Amazon has eclipsed Microsoft as the most valuable publicly traded company in the US as a see-sawing stock market continues to reshuffle corporate America's pecking order.
The shift occurred Monday after Amazon's shares rose 3 per cent to close at USD 1,629.51 and lifted the e-commerce leader's market value to USD 797 billion.
Meanwhile, Microsoft's stock edged up by less than 1 per cent to finish at USD 102.06, leaving the computer software maker's value at USD 784 billion.
It marks the first time Amazon has held the top spot and ends Microsoft's brief return to the pinnacle after it surpassed Apple in late November.
The repositioning has been triggered by mounting concerns that the Trump administration's trade war with China and rising interest rates will bog down the worldwide economy.
If that were to happen, it's likely to slow the growth of companies in technology and other industries that generate a substantial chunk of their revenue outside the US.
That's one reason most ...

Amazon emerges as most valuable US firm amid market turmoil

PTI Automatic

World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says he's been declining requests to be the new Colombia coach.
Scolari says on Tuesday the Colombian Football Federation keeps approaching him to replace Jose Pekerman, who left the job last year.
But Scolari says he wants to stay at Brazilian club Palmeiras.
"It seems Colombia do not understand I am not leaving, and they are raising their offering," he says.
"But it is not a matter of offerings."
Scolari joined Palmeiras six months ago and guided it to the national title last year. That helped to repair his reputation at home, where his second stint as Brazil coach flamed out in the 2014 World Cup. Scolari led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title.
He says he's also had offers to coach clubs back in China, but is happy where he is.  Colombia has an interim manager, Arturo Reyes.

Scolari says he's been declining offers to be Colombia coach

Madagascar's high constitutional court says former president Andry Rajoelina has won the presidential election, with the court rejecting all complaints filed over the results.
The court on Tuesday said Rajoelina won with more than 55 per cent of the vote in the Indian Ocean island nation's runoff election last month, while another former president, Marc Ravalomanana, received more than 44 per cent.
Both candidates were present in court for the announcement and supporters of Rajoelina cried out in joy.
Ravalomanana had denounced the runoff results, alleging massive fraud on election day and during vote-counting. He filed more than 200 petitions and complaints with the court, and his supporters have held protests in recent days in Antananarivo, the capital.  Rajoelina was president from 2009 to 2014.

Madagascar court confirms Rajoelina's win as president

About 200 protesters have staged a rare demonstration in military-ruled Thailand, demanding that there be no further delays in holding elections, which were expected next month but have been put in doubt.
The polls had seemed set for February 24, but that date may slip, apparently because of the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn on May 4.
Critics of the military government, including Tuesday's demonstrators, wonder if it is using the recently announced coronation date as an excuse to push back the elections.
A key announcement expected last week that would have confirmed the polling day did not happen, sowing widespread confusion and doubts that the government and the election commission have so far failed to clear up.

Demonstrators in Thai capital demand no election delay

Deadly winter weather blasted Europe for yet another day Tuesday, trapping hundreds of people in Alpine regions, whipping up high winds that caused flight delays and cancellations and raising the risks of more deadly avalanches in the mountains.
At least 12 people have been killed in weather-related accidents in Europe over the last week, most of them from avalanches.
In Norway, attempts to find the bodies of four skiers were again put on hold due to poor visibility and heavy snowfall. A 29-year Swedish woman and three Finns, aged 29, 32 and 36, were presumed dead after a 300-meter (990-foot) wide avalanche hit a valley near the northern city of Tromsoe last week.
In Austria, hundreds of residents were stuck in their homes due to blocked roads and some regions experienced power outages after snow-laden trees took down power lines.
Schools in some Austrian regions remained closed for a second day and homeowners were advised to remove snow from their roofs after several buildings ...

Winter storm blasts Europe; 12 dead amid heavy snow, gusts

A strong earthquake has hit near southern Japan, shaking buildings, but there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage. No tsunami is expected.
The US Geological Survey said the quake struck Tuesday evening and had a preliminary magnitude of 6.3. It said it was centred 16 kilometers (10 miles) off the city of Nishinoomote on the island of Tanegashima in Kagoshima prefecture at a depth of 35 kilometers (22 miles).
Japan's meteorological agency said the quake caused moderately strong shaking in nearby areas.
Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone and tsunami-prone areas in the world.

Strong quake hits near southern Japan; no reports of damage

Officials have returned a painting looted by the Nazis to heirs of a Jewish French politician and resistance figure who was executed during World War II.
"Portrait of a Seated Young Woman" by Thomas Couture, which belonged to Georges Mandel, was discovered in late collector Cornelius Gurlitt's art trove while German authorities were investigating a tax case in 2012.
The reclusive Bavarian collector inherited the 1,500-piece collection from his father, Hildebrand Gurlitt, an art dealer who traded in works confiscated by the Nazis. Many are thought to have been looted from their original Jewish owners, but provenance research has been slow and only a handful has been restituted.
Culture Minister Monika Gruetters pledged at Tuesday's handover to Mandel's relatives to do everything possible to return stolen art to rightful owners.

