Business and Economy
Stocks edge higher ahead of US Fed rate call
AFP - 1h ago
Global stock markets mostly rose as oil prices fell on Wednesday ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision on US interest …
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US House targets data centers as midterm backlash grows
AFP - 1h ago
The US House of Representatives is set to vote Wednesday on whether data centers should shoulder more of their own …
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British PM says to make 'difficult decisions' as inflation rises
AFP - 3h ago
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday that he was ready to take "difficult decisions" as higher fuel prices from …
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US Fed to deliver rate decision with markets betting on hike
AFP - 3h ago
The US Federal Reserve will announce its decision on setting interest rates for the world's largest economy on …
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TotalEnergies pumps up controversy in France with cut-price gas
AFP - 3h ago
French motorists are clogging TotalEnergies service stations to fill up with discount gasoline but its rivals are crying …
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Global fuel price demos: a round-up
AFP - 4h ago
Social unrest and political squabbles have broken out around the world over soaring energy costs, with protests erupting …
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Emporio Armani names Dario Vitale new creative director
AFP - 6h ago
The Armani fashion house, whose founder and owner Giorgio Armani died last year, named Prada veteran Dario Vitale as the …
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Saudi says Houthis target Mecca, warns of 'red line'
AFP - 38m ago
The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthis accused them on Wednesday of targeting Islam's holy city Mecca, …
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Stocks head higher as traders prepare for Fed decision
AFP - 2h ago
Equity markets climbed on Wednesday as investors geared up for an expected interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve …
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Pickle-flavoured tart? AI inspires Japan's convenience stores
AFP - 9h ago
Fears that advanced artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity have dominated global headlines, but in Japan the …
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China opens major canal linking landlocked regions to sea
AFP - 9h ago
China opened a major canal on Wednesday that will provide landlocked areas with direct access to the sea, state media …
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Hong Kong unveils plan to align economy with China's goals
AFP - 11h ago
Hong Kong's government unveiled plans on Wednesday to significantly boost investment on innovation and technology as it …
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Bank of Japan set to raise rates under pressure from inflation, US
AFP - 12h ago
The Bank of Japan is poised to raise interest rates again on Friday to counter inflation fuelled by surging energy …
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Meta chief pushes back on AI slowdown calls
AFP - 9h ago
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushed back Tuesday against growing calls to pause or slow AI development, arguing that market …
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EU chief hosts Canada's Carney in push to 'deepen' alliance
AFP - 11h ago
From investments in AI to energy supplies, a drive to strengthen EU-Canada ties shifts into gear Wednesday, as the …
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Dead animals, barren fields, and hunger - El Nino chokes Central America
AFP - 10h ago
Animals are dropping dead amid the worst drought in living memory for many Central Americans, who are grappling with the …
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Asian stocks stutter as traders prepare for Fed decision
AFP - 4h ago
Asian stocks struggled Wednesday as investors prepare for an expected interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve later in …
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US touts its power, avoids Iran war at G20 Energy meeting
AFP - 10h ago
The United States hammered home a message touting its energy dominance at Tuesday's meeting of G20 energy ministers in …
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Saudi, Egypt demand open Red Sea as Riyadh vows response to Houthi attacks
AFP - 10h ago
Saudi Arabia and Egypt's leaders called on Tuesday for free navigation in the Red Sea, after Riyadh vowed a firm …
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AI giants pursue self-regulation as safety fears mount
AFP - 7h ago
The world's biggest AI companies are working on creating a standards body, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said on Tuesday, as …
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Carney sells Canada to global investors but says US ties still key
Sep 15 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney pitched Canada as an investment haven Tuesday at a gathering of global financial elite, but …
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Markets on edge as US Fed meets to tackle high inflation
Sep 15 2026
Oil prices jumped, US bond yields rallied and equities retreated Tuesday as the Federal Reserve looked set to raise …
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US Senate crypto bill collapses amid partisan deadlock
Sep 15 2026
A push for landmark US cryptocurrency legislation collapsed on Tuesday after Republicans and Democrats in Congress …
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OpenAI, Anthropic and Google are working to create an AI standards body
Sep 15 2026
The world's biggest AI companies are working on creating a standards body, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said on Tuesday, as …
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Protesting shepherds, farmers clash with Romanian police
Sep 15 2026
Protesting shepherds and farmers, joined by far-right groups, clashed with riot police in Romania Tuesday, leaving two …
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US Treasury chief says to meet Chinese counterpart at weekend
Sep 15 2026
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that he would meet his Chinese counterpart He Lifeng this weekend for …
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Canada remains 'most important partner' for US in 'key areas': Carney
Sep 15 2026
Canada will remain a crucial partner for the United States in "key areas," Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday as he …
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EU to propose curbing social media, online games for under 15s
Sep 15 2026
The European Union is set to propose curbing access to social media, video-sharing platforms, chatbots, and online games …
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'I am the hoax buster': Trump rejects AI danger warnings
Sep 15 2026
US President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed fears that artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity, repeatedly …
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Ukraine winemakers defy war to make a splash at home
Sep 15 2026
As this year's harvest season entered full swing, a winery in western Ukraine had an additional task to oversee: …
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Stocks drop, oil climbs and Treasury yields hit 19-year high
Sep 15 2026
Asian stock markets sank on Tuesday, US Treasury yields hit a 19-year high and oil prices extended gains as rising …
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China retail sales growth weakens further in August
Sep 15 2026
China's retail sales grew last month at their slowest pace since May, official data showed on Tuesday, as the country's …
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Most markets drop as oil extends gains ahead of expected US rate hike
Sep 15 2026
Most Asian stock markets struggled again Tuesday as oil prices extended gains and investors bet on a Federal Reserve …
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Doomers and boosters: who's who in the AI wars
Sep 15 2026
The furious debate over artificial intelligence has hardened into warring camps -- and a cautious middle.
