Amazon said Monday it was offering employees $10,000 to quit their jobs and become independent package delivery entrepreneurs for the online retail colossus.

An Amazon statement said the latest incentive would also include three months of wages for employees who want to start their own delivery enterprise, and that they would be assured "consistent delivery volume" from the company.

The move comes with Amazon seeking to reduce its dependence on services in the US Postal Service and FedEx. Amazon first launched the "delivery service partner" program in 2018, requiring employees to invest in their own start and estimating revenues for up to $300,000.

Since last year, some 200 people have begun Amazon delivery startups, and the company said it expects "hundreds" more with the added incentives, available in the United States, Britain and Spain.

"We received overwhelming interest from tens of thousands of individuals who applied to be part of the delivery service partner program, including many employees," said Dave Clark, senior vice president of worldwide operations.

"We've heard from associates that they want to participate in the program but struggled with the transition. Now we have a path for those associates with an appetite for opportunities to own their own businesses."

Amazon said it would offer access to the company's delivery technology, training, and discounts on assets and services, including Amazon-branded vans and uniforms.

Amazon said Monday it was offering employees $10,000 to quit their jobs and become independent package delivery entrepreneurs for the online retail colossus. An Amazon statement said the latest incentive would also include three months of wages for employees who want to start their own delivery enterprise, and that they would be assured "consistent delivery volume" from the company.

Amazon said Monday it was offering employees $10,000 to quit their jobs and become independent package delivery entrepreneurs for the online retail colossus. An Amazon statement said the latest incentive would also include three months of wages for employees who want to start their own delivery enterprise, and that they would be assured "consistent delivery volume" from the company. The move comes with Amazon seeking to reduce its dependence on services in the US Postal Service and FedEx. Amazon first launched the "delivery service partner" program in 2018, requiring employees to invest in their own start and estimating revenues for up to $300,000. Since last year, some 200 people have begun Amazon delivery startups, and the company said it expects "hundreds" more with the added incentives, available in the United States, Britain and Spain. "We received overwhelming interest from tens of thousands of individuals who applied to be part of the delivery service partner program, including many employees," said Dave Clark, senior vice president of worldwide operations. "We've heard from associates that they want to participate in the program but struggled with the transition. Now we have a path for those associates with an appetite for opportunities to own their own businesses." Amazon said it would offer access to the company's delivery technology, training, and discounts on assets and services, including Amazon-branded vans and uniforms.

Amazon offers employees $10,000 to quit, launch delivery business

&nbsp;By Tony Walker 
 
The Chinese have a saying attributed to the philosopher and writer Lao Tzu: every journey begins with a single step.

If that is the case, US-China relations have taken a step backwards in negotiators’ failure to advance trade negotiations in the latest round of talks in Washington, which ended unsatisfactorily.

China has said it is willing to resume discussions. The US has sent mixed messages, including a series of bombastic tweets from President Donald Trump warning of a worse deal if an agreement is not reached before the next presidential election.

Washington responded to the inability of the two sides to bridge their differences by raising tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports to 25 per cent from 10 per cent already imposed.

The administration has threatened to extend tariff increases to virtually all Chinese imports. This would likely prompt a trade war.

Sharp differences remain over the wording of the trade agreement itself. Beijing regards the language as too harsh on intellectual property and trade secrets theft, forced technology transfers, competition policy, access to financial services, and currency manipulation.

China appears to have hardened its position on some of these issues in the course of the negotiations, after having earlier indicated more flexibility.

This does not augur well for an early resolution.

The US has also clearly resolved to increase pressure on China on other fronts, in what risks becoming deepening differences on a range of issues.

As trade negotiators convened in Washington two US warships sailed near disputed islands and island features claimed by China in the South China Sea. This is the third time this year the US has conducted freedom of navigation operations next to Chinese-claimed territory.

Coinciding with last week’s stalled trade talks, the US also barred the large Chinese telecommunications operator, China Mobile Ltd, from operating in the US. Washington cited security concerns.

This comes in the wake of the US decision to ban the Chinese telecommunication communications equipment supplier, Huawei, from participating in the buildout of its 5G network.

US pressure led to three other members of the so-called “five eyes” security partnership, including Australia, to bar Huawei as well. Britain, alone among the “five eyes”, has agreed to allow the Chinese company to participate in non-core aspects of the 5G buildout.

This will be viewed in Beijing as an indication the US is using its economic weight to confront China more broadly and encourage its allies to follow suit.

US attempts to extradite the daughter of the founder of Huawei from Canada to face charges for breaching sanctions against Iran risk further souring relations.

While it would be premature to describe a messy pause in US-China trade negotiations as an inflexion moment in an increasingly complex relationship, it is unarguable that US-China relations have entered a new and more fractious phase.

What is unclear is whether a more overtly competitive relationship is bringing closer the day when the gloves really do come off in a way that threatens global harmony.

In any case, it seems clear a period of relative amity, during which the US and China sought to achieve a reasonable balance between an old and a new global order, is over.

Benn Steil, director of the international economics program at the Council on Foreign Relations, told Bloomberg that rivalry between the US and China for control of everything from global trade routes to cyberspace will drive the relationship for years to come.

“The heady era of global integration is gone,” Steil said.

This view may prove alarmist, but, on latest indications, overcoming trade and other differences between Washington and Beijing will be easier said than done.

Trump’s arrival in the White House, with a team of trade advisers who have made careers railing against China’s uncompetitive trade practices, has brought trading differences more sharply into focus.

Disputes over intellectual property, market access, alleged currency manipulation and a host of other trade issues have been present ever since China began its inexorable rise.

US politicians of left and right agitate against what’s perceived to be China’s mercantilist trade policies. This is blamed for American jobs draining away from the country’s manufacturing heartland.

Prominent Democrats, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, support Trump’s tough stand on China. Democratic presidential hopefuls like Bernie Sanders have accused Trump of not delivering on his promises to upend US trading relationships.

Trump’s unhelpful response to the failure in Washington to achieve breakthrough points to an uncertain conclusion to complex negotiations that would lay the foundation for a more stable relationship.

This contribution to the debate provides an indication of the extent to which US-China relations have become enmeshed in American domestic politics.

Trade frictions with China risk becoming more – not less – intense as a presidential election year approaches in 2020.

Presidential campaigns tend to expose sharper differences on trade as the two sides compete for votes in the American rust belt, where factory closures have killed off tens of thousands of jobs.

One of Trump’s boasts is that he has reversed this trend by encouraging American business to reinvest onshore and bring jobs home. But disruptions to trade have their costs.

Trump’s tariff war against China has hit American farmers hard as the Chinese have retaliated by seeking alternative markets for agricultural commodities such as soybeans.

In other words, China is not without an ability to strike back at US attempts to strong-arm it over trade.

In the end, a resolution of a damaging US-China trade dispute that risks broader damage to a global trading system will require the intervention of respective leaders, Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The two will meet in June at the Osaka G20 leaders’ summit.

What is complicating that scenario is that crude US attempts to ramp up pressure on Beijing may well prove counterproductive. In Chinese culture, the issue of “face” is important.

Xi will not want to lose “face” in negotiations with Trump by yielding ground unduly. As US academic Patrick Chovanec writes:

"If we want China to embrace structural reform that requires real commitment – it’s not something we can just twist their arm to do, they have to buy into it. When you basically strong-arm them into doing something they really don’t want to do, and they’re convinced it’s harmful to their interests, at some point they are going to cheat, push back, or scuttle it, it’s just a question of when, because they haven’t bought into it."

US-China trade negotiations risk-taking more than a few steps back. 
 
(Tony Walker is Adjunct Professor, School of Communications, La Trobe University)

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/stakes-are-high-as-us-ups-the-ante-on-trade-dispute-with-china-116985">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

By Tony Walker The Chinese have a saying attributed to the philosopher and writer Lao Tzu: every journey begins with a single step. If that is the case, US-China relations have taken a step backwards in negotiators’ failure to advance trade negotiations in the latest round of talks in Washington, which ended unsatisfactorily.

By Tony Walker The Chinese have a saying attributed to the philosopher and writer Lao Tzu: every journey begins with a single step. If that is the case, US-China relations have taken a step backwards in negotiators’ failure to advance trade negotiations in the latest round of talks in Washington, which ended unsatisfactorily. China has said it is willing to resume discussions. The US has sent mixed messages, including a series of bombastic tweets from President Donald Trump warning of a worse deal if an agreement is not reached before the next presidential election. Washington responded to the inability of the two sides to bridge their differences by raising tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports to 25 per cent from 10 per cent already imposed. The administration has threatened to extend tariff increases to virtually all Chinese imports. This would likely prompt a trade war. Sharp differences remain over the wording of the trade agreement itself. Beijing regards the language as too harsh on intellectual property and trade secrets theft, forced technology transfers, competition policy, access to financial services, and currency manipulation. China appears to have hardened its position on some of these issues in the course of the negotiations, after having earlier indicated more flexibility. This does not augur well for an early resolution. The US has also clearly resolved to increase pressure on China on other fronts, in what risks becoming deepening differences on a range of issues. As trade negotiators convened in Washington two US warships sailed near disputed islands and island features claimed by China in the South China Sea. This is the third time this year the US has conducted freedom of navigation operations next to Chinese-claimed territory. Coinciding with last week’s stalled trade talks, the US also barred the large Chinese telecommunications operator, China Mobile Ltd, from operating in the US. Washington cited security concerns. This comes in the wake of the US decision to ban the Chinese telecommunication communications equipment supplier, Huawei, from participating in the buildout of its 5G network. US pressure led to three other members of the so-called “five eyes” security partnership, including Australia, to bar Huawei as well. Britain, alone among the “five eyes”, has agreed to allow the Chinese company to participate in non-core aspects of the 5G buildout. This will be viewed in Beijing as an indication the US is using its economic weight to confront China more broadly and encourage its allies to follow suit. US attempts to extradite the daughter of the founder of Huawei from Canada to face charges for breaching sanctions against Iran risk further souring relations. While it would be premature to describe a messy pause in US-China trade negotiations as an inflexion moment in an increasingly complex relationship, it is unarguable that US-China relations have entered a new and more fractious phase. What is unclear is whether a more overtly competitive relationship is bringing closer the day when the gloves really do come off in a way that threatens global harmony. In any case, it seems clear a period of relative amity, during which the US and China sought to achieve a reasonable balance between an old and a new global order, is over. Benn Steil, director of the international economics program at the Council on Foreign Relations, told Bloomberg that rivalry between the US and China for control of everything from global trade routes to cyberspace will drive the relationship for years to come. “The heady era of global integration is gone,” Steil said. This view may prove alarmist, but, on latest indications, overcoming trade and other differences between Washington and Beijing will be easier said than done. Trump’s arrival in the White House, with a team of trade advisers who have made careers railing against China’s uncompetitive trade practices, has brought trading differences more sharply into focus. Disputes over intellectual property, market access, alleged currency manipulation and a host of other trade issues have been present ever since China began its inexorable rise. US politicians of left and right agitate against what’s perceived to be China’s mercantilist trade policies. This is blamed for American jobs draining away from the country’s manufacturing heartland. Prominent Democrats, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, support Trump’s tough stand on China. Democratic presidential hopefuls like Bernie Sanders have accused Trump of not delivering on his promises to upend US trading relationships. Trump’s unhelpful response to the failure in Washington to achieve breakthrough points to an uncertain conclusion to complex negotiations that would lay the foundation for a more stable relationship. This contribution to the debate provides an indication of the extent to which US-China relations have become enmeshed in American domestic politics. Trade frictions with China risk becoming more – not less – intense as a presidential election year approaches in 2020. Presidential campaigns tend to expose sharper differences on trade as the two sides compete for votes in the American rust belt, where factory closures have killed off tens of thousands of jobs. One of Trump’s boasts is that he has reversed this trend by encouraging American business to reinvest onshore and bring jobs home. But disruptions to trade have their costs. Trump’s tariff war against China has hit American farmers hard as the Chinese have retaliated by seeking alternative markets for agricultural commodities such as soybeans. In other words, China is not without an ability to strike back at US attempts to strong-arm it over trade. In the end, a resolution of a damaging US-China trade dispute that risks broader damage to a global trading system will require the intervention of respective leaders, Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The two will meet in June at the Osaka G20 leaders’ summit. What is complicating that scenario is that crude US attempts to ramp up pressure on Beijing may well prove counterproductive. In Chinese culture, the issue of “face” is important. Xi will not want to lose “face” in negotiations with Trump by yielding ground unduly. As US academic Patrick Chovanec writes: "If we want China to embrace structural reform that requires real commitment – it’s not something we can just twist their arm to do, they have to buy into it. When you basically strong-arm them into doing something they really don’t want to do, and they’re convinced it’s harmful to their interests, at some point they are going to cheat, push back, or scuttle it, it’s just a question of when, because they haven’t bought into it." US-China trade negotiations risk-taking more than a few steps back. (Tony Walker is Adjunct Professor, School of Communications, La Trobe University) (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Stakes are high as US ups the ante on trade dispute with China

China car sales fell 14.6 per cent in April, an official industry association said on Monday, extending a slump in a massive auto market that has long been a cash cow for the industry.

Sales fell to 1.98 million last month, according to figures from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

Fuelled by rising incomes and government sales incentives, China in recent years has surged to become the world's largest automotive market and one of its fastest growing, prompting global manufacturers to stake their futures on it.

But after years of strong growth, car sales fell last year for the first time since the 1990s, hit by a slowing domestic economy, trade tensions with the United States, and a Chinese crackdown on shady credit practices that have crimped car-financing channels.

Sales had dipped 2.8 per cent in 2018 to 28.1 million units, according to previous CAAM figures, and the decline has accelerated into 2019.

Analyst says the ongoing slump has been heightened by a surge in sales in recent years as consumers rushed to buy cars ahead of the recent removal of tax rebates for small-vehicle purchases.

"At present, the main reason for the market downturn is a lack of consumer confidence," CAAM said.

Factors contributing to the April decline also included the recent implementation of tighter emissions standards in some provinces, which have impacted manufacturers, the association said, without giving details.

The persistent slowdown has pushed major manufacturers to cut prices and announce plans to pursue more design changes and automotive options tailored specifically to Chinese consumers.

The state-run association said car-buyers were in a "wait-and-see" mode, but it sounded a positive note for the future, saying that recent income tax cuts and other government policies aimed at spurring consumption should kick in soon.

"We are full of confidence in the stable development of the automotive market throughout the year," it said.

Major carmakers have stressed that they continue to see solid potential in China's market, particularly in bright spots such as SUVs and electric vehicles.

But competition is expected to intensify even in EVs with Beijing moving to phase out policies that encourage the purchase of "green" vehicles.

CAAM said 97,000 "new energy" vehicles were sold in April, up 18.1 per cent year-on-year.

China car sales fell 14.6 per cent in April, an official industry association said on Monday, extending a slump in a massive auto market that has long been a cash cow for the industry.

China car sales fell 14.6 per cent in April, an official industry association said on Monday, extending a slump in a massive auto market that has long been a cash cow for the industry. Sales fell to 1.98 million last month, according to figures from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Fuelled by rising incomes and government sales incentives, China in recent years has surged to become the world's largest automotive market and one of its fastest growing, prompting global manufacturers to stake their futures on it. But after years of strong growth, car sales fell last year for the first time since the 1990s, hit by a slowing domestic economy, trade tensions with the United States, and a Chinese crackdown on shady credit practices that have crimped car-financing channels. Sales had dipped 2.8 per cent in 2018 to 28.1 million units, according to previous CAAM figures, and the decline has accelerated into 2019. Analyst says the ongoing slump has been heightened by a surge in sales in recent years as consumers rushed to buy cars ahead of the recent removal of tax rebates for small-vehicle purchases. "At present, the main reason for the market downturn is a lack of consumer confidence," CAAM said. Factors contributing to the April decline also included the recent implementation of tighter emissions standards in some provinces, which have impacted manufacturers, the association said, without giving details. The persistent slowdown has pushed major manufacturers to cut prices and announce plans to pursue more design changes and automotive options tailored specifically to Chinese consumers. The state-run association said car-buyers were in a "wait-and-see" mode, but it sounded a positive note for the future, saying that recent income tax cuts and other government policies aimed at spurring consumption should kick in soon. "We are full of confidence in the stable development of the automotive market throughout the year," it said. Major carmakers have stressed that they continue to see solid potential in China's market, particularly in bright spots such as SUVs and electric vehicles. But competition is expected to intensify even in EVs with Beijing moving to phase out policies that encourage the purchase of "green" vehicles. CAAM said 97,000 "new energy" vehicles were sold in April, up 18.1 per cent year-on-year.

