China's Xi meets with Lukashenko of 'all-weather' partner Belarus
BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus in Beijing, the official Xinhua news agency reported, as the two "all-weather" partners looked to further deepen strategic ties and cooperation.
Lukashenko's visit to Beijing was his first to the Chinese capital since he was declared a winner of a presidential election in January, extending his 31-year rule of the former Soviet republic.
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Politico
21 minutes ago
- Politico
Over the moon: How the Trump-Musk feud helps the lunar mission
The alliance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk — to borrow a phrase from the space community — has undergone a rapid unscheduled disassembly. Yet amid all the fireworks Thursday from the duo's public meltdown, one area of the space world seems to have a brighter future: the moon mission. Musk, the SpaceX founder and well-known Mars enthusiast, has argued against returning astronauts to the lunar surface. But the stunning forced exit of the billionaire's handpicked nominee for NASA chief and Musk's massive rupture with the president have handed moon backers in Congress and industry an opening — and they're seizing it. 'Elon was the main reason for the fork in the road for NASA's human exploration plans,' said Clayton Swope, a former congressional adviser on space. 'With his exodus from D.C., there's a good chance NASA will refocus back to the moon with the plan: moon then Mars.' A number of major space companies — just not SpaceX — are launching an ad campaign going big on the moon, according to two industry officials granted anonymity to discuss the effort. The move is the first sign of real pushback against the behemoth space company and its founder, who only days ago seemed to lock down government contracts every time he blinked. A television ad funded by the companies, who do not go by an umbrella name, will appear on television in the coming days with a pitch clearly aimed at Trump. A narrator, underlaid by dramatic images of America's Apollo missions, implores voters to call senators in support of the moon mission and 'keep America first in space.' A separate letter addressed to the Senate Commerce Committee, and obtained by POLITICO, backs investments in the moon, and is signed by a lengthy slate of prominent space companies — but not SpaceX. As the feud between Trump and Musk escalated on Thursday evening, the Senate Commerce Committee unveiled a new reconciliation bill that would channel $10 billion to NASA. Much of it would go to the space agency's effort to return to the moon through the Artemis program. The White House's NASA budget had proposed major cuts to Artemis, including slashing a planned lunar space station and moon missions. 'Anybody who's following space will have noticed how deeply committed [the committee is] to getting back to the moon, particularly before the Chinese get there,' said a committee aide, who was granted anonymity to discuss the bill. All of this is happening amid Musk's very public fall from grace. Trump, during the social media showdown with his former confidante, threatened to cancel Musk's contracts with the government. The SpaceX founder responded by saying he would end the Dragon spacecraft contract, which is the U.S.' only reliable way of accessing the International Space Station. (But he also suggested late Thursday night that he might not actually do so, and Trump played down the dispute in a POLITICO interview.) The president had already abruptly pulled the NASA administrator nomination for Musk ally Jared Isaacman last week, just days ahead of his likely confirmation by the Senate. Isaacman, speaking on a podcast this week, linked his ouster to Musk's provocative departure from the White House. 'I don't think the timing was much of a coincidence,' he said. This all means Congress may now have a stronger hand in negotiations with the White House over the NASA budget, which was written before Musk's break from Trump and heavily favors Mars. The administration's budget proposes major cuts to spending for the moon in favor of nearly $1 billion for landing an astronaut on Mars. SpaceX, thanks to provisions in the bill, was likely to snag a lucrative contract to build the landing system for any red planet mission. That seems much less feasible now. Senators from states with large NASA centers — such as Alabama and Louisiana — are particularly keen to latch on to moon funding. Trump has voiced support for a Mars mission, meaning the idea may not have completely faded. But with Musk's implosion and the latest moon push, a return to the lunar surface is on firmer ground than it was just a week ago. POLITICO PRO SPACE: Need an insider's guide to the politics behind the new space race? From battles over sending astronauts to Mars to the ways space companies are vying to influence regulators, this weekly newsletter decodes the personalities, policy and power shaping the final frontier. Try it for free for a limited time starting today. Find out more.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Musk's Political Exit Results In More Volatility for Tesla Stock — Experts Answer Whether You Should Buy the Dip
Elon Musk has taken a step back from politics, and some investors are excited about the tech billionaire's renewed focus on Tesla. Musk's entrepreneurial successes and ability to think ahead are one of the main reasons that Tesla stock commands a high premium. Learn More: Read Next: Some people see Musk's exit from politics as a good thing for the stock, while others still don't view it as a buying opportunity. The recent spat between Musk and Trump has created even more uncertainty for the stock, but fear can create opportunities. Several experts shared their thoughts about the electric vehicle (EV) maker. Elon Musk's involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency has stirred up controversy. Liberals make up a large percentage of EV buyers, and many people in this group adamantly turned against the tech billionaire. Robert P. Johnson, PhD, certified financial advisor (CFA), CAIA, professor of finance at Creighton University's Heider College of Business, views Musk's DOGE departure as good for business, but he has to clear a few hurdles. 