Belarus frees 123 prisoners after U.S. lifts sanctions
Belarus has released 123 prisoners, including opposition leader Maria Kalesnikava and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, following an agreeme...
President Donald Trump said his administration will notify countries by 9 July of new U.S. tariff rates, as trade talks with key partners enter their final days ahead of a 1 August implementation deadline.
Despite promising to finalise 90 trade deals in 90 days, Trump has so far concluded only a limited agreement with the UK and a preliminary deal with Vietnam. Talks with other major trading partners remain unresolved, though The White House says progress is being made.
European Union
Talks with the 27-member European Union have yet to reach a breakthrough. A proposed 17% U.S. tariff on agricultural exports remains a major sticking point, alongside EU demands for exemptions on pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and auto parts. Brussels has signalled willingness to accept a universal 10% tariff if sector-specific duties are lifted and existing tariffs on steel and autos are reduced.
Japan
Japan continues discussions amid U.S. pressure to import more rice and oil. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Japan’s Ryosei Akazawa held talks last week, but Trump said Japan could still receive a tariff notice, with rates possibly reaching 35%.
India
A long-promised trade deal remains elusive. India faces 26% U.S. tariffs and is resisting calls to open its agriculture and dairy markets. On Friday, New Delhi filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over a separate 25% tariff on auto parts, affecting $2.89 billion in exports.
Indonesia
Indonesia has offered to cut duties and import $500 million in U.S. wheat to avert a 32% tariff. Jakarta has also eased import licensing rules and plans a $34 billion aircraft and investment deal with U.S. firms this week.
South Korea
Despite low tariffs under an existing free-trade agreement, South Korea seeks a deadline extension. Its national security adviser is in Washington for talks, which also cover foreign exchange policy and defence cost-sharing for U.S. troops stationed on the peninsula.
Thailand
Bangkok is offering to increase U.S. imports of energy and aircraft to avoid a 36% tariff. Proposed concessions include market access for U.S. corn and industrial goods, as well as Thai investment projects aimed at creating American jobs.
Switzerland
Facing a possible 31% tariff, Switzerland is offering greater access for U.S. seafood and citrus while seeking assurances on pharmaceuticals, with major Swiss firms like Roche and Novartis heavily invested in the U.S.
Trump has said formal tariff notifications will be issued by 9 July, with rates taking effect on 1 August unless new deals are struck.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
The Oligarch’s Design is an investigative documentary exploring how financial power, political influence and carefully constructed narratives can shape conflict and public perception.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Belarus has released 123 prisoners, including opposition leader Maria Kalesnikava and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, following an agreement with the United States to ease sanctions on the country’s potash exports.
Migration isn’t driven only by politics or social issues. In the era of climate change, the environment itself is becoming a reason to leave home.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Ankara, at his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks took place on the sidelines of the international Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (12 December).
Two Syrian security personnel and several U.S. troops were injured on Saturday after a joint patrol came under gunfire near the city of Palmyra in central Syria, local media reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday responded to the release of new photographs from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said he had not seen the photos but downplayed their significance, stating that the images were “no big deal.”
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