Business and Economy
Middle East war: global economic fallout
AFP - 26m ago
Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war on Wednesday:
Full Story »
Music popstar will.i.am meshes AI and 'micromobility'
AFP - 51m ago
Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am is putting artificial intelligence agents to work in three-wheel vehicles tailored for …
Full Story »
US Fed raises inflation outlook over 'uncertain' Iran war impact
AFP - 1h ago
The US Federal Reserve raised its inflation forecast Wednesday as it held interest rates steady, citing an "uncertain" …
Full Story »
US Fed Chair says 'no intention' of leaving board while probe ongoing
AFP - 1h ago
US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that he did not plan to leave the central bank's board until a …
Full Story »
US stocks fall on latest oil price surge as Fed lifts inflation forecast
AFP - 1h ago
Oil prices surged Wednesday following a strike on a major Iranian gas facility as the Federal Reserve raised its …
Full Story »
War in the Middle East: latest developments
AFP - 2h ago
Here are the latest developments Wednesday in the Middle East war:
Full Story »
Slovakia curbs diesel sales, ups prices for foreigners
AFP - 3h ago
The Slovak government said Wednesday it would restrict diesel sales for 30 days because of a shortage due to the …
Full Story »
US Fed holds rates unchanged over 'uncertain' Iran war implications
AFP - 1h ago
The US Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged as expected Wednesday, in defiance of President Donald Trump as the …
Full Story »
Iran condemned as UN maritime body holds emergency talks on Mideast shipping
AFP - 4h ago
Gulf states and Western nations strongly criticised Iran at an emergency meeting Wednesday of the UN's maritime body, …
Full Story »
Trump administration takes steps to curb energy cost hikes
AFP - 5h ago
US President Donald Trump's administration scrambled Wednesday to rein in surging energy costs from war in the Middle …
Full Story »
How many cargo ships are passing Hormuz strait?
AFP - 5h ago
Just a trickle of cargo ships and tankers has made it through the Strait of Hormuz since Iranian forces blocked the …
Full Story »
Oil surges as Iran gas facilities hit, stocks slide
AFP - 4h ago
Oil prices surged Wednesday following a strike on one of Iran's gas facilities that raised the spectre of a further …
Full Story »
Chilean GDP beats 2025 forecast despite mining dip
AFP - 6h ago
Chile's GDP beat expectations for 2025 thanks to a trade and investment boost which helped offset a weaker mining …
Full Story »
Global music market grows, calls for AI compensation: industry body
AFP - 7h ago
The global music industry generated $31.7 billion last year, driven by online streaming, industry body IFPI said …
Full Story »
Belgian court suspends TotalEnergies climate trial
AFP - 6h ago
A Belgian court Wednesday adjourned a case pitting TotalEnergies against a farmer seeking compensation for …
Full Story »
Troubled waters: Thai fishermen marooned by rising fuel costs
AFP - 4h ago
With his belongings stuffed into a plastic bag, Thai fisherman Narongsak Kongsuk heads home, far from the sea.
