Shares were mixed in Asia on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan hiked its benchmark interest rate for the first time in 17 years, ending a longstanding negative rate policy at odds with the stances of most central banks. In a widely anticipated move, the BOJ raised its overnight call rate to a range of 0 to 0.1%, up from minus 0.1%. It said that wage increases and other indicators suggested that inflation had stabilized above the BOJ's 2% target, but noted “extremely high uncertainties,” including weakness in industrial production, exports, housing investment and government spending.
Cricket Australia has postponed a three-match men’s Twenty20 international series against Afghanistan scheduled for August due to concerns over deteriorating human rights for women and girls in the Taliban-controlled country. The matches were scheduled to be hosted by Afghanistan but played in the United Arab Emirates. It marks the third time Cricket Australia has declined to play the Afghan team since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in September 2021 and placed restrictions on female participation in sport, work, education and travel.
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