World

China's Counterattack: Punitive Tariffs in Retaliation to Trump
SpotlightChina's Counterattack: Punitive Tariffs in Retaliation to Trump

Shortly after taking office, US President Donald Trump imposed a 10% tariff increase on Chinese goods, raising the total duties on imports from China to 20%. Trump criticized China for not doing enough “to curb the flow of fentanyl, a potent opioid, into the US,” as stated by the White House on X. In retaliation, the Chinese government ...

Gaza: $53 Billion for a Fresh Start
Gaza: $53 Billion for a Fresh Start

The estimated cost to implement the reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, which was presented by Egypt and endorsed by the Arab leaders’ summit in Cairo on Tuesday, is $53 billion. This staggering figure – if someone earned $1 million per day, it would take them 145 years to accumulate $53 billion – reflects a comprehensive assessment of ...

Ukraine Energy Infrastructure 'Under Massive' Attack by Russia
Ukraine Energy Infrastructure 'Under Massive' Attack by Russia

Russia launched a "massive missile and drone" attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Friday, a Ukrainian minister said, after Washington said talks with Kyiv were back on track to secure a truce in the three-year conflict. The latest air assault came after EU leaders, shaken by the prospect of US disengagement, agreed to boost the European ...

Asian Stocks, Bitcoin Down as Trade Uncertainty Roils Markets
Asian Stocks, Bitcoin Down as Trade Uncertainty Roils Markets

Asian stocks tumbled at the open Friday following a tough day on Wall Street as uncertainty over US President Donald Trump's trade policies roiled markets and traders awaited key US jobs data. Bitcoin plunged 5.7 percent after Trump signed an executive order to establish a "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve" without planning any public purchases of the ...

Trump Backs Off Canada and Mexico Tariffs
Trump Backs Off Canada and Mexico Tariffs

US President Donald Trump on Thursday delayed some tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico, leading Ottawa to halt an upcoming wave of countermeasures -- offering a reprieve to companies and consumers after blowback on financial markets. Stock markets tumbled after Trump's duties of up to 25 percent took effect Tuesday, as economists warned that ...

Steve Witkoff Announces US Talks on Ukraine Ceasefire in Saudi Arabia
Steve Witkoff Announces US Talks on Ukraine Ceasefire in Saudi Arabia

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff announced Thursday that he will meet with a Ukrainian delegation next week in Saudi Arabia to discuss a ceasefire with Russia. "We are coordinating a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh or possibly Jeddah," Witkoff told reporters. "The goal is to establish a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ...

Latakia: Assad Loyalists Kill More Than 70 Security Forces in Most Violent Attack Since Ouster
Latakia: Assad Loyalists Kill More Than 70 Security Forces in Most Violent Attack Since Ouster

More than 70 people were killed and dozens more wounded in Syria in fighting between government security forces and militants loyal to deposed ruler Bashar al-Assad, a war monitor said Friday. "More than 70 killed and dozens wounded and captured in bloody clashes and ambushes on the Syrian coast between members of the Ministry of Defense and ...

Norway to More Than Double Aid to Ukraine
Norway to More Than Double Aid to Ukraine

Norway will more than double its aid to Ukraine in 2025 to bring the annual total to $7.8 billion, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced Thursday, expressing concern that Russia was "heavily arming." "The Norwegian aid will help Ukraine oppose Russia and (reinforce) the peace plan on which the European countries are working," he said in a ...

France to Host European Army Chiefs on Tuesday to Discuss Ukraine Support
France to Host European Army Chiefs on Tuesday to Discuss Ukraine Support

France will host talks on Tuesday, with military chiefs of staff whose nations are ready to offer Ukraine military support after any peace deal ending the war with Russia, a source close to President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday. With European countries scrambling to boost support for Ukraine as US President Donald Trump pursues direct ...

Natural Resources as Instruments of War
Natural Resources as Instruments of War

For decades, Yemen’s economy has been a key driver of the conflicts that have ravaged the country. Plagued by widespread poverty, heavily dependent on natural resources and hindered by inefficient governance, Yemen’s economy has been exploited by various factions, deepening internal divisions and attracting external ...

UN Report Finds Women's Rights Weakened in Quarter of Countries
UN Report Finds Women's Rights Weakened in Quarter of Countries

Women's rights regressed last year in a quarter of countries around the world, according to a report published by UN Women on Thursday, due to factors ranging from climate change to democratic backsliding. "The weakening of democratic institutions has gone hand in hand with backlash on gender equality," the report said, adding that "anti-rights ...