In Zimbabwe, where formal employment is scarce and medical costs are prohibitive, a stark financial choice is being made: affordable funeral policies are vastly outpacing health insurance, reflecting a cultural prioritization of dignified burials over accessible healthcare.
Asian markets opened cautiously Monday as a historic metals sell-off reverberated across asset classes. Bitcoin slipped toward $75,000, while regional equities mostly fell. Investors brace for a critical week packed with corporate earnings, central bank decisions, and key economic data.
Global markets opened the week under pressure, with Asian shares and U.S. futures declining amid renewed concerns over an AI sector bubble and falling commodity prices. South Korea's Kospi led losses with a sharp 4.6% drop.
Voters head to the polls in Costa Rica, with the ruling right-wing populist party aiming to secure a decisive mandate and a legislative supermajority to tackle record violence and political gridlock.
A 2011 email to Jeffrey Epstein detailed a bold proposal to identify and recover billions in frozen Libyan state assets, with claimed backing from former intelligence operatives, as the country descended into civil war.
Costa Ricans cast ballots Sunday in an election defined by soaring narco-violence, with ruling party candidate Laura Fernandez, promising a Bukele-style crackdown, favored to win. The vote signals a potential rightward shift and constitutional showdown in a nation struggling with its transformation into a major drug trafficking hub.
Crude futures retreated sharply on Monday after weekend comments from U.S. President Donald Trump suggested diplomatic engagement with Iran, easing fears of a military confrontation that had recently buoyed markets.
As crude prices spike on Middle East tensions, fears of reignited inflation and subsequent Fed action cast a shadow over risk assets, with Bitcoin failing to capitalize on its perceived 'safe-haven' narrative.
In a dramatic market reversal, Bitcoin demonstrates resilience while gold and silver experience historic single-day declines, triggered by shifting interest rate expectations following a surprise Federal Reserve chair nomination.
The U.S. rig count saw a marginal increase this week, yet remains significantly below last year's levels as crude production dips and completions activity sends conflicting signals.
Deere & Company is doubling down on American manufacturing with a new excavator plant and parts center, part of a broader $20 billion commitment. While the move strengthens its long-term industrial narrative, near-term challenges from leadership changes to cyclical market pressures remain in focus.
While rising crude prices have lifted Occidental Petroleum's stock recently, a mixed earnings performance and a predominantly 'Hold' rating from Wall Street signal lingering skepticism about its near-term trajectory.
Yemen's Houthi rebels have seized telecommunications equipment and vehicles from multiple UN offices in Sana'a, the United Nations reported Friday, marking a significant escalation in restrictions that threatens to cripple humanitarian operations in the war-torn country.
A stark new financial analysis warns that ocean warming and extreme weather could cost the seafood sector $15 billion annually by 2050, threatening food security and economies worldwide.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns in a confidential letter that the United Nations faces a severe cash crunch, driven by unpaid dues and restrictive budget rules, threatening its operational viability by mid-year.
As severe flooding displaces hundreds of thousands in Mozambique, the UN raises alarms over dangerously overcrowded temporary shelters and a critical funding shortfall, warning of heightened risks for vulnerable populations.
Promised U.S. funds to repair Ukraine's war-shattered energy grid are caught in administrative limbo, leaving millions vulnerable to extreme cold amid renewed Russian strikes and internal U.S. agency disputes.
Kyiv expresses gratitude for a reported week-long halt to strikes on major cities brokered by the U.S. president, as freezing temperatures exacerbate the humanitarian situation. Moscow remains silent on the alleged agreement.
The resignation of Prudential Financial's Japan life insurance CEO following a widespread employee misconduct scandal has triggered governance reviews and shaken investor confidence in one of the insurer's key international markets.
As demand for specialist education soars, private investors—from Abu Dhabi to private equity firms—are capitalizing on a strained system, drawing criticism for extracting profits from vulnerable children and cash-strapped councils.
