trial

Day of reckoning arrives for social media after US court loss

BY THOMAS URBAIN

  • - Legislative pressure builds - The Los Angeles and Santa Fe cases are part of a broader wave of legal and regulatory action that gathered pace after Australia moved last year to ban social media for people under 16. 
  • A Los Angeles jury's ruling that Meta and YouTube contributed to a teenage girl's depression marks a potential turning point in the years-long legal battle against social media giants -- one that could carry an enormous price tag.
  • - Legislative pressure builds - The Los Angeles and Santa Fe cases are part of a broader wave of legal and regulatory action that gathered pace after Australia moved last year to ban social media for people under 16. 
A Los Angeles jury's ruling that Meta and YouTube contributed to a teenage girl's depression marks a potential turning point in the years-long legal battle against social media giants -- one that could carry an enormous price tag.
The civil court on Tuesday found Meta and YouTube's parent Google liable for failing to adequately warn young people about the risks of excessive use of their Instagram and YouTube apps, respectively, even though they were aware of the dangers. 
Both Meta and YouTube said Wednesday that they planned to appeal the California verdict. 
A separate jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, earlier this week found Meta liable for endangering minor users of Facebook and Instagram.

Billions on the line

Meta was quick to note that compensatory damages in the Los Angeles case totalled just $3 million, with a further $3 million in punitive damages awarded by the jury Wednesday.
In New Mexico, the company was ordered to pay $375 million in penalties, a verdict it said it would appeal.
The rulings could ripple across hundreds of pending lawsuits against social media companies facing similar allegations, with the total liability potentially running into the billions of dollars.
"Bellwether trials like this one serve as signals about how juries respond to specific theories of harm," said Daryl Lim, a law professor at Pennsylvania State University.
He added that the verdict "should increase the pressure" on platforms to settle outstanding cases.
Snap and TikTok settled with the plaintiff in the Los Angeles case before the trial began, sidestepping a jury entirely.

Self-regulation

The cases center on users like Kaley G.M., the plaintiff in the Los Angeles case, who said she developed depression, chronic anxiety and body image issues from early and intense exposure to social media. 
Researchers have increasingly linked such sufferings to heavy social media use among adolescents.
"For years, social media companies have claimed they're hard at work making their platforms safer for kids and teenagers," said Minda Smiley, an analyst at eMarketer. "Critics have long been skeptical."
"This verdict could mark the start of a difficult new chapter for social platforms -- one where the rules they write for themselves no longer cut it," she added.
Vanitha Swaminathan, a marketing professor at the University of Pittsburgh, said the ruling exposed "an important tension between the goals of the platform companies and the issues it poses for some of its most vulnerable consumers."

New crack in Section 230

For year, US platforms have sheltered behind Section 230, a legal provision shielding them from liability for content posted by their users. 
But lawyers for Kaley G.M. chose a different battlefield: the design of the platforms themselves, which they argued were engineered to trap and addict young users.
The strategy amounts to a "narrowing" of Section 230 that offers "alternative pathways to liability," said Lim at Pennsylvania State University.

Legislative pressure builds

The Los Angeles and Santa Fe cases are part of a broader wave of legal and regulatory action that gathered pace after Australia moved last year to ban social media for people under 16. 
Several US states have since passed or are weighing their own legislation to protect minors online, though none has set a hard minimum age.
Congress has so far stayed on the sidelines. "It usually steps in only after courts and state governments have begun to reshape the policy landscape," Lim said.
Should the courts ultimately compel platforms to overhaul their products, the consequences could be severe. 
"Their ad businesses thrive off attention," said Jasmine Enberg of Scalable. "If product changes make their apps less engaging, that makes them less valuable to advertisers."
"If these companies are forced to redesign their products," she warned, "that poses an existential threat to their business models."
tu/arp/js/dw 

US

Middle East war: global economic fallout

  • The government has issued similar waivers in recent years under both the Trump and Biden administrations. 
  • Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war: - US issues E15 fuel waiver - The US Environmental Protection Agency issued a temporary emergency waiver Wednesday to allow countrywide sales of higher-ethanol E15 fuel in the summer, Administrator Lee Zeldin said, easing smog controls amid government concerns about adequate supply.
  • The government has issued similar waivers in recent years under both the Trump and Biden administrations. 
Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war:

US issues E15 fuel waiver

The US Environmental Protection Agency issued a temporary emergency waiver Wednesday to allow countrywide sales of higher-ethanol E15 fuel in the summer, Administrator Lee Zeldin said, easing smog controls amid government concerns about adequate supply.
The government has issued similar waivers in recent years under both the Trump and Biden administrations. 

Fuel costs hit US Post Office

The US Postal Service announced an eight-percent rate increase for some retail and commercial products, with the "transportation-related" move coming as global oil prices spiral due to the war on Iran.

WTO warning

As World Trade Organization ministers prepared to meet in Cameroon, the head of the International Chamber of Commerce warned that the Mideast conflict could cause the "worst industrial crisis" in decades.
"The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that the world is facing an energy crisis more severe than the oil shocks of the 1970s," John Denton said. "From a business perspective, we believe this could yet become the worst industrial crisis in living memory."

Red Sea shipping threat

Iran will target shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial conduit for global oil and other goods leading up to the Suez Canal, if the United States launches a ground invasion, a military official told local media.
Shortly after, Iran's powerful parliament speaker warned of a possible invasion of an Iranian island with the support of an unnamed country.
"Based on some intelligence reports, Iran's enemies are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands with support from one of the regional states," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X.
One target could be Kharg Island, which handles almost all of Iran's crude exports.

Iran says key strait 'closed only to enemies'

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz was "closed only to enemies", with the Middle East war having all but shut the vital oil and gas shipping route.
Iran had informed the International Maritime Organization on Tuesday that "non-hostile vessels" could transit the strait if they meet safety and security regulations in coordination with the relevant authorities

Oil drops

Crude oil prices dropped back on hopes of de-escalation after US President Donald Trump voiced optimism about ending the nearly month-old war and Iran indicated ships from countries not party to the conflict could pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
After rising on Tuesday, Brent crude was down 2.2 percent at $102.22 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was off 2.2 percent at $90.32 a barrel.

WTO sounds fertiliser warning

Disruptions to fertiliser supplies caused by the Middle East war pose a double threat to global food security through scarcity and high prices, a top World Trade Organization official warned.
Iran's de facto closing of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit route for oil and gas, has also impacted fertiliser shipments, with a third of the global supply normally transiting the Gulf strait. 

