Latest news with #UnitedStates
CNA
an hour ago
- Politics
- CNA
US opens probe into University of Michigan's foreign funding
The United States Education Department said on Tuesday (Jul 15) it opened a foreign funding investigation into the University of Michigan while alleging it found "inaccurate and incomplete disclosures" in a review of the university's foreign reports. As part of the investigation, the department asked the university to share, within 30 days, tax records related to foreign funding, a list of foreign gifts, grants, and contracts with any foreign source, and other documents, the department said in a statement and in a letter to the university. The University of Michigan will cooperate fully with federal investigators and it takes its responsibility to comply with the law seriously, it said in a statement. "We strongly condemn any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university's critical public mission," the statement said. The Education Department said the university's research laboratories were "vulnerable to sabotage," citing charges brought by the US Justice Department against two Chinese nationals allegedly involving a University of Michigan lab. In June, US federal prosecutors accused two Chinese nationals of smuggling into the US a dangerous biological pathogen that they said had the potential to be used as an agricultural "terrorism weapon". Zunyong Liu, 34, a Chinese researcher, is alleged to have brought the pathogen into the US while visiting his girlfriend, Yunqing Jian, 33, in July 2024, according to an FBI complaint. The complaint said he admitted to smuggling in a fungus so he could conduct research on it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend worked. However, experts have raised doubt about the FBI's claim that the crop fungus smuggled was a threat. In its statement, the Education Department said the university has received US$375 million in foreign funding since 2020 and was late in reporting US$86 million of that amount. US law requires universities to report donations from foreign sources exceeding US$250,000 in a year. President Donald Trump's administration has launched a widely condemned crackdown against top US universities over a range of issues including pro-Palestinian campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza, transgender rights, climate initiatives and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EU sets stage for big battle over long-term budget
The European Commission will kickstart two years of tense negotiations when it unveils its proposal Wednesday for the EU's long-term budget including funding reforms that risk renewed confrontation with farmers. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has to balance a growing list of priorities including bolstering the bloc's security, ramping up Europe's competitiveness to keep up with US and Chinese companies, countering climate change and paying debts due from 2028. And all of this against a backdrop of soaring trade tensions with the European Union's biggest commercial partner, the United States. The previous 2021-2027 budget was worth around 1.2 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion) and made up from national contributions -- around one percent of the member states' gross national income -- and money collected by the EU such as customs duties. One of the biggest challenges ahead will be over the size of the budget, as the EU's biggest -- and richest -- countries want to avoid paying more. But unlike in the previous budget, the EU has debts due from the Covid pandemic, when the bloc teamed up to borrow 800 billion euros to support the continent's economy. These are estimated to cost 25-30 billion euros a year from 2028. The European Parliament has made it clear that an increase will be necessary. "We believe that the union cannot do more with the same amount or less. So we believe that in the end, an increase of the budget will be unavoidable," said Siegfried Muresan, the EU lawmaker who will lead negotiations on behalf of parliament. The commission plans to propose new ways of raising money including taxes on large companies in Europe with annual net turnover of more than 50 million euros, according to a draft document seen by AFP. - Funding farmers - Another area of fierce debate will be the large farming subsidies that make up the biggest share of the budget, known as the common agricultural policy (CAP). Brussels plans to integrate it into a new major "national and regional partnership" fund, according to another document -- which farmers fear will mean less support. The CAP accounts for almost a third of the current multi-year budget -- around 387 billion euros, of which 270 billion euros are directly paid to farmers. Centralising "funding into a single fund may offer some budgetary flexibility, but it risks dissolving" the CAP with "fewer guarantees", pan-European farmers' group Copa-Cogeca has said. Farmers will put pressure on the commission with hundreds expected to protest outside the building in Brussels on Wednesday. That will raise fears in Brussels after protests broke out last year across Europe by farmers angry over cheap imports, low margins and the burden of environmental rules. Muresan, who belongs to the biggest parliamentary group, the centre-right EPP, urged the same level of funding for the CAP, "adjusted for inflation". The commission has, however, stressed the CAP will continue with its own rules and financial resources, especially direct aid to farmers. Brussels could also propose reviewing how CAP payments are calculated to better target beneficiaries. For example, the commission wants to cap aid per hectare at 100,000 euros but this would be a thorny issue unlikely to garner much support. - More money - Facing new costs and competing challenges, the EU wants to tap new sources of funding -- fast. In one document, the commission suggests the bloc take a share from higher tobacco excise duties and a new tax on non-recycled electronic waste. Such a move, however, is "neither stable nor sufficient", according to centrist EU lawmaker Fabienne Keller, critical of giving new tasks to Brussels "without the necessary means to accomplish them". Wednesday's proposal will launch difficult talks over the budget and is expected to "as usual, end with five days of negotiations" between EU capitals, an official said. adc-raz/ec/rlp/tc Sign in to access your portfolio
