Leo, the first U.S. pope and a critic of some of Trump’s policies, is evaluating the invitation, he said
International News via Reuters:
Pope Leo is among world leaders invited to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace”, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s top diplomatic official, said on Wednesday.
Leo, the first U.S. pope and a critic of some of Trump’s policies, is evaluating the invitation, he said.
“The pope has received an invitation and we are considering what to do,” Parolin told journalists. “I believe it will be something that requires a bit of time for consideration before giving a response.”
The board was initially aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, however Trump has said it will have a much broader remit and resolve conflicts globally.
While some countries, such as Israel and Egypt, have accepted the invitation, a number of others have expressed caution with diplomats warning it could harm the work of the United Nations.
The Vatican press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Parolin’s remarks.
Leo, who has shown a robust but quiet diplomatic style since being elected pope last May, has decried conditions for Palestinians living in Gaza several times, including in a forceful sermon on Christmas Eve.
The pope, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, rarely joins international boards. The Vatican has an extensive diplomatic service and is a permanent observer at the United Nations, often taking part in debates.
Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Janet Lawrence
Colombia’s president’s office, trade and foreign ministries told Reuters they were examining the measure
International News via Reuters:
Ecuador will impose a 30% tariff on goods from Colombia starting from February 1, President Daniel Noboa said on Wednesday, citing a trade deficit and lack of cooperation on fighting drug trafficking at their shared border.
“This measure will remain in place until there is a real commitment to jointly tackle drug trafficking and illegal mining on the border, with the same seriousness and determination that Ecuador is currently demonstrating,” Noboa said on X.
Colombia’s president’s office, trade and foreign ministries told Reuters they were examining the measure.
Noboa has declared several states of emergency and recently mobilized over 10,000 soldiers to the country’s three most violent provinces in a push to tackle organized crime in the Andean nation, which has sent murder rates soaring.
Noboa said Ecuador had not received “any cooperation” and cited an annual trade deficit exceeding $1 billion.
The announcement of tariffs against Ecuador’s larger neighbor follows a 27% tariff on imports from Mexico, Latin America’s No. 2 economy in February of last year.
Reporting by Sarah Morland in Mexico City and Luis Jaime Acosta in Bogota; Editing by Kylie Madry
The paper, reviewed by Reuters, says Europe’s living standards and sovereignty are at stake as new competitors increase their global influence and the growth gap between Europe and the U.S. and China has widened
International News via Reuters:
Germany and Italy will urge fellow members of the European Union at an informal summit next month to deliver reforms to simplify procedures and improve competitiveness or risk falling further behind the United States and China, a policy paper shows.
The paper, reviewed by Reuters, says Europe’s living standards and sovereignty are at stake as new competitors increase their global influence and the growth gap between Europe and the U.S. and China has widened.
“Continuing on the current path is not an option. Europe must act now,” the joint statement said.
The policy paper was drawn up for the Leaders’ Retreat in Alden Biesen in Belgium on February 12, where German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will press for a coordinated EU strategy to support businesses, attract investment and strengthen the single market.
It urges leaders to use the meeting and a European Council gathering in March to agree upon concrete commitments.
Meloni and Merz are also scheduled to meet on Friday in Rome for a bilateral summit, where the Italo-German document is set to be presented, according to an Italian government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
NEED TO EASE THE REGULATORY BURDEN
The paper cites International Monetary Fund figures showing EU internal barriers amount to internal tariffs of as much as 44% for trade in goods and more than 110% for services trade. It calls for an “ambitious ease of regulatory burden”.
It proposes fast-track approval procedures, routine repeals of outdated laws and stricter scrutiny of new rules, with regular reports to EU leaders on progress.
Germany and Italy also advocate deeper integration in services, energy, capital markets and digital industries, a pan-European stock exchange and revised merger rules to help companies compete globally.
The paper urges the EU to speed up free trade talks with partners including Australia, India, the United Arab Emirates and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while warning Europe is ready to use defensive trade tools if necessary.
