Business and Tech

With shutdown looming, US Senate offers short-term budget fix
AFP - 19m ago
The US Senate drafted a last-ditch short-term budget proposal Tuesday as time was running out for Congress to avoid a …
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Foragers and popsicle sellers: a micro-economy among US migrants
AFP - 19m ago
Marco Gonzalez used to fish the river between Mexico and Texas, but now he has a more lucrative harvest -- possessions …
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Hollywood writers' guild leaders call off monthslong strike
Sep 27 2023
The leaders of the Writers Guild of America on Tuesday called off a monthslong strike that has paralyzed Hollywood, …
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Tree-hugging AI to the rescue of Brazilian Amazon
Sep 27 2023
Small, artificially intelligent boxes tied to tree trunks in the Brazilian Amazon are the latest weapon in the arsenal …
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Hit soccer video game adds mixed-gender teams, sheds FIFA name
Sep 27 2023
The blockbuster soccer video game franchise from Electronic Arts, no longer linked to FIFA, will allow mixed-gender …
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Sacred cow: Ball makers break taboos for India's favourite sport
Sep 27 2023
Stitching together cricket balls is a wearisome task for leatherworker Bunty Sagar, whose labours are frowned upon by …
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World Bank chief vows to tackle 'dysfunctionality' at development lender
AFP - 2h ago
World Bank President Ajay Banga said Tuesday that he is working to reform "dysfunctionality" in the boardroom of the …
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Trump committed fraud by inflating value of assets: judge
AFP - 4h ago
Donald Trump and his sons Eric and Don Jr committed fraud by inflating the value of the real estate and financial assets …
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ChatGPT maker value rockets in funding talks: report
AFP - 5h ago
The value placed on startup OpenAI has rocketed to between $80 billion and $90 billion in talks with potential …
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Stocks knocked by growing US rate worries
AFP - 5h ago
Global stock markets fell Tuesday as investors fixated on the risk US interest rates will be kept elevated for a …
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World Bank chief pledges to reform 'dysfunctional' development lender
AFP - 7h ago
World Bank President Ajay Banga said Tuesday that he is working to reform the "dysfunctional" development lender, and …
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Writers' guild leaders to meet on Hollywood studio offer
AFP - 7h ago
Leaders of the Writers Guild of America will meet Tuesday to decide whether to accept a pay deal hammered out with …
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Biden makes history by joining US auto workers picket line
AFP - 7h ago
Joe Biden became the first sitting US president to stand on a picket line Tuesday, joining striking auto workers in …
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JPMorgan Chase to pay $75 mn to settle Epstein-linked sex trafficking suit
AFP - 8h ago
JPMorgan Chase announced Tuesday that it will pay $75 million to settle a US Virgin Islands' (USVI) lawsuit that accused …
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US says Amazon running illegal monopoly in online retail
AFP - 9h ago
A top US antitrust regulator sued Amazon on Tuesday, accusing the online retail behemoth of running an illegal monopoly …
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Biden makes history by joining striking US car workers
AFP - 9h ago
Joe Biden joined striking auto workers on the picket line in Michigan Tuesday in a historic first for a sitting US …
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Biden to join striking car workers in 'historic' move
AFP - 10h ago
US President Joe Biden began an unprecedented trip to join striking auto workers on the picket line in Michigan Tuesday, …
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JPMorgan Chase to pay $75 mn to settle Epstein-linked sex trafficking suit jmb/st
AFP - 10h ago
JPMorgan Chase announced Tuesday that it will pay $75 million to settle a US Virgin Islands' (USVI) lawsuit that accused …
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UK Lib Dem leader vows closer EU ties but not to rejoin
AFP - 10h ago
British opposition party the Liberal Democrats on Tuesday promised a closer relationship with Europe if they come to …
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Sick leave in UK hits 15-year high: study
AFP - 12h ago
Sick leave in the UK has hit its highest rate in 15 years and is well above pre-pandemic levels, a study showed Tuesday.
