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      Asia Stocks Rise on Hope for Lower Tariffs After U.S.-China Talks

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      Investors were optimistic after American officials touted progress in trade negotiations over the weekend, though details had yet to be released.Stocks in Asia gained on Monday after weekend talks signaled that progress had been made in easing trade tensions between the United States and China.Benchmark indexes in Japan and South Korea edged higher in early trading on Monday morning. Stocks in Hong Kong and Shenzhen in China climbed about 1 percent, while futures pointed to similar gains for the S&P 500 when trading begins in New York.Meetings in Geneva between U.S. and Chinese officials concluded on Sunday with Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury secretary, saying that “substantial progress” had been made. China’s vice premier, He Lifeng, called the talks “candid, in-depth and constructive.” Details are expected to be released on Monday, both sides said.The meetings were the first between Washington and Beijing since President Trump ratcheted up tariffs on Chinese imports to 145 percent and China retaliated with its own taxes of 125 percent on U.S. goods. The tariffs are so high as to effectively block much of the trade between the two countries.The escalating trade war has left financial markets uneasy, and the meeting raised investors’ hopes that tariffs could eventually be lowered.Analysts at the financial services firm Wedbush Securities said the talks were a “positive step in the right direction.” They anticipated that an initial agreement, once unveiled during the U.S. day on Monday, would “at a minimum” involve a “much lower level” for tariffs.Economists have warned that the tit-for-tat trade barriers have significantly increased the possibility of an economic downturn. That includes in Asia, where some of the biggest economies, including Japan and South Korea, are heavily reliant on both China and the United States as trade partners.The World Trade Organization has forecast that the continuing division of the global economy into “rival blocs” could cut global gross domestic product by nearly 7 percent over the long run. Earlier this month, Japanese officials slashed their growth forecast for this year by more than half.Last week, China reported that its exports to the United States in April dropped 21 percent from a year earlier. Recession warnings are beginning to emerge in the United States.Heading into the weekend, investors had relatively low expectations for a breakthrough at the talks that would result in a meaningful reduction in tariffs. Many analysts expected the discussions to revolve around determining what each side wanted and how negotiations could move forward.Recently, Mr. Trump has opened the door to lower tariffs. Last week, he suggested that tariffs could come down to 80 percent. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox News that so-called reciprocal tariffs on trade with China may settle near 34 percent. More

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      How Front Pages Around the World Covered the Selection of Pope Leo XIV

