Global equities retreated Monday as a sharp selloff in cryptocurrencies and renewed concerns over monetary tightening in Japan rattled investor confidence. Stocks drop across major regions, with US futures pointing lower and European benchmarks slipping at the open. The downturn came as Bitcoin fell more than five percent, adding fresh strain to already fragile market … Read more
Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google and a billionaire investor, has donated more than $1.1 billion worth of Alphabet Inc. stock to charitable causes, a regulatory filing disclosed Friday. Most of the contribution, roughly $1 billion, will benefit Catalyst4, a nonprofit Brin established in 2021 to fund research into central nervous system diseases and climate change … Read more
SEOUL — South Korea exports rose sharply in November, surprising analysts and continuing a strong streak of trade growth. Exports climbed eight point four percent from a year earlier to US$61.04 billion, according to data released Monday by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The surge was led by a record high in semiconductor … Read more
Oil prices surged Monday following OPEC+’s decision to maintain current production levels for the first quarter of 2026, signaling caution amid concerns of a potential supply surplus. Brent crude futures rose 94 cents, or 1.51 percent, to $63.32 per barrel by 2327 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude increased 90 cents, or 1.54 percent, reaching … Read more
Florida — High level Ukraine war talks between senior Trump administration officials and a delegation from Kyiv entered a second day Monday with key disputes still unresolved, even as Washington prepares to dispatch an envoy to Moscow later this week. The meetings come at a moment of widening geopolitical strain, with President Donald Trump simultaneously … Read more
London — ChatGPT-5, one of the most advanced AI chatbots developed by OpenAI, has been found to provide potentially dangerous guidance to users experiencing mental health crises, according to research conducted by King’s College London and the Association of Clinical Psychologists UK. The findings raise concerns about the risks posed by AI tools to vulnerable … Read more
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally asked President Isaac Herzog on Sunday for a presidential pardon in his years-long corruption case, arguing that the continued criminal proceedings were obstructing his ability to govern effectively. The move, which Netanyahu framed as essential for the country’s stability, immediately sparked debate across Israel’s political and legal … Read more
South Korea’s largest e-commerce company, Coupang, apologised Sunday after a massive Coupang data breach exposed the personal information of more than thirty three million users, prompting regulatory scrutiny and widespread concern among consumers. The company said the leak involved names, email addresses, phone numbers and shipping details, though payment data and login credentials were not … Read more
The United States has implemented an Afghan visa ban after a directive from President Donald Trump’s administration ordered US diplomats worldwide to stop processing all visa applications from Afghan nationals, according to a State Department. The move effectively suspends Special Immigrant Visas and refugee pathways that tens of thousands of Afghan partners have relied on … Read more
LOS ANGELES — Vanessa Hudgens gives birth to second baby, the actress announced Saturday, sharing a hospital photo and a brief message describing the experience as a “wild ride.” The “High School Musical” alum posted an image of herself in a hospital bed with monitors attached, holding hands with husband Cole Tucker, a former Major … Read more
