The legal battle stemmed from SoftBank's withdrawal in 2020 from a plan to buy $3 billion worth of shares from WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann and other investors. SoftBank said at the time the decision was made as predetermined conditions had not been met.

Boeing says that Indonesia shows the greatest potential in demand growth for the next 20 years in Southeast Asia.

The 66-year-old Nigerian former finance minister takes the helm after the WTO was left adrift for seven months following the sudden departure of Brazilian career diplomat Roberto Azevedo last August, a year ahead of schedule.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 655.25 points, or 2.26 percent, from Friday to 29,621.26. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 31.82 points, or 1.71 percent, at 1,896.31.

The reading marks the fourth straight drop and is just a fraction of the $13 billion injected into the country in 2016, with Canberra growing increasingly wary of the Asian superpower's intentions.

Her elevation marks "a milestone," according to Lorraine Hariton, director of Catalyst, an organization that promotes women in the workplace. 

The official manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) fell to 50.6 from 51.3 in January, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Sunday, remaining above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction.

Four days after the COVID-19 death toll surpassed 500,000 in the US, the sprawling measure backed by President Joe Biden and seen as a moral imperative by many now heads to the Senate for consideration next week.

Regulations on taxation, stamp duties and content moderation are seen as obstacles to digital economy growth.

Microsoft believes its investment in Indonesia can generate US$6.3 billion in new revenue from the country. 

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average sank 722.10 points, or 2.39 percent, from Thursday to 29,446.17. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 37.05 points, or 1.92 percent, at 1,889.18.

The government appears set to steam ahead in developing the country's geothermal potential, with a plan to form a joint geothermal holding company by merging three SOEs.

G20 finance ministers and central bankers will gather for a video conference led by Italy Friday, hoping to align plans for relaunching the global economy after the coronavirus pandemic and to limit harm to the worst-off nations shut out of the race for vaccines.

Noting her past career as chief enforcer against China's unfair trade practices at the US Trade Representative Office, Tai said at a Senate confirmation hearing that she knows the critical importance of having a "strategic and coherent plan for holding China accountable to its promises and effectively competing with its model of state-directed economics."

The "strategic" agreements will cover a three-year period for McDonald's and "the next several years" for Yum! Brands, according to two separate statements from Beyond Meat.

The group said in a statement that it booked a net loss of 10.5 billion euros ($12.8 billion) for last year, compared with a net profit of just over four billion in 2019.

In Europe approaching the half-way stage, London stocks was up 0.5 percent, Paris added 0.4 percent, and Frankfurt added  0.1 percent.

Indonesian government and private sector are required to allocate 30 percent of their commercial areas, shopping centers and public infrastructure, such as airports and rest areas, for small businesses.

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei is enjoying an extended honeymoon with oil-rich Gulf nations, despite being criticised in the United States and Europe as a potential security threat. 

With the price of copper reaching a 10-year high thanks in no small part to China's insatiable appetite, Chile, the world's leading producer, faces a "unique" opportunity, experts told AFP.

Nick Clegg, head of global affairs, said in a statement that the company stands ready to support news media while reiterating its concerns over mandated payments.

The country's biggest airline said it suffered an underlying pre-tax loss of Aus$1.03 billion (US$814 million) in the six months to December 31, with statutory losses climbing to Aus$1.47 billion.

Nearly a year into battling the pandemic, the Indonesian government has switched focus to pouring more funds into public health with a 20.6 percent hike to the 2021 coronavirus stimulus budget.

Ranked number six globally, Accor reported sales down some 60 percent at 1.6 billion euros ($1.95 billion), producing a net loss of just under 2.0 billion euros.

The New Zealand dollar dipped briefly before rallying to the highest since April 2018 after the country's central bank emphasised patience over the timing of exiting ultra-easy policy settings.

VC firms expect technology start-ups to continue growing this year and beyond as mobility restrictions in Southeast Asia spur the adoption of digital services for commerce, health, education and grocery shopping.

Garuda Indonesia said its 10 Boeing 777-300ERs were different from the Boeing B777-200s that had been grounded in Japan and were under investigation in the United States following a non-fatal incident a few days earlier.

Indonesian government has issued a regulation containing a so-called priority list that promises potential investors fiscal and nonfiscal incentives and scraps some restrictions on foreign investment.

With governments picking up the pace in their coronavirus inoculation drives, and infection and death rates slowing in most parts of the world, observers are predicting a surge in economic activity from the middle of the year as lockdowns are eased.

Without demand, numerous businesses, including large industries and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), were either temporarily or permanently shut down, leading to many people losing jobs.