Page 14 - International News

French farmers drive tractors into Paris to protest EU free trade deal

Farmers drove about a hundred tractors into Paris on Thursday morning to protest the European Union's intention to move forward with a free trade deal with five South American nations, the French Interior Ministry said. French farmers for years have denounced the trade deal with the Mercosur nations of Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay, arguing that the deal would hurt French farmers' livelihoods. Thursday's protest was staged by the Rural Coordination union to put further pressure on France's government, which has opposed the deal. Jose Perez, President of the Rural Coordination in the Lot-et-Garonne region in southwestern France, said, The goal today is to come to Paris to express our demands closer to those who have the power. It's a strong symbol, he told The Associated Press. The Interior Ministry said about 20 tractors were in the Paris city centre, some at the Arc de Triomphe monument and others in the Eiffel Tower neighbourhood, despite a ban issued by ...

Trump discussing range of options to acquire Greenland: White House

Trump has in recent days adopted a more expansionist foreign policy posture, including a renewed focus on Greenland, following the US capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro

UK names new road safety rules 'Dev's Law' after Indian-origin victim

The UK on Wednesday unveiled a series of stricter road safety norms, including Dev's Law named after an eight-year-old Indian-origin boy killed in a 2018 accident on a busy highway. The Department for Transport (DfT) said its new road safety strategy will save thousands of lives on UK roads by tackling drink driving, improving training for young learner drivers and introducing mandatory eye tests for older motorists. It will also make Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) compulsory in new vehicles, something Dev's mother Meera Naran has been campaigning for since losing her son in the tragic road collision over seven years ago. I welcome this much-anticipated road safety strategy and am pleased to see a number of measures set out to reduce road deaths and serious injuries, said Naran, a senior lecturer at De Montfort University in Leicester. I am especially grateful to the Secretary of State [Heidi Alexander] for giving me her word that she would honour Dev and recognise the importan

BlueScope Steel rejects $9 billion takeover offer for fourth time

BlueScope shares closed 1.12 per cent higher on Wednesday at A$29.87, just below the A$30 per share offer made public on Monday

Dollar dips for second day as Venezuela concerns give way to optimism

The impact of the shock US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend was short-lived across most asset classes with stocks around the world trading at record highs

Pak, Afghan agree to establish joint committee to reopen border

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Monday agreed to establish a 13-member joint committee of business leaders to hold formal negotiations for the opening of the border for trade. The border has been shut since October last year after the two sides clashed over the issue of militancy emanating from Afghanistan. The Express Tribune newspaper reported that the joint committee comprises six members from Pakistan and seven from Afghanistan. The Pakistani delegation will be led by Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, Adviser to the President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), while the Afghan side will be headed by Mohammad Wali Amini. Speaking to the media, Kazmi said the primary objective of the talks is the immediate reopening of Pak-Afghan trade routes, the removal of obstacles in border management, and ensuring the continuity of bilateral trade. He added that a comprehensive and practical roadmap would be formulated to provide a lasting solution to the issues fa

Security scare at JD Vance's Ohio residence; windows damaged, suspect held

The United States Secret Service said the vice president's family was not in Ohio when the incident took place

Indian envoy urged Trump to relieve tariffs on oil imports: US Senator

US Senator Lindsey Graham has claimed that Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra informed him about New Delhi reducing its purchases of Russian oil and asked him to convey to President Donald Trump to "relieve the tariff" imposed on India. Graham, accompanying Trump on Air Force One Sunday, spoke about his tariff bill that seeks to impose 500 per cent levies on imports from countries buying Russian oil. He said that to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, pressure must be put on Russian President Vladimir Putin's customers. Trump said that the sanctions are hurting Russia very badly, and then mentioned India. Graham then said that the US put a 25 per cent tariff on India for buying Russian oil. I was at the Indian Ambassador's house about a month ago, and all he wanted to talk about was how they are buying less Russian oil," Graham said. He added that the Indian envoy conveyed to him, "Would you tell the President to relieve the tariff?" There were no immediate comments from India

Swiss bar fire: Managers probed after fire kills 40 at New Year party

Swiss authorities have opened an investigation into the managers of the bar where a fire at a New Year's party left 40 people dead, police said Saturday. The two are suspected of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and causing fire by negligence, police said in a statement. They said that the investigation was opened on Friday night, but didn't give further details. More than 100 people were injured in the blaze that broke out about 1:30 am on Thursday at the Le Constellation bar in the Alpine resort town of Crans-Montana. The process of identifying the dead and injured was still underway on Saturday, leading to an agonising wait for relatives desperate for news. Investigators said Friday that they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire when they came too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar. Many of the injured were in their teens to mid-20s, police said. Authorities planned to look into whether sound-dampening material on the ceiling ...

