Briefly

FRANCE

EU urged to speed up tariff deal with US

French Finance Minister Eric Lombard said on Saturday he hoped the European Union would reach a deal on tariffs with the United States "this weekend", before a July 9 deadline to avoid the return of steep tariffs. "On tariffs, it could all be decided this weekend," Lombard said at an economic forum in southern France. "If not, Europe will undoubtedly have to respond more vigorously to restore the balance." If the EU does not clinch an agreement with the US by Wednesday, the default levy on EU imports is set to double to 20 percent or even higher.

SOUTH KOREA

Prosecutors seek Yoon's detention

South Korean special prosecutors filed a request on Sunday to detain former president Yoon Suk-yeol on charges related to insurrection from when he declared martial law in December, the prosecutor's office said. "Detention request is related to allegations of abuse of power and obstruction of justice," said a statement from the special counsel of prosecutors investigating the Dec 3 incident. Yoon was summoned on Saturday for hours of questioning by the special counsel as part of the probe over the insurrection charges, according to the counsel officials.

JAPAN

2 women fatally stabbed at bar

Two women working at a so-called girls' bar in Hamamatsu, a city in central Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture, were fatally stabbed on Sunday, with a man arrested at the scene, local media reported. Ichiro Yamashita, a resident of Fukuroi in Shizuoka, is suspected of attacking bar manager Tomoka Takeuchi, 27, and 26-year-old employee Rin Ito at around 1 am, Kyodo News reported. Police arrested Yamashita on the spot and he has reportedly admitted to the stabbings.

OIL MARKETS

OPEC+ scheduled to increase oil output

Saudi Arabia, Russia and six other key members of the OPEC+ alliance said on Saturday they would increase oil output next month to 548,000 barrels per day, in a move that could further reduce gas prices this year. The group, which pumps about half the world's oil, cited a "steady global economic outlook" and low oil inventories. A statement said the new measures were in accordance with a December decision to put off increasing production at that time, but gradually increase it by 2.2 million barrels per day over an 18-month period starting April and ending fall 2026.

Agencies - Xinhua