One of the Taliban’s first acts after they swept to power in Afghanistan a month ago was to force most working women out of their jobs and into their homes. That’s going to add to the risk of starvation facing the country after years of crop failures and the collapse of this year’s wheat harvest. In an aid-dependent economy already ...

There’s no shortage of excitement for electric vehicle battery startups or multibillion dollar investments in the industry, as companies, backers and scientists look for the winning play. China, though, is moving on to the next leg in the race — one that isn’t dependent on a big, bold breakthrough — with sodium-ion batteries. Done right, this technology could lead to ...

Billionaires Bernard Arnault and Vincent Bollore made a spectacular entrance into the activist fight over Lagardere SA last year. Fast forward to today, and Bollore-controlled Vivendi SE is on the verge of taking over the storied media group behind Paris Match, while the London-based activist who started the saga looks poised for a tidy exit. The puzzle is why the ...