Business

More drops in Big Tech pull stocks lower; Bitcoin drops 19%

Stocks were broadly lower in early trading Wednesday as the market's downturn entered into a third day. Meanwhile the price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies dropped sharply.

Europe

The Latest: France outdoor cafes reopen after 6 months

PARIS — It’s a grand day for the French. Cafe and restaurant terraces are reopening Wednesday after a pandemic shutdown of more than six months deprived people of what feels like the essence of life in France.

Business

Restrictions reimposed as virus resurges in much of Asia

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taxi drivers are starved for customers, weddings are suddenly canceled, schools are closed, and restaurant service is restricted across much of Asia as the coronavirus makes a resurgence in countries where it had seemed to be well under control.

Business

Asian shares drop, tracking Wall Street decline led by tech

TOKYO — Asian shares fell Wednesday, tracking a decline on Wall Street that was led by big technology stocks. Investors are awaiting the release of minutes from the latest Federal Reserve policy setting meeting.

Europe

Ransomware hits AXA units in Asia, Irish healthcare

BANGKOK — The Thai affiliate of Paris-based insurance company AXA said Tuesday it is investigating a ransomware attack by Russian-speaking cybercriminals that has affected operations in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Asia Pacific

Bangladesh arrests journalist known for unearthing graft

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Police in Bangladesh's capital have arrested a journalist known for her strong reporting against official corruption in the South Asian country where journalists are often threatened with dire consequences for professional work.

Business

Asia shares rise despite ongoing pandemic, inflation worries

TOKYO — Asian shares rose Tuesday, partly on bargain-hunting from the recent global market falls amid continuing pessimism about the conronavirus pandemic.

Europe

Ransomware hits AXA units in Asia, hurts Ireland healthcare

PARIS — Cybercriminals have hit four Asian subsidiaries of the Paris-based insurance company AXA with a ransomware attack, impacting operations in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines, the insurer said.

Politics

US sanctions Myanmar military and junta leaders for attacks

WASHINGTON — The U.S. placed more members of Myanmar’s ruling military junta on a financial blacklist Monday for the deadly attacks against civilians following the February coup in the southeast Asian nation.

Asia Pacific

Election watchdog says no credible proof of Myanmar fraud

BANGKOK — Last November’s election results in Myanmar were “by and large, representative of the will of the people,” an independent election monitoring organization said Monday, rejecting the military’s allegations of massive fraud that served as its reason for seizing power.

Business

Asian stocks mixed after Taiwan, Singapore anti-virus curbs

BEIJING — Asian stock markets were mixed Monday after Taiwan and Singapore tightened anti-coronavirus restrictions and Wall Street turned in its biggest weekly decline in three months.

Europe

The Latest: Fauci says pandemic highlights racism’s impact

ATLANTA — The immunologist who leads the COVID-19 response in the United States said Sunday that “the undeniable effects of racism” have led to unacceptable health disparities that especially hurt African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans during the pandemic.

New York

The Latest: Florida’s amusement parks loosen mask wearing

ORLANDO, Fla. — Visitors to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios-Orlando were allowed Saturday to remove their masks when outdoors, except when on attractions, in line or riding transportation.

Business

Stocks close higher with help from tech, still down for week

Stocks closed higher for the second day in a row but still ended with a weekly loss after three sizable drops earlier in the week. The S&P 500 added 1.5% Friday, but still lost 1.4% for the week.

Business

Honda returns to quarterly profit despite pandemic damage

TOKYO — Honda swung into the black in January-March, recording a 213 billion yen ($2 billion) profit despite the lingering impact of the pandemic.

Business

Asian stocks climb after Wall Street rebound led by Big Tech

BANGKOK — Asian shares rose Friday after Wall Street put the brakes on a three-day losing streak with a broad stock market rally powered by Big Tech companies and banks.

Business

The Latest: Philippine president eases lockdown in capital

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine president has eased a coronavirus lockdown in the bustling capital and adjacent provinces to fight economic recession and hunger but still barred public gatherings this month, when many Roman Catholic summer religious festivals are held.

Business

Stocks open higher on Wall Street as Big Tech regains ground

Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street following three days of losses and the biggest one-day drop in the S&P 500 since February. Big Tech companies like Apple and Microsoft, which had posted some of the bigger losses this week, were rising in the early going Thursday.

Europe

Wealthy nations once lauded as successes lag in vaccinations

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Some wealthy nations that were most praised last year for controlling the coronavirus are now lagging far behind in getting their people vaccinated — and some, especially in Asia, are seeing COVID-19 cases grow...

Lifestyle

Virus stifles Muslims’ Eid al-Fitr celebrations for 2nd year

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Muslims celebrated Eid al-Fitr in a subdued mood for a second year Thursday as the COVID-19 pandemic again forced mosque closings and family separations on the holiday marking the end of Islam's holiest month of Ramadan...

Europe

The Latest: Louisiana kids can start vaccinations Thursday

NEW ORLEANS — Children as young as 12 can expect to start getting Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine Thursday in Louisiana.