Reporting by Andreas Rinke; additional reporting in Rome by Giuseppe Fonte; Writing by Linda Pasquini; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus and Barbara Lewis
Trump called for immediate negotiations toward a deal to acquire Greenland, but added that he would not use force in his campaign for the northern island
International News via Reuters:
Global shares rebounded on Wednesday following a selloff in prior session after President Donald Trump toned down his rhetoric in his threats to acquire Greenland while speaking in Davos.
Trump called for immediate negotiations toward a deal to acquire Greenland, but added that he would not use force in his campaign for the northern island. That was a softer tone from the U.S. president, who had said there was “no going back” on his goal to control the island, and had refused to rule out taking it by force. He had also threatened tariffs on Europe, rekindling fears of a global trade war.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1%, the S&P 500 gained 1% and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.1%.
Fears of foreign selling of U.S. assets – the so-called “Sell America” trade that emerged after last year’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcements in April – had gripped markets, causing Wall Street’s main indexes to notch their biggest daily loss since October 10 in the previous session.
“The market bounced when he said we wouldn’t use force,” said Mark Hackett, chief market strategist at Nationwide in Boston. “Following the events of last April, investors are catching on that his negotiating style is very different than past administrations, so uncertainty is a natural outcome.”
MSCI’s All-World index was up 0.61% after losing ground in the last session, while Europe’s STOXX 600 index, rose 0.17%. The FTSE index was up 0.31%.
The VIX index, which measures demand for protection against big swings in the S&P 500, dropped more than 11% to 17.81, a day after jumping to its highest since November. The index is often used as a proxy for investor nervousness and for many, 20 is the point above which market volatility can suddenly explode.
“It wasn’t so much what president said that mattered as what he didn’t say,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief market strategist at Annex Wealth Management in Wisconsin. “He didn’t reiterate his tariff threat against Europe. He didn’t say the government would use force to get Greenland.”
The European Parliament decided to suspend its work on a trade deal between the 27-member bloc and the U.S., a parliament member said, following Trump’s repeated requests to take control over Greenland. The European Union will convene an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the matter, with the long-standing U.S.-EU alliance at risk.
BONDS ATTEMPT RECOVERY
The global bond market was still reeling from a brutal selloff, having been caught up in a perfect storm of worries over exposure to U.S. assets and a surge in Japanese government borrowing costs.
At the epicentre were long-dated Japanese sovereign bonds, which endured their most aggressive selloff in nearly 25 years on Tuesday, as fears grew over increased government spending under Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
U.S. 30-year Treasury yields neared the 5% threshold for the first time since September, while German government bond yields also rose sharply.
By Wednesday, Japanese bond prices rallied as buyers returned, almost entirely reversing the previous day’s rise in yields. A similar dynamic played out across U.S. Treasuries, where 30-year bond yields were steady at 4.905%. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes eased to 4.2767%.
In currency markets, the dollar index, which tracks the U.S. currency’s performance against that of six others, rebounded from earlier losses and was up 0.11%. The euro pared earlier gains and was down 0.16% to $1.170825, while the Swiss franc fell, leaving the dollar up 0.42% at 0.79330 francs.
The yen was slightly weaker against the dollar at 158.23 per dollar ahead of a Bank of Japan policy meeting on Friday. No rate hike is expected this time, though policymakers could signal an increase may be coming as soon as April.
Oil prices fell, as pressure from geopolitical tensions and an expected build-up in U.S. crude inventories was offset by a temporary halt in output at two large fields in Kazakhstan. Brent crude futures was down 0.32% at $64.71 a barrel. Spot gold was up 1.59%.
