live U.S., Iran closer to deal, timing remains unclear
U.S. and Pakistani leaders forecast a Sunday signing of a long-elusive framework agreement to end fighting between the United States and Iran, as Reut...
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.
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to block or significantly reduce river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty could have “far-reaching consequences”, after India's water minister said New Delhi was working to ensure that “not a single drop” of water reaches Pakistan in the coming years.
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 trillion. Investors flocked to the world’s largest IPO, betting on Elon Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, AI and beyond.
Armenia has every right to choose Europe. But Europe’s support for Armenia’s direction should not become automatic approval of its political process.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
Japan’s birth rate and fertility levels have fallen to their lowest levels on record, highlighting the country’s worsening demographic crisis as fewer people marry and have children.
At the start of 2026, something unusual happened in China's car market. BYD, the company that had spent years at the top of the domestic sales charts, was knocked off its perch by a rival.
Apple has unveiled a long-awaited upgrade to Siri, aiming to close the gap with technology rivals and emerging artificial intelligence firms in an increasingly competitive market.
ChatGPT maker OpenAI has confidentially filed for a U.S. initial public offering (IPO), the company said on Monday, joining rival Anthropic in a race to the stock market as investors seek exposure to the artificial intelligence boom.
Chinese carmakers are rapidly reshaping the global automotive market, with record exports, soaring electric vehicle sales and growing investments overseas putting pressure on established European, Japanese and U.S. rivals.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has begun its latest round of negotiations on creating the first binding global standards for platform-based work, covering services such as ride-hailing, food delivery and other app-based work.
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