Seven people missing from massive explosion at California fireworks facility

Seven people were missing after a fire and powerful explosion leveled a commercial fireworks facility in rural northern California, authorities said on Wednesday.
Aerial footage from local news media showed the large warehouse-like building blown to pieces Tuesday…[Read more]

President Trump announces trade deal with Vietnam as major tariff deadline looms

President Donald Trump said he’s secured a trade deal with Vietnam in what would be just the second agreement Trump has made with another country ahead of a critical July 9 deadline when U.S. tariffs could skyrocket.

Full details of the deal were not immediately…[Read more]

US job growth expected to slow in June, unemployment rate forecast to rise

The U.S. labor market likely slowed further in June, with the unemployment rate expected to have edged up to more than a 3-1/2-year high of 4.3%, as economic uncertainty stemming from the Trump administration’s policies curbed hiring.
The anticipated moderation in job…[Read more]

Germany says Russia using media platform Red to sow discontent

Russia is using the online media outlet Red to sow discontent in German society as part of a disinformation campaign waged alongside its war in Ukraine, the foreign ministry in Berlin said on Wednesday.
“Red presents itself as a revolutionary platform for independent journalists.…[Read more]

Germany summons Iranian ambassador over alleged spying on Jews

Man arrested in Denmark accused of collecting information on ‘Jewish localities and specific Jewish individuals in Berlin’

Germany has summoned the Iranian ambassador after the arrest of a man suspected of spying on Jews in Berlin for Tehran, possibly as part of an attack plo…[Read more]

What cases did the US Supreme Court decide at the end of its 2024 term?

The Supreme Court delivered victories for religious freedom advocates and the Trump administration on its final day.

The United States Supreme Court has ended its latest term with a host of blockbuster decisions, touching on everything from healthcare coverage to school…[Read more]

Trump says Gaza ceasefire possible ‘within the next week’, gives no details

US president’s claim greeted with surprise as deaths spiral in Gaza and Israeli forces accused of more ‘war crimes’ for shooting starving people seeking food aid.

United States President Donald Trump said he believes a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas could be…[Read more]

Trump lambasts Khamenei, says he’d bomb Iran if nuclear activities restart

US president says Iranian supreme leader’s alleged ‘anger, hatred, disgust’ led him to drop work on sanctions relief.

President Donald Trump has hit out at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s claim that Iran won its recent 12-day war with Israel, also saying the United States wi…[Read more]

Berlin to simplify rules in bid to speed up defence surge, draft law says

The German government seeks to speed up defence procurement by simplifying legal procedures, fostering European cooperation and facilitating orders to start-ups to make its military combat-ready, according to a draft law seen by Reuters late on Friday.
The speedy surge of…[Read more]

Germany updates: Lawmakers curb refugee family reunification

Lawmakers have voted to suspend family reunification rights for refugees who do not hold full asylum status. Meanwhile, as Germany faces labor shortages, figures show much of its workforce is untapped.

SPD’s Klingbeil re-elected but not without internal dissent

Lars Klingbeil was r…[Read more]

Teen in Germany charged over Taylor Swift stadium plot

German federal prosecutors have charged a teenager with aiding in the preparation of a suspected terrorist attack targeting a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna last summer.

Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe on Friday said judges had indicted a teenager accused of having helped…[Read more]

Vance refers to Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla as ‘José’ while defending Trump’s use of National Guard in LA

Vice President JD Vance referred to Sen. Alex Padilla as “José Padilla” during a Friday visit to Los Angeles where he criticized California’s Democratic leaders and defended the Trump administration’s controversial use of the state’s Nationa…[Read more]

Japan, US, Philippines simulate crisis in joint coast guard drills amid China tensions

Helicopters buzzed in the shadow of a smouldering volcano and boats rescued dummies from the sea this week in a show of maritime unity by Japan, the United States and the Philippines.

The joint coast guard exercises held off Japan’s southwest shore follow a…[Read more]

US May Target Samsung, Hynix, TSMC Operations in China, Sources Say

The U.S. Department of Commerce is considering revoking authorizations granted in recent years to global chipmakers Samsung 005930.KS, SK Hynix 000660.KS and TSMC 2330.TW, making it more difficult for them to receive U.S. goods and technology at their plants in China, according…[Read more]

German military deems Russia ‘existential risk’ to nation and Europe, Spiegel reports

The German military deems Russia an “existential risk” to the country and Europe, according to a Spiegel news magazine report that cites a new Bundeswehr strategy paper.
The confidential document warns that the Kremlin is aligning both its industrial and…[Read more]

Germany, England and France in talks with Iran

Foreign ministers meet in Geneva to discuss Tehran’s nuclear programme

As the war between Israel and Iran enters its second week, three European foreign ministers are meeting today with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva, Switzerland, in an effort to de-escalate the situation. One of the aims of J…[Read more]

Germany updates: Population growth on the decline

As of the end of 2024, Germany’s population stood at just under 83.6 million, an increase of 121,000 compared to the previous year. This marks a slowdown from 2023, when the numbers grew by 338,000.

Germany says US tariffs costing millions daily amid trade talks

German Economy Minister Katherina…[Read more]

US Fed keeps interest rates unchanged, cuts growth forecast

The U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for a fourth consecutive meeting Wednesday, forecasting higher inflation and cooler growth this year while President Donald Trump’s tariffs begin to take hold and geopolitical uncertainty looms.

The Fed kept the benchmark lending rate…[Read more]

Khamenei declares Iran won’t bow down to Trump call for surrender

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared Wednesday, via a televised statement, that Tehran will reject U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender.

His calls came as intensified Israeli airstrikes forced many Iranians to flee the capital, jam…[Read more]

Germany sees limited financial leeway on next EU budget, policy paper shows

Germany wants the European Union’s next seven-year budget to keep a lid on spending, according to a policy paper seen by Reuters on Saturday, with Berlin arguing members do not have room to boost the scope of their contributions.
The German economy, Europe’s largest, has…[Read more]