Electric auto giant Tesla granted its CEO Elon Musk shares of the company worth some $29 billion (€25 billion) in a deal aimed at keeping him at the helm of the firm.

Tesla described the deal as an "interim award," a "good faith" payment to honor Musk's more than $50 billion pay package from 2018 that was struck down by a Delaware court last year.

Delaware judge Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick had upheld her earlier order that Tesla revoke Musk's multibillion-dollar pay package, arguing that Musk engineered the pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent.

The ruling was part of a lawsuit filed by a Tesla stockholder who challenged Musk's 2018 compensation package.

It all comes as Tesla shares have plunged 25% this year, amid flagging sales, and intensifying competition from both the big Detroit automakers&nbsp;and China

Musk's earlier role in the administration of US President Donald Trump, and focus on political pursuits, have also left investors worried.&nbsp;

<h2>Tesla seeking to keep Musk</h2>

Under the deal, Musk can claim the new award if he remains in a top executive role for another two years.

Additionally, Musk is only eligible for the money if a court does not reinstate the 2018 package, which is currently on appeal.

&nbsp;"While we recognize Elon's business ventures, interests and other potential demands on his time and attention are extensive and wide-ranging... we are confident this award will incentivize Elon to remain at Tesla," said a special committee Tesla formed this year to consider Musk's compensation.

Tesla board members Robyn Denholm and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson said Musk was a "magnet for hiring and retaining talent at Tesla," noting that the company is transitioning from its electric vehicle focus "to grow towards becoming a leader in AI, robotics and related services."

Investors and analysts reacted positively to the deal, with Tesla shares rising nearly 2% in early trading.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn&nbsp;

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Tesla awards Musk $29 billion in bid to keep him as CEO

India on Monday denounced as unfair the mounting pressure from the United States and European Union over its continued purchases of Russian oil.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said the country would safeguard its economic interests amid threats of steep tariffs from President Donald Trump.

<h2>What did New Delhi say about trade with Russia?</h2>

"The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable," said Jaiswal, asserting the country's sovereign right to secure energy supplies in line with its needs.

"Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,"&nbsp;he added.

Jaiswal also argued that India's imports began only after Western countries diverted traditional supplies to Europe following the outbreak of the Ukraine war. He also accused both the EU and the US of hypocrisy.

"It is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia,"&nbsp; Jaiswal said.

"Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion."

Jaiswal pointed to ongoing Europe-Russia trade involving fertilizers, chemicals, iron and steel, machinery, and transport equipment.

He also noted that the US continues to import Russian uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for electric vehicles, and other industrial goods.

<h2>What did Trump say about India and tariffs?</h2>

US President Donald Trump has threatened to sharply increase tariffs on Indian goods, accusing New Delhi of profiting from discounted Russian oil while failing to support efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

While Trump did not specify the exact rate, an existing 10% tariff on Indian products is expected to rise to 25% starting Thursday.

The move, he said, was in response to India "buying massive amounts of Russian oil" and reselling it for profit, which he claimed fuels Moscow’s war on Ukraine. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,"&nbsp;Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The move adds strain to a key trade relationship. The US is India’s largest trading partner, with Indian exports to the US totaling $87.4 billion in 2024. India recorded a nearly $46 billion trade surplus with the US the same year.



Edited by: Wesley Rahn&nbsp;

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India brushes off Trump tariff threat over Russian oil

Australia will upgrade its navy with 11 frigates from Japan, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday.

"This is clearly the biggest defense-industry agreement that has ever been struck between Japan and Australia," Marles said.

The 10 billion Australian dollar ($6.5 billion or €5.6 billion) deal saw Mitsubishi Heavy Industries awarded the tender to supply Mogami-class warships, beating out Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.

<h2>Deal sees tightening of Australia-Japan partnership</h2>

Japan is one of Australia's most important partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

"This decision was made based on what was the best capability for Australia," Marles said. "We do have a very close strategic alignment with Japan."

The Mogami frigates are advanced warships equipped with a potent array of weapons.

"The Mogami-class frigate is the best frigate for Australia," Marles said.

"It is a next-generation vessel. It is stealthy. It has 32 vertical launch cells capable of launching long-range missiles."

<h2>Japan's first warship export since before WWII</h2>

The Japanese bid was seen as "more expensive and higher risk," according to the The Australian newspaper.&nbsp;

This is because Japan has little history of exporting defense equipment, a legacy of its pacifist constitution introduced after World War II.