China auto sales slump continues in April

Rock band Vampire Weekend has topped the Billboard 200 chart with its third No. 1 album `Father of the Bride`.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the band sold approximately 119,000 sets which is the largest for any rock album in 2019.

The album was released on May 3 this year by Spring Snow and Columbia Records.

Vampire Weekend`s last two hits on Billboard 200 were `Modern Vampires of the city` and `Contra` in the year 2013 and 2010 respectively.

Other than Vampire Weekend, Billie Eilish`s `When we fall asleep` and `Where do we go` climbed from fourth to the second number, whereas Khalid`s `Free spirit` rose from fifth to the third position.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums from the US on a multi-metric consumption basis.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Rock band Vampire Weekend has topped the Billboard 200 chart with its third No. 1 album `Father of the Bride`. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the band sold approximately 119,000 sets which is the largest for any rock album in 2019.

Rock band Vampire Weekend has topped the Billboard 200 chart with its third No. 1 album `Father of the Bride`. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the band sold approximately 119,000 sets which is the largest for any rock album in 2019. The album was released on May 3 this year by Spring Snow and Columbia Records. Vampire Weekend`s last two hits on Billboard 200 were `Modern Vampires of the city` and `Contra` in the year 2013 and 2010 respectively. Other than Vampire Weekend, Billie Eilish`s `When we fall asleep` and `Where do we go` climbed from fourth to the second number, whereas Khalid`s `Free spirit` rose from fifth to the third position. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums from the US on a multi-metric consumption basis.

Vampire Weekend's album tops the Billboard 200 chart

The United States' military presence in the Gulf used to be a serious threat but now it is an opportunity, a senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA).

The US military has sent forces, including an aircraft carrier and<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/b-52-bombers-to-be-part-of-us-forces-sent-to-middle-east-over-iran-concerns-216934"> B-52 bombers, to the Middle East</a> to counter what US officials have said are “clear indications” of threats from Iran to its forces there.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is replacing another carrier rotated out of the Gulf last month.

"An aircraft carrier that has at least 40 to 50 planes on it and 6,000 forces gathered within it was a serious threat for us in the past but now...the threats have switched to opportunities," Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards' aerospace division said.

He added, "If (the Americans) make a move we will hit them in the head."

The commander of the Guards, Major General Hossein Salami, said in a parliament session on Sunday that the United States has started a psychological war in the region, according to a parliamentary spokesman.

"Commander Salami, with attention to the situation in the region, presented an analysis that the Americans have started a psychological war because the comings and goings of their military is a normal matter,” said Behrouz Nemati in a summary of the Salami's comments, according to parliament's ICANA news site.

Salami was appointed head of the Guards last month.

Separately, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Sunday that US&nbsp;national security adviser John Bolton had made plans for the United States to withdraw from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and take a more aggressive posture toward the Islamic Republic even before he took up his current post.

Zarif tweeted a link to a 2017 National Review article written by Bolton with the headline "How to Get Out of the Iran Nuclear Deal."

"A detailed blueprint for #FakeIntelligence, #ForeverWar and even empty offers for talks—only phone numbers were not included," Zarif wrote in the tweet.

CNN reported on Friday that the White House had passed a telephone number to the Swiss for contacting US President Donald Trump in case Iranian officials want to hold talks.

The Swiss embassy in Tehran represents US interests in the Islamic Republic.

The United States' military presence in the Gulf used to be a serious threat but now it is an opportunity, a senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA).

The United States' military presence in the Gulf used to be a serious threat but now it is an opportunity, a senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA). The US military has sent forces, including an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers, to the Middle East to counter what US officials have said are “clear indications” of threats from Iran to its forces there. The USS Abraham Lincoln is replacing another carrier rotated out of the Gulf last month. "An aircraft carrier that has at least 40 to 50 planes on it and 6,000 forces gathered within it was a serious threat for us in the past but now...the threats have switched to opportunities," Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards' aerospace division said. He added, "If (the Americans) make a move we will hit them in the head." The commander of the Guards, Major General Hossein Salami, said in a parliament session on Sunday that the United States has started a psychological war in the region, according to a parliamentary spokesman. "Commander Salami, with attention to the situation in the region, presented an analysis that the Americans have started a psychological war because the comings and goings of their military is a normal matter,” said Behrouz Nemati in a summary of the Salami's comments, according to parliament's ICANA news site. Salami was appointed head of the Guards last month. Separately, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Sunday that US national security adviser John Bolton had made plans for the United States to withdraw from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal and take a more aggressive posture toward the Islamic Republic even before he took up his current post. Zarif tweeted a link to a 2017 National Review article written by Bolton with the headline "How to Get Out of the Iran Nuclear Deal." "A detailed blueprint for #FakeIntelligence, #ForeverWar and even empty offers for talks—only phone numbers were not included," Zarif wrote in the tweet. CNN reported on Friday that the White House had passed a telephone number to the Swiss for contacting US President Donald Trump in case Iranian officials want to hold talks. The Swiss embassy in Tehran represents US interests in the Islamic Republic.

US military presence in Gulf is 'an opportunity': Iran Revolutionary Guards' commander

A year after US embassy move to Jerusalem, where do things stand

An Israeli cabinet minister warned on Sunday of possible direct or proxy Iranian attacks on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-will-not-allow-nuclear-armed-iran-benjamin-netanyahu-216991">Israel should the stand-off between Tehran and Washington</a> escalate.

The United States has increased economic and military pressure on Iran, with President Donald Trump on Thursday urging its leaders to talk to him about giving up their nuclear programme and saying he could not rule out an armed confrontation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which supports Trump's hard tack against its arch-foe, has largely been reticent about the spiralling tensions.

Parting with the silence, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said that, in the Gulf, "things are heating up".

"If there's some sort of conflagration between Iran and the United States, between Iran and its neighbours, I'm not ruling out that they will activate Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad from Gaza, or even that they will try to fire missiles from Iran at the State of Israel," Steinitz, a member of Netanyahu's security cabinet, told Israel's Ynet TV.

Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad are Iranian-sponsored guerrilla groups on Israel's borders, the former active in Syria as well as Lebanon and the latter in the Palestinian territories.

The Israeli military declined to comment when asked if it was making any preparations for possible threats linked to the Iran-US standoff.

Israel has traded blows with Iranian forces in Syria, as well as with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestinian militants. But it has not fought an open war with Iran, a country on the other side of the Middle East.

An Israeli cabinet minister warned on Sunday of possible direct or proxy Iranian attacks on Israel should the stand-off between Tehran and Washington escalate. The United States has increased economic and military pressure on Iran, with President Donald Trump on Thursday urging its leaders to talk to him about giving up their nuclear programme and saying he could not rule out an armed confrontation.

An Israeli cabinet minister warned on Sunday of possible direct or proxy Iranian attacks on Israel should the stand-off between Tehran and Washington escalate. The United States has increased economic and military pressure on Iran, with President Donald Trump on Thursday urging its leaders to talk to him about giving up their nuclear programme and saying he could not rule out an armed confrontation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which supports Trump's hard tack against its arch-foe, has largely been reticent about the spiralling tensions. Parting with the silence, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said that, in the Gulf, "things are heating up". "If there's some sort of conflagration between Iran and the United States, between Iran and its neighbours, I'm not ruling out that they will activate Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad from Gaza, or even that they will try to fire missiles from Iran at the State of Israel," Steinitz, a member of Netanyahu's security cabinet, told Israel's Ynet TV. Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad are Iranian-sponsored guerrilla groups on Israel's borders, the former active in Syria as well as Lebanon and the latter in the Palestinian territories. The Israeli military declined to comment when asked if it was making any preparations for possible threats linked to the Iran-US standoff. Israel has traded blows with Iranian forces in Syria, as well as with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestinian militants. But it has not fought an open war with Iran, a country on the other side of the Middle East.

Iran may attack Israel if US standoff escalates, says cabinet minister

Robert Mueller, the US special counsel whose report on Russian election interference has shaken a divided Washington, will not testify before Congress next week, a top Democrat said Friday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-clash-while-awaiting-a-briefing-on-mueller-report-205392">House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/robert-mueller-should-not-testify-before-us-congress-trump-216223"> </a>had wanted Mueller to testify on May 15, but he said a date for the highly anticipated appearance before lawmakers remained under discussion.

"It won't be next week," Nadler told reporters. "But we're negotiating with him, we're talking to him and the Justice Department."

Nadler has said that the committee would subpoena Muller if necessary but expressed hope that such a step could be avoided.

Nadler's comments came two days after his committee -- the panel empowered to initiate impeachment proceedings against a president -- voted along party lines to recommend that Attorney General William Barr be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the unredacted Mueller report and its underlying evidence.

Mueller has said that Barr, in his own four-page summary of the report, mischaracterized the nature and substance of the investigation's conclusions, which resulted in "public confusion" about the findings.

That dispute, and Barr's refusal to provide the special counsel's full report has intensified congressional interest in hearing from Mueller himself.

Barr has said he does not object to Mueller testifying to lawmakers.

President Donald Trump, whose campaign was accused by Democrats of colluding with Moscow, has flip-flopped on the issue.&nbsp;

He has gone from saying he would not object to Mueller testifying, to tweeting on Sunday that "Bob Mueller should not testify."

Robert Mueller, the US special counsel whose report on Russian election interference has shaken a divided Washington, will not testify before Congress next week, a top Democrat said Friday.

Robert Mueller, the US special counsel whose report on Russian election interference has shaken a divided Washington, will not testify before Congress next week, a top Democrat said Friday. House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler had wanted Mueller to testify on May 15, but he said a date for the highly anticipated appearance before lawmakers remained under discussion. "It won't be next week," Nadler told reporters. "But we're negotiating with him, we're talking to him and the Justice Department." Nadler has said that the committee would subpoena Muller if necessary but expressed hope that such a step could be avoided. Nadler's comments came two days after his committee -- the panel empowered to initiate impeachment proceedings against a president -- voted along party lines to recommend that Attorney General William Barr be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the unredacted Mueller report and its underlying evidence. Mueller has said that Barr, in his own four-page summary of the report, mischaracterized the nature and substance of the investigation's conclusions, which resulted in "public confusion" about the findings. That dispute, and Barr's refusal to provide the special counsel's full report has intensified congressional interest in hearing from Mueller himself. Barr has said he does not object to Mueller testifying to lawmakers. President Donald Trump, whose campaign was accused by Democrats of colluding with Moscow, has flip-flopped on the issue. He has gone from saying he would not object to Mueller testifying, to tweeting on Sunday that "Bob Mueller should not testify."

Mueller won't testify next week, talks ongoing: House Democrat

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday Tehran would not negotiate with the United States and a senior cleric warned that a US&nbsp;Navy fleet could be "destroyed with one missile", as a US aircraft carrier headed towards the Gulf.

The comments by hardliners appeared partly aimed at discouraging <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-must-resist-us-sanctions-through-oil-non-oil-exports-iran-president-rouhani-215895">President Hassan Rouhani </a>and his moderate allies in Tehran from taking up an offer of talks from Washington.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran's leaders to sit down and talk with him about giving up their nuclear programme and said he could not rule out a military confrontation, given the heightened tensions.

The carrier Abraham Lincoln, deployed as a warning to Iran, passed through Egypt’s Suez Canal on Thursday.

American B-52 bombers have also arrived at a US&nbsp;base in Qatar, US&nbsp;Central Command said.

Iran has dismissed both moves as "psychological warfare" designed to intimidate it.

The semi-official ISNA news agency quoted hardliner Ayatollah Tabatabai-Nejad in the city of Isfahan as saying: "Their billion(-dollar) fleet can be destroyed with one missile.

"If they attempt any move, they will ... (face) dozens of missiles because at that time (government) officials won't be in charge to act cautiously, but instead things will be in the hands of our beloved leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei)," he said.

Tabatabai-Nejad represents Supreme Leader Khamenei, widely seen to be closer to hardliners than to Rouhani, in Isfahan.

Separately, Yadollah Javani, the elite Revolutionary Guards' deputy head for political affairs, said: "No talks will be held with the Americans, and the Americans will not dare take military action against us."

"Our nation ... sees America as unreliable," he said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

"SANCTIONS HAVE NO EFFECT!"

Thousands of Iranians took part in state-sponsored marches on Friday to show support for the government's decision to scale back curbs on its nuclear programme agreed under a 2015 deal with world powers. Iran has threatened to go further if other signatories fail to shield it from US&nbsp;economic sanctions.

State TV showed protesters marching after Friday prayers in Tehran and said similar marches had been held across Iran.

"America should know, sanctions have no effect!" chanted the protesters.

Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Richard Moore, a visiting British Foreign Office official, that "Europe should not underestimate Iran's determination to scale back its commitments (under the 2015 deal) phase-by-phase", according to the state news agency IRNA.

Trump, who last year pulled Washington out of the deal and reimposed sanctions on Tehran, has expressed a willingness to meet Iranian leaders in the past and renewed it on Thursday.

Asked about Trump's comments, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, said Tehran had been talking with the six powers, including the United States, within the framework of the nuclear deal.

"All of a sudden he (Trump) decided to leave the negotiating table ... What is the guarantee that he will not renege again?", Takht Ravanchi said in a US television interview.

He dismissed US&nbsp;allegations of an Iranian threat as "fake intelligence".

The US&nbsp;officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the pieces of intelligence that were causing concern included information that Iran had installed missiles on boats. One of the officials said the particular missile observed was perhaps capable of being launched from a small ship.

The media officer at Al Udaid air base, near Doha, Qatar, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the arrival of the B-52 bombers.

US Central Command is responsible for U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday Tehran would not negotiate with the United States and a senior cleric warned that a US Navy fleet could be "destroyed with one missile", as a US aircraft carrier headed towards the Gulf.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday Tehran would not negotiate with the United States and a senior cleric warned that a US Navy fleet could be "destroyed with one missile", as a US aircraft carrier headed towards the Gulf. The comments by hardliners appeared partly aimed at discouraging President Hassan Rouhani and his moderate allies in Tehran from taking up an offer of talks from Washington. US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran's leaders to sit down and talk with him about giving up their nuclear programme and said he could not rule out a military confrontation, given the heightened tensions. The carrier Abraham Lincoln, deployed as a warning to Iran, passed through Egypt’s Suez Canal on Thursday. American B-52 bombers have also arrived at a US base in Qatar, US Central Command said. Iran has dismissed both moves as "psychological warfare" designed to intimidate it. The semi-official ISNA news agency quoted hardliner Ayatollah Tabatabai-Nejad in the city of Isfahan as saying: "Their billion(-dollar) fleet can be destroyed with one missile. "If they attempt any move, they will ... (face) dozens of missiles because at that time (government) officials won't be in charge to act cautiously, but instead things will be in the hands of our beloved leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei)," he said. Tabatabai-Nejad represents Supreme Leader Khamenei, widely seen to be closer to hardliners than to Rouhani, in Isfahan. Separately, Yadollah Javani, the elite Revolutionary Guards' deputy head for political affairs, said: "No talks will be held with the Americans, and the Americans will not dare take military action against us." "Our nation ... sees America as unreliable," he said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. "SANCTIONS HAVE NO EFFECT!" Thousands of Iranians took part in state-sponsored marches on Friday to show support for the government's decision to scale back curbs on its nuclear programme agreed under a 2015 deal with world powers. Iran has threatened to go further if other signatories fail to shield it from US economic sanctions. State TV showed protesters marching after Friday prayers in Tehran and said similar marches had been held across Iran. "America should know, sanctions have no effect!" chanted the protesters. Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Richard Moore, a visiting British Foreign Office official, that "Europe should not underestimate Iran's determination to scale back its commitments (under the 2015 deal) phase-by-phase", according to the state news agency IRNA. Trump, who last year pulled Washington out of the deal and reimposed sanctions on Tehran, has expressed a willingness to meet Iranian leaders in the past and renewed it on Thursday. Asked about Trump's comments, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht Ravanchi, said Tehran had been talking with the six powers, including the United States, within the framework of the nuclear deal. "All of a sudden he (Trump) decided to leave the negotiating table ... What is the guarantee that he will not renege again?", Takht Ravanchi said in a US television interview. He dismissed US allegations of an Iranian threat as "fake intelligence". The US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the pieces of intelligence that were causing concern included information that Iran had installed missiles on boats. One of the officials said the particular missile observed was perhaps capable of being launched from a small ship. The media officer at Al Udaid air base, near Doha, Qatar, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the arrival of the B-52 bombers. US Central Command is responsible for U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Iran Guards reject US talks, cleric threatens carrier

US President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-to-hold-more-trade-talks-with-us-in-beijing-217628"> Donald Trump</a> cranked up the heat in a trade battle with China on Friday, ordering a tariff hike on almost all remaining imports from the world's second-biggest economy, but Beijing said talks would continue to resolve the row.

