Trump’s Scottish Golf Resorts Lose Millions

U.S. President Donald Trump’s golf courses in Scotland lost more than $6 million in 2017. A report released Monday said the Trump International Golf Links near Aberdeen lost $1.7 million, slightly lower than the $1.8 million lost in 2016. His flagship Trump Turnberry resort along the Irish Sea posted a loss of nearly $4.5 million last year, substantially less than the $23.3 million loss posted in 2016. The resort has lost more than $43 million since Trump bought it in 2014. Trump’s son Eric said in a letter that the 2017 losses at Aberdeen could be attributed to a “crash in the oil price and economic downturn experienced in the northeast of Scotland.” He pointed to Turnberry as a success story following a major redevelopment there after the 2016 losses. He praised the 2017 number as “one of the most robust financial results in years.” Trump visited the Turnberry resort in July, costing the U.S. government some $68,800, The Scotsman newspaper reported at the time. It said the State Department paid the resort for the rooms used by Trump and his staff, who stayed there from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. The Trump organization at the time did not dispute the charges but clarified that the U.S. government was charged at cost and that the resort did not profit from the visit. …

Pakistan’s New Government to Open Talks with IMF for Financial Assistance

Pakistan’s new government will open talks with the International Monetary Fund for emergency financial assistance to ease a mounting balance of payments crisis, the finance ministry said Monday. New Prime Minister Imran Khan spent nearly two months since taking office looking for alternatives to a second IMF bailout in five years, which would likely impose tough conditions on government policy that would limit his vision of an Islamic welfare state. But on Monday, he decided his finance minister should meet with officials at this week’s annual conference of the IMF and the World Bank in Bali, Indonesia, to discuss a potential package, the finance ministry said in a statement. “Today, it was decided that we should start talks with IMF,” Finance Minister Asad Umar told GEO TV in an interview Monday night. The finance ministry did not specify how much in emergency financing the government would seek, but Umar earlier said the government would need at least $8 billion to cover its external debt payments through the end of the year. Pakistan’s foreign currency reserves dropped in late September to $8.4 billion, barely enough for those debt payments. The new government blames the previous administration for the country’s economic woes. ‘About time’ Khan’s decision came after the Pakistani stock markets tumbled by 3.4 percent Monday after Khan said the day before that he was still exploring options outside the IMF. Khan’s government had been seeking economic lifelines from its allies, including new bridge loans from China and a deferred payments …

China Welcomes Saudi Plans to Invest in CPEC Project With Pakistan

China has praised investments Saudi Arabia intends to contribute to Chinese-funded massive infrastructure projects under construction in Pakistan, dispelling skepticism Islamabad was risking Beijing’s outrage by inviting a third party to a strictly bilateral deal. The ongoing massive project, known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is the flagship enterprise of President Xi Jinping’s global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). “Not at all,” said Lijian Zhao, the deputy chief of the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, when asked by VOA whether his country was upset with possible Saudi financing in CPEC projects. In a detailed interview, the senior Chinese diplomat asserted that Beijing itself has been encouraging Islamabad to engage in investments in CPEC from other countries. CPEC is estimated to bring $62 billion in Chinese investments to Pakistan over the next 15 years for building transportation networks, special economic zones and power plants to help Islamabad improve its manufacturing capacity and overcome energy shortages. China has already invested more than $19 billion in 22 “early harvest” projects in Pakistan since the two countries launched the massive infrastructure development project four years ago. The Chinese investment has helped Pakistan upgrade and construct new highways and power plants that have effectively addressed electricity shortages in Pakistan. It has also created more than 70,000 jobs for locals. “If any other party would like to contribute positive factors to promote the interconnectivity and prosperity of the region on the basis of consultation, I think this is a positive factor,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu …

