Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani says the US remains willing to seek a solution to the conflict with Iran, even after the midterm elections changed the political landscape in Washington.
Published On 7 Nov 20267 Nov 2026
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Ueno Bank’s collapse sparked a political crisis for Paraguay as ties to the digital lender engulfed President Peña.
Paraguay’s Senate has officially summoned President Santiago Peña to appear before Congress on Friday as part of impeachment proceedings, following the collapse of Ueno Bank, a digital lender linked to Peña and his family.
Peña resigned on Thursday, but Paraguay’s Congress refused to accept the resignation.
The political crisis escalated after Ueno, which served about 60% of Paraguay’s bank customers, succumbed to alleged insider lending and a capital shortfall, leaving millions of customers unable to access their accounts.
A Nov. 6 investigation by Paraguayan newspaper Última Hora found that Peña declared ownership of shares in Ueno Holding — valued at approximately $800,000 — and deposits at Ueno Bank, before reporting the sale of those shares in 2025.
Luxembourg-based U Holdings S.à r.l., established in 2023 by Federico Miguel Vázquez, whose Grupo Vázquez controls Ueno Bank, also lists Peña’s brother, Francisco Peña Palacios, as a major stakeholder.
So far, Paraguayan prosecutors have ordered the arrest of senior executives and businessmen linked to Ueno, including Vázquez. It’s unclear whether Vázquez was arrested at the time of reporting.
In an address to the nation, Peña said he had decided to resign, citing the need to preserve Paraguay’s political stability. He also apologized to the Paraguayan people and called for the return of funds to customers affected by Ueno Bank’s collapse, according to Agencia EFE, Spain’s national news agency.
“I do so with the stability of our country, social peace, and the need to preserve our democratic institutions in mind,” Peña said.
So far, the bank has administered approximately $850 million in public funds.
Ueno Bank will continue to be subject to central bank intervention after regulators found that its solvency ratio had fallen below legal requirements.
Despite announcing his resignation, Peña denies wrongdoing and agreed to appear before the Senate to defend himself in the impeachment proceedings.
The controversy also put Vice President Pedro Alliana in the spotlight as the constitutional successor to the president.
Anthony Noto covers corporate finance and private credit. Contact him at anoto@gfmag.com.
His mother was escorted to the airport by relatives and Dr Erieka Bennett, Head of Mission of the African Diaspora Forum.
“I’m going to America to plan my son’s funeral,” Gyamfi said.
She thanked the government and well-wishers for their support and prayers following her son’s death.
In a social media post on Saturday, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani said Trump had agreed to grant a visa to Gyamfi so she could mourn her son in person.
Mamdani said the murder of a child was a pain no parent should endure, “let alone from thousands of miles away.”
“Javits Frimpong’s mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump, and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately,” he said.
“All of New York City is mourning this tragedy,” he added.
Ghana’s government has condemned the killing and said it was following the case closely to ensure justice.
It has urged US authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and said it was ready to provide legal and consular support to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Police are searching for three teenage suspects who fled the scene, captured on surveillance footage.
The shooting has sparked concern among Ghanaians about the safety of children sent to study in America.
Both sides signed a digital trade deal, as Trump’s trade threats push Washington’s allies to seek closer ties elsewhere.
Published On 30 Oct 202630 Oct 2026
The European Union and Canada have launched what they described as an Alliance for the Future, as Ottawa prepares to become the bloc’s first so-called “associate member”.
Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted the Canada-EU summit in Montreal and signed a digital trade deal, alongside other agreements. Also at the Friday summit were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.
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The term “associate member” has no legal basis and is contested by some EU states. However, its use underscores the desire of Canada and the EU to forge closer relations, as United States President Donald Trump continues to threaten Washington’s traditional allies with trade tariffs if they do not play by his rules.
“Canada and the EU are working to establish the closest possible partnership, which will be far from full membership, but which will make Canada the first associate member of the European Union,” Carney posted on X.
“Today in Montreal, we have taken a major step forward by establishing more than twenty measures that will increase affordability, create opportunities and ensure our sovereignty on both sides of the Atlantic.”
