Business

Singapore plans law to restrict banking transactions of scam targets

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore’s home ministry said on Friday that it will introduce a law in coming months to grant police the power to temporarily restrict the banking transactions of targets of scams who refuse to believe they are being duped. The proposed law comes as the number of scam cases involving the voluntary transfer of money by the victim to the scammer remains high, despite measures and efforts to educate the public on how […]

BREAKING: Fibre optic networks ‘sabotaged’ in parts of France: police

PARIS, July 29, 2024 (AFP) – The fibre optic networks of several telecommunications operators have been “sabotaged” in six areas of France but Paris is not affected, police said on Monday. The incident occurred three days after coordinated acts of sabotage paralysed high-speed train services hours before the Olympics opening ceremony, disrupting travel for hundreds of thousands of people.

Video game actors to strike in California

LOS ANGELES, United States, July 26, 2024 (AFP) – Hollywood’s video game actors will go on strike early Friday to demand safeguards against artificial intelligence, the US actors’ union announced. The work stoppage for the industry’s video game voice actors and motion capture performers begins at 12:01 am (0401 GMT) in California, according to the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Thursday’s announcement comes after more than a year […]

Japan sees 17. 78 million foreign visitors in first half of 2024, new half-year record

By Kyoko Hasegawa and Tomohiro Osaki TOKYO, July 19, 2024 (AFP) – Japan welcomed a million more foreign visitors in the first half of 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels, logging a new record of 17.78 million, the national tourism organisation said Friday. The weak yen is attracting large crowds to Japan, with tourists splashing out on everything from kimonos to knives and pricey meals. The January-June figure beat the previous high from 2019 of 16.63 […]

China central bank says cuts two key rates to support economy

BEIJING, July 22, 2024 (AFP) – China’s central bank on Monday cut two benchmark interest rates in a bid to boost lending and kickstart growth in the world’s second-largest economy. Beijing is battling an unprecedented crisis in the country’s vast real estate sector, continued weak consumption and a high youth unemployment rate, while geopolitical tensions with Washington and the European Union threaten its foreign trade. A year and a half after the lifting of health […]

Asian markets drop as Biden drops out of White House race

HONG KONG, July 22, 2024 (AFP) – Asian markets fell Monday as Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the US presidential race fuelled fresh uncertainty, while traders appeared to be unmoved by China’s decision to cut interest rates in a bid to boost the country’s stuttering economy. After last weekend’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump — and the following Republican convention — boosted bets he would win November’s election, investors were trying to work […]

Musk’s X ‘deceives’ users with blue checks, EU charges

By Raziye AKKOC BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 12, 2024 (AFP) – Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s X platform is misleading users with its blue checkmarks for certified accounts, and is also violating EU content rules, Brussels said Friday, in a finding that could lead to hefty fines. EU regulators are unhappy with the blue badge system under Musk’s ownership since anyone can now obtain it with a premium subscription, whereas before it was reserved for verified accounts […]

Asian markets fluctuate after Wall St rebound, inflation in view

HONG KONG, June 26, 2024 (AFP) – Asian markets swung Wednesday following a tech-led bounce on Wall Street as investors prepare for the release of crucial US inflation data, while the yen fell back towards levels that have stirred intervention warnings from Japanese officials. The euro also remained under pressure ahead of weekend elections in France that polls suggest will see big wins for the far-right and leftwing parties pushing President Emmanuel Macron’s centrists into […]

Flights cancelled at UK’s Manchester airport after power cut

LONDON, June 23, 2024 (AFP) – Flights at the UK’s third-busiest airport were being delayed or cancelled Sunday after a major power cut, the airport operator said. The Manchester Airports Group, which also operates London Stansted and the East Midlands airports, said Manchester Airport had been “affected by a major power cut in the area earlier this morning.” Power has now been restored at the international airport in the north of England, but passengers due […]

Samsung workers in S. Korea stage first strike: union

By Claire LEE SEOUL, June 7, 2024 (AFP) – Workers at tech giant Samsung Electronics in South Korea staged the first strike at the company on Friday, the head of a major union representing tens of thousands of people told AFP. Samsung Electronics is one of the world’s largest smartphone makers and also one of the only companies globally to produce high-end memory chips used for generative AI, including top-of-the-line AI hardware from industry leaders […]

Japan household spending sees first rise in 14 months

TOKYO, June 7, 2024 (AFP) – Japan’s household spending rose in April for the first time in 14 months, official data showed Friday, as wages grow at the fastest pace in three decades. The figure was up 0.5 percent on-year with more money spent on education, clothes and transport, including cars, according to the internal affairs ministry. Eyes are now on a decision next week by the Bank of Japan, which in March hiked interest […]

Japan to build anti-tourist fence at Mount Fuji viewpoint

By Hiroshi HIYAMA TOKYO, June 6, 2024 (AFP) – A tall metal fence will be built to control unruly tourists who have annoyed locals at a popular Mount Fuji photo spot, a Japanese official said Thursday. It follows the construction last month of a black screen in another nearby town to block an Instagram-famous view of the snow-capped volcano rising from behind a convenience store. Now residents have complained about mostly foreign visitors venturing into […]