IEA ready for another oil stocks release

The head of the International Energy Agency said he was "ready to move forward" with an additional release of oil reserves "if and when necessary".
Fatih Birol's comments in Tokyo came after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked the agency "to prepare to implement an additional release in case the situation drags on" with the war in the Middle East.
burs/cw/sbk/aha/js

trial

US jury finds Meta, YouTube liable in social media addiction trial

BY ROMAIN FONSEGRIVES WITH ALEX PIGMAN IN WASHINGTON

  • Two further bellwether trials are expected to follow in the same Los Angeles courthouse, with their outcomes likely to determine whether social media companies fight on or move toward a broader settlement, potentially including redesigning how their platforms work.
  • A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday found Meta and YouTube liable for harming a young woman because of an addictive design of their social media platforms, ordering the companies to pay $6 million in damages, including $3 million in punitive damages.
  • Two further bellwether trials are expected to follow in the same Los Angeles courthouse, with their outcomes likely to determine whether social media companies fight on or move toward a broader settlement, potentially including redesigning how their platforms work.
A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday found Meta and YouTube liable for harming a young woman because of an addictive design of their social media platforms, ordering the companies to pay $6 million in damages, including $3 million in punitive damages.
The verdict hands plaintiffs in more than a thousand similar pending cases significant leverage -- and signals to the broader tech industry that juries are prepared to hold social media companies accountable for the mental health toll of their design choices.
The jury answered yes to all seven questions on verdict forms for both companies, finding that Meta and YouTube were negligent in the design and operation of their platforms and that their negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to the plaintiff.
Jurors also found that both companies knew or should have known their services posed a danger to minors, that they failed to adequately warn users of that danger, and that a reasonable platform operator would have done so.
The panel awarded $3 million in compensatory damages, assigning Meta 70 percent of the responsibility for the plaintiff's harm -- a $2.1 million share -- and YouTube the remaining 30 percent, or $900,000. 
In a second phase, jurors added a further $3 million in total punitive damages after finding both companies had acted with malice, oppression or fraud.
Both companies said they would appeal the verdict.
"This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site," Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said.
A spokesperson for Meta said they "respectfully disagree with the verdict," adding that "teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app."
Nine of the 12 furors further found that both companies had acted with malice, oppression or fraud, a finding that set the stage for the separate punitive damages.
The plaintiff, known in court documents by her initials K.G.M. and called Kaley at trial, began using YouTube when she was six, downloading the app on her iPod Touch to watch videos about lip gloss and an online kids game. 
She joined Instagram at nine, getting around a block her mother had put in place to keep her off the platform.
She told jurors that her near-constant social media use "really affected my self-worth," saying the apps led her to abandon hobbies, struggle to make friends and constantly measure herself against others.
In closing arguments, plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier cast the case as a story of corporate greed, saying that features like infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, notifications and like counts were engineered to drive compulsive use among young people.

'Existential' threat?

Meta and YouTube had maintained throughout the trial that Kaley's mental health struggles had nothing to do with their platforms.
Meta's lawyer pointed to her life at home and a turbulent relationship with her parents, while YouTube disputed how much time Kaley actually spent on its platform.
The jury rejected both defences across all seven questions on each verdict form.
TikTok and Snap were originally named as defendants but settled on undisclosed terms before the trial got underway. 
Two further bellwether trials are expected to follow in the same Los Angeles courthouse, with their outcomes likely to determine whether social media companies fight on or move toward a broader settlement, potentially including redesigning how their platforms work.
The penalty amounts are "a slap on the wrist for companies like Meta and YouTube, which are two of the biggest ad sellers in the world," said Jasmine Enberg of Scalable, who tracks the social media industry.
"But if these companies are forced to redesign their products, that poses an existential threat to their business models." 
A separate New Mexico jury on Tuesday found Meta liable for endangering children by making them vulnerable to predators on its platforms and other dangers.
The state had sought the maximum $2.2 billion in damages, but the jury awarded a lesser amount of $375 million.
arp/js

Global Edition

Oil prices slip, stocks rally as Washington, Tehran bicker over talks

  • The equities push was "really related to oil prices going down and that anticipated end of the hostilities, or at least a settling down of hostilities."
  • Oil prices fell and stock markets rallied Wednesday on reports of a US plan to end the war with Iran -- which promptly rejected Washington's overtures, according to state media.
  • The equities push was "really related to oil prices going down and that anticipated end of the hostilities, or at least a settling down of hostilities."
Oil prices fell and stock markets rallied Wednesday on reports of a US plan to end the war with Iran -- which promptly rejected Washington's overtures, according to state media.
After nearly four weeks of conflict, investors jumped on signs that hostilities could be winding down, with the safe-haven dollar losing support.
Analysts pointed out, however, that the arrival of more US troops in the Middle East and fresh missile strikes between Iran and Israel suggested that the path forward was far from clear.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to "unleash hell" if Iran did not strike a deal, but Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country did not intend to negotiate.
Moreover, an unnamed Iranian military official told local media that Tehran would target shipping in the Red Sea if the Washington launched a ground invasion. 
While global shares rose modestly, oil prices dipped as the Brent crude benchmark was down 2.2 percent at $102.22 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was also off 2.2 percent at $90.32 a barrel.
Earlier, crude futures had plunged more than six percent.
Jack Ablin, from Cresset wealth management, said the stocks rally was driven by investors "really just latching on to any promising news right now."
The equities push was "really related to oil prices going down and that anticipated end of the hostilities, or at least a settling down of hostilities."

Crisis warning

As World Trade Organization ministers prepared to meet in Yaounde, the head of the International Chamber of Commerce bluntly warned that the conflict could cause the "worst industrial crisis" in decades.
"The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that the world is facing an energy crisis more severe than the oil shocks of the 1970s," said John Denton. 
"From a business perspective, we believe this could yet become the worst industrial crisis in living memory."
Offering respite to some countries, Tehran announced it would let oil vessels from "non-hostile" nations pass through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
The head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, said he was "ready to move forward" with an additional release of oil reserves "if and when necessary."
Wall Street closed in the green, with the Dow rising 0.7 percent, the broader-based S&P 500 up 0.5 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq adding 0.8 percent.
In Europe, London, Frankfurt and Paris closed up just shy of 1.5 percent ahead.
Asian markets closed with strong gains, led by Tokyo, which won nearly three percent.
European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said the ECB has several options for dealing with the energy shock, vowing policymakers would not be "paralysed by hesitation."
At its most recent meeting last week, the ECB kept interest rates on hold, while warning of higher inflation and lower growth in the eurozone owing to the war.
However, analysts have raised bets on the central bank hiking borrowing costs as soon as next month to try and keep the lid on an expected surge in consumer prices.

