TOP NEWS

US-China Relations
Xi Pressed Trump on Taiwan in Phone Call

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping spoke on the phone overnight Tuesday. Exactly what was discussed had not been confirmed in advance, CNBC reports.

In a post on Truth Social after the call, Trump wrote that they talked about “a variety of topics, including Ukraine and Russia, fentanyl, soybeans and other agricultural products.”

The most controversial point, however, appears to have been Taiwan. Xi, who is currently in a dispute with Japan over the self-governing island, is said to have emphasized that the island is considered part of China and that this circumstance is “an essential part of the post-war international order.”

Taiwanese Prime Minister Cho Jung-tai stated on Tuesday morning that Taiwan is a “completely sovereign state” and that “there is no such alternative to becoming part of China.”

Tariff crisis  Trump's tariff policy
EU summit rules out meeting US on steel tariffs

EU Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera rules out easing the Union's digital regulation, which is intended to ensure a fair and secure digital single market, in order to meet the US in negotiations on steel tariffs. Bloomberg reports.

- We Europeans have adopted our rules to ensure fair markets and protect consumer rights, while securing Europe's digital future. It is our duty to preserve our values, she says in a statement, according to Direkt.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has previously said that the EU must change its regulatory framework to achieve an agreement on lower steel and aluminum tariffs.

Middle East Crisis Gaza War
Crypto billionaire accused of Hamas payments

Crypto billionaire Changpeng Zhao is accused of facilitating billions of dollars in payments to Hamas through the crypto exchange Binance in connection with the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The Financial Times writes.

In a lawsuit filed in a federal court in the United States on Monday, Changpeng Zhao and Binance are accused of providing “significant support” to militant groups. The lawsuit is filed by American citizens whose family members were killed, injured or taken hostage in the attack. The lawsuit claims that Binance helped Hamas and Hezbollah hide the movements of their funds.

In a statement, Binance said that the company could not comment on ongoing legal proceedings, but stressed that it fully complies with “internationally recognized sanctions laws, like other financial institutions.” 

Political situation in France
Poll: Bardella would have won the French election today

If there were an election in France today, 30-year-old Jordan Bardella, party leader of the right-wing nationalist party National Rally, would win – regardless of his opponent, according to the opinion institute Odoxa. Reuters reports.

Bardella would receive between 35 and 36 percent of the vote in the first round of the election and then win against all possible candidates in the second, according to the poll.

The election in France will be held in 2027, and Odoxa emphasizes that being a favorite far in advance is no guarantee of victory.

Bardella's representative Marine Le Pen, who is banned from running for five years, and her father Jean-Marie Le Pen have both been defeated three times in the second round of the election by broad political coalitions.