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Swiss central bank holds interest rates, with eye on currency risks

Switzerland's central bank left interest rates unchanged at zero percent on Thursday, a move widely expected by analysts, but said it was watching out for signs of upward pressure on the Swiss franc currency.

Bank of England follows Fed in holding interest rate

The Bank of England held its benchmark interest rate at 3.75 percent Thursday, opting against an increase despite elevated inflation after the US-Iran war pushed up energy prices.

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German chemical company to cut 3,200 jobs as crisis worsens

German chemical company Evonik said Thursday that it would cut 3,200 jobs, or around 10 percent of its workforce, by 2029 as a crisis battering the energy-intensive industry accelerates.

Range raises $8.3M Series A to unify treasury, risk and compliance across stablecoins and fiat

Range raises $8.3M Series A to build the platform for companies operating across stablecoins and fiat rails, with traditional fintech funds TX Ventures and SixThirty among the backers.

New wave of anti-LGBTQ laws sweeps Africa

A string of west African countries have outlawed same-sex relations in recent months, further eroding LGBTQ rights on a continent where they were already under attack.

Palantir wants to 'defend the West,' but the West is wary

France's move Tuesday to drop Palantir from its intelligence services is the latest sign of European unease with the American data-mining firm -- a company that has grown from a CIA-backed startup into one of the most powerful technology players of the Trump era.

Drastic restrictions on public transport take effect in Cuba

Drastic restrictions on cross-country travel took effect Thursday in cash-strapped Cuba, with spaces on ever scarcer trains and buses now reserved for the sick, people traveling for funerals and other emergencies.

Cuba approves economic reforms to boost private sector, investment: state TV

The Cuban Communist Party on Wednesday approved a package of reforms aimed at opening up more sectors to private investment as the island, under pressure from Washington, undergoes a major economic crisis.

Birthright citizenship helps spark US World Cup run

President Donald Trump's bid to end birthright citizenship has gone all the way to the US Supreme Court but the issue's impact is already being felt on a giant stage: the World Cup.

Castro gives crucial backing to Cuba reforms

Cuba's powerful ex-president Raul Castro on Wednesday threw his weight behind liberal reforms aimed at reviving the collapsing economy in the face of a crippling US blockade.

Qantas to launch non-stop Sydney-London flights in October 2027

Australian airline Qantas announced it will launch the world's first non-stop flights between London and Sydney in October 2027.

US Fed chair Warsh vows reforms as central bank signals rate hikes on horizon

US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh on Wednesday vowed wide-ranging reforms at the central bank, as its rate-setting committee held rates steady but projected a rate hike by year-end to counter surging inflation.

US Federal Reserve holds rates steady, raises inflation expectations

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday held interest rates steady as expected at Kevin Warsh's first meeting in charge of the central bank, raising its year-end inflation expectations and projecting a rate hike by the end of 2026.

Brest boss Roy dies aged 58 from cancer

Brest coach Eric Roy has died aged 58 after suffering from pancreatic cancer, his family announced on Wednesday.

Military salutes and K-pop madness shake up Colombia campaigning

Colombia's hard-right presidential candidate's bombastic campaigning methods have included adopting a military salute, comparing himself to a tiger and co-opting the national football jersey as his own symbol.

Recovery of ship traffic in Hormuz limited, but signs emerge

Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains at levels before the Iran-US agreement, says the Kpler maritime tracking platform, but there are signs of recovery ahead of Friday's official reopening.

What happens when the Strait of Hormuz re-opens?

The vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane is expected to re-open on Friday after nearly four months, following the signing of a US-Iran agreement to end the Middle East war.

Oil and stocks both steady as US-Iran peace talks approach

Markets were giving little away on Wednesday, with small gains and losses across the main stocks and moderate increases in oil prices, ahead of the start of US-Iran peace talks and a rate decision from the Federal Reserve.

