NWS North America Desk
Articles by NWS
The Fold Wars: Inside China’s Answer to Apple’s Late Arrival
Years of American sanctions were meant to keep Huawei out of cutting-edge phones. Instead, they got a five-year head start on the one design Apple hadn’t cracked.
The US Helped Create the New World Map, Then Rejected It Alone at the UN
A week after 164 nations backed the Equal Earth projection over the 450-year-old Mercator map, Washington is still explaining its lone “no”.
US Lawmakers Push to Blacklist Indian Hack-for-Hire Firms Over Qatar-Linked Espionage
A bipartisan letter accuses BellTroX, CyberRoot and Appin's corporate successor of a decade-long spying campaign – and names a former GOP lawmaker’s family among the targets.
George Clooney Defends Mark Ruffalo at Venice, Capping Two Years of Growing Gaza Advocacy
Ruffalo has emerged as one of Hollywood’s boldest activist voices this year, leading industry pushback against the Paramount-WBD merger. When backlash followed his Gaza comments, George Clooney backed him, and more than 180 prominent Jewish figures publicly rallied behind him.
Why the US Senate’s 86-11 Russia Sanctions Bill Looks Dead on Arrival in the House
The Russia sanctions bill, Ukraine’s biggest legislative win in Washington this year, looks stalled. Five reasons the Bill – cleared by the Senate 86-11 in August - may not reach the House floor before the midterms.
One in Five Children Faced Online Sexual Abuse Last Year: UNICEF Report
Nearly one in five children aged 12 to 17 experienced sexual exploitation or abuse online in the past year, a new UNICEF report has found, with victims four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts and self-harm than their peers.
China Blocks G20 Consensus as Trade Rift with Washington Deepens
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that 19 nations back curbs on Chinese-style surpluses as Russia’s return to the Asheville summit draws European pushback.
India’s Sun Pharma Signs Trump’s Drug-Pricing Pact to Dodge US Tariffs
The agreement ends months of uncertainty over whether Indian pharma would keep its tariff exemption – and shows what Washington wanted in return.
Russia’s Return to G20 Talks Marks a Sharp Departure From Four Years of Isolation
As Washington quietly reopens financial, diplomatic and intelligence lines to Moscow, Europe fears that the US is racing ahead of its allies on Russia.
Venezuelan Leader Maduro’s First Prison Photos Surface on Social Media Eight Months After US Capture
The images, reportedly taken in June, raise fresh questions over how photographs from a US federal detention centre reached Maduro’s social-media accounts.
Trump Renames Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’, Sparking Canadian Backlash Amidst Tariff War
From billboards to boycotts, Ottawa is answering every jab with a counterpunch of its own – and neither side is backing down.
How the US Took Control of 65 Billion Barrels of Venezuelan Oil?
The U.S. has secured control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s oil reserves under a 100-year lease, with proceeds funneled through U.S-controlled bank accounts before Caracas sees a cent. Chevron stands to benefit first, with Exxon, oilfield-service firms, and refiners lining up behind it.
Canada Announces ‘Dollar-for-Dollar’ Retaliatory Tariffs on US as High as 50 per cent
Ottawa’s move deepens a rupture with Washington that has been building since October, with both governments now dug in and no fresh talks in sight.
Trump Renews SAVE Act Push, Citing India’s Voter ID System – Even as Critics Call India’s Own Poll Body Compromised
The irony runs both ways: India’s opposition wants the ballot paper back, its top court says voter ID isn’t proof of citizenship, and Trump’s own mail-in vote sits awkwardly with his pitch.
Trump’s Harvard Antisemitism Lawsuit Dismissed as University Funding Fight Escalates
The judge said that incidents cited by the administration were too isolated to establish an ongoing civil-rights violation, dealing a fresh blow to the White House’s campaign against elite universities.
El Niño Spreads Weather Extremes Across Three Continents, Shows New Studies
Berkeley Earth now puts the odds of 2026 becoming the hottest year on record at 69 per cent, as this year’s El Niño grips Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe together.
Trump Revives Push to Restrict Birthright Citizenship with Two New Executive Orders
The new orders are part of the larger anti-immigration campaign by Trump, and subvert the judiciary which has stood firm in defence of the country’s Constitutional principles.
Meta Fined $567 Million Over Child Harm in New Mexico as India Probes CSAM Ads
The penalty brings Meta’s total liability in the state to US$942 million and requires stricter age verification and limits on data collected from minors. The company says it plans to appeal.
US Revokes Brazilian Ambassador’s Visa as Trump-Lula Diplomatic Feud Escalates
Behind the standoff lies a tangle of tariffs, Trump’s open backing of the Bolsonaro family, and Brazil’s insistence that its elections are off-limits to outside interference.
UN Experts Urge Canada to Protect Sikh Activist Amid Alleged Indian Threats
Five UN rapporteurs cite a pattern of transnational repression as Ottawa’s warming ties with New Delhi face fresh scrutiny.
Trump Administration Locks In Visa Bond Rule for Travellers from 50 Nations
The US has made its visa bond rule permanent – Bangladesh and Nepal are on the list, but India remains exempt. Here’s what the $20,000 deposit requirement means.
Netanyahu to visit Washington amid bipartisan strain over Israel
Trump confirms Netanyahu's Washington visit next week, as talks on Gaza, Iran and Saudi Arabia unfold against falling US public support for Israel — now at a record low, as per new Pew survey.
Trump’s New Tariffs Meet an Oil Shock, Raising Fresh Global Inflation Risks
As crude surges past $100 a barrel on Middle East tensions, Trump’s fresh Section 301 tariffs threaten to pile fresh cost pressure onto goods worldwide – from clothing in Bangladesh and India to electronics in Vietnam.
World Cup Diplomacy: Gaza Fault Lines Emerge in Who Congratulated Spain – and Who Didn't
From Sánchez's Palestinian solidarity to Milei's pledge to move Argentina's embassy to Jerusalem, Spain's World Cup win exposed how deeply the Gaza conflict has seeped into global diplomacy.
Mamdani's Netanyahu Arrest Vow Faces Legal Reality Check Ahead of UN Visit
New York's mayor says his administration is reviewing whether it can act on his long-standing pledge to detain the Israeli PM — but jurisdiction, federal law and diplomatic immunity stand firmly in the way.
Trump Threatens Higher Tariffs on Canada Over Wildfire Smoke Choking US Cities
Nearly 900 fires are burning across Canada, sending thick smoke deep into the US and putting more than 100 million Americans under air quality alerts.