Author: Press Room

BEIJING: China said on Wednesday (Mar 12) it would take “all necessary measures” to protect its interests in response to new US tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and aluminium imports. “China has always believed that protectionism offers no way out and that there are no winners in trade wars and tariff wars,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, when asked about the tariffs at a daily news conference. “The United States’ actions seriously violate (World Trade Organization) rules, seriously damage the rules-based multilateral trading system and are not conducive to solving the problem,” said Mao. “China will also…

The European Union has spent months bracing for painful tariffs from the United States, the bloc’s most important trading partner. On Wednesday, as American steel and aluminum tariffs of 25 percent took effect, European officials began to respond.While the United States buys the most steel and aluminum from countries including Canada, Brazil and Mexico, Germany is a notable steel producer.And because the tariffs will also affect products that contain steel and aluminum, such as cookware and window frames, the European Union said, they may hit some 26 billion euros — $28 billion — of the bloc’s exports in total.Wednesday’s rebuttal…

Elon Musk has signaled to President Trump’s advisers in recent days that he wants to put $100 million into groups controlled by the Trump political operation, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.It is unheard-of for a White House staffer, even one with part-time status, to make such large political contributions to support the agenda of the boss. But there has never been someone in the direct employ of an administration like Mr. Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, who is leading Mr. Trump’s aggressive effort to shrink the federal government, the Department of Government Efficiency.Over the weekend, Mr.…

A satanic disciple had stowed away on a flight to Florida, as one passenger saw it, and something had to be done.Less than a minute after an American Airlines flight took off from Savannah, Ga., for Miami on Monday night, a passenger began yelling and shaking. Flight attendants initially thought he was having a seizure.But it turned out he was struggling with a demonic spirit he thought had invaded the cabin — and, at some point during the flight, began swallowing rosary beads to ward that spirit off.As attendants approached the man, Delange Augustin, 31, he kicked one of them…

The Bank of Canada is set to announce whether it will cut interest rates Wednesday as an escalating trade war looms over the Canadian and American economies. U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday escalated his trade war against Canada, threatening to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.Those are set to go into effect on Wednesday, the same day as the rate decision.While inflation in Canada has been below two per cent and Canada’s unemployment rate has held steady, the threat of tariffs is expected to inform the Bank of…

EDITORIAL: Donald Trump’s tariff insult to Australia is no way to treat a mate. Especially one you’ve been friends with for over a century.

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the worldThe EU has retaliated against Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium within hours of them taking effect, escalating a trade war that has rattled financial markets and threatens the global economy.The European Commission said its measures would affect up to €26bn of American goods, matching the US tariffs on European exports, and would take effect in April, leaving some time to negotiate with Washington.Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU regretted the US decision…

There’s a scene that replayed itself over and over during last spring’s thrilling Western Conference semifinal series between the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder.The script went like this: Luka Dončić would drive into some contact from Luguentz Dort, Dort would go down, and Dončić would turn to the official and immediately ask for a technical foul for flopping. Sometimes he’d put his hands together for a technical foul signal. Sometimes he’d have his palm flat to the floor, lifting it up and down — the official signal for a flopping violation. One time, he and Kyrie Irving managed to…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Blackstone has ditched the Hipgnosis name for its $3bn music investment group as it prepares to start buying songs again less than a year after its acquisition of the UK-listed owner of rights to songs by Red Hot Chili Peppers and Shakira. The US private equity group has rebranded its music investment business as Recognition after bringing together its various music interests into one company that will own and manage a portfolio of more than 45,000 songs and recordings from 145-plus catalogues.The…

Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.No Such Thing as Bad Publicity?Tesla’s stock has been plunging, so much so that Jimmy Kimmel thinks Elon Musk “may have to fire himself.” But Musk got a boost from President Trump, who promised to buy a Tesla and had some brought to the White House on Tuesday.“The guy has spent the entire campaign screaming about how awful electric cars are, is now buying an…