Business and Economy
Hanoi scooter riders baulk at petrol-powered bikes ban
AFP - 13h ago
Vietnam's plan to bar gas-guzzling motorbikes from central Hanoi may clear the air of the smog-smothered capital, but …
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Japan sees bright future for ultra-thin, flexible solar panels
AFP - 13h ago
Japan is heavily investing in a new kind of ultra-thin, flexible solar panel that it hopes will help it meet renewable …
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Stocks consolidate after bumper week buoyed by resilient US economy
Jul 18 2025
US and European stock markets stalled or trimmed gains on Friday after a bullish week buoyed by US data and upbeat …
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G20 nations agree central bank independence 'crucial'
Jul 18 2025
The G20 finance ministers stressed Friday that central banks must remain independent, after months of escalating attacks …
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What's in the EU's two-trillion-euro budget bazooka?
Jul 18 2025
EU members got their first chance on Friday to debate the bloc's two-trillion-euro budget bazooka, laying bare divisions …
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EU, UK target Russian oil in tough new Ukraine war sanctions
Jul 18 2025
The European Union and Britain on Friday sought to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to halt the war in Ukraine by …
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Resilient US economy spurs on stock markets
Jul 18 2025
Upbeat company earnings and healthy US data buoyed stock markets on Friday, pushing ongoing concerns about President …
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EU targets Russian oil in tough new Ukraine war sanctions
Jul 18 2025
The EU on Friday adopted a sweeping new package of sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war, looking to pile more …
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Indie game studios battle for piece of Switch 2 success
Jul 18 2025
Players line up inside Nintendo's booth at a Japanese game fair to try upcoming Switch 2 titles, but, for once, the …
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Stocks up, dollar down tracking Trump moves and earnings
Jul 18 2025
European and Asian stocks markets closed out the week broadly higher Friday following Wall Street's latest record highs …
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Stocks head for positive end to week, Tokyo struggles ahead of vote
Jul 18 2025
Markets headed into the weekend on a broadly positive note Friday, as investors took up New York's latest record highs …
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North Korea bars foreign tourists from new seaside resort
Jul 18 2025
North Korea has barred foreigners from a newly opened beach resort, the country's tourism administration said this week, …
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China mulls economy-boosting measures to counter 'severe situation'
Jul 18 2025
China has a "plentiful" toolbox to avoid an economic slump in the second half of the year, its commerce minister said …
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Asian markets on course to end week on a positive note
Jul 18 2025
Asian markets headed into the weekend on a broadly positive note Friday, as investors took up New York's latest record …
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Japan rice prices double, raising pressure on PM
Jul 18 2025
Rice prices in Japan soared 99.2 percent in June year-on-year, official data showed Friday, piling further pressure on …
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Japan's SMEs ready to adapt to Trump tariffs
Jul 18 2025
Small and medium-sized firms like Mitsuwa Electric that form the backbone of Japan's economy have weathered many storms …
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California to sue Trump govt over axed high-speed rail funds
Jul 18 2025
California will sue President Donald Trump's administration over its decision to cancel billions of dollars in federal …
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Brazil's Lula calls Trump's tariff threat 'unacceptable blackmail'
Jul 18 2025
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday slammed Donald Trump's threat to impose 50 percent tariffs on …
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What to know about Trump's effort to oust Fed Chair Powell
Jul 18 2025
US President Donald Trump this week escalated attacks on central bank chair Jerome Powell, suggesting he could be …
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Gulf Air orders 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners
Jul 18 2025
US aviation giant Boeing on Thursday signed a contract valued at $7 billion to sell 12 787 Dreamliners, with options for …
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US House passes landmark crypto measures in win for Trump
Jul 17 2025
The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed three landmark cryptocurrency bills, fulfilling the Trump …
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Netflix profits surge off ads, higher subscription prices
Jul 17 2025
Netflix reported stronger than expected second-quarter results Thursday, with profit jumping 45 percent year-over-year …
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US stocks end at fresh records as markets shrug off tariff worries
Jul 17 2025
A jump in US retail sales boosted world markets Thursday even as investors mulled the US rates outlook, US President …
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Netflix profits surge 45% off higher subscription prices
Jul 17 2025
Netflix reported stronger than expected second-quarter results Thursday, with profit jumping 45 percent year-over-year …
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US authorizes Juul to market vaping products
Jul 17 2025
Juul Labs said Thursday that the US Food and Drug Administration had officially authorized the e-cigarette maker to …
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Zuckerberg settles lawsuit over Cambridge Analytica scandal
Jul 17 2025
Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg and other company board members settled a shareholder lawsuit on Thursday concerning …
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Global markets rise as Trump weighs future of Fed boss
Jul 17 2025
A jump in US retail sales boosted world markets Thursday even as investors mulled the US rates outlook, US President …
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TikTok Germany moderators raise alarm over layoff plans
Jul 17 2025
Content moderators at the German branch of social media giant TikTok sounded the alarm Thursday about what they say is a …
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EU readies retaliatory list targeting US services
Jul 17 2025
The EU executive is preparing a list of proposed restrictions on US services companies -- including tech giants -- …
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Swatch profits plunge on weak China sales
Jul 17 2025
Swatch Group said Thursday that weak sales in China wiped out growth elsewhere in the first half of the year for the …
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South Africa warns global turmoil threaten development goals
Jul 17 2025
G20 chair South Africa warned Thursday that abandoning the rules-based global order and declining cooperation could …
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Novartis first half net profits up 29 percent
Jul 17 2025
Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis posted Thursday a 29 percent increase in first-half net income, at $7.6 billion -- …
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Taiwan's TSMC says second quarter profit up 60%
Jul 17 2025
Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC reported Thursday a forecast-beating 60 percent rise in net profit for the second …
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EasyJet boss hits out over French air traffic walkouts
Jul 17 2025
The boss of British no-frills airline EasyJet on Thursday bemoaned "unacceptable challenges" for staff and passengers …
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Stocks extend Wall St gains, 7-Eleven owner plunges
Jul 17 2025
Most markets rose Thursday, tracking a record day on Wall Street where traders endured a rollercoaster fuelled by fears …
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Asian stocks extend Wall St gains, 7-Eleven owner plunges
Jul 17 2025
Asian markets rose Thursday, tracking a record day on Wall Street where traders endured a rollercoaster fuelled by …
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Volvo Cars swings into loss on electric vehicles, tariffs
Jul 17 2025
Volvo Cars announced on Thursday it had swung into loss in the second quarter, after it took an impairment charge for …
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US senators approve $9 billion of Elon Musk's federal cuts
Jul 17 2025
The US Senate approved early Thursday a package of spending cuts proposed by President Donald Trump that would cancel …
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Dairy giant New Zealand endures butter price shock
Jul 17 2025
Butter prices have soared in dairy export giant New Zealand, latest figures showed Thursday, with local supplies cut …
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China moves to tame 'irrational competition' as EV price war persists
Jul 17 2025
Chinese officials are seeking to tame the country's swelling electric vehicle industry with policies to prevent …
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'Shop local': Bad Bunny brings tourism surge to Puerto Rico
Jul 17 2025
The day before Bad Bunny kicked off his blockbuster residency that's expected to bring hundreds of millions of dollars …
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Japan's Sega eyes return to 1990s gaming glory
Jul 17 2025
The big-screen success of 1990s video game speedster "Sonic the Hedgehog" has brought new fans to Japan's Sega, which …
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Asian stocks struggle as traders eye Fed saga, trade war
Jul 17 2025
Asian markets fluctuated Thursday after a rollercoaster day on Wall Street punctuated by fears Donald Trump was …
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EU mega budget hits immediate German opposition
Jul 17 2025
The European Union executive on Wednesday proposed a two-trillion-euro long-term budget focused on tackling overseas …
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Trump says Coca-Cola to switch to cane sugar in US
Jul 16 2025
Beverage giant Coca-Cola has agreed to use real cane sugar in its US production, President Donald Trump announced …
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US stocks finish higher as markets gyrate on Powell firing fears
Jul 16 2025
Wall Street stocks finished higher Wednesday, overcoming a mid-session swoon after US President Donald Trump denied …
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United Airlines profits dip but says Newark has rebounded
Jul 16 2025
United Airlines reported a drop in second-quarter profits Wednesday on higher costs and predicted a rise in travel as …
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Goldman Sachs profits jump as CEO eyes more merger activity
Jul 16 2025
Goldman Sachs reported a jump in second-quarter profits Wednesday behind significant increases in financial advisory …
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EU unveils bigger long-term budget but risks fight with farmers
Jul 16 2025
The EU executive proposed on Wednesday a two-trillion-euro long-term budget bazooka focused on tackling overseas …
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Trump says not firing Fed chair -- but not ruling out
Jul 16 2025
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was not currently planning to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, …
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Markets fall on reported Trump plan to fire Fed chief
Jul 16 2025
Major stock markets stumbled on Wednesday after reports that US President Donald Trump was close to firing the head of …
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Argentina under Milei: a tale of two economies