The deal is Japan's first warship export since before World War II and only its second major defense package sold abroad.&nbsp;

Australia says the first three general-purpose frigates will be built offshore, with the remainder built in Western Australia.

Misubishi Heavy Industries has never built warships in a foreign country,&nbsp;The Australian wrote.

<h2>Australia ups defense spending amid China's military buildup</h2>

Australia announced a major restructuring of its military in 2023, turning towards long-range strike capabilities to better respond to China's military expansion.

It is striving to expand its fleet of major warships from 11 to 26 over the next 10 years.

The frigate contract is&nbsp;Australia's biggest defense purchase since 2021, when it agreed to buy and build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines under the tripartite AUKUS pact with the United States&nbsp;and the United Kingdom.

Japan had originally lost out to France an earlier bid to win a non-nuclear submarine contract, although this contract was subsequently scrapped in favor of the US-designed submarines.<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/65263292_906.jpg" alt="A nuclear-powered US Navy submarine cruises into the Navy Port at Port Canaveral" title="A nuclear-powered US Navy submarine cruises into the Navy Port at Port Canaveral" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">As part of the AUKUS deal, Australia will buy Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines (shown here) from the US, starting in 2032</figcaption></figure>

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Australia to buy 11 advanced warships from Japan

US President Donald Trump has confirmed a 25% tariff on Indian exports to the United States as well as other financial penalties to begin on August 1. The decision comes as the US and India have not yet reached a trade deal.

"While India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country," Trump claimed in a post on his Truth Social platform.

"They have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of Energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN&nbsp;UKRAINE&nbsp;— ALL THINGS NOT GOOD!" Trump added.&nbsp;

Following Trump's announcement, the Indian government said it had taken note of the statement and would take all steps necessary to secure its national interest and that it was committed to a "fair, balanced" trade agreement.

<h2>Why is Trump criticizing India's Moscow-friendly stance now?&nbsp;</h2>

India and Russia have friendly ties, despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which started in February 2022.

Although the US, EU and other nations such as Japan imposed sanctions on Russia due to the invasion, India did not join in on the punitive economic measures on Moscow.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trump's criticism of India's Moscow-friendly stance comes as the US president becomes more skeptical of Russian President Vladimir Putin's willingness to end the invasion of Ukraine and commit to peace.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/70566691_906.jpg" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia October 22, 2024" title="Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia October 22, 2024" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">Trump is perturbed by India's closeness with Russia, as the Kremlin continues its invasion of Ukraine (FILE: October 22, 2024) </figcaption></figure>

Trump on Monday set a 10-day deadline for Russia to achieve a ceasefire deal with Ukraine, or else Moscow will face secondary sanctions. During the 2024 White House campaign, Trump vowed to end the conflict in Ukraine and stop the bloodshed.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>New India tariffs come after trade progress with other countries</h2>

The new tariffs on India come as Trump has reached trade framework agreements&nbsp;with other countries such Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and the EU.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India, the world's most populous country, also has one of the largest economies on the planet. Trump has long criticized India's trade policies, and he removed India's special trade status<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20"><path d="M11.5 3.5 11.5 4.233C14.342 4.233 15.167 4.245 15.167 4.258L8.984 10.467 10.033 11.516C14.826 6.725 16.228 5.333 16.242 5.333L16.267 9 17.733 9 17.733 2.767 11.5 2.767 11.5 3.5M2.267 11 2.267 17.233 16.733 17.233 16.733 12 15.267 12 15.25 15.75 9.5 15.75 3.75 15.75 3.75 6.25 9.5 6.233 9.5 4.767 2.267 4.767 2.267 11 "></path></svg> with the US&nbsp;in 2019 during his first term in office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In April, a few months into his second term, Trump announced "reciprocal tariffs" on countries around the world of up to 50%, with a tariff of 26% set to be imposed on Indian goods. Later that month, Trump said he would postpone tariffs higher than 10% for 90 days to make room for trade negotiations, with the exception of China.&nbsp;

According to the US Census Bureau, the US had a $45.7 billion (€39.8 billion) trade deficit with India last year. Trump has often criticized US trade deficits with other countries, with the US importing more goods from India than it exports to the South Asian country.

