 "FirstUp: EU to hold special meeting over US-EU trade deal & other news today")
It’s set to be a big day when it comes to the world of news. The US Supreme Court’s dramatic decision on Friday to rule most of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs illegal has left the country’s trade partners trying to figure out what the verdict means for them.
In other news, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has rejected Paramount Skydance’s revised $30-per-share offer but invited the company to submit a “best and final” bid. The deadline for the Paramount is today.
Read this and more of the big news from across the world today.
Special meeting on the EU-US trade agreement
European Union lawmakers will hold an emergency meeting today (February 23) to reassess the bloc’s trade deal with the US following the supreme court’s decision to strike down some of President Donald Trump’s global tariffs.
The European Parliament’s trade committee had been expected to vote Tuesday to move forward with the ratification process of the US-EU agreement. EU lawmakers previously froze the ratification process after Trump threatened to annex Greenland.
“The decision by the Supreme Court was expected,” Bernd Lange, chairman the trade committee said in a statement to Bloomberg. “The legal basis for the unjustified tariffs was not correct.”
Lange wrote on social media that “we must now carefully evaluate” the ruling and “assess possible implications on the ongoing work” to ratify the agreement.
Deadline day for Paramount
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) rejected Paramount Skydance’s revised $30-per-share offer but invited the company to submit a “best and final” bid, even as it reaffirmed its commitment to a previously agreed merger with Netflix. The deadline for Paramount to improve its offer on Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) ends today (February 23).
In a letter to Paramount’s board, WBD Chairman Samuel DiPiazza Jr and CEO David Zaslav said the current proposal was not “reasonably likely” to be superior to the Netflix transaction. The development sets up a decisive week in a high-stakes battle for control of Warner Bros’ film studios, television assets, and extensive content library.
Ex-Philippine leader Duterte to face ICC
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have ruled that former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is fit to take part in pre-trial proceedings over alleged crimes against humanity.
The ICC is also set to hold a hearing today (February 23) to determine whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity for his alleged role in multiple killings linked to his “war on drugs” during his time in office.
Having regard to the relevant legal principles, the medical assessment of the independent experts … and all of the relevant circumstances of the case, the Chamber was satisfied that Mr Duterte is able effectively to exercise his procedural rights,” the court said in a statement, according to Al Jazeera.
Dutch PM-elect Rob Jetten’s government to be sworn in
After agreeing to principle to form a minority coalition government, Rob Jetten and his government will be sworn in today in the Netherlands.
The centrist D66 party, which took first place in last October’s election, the center-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) will join forces in a coalition that will only hold 66 seats in the Netherlands’ lower house of parliament, 10 seats short of a majority. Minority governments are rare in the Netherlands.
With this, D66’s leader, 38-year-old Rob Jetten, will be the youngest Dutch prime minister in history.
US-Mauritius to hold bilateral security talks
From today, (February 23) to February 25, the United States and Mauritius are holding discussions in Port Louis, led by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, with participation from various US government agencies, the US State Department statement said.
The talks will focus on strengthening bilateral security cooperation and ensuring the effective implementation of security arrangements for the base to support its long-term and secure operation, the statement added.
“These discussions underscore the continued importance of the Chagos archipelago and the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia to our national security.”
With inputs from agencies
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