Business and Economy
SpaceX Starship explodes during routine test
AFP - 44m ago
One of Elon Musk's SpaceX Starships exploded during a routine test in Texas late Wednesday, law enforcement officials …
Full Story »
Stocks drop, oil gains as Mideast unrest fuels inflation fears
AFP - 49m ago
Stock markets mostly fell Thursday and oil prices rose as the Israel-Iran conflict added to fears over a renewed spike …
Full Story »
Swiss central bank cuts interest rates to zero percent
AFP - 1h ago
The Swiss National Bank cut interest rates to zero percent on Thursday as inflation cools and the franc strengthens, …
Full Story »
Stocks drop after Fed comments as Mideast fears lift crude
AFP - 1h ago
Equities fell Thursday after the Federal Reserve warned Donald Trump's trade war could reignite US inflation and dampen …
Full Story »
Nippon Steel closes US Steel acquisition under strict conditions
AFP - 6h ago
Nippon Steel completed its multi-billion-dollar acquisition of US Steel on Wednesday, granting rare veto-like power over …
Full Story »
Shortages hit Nigeria's drive towards natural gas-fuelled cars
AFP - 7h ago
Motorists in Nigerian cities are spending hours, or even days, queuing for natural gas to power their cars after the …
Full Story »
US Fed keeps interest rates unchanged in face of Trump criticism
AFP - 3h ago
The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for a fourth consecutive meeting Wednesday, forecasting higher …
Full Story »
Asian stocks drop after Fed warning, oil dips with Mideast in focus
AFP - 4h ago
Asian stocks fell Thursday after the Federal Reserve warned Donald Trump's trade war would likely reignite US inflation …
Full Story »
Bolivia risks debt default without new funding: president to AFP
AFP - 10h ago
Bolivia, battling an economic crisis that has plunged it into social unrest, risks defaulting on its loan payments if it …
Full Story »
Nippon, US Steel complete partnership deal
AFP - 4h ago
Nippon Steel and US Steel said Wednesday they had completed a long-debated transaction granting the US government a …
Full Story »
US approves Gilead's twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV
AFP - 11h ago
The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Gilead Sciences' twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV -- a …
Full Story »
Lakers to be sold in record-breaking $10 billion deal: ESPN
Jun 18 2025
The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold in a record-breaking $10 billion deal that makes the iconic franchise the …
Full Story »
Waymo looks to test its self-driving cars in New York
Jun 18 2025
Google-owned Waymo on Wednesday said it has applied for a permit to start testing its self-driving cars in New York …
Full Story »
US stocks flat as Fed keeps rates steady, oil prices gyrate
Jun 18 2025
Wall Street stocks treaded water Wednesday after the Federal Reserve met expectations and kept interest rates steady …
Full Story »
Brazil says free of bird flu, will resume poultry exports
Jun 18 2025
Brazil said Wednesday it was free of bird flu, paving the way for it to resume chicken exports to China and 20 other …
Full Story »
Nippon, US Steel say they have completed partnership deal
Jun 18 2025
Nippon Steel and US Steel announced Wednesday they have completed a long-debated transaction granting the US government …
Full Story »
Oil prices drop following Trump's Iran comments, US stocks rise
Jun 18 2025
Oil prices dropped Wednesday as comments by President Donald Trump trimmed concerns about an imminent US intervention in …
Full Story »
Musk's X sues to block New York social media transparency law
Jun 18 2025
Elon Musk's X Corp. has filed a lawsuit challenging a New York state law that requires social media companies to report …
Full Story »
Putin T-shirts, robots and the Taliban -- but few Westerners at Russia's Davos
Jun 18 2025
Russia's flagship economic forum kicked off Wednesday with stalls selling Vladimir Putin-themed merchandise and humanoid …
Full Story »
US Fed set to hold rates steady as it guards against inflation
Jun 18 2025
The US central bank is expected to hold interest rates steady Wednesday after its key policy meeting, as officials gauge …
Full Story »
New rules may not change dirty and deadly ship recycling business
Jun 18 2025
Mizan Hossain fell 10 metres (33-foot) from the top of a ship he was cutting up on Chittagong beach in Bangladesh -- …
Full Story »
China's AliExpress risks fine for breaching EU illegal product rules
Jun 18 2025
