
Advantage China? Plus saving British Steel
In all the confusion of Donald Trump's trade policies, two things have become clearer. First, that China is the White House's main tariff target and, second, that Beijing has a strategy that may result in its economy coming out in better shape than America's.
As Patrick Wintour explains for our big story, the Chinese government looks to have game-played how to 'fight to the end' against Trump's economic animus. Beijing's signal to the rest of the world that it is committed to multilateral trade and remains a stable partner has been met with a guarded welcome in Europe.
As Rebecca Ratcliffe reports, China's leader Xi Jinping is also taking that message to Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia, countries that fear US tariffs may heavily damage their US export-reliant economies.
Veteran China watcher Isabel Hilton also examines how the tariff wars could pay off both politically and ideologically for Beijing.Get the Guardian Weekly delivered to your home address
Spotlight | Keeping the home furnaces burning What was behind the UK government's urgent recall of parliament to pass a law taking back control of Chinese-owned British Steel? Jasper Jolly and Jessica Elgot explain.
Spotlight | Still no sign of peace in UkraineDan Sabbagh reports from the eastern front as Ukrainian soldiers resign themselves to fight on into a third summer. He also analyses whether Russia's horrific Palm Sunday attack on residents of Sumy will alter the White House's attitude to Vladimir Putin.
Feature | How thieves are rolling off with cheese (and salmon too) Thefts of artisan cheese and other expensive delicacies are on the rise in the UK via scam orders that, as Will Coldwell finds out, have broken the trust between producers and their wholesale customers.
Opinion | Canadian pride swells after Trump's attacksBranding his northern neighbour the 51st state has done the US president no favours, says Chris Michael, who charts the ways in which such a ridiculous claim has only boosted unity in Canada.
Culture | The fabric of homeSean O'Hagan meets South Korean artist Do Ho Suh ahead of a major Tate Modern exhibition of how places he has lived have influenced his work.
Having just got back from an idyllic weekend of fell walking in England's Lake District, I was intrigued to learn about a new trail dedicated to the region's most famous bard, William Wordsworth. In truth, the spirits of the Lake Poets will accompany you along pretty much any path, but for first-time visitors this makes a fine starting point. Graham Snowdon, editor
The novelty of travelling by train from London to cities in Europe has still not worn off after three decades of journeys on Eurostar. However, the operation is in severe need of a refresh, with Covid and Brexit both taking their toll on the service. Jonn Elledge has his fingers crossed for a brighter future. Anthony Naughton, assistant editor
Audio | Ta-Nehisi Coates on why stories matter in the age of Trump – podcast
Video | Atomic secrets: Ukrainian scientist Dmitry Kalmykov Dmitry debates Kazakhstan's nuclear future
Gallery | Dylan Hausthor's small town dreamscape delve into faith, folklore and nature
We'd love to hear your thoughts on the magazine: for submissions to our letters page, please email weekly.letters@theguardian.com. For anything else, it's editorial.feedback@theguardian.com
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Telegraph
39 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Trump allies hit out as media call LA riots ‘an immigration protest'
The US media has come under fire from allies of Donald Trump for referring to the violent unrest on the streets of Los Angeles as 'protests'. The New York Times reported on Sunday that the US president had ordered the National Guard to the city to 'quell immigration protests'. Lauren Boebert, a Republican congresswoman, then wrote on X: 'To the media reporting on the situation in Los Angeles. The word you're looking for is 'insurrection'. 'Not protests. Definitely not 'mostly peaceful protests'. Insurrection!' JD Vance, the US vice-president, said 'insurrectionists' were responsible for the violence, adding: 'For the far-Left rioters, some helpful advice: peaceful protest is good. Rioting and obstructing justice is not.' The clashes in LA on Saturday were described as protests by CBS, ABC and CNN. Fox News and The New York Post, which support Mr Trump, referred to them as riots. Pictures taken overnight showed demonstrators launching fireworks towards police lines, as well as cars and shopping trolleys on fire. Fox News published a video showing border officials driving a van being attacked with rocks as they attempted to leave the scene of clashes in Paramount, California. Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, responded to the video: 'This is a violent insurrection.' Trouble broke out after immigration raids were carried out across LA throughout the week. As many as 118 arrests linked to immigration were made in LA this week, which Gavin Newsom, the California governor, described as 'cruel'. Mr Trump responded to the violence in Los Angeles on Saturday night by ordering 2,000 National Guard soldiers to LA. The first troops arrived in the early hours of Sunday morning. 'Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest… These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will not be tolerated,' Mr Trump posted on social media early on Sunday. Deploying the National Guard is a provision that is usually enacted by the state governor, and Mr Newsom described the order as 'unnecessary' and 'purposefully inflammatory'. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, warned that active duty Marines would be 'mobilised' if violence in Los Angeles continued, which Mr Newsom said was 'deranged'. On Saturday, a car was set on fire in the middle of an intersection in LA. Two individuals circled on motorbikes, as one waved a Mexican flag. The LA sheriff's department said it had arrested one person in the Paramount area, where two officers were treated in hospital for injuries. The department also said one car was burnt and that a fire at a shopping mall had been put out. Mr Trump has had a fractious relationship with the media since he first ran for office. On Sunday, ABC News suspended its veteran reporter, Terry Moran, after he posted tweets describing the president and his top adviser, Stephen Miller, as 'world-class haters'. Mr Moran interviewed Mr Trump in April to discuss the first 100 days of the president's second term. Commenting on his suspension, ABC said: 'ABC News stands for objectivity and impartiality in its news coverage and does not condone subjective personal attacks on others,' the representative said. 'The post does not reflect the views of ABC News and violated our standards – as a result, Terry Moran has been suspended pending further evaluation.'


Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Political divide widens as Trump deploys National Guard to Los Angeles
BEDMINSTER, New Jersey, June 8 (Reuters) - Republicans and Democrats traded barbs on Sunday after President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles amid massive protests against increasing and divisive immigration raids. "Important to remember that Trump isn't trying to heal or keep the peace. He is looking to inflame and divide," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said in one of the most direct rebukes. "His movement doesn't believe in democracy or protest - and if they get a chance to end the rule of law they will take it." Democratic Senator Cory Booker condemned Trump for deploying troops without California's approval, warning it would only escalate tensions. On NBC's "Meet the Press" he accused Trump of hypocrisy, and noted the president's inaction on January 6, 2021 when thousands of his supporters raided the U.S. Capitol and his subsequent pardons for those arrested. Footage showed at least a half dozen military-style vehicles and riot shields on Sunday at the federal building in Los Angeles with federal law enforcement firing gas canisters to disperse demonstrators protesting against the ICE crackdown. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Trump sparred over the protests, with Newsom condemning the federal response as an overreach, saying Trump wants "a spectacle," while the president accused Newsom of failing to maintain order. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday defended Trump's decision and said he had no concern about the National Guard deployment, adding, "One of our core principles is maintaining peace through strength. We do that in foreign affairs and domestic affairs as well. I don't think that's heavy handed." Republican Senator James Lankford said Trump is trying to de-escalate tensions, pointing to scenes of protesters throwing objects at law enforcement. He recalled similar unrest in 2020 in Seattle and Portland, where National Guard backed local law enforcement amid racial justice protests. The protests against the raids have become the latest focal point in a national debate over immigration, protest rights, and the use of federal force in domestic affairs. It also has fueled discussion on the boundaries of presidential power and the public's right to dissent.


The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
National guard deploys in downtown LA amid eerie calm after two days of unrest
On a foggy, unseasonably cold morning in Los Angeles, the national guardsmen suddenly pressed into service by Donald Trump to quell what he called a 'rebellion' against his government were nothing if not ready for their close-up. Outside a federal complex in downtown Los Angeles that includes a courthouse, a veterans' medical centre, and a jail, two dozen guardsmen in camouflage uniforms were arrayed in front of their military vehicles with semi-automatic weapons slung over their shoulders for the benefit of television and news photographers clustered on the sidewalk. They stood with the visors of their helmets up so the reporters could see their faces. Most wore shades, despite the gloomy weather, giving them the eerie appearance of extras from a Hollywood action movie more than shock troops for the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. After two days of unrest in response to heavy-handed raids by Trump's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) in downtown Los Angeles and in the heavily Latino suburb of Paramount, the day started off in an atmosphere of uneasy, almost surreal calm. The skyscrapers and government offices of downtown Los Angeles were ringed by vehicles from multiple law enforcement agencies – Los Angeles police and parking enforcement, county sheriffs, highway patrol and private security guards. Most, though, were deployed for an entirely different event – a festival and two-mile walk organized by the non-profit group the March of Dimes to raise money for maternal and infant health. The streets around Grand Park, across from City Hall, were closed to traffic, but the police seemed less interested in sniffing out anti-Ice protesters than they were in posing for pictures next to a bubble machine with March of Dimes volunteers dressed as Darth Vader and other Star Wars characters. 'We had the LAPD's community engagement Hummer come by earlier and they told us we had nothing to worry about,' event organizer Tanya Adolph said. 'They said they'd pull us if there was any risk to our safety. Our numbers are down markedly, I won't hide that, but we've still managed to raise $300,000.' Local activists have called for demonstrations against the immigration crackdown; one demonstration set for Boyle Heights east of downtown and the other outside City Hall. Many activists, though, were worried about continuing Ice raids, particularly in working-class, predominantly Latino parts of the LA area like Paramount – and worried, too, that any national guard presence heightened the risk of violence. Governor Gavin Newsom's office reported on Sunday that about 300 of the promised 2,000 national guardsmen had deployed in the LA area. In addition to the small presence downtown, a group of them was reported to have driven through Paramount, scene of clashes between protesters and local police outside a Home Depot on Saturday. Trump congratulated the national guardsmen on a 'great job' after what he called 'two days of violence, clashes and unrest' but, as several California political leaders pointed out, the national guard had not yet deployed when city police and sheriff's deputies used tear gas and flash-bang grenades to clear the streets. Both Ice and local activists estimated that about 45 people were arrested on Friday and Saturday, and several were reported to have been injured in confrontations with the police. Nick Stern, a news photographer, said he was shot in the leg by a less-lethal police round and was in hospital awaiting surgery. David Huerta, a prominent union leader with the Service Employees International Union, was also treated in hospital before being transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center, the federal lockup in downtown LA. One of many slogans spray-painted on the walls of the federal complex, within eyeshot of the national guardsman and the news crews, read: 'Free Huerta.' Others, daubed liberally on the walls of the complex around an entire city block, expressed rage against Ice and the Los Angeles police in equal measure. 'Fuck ICE. Kill all cops!' one graffiti message said. 'LAPD can suck it,' read another. Elsewhere in downtown Los Angeles, little seemed out of the ordinary. Homeless people slept undisturbed on a small patch of lawn on the south side of City Hall. Traffic moved unhindered past the county criminal court building and the main entrance to City Hall on Spring Street. Alejandro Ames, a Mexican American protester, who had traveled up from San Diego sat at a folding table on the west side of City Hall with a hand-scrawled sign that read: 'Republic against ICE and the police'. Ames said he was a Republican and hoped this would give extra credence to his plea for restraint by the federal authorities. 'I don't want 'em to go crazy,' he said. 'I want 'em to go home.'