LIVE: Israel pounds Gaza, Yemen; Houthis fire more missiles
US President Donald Trump says there is a 'good chance' that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas could be reached this week.
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Qatar Tribune
32 minutes ago
- Qatar Tribune
Deals made by Trump since pausing his ‘Liberation Day' tariffs remain sparse
Agencies Just over three months ago, President Donald Trump unveiled his most sweeping volley of tariffs yet — holding up large charts from the White House Rose Garden to outline new import taxes that the U.S. would soon slap on goods from nearly every country in the world. But in line with much of Trump's on-again, off-again trade policy playbook, the bulk of those 'Liberation Day' levies in April were postponed just hours after they took effectin a 90-day suspension that arrived in an apparent effort to quell global market panic and facilitate country-by-country negotiations. At that time, the administration set a lofty goal of reaching 90 trade deals in 90 days. Now, with the July 9 deadline looming, the U.S. has only announced pacts with the United Kingdom and Vietnam — as well as a 'framework″ agreement with China in a separate trade dispute. News of these deals often trickled through social media posts from the president and, even when countries on both sides of a negotiation table made more official announcements, many key details — including timing — were sparse. The Trump administration has since hinted that some trading partners might get more time for talks. Over the July 4th holiday weekend, Trump said that the U.S. would start sending letters to certain countries warning that higher tariffs could kick in Aug. 1. Trump took to Truth Social on Monday to share letters he sent to the leaders of Japan and South Korea, declaring that both countries would see 25% tariffs on goods entering the U.S. starting Aug. 1. Even with negotiations ongoing, most countries have still faced a minimum 10% levy on goods entering the U.S. over the past three months, on top of punishing new taxes targeting foreign steel and aluminum as well as auto imports. The 90-day pause pushed back additional steeper rates, which Trump calls 'reciprocal' tariffs, for dozens of nations. Here's what we know about the trade deals announced since April. On July 2, Trump announced a trade deal with Vietnam that he said would allow U.S. goods to enter the country duty-free. Vietnamese exports to the United States, by contrast, would face a 20% levy. That's less than half the 46% 'reciprocal' rate Trump proposed for Vietnamese goods back in April. But in addition to the new 20% tariff rate, Trump said the U.S. would impose a 40% tax on 'transshipping'' — targeting goods from another country that stop in Vietnam on their way to the United States. Washington complains that Chinese goods have been dodging higher U.S. tariffs by transiting through Vietnam. It wasn't immediately clear when these new rates would go into effect or whether they would come on top of any other previously-imposed levies. Like most other countries, Vietnam has faced Trump's 10% baseline tariff for the last three months. On May 8, Trump agreed to cut tariffs on British autos, steel and aluminum, among other trade pledges — while the U.K. promised to reduce levies on U.S. products like olive oil, wine and sports equipment. The deal was announced in grandiose terms by both countries, but some key details remained unknown for weeks. When the deal was announced, for example, the British government notably said that the U.S. agreed to exempt the U.K. from its then-universal 25% duties on foreign steel and aluminum — which would have effectively allowed both metals from the country to come into the U.S. duty-free. But the timing for when those cuts would actually take effect stayed up in the air for almost a month. It wasn't until early June, when Trump hiked his steel and aluminum tariffs to a punishing 50% worldwide, that the U.S. acknowledged it was time to implement the agreement. And even then, U.S. tariffs on British steel and aluminum did not go to zero. The U.K. was the only country spared from Trump's new 50% levies, but still faces 25% import taxes on the metals — and Trump said that rate could also go up on or after Wednesday. The U.K. did not receive a higher 'reciprocal' rate on April 2, but continues to face the 10% baseline its peak, Trump's new tariffs on Chinese goods totaled 145% — and China's countertariffs on American products reached 125%. But on May 12, the countries agreed to their own 90-day truce to roll back those levies to 30% and 10%, respectively. And last month, details began trickling in about a tentative trade agreement. On June 11, following talks in London, Trump announced a 'framework' for a deal. And late last month, the U.S. and China both acknowledged that some sort of agreement had been reached. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that China had agreed to make it easier for American firms to acquire Chinese magnets and rare earth minerals critical for manufacturing and microchip production. Meanwhile, without explicitly mentioning U.S. access to rare earths, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said that it would 'review and approve eligible export applications for controlled items' and that the U.S. would 'lift a series of restrictive measures it had imposed on China.' More specifics about those measures — and when they would actually go into effect — were not immediately clear. But on Friday, the Ministry of Commerce acknowledged that the U.S. was resuming exports of airplane parts, ethane and other items to China. And when Trump first announced the framework on June 11, the U.S. had said it agreed to stop seeking to revoke the visas of Chinese students on U.S. college campuses.
