live Middle East tensions simmer as U.S.–Iran talks loom and strike kills 13- Friday, 10 April
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's Pres...
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to attend the upcoming G7 finance ministers' meeting in Banff, Alberta, Canada. His goal is to shift the group’s attention toward tackling global trade imbalances and addressing unfair economic practices, according to a Treasury spokesperson.
The G7 includes the U.S., Canada, Japan, Germany, France, the UK, and Italy. Bessent plans to emphasize private-sector-led growth and advocate for reducing U.S. government spending and regulation, arguing the economy has leaned too heavily on public sector support.
This will be Bessent's second engagement with G7 finance leaders, following his first in-person meeting in April during the IMF and World Bank spring sessions. That meeting did not produce a joint statement, although Canadian Finance Minister and G7 chair Francois-Philippe Champagne noted ongoing unity on several fronts despite trade tensions, especially over Trump-era tariffs.
At the same event, Bessent affirmed U.S. support for the IMF and World Bank, encouraging them to return to their primary roles of promoting economic stability and development.
Bessent also wants the G7 to return to core priorities like fixing economic imbalances and countering non-market practices, issues he says impact both G7 and non-G7 nations. Though he didn’t name specific countries, Bessent has repeatedly criticized China’s state-led economic model and government subsidies, arguing they fuel overproduction, threaten global jobs and businesses, and hurt the world economy.
In a recent speech, Bessent stated: "China's export-driven strategy is unsustainable. It's harming not only China but the global economy as well".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue and avoid steps that could worsen tensions after China-hosted talks in Urumqi, with Kabul and Beijing saying the meetings focused on easing differences and improving relations.
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's President said an Israeli strike killed 13 security personnel in Nabatieh.
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during U.S.-Israeli attacks on 28 February.
Dubai has restricted foreign airlines to one daily flight to its airports until 31 May due to the Iran crisis, raising fears of significant revenue losses for Indian carriers, industry letters show.
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana, is suing him for libel at the High Court in London, according to a court record published on Friday (10 April).
The European Union and Washington are nearing an agreement to coordinate the production and security of critical minerals, Bloomberg News reported on Friday (10 April).
In a forceful rebuke to Washington’s foreign policy in the Americas, a senior Russian diplomat has declared that Moscow will never abandon Cuba, pledging ongoing support to help the Communist-run island overcome a severe energy crisis linked to the United States embargo.
Hungary votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could loosen Viktor Orbán’s 16-year hold on power. His ruling Fidesz faces a strong challenge from Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which has led some polls, though many voters remain undecided.
While a fragile ceasefire in the Iran war may deliver badly needed relief to economies battered by the world’s worst-ever energy crisis, hopes it will quickly restore normal oil and gas flows from the Middle East are almost certainly misplaced.
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