Full Story »
US Fed expected to hold rates steady as Iran war's shockwaves ripple
AFP - 4h ago
US Federal Reserve policymakers began a meeting on Wednesday where they were expected to leave interest rates unchanged, …
Full Story »
Stocks fall, oil surges as US inflation jumps and Israel strikes gas facilities
AFP - 1h ago
Stocks markets fell and oil prices surged Wednesday after a closely watched US inflation gauge came in hotter than …
Full Story »
Why convoys cannot fully protect oil tankers from Iran attacks
AFP - 5h ago
The Israeli-US war on Iran has provoked a reaction from Tehran that has effectively choked a large chunk of the world's …
Full Story »
EU lawmakers back ban on sexualised AI deepfakes
AFP - 5h ago
EU lawmakers on Wednesday approved a ban on AI systems generating sexualised deepfakes, after a global outcry over …
Full Story »
Brussels touts 'EU Inc.' company status to lure start-ups
AFP - 2h ago
The EU unveiled Wednesday a scheme to make it much easier for innovative start-ups to launch and grow across the …
Full Story »
UN maritime body kicks off emergency talks on Mideast shipping
AFP - 5h ago
The head of the UN's maritime body Wednesday urged "practical measures" to protect trade ships threatened by the Middle …
Full Story »
Oil wavers, stocks rise as attention turns to US Fed
AFP - 2h ago
Stocks markets climbed and oil prices wavered on Wednesday, as traders were reassured by a partial resumption of Iraq's …
Full Story »
Israel says killed Iran intel chief, tells military to hunt down officials
AFP - 13m ago
Israel said Wednesday its forces had killed another top Iranian official, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, and said …
Full Story »
China tech giant Tencent bets on AI agents
AFP - 5h ago
Tencent wants to bring artificial intelligence agents into its WeChat social media app, the Chinese tech firm's …
Full Story »
Deadly strikes across Mideast as Iran vows revenge on slain security chief
AFP - 1h ago
Iran vowed revenge as it prepared the funeral for its security chief Ali Larijani on Wednesday, firing off a wave of …
Full Story »
Japan, S. Korea petrochemical industry slows output on Iran war
AFP - 6h ago
The Middle East war is forcing petrochemical giants in two key Asian economies to cut production as the conflict rattles …
Full Story »
Chinese tourists ditch Japan for third month running
AFP - 6h ago
Chinese visitors to Japan tumbled 45.2 percent in February from a year earlier, official data showed Wednesday, as the …
Full Story »
Stocks extend gains, oil sinks as US, Israel, Iran press on strikes
AFP - 2h ago
Oil prices sank Wednesday after Iraq said it had resumed exports through Turkey, avoiding the effectively closed Strait …
Full Story »
Chinese visitors to Japan plunge 45.2% in February
AFP - 43m ago
Chinese visitors to Japan tumbled 45.2 percent in February from a year earlier, official data showed Wednesday, as the …
Full Story »
Stocks extend gains and oil dips as US, Israel, Iran continue strikes
AFP - 1h ago
Oil prices sank Wednesday after Iraq said it had resumed exports through Turkey, avoiding the effectively closed Strait …
Full Story »
Brussels to unveil 'EU Inc' pan-European company status
AFP - 4h ago
Entrepreneurs will be able to create pan-European companies under new plans to be unveiled Wednesday, which the EU …
Full Story »
Iran to hold funeral for slain security chief as it vows vengeance
AFP - 2h ago
Iran will hold a funeral Wednesday for its security chief Ali Larijani as it vowed revenge, firing off a wave of …
Full Story »
TotalEnergies faces ruling in Belgian farmer climate case
AFP - 7h ago
A Belgian judge will rule Wednesday in a closely watched case pitting French oil giant TotalEnergies against a farmer …
Full Story »
Brazil starts to restrict minors' access to social media
AFP - 7h ago
Brazil began implementing new measures on Tuesday to restrict minors' access to social media and prevent them from …
Full Story »
Iran vets friendly ships for Hormuz passage: trackers
AFP - 9h ago
Iran is selecting ships from friendly countries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade waterway cut off …
Full Story »
Nvidia says restarting production of China-bound chips
Mar 17 2026
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang on Tuesday said the AI technology powerhouse is restarting production of its high-performance …
Full Story »
Iran confirms security chief dead as Israel vows to target leader
Mar 17 2026
Iran confirmed Tuesday the death of its powerful national security chief, after Israel said he was killed in an …
Full Story »
US airlines still see strong demand as jet fuel worries loom
Mar 17 2026
US carriers will face tough challenges in the months ahead if jet fuel prices stay high, but for now consumers are still …
Full Story »
US, European stocks rise despite latest jump in oil prices
Mar 17 2026
US and European equities rose Tuesday despite another jump in oil prices as fresh Iranian attacks on crude-producing …
Full Story »
SAS cancels flights after fuel prices surge
Mar 17 2026
Scandinavian airline SAS said Tuesday it will cancel at least a thousand flights in April after the war in the Middle …
Full Story »
