Trump’s Trade Threats Loom Over Rubio’s Southeast Asia Trip

Welcome to World Brief, where we look at an unenviable diplomatic trip MalaysiaTrump administration we Foreign Ministry reform, and a new deal to allow help in Gaza.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Malaysia this week with an unenviable job: He made the gentle forces with the forces in Southeast Asia at the same time that his president threatened them to punish the new definitions.

Rubio was in Malaysia to meet foreign ministers at the Ten Association of members in Southeast Asian countries (Asia) during the two -day regional security forum that held high -ranking officials from all over the world, including Russia and China. Rubio’s mission was clear: forming friendships, the commitment of US President Donald Trump’s commitment to the region, and making the issue because Washington was a better partner than Beijing.

The problem is that many members of the ASEAN – including Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia and Indonesia – may also face a new, aggressive American tariff, and Rubio in an embarrassing position. Trump sent earlier this week a set of messages to world leaders who threaten new new measures, which led to the temptation of many governments and left others confused.

For his part, Rubio tried to distance himself from making commercial decisions and weakened recent threats more positively. “I would say that when everything is said and deed, many countries in Southeast Asia will get better tariff rates than countries in other parts of the world,” he said.

But his fans may not be very convinced, especially since Rubio finally remained in the area for about 36 hours-a sharp cut from the country’s tour that was originally planned. Rubio canceled his visits to American allies and South Korea to attend White House meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week, although he met Japanese and South Korean officials while he was in Malaysia.

A conflict in the Middle East-the Netanyahu meetings in Washington mostly focused on the efforts of the United States to secure the ceasefire in Gaza-which withdrew Rubio away from his longest planned journey in the region. In his remarks to the Assyrian foreign ministers who were collected on Thursday, Rubio tried to alleviate the concerns that Washington was draining its attention again from focusing on Asia through concerns in other parts of the world.

“I would like to say that distraction is impossible,” said Rubio. “This century, and the story of the next fifty years, will be largely written here in this region.”

While he was in Malaysia, Rubio also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and the two participated in a “very positive meeting”.

When a reporter was asked if Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would soon meet, Rubio hit an optimistic tone. “The possibilities are high. I think both sides want to see this happening,” he said. “I have no date for you, but I think it will come.”

Official reform. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun to dispense with more than 1,300 employees as part of a broader – controversial reform process – which the Trump administration says will help eliminate bureaucratic bloating and closely close the agency with the president’s agenda, “America first”. More than 1,100 civilian employees and 251 external service officers are affected, according to the notification of the Ministry of Interior Foreign policy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has local workers with about 18,000 employees.

“We will drain the enlarged bureaucratic swamp, and enable the section from A to Z,” Rubio wrote in an alternative publication that explains in detail in April. “Repeated offices will also be removed, and the uncomfortable programs will stop with the basic national interests of America.”

The Trump administration’s reform has fierce criticism from democratic lawmakers, who warn that discounts will harm us in a period of high geopolitical risks.

“This is one of the most funny decisions that can be made at a time when China increases the imprint of diplomacy … Russia continues its realistic assault for years on a sovereign country, and the Middle East is interested in the crisis to the crisis,” Senator Tim Kane said in a post on X.

A terrible crisis. Israel and the European Union have reached an agreement that would allow humanitarian aid that affects the need to flow to the Gaza Strip, where more than 57,000 people have been killed since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. Israel strongly restricts aid flows to Gaza on allegations that Hamas Svonz is a supply of supplies, which are ignored by United Nations agencies and aid. Since March, no fuel has been allowed to Gaza – the humanitarian operations that threaten – and Israel has only decided in May of the resumption of the “basic quantity” flow to the region.

“This deal means more open crossings, aid and food trucks entering Gaza, repairing vital infrastructure and protecting relief workers,” said Kaja Calas, the best European Union diplomat, in a post on X. The European Union foreign ministers must now agree to the agreement, and it is possible that it takes several days to coordinate.

The agreement comes as an Israeli strike in Gaza, killing 16 civilians – including 10 children and women – who were waiting outside a health clinic on Thursday. In the past six weeks, the United Nations Rights Office recorded about 800 killings in the vicinity of relief distribution sites and caravans.

Trade War. On Thursday, Trump announced a 35 percent tariff for Canadian imports from August 1, and threw a key in continuous talks between the two countries. Canada will not be the only country facing strict American measures: Trump has sent many messages to world leaders setting new tariff levels this week, including a 50 percent tariff in Brazil.

In his message to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carne, who was published on Truth Social, Trump accused Canada of “financial revenge” through its counter -measures and repeated demands that are unfounded for the role of Canada in the American Ventanil crisis. Trump said that if Ottawa raises its tariff to the United States, this value will also be added to Washington’s tariff by 35 percent. He added: “These definitions may be modified, up or down, depending on our relationship with your country.”

Carney pledged to continue talks with Washington. “During the current commercial negotiations with the United States, the Canadian government was steadfastly defended our workers and companies,” he said in one of the articles in a publication on X.

Almost how many people gathered in the Khao Kheow Zoo in Thailand to celebrate Pygmy Hippo Moo Deng on Thursday?

(A) 6000
(B) 12000
(C) 18000
(D) 24000

For decades, tourists who visit the Canadian parliament were keen to visit a less local gravity – but no less than splendor – with a colony of cats. The colony, which was at a time of thirteen members, lived by Parliament and was taken care of by a small group of volunteers. Now, this tradition has ended, with the last member of the colony died. Coal, a black cat with yellow eyes, died this month after the cancer was fighting, according to the Facebook page for him. The page said: “He was a conclusive man with a gold heart,” the page said.

The answer is …

(B) 12000

The zoo keeps four days of Moo DENG celebrations, which includes a 44 -ft horse cake, according to NBC News.

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