Ankara Eyes Syria Reconstruction to Boost Crisis-Hit Economy

Turkey’s hosting of a four-nation Syrian summit later this month is a diplomatic win for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. With Syria’s reconstruction, a key item of the planned meeting of French, Russia and German leaders, Erdogan will be looking to strengthen Turkey’s hand in the predicted building bonanza. “It is very important (the summit).  After every war, reconstruction is always important, and Turkey will probably be one of the key players in this role,” said international relations professor Huseyin Bagci of Ankara’s Middle East Technical University. “This will be economically advantageous for Turkey.” The timing could not be better for Turkey, with the economy facing a looming recession after this year’s collapse of the currency.  The Turkish construction industry is particularly stricken by the country’s economic woes, with many companies reportedly in financial difficulties. The building sector is one of Turkey’s biggest employers. “Turkey is facing a stagflation situation,” said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen. “The opening of Syria just next door to Antep Hatay and Kilis (Turkish provinces) as a new market is important for Turkey.” “When we enter the reconstruction phase, it will be another win for Turkey,” he added, “And Turkey might turn a blind eye to (Syrian President Bashar) Assad staying in power.” ​Repairing relations Ankara cut diplomatic relations with Damascus at the start of the Syrian civil war and remains committed to Assad’s removal from power.  However, with the Turkish construction industry in trouble, analysts suggest Erdogan has a vested interest in repairing relations …

Scientists Warn Catastrophic Global Warming Looming

A new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns the world is heating up faster than predicted.  If the pace of global warming is not scaled back drastically, the panel says climate-related risks to human well-being, ecosystems and sustainable development will escalate to dangerous, unreversable levels. Scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report global warming since pre-industrial times already has exceeded one degree Celsius.  At the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions, it says the the level of warming will reach 1.5 degrees during the next few decades. The report says the world needs to reach zero net emissions of carbon dioxide by 2050 to prevent a further rise in temperature.     It warns a further increase to two degrees Celsius would greatly escalate the number of natural disasters, accelerate the melting of the Arctic sea ice, cause islands to disappear under rising seas, and make it impossible to produce enough food to feed the world’s growing population. World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas says there is still time for people to change their behavior to keep carbon emissions from rising.  He says preventing the global temperature from going up by one half degree would make a huge difference in the well-being of the planet. “One of the major issues is that there would be 420 million people less suffering because of climate change if we would be able to limit the warming to 1.5-degree level,” said Taalas. “And, we have certain areas in the world, …

AA Aims to Avoid Putting Delayed Travelers on Other Airlines

American Airlines is telling employees to think twice before rebooking stranded customers on rival airlines, and regular economy-class passengers are the most likely to suffer when there are long delays or canceled flights. A new policy at American directs airport agents not to rebook economy passengers on competing airlines — with no stated limit on how long they must wait for a seat on another American flight. A manager can make exceptions in a few cases, such as people flying to a wedding or funeral and those who would be stranded overnight with no hotel room. Agents can still put economy passengers on American’s international partner airlines, but that won’t help customers flying within the U.S. By contrast, American told agents in late September to help the airline’s best customers get to their destinations quickly, even if it means putting them on Delta or United. Elite-level members of American’s frequent-flyer program and people who bought a first-class or business-class ticket can be booked on another airline if they face a delay of at least five hours — and even sooner for the highest level of elite customers. The policy highlights the growing divide between airlines’ best customers and everyone else. It also shows how, for many travelers, flying on the biggest airlines is becoming more like taking a discount airline, with cramped planes, fewer perks and more extra fees. Many of the largest and oldest airlines have agreements to put passengers on one another’s flights when there are long delays …

Мінфін створить підгрупу з оподаткування криптовалюти

Міністерство фінансів планує створити робочу підгрупу з оподаткування операцій з криптовалютами – про це йдеться в повідомленні відомства. Згідно з повідомленням, створення підгрупи матиме на меті оцінити можливість підготовки податкових консультацій на основі чинного законодавства. В альтернативному варіанті підгрупа має визначити концепцію відповідних змін до законодавства. Крім того, Мінфін планує створити підгрупу, яка розробить пропозиції щодо опрацювання збору податку на додану вартість операцій із постачання програмної продукції. Створення органів почнеться 16 жовтня 2018 року, заявки від профільних фахівців на участь у групах Мінфін приймає до 12 жовтня. Читайте також: «Криптовалюта у деклараціях: чому НАЗК не слідкує за депутатськими біткойнами​» Очікується, що узагальнені позиції груп будуть представлені на розгляд Експертної ради з підготовки узагальнюючих податкових консультацій в останньому кварталі 2018 року. …

