US formalizes ban on govt contracts to China's Huawei, others
Washington: The United States unveiled rules on Wednesday formally banning technology giant Huawei and other Chinese firms from government contracts in the latest move in the countries' escalating trade war.
The interim rule will preclude any US federal agency from purchasing telecom or technology equipment from the firms "as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as a critical technology as part of any system," starting August 13.
The rules implement a ban included in the defense authorization act Congress approved earlier this year.
Waivers to the rules may be granted "under certain circumstances" by an agency head for up to two years, or by the Director of National Intelligence in other cases, which were not specified.
Huawei said it would press its court challenge to the constitutionality of the ban in federal court.
In a statement, the company said the law "will do nothing to ensure the protection of US telecom networks and systems and rather is (a) trade barrier based on country-of-origin, invoking punitive action without any evidence of wrongdoing."
The new rules are part of a sweeping effort by President Donald Trump's administration to restrict Huawei, which officials claim is linked to Chinese intelligence.
It also comes amid a heated dispute between the two economic powers over international trade rules, which some analysts say could roil the global economic system.
The rules, which require a 60-day comment period, also bar contracts to Chinese firms ZTE, Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company and Dahua Technology Company.
Huawei also faces sanctions that bar the export of US technology to the Chinese firm on national security grounds.
That ban, which has been suspended until mid-August, could prevent Huawei from getting key hardware and software including smartphone chips and key elements of the Google Android operating system.
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Iran attacks oil tanker near Dubai; Trump warns of strikes on energy sites if Hormuz remains shut
Tel Aviv/Washington: Iran attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded crude oil tanker off Dubai on Monday after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would target Iran’s energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
According to a Reuters report, the Kuwait-flagged tanker Al-Salmi is owned by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and was capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of crude. . It was struck in what authorities later described as a drone attack. The company said the incident occurred early Tuesday, causing a fire and hull damage. No injuries were reported and the fire was brought under control, Dubai authorities said .
Oil prices rose briefly following the attack and added to volatility in global energy markets. In the United States, retail gasoline prices crossed $4 per gallon for the first time in more than three years, according to data from GasBuddy, as crude prices moved above $101 per barrel.
Israel said it carried out missile strikes on military infrastructure in Tehran and on sites linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah in Beirut. Explosions were reported in parts of Tehran, with Iran’s Tasnim news agency saying power outages occurred in the eastern Pirouzi district following the blasts.
The Israel Defense Forces said four soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. In recent days, three peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon were also killed in separate incidents in the same area.
Iran’s military spokesperson said Tehran’s latest wave of missile and drone strikes targeted US military positions at five bases in the region and sites in Israel. Thousands of troops from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the Middle East, according to US officials, expanding Washington’s military options even as diplomatic efforts continue.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Reuters Trump wants an agreement with Iranian leaders before a revised April 6 deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, adding that talks were progressing, while public statements from Tehran differed from private communications.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said proposals received through intermediaries were “unrealistic” and maintained that Iran was focused on defending itself.
In a social media post, Trump said that if a deal is not reached soon and the strait is not reopened, the US would strike Iran’s electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island. However, a report in The Wall Street Journal said Trump had told aides he may be willing to end the military campaign even if the strait remains largely closed and address reopening it later. The White House referred to earlier remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the strait would be opened “one way or another.”
The administration has also requested an additional $200 billion in funding for the conflict, a proposal that faces opposition in the US Congress.
