Britain's King Charles heads to the United States next week for the most high-profile trip of his reign so far, on a mission to shore ​up the future of the two allies' "special relationship" which the Iran war has plunged to its lowest point in 70 years. The state visit marks the 250th ‌anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence from British rule, when the then 13 American colonies decided to split from King George III, Charles's five-times-great-grandfather. For Charles, it will be a moment to reflect on how Britain and the United States have come together since then to forge some of the world's closest security, military and economic ties, while for U.S. President Donald Trump it will be another chance to indulge his ​love of the British royals.

European Union leaders will discuss the bloc's mutual assistance clause at a summit in Cyprus on Thursday, as U.S. President Donald Trump's criticism of ​traditional allies raises concerns over his commitment to NATO at a time of growing insecurity. The clause, contained in the treaty that underpins the ‌EU, obliges countries to come to the aid of a fellow member if it comes under attack. But officials say there are currently no clear rules about how it should work in practice. Worries about Trump's criticism of NATO for failing to back the United States' war with Iran along with his threats earlier this year to seize Greenland from ally Denmark have created greater urgency to more clearly ​define the EU's mutual assistance provisions.

UK pension investor Nest plans to oppose the re-election of BP Chair Albert Manifold at the company's annual meeting on Thursday, ​it said on Wednesday, citing board actions ​that it said risked limiting shareholder engagement. Those include ⁠the exclusion from the meeting of a shareholder resolution ​proposed by activist Follow This, asking for more disclosure ​on how BP's strategy would stand up under scenarios of declining demand for oil and gas. Other steps include a move to ​retire two previous resolutions requiring company-specific climate reporting, backed ​by more than 97% of shareholders, and a proposal for virtual ‌AGMs, ⁠which could reduce transparency and oversight, Nest said.

Proxy advisor ISS on Wednesday recommended that ConocoPhillips shareholders vote in favor of a proposal calling for an independent board chair, citing ​the need for stronger oversight of management. The non-binding proposal asks the ‌U.S. oil and gas producer to separate the roles of chair and chief executive officer, with an independent director holding the board chair position. ISS backed the proposal, arguing ​that shareholders would benefit from "the most robust form of independent ​oversight of management in the form of an independent board chair". It ⁠cited concerns over the current lead director role, which is chosen ​by non-employee directors and not independent directors. ISS said the existing governance structure could ​make it more difficult for investors to provide candid feedback to the independent directors regarding the CEO's performance, succession planning, or other sensitive matters.

A climate advocacy organisation is calling upon investors in Japan’s three largest banks and three trading firms to vote against board members for ​failing to recognise and manage the risks posed by investments in fossil fuel production. Environmental ‌advocacy group Market Forces is arguing that directors are failing to oversee material financial risks to the banks and trading houses' businesses, according to presentations seen by Reuters.It made the presentations to institutional investors in banks Mitsubishi UFJ ​Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Mizuho Financial Group, and trading houses Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & ​Co  and Sumitomo Corp.

Communities across the central and eastern parts of Canada are on high alert as officials warn of spring flooding caused by rainfall and rapidly melting snow. Medically vulnerable residents of a First Nation community located 180 kilometres north of Winnipeg are being moved out in advance of anticipated flooding. Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor says Peguis First Nation is proceeding with the partial evacuation in case rising water levels of the nearby Fisher River render local roads impassable. The community has been sandbagging since last week, but Chief Stan Bird said Tuesday it remained to be seen whether all of the 200 or more homes that might need protection will get barriers.

After securing a majority government in Canada last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney faces his biggest challenge: redefining trade with the U.S. under President Donald Trump. Canada, the U.S. and Mexico must agree by July 1 ​to keep the deal as is, insulating most Canadian goods from U.S. tariffs, renegotiate it, or hold annual reviews until its 2036 expiry. Carney, under U.S. pressure for concessions, will push ‌for a revised deal this year that addresses tariffs against Canadian steel, aluminum and autos. Ahead of three special elections swept by Carney's Liberals last week, the PM said he needed a parliamentary majority to deal more effectively with Trump's trade war. After a year in office, political insiders and analysts say Carney must deliver on his promise to transform the Canadian economy and negotiate with Trump. While Carney has earned plaudits globally for his call to middle powers to band together against global hegemons and signed new global trade deals, Canadians ​now expect him to address the U.S. tariffs, along with domestic concerns, they said.

Proxy advisory firm Glass ​Lewis on Tuesday recommended that WEX shareholders elect two of the three candidates proposed by activist ‌investor Impactive Capital in this year's proxy fight, arguing a "degree of board-level change is warranted."
Glass Lewis backed the co-founder of hedge fund Impactive Capital, Lauren Taylor Wolfe, and technology and payments executive Kurt Adams for election and urged investors to withhold votes ​from WEX CEO Melissa Smith and board director Stephen Smith (who is not related to the CEO). Shareholders will ​vote next month unless the two sides settle the fight, one of the year's ⁠most bitter and hotly contested boardroom battles, before the May 5 annual meeting.