Key figures at around 2015 GMT

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 2.2 percent at $102.22 a barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.2 percent at $90.32 a barrel
New York - Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 46,429.49 points (close)
New York - S&P 500: UP 0.5 percent at 6,591.90 (close)
New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.8 percent at 21,929.83 (close)
London - FTSE 100: UP 1.4 percent at 10,106.84 points (close)
Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.3 percent at 7,846.55 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.4 percent at 22,957.087 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 2.9 percent at 53,749.62 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.1 percent at 25,335.95 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.3 percent at 3,931.84 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1565 from $1.1583 on Tuesday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3365 from $1.3381
Dollar/yen: UP at 159.47 yen from 159.03 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.52 pence from 86.57 pence
burs-bcp-aha/dw

US

War in the Middle East: latest developments

  • "Based on some intelligence reports, Iran's enemies are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands with support from one of the regional states," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote in an X post written in both Persian and Arabic.
  • Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war on Wednesday: - 'Enemies preparing to occupy' Iran island - Iran's powerful parliament speaker warned of the possible invasion of an Iranian island with the support of an unnamed regional country.
  • "Based on some intelligence reports, Iran's enemies are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands with support from one of the regional states," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote in an X post written in both Persian and Arabic.
Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war on Wednesday:

'Enemies preparing to occupy' Iran island

Iran's powerful parliament speaker warned of the possible invasion of an Iranian island with the support of an unnamed regional country.
"Based on some intelligence reports, Iran's enemies are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands with support from one of the regional states," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote in an X post written in both Persian and Arabic.

Gulf demands Iraq halt pro-Iran group attacks

Several Gulf countries, as well as Jordan, demanded in a joint statement that Iraq act immediately to stop attacks from its territory by armed pro-Iran groups.
The statement was signed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

US rejects Iran talks rejection

The United States and Iran are still engaged in peace talks, the White House said, despite Iranian state media saying Tehran had rejected Washington's plan to end the war.
"Talks continue. They are productive," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked about the Iranian report, adding that there were "elements of truth" to media reports on the details of a 15-point US plan setting out demands on Tehran.

Trump threatens 'hell' if no deal

US President Donald Trump is ready to "unleash hell" on Iran if Tehran does not accept a deal to end the war in the Middle East, the White House warned.
"President Trump does not bluff and he is prepared to unleash hell. Iran should not miscalculate again," Leavitt told a briefing.

Israel expanding Lebanon 'buffer zone'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's forces were expanding a "buffer zone" in southern Lebanon as the military pressed ahead with its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Netanyahu said in a video statement that the zone had so far prevented any infiltration towards the northern border, and is being expanded "to push the threat from anti-tank missiles further away and to establish a broader buffer zone".

Oil prices slip on reports of US plan

Oil prices tumbled and stock markets rallied on reports of a US plan to end the war with Iran -- which promptly rejected Washington's overtures, according to state media.
After nearly four weeks of conflict, investors jumped on signs that hostilities could be winding down, with the safe-haven dollar losing support.
However, analysts pointed out that the arrival of more US troops in the Middle East and fresh missile strikes between Iran and Israel suggested chances of escalation remained.

Hormuz 'toll booth' legally risky

Maritime trackers reported that a handful of vessels are still crossing daily through the Strait of Hormuz, which is guarded by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) -- most of them leaving the Gulf.
Leading shipping journal Lloyd's List reported that the handful of vessels still crossing daily through the strait were taking a new Iranian-approved route, dubbed the "Tehran Toll Booth".
At least one vetted vessel paid $2 million to use the corridor around Larak Island just off Iran's coast, it reported.

Hezbollah: Talks are 'surrender'

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said negotiating with Israel while under fire would amount to "surrender" for Lebanon, and urged the government to reverse its ban on the party's military activities.
"When negotiations with the Israeli enemy are proposed under fire, this is an imposition of surrender," Qassem said, rejecting the Lebanese president's initiative to start direct negotiations "with an enemy that occupies our land and carries out daily attacks".

Tehran rejects US peace plan

Iranian state television, citing an unidentified senior official, reported that Iran had rejected a peace plan proposed by the United States to end the Middle East war.
Earlier, two senior officials in Islamabad confirmed to AFP that the 15-point plan to stop the fighting, which has spread across the Gulf and Middle East, had been "conveyed to Iran via Pakistan".
burs-sbk/pdw

diplomacy

Trump's Beijing trip rescheduled for May, after Iran delay

BY DANNY KEMP

  • "My meeting with the Highly Respected President of China, President Xi Jinping, which was originally postponed due to our Military operation in Iran, has been rescheduled, and will take place in Beijing on May 14th and 15th," Trump said on his Truth Social network.
  • US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing in May after delaying an earlier summit because of the war against Iran.
  • "My meeting with the Highly Respected President of China, President Xi Jinping, which was originally postponed due to our Military operation in Iran, has been rescheduled, and will take place in Beijing on May 14th and 15th," Trump said on his Truth Social network.
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing in May after delaying an earlier summit because of the war against Iran.
Trump said he was looking forward to the "monumental" trip, which was originally due to take place at the end of March, and would host Xi and his wife in Washington later this year.
"My meeting with the Highly Respected President of China, President Xi Jinping, which was originally postponed due to our Military operation in Iran, has been rescheduled, and will take place in Beijing on May 14th and 15th," Trump said on his Truth Social network.
Trump said US and Chinese officials were "finalizing preparations" for the "historic" Beijing and Washington visits.
"I look very much forward to spending time with President Xi in what will be, I am sure, a Monumental Event," Trump added.
The White House had announced the new dates shortly before Trump's social media post. 
Trump had been set to travel to Beijing between March 31 and April for the first time in his second term, for a summit aimed at resetting trade ties between the world's two largest economies.
The Chinese and US presidents met in South Korea in October on the sidelines of a regional summit, and agreed a truce in the trade war sparked by Trump's sweeping global tariffs.
But Trump said on March 16 that he had asked China to postpone the meeting while he deals with the war in the Middle East.
"Because of the war I want to be here, I have to be here, I feel. And so we've requested that we delay it a month or so," Trump told reporters at the time.

'Do the math'

The White House remained coy as to whether the formal rescheduling of the visit meant Trump expected the war with Iran, one of China's closest geopolitical allies, to end by that time.
"We've always estimated approximately four to six weeks (for the length of military operations against Iran), so you could do the math on that," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added.
"President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations right now. He understood obviously the request to postpone and accepted it."
But analysts have suggested China will be in a stronger position to extract concessions from Trump when he finally visits.
His decision last month to join Israel in strikes on Iran has plunged the Middle East into violence, pushed energy prices to years-long highs and seeded fears of global supply shortages due to Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
With Trump struggling to define how the intervention will end and traditional allies reluctant to back him, the US leader may come to China needing a diplomatic win.
Trump's weakened position could help Beijing argue for deeper tariff cuts and limit Washington's ability to push for change on other trade issues like access to critical minerals.
dk/sms

