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DW
18-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
Iran warns of 'irreparable damage' if US joins Israel fight – DW – 06/18/2025
Skip next section Iran's UN ambassador warns of response 'without restraint' to Israeli strikes 06/18/2025 June 18, 2025 Iran's UN ambassador warns of response 'without restraint' to Israeli strikes Iran's UN ambassador Ali Bahreini issued a warning to Israel and the United States Image: Martial Trezzini/KEYSTONE/picture alliance Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Ali Bahreini, said the country would "respond strongly" to Israel's "aggression" as well as to the United States, should it join the hostilities. "We will not show any reluctance in defending our people, security and land," he told reporters in Geneva. "We will respond seriously and strongly, without restraint." Bahreini accused the United States of being "complicit in what Israel is doing." "We have given a message to the United States that we will respond very firmly and will stop the aggression by anybody — including the United States," he said Bahreini also said Israeli strikes on nuclear sites were an act of "war against humanity." "The deliberate targeting of Iran's nuclear facilities not only constitutes a grave violation of international law and UN Charter but also risks exposition of all people in our neighborhood to possible hazardous leak," he said. "This is not an act of war against our country," he said. "It is war against humanity." Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. Israel and the United States accuse Iran of working toward a nuclear weapon. The comments come as thousands flee Tehran and other major cities as Israel and Iran continuing launching strikes on one another. US President Donald Trump has called for Tehran's unconditional surrender.
Straits Times
09-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Key US-China trade talks set for Monday in London
FILE PHOTO: The American and Chinese flags are photographed on the negotiating table, during a bilateral meeting between the United States and China, in Geneva, Switzerland, May 10, 2025. KEYSTONE/EDA/Martial Trezzini/Handout via REUTERS/File photo LONDON - Top U.S. and Chinese officials will sit down in London on Monday for talks aimed at defusing the high-stakes trade dispute between the two superpowers that has widened in recent weeks beyond tit-for-tat tariffs to export controls over goods and components critical to global supply chains. At a still-undisclosed venue in London, the two sides will try to get back on track with a preliminary agreement struck last month in Geneva that had briefly lowered the temperature between Washington and Beijing and fostered relief among investors battered for months by U.S. President Donald Trump's cascade of tariff orders since his return to the White House in January. "The next round of trade talks between the U.S. and China will be held in the UK on Monday," a UK government spokesperson said on Sunday. "We are a nation that champions free trade and have always been clear that a trade war is in nobody's interests, so we welcome these talks." Gathering there will be a U.S. delegation led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and a Chinese contingent helmed by Vice Premier He Lifeng. The second-round of meetings comes four days after Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke by phone, their first direct interaction since Trump's January 20 inauguration. During the more than one-hour-long call, Xi told Trump to back down from trade measures that roiled the global economy and warned him against threatening steps on Taiwan, according to a Chinese government summary. But Trump said on social media the talks focused primarily on trade led to "a very positive conclusion," setting the stage for Monday's meeting in London. The next day, Trump said Xi had agreed to resume shipments to the U.S. of rare earths minerals and magnets. China's decision in April to suspend exports of a wide range of critical minerals and magnets upended the supply chains central to automakers, aerospace manufacturers, semiconductor companies and military contractors around the world. That had become a particular pain point for the U.S. in the weeks after the two sides had struck a preliminary rapprochement in talks held in Switzerland. There, both had agreed to reduce steep import taxes on each other's goods that had had the effect of erecting a trade embargo between the world's No. 1 and 2 economies, but U.S. officials in recent weeks accused China of slow-walking on its commitments, particularly around rare earths shipments. "We want China and the United States to continue moving forward with the agreement that was struck in Geneva," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told the Fox News program "Sunday Morning Futures' on Sunday. "The administration has been monitoring China's compliance with the deal, and we hope that this will move forward to have more comprehensive trade talks." The inclusion at the London talks of Lutnick, whose agency oversees export controls for the U.S., is one indication of how central the issue has become for both sides. Lutnick did not attend the Geneva talks, at which the countries struck a 90-day deal to roll back some of the triple-digit tariffs they had placed on each other since Trump's inauguration. That preliminary deal sparked a global relief rally in stock markets, and U.S. indexes that had been in or near bear market levels have recouped the lion's share of their losses. The S&P 500 Index, which at its lowest point in early April was down nearly 18% after Trump unveiled his sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs on goods from across the globe, is now only about 2% below its record high from mid-February. The final third of that rally followed the U.S.-China truce struck in Geneva. Still, that temporary deal did not address broader concerns that strain the bilateral relationship, from the illicit fentanyl trade to the status of democratically governed Taiwan and U.S. complaints about China's state-dominated, export-driven economic model. While the UK government will provide a venue for Monday's discussions, it will not be party to them but will have separate talks later in the week with the Chinese delegation. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
