Author: Eka Gerona

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to establish a strategic reserve for Bitcoin, making the US one of the few countries in the world to create a national stockpile of blockchain assets.The reserve will hold cryptocurrency forfeited to the federal government as part of criminal or civil proceedings, White House AI and crypto tsar David Sacks said in a post on X.The US will not sell any Bitcoin deposited in the reserve, said Sacks, and will instead keep it as an asset.Trump – who just four years ago said Bitcoin “seems like a scam” – now says he…

Will GrantMexico Correspondent, BBC NewsAFPWhen tariffs were avoided in February, President Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 troops to the US-Mexico borderIn announcing the decision to postpone some tariffs on Mexico for another month, US President Donald Trump was at pains to praise his Mexican counterpart, Claudia Sheinbaum.”I did this as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum”, he wrote on his social media site, Truth Social. “Our relationship has been a very good one and we are working hard, together, on the border.”The comments were in stark contrast to the kind of language he has used for the…

The European Central Bank (ECB) has cut interest rates for the sixth time in nine months as it seeks to bolster eurozone economic growth.The bank stuck to its plan to lower rates in the face of economic challenges, including threats of US tariffs and plans to boost European military spending.The ECB cut its main interest rate to 2.5% from 2.75%, and once again reduced its forecasts for economic growth in the eurozone.The latest cut came as a sell-off of German government bonds spread to other bond markets, including the UK.The sell-off came after Germany’s move this week to increase military…

Paul KirbyEurope digital editorGetty ImagesDenmark’s letter deliveries began in 1624Denmark’s state-run postal service, PostNord, is to end all letter deliveries at the end of 2025, citing a 90% decline in letter volumes since the start of the century.The decision brings to an end 400 years of the company’s letter service. Denmark’s 1,500 postboxes will start to disappear from the start of June.Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen sought to reassure Danes, saying letters could still be sent and received across the country. One company said it was prepared to take over deliveries.Postal services across Europe are grappling with the decline in letter…

Annabelle LiangBusiness reporterGetty ImagesUS prosecutors have charged 12 Chinese nationals for being part of an alleged hacking scheme, which sold data of US-based dissidents to the Chinese government.The “state-sponsored” operation also targeted government agencies including the Treasury, according to the Justice Department (DOJ).Hackers also allegedly targeted an American religious organisation, and a newspaper in Hong Kong, the statement added.China has not responded to these specific allegations, but have strongly denied other accusations in the past. In December, the Treasury Department reported a “major” breach by Chinese -sponsored hackers, saying they were able to access employee workstations and some unclassified documents.…

Getty ImagesTrump’s tariffs strike at the heart of China’s manufacturing juggernautUS President Donald Trump has hit China with a second tariff in as many months, which means imports from there now face a levy of at least 20%.This is his latest salvo against Beijing, which already faces steep US tariffs, from 100% on Chinese-made electric vehicles to 15% on clothes and shoes. Trump’s tariffs strike at the heart of China’s manufacturing juggernaut – a web of factories, assembly lines and supply chains that manufacture and ship just about everything, from fast fashion and toys to solar panels and electric cars.China’s…

Could Canada join the EU?published at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time14:54 GMTNick BeakeEurope correspondent, in BrusselsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Justin Trudeau at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in 2017Mark Bretherton in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada asks: What potential is there for Canada to join the EU as a result of actual and threatened US hostility?On paper, in normal times, there’s zero potential for Canada to join the EU. But these aren’t normal times and President Trump has ripped up the rule book.While we see Australia performing in Eurovision, and Kazakhstan attempting to qualify for European football tournaments, the geographical rules for…

Getty ImagesThe chancellor has earmarked several billion pounds in draft spending cuts to welfare and other government departments ahead of the Spring Statement.The Treasury will put the proposed cuts to the government’s official forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), on Wednesday amid expectations the chancellor’s financial buffer has been wiped out.Sources said “the world has changed” since Rachel Reeves’s Budget last October, when the OBR indicated she had £9.9bn available to spend against her self-imposed borrowing rules.The OBR’s forecast is likely to see that disappear because of global factors such as trade tariffs, as well as higher inflation and…

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said President Donald Trump will “probably” announce a deal to reduce tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Wednesday.”Both the Canadians and Mexicans were on the phone with me all day today trying to show that they’ll do better” on reducing the flow of fentanyl into the US, Lutnick said in an interview with Fox Business Network.But Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly told the BBC’s Newsnight that her office had not been contacted about the plan.Canada and Mexico announced retaliatory import levies on the US after Washington’s 25% tariffs on its two neighbours…

Getty ImagesTesla has begun hiring for a dozen jobs in Delhi and MumbaiAfter years of speculation, Tesla could finally be making its India debut.The American electric vehicle (EV) giant has begun hiring for a dozen jobs in Delhi and Mumbai. It is also reportedly hunting for showrooms in both cities.Asia’s third largest economy offers an interesting growth opportunity for Tesla’s futuristic cars as global EV sales plummet and competition from Chinese manufacturers gets more intense.But there’s a million-dollar question – can Tesla compete in India’s price-sensitive market?Tata Motors currently holds pole position in India’s EV market – with over 60%…