In a joint statement following the summit, the two sides announced an agreement under which the European Investment Bank will invest in critical Canadian resources, particularly raw minerals. They also said they would advance cooperation on artificial intelligence security and safety.
“A more dangerous and divided world has fundamentally changed the requirements of sovereignty. It is no longer enough for nations to feed, fuel and defend ourselves,” the statement said.
It added that “true sovereignty” requires secure access to critical minerals, semiconductors, payment systems, energy, vaccines, space-based communications and AI.
Ukraine was also on the meeting agenda, with Carney announcing Canada’s participation in the EU’s 90 billion euro ($103bn) support loan for Kyiv. Carney said Canada would make an initial contribution of 500 million euros ($558m).
Opportunities for students in Canada and the EU were also discussed. Both sides said they would launch negotiations aimed at deepening Ottawa’s participation in Erasmus+, the EU’s flagship student exchange programme.
Carney and Trump are currently engaged in a trade dispute, with talks under way to reach a deal between the two countries.
By Becky Bohrer and Haven Daley
ANCHORAGE — A little more than one week before the midterm elections, the leading candidates in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race are trying to rally support from Alaska Native voters, a key constituency.
Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola both spoke at last week’s Alaska Federation of Natives conference in Anchorage.
The organization previously endorsed Peltola, who is Yup’ik, during her House races in 2022 and 2024, but it did not issue endorsements this year.
Both candidates have highlighted support from Native organizations and leaders ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Sealaska Corp., a regional Native corporation in southeast Alaska, has endorsed both of them, calling it a way to “honor their contributions and commitment to our communities, and to honor the diverse positions of our shareholders.”
The race is among the most closely watched nationally, with control of the Senate at stake. On Friday, President Trump — who held a rally in support of Sullivan earlier this month — said he told the Department of Justice to sue to block certification of the race if the incumbent loses. The lawsuit cites potential confusion with another candidate who is listed on the ranked-choice ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
Sen. Sullivan is listed as a Republican and the incumbent, while Sullivan Jr. is listed without a party designation. U.S. Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche wrote on social media that the lawsuit is necessary to make sure officials “have the information necessary to make a determination as to whether Alaskan voters were confused or [misled].”
Many voting rights advocates and Democrats have pointed the lawsuit as an improper political use of the Justice Department and an example of Trump’s interference in the upcoming election, following up on his threats to assert federal control over the vote.
Alaskan Natives represent about one-fifth of the state’s population, but they can face challenges to voting in remote communities. Advocates have raised concerns in recent years with polling locations in some villages opening late or ballots not arriving on time to be fully counted due to mail delays.
There’s also cynicism about whether participating in elections will make a difference.
“There’s legitimate hesitations about whether whoever they vote for is actually going to impact them,” said actor and activist Dallas Goldtooth, who is Bdewakantunwan Dakota and Dine and came to Alaska to encourage conference attendees to vote. “And our job is to say, hey, whether that matters or not, there’s an opportunity for you to make sure that your voice is counted. And I want to encourage people just to take the opportunity as much as possible.”
Sheri Buretta, who chairs the board of Chugach Alaska Corp., an Alaska Native corporation, introduced Sullivan to the conference Thursday as “one of our strongest champions.”
Sullivan, speaking as part of a congressional delegation update, said he’s learned important lessons from Native leaders. He cited work he’s done on issues such as pushing to ensure that Alaska Native Vietnam War-era veterans have access to land allotments.
Peltola, during a candidate forum Friday, became emotional speaking about the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people and said additional law enforcement resources are needed. She also expressed support for fisheries. Subsistence fishing is critical in many Native communities.
“I will always fight to restore our fisheries. I feel like working on fish issues is my life’s work,” she said.
Energy is also a crucial issue in Alaska, including within Native communities.
Peltola recently said Alaskan Native people were being “absolutely crushed” by high costs from the ongoing war with Iran, which Sullivan has supported. Many rural communities rely on diesel for electricity and to heat their homes.
