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 Johannesburg, South Africa – When the millionaire mining magnate-turned-president of South Africa landed in Washington to meet the billionaire real estate tycoon-turned-president of the United States, it was with a deal in mind. Tensions have been escalating between the US and its African trade ally since Donald Trump took office this year, cut off aid to South Africa, repeated false accusations that a “white genocide” is taking place there and began welcoming Afrikaners as refugees. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Why is Donald Trump fixated on South Africa? list 2 of 3 What’s South Africa’s land law at the heart of the Trump-Ramaphosa spat? list 3 of 3 ‘They’ll be back’: White Afrikaners leave South Africa to be refugees in US end of list At the meeting between Trump and Cyril Ramaphosa in the White House on Wednesday, the South African president began by focusing heavily on trade and investments, highlighting the two countries’ years of cooperation, in keeping...

 cluded a fifth round of talks, as mediator Oman said there was some limited progress in negotiations aimed at resolving a decades-long dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme. “The fifth round of Iran-US talks have concluded today in Rome with some, but not conclusive, progress,” said Omani mediator Badr al-Busaidi after Friday’s meeting at the Omani embassy in Rome’s Camilluccia neighbourhood. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Iran says will hold US responsible for any Israeli attack on nuclear sites list 2 of 3 Guess who India, Pakistan and Iran are all wooing? The Taliban list 3 of 3 Israeli speculation mounts over potential rift between Trump and Netanyahu end of list “We hope to clarify the remaining issues in the coming days,” he said after the high-level talks, which were led by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Araghchi told Iranian state television that the talks had been “one of the mos...

 US President Donald Trump reignited trade tensions on Friday, threatening a 50% tariff on all goods sent to the United States from the European Union. He also warned Apple that he would impose a 25% import tax "at least" on iPhones not manufactured in America, later widening the threat to any smartphone. The warning against the EU came just hours before the two sides were set to have trade talks. Trump last month announced a 20% tariff on most EU goods, but had halved it to 10% until 8 July to allow time for negotiations. In a statement after the talks, the EU said it remained committed to securing a deal, while warning again that it was prepared to retaliate. EU-US trade is unmatched & must be guided by mutual respect, not threats," European Union Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič wrote on social media. "We stand ready to defend our interests." In remarks to reporters at the White House on Friday afternoon, Trump expressed impatience with the pace of ne...

 New Delhi: India is well-positioned to deal with the negative effects of US tariffs and global trade disruptions as domestic growth drivers and low dependence on exports anchor the economy, Moody's Ratings said on Wednesday. In a note on India, the agency said government initiatives to boost private consumption, expand manufacturing capacity and increase infrastructure spending will help offset the weakening outlook for global demand. Easing inflation offers the potential for interest rate cuts to further support the economy, even as the banking sector's liquidity facilitates lending. "India is better positioned than many other emerging markets to deal with US tariffs and global trade disruptions, helped by robust internal growth drivers, a sizable domestic economy and a low dependence on goods trade," Moody's said. Besides, the Pakistan-India tensions, including the flare-up earlier in May, would weigh on Pakistan's growth more than on India's. "In...

Mohammad Suman Wed May 21, 2025 12:00 AM Last update on: Wed May 21, 2025 09:17 AM 44 Shares facebook sharing buttontwitter sharing buttonwhatsapp sharing buttonemail sharing buttonsharethis sharing but To appease US, NBR to offer zero-duty for 100 more goods NBR zero duty proposal for US trade The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is set to propose zero import duties on an additional 100 goods in the upcoming national budget, aiming to boost bilateral trade with the United States and cushion higher tariffs on Bangladeshi products entering the American market.  The move received policy-level approval from Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus during a meeting with National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials on Monday, where Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed was also present. Google News LinkFor all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. According to NBR sources, while tariff exemptions cannot legally be granted based on the country of origin, the curated list that w...

US President Donald Trump’s comments on ethnically cleansing Palestinians from Gaza and forcing them into Egypt and Jordan could lead to a radical reshaping of regional alliances, analysts tell Al Jazeera. Trump repeated his intentions after meeting with King Abdullah II on Tuesday. He had previously indicated that he would use US aid to both countries as leverage to try to force them to go along with his idea. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 How Trump took an Israeli idea and presented it as his own list 2 of 3 Arab League chief warns of regional instability over Trump’s Gaza plan list 3 of 3 ‘Palestinians cannot be transferred’ from Gaza, Jordanian FM says end of list Jordan’s King Abdullah II seemed to attempt to placate Trump by flattering him and making a pledge to accept 2,000 sick children from Gaza into Jordan. “I finally see somebody that can take us across the finish line to bring stability, peace and prosperity to all of us in the region,” the Hashemite monar...