Latest news with #framework
The Guardian
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
US-China trade talks: ‘framework' deal amid dispute over rare earths
Officials from the US and China have agreed on a 'framework' to move forward on trade after two days of talks in London stemming from their confrontation over tariffs. The US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, expressed optimism on Tuesday that concerns about critical or 'rare earth' minerals and magnets 'will be resolved' as the deal is implemented. Lutnick told reporters that the framework puts 'meat on the bones' of a deal reached last month in Geneva to ease retaliatory tariffs. Its implementation had faltered over China's curbs on critical mineral exports. The deal also would remove some US export restrictions that were recently put in place, Lutnick said. 'We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus and the call between the two presidents,' Lutnick said. 'The idea is we're going to go back and speak to President Trump and make sure he approves it. They're going to go back and speak to President Xi and make sure he approves it, and if that is approved, we will then implement the framework.' In a separate briefing, China's vice commerce minister Li Chenggang said a trade framework had been reached that would be taken back to US and Chinese leaders. 'The two sides have, in principle, reached a framework for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state during the phone call on June 5th and the consensus reached at the Geneva meeting,' Li told reporters. Lutnick said China's restrictions on exports of critical minerals and magnets to the US would be resolved as a 'fundamental' part of the framework agreement. 'Also, there were a number of measures the United States of America put on when those rare earths were not coming,' Lutnick said. 'You should expect those to come off, sort of as President Trump said, in a balanced way.' Li said: 'Our communication has been very professional, rational, in-depth and candid.' All eyes were on the outcomes of negotiations as both sides were at an impasse over export restrictions, with US officials earlier accusing Beijing of slow-walking approvals for shipments of critical minerals. The world's two biggest economies were also seeking a longer-lasting truce in their escalating tariffs war, with levies reduced temporarily. 'We're moving as quickly as we can,' US trade representative Jamieson Greer told reporters. 'We feel positive about engaging with the Chinese.' With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
CNN
11-06-2025
- Business
- CNN
US and China agree on trade framework after two days of talks in London, Chinese negotiator says
The United States and China have agreed on a trade framework after two days of negotiations in London, China's trade negotiator Li Chenggang told reporters on Wednesday, according to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN. The two sides 'have agreed in principle on the framework for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state during their phone talks on June 5 and at Geneva talks last month,' he said. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Arabian Business
28-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
UAE's Etihad Credit Insurance reports over 15% jump in insured turnover to AED 16.2bn in 2024
The two have signed a MoU on this, which, among other things, sets out a framework for the ministry to facilitate trade and investment meetings through its diplomatic missions abroad
Washington Post
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Struggling to declutter? Try the ‘poop rule.'
Move over, Marie Kondo, there's a new approach to decluttering that's taking over social media. It's a little juvenile, and more than a little gross, but it's sparking joy for people who are overwhelmed by their stuff. This one-question framework for deciding whether to keep something, or to get rid of it, can simplify your space, your routines and, one hopes, your life.
The Guardian
20-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Watchdog investigating whether Defra breaking laws on cleaning up English rivers
The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) watchdog has launched an investigation into the UK government over potential failures to clean up England's rivers under EU-derived laws. The OEP published a report last year saying that plans to clean up waterways were too generic and did not address specific issues at individual sites. It said plans were being put in place despite low government confidence that their objectives could be achieved. The watchdog will now look at whether those issues represent failures by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to comply with environmental law. The OEP was set up after Brexit. It holds the government to account under the Environment Act 2021, which was passed to replace EU law as a means of holding ministers to account on environmental standards. The OEP found in its report that water regulations were not being followed, meaning targets to clean up England's rivers by 2027 were very likely to be missed. While in the EU, England was covered by the water framework directive (WFD), and a national chemical and ecological survey of rivers was conducted annually. After Brexit, England diverged from EU water monitoring standards and transposed the WFD into English law. Since 2016, the government started testing water quality under WFD every three years rather than annually. In 2019, the last time the full water assessments took place, just 14% of rivers were in good ecological health and none met standards for good chemical health. The next results are due this year. The EU has been strengthening testing under the WFD, adding 12 new pollutants to its watchlist. The Labour government has said its independent water commission, due to report in coming months, will assess the efficiency of the directive, and there is potential that the UK will further diverge from it. A previous Guardian investigation found that the UK has diverged from multiple EU environmental laws since Brexit, and in most cases the legislation has been weakened, leaving nature less protected. Helen Venn, the OEP's chief regulatory officer, said they were awaiting the results of the independent water commission. She added: 'But we also believe that more urgent actions may be needed. We are concerned that there is an indication of potential failures to comply with environmental laws which are having ongoing negative consequences for water bodies, and this is why the important targets for water quality are highly likely to be missed. 'Even with all the other activities taking place, none involve firm commitments to address the issues we have identified, and the timeline and extent of any resulting changes are currently uncertain. Clarifying the requirements under the current regulations can help drive action to ensure those targets for water bodies are met as quickly as possible.' A Defra spokesperson said: 'This government is determined to clean up our polluted rivers, lakes and seas as part of our plan for change. We have put water companies under tough special measures with new powers to ban the payment of bonuses to polluting water bosses and bring criminal charges against lawbreakers. 'We have also launched an independent water commission, which is looking at widespread water sector reform including the effectiveness of the water framework directive. 'We welcome the OEP's support for the commission and share their commitment to improve water quality. We will work constructively with them on this investigation.'
