Displaying items by tag: Donald Trump

Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Russia may resume nuclear testing marks one of the most dangerous escalations in global security since the Cold War. He has instructed senior military and intelligence officials to prepare proposals for possible tests at the Novaya Zemlya site in the Arctic - where the Soviet Union in the past had detonated more than 200 nuclear devices, but none since 1990. The move follows Donald Trump’s declaration that the USA would restart its own nuclear tests, for the first time since 1992. Both leaders’ actions revive fears of an uncontrolled arms race, just as the last major nuclear treaty between Washington and Moscow nears expiry. Analysts warn that renewed testing could shatter global non-proliferation norms and invite imitation from other states.

Donald Trump’s threats to cut aid and launch military strikes against Nigeria over alleged ‘Christian genocide’, while resonating with US evangelicals, might misrepresent and oversimplify the country’s complex crisis. Nigeria’s conflicts, spanning insurgency, banditry, and communal clashes, are not purely religious but deeply rooted in ethnicity, identity, and government failures. Analysts warn that US intervention, whether through sanctions or drone strikes, could devastate civilians already trapped between terrorists and insecurity. History shows that ‘precision’ attacks often result in innocent casualties, worsening humanitarian crises. Arguably, Trump’s decision to freeze most foreign assistance programmes have exacerbated the problem, resulting in job losses for about 28,000 health workers and pushing vulnerable Nigerians deeper into hardship. His threats pose a dilemma for President Tinubu. If he cooperates, he might appear weak, but defying Washington might risk economic and military pain.

The latest US strike on a vessel in the Pacific, ordered by Donald Trump, has drawn renewed condemnation and concern. Two people were killed in what was described as an anti-narcotics operation, bringing the total death toll from similar maritime attacks to at least 67 since September. Despite claims that the vessels targeted were involved in drug trafficking, Washington has yet to provide evidence, prompting accusations of extrajudicial killings. Human rights advocates, including the UN’s Volker Turk, have warned that such actions violate international law and risk killing innocent fishermen. The escalation has drawn condemnation from Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro, who regards Trump’s intensified ‘war on drugs’ as a pretext to topple him from power. With an aircraft carrier about to join other US vessels already in the region, the world watches anxiously, fearing that a campaign meant to stop drugs could instead fuel regional instability and human suffering.

South Korea stands at a delicate crossroads, balancing its security alliance with the USA and its economic reliance on China. Recent rallies in Seoul captured this tension vividly, with protesters denouncing both Donald Trump and the Chinese Communist Party - reflecting deep divisions over the nation’s direction. President Lee Jae Myung faces immense diplomatic pressure as he hosts both Trump and Xi Jinping on 30 October, hoping to ease trade disputes while maintaining South Korea’s fragile political stability. In August, when Lee visited the USA, things seemed to go well, with Trump reducing tariffs on South Korean goods from 25% to 15%. However, relations soured after immigration officials detained more than 300 workers at the Hyundai plant in Georgia, and Trump has increased his trade demands. Meanwhile, anti-China sentiment has grown, fuelled by old grievances and modern fears of interference. Breaking news: Trump has hailed his meeting with Xi as ‘amazing’, even though it did not result in a formal trade deal: see

Israel and Hamas have taken a crucial first step toward ending the devastating two-year war in Gaza, releasing hostages and prisoners under a US-brokered ceasefire. The exchange brought immense relief and celebration across Israel and Gaza, even as both sides remain wary. Yet, the deeper challenges - Hamas’s refusal to disarm, Israel’s reluctance to accept a Palestinian state, and questions over Gaza’s future governance - still threaten the deal’s stability. For many, the sight of freed hostages reuniting with loved ones offered a rare moment of shared humanity amid years of grief. In Gaza, war-worn families welcomed returning prisoners but faced the grim reality of shattered homes and a crippled economy. As Donald Trump signed a declaration for peace, witnessed by twenty world leaders (see ), both Israelis and Palestinians have to grapple with the cost of vengeance and the fragile hope of renewal. The region stands at a crossroads between restoration and relapse into conflict.

