Day: October 13, 2026

Economy IMF Cuts Azerbaijan’s 2026 Growth Forecast to 1.7%AZE.US – October 13, 2026

Economy ADB Approves $302.38 Million Loan for Baku Metro Digital UpgradeAZE.US – October 13, 2026

🇪🇺🇺🇸 Europe is getting nervous about how much control AMERICAN companies have over its money.

Nearly two-thirds of EU card payments are processed by foreign firms, mainly Visa and Mastercard.

Now European officials are worried that a serious fight with Washington could leave them vulnerable to U.S. sanctions and payment restrictions.

The fear isn’t entirely hypothetical. Some individuals targeted by U.S. sanctions, including people connected to the International Criminal Court, have already faced disruptions to American financial services.

Now Europe is building its own payment networks to reduce that dependence.

A new alliance of European services already reaches more than 130 MILLION users, with plans to expand cross-border payments.

Washington just imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court itself, further demonstrating how powerful access to the U.S. financial system can be.

Europe has spent decades relying on American payment infrastructure. Now it’s scrambling to make sure a political dispute can’t leave Europeans unable to pay.

Writer: Sol   x.com/Rainmaker1973/status/2…
Video
 

Take an early look at the front page of The Wall Street Journal.  on.wsj.com/4B2vgE9

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia launched a strike on a power plant in Kharkiv shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced an immediate energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said the attack showed that Russia was not observing the ceasefire announcement and called for continued U.S. pressure on Moscow to support the agreement.
Video