Malaysia king grants house arrest to ex-PM Najib

Inquirer.net - Sep 18, 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia’s king on Friday granted jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak a rare royal clemency, allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison term for graft under house arrest. The decision came at a suddenly convened Pardons Board meeting, a week after the board deferred Najib’s latest clemency application to

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Universal’s Fast & Furious Coaster Is a Theme Park Triumph, Even if Locals Don’t Agree

Sep 18, 2026

Universal’s Fast & Furious Coaster Is a Theme Park Triumph, Even if Locals Don’t Agree

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Resident Evil movie director says he was not prepared for fan backlash

Sep 18, 2026

Resident Evil movie director says he was not prepared for fan backlash

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Takaichi shuffles Japan Cabinet to revive sagging support

Sep 18, 2026

Takaichi shuffles Japan Cabinet to revive sagging support

TOKYO — Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reshuffled her Cabinet on Thursday in a bid to turn around her waning popularity, but retained key ministers as she pursues stronger ties with the US. Japan faces President Donald Trump’s tough demands for bigger defense spending, more investment in America and measures to combat a weak yen. The reshuffle is

Ukraine War Doc ‘A Simple Soldier’ Getting U.S. & International Release Via Jolt & Propagate

Sep 18, 2026

Ukraine War Doc ‘A Simple Soldier’ Getting U.S. & International Release Via Jolt & Propagate

EXCLUSIVE: Jolt is partnering with Propagate Content to support the North America, UK, Australia, Latin America, and Asia release of Ukraine war documentary A Simple Soldier. The partnership will include theatrical screenings, an impact campaign, a Jolt.film TVOD window, and digital aggregation. The film follows Ukrainian filmmaker and cinematographer Artem Ryzhykov “as he trades life […]

King Charles warns AI leaders of 'existential dangers'

Sep 18, 2026

King Charles warns AI leaders of 'existential dangers'

CUMNOCK, Scotland — Britain's King Charles warned AI leaders on Thursday of the "existential dangers" posed by the technology falling into the wrong hands, saying safeguards were needed before it was too late. Charles was hosting the co-founders of chipmaker Nvidia and the Google DeepMind AI research laboratory, along with leaders from the AI providers OpenAI and Anthropic, in Scotland as concern grows that safety efforts are lagging behind the development of increasingly powerful systems. In recent weeks, the debate has centred on whether the industry can and should regulate itself, drawing interventions from figures including Pope Leo, Charles and U.S. President Donald Trump. Charles calls for controls 'before it is too late' Charles said artificial intelligence had the potential to improve and save lives, particularly in life sciences and medicine. But its creators were increasingly warning that it could develop darker capacities, "perhaps even to take life," he said. "There seems urgency in adequately considering the existential dangers of such technologies falling into the wrong han

US jobless claims fall to 196,000, lowest since mid-July

Sep 18, 2026

US jobless claims fall to 196,000, lowest since mid-July

WASHINGTON — The number of people applying for unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week, another sign that layoffs remain rare and most Americans enjoy job security. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims slid to 196,000, the fewest since mid-July and down from 206,000 the week before. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, dropped to 203,250. Economists had expected claims to come in at 207,500, according to a survey by the data firm FactSet. Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch them because they can be a sign of where the job market is headed. For the past year, claims have mostly stayed within a historically low range of 200,000 to 230,000 a week. The American job market has remained sturdy despite higher gasoline prices that have squeezed businesses and consumers since the fighting with Iran began Feb. 28. Layoffs are low. Businesses, remembering the labor shortages that followed the end of pandemic lockdowns, are reluctant to let go of staff. They’re hiring — but modestly by the

China, US top diplomats discuss 'high-level interactions' in call, Beijing says

Sep 18, 2026

China, US top diplomats discuss 'high-level interactions' in call, Beijing says

BEIJING — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call that the two countries "should prepare well for the next stage of high-level interactions in the spirit of equality, respect and reciprocity," Wang's ministry said. Head-of-state diplomacy serves as the anchor of China-U.S. ties, Wang said, adding that the two sides should strengthen communication, advance cooperation, manage differences and respect each other's core interests. The call came a week ahead of an expected visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the U.S., with a meeting with President Donald Trump set to take place on September 24, Trump had said. The official Chinese summary of the call fell short of explicitly confirming an upcoming meeting between Xi and Trump, but said Wang and Rubio "held in-depth discussions focused on high-level exchanges between the two countries." The two top diplomats also discussed the situation in the Middle East, the Chinese foreign ministry said, a day after Wang hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Beijing for talks. In

UN-backed experts cite possible US war crimes in Iran strikes

Sep 18, 2026

UN-backed experts cite possible US war crimes in Iran strikes

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US stocks rise after oil prices fall and pressure from bond market eases

Sep 18, 2026

US stocks rise after oil prices fall and pressure from bond market eases

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks are rising Thursday and recovering most of their losses for the week. Falling oil prices and easing pressure from the bond market helped Wall Street reverse many of its moves from the prior day, when the Federal Reserve hiked its main interest rate for the first time in years and suggested more may be ahead as it tries to get the nation’s high inflation under control. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9 percent and was on track for just its second rise in the last nine days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 213 points, or 0.4 percent, as of 11 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.4 percent higher. Stocks got a boost after the price for a barrel of Brent crude oil slid 2.3 percent to $103.38. That’s down sharply from the nearly $110 it reached earlier in the week on worries that the war with Iran will keep oil bottled up in the Middle East instead of going to customers worldwide. Brent is of course still much more expensive than the $72 per barrel that it cost earlier this summer, but Thursday’s slide helped pull yields lower in the bond market and r

Pennsylvania seeks CDC help on measles outbreak, demands recognition of deaths

Sep 18, 2026

Pennsylvania seeks CDC help on measles outbreak, demands recognition of deaths

WASHINGTON — The Pennsylvania health department said it was requesting emergency support from the U.S. CDC as it grapples with one of the country's largest and most deadly measles outbreaks, according to a document reviewed by Reuters on Thursday. The request comes on condition that the federal agency recognize four measles-associated deaths reported by the state, raising the stakes in a dispute with the Trump administration. The state's measles outbreak has become the focus of a standoff between U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat. Kennedy has cast doubt on whether deaths reported in U.S. measles outbreaks since he took office were due to the virus or another cause, and instructed the CDC not to include the Pennsylvania fatalities in a national tally. Disease experts say the move represented highly unusual interference by a health secretary in the determination by state health officials and could minimize the risks of measles in the eyes of the public. Kennedy has accused Shapiro of politicizing the outbreak in his state and of failing to

Trump to host Xi amid pomp, low expectations

Sep 18, 2026

Trump to host Xi amid pomp, low expectations

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Brazil's Lula announces 15% welfare boost ahead of election

Sep 18, 2026

Brazil's Lula announces 15% welfare boost ahead of election

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