Although Trump believes tariffs will balance US trade with India, many economists say the tariffs will be passed on to the American consumer, and that the levies could hurt US economic activity.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Edited by: Sean Sinico&nbsp;

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Trump to impose 25% tariff on India

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington will slap a 15% tariff on goods coming into the country from South Korea, a lower rate than the 25% duty he had threatened earlier.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The new levy puts South Korea on par with other US trade partners like Japan and the European Union, which have also secured trade deals with Trump that set a 15% tariff rate for their exports to the US. The new rate would also apply to South Korean automotive exports.

Trump touted it as a "full and complete trade deal" between the US and South Korea.

He said Seoul had also agreed to buy $100 billion (€87.5 billion) worth of US energy products, including liquefied natural gas (LNG).

"South Korea will give to the United States $350 Billion Dollars for Investments," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. He added that an additional unspecified "large sum of money" will be invested in the US by Seoul.

<h2>Will South Korea open its rice, beef markets?</h2>

It was not immediately clear how the investment deals would be structured, where the financing would come from, or over what time frame.

Trump said additional South Korean investments would be announced later.

He added that the East Asian nation would further open up its markets to American products, including cars, trucks and agricultural goods, and impose no import duties on them.

Kim Yong-beom, policy chief from the South Korean presidential office, told a briefing in Seoul that the country's rice and beef markets would not be further opened to the US due to the sensitivity of the sectors.

Trump said Wednesday that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung would visit the White House "within the next two weeks" for bilateral talks.

The meeting will be their first since Lee assumed office in June.<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/72782027_906.jpg" alt="Südkorea | Amtseinführung des neuen südkoreanischen Präsidenten Lee Jae-myung in der Nationalversammlung in Seoul" title="Südkorea | Amtseinführung des neuen südkoreanischen Präsidenten Lee Jae-myung in der Nationalversammlung in Seoul" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">'We have cleared a major hurdle,' South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said after Seoul reached a trade deal with Washington</figcaption></figure>

<h2>What's the reaction in South Korea?</h2>

Following Trump's tariff announcement, Lee said the agreement would put South Korea on an equal or better footing compared with other trading partners.

"We have cleared a major hurdle," Lee said, according to news agency Yonhap. "Through this deal, the government has eliminated uncertainty surrounding export conditions and ensured that US tariffs on our exports are either lower than or equal to those imposed on our major trade competitors."

South Korea's opposition People Power Party (PPP), however, criticized the agreement.

It said Lee's administration had rushed to clinch a tariff deal with Washington and that a lot of concessions were made.

Song Eon-seok, interim leader of the PPP, called for the government to clarify if any other trade areas will be open to the US.

<h2>Brazil hit with tariffs, but key sectors excluded</h2>

Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday also imposed a 50% tariff on most imports from Brazil, citing a "witch hunt" against his ideological ally and former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The blow was, however, softened by Trump exempting some items such as aircraft and parts, aluminum, tin, wood pulp, energy products and fertilizers from the heavier duties.

"We're not facing the worst-case scenario," Brazilian Treasury Secretary Rogerio Ceron told reporters. "It's a more benign outcome than it could have been."

Brazil said it remains willing to negotiate with the US&nbsp;on trade, but that it will not give up on tools to defend itself under national law.

In a statement signed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian government called the use of "political arguments" to defend the tariffs announced by the US against Brazil "unjustifiable."

Brazil is one of the few major economies with which the US runs a trade surplus.

Last year, the US' surplus amounted to $6.8 billion on a total trade volume of $91.5 billion, US Census Bureau figures show.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn

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Trump strikes tariff deal with S. Korea as deadline nears

US President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday that he had reached an agreement with Pakistan&nbsp;that will see Washington help develop the South Asian nation's oil reserves.

"We have just concluded a Deal with the Country of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves," Trump wrote on his social media site Truth Social.

Pakistan said the deal will result in lower tariffs on its exports to the US.

The country's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, confirmed the deal in a statement.

"Pakistan concludes deal with USA," he wrote on X, without elaborating further.

<h2>Sketchy details of US-Pakistan agreement</h2>

The details of the deal — including the tariff rate agreed upon and the oil reserves Trump was referring to — were not immediately clear.

Trump also made no mention of tariffs&nbsp;in his announcement.

"We are in the process of choosing the oil company that will lead this partnership," the president said.

In April, Pakistan was facing a potential tariff of 29%&nbsp;from the US, which was later suspended for 90 days to make way trade negotiations.

