in court.' An EPA spokesperson cited a March executive order that sought to limit union activity at various agencies. 'EPA is working to diligently implement President Trump's Executive Orders with respect to AFGE, including 'Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs,' in compliance with the law.' an EPA spokesperson told The Hill on Friday. A similar decision was made at the Department of Veterans Affairs this week. Both agencies' actions come after a federal court sided with the Trump administration on the issue.
