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Starmer reveals what he and Trump bonded over

Starmer reveals what he and Trump bonded over

Independent04-07-2025
Sir Keir Starmer said he has built a good personal relationship with Donald Trump, based on shared family values, which he believes aided the US trade deal.
Sir Keir revealed that Trump offered condolences following the death of his younger brother, Nick Starmer, on Boxing Day last year, and that their initial conversation was after Trump was shot at a rally before he became president.
The prime minister faced a humiliating climbdown on welfare reform, abandoning plans to restrict eligibility for personal independence payments (PIP) after admitting the system is not working.
Despite the welfare reform bill passing its second reading, Sir Keir suffered the largest rebellion of his premiership, with 49 Labour MPs voting against the legislation.
Sir Keir affirmed that he will always carry the can and take responsibility as leader when things do not go well, acknowledging the challenges faced.
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Forward thinking
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BBC News

time9 minutes ago

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Forward thinking

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Anti-corruption protests target Zelensky in Kyiv ahead of crucial peace talks
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Anti-corruption protests target Zelensky in Kyiv ahead of crucial peace talks

The Independent

time10 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Anti-corruption protests target Zelensky in Kyiv ahead of crucial peace talks

Anti-government protests have broken out in Kyiv as hundreds flocked to the streets to oppose a decision to curb the powers of two anti-corruption agencies. Ukraine has toughened restrictions on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. Amendments approved by Volodymyr Zelensky's party yesterday have rolled back the agencies' autonomy in favour of tighter executive control, a move the Ukrainian president says is needed to rid the organisations of 'Russian influence'. Angry protesters held signs reading 'F*** corruption' and 'Corruption = Death' while chanting 'Ukraine is not Russia'. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv and a prominent political opponent of Mr Zelensky, was among the protesters. Marta Kos, the EU's enlargement commissioner, said the move was a 'serious step back' for Kyiv's membership hopes, while French European affairs minister Benjamin Haddad said it 'not too late' for Kyiv to reverse the decision. 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Ukraine's military announced the arrival of the first batch of Mirage aircraft in February. Arpan Rai23 July 2025 07:15 Zelensky offers to meet Putin as Russia casts doubt on peace talks Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed his call to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin face to face as Russia cast doubt on fresh peace talks being held this week. Mr Zelensky said Ukraine was working to 'prepare a leaders' meeting aimed at truly bringing this war to an end', as the Kremlin said it did not expect any breakthroughs from fresh negotiations being held in Istanbul on Wednesday. 'Our position is fully transparent. Ukraine never wanted this war, and it is Russia that must end the war that it started,' the Ukrainian president said. In May, Mr Zelensky challenged the Russian leader to meet him, saying he would be waiting in Turkey for him 'personally'. 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Mr Kryvonos had urged the Ukrainian president not to sign the fast-tracked bill, which he called an attempt to "destroy" Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure. Arpan Rai

Flurry of trade deals offers relief for some Asian countries, while others wait
Flurry of trade deals offers relief for some Asian countries, while others wait

The Independent

time10 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Flurry of trade deals offers relief for some Asian countries, while others wait

Donald Trump has announced trade deals with Japan and a handful of other Asian countries that will relieve some pressure on companies and consumers from sharply higher tariffs on their exports to the United States. A deal with China is under negotiation, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying an Aug. 12 deadline might be postponed again to allow more time for talks. Steep tariffs on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum remain, however, and many other countries, including South Korea and Thailand, have yet to clinch agreements. Overall, economists say the tariffs inevitably will dent growth in Asia and the world. The deals reached so far, ahead of Trump's Aug. 1 deadline Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a deal Wednesday that will impose 15% tariffs on U.S. imports from Japan, down from Trump's proposed 25% 'reciprocal' tariffs. It was a huge relief for automakers like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda, whose shares jumped by double digits in Tokyo. Trump also announced trade deals with the Philippines and Indonesia. After meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Trump said the import tax on products from his country would be subject to a 19% tariff, down just 1% from the earlier threat of a 20% tariff. Indonesia also will face a 19% tariff, down from the 32% rate Trump had recently said would apply, and it committed to eliminating nearly all of its trade barriers for imports of American goods. Earlier, Trump announced that Vietnam's exports would face a 20% tariff, with double that rate for goods transshipped from China, though there has been no formal announcement. Talks with China may be extended Negotiations with China are subject to an Aug. 12 deadline, but it's likely to be extended, Bessent told Fox Business on Tuesday. He said the two sides were due to hold another round of talks, this time in Sweden, early next week. Meanwhile, Trump said a trip to China may happen soon, hinting at efforts to stabilize U.S.-China trade relations. A preliminary agreement announced in June paved the way for China to lift some restrictions on its exports of rare earths, minerals critical for high technology and other manufacturing. In May, the U.S. agreed to drop Trump's 145% tariff rate on Chinese goods to 30% for 90 days, while China agreed to lower its 125% rate on U.S. goods to 10%. The reprieve allowed companies more time to rush to try to beat the potentially higher tariffs, giving a boost to Chinese exports and alleviating some of the pressure on its manufacturing sector. But prolonged uncertainty over what Trump might do has left companies wary about committing to further investment in China. No deals yet for South Korea and other Asian countries Pressure is mounting on some countries in Asia and elsewhere as the Aug. 1 deadline for striking deals approaches. Trump sent letters, posted on Truth Social, outlining higher tariffs some countries will face if they fail to reach agreements. He said they'd face even higher tariffs if they retaliate by raising their own import duties. South Korea's is set at 25%. Imports from Myanmar and Laos would be taxed at 40%, Cambodia and Thailand at 36%, Serbia and Bangladesh at 35%, South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 30% and Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Tunisia at 25%. Nearly every country has faced a minimum 10% levy on goods entering the U.S. since April, on top of other sectoral levies. Economists expect tariffs to sap growth even with trade deals Even after Trump has pulled back from the harshest of his threatened tariffs, the onslaught of uncertainty and higher costs for both manufacturers and consumers has raised risks for the regional and global economy. Economists have been downgrading their estimates for growth in 2025 and beyond. The Asian Development Bank said Wednesday it had cut its growth estimate for economies in developing Asia and the Pacific to 4.7% in 2025 and 4.6% in 2026, down 0.2 percentage points and 0.1 percentage points. The outlook for the region could be further dimmed by an escalation of tariffs and trade friction, it said. 'Other risks include conflicts and geopolitical tensions that could disrupt global supply chains and raise energy prices,' as well as a deterioration in China's ailing property market. Economists at AMRO were less optimistic, expecting growth for Southeast Asia and other major economies in Asia at 3.8% in 2025 and 3.6% next year. While countries in the region have moved to protect their economies from Trump's trade shock, they face significant uncertainties, said AMRO's chief economist, Dong He. 'Uneven progress in tariff negotiations and the potential expansion of tariffs to additional products could further disrupt trade activities and weigh on growth for the region,' he said.

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