Amid the ongoing tensions over Russia and Ukraine crisis, major markets in Asia opened up to losses. Indian markets also opened in the red.

Major Asian markets trade with losses as tensions simmer on Russia-Ukraine crisis

A real estate property will be put for sale soon in Lithuania. What is unique&nbsp;about it that it earlier used to be a ‘black site’. &nbsp;

At this notorious site, terror suspects used to be kept in solitary confinement by the spy agency of the US, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

According to the terminology, a black site means a place, where an unacknowledged black operation is conducted.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/war-may-loom-but-are-there-off-ramps-447405" hreflang="en">War may loom, but are there off-ramps?</a>

The menacing steel barn, which is also known as Project No 2 or Detention Site Violet, is located outside Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. &nbsp; &nbsp;

On Monday, the government’s real estate fund said that it was preparing to sell the former “black site” for an unknown price. This fund handles assets that are no longer needed by the state. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It was a part of Washington’s secret 'extraordinary rendition' programme, where suspected Islamist militants from conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq were captured and held in jails outside the US. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-us-president-joe-biden-calls-reporter-stupid-son-of-a-b-on-hot-mic-find-out-why-447299" hreflang="en">Watch: US President Joe Biden calls reporter 'stupid son of a b****' on hot mic. Find out why</a>

The 10-room building served as a detention centre in 2005 and 2006 for the US. It was closed in 2006. It has windowless and soundproofed rooms. This facility has its own power generator and water supply. &nbsp;

The now-empty rooms in this facility are dominated by fluorescent lighting and the hum of air conditioning. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A real estate property will be put for sale soon in Lithuania. What is unique about it that it earlier used to be a ‘black site’. At this notorious site, terror suspects used to be kept in solitary confinement by the spy agency of the US, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

A real estate property will be put for sale soon in Lithuania. What is unique about it that it earlier used to be a ‘black site’. At this notorious site, terror suspects used to be kept in solitary confinement by the spy agency of the US, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). According to the terminology, a black site means a place, where an unacknowledged black operation is conducted. Also Read: War may loom, but are there off-ramps? The menacing steel barn, which is also known as Project No 2 or Detention Site Violet, is located outside Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. On Monday, the government’s real estate fund said that it was preparing to sell the former “black site” for an unknown price. This fund handles assets that are no longer needed by the state. It was a part of Washington’s secret 'extraordinary rendition' programme, where suspected Islamist militants from conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq were captured and held in jails outside the US. Also Read: Watch: US President Joe Biden calls reporter 'stupid son of a b****' on hot mic. Find out why The 10-room building served as a detention centre in 2005 and 2006 for the US. It was closed in 2006. It has windowless and soundproofed rooms. This facility has its own power generator and water supply. The now-empty rooms in this facility are dominated by fluorescent lighting and the hum of air conditioning. (With inputs from agencies)

A ‘black site’ to go up for sale in Lithuania. Find out what is it

The Kashmir Willow bats have finally arrived in the international cricketing world. For the first time in the last 75 years, two international cricket players used the Kashmir willow bats in the T-20 world cup, which was held in Dubai.&nbsp; 
This development has changed the fate of Kashmir's Willow bat industry.&nbsp;

The demand for Kashmir Willow bats has increased and orders are pouring in from across the World. Bat importers from around 12 cricket playing nations have placed orders with several bat factories in Kashmir.

The Kashmir bat industry was established in the year 1947 after India got its independence. Since then, millions of bats were made in the valley, but none were used by international cricket players.&nbsp;

''These players using the Kashmir willow bats on the biggest and best platform like the world cup is important for us. There couldn't have been a better stage than the world cup to present our product and our brand in the international market. This is the biggest achievement for the Kashmir cricket bat manufacture association. I had worked a lot since 2014 and visited all cricket playing nations and told the players we have an alternative to English willow which is cheaper. They did not go for it in the beginning, but after the Kashmir Willow bat was used in the world cup, the same people approached us and have given orders for these bats," said Fuwzal Kabir, Willow bat factory owner, Anantnag.&nbsp;

<img alt="Kashmir Willow bats" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="54e691c7-b6d7-4eb1-839d-422b48462cec" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-01-21%20at%205.36.35%20PM.jpeg" />

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img alt="Kashmir Willow bats" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="769d6dd0-8c1c-4da4-8e2b-34419f47cf6b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-01-21%20at%205.36.36%20PM.jpeg" />

<img alt="Kashmir Willow bats" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="373a3209-e7fb-491f-86cf-da42d8b39a13" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-01-21%20at%205.36.37%20PM.jpeg" />

<img alt="Kashmir Willow bats" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="028594bd-1d40-470f-9c73-5d5d1730e976" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-01-21%20at%205.36.36%20PM_1.jpeg" />

The orders for Kashmir willow bats are pouring from multiple countries. The factory owners say they are working day and night to manufacture as many bats as possible. The demand is more than what is being produced in the Kashmir market.&nbsp;

''Around 11-12 countries have given us orders which includes New Zealand, South Africa, UAE, Qatar, Denmark, New Zealand, Scotland and more. This is a new morning for all of us. For the last 75 years we have been manufacturing cricket bats here and we have more than 400 bat factories. And none of us was able to send our product to the international market. We are the only ones who can produce these bats at such a rate which is much less than what English willow costs,'' said Fuwzal.

The government of India recently gave Kashmir bat industry GI Tagging. It put the industry on the international market with quality control and made a brand out of it.

The bat factory owners have approached the government of Jammu and Kashmir saying the willows are being cut at a fast pace which can eventually turn into an issue for the bat factory owners and employees. They have asked the government for the re-plantation of the willow trees across the valley, especially in south Kashmir.&nbsp;

''The GI tagging will help, it will help people to know that it comes from Kashmir. We will get recognition and it will send across the message that the bat can be used on any platform. The trees are being cut at a fast rate, and no one is going for replantation of the trees. The government has to help us with the replantation otherwise we won't have willow trees available in the next 5-7 years. We have approached the Governor regarding the issue, and they assured us of a replantation drive. Otherwise, this will render all of us jobless in future,"&nbsp;said Fuwzal.