After tweeting that two days of trade talks in Washington had been "candid and constructive," the businessman-turned-politician changed tack and followed through on a threat he had been making for months.

"The President... ordered us to begin the process of raising tariffs on essentially all remaining imports from China, which are valued at approximately $300 billion," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement.

The move came less than 24 hours after Washington increased punitive duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, raising them to 25 per cent from 10 per cent, days after the Trump administration accused Beijing of reneging on its commitments.

Details on the process for public notice and comment will be posted Monday, ahead of a final decision on the new tariffs, Lighthizer said. They were not expected to go into effect for several months.

China's top trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, had warned earlier that Beijing "must respond" to any US tariffs.&nbsp;

The developments came like two days of talks to resolve the trade battle ended Friday with no deal, but no immediate breakdown either, offering a glimmer of hope that Washington and Beijing could find a way to avert damage to the global economy.

"Over the course of the past two days, the United States and China have held candid and constructive conversations on the status of the trade relationship between both countries," Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

"The relationship between President Xi (Jinping) and myself remains a very strong one, and conversations into the future will continue."

The tariffs on China "may or may not be removed depending on what happens with respect to future negotiations!"

Three disagreements&nbsp;

Liu told reporters the talks had been "productive" and said the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-to-hold-more-trade-talks-with-us-in-beijing-217628">two sides would meet again in Beijing</a> at an unspecified date, but he warned that China would make no concessions on "important principles."

"Negotiations have not broken down, but rather, on the contrary, this is only a normal twist in the negotiations between the two countries, it is inevitable," Liu said.

The seemingly positive messages -- coming before the announcement that Trump had ordered the latest round of tariffs -- had cheered Wall Street with shares rising after being under pressure all week.&nbsp;

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Lighthizer met for about two hours with Liu on Friday and then headed for the White House to brief Trump, who had said he was in no hurry to reach a deal, arguing the United States was negotiating from a position of strength.

"We have a consensus in lots of areas but to speak frankly there are areas we have differences on, and we believe these concern big principles," Liu said.

Liu pointed to three major areas of disagreement: whether to cancel all trade war tariffs when an agreement is reached, the exact size of Chinese purchases of US goods, and a "balanced" agreement text.

"Any country needs its own dignity, so the text must be balanced," Liu said.

Liu and his backer Xi cannot be seen as giving in too much with trade concessions to the US in fear of triggering comparisons to past "unequal treaties" forced on China in the 19th and 20th centuries.&nbsp;

"Every country has important principles, and we will not make concessions on matters of principle," Liu said

'Darkness before dawn'&nbsp;

Yang Delong, the chief economist at First Seafront Fund Management in Shanghai, told AFP that the "sudden hardening" of Trump's tone is likely linked to the 2020 US presidential election.

"The US hopes China will make greater concessions in many areas, these concessions might harm a foundation of our economic development or impact our institutional reform," Yang said.

"When it comes to core interests China is not able to yield," he said.

Washington is pressing China to change its policies on protections for intellectual property, as well as massive subsidies for state-owned firms, and to reduce the yawning trade deficit.

After weeks of rising optimism about the chances for an agreement, the tone out of the White House has veered from anger to nonchalance.&nbsp;

In a series of early morning tweets Friday, Trump said there was "absolutely no need to rush" towards a deal.

The US leader continues to argue that tariffs could in some ways be preferable to reaching a trade deal.

"Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind," Trump wrote.

Since last year the United States and China have exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, weighing on both countries' economies.

Economists stress that duties are paid by US companies and consumers and result in higher prices, while farmers and manufacturers complain about the loss of markets for their exports due to retaliation from China.

Liu compared the negotiations to a marathon: "When you get to the last stage it is comparatively the hardest stage, now we need to hold on, it is the darkness before dawn."

US President Donald Trump cranked up the heat in a trade battle with China on Friday, ordering a tariff hike on almost all remaining imports from the world's second-biggest economy, but Beijing said talks would continue to resolve the row.

US President Donald Trump cranked up the heat in a trade battle with China on Friday, ordering a tariff hike on almost all remaining imports from the world's second-biggest economy, but Beijing said talks would continue to resolve the row. After tweeting that two days of trade talks in Washington had been "candid and constructive," the businessman-turned-politician changed tack and followed through on a threat he had been making for months. "The President... ordered us to begin the process of raising tariffs on essentially all remaining imports from China, which are valued at approximately $300 billion," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement. The move came less than 24 hours after Washington increased punitive duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, raising them to 25 per cent from 10 per cent, days after the Trump administration accused Beijing of reneging on its commitments. Details on the process for public notice and comment will be posted Monday, ahead of a final decision on the new tariffs, Lighthizer said. They were not expected to go into effect for several months. China's top trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, had warned earlier that Beijing "must respond" to any US tariffs. The developments came like two days of talks to resolve the trade battle ended Friday with no deal, but no immediate breakdown either, offering a glimmer of hope that Washington and Beijing could find a way to avert damage to the global economy. "Over the course of the past two days, the United States and China have held candid and constructive conversations on the status of the trade relationship between both countries," Trump tweeted. "The relationship between President Xi (Jinping) and myself remains a very strong one, and conversations into the future will continue." The tariffs on China "may or may not be removed depending on what happens with respect to future negotiations!" Three disagreements Liu told reporters the talks had been "productive" and said the two sides would meet again in Beijing at an unspecified date, but he warned that China would make no concessions on "important principles." "Negotiations have not broken down, but rather, on the contrary, this is only a normal twist in the negotiations between the two countries, it is inevitable," Liu said. The seemingly positive messages -- coming before the announcement that Trump had ordered the latest round of tariffs -- had cheered Wall Street with shares rising after being under pressure all week. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Lighthizer met for about two hours with Liu on Friday and then headed for the White House to brief Trump, who had said he was in no hurry to reach a deal, arguing the United States was negotiating from a position of strength. "We have a consensus in lots of areas but to speak frankly there are areas we have differences on, and we believe these concern big principles," Liu said. Liu pointed to three major areas of disagreement: whether to cancel all trade war tariffs when an agreement is reached, the exact size of Chinese purchases of US goods, and a "balanced" agreement text. "Any country needs its own dignity, so the text must be balanced," Liu said. Liu and his backer Xi cannot be seen as giving in too much with trade concessions to the US in fear of triggering comparisons to past "unequal treaties" forced on China in the 19th and 20th centuries. "Every country has important principles, and we will not make concessions on matters of principle," Liu said 'Darkness before dawn' Yang Delong, the chief economist at First Seafront Fund Management in Shanghai, told AFP that the "sudden hardening" of Trump's tone is likely linked to the 2020 US presidential election. "The US hopes China will make greater concessions in many areas, these concessions might harm a foundation of our economic development or impact our institutional reform," Yang said. "When it comes to core interests China is not able to yield," he said. Washington is pressing China to change its policies on protections for intellectual property, as well as massive subsidies for state-owned firms, and to reduce the yawning trade deficit. After weeks of rising optimism about the chances for an agreement, the tone out of the White House has veered from anger to nonchalance. In a series of early morning tweets Friday, Trump said there was "absolutely no need to rush" towards a deal. The US leader continues to argue that tariffs could in some ways be preferable to reaching a trade deal. "Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind," Trump wrote. Since last year the United States and China have exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, weighing on both countries' economies. Economists stress that duties are paid by US companies and consumers and result in higher prices, while farmers and manufacturers complain about the loss of markets for their exports due to retaliation from China. Liu compared the negotiations to a marathon: "When you get to the last stage it is comparatively the hardest stage, now we need to hold on, it is the darkness before dawn."

Trump orders tariff hike on remaining Chinese imports

Facebook Inc quickly rejected a call from co-founder Chris Hughes on Thursday to split the world's largest social media company in three, while lawmakers urged the US Justice Department to launch an antitrust investigation.

Facebook has been under scrutiny from regulators around the world over data sharing practices as well as hate speech and misinformation on its networks. Some US&nbsp;lawmakers have pushed for action to break up big tech companies as well as federal privacy regulation.

"We are a nation with a tradition of reining in monopolies, no matter how well-intentioned the leaders of these companies may be. Mark's power is unprecedented and un-American," Hughes, a former college roommate of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-rejects-co-founder-chris-hughes-call-for-breakup-senator-urges-us-antitrust-probe-217370">Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg</a>, wrote in a lengthy New York Times opinion piece&nbsp;

Facebook's social network has more than 2 billion users. It also owns WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram, each used by more than 1 billion people. Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.

Facebook rejected Hughes' call for WhatsApp and Instagram to be made into separate companies and said the focus should instead be on regulating the internet. Zuckerberg will be in Paris on Friday to discuss internet regulation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

"Facebook accepts that with success comes accountability. But you don't enforce accountability by calling for the break up of a successful American company," Facebook spokesman Nick Clegg said in a statement.

"Accountability of tech companies can only be achieved through the painstaking introduction of new rules for the internet. That is exactly what Mark Zuckerberg has called for."

Late on Thursday, Senator Mike Crapo, the Republican who chairs the banking committee and Sherrod Brown, the top Democrat, asked Facebook to answer questions about a potential cryptocurrency-based payments system using its social network and its data collection.

The letter also asked questions about consumer privacy protections and if it had information about users' creditworthiness.

The US&nbsp;Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, told CNBC he thinks Facebook should be broken up and that the Justice Department's antitrust division needs to begin an investigation.

Antitrust law makes such a proposal tough to execute because the government would have to take the company to court and win. It is rare to break up a company but not unheard of, with Standard Oil and AT&amp;T being the two biggest examples.

Sense of responsibility

Hughes co-founded Facebook in 2004 at Harvard with Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz. He left Facebook in 2007, and has said in a LinkedIn post he made half a billion dollars for his three years of work.

"It's been 15 years since I co-founded Facebook at Harvard, and I haven't worked at the company in a decade. But I feel a sense of anger and responsibility," Hughes said.

Facebook lost several executives after a bruising series of privacy and disinformation scandals since 2016. The founders of Instagram and WhatsApp have left, as has the executive who took over WhatsApp last year.

Chief Product Officer Chris Cox, who had been at the company for 13 years and was one of Zuckerberg's closest lieutenants, stepped down in March around the same time Facebook announced a pivot towards more private messaging.

He later cited "artistic differences" with Zuckerberg as his reason for leaving, without elaborating.

Critics say the company's pivot to privacy, which will introduce more encrypted communications, will restrict Facebook's ability to police propaganda, hate speech and another abusive behaviour. Cox focused on improving tools to catch banned content in recent years.

Despite its scandals, the company's core business has proven resilient. Facebook has blown past earnings estimates in the past two quarters and it's stock price barely budged in response to Hughes' opinion piece.

Hughes suggested Zuckerberg should be held responsible for the privacy and other lapses at the company, echoing a call earlier this month by Democratic US&nbsp;Senator Ron Wyden to hold the CEO individually liable for "repeated violations" of privacy.

"The government must hold Mark accountable. For too long, lawmakers have marvelled at Facebook's explosive growth and overlooked their responsibility to ensure that Americans are protected and markets are competitive," Hughes said.

Lawmaker pressure

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election, has vowed to break up Facebook, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google if elected.

"Today's big tech companies have too much power—over our economy, our society, &amp; our democracy. They've bulldozed competition, used our private info for profit, hurt small businesses &amp; stifled innovation. It's time to #BreakUpBigTech," Warren said on Twitter on Thursday.

Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, said in a statement he agreed in retrospect that US&nbsp;regulators should not have approved Facebook's acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp.

"The way forward is to heavily scrutinize future mergers and to ensure no company has anti-competitive platform privileges," Khanna said.

In one of a number of scandals to hit the company, Facebook is accused of inappropriately sharing information belonging to 87 million users with the now-defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

Facebook has been in advanced talks with the US&nbsp;Federal Trade Commission to settle a year-old investigation and said last month it expected to spend between $3 billion and $5 billion.

On Monday, Republican and Democratic US&nbsp;senators criticized reported plans for the settlement, calling on the FTC to impose harsher penalties and more restrictions on Facebook's business practices.

Hughes said he last met with Zuckerberg in the summer of 2017, several months before the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke.

"Mark is a good, kind person. But I'm angry that his focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks," Hughes said.

Adam Mosseri, Facebook's previous head of news feed who recently took over Instagram, responded to Hughes on Twitter.

"Regulation is important and necessary, but I'm not convinced breaking us up is the right path. Would love to chat about it if you're open," Mosseri said.

Facebook Inc quickly rejected a call from co-founder Chris Hughes on Thursday to split the world's largest social media company in three, while lawmakers urged the US Justice Department to launch an antitrust investigation.

Facebook Inc quickly rejected a call from co-founder Chris Hughes on Thursday to split the world's largest social media company in three, while lawmakers urged the US Justice Department to launch an antitrust investigation. Facebook has been under scrutiny from regulators around the world over data sharing practices as well as hate speech and misinformation on its networks. Some US lawmakers have pushed for action to break up big tech companies as well as federal privacy regulation. "We are a nation with a tradition of reining in monopolies, no matter how well-intentioned the leaders of these companies may be. Mark's power is unprecedented and un-American," Hughes, a former college roommate of Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, wrote in a lengthy New York Times opinion piece Facebook's social network has more than 2 billion users. It also owns WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram, each used by more than 1 billion people. Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. Facebook rejected Hughes' call for WhatsApp and Instagram to be made into separate companies and said the focus should instead be on regulating the internet. Zuckerberg will be in Paris on Friday to discuss internet regulation with French President Emmanuel Macron. "Facebook accepts that with success comes accountability. But you don't enforce accountability by calling for the break up of a successful American company," Facebook spokesman Nick Clegg said in a statement. "Accountability of tech companies can only be achieved through the painstaking introduction of new rules for the internet. That is exactly what Mark Zuckerberg has called for." Late on Thursday, Senator Mike Crapo, the Republican who chairs the banking committee and Sherrod Brown, the top Democrat, asked Facebook to answer questions about a potential cryptocurrency-based payments system using its social network and its data collection. The letter also asked questions about consumer privacy protections and if it had information about users' creditworthiness. The US Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, told CNBC he thinks Facebook should be broken up and that the Justice Department's antitrust division needs to begin an investigation. Antitrust law makes such a proposal tough to execute because the government would have to take the company to court and win. It is rare to break up a company but not unheard of, with Standard Oil and AT&T being the two biggest examples. Sense of responsibility Hughes co-founded Facebook in 2004 at Harvard with Zuckerberg and Dustin Moskovitz. He left Facebook in 2007, and has said in a LinkedIn post he made half a billion dollars for his three years of work. "It's been 15 years since I co-founded Facebook at Harvard, and I haven't worked at the company in a decade. But I feel a sense of anger and responsibility," Hughes said. Facebook lost several executives after a bruising series of privacy and disinformation scandals since 2016. The founders of Instagram and WhatsApp have left, as has the executive who took over WhatsApp last year. Chief Product Officer Chris Cox, who had been at the company for 13 years and was one of Zuckerberg's closest lieutenants, stepped down in March around the same time Facebook announced a pivot towards more private messaging. He later cited "artistic differences" with Zuckerberg as his reason for leaving, without elaborating. Critics say the company's pivot to privacy, which will introduce more encrypted communications, will restrict Facebook's ability to police propaganda, hate speech and another abusive behaviour. Cox focused on improving tools to catch banned content in recent years. Despite its scandals, the company's core business has proven resilient. Facebook has blown past earnings estimates in the past two quarters and it's stock price barely budged in response to Hughes' opinion piece. Hughes suggested Zuckerberg should be held responsible for the privacy and other lapses at the company, echoing a call earlier this month by Democratic US Senator Ron Wyden to hold the CEO individually liable for "repeated violations" of privacy. "The government must hold Mark accountable. For too long, lawmakers have marvelled at Facebook's explosive growth and overlooked their responsibility to ensure that Americans are protected and markets are competitive," Hughes said. Lawmaker pressure Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election, has vowed to break up Facebook, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google if elected. "Today's big tech companies have too much power—over our economy, our society, & our democracy. They've bulldozed competition, used our private info for profit, hurt small businesses & stifled innovation. It's time to #BreakUpBigTech," Warren said on Twitter on Thursday. Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, said in a statement he agreed in retrospect that US regulators should not have approved Facebook's acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp. "The way forward is to heavily scrutinize future mergers and to ensure no company has anti-competitive platform privileges," Khanna said. In one of a number of scandals to hit the company, Facebook is accused of inappropriately sharing information belonging to 87 million users with the now-defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. Facebook has been in advanced talks with the US Federal Trade Commission to settle a year-old investigation and said last month it expected to spend between $3 billion and $5 billion. On Monday, Republican and Democratic US senators criticized reported plans for the settlement, calling on the FTC to impose harsher penalties and more restrictions on Facebook's business practices. Hughes said he last met with Zuckerberg in the summer of 2017, several months before the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke. "Mark is a good, kind person. But I'm angry that his focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks," Hughes said. Adam Mosseri, Facebook's previous head of news feed who recently took over Instagram, responded to Hughes on Twitter. "Regulation is important and necessary, but I'm not convinced breaking us up is the right path. Would love to chat about it if you're open," Mosseri said.

