Tokyo Opens Mixed as Precious Metals Surge, Nikkei Slips and Asia Watches Oil, FX and Risk Appetite
Executive summary: Tokyo and broader Asia-Pacific markets opened with a split tone, as the Nikkei 225 and Nikkei 225 ETF fell while Hang Seng futures-linked sentiment stayed firm and precious metals extended a powerful rally. Gold, silver and platinum all posted outsized gains, WTI crude also rose, and the yen strengthened modestly against the dollar. The move suggests investors are still leaning into defensive and inflation-sensitive assets, even as Japanese equities digest a sharp pullback from recent highs. [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Markets Intelligence | 24 Aug 2026 01:15 LONDON
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Ukraine and Russia trade strikes as Burnham heads to Kyiv with missile technology pledge
Andy Burnham is travelling to Kyiv on Ukraine's independence day to announce a new UK move aimed at strengthening Ukraine's long-range missile production. The trip is his first foreign visit as prime minister and comes as Kyiv braces for another wave of Russian missile attacks. The announcement is also expected to deepen tensions with Moscow at a sensitive moment in UK-Russian relations.According to the supplied material, the UK will allow the European defence company MBDA to declassify information about UK-made components used in the Anglo-French Storm Shadow/Scalp missile system. The aim is to help Ukraine build its own version of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 24 Aug 2026 00:29 LONDON
Day News Recap: Iran, Israel and trade tensions dominate as conflicts and shocks spread across regions
Donald Trump renewed his claim over the Strait of Hormuz after posting a map on Truth Social that depicted the strategic waterway as “new American territory”, even as Iran signalled it could keep the route closed and later allowed some Iraqi oil tankers through after Baghdad pressed for access. 🔗 🔗Middle East tensions widened further as Jordan said it had been pulled into the Iran, US and Israel confrontation after missile and drone attacks reached its territory, while Chile announced it would close its embassy in Tehran on 31 August because of security concerns and internal reorganisation. 🔗 🔗Israel and... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 23 Aug 2026 18:23 LONDON
Nigeria sees gas opening as Iran war strains global markets
Nigeria says the war involving Iran has tightened global natural gas markets and created an opening for the country to expand its own production. The issue was set out by Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigeria's minister of state for petroleum resources, who said the disruption could strengthen Nigeria's position as a major gas supplier. He pointed to plans linked to the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline and to wider efforts to attract investment.Ekpo said Nigeria wants to expand gas production and increase liquefied natural gas exports, with Europe identified as a key market. He also said the country is seeking to position its LNG... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 23 Aug 2026 17:33 LONDON
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Trump renews Strait of Hormuz claim as Iran threatens to keep waterway closed
Donald Trump has renewed his claim over the Strait of Hormuz after posting a map on Truth Social that depicted the strategic waterway as "new American territory". He did not comment on the image, but the post revived a dispute that has already drawn sharp responses from Iranian officials. The exchange centres on one of the world's most important shipping lanes and comes amid continuing tension between Washington and Tehran.The latest remarks were followed by a direct warning from Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, who said the strait would remain closed until the United States changes... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 23 Aug 2026 15:29 LONDON
Noontime News Recap: Congo peace roadmap agreed as Ukraine, Syria and West Bank tensions persist
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M23 rebel alliance have agreed a roadmap for peace talks aimed at ending the fighting in the east, even as violence on the ground continues. đź”—In the Middle East, Syria said it is ready to resume security talks with Israel if the strikes stop, after fresh Israeli attacks on Syrian territory. Separately, an Israeli man was wounded in a stabbing near al Auja in the occupied West Bank, prompting a wide search operation by Israeli forces in the Jordan Valley. đź”— đź”—Ukraine's political and wartime strains deepened after President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 23 Aug 2026 12:19 LONDON
Kazakhstan holds snap parliamentary election amid Tokayev-backed constitutional overhaul
Polling is under way in Kazakhstan in a snap parliamentary election that is expected to reinforce President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's political position. Voting opened at 7am local time and is scheduled to close at 8pm, with more than 12 million people eligible to cast ballots. The election is taking place under a constitutional overhaul that replaced the former bicameral system with a single-chamber parliament.The new legislature will have 145 members and is expected to be dominated by supporters of Tokayev, who has led Kazakhstan since 2019. Only seven state-approved parties, all described in the supplied material as loyal to the president,... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 23 Aug 2026 08:59 LONDON
Small UK power plant shut down for four days after cyber attack
A small power plant in the United Kingdom was shut down for four days after a cyber attack, according to officials. The incident affected a small-scale generator rather than a major power station, and the government said the wider energy system was never at risk. The site has not been identified for security reasons.The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said it had contacted power companies to warn them about cyber risk after the attack. The National Cyber Security Centre, which handles attacks on critical infrastructure, also declined to provide further details about the location or method used. Officials... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 23 Aug 2026 04:32 LONDON
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Chile closes embassy in Tehran amid US-Iran tensions
