Former commerce minister Billon concedes defeat to Ouattara in Ivory Coast election
Former Ivory Coast commerce minister Jean-Louis Billon conceded defeat on Sunday to incumbent President Alassane Ouattara in the country’s president...
Top U.S. and Chinese officials on Sunday agreed on a trade deal framework for Presidents Trump and Xi to finalise this week, pausing new U.S. tariffs and China’s rare earth restrictions while resuming U.S. soybean exports.
.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters after talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur that the negotiations had averted Trump’s planned 100% tariffs on Chinese imports set to begin on November 1. He added that China is expected to delay the rollout of its new rare earth licensing policy by a year for further review.
Chinese officials were more cautious, confirming only that a “preliminary consensus” had been reached, with further internal approvals required. “The U.S. position has been tough,” said Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang. “But we have engaged in constructive exchanges to explore solutions and arrangements.”
Trump and Xi are scheduled to meet Thursday at the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, to formalise the terms. While the White House has announced the meeting, Beijing has not yet confirmed it.
Bessent said he expects the tariff truce between the two countries, due to expire on November 10, to be extended and that China will soon resume large-scale purchases of U.S. soybeans after a hiatus in September. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer added that both sides had agreed to suspend certain punitive measures and to expand access to Chinese rare earths while balancing trade flows.
The discussions also covered broader issues, including the U.S. fentanyl crisis, port fees, and the ongoing transfer of TikTok to U.S. ownership — a deal Bessent said could be finalised during the Trump-Xi meeting.
Speaking after the talks, Trump expressed optimism, saying, “I think we’re going to have a deal with China.”
Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have escalated in recent weeks despite a fragile truce reached earlier this year. China’s expanded controls on rare earth exports have fuelled shortages worldwide, prompting Washington to consider new export restrictions on high-tech goods to China, including software-driven equipment such as laptops and jet engines.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Argentines headed to the polls on Sunday for midterm legislative elections, a key test of President Javier Milei’s sweeping free-market reforms and austerity drive, and a measure of whether he retains enough political momentum to push forward with his economic overhaul.
Hurricane Melissa has intensified into a Category 4 storm, packing winds of up to 140 mph (220 km/h) and is expected to strengthen further as it approaches Jamaica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Sunday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel will decide which foreign forces can participate in the planned international mission in Gaza, aimed at securing a fragile ceasefire under U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
After 4 days of hearings in Istanbul, Jury of Conscience of Gaza People’s Tribunal issue final findings, accusing Israel of systematic exterminatory violence.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will travel to Brussels on Monday for meetings with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal, and other senior policymakers, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry confirmed.
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