According to the Altrata Billionaire Census study, the number of billionaires globally rose by 8.2% in 2025, reaching an all-time high of 3,795. The United States, which hosts nearly one-third of the world's billionaires—1,265—ranked first by a significant margin. This figure rose by 11.5% in 2024. China ranked second with 363 billionaires (+13.1%), while Germany took third place with 221...

According to Bloomberg's sources, Venezuela is contemplating exiting OPEC. The agency stated that the concept was deliberated in discussions with US representatives, but no final decision has been reached. The agency observes that exiting the cartel would enable Caracas to boost oil output, the sales of which are presently regulated by the US, without considering OPEC limitations. This choice...

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has the potential to be the biggest ever recorded, as reported by The Washington Post. As of May 15, 5,600 individuals have contracted the virus, with 2,700 fatalities reported. According to the publication, the ongoing outbreak has already exceeded the 2018-2022 epidemic, which resulted in 2,200 fatalities. Additionally, the illness is...

Singapore has introduced a series of initiatives designed to motivate families to increase their number of children, providing parents with more than $55,000 for each child. The city-state faces a decreasing birth rate, rendering it one of the fastest aging nations globally, as reported by the Financial Times. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong revealed a reassessment of the child benefit and parental...

The strategy of the Donald Trump administration regarding South Korea has prompted the US's Asian partners to reconsider how much they depend on Washington for security, Politico states, referencing diplomatic sources in the area. This week, the US president declared a decrease in joint military drills with South Korea and expressed his desire to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. One of...

A Greek bulk carrier (a specialized ship designed for transporting bulk cargo like coal or grain) ignited in the Black Sea after being struck by a drone, sources affiliated with the vessel's owner informed Reuters. This marks the second occurrence of this kind in recent history. On August 17, Bloomberg covered an assault on a Greek ship in the Black Sea that took place on August 16. The vessel...

Following the restart of the naval blockade against Iran, the US Navy has seized 64 merchant ships associated with Iran that were heading to or leaving an Iranian port, as reported by US Central Command in the Middle East (CENTCOM) on Monday. "As of August 17, CENTCOM units have redirected 64 commercial ships, immobilized three, and boarded two additional vessels to guarantee compliance," the...

The European Commission (EC) states that the electricity supply in EU nations is not an issue, even during record heat waves drying out rivers in Europe. "We are actively tracking the safety of electricity distribution throughout Europe. We are specifically observing this due to the unusual heat and drought conditions. The key point is that there is no reason to be concerned about supply...

Politico highlighted the reconciliation between Italy and Spain regarding their contentious political disagreement over border controls as the European Commission's (EC) main focus this week. The conflict arises from incidents in the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta in North Africa, which saw an arrival of around 72,000 undocumented migrants. Over the weekend, Spain and Italy's governments...