- WorldAssociated Press
Merkel won't attend G7 summit in person if US goes ahead
Chancellor Angela Merkel will not personally attend a meeting in the U.S. with the leaders of the world’s major economies if President Donald Trump goes ahead with it, unless the course of the coronavirus spread changes by then, her office said Saturday. After canceling the Group of Seven summit, originally scheduled for June 10-12 at Camp David, Trump said a week ago that he was again considering hosting an in-person meeting of world leaders because it would be a “great sign to all” of things returning to normal during the pandemic.
9090 reactions - U.S.NBC News
Outrage over George Floyd's death could tip fortunes in Joe Biden's VP search
Some potential running mates have seen their fortunes appear to rise or fall in the midst of the protests over police treatment of African Americans.
- CelebrityCosmopolitan
Khloé Goes OFF on People Accusing Her of Breaking Social Distancing at Scott Disick’s Birthday
“Drives me wild when people act as if they know.”
- U.S.FOX News Videos
Video Rudy Giuliani calls for resignations of mayor of Minneapolis, governor of Minnesota
Don't elect progressive Democrats if you want to be safe, says former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani on 'Hannity.'
- U.S.The Daily Beast
Here’s How Fox News Covered the CNN Reporter’s Arrest in Minneapolis
Reporting on the arrest of a CNN reporter and his crew by Minnesota state police on Friday morning, Fox News anchor Sandra Smith framed the incident as a he said-he said situation despite the entire ordeal being broadcast on live television.Reporting from Minneapolis after another night of violent protests over the death of George Floyd, CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez found himself surrounded by a group of cops clad in riot gear. As the situation was broadcast on CNN’s New Day, Jimenez showed the officers his credentials and calmly asked them where they would like the crew to move.“Just put us back where you want us, we were getting out of your way,” Jimenez is heard saying to several officers. “So, just let us know. Wherever you want us, we will go. We were just getting out of your way while you were advancing through the intersection. Just let us know, and we’ve got you.”A moment later, Jimenez was told that he was under arrest and placed in handcuffs. Shortly after the CNN reporter was marched off, officers grabbed the producer and cameraman, placing them under arrest as well. All three were released within hours, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologizing to CNN over the incident. During Friday’s broadcast of America’s Newsroom, Smith delivered a short news report on Jimenez’s arrest. “Police in Minneapolis arresting a CNN reporter and his crew as the reporter was covering the protests there earlier this morning,” she said. “They were all released a couple of hours later and are back on the air.”Smith continued: “Police are saying the crew was asked to move and they refused, CNN is denying that. The governor of Minnesota issued an apology calling the arrest unacceptable, and we will hear from the governor at the top of the next hour.” Fox did not broadcast the video showing Jimenez specifically offering to move out of the way and go wherever the cops wanted his crew to go.The Minnesota state police would later issue a statement—to much ridicule—that said the troopers released the crew “once they were confirmed to be members of the media,” despite the fact that Jimenez showed his credentials and the situation was broadcast on live television.Earlier in the Fox News broadcast, Fox News contributor Lawrence Jones did briefly discuss Jimenez’s arrest during a panel discussion on the protests, noting that while he’s been “critical” of the network Jimenez “was arrested today on live television doing his job as a reporter.”“I’ve been there reporting on these types of cases,” he added. “You asked the cops, you say, where do I stand? He did that and he was still arrested on live television with his camera crew. That should not happen, this is not China, this is America.”With other networks offering statements of solidarity with CNN and Jimenez on Friday, Fox News followed suit later in the day, issuing the following statement: “FOX News has always supported the First Amendment and this instance is no different. We denounce the detainment of the CNN crew and stand with them in protecting the right to report without fear or favor."Hours after Smith's report, Outnumbered Overtime anchor Harris Faulkner addressed that segment on-air, noting that the report should have highlighted that Jimenez offered to move wherever the officers to him to go.“Police in Minneapolis have arrested a CNN reporter and his crew live on the air and they covered the protests breaking out on the ground over George Floyd’s death,” Faulkner said. “It was all caught on camera. It played out live. There is the video. They have since been released - a couple hours later from that event.”“Police said the crew was asked to move and they refused. We can all watch the video and it shows the reporter offered to move many times if the officers would tell him where to go,” she added. “That point should have been noted in earlier reporting on Fox News. The governor of Minnesota apologized directly to CNN and that team during his news conference a short time ago, we showed you that live, calling the arrests 'unacceptable.'”Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
