MUMBAI, India, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Shares in Mumbai soared at the open Tuesday after US President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with India and pledged to cut tariffs on goods from the country. The Nifty stock index rallied 4.86 percent to 26,200 points on news of the deal, which Trump said came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to stop buying Russian oil over the war in Ukraine.
SYDNEY, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Australia's central bank hiked its key interest rate Tuesday for the first time since November 2023, pointing to signs inflation is again gathering pace. The Reserve Bank of Australia's move lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.85 percent. Inflation has eased since a peak of almost eight percent in December 2022 but government figures indicate it is starting to creep up and the bank's monetary policy board said it was "likely to remain above target for some time". "While inflation has fallen substantially since its peak in 2022, it picked up materially in the second half of 2025," the board said in a statement. Many Australian households remain burdened by the high cost of food, fuel, and particularly housing.
Stocks in Tokyo, Seoul surge after previous day's routTOKYO, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Japanese and South Korean stocks rallied Tuesday to claw back much of the previous day's huge losses suffered in an Asia-wide rout. In early trade the Tokyo's Nikkei 225 climbed 3.09 percent to 54,287.25 points while Seoul's Kospi jumped 4.95 percent to 5194.84.
SYDNEY, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will miss the early stages of the Twenty20 World Cup as he recovers from hamstring and Achilles injuries in another setback for Australia. "Sean is an accomplished and versatile international player who has experienced numerous World Cup campaigns. Adding to their woes, star paceman Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the entire tournament in India and Sri Lanka beginning on Saturday. Australia's matches in Group B will all be played in Sri Lanka. They open against Ireland in Colombo on February 11 and will also face the co-hosts Sri Lanka, Oman and Zimbabwe.
The first Olympics since the re-election of US President Donald Trump are set to be buffeted by global turbulence. Olympic power Russia's team of just 13 must compete as neutrals, a sanction imposed by the International Olympic Committee after Moscow invaded Ukraine weeks after the last Winter Games in Beijing in 2022. Also eagerly awaited is the men's ice hockey competition, with stars from the National Hockey League (NHL) in the US and Canada -- the world's strongest -- taking part for the first time since 2014. Coventry admitted that the approach of using existing venues, which are often long distances apart, has complicated the task for organisers. Two of the new venues, the sliding centre in Cortina for the bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events and the main ice hockey arena in Milan have caused the most headaches.
SAN FRANCISCO, United States, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Self-driving car star Waymo on Monday said it raised $16 billion in a funding round that valued the Alphabet subsidiary at $126 billion. Waymo co-chief executives Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov touted the massive investment as a sign that the age of large-scale autonomous mobility has arrived. Waymo's focus is on spreading its robotaxi service throughout the United States and internationally this year, the executives added. Waymo's white Jaguars, equipped with cameras and sensors, have become a familiar sight on San Francisco and Los Angeles streets. The ride-sharing giant last month unveiled a Lucid robotaxi, aiming to put a fleet of them to work in San Francisco later this year.
HONG KONG, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Stocks rallied while precious metals and crude rebounded as some stability returned Tuesday following a rout fuelled by a perfect storm that sent shivers through across Asian trading floors. That, combined with the stronger dollar, also sent oil prices plunging at breakneck speed. Among equity markets, Seoul was the best performer, piling on around five percent, having dropped a little more than that Monday. It happened because liquidity?sensitive assets such as gold and silver plunged sharply", wrote Chung Hae-chang, analyst at Daishin Securities. "When margin calls occur on one side, investors often adjust collateral, which can trigger movements in other assets as well.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - French striker Karim Benzema, who fell out with his club Al-Ittihad, has joined another Saudi club, Al-Hilal, the current league leaders, where he has signed an 18 month contract, the Riyadh club said on Monday. The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, who scored eight goals in 14 league matches this season, joined on a free transfer, his new club added. The former France international moved to Saudi Arabia in 2023 after 14 seasons with Real Madrid. This season Al-Ittihad trail leaders Al-Hilal by 12 points. Al-Hilal, who play in Riyadh, and Al-Ittihad, in Jeddah, are both owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF).