France 24
an hour ago
- Business
- France 24
EU sets stage for big battle over long-term budget
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has to balance a growing list of priorities including bolstering the bloc's security, ramping up Europe's competitiveness to keep up with US and Chinese companies, countering climate change and paying debts due from 2028. And all of this against a backdrop of soaring trade tensions with the European Union's biggest commercial partner, the United States. The previous 2021-2027 budget was worth around 1.2 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion) and made up from national contributions -- around one percent of the member states' gross national income -- and money collected by the EU such as customs duties. One of the biggest challenges ahead will be over the size of the budget, as the EU's biggest -- and richest -- countries want to avoid paying more. But unlike in the previous budget, the EU has debts due from the Covid pandemic, when the bloc teamed up to borrow 800 billion euros to support the continent's economy. These are estimated to cost 25-30 billion euros a year from 2028. The European Parliament has made it clear that an increase will be necessary. "We believe that the union cannot do more with the same amount or less. So we believe that in the end, an increase of the budget will be unavoidable," said Siegfried Muresan, the EU lawmaker who will lead negotiations on behalf of parliament. The commission plans to propose new ways of raising money including taxes on large companies in Europe with annual net turnover of more than 50 million euros, according to a draft document seen by AFP. Funding farmers Another area of fierce debate will be the large farming subsidies that make up the biggest share of the budget, known as the common agricultural policy (CAP). Brussels plans to integrate it into a new major "national and regional partnership" fund, according to another document -- which farmers fear will mean less support. The CAP accounts for almost a third of the current multi-year budget -- around 387 billion euros, of which 270 billion euros are directly paid to farmers. Centralising "funding into a single fund may offer some budgetary flexibility, but it risks dissolving" the CAP with "fewer guarantees", pan-European farmers' group Copa-Cogeca has said. Farmers will put pressure on the commission with hundreds expected to protest outside the building in Brussels on Wednesday. That will raise fears in Brussels after protests broke out last year across Europe by farmers angry over cheap imports, low margins and the burden of environmental rules. Muresan, who belongs to the biggest parliamentary group, the centre-right EPP, urged the same level of funding for the CAP, "adjusted for inflation". The commission has, however, stressed the CAP will continue with its own rules and financial resources, especially direct aid to farmers. Brussels could also propose reviewing how CAP payments are calculated to better target beneficiaries. For example, the commission wants to cap aid per hectare at 100,000 euros but this would be a thorny issue unlikely to garner much support. More money Facing new costs and competing challenges, the EU wants to tap new sources of funding -- fast. In one document, the commission suggests the bloc take a share from higher tobacco excise duties and a new tax on non-recycled electronic waste. Such a move, however, is "neither stable nor sufficient", according to centrist EU lawmaker Fabienne Keller, critical of giving new tasks to Brussels "without the necessary means to accomplish them". Wednesday's proposal will launch difficult talks over the budget and is expected to "as usual, end with five days of negotiations" between EU capitals, an official said. © 2025 AFP
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Trump says Indonesia to pay 19% tariffs, buy 50 Boeing jets under trade deal
US President Donald Trump says he has struck a trade pact with Indonesia resulting in significant purchase commitments from the south-east Asian country, after negotiations to avoid steeper tariffs. Indonesian goods entering the United States would face a 19% tariff, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. This is significantly below the 32% level the president earlier threatened. 'As part of the Agreement, Indonesia has committed to purchasing $15 Billion Dollars in US Energy, $4.5 Billion Dollars in American Agricultural Products, and 50 Boeing Jets, many of them 777's,' Trump wrote. Boeing shares closed down 0.2% after the announcement. 