Chile has announced it will close its embassy in Tehran on 31 August, citing an internal operational reorganisation and security factors in the Middle East. The decision was set out in an official statement from Chile's foreign ministry on Saturday, and it comes as tensions between the United States and Iran continue to rise. Chile said the move is preventive and does not amount to a break in diplomatic relations with Iran.According to the statement, consular services previously handled by the embassy in the Iranian capital will be transferred to Chile's consulate in Ankara. The ministry said the closure is... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 23 Aug 2026 03:31 LONDON
Day News Recap: Ukraine, Middle East tensions and trade strains dominate as markets turn risk off
Russia’s war on Ukraine remained the biggest story, after a Russian drone strike on a shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih killed 16 people and injured about 130, while fresh exchanges of long range strikes also hit rail, energy and economic infrastructure in both Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian officials said deaths also rose in the Kyiv region and Zaporizhzhia as the attacks continued. 🔗 🔗Elsewhere in the conflict zone, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the producers and distributors of the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear, saying the move was aimed at curbing Russian influence and national security risks. 🔗In the... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 22 Aug 2026 18:22 LONDON
DR Congo Ebola outbreak as more than 16,000 vaccine doses arrive in Kinshasa
More than 16,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine have arrived in Kinshasa as the Democratic Republic of the Congo tries to slow what officials describe as its deadliest-ever outbreak. The 16,250 doses landed in the capital late on Friday, forming the first shipment of a larger allocation pledged by the World Health Organization and partners. Health officials say the arrival is an important step, but it comes as transmission continues to accelerate in the east of the country.The World Health Organization and partners have pledged 70,000 doses in total for the DRC, according to the latest confirmed figures. Of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 22 Aug 2026 11:32 LONDON
Breakfast News Recap: Ukraine under fresh attack as US tariffs hit Canada and Middle East tensions rise
Ukraine faced another deadly wave of Russian attacks, with the death toll from a drone strike on a shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih rising to 16 and 130 people injured, while separate strikes killed at least two more people and caused fires and injuries in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia. đź”— đź”—European pressure on Moscow is also intensifying, with the EU threatening tougher sanctions after the Kryvyi Rih strike, and Ukraine separately imposing sanctions on the producers and distributors of the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear, which Kyiv says is linked to national security concerns. đź”— đź”—In the Middle East,... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 22 Aug 2026 08:37 LONDON
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Russia conducts missile drills near disputed Kuril Islands, prompting Japanese protest
Russia's Pacific Fleet has carried out missile drills near the disputed islands that Moscow calls the Kuril Islands and Japan regards as its Northern Territories. The exercises took place on Thursday from Etorofu, the largest island in the archipelago, and included live-fire launches of Bastion surface-to-ship missiles. Japan responded by lodging a protest over what it described as strengthening military power in the area.According to the reported Russian account, the missiles were fired at simulated enemy vessels and hit all of their targets at a distance of about 300km. The drills were said to include a nuclear-powered submarine and a... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 21 Aug 2026 06:29 LONDON
US says it thwarted alleged ISIS-linked plot against New York State Capitol as charges filed
US authorities say they arrested Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, after alleging she planned an attack on the New York State Capitol and sought to obtain explosives. The Department of Justice said Bowie was charged with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation, identified in the filings as ISIS. Investigators said the alleged plot was stopped before she was able to act.According to the complaint, Bowie had been communicating with an FBI informant through encrypted apps and allegedly said she wanted help making a bomb. Prosecutors say she identified the state capitol as her target and wrote that... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 21 Aug 2026 00:29 LONDON
Lebanon extradites ex-Assad general to Syria for trial over alleged war crimes
Lebanon has transferred a former Syrian general to Syrian custody, in what is being described as the first extradition of its kind since Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Maj Gen Adel Issa, 67, is accused of crimes linked to the Syrian civil war, including intentional homicide, torture leading to death and crimes of aggression. The handover adds a new stage to Syria's post-Assad pursuit of former security and military officials who fled across the border after the regime change in December 2024.Issa was detained in Lebanon on 8 August after visiting the Syrian embassy in Beirut to complete paperwork, according to... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 14:00 LONDON
Bangladesh holds first contested presidential election in 35 years
Bangladesh is holding its first contested presidential election in 35 years, with voting taking place in the parliamentary chamber in Dhaka. The contest pits the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party's candidate, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, against Oli Ahmed, the nominee of a Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance. The result is expected within hours of the vote, according to the Election Commission.A total of 349 members of parliament are eligible to vote between 08:00 GMT and 11:00 GMT on Thursday. The election was triggered by the resignation last month of Mohammed Shahabuddin, who had been elected unopposed in 2023 as the nominee of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 08:30 LONDON
