European Union

Lebanon’s Forests Are Crying Out. Will We Answer in Time?

Lebanon, a country where forests cover only 13.6% of its total land area, is confronting a severe environmental crisis. Recent estimates from the Ministry of Agriculture (2021), the CNRS and FAO show that Lebanon has approximately 137,000 hectares of natural forests. Yet, this crucial forest cover continues to diminish due to illegal logging, ...

EU Pauses Tariffs as Trump Eases Trade Pressure, China Left in the Crosshairs

The EU paused plans for retaliatory tariffs on US goods Thursday after President Donald Trump abruptly suspended higher US duties on the bloc and other countries, leaving China in the crosshairs of his trade war. Trump's about-face on Wednesday triggered a massive market rebound, but Wall Street's rally fizzled on Thursday, and the dollar slumped ...

Hamas Launches Appeal Against UK Ban

UK-based lawyers said they have asked the British government to lift a ban on the Palestinian militant group Hamas, a petition that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition politicians. The legal submission argues the ban contravenes Britain's human rights commitments, with the militants insisting on "the legitimacy of the struggle of ...

EU Suspends Counter-Tariffs for 90 Days After US U-Turn

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday the bloc will suspend a planned package of tariffs on US goods "to give negotiations a chance" after President Donald Trump's U-turn on massive duties. "While finalising the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for ...

EU Greenlights First Set of Tariffs Hitting Back at US

The EU on Wednesday adopted its first measures hitting back at President Donald Trump's tariff onslaught, targeting more than 20 billion euros of US goods, including soybeans, motorcycles, and beauty products. The levies of up to 25 percent are retaliation for US duties on steel and aluminum imposed last month -- with Europe's response to ...

Major Trade Wars Since the 19th Century

As the world reels from US President Donald Trump's tariff onslaught, here is a look back at some major trade wars since the 19th century: 19th century Opium Wars In the mid-19th century, two conflicts over the opium trade, which became known as the Opium Wars, pitted China against the British Empire. The first began in 1839, when Britain ...

EU Proposes 25% Tariffs on US Goods, But Not Bourbon

The EU plans tariffs of up to 25 percent on US goods in retaliation for levies on metals but will spare bourbon to shield European wine and spirits from reprisals, according to a document seen by AFP on Tuesday. The proposed tariffs –drawn up since President Donald Trump's duties on steel and aluminum took effect last month –aim to show EU ...

EU Offers US Zero Tariffs for Cars and Other Industrial Goods

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday the EU had offered the United States a bilateral tariff exemption for cars and other industrial goods as it works to avert an all-out transatlantic trade war. "We stand ready to negotiate with the United States. Indeed, we have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods, as ...

Trade War: World Markets Plunge Under the Weight of New Taxes

Global markets are reeling from Donald Trump's trade war and Chinese retaliation, causing serious concerns for the global economy. After two days of decline, the European stock markets plunged to an all-time low, with indices such as the DAX and CAC 40 sharply down. In Asia, markets suffered a “Black Monday,” with Hong Kong recording its worst ...

EU Announces 'New Era' in Relations With Central Asia

The EU announced a "new era" in ties with Central Asia on Friday at a major summit in Uzbekistan, as Brussels presses its influence in the region in the face of Russian and Chinese competition. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has accelerated the region's drift from Moscow's orbit, with major powers to both the West and East sensing an opening. The ...

Europe Markets Extend Losses After Tariff Rout

European equities opened in the red on Friday, extending losses after US President Donald Trump's tariff offensive sparked a global stock market rout. Paris shed 0.9 percent to 7,533.26 points, Frankfurt fell 0.7 percent to 21,566.33 and London also dropped 0.7 percent to 8,416.32. Trump's harsher-than-expected "Liberation Day" levies sent ...

Trump's New Tariffs: A Storm Brewing in Troubled Waters

President Donald Trump's recent decision to impose historic tariffs on 185 countries and territories, announced on Thursday, has reverberated across the global economy. The repercussions of these tariffs will be felt worldwide, with Arab countries being especially impacted. Among the hardest-hit nations are Syria, Iraq, Libya, Algeria and Tunisia, ...