'They are going to pay 19% and we are going to pay nothing … we will have full access into Indonesia, and we have a couple of those deals that are going to be announced,' Trump said outside the Oval Office earlier. Indonesia's total trade with the US – totalling just under $40bn in 2024 – does not rank in the top 15, but it has been growing. US exports to Indonesia rose 3.7% last year, while imports from there were up 4.8%, leaving the US with a goods trade deficit of nearly $18bn. The Trump administration has been under pressure to wrap up trade pacts after promising a flurry of deals recently, as countries sought talks with Washington to avoid the US president's tariff plans. But Trump has so far only unveiled other deals with Britain and Vietnam, alongside an agreement to temporarily lower tit-for-tat levies with China. Last week, Trump renewed his threat of a 32% levy on Indonesian goods, saying in a letter to the country's leadership that this would take effect 1 August. It remains unclear when the lower tariff level announced on Tuesday will take effect for Indonesia. The period over which its various purchases will take place was also not specified. Trump said on social media that under the deal, which was finalised after he spoke with Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto, goods that have been transshipped to avoid higher duties would face steeper levies. He separately told reporters that other deals were in the works, including with India, while talks with the European Union are continuing. Indonesia's former vice minister for foreign affairs, Dino Patti Djalal, told a Foreign Policy event Tuesday that government insiders had indicated they were happy with the new deal. Trump in April imposed a 10% tariff on almost all trading partners, while announcing plans to eventually hike this level for dozens of economies, including the EU and Indonesia. But days before the steeper duties, customised to each economy, were due to take effect, he pushed the deadline back from 9 July to 1 August. This marked his second postponement of the elevated levies. Instead, since early last week, Trump has been sending letters to partners, setting out the tariff levels they would face come August. So far, he has sent more than 20 such letters including to the EU, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia. Trump has unveiled blanket tariffs on trading partners in part to address what his administration deems as unfair practices that hurt US businesses. Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report
CNA
2 hours ago
- Politics
- CNA
Trump says any 'credible' Epstein files should be released
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Tuesday (Jul 15) the United States Justice Department should release all "credible" information from its probe into notorious sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein as he sought to douse a firestorm of criticism from his supporters over his handling of the case. Trump is facing the most serious split of his political career from his famously loyal right-wing base over suspicions that his administration is covering up lurid details of Epstein's crimes to protect rich and powerful figures they say are implicated. "The attorney general has handled that very well," the Republican leader said of Pam Bondi, who leads the Justice Department, when he was asked about the case at the White House. Trump repeated his claim that the Epstein files were "made up" by his Democratic predecessors in the White House - even though he said multiple times during the election campaign that he would "probably" release them. "She's handled it very well, and it's going to be up to her," Trump said. "Whatever she thinks is credible, she should release." Trump's latest comments mark a softening of his stance - he had voiced frustration in the Oval Office and online about his supporters' fixation on Epstein and pleaded with them to move on. "I don't understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody," Trump told reporters Tuesday night, adding: "It's pretty boring stuff." The president's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement has long held as an article of faith that "Deep State" elites are protecting Epstein's most powerful associates in the Democratic Party and Hollywood. Trump has faced growing outrage since his administration effectively shut down Epstein-related conspiracy theories, which have become MAGA obsessions. The Justice Department and FBI said in a memo made public earlier this month that there is no evidence that the disgraced financier kept a "client list" or was blackmailing powerful figures. They also dismissed the claim that Epstein was murdered in jail, confirming his death by suicide, and said they would not be releasing any more information on the probe. "LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE" It marked the first time Trump's officials had publicly refuted the stories - pushed for years by numerous right-wing figures, notably including the FBI's top two officials, before Trump hired them. Beyond angering supporters, the issue has opened a schism within his administration, sparking a fiery blow-up between Bondi and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, who is said to be considering resigning. Trump's attempts to take the sting out of the controversy have largely failed, with far right influencers continuing to criticize him online. Even his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, a Fox News host, has called for "more transparency" from the administration. Trump's most powerful ally in the US Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson, pushed Tuesday for the administration to release more information about the case, and his stance has been echoed by multiple Republicans. "We should put everything out there and let the people decide," he told MAGA influencer Benny Johnson's internet show, calling on Bondi to "come forward and explain" apparent discrepancies in her statements about the case. Bondi told Fox News in February a list of Epstein clients was on her desk for review, before backtracking and saying that no such list existed. Epstein died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 after being charged with sex trafficking. Trump - who has denied visiting the US Virgin Islands home where prosecutors say Epstein sex trafficked underage girls - said ahead of his election he would have "no problem" releasing files related to the case.
