The White House is facing increasing pressure for a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war, with Donald Trump claiming he is “very close” to a deal.
Browsing: Donald Trump
US news is today heavily domianted by politics, tariffs and stock markets. The US President has clarified that he has no plans to fire Fed boss Jermone Powell despite complaining about his performance via Twitter/X.
The President has also hinted he may reverse his trade tariffs on China as the IMF downgrades the global economy forecasts and warns of a US recession.
Donald Trump’s ongoing spat with the Federal Reserve boss caused the markets to panic this week, with a massive sell off and drop in the dollar. Things have settled once again, but the IMF has slashed the global growth forecast – with the US given the biggest downgrade among advanced economies.
Global stock markets, including the Dow Jones and Nasdaq, surged by over 2% following comments from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding potential de-escalation in trade tensions with China, alleviating investor fears.
Tuesday’s headlines are a sombre affair with most global coverage – online and in print – paying tribute to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday morning after suffering with poor health in recent months including double pneumonia. It has since been confirmed that Pope Francis died from a stroke and heart failure.
Despite the sadness of the pope’s death – which is being felt around the world. There is a sense of celebration as well, with many reports emerging of the pope’s kindness – including calling Gaza’s only church everyday since the Israeli ground invasion, his role in bringing Muslims and Christian’s together across Africa and shunning much of the privileges that come with being the pope. He attempted to make the Catholic Church more inclusive and less judgemental.
Online, many headlines are discussing funeral plans, noting his refusal for any of the pomp and ceremony associated with a pope’s death, and there is speculation over who might be in line to become the next pope.
The Mexican government has condemned a US advertisement warning against undocumented migration, asserting it contains a “discriminatory message” that undermines human dignity and could incite violence against migrants.
President Trump stated that the administration cannot provide trials for all deportees, claiming it would take “200 years” to do so.
Marco Rubio’s statements reflect increasing frustration in Washington over stalled peace negotiations in the Ukraine conflict.
U.S. airstrikes targeting the Ras Isa oil port controlled by Yemen’s Houthi rebels resulted in 20 fatalities and 50 injuries, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the ongoing military campaign initiated under President Trump
US President Donald Trump has confirmed plans for a second state visit to the UK in September, following an invitation from King Charles.
US Students fear Trump crackdown following Harvard University stance against the Trump administration.
A US federal judge has warned that the Trump administration may face criminal contempt charges for not complying with his order to return deported individuals to the US, highlighting escalating tensions between the executive and judicial branches.
The US tariff situation may have fallen off the front pages of many newspapers, but the business media remains on top of the latest news from Washington. Despite Trump issuing an exemption for big tech in his tariffs on China, he has since signalled that it’s only a temporary measure and investigations are under way into the semiconductor and pharmaceutical trade – which could lead to their tariff exemptions ending.
The US FTC has initiated an antitrust trial against Meta, alleging that the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were aimed at eliminating competition to maintain market dominance.
The US federal government has frozen over $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University due to its refusal to restrict campus activism, a demand from the Trump administration.
The value of the US dollar has fallen in recent days to a new three-year low following the uncertainty over the impact of the Trump tariffs on the global economy.
Trump backs down but will the MAGA crew accept it? probably not. For him this is a game of who can bear more pain, but is it the same for the MAGA crew.
Did anyone notice Trump and Netanyahu press conference, it went a bit under radar with all the tariff talk but not one single journalist had the courage to ask about the Red Crescent massacre.
This week Jeremy Corbyn and 30 MPs have written to the Prime Minister demanding that there should be an independent inquiry into the red crescent massacre. This deserves our support.
And imagine if there was no drama from the US tariffs, what would we be doing? hmmm!
Despite opening well this Friday morning, the three main stock indexes in Europe are now down after China announced that it will retaliate further to US tariffs – after the Trump administration confirmed the tariff on China is now 145%.
Harriet Harman advises Sir Keir Starmer to clearly communicate that Donald Trump’s tariffs on UK goods are incorrect and unjustified.
Friday’s UK headlines cover a variety of domestic and international stories. There is, of course, continued coverage of the fallout from the Trump tariff debacle amid claims of market manipulation and calls for an investigation into potential insider trading.
Royal news continues to be highlighted on the front pages – in print and online – with Prince Harry making a surprise visit to Ukraine and Prince William talking football after Villa’s 3-1 loss. Charles and Camilla are pictured on several tabloids after marking their 20th wedding anniversary with a state visit to Italy, where the pair exercised their soft power in a bid to rebuild relations with the rest of Europe.
The UK is set for another sunny day with temperatures reaching over 23C in some parts – and in Scotland, there are warnings of potential wildfires.
The Trump administration has initiated a controversial move to classify over 6,000 living immigrants as deceased, effectively cancelling their Social Security numbers. This action is designed to compel these individuals to leave the United States.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian, was extradited from the US to India and accused of being a key conspirator in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that resulted in over 160 deaths.
The US aims for free and priority access to the Panama Canal, while Panama insists on its sovereignty, complicating negotiations amidst ongoing tensions.
Donald Trump announced a temporary 90-day suspension of certain tariffs less than a day after they came into effect. Many see it as the president backing down from his policy after US government bonds were being sold off, and the president likely under pressure from his rich and powerful friends (Elon Musk).
Whilst he came back from the brink for most countries he had hit, all countries (interestingly, Russia was not hit with tariffs) still face a blanket 10% tariff.
The administration intensified its stance on China by elevating tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%, underscoring a complex and strained U.S.- China trade relationship.
China responded firmly to the increased tariffs, maintaining a resolute position and implementing retaliatory measures. The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced an 84% tariff on all U.S. goods, signaling Beijing’s unwillingness to yield to U.S. pressure. This escalation has heightened concerns about a prolonged trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies.
The financial markets have reacted with notable volatility to these developments. Following the announcement of the tariff suspension, global markets experienced a relief rally. However, this optimism is tempered by underlying uncertainties, as analysts caution that the fundamental issues driving the trade tensions remain unresolved. The bond market, in particular, has exhibited signs of distress, with the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield climbing from under 4% to 4.5%, reflecting diminished confidence in U.S. fiscal stability.
Amid these economic fluctuations, there have been murmurs of potential market manipulation.
The current trajectory of U.S. trade policy, characterized by abrupt shifts and escalating tariffs, has prompted warnings from economic leaders. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon cautioned that the ongoing trade war could precipitate a U.S. recession this year.
Donald Trump has backed down on his tariffs (higher than the baseline 10%) on countries that did not retaliate against the levies. The US president announced via social media that there would be a 90-day pause on those tariffs and they would instead be dropped to the blanket 10% rate. But since China did retaliate, Trump announced that the tariffs on China would be hiked to 125%.
Much of the global media sees the announcement of Trump backing down from the trade war he started, likely amid US government bond sell-offs.