Sales of Japanese-branded autos in South Korea slumped in July amid a worsening diplomatic row between the two countries that has led to consumer boycotts and efforts by Seoul to cut the economy’s reliance on imports from Japan. Industry data out of South Korea on Monday showed Toyota Motor sales in the country tumbled 32% ... Read More »
India Imposes a Security Lockdown and Shuts Down the Internet on Parts of Kashmir
An indefinite security lockdown was in place in the Indian-controlled portion of divided Kashmir on Monday, stranding millions in their homes as authorities also suspended some internet services and deployed thousands of fresh troops around the increasingly tense region. Around midnight, government forces laid steel barricades and razor wire on ... Read More »
Iran claims it has seized third oil tanker in Gulf as tensions with US rise
State media says vessel was taken on Wednesday carrying a cargo of 700,000 litres Iran claims it has seized a third foreign oil tanker in the Gulf in a further escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington and its regional allies, who continue to stare each other down over ... Read More »
Trump hits China with more tariffs, sharply escalating trade dispute
U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to impose a 10% tariff on $300 billion of Chinese imports from Sept. 1, sharply escalating a bruising trade war between the world’s largest economies and jolting financial markets. The announcement on Thursday extends Trump’s trade tariffs to nearly all of the Chinese goods ... Read More »
Alzheimer’s test predicts onset up to 20 years in advance
US scientists say their blood test can be 94% effective in spotting those at risk of the illness A blood test that can detect signs of Alzheimer’s as much as 20 years before the disease begins to have a debilitating effect has been developed by researchers in the US. ... Read More »
UK less able to cope with hard Brexit than it was in spring, say officials
Exclusive: Analysis includes stark assessments of potential problems including panic-buying and civil disorder The UK is currently less able to cope with a hard Brexit than it was in the spring, with the real risk of panic-buying in the run-up to Christmas and civil disorder if the country leaves the ... Read More »
U.S. puts sanctions on Iranian foreign minister Zarif, who says they won’t affect him
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, targeting the country’s top spokesman and potentially hurting chances of diplomatic talks amid rising tensions between the two countries. Zarif, a critical figure in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, dismissed the action and said it would ... Read More »
Hong Kong protests: China military breaks silence to warn unrest should not be tolerated
Chinese military garrison chief in Hong Kong says army is determined to protect China’s sovereignty, stoking fears of intervention The head of the Chinese army in Hong Kong has spoken on the protests for the first time, saying the unrest has “seriously threatened the life and safety” of the people ... Read More »
Chrome update lets people get around paywalls with new incognito mode
Google has updated its Chrome web browser to prevent websites see when visitors are using Incognito Mode, making it easier for people to bypass paywalls on websites. The latest update is designed to improve users’ privacy by preventing websites from monitoring when people are using the private browsing feature. ... Read More »
Greenland hit by ‘extreme’ temperatures as Europe’s heatwave moves north
Half of ice sheet’s surface thought to be melting as African plume that baked Britain now blasts the Arctic “In early July I was on an expedition to northeast Greenland in Kronprins Christian Land at 80 degrees north, and we measured a temperature of 17C in the shade. In ... Read More »
Lebanese Ministry of Information