EU, India move closer to free trade deal
India and the European Union have vowed to deepen trade ties on Wednesday, with the two sides agreeing to set up a high-level ministerial dialogue on trade and investment.
Trade
Trump says U.S.-China relationship is ‘severely damaged,’ phase 2 trade deal not a priority
President Donald Trump said Friday that he isn’t thinking about a possible next stage of the U.S. trade deal with China, adding that the relationship between the two nations has been “severely damaged” by the coronavirus pandemic.
China’s Campaign to Systematically Reduce Minorities
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been conducting a large scale campaign to reduce the Muslim population of the Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in the far western region of Xinjiang, even though the CCP encourages some of the country’s Han majority to have more children. Individual women have warned the world about forced birth control, yet the practice is far more widespread and systematic than previously realized. This information is based on government statistics, state documents, and interviews with various sources such as ex-detainees, family members, and a former detention camp instructor. Some experts are calling this “demographic genocide” and have denounced the campaign over the past four years.
Mexico celebrates start of new trade accord with US, Canada
Mexico celebrated the implementation of a new free trade agreement with Canada and the United States that it hopes will lead to more investment in its struggling economy.
Charleston Legislators Vote To Remove Statue
Legislators in the South Carolina state city of Charleston voted Tuesday unanimously to remove a statue of former vice president and slavery advocate John C. Calhoun from a downtown square, amid widening anti-racism protests.
Christian Family Shot and Injured in Pakistan
Two members of a Christian family have been shot and wounded after buying a house in a Muslim neighborhood, Christian activists said Friday. The shooting happened after Nadeem Joseph reportedly purchased a home in the TV Colony in Pakistan’s volatile northwestern city of Peshawar in late May.
UK to Begin Free Trade Deal Negotiations with Australia and New Zealand
The UK is set to begin negotiations on post-Brexit free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand, the Guardian reported Wednesday.
US Condemns Russia’s 16-Year Sentence for Alleged American Spy
The United States has condemned Russia for sentencing an ex-marine to 16 years in a high-security prison for spying, charges he vehemently denies.
With a bit of oomph, Brexit deal feasible in July, says UK’s Johnson
Leaders from Britain and the European Union agreed on Monday that talks on their future relationship should be stepped up to clinch a deal, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggesting an agreement could be reached in July with “a bit of oomph”.
Islamic Militants Murder at Least 58 in Attacks Targeting Christians in Burkina Faso
Targeting Christians, Islamic militants in Burkina Faso murdered at least 58 people in attacks carried out on May 29 and 30, the Christian Post reported. Burkina Faso has been besieged with armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for more than four years.
No progress: EU, UK remain far apart in post-Brexit talks
Another round of trade discussions between the European Union and the U.K. ended Friday – and once again there were no signs of progress ahead of a looming deadline on whether a transition arrangement can be extended.
U.S.Stock Surge Despite Virus Pandemic
There were two realities in the United States Tuesday with stocks on Wall Street surging to their highest levels in two months while Main Street suffered due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Senator Rubio chosen as acting Intelligence Committee chairman
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio will serve as acting chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Monday, after Senator Richard Burr announced he would step aside from the position during a federal investigation of his stock trades.
U.S. Retail Sales Plunge To Record Low
U.S. stocks sank Friday after figures showed retail sales in the country plunged by a record 16.4 percent last month, the worst decline in decades.
Trump threatens China ties, says he’s in no mood for talks with Xi
US President Donald Trump further hardened his rhetoric toward China on Thursday, saying he no longer wishes to speak with Xi Jinping and warning darkly he might cut ties over the rival superpower’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Homeland Security Investigations Office has Opened Hundreds of Cases of COVID-19 Related Fraud
The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office has opened more than 370 cases of alleged fraud in which scammers tried to sell counterfeit COVID-19 test kits, treatments, masks, and cleaning products. Since the US entered lockdown around two months ago, the HSI has cracked down on individuals and organizations it suspects of fraud and has investigated nearly 25,000 website domains, the Washington Examiner reports.
France Wants Hard Response to Israel If It Proceeds With Annexation Plans
France wants European Union countries to consider a hard response to Israel if it proceeds with the annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria, three EU diplomats told Reuters. Under the Israeli government’s coalition agreement, the process of annexing Jewish settlements in the West Bank could begin on July 1.
U.S., Britain to begin post-Brexit trade negotiations
The United States and Britain will begin negotiations Tuesday on a post-Brexit free-trade agreement.
New US-China Trade War Looms Over Coronavirus Pandemic
Tensions between China and the United States are rapidly escalating into a possible trade war with Beijing and Washington accusing each other of responsibility for the coronavirus outbreak.
U.N. Agency: ‘Half of World’s Workers Lose Jobs Over Coronavirus’
A principal United Nations agency warns that nearly half of the world’s working population may lose jobs and incomes as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate lives and economies. The International Labour Organization (ILO) said some 1.6 billion people are in “immediate danger of having their livelihoods destroyed” by the economic impact of the virus outbreak and related measures.