The United States has intensified economic pressure on Iran, warning foreign financial institutions that they could face sanctions for continuing to conduct business with sanctioned Iranian banks and announcing new measures targeting key sectors of the Iranian economy. The U.S. Treasury Department said on Monday that foreign financial institutions continuing...
US to work with current Venezuela leaders if they make ‘right decision:’ Rubio
The United States is ready to work with Venezuela's remaining leaders if they make "the right decision," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday after an audacious US operation removed the oil-rich country's president, Nicolas Maduro.
Zelensky to meet Trump in Florida on Sunday for talks on how to end the Russian invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is to meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday for talks on how to end the Russian invasion, Kyiv said Friday.
As diplomats gather in Miami, Kremlin denies three-way US-Ukraine-Russia talks in preparation
The Kremlin on Sunday denied that three-way talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States were on the cards, as diplomats gathered in Miami for talks on ending the conflict.
Zelensky says US mooted direct Ukraine-Russia talks on ending war in Miami
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Washington had proposed the first face-to-face negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in half a year, as diplomats converged on Miami for fresh talks on ending the war.Lebanese, Israeli officials discuss Hezbollah disarmament, security in border areas: PM office
Israel said a Friday meeting involving civilian and military representatives from both Lebanon and Israel was part of broader efforts to ensure Hezbollah's disarmament and strengthen security in border areas.
Global coal demand expected to hit record in 2025: IEA
In its annual report on the coal industry, the International Energy Agency said demand was on course to rise by 0.5 percent this year to hit a record 8.85 billion tons, although demand is expected to decline over the rest of the decade as rival generation options multiply.
US unemployment rises further, hovering at highest since 2021
A deteriorating jobs market could nudge the central bank to lower rates further to boost the economy, despite some policymakers' worries that higher inflation could become persistent.
US launches pact for AI supply chains with key Asia-Pacific allies to face China
The United States signed an agreement on the supply chains with key Asia-Pacific allies concerned about China's growing clout -- Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Australia -- as well as Israel.
In Data Center Alley, AI sows building boom, doubts
Ashburn, United States -- As planes make their final approach to Washington DC's Dulles Airport, just below lies Ashburn, a town otherwise known as Data Center Alley -- where an estimated 70 percent of all global internet traffic at any moment finds its way. Decades ago, the expanse of empty...
US private sector lost 32,000 jobs last month in surprise drop
President Donald Trump has been touting the economy's health, and forecasts had incorrectly predicted the monthly data would show a net rise in employment.How China leveraged its rare earths dominance over the US in tariff war
China's stranglehold on the rare earths industry -- from natural reserves and mining through processing and innovation -- is the result of a decades-long drive, now giving Beijing crucial leverage in its trade war with the United States.G20 grapples with splintering world order
"Too many countries are retreating into geopolitical blocs or the battlegrounds of protectionism," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters. He added: "We are not experiencing a transition, but a rupture."Sharaa’s US visit: Syria joins alliance against Islamic State after White House talks
Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, was the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since the Middle Eastern country's independence in 1946.
High price of gold inspires new rush in California
El Dorado Hills, United States -- Matt James has collected gold nuggets for years from the hills and riverbeds of California, but as the precious metal's price soars, he has found an unexpected El Dorado: on social media. Though the value has fluctuated, it has effectively doubled in the last...
Saudi Crown Prince to meet Trump in Washington next month
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will meet US President Donald Trump during a three-day visit to Washington next month, a source close to the government told AFP on Tuesday. The Crown Prince will arrive on November 17 and discuss political, economic and security files...Publishers fight back against US book bans
Frankfurt, Germany -- Escalating attempts to remove works featuring themes such as LGBTQ lifestyles and race relations from US bookshelves are facing growing resistance from publishers and rights groups, a major topic at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair. Spearheaded by right-wing conservative groups, there has been an explosion in efforts...
Protesters out in force for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ rallies across US
Organizers said seven million people attended protests spanning New York to Los Angeles, with demonstrations popping up in small cities across the US heartland and even near Trump's home in Florida.
