Breaking News, Latest Philippines Headlines, World, Entertainment, Politics, Weather & Video News
By Andrew MARSZAL LOS ANGELES, Nov 9, 2023 (AFP) – Hollywood celebrated Thursday after actors agreed to end a crippling months-long strike, kicking off a race to get the cameras rolling and salvage next year’s movies and television shows. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) called off its 118-day strike after reaching a tentative agreement with studios for a new contract including higher pay and protections against the use of artificial intelligence. While the deal needs […]
TOKYO, Nov 9, 2023 (AFP) – Japanese electronics titan Sony lifted its full-year net profit and sales forecasts on Thursday, citing strength in the company’s gaming, music and image-sensor sectors. The company said it saw net profit hitting 880 billion yen ($5.8 billion) in the year to March 2024, up from the previous projection of 860 billion yen. Annual sales were seen at 12.4 trillion yen, compared with a previous estimate of 12.2 trillion yen. […]
Nintendo raised its annual net profit forecast on Tuesday after strong sales of its new “Zelda” and “Pikmin” games in the first half of the year. The Japanese gaming giant said it forecasts net profit of 420 billion yen ($2.8 billion) for the 12 months to the end of March, up from a previous estimate of 340 billion yen. “Each title released this fiscal year has sold well, with ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of […]
A luxury resort operator in Singapore said Tuesday that the personal data of about 665,000 members of its shopping loyalty programme had been hacked. The breach of Marina Bay Sands was the latest in a string of major cybersecurity incidents reported in the city-state. Last week public healthcare institutions had their internet access disrupted by a flood of malicious traffic in a so-called distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. Marina Bay Sands, which is owned […]
SYDNEY, Nov 3, 2023 (AFP) – Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flies to China on Saturday for a landmark visit, a sign that icy relations have thawed with the trading giant and strategic rival. His four-day trip to Beijing and Shanghai is the first by an Australian leader in seven years and is widely seen as recognition that relations are on a surer footing after a diplomatic breakdown that hit billions of dollars in trade. […]
COPENHAGEN, Nov 3, 2023 (AFP) – Danish shipping giant Maersk said Friday it would slash 3,500 jobs as net profit and revenue plunged in the third quarter due to a sharp fall in freight rates. Maersk’s net profit nosedived to $521 million between July and September against $8.9 billion a year earlier. “Our industry is facing a new normal with subdued demand, prices back in line with historical levels and inflationary pressure on our cost […]
TOKYO, Nov 2, 2023 (AFP) – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Thursday a stimulus package worth $113 billion aimed at easing the pain from inflation. Voters in the world’s third-largest economy have been squeezed by rising prices since the Ukraine war while Kishida’s poll ratings are at their lowest since taking office in 2021. “This package… is expected to total in the lower range of the 17 trillion yen ($113.2 billion) level,” Kishida […]
MOSCOW, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for officials to act on high inflation, as he warned the economy faced increased pressure from Western sanctions. Inflation has remained stubbornly high in Russia, ticking upwards as the economy grapples with a weaker ruble and rising military spending on the offensive in Ukraine. “I once again draw the attention of the government and the Bank of Russia to the importance of […]
By Daniel AVIS WASHINGTON, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – The US Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to hold interest rates at a 22-year high for a second straight meeting, as it moves to slow stubborn inflation without damaging the strong economy. The Fed’s decision to keep its benchmark lending rate between 5.25 percent and 5.5 percent gives policymakers time to “assess additional information and its implications for monetary policy,” the central bank said in a statement. […]
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – The Walt Disney Company on Wednesday announced it will buy Comcast’s $8.6 billion stake in Hulu, completing its takeover of the streaming service. The acquisition will “further Disney’s streaming objectives,” the company said in a press release, and comes as it strives to boost subscriber numbers at its Disney+ streaming service. The deal values Hulu at $27.5 billion in total, according to Disney, which said the transaction will […]
TOKYO, Nov 1, 2023 (AFP) – Japan’s top currency official said on Wednesday that Tokyo was “on standby” to intervene after the yen fell to a new year-low against the dollar and plunged against the euro, Bloomberg reported. The yen dropped below 151 against the dollar overnight after the Bank of Japan further loosened its control of bond yields but stuck with sub-zero short-term interest rates. Against the euro, the Japanese currency fell to its […]
By Robbie COREY-BOULET RIYADH, Oct 25, 2023 (AFP) – The raging war between Israel and Hamas is already battering the economies of nearby countries, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund told a Saudi investor forum on Wednesday. Israel’s neighbours are feeling the effects, especially those that rely on tourism, Kristalina Georgieva said at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in the Saudi capital Riyadh. “You look at the neighbouring countries — Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan […]
