Trump said ‘not allowed’ to run for third term, ‘too bad’

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is “not allowed” to run for a third term, acknowledging the limits laid out in the US Constitution.Trump and his supporters have repeatedly raised the question of a 2028 presidential run for the 79-year-old, drawing concern from his foes and cheers from backers.”I have my highest poll numbers that I’ve ever had and, you know, based on what I read, I guess I’m not allowed to run, so we’ll see what happens… It’s too bad,” Trump said on Air Force One.The US Constitution limits presidents to two terms, and Trump began his second in January.Trump, who served his initial term from 2017 to 2021, often mentions that his supporters have called for him to govern beyond his current tenure despite the constitutional restriction.The former reality TV star has also recently displayed red hats emblazoned with the slogan “Trump 2028” on a desk in the Oval Office.A popular theory among his supporters is that Vice President JD Vance could run for president in 2028 on a ticket with Trump.Trump ruled that idea out this week, and said on Wednesday it was “pretty clear” he couldn’t run again.”But we have a lot of great people,” he said.House Speaker Mike Johnson told a news conference at the Capitol on Tuesday that he spoke with Trump about seeking a third term but doesn’t “see the path for that.””It’s been a great run, but I think the president knows, and he and I’ve talked about, the constrictions of the Constitution,” Johnson said.”There is the 22nd Amendment,” Johnson added, saying that the Constitution is clear even though Trump enjoys taunting Democrats with slogans and hats emblazoned with “Trump 2028″.”I don’t see a way to amend the Constitution because it takes about 10 years,” Johnson said.”You’d need two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states to ratify (it).”Talk of a third term came after Steve Bannon, Trump’s former advisor and one of the key ideologues of the Make America Great Again movement, said last week “there is a plan” to keep him in the White House.”He is going to get a third term… Trump is going to be president in ’28. And people just ought to get accommodated with that,” Bannon told The Economist.Asked about the 22nd Amendment, which mandates term limits, Bannon said: “There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is.”This isn’t the first time confusion swelled over the US President’s return for a third term.In May, Trump openly raised the possibility in a highly political address to US troops in Qatar.Speaking at the Al Udeid Air Base, Trump again falsely claimed to have won the 2020 election against Joe Biden.”We won three elections, ok? And some people want us to do a fourth. I don’t know. We’ll have to think about that,” Trump said.

Mercedes-Benz reassures on Nexperia chips as profit plunges

German premium carmaker Mercedes-Benz sought to reassure investors Wednesday over a feared shortage of microchips as it reported plunging third-quarter profits.”For the short-term we’re covered, and it goes without saying we are scurrying around the world to look for alternatives,” Mercedes boss Ola Kaellenius said on a call with analysts and investors.Chip shortage fears were stoked earlier this month after Dutch officials took control of the Netherlands-based but Chinese-owned Nexperia, citing national security concerns.That prompted authorities in Beijing to ban the export of Nexperia chips out of China.Hundreds of the chips are found in a typical car’s onboard electronics, and industry players are now scrambling to find new suppliers.Volkswagen last week warned that it could not rule out “short-term” production stoppages following the Chinese export ban.Kaellenius said Wednesday that the crisis required a “political solution” rather than a firms rejigging their supply chains.”The chip crisis is a politically induced shortfall in which the main dispute is between the USA and China, with Europe in the middle.”For the third quarter, Mercedes reported a 30.8-percent plunge in net profit to 1.19 billion euros ($1.38 billion), dragged down by US President Donald Trump’s tariff blitz as well as slumping sales in China.That nevertheless beat analyst expectations of 1.09 billion euros in a poll by financial data firm FactSet. Mercedes shares opened up 6 percent in Frankfurt trading.”Our third-quarter results are in line with our full-year guidance,” Kaellenius said.In July, the firm lowered its outlook for the year in the wake of Trump’s tariff onslaught. It said it expected revenue for 2025 to be “significantly below” the 146 billion euros it took in last year.Car exports from the European Union are subject to a tariff of 15 percent under an EU-US deal unveiled late July. That is down from 27.5 percent, but still far higher than the 2.5 percent in force before Trump launched his trade war in April.Mercedes-Benz — which has a plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama — also has to grapple with US duties of 25 percent on imports of car parts that come from outside North America.In the key market of China, meanwhile, sales by volume fell 27 percent in the third quarter, helping drag overall sales down 12 percent.China, the world’s largest car market, has become a battleground for German carmakers amid a brutal price war and fierce competition from local players like BYD.Kaellenius told analysts and investors on the call that Mercedes was working closely with Chinese self-driving software firm Momenta to make cars competitive for the local market. But a turnaround, was “a multi-year task”, he added.”Looking ahead, we expect the market environment to remain challenging,” he said. “Hyper competition in China is not going away anytime soon.”

