Latest news with #Greer
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia hopes for collaborative deal following US tariff talks
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia hopes the upcoming tariff negotiations with the United States (US) will result in a new cooperation arrangement, said Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Liew Chin Tong. MITI Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz is currently in Washington to hold discussions with US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer. 'Tengku Zafrul has mentioned last week (that) broadly we hope there will be a collaborative effort in shaping the new arrangement. 'But we will wait for (the outcome of) the negotiations,' Liew told reporters after a panel session on 'Deciphering Malaysia's Investment Cycles' at the Sasana Symposium 2025 hosted by BNM today. It was reported that Tengku Zafrul was scheduled to visit the US today to resume negotiations over tariffs imposed on Malaysian goods and was expected to meet Greer as well as other US government officials and investors. Tengku Zafrul will also take the opportunity to engage with several business chambers, companies and interest groups, including the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) and the US-ASEAN Business Council. On April 24 this year, Tengku Zafrul led a high-level delegation to Washington, where he held talks with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Greer. Malaysia has expressed its readiness to negotiate in four key areas: narrowing the trade deficit, addressing non-tariff barriers, strengthening technology protection and security, and exploring the potential for a bilateral trade agreement. On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced tariff measures affecting around 60 countries, including a 24 per cent levy on most Malaysian goods. However, the tariffs have been temporarily suspended for 90 days -- until July 8 -- for most countries to allow room for trade negotiations.
The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Top Scottish Greens face coordinated challenges for MSP spots
In Glasgow, outgoing party co-leader Patrick Harvie had the top spot on the Greens list in 2021, and Ross Greer held the top spot on the West of Scotland list. Both are facing challenges for the position ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections. The Scottish Greens have historically won all of their MSPs through the regional lists, meaning the top spot is a coveted position for party activists hoping to enter parliament. In the West of Scotland, four Scottish Greens are running on a single slate in a bid to oust Greer from the top of the list. READ MORE: Gillian Martin clashes with BBC Scotland host over Scottish independence Ayrshire Greens co-convenor Cara McKee is asking members to rank her in first position, followed by her allies Athol Bond, Louise Andersen, and Charley O'Hear. In Glasgow, Ellie Gomersall is looking to knock Harvie off the top spot, with local members urged to back Iris Duane in second and Seonad Hoy in third. The three have badged themselves the 'Radical Glasgow Greens' and are running on a single ticket. From left: Seonad Hoy, Ellie Gomersall, and Iris Duane (Image: Instagram)In the north east, MSP Maggie Chapman is facing a bullying complaint amid allegations that she contacted the workplace of Green activist Guy Ingerson to brief his employers against him. In 2021, Ingerson was ranked second behind Chapman on the Greens' north east regional list. He is believed to be bidding for the top spot in 2026. Announcing her bid to oust Greer in the west, McKee said: 'Now more than ever it is important the Scottish Greens elect grassroots left-wing candidates. 'I want to see real work done to end the poverty we see so much of in West Scotland. To make childcare work for us. To make sure people have accessible, affordable, and useful public transport. 'With the vote of Scottish Green members, I could be a strong voice in Holyrood to hold other politicians accountable.'
