International reporting on events and trends that influence Panama and the region. Stories include geopolitics, diplomacy, and global developments.
President Volodymyr Zelensky urged EU leaders to bypass Hungary’s veto blocking a vital €90bn (US$103bn) loan, calling resolution of the dispute the main issue at an upcoming Brussels summit.
After U.S. tariffs on “Liberation Day” in April 2025 rattled markets, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia negotiated reciprocal trade agreements with Washington to lower tariffs and restore access.
Hong Kong players are competing in a local FIP Bronze padel tournament this week to gain ranking points and press for Asian Games recognition after padel was awarded medal status for the September Games in Japan.
Tim Cook visited an Apple Store in Chengdu on March 18 amid Apple’s 50th anniversary events while the company’s COO met key suppliers, signaling continued reliance on China’s manufacturing ecosystem.
Saudi Arabia has opened a Red Sea ‘Plan B’ using Yanbu to route crude around the closed Strait of Hormuz, allowing some VLCCs to avoid the chokepoint amid ongoing regional conflict.
Chinese experts say recent US‑ and Israel‑led “decapitation” strikes in Iran and actions in Venezuela highlight the limits of leadership-targeted operations, arguing regime change often requires ground forces—a lesson Beijing is weighing for Taiwan.
The second Wing Lei Bar & Friends brought top bartenders from six global cities to Wynn Palace in Macau on March 13–14, with guest shifts hosted by head bartender Mark Lloyd and a panel discussion on the event’s second day.
Five members of Iran’s women’s football team returned to Iran after withdrawing asylum claims filed in Australia; six players and one staffer had received humanitarian visas.
A Hong Kong campsite operator, Tang Lung-fai, 56, was found guilty of murdering his live-in girlfriend, Fok Sin-yee, and jailed for life after telling police he believed she was an ‘alien’.
Japan beat South Korea 4-1 in a Women’s Asian Cup semi in Sydney, with Ueki, Hamano, Kumagai and Chiba on the scoresheet. The win sets up a final against hosts Australia.
Fuel smuggling from Iran into Pakistan has declined after the recent Middle East fighting, squeezing smugglers with higher costs and thinner cross-border flows.
Hong Kong will pilot an internationally benchmarked version of its Diploma of Secondary Education exam to let foreign students apply to universities in Hong Kong and mainland China.
Cosco Shipping Ports posted modest 2025 gains — net profit up 1.1% to US$312.1m, revenue up 11% — and said it expects only a limited impact from the Iran conflict while eyeing expansion in emerging markets.
U.S. hawks warn that China’s scientific gains could threaten American dominance; others counter that global scientific progress can produce mutual benefits, including for Latin America.
A PLA delegation will visit Brussels next week for EU-China security consultations and separate NATO talks as the Iran war reshapes global security, officials said.
Hong Kong’s labour chief says Middle East tensions have made the city more attractive to international professionals, praising government recruitment efforts and disputing claims that most successful applicants are from mainland China.
Former Hong Kong lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan denied abetting criminal activity in a trial over alleged incitement, saying Beijing has levelled false charges as prosecutors disputed his intent.
As the U.S. increases pressure on Cuba after its campaign in Iran, analysts say China has few strong options and will likely limit its response to diplomatic opposition and modest aid.
Hong Kong customs seized 986 live turtles worth about HK$1 million from a private car at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge control point and arrested a 42-year-old driver and a 50-year-old passenger.
Hong Kong’s Airport Authority and a private partner will build a HK$300 million art storage facility set to open next year as the city seeks to strengthen its role in global art trade.