Chinese online giant AliExpress must do more to protect consumers from illegal product sales, the European Commission …
Full Story »
Oil rises, stocks mixed as investors watch rates, conflict
Jun 18 2025
Oil prices rose and stock markets diverged Wednesday as investors tracked the Israel-Iran conflict and a looming US …
Full Story »
Iranians buying supplies in Iraq tell of fear, shortages back home
Jun 18 2025
Near the once-bustling Iraqi border crossing of Bashmakh, Iranian driver Fatah stocked up on rice, sugar and tea, …
Full Story »
Oil prices dip, stocks mixed tracking Mideast unrest
Jun 18 2025
Oil prices eased and stock markets diverged Wednesday as traders kept a close watch over the Israel-Iran conflict ahead …
Full Story »
Oil edges down, stocks mixed but Mideast war fears elevated
Jun 18 2025
Oil prices slipped Wednesday following the previous day's surge but investors remained on edge fearing a US intervention …
Full Story »
UK inflation dips less than expected in May
Jun 18 2025
British inflation eased less than expected in May after surging in April, official data showed Wednesday, fuelling …
Full Story »
Meta offered $100 mn bonuses to poach OpenAI employees: CEO Altman
Jun 18 2025
Meta offered $100 million bonuses to OpenAI employees in an unsuccessful bid to poach the ChatGPT maker's talent and …
Full Story »
Spain pushes back against mooted 5% NATO spending goal
Jun 18 2025
Spain is resisting US President Donald Trump's demands to hike defence spending to five percent of national output, …
Full Story »
Energy transition: how coal mines could go solar
Jun 18 2025
Disused coal mines could be refashioned to place vast fields of solar panels, a new report suggests, providing an …
Full Story »
Taiwan's entrepreneurs in China feel heat from cross-Strait tensions
Jun 18 2025
Bustling Taipei-style shopping streets, majestic temples to the island's deities and thriving factories dot the eastern …
Full Story »
Bali flights cancelled after Indonesia volcano eruption
Jun 18 2025
Dozens of flights to and from Indonesia's resort island of Bali were cancelled on Wednesday, according to authorities …
Full Story »
Oil stabilises after surge, stocks drop as Mideast crisis fuels jitters
Jun 18 2025
Oil prices stabilised Wednesday after surging the previous day on fears of a US intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict …
Full Story »
Made in Vietnam: Hanoi cracks down on fake goods as US tariffs loom
Jun 18 2025
Since the United States accused Vietnam of being a hub for counterfeit goods, Tran Le Chi has found it increasingly hard …
Full Story »
Trump extends TikTok deadline for third time
Jun 18 2025
US President Donald Trump will this week give TikTok a fresh 90-day extension to find a non-Chinese buyer, the White …
Full Story »
Oil prices jump, stocks drop as traders track Israel-Iran crisis
Jun 17 2025
Oil prices jumped and stocks mostly fell Tuesday after President Donald Trump abruptly departed G7 talks and concerns …
Full Story »
EU chief says pressure off for lower Russia oil price cap
Jun 17 2025
EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday said surging energy prices have reduced the urgency to slash the …
Full Story »
Brazil sells rights to oil blocks near Amazon river mouth
Jun 17 2025
Brazil sold extraction rights to 19 oil and gas blocks near the mouth of the Amazon river Tuesday, at an auction slammed …
Full Story »
Spain says 'overvoltage' caused huge April blackout
Jun 17 2025
A major power outage that paralysed the Iberian Peninsula in April was caused by "overvoltage" on the grid that …
Full Story »
Trump says EU not offering 'fair deal' on trade
Jun 17 2025
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the European Union had yet to offer a "fair deal" on trade, as Washington …
Full Story »
Brazil sells exploration rights to oil blocks near Amazon river mouth
Jun 17 2025
Brazil sold exploration rights to 19 oil and gas blocks near the mouth of the Amazon river Tuesday, at the start of an …
Full Story »
Swiss insurers estimate glacier damage at $393 mn
Jun 17 2025
Swiss insurers on Tuesday put the damage caused by last month's glacier collapse, which largely destroyed the Alpine …
Full Story »
US retail sales slip more than expected after rush to beat tariffs
Jun 17 2025
US retail sales declined more than expected in May, government data showed Tuesday, dragged by a slowdown in auto sales …
Full Story »
UK startup looks to cut shipping's carbon emissions
Jun 17 2025
In a small London workshop, a prototype mimics the process of capturing carbon emissions from a cargo ship's engine.
