Author: Anadolu Agency

The Brazilian Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee approved a bill Tuesday that allows the government to retaliate against foreign trade measures that harm the country’s exports ahead of a new set of tariffs promised by US President Donald Trump. With Trump’s reciprocal tariffs set to take effect Wednesday against all countries that impose tariffs on imports from the US, Brazil is preparing a legal framework to counter any trade measures that threaten Brazilian goods. The bill was fast-tracked by the Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee and now heads to the Chamber of Deputies, where government leaders intend to speed its passage into…

Cuba and Iran condemned US sanctions following a meeting between Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh in Havana. A statement released after the meeting said both leaders discussed “the unilateral coercive measures and other aggressions applied by the United States government and its allies against various countries.” The Cuban Foreign Minister “expressed gratitude for Iran’s support of our people’s demand to end this policy” and rejected similar measures faced by Iran. Cuba and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic and trade relations. “The brotherhood and solidarity between the two nations and the positive progress…

Myanmar’s military junta has rejected ceasefire proposals from rebel groups intended to allow rescue operations after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country last week, local media reported Wednesday. General Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of the ruling junta, declared a continuation of military operations as the earthquake’s death toll rose to 2,719 with 400 people still missing and more than 4,000 injured, the independent news agency Myanmar Now reported. Myanmar’s shadow administration, the National Unity Government, formed by lawmakers removed in the February 2021 military coup, had announced a two-week ceasefire, which started on March 30. A similar proposal was…

The Yemeni rebel Houthi group on early Wednesday said it had targeted the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier and its escorting warships in the northern Red Sea. In a televised speech, the group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said the attack was in response to “the US aggression” on Yemen, noting that it was the third attack in the last 24 hours, using missiles and drones. “The operations of the armed forces will continue at an escalating pace against the American enemy by targeting its warships in the declared area of operations,” Saree said. He also added that the group’s military…

China is ready to work with Russia to move toward multi-polarization and greater democracy in international relations, top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks after he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov on Tuesday in Moscow. “China is willing to work with Russia to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, jointly promote the development of China-Russia relations and cooperation in various fields, and continue to benefit the people of the two countries,” Wang Yi said. Wang noted that Beijing is ready to work with…

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in a call Tuesday that focused on trade relations as US President Donald Trump prepares to announce a major trade policy decision. Carney and Sheinbaum discussed “the importance of building upon the strong trading and investment relationship between the two countries, to benefit Canadians and Mexicans alike,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement. “With challenging times ahead, Prime Minister Carney and President Sheinbaum emphasized the importance of safeguarding North American competitiveness while respecting the sovereignty of each nation,” it noted. Carney pledged to “fight unjustified trade actions…

The US on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to “peace and stability” across the Taiwan Strait, opposing “any unilateral changes to the status quo, including through force or coercion,” following China’s large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. “Once again, China’s aggressive military activities and rhetoric toward Taiwan only serve to exacerbate tensions and put the region’s security and the world’s prosperity at risk,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. “In the face of China’s intimidation tactics and destabilizing behavior, the United States’ enduring commitment to our allies and partners, including Taiwan, continues,” Bruce said. Her remarks came after China…

Democratic Judge Susan Crawford beat her Republican opponent, Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, in the US state’s hotly-contested Supreme Court election Tuesday night, according to media reports. Crawford was declared the winner in a close race with 54% of the vote versus 46% for Schimel. She will replace retiring Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who served 30 years in that position, maintaining a 4-3 liberal majority in Wisconsin’s highest court. The victory, which garnered national attention and record-breaking campaign spending for a state judicial race, was crucial for Democrats in their mission to rule on significant issues, including abortion rights and…

Argentina’s President Javier Milei on Tuesday praised a recent study which reported a dramatic drop in poverty in the country during his first year in office but which is disputed by watchdogs. The National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) reported Monday that the poverty rate in Argentina fell to 38.1% in the second half of 2024 after soaring to 53% in the first six months of that year. Additionally, homelessness fell from 18% to 8.2%, according to the study. The results were lauded by Milei as a direct result of the economic reforms he implemented when taking office in…

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that there are more lists of names of alleged drug traffickers to be extradited to the US. At her morning briefing, Sheinbaum shared details about a meeting she had with US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on March 28, where Noem shared a list of actions to be taken by Mexico to appease Washington. During her interview with the US-based Fox News channel, Noem said that in her meeting with Sheinbaum, she requested actions from the Mexican government such as the closure of Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala and to share biometric data from…