Business and Economy
Stocks steady as rate cut hopes bring Christmas cheer
AFP - 24m ago
Stock markets steadied on Tuesday, while gold and silver hit fresh records as optimism for US rate cuts helped investors …
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Markets mostly rise as rate cut hopes bring Christmas cheer
AFP - 2h ago
Most markets rose on Tuesday, while gold and silver hit fresh records as optimism for more US interest rate cuts and an …
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Outcry follows CBS pulling program on prison key to Trump deportations
AFP - 5h ago
The leadership of CBS News was facing accusations of political meddling on Monday over a last-minute decision to not air …
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In Bulgaria, villagers fret about euro introduction
AFP - 5h ago
In Bilyana Nikolova's grocery store in Chuprene, a village in northwestern Bulgaria, prices are now displayed in levs …
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Delayed US data expected to show solid growth in 3rd quarter
AFP - 6h ago
The US economy is expected to post another solid economic growth reading Tuesday, but the much-delayed figures likely …
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Asian markets rally again as rate cut hopes bring Christmas cheer
AFP - 4h ago
Equities extended a global rally Tuesday, while gold and silver hit fresh records as optimism for more US interest rate …
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US stocks push higher while gold, silver notch fresh records
Dec 22 2025
Wall Street stocks pushed higher Monday to begin a holiday-shortened trading week, while oil prices rallied amid …
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Right wing urges boycott of iconic Brazilian flip-flops
Dec 22 2025
Prominent figures on Brazil's right wing are calling for a boycott of Havaianas, the iconic Brazilian flip-flop sandals, …
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EU condemns China dairy duties as 'unjustified'
Dec 22 2025
The European Union hit out at China on Monday, saying it was "unjustified" for Beijing to impose duties of up to 42.7 …
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Tech stocks lead Wall Street higher, gold hits fresh record
Dec 22 2025
Wall Street and Asian stock markets advanced on Monday, with tech stocks leading the way.
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Billionaire Ellison offers personal guarantee for son's bid for Warner Bros
Dec 22 2025
Oracle tech tycoon Larry Ellison is offering a $40.4 billion personal guarantee to back Paramount's hostile bid for …
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EU slams China dairy duties as 'unjustified'
Dec 22 2025
Brussels hit back Monday at China slapping duties of up to 42.7 percent on some dairy products from the European Union, …
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Telefonica to shed around 5,500 jobs in Spain
Dec 22 2025
Telefonica will cut up to 5,500 jobs in Spain under a voluntary departure plan agreed with trade unions last week, the …
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Italy fines Apple nearly 100 mn euros over app privacy feature
Dec 22 2025
Italy's competition authority said Monday it had fined the US tech giant Apple 98 million euros ($115 million) for …
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EU to probe Czech aid for two nuclear units
Dec 22 2025
The European Commission said Monday it had opened an investigation to assess whether the Czech government's support plan …
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Stocks diverge as rate hopes rise, AI fears ease
Dec 22 2025
Stock markets diverged Monday and gold hit a record high as the latest round of US data boosted hopes for more interest …
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Asian markets rally with Wall St as rate hopes rise, AI fears ease
Dec 22 2025
Asian markets rallied Monday and gold hit a record high as the latest round of US data boosted hopes for more interest …
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Swiss court to hear landmark climate case against cement giant
Dec 22 2025
A Swiss court has decided to hear a landmark climate case pitting residents of a tiny Indonesian island being swallowed …
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US in 'pursuit' of third oil tanker in Caribbean: official
Dec 22 2025
The US Coast Guard was pursuing another allegedly sanctioned tanker on Sunday, a US official told AFP, as Washington …
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CO2 soon to be buried under North Sea oil platform
Dec 22 2025
In the North Sea where Denmark once drilled for oil, imported European carbon dioxide will soon be buried under the …
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India's Bollywood counts costs as star fees squeeze profits
Dec 22 2025
From fleets of private trailers to personal chefs and sprawling entourages, Bollywood stars' "obnoxious" demands are …
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As US battles China on AI, some companies choose Chinese
Dec 22 2025
Even as the United States is embarked on a bitter rivalry with China over the deployment of artificial intelligence, …
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Macron, on UAE visit, announces new French aircraft carrier
Dec 21 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he had given the official go-ahead to replace his country's flagship, …
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China's rare earths El Dorado gives strategic edge
Dec 21 2025
