2 h. ago China meets initial soybean purchase goal, but Trump's shifting trade policy could disrupt deal

The Trump administration says China has fulfilled its initial commitment to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans, but it’s not clear if the trade agreement announced in October can withstand President Donald Trump’s ever-shifting trade policy as American farmers are still dealing with high production costs

Politics

7 h. ago Might is right: US ‘foreign policy’ held hostage to mad king Trump’s whims

Increasingly unpopular at home, a president obsessed by his legacy has turned his scattergun on the world stageOne year into the second Trump administration, an actual US foreign policy remains just a nice idea. Instead, the world has been forced to adapt to the world according to Donald Trump: one increasingly shaped by his erratic shifts and unpredictable decisions, his fury at perceived slights and his growing desire to stamp his legacy in the model of an imperial leader from centuries past.Think of it as the mad king’s court, where every day is a carnival. Continue reading...

Events

8 h. ago Macron sports Top Gun shades to launch veiled attack on Trump’s Greenland threats saying ‘we’re in world without rules’

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron has launched a veiled attack on Donald Trump and said that we are now shifting to a world "without rules". European leader blasted his US counterparts tariff threats - calling them an attempt to "subordinate Europe". Donning a pair of aviator shades at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, Macron took...

Politics

52 h. ago The Guardian view on Trump and Greenland: get real! Bullying is not strength | Editorial

Tariff threats over the Arctic island expose the limits of coercive diplomacy. Europe’s united response and pushback shows fear is fadingFor all Donald Trump’s bluster about restoring American strength, his attempt to bully European allies over Greenland reveals a deeper weakness: coercive diplomacy only works if people are afraid to resist. Increasingly, they aren’t. And that is a good thing. Bullies often back down when confronted – their power relies on fear. Mr Trump’s threat to impose sweeping tariffs on Europeans unless they acquiesce to his demand to “purchase” Greenland has stripped his trade policy bare. This is not about economic security, unfair trade or protecting American workers. It is about using tariffs as a weapon to force nations to submit.The response from Europe has been united and swift. That in itself should send a message. France’s Emmanuel Macron says plainly “no amount of intimidation” will alter Europe’s position. Denmark has anchored the issue firmly insid...

Politics

4 d. ago Canada and China look to ‘new partnership’ as leaders meet for historic talks

This is the first visit of a Canadian leader to China in nearly a decade

Politics

5 d. ago Trump is making one country stronger in the world’s eyes – and it isn’t America

Trump’s ‘America First’ policies have accelerated a shift in global opinion, the poll found

Politics

5 d. ago The crisis whisperer: how Adam Tooze makes sense of our bewildering age

Whether it’s the financial crash, the climate emergency or the breakdown of the international order, historian Adam Tooze has become the go-to guide to the radical new world we’ve enteredIn late January 2025, 10 days after Donald Trump was sworn in for a second time as president of the United States, an economic conference in Brussels brought together several officials from the recently deposed Biden administration for a discussion about the global economy. In Washington, Trump and his wrecking crew were already busy razing every last brick of Joe Biden’s legacy, but in Brussels, the Democratic exiles put on a brave face. They summoned the comforting ghosts of white papers past, intoning old spells like “worker-centered trade policy” and “middle-out bottom-up economics”. They touted their late-term achievements. They even quoted poetry: “We did not go gently into that good night,” Katherine Tai, who served as Biden’s US trade representative, said from the stage. Tai proudly told the...

Events

5 d. ago Trump’s ‘unpredictable’ policies to fuel shift from US, Pimco says

Cautious stance comes amid Wall St concerns over president’s attack on the Federal Reserve

Politics

6 d. ago Union leaders accuse Trump labor department of echoing Nazi rhetoric

Labor department rhetoric, such as ‘One Homeland. One People. One Heritage’, prompt comparisons to Nazi sloganUnion leaders have accused the Trump administration of a “rhetorical shift towards white supremacy” after social media posts by the US Department of Labor drew comparison with a Nazi slogan.Recent posts from the agency include a video captioned “remember who you are, American”, with the phrase: “One Homeland. One People. One Heritage.” Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago The Guardian view on Trump’s assault on the Fed: it is part of an affordability blame game | Editorial

