US President Donald Trump held a meeting with Japan's Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa at the White House, where they agreed to hold a second meeting later this month and prioritized reaching a deal. The talks did not include discussions on exchange rates, which the US claims Japan manipulates for trade advantage. After the meeting, the dollar strengthened against the yen by 0.5% due to Trump's comments on forex. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed caution about the negotiations, stating that President Trump wants to give top priority to talks with Japan, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to discuss tariffs with Trump at the White House next week.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1302282-us-president-hails-big-progress-in-japan-tariff-talksUS President Donald Trump's decision to impose a massive 245% tariff on Chinese goods is seen by columnist Abhijit Bhattacharyya as a "course correction" aimed at China, which does not figure on the list of countries with postponed tariffs. The move is expected to severely impact President Xi Jinping and his "Make America Great Again" mission.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/columnists/abhijit-bhattacharyya-trumps-targeting-of-china-is-course-correction-by-us-1873522US President Donald Trump's trade war against China has already lost its momentum, according to Ambrose Evans-Pritchard. The US has misjudged China's response to the tariffs imposed by the US, which were aimed at pressuring China into changing its trade practices. China has instead retaliated with its own tariffs and has taken steps to diversify its economy away from US goods.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/trump-has-already-lost-his-trade-war-against-china-20250416-p5lsbe.htmlBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer had expressed hope for a new trade agreement with the US in April, but the UK government later introduced countermeasures after the US imposed tariffs.
https://www.fakti.bg/en/world/964823-us-wants-to-sign-trade-deal-with-britain-in-coming-weeksThe US and Iran are engaged in nuclear talks, with the goal of verifying Iran's enrichment program and preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon. The US is pushing for Iran to limit its uranium enrichment to 3.67%, while Iran has enriched uranium to up to 60%. The talks have been described as "positive" by the US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, but Iran's Supreme Leader has also expressed optimism about the discussions. The second round of talks is expected in Rome, with verification on weaponization and missile development being a key focus.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iran-close-to-having-a-nuclear-bomb-says-un-watchdog-heads-to-tehran-8181984Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Araghchi is set to meet with US officials on Saturday as part of ongoing negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, which has been a major point of contention between the two countries. The talks come after Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei personally conveyed a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit earlier this week.
https://www.fakti.bg/en/world/964929-iranian-foreign-minister-abbas-araghchi-arrives-in-moscow-with-message-for-putinAsian markets surged as Japan and the US reached a significant breakthrough in their tariff talks, with officials from both sides agreeing on key trade concessions. The development came after weeks of tense negotiations, with Japanese Trade Minister Yutaka Koshiyama expressing optimism about the progress made. The agreement is expected to ease tensions between the two nations and boost economic growth in the region.
https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/nation/asian-markets-boosted-as-big-progress-made-in-japan-tariff-talks/article_0a32c3f2-e444-5ee7-b31b-85d0e402459d.htmlFrance and the UK are leading a coalition of over 30 countries to support Ukraine, with the goal of providing security guarantees and monitoring ceasefire violations. French President Macron recently spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, and similar meetings involving high-level representatives from France, Germany, the US, the UK, and others will take place in London next week.
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-ukraine-diplomacy-ceasefire-marco-rubio-steve-witkoff-keith-kellogg/US President Donald Trump has refused to confirm whether he has spoken with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, saying it's "not appropriate" and that details will be shared soon. The US is engaged in a trade war with China, which has affected global markets. During talks at the White House, Trump expressed optimism about a potential deal with China, while also softening his tone towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he would discuss a mineral deal with him next Thursday.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/600555-trump-confirms-us-is-in-talks-with-china-over-tariffs