UN Report on Global Warming Carries Life-or-Death Warning

Preventing an extra single degree of heat could make a life-or-death difference in the next few decades for multitudes of people and ecosystems on this fast-warming planet, an international panel of scientists reported Sunday. But they provide little hope the world will rise to the challenge. The Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its gloomy report at a meeting in Incheon, South Korea. In the 728-page document, the U.N. organization detailed how Earth’s weather, health and ecosystems would be in better shape if the world’s leaders could somehow limit future human-caused warming to just 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit (a half degree Celsius) from now, instead of the globally agreed-upon goal of 1.8 degrees F (1 degree C). Among other things: * Half as many people would suffer from lack of water. * There would be fewer deaths and illnesses from heat, smog and infectious diseases. * Seas would rise nearly 4 inches (0.1 meters) less. * Half as many animals with back bones and plants would lose the majority of their habitats. * There would be substantially fewer heat waves, downpours and droughts. * The West Antarctic ice sheet might not kick into irreversible melting. * And it just may be enough to save most of the world’s coral reefs from dying. “For some people this is a life-or-death situation without a doubt,” said Cornell University climate scientist Natalie Mahowald, a lead author on the report Limiting warming to 0.9 degrees from now means the world can keep “a …

Health Organization Seeks Regulation of Heated Tobacco Products

Delegates from 148 parties to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control are calling for new heated tobacco products on the market to be regulated in the same way cigarettes and other tobacco products are. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are not e-cigarettes. They are products that contain nicotine and other chemicals, which are inhaled by users, through the mouth. The tobacco industry markets these devices as being less harmful than regular cigarettes. But the head of the convention secretariat, Vera da Costa e Silva, said there was no evidence that HTPs are less harmful than conventional tobacco products. She said they are tobacco products in the same way as cigarettes and should be subject to the same regulations imposed on standard tobacco products under the treaty. “Governments should implement … a ban on advertisement, promotion and sponsorship” of heated tobacco products, da Costa said. “Parties to the treaty are legally bound to the provisions of the treaty and they should regulate heated tobacco accordingly.” Da Costa told VOA the tobacco industry is marketing heated tobacco products as a harm-reduction strategy. She said many are sold with flavors, which appeal to young people. For now, she said, the products are mainly being marketed in developed countries. “But they are already being marketed very aggressively with high lobbying, and there are many, many concerns,” she said. “Lots of concerns raised by African countries, Latin American countries, Asian countries that do not feel they are prepared for this epidemic of heated tobacco …

Понад 30% працівників в Україні отримує зарплату в конвертах – ЗМІ

Вісім мільйонів українців, що працюють, отримують зарплату в конвертах, повідомляє «Дзеркало тижня» з посиланням на виконувача обов’язків заступника голови Державної фіскальної служби Євген Бамбізов. «За даними Держстату, 8 мільйонів з 26 мільйонів працюючих українців отримують зарплату в конвертах – повністю або частково. Тобто масштаби вельми істотні», – заявив він. За словами Бамбізова, тінізація оплати праці призводить до недоотримання величезних сум податків місцевими бюджетами, через це штрафна санкція за одного неоформленого працівника становить 112 тисяч гривень. Читайте також: Хвороби української економіки: що не вдалось у 2017 році? З 2017 року в Україні вдвічі зросла мінімальна зарплата. Тепер де-юре роботодавці не можуть платити своїм працівникам менш ніж 3200 гривень. Таким чином в уряді сподівались вивести зайнятість українців із «тіні». …

NYC Adding Nonbinary ‘X’ Designation to Birth Certificates

In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign legislation soon that will add a third gender category to birth certificates. The city council passed legislation on the issue in September, and the mayor announced his intention to sign it after a public hearing. Faiza Elmasry reports on that, with an interview by Genia Dulot, the first American to have her birth certificate list a third gender. Faith Lapidus narrates. …