On Thursday, Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said he had conducted meetings with senior US officials in Washington, and called the deal a "win-win" situation for his country and the US.

Aurangzeb is visiting the US capital for the second time in two weeks for what he said was a final-stage negotiation on a tariff deal.

"From our perspective, it was always going beyond the immediate trade imperative, and its whole purpose was, and is, that trade and investment have to go hand in hand," he said in a video posted by Pakistan's Finance Ministry.

<h2>Trump's scathing remarks on India</h2>

The development between US and Pakistan comes less than a day after Washington slapped a 25% tariff on Islamabad's archrival India.

The US imposed the tariff and other financial penalties, slated to take effect from August 1, over&nbsp;India's ongoing trade with Russia despite Ukraine sanctions.

Trump on Wednesday criticized the Russian and Indian economies, adding that the latter had one of the "highest" tariffs in the world.

"I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World," he said.

While announcing the oil partnership with Pakistan, the US president also suggested Islamabad could sell oil to New Delhi "some day."

"Who knows, maybe they'll be selling Oil to India some day!" Trump wrote.



Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher

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US, Pakistan strike trade deal to develop oil reserves

The United States and the European Union on Sunday reached a trade deal, ending a months-long standoff.

&nbsp;"We have reached a deal. It's a good deal for everybody," US President Donald Trump told reporters after talks with&nbsp;the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland.

"We have a trade deal between the two largest economies in the world. And it's a big deal. It's a huge deal," said von der Leyen, who was seeking&nbsp;to finalize an&nbsp;agreement with Washington before the August 1 deadline.

"It will bring stability, it will bring predictability. That's very important for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic," she added.&nbsp;

Ahead of the crunch talks, Trump gave&nbsp;"a good 50-50 chance" on Friday for a deal to be reached with the European Union.

<h2>What's in the EU-US trade deal?</h2>

"We are agreeing that the tariff straight across, for automobiles and everything else, will be a straight across tariff of 15%," according to Trump. Currently, most EU goods face a 10% tariff, with levies of 25% on&nbsp;cars and car parts.

But the rate would not apply to steel and aluminum, which are being taxed at 50%.

Trump also said the bloc had agreed to purchase "$750 billion (€638 billion)&nbsp;worth of energy" from the US, as well as&nbsp;$600 billion more in additional investments.

"Purchases of US energy products will diversify our sources of supply and contribute to Europe's energy security. We will replace Russian gas and oil by significant purchases of US LNG, oil and nuclear fuels," von der Leyen&nbsp;told reporters.

She added that the baseline tariff rate of 15% on imported EU goods would apply to cars, semiconductors and pharmaceutical goods.

At the start of the meeting, Trump said&nbsp;that "fairness" was the main remaining sticking point.

"Europe is very closed. We don't sell cars into Europe. We don't sell essentially agriculture of any great degree," he said.

<h2>What does the trade deal&nbsp;mean for the EU?&nbsp;</h2>

The&nbsp;trade pact means the bloc would avoid the 30% tariffs that Trump had threatened on all goods from the EU&nbsp;on July 12.&nbsp;

The 15% rate is the same as the one announced with Japan earlier this week. But it marks a significant compromise, especially given that von der Leyen offered a "zero-for-zero tariffs&nbsp;for industrial goods" when talks began.

Still, the EU chief said they agreed&nbsp;"zero-for-zero tariffs on a number of strategic products" including&nbsp;aircraft and aircraft parts, some chemicals,&nbsp;and certain agricultural products.

She added that the framework trade deal did not contain any decision regarding the spirits sector.

The trade pact will need to be approved by all 27 member states.&nbsp;

<h2>How have EU leaders reacted?</h2>

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the trade deal following the announcement.

"We managed to avert a trade conflict that would have hit the export-oriented German economy hard,"&nbsp;Merz posted on X.&nbsp;

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez

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EU and US reach trade deal, avoiding tariff escalation

US and EU reach trade deal to avoid tariffs

The European Commission found that the Chinese online shopping platform Temu is not doing enough to stop the sale of illegal products.

The Commission's preliminary findings indicate&nbsp;the Chinese online retail giant&nbsp;was violating rules set by the Digital Services Act (DSA).