Sullivan has argued the war against Iran is temporary and that the “forever war is the Democrats’ war against Alaskan energy.”
Many Native leaders on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope see oil drilling as crucial to their region’s economy, and they believed their voices weren’t heard while President Biden was in office. His administration sought to restrict drilling in places like the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but Trump and the Republican-led Congress have rolled those efforts back.
Peltola has said she supports expanded oil and gas drilling and would work with Trump to accomplish that. But Sullivan and his allies have tried to align her with what they refer to as “Lower 48 liberals” who oppose more drilling.
Bohrer and Daley write for the Associated Press. Bohrer reported from Juneau.
Published On 21 Oct 202621 Oct 2026
Both candidates for the Brazilian presidency have called for the disqualification of their rivals over allegations of social media interference, ramping up political drama ahead of the close-fought October 25 runoff election.
Brazil’s right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has requested the annulment of the candidacy of his rival, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, over what he called unlawful propaganda.
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Lawyers for Bolsonaro filed a request with the Superior Electoral Court on Tuesday, alleging Lula’s “abuse of power” in the mass dissemination of government postings during the campaign period via WhatsApp.
Bolsonaro’s camp claimed the Brazilian government sent mass messages to millions of Brazilians via the messaging service, promoting social programmes, benefits and government initiatives in the midst of the presidential race, Brazilian media reported.
The request to the electoral court seeks to declare Lula and Social Communications Minister Sidonio Palmeira ineligible to hold public office for a period of eight years.
In the other camp, Lula’s campaign said on Tuesday that it would request the disqualification of Bolsonaro on Wednesday over alleged election interference by WhatsApp parent company, the tech giant Meta.
Lula’s petition, which has yet to be officially filed, alleges “algorithmic manipulation” by Meta aimed at harming Lula’s chances of winning, a campaign source told AFP.
The electoral court had given Meta 24 hours on Monday to prove it was complying with an order to treat both campaigns equally, threatening a daily fine of around $200,000 if it didn’t.
The order came after Lula’s campaign alleged that Meta, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, was suppressing his online content to boost Bolsonaro.
“We have completed the implementation of the measures to comply with the Superior Electoral Court’s decision,” the company said on Tuesday.
Lula and Bolsonaro are locked in a heated presidential race after the right-wing candidate, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, won the initial round of voting earlier this month with 47 percent of the vote to the incumbent’s 45 percent.
Polls show a very close race ahead of Sunday’s runoff round.
Retail chain Poundland is in talks with potential buyers as it seeks a rescue deal, it has confirmed.
Executives are working with an Irish property development group on a management buyout, as first reported by Sky News, external.
But a union representing shopworkers warned that the retailer could fall into administration if that deal falls through, putting thousands of jobs at risk.
This outcome would be “a disaster for our members”, the Usdaw union said.
Poundland has about 600 stores in the UK and Ireland, and 12,000 employees.
The chain has been struggling for a number of years due to pressures including rising costs and competition.
However, it expects sales to have grown more than 3% in 2026 compared with the previous year, which managing director Barry Williams said earlier this month was evidence that its recovery plan “is working”.
The retailer was sold for £1 last summer by previous owner Pepco to US investment firm Gordon Brothers.
The current owners are in the process of seeking buyers, with the Poundland management attempting a buyout, a spokesman said.
Mr Williams, along with the firm’s leadership team and Andy Bond, a former chairman of Pepco, have been working with Irish real estate firm Martin Property Group on a management buyout.
Martin Property Group is the management team’s “preferred partner”, the spokesman said, but the team will “work with whoever can deliver the best result for the business, colleagues and suppliers and build on the successful recovery that’s already taking shape,” he added.
However, Bally Auluk, a national officer at Usdaw, said there are “deep concerns that the business could go into administration” should this buyout fail.
“We are aware that a management buy-out has been attempted and we are told that their offers are being turned down,” he added.
A Poundland source disputed this, however, saying the Martin Property Group is part of the sale process and remains the management team’s preferred partner.