The United States is again calling on European allies to be careful of what it says are security risks posed by Chinese telecommunication company Huawei, as countries build out their 5G networks. “We’ve been clear: our ask is that our allies and our partners and our friends don’t do anything that would endanger our shared security … continue reading -> “Pompeo Renews Warning to European Allies to Not Use Huawei for 5G”
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reiterated on Sunday the need for oil independence as his government said it would tender six construction contracts in June for a planned oil refinery in the southern state of Tabasco. Tensions between Mexico and the United States have been running high in recent days after President Donald Trump … continue reading -> “Mexican President Urges Oil Independence Amid US Trade Tensions”
Joyce Huang contributed to this report. China says Washington bears the “sole and entire responsibility” for the breakdown in trade talks earlier this month and that Beijing won’t back down on matters of principle. In a defiant rebuttal of who is to blame, China released a white paper Sunday, arguing that it is the United … continue reading -> “China Blames Washington for Trade Talks Breakdown”
The Trump administration had taken steps in recent weeks to work with Democratic and Republican lawmakers to address concerns about the proposed United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement — and then came the threat of a new tariff. President Donald Trump said this past week that he would put a 5% tariff on Mexican imports unless America’s … continue reading -> “Momentum Toward Trade Deal Hits Trump Turbulence”
VOA News Center associate producer Jesusemen Oni contributed reporting from Washington. Mexico’s president suggested Saturday that his country could clamp down on migration, and he said he thought the United States was ready to discuss its threatened use of tariffs as a means to combat illegal migration from Central America. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said at a Mexico … continue reading -> “Mexico’s President Hints Migration Controls Could Be Tightened”
The Trump administration is committed to making fossil fuels cleaner rather than imposing “draconian” regulations on coal and oil, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Thursday at an energy conference in Salt Lake City. Perry previously said the administration wants to spend $500 million next year on fossil fuel research and development as demand plummets … continue reading -> “Energy Secretary: US Aims to Make Fossil Fuels Cleaner “
The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it had not pressured Venezuela to release economic indicators after years of silence, while two sources said the country’s surprise data release this week was due to pressure from China. The central bank on Tuesday unexpectedly released data confirming Venezuela is suffering hyperinflation and massive economic contraction. The … continue reading -> “IMF Denies Pressuring Venezuela to Release Economic Data”
U.S. stocks lost ground again on Thursday, as conflicting comments on trade talks from President Donald Trump and Beijing reinforced investor nervousness that a lengthy battle could be in the offing and harm global growth. Trump said talks with China were going well but those comments were countered by a senior Chinese diplomat who said … continue reading -> “Wall Street Slump Continues on U.S.-China Trade Uncertainty”
President Donald Trump said Thursday he still believes China “would love to make” a new trade deal with the United States and might now regret backtracking on some agreements negotiators for the two countries had reached. “We had a deal and they broke the deal,” Trump said at the White House. “I think if they … continue reading -> “Trump: China Maybe Regrets Backtracking on Trade Provisions”
The highly-anticipated showdown on Wednesday night between Trish Regan of Fox Business and Liu Xin of China Global Television Network (CGTN) — the overseas arm of state-controlled China Central Television (CCTV) — turned out to be a tame question-and-answer session with little exchange of barbs. Some observers say that, as both are neither policymakers nor experts … continue reading -> “China Cheers State TV Anchor in Face-Off with FOX”
In recent weeks, Australia and India have re-elected incumbent prime ministers. These Asia-Pacific countries, who have a difficult relationship with China, are unlikely to make the kind of policy changes that Beijing has been seeking for a long time, analysts said. Australia this month re-elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison stunning pollsters who had anticipated his … continue reading -> “Pro-China Policies Unlikely in Australia, India After Recent Elections”
Water restrictions are to be imposed in Sydney, Australia’s biggest city, for the first time in almost a decade because of falling reservoir levels and a long-standing drought. Residents who breach the regulations could be fined US$150. The flow of rainwater into some of Sydney’s reservoirs is at its lowest since World War II. From … continue reading -> “Drought Forces Water Bans in Sydney”