fuel

US EPA issues waiver for E15 fuel to address oil supply issues

  • The EPA issued a "temporary emergency fuel waiver" to allow the sale of E15 -- gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol -- in the summer.
  • The US Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday issued a temporary emergency waiver to allow countrywide sales of higher-ethanol fuel in the summer, Administrator Lee Zeldin said, easing smog controls amid government concerns about adequate supply.
  • The EPA issued a "temporary emergency fuel waiver" to allow the sale of E15 -- gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol -- in the summer.
The US Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday issued a temporary emergency waiver to allow countrywide sales of higher-ethanol fuel in the summer, Administrator Lee Zeldin said, easing smog controls amid government concerns about adequate supply.
"Based on the information we possess, we foresee potential for a disruption to the American fuel supply," Zeldin said at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, after global oil prices spiked following the launch of the US-Israel war on Iran. 
The EPA issued a "temporary emergency fuel waiver" to allow the sale of E15 -- gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol -- in the summer. Such sale is normally prohibited due to environmental and health concerns related to the fuel's volatility.
The EPA also removed "all federal impediments to selling E10," gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol, Zeldin said.
Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA enforces limits on when ethanol-blended fuels can be sold due to concerns about their contributions to ground-level ozone, a primary component of smog.
The EPA's actions on E15 and E10 go into effect on May 1 -- the agency's official start of the summer season -- for 20 days, the maximum allowable under the Clean Air Act.
The US government has frequently issued similar waivers in recent years, often renewing them multiple times each time they expire.
Global oil prices have surged since the war was launched on February 28, with US consumers seeing a 33.6-percent increase at the pump for regular gasoline since then, as per data from the AAA motor club.
Affordability has been a key political concern for US President Donald Trump, who has claimed to have tackled inflation despite prices remaining persistently high.
US consumers have been battered by years of higher-than-expected inflation post-pandemic, with inflation still significantly higher than the central bank's long-term two-percent target.
"President Trump is unleashing American Energy Dominance, and today's action will directly lower prices at the pump and gives a clear demand signal to our domestic biofuels producers," said US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Rollins also noted that the waiver would be a boost for US farmers, who produce the ethanol that goes into the blended fuel. 
mav-aha/sst

internet

Grieving families hail court victory against Instagram, YouTube

BY ROMAIN FONSEGRIVES

  • - 'Predator' defense - The platforms "had no defense" in this case, said Schott, outraged by the way Meta's lawyers attributed Kaley G.M.'s depression to her chaotic childhood -- surrounded by a neglectful father, a hot-tempered mother, and a sister who attempted suicide.
  • Hearing the news that Instagram and YouTube had been found liable Wednesday for contributing to a young American woman's depression, Lori Schott jumped for joy and wept, as if it were her own daughter who had just won her case.
  • - 'Predator' defense - The platforms "had no defense" in this case, said Schott, outraged by the way Meta's lawyers attributed Kaley G.M.'s depression to her chaotic childhood -- surrounded by a neglectful father, a hot-tempered mother, and a sister who attempted suicide.
Hearing the news that Instagram and YouTube had been found liable Wednesday for contributing to a young American woman's depression, Lori Schott jumped for joy and wept, as if it were her own daughter who had just won her case.
"We have ripped the door of this courthouse open in memory of our kids, and we're shining a light," the Colorado farmer told AFP, having traveled more than 1,800 kilometers (1,112 miles) to attend the verdict in Los Angeles.
It is "validation that what we saw, our children being harmed, was true. It's going to make the world safer."
This landmark trial involved Kaley G.M., a 20-year-old Californian who had been a compulsive user of various social media platforms since childhood and accused them of exacerbating her mental health issues and suicidal thoughts.
TikTok and Snapchat had reached a financial settlement to avoid going to court, but Google, the owner of YouTube, and Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, had opted for a legal battle.
The ruling on Monday ordering them to pay $3 million in damages is not just a victory for the young woman.
It also sets a precedent for thousands of American families who accuse the social media industry of knowingly designing its platforms to make children addicted, through features such as "likes," notifications, infinite scrolling, and autoplay videos.

'Predator' defense

The platforms "had no defense" in this case, said Schott, outraged by the way Meta's lawyers attributed Kaley G.M.'s depression to her chaotic childhood -- surrounded by a neglectful father, a hot-tempered mother, and a sister who attempted suicide.
"Their defense is to attack Kaley and her family. And what does a predator do? A predator attacks the victim," she said.
Angry, the 60-year-old cannot come to terms with the loss of her daughter Annalee, a little blonde girl in a cowboy hat whose smile lights up the pin attached to the lapel of her jacket.
After her suicide at age 18, her mother discovered a note explaining that she thought she was ugly and realized that she constantly compared herself to other women on social media who regularly used filters to alter their appearance.
"It was all built into the design of these platforms to keep little girls engaged," she said, still shocked by the internal documents revealed during the trial.
These confidential records notably showed how their architecture reduced users to a series of statistics, such as "customer lifetime value," representing the total expected profit for a person over their entire time on the platform.
"Their internal operation said kids are worth $270 lifetime value," she whispered, her throat tightening. "My daughter is worth a hell of a lot more than $270."

'Shaping public opinion'

During the trial, lawyers for YouTube and Instagram sought to convince the court that these platforms no longer aim to maximize the amount of time their users spend online, unlike in their early days.
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, also expressed regret on the stand that Instagram waited until 2022 to verify the ages of its users.
Outside the courtroom, his company is ramping up advertising to promote new Instagram accounts for teens, which are private by default and block messages from people not followed by users under 16.
The Silicon Valley giant is also promoting new features to alert parents if their teen repeatedly searches for content related to suicide or self-harm on Instagram.
But for Julianna Arnold, whose daughter Coco died at age 17 after receiving fentanyl from a stranger she met on Instagram, these efforts ring hollow.
"People need to wake up and start seeing through their PR. They're not doing nearly enough for kids' safety," said the Californian, co-founder of the victims' advocacy group Parents Rise.
For her, the increase in lawsuits against these platforms is essential, as the US Congress is currently considering a bill that would, for the first time, impose a "duty of care" on social media companies.
"This decision is not going to change everything, but it helps us to sway public opinion," she insisted. "That's the only way to get the ear of legislators in Washington."
rfo/arp/sms

entertainment

Internet providers not liable for music piracy by users: top US court

BY CHRIS LEFKOW

  • In a unanimous 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cox and said an ISP was liable "only if it intended that the provided service be used for infringement."
  • The US Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in a landmark copyright case that internet service providers (ISPs) are not liable for online pirating of music by their users.
  • In a unanimous 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cox and said an ISP was liable "only if it intended that the provided service be used for infringement."
The US Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in a landmark copyright case that internet service providers (ISPs) are not liable for online pirating of music by their users.
Cox Communications, a major broadband ISP, had asked the top court to throw out a jury verdict awarding $1 billion in damages to Sony Music Entertainment and other record labels.
Cox was accused in the case of failing to take action against customers accused of illegally downloading copyrighted music.
In a unanimous 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cox and said an ISP was liable "only if it intended that the provided service be used for infringement."
"A company is not liable as a copyright infringer for merely providing a service to the general public with knowledge that it will be used by some to infringe copyrights," the court said in an opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas.
"Cox repeatedly discouraged copyright infringement by sending warnings, suspending services, and terminating accounts," the court said.
"A provider induces infringement if it actively encourages infringement through specific acts," it said. "Cox neither induced its users' infringement nor provided a service tailored to infringement."
Cox Communications welcomed the court's decision, calling it a "decisive victory for the broadband industry and for the American people who depend on reliable internet service."
"This opinion affirms that internet service providers are not copyright police and should not be held liable for the actions of their customers," the company said in a statement.
The ruling was also welcomed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which called it a "win for freedom of expression online."
"If defined too broadly, secondary copyright liability for internet service providers can pose a serious threat to free speech online," Evelyn Danforth-Scott, an ACLU attorney, said in a statement.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) meanwhile expressed disappointment.
"To be effective, copyright law must protect creators and markets from harmful infringement," RIAA chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier said.
During oral arguments before the Supreme Court in December, Joshua Rosenkranz, an attorney representing Cox, had warned of "cataclysmic" consequences if the court did not limit the company's copyright liability.
The only way for an ISP to avoid liability is to "cut off the internet, not just for the accused infringer, but for anyone else who happens to use the same connection," Rosenkranz said.
"That could be entire towns, universities or hospitals, turning internet providers into internet police," he said.
cl/des

