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The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
New pics of Trump holding court in Oval Office branded ‘embarrassing' as world leaders sit around his desk: ‘Like schoolchildren'
New pictures showing Donald Trump sitting in the Oval Office in front of major world leaders has been criticized as an "embarrassing" power play by the president, in what should have been a display of global unity. Some on social media noted that the set up, with Trump behind the Resolute Desk and his European counterparts on chairs opposite him, presented the president as hosting a bunch of 'unruly schoolchildren.' The president was joined for the photo-op by leaders including British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, French president Emmanual Macron, German Chancellor Freidrich Merz, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish president Alexander Stubb. Also in attendance were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Another photo showed a smiling Trump posing with a new golf club, gifted to him by Zelensky. However, the meeting of the circled leaders drew the ire of social media users, with some commenting that the staging and White House mantra of of 'peace through strength' was 'deeply disrespectful to U.S. history itself.' 'Permenant peace is never truly obtained through strength. It may hold for a while under pressure, but it won't last,' wrote one user. 'What a breathtakingly rude, narcissistic asshole,' another said. 'Instead of a conference table where everyone can meet equally, Chump lined them up like unruly school children in a row with himself as the authority figure. Chump can just f*** all the way off.' Others questioned how the leaders, who came to Washington D.C. as 'equals' had allowed such a belittling set up. 'Embarrassing,' wrote one user, with another going further, writing 'I cannot believe they let Trump seat them like a bunch of schoolchildren. 'Do none of these 'leaders' have any testosterone whatsoever or PR teams that can approve/reject seating arrangements. Most embarrassing thing I've ever seen for the EU.'
Arab News
02-08-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Japan expo builds on the vision of Dubai 2020
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed hope that this year's Osaka Expo will help restore global unity in a divided world. Yet, while that grand goal is unlikely to be fully realized, the big event is having a positive impact on international relations. Building from the legacy of Dubai's Expo 2020, the first ever in the Middle East, this year's Osaka event is proving to be a diplomatic magnet, with more than 100 foreign dignitaries expected to pass through by the end of the event. Moreover, almost 160 nations and regions are taking part. At the opening ceremony, Ishiba said that 'the world, having overcome the coronavirus pandemic, is now threatened by an array of divisions. At a time like this, it is extremely meaningful that people from around the world gather here and discuss the theme of life and experience cutting-edge technology, diverse ideas, and culture. I sincerely hope the world will unite again through interactions among countries and visitors in and outside this ring.' This vision may appear grandiose, but in fact is largely in keeping with a long tradition of expos which, building from Dubai 2020, date back to at least the 1851 UK Great Exhibition planned by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. That big UK event was designed to symbolize world peace, unity, and the progression of modernity, much like this year's expo. Moreover, just as the 1851 event was designed to showcase Britain as an industrial leader, the Osaka Expo has the potential to do the same for Japan. Osaka's big event takes place around a half century after the city last held the expo amid much business and consumer interest. While the exact economic impact of the event may not be clear for months, Japan's second city is already undergoing a significant transformation. An artificial island almost 400 hectares in size has been created in Osaka Bay for visitors. As impressive as the Osaka Bay development is, the biggest change to the physical character of the city is in the center, with redevelopment of the Osaka Station area into the so-called Grand Green Osaka. There has also been an influx of upmarket hotels, including the Canopy by Hilton Osaka Umeda, the Hotel Hankyu Gran Respire Osaka, and the Waldorf Astoria Osaka. Boosting country branding is a common ambition in an overcrowded global information marketplace. Andrew Hammond For over a century, one of the key features of expos has been highlighting a country's cutting-edge innovation. In earlier eras, inventions such as the telephone were showcased. Fast forward to 2025, and the theme of Osaka's event is 'designing the future of our lives.' One big feature will be the showcasing of flying car services. The Osakako Vertiport will display the latest vehicles, which will be flown to nearby sites. At least two major questions arise from the ambitions of expo hosts. First, can a country's reputation be enhanced in the same way as a corporation, or other organization, might do by hosting them, And, second, can this have a significant, sustainable national economic impact. On the first question, competition for the attention of stakeholders such as investors and tourists is intensifying, and national reputation is, therefore, a prized asset or a major liability, with a direct effect on future political, economic, and social fortunes. Boosting country branding is a common ambition in what is an overcrowded global information marketplace, and a number of countries have successfully delivered big events to positively differentiate themselves to the world. One standout success story is the 1992 Seville Expo, which aligned with Spain's hosting of the Barcelona Summer Olympics the same year. For good reason, 1992 has been described as the 'year of Spain,' a time when 'Spanish soft power conquered the world.' Yet, many nations fail to fully capitalize, reputationally or economically, on hosting the expo or major sporting events such as the Olympics. Moreover, on the economic front, numerous studies have indicated that legacy-driven big event growth is sometimes over-hyped. This was shown most recently by Japan's hosting of the 2020 Summer Olympics, an event that was blighted by the global pandemic and eventually delayed until 2021. In 2018, when Osaka was announced as the host of the expo in 2025, delight was expressed in Japan. Then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the country would 'achieve a magnificent expo in Osaka that would give dreams and surprises to everyone in the world,' and that it would be 'a golden opportunity to promote the fascinating charms of Japan to the rest of the world.' Beyond these warm words, however, to maximize the prospects of benefiting reputationally, Japan must pursue a concerted reputation and economic strategy that aligns all key national stakeholders — across the public, private, and third sectors — around a single, coherent vision for its country brand to emphasize traits such as a respected international leader, technological innovation, and cultural powerhouse. This exercise should not just be the preserve of tourism agencies, let alone government, but must involve the private and third sectors, too. Spain in 1992 showed how this can be done effectively by connecting the expo and Olympic events into a narrative about a wider transformation in the country at the time. This included the nation's political and economic transformation following its transition to democracy after the death of previous ruler Francisco Franco, including the accession to the European Economic Community, now the EU, in 1986. This underlines the power of even relatively simple, unified country brand visions. Amid the frenzy of this year's expo, the long-term economic opportunities of the event should not be sidelined. A key part of this must be connecting Osaka's hosting to a wider story that showcases Japan's strengths so as to increase favorability of international perceptions of the country, politically, economically, and socially. • Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.