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EU extends Russia sanction deadline
Sep 15 2026
EU countries on Monday delayed a deadline for prolonging sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war after France pushed …
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Canada makes pitch as safe place to invest in 'uncertain world'
Sep 14 2026
Canada is a safe place to invest "in a very uncertain world," Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told AFP …
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US stocks retreat on AI warnings as oil prices, bond yields rise
Sep 14 2026
Wall Street stocks fell Monday on weakness in tech shares after leading artificial intelligence executives said advances …
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Trump rejects 'hoax' warnings that AI could destroy humanity
Sep 14 2026
US President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed fears that artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity, calling them a …
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US invites Venezuela to G20 energy summit
Sep 14 2026
A Venezuelan delegation will participate in this week's G20 energy meetings in Texas, US officials said Monday, as the …
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France, Iraq deepen energy, defence ties during Zaidi visit
Sep 14 2026
France and Iraq on Monday called for a "diversification of export routes" for oil and gas in the Middle East in response …
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Germany seeks guarantees from Italy's UniCredit over Commerzbank takeover
Sep 14 2026
Germany's finance minister on Monday met the UniCredit CEO to seek guarantees over the future of Commerzbank, as the …
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Nigeria's Dangote refinery launches continent's biggest IPO
Sep 14 2026
Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote on Monday launched what is slated to be Africa's biggest initial public offering …
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Trump blasts 'sick conspiracy' against AI as warnings mount
Sep 14 2026
US President Donald Trump on Monday attacked what he called a "sick conspiracy" against artificial intelligence, …
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Oil gains on Mideast supply fears, AI warnings rattle tech firms
Sep 14 2026
Oil prices jumped Monday after Saudi Arabia closed a key pipeline amid the Middle East war, deepening worries about …
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UN calls for 'urgent action' to rein in AI in face of 'unprecedented risks'
Sep 14 2026
The United Nations rights chief called Monday for countries and "frontier" artificial intelligence companies to act …
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Slow the AI race? Investors weigh the potential cost
Sep 14 2026
Calls to rein in the development of ever more powerful AI models are fuelling fears over the massive capital outlays in …
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French defence group Thales calls on governments to regulate AI
Sep 14 2026
The head of French defence and technology group Thales called on governments Monday to take responsibility for …
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Nigerian oil refinery Dangote launches IPO
Sep 14 2026
Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote on Monday launched what is slated as Africa's biggest initial public offering (IPO), …
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Ozempic-maker Novo Nordisk slims down to 'Novo'
Sep 14 2026
Danish pharmaceuticals giant Novo Nordisk, maker of weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, announced Monday a name change …
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Oil prices extend gains on Mideast supply fears, tech leads losses
Sep 14 2026
Oil prices spiked Monday on Middle East supply fears after Saudi Arabia closed a key pipeline, putting further upward …
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Canada's Carney seeks closer Europe ties to counter hostile US
Sep 14 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney calls Canada "the most European of non-European countries," and while formal EU membership …
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Tech firms hit by AI slowdown call with Fed expected to hike rates
Sep 14 2026
Tech firms tumbled Monday after leaders of companies at the forefront of the AI boom backed calls for a slowdown in …
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US hosts G20 'energy abundance' talks amid Iran war shock
Sep 14 2026
The United States on Monday kicks off a set of G20 meetings touting "energy abundance," even as President Donald Trump's …
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Is it possible to slow down the development of AI?