Israel vows to find and 'neutralise' Iran's new supreme leader
Mar 17 2026
Israel's military on Tuesday vowed to hunt down and "neutralise" Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, after …
Full Story »
Ships in Gulf risk shortages on board, industry warns
Mar 17 2026
Thousands of seafarers face dwindling supplies of fuel and water as they wait on board, stranded by the Middle East war, …
Full Story »
Oil prices climb as fresh strikes target infrastructure
Mar 17 2026
Oil prices rose again Tuesday as Iran launched fresh attacks on crude-producing neighbours, while stock markets were …
Full Story »
EU to help reopen blocked oil pipeline in Ukraine
Mar 17 2026
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday the bloc will help reopen a damaged pipeline that pumps Russian oil through …
Full Story »
Israel says killed Iran's security chief Larijani
Mar 17 2026
Israel said Tuesday it had killed Iran's powerful national security chief, Ali Larijani, with Prime Minister Benjamin …
Full Story »
US Fed expected to keep rates steady as Iran war impact looms
Mar 17 2026
The US Federal Reserve opened its two-day meeting on Tuesday with policymakers expected to keep interest rates unchanged …
Full Story »
Two men in Kenyan court for ant-smuggling
Mar 17 2026
Two men appeared in a Nairobi court on Tuesday accused of attempting to smuggle thousands of ants to China, a lucrative …
Full Story »
War fuels fears of new oil crisis
Mar 17 2026
Attacks on oil infrastructure in the Gulf region and soaring oil prices are raising the spectre of a new oil crisis, …
Full Story »
Germany targets oil firms to prevent wartime price gouging
Mar 17 2026
Germany said Tuesday its competition watchdog will soon get more powers to target energy firms over concerns they are …
Full Story »
Israel says killed Iran national security chief Larijani
Mar 17 2026
Israel said Tuesday it had killed Iran's powerful national security chief, Ali Larijani, in what would be a huge blow to …
Full Story »
Strikes shake Tehran as Trump presses allies to help in Mideast war
Mar 17 2026
Loud explosions shook Tehran Tuesday after a night of bombing, as US President Donald Trump pressed allies to help in …
Full Story »
Israel strikes Tehran, Beirut as Iraq pulled deeper into Mideast war
Mar 17 2026
Israel launched a wave of strikes on Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday while attacks in Baghdad drew neighbouring Iraq deeper …
Full Story »
Cash handouts, fare hikes as Philippines battles soaring fuel costs
Mar 17 2026
Hundreds of Philippine tricycle drivers lined up Tuesday in Manila for cash handouts they hope will provide temporary …
Full Story »
Indonesia weighs response to price pressures from Middle East war
Mar 17 2026
Price pressures fuelled by the Middle East war may push Indonesia's government to reconsider its dogged defence of …
Full Story »
Nvidia chief expects revenue of $1 trillion through 2027
Mar 17 2026
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang on Monday said he expects the artificial intelligence chip powerhouse to bring in at least a …
Full Story »
Migrant workers bear brunt of Iran attacks in Gulf
Mar 17 2026
Bangladeshi migrant Ahmad Ali, 55, was doing his regular round delivering drinking water to residents in the United Arab …
Full Story »
Nvidia rides 'claw' craze with AI agent platform
Mar 16 2026
Nvidia announced Monday that it was joining the OpenClaw craze, unveiling tools to bring AI agents -- which can manage …
Full Story »
Securing the Strait of Hormuz: Tactics and threats
Mar 16 2026
President Donald Trump is pressuring allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime choke point that has …
Full Story »
Talks towards international panel to tackle 'inequality emergency' begin at UN
Mar 16 2026
Talks towards creating a new international panel to address extreme wealth disparities, modelled on the United Nations' …
Full Story »
Western allies push back on Trump call for NATO help to reopen Hormuz
Mar 16 2026
NATO allies and other Western nations pushed back Monday on US President Donald Trump's demand that military alliance …
Full Story »
European bank battle heats up as UniCredit swoops for Commerzbank
Mar 16 2026
Italian bank UniCredit on Monday made a 35-billion-euro ($40 billion) takeover offer for Commerzbank, sparking fury from …
Full Story »
EU talks energy as oil price soars
Mar 16 2026
Energy ministers from the EU's 27 nations huddled in Brussels Monday to discuss how to help families and businesses as …
Full Story »
Oil eases, equities rise as market focuses on Strait of Hormuz
Mar 16 2026
Oil prices pulled back and equities rose on Monday as investors focused on the crucial Strait of Hormuz and the head of …
Full Story »
Stagflation risk in US 'quite high': Nobel-winning economist Stiglitz
Mar 16 2026
The war in the Middle East has put the United States at high risk of falling into stagflation, Nobel Prize-winning …
Full Story »
Iran defiant as strikes hit Gulf transport, Trump to speak
Mar 16 2026
Iran said it was ready to take the Middle East war "as far as necessary" as it launched strikes across the region on …
Full Story »
Will Yemen's Houthis join the Mideast war?