To compete in the international market, the bat factory owners have hired experts from different parts of the country to make bats.

Those experts who have made bats for cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag are in Kashmir and helping make the best Kashmir willow bats.&nbsp;

''Kashmir willow is a good quality wood; we need someone to make the best of it. We must sift through it for the best quality. and for that What you require is a maker,'' said Ravi Tiger, a bat making expert.&nbsp;

For further promotions of their brands, the factory owners are approaching Indian cricket team players asking them to promote and use Kashmir Willow bats. They are hopeful that Indian cricketers will be using these bats in future.&nbsp;

The Kashmir Willow bats have finally arrived in the international cricketing world. For the first time in the last 75 years, two international cricket players used the Kashmir willow bats in the T-20 world cup, which was held in Dubai.

The Kashmir Willow bats have finally arrived in the international cricketing world. For the first time in the last 75 years, two international cricket players used the Kashmir willow bats in the T-20 world cup, which was held in Dubai. This development has changed the fate of Kashmir's Willow bat industry. The demand for Kashmir Willow bats has increased and orders are pouring in from across the World. Bat importers from around 12 cricket playing nations have placed orders with several bat factories in Kashmir. The Kashmir bat industry was established in the year 1947 after India got its independence. Since then, millions of bats were made in the valley, but none were used by international cricket players. ''These players using the Kashmir willow bats on the biggest and best platform like the world cup is important for us. There couldn't have been a better stage than the world cup to present our product and our brand in the international market. This is the biggest achievement for the Kashmir cricket bat manufacture association. I had worked a lot since 2014 and visited all cricket playing nations and told the players we have an alternative to English willow which is cheaper. They did not go for it in the beginning, but after the Kashmir Willow bat was used in the world cup, the same people approached us and have given orders for these bats," said Fuwzal Kabir, Willow bat factory owner, Anantnag. The orders for Kashmir willow bats are pouring from multiple countries. The factory owners say they are working day and night to manufacture as many bats as possible. The demand is more than what is being produced in the Kashmir market. ''Around 11-12 countries have given us orders which includes New Zealand, South Africa, UAE, Qatar, Denmark, New Zealand, Scotland and more. This is a new morning for all of us. For the last 75 years we have been manufacturing cricket bats here and we have more than 400 bat factories. And none of us was able to send our product to the international market. We are the only ones who can produce these bats at such a rate which is much less than what English willow costs,'' said Fuwzal. The government of India recently gave Kashmir bat industry GI Tagging. It put the industry on the international market with quality control and made a brand out of it. The bat factory owners have approached the government of Jammu and Kashmir saying the willows are being cut at a fast pace which can eventually turn into an issue for the bat factory owners and employees. They have asked the government for the re-plantation of the willow trees across the valley, especially in south Kashmir. ''The GI tagging will help, it will help people to know that it comes from Kashmir. We will get recognition and it will send across the message that the bat can be used on any platform. The trees are being cut at a fast rate, and no one is going for replantation of the trees. The government has to help us with the replantation otherwise we won't have willow trees available in the next 5-7 years. We have approached the Governor regarding the issue, and they assured us of a replantation drive. Otherwise, this will render all of us jobless in future," said Fuwzal. To compete in the international market, the bat factory owners have hired experts from different parts of the country to make bats. Those experts who have made bats for cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag are in Kashmir and helping make the best Kashmir willow bats. ''Kashmir willow is a good quality wood; we need someone to make the best of it. We must sift through it for the best quality. and for that What you require is a maker,'' said Ravi Tiger, a bat making expert. For further promotions of their brands, the factory owners are approaching Indian cricket team players asking them to promote and use Kashmir Willow bats. They are hopeful that Indian cricketers will be using these bats in future.

Kashmir Willow bats have now entered international markets

Personalized smart guns that can be fired only by verified users could soon be available across American markets. Pistols that will read your fingerprints and may perhaps also require passcode before you can fire them could potentially lead a new era of smart guns.

Smart guns that can be fired only by verified users could soon be available across American markets

The job market bounces back to pre-pandemic levels as South Korea records the largest job growth in 7 years.

South Korea records largest job growth in 7 years

In a recent revelation, a peer-reviewed article published in the journal Science claims that early coronavirus infection during 2019 originated from a market in Wuhan.

In a recent revelation, a peer-reviewed article published in the journal Science claims that early coronavirus infection during 2019 originated from a market in Wuhan. Dr Michael Worobey, an expert in virus evolution at the University of Arizona has claimed that the first person to contract Covid-19 was a seafood vendor at a Wuhan animal market. The scientist analysed public accounts of early Covid-19 cases in China and concluded that the WHO inquiry had gotten the early chronology of the pandemic wrong. Worobey encountered a few timeline discrepancies in both medical journals and video interviews of the first two documented infections. After completing his analysis, Worobey put forth his argument stating that the vendor’s ties to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market and the recent analysis of hospitalised patients’ connections to the market indicate that the pandemic originated there. He has also been open to the theory of a lab leak as he was one among the group of scientists who wrote a letter to Science urging for an investigation to identify the origins of the virus, including a laboratory accident. Also read | WHO forms new expert group to continue research into origins of Covid in Wuhan Not just Worobey, but various experts, including one of the pandemic investigators chosen said that his work makes sense and the first known case of Covid was most likely a seafood vendor. However, they further mentioned that the evidence was still not enough. Another theory by the scientists indicates that the virus infected a “patient zero” before the vendor’s case. Afterwards, it spread widely in the market. Jesse Bloom, a virologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center was quoted by The New York Times as saying, “I don’t disagree with the analysis." “But I don’t agree that any of the data are strong enough or complete enough to say anything very confidently, other than that the Huanan Seafood Market was clearly a super-spreading event.”