- WorldSouth China Morning Post
Hong Kong warned WTO challenge to potential US trade sanctions could be 'counterproductive'
In a statement released late on Thursday, hours after China's National People's Congress approved the proposal for the controversial legislation, the Hong Kong government said that as a full member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), "we expect to be fairly treated by our trading partners".Should the US revoke Hong Kong's special trading status, the special administrative region could be subjected to the same trade war tariffs imposed on Chinese exports to the US, or even unilateral tariffs against Hong Kong specifically, as well as export controls and potentially greater scrutiny of its financial and payments landscapes, experts said.In the case of tariffs, analysts said it is "factually possible and legally correct" that Hong Kong could bring a WTO case against the US, given that it retains its own WTO membership and should be treated on a "most-favoured nation" basis, which punitive tariffs would violate.But analysts believe any such future action would be "counterproductive", since even if Hong Kong was to win a case, it could be permitted to introduce retaliatory tariffs on the US, which would harm Hong Kong's economy and image as a beacon of free trade.Furthermore, it is unlikely that a WTO case, which would take years to process, would resonate in a White House which is openly scornful of the Geneva-based trade body."Hong Kong is really limited in what it can do. Taking a WTO case would be symbolic, and even if Hong Kong prevails, the damages would be very low. So if Hong Kong decides to put tariffs on the US " which would be a first " what does it target? Consumer products or food? What kind of message does that send about Hong Kong? Who is that really hurting?" said Bryan Mercurio, a professor covering the WTO at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.Hong Kong is a free port, with zero tariffs on goods shipped in and out, however, it has very little direct trade of its own. As a entrepot for trade with China, the vast majority of goods passing through are re-exported to and from the mainland.While Hong Kong was the world's sixth largest exporter in 2018, according to WTO statistics, just US$13 billion of its US$556 billion in shipments were domestic exports. For imports, just US$155 billion of US$628 billion were consumed domestically."Removing from US law the commitment to Hong Kong's non-discriminatory trade treatment would make it easier for the US Trade Representative to defend unilaterally slapping tariffs on the city's exports. This would most likely violate WTO rules, but this has not deterred the US from placing tariffs on imports from the mainland," read a Capital Economics research note."If this happened, shipments to the US would suffer. Gross exports from Hong Kong to the US are worth 13 per cent of [gross domestic product]. But the vast majority of products are being reshipped through the city. US-bound goods exports, generate under 3 per cent of [gross domestic product], mainly in logistics and postal services rather than manufacturing."Hong Kong has been a member of the WTO since January 1995, but it has only brought a single case " a complaint against the Turkish garment trade in 1996 that was "largely a matter of principal" rather than economic wrongdoing, said Julien Chaisse, a trade professor at the City University of Hong Kong.However, Chaisse said that Hong Kong could learn from another historical precedent of a smaller WTO member successfully bringing a case against a more powerful member, but eventually being left dissatisfied with the spoils of victory.In 2003, tiny Antigua and Barbuda accused the US of discrimination after it was frozen out of the world's largest gambling market after the Caribbean nation had built up a giant online betting market designed to replace its struggling tourism sector.WTO judges eventually ruled in its favour, awarding compensation of US$21 million per year, but the US refused to pay. Antigua and Barbuda therefore had the right to impose tariffs on the US, but declined to do so, thinking that it would be an act of economic self-harm."Why would a place like Hong Kong or Antigua impose tariffs on the US?" Chaisse added. "Who would hurt from such action, apart from the domestic middle class?"Chaisse added that should the national security law lead to an erosion in the "one country, two systems" model under which city is supposed to be governed until 2047, Hong Kong could also find itself on the receiving end of investor disputes and trade lawsuits, especially if the goalposts are moved for investors in the city.Hong Kong has 20 bilateral investment treaties, more than half of which were signed with developed nations in the run up to the handover from Britain to China in 1997, a means of assuaging fears of changing business conditions."I would not exclude the possibility of, in the future, investors from these places using investment protection courts to sue Hong Kong," Chaisse said.This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
- U.S.USA TODAY
Lake of the Ozarks pool partier tests positive for coronavirus
A Missouri resident who arrived at the lake on Saturday "developed illness" on Sunday, according to a news release from Camden County.
