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Most Asian markets extend AI-fuelled rally

Asian equities mostly rose Thursday, cheered by another tech-fuelled run-up on Wall Street after Donald Trump's huge AI investment announcement, as traders assessed the outlook for the next four years under the new president.

Bangladesh student revolutionaries' dreams dented by joblessness

Bangladeshi students braved bullets to overthrow an autocratic government, but six months after the revolution, many say finding a job is proving a harder task than manning the barricades.

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Anguish for South Korea plane crash relatives amid grim salvage

Cries of anguish echoed through a lounge at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Monday as families waited for news of relatives killed in the weekend's Jeju Air plane crash.

New year nerves hit Asian stocks

Asia stocks mostly fell Monday in jittery holiday trade ahead of a potentially tumultuous 2025 when Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Ex-husband convicted in French mass rape trial will not appeal: lawyer

The Frenchman convicted of drugging and raping his then wife and soliciting dozens of men to do the same for more than a decade will not appeal his verdict, his lawyer said Monday.

Belgium becomes first EU country to ban disposable e-cigarettes

Wildly popular with young people for their dizzying array of flavours, including apple, watermelon and cola, the time is up for disposable e-cigarettes in Belgium -- the first EU country to ban them.

Asia stocks mostly down after Wall St losses

Asia stocks mostly fell in thin holiday trade on Monday after tech losses killed off the traditional year-end lift on Wall Street at the end of last week.

Taliban leader bans windows overlooking women's areas

The Taliban's supreme leader has issued an order banning the construction of windows in residential buildings that overlook areas used by Afghan women and saying that existing ones should be blocked.

179 dead in South Korea's worst plane crash

A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival Sunday, smashing into a barrier and bursting into flames, killing everyone aboard except for two flight attendants plucked from the wreckage.

At least 177 dead in South Korea's worst plane crash

A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival Sunday, smashing into a barrier and bursting into flames, leaving all but two feared dead.

Three die in clandestine Channel crossing attempt

Three migrants died Sunday in an attempt to cross the English Channel from France to Britain, a local mayor told AFP.

All but two feared dead after South Korea plane crashes with 181 aboard

A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival Sunday, smashing into a barrier and bursting into flames, leaving all but two feared dead.

Japan's Wajima craftmakers see hope in disaster-hit region

Lacquerware maker Takaho Shoji hunches over his desk in the disaster-hit city of Wajima in central Japan, applying another layer of coating to a dark, wooden box.

Suriname rules out state funeral for ex-dictator Bouterse

Suriname's government announced Saturday that the small South American nation will not hold a state funeral for its ex-president Desi Bouterse, who this week died a fugitive from justice aged 79.

Turkey's pro-Kurd party meets jailed PKK leader

A delegation from Turkey's main pro-Kurdish DEM party on Saturday visited jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving life on a prison island off Istanbul, party officials said.

EU universal charger rules come into force

EU rules requiring all new smartphones, tablets and cameras to use the same charger came into force on Saturday, in a change Brussels said will cut costs and waste.

Tech slump slays Santa rally, weak yen lifts Japan stocks higher

Hopes for a Santa Claus rally on Wall Street fell Friday as tech stocks slid lower, while a weaker yen lifted Japanese equities.

Montenegro to extradite crypto entrepreneur Do Kwon to US

Montenegro announced on Friday that it would extradite South Korean cryptocurrency entrepreneur Do Kwon to the United States, following a year and a half of dizzying court rulings and subsequent reversals over his removal.

Brazil views labor violations at BYD site as human 'trafficking'

Authorities in Brazil said Friday they are probing Chinese auto giant BYD and one of its contractors for suspected "trafficking" of Chinese workers building a factory in the South American country.

Weak yen lifts Japan stocks higher, Wall Street slides

A weaker yen lifted Japanese equities on Friday, while Wall Street's major indices slid in quiet holiday trading.

Tourists return to post-Olympic Paris for holiday magic

Holidaymakers are returning to Paris for winter holiday magic as the tourism industry rebounds, inspired by the successful Olympic Games and the re-opening of Notre Dame cathedral.

Global stocks rise as Japan led Asia gains on a weaker yen

Global stocks mostly rose on Friday, as European markets returned from the Christmas break tracking Asia gains after a weaker yen lifted Japanese equities.

Asian markets mostly rise but political turmoil holds Seoul back

Asian markets mostly rose on Friday, with Japanese shares gaining on a weaker yen, although Seoul shares plunged as South Korea's political crisis deepened with a second impeachment vote.

Move over Mercedes: Chinese cars grab Mexican market share

The growing popularity of Chinese sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks has shaken up Mexico's luxury car market, hitting sales of traditionally dominant brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Japanese shares gain on weaker yen after Christmas break

Japanese stocks rose Friday on a weaker yen after a muted day on Wall Street following the Christmas holiday.

Fleeing Myanmar, Rohingya refugees recall horror of war

They clung on through years of conflict in Myanmar but a surge of fighting has driven tens of thousands more Rohingya to flee, escaping with little more than harrowing tales of war.

Peru ex-official denies running Congress prostitution ring

A former Peruvian congressional official on Thursday denied having set up a prostitution ring in the legislature providing sexual favors to lawmakers in return for votes.

US stocks take a breather, Asian bourses rise in post-Christmas trade

Wall Street stocks were little changed on Thursday while Asian equities rose in thin Boxing Day trade, extending their "Santa Claus Rally" with several bourses still shut for the holiday.

Turkey lowers interest rate to 47.5 percent

Turkey's central bank lowered its key interest rate on Thursday, the first cut in nearly two years as it battles with double-digit inflation.

Sri Lanka train memorial honours tsunami tragedy

Just inland from the crashing waves on Sri Lanka's palm-fringed shores, the train slowly came to a stop on Thursday -- marking the moment a deadly tsunami hit 20 years ago.

Asia stocks up as 'Santa Rally' persists

Asia's stocks rose in thin Boxing Day trade on Thursday, extending a "Santa Rally" with key markets Hong Kong and Sydney still shut for the holidays.

2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: what to know 20 years on

Survivors and victims' relatives will next week mark the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which killed more than 220,000 people across more than a dozen countries.

Russian state owner says cargo ship blast was 'terrorist attack'

A "terrorist act" sank the cargo ship that went down in international waters in the Mediterranean this week, the Russian state-owned company that owns the vessel said Wednesday.

Sweeping Vietnam internet law comes into force

New Vietnamese internet rules requiring Facebook and TikTok to verify user identities and hand over data to authorities came into force on Wednesday, in what critics say is the latest attack on freedom of expression.

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