live Iran’s Araghchi blames U.S. for Hormuz tensions, urges diplomacy
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be res...
European Union leaders renewed economic sanctions on Russia for another six months on Thursday and reviewed the latest U.S. trade proposals during a summit in Brussels.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU remains open to a swift and pragmatic trade deal with Washington but called for fair terms. “Our goodwill should not be seen as a weakness,” he told reporters. “If the U.S. maintains its baseline tariff of 10%, Europe’s response must carry equal weight.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the EU had received a new document from Washington. “We are ready for a deal,” she said, adding: “At the same time, we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached. All options remain on the table.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed the call for a streamlined process, saying the EU should pursue a “quick and simple” agreement. He noted that von der Leyen had also proposed exploring a new trade body led by European nations, as the World Trade Organization faces challenges.
The renewed push for a U.S.-EU trade agreement comes as President Donald Trump promotes updated tariff policies with global partners. Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. had signed a trade deal with China and suggested a similar agreement with India may follow.
Separately, EU officials confirmed the extension of sanctions on Russia, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine. The measures will remain in place for another six months.
Leaders are expected to return to the trade agenda in July, with talks set to intensify in the coming weeks.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence, looting and vandalism that erupted during cost-of-living protests across France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held crisis talks on Monday, calling for partial curfews and raising the possibility of a state of emergency.
An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Sunday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be resolved through diplomacy and blamed the United States for insecurity and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
Beijing says it deployed naval forces to monitor a U.S. warship near Sabina Shoal, while Taiwan reports a separate confrontation with a Chinese coast guard vessel near the Pratas Islands.
Tensions are mounting across Asia, with North Korea warning of war, China clashing with the U.S. and the Philippines, and protests gathering pace in Indonesia and India. Military threats, diplomatic disputes and political unrest are fuelling uncertainty across the region.
Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta voted to remain part of the country in a non-binding referendum on Monday, 19 October, CBC News reports, delivering a much-needed victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney amid an ongoing trade war with the United States.
A Kenyan court has convicted cult leader Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-defendants of murder over the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, in a case that shocked the world and exposed one of the deadliest cult-related tragedies in recent memory.
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