Latest news for 12 March 2026

CHILE

New President.

Conservative former congressman José Antonio Kast has used his first day as president to sign a series of decrees aimed at controlling state spending, ramping up border security, and cutting red tape. (MercoPress)

Comment: The pro-business Kast has pledged to roll back his left-leaning predecessor’s state intervention in Chile’s lithium sector, though the details will depend on negotiations with the legislature, where his allies are still a minority.

UNITED STATES

Lemme probe ya.

The US has launched two trade investigations into 16 of its biggest trade partners, including the EU, China, Japan, Mexico, and India. (USTR)

Comment: The probes into unfair trading practices are really about building a case to re-impose tariffs after last month’s Supreme Court decision, and the timing is rough: the targets include partners in Asia (like Indonesia, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Bangladesh) already grappling with the oil fallout from Iran.

NORTH KOREA

All aboard!

After a six year pause that began with Covid, the first regular passenger train between China and North Korea is due to depart today (Thursday). (HKFP)

Comment: The fact North Korea already resumed direct train links with Russia last year suggests the paranoid state sees better risk-reward payoff (tech-military) with Russia, though it still knows its economic lifeline (98% of official trade) is China.

SPAIN

Severed ties.

Several months after temporarily recalling its ambassador from Israel in protest over Gaza, Spain has now made the move permanent, leaving a lower chargé d’affaires at the embassy in Tel Aviv. (Times of Israel)

Comment: Israel-Spain ties have been toxic for a while (the Israelis haven’t had an ambassador in Spain since early 2024). So why the sudden downgrade? The decree doesn’t specify, but it’s probably linked to Spain’s opposition to the Israeli-US hits on Iran.

PHILIPPINES

Sorry, cousin.

Filipino lawmakers are debating an anti-political dynasty bill to ban second-degree or closer relatives from holding office simultaneously in the same area — the initial draft proposed the ban extend to fourth-degree relations! (Phil Star)

Comment: The 1987 constitution explicitly calls for a ban on dynasties, but powerful families still dominate — by some estimates, they control 80% of the seats! The sudden interest in actually legislating the ban comes after a string of scandals, pushing even President Marcos himself (from the ultimate dynasty) to demand action.

PARAGUAY

Come on in.

Lawmakers have approved a deal to allow temporary US troop deployments to Paraguay, pending the likely signature from Trump-friendly President Peña. (AP)

Comment: The stated focus is organised crime amid Trump’s new security-led cartel strategy — landlocked Paraguay is near key trafficking routes. But the unspoken bonus is countering China’s recent military diplomacy gains across the region.

SOUTH AFRICA

Too far?

South Africa’s foreign ministry has summoned the new US ambassador just weeks into his posting, citing his recent “undiplomatic remarks”. The political appointee (conservative activist Leo Brent Bozell III) used his first ambassadorial appearance on Tuesday to criticise a court’s handling of the apartheid-era “kill the Boer, kill the farmer” chant, before seemingly walking back his remarks. (Al Jazeera)