"Evidence showed that there is a high risk for consumers in the EU to encounter illegal products on the platform," a press release<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20"><path d="M11.5 3.5 11.5 4.233C14.342 4.233 15.167 4.245 15.167 4.258L8.984 10.467 10.033 11.516C14.826 6.725 16.228 5.333 16.242 5.333L16.267 9 17.733 9 17.733 2.767 11.5 2.767 11.5 3.5M2.267 11 2.267 17.233 16.733 17.233 16.733 12 15.267 12 15.25 15.75 9.5 15.75 3.75 15.75 3.75 6.25 9.5 6.233 9.5 4.767 2.267 4.767 2.267 11 "></path></svg>&nbsp;on Monday stated.

Temu is classified as a "very large online platform" under the DSA. It requires the world's largest tech firms to do more to protect European consumers online. Temu has nearly 94 million average monthly active users in the European Union.&nbsp;

<h2>Temu under investigation&nbsp;</h2>

It comes after the&nbsp;European Commission launched a formal investigation into Temu's business model in October.

Prominent on the EU executive arm's long list of complaints is the claim that Temu is exporting products to the EU that do not comply with the bloc's standards.

"We shop online because we trust that products sold in our Single Market are safe and comply with our rules. In our preliminary view, Temu is far from assessing risks for its users at the standards required by the Digital Services Act,"&nbsp;European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen.

The Commission also accused&nbsp;the online retailer of offering fake discounts to customers, publishing fake reviews, insufficient vendor information, and having an addictive app design.

Temu can respond to the allegations, but if concerns remain, the EU may declare a DSA violation and impose a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover, though no final decision has been made.

A Temu spokesperson said the company would continue to "cooperate fully" with the Commission.

"Consumers' safety online is not negotiable in the EU - our laws, including the Digital Services Act, are the foundation for a better protection online,"&nbsp;Virkkunen said.

Edited by:&nbsp;Saim Dušan Inayatullah

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EU: Temu violated laws with 'illegal products'

Europe "better get [its] act together" on immigration, US President Donald Trump said as he landed in Scotland on Friday&nbsp;evening, local time.

Speaking to reporters after disembarking from Air Force One, Trump said: "On immigration, you better get your act together. You're not going to have Europe anymore."

Immigration, he claimed, was an "invasion" that was "killing Europe."

<h2>Trip mixes golf and meetings</h2>

During his five-day visit, Trump will play golf at&nbsp;two golf resorts he owns&nbsp;— one in the small village of Turnberry in South Ayrshire on Scotland's southwest coast and the other&nbsp;in Menie in Aberdeenshire.

In Menie, Trump is to open a new golf course dedicated to his Scottish-born mother.

The US president will also meet with leaders during his first trip to the United Kingdom since his reelection.

While many US media outlets are describing Trump's visit to Scotland&nbsp;as a private visit, a White House spokesperson called it a "working trip" ahead of the president's departure.

Spokesperson Taylor Rogers also brushed off questions about potential conflicts of interest, arguing that Trump's business success before he entered politics was a key to his appeal with voters.<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/73419917_906.jpg" alt="Donald Trump plays golf in Scotland at his Turnberry course in 2023." title="Donald Trump plays golf in Scotland at his Turnberry course in 2023." class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">Trump's decision to use a presidential trip to focus on Trump-branded golf destinations has raised eyebrows over potential conflicts of interest</figcaption></figure>

"We’re at a point where the Trump administration is so intertwined with the Trump business that he doesn't seem to see much of a difference," Jordan Libowitz from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, an ethics watchdog organization, told AP news agency.

"It’s as if the White House were almost an arm of the Trump Organization," Libowitz said.

Trump's trip will cost US taxpayers at least $10 million (€8.5&nbsp;million), according to&nbsp;an analysis by the HuffPost<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20"><path d="M11.5 3.5 11.5 4.233C14.342 4.233 15.167 4.245 15.167 4.258L8.984 10.467 10.033 11.516C14.826 6.725 16.228 5.333 16.242 5.333L16.267 9 17.733 9 17.733 2.767 11.5 2.767 11.5 3.5M2.267 11 2.267 17.233 16.733 17.233 16.733 12 15.267 12 15.25 15.75 9.5 15.75 3.75 15.75 3.75 6.25 9.5 6.233 9.5 4.767 2.267 4.767 2.267 11 "></path></svg>, a progressive US news website.

Pointing out that the trip is unrelated to a planned state visit to the UK in September, the HuffPost called Trump's Scotland visit "by far the most expensive golf vacation to date in either of his terms."