Full Story »
Oil prices rally, stocks slide as traders track Israel-Iran crisis
Jun 17 2025
Oil prices jumped and stocks mostly fell Tuesday after US President Donald Trump abruptly departed G7 talks to monitor …
Full Story »
UK automakers cheer US trade deal, as steel tariffs left in limbo
Jun 17 2025
Britain's auto sector on Tuesday welcomed news that the United States and UK have agreed to implement key parts of their …
Full Story »
Global oil demand to dip in 2030, first drop since Covid: IEA
Jun 17 2025
Global oil demand will fall slightly in 2030, its first drop since the 2020 Covid pandemic, the International Energy …
Full Story »
Poll finds public turning to AI bots for news updates
Jun 17 2025
People are increasingly turning to generative artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT to follow day-to-day news, a …
Full Story »
Why stablecoins are gaining popularity
Jun 17 2025
Stablecoins -- a form of cryptocurrency backed by traditional assets -- are gaining traction, with the US Senate set to …
Full Story »
Taiwan tests sea drones as China keeps up military pressure
Jun 17 2025
A Taiwanese-made sea drone capable of carrying bombs skimmed across waters off the island Tuesday in a display of …
Full Story »
Oil prices rally, stocks mixed as traders track Israel-Iran crisis
Jun 17 2025
Oil prices jumped and equities fluctuated Tuesday as investors weighed Donald Trump called for Tehran residents to …
Full Story »
Bank of Japan holds rates, will slow bond purchase taper
Jun 17 2025
The Bank of Japan kept interest rates unchanged Tuesday and said it would taper its purchase of government bonds at a …
Full Story »
Oil prices swing with stocks as traders keep tabs on Israel-Iran crisis
Jun 17 2025
Oil prices and equities fluctuated Tuesday as investors weighed Donald Trump called for Tehran residents to evacuate and …
Full Story »
Bank of Japan holds rates, says to slow bond purchase taper
Jun 17 2025
The Bank of Japan kept interest rates unchanged Tuesday and said it would taper its purchase of government bonds at a …
Full Story »
Venezuela's El Dorado, where gold is currency of the poor
Jun 17 2025
In the Venezuelan mining community of El Dorado, the majority of residents carry around gold instead of cards or cash to …
Full Story »
Soft power: BTS fans rally behind Korean international adoptees
Jun 17 2025
K-pop megaband BTS is back from military service, and their international fandom -- long known for its progressive …
Full Story »
Oil prices jump after Trump's warning, stocks extend gains
Jun 17 2025
Oil prices rallied Tuesday after Donald Trump urged Tehran residents to evacuate, stoking fresh fears of all-out war as …
Full Story »
Yen slides ahead of Bank of Japan policy decision
Jun 17 2025
The yen fell against the dollar ahead of a Bank of Japan decision Tuesday, with officials expected to hold interest …
Full Story »
Ecuador pipeline burst stops flow of crude
Jun 17 2025
Ecuador's state energy company said it stopped pumping oil through the country's main pipeline Monday due to a rupture …
Full Story »
Despite law, US TikTok ban likely to remain on hold
Jun 17 2025
US President Donald Trump is widely expected to extend the Thursday deadline for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer or …
Full Story »
OpenAI wins $200 mn contract with US military
Jun 17 2025
The US Department of Defense on Monday awarded OpenAI a $200 million contract to put generative artificial intelligence …
Full Story »
G7 leaders urge Trump to ease off trade war
Jun 17 2025
World leaders at the Group of Seven summit in Canada on Monday pushed US President Donald Trump to back away from his …
Full Story »
Oil prices drop, stocks climb as Iran-Israel war fears ease
Jun 16 2025
Stocks rose and oil prices retreated Monday as fears of a wider Middle East conflict eased even as Israel and Iran …
Full Story »
France shuts Israeli weapons booths at Paris Air Show
Jun 16 2025