court

Study links major polluters to big climate damages bill

BY NICK PERRY

  • "We were surprised not only by the overall magnitude of estimated damages, which are in the tens of trillions of dollars, but also by how much larger future damages from past emissions are than past damages from past emissions," Burke said. 
  • The economic cost of carbon emissions is far higher than previously estimated, said a new study Wednesday that links big polluters to tens of trillions of dollars in climate-related damages worldwide.
  • "We were surprised not only by the overall magnitude of estimated damages, which are in the tens of trillions of dollars, but also by how much larger future damages from past emissions are than past damages from past emissions," Burke said. 
The economic cost of carbon emissions is far higher than previously estimated, said a new study Wednesday that links big polluters to tens of trillions of dollars in climate-related damages worldwide.
The study in the journal Nature measures how human-caused warming affects economic growth and assigns a share of global damages to specific emitters -- from major economies to oil giants.
The findings land as a growing wave of lawsuits seek to hold fossil fuel producers and other carbon-heavy businesses accountable for climate "loss and damage".
Claimants argue that large polluters are legally liable for their outsized contribution to climate change and its associated extreme weather events, particularly in poorer nations.
This study did not seek to answer the "legal and ethical" question of compensation, said Marshall Burke, a professor at Stanford University and the study's lead author.
"Our goal was first and foremost scientific, but we hope to contribute to the broader policy discussion of how to measure loss and damage and what to do about it," Burke told AFP.
It does offer "guidance" on the scale of potential costs and a framework "for estimating how specific emissions from specific emitters at specific points in time lead to damages" worldwide, he added.
They assessed the impact of rising temperatures on economic factors including labour productivity and agriculture, but also some associated climate-driven weather extremes.
US emissions between 1990 and 2020 were the largest source of estimated global damages at $10.2 trillion followed by China ($8.7 trillion) and the European Union ($6.4 trillion).
Emissions linked to Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco between 1988 and 2015 resulted in $3 trillion in cumulative global economic damages by 2020, the study also said.

Settling debts

But the authors found the largest share of climate damages lies ahead.
"We were surprised not only by the overall magnitude of estimated damages, which are in the tens of trillions of dollars, but also by how much larger future damages from past emissions are than past damages from past emissions," Burke said. 
One tonne of C02 emitted in 1990 caused about $180 in global damages by 2020, but was expected to inflict a further $1,840 through 2100 -- roughly 10 times more than the costs already incurred.
This is because CO2 has a long lifespan, lingering in the atmosphere where it contributes to warming for decades to come.
For this reason "settling debts for past damages will not settle debts for past emissions", the authors wrote.
Even under relatively conservative assumptions, the cost per tonne of carbon emitted is far higher than many government estimates.
The research also highlights how high-emitting activities such as air travel contribute to future damage. Taking a long-haul flight each year over a decade, for example, could generate around $25,000 in losses by 2100.
As emissions rise and poorer nations bear the brunt, wealthy countries and fossil fuel businesses are facing mounting scrutiny over their disproportionate role in driving climate damage.
Last year, a separate Nature study found extreme heat linked to emissions from 111 fossil fuel companies caused $28 trillion in global economic losses between 1991 and 2020.
Companies have long argued it is impossible to attribute harm from a global problem to any single emitter, and courts have been cautious about awarding compensation.
np/st

conflict

Hungary says will phase out gas deliveries to Ukraine

  • Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is a major gas supplier to Ukraine, has accused Kyiv of delaying repairs on the pipeline, effectively stopping the flow of Russian oil to Hungary and its neighbour Slovakia.
  • Hungary's prime minister said Wednesday that Budapest would phase out gas deliveries to Ukraine, the latest salvo in the feud between the two countries over a damaged pipeline transporting Russian oil.
  • Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is a major gas supplier to Ukraine, has accused Kyiv of delaying repairs on the pipeline, effectively stopping the flow of Russian oil to Hungary and its neighbour Slovakia.
Hungary's prime minister said Wednesday that Budapest would phase out gas deliveries to Ukraine, the latest salvo in the feud between the two countries over a damaged pipeline transporting Russian oil.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is a major gas supplier to Ukraine, has accused Kyiv of delaying repairs on the pipeline, effectively stopping the flow of Russian oil to Hungary and its neighbour Slovakia.
"To break the oil blockade and guarantee the security of Hungary's energy supply, new measures are now necessary," Orban said in a video posted on Facebook.
"We are gradually halting gas shipments from Hungary to Ukraine and storing the gas that remains here domestically. Until Ukraine supplies oil, it will receive no gas from Hungary," he added.
Ukraine said Hungary had not yet halted deliveries and that the only impact would be felt by Budapest from the lost revenue from gas sales.
"Ukraine knows where to obtain the required gas volumes even in the event that Hungary stops its supplies," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy told reporters.
Ukrainian officials insist the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, which crosses its territory, was damaged by Russian airstrikes on January 27.

Sanctions blocked

Hungary and Slovakia, which have obtained exemptions from the European Union to continue purchasing Russian oil, accuse Kyiv of dragging their feet to repair it. 
In retaliation, Orban -- who is facing parliamentary elections next month -- is blocking a European loan of 90 billion euros ($104 billion) to Ukraine. 
Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would help reopen the Druzhba pipeline. 
Budapest and Bratislava are also blocking the official adoption of new economic sanctions against Russia, endorsed by other EU countries. 
According to analysts at the pro-government Hungarian Economic Research Foundation (Oeconomus), Hungary has become one of Ukraine's main gas suppliers. 
Ukraine imported 2.94 billion cubic metres of gas from Hungary in 2025, the top source for Ukrainian imports, accounting for 45.5 percent of all Ukrainian imports, Ukrainian consultancy ExPro said in a report.
ExPro said separately that Ukraine's imports from Hungary were already slightly dropping as a share in 2026, down to 34 percent of Ukraine's import mix in March 2026.
Ukraine's total gas consumption in 2025 was 21 billion cubic metres, the Dixi group consultancy said in a report in March, meaning Hungary accounted for 14 percent of Ukraine's total gas use in 2025.
burs/jj