Nazi looted painting returned to Jewish heirs in Germany

Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen says the European Union has agreed to put an Iranian intelligence service on its terror list after Denmark and France alleged Iran was plotting to kill opposition activists on European soil.
Samuelsen said that EU government ministers on Tuesday "agreed to enact sanctions." He says it is a "strong signal from the EU that we will not accept such behavior in Europe."
Paris alleges that Tehran's Intelligence Ministry's internal security section was linked to the alleged attempt to bomb a rally of opponents on June 30 outside Paris.
The Danes say Iran in October was planning to kill in Denmark a member of the group that Tehran has blamed for a September 22 attack that killed at least 25 people.

EU puts Iranian intel agency on blacklist over foiled plots

An official Chinese newspaper warned Washington not to demand too much from Beijing as talks on ending their tariff war entered a second day Tuesday with no word on possible progress.
The Trump administration is dealing with an increasingly strong China that has its own pressing needs, said the Global Times, which is published by the ruling Communist Party.
It said Washington "cannot push China too far" and must avoid a situation that "spins out of control." Negotiators began talks Monday on a fight over Beijing's technology development tactics that companies worry might hobble global economic growth, but there was no sign either side has changed its stance.
Presidents Donald Trump launched the trade war in July by hiking tariffs on Chinese goods in response to complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology.
He and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed December 1 to postpone more tariff hikes on each other's goods for 90 days while they negotiate. But ...

Chinese newspaper warns US not to push too hard on trade

The partial government shutdown is starting to affect air travel.
Over the weekend, some airports had long lines at checkpoints, apparently caused by a rising number of security officers calling in sick while they are not getting paid.
Safety inspectors aren't even on the job. A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Monday that inspectors are being called back to work on a case-by-case basis, with a priority put on inspecting airline fleets.
So far, the impact of the shutdown  entering its 18th day on Tuesday  has been most visible for some government buildings and national parks being closed, and trash piling up on the National Mall in front of the Capitol.
If the shutdown continues, food stamp recipients will go without aid.
By increasingly affecting air travel, however, the pain is being felt more widely.
Here are some common questions about the shutdown's impact on airports and travel, along with the answers: ___  who is supposed to keep working?
About 10,000 air traffic .

Air travellers start to feel effects of government shutdown

Officials from Singapore and Malaysia have met and agreed to resolve disputes over airspace and territorial waters that have driven a wedge between the Southeast Asian neighbors.
The spat concerns waters off western Singapore that both countries have formally claimed. They also disagree on an instrument landing system used by a Singapore civilian airport since January that allows landings in low visibility. Malaysia argues that the landings would encroach on its airspace and has declared an area as restricted for military activities.
On Tuesday, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his Malaysian counterpart, Saifuddin Abdullah, suspended the landing system and restrictions for a month to allow further discussions. They also announced a working group to ease maritime tensions.
The countries were briefly merged in 1963 but separated soon after.

Singapore, Malaysia move to cool airspace and sea disputes

US National Security Adviser John Bolton is set to depart Turkey without meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an apparent snub over disagreements about Kurdish fighters in Syria.
A US official had said over the weekend that the two were expected to have consultations on Tuesday about the fate of Kurds allied with the United States in Syria as part of discussions about President Donald Trump's troop draw-down from the country.
National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis said U.S. officials were told Erdogan cited local election season and a speech to parliament for not meeting with Bolton.
In the speech to parliament Tuesday, Erdogan criticized the U.S. position that the Kurds must be protected, reiterating his government's position that they are a terrorist group.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey's preparations for a new military offensive against terror groups in Syria are "to a large extent" complete.
Erdogan made the comments on Tuesday, just ...

Erdogan not to meet Trump aide in apparent snub

The European Union has withdrawn its threat to ban Thai fisheries exports into the bloc after Bangkok pushed through reforms to contain illegal fishing.
Thailand, one of the main global fish exporters, had been faced with the threat of a ban for more than three years over its failure to combat illegal fishing, but consultations with the EU and legal and compliance reforms allowed the bloc to take back the so-called yellow card.
EU fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella met with Thai deputy prime minister Sarikulya Chatchai Tuesday and said that as combating illegal fishing remains a priority for the EU, he was "excited that today we have a new committed partner in this fight.

EU withdraws ban threat on Thai fisheries after reforms

An Afghan official says at least 2 civilians were killed when a bomb went off in eastern Khost province.
Habib Shah Ansari, the provincial health director, also says that 23 people, mostly civilians, were wounded in the attack, which took place in the provincial capital, the city of Khost, on Tuesday.
Ansari says the explosives were placed inside a motorbike that was detonated by remote control.
The Taliban did not make any immediate statements on the bombing but the insurgents have been carrying out near-daily attacks targeting Afghan forces, including in Khost.
The violence comes despite stepped-up efforts by the United States to find a negotiated end to the country's 17-year war.