<h2>Trump to talk trade with UK, EU leaders</h2>

The president praised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of a meeting between the two in Turnberry, describing him as a "good man."

"I like your prime minister, he's slightly more liberal than I am ... but he's a good man. He got a trade deal done," he told reporters, referring to a preliminary US-UK trade agreement signed in May 2025.

During his trip, which lasts until Tuesday, Trump is also to meet with Scottish First Minister John Swinney and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Von der Leyen confirmed she will come to Scotland to meet with Trump on Sunday in a bid to hash out a trade deal between the United States and the European Union. 

Trump told journalists there was a "good 50/50 chance" of a deal being struck, adding that it would be the "biggest deal of them all."

<h2>Trump claims wind power 'killing beauty'</h2>

Trump also took the chance to criticize renewable wind power.

"Stop the windmills," he said on his arrival in Scotland, claiming they are "killing the beauty of your country."

Trump has spent years railing against windmills.

He once unsuccessfully tried to sue to stop the building of wind turbines in Scotland by arguing that an offshore windfarm would mar the view of people playing golf&nbsp;at his Menie course.

More than half of Scotland's electricity is currently generated by wind power.

<h2>Protests planned for Trump's visit</h2>

The UK's The Independent newspaper reported that Trump's motorcade passed a small group of protesters as he arrived at his golf course in Turnberry.

Campaign groups have planned what they call a "festival of resistance" against Trump's visit in several Scottish cities.

Trump is generally unpopular in Scotland.

A poll by the IPSOS market research company published in March found more than 70% of Scots have an unfavorable opinion of the US president.<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/73409528_906.jpg" alt="Two police officers in high-visitibliy jackets stand on a grassy area with a police boat on the ocean behind them." title="Two police officers in high-visitibliy jackets stand on a grassy area with a police boat on the ocean behind them." class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption"> Police officers stand guard on the Trump Turnberry golf course ahead of the expected arrival of US President Donal Trump</figcaption></figure>

Edited by: Sean Sinico

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Trump tells Europe to get its 'act together' on immigation

The fluffy&nbsp;toy&nbsp;with the toothy grin and pointed ears, called Labubu,&nbsp;arrived in Germany on Friday with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart opening its&nbsp;first physical store in the country.

The eerie plush doll that has swept the internet&nbsp;appeared to be at home, as China's Pop Mart opened its first store in&nbsp;Berlin, a city known for its edgy and energetic style.

<figure class="image"><img src="https://static.dw.com/image/73414855_906.jpg" alt="People wait in line to visit the new Pop Mart store selling Labubu toys at a shopping mall in Berlin on July 25, 2025" title="People wait in line to visit the new Pop Mart store selling Labubu toys at a shopping mall in Berlin on July 25, 2025" class="hq-img loaded"><figcaption class="img-caption">People traveled from across the country to get their hands on the original Labubu doll</figcaption></figure>

Hundreds of people waited in line, including with camping chairs, with one even working on her computer, according to DW's business reporter,&nbsp;Marie Sina.

"I'll wait till I get one," said one person waiting in line who spoke with Sina. She had a fake version of the toy, Lafufu, at home, and she wanted an&nbsp;original doll.

Lafufus&nbsp;gained popularity because of a shortage of original toys.&nbsp;China last month&nbsp;warned&nbsp;that the counterfeit Lafufu toys could pose a choking hazard for children.&nbsp;

<h2>What is the hype with Labubus?</h2>

A big reason for the popularity of the eerie little monster toys&nbsp;is that they&nbsp;are packaged inside boxes and people buying them only learn about their character when they open the boxes.

The surprise element adds to the mystery and creates more hype, and people are willing to put more money to get the doll they want.

By now, there are more than 2.4 million&nbsp;#Labubu TikTok posts and counting. Even Brad Pitt and the cast of "F1 The Movie" filmed a TikTok<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20"><path d="M11.5 3.5 11.5 4.233C14.342 4.233 15.167 4.245 15.167 4.258L8.984 10.467 10.033 11.516C14.826 6.725 16.228 5.333 16.242 5.333L16.267 9 17.733 9 17.733 2.767 11.5 2.767 11.5 3.5M2.267 11 2.267 17.233 16.733 17.233 16.733 12 15.267 12 15.25 15.75 9.5 15.75 3.75 15.75 3.75 6.25 9.5 6.233 9.5 4.767 2.267 4.767 2.267 11 "></path></svg> unwrapping the boxes.