US

Mideast war sparks long queues at Kinshasa petrol stations

BY CAMILLE LAFFONT

  • Fuel distributors, caught between the fear of seeing barrel prices skyrocket and the regulation of prices at the pump, are being singled out as responsible for the sudden shortage.
  • Long queues of cars and motorcycles have built up at petrol stations in DR Congo's sprawling capital Kinshasa over fears of shortages and price hikes after Iran's blockade of a crucial shipping conduit.
  • Fuel distributors, caught between the fear of seeing barrel prices skyrocket and the regulation of prices at the pump, are being singled out as responsible for the sudden shortage.
Long queues of cars and motorcycles have built up at petrol stations in DR Congo's sprawling capital Kinshasa over fears of shortages and price hikes after Iran's blockade of a crucial shipping conduit.
In retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that began more than three weeks ago, Tehran virtually closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes, sending global energy prices soaring.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) imports nearly all the oil needed for its more than 100 million people and a shortage would risk paralysing the economy, which relies on the transport of goods by road.
The vast central African country has only a single overland pipeline, which carries imported oil from the Atlantic port of Matadi in the west to Kinshasa.
The Congolese economics ministry on Monday said in a statement that there was "no fuel shortage and stocks of petroleum products are available and sufficient to supply the entire country".
Seeking to ease the situation at the petrol pumps, it announced customs duty exemptions and the "strengthening" of advances to oil companies "in a context of tensions linked to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East". It did not provide details on the sources of the oil supply to the country.
Yet, on a main city artery, motorcyclists gripping their handlebars have been jostling for days, shouting to make themselves heard and trying to carve out a space in the crowd to secure a few litres of the scant fuel.
"There are colleagues who have been here for four hours," said Emmanuel Gedeon Nzunzi, who drives one of the motorcycle taxis that are essential in the overcrowded and congested city of around 17 million people.
With its outdated infrastructure, the impoverished DRC is no stranger to temporary fuel shortages. But this time, the threat originates far away. 
"We saw on social media that people are talking about the war in Iran," Marcel said, standing by his motorcycle.

'Pressure'

"We don't have any stocks?" asked motorbike taxi driver Moise Ilunga, not hiding his annoyance. "We have to put an end to this war, we have to negotiate with Iran, we're suffering," he said.
Fuel distributors, caught between the fear of seeing barrel prices skyrocket and the regulation of prices at the pump, are being singled out as responsible for the sudden shortage.
The government regulates pump prices, which are the equivalent of around $1 (2,440 CFA francs) a litre in the region around Kinshasa.
It pays subsidies to those involved in the petroleum sector to cover the difference with the actual price.
Emery Mbasthi, vice president of the Congo Oil Association, told AFP that he was worried about "depleting reserves without being able to replenish them".
He has called on the authorities to raise the price per litre at the pump or increase the subsidies.
Oil prices have already gone up since the start of the war in Iran and "oil companies are used to putting pressure on the government to review fuel prices" by holding onto their stocks," Jacques Mukena, a researcher at the DRC-based Ebuteli institute, told AFP.
But the government "will not immediately increase this shortfall", he added.
Increasing subsidies to fuel distributors would be a heavy drag on the state budget, while raising pump prices would have "a political and social impact", Mukena said.
The DRC, one of the poorest countries in the world, is particularly vulnerable to global oil price fluctuations.
Ilunga, the motorbike taxi driver, said that bikers like him now had to pay 1,000 CFA francs in bribes to be able to fill up on fuel at the pumps.
"With these costs, I'm going to have to ask for more money from customers" for the ride, said Marcel, amid the habitual din of engines and horns blaring in the Kinshasa sunshine.
The prime minister's office said on Tuesday that the DRC had stocks to supply the country until June and promised, for the time being, to limit the increase in the pump price.
str-clt/cld/kjm/giv

US

Aviation, tourism, agriculture... the economic sectors hit by the war

  • But all airlines feeling the heat from soaring prices of jet fuel, which has more than doubled from pre-war levels.
  • The war in the Middle East is impacting numerous economic sectors and not only in the region, both by direct disruptions and rising fuel prices.
  • But all airlines feeling the heat from soaring prices of jet fuel, which has more than doubled from pre-war levels.
The war in the Middle East is impacting numerous economic sectors and not only in the region, both by direct disruptions and rising fuel prices.

Aviation

Airlines bore an immediate impact from the outbreak of hostilities as they cancelled flights to the region.
While airlines based in the Middle East account for only 9.5 percent of global capacity, they play an outsized role they have developed into a major hub for long-haul travel between Europe and Asia.
These airlines have been particularly hard hit.
Qatar Airways has had to cancel nearly 91 percent of its flights since the fighting broke on February 28, according to aviation data firm Cirium.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has cancelled nearly three-quarters of its flights and Dubai-based Emirates nearly half.
But all airlines feeling the heat from soaring prices of jet fuel, which has more than doubled from pre-war levels.
Fuel accounts for between a quarter and a third of the operating costs of airlines, and some have already begun to pass along the higher costs to consumers by adding surcharges or hiking fares.
Several airlines have begun cutting back on their service schedules due to higher jet fuel costs as well as limited stocks, which have disrupted by the conflict and export restrictions some countries have imposed.

Tourism

Disruptions and higher airline ticket prices will have an impact on the willingness and financial means of tourists to travel.
Oxford Economics estimates that even with a quick end to the conflict the Middle East is facing an 11-27 percent drop in visitor arrivals this year, against previously forecast 13 percent growth.
But with Middle East airlines being important travel hubs and airlines everywhere raising fares the impact is likely to be wider.
The conflict could cause a reduction in 116 million visits and 858 million nights in hotel stays outside the Middle East this year, Oxford Economics estimates.
Some countries might benefit from tourists choosing its beaches over those in the Middle East region, however, such as Spain and Portugal, it noted.
In Europe, there was a six percent drop in hotel revenue per room, a key financial metric, during the first week of the war, according MKG Consulting.
Over the following two weeks the drop was just one percent in Britain and France, but 23.5 percent in Ireland and 15.4 percent in Portugal, two countries more dependent upon foreign tourists.

Maritime transport

Maritime transport carries 80 percent of the goods traded in the world. Fuel costs, which are up an average of 20 percent for ships, will raise overall shipping costs.
While shipping between Asia and North America has been little affected, routes between Asia and Europe, as well as Asia and Africa, have been impacted as ports in the Gulf and Red Sea are often used as transfer zones, said Cyrille Poirier Coutansais at the French defence ministry's maritime security research centre. 
Shipping companies also have a number of vessels blocked in the Gulf.
Those that don't want to travel through the Red Sea and take the Suez Canal have to take the considerably longer route around Africa, increasing delivery times and shipping costs.

Agriculture

The Gulf region produces around 30 percent of the world's fertiliser, which is key agricultural input in terms of cost as well as ensuring high yields.
The region is a big supplier for Asian nations, several of which have had to suspend their own output as the price of natural gas used in its production has soared.
There are concerns that an extended conflict could result in shortages while high prices could force some farmers to do without.
Farmers are also facing higher costs of diesel for their tractors and other equipment, as well as for gas to heat greenhouses and animal enclosures.

