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Japan to okay $490 billion in stimulus to cushion impact of inflation

Japanese PM Fumio Kishida's govt was to approve a hefty economic package that will include govt funding of about 29 trn yen to soften the burden of costs from rising utility rates and food prices

US, allies say no biological weapons in Ukraine; Russia disagrees

The US and its Western allies dismissed Russia's claims that banned biological weapons activities are taking place in Ukraine with American support.

Ex-US Prez Barack Obama gets a midterm do-over to help boost Democrats

Barack Obama is trying to do something he couldn't during two terms as president: help Democrats succeed in national mid-term elections when they already hold the White House

N Korea fires ballistic missile toward sea as Seoul wraps up military drill

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea on Friday, Seoul officials said, as its rival South Korea was wrapping up an annual military drill that the North views as an invasion rehearsal

US asks diplomats to leave Nigeria amid rising fear of terrorist attack

The State Department ordered the families of US embassy staffers in Nigerian capital to leave due to heightened fears of a terrorist attack

North Korea nuke test would be key concern, says UN nuclear chief

The U.N. nuclear chief said Thursday that a new nuclear test explosion by North Korea would be yet another confirmation of a programme which is moving full steam ahead

Lebanon and Israel sign US-mediated sea border deal, deliver them to UN

Lebanon and Israel signed copies of a US-mediated sea border deal on Thursday and delivered them to the UN in the coastal border town of Naqoura

Russian President Putin rules out using nuclear weapons in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin denied having any intentions of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine but described the conflict as part of alleged efforts by the West to secure its global domination

France's TotalEnergies income hits $6.6 billion despite Russia loss

France's TotalEnergies reported third-quarter net income rose to $6.6 billion despite losses from pulling out of a venture in Russia

US to send Ukraine additional $275 mn in military aid in war against Russia

Pentagon is sending Ukraine a new $275 mn package of weapons and other aid, in a move to bolster the effort to drive Russian forces out of key areas in south as the winter closes in, US officials said

Apple's revenue, profit up despite slowing economy; not immune to recession

Apple managed to boost its sales, profit during summertime quarter that depressed fortunes of many major tech companies, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be immune to a potential recession

White House chief of staff warned on Hatch Act violation over retweet

President Joe Biden's chief of staff violated the law by retweeting a political message on his government Twitter account

Russian Prez Putin claims West seeks global domination by using Ukraine

Putin sought to cast the conflict in Ukraine as part of efforts by the West to secure its global domination

EU to tighten gun trade laws as Ukraine war fuels fear of illegal arms

The European Union moved to tighten laws governing the trade and transport of guns amid concerns that the war in Ukraine could increase the spread of illegal weapons

Ukraine battles intensify; Russia eyes space for retaliatory strike

Amid the battles, a senior Russian official warned that Western commercial satellites used for military purposes in support of Ukraine were a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike

Global crises can speed up transition towards clean energy: Report

Spiralling energy costs caused by various economic factors and the Ukraine war could be a turning point toward cleaner energy, the International Energy Agency said in a report Thursday

US President Biden zeroes in on economic message as campaign winds down

White House of late has paid outsize attention to Pennsylvania, where Democrats are aggressively contesting a Republican-held Senate seat to help offset potential losses in other marquee Senate races

Hong Kongers who clapped, criticised judge in court guilty of sedition

Two Hong Kongers were found guilty on a sedition charge on Thursday after they clapped and criticised the judge during a previous trial over a banned Tiananmen Square vigil in the city.

UN optimistic on Ukraine grain deal; Russia has reservations

A senior UN official said he is relatively optimistic the deal for returning Ukrainian grain and Russian grain and fertiliser to world markets will be extended beyond mid-November

US economy likely returned to growth, after shrinking in 2 quarters

The problems have hardly gone away. Inflation, still near a 40-year high, is punishing households