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Hosts China win Asian Games' first-ever eSports gold
AFP - 12h ago
Hosts China on Tuesday won the Asian Games' first-ever gold in eSports in a landmark for gaming, beating Malaysia 2-0 in …
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EU tells Apple chief to 'open up' to rivals
AFP - 10h ago
The EU's digital chief Thierry Breton told Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday that the iPhone maker must open up its products …
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French news outlet Jeune Afrique protests Burkina suspension
AFP - 9h ago
French media outlet Jeune Afrique protested Tuesday after Burkina Faso's junta-led government suspended its print and …
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Rich nations, China must accelerate race to net zero: IEA
AFP - 9h ago
Rich and developing nations alike must sharply improve their net-zero targets, the International Energy Agency said …
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Stocks knocked by growing US rate worries, but dollar soars
AFP - 9h ago
Asian and European stocks fell Tuesday but the dollar soared as investors grow increasingly concerned that US interest …
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Asian, European markets on back foot over growing US rate worries
AFP - 11h ago
Markets fell further Tuesday as investors grew increasingly fearful about another possible US interest rate hike and the …
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Need for critical metals poses dilemmas for investors
AFP - 11h ago
Soaring demand for the raw materials needed for the transition towards renewable energy is creating dilemmas for …
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Asian, European markets on back foot on growing US rate worries
AFP - 10h ago
Markets fell further Tuesday as investors grew increasingly fearful about another possible US interest rate hike and the …
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Asian Games put China tech giants on podium after long crackdown
AFP - 11h ago
Alibaba was among the high-profile Chinese tech companies brought to heel by the ruling Communist Party, but the Asian …
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Axed: Rampant logging hits India's batmakers for six
AFP - 12h ago
When the Cricket World Cup opens in India next month several players will carry Kashmiri willow wood bats, but …
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'Treated like slaves': Workers dying in ArcelorMittal's Kazakh mines
AFP - 11h ago
Standing in the vast windswept plains of the Kazakh steppe, miner Vladimir Khaniev stoically recalled the explosion that …
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'Last hope': Desperate truckers in Germany stage hunger strike
AFP - 10h ago
Truck drivers who transport goods around Europe have staged a hunger strike in Germany as part of a weeks-long work …
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EU trade chief warns China data laws could have 'unintended consequences'
AFP - 10h ago
The EU trade commissioner warned Tuesday that Chinese regulations governing the transfer of data out of the country, …
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Sudan's vital date industry struggles in war-decimated economy
AFP - 11h ago
The lush palm groves of Karima are a long way from Sudan's battlefields, but the war's effects are all too present, …
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Asian markets on back foot on growing US rate, China worries
AFP - 10h ago
Markets fell further Tuesday as investors grew increasingly fearful about another possible US interest rate hike and the …
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Biden, Trump in dueling US auto strike trips
AFP - 10h ago
US President Joe Biden will join the picket line with striking auto workers on a historic trip to Michigan Tuesday, …
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Ford pauses work on $3.5 bn battery plant
Sep 25 2023
Ford is halting work on a major battery plant in the northern US state of Michigan, the automaker said Monday, just …
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Tech firms roll back misinformation curbs ahead of 2024 polls
Sep 25 2023
As a global election season widely expected to be mired in misinformation and falsehoods fast approaches, the big …
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Strike deal only first step in resolving film industry crisis
Sep 25 2023
A tentative deal to end a long-running writers' strike that has paralyzed Hollywood is only a first step in resolving a …
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ChatGPT AI getting chatty with voice prompts
Sep 25 2023
The company behind ChatGPT on Monday said it is adding voice and image capabilities to the generative artificial …
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Air France-KLM to order 50 long-haul Airbus A350s: group
Sep 25 2023
Air France-KLM announced Monday that it was going to place a "major order" for 50 long-haul Airbus A350s, as part of its …
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Macron promises heat pump boost in French climate plan
Sep 25 2023
President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday France will triple its heat pump production over the next four years as part of …
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Stock markets continue retreat on rate hike fears
Sep 25 2023
Stock markets slumped on Monday over lingering concerns that interest rates will remain higher for longer or even climb …
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Polish farmers warn of EU threat from Ukraine grain
Sep 25 2023
At his family farm, Wieslaw Gryn voiced support for Poland's ban on Ukrainian grain imports, but said it had not …
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EU trade chief warns businesses questioning future in China
Sep 25 2023
The EU's trade chief told Beijing on Monday that tough security laws and a more "politicised" business environment have …
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Stock markets retreat, oil climbs
Sep 25 2023
Stock markets slumped on Monday over lingering concerns that interest rate hikes will remain higher for longer or even …
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Germany's housing sector slumps into crisis
Sep 25 2023
Valeriy Shevchenko felt like he made the purchase of his lifetime when he beat a queue of prospective buyers to secure a …
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Picasso masterpiece begins pre-auction tour in Dubai
