Category: Global
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The United States has signed a strategic agreement with Uzbekistan to improve access to the Central Asian country’s critical minerals. The “Joint Investment Framework”, signed by the US International Development Finance Corp (DFC), focuses on investment across the minerals value chain, from exploration to processing. A US–Uzbekistan Joint Investment Holding Company will oversee future mineral…
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Russian President Vladimir Putin met Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla in Moscow on Wednesday (18 February), denouncing new United States sanctions and restrictions on Cuba as “unacceptable”. The talks occurred against a backdrop of acute fuel shortages, blackouts and transport disruptions amid a tightening US-imposed oil embargo. In separate discussions, Russian Foreign Minister…
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US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised the UK’s plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite official support from the US Department of State for the arrangement. Trump called Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s decision “a big mistake” and urged him not to “give away Diego Garcia”, the site of a…
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French President Emmanuel Macron stress the need for transparent social media and AI systems during his address at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, saying: “Free speech is pure bullshit if nobody knows how you are guided.” He argued that without clarity on how algorithms are built, tested and trained, bias can undermine…
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Russia has urged the United States to avoid a naval blockade of Cuba, reaffirming support for the island’s sovereignty and regional stability. Speaking in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, called on Washington “to show common sense and take a responsible attitude, refraining from implementing its plans for a naval blockade of the Island of…
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The United States and Japan have announced the first three projects financed under their $550bn bilateral trade and investment deal, designed to shield Japanese exporters from tariffs introduced by Donald Trump. The largest project is a $33bn natural gas power plant in Ohio led by SoftBank Group. Additional projects include a Texas crude oil export…
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More than 80 UN member states and regional organisations have condemned Israel’s recent actions in the occupied West Bank, calling them “unilateral” and in violation of international law. The criticism follows the Israeli government’s decision in February 2026 to begin registering large areas of the West Bank as “state property” — a process suspended since…
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President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday (17 February), signing an energy cooperation memorandum with Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed to expand bilateral trade, renewable energy projects and regional diplomacy. Alparslan Bayraktar said the agreement between Türkiye and Ethiopia provides a roadmap for joint energy production, hydroelectric equipment development…
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President Emmanuel Macron met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai as France and India edge closer to a $35bn purchase of 114 Rafale jets, potentially India’s largest defence acquisition. Both leaders stressed defence co-operation, though final terms remain under negotiation. Modi said the India-France partnership “is a force for global stability” while inaugurating India’s first…
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California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a clean energy agreement with the United Kingdom during talks in London, reinforcing transatlantic climate cooperation despite policy shifts under Donald Trump. The memorandum of understanding strengthens collaboration between California and the UK on achieving net zero emissions targets. Key developments include: • Joint work on clean energy technologies,…
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