Morning bird: Stanjura welcomes Trump's decision on tariffs, Jurečka speaks of incompetence. France could recognize the Palestinian state

Czech politicians welcome Donald Trump's move

The decision of US President Donald Trump to temporarily lower the tariff rate to ten percent for most countries is good news, according to Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura (ODS). However, he would prefer if the existing customs rules applied.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL), then described Trump's approach to tariffs as desperation and incompetence, which mainly harms his own country.

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"Trump and tariffs, it's like someone ordering an extra spicy pizza to show how much they can handle it, and then having it packaged with the intention of eating it later,"

Jurečka wrote on X network.

Macron opens the door to recognition of Palestinian state

President Emmanuel Macron said that France could recognize the Palestinian state in the upcoming months. His goal is to complete this step at the UN conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which his country will co-host with Saudi Arabia in June, according to Al Jazeera. Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin stated that France's recognition would be a step in the right direction in line with the protection of Palestinian people's rights and the two-state solution. On the contrary, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar believes that any unilateral recognition of the Palestinian state would be a boost for Hamas.

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New Lego factory in Vietnam relies on clean energy

The Lego company opened a factory in Vietnam for 1 billion dollars, which should rely entirely on clean energy. The factory in the industrial area of Binh Duong near Ho Chi Minh City is the first of its kind in the country. It is an example of how to stop the spread of greenhouse gases into the air. Its short-term goal is to reduce emissions by 37 percent by 2032. Lego has reportedly already invested more than 1.2 billion dollars in finding more sustainable alternatives. Rapidly industrializing Vietnam aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, according to AP.

Thailand imprisons American academic for criticizing the army

An American political science lecturer at Naresuan University in northern Thailand, Paul Chambers, was arrested after being accused of insulting the monarchy, a crime for which he faces up to 15 years in prison. Chambers, who has been teaching in Thailand for more than 10 years, has been studying the influence of the Thai army on politics. Since 1932, the army in the country has carried out 13 coups. The most recent one took place in 2014. The charges may relate to comments the lecturer made during a webinar in 2024 about military restructuring, reported Al Jazeera. The complaint was reportedly filed by the local army.

Sources: Ceskenoviny.cz, Al Jazeera, AP