President Financial News

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te was feted with a red carpet, garlands of flowers and «alohas» as he kicked off his two-day stopover in Hawaii on Saturday, part of a Pacific tour that has sparked fiery rhetoric from Beijing. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has responded to Lai's first overseas trip as president with threats to «resolutely crush» any attempt for independence. Looking relaxed in a Hawaiian shirt, Lai flitted around the US island state, visiting a Pacific island history museum, an emergency management centre and the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbour.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President-elect Donald Trump is known for grandiose statements, a larger-than-life persona and a fondness for unpredictability. His counterpart on the other side of the Atlantic couldn’t be more different in political style.

Donald Trump says a surprise meeting with Justin Trudeau at his Florida home was “very productive,” after the prime minister flew down to discuss the growing threat of American tariffs on Canadian goods, the border and national defence.On Friday evening, Trudeau landed in Florida and travelled to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club for a hastily arranged dinner and discussion with the United States’ incoming president that a senior Canadian government source said was successful.In a post on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump said the meeting between the two had gone well.“I just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where we discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address,” Trump wrote.He said the two had discussed the illegal fentanyl and the toxic drug overdose crisis, as well as what Trump called “the massive trade deficit” between the United States and Canada.“I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China,” Trump wrote. “Too much death and hardship!”A senior Canadian government source told Global News the meeting, which ran from around 7:45 p.m.

Justin Trudeau said Saturday he had an «excellent conversation» with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after the president-elect's threat to impose significant tariffs on two of America's leading trade partners raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico City. It was unclear, as Trudeau headed back to Canada from Florida, whether the conversation had alleviated Trump's concerns. A person familiar with the details of the leaders' hastily arranged meeting Friday night said it was a «positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.» The official, who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defence, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Canada next year. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don't stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. He said he would impose a 25 per cent tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January.

Eknath Shinde, the caretaker Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has been suffering from fever and a throat infection for the past two days, his family doctor said, adding that he is now recovering. The doctor mentioned that a team of three to four doctors is treating Eknath Shinde in his native village in Satara district, Maharashtra. RM Patre, Shinde's family doctor, told ANI, «He is doing fine now. He has been experiencing fever, body pain, throat infection, and cold for the past two days. We have administered antibiotics. A team of three to four doctors is attending to him.»

BJP) on Saturday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after an alleged attack on former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by a bus marshal during his padyatra in the national capital. Speaking to ANI, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva claimed that the accused was a local AAP worker. «I have been saying since day one that Arvind Kejriwal will orchestrate such incidents to gain sympathy. As per the information, it was just water, and the individual involved is their local worker. He was caught in an intoxicated state. This is a political drama, a display of disappointment and hopelessness. Nothing is working for them now, so they resort to such cliched moves. The police should take action against whoever is responsible. The investigation will reveal that he is an AAP worker,» he said.

US President- elect Donald Trump shared a parody video of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Truth Social during Thanksgiving while humorously depicting US President Joe Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris, reported Independent. According to Independent, the 35 second clip actually features Joe Biden with his head superimposed on Chevy Chase's character Clark Griswold while he carves a turkey surrounded by prominent Democrats, including Rep. Adam Schiff and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Schiff who is playing Cousin Eddie humorously asks for the turkey neck while Kamala Harris laughs in response. Also Read:Cyber Monday 2024: Target and Walmart unleash massive discounts | Top Deals

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), a Democratic Congresswoman from New York, is being discussed as a potential leader for the party in 2028. Her strong connection with voters through social media and grassroots campaigns has made her a prominent figure in U.S. politics. Monica Crowley, a former Trump Treasury official, recently acknowledged AOC’s influence on Fox News, warning Republicans not to underestimate her. Crowley noted, “She’s young, vibrant, attractive… and has real grassroots support.” AOC's ability to directly engage with voters has positioned her as a key figure in shaping the future of the Democratic Party.

Zelenskyy's remarks on Friday signaled a possible way forward to the difficult path Ukraine faces to future NATO membership. At their summit in Washington in July, the 32 members declared Ukraine on an «irreversible» path to membership. However, one obstacle to moving forward has been the view that Ukraine's borders would need to be clearly demarcated before it could join so that there can be no mistaking where the alliance's pact of mutual defense would come into effect. «You can't give an invitation to just one part of a country,» the Ukrainian president said in an excerpt of the interview with Sky News, dubbed by the UK broadcaster. «Why? Because thus you would recognize that Ukraine is only that territory of Ukraine and the other one is Russia.»

