Author: Press Room

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.When commodity prices plunge, producers turn off the taps. The Democratic Republic of Congo, home to three-quarters of the world’s cobalt, has done the next best thing by slapping a three-month suspension on exports. This is unlikely to reverse the pounding taken by the blue metal.Cobalt, named for the evil spirits old-time miners took to be responsible for noxious fumes in their ore, is used in phones, jet engines and electric vehicle batteries. Optimism over electric vehicles pushed the price up to…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Companies were hit with more than $40bn in damages payments stemming from US lawsuits last year, data from LexisNexis showed, as jury awards against tech groups Microsoft, Amazon and Micron fuelled a phenomenon becoming known as “nuclear verdicts”.The price tag for trial awards is growing, data shows. The average award against a corporate defendant in cases brought in the US rose to a record $65.7mn last year, up from $41.7mn in 2023, LexisNexis said.The trend has alarmed executives at big companies and…

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: Nvidia — The heavyweight chipmaker gained roughly 4% as traders piled into the stock near session close, taking back losses from the brief sell-off sparked by a tense exchange between President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that sparked geopolitical concerns. Shares have lost momentum this week after the artificial intelligence darling posted that its quarterly revenue beat for its latest period was the smallest in two years , adding to worries about tariffs, export controls and stiffer competition hurting the stock this year. Crypto stocks — Stocks linked to…

A few years ago, I got into a lift with a former colleague I knew a little but wouldn’t exactly describe as a close friend. In the way that we all have done hundreds of times, I asked how he was, expecting a variant of the standard response: “Yeah, not bad thanks, mate. How are you?”Instead, this colleague said flatly: “My wife wants a divorce.”I can’t really remember how the rest of the conversation went in the short but excruciating journey to our floor, so paralysed by awkwardness was I. Did I offer sympathy, constructive advice, compassion? I hope so,…

A British Columbia entrepreneur experienced a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounter this week when a pod of dolphins chased him down while he was shooting a video on his personal watercraft. Jerry McArthur, founder and CEO of The HydroFlyer, designs and sells the electric surfboards that hover above the water and was on one in Howe Sound, north of Vancouver, with a friend on Monday when he noticed dolphins near by.McArthur says he decided to give the dolphins “a wide berth” to avoid contact, but the animals noticed him and swam over.The B.C. man says the HydroFlyer — essentially a personal hydrofoil…

Queensland Police are investigating alleged child sex abuse offences on the Gold Coast and have released an image of a man they say may be able to assist them in their queries.The police allege the offences occurred between February 19 and February 23 at a Coomera address.The man, seen below, is described as Caucasian in appearance, with dark short hair and a scar on the side of his head.Camera IconQueensland Police say they would like to speak to this man in relation to alleged child sex abuse offences on the Gold Coast. Queensland Police Credit: News Corp AustraliaHe also wears…

Tonally, however, this year’s show marked a distinct and important shift. Until now, the subjects of “advanced elderly” care were for the most part Japan’s prewar generation. This cohort undoubtedly enjoyed many of the benefits of the country’s postwar economic resurgence and subsequent economic “miracle”, but were never entirely defined by those forces.  GROWING OLD IN GOOD TASTE AND VANITY The huge incoming wave of advanced elderly, though, was precisely defined in that way. And you can now clearly discern the idea that standards and salesmanship should be raised to meet the combination of good taste, vanity and faddishness that…

In Summary African traditional festivals are deeply rooted in history, spirituality, and cultural identity. Many are tied to royal lineages, marking transitions of power, while others honor deities, ancestors, and natural elements. Some, like Nigeria’s Durbar, originated from military traditions, while Ghana’s Akwasidae links to the Ashanti Kingdom’s golden stool. Masquerade festivals often serve as mediums between the living and the dead, while events like Ethiopia’s Timkat celebrate religious rites. Deep Dive!!African festivals are not just celebrations; they are historical archives in motion, where culture, power, and identity are reaffirmed. They are not just festivals; they are Africa’s living traditions, where history, power, and spirituality…

A respiratory crisis suffered by Pope Francis on Friday during his two-week hospitalization for pneumonia has added urgency to a delicate, and uncomfortable, question worrying many in the church: What would happen if the pope remains in critical condition for an extended period, with his health worsening, his faculties fading, his quality of life deteriorating?And what would his approach be to extended medical interventions, as well as, ultimately, his end-of-life plans?Francis, 88, has talked about a resignation letter he put on file with the Vatican soon after his election in the event that he became incapacitated, but its contents are…

Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration has approved a major nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel, bypassing a normal congressional review to provide the country with more of the 2,000-pound bombs that it has used in its war against Hamas in Gaza.In a series of notifications sent to Congress late Friday, the State Department said it had signed off on the sale of more than 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs and 4,000 Predator warheads worth $2.04 billion.The State Department approved Israel’s purchase of Caterpillar D9 Bulldozers and related equipment for an estimated cost of $295 million. Deliveries by…