All articles tagged with #pol
Spain’s foreign minister condemned Israeli strikes on Lebanon as a violation of international law and the ceasefire, and announced Spain would reopen its embassy in Tehran to help pursue peace in the region.
Taiwan's Kuomintang chair Cheng Li-wun will visit China in early April after an invitation from Xi Jinping, traveling to Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu from April 7–12; the trip, coming about a month before Donald Trump’s Beijing visit, signals a closer stance toward Beijing as Taiwan's parliament debates a sizable defence package.
Iranian officials say the latest talks show the United States and Iran disagree on the scope and sequencing of sanctions relief, with new talks planned for early March. Tehran rejects zero enrichment and offers compromises—such as exporting part of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, diluting enrichment levels, or forming a regional enrichment consortium—in exchange for recognition of Iran's right to peaceful nuclear enrichment, while Washington ties relief to broader concessions and possible economic engagement, including investment in Iran's oil sector. Both sides see potential interim deals and mutual economic benefits if a diplomatic path is found, and Tehran has warned it could retaliate if attacked.
World stocks rallied as Japan’s Sanae Takaichi won a landslide, fueling optimism about growth and a tech rebound, while the dollar weakened after China urged financial institutions to curb exposure to U.S. bonds. Markets remain sensitive to how Tokyo funds promised stimulus, including potential asset sales, and attention turns to AI-related spending and upcoming data and central-bank commentary as investors reassess the macro outlook.
Spain announced plans to ban social media access for those under 16, require age-verification on platforms, and create laws to hold social-media executives accountable for illegal and hate-speech content, part of a cross-border “Coalition of the Digitally Willing.” A bill could pass next week, with prosecutors eyeing potential infractions by Grok, TikTok and Instagram; Australia has already imposed a similar ban, and more EU countries are watching.
Reuters reports that President Trump spoke to some FBI agents a day after they searched the Fulton County Election Hub outside Atlanta, with DNI Tulsi Gabbard reportedly calling Trump during the meeting; Trump addressed the agents on speakerphone, praising their work, while critics say the Georgia investigation is politically motivated and note that courts and state officials have rejected widespread 2020 election-fraud claims.
Civil society groups filed two impeachment complaints against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, accusing her of misusing public funds, bribery for contracts and threats; Duterte survived a similar bid last year and remains a frontrunner for the 2028 presidency, with her camp saying they are prepared to confront the allegations through due process as impeachment rules tighten after a Supreme Court ruling.
President Donald Trump said Alex Pretti should not have been carrying a gun or loaded magazines when he was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis, a stance that clashes with gun-rights groups who say Pretti was legally armed and with some Republicans. Trump spoke in Iowa, remarking on Pretti’s weapon amid a broader debate over gun policy ahead of elections. Pretti was a licensed concealed-weapons holder and video contradicting initial claims that he threatened law enforcement has circulated, contributing to political tension after the shooting and a White House leadership shakeup.
Reuters/Ipsos finds Trump's immigration policy at a record low: 39% approve and 53% disapprove, while his overall approval falls to 38% (tied for a term low); 58% say the ICE crackdown has gone too far, and Republicans still edge Democrats on immigration in a nationwide online poll of 1,139 adults.
A draft charter for a U.S.-backed 'Board of Peace' would let member states extend their membership beyond three years only if they contribute $1 billion in cash in the charter's first year; otherwise memberships are limited to three years and renewals are at the Chairman's discretion. The document was circulated to about 60 countries, according to Reuters (citing Bloomberg).
Britain will boost its military reserves by raising the maximum call-up age to 65 and lowering the threshold to include warlike preparations, aiming to improve readiness and align with NATO practices; changes are slated to take effect from spring 2027.
President Trump urged Iranians to keep protesting and said 'help is on its way' on Truth Social, offering no specifics on what action that might entail. He also said he canceled meetings with Iranian officials until the protests’ killings stop. The protests in Iran have been deadly, with Iranian officials saying about 2,000 people killed, and Trump has previously floated military action while also imposing tariffs related to Iran; Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran is in contact with the U.S. envoy and considering Washington's proposals.