Facebook rejects co-founder call for breakup, senator urges US antitrust probe

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-president-ghani-urges-taliban-to-accept-ramadan-ceasefire-offer-216621">Zabihullah Mujahid</a>, the Taliban's chief spokesman and editor-in-chief of the insurgent group`s daily news bulletin, starts every day by collecting reports of overnight fighting with US&nbsp;and Afghan forces.&nbsp;

Mujahid says he gets his team of writers to cross-check facts shared by some of the hardline Islamist group's fighters, who double as reporters in the 34 provinces across the country. The writers prepare press statements in five languages and gather footage and photographs shot on smartphones.

The editor-in-chief then approves final drafts of the reports - highlighting the group's claimed victories in its war aimed at toppling the US-backed Afghan government - before they are published by IT specialists based outside the country.

While some Afghan journalists say its accuracy is patchy, and its opponents accuse it of spreading "fake news", the Taliban's slick media operation has emerged as a key weapon in the information war that often leaves the Western-backed government and its US partners struggling to catch up.

Last month, for example, the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia"> Taliban </a>was swift to deny involvement in a suicide attack on the communications ministry in Kabul later blamed on Islamic State, while information from the government was slower to emerge.

Taliban spokesmen say they have also stepped up their outreach as the pace of direct talks between its negotiators and the United States on ending the war in Afghanistan has picked up in recent months. They are often quicker than US officials to give their read-out from the talks - the sixth round of which wrapped up in Qatar on Thursday.

"Whatever developments occur during the Doha talks, we share it with journalists," said Mujahid, adding that the messages were aimed at domestic and international audiences.&nbsp;

Online presence

Mujahid and his colleague Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, two Taliban spokesmen based in Afghanistan, say they are authorized to interact with journalists, issue statements and tweet. They generally respond to text or voice messages from Reuters correspondents based in Kabul within an hour.

While their location cannot be verified, they use Afghan phone numbers to access WhatsApp. The names they use are pseudonyms assigned to them by the Taliban leadership.

"We are not authorised to reveal our real names, the two pen names are used to retain uniformity," Mujahid, who has more than 42,000 Twitter followers, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

In 2011, the Taliban leadership started posting regularly on Twitter, a surprise move by the radical Islamist movement that once banned most forms of modern entertainment.

They now communicate on messaging apps WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram in English, Pashto, Dari, Arabic and Urdu.

"We understand the importance of spreading information about our jihad and our determination to re-establish the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan," said Mujahid, who says he draws a monthly salary of 14,000 Afghani ($180), plus $128 for internet and mobile expenses.&nbsp;

"Now many diplomats from various countries seek an audience with our leaders and follow us on social media," he added.

"After 17 years of struggle, we are winning the actual war and the digital war against infidels and the puppet regime established by the Americans to govern Afghanistan."

Afghan and Western officials dispute both statements. Government forces and their military allies, they say, are inflicting heavy casualties on the Taliban on the battlefield, and continue to launch air strikes to destroy their camps. The Taliban`s media operation is dismissed as misinformation.

"Their false claims and exaggerated reports have reached an absurd style beyond any reason," said Colonel Knut Peters, the spokesman for NATO-led Resolute Support in Afghanistan, who closely tracks Taliban statements.

"They are obviously trying to boost their own self-confidence while their fighters are dying in large numbers."

Since October, US and Taliban officials have held talks aimed at preparing the ground for US forces to withdraw from Afghanistan in return for a Taliban guarantee that the country will not be used as a base for militant attacks elsewhere.

In recent months, the Taliban have repeatedly rejected calls to declare a ceasefire, and instead intensified their attacks on Afghan forces and government offices.

Taliban newsroom

Afghan journalists who have been covering the Taliban since the 1990s said before the advent of social media the group sent out hand-written pamphlets and news reports to Afghan reporters based in Pakistan and Afghanistan.&nbsp;

Javed Hamim Kakar, a senior editor with Pajhwok Afghan News, the country`s oldest private news agency, said the insurgent group has since created a complex network to disseminate news.

But a tendency to exaggerate casualties inflicted undermines the Taliban news operation`s credibility, he said.

In April, for example, the Taliban reported its fighters had carried out a successful attack on Bagram, the largest US&nbsp;airbase in Afghanistan about 50 km (30 miles) north of Kabul, in which it said dozens of foreign service personnel were killed or wounded.

The US&nbsp;officials in Kabul denied the attack had taken place.&nbsp;

"If you send them a query they respond very fast, but accuracy is always a question. Propaganda is part of fighting, the Taliban are very good at it," Kakar said.

Mujahid and Ahmadi accept there have been numerous instances when they have published unsubstantiated claims of attacks and that sometimes fighters have presented an exaggerated version.

"There are allegations that our communication is rife with sensationalism and embellishment but we never abandon the truth," said Ahmadi. "We correct it immediately."

The government is also often accused of inflating its battlefield reports. A senior defence official familiar with the situation acknowledged the government often under-reports casualties among Afghan forces, while readily providing numbers for Taliban militants they say they have killed.

There is no independent confirmation of the figures given by either side, making it impossible to fully assess the on-the-ground situation.

The Taliban`s communications operation, which is now run at an annual cost of 25 million Afghanis ($323,000), started out as a small office in Kabul when the Islamists ruled the country from 1996 to 2001 and have expanded since they were ousted.

It now publishes six magazines in Pashto, Dari, Urdu and Arabic, and posts news reports on 10 websites in five languages, as well as operating smaller websites that offer theological guidance, videos, and war poetry written by fighters.

"Despite the threats, we now run an efficient media office," said Ahmadi, a graduate in religious studies. "But maintaining haze around our identity is more crucial now as we are winning and the enemy is getting increasingly frustrated."&nbsp;

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's chief spokesman and editor-in-chief of the insurgent group`s daily news bulletin, starts every day by collecting reports of overnight fighting with US and Afghan forces.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's chief spokesman and editor-in-chief of the insurgent group`s daily news bulletin, starts every day by collecting reports of overnight fighting with US and Afghan forces. Mujahid says he gets his team of writers to cross-check facts shared by some of the hardline Islamist group's fighters, who double as reporters in the 34 provinces across the country. The writers prepare press statements in five languages and gather footage and photographs shot on smartphones. The editor-in-chief then approves final drafts of the reports - highlighting the group's claimed victories in its war aimed at toppling the US-backed Afghan government - before they are published by IT specialists based outside the country. While some Afghan journalists say its accuracy is patchy, and its opponents accuse it of spreading "fake news", the Taliban's slick media operation has emerged as a key weapon in the information war that often leaves the Western-backed government and its US partners struggling to catch up. Last month, for example, the Taliban was swift to deny involvement in a suicide attack on the communications ministry in Kabul later blamed on Islamic State, while information from the government was slower to emerge. Taliban spokesmen say they have also stepped up their outreach as the pace of direct talks between its negotiators and the United States on ending the war in Afghanistan has picked up in recent months. They are often quicker than US officials to give their read-out from the talks - the sixth round of which wrapped up in Qatar on Thursday. "Whatever developments occur during the Doha talks, we share it with journalists," said Mujahid, adding that the messages were aimed at domestic and international audiences. Online presence Mujahid and his colleague Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, two Taliban spokesmen based in Afghanistan, say they are authorized to interact with journalists, issue statements and tweet. They generally respond to text or voice messages from Reuters correspondents based in Kabul within an hour. While their location cannot be verified, they use Afghan phone numbers to access WhatsApp. The names they use are pseudonyms assigned to them by the Taliban leadership. "We are not authorised to reveal our real names, the two pen names are used to retain uniformity," Mujahid, who has more than 42,000 Twitter followers, told Reuters in a telephone interview. In 2011, the Taliban leadership started posting regularly on Twitter, a surprise move by the radical Islamist movement that once banned most forms of modern entertainment. They now communicate on messaging apps WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram in English, Pashto, Dari, Arabic and Urdu. "We understand the importance of spreading information about our jihad and our determination to re-establish the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan," said Mujahid, who says he draws a monthly salary of 14,000 Afghani ($180), plus $128 for internet and mobile expenses. "Now many diplomats from various countries seek an audience with our leaders and follow us on social media," he added. "After 17 years of struggle, we are winning the actual war and the digital war against infidels and the puppet regime established by the Americans to govern Afghanistan." Afghan and Western officials dispute both statements. Government forces and their military allies, they say, are inflicting heavy casualties on the Taliban on the battlefield, and continue to launch air strikes to destroy their camps. The Taliban`s media operation is dismissed as misinformation. "Their false claims and exaggerated reports have reached an absurd style beyond any reason," said Colonel Knut Peters, the spokesman for NATO-led Resolute Support in Afghanistan, who closely tracks Taliban statements. "They are obviously trying to boost their own self-confidence while their fighters are dying in large numbers." Since October, US and Taliban officials have held talks aimed at preparing the ground for US forces to withdraw from Afghanistan in return for a Taliban guarantee that the country will not be used as a base for militant attacks elsewhere. In recent months, the Taliban have repeatedly rejected calls to declare a ceasefire, and instead intensified their attacks on Afghan forces and government offices. Taliban newsroom Afghan journalists who have been covering the Taliban since the 1990s said before the advent of social media the group sent out hand-written pamphlets and news reports to Afghan reporters based in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Javed Hamim Kakar, a senior editor with Pajhwok Afghan News, the country`s oldest private news agency, said the insurgent group has since created a complex network to disseminate news. But a tendency to exaggerate casualties inflicted undermines the Taliban news operation`s credibility, he said. In April, for example, the Taliban reported its fighters had carried out a successful attack on Bagram, the largest US airbase in Afghanistan about 50 km (30 miles) north of Kabul, in which it said dozens of foreign service personnel were killed or wounded. The US officials in Kabul denied the attack had taken place. "If you send them a query they respond very fast, but accuracy is always a question. Propaganda is part of fighting, the Taliban are very good at it," Kakar said. Mujahid and Ahmadi accept there have been numerous instances when they have published unsubstantiated claims of attacks and that sometimes fighters have presented an exaggerated version. "There are allegations that our communication is rife with sensationalism and embellishment but we never abandon the truth," said Ahmadi. "We correct it immediately." The government is also often accused of inflating its battlefield reports. A senior defence official familiar with the situation acknowledged the government often under-reports casualties among Afghan forces, while readily providing numbers for Taliban militants they say they have killed. There is no independent confirmation of the figures given by either side, making it impossible to fully assess the on-the-ground situation. The Taliban`s communications operation, which is now run at an annual cost of 25 million Afghanis ($323,000), started out as a small office in Kabul when the Islamists ruled the country from 1996 to 2001 and have expanded since they were ousted. It now publishes six magazines in Pashto, Dari, Urdu and Arabic, and posts news reports on 10 websites in five languages, as well as operating smaller websites that offer theological guidance, videos, and war poetry written by fighters. "Despite the threats, we now run an efficient media office," said Ahmadi, a graduate in religious studies. "But maintaining haze around our identity is more crucial now as we are winning and the enemy is getting increasingly frustrated."

Taliban fighters double as reporters to wage Afghan digital war

Talks to end a worrisome <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/top-facts-how-us-china-talks-differ-from-any-other-trade-deal-217563">US-China trade battle</a> were "constructive," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday, a sign of hope that Washington and Beijing could seal a deal to avert damage to the global economy.

"They were constructive discussions between both parties, that's all we're going to say," Mnuchin was quoted as saying by CNBC following a two-hour negotiating session.

Moments earlier, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He shook hands with both men on the steps of the US Trade Representative's office before driving off.

Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer then headed for the White House.

At his hotel, Liu told reporters that the talks had gone "fairly well," according to Bloomberg, which nevertheless cited sources saying little progress had occurred.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-comfortable-with-higher-tariffs-on-china-if-trade-negotiations-fail-217569/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

President Donald <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tariffs-will-bring-in-far-more-wealth-to-our-country-than-even-phenomenal-deal-of-traditional-kind-donald-trump-217507">Trump said Friday he was in no hurry to reach a deal with Beijing</a>, arguing the United States was negotiating from a position of strength.

Just hours earlier, Washington had pulled the trigger on an increase in punitive duties on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 per cent from 10 per cent, and Beijing responded vowing to take the "necessary countermeasures."

The glimmer of hope cheered Wall Street, which had been under pressure all week, with the benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average regaining much of the morning's losses but staying in the red. European and Asian markets seemed more optimistic.

After weeks of rising optimism, the tone out of the White House has veered to anger and then nonchalance.&nbsp;

On May 5, Trump erupted on Twitter, saying the talks were progressing "too slowly," accusing the Chinese of backing out of commitments and announcing the tariff increase.

But in a series of early morning tweets Friday, he said, "Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner -- there is absolutely no need to rush -- as Tariffs are NOW being paid to the United States by China."

The US leader continues to argue that tariffs could in some ways be preferable to reaching a trade deal.

"Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind," Trump wrote.

Since last year, the United States and China have exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, gutting US agricultural exports to China and weighing on both countries' manufacturing sectors.

Trump began the standoff because of complaints about unfair Chinese trade practices.

The US is pressing China to change its policies on protections for intellectual property, massive subsidies for state-owned firms, and to reduce the yawning trade deficit.

Lighthizer and Mnuchin met the Chinese delegation for about 90 minutes Thursday evening and then had a working dinner with Liu.

'No one wins'

Liu had said Thursday on his arrival in Washington that the prospects for the talks were "promising" but warned raising tariffs would be "harmful to both sides."

"I hope to engage in rational and candid exchanges with the US side," he told Chinese state media.

The higher duty rates imposed on Friday will hit a vast array of Chinese-made electrical equipment, machinery, auto parts and furniture.

But due to a quirk in their implementation, products already on ships headed for US ports before midnight will only pay the 10 per cent rate.

That could effectively provide a short grace period for the sides to avert an even more serious escalation.

"While we are disappointed that the stakes have been raised, we nevertheless support the ongoing effort by both sides to reach agreement on a strong, enforceable deal that resolves the fundamental, structural issues our members have long faced in China," said business lobby the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Economists stress that duties are paid by US companies and consumers and result in higher prices, while farmers and manufacturers complain about the loss of markets for their exports due to retaliation from China and other targets of Trump's trade wrath.

"NO ONE WINS A TRADE WAR," trade analyst Chad Bown of the Peterson Institute for International Economics said on Twitter.

A Chinese central bank advisor told state-run Financial News that Trump's tariff hike and Chinese retaliation would lower economic growth by 0.3 percentage points.

It is "within a controllable range," the advisor Ma Jun said.

Oxford Economist estimates the same magnitude of the slowdown in the US economy and is warning that recession risks are on the rise.

But the International Monetary Fund has sounded the alarm that the conflict and the loss of confidence it creates will have a wider impact on the global economy and is a major risk to growth.

Talks to end a worrisome US-China trade battle were "constructive," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday, a sign of hope that Washington and Beijing could seal a deal to avert damage to the global economy.