Buried in the reddish soil of southern China lies latent power: one of the largest clusters of crucial rare earths is …
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Brazil's Lula, Argentina's Milei clash over Venezuela at Mercosur summit
Dec 20 2025
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentina's Javier Milei on Saturday openly clashed at a regional …
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Brazil's Lula asks EU to show 'courage' and sign Mercosur trade deal
Dec 20 2025
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday urged the European Union to show "courage" and sign a trade …
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Mercosur meets in Brazil, EU eyes January 12 trade deal
Dec 20 2025
Representatives of the South American Mercosur bloc met in Brazil Friday, as EU diplomatic sources said a long-delayed …
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Beetles block mining of Europe's biggest rare earths deposit
Dec 20 2025
As Europe seeks to curb its dependence on China for rare earths, plans to mine the continent's biggest deposit have hit …
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Musk wins US court appeal of $56 bn Tesla pay package
Dec 20 2025
A Delaware appeals court cleared the way Friday for Elon Musk to receive a long-contested $56 billion Tesla pay package, …
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Nasdaq rallies again while yen falls despite BOJ rate hike
Dec 19 2025
Resurgent artificial intelligence shares lifted the Nasdaq Friday for a second straight session while the yen retreated …
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French court rejects Shein suspension
Dec 19 2025
A French court on Friday rejected the state's request to suspend Shein's site in France as "disproportionate" after the …
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Stocks advance as markets cheer weak inflation
Dec 19 2025
Stock markets pushed higher on Friday as expectations for lower US interest rates continued to cheer investors.
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US Fed official says no urgency to cut rates, flags distorted data
Dec 19 2025
A key US Federal Reserve official said Friday that he sees no need to rush to cut interest rates further, adding that …
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Rome to charge visitors for access to Trevi Fountain
Dec 19 2025
Tourists will have to pay a two-euro entrance fee to get close to Rome's famous Trevi Fountain, which draws vast crowds …
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Stocks advance with focus on central banks, tech
Dec 19 2025
Global stock markets mostly advanced on Friday as traders reacted to central bank activity and easing concerns over the …
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EU agrees 90-bn-euro loan for Ukraine, without Russian assets
Dec 19 2025
EU leaders struck a deal Friday to provide Ukraine a loan of 90 billion euros to plug its looming budget shortfalls -- …
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France's budget hits snag in setback for embattled PM
Dec 19 2025
A joint committee of French lawmakers on Friday failed to reach a compromise on the state budget for next year, …
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Stocks mixed with focus on central banks, tech
Dec 19 2025
European stock markets steadied Friday after solid gains in Asia, as traders reacted to central bank activity and easing …
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Japan hikes interest rates to 30-year-high
Dec 19 2025
The Bank of Japan hiked interest rates to a 30-year high on Friday and indicated more were in the pipeline as it said …
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Asian markets rise as US inflation eases, Micron soothes tech fears
Dec 19 2025
Asian markets rose Friday as a below-forecast read on US inflation boosted hopes for another interest rate cut next …
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TikTok signs joint venture deal to end US ban threat
Dec 19 2025
TikTok said Thursday it has signed a joint venture deal with investors that would allow the company to maintain …
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Mexican low-cost airlines Volaris and Viva agree to merger
Dec 19 2025
Two of Mexico's top low-budget airlines said Thursday they had agreed to merge, setting up a deal that could create one …
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Volatile Oracle shares a proxy for Wall Street's AI jitters
Dec 19 2025
For a reading of Wall Street's shifting mood on the artificial intelligence investment boom, take a look at the daily …
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EU-Mercosur deal delayed as farmers stage Brussels show of force
Dec 19 2025
The signing of a trade deal between the EU and South American bloc Mercosur was pushed back to January on Friday, after …
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TikTok: key things to know
Dec 19 2025
TikTok boasts over a billion users worldwide, including more than 170 million in the United States, it says -- nearly …
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Trump signs $900 bn defense policy bill into law
Dec 19 2025
President Donald Trump signed a sweeping defense policy bill into law Thursday that signaled strong bipartisan support …
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Nike shares slump as China struggles continue
Dec 18 2025
Nike reported a drop in quarterly profits Thursday, citing a drag from higher US tariffs and continued weakness in China …
