White House announces 10 per cent tariff on China in force from today
Today's headlines: After the fourth prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel, the father of the Israeli woman freed two days ago in a chaotic handover among a crowd of armed men urges Israel’s PM to go through with the agreement. Thaksin Shinawatra is allowed to travel abroad despite being a convicted felon. In the Philippines, 1,500 public schools lack electricity. Archaeological find shows iron was already smelted in Tamil Nadu 5,300 years ago.
CHINA – UNITED STATES
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters last night that US President Donald Trump is imposing a 10 per cent tariff on goods imported from China, along with 25 per cent on goods from Mexico and Canada. On China, she justified the measure with the “illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans.” Leavitt added that details will be released during the day.
GAZA – ISRAEL
This morning Hamas released three Israeli hostages – Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas (the father of two infants kidnapped on 7 October, who are feared dead along with their mother) in Khan Younis, and Keith Siegel in Gaza City – in the fourth prisoner exchange under the ceasefire agreement. Israel is expected to release 183 Palestinian detainees today. Meanwhile, the father of Arbel Yehoud, the Israeli who was freed on Thursday and forced to pass among the militiamen in images that have outraged the world, appealed to Prime Minister Netanyahu, asking him to go through with the agreement and end the war.
THAILAND
A Thai court has granted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra permission to leave the country. The 75-year-old billionaire, father of current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was sentenced to eight years for fraud and abuse of power. He returned to Thailand two years ago after 15 years of exile, and was pardoned by the king six months later. In December, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had appointed Thaksin as his adviser for the rotating presidency of ASEAN, the regional bloc of Southeast Asia.
PHILIPPINES
A report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) reveals that about 1,500 public schools in the Philippines do not have access to electricity, while another 1,000 do not have toilets. These schools are part of 9,000 establishments classified as last-mile schools, i.e. located in remote or conflict-affected areas. About 1.6 million students are enrolled in these schools. Half of the schools are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
INDIA
Tamil Nadu is one of the first places in the world to develop iron technology as early as 5,300 years ago, this according to findings from archaeological research in Adichanallur and Sivakalai, Thoothukudi district, which show that iron smelting in the region was already happening between 3,345 BC and 2,600 BC, much earlier than previously thought.
RUSSIA
Exiled Russian politician Ilya Yashin announced that all opposition groups will take part in a protest rally on 1 March in Berlin centred on the themes “Russia against Putin” and “No to war”. The march will start from Potsdam Platz, proceed in front of the Russian embassy on Unter den Linden, until it reaches the Brandenburg Gate. Vladimir Kara-Murza and Julia Navalnaya will be among those leading the procession. The march is also taking place in memory of Ms Navalnaya’s husband, Alexei Navalny, who died in a penal colony on 16 February last year.
TURKEY – AZERBAIJIAN – UZBEKISTAN
The 2nd trilateral meeting between the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economy and Transport of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Uzbekistan was held in Ankara, chaired by Turkish Minister Hakan Fidan. It ended with the signing of a declaration in favour of a common action plan to boost trade relations, infrastructure development, and investments between the three countries in the Turanian area.
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12/02/2016 20:22
14/01/2021 13:34