Sep 14 2026
Top AI executives say they want to slow the breakneck pace of artificial intelligence development, but competition, US …
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Trump administration reluctant to slow AI, Democrats see urgent need
Sep 13 2026
US President Donald Trump and key allies voiced opposition Sunday to drastically curbing the development of artificial …
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'This is the test': All eyes on US Fed to tackle high inflation
Sep 13 2026
The US Federal Reserve goes into a key rate-setting meeting this week with markets expecting policymakers to pull the …
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US House Speaker warns curbing AI too sharply could leave China ahead
Sep 13 2026
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday warned that moving too quickly to curb AI development could cost the United States …
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Iran's economic ties to Dubai hard to break despite war
Sep 13 2026
In the markets of old Dubai, saffron, cumin, pistachios and almonds from Iran still fill the stalls, as if the two …
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Lights out in Laos as electricity exports surge
Sep 13 2026
Isolated, under-developed Laos brands itself the "Battery of Southeast Asia", powering its neighbours with dozens of …
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Ukraine's economy hobbled by Russian strikes
Sep 12 2026
Ukraine's economy is being crippled by intensifying Russian strikes hitting key sectors and its GDP could slump by 1.5 …
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'Great to have a race at home': Fans celebrate F1's Madrid return
Sep 12 2026
Forty-five years after Formula 1 last roared around Madrid, the Spanish capital is celebrating its return this weekend …
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French IT giant Capgemini sells subsidiary after row over ICE links
Sep 12 2026
French IT giant Capgemini said on Saturday it was selling its US subsidiary to an American company after the unit came …
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Roblox to launch wallet to pay creators faster and will allow off-platform gaming
Sep 11 2026
The American company behind the wildly popular gaming platform Roblox announced on Friday that it is launching a new …
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Oil prices, US inflation stoke Fed hike worries
Sep 11 2026
High oil prices, record American diesel costs and hot US inflation data on Friday cemented investor fears that the …
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Weapons, spyware and AI scams: Anthropic exposes Claude misuse
Sep 11 2026
Anthropic has released a 154-page report describing how bad actors used its Claude AI system for state-sponsored …
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US inflation steady in August, fueling Fed rate hike expectations
Sep 11 2026
US consumer inflation was unchanged at 3.4 percent in August, government data showed Friday, with persistent high prices …
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Europe saw record summer air traffic despite Mideast war: Eurocontrol
Sep 11 2026
Europe's skies were at their busiest ever during the summer holiday period from July to August, despite disruptions …
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Russia rolls out long-delayed 5G, but not for iPhones
Sep 11 2026
Russia announced Friday that it was rolling out its long-delayed 5G mobile network, but that iPhone users would be …
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Czech antitrust office lets Turkey's Pegasus Airlines buy Smartwings
Sep 11 2026
The Czech antitrust office UOHS said Friday it had allowed Pegasus Airlines to buy the Czech airline Smartwings as the …
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Investors on edge as energy costs, surging bond yields roil markets
Sep 11 2026
High oil prices and US diesel prices at record levels kept inflation fears at the fore on Friday, ratcheting up …
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Doomsday tech: could AI really kill us all?