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Crunch time for EU leaders on tapping Russian assets for Ukraine
Dec 18 2025
EU leaders were locked in late-night talks Thursday over whether to use frozen Russian central bank assets to fund …
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Stocks rise as US inflation cools, tech stocks bounce
Dec 18 2025
Equity markets mostly rose on Thursday as investors welcomed cool US inflation data while tech stocks bounced and …
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Argentine unions in the street over Milei labor reforms
Dec 18 2025
Thousands of Argentines demonstrated on Thursday against President Javier Milei's plans to drastically overhaul the …
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Brazil open to EU-Mercosur deal delay as farmers protest in Brussels
Dec 18 2025
Police fired teargas at farmers protesting the EU's planned trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur in Brussels …
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Russian court orders Austrian bank Raiffeisen to pay compensation
Dec 18 2025
The largest Western bank still operating in Russia was on Thursday ordered to pay nearly $400 million in compensation …
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Brussels farmer protest turns ugly as EU-Mercosur deal teeters
Dec 18 2025
Protesters lit fires and hurled potatoes at riot police who responded with teargas and water cannon in Brussels …
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Zelensky presses EU to tap Russian assets at crunch summit
Dec 18 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told EU leaders Thursday they had the "moral" and legal right to use frozen …
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US consumer inflation cools unexpectedly in November
Dec 18 2025
US consumer inflation slowed unexpectedly in November, delayed government data showed Thursday, although levels remained …
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ECB holds rates as Lagarde stresses heightened uncertainty
Dec 18 2025
The European Central Bank held interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row but was tight-lipped on …
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Trump Media announces merger with fusion power company
Dec 18 2025
Trump Media & Technology Group, the struggling company that owns the US president's Truth Social platform, announced …
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ECB holds rates but debate swirls over future
Dec 18 2025
The European Central Bank held interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row and raised growth …
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Bank of England cuts interest rate after UK inflation slides
Dec 18 2025
The Bank of England cut its key interest rate to 3.75 percent on Thursday after UK inflation eased faster than expected …
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Spain to buy 100 military helicopters from Airbus
Dec 18 2025
Spain's defence ministry has ordered 100 helicopters from Airbus destined for deployment in various parts of its armed …
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Tractors clog Brussels in anger at EU-Mercosur trade deal
Dec 18 2025
Hundreds of tractors converged on Brussels on Thursday in a show of farmers' anger at the EU's planned trade deal with …
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European stocks rise before central bank decisions on rates
Dec 18 2025
Europe's main stock markets rose Thursday ahead of interest-rate decisions from the Bank of England and European Central …
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British energy giant BP extends shakeup with new CEO pick
Dec 18 2025
British energy giant BP, which this year shelved targets on reducing carbon emissions, has appointed industry veteran …
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EU kicks off crunch summit on Russian asset plan for Ukraine
Dec 18 2025
EU leaders kicked off a make-or-break summit Thursday on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, with key player …
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Most Asian markets track Wall St lower as AI fears mount
Dec 18 2025
Most Asian markets sank Thursday after another sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector's colossal …
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EU holds crunch summit on Russian asset plan for Ukraine
Dec 18 2025
EU leaders gather in Brussels Thursday for a make-or-break summit on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine -- with key …
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Trump vows economic boom, blames Biden in address to nation
Dec 18 2025
President Donald Trump promised Americans an economic boom in an address to the nation on Wednesday, while blaming …
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What to know about the EU-Mercosur deal
Dec 18 2025
Squabbles over the EU-Mercosur trade deal are likely to punctuate a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday.
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ECB set to hold rates but debate swirls over future
Dec 18 2025
The European Central Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row as …
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Asian markets track Wall St lower as AI fears mount
Dec 18 2025
Asian markets sank Thursday after another sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector's colossal spending on …
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What's next for Venezuela under the US oil blockade?
