Retreats

• Asian stock markets surged on Wednesday, led by Japan’s Nikkei, which climbed 3.0%, and South Korea, which added 4.1%. • The rally was driven by strong corporate earnings and a renewed appetite for technology stocks following record highs on Wall Street. • Oil prices and bond yields declined amid hopes for progress regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

High winds prevent firefighting aircraft from collecting seawater as flames spread through AtticaEurope’s wildfire crisis fractured along starkly different fronts on Sunday: gale-force winds drove flames deeper into the Athens region and forced fresh evacuations, France guarded a still-burning scar four times the size of Paris against renewed spread, and Spain’s major fires finally stopped advancing.The centre of immediate danger was Greece. Gale-force winds drove flames deeper into western Attica, the administrative region that includes the capital, threatening villages and an industrial district outside the city of Megara as violent wind gusts prevented firefighting aircraft from collecting water from the sea. Continue reading...

• European equity markets recovered from a shaky start on July 20, 2026, with major indices ending the morning session slightly higher. • Oil prices retreated during the session as Iran indicated a willingness to consider mediation proposals. • The shift in sentiment reflects a cautious optimism among investors regarding geopolitical tensions and energy stability.

• South Korea's KOSPI benchmark crashed over 8%, triggering a regional domino effect that saw Japan's Nikkei fall 3% and Taiwan's markets retreat. • The sell-off was driven by an "AI trade unwind," as investors rotated out of major technology stocks due to concerns over stretched valuations and rising AI spending. • Other regional markets were impacted, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slipping 0.4% to 23,678 and India's Nifty 50 remaining flat as foreign institutional investors paused emerging market allocations.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 875 points to reach a new record close on Thursday, June 4, 2026. • Gains were primarily driven by strong performances from UnitedHealth Group and Goldman Sachs, which helped the index overcome a tech-led pullback. • In contrast, the S&P 500 faced headwinds as Broadcom and other AI chipmaker stocks experienced significant declines, and oil prices retreated.

Absence of big US films heralds renewed focus on international cinema that underpins festival’s reputationFor decades, Cannes has occupied a unique place in the cultural imagination – not just as the world’s most prestigious film festival, but as Hollywood’s most glamorous overseas outpost.From Grace Kelly on the Croisette, Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman at the Pulp Fiction premiere, Julia Roberts walking barefoot up the red carpet, to Tom Cruise shutting down the Riviera with fighter jets overhead, Hollywood has made its mark on Cannes. Continue reading...

Researchers say ‘magic mushrooms’ can help with traumatic symptoms, but urge caution as states expand accessSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAfter three combat deployments in Afghanistan, during which he suffered traumatic brain injuries from concussive blasts, army ranger Jesse Gould developed post-traumatic stress disorder and said he “drank almost every night to cope”.In times of hardship, veterans sometimes turn to “medication and talk therapy, but it tends to be more of a maintenance program than actually overcoming it”, Gould said, but added that at age 38, “I was still very young. I didn’t want to be on medication the rest of my life.” Continue reading...