EU and Chinese officials are planning to meet in Brussels in the “coming days” to discuss China’s new export controls over rare earths 2510090021), said Maros Sefcovic, the EU’s trade and economic security commissioner, in an Oct. 21 social media post. Sefcovic said Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao will travel to Europe, and the EU hopes to “find urgent solutions on export controls.”
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Social media platforms are facing intense scrutiny over how they collect, share and monetize user data. As new state and federal laws focus on age verification, parental controls and transparency requirements, social media companies face legal risks around algorithmic targeting, third-party tracking and children's safety. This page follows key legislation, investigations and lawsuits shaping privacy practices for major social platforms.
President Donald Trump confirmed to reporters on his plane on Oct. 19 that he intends to hike tariffs on Colombian goods on Oct. 21. He had earlier attacked Colombia's president on social media, calling him "an illegal drug leader," and saying that the U.S. no longer would give money to Colombia so that it can work to stop cocaine trafficking.
President Donald Trump, when asked if another 100% tariff on top of existing tariffs on Chinese goods would damage the economy, said, "It's not sustainable, but that's what the number is."
President Donald Trump posted on social media that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a long, "very productive" phone call on Oct. 16. In addition to talking about the ceasefire in Gaza and the first lady's efforts to get Ukrainian children held in Russia or Russia-occupied Ukraine back to their parents in free Ukraine, "we also spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over," he wrote.
President Donald Trump, on his way to Israel, softened his message on tariffs on Chinese goods. When asked if imposing those tariffs was still the plan, he said, "Right now it is. Let's see what happens. November 1st is an eternity."
President Donald Trump reacted angrily to China's plan to expand export restrictions, including when rare earths are in products made abroad (see 2510090021. In a social media post that seemed to trigger a 2.7% drop in the S&P 500, he wrote, "Dependent on what China says about the hostile 'order' that they have just put out, I will be forced, as President of the United States of America, to financially counter their move. For every Element that they have been able to monopolize, we have two."
President Donald Trump and Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had a "friendly" talk for 30 minutes Oct. 6, according to an unofficial translation of a Brazilian readout. Trump wrote on social media, "This morning, I had a very good telephone call with President Lula, of Brazil. We discussed many things, but it was mostly focused on the Economy, and Trade, between our two Countries. We will be having further discussions, and will get together in the not too distant future, both in Brazil and the United States. I enjoyed the call — Our Countries will do very well together!"
President Donald Trump posted on social media that 25% tariffs on medium and heavy-duty trucks will begin Nov. 1. The additional tariffs are being imposed under a national security Section 232 action. Trump had previously said the tariffs would begin Oct. 1.
President Donald Trump posted on social media that U.S. soybean growers are hurting "because China is, for 'negotiating' reasons only, not buying. We’ve made so much money on Tariffs, that we are going to take a small portion of that money, and help our Farmers. I WILL NEVER LET OUR FARMERS DOWN!"
President Donald Trump posted on social media that he is going to impose a 100% tariff on "any and all movies that are made outside of the United States," a repeat of a declaration he made on social media in May but didn't follow through on (see 2505050003). In the earlier post, he called foreign filming a national security threat, but in this one, he gave no clue what authority he would use.