New Drugs Join Fight Against Ebola

Four more cases of Ebola have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the past two days. And the World Health Organization says officials are now concerned the virus will spread beyond the DRC. The total number of cases is now 165, with 106 deaths. But some new drugs are being deployed to fight the deadly virus. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. …

Final Tweaks in North American Trade Deal Keep Lid on E-commerce

Last-minute changes to a new North American trade deal sank U.S. hopes of making Canada and Mexico allow higher-value shipments to the countries by online retailers, such as Amazon.com, a top Mexican official said on Friday. The revised pact was set to double the value of goods that could be imported without customs duties or taxes from the United States through shipping companies to Mexico. But Canada’s adoption of a more restrictive threshold during its efforts last month to salvage a trilateral deal prompted Mexican negotiators to follow Canada’s lead, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said on Friday. The final version of the trade agreement will insulate retailers in both countries from facing greater competition from e-commerce companies like Amazon.com Inc and eBay Inc. “It was the solution liked much more by Mexican businesses,” Guajardo told local television. The change was came so last-minute that it was not written into the agreement published last weekend. The new deal, called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), was meant by U.S. President Donald Trump to create more jobs in the United States. Trump had been highly critical of the prior NAFTA agreement since before he ran for president. U.S. negotiators originally pushed Mexico and Canada to raise import limits to the U.S. level of $800 from current thresholds of $50 and C$20, respectively. Traditional retailers in Mexico opposed such a big hike, fearing online companies would sell cheap imports from Asia through the United States. Even so, Mexico initially agreed in August to raise …

New Study Links Warmer Water, More Hurricanes

A new study is blaming 2017’s unusually high number of hurricanes on the Atlantic Ocean’s rising surface temperatures. The report is one of the first to suggest that human-driven global warming is actually causing more hurricanes. The study published in last week’s journal Science also predicts that as warming increases over the next 50 to 100 years, about two more hurricanes on average will form annually than we get now. In addition, those hurricanes will be stronger and wetter. ‘The new normal’ It’s a common refrain in these days to refer to outrageous weather events as “the new normal,” but those claims have been hard to quantify. Scientists do know the Earth is getting warmer, and evidence shows humans are contributing to the problem. But scientists have warned against attributing individual weather events to changes in climate, explaining that weather and climate are two different things. But by any standard, 2017 was a tough year for people living on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Hurricane Harvey turned parts of coastal Texas and the city of Houston into a watery mess. And Hurricane Maria battered Puerto Rico so badly, the island only completed its power restoration projects in August of this year. Using a new climate model, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began studying a particular swath of warming tropical Atlantic water near the equator. Speaking to VOA, author Hiro Murakami says water was especially warm last year and their model predicted about two …

US Job Growth Cools; Unemployment Rate Falls to 3.7 Percent

U.S. job growth slowed sharply in September likely as Hurricane Florence depressed restaurant and retail payrolls, but the unemployment rate fell to near a 49-year low of 3.7 percent, pointing to a further tightening in labor market conditions. The Labor Department’s closely watched monthly employment report on Friday also showed a steady rise in wages, suggesting moderate inflation pressures, which could ease concerns about the economy overheating and keep the Federal Reserve on a path of gradual interest rate increases. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 134,000 jobs last month, the fewest in a year, as the retail and leisure and hospitality sectors shed employment. Data for July and August were revised to show 87,000 more jobs added than previously reported. The economy needs to create roughly 120,000 jobs per month to keep up with growth in the working-age population. “The weaker gain in payrolls in September may partly reflect some hit from Hurricane Florence,” said Michael Pearce, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics in New York. “There is little in this report to stop the Fed continuing to raise interest rates gradually.” Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls increasing by 185,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate falling one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.8 percent. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said on Tuesday that the economy’s outlook was “remarkably positive” and he believed it was on the cusp of a “historically rare” era of ultra-low unemployment and tame inflation. The U.S. central bank raised rates last week for the …

