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The Age
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Pop-rock veterans Train deliver a crowd-pleaser with special Sydney surprise
Say what you will about American pop-rock veterans Train, but they work hard to get the audience on their side. In third song If It's Love, frontman Pat Monahan pulls out his phone and begins filming the room, asking the crowd to go crazy for the clip he'll post to Instagram. During an extended Meet Virginia, which gives guitarist Taylor Locke an opportunity to show off his chops, Monahan takes a break from singing to lob Train T-shirts into the masses. The cleverly constructed set-list also plays its part with staples such as Hey, Soul Sister, Play That Song, a spirited Save Me, San Francisco and a beautifully tender Marry Me peppered with several moments tailored for the Sydney audience. First is a cover of Gotye's Somebody That I Used to Know, with Scottish artist KT Tunstall – who earlier delivered a hugely entertaining support set – singing the parts made famous by Kimbra, before duetting with Monahan on the slick country pop of Train's own Bruises. The other surprise guest is INXS' Andrew Farriss, who wanders onstage and dutifully makes it his own for renditions of INXS classics Never Tear Us Apart and Don't Change. The band even cede the spotlight before the latter so that Farriss can show off an abbreviated country-rock version of the song, which proves to be more puzzling than anything else. Oddly, though, it's in these moments that the show really comes to life, with Tunstall providing an injection of joyful energy, and Farriss an element of spontaneity, that are otherwise largely absent. There's no faulting the band, their musicianship or the smooth precision with which they perform hits such as Drive By or rousing finale Drops of Jupiter, every vocal harmony immaculate.
NDTV
30-04-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Vietnam Marks 50 Years Of Fall Of Saigon With Grand Parade
Vietnam mounted its biggest-ever celebration of the fall of Saigon on its 50th anniversary Wednesday, including Chinese troops for the first time after Xi Jinping visited to portray Beijing as a more reliable partner than Washington. Fighter jets and helicopters carrying flags flew overhead, state TV images showed, with a float carrying a portrait of founding leader Ho Chi Minh as part of a march in the city renamed after him. Thousands of people -- many wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the Vietnamese flag -- including families with young children and the elderly stayed out overnight in the streets, sharing food and waiting for the display. The celebrations come half a century after tanks of communist North Vietnam crashed through the gates of the city's presidential palace, defeating the US-backed South and delivering a painful blow to American moral and military prestige. "I am proud of having contributed to liberating the south," said 75-year-old veteran Tran Van Truong who had travelled -- dressed in full military uniform -- from the capital Hanoi to see the parade. "But what's gone is gone, I have no hatred for those from the other side of the battle," Truong told AFP. "We should join hands to celebrate the end of the war." Around 13,000 people, including veterans, soldiers and members of the public, were to march down Ho Chi Minh City's Le Duan Street, a major thoroughfare which leads to the Independence Palace. For the first time, more than 300 soldiers from China, Laos and Cambodia were taking part in the spectacle. More than 300,000 Chinese troops were involved in the bloody conflict, according to state media, providing crucial anti-aircraft defence support and helping with logistics and supplies. But this year is the first time Chinese soldiers have ever been part of large-scale commemorations. Only four years after the end of the Vietnam War, China itself invaded the country, only to be pushed back by Hanoi's troops. "I think Hanoi is signalling to China that they recognise China's historical contribution," said Zach Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington who focuses on Southeast Asian politics. "It's also another way for them to signal: 'Don't think our foreign policy is lurching towards the Americans.'" After years of fighting that ended on April 30, 1975, the United States and Vietnam have rebuilt ties to become strong trade partners. But Hanoi also follows a "bamboo diplomacy" approach, striving to stay on good terms with both Beijing and Washington. The celebrations come after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Hanoi this month. Beijing is trying to position itself as a stable alternative to Washington as Vietnam confronts a threatened 46 percent US tariff and American foreign aid cuts that could jeopardise war legacy programmes. Reconciliation, excitement After a war that eviscerated much of Vietnam, killing millions of its people as well as 58,000 US servicemen, the North's victory expanded communist rule over the whole country. Thousands of Vietnamese who worked for the Southern government fled, while others stayed and were forced into re-education camps. For many years the victory formed the basis of the Communist Party's legitimacy, before its authority became entwined with economic growth and improved living standards. In an article published Sunday on the government's news portal, the party's top leader To Lam put an unusual emphasis on reconciliation. He said Vietnamese people must rid themselves of "hatred, separation or division... so that future generations no longer have to experience war". Most of the population was born after the conflict's end, but many young people appeared excited on Tuesday night as music from a celebratory concert blared through the streets and huge crowds began to form. Social media users have been anticipating the parade for days after widespread coverage of rehearsals in the media, which is entirely controlled by the state in Vietnam. Thang Dang, 19, a physical education student at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, was among 250 of his classmates taking part in the parade, carrying Vietnamese national and Communist Party hammer and sickle flags. "I will tell my future children about this event," he said ahead of the start. "I am so proud and my family is so proud too."