Talks to end a worrisome US-China trade battle were "constructive," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday, a sign of hope that Washington and Beijing could seal a deal to avert damage to the global economy. "They were constructive discussions between both parties, that's all we're going to say," Mnuchin was quoted as saying by CNBC following a two-hour negotiating session. Moments earlier, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He shook hands with both men on the steps of the US Trade Representative's office before driving off. Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer then headed for the White House. At his hotel, Liu told reporters that the talks had gone "fairly well," according to Bloomberg, which nevertheless cited sources saying little progress had occurred. President Donald Trump said Friday he was in no hurry to reach a deal with Beijing, arguing the United States was negotiating from a position of strength. Just hours earlier, Washington had pulled the trigger on an increase in punitive duties on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 per cent from 10 per cent, and Beijing responded vowing to take the "necessary countermeasures." The glimmer of hope cheered Wall Street, which had been under pressure all week, with the benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average regaining much of the morning's losses but staying in the red. European and Asian markets seemed more optimistic. After weeks of rising optimism, the tone out of the White House has veered to anger and then nonchalance. On May 5, Trump erupted on Twitter, saying the talks were progressing "too slowly," accusing the Chinese of backing out of commitments and announcing the tariff increase. But in a series of early morning tweets Friday, he said, "Talks with China continue in a very congenial manner -- there is absolutely no need to rush -- as Tariffs are NOW being paid to the United States by China." The US leader continues to argue that tariffs could in some ways be preferable to reaching a trade deal. "Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind," Trump wrote. Since last year, the United States and China have exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, gutting US agricultural exports to China and weighing on both countries' manufacturing sectors. Trump began the standoff because of complaints about unfair Chinese trade practices. The US is pressing China to change its policies on protections for intellectual property, massive subsidies for state-owned firms, and to reduce the yawning trade deficit. Lighthizer and Mnuchin met the Chinese delegation for about 90 minutes Thursday evening and then had a working dinner with Liu. 'No one wins' Liu had said Thursday on his arrival in Washington that the prospects for the talks were "promising" but warned raising tariffs would be "harmful to both sides." "I hope to engage in rational and candid exchanges with the US side," he told Chinese state media. The higher duty rates imposed on Friday will hit a vast array of Chinese-made electrical equipment, machinery, auto parts and furniture. But due to a quirk in their implementation, products already on ships headed for US ports before midnight will only pay the 10 per cent rate. That could effectively provide a short grace period for the sides to avert an even more serious escalation. "While we are disappointed that the stakes have been raised, we nevertheless support the ongoing effort by both sides to reach agreement on a strong, enforceable deal that resolves the fundamental, structural issues our members have long faced in China," said business lobby the American Chamber of Commerce in China. Economists stress that duties are paid by US companies and consumers and result in higher prices, while farmers and manufacturers complain about the loss of markets for their exports due to retaliation from China and other targets of Trump's trade wrath. "NO ONE WINS A TRADE WAR," trade analyst Chad Bown of the Peterson Institute for International Economics said on Twitter. A Chinese central bank advisor told state-run Financial News that Trump's tariff hike and Chinese retaliation would lower economic growth by 0.3 percentage points. It is "within a controllable range," the advisor Ma Jun said. Oxford Economist estimates the same magnitude of the slowdown in the US economy and is warning that recession risks are on the rise. But the International Monetary Fund has sounded the alarm that the conflict and the loss of confidence it creates will have a wider impact on the global economy and is a major risk to growth.

US officials say trade talks with China were 'constructive'

In the backdrop of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tariffs-will-bring-in-far-more-wealth-to-our-country-than-even-phenomenal-deal-of-traditional-kind-donald-trump-217507">US-China trade war</a> and the impasse at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a WTO ministerial of 22 developing countries will take place in New Delhi next week.&nbsp;

In the meeting, which will take place next week, the countries are expected to deliberate on a common position on unilateral measures being taken by few countries among other issues of interest.&nbsp;

India's commerce ministry in a release said the meeting is being held at a time when the "multilateral rule-based-trading system is facing serious and grave challenges" and in the recent past, "there have been increasing unilateral measures and countermeasures by members".

US president Donald Trump on Friday tweeted on the ongoing trade spat&nbsp;with China. "Tariffs will make our Country MUCH STRONGER, not weaker. Just sit back and watch," he tweeted even as Washington imposed increased tariffs on Chinese goods.

The meet will also discuss the impasse in the Appellate Body of the WTO which could impact the existence of a Dispute Settlement Mechanism at the global body and further impact the position of the WTO as an effective multilateral organisation.

The Appellate Body based in Geneva hears appeals brought by the WTO members and consists of 7 members. The US has blocked the nomination of new members at the body.

Next week's meeting will have 16 developing countries, 6 least developed countries (LDC) along with Director General, WTO Roberto Azevêdo. Countries that will participate in the meeting include Argentina, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Brazil, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, China, Egypt, Guatemala, Guyana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and Uganda.&nbsp;

Bangladesh, Central African Republic and South Africa have confirmed their participation. Vice ministers, senior officials and ambassadors of respective countries will be in attendance during the meeting.&nbsp;

China will be represented by an assistant minister and its envoy. A joint statement is expected by the end of the two day meet.&nbsp;

In the backdrop of the US-China trade war and the impasse at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a WTO ministerial of 22 developing countries will take place in New Delhi next week.

In the backdrop of the US-China trade war and the impasse at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a WTO ministerial of 22 developing countries will take place in New Delhi next week. In the meeting, which will take place next week, the countries are expected to deliberate on a common position on unilateral measures being taken by few countries among other issues of interest. India's commerce ministry in a release said the meeting is being held at a time when the "multilateral rule-based-trading system is facing serious and grave challenges" and in the recent past, "there have been increasing unilateral measures and countermeasures by members". US president Donald Trump on Friday tweeted on the ongoing trade spat with China. "Tariffs will make our Country MUCH STRONGER, not weaker. Just sit back and watch," he tweeted even as Washington imposed increased tariffs on Chinese goods. The meet will also discuss the impasse in the Appellate Body of the WTO which could impact the existence of a Dispute Settlement Mechanism at the global body and further impact the position of the WTO as an effective multilateral organisation. The Appellate Body based in Geneva hears appeals brought by the WTO members and consists of 7 members. The US has blocked the nomination of new members at the body. Next week's meeting will have 16 developing countries, 6 least developed countries (LDC) along with Director General, WTO Roberto Azevêdo. Countries that will participate in the meeting include Argentina, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Brazil, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, China, Egypt, Guatemala, Guyana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and Uganda. Bangladesh, Central African Republic and South Africa have confirmed their participation. Vice ministers, senior officials and ambassadors of respective countries will be in attendance during the meeting. China will be represented by an assistant minister and its envoy. A joint statement is expected by the end of the two day meet.

Amid US-China trade war, 22 WTO countries to meet in New Delhi next week

The United States is "comfortable" with higher tariffs on China if a mutual trade agreement cannot be reached, the U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Friday (May 10), as trade tensions between the two countries escalate.

U.S 'comfortable' with higher tariffs on China if trade negotiations fail

Top facts: How US-China talks differ from any other trade deal

Connie Young Yu's great-grandfather, Lee Wong Sang, was a foreman on the Central Pacific Railroad, one of thousands of Chinese laborers on the 19th century project that would establish the first U.S. Transcontinental Railroad.

Chinese-American pride celebrated in 150th anniversary of Transcontinental Railroad

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that&nbsp;the tariffs on Chinese goods will bring more wealth to America "that even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind". "We have lost 500 billion dollars a year, for many years, on Crazy Trade with China. NO MORE!," his tweet read.&nbsp;

In a series of tweets, Trump stated that the United States will continue to negotiate with China "in the hopes that they do not again try to redo deal!"

He also said that&nbsp;talks with China continue in a very "congenial manner" and that "there is absolutely no need to rush".

"Tariffs are NOW being paid to the United States by China of 25% on 250 billion dollars worth of goods and products. These massive payments go directly to the Treasury of the US," he tweeted.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our Country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind. Also, much easier &amp; quicker to do. Our Farmers will do better, faster, and starving nations can now be helped. Waivers on some products will be granted, or go to new source!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1126815715682656256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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"Also, much easier and quicker to do. Our farmers will do better, faster, and starving nations can now be helped. Waivers on some products will be granted, or go to new source!" Trump stated.&nbsp;

"If we bought 15 billion dollars of agriculture from our farmers, far more than China buys now, we would have more than 85 billion dollars left over for new infrastructure, healthcare, or anything else. China would greatly slow down, and we would automatically speed up!" he tweeted out.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Tariffs will make our Country MUCH STRONGER, not weaker. Just sit back and watch! In the meantime, China should not renegotiate deals with the U.S. at the last minute. This is not the Obama Administration, or the Administration of Sleepy Joe, who let China get away with “murder!”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1126816259851673601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"The process has begun to place additional tariffs at 25% on the remaining 325 billion dollars. The US&nbsp;only sells China approximately 100 billion dollars of goods and products, a very big imbalance. With the over 100 billion dollars in tariffs that we take in, we will buy," the US president tweeted out.&nbsp;

Trump's tweets come as new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-unreasonable-chinese-wholesalers-fed-up-with-tariffs-as-trade-war-escalates-with-us-217502">US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods kicked in on Friday</a>.&nbsp;

China's commerce ministry deeply regretted the move and vowed to take "necessary countermeasures".

The Chinese commerce ministry, however, did not elaborate on the "countermeasures". US and Chinese officials completed their talks on the first day when the two sides met in Washington on Thursday.

The US and &nbsp;Chinese officials met again on Friday for the second day of talks to resolve the trade dispute.

China's top trade negotiator Liu He said that an increase in US tariffs on Chinese goods "won't solve anything".

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that the tariffs on Chinese goods will bring more wealth to America "that even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind".

US President Donald Trump on Friday said that the tariffs on Chinese goods will bring more wealth to America "that even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind". "We have lost 500 billion dollars a year, for many years, on Crazy Trade with China. NO MORE!," his tweet read. In a series of tweets, Trump stated that the United States will continue to negotiate with China "in the hopes that they do not again try to redo deal!" He also said that talks with China continue in a very "congenial manner" and that "there is absolutely no need to rush". "Tariffs are NOW being paid to the United States by China of 25% on 250 billion dollars worth of goods and products. These massive payments go directly to the Treasury of the US," he tweeted. Tariffs will bring in FAR MORE wealth to our Country than even a phenomenal deal of the traditional kind. Also, much easier & quicker to do. Our Farmers will do better, faster, and starving nations can now be helped. Waivers on some products will be granted, or go to new source! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2019 × "Also, much easier and quicker to do. Our farmers will do better, faster, and starving nations can now be helped. Waivers on some products will be granted, or go to new source!" Trump stated. "If we bought 15 billion dollars of agriculture from our farmers, far more than China buys now, we would have more than 85 billion dollars left over for new infrastructure, healthcare, or anything else. China would greatly slow down, and we would automatically speed up!" he tweeted out. Tariffs will make our Country MUCH STRONGER, not weaker. Just sit back and watch! In the meantime, China should not renegotiate deals with the U.S. at the last minute. This is not the Obama Administration, or the Administration of Sleepy Joe, who let China get away with “murder!” — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2019 × "The process has begun to place additional tariffs at 25% on the remaining 325 billion dollars. The US only sells China approximately 100 billion dollars of goods and products, a very big imbalance. With the over 100 billion dollars in tariffs that we take in, we will buy," the US president tweeted out. Trump's tweets come as new US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods kicked in on Friday. China's commerce ministry deeply regretted the move and vowed to take "necessary countermeasures". The Chinese commerce ministry, however, did not elaborate on the "countermeasures". US and Chinese officials completed their talks on the first day when the two sides met in Washington on Thursday. The US and Chinese officials met again on Friday for the second day of talks to resolve the trade dispute. China's top trade negotiator Liu He said that an increase in US tariffs on Chinese goods "won't solve anything".

Trump defends latest tariff hike on China, says it 'will bring in far more wealth to US'

Wholesalers in eastern China expressed their dissatisfaction with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Friday, the day his administration followed through on its threat to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deeply-regret-us-tariffs-will-take-necessary-countermeasures-china-217426">raise tariffs on Chinese exports</a>.

The US&nbsp;hiked levies on Friday to 25% for $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in the midst of last-ditch talks to rescue a trade deal. But even as Beijing threatened retaliation, negotiators in Washington agreed to stay at the table for a second day, keeping alive hopes of an eventual agreement.

Inside Yiwu International Trade City, one of the world's largest small commodity wholesale markets, several traders, all of whom mainly sell for export, told Reuters they were feeling fed up with the tariffs.

Make-up product vendor Chen Nong, whose company used to have four to five American clients and now has none, was one of them. Sports equipment wholesaler Fu Xubo, 32, had a similar story -- orders from his previous US&nbsp;clients have all but dried up, and sales to traders who buy from him to then re-sell to the United States were down 20% last year.

In Beijing on Friday, China's Commerce Ministry said it "deeply regrets" the US&nbsp;decision, adding that it would take necessary countermeasures, without elaborating.

Wholesalers in eastern China expressed their dissatisfaction with US President Donald Trump on Friday, the day his administration followed through on its threat to raise tariffs on Chinese exports.

Wholesalers in eastern China expressed their dissatisfaction with US President Donald Trump on Friday, the day his administration followed through on its threat to raise tariffs on Chinese exports. The US hiked levies on Friday to 25% for $200 billion worth of Chinese goods in the midst of last-ditch talks to rescue a trade deal. But even as Beijing threatened retaliation, negotiators in Washington agreed to stay at the table for a second day, keeping alive hopes of an eventual agreement. Inside Yiwu International Trade City, one of the world's largest small commodity wholesale markets, several traders, all of whom mainly sell for export, told Reuters they were feeling fed up with the tariffs. Make-up product vendor Chen Nong, whose company used to have four to five American clients and now has none, was one of them. Sports equipment wholesaler Fu Xubo, 32, had a similar story -- orders from his previous US clients have all but dried up, and sales to traders who buy from him to then re-sell to the United States were down 20% last year. In Beijing on Friday, China's Commerce Ministry said it "deeply regrets" the US decision, adding that it would take necessary countermeasures, without elaborating.

It's unreasonable! Chinese wholesalers fed up with tariffs as trade war escalates with US

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen said on Friday that China has stepped up its efforts to infiltrate and gain influence on the island.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Tsai, speaking to reporters after a national security meeting, said Taiwan would deter military aggression in the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/after-french-warship-two-us-warships-sail-through-taiwan-strait-amid-tensions-with-china-214287&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi3hMXos5DiAhWh6XMBHb71DLAQFjABegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3LNpjhkKfSarxZ4hQXCnBF">Taiwan Strait.</a>&nbsp;

The US House of Representatives this week unanimously backed legislation supporting Taiwan as members of the US&nbsp;Congress pushes for a sharper approach to relations with Beijing.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen said on Friday that China has stepped up its efforts to infiltrate and gain influence on the island. Tsai, speaking to reporters after a national security meeting, said Taiwan would deter military aggression in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen said on Friday that China has stepped up its efforts to infiltrate and gain influence on the island. Tsai, speaking to reporters after a national security meeting, said Taiwan would deter military aggression in the Taiwan Strait. The US House of Representatives this week unanimously backed legislation supporting Taiwan as members of the US Congress pushes for a sharper approach to relations with Beijing.

China has stepped up efforts to infiltrate Taiwan: President

The United States on Thursday announced the seizure of a North Korean cargo ship, saying it had violated international sanctions by exporting coal and importing machinery.

"Our office uncovered North Korea's scheme to export tons of high-grade coal to foreign buyers by concealing the origin of their ship, the Wise Honest," US attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement.

"This scheme not only allowed North Korea to evade sanctions, but the Wise Honest was also used to import heavy machinery to North Korea," Berman said.

The ship, which was first confiscated by other foreign maritime authorities in Indonesia in April 2018, is now in the possession of the United States and is currently approaching US&nbsp;territorial waters, a Justice Department official said.

The 17,061-ton ship, which also was used to deliver heavy machinery to North Korea, is one of the country's largest bulk carriers, the Justice Department said.

The case marks the first time the United States has seized a North Korean cargo vessel for violating sanctions.

According to UN&nbsp;sanctions monitors, the Wise Honest was transporting 25,500 tons of coal when it was detained by Indonesia in April 2018.

The UN&nbsp;report estimated that the value of the ship's coal cargo was around $3 million.

