BANGKOK -- Automakers from China, Japan and elsewhere are promoting their electric vehicles in Thailand as consumers turn away from the internal combustion engine (ICE) due to surging oil prices and fears of a fuel shortage.

SYDNEY -- The leaders of the European Union and Australia signed a long-awaited trade deal and a security pact on Tuesday that will deepen cooperation as both sides seek ways to cope with the U.S.'s unpredictable trade policies and escalating global tensions.

TOKYO -- Japan's Sakana AI has launched its first consumer-facing chatbot, marking a shift from being a corporate-focused artificial intelligence startup toward becoming a provider of general services, as competition intensifies to localize generative AI for specific markets.

HOUSTON, Texas -- The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has rekindled Japan's concerns about relying on the South China Sea as a shipping conduit for energy imports, Takehiko Matsuo, Japan's vice minister for international affairs at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, said on Monday.

TOKYO -- China is enlisting private-sector startups to build out its space industry in areas like rockets and satellites.

SYDNEY -- The leaders of the European Union and Australia are scheduled to meet on Tuesday for discussions toward the signing of new trade and defense agreements that would deepen cooperation as both sides seek ways to cope with the U.S.'s unpredictable trade policies and escalating global tensions.

NEW YORK -- Toyota Motor plans to invest $1 billion to increase U.S. capacity to build electric and hybrid vehicles for the North American market, the Japanese automaker said Monday.