Micheal Martin to visit China, first trip by an Irish leader in 14 years

Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin will visit China from Sunday and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the first visit by an Irish leader in 14 years, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday. Beijing has been strengthening ties with individual members of the European Union despite tensions with the EU bloc over tariffs and human rights issues. In late 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish King Felipe VI met with Xi in separate trips to China. During his five-day trip, Martin will also meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who had invited him, and Zhao Leji, chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the ministry said in a statement. Besides Beijing, he will travel to Shanghai, it added. Through the visit, the ministry said, China is ready to work with Ireland to expand cooperation and foster China-EU relations. In December, China imposed up to 42.7 per cent of provisional tariffs on dairy products, including milk and .

Neuralink plans 'high-volume' brain implant production by 2026, says Musk

The company began human trials of its brain implant in 2024 after addressing safety concerns raised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

US drew bulk of state-owned investments in 2025: Global SWF report

Funneling investments to the US came at the expense of emerging markets, however - despite their outsized performance in 2025

UN clears 7% reduced budget for 2026 as US arrears strain finances

The US usually contributes 22% of the UN's regular budget, but the Trump administration has not paid the $826 million bill for 2025 and it still owes some $660 million in arrears

Warner Bros likely to reject Paramount's $108.4 bn hostile bid: Report

Paramount had said that Ellison was open to personally guarantee equity financing backing the bid, a move aimed at easing doubts that had dogged its earlier proposal

Louis Gerstner, who steered IBM through historic turnaround, dies at 83

IBM chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna announced Gerstner's death in an email sent Sunday to employees, but did not provide a cause of death

US clears Samsung, SK Hynix chip tool shipments to China for 2026

The approval is a temporary relief for the South Korean firms and follows a U.S. decision earlier this year to revoke licence waivers given to some tech companies

Bangladesh polls: BNP's Tarique Rahman files nomination papers in Dhaka

Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman submitted his nomination papers on Monday for the upcoming elections. The papers were filed around 12:00 pm on Monday at the office of the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner in Segunbagicha, the Daily Star reported. Abdus Salam, BNP chairperson's adviser, accompanied by Professor Dr Farhad Halim Donar, chief adviser of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB), submitted the nomination on Rahman's behalf. Rahman will contest the February 12 election from the Dhaka-17 constituency. Today is the final day for the submission of nomination papers for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Speaking at a briefing, Salam expressed gratitude to all, saying city residents warmly welcomed Rahman after 17 years in exile. He added that they expect the people of Dhaka-17 to spontaneously cast their votes for him in the February 12 election. On Sunday, Bangladesh's Election Commission approved the inclusion of Rahman in the voter list

Nepal's former rapper to run for PM in key vote after Gen Z protests

Rapper turned-Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, aka Balen, a popular elected official, joined the RSP or national independent party, led by a former TV host-turned politician Rabi Lamichhane on Sunday

Taiwan condemns China's joint military drills, deploys forces to respond

Taiwan on Monday condemned China's joint military drills around the island, disregarding international norms and using military intimidation to threaten neighbouring countries. Taiwan's Defence Ministry on Monday said in a post on X that rapid response exercises were underway, with forces on high alert to defend the island In a separate statement, it said it had deployed appropriate forces in response, conducting combat readiness drills. The Chinese Communist Party's targeted military exercises further confirm its nature as an aggressor and the biggest destroyer of peace, the ministry said. Monday's drills heightened tensions on both sides. Karen Kuo, spokesperson for the Taiwanese president's office, said the operation was undermining the stability and security of the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region and openly challenging international law and order. Our country strongly condemns the Chinese authorities for disregarding international norms and using military intimidation t

Iran is in full-scale war with US, Israel and Europe: President Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday his country is in a full-scale war with the US, Israel and Europe ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting Monday with US President Donald Trump. Pezeshkian said in an interview published on the website of the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday that the war is worse than Iran's deadly war with Iraq in the 1980s. We are in a full-scale war with the US, Israel and Europe; they don't want our country to remain stable, he said. Pezeshkian said the West's war against Iran is more complicated and more difficult compared to the 1980-1988 war with Iraq that left more than 1 million casualties on both sides. The remarks came two days before a planned meeting between Trump and Netanyahu during Netanyahu's visit to the US Iran is expected to be a key topic in the talks. Israeli and US strikes on Iran that came during a 12-day air war in June killed nearly 1,100 Iranians including senior military ..