The reopening of the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday after more than a year is being met with both optimism and fear, a senior official with the UN agency that assists the Palestinian people, UNRWA, has said. The sole border point with Egypt is a lifeline to the world - including...
The U.S. Central Command has urged Iran to avoid risky live-fire naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz. Last week, Iran announced that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will begin a two-day live-fire naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. CENTCOM urged the IRGC to conduct the...
Right-Wing populist Laura Fernandez has been elected as Costa Rica's new president, with most of the votes counted. With 85 percent of the ballots counted, Fernandez secured nearly half of the votes, which is enough to avoid a runoff. No presidential candidate in Costa Rica was able to win in the first round of voting in more than a decade. A nominee of the outgoing president Rodrigo Chaves, 3
The European Commission, together with the European Investment Bank, has provided an additional 50 million EUROS to Ukraine's state-owned energy company, Naftogaz, to support the country's energy system amidst the harshest winter conditions since the start of the war. In the face of ongoing Russian attacks...
President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order declaring a national emergency and establishing a process to impose tariffs on goods from countries that sell or otherwise provide oil to Cuba. The Trump administration says the action is taken "to protect U.S. national security and foreign policy...
President Donald Trump has said that he is decertifying all Canada-made aircraft and threatened to impose 50 percent tariff on those planes unless Canada certify the sale of U.S. Gulfstream products. "Based on the fact that Canada has wrongfully, illegally and steadfastly refused to certify the Gulfstream 500, 600, 700 and 800 Jets, one of the greatest, most technologically advanced airplanes eve
The start of a second phase of a stabilization plan for Gaza offers a potential turning point for the war-ravaged enclave, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday. Ramiz Alakbarov warned that risks of violence escalating again remain high, while the situation in the occupied West Bank continues to deteriorate. The Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process
UK prime minister Keir Starmer has arrived in China for a three-day visit. Speaking to reporters on board his flight to the Chinese capital, Starmer said his visit will be benefitial for people "back at home", and that he wants "a comprehensive and consistent approach to China." During the first Chinese visit by a UK leader since 2018, Starmer will travel to Beijing and
The U.S. Central Command has announced a multi-day readiness exercise by U.S. forces "to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower" across the Middle East. This exercise is designed to enhance asset and personnel dispersal capability, strengthen regional partnerships...
President Donald Trump announced that he is increasing tariffs on goods imported from South Korea by 10 percent to 25, because the Asian ally failed to live up to a trade agreement between the two sides last year. "Because the Korean Legislature hasn't enacted our Historic Trade Agreement, which is their prerogative, I am hereby increasing South Korean TARIFFS on Autos, Lumber, Pharma, and all ot
After nearly two decades of negotiations, the European Union and India have successfully concluded a landmark Free Trade Agreement. The FTA was finalized at the 16th EU-India Summit in New Delhi, opening a new chapter in the EU-India Strategic Partnership. Described by both European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "the mother of all deals", t
President Donald Trump has ratified the Charter of the Board of Peace — establishing it as an official international organization. Trump, who is serving as the Board's Chairman, was joined by Founding Members representing 19 countries who have committed to building a secure and prosperous future for Gaza that delivers lasting peace, stability, and opportunity for its people. Trump had sent inv
Russian military casualties in the war against Ukraine now exceed sustainable recruitment rates, highlighting a stark gap between rhetoric and reality, UK Chargé d'Affaires said in a speech at the OSCE. Deputy Ambassador James Ford told the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe that independent assessments by organisations such as the International Institute for Strategic Studies a
Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure have cut heat, electricity and water to hundreds of thousands of civilians in freezing winter conditions, prompting the UN human rights chief to denounce the strikes as "cruel" and a clear violation of international law. Voker Turk said he was outraged...
U.S., Polish forces have conducted an armored live-fire exercise and technology demonstrations during Operation Winter Falcon 26 at the Drawsko Combat Training Center in Oleszno, Poland. The event demonstrated how modern military operations rely on integrating multiple systems, including unmanned aerial systems and counter-UAS capabilities, to strengthen defensive capabilities. The demonstration
January 30, 2026 15:51 ET The Federal Reserve policy decision was the main event in the final week of January, which saw a heavy flow of economics news. Several data reflecting the trends in the U.S. economy were also released during the week. The interest rate decision from Canada also was in focus. In Europe, economic sentiment data gained attention. The policy decision from Singapore was the highlight in Asia.