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.
2,554 total articles
Australian authorities have charged two women, aged 53 and 31, with slavery offences and crimes against humanity after they returned from Syria, where they had been detained in a refugee camp for more than seven years. The pair were arrested at Melbourne airport and face up to 25 years in prison. Separately, a 32-year-old woman was arrested in Sydn…
Moscow officials say air defence units shot down more than 50 drones over a roughly 15-hour span, while the Defence Ministry separately reported 95 Ukrainian drones intercepted in central and southern regions during a four-hour window. Emergency services are examining wreckage on the ground, and the Defence Ministry has announced a three-day ceasef…
The U.S. State Department has initiated a review of the over 50 Mexican consulates operating within the United States. Officials say the process may lead to the shutdown of some offices. The move comes against a backdrop of frayed ties between the two countries, recent fatalities involving U.S. personnel, and vocal Mexican leadership on the treatme…
In late 2024, a baseless rumour about an illness that supposedly caused men’s genitals to atrophy spread through villages in Tshopo province in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Video testimonials amplified on social platforms and shared by local churches ignited panic. Within days the panic turned violent: health workers conducting vaccin…
A group of independent U.N. human rights experts has warned that a January U.S. executive order imposing a fuel blockade on Cuba amounts to "energy starvation," with serious consequences for the island’s development and the enjoyment of human rights. The experts say the move has worsened fuel shortages, forced rationing of vital services and pushed…
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced an agreement accompanying the state's 2027 budget that would bar state law enforcement from wearing masks during ordinary operations and prohibit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on federal immigration work. The deal also would prevent ICE from entering schools, health care facilitie…
A Georgian court on Thursday handed down lengthy prison sentences to ten people found guilty of attempting to overthrow the government and organising violence at mass rallies during the municipal elections. The convictions, which include a seven-year sentence for opera singer Paata Burchuladze, come amid sustained protests and political tension fol…
A large fire erupted at a fairground in Villahermosa, southeastern Mexico, during a concert attended by thousands, killing at least five people. Civil Protection officials say the blaze broke out early on Thursday morning, is now under control and its cause remains unknown. Tabasco state Governor Javier May said some victims were exhibitors who cou…
Paris' public prosecutor has escalated a legal inquiry into X and its leadership, asking investigating judges to formally pursue X.AI Holdings Corp, X Corp, xAI, Elon Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino. The move follows Musk's absence at an April 20 summons and an expanded investigation that now touches on suspected distribution of child pornogr…
The United States, joined by Gulf partners, circulated a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding Iran stop attacks and the planting of mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomats said Russia and China raised substantive objections during a closed-door review and are expected to block the measure with vetoes, complicating U.S. diplomatic a…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on May 7 that Russia's decision to declare a short ceasefire for World War Two commemorations exposed what he called the 'strange and inappropriate' logic of Russian leaders. He urged the United States to take a 'fair and strong stance' against what he described as an aggressive Russia, while Ukraine's t…
The U.S. Department of Defense announced a plan to pull 5,000 American service members out of Germany, a move the White House attributes in part to comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding the Iran war. The drawdown, intended to return Europe troop levels roughly to pre-2022 figures, is expected to take six to 12 months and has prompt…
The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on Iraq's deputy oil minister, Ali Maarij Al-Bahadly, and three senior leaders of Iran-aligned militias, accusing them of facilitating the diversion of Iraqi oil to benefit the Iranian regime and its proxy militias. The measures freeze any U.S. assets of those targeted and generally prohibit Americans from enga…
Ukraine's chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, has arrived in Miami to meet with U.S. representatives, according to a source. The move comes as U.S.-brokered peace talks with Russia have stalled, primarily over the status of the Donetsk region. Efforts earlier in the spring to secure travel by U.S. envoys to Kyiv did not materialize, and attention in W…
ASEAN foreign ministers have agreed to hold a virtual meeting with Myanmar's foreign minister in the near future, the bloc's secretary-general said, as Myanmar seeks to re-establish ties after five years of exclusion following a 2021 coup. Neighbouring states say they will condition deeper engagement on observable steps toward de-escalation, dialog…
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia continued to violate a Kyiv-proposed ceasefire that would have begun on May 6, and signaled Ukraine would keep up long-range strikes if attacks persist. Moscow has not confirmed adherence to the Kyiv proposal and both sides reported substantial drone activity and attacks on energy and military-industrial ta…
The Kremlin announced heightened security measures for President Vladimir Putin ahead of May 9 Victory Day commemorations, citing what it described as a 'terrorist threat' from Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said additional protections are customary for major holidays but are being reinforced this year. Moscow has also scaled back the Red…
The Bavarian town of Vilseck, home to Rose Barracks and a long-standing U.S. military presence, is bracing for a potential withdrawal of U.S. troops after decades of hosting American forces. Local leaders and residents warn of significant job losses, reduced business for pubs, restaurants and service providers, and a deep cultural shift for a commu…
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena, on his second visit to Taiwan as head of state, praised the bilateral relationship as rooted in democracy, freedom and practical cooperation. Speaking in Taipei after receiving an honorary doctorate, Pena said the partnership with Taiwan went beyond diplomatic formality. In Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spo…
Israel announced it killed a commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit in an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, marking the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a ceasefire agreed last month. The Israeli government said the strike occurred a day earlier; there was no immediate confirmation from Hezbollah. The operation has heightened …
An Israeli air strike on Wednesday night has resulted in the death of Azzam Al-Hayya, the son of Khalil Al-Hayya, who serves as Hamas’ chief negotiator in U.S.-mediated discussions over Gaza’s future, a senior Hamas official said. The killing occurred as Hamas leaders and regional mediators met in Cairo to discuss the next phase of a ceasefire plan…
Governments and health agencies across multiple countries are attempting to locate passengers who left the MV Hondius before a hantavirus outbreak aboard the vessel left it stranded off Cape Verde. Three people died and several others are suspected to have been infected with the Andean strain. Officials are coordinating evacuations, medical transfe…
A senior Taiwanese intelligence official warned that China could attempt tactical moves on the Taiwan question during U.S. President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to Beijing, while Washington has reiterated that its Taiwan policy has not changed. Taipei will monitor whether the summit leads to any reframing of U.S. commitments in exchange for Chine…
Geneva, long regarded as the European epicenter of the United Nations system, is seeing a marked reduction in the footprint of the U.N. and other international organisations. Since 2025, more than 3,000 Geneva-based posts at the U.N. and affiliated international bodies have been eliminated or moved to lower-cost locations, including roughly one-fif…
A group of Australian women and children who had been held in a camp in northeast Syria and are linked to Islamic State are en route to Australia and are expected to arrive on Thursday night. The federal government has said the returning group will receive no government assistance. Authorities have indicated some adults could face arrest and charge…