Sep 11 2026
Stark warnings from artificial intelligence researchers that advanced forms of the technology could wipe out humanity …
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Stocks tumble as oil and inflation worries fan rate hike bets
Sep 11 2026
Asian stocks sank on Friday after oil prices and bond yields spiked as the Middle East crisis stoked supply concerns and …
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From potato chips to silicon chips: lobbies cover all in Brussels
Sep 11 2026
If there is an industry for it, there will be a lobby group representing its interests in Brussels, home to the European …
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Business booms as lobbyists push 'priorities' in EU capital
Sep 11 2026
In the shadow of the EU Parliament in Brussels, under a grand white tent filling a museum garden, hundreds of lobbyists, …
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Stocks tumble as oil and inflation fan rate hike bets
Sep 11 2026
Asian stocks tumbled Friday as oil prices extended gains and bond yields held at multi-year highs as the Middle East …
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US braces for inflation report that may push Fed to hike rates
Sep 11 2026
A consumer inflation report due Friday could pave the way towards the US central bank's first interest rate hike in more …
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Musk threatens legal action over documentary
Sep 11 2026
Elon Musk's lawyers put the makers of a new four-hour documentary about the multibillionaire on formal legal notice days …
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What to know about Trump's $5,000 'dividend' pledge
Sep 10 2026
President Donald Trump has promised $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans retain control of the House of …
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Surging oil prices, higher bond yields weigh on stocks
Sep 10 2026
Oil prices surged Thursday as advances by Yemeni rebels threatened the flow of crude supplies while yields on long-term …
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Carney says in touch with Trump, Canada ready for 'fair' trade deal
Sep 10 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that he had spoken to US President Donald Trump "in recent days" and Ottawa …
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UAE to invest 40 billion euros in Germany, including for data centres: Berlin
Sep 10 2026
The leader of the United Arab Emirates was on a state visit to Germany on Thursday that resulted in a promise to invest …
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Stocks fall as fresh oil surge fans inflation fears
Sep 10 2026
Oil prices surged Thursday as advances by Yemeni rebels threatened the flow of oil supplies, fanning inflation fears …
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ECB lifts borrowing costs amid energy shock, opens door for more hikes
Sep 10 2026
The European Central Bank raised interest rates Thursday for the second time this year as renewed Middle East fighting …
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US producer inflation tops expectations as diesel costs jump
Sep 10 2026
US wholesale inflation picked up more than expected in August, government data showed Thursday, driven by higher energy …
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ECB hikes borrowing costs to combat Mideast energy shock
Sep 10 2026
The European Central Bank raised interest rates Thursday for the second time this year as renewed fighting in the Middle …
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Oil prices extend gains as markets await ECB rate outlook
Sep 10 2026
Oil prices rose further Thursday on resurgent Middle East hostilities, fanning concerns about high inflation that is …
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Will Israel's right exploit sanctions in run-up to vote?
Sep 10 2026
British-led sanctions over settlement expansion in the West Bank may have the unintended effect of emboldening the …
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Deals worth billions to be signed as UAE leader visits Germany
Sep 10 2026
The leader of the United Arab Emirates began a state visit to Germany on Thursday, during which deals worth billions of …
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Stocks drop as oil spike fans inflation and interest rate fears
Sep 10 2026
Asian stocks fell Thursday and Brent oil extended gains a day after breaking the psychological $100 barrier on the back …
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Portugal harvests grapes at night to beat the heat
Sep 10 2026
Equipped with headlamps and pruning shears, a team of farm workers navigate pitch-black darkness during a nocturnal …
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Stocks sink as oil rally fans inflation and rate hike fears
Sep 10 2026
Asian stocks fell Thursday as oil prices extended gains a day after breaking the psychological $100 barrier on the back …
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Argentine industry reels from Milei's free-market revolution
Sep 10 2026
In the gloom of a vast warehouse in Argentina, the machines lying idle next to boxes of unsold merchandise represent the …
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Myanmar tin mega-mine restarts operations: think tank
Sep 10 2026
One of the world's biggest tin mines, located in an autonomous region of war-torn Myanmar, is resuming operations …
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Eurozone rate-setters to hike borrowing costs as energy prices jump
Sep 10 2026
With renewed Middle East clashes stoking energy prices and putting upward pressure on inflation, the European Central …
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How hot can the US-Canada trade war get?
Sep 10 2026
The US-Canada trade war has escalated rapidly, rupturing what was once one of the world's closest economic partnerships.
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Bond yields jump despite $6 bn US government intervention
Sep 09 2026
Yields on long-term US Treasury bonds surged Wednesday after a $6 billion government bond buyback that disappointed …
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Brent oil passes $100 on Mideast flare-up, stoking inflation fears
Sep 09 2026
International oil benchmark Brent spiked above $100 a barrel Wednesday for the first time since late July following …
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Apple unveils its first foldable smartphone iPhone Duo
Sep 09 2026
Apple unveiled its long-awaited first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, on Wednesday, at the company's first launch …
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Belgium raids illicit cigarette factory in push to stub out growing trade
Sep 09 2026
The smell of tobacco hung thick in the air as dozens of customs officers on Wednesday raided an illicit cigarette …
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Israeli settlement winemaker defiant after UK-led trade sanctions
Sep 09 2026
Britain has said it will have nothing more from Israeli settlement businesses like Psagot winery in the occupied West …
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Brent oil passes $100 on Mideast flare-up, stoking inflation worries
Sep 09 2026
International oil benchmark Brent spiked above $100 a barrel Wednesday for the first time since late July following …
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As African space race heats up, Senegal pursues homemade satellites
Sep 09 2026
Senegalese engineers in hairnets and white gloves are carefully assembling a nanosatellite at a French lab -- another …
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