Afghan official: Bomb blast kills 2 in eastern province

German authorities say a man has been detained in a suspected hacking case that resulted in hundreds of politicians' and celebrities' private information being posted online.
The Federal Criminal Police Office said Tuesday that they searched the apartment of a 20-year-suspect from central Hesse state on Sunday and detained him.
It didn't give further details, but a news conference was planned later in the day.
Authorities have said that almost 1,000 people were affected by the data breach.
In most cases, the information made public was limited to basic contact details, but in up to 60 cases more extensive personal data was published.
The information appeared to include data on members of all parties in parliament except those from the far-right Alternative for Germany party.

Germany: Man arrested in probe of politicians' hacked data

Four-time champion David Ferrer opened play Tuesday in ASB Classic with a 6-2, 6-1 first-round win over Robin Haase.
The 36-year-old Ferrer said before Tuesday's match that this is his last season on the ATP Tour and he will not be returning as a competitor to a tournament that he won in 2007 and in three straight years from 2011 to 2013.
"I'm really happy because winning today means I will have a chance to play one more match again on this court," Ferrer said.
"It's very emotional for me to be here." Ferrer had good reason to enjoy himself Tuesday. Ferrer broke Haase's serve in the third, fifth and seventh games of the first set and didn't drop a point on his own serve until the sixth game when Haase broke back.
In the eighth game, Ferrer took set point with an ace, gave it up with his only double fault of the match and served out the set in just half an hour.
He was quickly on top again in the second set, breaking Haase in the third game, again the fifth and clinching the set and ...

Ferrer beats Haase at ASB Classic in New Zealand

Thailand's immigration police chief met Tuesday with officials of the Saudi Embassy in Bangkok, and said the officials told him they are satisfied with how the case of the young Saudi woman who claims to be fleeing her abusive family has been handled.
Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn explained the Saudi reaction to reporters after a meeting with its diplomats.
Saudi officials say they have had nothing to do with the case of 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun and are not demanding her return, and that the controversy is strictly a family matter.
Alqunun grabbed global attention when she sent out pleas for help via social media, saying she feared for her life if she were put on a plane back to Kuwait, where she had slipped away from her family, or her homeland.
Instead, she has been allowed to enter Thailand temporarily under the protection of the U.N. refugee agency, which was expected to take about five to seven days to study her case and her claim for asylum.
She said she wants to go to ..

Thai, Saudi officials meet over case of young Saudi woman

Chinese authorities say a male attacker has wounded 20 children inside a Beijing primary school.
The Xicheng district government posted on its social media account Tuesday that three of the children had serious but non-life-threatening injuries. All the children are receiving hospital treatment.
The government said the suspect had been apprehended at the scene and an investigation has been launched.

20 children injured in Chinese primary school attack

The UN Security Council has put off a planned session on Congo and its closely watched presidential election as the country continues waiting for delayed results.
A council discussion initially set for Tuesday was postponed to Friday after Congolese officials indefinitely postponed the release of the first results. They had been due Sunday.
The council has been keenly following the long-awaited election in a country where the UN operates one of its biggest peacekeeping missions.
But there have been differences in the council over sending a collective message about the December 30 election, diplomats said. A closed-door discussion last week spanned two hours but yielded no joint statement.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday the UN is looking forward to "the timely publication" of provisional results. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric also reminded everyone with a stake in the outcome to respect Congo's electoral laws and "help maintain an environment ...

UN Security Council delays Congo session amid vote counting

A federal judge in Minnesota has ordered an Iraqi man's release from immigration custody until there's a final order to remove him from the U.S.
District Judge David Doty ordered Monday that 35-year-old Farass Adnan Ali be released within 30 days. Ali has been in custody on immigration charges for 18 months.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials allege that when completing immigration forms, Ali concealed his service in the Saddam Hussein regime's elite Republican Guard.
Lawyers for Ali challenged what they call his "unreasonable, prolonged" pre-deportation detention, which included seven months of solitary confinement.
Ali attorney Ian Bratlie of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota says he hopes Ali is released this week.
A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Justice was unavailable due to the partial government shutdown.

Judge orders Iraqi man released after long detention

The White House is calling the detentions of two Canadians in China unlawful and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump have agreed to continue to seek their release, officials said Monday.
China grabbed the Canadians in apparent retaliation for the arrest of a top Chinese tech executive last month. Trudeau spoke to Trump in a phone call Monday.
"President Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today, during which the two discussed the unlawful detention of two Canadian citizens in China as well as bilateral trade issues," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
The White House hasn't spoken publicly about the detained Canadians until now. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a State Department spokesman previously called for their release.
"The Prime Minister thanked the President for the strong statements of support by the United States in response to the arbitrary detention of two Canadians in China.The .

AP

AP

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