IBT Staff Reporter

Alarm bells for Macron as left gains in polls

Sri Lanka is aiming to attract well over $1 billion in foreign direct investment this year, an official said on Friday, as the country wrestles with its worst financial crisis since independence in 1948.

Spain's Acerinox and Dutch company Aperam are in preliminary talks about a possible merger, they said on Friday, a move that could create a global leader in stainless steel and Europe's biggest producer.

Swiatek grew up a 'fighter' on Warsaw's tennis courts

Prosecutors investigating war crimes cases in Ukraine are examining allegations of the forcible deportation of children to Russia since the invasion as they seek to build a genocide indictment, the country's top prosecutor said in an interview.

Israel told the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Friday it would prefer a diplomatic resolution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme but it could take independent action, reiterating a long-standing veiled threat to launch a preemptive war.

Turkey's annual inflation rate jumped to a 24-year high of 73.5% in May, fuelled by the war in Ukraine, rising energy prices and a tumbling lira -- though the figure was slightly lower than economists had feared.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett appealed for more open support from what he described as Israel's silent majority on Friday as he marked a year in office with his governing coalition tenuously controlling half the seats in parliament.

The World Trade Organization will host ministers from across the globe this month with the aim of striking deals on fish and vaccines, testing the world's ability to set trade rules at a time of mounting tensions.

The World Trade Organization will host ministers from across the globe this month with the aim of striking deals on fish and vaccines, testing the world's ability to set trade rules at a time of mounting tensions.

Diagnostic companies are racing to develop tests for monkeypox, hoping to tap into a new market as governments ramp up efforts to trace the world's first major outbreak of the viral infection outside of Africa.

As EU squeezes Russia, Serbia embraces old ally

10 years after 'Gangnam Style', Psy is happier than ever

China's diplomatic gambit heralds new 'Battle for the Pacific'

After 100 days of war, Ukraine is fighting for time, trying to hold out against overwhelming Russian fire on its eastern front long enough for Western weapons to arrive and give it a badly needed edge.

The entire population of the Pitcairn Islands - 35 permanent residents - will make the Pacific Ocean territory the last place in the Commonwealth to light a beacon as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration later Thursday.

Officials from the United States, South Korea and Japan met in Seoul on Friday for talks on North Korea amid signs the isolated country is preparing to conduct a nuclear test for the first time since 2017.

Officials from the United States, South Korea and Japan met in Seoul on Friday to prepare for "all contingencies" amid signs North Korea is preparing to conduct a nuclear test for the first time since 2017.

A larger-than-life politician, Ontario premier Doug Ford beat back criticism of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic to win a second term for his party on Thursday, but he faces an affordability crisis and a strained health system.

Guatemala welcomes reports that Spain will increase its quota for the number of temporary workers coming from Central America, the government said on Thursday.

Asian shares were mostly higher on Friday as investors hoped U.S.

European shares were mostly higher on Friday as investors await a key jobs report that will help gauge the strength of the U.S.

Wall Street was tipped for a weaker open on Friday, bucking share price gains in Europe and Asia after warnings on the economic outlook from Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk who outlined plans to lay off 10% of his staff.

Global equity markets fell as U.S. Treasury yields reached two-week highs on Friday after data showed the American economy generated a greater-than-expected number of jobs in May, signaling the Federal Reserve will likely continue raising interest rates in its effort to curb inflation.

Australia's central bank will raise rates by a modest 25 basis points for a second straight meeting in June, still opting to move more slowly than most of its peers in a campaign to bring down soaring inflation, a Reuters poll of economists found.

US-Venezuela business picking up despite punishing sanctions

Oil prices were roughly unchanged on Friday, clinging to gains made in the previous session on doubts that producers belonging to OPEC+ can hike their crude output enough to make up for lost supply from Russia.

Oil prices moved in a thin range on Friday as markets shrugged off the decision of OPEC+ to increase production and questioned whether the incremental output could make up for lost supply from Russia and meet China's growing demand amid easing COVID restrictions.

Oil prices edged higher on Friday as markets shrugged off the decision of OPEC+ to increase production and questioned whether the incremental output would make up for lost Russian supply and meet China's growing demand amid easing COVID restrictions.