Tag: Region Asias
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…
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.”
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…
‘Don’t think he should apologize’: Donald Trump backs national security advisor Waltz amid Signal text leak fallout
US President Donald Trump on Monday defended national security advisor Michael Waltz, as his administration faces intense scrutiny over the recent Signal text chain leak that inadvertently exposed sensitive war discussions to a journalist. Waltz has been under fire after a staffer in his office mistakenly added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a Signal group chat where high-ranking officials, including secretary of state Pete Hegseth, discussed planned military strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen. Despite the blunder, Trump…
Zelensky speaks out on US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia
Ukraine’s leader has expressed readiness to enter a US-proposed energy truce with Russia Ukraine’s leader, Vladimir Zelensky, has offered his take on negotiations in Saudi Arabia shortly after the White House released two statements on the US contacts with Kiev’s and Moscow’s respective delegations. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Zelensky expressed readiness to observe US President Donald Trump’s proposed agreement to mutually halt strikes on energy facilities with Russia, as well as to stop fighting in the Black…
‘They’re out of control’: Donald Trump says Jeff Bezos frustrated with Washington Post’s ‘crazy people’
US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about his working relationship with Jeff Bezos and the future of The Washington Post, alleging that Bezos privately criticised the newspaper’s staff. In an interview with OutKick’s Clay Travis, Trump claimed Bezos lamented the financial losses from running the publication and voiced frustrations about its newsroom employees. “They actually did a couple of bad articles on him,” Trump said. “He said, ‘This is crazy, I lose my fortune running this thing and they’re out…
Chinese EV giant BYD overtakes Tesla with annual sales topping $100 billion US
Tesla’s Chinese competitor BYD recorded a 73 per cent jump in fourth-quarter profit on Monday and said its annual revenue for 2024 crossed the $100 billion US mark, surpassing the U.S. automaker. The Chinese electric vehicle maker logged a record 777.1 billion yuan ($107 billion US, or $153 billion Cdn) in revenue last year as its sales of battery electric and hybrid vehicles jumped 40 per cent. In comparison, Tesla’s 2024 revenue was nearly $97.7 billion US ($140 billion Cdn). The…
Russia Sues Shell for $1.6B Over Unpaid 2022 Gazprom Supplies
Russia is suing Shell for 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) over allegedly unpaid gas supplies to the state energy giant Gazprom in 2022, the British-Dutch company said in its annual report published Tuesday. Shell announced in early 2022 that it would sever ties with Gazprom, halt Russian crude oil purchases and withdraw from Russian energy markets in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the company’s annual report, Russian prosecutors filed a claim in a Moscow court on…
Kremlin says Iran has right to nuclear energy, acting in line with international law
“Iran has the right to peaceful nuclear energy and is acting in line with international law,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. Peskov said Moscow accepted Iran’s statements that it has no intention of obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran was one of the topics discussed in a long phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, after which the White House said the two leaders “shared the view that Iran should never be in a…
News from Russia: Kiev blew up metering station for EU-bound gas
The destruction of the border energy facility is the latest provocation by Ukraine, the Defense Ministry has said. Ukrainian forces retreating from Russia’s Kursk Region have destroyed the Sudzha gas metering station, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has reported. The incident took place early on Friday, roughly 20 minutes after midnight, the ministry said in a statement. The facility had been previously used to deliver fuel to consumers in European nations.
Russian Strikes Cut Power In Odesa During Visit By Czech President Petr Pavel
Russian drone strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa, leaving at least three people injured and several districts of the city battling power cuts while Czech President Petr Pavel was visiting for talks with officials. The head of the Odesa region’s military administration Oleh Kiper reported on March 21 that minors were among the three known injured in the strikes that sparked fires in various parts of the city. The ASTRA Telegram channel, citing information…
Delta flight to New York makes emergency landing in Ireland
A Delta Airlines aircraft en route to New York’s JFK Airport declared an emergency after finding a ‘mechanical issue with flight deck window heat,’ and reversed course over the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday afternoon. The flight DAL4 departed from London Heathrow Airport at 4.24pm local time on Tuesday, with an anticipated arrival at New York City at 9.23pm eastern time, as per FlightAware data. The Boeing 767-400, carrying 129 passengers, three pilots and nine cabin crew members, was redirected to…
Norway sanctions Russian judges, prosecutors responsible for repression
Norway’s sanctions on March 14, 2025, targeted 19 individuals, including judges, prosecutors, and judiciary members involved in serious human rights violations. Notably, those implicated in the imprisonment and death of Alexei Navalny, as well as the politically motivated sentencing of human rights defender Oleg Orlov and artist Aleksandra Skochilenko, were sanctioned.