Scientists working on Covid origin notice timeline discrepancies; 1st case was a vendor at Wuhan market

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) market in India is set to reach $7.8 billion by 2025 -- covering hardware, software and services markets -- and growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 20.2 per cent, a new report showed on Tuesday.

The businesses in India will accelerate the adoption of both AI-centric and AI non-centric applications for the next five years, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/artificial-intelligence-completes-beethovens-unfinished-tenth-symphony-417463">Artificial intelligence completes Beethoven's unfinished tenth symphony</a>

AI software segment will dominate the market and would grow from $2.8 billion in 2020 at a CAGR of 18.1 per cent by the end of 2025.

"Indian organisations plan to invest in AI to address current business scenarios across functions, such as customer service, human resources (HR), IT automation, security, recommendations, and many more," IDC India Associate Research Director, Cloud and AI, Rishu Sharma said.

"Increasing business resilience and enhancing customer retention are among the top business objectives for using AI by Indian enterprises," Sharma added.

Indian organisations cited the cloud as the preferred deployment location for their AI/ML solutions. About 51 per cent of organisations are processing transactional and social media data through AI/ML solutions in the country.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/spacecows-ai-to-help-rangers-predict-herds-movements-to-save-sacred-sites-and-rock-art-413278">SpaceCows: AI to help rangers predict herds' movements to save sacred sites and rock art</a>

"With data being one of the most crucial components in an AI/ML project, businesses use variety of databases to handle large data volumes for making real time business decisions. Organisations must focus on getting high-quality training data for AI/ML models," AI Senior Market Analyst, Swapnil Shende said.

AI applications forms the largest share of revenue for the AI software category, at more than 52 per cent in 2020.

"The major reasons for AI projects to fail includes disruptive results to current business processes and lack of follow-ups from business units," the report noted.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) market in India is set to reach $7.8 billion by 2025 -- covering hardware, software and services markets -- and growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 20.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) market in India is set to reach $7.8 billion by 2025 -- covering hardware, software and services markets -- and growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 20.2 per cent, a new report showed on Tuesday. The businesses in India will accelerate the adoption of both AI-centric and AI non-centric applications for the next five years, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). Also Read | Artificial intelligence completes Beethoven's unfinished tenth symphony AI software segment will dominate the market and would grow from $2.8 billion in 2020 at a CAGR of 18.1 per cent by the end of 2025. "Indian organisations plan to invest in AI to address current business scenarios across functions, such as customer service, human resources (HR), IT automation, security, recommendations, and many more," IDC India Associate Research Director, Cloud and AI, Rishu Sharma said. "Increasing business resilience and enhancing customer retention are among the top business objectives for using AI by Indian enterprises," Sharma added. Indian organisations cited the cloud as the preferred deployment location for their AI/ML solutions. About 51 per cent of organisations are processing transactional and social media data through AI/ML solutions in the country. Also read | SpaceCows: AI to help rangers predict herds' movements to save sacred sites and rock art "With data being one of the most crucial components in an AI/ML project, businesses use variety of databases to handle large data volumes for making real time business decisions. Organisations must focus on getting high-quality training data for AI/ML models," AI Senior Market Analyst, Swapnil Shende said. AI applications forms the largest share of revenue for the AI software category, at more than 52 per cent in 2020. "The major reasons for AI projects to fail includes disruptive results to current business processes and lack of follow-ups from business units," the report noted.

India’s Artificial Intelligence market expected to touch $7.8 billion by 2025: Report

The venture would focus on China and South Korea initially but would likely to be expanded to cover fast-growing Asian markets.

Renault to explore hybrid vehicles with Geely

Jobless rates were broadly expected to remain above pre-COVID-19 levels in coming years.

Global Economy to expand by 6% this year

Domestic equity markets started the day’s trade in the red amid mixed global cues but soon rebounded to turn green.

Nifty nears 15,900; Sensex sits in green, crosses 53,000

Global markets are once again touching new highs, US markets are at a record high already. There are multiple risks that are being faced by economies as well. What is the outlook for global economies and what is the way ahead? Daily Effects Strategist from Asian Financial Hub Singapore, Margaret Yang Yen talks to WION on these issues.

Global stock markets likely to be range bound says Margaret Yang, Strategist DailyFX

India is particularly vulnerable as any increase in global prices can affect its import bill, stoke inflation, and widen trade deficit.

Brent Crude settles at $75.56 a barrel

Brent crude futures for August gained 30 cents, or 0.4%, to $73.81 a barrel by 0051 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for July was at $71.96 a barrel, up 32 cents, or 0.5%.

Brent crude futures up 0.4% at $73.81 a barrel

Indian stock market indices, Sensex and Nifty ended lower on Wednesday dragged by metals and banking stocks amid mixed global cues.&nbsp;

Broader markets, smallcap and midcap indices also declined. Barring Nifty FMCG and Nifty IT, all other sectoral indices witnessed selling pressure.

BSE Sensex fell 271 points or 0.51 per cent to 52,502, while the broader Nifty 50 index declined 102 points or 0.64 per cent to settle at 15,767. The top BSE Sensex laggards were Power Grid Corporation of India, IndusInd Bank, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), L&amp;T, and UltraTech Cement, among others.

Global market

Asian shares were subdued on Wednesday with investors wary of any hint of hawkishness from the US Federal Reserve given lofty asset valuations rely so heavily on an endless supply of super-cheap money.

Japan's Nikkei ended 0.5 per cent lower and China's Shanghai Index dipped 1 per cent. South Korea's Kospi and Australia's ASX200, on the other hand, gained 0.6 per cent and 0.01 per cent, respectively.&nbsp;

In Europe, gains in financial and industrial stocks lifted indices, with the pan-European STOXX 600 up 0.2 per cent.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Indian stock market indices, Sensex and Nifty ended lower on Wednesday dragged by metals and banking stocks amid mixed global cues. Broader markets, smallcap and midcap indices also declined.

