China senses opportunity when Donald Trump visits later this month. A nakedly transactional US president in need of a trade deal, and hoping that Beijing could lean on Iran, might shift on Taiwan in return. China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, linked the issue explicitly to broader bilateral cooperation in his call with Marco Rubio, the…
Takaichi signs six agreements with Vietnam, including on technology, agriculture and space, during a trip to Hanoi. Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026 Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says the country will boost ties with Vietnam, with a focus on energy and critical minerals. Takaichi met her Vietnamese counterpart, Le Minh Hung, on Saturday…
Three Federal Reserve officials who wanted the central bank to signal more directly this week that interest rates may eventually need to rise cited concerns about resurgent inflation stemming from the war in Iran in defending their decision to dissent against Wednesday’s policy announcement. On Friday, the policymakers who contributed to the Fed’s most divisive…
US stocks are set for their best month since the coronavirus pandemic, as strong earnings and plans for further huge spending on AI persuade investors to shrug off concerns over the fallout from the US-Iran war. The S&P 500 has climbed almost 10 per cent in April — its biggest monthly jump since the November…
When cleanup volunteer Sergei Solovev arrived in the town of Tuapse, on Russia’s Black Sea coast, an unpleasant odour hung in the air and everything was coated in a layer of black grime. “I saw train carriages covered in residue from the black rain and animals. It’s all very toxic,” he told Al Jazeera. “And…
Donald Trump praised King Charles III for getting the “Democrats to stand” during his congress address, as the pair exchanged jokes during their speeches at a state dinner on Tuesday. During the banquet on the second day of the King and Queen’s state visit to the US, the King also made quips about the Middle…
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. A Chinese sovereign wealth fund is considering a sale of its stake in Heathrow airport partly over concerns about the rising cost of developing a third runway at the London hub. The Chinese Investment Corporation,…
Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada presented a budget update on Tuesday showing that his government’s deficit would be less than projected last fall and that the country’s economy would most likely grow over the coming year despite several key industries being buffeted by President Trump’s tariffs. The spring economic update, a mini budget of…
The Trump administration on Tuesday ratcheted up economic pressure on Iran, warning financial institutions not to allow independent Chinese refineries to buy Iranian oil and cracking down on Iran’s “shadow” banking sector. The measures were the latest actions taken as part of the Treasury Department’s “Operation Economic Fury,” which aims to cripple Iran’s economy and…
Finally, belatedly, an honest portrait of Keir Starmer has been allowed to form. It’s been a hell of a journey. At first he was sanctified as the Labour saviour, finally arrived. That gave way to pleas that he was essentially a good sort, new to politics and in need of time. Now an impression is…