'More attractive, but there are a couple of problems. First, Musk himself has seemingly always divided his time between several endeavors — Space X, X (formerly Twitter), Neuralink, etc. Second, his DOGE involvement also negatively impacted Tesla in the sense that he alienated a large part of his current and potential owner base by aligning himself with Trump,' Johnson explained. Find Out: While liberals have been turned off by Musk, he also risks losing conservatives due to a recent string of X posts. 'Now, his criticism of the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' may alienate potential buyers of Teslas who are supporters of Trump. In other words, Musk has seemingly alienated people on both sides of the political aisle,' Johnson added. 'Wading into politics is a losing proposition for the CEO of a publicly traded company, particularly one with as high a visibility as Musk.' Musk committing more of his time to Tesla isn't only a tailwind for its EVs. Tesla has been working on several projects, such as robotaxis and humanoid robots, that have the potential to deliver massive gains for patient investors. Alex Black, chief marketing officer at EpicVIN, encourages investors to consider all of Tesla's underlying businesses before making a decision. 'This is not an auto company — it's energy, software, AI, all in one. High potential, high volatility. Monitor margins, delivery numbers, and how they're competing against Chinese competition. And remember: Hype drives this stock more than rationale at times,' Black said. He also suggested considering where you are with your finances before making an investment. Your age plays a big role in the types of assets you should consider. 'Are you young and have time to take the ups and downs? Future tech in the form of EVs, AI and autonomy may be worth it,' according to Black. 'But if you're close to retirement, playing it safe with solid, proven companies is the better bet. Diversify a bit if possible.' Another problem for Tesla is the rising competition. BYD is a leading EV maker that is gobbling up market share in China, Europe and Mexico. Competition can present several problems for the valuation. John Ellmore, editor and spokesperson for Electric Car Guide, shares what investors should monitor. 'Investors need to look past the brand and dig into the numbers. Tesla's margins are tightening, sales are flatlining in key markets and the competition is delivering cheaper EVs at scale,' he pointed out. 'I think the market is catching up, so I would urge caution for would-be investors.' Musk's return to Tesla can minimize concerns about competition. The tech billionaire may have additional time to focus on Tesla and regain lost ground. Editor's note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on More From GOBankingRates How Far $750K Plus Social Security Goes in Retirement in Every US Region This article originally appeared on Musk's Political Exit Results In More Volatility for Tesla Stock — Experts Answer Whether You Should Buy the Dip Erreur lors de la récupération des données Connectez-vous pour accéder à votre portefeuille Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Exclusive-US suspends licenses to ship nuclear plant parts to China, sources say
By Karen Freifeld and Fanny Potkin (Reuters) -The U.S. in recent days suspended licenses for nuclear equipment suppliers to sell to China's power plants, according to four people familiar with the matter, as the two countries engage in a damaging trade war. The suspensions were issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the people said, and affect export licenses for parts and equipment used with nuclear power plants. Nuclear equipment suppliers are among a wide range of companies whose sales have been restricted over the past two weeks as the U.S.-China trade war shifted from negotiating tariffs to throttling each other's supply chains. It is unclear whether a Thursday call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would affect the suspensions. The U.S. and China agreed on May 12 to roll back triple digit, tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days, but the truce between the two biggest economies quickly went south, with the U.S. claiming China reneged on terms related to rare earth elements, and China accusing the U.S. of "abusing export control measures" by warning that using Huawei Ascend AI chips anywhere in the world violated U.S. export controls. After Thursday's call, further talks on key issues were expected. The U.S. Department of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment on the nuclear equipment restrictions. On May 28, a spokesperson said the department was reviewing exports of strategic significance to China. "In some cases, Commerce has suspended existing export licenses or imposed additional license requirements while the review is pending," the spokesperson said in a statement. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. nuclear equipment suppliers include Westinghouse and Emerson. Westinghouse, whose technology is used in over 400 nuclear reactors around the world, and Emerson, which provides measurement and other tools for the nuclear industry, did not respond to requests for comment. The suspensions affect business worth hundreds of millions of dollars, two of the sources said. They also coincide with Chinese restrictions on critical metals threatening supply chains for manufacturers worldwide, especially America's Big Three automakers. Reuters could not determine whether the new restrictions were tied to the trade war, or if and how quickly they might be reinstated. Department of Commerce export licenses typically run for four years and include authorized quantities and values. But many new restrictions on exports to China have been imposed in the last two weeks, according to sources, and include license requirements for a hydraulic fluids supplier for sales to China. Other license suspensions went to GE Aerospace for jet engines for China's COMAC aircraft, sources said. The U.S. also now requires licenses to ship ethane to China, as Reuters reported first last week. Houston-based Enterprise Product Partners said Wednesday that its emergency requests to complete three proposed cargoes of ethane to China, totaling some 2.2 million barrels, had not been granted. Enterprise said a May 23 requirement for a license to sell butane to China, in addition to the ethane, was subsequently withdrawn. Dallas-based Energy Transfer said it was notified on Tuesday about the new ethane licensing requirement, and planned to apply and file for an emergency authorization. Other sectors that have been hit with new restrictions include companies that sell electronic design automation software such as Cadence Design Systems.