Agriland
13-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
‘They'll suffer, we'll suffer' – Irish MEPs on tariff threat
As a July deadline for Trump's threatened 50% tariff on EU goods looms, intense talks continue to take place between the US and the bloc. Tariffs pose a 'big threat', and if they were to apply to agricultural products, the effect could be 'detrimental' for Ireland, MEP Sean Kelly said. 'If Donald Trump goes ahead with them and then we [EU] reciprocate, they'll suffer, we'll suffer – and it's not in anybody's interest to go down that line.' Tariff talks Kelly's comments to Agriland come as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris confirmed he took part in discussions this week with US trade representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer. This follows on from the Tánaiste's meetings in Washington in April, when he met with the US Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick. The Tánaiste and Ambassador Greer discussed recent trade developments, including an exchange of views on the ongoing negotiations between the US and EU. Speaking after the virtual meeting, the Tánaiste said he outlined the 'hugely successful two-way economic relationship between the US and Ireland', and that tariffs 'threaten this relationship and are bad for business, bad for consumers and bad for workers on both sides of the Atlantic'. During the meeting the Tánaiste reiterated that negotiations remain the main focus for both the EU and Ireland and welcomed the 'recent positive momentum', including Ambassador Greer's recent meeting with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic. The Tánaiste added: 'I assured Ambassador Greer of Ireland's commitment to supporting a mutually beneficial agreement that works for the US and the EU and noted his recent positive meeting with Commissioner Šefčovič in Paris. 'The ambassador and I agreed to remain in contact as we seek to bring this trade dispute to an end.' Uncertainty According to Sean Kelly, the EU has to 'box clever' when dealing with the US, acknowledging the strong relationship Ireland has had with the US. 'I'm pleased that the EU are taking their time because the worst thing you could do at this stage is to rush into retaliatory measures that might be as harmful to us, and maybe with time, Donald Trump might back down and change his mind,' as negotiations continue, according to Kelly. MEP Billy Kelleher told Agriland that there is 'grave uncertainty' at the moment around international trade, with the impact of Trump's proposed tariffs coupled with the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. He said Ireland must 'hold firm in terms of addressing some of the issues' of Mercosur, Kelleher said, including the need for 'mirror imaging of regulations and farming practices to ensure that any products that come in comply with the standards we expect our farmers to produce food by'. The MEP warned: 'The other area I have concern about in Mercosur is deforestation. 'I am still convinced if we don't put measures in place to ensure there isn't further destruction of the Amazon rainforest, that could incentivise further destruction, and importation of cheap food, and that in itself doesn't serve the conditions of climate change and the impact that would have on global warning.'
Miami Herald
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
DeSantis says protesters on roadways can be run over by drivers. Is that true?
The thousands of Floridians expected to march in the No Kings National Day of Defiance on Saturday had better be on their best behavior, warned Florida's governor. Gov. Ron DeSantis said that drivers will not be at fault if they hit protesters that block roadways in a clip that took social media by storm. Interviewed on a Reuben Report podcast episode released Wednesday, he said 'you have a right to defend yourself in Florida.' 'You have a right to flee for your safety, and so if you drive off and you hit one of these people, that's their fault for impinging on you,' DeSantis said. 'You don't have to sit there and just be a sitting duck and let the mob grab you out of your car and drag you through the streets.' Under Florida's relatively new anti-riot law, he's not completely wrong, legal experts say. One of the main concerns of elected leaders who unsuccessfully fought the anti-riot bill four years ago is the bill, they say, is too vague. 'I'm worried about its ambiguity,' said Democratic Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones, who represents Miami Gardens and other sections of North Miami-Dade. 'Can an individual who is just standing there and something breaks out be arrested? Is an individual able to run over a protester?' Though concerns still exist, some of the key components of the bill were muted by the courts after being challenged by the ACLU of Florida, the Community Justice Project and other First Amendment rights groups. Florida's Supreme Court essentially shut down the state from labeling peaceful protesters as rioters, which would have allowed for a plethora of criminal charges. (A federal appellate court later ruled peaceful protesters could face criminal charges if their protests turn violent.) As for Jones' concern about drivers being able to legally mow down protesters, that's not the case, said Alana Greer, director of the Community Justice Project. What the Legislature did was enable a driver who hits someone during a riot to basically claim Stand Your Ground in a civil lawsuit only. And, Greer said, so far the ACLU and the Community Justice Project are not aware of anyone who's been charged under the state's anti-riot bill, known formally as the 'Combating Public Disorder Act.' 