The Trump administration said on Tuesday that no major trading partner met its currency manipulation criteria but nine countries, including China, required close attention as Washington presses tariffs and negotiations to address trade deficits. The Treasury Department, in a semi-annual report to Congress, said it reviewed the policies of an expanded set of 21 major … continue reading -> “US Treasury Says 9 Trade Partners Deserve Scrutiny Over Currency Practices”
Officials in Zimbabwe say the bodies of eight illegal miners have been retrieved from an abandoned gold mine about 50 kilometers north of Harare. The news Monday was a reminder of the risk faced by desperate illegal miners trying to make a living in the economically troubled southern African country. Matopo is a gold rich … continue reading -> “Desperate Zimbabweans Risk Lives in Abandoned Mines”
Zimbabwe’s disused mines continue to be a death trap for poor and desperate illegal miners in search of the precious minerals to earn a living. Columbus Mavhunga travelled to Matopo a gold rich area about 500 kilometers south of Harare, where mining continues despite some having been trapped earlier this month. …
Fiat Chrysler proposed a merger Monday with Renault, a union that would create the world’s third biggest automaker. The merger, if it happens, would vault the new company, with annual sales of 8.7 million vehicles, into a position ahead of General Motors and behind only Volkswagen and Toyota, both of which sell about 10.6 million. … continue reading -> “Fiat Chrysler Proposes Merger With Renault”
Only the chirping of birds and insects break the silence at a gold mining site in the Eastern Region of Ghana, right at the foot of the Atewa forest reserve. Caterpillar excavators stand still, as the two Ghanaian companies operating them wait for a new mining permit a process that has been in the works … continue reading -> “Ghana Just Scratching Surface of Illegal Gold Mining”
President Donald Trump says he is “honored” to give U.S. farmers hurt by the trade war with China another $16 billion in aid. Flanked by potato growers, ranchers and dairymen in the White House, Trump said Thursday the aid “will help keep our cherished farms thriving and make clear that no country has a veto … continue reading -> “Trump ‘Honored’ to Provide US Farmers with $16 Billion in Aid “
In a potential challenge to U.S.-led efforts to build consensus on the Boeing Co 737 MAX flying again, Canada and Europe said on Wednesday they would bring back the grounded aircraft on their own terms if their specific concerns are not addressed. Global regulators will meet in Fort Worth, Texas, on Thursday where the U.S. … continue reading -> “Canada, Europe to Choose When 737 MAX Is Safe as Regulators Meet”
British lawmakers are denouncing Prime Minister Theresa May’s latest proposal to withdraw from the European Union (EU) amid growing demands from her own Conservative Party for her resignation. May said on Tuesday a bill she plans to present to Parliament next month would include a provision to vote on whether to hold a second referendum … continue reading -> “Britain’s May Faces Calls to Resign After Revised Brexit Plan Unveiled”
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurant chain in Britain has filed for bankruptcy protection, closing 22 of its 25 eateries and leaving some 1,000 people out of work. The remaining outlets, two Jamie’s Italian restaurants and a Jamie’s Diner at Gatwick Airport outside London, will stay open, the financial firm KPMG, which will oversee the process, … continue reading -> “Jamie Oliver’s British Restaurant Chain Collapses”
The Trump administration is considering payments of $2 per bushel for soybeans, 63 cents per bushel for wheat and 4 cents per bushel for corn as part of a package of up to $20 billion to offset U.S. farmers’ losses from the trade war with China, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. Caitlin Eannello, spokeswoman for the … continue reading -> “Bloomberg: US May Pay $2 Per Bushel for Soybeans to Help Farmers”
The Portuguese economy is resisting the prevailing gloom in Europe. Activity remained strong, with GDP rising by 0.5% in the first quarter, or 1.8% at an annual rate, compared with 1.2% in the euro zone, forecasts Brussels. Following the trend of 2018, Portugal’s good economic health comes mainly from private consumption fueled by rising wages and … continue reading -> “Portugal’s Economy Rebounds, Though Problems Persist”
More than 170 American shoe manufacturers and retailers, including such well-known athletic shoe brands as Nike, Under Armour and Adidas, urged President Donald Trump on Tuesday to exempt footwear from any further tariffs he imposes on imported goods from China. The lobby for the shoe industry, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, told Trump … continue reading -> “US Shoe Industry Protests Possible Tariffs on Chinese Imports”
Turkey’s Trade Ministry will implement a reciprocal reduction in tariffs on U.S. imports after the United States halved tariffs on Turkish steel imports last week, two Turkish sources said on Tuesday. The White House last week terminated Turkey’s eligibility for the Generalized System of Preferences (GTS) program, in a move Turkey said contradicted trade goals, … continue reading -> “Sources: Turkey to Reduce US Import Tariffs This Week”