Dec 18 2025
A US blockade of Venezuelan oil shipments could slash production and halve exports of the country's most valuable …
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Nasdaq tumbles on renewed angst over AI building boom
Dec 17 2025
Tech shares suffered another bout of weakness Wednesday on worries about an AI bubble, hitting US stocks as oil prices …
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Brazil threatens to walk if EU delays Mercosur deal
Dec 17 2025
EU plans to seal a vast trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur this week were thrown into disarray Wednesday after …
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Oscars to stream exclusively on YouTube from 2029
Dec 17 2025
The Oscars will be shown only on YouTube from 2029, the Academy said Wednesday, in a radical gambit for a movie industry …
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Oscars to stream exclusively on YouTube from 2029: Academy
Dec 17 2025
The Oscars will be available to watch exclusively on YouTube from 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences …
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CNN's future unclear as Trump applies pressure
Dec 17 2025
CNN is heading into an uncertain future with its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) destined for a takeover -- …
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Crude prices surge after Trump orders Venezuela oil blockade
Dec 17 2025
Oil prices surged on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of "sanctioned" oil tankers heading to …
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Netflix to launch FIFA World Cup video game
Dec 17 2025
Netflix is set to release a FIFA football simulation game exclusively on its gaming platform in summer 2026, timed to …
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German MPs approve 50 bn euros in military purchases
Dec 17 2025
German lawmakers Wednesday approved about 50 billion euros ($59 billion) in military purchases, as Berlin accelerates …
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EU's Mercosur trade deal hits French, Italian roadblock
Dec 17 2025
EU plans to seal a vast trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur this week were thrown into disarray Wednesday as …
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Warner Bros rejects Paramount bid, sticks with Netflix
Dec 17 2025
Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday rejected a hostile takeover bid by Paramount launched last week to trump plans by …
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Balkan nations offer lessons on handling cow virus sowing turmoil
Dec 17 2025
An outbreak of a highly contagious cattle disease has left France, the world's top exporter of live animals, struggling …
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Warner Bros. Discovery rejects Paramount bid
Dec 17 2025
Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday rejected a hostile takeover bid by Paramount launched last week to trump plans by …
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Stocks gain as traders bet on interest rate moves
Dec 17 2025
London's stock market rallied Wednesday as the pound faltered on expectations of cuts to Bank of England interest rates, …
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Bleak end to the year as German business morale drops
Dec 17 2025
German business sentiment fell to its lowest level in seven months in December, a survey showed Wednesday, with Europe's …
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Markets rise even as US jobs data fail to boost rate cut bets
Dec 17 2025
Equities mostly rose Wednesday even as US jobs data did little to boost expectations for another interest rate cut next …
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Asian markets mixed as US jobs data fails to boost rate cut hopes
Dec 17 2025
Asian equities were mixed on Wednesday as US jobs data did little to boost expectations for another interest rate cut …
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Trump orders blockade of 'sanctioned' Venezuela oil tankers
Dec 17 2025
US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a blockade of "sanctioned oil vessels" heading to and leaving Venezuela, …
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Asian markets drift as US jobs data fails to boost rate cut hopes
Dec 17 2025
Asian equities fluctuated on Wednesday as mixed US jobs data did little to boost expectations for another interest rate …
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Trump says orders blockade of 'sanctioned' Venezuela oil tankers
Dec 17 2025
US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a blockade of "sanctioned oil vessels" heading to and leaving Venezuela, …
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Netflix boss promises Warner Bros films would still be seen in cinemas
Dec 16 2025
Netflix will continue to distribute Warner Bros. films in cinemas if its takeover bid for the storied studio is …
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Stocks mostly retreat on US jobs, oil drops on Ukraine hopes
Dec 16 2025
Stock markets mostly fell Tuesday as the US jobless rate hit its highest level since 2021, while oil prices slumped on …
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Tepid 2026 outlook dents Pfizer shares
Dec 16 2025
Pfizer signaled Tuesday it expects a challenging 2026 as it invests in new products to offset declines in Covid-19 …
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EU weakens 2035 combustion-engine ban to boost car industry
Dec 16 2025
The EU on Tuesday walked back a 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars seen as a milestone in the fight against climate …
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French lawmakers adopt social security budget, suspend pension reform
Dec 16 2025
French lawmakers on Tuesday
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China to impose anti-dumping duties on EU pork for five years
Dec 16 2025
China will impose anti-dumping duties on European Union pork imports for five years, but at lower rates than temporary …
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Stocks retreat on US jobs, oil drops on Ukraine hopes
Dec 16 2025
Stock markets fell Tuesday as the US jobless rate hit its highest level since 2021, while oil prices slumped on renewed …
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VW stops production at German site for first time
Dec 16 2025
The last car rolled off the production line at a Volkswagen site in Dresden on Tuesday, marking the first time in …
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EU eases 2035 combustion-engine ban to boost car industry
Dec 16 2025
The EU on Tuesday walked back a 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars seen as a milestone in the fight against climate …
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US unemployment rises further, hovering at highest since 2021
Dec 16 2025
The US jobless rate picked up again in November, hovering at its highest level in four years, official data showed …
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Serbian President blames 'witch hunt' for ditched Kushner hotel plan
Dec 16 2025
Plans to build a hotel on the site of Belgrade's bombed-out Yugoslav army headquarters have been dumped, the country's …
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BBC says will fight Trump's $10 bn defamation lawsuit
Dec 16 2025
The BBC said Tuesday it would fight a $10-billion lawsuit brought by US President Donald Trump against the British …
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