US envoy Witkoff felt ‘betrayed’ by Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar
Washington, United States - US envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's chief negotiator on the Middle East, has said that he felt "betrayed" when Israel launched a strike targeting Hamas negotiators in Qatar last month. In a CBS interview alongside Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who worked with Witkoff on the...US agency blames faulty engineering for Titanic sub disaster
Washington, United States - Flawed engineering and inadequate testing contributed to the catastrophic implosion of a private submersible during a 2023 expedition to the Titanic wreckage, the US National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday. Its report comes after a US Coast Guard investigation in August outlined a litany of issues...Israel declares ceasefire, begins troops pullback and Gazans start returning home
After two years of brutal war, the families of Israel's remaining hostages in the territory were also hoping the truce -- pushed by US President Donald Trump -- would hold.Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado dedicates award to Trump
Caracas, Venezuela -- Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize on Friday to the people of Venezuela -- and US President Donald Trump, for his "decisive support" for her country's pro-democracy movement. "I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump...US envoys arrive at Gaza truce talks as Egypt, Hamas voice ‘optimism’
Both sides have responded positively to Trump's plan, which calls for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages held in Gaza, Hamas's disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territory.Gold tops $4,000 for first time on political, economic worries
US and European stock markets mostly rose while Asian equities fell as investors also kept tabs on the AI investment boom and the prospect of further US interest rate cuts this year.China’s chip challenge: the race to match US tech
Beijing, China - China's push to develop top-end artificial intelligence microchips is gaining momentum, but analysts say it will struggle to match the technical might of US powerhouse Nvidia within the current decade. Ramping up its chip industry is a way for Beijing to beat restrictions imposed by Washington on...US offers security guarantees to Qatar after Israel strikes: White House
Washington, United States -- The United States will regard "any armed attack" on Qatari territory as a threat to Washington and will provide the Gulf Arab state with security guarantees, the White House said, after an Israeli strike on the country last month. "In light of the continuing threats to...
Sweeping UN sanctions return to hit Iran after nuclear talks fail
The sanctions, three months after Israel and the United States bombed Iran, bar dealings related to Tehran's nuclear and ballistic missiles program and are also expected to have wider effects on its troubled economy.
IEA feels the heat as Washington pushes pro-oil agenda
Paris, France -- No stranger to ire from oil-producing nations, the International Energy Agency (IEA) is facing pressure from the Trump administration over its globally-respected reports that predict a dwindling in fossil fuel demand. The United States, the world's biggest oil producer and a major contributor to the Paris-based IEA,...
White House says $100,000 H-1B visa fee to be one-time payment
Washington, United States -- The White House issued a major clarification Saturday to its new H-1B visa policy that had rattled the tech industry, saying a $100,000 fee will be a "one-time" payment imposed only on new applicants. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in announcing the major fee increase on...
With cash and aid, Saudi Arabia pursues soft power push in Syria
Saudi Arabia has spent months courting Syria's new leaders, aiming to draw closer a country long dominated by Iran and Russia.
Syria announces plan with Jordan, US to restore calm in Druze-majority Sweida
Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani announced on Tuesday a plan backed by Jordan and the United States to restore calm to Druze-majority Sweida province, which witnessed deadly sectarian violence in July.Trump says US, China ‘have a deal’ on TikTok
"We have a deal on TikTok, I've reached a deal with China, I'm going to speak to President Xi (Jinping) on Friday to confirm everything up," Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a state visit to Britain.US says ‘framework’ deal with China on TikTok ownership
Donald Trump said -- without directly naming the social media giant -- that a deal was reached with a "certain company that young people in our Country very much wanted to save. They will be very happy!"Palestinians flee Gaza City under Israeli bombardment
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories -- Palestinian families streamed out of Gaza City on Sunday, some crammed into pick-up trucks, others on foot, as Israeli forces pressed their assault on the territory's main urban center. Parents carried their children while the elderly hobbled along, an AFP journalist reported. A man in...Netanyahu says US an ‘extraordinary friend’ during Rubio visit
Before departing Washington on Saturday, Rubio told reporters that while Trump was "not happy" about the strike, it was "not going to change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis".UN General Assembly votes for Hamas-free Palestinian state
The text was adopted by 142 votes in favor, 10 against -- including Israel and key ally the United States -- and 12 abstentions. It clearly condemns Hamas and demands that it surrender its weapons.Hamas says US ‘accomplice’ in Israel Qatar attack as funerals held
"This crime was... an assassination of the entire negotiation process and a deliberate targeting of the role of our mediating brothers in Qatar and Egypt," Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said.
