Democrats bet on centrism in rebuttal to Trump speech

The rebuttal to Donald Trump’s State of the Union was delivered Tuesday by a stalwart of the Democrats’ moderate wing — seen as a model for the centrism some bet is key to winning November’s midterm elections.Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger criticized the US president for his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein affair as well as alleged corruption, but mostly focused on cost-of-living issues centrists believe will have cross-party appeal.”Costs are too high in housing, health care, energy and child care,” Spanberger said in a staid, measured speech.”Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night.”Spanberger, a former CIA officer and three-term Congresswoman, successfully won back the Virginia governor’s mansion from Republicans last year with an affordability-focused platform.Her selection to deliver the party’s formal rebuttal to Trump’s address to Congress was clearly aimed at putting forward an example for the rest of the party to follow.The Democratic Party remains split over turning out centrist and even moderate Republican voters or firing up the base on progressive promises of sweeping reform.While left-wing stalwarts like New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani have also run campaigns on affordability, Spanberger also emphasized more traditional centrist ideals like bipartisanship, patriotism and her law enforcement bonafides.Spanberger also hit Trump on issues like the immigration crackdown, saying federal agents have “ripped nursing mothers away from their babies,” while saying the immigration system was “broken.”The primaries ahead of the midterms are likely to see some combative races between moderate and Democratic progressives.With Spanberger, the Democratic leadership was signaling a preference for persuasion and disciplined messaging over ideological confrontation.Party leaders view her as a communicator capable of reaching beyond the Democratic base at a time when cost‑of‑living pressures dominate public debate.”Those who are stepping up now to run will win in November, because Americans — you at home — know you can demand more,” she said.Spanberger first gained national prominence in 2018 when she captured a Republican-held suburban district in Virginia, part of a Democratic wave driven by moderate candidates and disaffected swing voters.She later secured reelection in the competitive seat before securing the governorship last year, solidifying her reputation as an election winner focused on economic and national security concerns.Her campaigns have consistently emphasized healthcare, economic stability and bipartisan problem‑solving — priorities Democrats hope will resonate with suburban and independent voters this November.

Trump claims Iran working on missiles that could hit US

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed Iran is seeking to develop missiles that can strike the United States and accused Tehran of working to rebuild a nuclear program that was targeted by American strikes last year.The United States and Iran are engaged in high-stakes negotiations over Iran’s atomic program and other issues including missiles, with Trump saying he prefers diplomacy but is willing to use force if talks fail.”They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” Trump said during his State of the Union address.In 2025, the US Defense Intelligence Agency said Iran could potentially develop a militarily viable intercontinental ballistic missile by 2035 “should Tehran decide to pursue the capability,” but did not say if it had made such a decision.Tehran currently possesses short- and medium-range ballistic missiles with ranges that top out at about 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers), according to the US Congressional Research Service.The continental United States is more than 6,000 miles from Iran’s western tip.Washington and Tehran have concluded two rounds of talks aimed at reaching a deal on Iran’s nuclear program to replace the agreement that Trump tore up during his first term in office.- ‘Preference’ is diplomacy -The United States has repeatedly called for zero uranium enrichment by Iran but has also sought to address its ballistic missile program and support for armed groups in the region — demands Iran has rejected.Iran has also repeatedly rejected that it is pursuing nuclear weapons.Trump ordered strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last year, claiming afterward that Tehran’s atomic program was obliterated.On Tuesday, he said Iran wants “to start all over again,” and that it is “at this moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions.”Trump has sent a massive US military force to the Middle East, deploying two aircraft carriers as well as more than a dozen other ships, a large number of warplanes and other assets to the region.He has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran if negotiations fail to reach a new agreement. Talks with Tehran are currently set to continue on Thursday.”My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy but one thing is certain: I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.The US president’s speech primarily focused on domestic issues, making no mention at all of China — Washington’s primary military and economic rival — and only briefly referring to Russia.Trump said he was working to end the bloody conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and repeated his inaccurate claim that he had brought eight other wars to an end since returning to office in January 2025.He also hailed NATO’s decision to spend five percent of gross domestic product on defense — a move made under heavy pressure from Trump and his administration.