Sep 25 2023
A Pablo Picasso masterpiece expected to fetch at least $120 million at auction went on show Monday in Dubai, kicking off …
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Amazon steps up AI race with $4 bn Anthropic investment
Sep 25 2023
Amazon said on Monday it would invest up to $4 billion in AI firm Anthropic, as the online retail giant steps into an AI …
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Stock markets largely retreat, oil climbs
Sep 25 2023
Stock markets mostly dropped Monday on the possibility of more hikes to US interest rates, with Federal Reserve …
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'Regulate them': hard-up Indonesia traders urge TikTok sales ban
Sep 25 2023
As clothing seller Hendri Tanjung struggles to hawk his tunics to Indonesian buyers outside his market shop, he says …
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Scandal-hit UK business lobby wins funds to carry on
Sep 25 2023
Britain's scandal-hit business lobby, the CBI, has received funds to remain operational following reports it was in …
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Paris Fashion Week promises drama and departures
Sep 25 2023
Milan Fashion Week was not even over and the fashionistas were already heading to Paris on Monday for another 100-plus …
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EU blocks Booking takeover of Swedish travel group
Sep 25 2023
The EU vetoed a bid by US online travel agency Booking to take over Swedish rival Etraveli Group Monday over fears the …
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'Humans of New York' creator slams Indian version for suing rival
Sep 25 2023
The creator of "Humans of New York" has slammed an Indian version of the blog for suing a rival, accusing it of …
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Equity markets mixed as traders prepare for higher rates
Sep 25 2023
Stock markets were mixed Monday as investors contemplated the possibility the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates …
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Chinese tourists get VIP welcome in Thailand as visa-free travel begins
Sep 25 2023
Chinese tourists received a personal welcome from the Thai prime minister Monday as they arrived in Bangkok under a new …
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Equity markets struggle as traders prepare for higher rates
Sep 25 2023
Stock markets were mixed Monday as investors contemplated the possibility the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates …
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From K-pop to sales girls: AI goes mainstream in South Korea
Sep 25 2023
Her face is a deepfake. Her body belongs to a team of similar-sized actors. But she sings, reads the news, and sells …
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Desperate eSports fans in ticket-grabbing frenzy at Asian Games
Sep 25 2023
ESports tickets costing up to $137 are like gold dust at the Asian Games with desperate fans signing up multiple times …
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Evergrande shares sink after restructuring plan scrapped
Sep 25 2023
Shares in embattled Chinese property developer Evergrande plummeted Monday, following the announcement that it would be …
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Hollywood writers, studios reach tentative deal to end strike
Sep 25 2023
Striking writers whose industrial action has paralyzed Hollywood said Sunday they had reached an "exceptional" deal with …
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Asian markets struggle as traders prepare for higher rates
Sep 25 2023
Asian markets were mixed Monday as investors contemplated the possibility the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates …
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EU businesses 'questioning their position' in China: trade commissioner
Sep 25 2023
European businesses in China are increasingly questioning their positions in the face of tough new security laws and a …
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'One day I said stop': models describe pressure to stay thin
Sep 25 2023
Maud Le Fort won't be seen on the runways of Paris Fashion Week, which kicks off on Monday, having chosen her health …
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The 'tyranny of thinness' still dominates fashion
Sep 25 2023
Despite claims that the fashion industry is embracing curvier bodies, the data suggests it could be guilty of what one …
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Time ticking on US deadline to avert shutdown
Sep 25 2023
Four months after barely avoiding a catastrophic default, the world's largest economy is once again on the verge of a …
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ESports makes debut as Asian Games medal event but women left behind
Sep 24 2023
ESports' inclusion as a medal event at the Hangzhou Asian Games was hailed as a landmark, but out of nearly 500 gamers …
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Scottish port feels force of UK fishing storm
Sep 24 2023
In Peterhead, a major port in northeast Scotland and Europe's largest wholesale market for white fish, Brexit was …
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Bavarian village to decide future of key BMW factory
Sep 24 2023
A sleepy Bavarian village could decide the future of BMW's drive towards electromobility as it goes to the polls on …
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As planet gets warmer, ski gondola maker goes urban
Sep 24 2023
Austrian company Doppelmayr is well known for making gondolas for ski resorts, but its workshop is increasingly building …
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Hopes rise for end to Hollywood writers' strike as talks extend
Sep 23 2023
Hollywood writers and studios will meet for a fourth consecutive day of high-level talks Saturday, as the industry hopes …
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Hi, Robot: machines take over at China's Asian Games
Sep 23 2023
From autonomous bug zappers to android pianists and driverless ice-cream trucks, machines rule the world -- at least at …
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UK's colossal HS2 project in danger of going off the rails
Sep 23 2023
HS2, the UK's second high-speed train line after the one leading to the Channel Tunnel, has suffered spiralling costs …
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One year on, Nord Stream sabotage remains a mystery
Sep 23 2023
