USA

Donald Trump’s Rare Earth Diplomacy

Donald Trump is taking aim at China’s dominance over rare earths, the invisible metals that power everything from smartphones to missiles. His goal: to free the global economy from its dependence on Beijing and secure US access to these critical resources. What Are Rare Earths? Despite their name, rare earths are 17 metals, including ...

Trump Hails Busan Talks with Xi Jinping, Cites Progress on Trade, Rare Earths, and Ukraine

US President Donald Trump described his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday as a “major success.” According to Trump, the discussions covered several issues, including potential reductions in tariffs imposed on China over the fentanyl trade and planned cooperation on efforts to end the war in ...

Trump Orders US to Start Nuclear Weapons Testing

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had ordered the Pentagon to start nuclear weapons testing on a level with China and Russia -- just minutes before opening a high-stakes summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The move comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow had successfully tested a nuclear-capable, ...

Gold Demand Hit Records as Price Soared

Demand for gold hit a record high in the third quarter as the precious metal's price hit all-time highs on geopolitical unrest, industry data showed Thursday. Total demand grew three percent year-on-year in the July-September period to 1,313 tonnes, the World Gold Council said, as the metal, perceived as a safe haven investment, benefitted from ...

G7 Meets on Countering China's Critical Mineral Dominance

Curbing China's critical mineral dominance will top the agenda at a G7 energy ministers meeting in Canada on Thursday, as industrialized democracies seek more reliable access to the resources that power future technologies. The Group of Seven, including US President Donald Trump's administration, has sounded the alarm over China's stranglehold on ...

Trump Says 'Pretty Much' Finalized Trade Deal With S. Korea

US President Donald Trump indicated Wednesday that a trade deal had been reached with South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, before adding later the agreement was "pretty much" finalized. "We did," Trump told journalists when asked if a deal had been reached, without giving further details. "We reached a deal. We did a lot of different things. ...

Key Issues up for Discussion at Trump-Xi Meet

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are set to meet Thursday for the first time since 2019. Washington and Beijing have been locked in a multipronged trade spat since Trump returned to the White House and are tussling for global sway. Here are the key issues the two leaders could discuss: Rare earths A strategic ...

Copper Price Hits Record High on US-China Hopes of Trade Truce

The price of copper reached a record high in trading Wednesday, the industrial metal boosted by hopes of a truce in the US-China trade war. Copper hit $11,143 a tonne on the London Metal Exchange, also on concerns about tight global supply as a major mine in Indonesia remains shut following a deadly mudslide last month. The new high beat the ...

As US Blows Up Drug Boats, Venezuelan Oil Sets Sail

While the American military blows up boats it claims are transporting drugs from Venezuela, observers say tankers shipping Venezuelan oil in violation of a US embargo continue to navigate the very same Caribbean waters undisturbed. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has claimed a massive US military deployment within striking distance of his ...

Hurricane Melissa Makes Landfall in Cuba After Roaring Across Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa picked up strength as it bore down on Cuba, where it made landfall Wednesday after ripping a path of destruction through Jamaica as one of the most powerful hurricanes on record there, lashing the island nation with brutal winds and torrential rain. The monster storm was still 110 miles (175 kilometers) away from Guantanamo late ...

Trump Says 'Timing' Didn't Work Out to Meet N. Korea's Kim

Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was not able to arrange a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the US president's visit to the South, ending fierce speculation over a possible summit. Trump had said he would "love to meet" Kim during his Asia trip, which would have been their first meeting since the US leader's previous term in ...

Lebanese Insurers Approach Syrian Market with Caution

Lebanese insurance companies have long been active in the Syrian market, establishing a presence decades ago when Hafez al-Assad’s regime opened the door to private sector activity. However, international sanctions forced most to withdraw, as the market became too risky. Today, any move to re-enter Syria is considered premature, according to a ...