France 24
28-04-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Feisty Arteta urges Arsenal fans to 'bring boots' to PSG Champions League clash
The Gunners, who have never been crowned European champions, demolished holders Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the last eight to reach their first semi-final for 16 years. Arsenal manager Arteta was in a bullish mood on the eve of the first leg against the French champions at the Emirates. "I'm not exaggerating when I said, 'Guys, bring your boots, bring your shorts, bring your T-shirts and let's play every ball together," said the Spaniard. "We want to do something special, that place has to be something special, something that we haven't seen. "And I really hope that everybody that comes tomorrow to the Emirates and everybody that is watching and following us, brings that energy with them." Arteta urged his men to "make the next step". "Go there with that conviction and feel the conviction around it, I think it's key," he said. "If we are able to generate that energy we're going to be much closer to winning the game." Arteta, whose team appear likely to finish second in the Premier League for the third straight season, said it was vital to enjoy the moment despite the pressure. "We are so fortunate to be in the position that we are," he said. "We earn it with our work, with our enthusiasm, because we faced a lot of challenges. "And we managed to compete at a high level for 10 months. So we earn it now. Be present and live the moment. A beautiful moment that we can enjoy." But he downplayed suggestions that the Gunners are favourites to win the competition after dispatching 15-time winners Madrid. "When you look at the history, we go back to the history, no, because we've never done it," he said. "So there is so much to do. Hopefully, if somebody believes we can do it, it's because of the performances and what the team is transmitting against the big opposition. If that's the case, OK." Mikel Merino handed Arteta a major injury boost when he took part in training on Tuesday. If fit, the Spain international could revert to midfield with Thomas Partey suspended. Leandro Trossard may instead lead Arsenal's attack with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on either flank. Martinelli said the match would be the biggest of his life. it is a dream to be here," he said. "Since I started to play football when I was five or six, I had this dream to be playing in the Champions League and to be in a semi-final, it is amazing.
Axios
05-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Tariffs 101
Let's go back to basics. What is a tariff, what role do they play in the economy, and how have they been applied, both historically and now? The big picture: Tariffs were once the primary way the United States collected tax revenue, but over time elected leaders and economists alike have rejected them for their many downsides. President Trump is seeking to reverse that long tide. The basics: A tariff is a tax on imported goods. When a ship full of bananas or T-shirts or Toyotas arrives at a U.S. port, part of the paperwork for crossing the border is paying the applicable tariff, also known as an import duty. In recent years, those taxes have been relatively low — down to 1.5% in 2017, after decades of bipartisan efforts to craft global trade deals. President Trump then pushed those upward to around 3% in his previous term (which President Biden mostly maintained). The policies announced so far in Trump's current term are on track to push the average tariff to 22.5%, per the Yale Budget Lab. Flashback: From the colonial era through the early 1900s, tariffs were the predominant source of the federal government's revenue. Taxes on imports were relatively easy to enforce even in the days before computers, Social Security numbers, and the like. When a ship arrived at a port, customs officers could inspect the goods, charge the appropriate tariff, and ensure tax compliance. The Constitution limited the federal government's taxing authority, so that a modern income tax was not legally permissible until the enactment of the 16th Amendment in 1913. Politicians sought to protect domestic industry from European competition as it matured. (There are echoes in how Japan and South Korea used protectionist policies in the latter half of the 20th century to allow their countries to catch up to world leaders). Yes, but: This reliance on tariffs had deep-seated problems, which is why their use has been mostly in retreat over the last century. They disadvantaged agricultural interests and other U.S. exporters, as other countries put in place corresponding barriers to trade. The tax burden disproportionately fell on lower-income people, who spend a bigger share of their money on basics than the rich. They didn't raise nearly enough money to pay for a modern government, with a large military, social welfare programs like Social Security and Medicare, and the like. At the heyday of America's tariff-centric era, they raised revenue around 1.1% of GDP. Government spending is now around 23% of GDP. Moreover, they distorted economic activity. Major U.S. industries spent more effort trying to lobby for preferential treatment via tariffs than they did building great products that could compete on the world stage. When the world economy stumbled in 1930, nations rushed to implement tariffs in hopes of bolstering domestic industry, particularly the Smoot-Hawley Act in the U.S. Mainstream economists view this cascade of protectionism as a key part of why that episode became the Great Depression. Based on those lessons, and as part of a broader effort to knit together the economies of the world's democracies in hopes of ensuring lasting peace, the U.S. and other advanced nations spent the postwar era gradually removing tariffs and other trade barriers. Reality check: Even in the heyday of free trade enthusiasm, tariffs did not move to zero. In some cases, it's a simple matter of realpolitik, such as when President Bush raised steel tariffs in 2002 to try to bolster support in steel-producing states. Agricultural interests exert major political sway and have historically secured high tariffs on imported foods including dairy and sugar. There are cases for limited tariffs that even pro-trade economists can live with, such as protecting and nurturing domestic industries seen as important for national security. Zoom out: In his first term, Trump used provisions of trade laws that allow a president unilateral authority to implement tariffs on specific countries and products on national security grounds, or in retaliation for unfair practices. Those came with careful legal limitations and a process for companies to seek exclusions — and their total scale wasn't enough to have much effect on the overall U.S. economy This time is different. Trump is implementing tariffs on a scale an order of magnitude higher, on every country on earth and nearly all goods, and by invoking an emergency authority never used for this purpose. The bottom line: If the new tariffs announced this week stand, America's average tariff burden will be higher than nearly any living human has seen— higher than they were in the Smoot-Hawley era and roughly at 1909 levels.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The One Question Everyone in D.C. Is Asking After Trump's Election Meltdown
