The European Union’s upcoming migration pact may equip member states with stronger tools to prevent “hostile actors” from manipulating the movement of migrants and refugees for political leverage, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) said in a report published on Wednesday. According to the FRA, several non-EU countries have used migrants and refugees as […]

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is preparing to announce his resignation in the wake of a stinging electoral setback, according to multiple local media reports on Wednesday. The development comes just hours after the formal announcement of a new US–Japan trade agreement. Sources close to the Prime Minister reportedly confirmed that Ishiba has already conveyed […]

The United States is in talks with the Republic of Palau, a tiny island nation in the Pacific, to potentially host asylum seekers under a new relocation arrangement, Palauan authorities confirmed on Wednesday. Located approximately 800 kilometres (500 miles) east of the Philippines, Palau—an archipelago of volcanic islands and coral atolls with a population of […]

French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Wednesday to address a wide range of pressing issues, including NATO security, a brewing EU–US trade dispute, and matters of bilateral and European cooperation. Since assuming office in May, Merz has worked closely with Macron to revitalise the Franco-German alliance, […]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a controversial bill revoking the autonomy of two key anti-corruption institutions, prompting rare protests in Kyiv and sparking concern among international partners. The move is widely criticised as a step backwards in Ukraine’s long battle against systemic corruption and its ambitions to join the European Union. The new legislation […]

US President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday a “massive” trade deal with Japan, which reduces a threatened 25 per cent tariff to 15 per cent ahead of the 1 August deadline. Trump has threatened to impose punitive tariffs on dozens of countries if they fail to reach agreements with the United States by next month. […]

The newly agreed US-Japan trade deal makes no provision for defence spending, Japan’s tariffs envoy confirmed on Wednesday. Ryosei Akazawa, speaking to reporters, stated explicitly, “The deal does not include anything on defence spending.” This clarification comes amid ongoing pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has urged Japan, a key ally, to increase its […]

The rock world was quick to mourn the loss of Osbourne, nicknamed the “Prince of Darkness,” a figure known as much for his iconic voice as his outrageous stage antics, including the infamous incident when he bit the head off a bat. Original Black Sabbath bandmates paid heartfelt tribute on social media: Bandmate Tribute Tony […]

At least five people were killed on Tuesday during intense clashes between Somali federal forces and troops loyal to the Jubaland regional administration. The violence erupted in Beled Hawo, a strategic town in Somalia’s southern Gedo region, an area frequently at the centre of political friction between Mogadishu and the semi-autonomous Jubaland state. Background: Somalia’s […]

Portugal has officially announced its support for Morocco’s proposal to grant autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty to the disputed territory of Western Sahara, joining a growing list of nations backing Rabat’s plan. This endorsement was delivered during a high-level diplomatic meeting on Tuesday between Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel and his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in […]