Stock markets strike records despite geopolitical unrest
Gains for oil prices were relatively modest, while gas futures were unmoved after Israel's strikes Tuesday against Hamas in gas-rich Qatar. Gold, a traditional safe haven investment, traded close to its recent record highs.Israeli strikes shake quiet Qatar, strain US ties
It also cast serious doubt on Qatar-mediated Gaza ceasefire talks and undermined security reassurances to the Gulf from key ally Washington.Mistral cements AI lead in Europe with cash infusion
Paris, France -- France's Mistral on Tuesday cemented its position as Europe's top AI hope against far larger US and Chinese competitors after a record fundraising round and a tie-up with chipmaking equipment heavweight ASML. The 1.7 billion euro ($2 billion) cash infusion values Mistral at 11.7 billion euros, double...
China’s Xi calls on BRICS countries to ‘resist all forms of protectionism’
Beijing, China -- Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the 11-nation BRICS bloc to "resist all forms of protectionism" at a virtual leaders' summit on Monday. "We must uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core and resist all forms of protectionism," he said in...Tesla proposes package for Musk that could top $1 trillion
New York, United States -- Tesla unveiled on Friday a proposed compensation package for Elon Musk that could top $1 trillion if the controversial CEO delivers on his vision for stratospheric growth from new technologies. The plan potentially provides Musk -- already the world's wealthiest person -- with up to...
Iran says open to US nuclear talks, rejects missile curbs
Security chief Ali Larijani said Tuesday that Iran was open to nuclear talks with the United States but ruled out any restrictions on its missile programme.US would control Gaza, displace all its people under Trump’s new plan: report
The entire population of Gaza would be relocated and the United States would take control of the Palestinian territory under a plan being considered by the Trump administration, the Washington Post reported Sunday.Lebanon parliament speaker calls for dialogue over Hezbollah weapons
Beirut, Lebanon -- Lebanon's Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, an ally of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, called on Sunday for dialogue over its weapons, days before the government is expected to approve an army plan to disarm the group. Months after Hezbollah's devastating war with Israel and under heavy US pressure,...New wave: Sea power turned into energy at Los Angeles port
San Pedro, United States --Â Floating blue paddles dance on the waves that lap a dock in the Port of Los Angeles, silently converting the power of the sea into useable electricity. This innovative installation may hold one of the keys to accelerating a transition away from fossil fuels that scientists...Fed governor calls for rate cut at September policy meeting
A governor of the US Federal Reserve, Christopher Waller, said Thursday that the central bank should lower its key interest rate at its upcoming monetary policy meeting.Hezbollah chief rejects disarmament ahead of government talks with visiting US officials
Hezbollah's chief on Monday doubled down on his refusal to give up the group's weapons ahead of talks between Lebanese officials and visiting US envoys after Lebanon's government opted to disarm the Iran-backed militants.Electric cars are more eco-friendly even in US, study finds
Paris, France -- Electric vehicles are less harmful to the environment than their petrol-guzzling counterparts even in the United States, where electric generation is carbon intensive, a study said Monday. Although driving electric vehicles will generally emit less CO2 than using petrol ones, electric vehicles are tooled with heavy batteries...
Iran’s Khamenei says will not bow down to US
The remarks, delivered at a mosque in the capital Tehran, come two months since fighting halted between Iran and its sworn enemy Israel in a war that the United States had briefly joined.Trump, Intel announce deal giving US a 10% stake in chipmaker
Chipmaker Intel has agreed to give the US government a 10-percent stake in its business, the company and President Donald Trump announced Friday.