Reporting by Chibuike Oguh in New York; Additional reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Elaine Hardcastle, Chizu Nomiyama and Nick Zieminski
Bermuda’s Logan Jimenez and his Hibernian Under-19 teammates made a triumphant return to CAS Elite Youth League action, grinding out a 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
The victory was particularly sweet for the Edinburgh side, who were competing in their first league fixture in over three months. A relentless schedule across the UEFA Youth League, the Scottish Youth Cup, and the KDM Evolution Trophy had kept the young Hibees away from domestic league duties since mid-October.
Despite the extended layoff, Hibs showed little sign of fatigue in East Ayrshire. In a tightly contested affair, Jay Gallacher proved to be the difference-maker, netting the only goal of the game to ensure all three points headed back to Easter Road.
Jimenez was central to the visitors’ success. The Bermudian forward, who has become a key figure in this Hibs setup, was instrumental in stretching the Kilmarnock defense throughout the ninety minutes. His link-up play and physical presence allowed Hibs to maintain pressure during a cagey second half where Kilmarnock threatened an equaliser.
The hiatus from the CAS Elite Youth League was a direct result of Hibs’ success on multiple fronts. Their continental journey in the UEFA Youth League included a dominant 4-0 aggregate win over Kosovo’s 2 Korriku before a spirited, narrow exit at the hands of Dynamo Kyiv in December.
With this midweek victory, Hibernian move back into the upper echelons of the standings. The challenge for Jimenez and his teammates now lies in managing their games in hand as they look to reel in current pacesetters Celtic and Rangers.
There is little time for celebration, however. Hibs prepare for a swift turnaround with another league fixture scheduled for the coming weekend. For Jimenez, the priority remains clear: maintaining the domestic form that has kept Hibs in the hunt for a historic youth treble.
The European Union signed its largest-ever trade pact with Mercosur members Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay on Saturday after 25 years of negotiations
International News via Reuters:
EU lawmakers voted on Wednesday to challenge the European Union’s contentious free trade agreement with South America in the bloc’s top court, a move that could delay the deal by two years and potentially derail it.
The European Union signed its largest-ever trade pact with Mercosur members Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay on Saturday after 25 years of negotiations. It still requires approval before it can take effect.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, among the deal’s principal backers, called the referral to the court regrettable, adding in a social media post that the EU assembly had “misjudged the geopolitical situation”. He insisted that the agreement should be applied soon on a provisional basis.
Germany and other supporters such as Spain point to U.S. President Donald Trump’s disruption of global trade. They argue the deal is essential to offset business lost to U.S. tariffs and to reduce reliance on China by securing access to critical minerals. They also warn that Mercosur governments are losing patience with the EU after years of negotiations.
FRANCE SAYS VOTE MUST BE RESPECTED
The EU could still apply the pact provisionally pending the ruling and parliamentary approval. But doing so could prove politically difficult given the likely backlash, and the European Parliament would retain the power to annul it later.
Opponents, led by France – the EU’s largest agricultural producer – say the deal will sharply increase imports of cheap beef, sugar and poultry, undercutting domestic farmers who have staged repeated protests.
A group of 144 lawmakers put forward a parliamentary motion to ask the EU Court of Justice to rule on whether the agreement can be applied before full ratification by all member states and whether its provisions restrict the EU’s ability to set environmental and consumer health policies. The court typically takes around two years to deliver such opinions.
The European Parliament backed the motion with 334 votes in favour to 324 against, with 11 abstentions.
France’s largest farm union FNSEA called the vote a victory. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in a social media post that it was “an important vote that needs to be respected”.
The European Commission, which negotiated the deal, said the questions raised in the motion had already been addressed extensively with EU lawmakers and they had all been dealt with in previous trade agreements. It said it would engage with EU governments and lawmakers before deciding what to do next.
Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; additional reporting by Louise Rasmussen, Alessandro Parodi, Sybille de La Hamaide; Editing by Mark Potter and Chizu Nomiyama
The trip, from February 9 to 11, will be his first official visit to Saudi Arabia
International News via Reuters:
Britain’s Prince William will visit Saudi Arabia in February, Kensington Palace said in a statement on Wednesday.
