US trade deficit hits $1.24 trillion in 2025 despite tariffs

The United States recorded a historic trade deficit of $1.241 trillion in 2025, marking a 2.1% increase compared with the previous year, according to data released by the US Department of Commerce. This record deficit occurred despite the implementation of tariffs aimed at rebalancing trade flows with key international partners. In December,......

German chancellor Merz deepens China ties and warns US on tariffs

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he will pursue strategic partnerships with China during a visit next week, signaling a shift toward closer economic engagement with Beijing as trade tensions with Washington continue to simmer. Speaking to supporters at his Christian Democratic Union’s Ash Wednesday rally in Trier on February 18,......

King Frederik X visits Greenland amid renewed geopolitical attention

King Frederik X of Denmark arrived in Greenland this week in a visit widely interpreted as a message of unity and support for the semi-autonomous Arctic territory, at a time of heightened international focus on the region. The monarch landed in the capital, Nuuk, where he was welcomed by Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen,......

US pushes to bar Ukraine from NATO summit in Ankara

The United States is urging NATO allies to exclude Ukraine and four Indo Pacific partner countries from formal sessions of the alliance’s July summit in Ankara, according to Politico, which cited four diplomats familiar with the discussions. Washington is pressing to prevent Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea from......

Iranian rial plunges as capital flight hits record levels

Iran’s currency has tumbled to historic lows as capital flight accelerates and oil revenues decline under renewed US sanctions, deepening strains on an economy already grappling with high inflation and social pressure over potential bread price increases. The Iranian rial weakened to around 16.3 million rials per US dollar in free market......

Russian Urals crude discount widens to lowest since 2023

Russia’s flagship Urals crude is trading at its steepest discount to global benchmark Brent in nearly three years, underscoring mounting pressure on Moscow’s key export revenues as Western sanctions persist and Indian demand weakens. The discount on Urals expanded to $28 per barrel on a free on board basis at the Baltic ports......

European stocks slip as oil surges on US Iran tensions

European equities edged lower on Thursday after reaching record highs a day earlier, as investors weighed a sharp rise in oil prices against escalating tensions between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program. The pan European Stoxx Europe 600 index fell 0.1 percent in early trading, hovering around 628 points after......

Russian supreme court upholds $1.2 quintillion fine against Google

Russia’s Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling ordering Google to pay 91.5 quintillion roubles, roughly $1.2 quintillion, in penalties for blocking Russian state media channels on YouTube. The decision, confirmed on February 18, rejected a cassation appeal filed by Google International LLC and cements one of the largest financial......

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested amid renewed scrutiny over Epstein-linked allegations

British police on Thursday confirmed the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, on suspicion of misconduct and potential offenses related to his time holding public responsibilities. According to UK media reports, officers arrived at his residence as part of an ongoing inquiry. Authorities had previously stated......

Ukrainian drones spark fire at Russian oil depot after Geneva talks stall

Russian air defenses intercepted 113 Ukrainian drones overnight from February 18 to 19, the Defense Ministry said Thursday, describing one of the largest waves of drone attacks on Russian territory in recent weeks. The barrage came hours after U.S.-mediated peace talks in Geneva ended without a breakthrough. According to the ministry, the......

Poland urges citizens to leave Iran as conflict fears rise

Poland has called on all its nationals in Iran to depart immediately, warning that evacuation options could become unavailable within hours as regional tensions intensify. Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged Polish citizens to leave without delay and advised against any travel to Iran, citing what he described as a credible risk of imminent military......

Study finds fire weather days nearly tripled worldwide in 45 years

The number of days marked by hot, dry and windy conditions that fuel extreme wildfires has nearly tripled globally over the past 45 years, with researchers concluding that human driven climate change accounts for more than half of the increase. A study published Wednesday in Science Advances reports that between 1979 and 1993 the world experienced......

White House urges Iran nuclear deal as US military builds up

The White House on Wednesday pressed Iran to reach a nuclear agreement with President Donald Trump as the United States continues to reinforce its military presence in the Middle East, raising the prospect of military action if diplomacy fails. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that diplomacy remains the president’s......

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