Brazilian President Lula swipes at Trump as US imposes auto tariffs
Tokyo: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva swiped Thursday at US President Donald Trump’s decision to raise US tariffs on a wide range of products, saying Trump should consider the potential harm to the American and global economies. Lula made the comments while wrapping up a 4-day visit to Japan, where Trump’s decision Wednesday to order 25 per cent tariffs on all car imports came as a severe blow given the country’s status as a major auto exporter and American ally. The US is the biggest destination for Japanese car exports. “I am very concerned about the behavior of the American government,” Lula said
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser asks China to cut interest rates on loans
Beijing: Gearing up for his meeting with President Xi Jinping, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Thursday asked China to reduce interest rates for Chinese loans and waive commitment fees on Chinese-funded projects. Yunus, who met Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan, sought Chinese support in an array of developments, Bangladesh media reports said. He also called for a reduction of interest rates for Chinese loans from three per cent to 1-2 per cent to Bangladesh and sought a waiver of commitment fees on the Chinese-funded projects in Bangladesh.