The United States on Thursday announced the seizure of a North Korean cargo ship, saying it had violated international sanctions by exporting coal and importing machinery.

The United States on Thursday announced the seizure of a North Korean cargo ship, saying it had violated international sanctions by exporting coal and importing machinery. "Our office uncovered North Korea's scheme to export tons of high-grade coal to foreign buyers by concealing the origin of their ship, the Wise Honest," US attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement. "This scheme not only allowed North Korea to evade sanctions, but the Wise Honest was also used to import heavy machinery to North Korea," Berman said. The ship, which was first confiscated by other foreign maritime authorities in Indonesia in April 2018, is now in the possession of the United States and is currently approaching US territorial waters, a Justice Department official said. The 17,061-ton ship, which also was used to deliver heavy machinery to North Korea, is one of the country's largest bulk carriers, the Justice Department said. The case marks the first time the United States has seized a North Korean cargo vessel for violating sanctions. According to UN sanctions monitors, the Wise Honest was transporting 25,500 tons of coal when it was detained by Indonesia in April 2018. The UN report estimated that the value of the ship's coal cargo was around $3 million.

US seizes North Korean cargo ship accused of violating sanctions

China appealed to the United States to meet it halfway to salvage a deal that could end their trade war, with its chief negotiator in Washington for two days of talks hoping to stave off US tariff hikes set to be triggered on Friday.

The two sides had appeared to be converging on a deal until last weekend, when US President Donald Trump announced his intention to raise tariffs with his negotiators saying that China was backtracking on earlier commitments.

"The US side has given many labels recently, 'backtracking', 'betraying' etc...China sets great store on trustworthiness and keeps its promises, and this has never changed," Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said on Thursday.

Gao told reporters in Beijing that it was normal for both sides to have disagreements during the negotiating process.

Trump told supporters at a rally in Florida on Wednesday that China "broke the deal", and vowed not to back down on imposing new tariffs on Chinese imports unless Beijing "stops cheating our workers".

A protracted trade war between the world's two largest economies would damage global economic growth, and investors pulled their money out of stock markets this week amid fears of the prospective agreement unravelling.

Gao said the decision to send the delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He to Washington despite the tariff threat demonstrated China's "utmost sincerity".

"We hope the US&nbsp;can meet China halfway, take care of each others' concerns, and resolve existing problems through cooperation and consultations," he said.

Gao urged the United States to eschew unilateral action, while warning China was fully prepared to defend its interests.

"China's attitude has been consistent and China will not succumb to any pressure. China has made preparations to respond to all kinds of possible outcomes." He did not elaborate.

US government and private sector sources previously told that a draft trade agreement was riddled with reversals by China that undermined core US&nbsp;demands.

In each of the seven chapters of the draft, China had deleted its commitments to change laws to resolve core complaints that caused the United States to launch a trade war: Theft of US&nbsp;intellectual property and trade secrets; forced technology transfers; competition policy; access to financial services; and currency manipulation.

The stripping of binding legal language from the draft struck directly at the highest priority of US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer - who views changes to Chinese laws as essential to verifying compliance after years of what US&nbsp;officials have called empty reform promises.

US tariffs&nbsp;

Lighthizer's office said tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods would rise to 25 per cent from 10 per cent at 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT) on Friday, during the discussions in Washington.

The tariffs would target chemicals, building materials, furniture and some consumer electronics among other goods.

Trump also threatened on Sunday to levy tariffs on an additional $325 billion of China's goods, on top of the $250 billion of its products already hit by import taxes.

Since July last year, China has cumulatively imposed countertariffs of up to 25 per cent on about $110 billion of U.S. products. It last levied tariffs, of 5 per cent to 10 per cent, on $60 billion of U.S. goods including liquefied natural gas and small aircraft in September.

Based on the 2018 US Census Bureau trade data, China would only have about $10 billion in US imports left to levy in retaliation for any future US tariffs, including crude oil and large aircraft.

Gao did not answer directly when asked if China would consider imposing tariffs on imported US services.

While the United States wants to reduce the scale of its trade deficit with China, it is also seeking stronger protection for American intellectual property and more market access in China for US companies.

Gao described accusations about Chinese firms stealing tech secrets as unreasonable and said they were not based on facts.

Strong mentality&nbsp;

Chinese state media on Thursday published and aired reports quoting U.S.-based organisations and individuals critical of Trump's decision to raise tariffs, though playing down the impact of higher US tariffs on the Chinese economy.

"China is well-prepared for an escalation in trade tensions. A variety of plans are in place, such as countermeasures for any tariff rise, and favourable policies to minimise losses for Chinese enterprises," the Global Times, a tabloid published by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily, said in an editorial.

"Mentally and materially, China is much better prepared than its US counterpart."

The country's share markets have taken a battering due to the renewed trade tensions, however.

China's blue-chip CSI300 index has slumped about 7 per cent so far in May while in the United States, the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index has only declined about 2 per cent.

The Chinese yuan has also weakened to a four-month low, crossing the 6.80 per dollar level.

Economic impact

While China's overall economic growth has remained steady so far this year, the outlook for exporters has been challenging.

Exports unexpectedly declined in April, with some analysts attributing the drop to slumping shipments to the United States.

US-bound shipments fell more than 13 per cent last month, according to official data released this week.

But imports from the United States declined by even more - almost 26 per cent, widening China's trade surplus with the United States.

The US Commerce Department said on Thursday the politically sensitive goods trade deficit with China fell 16.2 per cent to $20.7 billion, the lowest level since March 2014, also as imports from the world's No. 2 economy fell 6.1 per cent. Exports to China jumped 23.6 per cent in March.

"For months, US companies and agricultural producers and their respective trade associations have desperately urged the two sides to come to some kind of trade agreement that would prevent the further use of tariffs by both countries, fearing such a scenario would cripple their already-damaged bilateral trading relationship," said Nelson Dong, senior partner at international law firm Dorsey &amp; Whitney.

"However, those urgent pleas seem to have been ignored. Once again, the two countries, and indeed, the entire world's economy will be forced into a crisis mode that will likely inflict enormous losses on many individual companies and many thousands of workers and farmers in both countries."

China appealed to the United States to meet it halfway to salvage a deal that could end their trade war, with its chief negotiator in Washington for two days of talks hoping to stave off US tariff hikes set to be triggered on Friday.

China appealed to the United States to meet it halfway to salvage a deal that could end their trade war, with its chief negotiator in Washington for two days of talks hoping to stave off US tariff hikes set to be triggered on Friday. The two sides had appeared to be converging on a deal until last weekend, when US President Donald Trump announced his intention to raise tariffs with his negotiators saying that China was backtracking on earlier commitments. "The US side has given many labels recently, 'backtracking', 'betraying' etc...China sets great store on trustworthiness and keeps its promises, and this has never changed," Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng said on Thursday. Gao told reporters in Beijing that it was normal for both sides to have disagreements during the negotiating process. Trump told supporters at a rally in Florida on Wednesday that China "broke the deal", and vowed not to back down on imposing new tariffs on Chinese imports unless Beijing "stops cheating our workers". A protracted trade war between the world's two largest economies would damage global economic growth, and investors pulled their money out of stock markets this week amid fears of the prospective agreement unravelling. Gao said the decision to send the delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He to Washington despite the tariff threat demonstrated China's "utmost sincerity". "We hope the US can meet China halfway, take care of each others' concerns, and resolve existing problems through cooperation and consultations," he said. Gao urged the United States to eschew unilateral action, while warning China was fully prepared to defend its interests. "China's attitude has been consistent and China will not succumb to any pressure. China has made preparations to respond to all kinds of possible outcomes." He did not elaborate. US government and private sector sources previously told that a draft trade agreement was riddled with reversals by China that undermined core US demands. In each of the seven chapters of the draft, China had deleted its commitments to change laws to resolve core complaints that caused the United States to launch a trade war: Theft of US intellectual property and trade secrets; forced technology transfers; competition policy; access to financial services; and currency manipulation. The stripping of binding legal language from the draft struck directly at the highest priority of US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer - who views changes to Chinese laws as essential to verifying compliance after years of what US officials have called empty reform promises. US tariffs Lighthizer's office said tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods would rise to 25 per cent from 10 per cent at 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT) on Friday, during the discussions in Washington. The tariffs would target chemicals, building materials, furniture and some consumer electronics among other goods. Trump also threatened on Sunday to levy tariffs on an additional $325 billion of China's goods, on top of the $250 billion of its products already hit by import taxes. Since July last year, China has cumulatively imposed countertariffs of up to 25 per cent on about $110 billion of U.S. products. It last levied tariffs, of 5 per cent to 10 per cent, on $60 billion of U.S. goods including liquefied natural gas and small aircraft in September. Based on the 2018 US Census Bureau trade data, China would only have about $10 billion in US imports left to levy in retaliation for any future US tariffs, including crude oil and large aircraft. Gao did not answer directly when asked if China would consider imposing tariffs on imported US services. While the United States wants to reduce the scale of its trade deficit with China, it is also seeking stronger protection for American intellectual property and more market access in China for US companies. Gao described accusations about Chinese firms stealing tech secrets as unreasonable and said they were not based on facts. Strong mentality Chinese state media on Thursday published and aired reports quoting U.S.-based organisations and individuals critical of Trump's decision to raise tariffs, though playing down the impact of higher US tariffs on the Chinese economy. "China is well-prepared for an escalation in trade tensions. A variety of plans are in place, such as countermeasures for any tariff rise, and favourable policies to minimise losses for Chinese enterprises," the Global Times, a tabloid published by the ruling Communist Party's People's Daily, said in an editorial. "Mentally and materially, China is much better prepared than its US counterpart." The country's share markets have taken a battering due to the renewed trade tensions, however. China's blue-chip CSI300 index has slumped about 7 per cent so far in May while in the United States, the benchmark S&P 500 index has only declined about 2 per cent. The Chinese yuan has also weakened to a four-month low, crossing the 6.80 per dollar level. Economic impact While China's overall economic growth has remained steady so far this year, the outlook for exporters has been challenging. Exports unexpectedly declined in April, with some analysts attributing the drop to slumping shipments to the United States. US-bound shipments fell more than 13 per cent last month, according to official data released this week. But imports from the United States declined by even more - almost 26 per cent, widening China's trade surplus with the United States. The US Commerce Department said on Thursday the politically sensitive goods trade deficit with China fell 16.2 per cent to $20.7 billion, the lowest level since March 2014, also as imports from the world's No. 2 economy fell 6.1 per cent. Exports to China jumped 23.6 per cent in March. "For months, US companies and agricultural producers and their respective trade associations have desperately urged the two sides to come to some kind of trade agreement that would prevent the further use of tariffs by both countries, fearing such a scenario would cripple their already-damaged bilateral trading relationship," said Nelson Dong, senior partner at international law firm Dorsey & Whitney. "However, those urgent pleas seem to have been ignored. Once again, the two countries, and indeed, the entire world's economy will be forced into a crisis mode that will likely inflict enormous losses on many individual companies and many thousands of workers and farmers in both countries."

As tariff hike looms, China asks US to meet it halfway, denies backtracking

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-shares-sink-as-us-china-trade-talks-go-to-the-wire-217277">World shares sink as US-China trade talks go to the wire</a>

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He was heading to Washington for two days of talks but Trump's insistence that China "broke the deal", and then Beijing's response that it would retaliate against tariffs were ratcheting up the stakes.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-president-moon-says-north-koreas-missile-launch-was-a-protest-after-failed-trump-summit-217292">South Korea President Moon says North Korea's missile launch was a protest after failed Trump summit&nbsp;</a>

"North Korea seemed to be discontented it could not reach a deal in Hanoi," Moon said in an interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/facebook-co-founder-says-it-is-time-to-break-up-the-company-217297">Facebook co-founder says it is time to break up the company</a>

Facebook Inc co-founder and former Mark Zuckerberg roommate Chris Hughes has called for the break up of the social network in an opinion piece in the New York Times.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-fani-nasa-shares-before-after-photos-of-power-outage-caused-by-storm-in-odisha-217271">Cyclone Fani: NASA shares before-after photos of power outage caused by storm in Odisha</a>

The images released on Thursday by NASA showed data visualisations of the scale of destruction caused to the state due to the storm.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/gautam-gambhir-demands-proofs-after-aaps-atishi-accuses-him-of-distributing-pamphlets-against-her-217298">Gambhir demands proof after AAP's Atishi accuses him of distributing 'derogatory' pamphlets against her</a>

Gambhir further demanded Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to step down in case no proof is found against him.

&nbsp;

World shares sink as US-China trade talks go to the wire Chinese Vice Premier Liu He was heading to Washington for two days of talks but Trump's insistence that China "broke the deal", and then Beijing's response that it would retaliate against tariffs were ratcheting up the stakes.

World shares sink as US-China trade talks go to the wire Chinese Vice Premier Liu He was heading to Washington for two days of talks but Trump's insistence that China "broke the deal", and then Beijing's response that it would retaliate against tariffs were ratcheting up the stakes. South Korea President Moon says North Korea's missile launch was a protest after failed Trump summit "North Korea seemed to be discontented it could not reach a deal in Hanoi," Moon said in an interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS. Facebook co-founder says it is time to break up the company Facebook Inc co-founder and former Mark Zuckerberg roommate Chris Hughes has called for the break up of the social network in an opinion piece in the New York Times. Cyclone Fani: NASA shares before-after photos of power outage caused by storm in Odisha The images released on Thursday by NASA showed data visualisations of the scale of destruction caused to the state due to the storm. Gambhir demands proof after AAP's Atishi accuses him of distributing 'derogatory' pamphlets against her Gambhir further demanded Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to step down in case no proof is found against him.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Iran is set to announce plans to reduce some of its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal on May 8, one year after the US withdrew from the same agreement.Watch full video to know more.

Report: Iran to reduce commitments to 2015 Nuclear deal

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/we-screwed-up-not-buying-google-shares-berkshires-munger-says-216030&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiTq66FxIviAhWM7HMBHaiZDWQ4ChAWMAR6BAgGEAI&amp;usg=AOvVaw2HRh7Eon5PGhmbO3C4rvnU">Google </a>bucked the soaring smartphone price trend Tuesday, unveiling a high-performance Pixel handset aimed at the middle of the market as part of a wide-ranging pitch to developers of its new hardware, software and privacy efforts.

The Pixel 3a phone, which includes many of the artificial intelligence features of its flagship devices, is priced from $399, executives said as Google opened its annual I/O developers conference near its headquarters in the Silicon Valley city of Mountain View.

"There has been a troubling trend of high-end phones getting more expensive," Google head of hardware Rick Osterloh said. "So, we challenged ourselves to deliver a high-end experience in a new Pixel 3a starting at $399." The new Pixel was available at Google's online shop.

Osterloh contended that the price is about half that of latest generation premium smartphones but is built with a camera, digital assistant and other features found in top-end handsets."They just redefined what a mid-priced phone can do," Forrester Research principal analyst Frank Gillett said at the event."But they didn't tell us what compromises they made on the hardware."

Google's expertise is software, so getting features like artificial intelligence to work on less costly smartphones plays to the internet giant's strength, according to Gillett.

Enabling artificial intelligence to handle sophisticated features on a smartphone means less user data needs to be shared with online data centres to handle tasks, Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said while discussing steps being taken to strengthen privacy and security of users.

"We always want to do more for users, but do it with fewer data over time," Pichai said. "We strongly believe that privacy and security are for everyone."

&nbsp;Budget appeal&nbsp;

The Pixel 3a makes its debut in a tightening smartphone market, particularly when it comes to premium models, with Google having failed to garner significant market share.

Over the past quarter, South Korea's Samsung led all manufacturers with a 23 per cent share in a global market that fell 6.6 per cent, according to research firm IDC.

China's Huawei, US-based Apple and three other Chinese firms rounded out the top five, according to IDC.

Google stepped up its hardware ambitions last year with the acquisition of the smartphone division of Taiwan-based HTC.

The new Pixel 3a device is being introduced as Apple and Samsung have boosted prices of their newest handsets to over $1,000 and with Google's flagship Pixel 3 selling from around $800.

Pixel 3a has featured "extremely attractive to users on a budget," and comes as a threat to the leading Android-powered smartphone maker Samsung, according to Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi.

Google also introduced a Nest Hub Max device that combines a 10-inch (25-centimetre) display with a camera, microphone, sound system and a digital assistant.

Smarts built into Max include facial recognition that allows the device to personalize experiences and even alert owners when someone it doesn't recognize is in a home, according to executives.

