Category: World

US-based multinational corporations are set to be exempt from key elements of the global minimum tax regime, following an agreement among major economies that eases pressure on Washington while preserving the broader framework championed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The move reshapes the implementation of the 15 per cent global minimum tax and recalibrates how countries apply enforcement rules to the world’s largest companies.The exemption centres on how the United States will be treated under the so-called

World leaders have mounted robust diplomatic resistance against Washington’s unprecedented military operation that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the United States to face federal charges. Amid escalating rhetoric from President Donald Trump’s administration about extending U. S. influence beyond Venezuela, governments in Latin America, Europe and Asia have criticised what they view as a breach of international norms and a threat to national sovereignty.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum delivered one of the most forceful statements from the

Uncertainty has gripped Cuba after claims circulated that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured following a United States strike in Venezuela, a development that, if confirmed, would shake the island’s most important political and economic partnership. Cuban authorities have offered no confirmation of the reports, while state media has urged calm and emphasised continuity in Havana’s foreign policy, underscoring the fog surrounding events that residents say have heightened anxiety about fuel supplies, power generation and food availability.The Cuban government

Canada’s airline sector is bracing for sharper competition after Ottawa moved to widen market access for carriers from the Middle East, a shift that industry executives and analysts say could force domestic airlines to improve pricing, punctuality and onboard service as more long-haul capacity enters the market.The policy change, announced through updated air transport arrangements, gives carriers based in the Gulf greater flexibility to add frequencies and destinations to Canada. Officials have framed the move as a bid to enhance

Caracas has slipped into an uneasy calm as Venezuelans await signals about the direction their country will take, with political negotiations stalled, economic pressures unresolved and social tensions simmering beneath the surface. “There is a strange lull,” said Benigno Alarcón Deza, a long-time resident of the capital, describing a sense of collective anticipation that has settled over daily life. “People are waiting, watching, unsure of what comes next.”The mood reflects a broader national uncertainty shaped by unresolved disputes over governance,

Cameroon booked a place in the quarter-finals with a disciplined victory over South Africa, extending a run that has turned early promise into tangible progress and setting up a meeting with hosts Morocco. The result was settled by composure at key moments rather than spectacle, with Cameroon absorbing pressure and striking when chances appeared, a pattern that has defined their campaign.From the opening exchanges, South Africa sought to control possession and push numbers forward, probing down the flanks and asking

Ghana’s cedi closed 2025 as the fourth best performing currency in Africa, reflecting a year of relative stability after prolonged volatility and placing the unit among the continent’s stronger exchange rates against the United States dollar. The cedi finished the year at about GH¢10.93 to the dollar, a level that contrasted sharply with the steep depreciation seen in earlier periods and underscored the impact of tighter macroeconomic management and improved external financing conditions.The currency’s performance drew attention because Ghana had

Washington’s move to detain Nicolás Maduro has sharpened the White House’s focus on Venezuela’s vast petroleum reserves, with President Donald Trump signalling that access to crude exports is now a strategic priority. The shift marks a harder edge in US policy towards Venezuela, but it also exposes legal, logistical and market obstacles that complicate any rapid redirection of oil flows.The administration’s intent has been framed as leverage: pressure the Caracas leadership while testing whether energy supplies can be unlocked for

Swiss authorities have moved swiftly to block any financial assets within their jurisdiction linked to Venezuela’s deposed President Nicolás Maduro and associates, ordering freezes with immediate effect after his arrest by United States forces and transfer to the United States to face narco-terrorism charges. The decision by the Swiss Federal Council is set to remain in place for four years, aimed at preventing the outflow of potentially illicitly obtained funds and building on sanctions Switzerland has maintained against Venezuela since

Stone structures lying beneath the Atlantic off the western coast of France have drawn renewed scientific attention, with researchers saying the scale and organisation of the remains point to a large human settlement dating back about 7,000 years. The find centres on a sprawling network of granite walls resting on the seabed, including a continuous section extending close to 400 feet, assembled from megaliths whose combined weight is estimated at roughly 7.2 million pounds.Marine archaeologists and geologists working in waters

 Washington moved to recalibrate its public posture on Venezuela as Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined a strategy centred on economic coercion rather than direct governance, while President Donald Trump repeated assertions that the United States would be “in charge” following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. The contrasting messages underscored tensions inside the administration over how far Washington should go in reshaping the oil-rich South American state and how that effort should be framed to domestic and international audiences.Rubio said

Taiwanese security officials and lawmakers have been assessing the implications of Donald Trump’s hardline language on Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, viewing it as a signal of how a future Trump administration might project power abroad and deter coercive moves by Beijing, even as they privately acknowledge that no arrest of the Venezuelan leader has taken place. The discussion reflects Taipei’s constant effort to read Washington’s intentions amid growing pressure from China across the Taiwan Strait.Public comments and private briefings in Taipei

