South Korea exports to rise for second month on chip boost; tariff risks loom: Reuters poll
SEOUL – South Korea’s exports likely rose in March for a second straight month on a growth in chip sales, a Reuters poll found on Friday, but economists warned of weakening momentum due to U.S. tariffs. Outbound shipments from Asia’s…
RBI to cut rates again on April 9, then just once more in August
BENGALURU-The Reserve Bank of India will cut interest rates at a second straight meeting on April 9, with just one more cut expected in August, which would mark the shortest easing cycle on record, a Reuters poll of economists found….
US to provide short-term funding for program tracking abducted Ukrainian children
WASHINGTON -The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that short-term funding was being given to an initiative documenting abducted Ukrainian children, after Republican President Donald Trump’s administration decided to pause the program on January 25. The U.S. government-funded initiative led…
Core inflation in Japan’s capital accelerates, stays above BOJ target
TOKYO -Core consumer inflation in Japan’s capital stayed above the central bank’s target and accelerated in March on steady gains in food costs, data showed on Friday, keeping alive market expectations of a near-term interest rate hike. Service-sector inflation also…
US Senator Sanders to force Senate votes on blocking arms for Israel
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders said on Thursday he would force votes next week on resolutions that would block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel, citing the human rights crisis faced by Palestinians in Gaza after Israel’s bombardment…
US investigates Stanford, University of California schools over affirmative action
The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday launched investigations into Stanford University and three University of California schools to ensure they comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down race-conscious admissions. The 2023 ruling effectively prohibited affirmative action…
BOJ board at loggerheads over inflation, US tariff risks, March summary shows
TOKYO -Bank of Japan policymakers were at loggerheads this month over how soon they should raise interest rates again as some focused on domestic inflationary pressure and others on uncertainty over U.S. tariff policy, a summary of opinions at its…
US Attorney General Bondi tells Fox News many judges need to be removed
WASHINGTON -U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Thursday that many of the judges who have recently ruled against the actions of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration were unable to be impartial and needed to be removed. “Many judges need…
Hong Kong derivatives trading surges to record on turbulent markets and hedge fund interest
HONG KONG – Big swings in stock markets and hedge fund activity have propelled Hong Kong’s derivative trading to unprecedented highs. The number of outstanding futures and options contracts on the city’s bourse has reached 22 million so far this…
FAA moves to protect aircraft owners private information
WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it was making it easier for airplane owners to keep information private like their name and address after Congress approved legislation over privacy concerns. The FAA said that starting on Friday, private…
Musk says a great wrong is being done to Tesla staff, customers -Fox News
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday that a great wrong was being done to Tesla employees and customers when asked on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier” about incidents at dealerships that include arson attacks. Tesla has…
Israel conducts first strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs since truce
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM -Israel on Friday carried out its first major airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs in months, retaliating for an earlier rocket launch from Lebanon in the most serious test of a shaky ceasefire deal agreed in November. The strike targeted…
US car buyers face higher prices, less choice under Trump’s tariffs
LONDON/WHITE LAKE, Michigan – Major automakers can deal with President Donald Trump’s tariffs on U.S. auto imports in a number of ways, but all of them lead to higher prices, fewer choices of models or limits on features for consumers,…
Star Entertainment’s Sydney casino licence suspension extended till September
Australian embattled casino operator Star Entertainment said on Friday that its casino licence for Star Sydney will remain suspended until at least September 30, as advised by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC). Star also noted that the…
US aid agency sending teams to Thailand for earthquake recovery, says source
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Agency for International Development will send some teams to Thailand to help with recovery efforts following an earthquake that hit southeast Asia, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.
Brazil warns of big risk of global trade being ‘weaponised’
LONDON-Brazil’s secretary of foreign trade warned on Thursday in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s auto tariffs announcement that global trade was at risk of being ‘weaponised’ and that World Trade Organization strains were likely to get worse before…
Johnson & Johnson unit ordered to pay $1.64 billion in HIV drug marketing case
A federal judge ordered a Johnson & Johnson unit on Friday to pay the U.S. government $1.64 billion after a jury found it liable in a whistleblower lawsuit for illegally promoting the HIV drugs Prezista and Intelence. U.S. District Judge…
Nvidia-backed CoreWeave prices downsized US IPO at $40 per share
Nvidia-backed cloud computing firm CoreWeave said on Thursday it had priced its initial public offering at $40 per share, compared with the earlier range of $47 to $55 per share. The IPO size was also reduced to about 37.5 million…
Nikola founder Trevor Milton says he was granted a full pardon by Trump
Trevor Milton, the founder of bankrupt electric and hydrogen-powered truck maker Nikola who was convicted of fraud, has been pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump, Milton said in a social media post on Thursday. Milton was sentenced to four years…
Musk says he will finish most of $1 trillion federal cost cuts within weeks
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, whom U.S. President Donald Trump has tapped to shrink the government, said on Thursday he would finish most of the work to cut $1 trillion in federal spending when his tenure ends in as soon as…
Trump targets another law firm, citing ties to Robert Mueller
WASHINGTON -U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on Thursday targeting law firm WilmerHale, the fifth time the president has taken aim at a major firm with connections to his legal or political adversaries. The proclamation cited WilmerHale’s ties to…
Trump asks US Supreme Court to intervene in deportations fight
WASHINGTON – Donald Trump’s administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow his use of a 1798 law to swiftly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members as part of his hardline approach to immigration, arguing that courts must not…
After years of survival, China’s Huawei returns to revenue peak
SHENZHEN, China – China’s Huawei is expected to claim triumph over U.S. sanctions at its upcoming annual results, bolstered by its software push, progress in chips and booming smart-driving technology business that has helped it move out of “survival mode”….
Toyota’s global output rises for second month in February on solid Japan sales
TOKYO – Toyota Motor said on Friday its global production rose for the second consecutive month in February, driven by higher output and stronger sales in Japan after recovering from a certification scandal in its home market last year. Global…
US prosecutors probe tip about timing of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine, WSJ reports
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are probing a claim by GSK that Pfizer delayed announcing its COVID shot’s success in 2020 until after that year’s election, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The report said on…
Australia PM Albanese calls national election for May 3
SYDNEY – Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday called a national election for May 3, launching a five-week campaign that is set to be dominated by cost-of-living pressures. Albanese’s Labor party won a majority at the last federal election…
Russia’s Putin launches nuclear-powered submarine
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday launched a nuclear-powered submarine equipped with hypersonic Zircon missiles capable of travelling at several times the speed of sound. Russian news agencies, referring to a video link from the Arctic port of Murmansk, said Putin…
Judge orders Trump administration to preserve Yemen attack plan messages
WASHINGTON -A U.S. judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to preserve messages sent on the Signal messaging app discussing attack plans against the Houthis in Yemen that became public after they were inadvertently shared with a journalist. The…
Fed’s Barkin: Extensive uncertainty could hit demand, policy in good place awaiting more clarity
LEXINGTON, Virginia – The Federal Reserve’s current “moderately restrictive” monetary policy is right for an environment with an abnormal amount of uncertainty and fast changes taking place in U.S. government policy, Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin said on Thursday. Barkin,…
Radio Free Europe says Trump administration rescinded its grant termination order
WASHINGTON – U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said on Thursday that its parent agency had rescinded an order terminating its grant funding, after the news outlet sued the Trump administration over the cuts. RFE/RL’s sister organization, Radio Free Asia,…