Ségolène Royal “pourrait participer à une primaire de la gauche” pour 2027

L’ancienne candidate socialiste à la présidentielle de 2007, Ségolène Royal, a affirmé mercredi qu’elle “pourrait participer à une primaire de la gauche” pour 2027, sur France 2.”Oui, je pourrais participer à une primaire de la gauche bien sûr”, a déclaré celle qui fut la première femme à se qualifier au second tour dans la course à l’Elysée.Dans un livre paru ce mercredi “Mais qui va garder les enfants?” (Fayard), Mme Royal développe le principe de “dette générationnelle”, vis-à-vis d’une jeunesse “tenaillée par l’anxiété”, et défend la nécessité “d’assumer pleinement la part maternelle du pouvoir”, à l’inverse du “virilisme toxique”. “Les qualités que l’on prête à l’amour maternel – vigilance, patience, constance, exigence – sont précisément celles que les citoyens inquiets attendent aujourd’hui de leurs dirigants”, écrit celle qui est mère de quatre enfants.”Présider, c’est aimer”, a affirmé Mme Royal sur France 2, soulignant que “la nouvelle génération a perdu confiance en l’avenir, est déstabilisée et titube. Et notre responsabilité, c’est de lui donner à nouveau confiance en l’avenir”.Revenant sur la formule (qui fait le titre de son livre) prêtée à Laurent Fabius en 2007, quand elle s’est présentée à la présidentielle, Ségolène Royal explique que “ce livre retourne le stigmate en disant finalement aujourd’hui, de quoi a-t-on besoin, si ce n’est de tendresse, d’amour du peuple, de sécurisation de ce peuple, de le protéger contre l’anxiété?”, a-t-elle martelé. Elle a assuré que pendant la crise des Gilets jaunes, “une mère de famille” n’aurait pas “embêté ses enfants pendant neuf mois”, ne les aurait pas “réprimés”.”Un pays bien présidé, c’est un pays dans lequel il n’y a pas de révolte sociale, pas de colère sociale qui fait souffrir”, a-t-elle ajouté.Interrogée pour savoir si elle voulait revenir dans la vie politique, Mme Royal a répondu que “ça dépendra du contexte” mais qu’elle souhaitait que “ces idées-là soient portées” à la prochaine présidentielle.Mme Royal, qui avait un temps rendu sa carte du Parti socialiste, avait soutenu une des opposantes à Olivier Faure, Hélène Geoffroy, au dernier congrès du parti.Les modalités d’une potentielle primaire de la gauche, sur lesquelles discutent notamment le PS et les Ecologistes, devraient être rendues publiques en fin d’année. 

Sylvie Vartan en Bulgarie: “Je n’aime pas les départs”

