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Japan and Vietnam Elevate Strategic Partnership, Targeting Increased Trade and Cooperation

Japan and Vietnam Elevate Strategic Partnership, Targeting Increased Trade and Cooperation

Japan and Vietnam are significantly strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership, marked by the visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to Japan. This visit, the first by a Vietnamese General Secretary since 2015, underscores Vietnam's prioritization of its relationship with Japan. The two nations are focusing on three key areas: enhancing regional peace and stability, boosting economic security cooperation, and expanding people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Economically, bilateral trade is projected to reach approximately US$58 billion this year, with a target of US$75 billion by 2030. This growth is supported by increased direct flights and a 15% rise in trade during the first nine months of the year, totaling US$43.7 billion. Japan is also increasing its investment in Vietnam, with US$2.45 billion invested from January to September, bringing total cumulative investment to US$81.2 billion, maintaining Japan's position as the third-largest investor in Vietnam. Cooperation extends to...
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Rubio will venture to France on first post-midterm foreign trip to face questions on Trump policies

Rubio will venture to France on first post-midterm foreign trip to face questions on Trump policies

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make his first international trip since the midterm elections that dealt the Republicans a severe blow
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UK Parliament Committee Warns Government Fails Critical Minerals Tests, Citing Dangerous Dependence on China

UK Parliament Committee Warns Government Fails Critical Minerals Tests, Citing Dangerous Dependence on China

A report from the UK House of Commons Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, published on November 5, 2026, indicates that the British government is failing to meet any of ten critical tests designed to reduce its reliance on China for essential minerals. The report highlights a projected surge in demand for rare earths, lithium, graphite, cobalt, and nickel by 2030, crucial for sectors like clean energy, defense, and advanced manufacturing. For instance, cumulative UK demand for rare earths is expected to jump from 1,161 tonnes in 2024 to 18,020 tonnes by 2030. The committee warns that the UK cannot achieve its rearmament goals, net-zero targets, or build artificial intelligence infrastructure without securing these minerals. A significant bottleneck is identified in the processing stage, where China holds a dominant market share, refining about 70% of 20 strategic minerals and approximately 91% of magnet rare earths in 2024. This dominance poses a national security risk, as China has previous...
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Brazil's Federal Government Identifies 27 Critical and Strategic Minerals, Establishes Policy Framework

Brazil's Federal Government Identifies 27 Critical and Strategic Minerals, Establishes Policy Framework

Brazil's Federal Government Identifies 27 Critical and Strategic Minerals, Establishes Policy Framework
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North Korea Denounces FATF's 'High-Risk' Money Laundering Label, Citing U.S. Hostility

North Korea Denounces FATF's 'High-Risk' Money Laundering Label, Citing U.S. Hostility

North Korea has strongly condemned the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for maintaining its designation as a 'high-risk jurisdiction' for money laundering, terrorist financing, and weapons proliferation. The FATF, an intergovernmental body, reaffirmed this status at a meeting in Paris in late October, citing Pyongyang's 'continued failure to address significant deficiencies' in its anti-money laundering framework and the 'serious threats' posed by its illicit activities related to weapons of mass destruction. North Korea's Foreign Ministry, through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), rejected the label as a 'fabrication by the United States and its followers,' accusing the FATF of being a 'conspiracy group' serving U.S. hostile policy. Pyongyang asserted that 'money laundering,' 'financing of terrorism,' 'drug trafficking,' and 'counterfeiting' have 'nothing to do with the DPRK' and vowed not to tolerate any infringement on its sovereignty. The FATF has classified North Korea as a high-risk jurisdicti...
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Chris Miller of American Enterprise Institute Highlights U.S. Semiconductor Supply Chain Vulnerabilities to China

Chris Miller of American Enterprise Institute Highlights U.S. Semiconductor Supply Chain Vulnerabilities to China

Chris Miller of American Enterprise Institute Highlights U.S. Semiconductor Supply Chain Vulnerabilities to China
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U.S. Faces Challenges in Domestic Rare Earth Refining Despite Abundant Resources

U.S. Faces Challenges in Domestic Rare Earth Refining Despite Abundant Resources

U.S. Faces Challenges in Domestic Rare Earth Refining Despite Abundant Resources
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G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting Relocated to Paris Due to Logistical and Operational Reasons

G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting Relocated to Paris Due to Logistical and Operational Reasons

The G7 foreign ministers' meeting, originally scheduled for November 9-10, 2026, in Marseille, has been abruptly relocated to Paris. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs cited "logistical and operational reasons" for the change. This decision was communicated to delegations and accredited journalists on Wednesday evening. The ministry explained that the dense schedule, which includes both the G7 summit and the Paris Peace Forum, requires a significant concentration of personnel, material resources, security measures, and logistical support. Moving the meeting to Paris is intended to ensure the proper conduct of both events and guarantee the personal presence of French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who holds the current G7 presidency and is required to participate in both gatherings. The meeting will include the seven permanent G7 members—Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom—along with foreign ministers from six partner countries: Saudi Arabia, ...
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U.S. Commits $125 Million to Egypt for Energy, AI, and Infrastructure Development

U.S. Commits $125 Million to Egypt for Energy, AI, and Infrastructure Development

U.S. Commits $125 Million to Egypt for Energy, AI, and Infrastructure Development
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Viridis Mining Secures Long-Term Rare Earth Supply Agreement with Solvay for Brazilian Project

Viridis Mining Secures Long-Term Rare Earth Supply Agreement with Solvay for Brazilian Project

Viridis Mining Secures Long-Term Rare Earth Supply Agreement with Solvay for Brazilian Project
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Analysis-Lula's election win dashes US hopes of quick access to Brazil's rare earths

Analysis-Lula's election win dashes US hopes of quick access to Brazil's rare earths

By Fabio Teixeira, Ernest Scheyder and Marta Nogueira RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 5 (Reuters) - The reelection of leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as Brazil's president will likely dash US President Donald Trump's hopes of securing fast access to the world's second-largest rare earth reserves.
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Singapore Officially Joins Panama Canal Neutrality Treaty During Panamanian President's Visit

Singapore Officially Joins Panama Canal Neutrality Treaty During Panamanian President's Visit

Singapore has officially joined the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Functioning of the Panama Canal. This adherence was announced on October 5 during an official visit by Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino to Asia, where he met with Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The treaty, originally signed on September 7, 1977, by Panama and the United States as part of the Torrijos-Carter agreements, aims to ensure the interoceanic waterway remains open for peaceful transit to vessels of all nations, under conditions of equality and without discrimination, in both peace and wartime. Singapore's integration into this pact reinforces the international commitment to maintaining the canal's neutrality and its crucial role in global trade and navigation.