Australia
Japan scraps ban on lethal weapons exports in major shift of pacifist policy
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on April 15 2026. Philip Fong | Afp | Getty Images The Japanese government has announced plans to lift a ban on lethal weapons exports, marking the latest shift away from the country’s post-war pacifist policy. In a statement […]
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Asia markets open higher as hopes for Iran peace talks offset Trump threat of escalation
The Tokyo Stock Exchange in January 2022. Toru Hanai | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets opened higher Tuesday amid hopes for a resolution to the Middle East conflict, even as tensions between Iran and the U.S. continue to simmer. “Trump, by imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire, seeks to turn this negotiating table— […]
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Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries sees shares jump nearly 4% on first ever warship export deal
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles (L) and Japan’s Minister of Defense Koizumi Shinjiro (R) pose for a photo with Eisaku Ito, Pesident and CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, before the signing of the contract for Japan to deliver the first three of Mogami-class warships, in Melbourne on April 18, 2026. […]
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Asia-Pacific markets open mostly higher as a fragile Iran-U.S. ceasefire keeps investors on edge
The West Texas Intermediate was up 0.62% at $98.48 per barrel as of 7:50 p.m. ET. Brent crude ended the session at $95.92 per barrel. Source
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Countries around the world are considering teen social media bans – why experts warn it’s a ‘lazy’ fix
Gen Z girl looking at smartphone screen feeling upset scrolling on social media. Mementojpeg | Moment | Getty Images Governments around the world are making efforts to crack down on teen social media use amid mounting evidence of potential harms, but critics argue blanket bans are an ineffective quick fix. Australia became the first country […]
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Asia-Pacific markets open higher as investors assess Trump’s mixed messaging on Iran war
A pedestrian walks past an electronic quotation board displaying the Nikkei 225 stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo on March 23, 2026. Kazuhiro Nogi | Afp | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets climbed on Tuesday, tracking Wall Street gains, as traders continued to assess Iran war-related developments. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to target […]
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Japan’s Nikkei 225 set to fall as Trump’s Iran deadline pushes oil higher in holiday-thinned Asia
A small boat with fishermen passes as a vessel sits at anchor, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, off Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman, March 25, 2026. Stringer | Reuters Japanese markets were set to open lower open on Monday, while most markets in Asia were closed for holidays, as investors parsed the latest […]
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Asia-Pacific markets fall as Iran war keeps investors jittery, oil extends gains
A view of missile traces launched from Yemen at Israel sighted in the sky over Hebron, West Bank, on March 28, 2026. Wisam Hashlamoun | Anadolu | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets opened lower Tuesday as the conflict in the Middle East keeps investors jittery, with crude oil prices continuing to rise. U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his […]
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South Korea’s Kospi leads declines in Asia as Middle East war enters fifth week
The Tokyo Tower stands amid buildings at dusk in Tokyo, Japan. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets fell sharply on Monday as the Middle East war entered its fifth week, with the conflict escalating despite efforts aimed at finding a diplomatic solution. The benchmark Kospi plunged over 5%, while the small-cap Kosdaq was […]
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Asia markets fall, tracking losses on Wall Street as Trump extends Iran strike deadline
Pedestrians walk past the Exchange Square complex, which houses the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Paul Yeung | Bloomberg via Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets fell Friday following a volatile session on Wall Street overnight, as investors continued to parse the contradictory messaging on the Middle East from […]
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