'HB 1's [the bill's] goal was to chill everyday Floridians desire to go out and protest,' said Greer. 'The reality is the Constitution still protects our ability to go out and protest.' The law does allow a person to be cited for a pedestrian violation if they 'willfully obstruct the free, convenient, and normal use of a public street, highway or road.' For instance, if a person stands or remains on a street, highway or roadway, they would be in violation of a section in state laws that would subject them to a $15 traffic citation. U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, the Democrat who represents northern Miami-Dade and southern Broward, said the bill has caused her enough angst to alter directions to her constituents on how to react if they spot agitators Saturday. Wilson said she's concerned members of the far-right militia group the Proud Boys might infiltrate the crowds in Florida. She initially told people not to run or cause a ruckus, but to immediately sit down and remain silent. But concerned over the law's section that mentions motor vehicles, she is now telling them to make their way to the nearest sidewalk before sitting down silently. 'Be very, very careful,' the congresswoman said. Controversial law The law was created in the wake of the thousands of Black Lives Matter protests that rocked the country in the summer of 2020 following the death of a Minneapolis security guard named George Floyd. The intensity of those marches and the tens of millions of people who took part so unnerved conservative legislatures across the country that several states passed bills expanding police powers and increasing penalties on wayward marchers. The controversial Florida bill boosted penalties for anyone taking part in a violent public disturbance and gave law enforcement more leeway in dealing with violent protesters. The bill also allows people to sue local governments for damages caused during a riot or unlawful assembly, creates new crimes that include mob intimidation and inciting a riot and can land a person in prison for up to 15 years for tearing down a memorial dedicated to a historical figure. The Saturday marches are scheduled to take place in 2,000 cities across the country, including about 75 throughout Florida. Locally, they're planned for Miami's Torch of Friendship, Pride Park in Miami Beach, North Young Circle in Hollywood and two spots in Fort Lauderdale: A1A and Sunrise Boulevard and 335 SE Sixth Ave., in addition to Key Largo, Marathon and Key West in the Keys. READ MORE: 'No Kings' anti-Trump protests planned across South Florida amid LA unrest. See where They protests are in response to the federal crackdown of protesters in Los Angeles, who were marching in response to the nation's new stringent immigration policies. The No Kings march is also planned to coincide with President Trump's military parade and birthday celebration in Washington on Saturday. Trump has said protesters were not welcome and would receive 'very heavy force' if they show up. Earlier this week in Jacksonville, DeSantis said law enforcement around the state is ready to act and warned protesters they'd be arrested if they blocked streets or destroyed property. He said peaceful protesting was fine, but alerted people not to 'cross the line.' 'We're not going to just sit idly by and let the inmates run the asylum,' he said. No charges filed in 'Patria y Vida' protests The closest South Florida has come to the expected crowds this weekend was probably during the summer of 2021, when thousands of people took to the streets during the 'Patria y Vida' marches. Protesters marched in unison with the hundreds of Cubans who had been arrested, beaten up and censored for protesting openly on the island. Those marches took place three months after the state passed its anti-riot act, which clearly states that someone will be cited for a pedestrian violation if they 'willfully obstruct the free, convenient, and normal use of a public street, highway or road.' Police, that day, gave marchers a break. Despite thousands of people clogging main arteries on Coral Way and even closing down a section of the the Palmetto Expressway, there were no arrests under the new law. READ MORE: Is Cuban-Americans' highway protest in Miami breaking Florida's new anti-riot law? A teen videotapes an ugly confrontation Floyd was 46 when he was killed gasping for breath under the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who would later be convicted of unintentional murder and manslaughter. A teenager named Darnella Frazier could not have foreseen at the time how the decision to train her cellphone video recorder on Chauvin and Floyd for those ill-fated nine minutes would reverberate through law enforcement circles. Five years later, that chilling scene could have a direct result on the interactions between police and protesters on South Florida's streets. Still, the No Kings march is an event that representatives Jones and Wilson say is needed now more than ever — anti-riot bill, or not. 'I'm encouraging people to express discontent and express their First Amendment rights to march and protest,' Wilson said. 'But I'm also telling them to be careful.' Said Jones: 'This absolutely needs to be done. You have a president that has gone rogue. A president who doesn't believe in the letter of the law. Democracy is not a spectator sport. And these are not radical people. These are patriots.' Miami Herald writer Siena Duncan contributed to this report.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
