Adnan Rasheed 
LONDON— The United Kingdom’s unemployment rate rose to 5 percent in the three months ending in September, the highest level since early 2021, official figures show, signaling a weakening labor market amid ongoing economic pressures. The Office for National Statistics reported the rise in unemployment came in above the 4.9 percent projected by many analysts … Read more
TOKYO — Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. announced Tuesday that it has sold its entire stake in Nvidia Corp., raising approximately $5.8 billion, a move designed to support its growing investments in OpenAI and artificial intelligence ventures. The sale, executed in October, is part of SoftBank’s broader strategy to redirect resources toward emerging AI platforms … Read more
BEIJING — China is planning to expand market access, particularly in the services sector, offering new investment opportunities to foreign companies including those from the United States, senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang said Tuesday. The announcement, made through a statement from the Ministry of Commerce, reflects Beijing’s ongoing efforts to strengthen economic engagement with … Read more
WASHINGTON — What President Donald Trump hailed as a victory in ending the latest government shutdown is quickly turning into a political and policy test for Republicans. With Democrats failing to secure an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, millions of Americans now face soaring health insurance costs and the GOP suddenly owns … Read more
SEOUL — South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday it has once again delayed its decision on Google’s request to export detailed South Korean map data for use on overseas servers, citing incomplete documentation and unresolved security issues. The ministry’s National Geographic Information Institute (NGII) granted the U.S. technology giant 60 additional … Read more
BERLIN — Taiwan’s world leading chip industry has become both an economic engine and a strategic shield, former President Tsai Ing-wen told an audience at the Berlin Freedom Conference on Monday. “Our high tech sector, particularly in semiconductors, has become an indispensable part of the global economy,” Tsai said. “In an age where AI also … Read more
Microsoft’s relationship with artificial intelligence firm OpenAI remains under increasing scrutiny as questions arise over transparency and governance. While the tech giant has disclosed that OpenAI qualifies as an “equity method investment” in its financial statements signifying significant influence investors and analysts say the disclosures fall short of fully explaining the depth and nature of … Read more
Asia-Pacific markets opened higher Monday, recovering from last week’s sharp declines prompted by artificial intelligence valuation concerns. Investors across the region focused on fresh inflation data from China and policy signals from Japan as they sought stability amid global market jitters. South Korea’s Kospi index surged 2.76 percent, led by gains in banks and insurance … Read more
New Delhi — The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence in India is fueling unprecedented growth in the country’s data centre sector, attracting billions in investments even as concerns rise over water and energy sustainability. Data centres facilities that house servers, IT infrastructure, and network equipment essential for digital services have become the backbone of India’s … Read more
BEIJING — China has lifted export restrictions on computer chips essential for car manufacturing, a move that industry officials say could ease months of uncertainty for European automakers and signal a modest thaw in global trade tensions. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said Sunday it had granted exemptions for exports made by Chinese owned semiconductor firm … Read more