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      In a digital age, the front pages of print newspapers can still capture a historic moment as they did on Friday with word-playing headlines, splashy photos and a dose of solemnity.Newspapers around the world on Friday covered the election of a new pope, Robert Francis Prevost, who took the name Leo XIV, with big photos, plays on words and nods to his nationalities.Pope Leo XIV, who was born in Chicago, made history as the first North American pope, and plenty of tabloids and broadsheets played up his background as an American.Many newspapers used the Latin phrase “Habemus papam,” which means “We have a pope.” For English newspapers, it was a rare appearance of a foreign phrase in a headline.Chicago TribuneDaily RecordCardinal Dominique Mamberti of France used that phrase, prompting cheers, after he emerged on the papal balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to introduce the new pope.Overwhelmingly, newspapers ran with images of Leo XIV as he greeted the world as pope for the first time, waving to crowds from the papal balcony.L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, which is in Italian, had a full-page spread with a Latin headline that translated to: “We have a Pope. Robert Francis Prevost who gave himself the name Leo XIV.”Many foreign outlets highlighted Pope Leo XIV’s American roots.The Irish Daily Mirror led with “Let U.S. Pray” and Le Temps, a Swiss French-language newspaper, went with “HabemUS Papam.”The Sun, a British tabloid, declared “God Bless American.”Irish Daily MirrorThe SunNewspapers in Chicago highlighted the pope, who grew up in Dolton, Ill., a Chicago suburb, as a hometown hero.The Chicago Tribune claimed Pope Leo XIV for the city, writing “Chicago’s pope.”The front page of The Chicago Sun-Times read “DA POPE!” in a cheeky allusion to the Chicago Bears, the football team nicknamed by fans as “Da Bears.”The front page of The Chicago Sun-Times on Friday.Nam Y. Huh/Associated PressThe Philadelphia Inquirer, which carried the headline “An American Pope,” was quick to note in a subhead that Pope Leo XIV is an alumnus of Villanova University, the Catholic school based in a Philadelphia suburb.While Corriere della Sera of Milan said “Il Papa americano,” Peru’s Correo proclaimed “UN PAPA PERUANO.”Though Pope Leo XIV is not of Peruvian birth, some in the country have claimed him as one of their own. He lived in Peru as a missionary for many years, before serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo, a city in northern Peru, from 2015 to 2023.The Record, El Mercurio, Blick, World JournalA display of front pages from Peruvian newspapers celebrating the new pope at a newsstand in Chiclayo, Peru.Marco Garro for The New York TimesEl Mercurio, a Chilean newspaper, compromised in its headline, calling Pope Leo XIV both Peruvian and American. (He is a dual citizen.)Some newspapers decided to lead with the pope’s papal name instead of his background or nationality.Plenty of outlets, from Diário de Notícias in Portugal and Libération in France, had headlines that said “Leo.” These outlets chose to publish a more pious posture, picturing Pope Leo XIV with his hands clasped in prayer.Others quoted Pope Leo XIV’s first message as the leader of the Catholic Church: “‘Peace be with you,’” read The San Francisco Chronicle headline.Diário de Notícias LibérationNewspapers featuring the new pope on the front page at a vendor in downtown Nairobi, Kenya.Simon Maina/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images More

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      World Catholics See the First American Pope as Hardly American

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      Catholics around the world were skeptical at first about an American pope. But Pope Leo XIV’s multicultural and multilingual identity has put them at ease.The surprising election of the first American pope felt fraught and disorienting to Roman Catholics around the world, who had considered such an outcome unlikely and perhaps unwelcome — until Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and chose to speak a few sentences in Spanish.In an instant, the new pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, signaled that his identity would defy easy categorization. He chose in that pivotal moment on Thursday evening not to say anything in English or mention the United States. He seemed intent on conveying the message that he was not a typical American.It worked. Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago, has Creole heritage, lived in Peru for decades and speaks at least three languages, established himself as a citizen of the world. Catholics around the globe raced to claim pieces of his multicultural and multilingual background as their own.”He considers himself American, but he also considers himself Peruvian,” said Julia Caillet, a 33-year-old osteopath, who was in line outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris for a special service for young Catholics celebrating the new pope on Friday evening. “He is a priest of the world.”At a time when President Trump has isolated the United States from its diplomatic allies and trade partners and upended much of the world order, some Catholics worried that an American pontiff might somehow bring the Roman Catholic Church closer to the tumultuous American government.Instead, Pope Leo appears to have reassured them, at least for now, that he would preserve the church as a global moral voice calling for peace and justice, especially for migrants, the poor and victims of war, in the mold of Pope Francis.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Denmark Outraged by Report of Increased Spying in Greenland

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      Officials summoned the American ambassador to express its displeasure after the Trump Administration was said be ratcheting up surveillance.The Danish government has summoned the American ambassador and threatened to shut down a U.S. consulate in Greenland after a report that the Trump administration was escalating its spying on the island.“It’s deeply concerning if the U.S. is indeed trying to gather intelligence in Denmark and Greenland, especially if the aim is to drive wedges between us,” Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the Danish foreign minister, told reporters on Wednesday after the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration had ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to step up their surveillance. “We don’t spy on friends.”Greenland is an overseas territory of Denmark and President Trump has talked about acquiring the Arctic island since his first term in office. In a recent interview with NBC News, Mr. Trump reiterated that the United States “needs” Greenland for national security purposes — and refused to rule out the use of military force to obtain it.“I’m not saying I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything,” he said. He promised that Greenland’s 56,000 residents would be “taken care of and cherished.”Greenlanders, however, are not buying it. A recent opinion poll showed that the vast majority did not want to join the United States. A visit in March by Vice President JD Vance and his wife seemed to backfire and turned even more Greenlanders off.Protesters outside of the U.S. embassy in Copenhagen in March. President Trump has spoke of wanting to acquire Greenland since his first term in office. Nils Meilvang/Ritzau Scanpix Foto, via Associated PressWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Appraisal Trade Group Accused of Covering Up Sexual Harassment and Test Flaws