“Dans quelle langue dois-je parler?”, demande une Sylvie Vartan visiblement très émue au public bulgare venu assister à la projection d’un documentaire consacré à l’enfant du pays, qui a fui toute jeune la dictature communiste pour la France.La salle de cinéma du Palais national de la culture de Sofia est pleine à craquer et, pendant cinquante minutes, l’icône yéyé et ses fans ne retiennent pas leurs larmes à l’évocation de la fuite dramatique en 1952 de la petite Sylvie – alors âgée de 8 ans – et de sa famille hors de la Bulgarie stalinienne, de ses succès, puis de son retour en Bulgarie en 1990, et de l’adoption de sa fille Darina en 1997.Dans les années 1960, de l’autre côté du rideau de fer, elle devenait une star sans que les Bulgares puissent l’écouter. Aujourd’hui encore, Sylvie Vartan – qui a fait ses adieux à la chanson avec trois concerts à Paris en début d’année – demeure pour ses compatriotes plus qu’une vedette: un symbole fédérateur de réussite et de liberté. Son père, d’origine arménienne, est attaché de presse à l’ambassade de France; sa mère, d’origine hongroise, s’occupe de Sylvie et de son frère Eddie, avant que la famille ait la chance – rare – de gagner l’Ouest. La chanteuse a souvent raconté le souvenir de son grand-père courant derrière le train qui s’éloignait, agitant un mouchoir. “Depuis, je n’aime pas les départs. Où que je sois, je n’aime pas partir”, confie-t-elle au public. – “Un trésor national” -“Nous lui devons énormément. C’est un trésor national”, déclare, les larmes aux yeux à l’issue de la projection, Siméon de Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha, 88 ans, dernier roi des Bulgares contraint à l’exil par les autorités communistes après la Seconde Guerre mondiale. “A la différence d’autres Bulgares qui ont réussi à l’étranger, elle n’a jamais oublié qu’elle était bulgare”, dit à l’AFP l’ex-roi devenu Premier ministre de 2001 à 2005.Pour le producteur du documentaire, Georgi Toshev, “le film montre que, malgré la rupture brutale avec sa patrie à un très jeune âge, la Bulgarie demeure le fil ténu qui relie tout ce qui arrive à Sylvie”. Celle-ci confirme: “J’ai gardé dans mon cœur des souvenirs très précis, très contrastés de la Bulgarie et de ma petite enfance.””D’un côté, l’amour, la chaleur, le partage, la tranquillité – un monde apaisé et merveilleux auprès de mes parents et de mes grands-parents, nous vivions tous ensemble; de l’autre, l’angoisse, un régime de terreur, une vie pratiquement invivable”, dit celle qui, dès 1968, laissait transparaître sa nostalgie pour sa patrie natale dans la chanson “La Maritza”.Lorsque après la chute du mur de Berlin elle revient à Sofia, le pays est libre mais exsangue. “Il n’y avait pas de nourriture dans les magasins, pas d’essence dans les stations”, se souvient son amie d’enfance, Fanny Teoharova. Les deux femmes n’ont pu se retrouver qu’à la fin des années 1980. “Impossible de s’écrire avant: la milice secrète était partout”, raconte-t-elle à l’AFP. “J’ai vu une population appauvrie; l’aéroport était absolument vide, il n’y avait rien, et des files d’attente immenses”, se remémore Sylvie Vartan.La détresse du pays la pousse à créer une association pour équiper les maternités. En 2004, elle est décorée de la plus haute distinction de l’Etat bulgare pour son action caritative. Aujourd’hui, le pays a changé, se réjouit-elle, convaincue que “la jeunesse est là pour apporter ce souffle et continuer dans la bonne direction”. La Bulgarie, ce sont aussi les saveurs transmises par sa mère, et qui constituent un lien fort avec ses enfants.Elle cite ses plats favoris: la banitsa (feuilleté à la feta), la moussaka, les poivrons farcis, le kyopolou – une purée d’aubergines et de poivrons. “J’ai toujours un faible pour la Bulgarie”, dit-elle. “Et j’y retourne toujours, d’une manière ou d’une autre: je peux cuisiner et, tout à coup, la Bulgarie surgit.”

Un million de personnes confient à ChatGPT des pensées suicidaires, selon OpenAI

Plus d’un million d’utilisateurs de ChatGPT évoquent des pensées liées au suicide avec cet assistant d’IA générative, selon des estimations fournies par son créateur OpenAI.L’entreprise californienne d’intelligence artificielle (IA) estime qu’environ 0,15% des utilisateurs de ChatGPT ont des “conversations qui incluent des indicateurs explicites de planification ou d’intention suicidaire potentielle”, rapporte-t-elle dans un billet de …

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Asia stocks join Wall Street records as tech bull run quickens

