World Trade Organization.

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New Head of the WTO Explains 'Where My Mind Is at Now'

Okonjo-Iweala is first woman, African to lead world trade body

(Newser) - Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was appointed Monday to head the World Trade Organization, becoming the first woman and first African to take on the role amid rising protectionism and disagreement over how the body decides cases involving billions in sales and thousands of jobs. Okonjo-Iweala, 66, was named director-general by...

Trump Plans to Slap Tariffs on $7.5B in European Goods

Tariffs will hit EU cheese, wine, aircraft

(Newser) - The Trump administration plans to impose tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of European imports—from gouda cheese to single-malt whiskey to large aircraft—beginning Oct. 18 to retaliate against illegal European Union subsidies for aviation giant Airbus. The latest escalation in the administration’s tariffs will open a new...

World Leaders Agree on Trade, Not Climate
World Leaders Agree
on Trade, Not Climate
updated

World Leaders Agree on Trade, Not Climate

The G-20 plans to reform world trading system

(Newser) - Leaders of the world's top economies agreed Saturday to repair the global trading system as they closed a Group of 20 summit that saw the Trump administration at odds with many allies over the Paris accord on climate change and issues like migration, the AP reports. The joint statement...

Trump: I Can't Be Impeached, I'm Doing a Great Job
Trump: I Can't Be Impeached,
I'm Doing a Great Job
INTERVIEW

Trump: I Can't Be Impeached, I'm Doing a Great Job

He says Sessions will be safe until the midterms

(Newser) - President Trump gave Bloomberg an interview Thursday that was a doozy even by Trumpian standards. Among other things, he insisted he couldn't be impeached because he is "doing a great job," defended his controversial handling of John McCain's death—and threatened to pull the United States...

Trump Has Fighting Words for the World Trade Organization

'If they don't shape up, I would withdraw'

(Newser) - Shape up or we'll ship out. That was essentially the message President Trump had for the World Trade Organization in an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday. Trump described the 1994 agreement that formed the WTO as "the single worst trade deal ever made" and issued his threat: "...

Trump Trade Legislation Has Unfortunate Acronym: FART

Critics pounce on the FART Act, which would give president broad new powers

(Newser) - President Trump is no fan of the World Trade Organization, and Axios reports that he ordered his advisers to work up a bill that would give him broad power to circumvent WTO rules and negotiate his own deals. The story by Jonathan Swan uses the words "insane" and "...

China Files WTO Complaint Over Trump's Tariff Hike

Says Trump's decision on aluminum, steel violates international trade rules

(Newser) - China has filed a World Trade Organization complaint challenging President Trump's tariff hike on imported steel and aluminum, the trade body said Tuesday. The tariff spat is one element of a wide-ranging trade dispute between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping's government. Trump also has threatened to increase...

Time to Upgrade Trade With Russia
 Time to 
 Upgrade 
 Trade With 
 Russia 
hillary clinton

Time to Upgrade Trade With Russia

Hillary Clinton: Congress must ditch outdated amendment

(Newser) - With Russia finally due to enter the World Trade Organization, Hillary Clinton is urging the US to take a hard look at its own trade policy. A 1970s law currently prevents us from normal trade with Moscow, but at this point, that legislation is hurting only us. The Jackson-Vanik amendment...

Russia Finally a WTO Member
 Russia Finally a WTO Member 

Russia Finally a WTO Member

Move could boost Russian, European economies

(Newser) - Russia finally got its secret decoder ring for the World Trade Organization today, ending an 18-year quest for admittance. The vote is likely to provide a boost for both Russia's economy and that of its top trading partner, the European Union, the AP predicts, with the latter potentially boosting...

Russia to End Ban on Dutch, Belgian Veggies

Russia lifts part of 'disproportionate' vegetable ban

(Newser) - Russia is ending a blanket ban on vegetable imports from the European Union put in place over fears of E. coli infection, starting with the Netherlands and Belgium, the nation's top consumer rights watchdog said today. Shipments were allowed to resume today following a 26-day ban intended to prevent...

US Illegally Subsidized Boeing, WTO Rules

Airbus thinks $45B in retaliation is 'realistic'

(Newser) - The US has given billions of dollars in illegal subsidies to Boeing, the World Trade Organization formally ruled today after months of investigation. The WTO has now found that both Boeing and Europe's Airbus received illegal aid from their respective governments, leaving the US and European Union to negotiate a...

Obama Slaps Stiff Tariff on Chinese Tires

China threatens retaliation after president moves to protect US tire industry

(Newser) - President Obama has imposed tough new tariffs on the import of Chinese-made tires, the Wall Street Journal reports. The 35% import tariff comes in response to industry complaints that Chinese-made tires are flooding the US, jeopardizing thousands of jobs. China attacked the decision, saying it violated trade rules, and threatened...

Global Trade Talks Collapse
 Global Trade Talks Collapse

Global Trade Talks Collapse

Breakdown halts seven years of progress to hammer out deal

(Newser) - World Trade Organization talks to forge a new global trade pact collapsed yesterday after seven years of negotiations. An EU spokesman called the breakdown a "massive blow to the confidence in the global economy." The talks fell apart as China and India demanded the authortity to impose "...

Export Bans Push Food Costs Even Higher

29 nations move to keep more food at home

(Newser) - Alarmed by high food prices and shortages worldwide, some 29 countries are banning or reducing exports of foods to make sure they have enough at home. Such limitations pose a threat to countries that rely on imports, forcing prices up further, the New York Times reports. What’s more, the...

US Slams EU Over Tariffs on High Tech

Washington appeals to WTO to end levies on $70B worth of goods

(Newser) - The US butted heads with the European Union today over import tariffs on more than $70 billion worth of computer screens and other technology products, Reuters reports. "The EU should be working with the United States to promote new technologies, not finding protectionist gimmicks to apply new duties to...

Bush Boosts Battered NAFTA at Summit

Trading partners meet in New Orleans

(Newser) - President Bush yesterday opened a two-day economic summit in New Orleans with Mexico and Canada amid growing hostility to the North American Free Trade Agreement, which is widely blamed for US job losses. Bush is using the meeting with the trillion-dollar trading partners to highlight support for NAFTA as the...

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