Max will be priced at $229 when it launches later this year in Australia, Britain and the US.

Analyst Gillett saw the Max price as "jaw-dropping" given it combines a smart camera, video screen and high-quality stereo.

&nbsp;Privacy-minded&nbsp;

Google executives dived deep into ways it is improving its software, particularly with privacy and machine learning in mind.

Along with weaving podcasts and 3-D augmented reality images into search results, Google is enabling more of the computing to be done on handsets where users have control.

"Instead of sending data to the cloud, we shipped machine learning models directly to your device," Pichai said.

"We always want to do more for users, but do it with fewer data over time."

While the "devil is in the details" regarding how much of what Google mobile software learns about users will be "grist" for its money-making online ads, weaving improved privacy into its offerings could improve the company's position with regulators, according to Gillett.

Google bucked the soaring smartphone price trend Tuesday, unveiling a high-performance Pixel handset aimed at the middle of the market as part of a wide-ranging pitch to developers of its new hardware, software and privacy efforts.

Google bucked the soaring smartphone price trend Tuesday, unveiling a high-performance Pixel handset aimed at the middle of the market as part of a wide-ranging pitch to developers of its new hardware, software and privacy efforts. The Pixel 3a phone, which includes many of the artificial intelligence features of its flagship devices, is priced from $399, executives said as Google opened its annual I/O developers conference near its headquarters in the Silicon Valley city of Mountain View. "There has been a troubling trend of high-end phones getting more expensive," Google head of hardware Rick Osterloh said. "So, we challenged ourselves to deliver a high-end experience in a new Pixel 3a starting at $399." The new Pixel was available at Google's online shop. Osterloh contended that the price is about half that of latest generation premium smartphones but is built with a camera, digital assistant and other features found in top-end handsets."They just redefined what a mid-priced phone can do," Forrester Research principal analyst Frank Gillett said at the event."But they didn't tell us what compromises they made on the hardware." Google's expertise is software, so getting features like artificial intelligence to work on less costly smartphones plays to the internet giant's strength, according to Gillett. Enabling artificial intelligence to handle sophisticated features on a smartphone means less user data needs to be shared with online data centres to handle tasks, Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said while discussing steps being taken to strengthen privacy and security of users. "We always want to do more for users, but do it with fewer data over time," Pichai said. "We strongly believe that privacy and security are for everyone." Budget appeal The Pixel 3a makes its debut in a tightening smartphone market, particularly when it comes to premium models, with Google having failed to garner significant market share. Over the past quarter, South Korea's Samsung led all manufacturers with a 23 per cent share in a global market that fell 6.6 per cent, according to research firm IDC. China's Huawei, US-based Apple and three other Chinese firms rounded out the top five, according to IDC. Google stepped up its hardware ambitions last year with the acquisition of the smartphone division of Taiwan-based HTC. The new Pixel 3a device is being introduced as Apple and Samsung have boosted prices of their newest handsets to over $1,000 and with Google's flagship Pixel 3 selling from around $800. Pixel 3a has featured "extremely attractive to users on a budget," and comes as a threat to the leading Android-powered smartphone maker Samsung, according to Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi. Google also introduced a Nest Hub Max device that combines a 10-inch (25-centimetre) display with a camera, microphone, sound system and a digital assistant. Smarts built into Max include facial recognition that allows the device to personalize experiences and even alert owners when someone it doesn't recognize is in a home, according to executives. Max will be priced at $229 when it launches later this year in Australia, Britain and the US. Analyst Gillett saw the Max price as "jaw-dropping" given it combines a smart camera, video screen and high-quality stereo. Privacy-minded Google executives dived deep into ways it is improving its software, particularly with privacy and machine learning in mind. Along with weaving podcasts and 3-D augmented reality images into search results, Google is enabling more of the computing to be done on handsets where users have control. "Instead of sending data to the cloud, we shipped machine learning models directly to your device," Pichai said. "We always want to do more for users, but do it with fewer data over time." While the "devil is in the details" regarding how much of what Google mobile software learns about users will be "grist" for its money-making online ads, weaving improved privacy into its offerings could improve the company's position with regulators, according to Gillett.

Google bucks soaring smartphone prices with new Pixel

Iran announced on Wednesday it was scaling back curbs to its<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-will-not-allow-nuclear-armed-iran-benjamin-netanyahu-216991"> nuclear programme</a> under a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-resume-uranium-enrichment-if-world-powers-do-not-keep-nuclear-agreement-promise-rouhani-216939">2015 deal </a>with world powers and threatened to do more -- including enriching uranium to a higher level -- if countries did not shield it from US sanctions.

A year after Washington pulled out of the nuclear deal with Iran, President Hassan Rouhani unveiled measures that do not appear to violate the deal's terms yet, but could do so in the future if Iran were to persist on the course he set out.

Rouhani said Tehran would halt a programme to sell excess enriched uranium and heavy water to other countries, an arrangement used under the nuclear deal to keep its own stockpiles below permitted caps.

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And he threatened that in 60 days Iran would resume enrichment of uranium beyond the low level permitted under the deal, unless the five other powers signed up to it find a way to protect Iran's oil and banking industries from US sanctions.

"If the five countries came to the negotiating table and we reached an agreement, and if they could protect our interests in the oil and banking sectors, we will go back to square one," Rouhani said.

"The Iranian people and the world should know that today is not the end of the&nbsp;Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action&nbsp;(JCPOA)," he said, using the acronym for the nuclear deal. "These are actions in line with the JCPOA."

The 2015 deal was signed between Iran, the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. Iran agreed to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions.

Washington's European allies opposed President Donald Trump's decision to pull out. They have tried to find ways to blunt the economic impact of new US sanctions in the hope of persuading Tehran to continue to abide by it. However, their efforts have largely failed, with all major European companies abandoning plans to do business with Iran for fear of US punishment.

France's defence minister said she wanted to keep the nuclear deal alive and warned Iran it could face more sanctions if it did not honour its part of the deal.

"Today nothing would be worse than Iran, itself, leaving this agreement," Florence Parly told BFM TV.

China said the agreement should be implemented and called on all sides to avoid an escalation of tensions.

Tensions

The weeks leading up to the anniversary of Trump's withdrawal from the agreement have seen a sharp tightening of US sanctions and an increase in tensions on other fronts.

From this month, Washington has effectively ordered countries around the world to stop buying any Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own, revoking waivers that had allowed some countries to continue buying Iranian oil. It says it aims to reduce Iranian crude exports to zero.

Washington has also blacklisted Iran's Revolutionary Guards force as a terrorist organisation and Iran responded with threats to close the Gulf's strait of Hormuz if its ships were blocked there.

Washington announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Gulf to counter what it says are Iranian threats. Tehran says the USS Abraham Lincoln is replacing another carrier that had already left the area under a scheduled rotation and calls the announcement "psychological warfare" based on old news.

The looming total ban on oil sales is likely to sharply increase the economic hardship for Iran's 80 million people, and finding a response is the biggest test yet for Rouhani, a pragmatist who has faced strong opposition from the hardline faction of Iran's leadership throughout his six years in office.

The nuclear deal was the flagship policy of Rouhani, who won two landslide elections on promises to end Iran's isolation and open its economy up to the world. The ultimate authority in Iran is in the hands of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a cleric in power since 1989, who signed off on the nuclear deal but remains close to the hardline faction that challenges Rouhani.

Washington's European allies say Trump's repudiation of the deal hurts the pragmatic wing of Iran's leadership and plays into the hands of hardliners. It means ordinary Iranians see no economic benefits from Rouhani's efforts to open the country.

The Trump administration argues that the deal, negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama, was flawed because it is not permanent, does not address Iran's missile programme and does not punish Iran for meddling in the affairs of other countries.

Trump's hard line is backed by Israel and by Washington's Arab allies in the Gulf, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which see Iran as a foe and which gain leverage over global oil prices by keeping Iranian crude off the market.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted: "After a year of patience, Iran stops measures that US has made impossible to continue." Zarif said the remaining countries had a "narrowing window" to save the deal. 
&nbsp;

Iran announced on Wednesday it was scaling back curbs to its nuclear programme under a 2015 deal with world powers and threatened to do more -- including enriching uranium to a higher level -- if countries did not shield it from US sanctions.

Iran announced on Wednesday it was scaling back curbs to its nuclear programme under a 2015 deal with world powers and threatened to do more -- including enriching uranium to a higher level -- if countries did not shield it from US sanctions. A year after Washington pulled out of the nuclear deal with Iran, President Hassan Rouhani unveiled measures that do not appear to violate the deal's terms yet, but could do so in the future if Iran were to persist on the course he set out. Rouhani said Tehran would halt a programme to sell excess enriched uranium and heavy water to other countries, an arrangement used under the nuclear deal to keep its own stockpiles below permitted caps. × And he threatened that in 60 days Iran would resume enrichment of uranium beyond the low level permitted under the deal, unless the five other powers signed up to it find a way to protect Iran's oil and banking industries from US sanctions. "If the five countries came to the negotiating table and we reached an agreement, and if they could protect our interests in the oil and banking sectors, we will go back to square one," Rouhani said. "The Iranian people and the world should know that today is not the end of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)," he said, using the acronym for the nuclear deal. "These are actions in line with the JCPOA." The 2015 deal was signed between Iran, the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. Iran agreed to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. Washington's European allies opposed President Donald Trump's decision to pull out. They have tried to find ways to blunt the economic impact of new US sanctions in the hope of persuading Tehran to continue to abide by it. However, their efforts have largely failed, with all major European companies abandoning plans to do business with Iran for fear of US punishment. France's defence minister said she wanted to keep the nuclear deal alive and warned Iran it could face more sanctions if it did not honour its part of the deal. "Today nothing would be worse than Iran, itself, leaving this agreement," Florence Parly told BFM TV. China said the agreement should be implemented and called on all sides to avoid an escalation of tensions. Tensions The weeks leading up to the anniversary of Trump's withdrawal from the agreement have seen a sharp tightening of US sanctions and an increase in tensions on other fronts. From this month, Washington has effectively ordered countries around the world to stop buying any Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own, revoking waivers that had allowed some countries to continue buying Iranian oil. It says it aims to reduce Iranian crude exports to zero. Washington has also blacklisted Iran's Revolutionary Guards force as a terrorist organisation and Iran responded with threats to close the Gulf's strait of Hormuz if its ships were blocked there. Washington announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Gulf to counter what it says are Iranian threats. Tehran says the USS Abraham Lincoln is replacing another carrier that had already left the area under a scheduled rotation and calls the announcement "psychological warfare" based on old news. The looming total ban on oil sales is likely to sharply increase the economic hardship for Iran's 80 million people, and finding a response is the biggest test yet for Rouhani, a pragmatist who has faced strong opposition from the hardline faction of Iran's leadership throughout his six years in office. The nuclear deal was the flagship policy of Rouhani, who won two landslide elections on promises to end Iran's isolation and open its economy up to the world. The ultimate authority in Iran is in the hands of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a cleric in power since 1989, who signed off on the nuclear deal but remains close to the hardline faction that challenges Rouhani. Washington's European allies say Trump's repudiation of the deal hurts the pragmatic wing of Iran's leadership and plays into the hands of hardliners. It means ordinary Iranians see no economic benefits from Rouhani's efforts to open the country. The Trump administration argues that the deal, negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama, was flawed because it is not permanent, does not address Iran's missile programme and does not punish Iran for meddling in the affairs of other countries. Trump's hard line is backed by Israel and by Washington's Arab allies in the Gulf, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which see Iran as a foe and which gain leverage over global oil prices by keeping Iranian crude off the market. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted: "After a year of patience, Iran stops measures that US has made impossible to continue." Zarif said the remaining countries had a "narrowing window" to save the deal.

Iran rolls back nuclear commitments under pact abandoned by Washington

By Charles Hankla 
 
Last week President Donald Trump seemed to be on the cusp of a trade deal with China. A couple of threatening tweets later, the odds of ending the 16-month-old US-China trade war have dropped dramatically.

Whether or not American and Chinese trade negotiators ultimately salvage a deal – the US says China backpedaled on a commitment and intends to raise tariffs within days – the episode highlights drawbacks in Trump’s trade strategy, which tends to be protectionist, confrontational and negotiated one on one.

Unfortunately, Trump’s policies are only an acceleration of a trend in international trade that’s been going on for several decades. It’s a move away from multilateralism – in which many countries agree on certain trading principles – and toward bilateralism – which pits nation against nation, raising the stakes.

I am a specialist in the politics of trade. My observations lead me to believe that the increasing abandonment of multilateralism will have pernicious long-term consequences. Not only will trade become more costly for businesses and consumers, it may even make the planet a more dangerous place.

World trade – Trump style

Before we can understand what has changed, we need to revisit how trade deals have historically been done.

In the decades following World War II, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was the center of gravity for trade negotiations. While that system wasn’t perfect, most of the world’s countries could at least participate, to one degree or another, in hammering out the rules of trade.

This multilateral trading order reached its heyday in 1995, with the creation of the World Trade Organisation. But more recently, the system has weakened. Today, most of the world’s new agreements are struck between only two countries or within a single region.

Trump has shown little appetite for continuing the multilateral negotiations his predecessors were working on. He’s also hammered on regional accords, famously renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement and withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Trump’s clear preference is for bilateral deals where the US can use its market power to force concessions from its negotiating partners. But Trump has added a level of confrontation and antagonism to world trade not known in the postwar era.

For evidence, look no further than his threats to raise tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods if a deal falls through.

In essence, the United States under Trump has begun to see itself as the victim, rather than the guarantor, of the liberal trading order. This new perspective has made American negotiators more willing to extract temporary concessions from trading partners, even when these come at the cost of destabilizing the system as a whole.

Rules upon rules

One pernicious consequence of abandoning multilateralism is the mounting complexity and discriminatory nature of global trading arrangements.

In international trade, the fewer rules there are the better. One real benefit of the WTO system is that the same rules, more or less, apply to everyone.

But the world’s increasing rejection of multilateralism is creating a complex web of trade regulations that are tremendously hard to navigate. The number of preferential trade agreements jumped from just over 50 in 1990 to nearly 300 in 2010.

More deals like these mean that one set of rules is overlaid by more rules that only apply when trading with specific countries in certain goods and services. For this reason, the economist Jagdish Bhagwati has called bilateral deals “termites in the trading system.”

These “termites” and the informational burdens they create have real costs for companies and consumers, whether in Europe, Asia or the United States. And this growing complexity weakens competition by giving certain companies an edge over others based on their national origin, distorting the efficiency of global markets.

In the end, these burdens can discourage smaller companies from engaging in global commerce, make it more expensive for even the largest businesses and drive up the cost of products for consumers.

Trade conflicts

A second drawback to Trump’s approach is that it increases the risk of war, at least over the long term.

As the political economist David Lake has pointed out, one purpose of the trading system that the US helped set up after World War II was to forestall mutually antagonistic trading blocs like the ones built by Adolf Hitler or, earlier, by the European and Japanese colonial powers.

The origins of the two world wars may have been principally political, but there is little doubt that economic conflicts between blocs contributed to the military tensions.

During the postwar era, the multilateral system took a major step toward insulating trade from such international disputes and strategic competition. Outside of relations with the communist bloc, which only later participated in multilateral trade deals, there is ample reason to believe that economic interdependence helped produce the “long peace” of that period.

For this reason, we should all be worried about the wobbly state of the global trading system. Bilateral and regional deals are making it easier for large countries to use trade policy more explicitly as an arm of foreign and military policy.

Modern bilateral deals are not recreating the colonial systems of the past, but they do tend to center on major powers in what some scholars have called a “hub” and “spoke” pattern. The “hub” often enjoys significant influence over the “spoke,” and not just in commercial affairs. China’s overtures to African countries over a free trade deal, for example, are likely linked to its strategic interest in securing access to national resources.

While I’m not suggesting that these deals are likely to trigger a shooting war anytime soon, an increasingly fractured world will gradually reduce interdependence among countries – which can act as a strong incentive to avoid a fight.

If the rising number of bilateral deals become an instrument of security policy, and trade increasingly flows only to strategically friendly countries, we should all prepare for more violent conflict in the future. 
 
(Charles Hankla is Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University) 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/trumps-one-on-one-approach-to-china-has-dangerous-implications-for-global-trade-and-world-peace-116505">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
 
&nbsp;

By Charles Hankla Last week President Donald Trump seemed to be on the cusp of a trade deal with China. A couple of threatening tweets later, the odds of ending the 16-month-old US-China trade war have dropped dramatically.