Mar 16 2026
With assault rifles, daggers and posters of Iran's late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waving in the air as tens of thousands …
Full Story »
Rise of drone warfare sharpens focus on laser defense
Mar 16 2026
The surge of drone use in conflicts worldwide, seen most vividly in the Ukraine and Middle East wars, will accelerate …
Full Story »
Iran defiant as strikes hit Gulf transport, energy hubs
Mar 16 2026
Iran said it was ready to take the Middle East war "as far as necessary" as it launched strikes across the region on …
Full Story »
Central banks meet as Mideast war fuels inflation fears
Mar 16 2026
Some of the world's biggest central banks meet this week as fears grow the energy shock unleashed by the Middle East war …
Full Story »
Oil eases on hopes for Strait of Hormuz passage
Mar 16 2026
Oil prices eased on Monday as investors balanced hopes for the crucial Strait of Hormuz reopening with concerns over …
Full Story »
EU wants to tap citizens' savings. Easier said than done
Mar 16 2026
The idea sounds simple: tap trillions of euros of EU citizens' savings to unlock capital for European companies through …
Full Story »
Indonesia firms in palm oil fraud probe supplied fuel majors
Mar 16 2026
Indonesian companies targeted in a palm oil fraud probe supplied European firms including Italian energy giant Eni and …
Full Story »
Italian bank UniCredit makes bid for Germany's Commerzbank
Mar 16 2026
Italian bank UniCredit on Monday made a 35-billion-euro ($40 billion) takeover offer for Commerzbank, a move likely to …
Full Story »
Oil rises further above $100, most Asian stocks fall as Iran war rages
Mar 16 2026
Oil prices jumped further above $100 Monday and Asian stocks mostly fell as the Iran war moved into a third week with …
Full Story »
Israel announces Lebanon ground assault against Hezbollah
Mar 16 2026
Israel said Monday it had launched ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon while US President Donald Trump piled …
Full Story »
AI to drive growth despite geopolitics, Taiwan's Foxconn says
Mar 16 2026
Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn on Monday said it expected the booming market for artificial intelligence servers to drive …
Full Story »
Oil rises further above $100, stocks mixed as Iran war rages
Mar 16 2026
Oil prices rose further above $100 a barrel Monday and stocks fluctuated as the Iran war moved into a third week with …
Full Story »
Oil hovers around $100, stocks mixed as Iran war rages
Mar 16 2026
Oil prices hovered around $100 a barrel Monday and stocks fluctuated as the Iran war moved into a third week with both …
Full Story »
Strait of Hormuz forms part of front line in Mideast war
Mar 15 2026
Attacks targeting commercial vessels in or near the Strait of Hormuz have put the blockaded waterway on the front line …
Full Story »
Iran warns against wider war as Trump asks allies to escort ships
Mar 15 2026
Iran on Sunday warned countries against getting involved in its war with the United States and Israel, after President …
Full Story »
Trump says US not ready to agree deal to end Iran war
Mar 15 2026
Donald Trump warned that he is not ready to seek a deal to end the war with Iran, as US ally Israel launched a new wave …
Full Story »
Trump urges other nations' warships to protect Gulf oil route
Mar 15 2026
US President Donald Trump called for other nations' warships to help protect world oil supplies passing through the …
Full Story »
'Dubai is safe': UAE pushes to contain fallout from Iran onslaught
Mar 15 2026
Dubai is scrambling to preserve its image as a safe haven despite Iran's onslaught, with influencers rallying behind the …
Full Story »