Trump claims Iran working on missiles that could hit US

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed Iran is seeking to develop missiles that can strike the United States and accused Tehran of working to rebuild a nuclear program that was targeted by American strikes last year.The United States and Iran are engaged in high-stakes negotiations over Iran’s atomic program and other issues including missiles, with Trump saying he prefers diplomacy but is willing to use force if talks fail.”They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” Trump said during his State of the Union address.In 2025, the US Defense Intelligence Agency said Iran could potentially develop a militarily viable intercontinental ballistic missile by 2035 “should Tehran decide to pursue the capability,” but did not say if it had made such a decision.Tehran currently possesses short- and medium-range ballistic missiles with ranges that top out at about 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers), according to the US Congressional Research Service.The continental United States is more than 6,000 miles from Iran’s western tip.Washington and Tehran have concluded two rounds of talks aimed at reaching a deal on Iran’s nuclear program to replace the agreement that Trump tore up during his first term in office.- ‘Preference’ is diplomacy -The United States has repeatedly called for zero uranium enrichment by Iran but has also sought to address its ballistic missile program and support for armed groups in the region — demands Iran has rejected.Iran has also repeatedly rejected that it is pursuing nuclear weapons.Trump ordered strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last year, claiming afterward that Tehran’s atomic program was obliterated.On Tuesday, he said Iran wants “to start all over again,” and that it is “at this moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions.”Trump has sent a massive US military force to the Middle East, deploying two aircraft carriers as well as more than a dozen other ships, a large number of warplanes and other assets to the region.He has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran if negotiations fail to reach a new agreement. Talks with Tehran are currently set to continue on Thursday.”My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy but one thing is certain: I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.The US president’s speech primarily focused on domestic issues, making no mention at all of China — Washington’s primary military and economic rival — and only briefly referring to Russia.Trump said he was working to end the bloody conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and repeated his inaccurate claim that he had brought eight other wars to an end since returning to office in January 2025.He also hailed NATO’s decision to spend five percent of gross domestic product on defense — a move made under heavy pressure from Trump and his administration.

Nepal’s leader says post-uprising polls on track

Nepal’s interim government has said preparations are on track for parliamentary elections next week, the first since a deadly 2025 uprising, urging voters to exercise their right “without fear”.The Himalayan republic of 30 million people holds elections on March 5, less than six months after youth-led anti-corruption protests toppled the previous government.The unrest killed at least 77 people and left parliament in flames.”The government will leave no stone unturned to conduct the election in a clean, fair, fearless, and peaceful manner,” Sushila Karki, the interim prime minister, said late Tuesday.”I urge all citizens to exercise their voting rights with confidence and without any fear.”The September 2025 violence was the worst since a decade-long civil war ended in a 2006 peace deal that abolished the monarchy and brought Maoist insurgents into government.Protests were triggered by a brief social media ban, but were fuelled by anger at economic stagnation and an ageing elite seen as out of touch.Nearly 19 million people have registered to vote, including 800,000 taking part for the first time.They will elect members to the 275-seat House of Representatives, the lower house, with 165 via a direct vote and 110 through proportional representation.Election Commission official Suman Ghimire told AFP the body was in its “final stage of election preparation”.Ghimire said support from other nations included neighbouring China and India.China, as well as Japan, had sent “economic assistance”, Ghimire said, without giving a figure, while Indian aid included 86 pickup vans “to transport election materials”.More than 60 trucks — as well as helicopters for remote snowbound mountain regions — have been used to transport election materials, he said.More than 3,400 candidates are competing in the direct vote, 30 percent aged under 40.”An election atmosphere is taking shape,” said Kritika Mishra, 23, a prospective voter in Nepal’s southern Sarlahi district. “Candidates are actively campaigning.”

