Beijing Finally Agrees to Talk Trade with Washington
China has confirmed that Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Switzerland from May 9 to 12, about two weeks after Beijing firmly denied Washington’s claims that negotiations were already taking place. In late April, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian categorically said: “Any claims about the progress of […]
B2Gold Q1 2025: Cash Flow Crashes 75% Despite 50% Profit Jump
B2Gold (TSX: BTO) delivered mixed Q1 2025 financial results, continuing the trend of rising revenue due to higher gold prices but seeing declines in volume. The quarterly report is toplined by revenue of $532.1 million for the quarter, up 15.3% from $461.4 million in Q1 2024, benefiting from a steep rise in the average realized […]
Trump to Scrap Biden-Era Global AI Chip Curbs
The Trump administration is preparing to rescind the Biden-era “AI diffusion rule,” an export control framework that divided countries into three tiers of chip access. Set to take effect on May 15, the policy was aimed at curbing indirect semiconductor flows to China, but it now faces a rapid overhaul as Trump’s team drafts a […]
Gates-Bezos Mining Venture Plans Entry into Congo’s Contested Lithium Sector
KoBold Metals is expanding into central Africa with plans to acquire rights to a major lithium project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking a significant move for the mining startup whose investors include tech billionaires Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. The company aims to invest $1 billion into developing southern sections of the Manono […]
BREAKING: Habemus Papam! Conclave Elects First American Pope To Lead 1.4B Catholics
White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel at 6:07 p.m. Vatican time, signaling that after just two days and four ballots, the College of Cardinals had reached the consensus to elect the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. The new pontiff, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, will take the name Pope Leo XIV. This marks […]
Spain Reconsiders Nuclear Phase-Out After Grid Collapse
Spain is reconsidering its nuclear energy policy following a catastrophic power outage in April that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula. The collapse occurred when power generation suddenly dropped by more than half of operating capacity, destabilizing the interconnection with France and triggering a cascade of system failures. “It remains unknown why this occurred or why […]
Orsted Pulls Plug on Massive Hornsea 4 Wind Farm, Citing Economic Pressures
Danish energy firm Orsted (CPH: ORSTED) has abandoned plans for the fourth phase of its Hornsea wind project, creating a major obstacle for Britain’s clean energy ambitions. The 2.4 gigawatt installation planned off Yorkshire would have generated electricity for roughly one million residences and was considered essential for the government’s renewable energy expansion strategy. According […]
US Leverages Trade Talks to Push Starlink Expansion, Documents Show
The United States is leveraging tariff negotiations to secure foreign regulatory approvals for Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, according to internal State Department documents obtained by The Washington Post. Less than two weeks after President Donald Trump announced 50% tariffs on goods from Lesotho, the African nation’s communications regulator met with Starlink representatives and […]
BREAKING: Trump Announces Expanded Market Access In First Post-Tariff Deal With UK
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a preliminary trade agreement with the UK—his first since escalating global tariffs last month—marking a politically strategic breakthrough for both his administration and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump declared the deal a “historic” framework that would “cement the relationship between the United States […]
Shopify’s Q1 2025 Net Loss Swells 150%, Undermining Revenue and Cash Flow Gains
Shopify (TSX: SHOP) has reported Q1 2025 results: revenue surged 27% YoY to $2.36 billion, led by merchant solutions, which jumped 29% to $1.74 billion, while subscription solutions increased 21% to $620 million. Gross profit rose 22% to $1.17 billion, with gross margin stable at roughly 49.5%. Operating expenses grew 11% to $966 million, led […]