U.S. President Trump deepening economic ties and striking deals in Qatar
CNBC's Dan Murphy has details on U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Qatar for the second leg of his Middle East trip, and speaks to Qatari Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al Kaabi about cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector.
Dan Murphy on Trump in Qatar
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Newsweek
32 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Iran Reviews US Nuclear Deal Offer Amid Rising Tensions
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Iran says it is reviewing a formal U.S. proposal for a new nuclear deal between the two countries. The offer, delivered last week, represents the most significant step toward a potential agreement between Washington and Tehran since talks began in April, although both sides remain divided on critical issues such as uranium enrichment and sanctions relief. At the same time, The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House has ordered a freeze on new sanctions against Iran, effectively pausing President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign as officials reassess their approach amid ongoing diplomatic efforts. Newsweek has reached out the State Department and Iran's foreign ministry for comment. Why It Matters A potential nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran could reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and impact global non-proliferation efforts. Tehran's advancing uranium enrichment program raises alarms about nuclear weapon development, making the proposed agreement a pivotal development. The simultaneous freeze on sanctions underscores Washington's strategic shift toward diplomacy, balancing pressure with engagement. A woman in a hijab walks by an anti-U.S. mural in Tehran on May 3, 2025. A woman in a hijab walks by an anti-U.S. mural in Tehran on May 3, 2025. Kyodo/AP Images What To Know The U.S. proposal, crafted by President Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, sets out terms aimed at limiting Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is carefully reviewing the offer—the first official U.S. deal since indirect talks began earlier this year. Central issues include Iran's right to uranium enrichment and the extent of sanctions easing. Araghchi confirmed on social media that Iran received the proposal via Oman's foreign minister, pledging a response "in line with the principles, national interests, and rights of the Iranian people." My dear brother @badralbusaidi, distinguished Foreign Minister of Oman, paid a short visit to Tehran today to present elements of a US proposal which will be appropriately responded to in line with the principles, national interests and rights of the people of Iran. — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 31, 2025 Iran's uranium enrichment activities have intensified, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reporting that Tehran now possesses over 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity—close to weapons-grade levels. The IAEA also noted Iran's refusal to grant inspectors full access, raising questions about the true extent of its nuclear program. Iran denies any intention to develop nuclear weapons and insists its nuclear activities are peaceful. Sanctions Freeze and U.S. Strategy Meanwhile, the White House's decision to halt new sanctions reflects growing concerns that a hardline approach might derail negotiations. According to The Wall Street Journal, the freeze was communicated by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to officials at the National Security Council, Treasury Department, and State Department. This pause allows Washington to reassess its strategy as it balances "maximum pressure" with diplomatic engagement. Iran's Position Iran has consistently maintained that any agreement must respect its right to uranium enrichment and lift sanctions imposed on its economy. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei defended Tehran's cooperation with the IAEA and dismissed criticism of Iran's nuclear record as politically motivated. Iran also condemned the recent IAEA report, calling it biased and reiterating its commitment to non-proliferation treaties. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on May 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. Leavitt discussed a federal court... White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on May 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. Leavitt discussed a federal court blocking U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs using an emergency powers law, the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" Act that was passed by the House of Representatives, and other topics. MoreWhat People Are Saying Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Minister: "My dear brother @badralbusaidi, distinguished Foreign Minister of Oman, paid a short visit to Tehran today to present elements of a U.S. proposal which will be appropriately responded to in line with the principles, national interests and rights of the people of Iran." Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary: "President Trump has made it clear that Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb. It is in Tehran's best interest to accept a detailed and acceptable proposal that has been sent by the U.S." What Happens Next As Iran reviews the U.S. proposal, talks continue with both sides seeking common ground amid deep divisions. The freeze on sanctions could pave the way for further diplomatic engagement, but persistent concerns over uranium enrichment and verification remain key obstacles. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether a renewed nuclear agreement can be reached or if tensions will escalate further.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Republican cuts to food and health benefits ‘will kill', advocacy groups warn
Advocacy groups associated with the left are urging some Republicans not to go along with a plan to cut health and food benefits to the poor. The lobbying campaign comes as Democrats are nearly powerless to stop the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' act – a 1,100-page package of Donald Trump's legislative priorities, from deporting migrants to building a border wall. Republicans hold majorities in both the House and Senate. Related: Trump's 'big, beautiful' spending bill, from tax cuts to mass deportations 'Pediatricians are losing sleep at night over this program,' said Dr Sue Kressly, the president of American Academy of Pediatrics, in a press call on Tuesday. 