Russia and China to hold naval drills in Sea of Japan in August, Interfax reports
The exercises are "defensive in nature and are not directed against other countries," the fleet said.
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BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Putin not swayed by Trump's Ukraine war ultimatum
Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced hopes for further peace talks with Ukraine - but stressed his troops were "advancing on the entire front line", despite the threat of tougher US sanctions if a ceasefire was not agreed upon."All disappointments arise from inflated expectations," Putin said, in an apparent reference to Trump's "disappointment" with the Russian leader for not bringing an end to the a day after one of the deadliest Russian air attacks on Kyiv, he repeated his demands for Ukrainian neutrality and recognition of the occupied territories, which Ukraine views as a President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to meet Putin "any time". Speaking on Friday at the Valaam Monastery on an island in north-western Russia, Putin said he expected negotiations with Ukraine to continue, adding that he viewed "negotiations positively".But in a veiled reference to growing pressure from Ukraine and its Western allies to agree to a long-term ceasefire, he said: "As for any disappointments on the part of anyone, all disappointments arise from inflated expectations."Our enemies and ill-wishers... now have one fiery passion: to stop our advance [on the front line in Ukraine] at any cost".Ukraine and its allies have repeatedly accused Russia of stalling peace negotiations and rejecting any meaningful ceasefire, saying Moscow is trying to seize more Ukrainian rounds of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul, Turkey, in recent months ended without any major breakthrough. The two sides, however, agreed to swap several thousands of prisoners of shortly after Putin's comments, Zelensky questioned whether Russia was showing "serious readiness to end the war with dignity and establish a truly lasting peace" or whether it was "just an attempt to buy more time for war and postpone sanctions". In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its deadly drone and missile strikes on Thursday, at least 31 people - including five children - were killed in a Russian aerial assault on the Ukrainian capital. US President Donald Trump condemned Russia's actions, threatening new sanctions."Russia, I think it's disgusting what they're doing," he told in July Trump announced his original 50-day deadline for Russia to end the war, Putin didn't react. When that was reduced to 10-12 days, Putin said on Friday the Kremlin leader left little doubt that he would not be swayed by a White House ultimatum. Trump may claim to be "disappointed" with Putin for not making peace - but the Russian leader is guest on the Valaam island, Belarus' authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko, was more direct in his dismissal of Trump's deadline."50 days, 60 days, 10 days. You don't do politics like that," Lukashenko shows that, for Trump, deadlines are not set in stone. But on paper, at least, his latest deadline expires on 8 August. If by then Russia hasn't signed up to a ceasefire in Ukraine, it will face more sanctions – so in theory will countries that buy Russian judging by what the Russian state media has been saying in recent days, many in Moscow doubt the White House will go through with its threat of tougher more, from what Putin said on Friday about Russia advancing along the entire front line in Ukraine, he clearly believes a ceasefire now is not in Moscow's best officials on Friday said Kyiv had received "positive signals" from the US about potential new sanctions.A day earlier, senior US diplomat John Kelley told the UN Security Council that Russia and Ukraine "must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace"."It is time to make a deal," he special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is currently in Israel, would visit Russia next, the US president said earlier this week. He gave no further details.
