World

Economic Watch: Services trade emerges as key engine for China's high-quality development

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The services trade is becoming an increasingly crucial engine for China's economic growth and has substantial potential, driven by technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI), according to global representatives at the ongoing 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS).

World

Sweden pledges another $7.5 billion military support for Ukraine

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden is budgeting another 70 billion crowns ($7.47 billion) for military support to Ukraine over the coming two years, Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on Thursday, adding the country also stood ready to lend further support Poland if needed.

World

Vietnam's retail sales, service revenues up 9.4 pct in 8 months

HANOI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's total retail sales of goods and consumer services were estimated at 4.58 quadrillion Vietnamese dong (about 173.4 billion U.S. dollars) in the first eight months of this year, up 9.4 percent from the same period last year, Vietnam News Agency cited the National Statistics Office as saying on Thursday.

World

US eyes stronger energy ties with Greece, says interior secretary

ATHENS (Reuters) -The United States wants to expand its energy ties with Greece, U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said during a visit to Athens on Thursday, as the Trump administration works to further reduce Russia's oil and gas supplies to Europe. 

World

Lukashenko tells Trump envoy that he could release prisoners

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told an envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday that he was ready to make a deal on releasing prisoners, the state-run Belta news agency reported.

World

Thailand's consumer confidence plunges further in August

BANGKOK, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's consumer confidence plunged for a seventh successive month in August to its lowest rate in 32 months, driven by concerns over local political instability, border conflicts, and a slow economic recovery, a survey showed on Thursday.

World

Belarus frees 52 prisoners after Trump appeal, US eases some sanctions on Minsk

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Belarus freed 52 prisoners including an EU employee on Thursday after an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, as Washington and Minsk flirted with a rapprochement that many European leaders have viewed sceptically.

World

French lawmaker asks prosecutor to probe TikTok for 'endangering the lives' of users

PARIS (Reuters) -The chairman of a French parliamentary committee investigating TikTok's psychological effects on minors said on Thursday that he had asked for a criminal probe into TikTok's possible responsibility for "endangering the lives" of its young users.

World

Norway says it believes Libya coast guard fired upon migrant vessel

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's foreign ministry said on Thursday that it believes a Libyan coast guard vessel on August 24 fired upon a Norwegian-flagged ship, the MV Ocean Viking, which conducts migrant rescue missions in the Mediterranean.

World

Russia dismisses Polish statements on drones in its airspace as 'nothing new'

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin on Thursday dismissed statements by Warsaw and other European countries about the shooting down of Russian drones over NATO member state Poland as nothing new and said that Moscow would be making no further comment on the situation.

World

Portugal launches labour reform criticised by unions

LISBON (Reuters) -Portugal's minority centre-right government has begun a major overhaul of labour laws to boost competitiveness by making dismissals easier and working hours more flexible, a move criticised by unions who said it contravenes workers' rights.

World

Britain's Mandelson fired as US ambassador over Epstein links

LONDON (Reuters) - Peter Mandelson, Britain's urbane ambassador to the U.S., was sacked by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday after a trove of emails revealed the depth of his ties with the late convicted U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

World

Rome's mayor says River Tiber could open to swimmers within five years

ROME (Reuters) -Rome hopes to open the River Tiber to public swimming within five years, the city's mayor said on Thursday, echoing a similar initiative taken in Paris.

World

China's auto market maintains growth momentum in August

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's auto market maintained steady expansion in August, with both production and sales reporting double-digit increases, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed on Thursday.

World

Myanmar attracts over 129-mln-USD FDI in first 5 months of FY 2025-26

YANGON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar attracted over 129 million U.S. dollars in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first five months of the 2025-26 fiscal year, according to figures released by the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) on Thursday.

World

UN Security Council to meet Friday on drone incursions in Poland

WARSAW (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on Friday to discuss drone incursions into its airspace that the Polish president described as an attempt by Russia to test Warsaw and NATO's response.

World

Investigators in Charlie Kirk killing find weapon, release images of person of interest

OREM, Utah (Reuters) - U.S. investigators on Thursday released photos and a video of a person of interest in the fatal shooting of influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk and said they had found the rifle believed to have been used in the politically charged killing.

World

S. Korea's central bank to see household debt, housing price for timing of interest rate cuts

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's central bank said on Thursday that it will see household debt and housing prices for the timing of further interest cuts.

World

'Not a friendly place': Inside the Bangkok prison where ex-PM Thaksin is jailed

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Three blankets to sleep with, an open bathing area, bland food and the constant risk of violence.

World

Bali floods kill 14, search continues for two missing

JAKARTA (Reuters) -The death toll from this week's floods on the Indonesian island of Bali has risen to 14 people from nine, a government official said on Thursday, though the rain has stopped and water levels are receding in most areas.