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Oil prices jump, stocks retreat on US-Iran deadlock

Oil prices rallied and stock markets fell Tuesday as investors braced for further volatility after talks appeared to stall on ending the war in the Middle East and re-opening the Strait of Hormuz to tanker and cargo ship traffic.

South Korea official floats AI profit social tax as tech giants boom

A top South Korean official has proposed a tax on AI profits to be redistributed among society as a semiconductor boom drives massive earnings for tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

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Macron arrives in Kenya ahead of Africa summit

President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday met his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto in Nairobi as part of an African visit aimed at renewing France's engagement with the continent after years of strained ties with former colonies.

French evacuee from hantavirus-hit ship has 'symptoms': French PM

One of five French people flown back to France Sunday from the cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak is showing symptoms of the illness, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.

Hantavirus ship evacuees begin returning home

Occupants of a cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has sparked international alarm began arriving home from Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday in a complex repatriation operation.

Drones target Gulf vessels as Tehran warns US

Drones were launched at several targets in the Gulf on Sunday, with one hitting a freighter sailing towards Qatar, as Tehran warned the United States that it would no longer hold back from retaliatory strikes.

South Korea welcomes rare baby bump as population shrinks

Kim Su-jin and her husband have set aside their doubts and embraced parenthood, joining a small but notable wave of South Korean couples having children despite the country's steep demographic decline.

Soaring energy profits reignite calls for windfall tax

European oil and gas companies who posted huge profits in the first quarter on soaring prices caused by the war in the Middle East face new calls from London to Paris to tax their outsized gains.

Iran keeps US waiting for response on peace plan

Iran questioned the seriousness of American diplomacy on Saturday in the wake of renewed naval clashes in the Gulf, while keeping Washington waiting for a response to its latest negotiating position.

Canary Islands brace for arrival of hantavirus-hit cruise ship

A cruise ship hit with a deadly hantavirus outbreak is headed for Spain's Canary Islands, where most of the nearly 150 people on board will be evacuated and flown home after weeks at sea.

'No home left' for Gazans stranded in West Bank since Oct 7

Under the bleachers of a West Bank stadium, a dozen men from Gaza live in a former changing room, blocked from returning home by the war that erupted more than two and a half years ago.

Global stocks diverge, oil rises as fresh US-Iran clashes hit peace hopes

Global stock markets diverged and oil prices rose Friday as fresh US-Iran clashes in the Strait of Hormuz jolted hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the crucial waterway.

Stocks diverge, oil rises as fresh US-Iran clashes hit peace hopes

Stock markets diverged and oil prices rose Friday as fresh US-Iran clashes in the Strait of Hormuz jolted hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the crucial waterway.

Selling factories to Chinese partners: risky road for European carmakers

Carmaker Stellantis announced Friday it is considering selling an underutilised factory in Spain to its Chinese joint venture Leapmotor, which could save jobs in the short term but risks further strengthening Chinese automakers.

US job growth beats expectations but consumer confidence at all-time low

US employment rose more than expected in April, alleviating some concerns about the health of the world's largest economy even as one measure of consumer confidence came in at its lowest-ever level.

German sports car maker Porsche to cut 500 jobs

Porsche said Friday it will close three subsidiaries, including an EV battery developer, with the loss of more than 500 jobs, in the latest sign of strains for the German luxury auto manufacturer.

US job growth consolidates gains, beating expectations in April

US employment rose more than expected in April while the unemployment rate remained steady, according to government data released Friday, with the world's largest economy firming recent labor market gains though analysts warned of underlying weakness.

Rising fuel prices strand hundreds of Indonesian fishermen

Hundreds of fishermen in an Indonesian coastal town on the island of Java have been forced to stop going out to sea and told AFP their livelihoods are at risk due to soaring fuel prices.

Stocks diverge, oil steady as fresh US-Iran clashes hit peace hopes

Stock markets diverged and oil prices steadied Friday as US-Iran clashes in the Strait of Hormuz jolted hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the crucial waterway.

US adds 115,000 jobs in April, beating expectations

US employment rose more than expected in April, while the unemployment rate remained steady, government data showed, with the world's largest economy firming recent labor market gains but analysts warning of underlying weakness.

Poland signs 44-bn-euro EU defence loan deal to modernise military

Poland on Friday became the first country to sign a loan agreement with the European Commission to fund the modernisation of its military and arms industry, under which it will receive nearly 44 billion euros ($52 billion).

Stocks fall, oil steady as fresh US-Iran clashes hit peace hopes

Stock markets slid and oil prices steadied Friday as US-Iran clashes in the Strait of Hormuz jolted hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the crucial waterway.

Myanmar says massive 11,000-carat ruby discovered

A huge 11,000-carat ruby has been discovered in Myanmar, state media reported Friday, one of the largest ever found in the country renowned for its precious gemstones.

Myanmar says massive 11,000-carat ruby discovered in Mandalay

Myanmar said Friday it had discovered a massive 11,000-carat ruby, one of the largest ever found in the country renowned for its precious gemstones.

Toyota sees profit drop as US tariffs, Mideast bite

Japanese auto giant Toyota forecast Friday a 22-percent fall in net profit in the year to next March, as it struggles with the effects of US tariffs and the Middle East war.

Former China Eastern boss charged with bribery

The former chairman of one of China's biggest state-owned airlines has been charged with bribery, state media said Friday, nearly a year after he was investigated for graft.

Malaysia plans cloud seeding for drought-hit 'rice bowl'

Malaysia is resorting to cloud seeding to bring much-needed rain to the country's "rice bowl" north, where a drought has delayed planting of the staple crop and raised supply fears.

Where are the flash points in next week's Trump-Xi talks?

Donald Trump is poised to be the first US president visiting China in almost a decade, but an uneasy trade truce and tensions over Iran and Taiwan loom over his trip next week.

What does China want out of Trump's visit?

US President Donald Trump is due to visit China on May 14-15, where he is expected to meet leader Xi Jinping, after delaying an earlier summit because of the Iran war.

US and Iran trade fire, threatening fragile truce

The US military said it carried out strikes on Iranian military targets Thursday after an attack on three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran accused Washington of striking first.

Global stocks mostly fall as US rally shows signs of fatigue

Global stocks mostly fell Thursday as US indices pulled back from records while Washington awaited Tehran's response to a US plan to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Google faces new UK lawsuit over online display ads

Google faces a fresh UK lawsuit accusing it of abusing its dominance in online display advertising, the claimants announced Thursday, in the latest antitrust action against the US tech giant.

France to ban CBD edibles: sources

France will ban the sale of cannabidiol (CBD) edibles from May 15, while still allowing it to be sold to be smoked, AFP learnt from several sources on Thursday.

Hundreds paid or seeking damages over Harrods Al-Fayed abuse complaints

More than 75 survivors have been awarded "full compensation" for suffering sexual abuse at the hands of late Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, and nearly another 200 claims are being processed, a company scheme told AFP Thursday.

The Japan Times - Economy (English)