Jul 16 2025
In Javier Milei's Argentina, falling inflation has stimulated a boom in car and real estate sales and foreign-bound …
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EU unveils blueprint for boosted 2-trillion-euro budget
Jul 16 2025
The EU executive proposed on Wednesday a long-term budget boosted to two trillion euros ($2.3 trillion) as Europe …
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Stocks steady as traders weigh inflation data, trade deal
Jul 16 2025
Major stock markets steadied on Wednesday as traders weighed a spike in US and UK inflation that raised concerns …
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Indonesian shoemakers fear Trump tariffs despite lower levy
Jul 16 2025
At a leather boot shop in the Indonesian city of Bandung, workers handle an order from Texas but owner Etnawati Melani …
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Indonesia hails 'new era' with US after Trump trade pact
Jul 16 2025
Indonesia's president on Wednesday hailed a "new era" of trade relations with the United States, after Donald Trump said …
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Nvidia's Huang says 'doing our best' to serve Chinese market
Jul 16 2025
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Wednesday his firm was "doing our best" to serve China's vast market for semiconductors …
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EU sets stage for big battle over long-term budget
Jul 16 2025
The European Commission will kickstart two years of tense negotiations when it unveils its proposal Wednesday for the …
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Stellantis pulls plug on hydrogen fuel cell vans
Jul 16 2025
Jeep-maker Stellantis said Wednesday it was pulling the plug on plans to build light vans using hydrogen fuel cells, …
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Markets mixed as traders weigh trade deal, US inflation data
Jul 16 2025
Asian markets were mixed Wednesday as they weighed Indonesia's trade deal with Washington and a spike in US inflation …
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Dutch tech giant ASML sees profits rise but warns on 2026
Jul 16 2025
Dutch tech giant ASML said Wednesday it booked higher net profits in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same …
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Pakistan's quiet solar rush puts pressure on national grid
Jul 16 2025
Pakistanis are increasingly ditching the national grid in favour of solar power, prompting a boom in rooftop panels and …
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Trump says Indonesia to face 19% tariff under trade deal
Jul 16 2025
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had struck a trade pact with Indonesia resulting in significant purchase …
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Hong Kong stocks lifted by Nvidia rally on mixed day in Asia
Jul 16 2025
Tech firms led another rally in Hong Kong stocks Wednesday after US titan Nvidia said it would resume exports of key …
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Cuban minister resigns after downplaying poverty
Jul 16 2025
The labor minister in economically depressed Cuba resigned Tuesday amid an uproar over her claim that people rummaging …
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Cuban president addresses anger over 'there are no beggars' claim
Jul 16 2025
Cuba's president was forced to step in Tuesday after a minister's assertion that "there are no beggars" caused an uproar …
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Trump unveils investments to power AI boom
Jul 15 2025
US President Donald Trump went to Pennsylvania on Tuesday to announce $92 billion in energy and infrastructure deals …
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US banks see lower recession risk despite tariff fog
Jul 15 2025
Large US banks reported results that topped estimates Tuesday as executives pointed to American economic resilience and …
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Trump says Ukraine should not target Moscow
Jul 15 2025
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine should not target Moscow, after the Kremlin charged that a new US …
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French PM proposes cutting national holidays to cut debt
Jul 15 2025
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said Tuesday he wanted to reduce the number of public holidays in France as part of a bid …
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Nvidia says it will resume sales of 'H20' AI chips to China
Jul 15 2025
US tech giant Nvidia announced Tuesday it will resume sales of its H20 artificial intelligence chips to China after …
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Tackling debt 'curse', France wants to slash holidays
Jul 15 2025
France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said Tuesday he wanted to reduce the number of public holidays as part of an …
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EU threatens US planes and whiskey while pressing for deal
Jul 15 2025
Brussels plans to target US goods including planes, cars and whiskey if trade talks with Washington fail, according to a …
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US consumer inflation accelerates as tariff effects creep in
Jul 15 2025
US consumer inflation picked up in line with analyst expectations in June, government data showed Tuesday, with vehicle …
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Stocks diverge, as US inflation puts focus on Trump's tariffs
Jul 15 2025
Global stock markets went in different directions on Tuesday, as an uptick in US inflation suggested President Donald …
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Fallen Austrian tycoon Benko charged with fraud
Jul 15 2025
Austrian tycoon Rene Benko has been charged with fraud as part of a wide-ranging probe into the insolvency of his real …
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Las Vegas Sands makes $8 bn Singapore bet with resort expansion
Jul 15 2025