Geopolitical tensions roiled the opening of the Paris Air Show on Monday as French authorities sealed off Israeli …
Full Story »
Struggling Gucci owner names new CEO
Jun 16 2025
French luxury group Kering announced Monday that it had appointed Luca de Meo, who helped drive automaker Renault out of …
Full Story »
Oil prices fall, stocks rise as Iran-Israel war fears ease
Jun 16 2025
Stocks rose and oil prices retreated Monday as fears of a wider Middle East conflict eased even as Israel and Iran …
Full Story »
Fighter jets, refuelling aircraft, frigate: UK assets in Mideast
Jun 16 2025
Britain is deploying extra fighter jets and other assets to the Middle East amid the escalating conflict between Israel …
Full Story »
Struggling Gucci owner's shares soar over new CEO reports
Jun 16 2025
Shares in Gucci owner Kering jumped Monday over reports that the outgoing boss of French automaker Renault would take …
Full Story »
Oil prices fall even as Israel-Iran strikes extend into fourth day
Jun 16 2025
Stocks rose and oil prices pulled back on Monday as fears of a wider Middle East conflict eased even as Israel and Iran …
Full Story »
Oil prices rise further as Israel-Iran extends into fourth day
Jun 16 2025
Oil prices extended gains Monday as Israel and Iran pounded each other with missiles for a fourth day and threatened …
Full Story »
China factory output slows but consumption offers bright spot
Jun 16 2025
Growth in China's factory output hit a six-month low last month as trade war pressures bit, official data showed Monday, …
Full Story »
China factory output slumps but consumption offers bright spot
Jun 16 2025
China's factory output grew slower than expected last month as trade war pressures bit, official data showed Monday, …
Full Story »
Renault boss Luca de Meo to step down, company says
Jun 15 2025
The head of French carmarker Renault, Luca de Meo, is to quit "to take on new challenges outside the automobile sector", …
Full Story »
Sober clubbing brews fresh beat for Singapore Gen Z
Jun 15 2025
Swaying to dance music and TikTok-fuelled pop under a disco ball, young punters are packed shoulder to shoulder while …
Full Story »
US Fed set to hold rates steady in the face of Trump pressure
Jun 15 2025
The US central bank is expected to keep interest rates unchanged for a fourth straight policy meeting this week, despite …
Full Story »
Big tech on a quest for ideal AI device
Jun 15 2025
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has enlisted the legendary designer behind the iPhone to create an irresistible gadget for using …
Full Story »
US Steel, Nippon partnership proceeds with security deal, 'golden share'
Jun 14 2025
The partnership between US Steel and Nippon Steel has reached a new phase, with an agreement on US national security …
Full Story »
Trump approves US Steel, Nippon Steel partnership
Jun 14 2025
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday approving a partnership between US Steel and Nippon Steel after …
Full Story »
Google turns internet queries into conversations
Jun 13 2025
Google on Friday began letting people turn online searches into conversations, with generative artificial intelligence …
Full Story »
Oil prices soar, stocks slide after Israel strikes Iran
Jun 13 2025
Oil prices soared and stocks sank Friday after Israel launched strikes on Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran and …
Full Story »
War, trade and Air India crash cast cloud over Paris Air Show
Jun 13 2025
War, tariffs and the Air India crash will cast a shadow over the Paris Air Show as the aerospace industry's biggest …
Full Story »
Airlines halt many Middle East flights after Israel hits Iran
Jun 13 2025
Global airlines on Friday cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran and other Middle East destinations, or rerouted planes, …
Full Story »
Spain economy minister urges fair, balanced EU-US tariff deal
Jun 13 2025
Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said a tariff pact between the EU and Washington should be "fair and balanced," …