US Fed expected to hold rates steady as Iran war roils outlook
Mar 15 2026
US Federal Reserve policymakers are expected to leave interest rates unchanged at their meeting next week, as the …
Full Story »
Who covers AI business blunders? Some insurers cautiously step up
Mar 15 2026
As more businesses trust artificial intelligence "agents" to independently grow their revenues, some insurance firms are …
Full Story »
Trump seeks global backing to secure vital Gulf oil route
Mar 14 2026
US President Donald Trump urged other nations to help secure a vital shipping lane choked off by the war with Iran that …
Full Story »
Trump urges world powers to secure Iran shipping lane
Mar 14 2026
US President Donald Trump urged other nations to help secure a vital shipping lane choked off by the war with Iran that …
Full Story »
Trump says other countries 'must take care' of Hormuz
Mar 14 2026
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said countries that rely on oil carried through the Hormuz strait should take …
Full Story »
'Normal, but not really': Iraqis try to carry on as missiles fly
Mar 14 2026
Hours before strikes hit Iraq's capital, crowds milled in central Baghdad to the sound not of missiles but clinking …
Full Story »
Israel says Iran war entering 'decisive phase'
Mar 14 2026
Israel said the war against Iran was entering its "decisive phase" on Saturday, as explosions rocked cities across the …
Full Story »
US embassy in Iraq hit as Mideast War enters third week
Mar 14 2026
Explosions rocked cities across the Middle East on Saturday as the US embassy in Baghdad was hit by a drone strike and …
Full Story »
Middle East turmoil revives Norway push for Arctic drilling
Mar 14 2026
Already the continent's biggest single supplier of natural gas since Russia invaded Ukraine, Norway is hoping to use the …
Full Story »
Iran, US threaten attacks on oil facilities
Mar 14 2026
Iran threatened Saturday to reduce US-linked oil facilities to "a pile of ashes" as the two-week-old Middle East war …
Full Story »
Trump, Xi prepare to meet amid Iran war, uncertain goals
Mar 14 2026
Just over two weeks before President Donald Trump is due to meet his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, Chinese …
Full Story »
Trump 'has fun' buying shoes for cabinet members
Mar 13 2026
US President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that he had bought several members of his cabinet the same shoes from his …
Full Story »
Oil stays above $100, stocks slide tracking Mideast war
Mar 13 2026
Oil prices stayed over $100 per barrel Friday while stock markets slid, with no end in sight to disruption in crude …
Full Story »
Democrats accuse Trump of aiding Russia with sanctions relief
Mar 13 2026
Democrats accused US President Donald Trump on Friday of weakening pressure on Russia by easing oil sanctions amid the …
Full Story »
US federal judge quashes subpoenas in Fed chair investigation
Mar 13 2026
A US federal judge has quashed subpoenas issued to the Federal Reserve as part of an investigation that Fed chair Jerome …
Full Story »
UK govt warns petrol retailers against 'unfair practices' during Iran war
Mar 13 2026
Britain's energy minister warned petrol retailers Friday that the government would not tolerate "unfair practices" amid …
Full Story »
War has halted Gulf oil flow -- and restarting it won't be easy
Mar 13 2026
The war in the Middle East has largely paralysed the Gulf region's crucial oil industry, which has been hit by attacks …
Full Story »
Mideast war cuts Hormuz strait transit to 77 ships: maritime data firm
Mar 13 2026
Only 77 ships have so far crossed the Strait of Hormuz in March as the Mideast war disrupts one of the world's most …
Full Story »