Merz arrive en Chine, entre dépendance commerciale et méfiance de Berlin

Le chancelier Friedrich Merz est arrivé mercredi en Chine, principal partenaire commercial de l’Allemagne de plus en plus perçu dans son pays comme un dangereux concurrent plutôt qu’un immense marché.Il s’agit de la première visite du chancelier en Chine depuis sa prise de fonctions en 2025. Accompagné d’une importante délégation de chefs d’entreprise, l’avion de M. Merz est arrivé peu après 11H00 locales (3H00 GMT), selon un journaliste de l’AFP.Le chancelier doit s’entretenir et dîner dans la soirée avec le président chinois Xi Jinping, lors de ce déplacement de moins de deux jours centré sur l’économie et la sécurité.Auparavant, il doit être salué avec les honneurs militaires dans le décor monumental du Palais du peuple par le Premier ministre chinois Li Qiang avant des entretiens.Sa visite intervient à un moment où le président américain Donald Trump bouscule l’ordre établi, à coups de droits de douane et de remise en question des anciennes alliances.Simultanément, l’industrie qui a fait la réputation de la place allemande est soumise à la pression de la concurrence chinoise en Chine, en Europe même, et ailleurs dans le monde. M. Merz a appelé mardi, juste avant de quitter Berlin, à une relation commerciale fondée sur “une concurrence loyale”.M. Merz est le dernier dirigeant étranger en date à effectuer le déplacement de Pékin. Les trois derniers mois ont vu se succéder dans la capitale chinoise les dirigeants britannique, finlandais, canadien, sud-coréen, irlandais ou français.Devant eux, le président Xi a invariablement présenté son pays comme un partenaire fiable et constant et un champion du multilatéralisme et du libre-échange avec lequel leur pays a tout intérêt à traiter, dans une relation “gagnant-gagnant” inspirée par le “respect mutuel”. La Chine a elle-même livré en 2025 une âpre bataille commerciale et diplomatique aux Etats-Unis sous Donald Trump. M. Trump est annoncé en Chine fin mars.M. Merz s’était rendu mi-janvier en Inde, grand rival de la Chine en Asie.Friedrich Merz a emmené avec lui en Chine les patrons de Volkswagen, BMW et Mercedes, qui subissent une compétition de plus en plus forte sur le marché chinois, alors que les constructeurs chinois, en particulier ceux de voitures électriques, tentent une percée massive en Europe.- Partenariat “équilibré” -M. Merz assistera jeudi à la présentation de véhicules autonomes par le constructeur Mercedes. Il se rendra ensuite à Hangzhou, pôle technologique, pour visiter le groupe de robotique Unitree et l’énergéticien Siemens Energy.Les Européens regardent de plus en plus la Chine avec méfiance. L’année dernière, Pékin a interdit l’exportation de puces électroniques vers l’Europe après un différend avec le gouvernement néerlandais concernant le fabricant de semi-conducteurs Nexperia. Une situation qui a mis sous pression l’industrie automobile allemande, menacée d’arrêts de production et de chômage partiel.”Nous voulons un partenariat avec la Chine qui soit équilibré, fiable, réglementé et équitable. C’est ce que nous proposons. C’est également ce que nous attendons de la part de la Chine”, a insisté mardi M. Merz.Il y a quelques années, l’UE s’était mise d’accord sur une stratégie dite de “de-risking”, ou réduction des risques vis-à-vis de la Chine. Mais la dépendance n’a guère diminué. Cela vaut particulièrement pour les terres rares, sans lesquelles de nombreux domaines technologiques ne pourraient plus fonctionner, et sur lesquelles la Chine occupe une position dominante.”La Chine exploite systématiquement les dépendances des autres”, avait fustigé M. Merz, lors de la conférence sur la sécurité à Munich mi-février.Pour la première économie européenne, très dépendante de ses exportations, et dont l’industrie a écoulé pendant des années sa production sur l’immense marché chinois, la situation s’est considérablement détériorée ces dernières années.L’an passé, le déficit commercial de l’Allemagne avec la Chine a augmenté de plus de 22 milliards d’euros pour atteindre environ 89 milliards d’euros. La situation est similaire pour le reste de l’Europe.L’Allemagne dispose cependant encore de moyens de pression, estime auprès de l’AFP Michael Laha, expert de la Société allemande de politique étrangère (DGAP).Il cite les fabricants de machine-outils, qui restent de “très importants” fournisseurs, “les Chinois n’étant pas encore si avancés dans ce domaine”.