U.S.-China trade talks start in Paris ahead of Trump-Xi summit
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials began a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to res...
The European Parliament’s trade chief has urged a temporary suspension of the EU–U.S. trade agreement approval, citing “tariff chaos” following President Donald Trump’s new 15% tariffs and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidating his previous global tariff programme.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, said on Sunday that he will propose formally pausing the ratification of the trade deal until clarity and legal certainty are provided by the U.S. He plans to submit the proposal on Monday, emphasising that further steps should be delayed until the U.S. makes clear commitments.
The European Commission had demanded earlier that the United States honour the terms of last year’s EU–U.S. trade agreement.
The Commission, which negotiates trade policy for the 27 EU member states, said Washington must provide “full clarity” on its next steps, stressing that “a deal is a deal” and warning that unpredictable tariffs undermine confidence in global markets.
On Friday (20 February), the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Trump had exceeded his authority in imposing sweeping tariffs under an economic emergency law.
Within hours, the president announced a temporary 10% tariff on nearly all imports, before raising it to 15% on Saturday, the maximum permitted under Section 122 of U.S. trade law without extended congressional approval.
Last year’s EU-U.S. agreement set a 15% U.S. tariff rate for most EU goods, with exemptions for certain sectors such as aircraft and spare parts, while the EU agreed to lift duties on many American products and suspend retaliatory measures.
The Commission said EU products must continue to benefit from the “most competitive treatment” under the agreed ceiling and confirmed that EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič had discussed the issue with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Despite the court ruling, Trump signalled he would continue pursuing alternative legal avenues to impose tariffs, saying he would use the 150-day window under Section 122 to develop other “legally permissible” trade measures.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued veiled threats to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and Hezbollah on Thursday (12 March), during his first press conference since the conflict with Iran began.
A long-running investigation has suggested that the street artist known as Banksy may be legally named David Jones. A report indicates that Jones was previously known as Robin Gunningham, a name long associated with Banksy, before legally changing his name several years ago.
Israel and Iran continued to exchange strikes on Friday (13 March), as the U.S. and French militaries reported deaths in Iraq, and the U.N. launched a $325 million appeal to help Lebanon, where a seventh of the population have left their homes since fighting began.
A widening conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel has triggered escalating military strikes across the Middle East, disrupted shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz and raised concerns over global energy supplies. This live report tracks the latest developments.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials began a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-launch of 12 600mm-calibre multiple rocket launchers on Saturday (14 March), state media KCNA said, after the United States and South Korea this week launched their annual large-scale military drills in South Korea.
French voters head to the polls on Sunday (15 March) to elect their mayors in a closely watched ballot seen as a test of the strength of the far-right and the resilience of mainstream parties ahead of next year's presidential vote.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 15 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday (14 March) that many countries are interested in purchasing Russian oil after the United States temporarily eased sanctions on certain exports.
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