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      The Appraisal Institute faces concerns that one of its leaders has a history of harassing women and that it did not disclose that some certification exams were incorrectly scored. The organization that influences how much houses and commercial buildings are worth in the United States privately paid one woman $412,000 to settle a sexual harassment claim and fielded similar complaints from at least seven other women that have swirled within the group over the last decade, The New York Times has found.All the harassment accusations inside the Appraisal Institute are against one man — Craig Steinley, 64, a former president and the current vice president of the trade group, who denied the allegations.The Appraisal Institute, which produces the certification materials and fills the state boards that regulate the estimated 70,000 real estate appraisers working in all 50 states, did not respond directly to questions about the allegations. A spokesman said the group has policies that prohibit harassment, retaliation and discrimination. But The Times interviewed 12 women who said they have had uncomfortable interactions with Mr. Steinley, a South Dakota-based appraiser described by his colleagues as charismatic with a flirtatious manner. The women, several of whom asked for anonymity for fear of retaliation, said Mr. Steinley’s behavior often turned physical — an unwanted touch on the leg, a hug that lasted too long. Three women said Mr. Steinley groped their buttocks, according to interviews and a review of a letter sent from one woman’s lawyers to the Appraisal Institute.All the accusations inside the Appraisal Institute are against one man — Craig Steinley, 64, a former president and the current vice president of the trade group. He denies the allegations.via Craig SteinleyOne of the accusations was made public on Thursday, when Cindy Chance, the group’s former chief executive, sued the Chicago-based group for wrongful termination in Illinois state court. Ms. Chance, 59, who was fired last year, said Mr. Steinley groped her buttocks without her consent, made lewd comments about her body and referred to her as his “girlfriend,” according to her lawsuit. We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      These 10 U.S. Cardinals Have a Vote in Selecting the Next Pope

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      Six are joining in their first papal conclave, and four others participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.The College of Cardinals includes 17 members from the United States. But only 10 of those are cardinal electors, meaning that they are allowed to participate in the conclave and vote for the next pope. The other seven are older than 80, the cutoff to be an elector.Six of the 10 cardinals were elevated to the position by Pope Francis and are largely known as vocal supporters of his priorities, particularly on immigration, the environment and poverty. This will be their first conclave:Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, 76. Born in Nebraska, he was a bishop in South Dakota and an archbishop in Spokane, Wash. His appointment to Chicago in 2014 was one of Pope Francis’ early moves to reshape U.S. church leadership, particularly to show support for immigrants. Cardinal Cupich’s archdiocese covers about two million Catholics in Cook and Lake Counties.Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington, 71. The former bishop of San Diego is known for regularly speaking out on behalf of migrants, women and L.G.B.T.Q. people in the church and the United States. He has said that the Trump administration’s plans for a “wider, indiscriminate, massive deportation across the country” would be “incompatible with Catholic doctrine.”Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, 73. Before coming to Newark, he led the archdiocese of Indianapolis (where he bench-pressed 225 pounds at the gym). As a young priest, he ministered to people with AIDS in Chicago. He has said that he does not see “a compelling theological reason why the pope couldn’t name a woman cardinal.”Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, archbishop emeritus of Washington, 77. The first African-American cardinal, he was president of the United States Catholic bishops’ conference in 2002 and pushed to pass the Dallas Charter, which instituted a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse of minors. Later the archbishop of Atlanta, he supported L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics and commissioned an action plan after Francis’ encyclical on the environment.Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, 77. The Irish-American was formerly bishop of Dallas. Pope Francis made him the camerlengo, or chamberlain, the Vatican’s acting administrator when a pope dies or resigns. He was responsible for verifying Pope Francis’ death.Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, 69. A Chicago-born priest, he advised the pope on bishop appointments around the world. He is also a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, a religious order of men and women who follow the teachings of the fourth-century saint. Cardinal Prevost is also seen by some as a contender for pope, though a long shot. (There has never been an American pontiff.)We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      As Backlash to Trump’s Tariffs Grows, Europe Boycotts American Brands