The European Union formally approved on Thursday a 90-billion-euro ($105-billion) loan to Ukraine and new sanctions ‌against Russia, ahead of an informal summit of the bloc's leaders in Cyprus which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will attend. The loan is set to cover two-thirds of Ukraine's needs for the next two years. Economists had said Ukraine would start to run out of money by June if the ​EU loan was not disbursed by then, requiring deep cuts to public services. "We are on our way to Cyprus ​with good news," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said.

SpaceX is telling prospective investors its board will not need ‌a majority of directors who are independent of the company, according to an excerpt of its IPO filing reviewed by Reuters, underscoring how founder Elon Musk is retaining control of the rocket and artificial intelligence maker. In a departure from the vast majority of public companies, SpaceX said ​it would maintain "controlled company status" after its $1.75 trillion IPO, expected this summer. That means it will not need a majority of ​it board to be independent, nor need independent compensation and nominating committees, the filing excerpt showed. ⁠It only must have an audit committee composed entirely of independent directors, the document stated.

Microsoft's LinkedIn named Chief Operating Officer Daniel Shapero as ​its new CEO, tapping ‌a veteran of the professional networking site to lead it through ​an era of AI-driven ​change. Shapero, who joined LinkedIn in 2008 ⁠as a general manager ​for the LinkedIn Research Network, ​will replace Ryan Roslansky as CEO. The leadership shake-up, effective immediately, comes as ​LinkedIn looks to deepen its ​role at the center of an ‌AI-transformed ⁠workforce. The platform boasts more than 1.3 billion members and accounted for 6.3% of Microsoft's ​annual revenue ​in ⁠2025. "AI is going to transform how people work ​and grow in their ​careers ⁠faster than most people expect," Roslansky said. The company also appointed ⁠Mohak ​Shroff president of ​Platforms & Digital Work.

Woodside Energy Chief Executive Liz Westcott survived a major shareholder ​revolt over her pay on Thursday, with Australian pension fund HESTA saying it had voted against her multi-million-dollar package ‌and against two directors' re-appointments.
Over a third of shareholders at the company's protest-hit annual general meeting in Perth voted against her bonus package and another 18% voted against the remuneration report. The company asked shareholders to approve a package of up to A$14.8 million ($10.57 million) and a grant of equity rights for Westcott following her promotion to the ​top job in March. She had served in a provisional role since December when her predecessor Meg O'Neill left to lead BP.

Iran seized two container ​ships seeking to exit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after firing on them and another ‌vessel, in its first seizures since war with the United States and Israel began in February. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the seizures and added its Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy had also warned that any disruption to order and safety in the strait would be considered a "red line". The IRGC accused the seized ​ships, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and Liberia-flagged Epaminondas, of operating without required permits and tampering with their navigation systems.

EU ambassadors approved on Wednesday the disbursement of a promised 90 billion euro ($106 billion) loan to ​Ukraine as well as a new package of sanctions against Russia, after Hungary ‌lifted its veto, the bloc's Cypriot presidency said. The European Union's 27 member states are now expected to sign off on the deal by Thursday afternoon, ​a spokesperson for the Cypriot presidency added. The EU agreed last ​year on the loan to keep Ukraine liquid through ⁠2026 and 2027. But Hungary refused to sign off on the ​deal as Russia-friendly Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused Ukraine of sabotaging ​the transit of Russian oil through a pipeline damaged by Russian attacks.

“It’s a crazy crop, and a crazy market,” says Belinda Borck, public affairs lead at Tony’s Chocolonely, reflecting on the rollercoaster ride that cocoa prices have experienced over the last three years.
From an average price of around $3,000 a tonne, prices quadrupled to $12,000 a tonne by the end of 2024, only to drop back to pre-hike levels today. This volatility has left the millions of smallholder farmers who grow 80%-90% of the world’s cocoa reeling, as manufacturers ​cut back on the size of the chocolate bars they produce, and the amount of cocoa they use, while consumers buy less chocolate. A previous glut has also left farmers with unsold ‌stockpiles of beans, while state regulators in key producing nations such as Ghana and Ivory Coast, which set cocoa prices, have struggled to keep up with the volatility, recently setting high farmgate prices that cocoa buyers have shunned.

Le gouvernement fédéral présente un projet de loi visant à soutenir les lancements spatiaux au Canada. Le ministre des Transports, Steven MacKinnon, a déclaré mardi aux journalistes que le Canada était le seul pays du G7 à ne pas disposer de capacités de lancement spatial. À l'heure actuelle, nous devons compter sur des pays étrangers, le plus souvent les États-Unis, pour mettre en orbite les satellites canadiens, a-t-il expliqué. Lors d'une séance d'information technique, les responsables ont affirmé que ces nouvelles règles permettront de lancer dans l'espace des satellites et des fusées depuis le sol canadien.