Luxury

The Middle East is an important market for the luxury industry and the Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai airports were also important distribution hubs.
Analysts at Bernstein expect luxury sales in the region to be cut in half in March, mainly due to a drop in tourism.
bur-jul/rl/cw

AI

AI making cyber attacks costlier and more effective: Munich Re

  • "They rely on highly personalised phishing emails, automatically generated malware, and synthetic identities that appear deceptively real," he said.
  • Artificial intelligence is making cyberattacks increasingly sophisticated and costlier for businesses, reinsurer Munich Re said Wednesday, warning of methods ranging from highly personalised phishing emails to computer-generated, convincing fake identities.
  • "They rely on highly personalised phishing emails, automatically generated malware, and synthetic identities that appear deceptively real," he said.
Artificial intelligence is making cyberattacks increasingly sophisticated and costlier for businesses, reinsurer Munich Re said Wednesday, warning of methods ranging from highly personalised phishing emails to computer-generated, convincing fake identities.
"If cybercrime were a country, it would be the third-largest economy in the world", behind only the United States and China, the reinsurer said in a report.
Citing figures from market analysis firm Statista, Munich Re projected cybercrime will generate global losses of some $14 billion (12.07 bn euros) in 2028.
Martin Kreuzer, head of cyber risks at Munich Re, told AFP that "automation now plays a central role", enabling attackers to operate "efficiently and in a more targeted way". 
"They rely on highly personalised phishing emails, automatically generated malware, and synthetic identities that appear deceptively real," he said.
The trend of "agentic AI" means the advent of systems that can "act autonomously, make decisions, and even circumvent defensive mechanisms," according to Kreuzer.
The most widespread cyberattacks are still ransomware, in which hackers lock systems and demand money to release them.
Munich Re's study says that the number of publicly reported attacks of this kind "increased by nearly 50 percent in 2025 and... continue unabated in 2026".
Coordinated attacks via networks of hijacked devices, used to overwhelm systems, also more than doubled in 2025 and are becoming more common thanks to services available for hire. 
At a more advanced level, criminals are collaborate with states, concealing the origin of attacks and accelerating their global operations. 
"Nation-state actors are among the most professional players in the cyber threat landscape," said Kreuzer. 
"Here we are seeing both an evolution of tools and methods, and the emergence of hybrid warfare driven by geopolitical motives," he said, adding that "disinformation is increasingly being used as a weapon".
The study notes that while attacks on large businesses attract most public attention, "the majority of cyber incidents and claims affect micro-companies and SMEs".
Compared with risks from natural catastrophes, for which almost half of all losses were insured in 2025, Kreuzer said that "cyber risk coverage is still far too low, with only a fraction insured".
jpl/jsk/sr/rl

Israel

War-linked power crunch pushes Sri Lanka to four-day week

BY AMAL JAYASINGHE

  • Sri Lanka has already raised fuel prices by a third since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, triggering retaliatory attacks that have disrupted global energy supplies.
  • Millions of Sri Lankans enjoyed a government-ordered extra day off on Wednesday as the island nation battles an energy crisis triggered by the Middle East war.
  • Sri Lanka has already raised fuel prices by a third since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, triggering retaliatory attacks that have disrupted global energy supplies.
Millions of Sri Lankans enjoyed a government-ordered extra day off on Wednesday as the island nation battles an energy crisis triggered by the Middle East war.
Rail and bus stations were largely deserted as most state institutions, schools and universities shifted to a four-day working week.
"I am really enjoying the mid-week break because it is a fully paid holiday," said housing ministry official Prarthana Perera, 40.
Her office, like many government departments in Battaramulla -- the capital's main administrative hub -- was closed.
Banks operated on shorter hours, while many private firms introduced work-from-home arrangements, industry bodies said, urging members to help curb energy use.
Sri Lanka has already raised fuel prices by a third since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, triggering retaliatory attacks that have disrupted global energy supplies.
About half of Sri Lanka's electricity is generated by coal and diesel.
The cabinet has set a target of cutting electricity consumption by 25 percent, ordering street lamps switched off and asking civil servants to use table fans instead of power-hungry air conditioners.
Shipping executive Varuna Perera welcomed the day off but was uncertain of its impact.
"It will not be effective in the long term," Perera said. "But the government will have a breather for a couple of weeks, to save some energy."
Environmental lawyer Ravindranath Dabare was more sceptical, arguing the move would have limited impact as those needing government services would have to travel on other days.
"We can't close hospitals... the doctors and health officials can't work from home," Dabare said.
The influential Chamber of Commerce said it had urged members to follow government guidelines or adopt remote work where possible, if "business continuity can be effectively maintained".
And Sri Lanka's leading technology firm WSO2 made working from home mandatory for its 500 employees on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
"This is our way of contributing to the national cause," WSO2 spokeswoman Zaithoon Bin-Ahamed told AFP.

'Improving productivity'

Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the government had yet to assess the impact of the energy-saving measures, but expected broad compliance.
Sri Lanka has been running coal and diesel power plants at full capacity to meet electricity demand.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake urged electric vehicle owners not to charge their cars overnight, as they would add a surge to an already strained grid.
He asked motorists instead to plug in during the day, when excess solar power is available.
Officials said the country's diesel stocks are sufficient to last until mid-May, while petrol could last a week longer.
The government is seeking oil supplies from Russia and hopes to tap Iran for crude oil, Jayatissa said.
Political commentator Kusal Perera said the crisis also presented scope to boost productivity across the state sector.
"They must use this opportunity to have a national dialogue on improving productivity," he told AFP. "We have to address the inefficiency in the public sector."
aj/pjm/mjw

war

IEA chief says 'ready' to release more oil reserves if needed

  • The IEA previously said member countries would unlock 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves to ease the impact of the Middle East war, the biggest such release ever.
  • The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Wednesday that he was "ready" to approve the release of more oil reserves if needed to cushion the impact of the Middle East war on global supplies.
  • The IEA previously said member countries would unlock 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves to ease the impact of the Middle East war, the biggest such release ever.
The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Wednesday that he was "ready" to approve the release of more oil reserves if needed to cushion the impact of the Middle East war on global supplies.
Fatih Birol made the comments on a visit to Tokyo, where Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked the IEA to carry out an additional release "in case the situation drags on".
Since last month, US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran's subsequent responses, including its de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have severely disrupted global oil supplies, causing concern over rising prices in Japan and other import-dependent Asian economies.
The IEA previously said member countries would unlock 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves to ease the impact of the Middle East war, the biggest such release ever.
Birol said Wednesday that the amount was only 20 percent of the agency's stocks and there was "still a significant amount of oil" left over.
"If and when necessary we are ready to move forward (with another release), but I very much hope that it will not be necessary," he said.
"The world is facing a serious energy security threat, but the International Energy Agency is ready to play its core role of being a guardian of global energy security."
In a meeting with Japan's Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa, Birol said the IEA was "monitoring all the energy assets in the Middle East".
"If we believe there is a need, we will not hesitate to release more stocks to the market."
Japan depends on the Middle East for 95 percent of its oil imports.
The country started releasing 15 days' worth of private-sector petroleum reserves last week, and will begin tapping into government stockpiles on Thursday.
Tokyo also plans a release from joint stockpiles held by producing nations in the country by the end of the month.
A joint reserve is held in Japan by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, according to the Petroleum Association of Japan.
Under normal circumstances, the jointly stored crude is commercially used, but in the event of an emergency, Japanese oil companies have preferential purchasing rights.
tmo-aph-hih/mjw