Venezuela has announced it will close its embassies in Norway and Australia, days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The move, confirmed by Norway’s foreign ministry, came without explanation but follows years of diplomatic tension between Nicolás Maduro’s government and Western nations. Norway expressed regret at the decision, emphasising that the Nobel committee operates independently of its government. Machado, who remains in hiding, received the Peace Prize for her “extraordinary examples of civilian courage’. She dedicated the award to Donald Trump and the ‘suffering people of Venezuela’. Barred from last year’s disputed election, she remains a powerful symbol of resistance to Maduro’s rule. The closures underscore Venezuela’s shifting alliances amid growing isolation from democratic nations. For the White House’s reaction to the Peace Prize award, see

After three days of indirect talks in Egypt, Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have ‘signed off’ on the first phase of his twenty-point peace plan to end the Gaza war. The agreement, expected to be approved by Israel’s cabinet, includes an immediate ceasefire and the release of all remaining living hostages - around 20 people - within 72 hours. Israel will begin withdrawing troops to a line controlling roughly 53% of Gaza, while Hamas will return the bodies of 28 dead hostages. In exchange, Israel will release about 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gaza detainees, but not including key figures like Marwan Barghouti. Hundreds of aid trucks will begin entering Gaza daily to address famine conditions. Later phases of the plan envision Gaza’s demilitarisation, temporary rule by Palestinian technocrats under an international ‘Board of Peace’ chaired by Trump, and eventual transfer to a reformed Palestinian Authority - points that remain deeply contentious between Israel and Hamas. Earlier in the week, on 7 October, 30,000 gathered in Tel Aviv in an emotional event marking the second anniversary of Hamas’s attacks: see

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has urged Donald Trump to remove the 40% tariff recently imposed on Brazilian imports. The two leaders held a thirty-minute phone conversation, exchanging direct contact numbers and discussing trade and economic cooperation. Lula reiterated his invitation for Trump to attend the upcoming climate summit in Belém and said that Brazil remains one of the few G20 nations with which the United States enjoys a trade surplus. Trump described the discussion as positive, noting plans for future meetings in both countries. The tariffs, added to an earlier 10% duty, were justified by the Trump administration as a response to Brazil’s internal political instability following former president Jair Bolsonaro’s conviction for attempting a coup. Despite tensions, the leaders’ dialogue signals an effort to preserve economic ties and foster mutual understanding between the Western Hemisphere’s two largest democracies.

A senior Hamas leader has said the group is likely to reject Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, arguing it favours Israel while ignoring Palestinian concerns. The plan requires Hamas to disarm, surrender its weapons, and release all hostages at once - conditions the group deems unacceptable. It also proposes an International Stabilisation Force, which Hamas views as a foreign occupation. While Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accepted the plan, he has already contradicted key provisions, insisting Israel must retain a military presence in Gaza and pledging to resist a Palestinian state. Palestinians in Gaza expressed desperate support for the proposal - not out of agreement with its terms, but in hopes of ending war, devastation, and famine. Critics warn that rejection could allow Israel to intensify its campaign with international backing. More than 66,000 deaths have been reported in Gaza since October 2023.

Donald Trump has met Keir Starmer at Chequers during his second state visit to the UK, following the announcement of £150 billion in American investment. The funds, pledged by major firms including Blackstone, Prologis, and Palantir, are expected to create around 7,600 jobs across Britain. The leaders are set to sign a 'technology prosperity deal' to boost UK artificial intelligence development, while also discussing trade, investment, and foreign policy. The talks come after a Windsor Castle state banquet, where both Trump and the King hailed the 'special relationship' between the UK and US. While Starmer hopes to spotlight renewed transatlantic ties and economic opportunity, both governments face awkward questions, including ongoing controversies linked to Jeffrey Epstein and differing positions on Israel. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will also host a Downing Street reception for US and UK business leaders to showcase deeper cooperation. The visit marks a significant moment for strengthening economic and diplomatic bonds between the two nations.