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.
Tourists ‘think twice’ about Indonesia following criminal code revisions
KUTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s decision to outlaw cohabitation and sex outside of marriage may hurt the tourism industry in Bali, travelers and businesses said, just as the island destination gets back on its feet after the COVID pandemic.
NK hackers exploited Seoul Halloween tragedy to distribute malware, Google says
SEOUL — North Korean (NK)government-backed hackers referenced the deadly Halloween crush in Seoul to distribute malware to users in South Korea, Google’s Threat Analysis group said in a report. The malware was embedded in Microsoft Office documents which purported to be a government report on the tragedy that killed more than 150 people after tens of thousands of young revelers crowded into narrow alleyways.
Dina Boluarte, Peru’s first female president, pledges to heal nation’s wounds
LIMA — Dina Boluarte became Peru's first female president on Wednesday amid a political maelstrom when her predecessor and former boss Pedro Castillo was...
Japan upgrades Q3 GDP as global recession, COVID risks linger
TOKYO — Japan's economy, the world's third-largest, shrank less than initially estimated in the third quarter, bolstering a view that it is slowly recovering...
SEC chair says crypto intermediaries should comply with law
WASHINGTON — US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler said that companies that help facilitate transactions in the cryptocurrency market should come...
Elon Musk briefly loses title as world’s richest person to LVMH’s Arnault — Forbes
Twitter owner and Tesla boss Elon Musk briefly lost his title as the world's richest person on Wednesday, according to Forbes, following a steep...
Russian LGBTQ+ museum closes after new law bans ‘gay propaganda’
BERLIN — The founder of Russia’s only LGBTQ+ museum said he was forced to close its doors on Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin signed...
Trump Organization found guilty of tax fraud scheme
NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s real estate company was convicted on Tuesday of carrying out a 15-year-long criminal scheme to defraud tax authorities, adding to the legal woes facing the former US president as he campaigns for the office again in 2024.