Indian stock market indices, Sensex and Nifty ended lower on Wednesday dragged by metals and banking stocks amid mixed global cues. Broader markets, smallcap and midcap indices also declined. Barring Nifty FMCG and Nifty IT, all other sectoral indices witnessed selling pressure. BSE Sensex fell 271 points or 0.51 per cent to 52,502, while the broader Nifty 50 index declined 102 points or 0.64 per cent to settle at 15,767. The top BSE Sensex laggards were Power Grid Corporation of India, IndusInd Bank, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), L&T, and UltraTech Cement, among others. Global market Asian shares were subdued on Wednesday with investors wary of any hint of hawkishness from the US Federal Reserve given lofty asset valuations rely so heavily on an endless supply of super-cheap money. Japan's Nikkei ended 0.5 per cent lower and China's Shanghai Index dipped 1 per cent. South Korea's Kospi and Australia's ASX200, on the other hand, gained 0.6 per cent and 0.01 per cent, respectively. In Europe, gains in financial and industrial stocks lifted indices, with the pan-European STOXX 600 up 0.2 per cent. (With inputs from Reuters)

Sensex falls 271 points, Nifty ends below 15,800

The space tourism company reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of $55.9 million, down from a loss of $59.5 million in the previous quarter.

Virgin Galactic shares fall after another quarterly loss

Dozens of Muslim militants occupied a public market overnight in the southern Philippines before fleeing after a tense standoff with government forces, officials said on Saturday.&nbsp;

The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters did not take any hostage or put up resistance when army troops and police took positions at dawn on Saturday near the public market in the farming town of Datu Paglas, said military spokesman Lt Col John Paul Baldomar. &nbsp;

"They went into the market and stole food but got stuck inside when they saw that our forces have taken positions to ensure other buildings could not be threatened," he told reporters.&nbsp;

There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.&nbsp;

The rebel group broke off from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group in the south, after it entered into peace talks and later signed a Muslim autonomy deal with the government in 2014. The breakaway guerrillas have continued sporadic attacks and bombings, with some aligning themselves with the Islamic State group.&nbsp;

Baldomar said government forces locked down the town center, where the public market is located, and closed a highway at the height of the hours-long rebel occupation of the market. After the gunmen fled in batches following talks with local officials, soldiers found at least four homemade bombs placed by the rebels along the highway. Troops were pursuing the gunmen, he said.&nbsp;

Datu Paglas Vice Mayor Mohammad Paglas, however, gave a different account and told reporters that the mostly young Muslim rebels arrived on board five trucks in the town center on Friday to rest and mark the holy fasting month of Ramzan. He added some of the gunmen have relatives in the town in predominantly Muslim Maguindanao province.&nbsp;

"A big number of gunmen arrived and told us they just wanted to take rest since it's Ramzan. We allowed them," Paglas said.&nbsp;

When troops and police, some on board armored personnel carriers, arrived, the rebels were forced to retreat into the public market for cover but allowed people to leave the building, he said.&nbsp;

Paglas said there was an exchange of fire before the rebels fled, as requested by local officials. &nbsp;

Baldomar said some of the gunmen opened fire on civilian motorists, who were trapped along the highway. The motorists later managed to flee with the help of the military, he said.&nbsp;

Government forces have been on alert in the south, homeland of minority Muslims in the largely Roman Catholic nation, after hundreds of mostly local militants with some foreign supporters linked to the Islamic State group laid siege on southern Marawi city in 2017. &nbsp;

They took over buildings, including banks, school campuses and a hospital, before troops quelled the insurrection after five months with the help of surveillance aircraft deployed by the US and Australia. The audacious attack at the time reinforced fears that the IS was gaining a foothold in the Southeast Asia despite battle setbacks in Iraq and Syria.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Dozens of Muslim militants occupied a public market overnight in the southern Philippines before fleeing after a tense standoff with government forces, officials said on Saturday.

Dozens of Muslim militants occupied a public market overnight in the southern Philippines before fleeing after a tense standoff with government forces, officials said on Saturday. The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters did not take any hostage or put up resistance when army troops and police took positions at dawn on Saturday near the public market in the farming town of Datu Paglas, said military spokesman Lt Col John Paul Baldomar. "They went into the market and stole food but got stuck inside when they saw that our forces have taken positions to ensure other buildings could not be threatened," he told reporters. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths. The rebel group broke off from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group in the south, after it entered into peace talks and later signed a Muslim autonomy deal with the government in 2014. The breakaway guerrillas have continued sporadic attacks and bombings, with some aligning themselves with the Islamic State group. Baldomar said government forces locked down the town center, where the public market is located, and closed a highway at the height of the hours-long rebel occupation of the market. After the gunmen fled in batches following talks with local officials, soldiers found at least four homemade bombs placed by the rebels along the highway. Troops were pursuing the gunmen, he said. Datu Paglas Vice Mayor Mohammad Paglas, however, gave a different account and told reporters that the mostly young Muslim rebels arrived on board five trucks in the town center on Friday to rest and mark the holy fasting month of Ramzan. He added some of the gunmen have relatives in the town in predominantly Muslim Maguindanao province. "A big number of gunmen arrived and told us they just wanted to take rest since it's Ramzan. We allowed them," Paglas said. When troops and police, some on board armored personnel carriers, arrived, the rebels were forced to retreat into the public market for cover but allowed people to leave the building, he said. Paglas said there was an exchange of fire before the rebels fled, as requested by local officials. Baldomar said some of the gunmen opened fire on civilian motorists, who were trapped along the highway. The motorists later managed to flee with the help of the military, he said. Government forces have been on alert in the south, homeland of minority Muslims in the largely Roman Catholic nation, after hundreds of mostly local militants with some foreign supporters linked to the Islamic State group laid siege on southern Marawi city in 2017. They took over buildings, including banks, school campuses and a hospital, before troops quelled the insurrection after five months with the help of surveillance aircraft deployed by the US and Australia. The audacious attack at the time reinforced fears that the IS was gaining a foothold in the Southeast Asia despite battle setbacks in Iraq and Syria. (With inputs from agencies)