Finnish authorities have detained two crew members from a foreign-flagged cargo vessel as part of an expanding criminal investigation into damage to an undersea telecommunications cable linking Helsinki and Tallinn, sharpening security concerns across the Baltic Sea region at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.The sailors were taken into custody following the seizure of the vessel Fitburg, which Finnish officials believe may be connected to the disruption of the fibre-optic link that supports data traffic between Finland and Estonia. Investigators

Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, declaring the United States was “locked and loaded” should Tehran threaten American interests, as deadly protests inside the country intensified pressure on its leadership and sharpened an already volatile regional standoff.The remarks, delivered during a briefing in Washington, followed days of unrest across several Iranian cities after demonstrations turned violent, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured, according to official figures and independent monitors. The protests, initially driven by economic grievances and political

Venezuela’s Supreme Court has ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to immediately assume and exercise all presidential powers in an acting capacity, a move that reassigns executive authority at the top of the state and sets off political and institutional repercussions across the country.The ruling, issued by the Supreme Court of Justice, instructs Rodríguez to take on the full scope of presidential functions with immediate effect. The court said the transfer of authority was necessary to ensure continuity of governance and

Claims circulating across social media and some exile networks that President Nicolás Maduro had been captured in a U. S.-led operation triggered an emotional surge among Venezuelans living abroad, exposing both the depth of anger at Caracas and the fragility of trust shaped by years of unfulfilled expectations. No government in Washington or Caracas has confirmed any detention of Nicolás Maduro, and the authorities in Venezuela continue to project business as usual. Yet the speed with which the reports spread

Donald Trump has said United States oil companies would invest billions of dollars to rebuild Venezuela’s battered energy system, asserting that a change in political control would unlock one of the world’s largest proven crude reserves for American firms and help stabilise global supply.Speaking during a campaign-style address, Donald Trump portrayed Venezuela’s oil sector as a prime target for rapid private investment, arguing that US producers could move quickly to restore output, refineries and export capacity after years of mismanagement

Air raid sirens sounded across Caracas on Friday as parts of the Venezuelan capital experienced electricity outages, triggering widespread concern and a swift response from authorities who said the alarm reflected a security drill amid heightened tensions rather than an external attack.Officials said the sirens were activated in several districts shortly after dawn, coinciding with intermittent power losses that affected residential neighbourhoods, transport links and mobile connectivity. Social media footage showed residents gathering in streets and apartment balconies as alarms

Dozens of people are feared missing and at least seven have been confirmed dead after a wooden boat carrying about 200 migrants capsized off the coast of The Gambia during an attempted crossing to Europe, authorities and humanitarian officials said.The vessel overturned in rough Atlantic waters shortly after leaving the West African coastline, according to preliminary accounts from survivors and local responders. Search and rescue teams have been deployed along the coastal stretch near where the boat was last sighted,

Chicago soybean futures eased in the latest session, trimming earlier advances, but still closed the year with their first annual gain in three years, marking a turnaround after a prolonged period of price pressure driven by ample global supplies and volatile demand signals.Prices on the Chicago Board of Trade moved lower during the session as traders locked in profits following weeks of upward momentum. Despite the pullback, soybeans finished the year higher, a development widely attributed to shifting trade flows,

Seven Canadians were among dozens of people injured after two trains collided head-on in Peru, authorities said, prompting emergency responses along a busy rail corridor and diplomatic outreach from Ottawa to assist those affected.Peru’s transport officials said the crash occurred when two trains travelling in opposite directions struck each other on the same line, causing multiple carriages to derail and trapping passengers inside. Emergency services, including firefighters and medical teams, were dispatched to the site to evacuate the injured and

Washington has decided to reduce anti-dumping tariffs on certain pasta imports from Italy, a step that Italian officials say could ease a long-running trade dispute and marginally lower costs for American consumers while restoring access for affected producers.Italy’s Foreign Ministry said the United States would cut duties imposed on specific Italian pasta brands after a review of the measures, which were introduced following complaints by American manufacturers that imports were being sold below fair value. The ministry described the decision

 European Space Agency officials are assessing the impact of another cyber intrusion after a criminal group claimed it is offering around 200 gigabytes of agency data for sale on underground forums, raising fresh questions about the resilience of public-sector space infrastructure to sustained digital threats.The alleged breach, disclosed by the attackers through dark-web postings and shared among cybersecurity monitoring firms, is described as involving internal documents, technical files and correspondence linked to external contractors. ESA has acknowledged that it is

Remarks attributed to cybersecurity entrepreneur Shlomo Kramer have ignited a broader debate in technology and legal circles over how far governments and platforms should go in policing online speech, touching a sensitive nerve in the United States where the First Amendment sits at the centre of public life. Video clips and quotations circulating on social media platforms this week show Kramer arguing that authorities need to “control all the social platforms” and take a firmer hand in overseeing what is

President Donald Trump has put off a scheduled increase in tariffs on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, a move that slows the pace of his trade levies as household price pressures remain a political concern.The postponement, announced by administration officials after consultations with manufacturers and retailers, affects a tranche of consumer goods largely sourced from overseas supply chains. The delay keeps existing duty rates in place while officials review market conditions and the potential knock-on effects for inflation,