Author: Anadolu Agency

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the international community Thursday to increase support for Myanmar following last week’s devastating earthquake. He called for immediate humanitarian assistance and a political solution to the ongoing crisis in that country. “This disaster has laid bare the deeper vulnerabilities facing people throughout the country,” Guterres said at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York. “Myanmar today is the scene of utter devastation and desperation.” Guterres said the earthquake, which hit parts of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, had exacerbated an already dire situation in Myanmar as it grapples with political turmoil and humanitarian challenges.…

A former US health and human services (HHS) secretary announced his candidacy for California governor Wednesday, setting up a potential showdown with former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2026 race, The New York Times reported. Xavier Becerra, who served as HHS secretary under then-President Joe Biden as well as California attorney general and representing Los Angeles in Congress, said he would run no matter what Harris does. “What I can tell you with full confidence is, it doesn’t matter who gets in-I’m in,” he said. Harris, also a former state attorney general and failed 2024 presidential candidate, is considering…

Annual consumer inflation in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) area eased to 4.5% in February from 4.7% in January, according to data released on Thursday. Inflation declined in 15 of the 38 OECD countries and remained stable or broadly unchanged in another 15. However, eight OECD countries saw inflation rise, with notable increases exceeding 1.0 percentage point in Estonia and Norway. OECD energy inflation dropped to 3.6% in February from 4.0% in January, with declines in 23 member countries, while 12 saw increases. Food inflation remained constant at 4.4% across the OECD, though prices rose in 24…

Global markets came under pressure on Wednesday following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs, as Washington’s protectionist trade policies impact the world economy. Reciprocal tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% were imposed on products that the US imports from many of its trading partners. The EU received 20%, China 34%, Vietnam 46%, Taiwan 32%, Japan 24%, India 26%, South Korea 25%, Thailand 36%, Switzerland 31%, Indonesia 32%, Malaysia 24%, Cambodia 49%, South Africa 30%, Bangladesh 30%, and Israel 17% in reciprocal tariffs. Some countries, such as Türkiye, the UK, Brazil, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Egypt,…

Industrial producer prices in the eurozone rose at their fastest pace in two years, climbing 3% year-on-year in February, driven primarily by surging energy costs, according to data released on Thursday. Energy prices soared 7.4% compared to the previous year, accelerating from a 3.4% increase in January, according to figures from Eurostat. Price rises for intermediate goods also accelerated on an annual basis, rising to 0.9% in February from 0.5% in the previous month. Across the European Union, industrial producer prices rose 3.1% year-on-year in February. On a monthly basis, producer prices climbed 0.2% in the eurozone and 0.3% across…

Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide raised concerns Thursday that newly-imposed tariffs by the US may contradict NATO’s founding principles, particularly Article 2, which emphasizes economic cooperation among allies to prevent conflict. “If you want a strong NATO, you should ensure that there is as much economic growth as possible in the NATO countries,” Eide said during a visit to Brussels for a NATO meeting, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “That was the insight of those who established NATO, that economic cooperation would be good for the entire alliance.” He suggested that economic measures undermining trade between NATO members could…

US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China fuel tensions between Washington and Beijing, as Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs on the country after having already tariffed Chinese goods alongside tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Trump, in his second term, imposed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on China. The president has been pointing to April 2, which he called the “Liberation Day,” to impose reciprocal tariffs on countries that retaliated. Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on over 180 countries range from 10% to 50%, and the list includes the US’ many trading partners. China was subjected to 34% reciprocal tariffs…

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Brazilian aviation giant Embraer have teamed up to collaborate on research, development, and production for both civil and military aircraft. Announcing the partnership Thursday, Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir said the agreement builds on discussions held during a visit to Brazil last September. The two companies officially signed a memorandum of understanding at the LAAD 2025 Defense Fair, taking place this week in Rio de Janeiro, paving the way for joint projects in aviation. “This agreement will serve as the foundation for shared R&D and production efforts on civil and military platforms,”…

Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Thursday said the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US on Kyiv are “difficult, but not critical.” On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced a minimum of 10% tariffs on imports from all countries to be effective from April 5, with tariffs on goods from the European Union set at 20%. Trump said his decisions were a “declaration of economic independence” and will help the US return to its “golden age.” He also addressed an appeal to all foreign leaders “who will soon be calling to ask for exceptions to these tariffs.” “What do the…

The US on Thursday underlined that NATO member states should spend up to 5% of their gross domestic product on defense. In doorstep remarks at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “(The) ground war in the heart of Europe is a reminder that hard power is still necessary as a deterrent, and so we do want to leave here with an understanding that we are on a pathway, a realistic pathway to every single one of the members committing and fulfilling a promise to reach up to 5% (of GDP) of spending.”…