Philippine troops drive away armed rebels from public market 

Cuba's state cigar monopoly, Habanos SA, said on Tuesday that China had displaced Spain last year as its top market but rising demand in the Asian giant could not compensate for declines in sales elsewhere, with global revenue down 4% to $507 million.&nbsp;

Curbs on travel last year due to the pandemic dealt a serious blow to demand from countries reliant on tourism as well as sales at duty free, Habanos said in a statement.&nbsp;

Cuba's hand-rolled cigars, which include brands such as Cohiba, Montecristo and Partagas, are considered by many as the best in the world. &nbsp;

Habanos usually holds a festival early in the year for wealthy tobacco aficionados and retailers during which they tour plantations and factories and meet in the evenings to puff on Cuban smokes at extravagant parties. &nbsp;

This year, though, with Cuba grappling with its worst outbreak of COVID-19 yet and other countries also struggling to curb contagion, it is instead holding three days of virtual events, which kicked off on Tuesday.&nbsp;

"2020 has been a challenging year not just for our business but for the whole of humanity," Habanos said in a statement.&nbsp;

Cigars are one of the top exports for the Cuban economy, which shrank 11% last year as the pandemic and increased US sanctions exacerbated the cash crunch.&nbsp;

The Caribbean island cannot sell its signature export to the biggest market worldwide for cigars, the United States, due to the decades-old US trade embargo.&nbsp;

Europe remains the top regional market for Habanos, accounting for 50% of sales, followed by the Asian-Pacific area, which accounts for 16.2%, according to the statement.&nbsp;

The state-run Cuban News Agency cited Habanos officials at the event on Tuesday as saying that sales in Europe and Asia-Pacific had risen 2% and 10%, respectively. Revenue dropped 31% in Africa and the Middle East, however, and 21% in the Americas.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Cuba's state cigar monopoly, Habanos SA, said on Tuesday that China had displaced Spain last year as its top market but rising demand in the Asian giant could not compensate for declines in sales elsewhere, with global revenue down 4% to $507 million.

Cuba's state cigar monopoly, Habanos SA, said on Tuesday that China had displaced Spain last year as its top market but rising demand in the Asian giant could not compensate for declines in sales elsewhere, with global revenue down 4% to $507 million. Curbs on travel last year due to the pandemic dealt a serious blow to demand from countries reliant on tourism as well as sales at duty free, Habanos said in a statement. Cuba's hand-rolled cigars, which include brands such as Cohiba, Montecristo and Partagas, are considered by many as the best in the world. Habanos usually holds a festival early in the year for wealthy tobacco aficionados and retailers during which they tour plantations and factories and meet in the evenings to puff on Cuban smokes at extravagant parties. This year, though, with Cuba grappling with its worst outbreak of COVID-19 yet and other countries also struggling to curb contagion, it is instead holding three days of virtual events, which kicked off on Tuesday. "2020 has been a challenging year not just for our business but for the whole of humanity," Habanos said in a statement. Cigars are one of the top exports for the Cuban economy, which shrank 11% last year as the pandemic and increased US sanctions exacerbated the cash crunch. The Caribbean island cannot sell its signature export to the biggest market worldwide for cigars, the United States, due to the decades-old US trade embargo. Europe remains the top regional market for Habanos, accounting for 50% of sales, followed by the Asian-Pacific area, which accounts for 16.2%, according to the statement. The state-run Cuban News Agency cited Habanos officials at the event on Tuesday as saying that sales in Europe and Asia-Pacific had risen 2% and 10%, respectively. Revenue dropped 31% in Africa and the Middle East, however, and 21% in the Americas. (With inputs from agencies)

China becomes top market for Cuba's legendary cigars 

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics Co Ltd reclaimed its crown as the world's biggest&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;maker from&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;in the first quarter, cornering a fifth of overall global&nbsp;shipments.

China's&nbsp;Xiaomi&nbsp;Corp rounded out the top three positions with its best quarterly performance ever as&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;surged 62 per cent&nbsp;to 49 million phones and its market share rose to 14 per cent, market research firm Canalys said.

Overall, global&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;surged 27&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;to 347 million units in the first quarter as the Chinese economy opened up after the pandemic and a swift vaccine rollout in the United States raised hopes of an economic recovery.

South Korea's&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;shipped 76.5 million&nbsp;smartphones in the quarter to grab a 22&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;share of the market, Canalys said. The company on Thursday reported a 66&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;surge in quarterly profit in its mobiles business, thanks to robust sales of its flagship Galaxy S21&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;series.

Canalys said&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;shipped 52.4 million iPhones in the January-March period, falling to the second spot with a 15 per cent&nbsp;share of the market.

Apple&nbsp;still grabbed record market share in the United States, China, India and Japan, Counterpoint analyst Varun Mishra said, adding that the iPhone Pro Max was a top seller in the United States.

Smartphone&nbsp;sales have surged over the past year as people stayed and worked from home. But the shopping frenzy has fuelled a global shortage in semiconductor chips that has roiled industries including autos and large appliances.

"Supply of critical components, such as chipsets, has quickly become a major concern, and will hinder&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;in the coming quarters," Canalys analyst Ben Stanton said.

Apple&nbsp;said on Wednesday that the chip shortage could cost the company $3 billion to $4 billion in revenue in the April-June quarter, affecting primarily iPads and Macbooks.