DW
03-06-2025
- Climate
- DW
Inside the Swiss valley partially swallowed by a glacier – DW – 06/03/2025
The dramatic collapse of Switzerland's Birch glacier wiped the village of Blatten off the map. DW spoke to locals and experts about what happened and what comes next. Days after a natural disaster strikes, you often find survivors combing through rubble for their belongings or shoveling mud out of their crumbling homes. You might see prime ministers walking around the zone offering condolences, or rescue crews operating big, mechanical diggers to clear the scene. But the Swiss village of Blatten is caught in a kind of post-catastrophe paralysis. Buried under millions of cubic meters of rock and ice debris, it has been all but wiped off the map. And the site is still too unstable for crews to access, almost a week after the Birch glacier collapsed and swallowed the Alpine idyll. Evacuated resident Daniel Ritler describes the moment the glacier destroyed his hometown as being like 'an explosion' Image: Rosie Birchard/DW "It was like an explosion — like an explosion in my heart," evacuee Daniel Ritler told DW as he looked out over his buried hometown. "We knew immediately that everything was destroyed." "For seconds, there was an emptiness. You could really feel it," he added. "There was still a bit of hope, but as soon as the fog cleared, we saw the catastrophe." Evacuated in time Ritler, who kept sheep and ran a tourism business in Blatten, is staying with friends for now. "We lost our house, our stables, and of course, all those memories. We lived in a little paradise," he said. Though the deluge is thought to have claimed one life, Ritler and the other roughly 300 residents were evacuated in time. And many here feel lucky to be alive — aware that a similar event in a less wealthy country could have wrought even more damage. Injured cow 'Loni' was evacuated along with most residents of the Alpine village days before the landslide Image: Peter Klaunzer/KEYSTONE/dpa/picture alliance We meet him in Wiler, 3.5 kilometers (2.1 miles) from Blatten and the closest accessible point to the disaster zone, which is now serving as a crisis coordination hub. Here, the usual Alpine soundtrack of birdsong and the river rushing down the valley is drowned out by helicopters taking off, transporting scientists and geologists to survey the damage aerially, and assess the risk of further fallout. Mountain populations 'more and more threatened' One of those experts is glaciologist Saskia Gindraux. "We had a lot of rock and silt and sediment going onto a glacier, and this mass caused the glacier to really push forward — and everything just went down the valley," she explained. The unstable mountain face and thousands of tonnes of rocky debris has made it impossible for emergency workers to intervene to stabilise the zone Image: Cyril Zingaro/KEYSTONE/dpa The Swiss scientist told DW that a "coincidence of causes" led to the collapse. "It's hard to say this is linked to climate change and this one is not. It's hard to put a label on an event, but we are facing really high temperatures here in the Alps," she told DW. "It's twice the normal increase of other parts of the world," she added. Alpine glaciers have been retreating for decades, which Gindraux said makes the rock less stable. "That's one cause ... The other one is maybe permafrost that is melting, and the other one, the geology." "With climate change, we saw that the oldest natural hazards, so rock fall or glacier collapse or landslides, etc, they increase in frequency." "The population in the mountains are more and more threatened with these types of events." Fears neighbors 'won't come back' Aside from the hum of helicopters, the streets of Wiler are quiet. Local resident Alex Rieder is packing up his car: Two black bin bags full of clothes and other basics for his neighbors who have found themselves suddenly homeless. "Will they be compensated for the belongings they lost?" he wondered. "That has to happen quickly. Now because people need money to live. Because if they're gone for 10 or 20 years, they won't come back," Rieder told DW. Image: Rosie Birchard/DW Rieder fears for the future of life in this part of the Alps. "There's only one school left in the entire valley," he said. Inside his garage, Rieder shows us masks he helped craft for the local carnival — just one of many traditions dating back centuries here. He knows that if more people leave, this cultural heritage will become harder and harder to hold onto. But asked if he thinks it will disappear entirely, Rieder is defiant. "Traditions will never die. That will be the last thing. Because that's what gives people the most strength." No more evacuations planned No further evacuations are planned in nearby towns or villages for now. But they remain on high alert. Some 45 minutes' drive away in Gampel, flood prevention measures are in place, with some smaller bridges deliberately deconstructed to avoid further fallout. "We now have to see how the dangers develop further at the site of the damage. Rock masses could continue to fall from the mountain — and we have to keep monitoring how the danger develops in terms of the course of the river," regional president Christian Rieder told DW on Sunday. Locals face uncertainty after Swiss Alps glacier collapse To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Depending on how the danger develops ... we will take further measures," he added. The situation was "stable' on Monday with "no notable changes" at the Birch glacier, according to Swiss broadcaster RTS. But smaller landslides continue, and there has been "no improvement" to allow crews to enter the zone securely. 'We have to find a new purpose' For survivors whose homes and livelihoods are buried in a greyish-brown debris, which authorities say is 100 meters (328 feet) deep in some areas, it's clear there's no going back. From the drivers' seat of his van, with the views of lush mountain landscapes filling the windows and wing mirrors bearing the disaster that unfolded here, evacuee Daniel Ritler told DW it is hard to imagine what life after Blatten might look like. "I built a farm from scratch, always adapting to the challenges of the future," he said, adding: "That was before." "Now we have to find a new place to live and a new purpose. And it will certainly take some time until we can find our way again."
Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
China rejects Trump's accusation that it breached Geneva trade deal
The U.S. and Chinese flags are seen on the day of a bilateral meeting between the U.S. and China, in Geneva, Switzerland, May 10, 2025. KEYSTONE/EDA/Martial Trezzini/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent speaks with with Liao Min, Deputy Minister of Finance of China, during a bilateral meeting between the U.S. and China, in Geneva, Switzerland, May 11, 2025. KEYSTONE/EDA/Martial Trezzini/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo China said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump's accusations that Beijing had violated the consensus reached in Geneva trade talks were "groundless", and promised to take forceful measures to safeguard its interests. The comment by the commerce ministry was in response to Trump's remarks on Friday that China had breached a bilateral deal to roll back tariffs. The ministry said China had implemented and actively upheld the agreement reached last month in Geneva, while the U.S. had introduced multiple "discriminatory restrictive" measures against China. Those measures included issuing guidance on AI chip export controls, halting sales of chip design software to China and revoking visas for Chinese students, the ministry added. "The U.S. government has unilaterally and repeatedly provoked new economic and trade frictions, exacerbating uncertainty and instability in bilateral economic and trade relations," the ministry said in a statement. It did not elaborate on what forceful measures it might take in response. Beijing and Washington agreed in mid-May in Geneva to pause triple-digit tariffs for 90 days. In addition, China also promised to lift trade countermeasures that restricted its exports of the critical metals needed for U.S. semiconductor, electronics and defence production. Trump on Friday also announced a doubling of import tariffs on steel and aluminium to 50%. While China is the world's largest steel producer and exporter, it ships very little to the United States after a 25% tariff imposed in 2018 shut most Chinese steel out of the market. China ranks third among aluminium suppliers. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
DW
31-05-2025
- Climate
- DW
Swiss glacier collapse: Situation stabilizes overnight – DW – 05/31/2025
Water that had accumulated behind the collapsed glacier has began to flow downstream, alleviating some fears. Forecast rain means that residents will likely have to remain alert. with dpa along with Austrian and Swiss media Following the dramatic rock fall and glacier collapse on Wednesday in the Swiss Lötschental valley, officials said on Saturday that the situation had eased. One fear had been that the Lonza River, which had been backed up behind the ice, rock and debris, could result in a flood wave. However, officials said the river had found new paths down the valley in the southern Swiss canton of Valais. Construction machinery has been deployed to control the run-off of accumulated water. The municipalities of Gampel and Steg informed residents of the work, saying: "The aim is to ensure the smooth flow of debris and alluvial debris through the bed of the Lonza stream within the villages." Authorities expressed relief that the Lonza River has begun to flow down the valley, reducing the risk of a flood swell Image: Jean-Christophe Bott/KEYSTONE/picture alliance What did authorities say about the Swiss glacier on Saturday? Stephane Ganzer, from the Valais state council, said that there had been no major problems overnight. The situation on Saturday was "currently satisfactory" and the night had been "quite quiet," Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported. The council decided on Friday evening to open a nearby dam, warning residents downstream to make way for the water. Residents were already on alert and ready to evacuate in the case of a dangerous swell of water behind the debris cone. The heat has sped up the melting of the glacier ice and rain has been forecast for the next days. Both could lead to a buildup of accumulated water and increase the risk of further landslides. Further evacuations after Swiss glacier collapse To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Blatten: Buried village to be rebuilt The glacier collapse was caused by rockfalls from 3,000 meters (9842.5 feet) that crashed into the Birsch Glacier, triggering the landslide on Wednesday afternoon. Millions of cubic meters of ice and rock were sent crashing through the Lötschental valley and burying the village of Blatten, which had already been evacuated. Water from the Lonza was then blocked behind the almost 2-kilometre-long debris cone. Blatten's municipal president Matthias Bellwald said the village would be rebuilt. "Blatten is under a debris cone. Together we will do what is humanly possible to rebuild the village for the village to have a future. Together we are strong," Swiss newspaper the Neue Zürchner Zeitung quoted him as saying at a press conference. Work has begun to remove large objects blocking the flow of water Image: Cyril Zingaro/KEYSTONE/dpa Edited by: Wesley Dockery