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Trump orders US nuclear subs repositioned over ex-Russian leader's statements
US President Donald Trump said he is ordering the repositioning of two US nuclear submarines in a warning to Russia. The move is 'based on highly provocative statements' from the country's former president Dmitry Medvedev. Advertisement Mr Trump posted on his social media site that based on the 'highly provocative statements' from Mr Medvedev he had 'ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that'. The president added: 'Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.' It was not immediately clear what impact Mr Trump's order would have on US nuclear subs, which are routinely on patrol in the world's hotspots, but it comes at a delicate moment in the Trump administration's relations with Moscow. Mr Trump has said that special envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Russia to push Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine and has threatened new economic sanctions if progress is not made. Advertisement He cut his 50-day deadline for action to 10 days, with that window set to expire next week. The post about the sub repositioning came after Mr Trump, in the wee hours of Thursday morning, had posted that Mr Medvedev was a 'failed former president of Russia' and warned him to 'watch his words'. Mr Medvedev responded hours later by writing: 'Russia is right on everything and will continue to go its own way.' Mr Medvedev was president from 2008 to 2012 while Russian President Vladimir Putin was barred from seeking a second consecutive term but stepped aside to let him run again. Advertisement Now deputy chairman of Russia's National Security Council, which Mr Putin chairs, Mr Medvedev has been known for his provocative and inflammatory statements since the start of the war in 2022, a U-turn from his presidency, when he was seen as liberal and progressive. He has frequently wielded nuclear threats and lobbed insults at Western leaders on social media. Some observers have argued that with his extravagant rhetoric, Mr Medvedev is seeking to score political points with Mr Putin and Russian military hawks. Mr Trump and Mr Medvedev have gotten into online spats before. Advertisement On July 15, after Mr Trump announced plans to supply Ukraine with more weapons via its Nato allies and threatened additional tariffs against Moscow, Mr Medvedev posted, 'Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn't care'. Earlier this week, he wrote: 'Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10″ and added, 'He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn't Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Trump says he will fire head of BLS as stocks shudder
US President Donald Trump said he would fire the head of the agency charged with publishing some of America's most closely watched economic data, after a weaker-than-expected jobs report stoked further alarm about his tariff policies. His decision to move forward with plans to sharply raise tariffs on goods from countries around the world had already sent financial markets in the US shuddering. In the US, the three major indexes dropped, with the S&P falling 1.9% by mid-afternoon. That followed earlier sell-offs in Europe and Asia, as investors dumped shares of firms such as South Korean steel manufacturers and German truck-maker Daimler. Trump's plans leave most goods coming into the US facing new taxes of 10% to 50%, depending on their origin, and will lift tariff rates in the US to the highest levels in nearly a says the measures will rebalance global trade and boost US analysts say they will raise prices for businesses and consumers in the US and weigh on the US and global economies, as sales, hiring and investment slow. This week has revived fears about economic damage, as companies update investors on their costs and new data points to slowdown in the US. Employers in the US added just 73,000 jobs in July, according the monthly Labor Department report published on also dramatically revised estimates of job growth in May and June, with far fewer gains than previously thought."The economic data since the Liberation Day announcements did not reflect that sharp deterioration in economic activity, or at least not in obvious ways. This was the week that changed," analysts at Wells Fargo wrote on Friday. The revisions appeared to spur Trump to fire the commissioner of labor statistics, Erika McEntarfer, in a post on social media."We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY," he wrote on social media, referring to the large revisions to the May and June jobs numbers. Trump also lashed out at Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, whom he has angrily criticised in recent in the US opened lower in the morning, with losses accelerating over the course of the afternoon. France's CAC 40 closed down 2.9%, while German's DAX fell 2.6%. In the UK, the FTSE fell 0.7%.Earlier the leading index in South Korea fell 3.8%, the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong dropped 1% and Japan's Nikkei fell 0.6%. When Trump first put forward his plans in April, shares in the US tumbled more than 10% in a week, the concerns spreading to the dollar and bond stock market recovered after he suspended some of the most drastic measures, leaving in place a less punishing, more expected 10% levy. In recent weeks, indexes in the US have been trading around all-time highs. "The reality is Trump got emboldened by the fact that markets came right back," Michael Gayed, portfolio manager for The Free Markets ETF told the BBC's Opening Bell. "Now he's going to try his luck again." The latest measures are less extreme than what Trump first put forward in April, when goods from key players in southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, were facing tariff rates of more than 40% and a tit-for-tat exchange with China drove US tariffs on its exports surge to at least 145%.But the tariffs still make for a radical change for the US, for decades a champion of free plans include a minimum 10% tax on most goods entering the US, with major trade partners, including the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam face tariffs in the range of 15% to 20%.Goods from China are set to facing new 30% levies, while exports from some other countries, including Switzerland and Laos face even higher changes, which are set to go into effect on 7 August, will lift the average tariff rate to roughly 18%, up from less than 2.5% as recently as had been taking the impact of tariffs in stride, sending shares in the US and elsewhere to new highs in recent weeks. Mr Gayed said markets had become less sensitive to Trump's rapidly changing trade policies, but he saw risks ahead. "The more he just whips around policy, the more the markets will not care, but as the old saying goes, nothing matters 'til it matters and then it's the only thing that matters," he said.