March-quarter&nbsp;smartphone&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;for China's Oppo and Vivo brands also surged, Canalys said. But Huawei, the former No. 1 that remains shackled by U.S. sanctions, took only seventh place after selling its Honor brand last year.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd reclaimed its crown as the world's biggest smartphone maker from Apple in the first quarter, cornering a fifth of overall global shipments.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd reclaimed its crown as the world's biggest smartphone maker from Apple in the first quarter, cornering a fifth of overall global shipments. China's Xiaomi Corp rounded out the top three positions with its best quarterly performance ever as shipments surged 62 per cent to 49 million phones and its market share rose to 14 per cent, market research firm Canalys said. Overall, global shipments surged 27 per cent to 347 million units in the first quarter as the Chinese economy opened up after the pandemic and a swift vaccine rollout in the United States raised hopes of an economic recovery. South Korea's Samsung shipped 76.5 million smartphones in the quarter to grab a 22 per cent share of the market, Canalys said. The company on Thursday reported a 66 per cent surge in quarterly profit in its mobiles business, thanks to robust sales of its flagship Galaxy S21 smartphone series. Canalys said Apple shipped 52.4 million iPhones in the January-March period, falling to the second spot with a 15 per cent share of the market. Apple still grabbed record market share in the United States, China, India and Japan, Counterpoint analyst Varun Mishra said, adding that the iPhone Pro Max was a top seller in the United States. Smartphone sales have surged over the past year as people stayed and worked from home. But the shopping frenzy has fuelled a global shortage in semiconductor chips that has roiled industries including autos and large appliances. "Supply of critical components, such as chipsets, has quickly become a major concern, and will hinder smartphone shipments in the coming quarters," Canalys analyst Ben Stanton said. Apple said on Wednesday that the chip shortage could cost the company $3 billion to $4 billion in revenue in the April-June quarter, affecting primarily iPads and Macbooks. March-quarter smartphone shipments for China's Oppo and Vivo brands also surged, Canalys said. But Huawei, the former No. 1 that remains shackled by U.S. sanctions, took only seventh place after selling its Honor brand last year.

Samsung overtakes Apple in smartphone shipments as Xiaomi closes in

Quarterly adjusted earnings before interest and tax was 4.97 billion euros compared to analysts' consensus estimate of 3.99 billion euros.

Daimler's Q1 earnings beat market expectation on high prices

WeWork is now in talks with BowX Acquisition Corp, a blank-check company that raised $420 million in August,

WeWork discloses $3.2 billion loss in 2020

The Turkish lira stood at 8.0990 per dollar in Asia, down 11 per cent from its close on Friday. At one point the lira fell by as much as 14.9 per cent to 8.4850

Turkish lira hit by sacking of central bank chief

After having reached fresh all-time highs, Sensex and Nifty retreated and closed the day’s trade in the red.&nbsp;

From its fresh record high level of 52,517, hit earlier today, the S&amp;P BSE Sensex tanked 650 points to hit a low of 51,864. The index, however, settled at 52,104 levels, down 50 points or 0.1 per cent.

The NSE's Nifty50, on the other hand, managed to hold the 15,300 level and ended at 15,313, down 1.25 points or 0.01 per cent. The index hit fresh lifetime high of 15,432 in the morning trade today.&nbsp;

Nifty Midcap 50 jumped 0.38% and the Smallcap 50 gained 0.40%. Among top gainers on BSE Sensex were Power Grid, up 6%, followed by ONGC’s 5% jump and NTPC. Axis Bank and ICICI Bank were among the drags.

(With inputs from agencies)

After having reached fresh all-time highs, Sensex and Nifty retreated and closed the day’s trade in the red. From its fresh record high level of 52,517, hit earlier today, the S&P BSE Sensex tanked 650 points to hit a low of 51,864.

After having reached fresh all-time highs, Sensex and Nifty retreated and closed the day’s trade in the red. From its fresh record high level of 52,517, hit earlier today, the S&P BSE Sensex tanked 650 points to hit a low of 51,864. The index, however, settled at 52,104 levels, down 50 points or 0.1 per cent. The NSE's Nifty50, on the other hand, managed to hold the 15,300 level and ended at 15,313, down 1.25 points or 0.01 per cent. The index hit fresh lifetime high of 15,432 in the morning trade today. Nifty Midcap 50 jumped 0.38% and the Smallcap 50 gained 0.40%. Among top gainers on BSE Sensex were Power Grid, up 6%, followed by ONGC’s 5% jump and NTPC. Axis Bank and ICICI Bank were among the drags. (With inputs from agencies)

Sensex ends flat after volatile trade, Nifty at 15,313

Indian stock markets ended the day’s trade at their highest ever closing levels on Monday. After touching a record high of 52,235.97 during the day, the 30-share BSE Sensex ended 609.83 points or 1.18 per cent up at its new closing peak of 52,154.13.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty soared 151.40 points or 1 per cent to finish at a record 15,314.70. It touched an intra-day peak of 15,340.15.

Axis Bank led the Sensex gainers' chart, climbing 5.88 per cent, followed by ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance, SBI, IndusInd Bank, HDFC, Bajaj Finserv and HDFC Bank.

On the other hand, Dr Reddy's, TCS, Tech Mahindra, HUL, Asian Paints and Titan were among the laggards, sliding up to 1.77 per cent.

Meanwhile, the global oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 1.30 per cent higher at USD 63.24 per barrel.

The rupee gained 7 paise to settle at 72.68 against the US dollar.

Global markets

Global shares rose for the 11th day in a row to hit a fresh peak on optimism about the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines and new fiscal aid from Washington, while tensions in the Middle East drove oil to a 13-month high.

With China and Hong Kong markets closed for the Lunar New Year holiday, Japan's Nikkei led the way, climbing 1.9 per cent to reclaim the 30,000-point level for the first time in more than three decades.

In Europe, shares scaled one-year highs on Monday with the pan-European STOXX 600 up 0.7 per cent. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Oil joined equity markets in pushing higher, reaching its highest level since January 2020. Brent crude rose 1.6 per cent to $63.41 a barrel. US crude oil gained 2.1 per cent to $60.74.