Light Exercise Might Lessen Stroke Severity, Study Indicates

People who regularly engage in light to moderate physical activity — like walking four hours a week or swimming two hours weekly — might have less severe strokes than individuals who aren’t as active, a Swedish study suggests. Researchers examined data on 925 patients who were treated for strokes at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, between 2014 and 2016. Overall, four in five of these patients had mild strokes. Slightly more than half of the patients were inactive before their strokes. Compared with this inactive group, people who got at least some exercise before their strokes were twice as likely to have mild strokes, researchers reported in Neurology. “We knew from earlier research that physical activity could reduce stroke incidence,” lead study author Malin Reinholdsson of the University of Gothenburg said by email. “However, whether or not pre-stroke physical activity could also influence stroke severity was not clear.” Patients in the study were 73 years old on average and most of them had what’s known as an ischemic stroke, the most common kind, which occurs when a clot blocks an artery carrying blood to the brain. About 6 percent of patients had hemorrhagic strokes, a less common type that is caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. Surveyed about exercise To assess pre-stroke activity levels, researchers surveyed participants about the duration and intensity of any exercise they got before they were hospitalized. Researchers defined “light” activity as walking at a leisurely pace for at least four hours a week, and classified exercise as “moderate” intensity when people did things like swimming, running or walking briskly for two to three …

Котирування нафти сягнули чотирирічних максимумів

Ціни на нафту еталонного сорту Brent на американській торговельній сесії ввечері 3 жовтня сягнули максимуму на рівні 86,73 долара за барель. Настільки високого котирування не було з 30 жовтня 2014 року. Станом на 6:30 за Києвом 4 жовтня ціни є дещо нижчими – 86 доларів 13 центів за барель. Агентство Reuters із посиланням на чотири джерела повідомило, що Росія і Саудівська Аравія ще у вересні уклали угоду з метою збільшення обсягів видобутку нафти й призупинення зростання цін. Однак це не змогло стабілізувати ринок. Також читайте: Нафта може подорожчати до 100 доларів за барель Brent – аналітики Минулого тижня міністр енергетики США Рік Перрі заявив, що його країна не розглядає постачання нафти зі стратегічних резервів, щоб запобігти зростанню цін у листопаді, коли наберуть чинності санкції проти нафтового сектору Ірану. Аналітики припускали, що адміністрація президента Дональда Трампа могла б використати резерви, щоб приборкати зростання цін на сировину перед призначеними на 6 листопада виборами до Конгресу, під час яких владна партія намагатиметься утримати контроль над обома палатами американського парламенту. …

Putin Hopes Europe Will Resist US Pressure on Germany Pipeline

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday strongly defended a prospective Russia-Germany natural gas pipeline as economically feasible and voiced hope that European Union nations will be able to resist U.S. pressure to thwart the project. U.S. officials have warned that Washington could impose sanctions on the undersea Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The U.S. and some EU nations oppose it, warning it would increase Europe’s energy dependence on Russia. The U.S. is also interested in selling more of its liquefied natural gas in Europe. Speaking Wednesday after talks with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in St. Petersburg, Putin noted that Bulgaria caved in to pressure and dumped the Russian South Stream pipeline. He added that he hopes that “Europe as a whole won’t look like Bulgaria and won’t demonstrate its weakness and inability to protect its interests.” “Russia always has been and will remain the most reliable supplier,” Putin said, adding that the Russian gas supplied via pipelines is significantly cheaper than U.S. liquefied gas. “Supplies come directly from Yamal in Siberia. There are no transit risks.” It would be “silly and wasteful” if Europe opts for a more expensive option, hurting its consumers and its global competitiveness, Putin charged. Ukraine, which has served as the main transit route for Russian gas supplies to Europe, has strongly opposed the Russian pipeline, fearing that it would leave its pipeline empty. The two ex-Soviet neighbors have been locked in a bitter tug-of-war after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. Kurz spoke in support …