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      A shifting perception of the United States amid President Trump’s trade war is prompting Europeans to pivot decisively away from U.S. goods and services.For motorcycle lovers in Sweden, Harley-Davidson is the hottest brand on the road. Jack Daniels whiskey beckons from the bar at British pubs. In France, Levis jeans are all about chic.But in the tumult of President Trump’s trade war with Europe, many European consumers are starting to avoid U.S. products and services in what appears to be a decisive and potentially long-term shift away from buying American, according to a new assessment by the European Central Bank.In April, Mr. Trump imposed a 10 percent blanket tariff on America’s trading partners, and threatened “reciprocal tariffs” on many of those, including the European Union. Companies like Tesla and McDonald’s are seeing customers in Europe put off by “Made in America.”“The newly imposed U.S. trade tariffs on European products are causing European consumers to think twice about what’s in their shopping cart,” the E.C.B. wrote in a blog post about its research on consumer behavior. “Consumers are very willing to actively move away from U.S. products and services.”Europeans had already begun testing grass-roots boycotts on American products, including Heinz ketchup and Lay’s potato chips, shortly after Mr. Trump took office. His threats to take over Greenland, part of Denmark, energized Danes to organize no-buy campaigns on Facebook. Tesla owners in Sweden slapped “shame” bumper stickers on their cars to distance themselves from Elon Musk, the Tesla chief executive who is one of Mr. Trump’s top advisers.Motorcycles in a Harley-Davidson dealership in Paris. The E.C.B. study said that even households that could bear the brunt of higher prices were moving away from U.S. goods.Gonzalo Fuentes/ReutersWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Oil Prices Slide Further on Plans to Increase Supply

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      U.S. oil prices fell to around $56 a barrel after the OPEC Plus cartel said it would bring more oil to market.Oil prices resumed their downward slide after the OPEC Plus cartel of oil producers said over the weekend that it would pump more oil, despite concerns that President Trump’s trade war will curb demand.The U.S. benchmark oil price fell to around $56 a barrel, from $58 on Friday. For many companies, the steady decline means it will not be profitable to drill wells in the United States despite Mr. Trump’s calls for increased production.Prices were last around this level in early April, just before Mr. Trump said he would pause reciprocal tariffs on most countries for 90 days. That announcement led to rallies in both the stock market and the oil market, though oil prices have since waned.That is partly because OPEC Plus is raising output at the same time that economists are warning that higher tariffs on most American trading partners will slow global economic growth and potentially cause a recession in the United States.The eight countries that make up the OPEC Plus cartel said on Saturday that they would further ramp up production in June.Lower commodity prices are causing some companies to pull back. There are about 9 percent fewer rigs drilling wells in the Permian Basin, the top U.S. oil field, than there were this time last year, when oil was trading near $80 a barrel, according to Baker Hughes.On Friday, Exxon Mobil and Chevron, the two largest U.S. oil and gas companies, reported their lowest first-quarter earnings in years. Those financial results reflect the market before Mr. Trump further escalated tariffs on China in early April.“It is clear that this uncertainty is weighing on economic forecasts, causing significant volatility and raising the prospects of slower growth,” Darren Woods, Exxon’s chief executive, told analysts. More