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Repeated drone breaches reported at Williamtown RAAF base in second incident in a month
Police in New South Wales have confirmed that unidentified drones breached restricted airspace around Williamtown RAAF base for a second time in a month. The base, about 30 kilometres north of Newcastle, is Australia's main fighter pilot training facility and hosts the majority of the country's F-35A fighter jet fleet. The latest incursion was reported in early August, following a similar incident in July.The confirmation came after earlier reports that multiple unidentified drones had been seen flying around the base and nearby Newcastle Airport over several days in July. Police said officers are working with the Australian Defence Force and... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 03:59 LONDON
Trump orders South Korea-US drills cut to five days amid Iran dispute
US and South Korean forces have agreed to cut their annual joint military exercise from 11 days to five after President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce the drills. The change came as the exercise was already under way, and it has intensified concern in Seoul about the reliability of US security guarantees. South Korean officials were caught off guard by the announcement, which Trump made on social media just hours before the drills were due to begin.Trump said the exercises sent an "inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea and linked his decision to what he described... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 03:32 LONDON
U.S. sends carrier to Middle East, leaving temporary gap in Pacific, analyst says
The Trump administration has sent the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the Middle East, a move that one analyst said has created a temporary gap in the Pacific. The deployment comes amid the war with Iran and follows a Pentagon announcement last week that the carrier would replace the USS Abraham Lincoln. According to the report, the move has reduced the U.S. ability to respond quickly to threats in both regions at the same time.The USS George Washington is normally based at Yokosuka, on Japan's coast, where it serves as a deterrent in the Pacific. Its presence is intended... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 19 Aug 2026 18:00 LONDON
UN says record attacks on aid workers in 2025 left Gaza the deadliest place for humanitarians
The United Nations says aid workers faced a record number of violent attacks in 2025, with Gaza remaining the deadliest place for humanitarian staff for a third consecutive year. The UN humanitarian office said 907 aid workers were killed, injured or kidnapped during the year, underscoring the scale of risk facing people delivering relief in conflict zones. The report also said 350 aid workers were killed in 2025, slightly below the record 387 deaths recorded in 2024.The figures were drawn from the Aid Worker Security Database, which tracks major incidents affecting humanitarian personnel. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the level... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 19 Aug 2026 10:31 LONDON
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US Interest in Northern Australian Bases Highlights Strategic Role of Tindal, Curtin and Learmonth
Australia's northern military bases are being cast as increasingly important strategic assets, after reporting highlighted both new infrastructure at RAAF Base Tindal and a separate US interest in using other northern airfields for fuel storage. The developments centre on the Northern Territory and north-west Western Australia, where bases are seen as useful for training, logistics and potential operational support. The reporting also points to the growing role of northern Australia in defence planning as regional security concerns continue to shape military preparations.At RAAF Base Tindal, near Katherine in the Northern Territory, newly built bomb shelters have been completed for F-35... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 19 Aug 2026 08:33 LONDON
US judge allows Ethiopia TPS termination to proceed
A US federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration can move ahead with ending Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopians, removing the final judicial block to the policy change. The decision affects more than 5,000 people who had been shielded from deportation under the programme. It marks a significant step in the administration's wider effort to end TPS protections for multiple nationalities.US District Judge Brian Murphy gave the government permission on Tuesday to terminate Ethiopia's TPS designation. According to the ruling, the legal protection allows foreign nationals in the United States to remain in the country and apply for work... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 18 Aug 2026 21:00 LONDON
UK leader Burnham targeted by White House impersonator
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reportedly been targeted by someone posing as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in a messaging exchange that has raised fresh concerns about official impersonation and communications security. According to the report, Burnham exchanged a few messages with the impostor before becoming suspicious and cutting off contact. He then informed the relevant authorities.The contents of the messages have not been made public, and sources quoted in the report said they were of no significance. A British government spokesperson declined to comment, citing policy on national security matters. The British Embassy in the United... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 17 Aug 2026 18:33 LONDON
There Is Good in Every Bad
Power, Greed, Oil, and the Theater of Modern Geopolitics The Business Model of Power Donald Trump does not govern like a traditional politician. He governs like a negotiator who believes every geopolitical crisis is leverage, every war threat is a bargaining chip, and every market panic is an opportunity. When markets tremble, someone profits. The question is, who? Global markets react instantly to political tension. Gold rises when conflict looms. Oil spikes when instability threatens production. Stock markets collapse on fear, then rebound on reassurance. Volatility is not chaos, it is opportunity. Historically, gold has surged during major geopolitical crises,... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 18 Feb 2026 17:11 LONDON
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