Asian stock markets surged on Wednesday, matching record gains on Wall Street the previous day as investor confidence in AI tech and coming interest rate cuts in the United States reaches fever pitch.The extended bull run comes ahead of a Wednesday afternoon announcement by the US Federal Reserve, which observers expect will unveil a quarter-percentage-point cut to lending rates.It also has been boosted by growing faith in a deal to avoid a damaging trade war between the world’s top two economies, with US President Donald Trump due to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in South Korea.Trump — who arrived in the country Wednesday following visits to Malaysia and Japan — has hinted he is confident of reaching an agreement with Xi.Those hopes have added to an already jubilant atmosphere on Wall Street, where highlights during Tuesday’s record-breaking day included a five-percent leap for artificial intelligence giant Nvidia.There has been “little sign of concern about holding tech risk into the upcoming Fed meeting, which in theory should be a lower-impact event on markets,” wrote Chris Weston of Pepperstone in a note.”It’s the tech show, and this is where capital remains firmly centred,” he said.Japan’s benchmark index leapt by more than two percent on Wednesday, while Seoul surged more than one percent — both reaching record highs.Taipei also gained more than one percent on the day and Shanghai tracked moderate gains.Sydney’s main index finished down, while Hong Kong was closed for a public holiday.During morning trading in Europe, London rose slightly, Paris edged down and Frankfurt was flat.The record streaks have picked up pace ahead of expected earnings reports in the coming days by major US tech giants including Microsoft and Meta.This year’s AI boom has coincided with a global tariff onslaught unleashed by the US president, with policies hitting China particularly hard.Ahead of his arrival in South Korea, Trump told reporters on Air Force One he expects “a lot of problems are going to be solved” during his first in-person discussion with Xi since returning to the White House this year.A spokesperson for Beijing’s foreign ministry confirmed the leaders’ meeting, saying that it would involve “in-depth communication on strategic and long-term issues concerning China-US relations, as well as major issues of mutual concern”.The two leaders are expected to meet Thursday in Busan, a southern port city not far from the APEC summit attended by Trump.- Key figures at around 0830 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 2.2 percent at 51,307.65 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: Closed for a holidayShanghai – Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 4,016.33 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 9,721.34West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.1 percent at $60.11 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.1 percent at $64.36 per barrelEuro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1628 from $1.1656 on TuesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3219 from $1.3336Dollar/yen: UP at 152.25 yen from 152.06 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.96 from 87.80 penceNew York – Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 47,706.37 (close)

South Korea gifts Trump replica of ancient golden crown

US President Donald Trump may be facing “no kings” protests back home, but in South Korea officials had the perfect gift for the monarch-loving magnate — a replica golden crown.Trump met South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday, part of a visit in which he is expected to hold tense trade talks with China’s Xi Jinping.And capping a lavish welcome ceremony in the historic capital Gyeongju, Trump was presented with a replica of a crown worn by the kings of Silla, the dynasty that ruled from 57 BC to 935 AD.The gift was a replica of “the largest and most extravagant of the existing gold crowns” from the Silla period, Trump was told.It represented “the divine connection between heavenly and earthly leadership”.Seoul’s presidential office said the headgear symbolises “peace, coexistence, and shared prosperity on the peninsula — values that mirror the Silla dynasty’s long era of stability”.Trump has made no secret of his love of monarchies the world over.Americans rallied across the country this month in opposition to what organisers call Trump’s “king-like” presidency and erosion of democratic norms in the United States.Trump mocked the rallies on social media, sharing AI-generated posts showing himself wearing a crown while flying a fighter jet emblazoned with the words “King Trump” dumping faeces on protesters.The US leader was also presented in South Korea with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa — the country’s highest decoration.The medal had a laurel leaf design that symbolises prosperity and it was given “in anticipation of the peace and prosperity you will bring to the Korean peninsula”, Trump was told.”It’s a great honour,” the US president said. “I’d like to wear it right now.”Trump’s love of gold is also well-known.He has bedecked the Oval Office with gold the White House described as “of the highest quality”.And he was gifted a gold-plated golf ball during a visit to Tokyo this week.President Lee wore a gold tie to his meeting with Trump symbolising the “golden future” of the alliance between the two countries.The Silla crown replica was also chosen in light of Trump’s “known preference for gold decorations at the White House”, the presidential office said. Seoul also said Wednesday’s state luncheon for Trump will include a “gold-themed dessert” symbolising the “alliance’s enduring trust and the two nations’ shared commitment to peace and prosperity”.The golden citrus dessert dish will include a “gold adorned brownie and seasonal fruits served with buckwheat tea”.The dessert plate will feature the word “PEACE!”, Seoul’s presidential office said, echoing the two leaders’ first meeting when they pledged to act as a “peacemaker” and a “pacemaker” for peace on the Korean Peninsula.But tensions with North Korea remain high after Pyongyang brushed aside Lee’s outreach and instead deepened military and economic links with Russia.And Trump said Wednesday he was not able to arrange a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to the South, ending fierce speculation over a possible summit after years of diplomatic deadlock.