National Post
18-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
John Ivison: Trump came to Alberta to bury the G7, not to praise it
On day two of the G7 meeting in Kananaskis, Alta., Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement saying that, as global threats grow, unity among the world's most advanced economies matters more than ever. Article content The G7's origins date back to 1973, when then U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, George Shultz, convened an informal gathering of finance ministers to promote free trade, multilateralism and co-operation with the developing world (Canada was invited to join in 1976). Article content Article content Article content But at the G7's 51st meeting this week, there was no real unity, because its predominant member doesn't advocate for any of those things anymore. Article content Article content President Donald Trump headed back to Washington on Monday night, claiming he had 'big stuff' to sort out in regard to the Israel and Iran confrontation. Article content It was a legitimate pretext, but the feeling is that he would have gone anyway. He was like the embarrassing uncle at the wedding who, to everyone's relief, leaves early. Article content 'I wish I could stay for tomorrow,' the president said, as Carney turned to French president Emmanuel Macron and winked. Macron barely hides his belief that Trump is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot. Article content The French president had already upset the president by stopping off in Greenland on his way to Alberta, responding to Trump's threats to the island's sovereignty by saying that seizing territory 'is not what allies do.' Article content Macron told reporters in Kananaskis that things are not going in the right direction, 'whether it's Canada or Greenland or our friends in Denmark. That's why I was there two days ago. We need respect,' he said. Article content Article content Only Macron and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni can know what he was talking about when the leaders gathered on Monday morning, and she rolled her eyes. But it's not hard to guess. Article content Article content Trump's presence in Kananaskis had the intense gravitational pull of a black hole. The president sat at the centre of this universe, caring nothing for matters beyond the boundaries of his personal event horizon. Article content On his way home, Trump had his revenge upon Macron, by saying on social media that the 'publicity-seeking French president' was mistaken in suggesting Trump had left early to work on a ceasefire. 'Much bigger than that,' he said. 'Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong.'
South China Morning Post
03-06-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Privilege or merit? Harvard speech ignites China debate on elite education access
Emotional remarks by a Chinese student who delivered this year's Harvard University commencement speech have sparked a debate in China about barriers to elite education. Advertisement The speech by Yurong 'Luanna' Jiang, the first Chinese woman chosen as Harvard's student commencement speaker, called for global unity amid US President Donald Trump's plan to 'aggressively' revoke Chinese student visas Internet users have since raised questions about a lack of access for many ordinary students who have struggled to be considered for prestigious universities, citing an uneven distribution of financial and educational resources. While some praised her message of 'a shared humanity', which echoed Beijing's diplomatic vision of 'a community with a shared future for mankind', others criticised her 'privileged' background and questioned whether she truly represented the broader Chinese student population. According to Harvard Magazine, Jiang, originally from Qingdao in eastern China, attended high school in the United Kingdom . She completed her undergraduate degree at Duke University before enrolling at the Harvard Kennedy School for a master's degree. Advertisement Internet users also questioned her volunteer experience in the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation – where her father reportedly worked as a director, and which played a role in securing a recommendation letter for her Harvard application in 2022.
The Independent
02-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Fight breaks out behind Harvard student as she issues plea for global unity
A brawl broke out between two men while a Chinese Harvard student spoke about global unity in an interview on Friday (30 May). Yurong 'Luanna' Jiang was speaking to the Associated Press about the importance of being compassionate when a fight broke out in the background. The two men can be seen falling to the ground in a tumble at an open-air restaurant, with a third man later piling on. Jiang, the first Chinese woman chosen as Harvard's student speaker, continued the interview unaware of the brawl. 'The message itself, if I have to put it into one sentence, will be that humanity rises and falls as one', she ironically said.
