The Scoop A US Congressman has filed a bill requiring the Treasury Department to identify the regulatory barriers blocking breakaway region Somaliland’s access to the US financial system — and recommend what Washington can do to remove them. The Somaliland Economic Access and Opportunity Act, filed on Thursday, targets a ...
Category: Semafor
Category Added in a WPeMatico Campaign
African governments tackle online gamblingAfrican governments tackle online gambling
African governments are imposing restrictions on online betting amid growing fears of a rise in gambling addiction on the continent. South Africa’s gambling industry regulator estimates that around two-thirds of adults engage in online bets, more than double 2017 levels. In response, Pretoria has proposed a 20% tax on online ...
Strain evident in Trump-Takaichi White House meetingStrain evident in Trump-Takaichi White House meeting
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi heralded her warm ties with US President Donald Trump in a White House meeting on Thursday, but the strain in the countries’ alliance was evident. Even as Trump praised Japan for joining several Western countries in pledging to help stabilize global energy markets, he said ...
Gold, other metals fall as Iran war roils commoditiesGold, other metals fall as Iran war roils commodities
The prices of metals both precious and industrial fell Thursday as the Iran war roiled global commodities markets. The selloff hit copper and palladium, joining gold and silver, which have fallen since the war began. Gold is typically seen as a safe-haven asset, but surging oil prices have spurred concerns ...
Russia benefits from Iran war’s oil shocksRussia benefits from Iran war’s oil shocks
The Iran war’s global energy shocks are proving to be a boon for Russia — and may also benefit Tehran. To cope with the shortfall of oil supply from the Middle East, Washington last week lifted sanctions on Russian oil that was already in tankers, a move that caught Kyiv ...
Treasury eyes lifting sanctions on Iranian oilTreasury eyes lifting sanctions on Iranian oil
Desperate to rein in oil prices as they broke $119 a barrel early this morning, the Trump administration teased new plans to free up additional supply. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business his department may soon lift sanctions on “about 140 million barrels” of Iranian oil already in transit. ...
Central banks raise the inflation alarmCentral banks raise the inflation alarm
Central bankers in major economies are voicing concerns about the risk of inflation stemming from the war in Iran. The US Federal Reserve Chair spoke of an accumulation of shocks — “the tariff shock, the pandemic, and now an energy shock” — that blunts progress on fighting inflation. The European ...
Wall Street’s dealmakers face a temperature checkWall Street’s dealmakers face a temperature check
2026 was shaping up to be a bumper year for corporate mergers, with Washington rolling out the welcome mat and AI fears lighting a fire under CEOs. Can those animal spirits survive growing fears of an economic slowdown, higher inflation, war, and continued global chaos? We’ll get a gut check ...
Gulf banks prepared for mass withdrawals, for nowGulf banks prepared for mass withdrawals, for now
In a worst-case scenario, $307 billion could be withdrawn from Gulf banks by local residents, according to S&P Global Ratings. Regional banks have about $312 billion in cash or at central banks to cover such outflows, but may be forced to cash out some investments to maintain liquidity. The ratings ...
This is the moment for an ‘Arab NATO’This is the moment for an ‘Arab NATO’
Hadley’s view With Iran now threatening vital economic lifelines across the Gulf — including airports, energy infrastructure, and ports — the idea of collective defense is gaining ground. The notion isn’t new, but it has stalled for decades. The region could use that cooperation now. Qatar’s former prime minister Hamad ...