Asia Pacific

Red Cross warns that coronavirus cases are exploding in Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Coronavirus cases are exploding in Asia and the Pacific with over 5.9 million new confirmed infections in the past two weeks, more than in all other regions combined, the International Federation of the Red Cross said Wednesday...

Business

UN raises global economic forecast to 5.4% growth in 2021

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations on Tuesday responded to the rebounding Chinese and U.S. economies by revising its global economic forecast upward to 5.4% growth for 2021, but it warned that surging COVID-19 cases and inadequate availability of vaccines in many countries threaten a broad-based recovery...

Business

Asian stocks mixed after Wall St falls on inflation fears

BEIJING — Asian stock markets retreated Wednesday as investors looked ahead to U.S. data they worry will show inflation is picking up.

Business

Asian shares slide after tech sell-off on Wall Street

BANGKOK — Shares dropped Tuesday in Asia after selling of several Big Tech companies pulled U.S. benchmarks lower.

United Nations

The Latest: N Korea again claims no coronavirus infections

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has told the World Health Organization that it has tested 25,986 people for the coronavirus through April but still has yet to find a single infection.

Asia Pacific

Indian virus variant found in Thai travelers from Pakistan

BANGKOK — Health authorities in Thailand said Monday they have confirmed the country’s first cases of the Indian variant of the coronavirus, in a Thai woman and her 4-year-old son who have been in state quarantine since arriving from Pakistan...

Global trade

The Latest: 3rd meat plant shut down in UK local outbreak

LONDON — A meat processing plant in West Yorkshire has been shut down amid a localized outbreak of COVID-19, the third such site to shut down in the U.K. in recent days.

Tibet

India-China Himalayan standoff deadly for cashmere herds

SRINAGAR, India — Antagonisms between Indian and Chinese troops high in the Himalayas are taking a dire toll on traditional goat herds that supply the world’s finest, most expensive cashmere....

General News

Asia Today: South Korean cases rise, Singapore reopening

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has reported 49 cases of COVID-19 as the virus continues to spread in the densely populated capital area where half of the country’s 51 million people...

Middle East

Trump troop cut in Germany fits a pattern of hitting allies

WASHINGTON — In vowing to pull thousands of American troops from Germany, President Donald Trump is following a pattern of disruptive, sometimes punitive, moves against allies that have...

Beijing

Asian stocks mixed amid concern over coronavirus hotspots

BEIJING — Asian stock markets were mixed Friday after Wall Street closed little-changed amid as optimism about a possible global economic recovery was tempered by concern over rising...

Michael Pence

The Latest: Coronavirus still spreading in 2nd S Korea wave

SEOUL, South Korea — The coronavirus continues to spread in South Korea, particularly in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan region, which is home to half the country’s 51 million people....

Global trade

US official says China not forthcoming in talks with Pompeo

WASHINGTON — A senior State Department official said Thursday that the United States was disappointed by China’s attitude at a meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a top Chinese...

Financial markets

Asian shares slip as global rally eases off the accelerator

BANGKOK — Shares fell Thursday in Asia after another day of wobbly trading on Wall Street as markets eased off the accelerator following their big rally.

Beijing

Asia Today: Beijing’s daily cases drop, India’s rise sharply

BEIJING — China’s capital Beijing reported a decline in newly confirmed cases of coronavirus Thursday as the city continued to press stricter measures to contain a new outbreak.

Beijing

US virus outbreaks stir clash over masks, personal freedom

PHOENIX — When the coronavirus flared in China this week, the country canceled flights, suspended reopenings and described the situation as “extremely grave.” But with cases rising in some...

Beijing

China, India disavow clash but pledge to end border standoff

BEIJING — China and India accused each other Wednesday of instigating deadly border clashes between their forces along the disputed Himalayan frontier, pledging to safeguard their territory...

Financial markets

Asia stocks lower after Wall Street gains on recovery hopes

BEIJING — Major Asian stock markets declined Wednesday after Wall Street gained on hopes for a global economic recovery and Japan's exports sank.

Beijing

Asia Today: Beijing adds more measures to curb new outbreak

BEIJING — Beijing reported a slight increase in new coronavirus cases Wednesday as it fights a new outbreak with strict measures aimed at reducing human contact and the chances of a new wave...

General News

A drug offers hope even as virus cases rise in Africa, Asia

JOHANNESBURG — Researchers on Tuesday announced the first drug shown to reduce deaths among severely ill coronavirus patients, offering hope even as infection rates rose in Africa and Asia,...

Financial markets

Asian stocks follow Wall St higher after Fed ups bond buys

TOKYO — Asian shares rose Tuesday, cheered by fresh moves by the U.S. Federal Reserve to support markets battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Religion

The Latest: New Zealand is no longer coronavirus-free

WELLINGTON, New Zealand —- New Zealand is no longer free from the new coronavirus after health officials say two women who flew from London to see a dying parent had tested positive....

Beijing

Asia Today: More controls used in Beijing as outbreak grows

BEIJING — China reported 40 more coronavirus infections Tuesday as it increased testing and lockdown measures in parts of the capital to control what appeared to be its largest outbreak in...