Country Financial News

Flight attendants for major U.S. airlines are holding rallies at airports around the country to push for higher pay

At least six major technology companies are planning to sign an agreement this week that would guide how they try to put a stop to the use of artificial intelligence tools to disrupt democratic elections

Airbnb says that it lost $349 million in the fourth quarter because of an income tax settlement with Italy

Two years after Thailand made pot legal, the country appears set to crack down on its freewheeling drug market with a ban on “recreational” use

The United Nations' cultural agency says Ukraine will need nearly $9 billion over the next decade to rebuild its cultural sites and tourism industry following Russia’s invasion and war

A Republican lawmaker in Kentucky has unveiled sweeping legislation that’s meant to shore up and expand the network of childcare centers across the Bluegrass State

Garena Free Fire Max is a revamped version of the original Garena Free Fire, which was banned by the Indian government in 2022. However, Free Fire Max has found a unique place among the country's gaming enthusiasts thanks to its vibrant graphics and intense gameplay. Moreover, the release of daily redeem codes by the game's developers, 111 Dot Studios, only adds to the excitement surrounding this battle royale game.

North Korea on Wednesday fired multiple cruise missiles into the sea in its fifth test of such weapons since January, South Korea's military said, extending a streak in weapons demonstrations that's elevating tensions in the region. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the South Korean and U.S. militaries were analyzing the launches that were detected in waters northeast of the eastern coastal city of Wonsan. The South Korean military didn't immediately provide the exact numbers of missiles fired or how far they flew. It wasn't immediately clear either whether the missiles were fired from land or from sea assets. «Our military has increased surveillance and vigilance and is working closely with our US partners and is closely monitoring signs for further activity from North Korea,» the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Experts say North Korea is ramping up pressure on its rivals in an election year in South Korea and the United States with a long-term focus of forcing Washington to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power and extract security and economic concessions from a position of strength.

India is today Bangladesh's largest export destination in Asia, the Indian High Commissioner here has said, highlighting the importance of multimodal connectivity in unlocking the true potential of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. High Commissioner Pranay Verma made these remarks on Monday after Shipping Minister Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated the Sultanganj port, establishing naval connectivity between Bangladesh's Rajshahi and India's Murshidabad. «The future of our partnership lies in efficient multimodal connectivity — encompassing road and rail, inland waterways, and coastal shipping,» he said.

NATO is a "sacred commitment" for the US, President Joe Biden has said as he slammed his predecessor Donald Trump for his recent remarks encouraging Russia to attack certain nations of the 74-year-old military alliance by calling the comments «dangerous» and «un-American». Biden said the remarks by Trump, his likely challenger in the November 5 Presidential polls, underscored the urgency of passing a USD 95 billion foreign aid package for US allies. The bill just passed the Senate, but it faces political headwinds in the House. At the White House on Tuesday, Biden said a failure to pass the package — which includes USD 60bn for Ukraine — would be «playing into Putin's hands».

Last year, 79 percent of the polyester in its collections came from recycled materials, and next year it wants it all to be recycled. The Swedish fast fashion giant told AFP that recycled material allows the «industry to reduce its dependence on virgin polyester made from fossil fuels».

Sonia Gandhi left her residence early on Wednesday morning for Rajasthan from where she set to file her nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections. Sonia Gandhi will file nomination papers from Rajasthan. This will be the 77-year-old leader's first term in the Upper House after serving five terms as a Lok Sabha MP.

Mint. This is significant development, given India plays a crucial role in the G20 as part of the leadership trio, including Brazil and South Africa, tasked with steering the organization's discussions and decisions throughout the year. The G20 meeting is set for 21-22 February, directly overlapping with the Raisina Dialogue, scheduled for 21-23 February.

By Sameer Manekar and Praveen Menon

Airbnb forecast first-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates on Tuesday, as it expects a boost from strong cross-border travel and longer-duration bookings. International travel demand is expected to remain strong this year as global air connectivity increases and travelers flock to Asian and Latin American countries, while domestic travel demand plateaus in North America.

Farmers Protest: Check Live Updates The officials underscored the impracticality of implementing such legislation, highlighting that the total value of agricultural produce in the country during FY20 stood at Rs 40 lakh crore, whereas the market value of the 24 crops under the MSP regime was estimated at Rs 10 lakh crore.

South Korea's military says it has detected North Korea firing multiple cruise missiles into waters off its northeastern coast in its fifth test of such weapons since January. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday didn't immediately provide the exact numbers of missiles fired or how war they flew.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Tuesday nominated its president Shehbaz Sharif as the prime ministerial candidate of Pakistan instead of the party supremo and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif. Taking to X, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, 74, has nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, a candidate for the slot of prime minister and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, 50, for chief minister of Punjab province.

Russia is preparing for a military confrontation with the West within the next decade and could be deterred by a counter build-up of armed forces, Estonia's Foreign Intelligence Service said on Tuesday. A growing number of Western officials have warned of a military threat from Russia to countries along the eastern flank of Nato, calling for Europe to get prepared by rearming. The chief of the intelligence service said the assessment was based on Russian plans to double the number of forces stationed along its border with Nato members Finland and the Baltic States of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

NEW DELHI : The government has yet to take a call on whether to extend the FAME-II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) incentives beyond 31 March, two officials privy to the discussions said, even as electric vehicle makers seek certainty on continuation of the scheme that aims to promote clean mobility in the country. The officials cited a global trend where electric vehicle subsidies have been tapering off in major economies, adding that the same shall be done in India.

Transak is tapping into Visa Direct, meaning that its users in over 145 countries can convert more than 40 different cryptocurrencies into fiat in under 30 minutes. Yanilsa Gonzalez-Ore, North America head, Visa Direct and global ecosystem readiness, says: “By enabling real-time card withdrawals through Visa Direct, Transak is delivering a faster, simpler and more connected experience for its users — making it easier to convert crypto balances into fiat, which can be spent at the more than 130M merchant locations where Visa is accepted." Sami Start, CEO, Transak, says: “We believe this partnership is an inflection point for Web3 as a whole. Now, millions across the globe have a straightforward way to cashout their digital asset holdings to their local currency in real-time and intuitively. "They no longer have to walk the treacherous path of compliance uncertainty or face risks of fraud — Transak and Visa have them covered for over 40 cryptocurrencies.”