In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin recovered some of its overnight weakness to trade down 2.3 per cent at $47,539.49, below a record high of $49,714.66.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

Indian stock markets ended the day’s trade at their highest ever closing levels on Monday. After touching a record high of 52,235.97 during the day, the 30-share BSE Sensex ended 609.

Indian stock markets ended the day’s trade at their highest ever closing levels on Monday. After touching a record high of 52,235.97 during the day, the 30-share BSE Sensex ended 609.83 points or 1.18 per cent up at its new closing peak of 52,154.13. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty soared 151.40 points or 1 per cent to finish at a record 15,314.70. It touched an intra-day peak of 15,340.15. Axis Bank led the Sensex gainers' chart, climbing 5.88 per cent, followed by ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance, SBI, IndusInd Bank, HDFC, Bajaj Finserv and HDFC Bank. On the other hand, Dr Reddy's, TCS, Tech Mahindra, HUL, Asian Paints and Titan were among the laggards, sliding up to 1.77 per cent. Meanwhile, the global oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 1.30 per cent higher at USD 63.24 per barrel. The rupee gained 7 paise to settle at 72.68 against the US dollar. Global markets Global shares rose for the 11th day in a row to hit a fresh peak on optimism about the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines and new fiscal aid from Washington, while tensions in the Middle East drove oil to a 13-month high. With China and Hong Kong markets closed for the Lunar New Year holiday, Japan's Nikkei led the way, climbing 1.9 per cent to reclaim the 30,000-point level for the first time in more than three decades. In Europe, shares scaled one-year highs on Monday with the pan-European STOXX 600 up 0.7 per cent. Oil joined equity markets in pushing higher, reaching its highest level since January 2020. Brent crude rose 1.6 per cent to $63.41 a barrel. US crude oil gained 2.1 per cent to $60.74. In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin recovered some of its overnight weakness to trade down 2.3 per cent at $47,539.49, below a record high of $49,714.66. (With inputs from Reuters)

Markets surge to lifetime highs: Sensex rallies 610 points, Nifty ends above 15,300 led by banks

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index jumped nearly two percent Monday on hopes for business recovery, closing above the psychologically important 30,000 mark for the first time in more than three decades.

The Nikkei 225 index rose 1.91 percent, or 564.08 points, to 30,084.15, the highest close since 1990.

The broader Topix index advanced 1.04 percent, or 20.06 points, to 1,953.94.

"The 30,000 mark is symbolic but it's still a waypoint," said Toshikazu Horiuchi, a broker at IwaiCosmo Securities.

"Market sentiment has been supported by hopes for business recovery ahead of the nation's first vaccination," Horiuchi told AFP.

The coronavirus vaccine rollout is scheduled to start as early as Wednesday in Japan for healthcare professionals.

"Hopes for stimulus and monetary easing are also high, which helped bolster positive sentiment, but profit-taking could emerge at this level as the market is overheating," he added.

Masayuki Kubota, chief strategist at Rakuten Securities, said: "The Nikkei index is climbing as central banks in Japan, the United States and Europe keep their massive monetary easing policies in place because of the pandemic."

Ahead of the opening bell, the government said Japan's economy shrank in 2020 for the first time in more than a decade as it was battered by the coronavirus but the contraction was less than expected.

"The market largely shrugged off the GDP figures, which were already factored in," Horiuchi said.

The dollar fetched 105.02 yen in Asian afternoon trade, against 104.91 yen in New York late Friday.

Investors were paying attention to the impact of a 7.3-magnitude earthquake, which hit northeastern Japan late Saturday as news reports said more than 150 people were injured and shinkansen bullet train services were suspended.

"There was a chilling moment after the powerful quake in the Tohoku region this weekend, but the impact on the market seems to be limited," Okasan Online Securities said.

In Tokyo trading, SoftBank Group surged 2.12 percent to 10,005 yen after releasing strong earnings last week, while Uniqlo casual wear chain operator Fast Retailing jumped 4.09 percent to 99,460 yen.

Nissan plunged 2.83 percent to 609.9 yen following a news report that Apple had approached it in recent months about self-driving cars, which did not move forward. Nissan denied it was in talks with the US tech giant.

Toyota rose 0.51 percent to 8,456 yen with Honda up 1.09 percent at 3,052 yen.

Online mall giant and mobile carrier Rakuten plunged 6.48 percent to 1,110 yen after it reported a massive annual loss last week.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index jumped nearly two percent Monday on hopes for business recovery, closing above the psychologically important 30,000 mark for the first time in more than three decades.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index jumped nearly two percent Monday on hopes for business recovery, closing above the psychologically important 30,000 mark for the first time in more than three decades. The Nikkei 225 index rose 1.91 percent, or 564.08 points, to 30,084.15, the highest close since 1990. The broader Topix index advanced 1.04 percent, or 20.06 points, to 1,953.94. "The 30,000 mark is symbolic but it's still a waypoint," said Toshikazu Horiuchi, a broker at IwaiCosmo Securities. "Market sentiment has been supported by hopes for business recovery ahead of the nation's first vaccination," Horiuchi told AFP. The coronavirus vaccine rollout is scheduled to start as early as Wednesday in Japan for healthcare professionals. "Hopes for stimulus and monetary easing are also high, which helped bolster positive sentiment, but profit-taking could emerge at this level as the market is overheating," he added. Masayuki Kubota, chief strategist at Rakuten Securities, said: "The Nikkei index is climbing as central banks in Japan, the United States and Europe keep their massive monetary easing policies in place because of the pandemic." Ahead of the opening bell, the government said Japan's economy shrank in 2020 for the first time in more than a decade as it was battered by the coronavirus but the contraction was less than expected. "The market largely shrugged off the GDP figures, which were already factored in," Horiuchi said. The dollar fetched 105.02 yen in Asian afternoon trade, against 104.91 yen in New York late Friday. Investors were paying attention to the impact of a 7.3-magnitude earthquake, which hit northeastern Japan late Saturday as news reports said more than 150 people were injured and shinkansen bullet train services were suspended. "There was a chilling moment after the powerful quake in the Tohoku region this weekend, but the impact on the market seems to be limited," Okasan Online Securities said. In Tokyo trading, SoftBank Group surged 2.12 percent to 10,005 yen after releasing strong earnings last week, while Uniqlo casual wear chain operator Fast Retailing jumped 4.09 percent to 99,460 yen. Nissan plunged 2.83 percent to 609.9 yen following a news report that Apple had approached it in recent months about self-driving cars, which did not move forward. Nissan denied it was in talks with the US tech giant. Toyota rose 0.51 percent to 8,456 yen with Honda up 1.09 percent at 3,052 yen. Online mall giant and mobile carrier Rakuten plunged 6.48 percent to 1,110 yen after it reported a massive annual loss last week.

