The war in the Mideast is sending shudders through global energy markets. Oil prices are up more than 6%, and European natural gas futures are spiking more than 40% in the wake of the shutdown of a major supplier of ship-borne gas due to the fighting.

The jump came after QatarEnergy said Monday it would stop its production of liquefied natural gas as the Mideast war rages. Europe relies on shipments of liquefied gas, or LNG, to replace supplies of Russian pipeline gas lost due to the invasion of Ukraine. Shipping has been disrupted in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil and LNG tankers coming from the Persian Gulf.

Young people grabbing cheap apartments

As China’s property market craters and youth unemployment rises, burned-out young professionals are fleeing megacities for ultracheap housing in remote towns.

At the semiabandoned “Life in Venice” multibillion-dollar development, rents are as low as $168 a month. Former Shanghai finance worker Sasa Chen moved there to retire at 28 by living off her savings. Across China, many are trading career ambition for low costs and slower living. With apartments in some smaller cities going for just a few thousand dollars, millions are leaving big cities and opting out of the rat race altogether.

Federal court rejects attempt to slow refunds

A federal court on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to slow the process of refunding billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs the Supreme Court struck down as illegal last month.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit started the next phase in the refund process by sending it to a lower court to sort out. In a court filing Friday, Trump’s Justice Department had urged the Federal Circuit to proceed cautiously and hold off for 90 days. But the judges refused.

India and Canada agree to boost partnership

India and Canada have agreed to strengthen their economic partnership, in a move aimed at boosting ties after two years of strained relationship.

On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two countries plan to soon finalize a comprehensive economic partnership, which is expected to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said both sides aim to conclude the deal by the end of the year. The two sides also signed a nuclear agreement for Canada to supply uranium to India. Carney’s India trip connects him to a push to diversify trade away from the United States.

Malaysia renews Lynas Rare Earths’ license

Malaysia has renewed Australian miner Lynas Rare Earths’ license for 10 years, but ordered it to stop producing radioactive waste by 2031. Science Minister Chang Lih Kang said Monday that Lynas must treat and neutralize all such waste, including by extracting thorium. Chang said Malaysia will not allow a new permanent disposal site.

The license runs until March 2036, with a review after five years. Chang says the government can revoke it for noncompliance. Malaysian environmental groups have been pushing Lynas to export the waste. The Lynas refinery in Malaysia has been operating in central Pahang state since 2012.

Trump’s Medicaid work mandates are meant to save

New Medicaid work requirements signed into law by President Donald Trump are meant to save money. But states first will have to spend millions of dollars to implement them.

An Associated Press analysis finds that states are projected to spend over $1 billion on technology improvements and additional staff needed to carry out the requirements. The Medicaid changes were included in Trump’s big tax-cut law passed by Congress last year.