US

German business morale falls as war puts recovery on ice: survey

  • "The war in Iran has put any hope of a recovery on ice for the time being."
  • German business morale fell in March as the war in the Middle East puts hopes of a recovery in Europe's struggling top economy "on ice", a key survey showed Wednesday.
  • "The war in Iran has put any hope of a recovery on ice for the time being."
German business morale fell in March as the war in the Middle East puts hopes of a recovery in Europe's struggling top economy "on ice", a key survey showed Wednesday.
The Ifo institute confidence barometer dropped from 88.4 in February to 86.4 in March as the energy price surge triggered by the conflict raises fears of higher inflation.
It was in line with forecasts, and came after the biggest rise in the indicator in almost a year last month -- before the outbreak of the war pitting allies the United States and Israel against Iran.
"Sentiment among companies in Germany has dropped by a considerable degree," said Ifo president Clemens Fuest. 
"The war in Iran has put any hope of a recovery on ice for the time being."
The news will be a heavy blow to the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which has been seeking to spark a turnaround in the eurozone's industrial powerhouse after a long period of decline.
The drop in the Ifo survey was driven in particular by more pessimistic expectations among the roughly 9,000 companies surveyed.
Morale in the crucial manufacturing sector fell sharply, the survey showed, noting that "energy-intensive industries are most affected".
There were also falls in the service sector, with tourism and logistics firms all far more pessimistic, as well as in trade and construction, it said.
Capital Economics senior Europe economist Franziska Palmas said the survey and other recent indicators suggest "the renewed rise in energy prices could derail the tentative recovery in the German economy seen in recent months". 
But she added Germany will likely weather this energy shock better than the one unleashed by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. 
"The rise in energy prices has been much smaller (so far) and... a lot of the least profitable energy-intensive production has already been permanently lost," she added.
In its last official forecast in January, the German government said it expected the economy to expand one percent this year, although economic institutes now expect the figure to come in significantly lower.
jsk/sr/rl

retail

Labubu maker Pop Mart's shares fall 23% despite surging earnings

  • "Pop Mart has more than just Labubu," Chief Executive Officer Wang Ning sought to assure investors in a post-earnings call, according to a Bloomberg report.
  • Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's shares tumbled more than 20 percent on Wednesday, despite strong annual earnings, as investors fretted over a perceived over-dependence on its wildly popular Labubu dolls.
  • "Pop Mart has more than just Labubu," Chief Executive Officer Wang Ning sought to assure investors in a post-earnings call, according to a Bloomberg report.
Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's shares tumbled more than 20 percent on Wednesday, despite strong annual earnings, as investors fretted over a perceived over-dependence on its wildly popular Labubu dolls.
Revenue soared 184.7 percent to 37.1 billion yuan ($5.4 billion) in 2025, while net income surged 308.8 percent to 12.8 billion yuan, according to company earnings results published on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Wednesday.
However, its Hong Kong-listed shares closed 22.5 percent lower despite the profit bounce.
Beijing-based Pop Mart's annual revenue growth in 2025 was still largely reliant on sales of snaggle-toothed Labubus, with the Monsters series of which they are part generating more than one-third of revenue, or 14.2 billion yuan.
This appeared to weigh on investors, who worried about the company's growth prospects once the Labubu hype dies down.
"Pop Mart has more than just Labubu," Chief Executive Officer Wang Ning sought to assure investors in a post-earnings call, according to a Bloomberg report.
The viral "ugly-cute" Labubu dolls have taken the world by storm, adorning the handbags of celebrities such as Blackpink's Lisa and Dua Lipa.
The plushie dolls are released in limited quantities and are typically sold in "blind boxes", meaning buyers don't know the exact model they will receive.
Labubu will also soon come alive on the big screen, with Pop Mart announcing a collaboration with Sony Pictures this month.
The movie, which is still in early development, will feature the fanged monsters in a "live-action and CGI hybrid", Pop Mart said.
The company operates more than 600 stores across some 20 countries.
"We have been reminding our team to stay humble despite our strong performance, and to reflect deeply on the challenges we face," Wang said.
"Looking back, while we acknowledge there are still many issues to address, we have built solid strengths over the past year."
ehl-ll-isk/pbt/mjw

US

ECB won't be 'paralysed' in face of energy shock: Lagarde

  • "But we will not be paralysed by hesitation: our commitment to delivering two percent inflation over the medium term is unconditional."
  • The European Central Bank has several options for dealing with the Middle East war energy shock, its chief Christine Lagarde said Wednesday, vowing policymakers would not be "paralysed by hesitation".
  • "But we will not be paralysed by hesitation: our commitment to delivering two percent inflation over the medium term is unconditional."
The European Central Bank has several options for dealing with the Middle East war energy shock, its chief Christine Lagarde said Wednesday, vowing policymakers would not be "paralysed by hesitation".
The conflict, which began at the end of February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has sent oil and gas prices surging due to the near total closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf energy targets. 
Saying the world was facing "profound uncertainty", Lagarde insisted the ECB was well positioned to deal with the turmoil, with inflation currently close to its two-percent target and the eurozone economy on a sound footing.
"We have a graduated set of options for responding," she said in a speech in Frankfurt, where the ECB has its headquarters.
She stressed that policymakers "will not act before we have sufficient information on the size and persistence of the shock. 
"But we will not be paralysed by hesitation: our commitment to delivering two percent inflation over the medium term is unconditional."
At its most recent meeting last week, the ECB kept interest rates on hold as expected, while warning of higher inflation and lower growth due to the war.
But analysts have raised their bets on the central bank hiking borrowing costs as soon as next month in a bid to keep the lid on an expected surge in consumer prices.
Higher global oil and gas costs have led to immediate petrol price hikes in the eurozone, and rekindled memories of the energy shock that followed Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
At that time, the ECB faced fierce criticism for failing to hike borrowing costs quickly enough to tame runaway price rises.
But Lagarde sought to downplay the similarities with that period.
"The initial shock has so far still been smaller," she said, while adding the backdrop now was more "benign".
When Russia throttled gas supplies to Europe after the start of the Ukraine war, inflation was already higher due to post-pandemic supply chain problems and the economy was facing labour shortages, she said.
Now, the eurozone economy is on a sounder footing and inflation has been around the ECB's target for some time, she stressed.
sr/jsk/rl