US senator urges Taiwan parliament to pass stalled defense spending plan
TAIPEI — Taiwan’s parliament should pass a stalled special defense budget to send a signal to China and the world that it is serious...
Japan weighs new release of about 20 days’ worth of oil from reserves, Kyodo...
TOKYO — Japan is considering a new release of about 20 days’ worth of oil reserves as early as May, Kyodo reported on Thursday,...
Disney plans to cut 1,000 jobs
WALT DISNEY is planning to cut as many as 1,000 positions in the coming weeks, many of which will be made in the company’s...
German industrial output fall points to weak quarter, economists say
BERLIN — German industrial production fell unexpectedly in February, with economists saying the weakness pointed to disappointing first quarter for Europe’s biggest economy, despite...
Italy says EU should consider pausing budget rules if Iran crisis persists
ROME — European Union authorities should consider a temporary suspension of budget deficit rules if the US-Israeli war against Iran flares up again, Prime...
Israel’s pounding of Lebanon is ‘deeply damaging’, UK foreign minister says
LONDON — British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Thursday that Israel’s pounding of Lebanon was “deeply damaging” and risked destabilizing the ceasefire between...
Asian stocks exodus fuels largest emerging market outflows since 2020, IIF data shows
LONDON — Foreign investors pulled $70.3 billion from emerging market (EM) assets in March, the biggest outflow since the pandemic rout in March 2020,...
Fed minutes show growing openness to rate hikes at March meeting
WASHINGTON — A growing group of Federal Reserve policymakers felt last month that interest rate hikes might be needed to counter inflation that continued...
Thai PM delivers policy address to parliament
BANGKOK — Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul outlined his government’s policy agenda to parliament on Thursday, focusing on growth, debt relief and measures to...
Israeli strikes pummel Lebanon, killing 250 in deadliest day of war
BEIRUT/TEL AVIV — Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, killing more than 250...
NASA Artemis II astronauts to speak from deep space after record-setting flyby
HOUSTON — Four astronauts traveling back from the far side of the moon on NASA’s Artemis II mission will speak with reporters in their...
Trump agrees to two-week ceasefire with Iran with reopening of Strait of Hormuz
WASHINGTON/DUBAI/CAIRO — The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, reaching a deal less than two hours before President Donald J....