United States | DD News

August 12, 2025 8:34 AM

US, China extend tariff truce by 90 days, staving off surge in duties

The United States and China on Monday extended a tariff truce for another 90 days, staving off triple-digit duties on each other's goods as U.S. retailers get ready to ramp up inventories ahead of the critical end-of-year holiday season. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he had signed an executive order suspending the imposition of higher tariffs until 12:01 a.m. EST (0501 GMT) on November 10, with all other elements of the truce to remain in place. China'...

August 5, 2025 12:19 AM

MEA defends India’s oil imports from Russia; calls US, EU criticism ‘unjustified, unreasonable’

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday defended India’s continued import of oil from Russia amid criticism from the United States and the European Union (EU), terming such objections “unjustified and unreasonable.” Responding to questions over energy trade with Russia since the commencement of the Ukraine conflict, the MEA clarified that India's imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. They are a necessity compelled by global ma...

July 28, 2025 8:54 AM

US and EU avert trade war with 15% tariff deal

The U.S. struck a framework trade agreement with the European Union on Sunday, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods - half the threatened rate - and averting a bigger trade war between the two allies that account for almost a third of global trade. U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal at Trump's luxury golf course in western Scotland after an hour-long meeting that pushed the hard-fought deal over the line, following mont...

July 25, 2025 9:12 AM

Israel and US recall teams from Gaza truce talks, US says Hamas not showing good faith

Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from Gaza ceasefire talks for consultations on Thursday, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff accusing the Palestinian militant group Hamas of failing to act in good faith in the talks. It marked the latest setback in efforts to secure a deal that would bring a ceasefire to Gaza, secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and bring respite to Palestinians suffering a sharply worsening humanitarian crisis. Witkoff said mediators had ma...

July 22, 2025 9:23 AM

South Korea finance minister, trade envoy to hold tariff talks with US counterparts

South Korea's new finance minister and the country's top trade envoy will meet in Washington with U.S. counterparts on Friday for talks on U.S. tariffs, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said on Tuesday. The country's foreign and industry ministers will also visit the U.S. for trade discussions as early as this week, Koo told reporters after a meeting of economic ministers. Koo took office on Monday. The four officials complete a new cabinet team under President Lee Jae Myung who was sworn in on...

July 18, 2025 12:14 PM

Trump asks for release of grand jury documents in Epstein case

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration will ask a court to allow the release of grand jury testimony in the case of deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after some of his supporters reacted in fury to a report concluding there was no evidence to support long-running theories about his case. "Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approv...

July 18, 2025 12:13 PM

US eyes ‘back to basics’ revamp of G20 when it assumes presidency next year

The United States aims to pare the Group of 20 major economies back to its financial roots next year when it takes over the rotating presidency from South Africa, sources familiar with the Trump administration's plans said. Washington has scaled back its participation this year, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent skipping a G20 finance chiefs' meeting that started in Durban, South Africa, on Thursday, his second absence from an event this year. Experts and administration sources say the abs...

July 18, 2025 9:22 AM

Lula says he won’t take orders from foreigner Trump, calls tariffs blackmail

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday said he would not take orders over tariffs from a foreigner, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump, and later called the United States' threatened duty "unacceptable blackmail." The comments, made during two separate events, mark a continuation of a spat between the two leaders that escalated when the U.S. announced a 50% tariff on Brazil last week. Trump attributed the tariff, set to start in August, to Brazil's treatment of former ...

July 17, 2025 12:02 PM

Trump says he’s not planning to fire Fed’s Powell

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is not planning to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, but he kept the door open to the possibility and renewed his criticism of the central bank chief for not lowering interest rates. A Bloomberg report earlier Wednesday saying that Trump was likely to fire Powell soon sparked a drop in stocks and the dollar, and a rise in Treasury yields. Trump, who has been criticizing Powell on an almost daily basis for being "TOO LATE" to cut interest ra...

July 17, 2025 4:42 PM

G20 finance chiefs meet under tariff cloud in South Africa

South Africa urged G20 countries to provide global and cooperative leadership to tackle challenges including rising trade barriers as the club's finance chiefs met on Thursday under the shadow of President Donald Trump's tariff threats. The G20, which emerged as a forum for cooperation to combat the 2008 global financial crisis, has for years been hobbled by disputes among key players that have been exacerbated by Russia's war in Ukraine and Western sanctions on Moscow. Host South Africa, unde...