The September 26, 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines cut off a major route for Russian gas exports …
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Stock markets mixed as traders eye high interest rates for longer
Sep 22 2023
Global stock markets diverged Friday as investors contemplated central bank signals that interest rates will remain high …
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Biden to join picket line as auto workers union expands strike
Sep 22 2023
The US auto workers union expanded a strike against two of Detroit's "Big Three" on Friday, while President Joe Biden …
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US stocks fall again, extending losing streak
Sep 22 2023
Wall Street stocks edged lower Friday, extending a losing streak as markets continued to anticipate a period of …
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Lachlan Murdoch, the choice of continuity
Sep 22 2023
Lachlan Murdoch, the heir of the sprawling media empire whose politics skew as conservative as his father Rupert's, is …
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Central banks in no rush to cut interest rates
Sep 22 2023
Investors were hoping to hear central banks finally signal this week that they were close to being done raising interest …
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Conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch hands empire to son Lachlan
Sep 22 2023
Rupert Murdoch announced Thursday he will step down as chairman of his global media empire, a conservative behemoth that …
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US auto workers union expands strike at General Motors, Stellantis
Sep 22 2023
The US auto workers union expanded a potentially economically and politically damaging strike against two of Detroit's …
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Rupert Murdoch's handover to son Lachlan sparks concern in London
Sep 22 2023
Rupert Murdoch's announcement that he will hand over control of his global media empire to son Lachlan has put the …
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Adidas boss apologises for controversial Ye comments
Sep 22 2023
The head of Adidas has apologised after speculating that Kanye West did not "mean what he said" with anti-Semitic …
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US Fed official calls for more rate hikes to tackle inflation
Sep 22 2023
The US Federal Reserve has more work to do to tackle high inflation despite making "considerable" progress in the last …
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UK opposition leader denies he will try to undo Brexit
Sep 22 2023
The leader of the UK's opposition Labour Party on Friday denied he wanted to rejoin the European Union after recent …
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EU reduces record Intel antitrust fine to 376 mn euros
Sep 22 2023
The European Commission slapped a new fine of 376 million euros ($400 million) on US chipmaker Intel on Friday after an …
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As electric shift stalls, Volkswagen weighs up savings
Sep 22 2023
Volkswagen's factory in the heart of the east German city of Dresden was conceived as a showcase for the auto giant's …
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Blockbuster movie scares Chinese tourists away from Thailand
Sep 22 2023
For millions of Chinese tourists, Thailand used to be a happy land of water fights, lantern festivals and delicious …
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Japan sticks to ultra-loose monetary policy
Sep 22 2023
The Bank of Japan stuck to its ultra-loose monetary policy Friday, though officials face increasing pressure to turn …
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Eurozone economic contraction less severe in September
Sep 22 2023
Eurozone economic activity shrank further in September but the rate of decline has slowed, a key survey showed on …
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Microsoft nears takeover of 'Call of Duty' maker
Sep 22 2023
Xbox-owner Microsoft has closed in on its $69-billion takeover of "Call of Duty" video-game maker Activision Blizzard …
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Markets mostly rise as traders try to look past expected rate hikes
Sep 22 2023
Most stock markets rose Friday, reversing early losses and a sell-off on Wall Street, as traders contemplate further …
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In war-scarred Iraqi city, food business gives women independence
Sep 22 2023
Abir Jassem is busy preparing stuffed vegetables at a kitchen in Iraq's Mosul, where after years of unrest a women-run …
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Military exemption for South Korean gamers reignites debate
Sep 22 2023
K-pop powerhouse BTS didn't get one, star footballer Son Heung-min did: South Korea grants limited exemptions from …
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EU seeks to put brakes on China without hurting ties
Sep 22 2023
When the EU launched an investigation into Chinese electric car subsidies, Brussels wanted the world to know that it …
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JPEX crypto fraud casts shadow over Hong Kong nascent policy
Sep 22 2023
Crypto investor Jenny first learned about digital assets at a Hong Kong store that promoted cryptocurrency exchange JPEX …
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Chevron workers to end Australia gas plant strike
Sep 22 2023
Workers will end strike action at Chevron's gas plants in Western Australia, their union said Friday, accepting a deal …
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US states relax child labor laws amid rise in illegal work
Sep 22 2023
Working in industrial laundries at age 14, laboring up to 35 hours a week on top of school -- some US states are …
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US farmers, tech tycoons square off over plans for utopian city
Sep 22 2023
A stealth campaign by Silicon Valley elites with a dream of turning a swath of California farmland into a new age city …
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IMF board approves $300 mn loan for Burkina Faso
Sep 21 2023
The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) executive board approved a $300 million loan agreement for the West African …
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Microsoft to offer OpenAI's Dall-E 3 in Bing
Sep 21 2023
Microsoft on Thursday said it would integrate OpenAI's soon to be released Dall-E 3 image creation tool into its Bing …
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