Global events and international developments affecting markets.
Reporting on international affairs, geopolitical developments, and global economic trends. This category connects world events to their potential impact on financial markets, trade flows, and investor risk perception.
334 total articles
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the EU will impose fresh sanctions on Iran and is expected to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The announcement was made on Friday ahead of a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers. No specifics on timing or the precise nature of the measures were pr…
Swiss watch exports rose 3.3% year-on-year in December to CHF2.103 billion, with wristwatches accounting for CHF2.021 billion. The United States and France registered notable increases, while several Asian markets and the UAE recorded declines, according to data published by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.
Taiwan staged a near-shore exercise on Jan. 29 at a beach within the Zuoying naval base in Kaohsiung to simulate repelling a Chinese sea-borne assault. The drill combined shore-launched Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles, attack drones, missile-armed fast patrol boats and sniper teams to form layered defences and a coordinated kill chain. Earlier in th…
China’s state-owned major space contractor has announced plans to begin suborbital space tourism operations within five years and to progressively develop orbital tourism, while also pursuing vast satellite constellations and deep space capabilities. The pledge accompanies the inauguration of a School of Interstellar Navigation and follows filings …
A vehicle struck a side entrance of the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Police arrested the driver and said the incident is being investigated as a hate crime. Officials reported no injuries and a bomb squad found no explosives in the vehicle. Local leaders called for vigilance and condemned antisemitism.
U.S. President Donald Trump and several prominent athletes reacted with disbelief after reports that Bill Belichick did not secure the 40-of-50 votes required for first-ballot induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The reported outcome has reignited debate over the Hall’s voting procedures, while the Hall of Fame said members who violate sel…
A federal judge in Minneapolis has issued a temporary restraining order preventing federal agents from arresting approximately 5,600 lawful refugees in Minnesota who are awaiting green cards, finding those arrests likely ran afoul of federal statutes. The order will remain in place while additional legal arguments are heard in litigation brought by…
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold a 40-minute meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People, followed by lunch, as part of a four-day visit focused on revitalising economic links. Starmer will also meet Premier Li Qiang and top legislator Zhao Leji, and is accompanied by a delegation of more than 50 business …
A Brooklyn resident, Carlisle Rivera, received a 15-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to participating in an alleged Iran-backed murder-for-hire scheme and a related stalking conspiracy aimed at Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad, the Justice Department said. The case is cited by prosecutors as part of broader efforts to address tran…
Bruce Springsteen released a protest song titled "Streets of Minneapolis" that honors Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two 37-year-old Minneapolis residents killed amid recent federal immigration raids. The song criticizes the crackdown, praises local resistance tactics and culminates with a chorus chanting "ICE out now!" The White House responded by sa…
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she will continue assuring international travelers that they are welcome in the city for this summer’s FIFA World Cup, but she urged the White House to repeat that message. Her remarks come as questions swirl about whether U.S. immigration enforcement and recent federal deployments could deter fans, and as calls fo…
Representatives from the United States, Greenland and Denmark met on Wednesday to begin talks aimed at resolving a diplomatic dispute sparked by President Donald Trump’s assertions about Greenland. The Danish foreign ministry said the meeting sought to address U.S. security worries in the Arctic while respecting the Kingdom’s red lines, and U.S. of…
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has released Juan Tobay Robles, an Ecuadorian national who had been wrongly held, fulfilling a Minnesota federal judge's condition and likely preventing an in-person contempt hearing for the agency's acting director, Todd Lyons. The judge had set a deadline for Lyons to appear unless ICE freed Robles. While …
Ecuador's prosecutor's office carried out searches at residences linked to members of the Citizens' Revolution movement, including 2023 presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez, in an inquiry into alleged illicit funds from Venezuela used to support the 2023 presidential campaign. Authorities say the probe centers on organized crime and money launderi…
China’s defense ministry announced an investigation into Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, removing a senior military interlocutor with whom Washington had cultivated direct contact. Former U.S. officials and analysts say Zhang’s ouster leaves the CMC with a slimmer roster of seasoned commanders and increases uncertain…
A preliminary internal review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis does not state that he brandished a firearm. The assessment, compiled by CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility and shared with lawmakers, describes an encounter in which Pretti did not move from the street after …
Authorities in multiple Asian jurisdictions have implemented heightened airport screening and other public health measures following confirmation of two Nipah virus infections in eastern India. The cases, reported in late December in West Bengal and involving two health workers, have prompted temperature checks, designated aircraft parking and step…
Greenland's prime minister told an audience in Paris that the territory will resist foreign pressure, emphasizing the need to address local fears while boosting Arctic surveillance. Denmark's prime minister joined him in calling for closer U.S.-European cooperation on security as both leaders pursue support from European allies following talks in B…
President Donald Trump publicly criticized Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey after the mayor declined to alter the city’s immigration enforcement stance in return for the removal of federal agents. The dispute follows a controversial federal deployment led by Tom Homan, which city officials say has harmed local communities and which escalated after fede…
The Kremlin has indicated that Russia would be open to a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, provided the talks are thoroughly prepared and aimed at tangible outcomes. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov reiterated that Moscow has not ruled out talks and said Zelenskiy could travel to Moscow wi…
Greenland’s prime minister said some negotiating boundaries with the United States cannot be crossed, while acknowledging a need for enhanced surveillance and security in the Arctic as Russia’s posture becomes more assertive. The comments followed a Paris meeting with France’s president and Denmark’s prime minister, who stressed European unity and …
Residents of Silwan in East Jerusalem report receiving eviction orders that favor Ateret Cohanim, a settler organization that has acquired dozens of properties in the district. Dozens of families have been told to leave under a Supreme Court order, with deadlines tied to the end of Ramadan - mid-March - while tensions over settlement activity and a…
President Donald Trump issued a public ultimatum urging Iran to negotiate a nuclear deal or face a more severe U.S. military response, writing that time is running out and calling for an agreement with "NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS." He said the previous warning led to a strike and warned that the next attack would be "far worse," while also asserting that a…
Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that a "massive Armada" led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln is en route to Iran. He described the force as moving "quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose," warned of a rapid and potentially violent response if necessary, and urged Iran to "Come to the Tabl…
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Emmanuel Bonne, the diplomatic adviser to the French president, that China and the European Union are partners rather than rivals during a telephone conversation on Wednesday. Wang said Beijing and the EU share positions on promoting a multipolar world, advocated resolving trade disputes through dialogue, and u…
