The latest drop follows a currency shock several months ago, when the rial fell from around 1.4 million to 1.6 million per US dollar in under a week, as the war moves turns into an economic clash to exhaust the Iranian regime' options.
Venezuela's government is urging countries holding its frozen assets to release them for earthquake recovery efforts. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto cited gold in the UK and finances in the US, while the UN launched an appeal for $296 million to aid the 3,685 earthquake victims.
Nine European countries are asking Brussels to extend emergency flexibility for the Entry/Exit System (EES), citing significant operational difficulties. They want to continue using the built-in emergency mechanism beyond its September 6, 2026 expiry date to ease border congestion.
Following legal verdicts, Nigel Farage and Marine Le Pen are adopting a populist strategy, mirroring Donald Trump's playbook. They deny wrongdoing, blame establishment conspiracies, and frame themselves as champions of 'the people' against a corrupt elite, aiming to leverage voter distrust and anti-immigration sentiments for electoral gain.
France's highest court will rule on Marine Le Pen's embezzlement conviction appeal by early April, before the presidential election. Le Pen, the current front-runner, was sentenced to a year under house arrest, but appeals temporarily lift sentences. The case could impact her campaign.
President Trump indicated the U.S. plans to bomb Iran again as soon as Wednesday night and could target Kharg Island. This marks a potential resumption of military operations after Iran's attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump criticized NATO allies at a summit in Ankara, expressing disappointment over defense spending and perceived lack of support. Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte and Turkish President Erdogan worked to maintain alliances, while Italy's Giorgia Meloni and UK's Keir Starmer faced Trump's critiques. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy sought air defense support.
