G7 Foreign Ministers have called on China to release Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon and politician Jimmy Lai, who was found guilty under the controversial national security law. The Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States and the High...
The UK has committed to provide 600 million pounds worth of air-defense capabilities, including cutting edge turrets that can shoot down Russian drones to support Ukraine through the winter. The air defense package for Ukraine comes as Russia's aerial strikes plunges homes, hospitals, and power stations into darkness. The announcement came as UK Defense Secretary John Healey and his German coun
The European Commission has announced that it will issue up to 90 billion Euro worth of EU-Bonds in the first half of 2026, bringing outstanding EU-Bonds close to 800 Euros billion by the end of June 2026. The proceeds will be used to fund loans to EU Member States under the NextGenerationEU program...
The United States has designated Colombia's ClCoobia'an del Golfo as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). Based in Colombia, Clan del Golfo is a violent and powerful criminal organization with thousands of members. The group's primary source...
President Donald Trump has announced that he is ordering "a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into, and out of, Venezuela." In a lengthy statement he posted on Truth Social Tuesday, Trump said he is designating the Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela a foreign terrorist organization "For the theft of our assets, and many other reasons, including terrorism, drug smuggl
President Donald Trump has urged his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to release Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon and politician Jimmy Lai, who was found guilty under the controversial national security law. "I feel so badly. I spoke to President Xi about it and I asked to consider his release," Trump told reporters. "He's an older man, and he's not well. So I did put that request out. We'll s
Far-right Jose Antonio Kast has been elected as Chile's president. In the presidential election run off held on Sunday, Kast secured 58.30 percent of the votes while leftist candidate Jeannette Jara won 41.70 percent. The defeat for the ruling left-wing coalition candidate is seen as voters' mandate against the government over rising crime and immigration. Kast, who is an admirer of former ri
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he will push for tougher gun laws at Monday's Cabinet meeting convened to discuss future course of action in the wake of the fatal Bondi beach terror attack. Fifteen people were killed and dozens of others were wounded in Sunday's attack targeting a Hanukkah celebration by the Jewish community on Bondi Beach in Sydney. Reports quoting police said t
The U.S. government has announced new sanctions targeting Venezuelan oil, including shipping companies and vessels supporting President Nicolas Maduro's regime. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, imposed sanctions on three nephews of Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores; a Maduro-affiliated businessman; and six shipping companies operating in Venezuela's oil s
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent has criticized refusal by several Democrat-led states to conform to key provisions of the July 4th bill that President Donald Trump signed into law to deliver tax relief for American families and workers. The tax cuts bill ensures No Tax on Tips for dedicated service industry staff, No Tax on Overtime for linemen and factory workers, and a new tax dedu
The U.S. Government has announced that it will impose a 10 percent tariff on goods imported from Nicaragua from 2027, alleging that the Central American country's policies and practices "restrict US commerce." The Office of the United States Trade Representative said USTR took the punitive action under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to address Nicaragua's acts, policies, and practices rela
The European Commission has adopted a new 30 million EURO package for the people of Belarus. It supports independent media, civil society and human rights organisations, keeping the possibility of a democratic Belarus alive by promoting civic empowerment, protecting human rights and developing Belarus' human capital. With this package, EU assistance to Belarusian civil society since the sham 2020
President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out ceding Ukraine's land to Russia, as proposed by his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. "Do we envision ceding territories? We have no legal right to do so, under Ukrainian law, our constitution and international law. And we don't have any moral right either," Zelensky said at a press conference after talks with leaders of the U.K., France and Germany in Lond
The UK government has unveiled a new undersea warfare technology to counter threat from Russia. The groundbreaking Atlantic Bastion program will make Britain more secure from Russian undersea threats in the North Atlantic through a transformation of the Royal Navy and its submarine-hunting capabilities. Atlantic Bastion will combine autonomous vessels and AI with warships and aircraft to create
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has outlined the U.S. Defense Department's forthcoming National Defense Strategy. While delivering his remarks at the Ronald Reagan National Library's annual defense forum in Simi Valley, California, Hegseth unveiled four distinct lines of effort for the department to take, so as to guarantee peace through strength for the U.S. and its allies in the coming years.
December 12, 2025 15:14 ET Central bank decisions dominated the economic news flow this week led by the Federal Reserve. Trade data from the U.S. also gained attention. The Canadian and Swiss central banks also announced their interest rate decisions. Inflation data from China was in focus as the country released the latest consumer price and producer price data.