7-Year-Old Toy Reviewer on YouTube Becomes Toy Himself

Seven-year-old Ryan drew millions of views reviewing toys on YouTube. Now, he’s become a toy himself. Walmart is selling action figures in his likeness, putty with his face on the packaging and other toys under the Ryan’s World brand. It’s a bet that kids, who are spending more time tapping tablets, will recognize Ryan from YouTube and want the toys he’s hawking. The new line may also help Walmart lure former Toys R Us shoppers, as many chains make a play for those customers ahead of the holiday shopping season. The first-grader, who’s been making YouTube videos for three years, has become a major influencer in the toy industry. The clips typically show him unboxing a toy, playing with it and then waving goodbye to viewers. His most watched video, in which Ryan hunts for large plastic eggs, has more than 1.5 billion views. Toys featured in the videos can see a spike in sales, says Jim Silver, editor of toy review site TTPM.com. “Ryan is a celebrity,” he said. “Kids watch his videos. He’s entertaining.” So much so that toymakers have paid Ryan and his parents to feature their products. Forbes magazine estimated that the Ryan ToysReview YouTube channel brought in $11 million last year, but his parents, Shion and Loann, declined to confirm that number or give any financial details about Ryan’s deals. They also do not give their last name or say where they live for privacy and safety reasons. Ryan’s path from reviewer to tiny toy …

Newer Contraception Tries to Engage Men

Newer birth control for men is beginning to fill the gap between the traditional condoms and sterilization. One new technology involves inserting a hypodermic needle into the scrotum. It is said to decrease libido. For men, contraception had remained fairly stagnant for the past century, primarily limited to condoms (85 percent effective when used correctly) and vasectomy, which is usually permanent. New methods are trying to move beyond centuries-old contraception applications, and some younger men say they are enthusiastic about the prospects. But they want them to be safe. “Contraceptives are necessary regardless of which partner is using them,” said Shane Sullivan, a senior at Colgate University in New York. But, “I’m adverse to solutions that may induce side effects.” But as with contraception for women, methods free of side effects are hard to come by. Nestorone-Testosterone is a hormonal birth control gel for men that’s been in the making for more than a decade. The gel is applied to the arms and shoulders every day and works to shut down hormones responsible for sperm production. But because it drops testosterone levels, reported side effects include a low libido or problems with ejaculation. Meanwhile, scientists at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland have developed a daily birth control pill called DMAU. It lowers testosterone and sperm production, which decreases the likelihood of pregnancy, according to a study by the University of Washington Medical Center and at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California. All participants who tried DMAU noted some …

Кабмін затвердив стартову ціну 78% акцій «Центренерго»

Кабінет міністрів України на засіданні 3 жовтня схвалив стартову ціну продажу близько 78% акцій енергогенеруючої компанії ПАТ «Центренерго» у п’ять мільярдів 984 мільйонів гривень. Прем’єр-міністр Володимир Гройсман доручив Фонду держмайна доопрацювати розпорядження з профільними міністерствами протягом найближчих трьох днів. У травні Кабінет міністрів України затвердив перелік підприємств великої приватизації на 2018 рік. До нього включили 26 об’єктів, серед них і «Центренерго». Радником для приватизації «Центренерго» є польський філіал компанії Ernst & Young. Графік підготовки до передачі підприємства у приватну власність Кабмін схвалив у вересні. …

Trade Pact Clause Seen Deterring China Deal with Canada, Mexico

China’s hopes of negotiating a free trade pact with Canada or Mexico were dealt a sharp setback by a provision deep in the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that aims to forbid such deals with “non-market” countries, trade experts said on Tuesday. The provision specifies that if one of the current North American Free Trade Agreement partners enters a free trade deal with a “non-market” country such as China, the others can quit in six months and form their own bilateral trade pact. The clause, which has stirred controversy in Canada, fits in with U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to isolate China economically and prevent Chinese companies from using Canada or Mexico as a “back door” to ship products tariff-free to the United States. The United States and China are locked in a spiraling trade war that has seen them level increasingly severe rounds of tariffs on each other’s imports. Under the clause, the countries in the updated NAFTA, renamed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), must notify the others three months before entering into such negotiations. Derek Scissors, a China scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, said the provision gave the Trump administration an effective veto over any China trade deal by Canada or Mexico. If repeated in other U.S. negotiations with the European Union and Japan, it could help isolate Beijing in the global trading system. “For both Canada and Mexico, we have a reason to think an FTA with China is a possibility. It’s not imminent, but this …