Author: Andrew Rogers

Coffee prices surged on Tuesday as US tariffs continue to curb Brazilian exports. While the Trump administration recently dropped tariffs on commodities not grown in the US, Brazil remains subject to a separate 40% tariff. The US has yet to clarify whether importers are exempt from this levy. Tightening US supplies have also supported prices. ICE-monitored arabica inventories fell to a 1.75-year low of 396,513 bags, while robusta inventories dropped to a four-month low of 5,648 lots. US purchases of Brazilian coffee from August through October fell 52% year-on-year to 983,970 bags after tariffs took effect. Weather in Brazil’s key…

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani reiterated this week that he would honor the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the leader visits the city. Mamdani first announced this stance before winning the mayoral election. Mamdani made his remarks as outgoing Mayor Eric Adams met with Netanyahu and encouraged him to attend Mamdani’s upcoming inauguration. During a live ABC7 appearance, Mamdani described New York as a “city of international law” and said it must uphold ICC 2024 arrest warrants, which accuse Netanyahu of targeting civilians and using starvation as a method of warfare. “I’ve…

An Israeli civilian was killed and three others wounded in a knife and car attack by two Palestinian teenagers in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Israeli authorities said. The incident occurred at the Gush Etzion Junction, a crossroads near a cluster of Israeli settlements on the road south from Jerusalem to Hebron. The Israeli military reported responding to a “ramming and stabbing attack” and said soldiers “eliminated two terrorists at the scene.” Explosive materials were reportedly found in their vehicle. Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency service, said one man died from a stab wound, while a woman and two…

At least 13 people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health confirmed. The drone strike targeted a car in the parking area of a mosque in the Ein el-Hilweh camp near Sidon on Tuesday. Four people were reported wounded, with ambulances transporting more victims to nearby hospitals. Israel said the strike hit members of Hamas operating in a training compound in the refugee camp. Avichay Adraee, Israel’s Arabic-language military spokesperson, stated, “We will continue to act forcefully against Hamas’s attempts to establish a foothold in Lebanon…

Brazil is pressing for a breakthrough at COP30, the UN climate summit in Belem, as nations work to finalize a deal on fossil fuels, finance, and trade barriers. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is set to make an unexpected return on Wednesday, highlighting Brazil’s push for rapid progress. Negotiators spent a sleepless night drafting proposals on trade measures, financial support for poorer countries, and the adequacy of national carbon-cutting pledges. Brazil hopes to reach an agreement by midweek, signaling urgency to resolve key differences. “As always in this phase of the negotiations, this is a mixed bag,” EU climate…

South Africa will host the G20 summit on November 22-23, focusing on debt relief for developing countries and tackling global inequality. The United States is boycotting the event, as President Donald Trump declines participation amid growing tensions over South Africa’s agenda. President Cyril Ramaphosa called the U.S. absence “their loss,” emphasizing the summit’s importance for global economic cooperation. The G20 includes 19 countries plus the European Union and African Union, representing roughly 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population. Trump’s boycott follows his earlier decisions to skip international meetings, including the COP30 climate summit in Brazil.…

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George arrived in Kyiv this week on an unannounced trip, becoming the highest-level Trump administration Pentagon officials to visit Ukraine. The visit comes as the U.S. seeks ways to accelerate peace efforts and strengthen military cooperation amid Russia’s escalating attacks. Driscoll and George are scheduled to meet with Ukrainian military leaders, lawmakers, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy starting Wednesday. The visit coincides with intensified Russian missile and drone strikes targeting civilians, while Western allies work to maintain weapons supplies for Ukraine. A key focus of the trip is to discuss the…

The Senate moved quickly on Tuesday to approve a bill requiring the release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision marked a sharp departure from the chamber’s usual slow pace, as mounting pressure pushed congressional Republicans to act. The House had already passed the bill, and senators gave unanimous consent to send it to President Trump’s desk. Just a week ago, such rapid action seemed impossible. The sudden momentum followed Trump’s weekend endorsement of the measure, catching lawmakers by surprise. “It happens slowly, and then all of a sudden,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), describing the…

President Trump announced on Tuesday that he signed a strategic defense agreement designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally. The announcement came during a White House dinner honoring Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we are taking our military cooperation to even greater heights,” Trump said. He added that he wanted to keep the decision a surprise until the dinner. The agreement highlights growing cooperation between Washington and Riyadh. Earlier on Tuesday, Trump and bin Salman announced that Saudi Arabia would invest $1 trillion in the United States. Administration officials also said an…

Elon Musk attended a White House dinner with U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday. This marks their second joint public appearance since a public feud earlier this year. Musk’s presence could indicate a possible reconciliation with the U.S. president. Earlier, Musk supported and funded Trump’s election and became a close adviser, leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and overseeing cuts to federal funding and jobs. The relationship soured quickly. Musk criticized Trump’s tax and spending bill as fiscally reckless and announced plans to form a new political party. In response, Trump threatened…