US retail sales beat expectations in May as energy costs stay high

US retail sales surged past expectations in May, government data showed Wednesday, boosted by higher spending at gas stations as energy costs remained elevated amid fallout from the Middle East war.

'Heartbreaking': Afghan govt staff abandon smartphones

Government workers in different parts of Afghanistan have started switching off their smartphones, following an order imposed Wednesday that they told AFP came from Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

BBC eyes compulsory redundancies in cost-cutting drive

The BBC will axe some programming and may impose compulsory redundancies to deliver hundreds of millions of pounds of previously announced savings, its new Director-General Matt Brittin told staff Wednesday.

Japan puts the heat on suspected ice cream cartel

Summer is coming, a boom time for ice cream makers, but Japanese authorities have raided six major firms on suspicion of colluding to raise prices.

MEXC May Report: SPACEX Launchpad Oversubscribed 15.5x, US Equity Futures Volume Jumps 85%

MEXC, a pioneer in 0-fee digital asset trading, has published its May 2026 Trading Highlights report. Crypto-native users moved aggressively into traditional asset exposure throughout the month. US equity futures volume jumped 85%, the SPACEX(PRE) Launchpad hit a record-breaking 15.5x oversubscription, and new token spot trading volume per user grew 36% as capital rotated from Meme assets into RWA and AI infrastructure.

MEXC Prediction Markets Launches Combo to Enable Multi-Event Combination Trading

MEXC, a pioneer in 0-fee digital asset trading, has officially launched Combo, a new feature within its prediction markets ecosystem, in partnership with its collaborators. This marks the first time a centralized platform has introduced multi-event combination trading capabilities to prediction markets globally, through its partner.

Iranian tankers exit US blockade zone ahead of peace talks

The first tankers carrying Iranian oil exited a US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a tracking website said on Wednesday, two days before Washington and Tehran launch talks on an agreed peace deal still scant on details -- including Iran's nuclear programme and the lifting of sanctions.

US Fed set to hold rates steady at Warsh's first meeting in charge

The US Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday at Kevin Warsh's first meeting in charge of the central bank, with rate hikes potentially on the horizon to combat surging inflation.

After three sessions, SpaceX already among world's most valuable companies

SpaceX shares surged again Tuesday, lifting Elon Musk's rocket company into the world's top five in market value for most of the session as a record-breaking IPO gives way to a torrid buying frenzy.

Surging SpaceX overtakes Amazon to become 5th biggest company

SpaceX shares surged again Tuesday, lifting Elon Musk's rocket company above Amazon into fifth place in market value as a record-breaking IPO gives way to a torrid buying frenzy.

BMW downgrades 2026 targets on Mideast war, China woes

German carmaker BMW downgraded its 2026 targets Tuesday due to turmoil from the Middle East war and worsening business in key market China, and vowed to step up cost-cutting efforts.

Campaigners urge G7 chiefs to protect children from AI risks

Many governments have begun cracking down on young people's access to social media, but campaigners have appealed to G7 leaders meeting in France to move quickly on regulating generative artificial intelligence too.

Paris store to part ways with Shein after ownership change

French department store BHV Marais will end its partnership with Shein after its operating company said Tuesday it was selling the Paris outlet, following criticism of its deal with the Asian e-commerce giant.

US Federal Reserve kicks off first meeting with Warsh as chair

US Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh kicked off his first meeting in charge of the central bank's rate-setting committee on Tuesday, with policymakers largely expected to keep rates steady as the fallout of the Iran war ripples through the world's largest economy.

Oil drops below $80 on US-Iran deal

Oil prices dropped below $80 a barrel Tuesday on optimism over the promised reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, easing inflation pressures on global economies even though traders are eyeing the risk of Iranian "service fees" on ships transiting the strait.

How can France-UK mission help reopen Strait of Hormuz?

A military mission set up by France and Britain to help re-open the Strait of Hormuz is ready to deploy, following the announcement of a US-Iran deal to end the Middle East war.

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