Middle East

Where Things Stand in the US-China Trade War
Q&AWhere Things Stand in the US-China Trade War

US President Donald Trump has ramped up his trade war against China, further raising import tariffs on Beijing to 125 percent despite pausing them for other countries. The move came hours after China announced reciprocal action against the United States in response to a previous levy hike. AFP looks at how the escalating trade war between the ...

Turkey Holds 'Technical Talks' with Israel to Ease Syria tensions
Turkey Holds 'Technical Talks' with Israel to Ease Syria tensions

Turkey is holding technical-level talks with Israel to ease tensions over Syria but is not moving toward normalising ties, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday. Turkey is a key backer of the Islamist-led coalition in Syria that toppled Bashar al-Assad in December after almost 14 years of civil war. Its influence has worried Israel, which ...

Trump's Tariff Pause Gives Market Relief, but China Trade War Intensifies
Trump's Tariff Pause Gives Market Relief, but China Trade War Intensifies

US President Donald Trump abruptly paused tariffs on most countries, sparking euphoria on global markets Thursday, but upped the ante on a brutal trade war with superpower rival China. After days of turmoil, stocks on Wall Street and across Asia saw huge surges in reaction to Trump's announcement that he was halting a levy hike for almost all ...

US, Saudis Urge Sudan Peace Talks as Top Riyadh Diplomat Visits Washington
US, Saudis Urge Sudan Peace Talks as Top Riyadh Diplomat Visits Washington

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat held talks in Washington on Wednesday, laying the groundwork for a visit by US President Donald Trump, which would be the first foreign trip of his second term. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department, and the two called on the Sudanese army and ...

Zelensky Says Russia Dragging Beijing Into War by Recruiting Chinese Fighters
Zelensky Says Russia Dragging Beijing Into War by Recruiting Chinese Fighters

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said Russia was "dragging" China into the war in Ukraine, as he accused Beijing of knowing that dozens of its citizens were being recruited by Moscow's army to fight. Zelensky -- whose war leadership has hit turbulence with Donald Trump in the White House -- also said that Kyiv was ready to buy up to $50 ...

American-Iranian Negotiations in Oman: The Hour of Truth
American-Iranian Negotiations in Oman: The Hour of Truth

The United States and Iran are preparing to begin crucial negotiations this Saturday, April 12, in Oman. The ambitious objective is to resolve the persistent tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missiles. These talks are taking place in a context of growing military threats, where the failure of discussions could lead to ...

Oil Price Drop: Key Factors Explained
Oil Price Drop: Key Factors Explained

Oil prices plunged on Wednesday due to the escalating trade war between the United States and China, with Brent crude falling below $60 per barrel for the first time in four years. At around 11:20 GMT (13:20 in Paris), the price of North Sea Brent crude for June delivery dropped by 5.52% to $59.35, briefly reaching a low of $58.47 during the ...

France Could Recognize Palestinian State 'in June'
France Could Recognize Palestinian State 'in June'

France is planning to recognize a Palestinian state within months and could make the move at a UN conference in New York in June on settling the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday. "We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months," Macron, who this week visited Egypt, ...

Israeli Troops Seizing 'Large Areas' in Gaza, Expanding Buffer Zones
Israeli Troops Seizing 'Large Areas' in Gaza, Expanding Buffer Zones

Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the army was seizing large areas in Gaza and incorporating them into buffer zones cleared of their inhabitants in a bid to force Hamas to release hostages. "Large areas are being seized and added to Israel's security zones, leaving Gaza smaller and more isolated," Katz said during a visit ...

EU Greenlights First Set of Tariffs Hitting Back at US
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 ...