AMERICA
CHINE/CANADA: “Racist” T-shirt sows discord between China and Canada
The rag has been burning in recent days between China and Canada, around a diplomatic incident caused by a “racist” T-shirt, promoted by a Canadian diplomat, which greatly offended China. The powerful Asian country, very concerned about its image, remains uncompromising towards any attempt, whether proven or not, to associate it negatively with the origins of the Coronavirus. By AgenceEcofin
It all started when Chad Hensler, in the middle of last year, ordered T-shirts with a bat image around the words “Wu-Han” (name of the city that would be the official starting point of the pandemic. of Covid-19).
The rapid association between the bat, believed to be a reservoir of the virus, and the Chinese city town, has caused a wave of outrage on Chinese social networks, from citizens and even officials.
The latter, rejecting the thesis according to which the manufacturer would have confused “Wu-Han” and “Wu-Tang” (named after the famous American Hip-Hop group, “Wu-Tang Clan”), asked the Canadian government to sanction the diplomat indexed, and demanded a public apology, as soon as possible.
Wu-tang to Wuhan
A t-shirt logo revealed
Frail diplomacy#haiku #haikuchallenge (reveal) #micropoetry #amwriting #Wuhan #WuTang https://t.co/AtV2VpAmHA pic.twitter.com/jqTSObEG8E— Shreela Roy (@sredits) February 2, 2021
The Chinese media, in particular accuse Hensler of having deliberately concealed his “bad intentions”, since the month of May when he had placed the order, and of wanting to suggest that the coronavirus came from a bat in Wuhan, in this which would be a defamation campaign led by the West against China, on the question of the origins of the virus (note that a WHO team laboriously began this early this year, an investigation into the origins of the virus in Wuhan , after Beijing’s multifaceted reservations).
For its part, Ottawa said it was a deplorable “misunderstanding”, arguing that the logo represented the Hip-Hop group well, and “[was] not intended to represent a bat” and “that they were personal gifts for a team of diplomats who went to Wuhan in the early days of the pandemic, to help with the evacuation of Canadian citizens,” as reported by local media, the Globe and Mail.
Note that this diplomatic spat comes at a time when relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent months, with a certain Canadian coldness vis-à-vis China, accused of not having been very transparent at the beginning. of the pandemic.
Tensions are also present, against the backdrop of an East-West standoff, in the field of major Chinese technology companies, notably with the arrest and detention by Canada of Meng Wanzhou, senior executive of Huawei (and daughter of the founder, Ren Zhengfei), in a case where she faces up to 30 years in prison.
Source : AgenceEcofin / By Ayi Renaud Dossavi
AMERICA
BRAZIL – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on a state visit to France on June 5 and 6, 2025
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be on a state visit to France on 5 and 6 June. He will be welcomed in Paris by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, accompanied by his wife Rosângela Lula da Silva.
This official trip comes as a follow-up to the renewed action plan between France and Brazil, sealed during Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Brazil in March 2024. Objective: to strengthen bilateral cooperation in strategic areas such as defense, economy, biodiversity, energy transition, culture and the fight against disinformation.
This high-level meeting is also part of a busy international agenda for both countries. It precedes by a few days the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which will be held in Nice from 9 to 13 June, as well as the COP30 of Belém next November. Two major events where France and Brazil plan to unite their voices to advance global environmental issues.
The visit will also be part of the 2025 Brazil-France Season, an exceptional cultural program that highlights the Brazilian artistic and intellectual scene throughout the country.
Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for the White House, reaffirmed on Monday, June 2, 2025, the willingness of US President Donald Trump to see Russia and Ukraine begin peace negotiations. During a press conference, she insisted on the importance of direct dialogue between the two parties to end a conflict that has already cost too many human lives.
Speaking to reporters, Leavitt recalled that President Trump strongly supports a return to the negotiating table, drawing in particular on previous talks held in Istanbul. “The president wants the two leaders, along with their delegations, to sit at the negotiating table. Today, we saw that this was possible thanks to his insistence,” she said, while specifying that only Trump will express himself in detail on his position.
Asked about a recent drone attack attributed to Ukraine and targeting Russian territory, Leavitt preferred to insist on the need for a de-escalation. “This war must now end. It has been merciless for both sides, and far too many lives have been lost,” she said.
These remarks, relayed by the Anadolu agency and translated from Turkish by Ayse Betul Akcesme, reflect a new direction in the communication of the White House, emphasizing the role that Washington wishes to play to encourage a diplomatic solution.
Although President Trump has not yet spoken personally about these recent developments, his spokesperson suggests that an initiative in favor of peace could take shape in the coming weeks.
Photo credit: White House
Elon Musk announced the end of his role as a special government employee in President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday, 29 May 2025, marking the conclusion of his involvement with the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk, who had been appointed to lead efforts to reduce federal bureaucracy and public spending, expressed his gratitude to President Trump for this opportunity to serve.
In a post on his social media platform X, Musk wrote, “Grateful to President Trump for the opportunity to serve. It was a difficult but rewarding experience.”
Shortly after his message, a White House official confirmed his departure and indicated that his resignation process “will begin this evening.”
Musk’s departure comes after his public criticism of President Trump’s “great and beautiful bill”, a legislative package that includes tax cuts and immigration control measures but significantly increases the federal deficit.
Musk described the bill as counterproductive to the DOGE’s mission and expressed disappointment.
During his tenure, Musk has implemented drastic cost-cutting measures through the DOGE, including mass layoffs and termination of federal contracts. These actions have led to strong criticism, protests – including against Tesla – and dozens of lawsuits, as well as concerns about attempts to access private government data.
A federal judge recently allowed a complaint filed by 14 American states against Musk and the DOGE to proceed.
This complaint accuses Musk and the DOGE of unconstitutional actions, including unauthorized access to government data systems, cancellation of federal contracts and dismissal of federal employees.
Musk plans to refocus on his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, and reduce his political contributions. Despite initial optimism, Musk admitted his frustration with bureaucratic resistance in Washington.
The White House plans to implement some of the reductions recommended by the DOGE through budget cancellations. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this bill will increase deficits by $3.8 trillion over a decade, while regulators remain skeptical of claims that it will be deficit-neutral.
Sources: AP
Photo credit: Elon Musk page
