•Members of the Samsung Electronics labour union hold signs reading “Change it to be transparent!” as they stage a mass rally demanding the removal of a cap on performance bonuses, outside the company’s foundry and semiconductor factory in Pyeongtaek on April 23, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images)Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty Images

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called for both labor and management rights to be respected as an 18-day strike at Samsung Electronics looms.

Lee, posting on X in Korean, said “labor must be respected as much as business, and corporate management rights must be respected as much as labor rights.”

“Excess is not beneficial; extremes lead to reversal,” he added, according to a CNBC translation of his statement.

Lee’s remarks are the latest in a chorus of statements from government officials urging Samsung Electronics and its workers’ union to reach an agreement before a planned strike set to begin on May 21.

A final round of talks between the union and Samsung’s management was scheduled for Monday.

The union’s demands center on Samsung’s performance-based bonus system. It is seeking performance bonuses equivalent to 15% of Samsung’s operating profit, the removal of bonus payout caps, and a formalized bonus structure, among other measures.

Samsung’s management has offered to allocate 10% of operating profit to bonuses and provide a one-time special compensation package, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Source: CNBC.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has urged Nigerian and Chadian authorities to launch prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial investigations into two recent airstrikes that killed dozens of civilians.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Türk expressed concern over reports that Nigerian airstrikes on a market killed at least 100 civilians, while separate Chadian airstrikes in the Lake Chad region left dozens of Nigerian fishermen dead or missing.

“It is crucial that both Nigerian and Chadian authorities conduct prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into these disturbing incidents and ensure that those responsible for any violations are held to account, in accordance with international standards,” Türk said.

The incidents highlight the ongoing risks to civilians in the Lake Chad Basin amid intensified military operations against Islamist militants, including factions linked to Boko Haram and ISWAP.

In one case, Nigerian military jets reportedly struck a market in Jilli village, Yobe State, an area allegedly used by insurgents. Local reports and rights groups indicated heavy civilian casualties, prompting Nigeria to order its own investigation while defending the operation as targeting militant strongholds.

Separately, Chadian forces carried out retaliatory airstrikes on Boko Haram positions in the Lake Chad region. Fishermen’s leaders reported that more than 40 Nigerian fishermen were feared dead — some killed directly in the strikes and others drowning while fleeing in overloaded boats. No official casualty figures have been confirmed by authorities in either country.

The UN rights chief’s call underscores growing international pressure for accountability in counter-terrorism operations that have increasingly impacted civilian populations in the volatile region.

Both Nigeria and Chad face persistent security challenges from militant groups operating across borders, with operations often conducted in remote areas where distinguishing between combatants and civilians remains difficult.

Further details on the investigations and any accountability measures are expected in the coming weeks.

May 12 (Reuters) – U.S. consumer inflation increased further in April, with the annual rate posting its largest gain in three years, heightening political risks for President Donald Trump and his Republican party ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The back-to-back rises in the Consumer Price Index reported by the Labor Department on Tuesday, reflected strong gains in the costs of energy products amid the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. ‌

Food prices surged last month and inflation also spilled over to the services sector, with higher rental costs and airfares.

Trump won re-election in 2024 in large part because of his promise to reduce inflation, but Americans have soured on his handling of the economy and many blame him for the pain at the pump.

Rising inflation outpaced wage gains for the first time in three years, and underscored the financial strain on households.

With no end in sight to the conflict, economists warned prices would continue to push higher and broaden in the months ahead.

Trump on Monday proposed reducing the 18.4-cent federal gasoline tax to lower prices at the pump.

“Prices are going up everywhere you look and families everywhere are struggling to keep up,” said Janelle Jones, a visiting senior fellow at the Century Foundation.

“Measures like suspending the gas tax will provide short-term relief, but it’s robbing Peter to pay Paul. What families really need is an ⁠end to this war and leaders that are committed to ending the affordability crisis.”

The CPI increased 0.6% last month after surging 0.9% in March, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI rising 0.6%. Estimates ranged from a 0.4% gain to a 0.9% increase.

The moderation after posting the largest increase since June 2022 was mechanical. Oil prices shot above $100 a barrel in March following strikes against Iran, before pulling back to still-high levels after a ceasefire in early April.

While the conflict’s impact was immediately reflected in more expensive gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, economists said the second-round effects were around the corner, including for goods trucked by road. Shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are straining supply chains.

A 3.8% increase in energy prices accounted for more than 40% of the rise in the CPI last month.

That followed a 10.9% jump in March. Gasoline prices rose 5.4% after a record 21.2% surge in March. Other motor fuels, which include diesel, increased 17.0%.

Consumers also paid higher prices for electricity amid strong demand from data centers to power artificial intelligence.

Food prices accelerated 0.5% after being unchanged in March.

Grocery store inflation shot up 0.7%, the largest increase since August 2022.

Beef prices increased 2.7%, the most since November 2024. Coffee prices rose 2.0%.

Fruits and vegetable prices climbed 1.8% while nonalcoholic beverages cost 1.1% more. There were also strong increases in the prices of dairy and eggs.