Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Wednesday that Italy is set to donate 12 patrol boats to Libya to help the north African country’s coast guard combat human trafficking. “Today, time permitting, in the cabinet we will donate 12 patrol boats to Libya with the related crew training so they can continue to protect lives in the Mediterranean,” Salvini told a question time session in parliament. Source ANSA
Yesterday, the Hungarian central bank announced it recently boosted its gold reserves 10-fold. According to its website, the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) now owns 31.5 tons of gold, up from 3.1 tons. It was the first significant purchase of gold by Hungary since 1986. Shiff Gold
The US has said it intends to negotiate three separate trade agreements with Japan, the UK and the EU. It could take several months before the negotiations begin, it said. The move is part of US President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape trade policies to support his “America First” agenda. Source: BBC
The US and China have shrugged off rules and constraints that have kept their 21st-century global rivalry in check, opening the way for an escalating conflict on many fronts that neither side appears willing or able to stop. Source: The Guardian