In a statement, CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal and President Subhash Khandelwal said that the ban on commercial and light vehicles, along with a significant reduction in vehicles entering Delhi from outside, has crippled trade, industry, and tourism. «Retail markets in Delhi are witnessing a slump as the city's air quality has plunged into the 'severe' category. News about pollution, widely disseminated through TV, newspapers, and social media, is deterring people from visiting markets,» Goyal stated.

Mahayuti alliance's new government in Maharashtra will be formed on December 5 with Devendra Fadnavis emerging as the frontrunner to become the next chief minister again, a senior BJP leader said on Saturday. In the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, the Mahayuti alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) retained power, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and NCP with 41 seats. However, even after the announcement of poll results a week ago (on November 23), the formation of the government has been delayed as the tripartite alliance is yet to decide on who will be the next chief minister.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has flown to Florida to have dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products

«This is a question at hand,» Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS news agency when asked whether Moscow was considering a resumption of tests. «And without anticipating anything, let me simply say that the situation is quite difficult. It is constantly being considered in all its components and in all its aspects.»

As markets and consumers eye possible turbulence during the transition from President Joe Biden to Donald Trump, there are hopes that the year's biggest shopping season — stretching from Thanksgiving to Christmas — will be a bonanza. The National Retail Federation (NRF) said a record 183.4 million people are planning to shop over the weekend, ticking up from 182 million last year and 18.1 million higher than 2019, before the Covid pandemic derailed the global economy.

Kim Jong Un told Russian defence minister Ukraine's use of long-range weapons is the result of direct military intervention by the United States and Moscow is entitled to take action in self-defence, state media said on Saturday. Kim met Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov on Friday and said «the U.S. and the West made Kyiv authorities attack Russia's territory with their own long-range strike weapons» and Russia should take action to make «hostile forces pay the price,» KCNA news agency said. Kim pledged to expand ties with Russia in all areas including military affairs under the comprehensive strategic partnership he signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, which includes a mutual defence agreement, KCNA said.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, damaging large portions of the 860-year-old Gothic-style building, the world is getting a look at the painstaking restoration efforts to bring the church back to life.French President Emmanuel Macron toured the UNESCO World Heritage Site Friday, trailed by a pool of photographers and journalists, taking in the meticulous, €700 million (more than C$1 billion) restoration.And what a difference – “This is overwhelming,” he said as he viewed the glistening, cleaned white stones, Reuters reported.Macron thanked the nearly 400 firefighters who “saved this cathedral” on April 15, 2019 – the day the world watched in horror as a fire that started in the roof spread rapidly, sending flames and smoke high into the sky.“The blaze at Notre Dame was a national wound and you were the remedy, through your determination, hard work and commitment,” he said, speaking to the approximately 1,300 workers who gathered to welcome Macron and celebrate their achievements.The fire destroyed the church’s spire and roof and left heavy smoke and water damage to the main cathedral area of the building.After the fire was extinguished that day, Macron pledged to the public that “we will rebuild the cathedral to be even more beautiful, and I want it to be completed within five years.”On Friday, Marcon gazed up at rebuilt soaring ceilings and creamy good-as-new stonework.Gone are the gaping holes that the blaze scorched into the vaulted ceilings, leaving charred piles of debris. New stonework has been carefully pieced together to repair and fill the wounds that had left the cathedral’s insides exposed to the elements.

The World Trade Organization chief says she’s “eager” to work with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his trade team, while taking a wait-and-see stance about Trump’s plans to impose new tariffs on goods from other countries including China, Mexico ...

Lombard Odier — one of Switzerland's oldest private banks — was indicted by Swiss prosecutors for «aggravated money laundering.»

OBC rally chief minister Siddaramaiah’s staunch supporters have planned in Hassan on December 5 may turn out to be a show of popularity of the CM while sending a clear message to those challenging his authority in the party. Two years ago, when Siddaramaiah turned 75, the birthday celebrations his followers organized in Davanagere increased his profile and bargaining power in the party ahead of the assembly elections and unnerved the ruling BJP. Political leaders, lawmakers and ministers, who swear by their leader, have come together to plan this political bash brimming with a newfound confidence after the Congress decisively defeated the BJP-JDS combine in all the three assembly seats that went to bypolls on November 13.