U.S. restricts visas over Cuban overseas medical program
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked or restricted visas on Wednesday, for certain officials from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil tied to...
South Korea’s new economic chiefs will visit Washington this week for 2+2 trade talks with U.S. officials, aiming to prevent 25% tariffs set to begin on 1 August. This marks their first trip since President Lee Jae-myung took office in June.
South Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said on Tuesday that he and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo will head to Washington for ministerial-level “2+2” trade negotiations with the US later this week, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The meeting, scheduled for Friday, will involve talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
"With the 1 August deadline fast approaching, relevant ministries have formed a unified team to respond with a well-coordinated and practical strategy for the national interest," Koo told reporters.
The United States is due to impose 25% reciprocal tariffs on South Korean exports unless a deal is reached. Existing 25% tariffs already apply to South Korean auto and steel products.
President Donald Trump had initially paused the implementation of additional tariffs in April, granting a 90-day window for talks. That deadline was later extended, but is now set to expire next week.
Koo, who was sworn in as finance minister on Monday, declined to disclose Seoul’s negotiation strategy. He added that South Korea’s foreign and industry ministers are also expected to travel to the U.S. for separate meetings with their counterparts.
This will be the first U.S. visit by key economic ministers under President Lee Jae-myung, who assumed office on 4 June. The last round of “2+2” talks in April involved officials from the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked or restricted visas on Wednesday, for certain officials from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil tied to Cuba’s overseas medical worker program, citing concerns over forced labor and financial exploitation.
North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in the ruling Workers’ Party, said on Thursday that South Korea’s belief in Pyongyang’s response to peace overtures is a “pipedream.”
U.S. President Donald Trump warned of “severe consequences” if Russia’s Vladimir Putin refuses to agree to peace in Ukraine, while suggesting a follow-up meeting could include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration has unveiled a nearly $1 billion funding plan to boost U.S. production of critical minerals and materials, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly China.
The Philippine government reported that a Chinese jet fighter intercepted a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft with journalists onboard during a patrol over the Scarborough Shoal on 13 August, further straining tensions in the South China Sea.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment