Author: Anadolu Agency
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,…
Hungary on Thursday announced that it has decided to exit the International Criminal Court. According to the decision, announced by Premier Viktor Orban’s Chief of Staff Gergely Gulyas, the withdrawal process from The Hague-based court will start today. The decision is in line with the country’s constitutional and international legal obligations, he argued. The news follows the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the country for a four-day official visit. Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary marks the first time he has set foot on European soil since the ICC issued an arrest warrant for him last November over accusations…
Tornadoes and powerful storms battered states in the South and Midwest US on Wednesday, destroying homes, knocking down power lines, and causing flash flooding in many areas. The National Weather Service (NWS) said the potentially deadly storms could last throughout the weekend. “More than 13 million people are currently in an NWS Tornado Watch with … several active Tornado Warnings as well,” NWS officials posted on X. The National Weather Service has issued at least two dozen tornado warnings and advised residents to take shelter immediately. “This is a very severe weather event,” continued the NWS. “If you are in…
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.…
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.”…
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou warned on Thursday about the dangers posed by US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose heavy import taxes on foreign-made goods. “This decision is a catastrophe for the economic world. It is a huge challenge for Europe. I believe it is also a catastrophe for the United States and for American citizens,” Bayrou said on the sidelines of a conference at the French Senate, according to the broadcaster BFMTV. Bayrou said protectionist policies could have severe long-term consequences. “The idea that each of the world’s major regions will close in on itself and that trade…
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that he does not expect Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to face arrest in Germany, despite an international warrant for war crimes in Gaza. During a press conference in Berlin, Scholz responded to a question about Netanyahu’s controversial visit to Hungary and whether the Israeli leader could visit Berlin without risk of arrest. “We have spoken about this several times, and I cannot imagine that an arrest would occur in Germany,” Scholz told reporters, without elaborating further. Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary marks the first time he has set foot on European soil since the…
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,”…
US factory orders jumped 0.6% in February, compared to the previous month, exceeding estimates, according to data released Wednesday. Markets expected the figure to rise 0.5% month-on-month in February. The figure decelerated from the 1.8% increase in the previous month, US Census Bureau data showed. New orders for manufactured goods, which measure the change in the value of new purchase orders placed with manufacturers, jumped $3.6 billion to $594 billion. The figure for January was revised upwards to $590.4 billion for a rise of 1.8%. New orders for manufactured durable goods in February, meanwhile, rose $2.7 billion, or 0.9%, to…
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday that a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed during a training flight in the Irkutsk region of southeastern Siberia. The pilot was killed while the rest of the crew ejected, the ministry said in a statement without specifying the number of people. The incident took place in a remote area and caused no damage or casualties, it said. The Tu-22M3 bombers, part of the long-range aviation branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, are a key component of Russia’s nuclear triad, along with submarines and intercontinental ballistic missiles.