Yen falls to lower 155 zone against dollar after suspected intervention

The yen slipped to the lower 155 range against the U.S. dollar on Thursday in Tokyo after another suspected yen-buying intervention by Japanese authorities sent the currency to as high as 153 overnight.

The yen gave up some gains as Japanese importers bought the dollar,…[Read more]

Foreign traveler caught trying to sneak into Japan by climbing down rope from cruise ship

On Monday, the MSC Bellissima started its latest Japanese voyage, departing the port of Yokohama in the evening and sailing west through the night. The ship, operated by Switzerland’s MSC Cruises, docked in Kobe at around 3 o’clock in the afternoon the fol…[Read more]

Biden blames China, Japan and India’s economic woes on ‘xenophobia’

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that “xenophobia” from China to Japan and India is hobbling their growth, as he argued that migration has been good for the U.S. economy.

“One of the reasons why our economy’s growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we…[Read more]

The ‘massive phenomenon’ of work-related deaths in France

As May Day celebrations fill the streets with festive marches and labour union protests across French cities today, a darker truth boils below the surface. In a country often applauded for its strong labour protections, two workers die each day due to job-related accidents, according to…[Read more]

France charges ex-wife of top IS group official with crimes against humanity

A woman identified as Sonia M., the former wife of the jihadist group’s head of external operations Abdelnasser Benyoucef, was charged on March 14, Le Parisien said Saturday.

The Yazidi woman, who was 16 when she was forced into slavery by Benyoucef, accused Sonia M. o…[Read more]

French PM announces crackdown on teen violence after fatal assault on schoolboy

France has in recent weeks been shaken by a series of attacks on schoolchildren by their peers, in particularly the fatal beating earlier this month of Shemseddine, 15, outside Paris.

The issue has come to a head with the far-right National Rally (RN) accusing Attal…[Read more]

Australia signs deal worth almost $1b with PsiQuantum to build world’s first ‘useful’ quantum computer

Australia will invest almost a billion dollars in a bid to build the world’s first commercially useful quantum computer in Brisbane.

The Queensland and Australian governments have set aside $470 million each in grants, loans and share purchases…[Read more]

We’re investing millions in ‘Australia’s moon landing’. Will it launch?

Superlatives were everywhere on Tuesday at a press conference to unveil a joint $940 million investment by the federal and Queensland governments in quantum computing company PsiQuantum.

From Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “This will have a greater multiplier impact on job…[Read more]

Sydney teenager accused of planning a terrorist attack allegedly wanted to target Jewish community members, court hears

One of the four Sydney teenagers accused of planning a terrorist attack allegedly wanted to target Jewish community members, a court has heard.

The 15-year-old appeared over audio-video link at the Parramatta Children’s Court…[Read more]

Türkiye’s foreign trade gap falls again as narrowing trend gains pace

Türkiye’s foreign trade deficit fell by 12.4% on an annual basis in March, official data showed Tuesday, as a downward trend maintains a pace that officials attribute to the government policies sought to curb chronic shortfalls.

The trade gap narrowed to $7.3 billion (TL 2…[Read more]

Türkiye draws over 7M foreign tourists in Q1, sees revenues hit $8.8B

ürkiye drew more than 7 million foreign visitors in the first quarter of the year, according to official data on Tuesday that also showed robust arrivals fueled a 5.4% increase in tourism revenue.

The number of foreign tourists arriving from January through March climbed 1…[Read more]

Operation ‘Mahzen-34’ targets organized crime in Istanbul

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that the organized crime group led by Sezai Gülmez was dismantled in the “Mahzen-34” (“Vault-34” in English) operation held in Istanbul.

Minister Yerlikaya, in a statement on his social media account, provided information that nine suspects,…[Read more]

Istanbul mayor draws ire for ‘terrorist’ Hamas remarks

Statements by Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu in an interview with CNN International angered Turkish social media users and critics of the mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Answering a question on the Palestine-Israel conflict, Imamoğlu criticized Israel’…[Read more]

FM Fidan meets Finnish, Greek, UK counterparts in Brussels

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held meetings with his British, Finnish, Greek and Bulgarian counterparts on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers summit in Brussels on Wednesday.

Fidan and British foreign minister David Cameron discussed a wide range of issues, including conflicts in…[Read more]

No place for terrorism in Türkiye’s future: Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Ankara is determined to show everyone that there is no place for terrorism in Türkiye’s future.

Speaking at an iftar gathering with police, gendarmerie and coast guard members, Erdoğan reiterated Ankara’s determination to root out terrorism.

Erdoğan said th…[Read more]

Islamism is dead in Erdogan’s Turkey

There are moments in the political life of every nation that mark the breaking of an old order, even if the new order has not yet been built. Last weekend’s local elections in Turkey marked such a fracture with the beginning of the end of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22 year rule.

Erdogan has bestrode Turki…[Read more]

Turkey’s election authority reinstates pro-Kurdish mayoral election winner

Turkey’s election authority has reinstated a pro-Kurdish mayoral election winner in the eastern city of Van after the annulment of his victory provoked clashes.

The Supreme Election Board (YSK) announced on Wednesday that it has overturned a decision by the regional ele…[Read more]

France to repatriate bodies of colonial soldiers killed in 1954 Vietnam defeat

The operation will happen “in the coming days”, the statement added.

Dien Bien Phu in northern Vietnam was the site of an epic battle against Vietnamese communist forces in 1954 that spelt the end of France’s colonial empire in Indochina.

Vietnamese fighters hemmed…[Read more]

France to deliver old armoured vehicles, new missiles to Ukraine

In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, Lecornu said that President Emmanuel Macron, following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, had asked him to prepare a new aid package, which will include old but still functional French equipment.

“The Ukrainian army needs to…[Read more]

Former French PM Philippe’s mayoral office searched in corruption inquiry

The mayor of Le Havre, is widely seen as a potential candidate to succeed Emmanuel Macron in the 2027 French presidential election.

The judicial source, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the search was “part of a preliminary investigation opened in…[Read more]