Attacking Jerome Powell distracts from Republicans’ thin legislative record and policies that continue to squeeze American household incomesThe US government’s authoritarian and vexatious attack on Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, should be seen in the light of America’s affordability crisis, which Donald Trump once dismissed, but is now scrambling to claim as his cause. The cost of living is eroding his support ahead of the congressional midterms. By launching a legal assault on the Fed, Mr Trump is trying to shift blame for borrowing costs.Yet despite controlling the presidency, Senate and the House, Republicans have passed little beyond a large tax-cutting bill that benefits the rich. They have not legislated on housing supply, childcare, healthcare costs or wages. Indeed most of their actions are worsening affordability, notably deferring action even though millions face a sharp rise in their health insurance bills. Mr Trump’s sudden enthusiasm for credit card ca...

Politics

7 d. ago Donald Trump tells Iranian protesters 'help is on the way' amid US attack fears

With his latest message on social media, Donald Trump appeared to make an abrupt shift about his willingness to engage with the Iranian government amid a protest crackdown

Events

8 d. ago Trump is ready to grab Greenland. The EU should move first – and offer it membership | Robert Habeck and Andreas Raspotnik

The US president’s threats to the territory show Europe needs a new strategy for its far north: one based on cooperation, not dominationThe new year is still young, yet Donald Trump’s fixation on expanding his homeland signals a troubling geopolitical shift. From Venezuela to Greenland, the world is unmistakably moving away from the relative stability of the post-cold war era – not least also because of Russia’s war against Ukraine.This erosion of long-established norms has severe implications for Europe, a continent whose core political philosophy is built on limiting (national) power. A rules-based order, international law and negotiated solutions lie at the core of Europe’s self-image. Yet in today’s world, Europe can uphold this vision only if it evolves into a more muscular geopolitical actor itself – and nowhere is this more evident than in the Arctic.Robert Habeck served as German vice-chancellor and minister for economy and climate action from 2021 to 2025, and is now workin...

Politics

1 week ago France taps out as G7 summit moved to avoid clash with White House UFC event

Paris has shifted this year’s Group of 7 summit after Donald Trump confirmed plans for a major UFC fight card on the White House lawn on 14 June, his 80th birthdayFrance has delayed this year’s Group of 7 summit by one day to avoid a scheduling conflict with an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight card planned at the White House on 14 June, according to two officials with direct knowledge of the G7’s preparations.The summit, hosted by France in the Alpine resort town of Evian-les-Bains, was originally scheduled for 14 to 16 June, a date that coincides with US Flag Day and US president Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. It will now run from 15 to 17 June, a change that has been reflected on the G7’s official website. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Opposition leader Machado says she hasn’t spoken to Trump since attack as she vows to return to Venezuela – live

María Corina Machado tells Fox News she would share her Nobel peace prize with US president after removal of Nicolás MaduroDeposed Maduro pleads not guilty after capture in shock US attack on VenezuelaUS foes and allies denounce Trump’s ‘crime of aggression’ in Venezuela at UN meetingThe United States has faced widespread condemnation for a “crime of aggression” in Venezuela at an emergency meeting of the United Nations security council.Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Eritrea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Spain were among countries that have denounced the weekend US attack in Venezuela.I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for how relations between and among states are conducted. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Five charts that explain the global economic outlook for 2026

Inflation is predicted to cool but uncertainty over AI-driven growth and trade policy poses risks in the year aheadThe global economy proved to be more resilient in 2025 than had been feared, despite severe headwinds that ranged from Donald Trump’s trade war to geopolitical tensions and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.Entering the new year, the hope is that the worst of the recent inflation shock has passed, as the world’s most powerful central banks lower interest rates. However, the pre-Covid age of rock-bottom borrowing costs is a distant memory, global growth is slowing and conditions remain fragile. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago Trump tears into ‘pathetic trainwreck’ Colbert and late night hosts before wishing everyone Merry Christmas

President Donald Trump calls Stephen Colbert a ‘pathetic trainwreck’ before abruptly shifting tone to wish followers a happy holiday in latest Truth Social posting spree

Politics