LIVERPOOL, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Liverpool beat off competition from Chelsea to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet for a reported fee of up to œ60 million ($82 million) on Monday. Liverpool will reportedly pay an initial œ55 million with a further œ5 million contingent on add-ons. Jacquet, who has five caps for France Under-21s, has made 18 appearances for Rennes so far this season. Jacquet also gained Ligue 1 experience during a loan spell with Clermont Foot. In 2024, Jacquet helped France to the final of the U19 European Championship, during which he was named in the Team of the Tournament.
MADRID, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Atletico Madrid signed midfielders Rodrigo Mendoza and Obed Vargas on Monday, as well as confirming the arrival of forward Ademola Lookman. Coach Diego Simeone had asked for reinforcements with his team third in La Liga, 10 points behind leaders Barcelona, after Conor Gallagher and Giacomo Raspadori left earlier in the winter transfer window. Mendoza joined from Elche for a reported 20 million euros ($23.5 million), although Atletico did not specify a price. Vargas, 20, moved from MLS side Seattle Sounders and played against Atletico last summer at the Club World Cup. The Rojiblancos completed that transfer on Monday, handing the Nigeria international a contract at the club until 2030.
PARIS, France, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - French authorities have issued warrants for two Franco-Israeli nationals for "complicity in genocide" over allegations that they tried to stop humanitarian aid entering conflict stricken Gaza, a legal source said Monday. In an interview with The News website, Kupfer-Naouri, 50, called the French investigation "anti-semitic madness". The two activists are also suspected of "public provocation for genocide" by calling for aid to be prevented from reaching Gaza, the source said. Another source close to the investigation said warrants could be issued for about 10 other people. Clemence Bectarte, a lawyer for the groups, said it was the first investigation of its kind in genocide law.
WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump announced a trade deal Monday to reduce tariffs on India, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to stop buying Russian oil over the war in Ukraine. "Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. A White House official told AFP that an additional 25 percent tariff Trump had slapped on India in August for its purchase of Russian oil would also be dropped. Trump added that Modi "agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela. "Even though it has and will change its oil import structure away from Russia, India would still want to keep relations steady," Aamer added.
Trump urges 'no changes' to bill to end shutdownWASHINGTON, United States, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump urged the House of Representatives on Monday to swiftly adopt a spending bill and end the three-day government shutdown. "I hope all Republicans and Democrats will join me in supporting this Bill, and send it to my desk WITHOUT DELAY," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. In his Truth Social post, Trump said "there can be NO CHANGES at this time" to the legislation and called for its immediate passage. Republican defections could force Johnson to rely on Democratic votes to advance the funding bill and end the shutdown. If the House approves the Senate deal, lawmakers would then have just two weeks to negotiate a full-year DHS funding bill.
LONDON, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Liverpool were set to win the race to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet on a quiet final day of the Premier League transfer window, while Crystal Palace swooped for Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen despite the collapse of Jean-Philippe Mateta's move to AC Milan. The Reds reportedly agreed a fee of up to œ60 million ($82 million) for the highly-rated Jacquet before the window closed at 1900 GMT. But the 20-year-old will not join the Premier League champions until the summer despite Liverpool's need for defensive reinforcements. The France striker was left out of Palace's squad for their Premier League draw at Nottingham Forest on Sunday, in anticipation of a transfer to AC Milan. Mateta's proposed switch to Serie A fell through on Monday after medical concerns over a knee injury, but Palace still brought in Strand Larsen.
KHARTOUM, Feb 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Sudanese army and paramilitary forces traded strikes on each others' positions in the west and south of the country on Monday, a military source and witnesses told AFP. In Darfur in the west, army strikes hit the town of Zalingei, one of five state capitals in the vast region controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Confirming the attack, the military source told AFP that the building was an RSF warehouse. After announcing last week that it had opened two corridors around Dilling, the army was continuing to advance towards South Kordofan capital Kadugli, the military source said. The secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Jan Egeland, called South Kordofan "Sudan's most dangerous and neglected frontline".