Tokyo's Nikkei closes above 30,000, first time since 1990

Domestic stock market indices traded at record highs on Monday afternoon led by strong gains in banking stocks amid positive global cues.&nbsp;

Barring IT and media indices, all other sectors traded in the green led by Nifty Private Bank, Nifty Financial Services, Nifty Realty, Nifty Auto, and Nifty FMCG.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sensex-hits-52000-mark-for-the-first-time-ever-nifty-at-record-highs-363696/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/budget-rejuvenates-the-bulls-stock-markets-at-record-high-361126">Also read: Budget rejuvenates the bulls, stock markets at record high</a> 
 
BSE Sensex jumped to its lifetime high of 52,141.67, rallying 597.37 points during the morning trade on Monday.

The broader Nifty50 index also hovered above 15,300.

Banks and financial counters were the leading gainers in the market on Monday, with Bajaj Finance, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC, Kotak Bank, IndusInd Bank, and HDFC Bank rising around 2.60 percent.

The benchmark index had closed above the 50,000 marks for the first time on February 3 this year, mainly driven by euphoria over the Union Budget. It closed above the 51,000 mark on February 8.

Markets have been rewarding investors of late as the BSE 30-share index has more than doubled from the massive lows it faced in March last year.

Proving to be a dreadful month for the domestic stock market, March 2020 saw the Sensex sinking a massive 8,828.8 points or 23 per cent during the month as concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the economy ravaged investor sentiments.

From witnessing gigantic losses to record-shattering gains, investors witnessed a wide array of emotions in 2020.

Stock markets had depicted volatile trends during the last year, with the benchmark crashing to its one-year low of 25,638.9 on March 24, only to roar back to life during the later part of 2020 and hit its record high of 47,896.97 on the last day of trade on December 31.

In 2020, the benchmark index made monthly gains in seven, while closing with losses in five.

So far this year, the benchmark index has gained 4,390.34 points or 9.19 per cent.

Thanks to the ongoing rally, investor wealth has also been rising to new records and is currently at over Rs 205.47 lakh crore.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Domestic stock market indices traded at record highs on Monday afternoon led by strong gains in banking stocks amid positive global cues. Barring IT and media indices, all other sectors traded in the green led by Nifty Private Bank, Nifty Financial Services, Nifty Realty, Nifty Auto, and Nifty FMCG.

Domestic stock market indices traded at record highs on Monday afternoon led by strong gains in banking stocks amid positive global cues. Barring IT and media indices, all other sectors traded in the green led by Nifty Private Bank, Nifty Financial Services, Nifty Realty, Nifty Auto, and Nifty FMCG. Also read: Budget rejuvenates the bulls, stock markets at record high BSE Sensex jumped to its lifetime high of 52,141.67, rallying 597.37 points during the morning trade on Monday. The broader Nifty50 index also hovered above 15,300. Banks and financial counters were the leading gainers in the market on Monday, with Bajaj Finance, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC, Kotak Bank, IndusInd Bank, and HDFC Bank rising around 2.60 percent. The benchmark index had closed above the 50,000 marks for the first time on February 3 this year, mainly driven by euphoria over the Union Budget. It closed above the 51,000 mark on February 8. Markets have been rewarding investors of late as the BSE 30-share index has more than doubled from the massive lows it faced in March last year. Proving to be a dreadful month for the domestic stock market, March 2020 saw the Sensex sinking a massive 8,828.8 points or 23 per cent during the month as concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the economy ravaged investor sentiments. From witnessing gigantic losses to record-shattering gains, investors witnessed a wide array of emotions in 2020. Stock markets had depicted volatile trends during the last year, with the benchmark crashing to its one-year low of 25,638.9 on March 24, only to roar back to life during the later part of 2020 and hit its record high of 47,896.97 on the last day of trade on December 31. In 2020, the benchmark index made monthly gains in seven, while closing with losses in five. So far this year, the benchmark index has gained 4,390.34 points or 9.19 per cent. Thanks to the ongoing rally, investor wealth has also been rising to new records and is currently at over Rs 205.47 lakh crore. (With inputs from agencies)

Markets surge to lifetime highs: Sensex reaches 52,000; Nifty above 15,300-mark

Shares of Tesla ended sharply lower in their S&P 500 debut Monday, with losses accelerating after news of potential future competition from Apple.

Tesla tumbles 6.5% from record high in S&P 500 debut

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Business Watch: Recent vaccine news has boosted Indian stocks

Stock markets gained on Wednesday, as news of a working COVID-19 vaccine seemed to inoculate investors against worry about surging infections in Europe and the United States, while the kiwi rose as traders thought the central bank sounded upbeat.

Global stocks up as vaccine shields against second-wave worries

News of a breakthrough in the race to find a COVID-19 vaccine sparked one of the heaviest trading days since the height of the pandemic crisis, according to early data analysed by Reuters, with nearly $2 trillion (1.51 trillion pounds) changing hands on Monday.

Nearly $2 trillion traded on COVID-19 vaccine news

India: Sensex trading above 43,500 mark

India's factory activity expanded at its fastest pace in over a decade in October as demand and output continued to recover strongly from coronavirus-related disruptions

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