“His Royal Highness’ visit comes as the UK and Saudi Arabia celebrate growing trade, energy and investment ties, and as the two nations approach a century of diplomatic relations,” the statement said.
The trip, from February 9 to 11, will be his first official visit to Saudi Arabia.
Reporting by William James; Editing by Catarina Demony
Sprinter Denver Tucker has sent a clear message to the rest of the conference after storming to victory at the St. Thomas Indoor Invitational with a new personal best.
Competing on home turf at St. Thomas University, Tucker delivered the most clinical performance of his indoor campaign to date. The freshman clocked a blistering 6.91 seconds in the 60m event, slicing a significant margin off his previous marks and claiming a commanding first-place finish.
The result marks a sensational turnaround for Tucker in a remarkably short window. Just last month, the sprinter finished 17th at the Clemson Invitational with a time of 7.04 seconds. By shaving over a tenth of a second off that time in mere weeks, Tucker has established himself as a serious contender for the upcoming Sun Conference Indoor Championships, set to take place in Gainesville on February 21st.
Tucker’s performance was the highlight of a strong showing for the STU Bobcats, who are looking to peak as the indoor season reaches its business end. His ability to execute under pressure in a competitive field has provided a major morale boost for the sprint squad.
The Bobcats’ coaching staff will be delighted with the progression, noting that Tucker’s technical consistency out of the blocks was the defining factor in his victory. As the team builds toward the conference championships, the focus will now shift to maintaining this elite speed while navigating a grueling travel schedule.
Tucker and his teammates are scheduled to return to action this weekend as they continue their conference schedule, looking to capitalize on this momentum and secure further qualifying times for the national indoor meet.
Logan Watson-Brown played a pivotal role for George Washington University (GW) as the Revolutionaries’ women’s swimming and diving team fought to a dramatic 150-150 draw against Towson.
In a back-and-forth dual meet on Friday at the Burdick Hall Pool, the contest remained in the balance until the final event. Watson-Brown, a senior leader for the GW squad, was a consistent presence at the top of the standings, contributing vital points across both relay and individual backstroke disciplines.
The Revolutionaries opened the afternoon in emphatic fashion, claiming victory in the Women’s 400-Yard Medley Relay. Led off by Watson-Brown, the “A” team quartet clocked a dominant 3:47.49 to seize early momentum. Watson-Brown’s explosive start set the pace for teammates Natalie Sens, Isabel Sayag, and Joselle Mensah, ensuring GW started the meet on the front foot.
Watson-Brown continued her strong individual campaign in the shorter distances, navigating a deep Tigers field. In the Women’s 100-Yard Backstroke, she secured a hard-earned third-place finish, touching the wall in 57.47.
Later in the session, she returned to the pool for the Women’s 200-Yard Backstroke. In a tactical race that tested the field’s endurance, Watson-Brown clocked 2:07.59 to finish seventh, picking up crucial depth points that would prove essential in the final team score.
The meet reached its crescendo in the final event, with GW and Towson locked in a dead heat. Watson-Brown was entrusted to lead off the Women’s 200-Yard Freestyle Relay “B” team, helping her squad to a fourth-place finish in 1:36.47.
While the GW “A” team managed to edge out Towson in the same event by just four-hundredths of a second, the overall points tally ended in a rare tie. The result keeps the Revolutionaries’ unbeaten streak alive as they head into a crucial stretch of the season.
The GW women will have little time to rest as they pivot quickly to their next challenge—a home dual meet against local rivals Georgetown at the Smith Center. For Watson-Brown and her teammates, the focus remains firmly on building momentum as the Atlantic 10 Championships loom in February.
Hamilton, Bermuda – 21 January 2026: Paradise Mobile is holding an open call for Bermudian and resident artists to participate in its upcoming Heritage Month Art Showcase, taking place throughout May at its 24 Reid Street store.
