MADRID, March 25 (Reuters) – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday it was unjust for citizens worldwide to bear the cost of what he called illegal U.S. and Israeli actions in Iran, warning the war was inflicting severe global economic damage, with Spanish firms alone losing 100 billion euros ($116 billion) in under…
ISTANBUL, March 25 (Reuters) – Turkey “is playing a role passing messages” between Iran and the U.S. to encourage de-escalation and direct negotiations, Harun Armagan, vice chair of foreign affairs for President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party, told Reuters on Wednesday. He did not elaborate on the messages but said they were also being conveyed to…
MOSCOW, March 25 (Reuters) – Russia remains in contact with the United States on a possible settlement of the conflict in Ukraine and hopes Washington will continue its mediation efforts, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. “Moscow continues to maintain contact with the Americans through existing channels. We are receiving updates on the situation….
TAIPEI, March 25 (Reuters) – The United States has “quite a high” sense of urgency in helping Taiwan strengthen its military capabilities and is working to help speed up delayed weapons deliveries, the island’s Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Wednesday. Taiwan, which faces a rising military threat from China, has complained of repeated delays…
BERLIN, March 24 (Reuters) – Germany’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that he believed U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement about talks with Iran could mark a turning point in the nearly month-long conflict. “Something is happening, and that’s a good thing in this time when there have been more risks of escalation than possibilities of…
WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) – Senior U.S. officials traveled to Kyiv this week for a meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, with both sides hoping to move forward soon with a first investment project, U.S. and Ukrainian officials said. The fund, established as part of a minerals deal signed between the U.S. and Ukraine…
The surge in oil prices caused by the Middle East conflict will drive up the cost of plastic products, construction materials and even household goods such as toilet paper in Hong Kong, according to business leaders. They also warned on Monday that some local exporters and manufacturers faced a cash-flow squeeze as overseas buyers opted…
Hong Kong will sign a five-year deal with Art Basel by the end of the month in the first such collaboration between the city’s cultural authorities and the premier fair, highlighting the link between financial investment and the development of the sector. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said on Monday the…
TAIPEI, March 23 (Reuters) – Improving ties with Beijing does not require being anti-U.S., while Taiwan’s survival depends on stable relations with China, the leader of Taiwan’s largest opposition party said on Monday. Former lawmaker Cheng Li-wun won election as chair of the Kuomintang (KMT) in October and has signalled a swing towards even closer…
Tickets from Hong Kong to many mainland Chinese destinations connected by cross-border high-speed rail services are nearly sold out for the first two days of the five-day holiday over Easter and the Ching Ming Festival. The mainland cities have become an alternative for travellers, with the escalating war in the Middle East triggering a global…