Trump, Xi will 'likely' talk this week: White House
3 June 2025 12:30
WASHINGTON (AFP)US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping will likely hold a long-awaited call later this week, the White House said Monday, as trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies ratchet back up.Trump reignited strains with China last week when he accused the world's second-biggest economy of violating a deal that had led both countries to temporarily reduce huge tit-for-tat tariffs."The two leaders will likely talk this week," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters outside the West Wing when asked whether Trump and Xi would speak.Asked about the statement on Tuesday, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry said Beijing had "no information to provide."Trump and Xi have yet to have any confirmed contact more than five months since the Republican returned to power, despite frequent claims by the US president that a call is imminent.The US leader introduced in April sweeping worldwide tariffs that targeted China most heavily of all, accusing other countries of "ripping off" the US and running trade imbalances.Beijing and Washington last month agreed to slash staggeringly high tariffs on each other for 90 days after talks between top officials in Geneva.
Trump has separately ramped up tensions with other trade partners, including the European Union, by vowing to double global tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 percent from Wednesday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Post
38 minutes ago
- Arabian Post
Musk's ‘Debt Slavery' Warning Intensifies GOP Spending Bill Debate
Elon Musk has launched a scathing attack on President Donald Trump's proposed $4 trillion tax and spending bill, branding it the 'Debt Slavery Bill' and urging Americans to pressure lawmakers to reject it. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO's criticism comes as the U.S. national debt approaches $37 trillion, with the Congressional Budget Office projecting the bill would add approximately $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. Musk's denunciation marks a sharp reversal from his previous role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency under Trump. In a series of posts on his social media platform, X, Musk described the bill as a 'disgusting abomination' and warned that its passage would plunge the nation into 'debt slavery.' He called on his 220 million followers to contact their representatives, stating, 'Bankrupting America is NOT ok!' The legislation, officially titled the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' was narrowly approved by the House on May 22 and is now under consideration in the Senate. It includes permanent tax cuts estimated to reduce federal revenues by $3.7 trillion, offset by $1.5 trillion in spending cuts and nearly $300 billion in additional defense and border security funding. The bill also proposes significant reductions to Medicaid and food assistance programs, introducing new work requirements for recipients. ADVERTISEMENT Critics argue that the bill's fiscal measures disproportionately benefit the wealthy while placing undue burdens on low-income Americans. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has voiced strong opposition, labeling the debt ceiling increase as 'the greatest in U.S. history' and asserting that the GOP now owns the resulting fiscal consequences. Similarly, Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri has expressed concerns over the proposed Medicaid cuts, calling them 'morally wrong and politically suicidal.' Supporters of the bill, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, contend that the tax cuts will stimulate economic growth sufficient to offset the deficit increases. They argue that the legislation is necessary to maintain America's competitive edge and bolster national security. However, the CBO's analysis contradicts these claims, indicating that the bill would significantly exacerbate the national debt without delivering the promised economic benefits. Musk's opposition is not solely based on fiscal concerns. The bill's elimination of electric vehicle tax credits could adversely affect Tesla's bottom line, potentially costing the company billions. Additionally, the withdrawal of Musk's ally Jared Isaacman as a nominee for NASA administrator has further strained relations between Musk and the Trump administration. The controversy surrounding the bill has intensified as the Senate deliberates its provisions. Several Republican senators have expressed reservations, and the bill's passage is far from certain. Musk's vocal opposition has galvanized public discourse, with many Americans taking to social media to echo his concerns and urge their representatives to reconsider their support.