Casino operator Las Vegas Sands broke ground Tuesday on a new $8 billion project to expand its iconic Marina Bay Sands …
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US consumer inflation accelerates as tariff scrutiny grows
Jul 15 2025
US consumer inflation picked up in line with analyst expectations last month, government data showed Tuesday, as …
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Russia suggests Trump is emboldening Ukraine, delaying peace
Jul 15 2025
The Kremlin warned Tuesday that US President Donald Trump's pledge of more weapons for Kyiv and threat of sanctions …
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Stock markets gain, dollar dips before US inflation
Jul 15 2025
Stock markets mostly gained and the dollar eased Tuesday ahead of key US inflation data, and after Chinese economic …
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Tesla marks India entry with first showroom
Jul 15 2025
Tesla unveiled its first showroom in India on Tuesday, marking its entry into the world's most populous country, as Elon …
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LVMH Italian fashion house Loro Piana put under court administration
Jul 15 2025
Italian fashion house Loro Piana, owned by French giant LVMH, has been placed under court administration for allegedly …
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Markets rise as China's economy meets forecasts
Jul 15 2025
Markets rose Tuesday as data showed China's economic growth met expectations, while optimism that governments will …
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'Dialogue' must be at heart of China, Australia ties, PM tells Xi
Jul 15 2025
"Dialogue" must be at the heart of ties between Canberra and Beijing, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on …
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Markets mostly rise as China's economy meets forecasts
Jul 15 2025
Most markets rose Tuesday as data showed China's economic growth met expectations, while optimism that governments will …
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Skidding Nissan to halt production at Japanese plant
Jul 15 2025
Struggling auto giant Nissan said Tuesday it will stop production at its plant at Oppama in Japan at the end of its 2027 …
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China's economy grows 5.2% on trade war truce
Jul 15 2025
China's economy expanded more than five percent in the second quarter, official data showed Tuesday, buoyed by strong …
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Ivory Coast farmers hope tech tempts jaded youth back to fields
Jul 15 2025
Stopwatch in hand, dozens of Ivory Coast students raced against the clock to design robots for the farms of the future …
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Asian markets mixed as China's economy meets forecasts
Jul 15 2025
Markets were mixed Tuesday as positive Chinese economic data was offset by weak consumer spending, while optimism that …
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Pentagon inks contracts for Musk's xAI, competitors
Jul 15 2025
The Pentagon announced contracts on Monday with multiple leading US artificial intelligence firms including Elon Musk's …
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Tech giants scramble to meet AI's looming energy crisis
Jul 15 2025
The artificial intelligence industry is scrambling to reduce its massive energy consumption through better cooling …
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US pro athletes reject antitrust exemptions for college sports
Jul 15 2025
Professional players unions for the five major US sports leagues -- baseball, soccer, basketball, football and hockey -- …
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US House set to vote on landmark crypto bills this week
Jul 14 2025
US lawmakers are on the verge of passing landmark legislation that will give the much-maligned crypto world much-wanted …
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Elon Musk's xAI inks Pentagon deal for contentious Grok chatbot
Jul 14 2025
Elon Musk's xAI, which features a large language model that has spewed Hitler-supporting rhetoric and antisemitic …
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Markets shrug off Trump tariff threat against EU
Jul 14 2025
Major stock markets on Monday largely shrugged off US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs threat to hit the EU and …
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Ukraine's Zelensky proposes new PM, defence minister in major reshuffle
Jul 14 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday proposed a new prime minister and defence minister, part of a major …
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Ukraine's Zelensky seeks shakeup with new prime minister
Jul 14 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that he was recommending economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko become …
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EU still seeks Trump trade deal -- but readies retaliation
Jul 14 2025
The EU on Monday moved to firm up possible retaliation if US President Donald Trump hits the bloc with 30-percent …
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Stocks slide on Trump tariff threat against EU
Jul 14 2025
Major stock markets slipped but without panic on Monday as investors digested US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs …
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EU climate VP seeks 'fair competition' with China on green energy
Jul 14 2025
The European Union is seeking "fair competition" with China and not a race to the bottom in wages and environmental …
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Japan's World Barber Classic tries to bring back business
Jul 14 2025
Hundreds of rowdy spectators, many heavily tattooed, roared Monday at a Tokyo arena usually reserved for boxing -- …
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Stocks diverge after Trump's latest tariff warning
Jul 14 2025
Major stock markets diverged and the dollar largely steadied Monday after President Donald Trump's latest trade war …
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