Who is next out of the door? That is the question being asked at the White House as a major vibe change in the political landscape was being felt all the way from Washington D.C. to the Great Lakes and way beyond. Not to Greenland. Not yet. But the tectonic shift overnight has shaken up everything before it. For the first time in almost five months, the Democratic Party is smiling again, Donald Trump's hibernating Republican opponents are waking from their slumber, the DOGE wrecking ball is whiffing, and Emperor Elon Musk is about to be out on his own and fumbling for his would have thought that an Upper Midwest state famous for beer and cheese would cause such a cataclysm in American politics? The winds of change were already gathering after the two-month Trump tornado that will leave the nation irrevocably changed, whatever happens next. Judges were balking, DOGE math wasn't adding up, and folks around the country were realizing that they were the ones losing their jobs. But a 10-point thumping in a race between two candidates nobody outside Wisconsin's judicial system had ever heard of in a battleground state that Trump had appeared to have conquered has caught everybody's attention. Including President Trump. Trump and Musk both stuck their necks out to make the failed case for conservative Judge Brian Schimel, but only one got the chop. Musk splashed out $25 million of his own cash and took a Badger State weekend break only to return to Washington and find he was dispensable. One night can be a lifetime when the vibe shifts. The president had a ready-made fall guy in his chainsaw slasher. Nobody ever thought the partnership would last, not even Trump and Musk. But while much of the media was playing Wisconsin as Musk's mea culpa, the truth was quite different. The importance of Wisconsin's state Supreme Court election was illustrated by the $100 million spent to try and bamboozle the electorate to pick the right (or left) side. The Democratic Party focused on demonizing Musk. He'd lost people jobs, he wore T-shirts in the Oval Office, he drove a Tesla, and, worst of all, he was as rich as Croesus. The Republicans, on the other hand, campaigned on Trump as the hero of change who would make America wealthy again and hand people the cash to buy as much beer and dairy as their hearts desired. Red caps were de rigueur. The Dems clearly wounded Musk, perhaps even fatally, as a political force. But the Republicans also hurt the president. Voters didn't drink the MAGA Kool-Aid and it was suddenly very clear for the world to see. Trump was vulnerable. It is a message that reverberated across the sleeping Democratic Party giant on Wednesday. Even two Democratic House losses in Florida were sufficiently benign to celebrate with a glass or two of warm champagne. It was deep, deep red state. The losses were not so bad that the losers couldn't claim a moral victory. Fresh from his November election victory, Trump had little reason to fear the consequences when he picked Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Mike Waltz as national security adviser. Both had safe seats. Two months later, it wasn't looking such a great idea (it took a couple of days to work out he was onto a loser with Gaetz, who quickly dropped out in a welter of bad publicity). The Democrats outspent Trumper Republican Randy Fine to half the majority in Waltz's old seat, even if Jimmy Patronis took Gaetz's place with relative ease. It wasn't the cakewalk the GOP expected. Trump was already trying to plug the cracks by forcing Elise Stefanik to drop her UN plans and defend her House seat. The hint of chaos ahead was beginning to feel more like Trump 1.0 shambles—where an unending revolving door became a feature, not a bug—rather than the controlled aggression of the 2.0 administration. His first term was marked by one scandal after another. Author Michael Wolff sat and listened in the White House and soon had enough crazy content for a best seller. In the relentless destruction of his second go around, Trump and Musk directed their troops with a focused energy. If there was any resistance, it was contained. For two months. But the vibe feels different now. Cory Booker set a record for the longest Senate speech in history, talking for 25 hours without a bathroom break. That was 25 hours of trash-talking Trump—and suddenly buoying up Democrats. All this happened while Wisconsin's people were voting their discontent. The gleeful comeback feeling among Democrats was summed up by a meme from The Wire. MAGA has made 'we are so back' a meme; Democrats now found their own. Trump's control on the Capitol was loosening. His power couldn't stop Booker any more than he could force voters in Wisconsin to bend to his will. A money man to his core, the president can't control the markets either. His tariff plan will hold him hostage to fortune. He can't sign an executive order and make stocks rise. Uncertainty is kryptonite to Wall Street. The changing vibe is being felt there, too. Liberation Day is all well and good but you tend to feel a little less free when your 401k is in the toilet. In Washington on Wednesday morning, the deficit hawks in the House were spreading their wings and biting back at Mike Johnson's (and Trump's) spending bill. Stop the tax cuts, they told the president. What about the deficit? They felt emboldened. They felt the vibe. Trump feels it, too. And you can be sure he doesn't like it. So who's next out the door?
