New data showed that Italy’s population stabilized after 12 years of decline, mainly due to increased immigration. The figures may seem surprising given right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s hard line against migration — including by pioneering the practice of setting up “return centers” in which prospective migrants are sent to ...
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Riyadh evacuates main business hub over Iran threatRiyadh evacuates main business hub over Iran threat
The News Saudi Arabia told businesses not to send staff into Riyadh’s main financial zone after concerns that the area could be targeted in Iranian missile or drone attacks. The order to empty office towers in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) is one of the clearest signs yet that ...
Taiwan faces tenuous defense future, ex-official warnsTaiwan faces tenuous defense future, ex-official warns
Taiwan is failing to adequately plan for its own defense, a former senior official warned, as the island faces a political deadlock over a military spending bill and an upcoming visit by the opposition leader to Beijing. In an op-ed for Nikkei, a former lawmaker and one-time spokesperson for the ...
Maryland’s biggest newspaper is going after the governor’s 2028 campaignMaryland’s biggest newspaper is going after the governor’s 2028 campaign
The Scoop The owner of Maryland’s biggest paper and TV stations is keeping close tabs on his outlet’s investigation of the state’s governor. In recent months, The Baltimore Sun has brought on a team of investigators from sister television station Sinclair to comb through Gov. Wes Moore’s records as he ...
US inflation likely spiked in March, economists predictUS inflation likely spiked in March, economists predict
The Iran war likely drove up US consumer prices in March, economists predicted ahead of key inflation data expected this week. The inflation spike could be the largest one-month jump since 2022, Bloomberg wrote, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused gas prices to surge. The price hikes ...
Trump issues expletive-laden threat against IranTrump issues expletive-laden threat against Iran
US President Donald Trump, in an expletive-laden post on Sunday, threatened to bomb all of Iran’s power plants and destroy its bridges if Tehran didn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He told Axios he is open to striking a deal with Iran by Tuesday, but otherwise, “I am blowing up ...
AI startups boost Hong Kong IPOsAI startups boost Hong Kong IPOs
Listings on Hong Kong’s stock exchange reached a five-year high in the first quarter of 2026, driven by investor appetite for AI and chips. The two best-performing IPOs this year, Zhipu and MiniMax, are among China’s “AI tigers,” a group of top-tier firms. Beijing has looked to cool, but not ...
Pope Leo XIV calls for peace in first Easter addressPope Leo XIV calls for peace in first Easter address
Pope Leo XIV warned the world is becoming “accustomed to violence,” urging leaders in his first Easter address to end conflict and prioritize dialogue. Leo has spoken out against the Iran war, lobbying for an “off-ramp.” After the US defense secretary prayed for “overwhelming violence” against Iran, Leo said Jesus ...
Food shortage fears grow in AsiaFood shortage fears grow in Asia
The Iran war is heightening concerns over a looming food crisis in Asia. Malaysians are stockpiling staples, Central Asia is seeing higher prices for dried goods and vegetables, and farmers in India and Sri Lanka are anxious about fertilizer shipments stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. “We are praying this ...
Pentagon taps humanoid robot startupsPentagon taps humanoid robot startups
Gun-shooting humanoid robots fighting on the front lines are becoming less of a dystopian fantasy. Robot startup Foundation Future Industries recently inked a $24 million deal with the Pentagon and has begun tests in Ukraine with its robots, which can inspect and transport weapons. The two-year-old company is among a ...