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Seoul tech leads Asian stock gains as traders cheer US inflation

Seoul led gainers in Asian stocks Thursday as investors continued to push back into tech firms after a summer rout, with confidence boosted by easing US interest rate hike fears after data showed inflation slowing last month.

Afghan students divided over smartphone ban at universities

Forced to leave their smartphones off campus, Afghan university students are divided over whether the new anti-tech rule has disrupted their studies or done wonders for their concentration.

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Nvidia's Huang arrives in South Korea with 'surprises', bets on robotics

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang arrived in Seoul Friday for a packed schedule of meetings with tech leaders, promising "some surprises" for South Korea while predicting robotics will be the country's next major growth sector.

Irish slump drags eurozone economy into red in first quarter

The eurozone recorded an unexpected contraction in the first three months of 2026 due to a steep slump in Ireland's economic figures, according to revised data issued on Friday.

Oil dips, equities diverge on MIdeast, AI trades

Oil prices slipped and stock markets were mixed Friday as traders reacted to Mideast war developments and concerns over the AI sector.

Crypto scammers prey on French victims from Albania

Despite facing up to 10 years in jail on fraud charges for allegedly luring people into putting their savings into an Albania-based cryptocurrency investment scam, Jon shows zero remorse.

Asian stocks take another hit from AI, Mideast worries

Asian equities went into reverse Friday on continued worries about the AI trade after disappointing forecasts from chip titan Broadcom, while investors were also keeping a wary eye on stuttering Middle East peace efforts.

SpaceX IPO: rockets, AI losses and Musk in control

SpaceX is inviting investors to bet on Elon Musk's vision of AI data centers in space and humans on Mars.

Oil drops, stocks mostly higher despite AI concerns

Oil prices and the dollar retreated Thursday as traders tracked conflicting developments in the Middle East war, while equity markets mostly rose despite a disappointing outlook from US chipmaker Broadcom weighing upon AI stocks.

Hungary drops charges against organisers of banned Pride marches

Hungarian prosecutors said Thursday they had dropped charges against organisers of last year's Pride marches, citing a landmark ruling from the EU's top court.

Oil drops, stocks mixed on Mideast war, AI uncertainty

Oil prices and the dollar retreated Thursday while stock markets were mixed as traders reacted to conflicting events in the Middle East war and the artificial intelligence industry.

MEXC Tops New Contract Listings in CoinGecko's 2026 State of Crypto Perpetuals Report

MEXC, a pioneer in 0-fee digital asset trading, ranked No. 1 in new perpetual contract listings among all major centralized exchanges globally, according to CoinGecko's newly released 2026 State of Crypto Perpetuals Report. Beyond leading in new contract listings, MEXC also ranked among the top four exchanges globally in open interest market share and established itself as a key participant in global perpetual trading volume.

Vast astronaut mission kicks off commercial race to replace ISS

The race to replace the ageing International Space Station is heating up after US company Vast announced a mission to fly an astronaut to its planned Haven-1 station next year.

Iran leader says dealt enemies 'decisive blow' in Mideast war

Iran's supreme leader said Thursday that the United States and Israel had been dealt a "decisive blow" in the Middle East war, after the government reported "no tangible progress" in negotiations on ending the conflict.

SpaceX seeks a record $75 bn in stock market debut

SpaceX, the rockets-to-AI behemoth led by Elon Musk, aims to raise $75 billion in the biggest initial share sale ever, as the world's richest person pursues data centers in space and a trip to Mars.

Asian stocks drop on AI, rate hike worries as Lebanon deal hits oil

Asian stocks sank Thursday after a disappointing forecast by chip giant Broadcom stoked concerns about the AI trade, while stronger-than-expected US data compounded speculation the Federal Reserve could hike interest rates.

From poplars to pistachios, Afghans rediscover the value of trees

Under the shade of recently planted poplars in northeastern Afghanistan, village leader Ghulam Ali Poya is proud to see residents rediscover the value of trees after years of wartime deforestation.

Indonesian rupiah falls to record low against US dollar

Indonesia's rupiah hit its weakest level ever against the dollar on Thursday, breaching the psychological 18,000 threshold amid concerns about the country's economy amid surging energy costs.

Stocks drop on AI, rate hike worries as Lebanon deal hits oil

Stocks sank Thursday after a disappointing forecast by chip giant Broadcom stoked concerns about the AI trade, while stronger-than-expected US data compounded speculation the Federal Reserve could hike interest rates.

US House votes to curb Trump on Iran war as talks stall

The US House of Representatives has backed a resolution seeking to halt American military action in Iran -- a symbolic move that deals a political blow to President Donald Trump as efforts to find a deal with Tehran stagnate.

Tim Berners-Lee calls for AI to preserve 'original values' of web

World Wide Web pioneer Tim Berners-Lee says he wants to see artificial intelligence preserve "the original values" of his invention while allowing users to filter personal data sent to tech giants.

South Korean adoptees sue Denmark over right to know birth families

Eight South Korean-born adoptees are suing Denmark for its role in their illegal adoptions decades ago, demanding the state admit responsibility for covering up their origins.

NASA ends mission after loss of Mars probe

NASA said Wednesday it will end its mission to study the atmosphere and evolution of Mars after its probe went silent for six months.

SpaceX aims to raise record $75 bn in stock market debut

SpaceX, the rocket and satellite company led by US billionaire Elon Musk, aims to raise approximately $75 billion in a record initial public offering, the company said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday, valuing the company at $1.765 trillion.

New York turns blue and orange as Knicks fever grips city

Tasha Graham, dressed head to toe in Knicks clothing, is the embodiment of New York's passion for its basketball team battling to win the NBA Finals and end a five-decade drought.

US sanctions interrupt Visa, Mastercard payments in Cuba

Visa and Mastercard payments in Cuba will be suspended from Saturday after US sanctions prompted a foreign bank to sever ties with a state-backed financial institution, Cuba's central bank said Wednesday.

Ukrainian drones hit Saint Petersburg as 'Russian Davos' opens

Ukrainian drones hit energy and military sites in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday as officials gathered for a flagship economic forum in the city, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said.

Oil rises, stocks slip on fragile Mideast peace hopes

Oil prices rose on Wednesday, edging closer to $100 a barrel while stocks fell as further attacks between the US and Iran dented hopes of an imminent peace deal.

EU wants to favour European firms for AI, cloud in sovereignty push

The EU on Wednesday unveiled its plan for slashing dependence on American and Asian technology, including favouring European firms in the most sensitive public contracts for cloud computing and AI.

Oil jumps, stocks mixed on fragile MIdeast peace hopes

Oil prices jumped and stock markets diverged Wednesday as fresh Middle East attacks dented hopes of an imminent peace deal.

Ukraine drones hit Saint Petersburg as flagship economic forum opens

Ukrainian drones hit energy and military sites in Saint Petersburg early Wednesday morning as officials gathered for a flagship economic forum in the city, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said.

Oil prices rise on Iran peace worries, Asian stocks build on tech rally

Oil prices extended gains Wednesday as Middle East peace talks stuttered, though stocks mostly rose on the back of continued demand for all things linked to artificial intelligence.

As crises balloon, so do EU nations' deficits

More and more EU countries are being thrown in the public spending sin bin over their mushrooming deficits, with Bulgaria expected to be added Wednesday.

Oil prices rise on Iran peace worries, stocks build on tech rally