Russia drones smash power network in Ukraine’s Odesa

KYIV — All non-critical infrastructure in the Ukrainian port of Odesa was without power after Russia used Iranian-made drones to hit two energy facilities, leaving 1.5 million people without power, officials said on Saturday.

Ukraine attacks occupied Melitopol; Russian side says two killed, 10 injured

KYIV — Ukraine attacked occupied Melitopol in the country’s southeast on Saturday evening, the Russian-installed and exiled Ukrainian authorities of the strategically located city said.

China’s capital Beijing swings from anger over past COVID policies to coping with infections

BEIJING — Beijing’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) gloom deepened on Sunday with many shops and other businesses closed, and an expert warned of many thousands of new coronavirus cases as anger over China’s previous COVID policies gave way to worry about coping with infections.

Japan lawmaker in Taiwan says China’s threat needs higher military spending

TAIPEI — Japan needs to increase its military spending in the face of the “grim reality” of the threat from China and North Korea, a senior member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said on Sunday during a visit to Taiwan.

Former central bank economist named Peru’s new finance chief

PERU’S new President Dina Boluarte named a US-educated economist who has spent most of his career at the central bank as economy minister, potentially soothing investor nerves after last week’s political chaos.

Senior US officials to visit China to follow up on Xi-Biden meet

THE US will send a delegation to China in the coming days, following up on President Joseph R. Biden’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last month at the Group of 20 (G20( meeting in Indonesia.

US House panel chair says she’ll subpoena FTX’s Bankman-Fried if needed

House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters told Reuters on Thursday that she is prepared to subpoena FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried if he does not agree to appear before the panel next...

Japanese billionaire Maezawa picks K-pop star TOP, DJ Steve Aoki to join SpaceX moon...

TOKYO - Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa revealed on Friday that K-pop star TOP and DJ Steve Aoki will be among the eight crew members he plans to take on a trip around the moon as soon as next year, hitching a ride on one...

Microsoft gaming ambitions hobbled as US seeks to block Activision deal

WASHINGTON - The Biden administration on Thursday moved to block Microsoft's $69 billion bid to buy "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard, throwing a stumbling block in front of the tech giant's plans...

ECB to raise deposit rate by 50 bps on Dec 15 as bloc enters...

LONDON - The European Central Bank will take its deposit rate up by 50 basis points next week to 2.00%, despite the euro zone economy almost certainly being in recession, as it...

‘Too many positives!’: As China rows back ‘zero-COVID’ policy, many fear spike in cases

BEIJING — As many Chinese embraced new found freedoms on Thursday after the country dropped key parts of its tough zero-COVID regime, some cities warned residents to maintain vigilance against a virus that, until now, has been largely kept in check.

New Peru president sworn in, predecessor Castillo arrested

LIMA — Peru swore in a new president on Wednesday after a day of political drama that saw leftist leader Pedro Castillo arrested after his ousting from office in an impeachment trial following his last-ditch bid to cling to power by dissolving Congress.