'There are going to be short-term impacts where we really see hungry kids and the impact on their growth trajectory,' she continued, 'and then medium-term impacts, in which you stress the entire family and the family has to make decisions about – 'Do I pay for food? Do I pay for safe housing? Do I pay for visits to the doctors?'' Some of the most controversial provisions in the bill, and which have drawn scrutiny even from Republicans, include cutting billions of dollars in food and health benefits to the poor to offset the new Trump programs and an extension of tax cuts to well-off Americans. Although the 'beautiful bill' left the most controversial cuts on the table, it would still make major changes to federal health and food assistance programs called Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), known colloquially as 'food stamps'. Medicaid is a public health insurance program for the low-income, disabled and elderly that insures roughly 71 million Americans. In just one example of its impact, the program pays for nearly half of all births in the US. Snap or 'food stamps' provides extra cash for groceries to 42 million low-income Americans, and is a lifeline for many to purchase nutritious foods, which tend to be more expensive. On Tuesday, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its latest 'score' of the bill, finding that it would cut $698bn from Medicaid and $267bn from food assistance. At the same time, tax cuts would add $3.8tn to the national debt. The CBO also found that the changes would reduce resources to the poorest 10% of Americans by 4%, and increase household resources to the richest 10% of Americans by a roughly equivalent amount, though the changes would differ slightly in timing because cuts take full effect in 2033. An analysis from the non-partisan group the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found similar results, and described the Republican bill as moving 'in the wrong fiscal direction' in a statement. For Medicaid, cuts would be made by adding work requirements to the program, including a requirement that some beneficiaries prove they are working at the time they apply – a hurdle many groups argue would be difficult for sick Americans. Multiple studies have shown that adding work requirements to Medicaid forces beneficiaries off the program, while doing little to push people into the workforce, the provision's stated goal. On Snap, Republicans would cut the program by requiring states to pay between 5% and 25% of the benefits of the program. Such a change would represent the biggest cut in the program's six-decade history. Although states split the cost of administering the program with the federal government, the feds have always paid for the entire cost of benefits. With Republicans holding both chambers, left-leaning groups are now seeking to exploit cracks in Republican unity, particularly targeting those in moderate districts. On Wednesday, Reproductive Freedom for All announced it would buy ads attacking Republicans in Arizona, Colorado, New York and Virginia for their support of the bill. 'As a nurse living in rural south-eastern Ohio, I see friends, neighbors and family members who rely on Medicaid for everything from cancer treatment to lifesaving medications,' said Rick Lucas, president and executive director of the Ohio Nurses Association, in a statement. 'These cuts won't just hurt – they will kill.' Although unrelated to the bill in timing, the proposed cuts have come at the same time as a large new study, which found that Obama-era expansions of Medicaid have probably saved 27,000 lives since 2010. Republicans are aiming to pass the bill out of the chamber by Memorial Day – the upcoming Monday holiday. Members have pushed to do so, scheduling a rule committee meeting at 1am on Wednesday, a move Democrats criticized as hearing the bill under cover of darkness. 'When I was a teen, my late mother would often say nothing good happens after midnight,' the ranking rules committee Democrat, Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, said. 'Now I know what she meant.' However, the rift within the party cuts both ways. Some Republican deficit hawks are arguing cuts to social programs don't go far or fast enough. The divisions led Trump to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday to urge Republican House members to 'land the plane', in the words of House Republican Dusty Johnson, of South Dakota. Trump administration officials also continue to zealously defend the bill. The health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, argued on Tuesday that: 'There's only 8.5 million people affected by this … The remaining are able-bodied male workers who refuse to get a job, who refuse to even meet the minimal thresholds.' The secretary has repeatedly stated the cuts are to stop 'waste, fraud and abuse'. The CBO that found more than 13 million people would probably lose insurance in coming years because of the changes, including coverage losses from Obamacare. Sharon Parrot, president of the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said in a press call that Republicans had 'done all they can to portray the people hurt as anything but what they are – people in our communities'.
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
China accuses US of ‘seriously violating' trade truce
China has accused the US of 'seriously violating' the fragile US-China detente that has been in place for less than a month since the two countries agreed to pause the trade war that risked upending the global economy. China and the US agreed on 12 May to pause for 90 days the skyrocketing 'reciprocal' tariffs that both countries had placed on the others goods in a frenzied trade war that started a few weeks earlier. Tariffs had reached 125% on each side, which officials feared amounted to virtual embargo on trade between the world's two biggest economies. Donald Trump had hailed the pause as a 'total reset' of US-China relations. But since then, trade negotiations have faltered, with the US complaining that China has not delivered on promises to roll back restrictions on the export of key critical minerals to the US. The US president said on Friday that China had 'totally violated' the agreement. Related: UK trade secretary to seek exemption from US steel and aluminium tariffs The US Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said on Sunday: 'What China is doing is they are holding back products that are essential for the industrial supply chains of India, of Europe. And that is not what a reliable partner does.' During the period of aggressive retaliatory trade measures between the US and China in April, China had restricted the export of certain rare earth minerals and magnets, which are critical for US manufacturing. The restrictions were expected to be relaxed after the 12 May agreement but the process appears to have been patchy at best. Now, US companies, particularly car manufacturers, are reportedly running out of magnets. China hit back on Monday, accusing the US of violating and undermining the agreements reached in Geneva in May, and the consensus between Trump and Xi Jinping, China's president, on their 17 January phone call. China's commerce ministry said on Monday: 'The US has successively introduced a number of discriminatory restrictive measures against China, including issuing export control guidelines for AI chips, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and announcing the revocation of Chinese student visas.' The ministry said China 'is determined to safeguard its rights and interests' and denied the accusation from the US that it had undermined the 12 May agreement. The US has indicated that another Xi-Trump call is expected soon. But outside the trade talks, US-China relations have soured in a number of areas. Last week, China condemned the announcement from the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, that the US would 'aggressively' revoke the visas of Chinese students in his country. And over the weekend, China and the US traded barbs over comments made by the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, at a conference in Singapore. Hegseth said that China was potentially an 'imminent' threat, while China's foreign ministry said that his comments were 'filled with provocations and intended to sow division'.
