Category: All News

China adds 12 US entities to export control list, adds 6 US firms to unreliable entity list

China’s Ministry of Commence (MOFCOM) said on Wednesday that it has added 12 US entities to the export control list. In order to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Export Control Law of China and the regulations on export control of dual-use items, the MOFCOM issued an announcement to include 12 US entities in the export control list and prohibit the export of dual-use items to…

Brussels threatens to block US from bidding for public contracts

Brussels has threatened to bar American companies from bidding for taxpayer-funded contracts as Europe seeks to retaliate against Donald Trump’s tariffs. Stéphane Séjourné, executive vice president of the European Commission, said the EU has “the cards” to hit back at Mr Trump’s new levies of 20pc on goods and 25pc on cars. “We could decide to withdraw all American companies from European public procurement,” Mr Séjourné, who is also commissioner for industrial strategy, told Radio France. It represents a fresh…

Telegram Accused of Removing Popular News Channel at Russia’s Request

The messaging app Telegram is facing censorship accusations after reportedly removing a popular Russian news channel whose alleged owners face criminal prosecution inside Russia. VChK-OGPU, an anonymously run channel claiming to share insider information from Russia’s security and law enforcement agencies, had 1.1 million subscribers when it was taken down overnight Monday. On a backup Telegram channel, VChK-OGPU’s owners wrote that the removal came at the request of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, the Federal Security Service (FSB) and state media watchdog Roskomnadzor….

UK court confirms Apple is suing British government over ‘backdoor’ request

A British court has confirmed that Apple is suing the British government over a legal order regarding the company’s encryption of iCloud accounts, lifting a veil of official secrecy regarding the controversial move. In a judgment on Monday, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal — the only court in the country that can hear certain national security cases — said it would confirm “the bare details of the case” despite the British government’s argument that to do so would undermine national security….

UK MPs barred from entering Israel

Two pro-Palestinian British MPs were denied entry to Israel and subsequently deported after local authorities accused them of misrepresenting the nature of their visit and planning to promote campaigns targeting the state. Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, both members of the governing Labour Party, landed in Tel Aviv at 2:30pm local time on Saturday, accompanied by two aides. During questioning at Ben Gurion Airport, they told border officers they were part of an official UK parliamentary delegation – a claim…

China hits back at Trump with 34% tariff on U.S. imports

China announced a 34% tariff on all products imported from the U.S. on Friday, escalating the trade war between the world’s two biggest economies. The move came two days after President Donald Trump imposed the same tariff on all Chinese imports as part of what he called reciprocal tariffs on a long list of U.S. trade partners. Combined with 20% in other levies that Trump has imposed on Chinese goods since returning to office in January, the total U.S. tariff…

Jeep & Chrysler parent Stellantis lays off 900 US workers as tariffs bite

In sum:

Stellantis pauses production in Mexico and Canada due to tariffs
Automakers face 25% import tax on imported autos
UAW criticizes Stellantis for unnecessary layoffs
US automaker shares fall sharply

South Korea Removes Its Impeached President and Regains Direction

South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol has been removed from office, four months after his shortlived attempt to impose martial law sparked a prolonged political crisis. The Constitutional Court on Friday announced in a unanimous verdict that it would uphold parliament’s vote to impeach Yoon last year over his failed power grab, stripping him of office and ending his presidency less than three years into his five-year term. A presidential election will be held within 60 days. Han Duck-soo, a…

Musk’s father says Tesla tycoon admires Putin

Errol Musk says his family looks up to the Russian leader for his calm leadership and logical speeches Errol Musk has said that his son Elon and their family admire Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking to the BBC in an interview, the billionaire’s father described the head of state as a “strong leader” and praised his speeches as logical. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, also leads the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as part of US President…

Loomer’s relationship with Trump: 3 National Security staff fired

Far-right activist and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer reportedly made sure three National Security Council staff members were fired, as Loomer considered them disloyal. She communicated this opinion to Donald Trump in a brief White House meeting Wednesday. Laura Loomer is not a new name in MAGA circle. She was frequently seen with the president ahead of the election. Her extreme statements against Kamala Harris spelt trouble for the Donald Trump campaign and she was apparently sidelined, but the three recent…

China’s response to US tariff announcement: Breach of WTO rules, countermeasures will follow

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson slammed US’ “reciprocal tariffs,” saying the US’ move seriously violates WTO rules and undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system. “China strongly opposes the US’ move and will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its legitimate interests,” Guo said, responding to a question over the US’ “reciprocal tariffs” on its major trade partners, including 34 percent on China. The Chinese side has repeatedly stressed that there is no winner in trade war and that protectionism leads nowhere, the spokesperson said. “China urges the US to immediately correct its wrongdoings and resolve trade disputes with China and other countries through equal, respectful, and mutually beneficial dialogue.”

In Texas, ‘water is the new oil’ as cities square off over aquifers that may soon dry out

In Central Texas, a bitter fight over a $1 billion water project offers a preview of the future for much of the state as decades of rapid growth push past the local limits of its most vital natural resource. On one side: Georgetown, the fastest growing city in America for three years straight, which in 2023 signed a contract with an investor-funded enterprise to quickly begin importing vast volumes of water from the Simsboro Formation of the Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer,…

Germany to target ‘internal EU enemies’ – Politico

The thinly veiled threat reportedly refers to Hungary, which has blocked several of Brussels’ foreign policy decisions The incoming German government plans to play a larger role in EU decision-making, including by punishing nations that dissent against the bloc’s foreign policy, Politico has reported. According to the outlet, a draft coalition agreement targets Hungary, which has defied EU decisions on issues such as the Ukraine conflict and sanctions against Russia. Germany is set to have a new coalition government formed…

JD Vance says Denmark has ‘under invested’ in Greenland

US Vice President JD Vance on Friday criticized Denmark for failing to adequately protect Greenland, during a visit to the strategically significant and resource-rich Arctic territory. His remarks, made at the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, have been viewed as a provocation by both Copenhagen and Nuuk. “Denmark has not done enough” Speaking at a press conference, Vance accused Denmark of under-investing in Greenland and neglecting both its people and its security infrastructure. “Our message to Denmark is very…

Israel launches first air strike on Lebanon’s Beirut since November truce

Israeli attack destroys a residential building in a Beirut suburb as France’s Macron decries ‘unacceptable’ strike. Israel has carried out an air strike on Lebanon’s capital for the first time since a fragile truce between the Israeli army and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in November halted a war between the two. Residents fled as a building was flattened in the Hadath neighbourhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday when Israel carried out four strikes – an attack reminiscent of…

Anti-war Russian Scientist at Harvard Med Detained by U.S. Border Agents

U.S. immigration authorities detained and revoked the visa of a Russian scientist who opposes the war in Ukraine and had been conducting genetic research at Harvard Medical School, her friends and colleagues said this week. Ksenia Petrova was stopped at Boston Logan International Airport on Feb. 16 after returning from a personal trip in France. U.S. officials revoked her research visa for failing to properly declare frog embryos she had brought with her, according to The Harvard Crimson. U.S. Customs…