Full Story »
Startups show off ocean-preserving tech at Paris trade fair
Jun 13 2025
Harnessing ocean currents to boost fuel efficiency of vessels, or tracking whales using sensor data and AI -- startups …
Full Story »
Oil surges, stocks fall on Middle East fears as Israel strikes Iran
Jun 13 2025
Oil prices soared and stocks sank Friday after Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites and warned …
Full Story »
As Trump mulls sanctions, Russia's military economy slows
Jun 13 2025
After three years of doom-defying growth, Russia's heavily militarised economy is slowing, facing a widening budget …
Full Story »
Anthropic says looking to power European tech with hiring push
Jun 13 2025
American AI giant Anthropic aims to boost the European tech ecosystem as it expands on the continent, product chief Mike …
Full Story »
As NATO ups defence spending, can Europe produce the weapons?
Jun 13 2025
NATO leaders meeting in The Hague this month look set to agree to a major increase in military budgets under pressure …
Full Story »
'We're done with Teams': German state hits uninstall on Microsoft
Jun 13 2025
At a time of growing concern over the power of the world's mighty tech companies, one German state is turning its back …
Full Story »
Meta makes major investment in Scale AI, takes in CEO
Jun 13 2025
Scale AI announced a major new investment by Meta late Thursday that values the startup at more than $29 billion and …
Full Story »
Betraying the revolution: Cuban students reject dollarization
Jun 13 2025
It took a steep hike in mobile internet tariffs to unleash a rebellion among Cuban students on a scale unseen since the …
Full Story »
Trump moves to block California electric cars program
Jun 13 2025
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed resolutions blocking California's landmark efforts to phase out gas-powered …
Full Story »
At least 265 dead in India plane crash, one passenger survives
Jun 12 2025
A London-bound passenger jet crashed in a residential area in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing at least …
Full Story »
Air India crash latest test for new Boeing leadership
Jun 12 2025
The devastating Air India crash seems certain to embroil Boeing in further rounds of negative headlines at a time when …
Full Story »
India plane crash: What we know
Jun 12 2025
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed on Thursday after taking off from the Indian city of Ahmedabad bound …
Full Story »
Dollar dives on Trump's new trade threat
Jun 12 2025
The dollar plunged on Thursday after US President Donald Trump threatened higher unilateral tariffs on trade partners, …
Full Story »
At least 260 dead in India plane crash, one passenger survives
Jun 12 2025
A London-bound passenger jet crashed in a residential area in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing at least …
Full Story »
California sues Trump for scrapping state's EV rules
Jun 12 2025
California sued Donald Trump's administration Thursday over his move to scrap the state's tailpipe emission rules and …
Full Story »
India plane crash: What we know so far
Jun 12 2025
A London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed on Thursday in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, with …
Full Story »
One survivor after London-bound plane with 242 on board crashes in India
Jun 12 2025
A London-bound passenger plane crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday leaving one known survivor from 242 …
Full Story »
The most eye-catching products at Paris's Vivatech trade fair
Jun 12 2025
Products ranging from footwear to AI counterfeit detectors fill the halls of Paris's Vivatech trade fair, which runs …
Full Story »
London-bound plane with 242 on board crashes into doctors' housing in India
Jun 12 2025
A London-bound passenger plane crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday and all 242 people on board were …
Full Story »