OMSH's 'Voices of Elmwood' to recognize WWII
Though it's a little over three months away, the Owensboro Museum of Science & History's annual 'Voices of Elmwood' is seeing movement as organizers prepare for the event's 18th year starting in mid-September. The event, a collaborative effort with the Daviess County Public Library's Kentucky Room, takes attendees on a trailer ride through the cemetery, with stops at various gravesites where actors, dressed in period clothing, present the stories of those who are buried there. 'Voices of Elmwood' will run for three consecutive weekends from Sept. 18-20, Sept. 25-27 and Oct. 2-4 at the Rosehill-Elmwood Cemetery and Mausoleum off Old Hartford Road. The 2025 event will return to a 10-stop ride — in addition to a pre-ride presentation — following a one-year absence after the 2024 series was reduced to seven to highlight five people who have been buried in Potter's Field. This year's event will include recognition of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. 'It's always been a really neat event for Owensboro,' said Isaac G. Settle, OMSH's executive director. 'It's one of those things that kind of bridges the arts together — the theatre and the history. 'I've always been a big fan of 'Voices of Elmwood,' ' Settle said. For Settle, this will be his first time overseeing the program as the museum's director following the retirement of Kathy Olson at the end of 2024. However, Settle has had hands-on experience with the historical event in the past. 'My biggest role with the 'Voices of Elmwood' was when I was here (in Owensboro) back in 2015 through 2019 … and I actually helped do the research for the … characters,' he said. '... I would send my research to the scriptwriters, and the scriptwriters would take that research and write the scripts out of that.' Carolyn Greer, who will direct the performances for her eighth year, said the emphasis on WW II came about after individuals, who have not written for 'Voices of Elmwood' before, continued to bring up names of figures during a researcher meeting that were from Owensboro who were associated with the war. 'We just sort of noticed the pattern,' Greer said. 'So we discussed it and realized that there were a lot of really great stories of people in this community that had a connection to World War II in some form of fashion — whether it be a mother, a soldier, etc. 'As a group, (we) decided it would be a great time to have a specific recognition honoring World War II,' Greer said. Though Settle said the decision of implementing WWII was decided before coming on board at the museum, he feels its inclusion is necessary. 'I think, personally, it's very applicable because World War II stories are kind of … dying out. With each World War II veteran that passes away and with each person that lived here on the homefront, that history kind of goes, and our local history as it relates to World War II is something that we need to preserve while we still have some of them here,' he said. 'Doing this research and making (it) this year's theme, … I think that it will encourage people to share their own personal stories and their information.' In previous years, preparations for the performances began in mid-July. However, Greer said it has gotten a head start, with the cast list being announced publicly on Tuesday. 'We started a little bit earlier. We decided we wanted to hold official auditions and give people in the community who may not have been a part of it before an opportunity,' she said. 'It was really good for us. We've got several brand-new performers, and we also wanted to give our actors time with the script …. '... This way, we have more time,' Greer said. '... We want to make sure that we're still telling quality stories, and we have outstanding performances to share with the community.' For Greer, who recently retired after 27 years from teaching theatre at Owensboro High School and overseeing the school's Rose Curtain Players, she finds directing for this type of event to be 'more of a concept of storytelling than it is a full play.' 'A play has many characters and many stories going on at one time often; and this does have many characters and many stories, but they're all individual,' she said. 'It's really about individual storytelling, so you approach it a little differently. 'It's really exciting. It's always new,' Greer said. 'It's joyful as a director, and I think it's enjoyable for the actor and then, of course, that conveys to our audiences because we want to hear very individualized experiences.' Throughout its near two-decade history, Greer finds the event has continued to be embraced by the public. 'It's actually continued to grow … over the last couple years, and I think it's because … this community has a real understanding and a sense of the history and it's also an arts community,' she said. '... This community is rich with incredible stories, and I think people look forward to it every year hearing what's next. 'It's just a really cool experience,' Greer said. 'There's nothing cooler than getting on a wagon, in the dark, in a cemetery that is beautiful at night and hearing these amazing, wonderful, rich stories.' Settle said tickets will go on sale in August, with additional details of the event to be revealed in the coming months. All proceeds from 'Voices of Elmwood' benefit the museum, which Settle said will be used for the revamping and upgrading technological features and cases of exhibits, along with updating signage and helping support general facility maintenance. For more information and updates, visit and