Following the success of last year’s exhibition, Paradise Mobile is once again inviting emerging and established artists to submit work for consideration. The month-long showcase will transform the Paradise Mobile store at 24 Reid Street into a gallery space, celebrating the depth, diversity and vitality of local creative expression and craft.
Artists of all ages and disciplines are encouraged to apply, including painting, sculpture, textile art, photography, mixed media, digital art and more. Selected artists will have the opportunity to exhibit and sell up to three pieces of their work in the high-traffic retail space throughout May, with 100 percent of sale proceeds going directly to the artists.
‘This showcase is about creating space for Bermudian and resident artists to be seen, supported and celebrated,’ said Brett Corday, Chief Revenue Officer at Paradise Mobile. ‘This year’s Heritage Month’s theme, “For the Culture”, really resonates with why we host this exhibition. It is about honouring the creativity that shapes our identity and ensuring local artists have a platform to share their work.’
Claire Peverelli, who is working in collaboration with Paradise Mobile’s Trae Cannonier to curate the show, added ‘Bermuda has such a rich and varied creative community, and we hope for this exhibition to be a reflection of that. We are excited to open up the application process and bring together a collection of work that speaks to how artists are interpreting Bermudian culture today.’
The exhibition will officially launch to the public with an opening night event on Friday, 1 May 2026, with more details to follow.
Artists interested in being considered for the Culture Month Art Showcase are invited to complete the online application form by 1 March. Submissions should include a short artist bio or statement, images of up to three artworks, artwork details and contact information. Space is limited and early submissions are encouraged.
For questions or further information, artists can contact lead curator Claire Peverelli at clairepev21@gmail.com.
Fraser Alexander struck with the final kick of the game to rescue a dramatic 3-3 draw for Leiston FC against Alvechurch, on a night where Jenson Kilroy’s heroics nearly denied Willie Clemons and his teammates.
The encounter at Victory Road appeared destined to end in frustration for the home side as Alvechurch goalkeeper Jenson Kilroy produced a series of stunning saves to keep the visitors in the hunt. However, in a breathless finale, Alexander found the net to ensure a share of the spoils in a six-goal thriller.
Bermuda international Clemons was heavily involved in the Leiston engine room, helping to drive the offensive pressure that eventually cracked the Alvechurch resolve. The result keeps Leiston firmly in the mid-table mix of the Southern League Premier Division Central, though they will feel they did enough to secure all three points if not for Kilroy’s inspired display.
In one of the most remarkable results of the Isthmian League season, Coleridge Fubler Jr, Remi Coddington, and their Binfield FC teammates overturned a three-goal deficit to defeat Leatherhead 5-4 at Fetcham Grove.
Binfield looked dead and buried at the interval, trailing 3-0 after a dominant first half from the league leaders. Leatherhead’s Jacob Breckon, Nathan Hogan, and Anas Igozouln all found the net to seemingly put the game out of reach.
However, Binfield emerged for the second half a transformed side. Two goals from Amari Fashanu and strikes from Nathanael Boakye and Kickie Dzimba turned the tide in a chaotic 20-minute spell. Coddington’s introduction in the 76th minute added fresh impetus to the Binfield attack, and despite a late George Hedley goal for Leatherhead, Boakye held his nerve to slot home an 87th-minute penalty to seal the win, after Coddington was brought down in the box. Fubler, in goal for Binfield, had to be at his sharpest in the dying moments to preserve the one-goal lead and complete the “Miracle at Fetcham Grove.”
Elsewhere, Rahzir Smith-Jones’ Welwyn Garden City teammates stepped away from competitive league action for a midweek friendly against Concord Rangers.
The fixture at the Parkside Stadium served as a vital tune-up for both sides as they navigate the mid-season schedule. In a tightly contested affair with few clear-cut chances, it was Concord who managed to find the breakthrough, securing a narrow 1-0 victory.
For Welwyn Garden City, the focus now pivots back to the Southern Football League, where they will look to translate the fitness gains from the friendly into points as they face Biggleswade Town this weekend.
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