Author: Pritam Barman

US Nigeria security ties are set to deepen as Washington moves to help Nigeria confront a wave of militant attacks, including a recent mass abduction of schoolchildren in the country’s north. The planned expansion of cooperation comes as more than 250 students remain missing after armed men stormed a Catholic school, the latest in a series of kidnappings that have shocked Africa’s most populous nation and drawn fresh international concern. Against this backdrop, US officials have signaled they are ready to increase security assistance, while Nigeria’s government is promising stronger measures to protect civilians and all religious communities. Washington Moves…

The Asda Fitch downgrade has pushed the UK value supermarket chain deeper into junk territory, as its latest property moves and aggressive price cuts collide with a highly competitive grocery market and weak consumer sentiment. Fitch Ratings lowered Asda’s issuer entity Bellis Finco plc to B from B+ and attached a negative outlook, citing a mix of higher leverage from recent sale‑and‑leaseback transactions and growing pressure on earnings. The decision underscores how Asda’s efforts to raise cash and win back shoppers are also increasing financial strain at a time when margins are already under threat. Fitch Pushes Asda Deeper Into Junk Territory…

A Fed December rate cut now has a powerful advocate inside the central bank, with Governor Christopher Waller publicly backing a move to lower borrowing costs next month and hinting that policy decisions could soon shift to a more cautious, meeting-by-meeting pace. Speaking Monday on the Fox Business Network, Waller said his priority is the labor market and that concern is leading him to support a cut at the Federal Reserve’s upcoming Dec. 9-10 policy meeting. “My concern is mainly labor market, in terms of our dual mandate,” he said. “So I’m advocating for a rate cut at the next meeting.” Waller…

The home buyers market is finally tilting a bit toward shoppers in parts of the U.S., as higher mortgage rates ease slightly and more listings hit the market in key cities, according to new data from Zillow and Redfin. This fall brought a rare dose of good news for would‑be buyers: borrowing costs have inched down from their recent highs, more homes are coming up for sale, and price growth has cooled to its slowest pace in more than a decade. Together, those shifts have pushed 19 large metro areas into what Zillow calls a buyer’s market — places where…

US Treasurys are proving far more resilient than many investors expected earlier this year, as fresh government data show global buyers still flocking to US assets despite tariff shocks and talk of de-dollarization. Foreign investors poured more than $300 billion into US securities in August and September, easing fears that President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff announcements in April would trigger a lasting “Sell America” wave and a damaging exodus from US Treasurys. Instead, the latest figures from the Treasury Department suggest the opposite: overseas appetite for US debt remains strong, and the feared global dumping of US Treasurys has not…

US Venezuela operations are heading into what officials describe as a “new phase,” as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to pressure President Nicolas Maduro’s government and reshape its approach to Venezuela in the coming days. According to four U.S. officials, Washington is preparing additional actions that could significantly expand its playbook in the region. While the exact timing and scope remain undecided, the planning underscores how Venezuela has become a major focus for the White House, the Pentagon and intelligence agencies. All of the officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the discussions and the risk of…

The Trump Ukraine peace plan is now at the center of urgent behind-the-scenes diplomacy, as European leaders race to shape its final form. Finnish President Alexander Stubb revealed that he and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke directly with US President Donald Trump about the US 28-point proposal to end Russia’s war on Ukraine. The conversation took place around the Group of 20 leaders’ summit in Johannesburg, where concerns over the plan were already spreading among Kyiv’s allies. Stubb, who is seen as having a solid working relationship with Trump, declined to disclose specific details of the call. But in…

Mark Carney chose the G-20 summit in Johannesburg to deliver one of his clearest messages yet: the global economy no longer needs to wait for Washington to act. The Canadian Prime Minister said the world can continue making progress on major issues even without U.S. participation, after President Donald Trump’s administration boycotted the meeting and attempted to limit its formal outcome. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday in Johannesburg, Mark Carney argued that the consensus forged at the summit still carries real weight. His comments underscored how Canada is trying to reposition itself, and how a large group of…

The Trump Ukraine peace plan is running into stiff resistance from key European allies, who say Washington’s 28-point proposal still “requires additional work” and risks giving away too much to Moscow. In a joint statement released after high-level talks, European leaders — joined by Canada and Japan — made clear they see the current draft as only a starting point. While they stopped short of rejecting it outright, they firmly opposed any settlement that would redraw Ukraine’s borders by force or permanently limit the size of its army. As Trump issues a hard deadline and threatens to halt support if…

The Trump tariff fallback plan is quietly moving into high gear in Washington as the White House braces for a potentially damaging Supreme Court ruling on one of the president’s most powerful trade tools. While publicly projecting confidence, senior officials across the administration are mapping out ways to keep tariffs in place — and reimpose them quickly — if the justices decide to strip away a key authority that underpins many of the current levies. The outcome could reshape how the administration taxes imports, upend billions in tariff revenue and inject new uncertainty into global trade. White House Quietly Builds…