Gulf Today
2 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Trump bans citizens of 12 countries from entering America
US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning the citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States, saying the move was needed to protect against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats. The directive is part of an immigration crackdown Trump launched this year at the start of his second term, which has also included the deportation to El Salvador of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members, as well as efforts to deny enrollments of some foreign students and deport others. The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, will be partially restricted. "We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm," Trump said in a video posted on X. He said the list could be revised and new countries could be added. The proclamation is effective on June 9, 2025 at 12:01 am EDT (0401 GMT). Visas issued before that date will not be revoked, the order said. During his first term in office, Trump announced a ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Former President Joe Biden, a Democrat who succeeded Trump, repealed that ban on nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen in 2021, calling it "a stain on our national conscience." Trump said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbour a "large-scale presence of terrorists," fail to cooperate on visa security and have an inability to verify travellers' identities, inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States. "We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States," Trump said. He cited Sunday's incident in Boulder, Colorado in which a man tossed a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators as an example of why the new restrictions are needed. An Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, has been charged in the attack. Federal officials said Soliman had overstayed his tourist visa and had an expired work permit - although Egypt is not on the list of countries facing travel limits. Being in the US 'a big risk' Somalia immediately pledged to work with the U.S. to address security issues. "Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised," Dahir Hassan Abdi, the Somali ambassador to the United States, said in a statement. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, a close ally of President Nicolas Maduro, responded on Wednesday evening by describing the US government as fascist and warning Venezuelans of being in the US. "The truth is being in the United States is a big risk for anybody, not just for Venezuelans ... They persecute our countrymen, our people for no reason." A spokesperson for the Taliban-led Afghan foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Pakistan's foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment on how it would handle the thousands of Afghans waiting in Islamabad who had been in the pipeline for US resettlement. Calls early on Thursday to the spokesperson of Myanmar's military government were not answered. The travel ban threatens to upend a 31-year-old Myanmar teacher's plan to join a US State Department exchange programme, which was slated to start in September. "It is not easy to apply nor get accepted as we needed several recommendation letters," said the teacher, who currently lives in Thailand and asked not to be named because her visa application is still outstanding. "In my case, I would get to work at universities that provide digital education," she said, adding that she had not been updated by the programme after Trump's announcement. Trump's presidential campaign focused on a tough border strategy and he previewed his plan in an October 2023 speech, pledging to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and "anywhere else that threatens our security." Trump issued an executive order on January 20 requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the US to detect national security threats. The latest travel restrictions were first reported by CBS News. In March, Reuters reported that the Trump administration was considering travel restrictions on dozens of countries. Reuters
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
US vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire and full aid access
The US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Wednesday demanding an 'immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire' in Gaza and full humanitarian access, as aid groups warn of famine-like conditions in the enclave after months of war. The resolution received 14 votes in favour, with only the US opposing it. The draft resolution, proposed by the 10 non-permanent council members, also urged the 'immediate lifting of all restrictions' on humanitarian aid into Gaza, ensuring safe and large-scale distribution throughout the besieged enclave. Washington's veto blocked the measure, which required at least nine 'yes' votes and no vetoes from the five permanent members – the US, Russia, China, Britain or France – to pass. The veto is the first by Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January. It is the fifth draft resolution on the Gaza war vetoed by the US since the conflict started in October 2023. The Security Council has struggled to act on the conflict, with previous ceasefire attempts also failing. Speaking to the council immediately before the vote, the US envoy to the UN, Dorothy Shea, said the resolution would undermine the security of Israel, a close US ally. 'US opposition to this resolution should come as no surprise,' Ms Shea told council members. 'It is unacceptable for what it does say, it is unacceptable for what it does not say, and it is unacceptable for the manner in which it has been advanced.' Ms Shea stressed the US has been clear that it would not support 'any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza'. 'We cannot allow the Security Council to reward Hamas's intransigence,' she added. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said in a post on X: 'This resolution would've only served to advance the interests of Hamas terrorists, while undermining diplomatic efforts. Any UN measure should clearly condemn Hamas and call for them to disarm and leave Gaza. The US will continue to stand with Israel.' The text, drafted by Slovenia alongside Algeria and Guyana, repeated the council's demand for the 'immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups'. 'It was never our intention to provoke a veto,' Slovenia's ambassador to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, told council members. 'We were aware of different positions inside the council. This is why the draft resolution had only one focus, a humanitarian one.' Mr Zbogar called on the council to 'unite around this urgent demand for unimpeded humanitarian access and for food to be delivered to starving civilians'. Starving civilians and inflicting immense suffering is inhumane, he said, and against international law. 'No war objective can justify such action,' Mr Zbogar added. 'Fourteen votes in favour, however, carries a strong message. Enough of suffering of civilians. Enough of food being used as a weapon. Enough is enough is enough.' Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon criticised the resolution and said the vote was 'not diplomacy'. 'That is surrender,' he said. 'And it sends a clear message to Hamas: reject every deal and the international community will still reward you. 'I must be very honest with you,' Mr Danon told council members. 'Don't waste more of your energy. Don't waste more of your time, because no resolution, no vote, no moral failure, will stand in our way.' Israel has come under mounting international pressure to halt its war in Gaza, a conflict sparked by a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Criticism has intensified over the chaotic aid distribution in Gaza, where Israel imposed a complete blockade for more than two months before permitting a limited number of UN aid vehicles to enter in the middle of May. The amount of aid Israel has authorised to enter Gaza amounts to 'a teaspoon', when a flood of humanitarian assistance is needed, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said last month. Meanwhile, the US and Irsael-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund has faced backlash for allegedly breaching established aid principles by co-ordinating relief efforts with a military party to the conflict. Britain's UN envoy, Barbara Woodward, called Israel's new aid system 'inhumane' and stressed that 'Israel needs to end its restrictions on aid now". Palestine's UN ambassador, Riyad Mansour, said Palestinians are now urging governments to take 'real measures' to pressure Israel to get out of Gaza before it implements what he called an Israeli plan 'to destroy our people". And in the coming days, he said, the Palestinians will head to the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, with a similar humanitarian-focused resolution. The war, now in its 20th month, has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza authorities. Hamas is still holding 58 hostages taken during the October 7 attacks, in which 1,200 people were killed. About a third of the captives are believed to still be alive.
