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Trump further isolated at G7 summit, leaves early for Singapore

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Trump isolated at G7 summit, leaves early for Singapore

US pull out of joint communiqué trump G7at Qubec summit

US President Donald Trump was further isolated during G7 summit held in Qubec, Canada, a neighbour, once used to be most trusted and friendly for his country. He pulled out of a joint statement negotiated by the leaders of the member countries: US, Germany, Britain, France, Japan, Italy and Canada.

The eight page communiqué on Saturday vowed to tackle protectionism and cut trade barriers. Trump left the Qubec resort, the venue of the G7 summit early to head to Singapore for a much-anticipated summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12.

His unhappiness was made public through his tweet calling Canadian Prime Minsiter Justin Trudeau as “weak and dishonest”.

Shortly after Trudeau said that he was “happy to announce that we have released a joint communiqué by all seven countries” indicating that the US had signed on, Trump announced the US would reverse its decision and not sign on to the statement after all.

Trump further isolated at G7 summit, leaves early for SingaporeThe G7 communiqué references a number of shared priorities, including on trade, economic growth, national security and sustainability. At one point, the agreement states, “we acknowledge that free, fair and mutually beneficial trade and investment, while creating reciprocal benefits, are key engines for growth and job creation.”

Read More: Canada PM Trudeau rejects Trump’s proposal to scrap NAFTA

On Saturday Canadian PM Trudeau said in a news conference that his country will “move forward with retaliatory measures” on July 1 in response to the Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, the European Union and Mexico.

“I have made it very clear to the President that it is not something we relish doing, but it something that we absolutely will do,” Trudeau said. “Canadians, we’re polite, we’re reasonable, but we also will not be pushed around.”

Reacting to the Trudeau policy statement Trump addressed an impromptu news conference at the summit on Saturday, saying that he does not want to see other countries take advantage of the US over trade. “It’s going to change,” he said. “Tariffs will come way down. We’re like the piggy bank that everybody is robbing and that ends.”

Canadian PM’s office was quick to respond to Trump’s tweets accusing Trudeau of “false statements” on Saturday, saying that the Prime Minister said nothing during the G7 summit that he had not said previously.

His office statement said, “We are focused on everything we accomplished here at the #G7 summit. The Prime Minister said nothing he hasn’t said before — both in public, and in private conversations with the President.”

Without naming President Trump, former FBI chief James Comey tweeted on US-Canadian relationship.

Before leaving for Singapore, Trump accused his G7 counterparts and other nations of “unfair” trade practices and of treating the US like a “piggy bank”.  He said, “The United States has been taken advantage of for decades and decades.”

He was equally unhappy with former US administrations for the disadvantage. He said he blamed his White House predecessors going back decades and not the G7 leaders for the “unfair” trade deals.

He further said, “In fact, I congratulate leaders of other countries for so crazily being able to make these trade deals so good for their countries,” Trump said, while insisting that his relationships with Europe and Canada were “outstanding”.  He vowed  to get rid of “ridiculous and unacceptable” tariffs on US goods.

At one point Trump went beyond normal courtesies language saying “It’s going to stop. Or we’ll stop trading with them. And that’s a very profitable answer, if we have to do it,” Trump said. “We’re like the piggy bank that everybody’s robbing – and that ends.”

Earlier on Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly acknowledged that differences between the US and the six other G7 members remained, but stressed the importance to “have a commitment for a rule-based trade order, that we continue to fight against protectionism and that we want to reform the World Trade Organization”.

“This is not a detailed solution to our problems,” she told reporters. The differences in opinion have not been taken off the table.”

Moreover, French President Emmanuel Macron, who had earlier supported Iran nuclear deal despite US withdrawal, described the joint statement as a good first step that represented the G7 nations’ desire to stabilise the situation. However, he said, “Nevertheless, I do not consider that with a declaration all is obtained and it is obvious that we will have in the coming weeks, the next months, to continue to work.”

The collusion course between US and other six members of G7 began before the summit actually happened. Trump proposed that Russia should be readmitted into G7, which was opposed by  Canada and Euriopean allies, except Italy.

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US reiterates its call for fair, transparent, legal process for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, speaks on Congress frozen accounts

The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections.

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A day after India summoned an US diplomat over their remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the US reiterated its call for fair, transparent, timely legal processes on Wednesday.

Responding to questions on India summoning Gloria Berbena, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that they will continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Notably, the meeting at the foreign ministry’s South Block office lasted nearly 40 minutes yesterday with India objecting strongly to the US remarks on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal.

Matthew Miller also responded to a question on the Congress party’s frozen bank accounts. The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. He added that the US encourages fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of the issues.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the Delhi liquor policy scam. Earlier, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh were arrested in the same case.

The External Affairs Ministry had earlier stated that states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies, adding that it could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.

The Ministry further emphasized that India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. It mentioned that casting aspersions on India’s legal procedure is unwarranted.

The United State’s remarks followed days after Germany’s Foreign Office stressed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial. The Indian government labelled their remark as blatant interference in internal matters.

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5 Chinese nationals killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan

This is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

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Nearly five Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion during an attack on their convoy by a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. Reportedly, the suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers travelling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, situated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Regional police chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur said that five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack. As yet, none has claimed responsibility for the attack. Bisham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir asserted that the incident was a suicide blast and the authorities concerned were collecting the evidence.

The Station House Officer further added that security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital. He added that they will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened. Notably, this is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

Previously, two attacks hit an airbase and a strategic port in the southwest province of Balochistan where China is investing billions in infrastructure projects. Several Chinese engineers and Pakistani construction workers have for multiple years been working on hydroelectric projects as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in the western province of Khyber-Paktunkhwa.

Notably, Dasu is home to a significant dam project, has been a target of previous attacks. Earlier in 2021, the attack in Dasu resulted in the deaths of nine Chinese nationals, along with two Pakistani children. The incident occured when a bus carrying Chinese engineers and workers to the Dasu Hydropower Project site was targeted.

There was confusion surrounding the nature of the attack initially, with some reports suggesting it was a bus accident. Nonetheless, subsequent investigations revealed that it was indeed a terrorist attack. The bus was hit by a blast, leading it to plunge into a ravine.

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US bridge collapses after being hit by ship

The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

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Major portions of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, US collapsed on early Tuesday morning after it was hit by a large container ship. The incident occurred at nearly 1.30 am (US local time). The Baltimore City Fire department said the collapse is a mass casualty incident.

According to reports many vehicles fell into the river below. The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

It seems the vessel had hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in many places and plunge into the water. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink. Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, the registered owner of the ship, and the manager, Synergy Marine Group, said it is a Singapore flagged ship Dali which collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

He said the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined; the Dali has now mobilized its qualified individual Incident response service. It added that all crew members, including the 2 pilots who were aboard, have been accounted for and there are no reports of injuries.

The local traffic police said all lanes on both directions of the bridge have been closed and the traffic is being de-toured. Maryland Governor Wes Moore also declared a state of emergency after the collapse of the bridge. The bridge was opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named after the writer of the Star Spangled Banner.  

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