DW's&nbsp;Sina says many people waiting in line in Berlin earlier today were influencers and journalists,&nbsp;with Gen Z and millennial age groups also present at the opening.

<h2>How did Labubu get so big?</h2>

Labubu, by artist and illustrator&nbsp;Kasing Lung,&nbsp;first appeared a decade ago in three picture books inspired by&nbsp;Nordic mythology in 2015.

In 2019, Lung struck a deal with Pop Mart, the Beijing-based company that caters to toy connoisseurs, to sell Labubu figurines.

In 2023, Pop Mart began selling the plush toys on key rings and the phenomenon blew up overseas.

K-pop singer Lisa of Blackpink<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20"><path d="M11.5 3.5 11.5 4.233C14.342 4.233 15.167 4.245 15.167 4.258L8.984 10.467 10.033 11.516C14.826 6.725 16.228 5.333 16.242 5.333L16.267 9 17.733 9 17.733 2.767 11.5 2.767 11.5 3.5M2.267 11 2.267 17.233 16.733 17.233 16.733 12 15.267 12 15.25 15.75 9.5 15.75 3.75 15.75 3.75 6.25 9.5 6.233 9.5 4.767 2.267 4.767 2.267 11 "></path></svg>&nbsp;talked about her passion&nbsp;for the toy on Instagram where she has more than 100 million followers, fueling the hype.

Celebrities&nbsp;like Rihanna and Dua Lipa&nbsp;have been spotted with the toys attached to their handbags.

<h2>How much money did&nbsp;Labubus make?</h2>

Pop Mart's revenue&nbsp;more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan ($1.81 billion, €1.55 billion), thanks in part to the wild explosion in popularity of Labubus.

Revenue from Pop Marts' plush toys soared more than&nbsp;1,200% in 2024, nearly 22% of its overall revenue, according to the company's annual report.

The Chinese toymaker said earlier this month it&nbsp;expects at least a 350%&nbsp;profit and about a 200%&nbsp;jump in revenue for the first six months of the year.

Even though the vast majority of Pop Mart's revenue comes from Asia,&nbsp;global demand for Labubus&nbsp;has turned Pop Mart into a $40 billion&nbsp;company, according to Bloomberg.

This report was&nbsp;written with the help of material from Associated News press agency.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery

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Berlin: Germany's first Labubu toy store opens doors to fans

United States regulators approved the $8.4 billion (€7.16 billion)&nbsp;merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media on Thursday, making way for a contentious sale.

The deal puts the CBS broadcast television netowrk, Paramount Pictures and the Nickelodeon channels under Skydance Founder and Chief Executive Officer David Ellison.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the deal in a 2-1 vote after receiving pledges that Skydance would install an ombudsman to evaluate complaints of editorial bias or other concerns about CBS.

Democrat Anna Gomez, the only dissenter, accused Paramount of "cowardly capitulation" to the Trump administration.

<h2>Trump vs free press</h2>

The FCC approval comes soon after Paramount paid $16 million (€13.63 million) to settle&nbsp;a lawsuit US President Donald Trump filed against the company and CBS News. Trump's critics have accused him of holding the merger deal's approval&nbsp;as leverage in the lawsuit.

This lawsuit&nbsp;was primarily over the election coverage on CBS News' flagship show "60 minutes."&nbsp;In it, Trump accused the media outlet of biased editing of an interview of his opponent Kamala Harris.

CBS also canceled "The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert" last week, after the lead comedian called the lawsuit settlement&nbsp;as "a big fat bribe" to obtain&nbsp;approval for the merger.

The media house said nixing the decades-old show, previously hosted by David Letterman, was purely a financial decision. However, Trump celebrated the news on social media, saying: "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings."

<h2>Democrats question 'timing'</h2>

Trump's critics&nbsp;have sharply criticized the timing of the FCC decision.

"The timing speaks for itself," Democratic Senators Edward Markey and Ben Ray Lujan said in a joint statement. "Paramount settled with Trump on Tuesday and the FCC approved the merger on Thursday," they said, adding that the approval "reeks of the worst form of corruption."

"CBS canceled Colbert's show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump —&nbsp;a deal that looks like bribery," Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said on social media platform X.