Qatar Tribune
33 minutes ago
- Qatar Tribune
Netanyahu meets Trump at critical moment for Gaza
Agencies Washington/Gaza US President Donald Trump was set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday as the United States pushes to secure a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas. Trump was scheduled to meet Netanyahu for talks at 6:30pm (0030 CET Tuesday), followed by a private dinner. The meeting comes after Trump said on Sunday he hoped to secure a ceasefire deal and the release of hostages held in Gaza this week. Netanyahu, however, reiterated shortly before departing for Washington that he would not accept any agreement that allows Hamas to remain in power in the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli media reports, Israel is attempting to weaken the Palestinian group by promoting gangs in Gaza, which reportedly now control large parts of the coastal territory. A high-ranking Hamas officer told the British broadcaster BBC that the militia had lost control of around 80% of Gaza, leaving a power vacuum that armed gangs are exploiting. The Hamas member, described by the BBC as a lieutenant colonel, was injured at the start of the Gaza war and has reportedly not been on duty since. Israeli forces continued to pound Gaza, including attacks on aid seekers and medical clinics, with at least 42 Palestinians killed on Monday. Hamas has said the 'crimes' of Israel against unarmed civilians in the Gaza Strip are continuing through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Hamas said in a short statement that aid sites run by the private US entity have become 'death traps operated by the occupation forces under American cover'. 'This increases the number of martyrs daily and reveals the criminal nature of thissystem.' At least 750 Palestinians have been killed by attacks targeting aid distribution sites since May 27 when the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation took over operations from United Nations-led agencies. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have announced the seizure of 74 hectares (183 acres) of land in the Palestinian villages of al-Mughayyir and Khirbet Jaba'it, northeast of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. The area has been declared 'state land' to tighten control and expand illegal settlements, Wafa news agency reported, citing the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission. The area includes the Malachei HaShalom outpost, which was built illegally in 2015 on al-Mughayyir's land. The commission said the move aims to 'legalise' and expand this outpost, which Israel's far-right government pledged to approve two years ago.
Qatar Tribune
33 minutes ago
- Qatar Tribune
Trump threatens BRICS tariffs over anti-American stance
Agencies The Trump administration will not immediately impose a new 10% tariff against members of the developing nation BRICS bloc, but will proceed if countries take so-called 'anti-American' policy actions, according to a source familiar with the matter. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States will impose an additional 10% tariff on any countries aligning themselves with so-called 'anti-American policies' of the BRICS group of developing nations, triggering sharp denials from its members that they were oriented against the United States.' A line is being drawn. If policy decisions are made that are anti-American, then the tariff will be charged,' said the source, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on the matter. No executive order has been released by the White House. Trump's announcement, made on his Truth Social, opens new tabmedia platform, came as India, Indonesia and other countries within the BRICS group were negotiating last-minute trade deals with the U.S. government ahead of a July 9 deadline when tariff rates had been scheduled to go up. The effective date for those tariffs has now been postponed until August experts said the new tariff threat was aimed at maintaining and increasing pressure on countries seeking to avoid high tariffs proposed by Trump in April. Many BRICS members and partner countries are highly dependent on trade with the United States. Trump's posting came hours after BRICS leaders issued a 31-page statement, opens new tab in which they condemned attacks on Gaza and Iran, called for reforms to global institutions and warned that unilateral tariffs threatened global trade. The first BRICS summit in 2009 was attended by leaders from Brazil, China, India and Russia, with South Africa joining later. Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates were included last year, and Saudi Arabia, while accepted as a member, is participating as a partner country. Other partner countries include Bolivia, Nigeria, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and has close ties to leaders of some of those countries, such as Saudi Arabia and UAE, and has been touting the prospect of a trade deal with India for weeks. His administration concluded a framework trade deal with Vietnam last week, and has been in talks about a similar agreement with Thailand. In the BRICS leaders Sunday statement, they condemned attacks on Gaza and Iran by Israel, a U.S. ally, and called for reforms to global institutions, warning that the rise in 'unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures' threatened global trade.