By Charles Hankla Last week President Donald Trump seemed to be on the cusp of a trade deal with China. A couple of threatening tweets later, the odds of ending the 16-month-old US-China trade war have dropped dramatically. Whether or not American and Chinese trade negotiators ultimately salvage a deal – the US says China backpedaled on a commitment and intends to raise tariffs within days – the episode highlights drawbacks in Trump’s trade strategy, which tends to be protectionist, confrontational and negotiated one on one. Unfortunately, Trump’s policies are only an acceleration of a trend in international trade that’s been going on for several decades. It’s a move away from multilateralism – in which many countries agree on certain trading principles – and toward bilateralism – which pits nation against nation, raising the stakes. I am a specialist in the politics of trade. My observations lead me to believe that the increasing abandonment of multilateralism will have pernicious long-term consequences. Not only will trade become more costly for businesses and consumers, it may even make the planet a more dangerous place. World trade – Trump style Before we can understand what has changed, we need to revisit how trade deals have historically been done. In the decades following World War II, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was the center of gravity for trade negotiations. While that system wasn’t perfect, most of the world’s countries could at least participate, to one degree or another, in hammering out the rules of trade. This multilateral trading order reached its heyday in 1995, with the creation of the World Trade Organisation. But more recently, the system has weakened. Today, most of the world’s new agreements are struck between only two countries or within a single region. Trump has shown little appetite for continuing the multilateral negotiations his predecessors were working on. He’s also hammered on regional accords, famously renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement and withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trump’s clear preference is for bilateral deals where the US can use its market power to force concessions from its negotiating partners. But Trump has added a level of confrontation and antagonism to world trade not known in the postwar era. For evidence, look no further than his threats to raise tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods if a deal falls through. In essence, the United States under Trump has begun to see itself as the victim, rather than the guarantor, of the liberal trading order. This new perspective has made American negotiators more willing to extract temporary concessions from trading partners, even when these come at the cost of destabilizing the system as a whole. Rules upon rules One pernicious consequence of abandoning multilateralism is the mounting complexity and discriminatory nature of global trading arrangements. In international trade, the fewer rules there are the better. One real benefit of the WTO system is that the same rules, more or less, apply to everyone. But the world’s increasing rejection of multilateralism is creating a complex web of trade regulations that are tremendously hard to navigate. The number of preferential trade agreements jumped from just over 50 in 1990 to nearly 300 in 2010. More deals like these mean that one set of rules is overlaid by more rules that only apply when trading with specific countries in certain goods and services. For this reason, the economist Jagdish Bhagwati has called bilateral deals “termites in the trading system.” These “termites” and the informational burdens they create have real costs for companies and consumers, whether in Europe, Asia or the United States. And this growing complexity weakens competition by giving certain companies an edge over others based on their national origin, distorting the efficiency of global markets. In the end, these burdens can discourage smaller companies from engaging in global commerce, make it more expensive for even the largest businesses and drive up the cost of products for consumers. Trade conflicts A second drawback to Trump’s approach is that it increases the risk of war, at least over the long term. As the political economist David Lake has pointed out, one purpose of the trading system that the US helped set up after World War II was to forestall mutually antagonistic trading blocs like the ones built by Adolf Hitler or, earlier, by the European and Japanese colonial powers. The origins of the two world wars may have been principally political, but there is little doubt that economic conflicts between blocs contributed to the military tensions. During the postwar era, the multilateral system took a major step toward insulating trade from such international disputes and strategic competition. Outside of relations with the communist bloc, which only later participated in multilateral trade deals, there is ample reason to believe that economic interdependence helped produce the “long peace” of that period. For this reason, we should all be worried about the wobbly state of the global trading system. Bilateral and regional deals are making it easier for large countries to use trade policy more explicitly as an arm of foreign and military policy. Modern bilateral deals are not recreating the colonial systems of the past, but they do tend to center on major powers in what some scholars have called a “hub” and “spoke” pattern. The “hub” often enjoys significant influence over the “spoke,” and not just in commercial affairs. China’s overtures to African countries over a free trade deal, for example, are likely linked to its strategic interest in securing access to national resources. While I’m not suggesting that these deals are likely to trigger a shooting war anytime soon, an increasingly fractured world will gradually reduce interdependence among countries – which can act as a strong incentive to avoid a fight. If the rising number of bilateral deals become an instrument of security policy, and trade increasingly flows only to strategically friendly countries, we should all prepare for more violent conflict in the future. (Charles Hankla is Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Donald Trump’s one-on-one approach to China has dangerous implications for global trade

The Trump administration is proposing a hike in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-receives-proposed-regulation-to-end-work-authorisation-for-spouses-of-h1b-visa-holders-198848">H-1B visa</a> application fee to increase funding for the expansion of an apprentice programme, which trains American youths in technology-related activities, Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta told US lawmakers.

Testifying before a Congressional committee on annual budget of the Department of Labour for the fiscal year 2020 beginning October 1, 2019, Acosta, however, did not give details of the proposed increase in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-new-h1b-rules-may-put-the-promised-land-out-of-bounds-for-indians-28456">H-1B</a> filing fee and as to which categories of applicants it would be enforced on.

But given past experience, the Indian IT companies, which account for a large number of H-1B applications, are likely to face the additional financial burden because of this proposed increase in H-1B filing fees.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

Arguing that foreigners hurt American workers by competing for jobs and driving down wages, the Trump administration has tighten the noose around the H-1B visa programme. The Seattle Times on Monday reported that last year immigration officials denied nearly one out of every four requests for new visas for skilled foreign workers.

"In FY 2020, the Department's budget includes US $160 million to continue our expansion of apprenticeship programmes, along with a proposal to increase H-1B fee revenues to fund additional apprenticeship activities,"&nbsp;Acosta said in his testimony on May 2 before the Senate Appropriations Committee&nbsp;Subcommittee on Labour, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies.

Acosta told lawmakers that last year the Department of Labour had launched the first-ever sector-based apprenticeship grant funding opportunity to invest US $150 million to expand apprenticeships in those in-demand industry sectors most often filled by individuals on H-1B visas, such as information technology, health care and advanced manufacturing.

This grant funding opportunity introduced an innovative approach: a 35 per cent private-sector match requirement. This brings the total investment to USD 202.5 million, US $57.7 million coming from the private sector, he said.

"As a result of this private sector match requirement, educators have a greater incentive to join with industry to ensure curricula address the needs of our ever-changing workplace, investing in the latest technologies and techniques, and providing more in-demand opportunities for Americans,"&nbsp;Acosta said.

On July 18 last year, the Department of Labour had announced US $150 million in H-1B funds to support sector-based approaches to expanding apprenticeships on a national scale in key industry sectors.

The focus is on industries reliant on H-1B visas. It aims at expanding apprenticeships and increase the level of apprenticeship activity among a range of new employers within these industries, particularly small- and medium-sized businesses.

Acosta also told lawmakers that the Labour Department has also made changes to the H-1B application forms to ensure greater transparency and better protect American workers from employers seeking to misuse the programme.

In fiscal 2018, the Department concluded 649 non-immigrant visa programme cases and found violations in 553 of those cases.

In a news story, Breitbart News said that every year, more than 100,000 foreign workers are brought to the US on the H-1B visa and are allowed to stay for up to six years. There are about 650,000 H-1B visa foreign workers in the US at any given moment, it added.

"Let's put our citizens first and protect US workers and wages. Hard-working and highly-skilled American men and women share their stories about H-1B visa fraud and abuse,? Congressman Paul Gosar said.&nbsp;

The Trump administration is proposing a hike in the H-1B visa application fee to increase funding for the expansion of an apprentice programme, which trains American youths in technology-related activities, Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta told US lawmakers.

The Trump administration is proposing a hike in the H-1B visa application fee to increase funding for the expansion of an apprentice programme, which trains American youths in technology-related activities, Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta told US lawmakers. Testifying before a Congressional committee on annual budget of the Department of Labour for the fiscal year 2020 beginning October 1, 2019, Acosta, however, did not give details of the proposed increase in H-1B filing fee and as to which categories of applicants it would be enforced on. But given past experience, the Indian IT companies, which account for a large number of H-1B applications, are likely to face the additional financial burden because of this proposed increase in H-1B filing fees. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. Arguing that foreigners hurt American workers by competing for jobs and driving down wages, the Trump administration has tighten the noose around the H-1B visa programme. The Seattle Times on Monday reported that last year immigration officials denied nearly one out of every four requests for new visas for skilled foreign workers. "In FY 2020, the Department's budget includes US $160 million to continue our expansion of apprenticeship programmes, along with a proposal to increase H-1B fee revenues to fund additional apprenticeship activities," Acosta said in his testimony on May 2 before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labour, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. Acosta told lawmakers that last year the Department of Labour had launched the first-ever sector-based apprenticeship grant funding opportunity to invest US $150 million to expand apprenticeships in those in-demand industry sectors most often filled by individuals on H-1B visas, such as information technology, health care and advanced manufacturing. This grant funding opportunity introduced an innovative approach: a 35 per cent private-sector match requirement. This brings the total investment to USD 202.5 million, US $57.7 million coming from the private sector, he said. "As a result of this private sector match requirement, educators have a greater incentive to join with industry to ensure curricula address the needs of our ever-changing workplace, investing in the latest technologies and techniques, and providing more in-demand opportunities for Americans," Acosta said. On July 18 last year, the Department of Labour had announced US $150 million in H-1B funds to support sector-based approaches to expanding apprenticeships on a national scale in key industry sectors. The focus is on industries reliant on H-1B visas. It aims at expanding apprenticeships and increase the level of apprenticeship activity among a range of new employers within these industries, particularly small- and medium-sized businesses. Acosta also told lawmakers that the Labour Department has also made changes to the H-1B application forms to ensure greater transparency and better protect American workers from employers seeking to misuse the programme. In fiscal 2018, the Department concluded 649 non-immigrant visa programme cases and found violations in 553 of those cases. In a news story, Breitbart News said that every year, more than 100,000 foreign workers are brought to the US on the H-1B visa and are allowed to stay for up to six years. There are about 650,000 H-1B visa foreign workers in the US at any given moment, it added. "Let's put our citizens first and protect US workers and wages. Hard-working and highly-skilled American men and women share their stories about H-1B visa fraud and abuse,? Congressman Paul Gosar said.

US to propose hike in H-1B application fee: Labour Secretary

The US has said that it will consult New Delhi as the Afghan peace process goes forward even as it called for "inclusive and legitimate process" that preserves the gains made in the last 18 years.

A statement issued by the American embassy in Delhi on US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad's second day India visit, said, "Ambassador Khalilzad and his counterparts also discussed that Afghanistan’s political future is for Afghans to decide through an inclusive and legitimate process."

During his second visit in 2019 to Delhi, he met, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale &amp; India’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar.

The statement said during the meet they "agreed that Afghan gains of the last 18 years must be preserved and built upon."

This is an important development for New Delhi since it is not in favour of an interim administration to replace the political structure arrived in the last 18 years. This was conveyed during Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale's US visit in March during which he met Zalmay Khalilzad in Washington.

Taliban during its talks with the US has been calling for an interim administration in Kabul which will replace the existing govt, something India is against as it back Afghan President Ghani's govt.

Washington also "recognized the many important contributions India has made to Afghanistan’s development." This development comes months after US President Donald Trump took a jibe against development aid to Afghanistan.

US President in the 1st cabinet meet of the year in January had said even though he gets "along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi", PM Modi "is constantly telling me, he built a library in Afghanistan" but Trump "Don’t know who’s using it (the library) in Afghanistan".&nbsp;

India has built large scale infrastructure projects in Afghanistan like Parliament building in Kabul, Salma Dam in Herat to Capacity Building by providing training to 3500 afghans to connectivity by Chabahar project and India Afghanistan air corridor.

The US has said that it will consult New Delhi as the Afghan peace process goes forward even as it called for "inclusive and legitimate process" that preserves the gains made in the last 18 years.

The US has said that it will consult New Delhi as the Afghan peace process goes forward even as it called for "inclusive and legitimate process" that preserves the gains made in the last 18 years. A statement issued by the American embassy in Delhi on US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad's second day India visit, said, "Ambassador Khalilzad and his counterparts also discussed that Afghanistan’s political future is for Afghans to decide through an inclusive and legitimate process." During his second visit in 2019 to Delhi, he met, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale & India’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar. The statement said during the meet they "agreed that Afghan gains of the last 18 years must be preserved and built upon." This is an important development for New Delhi since it is not in favour of an interim administration to replace the political structure arrived in the last 18 years. This was conveyed during Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale's US visit in March during which he met Zalmay Khalilzad in Washington. Taliban during its talks with the US has been calling for an interim administration in Kabul which will replace the existing govt, something India is against as it back Afghan President Ghani's govt. Washington also "recognized the many important contributions India has made to Afghanistan’s development." This development comes months after US President Donald Trump took a jibe against development aid to Afghanistan. US President in the 1st cabinet meet of the year in January had said even though he gets "along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi", PM Modi "is constantly telling me, he built a library in Afghanistan" but Trump "Don’t know who’s using it (the library) in Afghanistan". India has built large scale infrastructure projects in Afghanistan like Parliament building in Kabul, Salma Dam in Herat to Capacity Building by providing training to 3500 afghans to connectivity by Chabahar project and India Afghanistan air corridor.

United States to consult India on Afghan peace process

The H-1B is a visa in the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 101 that allows US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations.

Know what is an H-1B Visa

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sending-carrier-bombers-to-mideast-is-psychological-warfare-iran-216721">US sending carrier, bombers to Mideast is 'psychological warfare': Iran</a>

Iran's top security body dismissed as "psychological warfare" a US announcement that a carrier strike group and bombers are being sent to the Middle East as a message to Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/americas/donald-trump-xi-jinping-and-trade-a-high-stakes-game-of-chicken-216697">Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and trade: A high-stakes game of chicken</a>

What happens when the planet's two biggest economies play a high-stakes game of chicken?

The world may be about to find out, with President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping both holding favourable enough economic hands to make it hard to predict who blinks first, analysts said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-top-trade-negotiator-to-visit-us-despite-tariffs-216689">China's top trade negotiator to visit US despite tariffs</a>

China said Tuesday its top trade negotiator will visit the United States for talks with American counterparts this week even as Washington stepped up pressure with plans to hike tariffs and complaints that Beijing was backtracking on its commitments.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/icse-isc-exam-results-declared-two-students-score-100-marks-216725">ICSE, ISC exam results declared, two students score 100% marks</a>

Girls outshone boys in the ICSE Class 10 and 12 examinations, with two students scoring 100 per cent marks.

This is the first time that students have scored 100 per cent marks in the ISC exam.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-says-jihadi-threat-persists-despite-arrests-216736">Sri Lanka says jihadi threat persists despite arrests</a>

Sri Lankan authorities have arrested or killed all the jihadists responsible for Easter suicide bombings, but the island still faces the threat of "global terrorism," the prime minister said Tuesday.

US sending carrier, bombers to Mideast is 'psychological warfare': Iran Iran's top security body dismissed as "psychological warfare" a US announcement that a carrier strike group and bombers are being sent to the Middle East as a message to Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday.

US sending carrier, bombers to Mideast is 'psychological warfare': Iran Iran's top security body dismissed as "psychological warfare" a US announcement that a carrier strike group and bombers are being sent to the Middle East as a message to Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday. Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and trade: A high-stakes game of chicken What happens when the planet's two biggest economies play a high-stakes game of chicken? The world may be about to find out, with President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping both holding favourable enough economic hands to make it hard to predict who blinks first, analysts said. China's top trade negotiator to visit US despite tariffs China said Tuesday its top trade negotiator will visit the United States for talks with American counterparts this week even as Washington stepped up pressure with plans to hike tariffs and complaints that Beijing was backtracking on its commitments. ICSE, ISC exam results declared, two students score 100% marks Girls outshone boys in the ICSE Class 10 and 12 examinations, with two students scoring 100 per cent marks. This is the first time that students have scored 100 per cent marks in the ISC exam. Sri Lanka says jihadi threat persists despite arrests Sri Lankan authorities have arrested or killed all the jihadists responsible for Easter suicide bombings, but the island still faces the threat of "global terrorism," the prime minister said Tuesday.

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