11 h. ago Trump marvels at wealth of his Arab hosts while he eyes White House and Air Force One upgrades

Donald Trump is the most powerful and famous person on the planet, and the American president is at the helm of the biggest economy and the strongest military

Politics

15 h. ago Merz vows to keep the US on board on Ukraine and strengthen Germany's military and economy

New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he will work to bring Europe and the U.S. together in their approach to Ukraine

Events

8 d. ago Ukraine’s strong economy is a great asset, but the US mineral deal shows how fragile it could be | Luke Cooper

Kyiv still relies heavily on foreign support for its war effort, and it has agreed to difficult terms to keep the US on sideDespite Russia’s occupation of its territory, missile attacks on its infrastructure and the enormous human costs of the war, Ukraine’s economy has been impressively resilient. Its effective military resistance against a much stronger adversary is in fact underpinned by this successful economic management. Rather than face institutional sclerosis or even collapse, Ukraine’s state capacity has been strengthened by the conflict. Through a combination of tax revenue collection and substantial networks of voluntary fundraising, the state has dramatically increased the size of its armed forces, invested in defence production and maintained a decent level of public infrastructure.State spending on soldiers’ wages, infrastructure and logistics – including public sector procurement from private firms – has had a positive knock-on effect, supporting demand in the civilia...

Economics

3 w. ago US supreme court seems inclined to allow exemption of LGBTQ+ books for elementary schoolers

Justices heard from Christian and Muslim parents from Maryland seeking to pull children from certain classesThe US supreme court appeared inclined to rule in favor of Christian and Muslim parents in Maryland seeking to keep their elementary school children out of certain classes when storybooks with LGBTQ+ characters are read in the latest case involving the intersection of religion and LGBTQ+ rights.The nine justices heard arguments on Tuesday in an appeal by parents with children in public schools in Montgomery county, located just outside of Washington, after lower courts declined to order the local school district to let children opt out when these books are read. The plaintiffs – including Muslim, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox parents – contend that the school board’s policy of prohibiting opt-outs violates the US constitution’s first amendment protections for free exercise of religion. Donald Trump’s administration backed them in the case. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Spain to reach NATO's spending goal of 2% of GDP on defense this year

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Spain will meet NATO’s defense spending target this year as pressure grows on the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy and NATO laggard to boost its military expenditure

Events

3 w. ago Ukraine ‘90%’ On Board with US Peace Deal; London Talks With Russia Possible Next Week

Ukraine ‘90%’ On Board with US Peace Deal; London Talks With Russia Possible Next Week  Kyiv Post

Economics