Assata Shakur, Black Liberation Army member and Tupac’s godmother, dies in Cuba at 78
Assata Shakur, a prominent Black liberation activist and former member of the Black Liberation Army, has died in Havana, Cuba, at the age of 78. The C...
Volkswagen cut its 2025 forecast after U.S. tariffs slashed €1.3 billion from profits, but strong EV demand and European sales offer signs of recovery.
Volkswagen Group has lowered its financial guidance for 2025 after U.S. import tariffs led to a €1.3 billion decline in income during the first half of the year. The carmaker reported an operating result of €6.7 billion for the first six months of 2025, marking a 33 percent drop compared to the same period last year.
Sales revenue remained relatively flat at €158.4 billion. The company said the drop in profit was due to the tariffs, €700 million in restructuring costs, and a higher volume of lower-margin electric vehicle sales.
CFO and COO Arno Antlitz stated that, when excluding these factors, the second-quarter operating margin was close to 7 percent, which he described as the upper end of internal expectations.
Volkswagen is also facing pressure to reduce costs after reporting a negative net cash flow of €1.4 billion during the same period. Despite the financial strain, Volkswagen’s shares rose more than 3 percent by midday Friday in European trading.
While U.S. sales fell by 16 percent due to tariffs, a 19 percent increase in South America and steady growth across Western and Eastern Europe helped offset the decline. In the European Union, where new car sales dropped by 1.9 percent overall in the first half of 2025, Volkswagen’s sales rose by 2.3 percent, driven by strong demand for Volkswagen, Skoda, and Cupra models.
The automaker also reported a 62 percent increase in electric vehicle orders. CEO Oliver Blume said the company holds a 28 percent market share in Europe’s EV segment and noted that order books remain strong.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Italy’s ruling League party has said domestic banks should contribute around €5 billion ($5.85 billion) towards the 2026 budget.
U.S. stock markets ended higher on Friday, following largely in-line inflation figures, although indices recorded losses over the week.
Inflation expectations for the next 12 months in the eurozone rose to 2.8% in August, up from 2.6% in July, according to the results of a consumer survey published by the European Central Bank (ECB) on Friday.
Miniso announced on Friday that it will spin off its brand Top Toy and list it in Hong Kong, capitalising on the growing investor interest in Chinese toymakers and highlighting the city’s renewed position as a global fundraising hub.
The U.S. envoy to Türkiye has confirmed that a Turkish Airlines’ Boeing aircraft deal has been finalised, marking a significant step in expanding the carrier’s fleet.
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